Wednesday September 6 2017

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The Oracle SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

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Today Today

www.oraclenews.ng

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2017

ISSN: 2545-5869

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VOL.2 No. 37. N200

Women protest against army From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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OMEN numbering over 2,000 from Effurun and neighbouring communities of Uvwie Local Government recently took to the streets and barricaded the Effurun roundabout axis of the East-West Road in protest over an alleged land-grab and sale of about 185.20 hectares of prime property at Uvwie, Uvwie Local Council of Delta State by the Nigerian Army.

The protest, which started as early as 6am and lasted for over three hours, resulted in traffic gridlock on the strategic highway. The women, brandishing placards with different inscriptions such as, “Our land has been sold by soldiers”, “Give our land back to us”, “We have no land to farm”, “Mr. Presi-

Cont’d on page 2 •Deputy Governor, Sir Udeh Okochukwu, his wife, Vivian, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, his wife, Nkechi, Ezeogo Dr. Anagha Ezikpe and Lady Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi,widow of late Head of State, Maj-Gen Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, cutting the cake to mark the 26th anniversary of the creation of Abia State, at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia. Photo: Ibe Abaikwu.

Story on Page 2

Okorocha under fire

From COLLINS UGHALAA, Owerri

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ORMER Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State on Tuesday lampooned Governor Rochas Okorocha over his deployment of military to Ekeukwu Owerri market and the use of live bullets on civilians. He described the death of Somtochukwu as one too many and a collective shock to all Igbo people.

In a statement he personally signed, the former Governor who is holidaying abroad described the killed of Somtochukwu Ibeanusi

•Demolition of Ekeukwu Owerri Market

Major shake-up in NNPC •Ewubare heads NAPIMS

From CHIDI UGWU, Abuja

HE ongoing restructuring of the Nigerian NationT •Ohakim blasts Gov •PDP 7-day mourning alNNPC Petroleum Corporation, received fresh impetus on Tuesday with the appointments and deployments of •Group petitions Buhari top executives across the allegedly by security agents as unfortunate, adding that he has been praying for the repose of the soul of Somtochukwu, and the recovery

of those injured and dispossessed since the incident.

“Since the unfortunate killing of Master Somtochukwu Ibeanusi on

Saturday, 26 August 2017, by agents of the Government of Imo State, I have spent most of my time praying for the repose of the soul of the 10-year-old boy who was the hope of the Ibeanusi family. I also com-

value chain of its operations.

The changes were contained in a statement made avail-

Cont’d on page 2

Watch out Behind changing faces of Anambra politics

•Willie Obiano

•Oseloka Obaze

•Tony Nwoye

•Godwin Ezeemo

Cont’d on page 2

Page 6

•Osita Chidoka

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

NEWS

Ikpeazu to Otti, others: Be good followers From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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BIA State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has called on his All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, rival in the 2015 governorship poll, Dr. Alex Otti, and other members of the opposition to be good followers and join hands with him to develop the State.

Speaking during the grand finale of the 2017 Abia Day celebration to mark the 26th anniversary of the creation of the state at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, Ikpeazu expressed surprise that Otti and those collaborating with him would be working against the same State, which he sought to govern.

Otti, a former bank managing director, recently requested the Senate not to approve $200 million World Bank loan being sought by Abia State Government, expressing fears that it would be mismanaged.

The APGA 2015 governorship candidate followed up that request with a demand on Ikpeazu to account for N160 billion he has received since coming to power.

In a veiled response to his

•Ekeukwu Owerri Market after the buldozers invaded it

opponent, Ikpeazu expressed surprise that an Abian could strive to scuttle government’s efforts to attract foreign direct investment to tackle infrastructural deficits, boost the economy and create employment for the youth.

Major shake-up in NNPC Continued from Pg 1 able to newsmen in Abuja by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Ndu Ughamadu.

According to the statement, the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, told NNPC staff shortly before the announcement was made public that the new appointments would not only help to position the Corporation for the challenges ahead but would help fill the gaps created due to statutory retirements of staff. A total of 55 top management staff were affected in the exercise.

Under the new arrangement, Roland Ewubare, formerly MD of the Integrated Data Services Limited, IDSL moves to the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS as the new Group General Manager while Diepriye Tariah, former GGM and Senior Technical Assistant to the NNPC GMD takes over from Ewubare as MD of IDSL. Malami Shehu, Executive Director Operations, of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, KRPC, was appointed Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, PHRC while Adewale Ladenegan, former MD of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Com-

pany, WRPC was moved to KRPC to assume duty as MD. Muhammed Abah, until recently, the Executive Director Operations of WRPC succeeds Ladenegan as MD of Warri Refinery.

With the retirement of Alhaji Farouk Ahmed as the MD of the Nigerian Products Marketing Company, (NPMC), Umar Ajiya, former GGM in charge of Corporate Planning and Strategy, (CP&S) now assumes duty as MD of NPMC while Bala Wunti, former, General Manager, Downstream, GMD’s Office takes charge as GGM CP&S. Other changes include - Usman Yusuf who takes over as GGM/STA to the GMD, Adeyemi Adetunji confirmed as MD NNPC Retail alongside Dr. Bola Afolabi who now functions as GGM in charge of Research and Development Division of the Corporation.

Also on the list is Mrs. Ahmadu-Katagum appointed GGM (Shipping) in the Downstream Autonomous Business Unit while Kallamu Abdullahi takes over as the GGM in charge of the Renewable Energy Division in the Downstream ABU. Dr. Shaibu Musa was promoted MD of the NNPC Medical Services Limited while Ibrahim Birma is the new GGM in charge of the Corporation’s Audit Division now renamed Governance, Risk and Compliance Division.

“It is surprising and perplexing that a few sons of Abia State that made it their stock-in-trade to write petitions to scuttle these loans and to make sure that while states like Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu benefit, that Abia State is left behind. And

to such people that do that kind of thing, all I have to say is that well, as father of all today, I have forgiven them.” He said that the will of God would prevail in Abia, not the will of man, to make Abia what it should be.

He used the opportunity to

call on Abians and the opposition to unite and work with his administration for the good of the State. “This is not time for divisions, this is not time for extreme politics; this is not time for selfishness, this is not time for us to elevate our personal goals and aspirations above what we desired for our state and for our nation.

“This is the time for us to humble ourselves before God and seek his ways. After all, if it is not your turn to serve today, I think that God can also make your time to come, sooner than later. But you must learn how to be a good follower before you can be a good leader,” he added.

Earlier in a lecture titled “Uplifting the Spirit of Abia State at 26 and Beyond: the Way forward,” the Vice Chancellor of Abia State University, Uturu, Prof Uche Ikonne, reinforced the yearnings of the founding fathers of Abia for a legislation on the Abia Charter of Equity or make it justiciable.

Chairman of occasion, Ezeogo Anagha Ezeikpe who is also the Chairman of Abia Advisory Council, commended Abians on the occasion, saying the State was making progress.

Demolition of Ekeukwu Continued from Pg 1 mend Ndi Imo for praying for the family and for all the wounded and dispossessed,” he said.

The former Governor also called on Imo people not to take the laws into their hands even in the face of the provocation. Ohakim also questioned who authorised the de-

ployment of the military in a matter he said was civil, regretting that the Governor acted in disobedience to orders of the court restraining him from demolishing the Ekeukwu Owerri market.

“I frown strongly at the deployment of the military and use of live bullets against unarmed civilians during this act of impunity and illegality. I have joined all well meaning

Women protest Continued from Pg 1 dent come to our rescue”, among others, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to assent the bill establishing the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, FUPRE. Spokesperson for the protesters, Mrs. Maria Odjobu, said the army had confiscated their land, meant for farming. The kingdom’s monarch, His Royal Majesty Emmanuel Sideso Abe I, alleged that the military illegally acquired more than what his subjects originally gave it.

“When I ascended the throne, we made several attempts to get back some of the unoccupied areas by the army. We generously gave them over 2000 hectares in 1974 with the aim of establishing the Nigeria Defence Academy, but they didn’t.

“We then asked that the unoccupied part be returned since the academy is no more here. We approached them, but no response came. Instead, my subjects have been deprived from even living in the place. Three years ago, they

marked the villages to be demolished, which were not part of the land given to them. They have illegally extended the land without our knowledge,” he said.

Speaking in the same vein, the President General of Uvwie General Improvement Union, Chief Austin Ukuwrere, situated the controversial land as the unused one that existed after the construction and occupation of the 3 Battalion Barracks, Effurun in 1979.

“The representatives of Uvwie families seeing that not all the land purportedly acquired were actually developed and occupied, requested that they be released to them for farming, their main occupation. Rather than release the unused portions, the various commanding officers of the barracks, in connivance with some serving and retired army generals have been converting the illegally acquired acres of lands into private use by leasing, assigning or selling them outright to private individuals and organisations through the instrumentality of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited,” Chief Ukuwrere said.

Nigerians in demanding to know who ordered the deployment of the military against a civilian population in a purely civil matter, even when there is a subsisting court injunction issued by Hon Justice S.I. Opara of the Imo State High Court.”

He called the attention of the people of Imo State and Nigerians to his letter to Governor Okorocha on 26 August 2016, saying that he had “advised the Governor in unmistakable terms against the demolition of the market. I drew the Governor’s attention to the excruciating economic recession in the country, massive job losses in Imo State, the calamity of Mechanics Village demolition without compensation and alternatives. In short, I told him that the timing was wrong and timing in

Cont’d on page 47

To be serialise in the Oracle Today soon

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

Experts task African nations on strong institutions From VICTOR NZE

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XECUTIVE Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), Mr. Emmanuel Nnadozie, has advised that the continent must develop efficient and effective institutions that will be in a position to do a number of important things beyond promoting trade and regional infrastructure programmes.

Nnadozie, who said this while delivering his keynote address during the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)sponsored session at the justconcluded Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Lagos, further stressed that

this would accelerate regional integration in Africa.

According to Nnadozie, the institutions that should be developed include; leadership- informing, educating and changing mindsets to foster a spirit of Africanness; policy-making organs for enabling the right decisions to be made and acted upon, the right laws and policies to be designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated.

“Transformative leadership and political will are important for identifying and defending Africa’s interests at all levels. Visionary and effective leadership is an essential requirement for accelerating regional integration

because, leaders must be able to provide inspiration, motivation and clear direction to ensure that decisions are implemented,” said Mr. Nnadozie.

He said the spirit of Africanness is essential to ensure that “people from the continent would think of themselves first as Africans before thinking of themselves in terms of their respective nationalities.”

Africa, he said, must allow for a solid financial mechanism and that will enable capacity to flourish through the development, employment, retention and full and optimum utilization of human capacity, in particular capacity

for policy design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.

Nnadozie, however, noted that establishing institutions which matter for regional integration in Africa was easier said than done.

“Building or strengthening these institutions could benefit from experience and best practices elsewhere. However, there would be need for institutional design experimentation that recognizes the existing sociopolitical and economic circumstances,” he said.

He also spoke on the need to identify, strengthen and rationalize overarching integration institutions; developing more functional institutions

and strengthening existing pan-African institutions and establish new ones where necessary.

“Ways must be found to strengthen Africa’s institutions in order to deal with the political, legal and policy issues sighted above. It is also critical to involve the private sector in the integration process,” said Nnadozie.

“It should not be expected that all private sector groupings will favor regional integration, as some sects will definitely take some protectionist stance in fear of competition. However, as has already been experienced in some countries, the disparities in economic weight that exist

ASUP, NANS berate JAMB over new cut-off mark From OJOACHELE EJIGBO

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OLYTECHNIC teachers under the umbrella body of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have distanced themselves from any such meeting with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) where 120 was set as cut-off mark for entry into universities.

The denial followed claims

by JAMB that the new cut-off mark of 120 was agreed upon after a meeting with vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts of higher institutions for entry into universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education.

ASUP, in a statement by its President of the union, Mr Usman Dutse, said the move will affect the standard of education.

JAMB had earlier has told candidates, in a series of tweets through their official account, that the 120 cut-off mark set for entry into universities does not guarantee admission.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, had said it was decided at a meeting with vicechancellors, rectors, and provosts of higher institutions, that the cut- off mark for admission into polytechnics and colleges of education should be placed at 100, while the cut-off for innovative enterprising institutes was pegged at 110.

Dutse, last Friday, in Lagos said that the union did not buy the decision of JAMB and what it intended to achieve with the development.

“We believe that the cut-off mark is too low, and if adopted by institutions, will affect standard and value will be eroded. In the past, for various institutions we have in Nigeria, even the 180 cut-off mark approved by JAMB some found too low; and now they are bringing it down to 120-100.

“For any examination in the world and any global ranking, there is nowhere 25 per cent is used as pass mark. We do not know what the bases are

and what it intends to achieve.

The suggested cut-off mark is not good for the development of education and the candidates.’’

Dutse said the cut-off mark would also increase the num-

ber of students to be admitted by various institutions, in the face of inadequate facilities.

“With the 120 cut-off for universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education, it means that the weak, the

good, the bad and the ugly will be admitted. Over 1.6 million students applied for universities and the carrying capacity for all the institutions is about 500,000. Where are they going to put the remaining students?

“This new policy will affect merit, because if everybody qualifies, that means `long leg`, corruption, connection and lobbying will mar the admission process as many will want to find a way to get admitted.

Sincerely, this is not a welcome policy,’’ he said.

Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to call for the scrapping of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) if it failed to reverse the low cut off points for admission into universities and polytechnics.

between members of some groupings require that we enforce those policy instruments that deal with fears of economic polarization.”

Earlier, the Principal Regional Advisor and Head of Development Planning and Statistics at the ECA, Mr. Sylvian Boko, said it has become critical for the continent’s leaders to look into Africa’s infrastructure base to ensure economic transformation.

Boko also said it was imperative for the continent to create an enabling environment for investment in transboundary infrastructure projects that will change the lives of millions of ordinary people.

“There’s also a critical need for capacity development,” he said, adding private perception of risk and uncertainty in the past may have been exacerbated by the disparity and lack of harmonization of the regulatory and legal frameworks governing transboundary infrastructure projects even if such projects are otherwise profitable.

Also on the panel were: Akshai Foforia, a partner at Pinsent Mason Law Firm and Makane Mbengue, Professor of Law at the University of Geneva who spoke on opportunities of the pan-African investment code, the African arbitration mechanism and funding of transboundary infrastructure projects, among other things.

‘Liveable cities’: EIU ranking subjective –LASG From VICTOR NZE

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AGOS State Government has moved in defence to its recent ranking in the bottom five least liveable cities in the world by the London-based research and analysis outfit, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), describing the placing as ‘subjective.’

Reacting to the ranking, Monday, State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Stve Ayorinde, said the liveability indices remains a subjective analysis as the state still ‘receives global recognition.’

‘Since the ranking started, there is no year that Lagos has not featured; It does not matter where Lagos is listed.

To us, Lagos is in reckoning in any type of ranking that anyone may want to consider.

“Lagos will always be in reckoning. What is important is that liveability indices is a subjective analyses. What everyone needs to know is that the type of megacity Lagos benchmarks itself with is also on that ranking but not

in top 10,” he added.

The EIU had, last week, ranked Melbourne as the world’s most “liveable” city for the seventh year running.

The Australian city was given an overall rating of 97.5 out of 100, just enough to see off the challenge of Austria’s Vienna (97.4) and Canada’s Vancouver (97.3).

The rankings for 2017, released, Thursday, also placed two more Canadian cities – Toronto and Calgary – in the top five.

The rankings, however, placed Lagos, the commercial hub of Nigeria and West Africa, and former capital of the country, in the bottom five least liveable city in the world.

Other countries in the Least Liveable City on Earth, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s study, include: Damascus in Syria, based on horror and hardship the city has witnessed in recent times, while Tripoli, Libya; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea complete the bottom five.

More news on pages 4,5,6,7,8,41,42, 44, 47

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

Collect your ID cards now –LASRRA urges residents From VICTOR NZE

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ENERAL Manager, Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA), Mr. Kayode Ogunnubi has called on residents to pick up the permanent resident cards at their centres of registration.

Ogunnubi, who made this call while on an inspection tour of Ojodu-Berger Local and IfakoIjaye Local Governments, as well as Ojokoro and AgbadoOke Odo Local Council Development Areas recently, also stressed the need for those that have registered to go and collect their permanent resident cards, adding that names of owners of unclaimed permanent cards have been displayed on the Agency’s website for residents to check.

Ogunnubi enjoined unregistered residents to comply, in order to enable Government to compile demographic data for efficient planning and proper allocation of resources in the State.

He reiterated that the ma-

Kano to train 6, 700 women in vocational skills

jor function of the Agency is to create a reliable database of all Residents in Lagos State, to establish the relevant infrastructure for the creation of a Residents’ Information database for the State, to produce guidelines for data to be contained in the registration forms and to advise Government on mode of collecting data from the public.

The General Manager emphasised that Registration is still ongoing at all Local Government Councils, Local Council Development Areas and LASRRA Head office at No 4, Registration Close, off Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja.

While noting that the inspection tour is necessary at this time that the State Government is repositioning, restructuring and upgrading the Agency, Ogunnubi informed that all the registration stations in the 57 Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas will be visited to know their needs and address them for a more efficient and fast registra- Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state (r), presenting Staff of Office to Oba Eddy Oyewole during presentation of newly promoted Ibadan High Chiefs by the Governor in Ibadan, Sunday. Photo: /TA/NAN tion process.

Jonathan mocks Buhari’s hate speech clampdown From OJOACHELE EJIGBO

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OLLOWING the clampdown on perceived hate speeches ANO State Government has by the Muhammadu Buhari said it will train no fewer than administration, former President, 6, 700 women in various skills Goodluck Jonathan, has shared a under its women empowerment post on his social account remindprogramme. ing Nigerians of the ‘total freedom Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, who made this known while flagging off enjoyed’ during his administration.

Using his Facebook account, the the training in Kano, last Saturday, former president shared a post on said that the participants, selected his page which was a throwback of from 44 local government areas of a speech he delivered in December the state, would receive training 2014, acknowledging that he was on how to prepare local delicacies the most insulted president in the and other trades to enable them to world. be self-reliant.

The post, which has so far garHe said that the training was nered over 2,724 comments, is a aimed at empowering women not only to become self-reliant, but to enable them to be employers of labour in their respective communities.

“We believe that if we our empower women, they will be able to establish small businesses and From VICTOR NZE support their families,” he said.

Ganduje said that the beneficiarHE Independent National ies would be given a token amount Electoral Commission (INEC) as a start-up capital to enable them has fixed September 30, this to set up businesses of their choice year, as date for the bye-election after the training. to fill the vacant Eti-Osa ConstituThe governor said that his adency I seat in the Lagos State ministration attached great impor- House of Assembly. tance to women empowerment, INEC’s new Resident Electoral hence, its decision to give priority Commissioner (REC) in Lagos to girl-child education.

State, Mr Sam Olumekun, anHe urged the participants to nounced the date at a stakeholdmake best use of the opportunity ers meeting attended by party to enhance their socio-economic leaders at the Lagos headquarstatus. ters of the commission.

“I have directed all the 44 local The bye-election is coming up government areas to compile list following the July 18 death of Mr of associations of businesswomen Kazeem Alimi of the All Progreswith a view to supporting them sives Congress (APC), who occuto enhance their businesses,” pied the seat. Alimi died following Ganduje said. a brief illness at the Lagos State In her remarks, the State ComUniversity Teaching Hospital, two missioner for Women Affairs weeks after celebrating his 50th and Social Development, Hajiya birthday.

Yardada Bichi, said that the state INEC Administrative Secretary government had released N101. in Lagos State, Dr Mudashiru 8 million for the training of the Mustapha, had on August 11 said women in various skills.

September 16 was being consid-

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photo of a quote from the speech which read: “I am the most abused and insulted president in the world, but when I leave you will all remember me for the total freedom you enjoyed under my Government.”

His post seen as a subliminal target at the present government’s insistence on curtailing what it termed “hate speech.”

It would be recalled that Vice President Yemi Osibanjo had in a series of tweets last week said the Federal Government is taking a stand against hate speech, describing hate speech as terrorism, as stated in the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011.

INEC fixes Sept.30 for Eti-Osa bye-election

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ered for the election.

He had, however, said it was tentative had yet to be approved by the national headquarters of INEC. The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), after Mustapha’s disclosure, urged the electoral body to shift the proposed date for the bye-election by two weeks.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had also in the same week announced its planned censoring of broadcast stations, stating that broadcast stations are not allowed to discuss ongoing court cases in the country, in addition to begin screening callers before airing them, to ensure there is no hate speech.

Also, the Nigerian Army had during the week, said it would be monitoring social media posts in the country to detect hate speeches.

However, while some of Jonathan’s followers applauded him for the post, others called him out for allegedly allowing corruption to thrive while he was in office.

One of the followers, Onoriode Esobito, said: “Strong leader that allowed freedom of speech to prevail during his administration…how we miss those days which can NEVER be compared to the present arbitrary ways of governance by the #Buhari administration.”

Raheem Abidemi wrote: “To be candid, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan happens to be one of the most mature presidents Nigeria has ever had. Despite the series of insults he received from the likes

of Lai Mohammed while in office, he never for once used his political might on them. He was really a mature president and I will continue to applaud him for that.”

Yartomizan Amades wrote: “GEJ A reflection of true democracy. Till this moment, I never regretted voting u in 2015, despite the loss, I am proud to be amongst those who saw today’s hardship early enough n tried what we could.”

However, Khalid Adam told Jonathan to bury his face in shame. He wrote: “you should bury your face in shame, just bcoz you allowed book Haram to kill people anyhow and Nigerian money to be looted anyhow with your support of mere stealing is not corruption, you are just the worst president Nigeria ever produced.”

Falola Olayinka wrote: “The freedom you granted Diezani to loot us dry, the freedom you granted all your cronies, including ministers and service chiefs, to empty the CBN vault. We have not forgotten how you killed unemployed graduates in the Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment scandal and so many other harm you caused this country.”

‘Cellphone radiation may cause male infertility’ A Chemical Pathologist, Prof. Ganiyu Arinola, has advised men against putting cellphone in their trouser pockets, saying it may cause male infertility.

Arinola, who is the Head, Department of Chemical Pathology, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

According to him, public attention has been drawn to the issue of safety of radiations from laptops

and putting cellphone in the pockets.

“This calls for special focus, considering the fact that infertility has affected certain percentages of couples of reproductive age. It is worthy of note that nearly half of these percentages have been linked to male infertility.

“Other factors include exposure to certain environmental pollutants, lifestyle, occupation and infections of the urinary genital tract which have been linked to male infertility.

Putting cellphone in the pockets or

hang on a belt is recently proposed to be the cause of infertility, especially in the males,’’ he said.

Arinola, who is also a senior lecturer of Immunology at the University of Ibadan, said that studies carried out, using various methodologies, linked cellphones radiation to male infertility.

According to him, opinions differ as to the possible mechanism by which cellphones radiation may produce these changes within the short time of putting it in the male pockets.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

NEWS Calabar Beach Market traders lament multiple taxation, deplorable facilities From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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raders at thez Henshaw Town Beach Market popularly called Nsidung Market in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State have expressed great displeasure at the multiple taxes imposed on them as well as the deplorable facilities in the market.

They made their feelings known to The Oracle Today following the suspension of the one-week strike the traders embarked upon to protest such “highhandedness”.

It would be recalled that the previous week, the traders went on a one-week strike to protest a new levy from the State government called “Marine Levy”.

The industrial action which lasted one week impacted seriously on residents of the city in particular and the State in general who depend on the market for their supply of crayfish and various forms of dry fish.

Buyers all from over the State and neighbouring States converge at the market twice a week on Mondays and Sundays to buy large quantities of crayfish and various species of dry fish for onward supply to various customers all over the State and beyond.

One of the traders and Chairman of the Unwana /Afikpo Seafood Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society disclosed that his association and other seafood sellers at the beach

President Muhammadu Buhari meets with Chief of staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, Minister or Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma and Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele. Photo: Sunday Aghaeze/State House. market went on strike to protest against a new tax that was recently introduced by the State government.

He said: “The multiple taxation the state government imposed on us made us embark on the strike.

We pay various taxes including haulage, cosa, landing fee and others to the local government. The State government said we should also

pay so we asked that they resolve the issue with the local government so that we know the particular people we are supposed to be paying to, not to tax us with multiple taxation. Another reason is that they told us they will come in full force so we decided to go on strike to avert crisis with the authorities”.

Speaking further, he said that in spite of the various taxes they have

been paying, the market lacks very basic facilities and doing business in the beach market is a very big challenge to both buyers and sellers in the over 50-year old market.

“The beach market has no facilities like toilets, warehouse to store our goods, nothing exists. So, the government is neither trying nor helping issues.

“We called off the strike because

the management of Waterfront wrote to us asking us to resume our business because the document that they gave us did not come from the appropriate office,” he added.

Also speaking, Mr. Ita Ekpe a native of Bakassi and member of the Henshaw Town Cray Fish Dealers Association lamented the deplorable conditions people who do business there are facing.

“We do not have a standard warehouse where we can store our goods, it is either you take your goods to your house at the close of market or you put it in one of the very few shops within the beach but it’s not always secure.

“During the one week strike, the market people lost a lot because we did not travel to the respective fishing settlement to bring in sea products for people to buy and closure of the market for a day you know what people will lose.

“All the sellers here and so many of our buyers came down to buy and did not see anybody in the market. As we did not make sales, we lost a lot. Our customers came from Calabar metropolis while others came from Akamkpa, Ikom, Ogoja, Akwa Ibom and other neighboring states.

“If government wants to bring in any tax, they have to publicize the tax. They should make adequate publication about a new tax, not just sending hoodlums to come and disturb the peace of the market.”

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as ILOKA FAVOUR CHINENYE. Now wish to be known as ILOKA CHINENYE MARYJANE. Former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

This is to certify that ONWUANUSI ASSUMPTA UKAMAKA and OKPALA WINIFRED AMAUCHE is one and the same person now wish to be known as OKPALA WINIFRED AMAUCHE. former documents remain valid.

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I formerly known as MISS ILOTONTI KELECHI PROMISE now wish to be known as MRS IFEDIORAH KELECHI PROMISE. All former documents remain valid, FCMB PLC and general public take note

This is to confirm and certify that ARINZE DANIEL ONYEKA, ARINZE DANIEL ONYEKACHUKWU and ARINZE SAMUEL ONYEKA refer to one and same person, now wish to be known and addressed as ARINZE DANIEL ONYEKA. My correct date of birth is 19TH OCTOBER 1998. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

This is to certify that JOSEPH ECHETA And JOSEPH UCHECHUKWU ECHETA Is One and the same Person Now wish to be known as JOSEPH UCHECHUKWU ECHETA. former documents remain valid. General public take note

This is to inform the general public that my name is known and written as OBARUGU AYIBAEBI AMOS and not UBARUKU AYIBA AMOS. All documents remain valid.

I, formerly known and addressed as Sister LILIAN AFUGWOBI now wish to be known and addressed as AFUGWOBI LILIAN NDIDI. All documents and transactions bearing my former names remain valid. The general public please take note.

OBIANWU MONICA AZUKA and OGBULI MONICA AZUKA is one and same person, now wish to be OBIANWU MONICA AZUKA. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as UKATU INNOCENT EZE now UKATU OBIORA SOLUTION. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as MISS EME NWANNEKA UDEAKU now wish to be known as MRS CHIBUIKE NWANNEKA UDEAKU. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

My name was wrongly written as EGWISU HYCENT ARINZE instead of ISU HYCENT ARINZE. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as MISS OKOLIE VICTORIA CHINYERE now wish to be known as MRS EBUMNONU VICTORIA CHINYERE. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as EZEMENAKAYA CHINYERE GRACE now wish to be known as GODWIN CHINYERE GRACE. All former documents remain valid Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as AUSTIN ECHE now wish to be known as ONYINYE CELINE UDEMBA. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as AGOCHUKWU CHIMEZIE now wish to be known as AGOCHUKWU CHIMEZIE JUDE. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as UKAMAKA CHARITY APEH Now wish to be known as UKAMAKA CHARITY OZOEMENA. former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known as NWOGBO CHRISTIANA now wish to be known as CHUKWUKA CHINONYELUM CHRISTIANA. former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known as NWORA TOOCHUKWU now wish to be known as NWORAH TOOCHUKWU JOSEPH. Former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known as EBENEBE JUSTINA IFEOMA now wish to be known as NWOKEKE JUSTINA IFEOMA. former documents remain valid. General public take note.

This is to certify that ANIECHE CHRISTIAN IFEANYI and IKECHUKWU IFEANYI CHRISTIAN is one and the same person now wish to be known as IKECHUKWU IFEANYI CHRISTIAN. former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known as MRS IZUAKO ROSELINE NWAMAKA now wish to be known as OBIEKEZIE NWAMAKA ROSELINE. born on 32-12-1982. former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known as GODWIN EMEKA NWEKE Now wish to be known as GODWIN NWEKE. Former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known as OBINMA PETER FRANCIS NWUFO. now wish to be known as OBIMMA PETER FRANCIS NWUFO. Former documents remain valid.

General public take note

I formerly known as ORJI CHINYERE OPHILIA, now wish to be known as OKAFOR CHINYERE OPHILIA. Former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known as MISS ADIELE NWABURU, now wish to be known as MRS NMERENGWA CHINENYE, All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as MISS ONYINYECHI ADINDU, now wish to be known as MRS ONYINYECHI CHIBUZOR, All former documents remain valid,Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as UTAZI SAMUEL IDU now wish to be known as DIUGWU SAMUEL IDU. All former documents remain valid,Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as NWALI SUNDAY, now wish to be known as NWALI SUNDAY NWANKWO. Former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known as MISS IZUAGBA GLORIA OGOCHUKWU now wish to be known as MRS EZEUDU GLORIA OGOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as ILO MODESTA UZOAMAKA now wish to be known as EZE MODESTA UZOAMAKA. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as MISS EZEANI AGNES NWAKAEGO now wish to be known as MRS NWAFOR AGNES NWAKAEGO. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as FLORENCE INYONG ETIM now wish to be known as FLORENCE DAVID ETIM. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as EDOGA IFEANYI now wish to be known as EDOGA IFEANYI SYLVANUS. All former documents remain valid ,Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as EZINANDO IJEOMA LILIAN now wish to be known as ONUIGWE IJEOMA LILIAN. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as MISS AJULUCHUKWU NNEKA FIDELIA now wish to be known as MRS NNIBE NNEKA FIDELIA. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as IGWEZE PHILOMINA UDEKWESIRI now wish to be known as EDOCHIE PHILOMINA UDEKWESIRI. All former documents remain valid, Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as UJU STELLA NWOYE now wish to be known as UJU STELLA OKEKE. All former documents remain valid,Banks and general public take note

The racle

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6

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

News

•Willie Obiano

•Oseloka Obaze

•Tony Nwoye

•Godwin Ezeemo

•Osita Chidoka

Behind changing faces of Anambra politics

By THEO RAYS, Onitsha

T

he largely peaceful, free and fair primary elections conducted by the major parties in Anambra State towards this year’s November 18 governor-

ship election in the State may have opened a new chapter in the politics of a State hitherto dictated by money and overarching influence peddling.

At the last count, five of the major parties, namely All Pro-

gressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA), United Progressives Party (UPP) have conducted their primary elections

LG election: Ugwuanyi defuses tension in Igbo-Eze North •Chairman, Comrade Ezeja consults leaders, mends fences

From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

I

n what many have described as a deft political move, Enugu governor, Rt. Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the weekend defused mounting tension in parts of the State over choices of candidates for the forthcoming council election in the State.

In local councils where zoning of elective positions is in place, political gladiators had begun to position their candidates in their large numbers to contest primary elections for chairmanship and councillorship positions in what was going to be an expensive and rancorous political slugfest in the first council election to be conducted by Ugwuanyi since coming to power two years ago.

But, The Oracle Today gathered that Ugwuanyi accepted a memo from the Augustine Nnamani-led PDP leadership, acting on a suggestion by stakeholders, that the cause of peace and political equity would be better served in Enugu State if, rather than an all-out political war, stakeholders were guided towards choosing consensus candidates for the various elective positions up for grabs in the council election.

The State PDP was also said to have sold the idea that since the party was working towards choosing consensus candidates for the council election, it would amount to deception for aspirants to be asked to buy nomination forms, thereby spending money unnecessarily.

To this end, the party came up with the idea of printing only one expression of intent/nomination form for each of the 17 local council chairmanship candidates and as many forms for the councillorship candidates.

“We didn’t want our members to waste their money buying forms and spending so much to curry support for a primary election that they might end up not winning and, in the process, generating bad blood for the party,” a high-ranking party official confided in The Oracle Today in Enugu at the weekend. “So, we proposed this consensus thing to the party leadership and it was generally accepted.”

Earlier, the governor, in a bid to bring in more experienced people to run local councils in the state, had also approached the House of Assembly to amend a law barring persons appointed as caretaker committee chairmen from running for chairmanship.

Consequently, the amended law freed 15 of the 17 Caretaker Committee Chairmen appointed in January last year to contest the forthcoming election (two of them had served two terms as elected chairmen).

The governor was said to have reasoned that barring the Caretaker Committee Chairmen from contesting would be counterproductive, given that with their experience and control of the governance and party structures in their respective local councils, they would be more than useful in getting the party and the governor ready for the crucial 2019 re-election bid.

“In most of the local councils, the Caretaker Committee Chairmen were seen as reliable horses to back and were quickly nominated and their names submitted to the party secretariat as consensus candidates,” another party insider told The Oracle Today. “However, in some, it was not so easy actually.”

For example, Igbo-Eze North Local Council. A 97 per cent

homogenous entity, comprising mainly Enugu-Ezike people who are found in 33 villages, the council is, for administrative convenience, divided into two groups—Umuozzi and Umunano.

It was gathered that because it was Umunano’s turn to produce the Chairman, they were initially not amenable to the idea of the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Comrade Uwakwe Ezeja, who is from Ozzi, returning as the candidate of the party for the chairmanship election.

Consequently, many of the kingmakers lined up their candidates for a probable free-for-all primary election and none was ready to give way to the other.

It was such that the first meeting at the Government House to resolve the logjam was deadlocked.

However, after a series of meetings between leaders of the two groups during which the advantages of letting the Caretaker Committee Chairman continue were explained, the leaders reached a consensus and an agreement was signed that the chairmanship would revert to Umunano in 2019 and they would serve their two terms.

Meanwhile, the consensus candidate and Caretaker Committee Chairman, an elated Comrade Ezeja, a former Chairman of NLC in Enugu State, has sued for peace in Igbo-Eze North, assuring that the peace and brotherliness that have always reigned in Igbo-Eze North would continue under him.

He told The Oracle Today in Enugu at the weekend, shortly after consultations with many of the local council’s political leaders, especially those from Umunano, that zoning has served the council well and would not be breached.

and produced their governorship candidates.

Apart from an “inexplicable” stampede at the UPP primary election on Saturday August 19, during which Mr. Maduabuchi Uwakwe, who was chairman of UPP Owerre Ezukala ward 1, died, all the governorship candidates of the parties emerged from a peaceful, secure, well-organised, transparent, rancour-free primary elections.

In APGA, incumbent governor, Willie Obiano, dogged by an inchoate attempt to deny him the party candidacy by a faction of the party led by Chief Martin Agbaso, was returned unopposed.

The incumbent governor who was the sole contestant in the primary polled 1,070 “yes” votes out of a total of 1,092 accredited delegates.

The primary also recorded 11 “no” votes against the governor’s candidature 11 invalid votes.

Although The Oracle Today had predicted as far back as June that Tony Nwoye, backed by business mogul, Arthur Eze would win the APC governorship ticket, the margin of the victory--2146 to Andy Uba, his closest rival’s 931 votes--was probably not expected.

In PDP, hitherto a rancorous, factionalised party, Oseloka Obaze, former Secretary to Anambra State Government, polled a total of 672 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alex Obi-Ogbolu who scored 190 votes while the third candidate, Ifeanyi Ubah polled 94 votes.

Chief Godwin, publisher of Orient Daily emerged as the sole candidate of PPA while Chief Osita Chidoka, former Aviation Minister and Corps Marshall of the Fedral Road Safety Commission (FRSC) won the UPP primary with a total of 1,222 following the withdrawal of Hon. Chudi Ofodile from the race.

Hitherto, Anambra was racked by party politics in which the winner was defined by how much he could shell out to delegates.

In those days, party chieftains who were sent by their parties to conduct primary elections in Anambra often left the State

much richer than they came because they had a multiplicity of sources to collect money from, in the forlorn belief by such bribe givers that the electoral umpires would swing victory their way.

Such ugly situations often resulted in multiple victors emerging from one primary election leading to endless ligations that practically destroyed a party like the PDP for example. Until…

Political pundits believe that the emergence of Nwoye and Obaze in APC and PDP, respectively, for instance was indicative of the advent of a new chapter in Anambra politics, in which money may no longer be the sole determinant of electoral victory.

Meanwhile, a prominent Igbo leader and chieftain of APGA Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka has hailed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for conducting a free, fair and transparent primary election to elect their flag-bearers for the November 18, governorship election in Anambra State.

Speaking to The Oracle Today on the development, Ezeonwuka who is a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of APGA and also the Ogirisi of Igbo land said that APC and PDP have set good example for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to emulate come November 18.

He said: “APC and PDP impressed Ndi Anambra by conducting free, fair and transparent primary election to elect their candidates. It is our earnest wish to see INEC do the same thing by giving us a free, fair and transparent election in November.”

The Ogirisi Igbo who is the Proprietor of Rojenny Games Village Oba added: “From all indications, Ndi Anambra are ready for the election and anything short of a credible exercise won’t be acceptable.”

With the conclusion of APC and PDP primaries the battle for the Anambra top job at Government House in Awka is now set among incumbent Governor Willie Obiano of APGA, Tony Nwoye of APC, Oseloka Obaze of PDP, Osita Chidoka of UPP and Godwin Ezeemo of PPA.

7

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

www.cbn.gov.ng OF NIGERIA CENTRAL BANK

www.cbn.gov.ng

UNITY BANK

WEMA BANK

0.00 4.20 12.80

0.54 4.20 9.67

0.00 0.00 0.06 0.50 0.50 4.20 2.00 4.20 4.20 4.20 10.17 13.89 11.65 13.91 16.00

0.87 4.20 8.51

0.50 4.20 9.00

19.00 30.50 0.00 0.00 14.00 31.50 16.00 30.50 0.00 0.00 15.00 30.50 14.00 30.50 13.50 30.50 18.00 30.50 16.00 26.50 0.00 0.00 16.00 30.50 18.00 30.50 15.00 30.50 13.00 30.50 19.00 30.50 16.50 30.50 16.00 30.50 0.00 0.00 15.00 28.50 0.00 0.00 15.00 30.50

22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 0.00 0.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 0.00 0.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00 22.00 28.00

20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 20.00 26.00

17.00 25.00 21.00 24.00 14.00 24.00 19.00 28.00 14.00 24.00 17.00 28.00 18.00 24.00 21.00 28.00 18.00 30.00 17.00 21.00 18.00 28.00 14.00 24.00 14.00 28.00 19.00 28.00 23.00 28.00 23.00 28.00 23.00 28.00 23.00 28.00 0.00 0.00 17.00 24.00 20.00 28.00 15.00 26.00

9.00 27.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 28.00 20.00 27.00 19.00 28.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 30.00 19.00 28.00 20.00 27.00 19.00 28.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 30.00 19.00 27.00 20.00 28.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 28.00 19.00 27.00 9.00 27.00 20.00 28.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.50 26.00 28.33 28.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 23.08 23.08 12.19 24.25 14.00 14.00 0.00 0.00 22.12 28.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.70 28.95

6.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 40.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 40.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 19.00 36.00

7.00 23.00 0.00 0.00 12.00 26.00 12.00 26.00 0.00 0.00 17.00 26.00 19.00 20.00 19.00 25.00 13.00 26.00 18.00 20.00 0.00 0.00 16.00 26.00 16.00 26.00 16.00 26.00 20.00 26.00 17.00 26.00 15.00 25.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.00 22.00 0.00 0.00 7.50 26.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 14.30 24.17 28.79 28.79 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.50 25.00 15.20 15.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.08 22.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 25.00 21.00 25.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00 20.00 25.00

9.00 31.00 28.00 34.00 28.00 34.00 28.00 34.00 0.00 0.00 28.00 36.00 18.00 34.00 28.00 34.00 0.00 0.00 9.00 31.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 26.00 34.00

7.00 33.00 0.00 0.00 7.00 36.00 19.00 36.00 11.00 30.00 10.00 36.00 18.00 30.00 7.00 30.00 7.00 36.00 11.00 28.00 24.00 30.00 18.00 30.00 20.00 36.00 18.00 33.00 11.00 30.00 11.00 33.00 11.00 28.00 11.00 29.00 11.00 30.00 19.00 27.00 11.00 24.00 11.00 36.00

21.00 33.00 21.00 28.00 21.00 33.00 21.00 33.00 21.00 27.00 21.00 33.00 21.00 31.00 21.00 31.00 21.00 33.00 21.00 29.00 21.00 33.00 21.00 29.00 21.00 33.00 21.00 29.00 21.00 29.00 21.00 31.00 21.00 29.00 21.00 29.00 21.00 0.00 21.00 25.00 21.00 27.00 21.00 33.00

9.00 25.00 0.00 0.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 30.00 0.00 0.00 29.00 30.00 29.00 31.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 30.00 29.00 28.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 30.00 29.00 31.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 30.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 0.00 0.00 29.00 30.00 29.00 29.00 29.00 30.00

23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 23.00 34.50 34.5

ZENITH BANK

STANBIC IBTC

0.00 4.20 13.68

UNION BANK

SKYE BANK

0.35 0.00 17.31

United Bank for Africa

Standard Chartered Bank

0.32 0.00 0.53 4.20 4.20 4.20 7.55 13.88 13.67

SUNTRUST

Rand Merchant Bank Nig. Ltd

3.00 0.00 4.20 0.00 14.00 10.75

STERLING BANK

KEYSTONE BANK LTD

0.00 0.76 0.00 4.20 13.37 12.00

HERITAGE BANK

0.00 4.20 9.50

GUARANTY TRUST BANK

0.01 4.20 9.86

FSDH

0.00 0.43 0.00 4.20 12.79 11.49

FIDELITY BANK

FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA

2.00 4.20 10.50

FCMB

EC0BANK

0.05 4.20 13.27

FBN MERCHANT

DIAMOND BANK

AVE. INT. RATE AVE. INT. RATE AVE. INT. RATE

CITI BANK

DEPOSIT RATES DEMAND DEPOSIT SAVINGS DEPOSIT TIME DEPOSIT

ACCESS BANK

NAME OF BANK

CORONATION BANK

In furtherance of the transparency and full disclosure stance of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Monetary Policy Committee has decided that henceforth the lending rates obtainable in all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) be made public to guide business decisions. Consequently, find below the applicable rates for each of the DMBs as at August 25, 2017. The rates will also be available on the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria

LENDING RATES PRIME AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHING MAX. PRIME MINING & QUARRYING MAX. PRIME MANUFACTURING MAX. PRIME REAL ESTATE ACTIVITIES MAX. PRIME PUBLIC UTILITIES MAX. PRIME GENERAL COMMERCE MAX. PRIME TRANSPORTATION & STORAGE MAX. PRIME FINANCE & INSURANCE MAX. PRIME GENERAL MAX. PRIME GOVERNMENT MAX. WATER SUPPLY SEWAGE, WASTE PRIME MANAGEMENT AND REMEDIATION MAX. PRIME CONSTRUCTION MAX. PRIME INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION MAX. PRIME PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICALMAX. ACTIVITIES PRIME ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICE ACTIVITIES MAX. PRIME EDUCATION MAX. PRIME HUMAN HEALTH AND SOCIAL WORK ACTIVITIES MAX. PRIME ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION MAX. ACTIVITIES OF EXTRATERRITORIAL PRIME ORGANIZATIONS AND BODIES MAX. PRIME POWER AND ENERGY MAX. PRIME CAPITAL MARKET MAX. PRIME OIL & GAS MAX.

15.00 30.00 20.00 30.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 31.98 20.00 27.00 20.00 27.00 20.00 30.00 20.00 30.00 20.00 26.20 20.00 25.00 20.00 28.00 20.00 28.90 20.00 28.00 20.00 27.89 17.77 18.00 20.00 30.00

6.00 27.50 0.00 0.00 7.00 27.00 17.50 25.00 0.00 0.00 17.50 30.00 17.50 25.00 17.50 26.00 17.50 30.00 17.50 19.00 17.50 18.00 17.50 26.00 17.50 27.00 17.50 25.50 17.50 25.50 17.50 30.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.63 23.00 0.00 0.00 17.50 30.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.00 25.00 21.00 25.00 21.00 25.00 21.00 25.00 0.00 0.00 21.00 25.00 21.00 25.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.00 25.00

27.00 30.00 0.00 0.00 27.00 31.00 27.00 30.00 0.00 0.00 27.00 33.00 27.00 32.00 27.00 28.00 27.00 33.00 9.00 9.00 27.00 30.00 27.00 31.00 27.00 29.00 27.00 31.00 27.00 30.00 27.00 30.00 27.00 30.00 27.00 32.00 0.00 0.00 27.00 26.00 0.00 0.00 27.00 30.00

19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00 19.00 34.00

For further information please call: 07002255226 For further informationtion, please call: 07002255226

Signed: Management

0.00 33.00 21.02 18.00 0.00 0.00 21.02 27.00 0.00 0.00 21.02 33.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.02 33.00 21.02 14.75 0.00 0.00 21.02 6.00 21.02 33.00 21.02 33.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 33.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

7.00 25.00 24.00 29.00 19.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 19.00 29.00 19.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 18.00 29.00 24.00 29.00 19.00 29.00

23.50 40.50 17.50 33.00 9.50 33.00 24.50 24.50 17.50 33.00 17.50 42.00 23.50 31.00 21.50 25.00 17.50 42.00 24.50 28.50 17.50 33.00 20.00 31.00 22.50 31.00 26.50 32.50 26.00 31.00 21.50 37.50 25.50 35.50 26.50 26.50 0.00 0.00 17.50 33.00 26.50 30.50 17.50 33.00

24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00 24.00 32.00

8

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

International News

North Korea missile test another provocation –U.S. envoy

N

orth Korea’s latest ballistic missile test that flew over Japan on Tuesday is “another provocation” and a big concern, the U.S. disarmament ambassador said.

U.S. envoy Robert Wood told reporters in Geneva that Washington still needs to do “further analysis” of the missile that flew over Japan’s northern Hokkaido island into the sea.

“It’s another provocation by North Korea, they just seem to continue to happen.

This is a big concern of course to my government and to a number of other governments,” Wood said before a session of the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament where North Korean Ambassador Han Tae Song was to speak.

The test, one of the most provocative ever from the reclusive state, came as U.S. and South Korean forces conduct annual military exercises on the peninsula, to which North Korea strenuously objects.

North Korea has conducted dozens of ballistic missile tests under young leader Kim Jong Un, the most recent on Saturday, but firing projectiles over mainland Japan is rare.

“North Korea’s reckless action is an

unprecedented, serious and a grave threat to our nation,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters.

Abe said he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday and they agreed to increase pressure on North Korea.

Trump also said the United States was “100 per cent with Japan”, Abe told reporters.

South Korea’s military said the missile was launched from near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Monday) and flew 2,700 km, reaching an altitude of about 550 km.

Four South Korean fighter jets bombed a military firing range on Tuesday after President Moon Jae-in asked the military to demonstrate capabilities to counter North Korea.

South Korea and the United States had discussed deploying additional “strategic assets” on the Korean peninsula, the presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving more details.

North Korea remained defiant.

its goal, Konstantin Kosachev, a Senior Russian Lawmaker said on Tuesday.

Kosachev, who is the head of the international committee of the Federation Council, said: “this provocative launch confirms the ‘stalemate’ around the North Korean problem.

“The UN Security Council resolution adopted at the beginning of the month did not achieve its goal, as the situation has shifted to the bilateral DPRK-U.S. regime.”

Earlier Tuesday, North Korea test fired another ballistic missile.

Tokyo said after the launch that the missile had flown over Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido and had fallen 1,180 km east of the island into the Pacific Ocean.

According to South Korean media, which cited the country’s military, Pyongyang’s ballistic missile flew 2,700 km and reached the maximum height of 550 km.

NAN reports that the Security Council has adopted 21 resolutions concerning North Korea.

Five resolutions were adopted Missile launch: ‘UNSC resolution during the Korean War in the 1950s. did not attain goal’ In 1991, a single resolution was adThe UN Security Council’s resolu- opted regarding North Korea’s accestion on Pyongyang has not reached sion to membership in the UN.

Since then, many resolutions have been adopted in relation to the North Korean missile and nuclear programme.

NAN report that most recently, on Aug. 6, the council passed a resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea for its continued intercontinental ballistic missile testing and violations of UN resolutions.

With 15 votes in favour, Resolution 2371 was passed unanimously.

The resolution targets North Korea’s primary exports, including coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood.

The sanctions also target other revenue streams, such as banks and joint ventures with foreign companies.

The sanctions will slash North Korea’s annual export revenue of three billion dollars by more than a third, according to a statement from the office of Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the UN. The resolution represents “the strongest sanctions ever imposed in response to a ballistic missile test.”

The UN sanctions follow extra measures against North Korea signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 10.

• Rescue boats fill a flooded street as flood victims are evacuated during the Tropical Storm Harvey at east Houston, USA. Photo: Aljazeera.com

EU pledges to intervene in visa problem for Nigerian scholarship awardees

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U pledges to intervene in visa problem for Nigerian scholarship awardees The EU in Nigeria has promised to intervene in the visa procurement challenge faced by some Nigerian students on `Erasmus Plus’ Scholarship to some European countries.

Minister Deputy Head of Delegation EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Richard Young, said this on Monday in Abuja at the pre-departure orientation for 17 awardees of the 2017 edition of the scholarship.

The students are scheduled to leave Nigeria in September for seven different countries -UK, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and France for two years academic programme.

Young explained that Erasmus plus was an initiative funded by the EU with international focus offering different higher education opportunities for individuals and institutions in partner countries.

According to him, it builds on the experience of more than 25 years of EU programmes in higher education and supports the exchange of students, academics, ideas and good practices between institutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the awardees lamented the delay and inability to secure visa for the two years programme from Spain, Netherlands, Italy and Portugal Seven of the awardees had also ex-

pressed concern that they might miss the academic session because of the difficulties being encountered in securing visas from those countries.

Four of them said that they were having difficulties to secure Spanish visa while one each was having difficulties in securing visas from Italy, Netherlands and Portugal.

The envoy however pledged to wade into the issue and ensure that they travel as and when due for their programme.

He promised to write note verbals to the embassies of the affected countries to look into the visa procurement for those having issues in securing visa.

Young said that 17 students from Nigeria would join more than four mil-

lion young people to acquire skill and experiences by studying, training or volunteering abroad though Erasmus plus.

“The programme supports over 125,000 institutions and organisations to work in peers in other countries to innovate, modernise teaching practice and youth work,” he said The 17 students are from various Nigerian institutions among which are Federal University of Technology Akure, University of Abuja, Kwara State University, University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

Others are University of Ibadan, Yaba Technology, Lagos Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, University of Benin.

China calls for restraint after North Korea missile launch

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hina on Tuesda y called for restraint from all sides after North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japan and landed in waters off the northern region of Hokkaido.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the call while briefing newsmen.

“North Korea’s reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and a grave threat to our nation,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters.

Abe said he spoke to Trump on Tuesday and they agreed to increase pressure on North Korea.

Trump also said the United States was “100 per cent with Japan”, Abe told reporters.

The UN Security Council would meet later on Tuesday to discuss the test, diplomats said.

On Aug. 3, the 15-member Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to two long-range missile launches in July.

South Korea’s military said the missile was launched from near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Monday) and flew 2,700 km (1,680 miles), reaching an altitude of about 550 km (340 miles).

“We will respond strongly based on our steadfast alliance with the United States if North Korea continues nuclear and missile provocations,” the South’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Four South Korean fighter jets bombed a military firing range on Tuesday after President Moon Jaein asked the military to demonstrate capabilities to counter North Korea.

Also, Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said that the type of the missile launched by Pyongyang has the potential to fly as far out as the US territory of Guam in the Western Pacific, “The flight range of the missile is amounted to 5,000 kilometers [3,107 miles.] Obviously, the missile of that type could reach Guam,” Onodera said, as quoted by the Kyodo news agency.

The minister confirmed that all the parts of the missile fell 1,180 km from the Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

According to earlier reports, the missile separated into three parts.

North Korea launched a missile which flew over Japan before falling into the Pacific Ocean 1,180 km east of Hokkaido.

The launch was conducted at 5.57 a.m. local time (21:27 GMT on Monday).

The Japanece military said the projectile was likely a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have recently escalated, particularly between the United States and North Korea, following the UN Security Council’s adoption of new sanctions against Pyongyang on Aug. 5.

Washington and Pyongyang exchanged heated warnings, with President Donald Trump promising to meet any North Korean threat with “fire and fury” and North Korea saying it was considering a strike near Guam.

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

POLITICS

‘Ojoto has a Anigbata: Those constitutionally s against restructuring anctioned Igwe-elect’ are anti-Nigeria Pg 12

Ebonyi Speaker: Why voters are skeptical about political promises

9 Pg 15

Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonnya Nwifuru is representing Izzi West state Constituency in Ebonyi state House of Assembly and incumbent Speaker of the House. He recently clocked two years in office both as a member representing Izzi West and Speaker of the House. In this interview with CHINEDU NWAFOR in Abakaliki, Nwifuru explains why voters are skeptical about political promises while speaking on the achievements of the State House of Assembly under his leadership and how he has attracted dividends of democracy to his constituents.

HAVING spent two years in Ebonyi State House of Assembly as a member representing Izzi West constituency, would you say you have delivered on your campaign promises to your Constituents?

In the past two years, I have diligently demonstrated the political will, focus and determination to keep to the promises I made to my people during my electioneering campaign. At this mid-term of my tenure as the representative of the people of Izzi West constituency, I have strived to put on the lips of my constituents the songs of merriments, for a promise made and kept.

Overtime, the question has frequently been asked as to what is the significance of a promise in a society where faithlessness and insincerity constitute the hallmark of everyday existence with politicians making towering promises here and there without corresponding efforts to keep them. As a result of this circumstance, people have formed a skeptical attitude to political promises, because the general belief is that many politicians make promises only for the purpose of getting electoral votes and after that, they abandon their lofty promises.

I have kept and surpassed all the promises I made to the people of Izzi West Constituency while seeking to be elected to represent them in the House of Assembly of Ebonyi state just two years in office. I have tried to prove that a Christian can be in politics without being overwhelmed by political intrigues.

I am conscious of the fact that I was voted into office to provide for and improve the lots of my people through legislation. That is why I have tailored my policies and programmes to align with the needs and aspiration of my people. I don’t want to praise myself but I can beat my chest to say that I have tried within the past two years. There are areas I may have not done well but there are areas I have performed creditably. However, it gives me joy to note that the people who admire my style of representation and say I have performed very well greatly out-number those who think that I have not tried. Within these two years of my representation, there have been dramatic, radical and positive changes in Izzi West Constituency and beyond.

Can you mention some of the dividends of democracy your constituents have enjoyed under your representation?

Apart from regular interaction with my constituents, I have proposed people-oriented constituency projects, which were executed by renowned contractors with the assistance of funds provided by His Excellency, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, governor of Ebonyi State.

The State chief executive deserves commendation for granting this opportunity of having developmental projects executed in our names in our constituencies.

It is to be noted that Honorable members are not directly given funds for constituency projects but only propose projects for our constituencies and monitor the execution of same alongside the ministry of Finance and State Audit.

Our people who hitherto suffered the in-

cycles and 10 vehicles for youth and women empowerment in Izzi LGA. I procured over 200 bags of rice and 1000 wrappers for widows.

My wife has also empowered women through various programmes to compliment the Family Succour and Upliftment Foundation.

So many young men and women of the constituency have been assisted to enroll into Nigeria Army, police, civil Defence and other paramilitary organizations. Over 50 persons are currently under my payroll as part of my poverty alleviation programme. I constructed office complex for the Nigeria Police at Nwofe station and have also brought other security measures to ensure safety of my constituents.

These are just a few of my achievements within the space of two years of my candid representation of my constituency. I did not mention my several contributions to the development of the church and other interventions in religious matters in my constituency and beyond.

•Speaker Francis Nwifuru

conveniences of getting to their various villages through bad, impassable roads now have cause to rejoice, following the construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges that were non-existent.

In a nutshell, I have tried to cover key areas that have direct impact on my people. The projects I attracted to my people as it concerns education include: Construction of 2 No.3-classroom blocks with office and toilet facilities at Oferekpe Agbaja Community School; one-storey classroom block at Oferekpe Agbaja community school; renovation of 1 number 4-classroom block at Agbaja Central school Nwofe; Special compulsory scholarship for any girl that gets admission into university from Oferekpe Agbaja; Sponsored a girl-child education workshop in Izzi West Constituency; secured admissions for my people in both federal, state and school of Health technology; donated 20 thousand copies of 40 leaves exercise book to primary school in my constituency; special grants to those who have difficulties in paying their school fees ranging from Medical, Law and other students in different professional disciplines across Ebonyi state; and many other MDGs, SDG and UBE assisted projects across my constituency.

On health, I have facilitated health outreach programme on killer diseases like hepatitis, High Blood Pressure, blood sugar, tuberculosis and eye checks in my constituency.

I have also ensured that potable water is made available to my Constituents by drilling over 20 boreholes. Some of my water projects are: hand-pump borehole at Omege village;

hand-pump borehole at Nduach village; handpump borehole at Offiaonwe village; handpump borehole at Iziogo; Five hand-pump boreholes at Ezza Inyimagu; hand-pump borehole at Amachara village; hand-pump borehole at Agubata village; hand-pump borehole at Okpoduma village; hand-pump borehole at Igwekenyim village; hand-pump borehole at Ishiajim village and attracted one motorized borehole to community primary school oferekpe Agbaja.

I also attracted street lights to Nwofe; Installation of street lights at Oferekpe Agbaja; Procured 110KVA generating set to power the Oferekpe street lights project and equally facilitated the ongoing rural electrification from Oferekpe Inyimagu to Oferekpe Agbaja. On agriculture, I distributed genetically engineered new species of rice for high yield to farmers in Izzi LGA; Procured 700 bags of fertilizer for farmers in the constituency for the 2017/2018 farming season and facilitated the mobilization of cooperative societies by FADAMA III projects for rice, Cassava, maize, poultry productions, etc.

I attracted the 23km hilltop/Ngbo Agbaja/ Nwofe concrete base road and construction of high span bridge linking Amachara/Okovu village. Others include: construction of high span bridge linking Agubata/Nduachi/Oguzoronweya Nkaleke; Ongoing construction of high span bridge linking Nkpuma Akpatakpa/Okaleru villages;Construction of Amaechara/Okovu road ; Ongoing construction of 7km Amachara/ Oferkpe/Obudu Echi road and ongoing construction of one storey agbaja town hall Nwofe.

I have also procured 50 motorcycles, 10 tri-

As a Speaker of the State House of Assembly, what has the House achieved under you?

Like I stated earlier, our challenges as legislators are enormous. The most interesting aspect of them is the inability of electorates to differentiate our role as lawmakers and that of the executive arm of government.

Let me remind us that the most important task of the legislature in any democratic regime is to give legitimacy to the government by providing representation for the citizenry.

Although, legislatures are known primarily as law making bodies, it is important to recognize that these institutions have many other important responsibilities. The first and foremost characteristic of a legislator is intrinsic link to his constituents.

In the last two years, Ebonyi state house of Assembly has held great number of sittings where we passed over 20 bills into laws which have all been signed by the governor. In the same vein, the Honorable House within the two years have passed over sixty resolutions on motions brought before us and approved letters emanating from the office of the Governor, requesting for approvals, authentications, screening and confirmation of governor’s nominees for appointments, and other issues of legislative concern brought before the House, including valedictory sessions for our departed former honorable Members, and above all, our oversight functions.

Also, in our avowed determination to ensure the welfare of staff and administrative convenience of the House, we were able to influence His Excellency the Governor to constitute the House of Assembly Service Commission within our first six months in office.

So far, what are the challenges like?

So far, it has not been easy. It is God that has been sustaining me. The forces of the opposition cannot be completely ruled out. They have always challenged us, but I have words to them is be constructive and not to dwell more on their selfish interests. No matter the envy, no matter the blackmail, no matter the falsehood, anything that is not based on truth must surely crumble.

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Bold ‘n’ Blunt Shame! How 23-year old W Uniport student arrested for ritual killing dramatically escaped from police custody

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From NATH OMAME, P/Harcourt

AS there collusion in the dramatic escape of ritual murder suspect Ifeanyi Dike from police custody the previous week or the young man simply made a dash for it and got away? NATH OMAME, in P/Harcourt, recounts the arrest and ludicrous escape of one Ifeanyi Dike, a ritual murder suspect from custody as the IPO escorted him out of the investigation room, at Okporo Police Station, PH. The story of how 23-year old, 200 level student in the Department of Physics, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Ifeanyi Dike, recently escaped from the custody of the Police 24 hours after he was paraded at the headquarters of the Rivers State Police command, along Moscow Road, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, is riveting indeed.

Dike had killed an eight-year old girl, Miss.

Chikamso Victory Nwezuba, in his room at the Eliozu area of Port Harcourt. He confessed to the Police during interrogation that he lured the girl into his room and gave her an overdose of chrolohydrate before killing her.

Dike upon killing his victim cut off her sex organ, her two eyes, tongue, two small fingers, left breast and part of her forehead for moneymaking ritual. He had confessed to the Police upon interrogation that he was instructed by his client to deliver the human parts for the ritual. He said he was assured by his client, whose name he gave to the Police, that he would be paid substantial amount of money to make him rich.

Dike was arrested by local vigilante in Eliozu, at 1.20 am, on Friday, August 17, as he was approaching a garbage site to deposit the remains of the eight year old girl. He carried the corpse of the girl in a basin and covered it with fresh plantain leaves. Members of the local vigilante accosted Dike and asked him what he was carrying in the basin.

He dropped the basin and took to his heels. Some members of the vigilante chased him and caught up with him and handed him over to the Police team on patrol. The deceased’s father, Mr. Ernest Nwezuba, who lives about two blocks from Dike’s residence on the same street, in Eliozu, his daughter told the police his daughter had been missing for about 24 hours.

The Police patrol team took Dike to the Okporo Police Station where he and the father of the victim made their statements.

Dike admitted at the Police station that he killed the victim in his room, adding that the human parts taken from the body of the victim were still in his room.

He told the Police where he had kept the parts. After a search of his room, the Police found six containers of different chemicals and an empty tin of Bournvita. Inside the empty tin was a small glass box containing all the parts Dike had taken from the body of the eight-year old girl.

Upon interrogation on tape, Dike admitted: “I gave her the chemical so that she would not feel much pain while I took whatever I wanted to remove from her body. He (name withheld as investigation is currently on-going) promised he would make me rich.” (The person he mentioned lived in the same compound as Dike but packed out about six years, ago).

Mr. Nwezuba narrated: “We saw containers of about six to seven chemicals in his room. We also saw a stone and kitchen knife he used in killing my daughter in his room.

We also saw a laptop and his cell phone. I immediately took the phone so that we can trace the last calls he made. Ifeanyi is a boy I give money and clothes. He is my kindred from Ochiogwa, Mbatoili, in Imo State.

•Ifeanyi Dike with the remains of Chikams Victory Nwezuba Ifeanyi is my brother.”

“He is chorister in the Anglican Church, Eliment (CID). I was informed that the Commiscided to do what he was asked to do these ozu where I also worship. I am the financial sioner of Police had asked that the matter be past years. Six years ago, Ifeanyi was not in secretary of the Christian Men’s Association moved to the state CID, immediately. the university, then.

I feel really bad.

This boy (CMA). He wears the chorister’s robe. And “I got dressed and drove to the Okporo has killed me.

Chinaso is my last child.

She is he is in the Church by 7.am, on Sundays.

Police Station. Ifeanyi was taken out of the dear to me.”

Ifeanyi attends midweek prayers regularly. cell in hand cuffs and led into a police operaNarrating how Dike escaped from police Ifeanyi is an orphan. His sister who is my tional vehicle. The police also picked up my neighbour and lives in Port Harcourt with her custody, Nwezuba said: “After taking statedaughter’s corpse from the mortuary for ments from Ifeanyi and me, the police let husband and children took Ifeanyi in as his the journey to the state CID. I entered my me go home while he was detained at the guardian since Ifeanyi was three years old. vehicle and we drove to the CID. Six armed Okporo Police Station. The same day, about Her children are still in secondary school, but policemen accompanied us. Surprisingly, 30 minutes after I got home, the Investigatshe has trained Ifeanyi to 200-level in the when we got to the roundabout, the police ing Police Officer (IPO), Sergeant Blessing university. stopped the operational vehicle. So, I asked at Okporo Police Station, called me to come “According to Ifeanyi, his boss first asked them why they stopped. over to the station.

He intimated me that him to join his group six years, ago, but that “One of the policemen came out of the an order in form of a signal from Abuja he refused. But when he went home for operational vehicle. I asked again why they had been given that the matter should be Christmas, last year, and saw young men stopped. They later said they were waiting transferred to the State Criminal Departwho had made it in my community, he de-

•Un-chained while being led to DSP’s office •DSP can’t explain why the station, with a functional generator, was left in darkness @ 9pm

for the officer who would handle the matter.

We stayed at the roundabout for about 10 to 15 minutes. I did not see the person they were waiting for: nobody entered the vehicle. After a while, they started their vehicle and we drove to the state CID. “At the CID, we met the DCP, Kachi, who happens to know my younger brother. He asked for the previous statements we made at Okporo Police Station. We were led to the IPO, a man named John Bosco, who proceeded to take fresh statements from Ifeanyi and myself. The policemen that took us to the state CID also gave Ifeany’s phone to John Bosco. I later gave the phone to the Police at Okporo Police Station.

“The policemen at the state CID went

11

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Bold ‘n’ Blunt

•Dike

•Ernest Mezuoba, the father of the victim through Ifeanyi’s phone and saw the text message he sent to his boss informing him that he had executed the assignment. It was finally handed over to John Bosco. Bosco began taking Ifeany’s statement. It was around 8.pm. There was no light. So, Bosco asked us to go and buy candle. There was no light at the state CID. I told him that I would not buy any candle. So, we wrote our statements using the touch in our cell phones. Ifeanyi made his statement without a handcuff. He was taken to the CID from Okporo Police Station in handcuffs, but was removed at the State CID. “Our statements were taken inside an office. After writing for some time, Ifeanyi told John Bosco he was tasty. At that point, John Bosco asked me to buy water for Ifeany. I asked him: ‘Are you mad? I should buy water for a fellow who killed my daughter?’ I told him I couldn’t do that. He then pacified me. He put his hand inside his pocket and brought out N20 and asked one of his colleagues to buy the packaged water. He told Ifeanyi to write down all he knew about the murder of the eight-year old girl.

“Ifeanyi admitted while being interrogated

by John Bosco to everything he wrote in the statement he made earlier at Okporo Police Station. At a point, Bosco said he was taking Ifeanyi to the cell. The time was about 9.45pm or thereabout. He led Ifeanyi out of the office where the statements were taken without handcuffs. During the interrogation, armed policemen stood by the side of the door to the office.

“Ifeanyi was in front of Bosco when they both left the office. Ifeanyi was not in handcuffs. The DSP, Kachi, had instructed Bosco to bring all the statements to his office, upstairs, on the completion of his interrogation of Ifeanyi and myself. The next thing we heard was: “Hol am, hol am, hol am. E don run ooo. Make una help me ooo. The boy de run ooo.” Whether Ifeanyi jumped over the fence is what I cannot say because it was dark since there was no light. Bosco said Ifeanyi jumped over the fence.

“We started searching for Ifeanyi under the cars parked in the station. We did not see Ifeanyi. Some minutes later, the deputy commissioner of Police arrived at the CID. He was livid with anger. And he began shouting.

What are you telling me? This news is on air: on radio and television. It is on the Internet-Facebook and other social media platforms.

I am quoting the deputy commissioner of police. Then, he asked: who are these people?

He was told that we are the complainants.

He then ordered us to follow him upstairs.”

“He asked: DSP where were you? The DSP replied: I was upstairs. I told the IPO, (John Bosco) to bring them (Ifeanyi and the complainant when he was through with the interrogation and had taken their statements).

The deputy commissioner of Police then asked us to follow him to his office, upstairs.

He then asked Bosco why he did not put on

the generator. The other policemen gave flimsy excuses. But he was unconvinced and ordered them to put on the generator. It was then some policemen put on the generator.

“It was after the generator was put on that the deputy commissioner of Police went up to his office and asked us to join him in his office. He called the DSP in-charge of the station and asked him: what is this? What am I hearing? It was then the DSP narrated what had happened. He was unimpressed and asked him to go get the IPO, John Bosco, and come with him to his office. He appeared with Bosco who was shaking, begging: Oga, please ooh. I don’t know how this thing happened to me. We were all there. After taking his statement, I was leading him to the cell when he suddenly ran away. The DCP told him: ‘You are mad. You must produce this boy, or, you will lose your job.’ For me, I believe there is some collusion, somewhere.

“For me, the Police have to produce Ifeanyi. The local vigilante arrested him at about 1.20.am, while he was attempting to drop off the corpse of my child in the refuse dump; tied him up to prevent him from escaping. The Police came and took him from them. Now, the police are telling us Ifeanyi has escaped from the state CID, for that matter! This is a monumental disgrace to our country. Put yourself in my shoes: someone killed my daughter. He was arrested and handed over to the Police and what you now hear is that the culprit has escaped from Police custody.

“What would happen if the local vigilante had not seen Ifeanyi while he was attempting to drop off the remains of my daughter by the roadside? The Police would come to the area to arrest innocent people. Good enough, the local vigilante saw him, accosted him, interrogated him, arrested him and handed him over to the Police. And now we are told that the culprit the Police took from the local vigilante so that justice could be done to the aggrieved party has escaped from police custody. How does this story sound to you?

“As the father of the victim, I want justice for my innocent daughter. I will not give up.

For me, justice must take its full course.

“I later called the DCP and inquired about the latest on Ifeanyi who killed my daughter.

He said they had deployed their men on patrol in a bid to re-arrest the culprit. I also called the DSP, Kachi who informed me that they were planning to come to Ifeanyi’s compound to arrest everybody there. I told him, pointedly, please don’t come and arrest anybody. The local vigilante arrested Ifeanyi and the Police came in and took the culprit from them. Ifeanyi escaped from the premises of the state CID. So, what have occupants in the compound where Ifeany lives got to do with his escape from Police custody?

“Arresting the landlord or my sister who is Ifeanyi’s guardian will not make any mean-

ing. A woman that has been taking care of Ifeanyi from the age of three will not solve the problem. I gave the Police Ifeanyi’s phone, which I collected from his room during the search of his room by the Police. The Police came with a search warrant. Blessing, a sergeant, at Okporo Police Station knows the code with which to unlock Ifeany’s phone. Ifeanyi’s laptop taken from his room is always with the Police. Ifeanyi’s contacts with the ritual syndicate are all in Ifeanyi’s laptop and phone.

Reacting to Dike’s escape from the state CID, in Port Harcourt, Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed assured that that the police would do everything possible to re-arrest the fleeing culprit. “We have deployed human and material resources to make sure the culprit is re-arrested. The incident was due to individual negligence on the part of the Police officer-in-charge of the case. We are close to getting him. We are not relenting.”

“It is too bad it happened,” Ahmed added.

“We are parents and we feel bad about what has happened. No one will take this unfortunate incident for granted. We are confident we will get the boy arrested and brought into custody. We are appealing to members of the public to have confidence in us. If they have any useful information, they should please confide in us. The policeman involved has been arrested and detained in Police custody.”

On Monday, August 21, the commissioner of Police held an emergency meeting with all the Divisional Police Officers, (DPO’s) in the State, at the headquarters of the Rivers State Police command. No statement was issued at the end of the meeting that lasted for about 21/2 hours.

Ahmed spoke after the meeting: “The parents of the girl were there when it happened. They witnessed everything. He took the advantage of the situation. Sunset was approaching and before you knew it he had escaped: he took to his heels. We all share the pains of the parents of the victim. Efforts are on top gear to get the culprit re-arrested.

As parents, it pains us to the marrow. We want the public to have confidence in us. We have done it before, and we are going to do it now.”

Reacting to the development, The South South Regional Chairman of a civil society organisation, the United Action for Democracy (UAD), Georgewill Solomon, declared: “We are giving the police seven days to re-arrest the culprit. We want to hear that Ifeanyi Dike has been re-arrested, if not, we will write a petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), and the President.”

As members of the public continue to express anger and frustration at the escape of the culprit who drugged the eight-year old girl with an overdose of noxious chemicals, before defiling her and eventually killing her and removing some parts of her body the local vigilante that caught the killer have re-

vealed that they actually called the police on telephone and, willingly, handed the culprit to them.

Meanwhile, the management of the University of Port Harcourt where Ifeanyi Dike is said to be a 200-level undergraduate in the department of Physics has issued a statement, saying it is investigating the identity of Dike to ascertain whether he is a bonafide student of the university. Deputy Registrar of Information, Dr. William Wodi disclosed that the management has asked the Student Affairs Department to sift through its files to ascertain if the said Ifeanyi Dike is, truly, a student in the university.

“The incident happened over the weekend. Today, Monday, the management of the university has directed the student affairs department to go through its files to ascertain the academic status (of the culprit) as a student. The department of Physics, which has been mentioned has also been asked to ascertain that claim. Once that is confirmed, the university will issue a statement to that effect. For now, we are floating with the reportage that a student of the University of Port Harcourt was involved in that despicable act.”

Wodi assured: “It would have been easier to provide information as to the identity of the culprit if the incident had happened on a week day. Let me say this: the University of Port Harcourt is willing to cooperate with the Police and we will provide the Police all useful information that will enable the Police to re-arrest and prosecute him once we confirm that he is a student of the university.”

Reacting to the involvement of an undergraduate in ritual murder for the sake of making money, a lecturer in the Department of Sociology, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Kinny Kenwah Aniele, lamented that the sad development is an indication of moral decadence among the youths in the society.

He regretted: “This is the sign of a failing society. Unfortunately, we live in a society where wealth has become the in-thing. How people make their money is not questioned.

And we consciously, individually and collectively, give our support to this debased phenomenon. The support we give to this ignoble fad is, indeed, heinous. We don’t frown at people who kill people to make money.

We do not despise those who own quantum of money in the society without any visible source of income.”

“Even the clergies who should preach to condemn the glorification of sudden wealth now glorify these despicable characters,” Prof. Aniele added. All some do is to extort wealth. The society has lost its tract. Now, we preach money, money, money! What has transpired shows our collapsing value system. I am bothered that an undergraduate got involved in ritual killing to make money.

So, of what essence is the education that he is pursuing at the university?”

12

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

POLITICS

‘Ojoto has a constitutionally sanctioned Igwe-elect’

For some months now, the people of Ojoto Community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have been entangled in a chieftaincy tussle to select a replacement for His Royal Highness Igwe Augustine Obidiwe who joined his ancestors last year. Two people are jostling to replace Obidiwe. They are Chief Denis Adindu Okafor and Chief Gerald Mbamalu. The Okafor vs Mbamalu tussle has, needless to say, divided the people of the community into two factions--one for Okafor and the other for Mbamalu. In a recent interview published in The Oracle Today, Mbamalu dismissed Okafor’s claims as Igwe-elect, insisting that Ojoto has no ruler as, according to him, the State government

suspended the process of selecting or electing Igwe Ojoto for “security reasons”. Mbamalu said the people are waiting for the State government to give approval for the selection or election of Igwe Ojoto and until that is done, the community has no Igwe-elect.

In this interview, the President General of Ojoto Town Union known as Ojoto Akanasato Union (OAU), Engr. Edwin Umeghalu (Ph.D), a lecturer in the Department of Agriculture and Bio Resources Engineering at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik) Awka, speaks on the position of the town union on the Igweship tussle and other matters. Theo Rays, Onitsha. Excerpts:

OJOTO has been in the news in recent time over the controversy surrounding the selection of a replacement for the late Igwe Augustine Obidiwe, who joined his ancestors last year. What, in your view, is the true position of things in respect of the Igweship crisis?

The true position is that the people of Ojoto community have selected Chief Denis Adindu Okafor according to the provisions of the constitution of Ojoto, to replace Igwe Obidiwe and as a result of his selection, Okafor is now the Igwe-elect of Ojoto.

sions of our constitution and uphold the values and norms of our custom and tradition of Ojoto as laid down by our forefathers. We are educated enough to know what is wrong or right. Days are gone when people who have had a field day to perpetrate impunity in the land. We have no room for acts of impunity in Ojoto any longer. We have passed the level where people who have money are allowed to buy land, buy people, buy Igweship and councilorship and hat have you.

Regent or Recency in Council is a timetabled position, which expires after the selection of Igwe.

Some people have said that Okafor was selected through a kangaroo process, which had neither the approval of the Anambra State Government nor that of the Regency-inCouncil and other people that matter in Ojoto. What is your comment on these views with regard to the provisions of the constitution?

First of all, let me note that opposition is part of life. Every human being has one opposition or challenge or the other.

But, what matters is whether the opposition is for the truth or lie, whether the opposition is on the right side or wrong side. Those opposed to Okafor as Igwe-elect of Ojoto are on the wrong side. This is simply because they are ignorant of the provisions of our constitution. The provisions of our constitution are very clear about the selection of Igwe Ojoto.

And for the fact we want to avoid the kind of problems we had during the Igweship tussle between Adirika and Obidiwe, we took it upon ourselves that we shall strictly adhere to the provisions.

The constitution says that the Igweship throne has to rotate between Ojoto North and Ojoto South. In other words, we call it Ojoto Uno, which is the North and Ojoto Obofia, which is the South. Ojoto Community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State has eight villages, which is why we bear the name Ojoto Akanasato. In Ojoto uno, we have four villages and in Obofia also four villages. Now, according to the constitution, it is the turn of Ojoto Obofia to produce our traditional ruler because Obidiwe is from Ojoto Uno. Again in the constitution, it is clearly stated that the most senior village in Obofia will produce the Igwe. In Obofia, we have four villages namely Enugo, Ndiabor, Umuezema and Ezema. Enugo is the most senior village among all of them. Further more, the constitution also states in clear terms that the most senior quarters or kindred in Enugo will produce the Igweship candidate. In Enugo, we have six quarters, namely Umuofor, Umuezekegwu, Umummelugini, Umuoragui, Umuezemutukwu and Umuobiuga.

The most senior quarters or kindred is Umuofor. It is also written in the constitution that at Umuofor, the most senior family or mpkuke will produce a candidate. So, it has stages from village to quarters to the family to Mkpuke, down to the level of okpalas, that is the first born. Okafor was selected after passing through the first village, the first quarters and the first family because Okafor’s family is the most senior at Umuofor, which is the most senior in Enugo and Enugo the most senior in Ojoto Obofia. It is clearly known as a traditional rite in Igbo land that the oldest person is one that collects the colanut or the share of a village in a town or community so the case of Ojoto cannot be different.

Another thing they said was that both you and the constitution were suspended (cuts in).

Suspended by who? That is not true. What happened was that the Special Adviser to the Governor Barr Ikechukwu Onyeabo wrote me a letter advising me in my capacity as President General of Ojoto to suspend forthwith activities of the town union till further notice to enable the government look into the issues raised as threats to peace in Ojoto. How could advice translate into suspension? So, nobody suspended me and nobody suspended our constitution. How can anybody suspend the constitution of a community? That is funny.

The impression is that the roles of the State government, Regency-in-Council and the Stakeholders were ignored in the Igwe Ojoto selection process. What is your response?

Nobody ignored anything. First of all, let me make it clear here, that it is not the responsibility of the State government to select a traditional ruler for a community or town. The Law or Edit of Anambra State 2000 and 2007 article 07 as amended and gazetted by the State House of Assembly clearly states that it is the responsibility of the people of a town or community to select or elect a traditional ruler based on their tradition and custom and in accordance with the constitution of the community or town. After the selection, the community or the town will present the Igwe-elect to the local government and to the State for recognition and certification by the governor. Ojoto people under me as the President General selected Denis Adindu Okafor as Igwe-elect of Ojoto according to our tradition and custom and as enshrined in our

But definitely you ignored the advice?

I didn’t ignore the advice. I am always in touch with the State government and all the security agents concerning the security situation in Ojoto. There was never a time we had security threat in Ojoto following the process of selection of Igwe Ojoto, never. People are going about their businesses, so anybody spreading information about security threat is telling lies. Ojoto is calm and peaceful and people are going about their businesses.

•Umeghalu

constitution. But to be sincere with you, we duly informed the State government to come and observe the process but they didn’t come, so we fulfilled all righteousness.

Secondly, it is also not the duty of the Regency-in-Council to select the Igwe of Ojoto. The constitution of Ojoto states that the selection of Igwe begins after 28 days of the demise of the sitting Igwe Ojoto or Eze Ojoto with the town union at the driving seat not the Regent or Regency-in-Council or the State Government. The constitution also states that after 28 days, the Asato Ojoto who is the head of the Council of Chiefs or Ndichie translates to become the Regent of Ojoto pending the selection of a new traditional ruler. Obidiwe traveled, transited or died or joined his ancestors on 14th of April 2016.

Then on 13th May 2016 the town union under my leadership wrote Enugo village to start the process of selection of Igwe Ojoto or Eze Ojoto. Then, Enugo village wrote Umuofor who is the most senior quarters to produce a candidate for the Igweship of Ojoto. That is how it is done. At the same time, we also wrote the traditional prime minister of Ojoto, which is the Onowu, the head of Ndichie, to assume the position as the Regent of Ojoto pending when the process of selection of the Igwe would be concluded. The Onowu accepted our letter and became the Regent of Ojoto. Incidentally the Regent who is from the second most senior village in Ojoto Obofia indicated interest in the Igweship stool without resigning from his position as Regent. We cannot go contrary to the provisions of constitution to install the Regent as Igwe.

We cannot do that. We have vowed to maintain the provi-

The case is in court already as we learnt and the is waiting for State government to come and give approval for the process of selecting the Igwe Ojoto to commence. What is the hope of recognizing and certifying Okafor?

Almost all the towns in Igbo land have court cases either at lower court, high court, Appeal Court and even in the Supreme Court on Igweship tussle, so our case is not different or new to the system. On the issue of recognition and certification by government, we have placed God at the forefront.

We believe that with God on our side, Okafor will be recognized and so far from all I have said here, we have evidence to show that God is on the side of the town union and Okafor because we don’t have money but we have the truth.

To you as the President General, the selection of Igwe Ojoto is one point of progress. Which other thing could you count to your credit?

We have peace in Ojoto like I mentioned earlier. Secondly, I have offered free skills acquisition training to the youth.

Any youth who is jobless and wishes to learn mechanic, mason, carpentry, wedding, sewing, designing, tiling, catering and bakery, among others, the town union will facilitate his training. We have trained the first batch and the second is on course. We are managing the system with bare hands because as a community or town, Ojoto has no means of revenue generation.

Again the town union has attracted the World Bank to work on one of the biggest erosion sites in the State situated in Ojoto. We have also ensured that the N20Million community project initiated by Governor Obiano is completed in Ojoto. We are waiting for the second batch of the project.

These are my achievements for now.

What is your view on the forthcoming governorship election in Anambara State?

For us in Ojoto, it is Obaino all the way because Obiano is very friendly to Ojoto. We have people he appointed in his government and they are doing well. And considering what he has achieved generally in the areas that are very critical to the development and progress of the State like security, agriculture, road construction, community development and prompt payment of workers salary, we have no option than ask him to carry go.

13

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Destiny Movement of Ukwa NDI UKWA, NDI NGWA ARE BROTHERS, FRIENDS

T

he attention of Destiny Movement of Ukwa has been drawn to a publication in The Sun of 14 August 2017, titled, ‘Abia 2019: Turn of Ndoki people’, written by Ebere Wabara where he canvassed the imperatives of Ndoki people producing the Senator for Abia South Senatorial District in 2019.

While Mr. Wabara has every right to hold a position on the matter, we strongly object to the language and temperament of the write up. It creates the impression that Ndoki people, by whom we think he means Ukwa East and Ukwa West, are at war with our Ngwa brothers, contrary to the well-known fact that we have been forging political alliances over the years.

There is no such war. And there is no need for any. In fact, the mutual respect and understanding that we have among ourselves resulted in Ndoki people, with two of the six Local Government Areas in Abia South Senatorial District, producing HE Adolphus Wabara, former Senate President, as theSenator for the area from

1999-2007.

Distinguished Senator Wabara is a visionary leader whose concerns for the progress of his people are encapsulated in his involvement in Abia State and national politics.

Politics is dynamic and there are several ways of making a case for the Ndoki people.

One of them would definitely not be abuse and campaigns that would look down on Ngwa people to promote Ndoki people.

We dissociate ourselves from the publication, and ask our people to ignore any moves that would result in polarisation of Abia State. There is no need to create enmity with our Ngwa brothers, with whom, over the years, we have had affinities that are beyond politics.

Abia South Senatorial District is together in our support for our Governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, PhD, and we know that the cordiality of the politics in the zone ensures that no area is denied of what is due to it.

Signed Prince Opia Publicity Secretary Destiny Movement of Ukwa

14

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

INTERVIEW

‘FG has shown no genuine interest in addressing issues instigating crisis in Niger Delta’ Alaowei E. Cleric Esq., is a legal practitioner, a public affairs analyst and a human rights activist. He is currently the National President of the Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusaders (FOHURAC), a foremost non-governmental organization that is championing human rights cause in Nigeria. In this interview with special consultant OBIRE MEVAGEN he speaks on a number of issues affecting the Niger Delta and Nigeria generally. Excerpts: •Alaowei E. Cleric Esq. WHAT are your views concerning the renewed interest of the federal government in the Niger-Delta? Is it a step in the right direction?

Federal Government has not shown any genuine interest in addressing the issues that instigated the crisis in the Niger Delta. What the government is doing is simply a cosmetic approach, which will not last long. There is no renewed interest as far as I am concerned. Until the core issues of resource control, true federalism and political autonomy are placed on the table of discourse, every other ancillary step is only meant to calm frayed nerves in order that the oil can continue to flow at a point in time.

What would be your reaction to then Acting President Osinbajo’s pronouncement that the federal government is going to work with illegal refiners?

Honestly, I would have been very much happy about the pronouncement if the intention is genuine but I am sure the truth behind it is far from what one can think of. It is rather a talkshow, an extension of the government’s usual promises to the people. I believe that it is not that of ‘good action’ but ‘good intention’. I read it in the news that the government has issued licences to 50 companies in the country to operate modular refineries but to our chagrin, none of the proposed operators is an indigene of Niger Delta States. This is the same government that promised to engage local refinery operators by converting the local artisanal refineries into modular refineries.

With this development, I can safely conclude that Osinbajo’s pronouncement on the modular refineries was just to pull a wool over our eyes. The Federal government is not engaging any local refinery operator in the Niger Delta. The security operatives in the creeks are still hunting for these local refinery operators. If the government had any intention of engaging these persons, I don’t think the security agencies in the creeks would still be arresting and destroying their facilities.

A coalition of Niger Delta Youth has called on the Federal Government to grant pardon and amnesty to operators of artisanal refineries illegal refinery operators, that the relevant federal agencies should adopt the model used in the presidential Amnesty Programme for ex-militants. Do you concur?

Yes, I agree with call on the government to engage the artisanal refinery operators. That was why Niger Delta people applauded then Acting President when he declared intention to engage them in meaningful ventures. These are people who are conversant with modern but yet to be utilised technologies. The government should be happy seeing these kinds of creative thinkers in the country. What it needs doing is to engage them by converting their business ventures into legal business entities. Criminalising them by sending troops to the creeks to arrest and destroy the local refining camps can never solve the problem. The government only ends up adding more salt to the injury.

This is an environment that has been grossly degraded due to years of explorations yet security agencies come to worsen the situation by destroying the facilities of these local refinery operators on the environment.

How do you see the $20 billion Gas Revolution Industrial Park (GRIP) Project to be sited at Ogidigben in Warri SouthWest Local Government Area? Would you commend Vice-President-Osinbajo for that?

They say honour should be given to whom it is due. If anybody must be commended, it must be former President Goodluck Jonathan. He was the one that initiated it. This government only came to inherit what its predecessor has initiated. However, the present government must also be commended if it has committed efforts to commence business activities on the project.

The project is a gigantic one that will benefit the country to a very large extent.

It will also reduce the reoccurring issues of militancy, sea-piracy, pipeline vandalism and other vices in the creeks to the barest minimum because the project will create ample opportunities for plenty of our idle and unemployed youths to be gainfully engaged.

How committed is President Buhari to Niger – Delta development?

Buhari has not shown any commitment to develop the Niger Delta. In spite of the promises made, Niger Delta still represents the 5% voting ratios in the government. A cursory look at the budget allo-

cation of projects in the six geo-political zones in the 2017 budget, one can easily deduce that Niger Delta is still on the least of Buhari agenda because we are people who gave him 5% votes.

How can you describe the lopsided allocation of projects to the various zones

by Buhari in his 2017? The breakdown of funds appropriated for capital projects in the six geo-political zones in the 2017 budget showed that North Central got N207 billion, North West N73.7 billion, South west N48.97 billion, North East N46.69 billion, South South N35.31 billion and South East, got N28.22 billion. With the figures supplied above, can one still say Buhari is committed to the development of Niger Delta? I don’t think so.

How do you view the payment of the 13% derivation to the state governors? Is it illegal or unconstitutional? How should it be paid?

There is no clear constitutional provisions’ directing who should have been in possession of the funds. Those agitating that the 13% derivation should be paid to the host communities or some other third parties should rather call on the relevant authorities to amend the constitution. For, now the State governments are the legal custodian of the funds since they are empowered by the constitution to receive the federal allocations on behalf of their respective States.

How would you advise the federal gov-

Cont’d on Page 16

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

POLITICS

Anigbata: Those against restructuring are anti-Nigeria •Says without Obiano, APGA is finished Chief Ikechukwu Victor Anigbata, a businessman and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Nando in Anambra East Council Area of Anambra State. In 2007, he aspired to be the governorship candidate of PDP but was unsuccessful. He was later to pitch tent with National Democratic Party (NDP) and contested the 2007 election as the party’s governorship candidate. He later returned to PDP and has remained a card-carrying member of the party. An apostle of zoning, he tells THEO RAYS that the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) stakeholders in Anambra State and elsewhere must understand that the survival of the party is dependent on their support for Governor Willie Obiano in the forthcoming November 18 governorship election. He comes out also strongly in support of restructuring, describing those opposed to it as the ones who are, indeed, anti-unity. Excerpts: In 2007, you contested governorship election in Anambra State and couldn’t make it to the Government House in Awka, and since then you have kept silent. Where is Victor Ikechukwu Anigbata in Anambra State?

Victor Ikechukwu Anigbata is here with you in Anambra State. I remain a politician and a member of the PDP and I have my structure in the State intact. Let me quickly correct the impression that I am keeping silent. I am not keeping quite. The issue is that I cannot start to make noise when there is no need for that. In 2007 I came out to make noise on the issue of zoning. I was the first person to point out that it is the turn of Anambra North Senatorial zone to produce the governor of Anambra State considering the fact the other sensational zones have taken their turns at the Government House in Awka. So, I made noise and championed the cause of zoning. I offered myself and contested the governorship election with a view to protecting the interest of the people of Anambra North. Unfortunately, I lost out, but somewhere along the line, Mr Peter Obi as governor then bought into the idea of zoning and zoned the governorship seat to Anambra North after serving his second tenure in office. The zoning produced Willie Obiano as the Governor of Anambra today. I was the person who laid foundation for the emergence of Obiano following the fight I waged on zoning. The story of zoning is not complete without me and that is where you find me in Anambra politics now.

Not too long ago, Chief Martins Agbaso got order of Madamus from a court of competent jurisdiction, which apparently made him the authentic National Chairman of APGA. Political pundits say that this was aimed at preventing Governor Willie Obiano from becoming the flag-bearer of APGA in this coming governorship election in the State.

What is your take on this?

My take is that APGA will die a natural death if some hawks in the party who because of pecuniary interest would want to stop Governor Obiano from flying APGA’ s ticket in November 18 Governorship election. It is only Obiano as the incumbent governor who has done well within the limited resources available to him that can stop the forces of All Progressives Congress (APC), PDP and UPP. Let me remind those who wish to deny Obiano the ticket that the problem of PDP in Anambra started when the party denied the incumbent governor Clement Mbadinuju the ticket to stand for a second term election 2003. Mbadinuju could have won that election but they denied him the ticket and that was the beginning of the downfall of PDP in Anambta State. So to me, it is a risk taken too far if Obaino is denied the ticket of APGA because there is no other person in the party who has enough capacity to withstand the fireworks of APC, PDP and UPP in November.

APGA, as an Igbo party, has failed to thrive at the national level. And some say that it is because the Igbo are not really good in politics. They say the Igbo do better as traders than politicians. Do you see it that way?

First of all, let me correct the impression that APGA is an Igbo party; no, it is a national party with Igbo background.

During the 2015 general election, people across the country contested various elective positions like governorship, senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly position on the platform of APGA. I can remember that one Mustapha won Council Chairman election in Gwagwalada on the platform of APGA, so it is a national party. If you tell me that the Southeast is supposed to be APGA’s strong base, I can agree with you. On the issue of Igbo not doing well in politics, Ndigbo are hard-working people who are not interested in do or die politics. That is the difference between Ndigbo and other tribes. If an Igboman contests election and loses, he will go back to his business because he has something doing. He is not a career politician who puts all the hope of his life in politics. The crisis in APGA is a normal thing. Other political parties are also engulfed in endless crises.

What is your reaction to calls for the restructure of Nigeria?

Restructuring is the panacea to disunity. Those against restructuring are people who belong to the dark ages. Those serving in government in various capacities that are rejecting restructuring are not only anti-Nigeria and anti-people but also anti-themselves as they will soon leave office to see what they have done to the future of their children and themselves. Some of them in the nearest future will be the ones leading people to demand for the restructuring of Nigeria.

By nature all fingers are not equal but they need each other in order to work as a team, in order to give a services to all the fingers. So, they think they are smart. They should abolish local governments, where they share money without development. Restructuring is about working for the good of the people, providing enabling environment for people to develop their talents. If Nigeria is well-developed, two to three people can provide enough rice for the country and export them to other African countries. I urge National Assembly to look beyond their nose and do that, which will profit the country.

There is an ample time for them to change their position.

What they are doing is anti-people, anti-North, anti-West, anti-East, anti-South anti-Nigeria. They are not helping the people. They want to limit the competition among the constituent groups in Nigeria but competition is key to all breakthroughs and development in life. They are not helping our youths. Why then should they tell them to stop robbery, kidnapping, when they encourage such by their action. Their action cannot create jobs. The era of national cake is over.

Does it bother you that you lost out in the cause you championed and Obiano benefited from the fight? It’s like you sowed the seed and another person came and reaped the harvest?

It doesn’t bother me because my priority was to see that somebody from Anambra North emerged as governor of Anambra and that has been achieved. I offered myself at that point because I was like a lone ranger in fighting for zoning in 2007. When Peter Obi bought into the idea I was not a member of his party so he couldn’t have supported me for his party to nominate me for the election. It doesn’t bother me and I have rekindled the fight for Anambra North to be allowed to complete the eight years in office.

Practically all the parties have chosen their candidates for the November 18 election. What standard are you setting for the parties with regard to the choices they have made as their flag bearers?

We have got a workable standard for the office of governor in Anambra State. The standard is a combination of Dr Chris Ngige, Mr Peter Obi and Willie Obiano. Ngige showed us that government has money to tar road in Anambra State; Peter Obi showed that government can upgrade the system by providing infrastructures and amenities, build schools, hospitals, construct roads, sink boreholes, attract huge investors like Sabmiler from South Africa and do other things for the development and progress of the State. Obiano came on board and rattled criminals out of the State, delved into agriculture successfully, attracted investors also

workers in Anambra under Obiano is massive and he is paying all of them promptly. So we have standard and parties must follow that standard in their choices of flag-bearers.

•Anigbata

like Cosharis and Elkcel Farms and others, improved the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), initiated community development projects and gave priority to workers’ salary. Obiano inherited workers more than all his predecessors put together. The number of

The Indegenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has continued to insist that this November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra State will not hold. And you know they have sizeable supporters, especially among the youths. What is your view on this?

IPOB may have good intention as youth who can see the future, but I want them to know that today is the projection of yesterday and the forecast of tomorrow. Much as their intention may be good, those intentions should be married with the current realities. If there is no election in Anambra State, they cannot stop election and stop emergency rule at the same time, whereby a military man would become the Sole Administrator of the State and tell you what to do and the entire place would be militarised. And this will be another second Boko Haram, in fact worse than Boko Haram. It is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good. So, while agitation is welcomed, violence of all forms must be shunned.

16

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

INTERVIEW

... No genuine interest in addressing issues instigating crisis in Niger Delta’ swerve to the cliff.

Cont’d from Page 14

Is Buhari really winning war against corruption, insurgency?

To answer your question, I will rather reply you with another question: I would prefer to ask, is Buhari really fighting corruption? The answer is subjective. In my considered view, Buhari is not fighting corruption. He is only witch-hunting and persecuting some perceived enemies.

The law has no exception of its application to every individual in the country.

The social objectives of our constitution are founded on the ideals of equality, freedom and justice. It seems Buhari is operating with another constitution different from the 1999 constitution, which makes his close allies or political associates above the law.

Don’t be surprised if you see majority of Nigerians criticising his anti corruption war. To fight corruption does not mean you must desecrate the citadel of justice.

It does not also give you power to abuse the tenets of democracy by making yourself an autocratic leader. Until Buhari fights corruption in his government and those of his close allies who are indicted of corruption by constituted authorities, I will not accept his lopsided anti-graft war as a fight against corruption. It is selective!

ernment on transparency in Niger Delta dialogue between the federal government and the oil-producing region?

My advice to the Federal Government is that it should match its words with action. There are so many things the government has promised the region. We are patiently waiting for implementations even though most people have lost faith in the government. The issues of relocation of oil companies’ corporate office to the region and the modular refineries are some of those promises if implemented would arrest militancy in the region.

What is your view on the allocation of oil blocks to indigenes of Niger-Delta states?

To me, I would rather ask for resource control and true federalism. With resource control, we can get as many oil blocks as we want. It is an insult for the Niger Delta people to be begging for oil blocks. Instead of fighting for peanuts, let us struggle to control what we have.

However, in the absence of resource control, it is not bad for our people to demand for it. It is our rights and we should be struggling to get it if outsiders can get it like a family business. It ought to be our birthright and not the other way around.

There are agitations for oil companies operating in the South-South region to relocate their headquarters to NigerDelta. What does the region stand to benefit from this? And now that a place like Lagos State where we have a large concentration of these oil companies’ headquarters has equally become an oil producing state, what do we now do?

We are much on the struggle for the oil companies to relocate their head offices to the region. We are only waiting for the federal government to make good with its promise. The argument of the anti-Niger Delta lawmakers in the House of Representatives who voted against the motion for the oil companies’ head offices relocation to the region cannot stand. If we must maintain the existing peace in the region, then all hands must be on deck to compel the oil companies to comply with the directives of the federal government.

There are so many benefits attached to their coming, especially in the area of employment. Granted that Lagos has also joined the league of oil-producing states, that in itself should be a yardstick for Lagos not to cheat its sister oil-producing states. The simple truth is that let the company exploring oil in Lagos state site its Head office there, while those in Niger Delta should relocate to their respective States.

Will Lagos people agree for the company exploring oil in that state to site its head office in the Niger Delta? It is high time we put paid to the injustices meted out to the Niger Delta people if Nigeria must sustain the peace we are enjoying.

It’s like the “New Delta Avengers (NDA)” sounded a battle cry against the Delta Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and other oil agencies. How do you see to this?

I think that is an internal affair. It all boils down to governance in Delta State.

I will rather say Delta State government should be more proactive and not reactive to arrest the situation. If the militants’ group strikes, definitely it will affect the economy of the country. That is

•Alaowei E. Cleric Esq.

Buhari has not shown any commitment to develop the Niger Delta. In spite of the promises made, Niger Delta still represents the 5% voting ratios in the government... The breakdown of funds appropriated for capital projects in the six geo-political zones in the 2017 budget showed that North Central got N207 billion, North West N73.7 billion, South west N48.97 billion, North East N46.69 billion, South South N35.31 billion and South East, got N28.22 billion.

With the figures supplied above, can one still say Buhari is committed to the development of Niger Delta?

”

one reason why Delta State government should not rest on its oars in resolving the problem. I think the militants’ group has genuine claim though they took the wrong approach.

DESOPADEC is not working under Okowa’s government and I believe Deltans would like to know what could have been the cause.

How do you see to the three-month ultimatum issued the South Easterners by the Arewa Youth groups? Don’t you think this placed the country on the edge?

The three-month quit notice issued by a coalition of northern youths and the corresponding threats to declare Niger Delta Republic, Oduduwa Republic and Biafra Republic only posed a quadrilateral danger to Nigeria. The chances of Nigeria surviving these threats are very slim except urgent step is taken by the government to nip it in the bud. Even when it

becomes glaring that anarchy is looming in the land, especially gleaned from the separatists comments from the various quarters of the country, the government is regrettably groping around like a motherless kid.

The threats to declare Niger Delta, Oduduwa and Biafra Republics were only made in response to the provocative quit notice issued against the Igbo in the North even though the Biafra struggle preceded Northern Youths’ vexatious threats of eviction. The various separatists groups in the East were only agitating for their rights. It has nothing to do with the North to warrant threat such genocidal threat. I think the quit notice issued by the northern coalition has engendered a quadruple flame that flickered on the fuel of disunity. If what the government can do is to watch helplessly on the air of discord that has permeated the tensed atmosphere then Nigeria may

How do you access President Buhari’s two years in office?

The two years of democratic journey of the APC-led-government of President Mohammadu Buhari is a harvest of hardship, poverty and economic strangulation. The two eventful but fruitless years in governance by the present government has no policy direction capable of reducing the economically bastardised Nigerians to a beaming end. Indeed, Nigeria under the APC-government is in the abyss What the government has succeeded in achieving in the past two years to the best of my knowledge is to feed beleaguered Nigerians on a daily basis with its satirical lies manufactured from the Kingdom of hell. Everyday the government in a bid to launder its battered image, entertained pauperised Nigerians with its pernicious lies thereby reducing governance to a comedy night.

No part of the country in the past two years of the government’s reign is feeling the democratic dividends. Even Buhari’s sycophantic praise-singers merely chorus their songs of praises for penance and not for pleasure. The odium of anger being poured on the government by Nigerians on a daily basis is an indication that the self-inflicted ailing and recessed economy has gone into caput in the hands of Buhari. The sufferings in the land are as a result of the government’s ossification to the new trend of policy formulation, which goes with changes in time.

Buhari’s scorecard in the past two years is zero. Nigerians have nothing to celebrate democracy under Buhari’s government as the masses are battling with high rate of poverty occasioned by the astronomical rise in the inflationary rates.

How would you conclude this interview?

I want to conclude by appealing to Nigerians to be vigilant. We must learn from the mistakes of the past and the present.

This APC Government has taught us a bitter lesson. Nigerians should not be deceived by those carefully crafted manifestoes of political fraudsters. Let us use the weapon of the ballot to kick out societal cankerworms from public offices.

The Oracle Today

17

Wednesday September 6, 2017

BU$IN£SS •Energy •Finance

•Stock

e-Commerce thriving as CBN sweats over excess liquidity

By VICTOR NZE

W

ITH the country’s financial system flooded with trillions in cash and loans, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is weekly battling over how to mop up the excess, so that the torrent of money do not trigger hyper-inflation fears.

The CBN now issues treasury bills twice a month to help the government finance its budget deficit, curb money supply growth and provide avenues for lenders to manage liquidity.

Also, clearly a move aimed at rescuing the economy from the grip of recession, Nigeria has stepped up the frequency of Treasury Bill sales recently to soak up excess liquidity in a move to curb pressure on the local currency, and by implication, leaving the market dry and banks scrambling for cash to cover their positions at higher borrowing cost.

The CBN sold about $55.81 million worth of open market operations (OMO) paper in addition to soaking up about 110 billion naira in bonds settlement in May, this year alone. Before then in April, the CBN had sold $353m in Treasury bills in April as well as N54.42bn in the 167-day Open Market Operations Treasury bills at 18 per cent and N55.22bn paper at 18.5 per cent, as traders had confirmed.

For August, government hopes to raise $614 million worth of treasury bills at an auction, August 30, as the bank offered 26.14 billion naira in a three-month paper, 62 billion in six-month bill and 105 billion in However, the one sub-sector

US DOLLAR Pounds Sterling EURO SWISS FRANC CFA WAUA YUAN/RENMINBI RIYAL S/African Rand DANISH KRONA SDR

Buying (NGN)

304.8 391.0279 360.1212 317.0047 0.5294 429.0984 45.7717 81.2735 23.1426 48.4071 430.1338

Central (NGN)

Selling

305.3 391.6694 360.712 317.5247 0.5394 429.8023 45.8473 81.4068 23.1806 48.4865 430.8394

305.8 392.3108 361.3027 318.0447 0.5494 430.5062 45.9228 81.5401 23.2186 48.5659 431.545

(NGN)

•Aviation

•e-Platform

•Tourism

Energy

Indigenous oil firms brace for new asset race P21 e-Platform

Nigerian telecoms and the OTT headache

that has been quietly reaping a windfall from Nigeria’s excess liquidity appears to be the online retail operators who with their modus operandi have latched on to rake in huge turn-overs, further ranking the country among the top emerging e-commerce markets in the world.

According to latest research by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Nigeria is in pole position to take advantage of the Africa region’s e-commerce potential projected to reach $50 – $75 billion within the next 5-10 years, on the basis of its high business environment opportunity potential.

Using a metric of per 100 people, Nigeria scored 80.4 out of 100 to lead the entire continent as the country with the greatest potential opportunity within the wider African e-commerce market. Leading the charge for Nigeria, are the three main online retailers such as Jumia, Jiji and Konga, which serve a mass-market clientele.

Growth in consumers’ enthusiasm towards e-tailing or e-commerce for Nigeria, the report noted, is being driven by recovering global oil prices. It will be recalled that the price of crude oil fell drastically in 2015 which resulted in the economy going into a recession.

E-commerce sites are also evolving their strategies, moving their services to populations in the rural areas, leading to growth in sales. A growing consumer interest in fashion and apparel sector, accounts for majority of sales in the sector.

Here again, Nigeria also takes the lead, as its online apparel market is projected to grow from $104 million in 2014 to around $1.1 billion in

CBN EXCHANGE RATES AUGUST 25, 2017 Currency

•Insurance

P22

Aviation NCAA explains downscaling of FirstNation’s airworthiness P27

Insurance •Emefiele, CBN Governor 2019, according to Euromonitor International, a market research firm.

“By providing convenience, ease of payment (usually cash on delivery mode), the e-commerce platforms allow customers to make purchases in the comfort of their homes, offices, hence, money is being expended, even if it is on frivolous items, or unplanned for

luxuries,” Uche Nwankwo, a Lagosbased stock market journalist.

According to the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, the government is planning to refinance $3 billion worth of treasury bills denominated in the local currency with dollar borrowing to lower costs and improve its debt position.

Before National Assembly kills pensions administration in Nigeria

P28

Stock Market Highlights As At 25 August, 2017

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE CAP

36,646.46 3,618.00 422,448,502.00 3,249,106,175.42 12,631,036,509,419.73

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

2.

3.

4.

5.

ZUNITYKAP ACCESS FIDELITYBK GUARANTY DIAMONDBNK

231,414,218 39,819,139 17,150,622 11,938,831 9,548,301

5 Top Gainers Company INTBREW NB STANBIC FLOURMILL DANGSUGAR

Last Close 34.5 188 38.51 28.52 13.05

Current 37 190 40 29.94 13.65

Change 2.5 2 1.49 1.42 0.6

Value

Top Losers Company 115,707,109.00 MOBIL 403,335,677.34 UNILEVER DANGCEM 22,347,476.22 485,666,674.57 GUINNESS 11,524,711.3399 NASCON

Last Close 203.12 42.8 216.56 82 13.5

Current 192.55 41.3 216 81.5 13

Change -10.57 -1.5 -0.56 -0.5 -0.5

The Oracle Today

18

Wednesday September 6, 2017

BUSINESS

UBA grows H1 2017 earnings to N222.7bn

By VICTOR NZE

U

NITED Bank for Africa, UBA Plc has grown its gross earnings for the audited half-year financial results ended June 30, 2017 by 34.5 percent to N222.7, as against N165.6 billion reported in June 2016 UBA audited half-year financial results showed remarkable performance across major metrics.

The impressive performance, which reflects the strong momentum of the bank’s business and its increasing share of customers’ wallet, was driven by the 44.3 per cent and 16.0 per cent growth in interest income and non-funded income respectively. The Group’s operating income stood at N161.8 billion, compared to N116.2 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2016, representing a 39.2 percent growth.

Similarly, the Group recorded an unprecedented Profit After Tax (PAT) of N42.3 billion, translating to a 56.2 percent growth over the N27.1 billion recorded in the halfyear of 2016. This profitability further reflects the earnings capacity of the Group and its capability to progressively deliver superior returns to shareholders.

While it closed the half-year with total assets of N3.69 trillion, a growth of 5.3 percent, it grew gross loans to N1.6 trillion, a 4 percent growth when compared to the Group loan book as at 31 December 2016.

Reflecting a strong capacity for internal capital generation, UBA Shareholders’ Fund grew by 8 percent to N483.1 billion, whilst it delivered an annualized 18.2percent return on average equity (RoAE) and an Interim Dividend of N0.20 per Share.

“The results again demonstrate the strong momentum of the Bank, as we deliver continuous improve-

ment across our businesses and key performance metrics,” remarked Kennedy Uzoka, UBA Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.

Continuing, Uzoka said: “UBA’s unwavering focus on customer service excellence is translating to strong operational and financial efficiency gains. We have achieved better pricing on assets and liabilities, leading to continued improvement in the net interest margin to 7.3percent. Leveraging our servicefocused strategy and treasury management, we grew non-interest income by 17 percent year-on-year, reinforcing our transaction-bankingled approach towards deepening financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

According to him, UBA has made considerable progress in its retail banking penetration, gaining market share in deposits, at a time when a sizeable percentage of households are challenged due to inflationary pressures on disposable income.

The Bank grew its retail savings and current account deposits by 23percent and 5percent YTD respectively.

Also speaking on UBA’s financial performance and position, the Group CFO, Ugo Nwaghodoh said the bank had “a strong start in the year, despite protracted recession in Nigeria, our largest market. Our profit after tax of N42 billion translates to 18.2percent return on average equity, broadly in line with our 2017FY guidance.”

UBA was the first Nigerian bank to make an Initial Public Offering, following its listing on the NSE in 1970. It was also the first Nigerian bank to issue Global Depository Receipts. The shares of UBA are publicly traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Bank has a welldiversified shareholder base, which includes foreign and local institutional investors, as well as individual shareholders.

President Muhammadu Buhari receiving a briefing from Ministers of Budget and National Planning; Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Monday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on the 2017 Budget implementation; the 2018 Budget preparation, and others

Delta mulls direct flight to New York

By VICTOR NZE

U

NITED States-based carrier, Delta Air Lines has announced plans to launch three weekly nonstop flights from Lagos to New York-JFK, effective March 25, 2018. When

... Rescinds decision on ATM card restrictions

By JEROME USHAKANG

T

HE United Bank of Africa Plc (UBA) has recently notified its customers via email that its decision to block transactions in some products and services is cancelled.

The bank had early last week informed customers that it would restrict the use of its debit and prepaid cards on certain services. These include purchase of jewellery, pornography and escort services. Also on the list of products that were intended to be restricted are betting of any kind.

However, in response to customers’ reaction against the restrictions, UBA Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Chukwuma Nweke, apologized for the action and said customers can freely use their cards on any platform. The bank re-assured them that it would continue to monitor high risk websites to prevent unauthorized access to customer funds.

“We have listened to you and have heard that this is not in line with your expectations. We have immediately made adjustments accordingly. Please be informed

that all sites have been unblocked and you can now transact on any platform globally that you would like to whilst we continue to provide surveillance on some high risk activity points to protect your transactions. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the action and will continue to work hard to serve you better”, he said.

Nweke explained that the

measure was taken in order to protect itself and customers from fraud, litigation and reputational damage. Many of these sites have poor security and as such card details could be stolen and used by criminal elements.

This could then lead to lawsuits against the bank. UBA may also be taking this position to prevent any possible use of its cards or services for money laundering.

Inflation drops to 16.05%

T

he National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the country’s inflation as measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI), further dropped to 16.05 per cent in July from 16.10 per cent in June.

The NBS disclosed this in its CPI July 2017 report released, Monday in Abuja.

The report stated that the headline inflation again reduced to 16.05 per cent (year-on-year) in July compared to 16.10 per cent in June 2016.

According to the bureau, this makes it the sixth consecutive decline in the rate of headline year on year inflation since January.

The bureau stated that the Head-

line index increased by 1.21 per cent in July, 0.37 per cent points lower from the rate of 1.58 per cent recorded in June on a month-onmonth basis.

On food inflation, it stated that food price pressure continued into July with 20.28 per cent (year-onyear) from 19.91 per cent.

It stated that the figure represented the highest year on year increase in food inflation since the beginning of the new series in 2009.

It, however, stated the Food subindex increased by 1.52 per cent in July, down by 0.47 per cent points from 1.99 per cent recorded in June on a month-on-month basis.

combined with the existing fourtimes a week nonstop service to Atlanta, the airline will offer a daily operation from Nigeria to its U.S. hubs.

The announcement comes as the airline prepares to celebrate 10 years of service to Nigeria in December and remains the only carrier to offer nonstop service between Nigeria and the United States. Delta will operate both its New York-JFK and Atlanta routes using Airbus 330-200 aircraft, which are equipped with Wi-Fi and feature 34 fully flat-bed seats in the Delta One cabin.

“Nigeria has been a strategically important market for Delta over the past 10 years and a mainstay in our African network,” said Dwight James, Delta’s Senior Vice President Transatlantic. “As we look ahead to the next decade, we are improving the product offering with the A330 and increasing the number of seats from Lagos.”

Delta’s Lagos to New York-JFK flight will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and the return on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Night-time departures from Lagos have been scheduled to offer customers easy connections to more than 60 onward destinations via Delta’s New York-JFK hub including Boston, Washington, Baltimore and Chicago.

“We’re proud to be the only airline to offer service to multiple U.S. destinations from Nigeria. Nigeria is an important market for Delta and this new flight reflects the increased demand for travel

between the U.S. and Lagos,” said Jimmy Eichelgruen, Delta’s Commercial Director for Africa, the Middle East and India, adding: “Alongside the increased number of travel options, our service is tailored for our Nigerian customers, offering regional cuisine using local ingredients and showing popular Nollywood blockbusters as part of our inflight entertainment.”

Marriott offers full access for Eid al-Adha

By VICTOR NZE

T

he chain of Marriott Hotel Internationals in Nigeria has concluded arrangements to treat guests to a luxury-styled Eid al-Adha celebration with discounts on room rates, full and exceptional access to major offerings by the hotels.

Marriott hotels in Nigeria, comprising the Sheraton in Abuja and Lagos, Le Meridien in Port Harcourt and Uyo, as well as the Four Points Hotels in Lagos and Ikot Ekpene are now ‘a steady flow of engaging events, family time and exceptional offers this holy month.’

“Our room rate this season starts from as low as N39, 999 and includes free access to internet, complimentary buffet breakfast all-inclusive of taxes”.

“We are good and ready to cater to all the particular needs of our customers this Holiday season and our dedicated teams look forward to making each guest experience truly unforgettable,” said Area General Manager for the Marriott Hotels in Nigeria, Mr. Barry Curran.

The Oracle Today

19

Wednesday September 6, 2017

BUSINESS

Nigeria’s electricity crisis self-inflicted –NERC

By JEROME USHAKANG

E

XECUTIVE Director, National Electricity Regulatory Council (NERC), Barrister Sunday O. Oduntan, has warned of a looming blackout in the country in the next five years.

Oduntan further hinted that for Nigeria to have regular power supply, the country needs to generate about 30,000 megawatts of electricity.

The NERC chief, who made the statement as Guest Speaker during the Worldstage Economic Summit (WES) which held at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos, also revealed that ‘Nigeria generated 5,400 megawatts of electricity for the first time in February 2016 since 1960, and it didn’t last for five days.’

However, according to statistics, the country has reversed to 3,000 megawatts and less.

“There will not be regular electricity supply in Nigeria in the next five years. Whereas other countries such as India, South Africa, Uganda and Botswana are self-sufficiency in terms of electricity supply, the case of Nigeria is lamentable as it is self-inflicted,” he added.

He stressed that unless there is a drastic turnaround in the energy sector, there will not be any meaningful progress as a result of corruption, sabotage by even the members of staff and former employees as well as policy summersault by various administrations.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Gover-

nor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode has been named as the Governor of the Year 2017 by the Worldstage Economic Summit (WES).

The Summit Principal Committee identified, amongst all governors, Ambode as governor with a difference as a result of his efforts in new dimension to Infrastructural and Agricultural development in the

state.

Some of the companies that emerged winners at the summit are Guaranty Trust Bank Plc , which was named as the Nigerian Bank of the Year 2017, while Nigerian Gas Company of the Year 2017 goes to Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG).

Other winners s are: Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)as Nigerian

Regulator of the Year 2017, Telecommunication Company of the Year 2017, MTN; Nigerian Newspaper of the Year 2017, The Punch; Nigerian Television Station of the Year 2017, Channels Television and Nigerian Online Media of the Year 2017, Premium Times.

Also include: Nigerian Public Institution of the Year 2017, Federal In-

(L-R): Lagos State Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Femi Kuti, Acting State Commissioner for Tourism,Arts & Culture, Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola, Yeni Kuti and Permanent Secretary, Information & Strategy, Fola Adeyemi at the EKOpolitan Experience, Notting Hill Carnival 2017 in London

NPA redistributes GMs in reorganization process

By VICTOR NZE

B

OARD of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it has approved a new organisational structure and the commencement of a Business Process Re-engineering initiative to improve efficiency.

Principal Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications Department of NPA, Mr Ibrahim Nasiru, said in a statement, in Lagos, that the management had also approved the redistribution of all the General Managers.

“The far-reaching initiatives which are aimed at making NPA a truly professional and performance-driven organisation, were approved at a board meeting in Lagos. The management notes that this review has become important because NPA’s structure has remained the same in spite of the 2006 concession, which changed the authority’s status from owner/operator to landlord.

“This change in status brought about the concession of cargo handling operations to the private sector, outsourcing of dredging, towage services, vessel maintenance and use of contractors to build infrastructure,’’ Nasiru said.

According to him, the board also approved reduction in the number of general managers from 25 to 22; upgrade of Hydrography and Dredging Department into a Division status to be headed by a General Manager.

Nasiru said that the board also approved the upgrade of the Information and Communications Technology Department into a Division to take more responsibilities from departments like Utilities and the Creation of a new Monitoring and Regulations Division.

He said that the board has approved the merger of the Capital Projects and Maintenance Divisions into a single Engineering Division to eliminate redundancies;

the scrapping of the Special Duties Division.

Nasiru said that the board has scrapped the zonal office structure as every department in the ports would now report directly to the head office.

“Other decisions taken include: a change in the nomenclature of nine departments and divisions including Public Affairs, which will now be known as Corporate Communications.

“Overseas Office (London Office) was changed to International Liaison Office; Capital Projects and Maintenance Divisions now to be known as Engineering Division; Hydrography & Dredging Department now Hydrography Services Division.

“Monitoring and Compliance Division now Monitoring and Regulation Division; Commercial and Port Promotion Services Department now Tariff & Billing Department; Secretary/Legal Services now Legal Services; Insurance &

Risk Management Department now Enterprise Risk Management Department.

“The Business Development and Joint Venture Department merged into Public Private Partnership Division. The authority is convinced that this new structure will enhance its capacity to meet its new mandate and strategic direction, improve allocation and optimisation of resources,’’ he said.

Nasiru explained that the new structure would eliminate the duplication of resources, work duplication and reduce the cost to income ratio to the advantage of all stakeholders and Nigerians as a whole.

He said that in addition to the above, the initiative would specifically forestall the duplication of responsibilities across divisions, as, according to him, it will also remove the unnecessary bottleneck currently created by the zonal office structure.

Oando denies shareholders’ infraction allegation

By SAMSON AKINTARO

O

ANDO Plc has described allegations of infractions filed against it by some shareholders as frivolous and unwarranted.

Two shareholders had filed a petition with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleging gross abuse of corporate governance and financial mismanagement and the SEC has since commenced an enquiry in response to the Petitions.

However, Oando, in a statement

to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, said the petitions have no merit as the issues raised have received board, shareholder and where required SEC approval. “Other matters highlighted by the petitioners could have been directed to the Company and would have received the necessary clarification” the company said.

Oando disclosed that one of the petitioners known as Ansbury Inc. was not a shareholder of the Company, but a shareholder in a compa-

ny domiciled in a jurisdiction outside Nigeria, which in turn holds shares in a Nigerian investment company that is a shareholder in Oando. According to the company, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, the second petitioner is an individual who requested clarification from the SEC on issues which he could easily have obtained from the Company and indicated in his petition to the SEC that he holds a 17.9per cent interest in Oando”.

The company went on to state that, “however, based on the Com-

pany’s register of members, First Registrars Limited, he owns approximately 4 per cent of Oando PLC’s shares in his personal capacity. He is yet to disclose beneficial ownership of 13.9 per cent in accordance with Section 95 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap. C20 LFN 2004 (‘CAMA’); failure to do so is a violation of CAMA and this has been flagged by the Company in writing to Alhaji Mangal and the SEC since Wednesday,24thMay, 2017.”

land Revenue Service; Nigerian Development Bank of the Year 2017, Bank of Industry; NIPCO Plc as the Nigerian Oil Marketing Company of the year and Nigerian Airport of the Year 2017, Murtala Mohammed Airport two (MMA2).

Remarking, in his welcome address, President/CEO of Worldstage Group, Mr. Segun Adeleye, convener of the summit, called on all Nigerians and business owners to imbibe innovation for economic development.

According to him, diversification into non-oil sectors may not be enough to sustain the nation’s economic development without adapting new ways of doing things.

“Nigeria is projected to be the third most-populous country behind India and China by 2050, any diversification now without innovation by businesses and government may be tantamount to running on the same spot,” he said.

Adeleye explained that the theme “Transforming Business and Economy Through Innovation” was inspired through a new thinking.

“The reality today is that we have an economy where the majority is disenfranchised and trapped in irrelevance. Yet we are at a time in history of information explosion when nothing is hidden about where countries are and where they want to be in the future.”

The CEO observed that while we are still lamenting the lost opportunity to have developed with our oil wealth in the past, we can see the future unfolding before us, just as how the internal combustion engine is projected to die and the oil business, the mainstay of our economy is to become obsolete in the very near future.

Immigration bans cash at passport offices

T

he Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has banned cash payments for passport processing as part of efforts to eliminate corruption at all passport offices nationwide.

NIS spokesperson, Sunday James, who disclosed this, Monday in Abuja, said that the Comptroller General of the NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, has directed that henceforth all payments for passport processing must be done online and through designated banks.

He said that the NIS boss had, in a circular, directed all passport control officers not to allow cash payments in any of the passport premises.

“All payments in respect to passport processing are to be done by applicants through banks to generate application ID and reference number on the NIS portal and not through an individual or touts,” James said.

According to him, the NIS CG has also ordered an investigation into allegations of passport racketeering at some passport offices in Lagos with a view to sanitising the system.

James therefore urged passport applicants to ensure that all categories of Nigerian passports fees were done online.

“Passport applicants are therefore strongly advised to visit the NIS website www.immigration.gov.ng to confirm the approved fees for all categories of Nigerian Passports and age groups before making payments,” he added.

20

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

ENERGY

Modular refineries answer to Nigeria’s energy crisis –Balogun

R

ECENTLY, Nigerians were meant to understand that the goverment wanted to increasethe pump price of fuel which they quickly denied it, what is your take on that?

Really, information was spread that the Federal Government wanted to increase pump price but I don’t think they need it now. Because with the situation in the country everybody knows that things are very hard and the first one they did, when they increased the petroleum price to one hundred and forty five (N145) is what is affecting the country presently. So, I believe that if the federal government wants to do a nice job, they should reduce the pump price instead of increasing it; increment cannot do this country any good that is my advice.

How does the increment of the pump price of fuel from N87 to N145 affect the consumption of the product in the country or in other words, how do you compare the two price regimes?

Thank you very much for this question, in fact the entire marketers in Nigeria know that when the product was being sold at N87 business was moving but since they increased the pump price from N87 to N145, it crashed the business completely because the product itself, when it was selling at N97, you discovers that people enters the filling stations and buy the product, some will even fill their tanks and all that, and you will observe now, go round all the filling stations in Lagos State especially from 10 O’clock to 3, 4 in the evening you will not find anybody in the filling station. It will seem as if the filling station is a football field. And it is very very hard for Nigerians to buy fuel for more than N1000 or N2000 no matter the type of vehicle that comes to the filling station. Some will buy fuel worth N500; some will buy N1000 because the economy is very very bad. That is why it is very risky for the Federal Government to increase the pump price because petroleum products have to do with the economy of Nigeria. Once you hike the price of petroleum product, the economy will also go up and it will affect the country. So it is not a good idea for them to contemplate any increment on the pump price of fuel.

This product we are talking about is from this country, we have it here, it is our own oil and I believe that if the Federal Government wants to send the crude abroad or wherever they can sale it any amount but the one Nigeria should consume should be cheaper that is the only advise I would want to give them so that Nigerians will be able to enjoy the product that God has blessed us with and not to be making increment all the time.

Is it true that IPMAN is not confortable buying from major marketers, they want to be involved in importation themselves. Could you tell us the true position of things?

The reason we are struggling to get our own product is that, if government can give us allocation, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) can order their own products from outside the country, the landing cost to Nigeria and the way we will be selling it to the public, they will know that there is wide margin. If they can give import license to us to im-

THE Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Ejigbo Depot, ALHAJI ALANAMU BALOGUN, has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government to tackle the incessant energy crisis in the country via the establishment of Modular Refineries. According to Alhaji Balogun, it is only through the establishment of modular refineries in the country that the energy crisis which has become endemic would be curtailed and the people heave a sigh of relieve. In the same vein, the IPMAN boss said his eyes were opened on the issue of modular refineries when he attended a seminar on Victoria Island where they were informed how the United States of America has more than 500 million modular refineries. Balogun bared his mind in exclusive interview with The Oracle Today. MADUABUCHI KALU and VICTOR ENYINNAYA reports.

Excerpts:

port the product ourselves, I am assuring you that IPMAN will not sale more than N110 N120 to the public.

And when you look at margin from N110 and N120, you see that there is a very wide margin. These major marketers who own their own private depot, the people that we go to get our product from are even causing more problems because the NNPC themselves, we are even complaining that their price is high but if you go to the private depots their own is even higher than that of the NNPC own. So it is affecting marketers seriously because if you want to trade with N5million hardly before you get a profit of N50,000 and the product that they get today they cannot even finish selling it within 20 to 40 days because the market is no more like before, so these are the problem we are facing.

What is the position of IPMAN on the refineries?

We are in the downstream we don’t have anything to do with refineries. The people in the upstream are the ones dealing with the issue of refineries we are in the downstream our own is to bring the product either by the NNPC or by all these DAPMAN or Private depot or wherever to sale to the public.

I mean whether it will be cost effective for the refineries in the coun-

try to be put under full capacity utilization or the new ones to come up like the modular refineries that they are talking about?

Thank you very much, you see there was a time, sometime last year, we went to a seminar at Victoria Island, when the Federal Government brought this modular refineries to the country and when we went to the meeting, we discussed at length, they made us to understand that even in America they have more than 500 modular refineries across the country and how it operate there is that, when they look at the capacity of consumers for instance in Lagos State, they would bring modular refineries inside Lagos or close to Lagos that will be feeding Lagos to capacity of what they need and the same they would do to other states as well, so that no state will be left out. This is done so that somebody will not be coming from the north that he want to come to Lagos or to the south to come and take petroleum products because they too have their own modular refineries there. And all these our refineries that are bigger refineries like Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna will then be feeding all these modular refineries. There are many ways you can feed the modular refineries, you can even send crude by road or through

pumping the crude via the underground pipes whichever way that you deem necessary, just to make sure that they have available crude there. And once modular refinery have refined product, all this problems will not be there. Secondly, you will observe one thing last year, you see some people in all these oil producing states, they were doing their own diesel which actually is of less quality compared to the one that government is selling, and we can encourage these people. Let the government call them and find out how they have been doing it. If they don’t want them to be doing it there is a way. They can be trained and given good equipment that they can use to produce better products and it will calm down all these restiveness that we find in these areas. So these are the things that I believe government can do and I think that the Acting President Yemi Osibanjo some time ago mentioned something like that. They should put more effort in that that is the only thing that can bring down these situations of high price today, high price tomorrow.

Then the product will be at the door step of every state because the modular refineries will be able to serve every part of the country.

Well, my next question borders on APC’s campaign promise that if

they come on board they will ensure that there will be no longer importation of petroleum products as they will revamp the refineries and ensure that they operate in their full installed capacity and today two years down the line we are still dependent largely on import from outside our shores. What do you make of this?

Thank you very much, when you look at when former President Goodluck Jonathan was about to go he reduced the pump price of fuel to N87 from N97. And when Buhari and APC people were campaigning they told Nigerians that they were going to sell Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at N50 per liter when they come on board. We were expecting them to sell the product to us even less than N50 while they took us to N145 per liter. I believe that is not the solution, and some people up there for instance, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu himself, he once worked with Mobil before, he was one of our marketers as an Independent marketer before, so with all these experience that he had I believe that he supposed to have advised government the right thing to do to help the masses. Any government that is making life hard for the masses is not a good government. So what they are doing is too bad, they should consider that the civil servant that is earning one hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N150,000) has a car, has family and he goes to work and come back on daily basis, how much will he used in fueling his car in a month? That is why you find out most civil servants have decided to park their cars and they are going to work via public transport to wherever they are going. It is not too convenient for them and by the time they get to the office they will say he came late, why did he come late? When he is not mobile, what do you expect him to do? Government does not empower him to do what he supposed to do. So, the fault is from the government, so all these ministers that they appointed should advise government and guide them because I believe they have experience only if they are not fighting for themselves alone the should look at the people that put them in that position.

What do you think is the way forward to have regular petroleum products in the country?

Like I earlier said, the solution that can solve the problem in the petroleum industry in Nigeria is for government to call the people that have experience in this sector that is number one. Number two, it is still left to government to listen to whatever advice given to them. And it is one thing to give advice and it is another thing for the person that the advice was given to, to utilize the advice. We don’t know like I said that all these ministers have experience may be they have been advising government and the government doesn’t want to listen. For instance somebody can say okay! I have my adviser, when he advises me; it is left for me to take whatever he tells me.

That is another angle to the matter.

So, I believe that when we do the right thing, things will work well. We are prayerful in this country and I believe God is on our side. So we need to continue to pray for God to guide us that is my advice.

21

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

ENERGY Indigenous oil firms brace for new asset race Stories by SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

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NDIGENOUS oil firms that have gone desperate for reserves replacement are in tough competition for the imminent marginal field round announced by the federal government.

Under the new bid round, government has designated 30 marginal fields for award to small and medium independent oil and gas companies in the country, but it is not clear if the opportunity is exclusive to indigenous companies.

The marginal field round which comes at the low oil price cycle would provide opportunity for the indigenous companies to gain access to additional reserves at cheaper cost, prolong their business lifespan and also guarantee acquisition loans.

Some of the players that spoke to The Oracle Today said the marginal field round is long overdue, praying that Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) which administers the nations hydrocarbon acreages would recognise the need to follow requirement of Nigerian Content Development Board (NCDMB) in the award of the assets.

But the DPR, according to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), may set tough rules

• Current marginal fields for participation in the marginal field round.

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, who hosted visiting delegation of indigenous producers’ group in Abuja,

had said government might require candidates for the marginal field round to commit to domestic gas supply obligations.

Such commitment, The Oracle Today reports, would entail the

small indigenous players who are currently debt laden to advance additional funding plan for infrastructural development for gas harnessing.

An official of DPR argues that any additional investment in gas supply to the domestic market would compensate the investor with profitable returns, pointing at improvements in domestic gas price and policies for security of payment.

Before now, some indigenous companies that operate marginal fields have shown desperate moves to secure more assets as currently operated productions begin to show falling oil-to-water ratio.

This has pushed some of the operators into drastic moves to acquire more assets to gain access to more oil reserves and sustain their business.

The drive for more and better assets had also produced business alliances among smaller marginal operators that spawned bigger, stronger and buoyant companies.

Two marginal field operators, Sheba and Platform collaborated in a survival strategy and bought off three brownfield assets from Shell operated joint venture.

Special purpose entity established to operate the base assets,

Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited, has since become one of the fastest growing indigenous companies.

Another marginal field operator, Britannia-U Oil and Gas Limited has also driven fast growth from its offshore Ajapa Field and diversified into across the full business cycle in the industry. The company has also shown desire to sustain it business with aggressive moves to acquire more assets in Nigeria and elsewhere.

Other players in the marginal field category have also driven bold reserves asset acquisition by way of farming into third party fields, or forging service agreements with weaker and meagre resourced companies to fund development projects.

Thus, the current marginal field round which comes after over five years of persistent demand from the industry provides existing and new players the opportunity to buy assets including the highly prized Shell operated Egbolom field, in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 23.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had hinted that Egbolom which is excised from Shell and Obira field excised from Chevron operate OML 89 would form part of the assets on offer.

Total commits $10 bn in Nigerian projects Total to buy Maersk Oil & Gas

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RENCH multinational oil major, Total, has declared its commitment to the Nigerian operating environment, investing over $10 billion in Nigerian projects in the past five years.

The company which is in the process of completing the third of its hat trick deepwater field developments in the country stated that it continues to stake investments in the country despite the fiscal and regulatory uncertainties associated with the delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Managing Director, Mr. Nicolas Terraz, stated in a speech delivered for him at a conference in Lagos that the company would maintain its confidence in the future of Nigeria.

He stated that the company maintains corporate culture of working with over 130 host countries in improving the lives of citizens, beyond the provision of clean and affordable energy.

In Nigeria, he said, Total has expressed unflinching faith with robust presence along the full industry chain, pointing out that the company leads downstream market with about 550 retail service sites spread across the country.

In the upstream, he said Total has invested over $10 billion in the past five years to solidify its position in the onshore, shallow offshore and deep offshore terrains.

He pointed out that the company’s Egina deepwater field development would grow Nigeria’s oil production by 200, 000 barrels per day by 2018.

The company however warned that Nigeria is losing huge investment opportunities as a result of challenges in the domestic environment, adding that investment plans proposed for the country are being

diverted to more congenial environments.

In painting a picture of global industry challenges that have been worsened by encumbrances in the local environment, Mr. Terraz said. “the oil industry is facing prolonged low prices that just beginning to show hopeful signs that the worst is over while the power sector though with boundless opportunities is faced with a legion of challenges.”

“The oil and gas operating environment in Nigeria had for long been beclouded by regulatory and fiscal uncertainties due to the non passage of the omnibus Petroleum

Industry Bill (PIB) resulting in loss of investments as investors who dread uncertainty diverted their funds to more friendly climes,” he explained.

Despite the challenges, he expressed Total’s desire for holistic resolution of the regulatory and fiscal hurdles that impose uncertainty on Nigeria’s operating environment.

“Total in Nigeria welcomes the passage of the PIGB (Petroleum Industry Governance Bill) and fervently hopes that no efforts would be spared in addressing all regulatory and fiscal hurdles facing the industry in a holistic manner.”

From SOPURUCHI ONWUKA, Lagos

dressed before the bill becomes law.

He pointed out that the provision of the bill for divestment of government’s 40 percent interest in National Petroleum Company (NPC) proposed to be unbundled from NNPC did not clarify the listing process at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

“On the issue of divestment of 40 percent of NPC shares to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, there is need of clarity on the process of the divestment and the steps should be clearly provided in the law,” he pointed out.

He also demanded clarification on “the nature of NNPC liability to be transferred to the Nigerian Petroleum Liability Management Company (NPLMC), asides the outstanding pension obligations of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).”

“There is need to provide adequate clarity on the type and nature of liability to be inherited and the process for the settlement of such liability,” he observed.

According to him, adequate clarity is also required on the Nigerian Petro-

T

OTAL, in what comes out to be more than a $7 billion deal, is acquiring Maersk Oil & Gas from AP Møller-Maersk. The purchase is being funded by a combination of $4.95 billion in shares and the assumption of $2.5 billion in Maersk debt.

Total will issue to AP Møller-Maersk 97.5 million shares in the company, based on Total’s average share price on the 20 business days prior to August 21, which will represent 3.75% of the enlarged share capital of Total.

Underpinning this share-based partnership, subject to Total shareholders’ approval, Total has also

NNPC wants PIGB revisited

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LL is not well with the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) the passage of which has been hyped as one of the greatest achievements of the current All Progressive Congress (APC) controlled National Assembly.

The bill which proposes unbundling of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), strengthening and merger of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) with Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), and creation of ancillary companies in the industry, left critical gaps that might render the law unworkable.

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, who pointed out the gaps in a position paper available to The Oracle Today, said that whereas PIGB reflects industry aspiration for effective policy, commercial and regulatory framework for efficient operations, critical omissions and mistakes in the document must be ad-

leum Asset Management Company (NPAMC)and the NPLMC. The two companies are not proposed to run independent commercial operations.

Dr. Baru stated that NPAMC should be structured to run as agency rather than a company in consideration of its limited role in the administration of assets operated by private companies under production sharing contracts (PSCs).

He also called for security of tenure for the Executive Directors of the NPC to insulate them from “the changing dynamics of the political context and associated frequent board and management leadership changes.”

The issuance of well defined contracts to the Executive Directors, he said, may address the historically experienced leadership changes that severely impacted the performance of NNPC. Dr. Baru also pointed at the failure of the PIGB to include recommendations that would address possible conflicts that might arise between its provisions for creation of new com-

offered the possibility of a seat on its Board of Directors to A.P. Møller Holding, main shareholder of A.P. Møller – Mærsk.

The proposed transaction is subject to the applicable legally required consultation and notification processes for employee representatives and to approvals by the relevant regulatory authorities.

The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2018 and has an effective date of July 1, 2017.

The combination with Maersk Oil offers Total an exceptional overlap of upstream businesses globally which will enhance Total’s competitiveness and value in many core areas.In particular the deal gives Total Maersk’s holdings in Kenya, where its partners Tullow Oil and Africa Oil are ready to begin development of discovered resources. The Kenyan assets are complimentary to Total’s assets in Uganda which are also about to begin the development phase.

Commenting on the transaction, Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO of Total said, “This transaction delivers an exceptional opportunity for Total to acquire, via an equity transaction, a company with high quality assets which are an excellent fit with many of Total’s core regions.

The combination of Maersk Oil’s North Western Europe businesses with our existing portfolio will position Total as the second operator in the North Sea with strong production profiles in UK, Norway and Denmark, thus increasing exposure to conventional assets in OECD countries. Internationally, in the US Gulf of Mexico, Algeria, East Africa, Kazakhstan and Angola there is an excellent fit between Total and Maersk Oil’s businesses allowing for value accretion through commercial, operating and financial synergies.

22

The Oracle Today September 6, 2017

e-Platform

Nigerian telecoms and the OTT headache

• WhatsApps to choose.

WITH the growth of innovations come huge challenges, which most telecom operators globally are battling to cope with. Telecom operators in Nigeria are, however, not going to keep their peace until something is done about the challenge of OTTs, even as the Nigerian Communications forecloses regulation. SAMSON AKINTARO reports

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OR the umpteenth time, telecoms operators in Nigeria have voiced out their displeasure with the proliferation of multiple mobile applications such as Whatsapp, Skype, Facebook, Viber, Imo, Wechat and the likes, otherwise known as over- the – top (OTT) services. Their grouse has been that these services are plunging their SMS and voice call revenue.

Indeed, Ovum, an independent analyst and consultancy firm, had declared that the growing adoption of OTT services by customers instead of traditional telecoms services would occasion global revenue loss of $386 billion over a period of six years (2012 – 2018) for the traditional telecom operators, thus endangering network development. This was why the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) recently cried out again, calling for urgent actions to save the telcos from the OTTs. ALTON in a statement signed by its Chairman, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, listed ways the unregulated services have affected its members, which included declining voice minutes and huge loss of revenue by the telcos.

“Core voice and SMS revenues are decreasing continuously due to impact of OTT players who offer voice, video and messaging services free of charge to

their users. Telecom operators will continue to invest a lot to make the networks support the data tsunami, with the required quality of service and numerous innovative services. On the top of their infrastructures and customers, they will strive to keep with huge investments, the OTTs are offering contents and applications, using huge amount of Telcos bandwidth, collecting revenues but paying nothing to the Telco operators and to the government” ALTON said in the statement.

Perhaps one other major concern of the telecom operators is that the OTT service providers are not licensed in the country, yet they are operating and making money from the country at the expense of those who paid huge amount of money for license. Citing section 31(1) of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 (NCA), which states that no individual or corporate is authorized to provide telecommunications services in the country without obtaining a prior authorization or exemption from the Commission, ALTON expressed worry that OTT operators are offering the same services as the operators (voice, SMS, content, etc.), but are neither subject to licensing under the NCA nor have any contractual obligation with telecommunication operators in

terms of interconnection.

While the telecom operators’ statement was suggesting the need to regulate the OTTs, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which is the industry regulator has repeatedly stated why it would not consider regulating OTTs. Indeed, at a recent function in Lagos, NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo, had noted that the regulator’s objectives should be to catalyze additional opportunities offered by OTT services to the benefit of the consumer and to support competition while avoiding the OTT related risks in the areas of security and data protection. Ojobo said that while the commission acknowl-

edged the fears of traditional telecom service providers that traditional telephony and SMS revenues are under threat from newer, IP based alternatives like WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, among others, they should also in turn accept the challenge to innovate and explore more efficient business models that would enable them compete favourably with OTT service providers.

But other telecom experts would argue that the telecom operators need not complain about OTTS, noting that all OTTs ride on data, which means more money for the telcos as the consumers pay for data service to use the OTT services. It is believed that the OTTs are increasing data traf-

fic on both mobile and fixed networks, which allows operators to upgrade customers to higher value packages but this increase is also forcing the operators to upgrade their infrastructure. “The operators are missing out on value added services as they have not been able to keep up with the services and apps offered by the OTT companies,” said Paul Budde, senior analyst at research company BuddeComm.

“However, we must also note that OTT players are also bringing users on mobile broadband and creating a strong demand for mobile content, which can be beneficial for telecom operators if they are able to successfully leverage this trend,” he added.

Another analyst with Ovum, Neha Dharia had noted that several operators have launched OTT subscription packs such as Etisalat in the UAE with the Social Data Pack. Operators are also working to enhance their content offerings in the region to better compete with OTT players.

According to analysts, telecom companies may cry about lost revenues, but there are plenty of opportunities for growth even in an OTT-first world. “Ecosystem tie-ups such as the one Facebook signed with Airtel in Zambia for free Internet access are an option. The advent of 4G services will bring more opportunities, especially in video streaming, live events and other aspects which require data-heavy usage. In fact, as more mobile devices replace PCs, the revenue growth potential even within cellular data is quite high, said Dharia.

With the global trend of OTTs, it is very unlikely that the Nigerian regulator would make any move at bringing the OTTs under control as being clamoured by the telecom operators. Rather, solutions to the operators’ challenges are all tilting towards the need for them to become more innovative to harness opportunities in the proliferation of OTTs.

Enugu allocates land for FG’s ICT University

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HE Enugu State Government has approved the request of the Federal Government for allocation of 20 Hectares of land, where the State’s Campus of the planned ICT University of Nigeria would be sited. The Communications Minister, Barr. Adebayo Shittu had requested for the land in a letter he personally handed over to the state governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwanyi during his recent courtesy visit to the Government House in Enugu.

Shittu, during the visit reiterated Federal Government’s determination to upgrade the Enugu facility of the Digital Bridge Institute to a campus of the ICT University of Nigeria, while he requested the governor’s approval for allocation of 20 hectares of land for the additional use by the

university. According to a statement detailing the meeting, the Minister said: “Arrangements are in top gear for the immediate take-off of the ICT University of Nigeria, the first of its kind in Africa. The present campuses of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) in the six geopolitical zones of the country including the Enugu Campus, will be converted to the new ICT University of Nigeria campuses”, Barr. Shittu said adding that, “there is a need for more space for both the immediate and future use of additional construction of lecture halls, students’ hostels and staff quarters”.

The minister, who addressed members of the State Executive Council (EXCO) on the reform agenda of his ministry, also used

the occasion to commend Governor Ugwanyi for his giant strides in the state. According to the statement, Governor Ugwanyi later threw the minister’s request to the State EXCO in session, and the request was unanimously endorsed for the governor to accede to the minister’s request.

“We are in firm support and committed to the successful implementation of programmes and initiatives by your ministry and other agencies, designed to facilitate the attainment of our national targets and aspirations in the ICT sector”, the governor said, while promising that “Enugu State is strategically positioned to partner the Federal Government in ensuring success and sustainability of the ICT revolution in Nigeria”.

23

The Oracle Today September 6, 2017

e-Platform

NCC to partner CAPDAN for ICT growth N

9mobile to empower software developers, SMEs with APIs

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HE Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof. Umar Danbatta, has expressed the Commissions readiness to partner with the Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN), in order to translate into reality the relevant provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003. Danbatta who recently paid a visit to the tech market in Lagos, said in the spirit of item 5 of the 8-Point Agenda of NCC Management, a new frontier of collaborative and strategic partnership has opened between NCC, CAPDAN and all CAPDAN affiliates all over Nigeria, beginning with an MOU which details would be worked out shortly.

Earlier in May 2017, a delegation from CAPDAN was received at NCC

by Mr. Sunday Dare, the Commission’s Executive Commissioner Shareholder Management, and many issues of seminal benefits to the Nigerian economy were discussed. Among these was the imperative of special partnership to arrest the challenge of proliferation of substandard devices because of their implication for poor quality of telecom services.

Also discussed at the meeting in May was the need to halt the rise in tempo of cloning of IMEI numbers - a unique 15 digit code which every phone or Mobile Broadband Device has. The Association had

S

EVC NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, third from left, flanked by executives of CAPDAN during a tour of the Computer Village in Lagos. also requested at that meeting in May 2017, for a visit by top Management of NCC to Computer Village.

Today’s visit by a delegation from NCC led by its EVC/CEO underscores the reiterated commitment by NCC to partner CAPDAN as a strategic stakeholder in the telecom eco-

system. But Danbatta proceeded to declare that NCC is irrevocably committed to the implementation of all issues agreed upon at the Abuja meeting of May 9, 2017. He stated that this commitment will commence with capacity building for members of the Association as

solicited.

The EVC NCC stated that the Digital Bridge Institute (a training institution set up by NCC in 2004) with its multi-campus status is sufficiently equipped to offer requisite training to CAPDAN members. He informed his hosts that the National Board for Technical Education has approved a number of courses at the Institute, including a National Innovation Diploma Programme.

Earlier, ojikutu had told Danbatta that what takes place daily at the Village transcends selling of mobile devices, but includes amazing technical and innovative activities such as refurbishment of ware, software development, and demonstration of potential for the manufacturing of devices. Ojikutu later presented Danbatta with a symbolic gift in appreciation of the visit, and he also took him and his team on a tour of sections of the Village.

Samsung unveils Galaxy Note 8

AMSUNG Electronics has unpacked the latest addition to its Galaxy Note family, the Galaxy Note 8. The device was formally unveiled at the company’s unpacked event, which held in New York, USA. Blending an advanced S Pen with superior viewing experience, the Galaxy Note 8 provides users with a unique and powerful mobile experience. According to the Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Changwook Lee, the new Galaxy

Note 8 introduces the most refined Note experience to-date by combining the latest technology that users expect from Samsung’s Galaxy series.

“In 2011, we introduced the original Galaxy Note and launched a whole new smart device category. Its larger screen size and iconic S Pen technology initiated a new standard in smartphone culture. The undeniable success of the category strengthened our conviction that consumers want higher quality features on

their devices and they want those new features to positively impact their quality of life. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is a powerful, original smartphone that enables its users to tell the stories of their lives through dynamic and seamless expressions of their passions across work, play and life experiences,” he said.

Lee reiterated Samsung’s commitment to fulfilling its brand promise of inspiring the world and creating the future by bringing new and meaningful innovations to the doorstep of consumers. Embracing the legacy of Samsung’s Galaxy Note series, the Galaxy Note 8 boasts a 6.3inch Quarter Quad High Definition (QHD) resolution display that reproduces clearer and more vivid images with better viewing angles, to deliver the ultimate viewing experience to users. Its large screen and refined multi-window feature optimize users’ experience by making multi-tasking easier; users can choose how they access their applications using the device’s full, split or pop-up screen options. They can also easily change the size and positioning of on-screen applications with just one swipe.

The Galaxy Note 8 parades an advanced camera system that generates brighter and clearer images. The device is equipped with two 12MP rear cameras and

features a Smart Optical Image Stabilizer that counter-balances camera shake and automatically extends exposure time in poor lighting conditions. In addition, its industry leading 8-megapixel Smart Auto Focus front-facing camera offers users the best experience be it when taking selfies or doing video chats.

Built with 6GB RAM, a 10nm processor, and expandable memory (up to 256GB), Note 8 offers users more flexibility when it comes to browsing, streaming, playing games, and multitasking. Director of Hand Held Products for Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas described the Galaxy Note 84 as a testament to Samsung’s leadership and innovation in the smartphone market and its commitment to developing best-in-class products to meet the ever-changing needs of its consumers.

“We appreciate the relentless passion of the Note community.

They’ve been a constant inspiration to us and we designed the new Note for them.Our consumers do not need to worry about the safety of their devices as Samsung continues to uphold its commitment to lead the industry in battery safety. The Galaxy Note8’s battery has undergone Samsung’s 8-Point Battery Safety Check—the most rigorous in the industry,” said Revmatas.

IGERIA’S most innovative telecommunications company, 9mobile has partnered with Africa’s Talking to empower software solutions developers and Small and Medium-scale Enterprises with access to telecommunication infrastructure through mobile communication Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

9mobile’s partnership with Africa’s Talking, a Pan-African company focused on providing developers with an easy and reliable way to access telecommunication infrastructure, aims at boosting the activities of Nigerian software developers and enabling SMEs to effectively engage customers across multiple channels. The Director, Digital Business, 9mobile, Adia Sowho, said that through the direct connection to 9mobile’s infrastructure and the unified API platform that Africa’s Talking provides, developers will be able to access and build innovative applications while SMEs can use the platform to improve their marketing capabilities.

She said, “We at 9mobile are delighted to partner with Africa’s Talking in our bid to support Nigerian software developers and small businesses as they build viable and scalable businesses. This partnership will provide businesses with quality and affordable mobile communication tools like 2-way SMS and USSD APIs that they can then embed into their day to day business activities. With these tools, SMEs can improve their marketing capabilities and interact easily with their customers”.

“In the past decade, mobile communication has proven beneficial for businesses seeking to create and maintain meaningful relationships with their existing and future customers. It is through this that businesses are able to offer effective customer support, real time communication solutions, collect data as well as optimise their operations. With this solution, SMEs will also be able to tap into the local developer community to build systems that enhance business efficiency, leading to job creation and overall support of local talent.” She added.

Sowho noted that with the partnership, individual developers do not need to interface directly with telco-grade protocols which prove to be difficult and time consuming. “With an estimated 250,000 developers in the country, having easy access to this infrastructure will encourage more developers to build innovative solutions that can directly impact the lives of the Nigerian populace. At 9mobile, we are always passionate about providing technology based support to innovative thinkers,”Sowho said. She added that 9mobile and Africa’s Talking were dedicated to working closely with the developer community across the country through supporting training workshops, hackathons and other developer activities, with the aim of educating and encouraging developers to take advantage of the tools that are now available to them locally.

Africa’s Talking has also provided a sandbox environment for developers to use while learning how to work with the APIs as well as testing out their applications before taking them to production.

24

The Oracle Today Wednesday Setember 6, 2017

ISSN: 2545-5869

www.oraclenews.ng

VOX POPULI SACRUM

EDITORIAL Can the police for once be serious?

M

ANY do not think that the Nigeria not bear repeating here. We were interested in police do about these? Things got more ridicuPolice deserves any serious menthe police telling Nigeria what it charged for the lous as the police tried to wriggle out of a situation in any conversation that tries to special security services and the account that tion it is worsening by its answers. enthrone value. We are not in that warehouses the money. Assuming that only ACCORDING to the police: “AP. No 57300 DSP crowd. The group that we entrust with our N1 million was paid monthly, the police should Mohammed Isa Hamman absconded from duty security should have at least a modicum of have said so and produced proof. and deserted the Force on the 24th September, respect for itself.

IT was of minimal importance whether Misau was 2010 but contested the Bauchi Central Senatorial NOTHING in the police suggests this. It would an angel or a saint – Nigeria is not heaven, and Election in 2011 General Elections under Action appear that the police, with all the great men it is not judgment day yet. The amount involved Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and got suspected and women in its numbers, delight in missing was not as important as the fact that a Senator, forged retirement letter dated 5th March, 2014, opportunities to prove to Nigerians that it can or any Nigerian for that matter, was asking for this means that for four (4) years, he is still a stand up for itself. If it cannot defend itself, accountability, especially in a government that Police Officer which made it a criminal act for what hope is there for the rest of us? has erected accountability as one of the pillars him to contest election as a Police Officer in SENATOR representing Bauchi Central Senatorial of its governance. The police, by the Constituservice and this is another fraud the Police is District in the National Assembly, Isah Misau tion, is the prime agency to protect us, interinvestigating against him. He also perpetrated – the police variously named him Senator Isah nally, which is where we are mostly attacked, an act of impersonation by acknowledging the Hamma Misau, DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman most of us. receipt of the suspected forged retirement letter - alleged that the Inspect General of Police, SO, it can be assumed that Misau--the sinner, let us as a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP HamIbrahim Idris, collects about N120bn annually assume--was asking for probity from an agency man Isah) instead of his actual rank of a Deputy as payment for special security services to the of government that he equally accused of laxity Superintendent of Police (DSP) (Ref Suspected police by corporate organisations and very imin its duties because nepotism and other ills fake retirement letter).” portant personalities. He said that the money dictated its operations. He should be applaudWHEN did the police discover all these? When ought to be paid into the federation account, ed for bringing us to a realisation about the would the police, in like manner, provide eviby law, but that the police was not doing so. wrongs in a very important government agency. dence of the money it makes from ceding its perWE thought it was a straight forward allegaTHE allegations are pointed. Misau is ready to sonnel, resources that belong to the federation, tion, to which the police would say what it provide evidence. All that he is asking for is an to organisations and individuals? Does it not collected, contrary to Misau’s estimate of N10 investigation into the workings of the police make any money from assigning police personbillion monthly. Misau made the figures look that possibly places N120 billion in the hands nel to those places, as Misau alleged? realistic with the revelation that about 50,000 of the Inspector General of Police. He called a IF you think that the police would do anything police personnel provided these services. press conference to make the allegations, and about Misau, its position leaves little doubt that The humungous N10 billion, a month, actually to react to the police’s counter punch that he it would not. “The Force is compelled to seek the translates to N200, 000 per police personnel in deserted the police, and is actual wanted. prompt consideration of the Senate Ethics and these special duties.

HE said: “Specifically, the IGP, on good authority Privileges Committee to prevail on DSP MohamMISAU made some other allegations, which do from within the force, collects over N10 billion med Isah Hamman to return to the Nigeria Police on monthly basis as money for speForce to face the Force Disciplinary Committee cial security provided by men of the for various acts of serious misconduct, unprofesforce to corporate bodies and highly sional wrong doings contrary to discipline, and placed individuals, including crimiother discreditable improper behaviours unbenals, running to N120 billion on a coming of a Police Officer,” the police said. yearly basis without any reflection in The police can do better than this. If it does not, the police’ annual budget or interthe Presidency should show more than passing nally generated revenue.” interest in allegations that N120 billion is lost anTHE police joined the fray at this levnually to the federation account. el. “It is clearly a false allegation and severe distractions for DSP Mohammed Isa Hamman or any other perOur Vision son to wrongly without any proof or evidence accuse the Inspector GenerTO BE among the top five newspapers in Nigeria and, in due course, the Numero Uno; to be a newspaper of al of Police of failure to remit money records that effectively caters to the information needs realised from policemen attached to of all segments and sections of the Nigerian society as private citizens and oil companies well as all social classes and cultures. Essentially, we amounting into about N10b monthly want to be a responsible corporate citizen, a commerInternally Generated Revenue (IGR), cially viable, properly organised media business, which when the truth and facts are that meets its obligations to society, government and the Nigeria Police Force is not a revenue workforce. generating agency. These allegations from a dubious and fraudulent Mission deserter Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) are ridiculous, baseless WE INTEND to contribute to the development of an and a beer parlour gossip which can inclusive Nigerian society, with a view to getting rid of only be from someone of unsound the dark sides of our national life (slothfulness, greed, mind, unrepentant and habitual liar corruption, nepotism, totalitarianism, etc); to continuwho patronises Indian hemp joints,” ally engender and sustain national debates that would ultimately lead to the enthronement of healthy national it said in a statement it circulated to values--hard-work, justice, equity and fairplay, transparthe media. ency, good governance, resulting, in themselves, the OUR police knew that a Senator egalitarian Nigerian society of our dream. We will give was patronising Indian hemp joints voice to the voiceless and at all times, strive to be bal(Indian hemp is illegal, and so should anced, objective, honest, truthful and fair to all sides; so its joints) and it did nothing about it? that through The Oracle Today, our people, the Nigerian The reference to beer could means people can see a bright light at the end of what has been that the Senator gets drunk before a very dark tunnel. And we shall do all this in absolute the illegal drug points. What did the trust in God who blesses good intentions.

25

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

OPINION Attorney-General of the federation, please respect your oath of office

By JOHN NNIA NWODO

I

t has just been brought to my notice that the Attorney-General of the Federation has approached the courts to incarcerate Nnamdi Kanu for flouting his bail conditions.

I am amazed that the distinguished attorney is prepared to contest the superiority of the provisions of the constitution on fundamental human rights of freedom of movement and freedom of association over an erroneous judicial proclamation violating those rights.

I am equally miffed by the audacity with which the Attorney-General displays his bias without regard to his oath of office.

A few hours ago, under the watchful eyes of the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and in total defiance of the Head of State’s proclamation of the rights of a citizen of Nigeria to live anywhere in Nigeria and to do business

anywhere in Nigeria, the Arewa Youths, pretending to withdraw their quit notice, gave qualifications to the Head of State’s proclamation, issuing conditions for enjoyment of citizenship.

These same Arewa Youths are supposed to have been arrested on the orders of the governor of Kaduna State and the Inspector General of Police for acts of treason, conversion and sedition.

(But even) as the chief law officer of the federation, the Attorney-General (simply) looks the other way. He does not go to court to seek an order of arrest or prosecution.

Nnamdi (Kanu), as a citizen of Nigeria, is free to hold any point of view no matter how displeasing to anyone so long as it (does not) incite or provoke any criminal activities.

Some Igbo leaders and I have differences of opinion with Nnamdi on a number of issues. We have been insulted and

abused by Radio Biafra but we concede to them their right to differ with us. We concede to them their right to be exuberant as youths, but we cannot be judgmental about their rights.

This is a democracy. In democracies, leaders are abused, pelted with rotten eggs and booed, as the former Edo State governor (Adams Oshiohmole) was booed in Abuja a few days ago. These acts are not necessarily criminal.

I urge the Attorney-General not to exacerbate our already tense nation by commencing a legal action, which portrays him as biased, insensitive and misdirected.

Chief NWODO, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, released this statement recently in a pre-emptive response to reported plan by the federal government to re-arrest IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, for supposedly flouting his bail conditions.

Arewa Youths are supposed to have been arrested on the orders of the governor of Kaduna State and the Inspector General of Police for acts of treason, conversion and sedition. (But even) as the chief law officer of the federation, the Attorney-General (simply) looks the other way.

The APC, PDP fight over ‘ownership’ of restructuring

By Ehichioya Ezomon

I

t looks ludicrous, even childish that the two leading political parties in Nigeria - All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - would be fighting over who owns “restructuring” of the country, as an item in their agenda for the people.

There shouldn’t be any skirmish if the parties present and/or represent clear-cut ideologies. Even when they have something akin to ideology, it’s only meant for the campaigns, and would sooner be dropped when actual governance stares them in the face.

Nonetheless, the APC-PDP imbroglio over who possesses “restructuring” couldn’t have come at an opportune moment when the top issue in the polity is a possible re-examination and redefinition of the “non-negotiable” UNITY of the Nigerian State, as established in 1914 when the British colonial masters cobbled the Northern and Southern Protectorates into one entity.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, reportedly started the snivelling over “restructuring”

Initiate policies to ensure that Nigerians are free to live and work in any part of the country by removing state of origin, tribe, ethnic and religious affiliations and replace those with state of residence.

”

when he censured the PDP as “not interested in restructuring,” but only bringing it up through the 2014 National Conference, ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Trust the opposition to fire back immediately through its national spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who said the APC’s sudden interest in restructuring was a bait for the 2019 general elections, “after several months of denial” by its top officials that the party “did not promise restructuring in its manifesto and during the campaigns in 2015.”

Of a truth, the sudden altercation between the APC and PDP wouldn’t have occurred had the top shots of the ruling party not engaged in vacillation, equivocation and doublespeak on the hot-button issue of restructuring of the polity, which the party promised in its ‘Manifesto’ presented to the public on Wednesday, August 21, 2013, by then APC Interim Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, in Abuja.

In the 11-paragraph ‘Preamble’ to the Manifesto, at paragraphs 7-9, the APC, showcasing itself as an “Agent of change” for committed, transparent and focused leadership, declares: “As a change Agent, APC intend to cleanse our closet to halt the dangerous drift of Nigeria to a failed state; with a conscious plan for post-oil-economy in Nigeria.

“To achieve this laudable programme, APC government shall restructure the country, devolve power to the units, with the best practices of federalism and eliminate unintended paralysis of the centre.”

And in its seven (eight) cardinal programmes offered to the Nigeria populace, the party specifically lists “Devolution of Power” as the sixth (6) item.

Indeed, several of the 28 Sections of the “Guiding Philosophy” of the APC Manifesto contain declarations for “restructuring” and “devolution of powers” that are so germane in Nigerians’ agitation today.

Samplers: Under Politics & Governance, the APC promises to, “Initiate action to amend our Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to states and local governments in order to entrench true Federalism and the Federal spirit.” It also pledges to “Amend the Constitution to remove Immunity from prosecution for elected officers in criminals cases.”

National Security: “Begin widespread

consultations to amend the Constitution, to enable States and Local Governments to employ State and Community Police, to address the peculiar needs of each community.

Conflict Resolution, National Unity, Social Harmony: “Initiate policies to ensure that Nigerians are free to live and work in any part of the country by removing state of origin, tribe, ethnic and religious affiliations and replace those with state of residence.”

Jobs and the Economy: “Amend the Constitution and the Land Use Act to create freehold/leasehold interest in land with matching grants for states to create a nationwide electronics land title register on a state by state basis.”

Local Government: “We shall ensure that the Local Government system of administration is autonomous so that it can perform the constitutional role demanded of it.”

Prisons Service & Correction Centres: “We will explore the option of suspended sentence, community service and more frequent periodic pardon.”

For initially questioning, “What is restructuring” that’s cardinal to its ‘Manifesto’ and which it campaigned with at rallies for the 2015 elections, the APC literally ceded “ownership” of the subject to the opposition PDP, which is clutching it tenaciously, aftermath of the consensus for it across the country.

However, it should be stressed that although it didn’t campaign with, and had been silent about it, “restructuring” forms part of PDP’s ‘Manifesto’ and resolution on the party formation passed on Wednesday, August 19, 1998, at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja.

In the ‘Preamble’ to the document, under items 5 and 6 of the ‘Resolution,’ the PDP promises: “(5) To restructure Nigeria in the spirit of true federalism, so as to achieve a just and equitable distribution of power, wealth and opportunities. “(6) To resolve such fundamental matters as proper devolution of powers, power shift and power sharing in a federal structure, so as to create the socio-political conditions conducive for our living together in peace, unity and social harmony.”

And under ‘Indivisibility of the Nigerian Polity’ in its 32-item programme of action,

”

the party states: “The PDP believes in the perpetual unity of Nigeria under the federal system of government,” and “... shall also promote geopolitical balancing (which the South-East particularly clamours for) as a fundamental principle of power sharing in the country.”

So, between the APC and the PDP, which is “interested” in “restructuring” of Nigeria: The APC, which promises the matter in its 2013 Manifesto, campaigned with it ahead of the 2015 polls, questioned it thereafter, and finally set up a committee for its possible adoption in the wake of challenges facing the country?

Or the PDP that drew up the item in its 1998 Manifesto, but never campaigned with it for 16 years nor advanced its implementation even after the 2014 National Conference convoked by the government it controlled?

• Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

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

26

The Oracle Today September 6, 2017

Travel & Hospitality

Criticisms trail proposed NTDC bill Stories by VICTOR NZE

H

EAVY criticisms have continued to trail the proposed Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Act Cap N137 LFN, 2004 (Repeal Re-enactment) Bill, 2017 (SB.429),which came up for public hearing on the floor of the senate, last week.

While the umbrella body of industry practitioners has, the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has since contested amendments sought by the corporation in the bill, travel and tourism writers in the country described the document as ‘confusing, vexatious and lacking in capacity and sincerity of purpose.’

This is also other stakeholders have flayed the NTDC for introducing a bill which seeks to ‘alienate the private sector operators in the country.’

It would be recalled that the NTDC had proposed a bill before the National Assembly in which it sought to repeal the original but controversial act which established it in 1992 as well as insert new provisions into a new law that empowers it to, among others control and expand funding sources for the corporation.

However, since the public hearing, stakeholders in the industry have picked holes in the proposed bill even as they have also mounted criticisms against the document with the FTAN presenting its own dissenting position paper at the August 9 hearing.

In a statement, released Monday, the tourism writers, under the auspices of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Editors of Tourism (ANJET) cited contentious provisions concerning the Tourism Development Fund (TDF) and Tourism Development Levy (TDL) in the proposed bill as an indication of the fact that ‘NTDC wants to muzzle everyone in the country, including corporate businesses and tourists, which among others it is proposing to pull money from.’

“Other than the fact that NTDC don’t have such powers, it also lacks the capacity and sincerity of purpose to do so and administer these funds in a transparent manner and more importantly, it is way of denying the private sector the opportunity to muster funds on their own for their businesses.

“The two provisions are confusing and go against the grains of the TDF and TDL provisions and recently the Tourism Development Bank (TDB), which the private sector operators have been clamouring for and which was later approved by the Federal Government and even contained in the National Tourism Master plan provisions, which was recently reviewed by the Ministry of Information and Culture.

“Beside these, there are other areas of ambiguities, which make NTDC a busybody in other areas and tend to confer on it powers and functions outside it and for which it lacks the structure and capacities to carry out.

For instance, the provision for the establishment for a tour company, which though is not new but for the addition of ‘to operate tour services within and outside Nigeria,’ is in total negation of its primary duties, which is to promote domestic tourism and

inbound and not outbound tours,” ANJET said in the statement.

ANJET, while flaying the proposed bill as defective, as it alienates the NTDC from the body of travel and tourism operators in the country, said the bill made no attempt to locate NTDC under any ministry as it is the case with other ministries, agencies and agencies of government (MDAs).

“Another issue that totally shows how defective the bill is, is the fact that NTDC is seeking to make itself an orphan in the Nigerian environment, because the bill does not locate NTDC under any ministry as it is the case with government parastatals. At present, the corporation is under the Ministry of Information and Culture but nowhere under this new bill was the ministry mentioned or even Ministry of Tourism which is being clamoured for by the Senate itself, except the bland reference to a ‘minister.’”

The travel and tourism writers, therefore, advised the senate to avoid passing the proposed bill in its original form ‘to avoid the imminent doom and implosion in tourism.’

“The Senate committee should rise to the occasion by doing the needful. That means, it needs to properly scruntise the document, the various summations during the public hearing, the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended, the ruling of the Supreme Court of 2013 on the matter of tourism and the extant laws of NTDC 1992,” it said.

Also remarking, immediate past president of FTAN and chairman of its Board of Trustees, Samuel Alabi, who is also a legal practitioner, described the proposed NTDC bill said as an ‘illegality.’ ‘‘It appears the drafters of the bill are not aware of the import of the Supreme Court judicial pronouncement on the status of tourism in the 1999 constitution as amended. By the Supreme Court decision, tourism has been held to be a residual matter, and therefore, only state Houses of Assembly could validly legislate on it. ‘‘It is laughable that what the Supreme Court had dismantled in 2013 on the basis of the 1999 constitution is now been reassembled by the Senate without first amending the relevant 1999 constitution. It is like reinventing the will, pure and simple,’’ said the Legal Adviser of the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

Similarly, in its rejoinder to the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Act Cap N137 LFN, 2004 (Repeal Re-enactment) Bill, 2017 (SB.429), the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), also contested amendments sought by the corporation.

The FTAN in its own position paper presented on the floor of the Senate by its President, Alhaji Rabo Saleh Kareem, faulted Section 4 (c) Membership of the Governing Board; Section 15 (c) Functions of the Corporation; Section 15 (d) Functions of the Corporation; Section 16 (f) – Functions of the Corporation (continued); Other contentious portions of the proposed bill, according to FTAN, include: Section 18 – Establishment of a Tour Operating Company; Section 22 (f) and (g) Funds of the Corporation; Section 26 & 28 – Establishment and object of Tourism Development

•(L-R): President / CEO World Stage Limited Segun Adeleye, Technical Assistant to the DG of NAFDAC, Dr. Abimbola Adegboye, and Communications Manager of Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa at the presentation of the World Stage Nigerian Airline of the year award to Dana Air in Lagos.

Fund; Section 29 – Tourism Development levy, which the association must be expunged from the proposed bill.

Particularly for Section 29, titled; ‘Tourism Development levy’, FTAN said the ‘entire prayers sought for inserting this section and clauses into the amendment are ill conceived and would make the Levy inoperable on ground, more so there would be no transparency in the processes.’

According to FTAN, “Tourism Development levy should be collected on the site where it is applicable by the operators and immediately paid into the bank accounts of Tourism Development Fund. Tourism Development levy should be the primary source of funding for the Tourism Development Fund.”

Also, commenting on the document, a tourism expert, Dr. Franklin.

J. Adejuwon, advised that the bill should treat the NTDC as a regulatory and supervisory agency of government and ‘not an autocratic organization that would begin conflicting with Minister’s powers or encroaching on the rights of the people,’ adding further that ‘tourism is entirely based on human relations and influence. The bill must therefore attend to these tendencies in its contents.’

Adejuwon chaired the Presidential Committee which drafted the original National Tourism Masterplan that was adopted by the former President Umar Musa Yar’Adua’s administration and launched by Chief Adetokunbo Kayode as then Minis-

ter of Tourism and National Orientation.

Continuing, Adejuwon said: “The proposed bill should limit the cooperation to giving guidelines only and follow up with state governments to operate within the guidelines. We should remember when a situation is within the concurrent list, state governments have direct powers to do and undo. There cannot be any imposition of powers by federal government in this aspect. Inspectors can only operate through state organisations responsible for tourism. Let us avoid building an empire for NTDC at the expense of poor people who wish to earn a living and provide jobs for other people by investing in the industry.”

Caribbean tour to reconnect nations with African culture –CBAAC

C

ENTRE for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) has explained that its proposed tour of the Caribbean nations and festivals is to reconnect Africans in the Diaspora with their cultural heritage in Africa.

Director-General of the agency, Chief Ferdinand Anikwe, who disclosed this, Wednesday, in Abuja, said that the mandate of the centre was to sensitise and connect Africans in the Diaspora, particularly those in South America and in the Caribbean, to their original African culture.

“The intention is to have an organic link between what they are doing there and what it used to be here. Most of them went out there on circumstances known to us, either by conscription or dur-

ing the slave trade.

“Most of the carnivals in South America are a summary of what they are able to remember when they were here in Africa, because our festivals and feast are countless. For some people who had been taken away completely from their original roots and quarantined in different environments for centuries; trying to recapture what it was, they will to do it in various forms.

“That is why during their carnivals, you see them rubbing some substances on their faces inside articulated vehicles and go naked; all in an attempt to recapture what and how it used to be when they were in Africa,’’ he said.

The CBAAC boss said that the centre was hopeful that from its

2018 budget it would have the opportunity “of touring South America and bringing these people home.’’

Anekwe said that Africans had over the years grown with their cultures, feasts, festivals and all other forms of traditional ceremonies.

“The world cannot develop without including the culture and history of everyone. If you observe the Asian Tigers, you will discover that they added other things to the developmental paradigm of Western Europe and North America, which is simply their culture.

“They acquired the external influence called civilising mission and were able to domesticate those ideas and theories and integrate them properly into their culture and custom,’’ Anikwe said.

27

The Oracle Today September 6, 2017

AVIATION

FirstNation downscaled to non-schedule operator Stories by VICTOR EZE

T

HE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said it downscaled the Certificate of Airworthiness of FirstNation Airways as a scheduled operator to a non-scheduled operator over alleged violation of safety procedures.

Director-General of the agency, Capt. Muhtar Usman, who told newsmen in Lagos, Thursday, that the embattled airline had been operating only one aircraft for nine months as a scheduled operation for charter services.

Usman further explained that the sanction should not be seen as punitive, but as a corrective measure to prevent recurrence.

According to him, the airline has now downscaled its operations from scheduled operator to non-scheduled and the status will remain so until it increases its fleet to at least two.

“Yes, they use one aircraft and they were on schedule services, but the present status now is that the certificate of the airworthiness of the status has been changed to non-scheduled service which is charter service.

“So, they are no longer into

schedule service until they are able to meet the requirement for scheduled service. I will still reconfirm to you that whatever sanction we impose on any operator is in line with civil regulations and it is not punitive, but corrective.

“FirstNation was sanctioned, they appealed, the appeal which was upheld. Hence, we are still working with them to pay the sanction,” Usman said.

Usman said it was not in the interest of NCAA to “cripple” an airline’s operation if it had not been involved in safety issues.

“We do not want to cripple the operations of our local airlines.

If it is safety-related, we will not waste time, but the payment is being worked out now.”

D

“NCAA has done a lot in the areas that we are expected to cover and not only for this audit, in our statutory responsibilities; safety, aviation security and also regulations. We have the new civil aviation bill, which is on its way to the National Assembly.

“The bill is to enhance the current Act of 2006 and it’s supposed to be in line with the new annexes

of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Convention.

We have also amended our regulation, which is 2015 Civil Aviation Regulation,” he said.

Usman said the authority had embarked on reorganisation of its operation to ensure it continues to discharge its responsibilities as it should be, which would be in line with ICAO.

In a related development, Usman has expressed optimism that the country would retain its Category One status which it attained in 2015.

He explained that the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has now ended a five-day re-assessment of the Nigerian aviation industry to know its level of compliance with international best practices.

Dana wins Nigerian Airline of the Year award

ANA Air has been named the Nigerian Airline of the Year 2017, at the just-concluded World Stage Economic Summit, WES 2017 held at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE House, Lagos.

The award as the Nigerian airline of the year was based on Dana’s innovative online products, World-class in-flight service and immense contribution to the Nigerian economy.

Speaking at the World Stage Economic Summit Awards with the theme: ‘Transforming Business and Economy Through Innovation,’’ the president / CEO of World Stage Group, Segun Adeleye, said one of the objectives of WES 2017 is transforming the Nigerian Economy through new ways of doing things, and from the responses compiled, Dana Air is one of the outstanding institutions that has emerged winner, as a result of its innovation and immense contribution to the growth of the Nigerian economy this year.’’

Responding, Communications Manager of Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa, expressed gratitude to the organizers of the award, saying: “We are delighted to have received yet another laurel and we are more than ever committed to delivering the best air transport services to our guests at all times.’’

Meanwhile, the airline has partnered Zowasel.com, an ecommerce platform to provide its teeming passengers greats deals and amazing discounts when they visit any of the partner hotels, Spas, dental care outlets, and restaurants.

Nigeria had attained the Category One status since 2010 and also retained it in 2015 after a comprehensive audit of the industry.

Usman noted that the FAA four-man team focused its audit on Personnel Licensing, International Operations and Airworthiness, assuring that the agency was fully prepared for the audit.

Speaking on the partnership, Ezenwa noted that Dana Air is reputed for its chain of value added services some of which have made the airline the choice of the flying public.

The CEO of Zowasel, Jerry Oche while commenting on the partnership said ‘Zowasel is one of the best platforms to get the best deals and we are partnering an airline that is reputed for its innovation and commitment towards providing extra value for its customers.’’

(L-R): Mr. Tetsuya Tanaka, Chief of Climate Change, ICAO, DG, NCAA Captain Muhtar Usman, Mrs. Chrystelle Damar, Tefera .M. Tefera, Acting Secretary General of Africa Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) at the opening ceremony of the ICAO Seminar on the Development of States’ Action Plans on CO2 Emission Reduction Activities, and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), in Lagos.

Nigeria completes Action Plan on Co2 emissions

O

NLY Nigeria along with three other West African states has completed the Action Plan on CO2 Emissions Mitigation Measures, according to the Director of Air Transport, African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Mr. Tefera Mekonen

FAA doles out $282.6m in grants to 67 airports

T

HE United States Department of Transportation Secretary, Elaine L. Chao, Wednesday, announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $282.6 million in airport infrastructure grants to 67 airports across 29 states across the country as part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

“The Airport Improvement Program helps to maintain our aviation infrastructure and supports safety, capacity, security and environmental improvements,” said Secretary Chao, adding: “This is an important investment in these airports and the economic vitality of their respective communities.”

The airport grant program funds various types of airport infrastructure projects, includ-

ing runways, taxiways, and airport signage, lighting, and markings, all of which help to create thousands of jobs.

To date this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced more than 1,428 new grants to nearly 1,210 airports for a total of $2.3 billion.

These grants will provide funds for 581 runway projects and 490 taxiway projects that are important to the safety and efficiency of the nation’s system of airports.

Airports are entitled to a certain amount of AIP funding each year, based on passenger volume. If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, then the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding.

Tefera.

Speaking, Wednesday, at the Workshop/Seminar on the Development of States’ Action Plans on CO2 Emissions Mitigation Measures and CORSIA by ECOWAS Member States which took place in Lagos, Tefera noted that that a total number of 11 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Members from the ICAO-WACAF region are yet to follow suit.

“A cursory look at the list of states that are yet to complete their Action Plans shows that 11 are from the ICAO-WACAF region and are all members of ECOWAS. Meaning that, only 4 ECOWAS member States have so far completed and submitted their States’ Action Plans to ICAO.” “Consequently, AFCAC took a decision to collaborate with ICAO and ECOWAS to organize this additional Workshop/Seminar to build capacity and assist these member States having challenges in developing their State Action Plans as well as to facilitate the engagement of the “ICAO Buddy Program” among States.”

According to him, the ongoing seminar is designed to upgrade the understanding of participants so that they can have a better grasp of the functioning, implications and benefits of their States participating in the pilot and first phases of the scheme.

Remarking, Director General

of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Capt. Muhtar Usman said Nigeria has concluded plans to formally join the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) implementation from the outset during the pilot phase from 2021.

“I am pleased to inform you that Nigeria has not only developed and submitted its State Action Plan to ICAO but has also voluntarily notified ICAO that it will join CORSIA implementation from the outset during the pilot phase from 2021 with a view to being on the same page with the rest of the world on emissions mitigation measures.”

“Thus, this Workshop/Seminar has been designed to provide National Action Plan Focal Points and aviation industry stakeholders with practical input on the calculation of the CO2 emissions baseline and other quantification aspects as well as share information on CORSIA’s design elements and implementation aspects, including the work being undertaken on the development of Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and guidance material for CORSIA implementation,” Usman said.

AFCAC is also collaborating with ICAO and ECOWAS to organize additional Seminars to build capacity and assist member States having challenges in developing their State Action Plans.

The Oracle Today

28

Wednesday September 6, 2017

INSURANCE & PENSION

Ammendment bill threatens pension administration

By CHRIS EBONG

L

AWS are necessary instruments that guide, regulate and promote the conduct, behavior and rights of individuals, societies and organisations. But excessive, contradictory and insincere laws stultify development, promote bad governance and create nuances that are antithetical to the fundamental objectives of such laws.

It is in the light of the above that many Nigerians are not only worried, but alerted of the inherent danger in the current constitutional amendment exercise being undertaken by the National Assembly, particularly as it concerns the Pensions industry.

The Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3 on the Devolution of Powers had proposed some amendments on Pensions which include that: (1). The National Assembly may make laws for the federation or any part thereof with respect to; (i) The regulation of matters relating to pension and gratuity of federal employees, persons in the public service of the federation, employees of federal statutory institutions and parastatals and other persons subject to federal regulation including employees of incorporated companies regulated by federal enactments; (ii) Setting of standards for management of pension matters throughout the federation in respect of workers whether in private or public employment; (iii) Making laws for the regulation of pension matters in relation to persons in military service, the police force and other paramilitary and security agencies in the federation.

(2). The House of Assembly may subject to paragraph 1 hereto make laws relating to the regulation of matters on pension and gratuity of state employees, persons in the civil service of the state, employees of state institutions and parastatals, employees of local governments within the state and other persons subject to state regulation including employees of business enterprises resident within the state and subject to state regulation.

From the foregoing, certain critical questions come to the fore.

1. Is the law on Pensions in Nigeria inadequate and do we need further laws or legislations?

2. Why would the proposed amendment seek to distinguish certain categories of federal public servants on the issue of pension when the existing laws do not make such a distinction?

Under Section 16(2) (d) of the 1999 constitution, it is provided that the State should strive to provide for the citizens a number of social security benefits, including “old age care and pensions”.

Consequently, organs of Governments at all levels (Federal, States and Local Governments) as well as all public authorities are expected to strive to provide these benefits for all citizens regardless

of whether they work under the public or private sectors, formal or informal sectors, or do not work at all. This provision does not make the rights enforceable.

However, the 1999 Constitution under Sections 173 went a step further elevated public sector pension rights to enforceable status for employees of both the Federal and State Governments respectively. Similar powers are being exercised by the respective State Houses of Assembly pursuant to the provision of Section 210 of the 1999 Constitution and other provisions which confer the powers of appropriation of funds for the States to their respective legislatures.

There are other provisions in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which have addressed the subject of pensions adequately, and as such makes it undesirable for further legislations, as the Bill No 3 on the devolution of powers as being put forward by the ongoing constitutional amendment committee.

Another worrisome provision in the proposed amendment which is not only needless, inappropriate and irrelevant is the attempt to create a parallel authority by ceding to states the power to legislative regulatory issues on pension matters.

According to the proposed amendment,” the House of Assembly may...make laws relating to the regulation of matters on pension and gratuity of state employees, persons in the civil service of the state, employees of state institutions and parastatals, employees of local governments within the state and other persons subject to state regulation including employees of business enterprises resident within the state and subject to state regulation.”

One, this is not only a contradiction but a complication of the process and clearly offends the provision of Section 4(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which provides that “if any Law enacted by the House of Assembly of a State is inconsistent with any law validly made by the National Assembly, the law made by the National Assembly shall prevail, and that other Law shall to the extent of inconsistency be void”.

The ambiguity that would be created in a bid to administer this provision, is best understood in the conflict of authority and the unintended negative consequences, particularly as it will require another round of time-wasting Constitutional amendment to address; and as such, another waste of public funds, time and resources.

Dr. Greg Omorogie, an Economist and Public Affairs analyst, says: “When you look at some of the letters of the proposed amendment, sometimes you get baffled whether our lawmakers thoroughly consulted wide before pushing some of these amendments out for public consumption.

The matter here is simple and self-explanatory, because the intended amendment that seeks

• L-R: Dr. Farouk Aminu, Head, Research and Strategy, National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mr. Eguarekhide Longe, Chairman, Pension Funds Operators of Nigeria (PenOp) consulting with Ms Susan Oranye, Executive Secretary, PenOp and Mr. Usman Suleiman, Managing Director, Future Unity Glanvills (FUG) Pensions Limited during a media parley in Abeokuta, Ogun State recently. to empower states to legislate on some regulatory issues in the Pensions sector is a clear contradiction of the provision of Section 4(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which provides that “if any Law enacted by the House of Assembly of a State is inconsistent with any law validly made by the National Assembly, the law made by the National Assembly shall prevail, and that other Law shall to the extent of inconsistency be void”.

Dr. Omoregie also noted that Section 18 of the Pension Reform Act 2014 (PRA 2014) had conferred on the National Pension Commission the authority and responsibilities of regulating, supervising and ensuring the effective administration of pension matters and retirement benefits in Nigeria.

According to him, “these include pension and retirement benefits established for the benefits of employees of States and Local Governments in Nigeria by virtue of Section 2(1) of the PRA 2014.”

He said: “ Therefore, acceding to the proposed amendment allowing State Houses of Assembly to enact laws establishing regulatory agencies on pension matters would directly be in conflict with the PRA 2014 and, therefore, invalid for reasons of its insistency with the provision of Section 4(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Besides, it is feared that states may exploit this and circumvent the fundamental objectives of Pensions to suit their whims and caprices which would jeopardize the fundamental objectives of the 1999 constitution on Pensions.

Some instance would suffice. A recent survey by BudgIT showed many states defaulted in the payments of pensions and gratuities, with some states owing pensioners two to three years in entitlements. “From the survey carried out, it was discovered that apart from the fact that 16 states which

are yet to pay the pensions of former civil servants in their service, eight of these states have not paid their pensioners at least 12 months’ pensions, while states like Imo, Taraba and Niger owe pensions of about two to three years. Notably, these pensioners expressed how unhappy they are, their dissatisfaction with the government and how hard it has been for them to survive,” the report by BudgIT stated.

It was reported that particularly in Imo State, the Governor had allegedly pressured the state legislature to pass a law making it mandatory for the Pensioners in the state and local government services to forfeit 40% of their legitimate earnings if they would want to be paid. This is part of the sordid state we may find ourselves if these amendments are allowed to go through.

Many stakeholders have already warned that a proposal seeking to distinguish certain categories of federal public servants on the issue of pension would appear to be suspect especially as the proposed amendment Bill is being sponsored by a member of the House of Representatives which seeks to exempt the personnel of such agencies from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

On this, a Pension Fund administrator who spoke on the conditions of anonymity, said: “This is completely unnecessary, because the services and agencies listed under that provision fall within the ambit of the definition of ‘public service of the federation’ under Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution. If you go further under the Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3 on Devolution of Powers these agencies are clearly captured and the powers of the National Assembly to make laws for the administration are succinctly expressed.”

This position is reinforced by the attempt, for instance, to have the

Nigeria Police exit from the pension scheme.

Speaking at the just concluded media retreat organized by the Pension Fund Operators of Nigeria the Nigerian Police PFA Company Secretary and Legal Adviser, Mr. Nicholas Nnaji said the clamour for exiting the police from the scheme was unnecessary. He said though there has been agitation on some issues relating to benefits, such agitation could be well addressed within the CPS framework.

“There were agitations as far back as 2011 and the agitations were addressed leading to establishment of the Nigerian Police Pensions PFA. How come now they are seeking to exempt the Nigerian Police... The issue of agitation over pension and gratuity is a historical thing. And if we look at it what was happening under the old scheme whereby people died in the cause of saying come and do verification after that .... That was a general problem then and we were not excluded in that general problem,” he noted.

On the surface, the promoters of these amendments may say they have genuine intentions, but Dr. Omorogie thinks there is more than meets the ordinary eyes. He posits that all these agitations and counter agitations are targeted at the over N7 trillion pensions fund.

“I can conveniently tell you that this is all about what this so called amendments as concerns the pensions industry is. Some ministries have been pilling pressure on the federal government so they can access the pension’s funds to fund certain projects across the country. This I believe is the politics behind these agitations. And once they succeed they it could well be said to your tents oh Israel, because that would be the beginning of the gradual decimation of the pensions sector in the country,” Dr. Omorogie said.

29

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

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30

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

INSURANCE & PENSION

Insurance industry concludes 12 M&A deals –NAICOM

N

L-R: Alhaji Mohammed Kari, Commissioner for Insurance, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Mr. Oscar Onyeama, Director General, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Mr. George, Deputy Commissioner (Admin & Finance) NAICOM at meeting with insurance Chief Executive Officers in Lagos last week.

ATIONAL Insurance Commission (NAICOM) said that 12 insurance companies were acquired in the last three years.

The Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Mohammed Kari, who made the disclosure in Abuja recently, said that there were three foreign acquisitions in 2014, two in 2015, and five in 2016 while talks to acquire two companies are now in progress.

Most of the deals being entered into by foreign investors came in through some form of mergers and acquisitions. Notable among the acquisition was the Great Nigeria Insurance Plc’s completion of the sale of 75 per cent stake to Insurance Resourcery Consultancy Services Limited (IRCSL).

Similarly, an Ivoirien insurer, Sunu Assurances Vie Cote d’Ivoire, earlier in the year, acquired a 60 per cent stake in Equity Assurance.

Equally, Cornerstone Insurance bought FIN Insurance, making it a subsidiary while; South Africa’s Liberty Holdings is also acquiring a 75 percent stake in UNIC Insur-

ance Plc, a Nigerian insurer, for $12 million, according to Liberty Chief Executive, Thabo Dloti. “We see Nigeria as a market of the future.

It may be having difficulties now, but everything indicates to us that in the long term, Nigeria is going to be a big contributor of growth if you are doing business in SubSaharan Africa,” Dloti said.

Standard Alliance Insurance Plc announced that it has formally merged with its sister company, Standard Life Assurance, to become one company, underwriting life and non-life insurance businesses. The likes of Axa, Prudential, Liberty, Swiss RE, Sunu Group, Saham, etc. have taken positions in the industry and in partnership with indigenous companies for development and growth.

However, the presence of foreign insurers in the Nigerian market is another incentive expected to boost penetration, technical capacity and service delivery. NAICOM approves 2015 financial statements of 48 insurance firms.

per cent local and then 30 can be taken out. But then companies are not yielding to that circular so what we are having is lack of compliance and once there is lack of compliance there is also penalty.

There is no way of enforcing; there is no way of checking. Yes circulars have gone out but how do you ensure circulars are strictly adhered to that’s the challenge we are facing. Yes the regulator is helping us to ensure that local content is exhausted but they are not monitoring to ensure strict compliance to the circulars they’ve carried out,” she posited.

• Efekoha, Chairman NIA

Insurers snub local content law T

HE law on Local Content Development which allows an indigenous company to exhaust 70percent local retention capacity has suffered non-compliance by insurance industry operators, it was revealed.

Notwithstanding the circular by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) on the issue, the market players are yet to embrace the policy to their advantage.

The Oracle Today investigation reveals that, out of the 70percent local content retention specified by law operators in insurance industry are yet to attain 30percent due largely to unsupportive activities of some market players who prefer ceding their businesses to overseas’ insurers for commission.

The practice which is most common in the oil and gas insurances and aviation where high ticket risks are involved is said to have robbed the industry of hundreds of billions of naira in favour of capital flight and has affected the sector’s growth in real terms.

When The Oracle Today spoke with one of the insurance chief executives to whom his company has four out of five reinsurance treaties with foreign firms, the CEO on condition of anonymity, simply said; “Africa Re is in Nigeria, we (local companies) are members of West African Insurance Association (WAICA) so what is the difference? He asked. According to him, the important thing is whether they are providing the service or not.

On why companies are not taking advantage of the local content to grow their bottomline, our source said it all depends on the area considered more profitable.

He said ceding your business to a foreign firm means that the company to a lesser business risk in event of claims.

Speaking during a training programme organized by her company for staff of underwriting firms recently, the Managing Director, Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation, Lady Isioma Chukwuma called on

underwriters to ensure local capacities are fully exhausted before ceding their risks abroad.

“What we are saying is that the local market should make sure that at least they exhaust what we have in the market. There is no way we can say we have adequate capacity. We are not claiming that we have adequate capacity to cover the risk we have presently. All we are asking is that they should give the local market, the local reinsurance first proposal to take up their capacity, exhaust their own local capacity before they do businesses

F

abroad.

According to her, reinsurance is all about the spreading of risks but should first exhaust local capacities before taking them abroad.

She expressed displeasure over flaunting of the local content law by underwriters, stressing that in spite of the law issued by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), insurance companies are not abiding to the rules.

“The NAICOM has actually helped by issuing out circulars to the market that local content policy should be followed i.e. 70

WAICA capacity building confab ends

OUR days international conference geared towards building the technical capacity of insurance companies in West Africa which commenced in Monrovia on Monday has come to an end at the weekend.

The conference held under the theme “Advance Principles, Practices of Reinsurance was organized by the West Africa Reinsurance Corporation Plc (WAICA). Over 65 participants representing insurance companies in Liberia, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Tunisia and Morocco attended the conference.

The Managing Director of the regional firm, Mr. Abiola Ekundayo in his remark urged participants to take full advantage of the training and to network with their colleagues from across the continent.

He said the conference is an annual event, designed to reawaken reinsurance in West Africa. According to him, WAICA is a sub-regional company with stakeholders in Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and The Gambia.

According to him, key stakeholders from West Africa Anglophone countries participated in the event, pointing out that another impor-

tant objective of conference is to make reinsurance practiced in West Africa.

“The conference is meant to also integrate insurance companies in the region. Integration is not visible amongst West Africa Anglophone countries due to lack of a single currency. There is proper integration amongst Francophone countries due to the CFA, but in the Anglophone countries, this is not the case and to have integration there must be a single currency among member states” Mr Ekundayo stressed.

He expressed the need for free business environments within stakeholder countries, positing that it is the only way prosperity will be ensured. Ekundayo cautioned participants to be disciplined during the conference, saying that it would lead to success in the corporate world, while teamwork he stated will lead to the success of WAICA in Africa.

The Reinsurance boss disclosed of plans to establish a subsidiary office in Kenya, while operations have begun in Benin. He called on the participants to be more active in the conference and to interact effectively.

“The conference will strengthen

insurance companies to deal with loss, while at the same time building their technical capacity. Because of insurance, that reinsurance exists.

On his part, Deputy Director for Insurance, Central Bank of Liberia Matthew G. Innis said harnessed effort is needed to improve insurance in Liberia, assuring that the apex bank would always support WAICA programs.

Noting that the CBL has undergone reforms geared towards improving the insurance industry, Mr. Innis stressed the importance of capacity building, especially in the area of insurance. The new capital requirement for insurance companies, he said, is intended to impact companies technically.

Established in 2011, as part of efforts to strengthen insurance companies’ capacities, as well as advancing the principles and practices of reinsurance across the continent, WAICA Reinsurance Corporation Plc is a public limited liability company incorporated under the laws of Sierra Leone (Companies Act 2009).

In the years following the creation of West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) in 1973, the founding fathers had the desire

to establish a reinsurance organization to help mitigate the effects of the lack of reinsurance capacity within the West African insurance industry.

To fulfill this ambition, the founding fathers considered it prudent to start off by creating a reinsurance pool which hopefully will someday grow into a fullyfledged reinsurance corporation.

To that end, the Executive Committee reconfirmed and endorsed the age old decision to locate the headquarters of WAICA Reinsurance Corporation (WAICA Re) to Freetown, Sierra Leone and to have major operating centres in Accra, Ghana and Lagos, Nigeria.

Analysts say that apart from the provision of reinsurance capacity, the establishment of WAICA Re is a good example of regional socioeconomic integration.

The Corporation has an authorized share capital of US$100 million with US$25 million expected to be paid up at the end of the ongoing equity capital subscription.

The main objective of the company is to provide reinsurance services to the insurance sector in West Africa and other regions.

31

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

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32

racleToday

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33

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Love and Living

...With Ireto Temofeh

Oracle Girl of the Week

LOVE NEWS

Princess Diana ‘saved’ the Royal Family, Sir Richard Branson says

P

Name: Sonia Tel: 08027648715 • Do you want to be our next Oracle Girl? Send your photos to ireto007@yahoo. com and call 07031028714.

ODD NEWS

Stray dogs in India turned blue by pollution in river

R

esidents living near India’s financial capital Mumbai were shocked to see a number of stray dogs had turned a bright shade of blue.

It emerged the animals had been wading through water as they searched for food in the Kasadi river where untreated industrial waste from nearby factories had been dumped.

There are claims at least one of the dogs had gone blind and other animals, including birds, had also been affected by the pollution in Navi Mumbai.

Arati Chauhan, who runs the Navi Mumbai animal protection shelter, was the first to highlight the issue.

She told Sky News: “It’s just not dogs. All other animals are being affected by the environment pollution. I witnessed five such dogs.

In fact, one of the dogs has gone blind.”

Ms Chauhan said she when she went to survey the area her eyes started burning and she fell sick. She

said: “I had to see a doctor and am still recovering.”

She added: “Workers in the factories and security men guarding various factories tell me they have health issues, breathing is a problem, but say ‘We are helpless, we have to work here it’s our bread and butter’.”

There are about 1,000 pharmaceutical, dye manufacturing and food factories in the Taloja district.

A quality check by the Navi Mumbai municipal corporation found the waste treatment of effluents was inadequate.

The level of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was 80 milligrams a litre.

According to official guidelines, fish die when the BOD level is above 6mg/l, and a level above 3mg/l makes the water unfit for human consumption.

For years, activists have complained to authorities of indiscriminate dumping of untreated effluents into the river, but to no avail.

Ms Chauhan and her group have now filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

Anil Mohekar, regional officer of the board, told reporters they were aware of the complaint, adding: “Discharge of dye into any water body is illegal. We will take action against the polluters as they are destroying the environment.”

One of the industrial units producing chemical dyes has been sealed by authorities.

Ms Chauhan claimed only part of the factory was sealed and not the manufacturing unit.

She said: “It’s all hogwash. How can only one factory pollute the entire area. Hundreds of factories are saving money by dumping toxins in the river instead of sending it to the mandatory common effluent treatment plant.”

The Taloja industrial zone, located outside Mumbai, employs almost 76,000 people and generates billions of pounds a year for the economy.

rincess Diana helped to “save” the Royal Family and stop Britain from becoming a republic, according to Sir Richard Branson.

The English entrepreneur, who was a friend of Diana’s, has said the 20th anniversary of her death should be treated as an opportunity to celebrate her legacy.

He explained: “She’s had two magnificent kids who have done fantastic things and will continue to do great things. And I would say that actually has saved the Royal Family.

“There was a time when Britain could have easily become a republic, a few years before her death.

“But now the thought of that has gone completely and I think that’s largely to due to her two wonderful children.”

Sir Richard first met Diana when she stayed on Necker Island, his private island paradise, with a young Prince William and Prince Harry.

Their regular tennis matches were often a time when she would talk about the more difficult aspects of her life in the public eye.

He said: “We used to play tennis together - she won of course. We’d obviously talk afterwards, she’d had a lot of struggles, and particularly in the last two or three years of her life, she would open up about them.

“She put on a very strong face about it and just got on with her life.”

Sir Richard also recalled Diana’s sense of fun - and how she had “everybody in fits of laughter” during a Virgin Atlantic flight.

“She went into the cockpit with

Prince William on her knee and she got on the loudspeaker to everybody in the plane and said ‘if you look out to the left you will see granny’s house’ as we flew over Windsor Castle,” he said.

Comedian Ruby Wax, who was also a friend of the Princess, recalls being totally star-struck the first time she met Diana.

She said: “As she shook my hand I went into a plie position, and I couldn’t pull out. I froze, with my legs in the second position in ballet as we call it.”

Wax has recently worked with Prince William and Prince Harry on their Heads Together campaign.

She believes that, like their mother, they are shining a light on causes that traditionally have been surrounded by stigma.

“Mental health has such bad implications, so I would rather that they’re the representatives than someone who is on screen. These are clean, healthy, smart, sexy boys,” Wax added.

On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will meet representatives from some of the charities that their mother supported in the sunken garden at Kensington Palace.

This year the garden has been given a special white theme in memory of Diana, who often used to stop and talk to the gardeners working on the grounds.

Thursday marks the 20th anniversary of the day Diana died in a car accident in Paris. She was 36 years old.

Romantic Joke Master of the House

A solicitor for the Red Cross called upon a well-todo young couple for a donation. Hearing a commotion inside he knocked extra-loudly on the door. A somewhat disheveled man admitted him in. “What can I do for you?” he growled, clearly upset about something. “I would like to speak to the master of the house,” said the solicitor politely. “Then you’re just in time,” barked the young man. “My wife and I are settling that very question right now!”

34

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

True Confession

I

couldn’t take my eyes off Bimpe when I first saw her. Her ravishing figure was the first thing that attracted my attention. She was tall and shapely, with the right curves in all the right places. Her face was beautiful and shone like the Northern Lights. It was brightly lit with a most charming smile that seemed to charm even the very earth on which she walked. Her boobs were firm, full and high, and the points of her nipples were quite conspicuous through the black blouse she wore over a blue jeans skirt.

She left me breathless with the way she swung her hips, and the spectacle of her long slender legs moving in rhythm blew my mind. I had never seen a girl with so much sex appeal before in my life, and so I had completely fallen for her even before I had become acquainted with her.

I couldn’t help but stare at her like one transfixed, as she walked up to the bus stop to wait for a taxi to take her to the place she was going.

Even though we were neighbours residing in the same housing estate in Lagos, I had never been able to summon the courage to toast her in the past. But that day, it was as though a new spirit of boldness seized me. Maybe it was because I was going crazy due to the maximum sex appeal she was oozing.

So I damned the consequences, ignored the odds and took the future of my love-life in my hands as I walked up to her at the bus stop.

Luckily for me, Bimpe had not yet been able to flag down a taxi when I got to the place she was standing. I had always been a shy guy, and although I had been bold enough to step to her, I still managed to introduce myself with some shyness.

“Hi, Bimpe, remember me? I’m your neighbour here in Dolphin Estate,” I said. To my surprise, Bimpe smiled back at me and seemed delighted to see me.

“I’ve always thought you never talk, since you’re the most quiet guy in the neighbourhood,” she said, with a little mischief in her voice.

I knew she was only teasing me in a positive and cheerful manner, so I calmed down and relaxed, and gladly let go of my nervousness. That was how we became friends and then I saw her off to the shopping complex she was heading to.

But Bimpe showed that she was really different from the crowd of girls that I had known before her. At the shopping complex, we visited a boutique and she offered to buy several shirts and trousers for me at the men’s section of the boutique.

No woman had ever bought a gift of clothes for me before. And from that moment, I made up my mind to make Bimpe my one and only steady girlfriend.

Her positive attitude and character were just too good to be overlooked by any man in his right senses.

When I returned home that day, I tested my new clothes and found to my delight that they were a perfect fit. All my friends admired my new shirts but I was too ashamed to tell them that a lady had bought them for me, because I thought they would laugh at me and portray me as unmanly.

However, that is not to say that I did

‘My father had an affair with my wife’ not appreciate what Bimpe had done for me. In fact, I treasured it in my heart as an unforgettable act of love.

I didn’t have to tell Bimpe formally that I wanted her to be my one and only girlfriend. It was not necessary to put my intention into words, because my feelings for her were clearly expressed in the way I looked into her eyes and held her hands.

They say that a picture speaks a thousand words. So every fool would have known that I cared about Bimpe from the way he saw me acting whenever I was with her. Indeed, I considered it a rare privilege to be blessed with the company of such a pretty girl. In Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, where we lived, I was sure that there was no one as adorable and lovable as Bimpe. She was simply my Cinderella, my one and only princess.

I had dreams of spending the rest of my life with a kind-hearted lady who would show a man true love. I wasn’t in any doubt about Bimpe’s feelings for me because I noticed the glow in her eyes whenever she saw me, and I could almost hear the sound of her heart beating wildly whenever I held her in my arms and kissed her soft sweet lips.

My darling Bimpe was like a wild rose flower waiting to be picked by a handsome prince who would offer her true love from the bottom of his bold and beautiful heart.

Bimpe was a wild flower even in bed.

Her love drove me wild. Her romance tasted like wild honey. I must confess that her sex appeal had a tremendous effect on me, and as a result, I couldn’t help making love to her almost all the time and in any location. I was addicted to Bimpe and whenever I felt a sexual urge for her, I entered inside her with hard, deep thrusts that seemed too

strong for her to control.

On one of such occasions we were at a party on the island. A friend of mine was getting married and had invited us to his bachelor’s eve party. I think we had both gotten tipsy from the amount of alcohol we had consumed that night when I felt a pressing urge to make love to Bimpe.

Maybe it was the miniskirt she had on, and the sight of her exposed smooth thighs that aroused me.

So I playfully slipped my hand under her miniskirt and caressed the inner sides of her thighs. Bimpe also felt turned on, and as she clung to me, I began to touch her. By this time she was moaning loudly and panting, like one losing her breath.

But we didn’t want to make love in the presence of so many people at the party.

So we went outside to the car park, and in the darkness of the night, we reached our climax.

I had found true love at last, and so I wasted no time in taking Bimpe to the altar. My parents loved Bimpe and were very excited about her becoming a part of the family. Members of my family gave us so many gifts on our wedding day. We were said to be made for each other and it seemed that our union was designed by heaven and perfected by the love we shared.

However, though everyone appeared quite excited about my wife and overcome by her charms, my father appeared to be more excited about my wife more than any other member of my family. One thing I disliked about my dad was his womanizing nature.

Though my mum was his lawfully wedded wife, he had so many girlfriends and mistresses outside.

My father was a politician. In fact, he was a public figure because he had held some political offices in the past and was

still holding a big position in his political party.

Sometimes, he requested that my wife, Bimpe, accompany him to political party meetings and other functions. According to him, it would be nice to show off his beautiful daughter-in-law to his friends and political associates.

I didn’t object since I felt I could trust my father with my wife. But I started suspecting my wife was up to something because whenever we had a quarrel, she would run away to my father’s house and spend the night there, in the name of reporting me to my father.

It was baffling that even when we had the slightest quarrel she would run off to report me to my father and would not come back until the following morning or a few days later. If she ran off to report me to my father on a Friday, she would not come back until the following Monday.

Last month, Bimpe announced that she is pregnant and we started expecting our second child. But the bubble burst when my mother caught her and my father red-handed making love in our family house five days ago.

My mum had gone to the market but had to return to the house unexpectedly to pick something she had forgotten.

That was how she caught my father naked on top of my wife who is supposed to be carrying a one-month old pregnancy.

Now, I know for sure that my wife’s pregnancy belongs to my father.

I have now instituted a divorce suit at the High Court. As for that shameless old fool that calls himself my father, I will make sure he loses his big position in his political party.

35

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Relationships and Love Advice

‘I want to get my man back!’

Love Search Women seeking relationship/ marriage Roseline, 38, chocolate, from Cross River, living in Port Harcourt, needs a honest, mature, caring, god-fearing and well-to-do man of 40-50 years for marriage. 08180072310.

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Blessing, 33, from Imo, in Lagos, fat, busty, single mother, needs a matured man of 45years+ for marriage.

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Chioma, 27, tall, homely, graduate, from Anambra, wants a hard working, understanding man of 28 years+ for a serious relationship.

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Dear Love Doctor, I messed up with my ex boyfriend and he left me. But now I want to get my ex boyfriend back. We dated for almost one and a half years. We had a very healthy relationship, shared lots of interests, just like a perfect match to each other.

We broke up after he accused me rightfully of cheating on him, and then he said he had lost his feelings for me. I tried to bring him back but failed. How can I succeed in bringing my ex back to me?

From Bimbo

Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Bimbo, This is the best way to achieve your goal of getting your ex back. First and foremost, do NOT make him feel that you are trying to twist his arm or change his mind regarding the break up. In other words, do not act as if you’re desperate; because if he feels you’re putting him under undue pressure, he’ll go the other way. So you have to be resigned yourself to thinking that you might not get him back before you approach him again.

However, when you do approach him, your first order of business is to apologize. You need to tell him that what you did was game playing and wrong. He needs to hear that you totally understand why he was furious with you.

Tell him that you have become aware of your actions and their negative effect on your relationship. Tell him that you have changed and that you have realized that he is truly the one you love. Therefore you will like him to do you a favor by telling you what you did or didn’t do in the relationship, so that you will know the particular areas that you really need to improve on.

When you take this position, he will see that you are truly different. If there is anything left to salvage in your relationship or if he truly loves you back, you will be creating the soil that will save the relationship.

I wish you the best.

Do you have advice on this problem? Please share your thoughts. Call 07031028714 or 08131161840. Email: ireto007@yahoo.com Note: If you have fertility problems like childlessness, inability to conceive or get pregnant, miscarriages, fibroid, low sperm count, STDs, or need a male child or female? Call 07031028714, 08131161840. Love Doctor can help you succeed in your marriage/relationship.

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Men seeking relationship/ marriage Donald, 37, Igbo, handsome, in PH, needs a female lawyer or working class graduate lady between 24-34 years for marriage. 08180868844.

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36

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

It happened to me:

‘I hid behind a door so that his wife wouldn’t see me’ M

y name is Agatha and my life experience story is about how I dated a married man two years ago. He was my boss at the office.

We worked together, but we didn’t really start talking of going out until I had broken up with my boyfriend at that time and started going out with someone else.

I was aware that he was married because his wife used to visit him in the office occasionally. But the secrecy thing about our relationship really made the whole affair exciting.

His wife never found out about our relationship. She was always away working because her job as a medical doctor was very demanding. So I usually spent the weekends and sometimes weekdays in his house whenever she wasn’t around.

When I think about it now, I realize that it was a ridiculous arrangement and a silly relationship I had with him. I spent most of my time waiting for him

to call me, saying that his wife is not around and ask me to come over to his house.

I was simply at his beck and call with nothing to gain for myself. How foolish I was for what I thought was love!

I even found myself cancelling plans with my family and friends just in case he wanted me to spend the weekend at his place.

He only ever came to my house once. And the only reason he came to my house that day was because he had called me and asked me to come over to his house but I had refused because I was getting so sick of sneaking around.

An hour later after the call that day, he was at my door and at the time I was trying to fool myself that he actually loved me instead of his wife.

Obviously he didn’t love me, because first thing the next morning, he asked me to leave his place so quickly after speaking with his wife on phone, that I knew he was really committed to his

wife.

The way our affair ended is what I’m most ashamed of. One night, I went to his house while his wife was away. We watched a movie, had dinner and went to bed.

The following morning, we woke up

The following morning, we woke up to the sound of the front door closing because his wife had come back early to surprise him...

I was absolutely so scared and grabbed my clothes but he wouldn’t let me out of the room and made me hide behind the door just before she walked in...

”

to the sound of the front door closing because his wife had come back early to surprise him.

I was absolutely so scared and grabbed my clothes but he wouldn’t let me out of the room and made me hide behind the door just before she walked in.

He managed to convince her that they should go out to an eatery for breakfast since she was too tired to cook, and then I quickly left the house after they had gone because he deliberately didn’t lock the door with the key when they were leaving.

On my way home, he called me apologizing profusely and I asked him never to call me again, and he never did.

Can you imagine? He told me to hide behind the bedroom door so that his wife would not see me when she walked in. I felt so embarrassed and ashamed of myself.

Since that day, I decided never to date a married man anymore. I’ve since found out that I was only one in a long line of women he had cheated on his wife with, and that last year she actually caught him with another woman.

37

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Love & Living

Love, and then blackmail

O

NE of the stories that engaged the social media over the past week was about a certain pretty lady, Olivia Okibe, who not only shared pictures of her marriage introduction to one Malaysia based hustler simple known as E-money.

Olivia used the pictures to caution young ladies to at least date a man for a day or two before accepting marriage proposals in order to avoid a sad ending like hers. A day or two?

Well, we will take that up some other time.

On his part, the man in question (E-money) has since come out with his position and accused the lady of promiscuity. But amidst the brazen show, the stench of love gone sour and bitter now venting and seeking dirty revenge through blackmail is unmistakable.

“No secrets in love! Love is selfless and at best open.”

Now that’s what the books and norms say but we know better. A look around suggests that full disclosures seem to introduce an unwanted twist to love stories. Especially these days that relationships and marriages are breaking up in their numbers and secrets that were shared during loved up moment come awash, all stinking and dark.

That’s why some decide to play safe by not disclosing details of their sordid pasts and having no intention whatsoever to do so. But does this work?

We usually rate the seriousness of a relationship on how much we know about our partners. Hence, the more you know about someone, the more power you have over them. This should be a good thing as it tells you exactly what you are in for. But here’s what’s disturbing, when things go sour, even the meekest minds are seen to actively consider, process and unleash all kinds of blackmail based on information received when the going was good. How concerned should you be about this?

Well, no one wants to be discussed in public for the wrong reasons. And in cases of bitter love induced blackmail, lots of exaggerations come into play in order to paint the other in the darkest shade of black and reduce them to nothingness before the world. If you haven’t seen it first hand, I have. Deliberate distortion of facts just to make you look bad, hyper sensationalisation of matters that you just mentioned as frivolities, wrong representations of your personality and all kinds of wrongs ascribed to your person. And truth

Ify ARONU ifyaronu@gmail.com

be told, you may have to live with those wrong perceptions of you, as you may never get the chance to fair hearing. And then there’s no denying the fact that you were in a relationship with the person in question so if they suddenly decide to reveal your darkest secrets, it is believable. Now, that’s why you should be concerned.

It is best to approach all kinds of love relationships optimistically and hopefully there may never be any cause for public disgrace of one or both parties. But how about a tiny hint of pessimism, to understand that you still reserve the right to a couple of personal secrets even though no constitution lists that. To understand that one plus one may not be one after all, or even two,

you may be shocked that it could in fact be 11 or 200! So, no matter the level of the relationship, you are still different individuals with differing inclinations and proclivities. It’s important to note that the secrets we burden others with may not be needful so why mention it? I maintain that its best to limit disclosures to matters that have consequence on your present relationship, anything extra is needless and must be avoided. And even when there are relevant issues to be shared, never do so prematurely. All at the best time.

•Please send your comments, observations to ifyaronu@gmail.com

Rewriting Niger Delta narrative I

N the cardinal directions, we have the East, West, North, South. Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones, North Central, North East, North West, South South, South East, and the South West.

According to Wikipedia, ”The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is typically considered to be located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitical zone, one state (Ondo) from South West geopolitical zone and two States (Abia and Imo) from South East geopolitical zone.

Of all the States that the region covers, only Cross River is not an oil-producing State, after boundary adjustments that cost it wells.

Niger Delta is a very densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil. The area was the British Oil Rivers Protectorate from 1885 until 1893, when it was expanded and became the Niger Coast Protectorate. The delta is a petroleum-rich region, and has been the centre of international controversy over pollution, corruption (notably by the Abacha regime), and human rights violations.”

A couple of days ago, I was on Google carrying out some search on Niger Delta, and one of the searches involved a fisherman at sea with his nets and his catch, but I was stunned at the discovery I made and became heavily burdened with it.

All I saw were images of militants, oil spillage, riots, and various forms of youth restiveness and killings of various levels and this is worrisome.

Of every 10 images shown 9 were not telling good stories of the Niger Delta

M

e& ore

Maureen Alikor maureenalikor@gmail.com

Niger Delta is a very densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil. The area was the British Oil Rivers Protectorate from 1885 until 1893, when it was expanded and became the Niger Coast Protectorate. The delta is a petroleum-rich region, and has been the centre of international controversy over pollution, corruption, and human rights violations.

”

and this is alarming and hugely embarrassing, since I am of the Niger Delta Region and I happen to know quite a number of persons who are of the same region as I, who are making positive impact in the Niger Delta.

I also know that there are talents and creatives who are not miscreants and wayward as the Internet seems to portray us, and it is sad enough that we are all lumped into the crop of unproductive indigenes and residents of the Niger Delta region.

People always flinch twice when you introduce yourself as a Niger Deltan and often times they go as far as calling you a ”militant”, though they painstakingly infuse laughter into the sentence to make it end on a lighter note, but deep down somewhere in the inner crevice of their minds, they already have a preconceived conclusion or idea of you and they do business with you with less trust and unhealthy suspicions.

I am an indigene of Rivers State and I know how sad I become when I intro-

duce myself to be a resident of Port Harcourt and silly remarks with an undertone of prostitution and laziness would be made, thereby making me wonder how that impression came to be.

I believe this is one of the problems of the single story and gruesome generalization, and I can say it is a huge problem which should begin to receive attention in a bid to debunk, rewrite this story or in majority of the cases, bring the true story or narrative to light - to the view of our neighbouring communities and the world at large using the medium available to us, the world wide web.

On rewriting the Niger Delta narrative, all hands has to be on deck, we have to wipe off the bad image we have as a region on the internet if we are to attract investors and more business oriented individuals and organizations.

Truth be told, if we do not tell our own stories, those who do would not always tell good stories of and for us as we have seen.

The Internet is a very vital tool and whatever is been said of someone or something or a group of persons on the Internet is widely believed, true or not.

And this has left a mark, which could take so much effort to erase.

We all should contribute towards rewriting the Niger delta.

Assuage your curiosity; take a trip to Google, key in on the Google search space “Niger Delta”.

I belong to the Niger Delta Region by social or national stratification, I am a thinker, I am a creative and I am not lazy, I get offended when I hear the direct opposite being said about us.

•Please send your comments to maureenalikor@gmail.com

38

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

The Law and You Landlords and tenants matters

With Barr. Ken Akpom 08162016410

A

right of occupancy can be said to in principle less than freehold interest; the holder cannot create anything more than a sublease in favor of a third party. Creation of a lease by the holder of a statutory right of occupancy after March 28, 1978 for example merely creates a sublease since in fact; the holder has an interest less than freehold.

Also, No sublease may be validly created without the consent of the Governor in respect of a statutory right of occupancy of the Local government in respect of customary right of occupancy. See Sections 21 and 22 LUA 1978. Any sublease created without requisite consent is void see section 26 LUA 1978.

TYPES OF TENANCY i.

TENANCY FOR A FIXED TERM: A tenancy for a fixed term or term certain is that with definite beginning and end so that when the time lapsed, the relationship of landlord and tenant automatically terminates and the landlord if he so wish may take possession through the due process of law after serving on the tenant Notice of Owner intention to possession (i.e. seven days’ notice). ii.

TENANCY AT WILL: This arises whenever a tenant hold over with the consent of the owner or landlord after the expiration of the term granted. The law will also infer that the tenancy stands determined if either party dies or the landlord parts with his reversion and the tenant receives notice thereof, or, if the tenant assigns his interest to another and the landlord has notice. Where the tenancy is determined in any of these ways, the tenant is entitled to a reasonable time to enter and reap his crops or remove his property.

During the period of the tenancy the landlord is ordinarily entitles to compensation for the use and occupation of the land unless the parties otherwise agreed, but where rent is agreed upon, it may be distrained for in the usual way. See African Petroleum Ltd v. Owoduns (1991)8 NWLR (pt. 210) p.139 A tenant at will may not be liable for permissive wastes but where he commits voluntary wastes the tenancy determines and he will be liable for trespass. iii.

TENANCY AT SUFFERANCE: A tenant at sufferance is one where initial entry on the demised property is lawful and holds over after the expiration of the lease wrongfully such tenant is different from a tenant at will who holds over with the consent of the landlord. The position of such a tenant at common law was precarious. He may be evicted summarily and had no right to re-enter the land to reap his crops. At common law, a tenant at sufferance has no liability to pay rent for the period of holding over but may pay mense profit. Mense profit is the sum due to a landlord from the time his tenant ceases to hold the premises as tenant to the time he gives up possession and it is generally calculated on the yearly value of the premises and so a landlord is not bound to use the rent payable during the tenancy as an index of the rate of mense profit, see Osarawu v. Ezeiruka (1978)6 S.ci.135.

A tenant at sufferance is an adverse possessor and time runs in his favor under the limitation law and after twelve years, the right of the landlord to recover possession maybe barred. iv.

STATUTORY TENANCY: A statutory tenant is an otherwise tenant at sufferance but whose tenancy is protected by a rent control and recovery of premises law. Thus a statutory tenant is an occupier who, when his contractual tenancy expires holds over, continues in possession by virtue of special statutory provision and holds the land of another contrary to the will of the other person who strongly deserves to turn him out, see Oduye v. Nigerian Airways (1987)2 NWLR (pt. 55) pg. 126, such a tenant is thus a protected tenant which can only be evicted after the serving on him of a statutory notice, and if necessary, a writ of possession, see Etiochim Nigerian Ltd. v. Fabadiwe (1986) 1NWLR (pt. 14) pg. 47; Sule v. Nigerian Cotton Board (1985)2 NWLR pt. 5 pg. 17.

“A tenant at sufferance is one where initial entry on the demised property is lawful and holds over after the expiration of the lease wrongfully such tenant is different from a tenant at will who holds over with the consent of the landlord. The position of such a tenant at common law was precarious. He may be evicted summarily and had no right to re-enter the land to reap his crops.”

LANDLORD In the absence of express stipulations by the parties, the law implies the following obligation on the part of the landlord; a.

QUIET ENJOYMENT: Where the lease is silent, the law implies in it that the lessee shall enjoy quiet possession. The lessee shall be entitled to recover damages if his enjoyment of the demised premises is substantially disturbed by the acts either of the lessor or somebody claiming under the lessor, see Jones v.

Lavington (1903) 1 KB pg. 252. Where with a view of getting rid of the tenant, the landlord remove the doors and windows of the demised premises, the court held that there was a breach of the covenant in question, see Lavender v. Betts (1942) All EP pg. 72. b.

FIT FOR HABITATION: Upon letting of the house, there is an implied warranty in the nature of a condition that the premises shall reasonably be fit for habitation at the date fixed for the commencement of the tenancy, see Bottomly v. Bannister (1932) KB pg. 458. The premises must not only be fit for habitation at the date of commencement of the lease but must also be fit for habitation for a reasonable time thereafter. c.

NON-DEROGATION FROM GRANT: A landlord is under an obligation not to derogate from his grant. This means that he must not do anything with the demised property that renders the purpose for which the grant was made to the tenant impossible. The landlord must not frustrate the use of the land for the purpose for which it was let, see Browne v. Flower (1911) 1 ch. Pg. 219.

TENANT implied covenant; a.

COVENANT TO PAY RENT: The tenant has the duty to pay rent. The rent must be certain and the date of payment must be precise covenant to pay rent may be provide as follows: “The rent reserved shall be payable in advance and if not paid on the second day of the expiration of the current rent it shall be lawful for the landlord to re-enter upon the demised premises and determine same.” b.

COVENANT TO REPAIR: The tenant has the duty to put the demised premises in a good and tenantable repair or good condition sometimes the repairs is limited to inferior while the lessor takes care of the exterior

the covenant at common law is the tenant’s liability for damages. This will include the rent of the premises during which time the landlord is kept out of possession and the cost of an action brought against him to recover possession.

REMEDIES FOR BREACH OF COVENANT 1.

COVENANT TO PAY RENT a. DISTRESS: At common law, the landlord seize and sell goods found on the demised premises whether it belongs to the tenant or a stranger in payment of the arrears of rent without recourse to court. But under the recovery of premise law, the remedy is only available to the landlord executing a court judgment for arrears of rents in accordance with the sheriff and civil process law and the court on being satisfied that a tenant has defaulted in paying the standard rent fixed. The court may order that the tenant property be distrained, see Section 7(1) of the Rent Control and Recovery of Presidential Premise Edict No 6, 1977, Lagos state; Sheriff and Civil Process Act Cap 407 LFN 1990. b.

ACTION FOR ARREARS OF RENTS: A landlord may recover arrears of rents by action. However, this action is not available where the landlord has levied a distress, unless the proceeds from the distrained good is insufficient to satisfy the arrears, see Archbold v. Scully (1861) 9 H.L.C. 360 c.

ACTION FOR FORFEITURE: The landlord may re-enter the premises upon a breach of the covenant to pay rent by the tenant. But since the law generally leans against forfeiture, no acting for forfeiture will lie in the absence of a forfeiture clause in a lease agreement.

DETERMINATION OF LEASES A lease or tenancy may be determined by; I. SURRENDER: A lessee or tenant may yield up the remainder of his interest in the land to his lessor or landlord. If a tenant surrender to lease to his immediate landlord who accepts the surrender, the lease merges in the landlord’s reversion and is extinguished. The surrender must be to the immediate landlord; a transfer of the lease to a superior landlord does not amount to surrender but operates merely as an assignment of the lease. If “A” leases to “B” for 99years and “B” subleases to “C” for 2 years, C’s lease will be extinguished by surrender. If he transfer it to B, but not if he transfers it to A. II. MERGER: The term of years (i.e. the lease) and the reversion are concurrent interests that cannot be held by one and the same person at the same time. If the lessor conveys in fee simple, the term or lease is at common law alienated. If the lessor transfers his freehold to the lessee, the lease is determined immediately at common law III. EFFLUXION OF TIME: Where the tenancy is for a fixed term, it stands determined automatically at the expiration of the term and no formal steps need be taken to put it to an end.

IV. NOTICE TO QUIT: At common law, a notice to Quit is required to bring an end to all forms of periodic tenancy and tenancy for a fixed term if a stipulation to that effect appears in the lease agreement, see Obadina v. Agro Service Corporation (1985) HCNLR p. 215. In the case of a yearly tenancy, it is usual to give half a year’s Notice (Six months) while Notice of termination in the case of other periodic tenancies such as weekly, monthly, quarterly and half yearly tenancy is the full period corresponding to the type of periodic tenancy in question.

V. FRUSTRATION: The question whether a lease can be frustrated was answered in the affirmative by the Supreme Court in Araka v. Mornier Construction Co Nig. Ltd (1978) 98 S.C. pg. 98.

c.

COVENANT NOT TO ASSIGN: A lessee has the freedom to transfer his estate to a third party. This right may be qualified by a clause in the covenant that the tenant “shall not assign or underlet”. The covenant may be absolute or conditional. An absolute covenant is one which imposes an unconditional prohibition on transfer upon the tenant on the other hand, a qualified covenant is one which subjects the right of tenant to transfer to the consent of the lessor. This may be further qualified to the effect that the lessor’s consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, see International Drilling Fluids Ltd. v. Louisville Investment TENANCY BY ESTOPPEL: Tenancy by estoppel arises (Lux bridge) Ltd. (1986) L.R. Chan. Div. 513. v. where a person grants a lease of property in respect of which d.

COVENANT TO DELIVER UP POSSESSION: Covenant he has no interest. The lessor and lessee are precluded from denying the existence of landlord and tenant relationship, see by lessee to yield and deliver up the demised premises upon the expiration of the term he can contain appears an assurance on Agbomeji v. Olivant 16 NLR pg.92.

A tenancy by estoppel has all the attributes of a true tenancy the part of the lessee that the lessor shall have peaceable posand both parties are bound by covenants in such lease. It be- session of the demised premises at the expiration of the term. comes a true tenancy where the lessor subsequently acquires Possession is delivered when the tenant returns the keys of the premises and the landlord accept then the landlord accepts the title to the property. them with the intention of changing possession.

A tenant cannot be regarded as having delivered if he vacates NOTE: You cannot perform effectively your rights on this matRIGHTS AND LIABILITIES OF LANDLORD AND TENANT The rights and liabilities of the parties to a lease or a tenant in the premises but retain the keys thereby preventing the land- ter without the assistance of experts (Lawyers) to handle it for are fixed by the covenants in the lease some of these may be lord from entering into possession, see Asoropa v. Orelaja (1976) you. Consult one around you or TEXT me on any of my lines or 5 CCHCJ pg. 1405 High Court Lagos. The effect of the breach of email. implied by law.

• Do you have questions or seek legal clarification on issues concerning your marriage, probate, property, etc? Call or send a text message to Barr. Ken: 08162016410, 08075763840. Email: kenakpom@yahoo.com

39

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Entertainment With Douglas Omoyooma Yes, I have experienced sexual harassment –Salma Aminu, actress Former model and now actress, Mercy Salma, came into acting less than a decade ago. But she seems to have seen it all, having experienced the good, the bad and the ugly sides of Nollywood. In this chat with Oracle Today, the Kogi State-born graduate of English Literature from the University of Abuja and star of Drift Beyond Conscience opens up on her career, dreams and sexual harassment.

Where you born with a silver spoon and how many kids where you?

(Laughter) I don’t know what a silver spoon is but I was born into a comfortable home. There was so much love growing up. We were eleven kids. My parents were not stupendously rich but they made sure that we the kids had all was necessary for a robust upbringing. It was fun though.

What has been your most challenging role?

Challenging? I used to think its Drift Beyond Conscience but right now I can say it’s the project at hand.

Tell us about your love life?

My love life is not for public Consumption. I want it quiet. Look out there for yourself, how many actors and actresses out the put their marriages or relationships out there and survive. Please, let us not go that way.

As a child growing up, did you ever experience any form of abuse, sexual or domestic?

No, there was no abuse at all. Ahh! Do you want my dad to kill you? No one could have thought of doing that to me.

Can you marry a fellow actor?

Of course, actually that is what I hope for and the reason is as simple as it comes; it is only an actor that can understand a fellow actor.

At what age did you discover that you wanted to be an actress?

I have always loved to act even as a child. Back then I used to mimic TV characters but I have always thought that I will go for law first and then I could act while I practice.

What project are you working on currently?

Oh my God! Traits, that’s my next big thing. I am producing and acting in it as well. Wait; did I just say my next big thing? It is actually the next big thing to rock the industry because it is not just a big one for me but also for the entire industry

How did you come into Nollywood?

Hmmm… I have said this a dozen times over but I will repeat it6 again. It is almost a decade now. I was at this fashion show in Abuja and I was cool on the catwalk and a movie producer discovered me. He told me I had a bright future as an actress and ever since I have never looked back.

Who do you look up to in the industry?

Rita Dominic. She’s a fantastic actor. I think she has done pretty well for herself and one thing you can’t take from her is her dexterity. The way she interprets her scripts is mind blowing.

Did you experience any form of sexual harassment?

Yes, but I have always know how to come out of any situation. It was tough and rough but because I knew what I wanted I was able to overcome and here I am today.

Could you recount your first time before the camera?

I was never nervous, unbelievable right? I know but that’s the truth.

Any plans to go into movie production?

My dream is to own one of the biggest media companies in the world. What a question, I have been producing for years.

Could you act nude? What would it take for you to bare it all for the cameras?

Nude? I don’t think there are scripts like that anymore.

There are better ways to interpret a character without going totally nude.

Tell us about your happiest moment as an actress?

That was a while ago when I went to the ATM point and a women gave way for me to make withdrawal because as she put it, she had watched my movie barely an hour before she met me.

• Salma Aminu

as Nigerian movies Kevwe Ogunje fetes Down Syndrome kids @ birthday Excitement head to Chinese market

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K returnee, BEFTA Award winner and Rave TV presenter, Kevwe Ogunje, in conjunction with Ofure Global Holdings feted kids living with Down Syndrome on Tuesday, 23 August to mark his birthday at Down Syndrome Foundation Secretariat, Surulere, Lagos, and donated food items to the inmates.

Speaking on what motivated the move, Kevwe said: “When you get to a certain level in life you realize that even if you don’t have too much you ned to start reaching out to the less privileged.

The objective is to show to the kids that they are loved and truly cherished. The difference between the rest of us and these kids is just one chromosome.”

Why Down Syndrome kids?

“Most times people see orphanages as the only place where people need relief but they forget that children with

S

• Kevwe Ogunje Down Syndrome need special care and love. We need to integrate them into society,” the Ofure Global Holdings Ambassador said.

Speaking, Muyiwa Majekodunmi, Coordinator, Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria said: “God bless you and your family. I want to thank Kev-

we Ogunje and Ofure Global Holdings for choosing to celebrate with the kids. We are looking forward to a wonderful relationship with you. We have a maxim here which says ‘accept, educate and inspire.’

It is about giving them opportunities to work as dancers in your music videos and acting

in your movies. Please give them opportunities to work and showcase their talent.

“Finance is a major challenge we face here. Getting society to accept them is another and the message I have is that corporate bodies and celebrities should emulate what kevwe is doing today.”

tarTimes Nigeria is perfecting plans to export productions from the Nigeria’s multi-million Naira Nollywood industry to the Chinese market where the audience is growing at an impressive rate.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, StarTimes Nigeria, Justin Zhang, “The opportunities are enormous for Nollywood in China. Everyday, more and more Chinese nationals become interested in Nollywood movies. We hear good things about Nollywood movies and this is a significant improvement for the industry.

“StarTimes is working with one of the major movie distributors in China and is already holding talks with the minister of information, stakeholders in Nigeria’s movie distribution sector and a bank to see to a successful exportation of Nigerian movies to China. Apart from the fact that many jobs

will be created when this kicks off, it is also an opportunity for producers in Nigeria to increase their earnings. Imagine if a Nollywood production is exported to the Chinese box office where over 45,000 screens exist, the opportunities are unending. It will be a dream come true for us at StarTimes to see Nollywood movies grossing up to $50 million in the box office someday.”

In the first nine months of this year, China added a little over 7,500 new cinema screens, continuing a trend seen over the past few years.

China has been building cinema screens at a rate of over 12 a day for the past five years, rising to 27 a day this year.

Over the years, StarTimes Nigeria has supported the localisation of Chinese movies and currently owns a featured content platform with 440 authourised channels across Africa.

40

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Entertainment Singer, Annjay expands ventures

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onths after the launch of her new venture, Annjay Hair, singer, song writer, model and entrepreneur, John Angela Chioma, better known as Annjay, has announced that she will be expanding her operations.

The singer, who also released a new single, Man No Be God, a few weeks ago, said that she has expanded her operations to Port Harcourt and Abuja in addition to having sales outlets in several other cities.

According to Annjay, this has become necessary due to the demand: “We recently launched our operations in Lagos and we were overwhelmed by the demand. To meet up, we decided it was best to open up shop in areas where the demand is highest.

We are presently well stocked with Brazilian Virgin human hair, eye lashes for women and we have a range of other products which we will be introducing into the Nigerian market soon. I believe Nigerians will benefit from our wonderful products.

That’s all I can say for now, but general public should take note of this, and keep their fingers cross. But we hope things will improve soon in Nigeria as many investors believe so

much in Nigerian market and in the country as a whole,” she added.

On the music front, she said that her fans should expect more singles from her before the year runs out. Her new track, Man No Be God

was released a few weeks ago to acclaim. She described the song as s part of efforts aimed at a an inspirational track which seeks continuous promotion of to encourage those who are going the culture and traditions through one ordeal or the other. of the people of Southwest Nigeria, Goldberg has announced plans to sponsor various cultural festivals across the region. The festivals are Osun Osogbo, Udiroko, Oranyan, Ojude Oba, Olojo and Oyemekun and are scheduled to hold between the months of August and November.

Commenting, Emmanuel Agu, Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager & Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc said that with the sponsorships, the brand is reiterating its commitment to supporting the promotion of Yoruba culture and traditions, in line with its three-point agenda of culture, respect and enjoyment.

He said: “These age-old festivals are among the elements that bind the Yoruba together, and they represent the norms and values which are highly cherished in Yorubaland.

Goldberg has been a lead sponsor of cultural festivals in the Southwest, which was the brand’s way of

A

• Annjay

Denrele, Yvonne Jegede on parade as WittySally unveils relationship blog

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• Denrele Edun

omic, Denrele, actresses, Yvonne Jegede and Moyo Lawal will grace the Red Carpet during the launch of WittySally.com, a blog dedicated torelationships which will be unveiled on September 9 at Ottelo’s Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos at 2pm.

Speaking, Sally Chukwudumebi Anyadike, a native of Delta State, mother of two and founder, WittySally.com said: “Witty Sally is all about mending relationships and healing broken hearts. Are you hurting? Are you broken hearted?

Join us on September 9 at Ottelo’s Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, as we unveil my relationship blog, WittySally.com. it promises to be exciting as we will

Singer, Annjay expands ventures

M

onths after the launch of her new venture, Annjay Hair, singer, song writer, model and entrepreneur, John Angela Chioma, better known as Annjay, has announced that she will be expanding her operations.

The singer, who also released a new single, Man No Be God, a few weeks ago, said that she has expanded her operations to Port Harcourt and Abuja in addition to having sales outlets in several other cities.

According to Annjay, this has become necessary due to the demand: “We recently launched our operations in Lagos and we were overwhelmed by the demand. To meet up, we decided it was best to open up shop in areas where the demand is highest.

We are presently well stocked with Brazilian Virgin human hair, eye lashes for women and we have a range of other products which we will be introducing into the Nigerian market soon. I believe Nigerians will benefit from our wonderful products. That’s all I can say for now, but general pub-

lic should take note of this, and keep their fingers cross. But we hope things will improve soon in Nigeria as many investors believe so much in Nigerian market and in the country as a whole,” she added.

Goldberg Reiterates Commitment to Cultural Development

Why I kept Funke Akindele’s pregnancy secret –JJC Skillz

be having recourse people at the launch. We are talking about those who have been married for 30 years and aboveand they will be sharing their experiences and tips for lasting relationships. I will also be people having issues with their relationships free of charge.”

“We are also inviting celebrities and we will be counseling them on how to keep their marriages away from the prying media so that they will be able to separate their private lives from work. Expect a wowevent, expect us to be witty. I will be tackling serious relationship issues in a witty way and in a relaxed atmosphere.”

• JJC Skillz with Funke Akindele

On the music front, she said that her fans should expect more singles from her before the year runs out. Her new track, Man No Be God was released a few weeks ago to acclaim. She described the song as an inspirational track which seeks to encourage those who are going through one ordeal or the other.

A

frican Diva is designed to empower Africa women-Chika Ike Inspired by the plight of the African woman, actress, Chika Ike is poised to unleash season 3 of her TV reality show designed to promote the beauty of Africa, empower young African women and give them a platform to be discovered.

The excited Harvard University student revealed that Season 3 African Diva will be bigger, better and started writing poems. However, elevated. “I am super excited about with time she started converting her poems to songs and ever since she has never looked back.

As a mother of two, how does she combine show biz with the home front and also working: “My mum has been very supportive. It is tough usband of Jenifa’s diary star being a single mother and somehow I and creator, Funke akindele, get by and my mum is behind me and jjC Skillz has opened up on is very supportive. It has been a little why he kept his wife’s pregnancy a difficult combining music and moth- secret. erhood and doing shows but with In a chat with Oracle Today he said: the help of my mum I have been able “Trust is earned. Be careful who you to strike a balance. The video and au- trust. The devil was once an angel. dio of Gele Yaya are available online Don’t freely divulge information to for download.” so called friends or family. Many just want to be the mouthpiece for your

EFWY unleashes Gele Yaya

A

new wind is blowing across the Nigerian music space and lovers of good music should watch out for fast rising act, EFWY (Oyeleke Foluwake Yetunde) as her single, Gele Yaya heats up the airwaves.

In a chat with TS weekend the singer said: “Gele Yaya is a song designed to make you happy and just have fun.

You will notice that Nigerians are fun loving people. Despite the recession they party everyday and that is just to let off the stress. So Gele Yaya is designed to let you offload stress in a fun and relaxing way.”

According to EFWY, she started singing in school in SS2 when she

displaying respect for the people.

Across the different cities of the Southwest where these festivals hold, Goldberg’s sponsorship positively impacts economic activities, apart from the colour, grandeur and enjoyment it adds to the festivals.”

this one. Registrations for African diva Season 3 is ongoing and the responses has been impressive.”

Commenting on what fans should expect from this edition, the actress said: “Fans should expect an upgrade from previous seasons. Fans should expect something entertaining and educative tasks. It’s going to be elevated in every way. I have some other projects on the back burner which will be revealed soon but right now it is all about African Diva Season 3.”

Why I kept Funke Akindele’s pregnancy secret-JJC Skillz

H

life’s ups and downs.”

It would be recalled that news of the witty actress being pregnant with twins had rocked everywhere even though it was later debunked to have been a rumour.”

Meanwhile, it was so glaring recently that the actress was pregnant when she was spotted penultimate weekend at the 2017 Glo Lafta Fest held in Festac, rocking a baby bump.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

News

Cross River police denies releasing killer pastor T he Cross River Police Command has denied reports making the rounds the State that the Police Command is under pressure from wellplaced citizens in the State to release the pastor accused of killing a 19-month old baby in Calabar and using her heart for ritual purposes.

Rev. Tony Obo Ekpe the of Royal God’s Commandment Church was recently arrested by the police with five other members for allegedly kidnapping baby Success and killing her.

Parading the suspects before newsmen in Calabar, the Police Public Relations Officer Miss. Irene Ugbe disclosed that the essence of parading the suspects was to disabuse the minds of members of the public that the Command had released the pastor and his accomplices.

“We heard that there is a rumour that police has collected money to release them, so we actually invited you here to let

the world know that we have not done that.

“There is no way the police

can release any murder or kidnap suspect without due process. There are about six suspects including the pastor.

They colluded to kidnap the little girl two days before the pastor was arrested. They will be charged alongside the pastor.

“It’s overwhelming that people can be so mean. Some of the items we discovered there include human heart, charms and all sorts of things. The pictures of various persons I don’t know for what reason were also found. The heart recovered from the pastor is being kept in the morgue and the doctors are going to ascertain because the pastor is claiming that the heart is that of a fowl,” she said.

She further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police was interested in this matter and very soon the truth will come out.

When asked what her Command is doing to bring other pastors who indulge in rituals to book, she disclosed that the Pastor is going to give more information about the pastors that are involved in this crime.

•The suspects paraded by police

Narrating her ordeal to newsmen, the mother of the baby Success, Miss Faith Inyang stated that the suspects came to her house at about 3am on 23 August 2017 and stole her baby.

She said one of the suspects by name Udo Okon came to her house two days before the incident and promised to take care of her child. She also disclosed that the Udo Okon lives within the area and has never visited her compound nor had anything to do with her.

Meanwhile, the Pastor of God’s Commandment Ministry and suspected killer of Baby Success, Rev. Tony Obo Ekpe has denied that he stole the baby and used her for ritual purposed. “I did not do anything and was praying on Wednesday night. All these things I use it to work for my members who are not feeling fine. I see no heart here. The children use the artifacts for praying”, he said.

Driver held for killing FRSC official

By IBE NWACHUKWU, Onitsha

A

COMMERCIAL bus driver who was identified by the police as Obiekezie Okonkwo is in the police custody at the Fegge Divisional Headquarters, Onitsha, Anambra State for allegedly crushing an official of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, to death.

Obiekezie who was driving a Toyota Hiace with Registration No. ATN 466 ZK had lost control of his vehicle and allegedly knocked down the 32-year old FRSC official on duty who was identified as Ojukwu Noble.

According to the source, the incident occurred at the foot of the Niger Bridge in the Onit-

sha commercial city.

Efforts to revive Ojukwu at the nearby Toronto hospital, Onitsha, proved abortive as the medical personnel confirmed him dead few hours after he was rushed to the hospital.

Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, at Fegge, Rabiu Garba, a Superintendent of Police, SP, said the driver would soon be charged to court for manslaughter.

Garba disclosed that the driver was already being detained at the station, while his vehicle was taken to the premises of Onitsha unit command of the FRSC.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

NEWS

Anambra 2017: CAN, ACP, call for peaceful campaigns From OGE ONYEANUSI, Nnewi

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NNPC increases gas supply by 123% From CHIDI UGWU, ABUJA

of Nigeria’s three refineries which produced between five and six milHE Nigerian National Petro- lion liters of Premium Motor Spirit leum Corporation (NNPC) (PMS), also known as petrol, per day has increased daily average in June 2017. natural gas supply to the nation’s gas power plants by 123 per cent to 730 The refineries also produced bemillion standard cubic feet per day tween five and six million litres of Au(mmscf/d). tomotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known The Corporation, in its June 2017 as diesel, per day in the period under Monthly Financial and Operations review.

Report released Tuesday in Abuja, “The Corporation has maintained said the gas supply was for June 2017 seamless nationwide supply and as against 327mmscf/d in the corre- distribution of petroleum products sponding period in 2016. which guarantees stable products According to the report, gas sup- and queue-free filling stations across ply to power plants increased slightly the nation,” the report stated. The by 0.13 per cent from 729mmscf/d report also showed that the perforin May 2017 to 730mmscf/d in June mance of the Port Harcourt Refinery 2017. The report also indicated that continued to improve with a boost nationwide petroleum products sup- to the midstream value chain as it ply continued to record remarkable inched towards sustained commerstability following the performance cial operations.

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It would be recalled that the pump price of diesel crashed by 42% nationwide following strategic intervention by the Corporation in May 2017. On pipeline vandalism, the report indicated that the Corporation recorded about 86 cases of pipeline breaks across the country in the period under review.

According to the report, out of these 86 cases, 77 were due to pipeline vandalism, which represents almost 40% increase relative to cases recorded in the previous month (May 2017).

The report added that while the Port Harcourt-Aba line recorded the highest pipeline breaches of 55 points (66%), there was also an unusual upsurge in the activities of vandal along Kaduna-Zaria line, which witnessed 13 vandalised points during the period. There was also a slight

decrease in national gas production compared to previous month, which stood at 227.15BCF or an average of 7,571.50 mmscfd, the report noted.

This, the Corporation explained, was despite sustaining the success recorded by its enhanced crude oil evacuation and oil lifting in June, 2017 following re-opening of Forcados Oil Terminal (FOT) on 31 March, 2017. The NNPC further called on Nigerians to continue to support the Corporation in the area of security with a view to ensuring zero vandalism of the nation’s oil and gas infrastructures.

The June 2017 report is the 23rd edition in the series, which seeks to sustain effective communication with the Corporation’s stakeholders in line with its commitment to becoming more accountable, responsive and transparent organisation.

he Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Anambra State Chapter and a nongovernmental organization, Anambra Consensus Project (ACP), have entered into a working relationship with respect to the 2017 Governorship election in the state, calling on political parties and candidates to avoid violent campaigns in the election processes.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of CAN Anambra State Chapter, Snr. Special Apostle, Tim Okpala and President of Anambra Consensus Project, Dr Emeka Eze who addressed a joint press briefing after their meeting, also presented a 10-point resolution with a vow that only a “true Christian leadership” would prevail in the State at all levels.

Noting that the direction of the State depends on the kind of leadership it boasts, the group expressed its wish to ensure that a good leader is in the driving seat of Anambra State.

They said such a leader must have the willpower to propel the Christian faith, irrespective of religious denomination, through evangelism and empowerment of the people.

In the resolutions presented, the two groups said they agreed to work together, defend both associations’ integrity and credibility and meet occasionally to articulate means, methods, protocols and processes aimed at enthroning “a veritable, dependable, credible, intelligent, and devoted Christian leadership in Anambra State.”

They also agreed to encourage the various candidates from different political parties by leading in divine prayers for their uplift and successes.

To achieve a free, fair, impartial, credible, non violent campaign and election processes in the state, CAN and ACP said they will apply any legitimate and constitutional means through the use of educational tools, conferences, lectures, moral correctness and any such related materials.

“We shall also pressure the victorious governor to hold fast on election promises, focus on positive state-wide development , to inculcate equity and fairness in employments, cater specially for the mother and child and show immense commitment for the development of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, with Christopher Coons, Junior United State Senator from Delaware and Stuart W. Symington, US state” the group stated.

Ambassador to Nigeria at the State House. Photo: Novo Isioro

Community commends Buhari, NDDC Board From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

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he Yeye Community in Iduwini Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State has commended President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Mr. Nsima Ubong Ekere for their gesture and benevolence in the appointment of Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo as Commissioner representing Delta State on the Board and subsequent appointment of Prince.

Ebi Brian Iseru by the Hon. Commissioner as his personal assistant on Delta South Affairs.

In a statement made available to Newsmen in Warri and signed

by Pastor Phillip Fianka, chairman, Engr. Prince Onaro, secretary and Pastor Alex Kenerekedi (JP) among others, the community noted that by these appoint-

ments, they are optimistic of the good intentions of Mr. President and the Governing Board of NDDC for the overall development of the oil and gas producing communities of the Niger Delta, especially Delta State.

They noted that the appointment of these credible and proven men of integrity in their field of endeavours by the Board was inspired and directed by God. According to them: “We the good people of Yeye Community of Iduwini Kingdom once more congratulate His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari and Board of NDDC for their benevolence in appointing Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo Commissioner NDDC and Prince Ebi Brian Iseru from Delta State”.

They pledged to wholeheartedly support the Commission to create an enabling environment for the development of Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko Communities in Delta State.

Ihitte/Uboma Development Union in Calabar sends forth illustrious son From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

T

he Ihitte/Uboma Development Union in Cross River has honoured one of its sons, Nze Alphonsus O. Okafor who retired from the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company.

The Ihitte/Uboma Development Union is a congregation of the indigenes of Ihitte/Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State resident in Cross River State. The socio-cultural organization caters for the welfare and well-being of the people.

Speaking at the send-forth ceremony, the chairman of Ihitte/ Uboma Development Union, Barr.

Ukaegbu disclosed that the Union is sending forth one of the illustrious sons of Ihitte/Uboma who successfully retired and is going home.

He disclosed that civil servants, professionals and all others who

find themselves in positions of trust should be encouraged to serve and serve meritoriously without denting their image.

“The reason I am doing this thing is to encourage people to be honest in their work because when you are honest, you are building bridges for yourself and people can stand on this bridge and cross,” he said.

Mr. Okonkwo Chebem, Secretary General of Ihitte/Uboma Development Union described the retiree as an illustrious son of the local government area.

“The retiree has been a pillar to the association and has made us thick. The importance of this association is welfare. We come together and get to know each other,” he explained.

“If any member is having issues, anyone can proffer solutions.

That’s what we are doing. It has helped in saving lives. We pay hospital bills, gifts, financial needs, etc.

We relate very well with the people of Calabar and they have accepted us,” he added.

The celebrant, Nze Alphonsus O. Okafor expressed appreciation to God for giving him the grace to serve till retirement.

He advised the younger ones to “take their work seriously and respect constituted authority.”

This, according to him, is the secret of successful service.

Also speaking, the Legal Adviser of the Union Chief Ignatius Onuigbo Ehiri said: “The association has been long standing and the person we are sending forth has been a member right from when he came into Calabar up till his retirement.

From its aims and objectives, it seeks to enhance the welfare of its members here in Calabar. We appreciate the hospitality of the people of Calabar and pray that this is sustained.”

The Oracle Today

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Wednesday September 6, 2017

SPORTS World Cup qualifier list, Rohr’s statement of intent –Hon. Etoroma •Calls for Eagles’ support

Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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T IS no longer news that the much awaited 23-man Super Eagles’ list for the Russia 2018 World Cup Qualifier against the African champions, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon come September 1 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo has been release but the news now is reaction of stakeholders.

One of the stakeholders and a former member of the immediate past Delta State Sports Commission, Honourable Ejiro Etoroma, while in exclusive interview with the Oracle Sports described the content of the list as a demonstration of Gernot Rohr’s statement of intent as the list contained the names of players who are currently doing well in their various clubs including those in the Chinese Super League.

He acknowledged the fact that in the game of football, at times things don’t normally go the way one expects it, but with what Nigerians have seen of the list, the Franco-German football tactician has demonstrated that he wants to win the match and qualify the

country for the World Cup. He, therefore, urged Nigerians to give the Eagles’ gaffer all the supports that he needs to deliver the World Cup ticket to Nigerians.

“Well, like you have rightly analyzed, the list contain Nigerian players who are inform and currently doing well in their various clubs which is what Nigerians have been clamouring for,” Hon Etoroma began.

“I believe that the list is a statement of intent by Gernot Rohr that he wants to win the match against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon when they come calling next week for the World Cup Qualifier in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

“Of course football at times does not necessarily give you the result you expect some times that was what happened in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

“The game did not go the way most Nigerian expect it to happen, but that is football for you,” Etoroma declared.

“Now that we have seen the names that the list contained, as people who believe in God I only advise that we should support the German tactician and

his wards in any way possible, being it spiritual or material to enable them deliver the much needed victory come September 1 in Uyo. “It is true that Cameroon are the African champions, there is not law that says Eagles cannot beat them. With our support, Eagles determination and good technical input, I believe that Eagles stand a good chance of emerging victorious at the end of the encounter,” Etoroma said.

Eagles’ security advisor assures of international best practice T

• Garba Umar

HE Special Advisor to the Super Eagles, Garba Umar, has said that he would ensure the best security structure of international standards for the national teams. Super Eagles forward Oghenekaro Etebo tries to outwit South African defence during their 2019 AFCON qualifier at Goodswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Umar, who is the Police Commissioner in Anambra, gave the assurance while addressing the leadership of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Anambra Chapter in Awka on Wednesday. The Commissioner promised to apply his experience on the job and enjoined the sports writers to join him in uplifting sports in the country.

“I am happy that SWAN in Anambra has come to congratulate me on this appointment as the Senior Security Advisor to the Super Eagles.

“SWAN has come a long way, they have

done great in promoting sportsmen and women in Nigeria and abroad, they have kept us abreast of happenings in sports world.

“As for what I intend to do with my position, I wish to say that I am ready to work with the association. “I am looking forward to partner and synergise with them in bringing peace and security to not only the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but to all other bodies.

“I also want to say that with the wealth of experience I have garnered in the provision of security, we shall strategise and apply internationally acceptable practice; I will do my best and give my best,’’ he said.

Umar said he had already scored success with the qualification of the Super Eagles for CHAN, adding that it was significant both for him and the country.

“Coincidentally it was a double success, we qualified on that day and the Presi-

dent Commander in Chief also came back that day. “I was there because it was my first assignment, so I am glad that we qualified, so it will go down in history for me,’’ he said.

Delivering a letter of congratulation to Umar, the Chairman of SWAN in Anambra, Anthony Oji, said he had what it takes to execute his task and pledged the cooperation of the SWAN to enable him to succeed. “As a serving chairman of the Nigeria Police Football Association, having served as chairman of NFF Security Committee at the 2010 World Cup in ad-hoc capacity, and as chief detail of Team Nigeria to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, you are no less suitable for the job.

“As a body of sports promoters in Anambra, we wish to congratulate you and express our readiness to work with you in the promotion of sports and security in the state and Nigeria in general,’’ he said.

The Oracle Today

44

Wednesday September 6, 2017

SPORTS

Why I support Obiano’s re-election –Prince Oduah •Charges him to revive sports in his 2nd term

• Prince Odua

• Gov. Obiano

By MADUABUCHI KALU

V

ETERAN Sports administrator and elder statesman, Prince Isidore Oduah, has thrown his weight behind Anambra State Governor, Willie Maduabuchi Obiano as he seeks reelected for another fresh term of four years for the November governorship election.

According to Prince Oduah, his support for Obiano stems from the fact that the former banker has done well in his first tenure and as a result, deserves a fresh term to enable him continue with the good works he has done in the state.

He acknowledged that Obiano as a human being may not have done everything within the three and half years he has been in the saddle but his achievements so far speaks volume and therefore, deserves the support and encouragement of every well-meaning members of the state.

Prince Oduah, who hails from

Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state explained that Governor Obiano, through his Ten Commandments has sanitized the entire state particularly Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre East of the Niger.

He said he was thrilled to discover that miscreants from neighbouring towns like Ogbaru who used to come to Onitsha, particularly the Head Bridge to carry out their nefarious activities have all gone home to look for better things to do.

Prince Oduah bared his mind on this and other things in exclusive interview with the Oracle Today Sports at the Oracle Today Bureau Office in Ikeja, Lagos.

“I would like to start by saying that the people called the Igbos are people with dignity and honour. The people called the Igbos have a home and they must guide and guard their home well,” Prince Oduah began.

“As the Anambra State Governorship Election edges closer, I

would like to add my voice to the overwhelming support for the candidature of the incumbent governor, His Excellency Willie Obiano for another fresh mandate of four years.

“My support for him is borne out of the fact that he has performed in his first tenure and as a result, deserves another fresh tenure to enable him continue with his laudable programmes and projects.

“Again, I am a strong supporter of zoning. Obiano is from Anambra North and it is on record that since the creation of the state, nobody from the north has ever been governor of the state until Obiano came on board through the insistence of the former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi that it is the turn of Anambra North.

“Zone makes for equity, fairness and justice. It makes for patriotism and sense of belonging. Therefore, I would not want people to scuttle the zoning arrangement which Obiano’s election has established. The South has taken their

slot and the central have also taken their own slot as well. Now it is left for the North to complete its slot and that is equity, that is fairness and that is justice,” Prince Oduah declared.

Speaking further, Prince Oduah said: “Obiano as a human being may not have done all that people expected from him but he has really done well. And no human being would be able to do all that are expected from him.

“There is no labour problem in the state owing to the inability of the state to fulfill its financial obligations. It is true that Anambra is not an oil producing state at the moment though we have oil; the state is one of the few states that don’t have issues of with workers emoluments.

“As we speak it is on recorded that Obiano chased armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminals out of the state with his radical approach to crime fighting. Anambra is one of the safest states in the country. And security is key to development. He has attracted a lot bot local; and foreign investments to the state more than any other administrations before him, so he deserves another mandate come November Governorship Election in the state.

“He may have stepped on toes in course of carrying out his official duties as the governor of the state but all that he has done is in the best interest of the state. No governor in the history of Anambra State has given priority to Agriculture like he has done. Now people talk of Anambra exporting vegetables to foreign countries, you now hear of Anambra Rice which is a thing of joy and pride for us Ndi Anambra.

“As far as I am concerned, there is no reason Anambra State cannot feed the country because we have the arable land that God has blessed us with. The whole of Anambra North and the entire state is very

fertile for agriculture. Therefore, he should expand his vision and horizon in his agricultural project to areas like Ogbaru and the entire northern belt of Anambra state and of course to the entire state.

“Inasmuch as I appreciate all that he has done in his first tenure, there is one area that he failed which is not good and that area is that he did nothing to empower Anambra youth through sports. Sports as far as I am concerned is dead in Anambra State.

“It is a shame that a state like Anambra does not have a state owe football club. It is a shame that a state endowed so much with vibrant youth cannot boast of a befitting stadium.

“It is a shame that due to lack of enabling sports environment, many Anambrarians adopt other states like Delta, Edo, River, Imo, Abia, Kaduna, FCT , Plateau etc. and they have been winning laurels for them while Anambra is not reckoned with in sports in the country.

“If he wants to empower the youths, he should deploy both human and material resources in sports. Sports is for the youths and not for the elderly. Sports has a lot of multiplier effect on the economy hence the western world don’t play with sports.

“It is my hope that when he is reelected by Ndi Anambra, he will accord sports the priority it deserves,” Prince Oduah enthused.

“More importantly, I would like to warn the money bags and those money bags that Anambra State is not for sale. I thank God that we have a record which is peculiar. It is on record that Anambra is unique in the sense that money bags don’t rule the state.

They may throw their money around but Ndi Anambra will at the end of the elect someone that will work for them.

Crisis hits Cameroon Football Federation . As FIFA take over the country’s football

By MADUABUCHI KALU

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HIS may be cheering news for Nigeria if only they can make maximum and use the opportunity this cheering news offers to them, and what is the cheering news you may ask.

The cheering news is that the football authorities of Super Eagles’ opponents in the September 1 of the 2018 Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), Cameroon Football Federation FECAFOOT, has been engulfed by crisis which has tored the Federation into pieces. The truth of

the matter is that there are different groups trying to take hold of the soul of the Cameroon Football which has made it impossible for Federation to have a united house.

And due to the inability of the federation to put their house in order, the World Football Governing body FIFA have appointed a committee to run the crisis hit Cameroon football even as the crisis has put a doubt over the country’s ability to play host to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

It is recalled that Ahmad Ahmad, the President of Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently ex-

pressed concern over the ability of President Paul Biya country to host the biennial continental football showpiece as the country is struggling to complete the necessary infrastructure projects for the three-week event.

The organisation of the tournament has been complicated by a power struggle at the heart of the Cameroonian Football Association after Tombi Roko Sidiki’s controversial victory in the 2015 race to be chief executive was annulled by the country’s national Olympic and sports committee.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed that decision, agreeing that the electoral process had contained irregularities and FIFA said it had put in

place an interim committee until new elections can be held “no later than” February 28, 2018.”

There is no way the crisis cannot affect the national team, the Indomitable Lions as they prepare to confront their Group B leaders, Nigeria come September 1 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and a return leg on September 4 in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

So, if Cameroon is rocked by crisis of leadership, it one problem that Nigeria could take advantage of if they know the right things to do as Nigerians look forward to getting the maximum points in Uyo come September 4.

The Super Eagles are Group B leaders with maximum points of six after two games while the Indomitable are • President Biya

The Oracle Today

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Wednesday September 6, 2017

SPORTS

Iwobi out of Nigeria World Cup Qualifiers N

World Police Games: Yeiyah, others get automatic promotion Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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HE World Police Games in the United States of America may have come and gone but the success of the Nigerian contingent to the International Police Games is still reverberating, as the Police High Command led by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris Kpotum, has announced automatic promotion to the next ranks of those who won gold for the country.

According to the Police High Command, the automatics promotion offered the athletes who won gold for the country is in recognition of their excellent performance and patriotism during the World Police Games in Los Angeles, United States of America.

The Nigerian Police Team was led by Ondo State born national swimmer, Yellow Yeiyeh. It is recalled that Yeiyah joined the Police Team to the World Police Games immediately he returned from Budapest, Hungary where he represented Nigeria at the FINA Swimming Championship, where he had his person best for the season.

The Ondo State born Policeman won the country’s first gold in the 50mtrs Butter Fly event returning in the time event of 25.81secs. He swam in the age group category of 30-34.

Reacting to the automatic promotion to the five police men who won gold at the World Police Games, the President of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation, Mr. Babatunde Fatayi Williams, whose one of his athletes was among the lucky police athletes said the promotion announcement to the athletes was a welcome development.

According to him: “I am very happy for the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris for recognizing the effort of the Nigerian Police Team to the just concluded World Police Games in the United States of America,” Williams began.

“The announcement of automatic promotion for the athlete is a very good motivation for the athletes. I am particularly happy for Yellow Yeiyah who has been representing the Nigerian Police since 2009. He has represented the force both locally and internationally.

“He has represented the country in FINA World Championship, All Africa Games etc.

Locally he has always been a regular in our championships like the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) other competitions.

igeria have suffered a blow ahead of next Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Cameroon in Uyo after Arsenal forward, Alex Iwobi withdrew from the squad with a thigh muscle strain.

The 21-year-old will also miss the September 4 showdown against African champions Cameroon in Yaounde, according to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

He was due to join the Super Eagles training camp on Monday after Arsenal’s Premier League game at Liverpool later on Sunday.

Iwobi, the nephew of legendary Nigeria star, Jay-Jay Okocha, had played in Nigeria’s first two World Cup qualifiers against Zambia and Algeria, scoring in a 2-1 win in Zambia in October last year.

He has been replaced by CSKA Moscow striker, Aaron Samuel, who was placed on standby last week.Samuel made the last of seven international appearances two years ago.

•As Williams lauds IGP “I am happy that Yellow has been recognized and rewarded for all his effort. He has won several medals for the Nigerian Police and the country in course of representing the country in different competitions.

“I believe that the Police High Command outside announcing automatic promotion for the athletes is planning a special package for them as well.

“Meanwhile, I would like to commend

the IGP for his love for sports. I think that this is the first time the force has sent its athletes to the World Police Games.

“I am delighted that they athletes were well received on arrival in Lagos and they will equally be received in Abuja by the Command including the IGP himself. It is a welcome development that needs to be sustained,” Williams said.

Invincible Mayweather insists on permanent retirement after 50 clean sheets

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OXING legend, Floyd Mayweather insists that nothing would drag him back to the boxing ring after living up to his promise to defeat UFC star, Conor McGregor in world most expensive boxing bout ever at the weekend at Las Vegas, United States of America.

The American boxer defeated McGregor in the 10th round of their bout to set the record of 50 unbeaten run in his career.

According to him, he has achieved his aim and fulfills his promise to defeat Conor McGregor.

Meanwhile, McGregor said his “head was still clear”, after his fight with Mayweather.

Mayweather on his part while fielding questions from journalists after the bout said “he delivered on his promise to win,” in the super-fight in Las Vegas.

It is recalled that Mayweather came out of retirement to fight McGregor.

He announced his

retirement from the sport after defeating Manny Paquiacao in 2015 to bring his unbeaten run in the pugilistic game to 49 but due to the lure for more money he was forced to return to the ring.

The total revenue is set to smash the £500million barrier. Mayweather is expected to earn £230m while McGregor is expected to earn far less. The MMA star is expected to earn less, but his earnings are set to be in nine figures. It is believe that McGregor will earn around £23m.

2017 World Wrestling Championship: Team

Nigeria wins 1medal

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eam Nigeria to the just-concluded World Wrestling Championship which held in France, for the first time won medals two medals.

According to delighted President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Team Nigeria won an unprecedented Silver medal by Odunayo Adekoroye while Blessing Oborududu who wrestled for bronze lost in controversial circumstances 7-8 thereby placing 5th.

The Nigeria’s representatives returned to the country onboard Ethopia Airlines at 1pm on Monday. Adekoroye, it is recalled defied all the odds to put the country on the world map by grabbing silver for the country.

It is also noted that the Nigerian contingent to the world Championship were almost stranded in Lagos due to lack of funds.

It took Adekoroye’s personal via making contacts for financial assistance before she was able to jet out of the country for the championship.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

Crime

Lady in police net over N7m fraud Stories by XAVIER NDAH

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PERATIVES of the Lagos Rapid Response Squad have arrested one Gladys Assah-Asor for allegedly defrauding her business partner, Nkiruka Okon, of N7 million.

The 35- year- old graduate, a single mother from Cross-River State, lives at 33b Silifatu Abioye Street, Ogba, Oke-Ira and works as a network marketer for a popular product based in Ikeja.

The suspect confessed to the crime during an interrogation by the RRS Decoy Team after her friend and business partner, Nkiruka Okon, made a report of the fraud against the suspect before her arrest.

Gladys in her words said, ‘I met Okon in Port-Harcourt in 2008 where she works as a banker with a commercial bank. We were just friends as at then but later in 2015, I marketed a product to her called Healthy Halogen Oven, a product imported into Nigeria by a networking marketing company called Avenues to Wealth.”

“As a network marketer and a

partner to the company, my duty is to bring potential customers and partners into the business for a win-win profit making both for the customer and myself... I told Okon about the Healthy Oven which was one of the products of Avenues to Wealth sold for N12,000 at company price.... We agreed to partner in buying large quantity of the product, myself and Okon would put together the financial capital while I do the marketing and transportation of the product to the customers,” she added.

Nkiruka in her words said “I got interested in the healthy oven marketing business and decided to go into partnership with Gladys, whom I have known since when I was residing in Port-Harcourt. We agreed to buy about 410 units of the oven from the company where one sells for N12,000n and agreed to sell at the rate of N20,000.I made a deposit of N4,500,000 to Gladys account on the agreement that after sales I would be collecting back N7.5m plus the profit but she refused to stick to the agreed in our memorandum of understanding.”

Man arrested for defiling 3 minors

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43- year- old man Ini Udoh has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Ogun State Command for allegedly having unlawful carnal knowledge of three minors.

Two of the victims are nine years old while the other is 12.

Ogun state police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspect live in the same compound with parents of the victims at No. 2 Agboola close off Ijoko road sango Otta.

According to him, the suspect had been in the habit of luring the girls into his room whenever their parents and his own wife are not around under the pretense of sending them on errand and have sex with them at different time.

•The suspect

It was gathered that trouble started when the mother of one of the girls noticed what look like a sperm on the pant of her child while washing it and this arouse her curiosity while the girl was interrogated and she told her mother what has been transpiring between her and the man.

Police said the cat was led out of the bag when further interrogation led to the revelation that the suspect has been subjecting her to marathon sex and also with two others whenever their parents are not at home.

On hearing this, the fathers of the three girls, Lateef Sikiru, Lawrence Effiom and Ikechukwu Udozor jointly made a report at Sango police station consequent upon which the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Superintendent of Police, SP, Akinsola Ogunwale detailed detectives to effect the arrest of the randy suspect.

The three victims have been taken to the General Hospital for medical attention and report.

Commissioner of police,CP, Ahmed Iliyasu has ordered an immediate transfer of the case to Anti human trafficking and child labour unit of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation and possible prosecution of the suspect.

He also warned parents to always take the security and wellbeing of their children very serious especially the female ones in order not to make them an easy prey in the hands of shameless old predators.

• Assah-Asor “After I contacted her for my money, she refused to pick my calls and absconded for over one year. Then, I realised I have been

duped by the person I thought was my business partner. All effort I made to persuade Gladys to pay my money proved abortive as she continued to give me one excuse

or the other. During one of our confrontations in 2016, Gladys issued me a dud cheque of N3m, N2m and another N2m making N7m in total but the bank told me the cheques were not payable,” Okon stated.

Meanwhile, it was discovered in the course of investigations that Gladys also duped another lady whom police investigators declined to reveal her identity. She confessed to have duped the lady to the tune of N1.8m in a car purchase deal she brokered.

Gladys in her words confessed to have linked the lady to an auto dealer from whom her sister wanted to purchase a Toyota four wheel drive worth N3m. She had convinced the lady to pay for the vehicle in installment.

She confessed to have collected the first tranche of N1.8m on behalf of the auto dealer. The bubble burst when the lady demanded for a refund and that she was no longer interested in the deal upon realising that Gladys was up to some games.

She disclosed to investigators to have used proceeds from the second fraud to open a catering shop business, bought a car, travelled out on vacations and got a suitable apartment for her family.

Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, PRO, Assistant Superintendent of Police ,ASP, Olarinde FamousCole stated that the case has been transferred to the SCID, Panti for further investigations and prosecution.

Police arrest two ‘pirates’ with AK-47 rifles

By XAVIER NDAH

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WO men suspected to be pirates have been arrested by the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Tactical Intelligence Unit (TIU) at Iworo/ Ajido in Badagry in Lagos State.

Dependable police source said the suspects Mustapha Sunmola, 58, and Seth Akpot, 40, were apprehended in their hideout and a search on them led to the discovery of three AK47 rifles, magazines and live ammunition in their custody.

It was gathered that the suspects has vehemently denied being pirates but rather they kept the weapons for a rich man in Benin Republic.

In the same way one of the suspect Sunmola, who is a herbalist also denied preparing charms for the pirates and robbers, stating that his nephew (Akpot) brought the guns to his house in May for safekeeping .

“I am not an armorer or their babalawo (herbalist), what I do is to help people , cure them of their disease like women with fibroid. I only help my brother to keep the guns please.

“We are from Badagry. Akpot is my sister’s son. He was the one who brought the gun. He told me it is what they used to work in the ship. He told me to keep it that his friends and he would come back for it.

“The gun was in my house for three weeks before police arrested me. He was the one who

brought police to my shrine. I did not collect any money to keep the guns and I am not a member of any gang. I am a herbalist. I inherited my job from my grandfather. I do not do charms for criminals. I only prepare herbs for people looking for babies and other ailments.”

Akpot, in his statement said he took delivery of the guns from Alphonse at brick water, said that the alleged illegal oil dealers who also double as pirates promised to give him an undisclosed amount of money to keep them.

I get to know Alphonse last year when I started supplying him fish.

“I knew him through Baba Beji. Baba Beji was my friend and customer. He usually bought fish from me. But when he relocated, he introduced me to Alphonse and I used to supply fish to him.

“He bought fish between N25,000 and N40,000 at least three times a month from me.

He is a rich man in Benin Republic. I know he’s into oil bunkering and he used to send boats from Cotonou to Lagos anchorage to load products in jerrycans.

“The day he gave me the guns, he told me to meet him in the water. He was in his speedboat and I was in my own wooden boat. He told me there were guns and that I should keep them well for him. He said he was going to give me big money but he did not tell me the amount.

“He said he wanted to help me because I am a good person. So, I took the guns to my mother’s brother, a herbalist because I didn’t know where to keep them. I am not a pirate. I am not a member of the gang.”

• The recovered arms and ammunition

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 6, 2017

News From Essien Esema, Uyo

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eoples Democratic Party leaders in Eket Senatorial district of Akwa Ibom state have risen from a one day meeting to re-affirm their support and endorsement of Governor Udom Emmanuel as their sole candidate in the 2019 Governorship elections.

This followed a motion moved by a member of the G22, Dr Samuel Udonsak, and seconded by Chief Friday U. Ayara after the district leaders had agreed that despite political distractions and the current economic challenges in the country, the Governor has performed creditably well.

The purpose of the converge which was to review the developments in the state under the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel had in attendance 20 delegates from the 12 local government areas of the district, as well as PDP state working committee members, state lawmakers, members of the state executive council, as well women and youth leaders from the senatorial district.

Setting the tone for the meeting, the Leader of Eket Senatorial District, Chief Nduese Essien stated that the converge was necessary to discuss the progress made so far by the government, and lauded the achievement of the Governor since inception, despite all the political and legal battles of the first two years.

ESD stakeholders reaffirm support for Emmanuel He thanked Uyo and Ikot Ekpene senatorial districts for the support to the governor, and assured that the indices on ground pointed to the fact that the state is in safe hands of an efficient manager of human and financial resources.

Others who spoke at the meeting included the Deputy Speaker of Akwa Ibom State Mrs Felicia Bassey, Special Adviser on Political and Legislative Matters, Barr Ekong Sampson, Chairman of Eket local government Mr Frank Archibong and former Speaker Peter Linus Umoh, among others, and they all said that Akwa Ibom under Governor Emmanuel has risen to become the most investors –friendly state in the country.

Four former opponents of Governor Udom Emmanuel in the 2015 elections and members of G22, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, Prof Peter Esuh, Prince Chris Abasieyo and

Rt. Hon Okpolupm Etteh, were among the stakeholders at the meeting, and they all spoke in glowing terms of Governor Emmanuel, saying they have surrendered their interest and have channeled their support for Governor Emmanuel.

The six-point communiqué at the end of the event which was read by Prof Etie Ben Akpan also indicated a vote of confidence on the Governor and the setting up of a new political leadership structure in the district.

The new political structure in Eket Senatorial District which is expected to work in support of Governor Udom Emmanuel and the interest of the senatorial district, comprises the PDP political leader of each Local Government, former deputy Governors who are still members of the party, State Vice Chairman, the State Secretary of the party, the state Treasurer, State youth leader and •Gov. Udom Emmanuel Chairman of Chapter chairmen.

Demolition of Ekeukwu Owerri Market Continued from Pg 2

leadership actions is of essence.

“Again, I have severally called the attention of Governor Okorocha to the flagrant abuse of the Owerri Master Plan and disobedience of subsisting court orders by himself and the agents of his administration.”

Ohakim also reminded Governor Okorocha that the Ekeukwu Owerri Market did not belong to the State Government. He said, “In this matter, the Governor failed to address his mind to the fact that the Ekeukwu Owerri Market does not belong to Imo State Government but is a private business investment by the developers and traders.”

He said that being above the law “has become a defining feature of Okorocha’s administration. Anyone who presents a threat to that impunity is ostensibly attacked, dismissed, abused, pummelled, and may be killed.”

Ohakim added that Governor Okorocha was creating crisis “to take people’s attention away from critical issues in the State such as economic survival, abandoned local government election, unpardonable environmental pollution, the war and sharp division in his party, the APC, his promise of five new aircrafts for his Imo Air since April 2017.

Imo people are hurting over lack of jobs, lack of water, lack of food, lack of healthcare, lack of peace, and lack of hope.”

He said the Governor has been insensitive to the plights of the people of the State. “While we all perish in poverty as a result of Okorocha’s job extinguishing policies, he is smiling as the ultimate boss, the guy who is so rich and powerful that he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and to whomever he wants (including demolishing the economic livelihood of the people, grabbing whichever land he wants, seceding our hospitals to federal agencies). In our Imo he is the only winner; if someone gets killed it does not matter because we have all become the losers. Impunity to him, even more than gold, is the ultimate signifier of his success.”

He called on Imo people to be unites despite the situations in the State, stressing that “we must all be united as humans to assist those affected by this inhuman calamity by donating to Ekeukwu Owerri Mar-

Imo indigenes petition Buhari GROUP of concerned Imo indigenes resident in Abuja has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the alleged use of soldiers for Saturday’s demolition of Ekeukwu Owerri Market, by the Imo State Government.

Three people were feared dead in the incident, including a 10-year-old boy, Somtochukwu Ibeanusi.

Chief Sam Obaji, who spoke on behalf of the group on Tuesday in Abuja, urged Buhari to set up a judicial commission of inquiry into circumstances surrounding the use of armed personnel for the demolition.

He said that anybody involved in the unlawful operation should be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

“We are disheartened that the government involved the military in a civil operation where there is no breakdown of law and order.

“There is no national security consideration in the demolition of market that police supervision will not be enough. The government should have recognised that all over the world, including across cities in Nigeria, demolitions, especially markets, would be greeted by protests”, Obaji told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN. Obaji said that as leaders, they were in support of government’s renewal project in Imo but stressed that government projects should not inflict hardship on the people.

“In as much as it is the priority of government to determine the direction of urban renewal, we believe that a responsive and responsible government would undertake a process that minimises hardship and disruption to economic and social lives of citizens.’’

He said that Gov. Rochas Okorocha was behaving like an emperor, considering that a High Court, presided by Justice S.I. Okpara, restrained the government from carrying out the demolition.

Obaji accused the Governor of heating up the polity, as the spot provided at Agbeada for the traders had no infrastructure.

He also questioned the haste for the demolition against the background that Imo had many uncompleted projects.

Former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Agency, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi and Chairman of Dozie Owerri group, Chief Tony Anyadike were among those at the briefing.

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•Court orders Imo State Government ignored ket disaster Fund. Nothing is too small. I thank those who have done so already. We must all unite to say no to bad ideas and bad actors. We must all say no to one-man mega brands. Those who believe that money and power provide license to impose one’s will on others while ignoring both laws and common sense.

“Okorocha and his fellow travellers must be seen for what they are: a symptom of a deep viral infection that we decided, collectively, to inhale, and one we must come together to heal. We must collectively rise to the responsibility of the moment.

The truth is that there are ways to pierce the Okorocha bubble. All we need now is to collectively identify where to place the needle.”

PDP declares week-long mourning HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo State has declared seven days mourning period for the 10 years old Somtochukwu Ibeanusi who was allegedly killed by security operatives on Saturday during the demolition of Ekeukwu Owerri Market.

In a press release by the State Secretary of the party in Imo State, Hon Ray Emeana, and obtained by The Oracle Today, the party said the one week mourning period

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was “in honour of Master Somtochukwu Ibeanusi who was brutally murdered by agents of the State at Ekeukwu Owerri on Saturday 26 August 2017, during the demolition of the Market.

During the week of mourning all members of PDP, Imo State, should wear arm bands. “All ward Chairmen and Secretaries should request for masses and prayers in their wards on Sunday September 3 for the repose of the soul of the boy and for peace in Imo State. LGA Chairmen should ensure compliance,” the statement said.

INPA condemns killing HE Independent Newspapers Publishers Association, INPA in Imo State condemned the killing of Somtochukwu. In a press statement signed by its chairman, Elder Lambert Ojukwu, and 11 others on Monday, the Imo State newspapers publishers said the demolition of the Ekeukwu Owerri Market was unfortunate.

The group “condemned totally the use of brute force by the State Government under Governor Rochas Okorocha where even soldiers and naval officers were illegally drafted just to demolish a mere market within the town.”

It also condemned “the impor-

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tation of thugs and militants from the oil producing areas of the State to harass, intimidate and allegedly loot the wares of the affected traders including sporadic shooting which created a pandemonium in the State reminiscent of war-torn countries like Syria and Sudan”. It also frowned at the Governor’s disobedience to the court injunction retraining him from demolishing the market.

“INPA considered as unconscionable, insensitive and inhuman on the part of government to carry out the demolition at this very critical economic period without providing a better alternative and without palliative provision to cushion the debilitating effect on the affected traders.

“INPA sympathises with all the affected families especially the family of Ibeanusi whose only son Somtochukwu was killed and therefore calls for a full investigation into his death to bring the culprits to book.

“INPA calls on Imo state Governor Rochas Okorocha to desist from his despotic and coercive rule which has given a very sordid image to the state as one where its Governor does not obey Court orders and does not adhere to rule of law.”

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GUEST COLUMIST Prof. Pat Utomi

Is Nigeria the next Haiti ?

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aiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Poverty pummels the Island country just as ferocious Hurricanes visit it from time to time with fury and the anger of a violated person. But few people know that the highest per capita income in the world in 1789 was not Britain, Germany or the United states. It was Haiti’s Plantation economy. As the Oil age looks clearly to be coming to a close, and clever countries have used savings from Oil to build future potential, it seems fair to wonder if Nigeria will be the next Haiti. The Tea Leaves, unless something dramatic happens, points to Nigeria travelling that sad highway. This reflection, frankly, and sadly, is a story of a personal recurring cry for a beloved country as the path to perdition has been persistently opted for. Can we save our country from being like Haiti, the economy that did not change, and literally died.

Surely I wish for differently than for Nigeria to be the next Haiti. But it would be foolish to ignore reality staring you in the face. I can imagine that many in Haiti at the time James Watt redesigned the steam engine, setting off the Industrial revolution, must have been carrying on as the vast majority of the Nigerian elite are today. To live in denial is as old as history, but as students of why societies fail, like Jared Diamond (Collapse), and of the grand March of history, like in Nial Ferguson, show, with evidence, the consequences can come home to roost.

Forget for a second, the hypebole of Nigeria as a failed or failing state, and just compare how Nigeria stacks up against its peers on almost all measures of progress. On the MDGs we rank below many cotton bowl economies of the African Sahel, the basket cases of the misery index. The recent PWC report on investment flows show Nigeria at the base in Africa. On infrastructure where Nigeria once won a Gold medal for highway development in the 1970s the score today is pathetic. All of this is with oil selling at decent prices. But the wise know this will not be for long. Oil price crash of three years ago provided a great opportunity for correction. But our political class waited for Paris Club refunds, improved oil prices and the excuse of spending your way out of recession to continue the traditions of borrowing up a burden of amortization to an innocent unborn generation. Where is the production orientation and work ethic to earn enough, without Oil, which has run its course, to amortize the piling debt. Our near coming history is disaster that gave notice but seems ready to surprise us. Yet those who governed Nigeria into this cul de sac have swagger. Instead of hiding in anticipation of what an uprising of the youth whose future they may have made less hopeful could do to them, they talk as if they are triumphalists and even dare to abuse those who warn that we will be where we have now come to.

Why is this so? Is it the depth of ignorance of the damage they have done; or the nature of the seared conscience that they could not give a hoot; or could it be that the instant gratification disposition has so captured culture that people of power and authority are so blinded to future consequences of conduct that such grave error underpin choice.

Let’s present evidence for anxiety. For years I reminded all that Oil was a wasting asset and revenues from it should be treated as windfall. I frequently turned to concepts like Peak Oil (Huberts Peak), the proven reserves of Nigeria which I used to suggest will run down to non-economic levels by 2040, to make the point that we should save Oil income and leverage the savings to create an economy that produces for export and local consumption, based on Factor endowments in which it dominates their global value chains, The diversified economy would better sustain progress. Today I do not need to turn to such concepts anymore. We have reached the end of the Oil Age. In twelve years Oil’s value would be so depreciated that if we have not changed our current ways we do not have a chance of escaping the Coming Anarchy which Robert Kaplan foresaw.

When years ago I went to work in Import substitution

•Pat Utomi manufacturing and suggested shutting it down in favour of producing some components of motor vehicles from an area in which we had what is today known as latent comparative advantage, and dominating global value chains of the components, like the chain from rubber, to the most specialized derivative components. I was mocked and called unpatriotic. But I insisted that would create more jobs and income than we were getting from crude Oil exports.

It took a Professor of Economics from Oxford who interviewed me, 25 years earlier when I was promoting those ideas, to note the far sightedness in my thinking then. This after he studied China and found those ideas played out there.

But I hate being the prophet who was proved right by history when the result makes my country a laughing stock.

The truth is if I ever wanted to be wrong it would have to be regarding Nigeria as the next Haiti. So how can we escape that?

If Nigeria is to move quickly, as it has the potential to do, from failed state or failing state to a future that reflects the dreams of its founding fathers it must as a matter of urgency dismantle the legacy of state capture by the class of 1966. It is largely the culture of the club of capture that has moved the country from great potential to the arena of mediocrity. Anyone in doubt about the phenomenon of capture only need read the memoirs of two former Chiefs of Army staff, Chris Alli and Ishaya Bamayi.

Sadly we continue to live in denial about the coming of the end of the Age of Oil, as the National Assembly vote on Restructuring in the Constitutional review process shows so evidently. The Bureaucratic Prebendalism of National cake sharing Richard Joseph pointed to so clearly to three decades ago remains the political elite mindset in Nigeria.

Nothing, in the points made repeatedly about how poor leadership made Nigeria miss the window to leapfrog its

way into a desirable future and lamentations about how windows of opportunity were about to close on us because our political class was distracted or obsessed with self as the world was rushing forward into a bold new future, has resulted in a revisit of my Rasheed Gbadamosi stories. Chief Gbadamosi who we lost recently was a great beacon who I inflicted my many worries about Nigeria on for a quarter century.

In the early 1990s I kept pointing at how Indonesia was pulling away from being Nigeria’s development twin. My friend Peter Lewis of Johns Hopkins would years later compare how Nigeria was trending South and Indonesia heading North in a book titled Growing Apart.

I had said often in a small group concerned with the economy, which included Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi that Nigeria ought to recognize it was more a Gas producing country and stop fooling around with the LNG project. It took Abacha’s commitment of nearly two billion dollars in a low Oil Price regime to begin to halt our decline there. But in 1998 Gbadamosi became a member of the Federal Executive Council and leader of our OPEC delegation. With Crude Oil prices below USD10 a barrel and desperation for better quote allocation, Gbadamosi went to a tense OPEC meeting in 1998.

He was shocked to see the Indonesian Oil minister literally uninterested in the fight for quota. When at break time he went to his Indonesian counterpart to resolve the puzzle, the Indonesian smiled and said it’s you Nigerians who are not serious, much of our revenues come from Gas and that has no quota. As Chief Gbadamosi told me the very night he returned from the meeting, the exclamation that he let out as the Indonesian made his point, was- Paaat!! I did not pound my chest and feel good that I had been vindicated yet again. But my pain increased when President Goodluck Jonathan allowed Brass LNG to literally fail, because he was distracted, and could therefore not do what Abacha did and gave us NLNG which would become the most profitable company in Africa.

These continuous policy errors, because of poor leadership, resulted in the 2003 IMF working paper by Columbia University Economists Xavier Sala-i-Martin, and Arvind Subramanian, in which they argued that if you collected oil receipts and sent out cheques to all Nigerians the country would be much better off than with the kind of governments Nigeria had receiving such monies.

The truth is that the pressures driving our sad national decline result from perception of the authoritative allocation of values, politics, in conditions of state capture in which an opportunistic club of capture which has functioned with scant regard for the nation building needs of Nigeria beyond lip service, has left a culture of mediocrity and discontent writ large. It is this discontent that is manifesting in irredentist pressures and the new self-determination flooding our mass media.

My alternative offering on how to go, sadly, is what I offered 30 years ago, which today, thanks to Justin Yefu Lin the Chinese Economist who served for a while as Chief Economist at the World Bank, has gained ascendancy in structural Economics as the new Latent comparative Advantage. Unless we can turn quickly to this view of the macro level structure- conduct- performance paradigm in structural economics, with industrial policy focused on our factor endowments, or some superior strategy, Nigeria is in the grave danger of becoming the next Haiti. A country that change left behind because it failed to adapt.

•Pat Utomi, Political Economist and Professor of Entrepreneurship, published this acticle originally in punchng.com

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