Wed 28 May 2014

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Vol. 30, No. 12,935

Insurgents kill 10 soldiers, 14 policemen in Yobe State From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Ezeocha Nzeh (Abuja) and Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) (with agency reports) UNMEN suspected to be members of Boko Haram have killed 10 soldiers and 14 policemen, including a police divisional officer (DPO), in Yobe State.

The gunmen who used Toyota Hilux vehicles, an Armoured Personnel Carrier

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• Gunmen slay eight, hoist flags in Borno villages • Obasanjo holds talks to free schoolgirls • Cameroun sends troops to Nigeria • Parents of abductees fault panel over rescue bid (APC) and motorcycles laden with explosives, attacked military posts and a police station at Buni/Yadi at 5:00 p.m. on Monday.

On the heels of this, gunmen who were also suspected to be Boko Haram members yesterday killed eight people at Chinene village in Gwoza

council area, Borno State .

They set several houses and shops ablaze.

Chinene is a farming border community with Cameroun

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Defence HQ condemns New York Times report on Nigeria’s military EFENCE Headquarters D (DHQ), Ministry of Defence has sharply criticized a

and 134 kilometres southeast of Maiduguri, the state capital.

The insurgents, according to a top military officer in Gwoza also hoisted their flags at Ashigashiya town and other hill settlements of Hwa’a, Kunde, Tihize, Tacha and Hirdimbe, as their claimed strongholds east of Sambisa Forest, where the ab-

May 23rd, 2014 report in the New York Times titled: “Nigeria’s Army Hampers Hunt for Kidnapped Girls,” describing it as ‘reckless, unprofessional’ and aimed at ‘disparaging and rubbishing the relentless efforts of Nigerian troops in the ongoing search and rescue operations to free the abducted Chibok girls.’

In a statement issued yesterday signed by Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, the Army said the report by Adams Nossiter was biased and “typical of the unfortunate approach adopted by a section of the foreign media organisations which have continued to feast

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OURGIRLS Govts should not sponsor pilgrimages, says Confab - Page 6

Govt, private sector to build gas pipeline as flaring drops to 11% - Page 6 Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun (middle); his wife, Olufunso and some school children during the Prayerful Children’s Day celebration for the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls organised by the governor’s wife at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta … yesterday.

Grief over Chibok girls on Children’s Day From Mohammed Abubakar, John Okeke, Omotola Oloruntobi (Abuja)Muyiwa Adeyemi (Ado Ekiti), Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin), Kelvin Ebiri (Port-Harcourt), AlemmaOzioruva Aliu (Benin City), Lawrence Njoku (Enugu), Sulaimon Salau (Lagos) Joseph Wantu (Makurdi), Charles Coffie Gyamfi (Abeokuta) and Msugh Ityokura (Lafia) ADNESS, tears and anxiety Sdren’s characterized the 2014 ChilDay celebration nationwide yesterday due to the continued captivity of the Chi-

• Protests, prayers in Ekiti, Kwara, Lagos, others • Amaechi indicts govt over abduction • Stop insulting my husband, says Jonathan’s wife bok schoolgirls, abducted 44 days ago by the Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram.

And in Abuja and some states like; Ekiti, Kwara, Lagos Enugu , Nasarawa, Ogun Benue , instead of the traditional march past and funfair, hundreds of children massed around, ei-

ther in protest march or prayers for the release of the over abducted schoolgirls.

In a related development, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, of Rivers State has said the kidnap of the school girls in Borno State, will usher in a new beginning in the political his-

tory of Nigeria.

Also, President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience, yesterday absolved her husband of responsibility for the predicament of the abducted Chibok girls and appealed to Nigerians to stop hauling insults at him. Rather, she said

critics should commit themselves to proffering solutions to how to find the girls.

The President’s wife , who stated this when she hosted children at the Banquet Hall of State House, Abuja to mark this year’s Children’s Day celebration, however declined to deliver a “Letter of Appeal” given to her for onward delivery to Boko Haram for the safe release of the abducted girls on the premise that she did not know the militants.

Meanwhile, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State yes-

terday announced free bus ride to and from school for students and pupils in uniform in both public and private schools.

In an emotion-laden gathering in Abuja for a news briefing to commemorate the event, with the theme, “Unite for Peace of Nigeria: Unite for Children,” the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, lamented that the girls’ abduction has robbed the naCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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Protests in Ekiti, Kwara, Lagos, others CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tion of the joy of Children’s Day celebrations.

The minister said: “I feel a sense of privilege to have another opportunity to interact with you as we mark year 2014 National Children’s Day, though on a very sad note, being that our Chibok girls are still in captivity.

“This is because, before now, Children’s Day celebration was usually full of fun and merriment for our dear children across the country. Unfortunately, terrorists have taken away our joy with the kidnapping of our girls who are supposed to be celebrat-

ing with us today.

Assuring on Federal Government’s commitment to the rescue of the girls, she enjoined all stakeholders and organizations to join the fight for the release of the children.

In Ekiti State, children protesters matched against the continued captivity of the girls to the Government House, where they presented their position to Governor Kayode Fayemi, who was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu.

Making their presentation, Speaker of the Children’s Parliament, Ilesami Oluwaseun, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the students rejoin their friends and families.

Similarly, the usual Children’s Day fanfair was lacking in Ilorin, Kwara State, where the celebration turned to prayer session yesterday to reflect the nation’s mood over the ab-

ducted Chibok schoolgirls.

The event, attended by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold, governor’s wife, Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed, and some government officials, had a low turnout of pupils and adult.

In Lagos State, several organisations stormed the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja to protest inability of the Federal Government to rescue the abducted school girls.

The protesting groups include; Center for Global Peace Initiative (CGPI), The Young Muslims Association (TYMA), Association for Formidable EdDevelopment ucational (AFED), Al-Mu’minaat Social Advocacy Project (SAP), Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit and League of Muslim schools’ Proprietors (LEAMPS) and Pure Heart Foundation (PHF) Amaechi who blamed the Fed-

eral Government for its inability to protect the children, said this incident should spur Nigerians to take their fate in their hands by voting out the ruling Peoples Democratic Party led government which he accused of abdicating its responsibility to protect life and property.

The governor stated this while addressing children and their teachers at an interdenominational church service marking the 2014 Children’s Day celebration held at the Alfred Diete Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt yesterday.

“The blame is on us; your parents and those of us who are in government. We owe you the responsibility of safety; we own you the responsibility of good education, so that you can become for us the future parents when we depart this world. All of us are guilty of this crime; because in 2011, we went and voted for this gov-

ernment. So, we are responsible for the kidnap of Chibok school children, because we chose the government; you chose me and you chose the president. If, therefore, you are not able to protect the Chibok girls, then, all of us, especially the government in power, should be held responsible for the lives of the children of Chibok”, he added.

Amaechi emphasized that the kidnap of the girls was divine in the sense that God wanted to use the incident to expose ineptitude of the leaders and the pervasive corruption in the country which had pathetically become widespread.

Patience Jonathan made the appeal when she hosted children at the Banquet Hall of State House, Abuja to mark this year’s Children’s Day celebration, however declined to deliver a “Letter of Appeal” given to her for onward delivery to Boko Haram for the safe release of

the abducted girls on the premise that she did not know the militants.

The President’s wife who frowned at the way Nigerians were abusing her husband , said it was not morally correct and noted it smacks of disobedience to God’s command, saying, “It is bad to abuse our country and the President because God has made him the head. The Almighty God commands us to pray for our leaders. We therefore need to pray for the development of our country and the President.”

“Today, as a mark of our appreciation of the hardship that many of our parents are encountering and the financial challenges many families are experiencing, effect from tomorrow morning, any Edo child in school uniform going to or from school, whether in private or public school, will no longer pay for using the Comrade Bus.”, Oshiomhole added.

Insurgents attack military, police posts, magistrate’s court CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 ducted Chibok schoolgirls are still held for over a month.

Tada Mbicho, a resident of Chinene told The Guardian yesterday in a telephone interview that the insurgents burst into the village by 2:00 a.m. and started firing sporadically, while the villagers were still asleep. He said that among the slain villagers was an 80-year-old woman .

On how the village was attacked, he said: “Some terrorists came to our community yesterday evening when we were asleep. They chanted ‘God is great in Arabic’, before shooting sporadically at fleeing residents. They killed some people, while other villagers sustained gunshot wounds. They had a field day as we could not confront them when all of them were carrying AK47 rifles, and petrol bombs and explosives.

After killing some of us, they later went to two churches , shops , houses and set them ablaze .

“As I am talking to you now, we are yet to bury the dead, as most people have fled this village for fear of further attacks.

We are destabilised; as if we don’t have a government or security in place. It is worrisome and frightening to all of us here at this border area.”

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Gideon Jubrin , could not be reached as his phones were switched off. But a top police source confirmed the incident yesterday in Maiduguri. He said some villagers were feared dead in the Tuesday’s attacks .

Other public buildings and facilities destroyed in the Yobe attacks included a magistrate’s court, the council’s secretariat complex, district head’s official residence, and several vehicles parked on the premises of destroyed public buildings and police station.

According to an eyewitness and resident of Buni/Yadi, the gunmen came into the town by 5:00 p.m. on Monday and chanted “God is great in Arabic” before attacking two military posts with explosives and petrol bombs on Biu road.

“We were shocked and terrified in the evening when a gang of armed Boko Haram burst into this town, chanting

that they were here for the soldiers and policemen; and not civilians that live here. They said ‘Don’t panic, we will not touch you. All of you are safe today (Monday).’ After they attacked the military posts, they proceeded to the police station, magistrate’s court and our council secretariat complex; and put fire on them .

“Some of the people, however, fled their houses and shops for safety, despite the assurance of attackers not to kill anyone of them. Residents living near the police station and military posts, however, fled to nearby bushes and farmlands, while others relocated to Gujba and Goniri Tuesday morning.”

He said that after the torching of public buildings and district head’s residence, no civilian was killed in the Monday’s attacks.

He said that the bodies of the soldiers and policemen feared killed had been taken to the Sani Abacha Specialists Hospital, Damaturu for identification by security agencies.

Confirming the incident yesterday in Damaturu, the Yobe State Police Commissioner, Markus K. Danladi said that armed hoodlums attacked Buni/Yadi Monday evening and that over a dozen security personnel were feared dead.

Meanwhile, a news agency, Reuters, disclosed yesterday that Cameroun had deployed 1,000 troops and armoured vehicles to its border region with Nigeria as it stepped up its military presence to counter a rising threat from Boko Haram .

Reuters quoted defence ministry spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Didier Badjeck as saying that about 1,000 Special Forces of Cameroon’s rapid intervention brigade (BIR) left the capital on Monday.

Several new generation armoured vehicles were deployed three days earlier, he said.

“Their mission will be to carry out reconnaissance and be ready to respond with enough fire power,” Badjeck told Reuters by telephone from Yaounde. “They are patrolling in northern region at the moment.”

Badjeck said the deployment was part of Cameroun’s effort to increase its military pres-

ence in the border region. It had already deployed an additional 700 troops under a joint regional effort to fight Boko Haram, announced in March.

Another news agency, Agence France Presse (AFP), said yesterday that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had met with people close to Boko Haram in an attempt to broker the release of the more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls.

A source close to the talks told AFP the meeting took place last weekend at Obasanjo’s farm in Ogun State and included relatives of some senior Boko Haram fighters as well as intermediaries and the former president, the source said.

“The meeting was focused on how to free the girls through negotiation,” said the source who requested anonymity, referring to the girls seized on April 14 from the remote northeastern town of Chibok, Borno State.

Spokesmen for the former head of state, who remains an influential figure in Nigerian politics, could not be reached to comment on the latest reported Boko Haram talks.

But the source told AFP that Obasanjo had voiced concern about Nigeria’s acceptance of foreign military personnel to help rescue the girls.

“He said he is worried that Nigeria’s prestige in Africa as a major continental power had been diminished” by President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to bring in Western military help, including from the United States.

Mustapha Zanna, the lawyer who helped organise Obasanjo’s 2011 talks with Boko Haram, said he was at the former president’s home on Saturday.

But he declined to discuss whether the Chibok abductions were on the agenda.

“I was there,” he told AFP, adding that Obasanjo was interested in helping orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria’s embattled northeast and that possible charitable work was on the agenda.

Zanna had represented Yusuf’s family in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against the government following his death in police custody.

It was not clear if Obasanjo’s weekend meeting had been

sanctioned by the government.

Besides, the Chibok community and stakeholders, including parents of the over 200 abducted schoolgirls, have faulted the Presidential Fact-Finding Committee (PFFC) on abduction of students for its failure to “sit and meet” with the people on how to rescue the girls .

Parents of the abducted girls allegedly described the decision by the presidential committee as nothing short of irresponsibility and an insult to their sensibility as human beings and citizens of Nigeria.

Maina Ndrilbula, a parent, in a telephone interview in Maiduguri yesterday, said: “It is a pity that we were all first insulted by President Goodluck Jonathan even after his belated plan to visit them had to be shelved and now a committee which was set up to find ways of identifying the reason behind the abducted schoolgirls found reason to equally shun them for two days last week.”

Meanwhile, Limankara border community in Gwoza Local Council of Borno State has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, over the Boko Haram .

The petition, according to the District Head, Alhaji Abdulkareem Wahab; Ward Head of Limankara, Mr. Zephaniah Tada; and three representatives, John Mark Hodo, James Dauda Chihwa and Aliyu Usman Kutho, has become inevitable in the protection of life and property against insurgents in the border areas with Cameroun and Chad.

The Senate Majority Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, yesterday asked the Boko Haram to release the over 200 schoolgirls it kidnapped from Chibok, Borno State 43 days ago.

Ndoma-Egba, who spoke at the commencement of Senate plenary session yesterday in Abuja, urged the abductors to release the girls in the spirit of the Children’s Day celebration.

This was just as Senator Uche Chukwumerije wondered why the Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, would say that the military had discovered the camps where the abducted Chibok girls were being held only to describe it as a military secret.

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Akindele emerges Ondo first female Speaker

Opposition parties vow to boycott summit

From Niyi Bello, Akure

From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja

OR the first time in the 38FState, year-old history of Ondo a female Speaker of the

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PPOSITION political parties, under the aegis of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), yesterday vowed to shun summit of Nigerian political parties planned for June 12 by the Federal Government.

The group was reacting to an invitation letter signed by Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, Senator Ben Ndi Obi and dispatched to the parties after making public announcement.

Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said it was an affront on political parties for the Presidency to have gone on air to announce the summit without first consulting representatives of political parties who should be fully involved in the planning.

According to Yunusa, the opposition party will not be part of the Federal Government’s summit but will go ahead to hold theirs on June 9.

Secretary of the group, Peter Ameh, said the step taken by the Presidency amounted to taking political parties for granted and that never again would they succumb to the party in power detecting the pace for them.

“The issue is that political parties are being taken for granted by the government in power. They think they can just wake up and call us for a meeting and that it is their right to use other parties as tools. It is wrong. We have members who we have the obligation of briefing on issues affecting the parties and the nation.

“We cannot just move to a meeting without telling them the purpose. We are opposition political parties and we must do things right.

We were watching television yesterday and saw Senator Ben Obi announcing that there would be political parties and stakeholders’ summit.

“How can he do that without bringing convergent views together to discuss modalities for the meeting?

“We ought to be part of the planning to make it a collective process. We are not school children that you call up at will and say this is how the test will be and they will write it.

“We must come to terms with the fact that political parties’ leadership in this county must be respected. Henceforth, we will not take such issues for granted”, Ameh said.

Uwensuyi Edosomwan Charles (SAN) (left); former Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Obada, and former Minister of Justice, Chief Akinjide Richard, discussing after the debate and consideration of the report of the PHOTO: LADIDI LUCY-ELUKPO National Conference Committee on Religion in Abuja yesterday.

House of Assembly, Jumoke Akindele, emerged yesterday to occupy the seat left vacant by the demise of the former Speaker, Samuel Adeshina, last year.

Akindele, who represents Okitipupa 1 Constituency, polled 13 votes to defeat her opponent, Oyebo Aladetan of Ilaje 1 Constituency, who got 9 votes in an open contest on the floor of the Assembly yesterday when the legislators met to pick Adeshina’s successor.

Akindele, a legal practitioner,

Govts should not sponsor pilgrimages, says Confab From Anietie Akpan (Calabar) and Azimazi Momoh Jimoh (Abuja) HE National Conference yesT terday resolved that ,henceforth, no government, at any level, should use public funds to sponsor any religious programme, especially pilgrimages for any category of citizens.

It was also agreed that apex religious bodies in the country be allowed to handle all matters relating to pilgrimage through the Pilgrims Commissions duly managed by them under a law to be passed by the National Assembly to regulate their functions and protect pilgrims.

It, however, agreed that government, in performance of its oversight responsibility to Nigerians, shall provide normal consular services for the pilgrims through the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the established Nigerian foreign missions in the relevant destinations.

“In arriving at these decisions, the Conference relied on the recommendations of the Committee on Religion which had Bishop Felix Ajakaiye and Alhaji Nurudeen Lemu as co-chairmen,” according to a statement

by Mr. Akpandem James, Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications.

And contrary to public opinions, the Senate has foreclosed the possibility of the outcome of the National Conference going through a referendum.

Speaking with journalists yesterday in Calabar, Cross River State capital, the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), said the outcome cannot pass through a referendum because there is no law backing it.

Meanwhile, the Senate also yesterday considered a Bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Centre (NFIC) 2014.

The NFIC, if established, would operate independently of the

• ‘Outcome may not go through referendum’ • Senate seeks bill to establish NFIC 2014 Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ndoma-Egba said: “A referendum under which law? Which law in Nigeria provides for a referendum? He added: “There is no law” and you cannot even amend the Constitution to accept a referendum because “you only amend something that exits.

“There is no law that provides for a referendum. Those who advocate and I have heard very senior lawyers who are in the conference, saying the thing (outcome) should go directly to the people for a referendum.

“Who will take it to the people and which people will they take it to? How will you determine the people who will receive it? How do you determine the venue they will receive it? How do you determine how they will vote and how will you determine how the result of the vote will be transmitted?

“So how do you determine all of these? You cannot determine them until you have a legal framework. As far as I am concerned, it is just a wishful thinking because there is no law guiding it.”

Twice, during the presentation of the report by Lemu, and against the conference rules of procedure, the hall rose to applaud the committee for its sound analysis, thorough handling and simplification of knotty issues and for coming up with daring recommendations.

Conference Deputy Chairman, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, said the constitution of the Committee on Religion was the most difficult assignment in terms of membership during the inauguration of all the committees.

He said this was due to the sensitive nature of the assignment and the fact that “people can

change their political views, but they may not change their religious views,” adding that the committee had handled the assignment with diligence and compassion.

The applause accorded the committee did not however take away opportunity for criticisms by some delegates who said members of the committee had avoided tackling some critical issues and answering questions Nigerians would expect them to answer.

Some delegates criticized the committee for its silence on the fate of mission schools which had in the past served as moral training grounds for young people who grew up with such morals for the betterment of the society.

Senator Femi Okurunmu accused the committee of shying away from the crucial issue of whether Nigeria is a secular or religious state; explaining that this became necessary because Section 10 of the constitution has been given different interpretations by different people with regard to the secularity of Nigeria.

He suggested that Section 10 be amended to make it quite explicit that Nigeria is a secular state so that the misinterpretation can be put to rest.

Professor Ambrose Okoli also faulted the committee on the issue of where worship centres should be sited; he said building of worship centres requires regulation to avoid noise pollution because “a man in search of salvation should do it quietly between him and God.” The committee stated that central to the issue of religious harmony in Nigeria was the elimination of religious discriminations and prejudices

and went ahead to recommend that Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution should be reaffirmed and upheld in practice.

Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution which deals with prohibition of state religion states that, “The Government of the Federation or of a state shall not adopt any religion as state religion.”

In a bid to reinvent the African culture of courtesy, politeness, honesty, integrity, communal interdependence and peaceful co-existence which it said were rapidly being eroded in the Nigerian society, the committee suggested that children must be taught their mother tongue or language of their immediate community during the first three years of basic education.

The Conference, in another resolution, said henceforth, hate speeches and sermons meant to create incitement among Nigerians should be criminalise; and those involved prosecuted.

Delegates also resolved that profit-making businesses carried out by religious bodies like churches and mosques should pay taxes as a way of contributing to the growth of the economy.

Based on the recommendation of the committee, Conference resolved that payment of welfare allowances be made by government to men and women particularly the most vulnerable members of the society.

It was also agreed and resolved that government should, as a matter of national emergency initiate policies that would accelerate wealth creation for the teeming populace, particularly through creation of jobs.

Govt, private sector to build gas pipeline as flaring drops to 11% From Collins Olayinka (Abuja) and Sulaimon Salau(Lagos) O ensure steady supply of T gas in the country, the Federal Government and private sector are set to build the longest pipeline in the country.

In the same vein, the minister said that the Federal Government’s efforts at eliminating gas flaring is making significant impact as flare out rate dropped from 25% to 11% of production.

According to the Minister of

Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, who stated this in Abuja yesterday, the step is aimed at bridging the gap in meeting the growing market demand of the product.

The minister, who spoke through the Group General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu, while delivering a paper, titled: “Encouraging Investment in Gas Production, Supply and Consumption”, at a three -day

National Conference on Gas Resources organised by the Senate Committee on Gas Resources in Abuja, hinted that the pipeline will run through Ajaokuta to Kano from Calabar.

She added: “By the end of the year, we will be commencing, via Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme, the nation’s longest pipeline from Calabar via Ajaokuta to Kano State.”

The minister said that at present, the Federal Government was constructing

the strategic East-West pipeline while the Lagos end segment of the Escravos to Lagos Pipelines System (ELPS) is nearing completion.

She explained that almost 500kilometres of new gas pipelines have been completed and commissioned including the doubling of the capacity of the EPLS between Escravos and Oben and the extension from Oben to Geregu and River Imo to Alaoji respectively.

The minister explained

that by the end of 2018, the backbone pipeline infrastructure for gas would have been delivered, concluding an initial phase of over 2500km of gas pipeline infrastructure development.

Allison-Madueke highlighted that government was strategizing to leverage on the full potential of gas to achieve massive impact on the economy and the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

was one of the original members of the ruling Labour Party (LP) and also fought alongside the state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, during the 22-monthold legal tussle that preceded his emergence as the state’s helmsman.

While Mimiko was able to retrieve his mandate through an Appeal Court’s pronouncement, Akindele, who also challenged her defeat during the same controversial April 14, 2007 poll, could not get to the Assembly until after winning the 2011 State Assembly election on the platform of the LP. Under the current arrangement in the state, the Speaker’s position is zoned to the Southern Senatorial District, comprising the six local councils of Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Irele, Okitipupa, Odigbo and Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.

The contest was between the seven present occupants of the constituency seats.

The emergence of Akindele is expected to strengthen the support base of the LP in Okitipupa, which is believed to be the stronghold of the opposition PDP and create further grip on the Assembly.

U.S. unveils new format for visa renewal

By Olalekan Okusan EGINNING from June 2 this B year, apllicants willing to renew their United States (U.S.) visa will not have to go through interviews again, according to the new visa format unveiled yesterday by the American Mission in Nigeria.

According to the Mission, the expanded DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Program takes effect from June 2, 2014.

The statement issued by United States Consulate General, Public Affairs Section and made available to The Guardian, noted: “This program allows certain visa applicants who have previously been issued U.S. visas to renew their visas without attending an interview. The expanded DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Program now covers B1/B2 visas that have expired no more than two years prior to reissuance and F, L and H visas that have expired no more than one year prior to reissuance.”

To find out more about the specific qualification criteria for renewals, the Mission said applicants should visit the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria website’s Drop Box page at http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/niv_dropbox.html.

It added: “The CGI visa appointment website will ask applicants a series of questions reflecting the criteria for the expanded DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Program.

Qualifying applicants will be prompted to print a letter confirming their eligibility for the program and instructing them to drop off the letter with their passport, application confirmation sheet, passport photos, visa fee receipt, and appropriate documents to one of the DHL facilities in Abuja or Lagos. The application packets are adjudicated and returned to the applicant’s selected DHL location within seven to 10 business days.”

The Mission, however, noted that participation in this program does not guarantee visa issuance. “Additionally, the Consulate may request applicants to attend a visa interview in certain cases,” it said.

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Wednesday, May 28, 2014 NEWS | 7

EKITI 2014

Aggrieved guber aspirants write Presidency, may quit PDP Stories by Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South West Bureau Ado Ekiti) OME of the aggrieved aspiScratic rants of the Peoples DemoParty (PDP) may quit the party following what they described as the refusal of the presidency and the national leadership of the party to implement terms of reconciliation after the primaries that produced Mr. Ayodele Fayose as the candidate of the party.

One of the twelve aspirants, who disclosed this yesterday, said they held a meeting at the weekend and discovered that the party and the candidate were behaving as if their presence was no longer needed in the party.

The source disclosed that a letter dated April 28, this year was written to the Presidency and the national leadership of the party to remind the President of the agreement and to express their disappointment that less than a month to June 21 governorship election, none of the terms of reconciliation had been implemented.

The source said, it was even more disturbing that despite the fact that the party had not refunded N11 million paid for the primaries, when they had all agreed that the primaries

Fayemi

Fayose

Bamdele

was characterized with flaws, the candidate had informed people that they have been “settled” by the Presidency.

The source also noted that part of the terms of reconciliation was to pick one of them as the running mate to Fayose, but they regretted that none of them was picked, instead Fayose picked somebody not known to party members against one of them Ambassador Dare Bejide, who signified his intention to serve as the deputy governor.

According to the source, “Though, Ambassador Dare Bejide indicated interest in the position of Deputy Governor and his ambition was unani-

mously endorsed by the other aspirants, Fayose however ignored Bejide and picked someone completely strange to the party.”

Besides, the source said the President’s promise of nominating one of them as a Minister seems to have been jettisoned with the name of the Director General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr. Femi Ajayi that is being considered.

Also in the terms of reconciliation is the promise to appoint some of them as Special Adviser and Special Assistants to the President.

The source said, “None of the aspirants has been contacted

or invited to commence processes leading to the appointment of a Minister. This has left the group and indeed the larger PDP family in Ekiti feeding from the rumour mill; ranging from the anointed candidate of Ayo Fayose, Dayo Adeyeye to one Mr. Femi Ajayi. Not a kobo has been refunded to any member, but the campaign Organisation of Ayo Fayose has gone to town to announce that the aggrieved aspirants have been settled. We are unhappy with zero implementation of the terms of reconciliation and we may not hesitate to do the needful and revert to prereconciliation era.”

Accord gov candidate picks Olumilua’s daughter as deputy HE governorship candiT date of Accord Party in Ekiti State, Mr. Kole Ajayi has announced Mrs. Olumilua-Oyesanya as his running mate.

Mrs. Olumilua-Oyesanya, a lawyer is the daughter of the former governor of old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua from Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti South

Senatorial district.

Ajayi said the new running mate replaces Mr. Akin Adeolu who was earlier nominated. He said Adeolu’s candidacy was dropped for personal reasons.

Meanwhile the state chairman of the party Dr. Dayo Kolawole has decamped to the Labour Party (LP). Kola-

Ajayi

wole said he left with 12 local government chairmen of the party.

According to him, “we are quitting Accord which we help to nurture to its present state of reckoning because some elements that came at eleventh hour have hijacked the party and turned it to a one-man show.

E-Eleven is anti-development, says Fayose • Disagrees with group over plan to use fake monitors

P

EOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has described a sociopolitical group in the state, EEleven as enemy of Ekiti people, saying; “Those people in the group are anti Ekiti development and they are apologists of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

In a release signed by the Director General, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO), Chief Dipo Anisulowo, the PDP governorship candidate said, “Apart from Miss Ekiti Beauty Pageant that they did thrice, these characters that go about calling themselves the only elites in Ekiti have been milking the State.”

Fayose said; “the Fountain Hotel was leased to E-Eleven at N80 million per annum and the group refused to pay a dime to the State in the last seven years.

“Here is a group that refused to pay a dime to the coffers of Ekiti State since Fountain Hotel was leased to it. Even when the Segun Oni-led PDP went to court to compel them to pay, they simply refused, and the moment their man-Friday, Governor Kayode Fayemi assumed office, they finally took over the Fountain Hotel, with

no one demanding any payment from them.

Meanwhile, a socio-political pressure group, Ekiti Youth Emancipation Movement (EYEM), has accused the governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti and Osun States, Mr. Ayodele Fayose and Otunba Iyiola Omisore of allegedly planning to import thugs recruiting them from NigerDelta militants under the guise of being poll monitors.

EYEM in a statement in Ado Ekiti yesterday by its President, Taiwo Olatunji, alleged that the duo, Fayose and Omisore, had already succeeded in registering spurious groups as monitors in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State.

It alleged that their intention behind the alleged underhand deal was to use these fake monitors as a cover to bring in thugs and guns.

Anisulowo continued: “Ironically, the same Fayose that they are castigating was the one who built the Fountain Hotel, on which they have made billions of naira and refused to pay one kobo to Ekiti State.

“Also, it was because Fayose refused to open the State treasury for one of them who

is now a Senator that he waged war against him (Fayose) between 2004 and 2006. It was this same Senator that took the contract to supply clothing materials for Fayose’s swearing-in ceremony in 2003, and only began to work against Fayose when he refused to allow him unhindered access to the State treasury.

“It has therefore become necessary that Ekiti people begin to ask these locusts, who go by the identity E-Eleven to allow Ekiti State to progress, since they have refused to contribute anything to the progress of the State.”

The group was among the major forces that caused Fayose impeachment in 2006.

EYEM continued, “These poll monitors, we gather, had already been registered with INEC. These ‘imported’ thugs masked as poll monitors would then be deployed to all polling units with cloned voter’s cards on election day with the mandate to destroy ballot boxes and papers wherever APC is leading in the poll. The PDP is feverishly worried that Fayemi will record a sweeping victory in the election hence its plan to cause a stale-

mate.

“We are waiting to see how these aliens will be in possession of voter’s cards in Ekiti State. We would like to know their polling units, wards and local governments in Ekiti.”

The group called on Ekiti residents to be vigilant and defend their fatherland from encroachment by violent elements working for Fayose and Omisore.

Director of Media and Publicity, Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, who however, described the allegation as untrue, added, “Omisore has no reason to come to Ekiti on the day of election to do anything.

And we want to make it clear that we don’t have interaction with the Niger Delta people, so this is a lie”.

Aribisogan added, “as a matter of fact, we suspect that the EYEM is the brain behind such evil intention because we never knew the group. It is faceless. For them to have had such in mind means that they are the one planning to rig the poll.

“The ruling APC government is planning to rig by making use of polling observers, monitors and others and to us in PDP, and EYEM must be one of such frivolous groups.”

Defence HQ flays report on Nigeria’s military CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 on insinuations aimed at casting aspersions on the Nigerian military.

The assertion in the article that Nigerian military “is so poorly trained and armed, and so riddled with corruption” is clear indication that the reporter is too prejudiced to acknowledge the fact that this same Nigerian military have trained and conducted military exercises and operations alongside the military organisations of other nations in recent times and excelled. It is ironical that the anomalies so loudly touted in Mr. Nossiter’s article were not identified with the Nigerian military during such international outings.

“It is unfortunate that, rather than objectively examine the terrorism challenge currently confronting Nigeria’s transnational and contagious phenomenon; the writer preferred to uncannily engage in campaign of calumny to tarnish the reputation of the Nigerian military. The report

by Nossiter has clearly unveiled his abysmal mediocrity arrogance and racist sentiments.

“Describing as a weak reed, a military that fought and sacrificed so much to extricate Liberia, a vital and longstand-

ing ally of United States of America from the brinks of total collapse on two occasions, reveals the viciousness of the bias being displayed by Nossiter. This same Nigerian military, which Nossiter tried fruitlessly to ridicule fought valiantly and successfully to bring to an end, the civil war in Sierra Leone, a former British colony and ally. What about the successes in Darfur and Somalia? Has he also forgotten or is he so unaware of the gallantry of Nigerian soldiers when American troops were being mauled by rebels in Somalia in 1994? Has he quickly forgotten the contribution of the Nigerian military to the current peace being savoured in Mali?

“Indeed, these are benchmarks and indicators of the prowess of the Nigerian military which have gone down the annals of regional and global history and no amount of mischievous reportage from hack writers can undo these feats. Mr. Nossiter is noted to be so committed to reporting Nigeria in bad light judging by his previous articles on the country in the same medium. The New York Times is expected to note the racist disposition of this writer and always take his writings on Nigeria and Africa with a pinch of salt.”

Soyinka to open exhibition on Steve Rhodes OBEL laureate, Prof. Wole N Soyinka will tomorrow at 4pm declare open a twoweek exhibition of photographs and other memorabilia in memory of the music impresario and elderartsman, Steven Omodele Bankole Rhodes (aka Elder Rhodes), who passed on on May 29, 2008) at 82.

The opening ceremony which will be attended by other eminent Nigerians — especially close associates and followers of career of late Rhodes in music, artistic production and cultural activism — and the general public, will begin at the Museum gallery of Freedom Park, Old Colonial Prison, 1 Hospital Road (by Broad Street), Lagos.

Designed especially to celebrate late Rhodes eminent

contributions to the Nigerian (and African) music and artistic heritage, the exhibition will showcase rich and resourceful collection of photographic recordings of his over six decades of illustrious career.

The commemorative event, which will also feature screening of Metamorphosis: The Music of Steve Rhodes (produced and directed by Femi Odugbemi), is organized by the Steve Rhodes Foundation (SRF).

Emir of Gombe dies MIR of Gombe, Alhaji SheE hu Abubakar, is dead. A statement by Secretary to Gombe State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Bage, said the Emir died yesterday in London.

8

NEWS Wednesday, May 28, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

ISSUES

Stop the ‘cement war’, now!

By Femi Ogunsaki

T

HESE are difficult times. For Nigeria, Nigerians and the leaders, it is not just bleak as far as human eyes can see, it does not just rain; it pours tears and sweats, drenches blood and despair. Nigeria at war: over prosperity of poverty and faith and denial of faith in man and God in the march of history. The state of emergency is not a North or pan-Nigerian, West Africa or indeed African affair. No! It has become global. And if you were President Goodluck Jonathan, how would you feel being drawn to an uncalled for war on the side?

Outrage, I guess!

Business and economics like the politics that drives them is winner-take-all by and large. President Jonathan did not make the rule; nor did President Barak Obama.

It was there before they came to power and will continue after they leave office – unless the players and nations decide to design and follow new and nobler principles.

Operators in the Nigerian cement industry have formed two camps and raised armies fighting each other, not to a standstill but possible annihilation if need be for the winner to take over the market. Of course, business is war by another name.

Perhaps, one gladiator took a nap. Too bad because business people more than the rest of society know that there is no resting on the oars; that godfathers do not sleep but ever on the prowl and feels no pity if he finds you dosing or snoring!

The on-going cement war is in the nature of most wars a matter of survival. Yet, it is possible for protagonists and antagonists here to survive and continue reaping mutual uncommon profits. But what is behind it, why are otherwise respectful players shooting from the hips?

Two advertorials and a features article in the Leadership of Wednesday, May 21, 2014 capture the heart of the conflict. One group claims that cement is cement and the

other says; No, cement has standards. The feature article figures that standards are not all there are to building collapse. Fair and true, but essentially the matter of standards cannot be shifted or downplayed.

As a matter of fact, were standards the standard, the cement war would not arise. It is just that the business community and their state protectors do not reckon with the wellbeing of Nigerians who rarely take our fate in our hands. And since citizens hardly bother helping selves, an oppressor sometimes does it when he sees an advantage. Believe me we should then be cheering if things were not so bad!

A cardinal principle of modern business is information. A manufacturer should know the dangers his products may expose consumers to and warn in clear language against inadvertent use and misuse. It is not enough that a product passes all prescribed tests. No. It must carry necessary warnings without which an ignorant user risks suffering injuries.

But in that case liability would fall on the producer.

In the 1980s in the United States, tobacco industry entered into a deal to compensate smokers who suffered all manner of ailments because cigarette makers failed to give adequate health warnings. Hence emerged “The Surgeon General Warns that smoking is dangerous to health” and which became branded on every cigarette pack. Cigarette makers paid billions of dollars and many folded as a result.

Coca-Cola has been fighting a major battle over whether the drink has an addictive element that induces consumers to the perpetual use.

Just last week, Credit Suisse agreed to pay $2.5 billion fine to the US for helping American businesses cheat US tax authorities. It was borne out of failure to give detailed information or full disclosure where and when necessary. And this is what the so-called new standard on cement is about: that cement has grades and different grades have different uses that builders and buyers have a right, indeed, a duty to be so informed.

It is sad that rather than call a spade a spade, a global company like the Lafarge Group is trying to be smart by half. Ashaka Cement Plc standing in for Lafarge states: Our numerous consumers are further assured that we will continue producing products that meet the highest standards of quality in line with national and international standards, using the best practices and ensuring the safety of end-users.

We therefore urge all our consumers and various stakeholders not to be deceived by the unsubstan-

Dr. Aganga, Trade and Investment Minister

In the 1980s in the United States, tobacco industry entered into a deal to compensate smokers who suffered all manner of ailments because cigarette makers failed to give adequate health warnings. Hence emerged “The Surgeon General Warns that smoking is dangerous to health” and which became branded on every cigarette pack. Cigarette makers paid billions of dollars and many folded as a result.

Coca-Cola has been fighting a major battle over whether the drink has an addictive element that induces consumers to the perpetual use. tiated marketing claims deigned to demarket our products and gain unethical competitiveness and monopolistic advantage.

Standards are not private as such. They are universal: national and global. Of course, individuals may set personal standards but they can only apply at that level. The international community under the International Standards Organisation, ISO, has established three, nay four cement grades: 32.5, 42.5, 52.5 and 62.5. Each grade is of the highest quality by itself. But this is not to say that 32.5 grade should serve the duty reserved for 42.5 cement grade. Standards mark the strength. The 32.5 cement grade cannot do what the 42.5 does nor the 42.5 be used where the 52.5 grade is required.

Yes, cement is cement but there are grades and different grades have different uses. This is not a Nigerian thing but the global standard. Lafarge knows it but Nigerian consumers are being misled to buy its dummy and would want to continue with this trade deceit if it could have its way.

What SON has done is demand compliance with global best practice without imposing fines for past failures. Given the reaction of Lafarge, Nigerians who have suffered injuries must start taking actions to get some remedy on account of not being informed as of their right.

Yes, the buyer as well the user has the right to be told the facts and possible dangers.

Dr. Odumodu said that SON survey showed that over 90 percent of professional builders did not know about cement grades; that over 90 percent of cement dealers did not know that cement has grades and lifespan; that 0ver 90 percent of construction and buildings were done by artisans who did not know about cement grades and where different grades should be used and where they should not. And this massive ignorance is what Lafarge wants to perpetuate and reap from.

In the drug industry, a manufacturer who fails to give full information faces penalty in the event the product causes mishap on the user. It is not a Nigerian rule. It is the standard practice. Lafarge should not lay claim to best practice or allege unethical market behavior of competitors. If anything, the company has in a

most blatant fashion shown impunity by daring to wish to take steps to perpetuate the old order: not marking the grades of its products and pretend that cement is cement and grades do not exist or matter. This position is unprofessional, unethical and a blatant abuse of its corporate responsibility. The callousness is the fact that the 32.5 and the 42.5 grades sell at about the same price to make even the cautious buyer/user not to bother.

The cement war by Lafarge and co is immoral, outrageous and smacks of impunity. SON must set out immediately to ensure compliance and levy heavy penalty on violators. What does a manufacturer lose by letting the public know what its product does and the limitations and contradictions?

SON has made that point that the producers can upgrade the 32.5 production line to 42.5 at little costs but those who think only of huge profits at minimal investments and health of the users consider only their profit outlay that must not in any way be shifted.

Specifically, SON sets the 32.5 grade to plastering, the 42.5 is general purpose while the 52.5 is for heavy duty constructions such as reinforcement and piling works. Many nations including the US, China and most of the EU have phased out the 32.5 cement grade.

Nigeria bleeds profusely today because impunity was allowed to hold sway for a long time before it was told in clear terms that it is unacceptable in civilized societies and the state would not tolerate it. Now, some manufacturers want the impunity they have traded and profited in to persist and dare the government to do its worst.

Refusing to give clear information on your products is corporate rascality. To refuse information is Boko Haram tendency or what is the difference between information, education and book?

Lafarge said it has not been informed of the SON position. So why is it fighting?

Trade and Investment Minister should pass the order and see to it that the cement war stops now.

Mr. President and the nation have serious issues and should not be distracted by a proxy war.

• Ogunsaki wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

9

WorldReport For a new approach in U.S.–Africa relations (1)

By Angelle Kwemo NITED States President U Barack Obama is fully engaged in building his legacy, as he enters the final two years of his second term in office.

And as his recent speeches indicate all 10 of his fingers are busy at work, with one pointing directly at the African continent.

In January, the White House announced that an African heads of state summit would take place in August in Washington DC. This long overdue summit is a first in America-Africa trade relations and has the potential to mark the beginning of new USAfrica economic relations based on mutual respect.

Africa is ready for her entrance in the big league and the US summit should not just be held to rival the Chinese or French Minus the weight of corruption, insecurity and governance issues, Africa has the attributes of a marketplace, where choice fosters competition and ensures the respect of the continent’s interests.

Now is the time for America to seize the opportunity and make history by ushering the grande dame on to the dance floor. And President Obama’s administration has just the

right ticket to make that happen.

US-Africa relations President Bill Clinton is remembered as a “Black” president. His support of the African-American community and historical 1998 visit to Africa, after years of being ignored by the US presidency, helped bring the resource-rich continent back into the limelight. Clinton is also credited for the signing of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), which established a new trade relationship with Africa.

Clinton’s successor, President George Bush, on the other hand, is remembered for PEPFAR, a commitment to donate $15 billion to fight the global HIV pandemic, combined with initiatives to combat malaria. Despite their life saving potential, these policies fell within the lines of traditional aid. The interplay between the US and Africa during that time was best enshrined in the African proverb: “The hand that gives is always on top of the hand that receives”.

Today, shaking hands as equals is of the essence as Africans, weary of the derogatory aid stance, want to be treated as global partners and accorded the right to build

Obama their own infrastructure.

Africans want to respond to the needs of their own people and afford them a future devoid of aid dependence.

This is President Obama’s focus, a win-win, mutually beneficial partnership that also reduces security threats.

Africa’s expectations of Obama, born to a Kenyan father, have been unreasonably high. Nonetheless, his policies have the potential to be innovative and serve as a game changer as he repositions the traditional role ascribed to Africa.

Africa-realism Starting in America, President Obama has expressed support to the

3.5 million members of the African diaspora, a community that has grown more visible and is better organised than before his investiture.

While playing a pivotal role in Africa’s development with over $50 billion in annual remittances, the African diaspora had, until now, remained politically opaque in their host country.

To date, the US State Department has held two Global Diaspora summits: the African women Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) and the Young African Leader Initiative launched in 2010. These programmes aim to support potential young African leaders, to address gender inequality, spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and enhance peace and security across the continent.

In 2012, the Obama administration created the US-Africa coordinator position within his cabinet and also launched the Doing Business in Africa campaign to address the commerce department’s past neglect of the continent while committing to build a business relationship with Africa. Leading a trade delegation of 20 American energy firms to Nigeria and Ghana

last week, the US Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker reiterated the Obama’s administration commitment to enhance economic ties with Africa with a tone of “Africarealism” that highlights the significant improvement still needed to be made to reduce corruption and improve the investment climate. But the question of whether these initiatives are enough remain.

Remedying the energy poverty challenge Africa and its people are on the rise, ready for serious business in the form of opportunities and not handouts.

Calls for infrastructure investment made by African trade ministers following the signing of AGOA under President Clinton were finally answered in 2013. The launching of the Power Africa Initiative, which aims to bring 600 million African out the dark, serves as a prerequisite to advancing African industries and economies.

The Power Africa Initiative, introduced by the Obama administration, has generated massive interest in US’s private sector and many power initiatives have since been undertaken. According to former Overseas Private Investment Corporation’s

(OPIC) vice president, Mimi Alemayeou, the office already has a pipeline of projects which if committed will surpass the $1.5 billion initially pledged.

It is the first time the African private sector has been called upon through the workings of local content laws in Nigeria. It has also allowed such companies as Heirs Holding, to partner with big American multinationals and USAID in this colossal endeavour.

Integrating local players is the best way to eradicate poverty and boost democracy. Political freedom depends on upward economic evolution.

The US-Africa Summit African summits have historically been held in France.

As one of the major former bilateral aid donors in subSaharan Africa, France’s voice has resonated heavily, particularly in its former colonies.

This has resulted in substantial development contracts for French companies.

•To be continued •Kwemo, a trade expert and former congressional staff member, United States Congress, is MD & CEO, Rimsom Strategies, Ltd and Founder & Chair of “Believe in Africa.”

10 Wednesday, May 28, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Wednesday May 28, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

11

Politics The National Conference Debate

How confab resolved grazing reserves poser From Terhemba Daka, Abuja FTER six weeks of intense deliberA ations by the various committees, the National Conference, holding at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Abuja, resumed plenary session second to last Monday.

At the sitting, the conference received, and commenced consideration of the reports of the Committee on Citizenship, Immigration and Related Matters.

However, a proposed amendment to one of the committee’s recommendations, which sought the creation of grazing reserves across the country, caused uproar during plenary two days later (Wednesday), forcing a postponement of debate on the seemingly controversial issue.

But after intense lobbying by the conference leadership, led by Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi and members of the Consensus Group, otherwise known as The 50 Wise Men, a modified amendment saw the motion unanimously adopted by the delegates at the resumed plenary session the next day (last Thursday).

A hot argument, for and against the motion on Wednesday, had ensued, as the conference in plenary began debate on reports submitted by the 20 committees that were mandated to deliberate on critical national issues.

The confab Committee on Citizenship, Immigration and Related Matters had recommended that governments should promote grazing reserves and new technologies, such as hydroponic fodder solution for feeding cattle.

It also recommended that dedicated funds for the acculturation and acclimatization of herdsmen should be provided for herdsmen to settle down at designated grazing reserves, among others.

But Dr. Magdalene Dura rose to object to the proposal, arguing that it infringed on the rights of other Nigerians.

She also contended that it gives nomadic cattle rearers undue advantage over other ethnic nationalities, contrary to the provision of the constitution.

The delegate from Benue State introduced an amendment, which sought to specifically restrict the movement of cattle rearers or create a modernized ranch system rather than creation of reserves in the country for the herdsmen and their cattle, with all expenses borne by their states of origin.

This provoked heated reactions from some members from the North and caused a division among the delegates along regional lines and consequently stalled the proceedings.

The development forced the Chairman of the Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi, to intervene and abruptly halt the session and further consideration of the contentious issue brought about by the committee’s report and called for adjournment till Thursday.

While many members in the conference were in favour of the proposal introduced by Dr. Dura, mainly northern delegates vehemently kicked against it. This created a tensed atmosphere on the floor, and was almost degenerating before

Kutigi intervened.

Delegates, including Alhaji Bashiru Albasu, a former AIG representing the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (ARPON) and Mallam Naseer Kura, representing Basic Rights Action, a Kano-based civil society group, described the proposal as discriminatory and vowed to mobilise his people to resist any move to change the status quo.

Contributing, Alhaji Muhammad Magaji Dambatta (North West delegate) and Alhaji Mohammad Maigari Dingyadi, representing Sokoto State, said the proposal for a grazing reserve to be borne by the states of origin of the herdsmen and supported by the House was discriminatory and smacks of high level of irresponsibility by the proponents.

Dambatta argued that, “these cattle rearers are also Nigerians and have equal rights to traverse the country without let or hindrance.”

But in his intervention, Justice Kutigi expressed dismay at the turn of events and cautioned delegates to refrain from making remarks that

could throw spanners in the wheel of the successes so far recorded by the conference, especially after a hitch-free committee meetings.

The conference Deputy Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, while also calling for caution, deferred decision on the matter.

He explained that the Secretariat of the conference “will revisit the issue on a later date, when we will be dealing with other contending issues.”

Former Senate President and CoChairman of Committee on Political Reforms and Electoral Matters, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, a delegate on the platform of Socio-Political/Cultural and Ethnic Groups, representing NorthCentral Geo-political Zone and Magdalene Dura, representing Benue State, had earlier submitted a proposal to the Conference Committees on Agriculture, National Security, and Law, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Reforms, entitled ‘Grazing Reserves or Ranches: Where Lies the Panacea to Herdsmen/Farmers Conflicts.

They had faulted the assumption that creating grazing reserves and stock routes would remedy the con-

Ayu

Okoye

Dambatta

Ozekhome

flicts and impact on the universal remedy to the incessant threat to peace in Nigeria.

Putting five (5) issues in perspective, the memo said contrary to the opinion that creating such reserves would ameliorate farmer-herdsmen relationship, it would worsen the situation and compound the security situation experienced in the country.

The memo reads: “The most devastating form of conflicts, which have affected, and keep breaking out in most parts of Nigeria is the conflict between farming communities over dwindling farmlands.

“Reducing the land available to farmers, as proposed by the Grazing Reserves, would therefore not reduce, but increase communal conflicts.

“Creating grazing reserves and stock routes will cost the country more and create an enabling environment for civil war, the cost of dealing with which the country may find unsustainable.

“Having regard to the International Character of the Fulani Nation, who are principally the herding ethnic

group in Nigeria, the increase of terrorist activities in Africa and the sophistication of attacks by herdsmen across the country, whether establishing grazing reserves across the country will not create legal access for non-Nigerian Fulani to infiltrate our country and states compounding our security challenges.”

Another issue contended is the ethno-religious fault lines of Nigeria, where more than 250 ethnic groups and two major religions are practised and “the two religions are constantly at war at the slightest provocation.”

It is, therefore, wiser that, “given the fault line of our country, ranches rather that grazing reserves are better.”

But after intensive lobbying over the night, the motion sponsored by 14 delegates and reintroduced last Thursday by Mr. Festus Okoye, a delegate on the platform of Civil Society Organisations, contained three prayers, which sought that an integrated development and modernisation programme be implemented.

Okoye said the motion was to address issues of settling nomadic herdsmen into communities-based on establishment cattle ranches with fodder and other development technologies, including abattoirs, processors and businesses along livestock value chain.

“That the programme should be funded by both federal and state governments where such settlement are established,” he said.

“That the integrated programme should be undertaken and wrapped up within five to 10 years after which such settlements should have become self-sustaining with the full integration of the nomadic community into modern Nigeria political economy.”

Sponsors of the motion said that it became imperative so as to build on the innovative and transformative recommendations on citizenship and residency rights already adopted by the conference.

Among the 14 delegates were Femi Falana (SAN), Naseer Kura, Rev. Nnimmo Bassey, Ezenwa Nwagwu and Bisi Olateru Olagbegi, who insisted that the motion was also important to create the enabling environment to reduce and prevent conflicts arising from the encroachment of herdsmen into farmlands and competitions over land use between herdsmen and farming communities.

The motion, seconded by Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a Federal Government delegate, was unanimously adopted by the conference.

It was an obvious indication that the conference delegates closed rank to come to the conclusion that the federal and state governments should establish grazing reserves and ranches in states with nomadic herdsmen, where it is desirable.

As Mr. Okoye said: “We recognised the utmost importance of ensuring that no segment of the Nigerian society and no Nigerian citizen is excluded from equitable access to enjoy all the guaranteed human rights, as well as access to basic services and social infrastructure that will make life more meaningful and more enhanced.”

TheGuardian

12 | Wednesday, May 28, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com

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 The military and the war on terror S Nigeria passes through these troubled times, it is important to admit A all inadequacies if the times would ever pass and not become permanent. Apart from other dysfunctions within the polity, the threat posed to the country and its citizens by the campaign of terror of the militant group, Boko Haram, has no doubt opened a can of worms regarding the combat readiness of the country’s security forces, worms that must be banished if the nation would not be swarmed.

Recently, the Governor of Borno State, the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and troops that are engaged with the insurgents in combat complained that the military is ill-equipped to fight the insurgents. Indeed, the inability of the country’s security forces to contain the insurgents has now caused the Nigerian military a huge embarrassment in the international community and the setbacks as well as discomforting reports of the state of the troops’ combat readiness is worthy of concern. After all, it has already resulted in avoidable casualty and a consequent mutiny in one of the military formations in the country. This obvious deficit must be addressed for a number of reasons.

One, the military institution is the material force of the state and must be capable of fulfilling the function of protecting the nation. Secondly, the military is the most unifying institution in the country, and thirdly, the institution has played a critical role in restoring peace and democratic governance to neigbouring countries in West Africa. It has also been active in peace-keeping operations under the auspices of the United Nations globally. So, the Nigerian military has a rich legacy. But for this legacy to be sustained, it must meet its responsibility as the amour of the state and its vitiation by whatever means must be avoided.

In grappling with the current circumstances, a historical reflection is inevitable. The military institution suffers from a foundational ‘Glover syndrome’, a situation where it has always distanced itself from the society and perceived it as an abstract construct, thereby alienating the rest of society from itself. Whereas in theory and practice, it ought to defend societal interest, the military’s incursion into politics and the corresponding spectacle of counter-coup d’etat brought down its espirit de corps. It was the case that once in politics, certain branches of the armed forces were treated preferentially according to the whims and caprices of whoever was the commander-inchief as a form of guarantee against possible coup. Such was the state that a former army chief noted that “it became the norm for subordinate officers to sit, not only to discuss their superiors, but to pass judgment, of course in absentia. We became an army where subordinate officers would not only be contemptuous of their superiors but would exhibit total disregard to the legitimate instructions of such superiors.” Indeed, the Nigerian army became “an army of anything goes.” To be sure, military rule so eroded internal cohesion and professionalism of the institution that military officers became political officers chasing after wealth by means of primitive accumulation.

The point has now been made that the morale of the military is low. And, also, there is dearth of equipment. Data on military expenditure in Nigeria between 1999 and 2005 averaging 1.3 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shows that the military may have been underfunded over-time. In recent times, however, an improvement in funding has not resulted in corresponding professionalism and performance. Although military hardware are expensive, a logical question still is: what have the defence officials and National Security Advisers been doing? What happened to the trillions of naira voted for defence in the last three years? What of the security votes and sundry extra-budgetary allocations for security? What is the nature of the procurement process within the military? Military expenditure is very opaque in an environment characterised by almost total non-control by the ministry of defence which, in the past, and in more civilised societies, has pre-eminence over the armed forces. Then there are the additional issues of absence of sound and steady defence policy as well as strategic, engineering and accounting expertise for arms purchase. Certainly, the Nigerian military needs to be reformed to restore professionalism.

Regardless, of the current contradictions, the service chiefs must be responsible to the defence ministry as well as the president who appoints them all. The procurement process must become more transparent. This should be easy as armament purchase is done on government to government basis. Loopholes for the purchase of second rated materials in the black market should be plugged. Professionalism is a categorical imperative and it entails, among others, strictly disciplined conduct, sound equipment, great motivation as well as rigorous and strategic training of the fighting components of the military. The glory of the Nigerian armed forces must be restored. And the time is now.

LETTER

WEFA: Matters arising IR: The just concluded World and therefore, the degree to Nigeria has taken a number of S(WEFA) Economic Forum on Africa which they can help in improv- measures, including the repeal held in the Federal ing economic activities through of laws that do not encourage Capital Territory (FCT) between FDI will be heavily influenced by May 7 and 9, 2014 made history the policy choice of the host because it was the first in West country.

Africa since twenty-four (24) To improve further on the ecoyears. Happily, it was well nomic climate for FDI in Nigeria, attended by world and business the government must apprecimoguls worldwide. ate that the basic element in any Participants were of the view successful development stratethat Africa was on track to gy should be the encourageachieve the 5.5 per cent econom- ment of domestic investors first ic growth this year, predicted by before going after foreign the International Monetary investors. Harsh economic poliFund (IMF), but need to create cies have affected immensely jobs, improve infrastructure, fos- many of our domestic outfits ter intra-Africa trade, fund the and consequently increase the agri-business revolution and level of poverty, unemployment, find the new pockets of industri- health challenges and insecurialisation. ty.

With an expected annual It seems to me that in order to growth rate of 5 per cent in 2012- seek the highest return for capi2013, sub-Saharan African con- tal, economists and other scholtinues its transformation jour- ars tend to favour the free flow ney from a developing continent of capital across national borto a hub of global growth. In the ders. It is against this backdrop words of the World Bank, almost that multinational companies half of Africa’s countries have seek for investment in foreign attained middle-income status. countries with reasonable skills.

However, the continent’s posi- However, Nigeria looks like a tive outlook is threatened by high risk market for investment fluctuating commodity prices, because of factors such as bad rising inequality and youth governance, inefficient and inefunemployment, restiveness and fective leadership of some past aggressiveness. There is the administrations, unstable need therefore for African lead- macroeconomic policies, investers to strengthen the continent’s ment as a way out of Nigeria’s competitiveness, bring growth economic state of underdeveland development. opment. Frankly speaking, Policies and strategies of FDI youths restiveness and aggresare shaped by two principal siveness are also contributing objectives, economic depend- against foreign investment. ence and the demand for ecoIt is a truism to say that since development. the enthronement of the curnomic Multinational corporations are rent democratic structure on highly adaptive social agents May 29, 1999, the government of

foreign investment, promulgation of investment law, overseas trips for image laundry by the President and his aides, to woo investors into Nigeria. The need for foreign direct investment is borne out of the underdeveloped nature of Nigeria’s economy that eventually hindered the pace of her development. In other words, policies and strategies of the Nigerian government towards foreign investors are shaped by two principal objectives, for economic dependence and the demand for economic development. These could be further stated as investment capital, technical skills, enterprise and natural resources. FDI is, therefore, supposed to serve as means of augmenting Nigeria’s domestic resources in order to carry out efficiently and effectively, her development programmes and raise the living standard of the people.

To generate direct investments, government should address participation in business, relative closed economy; corruption in high places, weak public institutions and poor external image.

Professional public relations practitioners and communication experts should be contacted for assistance. The government should continue with its privatisation programme.

• Charles Soeze, Warri, Delta State

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 13

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Opinion A vote for children and democracy

By Alex O. Akpodiete S is always the case with politics, many A things are done for eye-service or what we believe others expect. However, what the mark of a great leader is the ability to go against the grain. The bandwagon effect is very dangerous, but common place. The bandwagon is not for visionary leaders, but rather the crowd that follows the leader’s dictates.

Since the kidnapping of the over 200 girls in Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, there have been several protests.

Some have been well intended, while others were clearly motivated by a desire to be in the limelight, especially by those enemies of the president that see it as a political opportunity.

Anyway, sometimes opportunity in the midst of tragedy is sometimes symptomatic of politics of negativity.

To me it was appalling that the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) went on strike to protest Boko Haram when they knew that one of the main gravamen of Boko Haram’s complaints was Western Education. It is like biting off your ears to spite your face.

It is my position that we should celebrate Children’s Day (May 27) and Democracy Day (May 29) this year. The method of celebration is left to various governmental entities, but the celebration must be visible to all, especially our detractors. Some people may wonder why celebrate these two days in the midst of the kidnapping of the Chibok girls and the precarious security situation in Nigeria. First we should look at the history of both celebrations which are just two days apart.

Democracy Day is meant to celebrate the return to democracy after years of military subjugation and punctuation of all attempted civilian regimes since the independence from

Britain in 1960. Yes, some clamoured for it to be June 12 based on the emotion surrounding Chief MKO Abiola supposed victory in the 1993 presidential election. Others felt that it should be kept as part of October 1 Independence celebration. Nonetheless, it is a day that represents our decision to shake off the shackles of dictatorship and never allow the military to return to power. The classic definition of democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people. It means a collective government of choice, not imposition. Boko Haram by virtue of everything they stand for opposes democratic ideologies and would prefer to impose their views on the rest of us, by any means possible. That is essentially what terrorism represents because it is defined as “the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.”

Unlike Democracy Day celebration of May 29 which is a Nigerian Phenomenon, Children’s Day is not limited to Nigeria, but rather an international celebration. The difference is that the day is celebrated on different days in different countries. Nonetheless, all countries have the same purpose behind the celebration which is children’s well-being. Historically, Children’s Day was meant to honour children globally and was first established by the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in 1925, following the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 1924. Note that there is also a story that Children’s day is traceable to the archives of the pastoral church in Salem USA in 1791 relating to the trial of children accused of witchcraft. Its counterpart, the International Day for Protection of Children, observed in many countries as Children’s Day on June 1 since 1950, was established by the Women’s International Democratic Federation on its congress in Moscow on November

22, 1949. Thereafter, Universal Children’s Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954 as a day for the benefit of Children that should take place annually on November 20. Some credit V.K. Krishna Meno for first suggesting the date. Variants exist in countries around the world with Nigeria, celebrating children on May 27 annually. In Nigeria, primary and secondary school children usually engage in celebrations, including “March Past Parades” at government fields.

Two documents are significant as they concern children’s welfare. They are the “Declaration of the Rights of the Child” that was adopted by the UN General Assembly on November 20, 1959 and the “Convention on the Rights of the Child” signed 30 years later on the same date. The Declaration of the Rights of the Child contains 10 enumerated rights, but the preamble states “THIS DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD to the end that he may have a happy childhood and enjoy for his own good and for the good of society the rights and freedoms herein set forth, and calls upon parents, upon men and women as individuals, and upon voluntary organizations, local authorities and national Governments to recognize these rights and strive for their observance by legislative and other measures progressively taken in accordance with the following principles:” So it is a clarion call on parents, upon men and women as individuals, and upon voluntary organisations, local authorities and national governments.

Child Right number 2 states that “The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interests of the child shall be the

paramount consideration.” We have failed in guaranteeing these rights as there are clearly atrocities still committed against children globally. Children are still brutalized, denied education, kept away from school, forced into early marriage, sent to bed nightly without food, subjected to torture and manual labour, used as sex slaves, denied shelter and accommodation, and taken through other unmentionable hardships. Should we stop celebrating “childhood” because of all the wicked people?

The Chibok situation is a confluence of challenges to democracy and challenges to children. The kidnapped girls are children and the actions of Boko Haram and their supporters are meant to scuttle our democracy.

Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON has asked for fasting and prayer on both days based on our current political and security exigencies. This should not take away from our collective resolve to protect and honour children, but should rather strengthen us. Jesus in Matthew 17:21 emphasised that certain demons (Boko Haram) cannot be dislodged except first by prayer and fasting. When His disciples could not cure the epileptic son of a particular man, Jesus answered His disciples’ inquiry as to the reason for their inability to cure the young boy by telling them that “this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.“ We are further encouraged by the promise that “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chr. 7:14). So, let us fast and pray, and thereafter take strong actions to kill off Boko Haram.

We should never give in to the enemy.

• Rev. (Prof.). A.O.A. Akpodiete is a public affairs analyst and writes from Asaba, Delta State.

Science and technology for Africa’s transformation

By Makhtar Diop FRICA has achieved exceptional economic growth over the A past decade, averaging 4.5 per cent a year and underpinned by prudent macroeconomic management. Now we must achieve economic growth that is accompanied by significantly less poverty and greater prosperity for all the people of the continent.

With new discoveries of oil, gas, and minerals seemingly every month, we need to be able to extract, market, and invest the new-found earnings from these resources in higher quality education, health, and other vital development priorities.

As Africans move to cities in ever-growing strength, we must also address unprecedented rates of urbanization and new needs for housing, infrastructure, and agricultural productivity to feed urban residents as well as increase food security in rural areas.

On the environment front, Africa, which has contributed the least to climate change, is bearing its disproportionate impact in terms of droughts, floods, rising sea levels which in turn bring economic losses and hardship.

At the same time, these challenges also bring opportunities for joint research that would benefit scientists across the world as well as in Africa. There is scope for similar research collaboration between African and foreign scientists in medicine and biodiversity, irrigation, engineering, mining and other fields.

But here is the challenge. We will only achieve these exciting research coalitions in Africa if we correct a longstanding imbalance in our education systems. Today, our stock of graduates is still highly skewed towards the humanities and social sciences, while the share of our students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) averages less than 25 per cent. Further, women are under-represented in science and technology-related courses and professions on the continent.

Thanks to Africa’s recent progress in school enrolment, more and more students are completing primary and secondary school. This new generation of young Africans must be equipped with the modern skills and knowledge they need to find African solutions to Africa’s challenges. Earlier this year, at a High-Level Forum on Higher Education for Science, Technology and Innovation hosted by the Government of Rwanda and

the World Bank in Kigali, participating countries and partners called for a bold target – to double the share of African university graduates in science and technology fields within a decade, by 2025. This is key to transforming Africa into a knowledgedriven continent within a generation.

So how can we do it? There are proven steps that can be taken to realign higher education with the needs of the 21st century economy and to brighten the career prospects of young Africans today. Partnership is the operative word, between academic institutions both in Africa and abroad, between universities and the private sector, and with new investment partners in Asia and Latin America. Systemic reforms are also necessary, particularly to improve the quality of education across all levels of the education system, and to make higher education more relevant to the needs of would-be employers.

African universities have much to gain from joining forces with universities abroad, such as through the University of Michigan’s STEM-Africa initiative which has nurtured young scientists and advanced research networks with institutions in Africa, and also their work in training mathematicians and doctors on the continent.

In fact, the African Diaspora can play a very critical role in advancing science and technology in their countries of origin by helping generate new interest in supporting the STEM fields in Africa. We must mobilize a wide alliance of supporters including policymakers, international financial institutions such as the World Bank Group, and academics, both in Africa and abroad. At the same time, universities in Africa now need to achieve the next level of home-grown excellence.

A number of U.S. and European universities have campuses and programmes overseas, notably in Asia and the Middle East – and the next frontier is Africa. One U.S. university has opened a campus in Rwanda, and the first cohort of students from this centre will graduate later this year. By building campuses in Africa, such programmes bring quality education that is adapted to local cultural norms and requirements. Universities that move quickly will be at a significant advantage as this is a growing market that will only become larger as Africa continues its robust economic growth.

Students must also be able to apply what they learn once they graduate and look to cross the threshold of the jobs market.

This requires innovative partnerships and coalitions, as well as

targeted reforms. Following the example of countries like Kenya and Senegal, ministries responsible for higher education should aim to boost private representation on their university boards and engage with the private sector to strengthen links with employers, including on curriculum design. Private sector partners in Africa can also offer apprenticeships, internships, and certification programmes, to help bridge the gap between what is being taught in universities and the realities of the job market, and to invest in the next generation of technicians and corporate recruits.

The World Bank is working with eight African governments and the Association of African Universities on the Africa Centres of Excellence initiative, which will strengthen 19 centres of excellence in West and Central Africa. This initiative aims to build and sustain excellence in higher education in Africa, particularly in science and technology, by fostering regional specialization, concentrating limited top-level faculty and generating knowledge “spillovers.” This sort of cooperative action is vital to maximize the impact of limited resources and achieve greater regional integration.

Africa’s new partners – countries such as Brazil, China, India and Korea – can play an important role in building human capital in Africa. These countries have rich experience in developing higher education programmes that serve the needs of modernising economies, and have much to offer by way of lessons learned and active partnerships. The World Bank is working towards building a Partnership for Skills in the Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (“PASET”) that brings together new partners and African policymakers, to catalyse this process especially in high-potential sectors.

Partnership among all of these networks will commit us all to a coordinated, faster approach to advancing science and technology in Africa and helping African young people achieve their aspirations. It will also help companies to find young Africans with advanced skills and knowledge locally, allowing them to compete and thrive in international markets.

As more than 11 million young Africans try to join the job market every year over the next decade, we need to make strategic investments in their education and other development prospects in order to drive and sustain Africa’s economic transformation.

• Diop is World Bank’s Vice President for Africa.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

14 Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Opinion Origin of the presidential system of government

By Eric Teniola N Saturday October 18, 1975, the then O Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed told the opening session of the 50-man Constitution Drafting Committee at the Institute of International Affairs in Victoria Island, Lagos that the “Supreme Military Council has carefully discussed and agreed on an executive Presidential system of Government”, He said, among other things on that day, that his council “has agreed on an executive Presidential system of Government in which the President and Vice-President are elected, with clearly defined powers and are accountable to the people. We feel that there should be legal provisions to ensure that they are brought into office in such a manner so as to reflect the Federal character of the country”.

I was present at the event.

Of course, when the Supreme Military Council has “decided” at that time, who could undecide. That was the origin of our adopting the Presidential System of Government which has so far been operated by four presidents – Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Chief Olusegun Okikiolu Aremu Obasanjo, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and the incumbent Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Judging by current media reports, it looks as if most Nigerians today view the Presidential system of government as defective. I say, most not all Nigerians for, the executives, the legislators and their aides will not agree with this view. Even within the government both in the centre and in the states, there are some top officials who have since discovered that this Presidential system of government will lead us to nowhere.

Yet it was not so 38 years ago when the Presidential system of government was first introduced. Like a groom eager to have a bride, most Nigerians at that time applauded the Presidential system of government. At that time, we were so enthusiastic that at last a major solution to our national problem had been found.

The military decreed the presidential sys-

tem of government, the constitution drafting committee recommended it and the constituent assembly approved it. It became operative on October 1, 1979. As a matter of fact, when the then Head of State, the late General Murtala Mohammed announced the adoption of the Presidential of government in 1975, there was jubilation. He then announced the setting-up of a 50-man Constitution Drafting Committee headed by Chief Rotimi Williams (SAN), former Attorney General of Western Region and President of the Nigerian Bar Association (1958-1968).

He then announced Mrs. O.O. Onajide, the former Head of News and Current Affairs Mid-West Television and Mr. R.C.O. Owokedi, Senior Assistant Secretary Cabinet Office Lagos to assist Alhaji Gidado Idris as secretary to the committee. Those who served in the secretariat of the Constitution Drafting Committee at that time included Mr. A. Obilade, Dr. O. A. Obozuwa, Mr. E. Omofuma, Mrs. A. T. Kole, Mrs. J.O. Adeyemi Wilson, Mrs. V.O. Odunuga, Mr. J. A. Adesanwo, Miss A. E. Anwana, Mrs. J.T. Okechukwu, Mrs. M.M. Albert, Mr. A.O. Iyiola, Mrs. P.C. Adele, Mrs. M. M. Wuraola, Mr. R.O. Akpabio and Mr. E. Ojogwu.

The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo declined to serve in the committee after he was appointed. Only two members of the committee objected to the Presidential system of government. They were Dr. Bala Usman of the Ahmadu Bello University, and Dr. Segun Osoba, then Senior Lecturer in History at the then University of Ife, now renamed Obafemi Awolowo University. The two of them wrote a minority report and recommended a socialist kind of government which was in operation at that time in Cuba and the old Soviet Union.

The rest 47 members endorsed Presidential system of government. For the records, they are: Dr. C. Abashiya, Dr. Kole Abayomi, Alhaji Abdul-Razaq, Dr. I. D. Ahmed, Mr. R.O.A. Akinjide, Dr. S.C. Aleyideno, Mr. Al-Hakim Ali, Dr. A.Y. Aliyu, Dr. S.A. Aluko, Mr. Michael S. Angulu, Alhaji Ardo Buba, Alhaji Nuhu Bamali, Mr. Paul R.V. Belabo, Alhaji Mamman Daura,Dr. T.S. David-West, Dr. V.P. Diejomah, Mr. David D.

Dimka, Professor B.J. Dudley, Dr. E.C. Edozien, Chief I. Ekanem-Ita, Dr. U.O. Eleazu, Professor E.U. Emovon, Alhaji Sule Gaya and Mr. Rasheed Gbadamosi.

Others are Dr. Tajudeen Olawale Idris, Bola Ige, Professor Obaro Ikime, Mr. S.G. Ikoku, Alhaji Ibrahim Imam, Alhaji Aminu Kano, Alhaji S.M. Liberty, Mamman Ali Makele, Col. Pedro Martins, Alhaji Shehu Malami, Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe,Chief I. I. Murphy, Professor B. O. Nwabueze, Professor G. A. Odenigwe, Dr. P. Okigbo, Alhaji Femi Okunnu,Dr. O. Oyediran, Dr. Ibrahim Tahir, Alhaji Ahmed Talib, Dr. M. Tukur, Mr. G. Unongo Paul, Dr. Y. B. Usman and Dr. Obi Wali.

After the setting-up of the Constitution Drafting Committee, the committee called for memoranda nationwide and 346 memoranda were presented to the committee.

Among those who sent memoranda at that time were former President Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who wrote on the Proposals For Reviewing the Nigeria Constitution, Chief Victor Attah wrote from Kaduna at that time defending a non-party system, Chief Ebenezer Babatope wrote as Secretary of the Social Reformance Movement of Nigeria and Dr. G.G. Darah wrote as the Secretary of the Nigerian Academy of Arts, Science and Technology.

Other notables who submitted memoranda included Chief N.U. Akpan, Chief Alade Lamuye, Professor Eme Awa, Chief Olu Akinfosile, Professor S.J. Cookey, Chief T.A. Fagbola, Chief F. J. Elah, Justice Saidu Kawu, Justice Kayode Eso, Justice V.E. Ovie-Whiskey, Chief D.K. Olumofin, Chief Kunle Oyero, Chief Dennis Osadebe, Alhaji Yahaya Sanni.

After the Constitution Drafting Committee submitted its report, a Constituent Assembly was then inaugurated.

Of the 248 members of the assembly, only 32 were nominated by government while the rest were elected. The assembly approved the Presidential system of government. Notable members of the assembly were Alhaji Shehu Shagari who became the first President under the Presidential system of government.

Other notable members of that assembly

were Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Mr. C.C. Onoh, Alhaji Uba Ahmed, Alhaji Tatari Ali, Dr. Mudiaga Odje, Mr. Frank Alegbe, Professor A.F. Ali, Dr. Emmanuel Atanu, Mr. Paul Unongo, Mr. Mvenda Jibo, Alhaji Ciroma, Alhaji Kaloma Ali, Dr. Joseph Wayas, Mr. D. D. Etiebett, Professor Iyi Abubakar, Chief Sam Mbakwe, Dr. J.O.J. Okeize, Dr. Sylvester Ugoh, Alhaji Lawan Keita, Alhaji Umaru Dikko, Mr. Bisi Akinbobola, Alhaji Bello Maitama Yusuf, Alhaji Adamu Attah, Dr. Sola Saraki, Mr. S.A. Onitiri, Alhaji Suleman Takuwo, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, Alhaji Shehu Malami, Mr. Solomon Lar. Now almost 38 years after and with four Presidents who have operated the Presidential system of Government, most of us are of the view that the Presidential form of Government is a liability in our quest for development. The system has given the key of the treasury to the Executives, Legislators and their aides to loot the treasury as they wish.

The poor of yesterday have become instant billionaires all in the name of democracy. The people, I mean the people, are getting poorer every day and are being made to be beggars in their own land. Our type of democracy has made mockery of hardwork, honesty and procedure.

Humble men of yesterday now in power in this country have suddenly turned to monsters, tyrants with abundance of wealth stolen from the treasury all in the name of presidential system of government. Either we like it or not this system of government is killing us. It is so wasteful and too expensive to operate.

Aristotle wrote that “a democracy is a government in the hands of men of low birth, no property, and vulgar employments” while Charles Loius de Secondat also wrote that “When a government lasts a long while, it deteriorates by insensible degrees”. George Bernard Shaw concluded that “democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few”.

We must find ways and means of throwing out this presidential system of government.

• Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, stays in Lagos.

Government’s concern for Chibok girls

By Olajumoke Akinjide S the Minister of State of this great City, Abuja and as a A mother like some of you, I, on behalf of Mr. President welcome you all home to the seat of the Federal Government. The Federal Government is appreciative and supportive of the efforts of your group amongst so many other groups around the world, who have taken out time to demonstrate their disgust and solidarity against the wicked kidnapping of innocent school girls and the senseless mayhem of the Boko Haram terrorists.

Many other groups have sent messages of solidarity and support to the Federal Government in writing and we want to use this opportunity to thank them. For a government that has placed so much premium on addressing major areas of reform and development in the nation, especially the development of women and the girl-child through increased investment in girl-child education and added opportunity for women, this wicked act has been indeed very painful.

Our present world is under the grip of terrorism. Yesterday, a market in China where ordinary people go to shop was bombed. Two days ago, terrorists visited our beautiful town of Jos and detonated bombs killing scores of people. The communities of Kano, Maiduguri, Abuja, Nyanya, Madallah, amongst others, have at various times been bombed. Churches, mosques, parks and newspaper houses have not been spared. Terrorists and their sponsors have brought terrorism to our land. This is sad. This we must resist. In the last three weeks, our country has been in the spotlight. Some evil individuals who call themselves Boko Haram abducted our daughters, the future mothers of our nation, and have refused to release them. This evil act has sparked protests all over the world. This is as it should be. There must be a united movement for the release of our daughters and that movement must now

be turned into a united action against terrorism.

Government has mobilized available resources, military and diplomatic in the search for our girls who have suffered so much trauma in captivity by agents of terror. From the very first day this kidnapping occurred, the Federal Government took action, directing our security services to go after the abductors. The search for our daughters has now assumed regional and global proportion and our nation has received strong support from our neighbouring countries and the international community including the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom, among others. The security forces also reached out to the Borno State government and community members for support and collaboration to bring back our innocent daughters. So far, the campaign to bring our daughters back home is on, and is receiving global support.

Nigeria in collaboration with Chad, Niger, Cameroun and Benin Republic have all agreed to establish a single centre for sharing intelligence on the activities of terrorists across our boundaries. Apart from those efforts in the public space, our President has personally initiated consultations with so many stakeholders, to explore alternative methods of resolving this crisis. It is wrong and most unfair to suggest that there was a slow reaction to this kidnapping. The Commander-in-Chief meets with the security chiefs almost daily, and he is also in constant consultations with regional and global partners on these terrorist threats.

This is why I want to appeal to your group and others through this medium, that it is important that your genuine patriotic zeal is matched with a realistic understanding of the situation in expressing concern and sentiment on this matter and other matters of terrorism. As early as January 23, 2013 President Jonathan at Davos, Switzerland asked the world for help in tackling terrorism. He later met with President Barack Obama during the United Nations General Assembly in September of 2013

where he requested for U.S. support. Government believes that we all must come together to fight terrorism and that protests should be directed at the terrorists who have abducted our innocent daughters and deprived them of a place at the fountain of freedom in our country.

Our security forces are among the best trained in Africa. They are making so much sacrifice in the fight against terror. As we sleep daily, they are in the field confronting the enemy. They need our support, not attacks and discouragement. When terrorists see Nigerians turn on each other in blame it gives them a huge morale boost. We must never lose sight of the fact that terrorists are the real enemy. We would like to encourage civil society groups to use their influence to encourage Nigerians to supply useful information to the security services using the emergency number 112. Citizens must protect citizens if our civilisation is to prosper.

We must be careful not to politicize the campaign against terrorism. When a bomb goes off in Kabul, Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. When a bomb goes off in Baghdad, Iraq, the people of Iraq do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. When a bomb goes off in Islamabad, Pakistan, the people of Pakistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. When a bomb goes off in Nigeria, we must all unite to fight the terrorists. This is the task of this generation.

Our daughters must be freed to come home to their parents and loved ones. Our daughters must be freed so that they can return to school and receive their education. Our daughters must be freed so that they can return home to be with their friends and play as all children their age do. May God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

• Chief Olajumoke Akinjide, the Hon. Minister of State, FCT, delivered this speech at the visit by #Bring Back Our Girls Campaigners last week.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

15

TheMetroSection And the kids say: ‘Bring Back Our Girls’

Briefs Drillers meet in Lagos O promote excellence in the T practice of groundwater exploration and exploitation in

A cross-section of students from selected Lagos schools calling for the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls during Children’s Day celebration organised by BI-Courtney Aviation Services at Murtala Muhammed Airport 2, Ikeja, Lagos…yesterday PHOTO: KENECHUKWU EZEONYEJIAKU

National Association of the Proprietors of Private Schools, Mainland chapter, with teacher and pupils during a solidaity walk for the release of the kidnapped Chibok girls PHOTO: CHARLES OKOLO

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Manko and school children during a security summit organized for children by Security Watch Africa in Lagos...yesterday PHOTO: ODITA SUNDAY

Nigeria, the Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP) has concluded arrangement to hold a Stakeholders’ Forum in Lagos, on June 4, 2014 at the Conference and Exhibition Centre, Gallery Hall, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

According to the President, AWDROP Lagos Chapter, Chief Dayo Ogungbe: “The forum will provide an opportunity for interactions between the suppliers, financiers and users in the water drilling industry market. Members are being expected across the country including government agencies, regulatory agencies and finance industry to rub minds together on the way forward for better ethics and standards of the profession”.

AWDROP is a professional body with membership made up of borehole drilling companies, water treatment expert, pipe manufacturers, pump manufacturers’ representatives, as well as, individuals drawn from the academia and public sector organizations in Nigeria.

Church holds special thanksgiving service HE Redeemed Christian T Church of God, Dominion Chapel (a.k.a) The Light House LP 21) has concluded plans to hold a special thanksgiving service at 32, Pure Water Street, Arepo in Obafemi/Owode Local Council of Ogun State on Sunday, June, 1, 2014 at 10a.m.

Host is Pastor Victor Ayodele while as Special Guest is Pastor Sola Adeyeye). Other ministers expected are Bisis Olowoyo and Pastor Peter Egho.

Family remembers Olushola Erinle today March-past ...to bring back Chibok girls

Kogi children also prayed for the abducted girls...yesterday

NGO charges enforcement officers to implement new Criminal Law state law.

By Yetunde Ayobami Ojo She said some reforms include O ensure speedy dispensa“ Section 3(1) of the ACJ Law tion of criminal justice in which stipulates that persons Lagos State, human rights group, Access to Justice (AJ) has arrested are to be notified of the charged law enforcement offi- cause of arrest at the time of arcers to implement the new rules rest. under Lagos State Administra- “No person should be arrested tion of Criminal Justice Law, 2011 in lieu of a suspect. It is a violawhile performing their duties. tion of the law for any police ofThe organisation’s Project Offi- ficer to arrest a suspect’s relative or any person in place of suscer, Mrs Chinelo Chinweze, made this known in Lagos yes- pect,” she said. terday at a seminar organised “The law expressly prohibits by the group in collaboration the denial, prevention or restricwith the Ministry of Justice for tion of any person from standing surety or providing any Area E Police Command themed: “Effective Implementa- security on the ground that the tion of the Lagos State Adminis- person is a woman,” Chinweze tration of Criminal Justice Law, also stated.

However, Mr S. Adeniran from 2011.”

Ministry of Justice charged The seminar was geared towards enlightening the police them to dig deep while investiofficers of their duties and re- gating a matter to establish the truth. sponsibilities under ACJ Law and in order not to prolong and He said there are about 1000 CCTV cameras installed across frustrate the criminal justice the state, and information can process.

Chinweze said the reforms are be gathered from relevant aubasic and guiding principles in thorities such as Corporate Affairs Commission, Securities police investigating process, and Exchange Commission, Imwhich the state government migration and Phone Compafine-tuned and codified into nies.

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PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

Church trains 217 youths in vocational skills

By Emeka Nwachukwu O empower youths and reduce unemployment, Dominion Faith International Church recently held a memorable graduation ceremony for the 13th set of the Centre for Vocational Empowerment and Development (CVED) at the church’s main auditorium, Ipaja, Lagos.

Having been properly trained and skillfully equipped in different vocations, a total of 217, out of over 400 students, who enrolled for the programme graduated from the skill acquisition centre.

The Executive Director of CVED project who is also the senior pastor of DFIC, Rev. David Olatona, said free skill acquisition programme is not just for church members.

He said it was designed to empower youths and adults of various backgrounds to face the challenges in the society.

He charged them to make the best of their newly -acquired skills toward adding

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great value to Nigeria and the world in general.

He stated that through CVED, “we aim at helping participants attain personal, professional and spiritual growth; and it is our firm conviction that lives will be enriched, poverty will be eradicated, entrepreneurs will be raised and ethical leaders who can reign in this century will be motivated, ” adding: “skills you have learnt can take you to places you never expected, if put to good use. The money you’re looking for is in meeting people’s needs, and it is skill acquisition that helps us to solve people’s problems.”

Pastor David also challenged the participants to strive to be the best. ‘Please don’t underestimate the skills you’ve acquired as there are millionaires all over the world who live on what you’ve learnt,’ he concluded.

He also appreciated the entire CVED team and facilitators for investing their time in building people.

They were presented with their certificates in decoration & event management, catering, bead-making and wirework, computer appreciation (Desktop Publishing), screen printing, adult literacy, hairdressing, make-up and head gear tying and home-use chemical production such as body spray, perfumes, air freshener, disinfectants, germicides, insecticides, liquid soap, petroleum jelly, cold-water starch among others, While urging the graduands not to despise the days of humble beginning, president, Association of MicroEntrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN), Prince Saviour Iche said one of the major paths to national development is through skills acquisition.

He advised unemployed graduates to embrace the option, noting that the era of dependence on certificates was gone; “emphasis now is on what one could do with one’s hands.”

ASTOR Olushola Thaddeus P Erinle, who died on Tuesday, May 28, 2013, is remembered by his family today.

Born on March 23, 1966 in Ewu-Ekiti, Ilejemeje Local Council of Ekiti State, he attended Comprehensive High School in Ewu-Ekiti and later went to Yaba College of Technology, Lagos where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Statistics.

He later joined the service of Lagos State Judicial Commission.He joined The Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1984 and was ordained an assistant pastor in 2008. He was the General Secretary of Lagos Province 10 Sunday School Department and a campus co-ordinator of the Redeemed Christian Church Bible College.His last duty was at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Praise and Power Parish.

He is survived by his wife, Folashade and a child, Imisioluwa.

Erinle

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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Briefs Itemuagbor, 94, for burial June 7 HE death has occurred of Chief Pius I. Itemuagbor, a comT munity leader and the patriarch of the Itemuagbor family of Okpekpe-Auchi, Edo State, at the age of 94.

Funeral rites begin on Friday, June 6, 2014 with a vigil mass at his residence at 6.00p.m. He will be buried on Saturday, June 7, after a requiem mass at Mary Mother of God Catholic Church, Okpekpe-Auchi at 10.00 a.m.

He is survived by children among whom are: Mrs. Benedict Ikenemue, Francis Itemuagbor, Godwin Itemuagbor, Mike Itemuagbor, Mrs. Grace Ulo; Austin Itemuagbor, Tony Itemuagbor, Vincent Itemuagbor and others, grandchildren Itemuagbor and great grandchildren.

‘Father of Police Co-operative’ dies at 84 HE death has occurred of the pioneer Executive Secretary of T Nigeria Police Force Co-operative Society and former Commissioner of Police in Imo and Ogun states, Chief Benjamin Agboola Olaiya. He died on Wednesday, May 21. He would have been 85 on June 15.

His daughter, Mrs. Folashade Olaiya-Segun, while announcing the death, attributed it to old age.

Chief Olaiya of the Eletin family in Ode-Ekiti and Jagunmolu of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Ode-Ekiti, would be remembered as the father of Police Cooperative, who laid the foundation for what has today been known as the best organized co-operative society in the country. He was a devout Christian and community leader, who pioneered several development activities in Surulere and Isheri Oshun areas of Lagos State, as well as his hometown in Ekiti State. He is survived by his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Burial arrangements would be announced later by the family.

Publishers call for govt support S part of concerted efforts to ensure the survival of books A and build capacity in the book industry in Nigeria, the Nigeria Publishers Association (NPA) has asked the Federal Government to relax policies such as the recent introduction of tariff and duty regimes on books.

This was made public at the recent summit organized by Nigerian Publishers Association, a forum through which publishers meet and deliberate on various issues affecting the publishing industry and the book trade at large.

According to the Executive Secretary of the NPA, Mr. Banji Aladesuyi, the purpose of the mini-summit was to examine critically, the survival of the publishing industry and the effect of a number of current practices and nuances of government and individuals on the publishing industry.

Such government policies include the sudden introduction of the tariff and duty regimes of 50 percent on school books. Although this has been put in abeyance till September 30, 2014 – end of school year, following an all-round condemnation.

Other policies discussed include the frequent changes in the school curriculum, which necessitates change of textbooks and an inability to follow the National Book Policy by the government.

Also, on the issue of piracy, the publishers resolved to work more closely with Nigeria Copyright Commission and more importantly, requests that Government funds the Nigerian Copyright Commission.

‘We must police our borders against unwanted elements’ • Nigeria Immigration trains 1,000 personnel for border patrol

By Odita Sunday HE battle aimed at completely stamping out terrorism in Nigeria may have just begun with the training of no fewer than 1,000 Nigeria Immigration officers for special border patrol operations.

The trainees are now to be called the Nigeria Immigration Service Border Patrol Corps.

The trainees, after one month of rigorous exercise at the Immigration Training School, Kano, passed out in a colourful ceremony attended by the governor of Kano State, Alhaji Musa Kwankwaso, Comptroller General of Immigration, David Shikfu Parradang and other major players in the security of the nation including the Kano State Director of State Security Services and the Commissioner of Police.

The graduating corps members would be assigned the responsibility of manning the numerous entry and exit points in and out of the country.

The Immigration High Command believes that the corps would help reduce the illegal influx of aliens into the country as well as keep vigil against terror elements at the borders.

Speaking at the passing out parade of the Border Patrol Corps Members, the NIS boss, Parradang urged them to be patriotic and show total diligence in their service to fatherland.

According to Parradang: “We condemn terror anywhere in its entirety and the Nigeria Immigration Service is resolute to contribute towards fighting this heinous crime through the instrumentality of its mandate.”

“It is with a heart filled with limitless joy and gratitude to God Almighty that I stand before you to witness this occasion of the Passing Out Parade (POP) of the graduates of the pioneer batch of the newly formed NIS-Border Patrol Corps. Almost a year ago, I did

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A cross-section of Immigration personnel during the training announce a four-point reform agenda to serve as guide posts for the envisioned repositioning of the NIS,” he said.

The four-point agenda are: Revitalized and retooled border patrol, Internal Monitoring and Control, Use of ICT for better service delivery, and Total Immigration Officer. “ To achieve my vision, a committee was set up to fashion out a blueprint to reposition the Service using the four-point programme as its terms of reference. Interestingly the committee submitted a report in good time and this was further remitted to all officers and men in the various commands of the service across the country; whose suggestions, inputs and comments became incorporated into the final report.”

“Pursuant to one of the recommendations of the blue print report, a technical committee was set up to mid-wife the formation of a ‘‘Border Patrol Corps” as recommended to further give full expression to the vision of revitalized and retooled border patrol duties along the Nation’s border areas in order to enhance national security,” Parradang said.

He recalled: “ Border Patrol in Nigeria got its origin from this historic city, Kano, as a result of the Maitatsine riot of 1980 which led to the Justice Ani-

agolu Panel. The central recommendation of this panel and White Paper led to the establishment of the Border Patroldivision under the charge of the NIS.” “At this POP, therefore, we are returning back on this basic foundation by setting up a dedicated Corp, trained and refocused with the necessary technology with the welfare of Border Patrol operative taking centre stage. I wish to thank Mr. President, Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and our able Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro for the support and funds to make the Border Patrol initiative possible.

He added: “I did mention in my speech or address during the passing out parade of graduands of the Inspectorate Basic Course at NITSOL on the 30th August, 2013 that in view of the security challenges facing the nation and for effective policing of our nation’s borders, many of the graduands then would be assigned the responsibility of manning the numerous entry/exit points in and out of the country.”

“Let me, therefore, add very quickly that the day and moment is finally here and as you pass out of this enhanced training for the duties above, it must

be stressed that the skills, knowledge, equipment and your deployment today to various patrol bases as members of the NIS – Border Patrol Corps is now a duty tour of not less than three years for everyone of you.”

He charged all corps members to go into the field and carry out their assignments in line with the training they have acquired in accordance with all relevant immigration laws and international laws guiding regular and legal migration.

“We are adding 30 new control posts and 27 additional patrol bases where these officers will be deployed to bring the number to 87 and we are going to equip the bases with modern communication gadgets and adequate protective gear to make them respond to any threat promptly and effectively.

This they will do with other security agencies to protect the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“While I congratulate the graduands who have justified the cost so far expended on their training programme and brought about the realization of this principal pillars of NIS mandate, may I also extend my gratitude to all other Security Agencies and Federal institutions for their support and assistance,” he said.

St. Nicholas Hospital supports Lagos orphanage on Children’s Day

By Wole Oyebade

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N commemoration of this year’s Children Day celebration, St. Nicholas Hospital is supporting Living Fountain Orphanage, Lagos with free medical checks and treatment of the residents.

The residents, numbering

24, from zero to five years of age, were on Monday examined by a team of medical specialists during a visit to the Lekki-based orphanage.

Leader of the nine-man medical team, Dr. Adeseye Akinsete said the support service was part of the hospital’s Cor-

porate Social Responsibility to the community this time complementing the social services offered at the orphanage with medical support.

Akinsete told The Guardian their mission was to reach out to vulnerable children

that are in need of protection “and these are the kind of children we have here.”

He observed that the Child Rights Act gives every child a right to life, which is incomplete without sound health.

Continuing, he said: “For us, health is not absence of dis-

eases, but a state of complete wellness – physical, emotional, mental, even spiritual health. So, our coming here is to check their psychological and medical states, in coping with the environment. Also checking for common things such as malnutrition, skin infections among others. And if we find any, so we can assist and advise them on prevention of such conditions,” he said.

Apparently impressed by the level of organisation and comfort at the Home, Akinsete said St. Nicholas would be considering a permanent medical partnership with the “local orphanage of international standard.”

Living Fountain Home, a notfor-profit organisation, was established in November

2007 to provide shelter, clothing, emotional care and hope for a better future for the motherless, abandoned, and vulnerable or less privileged under-five children in the society.

It is one of the few orphanages licensed to operate by the Lagos State government, ceded under the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development.

The Founder of the Home, Bethy Obieri said the orphanage was set up to save lives of abandoned and vulnerable babies, by “making their stay the best of their entire life.”

She said no fewer than 500 children had passed through the orphanage, several among them had been adopted in adoptable category.

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Business Govt to build super grid power transmission facility

By Roseline Okere HE Federal Government has embarked on plans to build a super grid power transmission system to cope with the anticipated increase in power genera-

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tion in the country.

The Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Benjamin Dikki made this disclosure when he received a team from China Electric Power Equipment

and Technology Company Limited, a subsidiary of the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC).

He said the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) was willing to consider all

options to strengthen its wheeling capacity, adding that as the capacity of generation increases, TCN will become bankable due to increase in wheeling and transmission charges.

President and Chairman of Council, NIgeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprise, Alhaji Garba Ibrahim Gusau (left); Executive Director, Business Development and Bank of Industry, Waheed Olagunju; Director, Representative United Nation Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Patrick Kormawa and National President, Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Chukwu Wachuku at the meeting of UNIDO with Organised Private Sector (OPS) in Lagos.

NCC unveils new code for telecoms firms

By Adeyemi Adepetun NEW telecommunications sector code of corporate governance has been unveiled by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to address ethical issues in the industry.

According to the 35 page documents, titled: “Code of Corporate Goverance for the Telecommunications Industry 2014”, obtained from the NCC, it stressed that telecommunications firms are now required to be mindful of the impact of its operations on the society and environment and should protect, enhance and invest in the well-being of the economy, society and the environment.

While calling for improved service delivery, the corporate governance code urged telecommunications firm to actively develop appropriate corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and strategies that demonstrate an understanding of the importance of social responsibility.

According to NCC, corporate governance in an emerging economy, like Nigeria is driven by the need to develop a system of control, which is aimed at increasing share holder value and surpassing the expectations of other stakeholders.

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“This is more so in recognition of the fact that the corporate governance culture adopted by companies have positive or negative impact on their growth and development. It is also a critical deciding factor in the success or failure of the companies”, it stated.

The code also called on telecommunications firm to have adequate information, which is clear and accurate, targeted at providing support to effective governance.

It stressed that the business of any telecommunications firm should be run in such a way as to balance the interests of the shareholders and other stakeholders.

“The Board should ensure the equitable treatment of all shareholders and that the interests of minority shareholders are protected. There should be a dialogue and engagement between the Board and the shareholders to align appreciation of and attain the mutual understanding of corporate objectives.

“In balancing the interests of stakeholders, the focus should be the establishment of leading practices that enhance public perception, reputation and sustainability of the company.

“The going concern principle deals with the desirability

that organisations will grow and outlive their founders”, the code stated.

The NCC through the code also said the board of any telecommunications firm has primary responsibility for the risk management process and the governance of risk. It urged that telecommunications firm should put in place risk management systems that include identification, assessment, evaluation, mitigation and monitoring of risk.

According to the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, it is now common knowledge that enthronement of good corporate governance standards and practices in organizations encourages corporate success and business sustainability, stressing that the importance as well as relevance of corporate governance codes is now firmly established.

Juwah noted that the need to develop a sector specific Corporate Governance Code for the Nigerian Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Industry is necessary to address the peculiarities of the sector that are not typically dealt with under broadly-aimed Codes.

According to him, this is more so in view of the fact that the telecommunications

sector though dominated by privately-held companies is of strategic importance to the economy at a macro level, and has considerable impact at the micro level.

“The Code of Corporate Governance for the Telecommunications Industry is a voluntary code of leading practices which aims at regulating corporate behavior and practices of companies within the industry”, he stated.

Juwah said that the commission conducted wide consultations to determine the best approach to adopt in addressing the issue of corporate governance in the sector.

“Thus the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector Corporate Governance Working Group (CGWG), with membership drawn from across the Nigerian telecommunications sector.

“It includes the NCC and Corporate Governance Consultants/Experts that were inaugurated on Oct. 24, 2012 by our Executive Commissioner/Stakeholder Management, Okechukwu Itanyi.

“The CGWG developed this Code of Corporate Governance for the Telecommunications Industry,’’ he said.

He urged SGCC to liaise with TCN to key into the planned massive improvement in the national grid system, adding that the sector requires massive investment for rehabilitation and new construction.

Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation and Vice President of SGCC, Cheng Wei stated that the visit was a follow up to the visit of Chinese Prime Minister to Nigeria.

He stated that SGCC is China’s largest power company and the world’s largest utility company.

He added that the company operates in China’s 26 provinces, covering about 88 per cent of the land area with an over 1.1 billion customer base.

He said the company also operates China’s national transmission grid and that of Philippines, Brazil Transmission franchise and have recently acquired 25 per cent stake in the Portuguese National Energy Grid Corporation (REN).

He informed that the company’s Grid expertise ranges from planning, engineering, operation and maintenance to training in transmission and power grid operations, adding that the company had recently delivered a $1.4 billion project in Ethiopia as part of its Africa initiative.

He added that the company arranges financing for some of its projects.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government had earmarked N640 billion for the construction and rehabilita-

tion of power transmission infrastructure across the country, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, has said.

He said vacancy for consultancy services for the project had been advertised. He advised the Chinese company to participate in the exercise by responding to the advertisement.

He, therefore, assured the State Grid of China Corporation of fair competition in the planned transmission projects in the country.

He said government had already provided its counterpart fund of $1.6 billion dollars for speedy execution of the project.

The vice-president added that government planned to generate 20,000 megawatts by 2018 on completion of these and other projects.

Sambo noted with delight the experience, capacity and the capability of the Chinese company, saying the company was coming at “the right time when Nigeria’s transformation agenda is set to provide adequate power supply to the country.”

In his power-point presentation, Cheng Wei, narrated the capacity, asset, revenue base and accumulated experiences of the Chinese company.

According to him, State Grid of China Corporation has an annual revenue base of about 300 billion dollars and intends to set up a company that will fabricate and eventually manufacture electrical equipment.

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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Pfizer ditches $118b AstraZeneca takeover deal FIZER has abandoned its P attempt to buy AstraZeneca for nearly 70 billion pounds ($118 billion) on Monday as a deadline approached without a lastminute change of heart by the British drugmaker.

The decision ends a monthlong public fight between two of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies that sparked political concerns on both sides of Atlantic over jobs and corporate tax maneuvers.

British rules now require an enforced cooling-off period. AstraZeneca could reach

out to Pfizer after three months and Pfizer could take another run at its smaller British rival in six months time, whether it is invited back or not.

Pfizer’s move came two hours before a 5.00 pm (1200 ET) deadline to make a firm offer or walk away, under UK takeover rules. Its decision to quit the stage, at least for now, had been widely expected after AstraZeneca refused its final offer of 55 pounds a share.

“Following the AstraZeneca board’s rejection of the proposal, Pfizer announces that

it does not intend to make an offer for AstraZeneca,” Pfizer said in a short news release.

The biggest U.S. drugmaker promised it would not go hostile by taking its offer directly to AstraZeneca shareholders, leaving the fate of what would have been the world’s largest ever drugs merger in the hands of its target, whose board would have had to make a complete U-turn to get a deal done.

“We continue to believe that our final proposal was compelling and represented

full value for AstraZeneca based on the information that was available to us,” said Ian Read, Pfizer’s chairman and chief executive.

Pfizer’s final offer was at a price that many analysts and investors had previously suggested would bring AstraZeneca to the table for serious negotiations.

But in rejecting an earlier offer of 53.50 pounds as undervaluing the company, the British group indicated it needed a bid more than 10 percent higher, or at least 58.85 pounds per share, for its board to consider a rec-

Managing Director/CEO of CRC Credit Bureau Limited, Tunde Popoola (left);Chairman of CRC Credit Bureau and Deputy Managing Director, Diamond Bank Plc, Mrs Caroline Anyanwu; and Company Secretary from Banwo & Igbodalo, Mrs Bisi Omotunde, during the yearly general meeting of CRC Credit Bureau Limited.

ommendation.

Pfizer had urged AstraZeneca shareholders to agitate for engagement and several expressed disappointment at its intransigence, although others encouraged by AstraZeneca’s promising drug pipeline - backed the firm’s standalone strategy.

AstraZeneca, Chairman Leif Johansson welcomed Pfizer’s decision to back down, which he said would allow the British company to focus on its growth potential as an independent company.

What happens next will depend upon whether AstraZeneca’s share price deteriorates in the coming weeks and how hard its shareholders push for it to revisit a deal with Pfizer.

BlackRock, AstraZeneca’s biggest shareholder, backed the board’s rejection of Pfizer’s 55 pounds a share offer, but urged it to talk again in the future.

The proposed transaction ran into fierce opposition from politicians in Britain, Sweden - where AstraZeneca has half it roots - and the United States over the likelihood that the marriage would lead to thousands of job cuts.

Ultimately, it was price and the lack of room for eleventh-hour maneuvering

by Pfizer that killed the deal.

Pfizer had several reasons for taking aim at AstraZeneca for what would have been its fourth megamerger in 14 years.

Highest on the list appeared to be Pfizer’s

desire to take part in a recent trend of so-called tax inversions, under which it could reincorporate in Britain and pay significantly lower corporate tax. Pfizer would also be able to use tens of billions of dollars it has parked overseas, avoiding high U.S. taxes for repatriating the huge cash pile.

Pfizer also had its eye on a promising portfolio of drugs in AstraZeneca’s developmental pipeline, especially several potentially lucrative cancer medicines.

It was this pipeline that AstraZeneca management used to make its case for Pfizer significantly undervaluing the company.

Chief Executive Pascal Soriot went as far as making a 10-year forecast for a 75 per cent rise in sales by 2023.

“As we said from the start, the pursuit of this transaction was a potential enhancement to our existing strategy,” Pfizer’s Read said. “We will continue our focus on the execution of our plans, bringing forth new treatments to meet patients’ needs and remaining responsible stewards of our shareholders’ capital.”

The merger would have restored Pfizer as the world’s largest drugmaker by sales, a position it relinquished to Swiss-based Novartis when billions of dollars in annual revenue evaporated after its top-selling cholesterol fighter Lipitor began facing generic competition in 2011.

Seplat targets 72,000bpd output in 2014

By Sulaimon Salau ESPITE the hard knock posed by the closure of Shell’s Trans Forcados pipeline, Seplat Petroleum Development Co Plc has expressed its commitment to meet its targeted gross production rate of 72,000 barrels per day by the end of 2014.

The indigenous oil and gas company, which listed in London last month, said its first quarter production was impacted by a 36 day shutdown of Shell’s Trans Forcados Pipeline and its second quarter had seen seven days of further shut downs.

However, the company said production has resumed at its projected rates with its new pipeline to the Warri refinery now completed and commissioned, which should reduce the impact of such shut-downs in the future.

Meanwhile, Managing Director, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Austin Avuru, is set to join 60 other exceptional entrepreneurs, representing 51 countries across the world to be inducted into the ‘EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year’ Hall of Fame.

Seplat also noted that a 15year gas sales agreement was made with Azura Edo IPP in recent months in order to supply 116 million square cubic feet per day of gas at $3 per square cubic feet of gas from 2017.

The company said it is now planning to accelerate cer-

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tain field developments and recover some of its production losses in the first quarter with certain changes to its drilling programme and it is pursuing further acquisition opportunities.

The company also said it was confident it would win the dispute over the purchase of a Chevron asset.

Avuru said during a presentation of Seplat’s interim management statement that the company had appealed against a ruling which gives jurisdiction to a Nigerian court in deciding the outcome of a Chevron oil block sale, for which Seplat’s bid was the second-highest.

The presiding judge last week ruled the Federal High Court should have jurisdiction over Chevron’s asset sale dispute with Nigeria’s Brittania-U, dealing a blow to Chevron which had hoped to have the case dismissed.

Chevron and Brittania-U are at loggerheads after the Nigerian firm said it paid a deposit to buy some onshore oil blocks from the U.S. group, only for Chevron to look for alternative bids.

Avuru said: “We remain confident that the Chevron acquisition will be settled in our favour,” Avuru said Seplat, which raised $500 million via a debut stock market listing in Lagos and London in April, was considering three acquisitions seriously and expects to conclude them before the end of the year. He said it had $285 million in net cash after its IPO and is on track to achieve a production rate for

2014 of 72,000 barrels per day.

On the ‘EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year’ Hall of Fame, the winner will be announced at a ceremony in Monaco in June this year.

Avuru is the winner of the Master Category 2013 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award (EOY) West Africa.

Speaking on the award, EY Akinde, Bunmi Entrepreneur Of The Year Leader for West Africa, said that the award is not only designed to honour the contributions and achievements of successful entrepreneurs but also serves to inspire other budding entrepreneurs across the region.

She added: “The success of the programme is based on the fact that it opens up experience that will not only grow entrepreneurial business but also facilitate engagements with other individuals like-minded across the globe”.

Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director of Equity Bank (Kenya), James Mwangi, the only African who have won the prestiWorld the gious Entrepreneur Of The Year award, has also been ranked

by Financial Times among the world’s 50 most influential business leaders of emerging markets.

The overall winner is chosen by an independent judging panel of distinguished former EY Entrepreneur Of The Year winners and other well-known entrepreneurs.

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By Bolaji Akinola GINA FPSO project and Nigerian Content Not too many laws have been passed in Nigeria E since the commencement of this current democratic dispensation, with so many accolades like the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010, which clocked its fourth year of existence on April 22, 2014. Indeed, the signing of the law without any doubt remains one of the significant signposts to the achievements of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s regime.

The law otherwise known as the Nigerian Content Act is the cumulative result of decades of attempts by the government and stakeholders in the petroleum industry to ensure that the industry provides local value and maximized benefits to Nigerians.

Essentially, it is specifically directed at ‘redeeming’ the petroleum industry from the stronghold of foreign dominance in the over fifty years since the discovery of oil in Nigeria.

While no one is under the illusion that the law is a perfect answer to the mirage of issues that had dogged the industry for decades during which the petroleum industry has functioned as an enclave economy, with very little linkages and contribution to the wider Nigerian economy, it nonetheless offered a ray of hope for the nation to grow its potentials and occupy its pride of place as the oil and gas hub in the sub region.

In an overview of the Act shortly after its passage and subsequent Presidential assent, Aderemi Ogunbanjo, a public affairs analyst had posited that the law was a valid attempt to break away from the not-too-successful previous efforts to give effect to the local content policy.

Such past attempts had included the establishment of various research, development, training, education and support funds and a provisions in the Petroleum Act for the mandatory employment and training of Nigerians by petroleum operators.

Others yet again included the provisions on technology transfer, local content utilization, recruitment and training of Nigerian personnel contained in various contractual arrangements with International Oil Companies (IOCs), and the establishment of a Nigerian Content Division (NCD) of the NNPC, to monitor and give effect to Nigerian content policy.

Thus, the emergence of the Act was heralded with fanfare just as the world waited expectantly to see the reality of the law swing into force at the advent of the Egina project.

Ideally, Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, the oil

NIGERIAN CHAMBER OF SHIPPING

Advancement Of Nigerian Content In The Maritime Sector Excerpts From The D.G Nimasa’s Keynote Address Delivered At The One Day Worrkshop Tagged “National Workshop On Ppp Strategy For Infrastructural Development And Mordernization In The Nigerian Maritime Sector N recent times and without mincing words, Iimplementation there have been numerous agitations for the of the Cabotage Act by major stakeholders in the Maritime Sector.

The effective implementation of Cabotage Act in Nigeria would lay a solid foundation for the domestic maritime industry, stimulate and contribute significantly to the Nigerian economy. It would help to develop the domestic maritime fleet, create employment opportunities, boost training requirements at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, encourage the development of required infrastructure and technical how in the inland waterways, transport and haulage system. It would also encourage indigenous companies' participation in shipping, increase capacity building and provide employment for Nigerian seafarers.

The implementing organ of the Cabotage Act, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has showed that it would not rest on its oars until the Act is fully implemented by the flagship of the Nigerian Maritime University Kurutie, the first of its kind in Africa and the opening of the NIMASA Shipyard & Dockyard at OKerenekoko, both in Delta State.

The D.G /CEO of NIMASA Patrick Akpobolokemi in stating their 4point Agenda at the National Workshop on PPP Strategy for Infrastructural Development and Modernization in the Nigerian Maritime Sector held on the 12th of May 2014 at the Eko hotel & suits stated in his opening speech that “Today’s event is meant to critically examine the issues of infrastructural deficit in our maritime sector and to build consensus on the best strategic approach for resolving the challenge within the context of public private partnership framework.

We are all very aware of the on-going efforts of the Federal Government to transform the Nigerian economy. These efforts are not only geared towards improving and expanding on existing socio-economic infrastructure, but also the development of new ones to close capacity gaps.

Nigeria has enormous maritime resource endowment. These maritime resources and other eco-

nomic factors make Nigeria a potentially great maritime nation. With proper planning and coordinated adequate investment, Nigeria can evolve a maritime led development strategy. Nigeria however, is yet to build the required level of maritime infrastructure that would enable her harness the huge economic potentials in the sector for national development. Available infrastructure are not only inadequate and limited in scope and capacity, there are most generally inefficient. This has consequently affected the competitiveness of the Nigerian maritime sector and severely limited it from contributing optimally to the socio-economic development of the country.

Until the recent ongoing efforts to build deepsea ports at Ibafon within the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos and Ibaka at Akwa Ibom State, there is no deepsea port in the country presently. Nigeria similarly, lacks specialized ports and terminals facilities for special maritime trade. All these have continued to affect Nigeria’s aspiration to become a regional hub/load centre.

Other port and shipping service related infrastructure and facilities are also in short supply or nonexistence. There is yawning gap for modern distribution parks, inland container depots, modern logistics parks/transport corridor to support supply chain management, modern warehousing facilities and efficient and reliable inland haulage services (road, railroad and inland water ways).

In the shipping service subsector, indigenous fleet is insignificant and as such, foreign shipowners have continued to dominate both Nigeria’s domestic and foreign trades. In the same vein, Nigerian operators depend largely on foreign shipyard for the building and maintenance of their vessels.

Despite the huge captive market that the Cabotage regime has created for in-country shipbuilding and ship maintenance industry, available capacity remains very limited. There are also no facilities for shipbreaking and recycling in the country.

The picture is not different in the human capital side. Nigeria presently is not meeting up to 10% of the total shipboard manpower of her maritime

trade estimate at 142,762 seafarers for vessels serving her domestic and foreign trades.

Existing Maritime educational and manpower training institutions are few and limited in scope to produce the requisite manpower needs of the sector. The gap in this area is huge and the need to close it is urgent, especially if we are to achieve some of the key policy objectives of the maritime law.

Interestingly however, these infrastructural challenges themselves constitute real investment opportunities in the Nigerian maritime sector. Enormous capital investment is required to bridge the gaps. However, the level of investment required to reasonably close the gaps is far beyond the resources available to government.

Private sector resources especially investment capital and management skill are therefore needed to provide, operate and maintain these critical infrastructure.

In NIMASA, we have in the last three years intensified efforts to address some of these challenges, especially those ones with more defining impacts on the sector performance. These efforts led to the articulation of our 4-Point Agenda, which is our development Blue-print for the sector. The 4-Point Agenda strategy is built around public private partnership. The Agenda has helped us to prioritize our programmes and has largely guided our actions and activities.

The principle objectives of our 4-Point Agenda are: 1) Building of adequate and relevant indigenous fleet and in-country shipbuilding and ship repair capacity to support and meet the demands of Nigeria’s maritime trade; 2) Achieve in-country capacity for composite manpower development for the maritime sector; 3) Achieve integrated capacity for effective maritime administration to ensure safety and security of shipping in the most environmentally friendly manner; and 4) Build and maintain a highly professional, competent and disciplined workforce

CONTINUED ON PAGE 47

From the Desk of the

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 23

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

DIRECTOR GENERAL Dear Reader, HE Nigerian Maritime Industry witnessed an epic event, all roads led to Delta state for the groundbreaking ceremonies of the NIMASA SHIPYARD & DOCKYARD and the NIGERIAN MARITIME UNIVERSITY on the 10th of May, 2014 by His Excellency Ebele Goodluck Jonathan.

This is a good step in the growth of Local Content in Nigeria.

Relentless efforts and dedication have been put in place to ensure that Nigerians reap from her abundant resources by providing not only the skills and knowledge but also the resources to aid the success of indigenous Maritime activities.

It has also come to the awareness of all that in order to succeed in the maritime industry we must seek the help of experts. The infrastructural deficit in the Maritime sector gave rise to a need for Private Public Partnership (PPP) to fill the capacity gaps which the current government is trying to address.

This was the theme of the one day workshop held by NIMASA on the 12th of May 2014 at the Eko hotels and suits, Lagos tagged “National Workshop on PPP strategy for Infrastructural Development and Modernization in the Nigerian Maritime Sector”.

Nigeria has an enormous Maritime potential but there is a need to convert this potential to reality.

In line with the recent judgment given by Honorable Justice Buba in the case of POLMAZ v NNPC & ORS, in which he stated that those operating within our coastal waters without a license or waiver is doing so in contravention of the provisions of the Cabotage law. It has been decided that the Indigenous Ship Owners/ Operators have Locus to approach the court to enforce the provisions of the Law by going through the appropriate process.

We can only achieve this if we have a strong united voice.

There is an ongoing reorganization of the Indigenous Shipowners’ Association of Nigeria (ISAN) into the Nigerian Shipowners’ Association (NISA) and an effort to put in place a highly professional management team.

We at the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS) in support of their efforts urge all Vessel Owners/Operator both upstream & downstream to promptly register as members of NISA and be part of the reorganization exercise.

We have as usual prepared to bring you, The ABC of Shipping and The Understanding Cabotage & Local Content in the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry training workshops: We intend to give a bias to Financial Institutions who are getting more involved with Local participation.

Our novel PGD and Certificate programmes in Maritime/ Oil & Gas will kick off this quarter at the Niger Delta University (NDU), Amasoma, Bayelsa State. Financial Institutions, Oil companies, Maritime Organisations and Government/ Public sector organizations are enjoined to grab the opportunity with both hands.

We are just poised to positively affect our Shipping and Logistics sphere of business in the quest to strongly support the development of our National Economy. We welcome and encourage you to send in your relevant topical articles.

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Please join our boat. Welcome!!

IFY ANAZONWU-AKERELE Director General Nigerian Chamber of Shipping Info@nigerian-shipping.org

SHIPS & PORTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44 giant should be applauded for braising all the odds to conceive and award the Egina oilfield project, in collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

For all the good reasons, the need to integrate the world-class oil field otherwise known as Egina Fabrication Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) platform in Nigeria, towards being the major hub for oil and gas exploration in the African continent, was long overdue.

The enthusiasm that greeted the initiative is further amplified by the fact that the project has so much to offer for all parties involved ranging from its potentials for skill acquisition, technology transfer, restricted capital flight countless jobs creation, and above all, local content preservation.

Why not so? Total had had two previous experiences in Nigeria with similar circumstances, but almost all aspects of the juicy jobs were carried out in Asia, only for the finished product to be sailed into Nigerian waters to operate, almost devoid of local content inputs.

And so, it was a jubilant Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) which received the Egina project with all hopes of using it as a test case for the high hopes in the efficacy of the Local Content Act which was passed into law in 2010.

The Egina FPSO contract was lauded as being a Local Content milestone for Nigeria, breaking the pattern set by the two previous Total projects which both achieved less than 50% of their local content targets and consequently resulted in little or no job creation in Nigeria.

Located 130 kilometres from shore in deepwater Oil Mining Lease (OML), the $3.8 billion Egina FPSO is no doubt of strategic importance to Nigeria’s future economic growth, considering its projected production capacity of 200,000 barrels per day (b/d), and a storage capacity of 2.3 million barrels.

The project is expected to take off in full swing at the end of 2017 in which Nigeria’s deepwater production potentials will be reinforced.

By all definitions, the project is to be first of its kind in Africa, giving the

hope that the country is finally ready to address the economic losses it had suffered in over fifty years of oil exploration ventures.

Apart from the billions of dollars that would be conserved for government by having this platform integrated in Nigeria, the project also affords the hosting country the added advantages of taking technology and skill transfers to a new level, giving Nigeria the full benefit of deep offshore experience and expertise, just as hundreds of thousands of jobs would be created through the ancillary services.

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) of Korea entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and subsequently won the contract in collaboration with the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL), as its local content partner. By the terms of the contract, Samsung was said to have agreed to build a $120 million fabrication yard in LADOL base, off Takwa Bay in Lagos, for the fabrication and other local needs of the entire project.

Industry sources said this was also in view of a $214 million dollar provision to service the local content needs of the project, in line with the provisions of the Local Content Act. The local content fund allowance was conspicuously indicated in page two of the 26-page contract document between SHI and Total.

Investigations reveal that the $214 million local content fund has become the project’s albatross, following an on-going break neck scheming by some individuals and corporate interests to corner it, even if it means truncating the entire project from holding in Nigeria, thereby subverting the money as available free funds.

Pursuant to the local content requirement for such a huge project, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) took up the challenge and not only spelt out the guidelines under the enabling laws, it also made it clear that the Board had no objection to the award of the main contract scope. This allows SHI to perform over 80% of the FPSO work scope in Korea, their home country (including the FPSO Hull and over 20,000MT of fabrication), provided that such could not be undertaken in Nigeria for now.

In a confidential memo dated June 9th, 2013, from the NCDMB to Total following the bickering that greeted the contract award, the Board however insisted that “the Nigerian Content scope must be awarded in such a way that Nigerian companies with current capabilities are utilized in the performance of the works. SHI will be encouraged to build capabilities in Nigeria with their bidding local partners (LADOL) in such a manner that does not place the Nigerian Content commitments for the Egina project at risk”. And this falls in line with a whopping $214 million USD that had earlier been earmarked for the enhancement of the local content requirements.

It is instructive to note that Nigeria has had several integration of fabrication, production, storage and off-take vessel (FPSO) projects undertaken on her behalf by multinational oil companies in many parts of the world especially in South Korea. Unfortunately, none of the major projects have been carried out in-country.

While the major projects are carried out in South Korea some other components of the integration facilities are done in other parts of the world only for them to be assembled in Korea. All these costs the country huge sums of money that run into several billions in foreign currencies and this has constituted a major source of capital flight to the country. Nigerians are only deployed to the locations where the constituent parts are being constructed in places across the globe just to see what is happening and ensure that the jobs are done to specifications. It is not as if they are sent there for training or to learn on-the-job so their roles are very limited to sitting down and watching.

In some cases when some components had to be fabricated in Nigeria, they are shipped at very high costs to the yards in South Korea for integration. The implication of this is that Nigeria has been creating jobs for foreigners and boosting their economy through such projects.

Between 1999 and 2012, deepwater fields were developed by the joint venture companies through PSC arrangement for Yoho, Bonga, Agbami,Akpo and now Egina. Sadly, not much could be attributed to any of them as tangi-

ble enduring legacies for a country that is engulfed in youth unemployment.

This time around the government has thought it wise to award the integration of fabrication production storage and off-take vessel (FPSO) of Egina to the joint venture of the Korea based Samsung Heavy industries and its local content provider.

The intention is simply to create employment opportunities for Nigerians and also for them to acquire technical skills. If the job is properly carried out, this would create opportunities in future to domesticate the construction of such projects and Nigeria could be a hub for such activities in Africa.

It is important to note that Nigerians are going to understudy the Korean experts that are going to set up the yard and run it for a period of years after which its operations would be transferred to Nigerians.

The stage appears now set for the development of a $3.8 billion (about N57bn) Egina vessel platform integration in Lagos following the final approval of the project by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and all other relevant regulatory authorities.

The project would turn around the fortunes of the oil and gas and maritime industries as well as the nation’s economy with its multiplier effects on other sectors. The whole drive for the project is the employment of Nigerians. The facility to be built will create market for other businesses such as the steel industry.

Specifically, the construction which would kick off soon has the tendency to create 500,000 jobs within the industry and another 500,000 employment opportunities outside the sector. The site for the construction has been cleared, according to the promoters, LADOL. According to Amy Jadesimi, Managing Director of LADOL, the company had established a training centre to prepare the personnel needed for the FPSO project and other related maritime activities, adding that “we already have junior and senior engineers. A moderately furnished hostel consisting four blocks of 96 rooms has been constructed at the Lagos site of the FPSO project.”

Advancement Of Nigerian Content In The Maritime Sector CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44 that is properly motivated to drive an organization with capacity for both static and dynamic efficiency. We are pursuing these goals vigorously with total resolve.

Our efforts so far and the outcomes are quite encouraging.

Through a PPP arrangement, NIMASA was able to acquire operational platforms and the associated electronic surveillance systems. These assets have given the Agency enforcement capability which before now was almost impossible for lack of operational platforms. Today, we have visible presence in Nigerian waters. This has improved our maritime domain awareness, which is an important condition for effective maritime security within the context of the ISPS Code.

Development of human capital and maritime infrastructure are the cornerstones of our 4-Point Agenda. In pursuit of these, NIMASA sought and got government approval to establish the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) and a Shipbuilding and Ship-repair facility, all at Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-east of Delta State.

Establishment of the University was informed by the compelling need to urgently address the dearth of indigenous manpower in the sector. The NMU was therefore, conceived and designed to produce composite high level technical manpower for Nigeria’s maritime/ shipping sector on sustainable basis. The NMU is envisaged to become a Centre for Excellence in innovative research for the maritime sector in the West and Central Africa sub-region when fully developed.

Similarly, the shipyard/dockyard facility is our response to a major infrastructural capacity gap that has affected the sector performance negatively. It would be recalled that one of the important pillars of our Cabotage regime is possession of in-country capacity to build and maintain vessels for the Cabotage trade. Having in-country capacity for shipbuilding and maintenance is very crucial for the attainment of the Cabotage policy objectives. It is in pursuit of this critical requirement that we conceived the ship/dock yard facility.

Another important reason for undertaking the project is that the shipyard/dockyard facility will support the university by providing opportunity for practical training of naval architects, marine, communication and control engineers. The physical proximity of the shipyard/dockyard facility to the university is deliberately conceived to facilitate adequate practical training of students in requisite areas.

We have PPP plans for both the university and the shipyard/dockyard, especially in the operation, management and maintenance of the facilities after their construction. We are also working on an initiative to establish a viable National Shipping through PPP. The line will be operated and managed by the private sector with limited public equity but

significant support through robust implementation of existing policy instruments such as the public cargo support scheme and the Nigerian content policy.

The foregoing account is just to show our commitment to partner the private sector to provide the necessary infrastructure in the sector. We believe strongly that with proper incentive to promote and deepen such partnership, the present infrastructural deficit in the sector would be addressed to the gain of the economy and the investors.

We are hopeful that the outcome of this workshop will among other things; produce a roadmap on the appropriate strategy for pro-

moting and encouraging PPP in the sector.

Whatever strategy however, must strive to address the issue of funding in an innovative way, given the peculiarity of our fiscal environment.

Resolving the funding challenge is central because it is a defining factor on account of the capital intensive nature of maritime infrastructure. Equally important in promoting PPP in the sector is the issue of legal regime and capacity for driving and managing PPP transaction. We are also hopeful that the workshop would be able to address these important factors. A sound legal regime is a necessary condition for PPP to thrive especially in promoting predictability of outcome in terms of contractual conflict”.

The Overview of Infrastructure Challenges in the Nigerian Maritime Sector Panelist after the delivery of a paper on The Overview of Infrastructure Challenges in the Nigerian Maritime Sector –Options and strategies for building modern and adequate Maritime trade infrastructure by Dr. Chris Asoluka.

Panelist at the just concluded one day workshop on PPP Strategy for Infrastructural Development and Modernization in the Nigerian Maritime Sector held by NIMASA & ICRC in Lagos. In no particular order Dr. Chris Asoluka Chairman Oil & Gas, Mr. Adebayo Sarumi Former MD NPA, Mrs. Ify Anazonwu- Akerele D.G Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun Chairman / CEO STARZ Investment Co, and Engr. Ajibola from NCRC

24 Wednesday, May 28, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

GUARDIANENERGY AfDB to spend N480b NDPHC hands over in five years largest transmission on electricity station in Nigeria to TCN

How effective geosciences development will aid local content policy, by Ejayeriese pg 27

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OIL

pg 27

POWER

GAS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com; www.theguardianmobile.com

NEITI’s report on oil revenue sharing ready soon From Collins Olayinka, Abuja HE Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) would soon make the actual determination of how much oil money has accrued to the Federal, States and Local government councils between 2007 and 2011 public.

The Executive secretary of NEITI, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who dropped this hint in Abuja at the capacity building workshop for civil society organizations, added that the audit also covers every agency that are directly receiving allocations from the federation account.

In particular, she submitted

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that the audit report will further examine how such monies were spent and their impacts on the Nigerian people.

Her words: “I would like to inform that the fiscal allocation and statutory disbursement audit covering the period of 2007-2011has been concluded and will soon be made public. This audit covered actual disbursements of funds accrued to the Federation Account from the oil and gas sector to the three tiers of government and other agencies of government that directly receive allocations from the Federation Account.

The audit also tracked actual

application of these funds and examine the issues surrounding 13% derivation to benefitting states.”

Ahmed also highlighted that the 2011 audit of the solid minerals sector has been concluded and will soon made public as well.

According to her, the 2012 audit of the oil and gas sector has commenced while the procurement for 2013 audit of the sector id also in progress. She assured that NEITI is working assiduously to meet all the reporting deadlines set by the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Delivering a welcome ad-

dress, the Chairman of National Working Stakeholders Group (NWSG), Ledum Mitee, reiterated the commitment of Nigeria to implement the new EITI standards.

The new standards require disclosure of production figures, disclosure of revenue flows to states, local or other accounts and disclosure of ownership of the license holders. The new standards also require improved reliability of data transparency on the part of state-owned companies and other gov-

ernment entities on revenues collected on behalf of government. It also focuses on expenditure on social services, public infrastructure and fuel subsidy payments.

With the new initiative, Mitee declared that as critical stakeholders in the EITI implementation process, civil society should have a sound understanding of the various aspects of the new standards to enable it play its expected role in the process.

He added: “As the roles of

civil society in the areas of dissemination of NEITI reports and using the reports to hold government and companies to account are key to the success of the EITI process, it follows that the impacts of NEITI in the industry depends, to a large extent, on the ability of the CSOs to use the contents of its report to initiate debates, discussions, constructive engagements and advocacy for reforms and bring about the change we desire.”

Senate assures on PIB From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja ESPITE the delay in signing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said the National Assembly has been working quietly towards ensuring its passage.

Ekweremadu gave the assurance when he received a delegation of the newly elected National Executive Council of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in his office in Abuja.

He told the association that the Senate was mindful of the benefits of the PIB to Nigerians and would work to enthrone the envisaged major reforms intended by the bill.

He said: “I will like to use this opportunity to assure you that progress is being made re-

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garding the Petroleum Industry Bill. We are committed to passing the Bill because we believe that it is going to bring major reforms in the industry.

We want to solicit your patience and also your support towards passing it.

“We are hoping that very shortly, our committee will bring forth the report of the bill and we are going to give it an accelerated hearing so that Nigerians and those who are in the industry will begin to have the benefits of reforms intended by this Bill”.

Ekweremadu urged IPMAN to remain patriotic and ensure steady supply of petroleum products to Nigerians given the enormous dependence of businesses on the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.

He also implored them to be security conscious in their op-

erations, saying that the task of securing the country involves all.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation and National President of IPMAN, Chinedu Okoronkwo, assured that IPMAN was committed to stability in the downstream sub-sector of the petroleum industry.

He said IPMAN would stabilize petroleum products supply at the official rate and that the new leadership of IPMAN has planned to establish two refineries in Kogi and Bayelsa States to further boost the nation’s economy.

He added: “The only way we can think of building capacity in the downstream is to build refineries; and as I speak, we have concluded plans to build two refineries; one in the northern part of Nigeria and another in the southern part of Nigeria.

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

ENERGY Wednesday, May 28, 2014

AfDB to spend N480b in five years on electricity

By Roseline Okere HE African Development Bank (AfDB) has unfolded plans to allocate as much as $3 billion (N480 billion) over the next five years to assist in meeting electricity need in the country.

This is expected to leverage at least four times more investments in the energy sector.

The bank, together with its partners in power generation in Africa have entered into partnership that would help to realise the “Power Africa” initiative, according to conclusions reached on the scheme at the bank’s yearly general meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, recently.

The session focused on what could be the biggest challenges investors and financiers face when looking to invest in power projects in Africa.

The Director of the Energy, Environment and Climate Change Department at AfDB, Alex Rugamba, said the bank was proud to be part of the Power Africa initiative, which was unveiled on June 30, 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa, by US President Barack Obama.

The initiative aims to double the number of people with access to power in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“As part of our journey to implement the Power Africa initiative, AfDB has just approved a major policybased operation to support Angola with structuring its energy sector and improving the climate for private sector participation,” Rugamba said.

“We are also supporting utilities in becoming more bankable so that independent power producers become confident, for example in Tanzania, we are working with them to restructure and reform the energy sector and make it a utility that is performing better than it is right now.”

He noted that as part of the Bank’s Regional Integration Agenda, AfDB is supporting the regional power pools and investments in cross-border infrastructure, particularly transmission lines.

“There are a number of facilities we host at the Bank some

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of which are aimed at supporting project preparations - for instance the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA),” he highlighted.

“We also have NEPAD infrastructure project preparation facility, which is aimed at preparing transformational regional projects. The Bank will be involved in some of the complex continental initiatives - for instance hydropower projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

Rugamba stated that the Bank also hosts the Africa Hub for Sustainable Energy for All and a number of initiatives that leverage private financing.

According to Helen Tarno, the Founder and Managing Director of Aldwych International, an energy company active in the growing economies of Africa, the risks associated with investing in power generation in Africa are significant.

“The primary challenge is often related to national regulatory and legal policies which too often include subsidised tariffs, weak collection and restricted investment regimes,” she said.

“A history of economic instability can compound the challenges which can lead to large currency fluctuations and increased risks of nonpayment by state-owned utilities. It’s important that there be a strong foundation for power investment.”

Tarno noted that her company is engaging in power generation in Kenya and Nigeria and focuses on expanding its scope across the continent.

She emphasised strong power economic management, having good regulatory frameworks and welcoming investment regimes as paramount in accelerating power investment projects on the continent.

“Investors might still need a credit-worthy government, and multilateral development banks willing to provide support to accelerate investments in the energy sector,” she added.

Shell boss worries over oil spills in Niger Delta From Ann Godwin (Port Harcourt) HE Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mutiu Sunmonu has expressed regrets over continued incidents of oil spills in the Niger Delta.

Describing the Delta as a region very dear to the company, Sunmonu disclosed that Shell is committed to continuously improve its operational environment through the collaboration of stakeholders.

Represented by the General Manager, Sustainable Development and Community Relation, Nedo Osayande, Sunmonu spoke at the 2014 Niger Delta Environment and Reputation Management Stakeholders’ Workshop held in Port Harcourt at the weekend.

According to Sunmonu, “The environmental state of many parts of Niger Delta today makes me very sad on a very

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personal level. This is an area in which I have spent a great deal of my career. The Port Harcourt area has been home to me and my family , So the incidents of oil spill and repeat spills at sites that have either been remediated or in the process of remediation really sadden me.

“There is urgent need for stakeholders to work together in our various areas to do all we can to resolve this issue.”

He noted that the reputation of the region needs to improve in order to attract more public and private sector investments. “Investors need to view the region as a sustainable and enabling environment for business” He stressed.

“We are not only committed to a safe working environment, our Nigeria Content Development programme is also evidence of our hope and commitment to the Niger Delta region,” Sumonu said.

The Deputy General Manager, Civil field operations, NDPHC/NIPP, Cladudius Ogunrinde (left); Assistant General Manager, System Operation, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Augustine Anyawu, Personnel Manager, Ikeja West, Gabriel Adewole Ajani and the General Manager, TCN, Lagos Region, Oyeleke Adeoye, during the handling over of the Ayobo Transmission station to TCN, in Ogun State.

NERC harps on new technology for electricity supply

By Roseline Okere HE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has called for the need to embrace changes in technology in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) in order for the system to keep in tandem with the times.

The Director-General, Dr. Sam Amadi made this disclosure during the presentation of the Nigeria Electricity Supply and Installations Standards (NESIS) document to the Commission by the Chairman of the Technical Working Group (TWG), Engr. Foluseke Somolu, in Abuja.

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He added: “We expect a high quality document because of the composition of the technical working group, made up of lawyers, professors, and engineers”.

Amadi further asserted that the Electrical Installation Regulation, which was promulgated in 1996, has become obsolete, and this serves as the basis for the development of this updated regulatory document.

Amadi noted that the Technical Working Group, which had been working on the document since 2012 was an indicator that crowd-sourcing is more valuable than outsourc-

ing to consultants.

He stated that the regulations ensure fluid generation, transmission, and distribution in the electricity industry, which is necessary for the reform in the sector to succeed.

He was supported by the Commissioner for Engineering, Standards and Safety, Engr. Mary Awolokun, who stated that the document is a vital development for the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry because it covers all aspects of the value chain in the electricity industry.

The TWG comprised of members representing a wide spectrum of electricity industry

stakeholders including, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Federal Ministry of Power, Lagos State Electricity Board, Metering Code Panels (MCP), Distribution Code Review Panel (DCRP), representatives of the Distribution Companies, Licensed Electricity Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN), Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Professors from three Nigerian universities, two Law firms, and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Total unfolds improved service delivery plan

By Sulaimon Salau OTAL Nigeria Plc has stepped up its effort to provide one stop shop customer service in all its filling stations nationwide to further provide quality service delivery to its customers.

The Managing Director, Total, Alex Vovks, during its customer celebration week tagged ‘Top Service Week’ in Lagos on Monday, said the company is well positioned to ensure that customers are well served at Total filling stations across the country.

Vovks explained that each outlet is expected to provide services, such as free air, lube bay, wheel alignment, burnet check, mini super market and cleaning of wind screen among others.

When customers are n ot satisfied with services rendered by Total attendant, Vovks stated that customers are free to lodge their complains through customer line provided by the company, facebook and twitter.

The Tota l boss reiterated that the company’s enforcement team would visit any of it outlet across the country where complains are lodge by customers including inter lands.

Speaking during a routine

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tour to Alapere 2 filling station in Lagos, Vovk said, “you are witnessing the top service week by all the Total management including myself to serve our customers in all the stations in Nigeria.

“Total brand is known for the quality of it service and we want to ensure that this top quality is implemented on a regular basis, that is why we came to do it ourselves. It also allows us to show to our

staff in the service stations how important and how much value we put in customer service.

“It is also a way of interacting directly with our customers, show them our appreciation and also to hear from them directly if they enjoy our services and point areas for improvement. This is actually a symbol because throughout the year Total would have many visitors to

our stations two or three times in a year and they would mark our stations basis on the quality of service we render, the cleanliness of the station so that we will know every day of the week, everyday of the year every customer in Total gets best service.

“This Top Service Week is taking place everywhere in the country, in the East, North, We st and South.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 ENERGY

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

27

NDPHC hands over largest transmission station in Nigeria to TCN

By Sulaimon Salau HE dividends of the National Independent Power Projects (NIPP) may have begun to land for Nigerians, as the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) fully handed over the newly built largest power transmission plant in Nigeria to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

NDPHC, the operator, of the NIPP projects had commissioned the plant located in Oke-Aro community, Ogun

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State last year, but completely handed the plant to TCN at the weekend, having completed the provisions of the contract.

The TCN is therefore expected to fuly utilised the state-of-the-art fality to improve power supply to Nigerians.

The Deputy General Manager, Civil Field Operations, NDPHC/NIPP, Claudius Ogunrinde, said: “The project has been completed and commissioned, and the company

has been running it under the provisions of the contractual terms. Today marks the proper and complete handover of the facility to the TCN. “We are here to examine the effectiveness of what we have done about a year ago and some of the factors listed to be improved upon, and we have seen that most of them have been done and the job is excellently executed to the RFP specified standard, he said.

He explained that the TCN was allowed to take partial control of the facility since last year with a clause in other to acquaInt them with the technology and ensure that the plant start serving Nigerians.

“The clause was that : In case any of the equipment has problem, they have a warrantee for one year, the contractor that did the job (EPC,) should also be around to help solve the problem and guide the staff on how to run the station without problems, so the

waranty is over today and it becomes the baby of TCN completely,” he said.

To aid electricity consumption by Nigerians, the transmission plant is meant to step down power from 330kva to 132kva and then to 33kva. The 33kva is where the Discos and consumers are getting supply from. The facility now has four feeders radiating on 33kva and two of them have been in service for about six months while another two has been added,

waiting to be commisioned in the next three weeks.

TCN Boss, Engr Adeoye, assured that the station would boost power supply to Lagos and Ogun states significantly and ease off he load on Ikeja West transmission station at Ayobo, Lagos.

He said: “The quality of the job done on the station is perfect. Its one of the best stations we are inheriting, and I hope it will serve us properly in Lagos.

Engineers task govt on effective gas supply to power plants

By Sulaimon Salau RKED the by lingering challenges of poor electricity supply occasioned by poor gas supply, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), has urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to boost gas-to power in the country.

The Chairman, NSE, Egbin branch, Lanre Siddiq, who made this call during the 2014 Engineering Week Celebration in Lagos, said shortage of gas to power plants has had significant impact on power supply in the country, particularly Egbin Power station.

He said: “Gas supply is causing great problem for power plants. By now, power generated would have increased significantly, but due to

I

insufficient gas supply, the power generation is dropping.

Here at Egbin, we have been managing the little we have and that is why there is drop in power generated here, in the past two weeks,” he said.

Siddiq said If the government could improve on gas supply to all the power plants in the country, there would be a tremendous improvement in electricity supply.

He urged the government to expand the existing grid so that it could be able to evacuate energy generated from all the power plants.

“Government should work in the area of national grid expansion.”For a long time now the grid has been very weak, it needs to be expanded so that

it will be able to effectively evacuate energy generated by power plants,” he said.

Siddiq, however, said that the Council for Regulation of Engineering (COREN) had signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with EFCC to phase out quackery in the system.

The chairman said that NSE Egbin Branch was known for her dynamism and was well represented in national activities.

“We promote engineering learning and practice in our environment. The branch has also made great contributions in developing the technical capabilities of Egbin staff through workshops and seminars,” he said.

How effective geosciences development will aid local content policy, by Ejayeriese NDREW Ejayeriese is the turers themselves were not a success and a lot of the uni- tion should be seen as comA General Manager, Opera- up to date in the system. We versities have benefited from plementary to what the unitions Technical Geoscience, equally found out that some it. What we are doing is inter-

Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil.

EEPNL recently sponsored a one-day course on the application of 4D Seismic Data for 70 lecturers from Universities across the country as part of its contribution to bridging the knowledge/capacity gap in the study of geosciences in Nigeria. In this interview with ROSELINE OKERE on the sideline of the programme, he emphasised the need for the development of geosciences in Nigeria’s quest to increase indigenous participation in Nigeria oil and gas sector. Excerpts.

What is the essence of organising this programme and what are its benefits to the Nigerian economy?

We started this scheme in 2006. When we looked at our recruitment process, we discovered that a lot of Nigerian graduates were not doing so well compared with their foreign counterparts. We saw a trend that somebody who spent four years in Nigerian university to acquire a degree may not be able to perform well in our recruitment process until after spending additional 18 months to acquire a master’s degree in a foreign university. While those who acquired master’s degree here in Nigeria always struggled. We needed to do something and find out the reason behind such trend and we discovered that our tertiary institutions did not have a sufficiently developed infrastructure. Also, the lec-

of the skills in our universities were outdated. What they were teaching in the universities was no longer pertinent in the oil and gas industry.

So, we went on a three-prong approach to intervene in the area of infrastructure. We went to the universities in Nigeria, which are into geosciences to build mini-interpretation centre. Today, we have done about 16 universities. We supplied these universities work stations.

Sclumberger gave us softwares and machines. We also selected three lecturers each from the universities and we trained them on how to use the softwares so that they would be able to train the students.

This was necessary because apart from providing the softwares, there is also need for the lecturers to be trained.

We also gave the schools generators with each of the schools getting a 30kva power generating plant to enable power the equipment.

Having done that, we still found out that there was a gap. We also supplied the universities with basic mapping tools because we found out that our universities where not going to the fields. We collaborated with Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and we discovered that the maps have not been up dated for a very long time. So, we decided that the students should take the maps and try to update them as part of their practical work. Nigeria is divided into different sheets geologically. We went

Andrew further to start what we call “Train the Trainer programme” because we found out that even the lecturers themselves were coming up short as per what they actually going to teach in the field. We had to teach the lecturers to enable them teach mapping in their respective schools. We developed a manual for the lecturers and the students. These days, we use high technology in the industry and felt it will be necessary also for them to know what is now applicable in the sector.

We even went as far as finding out ways to inculcate some of these new things into their curricular of the universities.

We contacted Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explo-

rationists (NAPE). The association has been involved in the development of geosciences education in the country for a long time. We have been able to develop several training programmes to ensure that the lecturers are up to date in geosciences education.

What is the relationship between what you are doing in terms of skill acquisition and the Nigerian content development programme?

What we are doing is part of our contribution to the success of the Nigerian Content Policy. Human capital is one of the most important aspects of economic development.

We have been on this journey for a long time and it has been

vening and equipping the lecturers and students to be able to acquire the necessary knowledge to assist in economic development. So, looking at what we have provided so far, the students and lecturers have no reason to fail.

Do you have a way of monitoring the impact of the trainings programmes on the students and lecturers?

We engage in internal assessment of the programme.

Remember that we get the money from the company for the various programmes and if we are not recording any progress, we will not be able to get more money. We always encourage the students and lecturers to participate in the various programmes being organized by NAPE as part of our efforts of ensuring that they keep abreast with the current trend in the industry.

NAPE has several local and international programmes.

There are many programmes at the local and international level that enable the students to compete. The students will gain a lot of experience from such event. We have noticed improvement in some of the schools that have been participating. We are concerned about the ability of our students to demonstrate, in practical terms, what they have studied in schools. We want them to succeed.

One of the challenges is a situation whereby some universities would shut-down their budget because of the assistance from organisations like our company. Our contribu-

versities are already doing.

What we are doing in a particular university is not a lifetime affair. We get involved with a university for four to five years and we move to another university.

How much has the company spent in the last five years on this initiative and what is your budget for the future?

Cumulatively, we have spent billions of naira on the scheme. Today, we have spent over N3 billion on the programme and it is on-going.

Our budgeting circle is on a yearly basis, depending on our business climate. We work with Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and all our programmes have to be approved by them. So, depending on how much we can take. We usually budget $200,000 to $250,000 yearly.

This very programme is a oneoff thing for the lecturers - We had to bring a very experience lecturer from the United States to take them through Seismic application.

What is your advice to the government on how to develop geosciences education in Nigerian universities?

I believe that the government is doing its best in the universities. If we can manage whatever government is contributing, the quality of graduates from our universities will improve tremendously. We need people who are committed regardless of what we have on ground.

There are so many grants available for quality research that could lead to breakthrough in certain areas.

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THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Money Budgeting: Can we ever get it right?

President Goodluck Jonathan

The “quietness” and consequent delay that bedeviled executive assent to the 2014 national fiscal plan may have passed, but the document is still “missing”. CHIJIOKE NELSON aggregates the economic implications of the ugly trend on Nigeria’s development strides.

HE level of uneasiness that enveloped the T global community of investors and stakeholders over the delay in assenting the

national fiscal plan by the executive was visible, especially as quietness over budget matters reigned between the legislature and executive as if there was nothing ever like the document for the country. Already, the tradition of late passage of national budget had been synonymous with Nigeria in the recent past and assessed as clog in the wheels of economic prosperity and contributed much to the growing implementation inertia.

Presently, the budget has been signed by the President, after the long wait, severe arguments and allegations of distortions done by the lawmakers, but came out with a surprise and another round of probable “commotion”, just like the increase on the original proposal by the National Assembly. This time, the argument seem to bother on the agencies of government that did not defend their budget or their proposals were not tidied up before the assent. Already, the lawmakers are divided in their opinions on the issue.

Indeed, the trajectories so far are tending towards sustenance of status quo- starting early/late and ending late; starting partial implementation ahead of executive assent and ending with unclear implementation figures; budget assent in the middle of the year, with rush to execute projects and ending with unimplemented projects, arguments, allegations and uncertainty over the whereabouts of voted funds. The case of “virements.”

The Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, said the recurring development is not in good taste and may not give the economy the much-desired strength to overcome growth challenges. “The delay in the signing of the budget has serious implications.”

“It would further entrench the vicious cycle of poor budget implementation. Definitely, continued delay would affect implementation, especially the capital component of the budget. The risk is that recurrent spending will be fully implemented while capital projects suffer the usual implementation shortfall. However, the constitution provides for some level of expenditure until the coming into operation of the appropriation Act.

David Mark, Senate President

“The delay has implications for planning in both the public and private sectors of the economy. Strategic planning for many organisations takes a cue from the budget structure and the policies that come with it. To the extent that the budget is not in place, uncertainty and associated business risks in the economy are heightened.

“It seems also necessary to clearly define the boundaries of responsibilities between the executive and legislature in budgetary appropriations to avoid this recurring problem of delays. A judicial pronouncement is necessary to lay the matter to rest. It is important to clarify which of the arms of government has a final say on the budget– the executive or the legislature? What we have now is as good as running the affairs of state without a budget.

This is certainly not in the best interest of the economy and the citizens,” he said.

From Augusto & Co, a Pan-African rating agency, came an observation of what lies ahead of the national plan, as it noted that the budget tagged: “Budget for Jobs and Inclusive Growth,” has lost out valuable implementation time like previous ones.

In its report titled: “Can Budget 2014 Correct Nigeria’s Jobless Growth?”, the rating agency pointed out that the process is always meeting divergent views that take long time to reconcile, especially the crude oil benchmark.

“If Nigeria’s fiscal budget was an item on the shelf of a mart, it would probably have a reading on the package—‘best before: 31-Dec-2014.’

Even after a month of passing the 2014 appropriation bill, the budget was yet to become an Act of Parliament; because it awaits presidential assent.

“The first fundamental drawback of Budget 2014 is the undue delay of the process. At current progress levels, we fear that Budget 2014 could become a half-year budget.

Government revenue in budget 2014 is expected to drop by six per cent from 2013 due to factors such as the depletion of the Excess Crude Account (ECA) and the uncertainty around Nigeria’s crude oil supplies.

“At the same time, generous tax waivers have led to a fall in corporate taxes, customs and excise duties accruable to the government.

These developments further highlight the need for government to diversify income streams beyond crude oil earnings and exploit other burgeoning sectors as reflected by the rebased GDP figures,” the group stated.

Also, Abuja-based Development Consultant, Jide Ojo, decried the recurring situation, though he affirmed that it has not in a long time been this bad in terms of budget impasse.

“This is end of May, if the country’s financial plan had not been ratified for implementation, when will the execution take place?

Though the government can spend a percentage of the budget in the first quarter of the year, we are already deep in the second quar-

Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives

ter. The question is, will any money spent now not be illegal?

“It is quite unfortunate for Nigerians, who are at the receiving end. Governance will soon make way for politics as we get close to the February 2015 general elections. Thus, by the time the budget is out for implementation, much of it will be misapplied as focus shifts from governance to politics and election. The delivery of democracy dividends will thus be in short supply.

“The question again is, if 2014 budget is not yet operational in May, when will the 2015 process begin? It behooves the media, civil society, and opinion molders to call for quick resolution of any issues delaying the budget from being ratified,” he said.

But the Lead Director of Centre for Social Justice, Eze Onyekpere, said with five months already gone out of the year, still uncertainty shrouds the fiscal policy document, which contains the direction of the Nigerian State in terms of expected income, revenue, expenditure and accepted priorities, it shows that the authorities involved are playing a brand of decadent politics with the budget.

“However, public resources are being spent and the large and directionless trek to nowhere is ongoing. Is it possible to have a new fiscal governance trajectory that departs from this confusion? Is it possible for the executive and the legislature to initiate and approve a budget that commences on January 1 and ends on December 31 in accordance with the Financial Year Act? “The facts speak for themselves- the 2006 budget was presented to the National Assembly on December 6, 2005, and signed into law on February 22 2006; 2007 budget was presented on October 11, 2006, and signed into law on December 22 2006; 2008 budget was presented on November 8, 2007, and signed into law on April 11, 2008; 2009 budget was presented on December 2, 2008, and signed into law on March 8, 2009, while the 2010 budget was presented on November 23, 2009, and signed in April 2010.

The 2011 budget was presented on December 15, 2010, and was signed into law after the end of the first quarter, while the 2012 budget was presented on December 13, 2011, and signed into law in April 2012. The 2013 budget was signed into law after the end of the first quarter.

“The reasons for the delays in having an approved budget are quite clear. When you start the process late, you must inexorably end it late. The process is not easy to short circuit. It is programmed to run for the long haul. Also, if the executive refuses to appropriately consult the legislature in fixing key budgetary benchmarks, you end up with a power contest, a turf war and at the end of the day, the budget comes late. And the Nigerian people are the losers.

“In terms of timing, the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act had planned the process to start very well on time. The Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which provides the anchor for the budget is expected to be ready and endorsed by the Federal Executive Council before the end of the second quarter being June of every year. Thereafter, it will be delivered to the National Assembly for approval. If it is delivered in early July, the approval can come before the legislature proceeds on the mid-year recess.

“This will pave the way for the budget to be prepared and readied for presentation to the legislature as soon as they resume from their recess in early September. With this timeline, the legislature will have no excuse for not getting the budget ready for approval before the first week in December. The idea is that the remaining working days in December can be used to iron out any executive legislative budgetary feuds and get the document signed, sealed and delivered and awaiting implementation when the clock strikes in January 1 of the New Year.

“On the issue of the perennial turf war as to who will be the final authority to determine key budgetary benchmarks and contents, the same FRA provides for in-depth consultation among the executive, legislature and other key stakeholders in the process of arriving at a consensus. However, the practice has been for the executive to do their own thing and the legislature waits until the budget comes to them to do their own thing. The result is always a stalemate, name calling, allegations by the executive that the budget has been distorted, among others. Year after year, we keep repeating the same budgeting experiment without changing the variables. To worsen matters, neither the legislature nor executive has summoned the courage to approach the Supreme Court for a determination of the extent of their powers as provided in the extant Constitution.

“We are therefore dealing with refusal to change and to learn from past mistakes by our distinguished leaders in the executive and legislature. For the 2014 budget, without claiming the power of prophesy, the personnel, overheads and the whole recurrent expenditure will be fully spent. As usual, the capital expenditure will suffer, projects will be delayed. Our fiscal leaders are leading us without a plan and they adopt the rule of the thumb approach to the budget. Clearly, we have lost 2014 in terms of using the budget for economic planning. We are also about losing the benefits that will accrue if the 2015 budget is not presented and approved on time.

“Is anyone out there ready to listen and join this call. The Finance Minister and Budget Office of the Federation should sit down and fulfill their basic statutory obligations. Start the preparation for the 2015 budget today,” Onyekpere said.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

29

Money Exploring fast-growing economic region with investments, infrastructure

By Chijioke Nelson FRICA’S future as a competitive economic bloc A requires new solutions in power technology and investments to improve access to energy and enable the implementation of an ambitious infrastructure programme, according to Standard Bank.

Already, policymakers, regional governments and investors are grappling with methods to de-risk investment in new business models and also looking at the technological, regulatory, financial and geopolitical factors that can change the game and replicate the energy access success stories.

But the Head of Power and Infrastructure at Standard Bank, David Humphrey, said: “The challenge for these growth markets is to find viable funding mechanisms and create an enabling environment to literally power the future of a continent that holds 15 per cent of the world’s population. Coupled with funding, financial services institutions are also giving more attention to interest rate risk management and hedging products; foreign exchange, and fuel hedging; and local currency funding on a corporate, structured or project basis.”

Recently concluded World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa, participants noted that together with border administration slowing interregional trade, the insufficient amount and quality of infrastructure is one of the major impediments to developing growth in West Africa and improving its competitiveness. “Closing this deficit is part of the solution.”

Standard Bank however, noted that while over half of Africa’s improved growth performance can be attributed to improvements in infrastructure, the WEF estimated that $93 billion is needed yearly until 2020, to fund infrastructure development.

According to the bank, increased urbanisation, growing consumer markets and broader ties to the global economy are putting additional pressure on the need for African economies to steam ahead with these investments.

“These challenges cannot be viewed in a silo and without a broader economic context.

Globaleconomic activity remains subdued, and despite signs of strengthening in high-income countries, significant downside risks persist. This affects factors such as intra-trade flows, the cost of capital equipment,

and rising energy costs.

“In West Africa, the surge of regional players and multinationals into the region’s finance, retail, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, oil, energy and mining sectors, is opening up key economic opportunities for Africa’s fastest growing region. Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to African countries increased by five per cent to $50 billion in 2012, even as global FDI fell by 18 per cent, according to UNCTAD’s annual survey of investment trends reported in 2013. FDI flows to West Africa declined by five per cent to $16.8 billion,” the bank said.

But of the investments channeled to the two major oil-producing countries of the region, FDI to Ghana remained stable at $3.3 billion, while inflows to Nigeria declined by 21 per cent to $7 billion, accounting for much of the diminished flows to the region.

However Nigeria is reacting by liberalizing its power sector, with the state-owned distribution and generating companies sold into the private sector in October 2013.

The sector is poised for substantial investment pending the first five-year regulatory review, which will be announced in the near future and may balance the need for investment to drive better effi-

ciency and reliability of service against the price the sector will be allowed to charge consumers.

But if the price is investment conducive and correct incentives are put in place, rapid improvement should be expected over the next 2-3 years, while as natural resources remain the mainstay of FDI flows to Africa, FDI

in consumer-oriented manufacturing and services will climb, reflecting the growing purchasing power of the continent’s emerging middle class. Between 2008 and 2012, the share of consumer-related industries in the value of greenfields investment projects in Africa grew from seven per cent of the total to 23 per cent.

Indeed, these encouraging trends bode well for regional integration around infrastructure investments. The general sentiment around infrastructure in the region is one of unprecedented collaboration. Accordingly the continent’s infrastructure projects over the next decade or so are set to be even more cooperative.

GTBank wins African Bank award again UARANTY Trust Bank Plc Bank of the Year’ award, said and unimaginable a decade G (GTBank) has been the award recognizes finan- back. I am also delighted to see adjudged the 2014 African cial institutions that are indus- three women pick up three Bank of the Year” for the second time consecutively, by African Banker Magazine in a ceremony held at Kigali, Rwanda.

The African Banker Awards is one of the biggest yearly events that recognizes and celebrates the achievements of the financial services industry in Africa.

It also recognizes individuals and financial institutions that are contributing to the development and growth of Africa’s banking industry, while changing perceptions of the continent’s domestic and international markets.

The panel of judges, while listing the rationale for selecting GTBank as the overall winner of the coveted ‘African

try leaders, consistently report strong financial performance and significantly contributing to the quality of service offered by the financial services industry within their country and across the continent.

The Publisher of African Banker Magazine and the organizer of the award, Omar Ben Yedder, said: “Since we have launched the awards, we have witnessed the transformation of an industry. There is no room for complacency because there is much room for growth and development to achieve the transformation we all desire and work towards.

“Seeing local African banks finance and structure international deals is a step forward

coveted individual awards.”

The Managing Director of GTBank Kenya, Kunle Sonola, who received the award on behalf of GTBank, said the bank is “honoured to win this highly coveted award. The award is a testament of the hard work and commitment of the board, management and staff of the bank. It is also a challenge and a call to do more to project the global relevance of the African banking industry.”

He also commended the bank’s customers for their continued trust and support, assuring that the financial institution would continue to strive to deliver beyond stakeholders’ expectations at all times.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

30 | Wednesday, May 28, 2014

‘Nigeria can reduce her out of school children’s number by half in 2016’ Nigeria yesterday joined the rest of the world to observe this year’s Children’s Day. But the stigma that the country has an estimated 10 million out of school children is a sad reminder of the huge tasks before the Federal Government. However, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Suleiman Dikko told The Guardian recently, that the dream of reducing this huge number in just two years could indeed be achieved, if the state governments are willing to make education a priority. Excerpts: ow are you moving ahead with the Universal Basic Education project?

We are on course and our focus is that every Nigerian child should be literate. Not necessarily that they should be graduates of universities, but at least, to be literate enough to enable them survive comfortably in the 21st or 22nd Century, as the case may be.

We discovered that if the child is given some form of education from the grassroots, that child might then decide what to do and how to do it. He or she may decide to further his or her education to the university level or fall back to the labour market. But the goal is to, at least, equip children with the basic rudiments or knowledge of education, such as learning to read and write.

However, we have also taken care of transiting from the primary school to the Junior Secondary School. We assume that by the time the child graduates from the Junior Secondary School, he or she must have learnt all the basic skills of survival to be able to enter the labour market if he or she so decides.

Nigeria has a huge number of out-of-school children, about 10 million. What will be your strategy in reducing this number?

We have come up with a strategy. Firstly, we introduced Almajiri education. We had to ask ourselves, why are these children out of school? Is it that there are no schools or they are not in school because of economic factors? Some of the children are helping their parents by getting jobs.

Could it also be on religious grounds that some parents consider education unnecessary as a means of survival, or are they looking at it as evil or something in that line?

We realized that there are lots of issues that make these children drop out of school. We discovered three categories of dropouts. One: The Almajiri children that roam the streets, begging for food to eat and this is mainly constituted in the Northern part of the country.

Two: There is the issue of the boy child that wouldn’t like to go to school but is enticed by the gains of commercial activities. This is the case in the South East.

And then, we have a situation where certain communities have certain beliefs that concern women. This is the case in South West.

We considered the facts and asked, what do we do?

We decided that, in the first place, let us introduce Almajiri education so that we can determine the number, because they constitute the majority. At least, they constitute 80 to 85 per cent of dropouts.

As at now, we have built 135 schools for the Almajiri. With the capacity of 8 classrooms each and assuming each classroom is to accommodate a minimum of 45 children, then, 45 multiplied by 8 is about 360. We have these 360 intakes, and then, multiply them by with the number of classrooms that we have, and then also, multiply this by the number of schools that we have in the federation. That would give you exactly the number of children that we are going to mop up as far as Almajiri is concerned.

As for the boy child education in the East, where the curriculum is arranged in such a way that it caters for their economic interest, we realised that their main concern is their business and that is why you find more women going to school in that part of the country, while the men are there in the market trying to make it.

Culture, most times, define people’s way of life. What your culture and people cherish in your environment, would determine the attitude to education in that particular environment.

We are constructing boys’ vocational schools. We call it vocational because we realized that they are more inclined towards

H

Dikko commercial activities. So we designed it, so that any commercial activity or any commercial subject that you are looking for would be in the curriculum; be it carpentry, mechanic, welding, even fishery are all included.

Then in the West, we take the girl child education. For boy child education, we are currently constructing 34 schools across the southern states and for girl child education, we are constructing at least 39; and each of the schools has the capacity of about 10 classrooms. If you multiply 10 classrooms by a minimum of 45 students, you’ll get 450, and if you multiply that by the number of schools, that is the number of girls that are currently not going to school, that this programme would be able to cater for.

If we are able to achieve this in 2014, and it is an annual programme, that is, if annually, we are able to mop up 1.5 to 2 million children all over the country, excluding the normal intake that we have in public schools and even private schools, then I assure that that between 2016 and 2017, we would mop up more than 95 per cent of children who are currently out of school and on the streets.

A controversy has been brewing for years over the need for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to provide funding for the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) and the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non Formal Education (NMEC) since they too are part of basic education. Previous arguments were that the UBEC Act does not allow it.

Will this change now?

The law permits, but the only thing is that, we (previously) didn’t want to interpret that permission positively. It depends on how you want to manipulate the law. If you want to manipulate it negatively, then it would serve that purpose and it would look as if there is no law for such provision.

When a law is enacted, it is subject to inter-

pretations and that was what we did. We followed certain procedures, then, we presented the case to our board and the board agreed and accepted that we should assist them (National Commission for Nomadic Education) with almost a billion naira, which we are going to give them.

Challenges I want to say that financially, we don’t have a problem. I feel bold to say that the Federal Government has given us enough that we are even calling on the states to come and collect their money and work. We are bold about that and that is why, when it comes to the financial aspect of achieving our goal, our challenge has nothing to do with finance. We don’t have any problem there; we have enough. But our challenge has been in the area of utilization of the money by the state governments because it is a sort of collaboration between the states and the Federal Government.

The Federal government called the states and said, I will give you one billion naira every year as my contribution to the development of basic education, but you too have to contribute one billion naira, and that makes it two billion naira. That is how the funding is.

But some states are not responding and this may be because they don’t consider education a priority. Our major challenge is the states’ ability to have access to these funds.

Secondly, the community. Unlike the Eastern and Western parts of the country, in the North, the community does not regard primary school or whatever in their community as their own. They consider it as just government property, so it is not their business.

They would see people coming to steal the properties in these schools and they would do nothing. This is because they consider it as government property. So, their attitude is that, anything government wants, it should protect it. For us, this is a major challenge.

I remember when I was Chairman of SUBEB in my state (Katsina), I constructed girls’ vocational primary schools and I purchased equipment worth about N250 million naira for that project, with all the facilities and everything. But when we put them there, the community (members) said they heard when people were breaking the window and stealing these equipment. And I asked them what they did. Their response was, “Is it not government property?” Hence they didn’t do anything because they didn’t consider it their own. This is a big problem.

If you constitute a committee like the School Based Management Committee (SBMC) or PTA (Parent Teacher Association) and tell them (parents), you are the parents of the school, your children are here, please take care of these school, and if we tell them that, if there are any issues, they should report to the office and provide security for the gadgets that are in the school, the first thing they would ask you is, what of their allowances?

That is exactly what they would be demanding, that we should create allowances for them. Just imagine the mentality!

That is one of our major problems, not funding. I feel bold to say it and defend it before anybody that the Federal Government has provided the funds to the extent that they (funds) are just surplus. There is enough funding.

Advice for the states not doing enough for basic education In the South, for instance, you would take a school, construct the school, equip it and give it to the state and the state would tell you it has no need for the school.

I went to a state where the state governor told me they don’t have money to run the school, so if you like, as the Federal government, since you constructed it (school) yourself, then you can come and run it.

Others may deny us land. You would request for land to come and build schools for them and they would tell you they don’t have land or that they can’t provide the land.

Also, others may provide the land but simply because they did not pay compensation to the people, when we go there to start building the schools, they (community) would throw us out. And then, in the south too, only very few are accessing their matching grants and this is a minus for them.

Then in the North, we have lukewarm cooperation as well and majority do access their funds, but their problem is as if they don’t consider the federal government project as their own, so they treat it with levity and with less care.

And then, when you go to the West, their problem is that they are too autocratic.

Before you would reach the governor or key stakeholders, you would have to go through so many protocols and so, by the time you eventually get there, so much time would have been wasted.

I have been making appeals that when it comes to the issue of rendering service to the people, please shelve these protocols and let to have access to you (governor) because we have a lot at stake and we have a lot to discuss.

For example, when we visited Osun state, I was impressed by the way the governor was handling the (school) feeding programme.

Imagine, he is feeding the entire primary schools in the state with food, fruits, eggs and others. That is very fascinating and you would find out that, in Osun state, no child would want to miss school. You don’t have to force any child, the food would bring them to school.

So, if other governors can take such a cue, the issue of dropout and children not coming to school would be a thing of the past.

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Slow march towards Nigeria’s digital migration

By Adeyemi Adepetun Y June 17, 2015, about 13 months from now, Nigeria, like many B others is expected to transit from analogue broadcasting to digital.

Digital migration is the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting. When this is done, television viewing will be possible and better with the aid of set-top boxes, also called decoders, using the Digital Terrestrial Transmission (DTT) technology.

Being a new and more efficient way of receiving transmission signals, digital television broadcast are done using radio waves, which are picked up by an aerial and sent down to a connected wire to television sets.

Indeed, many countries of the world have recognized the huge benefit which digital broadcasting offers and are making frantic efforts to shift from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting.

To many, the transition to digital broadcasting will mark the end of free television programmes. However, this is not the case. While some television set may be affected by the change, others will not. For example, television sets that receive cable and satellite signals will still receive signals from digital transmission. However, television sets that receive analogue signals via antenna will be out of place in the digital era.

The agreement to switch over was signed at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) conference in Geneva, Switzerland, attended by Nigeria and other countries in 2006.

Popularly known as the GE-06 Agreement, it sets up a frequency plan for DTT in the bands 174–230MHz (VHF Band III), 470-582 MHz (UHF Band IV) and 582-862 MHz (UHF Band V). The GE-06 agreement requires member countries of the ITU to complete a transition from analogue to digital transmission by June 17, 2015, in UHF bands IV/V, and in VHF Band III by June 17, 2020.

As such, the spectrum of digital broadcasting is currently highly fragmented into relatively narrow bands, scattered over many frequencies, and intertwined with digital broadcasting channels. This is a consequence of spectrum planning options adopted by various countries based on traditional use of broadcasting spectrum.

The Geneva agreement provided flexibility to open up the spectrum for other uses. However, this flexibility is limited under the existing technical conditions and, in practice; the current situation is not conducive to the allocation of this spectrum to more efficient alternative uses.

However, experts listed the advantage of digital broadcasting to include broadcast signals’ transmission and reception becoming more efficient. It also allows for the release of spectrum that allows faster Internet services delivery. Besides, government would also be able to generate revenue from freed spectrum, which it would sell for other uses, especially telecommunications.

Nigeria’s preparedness cast doubts With about eight years into the signing of the agreement, Nigeria’s preparedness to meet the deadline seems not to be convincing. So many issues, including funding, white paper implementation, among others threaten the transition.

In fact, the questions before now and at last week’s National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) organized public forum tagged: “Digital Switchover: A Roadmap”, in Lagos, were how feasible is the 2015 deadline for digital migration in Nigeria?

How well have stakeholders braced up to meet the technical challenges involved in the transition? How prepared is the government to support this course; how well will the local investors benefit in this process?, among others.

Confirming these fears, the Director General of NBC, Emeka Mba, though said the commission is on top of the situation, he however, rued greatly the challenge of financing.

Mba said unless the federal government establishes a multibillion naira digital broadcasting fund to accelerate Nigeria’s migration from analogue to digital television transmission, the country could miss the 2015 deadline, stressing that the migration process would require several tens of millions of naira to be fully implemented.

Mba hinted that the NBC is weighing the option of multi-lateral funding agency at single digit interest rates.

While the White Paper for the transition is said to be ready,

there are however, doubts about its faster implementation towards meeting the deadline.

Infact, the forum noted that there is still no definite plan by the broadcasting industry on the future of television in the country, stressing that none of the state owned television stations (36) have put in place plans towards this.

Though, the NBC DG informed that the pilot scheme will kickoff on June 5 in Jos, Plateau state, stressing that the success of this will determine the shape of things to come.

According to the Head of the DigiTeam and a consultant in the broadcast industry, Edward Amana, slow implementation of the white paper will have serious consequences on Nigeria meeting the deadline.

Amana said a policy-driven approach was needed by developing countries such as Nigeria for the switch-over, stressing that it was important for Nigeria to ensure it meets the 2015 deadline.

The forum defined the regulator’s role as being to educate stakeholders on the implications of the switchover including the social benefits and the timetable. The regulator would further execute a migration strategy, including setting standards for set- top boxes, enforcing dates, and “insisting on systems synergy to permit consumer mobility between providers”.

Govt’s role critical to migration According to participants, government has the greatest role to play in actualising the migration.

Apart from the larger funding issue, a member of the DigiTeam, at the Syndicate session of the forum, Tunde Adegbola noted that it was the role of government to lead the movement by fashioning out appropriate policy on methodology and pace of migration, acquisition of set-top boxes for existing receivers already in the country and generally giving direction to the industry in the interest of the nation.

Like many others, Nigeria is said to have an addressable market of over 40 million television sets and cannot afford to miss this tremendous opportunity to create domestic value in the ICT industry.

Amana urged the government to provide incentives for companies that will be involved in local contents production to drive the digital transition process, adding that capacity building on new engineering knowledge for digital broadcasting is critical.

Implications for not switching According to Amana, “If by 2015, Nigeria decides to keep to its analogue system, there may be signal interference from other neighboring countries that have switched over and if this happens, no regulator, international or regional, will listen to us and if on the basis of our decision not to switch, we interfere

with other countries broadcasting space, we would be sanctioned. So, the best option is for us to switch over by 2015,” he said.

Besides, not switching to the digital mode by 2015 would also have serious security implications for the armed forces and other security agencies in the country.

According to NBC boss, “heavens will not fall if Nigeria fails to meet the June 2015 deadline, but there are grave consequences for the country.” Mba said fundamental implication of not meeting the deadline would be signal interference from other countries that would have migrated.

“The ecosystem that we want to create through the digital, we will lose it. The young men and women that want to create apps on the TV ecosystem will not be there.

“The spectrum to give up for broadband penetration, we will lose it. New TV stations to be set up for news and entertainment will also not be there.”

Are Nigerians aware and ready for the change?

A quick investigation at the weekend by The Guardian showed that Nigeria still has a long way to go, as many people are not aware of this new trend.

Except for the few privileged ones, who are already tuned to PayTv services, millions of Nigerians appeared not ready for this and could be caught unawares.

An accountant, Gbenga Olabisi, who spoke to The Guardian said he’s aware of such plans, but not optimistic that Nigeria can meet the deadline.

Some of the reasons, he gave were that no education, no sensitization programmes, no awareness creation, “how can we migrate without proper information. Good, some of us are learned, but what about others not in our category, who must also be migrated. I don’t think we are ready. Even in another five years.”

Indeed, an office attendant, who simply gave her name as Nneka claimed ignorance of the process. “Digital migration, I don’t know anything about that”, she stated.

In other African countries such as Ghana and Kenya, reports have it that the populace are aware of digital migration, what it entails and the implications of not switching over. Not so in Nigeria.

It is also interesting to note that the whole world now concentrating on digital, and, in the era of television broadcasting, countries such as the UK (which was the first to complete a national switchover after seven years of planning and phased migration) are already enjoying the benefits of digital broadcasting.

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ITAN tasks members on competitiveness, cooperation

By Adeyemi Adepetun HE Information and Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN) has tasked its members on competitiveness and cooperation, which it said will engender better patronage of indigenous Information and Communications Technology (ICT) wares.

ITAN President, Florence Seriki, at the weekend, in Lagos while appreciating the prowess of members in a tough business environment like Nigeria, stressed that better collaboration among them would move the association forward.

Seriki, who stated this while in a meeting with technology experts from from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong said ICT should be seen as an enabler, which should be given prominent attention by all.

At the same meeting, the Director General of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Dr. Umar Bindir, tasked technology experts in Nigeria on better use of the Nigerian space.

Bindir, who said the entrepreneurial sense of the sector, was yet to be triggered, lamented that Nigeria is loosing much to

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NOTAP laments increasing capital flights capital flights, which according to him is not good for the economy.

While tasking Nigerians on the development of software solutions; enterprise development packages, the NOTAP DG said Nigeria depends on the ICT sector to trigger economic freedom and growth.

For effect, Bindir stressed that the ICT sector must review its plan, knowhow and technology acquisition to be able to play big and become more competitive.

Joining the call for unity among players in the sector, Bindir said, “there is need to have connection and unity among players in the industry. No Nigerian applications in banks, communications. Even hardwares are not seen. The entrepreneurial skills of the sector are yet to be triggered.

“The market is in Nigeria. As stakeholders, we must collaborate so that we can develop skills and competence in technology development for us to create the needed jobs.”

New online store buoys Nigeria-U.S. trade

By Sulaimon Salau NTERNATIONAL trade between the United States (U.S.) may have recieved a boost, following the recent floating of a new international online store for easy shopping between the two countries through the Africdeals.com.

The e-commerce website, established by a U.S. based Nigerian, Deji Adeoni, is expected to bridge the gap between the U.S. and Nigerian markets through the provision of efficient and reliable online shopping for variety of items.

Adeoni, who officially launched the website recently, said Africdeals.com sells consumer products like electronics, computers, cameras, toys, accessories, adults and kids clothing, designer handbags and other household material can be found on the website.

He added that the compsny also offer sales for carsand other luxurious items based on specification of the buyer, with quality and quick delivery services,

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adding that the orders would be delivered within three weeks of service.

“The creation of Africdeal.com is to enable Nigerians go to our website, shop and purchase whatever they want to buy from U.S. and we ship directly to them in Nigeria and everything is coming out of the United States. Our prices are competitive with what you get anywhere in America and you will be rest assured that you are getting the right quality,” he said.

Commenting on building customer’s confidence protection from online scam, he said, “Our customers will preach us out to the general populace. Africdeals.com at this time is not in the market to compete with any of the existing e-commerce companies out there. Our online store platform will accept all different types of cards from African banks which others will not accept.

“We have measure in place to tackle scam. And any payment that cannot be

verified will be declined and the money will be returned. We are here to make the rest of the world know that Africa is the next economic power. People don’t have to waste money to travel abroad to shop anymore. Everything you need is right in your fingertips.

“If you are going to Africdeals.com website to buy anything, you buy with your name. You are not going to use John Joe or Andrew Whilliams to buy anything on the Web site to ship to Nigeria if that is done, it would be cancelled immediately but when you are coming with names like Uche, Ajayi, Azizat or Kunle, we know already that the buyer is from Nigeria.

“We will deliver to the shipping address you specified at checkout. And if your shipping address cannot be located you will be contacted to pick up your items in a location closer to you. There will likely be additional charges for interstate items as we are working with local logistics company with track record,” he explained.

NCC donates laptops to AkwaPoly From Ayoyinka Jegede, Uyo HE Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has donated 110 laptop computers to the Akwa Ibom State polytechnic in furtherance of its Advanced Digital Awareness Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI).

The presentation was done during the official commissioning of ADAPTI at the polytechnic by the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, who was represented by the South-South commissioner, Dominic Nwator.

According to Juwah, over 297 institutions in the country had benefited from the programme since its inception in 2008.

He explained that while tertiary institutions were the sole beneficiaries of the ADAPTI, secondary schools were also benefiting from another programme known as Digital Access Programme (DAP).

“The key objectives of these programmes are to prepare the nation for the remarkable potentials inherent in the future to be shaped by digital knowledge by equipping the youths with the necessary skills to tap into that future”, he stated.

The commissioner, who noted that the Internet provides a lot of resources for both learning and teaching, stressed the

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need for lecturers and administrators to also take advantage of the programme so as to enable them become computer literates.

Juwah said, “This is why we do not only provide them with computers and accessories for improving their ICT skills, but we also link them to the internet with all the resources that abound in them”.

The Rector, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Barr. Isreal Affia, who was represented by the deputy rector, Iniobong Ukpong in his remarks, commended the NCC for their landmark achievement in the programmes, adding that their effort for the actualization of the programmes had impacted positively on the academic development in the country.

While also expressing his gratitude to the state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio for the infrastructural development of the polytechnic, the deputy rector however requested that the institution be considered in the Wireless Cloud (WC) programme of the NCC as the donated computers were insufficient for the polytechnic.

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Nigeria, S’Africa’s entries win Ericsson’s 2014 app contest RICSSON has announced E the winners of the 2014 Ericsson Application Awards at

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Computer Warehouse Group Plc, Austin Okere (right) receiving the Global Growth Award from the Managing Director, Head of Business Engagement, World Economic Forum, Helena Leurent at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Abuja.

Smile targets more states for Internet rollout

By Adeyemi Adepetun MILE Communications Limited has earSphase marked Abuja and Port Harcourt in its next of its 4G LTE Internet rollout plan that is slated for August this year.

Besides, Smile hinted that it has partnered some Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the country to provide enterprise solutions for business developments.

The plan to expand its services, the firm said was borne out of the successful rollout of its Internet services in Ibadan last year and in Lagos this year.

Chief Corporate Services Officer at Smile Communications, Lee-Ann Cassie gave the hint shortly after the company was awarded The Best 4G LTE Internet Service Provider of the Year, at the Cyber Innovation Awards held in Lagos recently.

Cyber Africa, organisers of the award, said Smile Communications was recognised for bringing fast and reliable Internet service to Nigerians, from the very first day it launched services in Ibadan and Lagos, and has been

consistent in the quality of its internet service delivery since then.

“We are currently concluding plans to rollout in Port Harcourt and Abuja by August this year, in order to serve more Nigerians with our robust Internet service offerings.

Thereafter, we will extend services to Benin City, Owerri Onitsha and other major cities of the country by next year,” Cassie said.

Commenting on the award, Cassie thanked the organisers for recognising them from among other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country.

“We are very honored to receive the award, particularly for the fact that we recently rolled out our services in Lagos, after rolling out in Ibadan a year ago. This means that people are watching us and are pleased with the kind of robust and fast Internet services that we are offering Nigerians. We want to assure Nigerians that we will be consistent in the speed and reliability of our services in the provisioning of broadband Internet services,” Cassie said.

a ceremony held at its studio in Kista, Sweden.

The student category was won by Team WorkMode from South Africa for their collaboration app, with the Company category being won by Team SOP from Nigeria with their app that monitors electricity supply.

The semi-finalist apps were reviewed by a panel of global representatives and they decided on the two winning teams, who will each receive €25,000 in prize money.

Taking home the honors in the student category, Team WorkMode from South Africa created an app that helps workers collaborate by allowing them to see the realtime work context and tasks of colleagues.

The jury motivated their choice by saying: “We felt that Team WorkMode showed a strong business potential, and their focus on design and usability helped them when it came to innovation and addressing the theme of Apps for working life.”

Jacques Marais of Team WorkMode said: “This award will help us to build our business and allow us to develop not only this app but also some ideas we have around education in South Africa. It will also enable us to purchase hardware so we can expand to different platforms.

It’s a real boost.”

The company category was won by Team SOP from Nigeria, who created an app that

analyses the availability of electricity in a given area.

The jury outlined their reasons for choosing SOP, saying in a joint statement: “Team SOP presented a strong case of using technology in a way that anyone could understand value and would invest in. They cleverly combined consumer, society and business benefits around lifting transparency of power delivery in a well designed package.”

Toks Ogun of Team SOP said:

“This award means we can continue to expand and develop our app, which monitors electricity supplies. We can see a market in parts of North America, in South America and in India and we will continue to develop our idea.”

The RSSA Technology for Good Award also went to Africa, with Sowertech’s Afta Robot app receiving the award for their smart solution for public transportation.

Nigeria’s digital migration COUTINUED FROM PAGE 35 Experts view Speaking to The Guardian, the immediate past president of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Chris Uwaje said to prepare well, Nigeria should have an accredited migration framework, which must address among others, critical infrastructure systems integration; retool the workforce with special focus on skills conversion; create digital vontent simulation design and local content re-design, documentation and systems security and a future development pilots for research and development.

To the Chief Executive Officer of Chief Executive Officer of ipNX Nigeria Limited, Ejovi Aror, while lamenting the slow pace of the process in the country, saying that it is still very tough in this part of the world.

According to him, so many things still have to be put in place, including more and vigorous sensitization campaigns.

Need for an enabling law Deputy Chairman, Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Sunday Olu Jetro,who said there is no legislation backing the digitisation process in the country, expressed reservation about governments sincerity toward actualising the digital migration.

He said “Many state governments are still placing orders for analogue transmitters. State governments have no made commitment to digitisation. Stakeholders should look at the dangers of switching over without the enabling law in a country yet to distinguish between politics and governance”.

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Maritime Enhancing water channels through dredging

Jonathan

By Moses Ebosele ESIDE security challenges, B shallow waterways could constitute constraints towards further expansion of ports in the country.

The Federal Government seems to understand this problem and has always reiterated its commitment to tackle the issue on a sustainable basis through dredging and development of deep sea ports in collaboration with the private sector.

Technically, dredging entails deepening or widening of water channels for the smooth and uninterrupted passage of ships.

According to experts, the deeper or wider the channels, the more attractive they are for shipping firms who do everything possible to avoid shallow terrains.

Already, President Goodluck Jonathan has endorsed the dredging of the channels of five Seaports in the country as part of measures to attract and accommodate bigger vessels in Nigeria seaports.

The Managing Director of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Habib Abdullahi explained recently that the agency in partnership with other firms dredges water channels on a regular basis to retain some depth.

Also speaking at Onne, Rivers State, the Minister of Transport, Idris Umar, identified dredging as a key component of the Federal Government transformation agenda in the maritime sector.

Represented by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Transport, Nebolisa Emodi, during the inaugural call of Maersk line’s West Africa Maximum (WAFMAX) vessel to Onne Port, the Minister explained that the dredging of channels is expected to further position Nigerian Ports as the hub in West Africa.

According to the Minister,

Umar

Abdullahi the large shipment of goods is also expected to reduce prices, adding that Lagos and Onne ports are being strengthened to serve as trans-shipment points.

Going down memory lane, Abdullahi explained that his predecessors realised that NPA was spending a lot of money on dredging and opted for a joint venture company.

The NPA boss said: “In their wisdom, they decided to form a joint venture company with those people that were doing the dredging.

There was due process. Some people showed interest and they started with Lagos Channel Management”.

Explaining further, he said: “Instead of giving it out as contract, a joint venture company was formed between Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) and a foreign dredging company. NPA owns 6o percent equity of the company and the foreign firm owns 40 percent.

“By doing that, we are giving a company owned by us (NPA) the job to manage the channels. We set a standard of doing the capital dredging to a certain depth and we are able to achieve about 13.5 to 14 metres. We ask the company to maintain that standard and to go deeper where necessary.

“We also deal with the responsibility of removing the wrecks that are within the channels. Apart from dredging, the companies also remove the wrecks, put all necessary things such as lighting in place. At the end of each year, there is AGM (Annual General Meeting).

Profit is declared. “We are also part of the management of the company. It’s an independent company and we have our own representation there. We sit on the board of the company and decide on policies. It’s mutually beneficial. They are doing their work. Some are even using

some of our equipment. They pay for it. Some came with their equipment.

“We started with Lagos channel management (LCM).

When we saw the success, we moved to Bonny. That is Bonny Channel company.

That is the one from bonny island covering Port Harcourt and onne port.

“We also form another company with one of the most reputable dredging company in the world. We have 60 per cent and they have 40percent.

“We have realized that we need another one for Calabar. Calabar has potential despite the environmental challenges such as low drought. Government has given approval to establish a company. We are trying to sort out how to do the capital dredging before the company will continue to maintain the draught.

“After that, we will move to Warri port. Warri port has huge potential. Warri port is the future of the nation because of the activities of oil and gas in that region. Oil and gas is the backbone of our economy. Already people are showing interest “All these things we are doing form part of the president transformation agenda”.

The management of Maersk Line recently, explained in a statement that NPA was instrumental in making the arrival of WAFMAX vessel to Onne Port a success by widening the channel and removing some wrecks in the Bonny Channel.

“The port call was a trial stop for Maersk Line’s weekly Far East-West Africa (FEW2) service, which is comprised of 22 West Africa-Maximum (WAFMAX) sized vessels that are equipped with on-board cranes and draft 12.5 meters (41 feet), are 37.4 meters (123 feet) wide, 249 meters (817 feet) long, representing the largest vessels that can cur-

rently be accommodated at West Africa’s major container ports. The weekly service links the ports of Busan, Korea; Shanghai, Ningbo, and Guangzhou, China and Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia; with Walvis Bay, Namibia; Apapa, Onne, Nigeria; and Luanda, Angola.

“We are very pleased with the arrival of the first 4,500 TEU vessel size to the West Africa Container Terminal at Onne”, said the statement.

For the year ended December 31, 2013, cargo throughput at NPA, excluding crude oil terminals, was 76,886,997 million metric tonnes indicating an increase of 0.042.6 per cent over the 2012 figure of 76,855,754mt.

The 2013 statistics revealed that refined petroleum shipment handled by NPA was 19,416,043 metric tons, an increase of 9.5 per cent over 2012 full year figure of 17,730,727 metric tons.

According to the report, in 2013, a total of 5,185 oceans going vessels with a total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of 131,674,337 gross tons called at Nigerian Ports.

Specifically, in the period under review, Lagos Port Complex (LPC) recorded a

Gross registered tonnage of 34,466,291 gross tons, showing an increase of 9.4 per cent over the same period of 2012, which was 31,513,987 gross tons. A total of 1,498 vessels were handled in the period under review at the port.

Tin can Island Port recorded a Gross registered tonnage of 42,758,161 gross tons indicating 23.2 per cent increase over the corresponding period of 2012 which was 34,703,547 gross tons while 1,725 ocean going vessels were handled at the Port within the period.

Calabar Port complex recorded a total GRT of 2,792,488 gross tons, showing a marginal decline of 2.8 per cent compare with 2,871,622 gross tons, leaving the port with 197 Ocean going vessels in the period under review.

Rivers Port complex recorded a total Gross registered tonnage of 6,394,270 gross tons, 7.9 per cent drop compared with 6,929,179 gross tons, in the corresponding period of 2012. 447 ocean going vessels were handled within the period under review.

Onne Port complex recorded a GRT of 38,967,131 gross

tons reflecting a decrease of 7.4 per cent as against 42,062,351 gross tons recorded in the corresponding period of 2012 with 820 vessels in the year under review.

Also, within the period under review, the Delta Port Complex recorded 6,295,996 gross tons showing an increase of 105 per cent over the 2012 full year figure of 3,069,887 gross tons, with 498 vessels handled.

The further breakdown of the throughput revealed that; The container traffic amounted to 1,010,836 TEUs, showing a growth of 15.2 per cent over the 2012 full year figure of 877,737TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units); A total of 291,824 units of vehicles were handled in the period under review showing an increase of 8.9 per cent over the 2012 full year figure of 268,026 units; and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipment handled in the period under review amounted to 19,341,663 metric tons, indicating a drop of 12.7 per cent from 22,146,908 metric tons of 2012 full year figure

NPA tasks property firm on growth HE Nigerian Port T Authority (NPA),has challenged the management of one of its subsidiaries, Seaview Properties Limited (SPL) to take adequate advantage of the property market in the country.

A press statement issued by the NPA also quoted its Managing Director, Habib Abdullahi, who is also the chairman of Seaview Prperties Limited as saying that there is need to explore and compete with other property firms nationwide.

According to the statement, Abdullahi, who spoke recently during the commission of

some working tools pledged to give some level of autonomy to management of the company, to enable it achieve its targets.

With the commissioning of the working tools, Abdullahi said SPL should be in a position to compete favourably with other dominant players in the nation’s property market.

He said: “I must say that as Management, we are proud of SPL. Your achievements in the last 18 months gives us confidence of your abilities to compete favourably in the property market. The feat you achieved within a couple

of months is unprecedented in the history of the company”.

Earlier, the Head, SPL, Philipson Falade, an engineer, said SPL is poised to provide services in areas not limited to environmental but also waste management, industrial scale clearing, fumigation, pest control, landscaping and lawn management as well as provision of treated water to numerous customers, individuals and corporate organisations.

He assured prospective clients of efficient and effective service delivery.

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Shonekan seeks partnership between NSC, landlocked countries over transit scheme Stories by Moses Ebosele ORMER Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan has advised the management of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to partner landlocked and Non-English speaking African countries in its ongoing capacity building for the Nigerian maritime sector.

Addressing senior management team of NSC, who paid him a courtesy visit in Lagos, Shonekan urged the council to collaborate with land locked countries especially in the area of transit of their cargoes.

He described maritime as a very strategic aspect of Nigerian economy, adding that incorporating NonEnglish speaking African Countries such as Angola and Mozambique in capacity building will be of tremendous benefit for both parties.

He also challenged individuals and Corporate Organisations in the maritime sector in Nigeria to take advantage of the growth recorded in the Nigerian economy.

Making reference to the proposed maritime seminal for Judges organized by NSC and scheduled to hold between June 10-12, 2014, in Abuja, Shonekan said conflict resolution is key in every business transactions.

According to the Former Head of State, understanding the maritime sector will go a long way in helping the Judges adjudicate in time of disputes.

Shonekan who spoke on sundry issues said: “The seven per cent growth in Nigeria’s economy means more business for the mar-

F

Cosco Vessel itime industry. People have to bring business by ship. That means more work, more jobs are being created”.

Shonekan said bringing the Judges together for a seminal form part of NSC’s contributions to the development of the Nigeria Judiciary, pointing out that not all Judges are experts in maritime matters.

He also used the opportunity to appeal to Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive

Officer of NSC, Hassan Bello to make the bi-annual programme a yearly event.

Responding, Bello pledged the commitment of the council to open a secretariat charged with the responsibility of coordinating the event.

He also briefed Shonekan on the preparations and proposed programme of event such as guest speakers and topics they are expected to

address during the two-day event.

To reduce drastically long period of litigations among maritime stakeholders, Bello, recently, announced NSC’s plans to develop an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in collaboration with the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria (MAAN).

Receiving the Association’s President, Dr

Omogbai Omo-Eboh and other executive members who paid him a courtesy visit in Lagos , Bello decried the prevalence of maritime cases in court especially the negative impact on the performance of the economy.

He explained that the council has been mediating and settling disputes between operators in the sector.

NIMASA, MWUN seal pact on 2006 convention’s implementation O successfully implement T the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 for seafarers, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced plans to partner the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).

The Convention, expected to come into force by June 18, 2014, is designed to address issues relating to the welfare of seafarers.

Director General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi explained at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the maritime workers union at the weekend in Lagos that the process culminating in the implementation of the Convention has been with the active participation of the representatives of the maritime workers union.

The NIMASA boss, explained that a number of sensitizations, tripartite stakeholders meetings have been held to enlighten relevant stakeholders, adding that the collaboration is in line with the spirit of fairness.

According to him, plans have been concluded to conduct Maritime Labour Inspectors training for the conduct of flag and port state control inspections in line with the requirements of the

Convention.

Speaking further, he hinted that special sessions with the relevant stakeholders and seafarers would be carried out in June 2014 to further bring to fore their responsibilities and obligations on the Convention.

He also sought the continued support of the union to enable the agency deliver on its mandate as required by all the ratifying countries.

In his remarks, President General of MWUN, Anthony Nted commended the Federal Government for ratifying the MLC stating that the implementation will go a long way in addressing security issues and wellbeing of Seafarers in the industry.

Specifically, he said the union is patiently awaiting the implementation of the Convention pledging to support NIMASA to ensure that the objectives of the Convention are achieved.

On security of the nation’s seaports, Nted said: “After the September 11 bomb explosion in the United States of America (USA), there was a Convention that talked about the health and safety in the ports and under the health and safety, we also have the ISPS code that every country that falls within the maritime

territorial boundary or do maritime operation must definitely be inclined as far as international maritime security is concerned.

“So, Nigeria is also a member and we as members of the maritime workers union take security of the port and lives of our members very seriously”.

He added: “And you will agree with me that what is happening in the country is worrisome, nobody knows who will

be the next victim. For us, we have made security our watchword and that is why we advise our members to take care while working in the port and to report any suspicious event in the port to the security agencies”.

According to the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, “This Convention is a milestone in maritime history.”

ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder said:“The product of tri-

partite dialogue and international cooperation, it enables decent working and living conditions for seafarers to be advanced, along with fair competition for ship owners in this, the most globalized of industries.

“I call on all countries with a maritime interest to ratify – if they have not yet done so – and urge governments and ship owners to work effectively to implement this Convention,” Ryder added.

He said: “Shippers Council has made nice negotiations and it was settled to the satisfaction of the parties. We need the compliment of your association. We are developing the legal framework and the administrative framework for developing ADR. We have had help from institutions and your association will also be approached to provide us that help,” Bello said.

According to International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Convention has the full support of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which represents seafarers, and the International Ship owners Federation (ISF), both of which played a key role during the five years of its development and in the adoption of the Convention at a special ILO International Labour Conference in 2006.

APM Terminals unveils master plan PM Terminals Poti has comA pleted a comprehensive engineering study to prepare the port master plan for the future needs of Georgia and such hinterland countries like Armenia and Azerbaijan. The study was triggered by the rapid increase of container throughput which will exceed port capacity by 2017.

In 2013, total container throughput in Georgia was 405,000 Twenty foot Equivalent Units (TEU) of which Poti handled 82 per cent. The present capacity of Poti seaport is 600,000 TEU. “Larger vessels are entering the trades, reshaping markets and challenging port infrastructure. We believe the abil-

ity to attract larger vessels to our port through a deeper water depth and easier entrance channel will lower transportation costs for importers and exporters while improving the flexibility of Georgia and Central Asia supply chains.

“As the operator of Georgia’s largest and most important port, we want to ensure our future infrastructure plans reflect the best engineering and economic scenarios for the market”, said Managing Director, APM Terminals Poti, Steen Davidsen.

According to a statement, Georgia’s geographic location connects several high growth economic regions, offering

shippers a competitive location advantage as a transit hub strategically located between Europe and Central Asia.

It explained that Georgia is the shortest transit link for the transportation of raw materials, goods, gas and oil from Azerbaijan and Central Asia to the West.

Georgia also serves as a northsouth transportation crossroads between Russia and Turkey, and via Armenia, to Iran. Average growth figures the last five years are 15-20 per cent per year, “far higher than GDP rates, reflecting Georgia and hinterland markets increasing containerization trend”.

The statement added: “Poti has

an ideal port location and we look forward to working with the Georgian government to ensure the country’s flagship port is constantly improving the economy and attracting future investment.

“As a global port operator, we have the expertise to execute port upgrades quickly to launch a new era of Georgian port infrastructure suited to the future generation of ships,” said Davidsen.

In phase 1, which can be completed by 2017, the new port will comprise two deep water berths able to handle vessels in excess of 9,000 TEU with modern ship to shore cranes and a capacity of one million TEU.

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Industry BoI, UNIDO partner to tackle competitiveness barriers through standardisation Stories by Femi Adekoya O address competitiveness T challenges arising infrastructure deficit and inability to meet international standards encountered by Nigerian manufacturers and exporters, the Bank of Industry and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) have commenced a partnership that will aid the realisation of the set objectives.

Indeed, the partnership will see the agencies collaborating through sensitisation exercises towards the realisation of a global level of standardisation that will aid in the removal of technical barriers to domestic, regional and international trade.

Specifically, the initiative by UNIDO to raise the level of industrial standards in Nigeria received a boost from the BoI when the bank consented to a request from UNIDO to further facilitate the programme’s awareness drive.

Executive Director, Business Development, BoI, Waheed Olagunju, who accepted the request on behalf of the bank from UNIDO’s Country and West Africa Director, Dr. Patrick Kormawa at a stakeholders’ consultative forum held in Lagos, on Monday, said the positive impact of the initiative was critical to the realisation of Nigeria’s industrial revolution plan.

He disclosed that a major barrier faced by some industries and SMEs when seeking access to BoI’s loan facilities was the lack of a standards culture.

“We have agreed to chair the subcommittee that was set up to sensitise MSMEs in the country on the need for standardisation and we are delighted to play this role in partnership with UNIDO because for maost products finance is one of the important factors of production and all we are talking about is pro-

duction and to ensure that investments are secured they must be standards compliant,” he said.

He noted that the initiative was a most welcome development because there was no way Nigeria can achieve competitive industrialisation without adhering strictly to standards, he stressed that standardisation was critical to the success of Nigerian revolution industrial plan and the National enterprise development programme that were jointly launched by President Goodluck Jonathan in February.

He said that the bank believed that the initiative was a winwin situation for them and their customers because: “when SMEs in particular come to us and apply for loans we try to ensure that they will be NAFDAC and SON compliant in order not to put our investment into jeopardy not only our investment but the savings of promoters because when a project goes bad the promoter also suffers loses.”

Earlier in his remarks, Kormawa, had disclosed that the forum was the first being held with the private sector in its effort to help Nigeria establish a global level of standardisation that will aid in the removal of technical barriers to domestic, regional and international trade.

“It is to address one of the key drivers of trade that will establish an infrastructure to promote made in Nigeria products and ensure that industrialisation is put at the highest level,” he said.

The UNIDO country director expressed optimism that in four years time the initiative will have established a national quality policy in the country; established a national body to accredit NAFDAC and SON as well as industries; successfully establish a metrological institute in the country that will help ensure that all products meet prescribed specifications.

“By the end of that time we

would have also improved the capacity of industries to create and establish conformity assessment bodies and create awareness for the usage of a national quality service by industries and consumers,” he said.

In a presentation by UNIDO’s

accreditation consultant, Stephen Cross, the national quality infrastructure policy will support the development of the missing standards and quality control bodies to improve the quality of goods and services exchanged in the Nigerian, regional and interna-

tional markets.

He said that results from a recent UNIDO survey shows that the ratio of non-compliance to standards in Nigeria was moderate and that for now the image of made-inNigeria products was fair.

“UNIDO’s approach is to devel-

op products’ competitiveness, prove conformity with market requirement and establish a connection to the market because trade is all about building trust across board between the producers and the consumers,” he said.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, chatting with the Group Managing Director and Group Chief Executive of Notore Chemical Industries Limited, Onajite Okoloko at the Ogun State Investors Forum, recently.

NACCIMA moves to address trade barriers at ports IQUED by the challenges panies, unnecessary delay in Discussants are: The Assistant adding that a communiqué P mitigating the growth of Pre Arrival Assessment Report Comptroller General of would be issued at the end of trade at the ports, the Nigerian (PAAR), issuance/wrong com- Customs (Zone A), Nigeria the session and presented to Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has concluded plans to hold a one-day National Dialogue session to such end.

Tagged “Unlocking shipping gridlock at the ports: Stakeholders’ initiative” and scheduled to hold on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 in Lagos, the chamber, with the support of port stakeholders seek to address challenges like demurrage by shipping com-

putation and the perennial traffic congestion experienced at the ports.

According to a statement, the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, who will also deliver the keynote address, will declare the dialogue session open.

Expected paper presenters at the dialogue session are: The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and National Association of Government Approved Freight Forward (NAGAFF) while

Shippers’ Council (NSC); Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agent (ANLCA) and Intrass Limited.

The National President of NACCIMA, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, said the dialogue session is to provide the press and other stakeholders in the Nigerian business environment with all relevant facts and figures that would enable them to make informed decisions on the way forward for Nigeria,

government for consideration and adoption.

According to the chamber, in recent times, ports users have been faced with numerous challenges, ranging from the payment of huge demurrage by shipping companies, unnecessary delay in Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), issuance/wrong computation and the perennial traffic congestion that is evident in and around the Ports, amongst others.

Govt, U.S. strategise to boost investment as trade volume dips O address the declining volT ume of trade between both Nigeria and the United States, the federal government at the weekend, held talks with the U.S. to seek and adopt strategic investment focused measures that will turn the trend around.

At the conclusion of a meeting between the two countries in Lagos, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga noted that this was the first time such a visit is taking place in almost 25 years, signalling that the President Obama administration views Nigeria very differently and wants to establish a new stronger and more strategic partnership that will encourage more investors to come to the country.

“Today we have had a very interesting meeting with the U.S. Commerce Secretary, Penny Pritzker and she disclosed that more than 100 businessmen indicated their interest to come to Nigeria but the mission could only accommodate 22 of them for now,” he said.

He stated that Nigeria wants to do top quality trade with America not based on raw materials exports only and that was the challenge for him and the commerce secretary to work on and come up with some ideas.

He said the new strategy will be to focus on trade and investment as a bloc and expressed his delight that America and American businessmen were already very keen to look into it.

“There was a time when oil exports where about $34billion, today it has come down for these two reasons: America is trying to be fuel sufficient and of course we have had to diversify, the world is changing. Today America wants to be energy sufficient they found shale; Nigeria today now wants to actually stop being a nation that exports raw materials to a nation that actually adds values to its commodities so we are moving from a country that relied entirely on selling crude oil to a country that wants to add value to our crude oil and gas,” he said.

He gave further details of the strategies, which both countries have agreed and adopted to bring more American investment into Nigeria.

“As a result, Penny is going to

organise and host us to come to the United states to meet with business people on two or three future occasions one will be in August when President Obama plans to meet with African leaders on the power Africa project. There will be a meeting of 100 African CEOs meeting with another 100 American CEOs. And my ministry will be nominating people from Nigeria,” he said.

He said both countries have also agreed to work together on a sectoral basis to organise investment summits in the United States where Nigerians will meet with American businessmen to talk through some of the issues surrounding various areas of investment in the country.

Aganga noted that already

Nigeria has some successful US businesses in the country like P&G which have been in the country for more than two or three decades and just recently opened a new $250 million plant in Agbara and also General Electric that are investing about $1 billion in the turbine production in the power sector but stressed that the opportunities in Nigeria was there to accommodate more investors.

“You need people to bring their money to work that is where you can create jobs outside of your budgetary allocations which is small.

Budgetary allocations you need that for schools, for health and infrastructure but coming to the real sector of the economy it should be investments and that is where

the jobs will be created that is what is important about it,” he said.

The minister noted that what the government has started through the Nigerian industrial revolution plan has opened up opportunities for a lot of money to be made in various sectors of the economy stressing that government’s job was to create an enabling environment for investors to reap from their investments and added that he was optimistic that soon all sectors of the economy will attain a net exporter status just like the cement sector.

The talks also covered plans to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act AGOA which is in its 14th year and also how to will mobilise capital from United States into Nigeria.

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Unilever boss hinges sustainable, equitable growth on PPPs Stories by Femi Adekoya

F

OR a sustainable and equitable growth to be realized

in Nigeria and other African countries, there is need to foster effective public-private

AL Grain deepens noodles market with new product ITH the completion of its are already making waves in W research and development the Nigerian market as our nooas well as other quality assur- dles is competing favourably ance processes, AL Grain Foods Limited has unveiled its Instant Noodles product for the Nigerian market.

The noodle, which took one year to develop, is targeted at school children between the ages of three to 11, as well as adult consumers.

The firm noted that despite the high production cost and unstable power supply, it hopes to deepen the Nigerian noodles market with the introduction of Al Grain Instant Noodles.

Chairman, AL Grain Foods Limited, Anthony Obidulu, while speaking at the formal launch of the product at the weekend, said: “With an understanding on the nuances of food production and distribution, we have developed a unique mastery in our handling and storage process, which ensures minimal damages and expiration. Also to deliver fresh products, we have created a system of logistics processes aimed to achieve a balance between production and sales.

“At Al Grain Foods Limited, we have a quality assurance policy to maintain high standards of our products, this reflects in the way we work, services we deliver, and all-round relationships with staff, customers and suppliers. It is no wonder that we

with other noodles and we are not relenting in the production and quality of our products.”

A special guest at the launch, Professor Pat Utomi, emphasized the need for stakeholders to enhance the growth of valuechains in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, which according to him, would help the nation move forward in leaps and bounds.

He therefore urged the stakeholders to support the firm’s vision because of the positive effects it will have on the Nigerian nation, in terms of job creation and wealth building.

“Manufacturing in Nigeria as you will agree with me is no small feat, taking into cognizance the level of infrastructure deficiencies, like power and the recent security challenges we face in the country.

Most companies now rely heavily on their own power generation with the use of generators for production, which is not cost effective at all.

“We therefore urge the government to encourage manufacturers and industrialists in the country by stabilising economic policies because the fluctuation in these policies poses a big problem to the Nigerian economy and it also discourages foreign investors,” Obidulu said further.

partnerships as well as promote long term investments.

This was the view of the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever, Paul Polman during the recently concluded World Economic Forum in Abuja, where he called on Africa’s political and business leaders to work towards achieving sustainable and equitable growth in Africa.

In a statement made available to The Guardian, Polman underscored the need to upscale capabilities in Africa, saying: “Africa should also focus on capability building.

In Africa, there’s still an enormous skill gap between what is needed to achieve Africa’s ambition and what is on ground right now”.

He also emphasized the role of

the private sector in building capabilities in Africa and driving economic growth.

“To achieve economic growth in Africa, businesses have a key role to play; we can’t leave it to government and educational institutions alone. Most of the education people get happens after they have left school. Companies must therefore share the responsibility. We must start seeing Africa as an investment for the longer term” he said.

He however made a case for Africa’s governments and businesses to work towards ensuring that Africa’s growth is equitable and inclusive.

He said: “A world where too many people feel they are excluded will rebel against itself. That is the reason peo-

ple took to the streets of Turkey and Brazil. Inequality was also one of the triggers of the Arab spring and the Occupy Wall Street movement in the United States “A system where the top 85 richest people in the world have the same wealth as the bottom three and half billion is not going to last. A system where a billion people go to bed hungry, while the rest waste 30 to 40 per cent of their food is not going to last” he said.

He observed that with increasing transparency in the world, particularly driven by the internet, people are beginning to realise that things could be done differently, and are therefore demanding for more equality.

Speaking on the need to embrace sustainable growth in Africa, Polman warned that as Africa develops it must grow in a sustainable way.

“Africa must not repeat the mistakes that have been made in many parts of the world” he said.

He noted that although Africa still faces significant challenges like the high incidence of poverty and high rate of unemployment, there are enormous opportunities that if leveraged, could help eradicate poverty in Africa, and indeed the world, in the next 15 years.

“To reach its potential, Africa must focus on: good governance, building functioning institutions, and entrenching the rule of law”, he added.

Firm holds exhibition to boost local enterprise PURRED by the need to Sdevelop boost investment as well as local enterprise in the country, Aulic Nigeria Limited, has concluded plans to hold a trade exhibition to such end.

The exhibition, themed: ‘Boosting Nigeria’s Development through creative and innovative industrialisation’, scheduled to hold between June 6-15, 2014 in Lagos, would see the firm partnering Ukraine International Exhibition Centre and Heritage International Business Concept U.GMBH to achieve set objectives.

Speaking ahead of the event at a press conference in Lagos, recently, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Aulic Nigeria Limited, Dr. Chika Ezeh noted

that the exhibition basically was being organised to match Nigerian startups and upcoming businesses with suppliers from international arena.

“It is an exhibition where we plan to bring into this country, services and products that have not been here. Those of you who traveled overseas know that there are lots of beautiful products that we need in this country which are still not here now. So we looked and checked how we can bring in these products and services into this country and we found that the best way to do it is to match Nigerian businesses with the producers of this services and products and I am very happy to inform you that when we introduced this concept to our business partners

overseas they were very happy about it; they even went ahead to source small companies from their various companies to come in and pick up partners.

“We have informed the local SMEs about this concept and they too are very happy about it and they have indicated interest to attend. The matchmaking will not only help the individual companies but will also help the country in her development movement. By doing this, we will be boosting the economy.

“One of our plans for coming here is business development; we intend to develop as much businesses as much as our strength can extend so as to empower more people”, she added.

Ezeh explained that for some period, participation of international firms in the exhibition dropped drastically because of state of the facility plus the ugly image this country has been smeared with for some time.

“We are happy to inform you that we do have quite an encouraging number of international companies who have indicated their interest to be here and participate in this exhibition and many more are sending representatives. We already have 119 companies from overseas in representation. We have 29 of them that are already here with their products and we are expecting others to come in before the end of this month.

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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

MarketReport EQUITY MARKET SUMMARY

AS AT 27-05-2014

PRIMERA AFRICA www.primera-africa.com

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MARKET INDICATORS

AS AT 27-05-2014

PRIMERA AFRICA

NSE’s ASI up by 0.77%

By Bukky Olajide HE equities market closed yesterday on a positive note, as Nigerian Stock Exchange [NSE] All Share Index [ASI] appreciated by 0.77 per cent, to close at 40,061.24 basis points, compared with the depreciation of 0.19 per cent recorded previously.

Its Year-to-Date (YTD) returns currently stands at 3.07 percent.

Market breadth closed positive as Fidson led 32 gainers against 33 losers topped by Oando at the end of today’s session- an unimproved performance when compared with previous outlook.

Market turnover closed negative as volume traded depreciated by -18.86 per cent against 81.81 per cent upbeat recorded in previous session.

Unic , Zenithbank and Custodian were the most active to boost market turnover.

UACN and Zenithbank topped market value list.

For sectoral indices, NSE

T

Industrial recorded 2.02 per cent to emerge the most supportive sectoral performance among others while NSE Food was the most hit with 0.85 per cent loss.

For corporate earnings, Ekocorp, in its fourth quarter 2013 earnings report, records positive growth of 8.1 per cent in its revenue with positive growth of 16.8 per cent in its bottom-line.

Meanwhile, FBN Holdings Plchas announced the acquisition of ICB, Senegal and that its subsidiary, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, has now completed the acquisition of ICB Senegal, which represents the last jurisdiction of the West African assets of ICB Financial Group Holdings.

The completion meeting to conclude the transaction was held yesterday.

By this acquisition, First Bank has now completed its acquisition of ICB West Africa, comprising operations in Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Senegal.

Shareholders endorse Champion Breweries plan to raise fresh fund

By Helen Oji HAREHOLDERS of Champion Breweries Plc have approved decision by the Board of Directors to increase the authorized share capital of the company from N3 billion to N4.5 billion.

The shareholders, who spoke during the company’s 38th yearly general meeting held in Lagos recently, lauded the turnaround strategy of the company.

The shareholders also commended the Board for its efforts to make the company ‘a growing concern’ amid harsh economic environment, hoping that such efforts would result in improved performances which would ultimately boost the dividend payout.

They approved that fresh capital should be raised by the creation of additional three billion ordinary shares of

S

N0.50k each, to rank paripasu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares in the capital of the company, subject to necessary regulatory approvals.

The Acting Chairman of the company, Chief Senas Ukpanah told the shareholders that with the commitment and co-operation of the company’s core and major investors, the Board has been re-assured that the recapitalization and re-financing programme will be implemented and successfully turnaround the company.

He also hinted of efforts by the Board towards solving the issue surrounding the planned debt re-financing, improvement of various operating efficiency parameters as well as improvement on the utilization of installed capacity of the brewery to enhance positive turnaround of the business performance.

SEC approves National Investor Protection Fund

By Helen Oji

HE Securities and T Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the establishment of a nationwide fund known as the National Investor Protection Fund.

The rules have also been approved by the board to provide details of management of the fund, disbursements from the fund and other matters relating thereto.

The Fund, according to the SEC, shall be managed by the Board of Directors or such Fund Manager as may be appointed by the Board.

The commission explained that every decision taken by the Board in the course of administration of the Fund

shall be in accordance with the provisions of its rules, noting that where the Fund is managed by a Fund Manager, the Fund Manager shall be duly registered by the commission; The Fund Manager shall also invest the resources of the Fund as shall be approved by the Board from time to time It added that the proceeds from the investment of the Fund shall either be further invested or deposited in a designated account as shall be determined by the board.

“The board shall act in good faith and take decisions in the interest of the Fund at all times. The Board shall take out policies of insurance for the purpose of the Fund.”

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Midweek Arts ‘Ajayi’s passion, dedication for history stood him out’ From Iyabo Lawal and Kehinde Olatunji, Ibadan MINENT historians from all walks of life gathE ered recently at the University of Ibadan to celebrate one of their own, Emeritus Prof Ade Ajayi for his contribution to the development of history. An erudite scholar and Elder statesman, Prof Ade Ajayi turns 85 on Monday. In commemoration of his birthday, the fifth round table of the Organisation for Historical Research in Nigeria (OHRN) was dedicated to celebrate him at the conference centre of the University of Ibadan.

The round table which featured Professors Bolanle Awe, Wale Oyemakinde, Akanmu Adebayo, Ayodeji Olukoju and members of the Ade-Ajayi family brought, to his contribution to the definition and projection of African historiography; over half a century of active engagement and the importance of study of history in tertiary institutions.

The round table event which is the fifth in three and half years, epitomizes the commitment of the OHRN to debates within the discipline toward ensuring the continued relevance of history in its engagement with issues of national policy and development.

Participants at the event took turns to reflect on the development of history in the land and the contribution of Prof Ade Ajayi to this.

Professor Ayodeji Olukoju set the tone of the meeting in his address where he stated that Ade Ajayi’s advocacy of the imperishable utility of an enduring sense of history, of the rear view value of history and its continuing relevance to nation building highlight one of his enduring contributions to the development of African History as a respectable discipline.

In her remarks, Professor Awe condemned the neglect of history in the nation’s tertiary institutions. Reminding of the words of Mar Block who wrote that ‘the misunderstanding of the present is the inevitable consequence of the ignorance of the past”, the eminent historian asked whether we embrace this knowledge of the past.

“Increasingly, history has become a neglected subject in our schools and various institutions of learning. Ajayi had at different times preached the importance and relevance of our history in our national life; he had led delegations at the highest level to point out the dire consequences of the neglect of the teaching of history, but it has been a case of preaching to the deaf.

“In schools, history is ensconced within the teaching of social studies and civil education, while in many of our tertiary institutions; it is now wedded to International Relations or Diplomacy to ensure its survival. The contribution of Ade Ajayi in the field of history is largely because of the much awareness that this round

Elekole of Ikole Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Fasiku; Emeritus Prof. Ayo Banjo; celebrant, Emeritus Prof. Ayo Jacob Ade Ajayi; his wife, Christie and Prof. Toun Ogunsheye at the book presentation in Celebration of 85th birthday of Ajayi… in Ibadan PHOTO: Najeem Raheem table is being organised by the practitioners of the art and profession. But we must not forget that Ade Ajayi has also been an administrator par excellence as Vice Chancellor and in our tertiary institutions and other institutions of the same ilk at the international level, and even in other areas of development of our growth as a nation”. Prof Awe said.

In the paper delivered by Professor Michael Omolewa at the event, he described the eminent historian as a man attached to the subject of History right from the time of his appointment as a lecturer in the department of History at University College, Ibadan (UCI) in 1958 and has taught courses in the department and supervised graduate students during the entire period from 1958 to 1972.

Omolewa recalled that Prof Ade Ajayi’s tenure as Dean of the Faculty of Arts did not interrupt his work as a researcher, although it limited his teaching load. “The same can be said of the period from 1972 to 1978, when he was appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

“In seeking to explain the decision by Ade Ajayi

to pursue a course in History, investing many years to obtain an honours degree in the subject, his tenacity to stick to one subject all his life, his continuous service and work in the Department of History and his continuous work as historian after retirement, we can single out one factor which is ‘Passion’.

One way in which passion manifests is in hard work, and Ade Ajayi worked hard, as his students and colleagues will testify. He worked hard as an undergraduate student, as he did as a postgraduate student abroad writing his PhD thesis. On his arrival at UCI Ade Ajayi was known for his industry and dedication, eventually earning him a professorship.

Ade Ajayi was also said to have applied his passion for the principles of research and teaching to the field of African history, which led him to become a co-author with Ian Espie of one of the two books produced by the workshop titled A Thousand Years of the West African History. He played an important part in the design of new courses for an independent degree programme of the University of Ibadan, a large portion of which dealt with African History.

The academic who established courses in West African history and published materials on the subject and edited with Micheal Crowther one of the most authoritative publications in the field on his retirement from Ibadan donated practically all the rare books for teaching problems of Theories and Methods of History, a key course in the masters degree programme.

“His passion is equally demonstrated by the attitude he took to his post-doctoral research work. It will be recalled that his thesis combed the archives of the different missionary societies in Britain, in addition to the materials at the British Museum, the Public Records Office and the libraries of the International African Institute and the Royal Commonwealth Society”, Omolewa stated.

In all, it was a day of eulogies for the emeritus professor and seasoned scholar whose contributions to the growth and development of history remained unrivalled.

An overwhelmed Ade Ajayi expressed appreciation to the group for the honour done him and urged them to ensure that the subject does not go into extinction.

Soyinka opens exhibition in honour of Rhodes

By Tajudeen Sowole OMORROW, a two-week exhibition T of photographs and other memorabilia in memory of the music icon Steven Omodele Bankole Rhodes (aka Elder Rhodes) will open at Freedom Park, Lagos Island.

The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, according to the organisers, will formally open the exhibition designed to celebrate late Rhodes’ eminent contributions to African music and artistic heritage. The exhibition will showcase rich and resourceful collection of photographic recordings of his over six decades of illustrious career. Rhodes died on May 29, 2008, at 82.

Also, the commemorative event, will feature screening of Metamorphosis: The Music of Steve Rhodes, a work produced and directed by Femi Odugbemi. The screening is organised by the Steve Rhodes Foundation (SRF) — founded in the aftermath of Elder Rhodes’ passing – as well as the Steve Rhodes Memorial Anniversary

Committee led by senior citizen, artiste and art patron, Mrs Francesca Emanuel.

Expected at the opening ceremony are eminent Nigerians — especially close associates and followers of career of late Rhodes in music, artistic production and cultural activism — and the general public.

Rhodes was many things rolled into one: a veteran broadcaster, musician and showbiz impresario who bestrode the arts community for over six decades, producing, managing, creating and advocating for the arts and culture.

Rhodes directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the COJA Games in 2003. His admirers described him as “an encyclopedia of Nigerian music’; ‘a great musicologist and the conscience of entertainment industry in his time’ ‘a disciplinarian and an artist with love for standard’.

Rhodes was born on April 8, 1926 in Lagos, to Justice Bankole and Mrs. Mabel Jones de Rhodes. He was educat-

Rhodes

Soyinka

ed at CMS Grammar School (Lagos) and Dennis Memorial School (Onitsha). He further his studies by spending 11 years in England and Germany and later was a jazz musician in Germany, where he

played with a traveling bands in concert tour through Switzerland and Italy After the death of his father, Rhodes returned to Nigeria and joined the

Federal Ministry of Information. He became the first Nigerian Controller of Programmes of the Western Nigerian Television (WNTV), Ibadan. He also worked at the defunct Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (now Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria FRCN). The emerging of the West African Dance Orchestra at FRCN was linked to his inititiative.

Rhodes founded Steve Rhodes Voices (SRV), a group of award winning young choristers that earned fame performing at music events.

For 20 years the SRV trained and mentored an estimated 250 young Nigerians.

The group would later change into Steve Rhodes Orchestra, SRO, and had to its credit shows such as Metamorphosis, a performance acclaimed as one of the best productions on the Nigerian theatre space.

Another hit performance of the group included Ode to Freedom, a frontal confrontation to the Apartheid regime in South Africa.

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Ilulogy… Another look at African thought system, tradition Stories by Anote Ajeluorou HERE have been many advocaT cies, argumentations, approaches and avenues to African homecoming through scholarship reevaluation and re-standardisation, but Ilulogy – Ilu and logos (discourse) – is a renascent scholarship with many backgrounds, paths, prospects and focus that if welcomed, understood and projected, will lead to many openings in understanding and studying Africa and her civilization, more.

Ilulogy scholarship, with an attempt to establishing scholarship tradition on Ilu concepts, improperly referred to as “proverbs” by colonial scholars, is being projected here as an intellectual wealth more than proverbs and wise sayings. According to Ukpor, Anambra State-born activist, Mazi Okwu Okwu, and President, Centre for African Renaissance, who doubles as Secretary, Board of Trustees, Ohanaeze Youth Council, studying Ilu as mere proverbs and wise saying, is a misnomer and a undervaluation of African scholarship that tends to overshadow the genuine intellectual thought system that Ilu stands for.

Thus, he has come up with Ilulogy,

a renascent Ilu scholarship tradition, which is a discourse of African tradition, culture and thoughts with Ilu as a template and fundamental.

Ilulogy is therefore offered to the rescue and re-assemblage of African thoughts, culture and principles, especially to liberate African scholarship from imperial stranglehold.

While commenting on how he come up with the research, Okwu said, “I am a product of the fast-disappearing village life and community settings that engage children right from tender ages with moonlight plays and storytelling tradition, stories that come after supper, and at family and village square activities. These stories served as formative thoughts, developing African speech patterns and building the intellect, showing the way and moulding character. So, I took early interest in the study and making of African personality and identity study, with Igbo, as starting point. It has a lot to do with my scholarship interest”.

It is from this early grooming in African rural life through the means of oral tradition that Mazi Okwu Okwu’s interest in Ilu, folklores, culture and other Afro-autogenous thoughts and ways developed. His research interests, he said, also cov-

ers Political Economy, Human Rights, Diplomacy, Imperial Internationalism and Globalism etc. according to him, “Thus in 1990, people started appreciate more my Ilu intelligence and this pushed me to commence research on Ilu concepts. Currently, I have gathered about 11,000 plus Ilu into a book form but I will be packaging and presenting 7,000 plus in the forthcoming first edition, while others will come latter”.

In his study of Ilulogy posits: “Holistically, Ilu is a thoughtful, concise encoding and or coded knowledge giving impetus to brainpower and, at times, gives room for different shades of understanding and thought voyages. Thus Ilu is also called Inu by some Igbo-speaking peoples, including my Ukpor culture area. While the Igbo call it Inu or Ilu, the Hausa call it ‘habaichi’ and the Yoruba call it ‘owe’. From the foregoing, Ilulogy or Ilu dissertation could have Owelogy and Habaichilogy as synonyms in the context of the two other languages.

Ilu is, therefore, a mechanism for all-around, concise encoding and or coding of characterisations of thoughts, intelligences, notion of life, experiences, methods, theories, maxims, principles and other scien-

Okwu tific knowledge”.

Okwu, a Pan Africanist, humanist and culture activist, said Ilu could be properly studied and projected under the banner of African civilization, as it exceeds the wise-sayings of proverbs. Although Ilu is presented and studied from the point of view of Igbo thought and culture barometer, Okwu said Ilu

has the same form, structure and meanings all over Africa, adding “It depends on one’s knowledge of diverse African people and language and especially one’s power of comparative thought analysis helps to come to this conclusion.

That is why I tilted the book Study of Ilu Art and Science: “Ilulogy: A Universe of African Thoughts.

Shodipo’s Pre-school Alphabet Book... to deepen African consciousness T last Africa has an alphabet book for A Africans and non-Africans alike! It’s Noma Shodipo’s effort at redressing imbalance in the education of the African child titled A Pre-School Alphabet Book and a Treasury of African Names, with a foreword

by Professor Grace Alele-Williams.

The new book seeks primarily to teach the child the alphabets and sounds while addressing the scarcity of good quality preschool books for African children.

Some highlights of the new book include a rich blend of traditional and modern African scenes, giving a realistic presentation of 21st century Africa; powerful synergy between the simple text and stimulating pictures; encouraging meaningful and enjoyable interaction between parent/ward and child; simplicity for child to tackle him/herself when he/she starts to read; suitable for 2-7 year olds.

Other highlights are that it allows for exploration of several themes e.g. cross-ethnic friendship, colours, jobs people do, sea animals, weather, sports, music; includes ‘silent pointers’ to words not in text, extend-

ing enjoyment and learning; includes pronunciation guide, origins and meanings of African names; appendix of various significant African names; provides answers to questions asked on each page; includes a map of Africa and phonically sound.

A Pre-school Alphabet Book and A Treasury of African Names is a delightful book, which creates the combined effect of learning the alphabet and African names from A-Z all in an African setting!

The author, Noma Sodipo, originally trained as an optometrist, and extends her love for working with children to storytelling, presenting and producing her award-winning television programme, ‘StoryTime With Auntie Noma’, which has been broadcast in over 30 countries in Europe and Africa. A fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, with a post-graduate diploma in Education, Shodipo lives in Nigeria and enjoys travelling to other African countries and around the world.

She is happily married and blessed with three grown children.

In stating the vision of the book and the overall project to better educate the African child with materials from his/her environment, she said, “Our vision is to see every young child in Africa loving and reading a book he/she can easily identify with; to see young African children in the diaspora

reading a quality book from the ‘homeland’ and to introduce non-African children to life in 21 century Africa.

To realize this noble objective, she has a stated mission to get A Pre-school Alphabet Book and A Treasury of African Names to as many children as possible the world over.

Afejuku to speak on Wordsworth, Osundare at Harvard ARRING the unforeseen, B University of Benin don and scholar-poet, Prof. Tony

Afejuku, will be delivering on the English Romantic poet, William Wordsworth and Nigeria’s modern poet, Niyi Osundare at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. on June 4 at an international gathering of philosophers, literary scholars and fine arts scholars. He is billed to speak on, as he termed it, ‘The Cosmicism and Cosmologism of Wordsworth and Osundare’.

Other experts-scholars expected at the gathering in which the UNIBEN don is the

only Nigerian and African expected include phenomenologists, mystics and intellectuals committed to addressing the subject and role of the cosmos in the advancement of civilization in our world.

In a telephone conversation, Afejuku simply stated that he was not going to Harvard for religious or political intellectualism but would dwell on literature, philosophy, metaphysics and related intellectual preoccupations which scholars are employing to advance their societies globally”, enthusing, “hopefully, I shall fly well and well the Nigerian

Afejuku flag and name”.

He will also be reading from his new collection of poems A Spring of Sweet at the event.

Business ideas, directory for launch tomorrow 000 PRACTICAL Business Dignitaries billed to attend the 1Sources Ideas and Directory of Money event include wife of former written by Sunkanmi Ekiti State governor, Erelu Angela Vaughan will be launched on Democracy Day, May 29, 2014.

Venue is Freedom Park, 1 Hospital Road, Lagos Island.

Time is

Adebayo, who will be represented by her son, Mr. Adedotun Adebayo, MD, Lambeth & Trust Investment, Mr. David Adonri, Chairman, Legacy Schools, Chief

(Mrs.) Ndidi Oshunrinde, to be represented by her daughter, Mrs. Anne Ekpo. 1000 Practical Business Ideas and Directory of Money Sources will be reviewed by Afribaby magazine Publisher/CEO, Dr. Oscar Odiboh.

D.P.O’s gospel comedy holds June 1 OMEDIAN Director of hold on June 1 at Harvest Place, others. Musical performancC People’s Occasions (D.P.O) Maryland, Lagos. D.P.O. Live es will be by Timi Dakolo, is set to hold the maiden edi- will feature comedians Owen Gaise Baba, Kayode and Moji Roundtable on Ade Ajayi (right) his wife, Christie and key speaker, Emeritus Prof. Michael Omolewa

tion of his gospel comedy show tagged “D.P.O. Live”.

The event is scheduled to

G, Omo Baba, Lepacious Bose, Baba De Baba, Headmaster, Emeka Smith, De Don among

Olusoji. The event kicks off at 3pm with a red carpet while the show starts at 4pm.

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Sports Count down to 2014 World Cup

Eagles battle with Scotland, as final round of preparation begins

Game faces fixing probe ODAY’S Super Eagles’ World T Cup warm-up friendly against Scotland in London is reported to be the subject of a match-fixing investigation by police.

The National Crime Agency, which investigates serious and organised crime, is reported by the Daily Telegraph to have asked FIFA, world football’s governing body, to issue an alert over attempts to fix the game at Fulham’s Craven Cottage.

The match is scheduled as a home fixture for Nigeria, who are finalising their preparations ahead of the World Cup in Brazil, which starts on June 12.

“We are liaising with the relevant authorities and will prepare for the match as normal,” a Scottish FA spokesman said yesterday.

A spokesman for the NCA refused to comment, saying: “The NCA will from time to time provide operational detail necessary for public reassurance purposes.

“It does not routinely confirm or deny the existence of specific operations or provide ongoing commentary on operational activity.”

The NCA are said to have told FIFA they have general information from the Asian betting markets suggesting a fixing plan is underway for the Nigeria friendly and they hope to stop the illegal activities by issuing the alert.

The issue of match-fixing is returning to the spotlight ahead of the World Cup, with pre-tournament warm-up matches said to be prime targets for match fixers acting on behalf of illegal betting syndicates in Asia.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi will use his provisional 30-man World Cup squad, packed with English Premiership stars including John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Shola Ameobi and Peter Odemwingie, for the warm-up against Scotland.

Keshi’s team face World Cup group stage fixtures against Argentina, Bosnia and Iran.

HE Super Eagles will this T evening begin their final phase of preparation

Super Eagles in training before a recent game. The team will meet Scotland in an international friendly today.

Don’t judge Eagles with today’s friendly, says NFF

By Alex Monye HE Nigeria Football T Federation (NFF) has appealed to football loving Nigerians to keep faith with the Super Eagles, not minding the outcome of today’s match against Scotland.

The Federation argues that the Stephen Keshi tutoredteam needs everybody’s support and encouragement to fly high in Brazil.

NFF vice president, Chief Mike Umeh, in a chat with The Guardian, declared that the tune up match was one of the preparatory measures put in place by the Federation to assist Keshi to raise a solid team for the World Cup. He stressed that Keshi needed the friendly tie to identify the anomalies in his team and also pick the best 23 players, who would represent Nigeria well in Brazil.

Umeh explained that the former Togo manager’s priority was to give the 30 players equal chance to prove themselves, assuring that Keshi would not give any player special preference in the final 23-man squad.

Umeh also maintained that NFF has given the Eagles boss the free hand to pick the players he feels can deliver at the Mundial Coupe notwithstanding the criticism trailing his choice of players.

Umeh, who is also the chairman of Anambra Football Association, affirmed that the Glass House would not relent in backing the senior national team in their quest to excel in Brazil.

“NFF has given the Eagles the needed assistance to prepare for the World Cup. We will ensure that the team gets the best preparation.

The Scotland friendly is one of the ties put in place to keep the team in top form; the friendly should not be used to measure the strength of the team.

Nigerians should see the game as an opportunity for Keshi to see the lapses in his team and also select the main players he needs for the World Cup. “The NFF doesn’t have anything against Keshi over the 30 players he selected to prepare for the championship. At the end of the day, he will have the full right to take the players he wants to Brazil without the NFF’s intervention,” he said.

Umeh added, “I want the Eagles to go beyond the first round of the World Cup. Qualifying for the quarter final of the World Cup would prove to the world that the Eagles are a force to reckon with in the world football.

The Super Eagles would surely fly against all odds to excel in Brazil.”

for the Brazil 2014 World Cup with a friendly game against Scotland at the Craven Cottage London home of Fulham FC beginning the last stage of the journey to the Mundial Coupe.

In preparing for today’s game, Super Eagles boss, Stephen Keshi, his assistants, Dan Amokachi, Hyauondonou Valere and Ike Shorunmu on Monday evening took the team through a rigorous training session that was adjudged needful by most of the players.

Assistant Captain, Vincent Enyeama, said the team needs such a regime because some of the players have been off action for up to a week and need reawakening.

“You don’t play the World

Cup every year and time,” he said of the session that lasted from 7:10 to 9:20pm.

Central defender, Azubuike Egwuekwe, says the World Cup has effectively started for him.

“My brother the training was tough and good,” he said of the event that was held at the Fulham training ground under very chilly conditions with temperature reading 13 degrees Celsius and the rain drizzling throughout the duration of the training.

All the players seemed determined to convince the coach that they were ready for Brazil, but homebased winger, Ejike Uzoenyi, was the star of the session.

Ramon Azeez, Michael Uchebo and Victor Moses also put in some scintillating displays, just as the reg-

ulars did not fail to impress with skipper Joseph Yobo showing that he was still the commander in the defence line.

Speaking after the session, Keshi said the players needed such a session to re-energise them and get them ready for the task of playing against the best in the world at Brazil 2014.

He said the World Cup was neither for kids nor a tea party, adding that he would select only the fittest players for the Mundial Coupe.

Nnamdi Oduamadi, who missed the first training session arrived camp after lunchtime and said he regretted the visa mix-up that led to his late arrival to camp.

The other member of the squad yet to make it to London, Sunday Mba, was expected to arrive last night.

Anya has no regrets choosing Scotland over Nigeria Anya says he has Scotland so I was always career in football.

IingKECHI no regrets about choos- going for that - for me it Anya said: “My dad is a typto represent Scotland was always going to be over Nigeria even though the African nation are preparing to head to the World Cup. Anya was brought up in Scotland to a Nigerian father and a Romanian mother and made his debut in September against Belgium.

The Watford attacker will face the Super Eagles at Fulham’s Craven Cottage ground today but says he has never thought twice about his decision.

“My love of football developed when I was in

Scotland,” Anya said.

“That was where I started playing football at school and where I learned everything. That was one of the main reasons I chose Scotland when I knew they were interested.

“When I was really young I was in Nigeria but I can’t remember it. I appreciate the Nigerian side from my father and the Romanian side of my mother but that is them and I chose Scotland.”

The 26-year-old admitted his dad, Chinasa, took plenty of convincing over his

ical Nigerian man, he’s all about education so football-wise it was really just my mum - she said to play football and when she knew Scotland were interested she was very happy for me.

“My dad has taken more of an interest now because obviously his son is a footballer so he tries to support me.

“But he’s a big academic, my brother is a doctor and he tried to put me down that route but I tried football and luckily it worked out.”

Uyo ‘bed nest’ Stadium excites Akwa United players

By Gowon Akpodonor

P

LAYERS and officials of the Nigerian Premier League club, Akwa United, have expressed happiness with the state government over the completion of Uyo National Stadium.

The edifice designed like the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, is expected to be commissioned by Governor Godswill Akpabio on September 23, during the state’s 23rd anniversary.

According to Engr. Bassey Bassey, who is the site engineer of the 30,000-seater stadium, all hands are on deck to meet the deadline set by Governor Akpabio.

“The Soccer City in Johannesburg may have more seating capacity, but the Uyo National Stadium is aesthetically superior because it is all round acrylic glass shell, which gives it a kaleidoscopic and aesthetic feature. It is a delight to see,” he said yesterday.

Governor Akpabio is determined to meet the expectations of his people through numerous grassroots and developmental projects in his transformational agenda that has drawn accolades from home and abroad.

Players and officials of Akwa United were surprised last week when Governor Akpabio paid an unsched-

uled visit to them during a league match against visiting Lobi Stars of Makurdi.

The visit spurred the boys to gove their best and finally won the match to the delight of the governor. Akpabio took the opportunity to speak about the stadium, which according to him will attract international sports engagements and entertainment packages to Uyo. The Olympic sized Uyo stadium, which looks like the popular Bed Nest Stadium used for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, has eight lane for athletics events, an indoor sports facility for all sports as well as training pitch with a six lane.

Pepsi Football Ambassadors, Elderson Echiejile (left), Dan Amokachi and Stephen Keshi (second right), Head of Marketing, Seven Up Bottling Company, Norden Thurston (right) and Senior Marketing Manager, PepsiCo, Shakeel Akram at the Pepsi Samba Party organised to unveil the new ambassadors in Lagos… recently.

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My World Cup story…Keshi Clad in new kits, Keshi’s boys begin the final journey to Brazil

By Mitchell Obi, with Calvin Emeka Cottage in London, Mba would have been one of the in London 30 players provisionally listed

IS goal still stands out. He H took it with consummate control and ease. Many could

not believe his quality was essentially nurtured in the heavily vilified domestic professional league. Sunday Mba was simply different. Like a bolt out of the blue; he stunned the soccer world with a sweet sensational goal against the tournament favourite, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire. It was a strike that recharged the Super Eagles and propelled them to effectively chase Africa’s prized diadem.

A then beleaguered Coach Stephen Keshi had found a gem from his venture with home-based talents and he knew the experience had to continue. With Sunday Mba, the door was firmly opened for players in the domestic league, who could excel once offered the opportunity.

He continued with his stellar showing in the chase for a first time qualification ticket for the third edition of the African Nations Championship. But when the event started in South Africa early this year Mba, highly anticipated to be the toast and media favourite, had changed gear and was now a foreignbased player with the French second division side, FC Bastia, an island that came to prominence with the legendary Roger Milla of Cameroun, but now struggling to regain its f r o n t l i n e .

Tonight inside Craven

‘

for Brazil to have started against the Scottish Tartan Army. But his absence in the team’s first training session on Monday and his possible late arrival to camp has not gone down well with Keshi.

“I am not pleased with the way he handled his arrangement for the trip and I am not sure now when he is arriving.

He would have started the match and I don’t know what he is doing i n Nigeria,” Keshi disclosed yesterday afternoon in his Hilton Hotel base in Cobham, London.

Mba has a tough competition for a place in the midfield and though he has been a regular in his club since he joined in the January transfer window, he needs to dig deep and provide the technical team and Keshi the assured control and goal scoring touch that made him a darling among fervent supporters of the Super Eagles.

“I have known these boys and they know what I am looking for. Everyone must justify his inclusion in the team,” Keshi noted as he looked forward to tonight’s friendly in which the Super Eagles will put on their new kit specifically prepared by their sportswear partner, Adidas.

“They were smart and lovely in their new training kit. Let’s

’

Tonight inside Craven Cottage in London, Mba would have been one of the 30 players provisionally listed for Brazil to have started against the Scottish Tartan Army. But his absence in the team’s first training session on Monday and his possible late arrival to camp has not gone down well with Keshi.

see what they will wear in the game. The green shirt in training looked nice,” revealed Calvin Emeka, one of the few privileged to watch the team’s training sessions on Monday and

last n i g h t when the boys had a feel of the match pitch.

“Everyone is okay and we are feeling good. No injuries for now and we hope to have a good game,” Keshi responded, as he was also asked about the return to the team of Osaze Odemwingie.

“Normal and he’s alright.

No problem,” the ‘Big Boss’ emphasised.

Summer is gradually creeping in and weather condition will be just clement for the Eagles to take the game in an all offensive style to the Scottish side, who have pride at stake having lost out in their World Cup qualifier.

Keshi may count on attackers and defenders playing in Britain to ruffle the Scots and then settle for players who have not had a consistent season to have moments in the game.

“We will strive to give everyone a chance and fully assess their condition and mentality. Above all, we want unity in the team, oneness of purpose.”

Keshi noted during conversation of the friendly in a city, “which holds no fondness for me. You know London is not my kind of place.”

Interestingly, the new Sports Minister may be in London to see the team for the first time and convey to them the sentiments of

Coach Keshi and his players in front of their Hilton Hotel camp before Monday’s training session.

‘

Late comer, Sunday Mba, may not feature in today’s game against Scotland.

PHOTO: AFP. a leadership that has gone beyond counting on good luck for success but also on prayers.

Who has forgotten that when it comes to the beautiful game, God is a Nigerian.

“We need prayers. They are never enough,” Keshi reminded as he begins another trek to global stardom. Will he get there? The team leaves for the United States and they will

have no fewer than two top friendlies against Greece and host, United States. Keshi should truly be at home in the

US where he started his rise and shine coaching career.

A Mastersports presentation C. 2014.

’

I have known these boys and they know what I am looking for. Everyone must justify his inclusion in the team. Everyone is okay and we are feeling good.

No injuries for now and we hope to have a good game.

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Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Emmanuel Ibekwe S a nation we need to redefine sickle cell disA order as a social problem to be prevented and managed by the society no matter our present genetic status HbAA, HbAS, HbSS, HbAC, HbSC, HbCC especially as we mark June 19 world sickle cell day. Relationships remain an important and integral part of humanity. At some point in the life time of an individual he/she will inevitably have to deal with relationship and all the issues that surround it; that is why children and youths must be taught their genetic compatibility at an early age, we must intensify the effort.

The subject is therefore a means by which young people can be helped to avoid serious intimacy with an incompatible partner that may result into pregnancy producing a child with sickle cell disorder that adds to the national health burden. We seem to gloss over the issue.

This information or knowledge must be seriously acquired and attitudes formed before they go into intimate relationship so that they can make informed choices about their partners with confidence on these choices and responsible for their actions.

This education especially the health challenges of SCD must begin before puberty changes and challenges of adolescence and complications during conception, pregnancy and childbirth for sickle cell disorder women.

Though the power of passion is an inalienable right to marry whosoever one chooses but we must not ignore the implications. Your right to marry anyone of your choice should not impinge on the right of a child to live healthy and pain-free life. Why should anybody want to bring a child into the world to live a pain pronelife. Many young boys and girls have out of ignorance and due to no fault of theirs engaged in unwholesome sexual activities while at tender ages ignorant of genetic compatibility even in the villages. They give birth to those living with sickle cell disorder, who are abandoned which could have been prevented if they had proper and sustained genetic information or education. Adequate genetic education will prevent and protect young people from making wrong choices concerning their relationships as well as protect girls who are future mothers from being taken advantage of by men who will abandon them with the child if sickle cell disorder manifests.

The issue of sickle cell disorder therefore requires a constant engagement of the Nigerian condition by way of seminal interventions in our national conversation. We see the high frequency of broken homes and breakdown in marriages as a result of the disorder. For our public enlightenment to be effective, it must enable young people to have firsthand knowledge of the complications in-order to protect themselves by building quality relationship with informed choices or decisions. Our elected officials who ought to match their lawmaking with a determined war against SCD through the proposed bill are simply at their hypocritical worst as they refused to pass a bill on SCD. The major reason is that many don’t always have a true picture of situations that affect the families with those living with the disorder. The average life expectancy of a person living with sickle cell anaemia in Nigeria is less than 20 years and in other countries where they have provided facilities it is 57, according to Prof. Olu Akinyanju.

Many of those living with the disorder are gasping for breath.

Those that have lost more than a child see hurt and tragedy, that they hardly have time to express joy in marriage, such sad thought are unavoidably repeated regularly sinking into their subconscious, killing their faith. They have become accustomed to unhappiness that it has become almost impossible to express joy because of the impact of loss, sorrow and pain.

The Society seems to have struck a conspirational alliance by not speaking up. Being responsive to the yearnings of those living with the disorder is not their concern. Millions of Nigerians are at risk with over 41 million living with the trait. The families of those living with the disorder are undergoing a prolonged agony with daily assaults of pain. Many youths are faced with sagging morals. Talking to them in the hospital and seeing the seemingly tragic expression on their faces can be the worst experience of one’s

Please send reactions and feedback for YOUTH SPEAK to:

editorial@risenetworks.org and 07067976667- SMS ONLY

Sickle cell disorder and national conversation

Prof. Olu Akinyanju, founder and chairman board of directors, Sinkle Cell Foundation Nigeria

over certain things about SCD that will happen in the future. We should know how it all started in our cases in the past, the foundation of our marriages, where we gambled or were ignorant or were victims of laboratory misdiagnosis.

There are historical precedents to what happened which we must not hide. We have a duty to protect the children from the pain that lurks around beyond their field of vision. It is dangerous and foolhardy to gloss over the truth about the disorder and its health complications. Many seem to disconnect their minds from realities and the consequences of their actions. Many have decided to shield their thoughts from the reality of pain. We must employ relevant communication tools as the world is becoming different. We must through pictorials, let our information be targeted at teens about the implications of wrong genotype combinations because their minds cannot still process the bigger picture.

Parents should begin to engage the children or youths so that they can understand the additional responsibility they may face in SCD home.

Government may say that they are doing a lot to help those living with the disorder the reality on ground does not recognize this. Just as Government have unemployment statistics, they should use the same statistics to determine how many truly are living and dying with the disorder not using obsolete statistics. Why should anybody want to keep stabbing such a child unknowingly with a knife without stopping in the arms, legs, hip, back and abdomen that they hardly walk during crises, why sear sickle cell pain into the memory of a youngster for life. Why do you want to pour hot lava into the veins of such a child, setting them on fire with pain and drilling holes into their bones all at once with a hippopotamus-like weight sitting on their chest as a result of acute chest syndrome very early in life and persists through life. As stakeholders we sink with sorrow as they hardly breathe or move during crisis, we are depressed as we see sores running rings around their ankles as a result of sickle cell leg ulcers, we are in discomfort when they receive chronic blood transfusion that leads to iron overload.

Many of us expect the worst with each crisis.

Sickle cell disorder affects every organ in the body especially the spleen and the kidney in young children. Many are going through many bout of punishing crises for days at home and in the hospital. Only a few with a predictable health

life. Some have pains even before their lives have truly started. We as stakeholders must come together and put pressure on the government to do something quickly. A lot of people do not understand sickle cell disorder. Many are ignorant of the full consequences of their actions. Our duty is to protect future generations from the evil that lurks beyond their supervisory field of vision at the moment.

Many are shielding their thoughts from reality.

There are many whose better judgments are taken over by emotions. The society must not wait until it affects them directly for them to stand up radically and resolutely for its prevention. Because of pain, there seem to be a morbid streak that keeps those living with the disorder miserable and sad. We must find solution to some of the very serious problems like drug addiction. If the situation is not properly addressed, the consequences can be very disastrous. What you do today, a nonchalant attitude can return to haunt you in the future, we must have a practical eye for today and a vision for tomorrow. Many are led into this trauma by a misguided mindset which has led to the present disaster, there seem to be an absence of any concerted national effort to raise awareness campaign. As stakeholders, allying with our consciences should enable us to be proactive The YOUTHSPEAK Column which is published daily is an initiative of THE GUARDIAN, and powered by RISE NETWORKS, Nigeria’s Leading Youth Development Centre, as a substantial advocacy platform available for ALL Nigerian Youth to engage Leadership at all levels, engage Society and contribute to National Discourse on diverse issues especially those that are peculiar to Nigeria. Regarding submission of articles, we welcome writers‘ contributions by way of well crafted, analytical and thought provoking opinion pieces that are concise, topical and non-defamatory! All articles (which are not expected to be more than 2000 words) should be sent to editorial@risenetworks.org To read the online Version of this same article plus past publications and to find out more about Youth Speak, please visit www.risenetworks.org/youthspeak and join the ongoing National Conversations’’.

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can materialize their life ambitions. Sickle cell disorder, in some cases, hardly allow some children to enjoy fairly good health for long period without episodes of pain thrown in from time to time. Many are plunged into a state of emergency within seconds. In some cases, the process of recovery can be painfully slow. So many of us have brothers and sisters, half brothers, cousins and nieces and other relatives similarly challenged, yet many are mute and have refused to accept the reality of sickle cell disorder burden.

Many are living with medication on a daily basis from infancy for years on end. Many are faced with more frequent acute pain episodes and increased disease severity that leads to pulmonary hypertension and priapism. Many have been hospitalized more times than they can count with internal organs like their gall bladder, spleen, and ovary, removed. Many have heart attacks at age 10 with silent strokes in attendance causing permanent damage. There are many who know nothing of their own genotype status as carriers before marriage. Many remain ignorant of their genetic load until a hapless offspring comes with such a heavy burden. Testing for genotype and arresting prevalence rate of SCD in the nation remain a huge challenge.

There should be a mandatory new born screening law to detect the disease at birth. We must not allow the children to collapse in the school before we realize that they have the disorder.

Many are also ignorant of the process of carrying out new born screening which is a crucial element to ensure the survival of neonates with sickle cell disorder by early diagnosis and treatment. Sickle cell is amenable to management but we must faithfully manage their crises before organ damage sets in to render the disorder a bit harmless. Bone marrow transplant which is the only authentic cure for the disorder is expensive and also fraught with risks.

To get a bone marrow match even among siblings is also difficult, so we can give a little fraction of whatever we have financially to advance a sickle cell cause. With such a contribution, much can be achieved through documentaries which the foundation is producing in collaboration with relevant agencies to be distributed free. Our target is to reach 10 million Nigerians in the next five years. Our rural areas form the bastion of ignorance. Let’s support the translation of these documentaries into local dialect through sponsorships.

The voice of Dabma Sickle Cell Foundation is resonating distinctly, offering hope to both those living with the disorder and the families at cross roads. We are committed to this challenge and need willing partners. We should deploy ideas and intellect in this crusade, those that are wealthy among us should come out of their shell. Our enlightenment crusade should involve strategic and serious thinking. We need massive funding and support from government and various organisations. We are the voice for over four million Nigerians who are living with the disorder who do not have the voices. Our outreaches must be practical and accessible to individuals and homes; a comprehensive approach that offers serious information for the youth. Many are yet to understand the full consequences of their actions. As a foundation, we have witnessed the cruel and devastating impact of sickle cell disorder in homes as well as experienced this horrific disorder firsthand. Having experienced first-hand and also interacted with many disorder families, we have discovered that many are already financially crushed under the devastating effect of hospital bills and admissions and have no way to put an end to it.

We believe that it is cheaper if we can provide the information about the effect of sickle cell disorder to as many families as possible as home videos or individuals or schools as possible. Prevention is better than cure. The public enlightenment documentaries are free; however, few individuals and organisations will have to bear the cost for the majority to have it freely.

You can be one of them.

• Ibekwe is the chairman Board of Trustees, Dabma Sickle Cell Foundation Phone: 08033498555 E-mail: dabma@ymail.com