Tue 25 Feb 2014

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Vol. 30, No. 12,843

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

I won’t preside over Nigeria’s break-up, says Jonathan From Madu Onuorah, Mohammed Abubakar (Abuja), Tope Templer Olaiya, Isaac Taiwo (Lagos), Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) and Joseph Wantu (Makurdi) RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan last night said he would by Monday next week announce the chairman and secretary of the proposed national conference on the nation’s challenges.

He also declared the issues

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• Insists Sanusi still CBN gov. • Announces confab’s chair, scribe next week • Declares result of conference to affect govt ‘marginally’ • Scores armed forces high on anti-terror fight, faults Shettima • Denies plan to appoint military administrator in Borno • Blames outage on sabotage, silent on 2015 ambition surrounding the suspension of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, as ‘un-

fortunate’, adding that whichever money is missing in the coffers of the Federal Government would be inves-

tigated and found.

Jonathan said during his first media chat of the year that he would inaugurate the confer-

ence in two weeks’ time, barely one week after the constitution of its secretariat.

The President also defended

his policy that the issue of Nigeria’s indivisibility should not be part of the conference deliberations as “there is no President that will preside over the disintegration of the state.”

He noted that the fall-out of the conference would only affect his administration ‘marginally’ as it would be a working document to be implemented after the 2015 elections.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Gunmen abduct Jonathan’s foster father - Page 3 INEC to begin nationwide voters’ registration in June - Page 3

Reps query FAAN over remittance to federation account - Page 4 Artificial cement scarcity looms, stakeholders warn - Page 6 Ukraine’s fleeing president wanted for mass murder - Page 11 Governors Theodore Orji of Abia State (right), Peter Obi (Anambra), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Olu Falae and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Anenih, during the Southern Leaders’ Summit in Calabar, Cross River State... yesterday.

Southern leaders back planned confab, urge true federalism • From Anietie Akpan (Calabar) and Iyabo Lawal (Ibadan) OVERNORS and other emiG nent Nigerians from the southern part of the country, at a summit yesterday in Calabar, Cross River Sate capital, declared support for the planned national conference just as they called for true federalism and unity aimed at national development.

They also urged total support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

• Seek revisit of Bakassi’s ceding, others • Unemployment, a time bomb, say APC chiefs The Southern Leaders’ Summit, with the theme: “The Centenary and the Imperative for a National Conference,” was convened by Governors Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and Peter Obi. Declaring the summit open, its chairman, Chief Olu Falae, said: “This summit is a continuation of wide-spread consul-

tations with stakeholders on how to move Nigeria and Southern Nigeria forward as we prepare for the national conference.

“This is the first time Nigerians are busy consulting across regions with a view to forging a common front and I think we should give President Jonathan kudos for his sincerity and focus on new

Nigeria. We should give him total support.”

On expectations of the conference, he said: “I expect emergence of a Southern Nigeria with equal opportunity and citizenship.”

The Summit, which considered issues such as the indissolubility of Nigeria, the practice of true federalism, the current security challenges,

the economy as well as the forthcoming national conference, had delegates from the South-West, South-East and South-South drawn from the traditional institution, the academia, public sector, politics, the Judiciary, Labour and religious bodies.

And although the country is faced with diverse challenges, unemployment is obviously the one that could destroy it like a time bomb, leaders warned yesterday.

All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and other

leaders of the party raised the alarm as they gathered in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, to deliberate on national issues.

It was at the first “Progressive Governance Lecture Series” entitled “Unemployment and the crisis of governance in Nigeria: The way forward.”

After reviewing the state of the nation, the APC leaders who spoke under the aegis of Progressive Governors’ Forum identified unemployment as a major impediment CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

2 Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Southern leaders seek revisit of Bakassi’s ceding, others CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 to the country’s quest for economic development and vowed to tackle it in their respective states in particular and the country as a whole.

At the lecture were the Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari; former Governors Olusegun Osoba and Niyi Adebayo as well as Pastor Tunde Bakare, among others.

The maiden lecture was aimed at examining the nature, scope and dynamics of the unemployment and governance crisis in the country with a view to exploring alternative, creative and innovative solutions that could lead to mass creation of decent jobs and good governance in Nigeria.

In a communiqué, the Calabar summit said: “That we commit ourselves to a united and indivisible Nigeria based on the principles of justice, equity and rule of law with ample respect and understanding for cultural,

linguistic and religious differences.”

The communiqué was signed

by Chief Olu Falae, Chief Tony Anenih, Imoke, Obi, Mimiko, Governors Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Godswill Akpabio as well as Mr. Rasaq Oladesu.

The summit said the Federal Government “must revisit the issue of the loss of territory, particularly as it relates to the loss of the Bakassi Peninsula.”

It also recommended the excision of solid minerals from the Exclusive Legislative List, just as it asked for an increase in the percentage of revenue derivation from oil and gas.”

Similarly, the summit demanded for quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently before the National Assembly.

“That we endorse an increase in revenue allocation to the federating units in a way that takes cognisance of the new responsibilities and residual powers of the federating units; that in line with the principle democratic governance, decisions at the forthcoming national conference

should be by simple majority,” it added.

The group, that also included former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, Pa Olaniwu Ajayi, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Dr. Edmond Daukuro and Amanyanabo of Nembe Kingdom, affirmed its unflinching support for the Jonathan administration.

They stated: “At the end of deliberations, we the leaders and people of Southern Nigeria resolved as follows that Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR), be commended for his commitment and dogged effort in fighting the menace of insecurity; and noted that in spite of these security challenges, Mr. President has made remarkable progress in the development of critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, particularly in the areas of power, transport, aviation, agriculture and direct foreign investment.”

In his message, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, said: “We must unite and give massive support to

President Jonathan to enable him face the global economic recession, to face Boko Haram and country together.

“The Presidency has performed and we should rally round him to assist him to strengthen the fabric of our nationhood. I give him kudos for his sagacity to give Nigerians platform to discuss our federation and find solutions”.

Ekwueme said: “Now is the time for unity among the three zones of South-West, South-East and South-South. If there is unity among the zones, then there will be unity of Nigeria as a whole.”

Afenifere chieftain, Adebanjo, said: “We are happy that the southerners are coming together after one hundred years of existence as a nation.

We should embrace the conference and not allow the mistake of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo made by not taking over government then.”

PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, said: “I salute our past leaders for fighting CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Jonathan insists Sanusi still CBN governor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “Sometimes, some people talk of disintegration. Even on the committee that produced the guidelines for the national conference, only one memo talked about disintegration.

By the 3rd of March, we will announce the name of the chairman and the secretary. They will then work out the details of the working of the conference. I will then inaugurate the conference. Nobody is saying that without the conference, Nigeria will disintegrate.

No. Nobody is saying that. People make a lot of provocative statements. Even our own constitution, some people say it is not a peoples’ constitution. In the run-up to independence, there were constitutional conferences. We are entering a second centenary as a nation. If there are things to correct, we correct them now.

“The fall-out of the conference will affect my administration marginally. The result that will come out of the conference will not affect my administration significantly. The conference is necessary for a new administration to come in with a new mindset. The outcome of the conference will be part of the 2015 political campaigns. If people agree at the conference and say, ‘this is what Nigerians want’, you follow it. I don’t want to dictate to Nigerians. They, through their representatives, will decide what is best for Nigeria.”

On the suspension of Malam Sanusi, Jonathan noted: “Yes, the President has powers to suspend the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria. Even the CBN is not well defined in the Nigerian constitution like other statutory bodies. The CBN Act only says that the President appoints the CBN Governor and deputy governors and sends the list to the Senate for confirmation. Sanusi has not been removed as the Governor of CBN. He is still the Governor.

That is why there won’t be a substantive governor until all the issues are resolved. The issue of suspension came up because the CBN governor is the

Chief Executive and chairman of the CBN board of governors.

And there were issues raised by the Financial Reporting Council. The CBN governor who is a key figure as chairman cannot preside over the issues. The board of the CBN will resolve it. It is the issue of financial auditing and we must allow the Financial Reporting Council to work.

“So, Sanusi has to step aside.

When you are dealing with the treasury of a nation, you have to be careful. You consult widely. No President can just wake up and take such a decision. You consult widely. It was in February 2013 that the CBN governor sent the 2012 report of the CBN to me. There were statutory bodies that were to work on the report. So, it has been going back and forth.”

On the reported money adjudged to be missing through the presentation of Malam Sanusi in his letters and presentation at the National Assembly, Jonathan noted: “We got calls from all over the world. We were alarmed. I did not know what to believe. But even if one dollar disappeared from the NNPC, we must find it. But we must follow the due process. If you don’t want to follow the due process, Nigerians will suffer. There are processes required to audit Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Even if one dollar is missing, and $20 billion is a lot of money, no President will accept that one dollar, not to talk of $1 billion will disappear either from NNPC or anywhere.”

On the fight against terrorism, he said the administration is concerned that the incident has not subsided. According to him, “we are not happy when people are killed for no just cause. But I must say that it is not altogether a total failure, there have been successes recorded, but the only thing is that it is the negative ones that get noticed.”

Tracing the genesis of the current crisis, the President said the dangerous phase of terrorism started in Abuja, recalling how the Police Force Headquarters was bombed, which

also extended to the United Nations (UN) House in the nation’s capital, but noted that the security agents were doing their best.

The President confirmed that Nigerian authorities were working with the Camerounian authorities to tackle the situation. According to him, “the activities of the terrorist sect are so deadly in Nigeria that no country wants to get to where we are now in terms of terror.”

The President denied that the fight against Boko Haram had been left to the army alone, saying that all facets of the security agencies were involved in the fight to restore normalcy in the country.

The President said while the option of dialogue was being pursued, the military option still remained viable because of the nature of the operation of Boko Haram. He said: “Terrorists are difficult to deal with effectively because they are brainwashed. Therefore, their approach is always difficult and deadly. In the light of that, while we believe in dialogue, the military option still remains on the card.”

Jonathan described the comment by Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima last week that the terrorists were better equipped than Nigerian Army as an unfortunate situation, saying as leader of the people, the governor ought to have been more careful in his utterances.

The President said if the governor did not believe that the armed forces were doing anything, he could withdraw the soldiers from the state “for just one month and let’s see what would happen to him, if he can survive as a governor in that state.”

But the President denied reports that he had planned to appoint a military administrator for Borno State to tackle the insurgency, saying as a President, he did not think that he had that power to appoint a military administrator for any state, and as such, he could not have contemplated such a plan.

The President, who also spoke on the aftermath of the recently-privatised power sector, blamed outright sabotage as responsible for the power outage being experienced in some recent times.

According to him, while it might not be possible to start experiencing automatic improvement in the generation and distribution of power supply to the country, the new owners started on a clean slate, saying: “They have even gone beyond the expectations, but for the outright sabotage by some unpatriotic people, things would have been better.”

The President spoke on “occasional deliberate sabotage on the power sector because a situation where people go to blow the pipeline where gas is transmitted is quite unfortunate. But nevertheless, that we have been able to successfully privatised the power sector alone without Nigerians raising objection is a big step for us.

“If you know the history of Nigeria, it is not always that government would privatise such a huge government asset without Nigerians questioning the sincerity of purpose, but that we have successfully done that is a big credit to us in this administration and I can assure you that we are going to get over it.”

Defending his trips to traditional rulers and religious leaders and his attendance of rallies to receive those decamping from other parties to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Jonathan said that his attendance of his party’s rallies was in line with the constitution of PDP where the President is the leader.

He said: “It is the tradition of the PDP that the President is the leader of the party. The President is expected to lead his party to victory. The political environment is very hot.

But definitely, you will need to tell Nigerians that PDP is still the dominant party in the country.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 | 3

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

News Gunmen abduct Jonathan’s foster father • Suspect arrested From Willie Etim, Yenagoa HERE was pandemonium T on Sunday night in President Goodluck Jonathan’s Otuoke community in Ogbia Local Council Area of Bayelsa State as suspected gunmen abducted his 70 year-old foster father, Chief Inengite Nitabai.

Nitabai, who is the President’s cousin, was kidnapped at about 9pm from his compound located before Otuoke Bridge, off Otu-Okpoti-Ogbia Road.

However, the police yesterday said one of the suspects has been arrested over the crime.

According to security operatives, the bandits numbering about 10 invaded the community on Sunday.

The abducted chief, according to source, was described as the traditional head of the President Jonathan’s compound. And his residence is few metres away from the President’s house.

The victim’s wife’s sister, Akinobebh Jin, said Nitabai’s son first sighted the bandits and raised the alarm, saying: “We came back from somewhere around 8pm. Silas was at the veranda doing his assignment while my in-law, my sister and two other siblings were in the living room together. Then after, Silas came shouting and saying that some people had just entered into the compound.

As we sprang on our feet, we were confused because we didn’t know where to run to”.

A source at the Joint Military Task Force code named Operation Pulo Shield claimed the incident occurred at about 9pm and that the armed men used the

private vehicle of the abducted man. The vehicle was later recovered at Onuebum community waterfront.

He added: “The Deputy Commander of the JTF, Commodore Ime Ekpa and a team of security agents have visited the location to assess the crime scene and investigation is in progress to unmask the kidnappers and rescue the victim” Also, spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, who denied knowledge of any close family affiliation of the abducted chief with the President, said preliminary report available has identified the kidnappers and one suspect was in police custody.

Akhigbe said the police report showed that the abducted community leader had made a report at the Kolo Police Station on the illegal sale of his land by some unidentified persons.

He added: “After it was discovered, the abducted man insisted that the culprits refund the buyer his money and leave his land alone. He was later kidnapped.

“We have identified those involved and are on their trail. One of the suspects is in our custody. The vehicle also has been recovered. I cannot establish the relationship between the abducted chief

EPORTS of alleged underground moves by some industry players to thwart their early proposal to appoint a technocrat as the next aviation minister, has forced the joint aviation unions and associations yesterday to insist on their position.

The aviation unions include Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers ( NAAPE), National Association of Air Traffic Controllers ( NATCA), National Air Traffic Association of Nigeria (NACAN), Nigeria

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ECOWAS, FAO parley on zero hunger initiative for region

By Bola Olajuwon FFICIALS of Economic O Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as those of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and other partners yesterday began a three-day workshop in Accra, Ghana to forge a common understanding on the launch of West Africa Zero Hunger Initiative.

The initiative targets the eradication of hunger in the region and adopts a new approach to the governance of agricultural, food and

nutrition issues in West Africa.

According to the organisers of the workshop, it will enable the stakeholders to take a general stance on the nature of the project, which is a country-focused and results-oriented set of actions that reinforces and strengthens existing strategies and programmes for eliminating food insecurity and malnutrition in ECOWAS member states.

The project is coming on the heels of political commitment by governments in West

Africa to eradicate hunger, through the various regional and national agriculture investment plans, among others.

Participants at the three-day workshop will discuss how the Zero Hunger Initiative can add value to regional and county level Food Security and Nutrition (FSN) efforts and how the initiative relates to efforts with similar objective, and the definition of involvement of actors.

The hunger initiative subscribes to the UN SecretaryGeneral’s vision for a future

INEC to begin nationwide voters’ registration in June From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja HEAD of 2015 general elecA tions, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday disclosed that it would commence a nationwide Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR) in June so

Aviation unions want technocrat as minister

By Ibe Uwaleke

Deputy Director, Events Operations, WEF, Danielle Boiston (left); Director, Head of Operations, WEF, Jean-Loup Denereaz; Deputy General Manager, FAAN North-Central, Christ Bature and Head of Secretariat, WEFA, Frank Nweke, during the WEF inspection visit to Nigeria ahead of WEFA 2014 in Abuja.

Professional Pilots, Aviation Roundtable and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON).

They said their position that a technocrat be appointed as minister, has not changed.

According to the convener of the stakeholders meeting, Captain Nogie Meggison, it is constrained to restate this position on account of feelers emanating from some circles that some persons are capitalising on the open letter sent to President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint a technocrat as minister to lobby for themselves.

He said it has come to the notice of stakeholders that some persons were using some experts to make case for themselves as against the collective position.

• Seeks amendment of Electoral Act as to give all Nigerians the opportunity to be captured in the electronic voters’ register.

The commission, which revealed that it had finalised plans to roll out a programme for the nationwide continuous voters’ registration that would last between June and September 2014, noted that the CVR would offer a fresh opportunity to get more citizens’ names on the electronic register ahead of 2015.

INEC Chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega, disclosed this during a one-day workshop on the 2015 general elections organised yesterday by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund at the Electoral Institute in Abuja.

Jega noted that the commission’s experience at the last Anambra governorship election had shown that it still had much work to do in convincing the public of the integrity of the voters’ registration.

He said that all registered voters would be issued a chipbased permanent voter’s card, which would be swapped with a card reader

which the commission would provide at all polling units to ensure that only authentic voters use the cards to vote.

In its desire to have more legal powers to conduct a free and fair election in 2015, the INEC chairman disclosed that it had approached the National Assembly for a review of its legal framework, especially the constitution and the Electoral Act of 2010.

Jega also disclosed that INEC had intensified efforts to ensure that women have more roles in the electoral and political process through the engagement of its development partners, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The UNDP is expected to produce a gender policy, which the commission plans to put into use before 2015.

The INEC chairman, who promised that the commission would conduct a 2015 general election that would be adjudged free, fair and better than that of 2011, noted that several restructuring exercises had taken place in the commission to ensure that it would give the best in 2015.

While charging women and other stakeholders to play their roles in helping the commission to deliver a credible election in 2015, the INEC chairman noted that females constitute up to 49 per cent of the nation’s population, stressing that a reasonable number of women also constitute the over 73.5 million registered voters in the 2011 general elections.

“After the exercise in Ekiti and Osun for the governorship elections, we are going to commence a nationwide voters’ registration before the end of this year. I will assure you that everybody that has been captured in the electronic voters’ register will be issued with a permanent voter’s card. Also in 2015, we are going to introduce a card reader, which will deal a lot of blow to the politicians who specialise in buying of voters’ cards. This is because in 2015, even if politicians buy voters’ cards, there is no way they can use them because the only person who will be accredited to vote will be the actual owner of the card who will be verified by the card reader before he or she will be allowed to vote.

where no person is hungry, where every woman, child and man enjoys their right to food; women are empowered; priority is given to family farming; and food systems everywhere are made sustainable and resilient.

Despite the rapid population growth rate in the region between 1990 and 2013, the level of undernourishment dropped from 45 million between 1990 and 1992 to approximately 34.5 million between 2011 and 2013, the most striking being the drop from 24 per cent to 11 per cent between 1991 and 2012.

This implies that as a region, West Africa has achieved the Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of people suffering from hunger by 2015, with six states – Benin, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Togo – already attaining this objective.

The initial strategy for the initiative was prepared after consultations between ECOWAS and the FAO, which forms the basis of discussion at the Accra workshop.

Chiwetel Ejiofor wins fresh award From Tunde Oyedoyin, London ARELY few days to the March B 2, 2014 Academy Awards (Oscars) in Hollywood, there was more honours and recognition for Nigerian aChiwetel Ejiofor at last Sunday’s Screen Nation Awards, a.k.a., Black Oscars, at the Park Plaza Hotel in Vauxhall.

He emerged as the Best Male Performance in Film, beating great actors that included Idris Elba - who featured as Nelson Mandela in the ‘Long Walk to Freedom,’ the autobiography of the late South African first black President.

Oscars nominated film, 12 Years A Slave, where Ejiofor stars, as Solomon Northup was also a winner, carting home the International British Movie award.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

4 Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Reps query FAAN over remittance to Federation Account Summons Okonjo-Iweala, CBN, NNPC, others From Adamu Abuh and Terhemba Daka, Abuja HE House of RepresentaT tives Committee on Finance has queried the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) over alleged non-compliance with laid down rules on remittance of its internally-generated revenue from 2011 to 2013, running into billions of naira.

The query issued by the Abudulmumine Jibrin-led committee came after revelations that FAAN failed to remit monies into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), particularly in 2011 and 2012.

In spite of revelations by the Director, Communication and Business Development of FAAN, Adeniyi Balogun, who appeared before members of the committee that his outfit remitted N130 million out of N36.1 billion in 2013, the lawmakers insisted that FAAN has fallen short of complying with the 25 per cent remittance policy on gross collection by MDAs into the CRF. Balogun, who represented FAAN Managing Director, George Esezobor Uriesi, explained that operational cost incurred by FAAN coupled with non-availability of statutory allocation was responsible for the poor remittance.

This was rejected by the lawmakers who directed the agency to resubmit its proposal on Wednesday.

Piqued by the revelation, Jibrin queried the director: “Where did you get the approval to do that, and what part of the law did you rely on to spend such monies? Are you aware of any policy on the need to remit 25 per cent of your gross collection, which equally means you are expected to reduce your expenditure down by 25 per cent?

“Why expend monies you are expected to remit? All agen-

cies have one kind of expenditure to embark on but it has to be in line with the provisions of the law. What you have been doing all this while is in breach of the law, and we can’t continue this way. Go and put up an explanation, stating what law allows you to do what you did as a justification for your action.”

Earlier, Balogun had submitted a revenue projection of N55.6 billion and a N500 million remittance to CRS proposal for 2014, which is contrary to a budgetary proposal for FAAN by the budget office amounting to the sum of N17.2 billion revenue projection estimates.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Debt Management Office (DMO), Comptroller-General of Customs and heads of revenue generating agencies and parastatals are billed to appear this week before the committee which is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring generation and remittance of both oil and non-oil revenues to the coffers of government.

Interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande (right); Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; former Governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba; Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State; former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; the host Governor, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; Governors Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, acknowledging cheers from party faithful at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan... yesterday.

PHOTO: OYO GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Unemployment, a time bomb, say APC chiefs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 for independence. For us now, we should continue from where they stopped by forging a strong and united Southern Nigeria.

“North has always spoken with one voice in the past one hundred years. We should have a strong belief in forming one Southern block. The love of Southern Nigeria must be re-ignited in this conference.”

In his keynote address, a university teacher, Prof. Godwin Darah, advocated for 100 per cent resource control by states and communities.

He said: “During this conference, we are going to tackle these laws and abrogate them from our constitution. It doesn’t matter who is president, the way the country is structured is such that the person would not be able to fulfil the expectations of the southerners.

“If we don’t change the laws, we cannot have good governance. The governors will tell you what they go through having to go to Abuja every

week. Is that how they do it elsewhere?

“This caricature federation is what we are going to cure in Abuja. If you look back, the civil war was fought not just to humiliate and destroy Igboland but to take away the oil and gas of the Niger Delta.

When the war was going on, the military government made law called Decree 51 which compelled all the oil companies first to move to Lagos where they are now.

“The second part of the law in 1969, all oil resources 100 per cent was to be taken to the Federal Government. That was the end of Nigeria. That law is still there now. Until we remove it, we don’t belong to one country yet. The law is now in Section 44 sub-section 3 of the constitution. That is what they have used to paralyse the economy.

“No meaningful economic or social development can happen anywhere. All state governments are compelled to just pay salaries alone. You cannot initiate any bold development programme because

Okonjo-Iweala

the Federal Government has seized the resources for developing the country. Those resources must be taken away from the Federal Government and returned to the owners of the resources.

“What made the development of the late 50s and early 60s possible was the federalism practised then. That process was aborted by the military regime. That aspect of the constitution which now says all revenues from all minerals, oil and natural gas found in any part of Nigeria and in the economic zone which 200 kilometres into the Atlantic Ocean, all that belongs to the Federal Government. That is wrong.

“We need to free resources from those who have hijacked them. This can be called resource control, autonomy for the federating units, or fiscal federalism. All those terms apply. That is the minimum we must get at the conference.

100 per cent ownership and control by states and communities.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

STF, police warn troublemakers as Plateau holds council poll today From Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi, Jos S the Plateau State local council election holds today, the Special Task Force (STF) has embarked on what it called “show of force” where the soldiers in a long convoy of Hilux vehicles display their military hardwares.

The body language of the soldiers is that they are fully prepared to deal decisively with anybody who may want to cause trouble.

Commenting on the situation yesterday, Spokesman of the STF, Captain Salisu Ibrahim Mustapha, told The Guardian that what the soldiers are doing is to tell the people of their preparedness for the exercise to be conducted throughout the state. “They are warning those who may want to foment trouble on the day of the election to steer clear.”

Also, the State Police Command says it has put in

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place preventive and proactive measures and redeployed both human and material resources to ensure a hitch-free local council election.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, said movement from one local council to another is restricted from dawn to dusk except electoral officials, security personnel, fire servicemen, medical officers and all those on essential services. He urged the electorate to strictly comply with the electoral law, adding that the breach of the law by any person or group of persons will not be tolerated by the command, in collaboration with other sister security agencies.

Olakpe warned hoodlums to steer clear of the polling units.

“The public must eschew thuggery, ballot snatching, hijacking, arms proliferation, use of psychotropic

substances, drugs and all forms of crimes. In order not to heat up the polity, you should avoid rumourmongering. Report any visible violation of electoral law and acts of criminality to the police and other security agencies,” he said.

The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) has said the local council election will go ahead as planned with the exception of two local councils.

Before this time, the election was postponed three times last year. Where the election will not hold are Jos North and Wase local councils due to security reasons.

Chairman of the commission, Peter Dalyop, who addressed stakeholders, comprising civil society organisations, leaders of ethnic nationalities, professional bodies and

youth organisations in the state, said: “The election will only hold in 15 local councils. We have already commenced distribution of some electoral materials, but sensitive materials like voters’ card will not be released now until the eleventh hour. Our commission’s members of staff as well as ad-hoc members of staff have been trained in preparation for successful conduct of the polls. The adhoc members of staff have also been deployed to all the polling units. All logistic arrangements have been taken care of and the issue of security is being handled at the relevant quarters in the state.

“There are six political parties participating in this election based on the list of parties that fielded candidates for the contest. The commission carried out verification exercise on the can-

didates of the contesting political parties and we also created room for parties to replace candidates if they so wish.

So, the commission found it necessary to let stakeholders know our level of preparations for the success of the election so as to carry everybody along.”

Most of the stakeholders in the meeting applauded the level of preparation of the commission and appealed to the commission to ensure they avoid flaws that often lead to violence, and also ensure adequate security of voters and ad-hoc members of staff.

Governor Jonah Jang has also urged the candidates and their followers to play the game according to the rules, devoid of bitterness and violence. Jang spoke recently when he sworn in two new commissioners into his cabinet at the Government House, Rayfield, Jos, yesterday.

Anambra tribunal rules in Obidigbo’s application today From Chuks Collins, Awka HE Anambra State Governorship Election Tribunal has fixed today for ruling on an application by one of the contending All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidates in the November 16, 2013 election, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, to be joined in the ongoing litigation at the tribunal.

Obidigbo, through his counsel, Mr. Oba Maduabuchi, had at the resumed sitting urged the three-member tribunal led by Justice Ishaq Bello to allow him to be joined in the petition. He argued that shutting him out at the prehearing stage would be harmful to his interest in the matter, and will also affect the panel’s stance to uphold justice and fair-hearing to all parties involved.

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Court strikes out Doyin Abiola’s name from fraud charge USTICE Abang of the Federal JFebruary High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on 10, 2014 struck out the name of former non-executive chairman of Integrated Microfinance Bank (IMFB), Dr. Doyin Abiola, from charge FHC/L/210C/2013.

No. In a recent public notice, Pinheiro and Company, solicitors to Abiola, said the name of its client was struck out “for cogent and very compelling reasons.”

“It is our hope that the foregoing information will also receive as much publicity as in the print and viral media as did the initial uninformed and undeserved criminal imputation on the person of our client,” the law firm added.

Abiola

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6 NEWS Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Ugolor lauds Reps’ decision on Olaitan Oyerinde’s murder From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City HE Executive Director, T African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Reverend David Ugolor has, in a statement, lauded the leadership of the House of Representatives on its recommendation that the Edo State Attorney General should “take over and speed up Oyerinde’s murder case.”

The House last March held a public hearing on the controversial killing of the Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Olaitan Oyerinde, where the police and the Department of State Security (DSS) presented conflicting reports on the suspected killers and motive behind the killing.

While the police indicted Ugolor, a close friend of Oyerinde as the mastermind of the killing, DSS reported a case of armed robbery.

Ugolor, a leading activist was remanded in police and later prison custody for several months before he was granted bail by the court. The develop-

ment led to civil society organisations in the state petitioning the House of Representatives to conduct a public hearing into the controversies.

The statement from Ugolor said: “I must thank the leadership of the House of Representatives that finally after 10 months, the leadership as finally laid the report of the public hearing to rest. I must thank the leadership of the House under Honourable Aminu Tambuwal and also thank the civil society organisations who took the steps by petitioning the National Assembly demanding that the House should investigate the frame-up and also look into the inconsistencies of the police investigation.

“Though I have not seen the full transcript of the report, but from the press reports, it is clear that the House of Representatives have chosen to be on the side of justice by not allowing themselves to be misled into taking decisions that would have brought opprobrium or shame to the House.

Leader of the Church of the Lord, Aladura, Primate Ayo Ositelu (right); South West Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Magnus Atilade; Dr. Segun Ogundimu; CAN President, Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor and other guest at the meeting of Christian leaders with Oritsejafor on state of the nation at the Chapel, University of Lagos.

Artificial cement scarcity looms, stakeholders warn

By Femi Adekoya (Lagos) and Terhemba Daka (Abuja) N anticipation of a plan by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to review standards of locally produced cement, stakeholders in the industry have raised the alarm about a plot by some operators to scuttle the move with artificial scarcity.

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How to ensure quality, by expert A Coalition of Civil Society and Professional Bodies, which recently raised the alarm over the preponderance of low grade 32.5 cement in the country, which it said is partly responsible for building collapse, raised the alarm that

unscrupulous stakeholders in the cement industry are now tactically withdrawing products from the market in order to cause artificial scarcity and drive up the price, nationwide.

Spokesperson, Tunde Ojo, said at the weekend that the current market move embarked upon by some unpatriotic cement manufacturers is aimed at blackmailing the Federal Government and SON, into slowing down on their resolve to standardize the product.

The Coalition said it has also enlisted the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) to prompt SON to be alive to its responsibilities by ensuring that strict standards are maintained and offenders punished, while also calling for the enforcement of the National Building Code as it could go a long way in addressing the lax control by regulatory authorities.

Ojo said: “It is very unfortunate that this is happening in this part of the world. The activities of these unpatriotic groups have now resulted in the hike of price of the product in various parts of the country and if not quickly cautioned or checked, this will lead to an abnormal price increase for cement.

The FG has to move in very fast and checkmate these elements that do not really care about the lives of ordinary Nigerians but their profits.

The fact that a large chunk of their profits are siphoned abroad is a serious act of economic sabotage.

“The price disruptive action of these undesirable elements is even creating more problems because the timing of their activities, which is coinciding with the peak of the construction season, considering the fact that the rains will come in full force in two months from now.”

SON recently inaugurated a technical committee to

review the standard of cement used in the country with a view to standardizing the products.

Director-General of SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu said raising the technical committee became necessary because the issues in contention were technical in nature and needed to be addressed by experts. He said the technical committee would not be chaired by SON, maintaining that the Agency will only serve as a secretariat for the committee.

Odumodu further explained that in the last five years, more building collapses had occurred, compared to 15 years ago, just as he attributed the major reason for building collapse to misapplication of building materials, corruption on the part of contractors in compromising standards and improper storage of cement by distributors and retailers.

He said the FG was concerned about the spate of building collapses and was exploring initiatives to stem the tide.

The coalition had argued that nearly all the cement manufacturers and importers in the country are in the habit of taking advantage of the lax regulation and lack of enforcement to vary their pigmentation in favour of the lower grade cement (32.5), which in most cases is used in building and seen to be partly responsible for the collapse of houses.

They are convinced that the practice, which is quite prevalent, is usually overlooked by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, a situation they claim is partly responsible for the worrisome cases of collapsed structures in the country.

The coalition threatened to take its campaign to the National Assembly with a plea that the lawmakers probe manufacturers and

importers of cement for compromising standards in the building and construction sub-sector.

They contended that their stance was not unpatriotic but should be seen as a fight not to compromise standards on the altar of monetary gain.

They claim in their working document that in advanced countries, there is migration from the lower grade of cement in 32.5 to the higher level of 42.5 specification and even 52.5 with a uniform standard set by government, and manufacturers and importers can be held accountable whenever there is infraction or reduction in agreed specification.

And amid controversy over quality of the products manufactured in the country, the House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the allegations that some companies are producing substandard cement.

The decision followed a motion raised by Ibrahim Elsudi, which expressed concern over the controversy visa-vis the high incidence of building collapse in parts of the country.

The motion was unanimously adopted, with the House promising to set up an ad-hoc committee to undertake the assignment of unraveling the truth or otherwise of the claim of existence of substandard cement products.

Meanwhile, an expert has stated that owing to the importance of cement in building and construction in Nigeria, standardisation in the sector would ensure affordability and high quality of products, which will boost the country’s economy.

According to him, the high level of ignorance among Nigerian consumers coupled with negligence on the part of producers, had largely contributed to the current controversy over cement quality.

An expert in the industry and founder of Society for Quality Awareness, Abdullahi Mailafia, a civil engineer, in

an interview, pointed out that there was no substandard cement in Nigeria, but only that different types of the product were misapplied for different uses. Mailafia said that with the new perspective and awareness, consumers need to deepen their knowledge of all goods and services on offer, not just about cement.

He went on: “SON has already done well in ensuring the standard and quality of other building materials such as steel are of international standard, so attention must now be focused on cement. There is proven correlation and direct relationship between falling standards (misapplication) of cement produced and the frequency of collapsed buildings in any country. Nigeria is not left out. In other words, the higher the amount of misapplication of cement types used in construction, the higher the number of collapsed buildings and physical structures.”

He urged SON to urgently raise a technical committee of stakeholders for a review of the current practice, taking into consideration what happens in other countries. He appealed for calm and patience, pending the expeditious outcome of the meeting of the stakeholders committee, which he strongly believed would provide solutions that would put to rest the controversy.

He stressed that the right knowledge and application of cement types would benefit manufacturers, architects, engineers, foremen under their respective associations and groups, as well as artisans and of course, the general public.

He said SON should be commended for its efforts in upgrading national quality infrastructure such as the enumeration of standards, upgrading of laboratories like the one which offers testing of building materials in Enugu, among others, which it has put in place.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 NEWS

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‘Light rail to lift two million passengers daily’

By Chuka Odittah, Abuja N estimated two million passengers will use the light rail transport project currently under construction in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Minister of Transport, Bala Mohammed, has said.

The project, which he said would be completed in 2015, is valued at $823 million, just as he added that work on the multifaceted project was in top gear. He expressed optimism that when completed, the light rail transport mode would create over a million jobs and also attract a number of small-scale businesses at designated centres.

According to Mohammed, work has advanced up to 37 per cent, consisting of earthwork, track work, bridge covers and designs.

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A cross section of traditional rulers from Bonny Kingdom during a visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

Health workers urge lawmakers to reject NHB

By Chukwuma Muanya as some stakeholders JtheUST have urged a speedy assent to National Health Bill (NHB), playing up its advantages, health workers, under the aegis of the Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU)/Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA), which represents over 95 per cent of the entire workforce in the sector, are asking the National Assembly to reject it.

According to the unions, it has become obvious that section 1(1) of the bill, as currently packaged, is an attempt by medical stakeholders to undermine the professional autonomy of other health professions as witnessed recently in Ghana, where parliament

Gunmen attack Borno commissioner From Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri HE Borno State T Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Bello Ayuba,

repealed laws that backed the autonomy of all the health professions after passing a health Act. The Senate last Wednesday passed the NHB after several public hearings and inputs from various stakeholders in the sector.

However, in a joint statement yesterday by JOHESU Chairman, Dr. Ayuba Wabba, and President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), who is also AHPA Chairman, Olumide Akintayo, the unions threatened to boycott the proposed Presidential Summit on Universal Health billed for March 10, if the Federal Government continues to ignore their fundamental recommendations/resolutions.

They accused the Presidency and all federal organs of insensitivity, as exemplified in the marginalization of all cadres of health workers apart from doctors, with glaring ignominy. The workers accused the Senate of insensitivity in adopting the bill in its original version after being sensitized on its defects.

“The Senate allowed itself to be hoodwinked by Senator

escaped death by the whiskers on Sunday evening when suspected Boko Haram members attacked and destroyed his official vehicle without hurting any of the occupants.

According to Ibrahim Yakubu, an eyewitness, the gunmen targeted the vehicle From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt after Governor Kashim OR their alleged refusal to Shettima’s convoy barely pay the N37.6 billion compassed the point of assault along the Maiduguri-Bama pensation to victims of the Road on their way to condole 1999 massacre, the Odi comthe people of Bama and Malari munity in Bayelsa State has over last Wednesday’s killings. asked the Federal High Court, “The suspected gunmen nar- Port Harcourt, to commit the rowly missed the commis- suspended Governor of sioner and his driver when Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), they fired several shots into Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and the engine compartment, others to prison.

Similarly, Nigeria risks the before soldiers engaged the terror suspects, who fled into confiscation of her assets in the United Kingdom if it fails the Sambisa forests,” he said.

Spokesman of 7 Division of to pay the said compensation the Nigerian Army, Col. to the victims of the massacre, Mohammed Dole, and Borno which was perpetrated by the State Police Commissioner, Nigerian military in 1999 durTanko Lawal, also confirmed ing the administration of the attack yesterday in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Lead counsel to the Odi comMaiduguri.

A top military officer munity, Lucius Nwosu (SAN), attached to the Special yesterday applied to the Operations in Sambisa Forest Federal High Court presided told The Guardian yesterday by Justice Lambo Akanbi, seekthat some of the soldiers at the ing an order to commit Sanusi rear of the convoy had to to prison for neglecting to engage the gunmen in a obey the order made on June 17, 2013, requiring the apex shootout after the attack.

Ifeanyi Okowa and his fellow travellers on the Committee on Health,” the unions said.

“For sake of clarification, the grand agenda albeit clandestinely to force the flawed Health Bill on Nigerians was sealed in January 2013 at the maiden Doctor’s Summit in Asaba, which was graced by the Senate President, David Mark as chairman of the occasion.”

According to Wabba and Akintayo, JOHESU/AHPA has now resolved to begin massive mobilization of its teeming membership in preparation to working with other political stakeholders who would genuinely move healthcare endeavours forward in Nigeria.

They alleged that the Federal Government’s glaring evidence of ineptitude in this regard include: Non-appointment of representatives of health professional associations to participate at the national conference despite assurances by the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, to take up the matter with President Goodluck Jonathan for approval at the

recent consultative meeting with government; The planned appointment of another medical doctor as Minister of State for Health despite the glaring episodes of undisguised bias by the incumbent Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who has reduced the prestige of the ministry to a ‘Ministry of Doctors’; and As if taking a cue from the unending recklessness of the Executive, the Senate recently passed a very defective health bill that took little or no cognizance of salient and fundamental concerns of the JOHESU/AHPA block in the sector.

On why they were rejecting the NHB as passed they said, “it is important to declare that contrary to the impression created by Okowa, who is a medical doctor, as of today, the health industry in Nigeria is left largely unregulated, without norms and standard, lacking protection of health users and providers; “That the bill is expected to close the gap, providing legal framework needed in the regulation, development and management of national health system, setting standard and norms in health

Odi community asks court to jail Sanusi, others F

bank to pay the judgment creditors the sum of N37,616,871,000 standing to credit of the judgment debtor.

Sued alongside Sanusi were the CBN Acting Governor, Dr. Sarah Alade, Deputy Director, Financial System Stability, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Deputy Governor, Corporate Services Directorate, Alhaji Suleiman Barau, and the Head, Legal Services, S. M. Onekutu.

The judgment debtors are the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Attorney General of the Federation and the CBN. Justice Lambo Akambi of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had last year ordered the Federal Government to compensate the victims of the military invasion of the community in 1999. The court described the action as genocidal, brutish, reckless, and a gross violation

of the rights of the victims to life and to own property.

It also described the destruction of Odi as comprehensive and total, as nothing was spared by the rampaging military. Justice Akambi has adjourned the matter to March 19, 2014.

Meanwhile, the Crowther Solicitors in London have, on behalf of the Odi community, registered the judgment of the Federal High Court in the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division, London, in a bid to recover the compensation due the victims.

The solicitors had filed an application seeking an order to register a foreign judgment under the administration of justice Act 1920 (CPR 74.6) and it was granted. The recognition of the foreign judgment by the British court was predicated on the declaration of human rights charter, to which Nigeria is signatory on matters touching on genocide.

practice and research, there are existing legal framework for regulating and controlling pharmacists through the PCN Act, doctors through the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) Act, nurses through Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) Act and Medical Laboratory Scientists through the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) Act.” Therefore, they lamented the discriminatory clauses that amount to legislating against privileges a citizen of Nigeria could enjoy when positions are reserved for one profession to the detriment of others as in section 9(2) a of the bill, which proposes that the Director of Hospital Services, a slot reserved for doctors, will be the Chairman of the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standard Committee albeit permanently.

Meanwhile, FCT Secretary, Mr. Jonathan Iyoke, said the territory has awarded the prefeasibility, feasibility and conceptual designs of lots four, five and six, adding that one of them would pass through Kuje Area Council.

Iyoke also lamented that many Kuje residents have built houses on the corridors earmarked for the rail project, stressing that the rail passageway had been in existence before the construction of Kuje Prison.

Abia kicks off health fair From Gordi Udeajah, Umuahia OWARDS boosting prevenT tive and curative approaches to medicare, the Abia State Government yesterday flagged off the statewide public health education programme tagged, Abia Health Fair, in Umuahia.

The programme, which will rotate to all the 17 local councils of the state, was said to be educational and interactive and designed for outreach to provide basic preventive medicine and screening to indigenes.

According to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Okechukwu Ogah, “the objectives include health education on HIV/AIDS and non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes mellitus and health screening.

He noted that the programme became so important following the resurgence of such non-communicable diseases, which he said has killed over 36 million people worldwide, and expressed worry that Abia was eighth on the HIV prevalent list in the country.

The state governor’s wife, Mrs. Mercy Odochi Orji, said that cancer, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, arthritis, infertility and associated ailments pose serious challenges to the people’s health and have become threats to human race.

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8 | NEWS Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Don tasks policy makers on equality of courses From Inemesit Akpan-Nsoh, Uyo HE continued branding of T some courses in the nation’s tertiary institutions as inferior to others will lead to the extinction of such courses so classified and put the society at the risk of losing their core values, Prof. Effiong Johnson of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has said.

Similarly, he warned parents to desist from detecting to their children the course to read, where and how to read it. He observed that government’s emphasis on science and technology at the detriment of arts and humanities was helping to create dichotomy among the future leaders of the country.

The Theatre Arts lecturer, who spoke during the institution’s 37th Inaugural Lecture in Uyo, noted that despite the wrong perception about theatre artists, the course, like any other, has contributed

immensely to the economy of the country through Nollywood.

“Whereas there are old and new Universities of Science and Technology, there is yet to be one university of arts and humanities; while grants, scholarships and opportunities for sciencebased students exist with ready attention, the same cannot be said about the arts,” he lamented.

“Everyone was born with a unique fingerprint and eyeball, no two persons are exactly alike; so while it is mandatory for responsible parents to cater for their children, it is not ideal for parents to force their children to read this or that.”

Speaking on “Of Theatre Arts’ Effervescence (And Infamy?): Dismantling The Grotesque from The Aesthetic,” he said that Theatre Arts merited its place among other courses listed by the National Universities Commission

Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of South-West, Prof. Dawud Noibi (left); Secretary of the Muslim Community, Lagos State, Alhaji Shakir Ola Giwa and Chairman, Oyo State Muslim Community, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, at the briefing by Muslim Ummah of South-West on Proposed National PHOTO: NAJEEM RAHEEM Conference in Ibadan…yesterday

Ijaw group opposes Clark’s nomination for national confab From Willie Etim, Yenagoa OMINATION of SouthSouth delegates to the forthcoming national conference has run into some problems, as an angry section of Ijaw elders yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, opposed the choice of the Chief E.K. Clark-led SouthSouth Peoples Assembly (SSPA).

The group, under the umbrella of Ijaw National Congress (INC), sent a protest letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Ayim Pius Ayim, on the matter.

Meeting under the auspices of the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders

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(CITRE), the group said the information that the National Conference Committee prescribed that the region’s nominations should be done through SSPA was wrong.

The elders said that such should be done in consultation with the ethnic organisations in the Niger Delta in particular and the INC. Therefore, in their letter to the SGF shortly after the Ijaw National Day celebration, they announced the former President of INC, Prof. Kimse Okoko, and the Acting President, Ebieridei Charles Ambaiowei, as Ijaw representatives at the conference.

The decision was endorsed

by Ambaiowei, Chairman of CITRE and the Kalaokun of

Kolokuma, King Agara Mozi JP; pioneer President of INC, Prof.

C.A. Dime; the Amanayabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Papapreye DieteSpiff, and INC National Secretary, Sir Theodore Ezonfade.

According to them, CITRE extensively discussed the modalities for selection of Ijaw delegates and came up with two options - allocation of the 15 Niger Delta slots on ethnic basis, the Ijaw nation would have two while other ethnic groups have one each, or on the basis of the six states.

In the second case, it was suggested that each of the six states should have two representatives, while the remaining three are shared (one each) on the basis of the old state blocks - old Cross River State (Akwa-Cross), former Bendel State (Edo-Delta) and old Rivers State (RiversBayelsa).

Meanwhile, the mini PanIjaw Conference, which was attended by over 68 clan representatives from Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta, resolved at a separate meeting also in Yenagoa, that the confab could be an opportu-

nity to enhance the unity of the country, attain fiscal federalism and ensure true democracy.

Therefore, the INC fully supports it and commends the Goodluck Jonathan administration for convoking it and would attend and participate.

According to them, “there is the need to be well prepared and build bridges, articulate the Ijaw position, canvass and mobilise support for it across the country.

“The INC would establish and make functional a secretariat to service all nominated Ijaw delegates to the conference.”

Parties in Badagry demolition suit to address court on jurisdiction

By Bertram Nwannekanma FEDERAL High Court, A Lagos, yesterday ordered parties in a suit filed by some residents of Badagry Local Council Area against Lagos State government over the demolition of their premises to address the court on whether or not it has jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

This followed the plaintiffs’ aversion in their originating processes that there was a subsisting suit before a High Court in Badagry.

The trial, judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, had fixed yesterday for judgment before the new development made him to order the plaintiffs’ counsel, Chukwu Odumodu, to address the court on the issue.

According to Buba, counsel should address the court on its jurisdiction in the suit, after which judgment would be delivered.

He then adjourned further hearing on the matter till February 27.

The applicants had filed the suit under the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, on behalf of other

residents of Atinporome Community in Badagry, claiming the sum of N100 billion in damages for alleged wrongful demolition of their houses.

The plaintiffs include Charles Adu, Joshua Medepo, Korede Mayegun, Godwin Ogungbe, Oluseyi Adeleye, Alao Alapanla, Johnson Adebiyi, Justice Ovemurai, Afolabi Olukoya, Ibrahim Adedeji, Kolawole Adewumi, Edun Talabi, Joseph Onwueka, Joseph Ibukun, among others.

They named the Inspector General of Police, Lagos Commissioner of Police, Area Commander, Area K Police Command, Ministry of Police Affairs and Lagos Task Force on Environment and Special Offences Unit as respondents in the suits, among others.

In the affidavit deposed to by the first applicant, the plaintiffs averred that on December 14, 2013, they received a letter from the police that residents of the area should vacate their houses and land.

“The said letter from the second respondent specifically mentioned Agemowo and Agelado Mowo, Badagry, while our community is at Atinporome,

Araromi Extension, and Mowo Phase 2,” he said.

“We contacted our solicitors and informed them of the situation and then, a letter was drafted to clear the air that our communities were at Atinporome.

But all our efforts to serve the letter on the second respondent were rebuffed.

“On December 16, 2013, the applicants said that about 4.30 a.m, over 100 armed policemen from the Lagos Task Force laid siege to the community and began to pull down their houses with bulldozers.

“Over 1,500 houses were demolished, while a sixmonth-old baby was killed in one of the houses demolished,” he said.

According to the applicants, they were not allowed to pick anything from their houses before the demolition, while scores of residents and youths were indiscriminately arrested.

The applicants, therefore, sought a declaration that the forceful demolition of their premises by the respondents was wicked, oppressive and unconstitutional and claiming the sum of N5 million as cost of action.

GIZ to partner Niger on Vision 2020 From John Ogiji, Minna HE German technical partT ner in Nigeria, GIZ, has expressed willingness to partner the Niger State government towards achieving its vision of becoming one of the top three most developed economies in the country by the year 2020 through the development and promotion of small-scale industries.

GIZ Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Christian Vidmann, disclosed in Minna at the weekend during a stakeholders’ workshop on propoor growth and promotion of employment programme (SEDIN) that the area of collaboration would include employment generation and promotion of small and medium enterprises.

According to him, it would also offer micro-finance services to the people and other economic agents in the state, boost agricultural contribution to export earnings by accelerating the development of food processing and focus on value addition to primary crops.

Nigerian, Cuban varsities collaborate on research From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City O expand its research T compass and enhance knowledge exchange, the Samuel Adegboyega University in Edo State has entered into partnership with two Cuban universities for a renewable five-year collaboration.

A statement from the Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Ben Aigbokhan, said the collaboration “would take the form of joint research projects, exchange of staff for educational research missions, exchange of students, joint publications and exchange of experience in academics.”

He named the schools involved as the Agrarian University of Havana (UNAH) and the University of Information Sciences (UCI).

The statement added that Aigbokhan signed the agreement on behalf of the university and his counterparts in the other two universities.

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014 PHOTO NEWS 9

SOUTHERN LEADERS’ SUMMIT IN CALABAR

Jonathan to name confab’s chair, scribe CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Mimiko (left), Imoke, Dr. Ekwueme and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha at the Southern Leaders’ Summit in Calabar… yesterday.

Senator Bode Olajumoke (right), former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel and other stakeholders at the summit… yesterday.

Southern leaders, APC chiefs examine state of the nation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Darah, who described the amalgamation of Nigeria as “a bond of slavery for Southern Nigeria”, added: “Those who are enjoying the sweetness of egg do not know what the hen passes through.

The amalgamation which was suggested by the Secretary to the Colonial Office in London then, Lord Louis Harcourt, made Southern Nigeria to be the ‘wife’ to Northern Nigeria. By this law at that time, the husband is entitled to inherent everything from the wife.

“If you look at all the constitutions we have had for the past 100 years, look at the position we have occupied.

Our resources are the ones that they have plundered and diverted. It came from 1914 amalgamation.”

The summit was also attended by members of the national and state assemblies, politicians, traditional rulers, youth groups and religious leaders of southern extraction.

They included Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, Chief Ken Nnamani, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Gbenga Daniel, Idiongesit Nkanga, Abioye Seikibo, Chief Edmund Dakoru and Olaitan Ajayi.

In Ibadan, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State lauded the APC leaders for the initiative of proffering scientific solutions to the problems of unemployment in the coun-

try.

“Our decision to brainstorm on the national challenge of unemployment at this forum underscores our belief that a mental and intellectual approach to the problems would dissolve the challenge into nothingness in no long a time,” he said.

Ajimobi, who described the problem of unemployment as a global one, touching many countries in various degrees, noted that Nigeria’s unemployment rate was spiralling upwards, growing at 16 per cent every year.

“We must do something urgently as a nation to reverse this trend,” the governor said, stressing “we must be attentive to the alarm raised by a concerned citizen who warned that of all the aspects of social misery, nothing is as heart-breaking as unemployment.”

The governor said the lecture series by APC was to provide a platform for leadership, as, according to him, “if you have leadership without governance, you risk tyranny, fraud and personal fiefdoms. If you have governance without leadership, you risk atrophy, bureaucracy and indifference.”

According to the Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the mission of the progressives is to provide a unifying platform for collaboration among all state governors that promotes the principles and practices of progressive politics to

address current and future governance challenges.

Okorocha, who said that the lecture would be held every quarter, assured that the resolutions reached would be adopted by all APC states and used to develop workable strategies for job creation.

In his address, the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, decried the high level of insecurity in the country, attributing it to high rate of unemployment which he described as a time bomb that could explode if not urgently addressed.

Tinubu, who was represented by a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari, called on leaders in the country to stop protecting their seats but rather concentrate on how to find lasting solutions to insecurity and unemployment now ravaging the country.

“The people of this country are now more determined than ever before to protect the country by way of kicking out incompetent leaders, either at the state or national levels,” he said.

For former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, there was the urgent need to tackle the unemployment and security challenges facing the country.

In his own contribution, Akande said the party was being built to lift the country from backwardness to progress through positive ideas.

On governors and other leaders who are cross-carpeting to other parties, Jonathan stated that “we are all elected by Nigerians. The days elected president, governors, senators or others impose their will on Nigerians is over. The issue is whether you are doing well or not. The outcome of the movement to other parties will depend on how the people assess you.”

On when he would declare, he said that Nigerians should wait first as “I am a sitting president. If I say am contesting, there will be issues. If I say am not contesting, there will be issues. When I declared in 2011, it was not hidden. You will know when the time comes.”

On the centenary celebrations, Jonathan said: “For us to stay together as a nation, it is worth celebrating. The essence of the centenary celebration is unity. We need to celebrate unity.”

Meanwhile, there may be no end yet to the orgy of violence in Borno State as suspected Boko Haram gunmen on Sunday attacked Malari village and shot two people dead, before torching about 56 houses, shops and vehicles.

Also, Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Osun North East (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Humphrey Olumakaiye, has called on Jonathan to declare a three-day fasting and prayer to check the Boko Haram menace.

In the same vein, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned the Federal Government against going ahead with its reported plan to remove the elected governor of Borno and appoint a military administrator to oversee the affairs of the state under the guise of intensifying the fight against Boko Haram.

In a related development, the Benue State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday staged a peaceful protest to Government House, Makurdi, against the incessant killing of farmers in the state by suspected Fulani mercenaries.

President Jonathan stated in Abuja yesterday while declaring open an international seminar on the Observance of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in Internal Security Operations that the option of dialogue with the Boko Haram was still open.

He also recalled that the National Committee on Peace and Dialogue in the northern parts of the country was constituted to explore ways of dialoguing with the Boko Haram with a view to addressing their grievances, if any.

The President, however, said that while waiting for response from the group, the military operations in the troubled areas would continue to safeguard lives and property.

“I wish to use this platform to renew my previous call to members of the sect to lay down their arms and engage government in a constructive manner in order to address their grievances, if truly they have any reason to do what they are doing. However, while we are awaiting a positive response from the Boko Haram , it is important to note that government has the responsibility to protect the lives and

property of our citizens. No efforts will be spared by this administration in discharging that responsibility,” he said.

He added: “Our administration has committed tremendous resources and adopted several approaches to prosecuting the fight against terror in Nigeria.

“The declaration of a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states is one of the measures taken to contain the activities of the terrorists.”

The President commended the organisers of the seminar with the theme: “Engendering greater understanding of the legal underpinning of internal security operations.”

He said the seminar was meant to ensure that the efforts to tackle the security challenges in the country were carried out within the confines of the laws, was apt, most critical and relevant.

“This seminar comes at the most appropriate time given the degree of security threat facing our country and it is imperative for us to effectively address the threat within lawful and acceptable international norms,” he said.

The President noted that because of the brutal nature the Boko Haram carried out its attacks, it was impossible to rule out counter-force.

He said government had been guided by a commitment that any allegations of human rights abuses and non-adherence to applicable rules of engagement by the military were appropriately addressed.

Jonathan said he had directed the Chief of Defence Staff and the Service Chiefs to ensure that relevant human rights and international humanitarian norms were emphasised in the training of members of the armed forces.

He admonished individual members of the armed forces to act within a high sense of responsibility and avoid any criminality in the discharge of their duties.

“We are faced with the challenge of dealing with a group that does not feel oblige to observe the basic tenets of human rights and humanitarian precepts in their modus operandi.

“The group is so brutal and so remote from modern civilisation, killing innocent people at will.

“To effectively address these challenges, government has had to frequently deploy the military and other security service in maintaining law and order and restoring normalcy.

“However, such interventions sometimes evoke concern on account of perceived collateral damage that may be associated with intense military operations.

“As the Commander-in-Chief, I am particularly concerned about the manner in which the men and women of the armed forces discharge their responsibilities in spite of the daunting pressure.

“I will like to re-affirm our commitment to ensure that the military at all times adhere to the rules of engagements,” he said.

Malari village is on the Maiduguri-Bama Road, and 30 kilometres east of Maiduguri, the state capital. A top military officer attached to the Special Operations in the Sambisa Forest who spoke on the condition of anonymity noted: “Malari village was attacked

last night (Sunday) around 1.35 p.m. where two villagers were gunned down; and several houses, including 37 shops and vehicles, were set ablaze by suspected insurgents who fled to the forest.”

Speaking at the weekend during the breakfast outreach programme organised to mark the 5th Anniversary of Osun North East Diocese at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Lagos, the bishop, who lamented the continued carnage in the North, said it was high time leaders in the country rose up to find solutions to the loss of innocent lives.

“It is now crystal clear that what is going on in the North is a spiritual battle and you can only use spiritual weapon to combat spiritual battle. The arms of flesh and guns have failed us. Soldiers were unable to quell the crises and so our final solution is to turn to God. It is only those who can see the invisible that do the impossible”, the bishop said.

In a statement in Ibadan yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the APC said the Presidency should realise that there was always a limit to impunity, and that if indeed anyone should be removed over the protracted insurgency in the state and the entire North-East, it should be Jonathan. ‘’What is happening in the North-East in general and Borno State in particular is failure of leadership at the highest level of government, especially because the imposition of a state of emergency in the three worst-hit states has given the President emergency powers to deal with the protracted crisis. ‘’As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Jonathan is in full control of all the instruments of coercion available to the country, which he can and has been deploying at will. If, therefore, some seemingly implacable deadenders have continued to kill, maim and destroy in any part of the country, no one but the President should be held liable. Everyone knows a governor does not deploy troops”, he said.

The protesters numbering about 5,000 drawn from the 23 local councils of the state and led by the state CAN chairman, Bishop Nyiman Orkwar, among other state officials, started the protest from Wurukum Roundabout to Government House where they were addressed by Governor Gabriel Suswam.

Orkwar said if Suswam had been compensating Fulani that had their cows killed by criminals, then the Federal Government should compensate family victims of the heinous Fulani killings in the state.

They condemned the idea of creating grazing ground for the herdsmen in the state, demanding that rather, the Federal Government should build dams in the far North to enable them to grow grasses to feed their cows.

Addressing the protesters, Suswam who commended CAN for the peaceful manner they expressed their disgust, further stressed that as representatives of the people, government was sharing the same pains.

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AfricanNews Ex-Zambia president, Kaunda, hospitalised

Egypt’s interim government quits GYPT’S interim Prime Minister, Hazem Beblawi has unexpectedly announced the resignation of his government.

Beblawi said the decision was taken “in light of the current situation the country is

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going through”.

It comes amid a series of strikes, including one by public sector workers and rubbish collectors, and an acute shortage of cooking gas.

Beblawi was appointed in July after the military over-

threw President Mohammed Morsi following mass protests.

Since then, more than 1,000 people have been killed and thousands of others detained in a crackdown by the security forces on the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist movement to which Morsi belongs.

Militants based in the Sinai peninsula have meanwhile stepped up attacks on government, police and military personnel, killing hundreds.

Beblawi did not give a clear reason for the cabinet’s resignation in his televised address.

He acknowledged that Egypt

had witnessed a sharp rise in strikes, but said no government in the world could have fulfilled all the demands of its people in such a short period of time.

“The cabinet has over the past six or seven months shouldered a very difficult responsibility... in most cases the results were good.”

“The country is facing huge dangers. It is time we stood together to protect it and help it get out of this narrow tunnel,” he added.

“This is neither the time for demands by public workers nor the time for personal interests, but the time for us to put our country’s interests

above all others.”

Beblawi also noted that his government had completed the first part of the road-map outlined by the interim authorities by holding a referendum on a new constitution in January.

Government spokesman, Hani Saleh told the AFP news agency that there was a “feeling that new blood is needed”.

“Egypt is moving forward.

This decision will not affect foreign relations or internal stability,” he added.

Beblawi has been criticised in local media for his perceived indecisiveness and inability to deal with the country’s economic woes.

President Museveni signs anti-gay bill GANDA yesterday joined U Nigeria after President Yoweri Museveni yesterday signed a controversial antigay bill that has harsh penalties for homosexual sex, saying it is needed to deter what he called the West’s “social imperialism” promoting homosexuality in Africa.

President Museveni signed the bill at his official resi-

dence in an event witnessed by government officials, journalists and a team of Ugandan scientists whose report —which found that there is no proven genetic basis for homosexuality — cited by Museveni as his reason for backing the bill.

“We Africans never seek to impose our view on others.

If only they could let us alone,” he said, talking of

Western pressure not to sign the bill. “We have been disappointed for a long time by the conduct of the West.

There is now an attempt at social imperialism.”

Without naming them, Museveni accused “arrogant and careless Western groups” of trying to recruit Ugandan children into homosexuality, prompting local pressure for the law.

AMBIA’S founding father Z and former president, Kenneth Kaunda was taken to hospital on Sunday, but is said to be in good spirits, the government said.

President Michael Sata visited his predecessor in a Lusaka hospital, where 89-year-old Kaunda is reportedly being treated for fatigue.

Images released by the Zambian government showed Kaunda standing and smiling while receiving guests including Sata.

“The first lady and I have just returned from Lusaka Trust Hospital where we went to visit our founding president Dr Kenneth David Kaunda,” Sata said in a statement after the visit.

“We were happy to find KK in high spirits. Get well soon.”

Kaunda ruled Zambia for 27 years from independence in 1964.

While in power he hosted many of the movements fighting for independence or black equality in other countries around the region, including South Africa’s African National Congress.

Initially a popular leader, he became increasingly autocratic, but eventually ceded power in the first multi-party elections in 1991.

Later in life he regained stature as one of Africa’s political giants, helping mediate crises in Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Kaunda also became an AIDS campaigner, announcing publicly one of his sons had died from the illness.

100 African migrants force way into Spain’s Melilla 500 African migrants SwireOME stormed a triple barbedborder fence that divides the Spanish territory of Melilla from Morocco, with about 100 making it over, an official said.

The migrants targeted two different sections of the border and were “very violent” as they used “sticks and threw rocks at Spanish and Moroccan police”, said a spokeswoman for the Spanish government’s representative in Melilla.

About 100 of the roughly 500 migrants involved in the border assault managed to enter Melilla, she added.

The Moroccan interior ministry said at least 27 people had been wounded, including 13 members of its security forces hit by rocks that the migrants hurled at them as they stormed the border fence.

Moroccan police arrested around 100 migrants, including 14 who were taken to hospital in the nearby town of Nador suffering injuries caused by the barbed wire that the Spanish authorities have placed on top of the barrier as a deterrent.

It was the latest in a series of coordinated assaults by African migrants on the border of Melilla, which along with fellow Spanish territory Ceuta has the European Union’s only land borders with Africa.

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WorldReport Ukraine’s fleeing president wanted for mass murder SCAPEE Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovich, ousted after bloody street protests in which demonstrators were shot by police snipers, is wanted on an arrest warrant for mass murder, authorities announced yesterday.

As rival neighbors east and west of the former Soviet republic said a power vacuum in Kiev must not lead to the country breaking apart, acting President, Oleksander Turchinov said Ukraine’s new leaders wanted relations with Russia on a “new, equal and good-neighborly footing that recognizes and takes into

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Italy’s new premier, Renzi, faces first parliamentary test Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi faces his first ItestTALIAN before a fractious national parliament yesterday when he goes to the Senate to put flesh on ambitious reform plans and seeks to win a confidence vote in his newly installed government.

Backed by his own centre-left Democratic Party (PD), the small centre-right NCD party, centrists and other miscellaneous groups, he should win the vote in the 320-seat upper house.

But there will be close attention to the size of his majority after some leftwingers in his own party initially threatened to vote against the government. If he fell much below the 173 secured by his predecessor, Enrico Letta in December, his authority could be weakened from the start.

With the euro zone’s thirdlargest economy in urgent need of potentially painful reforms and weighed down by a 2-trillion-euro public debt, Renzi’s room for maneuver is limited and an uncertain parliamentary majority will not help.

The 39-year-old mayor of Florence, who won the leadership of the PD in December, forced his party rival Letta to resign as prime minister earlier this month after repeatedly attacking his government’s reform record.

He took office on Saturday promising a radical increase in tempo, with an overhaul of the electoral and constitutional system to ensure more stable governments in future, tax and labor reforms and a shake-up of the bloated public administration, all within his first 100 days.

His chief of staff, Graziano Delrio told RAI state television the government would cut taxes on non-wage labor costs, financing the reduction through spending cuts and privatization revenues. But he ruled out a new wealth tax, which some opposition politicians suggested could be in the pipeline.

He also said that the government would respect the European Union’s deficit ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product after comments from Renzi suggesting that he will seek room to breach the limits temporarily to finance structural investments.

account Ukraine’s European choice”.

European Union foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton was travelling to Ukraine to discuss measures to shore up the ailing economy, which the finance ministry said needs $35 billion in foreign aid over the next two years.

Russian-backed Yanukovich, 63, who fled Kiev by helicopter on Friday, is still at large after heading first to his eastern power base, where he was prevented from flying out of the country, and then diverting south to the Crimea, acting interior minister Arsen Avakov said.

“An official case for the mass murder of peaceful citizens has been opened,” Avakov wrote on his Facebook profile.

“Yanukovich and other people responsible for this have been declared wanted.”

Yanukovich had left a private residence in Balaclava, in the Russian-speaking Crimea, for an unknown destination by car with one of his aides and a handful of security guards, Avakov said.

It was an ignominious political end for Yanukovich who has been publicly deserted by some of his closest erstwhile allies, stripped of his luxury residence

outside Kiev and had to witness the return of his arch-rival, Yulia Tymoshenko.

Russia recalled its ambassador from Kiev for consultations on Sunday, accusing the opposition of having torn up a transition agreement with the president it supported.

In a sign of nervousness over how Moscow may react, Oleh Tyahnybok, a far-right nationalist who was one of three opposition leaders who negotiated with Yanukovich on Friday, said the Defence Ministry should check out reports that Russian troops might gather on Ukraine’s border.

Oldest-known Holocaust survivor dies at 110 HE world’s oldest known “She loved us, laughed with us, Holocaust survivor, the sub- and cherished music with us.

T ject of an Oscar-nominated doc- She was an inspiration and our umentary, has died in London aged 110, her family has announced.

Alice Herz-Sommer, originally from Prague, spent two years of World War II in Czechoslovakia’s Terezin concentration camp, where she entertained inmates by playing the piano.

Her grandson, Ariel Sommer, explained: “Alice Sommer passed away peacefully this morning with her family by her bedside. Much has been written about her, but to those of us who knew her best, she was our dear ‘Gigi’.

world will be significantly poorer without her by our side. We mourn her loss and ask for privacy in this very difficult moment.”

Herz-Sommer, who was a family friend of existentialist writer, Franz Kafka, is the subject of the Oscar-nominated film “The Lady In Number 6: Music Saved My Life”.

The 38-minute film, in which she shares her life story and describes the importance of music and laughter for a happy life, is up for best short documentary at Sunday’s Academy Awards.

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Politics Jonathan, northern governors eulogise Shagari at 89 From Abubakar Mohammed (Abuja) and John Ogiji (Minna) RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and the P Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) have paid tribute to the first Executive President

Nigeria’s President, played politics without bitterness and placed topmost premium on the values and virtues of constitutional democracy.

He described the former leader as a statesman of uncommon pedigree.

The forum, in a statement signed by Aliyu’s spokesman, Danladi Ndayebo, said “Shagari’s politics eschews bitterness. Even opponents concede that he is a disciplined man whose life symbolises a rejection of the corrupting influences that distracts the commitment of some leaders to improving the lot of the common man.”

The forum referred to former President Shagari as the greatest statesman around today and urged Nigerians to emulate his exemplary life that is characterised by honesty, selflessness and

of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, who turns 89 years of age today.

In a letter addressed to the former President at his residence in Sokoto, President Jonathan praised Shagari’s continued dedication to the unity and well-being of the nation.

“On behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and on my own behalf, I write to felicitate with you as you celebrate your 89th birthday anniversary.

“May Almighty Allah ceaselessly prosper you and bless you with robust health as you continue to give of yourself in the service of our dear nation,” Jonathan wrote.

He wished Shagari a very happy birthday and also conveyed assurances of his highest consideration and warm personal regards to the former President.

The President has also commiserated with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, on the death last Friday of the Tafidan Kano, Alhaji Tijani Abubakar.

“On behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and on my own behalf, I write to commiserate with Your Highness, the people of Kano Emirate, and the entire people of Kano State on this sad loss,” President Jonathan wrote.

He prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the Emir, Alhaji Tijani’s family and the people of Kano the fortitude to cope with the painful loss of the Tafidan.

Chairman of the governors’ forum and Governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, said yesterday in Minna that Shagari, as Shagari

the fear of God.” The forum said it is proud to be associated with the achievements of the former Nigerian leader, especially his contribution to the deepening of the nation’s democracy. It prayed God to grant Shagari excellent health, courage and many more years of selfless service to Nigeria and humanity.

In another development, the forum is to prevail on the Federal Government to release the N10 billion it promised the committee it set up

to fight desertification in 11 states of the country.

The decision of the governors to step into the matter followed the release of only N300 million out of the N10 billion pledged almost one year after the promise was made.

Chairman of the NSGF and Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, gave the hint in Minna yesterday when he received the Chairman and members of the Nigeria Frontier Action Initiative on the Environment who paid him a courtesy call at the Government House.

Northerners greatest enemies of the North, says Turaki From John Akubo, Dutse ORMER Governor of Jigawa FSaminu State, Senator Ibrahim Turaki, has debunked

“The people that destroyed the North are northerners,” he said, adding, “We have a crab culture in the North. You know, when the crab wants to climb it brings others down.

“In the North, we don’t like ourselves. Anybody that is in power wants to destroy his predecessor. The northerners

insinuations that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is anti-North.

Rather, he insists that northerners are the enemies of themselves.

Turaki made the observation at the weekend while launching his political movement, ‘Saminuya’, at his Bandawa farm in Kazaure local government area of the state.

He said as a northerner, he has suffered more oppression, more illegality, and the throwing of mud at his family by northerners and not southerners.

On the contrary, he said people from the South-South, the president’s zone, have been Tuarki good to him and his associates.

are willing tools for whoever wants to destroy somebody.”

Turaki described the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a strong opposition and the gale of defections in recent times as “a good omen for Nigerian democracy.”

The former governor likened the present situation in the country to the Ibrahim Babangida era when, as a military president, he formed the National Republican Convention (NRC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), which, he described, as “a good trend because, at the end of the day, the country would have two strong parties.”

He said it would make politicians to stop the attitude of forgetting the people that elected them, making them enemies and closing their houses against them.

APC youths vow to resist rigging, thuggery From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Ado Ekiti) and Ali Garba, Bauchi HE youth wing of the All Progressives T Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has vowed to resist rigging and other form of electoral malpractices in the June 21 governorship election.

The youths berated the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for relying on what they described as “federal might” to win the election.

The group’s declaration came as a chieftain of the party in Bauchi, Alhaji Muazu Gidado, has called on APC youths to shun political violence and thuggery, as the party has zero tolerance for thuggery.

Gidado made the call during the official inauguration of the APC National Youth Vanguard coordinators for the 20 local government areas of Bauchi State.

The ceremony, held at the Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi, on Saturday, had in attendance the APC National Youth Vanguard Coordinators from the 19 Northern States.

In a statement by the Ekiti APC Youth Leader, Yomi Oso, in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the youths advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to provide a level-playing field to all contestants at the poll, to forestall breakdown of law and order.

The youths, however, passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of Governor Kayode Fayemi, saying, “the youths have benefited from his government more than the preceding administrations and (he) deserves re-election.”

On Friday, February 21, 2014, the youths across the 177 wards and 16 local governments in Ekiti State, held a summit, and took the decision that Ekiti people should be allowed to decide who governs them in the election.

Among the attendees, according to the statement, were the Director-General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Mr. Bimbo

Daramola; the team’s spokesperson, Mr. with stiff resistance.”

The APC youths urged Ekiti people to particiDimeji Daniels; the APC Youth Leader in the pate in the distribution of permanent voter’ State, Mr. Yomi Oso and party bigwigs.

The youths said: “We urged the Independent cards and registration of voters in March 2014 National Electoral Commission (INEC) and (next month), “as this is the only way they security agencies, especially the Nigeria would be able to re-elect Police, to get their act together as we are Fayemi with their votes and resist any external poised to resist any form of rigging and any influence in the election.”

Meanwhile, Alhaji Gidado has urged the attempt to foist on Ekiti elements who have long been rejected, but who seem to be selling Bauchi APC youths to shun electoral violence lies about their non-existent imagined popu- and thuggery.

According to him: “We build the party in larity to the PDP-led President Jonathan good faith with the aim of salvaging the counFederal try from wreckage.

Government.”

Reeling out the benefits they had derived recently, the youths commended the Fayemi administration for programmes such as the Youth Volunteer Corps, under which unemployed youths are given a monthly N10,000 stipend; and the Youths in Commercial Agriculture Development (YCAD) programme, which has seen Ekiti become the highest cassava-producing state in Nigeria.

“The Fayemi administration is the first in the history of Ekiti State to appoint an appreciable number of young people into sensitive positions, as a demonstration of the governor’s belief in the ability and potentials of Ekiti youth and the truism that youth are future leaders who must be mentored into responsible and competent leaders so as not to be found wanting when responsibility beckons on them,” they said.

They urged all Ekiti youths to rise up and mobilise for the re-election of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, whose administration, they described, as “the first truly government of the youth in the state.”

“As citizens and as voters, the youth said they are prepared to defend their votes,” they said, warning that, “those planning to rig or use federal might should not import the Anambra style into Ekiti, as doing such would be met Akande

“As you are the leaders of tomorrow, take your responsibility with all seriousness and protect the party from disgruntled politicians who seem to have lost out in the current political power squabbles in the country.

“Youths, as leaders of tomorrow, owe the country a duty to grow our democracy by shunning violence.

“2015 is just around the corner; we, as political leaders, owe the youths the responsibility of guiding them rightly.”

The APC chieftain advised the youths, as APC Youth Vanguard, to strictly engage in advocacy in carrying out their mandates, and should not tolerate any element of anti-social behaviour within their midst.

He said it had become necessary to caution youths, to be on their guard against such negative tendencies, as history has shown that politicians always resort to the misuse of the youths whenever they lose out.

In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the APC National Youth Vanguard, Mr. Echezona Asuzu, called on the newly inaugurated coordinators to make rational use of their responsibility for the betterment of the people and the party.

He enjoined them to shun injustice, violence, and to be fair and just in running the affairs of the Vanguard, as it was formed with the zeal for change in the country.

“We the Nigerian youths nationwide have gathered to form APC Youth Vanguard, which we considered to be a subset of the All Progressives Congress (APC) youth wing,” Asuzu said.

“Our responsibility is to gather all well-meaning Nigerian youths to support APC’s manifesto and programme for Nigeria and Nigerians; to also promote the image of the party in and out of the country; to discredit any person or group that is trying to tarnish the image of the party (APC) and to sensitise the youths on the need to change the system of governance in our dear nation.”

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Search continues on alleged missing NNPC funds

Makarfi

, Sanusi

Allison-Madueke

Okonjo-Iweala

From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja

He added that the letter was aimed at unveiling areas of leakages, which had brought about discrepancies between high level of sales and depleting of the Excess Crude Account.

“Now, in investigating and trying to understand where those leakages were, our attention was drawn to a huge difference between what appeared to be export of crude made by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and amount repatriated into the crude equity account of the Federal Government,” Sanusi said.

“The numbers were about $65 billion exported

by NNPC and about $15 billion repatriated to Federation Account out of that.

“Now, in line with our duty as the banker of the government, we had the responsibility of alerting the President and request a thorough investigation of this matter.

“Since then, a lot has happened. We have had the Minister of Finance, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Central Bank, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) set up technical team and have started a process of reconciliation and there has been a lot of progress in that process.”

Sanusi said that progress had been the provision of Monetary Policy (MP) by the Monetary Policy Committee officials, to show that even though they (NNPC) did ship that amount in question, which is little more than $67 billion, about $24 billion was actually not their crude but crude shipped on behalf of third parties like oil companies, tax in crude and also for third party financing that had already addressed half of the amount.

“So, the second half are the issues around domestic crude lifting of $28 billion from which we feel there is a shortfall,” he said.

“There is a general consensus among us on this even though the amount has been disputed. For us in Central Bank, there is a shortfall of $12 billion.”

However, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, contested the figure, telling the committee that only $10.8 billion was yet to be reconciled.

Yet, by the time Sanusi appeared before the committee again, the missing figure was escalated to $20 billion. He also blew another whistle over an amount “claimed to have been spent on kerosene irrespective of the directives to stay action on subsidy.”

He described NNPC’s payment of subsidy on kerosene outside of budgetary allocation as illegal and attracted public’s attention to the matter.

Although the committee was stunned by the revelation, it cautioned Sanusi against transcending his mandate into an unfamiliar territory. Still, as inconsistent and curious as he appeared, his pointed was noted.

Thus, the committee called for patience while the hearing lasts, to ensure it gets to a logical conclusion.

In the course of reconciling the alleged missing figures, the Petroleum Minister, AllisonMadueke, had told the committee that the subsidy on kerosene was part of items on which the NNPC spent the $10.8 billion.

She said that Nigerians would have been subjected to serious hardship had the government withdrawn subsidy on kerosene, as contained in the presidential directives of 2009.

According to her, the decision to stay action on subsidy withdrawal directives hinged on the consideration that the government existed

only for the welfare of the masses.

She stated that if the government gone ahead with the implementation of the presidential directive, kerosene would have been out of the reach of the poor, as the cost would have tripled its current price.

Allison-Madueke was blunt in telling the committee that the directive for the withdrawal of subsidy on kerosene was not gazetted and as such, was not binding, and thus the leverage to stay action.

IN the light of the following, the Minister of Justice and other key players in the subsidy scam were invited to the Senate last Thursday, for further clarification.

Mr. Adoke was expected, among other issues, to give legal opinion on the controversial unremitted oil money by the NNPC; whether all revenues of the corporation from its upstream operations were payable to the Federation Account under Section 162 of the Constitution and whether the NNPC had authority to transfer its participating interest in oil mining leases to its subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

Responding to the above question, the Attorney General explained that in determining the issue of oil revenue remittance to the Federation Account, the NNPC, by virtue of Section 7(4) of the NNPC Act, could defray all expenses incurred in the course of its business in the upstream operations.

He said: “I am of the considered view that NNPC is generally under an obligation to remit its revenue from the upstream petroleum operations into the Federation Account. This is, however, dependent on the definition of ‘revenue’ within the meaning and intendment of Section 162(10)(c) of the Constitution.

“I am also of the considered view that the NNPC can, by virtue of Section 7(4) of the NNPC Act, defray all expenses incurred in the course of its business in the upstream operations.”

Adoke noted that what the NNPC is required to pay into the Federation Account is the “net revenue” as opposed to the “gross revenue”.

He said: “This position is further reinforced by the decision of the Supreme Court in A.G. Ogun State & Ors v. A.G. Federation (2002) 18 N.W.L.R (Nigeria Weekly Law Report) (Part 798) 232 at 284, where the Court recognised similar provisions as the ones contained in Section 7 (4) of the NNPC Act in the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act, Cap P.38, LFN 2004, i.e., Section 20 thereof.

“I am therefore of the respectful view that only the net revenue from upstream petroleum operations of the NPDC should be paid into the Federation Account by the NNPC. “In other words, NPDC is required to pay only what amounts to the dividend of its crude oil proceeds to NNPC (as its holding company) and the NNPC will in turn pay that into the Federation Account.”

The Attorney General also emphasised that the Constitution empowers the NNPC to settle cost of business, especially as the cost of operation is borne by the corporation.

“Thus, it is my considered view that the provision of Section 162 of the Constitution, which requires all revenue to be remitted to the Federation Account, does not preclude the deduction of NNPC’s expenditure or cost of business,” he said.

“This is more so as the federating units do not contribute to the funding of upstream petroleum operations of the NNPC and its subsidiary.”

Asked if due process was followed by the NPDC in engaging strategic partners for the funding and operation of the oil blocks assigned to it by

the NNPC, Adoke’s answer was that the issue was more of the internal workings of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Department of Petroleum Resources.

He however informed the committee that he has written NNPC requesting for all relevant information.

Adoke said it was his considered view that the NNPC could legitimately transfer its participating interest in oil mining leases (OMLs), in certain Joint Venture operations, to its whollyowned subsidiary, the NPDC, as to the best of his knowledge, there was no law against such transfer.

His words: “It is instructive to note that by virtue of Paragraphs 14-16 of the First Schedule to the Petroleum Act, CAP. P. 10 LFN 2004 (NNPC Act) and Regulation 4 of the Petroleum (Drilling and Productions) Regulations 1969 (as amended), a holder of an Oil Mining Lease or Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) can assign its interest provided the consent of the Minister of Petroleum Resources is obtained.

“Furthermore, Section 6(1)(C) of the NNPC Act empowers the NNPC to establish and maintain subsidiaries for the discharge of its functions.

“The NPDC was thus incorporated as a limited liability upstream subsidiary company of the NNPC, to carry out its upstream operations as envisaged by the law.”

AS if overwhelmed by the entire scenario, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Makarfi, said the Senate had resolved to contract a private firm to conduct audit on the NNPC accounts.

He said: “This we shall surely do in view of the vast legal, technical, financial and accounting records and documents we have to go through.

“We are to find out what part of the $6 billion, if any, should go to the Federation Account.

“We need to establish the identity of the third party in the sum of $2 billion third party financing and whether any amount was paid to them legally by NNPC.” Makarfi listed other issues reached at last Thursday’s hearing. They include that: • The CBN said it was satisfied with the PMS subsidy in the sum of $5.25 billion already being certified by the PPPRA but the Finance Minister has recommended further forensic auditing.

• Kerosene subsidy in the sum of $3.5 billion was also certified by PPPRA and all the parties agreed that there was no appropriation from the National Assembly.

• NNPC had submitted details of its expenses to the tune of $900 million import on behalf of the federation with supporting documents, which our consultants will scrutinise and report to us.

• NNPC has also submitted details of $460 million expenses in respect of its strategic reserve.

All the documents would be handed over to our internal consultants.

• NNPC has equally submitted details of crude oil losses to the tune of $760 million and that when all these are added, we are looking at $18.88 billion, including the $6 billion for the SPDC, $2 billion for the third party financing. If you take this out, we will be looking at about $10.88 billion.

Interestingly, the NPDC Managing Director, Mr. Victor Briggs, has refuted receipt of $6 billion from the NNPC. He said his agency does not rely on the corporation for funding and promised to send to the committee details of the company’s transaction with the NNPC. With these allegations and counter-allegations, the Senate probe may have to wait for a forensic audit report of NNPC’s transactions before concluding its investigation.

HE raging controversy over kerosene subT sidy continues amidst the suspension of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Last week, neither the CBN governor nor the Petroleum Resources Minister, Deziani AlisonMadueke, was at the Senator Ahmed Makarfiled panel instituted to investigate the alleged subsidy scam.

But the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, was available to give legal interpretations to and opinions on some of the nagging issues bordering on operations of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Mr. Adoke was summoned when the parties involved in the NNPC alleged unremitted funds failed to establish how much was actually missing and whether the role of corporation in the controversial kerosene subsidy was legitimate or otherwise.

The Senate Committee investigating Sanusi’s position on the unremitted $49 billion oil funds has vowed to unravel the basis of the allegation. In fact, another meeting has been scheduled to that effect in two weeks’ time.

It is not clear whether Sanusi would be available at the March 6 hearing, considering his grievance over suspension. But the hearing is expected to set records straight on a lot of issues concerning kerosene subsidy, its payment, as well as the actual amount that is yet to be remitted to the Federation Account out of the alleged $49.8 billion.

It could be recalled that the game of wits between Sanusi on one hand and the Federal Government, represented by the NNPC on this matter, on the other hand, began last September when the CBN Governor raised alarm over $49.8 billion oil proceeds, which, he claimed, the NNPC was yet to remit to the Federation Account.

In his said ‘confidential’ letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, Sanusi alleged that the NNPC had failed to remit the amount to the Federation Account within a period spanning 19 months.

Due to heated media debate on the issue, the Senate set up an enquiry two months later to probe the missing fund.

Issues, however, took a different turn when Sanusi recanted on his former position, and confessed to the committee that only $12.8 billion and not $49.8 billion was unaccounted for.

He also told the committee that the letter he wrote to President Jonathan, reporting the unremitted amount, was not aimed at publicly indicting his colleagues but rather, a way of calling Mr. President’s attention to the matter after several verbal complaints.

His words: “I repeat, Mr. Chairman, that we did not see the letter as a conclusion of our investigation but an invitation to investigate.

So, the conclusion that $49.8 billion was missing was wrong even though we had the allegation that it was not remitted.

“I found it very unfortunate that it was leaked to the press and the answer is, ‘Yes’, the CBN Governor did send that letter with those contents.’

SANUSI explained that by way of those contents, the Central Bank and Finance Ministry and the government were very much concerned, over the years, at the very low rate of accretion to the Reserves in spite of very high level of oil prices and in particular, depletion of Excess Crude Account in what seemed to be very high level of oil sales.

TheGuardian

www.ngrguardiannews.com

14 | Tuesday, February 25, 2014

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 No to rape HE incident the other day in which an eight-year-old primary school girl was raped to death by unknown persons in Ikot Ekang, Etinam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has exacerbated the fears over the rising wave of rape cases involving, especially, minors. This phenomenon is a blight on the image of Nigeria, an assault on humanity and a conscience-lessness that must not have a place in any society.

How the judiciary deals with culprits determines whether or not the malaise would be curtailed. A situation whereby the culprits go scot-free or are handed light punishment is unacceptable. So, a harsher punishment should be visited on offenders to serve as deterrent to potential rapists.

Reports say the innocent girl was sent on an errand by her grandfather at about 6.30 p.m. Three hours later, she did not return and the grandfather became apprehensive and raised the alarm. Her corpse was found the following morning in an uncompleted building in the village, with evidence showing she had been raped to death. These days, minors, including boys and girls, are raped almost on daily basis by apparently sick adults. Some of the girls are even raped by their biological fathers while others are so abused by close family members.

This upsurge in rape cases across the country has been the subject of frantic media coverage. In 2012, for instance, there were reports of serial rape of elderly widows in their 70s and 80s in Opi, Nsukka in Enugu State by a band of thugs in the community.

Earlier in 2007, the then Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, decried the reported rise in cases of sexual molestation of children in primary and secondary schools by some of their teachers. Available statistics show that in 2013, no less than 132 rape cases were reported to the police in Lagos State alone. The Benin Central Hospital in Edo State reportedly recorded over 80 rape cases between March and October last year. And in Kano State, over 100 rape cases were recorded in the courts in 2013. A study found that in their lifetime, 2.5 per cent of males and 1.1 per cent of females had been raped, while 5.3 per cent of males and 0.9 per cent of females had attempted rape.

A similar study at Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, found that out of a sample of 295 female students, 36.7 per cent had experienced sexual harassment/victimization at least once on campus. Of this, 32.4 per cent had been raped. The story is the same in many states of the federation while numerous cases go unreported. There are those who argue that much attention is being given to rape now only because of increased awareness and more people reporting. The truth is that the phenomenon is not only disturbing on account of the horror it is, it illustrates a breakdown of family values which portends danger for any society.

Given the reality and preponderance of rape, the authorities at federal, state and local governments should confront the menace. The first port of call is, of course, the judiciary. Not long ago, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, vented her anger over the lenient verdict meted to perpetrators and convicts by the law courts.

According to her, rape convictions should be handled with the seriousness they deserve, in order to keep the society safe for all girls and women.

Stiffer penalty should be meted if the odious act is to be curtailed.

Sometimes, the problem is on the capacity of prosecution. Many victims shy away from prosecution for fear of stigmatisation. Others lack the financial muscle to pursue their case. In all cases, the victims should be protected and be made to give evidence off camera without having contact with the offender. To protect the interest of victims and prosecute the cases thoroughly, the state should be the complainant and the cases should not be left to hapless victims who lack the resources to pursue them.

Parents and guardians have a responsibility to look after their wards.

Leaving young girls indiscriminately in care of neighbours or family friends exposes them to danger. Under-aged girls are vulnerable and should not be so exposed. Statistics show that more than 90 per cent of rape cases are committed by close family members and not strangers.

Therefore, the problem has its roots in the family. That explains why quite often, the victims are reluctant to report or pursue the case.

Poverty, of course, is a destroyer of lives. And survival alone has forced many families to put under-aged girls in activities such as hawking which in turn make them vulnerable to rape and other forms of abuse.

A rapist is a sick person in need of psychiatric help. A long jail term with hard labour or any severe punishment should be the beginning of that treatment process for the identified and convicted ones. But it is better to save girls and women from their predatory claws with greater vigilance and better societal values.

T

LETTERS

Re: Osun school uniform palaver IR: The Guardian editorial of Seducation Monday, February 17, on the policy of the government of the State of Osun was a well-thought out piece.

It dealt deeply with the issue and highlighted few grey areas.

The constructive criticism and suggestions on how to improve the situation is particularly embracing; as against the lies propagated by a section of the media.

Be that as it may, a few misconceptions ought to be put in proper perspectives about the ongoing massive reconstruction of the education sector in Osun. The notion that the country is a secular state does not best interpret what the Constitution, which is the grundnorm that guides state conduct, says. Rather it will be correct to refer to the country/state as multi-religious going by the provision of Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Section 38, subsection (1) states: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

Thus, this policy has found a profound expression in the government of Aregbesola.

And that is why Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religion have been recognised in official functions of government.

Again, the governor detached himself from support for any religion not only in words and deeds but also in his policies, which are people rather than religion-centred.

What remains is for the three religions to recognise, respect, tolerate and cooperate with one another for peaceful and harmonious existence. The Guardian hit the bull by the eye when it recognised the unseen hands of some mischief makers in the whole affairs.

Government also has firsthand information about the activities of these trouble makers. Government saw the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob in what happened in the Baptist High School, Iwo. Some people wanted the state plunged into chaos before the August governorship election.

This is where the media also has a role to play. Through independent investigations, the media, apart from the security agencies, can unveil those mischief makers in the state whose mission is not religious piety but selfish political gains.

And with the massive infrastructure facility being put in place by government, it bothers one to see this kind of ugly trend of crisis orchestrated by fifth columnist whose intention is to create atmosphere of crisis to overshadow the beauty of development especially in the education sector of the state.

For the avoidance of doubt, no one has been able to cite instances if religious bias in any of the programmes and policies of the current administration. Since the mischief makers have sought to hang around Aregbesola’s neck, the label of an Islamist, they have failed to refer to religious bias in any of the programmes such as the recruitment of 40,000 youths under the government youth empowerment programme; the feeding of almost 350,000 pupils of elementary schools being fed daily under the o’meal scheme; the recruitment of 3,100 women, kitted to provide the nutritious meal for the children; the construction of new schools and recruitment of teachers and other official engagements of the government.

Even with all the diversionary ploys by some disgruntled indistill Aregbesola viduals, remains committed to peace, progress, growth and development of the state.

Adekunle Owolabi, Osogbo, Osun State.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

15

Opinion Sanusi: The voice that cries lion (2)

By Luke Onyekakeyah HE sudden suspension (or sack) of the CenT tral Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, by President Goodluck Jonathan did not come to many people as a surprise. Those, who felt that he stepped on their big toes, would hail the suspension. Otherwise, for me, it is a misfire. Sanusi’s suspension will have both economic and political implications in the interim.

Quite unlike Jonathan, he immediately ordered Sanusi to hand over to the most senior Deputy Governor, Dr. Sarah Alade, “until the conclusion of on-going investigations into breaches of enabling laws, due process and mandate of the CBN”. The President also nominated the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Godwin Emefiele, as the next CBN Governor. Sanusi’s tenure was due to end in June, 2014.

Presidency sources say Sanusi’s suspension followed reports of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and other investigating bodies, which indicted him of various acts of financial recklessness and misconduct.

Let’s assume that the President acted in good faith based on the allegations. The point is that corruption would have been a thing of the past in Nigeria if the President treated all indicted corrupt public officials with the same executive gusto.

But that has not been the case. Nigeria’s burden rests on the fact that so many highly placed individuals in government are indicted by one probe or the other and nothing happens. That puts the Sanusi’s case in the limelight as being an exception, and may be interpreted as a witchhunt.

More important is the fact that Sanusi was booted out when he was on top of an allegation that a whopping $49.8 billion, representing 76 per cent of the value of Crude Oil earnings in 2012 and 2013, had not been repatriated to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Pe-

troleum Corporation (NNPC).

Since September 2013, when this matter came up, there have been series of meetings between officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance, NNPC and the CBN to reconcile the figures to no avail. The conflict in figures appeared to be a weapon against Sanusi.

In Nigeria’s oil industry, there have always been conflicting figures from different government agencies on the same issue. In 2012, for instance, in the wake of the oil subsidy protests, Nigerians were treated with a cocktail of conflicting figures of what was actually spent on fuel subsidy. The Federal Ministry of Finance, NNPC, and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), presented different figures that never tallied.

The reason is obvious – no one knows exactly how much crude oil is extracted or exported.

While the oil companies have their own figures, different government agencies also have theirs.

That discrepancy gives room for corruption.

Therefore, Sanusi’s conflicting figures are not enough reason to discredit him. As the CBN Governor, he ought to have insight into what comes in or goes out of the Federation Account.

We’re in a country where allegations of missing billions are rife.

Since Sanusi made his revelation, more frauds have been discovered in the unending subsidy quagmire. The Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) Dakuku Peterside, revealed that the Federal Government spent N634 billion on kerosene subsidies, between 2010 and 2012, describing it as “a network of corruption and fraud”. This huge amount has been spent yet kerosene sells at exorbitant price over and above the official price of N50/litre.

Also, the Senate has directed its Committee on Finance to probe the alleged N700 million being spent daily by the NNPC on kerosene subsidy. These knotty issues point to the fact that all is not well with the NNPC. Sanusi’s unceasing actions and pronounce-

ments since he became CBN Governor against the rot in the Nigerian society pitched him against some powerful forces. His first action of booting out the powerful CEOs of five insolvent banks and subsequent sale of the banks to new owners never went down well with the stakeholders.

A Chinese adage says an honest mind needs honest time to flourish. Sanusi, unfortunately, found himself living and operating in the wrong environment at a most dishonest time.

He may have erred in some areas, which is human; but the point remains that he was courageous, fearless and daring. He craves for a decent and functional Nigerian society.

Unfortunately, Nigeria is in the age of plundering. We need a man with the heart of a lion – fearless, courageous and damming, to confront the corruption monster. Keeping quite in the face of anarchy, lawlessness, impunity and rape of Nigeria, would only destroy this society.

Evil, they say, multiplies when good people keep quite.

Because Sanusi did not stop making pronouncements on sensitive national issues, which stirred controversies, especially, those not seen to be in the public interest, like the N5000 bank note imbroglio, many people lost the sense of appreciating the substance of his crusade.

Sanusi’s statements should be appreciated in the context of Nigeria’s battered economy. For instance, his pronouncements that excess recurrent expenditure, 70 per cent of budget, leaves little or nothing for national development is indubitable. The same was his pronouncement on the warped and unsustainable governance structure.

His recent suggestion that 50 per cent of federal workers should be sacked should not be isolated from the other things he said including the flawed 1999 Constitution; many unproductive parasitic states and a redundant local government structure funded from the Federa-

tion Account.

Therefore, whether it is his reason for mass poverty in the North; the reason for Boko Haram insurgence; the over bloated bureaucracy, the warped political structure, among others; all point to one thesis – gross mismanagement of Nigeria fraudulently to service a handful of people to the detriment of the masses.

My people say a voice that cries lion, lion when there is no lion, nobody will know when there is real lion. Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is that voice, going by his several pronouncements on the worsening state of governance and the wobbling economy. People don’t know when he is saying the truth.

In other climes, a person of Sanusi’s standing is not ignored whenever he says something about the economy because he has privileged information, which many people outside don’t have. In sane climes, statements or pronouncements from his office carry much weight; they are often irrefutable facts and figures. A statement from the Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve Bank is taken as gospel truth.

The same goes with pronouncements from the British Exchequer.

It is ridiculous that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala dismissed Sanusi’s removal as of no effect on the economy when the naira exchange rate and the stock market dipped on the break of the news.

If the financial markets should remain unaffected when the CBN Governor is removed unexpectedly, it means that the CBN is of no consequence to the economy. The truth is that there is no way the removal of Sanusi won’t affect the economy. Foreign investors would be apprehensive. The removal of Sanusi by executive fiat will definitely send negative signal to investors that the stability of the Nigerian economy is unpredictable.

• Part one of this comment was written on December 10, 2012.

Sanusi’s suspension is overdue

By Mike Ozekhome WHOLE-HEARTEDLY welcome the suspension of Mallam Sanusi Iluck Lamido Sanusi as Governor of Central Bank by President GoodJonathan. He cannot fairly hold on to his office whilst his weighty allegations of missing funds are being forensically audited. Indeed, not only did the suspension come too late, it should also have been one of outright sack or dismissal. I am one of the strident critics of President Jonathan for being too tardy in taking crucial decisions on critical matters that affect the nation. This is one such tardy decision, coming too late.

The Central Bank of Nigeria is the apex banking institution, the equivalent of America’s Federal Reserve Bank, the latter of which was set up on December 23, 1913.

Like the American Federal Reserve Bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria by the CBN Act, is supposed to be banker to banks, spearhead stability in prices, control interest rates, in a way that makes them moderate, maximize employment opportunities, conduct the Nation’s Monetary and fiscal policy, supervise and regulate banking and allied institutions, conduct research into the Nation’s economy and make it buoyant.

Mallam Sanusi mounted the exalted office of Governor of Central Bank nearly five years ago, at a time the naira was exchanging for less than N140 to the dollar. Today, the exchange rate hovers anything between N165 naira to N172 naira to the dollar, the highest and most shameful in the history of this country. Whilst conceding that Lamido did a great job in sanitising and deodorising the banking system, leading to the emergence of stronger commercial banks, he has not fared well in the area of calm conduct, sober carriage and the magisterial disposition expected of his office. He has conducted himself more like a proud, arrogant and boastful politician, an unrepentant pseudo activist and a social critic even of his own Central Bank policies, aside the economy of Nigeria that he gleefully tears to shreds and tatters.

Have you ever heard of the Director of the American Federal Reserve Bank, Janet L. Yellen, making inciting and provocative statements against her appointer, President Barack Obama, or against the Treasury Secretary, or the 31st Governor of the Bank of Japan, Haruhiko Kuroda, or the Governor of the Central Banks of England, Mr. Mark Carney, making statements against their Governments? Have you ever read on the pages of newspapers, or watched on the screen, these Governors recklessly and openly flirting with the opposition parties, allying with their views, as against those of the Government of which they directly form a part and parcel?

Have you heard of the Governors or Central Banks of Australia, Ghana, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Brazil, Switzerland,

Canada, or South Africa openly castigating their Governments?

Sanusi didn’t appear to have appreciated the fact that he could never absolve himself from any failure of the Nigerian economy.

He appeared to believe, erroneously, that he could single himself out and simply waltz away, majestically, from the mess of our economy, like a shining star on a dark, cloudy sky. He is wrong, dead wrong. Nigerians now and posterity yet unborn will hold him squarely responsible for our economy, at least, for the Naira that has been severely battered.

His proud, highfalutin carriage, strutting about in flowing garments with a heavy turban, like an Emir, that we hear he aspires to be, in his native Kano without any official or informal denial or denouncement of the speculations, even when the incumbent Emir of Kano Emirate, Alhaji Ado Bayero that he hopes to succeed, is very much alive, hale and hearty, his soap box speeches and theatrics, his rampant strident condemnation of a Government he forms part of, and his overt contempt and disdain for his appointer, the President, did not accord his office the dignity, sobriety and calmness it deserves.

A Central Bank Governor is to be seen and rarely heard, if ever, except only on crucial financial, monetary and economic matters, where his public intervention is called for, with a view to strengthening the economy and increasing investors’ confidence in the economy of that country. Sanusi has played the exact opposite role. He has helped, incrementally and instalmentally, to damage, if not destroy, the very fabric of confidence in the very economy he is supposed to jealousy protect.

Sanusi went about recklessly making outrageous donations in billions of naira to universities and other social causes, clearly outside the primary mandate of the Central Bank. The worst thing about these donations is that they were never budgeted for, nor approved by the National Assembly. He carried on like Emperor Louis XVI of France, of the “cest moi l’etat” (I am the state) fame. He did not appear to be a team player, but a lone ranger, a loose canon, operating alone and individually. Has Sanusi ever heard of the Doctrine of collective responsibility, or Ministerial responsibility? Did it occur to Sanusi that the success or failure of the Jonathan Government whose monetary policies he headed and superintended over, was also his success or failure?

In a decent society, Sanusi would have resigned immediately he discovered he haboured fundamental disagreement and irreconcilable difference with the Government he serves. But he selfishly held on to his position, neither relinquishing it, nor conforming with it. He behaved typically like the proverbial “chichido” bird, graphically captured by Professor AyiKwei Armah in his seminal novel, “The Beautiful Ones are not yet born”. The bird hates human excrement with all its heart and soul, but paradox-

ically feeds on maggots that wriggle out of the decaying feaces. It is akin to hating beans, but relishing on moi-moi, or akara, which is a direct by-product of beans.

Sanusi approbated and reprobated simultaneously, on many issues, blowing hot and cold at the same time. He violated global principles of public decorum expected of holders of such a revered office. He flip-flopped over figures allegedly missing from NNPC, after leaking to the media, a confidential letter he wrote in September, 2013, to the President, even when he was forced to admit that it was not the business of the CBN which he headed, but that of PPRA, to reconcile figures and disclose the exact amount the NNPC paid into the Federation Account. This, even when the figures were to be audited forensically on the directives of the Senate.

He serially accused the NNPC of not remitting $49.8 billion of crude oil proceeds to the Federation Account, an amount he later recanted on, without apologies, as an “error”. But this “error” sent the wrong volcanic signals to the international business Community about the state and stability of the Nigerian economy.

In Sanusi’s letter to the President on September, 25, 2013, he claimed that the NNPC paid only 26 percent of oil earnings to the Federation Account between January, 2012 and July, 2013, He said that $49.8bn, representing a whopping 74 per cent, was not remitted by NNPC. This staggering sum, he claimed, the NNPC kept away, was bound to raise the adrenalin of millions of Nigerians and non-Nigerians across the world. And it did. It did not occur to Sanusi (who should be master of figures) that if about $49.8bn were to disappear from oil proceeds, the entire economy and Government would collapse immediately. Nigeria’s two years budget is not up to this staggering amount.

Sanusi initially stated that $49.8bn was missing. After reconciliation meetings involving stakeholders, he changed his figures to $20billion, then $12bn. The Minister of Finance Dr. (Mrs.) NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, insisted that the figures yet to be reconciled stood at $10.8bn. Like a dog with a tail between its legs, Sanusi surprisingly agreed. At this stage, any decent, self-respecting public office holder would have thrown in the towel. He stayed put. Then suddenly, while appearing before the Senator Ahmed Makarfiled Senate Committee on Finance on February 6, 2014, Sanusi again changed his figures to $20bn! Thus, Sanusi’s figures have, at various times, jumped from $49.8bn to $67bn, to $20bn, to $12billion, to $10.8bn and then back $20bn, all within the short space of one and a half months. A simple reconciliation between CBN, NNPC, PPRA, and Ministry of Finance would have sufficed.

• To be continued tomorrow.

• Chief Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN is a constitutional lawyer and human rights activist.

16

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Opinion Quo Vadis public education in Nigeria? (2)

By Jacob Olupona • Continued from yesterday.

OME have used this success as fodder for the private/public debate, asserting that the world-class American universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, are private, and they see them as models of excellence that Nigeria should emulate. What they do not seem to realise is that American public universities such as the University of California, Wisconsin, and New York State provide equally high quality education, to both American and foreign students. In addition, the so-called private universities are indirectly supported by state and the federal governments, which provide significant funding for research and training in subjects as diverse as public health, foreign languages, science, and technology. The success of the American educational system is largely due to the fact that the American public created the conditions and levels of support that ensure that the nation’s educational institutions, both public and private, will thrive.

The status of secondary education in Nigeria today All available statistics point to the declining state of Nigeria’s secondary education system.

According to Nick Clark and Caroline Ausukuya’s essay, An Overview of Education in Nigeria, Nigeria’s population is not only the largest in Africa, but also among the youngest – 63% of its population is less than 24 years of age.i Increasing numbers of children cause a greater demand for primary and secondary education.

But at present, only 44% of qualified candidates are absorbed into secondary schools, a sobering fact, especially because at present, Nigeria has at least 128 universities.

Without good training at the primary and secondary levels, we cannot produce competitive students for our universities. The quality of secondary education, particularly in public schools, is a major part of our problem. Witness the repeated reports of cheating and fraud among students taking secondary examinations such as JAMB, WAEC, and SSCE. What this indicates is the decreasing calibre of students entering Nigerian universities today. Why, we must ask, has public education failed our students to this unthinkable degree?

Clearly, irregularities and examination malpractice have become the hallmark of secondary schools education in Nigeria. During national examinations, ill-prepared students use miracle centres, miracle shoes, shirts, handsets, or formulae for concealing answers to already known questions. Moreover, answers to exams are leaked across the country. Due to such fraud, U.S. officials recently suspended SAT and TOEFL examinations in Nigeria. Because these are the two cardinal exams qualifying students for admission to U.S. educational institutions, their suspension deprives all Nigerian students

S

of the opportunity to study in America, where they have traditionally performed so well.

Why has our secondary education failed our students? How do we restore the honour and the dignity that those schools claimed in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s? Together, we must chart a new path for the future of secondary education and for the future of our nation.

First, let us address the historical background to the evolution of secondary education in Nigeria. By most indications, the advent of secondary schools coincided with the colonial and mission stations. Very few private schools existed in those early years; they were nowhere near the number found today, although the superior quality of many of those schools cannot be questioned. At the time of independence in 1960, both government and mission schools had standards for preparing young students to enter our universities, even when those universities were still attached to British colonial centres of learning.

Various religious organisations, particularly Christian associations, adopted different approaches to train young students, preparing them for citizenship and leadership positions in the future. Although free education was the norm in a few places, particularly the South-West, where free education was not available, costs were relatively manageable, at least before the 1980s, when the explosion of the population overran the professional and pedagogical capacity of the schools. As the economy collapsed, the necessary resources dwindled; as corruption increasingly stepped in, the idea of a quality free education for all was dashed.

In the early days, the boarding school system was vitally important in producing good citizens.

It provided a disciplined environment and training, and the secondary schools provided the space where students were given well-rounded education and training in liberal arts, civic education, moral and religious values, and physical education. These elements provided the hallmark of secondary education, pivotal to the development of human resources on a national scale.

The mission schools put in place a system that anchored liberal education in moral and religious values and produced graduates who were widely seen as the ideal future leaders of the nation. In the South-West region, for example, at St. Louis’ Secondary School in Ondo, Gboluji Grammar School in Ile-Oluji, CMS Grammar School Lagos, and Christ’s School Ado-Ekiti, to cite a few examples, young minds were immersed in civics and moral education. Nothing was taken for granted in the training of boys and girls. Frivolity was punished; tardiness was reprimanded.

Similar standards were upheld in communities, in state-sponsored schools, and in a few not-forprofit secondary schools established by philanthropists and community leaders.

In addition, the teachers who taught our young people in the 1960s and 1970s had benefited from

strong liberal arts training, which is not available to graduates today. The present products of Nigerian universities are not adequately trained to perform in the workplace. Staffing a school with professional teachers involves more than recruiting fresh graduates from liberal arts universities. Our current graduates have not been provided with proper training in teaching, curriculum development, and pedagogical skills.

Our secondary school curriculum today must be completely revamped. We must return to a 1960s model, where for the first few years, students complete basic mandatory courses – irrespective of their areas of interest or focus (humanities, social sciences, language arts, mathematics, and the natural sciences). We must reinstate the higher school certificate programme, HSC, to prepare secondary school students for entering the university.

Clearly, our educational system is in dire need of improvement. Public interest in secondary education must be reintroduced. The competitive spirit among students and among secondary schools must be restored. We must stop the current practice of automatically promoting students from one class to another, which has led to the industrial-model production of graduates who cannot function effectively in the society or in the university system. In addition, we must ensure that our curricula foster national development and the growth of human capital.

Public education and our civic responsibility No task is more worthy of our national attention today than the improvement of public education in contemporary Nigeria. Why do I think that public education is the answer to our crisis? Corruption flourishes among us. It comes in many forms. Elections are rigged. Party and government officials are bribed. Public funds are embezzled. We must create social change to improve life for ourselves, for our children, and for the future of our nation.

There is an urgent need to train people to serve as the vanguard of this new reform. The present institutional structure is woefully inadequate.

The revolution we need is not a revolution of guns or military coups. We need a social revolution that leads to a transformation of our educational system. We need to retrain teachers to teach new generations of students the culture of civic education, the rights and obligations of citizens, and the principles of constitutional democracy.

Some 54 years after independence, our citizens do not recognise the rights they have to demand better lives for themselves. Neither do they know the connection between the money that so many of our citizens insist on extorting from their representatives – their local council members – and the lack of physical structures and public amenities. My hometown today still lacks pipe-borne water, it lacks adequate electricity, and it lacks good roads. And this is true in many parts of Nigeria, in spite of the fact that the nation boasts of some of the largest oil and mineral deposits in the

world. The tenets of constitutional democracy and the importance of using our nation’s wealth for the good of all our people must be presented to our students using homegrown examples like these, which speak to the deprivations so many have faced here in recent years.

The planned curricula reflecting this new exercise in public education and nation building should begin with the history of the Nigerian constitution and the failures of the past. We must come to understand why, within the first 54 years of its existence, our nation has had 12 governments and five constitutions. It is only when we understand our own history that we can transform our vision of our future.

Education, religion, and civic life Corruption, ethnic strife, armed robbery, and other forms of moral decay can be traced to our current education crisis. So, in thinking about how our educational system can be reformed, it behooves us to go back to the basics that sustained our moral and civic education in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Traditionally, Nigeria’s faith traditions have played a central role in our public school system. And especially during our current crisis, it is worth asking ourselves, should education be left exclusively in the hands of a government that has demonstrated its incompetence in managing schools? I believe the answer is no. There is a need for religious organisations to regard education as a new mission field. Historically, various religious organisations, particularly Christian associations, have made a commitment to training young students, preparing them for citizenship and leadership positions in the future.

The unforeseen consequence of the state takeover of secondary schools was a decline – some may even say collapse – in public education. At this juncture, then, it is important for the state to rethink its position on whether or not it should allow religious organisations to be involved in the public education sector, as it used to be in the 1960s and 1970s. The zeal with which the church approached evangelism overflowed religious boundaries, contributing to the maintenance of the public education sector. The church truly believed that faith and values go together, meaning that they were not simply concerned with the advancement of religious doctrine, but were also interested in the creation of a young body of citizens who could function in society as bearers of cultural values and could serve as well-informed political representatives of their people. These young citizens of the 1960s and 70s would go on to transform their local communities and the nation as a whole.

• To be continued.

• Professor Jacob Olupona delivered this –full title ‘Quo Vadis public education in Nigeria? Local Challenges and Global Lessons’ as Sixtieth Anniversary Lecture of Gboluji Grammar School, Ile Oluji, Ondo State.

Declining performance in WASSCE

By Okpo Ojah ECENT news had it that the 2013 November/December West R African School Certificate Examination released indicated that there was a deep decline in the performance of candidates.

The result specifically shows over eight per cent decline in candidates’ performance from the previous year. In other words, only 86,612 candidates representing 29 per cent of the total number of candidates who sat for the examination obtained credits in five subjects and above including English Language and Mathematics. The implication is that about 71 per cent of the candidates cannot be said to perform well in the examination.

Statistically, when the 2012/2013 examination result is compared to the November/December 2011 and 2012 WASSCE (private) results, there is a marked decline in candidates’ performance. For instance, in 2011, a total of 139,827 representing 36.07 per cent obtained credits in five subjects and above including English Language and Mathematics. And in 2012, a total of 156,615 candidates, representing 37.97 per cent obtained credits in five subjects including English Language and Mathematics. In the words of the Head of National office of WAEC, Mr. Charles Eguridu, “This Year’s results (2012/2013) were poorer than any result in the past five years.”

Against the consistent declining of candidates’ performance in such public examinations in the past five years with less than 40 per cent success rate, the implication is that there is something

dangerously wrong with the nation’s educational system. The obvious danger is that the nation is producing annually a generation of illiterate young boys and girls who will be unable to cope with the future development challenges of Nigeria. To check such an ugly futuristic trend, certain critical measures must be put in place as a matter of national policy.

In this regard, those in authority at all levels of government should continue to ensure the actualization of the educational policy especially in the context of academic excellence through the elimination of examination malpractices within the nation’s institutions. The teachers must reinvent the spirit of professionalism in imparting accurate knowledge to the pupils and students. In the same vein, poor reading culture in the country and declining interest in academics by youths must be checked by the appropriate authorities. This has become necessary because since the advent of the social media like mobile phones, Blackberry, Face book, Twitter and other relevant gadgets, the Nigerian youth have become so addicted to such devices that they no longer have time reading and preparing for their examinations.

Also, the use of the social media short messages system (SMS) or texting language which permits all kinds of acronyms on abbreviated words has corrupted many candidates to the extent that they assume that it is normal to use such forms of expressions in serious situations like examinations. Furthermore, the long tradition of dependence on “expo” has destroyed the confidence of many students and candidates in themselves. In fact, the general

poor reading culture in the country and declining interest in academics by youths has continued to contribute to the increasing abysmal performance in public examinations. Thus when students devote more attention to music, comedy and those activities that give quick money any rewards, performance in WASSCE is bound to reflect such negative attitude to learning.

It is also necessary to note that some aspects of reward system in the country do not encourage academic excellence. This has continued to be demonstrated by government and corporate bodies who show more interest in supporting and rewarding in films, sports and comedy than academics, especially at the lower level of education. Yet it has been emphasized that the future of any country lies in its human capital. To that extent, no nation which aspires to greatness would want to toy with the education of its young ones. John F. Kennedy once rightly observed that, “a child mis-educated is a child lost” while Erick Fromm emphasized that “education is helping the child realize his potentialities”, complemented with an epigram by George Peabody which said, “Education: a debt due from present to future generation.

Given such emphatic premium on education by statesmen and philosophers, there is no reason why our children should not be living up to the challenge of acquiring quality education for their leadership role tomorrow. Accordingly, the ball is in their court in relation to the stakeholders who should be seen as gate-keepers in that all-important sector of the nation’s economy.

• Dr. Ojah is a media consultant.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 17

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TheMetroSection Briefs

An eye for an eye...

Free medical outreach at Praise Tabernacle HE Redeemed Christian T Church of God, Praise Tabernacle will on Saturday, March 1,

• Commercial motorcyclist to die by hanging for killing corps member in Ekiti Anthonia, a Chemical Engineering graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, who lost her father, Pa Raphael Okeke, to stroke in January this year, owing to the circumstances of her disappearance, was kidnapped in Ilawe Ekiti in Ekiti South-west Local Council on December 19, 2008 by Pius and his gang during her service year

From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South West Bureau, Ado Ekiti) N Ekiti State High Court of Justice, A Ikere Division, has convicted a commercial motorcyclist, Theophilus Pius, to death by hanging for allegedly murdering a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Anthonia Okeke, in 2008.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Adegoriola Adeleye, also sentenced the convict to 10 years imprisonment for kidnapping Anthonia, which led to her death in the hands of ritualists.

Anthonia, a Chemical Engineering graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, who lost her father, Pa Raphael Okeke, to stroke in January this year, owing to the circumstances of her disappearance, was kidnapped in Ilawe Ekiti in Ekiti South-west Local Council on December 19, 2008 by Pius and his gang during her service year.

Anthonia hailed from Umuno Ndiuno in Ezeagu Local Council of Enugu State.

Delivering the judgement yesterday on the six-year-old case, Justice Adeleye, said he found the evidence presented by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) from the State Ministry of Justice, Mr Adeleye Familoni, against Pius as having probative value and reliable enough to convince him that the accused person was guilty of the case.

“I want to submit that the Prosecu-

years jail term for his complicity in the kidnap of the late Corps member.

Applauding the judgment, Anthonia’s elder brother, Mr Obinna Okeke said the verdict has proved that those with criminal intentions cannot have their way as long as the government is determined to apply the relevant laws against them in a diligent manner.

Mr Okeke, on behalf of the family, thanked the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice, the police, human rights groups and National Youth Service Corps for their doggedness in the pursuit of the case.

The State DPP, Mr Familoni, said it was a victory against evildoers and those Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Felix Uyanna who are desirous of making money through fraudulent means, saying the tion Counsel has been able to prove his go unpunished in the face of law.”

The judge ruled that Pius should die Ministry will continue to help the socicase beyond reasonable doubt. He has by hanging, having found him guilty of ety in tightening the noose against been able to establish that the Defendant is culpable and no criminal shall murder, just as he sentenced him to 10 those with criminal tendencies in the

against raising false alarm following recent attacks by some herdsmen in the state.

Suswam gave the warning in Makurdi while inaugurat-

that “mischief makers” were taking advantage of the fragile security situation in the state to raise false alarm over herdsmen attacks, according

to News Agency of Agency (NAN) reports.

The governor said that such false alarms often forced some people to flee their homes and exposed them to different forms of hazards.

He assured that the govern-

ment was taking necessary measures to tackle any crisis in the state and implored residents of the state to have confidence in the government.

“Do not to allow hoodlums take advantage of the situa-

tion to create tension and unrest in your mind,” Suswam said.

He said the government was collaborating with security agencies in the state to safeguard lives and property of innocent citizens in the state.

Meadow Hall adopts Ilasan Primary School

Otu Oka-Iwu to honour Igbo jurists

S part of its commitment to complement govA ernment’s efforts in raising the standard of public schools in Lagos State, Meadow Hall, Lekki

HE umbrella body of lawyers of Igbo extraction T Otu Oka-Iwu Lagos, will on Friday, February 28, honour two Supreme Court Justices and 13 other ju-

through its Meadow Hall Foundation, has adopted Ilasan Primary School, Lekki through the School Adoption Programme (SAP).

Speaking at the official adoption of the school, the Meadow Hall Director, Mrs. Kehinde Nwani said that the “SAP is an initiative aimed at supporting government efforts to improve the standard of education in public schools.”

According to Nwani, “Meadow Hall Foundation would assist the teaching-learning process of the adopted school. The first phase of the programme began with the distribution of exercise books, stationery, teaching aids, instructional resources, training of Ilasan Primary School teachers by Meadow Hall education consultants and posting of teachers who will explore 21st Century learning strategies in the classroom.

The Director therefore called on the private sector to join hands with the government to enhance the education of children in public schools.

According to her, “We must remember that all our children whether in private or public schools are expected to meet up with the demands of the 21st Century market place and be equipped with the relevant skills to do so effectively”. “It is important to focus on the Nigerian child who is the future of the nation whether they are in private or public schools”, she added.

Expressing delight, the Head Teacher of Ilasan Primary School, Mrs. Agnes Ifeyemi said the School

Director, Meadow Hall, Mrs. Kehinde Nwani (middle) presenting donated resources to the head teacher, Ilasan Primary School, Mrs.Ifeyemi (right) and Secretary, Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Lukman Taiwo at the ceremony Adoption Programme by Meadow Hall is a welcome development and that staff and students are excited to work with Meadow Hall.

The Education Secretary of the LGEA, Mr. Lukman Taiwo, also expressed gratitude at the Programme and encouraged other organisations to take a cue from Meadow Hall.

Word & Spirit Assembly holds programme ORD & Spirit Assembly will W hold a four- day empowerment programme from tomorrow at 5:30p.m., Thursday at 8.00am ,Friday is vigil at 9.00p.m. and grand finale on Sunday at the church auditorium, along 78, Mumuni Adio Badmus Road, Waterside, Ijegun - Satellite Town, Lagos.

Chief host is Pastor Chris Ekeh.

Crescent honours alumna HE Vice Chancellor of CresT cent University, Abeokuta, Prof. Kehinde Okeleye has announced the admission with scholarship of her alumna, Ms Rafiat Gawat, for a post-graduate course by Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, United Kingdom. A first class product of Crescent University, Ms Gawat was also given a scholarship by the Lagos State Government.

Meanwhile, six students of the university have been sanctioned for misconduct.

Workshop on radioactive material begins today

Herdsmen attack: Suswam warns residents against false alarm ENUE State Governoring the SURE-P committee in B Gabriel Suswam has the state. warned residents of the state He said it was unfortunate

hold a free medical check-up with the theme: Promoting Health and Diseases Prevention, at the church auditorium, 10/12 Ebun Street, Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos from 8am-12noon.

It will feature free HIV/AIDS test, breast /cervical cancer screening, genotype, free drugs among others.

Host is Pastor Amos Emovon while General Overseer is Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

rists at the yearly dinner / awards ceremony of the association holding at the City Hall, Lagos.

Among those to be honoured are Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta and Justice Mary Ukaego PeterOdili both Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and H. E. Judge, Chile Eboe-Osuji, a Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague; Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as the outgoing Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and for his immense contributions to the development of the election and governance jurisprudence.

Others are the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal (Lagos Division), Justice Amina Adamu Augie, Justice Chinwe Iyizoba and Justice Samuel Oseji, all of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division and Justice Kenneth Amadi of the National Industrial Court, Lagos .

A statement by Zik C. Obi II and Emeka Nwadioke, President and Publicity Secretary respectively of the association, listed other honorees to include Mr. Louis Nnamdi Mbanefo (SAN); Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN); Mr. Etigwe Uwa (SAN); Elder Paul Ananaba (SAN); Chief Anayo Goddy Uwazurike; Mr. Monday Ubani; Mr. Alex Muoka and Mr. V. Uche Obi, It will be cahired by Senator Onyeabo Obi while Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde R. Fashola (SAN) will be the Special Guest of Honour. The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi will deliver a dinner speech on the topic "Coastal Shipping & the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund."

TWO-DAY stakeholders A workshop on dealing, processing and recycling

plants, scrap metals and other commodities that could inadvertently contain radioactive material holds today and tomorrow at Ibis Hotel, 23, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos at 9.00a.m. daily.

It is powered by the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA).

Ugiagbe for burial HE family of Ugiagbe of T Obadan Town, Uhunmwonde Local Council of Edo state has announced the death Pa Benjamin Osarumwense Ugiagbe at the age of 80.

A statement by Emmanuel Ugiagbe on behalf of the family said the burial rites would commence on Thursday this week and end with a thanksgiving mass on Sunday.

He described Ugiagbe as a retired civil servant who taught his children honesty and hardwork and "he was reliable, truthful, dependable and loyal."

Ugiagbe

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18 Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Briefs 2015: Nigerian youths urged to shun violence HEAD of the 2015 general election, Michael Ogbodo, a A leading aspirant for Ogori/Magongo State Constituency in Kogi State and the most senior aide to Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, has called on youths across the country to avoid any form of violence before, during and after the elections.

Ogbodo made the call when different groups of youths in the constituency paid him a solidarity visit in his hometown.

He was at home in continuation of his consultation with key stakeholders from Ogori / Magongo Local Council preparatory to his formal declaration.

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) House of Assembly hopeful, noted that the Nigerian youths must strive hard to take the centre stage in the forthcoming general election, while advising them to be actively involved in the process without allowing themselves to be used by self-serving politicians.

His words: As the 2015 election gets closer, we need to advise ourselves as youths not to be involved in any kind violence - be it political violence, political thuggery or electoral violence - throughout the exercise. We must not make ourselves willing tools in the hands of self-seeking politicians who are only interested in using us, the youths, to achieve their selfish goals. They have used us enough and we must, therefore, take our destiny into our hands by supporting youths with credibility and the requisite qualification that have mustered the courage to come out and contest for whatever position in the 2015 polls. Let us prove to the world that we are up to the task."

NAFRC trains top military officers towards retirement

By Odita Sunday THE Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, (NAFRC) has begun an entrepreneurship and management-training programme for senior military officers in Lagos.

The two-week training programme is meant to prepare the officers who are from the ranks of Major to Brigadier General for retirement.

The training is being organized by EMPRETEC Nigeria Foundation, a non-governmental organization spearheaded by the wife of the former Governor of River State, Mrs. Onari Duke in conjunction with the Nigerian Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

Addressing participants at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), the commandant of the center, Air Vice Monday Morgan told the

officers that retirement is regarded as an important stage in human development all over the world.

He pointed out that those who plan their retirement well in advance adjust well when it happens than those who do not plan.

“The training is for entrepreneurship and management. It is designed to assist you and give you a focus on what to do after leaving the service.”

“Please give it all the attention it deserves so that you can become a successful prospective entrepreneur. I want to correct a wrong impression that have been created that those who come for this kind of management training are on their way out of service; it is not true. The truth is that many of you still have long years of service.”

Morgan said.

According to Empretec boss,

Morgan Mrs. Duke, the training is focused on the personal development of the officers rather than their military development.

Her words: “ The training is fo-

cused towards your personal development. The training does not have anything to do with your quick retirement. It is meant to prepare your mind towards retirement. ”

Methodist Church Nigeria begins synod Thursday

Daniel Nzelu’s Foundation fetes orphans in Abuja

HE yearly 52nd Synod of the Diocese of Lagos, Methodist Church Nigeria, will hold from Thursday, February 27, to Sunday, March 2, at Lagos Circuit, off Railway Line, via Kayode Street, by Ogunmokun Street, Railway Crossing, Mushin, off Olateju Street, Mushin, Lagos at 7.30 a.m. on Thursday with a Ministerial and Lay Sessions followed by Holy Communion services while Sir Ademola Aladekomo will be the guest preacher.

It will be declared open on Friday, February 28, at 10.00a.m. by the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) and will be followed by the Representative’s Session and Devotion Service on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 10.00a.m. It will end with a thanksgiving service on Sunday, March 2, at 10.00a.m. with the Bishop, Diocese of Lagos West, Rt. Revd.

Oluwayemisi Ogunlere. ministering.

From Terhemba Daka, Abuja S part of activities to mark the seventh anniversary of Daniel Nzelu’s Foundation, the organisation recently organised a party for orphans in different orphanage homes within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Specifically, the Foundation said three orphanage homes had been identified in the nation’s capital as part of its reach-out programme, noting that assorted food items were distributed to the less- privileged in the society.

Speaking to newsmen on Saturday, theChairperson, Dame Chinelo Nzelu revealed that Heritage Home located in Gwanripa, Gisheri Home in

T

AGF, others mourn Regina Okwe as funeral rites begin Friday S the burial rites for octogenarian, Mrs. Regina Nyofoh Okwe, A the mother of The Guardian’s Assistant Business Editor, Abuja , Mathias Okwe, commence this Friday, the Accountant General of the Federation ( AGF), Mr. Jonah Otunla and a host of other senior government functionaries have condoled with the family of Okwe Adeh in Obanliku Local Council of Cross River State over the loss of their matriarch, popularly known as ‘Mama Regina’ who died at a ripe age of 82, on January 11, 2014 after a brief illness.

The condolences of Otunla and other are contained in separate letters to the family at the weekend. Others who have sent in their condolences include the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Elias Mbam, an engineer; the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) , Mr. Ezra Dikki and the Acting Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) Mrs.Chinelo AnohuAmazu.

The Accountant General of the Federation’s letter read in part:”We received with deep sense of loss the news of the passing on to glory of your beloved mother, Mrs. Regina Nyofoh Okwe.

On behalf of Management and Staff of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, I therefore write to express our condolences over the incident.”

In a similar vein, the Chairman of the Fiscal Commission commiserated thus: “ The demise of your mother is indeed heart breaking and painful to you and the entire family. Her death is an irreparable loss not only to the Okwe’s family but the entire Community in particular and Cross River State in general. “ We should, however, be consoled by the fact that Mama Regina lived an impactful caring for you, her husband, grandchildren and great grand children. She will be specially remembered for her contribution to the development of your family and community. Please, be assured that we share in your grief and fervently pray to God Almighty to grant her soul eternal rest.give the Family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.”

The PenCom Boss’ condolences is convey in a letter signed by Mr. Kasim B. Umar and it reads: “ On behalf of the National Pension Commission ( PenCom ) we wish to commiserate with you over the demise of your mother Mrs. Regina Nyofoh Okwe.

In his own message signed by the Head, Public Communications of the BPE, Mr. Joe Anichebe, its Director General, Mr. Dikki said: “ The death of your mother shocked us . We share with your family and The Guardian Newspaper this sad occurrence. We however urge you to console yourself in the fact that God is there for you. Let me convey to you on behalf of Management and Staff of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) our condolences. We pray that Mama’s soul rest in perfect peace.”

Okwe

A

Maitama and Kings and Princess Orphanage in Lokogoma were among the homes visited by the foundation.

She affirmed that the foundation would soon embark on educational programme where scholarship would be awarded to some selected orphans on the recommendation of the board.

“After several meetings, the Foundation identified three orphanage homes to visit as part of activities to mark our seventh year anniversary. We took that decision because of the benevolent life lived by Daniel Nzelu when he was alive. We felt that reaching out to the vulnerable in the society is far rewarding than pouring

wine in any of the five star hotels in Abuja or wherever.

“Besides reaching out to orphans, we are also planning to come up with our educational programme where scholarship would be awarded to orphans in different homes. The board of trustee will soon come up with the modalities of our scholarship scheme,” Nzelu stressed.

The chairperson also revealed that prior to celebrating with orphans in Abuja, the Foundation had earlier doled out food and clothing items to widows in Anambra state as a prelude to the anniversary, stressing that more reach-out programmes would be initiated.

Nzelu also said this year an-

niversary of the Foundation coincided with her 60th birthday celebration, pointing out that it would be a double celebration for the Foundation.

Speaking on what inspired the Foundation to embark on this initiative, Nzelu quoted copiously from the account of God’s words recorded in Matthew, chapter 25.

“In that account, Jesus told his disciples that for the fact that you do good to the least one of my brothers, you have done it for me,” she explained.

Items doled out to orphans during the event include food items and toiletries worth thousands of naira.

Institute graduates, empowers 69 youths

By Isaac Taiwo HE Institute for Industrial T Technology (IIT), a non-forprofit educational and social welfare institution, set up to empower Nigerian youths through training in technical skills to reduce poverty, has turned out 69 graduates of its Electromechanics and Mechatronics programmes in its 11th Graduation Ceremony, which took place recently in Lagos.

Five best graduating students emerged and were given award. They included: Ogu Chinomso Charles, Afe Olamide Ayokunle Adetifa Temidayo, Onaselu Adeniyi and Makinde Abayomi Lekan.

The Chairman, Governing Council, Col. Paul Obi (rtd.) said the institute, which was set up 17 years ago, though actually began school operation three years after, had rolled out another set of graduates.

Describing the graduating students as ambassadors, he admonished them to live and transmit the values of those who laboured hard for the institute to stand and transmit those values through the circumstances of their lives.

“We have simply built a strong foundation for the future you must independently design and build. You have been equipped to take on the world, let your impact be felt wherever you are through service” he told them.

Obi disclosed that as a nation, one of the major chal-

Director, Institute of Industrial Training (IIT), Olumide Akinjo (left), Chairman, Editorial Board, Business Day and Guest Speaker, Tayo Fagbule, Member, Governing Council, IIT, Tony Oputa and the best graduating students at the Graduating Ceremony of IIT, Lagos.

PHOTO: ISAAC TAIWO lenges to industrial development was really not funding, markets or raw materials, but rather absence of highly trained and experienced human resources to drive growth.

Reiterating the commitment of the institute to alleviate the sufferings of the youth, he said that the Institute partners with Guinness Nigeria Plc, Nigerite Limited, Unilever Nigeria Plc among others to provide scholarships to some of the youths undergoing training in the Institute.

“Our dreams in the coming years is to reach more youths and their families thereby spreading the impact of IIT to more beneficiaries. In line with this vision, sixty-two

young men were admitted into our industrial technician programme last year. “We hope to admit 80 students this year. We have set up a revolving fund, though a small one for now, to support students facing financial challenges. Deserving students can draw loans to finance their training in IIT and pay back when they secure employment thereby, ensuring sustainability of the fund,” he said.

According to the Director of the Institute, Olumide Akinjo, the primary focus of the Institute was on young school leavers but later extended to students coming out of tertiary institutions because of the realization that many of them lacked the requisite

skills to secure jobs, though the main focus still remains the young school leavers.

Akinjo, on issue of certification, disclosed that the institute encourages the students to seek for external assessment like City and Guild and expressed satisfaction, narrating that a student has been able to have a certificate equivalent of Masters in that process. He attributed the inability of the institute to affiliate with Nigerian Universities to most of them not sharing the same values of transparency with the institute.

He also gave a hint of the Institute launching a programme called electro-technique, having realized a gab in the power sector.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 19 77

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Business Govt mulls tightening incentives for real sector

By Femi Adekoya OR stakeholders within the real sector seeking waivers as well as those awaiting the implementation of some incentives like the revised Export Expansion Grant (EEG) scheme, they may have to wait a little longer as the Federal Government has unveiled plans to sustain its tight fiscal approach to waivers and incentives.

Indeed, manufacturers, under the aegis of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) had decried their inability to utilise the Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate (NDCC) in expand-

F

•Seeks sustainable financing of incentives ing their non-oil exports, citing it as a huge deficit for manufacturers.

Already, the Federal Government noted that it currently has about N82 billion in outstanding payments for NDDC certificates, while over N200 billion have been granted to manufacturers through the scheme.

With such deficit, the Coordinating Minister of Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala noted that the federal government would sustain its fiscal tightening measures in a bid to increase revenues being generated, adding that

its review of the EEG scheme would be done within the threshold of sustainable financing.

She added that efforts are underway to empower Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in the country to be able to provide medium and long term funding to the real sector in a sustainable manner.

Besides, the Minister noted that with the draft agreement on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) already presented for negotiations to the African Ministers of Trade, Nigeria would examine the

agreement with a view to ensure that the deal favours the nation’s real sector.

Speaking at a stakeholders meeting organized by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on “The Nigerian Economy and Manufacturing” in Lagos, yesterday, Okonjo-Iweala said: “The issues of waivers and the EEG scheme have been ongoing for a long time now. We have been running these waivers and incentives policies to make up for market failures. However, government would not be able to sustain the pace of the grant due to its revenue.

“The presidency does not want to grant individual

waivers but address sectoral needs. There have been concerns about these incentives and the way they were being utilized in the industrial sector. We are currently reviewing the EEG scheme within the threshold by tightening it to make it sustainable. Until we complete it and take it to the Federal Executive Council for approval, the scheme would remain that way till we are able to ensure that we can sustain it.

“We have not decided to shut it down but review its sustainability. It will take us a little more time than expected. We are also examining the local content drive and the value addition process for those that will access the incentives”.

On bilateral trade deals,

Okonjo-Iweala added that negotiaions are ongoing to ensure that Nigerian manufacturers enjoy special privileges, especially with regards to tariff lines and capacity building consensus under the EPA deal and the Common External Tariff (CET).

On his part, President, MAN, Chief Kola Jamodu emphasized the need to drive public private partnerships saying: "There is a need to empower the manufacturing sector not only to boost the economy but also to attract investment into the sector to create job opportunities for our teeming unemployed youths. Our interest is to join hands to make useful suggestions for this objective to be

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‘Why Nigeria won 2013 best sovereign bond award’ From Anthony Otaru, Abuja HE current initiative management strategy of the nation’s economy earned the country the 2013 EMEA best Sovereign Bond Award From the City Group Middle East and Africa a landmark euro billion bond which was oversubscribed four times by investors.

The bond was obtained at a very favourable coupon rates compared to what other countries got, making good savings for the country.

Presenting the award, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), City Group Middle East and Africa, James Cole, said that it was given to Nigeria as a result of her most successful EMEA sovereign bond manager. ''We think that the Nigerian government summoned great courage and foresight in the bond market transactions, she generated the demand for the

T

Convener, Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP - Nigeria), Mrs. Margaret A. Adeleke (left); Head, Corporate Services Division, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Bola Adeeko, Executive Secretary, CECP – Nigeria, Dr. Abia Nzelu and Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji at the Bell Ringing Ceremony at NSE to commemorate International Corporate Philanthropy Day, in Lagos, yesterday.

offering for more than four times over subscribed, so, it is the combination of timing in terms of access in the market place''.

He noted: ''Today, we know that monitoring about 90 per cent of the fund is going into infrastructure, especially poor which is very significant investment''.

The Director-General of the Debt Management Office, (DMO) Abraham Nwankwo expressed happiness that the award was coming at a time within the last two or three years when the global economy has been turbulent. ''The award is coming to Nigeria this point in time as the most successful country in Africa for 2013 in terms of bong issuing in the international capital market only comes to show the resilience of the Nigerian economy, the

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Telecoms operators kick, may seek legal redress over N647m sanction

By Adeyemi Adepetun ELECOMMUNICATIONS operators, under the aegis of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has kicked against the N647.5 million sanction slammed on them for failing to improve services on their respective networks.

Already, the association has unfolded plans to explore every means to seek redress, without ruling out a court option.

The NCC had yesterday, sanctioned three of the four major service operators in the country – MTN Nigeria, Globacom and Airtel – the sum of N647.5 million for breach of key performance indicators (KPIs) and poor quality of service for the month of January 2014.

Etisalat was however, given clean bill, saying that it met all the set KPIs. The details of the sanction, according to a statement signed by NCC’s Head, Media and Public Relations, Reuben Mouka showed that Airtel

T

•Regulator to bar SIM cards sales in March •NCC is being ‘populist’ in its action, says ALTON Network Ltd, and MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd, are to pay a fine of N185 million each while Globacom Ltd is liable to the tune of N277, 500. The affected operators are also expected to pay the sanctions on or before March 7, 2014.

Should they fail to pay the sanctions within the stipulated deadline, NCC said each of them would be liable to pay N2.5 million daily, as long as the contravention persists.

It would be recalled that in 2012, NCC sanctioned all the four service operators to the tune of about N1.2 billion.

Beside the monetary sanctions, news making round has it that all the three operators were barred by NCC from selling new SIM cards throughout the month of March 2014, with effect from March 1 to 31; barred from churning or deleting from their networks inactive (or

non-revenue generating SIMs) during the period March 1 to March 31; barred from supplying new SIM cards from their warehouses to dealers or third parties during the same period; and stopped from all promotions until the identified KPIs considered are positively addressed.

Reacting to this development in an interview with The Guardian, the Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo reiterated that sanctions and penalties would not address issues that are compounding

service quality in the country.

Adebayo, an engineer said this move would appear to everybody that NCC is shifting its responsibilities, because its aware of the circumstances that operators are facing.

“How will NCC think that penalising the operators will remove the problem? The question we should ask them is that did the last sanction take away the problem? If they continue this way, the challenge will always be there. I have said this before there is no industry that is

immune against failure.

Funds that operators should have used to stabilize the network further, they take it away by way of penalties. They are killing this industry.

“This is a populist approach.

An effort by NCC to appear popular, whereas the reality of the matter is that the peculiarities of our environment remain the same. They can continue with the sanction, the fact remains that it won’t take away the problem. The way NCC is going, they will also be blamed, because this

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Govt approves visa-on-arrival issuance to investors

By Bola Olajuwon FEDERAL Government has authorised the issuance of visa-on-arrival and point of entry to certain categories of foreigners and net worth investors.

The directive is part of efforts to attract Foreign Directive Investment (FDI) and also address challenges facing the operations of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

Comptroller General of NIS, David Shikfu Parradang, disclosed this over the weekend while delivering a speech at Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Breakfast Forum in Lagos.

Parradang, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Operations and Deputy Comptroller Solomon Leggjack, said the directive may be subject to the principle of reciprocity in the issuance of visas and applicable fees chargeable to foreigners as one of the ways to engage in citizen diplomacy and stem the tide of ill-treatment of Nigerians who apply for immigration facilities in foreign countries or where they are resident.

To also ensure faster issuance of visas, the immigration chief said NIS has secured Federal Government’s approval to post professional Immigration officers to issue visas in some of the nation’s overseas missions.

In the same vein, he has authorised the processing and issuance of Cerpac (Green) Residence cards to every foreigner who has already purchased same but not yet issued with the cards.

Parrandang revealed that the

issue of indefinite stay for Niger-wives too, which has lingered and defied every solution due to the yearly issuance of Cerpac cards has similarly been resolved. Niger-wives are foreigners who are married to Nigerians He said the agency has commenced a massive re-orientation of NIS personnel as well as re-tooling its operational mode and work ethics away from those acts and practices that are clear disincentives to foreigners and investors into the nation’s economy.

“There is more emphasis

now on timely, seamless and efficient service delivery to the general public in line with SERVICOM Charter as well as implementable welfare packages and awards to NIS personnel for exemplary conduct,” he said.

He acknowledged some practical immigration challenges facing expatriates in Nigeria as including lack of knowledge for the requirement of quota before employment of any expatriate; nonuse of NIS website for assessing immigration facilities and to also have a feedback

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NSACC) to perform their social responsibility and obey the law of the land by paying their taxes, deducting adequate taxes and remitting same as at when due as prescribed by statutory provisions.

Fowler, who also spoke at the breakfast forum, said the NSACC should assist in sensitising members towards a tax compliance culture.

“It is also essential for NSACC to censure and sanction members when they act in

defiance of well established laws. Members of NSACC are important stakeholders – revenue administrators, tax consultants, tax payers – in the Nigerian Tax Administration process and must join hand with revenue administrators in ensuring that their clients comply fully with the various tax laws,” he said.

On the part of his agency, he said it would “continue to operate a proactive, responsive, transparent, efficient and effective revenue service.”

added.

He said the sector is still faced with challenges stating the most recent of them is the issue of reported delays at clearing goods at the nation's port.

He commended the privatisation of the power sector maintaining that the association shares the concern of government in the successful improvement of the power sector.

from those who use it as to its adequacy or otherwise and being issued with wrong classification of visas at Nigeria’s embassies abroad.

Others, according to him, are possession of non-vetted credentials/travel documents, arrival with no credentials or without requisite qualifications for the positions they intend to occupy.

Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue, Dr. William Babatunde Fowler, has appealed to members of the Nigerian South African

Govt seeks sustainable financing of incentives CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 achieved”.

He pointed out that recent global activities in the continent and the world has made it an imperative for Nigeria to adopt new survival strategy to achieve and maintain its leadership role as the most industrialised nation in the continent.

"Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) countries are countries to watch out for us in terms of industrialisation. We are satisfied with the level of growth of the sector despite daunting challenges but we are hopeful things can only get better in the nearest future," he said.

According to him, though the real sector has began to show some signs of improvement as macro economic variables are beginning to show positive results, there is much to be done about interest rates.

"Increased manufacturing

investment stood at about N556 billion in 2013 which is 50 per cent than what was recorded in 2012. There had also been improvement in the use of local raw materials from 47 per cent to 57 per cent

in 2013. Our members have started looking inward in utilising our local resources for manufacturing activities and taking advantages areas where the country has comparative advantage," he

NCC is being ‘populist’ in its action, says ALTON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 is the industry it regulates.”

The ALTON boss noted that NCC should not have explored the media first about the sanction, “they should have communicated first to the operators. There are procedures for getting this done; there should have been notice. If we feel unfairly as an industry, that our regulator is not being fair to us, we will challenge this process in the court of law. We will explore every dialogue means, but if it appears we need to go to court, we will surely go. And you know

what that means, taking a regulator to court.”

But the president of National Association of Telecoms Subscribers of Nigeria (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, said the association is not against sanctions, but not hard fines.

He explained that some sanctions could be hard, while others are soft.

Hard fines, according to him include operators paying cash to the regulator, stressing that if the N647.5 million is deployed into infrastructure rollout, there will be improvement.

“We are saying that soft fines will be that instead of the operators paying the NCC, they can be easily told to give N5000 worth of credit to subscribers on their network.

If the challenge persists, they can equally be told to pay N10, 000. By that they can com-

pensate the subscribers.

From there, the NCC could go further to look into what the challenge really is and get it solved”, he stated.

As at press time, two of the operators affected said they are yet to get the letter, while one said it cited a letter in that regards.

However, Mouka said the commission has passed the letter across to the affected operators.

According to him, the sanctions, which were communicated to the three operators in a letter signed by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said NCC will carry out

an audit of the three companies on March 1, 2014 and also on March 31st, 2014, to ensure that no sale of new SIM Cards takes place in any of the three networks within the period.

The letter made reference to an earlier directive of December 10, 2013, which warned the operators that “if the Quality of Service does not improve by December 31, 2013, the Commission will be compelled to direct operators to, among others, suspend the activation of new SIMs and subscribers until such an operator can prove that it has met the Key Performance Indicators specified in the Regulations”.

‘Why Nigeria won sovereign bond award’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 resilience of the Nigeria spirit and the resilience of those who really believe in Nigeria''.

Commenting on the award on behalf of the Federal government in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minster of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala said that the award demonstrates the government's strategy of leveraging on the strengths of the economy to boost key sectors like power is working. ''The focus of the Jonathan administration is on transforming key sectors through innovative management of the economy, this award shows that we are on the right track'', she said.

She said the bond is being deployed mainly for financing of various power infrastructure projects in order to improve power supply to industries, businesses and homes. The allocation profile for the proceeds of the bond shows that 90 per cent will go to power infrastructure while the balance goes to aviation.

Iweala explained that ''one of the goals of public debt management is to diversify the sources of borrowing while also subjecting the government to the discipline of the domestic and international finance markets in order to create a sovereign presence and benchmarks in these markets, which Nigerian corporate can leverage upon to access long term capital''.

According to her, the Federal government's decision to float the award winning bond was inspired by the success of earlier bonds, stressing that Nigeria made a debut entry into the International Capital Market (ICM), in January, 2011 through the issuance of a $500 million 10-year eurobond.

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014 Business 21

Nigeria, others to seal pact on EPA agreement this month

By Femi Adekoya

• Draft agreement presented for negotiations

FTER 10 years of tough A negotiations, negotiators of the Economic Partnership

according to information gathered by The Guardian, would require African Ministers of Trade, particularly those within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, to deliberate on the new agreements reached on the partnership deal.

Findings by The Guardian

Agreement (EPA) between the West-African region and the European Union may have reached a compromise at the technical level in the West Africa–EU EPA negotiations.

Indeed, the compromise,

showed that the agreement reached by the senior officials would have to be officially sealed by the Chief negotiators and then endorsed at the ECOWAS Head of States Summit at the end of February.

According to the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM),

compromises were reportedly reached between European Commission and ECOWAS negotiators on a range of issues that had held up the negotiations.

Some of the agreements reached include, more limited product coverage of trade in goods tariff liberalisation commitments (75 per cent of all trade over 25 years rather than the EU’s preferred

Mimiko tasks naval authorities on oil theft

NDO State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has chalO lenged the Nigerian Navy to

deepen its commitment in the fight against oil theft in the country.

Dr. Mimiko pointed out that the revenue accrued to states from the federation account had continued to dwindle due to the rampant cases of oil theft through the waterways.

The governor stated this at the weekend when he played host to the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade at the Government House in Akure.

Dr. Mimiko, who noted that the naval authorities had a role to play to save the country from the economic saboteurs, however, stressed that his administration had supported security agencies in the state to effectively discharge their duties in the interest of the general public.

He said that his administration had continued to enjoy peace due to the synergy among the security agencies, making reference to the peaceful conduct of the October 20, 2012 gubernatorial election in the state.

He further commended the officers and men of the

‘Kaduna Trade Fair registers 248 participants so far’ BOUT 248 participants A have so far registered at the on-going Kaduna International Trade Fair, according to an official.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the fair started on Friday, February 21, 2014.

A senior organising officer of the fair, Yusuf Billy told NAN in Kaduna at the weekend that among the registered were local and international participants from eight countries.

He named the participating nations to include India, Hungary, Pakistan, Turkey, Ghana, Niger, Australia and Egypt.

Billy said that many government-owned and private agencies had also registered to participate in the fair.

NAN observed, however, that activities at the trade fair ground were picking up rather slowly as the turn out of people was not very massive.

NAN gathered that some participants were still mounting their pavilions at the ground.

Billy, who reacted to that, told NAN that the first two days of the trade fair were usually that dull.

“The activities are usually slow until much later, like from tomorrow. You can also see that people are still registering; everything will fall in its proper place from tomorrow,’’ he said.

Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda in Ilaje local government area of the state for being proactive to security challenges in the riverine area of the State.

He said: “The Nigerian Navy, no doubt has a peculiar challenge to tackle this menace of oil theft on our waterways, but I want to enjoin you to deepen your commitment towards

checking oil theft in our territorial waterways. It is obvious that the revenue accrued to states from the federation account has reduced drastically due to oil theft. I believe that Nigerian Navy has a role to play in this regard as it affects all of us.

“We have tried within our limited resources here to support you, despite the fact that you

are a federal establishment but we are the direct beneficiaries of your operation. We ‘ll continue to do our best to support you,” Mimiko promised.

Earlier in his speech, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade noted that the Nigerian Navy had been given the mandate to ensure zero tolerance to oil theft and promised to save the nation from the menace.

option of 80 per cent over 15 years); an acceptance of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clause, but with some exceptions; the absence of a “nonexecution clause”, but the inclusion of a reference to the provisions in the Cotonou Agreement that deal with non-execution of commitments on human rights, democracy and the rule of law; financing of the EPA Development Programme (also known by its francophone acronym PAPED).

Although the financing of the development programme falls short of the amount requested by the West African region for EPArelated adjustments, it includes a “best endeavour” commitment from the EU to find a solution to the financing gap between commitments made and West African funding requirements.

On agricultural subsidies, ICTSD reported that “each party will ensure the transparency of its policies and domestic support measures”, and that the EU has made a commitment to report to West Africa the nature, extent and legal basis of measures being implemented. The agreement also formalises the EU’s commitment not to provide export refunds on agro-food exports to Africa.

With the proposal, the ECDPM maintained that the agreement allows all parties to “claim victory”.

However, while the latest round of technical negotiations appears to have resolved a number of the headline issues, it does not appear to have addressed the issue of reconciling EPA-level policy commitments with national policy practices.

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014 Business 23

NACCIMA urges NASS to pass 2014 budget ATIONAL President, N Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, at the weekend, urged the National Assembly to speed up deliberations on the 2014 Appropriation Bill.

Abubakar made the call at the opening ceremony of the 35th edition of Kaduna International Trade Fair.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fair was organised by the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA).

He said that this would enable the executive arm of government implement developmental projects for the benefit of the nation’s economy.

Abubakar also called on the federal government to adopt policies that would propel agro-industrial and manufacturing in Nigeria.

“There is the need to diversify and increase export of high value-added agroallied and manufactured products, that depend on the natural resources which Nigeria has comparative and competitive advantage,’’ he said.

The president advised government to ensure the removal of “procedural and regulatory bottlenecks incompatible with the attainment of the objectives of a dynamic export promotional policy.”

Also in his address, KADCCIMA President, Dr. AbdulAlimi Bello, warned politicians against allowing preelection activities, electionspending take its toll on nation’s economy.

“Despite our hopes and

Mark wishes on the revamping economy, this year and beyond, we must be alert and warn that the pre-election activities may take its toll on the economy through distractions of partisan politics and heightened election spending,” he said.

Bello added: “We have seen that economy generally slows down in every election year.”

Bello, however expressed optimism that the federal government reforms and planning on agriculture from development to business and profitable ventures would enable the

nation emerges as the largest economy in Africa in 2014.

“We believe that the Nigerian economy will reasonably recover in 2014. It is hoped that while the Gross

Domestic Product (GDP) would grow at over six per cent relative to the global average of 3.1 per cent.

“Nigerian economy may emerge as the largest on the African continent and one of the top 30th in the world after the GDP re-basing, which is expected this year.

“The economies of the subSahara African countries are projected to post an impressive average of six per cent growth as against five per cent in 2013.

“We need to prepare ahead of forthcoming global economic boom,” he said.

He, therefore, urged the federal government to address the issue of corruption and power transmission to achieve agricultural transformation.

Bello commended the state government for transforming the State Industrialisation and Microcredit Management Board (KSIMMB) and supporting SMEs, urging other states to emulate.

NAN reports that the fair which have investors from Egypt, Ghana, Turkey, India, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Senegal, Niger Republic among others, as well as local exhibitors would end on March 2.

Kwara to establish agric laboratory HE Kwara Government company would invest T on Sunday said that it about five billion dollars in would soon establish an agriculture laboratory for soil-testing and allied matters so as to attract commercial agriculture into the state.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed dropped this hint in Ilorin, when the Chief Executive Officer of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Chief Keith Richards, paid him a courtesy visit.

“The proposed laboratory is part of our administration’s policy in the agriculture sector to ensure that the right crops are planted on the right type of soil for desired dividends,” he said.

The governor assured potential investors that his administration would always create the enabling environment, which would spur agricultural and economic development in the state.

He described the interest of the private sector in investing in the state’s agriculture development initiative as a positive development, which would boost commercial agriculture in the state.

Earlier, in his address, Richards had said that his

cheese production in the state.

He said that the proposed dairy factory would produce cheese, butter and other products from milk.

Richards said that Promasidor was committing about five million dollars of the total amount into equipment and auxiliary investments.

“The factory will create employment and encourage the commercial development of Shonga where the factory will be sited,” he said.

Abdul Fatah

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014 Business 25

MTN Nigeria, Ericsson ink five-year managed services deal

By Adeyemi Adepetun RICSSON has signed a fiveE year managed services agreement with MTN telecommunications firm, which currently has presence in 21 countries in Africa, including Nigeria and the Middle East.

MTN Nigeria, the largest in the sub-region currently has over 45 million subscribers.

This agreement not only extends Ericsson’s managed services across Africa, but also makes Ericsson MTN’s largest managed services partner on the continent.

Under the contract, Ericsson will assume full responsibility of the management, optimisation and field maintenance of MTN’s network infrastructure in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Asaba, which represents 75 per cent of the network. With Ericsson taking over the day-to-day operations of the network, MTN is able to focus even more on its core business, providing a superior customer experience across all its network offerings.

Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Michael Ikpoki said: “This engagement with Ericsson is a logical step forward in our strategy execution and is consistent with our commitment to deliver a bold new digital world to our customers across Nigeria.

Leaving the management and

Fadama III project develops biogas digesters in Ondo HE Fadama 111 Project has T developed biogas digesters, which serve as alternative sources of power to Aponmu and Legiri communities of Ondo State.

The project’s State Coordinator, Olusiji Olatunji, disclosed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Akure that the project was embarked upon in conjunction with the state government.

Biogas typically refers to a mixture of gases produced by the breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen.

Biogas can be produced from regionally available raw materials such as recycled waste and is a renewable energy source and in many cases exerts a very small carbon footprint.

The digesters are equipment used for turning biogas into renewable energy.

He said that Aponmu and Legiri, where the biogas digesters were located, were in Akure South and Ondo West Local Government Areas.

“The two villages are now illuminated at night through the gas lamps and the residents now enjoy the benefits of the project.

“The power from the digesters is used in smoking fish and the by-product of the waste used in generating the gas can be converted to fertilisers.

“We are planning to extend this gesture to other Fadama Youth Villages across the state to minimise cost of electricity and optimise farming production,” he said.

maintenance of our infrastructure to Ericsson will allow us to focus even more on adding value to the customer experience on our network. We consider this partnership a joint investment in the growth of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria and a great opportunity to strengthen ICT knowledge and specialisation locally.

“Ericsson is the global leader in the managed services space and the right partner for us.”

MTN will retain ownership and full control of its network assets and continue to have responsibility for strategic design and planning, as well as equipment purchasing decisions.

Head of Managed Services at Ericsson, Jean-Claude Geha said that the agreement with MTN marked a milestone for Ericsson in Nigeria and in the region.

According to him, in Managed Services, “we bring

our global expertise and experience to benefit our customers and ultimately their subscribers’ experience of the network.”

Ericsson has signed more than 300 managed services contracts in more than 100 countries and manages networks on behalf of operators that serve over one billion subscribers worldwide. By teaming up with Ericsson, operators can strengthen their competitive edge through improved network availability and capacity, while reducing their operating costs. This, in turn, increases market growth for mobile services, which helps improve the quality of services and the consumer experience.”

He informed that currently, Ericsson has approximately 3, 000 people supporting over 100 customers in 43 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, adding that in 2013, Ericsson announced the establishment

of two new service delivery facilities in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as a state-ofthe-art Regional Network Operations Centre in Ivory Coast aimed at delivering enhanced support to their customers. The facilities support Ericsson’s leadership position in managed services, and enhance the delivery of their services portfolio across sub-Saharan Africa.

During Mobile World Congress 2014 in Barcelona, Spain, Ericsson informed that it will be showing world-leading technology and service capabilities and innovations, stressing that it believed that anything that benefited from a connection would be connected, and “we lead the way with solutions that drive the development in mobility, broadband and the cloud, creating the foundation for ecosystems and transformation across industries.”

Textile union urges govt to secure borders to prevent smuggling HE National Union of T Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGWN) on Sunday appealed to the federal government to secure the nation’s borders to prevent smuggling of banned products.

The President of NUTGWN, Oladele Hunsu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the industry’s major threat was unabated smuggling of textiles into the country.

“In spite of the ban on textile import introduced by the federal government in 2004, Nigeria still remains a dumping ground for all sorts of textile,” Hunsu said.

He added that the government must ensure that its borders were not porous, adding that “porous borders amount to unfair trade practice.

“How can you open your borders or your sea ports and make your country a dumping ground?” He asked.

Hunsu urged the government to come up with a stringent policy to ensure that dumping of goods was prohibited.

“It will help to protect the local industries. So, we want the government to intensify efforts to ensure it put stringent measures in place to discourage dumping,” he said.

The union leader lamented that the Chinese were the worst culprits in faking and dumping substandard textile materials in Nigeria.

“The Chinese have started faking Nigerian products by taking designs from Nigeria to China to produce inferior ones with Nigeria labels and bring back the inferior products.

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014 INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY 27

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China downplays Yuan’s declines, banking risk HINA’S Finance Minister C Lou Jiwei played down yuan declines and the risks from shadow banking as central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan signaled that the nation’s economy can sustain growth of between seven per cent and eight per cent.

China’s expansion prospects are suitable for the nation and can boost global economic growth, Zhou said.

The country’s services industry has overtaken manufacturing while its contribution to global growth is about 30 percent, Lou said in a statement posted on the People’s Bank of China website. Possible defaults in some wealth-management products don’t reflect a “big problem” and recent yuan weakness is within the normal range, the finance minister told Bloomberg News.

China is stressing the resilience of its economy even as efforts to rein in leverage and expand the role of markets has prompted analysts to forecast the slowest pace of expansion since 1990.

Group-of-20 policy makers meeting in Sydney pledged a coordinated push to boost growth by more than $2 trillion over the next five years.

The G-20 communique singled out China among emerging nations exhibiting “continued solid growth,” changing the language from a draft seen by Bloomberg News that hadn’t named the world’s second-largest economy.

“There will be ups and downs,” Lou said yesterday of recent declines in the yuan.

Shadow banking in China is more closely linked to the real economy than it is in western countries... The scale of the sector is not large in general, but it has grown fast recently and the PBOC is dealing with it cautiously.

The currency’s movement is “within normal range” and doesn’t indicate a change in economic fundamentals, he said.

PBOC Governor Zhou earlier expressed confidence in his nation’s growth prospects even as a slowdown in manufacturing sent Chinese stocks tumbling by the most in six weeks on Feb. 21 and the yuan had its biggest weekly slide against the dollar since 2011. New credit in China rose to a record in January, underscoring the risk of financial turbulence from defaults and bad loans, and the increasing amount of financing required to generate gross domestic product.

Shadow banking in China is more closely linked to the real economy than it is in western countries, Lou told Bloomberg News Feb. 22. The

scale of the sector is not large in general, but it has grown fast recently and the PBOC is dealing with it cautiously, according to a statement yesterday posted on the central bank’s website.

The offshore yuan fell 1 percent to 6.0933 per dollar last week, a decline unseen since September 2011.

The Shanghai Composite Index tumbled 1.2 percent on Feb. 21, the steepest retreat since Jan. 6.

There’s “no big problem” for China to maintain steady and healthy growth, Zhou told Bloomberg News Feb. 21.

“Uncertainty is always present and there’s nothing big to worry about.”

G-20 policy makers yesterday said they will aim to lift collective gross domestic product by more than 2 percent above the trajectory

implied by current policies.

Global growth will accelerate to 2.9 percent in 2014, the quickest pace in three years, according to the median of forecasts compiled by Bloomberg. It will be 3.1 percent the following year.

While the U.S.’s 2.9 percent predicted expansion is the fastest after New Zealand among Group of 10 currency nations, China’s GDP will increase at more than twice that pace at 7.5 percent, slowing from 7.7 percent in 2013, the data show.

China’s economy will this year maintain the same trend of steady growth as it did last year, Lou said Feb. 22.

Developed countries are too optimistic about their own growth, he said.

The Asian nation will try to boost investment and consumption demands by pushing ahead with urbanization, he said in a statement yesterday. The services industry has now overtaken manufacturing, which once accounted for nearly 60 percent of GDP, he said.

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014 INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY 29

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Iran’s non-oil exports recovering under Rouhani RAN’S non-oil exports are starting to feel the benefits of easing international tensions under new President Hassan Rouhani, Iranian businessmen at one of the world’s biggest food industry said.

Organisers of the yearly Gulfood fair in Dubai said 46 Iranian exporters have stands at this week’s event, roughly double last year’s number – a sign of Iran’s partial return to the global trading system since Rouhani took office in August.

Key banking sanctions remain in place, making it hard for some Iranian companies to obtain payments for their exports, and difficult business conditions at home continue to hurt.

But an interim agreement with world powers last November to limit Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for a temporary, partial easing of the sanctions appears to have created conditions for Iranian trade to grow.

“Better political relations pave the way for us to introduce products into more markets,” such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, said Reza Rajabinasab, export manager at Amadeh Laziz, an Iranian maker of instant noodles, soups and other food products.

He said his company’s exports, worth millions of dollars annually, had risen

I

Better political relations pave the way for us to introduce products into more markets.

10-15 percent since Rouhani took power.

Iran Dairy Industries Commercial Co, which sells to Iraq, Pakistan and Malaysia among other countries, said its exports for the first 10 months of the Iranian year that started on March 21 had jumped to $15 million from $9 million in all of the previous year.

Iran’s oil exports, which traditionally account for about three-quarters of its total exports, have plunged by more than half since 2011 because of the sanctions, imposed over suspicions that Iran was trying to develop nuclear weapons.

The collapse has made nonoil exports not banned by the sanctions, such as food, more important to the country as it grapples with a recession and high inflation.

Iran exported $29.24 billion of non-oil goods in the first nine months of the Iranian year, according to customs data quoted by local media.

That was down 7.7 percent from a year earlier, but many of the Iranian firms at Gulfood said the trend had turned positive in the last few months.

Washington does not want to see a boom in Iran’s trade unless Tehran reaches a final

India’s solar power cost sets new lows solar power cost fell ItoNDIA’S to a new low, edging closer coal, as declining panel prices and increased competition drew offers to build plants from groups backed by BlackRock Inc. (BLK) and Electricite de France SA (EDF).

India, which uses competitive bidding to select companies offering to generate clean energy at the lowest cost, awarded 750 megawatts of permits on February 21, half of that eligible to use imported equipment. The government also offered grants to offset project costs for the first time, helping attract bids for triple the capacity auctioned.

Winners of the import-eligible capacity, who bid seeking the least from the 18.75 billion rupees ($302 million) of subsidies, priced electricity from solar panels at an average 6,500 rupees a megawatthour, down 25 percent from a national tender two years ago, said Jasmeet Khurana, head of market intelligence at solar consultancy Bridge to India Energy Pvt. India plans a six-fold increase in solar capacity drawing $11.7 billion of investment by 2017 to reduce blackouts as plunging panel prices help photovoltaic projects compete with coal- and gas-fired plants.

The average price of silicon solar modules has fallen more than 7 percent since June, according to data compiled by research company PV Insights.

Solar panel and cell makers are jostling for market share amid rising stakes after the

India, which uses competitive bidding to select companies offering to generate clean energy at the lowest cost, awarded 750 megawatts of permits on February 21, half of that eligible to use imported equipment.

U.S. lodged a complaint at the World Trade Organization this month, accusing India of imposing trade barriers on the auction.

The Indian unit of St. Peters, Missouri-based SunEdison Inc. (SUNE), which counts BlackRock among its biggest investors, and World Bankbacked Azure Power India Pvt. won the most capacity at 100 megawatts each, according to bidding results. ACME Solar Energy Ltd., 25 percent-owned

by EDF’s renewable unit, picked up 80 megawatts.

Developers who didn’t make the cut included Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS)’s ReNew Power Ventures Pvt., Tempe, Arizona-based First Solar Inc. (FSLR), and Welspun Energy Ltd., India’s biggest photovoltaic developer, bidding results show.

Other winners included Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd., France’s Solairedirect SA and the clean-energy unit of India’s Hero Group.

agreement on its nuclear program. President Barack Obama said this month that he would come down like a “ton of bricks” on companies violating the sanctions.

As a result, most banks around the world - even in Dubai, a hub for Iranian business - still refuse to handle trade payments for Iran. This forces firms to use costly, inconvenient methods such as barter - Amadeh Laziz accepts shipments of food and raw materials as payment for some of its exports.

“Banks in the United Arab Emirates are not doing any business whatsoever with Iran. We are respecting the sanctions,” Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, chief executive of Dubai’s Mashreq bank, told Reuters this month.

Nevertheless, Rouhani’s diplomacy seems to be helping Iranian exporters in at least two ways.

By creating hope for a resolution of Iran’s nuclear dispute, he has halted wild swings of the rial currency, which lost roughly half its value against the U.S. dollar in 2012.

“The stabilising of the dollar has helped a lot and decreased the risk of doing business. It’s stabilized our prices,” said Mohammad Ali Khoshbin, an executive at the Khoshbin Agro Group, which exports pistachios and raisins to North Africa and Europe.

With the risk of an immediate crisis over the nuclear program receding, foreign buyers of Iranian products also feel safer signing contracts.

“Definitely, Europe has been in more contact with us” since Rouhani took office, Khoshbin said.

Iran’s export industries are also struggling with the legacy of years of chaotic economic management by Rouhani’s predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. For example, interest rates have had to be hiked to offset high inflation.

“Companies can’t work well if they face interest rates above 20 percent, compared to 3, 4 or 5 percent for their competitors abroad,” said Ali Shariati Moghaddam, general director of Novin Saffron, which exports $30-40 million of saffron annually.

But there are signs that the Rouhani administration is starting to reform some of the most damaging policies for business, executives said.

Alcatel vows to stay out of telecom gear price war, signs Intel deal LCATEL-LUCENT said it A would stay out of a brewing price war in the telecom equipment market and set itself apart with better service and new products, including those from a new partnership announced on Sunday with Intel Corp.

Chief Executive Michel Combes said Alcatel-Lucent wanted to gain market share but not at any cost, as it entered the second year of a three-year turnaround aimed at restoring regular profits and cutting 1 billion euros of costs.

Analysts predicted that competition could intensify this year among telecom equipment vendors after Nokia’s NSN unit forecast lower operating margins as it tries to rebuild revenues lost after a bout of restructuring. A newly aggressive NSN could spark reactions from Sweden’s Ericsson and China’s Huawei.

“All the players in the sector have understood that competition based on price was not the right answer,” Combes said on the sidelines of Mobile World Congress, the wireless industry’s largest annual conference.

“Differentiation is the right way. Each company must find its areas of excellence and deliver on the services

promised to customers,” he said.

To that end, Combes unveiled a partnership with chip maker Intel, under which the two will share the costs of research and development on cloud computing and security.

Known as “network function virtualization”, the technology allows telecom operators to rely more on software to run their networks and less on hardware, which can over time bring down costs.

It is the second R&D partnership announced since Combes took over as CEO in April 2012, and he pledged more to come.

Mobile chip maker Qualcomm took a undisclosed stake in Alcatel in July 2013 as part of a research partnership on so-called small cells, which are small mobile antennas to help operators cover urban areas.

The Intel partnership does not involve any direct purchase of Alcatel’s shares, but Combes said the two would invest “several hundred million euros each” with the aim of possibly launching products for sale this year.

“We can be first to market with products by working with partners,” said Combes.

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Appointments Unending pangs of global unemployment

By Collins Olayinka ITHIN the world of work W where centripetal and centrifugal forces constantly interplay and role change, space availability for new entrants are ever shrinking.

Providing employment for job seekers have moved beyond continental borders as all the five continents in the world are affected though not on equal basis.

The scenario is assuming more worrisome dimension in developing economies where parents, guardians and caregivers look towards days when their wards will graduate from school, have a job and cater for their needs at old age is simply evaporating .

The latest figures in the recently released International Labour Organisation’s Global Employment Trends 2014 report, painted a gloomy future for job provision.

The report highlighted that the weak global economic recovery has failed to lead to an improvement in global labour markets, with global unemployment in 2013 reaching almost 202 million.

The Global Employment Trends 2014 report said that employment growth remained weak, unemployment continued to rise, especially among young people and large numbers of discouraged potential workers are still outside the labour market .

Though profits were being made in many sectors, the report noted that the profits were mainly going into asset markets and not the real economy, thereby damaging long-term employment prospects .

On the bright side, the report said that on current trends, an additional 200 million jobs would be created by 2018, but this is less than what is required to absorb the growing number of new entrants into the labour market .

Commenting on the findings, the Director General of ILO, Guy Ryder said: “What is urgently needed is a policy rethink. Stronger efforts are needed to accelerate employment creation and to support enterprises that create jobs.”

The report stressed that youth unemployment remained a major concern.

It stated that the urgent need to integrate young people into the labour force, saying, “at present, some 74.5 million men and women under the age of 25 are unemployed, a global youth unemployment rate of over 13 per cent – over two times more than the overall global unemployment rate.”

According to key facts and figures as contained in the report, the number of unemployed worldwide rose by five million in 2013 to almost 202 million, a six per cent unemployment rate.

Some 23 million workers have dropped out of the

Wogu

Ryder labour market, while the number of jobseekers is expected to rise by more than 13 million by 2018.

Additionally, some 74.5 million people in the 15 to 24 age groups were unemployed in 2013, which represents a 13.1 per cent youth unemployment rate .

Perhaps more damning is the revelation that around 839 million workers lived with their families on less than $2 in 2013, which clearly showed that they barely escaped extreme poverty line bracket .

In fact, it hinted that some 375 million workers lived with their families on less than $1.25 a day in 2013.

Particularly in developing countries, informal employment remains widespread, and the pace of improvements in job quality is slowing down. That means fewer people are moving out of working poverty. In 2013, the number of workers in extreme poverty – living on less than $1.25 a day – declined by only 2.7 per cent globally, one of the lowest rates over the past decade, with the exception of the immediate crisis years.

The report noted that global recovery in labour markets was held back by a deficit of aggregate demand. In many developed economies, harsh reductions in public spending and hikes in income and consumption taxes weigh heavily on private businesses and households .

In the midst of all these glooms, the report asked which policies could help boost employment and productivity?

The report found that in addition, a lack of policy coordination between monetary and fiscal policies had substantially increased labour market uncertainty, with employers often reluctant to hire or make long-term investments .

It submitted that unemployment had lengthened considerably, in some countries such as Spain and Greece, jobseekers need twice as much

time before landing a new job than before the crisis.

And, more and more of those potential workers were discouraged and remained outside the labour force, leading to skills degradation and obsolescence and rising long-term unemployment.

The main author of the report, Ekkehard Ernst, said: “With 23 million people estimated to have dropped out, it is imperative that active labour market policies be implemented more forcefully to address inactivity and skills mismatch.” Ernst heads the Employment Trends Unit at the ILO Research Department.

The report said that a switch to more employment-friendly policies and rising labour incomes would boost economic growth and job creation adding that in emerging and developing countries, it is crucial to strengthen social protection floors and promote transitions to formal employment.

Specifically, in sub-Saharan Africa, paid employment opportunities are scarce and the vulnerable employment rate, at 77.4 per cent in 2013, remained the highest of all regions .

The ILO chief also warned global leaders on the danger of not attending to the growing unemployment recently at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

His words: “Governments must do more to speed up employment creation, to support enterprises that create jobs and to end the uncertainty that leaves employers reluctant to invest in jobs. At the same time, we must allow wages to catch up – this can happen through minimum wage setting and collective bargaining.”

Indeed, Ryder said that the findings of the reports were not new adding: “This is not a new issue. The ILO has warned for years that rising unemployment and income disparity threaten to reverse the gains of globalisation.

And for the third year in a row, a World Economic

Forum survey ranked income disparity as a top risk facing the global economy. It also means companies should pump some of their profits into productive investments rather than share buy-backs.”

The ILO boss insisted that the cost of doing nothing would be huge.

“As millions more people join the ranks of the unemployed, this can only increase frustration and often anger among jobseekers. Add to that the fact that wages are stagnant and inequalities growing, and we have a potentially explosive situation,” he explained.

Ryder stated that while global leaders are upbeat over the global economic recovery, there is also a lot of concern over growing inequality, rising unemployment and the bleak outlook for young people.

He maintained that even when talks were on about an exit from the global economic crisis, the ‘real’ end of the crisis for the unemployed 200 million is when their search for jobs yields fruits.

The ILO helmsman called for re-applying profits into ventures that can provide real jobs as against putting the profits into asset markets.

He added: “What that boils down to is a very glum outlook for jobseekers around the world: unemployment is rising, particularly among young people, not enough jobs are being created to cope with the demands of a rising world population, and improvements in working poverty have stalled.”

A call to the global leader to engender a reshaped world economy with jobs and decent wages has come from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Peoples’Digest

Published in association with

National work conference, part 2

By Aruosa Osemwegie GPHR, SPHR

Background IN the first part of this article we strenuously canvassed for a dialogue aimed at making the workplace more productive. We said that “the economic and technological prosperity of our nation is tied to the ability of our institutions to excavate value from resources; and the workplace is the critical conversion tool for that purpose. If our workplaces are suboptimal, then we would only make peanuts from our efforts, hence the need to ramp up through these work dialogues.” You should get your hands on part 1 of the article.

The workplace exists to fill a need - a customers’ need. It is only the continuous satisfaction of this need that will result in the founders smiling to the bank. This is the rationale for us to begin to work on a National Service Culture through a national work conference. Who are the parties to be involved? The Presidency, the National Assembly, MDAs, Corporate Nigeria,… plus you.

Fortuitously Nigeria seemsto be talking now. You may disagree with process or/and the principals, but at least we are talking. Some people have even found ‘open’ ways to sneakin their views.

From America with love N 1992, the US Congress (subsequently ratified by President George Bush) approved 4-10 October as National Customer Service Week (NCS). The proclamation that set off the NCS week has critical guideposts that we can use to build a Service Culture. The text of the proclamation, signed by the President reads thus: “In a thriving free enterprise system such as ours, which provides consumers with a wide range of goods and services from which to choose, the most successful businesses are those that display a strong commitment to customer satisfaction. Today, foreign competitions, as well as consumer demands, require greater corporate efficiency and productivity. If the United States is to remain a leader in the changing global economy, highest quality customer service must be a personal goal of every employee in business and industry.

A business built on customer service understands and anticipates the customer’s needs. It designs goods and services to meet those needs and builds products that perform to customer expectations. It then packages them carefully, labels them correctly, sells them at a fair price, delivers them as scheduled, and follows up, as necessary, to satisfy the customer. This kind of commitment to service leads to customer loyalty and genuine improvements at the bottom line.

A business will do a better job of providing high qualitygoodsandservicesbylisteningtoitsemployees and by empowering them with opportunities to make a difference. Customer service professionals work in the front lines where a firm meets its customers; where supply meets demand. With responsive policies and procedures, and with simple courtesy, customer service professionals can go a long way toward ensuring customer satisfaction and eliciting the next round of orders and purchases.

The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 166, has designated the week of October 4 through October 10, 1992, as “National Customer Service Week” and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of October 4 through October 10, 1992, as National Customer Service Week. I invite all Americans to observe this week with appropriate programs and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventeenth”.

Know your consumer rights This is obviously beyond having a Consumer Protection Council (CPC) – it comes from the very top and percolates down to even children. It must become part of our culture and not remain an exotic plug-in. Did you know that your rights as a consumer are listed on the CPC website? Oh yes! They are: • The Right to Satisfaction of Basic Needs - access

I

It's time to act on service culture to basic goods and services necessary for survival, such as food, water, energy, clothing, shelter, health-care, education and sanitation.

Goods and services must meet the standard of quality promised such that there is value for money in the purchase.

• The Right to Safety - protection from hazardous products, production processes and services.

• The Right to Information - provision of information enabling informed consumer choice as well as protection from misleading or inaccurate advertising and labeling.

• The Right to Choose - access to variety of quality products and services at competitive prices.

• The Right to Redress - compensation for misrepresentation, shoddy goods and unsatisfactory public and private services, including the right to adequate legal representation.

• The Right to Consumer Education - acquisition of the skills required to be an informed consumer throughout life.

• The Right to Consumer Representation - advocacy of consumers’ interest and the ability to take part in the formulation of economic and other policies affecting consumers i.e. the right to be heard.

• The Right to a Healthy Environment - habitation in a place that is safe for present and future generations and which will enhance the quality of their lives.

Towards a National Service Culture We have to go beyond the work at CPC and institute a National Service Culture (NSC). Just like America did, it involves every arm of government; the Manufacturer’s Association of Nigeria, regulators, tertiary and secondary institutions, parents; everyone has a place. What would be some of the contemplations of this Service Culture? What areas would it address?

Howwouldweimplementit?Confession:Idon’t have the answers. I hope you have some of it? I suspect that as we work on it, the NSC must have elements that address at least some of these: Minimum Service standard (MSS) – we need to set a minimum standard for services and products. In addition to the standards being set

by SON, NAFDAC and CPC, we need a minimum service standard and enforcement. “What Is a Service Standard? A service standard is a public commitment to a measurable level of performance that customers can expect under normal circumstances. Service standards are integral to good client service and to effectively manage

performance.

They help clarify expectations for clients and employees, drive service improvement, and contribute to results-based management” (Treasury Board, Canada). “But a tangible product is only one aspect of the supplier/customer relationship. The other aspect is service; indeed, in many businesses, there is no physical product.

The only relationship is service. Service standardsareimportantforcustomers,potentialcustomers, employees and the management of a business. They help to define what a customer can expect and remind management and employees of the challenge and obligations that they face. Service standards are usually defined in terms of: 1) Timeliness; 2) Accuracy; and 3) Appropriateness” (Institute of Customer Service, UK). Each industry should have a MSS that it is bound to. Timeliness, accuracy and appropriateness must be defined, measured and targets set from one industry to the other.

Resolving Returnsgate Our people are certainly yearning for a National Service Culture that not only accommodates returns but welcomes it. I know it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for us to institute 21st century-customerfriendly goods return policies. I am sure it was easier and more peaceful to return goods bought in the days of Moses than it is with us.

Here we are all at fault – there is palpable redhot distrust everywhere you turn …you can almost hold it in your hands. Read this except from Time magazine titled, “Why a Good Return Policy is So Important for Retailers by Kit Yarrow: “…for obvious reasons, most stores focus on practicing good customer service specifically to enhance sales. But customer service doesn’t end once a purchase is made. Or at least it shouldn’t.

The return—that moment when the customer effectively tells the store that the sales transaction was a failure, that they found something better, or a better price—is a test for retailers. And according to my research, it’s a test that retailers often fail. When that happens, shoppers feel tricked, and business suffers. As a consumer psychologist, professor, and retail consultant, I often interviewconsumersabouttheirshoppingexperiences. Sometimes the interview occurs in a formal setting; other times, it’s just a casual conversation in the mall.

I always promise to keep last names private, withthehopeofgettingthemosthonestanswers possible. Over the years, what they’ve told me

Source:upyourservice.com again and again is that they feel the retailer-customer relationship is just that—a genuine, personal relationship—and that a violation of trust via a bad return experience can ruin this relationship forever.”

Did you read that? Forever! However, this will console you, the challenge with returns isn’t a Nigerian problem; it exists everywhere, only it’s much more acute around here.

Customer Service Vs Biology I am imagining a nation where customer service is taught as a subject in secondary school, all the way to tertiary (maybe ending at 200L). This would ingrain the values of great service delivery in the crevice of the hearts of our youngsters.

And since we are now encouraging them to utilize their holidays for internships, it means they would get an early chance to appreciate, in practical terms, the value of delighting the customer.

Maybe it would even extend beyond the customer into their interactions with their classmates, teachers and neighbours, since the foundation for service delight is love and respect for the individual. Some would argue that this would have far reaching impact on our nation, the character of our children, and economic growth, much more than Biology has done. Your thoughts?

A Kaleidoscope of Options There are additional ways to go about instituting a National Service Culture. Another aspect is the attitude and process for warranties.

Yet another is the need for service recovery and complaints mechanisms. Having Consumer Protections Clubs in our institutions and as part of the NYSC year, just like the Road Safety clubs, would go a long way in monitoring and mentoring. Whilst we don’t understand the value or contribution of some awards, at least we know what we would gain from instituting our own National Customer Service week and awards.

Where to start?

Let’s start by granting amnesty to all of us – for contributing in one way or the other to the maltreatment and under-treatment of the customer. We grant amnesty for disregarding, ignoring and even abusing the customer. This amnesty is also for us seeing the customer as a means to our own end. We ask for this amnesty because we mislabeled and/or disregarded the place of service delivery in nation building. Go and sin no more is the refrain throughout this article. Where to actually start? Start where you are - become a missionary for the customer.

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Managing emotions in the workplace: Do attitudes drive performance?

By: Wharton University of Pennsylvania

OU know the type: coworkers who never Y have anything positive to say, whether at the weekly staff meeting or the cafeteria line.

They can suck the energy from a brainstorming session with a few choice comments. Their bad mood frequently puts others in one, too.

Their negativity can contaminate even good news. “We engage in emotional contagion,” says Sigal Barsade, a Wharton management professor who studies the influence of emotions on the workplace. “Emotions travel from person to person like a virus.”

Barsade is co-author of a new paper titled, “Why Does Affect Matter in Organizations?” (“Affect” is another word for “emotion” in organizational behavior studies.) The answer: Employees’ moods, emotions, and overall dispositions have an impact on job performance, decision making, creativity, turnover, teamwork, negotiations and leadership.

“The state of the literature shows that affect matters because people are not isolated ‘emotional islands.’ Rather, they bring all of themselves to work, including their traits, moods and emotions, and their affective experiences and expressions influence others,” according to the paper, co-authored by Donald Gibson of Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business.

An “affective revolution” has occurred over the last 30 years as academics and managers alike have come to realize that employees’ emotions are integral to what happens in an organization, says Barsade, who has been doing research in the area of emotions and work dynamics for 15 years. “Everybody brings their emotions to work. You bring your brain to work. You bring your emotions to work.

Feelings drive performance. They drive behavior and other feelings. Think of people as emotion conductors.”

In the paper, Barsade and Gibson consider three different types of feelings: • Discrete, short-lived emotions, such as joy, anger, fear and disgust.

• Moods, which are longer-lasting feelings not necessarily tied to a particular cause.

• Dispositional, or personality, traits, which define a person’s overall approach to life.

“She’s always so cheerful,” etc.

All three types of feelings can be contagious, and emotions don’t have to be grand and obvious to have an impact. Subtle displays of emotion, such as a quick frown, can have an effect as well, Barsade says. She offers this example: “Say your boss is generally in very good humor, but you see him one day at a meeting and his eyes flash at you. Even if they don’t glare at you for the rest of the meeting, his eyes have enunciated some valuable information that is going to have you concerned and worried and off center for the rest of the meeting.”

Barsade suggests that while some people are better than others at controlling their emotions, that doesn’t mean their coworkers aren’t picking up on their moods. “You may not think you are showing emotion, but there’s a good chance you are in your facial expression or body language. Emotions we don’t even realize we are feeling can influence our thoughts and behaviors.”The researchers’ paper discusses a concept known as “emotional labor,” in which employees regulate their public displays of emotion to comply with certain expectations. Part of this is “surface acting,” in which, for instance, the tired and stressed airline customer service agent forces himself to smile and be friendly with angry customers who have lost their luggage.

That compares to “deep acting,” in which employees exhibit emotions they have

worked on feeling. In that scenario, the stressed-out airline worker sympathizes with the customer and shows emotions that suggest empathy. The second approach may be healthier, Barsade says, because it causes less stress and burnout, particularly emotional exhaustion from having to regulate one’s emotions and “play a role.”

But is there a downside to being too authentic? If the company is losing money and experiencing the effects of downsizing, should the manager, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, convey his despair to his workers, or act as if nothing is wrong?

Barsade says it’s possible for the manager to convey emotions that are both authentic and positive, saying something like, “I know you’re worried. Things aren’t looking good, but you know, we have a way out of this and we can work [on it] together.”

The employees will appreciate the honesty and take comfort in the optimism, she says.

Emotions as Valuable Data Emotional intelligence — buzz words already familiar in psychology and education — is now talked about in business circles as well, Barsade says. Business schools are teaching executives how to be emotionally intelligent, and how to manage the emotions of their employees.

“The idea behind emotional intelligence in the workplace is that it is a skill through which employees treat emotions as valuable data in navigating a situation,” according to the authors. “Let’s say a sales manager has come up with an amazing idea that will increase corporate revenues by up to 200%, but knows his boss tends to be irritable and short-tempered in the morning.

Using emotional intelligence means that the manager will first consider this fact about his boss. Despite the stunning nature of his idea — and his own excitement — he will regulate his own emotions, curb his enthusiasm and wait until the afternoon to approach his boss.”

Barsade says research suggests that positive people tend to do better in the workplace, and it isn’t just because people like them more than naysayers. “Positive people cognitively process more efficiently and more appropriately. If you’re in a negative mood, a fair amount of processing is going to that mood. When you’re in a positive mood, you’re more open to taking in information and handling it effectively.”

While you can’t necessarily change your coworkers, people can take steps to avoid catching a negative mood, according to Barsade. They can tell themselves before attending a staff meeting that they are not going to be bothered by the person who shoots down everyone’s ideas, or that they are not going to let that person become the focus of their attention at the meeting (reducing the possibility for contagion). Or they can change their office routine.

Barsade gave the example of a manager who was dragged down at the start of every day when passing by the desk of an employee who either grunted or gave no acknowledgement. The manager took control and simply started following a different route through the office.

Barsade’s research has taken her into a variety of workplaces, most recently longterm care facilities. Her research found that in facilities where the employees report having a positive workplace culture — she calls it a “culture of love” — the residents end up faring better than residents in facilities with a less compassionate and caring

Attitudes affect performance

work culture. The residents reported experiencing less pain, made fewer trips to the emergency room, and were more likely to report being satisfied and in a positive mood.

Overconfidence Online E-mail, instant messaging and video conferencing have introduced new challenges to the workplace, Barsade adds. E-mails and instant messages can be misunderstood because they are devoid of facial expressions, intonation and body language — cues that help convey emotions. Some people, she says, work hard at making their emails neutral, with the downside of sometimes sounding curt. On the other hand, while some writers may add a smattering of exclamation points, question marks and capital letters in an attempt to convey more emotion, this can also be dangerous, particularly when attempting humor or sarcasm to drive home a point.

“How can emotions be best conveyed via these media?” the paper asks. “What is the effect of conveying emotionally charged messages via text, when these messages are more likely to be misconstrued? The paper cites a study showing that people tend to

Source: gbr.pepperdine.edu

be overconfident about their ability to convey the emotion they wish in an e-mail, particularly when they are trying to be funny or sarcastic.

“Video conferencing, also increasing in its use, has more cues, but it is also not yet the same as interacting face to face, particularly in group situations. Given that these technologies continue to grow as a primary means of communication within the business world, it is crucial that we understand how the interpretation and communication of affect occurs in these contexts,” the paper says.

Workplaces need to get smart about the best use of e-mail, Barsade states. Her advice is that “if something is important, and you know that the emotional context is going to be an issue, then pick up the phone; don’t just rely on e-mails.” And even the phone may not be good enough. “Sometimes, if it is really important, you just have to fly to where they are and meet them face-to-face to get the message across.” http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/managing-emotions-in-the-workplacedo-positive-and-negative-attitudes-drive-

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014 APPOINTMENT 39

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Grappling with graduates’ unemployment in Nigeria From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin.

HEN Dewale Martins W was rounding off his one year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Orgwu Camp in Enugu, little did he realise the reality of trauma he would later face in life.

It was not a problem of ill health or that of sudden death. It was indeed that of an able bodied man, energetic and of pleasant character who would begin to roam the street without any

job in the offing.

Martins, despite being a graduate of what could be regarded as a lucrative course, was contemplating travelling abroad in search of greener pastures. He was not alone, in his ordeal as many other Nigerian youths till date suffer what is known as joblessness .

Already, the unemployment ratio is causing some ripples among some Nigerian leaders.

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo explained that youth jobless-

ness if left unaddressed was comparable to a keg of gunpowder .

Former Governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki believed that without adequate job opportunities for the nation’s youths, Nigerian democracy would remain at low ebb.

In the midst of this, the incumbent Governor of Kwara, Alhaji Abdulfaah Ahmed has taken the bull by the horn promising the creation of 8,000 job opportunities before the end of the year

CAC to hold maiden corporate citizens award From Itunu Ajayi, Abuja N its bid to create a conIbusiness ducive environment for growth, create greater efficiency, openness and transparency in business, the Board of the Corporate Affairs Commission has instituted an Annual Corporate Citizens Award (CACACCA) with the objective to promote the culture of good corporate governance in the Nigerian environment.

The chairman of the Board, Funso Lawal told journalist in Abuja that the award would recognise corporate citizens who have conducted their affairs to date in compliance with statutory requirements and best practices of corporate governance.

Lawal explained that the scope of the award covered all sectors of the economy; this he said would ensure that no sector of the economy was shut out from the award. He said that for eligibility, nominees must have complied with the requirements of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990 (Cap C20, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004) and other respective industry regulations to date.

In addition, Lawal said the nominees must also have performed creditably well in corporate social responsibility and productively impacted on the industry within which they operate.

Other criteria to be considered by the panel of judges for the award also include quality of financial management, management of stakeholders’ relations, workplace environment, industrial leadership, innovation and environmental performance.

He added the need to create a conducive environment for business growth has necessitated more commitments on the part of regulators to ensure that service levels continue to improve for the overall interest of business objectives. The commitment he said would contribute in facilitating the domestic economy and its integration into the global market.

The chairman said that though the award was exclusively the purview of Board, no money belonging to the commission would be expended on the award, adding that all financial responsibilities are solely in the hands of donors and sponsors while the commis-

sion collaborate with other regulatory and professional bodies.

His words: “Let me emphasize that in processing nomination for award, the commission will seek opportunities for collaboration with industry regulators including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Deposit Insurance

Corporation (NDIC), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)”.

under a programme christened ‘QuickWin’.

In a chat with The Guardian, the Special Assistant on Media to the governor, Dr. Muideen Akorede, decried the “the persistent increase in the rate of Nigerian labour force, without commensurate increase in job creation.”

He added: “The resulting effect is the prevailing social, political and economic insecurity in Nigeria, which if left unaddressed will hamper the level of growth and development in the country. The place of the youth in economic growth and national development is highly significant and inevitable, putting into consideration their strength, level of mobility, versatility and enthusiasm.”

But a member of the mobilisation committee of the opposition party in the state, Alhaji Saka Abdulkareem from Moro Local Government Area (LGA) of Kwara though described the government vision as laud-

able, he doubted the “sincere will” by the government to objectively implement it without political bias.

According to Abdulkareem, there is no person in Nigeria today who will not appreciate the desire by any government to create job opportunities for its teeming youths, adding: “But I hope what the Kwara State government wants to do is not to play politics with it. I hope it will not insist on the fact that the beneficiaries should produce All Progressive Congress (APC) registration card before they are enlisted as beneficiaries.”

Akorede who described Abdulkareem’s fears as uninformed and archaic said the vision of the government on the proposed job creation transcended party politics.

He noted while speaking on the vision of the QuickWin initiative, “it is expected to initiate projects, approaches and models that will support the vision of his excellency in creating 7, 000 to 10, 000 jobs within a short while.”

Commenting on the channel of form distribution for would be beneficiaries of the programme, the Chief Press Secretary to Ahmed, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba said that no Local Government Area (LGA) or group of persons would have an exclusive right over it.

Oba explained, “forms are not to be centrally distributed. This is because of the state government’s desire to ensure spread to the grassroot. To this end, the Youth Empowerment An overloaded train bound for Iddo terminus from Agege, Lagos... yesterday PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN Coordinators (YECs) of the 16 LGA to the state have been saddled with the responsibility of forms distribution.”

The governor while speaking elaborately on the rationale for QuickWin noted, “the rationale behind the intervention is to create a safety net programme for our teeming youths.

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40 APPOINTMENTS Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Stakeholders seek adoption of Lagos health sector partnership model

By Wole Oyebade effective coordination FiceOR of donor agencies and servdelivery in the country, stakeholders have called for the adoption of Lagos health sector partnership model in all states of the federation.

The stakeholders who commended the Strategic Health Development Plan, said it was an effective model designed to coordinate donor agencies – to work in sync with relevant public sector and other development partners – towards delivery of services to the people.

The model was designed by the Partnership for Transforming Health Systems II (PATHS2), in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health (SMoH).

Speaking at an event in honour of Dr. Femi Olugbile, outgoing permanent secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Regional Coordinator for United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), Shina Fagbenro commended the state government and PATHS2 for taking the lead in effective collaboration and coordination model in the health sector.

Fagbenro explained that development partners were often drawn to health sector interventions in focal states, and in the process create confusion, duplication of efforts and wastages among others.

He observed that an exception to this trend is Lagos State, where DFID had found

the good fortune of genuine health sector coordination model, harnessing development efforts of various agencies for the good of the people.

According to him: “The mo del stands out in the country and it is currently adopted in other sectors of the state. This is especially so for the efforts of astute professionals like Dr. Femi Olugbile that bought into the initiative,” he said.

Apparently in agreement with Fagbenro, National President of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), Dr. Anthony Omolola added that the partnership model had also extended hand of friendship to the private sector, as an important partner in the health sector.

In his words: “Today, we are proud of the collaboration in Lagos between the private and public sector. Ours is a collaboration that has been copied in at least six states, most especially the accreditation process to reduce quackery in the health system. It will be to the credit of our health system if all states can adopt this model,” he said.

Omolola added that recognition of the outgoing permanent secretary in Lagos Ministry of Health was timely, adding that Olugbile is “a professional that has shown passion for his office, the state and the country at large.”

Explaining the importance

of ownership in the donor funded projects, National Programme Manager PATHS2, Michael Egboh said that the success of a donor programme was measured by its ability to continue even after the exit of the donor agency “which is why the ownership is the primary target of the strategic partnership model running in Lagos today.”

He said: “Whatever is not owned cannot be sustained.

There are projects upon projects out there with all manner of acronyms. But the question is how do we own it? And it starts with how we (development partners) engage with the state to the point that they feel comfortable that it is their project.”

Egboh stressed that every programme that comes into the state, must fit into the strategic health development plan, otherwise it becomes a distraction.

He thanked Olugbile for the support he has given to the partnership plan and legacies he would be leaving behind in the state health ministry.

Olugbile, who was elated by the warm reception, added that ownership could not be emphasised in effective development initiatives.

He commended PATHS2 for working for the good of the people, through relevant projects and working to the script of owners of the system, that is, the people.

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How to promote sustainable development in West Africa From Karls Tsokar and John Okeke, Abuja OR countries in West Africa Fdevelopment, to achieve sustainable there must be strategic and deliberate strive towards adopting an indigenous economic policy that would engender self-sufficiency .

This opinion was championed by the Head of Political Science, Nigeria Turkish Nile University Chigozie Enwere on Thursday in Abuja in one day debate organised by Ufuk Dialogue Foundation in collaboration with Nigerian Turkish Nile University, Turkish Review magazine and Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution panel, themed, ‘Experiences of West Africa & Turkey in Peace & Sustainable Development . ’

He said: “The total control of West African economy by the Western countries has rendered us incompetent and unless we embrace the principle of self sufficiency there would be nothing like sustainable development in West .

Africa “We can see a country like Nigeria talking about foreign direct investment and still borrowing, all these retard our economic advancement,” he . said West Africa countries, according to Enwere, need to manage their economies because of the peculiarities inherent in the different countries that make region. sub the up He also stressed that West African countries would remain underdeveloped if it continue to embrace liberal-

ism and commercialism at the expense of production.

While noting that the mentality of seeking Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from the development countries has rendered the West Africa countries Incompetence to harness and manage their r e s o u r c e s .

Enwere said West African countries have resorted to borrowing from other developed countries, which has retarded their progress.

Also speaking at the occasion Prof. Nuhu Yakub, the vice chancellor of Sokoto State University, who was also a discus any at the highly academ-

ic experience sharing meet explained that sustainable development thrive when there is relatively peace.

According to him, for sustainable development to thrive in Nigeria or other West African Countries, there must be peace, fairness, employment and justice. He maintained

that there is no country that can boast of a sustainable development without peace and justice.

Yakub went further to state that peace will exist when there is justice and good governance, the absence of which would render all efforts towards sustained development useless.

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42 APPOINtMeNtS tuesday, February 25, 2014

Organisation gets new directors He Society for Corporate t Governance, Nigeria has appointed tijjani Borodu, Clare Omatseye and Ibrahim Dikko as new members of its board of directors.

In a statement announcing the new appointment, Borodo was described as a lawyer with over 30 years’ experience in both public and private sector. He holds an LLB from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, a BL from the Nigerian Law School and an LLM from University of essex, United Kingdom. the solicitor honed his expertise by participating in various professional courses both locally and overseas, including Company Direction Seminar by Lagos Business School, Making Corporate Boards More effective and Leadership Best Practice both at Harvard Business School, Boston, U.S.A. and Leading and Managing People programme at the Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Others are Corporate Governance: effectiveness and Accountability in the Boardroom at Kellogg School of Management of the Northwestern University, U.S.A, Management Assessment of Proficiency Programme by Philips Consulting and Law Relating to Banking Operations by Boyle-Street Consulting.

Borodo is a member, International Bar Association (IBA), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), honorary senior member, Chartered Institute of Bankers (HCIB) and fellow, Institute of Directors, Nigeria (FIoD). He

held Directorship positions on the Boards of First Dependants Nigeria Limited, First Nominees Nigeria Limited and First Registrars Nigeria Limited and is currently a director on the Board of In-sourcing Nigeria Limited.

However, Omatseye is the managing director of JNC International Limited. She is also the Country Consultant to ‘HuntleighHealthcare Nigeria Limited (a subsidiary of the ‘Arjo-Huntleigh’ a medical equipment manufacturing firm under the Swedish based Getinge Group).

She has a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and holds an MBA from the IeSe Business School,

Barcelona.

Her career started as a medical representative with May & Baker Nig. Plc. where she grew through the ranks in Sales & Marketing to Business manager, Aventis Pasteur and finally National Business Development Manager for the company.

Clare subsequently became an executive Director in Aventis Pasteur Nigeria L i m i t e d , (now Sanofi Aventis), a subsidiary of the world’s largest vaccines company.

Also, Dikko graduated with a Masters degree in corporate and commercial law from Queen Mary & Westfield College, London and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1990.

M-Net appoints new Regional Director

By Gbenga Salau -Net, Africa’s leading television content provider, has named Mrs. Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu as its first Regional Director, West Africa.

Commenting on the appointment, in a release, the CeO of M-Net SubSaharan Africa, Mrs. Patricia van Rooyen said, “Such has been the increase in our panAfrican viewership that we recently decided to split our African operations into West and east Africa.”

With the appointment, she argued that it would enable her organisation to increase its presence in the different regions, and deliver content and services that are tailored to exactly what the audiences

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want.

Van Rooyen said Mrs. MbaUzoukwu was one of West Africa’s most talented broadcast executives, having joined M-Net as Regional Manager in October 2012. With a degree in Political Science and a postgraduate diploma in Direct Marketing, she joined M-Net from Airtel Nigeria Limited where she was Head of Brand and Marketing Communications.

“Wangi will head up an extremely strong content team that will capitalise on the excellent reputation and popularity that M-Net has amongst hundreds of thousands of West Africans viewers,” Van Rooyen said. Mrs. Mba-Uzoukwu takes effect from March 1, 2014.

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MTNF empowers youths in Ondo From Niyi Bello, Akure

s part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), mobile telecommunication giant, MTN, has launched its Youth Skills Development Project (YSDP) in Ondo State.

The project, driven by its CSR arm – MTN Foundation (MTNF) – refurbished Technical Workshops and donated equipment to the Government Technical College, Owo, Ondo State.

The Ondo State-owned Owo Technical College, is one of the four of such institutions of entrepreneurial and technological training selected by the MTNF across the country in a move that sought to assist governments in building the capacity of the youths towards taking Nigeria to the next level of development.

Other beneficiaries of the initiative, according to the Executive Secretary of the MTNF, Nonny Ugboma, during the unveiling of the workshops at Owo during the weekend, are Government Technical Colleges in Ikorodu in

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Lagos State, Malali in Kaduna State and Farfaru in Sokoto State.

Ugboma in an address read to a gathering of important dignitaries including the State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko who commissioned the projects and traditional rulers from the community led by the Olowo of Owo, Oba Folagbade OlateruOlagbegi, said “the YSDP was conceived from MTN’s recognition of the importance of empowering Nigerian youth.

“Equally important is that it aligns with the Federal Government’s efforts to raise the level of entrepreneurial skill acquisition as this will boost technological advancement, which MTN (being an ICT company) also recognises as a major driver for socio-economic development.

“While the MTN Foundation already carries out several projects under the Economic Empowerment portfolio, the MTNF Board approved the MTNF Youth Skills Development Project

(MTNF-YSDP) in July 2010 as a sign of our interest in; and our commitment to youth development in Nigeria.

“Indeed, we recognise that the youth make up a large part of the Nigerian population and by extension, a significant segment of MTN’s customers. More importantly, we also realize that an investment in the youth is an investment in Nigeria’s future.

“So the MTNF Youth Skills Development Project is designed to foster the spirit of self-reliance amongst Nigerian youth, by building the capacity of students in vocational colleges to make them competent technicians for the labour market.”

Stressing that the YSDP “is only one of many initiatives that demonstrate our commitment to the empowerment of Nigerian youth”, she said the project is in phases and that “under the first phase which is being implemented by Deux Project Limited, four government technical/vocational colleges

across the country will benefit from an upgrade of their school facilities, as well as the provision of cutting-edge equipment for up-to-date training and development of craftsmen, technicians and artisans.

“Other youth-focused projects which fall under the education/economic empowerment portfolios include: The MTNF Scholarship Schemes in Science and Technology, the MTNF Schools Connect project; The MTNF Universities Connect project and the MTNF-MUSON Scholars programme.”

Mimiko who x-rayed the commitments of his administration to youth empowerment in the last five years, commended MTNF for the initiative, which he said, was capable of equipping the Nigerian youth to be selfreliant rather than looking for non-existing jobs.

The governor enjoined the benefiting students and the management of the school to make the best use of the facilities so that the aim of the Foundation ‘in expending this huge millions of naira would not be defeated.”

New military pensions board chairman takes over From Karls Tsokar, Abuja

S the newly appointed Chairman of the Military Pensions Board assumes office and takes over the rein of affairs, the institution has again reiterated the commitment to ensure prompt payment of pension to retired personnel, even as they are presently not owed.

The new chairman Air Commodore Mohammed Dabo, who until his appointment last week was the Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Headquarters, Abuja, resumed on Friday with a promise to be committed to the welfare of pensioners.

In a statement signed by the Public relations Officer of the Board, Squadron Leader M.G. Tsekaa, he took over from

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Commodore Dalacson Audu who is now the Director of Finance at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Abuja.

In a chat with The Guardian, Tsekaa said that the board had in the last one year cleared all arrears, annuities and such entitlements of the all pensioners as required and have continued to ensure prompt payment at the end of the month when due.

He said, “the board has being sanitised and restructured to meet the demands and challenges of the system, as what we have now is that, as Service personnel are collecting their salaries, the retirees are also collecting as well, they are not delayed anymore. Sometimes they are paid before the Service personnel.

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Labour Oil workers caution against implementation of new payroll system

By Yetunde Ebosele EMBERS of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) at the weekend urged the federal government to halt the proposed implementation of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) in the oil and gas sector.

According to them, the system does not conform with the peculiar nature of the industry.

Speaking against the backdrop of a deadline handed down by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to some agencies in the oil and gas industry, the workers explained that if the government insisted on imposing the IPPIS and its “several impediments and hardship on the personnel records and payroll system in the oil and gas industry”, they will not hesitate to reciprocate with an unfathomable industrial crisis.

The workers threatened that any deadline that was given by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to force the implementation or to cut the funding of the agencies will be vehemently resisted.

A statement issued by the President of PENGASAN,

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Babatunde Ogun and his National Public Relations Officer, Seyi Gambo, explained that the government agencies in the oil and gas were currently operating a very efficient, transparent and International Financial Reporting System (IFRS) system, adding that there is no need to introduce a new system that will “drag the industry payroll system back.”

Ogun noted that the current system operating in agencies in the industry adequately supported easy extraction of data for national budget processes and it equally makes auditing of personnel records to be undoubtedly accomplished.

“PENGASSAN have written to the Ministers of Petroleum Resources, and Labour and Productivity, as well as the Accountant General of the Federation on our reservations about the planned implementation of the IPPIS policy in our industry.

“We are against our industry being used a guinea pig to try all forms of policies that is not working in other industry,” said Ogun.

On his part, Gambo explained that the new personnel payroll system did not factored in the on-going

reforms in the industry, especially the Petroleum

Industry Bill (PIB), adding, “the IPPIS does not include

allowances that are predetermined because of their

technical nature.”

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014 | 77

Focus

Jonathan

Aganga

Odumodu

Hopes high as Nigeria launches IPAS ITUNU AJAYI writes on the recent adoption of the Industrial Property Automation System (IPAS) in the country and the prospects it offers Automation System (IPAS), coupled with the role of technology as an important tool for office modernization, Nigeria’s recent adoption of the initiative is creating some excitement.

In realization of the need to gain and sustain the confidence of foreign investors and also to protect local manufacturers, the federal government, through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, recently launched its own version. The Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga says it would be the biggest in Africa.

The system is intended to fast track the immediate registration of intellectual property rights, eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks in the process. It adopts computerization, promotes efficiency and boosts the registry’s capacity to service the needs of Nigerians who are desirous of filing their trademarks and foreign businessmen who aspire to invest in the country and would want their investments protected.

Foreign investors interested in doing business with Nigeria had raised questions on the safety of their intellectual property rights.

Some of them, who had built their companies’ names over time, had been faced with having other firms adopt such names without recourse to them as originators.

Entrepreneurs, who had also designed their products in Nigeria had been shortchanged by counterfeiters, who produce the same design in other countries especially in Asia, and bring them into Nigeria in large quantities, sell at a cheaper rate, while the originators are left with nothing.

They cannot seek any form of redress because there was no law to protect their design in the first place.

At the launch of the system in Abuja recently, Aganga said the importation of counterfeited goods from some Asia countries into the country, which are then labeled as made in Nigeria was worrisome. He said most of the goods were originally designed in Nigeria, only to be taken outside the country for mass production. He regretted that what this action does is to put the originator of such products out of business since the imported ones would be cheaper and of low standard.

For instance, the textile industry, which produces fabrics in Nigeria, has been battered by the activities of counterfeiters, who steal the designs, take off to countries like China, produce a counterfeit, bring them back into the country and sell same to the unsuspecting

public. This had not only left the original designers impoverished, but the textile industry had also not been able to live up to expectations. But if the originator (company) has its intellectual property protected, he has the right to go to court.

Aganga reiterated that the new initiative was a critical move by the federal government to protect investments, generate revenue and increase employment as industries are resuscitated.

He said although, the Ministry’s registry had been in existence for more than a centenary, with the first file created in 1901, this was the first time in the history of Nigeria that the country would have an intellectual property automated system and with the over one million files in the registry.

The Ministry is already negotiating with the handler of the project, WIPCO Geneva, to search for donors from interested countries to digitize all the existing files His words: “Everything is now going to be computerized. When the applicant comes in, he only needs to submit the application through the window and it would be processed. What that means is that, the process would become far more efficient, there will be more transparency and accountability and sustainability is guaranteed. The old records in files need to be preserved, so we need to automate all of them. There are more than a million files there and we need to put them in a data format so that they would be protected.

“What made this important is that, we have had this department for more than 100 years and have been operating on a manual basis, despite the fact that we receive more than 100 applications every week.

Interestingly, the launch of the system would mean a window of opportunities for other African countries to do business with Nigeria in a more transparent and accountable manner.

The whole project would also translate to more revenue to the government, while bureaucracy and bottlenecks associated with operations in

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government offices would be eliminated.

There is also the need for Nigerians to know the importance of the trademark protection. A person’s brilliant idea is his or her biggest asset, and when the idea is protected, it could be taken anywhere around the globe as an investor.

Aganga said the country’s IPAS would be the largest in the whole of Africa. He said population was one of the competitive advantages why investors are coming to Nigeria and that the market, being a function of population, also gives the country an edge.

The IPAS is also linked to consumer protection because when the issues relating to substandard goods are being discussed, safety of lives comes to the front burner.

Presently SON has no presence at the country’s borders where all manner of fake and substandard goods infiltrate Nigeria’s markets.

The government’s decision to withdraw SON from the borders has been described by stakeholders as worrisome.

Commenting on the development at an event in Abuja recently, SON’s Director General, Dr J.I. Odumodu said: “I am the head of an agency of government and my duty also includes respecting the directive of my superiors. When we (SON) were asked to withdraw, we withdrew and I am sure government must have a good reason for that decision which borders on trade facilitation. But we are on top of the situation. And it’s not just about the market, what we have done is that, through a robust electronic registration, every product in Nigeria must be registered and once that is done, we then have a very effective database that we can use for surveillance and all that, and that is what we are doing.”

Odumodu said the agency had taken steps beyond seizure of items in the markets. He explained that the agency now takes more care to know the country of origin of goods, the identity of the importer, how often the goods are brought in and in which of Nigeria markets

Investors wishing to do business with Nigeria had raised questions on the safety of their intellectual property rights. Some of them, who had built their companies’ names over time, had been faced with having other companies adopt such names without recourse to them as originators. Entrepreneurs who had also designed their products in Nigeria had been shortchanged by counterfeiters, who produce the same design in other countries especially Asia, and bring them into Nigeria in large quantities, while the originators are left with nothing.

“

ITH over 60 countries across the world W currently running their industrial sectors through the Industrial Property

such goods were more prevalent. This information, he said, had enabled the agency carry out more surveillance on the particular markets such goods have been found to be most common, instead of running round all the markets in the country looking for them.

In 2013, alone, the Director General put the worth of destroyed substandard goods at over N3billion. He however said this achievement was not something to be celebrated because according to him, the money belongs to the country. He said: “Importers don’t use fake money to bring in fake products and when we pick those goods and destroy them, we are strengthening our own economy. Those monies are like fake dollars that were burnt. And that is why we are trying to lay more emphasis on preventive mechanism.”

The prescription of SON may not be sufficient where importers of fake and substandard goods are always thinking ahead of how to sell their goods. One of their strategies is concentrating on villages where people are vulnerable and where SON’s searchlight is not bright enough to penetrate.

In the light of this, Aganga maintained that the only easy way out is for Nigerians to be educated on the importance of registering and protecting their intellectual property. This, he said, would automatically put a stop to the activities of counterfeiters, result in industrialization of the country, and create more wealth and employment for the teaming population.

The minister allayed the fear usually expressed when ICT comes to play, saying that the overall and long term benefit of the system should be upper most in the people’s minds.

He said: “When people complain about job losses in relation to ICT, it has to be properly examined. When you protect your investment, this brings more investments into the country and this translates more jobs. You generate more revenue, get bigger and employ more people. So, as it is leading to loss of jobs in a small area, it is leading to the creation of lots of jobs in a larger area, so you have to look at the balance. Most of the people in the registry would be trained also for the new jobs, but the net benefit to the economy is increased jobs, wealth creation for Nigerians”.

He however said the most important thing is for Nigeria’s goods to be produced internally with good standard to enable the country attain the status of an industrialized nation.

In consonance with this, Charles Ikechukwu Okoro, SON’s Director of Standards said at a forum in Abuja recently that it was imperative for Nigeria to standardize and maintain same in order to ensure goods and services consistently perform in the way they are intended.

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

MarketReport EQUITY MARKET SUMMARY

AS AT 24-02-2014

PRIMERA AFRICA www.primera-africa.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

MARKET INDICATORS

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 CAPITAL MARKET 79

AS AT 24-02-2014

PRIMERA AFRICA

Stakeholders optimistic on capital market rebound in Q2 • Effect of Sanusi’s removal minimal Stories by Helen Oji MID the sell-off witnessed A in the Nigerian capital markets last week, following the suspension of the Central Bank governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, some smart investors may be seeing an opportunity to increase their portfolio and profit as equity prices retreated to levels that represent a compelling buying opportunity.

Besides, stakeholders in the Nigerian Capital market have submitted that the effect of the removal on stock market is for a short period of time and minimal, urging investors to leverage the opportunity and increase their stake in the stock market.

At the close of trading yesterday, major bluechip stocks appreciated in price, causing market capitalization to increase to N132billion, from N12.301 trillion recorded on Friday to N12,433 trillion while the All-share index rose by 411.4 points to 38,707 from 38,295.74 points on Friday.

Also 28 stocks appreciated in price, as Dangote Cement emerged the highest price gainers, appreciating by N2.40 kobo to close at N237.40 kobo, Nigerian Breweries followed with a gain of N0.93 kobo to close at N5.93 kobo.

On the contrary, 18 stocks constituted the losers chat, led by Guinness Nigeria Plc dropping by N6.29 kobo to close at N162.61 kobo, Cadbury Nigeria Plc trailed with a loss of N4.53 kobo to close at N86.2 The President, Renaissance Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Ambassador Timothy Olufemi noted that considering the budget delay and suddenly the removal of the CBN, governor, it is expected that it would have

an effect on the financial market.

He however submitted that the effect would be for a short period of time, while expressing optimism that the equities market would bounce back in Q2.

He also urged investors to leverage on the opportunity and increase their portfolio for a bumper harvest in future.

Olufemi remained optimistic about Nigeria’s macro economic stability and the subsequent stability of equity prices once stakeholders get over the shock of the development.

“To us, the effect is for a short time, market would bounce back in Q2. A smart investor should buy now because liquidity would return soon.”

Similarly, the National Secretary, Independence Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Adebayo Adeleke also expressed that the effect of the Sanusi’s removal on the equities would not last for a long time, adding that the market would pick up soon with good results from quoted companies and better returns on investment.

“The effect is a seasonal issue.

It will not last for a long time.

The market will pick up against expected results and returns.”

The National Cordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Boniface Okezie explained that the fundamentals of the quoted companies remain strong.

According to him, the reason for the bearish trend witnessed in the market in the past few weeks was due to the forth-coming election, adding that since the nationalization of the three banks, retail investors are yet to show full participation in the market.

NSE introduces X-Alert notification system • APR proposes 35kobo dividend HE Nigerian Stock T Exchange (NSE) has announced that it has intro-

What Happened?

The NSE All-Share index gained by 2bps (0.02%) and closed at 38,972.56. This represents a year-to-date performance of - 5.70%.. Market Capitalisation also appreciated 0.02% to close at N12.530 trillion. Total value traded decreased 22.20% to N4.22 billion and total volume traded decreased 15.04% to 475.60 million units.

Where?

At the close of trading, the banking sector represented 67.18% of the total market value traded, while the breweries sector represented 5.51% The Top 5 stocks as a % of total market value traded were: ZENITHBANK (21.02%), GUARANTY (12.96%), FBNH (11.39%), ACCESS (6.82%) and NB (5.52%).

On a volume basis, the Top 5 most traded stocks for the day were: SKYEBANK (58.05m), ZENITHBANK (42.98m), FCMB (39.18m), AFRIPRUD (37.68m) and FBNH (37.05m)

duced a new trade service system which will allow the investing public know when a transaction has been made on their account.

The new system, according to NSE will be run in-house on behalf of The Exchange by the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) with reduced cost implications to both buyers and sellers in the Nigerian Capital Market.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, “In addition to paying a lot less for transactions, customers will have updated positions of their accounts at any point in time as this new system offers convenient and easy monitoring of all accounts.

“There are also the added benefits of effective fraud alert in cases of unauthorized transactions on account, reduction in time spent confirming trades and an enhancement of transparency between the trader and its clients” he added.

Onyema explained further that the X-Alert is a new and improved notification system which will provide investors

with details of transactions on an investment account via a Text Message on the recipient’s mobile phone or via an e-mail to the recipient’s box.

This, according to him was designed as part of its commitment its commitment towards employing 21st Century Technology Strategies.

The NSE recently rolled out its new generation Trading Platform, X-Gen, that is supporting the FIX protocol and driving the Nigerian Capital Market to the next level. XGen is expected to open up an unprecedented level of innovative trading capabilities for the market, providing low latency trading, straightthrough processing from broker order management systems to The Exchange and direct market access for the buy-side and mobile access through smartphones to the retail investors, leveraging on the 120million mobile phone penetration already in the country.

Meanwhile Africa Prudential Registrars Plc (APR) has proposed a dividend of 35 kobo per share, to its shareholders for the 2013 financial year.

80

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 81

Law

Quote of the week “Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so.

Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something.”

Henry David Thoreau

Loose ends in CBN’s Act and Sanusi’s suspension Although last Thursday’s suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan over alleged financial recklessness had come and gone, BERTRAM NWANNEKANMA reports that the action may have revealed a major lacuna in the CBN Act. FOCUS CCORDING to the Central Bank of Nigeria A (CBN) Act, the President can only remove the CBN governor under some reasons as enlisted in Section 11 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.

The entire provision of Section 11 of the CBN Act goes thus: Cessation of CBN governor’s office 11. Disqualification and cessation of appointment.

(1) A person shall not remain a governor, deputy governor or director of the bank if he is(a) a member of any federal or state legislative house; or (b) a director, officer or employee of any bank licensed under the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act. (2) The governor, deputy governor or director shall cease to hold office in the bank if he(a) becomes of unsound mind or, owing to illhealth, is incapable of carrying out his duties; (b) is convicted of any criminal offence by a court of competent jurisdiction except for traffic offences or contempt proceedings arising in connection with the execution or intended execution of any power or duty conferred under this Act or the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act; (c) is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties under this Act; (d) is disqualified or suspended from practising his profession in Nigeria by order of a competent authority made in respect of him personally; (e) becomes bankrupt; (f) is removed by the President: Provided that the removal of the governor shall be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed.

(3) The governor or any deputy governor may resign his office by giving at least three months’ notice in writing to the President of his intention to do so and any director may similarly resign by giving at least one months’ notice in writing to the President of his intention to do so.

(4) If the governor, any deputy governor or director of the bank dies, resigns or otherwise vacates his office before the expiry of the term for which he has been appointed, there shall be appointed a fit and proper person to take his place on the board for the unexpired period of the term of appointment in the first instance if the vacancy is that of(a) the governor or a deputy governor, the appointment shall be made in the manner prescribed by Section 8 (1) and (2) of this Act; and (b) any director, the appointment shall be made in the manner prescribed by section 10 (1) and (2) of this Act. It is, therefore, clear that the CBN Act lists the instances the governor or any of his deputies can cease to remain in office.

However, none of such instances include suspension by the President.

The only mention of the word ‘suspension’ is in Section 11(1)(d) and that relates to the removal of the governor when he or she is disqualified or suspended from practising his or her profession in Nigeria. Of course, the illegal suspension of the governor is not from a professional body and is not at all contemplated by the law.

Thus, it should be pointed out that the only occasion the President can recommend the removal of the governor or exercise any disciplinary control over him is under Section 11(1)(f)

Ozekhome (SAN) and that recommendation must be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate before he can be removed. Now the law is indubitably clear that the express mention of one thing is the exclusion of the other.

In other words, if the law had intended that the President exercises the power of suspension over the Governor of the Central Bank, it would have expressly stated so, particularly as the same law provides for the removal of the governor based on his suspension from professional practice.

But in justifying the suspension, the Presidency came out with reasons for the suspension of the apex bank’s boss, which include the persistent refusal and negligence to comply with the Public Procurement Act in the procurement practices of the CBN and unlawful expenditure by the CBN on intervention projects across the country, deploying huge sums of money without appropriation and outside the CBN’s statutory mandate.

According to the Presidency, “It is expected that the expenditure of public funds must be based on clear legal mandate, prudent costing and overriding national interest.

“There are acts of financial recklessness committed by the CBN as reflected in its audited financial statement for 2012”.

But, the suspension had expectedly attracted variant reactions and interpretations from legal minds, who considered it as unconstitutional.

Lawyers, who spoke on the matter, were of the view that the President cannot suspend the CBN’s governor as the Act did not contemplate that situation.

According to a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, as far as the law goes, the purported suspension of the CBN governor is unwarranted.

Suspension is a normal process in any service, public or private. I personally do not consider the suspension of the CBN governor irregular or unlawful.

Aturu “Section 11 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 clearly lists the instances when the governor or any of his deputies can cease to remain in office.

“For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, none of such instances include suspension by the President. The only mention of the word ‘suspension’ is in Section 11(1)(d) and that relates to the removal of the governor when he or she is disqualified or suspended from practising his or her profession in Nigeria. Of course, the illegal suspension of the governor is not from a professional body and is not at all contemplated by the law.

It should be pointed out that the only occasion the President can recommend the removal of the governor or exercise any disciplinary con-

trol over him is under Section 11(1)(f) and that recommendation must be supported by twothirds majority of the Senate before he can be removed. Now the law is indubitably clear that the express mention of one thing is the exclusion of the other.

In other words, if the law had intended that the President exercises the power of suspension over the Governor of the Central Bank, it would have expressly stated so, particularly as the same law provides for the removal of the governor based on his suspension from professional practice Aturu’s view also received a tacit support from a Professor of law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (UNN), George Amadi.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 82

OCJ Okocha (SAN)

Prof. Amadi

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 81

Law

Quote of the week “Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so.

Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something.”

Henry David Thoreau

Loose ends in CBN’s Act and Sanusi’s suspension Although last Thursday’s suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan over alleged financial recklessness had come and gone, BERTRAM NWANNEKANMA reports that the action may have revealed a major lacuna in the CBN Act. FOCUS CCORDING to the Central Bank of Nigeria A (CBN) Act, the President can only remove the CBN governor under some reasons as enlisted in Section 11 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.

The entire provision of Section 11 of the CBN Act goes thus: Cessation of CBN governor’s office 11. Disqualification and cessation of appointment.

(1) A person shall not remain a governor, deputy governor or director of the bank if he is(a) a member of any federal or state legislative house; or (b) a director, officer or employee of any bank licensed under the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act. (2) The governor, deputy governor or director shall cease to hold office in the bank if he(a) becomes of unsound mind or, owing to illhealth, is incapable of carrying out his duties; (b) is convicted of any criminal offence by a court of competent jurisdiction except for traffic offences or contempt proceedings arising in connection with the execution or intended execution of any power or duty conferred under this Act or the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act; (c) is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties under this Act; (d) is disqualified or suspended from practising his profession in Nigeria by order of a competent authority made in respect of him personally; (e) becomes bankrupt; (f) is removed by the President: Provided that the removal of the governor shall be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed.

(3) The governor or any deputy governor may resign his office by giving at least three months’ notice in writing to the President of his intention to do so and any director may similarly resign by giving at least one months’ notice in writing to the President of his intention to do so.

(4) If the governor, any deputy governor or director of the bank dies, resigns or otherwise vacates his office before the expiry of the term for which he has been appointed, there shall be appointed a fit and proper person to take his place on the board for the unexpired period of the term of appointment in the first instance if the vacancy is that of(a) the governor or a deputy governor, the appointment shall be made in the manner prescribed by Section 8 (1) and (2) of this Act; and (b) any director, the appointment shall be made in the manner prescribed by section 10 (1) and (2) of this Act. It is, therefore, clear that the CBN Act lists the instances the governor or any of his deputies can cease to remain in office.

However, none of such instances include suspension by the President.

The only mention of the word ‘suspension’ is in Section 11(1)(d) and that relates to the removal of the governor when he or she is disqualified or suspended from practising his or her profession in Nigeria. Of course, the illegal suspension of the governor is not from a professional body and is not at all contemplated by the law.

Thus, it should be pointed out that the only occasion the President can recommend the removal of the governor or exercise any disciplinary control over him is under Section 11(1)(f)

Ozekhome (SAN) and that recommendation must be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate before he can be removed. Now the law is indubitably clear that the express mention of one thing is the exclusion of the other.

In other words, if the law had intended that the President exercises the power of suspension over the Governor of the Central Bank, it would have expressly stated so, particularly as the same law provides for the removal of the governor based on his suspension from professional practice.

But in justifying the suspension, the Presidency came out with reasons for the suspension of the apex bank’s boss, which include the persistent refusal and negligence to comply with the Public Procurement Act in the procurement practices of the CBN and unlawful expenditure by the CBN on intervention projects across the country, deploying huge sums of money without appropriation and outside the CBN’s statutory mandate.

According to the Presidency, “It is expected that the expenditure of public funds must be based on clear legal mandate, prudent costing and overriding national interest.

“There are acts of financial recklessness committed by the CBN as reflected in its audited financial statement for 2012”.

But, the suspension had expectedly attracted variant reactions and interpretations from legal minds, who considered it as unconstitutional.

Lawyers, who spoke on the matter, were of the view that the President cannot suspend the CBN’s governor as the Act did not contemplate that situation.

According to a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, as far as the law goes, the purported suspension of the CBN governor is unwarranted.

Suspension is a normal process in any service, public or private. I personally do not consider the suspension of the CBN governor irregular or unlawful.

Aturu “Section 11 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 clearly lists the instances when the governor or any of his deputies can cease to remain in office.

“For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, none of such instances include suspension by the President. The only mention of the word ‘suspension’ is in Section 11(1)(d) and that relates to the removal of the governor when he or she is disqualified or suspended from practising his or her profession in Nigeria. Of course, the illegal suspension of the governor is not from a professional body and is not at all contemplated by the law.

It should be pointed out that the only occasion the President can recommend the removal of the governor or exercise any disciplinary con-

trol over him is under Section 11(1)(f) and that recommendation must be supported by twothirds majority of the Senate before he can be removed. Now the law is indubitably clear that the express mention of one thing is the exclusion of the other.

In other words, if the law had intended that the President exercises the power of suspension over the Governor of the Central Bank, it would have expressly stated so, particularly as the same law provides for the removal of the governor based on his suspension from professional practice Aturu’s view also received a tacit support from a Professor of law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (UNN), George Amadi.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 82

OCJ Okocha (SAN)

Prof. Amadi

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 81

Law

Quote of the week “Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so.

Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something.”

Henry David Thoreau

Loose ends in CBN’s Act and Sanusi’s suspension Although last Thursday’s suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan over alleged financial recklessness had come and gone, BERTRAM NWANNEKANMA reports that the action may have revealed a major lacuna in the CBN Act. FOCUS CCORDING to the Central Bank of Nigeria A (CBN) Act, the President can only remove the CBN governor under some reasons as enlisted in Section 11 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.

The entire provision of Section 11 of the CBN Act goes thus: Cessation of CBN governor’s office 11. Disqualification and cessation of appointment.

(1) A person shall not remain a governor, deputy governor or director of the bank if he is(a) a member of any federal or state legislative house; or (b) a director, officer or employee of any bank licensed under the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act. (2) The governor, deputy governor or director shall cease to hold office in the bank if he(a) becomes of unsound mind or, owing to illhealth, is incapable of carrying out his duties; (b) is convicted of any criminal offence by a court of competent jurisdiction except for traffic offences or contempt proceedings arising in connection with the execution or intended execution of any power or duty conferred under this Act or the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act; (c) is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties under this Act; (d) is disqualified or suspended from practising his profession in Nigeria by order of a competent authority made in respect of him personally; (e) becomes bankrupt; (f) is removed by the President: Provided that the removal of the governor shall be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed.

(3) The governor or any deputy governor may resign his office by giving at least three months’ notice in writing to the President of his intention to do so and any director may similarly resign by giving at least one months’ notice in writing to the President of his intention to do so.

(4) If the governor, any deputy governor or director of the bank dies, resigns or otherwise vacates his office before the expiry of the term for which he has been appointed, there shall be appointed a fit and proper person to take his place on the board for the unexpired period of the term of appointment in the first instance if the vacancy is that of(a) the governor or a deputy governor, the appointment shall be made in the manner prescribed by Section 8 (1) and (2) of this Act; and (b) any director, the appointment shall be made in the manner prescribed by section 10 (1) and (2) of this Act. It is, therefore, clear that the CBN Act lists the instances the governor or any of his deputies can cease to remain in office.

However, none of such instances include suspension by the President.

The only mention of the word ‘suspension’ is in Section 11(1)(d) and that relates to the removal of the governor when he or she is disqualified or suspended from practising his or her profession in Nigeria. Of course, the illegal suspension of the governor is not from a professional body and is not at all contemplated by the law.

Thus, it should be pointed out that the only occasion the President can recommend the removal of the governor or exercise any disciplinary control over him is under Section 11(1)(f)

Ozekhome (SAN) and that recommendation must be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate before he can be removed. Now the law is indubitably clear that the express mention of one thing is the exclusion of the other.

In other words, if the law had intended that the President exercises the power of suspension over the Governor of the Central Bank, it would have expressly stated so, particularly as the same law provides for the removal of the governor based on his suspension from professional practice.

But in justifying the suspension, the Presidency came out with reasons for the suspension of the apex bank’s boss, which include the persistent refusal and negligence to comply with the Public Procurement Act in the procurement practices of the CBN and unlawful expenditure by the CBN on intervention projects across the country, deploying huge sums of money without appropriation and outside the CBN’s statutory mandate.

According to the Presidency, “It is expected that the expenditure of public funds must be based on clear legal mandate, prudent costing and overriding national interest.

“There are acts of financial recklessness committed by the CBN as reflected in its audited financial statement for 2012”.

But, the suspension had expectedly attracted variant reactions and interpretations from legal minds, who considered it as unconstitutional.

Lawyers, who spoke on the matter, were of the view that the President cannot suspend the CBN’s governor as the Act did not contemplate that situation.

According to a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, as far as the law goes, the purported suspension of the CBN governor is unwarranted.

Suspension is a normal process in any service, public or private. I personally do not consider the suspension of the CBN governor irregular or unlawful.

Aturu “Section 11 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 clearly lists the instances when the governor or any of his deputies can cease to remain in office.

“For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, none of such instances include suspension by the President. The only mention of the word ‘suspension’ is in Section 11(1)(d) and that relates to the removal of the governor when he or she is disqualified or suspended from practising his or her profession in Nigeria. Of course, the illegal suspension of the governor is not from a professional body and is not at all contemplated by the law.

It should be pointed out that the only occasion the President can recommend the removal of the governor or exercise any disciplinary con-

trol over him is under Section 11(1)(f) and that recommendation must be supported by twothirds majority of the Senate before he can be removed. Now the law is indubitably clear that the express mention of one thing is the exclusion of the other.

In other words, if the law had intended that the President exercises the power of suspension over the Governor of the Central Bank, it would have expressly stated so, particularly as the same law provides for the removal of the governor based on his suspension from professional practice Aturu’s view also received a tacit support from a Professor of law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, (UNN), George Amadi.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 82

OCJ Okocha (SAN)

Prof. Amadi

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

82 LAW Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Principles of valuation in arbitration: Lessons from First City Properties Ltd vs Huawei Technologies LEGAL OPINION

By Olushola Abiloye Introduction: ALUATION analysis is a frequent element of commercial disputes and arbitration.

Valuation professionals are often called to serve as expert witnesses in these cases. More frequent are cases of valuation for damage to property vis-àvis the cost of reinstatement.

In any case, whether the venue of such arbitration is an international arbitral institution or a court-connected arbitral centre, like the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse, the expert witness must consider: • The requirements concerning the role the expert is expected to play, the rules of evidence and procedure the expert must follow, and the standard of reliability and relevancy the work must satisfy; • The ethical and professional responsibilities to which the expert must adhere; • The need for effective communication in the form of written and oral testimony.

Synoptic review of the facts in First City Properties Ltd and Huawei Technologies The claimant, as beneficial owner of a property in Victoria Island, Lagos, entered into a tenancy agreement with the respondent for a term of three years. The total amount paid for the lease was N217,800,000.00. Paragraph 3(r) of the tenancy provided that “the respondent shall at the expiration of the tenancy re-instate the demised premises to the state in which it was originally let”. Upon the expiration of the term granted, a dispute arose on the interpretation of some clauses in the tenancy agreement. Parties submitted to arbitration being a clause of the tenancy.

It was the claimant’s contention (which the respondent vehemently denied) that the respondent violated the provisions of the tenancy agreement when it failed to re-instate the property to the state in which it was originally let to the respondent. The claimant claimed special damages in the sum of N38,611,300.00 being the cost

V

of repairs, renovation and reinstatement of the property. During hearing, the claimant relied on a Valuation Report (Exhibit CW1) to support its claim for special damages. Under cross-examination, the expert valuer stated as follows: “RC: You were asked to carry out value of alteration and cost of re-instatement?

CW1: Yes. RC: Where in your Bill of Quantity did you state the value of the alteration?

CW1: This document comprises the value of alteration; RC: Show us CW1: I can tell you what is there, it’s just typographical error” CW1: According to his witness, statement was commissioned to evaluate the alterations made by the respondent to the property and to provide the costs of reinstating the property to its original state.

However, nowhere in the report does CW1 directly correlate any alteration and or structural damages in the property to the creation of additional rooms by the respondent. If the expert was commissioned to provide costs of reinstating the property to its original state, how then would he have had the knowledge of the original structure of the premises?

There was no evidence before the tribunal to show that witness CW1 was informed of the original state of the premises.

The respondent urged the tribunal to discountenance the Bill of Quantities for the following reasons: (i) The fact that the report does not contain the scientific basis for its conclusion makes it valueless; (ii) CW1 having admitted error did not give the scientific basis for his conclusions either in his witness deposition or in his evidence in chief.

Expectedly, the arbitral tribunal agreed with the respondent’s submission and rejected the claimant’s valuation report. The tribunal stated at page 30-31 of the final award that: “I find that there is no break-

Legal multidour courthouse down of the items that were damaged, nor of those that needed repairs, nor of those that had to be replaced in each flat, in exhibit CW1…I do not agree with the claimant that the evidence that will sustain the claimant’s case, which exhibit CW1 purports to be, should contain just the quantity of materials to be replaced in the demised property and the cost of those replacements as set out and itemised in Exhibit CW1. I hold that the claimant has an obligation to do more…”

Duties of an expert in valuation Valuation is a specialised field, which has evolved in response to developments in law, taxation, finance, accounting, and economics.

Professional organisations have been established that promulgate standards for valuation and provide certification. There is a body of relevant case law. However, there is no single authority establishing appropriate valuation principles and methods.

Instead, several general observations can be made concerning practices that have gar-

nered favorable results by our courts and arbitral tribunal.

Akintan, JCA, (as he then was) commenting on the duty of an expert to give in his report the scientific criteria for their conclusions held in Ogiale V Shell Petroleum Development Co. Of Nig Ltd (1997) 1 NWLR [Pt 480] 148 at 165 paragraphs E-F as follows: “The duty of the expert is to furnish the judge or jury with the necessary scientific criteria for testing the accuracy of their conclusions so as to enable the judge or jury to form their own independent judgment by the application of these criteria to the facts proved in evidence. See Phipson on Evidence, 12th Edition, paragraph 1227 on page 497; Davie v Edinburg Magistrates (1953) SC 34 at 40 per Lord President Cooper; and Section 65 of Evidence Act 1990.”

Commenting on this subject, Phipson stated that it is the duty of an expert who produces an expert report to provide to the court or tribunal the scientific criteria for testing the accuracy of his conclusions so as to enable the judge form his own independent

judgment by the application of those criteria to the facts proved in evidence.

The appellate courts in Nigeria have stressed the need for trial court to be wary and cautious in relying on expert report especially when the said expert report is commissioned by the plaintiff. The reason being that there is the danger or possibility that independence of the report may have been compromised by the expert since the expert may be tempted to do the bidding of the person who commissioned and paid him. The issue here is not the “actual absence of independence” but the “real danger or possibility” of absence of independence.

In Kemp Properties (UK) V Dentsply Research And Development Corporation [1991] 2 EGLR 197 at 200, the Court of Appeal (England) held thus: “It is sad feature of litigation that expert witnesses, particularly in valuation cases, instead of giving evidence of their actual views as to the true position, enter into the arena and, as advocates, put forward the maximum or minimum figure as best suit-

ed their side’s interests. If experts do this, then they must not be surprised if their views carry little weight with the judge. In this case, such evidence rightly led the judge to reject the expert evidence of both sides” The seminal case, English case of National Justice Compania Naviera v. Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd (The Ikarian Reefer) (1993) 2 Lloyd’s Rep 68 clearly and perspicaciously summarised the guidelines for expert in valuation arbitration as follows: • Expert evidence presented to the tribunal should be, and should be seen to be, the independent product of the expert uninfluenced by the exigencies of litigation; • An expert witness should provide independent assistance to the tribunal by way of objective and unbiased opinion to matters within his expertise; • An expert witness should never assume the role of an advocate; • An expert witness should not omit to consider material facts that could detract from his concluded opinion; • An expert witness should make it clear when a particular question or issue falls outside his expertise; • If, after exchange of reports, an expert changes his view on a material matter, having read the other side’s expert report or for any other reason, such change of view should be communicated to the other side without delay, and when appropriate, to the tribunal.

Concluding thoughts Complex arbitration frequently requires reliance on valuation professionals to provide expert testimony.

Successful testimony mandates a thorough understanding of the requirements of the tribunal, a commitment to high ethical and professional standards, clear and concise communication and thorough, well-supported analysis.

• Abiloye is a legal practitioner with Olisa Agbakoba & Associates.

Loose ends in CBN’s Act and Sanusi’s suspension CONTINUED FROM PAGE 81 According to the law teacher, there is the need to consider the suspension of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as CBN governor whether it was done according to the rule of law.

“If it is within the law, then there should be no contention. Otherwise the suspension is a product of the rule of man, that is, strongmanism, and should be condemned as a lawless act.

“The apparent rule of the strongman at every level of governance in Nigeria is the bane of our society”, he added.

But the former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Onueze Chukwujinka Joe Okocha (SAN), who spoke under the Interpretation Act, which presupposes that he who hires can also suspend, held a different view.

The learned silk, who conceded that the CBN Act does not specifically provide for sus-

pension of the CBN governor, only removal, which the President can do, subject to the approval of the senate, however, described the suspension as a normal process in any service whether public or private.

He said: “Suspension is a normal process in any service, public or private. I personally do not consider the suspension of the CBN governor irregular or unlawful”, he added.

Also constitutional lawyer and human rights Activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) described the suspension as coming too late, arguing it should also have been one of outright sack or dismissal.

In an eight- page legal opinion, the legal luminary said Sanusi did not fare well in the area of calm conduct, sober carriage and the magisterial disposition expected of his office, accusing the banker of conducting himself “more like a proud, arrogant and boastful

politician, an unrepentant pseudo activist and a social critic even of his own Central Bank policies, aside the economy of Nigeria that he gleefully tears to shreds and tatters.

“Have you ever heard of the Director of the American Federal Reserve Bank, Janet L. Yellen, making inciting and provocative statements against her appointor, President Barack Obama, or against the Treasury Secretary, or the 31st Governor of the Bank of Japan, Haruhiko Kuroda, or the Governor of the Central Banks of England, Mr. Mark Carney, making statements against their governments?

“Have you heard of the Governors or Central Banks of Australia, Ghana, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Brazil, Switzerland, Canada, or South Africa open castigating their Government?” he asked.

Sanusi’ s soap box speeches

and theatrics, his rampant strident condemnation of a government he forms part of, and his overt contempt and

disdain for his appointor, the President, did not accord his office the dignity, sobriety and calmness it deserves,”

Ozhekome added.

Director, Business Law Academy Oba Fabunmi, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ogun State, Mrs. Abimbola Akeredolu during the two-day intensive course on Understanding Key Contractual Clauses in Public Private Partnership (PPP) Contracts in Lagos…

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Interview ‘Why Nigeria’s private sector must imbibe global principles of good governance, anti-corruption’

What is Global Compact Network?

IMPLY, I will say Global Compact Network is an organisation that works with businesses.

It is a private sector-led initiative that asks companies to include environmental, social and governance issues in their decision-makings and their daily operations; and that companies should not look at the short-term, but must look at the long-term in terms of their businesses.

Why focusing on private sector and not the public sector where public funds are allegedly being cornered by a few people?

We found out that there are many organisations focusing on the government side and leaving the private sector. That is why we felt that as a business-led organisation, we also need to get businesses involve in the fight, so that businesses can also use our platform to engage with government, using our platform to bring together the business sector, the government and the civil society organisations that are critical to the fight against corruption, even including the media. We believe that there has to be platform for the voice of the private sector to be heard in this fight.

What is business Call To Action is all about?

Call To Action is calling on governments that as they continue to formulate what should be in the post-2015 development agenda, it is required that anti-corruption must be part of such development agenda. We might be working to ensure that we fight climate change, work towards labour issues, we have human rights, we empower women; but if corruption is not dealt with, it will undermine all the other issues. And therefore, it is important for corruption to be part of the agenda. Also, what are we saying in Call To Action? Businesses are saying governments should implement United Nations Convention against corruption. If you are a part to the convention, if you have ratified it, then implement and enforce it. Most countries have laws against corruption; it is not that the laws are not there. Then, implement and enforce the laws. And also ensure that public procurement is made public. Also, make sure that businesses engage in competitive procurements, so that procurement can be made public. Finally also, government should support companies that are engaging in the fight against corruption.

How has the reception of this campaign been like in the private sector in Nigeria?

It is not like a campaign. It is a project that is funded by Siemens under the World Bank initiative. In term of reception, at the moment, we do have a number of companies and global working group on anti-corruption in the Global Compact Network. There are companies from Nigeria that are members of this anti-corruption working group that are working with other companies worldwide in designing operations and strategies in the fight against corruption. Of course, the fight against corruption is not easy all over the world, but we are getting headway and companies are signing up to be counted in this fight…

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Specifically in Nigeria now, how many companies have signed up to the global compact Network?

Well, I don’t want to give number; the number keeps changing everyday because the Global Compact Network is not about corruption alone, it is also about other issues. However, many companies have signed up in Nigeria and many are still signing up. Even as at today, I don’t know many that have signed up. But we still need more companies to sign up. Because if there are no critical number of companies, we would really not be able to achieve what we want to achieve.

Therefore, we want many more companies to sign up. It is a voluntary initiative and it is a global group.

But some are saying Nigeria laws against corruption are not enough to deter people from engaging in the act. What is your position?

I wouldn’t want to say that the laws are not enough or are enough. I believe actions need to be taken at all levels. Also, we cannot continue to point fingers at government all the time, when even as individuals and members of private sector, we are not fulfilling our parts. Although it is the primary duty of government to fight corruption and that is why we are saying government should join the private sector that are saying we are ready. But there has to be political will to fight corruption, not only by Nigerian government, but governments from all over the world where corruption is really high.

There are a number of firms that release reports on the recent trends in the fight against corruption nationally, even in the United States (U.S.).

From the reports, No. 1 trend now is to punish individuals who are engaging in bribery and corruption in their countries through their companies. It is not only the companies that would be responsible, but also individuals would also be responsible. Last year, many more individuals in the U.S. were convicted. No. 2 is that we have seen a number of company executives who went to the U.S. and they were arrested at the airports. I can send the report to you. They were arrested because there were some people with links to their businesses that have been reported to the authorities in the U.S. But the indictment is under seal and they just get to the JF Kennedy Airport and they were arrested. If people would know that this sort of things do exist, they would take the require actions. No. 3 is that there are shifts in laws in different countries; we have the United Kingdom Bribery Act, where the law is now very stringent, not only in terms of what the companies do, but also what its subsidiaries, agents, and venture partners do. If a company is quoted on the stock exchange in the UK and its subsidiary, joint venture or agent in Nigeria is involve in corruption, that company quoted on the stock exchange in the UK may be on the wrong side of the law because of the action of the company or a person that is associated with the quoted firm. And we have seen several cases already. Companies need to understand that this is happening. Also, let me give the example of Siemens that is funding this project. It was not the year that they got involve in corruption that the case came up, it was years later. What they thought they had done and gotten away with, did catch up with them later.

Also today, companies are sharing information on issues; there is nothing that is done in secret again. Things are being brought into the open.

On the issue of beneficiaries of companies, people are saying you need to name the names of the owners. So, what you thought are being kept secret, are now coming out. Not only that, we now have the issue of the whistleblowers where they have incentives for reporting. If a whistleblower reports and the report is found to be genuine, the individual or company involved in

“

Makinwa bribes will be exposed. This is why companies should know that it is no longer business as usual. Other governments and countries want to enforce their laws fully. Also. look at Brazil, the law was promulgated in August last year and by January, this year, the law is already in operation against Brazilian companies or companies in Brazil engaging in bribery. Therefore, it is no longer business as usual.

How do you monitor the companies that sign up to this programme to ensure that they are up and doing in accordance with the initiative?

It is not the issue of monitoring. We have what we call the communication of progress, where companies have to communicate to us on the 10 principles of Global Compact, how they are implementing the principles and how they are supporting the work of UN. If a company does not communicate to us by submitting this communication of progress after sometime, we may de-list the company; and we have de-listed a lot of companies in this regard. We also have a lot of other organizations that monitor govern-

We cannot continue to point fingers at government all the time, when even as individuals and members of private sector, we are not fulfilling our parts. Although it is the primary duty of government to fight corruption and that is why we are saying government should join the private sector that are saying we are ready. But there has to be political will to fight corruption, not only by Nigerian government, but governments from all over the world where corruption is really high.

“

The Head of Transparency and AntiCorruption Initiatives, United Nations’ (UN) Global Compact Network, Olajobi Makinwa, was recently in Nigeria, working with The Nigeria Economic Summit Group and other quoted firms in canvassing the need for the private sector to integrate good governance and accountability into their operations as well as in post-2015 development agenda.

In an interview with BOLA OLAJUWON, Makinwa explained the fundamentals of the project and why government, private businesses, civil societies as well as individuals should buy into it. According to her, the laws against bribery and corruption globally are becoming stringent and shifting. She added that it is no longer business as usual worldwide. Excerpts:

ment like Transparency international for example that conduct transparency index. At the other levels, we need all actors to be onboard to fight corruption.

How can Nigerians be part of this campaign?

By taking ownership of the project and calling on companies to sign up to this initiative, to conduct their businesses in a transparent manner and by all working together, not as pointing fingers at governments, private sector or at individuals, but working together to address this issues along with international organizations like World Bank, development banks as well as NGOs in arresting and fighting corruption holistically. But it just a matter of time.

My message also to Nigerians is that whether it is a multinational or small business that is making corruption as a business strategy, it does not pay and it is high time we conduct our businesses in a transparent manner, and they have to be accountable. As regards to businesses, you should not use the money of your shareholders in corruption and that companies should come together in the fight against corruption by working together; one company can not fight corruption alone. We need to work together, join our efforts, talk to each other and ensure we work with government and others to address this scourge. What is at stake is that poor man and woman on the street that feels the effect of corruption. If individuals and companies should know that their activities in terms of corruption is killing somebody and is affecting somebody, it is important we start doing this.

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Govt begins rapid groundnut production From Joke Falaju, Abuja O boost the production, processing and marketing of groundnut in the country, the Federal Government yesterday launched a groundnut value chain to add additional 120,000mt tonnes to the food chain.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, during the launch of the Groundnut Value Chain yesterday in Abuja revealed that the objective was to add additional 120,000mt tonnes to the food chain from which farmers can save N24 billion annually.

Adesina said, “The launch was aimed at restoring the famous groundnut pyramid, wherein in Nigeria being the largest producer of the crop earned 40 per cent of the global market share and in the 60s before the oil boom groundnut products including groundnut oil and cakes accounted for 70 per cent of total Nigerian export earnings before the oil boom.”

“When Nigeria found oil, it abandoned agriculture in general, and groundnut production suffered.

Nigeria’s exports of shelled groundnuts plummeted from 502,000mt in 1961 to 291,000mt in 1970 and to zero by 1980, and the groundnut pyramids disappeared.

“The value chain will collaborate to develop groundnut seed supply systems to ensure timely access and availability of seed to the farmers. It would develop more efficient market linkages to reduce transaction cost, including policies to boost groundnut production, processing and value addition,” he noted.

According to Adesina, the aim of the project was to reach 1.8 million farmers and the project would be implemented directly in 15 states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

Adesina pointed out that to achieve the set objectives, four new improved rosette resistant and market-preferred groundnut varieties have been released, adding that 180,000 farmers would be reached with dissemination of seed of improved varieties and production technologies to at least 180,000 farmers, while each of the farmers would be assisted to reach a minimum of 10 other farmers, with the goal of reaching at least 1.8 million farmers.

To guarantee the success of the groundnut value chain, he said the Federal Government was partnering with several agencies, including the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Institute of Agricultural Research, Zaria, the National Agricultural Extension Research Liaison Services, Bayero University, Kano, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), State Agricultural

T

Farmers to rake in N24b annually technologies to at least one million farmers and would also help produce additional 120,000mt of groundnut grains valued at $154 million to be supplied to small, medium and large scale processors.

Adesina, Agricculture Minister Development Projects of participating states; and the National Groundnut Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, among others.

The Director General of ICRISAT, Dr. William Dar disclosed the institute signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Government to rebuild the groundnut pyramids, boost farmers income through groundnut varieties, cropping systems, and processing technologies in Nigeria.

Dar noted that the MoU signed with the government would enhance dissemination of improved varieties and production

He pledged that the institute would always work with Nigerian scientists, producers, development workers, private sector and government department in addressing the various challenge facing agriculture and the rural sector with the aim of ensuring food security.

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PHOTONEWS

Kwara State Governor, Abdu-Fatah Ahmed (second right); Managing Director, TPT International, Charles Igbinidu (left); Head, Legal/PR, Andrew Enahoro; Managing Director/CEO, Promasidor Nigeria, Keith Richards and Director, Shonga Farms, Femi Oyewusi, at the governor’s office when the management of Promasidor Nigeria and Rosedale Farms paid a courtesy visit to him.

Managing Director, NEO Media and Marketing Limited, Ehi Braimoh (left); Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Lagos State, Director Quality Assurance, Mattew Olayanju; Executive Director, Commercial, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Onyekachi Onubogu and Director General, National Mathematics Centre, Professor Adewale Solarin, during the media briefing on 2014 Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition in Lagos.

Cephas Afebuameh (left); Funmi Afebuameh; Pastor Bunmi Odutola; Pastor Olufunke Sobowale and Adedapo Bukola, at the launch of gospel album by Funmi Afebuameh titled Titi Lailai lemi o yin o in Lagos.

Supervisor, Time Tell Nigeria Limited, Funmilayo Akinyemi (left), presenting a gift to the winner of the Val Promo Contest, Uche Emele of CVG Nigeria Limited at the Grant of London Wristwatch Shop in Ibadan.

Head of Corporate Services, Diamond Bank, Ayona Aquele-Trimnell (left); Chief Marketing Officer, MTN, Larry Annetts and Executive Director, Retail Banking, Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie, during the NUGA Games grand finale concert in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria Limited, Mohammed Fouani (left); Managing Director, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Deog Jun Kim and General Manager, Home Appliance Division, LG Electronics West Africa, Hyun Woo Jung, during the official launch of LG Chest Freezer in Lagos.

Star prize winner/Managing Director, STET Enterprises Nigeria Limited, Aba, Mrs. Goodluck Ogwuma (left); Executive Director, Corporate Services, UAC Nigeria Plc, Joe Dada; Managing Director, Livestock Feeds Plc, Dupe Asanmo and General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Livestock Feeds Plc, Austin Dalyop, during the presentation to the prize winner at the Livestock Feeds Golden Jubilee Anniversary promo in Lagos.

CEDEC International Group of School pupils performing the calisthenics on their forth biennial interhouse sports competition at the National stadium, Lagos.

PHOTO: TOLULOPE OKUNLOLA

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90 BUSINESS Tuesday, February 25, 2014

‘Nigeria loses 50 per cent of produced cashew yearly’ HE National Cashew T Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has assessed that Nigeria loses about 50 per cent of its cashew apple produced yearly due to lack of processing capacity.

The “cashew apple”, a pseudofruit (false fruit) is actually the swollen stalk of the true cashew fruit of Anacardium occidentale (cashew tree), which is fibrous but juicy.

NCAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Sotonye Anga, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the country produced an average of 1.8 million tonnes of cashew apple yearly.

Anga noted that over 900 metric tonnes of cashew apple were wasted, adding that the development had amounted to huge economic loss.

“A huge economic waste. So every year, you can imagine over 900 metric tonnes of cashew apple is wasted,” he said.

Anga said that cashew apple deteriorated within three days resulting in wastage of the fruits in farms and on the streets.

He called on the Federal Government to support cashew stakeholders in the area of processing infrastructure so as to aid exportation and curb post-harvest losses.

“When you harvest your cashew apple today, if you do not consume it today or tomorrow, by the next day it deteriorates and is wasted, which translates to huge economic loss.

“So, this can be curbed and curbing it simply means that you transform the cashew apple into cashew apple juice.

“It means as a matter of urgency, as a matter of fact, the government needs to support the cashew sector strongly.

“Support in terms of enabling the sector to migrate from just exporting raw cashew into building process-

ing capacity.

“That will enable it to process cashew nuts into cashew kernel that will be eaten locally,’’ Anga told NAN. “Also, it can be exported because the market for processed cashew kernel is global. We have a population of about 167 million people,

AMAC Energy, listed on C New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and owned by Nigerian, Dr. Kase Lawal, became listed yesterday on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in South Africa.

The listing was the first inward investment from the NYSE to the JSE, since companies operating in the continent would first list in Africa.

Speaking about the listing, Lawal said: “CAMAC which started 28 years ago, had always awaited a day like this, having African investors in this industry.”

He explained in an interview with The Guardian that earlier controversy in respect of the $270 million deal with South Africa’s Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has everything to do with the increasing ownership of Africans and African-Americans in the global oil and gas sector, more than any other thing.

He described the controversial claims about PIC’s investment in the US-based firm as merely a distraction from the positive changes affecting the African continent in the oil and gas business.

A South African newspaper recently criticised the South African investment in CAMAC on account of alleged close-

lion and N400 million.

Anga said because of this, stakeholders needed a window for long term financing and access to loan with single digit interest rate.

Also commenting, Adebayo Sodiq, Chairman, Oyo State Cashew Farmers Association, told NAN that government

could create employment for the youth through cashew processing.

Sodiq said that government should look seriously at processing cashew to beverage that would generate income for cashew farmers.

“Cashew fruit is a revenue

generator for any economy and Nigeria produces enough to empower farmers.

“Government should look into building processing plants for the processing of cashew into beverage.

“This will create employment and strengthen the economy,” he said.

Abuja to host regional summit on pension, sovereign wealth funds FRICA Investor (AI), a lead- tunities.

Platform exists to improve ture investment and we are only African Pension and A ing international investWith Basel 3 restricting the regulatory and commer- therefore delighted to host Sovereign Wealth Funds ment and communications banks’ capacity to invest in gathering will advance a critgroup, has announced that Nigeria will host African pension and sovereign wealth funds at the Africa investor CEO Infrastructure Investment Summit, taking place in Abuja on May 6-7.

The Sovereign Wealth and Pension Fund Leaders Dialogue on Investing in Africa’s Infrastructure will be the first of its kind to engage Africa’s pension and sovereign wealth funds on investing in the continent’s wealth of bankable infrastructure investment oppor-

infrastructure, the summit will focus on regulations that can protect retirees and sovereign investors, while providing catalytic capital for attractive African infrastructure investments in the energy, transport and social infrastructure sectors.

The summit also marks the first gathering following the launch Ai Pension and Sovereign Wealth Funds Investment Platform at the World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington in October 2013. The Ai

cial risk environment for pension and sovereign wealth funds to invest in African infrastructure and, facilitate through Ai Capital, co-investment partnerships between African pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, infrastructure project developers and infrastructure fund managers working in Africa.

Commenting on the dialogue, Hubert Danso, CEO and Vice Chairman of Africa Investor, said: “This is a crucial time for African economic integration and infrastruc-

this first-of-its-kind platform for pension and sovereign wealth funds in Africa on infrastructure investment.

This is the next important step in mobilising African capital for projects across the continent; as a pre-cursor and vote of confidence to catalyse global pension and sovereign wealth funds to invest in Africa’s burgeoning infrastructure investment opportunities.”

Taking place the day before the country hosts the World Economic Forum on Africa, also in Abuja, the invitation-

ical agenda, set by African Union Heads of State, to mobilise African capital and the private sector to fasttrack the continent’s infrastructure investment and economic integration.

Africa investor’s summit partners and sponsors include: African Business Roundtable, Africa investor Capital, the European Union (EU), the World Bank Group, the African Union (AU), NEPAD, Rand Merchant Bank, Bunengi Group and Quadrant.

Osun, Lotus Capital and Sukuk’s deal of honour

By Adekunle Owolabi S bumper harvest is for a A careful and hard-working farmer, so is award of excellence meant to be a reward for innovative ideas and peopleoriented policies.

The State of Osun is not only reaping a bumper harvest but also getting recognition, rewards and laurels for the pioneer achievements being recorded by its government.

For breaking new grounds and introducing new ideas in governance, the sky appears to be the beginning for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s government.

CAMAC Energy now listed on JSE From Laolu Akande, New York

meaning a huge market base to consume what we process.

“If we want to go into serious cashew value addition, you have to invest in creating the infrastructure; you have to acquire the technology.’’

He said that cashew processing required a huge investment of between N200 mil-

ness of Lawal to South African president Jacob Zuma, and the former president Thabo Mbeki, a suggestion Lawal simply dismissed over the weekend as baseless and a diversionary.

Lawal explained that the appropriate authorities in South Africa have already publicly dismissed criticisms leveled against the PICCAMAC Energy deal, adding that “we are positively focused on advancing the interests of our shareholders and taping into the new opportunities ahead of us.”

The Houston-based Nigerianborn oil tycoon, whose firm was voted the biggest American black owned business few years ago, disclosed that African-Americans and Africans’ contribution to the oil and gas sector is now on the rise, praising such partnership as being entirely of significant benefit.

In fact, the African continent’s collective contribution to the sector is expected to reach 13 per cent of global oil production by 2015, from the current eight per cent level, according to experts. This brings opportunities to invest in the sector and is giving rise to some of the continent’s own rising stars, according to ESI-Africa.com, a Kenya-based business online publication.

After deep, thorough and adroit thinking, the government arrived at a viable alternative of fund sourcing for the development of the state’s comatose infrastructural facilities.

Aregbesola found a more convenient source of fund in the Islamic-oriented bond system called Sukuk.

Thus, in September 2013, Osun set another record of being the first state in Nigeria to go for the Islamic Sukuk bond.

Besides, the completion of this bond also made such transaction the first in the West African sub-region.

The good news is that less than six months after this novel deal, the leading issuing house, Lotus Capital Limited, has been nominated for an international award.

It was gathered that Lotus was picked for having successfully pioneered the Osun Sukuk. The globally recognised Islamic Finance News (IFN) last month nominated Lotus Capital for the African Deal of the Year Award.

The award came on the heels of the leading role Lotus Capital played alongside 42 other issuing houses in Nigeria in the successful completion of the Osun Sukuk Bond.

With this nomination, Lotus Capital, also a pioneer finance organisation in Nigeria, which specialises in handling equitable interest-free financial services known as Islamic Finance, has been invited by IFN to receive the 2013 edition of the award.

The grand finale took place at the Ritz Carlton (DFIC) Dubai, United Arab Emirates yesterday.

Lotus Capital Limited was established in June 2004 and registered with the Nigerian Security and Exchange Commission as fund managers, corporate investment advisers and Issuing Houses.

It has as head, the former Managing Director of Guarantee Trust Bank(GTB), Fola Adeola.

Going by world financial record, Lotus, which successfully introduced and completed Osun Sukuk Bond, is now

Aregbesola adjudged as one of the world’s fastest growing financial organisations with over $200 billion dollars in assets across the world.

Again, the company is said to be growing at a yearly rate of 20 per cent. Some of the management members expected to lead the team in receiving the award in Dubai include Mrs. Lateefat Okunnu, Mr. Muhammad Nuruddeen Lemu and Mrs. Amina Oyagbola.

It will be recalled Osun went for a N14. 4 billion Sukuk (14.

75 per cent) fixed return tranche 2, which has 42 investors with Lotus Capital Limited as the leading issuing house and Augusto and Co, one of Nigeria’s rating agencies, as the rating agent.

The Sukuk bond was issued in accordance with the enactment of the Osun State Bonds, Notes and Other Securities Law 2012 and setting up the Osun Sukuk Company Plc. While authorising and approving the offer at the board meeting for the Sukuk company last year, Aregbesola said his government took the bond as an opportunity for

the development of the state’s infrastructure such as the building of new schools and renovation of some old one, road constructions, healthcare services, education and other social amenities.

He appealed to the people to see the bond as an avenue to attract development to the state for the benefit of all and sundry.

According to the governor, “The Sukuk bond is a veritable avenue for us to access capital to develop our state and it will be used to finance roads and schools across the state.

“In name, the bond is Islamic but it has the conventional bonds characteristics and is coordinated by the regular capital and money market investors.

“For us in Osun, we are passionate about the welfare of the people as well as tangible development in our state.

“However, the paucity of funds accruable and so available to the state can do little of the developmental agenda of our administration.

“It, therefore, became necessary for us to think of better financial assistance with little

debt commitment and abundant opportunity. We thus found solace in Sukuk Islamic bond, which is interest-free and with less financially cumbersome.

“This to us is the product of alternative idea. At the end, our state would benefit a lot from this financial arrangement.”

According to the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, “raising fund under this condition is like drinking water from fire-hose, the changes in the market are too rapid, but Osun can do it.”

“The over-subscription of the Sukuk bond is a positive confirmation of the trust and confidence, the market placed on Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who has brought prudence, purpose and performance to government”, Bolorunduro said.

It will be noted that the state accessed only N11.4 billion, which has been ring-fenced to build the “state of art” schools.

The chairperson of Lotus Capital, Hajara Adeola, said the bond was successful and over-subscribed.

She said that the Sukuk’s success represented a clear vote of confidence in Aregbesola’s administration, the State of Osun and its people.

Adeola said that the governor had become unique for his penchant for exploring novel ways of doing things, adding that the Sukuk represented another instance of Aregbesola exploring new ways of seeking for the development of the state.

Just last Friday, Aregbesola’s penchant for exploring alternative perspectives towards achieving growth earned him a noble award, the Daily Independent’s Man of the Year Award. The national newspaper premised its decision to award Aregbesola on what it called symbol of alternative perspectives.

Obviously, Lotus Capital has won the award. But the fact is not lost on the company itself that the state provided itself as the platform upon which it rose to this height.

•Adekunle Owolabi writes through kunleowolabi17@yahoo.com

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 | 91

Sports CAF Inter-Club Competitions

‘Mikel has plenty of miles left on his clock at Chelsea’ O say it was a transfer T mired in controversy is probably understating the convoluted process by which John Obi Mikel ended up at Stamford Bridge, finally signing for Chelsea after Manchester United thought that they had secured a deal to take the Nigerian teenager to Old Trafford from Lynn Oslo.

Nevertheless, after that strange arrival the Nigerian has proven to a formidable presence patrolling in front of the Chelsea back four assuming what became universally known as the Makelele position.

His time in Chelsea blue has seen a stream of titles and truimphs, including the ‘double’ under Carlo Ancelotti in 2010, together with a three further FA Cup wins, the Champions League in 2012 and the Europa League the following season.

Now, however, with the return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge, Mikel is taking on the appearance as a lost man.

The purchase of Nemanja Matic in January, coupled with the Mourinho penchant for playing Lampard, Ramires and even centre-back David Luiz as one of his two holding midfield players has squeezed much of the life out of Mikel’s career at the Bridge, relegating him to the less important cup games and substitute appearances.

The player, who also won the African Cup of Nations in 2013, should not be written off so easily, however. This is a player who shows a strong determination and dedication to the club.

In the early days of the 201112 season, reports arose that Mikel’s father had been kidnapped back in his native Nigeria. Two days later Mikel insisted on turning out for the club against Stoke City in a league game. In an impassioned plea for help to his fellow countrymen, he declared how he had worked for Nigeria and asked for help to find his father. It’s not clear what effect the plea had, his father was found alive 10 days after the announcement of his disappearance.

In his time at the club, Mikel has received much criticism for being one-paced and not positive enough when in possession. It’s a strong characteristic of the player, however, that he has experienced such things previously and still returned to play his role when called upon.

Perhaps, his best performance being that night in Munich when he was arguably Man of the Match when Chelsea wrested the Champions’ League trophy from Bayern Munich in their own backyard.

Although he plays a far more adventurous ‘play-maker’ role for Nigeria, at Chelsea his role is of the unassuming artisan – what Eric Cantona once famously descried as a ‘water carrier’ but no one should confuse this with lack of ambition.

As mentioned, writing off John Obi Mikel’s Chelsea career could be premature in the extreme, at 26 he’ll be keen to prove that there are many more years ahead of him yet .

• Culled from soccerlens.com

Keshi allays fears over Imoh’s rumoured nationality switch • Finally rules Dike out of Brazil 2014 From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja UPER Eagles’ Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi, yesterday described as unfounded rumour the report that newly invited Super Eagles’ star, Ezekiel Imoh, may fail to honour the coach’s invitation for the March 5 international friendly match against Mexico as he has concluded plans to take on Belgian nationality and play for Belgium at the Brazil 2014

S

UEFA Champions League Fixtures Zenit St Petersburg Vs Borussia Dortmund Olympiakos Vs Man United

World Cup. Keshi, who spoke yesterday from his base in the US, insisted that the Standard Liege player is rather eager to play for Nigeria, adding that the player has assured him of his availability for selection in the international friendly with Mexico on March 5.

“There is no iota of truth that Ezekiel is contemplating dumping Nigeria for Belgium, he is a Nigerian and like most Nigerians is eager to represent his country. I have been in constant touch with him and he has assured me that he will be available for us and we hope that he will do well for the country.”

Fear of early exit grips clubs, as Bayelsa, Warri Wolves jet out • Enyimba ready for AS Bamako HE fear of an early ouster T still holds sway in Nigeria as Warri Wolves and Bayelsa

Mikel

LMC, club owners meet in Abuja over league kick-off date EPRESENTATIVES of the 20 R Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) teams would meet with the League Management Company (LMC) today in Abuja, to discuss modalities for the kickoff of the 2013/2014 season.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered yesterday that letters to that effect were dispatched by Salihu Abubakar, the LMC’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) on Friday.

NAN gathered that the representatives of the clubs are expected to arrive in Abuja on Monday for the meeting.

The meeting of the major

stakeholders was necessitated by the uncertainty surrounding the March 7 kick-off date of the new NPFL season.

NAN reports that some state governments have refused to endorse the registration requirements of the LMC for clubs in the forthcoming season.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Sports, Bashir Usman, in an interview with NAN, expressed the fear that his state government might find it difficult to approve such requirements for Kaduna United FC. The requirements included the provision of a Financial

Performance Guarantee (FPG) from an approved financial institution for the sum of N100 million, during the current season.

Others are, the provision of existing or new Salary Bank Account details opened for each player for the 2013/2014 season and an undertaking by the clubs to abide by LMC rules.

The clubs are also expected to deposit duly-signed copies of each player’s contract agreement forms, which must conform to the mandatory N150, 000 minimum wage, among other requirements.

Why Pastor D.K Olukoya U-18 Athletics championship was moved from Lagos

By Gowon Akpodonor ORRIED that a postponeW ment of the Pastor D.K Olukoya National U-18 Athletics Championship from this weekend might affect Nigeria’s performance in three international youth athletics championship this year, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), yesterday moved the competition to Dipo Dina Stadium, IjebuOde. All three past editions of the competitions had taken place at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.

An indication that the competition might not hold at its original venue in Lagos emerged last week, when a source close to the sponsor told The Guardian that the wife of Pastor D.K Olukoya was bereaved and that the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), was ‘very busy’ with the burial plans for the departed one.

The source added that the

only possible option was for the AFN to postpone the competition or bankroll it alone.

It was not clear yesterday if Pastor D.K Olukoya will still provide the money needed to fund this year’s edition of the championship.

It was learnt that AFN leadership led by its President, Solomon Ogba met with the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Gbenga Elegbeleye yesterday morning before arriving at the decision to move the competition to Ijebu-Ode. “It would be difficult for us to postpone the competition because it will have damaging effect on our preparations for the three international youth championships we have this year. Our President (Ogba) and the DG of NSC met earlier today (yesterday) and I am sure the decision to move it to Ijebu-Ode was taken at that meeting,” an official of AFN told The Guardian yesterday.

The Secretary General of AFN, Olumide Bamiduro, only said in a statement made available

to The Guardian yesterday that it had been moved to IjebuOde, and that 15 states and seven clubs would vie for honour.

According to him, more entries are still being expected.

“This edition serves as trials for three major championships, the Africa Youth Championship in Gaborone, Botswana, which we are the defending champion, the IAAF World Junior Championships in Oregon, USA, and Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

The Pastor D. K U-18 Athletics Championship is the only junior championship, which the AFN uses in picking its athletes for major continental and global championships and games.

The championship has produced the likes of Florence Nkiruka Uwakwe, a gold medalist at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, Bukola Abogunloko, a bronze and silver medalist in 400m and Medley Relay at the same edition Youth Olympic Games.

United get set to debut in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup this weekend.

The two clubs, who drew bye in the first round of the Confederation Cup, have testy ties away, just like Kano Pillars did and must guarantee a respectable result before the deciding second leg, which holds back home in just one week.

According to the fixtures released last week by CAF, Warri Wolves are away to Cameroun, where they will encounter U.S Douala at Stade De Reunification.

Appointed to handle the match are Egyptian Referees, Ghead Grisha, Ayman Dagash Sherif Salahudeen and Ibrahim Nour. The Match Commissioner is Masanda Malunga of R.D Congo.

CAF has also confirmed that for the return leg in Warri, referees from Lesotho will be in charge while the Match Commissioner is from Egypt.

Bayelsa United travels a bit far out to Congo to meet F.C Konzo with officials from Mozambique.

The referee is Samuel Chirinda, assisted by Celio De Jesus, Teofilo Paulo and the fourth official Jean Claude Fuegera from R.D Congo.

Bruno Bangoura of Guinea is the match commissioner.

CAF has also designated referees from Guinea Bissau for the return leg next weekend.

UEFA Europa League trophy, Okocha thrills fans at Frankfurt fans in Frankfurt FmeetOOTBALL were given the chance to two stars of European football at the MyZeil shopping centre in Frankfurt at the weekend courtesy of the UEFA Europa League Global Partner, Western Union.

Western Union, a leader in global payment services brought back former Eintracht Frankfurt star JayJay Okocha to meet and greet fans, as well as giving them an exclusive opportunity to be pictured with the UEFA Europa League trophy in a specially designed photobooth.

“I’m really excited about going back to Frankfurt this weekend,” said the former Nigerian international who played for Eintracht Frankfurt from 1992-96, scoring 16 goals in 90 appearances, including one of the most memorable goals in Bundesliga history when he dribbled through the entire Karlsruhe SC defence before scoring against Oliver Kahn.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

92 SPORTS Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Howarth (third left) watches one of the pupils take her first shot

Stirring a ‘golf revolution’ in Lagos primary schools With 42 Physical Education teachers drawn from the 20 Local Government Education Authorities (LGEA’s) in Lagos State, trained in the deployment of the Starting New At Golf (SNAG) curriculum, the state is on the verge of bringing about a never-seen-before kind of revolution in golf at the grassroots in the country. Already, the Lagos State Amateur Golf Association says if things go as planned in the scheme propelled by 2AT Nigeria Ltd, with the involvement of the (Lagos) State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the state would introduce 5, 000 primary school pupils to the sport by December this year. ENO-ABASI SUNDAYwrites that barring any hitches capable of upsetting the apple cart, the state appears poised to take delivery of thousands of budding golfers.

IGERIA has barely 60 golf N courses across its length and breadth, some of which are just golf courses by name.

Flowing from this, most states in the country do not have a single standard golf course in their domain.

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial and former political capital with its over 18 million residents is “blessed” with four located in different parts of the state, among which is one of the busiest in the world, the golf section of Ikoyi Club 1938.

To make matters worst for the city dwellers, all four are private membership courses.

Therefore, how Herculean servicing the golfing needs of the residents, is better imagined than said.

In contrast, Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, by population (over five million people), the provincial capital of Gauteng (the wealthiest province in that country), and the country’s economic nervecentre, plays host to over 50 golf courses, some of which are public facilities and open to members of the public for most part of the day.

If the Lagos scenario remains this way, for decades to come, only an infinitesimal number of residents of the city, especially the haves, would have the opportunity to play the gentlemen’s game, while an overwhelming majority would only read about the sport in books, watch on television or listen to it on radio.

Matters are even made worse because apart from Physical Education (PE) teachers mentioning it by name to their pupils, no further step is taken by way of letting the pupils practicalise what they are taught, especially in public schools across the state.

But a partnership, articulated by a private concern, 2AT Nigeria Limited, which also has the (Lagos) State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) as well as the Lagos State Golf

Association in the loop is on the verge of effecting a 360 degrees turn around in the milieu.

And if things go as planned, Lagos State is not only willing to blaze the trail, but also bent on exposing at least 5000 public primary school pupils across the state to the rudiments of the sport by December this year. In the programme, under the initiative, “Let’s Play Golf In Schools,” the Starting New At Golf (SNAG) curriculum, which is operational in over 10 countries of the world, is being used.

Interestingly, it is not only the students that are engulfed by the excitement of becoming golfers. Their PE teachers are equally in cloud nine. In fact the enthusiasm among both the teachers and the students was palpable during the trainthe-trainer programme as well as the demo session, which had both the teachers and their pupils in attendance on Friday at the Astro Turf 2000 in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Enraptured by the allure of the game and indeed the way they were spoon-fed by the SNAG master trainer, Tony Howarth, who came in from the United Kingdom, some of the teachers are itching to become golfers themselves. In fact, one of them in his 40’s even wants to go ahead and play golf professionally.

At the session with the master trainer, the teachers were taught how to deploy the SNAG curriculum, which is a modified way of teaching golf in order to aid assimilation by the youngsters.

They were also specifically taught how to impart this knowledge to their pupils in a fun atmosphere and in a manner that would awaken, nuture and sustain their interest in the sport.

Before forging the partnership with SUBEB, which saw to the inclusion of public primary schools, 2AT had a suc-

cessful stint with some private schools in the state including St Saviour’s School, Ikoyi and Grange School, Ikeja.

“Our objective is to teach the teachers how to teach golf in Physical Education (PE) classes,” Adekemi Badmos, Director 2AT Nigeria Limited stated stressing that, “the train-thetrainers workshop was to equip the teachers with the know-how to teach their students golf within their school settings.

“We are training PE Co-coordinators/teachers from the 20 LGEA’s of the state. The aim is to create awareness and let them know that golf can be taught outside the traditional venues of the sport, Badmos stated.

She continued, “core sports such as football, table tennis, basketball and athletics get introduced at this level and we think golf should, too. Even though many golf professionals are going into schools to teach, we will reach a lot more children if the teachers are empowered to do it themselves.”

After the Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th February training sessions for the teachers, about 50 students from four primary schools were brought in for a demonstration session on Friday, February 21st.

Expectedly, the novel exercise got them yearning for more.

However, “the main programme would start with five schools next term once all logistics have been sorted out.

Hopefully, this our noble initiative would greatly assist in growing the game or increase interest in it by exposing as many children to it,” Badmos stated adding, “The Lagos States Universal Basic Education Board and the Sports Ministry have been very supportive of this initiative and it all goes to show how genuine the state’s intention for sports development is.”

The Director of school sports

in the state, Mrs. Grace Asagba, who was at the training session explained that she and her team were curious how possible the programme, would be in public schools considering the elitist nature of the sport and facilities available.

But having seen the nature, modus operandi and equipment used for the impartation and deployment of the SNAG curriculum, “we are willing to support the teaching of golf in public schools all the way in the state.”

The SNAG master trainer, Howarth expressed excitement at the enthusiasm shown by the teachers and students who benefitted from the programme, saying following

it through would be of great help to the country’s efforts at deepening the sport.

Howarth, who lamented the obvious dearth of golf facilities in the country, expressed joy that among the 42 teachers, a good number of them showed immense enthusiasm in the sport, which he believes would translate into their impartation sessions.

“We have impressed upon the teachers that they should go about the impartation the way the kids are going to enjoy it because if they don’t, they (kids) would never come back to it. So they must give out the golf knowledge to the kids in a fun and entertaining way because this aspect is key to SNAG’s delivery,” Howarth

said.

The SNAG curriculum runs in over 10 countries including, the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan and Scotland.

Honourary Secretary of Lagos State Amateur Golf Association, Sola Lawson, in his remarks said the association believes that for golf to grow, it must be from the grassroots hence the decision to partner with 2AT Nigeria Ltd in ensuring that at least 5, 000 pupils are exposed to the sport

by December 2014.

He added that the association has benefitted immensely from the train-the-trainers programme, as its two newly employed coaches, have been refreshed by the programme.

Howarth showing the Physical Education teachers how it is done

Starting New At Golf (SNAG) master trainer, Tony Howarth (left) addresses a cross section of the pupils before the demonstration session

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 SPORTS

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

93

Abuja-based pro golfer Umoh, slumps, dies during football match

By Eno-Abasi Sunday ORMER Professional FNigeria Golfers’ Association of (PGAN) Order of Merit leader and assistant resident professional at the IBB Golf and Country, Edet Michael Umoh, Sunday slumped and died in Abuja during a football match. He was aged 32.

He was, however, pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital he was rushed to for resuscitation.

Dominic Andrew, immediate past tournament director of the PGAN and an assistant resident professional at the club confirmed Umoh’s death yesterday saying, “it is sad, but that is the truth we have to deal with now. Edet Umoh died on Sunday and the Professional Golfers Association see it as a very big loss for the body.”

Born in 1982, Edet was Nigeria’s number one golfer in 2011 and also represented the country at the Pre-qualifier of the World Cup of Golf in 2011 in Seri Selangor in Malaysia.

In 2010 he won the Tour Partner Championship at golf section of Ikoyi Club 1938, with a spectacular chip-in from the Hole-18 bunker.

Later that year, he won the PGA Championship at the IBB Golf Club and returned in 2011 to lift the President Cup. Umoh, defending champion of Emir of Kano Golf championship, led Akwa State golf team to the 2011 National Sports Festival in Rivers State, where he got the state her first golf gold medals.

The late golfer is survived by a wife and four kids, (including a set of twins delivered on February 12 this year).

Umoh’s death is coming barely four years after the then Nigeria’s number one golfer, Ali Abdullahi and his predecessor, Christian Godfrey lost their lives in Paiko about 20 kilometers from Minna, the Niger State capital. Godfrey’s caddy, simply identified as Ben, was also killed in the accident.

They trio were traveling to Minna, to play in the Minna Cantonment Championship when their Toyota Avalon car had a burst tyre and collided with a Peugeot 206 car. The driver and a passenger on the Peugeot 206 car sustained injuries and were rushed to the General Hospital in Minna, the Niger State Police Command had said.

The shock of the elite golfers

death was just settling down when the Nigerian narrowly escaped being thrown into mourning mood two years later. This time, the dramatis personae Peter Akakasiaka, Tony Uduimoh and Victor Enaigbe escaped death by the skin of their teeth as they were returning from a tournament venue and two commercial motorcyclist suddenly veered into their lane suddenly. The players were coming from Otukpo Golf and Country Club, Benue State, where they took part in the 2012 season opener.

Akakasiaka and Uduimoh, a former leader of the Professional Golfers Association of Nigeria (PGAN) and resident professional at the Benin Club (golf section), Edo State are members of the senior tour, while Enaigbe plays in the regular tour.

As at press time, the PGAN was yet to issue a formal statement regarding the incident, maintaining that that would be done after they had visited to condole the family.

Umoh’s professional colleagues and friends have been mourning his shock exit on the social media where they extolled his virtues and qualities.

We are committed to hosting the best Games, UniAgric, Makurdi VC assures OST of the 25th edition of H the Nigeria University Games (NUGA), the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State has said that they will host the best Games ever in the history of the fiesta.

Speaking at the end of the 24th edition hosted by the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha told the media that he had seen and learnt from the pitfalls of the just concluded Games in Ile-Ife and that he would ensure that he puts in his best to ensure that the school gives NUGA the best.

“The 24th edition of the Games has come and gone and haven been there for both the opening and clos-

ing ceremonies, UniAgric Makurdi has seen a lot and learnt from the mistakes that were part of the Games.

For the 25th edition, which is also our 25th anniversary as a university, we want to make it special because it would serve as our birthday bash.”

While noting that he was not being boastful, he said the display of the cultural troop from the state is only a tip of the iceberg.

“We’re committed to giving the Games the best in terms of facilities and standards.

We look forward to the Games with high hopes because we’ve been planning on it for a long time. I must say I’m lucky that the Games is coming to UniAgric, Makurdi during

my tenure as Vice Chancellor and as such, I can’t afford to fall.”

Prof. Kucha noted that the school is working hard at its internally generated revenue and also seeking the backing of the private and public sector for the needed funds to enable them deliver the best Games ever.

Meanwhile the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the council of the UniAgric, Makurdi, Chief Chike Udenze has assured that he would provide the logistics for the Games.

“My major concern now is to see how best we can raise funds for us to host the best Games ever. We’ll explore all our contacts and friends to be part of it, and we promise, it would come out the best

CAF Confederation Cup

Wolves will overcome Union Douala, says Aigbogun ARRI Wolves Head “We are as ready as we can be, couple of them could not W Coach, Paul Aigbogun and when it comes to compe- meet CAF registration deadhas said the delay to the start tition, the players will always

of the NPFL will not affect them when they take on Union Douala in Cameroon this weekend in the CAF Confederation Cup, reports Supersport.com.

Aigbogun, who was reacting to the performance of his team in the 2-1 loss to Sharks on Sunday at the Sharks Stadium in a preparatory match, added that he was counting on his players to “step up” their game before the big match.

In contrast with Wolves position, Union Douala may have a competitive edge as the Cameroon Elite One just concluded its fifth round of matches over the weekend, but Aigbogun is adamant they would be ready by the weekend.

give a little more,” he told supersport.com.

“I am sure when it comes to the competition proper (the CAF Confederation Cup) my players would step up to the challenge.

“It could be a minus for us since their league is in session, but there is nothing we can do about it. That is why we just have to play as many friendly games as possible.

“We know the history of the team (Union Douala). They are a good side. However, we have done our ground work on them, and by Gods grace, we’ll go there and do the country proud.”

Aigbogun said he was satisfied with the quality of players brought in to reinforce the team, though he said a

line.

Warri Wolves in a league match

Late Umoh

LSAA appoints scouts for Lagos Premier Lotto Athletics

By Adeyinka Adedipe O ensure that the right talT ents are selected from the ongoing Lagos Premier Lotto School Athletics Championship, the Lagos State Athletic Association (LSAA) has appointed five scouts for the event.

Technical Director of the LSSA, Tony Osheku, who disclosed this at Teslim Balogun yesterday, stated that the selection was done to ensure that the participating athletes were well monitored.

He said the gifted ones would be selected at the end of the championship and would be trained by the coaches in the district before they are called to camp for the holiday programmes, which Osheku would handle alongside Lee Evans.

Osheku also said that three of those selected would be at

this year’s edition of the Olukoya Under 18 Athletic Championship in Ijebu Ode. “We have appointed scouts for this year’s event so that it will not be a problem identifying the talents. At the end of the competition, we would invite them to camp for the state’s holiday programme to further hone their skills.”

According to Osheku, the athletes who do well at the holiday camp would be registered for the National Youth Games and the National Sports Festival (NSF). He assured that all hands were on deck to ensure a successful event.

He noted that some of those that did well last year were already benefitting from the state’s training programme.

He also commended Premier Lotto for sponsoring the championship, which he

said, would help discover future stars.

This year championship opened yesterday with athletes from district one vying for honours. The event continues today with athletes from district two taking centre stage. Over 8000 pupils from 1000 secondary schools are expected to compete at the championship.

STEE High School holds 16th inter-house sports meet HE annual STEE High T School Inter-House Sports promises to be extra special as a lot of innovations would be unfolded today at the event scheduled for the FHA Sports Ground, 23 Road, Festac Town, Lagos.

According to the Media Department of the school, the occasion, scheduled to begin by 10.00 a.m., will be chaired

by Rear Admiral A.I. Ajuonu, adding that the invited dignitaries will be hosted by the school’s proprietress, Madam Toyibat Subuola Lawal.

Aside the usual four competing houses: Emerald, Topez, Sapphire and Gold, other neighboring schools have been invited to participate in this year’s competition.

According to the department, “education has gone beyond just writing and reading, this is the reason why STEE School is partnering with Isaac D’Isreali to say that it is wretched taste to be gratified with mediocrity when excellence lies before us.”

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

94 SPORTS Tuesday, February 25, 2014

UEFA Champions League Dortmund sure of victory

Champions League is wide open, says RVP OBIN van Persie reckons R the Champions League is so wide open this year that 10 of the remaining 16 teams have a chance of lifting the trophy.

After going through the group stages unbeaten, Manchester United return to Champions League action in the knockout stages today when they travel to Olympiacos for the first leg of their last-16 tie.

United are big favourites to progress, but Van Persie knows a big club like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich could be in wait for them in the quarter-finals.

“If you play well and are lucky you have a good chance of going far, but even then I think there are eight to 10 teams who could win it this year,” the United striker told UEFA.com.

Having sold Kostas Mitroglou to Fulham in January, Olympiacos became heavily reliant on the form of evergreen Javier Saviola, but the Argentinian is out of the first leg due to a thigh injury.

That leaves Olympiacos with just two fit strikers in 21-yearold Michael Olaitan and Nelson Valdez, who moved to the Greek club from Al-Jazira in January.

United have won all four of their games against Olympiacos, but midfielder Ryan Giggs reckons they will still be formidable opponents.

“Once you get to this stage of the competition you know that there are not going to be any easy matches,” said Giggs, who was in the United side that beat the Greeks 7-2 on aggregate the last time they met in 2002.

“It’s hard to believe that was

12 years ago,” he added.

“I remember the home game in 2002 very well - probably because I scored twice.

“This time I think it will be a much more competitive and experienced Olympiacos, they did well in their games in the group stages. We know this match is going to be a tough tie, Olympiacos have a strong team.”

Giggs remembers the hostile environment that United played in at Olympiacos’ temporary home - the Georgios Kamaras Stadium - 12 years ago, even though the crowd was just 13,000-strong.

Around 30,000 are expected today, even though part of their current home will be closed due to the racist and unruly behaviour of some of the club’s fans during the group stage game against Anderlecht last December.

“The atmosphere in the stadium is going to be electric,” Giggs told Olympiacos’ website.

“It’s always great to play in a stadium with a good atmosphere, we know the Olympiacos fans are going to be cheering their team on, we also have a good set of travelling fans which will make for a great atmosphere.”

Should Giggs make it on the pitch, it will be his 150th Champions League appearance.

United are without a few key players for the match in Piraeus, the port suburb of Athens.

Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and Nani missed the squad’s final training session in Manchester yesterday morning, although Rafael and Danny Welbeck were present.

Culled from Sportinglife.com

ORUSSIA Dortmund B striker, Robert Lewandowski is fit for

Van Persie

Mourinho plans to cage former boys in Turkey HELSEA Manager, Jose C Mourinho believes it is imperative his side have an experienced core as they journey to Istanbul for tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray.

The last-16 first-leg tie features numerous subplots: Didier Drogba playing against the side for whom he scored the European Cupwinning penalty in 2012; Mourinho versus Roberto Mancini, who he succeeded as Inter Milan boss before the Italian took charge at Manchester City; and Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder playing against his former

We are ready for Man United, says Olympiakos goalie HEY look nervous. Every “We are hoping to keep a XI in every one of his 40 “T time you watch them this clean sheet at home in the matches since taking over last season you just feel that the first leg and if we can do that summer. opposition will score. It’s weird - you don’t associate that with Manchester United.”

It has been nine years since goalkeeper, Roy Carroll ended his Manchester United career and now, after a decade that has seen him move from London to Glasgow and Denmark to Greece, the 36year-old is planning their downfall in Athens today night.

The Northern Ireland international may have lost his place as the Greek champions’ number one this season but in recent weeks he has become the focal point of the dressing room as team-mates and staff alike pick his brains about United’s dramatic slump in form.

United have lost 10 times this season in all competitions, and Carroll is convinced that his current side can add to that tally.

“Manchester United are having a bad time of it at the moment and our players have belief in themselves. We believe we can do well in these two games, and we feel we can get at them,” Carroll told BBC Sport.

we back ourselves to score at Old Trafford. We have been working on United’s defensive problems in recent days; that’s what we have to do.

“You have seen all season that they have been chopping and changing at the back. As a goalkeeper I know the effect of not having a settled back four and we have seen that from United this year. It’s a different back four every game.”

United boss, David Moyes has picked a different starting

Carroll

It is nearly a decade since Carroll’s last appearance in a Manchester United shirt, his final action being a failed attempt to keep out Patrick Vieira’s match-winning penalty for Arsenal in the 2005 FA Cup final.

FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal in Cardiff But the status of Moyes’s side in world football is such that even now, 2,000 miles away in Athens, he is treated like a hero by flocks of United supporters who have never even

boss Mourinho.

The contest takes place in the cauldron of the Turk Telekom Arena, where Mourinho’s Real Madrid lost their quarter-final second leg last term, advancing as a result of a handsome win at home in the first leg.

Mourinho will appreciate the experience of Captain John Terry - the scorer of the winner in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat of Everton on his return from a three-game absence - Frank Lampard and Petr Cech in such a hostile environment.

Some of his squad are yet to taste knockout competition in the European Cup, as Chelsea were eliminated at the group stage last term before responding to win the Europa League.

“That’s exactly why they belong to this project,” Mourinho said, “you could say this project is a project for the future. We only want to do this project with young play-

ers that have a 10-years future.

“No. We decided clearly from the beginning that the best way to develop the other guys is to have a nucleus of players like they are.

“They are important in the evolution of the team too.

“These older players in Chelsea they have a big history in the Champions League.

They’ve experienced everything in the Champions League.

“The most important thing for us in the Champions League is to have a feeling of knockout Champions League for the players that never did it.

“This is the first time that they play, some of them.

Oscar and Hazard and these kind of guys.”

Mourinho expects Terry and Lampard to be offered new deals and has previously spoken of anticipating an offer to be made to Cole, too, despite the left-back being out of favour at present.

today’s Champions League last-16 first-leg tie away to Zenit St Petersburg.

The Pole was substituted in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Hamburg with a cold.

However midfielder Sven Bender is out for 10 weeks with inflammation of the pubic joint.

Russian league leaders Zenit St Petersburg will be without injured Portuguese winger Danny and Argentine defender Cristian Ansaldi.

Dortmund, who reached last year’s Champions League final, are now 20 points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich after their latest defeat.

But defender Manuel Friedrich said, “our mood and attitude for the important game today against St Petersburg will not be affected by this defeat.

“It was a one-off. We won’t let one defeat get us down.

There’s no point thinking about it too much.”

Zenit top the Russian league by virtue of their head-to-head record with Lokomotiv Moscow.

And midfielder, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk is not getting too carried away despite the sides’ differing seasons.

“That (heavy defeat) happens sometimes, when a team is focusing all its attention on the upcoming Champions League, and practicing a lot,” the former Bayern Munich player said.

“It’s already obvious that Bayern Munich is going to win the German Bundesliga this year, and I think that Borussia are already concentrating on the Champions League. So I’m not surprised that they sacrificed their match on the weekend to get ready for the upcoming match against us.”

Expect red-hot run for Rooney HEN David Moyes took W over at Manchester United in the summer, the

The Greek Super League may not be that competitive, but the Erythrolefkoi have been thoroughly dominant this season and won for the 24th time in 26 matches at the weekend to confirm their superiority.

popular - and logical assessment was that his lack of European experience would be the first hurdle to overcome.

Yet having fallen over already in the Premier League, Capital One Cup and FA Cup, United have been going strongly in Europe where perhaps able to play with the freedom brought about by low, or indeed no expectations.

Clearly, a group that involved Leverkusen, Shakhtar and Sociedad represented a gentle introduction and it may well be that Moyes is exposed further down the line, but for now United will be confident of making the quarter-finals thus keeping faint hopes of silverware alive.

Olympiacos are no mugs. Rooney

Unfortunately for them, it was a victory, which came at a cost as top scorer Javier Saviola lasted just 33 minutes before limping off with an injury, which will keep him out of this game.

In his stead will be Nigerian forward Michael Olaitan who, while less prolific, scores frequently enough to offer hope for the home supporters.

For United, the absence of the cup-tied Juan Mata robs them of midfield creativity so it’s no surprise that team news has led to many punters backing under 2.5 goals, which now trades at around the 4/6 mark and therefore looks too short.

As an added bonus, they’re unbeaten against Greek opposition and have won all four meetings with their last-16 opponents so a narrow win may be on the cards.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 SPORTS 95

Neymar: Barcelona pays £11.2m in tax fraud case ARCELONA has paid B £11.2m (13.5m euros) to the Spanish authorities after being charged with tax fraud over the signing of Neymar.

However, the Spanish champions insisted they had not committed any offence.

“The aim is to cover eventual interpretations that could be given to the contracts drawn up in the operation to sign Neymar,” a club statement read.

Barca paid £48.6m for Santos striker Neymar, 22, in the summer with his parents receiving £34m of the fee.

Last month, Sandro Rosell resigned as Barcelona president following accusations he misappropriated money.

He is also being investigated but denies any wrongdoing.

At the time of the move, Barcelona said they had paid 57m euros (£48.6m) for Neymar but it has been alleged that, if other contracts are taken into account, the actual cost of the player was far greater.

And last week a judge in Spain ruled there was sufficient evidence against Barcelona to continue investigations into the transfer.

The club added, “the board denies the existence of any tax-related crime in relation to the fiscal obligations arising from the signing of the player.

“Given the existence of a possible divergent interpre-

tation of the exact amount of tax responsibility arising from the signing and to defend the club’s reputation and good name, FC Barcelona has this morning made a complimentary tax declaration of a total of 13,550,830.56 euros (...) although we remain convinced that the original tax payment was in line with our fiscal obligations.”

There has not yet been any confirmation whether the case will be dropped after Barcelona’s payment.

Neymar has scored seven goals in 18 league appearances for Barcelona this season, as well as netting three in seven Champions League matches.

Zenith Bank WBL: Sunshine Angels appeals to sponsors

By Adeyinka Adedipe Angels Basketball Sto UNSHINE Club of Akure has appealed corporate sponsors to come to its aid, as it begin preparation for the 2013/2014 season of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League set to dunk-off in March.

The team’s Coach, Shola Aluko said that the Angels have also set a high standard for themselves, but stated that the team success is hinged on the backing of corporate organisations in the state.

The club has resumed training at the sports hall of the Akure Township Stadium to prepare for the new season.

The coach commended the state government for supporting the government through the years, but noted the corporate bodies must support the government in taking the club to a higher level.

Aluko also said that the club is determined to qualify for continental championship this year.

Wenger wants Rosicky to stay at Arsenal

Neymar

RSENAL Manager, Arsene A Wenger is “absolutely Campbell-Brown ‘cleared’ to race adamant” midfielder, Tomas Rosicky will stay with the club after failed drugs test beyond the end of his current deal.

WO-TIME Olympic 200m because the banned subAccording to the BBC, the Tchampion, Veronica stance was not used for permidfielder, 33, who joined Campbell-Brown says she formance enhancement.

from Borussia Dortmund in 2006, is out of contract in the summer.

The Czech impressed as he stood in for the injured Mesut Ozil during Saturday’s 4-1 win over Sunderland.

“Tomas Rosicky will stay. We have an agreement with him and it will come out soon,” said Wenger.

Rosicky, whose time in north London has been hampered by a string of injuries, was praised by Wenger for his contribution during the Sunderland victory, with the playmaker scoring the third goal.

“I am absolutely adamant he has to stay at the club,” added Wenger.

“He is maybe one of the players who plays the game of give and move. He is a great accelerator of the game. He always makes things happen, not with individual dribbling but with individual acceleration of his passing and of his runs.”

has been cleared to race again by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

According to the BBC, The 31year-old Jamaican has not competed since she tested positive for a banned diuretic last May. Campbell-Brown said in a statement, “the final court available to us as athletes have spoken and humbly I say they have confirmed my innocence.”

She added the past few months have brought “much pain and suffering”.

Campbell-Brown was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Jamaica Administrative Association after failing a test at the Jamaica Invitation meeting on May 4.

In October, a Jamaican disciplinary committee review deemed a reprimand was punishment sufficient

However, Campbell-Brown, who has won seven Olympic medals, had to wait for the IAAF’s verdict before she could compete again. It appears the body that governs world athletics decided to hand the case to CAS. Campbell-Brown added, “yes, I lost out on the opportunity to compete for most of 2013 and the chance to defend my World 200m title. However, I press on.

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of the redemptive quality of unearned suffering and I must say I am redeemed.”

She also thanks the IAAF for “expeditiously handing my case to CAS.” Campbell-Brown could return to competition at next month’s World Indoor Championships in Poland, with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July also an option.

TheGuardian

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Chuks Valentine Augustus

HE words of J. J. Roseau “man is born free, T but everywhere in chains” are still very potent and ever present in almost every activity of human existence. Even when one has every right to freedom, the factors and circumstances surrounding him/her always make sure the freedom is denied or greatly and unjustly limited – especially in Nigeria, and more especially in the banking sector.

Many years ago, the banking sector was the envy of every undergraduate, student and pupil of Nigerian institutions of learning.

Everybody wanted to be a banker – their looks, their jumbo pay and the respect they commanded were loved and wanted by all.

Those were the good old days of banking in the country; these days those factors are characterized by the popular Nigerian saying “the more you look, the less you see”. At the beginning of my days of ignorance, I also found myself in this category of people who by all means wanted to be in the banking sector. As a spectator then, I believed it was the best place to be – you just sit in a fully air conditioned office, wearing expensive suit and a pair of shoes which you probably bought on three instalmental payments, rolling right and left on an executive chair, doing some paper and pen works, then at the end of the month you get your tens or hundreds of thousands naira salary. That was the mindset then, and that, almost unfortunately, is the mindset of some onlookers today.

Sometime ago, I came across a group of graduating students of a particular higher institution, who in celebration wore vests with the inscription “Unstoppable Banker”, then I said to myself “if only they knew better.” If only they had wished to be “unstoppable bankers” when in-depth capitalism and corporate slavery were not present in the banking industry; those were actually the good old days when nobody was overlaboured more than their salaries; when casualisation of staff was nowhere to be found in the sector’s dictionary; when you got promoted when you were due for one. Ironically, these days, even many people in the banking sector are looking for a way out, whereas the ignorant ones out there are desperate to go in.

Today, the banking system is majorly divided into two – the mainstream and the contract staff. Sadly enough, able bodied, highly productive and intelligent graduates and youths of highly recognized Nigerian institutions are been employed as casual staff, used in most cases for the same jobs the mainstream, otherwise called “core staff” would

Another worrisome situation is the sector’s lack of interest in the welfare of these so-called contract staff. A certain driver of a bank got shot on duty while on cash movement, but luckily survived, yet he was summarily dismissed because the bank felt he could no longer discharge his duties effectively – there was no compensation, no health care, absolutely NOTHING! Another was hospitalised for some weeks while still in the services of the bank, yet his sack letter was delivered to him on his sick bed. He eventually lost his life as a result of the shock of his sack. As a casual staff in some banks, when you are ill, you are totally “On Your Own” as there is no health scheme made available for you.

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Who will deliver these workers?

do, yet they are highly underpaid, never promoted, no salary increment, they are highly and unjustly marginalized in all ramifications, and as if that is not enough, they live everyday in fear of losing their jobs, since there is no job security.

Another worrisome situation is the sector’s lack of interest in the welfare of these so-called contract staff. A certain driver of a bank got shot on duty while on cash movement, but luckily survived, yet he was summarily dismissed because the bank felt he could no longer discharge his duties effectively – there was no compensation, no health care, absolutely NOTHING! Another was hospitalised for some weeks while still in the services of the bank, yet his sack letter was delivered to him on his sick bed. He eventually lost his life as a result of the shock of his sack. As a casual staff in some banks, when you are ill, you are totally “On Your Own” as there is no

health scheme made available for you.

In my five years experience in the casual stream of the banking sector, I discovered that the sector is one of the biggest mis-users of human capital. A good number of the casual staff are either first degree holders, HND holders, holders of MBA, PGD, some before entry into the system, others on the job; nevertheless they are neither converted to the mainstream nor promoted in the casual stream – they are rather stagnated for years, without recognition to their hard earned academic qualifications – such that-is-your-ownbusiness attitude. This lack of reward for academic achievements certainly does not encourage self development. More endemic is the fact that casualisation has now taken a worse dimension. B.Sc. holders are now been employed as casual staff; some of these even hold M.Sc. degree, with total package not worth writing home about – just salary, no

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ABC (ISSN NO 0189-5125)

Women are mostly the victims of this activity, as most of them have resorted to “corporate prostitution” in order to meet their targets and avoid being sacked. Initially, I had the impression that there is a level you get to in the banking sector where you would be untouchable, but this impression was allayed when I was discussing with some of the branch heads in my zone who confessed that if they could get Federal Government jobs with even lesser pay, they would quit the bank.

That was when I realized that not only the casual staff, but almost everybody that works in the four walls of the sector needs deliverance; but the question yet unanswered is: WHO WILL DELIVER THEM? Is it the government who has paid deaf ears to the enslavement of the youths and citizens of this great nation on their own soil? Or is it the capitalist owners of these banks who are only interested in using and dumping their staff with impunity? Is it the labour leaders who are only active when the issue of hike in fuel price arises, and inactive to issues of casualisation in the country? leave, no leave allowance, no bonus of any kind.

The banking sector has created big desperation in her staff, especially those in the marketing department who want to do everything possible to meet up with the heavy targets given to them by their employers.

Women are mostly the victims of this activity, as most of them have resorted to “corporate prostitution” in order to meet their targets and avoid being sacked. Initially, I had the impression that there is a level you get to in the banking sector where you would be untouchable, but this impression was allayed when I was discussing with some of the branch heads in my zone who confessed that if they could get Federal Government jobs with even lesser pay, they would quit the bank. That was when I realized that not only the casual staff, but almost everybody that works in the four walls of the sector needs deliverance; but the question yet unanswered is: WHO WILL DELIVER THEM? Is it the government who has paid deaf ears to the enslavement of the youths and citizens of this great nation on their own soil? Or is it the capitalist owners of these banks who are only interested in using and dumping their staff with impunity? Is it the labour leaders who are only active when the issue of hike in fuel price arises, and inactive to issues of casualisation in the country? Who will deliver these our brothers and sisters in the banking industry? Who will put an end to these donkey years of stagnation, where even when you eventually leave the system after several years of active and dedicated service, you are asked to pay the bank some money for leaving instead of the bank paying you off in appreciation of your dedicated service and loyalty?

GOD bless the day and hour, which that deliverer shall come.

• Augustus, is a Writer, Researcher, Business Support Services Provider Benin City.

Austus_chuks01@live.com Austus_chuks01@yahoo.com