Wed 14 Aug 2013

Younger leaders have failed, says Obasanjo From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo yesFleaders terday assessed the younger generation of in the country. His verdict: They have failed the citizenry.

Obasanjo spoke at the fourth Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit organised by the Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan (UI), in collaboration

• Lists Atiku, Tinubu, Alamieyeseigha, Ibori,

Igbinedion, Buhari as bad examples with the African Sustainable Development Network.

According to Obasanjo, the performance of the current younger generation of leaders

has not been impressive, particularly in terms of integrity.

He specifically named his erstwhile deputy, Atiku Abubakar; former Governor of Lagos

State, Bola Tinubu; ex-Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Salisu Buhari; former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and others as examples of younger generation of leaders who failed the country.

“During my administration as president, we had some people who were under 50 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Vol. 30, No. 12,648

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

Fresh fear over electricity privatisation • New owners give terms for payment • Tax holiday, shift in date top demands • Lenders not willing to fund projects • $1.6b from sale of 10 NIPP plants goes to TCN From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja BOUT one week to the AuA gust 21 deadline for the new owners of the nation’s electricity distribution companies to make their 75 per cent balance payment for the utilities, there is fresh fear that all may not be well, after all.

Indeed, the new owners yesterday gave strong indications that the date would not be possible, urging government to consider a further CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Sweet Crude Reports A cross section of students with placards during their protest in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN

- Pages 23, 24, 41 & 42

We can’t meet your demands, govt tells varsity teachers

By Bisi Alabi Williams (Lagos) and John Ogiji (Minna) DECLARATION by the Federal Government that it did not have the resources to meet the financial demands of university teachers yesterday doused the hope that their ongoing strike may end soon.

The position of the Federal

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APC, the people and an alternative - Editorial Page 14

• Claims their quest for N92b unrealistic • Meeting of officials, dons inconclusive Government was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in a keynote address at the opening of a two-day conference of Commissioners of Finance

and Accountants-General of state Ministries of Finance taking place in Minna, Niger State capital.

At the meeting with the theme “Restructuring Nige-

ria’s Finances,” OkonjoIweala said the N92 billion being demanded by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was not only unrealistic, it was not within

• Lagos goes to Supreme Court over Al-Mustapha, Shofolahan -Page 3 • Anambra unveils welfare scheme for indigent elders above 75 yrs -Page 4

the reach of the Federal Government.

And at a meeting between government officials and ASUU in Abuja yesterday, there was still no headway.

The meeting will be reconvened next Monday.

“At present, ASUU wants the government to pay N92 billion in extra allowances

when resources are not there and when we are working to integrate past increases in pensions. We need to make choices in this country as we are getting to the stage where recurrent expenditures take the bulk of our resources and people get paid but can do no work,” she said.

She said that when she assumed office, “the share of recurrent expenditure in our total budgets had increased astronomically. In fact, recurrent expenditures accounted for about 77.2 per cent of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

2

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

NEWS

Obasanjo lists Atiku, Tinubu, Alamieyeseigha, Ibori, Igbinedion, Buhari as failed leaders CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 years in leadership positions. One of them was James Ibori, where is he today? One of them was Alamieyeseigha, where is he today? Lucky Igbinedion, where is he today?

The youngest was the Speaker, Buhari, you can still recall what happened to him. You said Bola Tinubu is your master. What Buhari did was not anything worse than what Bola Tinubu did.

“We got them impeached.

But in this part of the world, some people covered up the other man. The man claimed he went to Government College, Ibadan, but the governor went to Government College and packed all the documents so that they would not know that he did not go there.

“I wanted someone who would succeed me so I took

Atiku. Within a year, I started seeing the type of man Atiku is. And you want me to get him there?

“I once went to Tanzania because Julius Nyerere recognised Biafra. He told me not to mind his aides and others in government. They would say they have one house in town but their five-year-old sons and daughters would have houses all over.

“Some of you who are condemning the leadership would get there tomorrow and it will be a different story. Only very few are actually good.

“From Abacha, my predecessor, we got $750 million.

Through our lawyer in Switzerland, we recovered another $1.25 billion and the lawyer still said there was probably still another $1 billion to be recovered. In 1979, we had 20 new ships special-

ly built for Nigeria. When I came back 20 years after, the national shipping line had liquidated.

“The whole thing is not just about leadership. If we talk about good leadership, you should also talk about good followers. If you talk about human rights, you should also talk about human duties and obligations.”

He lamented that despite the nation’s 53 years of independence, Nigeria has no leader that the citizens could commend.

“By implication, we are jinxed and cursed; we should all go to hell. The problem in Africa is that when one person takes over, he would not see any good thing that his predecessor did. Let us con-

demn but with caution,” he said.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, UI, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the situation in the already factionalised Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) where 35 people found it hard to elect a leader called for concern on how the 2015 elections would be.

Traffic on Ikorodu Expressway as a result of the ASUU strike protest by students in Lagos… yesterday.

Discussants from the Institute of Sustainability and Peace, the United Nations University, Tokyo, Dr. Obijiofor Aginam and Prof. Mojeed Alabi, both lamented that the task of leadership in Africa had been very challenging. They added that Africans had been so unfortunate in terms of leadership.

PHOTOS: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

‘$1.6b from sale of 10 NIPP plants goes to TCN’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 shift.

That is not all. The private investors have decried the attitude of lenders who are no longer able to guarantee them funds as previously agreed due to lingering issues of labour. They have, therefore, given government a litany of conditions to put

the privatisation process back on course.

Under the auspices of Disco Roundtable, the new owners stressed the need for government to recognise the electricity sector as an infant industry worthy of nurturing and consider giving them a tax holiday of five to 10 years.

Speaking on behalf of the group, former Chairman of

the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Ransome Owan, asked government to conclude all labour issues and meet all conditions before August 21; release subsidy fund contained in the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) model for each of the distribution companies under new owners; fund the Transmission Company

of Nigeria (TCN) adequately; issue an extended five to 10 years special tax holiday for electricity distribution akin to the telecoms start-up assistance to mitigate tariff increase and high cost; and extend the longstop date to September 21, 2013 to allow for the full satisfaction of all CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Govt claims ASUU’s quest for N92b unrealistic CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 federal budget and we are now working to re-balance this ratio.”

The minister further said that the country was still suffering from the effect of the 2010 increase in salaries, asking: “Do we want to get to a stage in this country that all the money we earn is used to pay salaries and allowances?”

According to her, if the demands of the university teachers are met and “‘we continue to pay them salaries and allowances, we will not be able to provide infrastructure in the universities.”

Okonjo-Iweala lamented also that Nigeria’s over-dependence on oil had resulted in the deterioration of the nation’s non-oil tax, noting that in 1970, non-oil taxes accounted for 74 per cent of the government revenues but by 2012, they had declined to only 30 per cent.

“Many states and local councils are also dependent on

monthly revenue allocation from the central government. On average, only 11 per cent of sub-national revenue was obtained from internally-generated sources.”

Okonjo-Iweala disclosed that the volume of external and internal debts of the country had been on the increase, saying that “in fact, in August 2006 when I left office, we had a total of $17.3 billion, comprising $3.5 billion in foreign debt and $13.8 billion in domestic debt.”

She added that “by 2011 when I returned to office, the total debt now stood at N447.9 billion and the domestic debt had now grown to about $42.3 billion.”

The minister, however, said the Federal Government had taken measures to revamp the economy, adding that these measures had started yielding fruitful dividends in the areas of direct capital investment in the country in the establishment of industries and agro-based firms.

Opening the meeting, Vice President Namadi Sambo disclosed that government’s white paper on Oronsaye’s report on the restructuring of federal ministries and agencies would soon be released.

Represented by the Minister of National Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, the vice president assured that the recurrent expenditure of the country “will be trimmed”, assuring that government’s expenditure in the existing fiscal year had been growing just as taxation had been returning high dividends for the government.

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu in an address read by his Deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, asked the Federal Government to plug all the areas of wastage in the oil sector of the economy and also check pipeline vandalism across the country.

Meanwhile, the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria has blamed the Federal Government for the lingering strike.

In a statement issued at the end of the quarterly meeting of its General Assembly Executive Committee (GAEC) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, the church said that the refusal of the Federal Government to honour the agreement it signed with ASUU in 2009 was the main cause of the strike.

It described the government’s action as an indication of its insincerity and lack of total commitment to the growth of education in the country. The church urged the government to honour its agreement with ASUU, as its refusal to do so was tantamount to a breach of contract.

In the statement jointly signed by the Prelate of the Church, the Most Rev. Emele Mba Uka and the Principal Clerk, the Rev. Ndukwe Nwachukwu Eme, the church condemned the jumbo salaries of Nigerian legislators which are reported to be the highest in the world.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

NEWS 3

News Osun okays N35m for Obadare’s burial, others From Tunji Omofoye, Osogbo SUN State government has O approved N35 million for the funeral of the late Prophet, Dr. Timothy Oluwole Obadare.

The burial rites of the world acclaimed evangelist commenced on August 9, while the remains would be buried at the World Soul Winning Evangelistic Ministry (WOSEM) Theology Centre, Ilesa, Osun State on August 17, 2013.

The Commissioner for Finance, Economic Planning and Budget, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, in a statement yesterday said the gesture was in line with the policy of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration to show respect to every religious persuasion.

Three persons feared killed by pirates in Bayelsa

Speaker House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal (left); former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos and Governor Idris Wada of Kogi, during a condolence visit to Fashola on the death of his father in Lagos … yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

From Willie Etim, Yenagoa RMED men suspected to be A sea pirates yesterday attacked two passenger boats along the boundary area of Port Harcourt and Nembe community in Bayelsa State, killing three persons.

While the Bayelsa Police Command confirmed the killing of two persons in the attack and the theft of N1.5 million from one other passenger, a source at the Nembe Local Council confirmed that three persons were killed.

Lawmakers summon Al-Makura over workers’ sack From Msugh Ityokura, Lafia HE Nasarawa State House of T Assembly has invited Governor Tanko Al-Makura to appear before it and explain his decision to sack some civil servants without recourse to the laws of the land.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-dominated House also alleged breach of the constitution by the governor, following his action which it noted has plunged the state into retrogression through downsizing of the civil service.

Briefing newsmen in Lafia over the House resolution, Majority Leader, Mr. Godiya Akwashiki, said the action was an affront on the constitution.

PDP reconciles members in opposition states From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja HE Peoples Democratic T Party (PDP) has taken its reconciliation efforts to the 13 states controlled by opposition parties.

Its reconciliation committee led by Bayelsa State governor, Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday gathered all leaders and key members of the PDP in those states not controlled

by PDP in the Wadata House National secretariat of the party to identify trouble shooting issues.

Rivers PDP seeks arrest of Speaker, govt debunks rumour on salaries From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt HE Felix Obuah-led Peoples T Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has urged the police to arrest the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Otelemaba Amachree, over alleged plot to assassinate Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, David Iyofor, has accused the Obuah-led faction of lying by peddling rumour that the state government is not able to pay July 2013 salaries of civil servants.

The state PDP lamented the seeming delay by the police in arresting and investigating Amachree after a Port Harcourt High Court dismissed his suit seeking to stop the security organisation from arresting and interrogating him.

A statement issued by Adviser on Media to the state PDP chairman, Jerry Needam,

noted that the party remains worried over what it described as police inaction on the court ruling in Amachree’s case against the Commissioner of Police.

According to him, the court’s decision was borne out of the fact that the state government has continued to make frantic efforts aimed at frustrating series of investigations of its officials who are allegedly culpable in various crimes and offences perpetrated during the current crisis in the state, particularly the July 9, 2013 imbroglio at the chambers of the House of Assembly.

Needam said the PDP had anticipated that the Commissioner of Police would act swiftly, considering what he described as the sensitivity and seriousness of the Speaker’s allegation of a grand plot to kill the Amaechi.

According to him, the party

believes that acting urgently and in accordance with the law on the issue will not only douse the tension and fears already created by the assassination plot as alleged by the Speaker, but will go a long way to reassure the citizenry of the impartiality and commitment of the police in crime prevention and protection of lives and property in the state.

“It is important that the Police refuse to yield to pressure of compromise by the state government, as acting otherwise will further leave the people with ill feelings and lack of confidence in the activities of our police force. We therefore call on the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, to prove his affirmation by the Inspector General of Police as a professional and non-partisan police officer, by respecting the decisions of the court and acting in accordance with the law,” he said.

Needam further said, “Mbu should urgently arrest and investigate Amachree for raising false alarm, claiming to have uncovered plots by some persons to assassinate an eminent personality like Amaechi. In such a serious matter as this, the people deserve to know the truth and see that the culprit(s) are punished accordingly. The only way we can get to the truth is by investigating this serious allegation so that even the governor, whose life is said to be in danger, can be at peace.”

On the alleged inability to pay salaries of civil servants, the state government described the Obuah faction as a serial liar which has consistently sacrificed the truth on the alter of scoring cheap political points.

Iyofor admonished the Obuah group, its backers and sponsors to desist from misinforming and misleading the public, claiming that the

Amaechi administration remains committed to the welfare of workers in the state.

“They claim Amaechi could not pay workers’ salaries, but even before they started peddling their wicked rumour, civil servants’ salaries in the state were being paid and the payment is ongoing. This can be easily verified both from the banks and civil servants, and the state leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), the two umbrella unions of the workers. “As the banks furnish the Ministry of Finance with the new 10 digits United (NUBAN) Account Numbers from the old 13 digit Account Numbers, payments were being made.

Anybody that does transaction with any bank is aware of the recent migration by banks from the old 13 digit Account Numbers to the 10 digit new Unified (NUBAN) Account Numbers,” he said.

Lagos goes to Supreme Court over Al-Mustapha, Shofolahan

By Bertram Nwannekanma

• Defends eviction of Badia residents

FTER what it termed careA ful review of the decisions of the Court of Appeal which

day during the monthly briefing at the state secretariat, Ikeja that the appeal filed on Monday was predicated on the state’s view that there were strong bases of appeal which the apex court should have an opportunity to consider.

According to Ipaye, the action by the state, which prosecuted the matter, will ensure that all issues are fully articulated and that the victim’s family, the defendants and the society are not deprived of the last window of

upturned the conviction and death sentence slammed on Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha, the former chief security officer to late General Sani Abacha and Lateef Shofolahan by a Lagos High Court over the death of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, the Lagos State government has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.

The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Ade Ipaye, told newsmen yester-

opportunity provided by the constitution for the resolution of the case.

Reacting to insinuations that the prosecution botched the trial, Ipaye said the prosecution went about the case with the highest level of commitment and professionalism.

He, however, agreed that the defendants might have capitalised on the delay in the nation’s justice delivery system to secure a favourable verdict from the appellate court.

On the Amnesty International Report on Badia

East community released by the human rights group in Lagos on Monday, in which Lagos State was accused of rights abuse, the commissioner said despite contrary suggestions in the report, the state government is committed to the welfare of Badia residents and the protection of their rights.

Ipaye, however, expressed regret that large number of false claims and inflation of figures were hampering the process of assistance to the residents as the government is working hard to identify genuine claimants before compensations are effected.

He said: “While we are in the process of organising assistance for affected persons, the rights come with responsibilities and it should not be assumed that anyone can set up residence anywhere without necessary approvals and compliances with planning and public health laws.

Badia, he said, is one of the nine identified slum areas earmarked for regeneration under the World Bank funded Lagos Metropolitans Developments and Governance Project (LMDGOP) through which Lagos is exhibiting her commitment to the welfare of the residents.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

4 NEWS

HDP’s ex-presidential candidate, Owuru, gets bail From Abosede Musari, Abuja FEDERAL High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has granted the former presidential candidate of Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Ambrose Owuru, bail in the sum of N10 million plus one surety, who must be a lawyer with 30 years post-call experience.

Information released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday read that Justice Suleiman Aliyu also ordered that the surety must swear to an affidavit of means while the accused undertakes to be present in court throughout his trial for an alleged N66 million fraud. However, Owuru will remain in EFCC custody until he meets his bail conditions, the judge ordered.

Owuru was arraigned on August 2, 2013 by the EFCC on a five-count charge bordering on alteration, forgery and obtaining money by false pretence. He allegedly obtained the sum of N66 million from one Ikechukwu Eze through a phony land deal.

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JTF arrests 11 in Bayelsa, others over crude oil theft From Willie Etim, Yenagoa PERATIVES of the Joint MiliO tary Task Force (JTF), codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, said in a statement yesterday that they arrested 11 persons and seized nine fibre boats, 17 wooden boats and three barges estimated to be conveying over 68,000 litres of stolen crude oil.

The operation, which involved a stop-and-search on vessels and boats along the waterways and creeks in some communities in Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states, the JTF said, also led to the destruction of over 27 illegal bunkering sites, 50 cooking drums, 37 steel reservoirs, 27 plastic tanks and 40 metal drums.

In a statement yesterday, the JTF Media Co-ordinator, Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said that five of the suspects were arrested while attempting to steal crude from Product and Pipeline Marketing Company (PPMC) pipeline along Otokolomabie creek in Rivers State.

Anambra unveils welfare scheme for indigent elders above 75 years From Uzoma Nzeagwu, Awka N a novel welfarist move, IdayGovernor Peter Obi yesterdistributed cheques of over NI billion to about 30,000 indigent elders above 75 years under a Social Security Scheme for Anambra elders who do not have children or others to help them and are not pensioners.

Unveiling the programme yesterday at the Women Development Centre, he disclosed that it was pursuant to the Anambra State Indigent Relief Law that was passed in June and signed in July, adding that the initial N1 billion made available for the project covered from July to December 2013.

He said: “Today, we launch the welfare scheme for senior citizens of Anambra. We commence the implementation from today... to pay N5,000 monthly stipend to each elderly person from July 1, 2013 to December 2013.

They are 30,000 persons across the 177 communities, totaling N1 billion.”

However, he maintained that the aim was not to encumber whoever succeeds

him but that as his government is hinged on proper planning, necessary measures have been put in place to enable his successor to take off on a sound footing.

Giving example with the buses he will provide to all the schools by the end of the year, he said his successor would not have to think about that in the next four years. The same, according to him, goes for computers and Internet subscription for two years, which will not encumber the in-coming governor.

Coordinator of the project and Special Adviser to the Governor on Social Works, Mrs. Tonia Tabansi Okoye, said the event was first of its kind in Nigeria and encapsulated the Igbo people’s credo of being one’s brother’s keeper. She said that those being assisted were those that did not have children and other people to care for them.

She warned against abuse of the project, citing the law setting it up such as Section 7 that prescribed N50,000 fine

and/or six years imprisonment for defaulters, including those who claim to be over 75 years and those supplying false information.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike, said the decision to embark on a revolutionary assistance to the elderly not only showed the governor as a good father, but also a visionary. He appealed to those in charge of the project to have the fear of God and humbling spirit to render service to the elderly without let or hindrance.

NASRDA denies claims of Britain’s funding From Emeka Anuforo and Itunu Ajayi (Abuja) CITING ignorance, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has described as unfortunate the claim accredited to a member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber for the United Kingdom Independence Party, Godfrey Bloom, that Nigeria was on a goose chase with its space programme.

Bloom had noted that giving financial assistance to Nigeria

in its space management programme was folly.

But in a swift reaction to a publication in a United Kingdom (UK)-based media organization, ‘The Mail’, published on Friday, August 9, 2013, NASRDA’s Director General, Prof.

Seidu Mohammed, said the report was lifted by a Nigerian newspaper (Not The Guardian) and published on Saturday, August 10, with the indication that Nigeria’s space programme sparks row in Britain.

He said Bloom’s comment

that giving billions in aid to Bongo Bongo land, referring to Nigeria, is “most uncomplimentary, despicable, wicked, embarrassing and purely a personal opinion of Bloom.”

He explained that the agency has not at any time received financial aid or grant from the UK for its space programme beside the existing cordial relationship established with Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, based in the UK. Describing the relationship as purely on commercial basis, Mohammed said it was borne

‘Lenders not willing to fund electricity projects’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 conditions by government.

He went on: “It is a condition precedent (CP) that the Discos would be handed over free from all legacy liabilities. Our lenders are mindful of this and are reluctant to approve loans and condition drawdown. Therefore, it is vital for full payment obligations to the current PHCN employees to be finalised by the longstop date of August 21, 2013.

Lenders expect evidence of these payments before we can

Obi

draw down on funds to complete our payments.

“The Transition Electricity Market (TEM) will herald the start of contractual arrangements in the power sector and the automation of billing and metering operations of the market operator in line with the market rules.

Three CPs remain thus: metering of the grid interface points; testing of the market operators’ settlement systems and process, and constitution of a Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP).

Without the completion of the CPs, NERC cannot advise the Minister of Power to declare the start of TEM. In essence, the industry agreements (power purchase agreements, vesting contracts, and transmission network agreements), which underpin industry revenue, would be deemed illegal and a nullity until the minister makes the declaration. This government policy risk makes it very challenging for the capital markets inside and outside of Nigeria to support our efforts financially.”

On inadequate revenue to meet industry payments, he noted: “As of now, the Discos operate at a loss and buyers would quickly deploy their respective turn-business around plans. However… tariff, which guarantees a regulated return and covers all industry payments, is not yet producing the desired results due to systematic and structural problems. If distribution companies are unable to cover the cost of the energy delivered, then the bulk trader, transmission company and generation companies, will be adversely affected.”

Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, who met with the team in Abuja, assured that government was already considering the need to call for a stakeholders’ meeting because of the nearness of the deadlines. He said the meeting would be convened soon.

On some of the issues raised by the group, he said approval had been given that part of the proceeds from the sale of 10 National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) plants, about $1.6 billion, would be

used to revamp the TCN and the transmission network and system.

He said the request for a new deadline date and tax holiday were issues that could only be considered by the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) headed by the Vice President.

But Nebo ruled out the release of subsidy funds to the new owners even before their take-off.

He spoke on other issues: “With regard to adequate funding for TCN, from the very first day I took over as Minister of Power, I started harping on the weak link of the entire sector being transmission. The President, the Vice President and the entire cabinet are deeply committed to ensuring that TCN is well funded.

“I want to assure you that TCN should not be a significant worry to you. We are doing everything possible. As we know, part of the proceeds of the 10 NIPP Plants as much as $1.6 billion is being dedicated to improvements in funding of TCN to give us a very good, well-deserved transmission network in the country. That is being addressed already.

“I cannot address the issue of 5-10 years holiday. We are going to support you as you make demands for that. But I am not a taxman. We can only make our appeal based on the merit. We will do what we can. I can’t declare that I can extend August 21. The NCP will have to deliberate on that. What I can do is to play advocacy to ensure that you have at least the support of the ministry. But it is beyond my mandate. It will be communicated to the Vice President.”

out of the quest for the utilisation of space science and technology for the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

His words: “Looking back at our collaboration with the UK, especially the Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL), with whom we have successfully built NigeriaSat-1, NigeriaSat-2 and NigriaSat-X, it is quite unfortunate that such an unverified information and high level of ignorance is coming from a member of the European Parliament (MEP), whom we think should be knowledgeable enough to represent his people”.

He, however, said the strong defense made by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, who has faulted Bloom’s remarks, gave credence to the fact that Nigeria has never solicited for financial aid from the British government.

Buhari, govs, others grace Fashola’s father’s fidau prayers

By Kamal Tayo Oropo ORMER Head of State, Gen. FSpeaker Muhammadu Buhari; of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and 10 governors topped the list of dignitaries at the eighth fidau prayers for the late Alhaji Ibrahim Demola Fashola, father of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola.

The prayers, held at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, witnessed a large turnout of guests and held amidst tight security. The governors in attendance included Adams Oshiomhole (Edo State), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo).

Others were Aliyu Babangida (Niger), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Idris Wada (Kogi), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and the Deputy Governor of Imo State.

There were as well such dignitaries as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Secretary to the Federal Government, Yayale Ahmed, Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, members of the Diplomatic Corps, members of the national and state assemblies, and members of the Lagos State Executive Council, among other top government functionaries.

NEWS 5

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Opposition is jittery, says Akpabio

Kidnappers free three Edo teachers

From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja HE Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDP GF) and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio yesterday said that the opposition political parties were jittery because of the forthcoming congress of the party, which would lead to total reconciliation within the party.

Speaking to State House correspondents after briefing President Goodluck Jonathan on the progress made so far by the National Convention Planning Committee of the party, Akpabio, however, denied any friction within the Governors’ fold, saying efforts were being intensified to bring all the governors on

• Govt begins certificate verification

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Ajagunna of Osogbo land, High Chief G. O. Oparanti (left); MTN’s Regional Trade, Marketing Manager, South West, Olaleke Fakeye; Eesa of Osogbo land, Chief N. L. Odelola; Ataoja of Osogbo land, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, and Otun Ajagunna of Osogbo land, Chief Popo Bolarinwa during MTN’s courtesy visit to Oba of Osogbo recently.

APGA warns PDP over Soludo, LP aspirant pledges to boost agric From Leo Sobechi, Abakaliki and Tunde Akinola, Lagos

• Okwu may sue INEC over ‘double standards’

EACTIONS have begun to trail reports in some sectors of the media that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is plotting to stop former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Prof.

Chukwuma Soludo from emerging as the flag-bearer of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State.

It was reported on Monday that the leadership of the PDP is shocked by Soludo’s resignation from PDP and his movement to APGA, where he has collected form to contest the November 16 election.

The report said PDP leadership is therefore hatching plots to stop Soludo from emerging as APGA candidate in the election, as according to the report, his huge profile and large followership in PDP would combine to make him the candidate to beat in the election.

But a group of APGA faithful, Ikemba Front in APGA (IKEFRONT) said the report of PDP meddlesomeness in the party would not be taken lightly as it is an affront on not only the leadership of

APGA but the entire Igbo land since, according to the group, APGA is the soul and body of a greater majority of Igbo people both in Nigeria and in the diaspora.

The group therefore warned the PDP to face its numerous crises and allow APGA and its members to decide who would represent their best interest.

A statement signed by its National Coordinator, Okobi Cyril Nnabuenyi said PDP leaders cannot determine for APGA when the party is also in the same contest with APGA. “The news that PDP leadership at the highest level is plotting to influence the choice of APGA candidature in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State is simply despicable and therefore, totally unacceptable to the entire members of our great party. APGA is in contest for who becomes governor of Anambra State from March next year when our dynamic leader Mr. Peter Obi would be concluding his tenure. To that effect, the interest of PDP in who becomes APGA candidate is in bad taste. PDP wants to ensure that APGA fields a candidate that can be easily

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defeated by the PDP and this will never happen,” the statement said.

Gubernatorial aspirant under Labour Party (LP) in the November election, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, has promised “total turn-around” in the agricultural sector, as present and successive governments in the state have neglected the sector by failing to utilise the productive ability of the people.

He said Anambra people have been losers as the Federal Government loan meant for farmers has been in commercial banks for many years, without being utilised.

Ubah, who is the chairman, Capital Oil and Gas Ltd, said the non-utilisation of the funds deprived farmers the opportunity of maximising their potential and increasing their yield. “This governmental error denied the benefit of such loans to numerous grassroots members of various Farmers’ Cooperative Association whose businesses were adversely affected.

“Morale of farmers in the state is low. Our people have lost a lot of income because food that would have otherwise have been produced in

Govt pledges assistance to deceased journalists’ families From Ifeanyi Onyedika, Abuja HE Federal Government has T promised to assist the families of three journalists who died in a ghastly accident along Ilesa-Ile-Ife highway, Osun State last weekend.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, described the late journalists as worthy ambassadors of the country and the journalism profession.

He said: “We sincerely condole the families of our colleagues who have passed on, we are pained by these sudden death but God graces, we will do something in the ministry to extend a helping hand to the families of our colleagues, we will be meeting with the management of the three agencies to see what we can do for their families”.

It would be recalled that three

From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City FTER two weeks in captivity, three female primary school teachers abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at Orhogbua Primary School in Ekhehuan village, Edo State yesterday regained their freedom.

But it was an embarrassment to the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and the state civil service as a teacher at Asologun Primary School, Ikpoba Okha Local Council, Benin City could not read a sworn affidavit she tendered as part of her credentials at the on-going verification of certificates of primary school teachers in the state.

It was learnt that the three kidnapped teachers were released at about 3.00 a.m. on Tuesday at the Ekhehuan axis of the state. They were said to have called members of their family who went to pick them up.

The teachers, Patience Osadolor, Momodu Aisha and Patience Oroghene were seized at gunpoint from the school on July 30, 2013. Their abductors had initially demanded for N60 million ransoms for their release, but later slashed the amount to N7.5 million.

At press time, it could not be ascertained if any ransom was paid before the teachers were released.

The state governor, Adams Oshiomhole who paid an unscheduled visit to the State Staff Training Centre, venue of the exercise was appalled that a teacher could not read, saying “if you can’t read, what do you teach the pupils, what do you write on the board?”

Chairman of the state Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Patrick Ikosimi who was also at the screening to monitor the exercise said the woman’s performance was “an embarrassment”.

of the 13 occupants in the illfated bus, Kafayat Odunsi of Nigerian Television Authority, Adolphus Okonkwo of Voice

of Nigeria and Tunde Oluwanike of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria died on the spot.

the state at a cheaper cost was brought from outside the state.

Meanwhile, factional National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr. Maxi Okwu, has declared his intention to sue the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega, for failing to address the issues raised in his letter to the commission.

In a letter dated August 2, 2013 and addressed to the INEC Chairman, Okwu had accused the electoral body of “bias and fanning the embers of disunity among party members by applying double standards in its arbitration of issues affecting the party.”

Speaking with The Guardian yesterday on the fate of the letter, Okwu said that INEC was yet to react to his questions to the electoral body, warning: “If by next week I do not hear from them, I will sue INEC badly.”

Okwu further reiterated the issues contained in his letter: “We put them on notice of a number of proactive inter-

ventions they made in matters relating to the PDP (People’s Democratic Party), which as you know, is about to conduct a special convention to fill offices in its National Executive Committee made vacant due to the resignation of the incumbents.

“Those officers resigned because INEC queried their mode of election through voice vote, contrary to mere convention guidelines of the party. We took them up further on their recent letter concerning the PDP chapter in Anambra. The letter dated July 26, 2013, addressed to the National Chairman of PDP and signed by Abdullahi A. Kaugama, seems to state the INEC position on intra-party storm vis-a-vis court orders.”

He, therefore, expressed worry that INEC seemed to be pursuing different objectives in its attention to PDP and APGA, recalling how the commission has even been thwarting his efforts to sight some of its documents under the Freedom of Information Act.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

6 | NEWS

JTF kills two Boko Haram commanders, arrests 11 others in Adamawa From Eno-Abasi Sunday (Lagos), Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri), Charles Akpeji (Jalingo), Emmanuel Ande (Yola) with agency report RMY Headquarters Special A Operation Battalion (SOB) in Mubi, Adamawa State, said the Joint Task Force (JTF) made a huge success recently in the battle against the deadly terrorist group, Boko Haram, with the killing of the sect’s commanders, who were on the wanted list of security agents.

While parading the five arrested Boko Haram suspects yesterday in Mubi, SOB Commander, Lt.-Col. Beyidi Marcus Martins, told journalists that two commanders of the sect, Mohammed Bama and Abubakar Zakaria Yau, were killed during gun battle that lasted over four hours in their hideout in Mubi last week.

Meanwhile, three persons, including a 48-year-old man, suspected of involvement in

• Police parade three over killing of Taraba village head • Killings raise posers over military’s performance • Britain condemns attack • Borno donates N16.7m to victims the killing of the village head of Kole in Wukari Local Council of Taraba State, Abdul SarkiYamma, have been arrested.

In a related development, last Sunday’s brutal murder of about 31 people in three Borno communities may have raised fresh doubts over the military’s ability to check the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.

In the same vein, the United Kingdom (UK), through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), has condemned Sunday’s massacre in Borno State and offered condolences to all those affected.

Also, the Borno State government yesterday donated N16.75 million to 47 Boko

Aba receiving special attention, says Orji BIA State Governor A Theodore Orji has reiterated his administration’s determination restore the lost glory of Aba city.

In a statement yesterday, he said: “Since the inception of my administration, I have never lost sight nor waivered in my resolve to revise the infrastructural decadence in Aba for which reason the city’s commercial activities were almost grounded to a halt because of impassible access roads.

“The decadent situation, which is as a result of long neglect, had virtually seemed an uphill task because of the enormity and extremity of disrepair for which government is now spending a fortune to rectify. Aba is not the only area that witnessed abandonment of the past but its residents were hypnotised to believe deceitful propaganda with which the city was held down for a long time. In any case, government has not claimed to have repaired or can repair all the

roads or but has fruitfully embarked on a prioritisation agenda with the target to start rebuilding the important roads which we have done from where we are spreading into the remote areas.”

He added: “Government is not averse to criticism most of which are politically-motivated and sponsored to undermine and disparage the image of government perpetrated through gullible and vulnerable interest groups.

“Mbakwe wept in Aba and tried his best but since after him, no other tangible attempt had been made in Aba before we came to power. In spite of all the natural and human-induced impediments, government is determined more than ever before to continue the ongoing rebuilding of the roads and activating the power plant, which was newly built in order to alleviate the infrastructural deficits.”

Haram victims, men of the military Joint Task Force (JTF) and the state Vigilance Youth Group (BVYG) either killed or injured in last Sunday’s Konduga insurgents’ attacks.

The suspects, who admitted committing the crime, also revealed that they were often hired as mercenaries to neighbouring Plateau State to participate in communal clashes with other ethnic groups.

Parading them before newsmen at the Taraba State Police Headquarters yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Jubril Olawole Adeniji, named the suspects as Hassan Musa (48), Buba Saleh (28) and Dotti Huseni (19). According to him, they were arrested while allegedly conspiring to bury Sarki-Yamma.

According to the Agence

Presse France (AFP), security forces claim they have chased out members of Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram, and destroyed their camps, but a series of attacks on civilians in recent weeks has signalled that any gains may have been short-lived.

Some analysts say the military, which began its offensive in May, may have only succeeded so far in pushing the insurgents into more remote areas, where recent violence has occurred.

The Army’s strategy of encouraging the formation of citizen-vigilance groups to help find and arrest Boko Haram members may also be backfiring, with concerns that the group is targeting civilians out of revenge and to instill fear.

“Such attacks targeting people helping the authorities against

Boko Haram is bound to continue,” said Abdullahi Bawa Wase, a security analyst and rapporteur at the UN Department for Safety and Security.

“And there is more to it than that. Following the state of emergency, Boko Haram was pushed out to the border with Cameroun where they still hold sway.

“The responsibility of the security personnel is not to push out the insurgents but to neutralise, arrest and prosecute them.”

A statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which was made available to The Guardian, quotes the FCO Minister, Mark Simmonds, as describing the attack on innocent people in a religious facility as “senseless, contemptible and unwarranted.”

“I strongly condemn the attack on worshippers in a mosque in Borno State, Nigeria, that took place on Sunday.

This senseless attacks reportedly killed 44 people and left many others injured,” the release quoted Simmonds as saying.

Gombe gov charges emirs on school enrolment From Ali Garba, Gombe OVERNOR Ibrahim HasG san Dankwambo of Gombe has called on traditional rulers in the state to urgently sensitise parents in their areas on the need to enroll their children in schools.

Dankwambo stated that since he assumed office in

May 2011, he met serious challenges in the education sector where a good number of children were not enrolled in schools.

He urged the traditional rulers to encourage parents to send their children to school since they are the future leaders.

The governor stated this yesterday when traditional rulers in the state paid him Sallah homage at the Government House in Gombe.

According to him, it is the responsibility of the traditional rulers in the area to sensitise parents to encourage their children to engage themselves in an orderly manner.

SURE-P to check joblessness From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin FFICIALS of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) have pledged their readiness to reduce the high level of youth unemployment in Nigeria.

Even though the National Bureau of Statistics had indicated that 23.9 per cent of Nigerians were unemployed, SURE-P said it has reduced the level since its establishment some 12 months ago.

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According to Chairman of the SURE-P, Dr. Christopher Kolade, yesterday in Ilorin, the Federal Government, originator of the scheme, does not claim monopoly of wisdom on employment of the Nigerian youth but would continually rely on private firms to assist in this respect.

Kolade said the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) of the programme aims to employ at least 50,000 unemployed graduates in 36 states of the

federation and FCT in one year.

He added that the scheme is targeted to improve skills base of unemployed graduates through work placement in registered firms.

Jonathan may attend political summit From Saxone Akhaine, Kaduna RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan may have conveyed his intention to attend the National Political Summit, in conjunction with other former leaders, to proffer solution to the nation’s socio-economic problems.

The summit, jointly organised by Project Nigeria and the Nigeria Political Summit Group (NPSG), would hold from September 3 to 5 2013, and was said to have initiated “a popular dialogue on the stability and security of Nigeria among key Nigerian leaders of thought from the northern and southern parts of the country”.

According to a statement by the Head, Summit Communications, Mallam Naseer Kura, a meeting would be held this month “to approve the draft modalities and tentative selection of delegates and observers for the national political retreat, which is expected to agree on the strategic plan for a wider national dialogue for the country”.

The pre-summit meeting, Kura said, “is expected to be attended by both Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule and Prof. Ben Nwabueze, joint chairmen of Project Nigeria, as well as leading members of the summit secretariat, among others”.

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Northern leaders in fresh bid to produce president From Saxone Akhaine, Northern Bureau Chief

PPARENTLY working toA wards realising the goal of producing a president in 2015, Arewa Elders have decided to harmonise northern interests under one umbrella group called Joint Action Committee of Northern Groups (JACONG).

Under the new initiative by the northern elders, all existing Arewa groups, like the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Code Group, Northern Reawakening Forum, Arewa Research and Development Project, other groups in the Middle Belt and the various opposing youth associations have now been coopted into JACONG. Former Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and member of the Federal Government Committee on Dialogue over the insurgency in the North, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said yesterday during the maiden press conference of JACONG at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna, that “there are discussions to bring in additional groups and associations, particularly those involving youths, women and special interests into this collaboration, which has the potential to substantially improve the political fortunes of the North and redress its economic and social challenges”.

Besides, it would be recalled that since the declaration of the Chairman of the NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi, that the North would produce the Presidency in 2015, several youth bodies in the region have risen against the northern elders and insisted in supporting the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

Afenifere condoles with Fashola

By Seye Olumide

PAN-YORUBA socio-culA tural organisation, Afenifere, has sent its condolences to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, on the death of his father, Pa Ademola Fashola.

In a statement yesterday, the group’s Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said “while the death of a loved one was painful no matter the number of years such person may have lived, we are convinced that Governor Fashola has every cause to celebrate the life of his father, who lived well and left behind a cherished heritage”.

According to him, “The torrent of testimonies from all those who knew the deceased have shown that he was a good man in his lifetime that left lasting impressions on those who came his way.

“Most of these authentic recalls have come from those who knew the man well and not because they are speaking because he has a governor son.”

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

World Bank okays $300m for youth employment

Why govt is committed to arms’ control pact, by minister

By Azeez Olorunlomeru

From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri HE World Bank is to spend about $300 million on youth employment programmes in Nigeria. Also, the Bank has spent about N10 billion on Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Bank’s CSDP Task Team Leader (TTL), Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa, has disclosed.

Briefing journalists in Owerri, Imo State capital, Okunmadewa, who was on a facility tour to the 81 communities the CSDP is intervening in the state, said the youth employment programme, fashioned by the bank, would help the country in tackling the legion of unemployment problems, adding that details of the scheme would be made known.

According to him, the bank has expended about N10 billion on projects of the CSDP designed by the World Bank in the 36 states of the country, including Abuja, noting that the project in the states would end by December 2013.

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NEWS 7

INISTER of Foreign AfM fairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, has reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to a treaty, which established common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.

In a paper presented at the signing and ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) by Nigeria in New York and made available to The Guardian yesterday, the minister said the Nigerian government has continued to partner with like-minded states on the future implementation of the treaty, en-

sure peace and security in the country, the ECOWAS sub-region, Africa and the world at large.

He stated that government remained resolute and unyielding in the efforts to uphold the principles of ATT and ensure that small arms and light weapons were appropriately transferred and access denied to terrorist groups, pirates and bandits.

The minister further stated: “This will no doubt forestall unnecessary wars, destruction of infrastructure, anarchy and similar brigandage”.

Ashiru said the AAT would, among others, be valuable to Nigeria, Africa, and the world, as the pact has adopted and

prohibited transfer relating to illicit trafficking in conventional arms, which represents a major positive development for the Africa.

Ashiru noted that the draft instrument further enhances faith and belief in multilateralism and the African member-states overwhelmingly supported the treaty and processes, leading to its adoption by 154 votes by the General Assembly.

He added: “This represents an indication of the common humanity that we all share and a reminder once again of the benefits of acting in concert for the common good, which Africa cherishes”.

He pointed out that the

treaty was capable of contributing to reducing acts of impunity often engendered by the environment of disorder that illicit trade in conventional arms creates, as well as help to reduce the situations of armed conflict fuelled and prolonged by illicit trade in arms.

He minister confirmed that “by the human face of this treaty, conventional arms may increasingly cease to be hallowed for their destructive offensive potential but rather begin to be seen and used only positively in terms of individual or collective self-defence and for the maintenance of public order and peace by arms-bearing

services of various states authorised by the law to do so.

He said the treaty would also help to promote democracy by denying access to illicit arms to certain elements in the society that may wish to use such to threaten and overthrow constitutional order as it often the case. He said such will become a new lesson on how to change governments through democratic and constitutional means and not otherwise.

Africa has long suffered the impact of an arms trade that is out of control and it started from Somalia to Mali, then it moved the Democratic Republic of Congo. Weapons have continued to enter con-

CBN’s deputy gov, Moghalu, to speak at U.S. Centre EPUTY Governor of the D Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in charge of Financial System Stability, Dr. Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, will be the keynote speaker at a lecture scheduled for tomorrow with theme “Africa as the Last Frontier: Why it matters in the Global Economy.”

Also, Director, Africa Programme and Project on Leadership and Building State Capacity at the Woodrow Wilson Centre, United States (U.S.), Steve McDonald, will be the co-speaker.

The event is organised by the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, a leading, think-tank in Washington D.C. U.S. “In the wake of President Obama’s visit to Africa, many have taken note of an increased emphasis on the continent’s role in the global economy.

PDP seeks probe of Nasarawa finances From Msugh Ityokura, Lafia ASARAWA State chapter of N the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the probe of the state finances following an alleged misappropriation of the internally generated revenue (IGR).

The party also raised alarm over what it called illegal deductions from funds that accrue to the councils monthly from the Federation Account.

The PDP Chairman, Yunana Illiya, in an interview with journalists yesterday, wondered why the Governor Tanko AlMakura-led administration has not deemed it fit to make public the state’s statement of account.

He alleged that despite huge revenue accruals from the Nyanyan and Mararaba axis, which borders the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, the state Board of Internal Revenue Service has failed to make public its monthly-generated revenue.

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (5th left); Chief of Staff, Dr. Kola Ademujimin (fourth left), National President of Nigeria Small Scale Industrialist (NASSI), Chukui Nwachuku (5th right); M.D/Chief Executive Special Industries SPECTRERA Industries, Duro Kuteyi (fourth right) and others during a visit of NASSI officials to the Governor’s Office in Akure…yesterday.

Nigerian universities to sponsor entrepreneurship educators in U.S. NTREPRENEURSHIP educaE tors from Nigerian universities will lead other African entrepreneurship educators in the first African BABSON Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators (SEE) to be offered by BABSON SEE, world leaders in Entrepreneurship Education at Babson Park, United States of America (USA) in January 2014.

The Nigerian Universities’ Entrepreneurship Educators re-empowerment programme is coordinated by African Partner of BABSON Executive and Enterprise Education - Larry C. Fejokwu of AIA-Global Consultancy Services.

The Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) has strongly recommended the BABSON-SEE-programme to Nigerian universities and requested the vice chancellors from accredited universities to nominate and sponsor a team of two, an academic staff and a director of Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC), to participate in the USA-SEE programme.

Entrepreneurship, generally regarded as the economic force that transformed U.S. into the most powerful economy in the world, has now become a compulsory course for students in all disciplines

in Nigerian universities.

Nigerian Universities’ Entrepreneurship Educators will be joining the 3,000 alumni from 680 other institutions worldwide from 57 countries globally, who have participated in the high impact BABSON-SEE. No African country has collectively sponsored its Entrepreneurship Educators to participate in the BABSON SEE USA programme.

The NUC, as regulator of Nigerian universities, is currently stimulating Entrepreneurship Education as part of the minister’s directive to establish the Bachelor of Science degree in Entrepreneurship in universities. The NUC Executive Secretary, in his Preface to the BMAs document (Basic Minimum Academic Standard), GST Entrepreneurship said, “Entrepreneurship Education in Nigerian universities will serve as a catalyst to stimulate entrepreneurial capitalism that would produce graduates who will be job creators.

The Federal Government should declare a ‘Marshal Plan’ in the university education sector by investing massively in special universities to be recognised as National Landmark universities to be entrepreneurially-driven. To achieve the rapid economic development and to reduce

unemployment, the governments, private and public sector leaders and philanthropists should endow “Entrepreneurial Professorial Chairs’ in universities.

For Nigeria to attain her dream of joining the 2020 industrial mission, Nigerian private sector should independently launch a 500 billion-university development fund over the next three years.

The USA BABSON SEE initiatives for Nigerian universities should be sponsored by Nigerian private sectors economic and political leaders.

Sponsors and supporters of Nigerian University Educators Capacity building in U.S. will be contributing immensely to transform Nigeria and Nigerian universities’ educational system to rank among the best in the world. Such patriotic stakeholders, who sponsor Nigerian Universities Entrepreneurship Educators in U.S., will become partners of Nigerian’s current economic emancipation for national rebirth, the coordinator rematch.

According to the NUC, vice chancellors should send their nominations comprising an academic staff and a director of EDC- Entrepreneurship Development Center to Dr. S. B. Ramon Yusuf, Acting Director,

Open and Distance Education Department for administrative processing at the NUCHeadquarters Abuja.

The Nigerian Universities Entrepreneurship Educators from universities sponsoring Fellows will also participate in other programmes to U.S. to expose them to the entrepreneurship ingenuity of U.S. the entrepreneurial capital of the world.

The Nigerian Universities Fellows will benefit from BABSON’s SEE programme whose goal is to “foster regional entrepreneurial growth and economic development through Entrepreneurship education”.

“The programme also seeks to develop an ever-increasing cadre of innovative entrepreneurship educators who understand the importance of creating intellectual and practical connections between theory and practice in teaching”.

According to the Dean, Dr. Elaine Eisenman, BABSON-SEE programmes have been developed and held in numerous countries and regions around the world, including Argentina, Chile, China, Ecuador, Ireland, Malaysia, Puerto-Rico, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela, Costa Rica, USA, among others.

She confirmed that Nigerian educators will be equipped with the Babson Entrepreneurial “Thought and Action” strategy to stimulate growth and accelerated development of Entrepreneurship Educators.

Entrepreneurship, according to Babson, is the most powerful force in the world for creating economic and social value.

Coordinator of the USA-Africa Entrepreneurship Project Team and Babson Country Partners, Fejokwu, stated that the USA BABSON Fellows, after their training, would be inducted into the Nigerian Honorary Fellows who will lead other Nigerians in the Trainthe-Trainer programme to stimulate entrepreneurship especially for unemployed NYSC graduates in the 36 states and FCT in Nigeria.

The Visionary Entrepreneurship Empowerment Programme (VEEP) programme to be launched - will offer training and support to unemployed graduates using USA Entrepreneurial Modules developed by AIA-Global Partners, the USA-Entrepreneurship Leaders will also visit Nigeria to offer practical entrepreneurship training and assist trainees to establish small business enterprises, with the very successful U.S. SBA strategy.

THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, August 13, 2013

8

WorldReport Spain, Britain issue threats as row over Gibraltar heats up RITAIN and Spain yesterB day issue threats as their row over Gibraltar went up a notch yesterday with London saying it was considering legal action over “totally disproportionate” border checks and Madrid threatening to turn to the United Nations for help.

Following the threats over the British-held territory, warships belonging to United Kingdom began setting sail for the Mediterranean for a naval exercise that will see the frigate HMS Westminster dock in Gibraltar.

Also, helicopter carrier, HMS Illustrious, steamed out of Portsmouth, to be followed today by the type-23 frigate HMS Westminster, which is set to arrive in Gibraltar within a week.

The defence ministry has stressed that the deployment of the ships for the exercise is “routine” and “long planned”.

But in a hardening of Britain’s tone, a spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said the government was considering taking action over the checks by Spanish guards on the border of the rocky outpost on Spain’s south coast.

The spokesman said the checks, which have caused tailbacks of several hours for people trying to cross the border, were “politically motivated and totally disproportionate”.

“Clearly the prime minister is disappointed by the failure of Spain to remove the additional border checks this weekend,” the spokesman told reporters.

Morsi’s detention extended, supporters call for marches to foil crackdown USTED Egyptian President O Mohamed Morsi’s detention was yesterday extended by the nation’s judiciary as his supporters marched through Cairo in defiance of the expiry of a government ultimatum to dismantle their huge protest camps.

The judiciary said it was extending Morsi’s detention for a further 15 days pending an investigation into his collaboration with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza.

Supporters of deposed pres-

ident yesterday urged Egyptians to take to the streets to thwart any police crackdown on two Cairo protest camps that thousands of Islamists have manned for weeks.

Security sources and a government official had said police action to close the camps would begin at dawn, despite the risk of a violent clashes with those seeking Morsi’s reinstatement, but nothing transpired, and the demonstrators vowed to stay put.

British helicopter carrier, HMS Illustrious, leaves Portsmouth navy base in southern England as other warships began sailing for the Mediterranean for PHOTO: a naval exercise that will see one vessel dock in Gibraltar, as tensions rise with Spain over the British-held territory…yesterday.

Yayi scraps PM’s post in Benin Republic’s new cabinet RESIDENT Boni Yayi of P Republic of Benin has reportedly removed the post of prime minister in a new 26member cabinet announced late on Sunday.

According to agency report, the new development is fanning speculation about a leadership rift in the cotton-producing West African state.

The president had dismissed his entire government in a surprise move on Friday, declaring only that the decision was intended “to breathe a new dynamic” into the cabinet.

However, he did not reappoint Pascal Koukpaki as premier or name any replacement in the new cabinet announced late on Sunday.

Local newspapers have for

The president had dismissed his entire government in a surprise move on Friday, declaring only that the decision was intended “to breathe a new dynamic” into the cabinet. nearly a year speculated that Koukpaki, who is widely viewed as a top contender for the presidency in elections set for 2016, had fallen out of favour with the president.

Neither man has publicly commented on the claim.

“It’s his discretionary power,” Yayi’s spokesman, Vincent Dassi, said yesterday in response to Reuters’ requests for the reasons behind Koukpaki’s removal.

“A certain number of projects were struggling. The head of state wanted to unblock the

situation and give a new dynamic to his program,” he said, declining to give further details.

Finance Minister Jonas Gbian and Foreign Minister Nassirou Bako retained their jobs but the 26-member cabinet features the names of 12 new ministers. Francois Adebayo Abiola, in charge of higher education and scientific research, is the most senior figure in the government with the sole minister of state post.

Yayi headed the government himself during his first man-

date before he appointed Koukpaki in 2011 and is expected to again assume the job of coordinating the activities of his cabinet.

Benin, situated to the west of Nigeria, has enjoyed two decades of political stability since multi-party democracy was restored. Yayi won the last election with an outright majority in the first round.

He has said he wants to amend parts of the constitution to introduce bodies like an independent election commission and a court to oversee state audits. He has pledged not to pursue any amendment that allows him to stand for a third term. Critics suspect his camp has not ruled out this idea.

Court declares New York police’s ‘stop and frisk’ tactics illegal UNITED States (U.S.) federA al judge has ruled that the New York City Police Department’s controversial “stop and frisk” crime-fighting tactics violate the country’s constitution, Reuters reported the U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin as saying the city police adopted a policy of “indirect racial profiling” by targeting racially defined groups for stops.

The practice resulted in disproportionate, discriminatory stopping of blacks and Hispanics that the city’s highest officials “turned a

• Another orders name change for baby called Messiah blind eye” toward.

“No one should live in fear of being stopped whenever he leaves his home to go about the activities of daily life,” Scheindlin wrote in her opinion.

The class action was considered the broadest legal challenge to stop and frisk, a tactic in which city police stop people they suspect of unlawful activity and frisk those they suspect are carrying weapons.

Scheindlin’s decision follows an exhaustive nine-

week trial that pitted the NYPD’s interest in keeping New York’s crime rate down against black and Latino plaintiffs who felt discriminated against. Scheindlin presided over the trial without a jury.

As part of her ruling, Scheindlin ordered the appointment of an independent monitor to oversee compliance with other remedies she ordered.

The NYPD did not immediately comment on the decision.

Meanwhile, another judge in the southern U.S. state of Tennessee has ordered parents who named their son, Messiah, to change it.

“The word Messiah is a title and it’s a title that has only been earned by one person and that one person is Jesus Christ,” Judge Lu Ann Ballew said in the ruling last week, according to the newspaper The Tennessean.

The parents of the seven month old boy had gone to court because they could not decide what the child’s last name would be – the father’s or the mother’s.

Pakistan, India trade blames over civilian death, ceasefire breach AKISTANI government P yesterday summoned India’s deputy ambassador to protest the latest clashes in the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir that left one civilian dead.

However, the Indian army accused Pakistan of violating ceasefire in the Line of Control (LoC).

The Pakistani military accused India of “unprovoked firing” across the de facto border in the early hours of yesterday morning, the latest in a series of vio-

lent confrontations in Kashmir.

Tensions have flared again in the heavily militarised Kashmir valley with the nuclear-armed neighbours both pointing the finger at each other.

The latest incident took place when “Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing in the wee hours yesterday” in three areas along the de facto border known as the Line of Control (LoC), a military official said.

“Pakistani troops effective-

ly responded to Indian firing,” he said, adding that one civilian was killed “due to unprovoked Indian shelling”.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry voiced concerns over what it called “continuous ceasefire violations by Indian border security force” across the LoC in recent days.

“The Foreign Office summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner this afternoon to raise this concern which has resulted in the loss of an innocent civil-

ian life in Rawalakot,” the ministry said in a statement.

But Rajesh Kalia, a spokesman for the Indian army in Kashmir explained: “Our side responded to the unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side with small arms. Intermittent firing went on for the whole night till yesterday morning.”

On Sunday morning, a paramilitary border guard was injured in sniper fire from the Pakistani side of the LoC in Kashmir’s Kanachak area, the army said.

|9

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

WorldReport New era in Mali as Keita emerges president-elect From Oghogho Obayuwana, Foreign Affairs Editor (with agency reports) Prime Minister FhasORMER Ibrahim Boubacar Keita emerged the new president of the troubled West African country of Mali.

Keita, who is 68 year-old, won the run off presidential elections by beating exFinance Minister Soumaila Cisse who agency reports said conceded defeat late Monday night when the polls results were announced.

Meanwhile, France yesterday welcomed the election of a new president in Mali as vindication of its decision to send troops into its former colony.

French President Francois Hollande hailed the vote as “remarkably transparent” and officials said he would be travelling to the West African country to attend Keita’s inauguration, expected to take place early next month.

The French president telephoned Keita to congratulate him personally on his victory and to assure him that France “will stand by Mali”.

“What has happened from the French intervention on January 11, 2013 up to the election of a new Malian president has been a success for peace and democracy,” Hollande said in a statement.

“But now everything must be done to ensure the success of the end of the transition, dialogue and Mali’s development,” Agence France Presse (AFP) quoted him as saying.

Hollande ordered troops into the former French colony in response to advances by Islamist extremist groups who had taken control of much of the desert north of the vast African state in the wake of a military coup last year.

• Rival concedes defeat • France welcomes victory However, in the first round of presidential elections penultimate week, Keita got 40 per cent of the almost seven million votes cast to Cisse’s 19 per cent but that number was not enough to guarantee straight victory, hence yesterday’s run off.

But Keita now faces a huge task in repairing a largely broken country.

Although Mali has enjoyed a stable democracy since 1992, its institutions were steadily run down, especially the education system, while poverty rates, according the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), re-

mains high.

The new president served as Mali’s prime minister from 1994 to 2000. The West African country of some 15 million people has suffered a year of unrest, including a military coup and a Frenchled military intervention to oust Islamist rebels from the north.

A 12,600-strong United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) is currently deploying, as France begins to withdraw its 3,000 troops. Keita is now expected to oversee more than $4bn in foreign aid promised for the re-

building of Mali.

According to independent observers of the Malian polity, the new president will also need to urgently address the weaknesses in the country’s military. The jaundiced state of the Malian armed forces is held to be responsible for the effrontery of the separatist Tuaregs and Islamist militants in the north of the country who staged a rebellion early last year.

The president-elect has also promised to secure a lasting peace for northern Mali, which has seen four rebellions since independence.

One of his first tasks will be to hold talks with Tuareg leaders in the northern town of Kidal who want more autonomy for the region.

would dimmed prospects for a slash in America’s nuclear weapons arsenal.

President Barack Obama, since his historic 2009 appeal in Prague, has sought to make disarmament a cornerstone of his presidency. But much hinges on Moscow.

Also, in a major address in Berlin in June, Obama urged Russia to jointly reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles by a third, taking them to the 1,000 mark.

At the time, Russian officials reacted coldly to the appeal and relations have only got frostier now that Obama has scrapped a summit next month with his Russian coun-

authorities have anInewSRAELI nounced the approval of 942 settler homes in annexed east Jerusalem, a development that provoked Palestinians’ fury on the eve of the resumption of fragile peace talks with the Jewish state.

The Jerusalem municipality said that while it had only now given final approval for the new homes in Gilo, an existing settlement in east Jerusalem, they had been a long time in the planning.

But senior PLO official Yasser Abed Rabbo said the announcement, coupled with the weekend approval of around 1,200 homes to be built elsewhere in east Jerusalem and in the West Bank, threatened the “collapse” of talks.

“This settlement expansion is unprecedented,” Abed Rabbo said. “It threatens to make

talks fail even before they’ve started.”

The last peace talks broke down in 2010 on the issue of settlement building.

The latest developments came as the Israelis are due to free 26 Palestinian long-term prisoners – the first of a batch of 104 to be released under a deal agreed to get the talks going again.

But United States (U.S.) Secretary of State John Kerry during a visit to Colombia on Monday urged the Palestinians “not to react adversely” to the weekend Israeli settlement announcement.

Kerry, who took the lead in securing last month’s resumption of peace talks after a three-year hiatus, stressed the need for the two sides to return to the negotiating table as planned on Wednesday in Jerusalem.

‘CAR’s children abused, recruited into armed groups’ RIGHTS group, Save the A Children, has warned that more than 100,000 children in the Central African Republic (CAR) are facing sexual abuse and recruitment into armed groups.

According to the charity, the children have been forced to flee their homes following the overthrow of the government by a rebel alliance in March this year.

Many of them are suffering from malnutrition and malaria.

Mark Kaye, a spokesman for the charity, told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that the health system had been almost completely destroyed.

The UN Security Council will

be discussing the crisis in CAR today.

Michel Djotodia, who seized power from President Francois Bozize when fighters from the Seleka rebel coalition marched into the capital, Bangui, on 24 March 2013, has promised to relinquish power after elections scheduled for 2016.

Earlier this month, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said there had been a “total breakdown of law and order” since the coup and infighting among rebel groups had led to widespread abuses.

Save the Children said many families were running out of food, and many were still hiding in the bush, afraid to return home.

Egyptian police break up pro-Morsi march in Cairo GYPTIAN police yesterday E fired tear gas to disperse crowds of supporters of de-

Keita

Freeze in U.S.-Russian ties dims disarmament hope, experts claim XPERTS have warned that E current state of United States (U.S.)-Russian relations

Palestinians furious as Israel unveils plans for more settler homes

terpart, Vladimir Putin.

Washington said one of the reasons was its disappointment over Moscow’s granting asylum to intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

According to a report by Agence France Presse (AFP), experts said the fact that the White House also cited “lack of progress” in a host of areas indicates that preparatory talks on disarmament beyond the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty are at a standstill.

Under the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) negotiated with Moscow during Obama’s first term, the two former Cold War foes agreed to limit nuclear warheads to 1,550 each by 2018.

The topic of new arsenal cuts

wasn’t even mentioned in the Pentagon’s readout of a meeting in Washington last Friday between US defense chief Chuck Hagel and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu.

“Given what the Russian military doctrine is, given where Russian security policy is, given where Russian military modernisation is, it was highly unlikely that the Russian government was willing to go substantially below New Start levels,” Celeste Wallander, a former deputy assistant secretary of defence for Russia, told AFP. “The big picture obstacles to nuclear reductions have to do more with broader issues in Russian military doctrine: the greater reliance on nuclear weapons, the enhanced role

of nuclear weapons in Russian military doctrine, the Russian uncertainty about China, (and) the continuing relative weakness of Russian conventional forces,” added Wallander, who is now a professor at American University.

Also, Robert Norris, senior fellow for nuclear policy at the Federation of American Scientists, said prospects for a negotiated disarmament are slim because “Russia just doesn’t believe that stated intent from the US.” “It’s a very old issue, one that doesn’t go away,” he told AFP. Faced with a “nyet” from the Russians, Washington could go it alone and disarm unilaterally. Obama paved the way for this with his appeal to the Russians in Berlin.

tained former leader, Mohammed Morsi, during a march in central Cairo.

A report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) narrated that Morsi’s supporters went to a government compound to protest at the appointment of army officers as local governors. Local residents then clashed with the pro-Morsi crowds and both sides threw bottles and stones at each other, before security forces moved in.

The army deposed Morsi in July and put in place an interim government.

Millions of Egyptians had protested in favour of Morsi’s removal, but his ousting appears to be deepening the divisions in Egyptian society.

His supporters have set up two camps in central Cairo, where they have been holding sit-ins.

The authorities threatened

to remove the camps earlier this week, but then said they would delay the plan.

Supporters of Morsi, an Islamist leader who came from the Muslim Brotherhood movement, refuse to accept the new government and insist he must be reinstated.

They said the military overthrew a democratically elected government and is now attempting to entrench its power.

Opponents of Morsi said he used his year in power to dismantle secular, democratic institutions in order to increase the influence of Islam.

Yesterday’s trouble began when crowds of Morsi’s supporters marched to an area of Cairo that houses several government buildings, and is also home to many people who oppose the Muslim Brotherhood.

The protesters were angry because at least 15 former military officers have been sworn in as local governors.

10

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Politics Security issues difficult to tackle, says Makarfi Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, Senate Committee Chairman on Finance, a member of the Federal Government Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North and former governor of Kaduna State, spoke to Northern Bureau Chief, Saxone Akhaine in Kaduna, on efforts to broker peace with Boko Haram.

HE Chairman of the Security Committee on T Insurgency and Minister of Special Duties in the Presidency, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, reportedly said that members had a ceasefire agreement with the leadership of Boko Haram, which the sect members denied. What is the actual situation?

Definitely, our chairman did not say that there was any ceasefire. He said that there was an understanding to enter into dialogue that could lead to ceasefire. He was talking about a progress in terms of discussion.

We have to understand that when it comes to signing a ceasefire, it is not the committee that will sign it; is the government. But since we are involved in a way in discussing with many of them as possible, whatever progress we are making is progress.

I cannot divulge the full extent of the progress that is being made. But in an organisation that has thousands, and so many leaders, it is not an impossible thing that you are speaking to some and you are yet to speak to others.

So, it is not that everybody is being spoken to or has been spoken to, but definitely, it is that quite a number has been spoken to and are being spoken to and dialogue and discussion is going on. Our prayer is that it will yield results sooner than later — conclusive dividends that can improve the security and wellbeing of our country.

Issues like these (are difficult to tackle). Look at the Northern Ireland case, the Good Friday Agreement; has it stopped some elements from doing certain things? So, don’t rule out the fact that nothing ever will happen.

But the issue is that matters over time will be receding till a time we will eliminate them.

Anywhere you have this kind of situation, it is not something that you will just open the door and close; it does not happen that way.

We are happy where we are. If the President were not happy with where we are, he would not have given us additional two months to complete the critical stage of our work. We would have been given the matching order, but that it would not likely yield any result.

Thus, I am correcting the fact, as it was widely reported, that the chairman indicated that the committee was in serious dialogue with critical elements in the organisation that, if handled well, could lead to signing of a ceasefire.

And so far, it has been handled very well.

What is your reaction to the call for the committee to be disbanded?

Why should I comment on that when the President has extended the life of the committee by two months? The person who decides over that is the President; that is the person who set it up and gave us three months, in his wisdom. And based on reports also, he extended (our work) by two months for us to conclude.

People are entitled to their opinions, but the decision will be based on facts; and the President has based his decision on facts available to him.

The integrity of this process has been in doubt because nothing so far has shown that you have contacted the hierarchy or central command of Boko Haram.

Let me say that I cannot tell the media who has been contacted and who has not been contacted; otherwise, we will be aborting whatever we are doing. Just as journalists, we also have to exercise caution and responsibility.

Makarfi It is not everything when you are dealing with security issues that you come out to say, ‘I am doing this and am doing that.’ Anybody who does not want you to succeed can also sabotage you.

Think seriously about the issues that are on ground; they are not media issues. You can use the media to mobilise people, to sensitise people and appeal to their sense of patriotism, but if you say you are going to engage this and that, you are basically aborting the peace process and we will end up in a worse situation than we are.

I think it will not be right for me to follow in that manner because the end product will not be good for all of us. But people should wait until we conclude our work and then, they can make judgment based on the totality of the work that we have done.

As we are working, people should not be passing judgment over what they don’t even know, and they cannot know because we can’t say it because it will also be counterproductive.

Have the state of emergency and proscription of Boko Haram affected your work?

It (they) has not affected our work in any way and our chairman had said that in very clear terms.

But are you not jolted by the recent events in Kano and Borno State?

Any event that is a breach of the peace and security must jolt all of us. But I mention this earlier; even in the developed parts of the world where you have proper agreements in place, you still get groups doing one thing or the other.

But for me we should not relax because of seeming quietness. People must continue to be at alert. If people are alert, they would see anything suspicious and things will be averted. But if we over-relax because of the improved security, people, who want to breach the peace, can make use of your relaxation to do one or two things.

We must continue to be vigilant for a very long time; we must be conscious of what happens around us so that where we need to take certain preventive measures, to avert events similar to what happened in Kano, we could take it in good time.

The leader of the Boko Haram said they were not ready to listen to anybody, but to go ahead with their campaign…

Turaki Well, he said that. Other people are saying different things. I would not comment over what one person has said and another has not said; I am not a judge over them.

I am looking at the totality of what we are doing and I believe and pray — and we all should continue to pray — that the totality of what we are doing will yield dividends.

How did you vote on the Bill on the citizenship rights of a woman in what many people are seeing as the Senate supporting child marriage?

Let me say that it is unfortunate that it (vote) got messed up in a way. The legislation for the amendment that the Senate wanted to do was to bring parity and equality in terms of pronunciation of citizenship.

If a girl is married at 13 and she can renounce her citizenship but a boy cannot until he is 18, is there parity? Is there equality? That is the whole issue. And even if a girl is married at 13, can she vote? She cannot. So, why are we not talking about the Electoral Act and the driver’s licence even if you are married at a lower age?

But the Electoral Act does not stop Islamic marriage anyway and the driver’s licence regulation does not stop Islamic marriage. But it stipulates that before you can do certain things, you have to be at a particular age.

For me, both sides are guilty of messing up the whole issue. All those who are looking at it from religious angle, those looking at it from human rights and child marriage, it has nothing to do with at what age a girl gets married.

And when you confuse issues, we end up not making progress.

You asked how I voted. The first vote, I voted for deletion. But when the entire thing became confused, I was one of those who abstained from voting because if I were to vote, I know where my conscience would take me. But when you confuse an entire thing, I withhold my assent to vote.

Again, if we come to the marriage of a thing and consent, there is a difference in age of consent between France and the UK — two years difference. I think UK is either 17 or 18 and France is either 15 or 16.

The English people run away with 16-year-olds to France so that they can marry them and live with them. Developed countries have different ages; it is not uniform. If in Nigeria we feel that it should be 18, so be it. But we must not begin to behave as if this is the world standard; that

once you fall below that, you are uncivilised, undeveloped, uneducated.

Those who are looking at it this way are mischievously and ignorantly commenting over issues that they have no wider view about. I’m not for under-age marriage, I will never support it, I will never engage in it, and I will never encourage it.

But for God’s sake, let us talk based on facts; let us talk based on issues that are found in other parts of the world, including the West.

Some two months back, there were some well-known individuals in the entertainment sector in the US that were campaigning lowering the age of consent to 13. Of course, they were criticised. The majority will criticise, but that is their personal opinion.

Lowering to 13 years, that will not happen but nobody stopped them from earring their views. At the end of the day, the society will decide what is best.

But please, when we are debating and talking about this, we should look at what is happening in other parts of the world so that we do it with respect and we don’t begin to malign and call people names.

I think it was very ungentlemanly of those that were calling senators certain particular names; I think we must have a matured and respectable discuss. There is no uniform age of consent, and there is no uniform age for marriage the world over.

I am not a supporter of underage marriage in any way. So, when we are debating what is good for Nigeria, we should have a well-balanced and mature discussion; that way, we will make progress.

What is your on the Senate removal of labour issues from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List of the Constitution?

You know that the Senate overwhelmingly voted for that. You know when you say concurrent, it means both the state and the centre can legislate on it. But the national legislation is superior to state legislation.

It does not stop the centre from fixing certain standards below which no state should fall.

But again, it allows states, under fiscal federalism principles, to deal with certain issues based on their capacity. But the centre still retains the power to say that whatever you are going to do cannot fall below certain parameter.

That is all that the Senate did: Bringing element of fiscal federalism but retaining that power to make a superior legislation that states must comply with.

Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with this. It does not take away any power from the centre with a view to legislating and setting minimum standard that, in the views of Nigerians and the National Assembly, no state or local government should fall below.

Some labour leaders have criticised the move, saying it might lead to confusion in implementing labour issues like salaries. Is that the position?

If you go to the US, you want to tell me that there is a uniform salary structure? How can you come to Nigeria and say you are looking for a uniform salary structure. But there is a minimum; there is a base.

Even in the US, they have a minimum wage; in UK, they have a minimum wage. But there are issues that you cannot start at the centre legislating for the local government and the states.

Which means you are operating a unitary system, not a federal system.

If this bill passed, it is for the labour to put on their thinking cap and approach the National Assembly on what should be left at the centre and what the centre should not legislate upon.

So, you can make, it is possible for the states and the local government to employ more if they can. But if at the centre you are putting the same standard for everybody and the means are not the same, you think the system will last? It will not; it will collapse. So, nothing is lost. Basic standard can still be maintained if these amendments pass. It is for labour to engage the National Assembly.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

POLITICS

11

The Lagos deportation and the law

By Femi Falana Deportation of dissidents N 1885, the British colonial regime deported King Jaja of Opobo to a remote island in West Indies where he died in 1889. His offence was that he had challenged the imperialist control of the coastal trade.

In 1941, Comrade Michael Imoudu, President of the Nigerian Union of Railwaymen, was deported from Lagos and banished to his hometown, Auchi in the Benin Province as he was considered “a potential threat to public safety.”

He only returned to Lagos in 1945 following the revocation of sections 5763 of the General Defence Regulation, 1941 under which he had been detained.

There were other nationalist agitators and labour leaders who were deported and banished, to prevent them from taking part in the struggle against colonialism.

The barbaric practice of deporting Nigerians was resuscitated by the defunct military dictatorship. In particular, the reactionary regimes of Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha resorted to the crude harassment of political opponents by deportation.

In 1992, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), Dr. Beko RansomeKuti and I were deported from Lagos and detained at the Kuje Prison (Abuja) for challenging the unending military rule of the Babangida junta. The retired General Zamani Lekwot was deported from Kaduna and detained with us in the prison.

The following year, we were also repatriated from Lagos and banished to the same prison for leading peaceful rallies in Lagos against the criminal annulment of the June 12 presidential election.

In June 1994, the winner of the presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, was deported from Lagos and detained in military custody in Kano, Borno and Abuja.

In 1995, the Chairman of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti alerted the world that the secret trial of General Olusegun Obasanjo and others by a Special Military Tribunal had been concluded and that the convicts were being prepared for execution.

For leaking such information to the media, the human rights leader was tried in Lagos, jailed for life and deported to Katsina Prison. The CD vice chairman, Shehu Sanni, was arrested in Kaduna, jailed for life in Lagos and banished to the Kirikiri Maximum Prison in Apapa.

Four journalists, viz: Chris Anyanwu, Kunle Ajibade, Charles Mbah and Charles Obi, who were convicted for being accessories after the fact of treason i.e., the 1995 phantom coup, were deported from Lagos and kept in separate prisons in the northern states.

In 1996, Chief Fawehinmi was once again deported from Lagos and detained at the Bauchi Prison while Femi Aborishade and I were deported from Lagos and held at the Gumel and Mawadashi Prisons (in Jigawa State), respectively.

Comrade Frank Kokori, who was arrested in Lagos, was banished to Bama Prisons in Borno State for four years.

General Obasanjo, who was convicted in Lagos, was deported to the Yola Prison. His ex-deputy, General Shehu Yar’Adua, was deported from Kaduna, convicted in Lagos and held at various times in Kirikiri, Port Harcourt and Abakaliki Prisons.

Like King Jaja, both Chief Abiola and General Yar’Adua died in suspicious circumstances while they were in custodie.

But as deportation of colonial subjects could not be justified even under colonial rule, it was carried out pursuant to special regulations. In

I

Fashola the same vein, the military dictators engaged in deportation of citizens under the Preventive Detention Decrees and the Prison Act. Deportation of poor people It is common knowledge that the beautification project of the Babatunde Fashola Administration has led to the deportation of hundreds of the jetsam and the flotsam from Lagos State to their states of origin.

The elite and the media have been celebrating the ban on “Okada” from the major roads and the removal of traders and area boys from the streets.

For understandable reasons, most of the hundreds of thousands of poor people, who have been displaced and dislodged in the operation “keep Lagos clean,” are of the Yoruba extraction.

In fact, on April 9, 2009, when the Lagos State Government deported 129 beggars of Oyo State origin and dumped them at Molete in Ibadan, the Alao-Akala regime alleged that the action was aimed at sabotaging his government.

Just last week, some beggars of Osun State origin were also deported by the Lagos State Government and dumped at Osogbo.

It is sad to note that most Nigerians never took cognisance of the war being waged by state governments against the poor and disadvantaged citizens in the urban renewal policy until the much-publicised case of the 14 beggars of Anambra State origin who were deported in Lagos and dumped in Onitsha about three weeks ago.

In fact, it was the condemnation of the deportation by the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, that drew the attention of the elite to the unfortunate development.

However, in defence of its action, the Lagos State Government stated that it entered into an agreement with the Anambra State Government through its liaison office in Lagos on the controversial deportation.

Although the Anambra State Government has not denied the allegation that it was privy to the deportation of the 14 beggars, it is on record that in December 2011, the Peter Obi Administration had deported 29 beggars to their states of origin, i.e., Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi States.

Apart from such official hypocrisy, the Peter Obi regime did not deem it fit to protest when the Abia State Government purged its civil service of “non-indigenes” in 2012. Many of the victims of the unjust policy, who hail from Anambra State, were left in the lurch.

In June 2011, the Federal Capital Territory government deported 129 beggars to their respective states of origin. In May 2013, hundreds of beggars were also removed from the

Falana streets and expelled from Abuja.

Of course, it is common knowledge that the FCT authorities have continued to demolish residential houses without following due process in order to “restore the masterplan of Abuja,” which was distorted through corruption and abuse of office. The majority of the victims of such illegal demolitions, who are poor, have been dislocated and forced out of the FCT. Last week, the Rivers State Government removed 113 Nigerians from the streets of Port Harcourt and deported them to their states of origin. The Akwa Ibom State Government has just contacted its Lagos counterpart of the planned deportation of two “mad” Lagosians roaming the streets of Uyo. Many other state governments are busy deporting beggars, mad men and other destitute in the ongoing beautification of state capitals.

Those who are defending the Igbo beggars out of sheer ethnic irredentism should be advised to examine the socio-economic implications of the anti-people’s urbanisation policy being implemented by the federal and state governments in the overall interests of the masses.

The illegality of internal deportation Since deportation has been resuscitated under the current political dispensation, it has become pertinent to examine the legal implications of the forceful deportation of a group of citizens on account of their impecunious status.

Although street trading and begging have been banned in some states, it is submitted, without any fear of contradiction, that there is no existing law in Nigeria, which has empowered the federal and state governments to deport any group of Nigerian citizens to their states of origin.

Accordingly, the forceful removal of beggars from their chosen abode and repatriation to their states of origin are illegal and unconstitutional, as they violate the fundamental rights of such citizens enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

In particular, deportation is an afront to the human rights of the beggars to dignity of their persons (Section 34), personal liberty (Section 35), freedom of movement (Section 41), and right of residence in any part of Nigeria (Section 43).

Furthermore, the deportation of beggars and other poor people by the federal and state governments is a repudiation of Section 15 of the Constitution, which has imposed a duty on the State to promote national integration.

Since the political objective of the State imposes a duty on the governments to “secure full residence

Obi rights for every citizen in all parts of the Federation,” it is illegal to remove poor people from the streets of state capitals without providing them with alternative accommodation.

By targetting beggars and the destitute and deporting them to their states of origin, the state governments involved are violating Section 42 of the Constitution, which has outlawed discrimination on the basis of place of birth or state of origin.

Insofar as Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 has specifically banned discriminatory treatment on the ground of “social origin, fortune, birth or other status,” it is indefensible to subject any group of citizens to harassment on account of their economic status.

An urban renewal policy that has provision for only the rich cannot be justified under Article 13 of the African Charter, which provides that every citizen shall have equal access to the public services of the country.

In the celebrated case of the Minister of Internal Affairs v. Alhaji Shugaba Abdulraham Darma (1982) 3 NCLR 915, the Court of Appeal upheld the verdict of the Borno State High Court, which had held that the deportation of the Respondent (Alhaji Shugaba) from Nigeria to Chad by the Federal Government, constituted “a violation of his fundamental rights to personal liberty, privacy and freedom to move freely throughout Nigeria.”

In the Director, State Security Service v.

Olisa Agbakoba (1999) 3 NWLR (PT 595) 314 at 356, the Supreme Court reiterated that, “It is not in dispute that the Constitution gives to the Nigerian citizen the right to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof.”

Since deportation has denied the victims the fundamental right to move freely and reside in any state of their choice, it is illegal and unconstitutional.

It is indubitably clear that the fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the African Charter Act are not for the exclusive preserve of the bourgeoisie but for the enjoyment of all Nigerian citizens, including beggars and other economically marginalised people.

To that extent, no state government has the power to deport or enter into agreements to repatriate any group of citizens to their states of origin.

The socio-economic challenge of deportation It ought to be made clear to the managers of the neo-colonial state that there is no country, which promotes social inequality that has successfully outlawed the poor from existence.

This explains why beggars are found in large numbers on the streets of major cities and in the ghettos of the

United States of America — the bastion of capitalism.

The situation is bound to be worse in the periphery of capitalism like Nigeria where the poverty rate has reached an alarming proportion due to the failure of the State to provide for the welfare and security of the people, which is the primary purpose of government.

The federal and state governments should also be made to realise at all times, that beggars are Nigerian citizens who lack money, food and other basic facilities to live decent lives.

Yet, the influential oil thieves and pirates are walking free on the streets of our state capitals without any official harassment. Others, who engage in unprecedented corruption, fraud and other financial and economic crimes, have never been deported to their states of origin.

There is no doubt that Lagos State is put under severe pressure, from time to time, by millions of Nigerians who have been economically displaced in their own states of origin.

But unlike its counterparts, the Lagos State Government has devised effective strategies to compel the rich to pay taxes through their noses. In addition, the monthly statutory allocation of the state from the Federation Account is partly based on its population. In the circumstance, the Lagos State Government should take from the rich to service the poor.

As in the case of most of the “area boys,” who have been productively engaged by the Fashola Administration, the Lagos State Government should formulate programmes for the rehabilitation and resettlement of beggars and other destitute to make them contribute to the economy of the state.

Conclusion In his inaugural address on January 20, 1961, the United States President, Mr. J.F Kennedy, warned that, “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor it cannot save the few who are rich.”

About 40 years later, those cautionary words resonated in the case of Hoffman v. South African Airways (2001) CHR 329 at 354, where Justice Ngcobo of the Constitutional Court of South Africa stated, that, “Our Constitution protects the weak, the marginalised, the socially outcast and the victims of prejudice and stereotyping. It is only when these groups are protected that we can be sure that our own rights are protected.”

With respect to the implementation of neo-liberal policies that have continued to pauperise our people, I am compelled to remind the ruling class in Nigeria of the plea made by the late Dr. Akinola Aguda in 1985 that, “Our new perspective in law and justice must be such as to guarantee to each of our people food, drink, lodging, clothing, education and employment in addition to the rights guaranteed to him so far by our Constitution and our laws, so that justice may mean the same thing to everyone.”

Finally, since the deporting state governments have no immigration officials to police their borders, there is no assurance that the deportees will not find their way back to where they were deported.

However, in view of the illegality of the deportation of poor people, the governments of the Federal Capital Territory and the respective states are advised to stop it without any further delay.

If the practice is not discontinued, the deporting state governments should be prepared to defend their action in Court. Sooner than later!

12

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday August 14, 2013

TheMetroSection In Lagos, armed robbers raid 60 houses, kill man

By Abdulwaheed Usamah and Ayodele Adeniran S usual, the office had been rather very busy on Monday for Akintolu Emmanuel, a banker.

What with the almost-unending surge of customers and the gridlock on the way to his Bola Ayeni Street home in the Papa Ashafa area of Dopemu, Lagos mainland, the man was understandably tired.

He got home at last only to find the entire street in darkness, as there was no public power supply.

He then decided to rest awhile outside before turning in and did not know when he dozed off only to be violently shaken awake by some men wearing masks who calmly identified themselves as robbers and ordered him to lead them to his room.

The time was about 1am on Monday night and marked the beginning of a four-hour nightmare for residents of about 60 houses on the street who were methodically and violently robbed for about four hours.

Residents of the street lamented that throughout their ordeal, the police did not show up, their calls to police stations on the emergency lines notwithstanding.

One of the residents who spoke to The Guardian on condition of anonymity narrated their ordeal in the hands of men of the underworld: “ The robbers took their time as if they knew nobody was coming to help us. It was like a play when they came and started their operation from the first house on the street, where Akintolu rented a one-room apartment.”

“The armed men divided themselves into groups and came all the way down the street, one house after the other down to the end.”

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husband and their children were wake.

“Suddenly, I heard a gunshot only to see my husband had been directly fired on by one of the armed robbers.”

She said though she cried for help, no one came to their assistance because the robbers were still around going from room to room, house to house.

Another victim, Rasaki said the armed robbers were particularly after cash.

“I took them to my room and they ransacked everywhere and took all the money I had.”

“When they went to Sunday’s room, he told them he had no money but they retorted that if they shoot one of his children, he would be forced to bring out the money he was hiding.

“The poor man had nothing to give, and then they went ahead and shot him dead because he did not have any money to give the robbers.”

“When the robbers left our house, I Late Sunday Orih and some others rushed to see “They asked for cash, jewelleries what had happened to Sunday but and other portable valuable items all our efforts to revive him failed and woe betide anyone who did and he died. not have something tangible to “There was blood everywhere .By give.” the time the police from Alabo Divi“Such unfortunate victims were sional Police Station arrived, everymercilessly beaten and I think that thing was over and they took his was why a young man, Sunday Orih body away.

Lagos State Police was killed at No. 16. spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a “It is a very terrible thing that for Deputy Superintendent of police four hours, armed robbers seized (DSP) who confirmed the incident our street, and not even one policenoted that two suspects have been man showed up despite the many arrested over the matter.

His wife and son calls residents made. Our lives are “It is not true that we did not get to in danger because there is no prokilled. the scene on time. It is true that tection from the police anymore”, Tearfully lamenting that she there was a robbery incident on the resident said. could not save her husband, she that street but when our men got Meanwhile, wife of the deceased said the men who wore masks there, we were able to apprehend victim and father of three was in forced their way in through the two persons. They are being desuch grief she could barely tell The front entrance even as she, her late tained now pending further invesGuardian how her husband was

• Operation lasted four hours, say residents

Police arrest 64-year-old man for presenting fake land document

By Odita Sunday

HE X-Squad Department of the Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 64year-old man for allegedly presenting a fake Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to bail a fraudster.

The suspect, Agwu Ebere, who was paraded before newsmen yesterday at the command headquarters in GRA, Ikeja, Lagos was alleged to have attempted to secure the bail of a retired Navy Captain identified simply as Onabu.

The retired Navy captain was earlier arrested by police detectives attached to XSquad for allegedly defrauding a Lagos-based businessman of the sum of N40m.

The suspect confessed that he paid N60, 000 to someone who assisted him in forging the documents at Government House, Alausa, Ikeja.

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“It is hardship that forced me into crime. Outside this business I have a registered company with which I do vehicle registration and change of ownership of vehicle for people,” the suspect said.

Parading the suspect, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ngozi Braide said that the 64-year-old fraudster was invited by family of the retired captain to help secure his bail.

Braide said on arrival, the suspect, Ebere presented a fake C of O of a property located at 29 Alhaja Bello Street, Idimu, Lagos.

“The Officer in Charge of X-Squad who suspected that the documents presented by Ebere could have been forged insisted that its authenticity should be verified. At the State Secretariat, Alausa it was discovered that the Certificate of Occupancy presented by Ebere was forged,” she added.

Sequel to the outcome of the investigation

Customs warns against buying items through social media From Anthony Otaru, Abuja

DESPERATE Nigeria job-seekers, as well as those wishing to buy cheap vehicles through the various social media, have been warned to henceforth, desist from such cheap means of satisfying their desires.

Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Dikko Inde Abdullahi, gave the warning yesterday in an address to a workshop on

Customs and Social Media, Benefits and Risks, organised by the NIS in Abuja.

Dikko said the warning has become necessary in view of reported cases of Nigerians, who have been defrauded by the various social media, claiming to be in position to give jobs or have in their possession very cheep cars for sale on behalf of the Nigerian Customs.

He said: “Their play is sim-

ple, they create fake Facebook accounts in the name of the Comptroller-General of Customs”, all of these are only ploys to defraud desperate job seekers and those who want to purchase very big cars at reduced prices.

He said the Nigerian Customs has risen up to the challenge and has arrested several of such criminals, adding, “As we speak, we are prosecuting 11 people at the courts.”

Briefs

Old students to honour Jakande HE Old Students’ Association T of Odo-Obara High School, Epe, Lagos State, is organizing a Leadership and Educational Summit to celebrate Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (LKJ), the first Executive Governor of the state.

The maiden edition of the annual summit with the theme: “Leadership and Educational Development”, will hold at the Oranmiyan Hall, Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, on September 21, 2013.

The National President of the Association, Mr. Feyi-Abiodun Oyeniyi, said that the annual summit was designed to express his members’ appreciation to the highly respected former Governor for making education available to the downtrodden masses of the State, amongst other developmental projects.

NEF holds leadership camp N order to mentor children Iskills, on the right leadership New Era Foundation has concluded plans to hold its third annual leadership camp for school children August 18-23, at the New Era Youth Camp (NEYOCA) IbejuLekki, Lagos. The programme titled; “Conference ’57 Leadership Camp” with the theme: “The Power of Leadership”, is designed to awaken the leadership potentials in school children from age seven to 17 and inspire them towards a passion for personal development as change agents. The camp will feature exciting experiential activities including, Leadership and Citizenship, ICT, Home Science, Dance, Arts & Crafts, Creative Painting and lots of sports.

Elumelu endows Future Awards prize for five years HAIRMAN of Heirs HoldC ings and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation,

Ebere... the suspect

Ebere was arrested by detectives.

The suspect was said to have confessed that he had used the forged documents in the past to secure the bail of numerous persons in police custody and the courts.

“He also confessed that he makes between N50, 000 and N100, 000 per person,” she added.

Although, investigations would continue but the police image-maker said that efforts aimed at arresting other members of the syndicate was on.

She advised bank management and financial institutions to verify all land documents presented to them by clients before approving any loan.

“Failure to do so might spell doom for them,” she said.

Tony Elumelu, has announced a five-year endowment of The Future Africa Awards prizes.

In a statement made available to The Guardian, Elumelu said the future of Africa is in the hands of brilliant young minds.

Elumelu will also host 10 honourees for the African Young Person of the Year Prize to an exclusive reception and mentorship session at the Heirs Holdings office, Lagos, Nigeria on August 16 2013. The event is scheduled to coincide with the week of the International Day of the Youth.

Executive Director of The Future Project, Chude Jideonwo said: “Through his varied support for young African leaders, Mr Elumelu has shown his particular interest in the next generation of Africa’s brightest and best, and in working with The Future Awards Africa, undeniably the leading platform on the continent for leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs; he has taken yet another giant step.”

The awards event holds in

METRO 13

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Len’s View

Prof Akin Mabogunje (left); former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof.

Folorunso Adewole; Director, Center for Sustainable Development, Prof. Labode Popoola and Legusen of Ode-Ile, Ogun State, Oba Adebayo Adekoya at the 4th Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit in Ibadan.

PHOTO: NAJEEM RAHEEM

Special Adviser to Ekiti State governor (Policy and Strategy), Mr. Biodun Omoleye (left); Deputy Governor, Prof.

Modupe Adelabu; and Governor Kayode Fayemi, at the unveiling of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag, in Ado-Ekiti... on Monday.

National President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev. (Dr.) Felix Omobude (left); his wife, Rev. (Mrs.) Abiola Omobude; the celebrant/General Overseer of Christian Pentecostal Mission International, Rev. (Dr.) Obiora Ezekiel; Presiding Bishop of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Mike Okonkwo and Rev (Mrs.) Mercy Ezekiel at the thanksgiving service to mark the 70th birthday of Rev. (Dr.) Obiora Ezekiel at the headquarters Church in Ajao Estate, Lagos… at the weekend.

A section of shareholders at the 36th Annual General Meeting of International Breweries Plc held in Ilesa, Osun State…. recently.

Yobe, Borno worst hit by polio due to insecurity HE security challenges in Yobe and Borno states have made the two states account for over 50 per cent of polio cases in Nigeria. Dr. Abdulrahman Olatunji Funso, Chairman, Nigeria National Polioplus Committee of Rotary International, said recently in Abuja at a conference organised by Rotary International.

According to him: “The security situation has been a huge setback. Routine immunisation is carried out to check polio every month. But because of the security challenges, especially in Yobe and Borno states, we have not been able to do those campaigns for about four months in some parts of the these states until recently.”

He said his committee has been working very hard, and regretted the recent cases of polio in Nigeria. He said it is heart-rending to hear of cases of new polio, but expressed optimism that the battle is being won.

“We also look at statistics, reducing from 10 to one, but one case of polio is one case too much.

Any time we find one case of polio, it upsets us terribly. But we are comfortable by the fact that the federal government of Nigeria as well as most of the state governments are committed to the eradication of polio. Our partners have put unprecedented human resources at our disposal to ensure that the job is done.”

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Youths mark 2013 International Day with call for their advancement

By Isaac Taiwo T was a memorable day with the turn-out of youths as they gathered at Ogudu GRA Recreation Centre, Lagos to mark the 2013 International Youth Day with the theme: “Youth Migration: Moving Development Forward” organized by the United Nations Information Centre {UNIC} in collaboration with Strategy for Mentoring Initiative and Leadership Empowerment (SMILE).

Speaking during the programme, the President, SMILE, Mrs. Bimpe Gbemisola-Martins remarked that for any nation to drive meaningful progress and change, it must keep its focus on the youth.

“Very sadly, the evidence of the neglect of our youth is all around us and more serious effort must be put into their upliftment and advancement.”

“Nation building and creating a lasting legacy for tomorrow are very paramount and we cannot shy away from this immense responsibility thrust on

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Youths at the event.

us all. There is need for better co-ordination of efforts of the public and private sector as well as other stakeholders in addressing the critical challenges of empowerment, employment and moral decadence facing the next generation of leaders.

“Our Youth need opportunities to realize their potential and also better opportunities to succeed and I believe that it is against this backdrop that the United Nations has set aside the 12th of August of every year as the day to focus on the youth” she said.

She implored the youth to explore and harness their potential, innovation, creativity, energy and foresight that would distinguish them as a special generation.

“I charge you to think outside the box, look inwards and form synergies with youths of like minds and be more actively involved in making positive contributions to the society and your generation” she said.

Delivering the United Nations Secretary-General message to the youth, Mrs. Olajumoke Araba, Officer in charge of United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, said year 2013 observance of International Youth Day focuses on the issue of youth migration.

“Of the annual total of some 214 million international migrants, young people constitute more than 10 per cent, yet too little is known about their struggles and experiences.

“The reasons young people migrate are many which include persecution, escaping economic hardship, loneliness, issues with parents among others” she said.

She added that poverty, crowded and unsanitary living conditions and the challenges of finding decent employment are also regular features of the migrant experience which are challenges exacerbated by the current global economic and financial crisis.

Stakeholders at the event ad-

PHOTO: ISAAC TAIWO

vised youths to beware of sex before marriage, sex for money and place high value on their body. Ladies were advised not to sell themselves cheap in the name of getting money through advertisement or

wanting to be popular. They were also advised not to pursue money as first thing in life and that money would naturally follow them when integrity is made their priority.

TheGuardian

14 | THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Conscience Nurtured by Truth

FOUNDER: ALEX U. IBRU (1945 – 2011) Conscience is an open wound; only truth can heal it. Uthman dan Fodio 1754-1816

Editorial APC, the people and an alternative HE registration of the All Progressives Party (APC) is a welcome development in T the current political process in Nigeria. It is even more so, given the controversy that surrounded its emergence as a political party. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had initially dithered on its registration as a result of a row over the acronym, which APC shares with other political associations such as Africa People’s Congress (APC) and All Peoples Congress (APC).

Now, at least, there is a chance at a contest of ideas by two big parties so that Nigerians can choose between the alternatives.

The excitement that greeted the new party – itself the product of a merger by Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) – is not only justified by the possibilities ahead but also by the history behind the moment. Fourteen years ago the country returned to civil rule after a protracted military intervention in politics. Ever since, the political space has been dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre and it has run the affairs of the country in ways that undermine the existence of other political parties. Much of its governance output has been illiberal so much so that Nigerians now yearn for viable alternatives.

Some of the obvious contradictions of the prevailing political environment need cataloguing. All the parties, with no exception, lack internal democracy as candidates hardly reflect the true choice of the electorate at the party primaries. The whims and caprices of godfathers and party stalwarts govern the selection process, while elected public officials subjugate the party structures and leadership such that the parties have become the tools of the chief executives at the local, state and federal levels. The consequence is that it exerts a huge toll on party discipline. Such discipline is ordinarily a major characteristic of any real political party and it implies adherence to “the principles and policies of a party” and it is a function of the organisation of the party.

In addition, all the political parties lack clear-cut ideological blueprints. Those elected on the various party platforms pursue ad hoc and whimsical policies that are yet to truly deliver the ‘dividends of democracy’ to the ordinary citizens of Nigeria, while public officials display unparalleled impunity in ways that undercut the rule of law. Elections have not been free and fair and electoral violence have been the customary concomitant of the electoral process while issues are relegated. Human rights violations and corruption have not abated. In fact, many past and serving public officials have been indicted by the country’s anti-corruption agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Amidst these expansive deficits, the party at the centre appears to have no roadmap to redemption, reconstruction and restoration of integrity to the affairs of the state. Instead, it has become a behemoth that keeps power for its own sake and desires to govern the country for generations. It is against this background that the euphoria in sections of the population over the registration of APC should be understood.

Without doubt, the electoral history of the country with its plural nature has no proven evidence of a successful merger at the national level. Indeed, what obtained in the past were alliances and accords which did not result in any consequential electoral outcomes. In the post-independence era, there have been two major attempts at forming alliances. The 1964 general elections during the First Republic saw the formation of United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) comprising National Council of Nigerian Citizens, the Action Group, the Northern Progressive Front, the Kano People’s Party, Northern Elements Progressive Union, United Middle Belt Congress and the Niger Zamfara Commoners Party and the Nigeria National Alliance (NA) made up of Northern People’s Congress, Nigerian Democratic Party (NNDP), the Midwest Democratic Front, the Dynamic Party, Niger Delta Congress, the Lagos State United Front and the Republic Party.

In the Second Republic, owing largely to the domineering activities of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), four opposition parties, namely Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) and Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP) crystallized into the Progressive Parties Alliance (PPA). This was earlier preceded by the NPN/NPP alliance for parliamentary control following the disputed presidential elections of August 1979. And in 1999, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All Peoples Party (APP) presented a joint ticket

LETTER

UNN, my transcripts are missing IR: I graduated from the Department of SNigeria, Mass Communication, University of Nsukka in August 2003. My matric-

offices on August 5, 2011.

I visited the university again in April 2012, but succeeded only in getting my certificate, which ulation number was 98/88473. was prepared in 2005. I understand that some I applied for my transcript in November files were missing in 2008 while they were 2010 but the Records Department told me being moved in the process of digitalizing that my results file could not be found. I results. eventually visited the university on August I have missed four post-graduate sessions 2, 2011 to confirm the report. because I have no transcript. The most painful Before I returned to Ilorin, I wrote a letter aspect is that the authority of the university is to the principal officers of the school and not really moved to action. I would like the pubthe letter with the title Save Our Souls – con- lic to be aware of my plight, and I need advice on sidering others who were in my shoes – was what next to do. duly registered in the Registrar’s and VC’s • Chukwuemeka Chukwudi, Lagos.

for the presidential contest. That marriage dissolved as soon as the election was over. All, with overriding desire to upstage the incumbents electorally, never really fused into new identities as they retained their formal party affiliations. This same process has even been parodied by some of the political parties in the current dispensation, more or less a memorandum of understanding in which some parties refused to field presidential or governorship candidates in support of other parties’ candidates. Nonetheless, they were the dynamic outcome of a compromised transition to democracy and of a corrupted system ever since.

Of course, the parties which just fused into APC cannot be absolved of the shortcomings of the prevailing civilian dispensation. They were all guilty of much of the aforementioned pathology. Therefore, for relevance, the new party must retrace its steps from the deficits of the prevailing process. Nigerians, despite an always present cynicism, expect to see a new direction from the new party as a truly veritable alternative to the ruling PDP. They want to see the APC chart a new vision for the country and demonstrate capacity to manage conflicts of interest, especially as some of its founding members belong to opposing ideological polarities of authoritarianism and liberalism tainted with market fundamentalism.

It is important to note that in the task of building and consolidating the party, its members should temper overriding self-interest with public good. The party needs to give Nigerians a clear-cut manifesto and this remains at the moment wooly. Nigerians want to see a party with clear, specific vision and philosophy of governance. Also, the party must de-emphasize regional or ethnic identity politics and present a pan-Nigerian outlook and agenda. Nigerians will like to see an APC that will confront head on the national questions besetting the country today.

Even its arch rival, the PDP has its expectation of the party. It hopes to see a party that “will eschew all forms of bitterness and desperation and desist from politics of propaganda”.

However, the point must be made, and with emphasis, that the parties of old had great men; truly great for their vision and sense of purpose. Icons such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Aminu Kano, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and many of their lieutenants. To be sure, the value of thinking was far better than prioritisation of monetary gains in their time. The leadership of the new party should not pretend it has such great men in its rank. That illustrious tribe certainly does not exist now in any party and therefore has to be carefully nurtured.

Leaders and thinkers can only emanate from a party-building process that prioritises merit and truly democratic principles. The APC has the chance to lead the way.

In the spirit of democracy, it is imperative that the party must be governed by those principles with an emphasis on mass organisational funding rather than the overbearing influence of a few funders. It should encourage healthy opposition within opposition for best policy output that can serve the interest of Nigerians. These are perhaps the best ways that it could stand up to the ruling PDP and give Nigerians not just the alternative but even a much better route to progress and nationhood.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

15

Business Energy P43

Compulife P25

‘Consumers won’t be subjected to bi-yearly price increases’

Nigeria’s teledensity rises by 13.3% in one year

Govt loses N80b monthly to tax evasion From Anthony Otaru, Abuja HE Federal Government may be losing over N80 billion of $500 million monthly from over 75 per cent regiswho have tered firms allegedly refused to pay their taxes.

Making this disclosure at the National Council for Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) in Minna, yesterday, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala also revealed that about 65 per cent registered taxpayers have not filed their

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tax returns in the past two years.

According to her, given the recent decline in the oil revenues, the additional money, which is urgently needed, would have improved the economic situation.

On the controversial rising debt profile, Iweala noted that the government is paying serious attention to that.

“In 2005, after our debt relief initiative, our debt stock declined dramatically.

In fact, in August 2006, when I left office, we had a total debt of $17.3 billion comprising $3.5 billion in foreign

debt and $13.8 billion in domestic debt.

However, by 2011, when I returned to office, the total debt now stood at $47.9 billion, and the domestic debt had now grown to about $42.3 billion.

Clearly, we had to do something about the rising levels of domestic debt” she said.

To this end, she said, the government is gradually reducing domestic borrowing from N852 billion in 2011 to N744 billion in 2012 and to N577 billion in 2013 budget.

The Federal Government’s goal, she said, is to further

reduce it in 2014 budget.

“We have also paid down part of our domestic debts rather than rolling it over.

Beginning in February 2013, we retired N75 billion worth of maturing domestic bonds.

We hope to continue this practice of retiring maturing bonds rather than rolling it over. We are also establishing a sinking fund with an initial capitalisation of N25 billion and we will use these funds to retire maturing bond obligations in the tuture” she noted.

Also speaking, the Vice President of Nigeria,

Director, APG Associate Network, Femi Adefope (left) Country Manager, Camair-Co Nigeria, Emmanuel Ikouh Ebongue; International Sales Manager, CamairCo, Job Ikose Mbenda ; and General Manager, APG Associate Network, Chike Ohiagu, during the Camair-Co and Nigeria Travel Agencies forum in Lagos.

PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

NEITI absolves PPPRA over unremitted N4.4b From Roseline Okere (Lagos) and Collins Olayinka (Abuja) HE Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has absolved the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) over the refund of N4.423 billion over-recovery fund.

In a joint meeting at the instance of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Pius Anyim, in Abuja yesterday, the two agencies said the ‘missing’ fund has indeed been deposited in the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

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The Joint Reconciliation meeting, after exhaustive and useful deliberations, resolved that the sum of N4.423 billion in dispute has been reconciled and traced to the PSF account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) A statement, which was jointly signed by the Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Mr. Reginald Stanley and his NEITI counterpart, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, added: “Following the sustained media engagement between PPPRA and the NEITI over the recently released 2009-2011 Industry Audit in the Oil and Gas Sector, and the findings as they affect PPPRA, a joint meeting between the two agencies was held today

(yesterday) in Abuja, with the managements of the two agencies in attendance.

“The Joint Reconciliation meeting, after exhaustive and useful deliberations, resolved that the sum of N4.423 billion in dispute has been reconciled and traced to the PSF account domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).”

The statement also added that there is nothing outstanding against the PPPRA

on the said account.

The meeting also said the two organisations have devised strategies aimed at addressing other matters arising from the NEITI 2009 to 2011 audit report using the instrumentality of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to address remedial issues arising from the audit report.

Consequently, as a way of checkmating future misrepresentations, the two organisations also resolved to ensure effective communication network between the two agencies for effective inter-agency cooperation in pursuit of their mandates.

Architect Namadi Sambo who was represented by the Minister of National Planning, Shamsudden Usman, said decried that high recurrent expenditure by the government, saying that the government has initiated moves to reduce waste and djuplication in the functions of government agencies.

“We are also ramping up our efforts in eradicating the biometric verification of employees to all agencies.

Consequently, recurrent expenditures will be trimmed from 71.5 per cent in 2012 to about 68.7 per cent of the 2013 budget while the capital vote is expected to increase to 31.3 per cent.

In his own remarks, the Governor of Niger State, Dr Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu, regretted that Nigeria has not been able to deregulate the downstream sector of the economy which is not only aimed at removing government’s control on petroleum products’ prices but also removing restrictions on the establishment and operations including refining, jet-

ties and depots and allowing private sector operators to engage in the exportation and importation of petroleum products based on market forces of demand and supply.

“As a result, the deregulation is expected to attract investors into the market to increase competition, promote high productivity and therefore, lower prices overtime. It is, however, unfortunate that Nigeria’s attempt at deregulation has been mired in series of subsidy scandals, un-receipted exportation and unrealistic priciing benefits of social security and economic growth” he said.

The Governor who spoke through the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, further regretted that despite Nigeria’s massive oil reserves, it does not have a single refinery that is working at full capacity.

“In fact, it is astonishing to observe that as at 2011, over N2 trillion was expended on product subsidy which is about 55 per cent more than the 2011 capital expenditure” the Governor, lamented.

16 BUSINESS

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Bankers’ Committee approves movement of 50% public fund to CBN From Anthony Otaru, Abuja HE Bankers’ Committee comprising the Chief Executives of Commercial banks yesterday approved the withdrawal of 50 per cent of public fund from the banks to the Central Bank through the cash reserve policy apparently for safe keep.

Similarly, the committee in collaboration with the apex bank signed the resolution for the Trust Fund deal that is between the various banks with the intention to cover the cost of the banking crisis that happened to the Nigerian banking sector few year s ago.

Addressing journalist at the end of the 314th meeting of the committee, the Central Bank Director of banking supervision, Tokunbo Martins said that, “ initially, what the banks had was memorandum of understanding (MOU) which required banks to contribute 0.3 percent of their total asset to the clean up the banking system at that time, but today, the deal has been signed and it connotes that the banks has agreed on their own to contribute 0.5 percent of total asset and 0.5 percent of 33 percent of off balance sheet items to the sinking fund”. She explained.

Explaining further on the withdrawal of funds, the

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Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Godwin Emefiele, noted that there is a lot of liquidity prompting the CBN to examine the balance sheet of the banks and discovered a strong liquidity ratio, thereby leading to a withdrawal of some of the liquidity in the system to enable to bank (CBN) achieve its primary mandate of macro economy stability and stable exchange rate. He added that the CBN and banker’s committee have taken its rightful position concerning the maintenance and ensuring stability in foreign exchange.

On his part, Group Managing Director, Fidelity Bank, Mr. Reginald Ihedioha, noted that the committee extensively discussed the agricultural sector owing to its importance to the nations’ economy. In his words, “ Agriculture is the major employer in our economy, in terms of output, it contributes over forty percent, it is also fundamental for security in the economy.

From the little 1 percent just about few years ago, our total industry and portfolio ranking has increased a little above 4 percent within a short period of time”.

The committee stressed on the importance of fixing the value chain which will help

the banks to effect lending confidently and that can only be achieve through the development of new entrepreneurs. The committee added that if the value chains are fixed, major food producing area will thrive giving

room for entrepreneurial growth.

The UBA Group Managing Director, Philip Udeozo, attributed the reduction in the banking hall activities to the introduction of the cashless policy of the CBN, adding

that it has as well reduced the cost of business transaction.

He said,” we have witnessed significant improvement in financial transaction that are migrating from the banking hall to the electronic platform”.

According to the UBA boss, “ we started transaction in the neighbourhood of N8.3 billion and now i want to say that by July, 2013 that has moved up significantly to N13.6 billion which is very substantial”. He concluded.

Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Keystone Bank Limited, Shehu Muhammad (Left); Deputy Country Head, Deutsche Bank, Mrs. Adeola Azeez; Managing Director / CEO, Keystone Bank, Philip Ikeazor; Executive Director, Lagos and West Directorate, Mrs. Yvonne Isichei and Country Head, Deutsche Bank, Charles Weller, during a recent visit of Deutsche Bank Country Head to Keystone Bank.

Govt loses $1 tr yearly to corruption globally, says watchdog From Nkechi Onyedika, Abuja BOUT $1 trillion has been estimated to have been lost to corruption globally Speaking at the launch of the Nigerian chapter of Exposed Corruption, a global anti-corruption watchdog yesterday in Abuja, the Coordination, Peter Akanimoh, noted that development in Nigeria is being retarded due to corruption, adding that the country has generated trillions of dollars from oil revenue but the

A

money has not made any impact in the lives of Nigerians. He stressed the need to strengthen anti-corruption institutions in the country, as one per cent of world’s global income would be sufficient to eradicate extreme poverty.

Akanimoh noted that for the fight against corruption to yield fruitful result, the church must play a significant role and appealed to churches to stop soliciting for funds from corrupt indi-

viduals.

He noted that the organistation would partner with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission(ICPC) in the fight against corruption adding that Exposed Corruption intends to mobilize about 1million Nigerians, collect 100,000 signatures including that of President Jonathan as a commitment to fight against corruption.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

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Focus Recipe for longetivity, by Akinkugbe at 80 At 80, he has still got his swerve, well built with athletic gait, tall, lanky and young-looking. Born in Ondo on July 17, 1933, Prof. Oladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe, easily passes for a 60year-old. What is the secret of his longevity and youthful looks?

Akinkugbe in this interaction with journalists at the just concluded Pfizer Cardiovascular Summit in Lagos said physical exercise, diet and adherence to recommended drugs are critical.

CHUKWUMA MUANYA was there.

Excerpts Background ITH national and international awards and fellowships, Akinkugbe is one of the world’s most distinguished and respected physicians and intellectuals. Akinkugbe is the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin; former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University; former visiting professor of Medicine at Harvard University; former ProChancellor and Chairman of council of the University of Port Harcourt as well as Emeritus professor of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

He was born to the family of late Chief D. A. Akinkugbe, the Odofin of Ondo and Chief (Mrs.) G.A. Akinkugbe. Akinkugbe was educated at Government College, Ibadan and the University College, Ibadan. Later he attended London University -the Royal London Hospital- where he received his medical degree, MBBS, in 1958.

Akinkugbe obtained a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in 1960 from Liverpool University, and received a Doctor of Philosophy from Balliol College, Oxford University, in 1964.

Akinkugbe has served as World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert on Health Manpower and WHO Council Member on Health Research. He was the President of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology (1987 to 90); Member of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees; Obafemi Awolowo Foundation (1992); International Society of Hypertension (1982 to 90); and Board of Trustees of the African Association of Nephrology (1986). Akinkugbe has been on the editorial boards of many distinguished publications, including the Journal of Hypertension (1984 to 90), Human Hypertension (1988), Kidney International (1990), Blood Pressure (1991) and News of Physiological Sciences (1992).

He has published, edited and authored numerous theses, books, journals and reports, which include: Angiotensin and the kidney: Observations on High Blood Pressure in the West African: East African Medical Journal (special supplement, 1969) – Symposium on Blood Pressure and Hypertension in Africa;

W

What are the changes in lifestyle of the average Nigerian that are making them more vulnerable to chronic diseases? Most people now live very sedentary lifestyle and diets high in fats and carbohydrates. I play golf three times a week by 6.30am. It is my secret. Exercise is vital and I watch my sodium (salt) intake. The type of food we eat has also changed. People now prefer Western diets that are low in fibre but high in sugar and salt. Many people sit for over five hours watching television, watching African Magic.

I don’t have the luxury; that is sedentary lifestyle. These are what are called risk factors.

Akinkugbe

Hypertension and stroke control in the community: Principles of Medicine in Africa, 1976; The Health of Nations - Medicine, Disease, and Development in the third World (1995); High Blood Pressure in the Africa 1972; Cardiovascular Disease in Africa, 1976, and Nigeria and Education – the challenges Ahead, 1994 Akinkugbe is the Atobase of Ife and Babalofin of Ijebu-igbo, the Adengbuwa of Ondo, Ikolaba Balogun Basegun of Ibadan, and physician to the Royal Household, Ile Ife 1969 to 1980.

He was the first youngest professor in Africa.

He became a professor at the age of 35 years.

Akinkugbe was honoured, by Hallmark of Labour Foundation, for his contributions to medicine and University Administration with the prestigious Hallmark of Labour Role Model Award.

Akinkugbe is a recipient of the famous Boehringer Ingelhein Award of the International Society of Hypertension in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He was the foundation chairman of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).Akinkugbe was also the foundation Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin and later Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. He was equally the secretary to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Technical Discussions on University and Health for All. Other offices held by him are the chairman, planning committee, University of Abuja, Chairman of Council, University of Port-Harcourt and a member WHO advisory committee on Health research.

He was made Hon. Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford University in 2009 and has Honorary Doctorate from six Nigerian universities, including Ibadan. He has also been conferred with traditional chieftaincy titles from Ile-Ife, Ondo, Ibadan and Ijebu-Igbo.

Akinkugbe was a former Chairman of the Implementation Project Presidential Committee (PPIC) on the refurbishing of tertiary hospitals in the country. He is also the Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF) and Pfizer Cardiovascular Summit.

He is married to Prof. Folasade Akinkugbe (nee Dina) and they have two sons and a set of grand-twins.

Congratulations Sir on your 80th Birthday!

What is the secret to your long and healthy

life?

There are some families in rural areas that have had the history of longevity. There may be families that lose all their kids and members even before 50 years. You then say what are they doing that is different from those who have longevity? It is the genetic component.

But that aside we know that for many years now Nigeria has tried and struggled with itself and said what can we do with cardiovascular disease problem.

I still run a hypertension clinic in Ibadan and I do this three times a week-Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So Pfizer has prevented me from running my clinic today. But you know sometimes when I detect hypertension afresh in a young man and they get a little nervous and jittery. I will tell them at your next appointment in two weeks time I will bring in somebody whose hypertension was detected in 1965 and who is still alive and well under regular medication. That has a psychological effect on them that I can still be alive in the next 40 to 50 years if I behave myself in terms of keeping to the simple grand rules of management. Just follow that example and you will live ‘forever.’

What are the changes in lifestyle of the average Nigerian that are making them more vulnerable to chronic diseases? Most people now live very sedentary lifestyle and diets high in fats and carbohydrates. I play golf three times a week by 6.30am. It is my secret. Exercise is vital and I watch my sodium (salt) intake. The type of food we eat has also changed. People now prefer Western diets that are low in fibre but high in sugar and salt. Many people sit for over five hours watching television, watching African Magic. I don’t have the luxury; that is sedentary lifestyle. These are what are called risk factors.

How best do we tackle these diseases?

Now the need to focus on a target I think is becoming increasingly important. However, rough and ready that percentage might be we must stick our necks out and say by 20:2020 or thereabout we should be able to have reduced the burden. To do that you got to update the epidemiological study that was done 20 years ago because at that time there was a different cut off point. We really don’t know at this point in time what the precise burden or the problem is. We got to define it now and do it

through a proper epidemiological study, it is not just checking blood pressures in teaching hospitals or going to the rural areas. We must select them properly. We only did 20,000 persons for us to be able to draw a map of cardiovascular diseases. But we did the study in a purely reliable epidemiological way so that no one could fault this.

Now, once you do that then you begin to put in place measures. I think the problem we had was that after our study we went round and we said well you know about four million people were hypertensive and divided this into severe, moderate and mild. You know when you are dealing with mild hypertension there are millions and the first question was how do we deal with this kind of mammoth problem?

You know there are so many other conditions. I said we better just pretend that it doesn’t exist because it was a time-bomb. If you say this to the world and they will say what are you going to do about it. Unfortunately, although I know the Nigerian Hypertension Society (NHS) put together certain measures in terms of prevention but really that has not achieved a lot.

Going forward Any measure now to detect must be accompanied by specific measures to combat this.

What are you going to do? It is not just enough to define the problem. So I would think that the first thing is to have update in detection. Once you have that then you go to government with definite recommendations and that is why the target is important because once you set that government will know you are serious and place some demand. Primary Health Care is a major engine of implementation of this kind of thing posited in Local Government Areas (LGAs). But then they have to have proper plan for this.

As night follows day, the so called NCDs are going to set in. A wise country is going to be proactive. It is already knocking at the door. It is going to be a health tsunami if we don’t take concrete steps to prevent it because the wherewithal to prosecute medical remedy is often not there. The after events like kidney failure is often beyond the reach of developing countries even the developed ones are struggling.

Therefore if we can put measures to prevent these diseases, then we will be saving hundreds of millions…

Adequate detection is extremely important. It is not just going to the teaching hospital and checking blood pressure but you have to go round the country, to the rural areas. That was what we tried to do 20 years ago. We went round the country to see 20,000 persons selected from rural, semi urban areas and we had a map of hypertension, diabetes. But the parameters today have changed. We use 160/95mmHg for hypertension mapping and we found that four million Nigerians were hypertensive.

The situation will certainly be worse today because lifestyles of the average Nigeria have changed. We are living more sedentary lifestyles and eating Western diets. Our own future must be in our own hands and the preventive measures are quite cheap.

Sometimes when I detect hypertension afresh in a young man and they get a little nervous and jittery. I will tell them at your next appointment in two weeks time I will bring in somebody whose hypertension was detected in 1965 and who is still alive and well under regular medication.

That has a psychological effect on them that I can still be alive in the next 40 to 50 years if I behave myself in terms of keeping to the simple grand rules of management.

Just follow that example and you will live ‘forever.’

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

IFRSWatch

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Insurance&You

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013 Published in association with

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ThE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

MoneyWatch World Bank, AfDB’s recipe for economic viability of Nigeria, others

President Jonathan

hE directions of every economic study, perT mutation and forecast have been coming the way of Africa positively, with Nigeria being tipped and prodded to lead the change. But Africa, being the second most populous continent has been bedeviled with several challenges like parlous infrastructure, lack of regional integration and low human capital development and utilization. This is the bane of the anticipated global revolution that is projected to start from the region.

The surprise to global think-tanks stemmed from the fact that despite the challenges, various economies in the continent are still holding their own. however, there is a belying appearance that the continent’s economies could remain stunted in its development aspirations amid the rising fundamentals of growth, if they are not properly charted. Of course, resources not properly and efficiently used may not give the best of results and this has manifested itself in the growing figures that are churned out, but not accompanied by reduction in poverty line. What collaborations therefore, can make Africa globally competitive? how will the growth in Africa translate into widespread poverty reduction? Is there really a competitive edge potential for Africa with public and private sectors collaboration?

Why must access to capital for entrepreneurs and infrastructure development improve?

The growing trend of the continent’s economies is no longer in doubt, even as it is on record that Africa has been experiencing yearly growth rates that is well above five per cent in the last decade and presently, there is widespread optimism about the region’s prospects for steady growth amid the lingering global economic downturn. however, the World Bank report tagged “Africa Competitiveness Report 2013”, still solicited caution for Africa, adding that serious challenges are very much around. The report, which lamented the widening disparity between growth of the economy and poor human development index, also revealed that greater percentage of the continent’s population eke out living. “Overall, high economic growth rates have not translated into better liv-

ing standards for Africans. World Bank estimates show that 48.5 per cent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population still struggles to survive on less than $1.25 a day. Job creation has not kept pace with the booming population, which has reached the one billion mark or 15 per cent of the world’s total, with projections to increase to 20 per cent by 2030. And with falling labor productivity figures and a manufacturing sector that has remained largely stagnant since the 1970s, many African economies trail the rest of the world in competitiveness.” No doubt, Nigeria falls in this bracket and perhaps, may be leading the pack of the continent’s economies that their manufacturing sector is stagnant and/or declining. Generally, the continent is really trailing the world in reality.

In Nigeria, it is becoming a “household” statement that government alone cannot bear the cost of development of the country. This is true. Yet, the challenge has always been effective framework and the will to implement whatever is identified as the catalyst to alleviating the heavy load on the shoulders of the government.

For the World Bank report, the private-public path offers inclusive and sustainable growth.

Launched on May 9 during the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, the report showed that 14 out of the 20 least competitive economies are in Africa. “To get on a path of sustainable growth and shared prosperity, Africa’s economies need to improve their public institutions and infrastructure, deepen regional integration and provide their citizens with quality education. Private and pub-

Donald Kaberuka, AfDB President lic sector collaboration is a key element in the drive towards competitiveness.

“By instituting the right legal, regulatory and economic frameworks, governments can lay the foundations for a business-friendly environment that allows firms to grow and regional integration to take place. More investments in science and innovation, as well as a focus on skills development and training, will give young Africans the skills they need to compete in the global economy- an urgent need in a continent that is home to 200 million people between the ages of 15 to 24.”

The same collaboration could be translated vividly in infrastructure investment. There are assessed avalanche of disincentives to further investments and outright extinction of small business, made possible by the near comatose state of the nation’s utilities. For example, some businesses wind up by road accident, while others are unviable due to cost of transport, all facilitated by poor road network.

Unreliable electricity and bureaucracies at the nation’s gateways- ports, extinct and stall others, even prevent up-shoot of other small business. This is true of Nigeria as well as other economies in the continent.

For the report, “better roads, efficiently run ports, reliable electricity and other improvements in infrastructure can make countries more attractive to job-creating investors. The continent also lags in technological readiness.

Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), which enable efficiency and innovation, have become critical tools in today’s economy. Going forward, African economies need to not only to invest in ICT infrastruc-

By instituting the right legal, regulatory and economic frameworks, governments can lay the foundations for a business-friendly environment that allows firms to grow and regional integration to take place. More investments in science and innovation, as well as a focus on skills development and training, will give young Africans the skills they need to compete in the global economy- an urgent need in a continent that is home to 200 million people between the ages of 15 to 24.

“

“

By Chijioke Nelson

Jim Kim, World Bank President

ture, but empower citizens with the knowledge they need to put these technologies to productive use.

“The private sector also has an important role to play. Businesses can support and advocate for reforms that can enhance competitiveness at the national level, and lend their support to initiatives that facilitate trade beyond national borders. Public-private partnerships can also lead the way in creative approaches to competitiveness.”

Chief Economist and Vice-President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Mthuli Ncube, said: “Sustained high economic growth often occurs in an environment where there is a meaningful infrastructure development. It is therefore imperative that planning for both national and regional infrastructure projects is coupled with the requisite legal and regulatory framework that will allow for increased involvement of the private sector in infrastructure development on a public-private partnerships model. Improved infrastructure investment in Africa is crucial for the continent’s competitiveness and productivity; and contributes to spatial-inclusion and reducing spatial inequalities.”

The Director of Finance and Private Sector Development in the World Bank’s Africa Region, Gaiv Tata, said: “As African countries focus on increasing their competitiveness, they are testing new approaches, such as growth poles, to spur investment and sustainable growth. Broadening access and entry into Africa’s regional markets can support job creation.”

In another report, “Connecting Africa’s Markets in a Sustainable Way,” jointly produced by the African Development Bank, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, integration formed the crux of the matter.

Indeed, it is another challenge that would require urgent attention. Regional integration framework should be separated from politics of boundary marks and mere declarations. Small individual markets are not viable for large-scale producers, who are also major employers and most African countries are small markets by population. It is only

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

THe GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

22 moNeyWATCH

S&P ups Skye Bank’s rating, assigns stable outlook Stories by Chijioke Nelson LeADING global rating agency, A Standard and Poor’s (S&P), has assigned ‘B/B’ counterparty credit and ‘ngBBB/ngA2’ national scale ratings to Skye Bank Plc. It also assigned the bank a “stable outlook”, saying that the rating reflects the bank’s business and financial profile, which would remain broadly unchanged over the next 12 months.

The rating agency also forecasts that the positive economic prospects in the country will further support the bank’s earnings growth. “our ratings on Skye Bank reflect its anchor of ‘bb-’, as well as our view of its “moderate” business position, “moderate” capital and earnings, “moderate” risk position, “average” funding, and “adequate” liquidity”, S&P said.

Skye Bank has a modest, but profitable franchise, which accounts for about five per cent of the Nigerian market, with a little over N1 trillion ($6.9 billion) in assets.

“We view Skye Bank’s overall funding and liquidity as adequate. Similar to peers in Nigeria, the bank is largely funded by customer deposits, which accounted for 70 per cent of the total funding base.

Deposits are remarkably stable, despite their contractually short-term nature”, the agency said.

While noting the bank’s plan to issue debt in 2013 to lengthen its deposit maturity profile and liquidity gap, the agency said the bank also has huge investment in government securities “which balances our view of otherwise strong liquidity.”

It however, noted that the bank was moderately capitalized, with a Standard & Poor’s Risk-Adjusted Capital (RAC) ratio, before adjustments, of 5.5 per cent as at

The positive economic prospects in the country will further support the bank’s earnings growth.

December 31, 2012.

“We anticipate that Skye Bank will maintain a RAC ratio of about five per cent through 2014, on the back of moderate loan growth, good net interest margins, low cost of risk, and fairly high dividend payouts” S&P added.

The agency explained that it could raise the ratings if Skye Bank demonstrated a stronger track record in underwriting and a history of low and stable loan losses with adequate loan-loss reserving, which would lead to a stronger risk position for the bank.

Standard and Poor’s is one of the global rating agencies that issues yearly ratings to financial institutions, alongside others like the South African-based GCR, DataPro, and Nigeria’s Agusto & Co.

Path to Africa’s economic viability CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 through integration that small markets are grouped together as one and facilitated by easy access. Really, African markets are fragmented and a mixture of various levels of barriers. This is not strategic for economic viability.

Regional integration is a key vehicle for helping Africa to raise competitiveness, diversify its economic base and create enough jobs for its young, fast-urbanizing population. As earlier mentioned, Africa’s competitiveness as a whole trails other emerging regions, especially in quality of institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic policies, education and technological adoption, while big gaps persist between its highest and lowest ranked economies. While assessing Africa’s success in creating the social and environmental factors that are necessary to address or mediate these gaps, exports have remained too heavily focused on commodities and its share of

GTBank gets top Nigerian firm’s rating UARANTy Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) has G been recognised as the top Nigerian Company in the banking industry by African Business’ Annual Rankings magazine.

The rankings, which incorporate companies that are listed on African stock exchanges, also included those that are listed on other bourses elsewhere in the world and global giants listed on two or more of the Johannesburg, London, Sydney and New york exchanges.

The managing Director of the bank, Segun Agbaje, attributed this achievement to discipline, a defined operating strategy, hands on knowledge about the Nigerian market and the passion of GTBank’s employees, who constantly strive to fulfill customer expectations.

According to him, “We are proudly African and truly international institution and are committed to the ideals that our

stakeholders should be better off for partnering with us. This principle influences our operations, products, service style and company culture.”

The bank was recently awarded Bank the year in morocco and in its bid to further consolidate its position as the most service focused and profitable bank in Nigeria, upgraded its internet banking platform to make it more secure to serve customers better and also its innovation of the social banking platform on Facebook which allow customers to bank anywhere in the world.

The had pledged to consolidate its position in the nation’s banking industry through adherence to high corporate governance principles, strong financial performance and the introduction of innovative products and services to ensure stakeholder satisfaction.

world trade remained low, despite numerous regional economic communities and domestic market liberalization. Intra-African trade is particularly limited.

Currently, the World Bank said it is working in countries such as Burkina Faso, mauritius and Niger to develop growth poles- centers of industry that can become magnets for investment in specific sectors.

Financial institutions such as banks can also expand their services so that entrepreneurs can get the capital they need to grow their businesses. According to the report, access to finance is the biggest concern of business leaders throughout sub-Saharan Africa, who also expressed concern about inadequate infrastructure. obviously, the continent’s decade of economic growth has energized it with a sense of optimism about its future. But as the Africa Competitiveness Report 2013 shows, if the region is to live up to its promise, the public and private sector must work together on reforms that will allow it to compete with the rest of the world and create prosperity for its citizens.

The strides so far made by African economies in achieving economic growth must be accompanied by efforts to boost long-term competitiveness if the continent is to ensure sustainable improvements in living standards.

“The are cumbersome and non-transparent border administration, particularly importexport procedure and the limited use of ICT. These challenges are particularly pronounced for Africa’s landlocked economies. Africa’s growth needs to be seen in the wider international context, where encouraging gains in economic growth belie an underlying weakness in its long-term competitiveness.

Regional integration is key to addressing this weakness through the delivery of wider social and economic benefits and should be prioritized by Africa’s leaders as they look to ensure that Africa delivers on its promise,” Chief economist, World economic Forum, Jennifer Blanke, said.

“To turn its economic gains into sustainable growth and shared prosperity, Africa’s public and private sectors must work together to connect the continent’s markets, deepen regional integration, and adopt reforms that enhance national competitiveness,” Tata added.

24 SWEETCRUDEREPORTS

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

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CompuLife Nigeria’s teledensity rises by 13.3% in one year

By Adeyemi Adepetun and Bankole Orimisan ETWEEN July 2012 and June 2013, Nigeria’s BSpecifically, teledensity grew by 13.3 per cent. the teledensity, which was 73.8 per cent in July 2012, grew to 75.2 per cent in August 2012. By the end of 2012, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) statistics showed that the country’s teledensity was 80.85 per cent.

Nigeria started the year 2013 with a teledensity of 81.7 per cent. By April, the country’s teledensity moved up the ladder, hitting 85.2 per cent.

Teledensity, which is define as the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area, could also vary widely across nations and also between urban and rural areas within a country.

Research has shown that telephone density has significant correlation with the per capita GDP of the area. It is also used as an indicator of economic development of the country or specific region.

Furthermore, the telephone density in Nigeria moved slightly by one per cent from April’s 85.25 per cent to 86.25 per cent in May 2013 and slide again to 85.25 per cent by June 2013.

Therefore, the percentage growth in the country’s teledensity grew by 13.3 per cent within the last 12 months, according to latest subscriber statistics from the NCC. Besides, the statistics, which also put telecom operators installed capacity at 237 million lines, revealed that the Nigerian telecommunications sector has 120 million active telephone lines.

Indeed and as usual, the statistics put the quartet of GSM operators – MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat ahead of other sub-sectors including the Code Division Multiple Operators (CDMA) and the Fixed Wired/Wireless.

The GSM operators have combined active lines of about 117 million. The CDMA operators including Visafone; Starcomms; Multilinks control 2.56 million active lines; while the fixed wired/wireless operators have 382,678 lines.

According to analysts, the various investments by operators must have accounted for the growth in their subscriber base, especially the GSM operators. For instance the operators, which had 99.5 million subscribers as at June 2012, now battle for 117 million users a year after.

Furthermore, the statistics showed that MTN Nigeria as at June 2013 has 55.2 million subscribers; Globacom has 25 million subscribers; Airtel has 21.5 million subscribers, while the emerging market telecommunications company trading as Etisalat currently controls 15.3 million subscribers.

In the CDMA sub-sector, Visafone Limited

• Operators’ installed capacity hits 237m lines

Executive Vice Chairman, (NCC), Eugene Juwah (right), and the Director General,(NBC), Emeka Mba during a function recently.

led others with over two million subscribers; followed by Starcomms with 209, 627 million subscribers, while Multilinks battle to sustain 151,688 lines.

In the area of installed capacity, the report showed that by July 2012, the operators combined had 210 million lines, but as at June 2013, the capacity stands at 237 million lines.

Meanwhile, the profile of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector has continued to be on the ascendancy with total investments attracted by the telecommunications service providers since the inception of the liberalisation of the sector 12 years ago has reached about $32 billion as at the end of June 2013.

The quartet of MTN Nigeria, Globacom, Airtel Nigeria and Etisalat Nigeria, have largely

driven the investments inflows, which have brought in nearly $7 billion in the past three years. As at the end of 2011, total investments in Nigeria’s telecom sector was $25 billion.

Globacom earlier this year signed a $500 million deal with Chinese equipment vendor, ZTE, to upgrade its infrastructure nationwide for efficient service delivery. It also signed another $750 million (N116.25 billion) agreement with Huawei Technologies, a leading global ICT solutions provider, to expand the capacity of the Glo network. This brings the total value of the facilities upgrade contract penned by Glo to $1.25 billion.

Nigeria’s largest mobile operator, MTN Nigeria with 55 million subscribers as well

as Globacom and Etisalat Nigeria have attracted about $5.450 billion investments that is seeing them expand and build next generation telecommunications networks while Airtel Nigeria has also invested $1.5 billion since it entered the Nigerian market in November 2010.

MTN Nigeria and Etisalat Nigeria got $3 billion and $1.2 billion respectively from consortium of local and foreign banks while Glo signed $1.25 billion network financing agreements with Chinese equipment vendors.

These investments are expected to take number of base transceiver stations in operation to over 25,000 while at the same time expanding fibre optic backbone round the country to beyond 12,000 kilometres.

Expert predicts banks, telcos collaboration on cash-less policy crumble, with the absence of telecommunications operators (Telcos) playPTIMISTIC that the current bank- ing a major role in the exercise, led cashless initiative of the Cen- Information Technology (IT) expert tral Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will not has said that the banks and the telcos would collaborate in the near future to further drive the initiative.

President/Chief Executive Officer of At a Glance Winco Nixdorf, an Information TechApple deal targets 1million tablet users . P. 26 nology company, Mr. Eckard Heidloff, who was in Nigeria, recently gave the Cable practitioners condemn alleged P. 27 view, while responding to questions of Nigeria airwaves on the state of the country’s cashless Software developers gather in Tinapa. P. 28 policy.

Firm claims copyright ownership of According to him: “Although most P.29 countries that have successfully imRFID solution for the oil, gas sector UN warns on mobile cyber security bugs P.30 plemented cashless initiative, deTransformation agenda should pended on telecommunications P.34 operators to drive the initiative, since be ICT driven they have the network and infrastruc-

By Bankole Orimisan

O

ture on which cashless runs, but some other countries like Nigeria also implemented the bank led initiative, where the banks were authorised to drive the initiative.”

He, however, said: “Whichever approach any country adopts, the bottom line is to achieve result.”

In the case of Nigeria, where banks drive the initiative alone, Heidloff said that there would be likely collaboration between banks and the telcos, since the telcos had developed strong telecommunications infrastructure on which cashless was running.

Following agitations by the telcos that they were sidelined in the entire process of driving cashless initiative in Nigeria, the CBN had made bold to say it was a deliberate attempt to use

banks in driving the exercise, for key strategic reasons that bothers on money handling.

The CBN had in January last year, commenced the implementation of the cashless policy in Lagos, and aimed at reducing the dominance of cash in the system.

Following its successful implementation in Lagos, the CBN, penultimate month, declared the extension of the policy to Rivers, Kano, Ogun, Anambra and Abia states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from July 1, 2013. Since the extension, banks and the regulators have continued to intensify efforts in ensuring that consumers are exposed to the various alternative channels.

CBN had explained that the states

were chosen because of the large volume of cash transactions in some of their major cities such as Aba, Kano, Port Harcourt and Onitsha.

Under the policy, the CBN pegged the daily cumulative cash withdrawal or deposit limit for individual accounts at N500, 000 per day and N3 million per day for corporate accounts.

However, to avoid the penal charges associated with withdrawing and depositing funds, banks have rolled out various electronic payment platforms to ease the burden associated with carrying cash.

Banks largely drive the process, a situation that has raised concerns among telecoms operators.

ThE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

26 COMPULIFE

Apple deal targets one million tablet users revolutionising the consumer experience, the huge array of apps is doing even more. The huge impact can be seen in various areas of life, ranging from business to personal productivity, travel, health, lifestyle, news, entertainment and sports.

In fact, the apps have endeared the devices to more and more people and are one of the key factors responsible for the growing network of mobile phone and tablet end-users. Consistent innovations in this regard from the tablet and mobile device makers lend credence to the overwhelming promise of a brighter landscape in the device ecosystem and it appears that the goal is to have apps for consumers in every human activity.

The Apple iPad and the range now growing with the iPad mini promise great utility for different endeavours with the necessary apps. The Evernote, Camcard hD free, 1password, Scanner Pro, Keynote, Numbers and Pages apps help to boost personal productivity and business for consumers. Penultimate, OmniGiraffe and Paper by 53 aid in sketching, graphics and notes taking.

Evernote app is an iPad free app that helps you remember everything across all of the devices you use. It helps you stay organised, save your tablets globally this is because it offers fast touch ideas and improve productivity. This free app lets screen experience, portability, mobility and appli- you store your notes, ideas, to-do lists and much cations in computing, mobile gaming, e-reading, more – all synchronised for access from other and multimedia; users can also browse the web, devices as well. Evernote lets you take notes, capaccess emails on the go, download apps, read ture photos, create to-do lists, record voice books, search for exciting places and many more. reminders – and makes these notes completely however, not only is the iPad and other tablets searchable, whether you are at home, at work, or

… Apps to boost productivity in Nigerian market

By Bankole Orimisan ORE Group, Apple’s flagship distributor in C Nigeria has revealed its strategic plans to empower and enable about one million more Nigerians with access to the latest world-class mobile tablet device, thereby scaling up the currently estimated four million smartphone and tablet users network in Nigeria, revving up the mobile space and further bridging the digital divide under its ongoing iDeal project in conjunction with Stanbic IBTC bank.

Core Group Director, Rutger-Jan van Spaandonk, who disclosed this in a media chat on Monday, said “the ongoing iDeal offer in conjunction with Stanbic IBTC bank seeks to connect and enable about 1million more Nigerians with access to iPad devices and scale up the currently estimated four million smartphone and tablet users network in Nigeria.” he stated that, the iDeal project is a fantastic opportunity for Nigerians to secure an iPad, a device that enhances great performance at work and unlimited fun under a very friendly and convenient pay plan with a preloaded one-year internet access, genuine warranty, set-up and after sales support.

“We seek to put more genuine iPads in the palms of tech enthusiast and everyone in Nigeria and empower them with a device that can boost productivity and personal satisfaction. iPad is a renowned life enhancing tool and we know that many people desire it so we offer them an option of owning this revolutionary device. There has never been a more affordable finance deal with an affordable monthly rate, and zero deposit interest. We encourage customers to apply, said Van Spaandonk. he enjoined Nigerians to take advantage by applying for the 0 percent interest deal at any Stanbic branch. Once customers are approved for the finance deal, they will be able to collect their new iPad from iStore Ikeja Mall. The starting price of the finance deal is as little as 5,375 per month.”

In the same vein, the Core Group boss noted that the increasing growth rate of the tablets in the Nigerian mobile space is a clear testimony of consumer’s escalating desire for smartphones and

on the go.

Camcard hD app is one of the most fully-featured business card scanners on iPad. In addition to accurate business card scanning, it supports a number of additional functions that one may need with contact management such as: batch scanning, card holder, QR code scanning, exporting to Excel, and auto-crop.

The batch scanning feature is especially useful when you come away from an event with a stack of business cards from new contacts. With other apps you have to save the contact info to your phone, then scan again, but with this app you can scan lots of cards and add them to your contacts at once. CamCard converts the business card to text and stores the information so it is easily accessible later.

1password app can remember all your passwords and keep it secured and protected behind your master password. The auto-lock function protects your data even if your device is stolen or lost.

Scanner Pro app transforms your iPad and iphone into a portable scanner, allowing you to scan receipt, paper notes or any multi-paged documents. The scanned document can be emailed or printed.

Keynote is a well-designed presentation app that come completed with animated charts and transitions for making the best presentation on iPad. It helps to navigate slides, view presenter’s notes easily and enhance a wow business presentation.

Numbers is the most innovative spreadsheet

IT costs worry managers, says survey

By Bankole Orimisan with agency report

company IT infrastructure was negatively impacted by a variety of factors as companies move more of ITh the global internet cloud their data online. market set to hit $131 billion in Cloud computing has been touted 2013, the most pressing concern for as a saviour for business, but the Information Technology (IT) mancosts to deploy cloud solutions may agers has been the increased costs of escalate the costs of IT asset mantheir assets, research has shown. agement (ITAM) as the market is The 2013 CIO survey published by predicted to reach $180 billion by Gartner shows that reducing the cost 2015, Gartner said. of IT is one of the highest priorities “ITAM professionals must be able for business. to provide accurate cost models The survey found that the cost of that compare traditional services

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with industrialized and cloud services, and be able to explain the comparative benefits and risks,” the report says.

Software licences, It also found that software maintenance fees were resulting in increased costs.

“Software vendors are increasingly dependent on and protective of their maintenance fees, which often generate profits of 85 per cent or more and account for almost half the revenue of some. These fees are rising steadily, and are more dif-

ficult for ITAM and IT procurement managers to reduce, even when the software is not in use.”

Gartner recommended that IT professionals reduce the number of licences purchased or negotiate discounts for software maintenance.

The survey found that that companies were collating large amounts of data in order to gain a competitive advantage, but Gartner suggested that industry professionals reduce these costs by optimising data and business “metrics”.

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Cable practitioners condemn alleged hijack of Nigerian airwaves

By Bankole Orimisan EMBERS of the Association of Cable Practitioners of Nigeria (ACON) are worried over the porous state of Nigeria’s airwaves, saying the country could lose its media airspace to foreign counterparts if quick intervention was not made.

Kunle Oyisaya-Afolabi, chairman of the group said at the end of their third quarter general meeting in Port Harcourt that international cable network service providers especially China and South Africa were fast taking undue advantage of the situation to infiltrate their culture into the country to the detriment of Nigeria and her citizen.

He accused two South African cable networks in Nigeria of being on the forefront of this abuse and called on the authorities especially the Nigeria Broadcast Commission and the Ministry of ICT to rise up against this trend and save the country’s heritage.

“Nigeria airwaves are being seriously abused by foreign networks, the airwaves are being abused, culturally, morally and otherwise,” he said.

“Unless government realises that this airwave belongs to us and should be managed correctly, effectively and efficiently to deliver div-

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idends of democracy, we will have a serious problem.

“Various cultures are crimping into Nigeria, at a very fast rate. Initially it was South African culture, now you find out there are degradation in families.

“Our culture is being gradually eroded by influx of these foreign cultures. It was South Africa before, but now, Chinese culture is fast coming in now, now what we get on our television are Chinese news, culture, food and all that on our television, that is what is presently going on in families in case we don’t know.

“Sincerely as a broadcast practitioner, I want to tell you that this country is not helping its citizens to get full value of their airwaves.

These airwaves belong to Nigerians; every practitioner in the industry is just using it, unknown sooner or later, they go to another company.”

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the group appealled to the government to take the plan to digitise Nigeria seriously and stressed that it would save the country from several hazards and also create employment for the citizens.

It called for the sensitisation of Nigerian publics on the planned new wave in television viewing, as a way of preparing their minds for

the take-off.

The federal government since last year announced the plan to phase out analogue television system in the country, for the digital system by 2015, but the group said that they were in doubt of the government’s

seriousness in implementing this, saying that no effort was made to show this.

“We want the government to take this issue of digitisation of our broadcast industry serious.

“There is no enlighten-

ment, in every other country in the world it takes the period of four to five years to educate people on how to clear the remains of your old stock to get new ones to stop the continuous importation of these analogue products.

“Everybody has now turned Nigeria into a dumping ground, if you go to Apapa Port, you will still these tokumbo televisions coming in, instead of the government to stop the importation of these things, they still allow them in.

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Software developers gather in Tinapa

ASUS, Google launch new tablet

By Adeyemi Adepetun BOUT 26 Nigerian youth software developA ers, made up of undergraduate and postgraduate students, recenlty gathered at the

tions.

The aims and the design principles of the innovation competitions will include the following: to encourage young software developers to participate in an open innovation process, to trigger off their potential and inspire their creativity with the aim of increasing their quality of their works.

To generate innovations, process and product ideas for development through an IT-enabled ideas competition and accommodating lapses, to acknowledge that innovation competitions are useful in generating radical ideas for the development of new products and solutions.

Chairman of iDEA Incubator, Dotun Sulaiman was in Tinapa to motivate the participants.

The highlight of the event witnessed the appearance of the Governor of Cross River State –Liyel Imoke, who gave a remarkable speech of encouragement.

Le-Media from Team 2 made up of Aboluwarin Olaoluwa David, Banjo Mofesola Paul and Oladapo Oluwadara Glory won the first prize of N450, 000 with three Nokia Lumia Phones.

Similarly, EduCare from Team five made up of

Kester Uwaje and Tiamiyu Mubarak, won the second prize of N250, 000 and two Nokia Lumia phones, while HealthLaunch Pad from Team 8 made up of Mark Olofu and Temitope Oguntade won the third price of N150, 000.

However, Keep Nigeria alive from Team six made up of Junior Pius Ekeh and Eyinka Iheanyi won the fourth position and was rewarded with a BlackBerry Z10 Phone. MeExplorer from Team 3 made up of Okwu Marcus Eke, Anyadike Iheanyi and John Nnanna Oji won the fifth position and was rewarded with a BlackBerry Z10 Phone.

The Cross River State governor motivated the participants to gear up for the national software competition organised by ISPON. The event is scheduled for October 22-23 in Tinapa Knowledge City, Calabar, where Professor Tapio Varis, the UN chairman of e-learning is billed to deliver the keynote address.

At the event, the Minister of Communication Technology was represented by Dr. Ashiru Daura, the acting director general of NITDA. Chris Uwaje, the president of ISPON was the lead resource for the Hackathon.

SUS and Google have unveiled the new A Nexus 7, a seven-inch Android handheld with the sharpest ever tablet screen and built-

in wireless charging that eliminates the need for clumsy power cable connections. Built to deliver the best of Google in an incredibly slim Tinapa Knowledge City, Calabar, Cross River package that fits perfectly in the hand, the new State to explore new opportunities in softNexus 7 continues the successful relationship ware and knowledge development. between ASUS and Google that began in 2012 The developers were brought together with the groundbreaking Nexus 7 tablet. through the ‘Software Hackathon’ event, a According to ASUS Chairman, Jonney Shih: pre-stage activity set to create awareness for “After the success of the first Nexus 7, we are the commissioning of the knowledge incubavery excited to continue our partnership with tor project promoted by the Ministry of Google with this new model. The new Nexus 7 Communication Technology and the National puts the very latest mobile technology in Information Technology Development users’ hands and sets a new benchmark for Agency (NITDA) through the Information tablets.”

Technology Development Entrepreneur For Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome Accelerator (iDEA). iDEA is a non-government and Apps at Google, Sundar Pichai: “Together organisation established to create and prowith ASUS, we took what you loved about the mote knowledge incubation in the country. original Nexus 7 and made it even better. It is Indeed, the ISPON/iDEA Hackathon in Tinapa now thinner, lighter and faster, with the was a corporate technology event, held as an world’s highest resolution screen in a sevenidea hunt competition to help bridge the inch tablet. Whether you are sitting at home, innovation gap that exists between the in a coffee shop or at the airport, the new Nigeria software developers and their instituNexus 7 is powerful, portable and made for what matters to you.”

The tablet comes with a vibrant, seven-inch full HD display packed with more than 2.3 million pixels for a stunning 323 ppi (pixels-perinch), the new Nexus 7 brings apps, games, him, registration on the SkillMix site cussion online. SkillMix’s objective books and movies to vivid life with unparalDirector/Chief Executive Officer of

By Adeyemi Adepetu is to deepen the growing is free of charge. Some the cateleled image quality. ASUS TruVivid technology Thought Studios, Mr. Samuel Information OCAL project owners who seek Adesoga said that the outsourcing gories of job listed on the site improves colour clarity and brightness, while skillful professionals to execute and crowd-sourcing site was include logo design, graphic design, Communications Technology (ICT) IPS display technology gives ultra-wide 178industry in the country. and fulfill their projects need not designed specifically for project basic web design, e-commerce, degree viewing angles. Scratch-resistant According to him, skillsmix.com is Corning Glass and a grippy soft-touch exterior worry any more as Thought blogs, content management sysowners seeking how to effectively Studios, a Lagos-based IT firm has execute their projects, which could tems, mobile apps, social networks, designed such that each project has ensures the new Nexus 7 is also incredibly its own discussion forum where unveiled an outsourcing and robust, while the 8.65mm thickness and low be a web design or similar projects database, search engine optimisacrowd-sourcing portal for this pur- on time and on budget. tion, web apps and software, writing freelancers would raise questions 290g weight mean the new Nexus 7 is even concerning the project under pose. more portable than a paperback book.

“The project owners can outsource and marketing. scrutiny. The freelancers would Christened SkillMix, the social While describing how SkillMix The new Nexus 7 is powered by a Qualcomm the projects to freelancers in order outsourcing site SkillMix is open to to save costs”, as SkillMix portal works, Adesoga explained that proj- convince the project owner their Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor with skills and experiences as well as all freelance web designers, web ect owners were required to post 2GB RAM for incredible performance and would source the right freelance qualifications they have to execute immersive mobile gaming, all with effortless developers, marketers and writers designers, developers, writer and their projects including any supwho seek avenue to express their others across the nation on behalf of porting documents or project speci- the projects. Each skilled energy efficiency that gives up to 10 hours batworker/freelancer has a profile prowess. fication on the website. tery life. Movies and games sound amazing the project owners.

At an interactive forum in Lagos, This enables registered freelancers page that would exhibit the comtoo, thanks to Cingo mobile audio technology Freelancers who are mindful of where SkillMix was uncovered to earning additional incomes would and skilled workers to locate these munication skills, work ethic, tech- from Fraunhofer, creators of the MP3 encoding nical skills, reviews from past projjournalists, Managing projects and join the project’s disformat. register on the site. According to

Firm launches portal to promote project needs L

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Transformation agenda should be ICT-driven to achieve even and sustainable development

By Leo Stan Ekeh HE discussions are still intense across the T land whether the visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Goodluck

Ekeh or free Internet in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna.

Millions of new jobs would be created, decent wealth would abort corruption and new digital lifestyles would be adopted as the levels of creativity and productivity reach unimaginable proportions. If Nigerians in these geo-political centres had heavily subsidised access to Internet, it would trigger off a new era of fairly even development that would heal ethnic jealousies. The wireless infrastructure provided would then be complemented by the provision of subsidised laptops or tablets to all serving members of the National Youth Service Corps.

In actual fact, I have said at some other forums that the Nigerian state needs to deploy a minimum of 25,000,000 PCs, in the next three years, 3,750,000 for each of the six geo-political zones and 2,500,000 in Abuja, or forget the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. These PCs would be targeted at youths who leave secondary school with six ‘Alphas’, all graduating students from polytechnics, colleges of education, and universities. This generation closely interconnected by satellite television, social media and the Internet would give rise to a new ICT based work culture, increasing productivity and self sufficiency, reducing corruption and the kinship that leads to ethnicity and enabling a self interpretation of faith that would undermine religious extremism.

The intervention would immediately arrest the high mortality rate among indigenous ISPs, and PC manufacturers, and give rise to a

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new tier of technologists. The number of startups in Nigeria would run into tens of millions, the quality of education would become globally competitive and business processes and procedures would improve drastically because of the increased opportunity to compare notes with things happening outside our borders.

The essence of promoting ICT is for employment creation as the largest platform for creating employment all over the world. ICT also helps a nation to build a new set of affluent citizens whose wealth can be defended as corruption free. Above all, the government and the president would get credit for kick-starting modern Nigeria. The funding of these patriotic ideas need not give us sleepless nights – the federal government should liaise with the National Assembly, create a special ICT and broadband penetration fund, and persuade corporate persons to pay a one per cent tax over the next five years or alternatively fund this from the Sovereign Wealth Fund for the next three years.

What other countries are doing: The advantage among nations is now measured by the level of ICT and broadband penetration. As recently as 2010, in spite of the fact that nearly 200 million Americans had broadband access in their homes, the USA developed a National Broadband Plan, with the objective to ensure that at least 100 million U.S. homes have affordable access to high speed Internet as would make the United States the world leader in mobile innovations, with the fastest and most extensive wireless networks on

The essence of promoting ICT is for employment creation as the largest platform for creating employment all over the world. ICT also helps a nation to build a new set of affluent citizens whose wealth can be defended as corruption free

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Jonathan to China was a direct reaction to President Obama’s visit to some African countries without visiting Nigeria. The controversy aside, the thinking is that Nigeria’s growing partnership with China means a whittling down of the influence of the USA in sub Saharan Africa.

Reports from that visit to China reveal that the Chinese promptly seized the advantage to do more business in Nigeria – signing a $3.1b loan for a partnership to build three airport cities, interstate highways and help the energy sector. This outcome from the much-publicised visit consolidates the rising profile of China as the dominant foreign power in development projects in Nigeria.

Somehow, ICT did not appear to get the pride of place that it deserves considering China’s status as the ICT workshop of the world.

The bottom-line is that Nigerians have something to show no matter the angle from which you look at the visit. There is no doubt that the federal government is doing a lot in the energy sector, on road construction, in aviation, agriculture and education would be a major achievements if the efforts to find a permanent solution to the spate of strikes in the sector pay off.

The president, who made exhaustive use of the social media in his election campaign, has reaffirmed his belief in technology as a harnessing platform for his development initiatives by his establishment of the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications.

However, expectations from ICT stakeholders are that the mastery of ICT tools and the social media displayed by the president during elections would translate to a retooling of the citizenry sooner than later.

ICT intervention for impact: The federal government needs to make bold hearted interventions in technology just as it is doing in aviation and energy for two reasons. The first is for the development of the capacity of the ICT industry to empower the vast majority of our people towards productivity and growth, and secondly, the assuredness that the different sectors in which investments have been made develop in a manner that is compliant with international standards, guaranteeing competitiveness. The government needs to exploit the pivotal role of technology in national development by providing the environment for technology to nurture to fruition the various initiatives that he has taken in other sectors.

I must admit that the importance of ICT appeared restored recently with the inauguration of 19-man Broadband Council to ensure the execution of an ambitious plan by the federal government to promote the diffusion of high-speed Internet access expected to foster economic growth in the country.

The plan earlier released by the Minister of Information and Communications, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, is a five-year programme, which seeks to achieve a fivefold increase of broadband penetration by the end of 2017, up from the present six per cent level. The plan, among other things, would provide security for broadband infrastructure, encourage a reduction in the costs of deploying infrastructure, use the regulatory bodies to ensure better performance levels of broadband services and use existing national assets to create access for communities for digital literacy.

The definite steps being taken by the federal government to deepen the penetration of ICT and broadband are welcome and timely. They indicate awareness that ICT and broadband penetration are central to the success of the president’s transformation agenda, the attainment of the MDGs in 2015 and the vision 20:2020. The onus is on the council to respectfully pressurise the government to move beyond the setting up of the council to practical interventions that would improve the living standards of our people.

For example, the entire nation would come aflame if the federal government were to deploy wireless infrastructure for subsidised

earth. In pursuit of this goal the USA set up the Connect America Fund, CAF, to finance the provision of affordable high speed Internet and the government approved the spending of $15.5 billion over the next ten years from the existing Universal Service Fund, USF. In addition, the U.S. Government approved incentives to encourage investors to achieve broadband penetration to the unreached and underserved.

It is instructive that smaller countries are already implementing various ambitious ICT broadband interventions. The President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, announced at his swearing in–a laptop for every Kenyan school leaver. Thailand, the small Asian country that supplies Nigeria with rice is currently the cynosure of all OEMs with the intended supply of 1.5 million laptops to boost the economy. Access to the tools of knowledge is the only way to ensure sustainable development through the creation of millions of intellectual merchants and entrepreneurs who can defend their wealth in the 21st century.

If smaller countries including Ghana can do it then Africa’s giant cannot afford to allow this opportunity to slip by. Recently, a Ghanaian company partnered with the Osun State Government to produce tablets for their schools. That Ghanaian company was recently empowered by a loan of $20m from China, underwritten by the Government of Ghana. That is the kind of incentive that Nigerian OEMs need to go global.

Conclusion: No nation is an island unto itself and today’s peer review mechanism has made it easier for nations to learn from one another. Nigeria must learn from what other developing nations are doing. The race for development is like a 100m-dash and the front-runner, by size and resources, cannot afford to be lethargic or minnows will overtake him. All is not lost yet and Nigeria still has ample time to wake up to her manifest destiny as the giant of Africa. The president should be consoled by the cliché that the thank you for hard work is more work. I rest my case.

• Ekeh is chairman, Zinox Group

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Phase3 Telecom partners NCC under universal service funding HASE3 Telecom recently Government’s vital initiatives P made it known to the pub- targeted at addressing the lic of its full commitment to an sleuth of OTC infrastructure to unprecedented extension of its fibre infrastructure to rural communities in the country.

This was at the recently concluded world class CWC NOGTech & NOGLogistics Conference and Exhibition 2013 held in Lagos.

Addressing Newsmen in Lagos, at a conference where delegates were welcomed to the Phase3 Telecom sponsored Wi-Fi/Internet Cafe Lounge, the company’s Head Business Solutions and Sales, Mr. Otuya Okecha stated that Phase3 Telecom in its drive to promoting global standard broadband access and wide coverage in Nigeria; considers it a great privilege to be partnering with Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) under the Universal Service Provisioning Fund (USPF) B-Train project to extend fibre infrastructure to the unserved and underserved areas in Nigeria.

He said this is to aid and speed up the realization of Federal

the rural areas. Okecha maintains that this will positively and significantly impact all efforts in broadband development in the country from the point of ensuring infrastructure serves its purpose as an indelible platform for broadband penetration and coverage in especially the under-served areas.

He also stated this wonderful development upon full execution will greatly boost the Government’s focus towards ensuring Nigeria becomes a globally recognized and appreciated IT driven economy which is a key metric to sustainable economic growth and job creation.

Otuya, said that this partnership and its dividends will validate Government’s efforts in making the sector attractive through vital policies, funding, grants and ensuring an enabling environment for broadband investors to get to the under-served areas in real time.

OAU retools, sees prospect of e-Learning address scarcity of educationBy Syntyche Boman al software that utilizes teachOLLOWING the formal installation of the Centre of ing aids such as simulation, Excellence in software engi- animations and graphics for neering recently, signals have teaching and learning of science and technology post it that Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife is retooling basic courses If fully utilized.

The Vice-Chancellor of the for e-learning university, Prof. Bamitale Supported by Step-B/World Omole, during the inauguraBank with a grant of $5.6m, The centre, which has the fol- tion of the centre recently, said the major delegation of lowing facilities: Internet the university with respect to access laboratory, software studio, cloud computing cen- ICT, as documented in the Strategic Plan (2010-2015), tre, telepresence, hardware was to run a cost capable and design, and software engineering laboratories corre- in effect to academic prospondingly, whilst Skye Bank grammes and institutional supported the project with a administration.

He also added that, teachers structure worth N180m.

The establishment of the cen- and students could interact tre of excellence in software impeccably with the facilities engineering is for the sole aim accessible at the centre without being together in the of solving the problems of inadequately prepared post- classroom setting. basic teachers to cope with the He disclosed that the mission 21st century science and tech- was to advance ICT to a level nology challenges. The profi- such that it would serve as backbone of the university’s ciency being the first of its kind, has the carrying capacity development tactic in teaching, curriculum developof about 1,200 students per ment, innovation, research, use.

The centre is also probable to administration and service.

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G Data introduces new generation of anti-virus software “Starbest will offer the ITH two successful years W of business development entire portfolio of G Data in Nigeria, Germany Software security solutions for end Company, with competence in anti-virus, G Data Software has introduced new products in the country.

G Data in a statement announced that its multiple award- winning antivirus software from G Data is now available in the new generation 2014.

Furthermore, the IT security provider has appointed Starbest Limited as its new B2C distributor for Nigeria. G Data said the Lagos-based company has a comprehensive network of dealers and is excellently positioned in the B2C market for antivirus solutions.

customers and SMEs in Nigeria. In addition, every new G Data security solution for the consumer market contains a free copy of the new, unique G Data Bank Guard, for instant protection and secure online banking among others”, it stated.

According to the German company, the following products for the consumer and B2B market are available now: G Data AntiVirus 2014; G Data Internet Security 2014; G Data Total Protection 2014; G Data Mobile Security 2 (Smartphones) and G Data EndpointProtection 12 among others.

Mobile phones

Accenture establishes innovation centre

By Bankole Orimisan CCENTURE, the global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company has reiterated its commitment to provide cutting-edge innovation through its SAP Innovation Centre for West Africa Speaking at the SAP Innovation forum 2013, the LEAD SAP Innovation Centre and Capability, Mrs. Rita Govender said that Accenture

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Innovation Centre enable SAP innovation, using end-to-end business-centric to demonstrate Accenture’s thought leadership as to what the people, process and technology can do.

She disclosed that with Innovation Centre, clients can envision the art-of-the-possible and develop a roadmap to sustain their Innovation Agenda in the areas which are currently top of mind (Analytics, Mobility and Cloud)

Mrs. Govender explained that Accenture through the SAP innovation Centre extend a leading edge technology platform and cloud infrastructure to all clients who want to validate their assumptions through “try-before-you-buy” proofs of concept.

Speaking further on the Innovation Centre experience, Mrs. Govender said that with Accenture Innovation Centre clients have the opportunity to experience Accenture

Thought leadership on key industry and technology trends,Deep technical and industry experience to facilitate broad, thought-provoking discussion, Dedicated time awayfrom the regular workplace to drive action planning and prioritization of tangible next steps as well as full power and breadth of Accenture and partners for unparalleled brainstorming of innovative on ways to address client burning platforms

Symantec reveals threefold increase in small business attack

By Bankole Orimisan YMANTEC Corp.’s Internet Security Threat Report, Volume 18 (ISTR) has revealed that 42 percent surge during 2012 in targeted attacks compared to the prior year.

Designed to steal intellectual property, these targeted cyberespionage attacks are increasingly hitting the manufacturing sector as well as small businesses, which are the target of 31 percent of these attacks. Small businesses are attractive targets themselves and a way in to ultimately reach larger companies via “watering hole” techniques. In addition, consumers remain vulnerable to ransomware and mobile threats, particularly on the Android platform.

“This year’s ISTR shows that cybercriminals aren’t slowing down, and they continue to devise new ways to steal information from organisations of all sizes,” said Stephen Trilling, chief technology officer, Symantec.

“The sophistication of attacks coupled with today’s IT complexities, such as virtualisation, mobility and cloud, require organisations to remain proactive and use ‘defence in depth’ security measures to stay ahead of attacks.”

Small Businesses Are the Path of Least Resistance Targeted attacks are growing the most among businesses with fewer than 250

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employees. Small businesses are now the target of 31 percent of all attacks, a threefold increase from 2011. While small businesses may feel they are immune to targeted attacks, cybercriminals are enticed by these organisations’ bank account information, customer data and intellectual property. Attackers hone in on small businesses that may often lack adequate security practices and infrastructure.

Web-based attacks increased by 30 percent in 2012, many of which originated from the compromised websites of small businesses. These websites were then used in massive cyber-attacks as well as “watering hole” attacks. In a watering hole attack, the attacker compromises a website, such as a blog or small business website, which is known to be frequently visited by the victim of interest.

When the victim later visits the compromised website, a targeted attack payload is silently installed on their computer. The Elderwood Gang pioneered this class of attack; and, in 2012, successfully infected 500 organisations in a single day. In these scenarios, the attacker leverages the weak security of one business to circumvent the potentially stronger security of another business.

Manufacturing Sector and Knowledge Workers Become Primary Targets Shifting from governments,

manufacturing has moved to the top of the list of industries targeted for attacks in 2012.

Symantec believes this is attributed to an increase in attacks targeting the supply chain – cybercriminals find these contractors and subcontractors susceptible to attacks and they are often in possession of valuable intellectual property. Often by going after manufacturing companies in the supply chain, attackers gain access to sensitive information of a larger company.

In addition, executives are no longer the leading targets of choice. In 2012, the most commonly targeted victims of these types of attacks across all industries were knowledge workers (27 percent) with access to intellectual property as well as those in sales (24 percent).

Mobile Malware and Malicious ites Put Consumers and Businesses at Risk Last year, mobile malware increased by 58 percent, and 32 percent of all mobile threats attempted to steal information, such as e-mail addresses and phone numbers. Surprisingly, these increases cannot necessarily be attributed to the 30 percent increase in mobile vulnerabilities. While Apple’s iOS had the most documented vulnerabilities, it only had one threat discovered during the same period. Android, by contrast, had fewer vulnerabilities but more threats than any other mobile operating

system. Android’s market share, its open platform and the multiple distribution methods available to distribute malicious apps, make it the go-to platform for attackers.

Glo targets more customers with N500m promo S part of programmes A lined up to mark its 10th anniversary on August 29, national telecoms operator, Globacom, has unveiled a new N500m promo aimed at rewarding its subscribers for their support and loyalty to the network over the years.

Tagged, Glo Recharge to Stardom, the promo offers subscribers on the Glo network the opportunity to celebrate with Glo as they stand the chance of winning various prizes ranging from N10,000 up to the grand prize of N25m during the promo which will last for 100 days.

Speaking at the unveiling of the promo in Lagos, Globacom’s National Sales Coordinator (Channels), Mr. Kemi Kaka, said prepaid and post-paid Glo subscribers who recharge with N200 and above during the promo period stand a chance of winning any of the fantastic prizes. He said about 25,071 winners will emerge during the promo.

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

MaritimeWatch Anxiety in shipping industry over adoption of IFRS HIPPING companies and Saffected their financiers may be by the introduction of

the new International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for consolidated financial statements, accountancy firm, Moore Stephens has said.

The new standard, IFRS 10, which deals with consolidated accounts, comes into force in 2014 in the European Union

(EU) and adopts a new approach to the definition of a parent in consolidated accounts.

According to Stephens, it identified three key element of control relating to a subsidiary: who has the power to direct the key activities, who gets a variable return as a result of the activities and is there a connection between the exercise of power and the

variable return.

Though some shipping groups may discover that the new standard has minimal issues, in the case of more complex arrangements there could be questions over the shipping company’s subsidiary status.

Michael Simms, partner at Moore Stephens, said: “In every case, IFRS 10 looks to the substance of the arrangement and

not just to its legal form. So there is no simple answer to the three key questions it poses. Each situation needs to be assessed individually.

“There have been a number of cases in recent years of shipping companies being unable to meet their debt obligations.

If the vessels operated by such companies are then sold, no accounting issues arise and the bank has simply realised

its loss. In some cases, though, the bank does not wish to sell the vessel and it is transferred to a new entity in which the bank retains some form of interest.

“The question is whether, in such cases, that entity is a subsidiary of the bank. The new IFRS10 definition is already raising issues and more are likely to arise with the forthcoming implementation in

the EU.” Meanwhile, for the first time, the three largest United States of America based cruise lines recently began posting on their websites more comprehensive data about allegations of serious crimes committed aboard ships. The disclosures were made voluntarily but come amid growing pressure from Congress and crime victims for CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

‘How to curtail smuggling, high cost of doing business at ports’ A Fellow of the Certified Institute of Shipping (FCIS), Vicky Haastrup is the chairman of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) and executive vice-chairman, ENL Consortium Limited, operator of terminals C and D at the Lagos Port Complex Apapa. Haastrup attended Pitman Central College and Holborn College both in London. For 23 years, she was at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). She rose through the ranks to the position of special assistant to the minister of Petroleum and Energy before retiring in 2006. In an interview with MOSES EBOSELE, Haastrup spoke on the state of Nigerian ports, smuggling and how to address high cost of doing business among others. Excerpt How would you rate the port environment seven years after concessioning?

E have made progress. If you look back to where we are coming from and where we are now, you would discover that we have made progress. We have made good effort. Let me not say excellent. My assessment is based on where we are coming from.

Let me not say excellent because the port industry is yet to be rated as an excellent system because of some aspects that relates to its operations in Nigeria particularly the enabling environment and other factors. But, the system has been transformed.

The concessionaires took over a completely run down system in every ramification. The system was at a standstill, there were no equipment, the workforce was polluted, there was corruption in the system, the ports were not developed, and the environment was not conducive. I can go on and on. But, when you look at the ports as they are today, you will see transformation. In terms of cargo throughput there has been tremendous increase. The records are available at Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for anybody to verify.

For example, at ENL Consortium Limited, we recorded about 1.6million cargo throughput per year pre-concessioning. One year after concessioning, we handled 2.5 million tones of cargoes. In two years, we did over three million. That to me is an ‘explosion’.

The benefits of the exercise (concession) are numerous. The multiplying effects are there for everybody to see. A lot of cost saving measures has been recorded. Ships now spend less time at our ports. In this industry time is very important. Dwell time of ships play crucial roles in cost savings. Ships that usually spend 15 days are handled today between three to four days. That is reduction in cost. We have recorded tremendous improvements, especially Lagos based terminal operators. Those in the southsouth (eastern ports) are still struggling because of the security situation in that part of the country.

The improvement in service and operations can be confirmed from the NPA. They have the statistics on the numbers of ships and the volume of cargoes. We (terminal operators) have done quite well. We have done what we need to do. We can do more.

We hope to do more. That is why I refused to use the word excellent to rate our operations for now. There are still rooms for improvement especially as it relates to enabling environment. The environment in Nigeria is still not conducive enough to do business. There are lots of issues such as traffic, trucking, security.

What do you think can be done to curtail the chaotic traffic situation around the ports?

All roads leading to the ports must be in good condition. For example, it is not easy driving through the road from Oshodi to Tin-can Island ports. The road should be properly fixed. Seven years after concession, the road is not in good shape. The concentration of jetties within the port’s environment is also not good for us. If you are driving along the creek road, for instance, you would see a line-up of oil tankers. They are not necessarily trucks that are coming to load at the terminals. The concentration of oil jetties, depots within the port’s environment is also dangerous.

The tank farms and jetties should be relocated. I have spoken severally on this issue. Nigeria is the only country in the world where situation like this can happen.

What is your experience with electricity supply?

We have been on generator for the past one month. Out of the 365 days that makes up a year, we hardly have electricity supply for 100 days. We run most of our operations on generators. The development is also an addition to the total cost of doing busi-

W

Haastrup ness.

A situation where generator is on for 24 hours a day is particularly not good for business. Government did not provide water and adequate electricity. We (terminal operators) are playing that role. It is not part of the concession agenda, but we are providing the service to keep our business running. For the business to be well managed and for the system not to collapse, I have turned myself to Federal Government.

We have complained over and over again to NPA. We just want solutions to all these problems. It is very important because running a business fully on generators makes the whole process very expensive.

What are the other factors responsible for the reported high cost of doing business at the ports?

Terminal operators are not responsible for the high cost of doing business at the port. Several agencies are involved in port operations. Starting with the NPA, concessionaires, shipping agent and clearing agents. Every-one is involved in the transactions. The concessionaires need to recoup what they are investing. We are putting back a lot of what we are earning as revenue to run the system but the people that are not running the system are making so much money. NPA collects money for berthing. But, I maintain the berth. Why should NPA collect such dues when it is not the one maintaining the berths? NPA collects the charges but I must ensure that my environment is properly maintained.

The shipping agents are the worst culprits. We (terminal operators) have overheads; we keep the system running. A situation where shipping agents even collect demurrage is wrong. Why are they collecting demurrage? Do they have terminals or what is the money for? Nobody sees anything wrong in that but people are quick to blame terminal operators who keep the system running.

As terminal operators, we are doing our best to do what we must do to get things done and of course that would impact on the cost of doing business. We have to recoup funds spent to get things running at the terminals.

What do you think can be done to reduce the cost of doing business at the ports?

The government should ask questions. The government should check the roles of each party. The government should check the charges. The issue of charges and high cost must be looked at holistically. Terminal operators are not responsible for the high cost of doing business at the ports.

What is responsible for some importers preference for neighbouring ports?

There are misrepresentations about this issue. Terminal operators are not to blame. Government policies may be responsible for that. For instance, I have handled one ship of rice this year.

The Customs duty on rice is 110 per cent. It is cheaper for some importers to go to Republic of Benin to discharge their rice cargo and other banned items. They usually have a way of bringing (smuggling) the products into Nigeria. At the end of the day, it is cheaper for them to have it done that way. The landing cost is far cheaper than doing it in Nigeria.

Ordinarily, people will not go to Republic of Benin because of high cost on the part of terminal operators. I am emphasising it that they go there because of Federal Government policies pure and simply. That is the only reason people are going to Republic of Benin.

Can you expatiate on these policies?

For instance, some importers are smuggling rice and other items into the country because of high customs duty. People basically take this step after calculating that it would be cheaper for them to go through Republic of Benin.

What can government do to help terminal operators in this regard?

Let me also mention that some West African countries are talking to us (concessionaires) on possible partnership. For instance, Liberia, Cameroon and others want some of us to help run their ports terminals. If we are not doing well in Nigeria why are they talking to us? Some four or five years ago, some of them visited Nigerian Ports to study how the transformation was carried out.

Though sensitive, what is the rationale behind the ban on some products? Why ban what is not sufficiently produced locally?

If local production were able to meet demands of the market, importers would not smuggle the products into the country, for example, rice and poultry products.

The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is doing everything possible to empower farmers. I must commend the government for that. But, we need to get to that level where what they are producing will be able to march up with the demands in the market. As long as it cannot march up, there will always be the issue of smuggling. When commodities are smuggled into the country, it has a resultant effect on the income of Customs.

Funds that are supposed to go into federation account are going into private pockets. Customs duty on machinery has also gone up. Generally, Customs duty on everything has gone up. To me that is discouraging to the importers. Why is it discouraging? It is because the volumes of buyers in the market have also reduced.

In the past, Burma Road (Apapa) was filled with industries. The reverse is the case today.

What do you think is responsible for the slow pace of activities at eastern ports?

Security is the major issue. It is the most vital issue. Dredging of the ports might also help. The ports should be made deeper to attract bigger vessels. Security should be addressed. People would rather bring their vessels to Lagos and transport the goods to the eastern part of the country by road. It is easier and more convenient to go through Port Harcourt ports.

Some cargoes you see at Lagos ports are actually going to the east and other parts of the country.

Cargoes like fertilisers, iron end up at Aba (Abia State) and Onitsha (Anambra State) markets.

The rail system should be fully resuscitated. We (Nigeria) need to revive the rail system. Where is the connectivity? How many rail lines do we have in Nigeria? We need to revive fully our rail system. That is how it is done in other parts of the world. Cargoes should be transported by rail. The roads get bad quickly because of too much pressure. The need for an efficient rail system cannotbeoveremphasised.Wealsoneedtolookatthebridgesaround the ports. The minister of transport should look into it because if any of the bridges collapses, the commercial activities at Apapa would come to a complete stand still. There are two access into the ports in Lagos: Ijora or Tin-can Island. To forestall any possible danger, relevant ministries and agencies of government should check the status of the bridges around the ports.

How did terminal operators handle pre-concession labour unrest?

Initially there was the issue of mistrust between the concessionaires and the workers. The level of mistrust was initially deep.

Everything is calm today. We work as a team. There is increase in their total take home. Welfare package has also improved. There isflowofcommunicationbetweentheworkersandus.Miscreants don’t live in the ports anymore. Despite challenges, we are proud of our achievements so far.

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

COSCO Ship

Experts task operators over impact of micro-plastic at sea experts recen IthetlyNTERNATIONAL met in London to review growing problems in the marine environment caused by micro-plastics – tiny pieces of plastic or fibres, which may act as a pathway for persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic substances entering the food chain.

The experts form a key working group (WG-40) under the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP), an advisory body that advises the United Nations (UN) system on the scientific aspects of marine environmental protection.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is the Administrative Secretariat of GESAMP, which has, to date, produced more than 85 reports, including numerous in-depth technical studies contributing to the assessment on the state of the global marine environment.

According to IMO, the working group, which met recently,

completed a draft assessment report, covering the inputs of plastics and micro-plastics into the ocean, from land- and seabased human activities; the mechanisms and rates of particle degradation and fragmentation; the processes controlling particle transport and accumulation; the interaction of micro-plastics with organisms, and potential physical and chemical impacts; and public perceptions about marine litter in general and micro-plastics in particular.

Further meetings will be held later this year and in 2014, with a view to presenting the final global assessment report on micro plastics in the ocean at the 2nd International Ocean Research Conference in Barcelona, Spain, in November 2014.

The principal audience for the assessment consists of the five UN Agencies supporting the work (IMO, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC), as the lead Agency). The group recognised that the results will also be of interest to many other stakeholders, including intergovernmental bodies, regional seas organisations, maritime and relevant land-based sectors, industry, conservation bodies, scientists and the general public.

IMO explained that the workshop brought together experts in chemistry, ecology, eco-toxicology, human toxicology, materials science, physical oceanography, psychology, science-policy interface, social media and waste management, from nine countries on five continents, and observers from PlasticsEurope and the American Chemistry Council.

“Plastic debris comes in a wide variety of sizes and compositions and has been found throughout the world’s oceans, carried by ocean currents and

biological vectors, such as in the stomach contents of fish, mammals and birds. Plastics degrade extremely slowly in the open ocean, partly due to UV absorption by seawater and relatively low temperatures. The dumping of plastics into the sea from ships is prohibited under international treaties,” said IMO. Micro-plastics are one of the degradation products of all plastics and may be small to very small, including just fibres or strands, with a range of compositions. They tend to fall into one of two categories: “primary” micro-plastic resin pellets used in the plastics industry, and in certain applications such as industrial abrasives and skin-care products; and “secondary” micro-plastics resulting from the degradation and breakdown of larger items, including so-called biodegradable plastics.

While micro-plastics may not pose an obvious risk to marine life–suchasentanglement–due to the small size, nonetheless they may pose chemical or

physical risks, especially on micro-fauna. Micro-plastics may also contribute to the transfer of pollutants from seawater to marine life.

More than 60 participants from the 20 coastal member states of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) recently in Cotonou, Benin Republic joined international experts for a seminar on maritime and port security.

The event organised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) had in attendance experts from France, the United States Coast Guard, the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the international police organisation, Interpol.

According to IMO, they shared their knowledge and respective areas of expertise on a range of issues, including the practical implementation of security

measure in ports, the facilitation of maritime traffic, the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships, dealing with illicit maritime trafficking and countering transnational organised crime.

IMO welcomed the opportunity to collaborate closely with PMAWCA as part of IMO’s continuing technical co-operation programme in the region.

“Going forward, PMAWCA will build on the issues raised in this seminar to create a network for sharing port and maritime security information, intelligence gathering and information sharing as the Association seeks to contribute towards the wider effort to strengthen maritime security,” said Michael Luguje, PMAWCA secretary-general.

IMO explained that the seminar complements the maritime security assistance programme conducted by the Organization in the region, including the integrated coast guard function network project and the recent series of national table top exercises.

Anxiety in shipping industry over adoption of IFRS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 greater accuracy about crime at sea.

The postings by Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line show many more crimes were reported to security personnel than had previously been made public, but still a minuscule number compared with the nearly 17 million people who embark on cruises in North America every year.

Before now, people only had access to U.S.CoastGuardcrimefiguresthatwere based solely on cases in which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

had concluded an investigation.

Federal law requires these statistics only for homicide, suspicious deaths, missing U.S. persons, kidnapping, assault with serious bodily injury, rape and other sexual assaults, tampering with a vessel and thefts over $10,000.

Since January 2011, the Coast Guard has publicly reported only 31 such crimes aboard cruise ships, according to the Senate Commerce Committee.

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian recently reported 94 crimes and 20 crimes, respectively, between October 2010 and the end of June this year.

Carnival, which is the largest of the three, planned to post its crime data.

The most common allegations were rape and sexual assault, followed by thefts. No homicides were reported. The numbers only reflect allegations, not whether investigators concluded that a crime had actually been committed, cruise line officials said.

“We are doing this voluntarily to remove all doubt about the relatively low level of crime on cruise ships, especially when compared with comparable land-based crimes,” said Carnival spokesman Roger Frizzell in an email.

“The majority of these are never substantiated as actual crimes after the initial investigation.”

According to agency report, Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, said that he remained skeptical that the cruise industry could be trusted to self-report accurate crime statistics. Rockefeller was sponsoring legislation that would, among other things, require reporting of crime statistics and give victims greater rights.

“If we’re really going to make a difference for consumers, I believe it’s going

to take legislative action to make sure this industry is required to give customers the information they need and deserve when they’re making a decision about taking a cruise,” Rockefeller said in a statement.

Also skeptical is Kendall Carver, chairman of the International Cruise Victims group that has been pushing for change in how crimes at sea are investigated and reported. Carver said that he believed the new numbers were still vastly lower than reality, because the initial investigations were handled by cruise line security personnel rather than law enforce-

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

IndustryWatch AGOA post-2015: Opportunities, challenges for Nigeria To significantly transform African economies from the current low-income level to middle-income status, emphasis has been placed on value-addition as a recipe for the continent’s large reservoir of natural and agricultural resources through processing and manufacturing activities. To stakeholders, this move is implicit in the transition process from predominantly agrarian to industrial economies. After almost 15 years of trade relations with African countries under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), there are indications that the United States (U.S.) may extend the deal.

Though, it provides various incentives for Africans among them which is the opening of the U.S. market for exports. The unilateral preferential trade arrangement also sets a framework for partnerships in trade and investment. Despite the success of the scheme, stakeholders believe the prospects of growth for African countries may remain in the dark if value-addition is not encouraged. FEMI ADEKOYA writes.

largely to the lack of diversification of its growth sources and an over-reliance on primary commodity exports could not be more apt. For many African nations, especially Nigeria, growth has not necessarily led to job creation, and in some countries, it has rather widened inequality.

The need to diversify Nigeria’s economy has been one of the key subjects of discourse in many fora, albeit the rather slow progress recorded in making the diversification a reality. The contribution of the non-oil sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is an evidence of Nigeria’s slow pace and low commitment to the diversification of the economy.

According to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Carlos Lopes, the absence of significant industrialisation in much of Africa is a missed opportunity for more robust, diversified and sustainable economic development.

He added that the Asian industrialisation experiences are the most successful among the developing countries, and there is therefore good reason for Africa to look at such a model as a basis for its own industrial development, especially models designed to encourage value addition and special economic zones.

To achieve its diversification objective, the Federal Government decided to key into the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) passed into law by the U.S. Senate in May 2000.

AGOA, with two years to the end of its timeline, has been the centerpiece of U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). By complementing the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) market access, AGOA has opened the U.S. market to over 6,400 products from 39 AGOA-eligible countries. This has helped to increase both the volume and diversity of U.S.-SSA trade.

In 2008, exports from AGOA countries rose from $23 billion in 2000 to $81 billion. The nonoil imports’ component of this trade is estimated to have risen 230 per cent by 2008 despite AGOA’s exclusion of competitive African exports like sugar, peanuts, dairy and tobacco.

This expansion in African exports occurred even though the U.S. continues to subsidise agricultural products such as cotton.

Currently, with Nigeria’s contribution atop,

Obama the total Africa exports to the U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) grew to nearly $35 billion in 2012 alone, according to the U.S. State Department.

Besides, the U.S. Commerce Department noted that, by the middle of last year, U.S. exports to the entire Sub Saharan Africa was about $21 billion, revealing a rising trade expansion with African countries because of the AGOA. According to a statement issued by the U.S. State Department at the weekend, “AGOA enables the 39 eligible sub-Saharan African countries to export most products duty-free to the U.S., adding that the total African exports under AGOA “have more than quadrupled” since the programme’s inception about 13 years ago.

Continuing, the statement stated, “AGOA provides incentives for African countries to improve their investment climates, reduce corruption, respect human and labour rights and the rule of law, improve infrastructure and harmonise trade standards to help them become more competitive in the global marketplace,” having disclosed that “in 2012, AGOA-eligible countries exported nearly $35 billion in products to the United States duty free under AGOA and its related Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) provisions.”

Yet, AGOA’s achievements mask two important issues. First, many stakeholders, especially exporters, believe that the benefits have been un- even in both product and country diversity.

Second, despite indications of extension of the deal, though uneven, the need to review sustainable policies that would encourage long-term investments and the creation of new regional value chains with the potential to deepen intraAfrican trade is key.

Already, this year’s edition of the yearly AGOA Forum focused on Africa’s sustainable transfor-

“

Aganga mation through trade and technology and marked a milestone in the Africa-U.S. trade deal initiated in the year 2000 to be terminated on September 30, 2015.

Indeed, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the U.S., Prof.

Adefuye Adebowale, had at the weekend called for an AGOA trade hub in Nigeria, and the extension of the AGOA law, which is expected to expire in 2015.

Adefuye added that even though AGOA is about to expire in two years, “many African countries have not benefitted,” from the provision of the U.S. law that grants duty-free trade into the U.S. “Even Nigeria has not optimally utilised the provisions of AGOA as the component of its huge trade with the U.S. is mostly crude oil,” Adefuye added, while canvassing a broader products window under the Act, “so that our value-added agricultural products could be allowed into the American markets.”

The Nigeria Ambassador to the U.S. then suggested, that access for high-value and semiprocessed agric products into U.S. markets from Nigeria “should be part of the renewed AGOA.” More specifically, the Ambassador added that when AGOA is extended, Nigeria would expect the Americans to assist Africa with trade infrastructure such as safe ports, shipping, roads and rails to connect the sub-region and to foster regional trade.

He also stated that the country needs technical assistance in the area of Phyto-Sanitary Compliance, the absence of which he disclosed “has led to the denial of access into U.S. market of most of its agric products.”

Hitherto, some industry stakeholders told The Guardian, that an improved AGOA should help refocus Foreign Direct Investments to more sectors as opposed to the current bias that targets

Specifically, industrial strategies have to be introduced as a matter of urgency to remove existing constraints on value-addition and economic transformation, weak infrastructure, unreliable energy supply, underdeveloped and inefficient private sector, and shortage of skilled labour. Even Nigeria has not optimally utilised the provisions of AGOA as the component of its huge trade with the U.S. is mostly crude oil.

“

HE assertion that Africa’s recent relatively T good growth performance has not been inclusive regarding its impact on poverty, due

primarily textiles, apparel and oil sectors.

According to them, it should also be made more inclusive, accessible and beneficial to exporters.

Director-General, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dr. John Isemede, during a recent forum decried the imbalance of trade between Nigeria and the U.S., noting that it was very difficult for Nigerians to export value added products to the U.S. than it is for Nigeria to import same from the country.

He explained that most of the bilateral trade policies are not working in Africa’s favour, especially Nigeria.

“Even the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) is not working in our favour. For bilateral trade to be enhanced, the developed economies should start thinking of how to invest in Nigeria’s economy rather than taking raw materials from us, while dumping refined products back to the system. We need to protect the interest of coming generations. Nigeria deserves a win-win situation.

“Many times, value-added products are rejected by the United States and some other European nations under the disguise that the products do not conform to some standards.

Standards should not be imposed on Africans for products not produced in America; rather such standards should be developed based on an agreement between the countries involved”, he added.

Already, the forum believes that African countries stand to lose hugely should the U.S. abandon the AGOA arrangements in favour of its previous trade regime with African countries known as the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) or should it replace AGOA with an ACP-EU type Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

While a move in the direction of an EPA could result in large losses in tariff revenue for African countries, an exclusion of middle-income countries that are currently eligible for AGOA or adding other non-African least-developed countries (LDCs) that are currently not AGOA-eligible would result in considerable trade losses and increased competition for Africa.

The U.S. had earlier noted that Nigeria could do

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

INDUSTRY WATCH | 39

AU canvasses export diversification to boost trade deals

By Femi Adekoya with agency reports HE African Union (AU) has tasked member T states on the need to diversify its products exported to the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) with a view to maximising the benefits of the programme.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Senior Officials of AGOA Forum, at the AU headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, AU Trade and Industry Commissioner, Fatima Haram said energy-related products have dominated imports by the U.S. According to her, some 90 per cent of all imports through AGOA are coming from the mining and energy sectors.

She explained saying: “Producing market oriented products and ensuring quality of products is crucial to diversify exports. The U.S. Foreign Direct Investment comes to Africa is only one percent, to a few countries and mostly in mining and extractive sectors.

Governments have taken decisive and often difficult steps to follow the guidelines of AGOA in political and economic terms.

“But market access is meaningless without capacity to trade, which is the capacity to produce quality goods at competitive prices.

Although, AGOA has clearly played an important role in boosting export; its broader economic impact has been much more modest.”

In her speech made available on the AU’s website, she noted that if the continent continues to export only raw materials under AGOA, it will not achieve its export diversification objective.

She added saying: “There is a general conviction from both parties that AGOA did not develop its full potential as an engine of intraregional integration and that the benefits of AGOA have not been maximized. AGOA should be extended for a longer time in a predictable manner and the range of products eligible for AGOA imports expanded. This will help pro-

Campari to reward consumers in new promo s part of its consumer loyalty reward programme, Campari, one of the drinks in the alcohol and spirit category has announced a new consumer promotion in which a lucky customer will be rewarded with a brand new car.

The consumer promotion tagged “A Taste of Things to Come” is scheduled to run for eight weeks, from July 18 to September 6, 2013 in selected centres, bars, grocery supermarkets and open markets across seven major cities in Nigeria - Lagos, Aba, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Abuja and Ibadan.

According to a statement made available to The Guardian, Managing Director Brian Munro Limited, Campari Marketing agent in Nigeria, Paul Wilson, added that there are other categories of prizes to be won during the period of the promotion.

“To participate”, Wilson explained, “a consumer will have to purchase of any size of Campari drink available in 20cl, 50cl and 100cl bottles, the collect and complete a coupon at any of the designated redemption centers on presentation of the bottle cap as proof of purchase and consumption of Campari. Consumers are expected to fill in their names and contact details in the coupon and return same to the Campari Team at any of the centers, thus qualifying them to enter for the grand draw”.

A

mote non-extractive investments in the continent.

“There is also need for more business to business interaction and to achieve that, more work on raising awareness among women and youth entrepreneurs and small and medium size businesses should be undertaken, as well as capacity building.

“It is also evident that those countries that have put in place AGOA export strategies have performed better than others, so there is need to share experience in this area. Equally important is to improve production strategies, quality

standards and value addition.

“In this regard, the contribution of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, trade promotion agencies, standards organisations, women and youth entrepreneurs as well as small and medium enterprises is necessary. But there could also be more support from the US side in the form of a new AGOA compact, which would target Member States that have developed comprehensive AGOA export strategies. The AGOA compact would, in addition, enable both Africa and the U.S. to monitor and evaluate success of AGOA export programmes of eligible coun-

tries.”

On his part, United States Trade Representative to the forum, Michael Froman said: “Our strategy goes beyond traditional aid and assistance.

We are focused on mobilizing trade and investment. We are doing things differently around the world, and Africa deserves the same thoughtful, innovative thinking we have given the rest of our trading partners. We need to lay the foundation for AGOA 2.0, informed by the lessons of the past thirteen years, reflecting the changes in the global trading system, and driven by the ideas of today and tomorrow.”

Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga (left); Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Latif Busari; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Engr. Abdulahi Sule; and Executive Director, Engineering and Operations, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Maryoud Elsunni, during a facility visit of the Minister of Trade and Investment to Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, in Apapa, Lagos.

PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

CIPE advocates responsible media advocacy for industrial growth

By Femi Adekoya O drive sustainable industrial growth and T economic development in the country, there is need for responsible reportage of events by the media through effective advocacy.

This was the view of the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) at a twoday media workshop organised for journalists in Lagos, recently.

The Country Director, CIPE Nigeria, Mrs. Omowumi Gbadamosi, said the role of media cannot be undermined in economic development, noting that the media must as a matter of urgency, carry out in-depth analysis on specific issues affecting businesses and the economy at large.

Gbadamosi tasked journalists to use the media to attract the federal government’s attention to create enabling business environment and change government’s orientation towards business groups and associations.

According to her, the business sector is the only sector to achieve economic growth and development, noting that that the private sector has a crucial role to achieve this feat.

“The sector to provide economic development

and business sustainability is the private sector, because the nexus between the economy and sustainability is vital to achieve any meaningful growth for this country and only the business sector can provide this through trade and professional association,” she said.

In her words: “The workshop will highlight the strategic role of the Media in Business Advocacy and the need for effective coverage of business advocacy programs. This will further enhance the capacity of the associations to conduct business advocacy effectively.

She said the objectives of CIPE supports freedom of association and grassroot participation of private sector organisations by providing executive management courses and educational materials, assistance on advocacy strategies and organisation governance, and support for market-oriented member services.

She also called on the need for coalition groups to work closely with business associations in order to achieve common goals and drive business growth in the country.

She pointed out that the general objectives of all business associations are to help businesses grow, increase job opportunities, encourage

development of the community and promote private enterprise.

She highlighted the elements of a successful business association to include, a sound organisational structure; definite objectives, participating membership; adequate finances; responsible leadership and skilled administrative staff She said the most important function of a business association is to identify laws and regulations that hinder business activity; offer specific recommendations and policy options; educate the private sector on public policies that affects business associations and allow the business community to speak with a unified voice.

She noted that the objectives of CIPE is to foster institutions necessary to establish and sustain market-oriented democracies and also increase private sector participation in the democratic process.

She added that CIPE is involved in increasing support for and understanding the freedom, rights, responsibilities essential to market oriented democracies among government officials, business people, media and the public.

Nigeria and the long walks of AGOA in 2015 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 well with AGOA by doing the following: • bodies, states and firms from Nigeria should hold more trade and investment summits so as to create an awareness of the opportunities that exist; • Nigeria should develop national and state level AGOA strategies that are inclusive, meaning working with all stakeholders in Nigeria - government, labour, private sector, civil society, to determine where its competitive and comparative advantages lie outside of oil and gas; • Nigeria should cultivate more land, it should do more agribusiness than it is doing now; • Nigeria would need to move away from traditional exports of primary commodities and diversify into value-added products; • Nigeria has a great responsibility in improving its current ranking in the Doing Business Report of the World Bank.

Improving Nigeria’s standing in the rankings would send a positive signal to investors interested in sectors other than oil and gas; and, • Nigeria needs to take a special interest at its market by promoting good governance, investing in people and implementing

difficult macroeconomic reforms.

Specifically, African beneficiaries need to define possible actions and weigh out the advantages and challenges trade agreements may pose to their international trade, regional integration and national development objectives.

To UNECA’s executive secretary, Lopes, the success of value addition, special economic zones and other industrialisation initiatives requires the creation of an enabling environment that enhances requisite domestic capacity and capability, particularly in respect of physical and social infrastructure, human capital, technological innovation, financial systems, and governance.

Lopes in his article “Africa, the factory floor of the world?” said: “Governments need to put regulatory frameworks in place for tackling market failures as part of a wider and all inclusive industrial policy. The creation of such an enabling environment will help realise the full potential of the African private sector.

Africa’s vast unexploited resources and abundance of labour provide opportunities for development of the private sector and attracting private investments for economic diversification and value-addition.

“Despite the critical role of manufacturing per se in the transformation and development processes of African economies, it is

important that African policy-makers do not seek to achieve industrialisation at the expense of the agricultural sector.

Industrial policy has to address the integration of the rural sectors with the rest of the economy as well as the contribution that these could make to industrial development. This can be done by advancing agro-industry, value-addition and the supply of wage goods that enhances the competitiveness of domestic enterprises in global value chains and export markets.”

He however added that most of Africa’s economies are still driven by commodity production and export of agricultural and mining products, and the continent remains the least industrialised region of the world.

According to him, if value addition, special economic zones in Africa are to be sustainable and successful as showcases of industrial progress and structural transformation, as they have been in Asia, there is a need for forceful policies. “Specifically, industrial strategies have to be introduced as a matter of urgency to remove existing constraints on value-addition and economic transformation, weak infrastructure, unreliable energy supply, underdeveloped and inefficient private sector, and shortage of skilled labour.”

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

SWEETCRUDEREPORTS 41

42 SWEETCRUDEREPORTS

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

43

Energy ‘Consumers won’t be subjected to bi-yearly price increases’ From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja ONSUMERS would not be subC jected to increases in electricity tariff twice a year, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has assured.

Also, the Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo has again called for patience and support from consumers and all stakeholders in government’s quest to ensure reliable and efficient electricity supply.

Special Adviser, Media to the Minister, Kande Daniel, called for greater collaboration between consumers, industry experts and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to resolve issues around service delivery.

She told The Guardian: “On private purchase of transformers by either groups or individuals, the minister commends self-help efforts in the face of huge challenge of providing sufficient electricity for a steadily growing population. He observes that most times, these transformers get abandoned and are never activated or energised.

“In view of this, he advises that people should liaise with industry experts and the PHCN to get expertise advise on materials to purchase, as well as the know-how to energise and activate these transformers, to ensure that the communities enjoy the benefits.”

Chairman of NERC, Sam Amadi stressed that ‘minor’ reviews would be conducted twice a year, but that these wouldn’t result to price increases. Instead, the reviews could actually lead to a reduction in tariff.

He said in an interview with The Guardian: “It is not true at all that consumers will be subjected to price increase twice every year. This is complete falsehood.

“There is a set tariff for 2012, 2013 till 2017. Though there are minor reviews in June and December of each year, these reviews will not always result in any increase. In fact, the review will not result in an increase because our financial and technical assumptions are accurate.

“An example is the minor review conducted in December 2012 resulted in no changes to the MYTO. Such reviews can actually result in maintaining the status quo or even reducing the tariff, an example is the minor review conducted in December 2012, which did not result in any tariff increase. The commission decided to maintain the tariff because changes in the macroeconomic indices were insignificant.”

He described the The Multi Year Tariff

• NERC strengthens regulation of successor firms • Minister wants closer PHCN-customer relations Year Order (MYTO) as a methodology to ensure that consumers have access to adequate and reliable electricity, stressing that it is a tariff plan that sets the prices of electricity over a period of five years.

According to him: “ MYTO allows for minor and major reviews at certain intervals. Major reviews are conducted every five years, while minor reviews are conducted on a twice-yearly bases. The reviews are done to assess whether the changes of macro-economic indices such as interest rates, gas prices and inflation are significant enough to warrant a change in the tariff (MYTO year commences in July).”

He further explained the rationale behind gradually increasing tariffs as contained in the MYTO. He said: “The revenue requirement for the sector was determined after due consultation with critical stakeholders.

Based on this, the generation, transmission, distribution and end user or retail tariffs were set. We, at the Commission, came to the realization that if these new cost reflective tariffs were imposed on customers, it would cause shocks and

unnecessary hardships. Therefore to forestall this adverse effect on customers, the approach taken by the Commission was to gradually bring up the tariffs over a period of time and to include subsidy for most of the consumer. This is a clear indication of what NERC is doing to protect the interest of the electricity customers in Nigeria.”

He spoke on measures that the commission is putting place to strengthen its regulation of the sector.

He assured that NERC would address the issue to restore balance and equity in electricity distribution.

On the transitional electricity market, he stressed how rule based industry was critical to its sustainability and growth, noting that as a regulator, it was going to bare its regulatory teeth on the sector and would diligently protect the consumers, whom he said were the primary concern of the commission.

His words: “When operators fail to follow rules, it creates serious problems.

The flouting of the load allocation formula is an example. An industry that is

weak on rules also sends the wrong signals to investors thereby stalling the development of new projects. To this end, NERC has been meeting with critical stakeholders – generation and distribution companies, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc to ensure that the necessary conditions for the commencement of the rule based transitional electricity market are met. The commencement of the transitional electricity market will ensure more discipline with all entities adhering to their contractual obligations as well as all rules and regulations thereby translating to improved service delivery to electricity customers.”

He noted: “One of the major challenges of providing adequate electricity is the huge technical losses associated with the radial nature of our transmission network and the lopsided location of power plant. To overcome this technical challenge, NERC has developed the Embedded Generation Regulation to allow IPP embed small modular power inside a distribution network without going through the transmission. Flowing from above, a sanitized electricity market will see to the rapid entry of additional generation. Investors can

derive the needed confidence to drive their projects. A case in point is the 10megawatt power in Lagos by NEGRIS, to be embedded within the Ikeja distribution zone. The company has completed their Power Purchase Agreement, and is poised to inject the power within a matter of days.

“This will mean an almost instant improvement in the power supply for residents in the Ikeja zone. Embedded Generation is based on a regulation developed by NERC which enables electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) procure power delivered to them directly from a local independent power plants, thereby bypassing technical difficulties associated with the national grid. “ According to him, “The commission is mindful of the fact that electricity customers expect better power, better services especially in light of tariffs that are to increase over the years as set in the MYTO. We are, therefore, working within our ambit, to ensure the attainment of these. Without rules, investors will not come in.

Without investment, electricity will not improve. Without a tariff that is cost reflective, investors cannot sink in the huge amounts of money required to set up. It is the responsibility of NERC to ensure that rules are set

Power transmission station

‘IPPs as key to bridging Nigeria’s power generation deficit’

By Roseline Okere NDEPENDENT Power Projects (IPPs) would proIingvide the much-anticipated solution to bridgNigeria’s huge power generation deficit, which has been created over the years.

This was the submission of the stakeholders that gathered at the second edition of the IPP forum organised by Siemens Limited in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Power in Abuja recently.

Siemens and the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Power jointly hosted a power generation forum to discuss typical challenges being faced by IPP developers in Nigeria’s nascent electricity market and highlight the support and value Siemens can bring to the table.

The forum focused on fostering talks with Independent Power Plant developers and banks with the aim of highlighting the various roles Siemens can play in Nigeria’s power industry

sector.

Nigeria is currently faced with a huge electricity supply gap with between 3000MW and 4000MW of power available for a population of about 170 million people.

In 2010, the Federal Government introduced wide-ranging reforms to privatise the existing government owned utility companies and also to set in place commercial and regulatory mechanisms to attract private investments in the sector.

The Executive Vice-President, Gas Turbine Power Plant solutions, Siemens AG, Lothar Balling, said that the forum was focused on fostering talks with Independent Power Plant developers and banks with the aim of highlighting the various roles the company could play in Nigeria’s budding power industry sector.

He added that it had become clear that the future and success of Nigeria’s power sector depended on the giant strides, which green field independent power production would deliver in

the coming years.

“Independent power producers will provide the much anticipated solution to bridging Nigeria’s huge power generation deficit, which has been created over the years,” he said.

He explained that the forum was set up to highlight the critical milestones and success factors for a successful IPP development.

“We also shared our understanding of the typical challenges being faced by IPP developers in Nigeria’s nascent electricity market and highlight the support and value Siemens can bring to the table,” .

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said: “Siemens is a committed strategic development partner to the Ministry of Power and this collaborative effort is intended to stimulate project development efforts by the private sector that will impact positively on the development of power sector infrastructure in Nigeria.

“This forum is very enlightening and it is very

interesting for me to know that Siemens is committed not just to supply the turbines for my project but also willing to handhold me and enable my project development with its technical, commercial and financial experience gathered from several projects across several other countries,” one of the 120 IPP developers, who attended the forum, said.

Siemens is deeply committed to the development of the electricity sector in Nigeria and has been delivering sustainable solutions towards Nigeria’s infrastructure development and economic prosperity for over 50 years. Siemens built the 434MW Geregu I power plant and has also worked with several manufacturing companies to build captive power plants across the country. Geregu I Power plant is the best in class of the PHCN power plants; delivered on time and on budget. The Geregu Phase II project has also been successfully completed and commissioned in May 2013.

44 ENERGY

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Gas to liquids and challenges of flaring

By Sulaimon Salau HE gas utilisation agenda T of the Federal Government may have waved through troubled waters since 2000, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo declared zero tolerance for the menace of gas flaring.

Indeed, gas flaring has left a blot on Nigeria’s reputation in the comity of nations producing oil and gas resources, as it ranks second highest flaring nation.

Facts from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) indicated that Nigeria flares 1.4 billion standard cubic feet per day (bcfpd), approximately 18 per cent of the total gas produced. It has 182.8 trillion scf of gas reserve, while associated gas accounts for 92.6 tscf and the non-associated gas is 90.2 tscf.

According to DPR, actual gas production stands at 80.0 billion scfpd associated gas produced is 5.20 bscfpd and non-associated gas produced is 2.80 bscfpd. However, only about 6.6 bscfpd are being utilized, while the remaining 1.4 bscfpd are being flared.

The Senate Committee Chairman on Gas, Nkechi Nwaogu recently said: “Gas has not made its expected contributions to the nation’s revenue. Our committee is working towards the early passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, so that we can put stiffer penalties on those companies that consistently flare our gas.

We know that they do not do such in their own countries.”

According to environmentalists, gas flaring represents Nigeria’s contribution to greenhouse gases, and harms local health through emissions that have been linked to cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis, blood disorders and other dis-

eases. These human health problems affect the people of the communities where oil companies operate, such as the Niger Delta, where 20 million people live with little or no access to health.

Gas flaring also causes acid rain, which impacts on soil fertility and is associated with reduced crop yields.

These adverse effects and many tickled the oil multinationals in the country to begin the race towards zero gas flare, in line with the government’s agenda.

Companies like Chevron, Shell, Mobil, Total, Agip and Addax among others, have agreed that the flares cannot be stopped overnight, until projects are initiated towards utilization of the gas produced from the well heads.

Hence, some of them have embarked of huge projects that may help stop wasting of the essential resources.

The potentials of the gas-to liquids technology therefore attract resounding focus, when Chevron Nigeria Limited announced the construction of a $9.5 billion Escravos Gas to Liquids (EGTL) in Delta State.

Gas to liquids (GTL) is one of the global energy industry’s most recently commercialised and challenging technologies that allow gas producers to develop product specifically for the transport market. The Wikipedia described it as a “refinery process to convert natural gas or other gaseous hydrocarbons into longer-chain hydrocarbons such as gasoline or diesel fuel.”

This technology has been adopted widely across the globe, while Nigeria is no longer an exception, courtesy Chevron. The EGTL is a large, high tech plant that covers 42 hectares. The facility, classed as 34,000 barrels per day (bpd) plant designed to process 325 million scfpd of gas to produce high qual-

EGTL construction site

ity gas-to-liquid diesel, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas.

According to experts, the GTL products are top of the range products of high quality for growing markets with a proven ability to command premiums in their respective markets. GTL diesel can be used in existing diesel vehicles without modification or the need to develop new technology or install new distribution infrastructure.

Although, the EGTL project is described as the single largest ever executed in Nigeria, there are worries that the project has delayed beyond the estimated project period.

The Chairman/Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria

Limited, Andrew Fawthrop, has however raised hope on the fast completion of the project.

He said: “Chevron is committed to eliminating routine gas flaring within its operations. The company has adopted an environmental performance standard in the management of routine flaring and venting and is executing specific capital projects to address and eventually eliminate flares.

He added: “The major capital projects towards realising the goal are the Escravos Gas Project, West African Gas Pipeline and the EGTL that is expected to start up in 2013.”

On the success of its flareout programme, the oil multinational said it has

achieved with one-third reduction in its routine flares from 2008-2012. It has also recorded flare out in the offshore Okan and Meji fields and it is on track to achieve flares out in the Escravos Onshore area by the end of 2013.

It further assured that it is on track to eliminate remaining routine flares by 2016.

In compliance with the local content agenda, Chevron forecast that initial spending in Nigeria would reach $6 billion to complete the plant, while annual spending in Nigeria for operation and maintenance of the plant will exceed $300 million.

Already, the construction and logistics efforts in Escravos and Warri currently

involves more than 150 local contracts with employment of more than 10,000 workers from the Niger Delta region and 4,000-5,000 from the host communities.

One of the Local Contractors, Chief Executive Officer, Gibbles Nigeria Limited, Blessing Omagbemi said the project has afforded his company ample opportunity to showcase its competence and capability, as well as growing the firm to an advanced stage.

He said: “Kudos to Chevron and the EGTL management team for their unflinching support and commitment in ensuring compliance standards, most especially as it relates to local content development.”

Oando to build 50 mega stations in five years

By Roseline Okere ANDO Marketing, a subO sidiary of Oando Plc has unveiled plans to build 10 mega stations every year within the next five years across major cities in the country.

The Chief Operating Officer of the company, Olaposi Williams, said that each station would have the capacity to dispense at least three trucks of Premium Motor Spirit per day.

She said that the new stations, which was one-stop shop, would be located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other major cities in the East, North and West.

According to her, Lagos would have the largest share with 50 per cent, Federal Capital Territory 30 per cent, while East and North would get 10 per cent each.

“We hope to build 10 mega stations every year in the next five years, which will bring the number to 50. We are repositioning our retail outlets across the country especially filling stations that have been driving our volume. Before now we had over 1,000 stations but we have 338 of them that are dispensing over a million liters

per month, about three trucks per day. In the last one year, we have upgraded 10 stations in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja” Williams said.

She added that the plan of the organisation was to build at least 10 stations in a year, noting that nothing would be compromised by the company in its bid to achieve the best standards in dispensing fuel to its customers.

On the issue of under dispensing to customers, Williams said” “We don’t compromise on this. We have our monitoring team that goes to our outlets daily to check. Any dealer caught in such act loses his or her contract with us. We don’t condone such act. We tell them every day and it is also stated in the agreement we signed with them. Nothing will make us to compromise our stations’ integrity. This is in line with our vision to have a quality station.

If such station does not meet our standard we seal it up.

She said that the company would continue to upgrade its mega stations across the country to international standard.

“We want to ensure that our fillings stations are beautiful and inviting to customers. We

want a situation whereby customers will see it as a thing of pride to purchase our product.”

Oando Marketing is a fully owned subsidiary of Oando PLC. As the nation’s leading oil marketing retailer, we sell and distribute our products via our over 500 retail service stations and over 500 industrial cus-

tomers cutting across the different geographical zones in Nigeria. Oando Marketing also has two operational subsidiaries in Ghana and Togo with over 40 service stations.

This leading position is associated with our successes in the petroleum products marketing business.

As the nation’s leading oil re-

tailer, with one in every five litres of petroleum products being sold or distributed by Oando Marketing via its over 500 retail service stations and strategically located terminals, we have continuously ensured products supply and availability in Nigeria and West Africa.

Oando Marketing offers a wide range of products including

Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO also known as Diesel), Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO), Lubricating Oils and Greases, Insecticides, Bitumen, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG, also known as Cooking gas) and Oando insecticide.

IPMAN assures of adequate supply of kerosene

By Sulaimon Salau

rupt the serenity that has been enjoyed for some period in the HE Independent Petroleum downstream sector.

Marketers Association of Osatuyi said: “IPMAN controls Nigeria (IPMAN) has assured over 85 per cent of Nigeria’s peof adequate supply Dual Pur- troleum products retailing, pose Kerosene (DPK) to the which makes our association a market. dominant player in the downThe assurance was in a re- stream market. IPMAN is in a sponse to dispel rumours of vintage position to talk aukerosene scarcity in the mar- thoritatively on the petroleum ket, as it confirmed that there products supply and retailing is adequate supply of chain in the country. Nigeria kerosene, even beyond the has been enjoying consistent daily national demand. supply of petroleum products The fuel marketers, in a state- in the system for a long time ment by their National Secre- arising from the activities of tary, Mike Osatuyi, alleged NNPC/PPMC largely and conthat some mischievous per- tributions from other marsons might be planning to dis- keters.

T

The IPMAN scribe, however, commended the concerted effort of the management PPMC in sustaining steady supply of petroleum products to Nigerians.

He noted that upsurge in any market mechanism could not be ruled out and the kerosene market could not be an exception, while IPMAN has also confirmed that the management of PPMC through innovative measures was addressing the current upsurge in kerosene market demand as follows.

“IPMAN therefore urges PPMC not to be distracted by the ranting of misguided by the

rumor, but endeavor to sustain the current level of supply to the system.

“We call on all relevant agencies in charge of petroleum products monitoring and policing to discharge their duties effectively. In the same vein IPMAN urges all her members to sustain the current retailing system so as to provide quality services to Nigerians.

Osatuyi said that IPMAN NEC had confirmed that PPMC has successfully been monitoring vessel discharges electronically, while electronic tracking of kerosene vessels has made round- tripping of kerosene vessels impossible in the system.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

45 In partnership with

Shipping UPDATE

INTERACTIVE

COMMUNIQUE

EVENTS

A presentation on Funding your Contract Cabottage Vessel Financing Funds (CVFF) the Islamic rules and principles. ment personnel if different from (2) above.

• Hedging- This is a technique designed to reduce • Securitization- This relates to portfolio of 4. Management structure of the company and or eliminate financial risk. The risks commonly loans that has been rated, packaged and offer physical alocation.

By Sir. Peter Olorunfemi MBA, FCIB At the hedged by ship owners (i.e. mitigated or eliminat- to investors.

5. Financial data – including if possible annual ed) are • Mezzanine- This is high yielding debt that sits audited accounts for previous years.

Nigerian Chamber of Shipping’s 2nd I. Protection against the risks of floating rates ris- between equity and term loan.

6. Details of vessel to be purchased – price, condiUnderstanding Cabotage and Local Content in ing on long term debt • Project Financing- This is a transaction of flag to be used etc. the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry (Upstream) II. Protection against the risks of frequent changes financing long term infrastructure and indus- tion, 7. Details of proposed employment for vessel. in the exchange rates of major curren- trial project which involves non-recourse to Workshop 8. Breakdown of operating expenses for vessel. cies. sponsors but with several distinct risk compo- 9. Details of the rest of fleet, including vessel III. Protection against substantial rises in bunkers nents.

INTRODUCTION description, debt outstanding, employment etc.

• Cabottage Vessel Financing Funds (CVFF) • Funding play a major role in any business organi- (fuel).

10. Bank references. KYC – Know your customer IV. Protection against overexposure to certain zation most especially in maritime business. documentation under Money Laundering Acts.

LOAN DOCUMENTATION • Maritime business is capital intensive and com- freight markets.

These are outline term sheet containing vari- CONCLUSION plex. It therefore, requires an effective structured SHIP FINANCE We all agree that Maritime Industry needs fundous document pertaining to the loan agreefinancing.

• Leasing- is a contract between a lessor and a les- ment. ing and that Nigerian Banks may not meet the • This module shall be covering aspects of raising see for hire of a specific.

1. Name of owning company, related owning demand, hence investors should explore other secure loans and equity by a company through var- • Islamic Finance- This is another mode of finance companies and management Companies sources of funding internationally. ious banks (Local and International banks) couple which is growing in ship financing and currently 2. Identities of shareholders.

Investors should acquaint themselves with risks, with other means. estimated at US$200billion. It is structured under 3. Identities and backgrounds of main manage- required documentations, and various financCredit Policy and Finance Definition ing methods available.

• Credit Policy- is a strategic documents prepared which shows a specific risk analysis and developed framework towards eliminating the perceived risks in a specific industry. Eg, Construction, Engineering, Maritime, Banking etc.

• Project Financing- The act of providing funds for By Master Warrant Officer (Engr) Timothy business activities.

Iwuagwu (Rtd) MTM,PGDHSE (Specialist in Ship • Maritime financing covers a variety of transacPropulsion and Control), MD/CEO Safety tions involving the purchase or sale of maritime Practices Education and Research International equipments. This come in two types- senior debt and mortgages..

Limited, Faculty member Nigerian Chamber of • There are several types of medium term loans Shipping, Fellow and Lecturer, Certified Institute used in ship finance such as follows IME of crisis is a time of great danger, diffi- achieve; or a set of things to do in other 1. Corporate Unsecured Loans of Shipping of Nigeria, Member National Executive to achieve something, especially one that culty and uncertainty. A crisis is an emer2 Corporate Secured Loans gency; a situation which requires immediate has been considered in details in Council Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria 3 Project /Cashflow Financing response. An emergency at sea could come as advance.

Former HOD Security and Safety Practices 4 Asset Lending Crisis management plan is the prepareda result of avoidable human, situational and • Financing Vessel –Types (A) Commodity types Management, Nigerian Armed Forces environmental factors, or unavoidable natu- ness made in anticipation of a crisis, for and (B) Specialised vessel. ral causes. The occurrence of crisis is not more the effective management of an emerResettlement Centre, Oshodi gency situation; with a view to preventthan the resolution of crisis and TERM LOANS/ SENIOR DEBT Former Administrative Chief Naval Task Force on important ing it from getting out of control and the ability to resolve crisis depends on your • There are various instruments used in ship Maritime Security, Free Zone, Lagos Deep plan and preparedness. financing, eg Hedging, Securitization, Mezzanine, A plan is something you intend to do or Offshore Logistics Base Project Financing, Leasing, Islamic finance and CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Tit Bits:

Ship Management

CRISIS MANAGEMENT AT SEA: Beaching a ship as a safety option T

46

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

CRISIS MANAGEMENT AT SEA: Beaching a ship as a safety option avert a total loss..

Pictures from internet)

Samaritans, to any seafarer or vessel in distress to save life and preAs in all emergencies, quick deci- vent the worsening of a bad situaBEACHING This is a process in which a ship or sion and immediate response can tion.

The most fundamental functions of a water prevent unintended and unpleasboat is laid ashore or grounded vessel include ability to float and to move, SOME CRISIS SITUATIONS THAT every other functions are derived from these. deliberately in shallow water. This ant consequences, be the difference between total loss and safe- MAY PROMPT THE ADOPTION OF is more usual with small flat- botShips do not make profit while at berth BEACHING AS AN EMERGENCY because while at berth a ship is only floating. tomed boats. Larger ships may be ty, or death and life.

And for it to carry out other profitable opera- beached deliberately, for instance When an incident at sea becomes RESPONSE OPTION an emergency the crew must do • When a vessel starts taking on in an emergency a damaged ship tional roles it must move, and move safely everything possible to ensure the water faster than its salvage might be beached to prevent it too. Safety is the absence of harm and loss. from sinking in deep water. Some safety of their vessel along with pumps discharge rate and there And because no business is founded on loss their personal survival. is no immediate external support motive, no Ship Owner or Captain will know- vessels are designed to be loaded pump. ingly expose his vessel to any form of harm or and unloaded by beaching: vessels of this type used by the military to GOOD PRACTICE • When the distance from a safe loss, the sea presenting the most seemingly It is good practice to prepare disembark troops under fire are shore line is relatively close and unpredictable and hazardous environment against emergency and this prac- Harbourmasters under existing called landing craft. though. tice requires every sea going ves- Port and Maritime Safety Every sea-going vessel is expected to be sea A CONTAINER VESSEL SANK BEFORE sel to have proper survival gear Regulations would not consider worthy before proceeding offshore and the on board and be able to activate bringing a sinking Vessel into level of emergency preparedness is a vital ele- IT COULD BEACH their electronic position - indicat- their harbour. ment in determining the sea worthiness of a ing radio beacon, so that appro- • When a vessel, having lost its A DISTRESSED CONTAINER VESSEL sea going vessel. But when there is crisis out TRYING TO BEACH IS LOCATED BY A priate and nearest maritime safe- propulsion power is drifting and there resulting from accidents and other ty authority available could SEARCH AND RESCUE AIRCRAFT taking on water and a willing and forms of emergencies, especially when the quickly locate and find them capable towing vessel is available. buoyancy of a vessel is threatened by a compromise in its water tight integrity, anything 2. A BEACHED VESSEL LISTING TO ITS when in distress.

All legitimate operators in the PORTSIDE RISKS TO AVOID extra ordinary but safe enough may be con1. A FLAT BOTTOM VESSEL LISTING maritime domain make up a web • Allowing the vessel to sink sidered an emergency response option; to of amity and should see themSTABOARD STERN along navigable waterway selves as friends; and be willing ASSISTED TO BEACH BY A GOOD • Fuel and chemical spilling and to oblige assistance, as good SAMARITAN VESSEL ( All consequent ecological damage to

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 allowing opportunistic problems.

From the Desk of the

Engr. Iwuagwu marine environment • Exposure of crew to general hazards associated with the effects of listing on stacked cargoes and other toxic maritime dangerous goods in cargo holds; that may have mixed with water onboard.

Engr. Tim Iwuagwu may be contacted through the Guardian Newspaper or the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping.

DIRECTOR GENERAL Dear Readers , HE Nigerian Chamber of Shipping has been T in the frontline of promoting advocacy within the Nigerian Maritime industry. Some of the advocacy channels have been through trainings, seminars, organising Local fora, collaborating with the Regulatory bodies, and International organizations.

We have organised and led the Nigerian Maritime Community to several international meetings, conferences and exhibitions. We led a Nigerian delegation to the Poseidon Meeting in Greece, Seatrade in Singapore, Korea etc.

Between September 30- October 02, 2013, we will be leading another delegation to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates for the bi-yearly Seatrade Middle East Workboats and Offshore Marine Exhibition and Conference which holds promise for all Operators, Ship owners, Boat builders, Seafarers, Marine Engineers, Bankers, Insurance Companies, Legal Practitioners, Marine Consultants, Equipment Suppliers, Manning Agents, Marine Surveyors, Trainers, Government Officials, Ship Managers and Law Makers who are key actors in the Maritime Industry. The event has remained a ‘veritable platform’ in the global marketplace that brings together decision makers and buyers from the international arena which focuses on what is important to the Maritime Industry and particularly a special attention on Africa with specific emphasis on Nigeria and our Cabotage / Local Content regime. The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development Board, Mr Ernest Nwapa will give a lecture on the Nigerian Local Content Policy. Yours truly will be a Panellist during one of the Intellectual Seminars.

The Chamber of Shipping will man the Nigerian Pavilion. Intending participants, delegates and exhibitors should urgently reach out to the Chamber.

The Communique at the just concluded First Gulf of Guinea Regional Awareness Capability Conference, organised by the Chief of the Naval Staff of Nigeria, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba in Calabar is reproduced within our pages for updates.

On Shipping Education, we present you, “Marine Survey Practice & Operations Scope: Operation & Management” by Dr. Samuel .0.

Babatunde, Registrar, Port & Terminal Management Academy, Nigeria. We also offer useful tips on ‘Funding your Contract’ by Sir Peter Olorunfemi. Also, a continuation of the paper presented by Robert Godwin, Head Marine Logistics Offshore, SNEPCo. Mr Timothy Iwuagwu writes on ‘Crisis Management at Sea: Beaching a Ship as a Safety Option’ while Mr Dele Olaoye’s presentation on ‘Safety, Health & Environmental (She) Issues In Upstream Operations’ is reproduced for your reading pleasure.

Our famous and tested ABC of Shipping training course comes up on the 11th-12th September, 2013. We continue to work to engender best practices and professionalism in our maritime operations.

I hope you enjoy our package this week. As always, I promise to bring issues that greatly affect us in the Maritime sector. Please do not fail to keep your comments coming. Add us on facebook and twitter, so you can join us online.

Thanks.

Happy Reading Director General Nigerian Chamber of Shipping

A COMMUNIQUE OF HEADS OF NAVIES AND COAST GUARDS REPRESENTATIVES OF NAVIES AND COAST GUARDS OF GULF OF GUINEA STATES AT THE END OF THE FIRST GULF OF GUINEA REGIONAL MARITIME AWARENESS CAPABILITY CONFERENCE HELD IN CALABAR FROM 28-31 JULY 2013 December 2013. e. The need for development of Centres of Excellence for capacity e. Initiate the integration of maritime domain awareness efforts building on maritime domain through equipment and proceawareness. dural interoperability by f. The need to sustain the Regional December 2013.

Maritime Awareness Conference f. Establish Centres of Excellence on capacity building for maritime on a periodic basis. domain awareness in the Gulf of In line with the foregoing, we the Guinea and ECOWAS Subregion. undersigned express the will to: g. Facilitate the establishment of effective legal regime for mara. Develop basic capability for itime law enforcement within maritime domain awareness in a. That criminal and illicit activities in and among member states in the each member state. the Gulf of Guinea constitute threats to Gulf of Guinea and ECOWAS the individual and common maritime Subregion. b. Collaborate on the developsecurity of member states. ment of capability for effective h. Invite regional bodies, regional response and capacity for marb. The need to develop effective capacity itime domain awareness coverage mechanisms, friendly navies and for Maritime Domain Awareness and other stakeholders to partner within individual and common response capability among member sea areas of member states in the with Gulf of Guinea navies and states navies and coast guards in the coast guards in their desire to Gulf of Guinea.

Gulf of Guinea. improve maritime domain awarec. Facilitate the establishment and ness capacity and response capac. The need for more effective and collab- activation of a common maritime bility among Gulf of Guinea States orative surveillance of the maritime information sharing mechanism and ECOWAS Subregion. areas of the Gulf of Guinea. through the establishment of i. Conduct combined annual exerInter-regional Coordination d. The need to facilitate the implementa- Centre by March 2014. cises among navies and coast tion of the common maritime informaguards in the Gulf of Guinea and tion sharing mechanism amongst d. Facilitate the designation and ECOWAS Subregion. navies and coast guards and other rele- establishment of national focal vant agencies as agreed at the Summit of points of contact for information j. Sustain the RMAC conference Heads of Governments of ECOWAS, annually. sharing on maritime domain ECCAS and Gulf of Guinea Commission awareness in each member state at Yaounde, Cameroon between 24 and of the Gulf of Guinea by Signed this day, Wednesday 31st of 25 June 2013.

July 2013 by the following Heads

At the First Regional Maritime Awareness Capability Conference, held in Calabar, Nigeria from 28 – 31 July 2013, the heads of navies and coast guards and representatives of navies and coast guards of Angola, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Gabon, Senegal and Togo including the representative of GGC, EU and US NAVAF collectively recognized:

of Navies and Coast Guards and representatives of navies and coast guards of Gulf of Guinea member states: V Adm FRANCISCO JOSE R Adm JEAN MENDOUA Chief of Staff Angolan Navy Chief of Cameroon Navy Contre Amiral D KONATE Contre Admiral F JAVIER NZO MBA Chief of Cote D’Ivoire Navy Chief of Equatorial Guinea Navy Cdre SK DARBO CV OBIANG NTOUTOUME JE Rep Chief of Ghana Navy Rep Chief of Gabon Navy V Adm DJ EZEOBA R Adm CB CISSOKHO Chief of Nigerian Navy Chief of Senegalese Navy CF KOSSI MAYO CAPT IDALECIA JOAO Rep of Chief of Togolese Navy Comdt STP Coast Guard Amb (Mrs) F ADENIKE UKONGA MR PHILLIP HEYL Dy Executive Secretary GGC AFRICOM CAPT NANCY LACORE (USN) MR EMMANUEL GORIN USNAVAF Observer European Union

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

NigeriaCapitalMarket NSE Daily Summary (Equities) PRICE LIST OF SYMBOLS TRADED FOR

13/08/2013

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

50 CAPITAL MARKET

NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at 13/08/2013

LOSERS

PRICE GAINERS

FirstBank raises $300m capital from international markets …As NSE’s market capitalisation drops further by N71b Stories by Helen Oji BN Holdings Plc has Fmercial announced that its combanking subsidiary, First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. (FirstBank), has concluded a debt capital raising exercise in the international markets through a US $300 million subordinated Tier 2 transaction.

FBN Holdings, which offers a broad range of products and services across commercial banking, investment banking, insurance and microfinance business in seven countries said the proceeds from the capital raising would be used by First Bank for general banking purposes.

According to a statement from the bank, the institution has chosen this route to ensure that it remains well capitalised with an improved total capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 22.5per cent up from 20.1per cent as at the end of March 2013, and supports loan growth over the near term which is in line with

FirstBank’s capital management strategy .

In addition, the transaction further diversifies and extends the maturity of the Bank’s foreign currency funding.

The Tier 2 capital transaction, the bank explained has a seven-year maturity and is callable on the 5th anniversary of the issuance date, even as the issue carries an initial coupon of 8.250 per cent on the nominal par

amount, which resets at the call date to a new fixed rate (no step-up) until maturity.

It added that the Tier 2 capital treatment amortises over the last five years prior to maturity.

The successful offering was achieved within the context of volatile debt capital markets, especially for emerging market borrowers.

This transaction is FirstBank’s second Tier 2 capital raise, following on its

debut 2007 US $175 Million Tier 2 capital raise which carried a 9.750 per cent coupon rate and which was called by the institution in 2012.

‘This makes FirstBank the only Nigerian banking institution to carry out not only one, but two consecutive subordinated Tier 2 capital raising transactions in the international debt markets.”

FBN Capital, the investment banking and asset management subsidiary of FBN

Holdings Plc, served as financial advisers with Citigroup and Goldman Sachs International also acting as advisers and Joint Lead Managers to FirstBank on the transaction.

Meanwhile equity transactions on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday sustained sliding profile, following huge loses recorded by some blue chip companies, resulting to a further

slide in market capitalization by N71 billion.

Yesterday, UAC Nigeria Plc led the losers table declining

by N6.00 to close at N55.00, Nigerian Breweries followed with a loss of N4.31 kobo to close at N169.99 kobo while Guinness Nigeria Plc, Larfarge Wapco and Presco Plc depreciated by N1.79 kobo, N1.50 kobo and N1.00 respectively to close at N248.00, N98.00 and N36.00.

FCMB concludes divestment from City Securities Registrars N line with the Holding IMonument Company structure, First City Bank (FCMB) Plc has divested from City Securities (Registrars) Limited (CSRL), which was until now one of the subsidiaries of the bank.

A statement made available to The Guardian yesterday, explained that CSRL is currently been wholly acquired by CardinalStone Partners Limited (CSP), a full service investment banking firm

established in 2008.

The transaction was concluded at the end of a competitive bidding exercise that involved CSP and six other bidders.

City Securities (Registrars) Limited, which is one of Nigeria’s largest independent share registration companies, manages share registers for many of the country’s leading corporate and quoted multinationals and provides access to an investor database in excess of 1,300,000 investors. It

became a subsidiary of FCMB in 2009.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of FCMB Plc, Mr. Ladi Balogun, explained that the divestment is in compliance with the new banking model introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria which requires banks to divest from non-core banking businesses.

“The selection of CardinalStone as a worthy buyer of our market leading regis-

trar business followed a competitive exercise that sought not only to secure the interests of FCMB shareholders by getting a fair and competitive price for the company, but also find a buyer who has the credibility, capacity and governance standards that will give CSRL’s clients, the necessary comfort.”

Balogun further explained that the sale, as in the case of all six divestments done so far was arms length and conducted to the highest professional stan-

dards, expressing his confidence that CardinalStone has everything it takes to continue the 36 year unblemished track record of CSRL. He assured that City Securities (Registrars) Limited will continue to enjoy the bank’s support and patronage considering its pedigree and achievements.

The Chief Executive Officer of CardinalStone Partners Limited, Mr. Femi Ogunjimi, expressed delight at his company’s acquisition of CSRL.

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Opinion Truths, lies and my EFCC days

By Nuhu Ribadu read Mahmud Jega’s Daily Trust column with the title “gra-gra versus softly-softly”. It was comIposed in his characteristic meticulousness, which also touched a nerve that concerns all. It also involved me, personally. It involved me because the piece was not only about anti-corruption struggle, something I came to be more identified with in the course of my career, but also because I was mentioned, or referenced to, many times in the piece. In the piece, Jega repeated several erroneous notions about my work at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). But to be fair to him, those insinuations were far from being his concoctions. They have been held for a long time by a section of Nigerians who were largely misinformed about the modus operandi of the EFCC I headed, or about me as a person. I therefore thought it a duty to correct some of the wrong impressions people have about what we did, for the sake of futurity and the reading public.

I must, however, appreciate many of the positive things about our operations and modest achievements at the EFCC highlighted by Jega. Those were things we achieved largely because of our resolve to form a strong and professional agency, from the outset. Strong institutions are at the base of whatever things to come out of a system.

This was a major focus for us. There were deliberate steps at capacity building that would prove extremely advantageous for the work we did in the five years I was there. I use “we” because the work was never a one man job. EFCC was beyond Nuhu Ribadu, or any individual for that matter. It was a team work. The patriotism, esprit de corp and professionalism exhibited by the team were the secrets for our successes.

But as I always insist, success of anti-graft efforts is hinged largely at the leadership level, especially the political leadership. We were lucky to have the cooperation of the leadership at the time. To the credit of President Olusegun Obasanjo, he let us do the work even at a time we were going against some elements that were extremely close to him.

It is therefore amusing when I hear people these

days charge me of “selective justice”. Well, perhaps those charges could be passed as the example of what Wole Soyinka called “our collective amnesia”. Take a comprehensive list of high profile people EFCC brought to justice, majority of them were people that could be correctly tagged “Obasanjo boys”.

Even though some of them suddenly turn around the moment they found themselves in trouble with the law, as a way of buying public sympathy.

Unfortunately, many people don’t strive to stretch the facts to reveal this truth. One largely neglected pillar of our work was the Judiciary and the criminal justice system generally. We had the support of other people in the justice administration chain. Without the will of incorruptible judges and other law enforcement officials, all our modest effort would have come to nought.

However, the main thesis of Jega’s essay, which was also made clear from the title, was that the EFCC I headed was something of a gra-gra agency – a body that is peopled with exuberant officers eager to arrest suspects in order to hit the headlines. This is a flawed assessment of it. It is also something that people come to believe, largely on account of the agency’s portrayal in the media. EFCC was, and is, never about arrests. In fact, arrest was just a fraction of the entire work. But because arrest is what makes the news, the myriad of steps and processes we follow before and after arrest are mostly overlooked.

Every step in administration of a corruption case is carefully outlined and has its rigours and identified procedures. A lot of work would have to be put in from the point of accepting a petition or starting a case, analysing it, identifying the key issues and persons, investigation, sourcing documents, obtaining arrest and search warrants, preparing charges and then arrest. We tried to work on each of the steps in a very meticulous manner. It is a little surprise therefore, that throughout my period there was only one person who took me to court challenging his

detention by the EFCC. He also lost the suit. The reason was simple: we followed the law and therefore had to do our homework before we pick anybody. Similarly, to point to the meticulous nature of what we did, it is on record that the EFCC recorded a world record of over 90 per cent convictions on all the cases we prosecuted.

I don’t think gra-gra would yield these results.

It is also incorrect to say that EFCC didn’t pursue preventive measures as regards corruption.

We fully appreciated the fact that the twin strategy of prevention and sanctioning must always go together in law enforcement in general and fighting corruption in particular. The preventive measures of the EFCC were often overshadowed by the news selling headlines about arrests but EFCC took a lot of preventive measures. Major ones include the establishment of the Training and Research Institute that has been carrying out studies on corruption prevention in both public and private sectors.

The institute is in the lead in training of detectives, public servants, bankers and so many others in Nigeria today. The establishment of Financial Intelligence Unit is one of the most important steps in preventive measures of controlling corruption globally. EFCC has done it for Nigeria. EFCC also worked to establish international networks and linkages, notably with the United Nations, FBI, Metropolitan Police, German BKA, and West African anti-moneylaundering group, GIABA, among others.

We also worked closely with many departments of governments, civil society groups, religious organisations and schools, on public enlightenment to stem corruption in the society. EFCC also engaged the National Assembly to amend laws, the judiciary on corruption prevention and justice delivery, the customs, the FIRS, NPA and many states and local governments. In fact, many of the arrests made by EFCC arose out of whistle-blowing efforts through these mechanisms. By the way, arrests and prosecutions are also very powerful tools of preventive measures, because they do send a strong message that one cannot get away with corrupt practice, no matter how highly

placed.

The article also mentioned the impeachment of three governors allegedly influenced by the EFCC. I try as much as possible not to be personal by commenting on such cases, but the fact that it is suddenly gaining currency, makes it only sensible to clear the misconceptions. The EFCC did not and could not have impeached any governor or force legislators to do so. It will be unfair to deny the legislators the credit of doing their constitutional responsibilities. The EFCC did its part of the responsibility of investigation and submission of findings to the various state assemblies all over the nation. Some state assemblies had cause to act on such reports, others did not. But we certainly did not force anyone to take any action.

My understanding of events then was that two out of the three former governors got arrested in London with millions of pounds. They absconded from justice there and that triggered chain of events that culminated in their loss of political control of their states and thereby resulted in their impeachments. The former governor of Ekiti State had his own local issues. He lost out with the elite of the state, his political party, and other stakeholders. His ordeals had nothing to do with the EFCC. In all the cases, it was obvious that the governors lost out with their political parties and therefore the assembly members were more than willing to act on the thorough investigation reports of the EFCC. The reports were the extent of EFCC’s involvement in those impeachments. As a proviso, I want to state that all the actions we took while at the EFCC were taken with the purest of intentions and based on available facts before us at the time. But it is understandable that in everything we do as humans, we are bound to be misunderstood.

However, fear of being misunderstood should not be an excuse for not moving to salvage our country. As citizens, we all have the civic responsibility of playing our part in healing the country of its myriad of maladies and guiding it to the coast of prosperity.

• Ribadu is the former EFCC chairman.

Summing-up Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) (1)

By Abiola Irele OR 20 years and more before his death last FveryMarch, Chinua Achebe experienced in his person –literally, in his own flesh and blood –the kind of tragic irony that could well have been a product of his imagination. The circumstances that led to this experience have been well established. Returning from a landmark celebration of his life and work at the University of Nsukka in February 1990, Achebe was involved in one of the commonest of the dramas that mark daily life in Nigeria – a road accident. The car in which he was travelling was reported to have overturned, pinning him helpless to the ground. And although he was extricated from the wreckage and flown rapidly to Britain for medical attention, he emerged from the ordeal paralyzed from the waist down and obliged to spend most of his life thereafter confined in a wheelchair. This condition seems to have had a drastic effect on his habitual contemplative mien, driving him further into the depths of the individual self.

Fortunately, this development did not manifest itself as a total withdrawal from the world, as testified by the series of annual seminars on the African situation that he inaugurated when he moved to Brown University in the autumn of 2009, and most notably, the recent appearance of There Was A Country, the last of his works to be published in his lifetime.

What makes the irony of Achebe’s experience even more striking is the fact that he was never so much celebrated as in these last years of physical incapacitation and distress, with tributes from around the world rising to a crescendo in 2008, on the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Things Fall Apart. It was in this context that Achebe began to be hailed as

the “father of African literature,” and even credited with having “invented” the phenomenon. Claims such as this oblige us to take account of the entire field of literary expression on the continent, in order to take a proper measure of Achebe’s achievement, considerable as this has been. The problem is that, in these claims, which are no doubt well meant, the term “African literature” tends to be employed in a restrictive sense, one in which the continent’s literary history has been abbreviated. The term thus becomes inappropriate, if by using it, we seek to encompass the full scope of the African imagination. We hardly need to be reminded that before any of the written literatures in Africa came into being, there existed a vibrant oral tradition, as Achebe himself was well aware – a tradition that not only served as the expressive mode for the representation of life and consciousness in our indigenous cultures, but also as foundation and enduring background for the written literatures in the African languages as well as those inherited from Europe. This observation draws attention to the considerable range of works written in the various languages native to Africa produced throughout the history of the continent since ancient times, as in Ethiopia, for example, not to mention the literature in Arabic – works that constitute an essential part of our literary heritage. Unfortunately, the term “African literature” as currently employed tends to exclude these other areas of our expressive culture.

It can of course be argued that it was the literatures in the colonial languages that have marked the advent of what we now designate as “African literature” – the corpus that serves as reference for a new literary tradition in the making on our continent and has come to be recognized as a durable testimony of African literary achievement. In the development of this corpus that I have referred to elsewhere as “modern African literature,” Achebe’s work has undoubtedly played a determining role.

But it is important to situate this work in the

broader perspective that gives it significance. The point is that, in the process that may be termed the advent of African literature as we now understand the term, Achebe’s work was preceded by earlier developments; what is indisputable, however, is that his genius came to give to this new literature a definitive consecration.

We are obliged to locate the beginnings in South Africa, in the work of early writers such as Tiyo Soga, Benedict Vilakazi, and especially Sol Plaatje, whose novel Mhudi, published in 1913, builds on an ancestral myth to recount the fortunes of a primordial couple as symbolic of the very genesis of African self awareness – a narrative strategy that has been reprised by Zakes Mda in his historical novel, The Heart of Redness, published in 2000. The force of statement in Plaatje’s work and much of this early literature in South Africa determined the character of an African awakening in what may be considered the first Renaissance, anticipating developments that were to follow on a broader front in later times. Here, we are obliged to acknowledge the accomplishment of the francophones, in their movement of cultural reclamation heralded by René Maran’s forceful novel, Batouala. For all its ambiguity, Maran’s work bears a special historic significance, anticipating Achebe by nearly a quarter of a century in the major areas of fictional reference and expressive modes that we have come to consider as distinctive of the African novel: specifically, the repudiation of the colonial ideology, carried on the stream of a reinvented narrative idiom, and grounded in a celebration of the African environment.

Maran’s work calls attention to the special importance of the French-speaking writers in the development of modern African literature as a dimension of our new literary and cultural estate.

In any account of this development, Senghor’s historic 1948 anthology must be considered a significant landmark. Appearing a decade before the publication of Things Fall Apart, it established

around the concept of “negritude” an area of literary and ideological activity that has been productive of images and ideas from which the African affirmation derived a powerful impulse. It is significant that Olumbe Bassir’s pioneering anthology, West African Poetry, was composed largely around the work of these francophone writers and it is not without interest to observe that it was in this anthology that many English-speaking African readers became acquainted with francophone African literature. It must be stressed however that, in addition to poetry, the genre privileged by the negritude movement, the novel assumed an arresting African presence in the work of the remarkable constellation of writers represented by such figures as Paul Hazoumé, Mongo Beti, Ferdinand Oyono, Ousmane Sembene, Laye Camara and Cheikh Hamidou Kane. The impact of Oyono’s Houseboy, which has been translated into some 14 languages, bears witness to the vitality of the francophone novel as it came to acquire a distinctive profile, before the signs of a literary ferment became clearly recognizable in Anglophone West Africa. This ferment was signaled by the work of Kobina Sekyi in the Gold Coast, now Ghana, and the so-called pioneer poets in all the former British colonies, with Mabel Segun and Michael Dei-Anang as arguably the outstanding voices. And it was no mere chance that it was during this period that, in Nigeria, the work of Amos Tutuola, Cyprian Ekwensi and Gabriel Okara began to invite informed attention. There is indeed a direct connection between their work and the emergence of a new idiom of African literary expression in English not only in Nigeria but also in other parts of Anglophone Africa, including East Africa.

• To be continued tomorrow.

• Irele is Provost, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Kwara State University, Malete.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

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Opinion Gov Fashola and project Nigeria

By Ikeogu Oke URING my most recent visit to Lagos, I was passing D through Obalende with a friend, Samuel Oyongha, who lives in Dolphin Estate, and was so pleased with the order Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration had imposed on the chaos that usually characterised the place that I told my friend that I would write a newspaper article to commend Fashola on my return to Abuja. Some years earlier, before Fashola’s transformation of Obalende, I lived in Lagos and passed through Obalende regularly to my office at Igbosere Road. So I was in a position to know the difference.

I couldn’t find time to write the article. But I have recalled here what I said about Fashola to my friend, mentioned as a living witness, as an indication that some of us, though not residents of Lagos and of a different ethnic stock from the Lagos State governor, recognise the good work he has done so far in transforming Lagos, arguably Nigeria’s most important cosmopolitan city.

Fashola had tamed the wild beast called Oshodi and, like Obalende, transformed it into a place worthy of inclusion in a city populated by sane people. For me, both Oshodi and Obalende were metaphors of the larger Nigeria; and I believed that whatever measures Fashola used to transform both milieus could produce similar positive results if applied to the Nigerian nation as a whole. So I was beginning to picture Fashola as a leader who, at the right time, could come to the centre and possibly run for the presidency and win and reproduce the miracles of Oshodi and Obalende on a national scale, improving our disorderly and leadership- and developmentally-challenged nation as he has improved the state currently under his charge.

I still consider Fashola a remarkable achiever and have not changed my position about what could result from his being given a chance to lead at the centre. But how can I or anyone else ever succeed in selling him to other Nigerians as a leader fit for the whole country, assuming he so desires, despite his practice of deporting fellow “destitute” Nigerians from Lagos to their states of origin? Nigeria has a long history for generating oddities. But the act of one of its best-achieving gover-

nors championing intra-national “deportations” of his fellow citizens from his state in a country whose constitution guarantees citizenship rights including the right to live anywhere within its boundaries is in a special class of odd events. It violates the basic sense of nationhood and evokes a justification for Chinua Achebe alluding to the pastness of Nigeria’s status as a country in his autobiography, There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra. Whoever heard of a country in which the governor of a state “deported” its citizens from other states to their states for being “destitute”, or for any other reason?

First it was to Oyo State, then to Anambra; and Osun has also acknowledged Fashola’s deportation of its indigenes from Lagos. So we see a pattern that does not justify Fashola being accused, as some have done, of acting based on ethnic considerations. But his repeated “deportation” of “destitute” persons from Lagos portrays him as anti-poor, which is strange in a country whose chronic misrule cannot but produce poor people, a leader in pursuit of such class puritanism in which the state under his charge can welcome or accommodate only the strong, while the weak are sent away to their various states, if not Lagos. What an unfortunate “country” ours remain for a citizen to be disfavoured by fortune!

What is more (and I stand to be contradicted on this): Such other “destitute” undesirables may register and vote in Lagos and have their votes counted to elect the incumbent, but they must be shooed away at the time of distributing the so-called democracy dividends in the same state in which they voted.

If gold can be this susceptible to rust, what can we say of iron? For Fashola can indeed pass for gold among our leaders, considering the breadth of his learning, exposure and transformative achievements as governor. Yet he does not seem to understand that there is more to being a good leader, or creating a decent society, than providing accommodation in such society for the physically and financially strong. As Cardinal Roger Mahony says, “Any society, any nation, is judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members; the last, the least, the littlest.” As a people, we can trumpet our civility to the ends of the cosmos. But we remain uncivilised if we treat “destitute” and other weak members of our society with any-

thing less than the same measure of respect and consideration we expect for ourselves.

Lagos cannot be a “no man’s land” as someone has reportedly described it in a reaction to the deportation of the Igbos.

It is part of Yoruba land by virtue of its location. It is also Nigerian territory, which entitles every Nigerian lawful access to it. Indeed, no Yoruba who has witnessed the drastic lull in activities in Lagos during those periods of the year when Igbo resident of Lagos return to the east in droves would maintain that Lagos would remain its famous vibrant self without its Igbo population. Also, no Igbo can deny that Lagos provides large numbers of Igbo people prospects for success in business and other endeavours that they may not find in the same measure in other parts of the country.

So what exists between the Igbo and Lagos is a mutually beneficial relationship whose loss can only disserve both parties.

I see no sense in either party claiming greater significance in the relationship, or believing the other would be worse hit if it unravels. You can never tell until it unravels. And may it never unravel.

During his speech at Chinua Achebe’s burial on May 23, 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan, having validated some of the sentiments Achebe expressed in his autobiography to which I referred above, urged Nigerians to work for a time when one of them, of the younger generation, will write a book titled There is a Country, as an affirmation that Nigeria has indeed become a free, united and functional country, the Nigeria of Achebe’s dream. It cannot be called free when some of its citizens are not free to choose where to live owing to their physical or material conditions. Nor can it be called united when such citizens can be “deported” within its boundaries, implying lack of unity. Nor can it be called functional when its programme of creating functionality seeks to exclude such citizens.

The deportations by Fashola further strengthen the significance of the president’s call, for those who still believe in the Nigerian project. They do not make Fashola a bad leader. They only show that he needs to understand and face the demands of good leadership better.

• Oke, a writer, poet and public policy analyst, wrote from Abuja.

Ngige, the towering hero at 61

By Justus Anyadiora ALL him a man of destiny and circumstance or a man of C honour, commitment, courage and a man who has date with history at 61. It is never an exaggeration, because he had always been so right from his childhood. While some were born great, others attain or achieve greatness, Senator Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige (OON) exceptionally had all from the humble beginning. During our days as pupils at St. Patrick Primary School, Ogbete, Enugu, which we left in 1964, Ngige was an outstanding pupil both in academics and other extra-curriculum activities.

He was never found wanting in anything. So I was not surprised when he made distinction in school certificate examination at St. John Secondary School, Alor in 1972.

I had thought that he would be a lawyer because he had studied Arts and Commercial subjects to class four before switching over to science subjects, leaving his younger brother, Mr. Emeka Ngige (SAN) to continue with Arts subjects. A feat many of us never tried because of fear of failure.

As if that was not enough and without much delay, Ngige secured admission to study Medicine at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) where he graduated with flying colours in 1979.

This was at a time most of us were still retaking our school certificate. While in the university, he was actively involved in student union politics, which he never allowed to affect his studies and performance. There were few of them who were medical students and were involved in it then.

Upon his graduation, many of his colleagues travelled overseas, while others picked jobs in multinational companies where they would be paid well, but Ngige in line with his deep flair for public and humanitarian service opted for a job at the Federal Ministry of Health where he worked for years with track record, before leaving voluntarily in 1998 as deputy director of hospital services, federal medical centres and teaching hospitals.

While in Federal Ministry of Health, he was instrumental in the establishment of permanent sites for most of the federal medical centres and teaching hospitals, especially in Southeast zone. In continuation of his burning desire for public service, he ventured into the murky water of Nigeria politics as one of the founding fathers of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). No wonder he was appointed the protem zonal publicity secretary of the party in Southeast in 1998 and later the as-

sistant national/zonal secretary of the party in southeast zone between 1999-2002. The same year he was conferred with the national honour of Order of the Niger (OON) for his diligence and accountability in public service.

It was from there that he emerged the governorship candidate of PDP in Anambra State in 2003, though his initial ambition was to become a senator, but he was persuaded by the party stakeholders to run for the office of the governor.

Having been in public service all his life, Ngige is always conscious of Harold McAlindon’s saying; “Do not follow where the path may lead, but go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” So from childhood, he never believed in bandwagonism, but in carving a niche for himself in anything he does.

It was for this obvious reason that he redefined governance in Anambra State within the short period he was governor of the state. He set the pace and made the people realise that with sincerity, commitment and transparency, the state government could do much for the people in terms of good governance and provision of basic amenities.

Today, his numerous achievements, especially in the area of infrastructural developments that cut across the state are obvious and unprecedented. And it has become difficult for his successor to equate or measure up with them. As governor, Ngige demystified political godfathers in the state, when he took the battle for the soul of the state to them, despite the tremendous backing they enjoyed from the Presidency.

He fought and put his life on line for the liberation of the people of the state, even when he has the option of settling the godfathers financially and remained in office, he resisted it and fought for what was right.

The survival of his political abduction on July 10, 2003 by his estranged godfather in connivance with the security agents was a clear manifestation that God was with him and he has not completed his good work for his people. The judicial/ presidential conspiracy that led to his removal from office as a governor was known to Nigerians. His removal was beyond not winning the election, but his refusal to open the state treasury to the godfathers, which was the tradition in the state before he assumed office.

It is on record that between 1999-2007, Ngige was the only governor that lost his seat in court, even when it was obvious that the 2003 general elections was massively rigged across the country, especially in southeast zone. Upon his removal from office, he was given a clean bill of health by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led by its Chairman,

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu at a time most ex-governors were dragged to court by EFCC for alleged corrupt practices while in office.

True to his type and belief, Ngige left PDP and co-founded now defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with the likes of Senator Bola Tinubu, former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and others. This was at a time nobody gave his new party a chance of making an in-road into Southeast zone, but Ngige has proved the doubting Thomases wrong as the party has remained a force to reckon with in the zone, especially in Anambra State where the party won national and state assembly seats during 2011 elections.

As an evidence of how heroic and popular Ngige is in Nigeria politics, especially in Southeast, particularly in Anambra, Ngige defeated the candidate of the incumbent governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, Prof. Dora Akunyili in the Anambra Central senatorial zone keenly contested 2011 election.

As senator currently representing Anambra Central zone in the upper chamber of National Assembly, Ngige has continued to identify with the people through his quality debates and contributions on the floor of the Senate. He has continued to remain his self and the man of the people, being mindful of the fact that being oneself in a world that is constantly trying to make one something else is the greatest accomplishment.

No wonder, ahead of Anambra 2013 governorship election, majority of the Anambra people are already mounting pressure and calling on him to stage a comeback to the government house to complete the good works he started, which have become difficult for his successor to complete.

This clarion call by the people is a clear proof that one good turn deserves another. So it is obvious that at the age of 61, Ngige still has much to offer the people and the sky is his starting point in his quest for service to humanity.

There is no doubt that he is the most admired and colourful politician in the country today with followers across the divide particularly in the Southeast zone. So ahead of the Anambra governorship election slated for November 16, Ngige remains the man to beat for better and transformed Anambra for humanity.

That is why whenever Ngige sneezes, other jesters and clowns pretentiously jostling for the governorship seat in the state catch cold easily. Hurray, my colleague, brother and great leader at 61.

• Dr. Anyadiora, a lecturer wrote from Owerri, Imo State.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday August 14, 2013

GLOBALSTOCK 53

GlobalStocks European stocks climb as German confidence rises UROPEAN stocks gained for E a fourth day, extending a 10week high, as companies post-

sion income increased.

Monte Paschi surged 7.7 percent to 22.5 euro cents in Milan. The bank is the most exposed lender in the country to Italy’s sovereign debt, holding about 29 billion euros of bonds at the end of June.

Banca Popolare dell’Emilia Romagna Scrl advanced 4 percent to 5.48 euros.

The yield premium investors demand to hold Italian and Spanish 10-year bonds over benchmark German bunds shrank to the

lowest in two years amid speculation the euro-area economy is edging back to growth. The Italy-Germany spread narrowed to 240 basis points and Spain’s yield gap over Germany slid to 268 basis points today.

Fresnillo Plc rallied 5.6 percent to 1,165 pence, for a fifth day of gains, as UBS AG initiated coverage of the gold and silver producer with a buy rating. Analysts led by Daniel Major cited the company’s low costs and ability to generate free cash flow even as the

ed better-than-estimated earnings and German investor confidence climbed.

EON SE rose the most in six weeks after Germany’s biggest utility posted first-half profit that exceeded analysts’ projections. GAM Holding AG, a Swiss asset manager, surged the most in four years as earnings more than tripled. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA led Italian banks higher as the nation’s 10-year yield premium over benchmark German bunds shrank to the lowest in two years.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index climbed 0.6 percent to 307.79 at the close of trading, the highest level since May 28. The gauge gained 0.6 percent last week as China’s industrial output rose more than estimated.

The index has soared 10 percent in 2013, led by automobile and financial-services companies, as central banks around the world maintained stimulus measures.

“There’s been a bias towards companies meeting or beating expectations,” James Buckley, a London-based fund manager at Baring Asset Management Ltd., which oversees about $50 billion, said by telephone. “That coupled with slightly better macro data coming out of Europe and even a lessening in fears over Chinese data has all contributed to a bit more confidence. It’s all produced a positive environment for European equities.”

Investor confidence in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, rose more than forecast in August. The ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim said its index of investor and analyst expectations advanced to 42 from 36.3 in July.

A report in Washington showed U.S. retail sales climbed for a fourth consecutive month in July, increasing 0.2 percent. The median forecast of 81 economists surveyed

by Bloomberg had called for a Traders at Stock market 0.3 percent advance.

National benchmark indexes advanced in all of the 18 western European markets today, except Greece and Iceland. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 rose 0.6 percent, Germany’s DAX added APAN’S Nikkei stock index posted 0.7 percent and France’s CAC solid gains Tuesday on hopes for 40 increased 0.5 percent. more monetary stimulus and helped EON rallied 2.2 percent to pull markets up elsewhere.

12.50 euros, the biggest gain In early European trading, Britain’s since June 26. The company FTSE 100 rose 0.6 percent to 6,616.35. reported first-half underlying Germany’s DAX advanced 0.9 pernet income of 1.91 billion euros cent to 8,430.83. France’s CAC-40 ($2.54 billion), topping the added 0.4 percent to 4,087.06. average analyst estimate of Wall Street futures also headed 1.79 billion euros. higher, with Dow Jones industrial RWE AG, the second-largest futures up 0.4 percent to 15,445. S&P utility in Germany, increased 500 futures gained 0.4 percent to 4.5 percent to 22.36 euros, the 1,693.20. biggest jump in four months.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 1 GAM Holding jumped 9.7 per- percent to 5,157.70 as investors cent to 16.90 Swiss francs, the geared up for company earnings sealargest gain since April 2009. son. Mining services companies rose.

The asset manager that split Bradken Ltd. surged more than 12 from Julius Baer Group Ltd. percent after the engineering comalmost four years ago said pany said it would reduce costs and first-half profit more than spending following a steep fall in full tripled after fee and commis-

price of precious metals slips.

Deutsche Wohnen AG climbed 1.8 percent to 14.10 euros, the highest in more than two months.

Germany’s second-largest residential landlord by market value said first-half profit jumped 85 percent as acquisitions increased rental income. The company raised its earnings forecast for 2013.

Geberit AG sank 7.3 percent, the most since March 2009, to 236.30 francs. The Swiss maker of toilets and bath-

room piping said there’s been “a clear fall in demand” in most European markets since the fourth quarter of 2012 and a continued downturn in public construction in North America.

“An end to this trend, or a recovery, is not in sight,” Geberit wrote in a statement today.

Michael Page International Plc lost 4 percent to 450.2 pence. The U.K. recruitment company said the three months through September will be “another challenging

quarter” after first-half gross profit fell 4.4 percent.

Schindler Holding AG slid 5.2 percent to 136 francs, the biggest decline in almost two years, after the Swiss elevator maker cut its profit forecast.

Schindler projected net income of about 550 million francs ($589 million) to 600 million francs this year, including a 155 million-franc charge on its investment in Hyundai Elevator Co. That compares with an earlier forecast of as much as 790 million francs.

Japan’s Nikkei index leads global stocks higher J

year profit.

Despite rising commodities prices, some Australian mining stocks fell as investors sold off shares that have enjoyed recent gains, said Stan Shamu, market strategist at IG in Melbourne, Australia. Newcrest Mining Ltd. dropped 2.3 percent a day after surging nearly 8 percent.

“We are getting a little bit of profittaking after a pretty big run in miners,” Shamu said.

Meanwhile in Asia, economists had expected to see more than an annualized growth rate of 2.6 percent for the April-June quarter, given the size of the Bank of Japan’s stimulus program and public spending called for under “Abenomics,” the aggressive program undertaken by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to jumpstart the moribund economy.

By Tuesday, however, analysts saw the glass as half full. Disappointing data meant it was more likely that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) might step up its already massive government bond buying program.

The BOJ is expanding the monetary base by about 60 trillion yen (US$606 billion) to 70 trillion yen (US$707 billion) over two years by mopping up Japanese government bonds.

“Fading expectations of more aggressive monetary easing by the Bank of Japan have been perhaps the most important factor behind the recent partial recovery in the yen and associated weakness in the Nikkei,” said analysts at Capital Economics in a market commentary.

“However, we continue to expect Japan’s central bank to step up its asset purchases,” Capital Economics

said.

Tokyo jumped 2.57 percent by the close after slipping on Monday following disappointing Japanese growth figures.

Seoul ended up 1.5 percent, or 28.20 points at 1,913.03, while Sydney closed up 0.96 percent, or 49.0 points at 5157.7.

Hong Kong closed up 1.21 percent, or 269.85 points at 22,541.13, with investors still broadly bolstered by last week’s positive indicators pointing to stability in the region’s largest economy.

In Shanghai, Chinese shares ended up a more modest 0.23 percent, or 4.88 points, at 2,106.16.

Gold continued its recent rise, selling at US$1328.19 an ounce at 1105 GMT compared with US$1,323.23 late Monday and US$1,309.00 late Friday.

THe GUARdiAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

54 |

Midweek Arts For moviedom, harvest of festivals in September

By Shaibu Husseini side the months of February, April, May A and July which are traditional months for some of moviedom’s internationally recognized festivals and awards like the Berlinale, Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), the Cannes Film Festival and the durban international Film Festival, september is one month that festivalgoers and film buffs always look up to. The festival and award circuit usually gets busier in september. it begins with one of the world’s biggest and prestigious festivals, the Toronto international Film Festival, which holds annually in Toronto, Canada since 1975 and climaxes in Nigeria with the Abuja international Film Festival (AiFF).

The AiFF, which holds annually in Abuja since 2003 is easily the biggest and longest independently run festival in Nigeria. The 2004 edition of the AiFF is the 10th edition. The organizers say it will hold between september 24 and 27 at the silverbird Cinemas Abuja. The festival will screen movies in the shorts, Features, Animation, documentary and experimental genre. President and founder of the AiFF and former President of the directors Guild of Nigeria (dGN) Fidelis duker revealed during the week that all arrangements for the tenth edition of the festival are almost complete. He stated that filmmakers still have up till August 31 to submit entries in the different genre of filmmaking. duker however solicited support from corporate Nigeria and government especially the Federal Capital Administration for the hosting of the festival as it is becoming impossible to stage the festival ‘’on personal resources’’. He said: ‘’there has not been any real corporate sponsorship or government support for the festival. We have practically run this festival with personal funds. even the Nigerian Film Corporation and other government organs that should support us are writing us to say they cannot support us. Meanwhile what we are doing will benefit government and Nigeria on the long run. it is a big Public Relations tool for government’’ he said.

Nearly all the film festivals in Nigeria suffer from the lack of corporate and government support. The Best of the Best Television and Film Market (BOBTV), the Lagos international Film Festival, the Leap international Film Festival, the indigenous Language international Film Festival organized by Remdel in Ondo and the enugu Film Festival have failed to hold this year because of the lack of support to host the festivals, which are also avenues for distribution. There is a suggestion that perhaps these festivals should benefit from the Project Act Nollywood fund—the Presidential intervention fund for the film industry.

But it is the 38th edition of the Toronto international Film Festival that will begin the september film festival circuit. The festival opens on september 5, three clear days after the close of the ten days long Montreal World Film Festival. Already the organizers have announced that the world premiere of dreamWorks Pictures’ The Fifth Estate will open the 38th edition of the festival on september 5. The festival will run for 10 days and will feature screening of films that were curated from different parts of the world. The Fifth Estate is a dramatic thriller based on real events and directed by Bill Condon. The film reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an internet upstart into the 21st century’s most fiercely debated organization. The film features commanding performances by daniel Brühl and

by Benedict Cumberbatch. “information is the most potent currency of our time, and we’ve found a film that charts just how volatile it can be,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic director of the Toronto international Film Festival. “With The Fifth Estate, this year’s Festival kicks off with an electric, timely drama that promises to get people talking. We’re thrilled to welcome Bill Condon back to Toronto with another terrific film. He premiered his very first feature, Sister, Sister, here in 1987, and was last at our Festival in 2004 with Kinsey’’ Bailey said. The Guardian gathered that the Africa Movie Academy

Award would be putting a strong presence in Toronto. AMAA director of Administration Tony Anih confirmed that the AMAA would be hosting a special event at the festival where it will announce the call for entries for the 2014 awards. ‘’The AMAA delegation comprising its jury members and some film journalist and critics will present some of the AMAA winning films and participate at a conference on Nollywood at the festival’ Anih said.

However a day before Toronto fest will close, attention will shift to Washington d.C where winners of the third edition of the Nollywood African Film Critics Award (NAFCA) would be announced. According to dr. Victor O. Olatoye, President and CeO of NAFCA, winners will be announced live on september 14th at a red-carpet event at the legendary Warner Theatre in Washington d.C. Organized and presented by Nollywood and African Film Critics UsA, the 2013 award, Olatoye said, promises to the biggest ever and will be graced by over 200 actors and filmmakers. in attendance will be African dignitaries, diplomats and business leaders.

Recently the organizers announced nominees in the different categories and as usual practitioners from Nollywood dominated the nomination list. Niyi Towolawi’s Turning Point which didn’t make box office on home soil bagged eight nominations— Best sound, Best drama diaspora Film, Best screenplay diaspora Film, Best Cinematography diaspora Film, Best Actor in leading role diaspora Film (for igoni Archibong), Best Actress in leading role diaspora (for Jackie Appiah), Best Actor in supporting role diaspora Film (for ernie Hudson), Best Actress in supporting role diaspora Film (for Kd Hubert). Also Charles Novia’s 2012 film Alan Poza earned Novia a directing nomination and earned Beverly Naya a nomination in the leading actress category. There are some holes that critics have spotted on the nomination list. For instance critics wonder how Turning Point would qualify for a diaspora award when the producer and director is a Nigerian born but UK based filmmaker. That the film was shot in the UK does not make it a diaspora feature. Also critics wonder if the organizers of NAFCA and indeed the selection panel have seen the films in nomination. They argue that it was wrong to suggest that Alan Poza that was nominated in the best comedy category is a comic flick comedy while it was also wrong to categorize the award winning

Nigerian delegates at 9th FEPACI... Afolabi Adesanya (left); Andy Amenechi; and Fidelis Duker Cameroonian feature Ninah’s dowry as a docu-drama.

Nonetheless, the award event will not just be about filmmakers carting home awards.

Olatoye revealed that to spice up the evening, special honors would be presented to deserving personalities including Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife dame Patience Jonathan and President ellen Johnson sirleaf of Liberia. The speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representative Aminu Tambuwal would also be honoured at the event while United states based Amobi Okoye and Curtis Jackson will be honoured for their humanitarian work. Olatoye explained that the honorary awards aims at recognizing the contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions of an individual.

From Washington dC, attention would shift to Lagos from Abuja, that is shortly after the Abuja international Film Festival for the third edition of The Life House presentation of Lights, Camera, Africa!!! Film Festival. The festival will hold in Lagos from september 28 to October 1. it held last year at the premises of the British Council library in ikoyi. This year’s edition according to a statement from the organizers is themed ‘Great Migrations’, and

The Light House is collaborating with the African Film Festival inc., New York, and UK based programmer, critic and educator Nadia denton for this edition that feature the screening of full length feature films and documentaries. Also the organizers explained that there would be workshops, and panel discussions in line with this year’s festival theme at the British Council, southern sun Hotel, Wheatbaker Hotel and Freedom Park in Lagos. similarly, the organizers said that the festival, which is broadening its repertoire to include genres such as animation, would be screening dozens of movies this year, exploring various types of migration from and to Africa. They include Chinonye Chukwu’s Alaskaland, the coming-of-age story of a Nigerian raised in Alaska and Mark Gettes’ Fela! In Lagos, which follows the cast of the Broadway production as they connect with the musical icon’s city. But there’s also Mugabe: Villain or Hero, where director Roy Agyemang examines how perceptions of the controversial figure have evolved, and many more thought-provoking films. The festival will as usual not be about film shows alone. The organizers have assured that fairs, talks and concerts will intersperse the programming, showcasing other forms of African art, beyond film.

The cast of the documentary film, Drama Consult with the filmmaker, Dorothee Wenner (2nd right); and Director of Goethe Institut, Mac-Andre Schmachtel (3rd left)

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14 , 2013

ARTS | 55

National Troupe holds Children Creative Station Odum Dance at the festival. Adaji received the second prize trophy and a diploma of participation on behalf of Nigeria.

The Troupe boss who led the delegation expressed joy at the feat the troupe recorded

HE National Troupe of T Nigeria has kicked off its 2013 Children Creative Station Workshop (CCSW) designed to discover and enhance children’s talent and creativity in the area of performing arts. It is also designed to engage them during the long vacation.

The workshop, which opened on August 1 at the Cinema Hall II of the National Theatre, Iganmu, was introduced in 2010 and it has held yearly since then.

The programme has since its inception, been targeted at children whose imaginations and talents are re-awakened, developed, and appreciated.

The CCSW, which will this year be supported by Golden Penny and Book City, according to the Artistic Director and CEO of the NTN, Martins Adaji, is also aimed at “developing children’s interest in Nigeria not just as citizens of Nigeria but also as future leaders.”

The month long workshop has as theme, Arise Nigeria, and participating children are expected to work on a play around this theme.

Already, the participating children have begun work on a play that is based on the compilation of the synopsis of plays presented by selected schools that participated in the National Troupe’s 2013 dramatised storytelling competition that was held early this year in Abuja and Lagos.

Patrick Guyit, a staff of the NTN, handled the compilation while the Head of Drama of NTN, Ms. Josephine Igberaese, will direct the CCSW production.

Ms. Igberaese stated that the CCSW would as usual involve “acting, improvisation, mime, dancing; creative writing, voice training, singing.”

She also disclosed that games like chess,

saying, “it confirms our rating in the continent and it affirms our place as the true cultural ambassadors.” He also stated that the trophy would be presented to the Minister of Culture at a later date.

Academy’s convocation takes place tomorrow HE yearly general meeting T of Nigerian Academy of Letters will hold on Thursday,

monopoly and scrabble have been introduced.

Also, she announced that the outcome of the creative station workshop would be presented at a command performance slated for September 1 at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Meanwhile, the Troupe has emerged second out of over 20 countries that participated in the 13th edition of the International Cultural Festival, which held in Lumbumbashi, in the province of Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo.

The festival held between July 25 and 28. The troupe performed four dances — Fishermen Dance, Drum Invocation, Ekombi and Egwu

August 15. The theme for this year is Nigeria’s Cultural Tapestry. The Convocation Lecturer, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju, will deliver a lecture titled: Nigeria’s Cultural Tapestry and the Challenge of Development.

The Academy owes its origin to Section 641 of Udoji Report (1974) in which the creation of National Academies was recommended. NAL was formed years later by learned societies including the Historical Society of Nigeria, the Philosophical Society of Nigeria, the Linguistic Association of Nigeria, the Hausa Studies Association, the Yoruba Studies Association, the Biblical Studies Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian English Studies Association,

the University French Teachers’ Association of Nigeria and the Society for the Promotion of Igbo Language and Culture.

The primary objective of the Academy is to promote research and scholarship at the highest level in all the branches of the Humanities.

NAL’s major yearly events include an Annual Lecture and the Convocation at which subjects of national interest such as Culture and Growth, Good Governance, Politics and Art, Materialism, Morality, etc. are addressed.

The yearly convocation holds at the University of Lagos, usually on the second Thursday of August at the Main Auditorium of the University (not Academy House).

Its three main segments are the Convocation Lecture delivered by a distinguished scholar, Investiture of new Fellows and a

Scientific Session at which papers focusing on the main theme are presented and discussed.

The Annual General Meeting takes off the following day at 9 a.m. at the main Auditorium.

Past Convocation Lecturers include Emeritus Professor Ade Ajayi, Professor Wole Soyinka, Emeritus Professor Ayo Bamgbose, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, Emeritus Professor E. J. Alagoa, Emeritus Professor Tekena Tamuno, Professor Munzali Jibril, Professor Anthony Asiwaju, Professor are eminent Nigerians of exemplary character, who have made outstanding contributions to national Olatunji Oloruntimehin.

Others include Emeritus Professor Jide Osuntokun, Professor Oyin Abogunrin and Professor Abiola Irele.

Capacity building workshops from Culture ministry HE Federal Ministry of T Culture, Tourism and National Orientation will hold a skill acquisition and

Members of the Advisory Board for The Nigerian Prize for Literature, Dr. Jerry Agada and Prof. Ben Elugbe, Chairman of Advisory Board, Prof. Emeritus Ayo Banjo; Nigeria LNG Limited General Manager, External Relations, Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke; Chairman, Panel of Judges, Prof. Romanus Egudu, and Members of the Panel of Judges Dr. Andrew Abah and Prof. Omolara Ogundipe at the unveiling of the shortlisted 11 writers (poets) for this year’s edition of Nigeria Prize for Literature, yesterday… in Lagos

capacity building workshop in Markurdi, Benue State between August 15 and 16.

Also, in the next one month, the programme would cover three other states, namely: Edo at Ihievbe, Auchi; Ondo at Owo and Sokoto in Sokoto State. In Markudi, the participants who are drawn from the local community would be guided by experts to sharpen their skills in such trades as fabric weaving, Ange cloth making, traditional hair styling, bead making, tye and dye, pottery as well as performing arts (Swange). According to Mrs Lizzy Ihezue-Iwuamadi, Assistant Director, Cultural Industries, the Culture Ministry will also hand over the key of the Culture Industry Centre in Markurdi to the state government for monitoring and effective utilization of the facilities by the benefitting community.

In Edo state, participants would be trained in bead making, Jewellery designs, carving and sewing while emphasis in

Ondo, whose Centre in Owo is located within the palace of the Oba and near the Museum is in Aso-Oke weaving, bead making, craft and pottery. In Sokoto, traditional style carving, sewing, blacksmithing and pottery would be highlighted.

It would be recalled that in its bid to reposition the Culture and Tourism Ministry as a key sector for economic growth and development, the Culture Ministry in 2009 commenced the project, tagged, “Developing Cultural Industries in Nigeria”. So far, seven states have benefitted from the establishment of the Cultural Industry Centres, each of which has a standard hall for exhibitions, workshops and other creative expressions, standby generator, smaller rooms equipped with sewing machines, beads and jewellery accessories, outdoor kiln and dye pits among others for hands on skill acquisition by participants.

From Enugu, Life In My City berths in Lagos IVE years after it debuted in Fempowerment Enugu, the yearly youth art project, Life In My City Art Festival (LIMCAF) holds in Lagos.

Aimed at empowering young Nigerian artists, the exhibition holds at the National Museum, Onikan, Lagos from Thursday August 15 to 22, 2013. Supported by the Alliance Francaise Network in Nigeria, Diamond Bank and Access Bank, the Lagos exhibition is expected to be open by renowned art scholar and teacher, Prof Yusuf Grillo.

Simultaneously, the exhibitions hold in other zones across the country including Ibadan, Kaduna, Abuja, Jos, Calabar Owerri, Port Harcourt, Auchi, Uyo and Enugu.

Each exhibition represents the second stage at the level of the zone of a three-stage process leading to the

grand finale in Enugu on Saturday October 12, 2013. It features the best 100 new works, from all over Nigeria.

At grand finale and award night, the following prizes are on offer: One overall best art work wins a cash prize of N500, 000. This is followed by the five category prizes where the best in sculpture, painting, graphics/textiles, photography, printing/mixed media/drawing which each win N250, 000. Then there is the Justice Anthony Aniagolu prize for Originality which wins N100, 000, the Art is Everywhere (recycled material) prize which wins N50,000 and the overall best entry from Enugu Zone prize for N50,000. In addition 19 runners up all win a consolation prize of N20,000 each. All twenty five young artists who win prizes are invited an sponsored to Enugu to witness the grand finale which includes the report of the grand finale jury.

Speaking in Enugu after a recent Board Meeting the festival’s Art Director, Mr. Ayo Adewunmi said that about 30 strong art pieces will be on show at this first Life In My City Lagos outing. All of them will be interpreting the theme for this year, ‘Out of the Box, Out of the Frame’.

He further explains that Lagos had not been able to host a LIMCAF exhibition before now (even though the festival had always attracted participants from Lagos) because of logistic limitations in the Alliance Francaise centre there. Indeed its first ever grand finale exhibition in 2007 was won by Olumide then a student of Yaba Polytechnic.

At that time and up till this year, young artists in Lagos wishing to participate in the nationwide contest had to send their entries to Ibadan because the Alliance Francaise Lagos Centre had had some logistic limita-

tions.

But the Lagos Centre of the Alliance Francaise Network in Nigeria has grown since then and has indeed become the coordinating centre for the network throughout Nigeria able to overcome the challenges which had earlier made unsuitable to handle such projects.

And so come Thursday august 12, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the exhibition hall of the National Museum will witness a surge of young artists, scholars, art aficionados and teachers for a first hand view of productions by young artists in Lagos who are under 35 years of age.

Life In My City is a youth centred project. It aims to give young people opportunity not just to win cash prizes and certificates of participation at various levels but also to enable them expose their creative endeavours to critical appraisal by

carefully chosen older jurors and visitors, sell their works, and make meaningful statements about their environment through the interrogation of various themes chosen by the organisers year after year.

The Festival is organised by a Board registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a trusteeship limited by guarantee. The Board is headed by a one-time Chairman of Union Bank Elder K, U. Kalu CON, who is currently the Executive Director of the wellknown Consultancy firm, Skoup and Company, based in Enugu. Other members include Barrister Peter Eze, a well known legal practitioner in Enugu who was one time Chairman of the National Gallery of Art, and Chief Robert Oji who actually initiated the Festival project. Others are Kevin Ejiofor, Ayo Adewunmi the festival’s Art Director, VinMartin Ilo, Uche Oji-Elega and Gerard Chouin.

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

57

Sports Mandela Challenge

Eagles battle Bafana Bafana without Mikel

By Christian Okpara OCCER fans looking forSJohnward to seeing Chelsea star, Obi Mikel, in today’s international friendly game against South Africa will have to make do without the midfielder as he has withdrawn from the match following some health concerns. But all the other stars invited for the game, tagged, Mandela Challenge, are available and ready to prove Nigeria’s superiority over the South Africans.

Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi announced after the team’s training session on Monday that Mikel has withdrawn from the game due to a stomach upset he picked up while on tour with his EPL side.

According to Super Eagles Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, Chelsea doctors wrote to the NFF asking that the player be excused for health reasons.

Keshi obliged and said yesterday morning in Durban that he would not want to push Mikel too much because of the September 7 World Cup qualifier against Malawi in

Calabar.

Although Alaiya did not state, whom Keshi has picked to play Mikel’s role in the game, he revealed that all the other 19 players are already in Durban for the game, including Mikel’s Chelsea teammate, Victor Moses.

Keshi also on behalf of the team prayed for the soul of his late national teammate, Samson Sochukwuma Okwaraji, who died on August 12, 1989 during a World Cup qualifying game against Angola in Lagos, Alaiya said.

He disclosed that the weather in Durban has been playing games with the Eagles, saying, “in the mornings, its bright and warm, but by evening time it drops very low to about 18 degrees. But the players are used to such weather and don’t see it as a hindrance to their game against Bafana Bafana.”

Meanwhile, South African Coach, Gordon Igesund, warned Keshi that his wards were battle ready for the African champions when he exchanged warm pleasantries with the Nigerian gaffer at the Southern Sun Hotel, where the Bafana Bafana are camped.

Okagbare has made Nigeria proud, say Abdullahi, Ogba HE Minister of T Sports/Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bolaji Abdullahi, who is in Moscow, Russia, with Team Nigeria at the ongoing Moscow 2013 IAAF World Championships, has described Blessing Okagbare as a heroine, who is doing the nation proud with her talent and therefore should be celebrated.

Okagbare on Sunday ended Nigeria’s medal drought at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, which stretched back to Seville ’99 edition of the competition, where Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu won a silver medal and bronze medal respectively.

Speaking to reporters in Moscow, Abdullahi said, “we are very proud of her and what she has achieved by putting us on the world stage. It is not an easy feat to be one of the best three in the world in any event, more so in a highly technical event like the long jump. “ I congratulate her and every Nigerian, who stood by her with the prayers and moral support.’’

Okagbare was tipped by

bookmakers all over the world to win a medal in the 100m based on her splendid performances in the IAAF Diamond League, which peaked with a record breaking 10.79 seconds at the London leg of the league. But she could only place sixth in the final on Monday returning a time of 11.04 seconds.

Super Eagles’ star, Victor Moses (right) contests with a Kenyan player during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

FIFA writes NFF over Calabar stadium security From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja ORLD Football governW ing body, FIFA has written to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) demanding to be furnished with all the security details and arrangements at the U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar, which is expected to host the September 7 World Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles and the flames of Malawi.

The letter, which was sequel to the alarm raised by the Malawi Football Federation alleging insecurity at the U.J Esuene Stadium.

The

Malawians demanded that FIFA moved the game to another venue.

FIFA in the letter dated August 12 demanded that the NFF should furnish it with proof of adequate security at the stadium.

Chairman of the NFF Security Sub-committee, Effiong Johnson, who confirmed the receipt of the letter to The Guardian on telephone from Uyo, said the federation would meet all the demands of FIFA, stressing that Calabar is very safe for the match.

“We will certainly reply the letter from the world soccer

governing body, furnishing them with the full detail of the security of that stadium.

“To say the least, I was surprised and shocked with such security alarm. I want to think that it was mere antics and distractions of the Malawians because that stadium in question has hosted almost all our qualifiers without any verbal or written complaint from any of the visiting teams.

“We have always ensured a watertight security within and outside the stadium before, during and after the matches. There has never been any security concern since the stadium started

hosting crucial and friendly matches involving the national teams. I challenge FIFA to investigate from any quarter whether Calabar is not one of the most peaceful cities in this country.

“The people are accommodating and hospitable. Let me use this opportunity to assure FIFA that security has never been an issue in Calabar and it will not start with this critical clash against Malawi. I want to urge FIFA to look beyond the security alarm the Malawians are raising because to me it was just a mind game,” the NFF security committee chairman noted.

We will beat Eagles anywhere, boasts Malawi coach From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja

• Keshi denies quit report

of Malawi Chief FhisLAMES Coach, Tom Saintfiet says side will beat the Super

Super Eagles at all times and venue, adding that he took up the Malawi job to prove a point against the Nigerian side.

The Belgian, who was earlier offered the job of Nigeria’s technical director by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before the contract was cancelled, revealed that he has been training his players for the past two months to ensure that they beat Nigeria in Calabar.

He added that his employ-

Eagles when they meet on September 6 no matter where the game is played.

Saintfiet, who says the protest by the Malawi Football Association to FIFA on the venue of the Brazil FIFA World Cup qualifier is not because the Flames are afraid of the Super Eagles, said the action was purely an administrative issue.

Saintfiet says the Flames are technically fit to face the

ers have the right to protest and seek for a change in venue if they felt uncomfortable with the Nigerian choice.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has denied reports quoting him as saying that he will quit his job if Nigeria lost to Malawi on September 6 in Calabar.

Keshi said it would be very difficult for Malawi to defeat the Super Eagles in Calabar, added that he has not in any way contemplat-

Keshi ed quitting his job even if the Eagles lost to Malawi.

He said, “I never said such

thing to anybody… I do not know where that report came from, definitely not from me.

“Even though I am optimistic that the Malawians cannot easily cause an upset against us in Calabar, I never said I will quit if we lose.

“Also, I am aware that I can not remain the Super Eagles coach all my career. No, I will move on when it is time. Football is not played only in Nigeria; there is football in other places. I must move on and try other areas if the time comes, but I never made such statement

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

58 | SPORTS

Merotohun returns, as Lagos International Table Tennis Classics gets ITTF’s world ranking status

By Olalekan Okusan ORMER Commonwealth Games doubles champion, Monday Merotohun has signed up for the 1st Lagos International Table Tennis Classics.

The former national player, who is bidding to warm his way back into the hearts of Nigerians, had his last outing for the national team in 2011 at the All Africa Games in Mozambique.

He confirmed his participation, the final day of players’ entry to the Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the tournament.

Merotohun, who has been playing in Europe for about a decade, will be targeting a return to the national team after missing out in the last two years.

Also, yesterday, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) said that the Lagos Classics would help players to garner points for world ranking.

The ITTF-approved tournament boasts the highest prize money of any tournament to be staged in Africa and is organised by the MOC of Lagos International Sports Classics in collaboration with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF).

According to member of the ITTF Board of Directors, Olabanji Oladapo, the tournament has been sanctioned by the world table tennis ruling body and for this reason, players are expected to use the competition to amass points for their ranking in the world.

“The Lagos Classics is an ATTF / ITTF approved competition.

Hence, it offers Nigerian players in the top three spots, an opportunity to score points and be ranked by the ITTF. Other players that are coming will also use the tournament

F

Merotohun (left) and compatriot; Segun Toriola, at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. The duo will feature in the first Lagos International Classics.

AIBA rule amendments making boxing more dangerous, say Aransiola, Oboh

By Eno-Abasi Sunday ULE changes recently R effected by International Amateur Boxing Association, the governing body for amateur boxing worldwide, may have succeeded in making the sport more deadly than it has made it safe, especially for the amateurs.

At least this is the opinion of some persons, who are not in tune with the latest amendments including former national boxing Coach, Samson Aransiola and former Commonwealth British light heavyweight champion, Peter Oboh.

Effective June 1, the AIBA restored some old rules, which were deemed to endanger the lives of amateur boxers by outlawing the use of headgears by elite men’s boxers in international boxing matches. Theses include bouts at the Olympics and Commonwealth games.

It also decreed that this class

of boxers would henceforth be scored in a pro-style scoring system, which has discarded the latest version of the highly-criticised computer punch-count systems on the grounds that it made fighting boring.

Now, each fight will henceforth be scored by five ringside judges with the traditional 10-9 or 10-8 rounds familiar to fans of professional boxing.

According to AIBA, it decided to do away with headgears because opponents don’t apply brute force if the head is unprotected as they do when the protective device worn. It further claimed that in addition to that, research has proven that headgears do little to reduce concussions.

Aransiola admits that headgears hamper swift head movement because of their weight, but he is not convinced that they are not effective in stemming major head injuries including concussion.

Besides, he said headgears psychologically give amateur boxers some form of protection even though it is the main target of any opponent.

“Ban will help some boxers to move their head as swift as possible. To that extent it is good. But I am of the opinion that up and coming boxers need to be given as much protection as possible so that they can stay alive and practice what they are learning,” the former national coach s t a t e d .

He continued, “the reason for headgear in the first instance was to protect the amateur when the world noticed the negative effect that boxing had on upstarts, so removing it again after 30 years of use, leaves a lot to be d e s i r e d . ” Oboh is not convinced that removing headgear from elite amateur boxers is the way to go. In fact, he says a boxer, who is bent on getting a knock out will hit his opponent so hard to achieve his

aim. “Pros know how to defend themselves, but the amateurs do not, so let us not expose them to so much danger just yet.”

Oboh, who fought in the light heavy, cruiser and heavyweight categories and also won the International light heavy weight belt on November 14, 2003 said, “professional boxers know the impact of blows to the head, so it is not wise to expose amateur boxers to such a regime, where they have to learn the hard way. Only a heavy blow to the chin can earn you a knockout no matter how highly rated a boxer you are.”

The boxer-turned cleric who is of the opinion that some of the AIBA’s chieftains subscribed to the rules amendment owing to ignorance, having never practiced as professional boxers before, however, is at home with the idea of resorting to pro-style scoring system “because it is largely free of manipulation.”

Ismaily, Ashanti Kotoko ready, as LIFT countdown begins

By Tony Nwanne GYPTIAN team, Ismaily and Ashanti Kotoko of Ghana are among the foreign teams expected at the maiden Lagos International Football Tournament (LIFT), which holds in September, the organisers have disclosed.

The organisers, who have promised football fans in and around Lagos top football excitement, also promised the inaugural LIFT would pave the way for a genuine football revolution in the state.

Speaking at the media launch of the tournament, Lagos State Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Wahid Enitan Oshodi, represented by the Executive Secretary, MTN

E

Lagos Street Soccer, Deji Aladegbemi, said at the event, which took place at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, yesterday, that LIFT is being positioned as premium soccer engagement platform in Africa, adding that with the plan on ground, the tourney will compete with the best of its kind in Europe, America and Asia in no distant time.

Also speaking at the event, Lagos FA Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi said, “every year, you find top clubs in Europe heading to America and Asia for pre-season tournaments. Recently, some of the top Premiership Clubs in England spent days playing pre-season invitational tournament in South Africa.

“Why can’t we get them to play pre-season here too?

This is one of the voids that

LIFT is set to address.”

According to him, Lagos State government is partnering with LIFT to help improve the game of soccer in Nigeria and make it very attractive for private sector participation.

Earlier in his address, the initiator of the programme and ex-international, Mutiu Adepoju, promised that the tourney would help boost the Nigeria local league and also identify and develop football talents.

According to him, the strategic focus of LIFT is to build a sustainable platform that will expose young soccer talents to professional football careers in top-flight leagues around the world.

Mutiu also dwelled on the imperative of giving back to the society, stating that one

of the major yardsticks of measuring success is the amount of contributions you give back to the society.

to improve on their world rankings. So players that will participate in the competition must ensure that they put in their best.

Maintaining that the status of tournament led some top stars to confirm their participation, the ATTF vice president stressed that, “Egypt’s Omar Assar participating in Lagos Classics is a boost to the newly introduced competition.

Since it is an ITTF approved event, he is coming for the prize money and to score points, which will improve his position in the ITTF ranking.

Nigerian players and coaches will also have the opportunity to play against him, watch him and learn from his skills.”

He however, disclosed that ITTF might consider Nigeria for major competition with the staging of the Lagos Classics.

“The classics are a prelude to a bigger ATTF/ITTF event which is in the pipeline. This is why we must perfect all areas and ensure a hitch free competition. Initially, I was nervous, but after the first inspection of the venue and seeing the calibre of technical and sports administrators put together by the chairman of NTTF/LOC, Wahid Enitan Oshodi, I am sure the competition will meet the high standards set by ITTF/ATTF and the officials who will attend the competition will also be pleased,” he said.

Meanwhile, the venue of the tournament, Molade OkoyaThomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium is now wearing a new look for the tournament scheduled to hold from August 26 to 31, while qualifiers for Nigeria-based players will hold on August 22 to 23.

Players will compete in 10 events made up of junior and senior categories.

Four teams battle for Etisalat FC Barcelona U-17 finals ticket

By Tony Nwanne OUR teams, including FMemorial Akande Dahunsi Senior High School, Ikoyi; Magbo Alade Senior Grammar School, Ibeju Lekki; Keke Senior High School, Ifako Ijaye and Anthony Village Senior High School, Anthony Village, will today at the Campos Square mini-stadium battle for tickets to the final of the ongoing Etisalat FC Barcelona U17 tournament.

The teams accounted for the exits of Sango Senior

Midfield action between MTN and Ericcson at the ongoing Telecoms Games holding at Unilag Sports Centre, Lagos

Secondary School, Agege; Obele Community Senior High School, Surulere; Ogunmodede Senior College, Epe, and Ajumoni Senior Secondary School, Mushin, from the tournament and they have vowed to do everything possible to win their games in today’s semi-finals.

Commenting on the success of the quarter-final matches, Manager, Sponsorships at Etisalat Nigeria, Orah Egwu commended the teams for their exceptional skills, saying that this portends a bright future for Nigerian football.

According to him, this was what Etisalat had in mind when it came up with the idea of organising the competition.

He congratulated the semifinalists on their victory, and also urged the losing teams not to be disappointed, but see it as a challenge for improvement.

Team members, supporters and coaches of the qualifying teams could not hide their joy at the final whistle.

Samuel Ajala, head coach, Keke Senior High School whose team pummeled Obele Community Senior High School 5-1 to reach the semi finals said the side can only get better.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 14, 2013

SPORTS | 59

Disquiet in Eaglets camp as 11 fail MRI test From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja OLDEN Eaglets’ preparaG tion for the Dubai 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, suffered a big setback on Monday as 11 players of the team failed the mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) test, which was conducted at the National Hospital, Abuja.

The team, which had earlier held an open camp in Abuja to select players for its full camping in Kaduna State, was thrown into confusion following the report of the failure of the 11 players to scale through the age determinant test.

Sources close to the team confirmed to The Guardian that about 30 of the players were brought to Abuja on Monday from their camp in Kaduna for the test, even as it emerged that the coaches were all disappointed that they had been in camp with mostly over aged players for the past one month.

“It is very unfortunate that we have to start all over to pick the replacement for he players. They will all be sent away from the camp, even though there could be a possible second test for them. But I want to assure you that we will continue with our scheduled programme with the boys and look for replacements from

the standby list, which we have. We are determined to take players within the approved age to the championship, we did it in Algeria during the African championship and we are sure that we will go to Dubai with the right players that

can give us what we want,” a source within the team assured.

When contacted, a disappointed chief coach of the team, Manu Garba refused to comment on the test result or give out names of the affected players.

Odegbami tasks kids on discipline at Cowbell football camp stand out in football, or in IDS participating in the any area of their lives, they K ongoing Cowbell Football should be prepared to put in Academy Camp have been charged to imbibe the virtues of discipline as a prerequisite for success in life.

Former Green Eagles star, Segun Odegbami, who visited the camp encouraged the participants to take their trainings seriously and be confident, if they want to be successful.

“You are very lucky at this age to have this opportunity to be trained by experienced coaches, who will take you through the rudiments of the game with a view to making you become stars. In our time we were not that lucky.

So I want to encourage you to put in your very best. Listen and learn from your coaches because they have got more experience than you and play with confidence.

He noted that for them to

their utmost best at all times.

Cowbell Football Academy (CFA) at the weekend kicked off a three-week summer camp training at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Lagos to engage kids during the summer season.

Explaining the need for a summer camp, Rector of the academy, Godwin DuduOrumen said the academy, which recently celebrated its first year anniversary is organising the camp to help keep the kids out of crime.

The academy was launched in 2012 as a corporate social responsibilities (CSR) programme by Promasidor Nigeria with the aim of building and developing the nation through sports.

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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Onukwube Nwabufo HE struggles of a slum dog, the survival of an T antelope in the wild and the pride of a lion king summarise the life of Madiba Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela. In the beginning, Mandela didn’t show prodigy in conventional skills: Sports, music, theatre, art, science… He was rather marvelous in ability allegedly considered inappropriate by a majority; ability that will make a mother weep for her child’s safety, and a father downcast by his child’s uncontrollable stubbornness – activism. Mandela’s defiance to a magistrate’s unreasonable demand at a young age, which had him lose his job. And expulsion from University College of Forte Hare for joining in a student protest, were clear signs of his undiluted intolerance for injustice and inequality. His nature left him with no choice but to be a crusader. He would still be known for something, had he been born in a society that guarantees equal opportunities for all.

Mandela brought true miracle to South Africans, not the type given with the right hand and taken with the left. As President, Mandela would have broken the already bent South Africa by sacking the white minority or return apartheid on them. Such decision would have been justified after all. But as a man with an uncommon good sense, he knew that majority of the South Africans that would be left behind, lacked the prerequisite skills to pilot the affairs of the economy they would have inherited, thus, inflict kwashiorkor on the economy. Plus the economic sanctions from the Western world that would greet such act.

Yet again, Mandela proved himself an extraordinary being when he declined to run a legitimate second term in office as president.

Having spent 27 agonising years in prison fighting to liberate his people from apartheid rule, he would have made himself president for life. No opposition within or outside South Africa would have arisen to challenge him.

Besides, from time antiquity, political revolutionaries, after bringing political change, hold on to power forever. Power intoxicates, that is why a man, 89 years of age, somewhere in Zimbabwe, has done everything conceivable and inconceivable to a people he once liberated, just to hold on to power. But an idolised to the level of a demigod, Mandela handled power the way a seasoned artist handles a pencil. He rather intoxicates power; not the other way round.

Forgiveness is always a luxury most human beings, especially powerful people, cannot afford. Events in our world have shown how nations and men full of promise were suddenly reduced to a thing of pity as a result of embark-

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Nelson Mandela, the toast of all time

Mandela ing on unnecessary revenge mission. The days of apartheid in South Africa were torturous. A lot of heinous crimes were recorded.

Mandela wasn’t spared either. He was incarcerated in prison for 27 agonising years by the white minority. He was damaged physically, psychologically and emotionally while in prison. He was denied attendance in his mother’s burial. And also in his first son’s burial who was killed in a car accident. He didn’t see his sons turn into men and the daughters into women. In fact, a school of

thought postulated that Mandela was neither a good father nor husband. This is because it was difficult for a black male South African during apartheid to support his family economically, talk more of a female. Therefore, Mandela’s absence from his family, due to imprisonment, did not only create a deficit of economic support to his wife and children, but also emotional support. Though the postulation is true, but with a leakage.

In spite of all that came with apartheid, Mandela, to the dismay and disappointment

of most members of ANC and black South Africans, showed unconditional mercy to the perpetrators of apartheid. “Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace,” he had said. He had an eagle’s vision to know that forgiveness not vengeance will guarantee peace in South Africa. He knows that peace is priceless; and any price is worth been paid for it. The calibre of Mandela cannot be mere mortals like us, but spirits. For it will take only a rare personage to show mercy on the perpetrators of apartheid. He has shown the world what selfless and visionary leadership meant; that monopoly of power is not strength neither is revenge a true victory. He has proven that the black man can handle his affairs eloquently and does not deserve pity after all.

Aside Abraham Lincoln, who went into war against his fellow countrymen to abolish the most callous practice – slavery; l don’t know of any other individual whose legacy can match Mandela’s. The iconic stretch of the apartheid hero is limitless. He is about the most popular brand, Coke, and probably Michael Jackson. He is the most decorated man alive. He is a recipient of over 250 awards, including notable ones like: the Nobel peace prize, the U.S. presidential Medal of Freedom and the last recipient of the Soviet Union’s Lenin peace prize from the Soviet Union. He was the first living person to be made an honorary Canadian citizen. His statue stands gracefully at the parliament square in London, not because he is British, not even about colour but because the statue represents freedom, justice and equality – the three ingredients that will bring everlasting peace to our world.

The trials and tribulations of Mandela would crack a solid rock, talk more of a human, yet, he was steadfast to the struggle. Through his struggle and leadership, he gave South Africans (both black and white) a shot at life.

His imprint is so strong that the world could not wait for him to die before blowing his glory to high Heavens. The United Nations showed good sense by declaring Mandela’s birthday, July 18, a Mandela Day. But more needs to be done. That is why I strongly advocate that the word “Mandela” should make an entry in the dictionary to mean “superior greatness.” This is because Mandela is beyond greatness, for any individual that achieves half his achievements is already great.

Mandela is more than a political hero to me.

He is everything I want to be, and I know is same for so many other people. Happy 95th birthday to the fighter, the man in whom I found a true and selfless leader.

• Nwabufo wrote from Lagos.

Relevance of science and technical education in development

By Emmanuel Ezeagwu N today’s world, science and technology are Idevelopment. undoubtedly vehicles for socio-economic Decades ago, developed nations were more or less as undeveloped as developing nations today. They are now transformed from rural, peasant communities into highly urbanised, industrialised countries through the development of their science and technology. In the process, they became rich and politically powerful.

For Nigeria to achieve her age-old goal of crossing the borderline between being a developing country and a developed country, she must develop scientifically and technologically. It should be added that science and technology have become integral parts of the world’s culture and to lag behind is to be out of place.

However, science and technology have continued to have a largely lowly status in developing or underdeveloped societies, including Nigeria.

On the cause of the current poor levels of science and technology in the third world countries (including Nigeria), Dr. S.A. Thomas in an article on Chemistry in Britain in 1983 said, “Most third world countries may appear to be looking for salvation in science and technology, they lack the foundation necessary to develop their scientific and technological potentials in real terms. Social attitudes favouring non-scientific endeavours and objects leading to a quest for increased material wealth not justified by increased productivity and optimal utilisation of scarce resources have continued to inhibit enhanced scientific activities...there is a need to solve the problem of inadequate research leadership and generate a crop of policy makers sufficiently on scientific matter, if third world nations wish to improve their lot.”

This foundation necessary to develop science and technology in the country is obviously education-elementary, secondary and tertiary education. Science and technology have to be

taught and studied systematically and purposefully respectively at all levels of education including, at least, first years of tertiary education for the arts and the humanities. It is evident that science and technological transfer and development is solely dependent on science and technology education in the country, for scientists and technologists are definitely required in the economic infrastructure of the society before any scientific and technological development and industrialization can occur. Even if students do not further their study of science and technology in tertiary institutions and as a result do not go on to become professional scientists, engineers, and technologists, their experience of science and technology gained from the elementary and secondary levels and first year of their tertiary education will be sufficiently rich and relevant. Such scientific literacy will equip them to contribute to our country’s development in an increasingly competitive and rapidly changing world. In other words, if all students in this developing country, including those in the

Prof Ita Ewa, Minister of Science and Technology arts and humanities as well as sciences, were imbued with the curiosity that characterises scientists and the competence that characterises engineers and technologists, all would

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be in a better position to participate in the solution of the indigenous problems of social and economic development.

There is a need, therefore, to imbibe the science culture in every Nigerian so as to have the proper and requisite foundation on which to develop our science and technology which will in turn develop the country. This is why great emphasis should be put on effective science education to help lay the needed foundation starting from the primary to at least the first year of the tertiary level for students of humanities. The government must design specific policies on science and technical education which must be implemented and sustained to promote science and technology curricula at each level of education.

This, of course, must include increased funds which should be provided and properly utilised in the educational system.

When scientifically well informed leadership springs up and scientifically and technologically literate citizens abound who are not all about “a quest for increased material wealth” but ways to contribute to problem solving in the society, the right type of environment will exist and illiteracy and superstitions which are prevalent in the country will be eradicated then all these “social attitudes” which have “inhibited third world countries”, as Thomas rightly puts it, would have been erased. Nigeria will then have a chance to improve her lot as she finally sets out for scientific and technological development, which will in turn hastily pave way for national development.

Underdevelopment which has continually plagued third world countries like Nigeria, rich in human and natural resources will be history.

There is no alternative to scientific and technological development. They are what distinguish the developed countries from the underdeveloped ones. The standard of living, social security, military and political power of the country all depend on the advancement of her science and technology.

• manuel.ezeagwu@ezeagwu 0809 123 3905,