Wed 07 May 2014 by The Guardian Newspaper

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Vol. 30, No. 12,914

www.ngrguardiannews.com

Despite terror attacks, WEF begins in Abuja From Mathias Okwe, Emeka Anuforo, Omotola Oloruntobi and John Okeke, Abuja

• ‘Forum will open opportunity for a new Nigeria’ • To unlock over $7b investment for smallholder farmers

NDETERRED by initial U doubts, the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa

tels housing delegates and hosting the sessions, indicates that participants have started arriving in droves, while final accreditation and registration were in top gear. Organisers are not conducting on-site registration, so participants are all expected to register latest yesterday. Transcorp Hilton and Shera-

takes off in Abuja today with great expectations. More than 1,000 leaders from business, government, civil society and academia are expected to participate in the meeting that ends on Friday. A check on the two major ho-

ton Hotel and Towers, two of Abuja’s leading hotels, were beehives of activities. As part of the programme, officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) told The Guardian yesterday that the commission would be hosting more than 150 of the delegates to a special session

tagged ‘Nigerian Investment Platform’. The session, according to available information, would be hosted by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, and aims to showcase the huge investment potentials in the country. Meanwhile, Nigeria needs to

make the most of the forum, and consolidate its place on the African continent, Executive Director of the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa, Dr. Eberechukwu Uneze, has said. In an interview with The Guardian, Uneze stressed how the forum opens an opportunity for a new Nigeria, including providing workable solutions to the problems of unemployment in the counCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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Gunmen kidnap 11 girls in Borno, UK to help FG From Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) and Olalekan Okusan (Lagos) ARELY 23 days after the abB duction of over 200 students of Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) Chibok in Borno State by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram terrorist group, 11 other girls were at about 9.45 p.m. on Monday night abducted from Warabe and Wala villages in Gwoza Local Council area of the state. Gwoza is a border town with Cameroun, and 135 kilometres southeast of Maiduguri, the state capital. The abducted girls, according to a resident of Warabe, Hamba Tada, in an SMS text message to The Guardian, are teenagers between the ages of CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

How PIB will revolutionise Nigeria’s economy, by NNPC • In U.S., experts task Nigeria on use of IT to boost growth From Collins Olayinka and Suleiman Salau (Houston) and Adeyemi Adepetun (Las Vegas), USA F passed into law, the PetroIincrease leum Industry Bill (PIB) will government’s earnings and improve the oil and gas operational environment to the nation’s advantage. This is according to the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu, who spoke at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, United States. More so, he explained that the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of refineries was not necessarily carried out in the public domain. And with global attention CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Former FCT Minister, Ibrahim Bunu (left); Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; Galadima, Yobe, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf; former Agriculture Minister, Shetima Mustapha; Waziri, Bauchi, Alhaji Mohammed Bello Kirfi and former Finance Minister, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma during the Yobe, Adamawa and Borno elders’ meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at State House, Abuja … yesterday. PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

UN warns Boko Haram against selling abducted pupils From Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja ROM the United Nations Fwarning (UN) came yesterday a that the threatened sale into slavery of hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists in Borno State may constitute a crime against humanity. Also yesterday, parents of the girls said their worst fears about their daughters’ fates had been confirmed after Boko Haram, which kid-

• ‘It could be crime against humanity’ • Shekau confirmed our fear, say parents • FG inaugurates panel, explains role napped more than 200 schoolgirls last month, threatened to sell the hostages as slaves. Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has given insight into why the Federal

Government raised a committee on the rescue of the over 200 female students kidnapped weeks ago. A report by the Agence France Presse (AFP) quoted the UN Human Rights Office as say-

ing: “We are deeply concerned about the outrageous claims made in a video believed to be by the leader of Boko Haram in Nigeria yesterday, in which he brazenly says he will sell the abducted schoolgirls ‘in the market’ and ‘marry them off’, referring to them as ‘slaves.’” More than 200 students were kidnapped three weeks ago from their boarding school in

Chibok, northern Nigeria. Several managed to escape but over 220 girls are still being held, according to police. In a video message obtained by AFP on Monday, Shekau said his group was holding the girls as “slaves” and would “sell (them) in the market”. The report quoted Rupert Colville, spokesman for UN rights chief, Navi Pillay, as saying: “We warn the perpetra-

• Panic as gunmen invade Nyanya school — Page 3 • Stories on Ekiti election on Page 6

tors that there is an absolute prohibition against slavery and sexual slavery in international law. These can, under certain circumstances, constitute crimes against humanity. The girls must be immediately returned, unharmed, to their families.” Anger and frustration have CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

WEF Africa Special Report — Page 29

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

2 | NEWS Wednesday, May 7, 2014

UN urges safe release of abducted pupils CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 escalated in Nigeria at the government’s failure to find the girls. Pillay has written to President Jonathan urging his government to spare no effort to bring the girls home safely and to protect children’s rights overall. During a visit to Nigeria earlier this year, Pillay described the actions of Boko Haram as “increasingly monstrous.” “All along, we have been imagining what could happen to our daughters in the hands of these heinous people,” Lawal Zanna, whose daughter is among the hostages, told AFP by phone from Chibok. “Now Shekau has confirmed our fears,” he said. Global outrage, initially slow to emerge, has been building, including calls by U.S. senators for Washington to intervene. “We cannot close our eyes to the clear evidence of barbarity unfolding before us in Nigeria,” said Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, her voice breaking as she addressed the Senate on Monday. British Foreign Secretary William Hague yesterday called the kidnappings “disgusting” and said London was

offering Nigeria “practical help” to secure the girls’ release. Since the attack, parents have criticised the military’s rescue mission, saying there had been a lack of urgency from the outset. The military said it had launched a major search operation, including in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno, where Boko Haramhas well-fortified camps. The U.S. State Department said there were indications the girls had been moved into neighbouring countries, echoing unconfirmed reports from local leaders in Chibok who claimed the hostages had been sold as brides to Islamist fighters in Cameroun and Chad. Enoch Mark, an outspoken government critic since his daughter was kidnapped, said the military was still not doing nearly enough. “Boko Haram members are not spirits or extra-terrestrial creatures that cannot be tracked and subdued,” he told AFP on phone. “The government should find our girls or seek international assistance if it cannot,” he added. “The agony and trauma are becoming too much for us parents to bear.” Pressure on President

Jonathan has been building since the kidnapping, which came hours after a car bombing ripped through a crowded bus station on the outskirts of the capital, killing 75 people, the deadliest attack ever in the capital. A copy-cat bombing at the same station killed 19 people 1. May on Inaugurating the panel on the rescue of the kidnapped girls yesterday, headed by a former Director of Military IntelliBrig.-Gen. (DMI), gence Ibrahim Sabo (rtd), in his office, the President made it clear that the committee is neither a judicial committee nor an administrative committee to look into the affairs of this incident, saying those are the responsibilities of the state. Besides, he explained that the committee is neither a replacement for the search and rescue operations being undertaken by security agencies nor for covert intelligence gathering required to assist that of the operation. The operation of the security and intelligence services will continue to intensify till our daughters are rescued and brought safely home families. their to The President said the establishment was a necessary step which government must take

to confront the sad circumstances surrounding the abduction of the students. It would be primarily concerned with providing public interface with all directly concerned in this tragedy in order to provide a well-co-ordinated citizens’ inputs into the overall investigations. The President said the inauguration of the committee was not one of the things that he had joy to perform and indeed to all Nigerians, stressing that Nigeria is going through a trying moment. The President, however, said it was re-assuring that the country enjoys the empathy and co-operation of friendly countries from across the world at this time. His words: “I am appreciative of the fact that this sad incident has attracted global outrage. This is a clear testimony to the fact that humanity can come together and stand as one against evil, no matter how it is presented. “This is the time we must dwell together beyond all political, religious or regional divide against our common enemy. We must remain vigilant and be ready to assist security agencies and authorities at all time.

‘How forum will open opportunity for a new Nigeria’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 try. His words: “ Investors are seizing the opportunity to negotiate business deals, especially in the manufacturing sector. I have received a request for a business meeting from a company in the United States. My expectation is that the Forum should proffer real solutions to the problem of unemployment. “It should offer a path for inclusive development. It is time to walk the talk. My advice for Nigeria is that we should embrace peace and use our enormous potentials and endowments to create an equitable and just society. We must use the WEF to tell the Nigerian story.” Meanwhile, organisers of the World Economic Forum on Africa say regional and global leaders would use the Forum to discuss innovative structural reforms and investments that can sustain the continent’s growth while creating jobs and prosperity for all its citizens. A release from the Forum noted: “Africa’s remarkable growth trajectory is projected to remain above 5 per cent in 2014 with West Africa the fastest growing sub-region, representing the continent’s largest business opportunity. Such momentum is a welcome and necessary boon to a region whose youthful population offers the prospects of a significant demographic dividend fuelled by growth in consumer industries, manufacturing and business process outsourcing. “Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation – with over 160 million inhabitants – already plays a crucial role in advancing the continent’s growth; yet it is also emblematic of the challenges of converting natural wealth into solutions that address persistent social challenges.”

Associate Director in charge Public Engagement at the Forum, Oliver Cann, said inclusive growth and job creation would be top on the agenda at the event. Cann said: “More than 1,000 leaders from business, politics, academia and civil society will take part in the 24th World Economic Forum on Africa from May 7 to 9. Inclusive growth and job creation are the focus of the meeting. The World Economic Forum on Africa will take place for the first time in Abuja, Nigeria, under the theme: ‘Forging Inclusive Growth, Creating Jobs’. “The meeting convenes against a backdrop of significant economic growth, progress in reducing poverty in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, but also persistent inequality. This year’s programme is built on three pillars: Accelerating Society’s Transformation; Deepening Investment Partnerships; and Redesigning Growth Models. “In addition to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of Nigeria and representatives from his government, other leaders that have confirmed their participation are Mohamed Larbi Ould Khelifa, President, People’s National Assembly, Algeria; Thomas Yayi Boni, President of Benin; Li Keqiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China; Daniel Kablan Duncan, Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire; John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana; Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya; Kolo Christopher Laurent Roger, Prime Minister of Madagascar; Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda; Macky Sall, President of Senegal; Jakaya M. Kikwete, President of Tanzania; and Faure Gnassingbé, President of Togo.” Head of Africa at the Forum, Elsie Kanza, said a Grow Africa Investment Forum to be held tomorrow, as part of

the Forum, would be attended by a number of African heads of state. The Grow Africa Investment Forum, Kanza said, aims to build on recent successes in unlocking over $7 billion of investment for African smallholder farmers. “Africa’s continued progress depends fundamentally on the ability of its leaders to take the bold decisions necessary to transform the region’s economy and society. By bringing together leaders from politics, business and civil society, we hope the meeting will offer an environment where such decisions can be catalysed, and where commitment and creativity can be drawn on to build a future fit for all Africans,” Kanza added. Whatever security concerns there may have been among members of the Diplomatic Community before today must have been largely allayed after their recent briefing by service chiefs and top government functionaries. During the joint briefing, the leadership of security operatives assured all invited heads of state and government, investors and participants coming for the WEF of maximum security before, during and after the summit. Present at the interactive forum with the Diplomatic Community were the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshall Alex Badeh; the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Kenneth Minimmah; the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar; representative of the Director-General (DG), State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ita Ekpeyong and representative of the Director-General, Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke. At the occasion, the CDS, Alex Badeh, assured the envoys that “all arrangements have been put in place to ensure

that Abuja is safe for the forum.” Badeh, who also hinted that though the operational details of the security agencies might not be revealed, said: “I can guarantee you that Abuja is safe.” Also, the Supervising Minister of Aviation, Mr. Samuel Ortom, has assured that security has been beefed up at the airports for delegates that would be coming into the country. He also added that provision have been made for stand-by generators to ensure none interruption of power supply. The minister, who stated this on Monday in Abuja after an inspection tour of facilities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), said: “Government has made adequate arrangement for security with all the security agencies of Nigeria at the highest level and they have given us all the required attention. We are on top of the situation as far our airports in Nigeria are concerned. “As for power supply we have it from the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, that power will be specially dedicated from the national grid to our airports. I have just inspected the power source of the alternative arrangement so there is no going to be any power shortfall as far as we are concerned.” The minister added that alternative arrangements were being made through adequate stand-by generators that will ensure that there is constant power supply at the airports, especially in Abuja and Lagos where the delegates are expected to land. He further stated that said there would be no disappointment as President Goodluck Jonathan had given a marching order that all arrangements must be put in place to ensure a hitch-free forum as Nigeria hosts delegates from over 80 countries.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014 | 3

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

News Panic as gunmen invade Nyanya school • Police, FCT, others refute pupils’ kidnap rumour • Ogbeh blames insurgency on mis-governance in north • First Lady’s intervention distracting, counter-productive, says APC • Fashola, group dispel U.S. terror alert on Lagos

Protesters for the release of the Chibok girls at the front of Defence Headquarters Area 10 Abuja yesterday. From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Terhemba Daka, Ezeocha Nzeh, Karls Tsokar, Joke Falaju (Abuja), Kamal Tayo Oropo, Seye Olumide and Onyedika Agbedo (Lagos) ONTRARY to reports in some social media yesterday of attempt by suspected Boko Haram members to kidnap school pupils in Nyanya, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration has clarified that no school child was abducted, stating rather that the incident was a robbery attack. Reports had gone viral yesterday that suspected Boko Haram members invaded Divine Kiddies International Academy in their bid to kidnap school pupils. However, the Special Assistant on Media to the FCT Minister, Nnosike Ogbuenyi, explained in a statement that armed men snatched one of the school buses from the driver, Mr. Abu Sunday. He added that the snatched bus was recovered later in the afternoon at Lafia, Nasarawa State, and the three men found in them arrested by security agencies. The Guardian learnt that the school bus was taken at gunpoint in front of the academy, but the pupils had disembarked before the incident. And coming less than a week after a second bomb blast in the area, panic-stricken parents were said to have besieged the school to pick up their wards as reports about the invasion spread across the town. Confirming the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said the children were already out of the bus, contrary to speculation in some online reports, and “as soon as the report got to us, we mobilised men from our end and sent a response team immediately to the crime scene.” Recounting his ordeal, the driver of the bus, Mr. Abu Sunday, said the men, armed with AK 47 rifle and two short guns, grabbed and ordered him to surrender the key, else he would be shot, so he complied. Also, a guard at the school who witnessed the incident, Mr. Gabriel Fishin, said the men got there at about 6a.m in a golf car and waited until 8a.m before operating. Meanwhile, a Niger Delta group, the United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), has declared as mischievous the mode by which the United States (U.S.) chose to warn its citizens and others of suspected terror strikes in Nigeria. In a statement by its President, Prof. Pat Utomi, and Secretary General, Mr. Tony Iprinye Uranta, after its 15th emergency meeting in Lagos, UNDEDSS condemned the approach as not conform-

ing to “responsible dissemination of information, and could even be said to be enhancing the alarmist objective of all terror acts and threats.” According to UNDEDSS, “the alarm raised is a mischievous attempt by intelligence elements in the U.S. system to manifest a self-fulfilling prophesy of a Boko Haram attack in Lagos shortly before the commencement of the World Economic Forum on Africa. It would “thus create the impression that the whole of Nigeria is insecure, with the possible sinister aim of further plunging this country into the failed-state status the U.S. had, until very recently, loudly predicted we would be in by 2015.” Also reacting to the travel advice, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, maintained that if indeed the statement was issued, it clearly violated the conventional global obligation on freedom from fear. In an interview with State House correspondents at the Lagos House, Ikeja, Fashola said if the warning raised new dimensions in the obligations of nations to secure peace and cooperate with one another if it was actually a U.S. Government release. Insisting that there are channels of communication through which such information could be shared without creating panic, he hoped that whoever was behind it would be more circumspect about how information is shared while ensuring that the intentions are noble. According to him, what the country needs now is more information in the right hands to the right places to assist security agencies and the government to overcome this difficult period. However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has decried what it called “the melodramatic intervention” of First Lady Patience Jonathan in the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls as “distracting, counter-productive and calibrated to scapegoat others, with the sole intention of exculpating her husband rather than finding the girls.” And while some northern governors, political and religious chieftains continue to shift blame over the cause of the escalating insurgencies, a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Audu Ogbeh, says it is due to the gross mis-governance in the entire region. Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Ogbeh asked the Federal Government to take serious

PHOTO: LADIDI LUCY ELUKPO diplomatic steps against Cameroun, Niger and Chad, declaring them enemies of Nigeria for habouring the insurgents ravaging the north. He asked that security be strengthened while there should be probing to know who is where and what, and who is loyal or not. Ogbeh blamed the political elite in the north for causing so much poverty and under-developing the region. He stressed that over the years, they had focused so much on politics and the scramble for elective positions but showed no interest in governance and development of the region. He said: “We have got to take more drastic steps because a situation where invaders arrive, kill 100 in Katsina, 215 in Birnin Kebbi, kill in Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, and in the case of Benue a chemical was used in a village to kill 18 people and we all cover it in Fulani herdsmen, we think that there are mercenaries hired from our neighbours and far away places because some of them when caught, are of Arab origin. “These are very worrying situations and as a people, we have to realise we are in grave danger and should give the President every support he needs to take more serious measures and also investigate our Armed Forces to know who is loyal and who isn’t. “He said so before that his military and his government have been infiltrated. Has he purged those who infiltrated it? He should use military intelligence to find out who is loyal or not. You can’t have a situation where the security forces, for any reason, may have doubtful loyalty to the integrity of this country. “Since he said so, we urge him to find out the loyal and disloyal ones, otherwise the survival of this nation is in serious peril. And it is not a matter to laugh over because we are in serious trouble. “We sympathise with the President and his government; we also urge him to take serious diplomatic step with Cameroun, Niger and Chad and other neighbouring countries that anybody who harbours criminals is an enemy of Nigeria. Obviously they know what is going on.” In a statement in Lagos yesterday by the APC Interim National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party saw “nothing wrong in the First Lady, as a woman and mother of the nation, playing a role in resolving the unfortunate abduction of the girls.” However, “that role must be within the realms

of social activism, not in policy making or conduct of state affairs.” It warned that “melodrama, highlighted by the shedding of made-for-television crocodile tears, cannot and will not bring the girls back safely to their parents. “What will bring them back is a purposeful and sustained effort by the Federal Government, which has hitherto been tentative and lethargic. Therefore, enough of the distracting, absurd and overbearing show that the First Lady has put up in the past few days.” The APC advised Dame Jonathan to stop apportioning blames, so that all efforts could be geared towards finding the girls. The party wondered where the First Lady derived the powers to summon elected and appointed officials to Aso Rock to answer her queries over the missing girls. It stated that by doing so, she was usurping the President’s constitutional role, making him look weak and ineffective in conducting state affairs and making Nigeria the butt of jokes in the international community. The APC said: “Where did she derive the authority or power to issue such summons? Does she know the implication of forcing security officials to divulge, on public television, sensitive information that could even hamper the search for the girls? How can a police commissioner, who is not accountable to the governor of a state, be subject to the First Lady?” Nevertheless, the APC condemned the clamour for the release of names and pictures of the girls by those apparently doubting their abduction. It argued that publishing their names and pictures would not facilitate their rescue, but rather succeed in stigmatizing them for life when eventually they are found and returned home safely. Lamenting that Nigeria has become a laughing stock internationally, Ogbeh added: “I think it is reaching a state where not only foreigners but Nigerians will begin to lose confidence in their country. “I remember in 1983 when some Chadian troublemakers invaded Nigeria and killed some soldiers, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) pursued them on the orders of President Shehu Shagari until the United States started panicking that we were implementing a Gaddafi agenda. “Recently I was discoursing with Buhari on this issue and he said he wanted to give them a bloody nose because he wanted to show them that they had no business entering Nigeria to cause trouble. So when are we going to take tough measures against them?” More so, he bemoaned attempts to politicise the security crisis, saying that it was the wrong time to politicise the issue. He asked: “Those who got blown up in Nyanya Road, were they politicians? What have they got to do with APC or PDP? People who get killed are usually the common persons while we politicians are making speeches about irrelevant things.” Commenting on whether the crisis could split the country, he said “the issue is such that people talk about it very glibly. Even if the country splits, evil won’t split, it permeates. “They are not going to need a visa to cross or permission to enter your state. They are anarchists, fellows who will enter a church or mosque and throw a bomb and tell you they are serving God. If God wants me to die does he need your help? “Do you believe in God in the first place? If you do, then God hasn’t sent me to kill anybody or cut anybody’s throat. Whoever sends people to do that is the devil himself.” UNDEDSS expressed surprise that “none of the world powers (especially the U.S., UK and EU, among others) has come to Nigeria’s aid to date in deploying their great satellite monitoring powers to help forestall the Boko Haram carnage, both in the north-central and north-eastern regions. Neither have they tracked “the fleeing human beasts after they had carried out their inhumane attacks on hapless villagers, even where, as in the Chibok case, they carted away hundreds of young innocent girls.” It also condemned the gross ineptitude of Nigeria’s security forces, which it accused of apparently operating so blindly that they even joined in misleading the world that a majority of the abducted girls from Chibok had been rescued. UNDEDSS wondered why no heads have rolled, publicly, after that faux pas by the military’s public relations unit. It further expressed worry at the level of porosity of national borders, urging the Federal Government to take a cue from other countries, including the U.S., that have put up border fences/walls/barriers in efforts to curb the influx of illegal aliens.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWS Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Hunters, others seek role in fight against insurgents From Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin) and Lawrence Njoku (Enugu)

• South-Eastwomen group protests abduction of school girls

N Ilorin-based traditional A herbal practitioner, Emmanuel Olouniyo, has can-

said the nation outside the military has some traditional prowess that could effectively ward off successive onslaughts of the terrorists against the nation and its people. He cited the Olusegun Obasanjo’s option in the late 70s against the defunct apartheid system in South Africa, especially where Nige-

vassed the involvement of herbalists, wild animals’ hunters and some organised ethnic militias in the ongoing war against terrorists operating under the name Boko Haram. Olouniyo, in a chat with The Guardian yesterday in Ilorin,

ria’s former president had canvassed the use of African traditional powers to end the discriminatory rule in the sub-African region. In a related development, women groups from the South-East under the aegis of Women for Peace and Justice yesterday staged a protest march to the Enugu State House of Assembly

over the abduction of more than 200 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State. Dressed in red top attire and led by the President-General of Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in the Diaspora, Chief (Mrs.) Kate U. Ezeofor, and wife of former Vice President, Mrs. Beatrice Ekwueme, the women who gathered at the

Experts task Nigeria on use of IT to boost growth CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 gradually shifting towards emerging markets, Nigeria and others in this category have been advised to leverage on technology to boost their competitiveness. According to experts, countries in the emerging market region must focus on advancing their development through the deployment of advanced technologies. However, to become competitive, they warned emerging economies not to be complacent, but demonstrate production prowess and avoid dumping of technologies. At the on-going EMC World 2014 in Las Vegas, United States of America, with the theme: “Redefine Information and Communications Technology (ICT),” the experts contended that technology was moving fast, stressing that any country that failed to move at the same pace or above could be left behind. In a keynote address yesterday, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, EMC, Joe Tucci, said the ICT industry was changing very fast and creating opportunities for other sectors of the economy. Yakubu noted that though the law guiding oil and gas operations has immensely benefitted the Nigerian economy, the passage of the PIB

would further raise the nation’s fortunes. He added that the new aggressive steps taken by the government is to lay a solid foundation for gas to serve as the bedrock of a sustained economic prosperity for the country. “The essence of the PIB is to improve government’s take on various fiscal provisions, but before then, within the current fiscal regime, we have had significant jump in gas supply investment,” Yakubu explained. In the gas master-plan, there is the domestic gas supply obligation, which the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and indigenous players entered to deliver gas. “When Mr. President came in, we were producing just about 300mscuf per day but within the current fiscal regime, we have moved to 1500mscuf per day; this by any global standard, is impressive, and we intend to continue to build on that. “Today, NNPC is the largest producer of gas for domestic use - we produce over 400mscuf per day and plans are underway by the end of the year to also jerk that up by another 250mscuf per day. “There is a lot going on in terms of gas supply investment and particularly gas-topower, which is a key component of Mr. President’s transformation agenda. I can

assure you that we will exceed where we are today because we were 300 just five years ago but today, we are 1,500. This shows the potential for growth.” Reiterating the corporation’s desire to explore the gas option for power generation, Yakubu said the gas commercial frame-work already in place is a masterstroke that has restored investors’ confidence in gas financing. “Commercial frame-work has been put in place and gas price is one major factor in gas investment today because it is price-driven and we have a good frame-work now compared to what we had before,” he added. “We are not there yet, but we are working with all relevant agencies to ensure that the right environment is guaranteed.” Apparently referring to the discordant tunes trailing the non-execution of local refineries TAM, he cautioned that TAM is not a media event but that the NNPC has been consistent in maintaining its refineries. However, he hinted that certain challenges were hampering the arrangement for the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to execute the TAM. These include the Japan Gasoline Corporation (JGC), which built the Port Harcourt Refinery but, according to him, is not keen on

returning to the country for the exercise. “We are still on them and have been able to meet with the alternative vendor that the OEM has introduced. A lot of work is going on but before then, we cannot just sit back and wait, we know where these equipment are and we have gone ahead to place others directly for them,” he disclosed. Nevertheless, he decried the incessant attacks on gas pipelines, which hold no financial rewards for the saboteurs. To curb the menace, he revealed that the NNPC was working with security agencies at various levels of engagement. Meanwhile, indigenous operators have called for the strengthening of capacity in order to participate at the global stage. Chairman of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Emeka Ene, said in Houston that indigenous operators are determined to contribute their quotas to the continued increase of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country. He urged the Federal Government to vigorously execute the Nigerian content law and ensure quick passage of PIB to aid the industry’s development.

Michael Okpara Square later marched to the State Assembly carrying placards. Some of the placards read: “We want the release of our innocent girls”, “Freedom of the girls is not negotiable, bring back our abducted girls”, “We can’t stop crying, God please save our abducted children”, among others. The traditionalist said: “President Goodluck Jonathan should invite our leaders and solicit for their help in saving Nigerians from these blood-suckers. He is fighting a spiritual battle with lilly-livered soldiers who are themselves suffering from the fears of death. So, how does he intend to win it? “We have associations of hunters who daily confront wild animals. We have vigilance groups that can withstand robbers. We have ethnic militias across Nigeria. Why can’t the President invite the various cult groups and give them assignments on how to end the insurgence?” Olouniyo, who believed that the Boko Haram group could be convinced by “all these forces I have mentioned to lay down their arms”, urged members of the violent sect to adopt a more proactive method of making their feelings known, adding that “terrorism is alien to African culture.” He urged the leaders of the group to emulate the violent sectarian groups in Nigeria who after making their presence known to the nation and its people, embraced peace at last and “at present are peacefully contributing their quotas to the growth of the nation.” He added: “Otunba Gani Adams today is a cultural ambassador of the Yoruba nation. Frederick Fasehun, Asari Dokubo, and so on are now apostles of peace. We

must all join hands together to lift Nigeria to the next level of development. Enough of blood-letting in our country.” Ezeofor, who spoke on behalf of the women groups, told the Speaker of Enugu House of Assembly, Eugene Odo who received them, that: “ We, the women for Peace and Justice in SouthEast, are shocked, worried and concerned by the recent abduction of 234 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, on the night of April 14, 2014”. She stated that having passed through the pains of child-bearing, the women were in a better position to know how they feel to loose a child under circumstances that they did not create, saying it was not a sin for children to go to school to study. She urged the leadership of the country not to give up in the search for these missing girls. Addressing the group, Odo said the Federal Government was not resting in ensuring freedom for the affected girls while suggesting the publication of their pictures to enable other Nigerians assist in the search. He urged for continued prayer for God’s intervention, stressing that insecurity was one of the problems confronting the country, especially as it prepares for the next general elections. Odo commended the women for the peaceful protest and their conduct while it lasted, saying it was an indication that Nigerians were united against insurgency. Also speaking, Mrs. Ekwueme commended the efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan in tackling insecurity while praying God to continue to strengthen him.

Again, gunmen kidnap 11 girls in Borno CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 12 and 15. “The abductors of our children on Monday night did not cause any damages to our lives or property in Warabe and the other village Wala, five kilometres from us. What happened was that the gunmen descended from hills tops of Gava, Hwa’a and Chikedeh with AK 47 rifles slung over their shoulders and forcefully took our daughters away to the Sambisa Forest. “They evacuated some of our grains, and carried away livestock into a waiting pickup van, while the abducted girls were thrown into an 18-seater bus, before the gunmen drove away into the night at about 11.00 p.m. last night.” He said the gunmen had warned the villagers against alerting any security personnel on the abduction of the girls, as they will deal with them if they return from the Sambisa Forest for another operation. On how the girls were abducted, another resident, Ishaku Bremcha, said: “There was a twin ambush by gunmen that night along GudufGava route of Gwoza Hills.

The gunmen came through the settlements of Hwa’a, Chikedeh, and Guduf-Wala hills down to Wala Kasa, and proceeded to Dure village, west of Gwoza town then vanished with the 11 teenagers into Sambisa Forests that night “The abductors did not wound or kill any of us in Warabe and Wala, but took away our young daughters into the forests, after warning us not report the kidnappings.” Confirming the incident yesterday in Maiduguri, the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Tanko Lawal, said some armed hoodlums attacked two villages in Gwoza Council and abducted about a dozen teenagers. He said no live and property were destroyed in the Monday night incident. Meanwhile, the British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has condemned the abduction while also expressing the willingness of the British Government to help Nigeria. In a statement issued yesterday by the Head of Press and Public Affairs, British High Commissioner, Rob Fitzpatrick, Hague described the abduction as ‘disgusting and immoral’, reiterating the UK offer of help. Speaking at a Council of Europe

meeting in Vienna yesterday, Hague said: “Using girls as the spoils of war and the spoils of terrorism is disgusting and immoral. It should show everybody across the world that they should not give any support for such a vile organisation.” He added: “It is another example of why we have set up the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative. As you know, I will be hosting a global summit in London next month to help countries including Nigeria improve the way they tackle the consequences of sexual violence in conflict and make sure that those responsible are called to justice. Recently we persuaded Nigeria to join that campaign. “This might help in the future; of course, it does not help today. I called the Nigerian Foreign Minister when this first arose, back on Good Friday, to offer help from Britain. Our High Commissioner will continue to discuss that with the Nigerians. Britain is offering assistance but of course the primary responsibility will rest with the Nigerians, and I hope they will do what is necessary to reunite these girls

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Taraba group faults Umar on 2015 bid From Charles Akpeji, Jalingo HE need for Taraba State T chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop the Acting Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, from contesting the governorship position in 2015 has been as source of concern to the members of the Association for Good Governance in Taraba State. Rather than fielding him as the party’s standard-bearer, the group, which was led by one of the PDP stalwarts in the state, Alhaji Danjuma Isa Munga, admonished the party to, as a matter of urgency, begin to shop for a credible candidate that would carry the party’s governorship flag for the forthcoming general elections. Wondering why Umar has continued to siphon the resources meant for the state, the group noted that “Garba Umar has disappointed us and we are, therefore, calling on PDP not to support him for his ambition.” In a statement made available to media men yesterday in Jalingo, the group observed that “Taraba State, under the administration of Umar, is characterised by high level of corruption and embezzlement of public funds meant for the development of the state.” Accusing Umar of “marginalisation” and “nepotism”, they felt sad that appointment into Federal Government positions from the state are often being cornered by the acting governor to his “tribal men” the action, which they observed to be “in total violation of Federal Character.”

EU, UNODC donate e-law library to tribunal From Abosede Musari, Abuja HE European Union and T the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) yesterday donated an electronic law library and legal database with over 20,000 judgments on Nigerian cases spanning over 43 years to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). The e-library, which among other equipment such as five desktops, five laptops and a double cabin utility vehicle, are expected to give the CCT access to judgments and rulings on cases for vital usage and reference purposes. Head of Section, Political Governance and Democracy in the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Allan Munday, who handed the items to the tribunal on behalf of Head of Delegation, Ambassador Michel Arrion, noted that the effort was to enhance the law enforcement capacities of anti-corruption agencies with special focus on intelligence, investigations, prosecution and adjudication. He noted that the programme under which donations were being made, “Support to Anti-Corruption in Nigeria”, was a direct result of a financing agreement with the government of Nigeria to the tune of 35 million Euro, whereby the EU agreed to aid the country in combating corruption. The programme is to run for five years, and according to him, CCT is one of 14 beneficiaries supported by the project.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014 NEWS 5

sitive scenes be removed for national security purposes. The movie, which was originally billed for the cinemas on April 25 then later shifted to May 2, 2014, could not be screened, as Nigeria Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) did not give the approval or

rating. This gave concern to producers and moviegoers alike with fears that a brand new censorship critical of creative expressions was in the offing. But feelers from the State Security Department indicate that certain scenes in the

movie are too inflammatory at this critical moment of grave security concerns to allow them be aired the way they are. The fear of government is that such scenes might inflame public sentiments in reopening sores already healing to cause public disaffection.

President, South-East/South-South Professionals of Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju (left), presenting a Values message branded T-Shirt to Elder Statesman, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, at his Ikoyi, Lagos residence

To this end, the Director-General of Censors’ Board, Patricia Bala, has been directed to indicate the observed scenes to the producers of the film, with a view to expunging them before it could be exposed to the viewing public. It would be recalled that the film, billed for cinema screenings from May 2, 2014, was cancelled due to Censors’ Board’s inability to give approval. However, the news broke that the board had banned the film, a situation that caused disquiet in the film sector. This prompted the board’s Acting Corporate Affairs’ head, Mr. Caesar Kagho, to write as follows: “The attention of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has been drawn to on-going misrepresentations, with respect to the status of the feature film, Half of a Yellow Sun. We wish to categorically state that there is no truth in media reports that the Board has banned the film. The management of the Board under Patricia Bala states that certain aspects of the film have some unresolved issues, which have to be sorted out in accordance with the law and laid down regulations. The Board wishes to re-affirm its determination to continue to execute its mandate”.

Minister seeks aid for insurgency victims From Omotola Oloruntobi, Abuja HE Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina, has called on stakeholders to initiate programmes that would support victims of insurgency. She stated that most of the victims end up being psychologically traumatised, hence the need for a programme to help them deal with the trauma. Maina stated this yesterday in Abuja at the mid-term review meeting of the 15th Regular National Council on Women Affairs and Social Development. She said: “The persistent violence and activities of the insurgents, as well as general insecurity in the country are on women, children, the aged, persons with disabilities and the vulnerable. Their action is equivalent to declaring war against the nation and whenever there is tension and conflict, the social development sector is at the receiving end. “This is a national concern. I, therefore call on all states, FCT and stakeholders to focus on adoption of support programmes that could assist the

victims of insurgency to cope with their current situations. I also enjoin our partners to come up with intervention programmes that could address the psychological and trauma handling, as well as counseling of victims”. The minister, however, urged government agencies to partner with professional social workers in our sector to manage and mitigate the impact of terrorism and outcome of the insurgent activities.

On the mid-term review meetings, she expressed optimism that most resolutions reached would be carried out to the latter, despite the challenges that may they may face. “As stakeholders, we must continually plan, monitor and report on the progress, as well as challenges in our meetings so that collectively, we can address the issues confronting us. I hope the various state governments would honour

their commitments to the welfare and empowerment of their people, as well as good governance, especially the vulnerable in the society,” she said. Also, the Director General of National Centre for Women Development, Onyeka Onwenu, expressed concern about the abducted Chibok girls, adding that she is optimistic that the girls will be found. “I’m optimistic that the girls

will be found. These attacks are meant to disunite us, but I know it will end up uniting us. We’ll soon be rid of those behind the attack. I don’t want to be a refuge and I don’t want another civil war in this country,” she said. In her address, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Habiba Lawal, called for increased advocacy on the issues affecting women, girls and vulnerable people in the society.

Governors vying for Senate mere title seekers, says Anosike From Bridget Chiedu Onochie, Abuja former senator from A Anambra State, Emmanuel Anosike, has described governors who are about completing their tenure and are warming up for the Senate as title seekers. Anosike, who is also the chairman, governing council of federal colleges of education, said yesterday in Abuja that majority of those governors who have failed to develop their states during their eight years have no business coming to the senate.

According to him, they are merely coming to create confusion and obtain titles as senators rather than impacting the electorate. He ,however, warned that most of them will lose elections as the electoral system has improved drastically and the electorate are now wiser and better informed. He noted that only few of the former governors currently in the senate are doing well. “How many of those former governors are doing well in the parliament today? They should ask themselves what

they have come to do. They have completed the reason they came into the system. “They are just at the National Assembly to seek protection and title. Their refrain is ‘Let us just go there and answer senators’. “There is going to be confusion and anarchy. At a point, everybody will start looking at his purse. They will have senators-governors forum as one group, political parties senators forum as another group. “For instance, if you have seven All Progressives Congress (APC) former governors

in the senate and you have 10 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) former governors in the senate, you will have APC former governors’ senators forum as one group and PDP former governors’ senators forum as another group. The implication will be confusion. “You have people who are going to the senate to work for their people not former governors. If they claim that they are going to attract projects to their people, the people should ask them what they did in the eight years they were there as governors.

Institute to boost maths, science education in schools, others From: Saxone Akhaine, Northern Bureau Chief ORRIED by the poor perW formance of students in public examinations in the country, officials of the National Teachers Institute (NTI) have initiated moves to expand its Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE) project to include secondary schools and tertiary institutions in the country.

The project which started about five years ago in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been limited only to the training and retraining of primary school teachers in SMASE. Besides, with the planned expansion of the programme to other levels of education, the NTI believes the move will significantly redress the scourge of mass failure of students in

Mathematics and other science based subjects in public examinations. Speaking on Monday in Kaduna at the opening ceremony of the third cohort SMASE cycle two training workshop for 65 state trainers from Ekiti, Enugu, Katsina, Ondo and osun states, the NTI Director General, Dr. Ladan Shaheru, explained that the success of the programme so far informed the decision by

the Federal Ministry of Education to expand the project. Dr. Shaheru said that a Federal Government delegation had earlier visited Kenya to study that country’s implementation of the SMASE project , pointing out that the concept by the FME “is not only in primary education and not only in science and mathematics but also in secondary and tertiary education”.

“I led a delegation to represent the Minister of education and visited Kenya to study how they were able to succeed in their SMASE programme”, he added. Shaheru said: “so, when we came back we gave our report to the Minister of Education and that was why it was agreed that that we were going to extend the SMASE concept to secondary and tertiary education levels”.

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

NEWS Wednesday, May 7, 2014

EKITI 2014

Fayemi

Fayose

Bamidele

INEC releases over 2m voters’ cards for Ekiti, Osun polls Stories from Muyiwa Adeyemi Ado Ekiti and Ezeocha Nzeh Abuja S part of its preparations for the governorship election in Ekiti and Osun states scheduled for June 21, 2014, and August 9, 2014 respectively, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has recently distributed the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of voters duly registered in 2011. The Commission noted that it has also completed the conduct of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise for the benefit of those who have just turned 18 years of age since the last general elections of 2011. It also revealed that PVCs are being produced for voters whose biometric data – including the record of at least two fingerprints from each hand – were captured during the general registration in 2011. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu said that in Ekiti and Osun states, the PVCs were distributed simultaneously from Friday, 7th March, 2014 to Sunday, 9th March, 2014; while the CVR was conducted from Wednesday, 12th March, 2014 to Monday, 17th March, 2014, maintaining that the cards were distributed at the existing 2, 195 polling units in Ekiti and the 3, 010 units in Osun; while the CVR was conducted at the Registration Area Centre (i.e. Ward) level of which Ekiti has 177 and Osun, 332. The commission, while urging registrants and voters in the states to ensure that they collected their permanent voters cards, the commission warned that it would not accept any voter to use the temporary voters card at the elections noting that the temporary voters card has been replaced with PVC which it noted would only be used for future elections in the country. Idowu, who disclosed that a total number of 657, 256 cards were printed by INEC for PVC distribution in Ekiti State however, said that as at 9th March when the distribution exercise ended, only 371, 925 cards (representing 56. 50%) were collected by verified holders. While maintaining that INEC’s rules forbid collection by proxy, in order to prevent

• Police blame APC, PDP, LP for violence in Ekiti • Parties disagree over accusation • 11 arrested for arms possession, others abuses that could frustrate the whole intention to check electoral malpractices for which the cards are being produced the CPS explained that the number of cards collected by holders during that exercise, indicates that 164, 839 (46. 9%) were for males while 182, 902 (53.1%) were for females, adding that the uncollected cards were at the end of the exercise taken to respective local government office of the Commission for onward collection by verified holders ore recent records show that a total of 371, 925 PVCs, representing 56.50% of the total volume produced for the state, had been collected as at the 11th of April, 2014. Of this figure, 177, 305 cards (47.14%) were for males and 194, 620 (52.86%) for females. Meanwhile, Ekiti State Police Command has blamed the major three political parties contesting in the June 21 governorship election for the rising spate of political violence in the state. The command also disclosed that it has arrested three per-

sons suspected to be political thugs for gunrunning and being in possession of dangerous weapons. The three accused parties are the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP). State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Uyanna expressed regrets that the political parties had not adhered to various warnings by the police that they should shun violence during their campaign rallies. In Iyin Ekiti, but for the timely intervention of the police, the electioneering campaign in the town would have turned bloody as some youths suspected to be Labour Party (LP) supporters tried to stop Governor Kayode Fayemi from holding a rally in the town. Eight of them were arrested by the police and transferred to the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti. The LP however, decried the arrest and claimed that the youths were holding a peaceful protest prevention of LP

candidate Opeyemi Bamidele from holding campaign at Isan-Ekiti, the hometown of Governor Fayemi. Bamidele is from Iyin-Ekiti. Weapons recovered from the hoodlums, according to the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr. Victor Babayemi, include two cutlasses, axe, catapult and other dangerous weapons. The PPRO said they were arrested for engaging in conduct likely to cause the breach of public peace. Babayemi said, “They barricaded the highway and prevented other party members and road users from passing. They were arrested at about 9.30am.” The three parties are however, trading blames over this increasing spate of politically motivated violence. While chairman of APC, Chief Jide Awe is accusing the LP of attacking its members in Ipole Iloro, Aramoko, Okemesi, Ikogosi and Erinjiyan Ekiti, all in Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state with several of its properties destroyed, LP

candidate, Opeyemi Bamidele is blaming Governor Kayode Fayemi for allowing APC members to unleash terror on LP members. At a press conference in Ado Ekiti on the lingering crises between the two parties in the last two weeks, Awe, alleged that the LP has made his members objects of attack in various towns across the State. Awe revealed that the party is compiling the litany of attacks it has suffered in the hands of the LP in recent time with intention to write a petition to the State Commissioner of Police for necessary actions. The APC leader stressed the need for leaders to refrain from inflammatory comments prior to the election, saying the statement credited to Vice President Namadi Sambo that Ekiti election would be war seems to have emboldened the opposition to unleash terror on members of the ruling party. “Vice President Namadi Sambo had said Ekiti election will be war, but we are prepared for them. Ekiti has never been captured in any war and this will not be an exemption. We will use all the arsenals we have to fight those that are planning evils are against the people of the state on June 21, 2014,” Awe said. Awe spoke further that rather than for the Federal Govern-

ment to be threatening fire and brimstone on Ekiti election, “I expected the Vice President to match to Boko Haram infested area and fight. House of Representatives member, Bamidele, who exonerated his members of complicity in the attack on the house of an APC chieftain, Chief Dapo Awojolu, in EgbeEkiti last week, said it was the APC leader that sponsored thugs against LP members during his rally in the town. Bamidele alleged that suspected members of APC in various towns had attacked his convoy and campaign train eight times across the state. He said, “I am the most afflicted one. The most persecuted and most vilified in the hands of the government. It is a continuation of the persecution on my person for contesting against Fayemi. “For the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Uyanna, to have stated that the crises being witnessed were being perpetrated across party lines showed that something is wrong. “The events of the last three weeks have shown that the only way out of the crisis is for Governor Fayemi to accept the reality that it is God that makes the King. He should accept that Ekiti people cannot be fooled and they know what they want.

Bamidele pledges council autonomy, gender equality • Cautions monarchs against partisanship OVERNORSHIP candidate G of the Labour Party (LP) in Ekiti State, Opeyemi Bamidele, has promised full autonomy to the local councils, even as he pledged to ensure gender equality if elected as governor of the state in June 21 election. Bamidele made the promise yesterday during an integrative meeting with leadership of the Ekiti State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, (NULGE) in Ado Ekiti. He noted that financial and administrative autonomy of all the local councils in Ekiti would also be his priority because of their role in grassroots development. The governorship aspirant, however, promised to amend

the Ekiti State House of Assembly law, which pegged the tenure of elected local council leadership at two years, describing it as undemocratic and counter-productive. He said the means to ensure this is through a pact he signed with the people, where he agreed to conduct council elections within six months of assuming office. The state NULGE President, Comrade Bunmi Ajimoko, who presided over the meeting, cautioned all the candidates in the election not to make the welfare of council workers a priority when elected. Also in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Ahmed Salami, Bamidele called on

the State Council of Traditional Rulers to caution its members to refrain from being partisanship so as not to desecrate the traditional institution. He also named one Segun Fayemi as the leader of the hoodlums that disrupted his campaign at Itaji Ekiti on Friday during his visit to the leader of the traditional rulers in the state, Oba Adamo Babalola. He urged traditional rulers to be objective and ensure a level playing ground for all candidates in the coming election. Speaking against the backdrop of threats being issued to his members in Aiyede Ekiti, a neighbouring community to Fayemi’s town, Bamidele said

the unruly action of the APC members had further exposed that his kinsmen do not accept the governor. He called on the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Uyana, to check the activities of touts who are bent on truncating the electoral process. The governorship hopeful pledged to fight gender inequality and all forms of oppression against women if elected. Bamidele, who described women as the pivot of development of any nation, said their interests in professional and political careers would be enhanced and protected to put them in a vantage position. He stated this in Erinjiyan and

Ikogosi Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Council of the state on Tuesday during his electioneering campaign. He assured that his government would give more political positions to women and enhance their professional careers by providing recruitment into the state civil service, while also pledging to develop the abundant natural resources in the council. He said, “It is within this local government that we have the Ikogosi Warm Spring, the Arinta Waterfall and Omi Eja in Erinjiyan Ekiti. I am going to develop them to attract international investors to bring their money to develop the tourism potential of our dear state.”

THE GUARDIAN www.ngrguardiannews.com

Wednesday, May 7, 2014 NEWS | 7

Jonathan, others mourn Otedola

• Ex-govs mull fund to aid sick colleagues From Mohammed Abubakar, Terhemba Daka(Abuja) and Charles Coffie Gyamfi(Abeokuta) RESIDENT Goodluck P Jonathan and some eminent Nigerians have commis-

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) (left); condoling with widow of late Sir Michael Otedola, Doja Otedola, and former Archbishop of Lagos, Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, during the governor’s condolence visit to the family at their Epe residence in Lagos... yesterday.

erated with Lagosians and the immediate family of the former governor of the state, Sir Michael Otedola who died on Monday at 87. Meanwhile, Governors Forum has disclosed plans to set up a pool where funds will be mobilized to provide succour for its members who are weighed down by one form of illness or another. Chairman of the group and a delegate to the on-going National Conference, Senator Jim Nwobodo gave the indication in Abuja yesterday following the death of a former governor

SSS ends screening of Half of a Yellow Sun movie By Anote Ajeluorou ONTROVERSY trailing Half of a Yellow Sun film regarding inability to screen the almost $10 million wide screen movie may soon be resolved with State Security Department (SSD) already screening the movie and said some sensitive scenes be removed for national security purposes. The movie, which was originally billed for the cinemas on April 25 then later shifted to May 2, 2014, could not be screened, as Nigeria Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) did not give the approval or rating. This gave concern to producers and moviegoers alike with fears that a brand new censorship critical of creative expressions was in the offing. But feelers from the State Security Department indicate that certain scenes in the movie are too inflammatory at this critical moment of grave security concerns to allow them be aired the way they are. The fear of government is that such scenes might inflame public sentiments in reopening sores already healing to cause public disaffection. To this end, the DirectorGeneral of Censors’ Board,

Patricia Bala, has been directed to indicate the observed scenes to the producers of the film, with a view to expunging them before it could be exposed to the viewing public. It would be recalled that the film, billed for cinema screenings from May 2, 2014, was cancelled due to Cen-

sors’ Board’s inability to give approval. However, the news broke that the board had banned the film, a situation that caused disquiet in the film sector. This prompted the board’s Acting Corporate Affairs’ head, Mr. Caesar Kagho, to write as follows: “The attention of the Na-

tional Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has been drawn to on-going misrepresentations, with respect to the status of the feature film, Half of a Yellow Sun. We wish to categorically state that there is no truth in media reports that the Board has banned the film. The management of

tions as the electoral system has improved drastically and the electorate are now wiser and better informed. He noted that only few of the former governors currently in the senate are doing well. “How many of those former governors are doing well in the parliament today? They should ask themselves what they have come to do. They have completed the reason they came into the system. “They are just at the National Assembly to seek protection and title. Their refrain is ‘Let us just go there and answer senators’. “There is going to be confusion and anarchy. At a point, everybody will start looking at his purse. They will have senators-governors forum as one group, political parties sena-

tors forum as another group. “For instance, if you have seven All Progressives Congress (APC) former governors in the senate and you have 10 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) former governors in the senate, you will have APC former governors’ senators forum as one group and PDP former governors’ senators forum as another group. The implication will be confusion. “You have people who are going to the senate to work for their people not former governors. If they claim that they are going to attract projects to their people, the people should ask them what they did in the eight years they were there as governors. “They have been in power for eight years without doing

Osun guber aspirant, Akinbade, alleges threat to life From Tunji Omofoye, Osogbo GOVERNORSHIP candidate on the platform of Labour Party (LP) in Osun State and former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, has raised the alarm over alleged plot by some people to assassinate him. The allegation was contained in a petition to the Commissioner of Police by his solicitors, G. A. Adesina & Co, with Reference Number: GAAC/LP/2014/01 and dated May 3, 2014. However, in a swift reaction to the allegation, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, dismissed Akinbade’s claim, saying it is untrue and

the Board under Patricia Bala states that certain aspects of the film have some unresolved issues, which have to be sorted out in accordance with the law and laid down regulations. The Board wishes to re-affirm its determination to continue to execute its mandate”.

• It’s not true, says APC a wild imagination of the opposition. He noted that the LP governorship aspirant posed no threat to the APC, querying, “How has Akinbade become a threat to Aregbesola? He (Akinbade) is only labouring in vain in Labour Party”. Akinbade also alleged that there were grand designs by some people to disrupt a rally (by LP) scheduled for Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, tomorrow where he intended to make public declaration of his governorship ambition. In the petition entitled: “Destabilisation of Labour Party and plan to assassinate top Labour Party members”, the former Secretary to the

State Government accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being allegedly the brain behind the assassination plot. The petition reads: “It is necessary to intimate you that these groups have perfected plans to disrupt our client’s planned declaration of intention to run on the platform of the Labour Party scheduled to hold on Thursday, May 8, 2014.” Giving an insight into the assassination plan, the erstwhile SSG alleged that the plot to eliminate him and other key LP members was hatched at a meeting held at Omo-West area in Osogbo. He said the objective of those allegedly planning to assassinate him was to make him drop his political ambition.

He accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola and an APC chieftain, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, of being behind the plot to destabilize LP, using different tactics to prevent his emergence as the party’s candidate.

anything. Then, when they come to the Parliament, they will start agitating for projects in their states. “But the system is changing. I don’t know for how long the system will protect them because things are changing. In 2015, you will see people from nameless and powerless parties coming to the parliament. The manipulation now is not up to 25 per cent. Once you are smart, you will win elections irrespective of your party. “Election is pooling booth business. It is the masses that vote while big men sit at home and make phone calls. Don’t be surprised that some of those governors will lose elections in 2015.

of old Kwara State, Adamu Attah, as well as Otedola. Ondo state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has described Otedola as an accomplished politician with a robust sense of administration. Lamenting the passing away of the trained journalist, Mimiko , in a condolence message by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, said his demise coming at this time was most unfortunate as the nation still has so much to gain from his wealth of experience. Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has described the death of the former Governor of Lagos State, Sir Michael Otedola as yet another glorious transition, because, according to him, Otedola gave his best in the service of the country through his selfless services to Lagos State and thus died a happy and fulfilled man. Ogun State ex-Governor Gbenga Daniel stated that the deceased was “indeed one of the greatest politicians of modern Nigeria and a man who never betrayed his convictions”. Daniel said: “The circumstances that surrounded his victory in 1992 governorship election in Lagos State remains, till date, a watershed in the nation’s political history. He was indeed a man of unwavering faith and destiny”. According to him, Otedola’s legacy of non-violence and politics without bitterness would continue to inspire the people of the country for many years to come. Jonathan on behalf of himself and the Federal Government, extended his heartfelt condolences to Governor Babatunde Fashola and people of Lagos State. Jonathan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, said: “I convey my sincere commiseration to all members of Otedola’s ’s immediate family as well as his relatives, friends and former political associates. l join them in mourning the very distinguished politician, elder statesman and philanthropist who served as Governor of Lagos State between 1992 and 1993 with commendable courage, wisdom and fortitude.”

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

PHOTONEWS EXTRA

Corps Marshal, FRSC, Osita Chidoka, (8th from right); with Commander, California Highway Patrol Academy, Captain Chuck King, in a group photograph with 1st batch of FRSC officers, at the California Highway Patrol Academy.

Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Yero (left), in a handshake with the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic Education, Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, and the representative of Minister of Education, Dr. Olu Ayemoh, at an advocacy meeting on the promotion of Girl-child Education among the nomads in Northern Nigeria, held in Kaduna.

Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty, Ado Ibrahim (left); representative of the governor of Kwara State and Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, and Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, during the fidau prayer for the late Governor of Old Kwara State, Alhaji Adamu Attah in Okene, Kogi State.

Co-founder, Zura Power Holdings, Dr. David Ladipo (right); Managing Director, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Austin Avuru, Managing Director, Arm Infrastructure, Opuiyo Oforiokuma and Country Director, World Bank, Ms. Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, during the Azura Power signing of Us$1billion 450mw Gas Turbine IPP held in Abuja.

A senior official of Swansea University, Dr. Andrew Iwobi, counseling a prospective student at the Swansea booth at the ongoing UKEAS educational fair in Abuja

Establishment of access road with earthworks activities in progress (Asaba Axis).

Chairman, MayClinics Ltd. Dr. Leke Pitan (left); Executive Director MayClinic, Esther OLamide Aworinde, Abisola Aworinde and Chief Olu Falomo, during the official open of MayClinic at Lekki in Lagos. PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN

Rhema Chapel International Church Pastor, Abiola Ajadi (left); Managing Director, Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital, Ibironke Sodeinde, pastor’s wife, Folake Ajadi and the President, Chrisgate International, Christopher Alabi, at the presentation of Neonate phototherapy equipment to Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital in Lagos.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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WorldReport Minister restates commitment to promotion of human rights

U.S. study blames governments over rising terrorist attacks By Chukwuma Muanya United States study has blamed the growing terrorist attacks globally on poor negotiation and counterterrorism efforts by governments. The new study published online yesterday in the American Journal of Political Science by a Michigan State University political scientist concluded that terrorism could be a successful strategy for rebel groups during civil war, but only when governments allow it to work. Assistant professor of political science, Jakana Thomas, said responding to acts of terrorism with violence is more likely to prolong the conflict. “However, if governments negotiate or use sound counterterrorism efforts, they stand a better chance of bringing about a peaceful resolution.” Thomas further explained: “Terrorism can work, but only if a government allows it to. When governments attempt to quash the terrorists and kill civilians in the process- as so often happens- their response backfires and feeds into the terrorists’ strategy.”

Thomas analyzed civil conflict from 1989 to 2010 in Africa, which has seen a drastic rise in terrorism. Some 45 of the 106 African rebel groups in the study carried out terrorist attacks. Rebels practicing terrorism in Somalia, Kenya, Libya and other African countries have threatened regional stability and posed security threats globally. “That Western nations, including the United States and France, have begun devoting resources to support counterterrorism in Africa underscores its significance,” Thomas said.

Austrian Foreign Minister, Sebastian Kurz (left); Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov at the Council of Europe meeting in Vienna…yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Russia rules out fresh Ukraine talks USSIA’S foreign minister has support Ukraine’s plans for a 25 R ruled out holding fresh talks in May election. Geneva to defuse the Ukraine crisis, But Lavrov called an election “ununless pro-Russian opposition groups are involved. Sergei Lavrov added there was no point as an April accord between the United States, European Union and Russia had not been implemented. He spoke after a Council of Europe meeting which was expected to

From John Okeke, Abuja INISTER of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, has reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to promoting peace, security and human rights. He made the remark on Monday at the opening of 4th Session of Nigeria-North Korea Joint Commission meeting in Abuja. According to him, “The country’s policy is to engage all countries so that we can be able to reach some understands, we can be able to influence some of the issues that are of concern within the international community.” “You see, you have to engage a country in all aspects to be able to reach out and be able to understand it. You cannot achieve much in terms of promoting human right for any country when you exclude that country. So Nigeria’s position is very clear that we are prepared to engage any country to promote peace, security and human right worldwide,” he added. The Minister noted that though the 4th session was coming exactly two years after the 3rd session in Pyongyang, North Korea, the meeting was a testimony to the importance attached to the Joint Commission by the two countries.

usual” at a time when the army was being used against the population. Ukrainian acting Foreign Minister, Andriy Deshchytsia said Ukraine was ready to back a new round of talks in Geneva as long as Moscow supported presidential elections.

“If Russia is ready to commit itself to support these elections and to eliminate this threat and eliminate its support for the extremist elements in Ukraine, we are ready to have such a round of meetings,” he said at a news conference. In recent days, security forces have launched a crackdown on proRussian separatists in the east of the country, triggering clashes outside the town of Sloviansk.

Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov said that four soldiers and an estimated 30 separatists had been killed in the “anti-terrorism operation”. He said that up to 800 welltrained militants armed with large-calibre weapons and mortars were hiding among civilians in the town, where government buildings have been seized and checkpoints set up.

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Wednesday May 7, 2014

Politics The National Conference Debate

‘Confab has diverted to other issues’ Let’s have a fourth tier for traditional rulers Ranked as one of the oldest traditional rulers in Enugu State, His Royal Majesty,Igwe Spencer Ugwuoke, has been on the throne in the last 35 years as the monarch of the highly-populated Obimo in Nsukka local government area of Enugu State. While fielding questions from Lawrence Njoku, the royal father, who believes that the Constitution has not given traditional rulers the required power to function effectively, picks holes in the National Conference in Abuja, and expresses his thoughts on the 2015 elections, among others.

HE governorship slot for 2015 has been zoned T to your area (Enugu North), and the list of aspirants is growing daily. How can get the best

HAT’S your assessment of the national conW ference? My people said it is not killing an animal that is the problem but dividing it. The national conference has been conceived, which, of course, is good in view of the various challenges in the country. But the way it is going, I see it as something conceived to divert our minds or play down the rising political tension in the country. I say this because of the nature of representation that did not really capture the fulcrum of the society. Who are the representatives that we have at the conference? How were they selected? For Enugu State, as an example, who are the people representing them? Take my senatorial zone (Enugu North), for example, who are the people from here? When you go through the list, you will discover that the marginalisation of the zone has continued. There was no equity in the selection of those who should serve in the national conference, and this is an issue. We are not opportune, like other senatorial zones in the Southeast. How many traditional rulers are there? However, I am happy that the Southeast has realised that they are being marginalised and that every other part of the country has at least six states and for once, the ongoing conference has agreed that one more state should be created. My worry is that it is not agreeing, but how will such (creation) be with a conference that lacks constitutional powers and backing? Does all that you’ve said enough to qualify the conference as diversionary? The national conference is nice but not wellstreamlined. You can see that we are not talking about any other thing in the country now except the national conference. We have been diverted from other issues plaguing the country. Before the inauguration of the national conference, it was PDP today and APC tomorrow. Ndigbo are no longer complaining since the conference agreed that there should be one more state for the Southeast. The only issue that has assumed a central discussion now is the rampant killing, kidnapping and bombing of innocent citizens by insurgents. The conference has thrown up a lot of issues concerning the unity of Nigeria — federalism, state police, resource control and others. How do you look at the unity of Nigeria vis-a-vis the developments at the conference? The country is united. Don’t mind what you are seeing and hearing now. What brought about the seeming divisions was the neglect of the Niger Delta where this oil is produced. If you go there, you will pity them (the people). Oil has covered the whole farmlands; the fishes are no longer available. They deserved to be compensated and that is why the cries for resource control and fiscal federalism, thus creating tension in the country. Today, the Boko Haram is killing people but the motive for killing is not defined and cannot be the same with Niger Delta. I am beginning to think that the issue of Boko Haram emanated from outside (Nigeria) to cause confusion here. There are certain issues, which the conference has thrown up, but it is good that these issues are coming up. My worry, though, is whether

a treat to 2015? It is a different thing altogether. What causes insecurity is unemployment. Look at our children, who go for Youth Service. While there, they are paid and after one-year service, it ends there and you come home and remain idle. Is it for your father to bring out money and start taking care of you once again? If you don’t remedy unemployment, you cannot remedy crime. The idle brain is the devil’s workshop. What remedy are we putting forward for unemployment? When we have our people employed, it will reduce the level of crime. That being the case, however, there is insecurity everywhere in the world.

HRH Ugwuoke the outcome of this conference will be implemented. They (delegates) are trying to abolish the third tier (local government system) but I say it would be worse for the grassroots should that be upheld. This is because, if you take communities, for example, you will discover that their needs vary and that when a state government makes allocation to the councils, each ward uses its own to develop according to their needs. But when you abolish them, it will add a burden to the development. Let us retain the local government system and rather create a fourth tier. Let the powers of the traditional rulers be strengthened through this conference to enable them function better. When there is crisis in the community, you want to find out why it is so from the traditional ruler even when you did not give him powers to act. Go to my community; there are schools with only one teacher and one headmaster; yet, there is a traditional ruler in the community who does not have the power to go in there and ask questions because there is no law covering him. So, I have said that the conference is good, what they are discussing is good, but no matter how sweet this might be, without the necessary backings and the political will to implement them, it will end up like previous exercises. Talking about Boko Haram, the members are holding about 200 girls and so far, we are prevaricating on the issue. What advice do you have for the government on this? The Boko Haram is an outside force backed by some top-notch; otherwise, how can you tell me that with the strength of our military, you came here and kidnap someone and take them away? What I advise is that the army should go to the borders; we should mind our borders. We can also invite them (the sect members) for negotiation. It is not only President Jonathan that should be held responsible, but all Nigerians should play a

role in it. NORTHERN delegates at the conference said their region funded the Civil War, and that those asking for resource control should not do so because if they had not funded what led to the country’s unity, there won’t be any Nigeria to warrant anybody laying claims to resource control… We were not mature to have faced the Civil War. I fought in the war as a lieutenant and even when the war ended, the Nigerian army was surprised that we sustained it for two years. I want to say that what triggers unity is war. We were united as Igbo during the war because we had a common enemy. At the stage of our development, nobody should be talking about funding the Civil War. Those laying claims of funding the Civil War should rather say that they traded with the war because it was the war that made them create the states to their own taste; it was not tabled anywhere for discussion on creation of states. Let the Constitution be amended to suit all parts of the country. Let there be equity in the sharing formula; let there be a sense of belonging for all manner of Nigerians. These, I believe, should be our worry for now. What do you see of Nigeria in the coming months when the country goes into elections amid many challenges, particularly insecurity in the land? Those things you call challenges are what make the process sweet. Why childbearing is sweet is because the woman must undergo the process of labour. When I contested for the Igweship, we were five and I took it and that is why I am still on the seat. If the community had said, “Igwe Spencer, we give you this seat,” they would have come to collect it a long time. It (challenges) is not anything bad; there is unity in the country. Go to America and see what politics is. I do not expect that an election is being expected and people will keep quiet. Are you saying that insecurity in the country is not

from this? It is good that many people are aspiring. What should we do since we do not have constitutional powers but advisory role? But be that as it may, we should advise the government on this. Government should set up a committee to nominate from among the lot the person that can serve the interest of the state. Some (aspirants), who have come out, are not serious; some are contractors who have nothing to offer and some are merely indicating interest so as to be remembered when the election is over. There are serious ones from the party — from the House of Assembly and National Assembly. Some persons in your zone feel that Governor Chime’s successor should not come from Ukehe (Igboetiti local government) because the area has held most prestigious positions due to Enugu North in the past… Anybody, including people from Ukehe, is free to come out, irrespective of the where they were before now. Let anybody who has programme come out. If at the end of day it is only people from Ukehe, then Ukehe people should get it. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo had been president as military, president as a civilian and ruled two tenures and wanted a third term. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was a deputy governor, a governor, vice president and then president; does this mean that there are no other qualified persons to take it from his area? It is not his fault. Likewise, anybody saying that because Ukehe people had occupied prestigious positions and therefore should not get it (Enugu governorship) is being naïve and unfair to democracy. What we want is the best. How do you assess the three arms of government of Enugu State in the last seven years? Let me start with the executive and to say that the governor has done very well with his urban renewal programme. There is also discipline and good security network in the state. Coming to the legislature, there is no legislative arm in the Southeast that is as disciplined as the Enugu State House of Assembly under Eugene Odoh. He has exhibited leadership in the past seven years, making sure the House is intact and helping the executive to enthrone good governance. The Speaker (Odoh) has set a good example for House of Assembly in the state. Remember when our governor was not feeling very well and travelled overseas, the Speaker withstood the pressure and ensured the continued unity and peace of the State House of Assembly. I would prefer the governor to express some form of gratitude to him (Speaker) for others to emulate because, if not for that uncommon courage, some persons would have capitalised on the situation to cause crisis in the state. Look at the ESWAMA Bill and the Enugu Capital Territory Bill passed; these are today helping to restructure and revitalise Enugu State. This unity has spread to all local governments in the state. Then, the Judiciary has done well with speedy dispensation of justice, the establishment of customary courts and new buildings at the state headquarters of the Judiciary. I would say the state has worked well.

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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12 | Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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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 Need for caution

HE irreverent trading of words between opposing political parties, which T has gravitated into outright display of animosity in the public space, is a pointer to the fact that Nigeria’s political leaders are yet to imbibe statesmanship in the midst of collective suffering. Despite the preachments of politicians about the imperative of a united Nigeria for national development, the politics of ‘do or die’ still pervades their psyche. A very telling situation that became a national embarrassment was when President Jonathan led a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally in Kano State, where he publicly lampooned the state governor for financial impropriety before his very people. In reaction to the uncomplimentary remarks made by the President, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso and his state officials were said to have swept the rally venue, using their trademark APC broom in an apparent symbolic expression of a cultural and political message of disdain and unwelcome. This was after Kwakwanso directed a barrage of condemnable invectives at the President. That political rivals would descend to self-serving diatribes and shameless name-calling at public gatherings, especially at this time when the nation is in a state of mourning and sober soul-searching, is the height of selfishness, insensitivity and sheer dishonour for the dead and brutalised. In the judgment of an average sense of decency, this action is a moral weakness of asinine proportion. This absence of stately comportment displayed by persons, who by authority and common trust are supposed to be epitome of civility, is highly disturbing. If the president and governors should regard their political rivalry with such acrimony, deceit and disregard for the populace, what is to be expected from the lower rung of the political ladder? Does it therefore surprise anyone why there is a high level of official rascality and rapid inbreeding of mediocre politicians, who, willfully or ignorantly, lack the requisite knowledge for governance? What is worse is that the shameless altercation between rival political parties is not about well-formulated ideology or philosophy to transform the country, but rather on self aggrandizement and personality cult: one group supporting the president and another opposing him. Given the ready responses to all manner of criticisms and snide remarks from political opponents, the president seems to wittingly or unwittingly considers his critics in the opposition party as enemies. The depth of ill feeling to opposition parties is unhealthy for a nation in distress. The Nigeria of today needs all hands on deck. It is a claim of crass ineptitude for any party to assume that it alone has the solution to the problem of Nigeria. Consequently, rather than exacerbate the tension between the ruling party and the opposition and heating the polity unnecessarily, the President must see political opponents as collaborators with different visions. Both the opposition and ruling party must learn to appreciate the decorum for rivalry, and take a cue from the public comportment of political rivals in developed western democracies, especially of the United States of America, whose presidential system of government Nigeria tries to emulate. At any threat of internal insecurity and external aggression, the barriers of partisanship and quasi-ideological boundaries are put in abeyance to further the cause of national unity. Republicans and Democrats are never at daggers drawn while the United States burns. If the American example seems to be far-fetched for Nigeria’s leaders, they could draw ample insight from a powerful symbolic but forgotten gesture nearly 32 years ago. In 1982, at the inauguration of the new Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the then President Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and opposition leaders, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of the Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NPP), defied their political differences and stood side by side as an eloquent testimony to that national unity which the Federal Capital Territory symbolised. The symbolism of that unprecedented gesture is instructive in forging a new Nigeria in this centenary year. Just as the leaders of yesteryears recognised the primacy of the nation’s interest over self-serving agenda of any class in the country, history is beckoning on this administration to learn from the wisdom of past leaders. As this newspaper has always admonished, Nigeria is greater than any group or political party; it is greater than any person and any position. Nigeria does not exist to be plundered and used by any person. The value of any political party or individual should be reckoned with on the basis of its potential to edify and enhance the wellbeing of the totality of the Nigerian people. It is a denigration of the collective spirit and a negation of the inviolability of the Nigerian people, for both the ruling party and the opposition to conduct themselves in such shameless and indecorous manner as they do now.

LETTERS

Road construction, traffic and safety concerns The perennial gridlock on change axis. Last week Thursday undertaking repairs of our roads SroadIR:thejust Lagos-Ibadan expressway, April 17, 2014, I made a trip out of at the federal, state and local govlike others undergoing Lagos and my experience on this ernment levels to take into conreconstruction which is economically threatening and health damaging in most cases is caused by the construction company barricading the roads at the wrong points, stopping vehicles indiscriminately on the road for construction vehicles to move materials from one location to another and dangerous u-turn points created. The questions that came to one’s mind were, is there no traffic and safety concern on a road being reconstructed? In whose interest are the roads being reconstructed? My recent experience on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which is undergoing reconstruction when I travelled out of Lagos, refers. In fact, the trauma one goes through when you think about the traffic gridlock that has become a regular occurrence on the road is better imagined. A journey from Lagos to Ibadan which normally takes about 90 minutes now extends to between five to six hours as a result of traffic gridlock caused by lack of considerations for economic interest and health of the commuting public and vehicles by the untrained “emergency” traffic officers of the construction companies. On about three occasions in the last one month, just like some other persons, I have had to make my journeys back into Lagos via the long and tortuous Sagamu-Ikorodu road as a result of the traffic gridlock on Lagos Ibadan-Expressway which one noticed from the Sagamu inter-

road was anything but pleasant both ways, I mean my going out of town and coming in. I spent over four hours commuting between Redeemed Christian Church of God camp ground and some 500 metres to Sagamu interchange as a result of the mismanagement and ignorance about traffic and safety issues by road construction company’s “traffic” workers. One would like to advocate that a national policy be put in place whereby state safety and traffic officers be assigned officially to road construction companies

sideration not only the road interest but also the health and economy of the people and society in the long run. This national policy should mandate road construction companies in Nigeria to have functional and resourceful safety and traffic departments whose personnel should be trained and updated regularly about modern traffic control and safety methods by statutory state agencies. • Nelson Ekujumi, Centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiative (CRGI), Lagos.

The young has grown IR: A villager in a village called Smorning North East, woke up one and started behaving abnormally. Many people who first saw him could not believe who and what they saw, because he had always been regarded as a well-read and quiet Islamic scholar in the village. In fact, nobody took his change of attitude very seriously. A lot of the villager’s friends and well-wishers kept on seeing some strange visitors around him. While he too was fond of spending most of his time teaching most Muslim youths in the village, the doctrine of his religion upside down. That same villager of yesterday, who was undermined by many people, including the governments (local, state and federal), has now grown up and become a major security threat not only to his village but also the state, Nigeria, Africa and the whole

world. You call it Boko Haram, it is far from it and there is more to it! When it gets to a stage when dog eats dog, one should not only know but accept the fact that it is no longer a child’s play. Imagine this headline, ‘Gunmen abduct 100 school girls in Borno’. Those who have been abducted are girls, and not boys. It is obvious that the abductors have children (who may be girls, relations) and well-wishers. Let them put themselves in the shoes of parents or relations of the abducted girls, how would they feel? Only the parents, relations and wellwishers of the abducted children know what they are passing through as a result of the incident. May God work on those heartless abductors, so that those young girls could be released unarmed. • Ransome Oboh, Ogun State.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014 13

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Opinion Nigeria bleeds and it needs us (1) and moral fortitude to withstand the injury they inflict on us, it is long past time that this menace to progress and order be subdued. IGERIA’S current security situation jars the While they can never claim our hearts they mind and troubles all those who have a have already taken too many lives. The carnage touch of conscience about the plight of their fel- must stop so that our walk to a better Nigeria low man. We have been brought to the point may continue unhindered by this weak preswhere we must now admit that basic security no ence. longer exists for a vast segment of our people. What I say next is not to curry political advanThis means too that our people have been cast tage but to state the obvious. No matter my pointo the no man’s land where law and order, jus- litical differences with the current tice and respect for human life and dignity do administration, what I am about to say I wish not abide. These harmless people now live in were not true. Like every Nigerian, my heart harm’s way. Once again, innocent people have aches because of the lowly state of our security. been turned to sacrifices on the altar of evil. No matter what and no matter who is in office, The terror of Boko Haram strikes and strikes our security should never sink below to a level again for nothing but wicked purpose. Through where widespread death and destruction can their indiscriminate killing and destruction, descend on us with impunity. Yet the Nyanyan they seek to destroy the spirit of this nation and bombings and the abominable kidnapping of pit us against each other. They want Christian to over 200 girls from their hostels in Chibok curse Muslim and Muslim to curse Christian. have brought to fore the weak underbelly of They want to pit Southerner versus Northerner. our security apparatus. By the spilling of innocent blood, they hope that The people neither deserve the feats of terror we come to blame each other for what they are against them or the defeat of the security sysdoing to us. WE shall never fall into this fool’s tem meant to protect them. Unfortunately, trap and, though they may win the moment, this is our lot. they shall never prevail in their vile scheme. While I have no interest in partisan bickering We stand united against this threat to our na- at the moment, I also cannot allow the mere tional existence. The twin-bombings in fact of my political affiliation to silence me on Nyanya are a challenge to us all. The explosion this transcendent issue. All Nigerians have a was craven attempt to demoralise the nation by right and responsibility to let their voice be striking an important transportation hub in our heard on this matter. Thus, I say what I believe beloved nation’s capital. The second bombing must be said. If you think I do it for political stands as an act of evil defiance of constituted purpose, so be it. Yet, I say it that I fulfil my civic authority. The terrorists now try to frighten us responsibility as a citizen whose nation and by showing that our security forces are unable way of life have been placed under siege by a to stop them, even in our nation’s capital. How- hidden and sinister force. In this, I believe what ever, whatever terrible lesson they think they I will say speaks for most progressives today. teach us, we refuse to learn. Our classroom is Boko Haram is the greatest security challenge life, liberty and justice. We do not take lessons in to Nigerian since the civil war some forty years oppression, fear, hatred and death from them or ago. We stridently oppose Boko Haram because anyone else. Whatever they think they won by the Nigeria it craves is not the place of demothis bloodletting, they have lost. They have made cratic good governance and economic opporimplacable enemies of every man, woman and tunity we seek. Many of us have advocated a child in Nigeria. We shall prevail. Boko Haram multifaceted strategy and have petitioned govshall lose. ernment to amend its policy accordingly. Yet, it is not enough that they have the courage Thus far, government policy has been an

By Bola Ahmed Tinubu

unimaginative, one dimensional military approach. Even here, the Jonathan government implements its own policy only half-heartedly. As a result, Boko Haram’s evil has spread geographically but also with regard to the pace, scope and complexity of its operations. If you weigh success by the impact Boko Haram has gained or lost over time, any objective observer would say government policy has failed to contain, much less eliminate, the terrorist scourge. Government policy needs reform in five important ways. First, government must admit its solely military approach is inadequate. Boko Haram’s challenge has economic, political and social dimensions that government ignores at our collective national peril. Second, to address these aspects of the crisis, government needs to reach out to northern Nigeria, especially those areas most blighted by terrorism. Much of that part of the nation now suffers severe economic depression. I believe only a small minority of people actually support Boko Haram. The real problem is most people in the affected areas think ill of this government. Thus, they are indifferent to the fight between government and Boko Haram. Despite Boko Haram’s homicidal ways, the population does not see government as coming to their rescue. They see government as another layer of suffering and oppression. Until government breaks this perception, it will have a hard time breaking the back of Boko Haram. The most effective way to counter this impression is via an economic development plan for the area. Under this plan, government will inaugurate infrastructural development that not only creates a platform for economic growth; it will provide employment for many young men. Such legitimate employment will lessen the pool of desperate youth from which Boko Haram recruits its foot soldiers. Deplete the numbers of recruits and you diminish the group’s ability to operate. Also, this policy builds goodwill among the people. Ultimately, it is the people who will defeat Boko Haram. If the people were to see

government as their ally and true guardian, Boko Haram will have no space to operate. Right now it operates in the space created by widespread indifference and cynicism. Third, government must refine its military operations. The military’s hand has been too heavy and indiscriminate. It has committed abuses against the innocent in its clumsy attempt to pursue Boko Haram. These offences only increase the pool of disaffected people from which Boko Haram recruits. To be seen as the true protectors of the people, government security forces must restrain themselves so that they do not lash out in frustration against innocent people for the harm Boko Haram has done. The people have already been meant to pay a price by Boko Haram; it is painful for government forces to compound their suffering. At this stage we can expect nothing more than terror from the terrorists but from our own forces, we have the right to expect so much better. Fourth, government must improve its intelligence-gathering capacity. This is partly a function of the people’s disposition toward government. They distrust government and thus are reticent to provide information. All intelligence gathering is first local. There is a lot of sense in the community policing in Western nations where the police is welded to the community and security is every citizen’s business. In our case, I am afraid, security have alienated the locals and in that process shut the door to the floor of useful information about the dangerous gang. Fifth, this challenge has a regional dimension. Elements of terrorism are now trafficked across regional borders. As the largest nation in West Africa and the nation most affected by this problem, Nigeria has the standing to convene a regional summit to discuss with our neighbours ways to end this problem before it becomes a hot and pressing issue for our neighbours as well. To be continued tomorrow • Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State, is a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC).

African infrastructure: Review of issues (1) By J Boima Rogers HIS paper is a follow up to the one last year in which I made T a case for an improvement in the physical, governance, educational and regional infrastructure on the continent. This paper reiterates the importance of the infrastructure and gives a historical perspective, a case study of the two largest economies, concerns and policy implications. Why is the infrastructure so pivotal? The underperformance of African economies is directly related to poor infrastructure, causing low and highly variable economic growth and failure to move up from commodity exports into processing and manufacturing for both the domestic and export markets. The continent is failing to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) or make maximum use of domestic capital. Investors are deterred because of the poor state of the physical infrastructure, which makes production costs prohibitively high, and the marketing of goods and services difficult and costly. Producers and distributors are often faced with poor governance infrastructure in the form of corruption and inadequate and/or inconsistent bureaucratic support. The educational system fails to provide the skills required and trade between neighbouring countries is stymied by a myriad of restrictions and uncertainty. The benefit/cost ratios are very favourable, with high returns for investment in infrastructure projects. The continent is failing to harness major assets like electricity from rivers and abundant sunshine and poor infrastructure makes it difficult to realise the enormous potential in agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing and processing and, most of all, its people. The riches locked away in these sectors because of poor and inadequate infrastructure are the envy of many regions and countries, which are flocking into the continent. Often because of the lack of infrastructure investors from outside the continent insist on very usurious terms and take the riches out with little benefit to the economies and people of Africa. Historical perspective To understand the current situation one has to look at the his-

tory. When most African countries gained independence there were very few university graduates and many leaders lacked the vision. Most of them had been kept out of management during colonialism and so lacked management experience. Policy makers had to grapple with the concept of nation states in the face of often fractious ethnic rivalries and the dominant political theme in much of the 1960’s and 1970s, was socialism and state control which in the absence of a fully developed nation state concept was a serious problem. Policy makers were obsessed, partly because most parties had socialist leanings, with gaining control of the levers of economic power. Unfortunately, the concept of the nation state had yet to develop which meant that ethnic qualifications rather than merit were the decisive factors. There was little focus on developing or maintaining the infrastructure and in many cases countries got rid of certain elements such as railroads. High recurrent budgets, spent largely on salaries, meant that there were no funds for new roads or maintenance. Little emphasis was placed on governance infrastructure, the educational sector failed to deliver functional education in the form of technical and vocational skills and only lip service was paid to developing infrastructure to facilitate trade and investment with neighbours. The blame cannot be blamed entirely on Africa, much of it must be placed on former colonial masters and other western and communist partners. In addition to not giving the training and experience to the officials and politicians that took over from them, policies taken by former colonial masters and the west in general contributed to the problem. Aid was in the form of food or goods, often to get rid of surpluses derived from subsidies to their farmers and manufacturers. Endless studies were undertaken by consultants on the most basic issues, which meant that overpaid consultants ended up taking the bulk of funds that in theory had been “given” to African countries. The cold war exacerbated this situation as often when infrastructure projects were undertaken, they were more to make a statement than to build the productive capacities of recipient countries. This lack of joined up approach meant that on paper huge inflows took place but without effective capital formation from a commercial perspective and little attention was paid to

the issue of maintenance. White elephants, support for military campaigns and keeping dictators happy, so long as they were on the “right side”, meant that infrastructure projects and sustainable development issues were of low priority. President Mobutu of Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) epitomised this tendency, receiving huge support from the west, which completely ignored the infrastructure of that country. Communist countries were no better, emphasising “the struggle” rather than seeking dialogue, devastating the infrastructure of countries involved and their neighbours. The end of the cold war and the demise of communist countries in Eastern Europe was crunch time, as the west could no longer countenance the profligacy of their client states. Austerity and retrenchments was the order of the day, often resulting in the dismantling of albatrosses such as national airlines, but also crucial support such as agricultural extension services. The situation was not all gloomy and there were some positive developments that Africa can learn from and build on. In the 1950s and 1960s Liberia achieved one of the highest economic growth rates because it developed its physical and educational infrastructure. Nkrumah made a good start with the Akosombo dam that still provides the bulk of that country’s power supply. The country also made impressive gains in developing vocational education and establishing a science and technology university. The rapid economic growth in Ivory Coast was due to its impressive development of the physical infrastructure. Jerry Rawlins saved Ghana from the downward spiral not only to establish that country’s democratic credentials, but also achieved great strides in its governance, and physical infrastructure, albeit using rather draconian methods to root out corruption. The star performer though is Rwanda. Rising from the ashes of a devastating genocide, with few natural resources, that country has achieved phenomenal progress in its physical, governance and educational infrastructure. It is reaping huge benefits from this effort in terms of very impressive economic growth and investment. To be continued tomorrow. • Rogers is principal consultant at Media and Event Management Oxford (MEMO). www.oxfordmemo.co.uk.

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14 Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Opinion Riverine political sharing in Rivers State By Soboma Fynface ET us get the facts right and properly loL cated. Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State began his plans for who would succeed him in 2015 way back in 2012. To advance this his personal political interest, Amaechi colluded with co-conspirators within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to weaken the political base of President Goodluck Jonathan. The strategy, if you ask me, was to frustrate President Jonathan so profoundly that compels him to forget his legitimate right to seek a second term in office. That was Amaechi’s primary strategy. Very clever!, you may say. As a citizen of the South-South region, which is the President’s immediate constituency, the Amaechi master-plan was to deploy the political forces which he controlled in a way that constitutes an embarrassing rebellion against Jonathan’s fundamental right to seek a second term, if he wished. The opposition was, of course, waiting in the wings to feast and benefit from the Amaechi stratagem. The PDP leadership in Rivers state then began to work out different plans to contain this desperate campaign of calumny against Jonathan by one of our own. Since Amaechi had literally declared a political war against his own party and state, the burden fell on the principal political appointees/office holders, who are from Rivers State, to rise and mobilise the people of Rivers state into rejecting Amaechi’s calculated attempt to humiliate our son in the presidency, and to ensure that Amaechi himself should be seen as a traitor to our popular destiny. The responsibility to embark on and deliver this counter-campaign rightly fell on the three top-most political office holders from Rivers State, namely: the then Minister of Housing, Amma Pepple, the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, and the then National Organising Secretary of the Party, now the National Vice-Chairman (South), Uche Secondus. By an act of providence, the courts gave judgement that sent the then Amaechi-controlled State Exco of the PDP packing, and was replaced with the current Felix Obua-led Exco. This placed Amaechi in a vulnerable situation and totally liberated Rivers State PDP from Amaechi’s stranglehold and PDP in our state continued its support for Jonathan’s political interests. Because he is the more politically ex-

posed of the ministers then in the cabinet, the lot fell on Nyesom Wike to mobilise and galvanise these spontaneous reactions against Amaechi by the long oppressed people of Rivers State into a sustained campaign. This was to be achieved with the full support of all pro-Jonathan forces in the State, which totally outnumber the diminishing population that still helplessly tagged along with Amaechi for reasons of survival. Within months of these massive pro-Jonathan rallies around the State, Amaechi was forced out of PDP. To remain politically relevant, Amaechi quickly and smartly joined the opposition. The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan is from Rivers State, and at every opportunity, Amaechi never hesitated to disrespect and humiliate her at public functions in the state. It is, therefore, understandable that this mass movement of Rivers people would attract her support and sympathy. PDP as a party and all right-thinking Rivers people commended the leading role-played by the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike. But soon, some observant Rivers people began to get worried because the original and very effective panRivers all- comers protest movement which mobilized Rivers citizens to reject Amaechi and defend Goodluck Jonathan, was rapidly being replaced with a new political Association called the Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI) formed by Nyesom Wike and superimposed on the mass movement as the new political machine in the state-wide mass rejection of Amaechi, his style and his anti-Jonathan politics. By the time we knew what was going on, some highly respected citizens of the state who supported the campaign against Amaechi began to drop off the mass protest movement, although majority of ordinary Rivers people stayed on the campaign train, out of genuine disgust with Amaechi as that was their only outlet of expressing anger against Amaechi on his unceasing misrepresentation of Rivers people in his unapproved opposition against the Jonathan presidency. As time went on, those who felt very uncomfortable with this seeming manipulation and unwarranted conversion of a genuine pan-Rivers protest movement into GDI, an Wike political machine, were so offended that they pulled out to avoid tainting their credibility and reputation, but commenced the formation of other credible polit-

ical associations. This process produced a plethora of very passionate anti-Amaechi/pro-Jonathan bodies like the following: the Rivers Mainstream Coalition, the Ogoni Political Movement, the Eastern Delta Congress, the Kalabari Unity Forum, the Ekpeye Political Movement, the Wakrike Congress for Change, Etche People’s Congress, etc. Since Rivers State is predominantly PDP, the mushrooming of these factional associations, in spite of the stupendous spending capacity of the GDI, is a testimony of the deeper and broader rejection of the hidden programme of the GDI to convert a proJonathan/anti-Amaechi mass movement into an unmistakable and poorly masked central political machine, not just to promote the 2015 Jonathan presidency, but more to railroad Nyesom Wike into becoming the next Governor of Rivers State. In effect, this would mean keeping the governance of Rivers State in the hands of a near monolithic geo-ethnic grouping for 24 unbroken years. The desire by Wike to pursue this ambition is considered a sacrilege in many important quarters of the state, even within Ikwerre ethnic nationality itself, which has some of the most decent and patriotic elements the Rivers State can boast of. For another Ikwerre person to succeed the outgoing Ikwerre governor in 2015 is now considered an assault on the sensibility of the average Rivers person. It is capable of throwing the State into an unimaginable conflagration because of the underlying injustice. The attendant socio-political insecurity, which could germinate from Wike’s usurpation and desecration of equity in the State definitely signals danger, and this worries me. It would have been preferred if our people use the mass protest to pressurise Amaechi to return to his senses and retrace his steps, but we discovered that the GDI chose instead to irreparably damage and complicate the relationship between the president and Amaechi, while working to stampede Amaechi into a premature exit from office, in order to touch up Wike’s desperate ambition. But with Amaechi now certain to serve out full two terms, the new mantra of those pushing and championing the Wike project is the nauseating nonsense that Wike is the only person in the whole of our state who can beat Amaechi’s

candidate in the 2015 gubernatorial contest. How patronising! These self-appointed agents are destroying our state through a plan they hatched and started pursuing some 15 years ago with this morbid argument that only by fielding Wike can Jonathan be assured of having a convincing majority votes in Rivers in 2015. The jaundiced position is premised on the voter registration statistics which gives the Rivers East Senatorial District about 1.3 million registered voters. Arguably, this is slightly higher than the combined registered voters of 1.1milliom from the remaining two senatorial districts. The promoters of this false argument have conveniently hidden the facts that four non-Ikwerre LGAs of Okrika, Ogu Bolo, Etche and Omuma, which cannot be commandeered into an Ikwerre-Wike voting order, are also part of this 1.3million votes. This fear mongering and blackmail conveniently ignore the fact that the bulk of the acclaimed huge number of voters from both Obio-Akpor and Phalga LGAs are predominantly not of Ikwerre stock, and cannot be tossed around by a desperately ambitious Ikwerre candidate. It should not be forgotten that here in Rivers state, we are dealing with an incumbent governor who still has unfettered access to the state treasury, and now with the opposition in a traditionally PDP state. Even those without foresight can see that once the PDP shoots itself in the foot with an inequitable and grossly unpopular decision to fly yet another Ikwerre candidate after eight years of the incumbent Ikwerre Governor, and two back-to-back previous governors all hailing from the same part of the geo-ethnic map of the State, it offers the rebelling incumbent governor a wide range of options to capitalise fully on. Yes, the contrived inequity provides him a higher moral ground (as is gradually becoming the case with Amaechi now insisting that he would not allow an Ikwere man to succeed him, an Ikwere), whip up very strong antiJonathan sentiments since the President would be seen by those deprived of justice and fairness as the one endorsing the inequity. Amaechi’s single most important desire is to beat Jonathan at the polls in 2015 – if only to prove a point. And those who promote Nyesom Wike’s candidacy are assisting this Amaechi desire. If this happens, God forbid, many Nigerians may call it ‘River Blindness’. • Fynface, a retired top Oil Executive, lives in Port Harcourt, Rivers

As Nigeria overtakes South Africa’s economy By Adekeye Adebajo S Nigeria hosts the “World Economic Forum on Africa” this A week (7-9 May), many South Africans have reacted to the news that the country has overtaken South Africa as Africa’s largest economy with a mix of disbelief, disdain, and disappointment. Once the reality of the news had sunk in that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was worth $510 billion to South Africa’s $370 billion, other South Africans reacted with more equanimity, welcoming the development as part of an “Africa rising” narrative, and noting the role of South African telecommunications companies like MTN in Nigeria’s success. Yet others, tried to dismiss the news as unimportant, since Nigeria’s infrastructure was still decades behind South Africa’s. South Africans should make no mistake about the significance of this watershed event. This news has undoubtedly damaged South Africa’s credibility to represent Africa on global institutions such as the Group of Twenty (G20) and the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) grouping. Nigeria’s 170 million population – the world’s tenth largest - is also three times larger than South Africa’s 50 million, thus providing a much bigger market for enterprising investors who are prepared to overcome the West African Gulliver’s infrastructure and administrative challenges. It is the size of South Africa’s economy that made it a credible candidate for a permanent seat on an expanded United Nations (UN) Security Council. In addition to now having a larger economy, Nigeria has a more established peacekeeping record than South Africa, having contributed 150, 000 soldiers to peace operations since 1960. The country is currently the fifth largest contributor to UN peacekeeping with 4,719

troops, compared to South Africa at thirteenth with 2,188 soldiers. With the disappearance of its economic advantage, South Africa’s previous claim – which has always been threadbare to speak for Africa, is now in serious jeopardy. South Africa’s economic growth over the last five years has been an anaemic two per cent, compared to Nigeria’s seven per cent. Consistent claims by Tshwane to be the “gateway to Africa” now appear preposterous. Investors from China, Brazil, and India have never needed to enter Africa through a South African gate. One of the most impressive aspects of Nigeria becoming Africa’s largest economy is the success of its $5billion movie industry “Nollywood” which has created Africa’s first authentic cinema, widely watched across the continent and its Diaspora. Nollywood produces over 2, 500 films a year, more than America’s Hollywood or India’s “Bollywood”. The industry generates employment for about one million people, making it the second largest employer in Nigeria with annual sales estimated at $250–350 million. In contrast, South Africa has exported an American-style mall and consumer culture to the rest of the continent, led by white-dominated firms that have sometimes been accused of mercantilist behaviour. Two imperial Britons left enduring legacies on South Africa and Nigeria. The brutish Cecil Rhodes sought to establish a Southern African federation built around South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Swaziland, and Lesotho. The amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria by Lord Lugard, its British Governor-General, is now in its hundredth year. Lugard pursued federalism for administrative efficiency; Rhodes for imperial expansion. The economies of South Africa and Nigeria are still dominated by mineral resources such as gold, platinum, and oil. Both countries account for three

quarters of the economies of Southern and West Africa. Both are afflicted by poor leadership and deepening corruption. But there are clear differences: while Nigeria has some of the most talented domestic intelligentsia, artistes, and footballers, South Africa still has a white-dominated intellectual class and lily-white rugby team. South Africa’s infrastructure is clearly more impressive than Nigeria’s, producing ten times more electricity; 60 per cent of Nigerians live on less than $1 a day, compared to 20 per cent of South Africans; corruption in Nigeria is more entrenched and widespread than in South Africa; the Johannesburg stock exchange’s market capitalisation is 15 times larger than Nigeria’s, and South Africa has more world-class multinational companies like Anglo-American and SABMiller. Nigeria’s politics is also more volatile and less stable than South Africa’s, and there is a real risk that things could fall apart if the country’s elections next February are not carefully managed. This threat is perhaps even more serious than the terrorist attacks of Boko Haram which have killed over 4,500 Nigerians in the last five years. The real consequence of Nigeria overtaking South Africa as Africa’s largest economy may, in the end, not be political or economic, but psychological. This news has shaken the confidence of jingoistic, chest-thumping, and sometimes arrogant South Africans, some of whom are never deterred by a lack of knowledge in asserting South Africa’s presumed superiority over the rest of Africa. This petulance has often represented a potent mix of arrogance and ignorance. If Nigeria’s bigger economy makes complacent South Africans more humble and less hubristic and xenophobic, this news would have done a great service to the continent. • Adebajo is executive director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution, Cape Town, South Africa.

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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TheMetroSection That Sofowote may live on… • Photo exhibition opens in Lagos to raise funds for cervical cancer treatment of a philanthropist and skilled photographer By Wole Oyebade MINENT Nigerians last Sunday gathE ered in Lagos to open a photography exhibition, in solidarity for a master of arts, currently recovering from cervical cancer thousands of kilometres away. Adefunke Motunlayo Sofowote, 67, needs the sum of N35 million to offset hospital bills, which family, friends and admirers hope to raise through the exhibition of her works. The roll call at the unusual fundraising event included the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Abimbola Fashola, Prof. J.P. Clark, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, Olusegun Ajanlekoko, Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett, Dr Lateef Adewale Ogunbadejo, Dr Abayomi Aiyesimoju, Prof Duro Oni among others from the Nollywood, corporate world and members of the Adefunke Sofowote Cancer-Fighting Fund Team. It was not a gloomy event though. The team led by the trio of Ogunbadejo, Ajayi-Lycett and Segun Sofowote put together a lively show of folk music, dance drama, talks and prayers in celebration of the life of an icon. For those that know her, Adefunke Sofowote is many things rolled into one. She is a multi-dimensional talent, a mother and grandmother, a prolific writer, singer, administrator, organiser, trainer in corporate practice and etiquette and an impresario. Friends could tell how Sofowote has devoted the last 16 years to the cause of organising succour for the needy and less privileged through her charity, entertainment and merit-recognition organisation – Glowing Channels – which she also uses to organise public appreciation for society’s role models. All of that have slowed down with her battle against cervical cancer, which was diagnosed in 2011 at the Eko Hospi-

tal. Today, she is in Universitatskilinikum Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH), the University Teaching Hospital, Lubeck, Germany and in need of N35 million. Prior to opening the weeklong exhibition, Fashola said the occasion reiterated the need for improved awareness on screening, as the best preventive measure against cancer. She said: “I plead with all our sisters to

Sowofote on hospital bed

get screened for cervical cancer. If our mother had been screened earlier, she would not have come down with this cancer,” Fashola said. Fashola added that she is a living witness of what early detection could do to prevent cancerous growth, as she urged the gathering to support Sofowote and also be an advocate of regular checks. A childhood friend of the Sofowotes, Adelusi-Adeluyi said Mrs. Sofowote’s

Sowofote...undergoing chemotherapy

courage – as an adherent of the Grail Message – deserved commendation, for holding forth through the pains of chemotherapy and Radiotherapy treatments. “Cervical cancer is not one of those comfortable cancers anyone can have. I appeal to all friends today to show love to a lover of humanity. We should also remember it is a disease that can happen to anyone. Funke is eminently someone that deserves our support,” he said. Besides the exhibition, Lagos State Ministry of Health would also be conducting free screening tomorrow at Freedom Park, Lagos, venue of the exhibition. Nollywood star, Ajayi-Lycett noted that “She lives on”, the theme of the exhibition, was sparked when a ‘bomb’ was metaphorically placed under the Adefunke Sofowote Cancer-Fighting Fund Team, to source urgently N35 million for hospital bills towards Sofowote’s continuing medical treatment. In her words: “This exhibition of photographs by her is, therefore, not only to showcase her undoubted skills as a naturalists and skilled photographer, but principally to generate those urgently needed funds to cover her medical expenses. “We can yet show love, and receive love. Please support this brave woman’s battle for survival by purchasing her works of photography, of love, which by themselves, are sure to be quite irresistible to art collectors, and even more importantly, the proceeds from which will support a worthy course,” Ajayi-Lycett said. Donations can also be made to Fidelity Bank Account Name: Mrs. Adefunke Sofowote Cancer Fund Account Number: 4021059462

Project Smile: Restoring hearty smiles to the mouths of teeth-flaw patients By Kenechukwu Ezeonyejiaku or Chinyere Anosike, the winF ner and beneficiary of the first edition of Project Smile, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by Smile360 Dental Specialists with support from Oral-B and Medplus, which aims at reaching out to underprivileged persons who suffer dental flaws and have become stigmatized by their social sphere of contact, “the project is a God-sent”. Forced to be an introvert as a result of her flawed dentition, which has now been made flawless by the benevolence and magnanimity of the initiator of Project Smile and Founder of Smile360 Dental Specialists, Dr. Amy Traore-Shumbusho who is a French-trained specialist in Orthodontics and Dento-facial Orthodontics, Chichi as she is fondly called, a Human Resource practitioner who was beaming with smiles recalled that it was really hard being herself. Recounting her ordeals in the hands of friends and acquaintances before her encounter with Project Smile, Chichi noted that the experience was nothing less than dehumanizing. According to her: “I did not like meeting people or going to functions and this was because I didn’t have that confidence and

that perfect smile that I really wanted as a result of my dental flaw. Lots of times, I wanted to laugh heartily to a joke, give my candid opinion on issues or just have a swell time but all I managed was a slight tilt of my lips, which was most often misinterpreted to be a sneer. “As a result, I was called a snob on several occasions by new acquaintances and if after a few meetings, I would finally get to reveal my dentition, the side remarks were always similar such as: “she’s not even fine”; “did you see her teeth?” and unfortunately, I heared such unkind remarks. But when they get to know me better, the remarks become: ‘and she’s a nice girl o! She’s nice but shy.’ “I am not shy,” she said, “It’s my dentition that has made me an introvert.” Anosike revealed that she got to know about this life-changing and opportunity of a lifetime over the radio in which people with dental flaws where requested to send in entries, stating in the form of essay, why they needed the makeover with a picture of their smile. She stated that she decided to give it a go and fulfill the necessary requirements and was lucky to get an email informing her that she made the top 10. Emerging the winner out of the last 10, after a tough and

transparent screening from a panel of judges, Anosike was put through a free and strict international standard medical treatment that spanned over a period of 30 months of which she was spared millions of naira in cost for the normal treatment. Of the treatment and her personality now, she said: “If there is anything like perfect, that is what the treatment is. My confidence level has increased. The change has been awesome and I thank Project Smile for this initiative and encourage them keep up with their good work of positive impact in the lives of people.” Meanwhile, the initiator of the project, Dr. Amy Traore, noted that the initiative for the establishment of the project was to in her own little way, reduce the trauma and stigmatization people passes through because of their flawed dentition and restore that great smile to their mouths.

She said: “One of the ceaseless wonders of the world is, indeed, the power of a smile. While everyone is wired naturally with that power, not everyone has confidence to exercise or express it. The power of a smile is a gift to every human being born with a mouth and a dental configuration. Sadly, there are a lot of people out there who can’t and have never expressed that gift. They have never smiled. They owe themselves and the people around them that gift… that power of life.” Asking the question: “Why wouldn’t anyone smile?” Traore noted that she has come to the realization through her encounter with patients with

Chinyere’s set of teeth ...before

Chinyere ...now

flawed dentition in her 12 years as a dentist and consultant orthodontist that flawed dentition is a major drawback for lots of people restrained from smiling with many of them suffering stigmatization. These she said make them become reclusive, suppressing that power and denying others a smile. According to her, “It is on this basis that Project Smile was conceptualized. It is a first of its kind in the oral healthcare industry. The initiative aims to reach out to persons of flawed dentition who are expected to enter into a contest and will be subjected to certain selection criteria. “In 2011, we had the first edition. This year, we are flaggingoff the second edition on World Oral Health Day. This is to demonstrate our alignment with the theme of FDI World Dental Federation World Oral Day 2014: ‘Celebrating Healthy Smiles’. For us, the best way to celebrate healthy smiles is giving people who can’t afford a smile the lifetime opportunity to share in celebrating healthy smiles. “This year, we would be awarding three adjudged contestants the benefits of Smile Makeover Treatment Procedure worth millions of naira with the help of our sponsors.”

Briefs AMORC holds symposium Saturday DVANCING the course of reA ligious tolerance and integration will be the major thrust of a public symposium being organized by the Lagos Zone of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, an international cultural, educational and philosophical Organization, on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Obafemi Awolowo way, Ikeja at 9.00a.m. According to a statement by the Media Relations/Coordinator, Dr. Monday Evawomaha: “With the theme; One World Religion – Is It Attainable?, erudite speakers amongst whom are Dr. Douglas Anele, Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos; Mr. R. T. B. Akinbile, Master Interfaith Network Project, Ibadan, Professor Sophie Oluwole of the School of Communication, Lagos State University and Professor John Idiodi, Professor of Solid State Physics in the Department of Physics, University of Benin, will x-ray the theme from a number of perspectives as Origins and Purpose of Religions, What Commonalities exist amongst Religions, Differences between Religions and God, The Human Purpose and Spirituality. The special Guest of Honour is Dr. Kenneth U. Idiodi, Grand Administrator and Director, Supreme Board of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, while the moderator for the occasion is Professor Isaac Alaba, an independent consultant on culture

Alade for burial HE family of Alade and the T Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim (ESO C&S), Nigeria and Overseas announced the death of the respected Spiritual Leader of ESO C&S Worldwide, His Divine Eminence, Most Elder Gabriel Adewole Adeotun Alade (Spiritual Paul) A.M.A – Alagba IV (Orimolade Successor) who passed on Thursday, February 13, 2014. According to organizers, Service of Songs holds on Monday, May 12, 2014 at his residence, 11, Cecilia Odutuga Street, Ilasamaja, (Isolo ide) Lagos; Service of Songs and Documentaries of the C&S on Tuesday, May 13; Seminar, Service of Songs and Artiste Night of Praise on Wednesday, May 14; General WakeKeep on Thursday, May 15; Lying-in-State and Funeral Service at the Gymnasium Hall between 8.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m., Procession proceeds to his residence at Ilasamaja for interment, followed by entertainment. Alade is survived by children, grandchildren, great grand children as well as Cherubim

Alade

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Business Nigeria’s top five FDI sources record $55m By Chijioke Nelson IGERIA’S top five investor N countries through the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) recorded $55,318 million cumulatively. This was contained in a special report titled : “Africa by numbers- a Focus on Nigeria,” issued for World Economic Forum on Africa

2014, by EY. A breakdown of the investment revealed that Canada invested 31 percent; United States and Mauritius, eight percent each; UK, seven percent; South Africa, six percent; and other investors, 40 percent. The top five investors invested in a total of 306 new projects since 2007.

Nigeria also recorded top 10 project investors since 2007, out of which, US, South Africa and the UK are the top 3 investors into the country. In terms of capital investment, there remained a strong bias towards the oil sector, while there was a marked shift, with investors from South Africa, the UK, and India, leading the way in

investing in sectors like telecommunications, consumer products and automotive. The West Africa Regional Leader, EY, Henry Egbiki, noted that despite the challenges in infrastructure, corruption, security, coupled with many other emerging market challenges arising from the global monetary

tightening, the Nigerian economy has remained remarkably robust. According to him, given the continued growth rates and the recent GDP rebasing, an improving business environment, a portfolio of active infrastructure projects with a value close to $100 billion and a population of about 170 million people, Nigeria’s billing as a powerhouse in a dynamic, high growth region is certainly justified. “As a result, we anticipate that Nigeria will continue to be a hub for investment into Africa, and likely to emerge as one of the most attractive developing market’s investment destination in the world in coming years”, he said. However in terms of ease of doing business, he pointed out that Nigeria ranks low, a situation that requires the country to step up its strategies. To Egbiki, private sector needs to work closely with the government to ensure a condusive environment for businesses in the country. “Going forward, investment in infrastructure and improvements in the overall business environment will boost Foreign Direct Investment in the country,

even as natural resources and a growing consumer market are strong pull factors for FDI. “Investments into Nigeria have been rapidly diversifying in the period since 2007. Although the oil sector attracts the most capital, there has been significant growth of FDI in telecommunications, consumer products, construction and business services,” he said. Nigeria, as at July 2013, ranks second in Africa by number of active infrastructure projects and second also, by capital allocation and further breakdown of the nation’s infrastructure projects showed that logistics sector contributed 66 percent, power generation and transmission, 23 percent, construction sector, seven percent and social and welfare, four percent. Also, by capital value, logistics sector contributed 51 percent, construction sectors, 25 percent power generation and transmission, 22 percent and social and welfare two percent. The FDI outlook showed that natural resources in the year 2000, 2013 to 2018, are very attractive; infrastructure in year 2000 was very unattractive, while in 2013, it was unattractive and remains on average in 2018.

Minister of Power, Chinedu Neb (left); Coordinating Minister of Economy/Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria, Bola Adesola, during the Azura power signing of $1 billion 450Mega Watt Gas turbine IPP in Abuja, on Monday.

Construction of $1b 450 MWs IPP takes off next month

BPE seeks effective competition, consumer protection policy

From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja

By Femi Adekoya OLLOWING complaints from consumers on unfair market practices by stakeholders, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has called for an effective competition and consumer protection policy that will afford Nigerians the opportunity to buy goods and services at the best possible and competitive price, as well as get value for market exchange. According to the DirectorGeneral, BPE, Benjamin Dikki, the policy has become necessary in the light of complaints from consumers over service producers expanding their customer base and still not bringing prices down to enable consumers to purchase goods and services at competitive price. He said a competition policy would set the framework for rules to make sure businesses and companies compete fairly with each other and would also bring about low prices for all driving business growth and the economy in general. Besides, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Olusegun Aganga said there is currently a draft on federal competition and consumer protection bill being considered by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for onward transmission to the National

Assembly for passage into law. The Minister noted that the present administration in the past two years has worked assiduously to produce new legal and regulatory framework for competition and consumer protection. Aganga who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Abdulkadir Musa at the formal presentation of the draft national completion and consumer protection policy prepared by the Ministry to the organised business community, states and other stakeholders in the SouthWest, South East and SouthSouth, pointed out that the draft bill delineates the institutions, laws, regulations, orders, rulings and other implementations and enforcement tools that will allow competition and consumer protection matters to be dealt with. “Mindful of the need to chart a coherent policy direction that will guide any future direction and legisla-

tive initiatives in the sector and conscious of the need to make the reforms sustainable, there is a need to spell out a policy framework that will regulate consumer protection and competition matters in Nigeria,” he added. He said as a result of this, the ministry has prepared a draft national policy on competition and consumer protection which is contained in its brochure maintaining that the need and benefits of a national policy for competition and consumer protection are vital for economic growth and development. “It is therefore my singular honour to invite you to carefully dissect the draft and come up with informed inputs, suggestions and comments that would enrich the draft as we work together, work to bequest upon our dear nation and enduring investor-friendly, consumer protecting national competition and consumer protection policy that would propel innovation, economic prosperity and contribute to our global competitiveness,” he said.

The BPE boss stressed the need for the establishment of an anti-competition and consumer protection agency to regulate consumer protection and competition matters in the country. “We require a comprehensive and holistic review of our competition policies and laws. We need an agency like this to answer questions that has to do with unfair competition in the country,” he said. According to him, the Federal Government is aware of this lacuna in the reform structure and has been assiduously working towards addressing the emerging issues of consumer protection and the promotion of healthy competition that does not exploit consumers. “As government was ceding control of vital infrastructure, critical to the well being of Nigerians to the private sector, there was a compelling need to put in place enabling legal and regulatory frameworks to ensure that the public monopolies that were being ceded to the private sector do not transform into private sector monopolies,” he added.

the reforms in FersOLLOWING the power sector, promotof the much awaited $1 billion 450 Mega Watts (MWs) Azura- Edo Independent Power Plants announced yesterday that construction work on the plant would commence next month. The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (Bulk Trader) will buy the power from Azura. World Bank Country Director in Nigeria, MariaFrancoise Marie- Nelly, said the World Bank would provide risk guarantee, to strengthen the Bulk Trader and provide liquidity in case the Bulk Trader is unable to pay. At a transaction closure summit held in Abuja on Monday, Joint Managing Director of Azura Power Holdings (owners of the project), Dr. David Ladipo stressed that a total of 14 banks and financial institutions from 8 countries were investing in the project. In total, he said investments being made in gas and power generation in order to realize the Azura- Edo IPP is in excess of $ 1 billion. He said: "The Azura- Edo IPP is the first of a new wave of greenfield project- financed IPPs under development in

Nigeria, and comprises a 450 MW open cycle gas turbine power station; a short transmission line connecting the power plant to a local substation; and a short underground gas pipeline connecting the power plant to the country's main gas-supply. "It represents the first phase of 1,500 MW power plant facility that is targeted to come on street in 2017 and forecast to create over 1,000 jobs during construction and operation." He said the 450 MW is phase one. Phase two he said, might involve conversion to combined cycle which would take the plant to 670MW, stressing that sufficient land gas been acquired to expand the project to a 1,500 MWs later. According to him, " we started undertaking early feasibility studies into the Nigerian power sector in 2009, also though it was not until January 2010 that we began the development of the project in earnest. Azura power was incorporated on 14 October 2010. So. We have been working on this for over four years." Joint Managing Director of Azura, Sundeep Bahanda, said the firm had committed to the local communities, that it CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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Firm launches solar-powered laptop computer From Nkechi Onyedika, Abuja Canadian company, Wewi Telecommunications Inc has introduced a solar-powered laptop into the Nigerian market,that could revolutionalise computing in Africa. SOL (Sun Operated Laptop) is

presently the only sun-powered laptop in the world as it is 100 per cent powered by the sun. Speaking at the product launch on Monday in Abuja, the company’s chairman, Saadina Dantata said that the firm is working towards

assembling the product in Nigeria, adding that it would establish customer service centres all over country, starting with the six geo-political zones. Dantata disclosed that the company would send some Nigerians to Canada for training and would recruit some

of the unemployed computer graduates to assist in the technical aspect of the job. He pointed out that the company is already in talks with some government agencies like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to see if the product could be used for

the conduct of its activities, including elections. “We have demonstrated the product to INEC and they believe that this is the way to go". According to him, the laptop comes with a one year warranty that covers every aspect of the laptop and cost below

N100,000. Also speaking, the Chief Technical Officer of the company, Roland Carlson noted that 25 per cent of the global population has no access to electricity, adding that the product has its potential in Africa considering the the abundant solar energy in the region.

Construction of new IPP takes off next month CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 would ensure that the is long term job creation, skill development and construction of basic infrastructure and facilities that the community needs. "The Central Bank of Nigeria has provided a low cost N300 Billion Nigerian debt facility for aviation and power projects in Nigeria. The funds are being channelled through the Bank of Industry for onlending to the local Nigerian banks. In the case of Azura, FCMB has received credit approval for up to $150 Million. Azura is waiting for formal confirmation from the Bank of Industry as advised by the AFC on this facility." He went on: "Azura aims to be Nigeria's leading inde-

pendent power producer, focusing on greenfield and brownfield opportunities across the country. In five years time, we expect to be engaged across a number of power plants, which are either in operation, construction or development. Indeed, Azura's long term vision is to engage in power generation projects that will add over 3,000MWs of power accounting for approximately 20 per cent of Nigeria's project installed capacity by 2020. "Moreover, we see ourselves as being the catalyst and platform for attracting significant private capital into the power industry so that we, together with other power producers, can transform the sector and generate the electricity required for the country and social welfare."

Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Bature Masari (left); Bayelsa State Governore, Seriake Dickson; Bayelsa State Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Kemera Okara; and Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Industry (BoI), Waheed Olagunju at the international conference on Small and Medium Enterprises (ICSME 2014) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

‘Only 40% of the world population on the Internet’ By Adeyemi Adepetun HE International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has projected that by the end of 2014; about three billion people would be on the Internet. ITU noted that currently, about 40 per cent of the world ‘s population is currently using the Internet, stressing that close to one out of three people in the developing countries are online. According to ITU, a United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs) in its newly released ICT figures yesterday, disclosed that in developing countries, the number of Internet users will have doubled in five years, from 974 million in 2009 to 1.9 billion in 2014. ITU noted that Internet user penetration has reached 40 per cent globally, 78 per cent in developed countries and 32

•Global userbase to hit three billion by end of 2014 per cent in developing countries. It stressed that by 2014 growth rates in developed countries remain at a relatively low, at 3.3 per cent compared with 8.7 per cent in developing countries. The UN body said globally, there are four billion people not yet using the Internet and more than 90 per cent of them are from the developing world. It informed that in Africa, almost 20 per cent of the population will be online by end 2014, up from 10 per cent in 2010. “In the Americas, close to two out of three people will be using the Internet by end 2014, the second highest penetration rate after Europe. Europe’s Internet penetration will be reaching 75 per cent (or three out of four people) by end 2014, the highest worldwide. One third of the popula-

tion in Asia-Pacific will be online by end 2014 and around 45 per cent of the world’s Internet users will be from the Asia- Pacific region”, the report stated. According to ITU, with 44 per cent of global household having access to the Internet, it noted that in Nigeria and other parts of only one out of ten households is connected. ITU also informed that the number of mobile-broadband subscriptions will reach 2.3 billion globally, stressing that 55 per cent of these subscriptions are expected to be in the developing world, including Nigeria. Indeed, a recent Ministry of Communications Technology of Nigeria’s report showed that Nigeria currently controls 29 per cent of the about 167 million Internet users in Africa. According to ITU Secretary

General, Hamadoun Toure, the newly released ICT figures confirmed that information and communication technologies continue to be the key drivers of the information society globally. The 2014 ICT figures showed that Africa leads in mobile broadband growth, stressing its penetration on the continent reaches close to 20 per cent in 2014, up from two per cent in 2010. In terms of mobile-cellular subscriptions, ITU noted that this is approaching the number of people on earth. It noted that Mobile cellular subscriptions would reach almost seven billion by end

2014, corresponding to a penetration rate of 96 per cent. “More than half of these (3.6 billion subscriptions) will be in the Asia-Pacific region. In developing countries, mobile-cellular penetration will reach 90 per cent by end 2014, compared with 121 per cent in developed countries”, it stated. Today, in Nigeria there about 130 million active mobile phone users, with the number of telephone lines being used to access Internet service on GSM networks put at 63.4 million, according to latest statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). Already, a Mckinze Global

Institute study had projected that Nigeria and other African countries tend to gain about $300 billion by 2025 if it embraces Internet as it did mobile phones. The report noted infrastructural gap, poverty and untapped population potential has held Africa back from competing favourably on the global space. According to the Director of Telecommunication ITU's Development Bureau, Brahima Sanou, "If we want to understand the information society, we have to measure it. "Without measurement we cannot track progress or identify gaps which require our attention."

SCI partners Ecobank on discount card N its partnership with The Savers Club cards can be spending only within budget IInternational Ecobank, Savers Card bought in any branch of and the peace of mind of not (SCI), owners Ecobank in Lagos in what the worrying about your sensiof the Savers Club Discount Card, has re-launched its premium discount Card. The Savers Club Discount Card, which comes as a Reloadable Card has all the features of a standard ATM card with all the CBN, approved security features. The Savers Club Card powered by Interswitch is usable on all ATMs, Mobile Applications and POS Terminals in over 1,500 Merchant locations all over Lagos. The Savers Club Card grants card holders discounts on purchases up to 40 per cent in over 1,500 merchant locations in Lagos depending on the merchant location visited. Discount centres include supermarkets, eateries, hotels, Spas, restaurants, boutiques, Laundromats, salons, bookshops, Hospitals, clinics, electronic shops, auto-garages and car shops just to mention a few.

company’s Business Development Manager, Nnenna Ejiogu referred to as its pilot phase of the partnership with Ecobank. In an innovative twist to the re-launch of the Cards, Savers Card International also partnered with three leading insurance companies to bundle the card with an electronic Third party Motor Insurance pack called the Gogo pack. By this bundle, any buyer of the GoGo pack automatically has both a “self-Service Third party motor insurance cover “ and the Savers Club Card to enjoy discounts in over 1,500 merchant locations in Lagos. On other advantages the card delivers to its holder, Ejiogu said the card is the ultimate card for household and online shopping, in line with the CBN cashless initiative. With the Reloadable Savers Club card you enjoy the triple advantage of saving on every purchase you make,

tive account details being compromised when you use your card on third party channels. The Savers Club Card powered by Interswitch can be loaded in any Nigerian commercial bank via the quickteller portal. For the more computer savvy card holders, there is a self-service cardload portal on the Interswitch website w w w . m y v e r v e card.com from where you can easily move money from your bank account to the card for all your online and household shopping. According to Ejiogu, “the Savers Club Discount Card shall soon be Nigeria’s ultimate shoppers’ card as we intend to create a discount merchant location within every 200 meters in Nigeria”. Nnenna also used the opportunity to invite Shop owners to sign up on the discount scheme as it provides them with free adverts and increases traffic to their outlets.

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GUARDIANENERGY Shell’s first quarter General Electric to inearnings slides to vest N121b on local $4.5b

Shale oil: Stakeholders task govt on next century challenges pg 24

pg 24

OIL

sourcing of goods pg25

POWER

GAS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014

www.ngrguardiannews.com; www.theguardianmobile.com

Global upstream oil, gas spending favours exploration, development activities Non-Passageof ofPIB PIBslows slowsinvestment investmentin inNigeria Nigeria ••Non-Passage By Roseline Okere EARLY reports by oil and Y natural gas companies revealed that spending on exploration and development activities increased by five per cent ($18 billion) in 2013, while spending on property acquisition continued to decline by $17 billion. In Nigeria, the International Oil Companies (IOCs) have focused their exploration activities from onshore to offshore due to the activities of Niger Delta militancy. For instance, Chevron plans to spend nearly $40 billion in 2014 on hydrocarbon projects in Nigeria and across the

World. Also, Shell put its first quarter 2014 capital investment at $10.7 billion, including $2 billion related to the acquisition of Repsol’s LNG business. Net capital investment for the quarter was $10.1 billion. The company had earlier spent $44.3 billion on capital investment in 2013 to build and sustain its business for the future. Besides, ExxonMobil increase its yearly spending on energy projects by $1 billion. The increase will bring capital spending levels to about $190 billion over the next five years, or $38 billion per year, a new record

for the oil giant. But, the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has also taken its toll on Nigeria upstream activities, as multi billion dollars investments are currently on hold until the bill is passed into law. Specifically, the Final Investment Decision (FID) on Train ‘7’ of the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) project is being delayed due to the inability of the company to enter into Gas Supply Agreement with some International Oil Companies (IOCs). The Guardian gathered that the IOCs are skeptical about investing in any major project

due to some clauses in the PIB, which have made investment in the oil and sector unattractive to investors. According the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), in the past two years, flat oil prices and rising costs have contributed to declining cash flow for this group of companies. It added that continued declines in cash flow, particularly in the face of rising debt levels, could challenge future exploration and development. EIA reviewed data from 42 recently released financial statements for public oil and natural gas companies.

The reports, required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, show that the slight increase in spending was driven by expenditures to develop fields acquired in previous years. Expenditures to buy new property fell in 2013, and spending on production activities was flat. Companies report expenditures related to oil and natural gas production activities in three categories: property acquisition, exploration and development, and production, collectively referred to as the upstream. Property acquisition includes costs incurred to purchase proved and unproved

reserves. Exploration and development includes expenditures related to searching for and developing the facilities and infrastructure to produce reserves. Production includes costs associated with extracting oil and natural gas from the ground once the field has been developed. Composition of the 0.4 per cent increase in upstream spending in 2013 included the following: exploration and development expenditures rose five per cent ($18 billion) in 2013, while production expenditures grew by just 0.6 per cent ($1.4 billion) and acquisition expenditures decreased 33 per cent ($17 billion).

How to increase Nigerian participation in offshore engineering, by Experts By Sulaimon Salau HE need for increased participation of Nigerian engineers in the area of offshore infrastructure has been stressed. The stakeholders at the public lecture organized by the Nigeria Institute of Mechanical Engineers (NiMechE) in Lagos, identified several ways by which indigenous engineers could carve a niche for themselves in the oil and gas engineering services. The Managing Director, Global Oceon Engineers, Oluseun Faluyi, who was a guest speaker at the forum, berated the huge gap of infrastructure deficit and the nation’s inability to engage its engineering experts in crucial areas of national development.

Faluyi said: “Nigeria is blessed with a lot of talent. Nigeria is blessed with a lot of resources. Nigeria is blessed with a lot of potential. It has been a source of unending frustration that Nigeria, with all its talent and resources, is still not fulfilling its full potential. 50 years after Nigeria got independence and more than 50 years after it started graduating its own talented engineers, the country still has challenges with infrastructure,” Although, he noted that the Federal Government had set up an Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission to focus on strengthening infrastructure development through Public Private Partnerships, the country still has significant infrastructure deficits that it is struggling to

eliminate. “In looking at Nigeria’s challenge of sustainably developing infrastructure, it is my considered view that the problem may really be the approach and not the infrastructure itself. Regardless of what kind of infrastructure is required in any field, the traditional approach has been to develop robust maintenance strategies that will assist the infrastructure to carry on in service. “Different maintenance strategies are developed and employed such as preventive maintenance, breakdown maintenance and predictive maintenance. Maintenance strategies have evolved and we even now talk about ReliabilCONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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ENERGY Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Shale oil: Stakeholders task government on next century challenges By Sulaimon Salau DENTIFYING the major role Ihasthat the oil and gas resources played in the development of the country, the concerned stakeholders in the sector have urged the Federal Government to put mercenaries in place to ensure that it continued to remain relevant in the global energy chain in the next century. The stakeholders, who gathered at the 2014 edition of the Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum held in Abuja recently, said the challenges facing the industry today and the rapidly changing global energy landscape call for close partnership amongst all stakeholders to further entrench Nigeria’s role in the global energy mix. However, they stressed the need for increased participation of indigenous firms in the petroleum sector, setting agenda for the Nigerian Content Development Board (NCDMB) to ensure that the target of $10 billion local input is realised. According to a communiqué issued by the Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the stakeholders believed that, “the current drive by NCDMB would ensure that by 2020, the level of participation by Nigerian companies in the sector; particularly in contract service retention in-country will be in excess of $10 billion per year,

... Set agenda for $10b local input by 2020 with over 350,000 employment and training opportunities,” The communiqué signed by the Chairman, SPE Nigeria Council, Bernard Oboarekpe, stated that the geography of global oil supply, demand and trade has changed strikingly over the last few years as a result of the increasing oil supplies from United States (US) shale areas, against a background of declining European and North American oil demand growth. They noted that Nigeria’s crude export to the US has declined over the last seven years and has reached a point where there is now an energy importexport balance between Nigeria and the US. The stakeholders however lamented that “the industry is currently over-regulated with uncoordinated laws, rules and regulations that often conflict and do not sufficiently address today’s industry challenges. “However, the industry is concerned that the current version of PIB before the National Assembly would neither address many of the challenges faced by the industry nor effectively position the sector for the envisaged growth,” it stated. The participants also stated

that, “the bureaucracy that plagues many of our institutions and agencies today is staggering, for example the length of time it takes for new oil and gas development project to be approved in Nigeria is

much longer than global industry average. Simple procurement contracting approvals can take up to 36 months, while in other countries, similar processes take an average of six months.

This result in significantly higher project management costs, lost project value, deferred production and reduced government revenues. From 2015, The Nigerian Petroleum Exchange (NipeX) is targeting to complete tenders for small projects in six months

and major projects in nine months. “Lack of synergies between operating companies remains one of the major causes of high cost of projects delivery such that two operators, laying two pipelines side by side, rather than sharing one,” it stated.

Director-General/Chief Executive, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Sir Peter Idabor (left), Chief of Army Staff LT. Gen. Keneth Minimah and Chairman NOSDRA Governing Board Major Lancelot Anyanya (rtd) during an advocacy visit to the chief of Army staff in Abuja .

Total launches Mr Safety at Shell’s first quarter earnings slides to $4.5b world safety day identified items were sup- The company distributed efficiency, including more By Roseline Okere OTAL Nigeria Plc has reiterated its commitment to promoting safety at work place with the launch of Mr. Safety, yesterday at the World Day for Safety at Work. Managing Director, Alexis Vovk, speaking in Lagos at the inauguration of Mr Safety for all Total Filling Stations and Depots said safety is everyone’s business, while also encouraging everyone to speak out. He said: “we encourage everyone to speak out. We must desire to give a sense of responsibility to every individual in the company and emphasise personal values to the safety of our organisation through the assurance of a safer work place for all staff, dealers, customers and

neighbours”. According to him, Mr. Safety will be the pillar of the safety culture in the station. He will also be the one devoted to the objective of safety control during the service-station operations. Besides, he will be devoted to feedbacks on anomalies, near misses and enforcing good practices. Quoting a message from president of Marketing & Service, a division of Total,. Philippe Boisseau, he said: “to prevent serious and fatal accidents in particular, we must further rely on a deeply instilled safety culture shared by our teams and contractors. This culture must be complemented by a culture of standards and a culture of control”

OYAL Dutch Shell’s first quarter 2014 earnings, on Current Cost of Supplies (CCS) basis, decreased from $8 billion recorded in the first quarter of the previous year to $4.5 billion. First quarter 2014 CCS earnings included an identified net charge of $2.9 billion after tax, mainly reflecting impairments related to refineries in Asia and Europe. According to the company, first quarter 2014 CCS earnings excluding identified items were $7.3 billion compared with $7.5 billion for the first quarter 2013, a decrease of three per cent. It stated: “Compared with the first quarter 2013, Upstream earnings excluding

ported by stronger Integrated Gas results as well as higher gas realisations and gas trading results. This was offset by the impact of exploration well write-offs, and higher costs and depreciation. Downstream earnings excluding identified items were impacted by lower industry refining margins and trading results. “Basic CCS earnings per share excluding identified items for the first quarter 2014 decreased by two versus the same quarter a year ago. “Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2014 was $14.0 billion. Excluding working capital movements, cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2014 was $13.1 billion”. The company put its first quarter capital investment at $10.7 billion, including $2.0 billion related to the acquisition of Repsol’s LNG business. Net capital investment for the quarter was $10.1 billion.

$2.8 billion, of which $1.3 billion were settled under the Scrip Dividend Programme in the quarter under review. “Shell’s profits enable the company to pay competitive dividends to shareholders and to finance new investments in oil and gas. Our long-term strategy is sound. Commenting on the report, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ben van Beurden, stated that the first quarter of 2014 results reflect more robust levels of profitability. He pledged the company’s commitment to improve its competitiveness, and to adapt the company to respond to changes in the industry landscape, particularly in Oil Products and North America resources plays. He stated: “We are aiming to continue to balance growth and returns, by focusing sharply on our three key priorities – better financial performance, enhanced capital

selectivity on project choices and $15 billion of divestments in 2014-15, and continuing strong project delivery. “Our investment strategy is delivering where it matters - at the bottom line. The first quarter of 2014 has seen new, profitable production from the deep-water Gulf of Mexico and Iraq, together with new LNG from our acquisition of Repsol’s portfolio. “We are making hard choices on Shell’s assets and options, to improve capital efficiency, in both Upstream and Downstream. The divestments underway in Downstream in four countries are part of Shell’s drive to improve our competitive position. Downstream has the potential to average 1012 per cent ROACE, more than double current levels, and to deliver around $10 billion of annual cash flow. I am determined to improve our performance in this

‘How to increases Nigerian stake in engineering’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 ity Centred Maintenance. There is however an approach called Asset Integrity Management (AIM) to maintain pipeline infrastructure that is developing now in the oil and gas industry and this may prove useful for addressing infrastructure challenges in other industries.” Faluyi, however noted that the greatest sparkle that the oil and gas industry has been showing of recent is due to the giant strides being made by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and the successful expansion of Nigerian participation in the oil and gas industry. “Other enabling legislation

that should result in growth for the industry have so far been stalled at the National Assembly and so it is really outstanding that that the industry has been kept moving this successfully by the courage, zeal and determination of this regulatory agency,” he said. He therefore gave details of the technicalities that are required to operate successfully on an offshore platform and urged indigenous operators to further acquaint themselves with latest technologies as well as growing capacity. The Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Ernest Nwapa, said Nigeria had in the past lost so much in terms of monetary, capacity development and

employment opportunities to the old system. He said over $380 billion was estimated to have lost to capital flight in 30 years, which has even led to loss of employment opportunities such that over 10 million direct and indirect jobs are exported. Nwapa however, noted that the Nigeria Content initiative has marked increase in contract award to Nigerian companies; spend proportion in Nigeria has peaked while local value addition drives employment growth. He therefore stated that strong stakeholder collaboration and local value addition framework is required to achieve the full Nigerian content objectives.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014 ENERGY

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General Electric to invest N121b on local sourcing of goods By Roseline Okere ENERAL Electric (GE) has G unveiled plans to invest $250 million (N40.5 billion) on capital expenditure that will make Nigeria a regional hub for manufacturing, services, and innovation with an improved ability to support a broader range off product lines in power generation as well as oil and gas exploration and production. Also, the company will be spending additional $750 million (N121 billion) in local sourcing of goods/services, labour, staff welfare and training. The President and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric Nigeria, Lazarus Angbazo, told journalist in Lagos recently, that the planned investment is expected to create 2,300 jobs, 300 of which will be direct GE’s hires and the remaining 2,000 indirect jobs created through the company’s suppliers that will support its expanded operations. He added that the company also plans to build a training facility on its manufacturing site to ensure on-going employee development. “The company will provide oneyear to four-year training programmes locally and internationally for repair engi-

neers, welders, fabricators, machinists and special processing”. Angbazo disclosed that the company is collaborating with Cross River state government in adopting the Government Technical College, Ikot Iffanga in upgrading their infrastructure and curriculum, train their teachers and other necessary enhancements that will support the development of top notch technicians and machinists that can be employable in any world class manufacturing outfit. He stated: “Nigeria will make up 90 per cent of the staff and management of the planned manufacturing facility while its local suppliers base is expected to increase from 10 to 100 local suppliers. “This investment will significantly increase the local content of the company’s operations in Nigeria by increasing local ownership of equipment, in-country project execution expertise and use of local legal, financial and engineering services. “In January this year, about 10 indigenous Nigerian companies signed a partnership deal with their foreign counterparts on investment cooperation, technology transfer and training”.

Firms collaborate on safety solution in oil, gas sector By Roseline Okere Concerns Group - an indigenous company, a globally certified supplier of safety equipment and MSA and a United States-based manufacturer, provider and distributor of personal protective equipment have entered into partnership to provide world-class services in Nigeria. The new facility will provide quality safety service solutions, especially for the Oil and Gas sector. The solutions will include project planning and development, maintenance, training, repair and service and service track, among others. Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr Ernest Nwapa, the while commissioning of Future Concern’s safety centre in Lagos, described the company as one of the indigenous players working assiduously to fulfill the local content mandate. He added that the industry is recording appreciable progress due to improved local participation. Nwapa noted that various local initiatives and their enterprising spirit have validated the position of the Federal Government in increasing indigenous participation in the sector. “As you can see I am elated to be part of this epochmaking event today. Indigenous players in the industry have gone beyond rhetorics to establish themselves firmly as a huge stakeholder. Without doubt, the local content policy of the government is yielding great gains.

“Gone are the days when Nigerians celebrated the award of fat contracts in the industry as the only dividend of local content. We have gone beyond that. Nigerian entrepreneurs are now taking on bigger roles by attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and forging alliances with global brands with the purpose of technology transfer and capacity development that could aid the progress of the local content policy. “Jobs are being created for Nigerians in thousands, skills are being acquired and transferred, cuttingedge technology is deployed to solve complex problems. Nigerians are taking charge of their destiny with greater participation in the industry. Managing Director, Future Concerns Nigeria Limited, Tony Oguike, said the new facility would deliver great value to their clients in the Oil and Gas Sector, adding that the experience and expertise of his company convinced MSA to grant FCNL the rights to build the facility. He said: “The Future Concerns Group focuses on the pursuit of excellence, delivering value, worthwhile partnership and exceeding client’s expectations. Our business model is about satisfying the clients and we have been following this consistently since 1997 when we commenced business. Our values are some of the key factors that influenced the decision of MSA to grant us the rights to build an independent service and maintenance centre in West Africa, the first of its kind.

General Manager, Supply Chain Management Addax Petroleum, Valentine Agwu; General (left)Manager, Projects and Operations , Nigerian Content Development Management Board, Paul Zuhumben; Representative of Director, Development of Petroleum Resource , Eriata Orhibabor; and Managing Director, Addax Petroleum, Cornelis Zegelaar, during the forth anniversary of Nigerian content project, in Lagos… PHOTO; SUNDAY AKINLOLU

NOSDRA seeks military support in oil spill control By Sulaimon Salau O further combat the menace of crude oil theft and oil spillage in the Niger Delta region, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has solicited the support of the military in checking the unpatriotic act. The Chairman of Governing Board of NOSDRA, Major Lancelot Anyanya (Rtd), made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Kenneth Minimah, in his office in Abuja. Anyanya, who lamented the

adverse impact of oil spill on the ecosystem, human health, means of livelihood and social peace of oil-bearing communities, said the Army will be of vital assistance to NOSDRA in providing security to the officials in accessing oil impacted sites in the volatile region. He commended the efforts of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the fight against crude oil theft, emphasizing that the efforts would help reduce the rate of incessant oil spills and the associated environmental degradation, which he described as a kind of war

without border because of the multiplier effects. A statement signed by the Deputy Director (Public Affairs), Henshaw Ogubike, quoted the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NOSDRA, Sir Peter Idabor, as saying that the rising cases of oil pollution in the Niger Delta region had necessitated the support of the military in combating crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals. Idabor disclosed that the centrality of the armed forces in tackling oil spill in the country justified their in-

clusion as key stakeholders in the implementation of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP). In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff, who expressed his delight at the visit by NOSDRA officials, said the army will remain committed to partnership with the agency in oil spill management operation in the country. Minimah stressed that this was imperative considering the debilitating effects of oil spillage on socio-economic activities of people and the ecosystem.

Addax highlights impacts of local content in four years By Sulaimon Salau PPARENTLY, the oil multiA nationals in the country could not hold a breath for the significant impact of the Nigerian content agenda, which Addax described as a key to unlock many business potentials within the national territorial boundary. The Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Addax Petroleum Development (Nigeria) Limited, Cornelis Zegelaar, who spoke at the company’s fourth Nigerian Content week in Lagos, said the initiative makes a lot of business sense, hence the need to further entrench local content in the oil and gas industry. Zegelaar, who highlighted several impacts of the na-

tional agenda on the economic development, said it has also been the key factor to project execution in Addax petroleum, particularly the offshore installations. He stressed that the company is operating in full compliance to the Nigerian Content Monitoring Board (NCDMB) tendering and contracting requirement, while it has continuously utilize and support indigenous contractors, which covers about 76.25 per cent of its spending since 2010 till date. He however assured that Addax Petroleum would remain committed to the vision and objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010 (NOGICD Act 2010). “We look forwards to col-

laborating with the NCDMB in the drive for continued growth and development of the oil and gas industry and the nation in general,” he said. Zegelaar said the company chose the theme: “Nigerian Content- Taking Ownership, Adding Value”, in other to emphasised the individual responsibility towards the realization of the Nigerian content goals of human capital development and national capacity building. The Executive Secretary NCDMB, Ernest Nwapa, applauded the company for its commitment towards realization of the Nigerian content goals, adding that the Board has enjoyed its cooperation for the past four years. Nwapa, who was repre-

sented by the General Manager, Project and Operations, Paul Zuhuban, however urged all oil multinationals operating in the country to fully comply with the NOGICD provisions on equity of ownership and equipment. He further enjoined Nigerians that are in the service of the oil firms to always be ready to add value to the services or production processes in their various organisations. The Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management and Services (NAPIMS), who was represented by Ahmed Abdullahi urged the oil firms to ensure a sustainable development of local capacity, infrastructure enhancement and manpower devel-

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Focus Software challenges threaten ATMs The shift from manual to electronic means of delivering financial services in Nigeria is a function of technology. As with every other technological breakthrough, the introduction of the Automated Teller Machines (ATM), despite the relief they have brought to bank customers so far, have also presented enormous challenges. The huge debate about the ATMs has, lately, revolved around the enabling software. ADEYEMI ADEPETUN examines the issues. HEN it was introduced some decades ago, W the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) was meant to reduce traffic in the banking halls, allow consumers have quick access to their money and make life convenient to a certain degree. Thus, the ATM brought with it, great relief to bank customers, who quickly embraced the initiative and showered praises on their banks. But that is only one side of the coin. On the other side, a huge problem exists. The ATM cards and terminals have, in recent time, become a source of worry to both the users and providers (banks), because the functions they were meant to perform have been eroded. An ATM is a computerised device that provides the customers of a financial institution access to financial transactions, in public, without a bank teller. To use the ATM, an individual must insert a plastic card with a magnetic stripe or a smartcard with a chip that contains a unique number and some security information, such as an expiration date or CVC (CVV), all of which confirm the customer’s identity. But the customer must also enter his or her PIN security details to complete a transaction. The ATM machines, such as NCR and Windcor Nixdorf, that were initially developed as cash dispensers, have today, successfully evolved to perform many other bank-related functions. In some countries, especially those benefitting from a fully integrated cross-bank ATM network, the technology performs many functions not directly related to the management of individual bank accounts. Interestingly, a report by Ernst and Young (EY) found out that Nigerians are the heaviest users of ATMs in the world. In its 2014 Global Consumer Banking report, where it surveyed over 32,000 bank customers in 43 countries, including Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, EY discovered that bank customers in Nigeria were among the top countries that use social media when selecting a financial service provider. Interestingly, ATM behaviour can change during what is called “stand-in” time, when the bank’s cash dispensing network is unable to access databases that contain account information (possibly for database maintenance), that is, when there is a network problem. ATMs sometimes deduct money from customers’ accounts without actually dispensing money. This, among others problems, have posed major challenges. Besides, many ATM machines currently face software challenges in Nigeria. It has been established that the software that enables the ATMs to function, the Windows XP, has become vulnerable to attacks. Microsoft, which owns the software, has ended its support for it since April 8, globally, meaning that the software has become more susceptible to attacks, including fraud. But the banks are denying this fact, insisting that there are other functions the ATMs perform, that guarantee relative protection. Prior to Microsoft ending its support for the software, 90 per cent of ATMs downtimes resulted from power failure and network congestions. The Group Head of Heritage Bank, Mr. Tobe Nnadozie corroborated this fact in an interview with The Guardian, when he said that most times, the banks are not to blame for downtimes. According to him, many factors also contribute to it. Nnadozie explained that failure of some core banking applications account for just three per cent of downtimes, stressing that power failure accounts for 60 per cent; network congestion, 30 per cent, and on rare times, fire accounts for one per cent. The Microsoft challenge Microsoft has stated that only about 30 per cent of the about 15, 000 ATMs in Nigeria are currently not vulnerable to attacks, because they are not running on Windows XP. Microsoft’s Country Chief Technology Officer in Nigeria, Olayinka Oni told The Guardian that

Sarah Alade no specific leeway could be granted Nigeria, since “it is global and not exclusive to the country.” Oni said “end of support” means that Microsoft or its hardware partners will no longer distribute software updates for Windows XP. This includes security updates that help protect PCs from viruses, spyware, and other malicious software that could steal or damage personal information. He said the end of support also means that there will be no maintenance updates that improve reliability and performance and also ensure that Windows XP works well with other software and hardware. He noted that retiring a product “is a normal part of the product lifecycle.” He continued: “Windows XP was released in October 2001, and its development began in the late 1990s. While most Microsoft software is supported for 10 years, Windows XP has been supported for more than 12 years, longer than any other Windows version. “It’s been a great run for this popular and even beloved operating system. It’s now time for Microsoft, along with our hardware partners, to retire support for Windows XP so we can focus on supporting more recent technologies for delivering great customer experiences.” Risks and exposures Oni explained that while the systems running the old operating system would likely continue to function but, over time, its security and performance will be affected. He said the system would become less compatible with other products and have less protection against viruses, spyware and other malicious programs. “That’s why Microsoft had been alerting customers since 2010 about the End of Support (EoS) deadline,” he said. On the specific risks, he averred that without the critical Windows XP security updates, the system may become vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software, which could steal or damage business data and information. Anti-virus software will also not be able to offer protection, once Windows XP itself is unsupported. Oni said businesses that are governed by regulatory obligations, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCIDSS) may find that they are no longer able to satisfy compliance requirements, adding that independent Software Vendor Support will no longer support their products running on Windows XP since they would be unable to receive Windows XP updates. He further explained that most hardware manufacturers would stop supporting

Windows XP on existing and new hardware; meaning that drivers required to run Windows XP on new hardware may not be available. Mitigating the impact Oni assured that banks are currently exploring some options that best meet their individual unique situations. He said Microsoft has also provided options for customers in Nigeria and globally to address the situation and mitigate the potential risk of running the old operating system. They include: upgrading Windows XP machine to the new Windows (Windows 8.1 or 7); purchasing the new Machine (ATM/PC) running a new and modern windows operating system and getting a Custom Support Agreement designed for customers who need additional time to complete their migration to a supported product. The details and eligibility criteria for this, he said, could be obtained from Microsoft and its partners. Nnadozie disclosed that the Committee of eBanking Industry Heads (CeBIH) is already in talks with the software giant for a possible soft landing on the issue. The Chairman, CeBIH and Group Head, eChannels, Skye Bank Plc, Chuks Iku said the CeBIH as a body, has engaged Microsoft Nigeria on how to fashion out the means of creating a uniform approach for the migration of the ATM operating system from Windows XP to Windows Embedded 8.1 – the new operating system designed to run on ATMs. He said: “The CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) issued a directive on the installation of antiskimming devices on all ATM terminals in the country, with a view to preventing the ability of fraudsters to copy personal data from the magnetic strip on cards and we committed to ensuring that this is achieved before the expiration of the deadline.” He reiterated the body’s commitment to providing good quality service. Iku also told The Guardian that the major challenge on the issue was the end of support declared by Microsoft, saying the banks were gradually approaching migration. He affirmed that the software challenge “only affects a small portion of the ATMs in Nigeria,” stressing that only terminals that were brought into the country about two or three years ago were affected. But those purchased by a year ago, he assured, came with the new software. His words: “I think majorly, we are talking about ATMs that are older, not the new ones. Most banks have swung into action to protect their customers. I think Microsoft too must shift ground a bit. I don’t think it posed serious threat as we are looking at it. But it is better for

banks to get the improved versions, so that additional benefits will be there. “I will also say this that migration is not solely because of fraud. The migration is because of the enhanced features, part of which include security and increased functionality.” He said the ATMs also have other anti-fraud devices installed in them. According to him, financial institutions, in compliance with CBN’s directive, now have antiskimming, an order all banks must carry out before the end of June. “I can say authoritatively that virtually all the banks have complied with this directive. So it is just the software that is the issue now, but we responding to that as fast as possible,” he added. He explained that the anti-skimming device installed on the ATMs prevent cardholders’ information from being stolen. According to him, it is not proper to say all ATMs are at risk because of the Microsoft software, stressing that banks also have a monitoring system to prevent any breach. According to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Computer Warehouse Group, Austin Okere, the solution is to upgrade of the operating system, “if the ATM is upgradable, which should be free if the banks have been paying their software maintenance fees.” Available data, he said, suggests that many banks have not kept up with the software support fees. Another complication, he said, is that a certain category of ATMs cannot be upgraded because of non-USB interfaces. “These have to be replaced, which will further deplete the already stretched ATM density.” The CWG boss also acknowledged the “serious challenges” posed by unstable power supply and epileptic network connectivity, both of which the ATM cannot do without. “A possible solution will be for the service providers to have enough support offices across the country than depend on engineers being dispatched only from the three commercial centers of Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja. Cross training support engineers on ATMs, inverters and network connectivity will ensure that the first engineer to arrive at the ATM can fix the fault and does not have to call another specialist,” he stated. He stated that if a monitoring system is installed by the provider, it would ensure that the ATM correctly diagnoses itself and provides advice on the correct spare part to be carried to site, adding that a monitoring system would however, require client licenses on the ATMs for which maintenance fees must be paid “but which many banks shy away from.”

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WEF AFRICA2014 Nigeria welcomes the world Over 800 key business and political leaders across the world are meeting in Abuja from today till Friday. It is the first time the nation, and indeed any country in West Africa, would host the prestigious World Economic Forum for Africa. It would be the first time any country in West Africa will be hosting the forum, further underpinning some confidence in the country by an international gathering of elite business, policy and government people who meet yearly to brainstorm on matters of global economy. The theme this year is ‘Forging Inclusive Growth; Creating Jobs’. Of particular significance is that since the World Economic Forum Africa made its debut in 1990 in Switzerland (the only time it was held outside of Africa) it has been held only in South African cities except on five occasions – Zimbabwe (1997); Namibia (1998); Mozambique (2004); Tanzania (2010); and in Ethiopia (2012). The WEF Africa is both an African and global event, which in the last ten years has attracted significant interest and attention from business people and political leaders all over the world. On average, the WEF Africa is attended by over 800 delegates from 70 countries all over the world. The growing interest in WEF Africa is encouraged particularly by the bold steps taken by African countries in the last decade to embrace economic reforms and move away from stagnation to growth. Measurably, the economic reforms have witnessed increased attraction of foreign direct investments (FDIs) and increased international relevance for Africa. Nigeria has always held a special attraction to the global investing community. With a large population and a vibrant and well educated middle class, the country offers a huge market for the international investor. With crude oil reserves of 35 billion barrels and a GDP of $509.9 billion, Africa’s biggest, this economic powerhouse offers one of the most attractive returns on investment in the emerging markets. The recent re calculation of the size of the economy has also thrown up huge opportunities. Francisco Ferreira, World Bank Chief Economist, African region, says the rebasing of Nigerian economy would attract more investors into the country. Speaking at the sidelines of the Spring Meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank the World Bank chief noted that “Nigeria’s GDP, which placed the country as Africa’s largest economy, has exposed its investment potential to the world.’’ As Shoprite, SABMiller, MTN and many other foreign investors are proving, the smart investor will always find this country a very lucrative market especially since the recent rebasing of the economy has exposed high growth and fertile sectors with great potentials to attract new investments in the years to come.

A banker, Mr Ladi Balogun, has identified the growth areas in the economy that should be of interest to investors as consumer products, agriculture, retail services, oil and gas and power while Philip Oduoza of UBA notes that “there would be a lot of opportunities for solid minerals, services, financial services, industries, manufacturing... We have also seen that the Nigerian capital market is undercapitalized. We believe that there would be a lot of opportunities because a lot of investors are going to come in with a view of investing in the Nigerian capital market”. Nigeria’s major economic challenges offer unique investment opportunities: lack of electricity, poor infrastructure and huge unemployment which translates to low labour cost. It is a middle income economy and an emerging market with expanding financial, service, communications, technology and entertainment sectors. It is ranked 26th in the world in terms of GDP and is the largest economy in Africa (based on rebased figures announced in April 2014). It is also on track to become one of the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020. Its re-emergent, though currently underperforming, manufacturing sector is the third-largest on the continent, and produces a large proportion of goods and services for the West African region. The rebasing of the economy has taken into account rapidly-growing contributors to its GDP such as telecommunications, banking, and its film industry. As a result of this statistical revision, Nigeria has added 89% to its GDP, making it the largest African economy.

According to Balogun who is chief executive of First City Monument Bank, the whole idea of rebasing the GDP is to give us a more accurate account of the size of our economy. ‘This means that before now we were underestimating the size of the economy. We have also been able to determine the make-up of the economy, and we can see that it is a lot more diversified than we knew. Previously agriculture was said to be over 40% of our GDP, it now seems to be less than that; on the other hand, the service sector is now a lot more prominent component of the economy than we previously thought’, he notes. A more accurate account of

President Jonathan the make-up of the economy means that the country should have a better idea of how best to allocate resources. Lenders will also assess clearly where they should choose to lend because the larger a contributor to the GDP a sector is, the more support it should get ideally. As the economy has become larger, it should also be more integrated into the global economy; and so we should now receive a lot more attention from the global players. And the more integrated we are into the world economy, the more prone we are to volatility. As the largest economy in the fastest-growing continent of the world, a lot of foreign investors’ interests are coming towards Nigeria. Every global investor should be asking themselves: Do we have a Nigeria strategy? And as I said, the implication of that should be more integration into the global economy. Previously hindered by years of mismanagement, economic reforms of the past decade have put Nigeria back on track towards achieving its full economic potential. Although much has been made of its status as a major exporter of oil, Nigeria produces only about 2.7% of the world’s supply (Saudi Arabia: 12.9%, Russia: 12.7%, USA:8.6%). To put oil revenues in perspective: at an estimated export rate of 1.9 Mbbl/d (300,000 m3/d), with a projected sales price of $65 per barrel in 2011, Nigeria’s anticipated revenue from petroleum is about $52.2 billion (2012 GDP: $451 billion). This accounts about 11% of official GDP figures (and drops to 8% when the informal economy is included in these calculations). Therefore, though the petroleum sector is important, it remains in fact a small part of the country’s overall vibrant and diversified economy. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has not kept up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now imports a large quantity of its food products. In 2006, Nigeria successfully convinced the Paris Club to let it buy back the bulk of its debts owed to the Paris Club for a cash payment of roughly $12 billion (USD). According to a Citigroup report published in February 2011, Nigeria will get the highest average GDP growth in the world between 2010 and 2050. Nigeria is one of two countries from Africa among 11 Global Growth Generators countries.

Prof. Schwab

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WEF AFRICA2014 How it all started HE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM was founded in January 1971 when a group of European business leaders met under the patronage of the European Commission and European industrial associations. Germanborn Klaus Schwab, then Professor of Business Policy at the University of Geneva, chaired the gathering, which took place in Davos, Switzerland. The organization was subsequently incorporated as a not-for-profit Foundation.

Professor Schwab’s inspiration for creating the Foundation was his book –Moderne Unternehmensführung im Maschinenbau – in which the stakeholder principle was first defined. This concept states that the management of an enterprise is not only accountable to its shareholders but must also serve the interests of all stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers and, more broadly, government, civil society and any others who may be affected or concerned by its operations. The Forum was called the European Management Forum until 1987, when it was renamed the World Economic Forum to reflect its expanding scope and transformation from a European to truly global organization. From the beginning, the Forum had considerable impact in improving political, economic and social awareness, acting as a catalyst for major bridge-building efforts. The Forum has provided a critical platform for furthering peace and reconciliation in many parts of the world, promoting understanding between East and West before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, introducing emerging economies such as China and India to the international community, and bring-

ing to the fore the latest trends and developments in many fields. The Forum has also been the catalyst for a number of significant global initiatives, such as the Global Compact (developed jointly with the UN); the GAVI Alliance (initially the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization); the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the expansion of the OECD; and the development of the G20 concept. Over the last 20 years, the Forum has also evolved the stakeholder principle beyond the corporate level to a truly global sphere, stipulating that political, business and civil society leaders must work together to address the challenges of a globally interconnected world. This enhanced dimension has led to the notion of corporate global citizenship, as outlined by Professor Schwab in a Foreign Affairs article published in 2008. What has remained unchanged since its founding is the Forum’s dedication to collaboration among stakeholders, its steadfast adherence to the high-level participation of leaders sharing the Forum’s commitment to improving the state of the world, and the Forum’s trust in the power of dialogue and exchange based on mutual respect and civility to bridge divides and shape effective solutions to global challenges. The World Economic Forum has evolved from a modest yet ground-breaking attempt to convene European corporate stakeholders to discuss business strategies into an organization that today is widely regarded as the world’s foremost multistakeholder platform for public-private partnership.

Boosting inclusive growth in Africa middle class, earning $4 to $10 a day, or to the “floating class”: those with incomes barely above the poverty line. So, much remains to be done to make growth more inclusive. And what has been achieved to date is far from secured: research by the Financial Times suggests that 1 billion people in the developing world are at risk of slipping out of the nascent middle class and back into poverty if external or internal conditions change. And they might. Faltering growth in China is already affecting commodity prices, especially for industrial inputs such as copper and iron ore – an essential revenue source for many governments in the region. Tighter money supply in the United States poses another risk: last year 10 billion in US dollar-denominated sovereign bonds was issued, up from 1 billion 10 years earlier. Now investors pay closer attention to the region’s vulnerabilities, which is reflected in less capital pouring into local currency debt markets and depreciating currencies. These trends matter but the biggest challenge is not cyclical – it’s structural. As the 2013 African Transformation Report points out, better macroeconomic management, governance and incentives for the private sector produced higher growth but did little to change the structures and technology levels of African economies. This sets the continent apart from East Asia in the 1960s, where economies rapidly diversified and moved up the value chain.

Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to remain the world’s second fastest growing region, despite mounting concerns over emerging market turmoil. Its robust growth since the mid1990s is not only a commodities story. It is also a result of better governance, more efficient use of resources and rising domestic demand: two-thirds of Africa’s GDP growth is driven by rising consumption of goods and services, including retail, financial services and telecommunications. The past two decades transformed Africa’s economies and societies. According to the African Development Bank, the continent’s middle class has almost tripled to 326 million since 1980, which roughly equals the middle class population of India or China. This did not go unnoticed by global enterprises: while natural resources are still the mainstay of foreign direct investment (FDI), investment in consumeroriented goods and services is climbing. However, the study also shows that just 44 million in this group make $10 to $20 a day. All others belong to the lower

Jagal welcomes delegates to WEF Africa

In Africa, despite FDI hitting all-time highs, investment in modern non-resource industries is flat. Some regions are less industrialized today than in the 1980s, and less than 10% of the workforce finds jobs in manufacturing. This is tough news, especially for Africa’s young people, who make up more than half of the population: only 25% of those under the age of 25 find regular employment as a salaried worker, and only a small fraction in the formal sector of modern enterprises. In response to this defining challenge, the 2014 World Economic Forum on Africa, which takes place in Abuja, Nigeria, is focusing on inclusive growth and job creation. As Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation, Nigeria plays a crucial role in advancing the continent’s growth. However, with more than 60% of its population living in extreme poverty, Nigeria is also emblematic of the challenge to convert growth into broadbased prosperity. More than 900 registered participants, including more than 650 business representatives, 100 government representatives, and 12 heads of state and government, will engage in an intense and diverse two-day programme.

The Board of Directors and management of Jagal Nigeria Limited (JNL) are pleased to welcome delegates, business leaders and heads of government to Nigeria for the 25th World Economic Forum. Over the years, JNL has been professionally providing its reputable clients with reliable solutions in the field of construction works, even more to clients’ most demanding complex structures and is recognized as a leader in the industry. This is as a result of its continuous innovative and professional approach to cutting edge technologies and timely projects delivery system. Our expertise spans the complete construction industry spectrum, from renovations to multi-million dollar projects. Our team of construction professionals constantly offers solution for all construction related needs. We support our clients from project inception to the commissioning of the fully operational facility. We are committed to quality training and training of our professionals in Health and Safety and modern methods of construction. Services: JNL provides pre-construction/ constructions services, post-construction services, general contracting, construction management, project management, EPC contracting. Core Businesses: JNL specializes in the construction of industrial, institutional/educational, healthcare, transportation, water, telecommunication, marine and technology projects. Core Values: They include customer satisfaction; total quality management to international standards; staff training and manpower development; utilization of the best equipment and technology; co-operation, teamwork and global leadership; empowerment; shared values and competitiveness; as well as unique and excellent result orientation. Value/ safety: loyalty to the client is our utmost interest. We ensure best quality services to our clients at a very affordable cost effective price. We always conduct industry research, thereby keeping us abreast of industry safest trends and other industry safety techniques. Quality: JNL is committed to the delivery of quality products/ services in full compliance with its contractual obligations. Objectives are set in place to ensure that all procurement, construction, testing, pre-commissioning and commissioning activities undertaken on any given project are planned and executed to achieve the required quality. Management Style: JNL adopts customer focus; quality assurance; and process re-design in all its dealings. Our processes are designed to accommodate appropriate inputs in a system that generates quality compliant output, with regards to high performance, reliability, durability, conformity to specification and aesthetic values.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014 | 31

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WEF AFRICA2014 The World Economic Forum is a good platform for Nigeria

Ladi Balogun has been the CEO of First City Monument Bank since 2005. Before then he was the Executive Director and then the deputy managing director. Well educated and widely travelled, has over 20 years experience in banking. He spoke to a team of journalists from The Guardian

refinancing company, I think we will see that sector gradually picking up. So if the mortgages pick up, I believe that the concentration in the corporate would be diluted. In matured economies where mortgages are well developed, the sector account for between 20%-30% of total lending. But here in Nigeria, it is less than 5%. SMEs should account for about 25% of total lending. But I’m not sure we have that in country now. Retail lending should also be a priority lending area. We are one of the few banks that support this critical sector very well. Our retail portfolio accounts for over 20% of our total loan book. By retail here I mean individual customers who borrow for personal and household consumption, and not the SMEs. Most banks do anywhere between five to 15%. We will continue to grow our retail portfolio until we get up to about a third of our total entire book.

Q: What are the benefits of Nigeria hosting the World Economic Forum for Africa this year? A: In spite of our various challenges, I think it is important for the country to continue to play a leading role in Africa. As the largest economy in the continent, we have the critical responsibility in lifting the prosperity of the continent. A lot of the investor interest in the country – both portfolio and foreign direct investment – will have a good opportunity at the World Economic Forum to see Nigeria, interact with Nigeria and Nigerians, especially the key decision makers. WEF will also provide us the platform to welcome some of the key players from other parts of the world to the country. We should also use this opportunity to strengthen our relationships and links with decision makers in the global economy.

Q: With over $500 billion in GDP, Nigeria has recently become the largest economy in Africa due to the recalibration of the GDP. How did you receive this? A: The whole idea of rebasing the GDP is to give us a more accurate account of the size of our economy. This means that before now we were underestimating the size of the economy. We have also been able to determine the make-up of the economy, and we can see that it is a lot more diversified than we knew. Previously agriculture was said to be over 40% of our GDP, it now seems to be less than that; on the other hand, the service sector is now a lot more prominent component of the economy than we previously thought. A more accurate account of the make up of the economy means that we should have a better idea of how best we can allocate resources. As bankers, we can now see clearly where we should choose to lend because the larger a contributor to the GDP a sector is, the more support it should get ideally. I think also that as our economy has become larger, it should also be more integrated into the global economy; and so we should now receive a lot more attention from the global players. And the more integrated we are into the world economy, the more prone we are to volatility. So global shocks will affect us now more than it would when we were perceived to be a smaller economy. As the largest economy in the fastest-growing continent of the world, a lot of foreign investors’ interests are coming towards Nigeria. Every global investor should be asking themselves: Do we have a Nigeria strategy? And as I said, the implication of that should be more integration into the global economy.

Q: What’s the attraction in the retail end of the market? Certainly, the risk is not low. A: The risk is high, but we have over the years we have learnt how to manage the risk well. So for us the attraction is not low risk, but our desire to be an inclusive lender. We do not want to lend to just a few people. We want to support as many people as we can. In an annual basis, we support as many as a quarter of a million people, and usually 80% of those people are first time borrowers. So in every four or five years, we will be supporting a million Nigerians in terms of financial support. It gives me a lot of joy to realize that we are helping households across the nation to meet very critical needs.

Balogun

lending – we give out like 250,000 personal loans every year. Of course, the corporate players – telecoms, oil and gas, manufacturing, etc - are constantly getting the lion’s share of credit. So the contributions of the banking sector to the GDP are largely through its lending activities. The banks are also helping to make payment systems much more efficient as we move into the cashless economy. In the investment banking side, the broader financial service industry also has been active in helping to bring capital to support investment – whether it is mobilizing pension funds into long term debt, raising equity, etc. This long-term capital-raising is beginning to come back strongly. Last year, for example, Oando raised a significant amount of money through rights issue to fund the acquisition of Conoco Philips. We were involved as the lead issuing house. This year, again, Seplat in the same sector is listed on the London Stock Exchange after raising about $500m. Again we Q: In that case, which in your assessment are the were involved as one of the lead brokers. So the banking industry oils the wheels of the economy most attractive investment sectors in the from large corporates to households and so it will Nigerian economy today? If, as people are saying, electricity is the next big thing, what are the continue to be a key contributor to the GDP. others? Q: Now that you’ve mentioned a few of your big A: Certainly power is big investment opportunity ticket transactions, tell us about the success and for the astute investor. We also have oil and gas which also remain very attractive despite the chal- challenges of FCMB in the last 31 years of its exislenges in that area. The divestment of the oil majors tence A: We started from a very humble beginning as a from the marginal fields and onshore fields now merchant bank. Our key strength over the decades offers new opportunities for Nigerian and foreign investors. Our huge population is a good market for has been our resilience. The industry has witnessed a areas like building materials like cement, retail serv- lot of turbulence but we have continued to weather the storm. With our dynamism, we have been able to ices (such as supermarkets and e-commerce) and evolve from a merchant bank to universal bank, then consumer goods. We are also seeing agriculture gaining momentum with the support it is receiving a commercial bank, and in recent times we have become very active in the retail banking. One of the from government policies. So for me, the top five things we take very seriously is that not only do we areas to invest in are: consumer products, agriculwant to be pioneers; we also want to evolve with the ture, retail services, oil and gas and power. economy. We are quick to make the best of the Q: Where is the banking industry now especially opportunities in the market. We’ve been able to display that and that’s part of our resilience in the econin terms of contribution to the GDP? A: Banking still remains a very important contribu- omy. If we were very rigid and stuck in our ways, we tor to the GDP either directly or indirectly through would probably not be around today. In terms of lending to other productive sectors of the economy. growth, clearly in the 20 years or so that we have Nigerian banks’ credit to GDP ratio is improving at operated as a merchant bank, we remained the most profitable investment bank until when we converted a rapid pace with loans growing faster than GDP. Our banking sector is also more and more inclusive. to a universal bank in 2001. I believe that, in the long The micro finance banks are gradually getting their run, although it would be much harder, we can repliact together and extending credit to more and more cate that in commercial banking by being the most profitable commercial bank in Nigeria. We’ve risen people. The commercial banks are also lending to the SMEs. As a bank, FCMB is very active in retail steadily to occupy the 8th position today.

Q: But what’s the performance of the credits to that segment? What proportion is NPL (non-performing loan)? A: The NPL in that segment is around 3%. This is quite low compared to other segments of the market. Q: What of ROE (return on equity)? A: In terms of ROE, we are not where we would like to be. The bank’s ROE is about 14.9%. The Group is may be 1% lower than that, but we are inching steadily and next year we should cross 20% which is a critical threshold for an institution like ours. In terms of absolute profit, we are moving steadily up. In 2001 when we became a universal bank, our PBT then was may be less than $10 million (about N1 billion) at that time. Today, we are at above N18 billion, and with our Q1 results out, we are on course to significantly surpass that this financial year. So that is a very significant increase over the years. We are quite happy with the steady growth we have recorded over the years, but clearly there is a lot of work to be done. Q: Is a lot of this growth from capital market businesses? A: No. Not all. If you look at the composition of the income of the bank today, about 35% of our profit comes from retail business. Another 60% comes from commercial banking business (corporate, public sector and SME) and about 5% from investment banking.

Q: You should owe a lot of your successes to your heritage A: Certainly yes. The foundation that we have is a very solid one. The continuing guidance that we get from the founders of the business is very invaluable. We are still privileged to have one of our early Deputy Managing Directors of the bank, who later became Managing Director, as our chairman today. He is Dr. Jonathan Long. And of course our founder, Otunba Balogun, continues to advise and guide us. So the solid foundation we have had and the continuity of leadership we have enjoyed have helped to add value for our various stakeholders.

Q: The industry also has evolved. Ten years ago, one of the critical challenges in the industry was dearth of expertise in certain areas of the business. What are the challenges now? A: I think the operating environment continues to be challenging, the cost of operating the business is quite high. We are trying to manage that with technology and of course the cashless initiative is beginning to gain momentum. We are still seeing a concentration in lending going to the high-end corporates. I think we should do a lot more in two critical sectors – the SMEs and the mortgages. Right now, our mortgages are stunted by high interest rates. With the promotion of the mortgage

Q: Our economy is beset with huge unemployment problems. What should government and businesses do to create jobs? A: We need a concerted effort where everybody has a role to play. The financial services industry must become a lot more inclusive. We have to ensure that our services get to more and more people, smaller and smaller customers because the jobs we need in the country would not be created by big industry. It is the micro- and small enterprises that would cumulatively create the jobs we need to make a dent on the huge unemployment in the country. If we can get credit down to that segment of the economy, they themselves would become employers. Second, we should also target certain sectors that we know are labour intensive. Agriculture, for example, is such an important area that if we support it and grow it well, we can spawn a lot of jobs there from. We are involved, working with various partners, on a scheme that will create three million new jobs in the agricultural sector. We are focusing on farming and not just the value chain in that area. So in the next 15 years, we will help create 3 million jobs. We have a blue print on this and our role will be essentially financial support. What’s more? This initiative is in northern Nigeria where people generally believe is not a place for job creation. As a country we must drive up export to create jobs for two reasons. One, export on itself creates jobs, two, if our export becomes bigger, our balance of payment improves and when this improves, our exchange rate stabilises and when our exchange rate stabilizes, interest rate will comes down. One of the reasons interest rate is high right now, is because we try to defend the naira. If we are to use tight monetary policy for a very long time, it will continue to stifle the economy because people’s ability to invest is constrained when the prevailing interest rate is very high. So the more we have export promotion or import substitution, the better the exchange rate becomes and the better the balance of payment becomes. This can then bring down interest rate which can stimulate investments and create more jobs. As a bank we are supporting export business and local manufacture of goods that would substitute imported ones. This to us will benefit the entire economy and enhance the sustainability of our own business thereby it is actually at the heart of our business strategy.

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WEF AFRICA2014 Wednesday 7 May Private Industry and Constituent MeetingsWelcome Reception Thursday 8 May New Solutions: Rethinking Education -As Africa aims to move up the value chain, how will its education deliver a competitive academic workforce? Solutions to be addressed Developing collaborative networks -Funding research and innovation -Retaining and attracting researchersIndustries for Impact How can African industries realize the impact of moving up the value chain? Session Objectives: -Map current industry landscape -Discuss key barriers to upgrading -Define innovation agendaNew Voices on Africa’s transformation Thursday 8 May Africa Rising How robust and inclusive is Africa’s growth story? Dimensions to be addressed: -Impact of global financial normalization -Implication of a Chinese slowdown -State of structural transformation The African Consumer How can businesses successfully serve Africa’s growing consumer markets? Dimensions to be addressed: -Segmenting markets -Adapting business models -Overcoming logistics challenges Community Break Thursday May 8 Special Addresses Unlocking Job Creating Growth Africa is the world’s second fastest-growing region, yet only one in four persons holds stable, wage-paying jobs. How can the continent’s growth strategies be more inclusive and create jobs? Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award The Schwab Foundation announces the 2014 Social Entrepreneur of the Year from different sectors and countries across the region Thursday May 8 Community Lunch New Solutions: Diversifying Development Finance How can African societies make the most of diverse capital for development? Solutions to be addressed: - Coordinating public and private finance - Tapping into bonds and remittances - Strengthening development finance solutions Preparing for tomorrow’s weather How can Africa’s businesses and economies build climate-resilient growth strategies? Session Objectives: - Understand critical climate threats - Discuss adaptation and mitigation options - Set priorities for business and government Thursday May 8 Metrics that matter What metrics and implementation strategies make growth more inclusive and sustainable? Session objectives: -Discuss drivers and constraints -Highlight gaps in information access and reliability - Identify institutional frameworks to shift incentives An Insight, An Idea with Luz Inacio Lula da Silva A conversation with the 35th President of Brazil, Luz Inacio Lula da Silva, on how to orient a nation on a path to Inclusive growth Securing the future While interstate and civil wars have receded, non-state violence involving contending armed groups and communal violence is increasing. How can Africa best respond to emerging security threats? Thursday May 8 Community Break Africa Investment Outlook How can investment drive diversification and inclusive growth in Africa? Dimensions to be addressed: - Financing growth industries - Reinvesting returns from resources - Interacting with global capital marketsRespecting Human Rights How can Africans protect human rights in a time of rapid societal transformation? Dimensions to be addressed: - Bridging diverse values and cultural practices

Events

- Leveraging traditional and new media - Revisiting restrictive policies Thursday May 8 New Solutions: From Gender Gap to Growth How can increased women leadership increase economic development and growth? Solutions to be addressed: - Engaging more women in STEM education - Accessing finance for entrepreneurship - Developing policies to shift social programmes Sustaining Business in Africa How can businesses in Africa deliver both social and market returns? Sessions objectives: - Identify potential conflicts and trade-offs - Share best practices in talent developments - Explore the role of technologyFrom skills gaps to lifelong learning How can innovative education and training partnership create an adaptable workforce

Session objectives: - share models for upskilling youths - explores ways to standardize qualifications - understand metrics to measure impacts Thursday May 8 Governance in Africa: Who is accountable? Africa has seen impressive economic growth and a transformative journey from developing continent to hub of global economic growth. Yet the continent’s outlook is threatened by rising inequality and high youth unemployment and potential social instability. What constitutes the future of governance in Africa? - How can citizen participation and institutions be sustainably improved in transition contexts? - How will improving BreakInvesting in Healthgovernance improve the African state? Community How can innovations in health be scaled through investment and entrepreneurial development? Dimensions to be addressed: - catalysing investment through enabling

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WEF AFRICA2014 Events continued

- extending reach through new technologies - enhancing public health institutions Thursday May 8 An Insight, An Idea with Baroness Amos A conversation with OCHA’s Under Secretary General on building a secure future in Africa Partnering for Prosperity Africa attracted a record $42 billion in foreign direct investment last year. How can global, regional and local partnerships be enhanced to strengthen and diversify Africa’s growth trajectory? Culture Night hosted by the federal government of Nigeria Friday May 9 Private Sector, Public works How are innovative public-private cooperation models accelerating investment in crucial infrastructure? Dimensions to be addressed: - Financing partnerships - Strengthening regional coordination - Strengthening transnational institution Africa’s Got Talent: Why is education failing youth? Despite Africa’s impressive achievements in enrolling students in education over the past decade, there is an enormous mismatch between the skills demanded by employers and the learning outcomes aimed for by educators. How can education be transformed to prepare students for existing jobs and inspire entrepreneurship in young people to create jobs for the future? - What are the three reasons for the gap between education and employment readiness.? - What roles should teachers play and how can technology support them? - How can the private sector invest in education, shape curricular and develop students’ entrepreneurial thinking? New Solutions: Growing jobs in agriculture How can an agricultural revolution create productive jobs and healthy economies in Africa? Solutions to be addressed: - Refocusing economic incentives - Engaging youth in the agricultural value chain - Improving access to information and land rights Friday May 9 Resources for the future How can Africa maximise the economic and social returns of its resource wealth? Dimensions to be addressed: - Enforcing taxation and transparency - Designing sustainable business model - Using big data to manage resourcesYoung and Restless With almost 200 million people aged between 15 and 24, Africa has the youngest population in the world. How is Africa’s young generation shaping its future and the future of the continent? Urban Africa With every second African projected to live in a city by 2035, how can the continent’s urban hubs drive sustainability and inclusive growths Session objectives: - Map key urbanization trends and drivers - Identify economic and societal implications - Prioritize institutional, business and technology responses Friday May 9 Community Break Welcome to Africa How can travel and tourism become a driver of inclusive growth - Improving travel facilitation and infrastructure - Creating jobs and fostering entrepreneurship - Protecting wildlife and other natural resourcesFragility Today, prosperity tomorrow

How are inclusive development strategies helping to restore peace and stability Dimensions to be addressed: - Revitalizing investments in troubled regions - Rebuilding trust in governance and institutions - Ensuring positive business practices Friday May 9 An Insight, An Idea with Tony Elumelu A conversation with an investor and philanthropist on challenges and opportunities in Africa’s emerging markets From 2015 – 2063: Accelerating Africa’s Transformation The African Union Agenda 2063 envisions a prosperous and united Africa based on shared values and a common destiny. How will Africa’s leaders and citizens turn this vision into action? Global Growth Companies and Award Ceremony The World Economic Forum will recognize Global Growth Companies honourees from 36across the continent Friday May 9 Sub Regional Lunch: Eastern and Southern Africa Exchange insights with business, government and civil society leaders from Eastern and Southern Africa Sub Regional Lunch: Western and Central Africa Exchange insights with business, government and civil society leaders from Western and Central Africa Community lunch Friday May 9 New Solutions: Africa Online Solutions to be addressed: - Bolstering ICT Infrastructure - Building brands and businesses online - Stimulating local creative content Realizing Regionalization How can Africa’s economies accelerate regional integration? Dimensions to be addressed: - Harmonizing regulations - Facilitating mobility of human and financial capital - Strengthening regional organizations Financing the future How can financial services support inclusive growth in Africa Session objectives: - Identify key challenges for financial industries - Discuss new models to bank the unbanked - Understand the potential of private equity Friday May 9 Engaging in Energy How can Africa overcome the paradox of being energy resource-rich and access poor? Dimensions to be discussed: - Increasing investment through privatization - Improving resource efficiency - Tapping into renewable resources Community Break Africa Growth outlook Africa’s economic growth is forecast at 5.2%, yet tighter financial conditions and weaker resource demand are surfacing growing pains. What challenges and opportunities are shaping Africa’s growth outlook? May 9 Closing Remarks Farewell Reception

Speakers

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As part of this research, we interviewed dozens of individuals, ranging from students to teachers to parents, and all told a similar story: they do not have access to paper books, they are thrilled to now have thousands of free books on their mobile phones and they are now reading more than ever. The study discovered that women and girls in particular are benefitting from having a new way to access books, reading up to six times more than men and boys, and that parents regularly read to children using mobile phones United Nations Educational, Scientific, and A Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report has revealed the extent to which the mobile phone is fast aiding literacy growth in developing countries. The report, titled “Reading in the Mobile Era: A Study of Mobile Reading in Developing Countries, made available to The Guardian, consisted of an analysis of over 4,000 surveys in seven developing countries on reading from mobile devices. The report came after a year-long study and explained the demographic profiles, habits, and preferences of mobile readers of seven countries — Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. It is interesting to note that in Nigeria, there are currently about 130 million active mobile telephone lines, while about 155 million are connected, with over 90 per cent teledensity. The number of Internet users through the GSM platform in the country is currently firm at 63 million, with Nigeria controlling 29 per cent of Africa’s Internet penetration. According to UNESCO, which carried out the study in collaboration with Worldreader and Nokia found out that quite often, in places where physical books are scarce, mobile phones are plentiful, stressing that even while mobile phones are still used primarily for basic communication, even the simplest of phones are a gateway to long-form text. UNESCO acknowledged that the inability to read from books are “receding” due to the spread of inexpensive mobile technology, saying that mobile phones have paved the way for “new, affordable, and easy-to-use” methods to reading materials. The UNESCO report added that the Internet has “accelerated” the spread of information and “democratized” access to it. With the addition of digital networks, computer processors, and liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, the production costs of reading materials have decreased. Director of Digital Publishing and Mobile Platforms at Worldreader, Elizabeth Hensick Wood,

‘Mobile phones aiding literacy in developing countries’ “we now have two years of data proving that people are spending hundreds of hours a month reading short and long form text, using basic feature and Android phones. “As part of this research, we interviewed dozens of individuals, ranging from students to teachers to parents, and all told a similar story: they do not have access to paper books, they are thrilled to now have thousands of free books on their mobile phones and they are now reading more than ever.” The study discovered that women and girls in particular are benefitting from having a new way to access books, reading up to six times more than men and boys, and that parents regularly read to children using mobile phones. Besides, the study also showed that a vast majority of people enjoy reading more on their mobile phones, and that mobile reading often reverses people’s negative attitudes towards reading.

Contrary to what many may think, only 18 per cent of the respondents cited cost, or “use of airtime,” as a potential barrier to reading more on mobiles. This is likely due to platforms such as the Worldreader Mobile platform on biNu, which compresses data and brings the cost of reading to roughly 2-3 cents per every 1,000 pages read. Instead, lack of relevant content was cited as the number one barrier to mobile reader adoption by 60 per cent of the respondents. The UNESCO report disclosed that despite the positive efforts, gaps still exist. According to the UN body, 40 per cent of the world’s population has Internet access, stressing that among developing countries, 16 per cent fewer woman use the Internet than men. In Africa, the study said seven per cent of households have connections to the Internet, which is a significant drop compared to European household with 77 per cent connectivity. According to the UN report, “the question remains: How do we bring text to the unreached? How do we make reading material accessible to,

say, a girl from a poor family in the northeast of Ethiopia where over 50 per cent of her female peers will never go to school? How do we provide text to young people in remote Pakistani villages, or adults living in slums outside Rio de Janeiro? What mechanisms exist to get books into the hands of the poorest people on Earth?” A mobile device, especially phones, was the immediate answer to UNESCO’s own question. U.N. data stated six billion of the seven billion populating Earth have access to functioning mobile phones. Referenced as a “gateway to long-form text,” mobile phones can access the same book for a fraction of a physical book’s price. With over 4,000 people across Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Zimbabwe surveyed, respondents were asked if and how reading on mobile devices changed their habits or attitudes towards reading, what they wanted to read, what enables them to continue reading, and what were central barriers to mobile reading. The U.N. organization learned that more people read on mobile devices. The study showed more people read books and stories to children from the mobile devices. The study also stated that governments should take a lesson on the impact and expansion of mobile technology rather than traditional paper-based technology. “It is UNESCO’s hope that mobile reading will be integrated into broader educational systems that teach people how to use text productively — from access to comprehension, and all the stages in between,” the report added. The study noted that indeed, UNESCO does recognize that the expansion of mobile devices may not immediately solve illiteracy, but can help provide people the tools to enhance and sustain their literacy skills. “[Mobile devices] can help people find good books and, gradually, cultivate a love of reading along with the myriad advantages that portends — educationally, socially and economically.” To the UNESCO author of the report, Mark West, “a key conclusion from this study is that mobile devices can help people develop, sustain and enhance their literacy skills. This is important because literacy opens the door to

Global Smartphone shipments hit 286m in Q1 HE number of smartphone shipments is estimated to have T reached 286 million in Q1 2014 according to Juniper Research representing 34 per cent year on year growth (y-o-y) and one per cent quarterly growth. Samsung accounted for 30 per cent of all smartphone shipments globally, with an estimated 85 million shipments during the quarter. While the company’s market share remained broadly flat on the previ-

ever first quarter, shipping 43.7 mil- emerging markets where smartphone adoption is currently limlion iPhones, representing a y-o-y growth of 17 per cent. Nevertheless, ited, growth will be fuelled the Apple’s shipment volume fell by 14 continuing fall in retail prices for per cent compared with the tradi- entry level smartphones. Juniper anticipates that the global ASP (Avtionally strong fourth quarter, while its market share slipped from erage Selling Price) of smart18 per cent in Q4 2013 to 15 per cent phones will decline at an average in Q1 2014. This slowing growth is yearly rate of 3.8 per cent over the ous quarter, this represented a record expected to continue in Q2 2014 due next four years with the decline Q1 for Samsung with a y-o-y growth in to the fact that in developed mar- most marked in the Indian Subkets, the opportunity for growth is continent, followed by Africa & shipments of 25 per cent. Middle East. Meanwhile, Apple also posted its best extremely limited. Conversely, in

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40 i-Tech & Telecoms Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Nigeria needs skill, funding and infrastructure to boost local technology industry Mrs. Funke AlomoOluwa is the Managing Director, ChamsAccess Limited, a subsidiary of Chams Plc, an indigenous identity management and transactional service provider. In this interview with ADEYEMI ADEPETUN, she spoke on the opportunities and challenges inherent in Nigeria’s electronic payment industry. Excerpts Can you share with us the latest trends in the secure payments industry, and what it portends for the Nigerian market? NNOVATION in the application of new technology and business models to make payments more secure and convenient for consumers is trending. As such mobile payments entailing the use of mobile banking apps, SMS/USSD-based transactional paymentand NFC mobile payments are on the rise in both developing and developed markets with non-financial institutions joining the payments value chain using technology infrastructure that facilitate transactions. This was a task that was the exclusive preserve of banks. The payment cards industry in which ChamsAccess plays a significant role in the Nigerian market has extended its frontiers beyond credit, debit and prepaid cards, ATM, PoS, and Internet banking. It is one of the strongest areas of business growth with huge revenue potential for participants in the global financial services industry. The scramble for the mobile payments pie is ongoing. About two years ago, CBN estimated formal payments penetration in Nigeria at 36 per cent. Nigeria lags behind South Africa with 59 per cent formal payments penetration and Kenya’s 52 per cent. The CBN deployed mobile payments in the Nigerian market with over 120 million active mobile phone subscribers to further deepen formal payments penetration. The daily transaction volumes from NIBSS are pointers to the gradual achievement of this goal. In a matter of years, cash will no longer be the predominant means of transaction in Nigeria, and the huge gap between the formal and informal economy will be bridged. How well are you coping with the disruption being caused by mobile banking applications to channels such as ATMs and PoS in the payments space? Digital disruption is not peculiar to the payments sector only; globally businesses are embracing the innovation that comes with it, and are transforming their business models in alignment with this reality. Locally, banks are investing in transformation into digital businesses. I am certain that you aware of social banking from GT Bank which makes it very convenient for their customers to view their account balance, perform money transfers, and open accounts, all on Facebook. As a technology solutions provider to banks, we are abreast of mobile banking apps and how it will change our payments industry dynamics. We are working with our global partners that include DataCard, Bitel, and KingTeller to deliver integrated solutions. . While integration of mobile banking applications with PoS, and the use of contactless payment cards are an emergent trend, we are presently focused on meeting the immediate needs of the market players. Though cash is on its way out, it is still a strong payment option in the Nigerian market even as global payment standards are embracing mobile options. Frauds are commonplace in the e-payment industry. Can mobile payments provide consumers with any safeguard against the increasing sophistication of e-payment frauds? Naturally, every innovation will have pros and cons, with areas for improvement as the solution becomes more utilised. The risks of mobile transactions can be managed. For instance, the network-connected nature of mobile phones and devices mean that the payment mechanisms in the phone can be shut down if the phone is lost or stolen, the payment applications parameters can be changed immediately with new applications and security updates can be added almost instantly. On the other hand, just like other e-payments channels, mobile payments have its vulnerabilities. You and I know that mobile phones were not initially designed for payment transactions resulting in issues with the current generation that could turn into major problems if not handled properly. For example, the keypads in mobile phones are not secure like the keypads in the PoS terminals. It is taking a new generation of mobile phones design to embed secure keypads that verify and do not pose high risk to payment transactions.

survive and retain competitive edge, local players are left without choice but to constantly readapt and align with global trends. Unlike the banking sector with dominant homegrown brands, there are very few local success stories in sector. A large chunk of the market, especially the highly profitable fast moving consumer goods segment in which products like phones and computers belong, is dominated by multinational technology brands. Clearly, there is presently a dearth of skills, funding and infrastructure in the Nigerian market to support such a venture. However, Nigeria’s technology ecosystem is evolving with massive influx of foreign venture capital into the service sub-sector of the industry. Overall, there is need to bridge skill, funding and infrastructure gaps to ensure the holistic development of the local technology industry.

For example, you service the financial services sector which is experiencing operational and technological changes as a result of ongoing transition from cash to cash-lite economy, and more recently, the introduction of biometric solution for customer identification. What does this portend for your business? The cash-lite initiative and biometric matching solution for customer identification by the banks are most helpful to our business. They are a validation of our business case and prior investments in the e-payment space before the enunciation of these two policies. Let us consider the area of PoS, the Central Bank of Nigeria set a target of 350,000 deployments by 2015. It means increased patronage for us from the banks and other end users. Cashless policy is boosting the adoption of electronic channels and usage of payments cards across the country, which is good for our business and indus-

NIMC gets global certification HE National Identity T Management Commission (NIMC) has formally

Alomooluwa Given the peculiar infrastructure challenge of the Nigerian market, do you think adoption of new technologies can make any difference? Infrastructure is Africa’s greatest challenge, you will agree with me that it has not prevented technology from making significant difference in markets like Kenya. Let’s use mobile payments as an example, the Kenyan market boasts of one of the most successful global deployments. Bringing it closer home, corporations doing business in Nigeria continue to invest in bestin-class technology to reduce operational cost, improve customer satisfaction and profitability. The telecoms companies, multinational manufacturing companies, and banks in the country are leveraging new technologies to improve business performance. For instance, we are in talks with banks in the country on the deployment of DataCard CardWizard for instant issuance of payment cards. This is a new technology that will redefine payments card issuance in the country. Talking about instant issuance solution, how will it redefine the payment cards industry in Nigeria? Instant Issuance of payment cards is a new technology being deployed by leading banks in the sophisticated financial markets of Europe and the Americas. The solution makes it possible for new and existing customers of banks to walk into their branch to pick up a fully-functioning debit and credit card that are encoded with exceptional security features and are personalized in a few minutes. In markets where it has been deployed, available data indicate that banks using the solution record higher debit and credit cards activation rates than banks that are not using it. No doubt, this will lead to greater card usage by Nigerians. ChamsAccess is a player in this field, are you equipped to tap this window of opportunity? We are adequately equipped to provide expert service and support for financial instant issuance. Our partnership with DataCard world’s largest provider of identity and card payments solution makes us very strong in this regard. There is constant knowledge transfer from DataCard to ChamsAccess through capacity building programmes. ChamsAccess and DataCard have taken this a step further by involving the banks, exposing them to innovations in card issuance. Not forgetting that we are an integral part of Chams Plc; the leading provider of identity management and transaction solutions in the Nigeria market with 28year heritage of innovation and customer success. How is ChamsAccess differentiating itself as technology solutions provider in the marketplace? As a business, our duty to the customer is to deliver exceptional service or product that is more useful and desirable than alternatives provided by competition. In segments where there are no alternatives, as well as segment in which we have many competitors and the grey market to contend with, we have been able to differentiate the ChamsAccess brand through innovation, first-class consumer experience, responsiveness, expert support service and consistent quality delivery. What is your assessment of the local technology sector? It is about the fastest growing sector of the Nigerian economy due to the pressure of innovation on the global technology industry. To

received global certification that stamped its system as secured and protected. At a ceremony in Abuja, the British Standard Institute (BSI) issued INMC the ISO/IEC27001, which is said to be the first time a Nigerian institution would be received such certification. BSI, which performed the

audit around ISO/IEC27001, is described as having over 100 years of experience on global best practice. Shahs Barhom, general manager, Training of BSI in charge of Middle East and Africa, presented the certification to NIMC management, said, “today I have the great pleasure to announce that NIMC has been satisfied to be world wellknown standard for information security, ISO/IEC

27001. I offer my sincere congratulations to every member of staff for being part of this. “Congratulations for becoming the first national authority in Nigeria to achieve this world class certification. This certification is a visible demonstration that NIMC is competent, leading to increased stakeholders and customers’ confidence in its operations.”

NIG proffers solution to slow pace of Internet penetration By Bankole Orimisan HE Nigeria Internet Group through its President Engr. Adebayo Banjo has highlighted what it considered to be the clog in the wheels of speedy acceleration of internet across the country, The experts in the sector during an interactive session with the newsmen in Lagos over the weekend. He bears the mind of the organization on various issues, but top of his agenda was the need by Government to manage the pertinent problems affecting the acceleration of internet in Nigeria which he pegged at (1) the cost (2) speed (3) reliability and (4) devices. He said the Government policy of awarding global license encourages anti competitive activities among big and small opera-

tors that can also lead to sabotage. Engr. Banjo re-emphasize the solutions which he said he has been clamoring for many years now, that government must hands off the internet business completely and allows a level playing field by awarding license without restriction that will break Nigeria into zones and provide options for global license acquisition too without interference on frequencies. He said Government should influence with policy that will protect innovations, stop monopoly and increase the advocacy for internet rather than a direct investment, but should also subsidize the internet delivery cost and bandwidth for at list a period of five years that this will serves as incentives that will attract

investors to come in into the business. More so, he cited India as an example of a country that has similar problem of unemployment and developmental issue like Nigeria but has leverage on the huge potentials provided by the internet to solve these problems and has resulted in the growing her economy and also creating jobs for her citizens. He never stop to wet the appetite of the press on the global issue of cyber threats which he describe as yet to graduate into a cyber crime in Nigeria but at the stage of what he called “a cyber assisted crime”, and he promise a more detail discussion on the cyber crime and other related issues in the NIG cyber security Summit 2014 slated for later in the year.

Govt tasked on intelligent surveillance solution to address insecurity By Faith Oparougo HE Federal Government has been urged to invest more in Intelligent Video Surveillance (IVS) solution, in order to address the rising insecurity situation in the country, occasioned by insurgencies emanating from different quarters. Speaking at the showcasing of the modern Internet Protocol (IP) digital cameras at the weekend in Lagos, Enterprise Solution Manager at Huawei, Joseph Olayemi said the IVS solution from Huawei, works differently from other IP surveillance camera, because it uses low bandwidth connectivity, which enables easy deployment at reduced cost of ownership. He added that the bandwidth conectivity would enhance sharp image capturing at high speed, which could be streamed online to a central intelligent point, from different locations and from different branch locations. He noted that the security solution could be configured to generate alarm that could be connected to mobile phones and email address to alert its users when the need arises. Olayemi explained that the IP cameras could cover a distance of about 20 to 25 metres for indoors and outdoors surveillance, which provides an intelligent service when installed in the city, so that the surveillance can have clear view of an on-going object in the environment. Also speaking, Senior Solution Manager at

Huawei, Michael Lee further, added that with the bandwidth connectivity features, the solution could enable the IP cameras to cover distances above 10 kilometres using the Wireless Fidelity (Wi Fi) connectivity. According to Lee, outdoor IP cameras could be installed at distant positions of over 10 kilometres apart and connected to each other with Wi Fi technology or with the Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, which enhances its efficiency in capturing images of unwanted persons, even from far distances. The Associate Vice President, Computer Warehouse Group, Dayo Abegunde, while commending the solution for the role it could play in addressing insecurity in the financial sector, the oil and gas sector and other sectors of the economy, said CWG would be on ground to support the solution, train engineers of different organisation and government agencies that would deploy the solution and also assist them in deploying the solution in the most cost effective way. Stakeholders at the event applauded the Huawei IVS, especially in its ability to address insecurity in the country, they called on government to develop a single national database for the country, where the data of all Nigerians captured, could be stored and retrieved when needed.

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014 i-Tech & Telecoms 39

Telecoms operators drum support for govt over poor services By Bankole Orimisan HE Association of Licensed T Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria over the weekend appealed to Federal and States Governments to assist them to proffer a solution on the issue of poor services in the industry. The association’s Chairman, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, told news in Lagos that challenges in telecommunications should not be a concerns of the operators alone. He maintained that the operating environment was not

conducive enough to maintain uninterrupted services. Adebayo said the Federal and States Governments should synergise and come to their aid in solving the issues of multiple taxation and regulations affecting the growth of the industry. Adebayo said that no business would thrive in an environment where resources that could have been used in network upgrading were diverted to the repairs of damaged telecommunications infrastructure in violence prone areas. He said the Key Performance

Indicators parameters set by the Nigerian Communications Commission do not reflect their performance and challenges of the industry. According to him, poor services will still persist as long as social problems such as willful damage to telecommunications infrastructure and epileptic power supply are still lingering in the country. “In countries where those parameters are set, power supply, security and free access to sites are guaranteed with no interference from different government agencies.

Firm unveils quickteller to encourage e-commerce growth pan-African integrated A payments company, Interswitch Transnational, has partnered with Nigerian ecommerce startup, Tripican.com, to offer customers ‘Quickteller Movies’. Quickteller Movies provides a convenient way for movielovers to pay for their cinema tickets using the Quickteller platform. According to the firm,Quickteller users no longer have to queue to purchase tickets at the cinema box office. The tickets themselves are also cheaper when purchased through Quickteller. The partnership with Tripican is part of Quickteller’s drive to help Nigerian startups to make the most of the fast-growing Nigerian e-commerce industry and get more consumers to appreciate the

benefits of digitally delivered services and payments. To purchase movie tickets, users must simply follow these steps by following- Visit https://movies.quickteller.co m, Select your chosen of movie- Select the date- Select your preferred time, preferred cinema and number of tickets - Pay using your debit / ATM card- Receive confirmation via email or SMS - Bring your confirmation to your movie Quickteller provides customers with a simple and secure way to recharge, pay bills and transfer funds. Quickteller services can be accessed through multiple channels including: ATMs, mobile, PoS and online. Mr. Mitchell Elegbe, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Interswitch

Transnational Holdings, said: “Interswitch is delighted to have partnered with Tripican.com to deliver Quickteller Movies to cinema-goers across the country. Quickteller is passionate about innovating new digital services for the more than Two million active cardholders that use Quickteller every month at ATMs and online.” “This latest partnership is another example of Interswitch’s commitment to Nigerian e-commerce startups. In December 2013, Quickteller also partnered with Ariiyatickets to enable customers to purchase event tickets through the Quickteller platform.” Mr. Opeyemi Awoyemi, CoFounder and Investor, Tripi-

38 i-Tech & Telecoms Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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Osun threatens MTN From Tunji Omofoye, Osogbo SUN state government has threatened to confiscate the base stations of mobile telecommunications operator, MTN over its alleged failure to pay the right of way permit fees due to the state government running into N399,409,800.00. The base stations had on April 7th, been distrained by the officials of Osun State Internal Revenue Service (IRS), but later released two days

after following the intervention of Emmanuel Seton, a top management of the communication outfit. The Acting Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Internal Revenue Service, Dayo Oyebanji in a standing order statement made available to reporters in Osogbo said that the state government would shut the services of the company in the state following the failure of the organization to

ATCON holds AGM, NEC elections HE apex telecommunications industry association in T Nigeria, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) will hold its yearly general meeting and National Executive Council (NEC) elections May 13, in Lagos. ATCON holds its NEC elections every two years and the constitution of the association allows a maximum of three terms for which a NEC member may be re-elected on a particular post. A statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Ajibola Olude stated that this year’s election would bring on board active industry players who will contribute meaningful ideas that will help shape the future of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria. Olude said quite a number of key industry players are expected to jostle for the various positions in the NEC elections. The incumbent President, Lanre Ajayi is also constitutionally eligible to contest in the elections. In all, elections will be held to pick members into 13 key offices. The offices are that of the National President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, General Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Financial Secretary and Treasurer. Others are the offices of Sub-Group Coordinators for Telephone Operators, Infrastructure Providers, Internet Services Providers, Equipment Dealers, Manufacturers and Consulting. He said the sub-group coordinators are in the NEC of ATCON to provide adequate and effective representation for their respective service sub-sector in the Nigerian telecommunications sector, saying that through them, issues affecting the respective service sub-sectors are brought to the larger umbrella body for consideration and appropriate resolution of the issues.

pay the outstanding right of way permit fees. The revenue service said that the organization had reneged on its promises to pay the permit fees on or before April 8. The revenue boss drew the attention of the management of MTN to the assessment bill with reference number HW01/MT/09/66 dated February 19th 2014 and the notice from Internal Revenue Service (IRS) dated March 26th in respect of the outstanding payment of right of way permit on the optic fibre operation in the state. The letter reads, “Please be informed that the issue of nonpayment constituted one of the reasons why we distrained five of your mast base stations in our state on April 7, 2014 which were released on April 9th 2014 based on the mutual understanding with Samuel Seton during our meeting of the 8 of April, 2014 that the payment should be effected on or before April 15, 2014. “We therefore wish to express our disappointment on the failure of your organisation to fulfil your civic responsibility in respect of this payment despite several demand notices. “In this regard, we are therefore left with no other option than to confiscate your base stations in our state provided we do not receive payment on or before the close of business on April 25, 2014 to the coffer of the state government.”

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Money ‘Sunshine laws’ and extinction threats: The economic perspectives The planned scraping of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission may have hit the high gear as government’s White Paper Committee has given its nod. Is this economically viable, given the nation’s struggle to effect fiscal discipline among various level and arms of government. CHIJIOKE NELSON aggregates the economic perspectives. Fyou are not the parent, you do not know how “I to train,” so says the popular adage in the Eastern part Nigeria and if it is something to go by, it may not be difficult to decipher the difficulty ahead of the nation’s Fiscal Responsibility Act, also known as the “Sunshine Laws.” Comparatively, the laws have worked in many countries, helping them to instill discipline in fiscal management of public resources, coupled with transparency. In our country, since inception, the commission saddled with the implementation of the Act has struggled under meager resources, which in turn hampers its operations and initiatives. The records, if they are as well something to go by, showed that the imminent short life span of the commission, has earned and/or preserved revenue for its principal- the Federal Government, in excess of investments into it, comparing other agencies. But more important, we are particular about the strategic and economic positioning of the agency to nation building- growth and development, which is the ultimate goal of government. So, which agency fits better to handle initiatives that the initiator ‘failed’? FRA, which came into force in 2007, seeks to infuse prudence, transparency and accountability into the management of our public finance by inter alia checking excessive public borrowing and indebtedness. It lays down guidelines on how to strike a balance between governments’s proposed expenditures and revenue targets. Again, the law encourages inter-generational equity, savings as well as sustainable investments in human capital and physical infrastructural projects. The FRA’s elaborate provisions adequately cover the process of preparation of MediumTerm Expenditure Frameworks (MTEFs), as well as the nation’s yearly budgets. Indeed, with planned scrapping of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), which is the institution specifically established to oversee the implementation of the FRA, it may be worth arguing that all these may be at risk and at best, the laws will become ineffective. The Lead Director of Centre for Social Justice, Eze Onyekpere, has stressed that it is imperative to undertake a critical review of this recommendation, which the government white paper has already adopted in the light of national and comparative experience. According to him, we would like to copy or emulate best practices from other jurisdictions. Functional FRCs, like that of India, Brazil and Mexico do not have mandates that are mixed up with politics, rather, they are insulated from political interference for them to be able to make sound fiscal judgements and recommendations, which do not necessarily respond to the immediacy of politics. “Scrapping the FRC and transferring its functions to another agency that has a primary political function, not centred on fiscal governance will defeat the aims and objectives of the FRA. It will therefore leave the FRA without a sound body to oversee its implementation on a day to day basis,” he said. Noting that many states have enacted the Fiscal Responsibility Law, while others are in the process of enacting one, the state level FRCs would look up to the experience of the federal FRC for guidance and mentoring. Scrapping the FRC sends a very powerful wrong message to the states and the message is “scrap your own FRCs and fiscal responsibility is no longer in vogue.” “If we seek to prune down the cost of governance, we will not be closing an FRC, which in five years did not get a cumulative budgetary allocation of

more than N3.735 billion, but on whose prompting, scheduled corporations paid operating surplus as follows: N17.097 billion in 2009; N36.766 billion in 2010; N71.060 billion in 2011 and N95.366 billion in 2012. We need more of such FRCs rather than rationalising the existing one. “We seem to be in love with the international community and always cite recommendations of our policy by international bodies and rating agencies. I do not see the current action as one that will earn favourable pundits by international organisationscommitted to fiscal transparency. This is a one step forward, there steps backwards approach. It will earn us a poor rating and condemnation. Yes, the FRC whose tenure just expired was not the dream team that should have moved Nigeria to the promisedfiscal Eldorado; but it is for government to select a new team and come out with our first eleven in fiscal governance that should enforce fiscal prudence within the ambit of the law. We may also consider amendments to the FRA to make it more functional. “Scrapping the FRC will portray the government in bad light as it seems to be the fulfillment of a policy trajectory of the government. Government, from the enactment of the FRA till date, did not take its obligations under the law seriously. MTEF and budgets were enacted without popular participation; they came late and capital budgets were hardly implemented. Budget implementation reports were published over six months after they fell due; borrowing continued without a consolidated debt ceiling as envisaged by law and without cost-benefit analysis, etc. In essence, it appeared the present administration was looking for a reason to scrap a law it never believed in - a law it saw as a shackle to its propensity for profligacy. “A new agency taking over the functions of FRC will start a new learning curve before it gets to the level of the old FRC. This will take another four or more years of waiting. Can Nigeria afford to continue the unnecessary wait? At a time, we should be building on existing experience, we are seeking to start de novo. “The poor state of our fiscal governance on its own makes a case for a special oversight body to continue to call the authorities to order, remind them of their due tasks, conduct studies and pro-

Mark

Onyekpere

vide best practices to ensure that we toe the path of other countries that have used fiscal prudence to grow their economies and achieve rapid development. And the FRC is best suited to undertake this assignment. However, this time around, the membership of the FRC should not just be for politicians, who do not have the passion for enhancing accountability and transparency; who have no track record on the subject matter in issue. It should be an assignment for those with a burning desire for change and who have over the years demonstrated a commitment for fiscal transparency. “As a civil society, we are sick and tired of being perpetual rescuers and cleaners of the system. We fought vigorously for the FRA through endless newspaper and electronic media contributions, workshops, seminars and roundtables, various publications, attending legislative hearings, town hall meetings, among others. The current direction is the first step towards throwing out all our efforts through the window. After these struggles, no one who actually participated in the campaign for the enactment of this law was allowed to come near the commission as a member, even in the capacity of the civil society repre-

sentative who was a part time member of the Commission,” he said. Also, Victor Abel of the Citizens Wealth Platform pointed out that the move to scrap the FRC will constitute a setback, coming as it is at a time when the relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are becoming acquainted with the oversight roles of the FRC. Again, the agency is beginning to develop working relationships with multinational financial institutions and development partners, therefore scrapping it now will send the wrong signals worldwide. It will take the RMAFC forever to familiarize itself with the functions of the FRC, learn the ropes and begin to deliver; we cannot afford the delay, not when year 2020 is around the corner. “Abolition of the FRC will, certainly, leave the FRA in limbo and cosign it to a jurisprudential muddle. The FRA will have to be amended to delete the provisions relating to the FRC and substituting them with the RMAFC. On the other hand, the Constitution will have to be amended to expand the scope of the functions of the agency. The main losers in all this rigmarole will be our economy and the reform process which will be impeded,” he said.

WEF Africa and its nuggets HE World Economic Forum is an T international institution consisting business, political, academic and other leaders committed to shaping global, regional and industry agendas towards the improvement of the state of the world through public-private sector cooperation in the spirit of global citizenship. Incorporated in 1971 as a non-profit foundation, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, this the first time Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation, would be playing host to WEF Africa (WEFA). WEFA, has held its meetings on Africa mustly in Cape Town, South Africa, its regional headquarters. But the 2014 edition moved to Nigeria in the heart of West Africa, considered the fastest growing subregion, representing Africa’s largest business opportunity. WEF Africa 2014 is the 24th edition and will see participants actively engaging in constructive interactions and debates on the theme: “Forging Inclusive Growth, Creating Jobs”. WEF Africa 2014 will bring together regional and global leaders in business, politics and civil society to discuss how integrate and structurally reform the natural and eco-

nomic potentials of Africa to deliver benefits to all citizens. WEF Africa 2014 will be chaired by the former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, who will also make a presentation during the Private Sector Session. President/CEO Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, will be one of the seven Co-Chairs of WEF Africa 2014, including Bineta Diop, Chair of the Executive Board, Femmes Africa Solidarite, Switzerland; Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, MaKinsey & Company, UK, and Jean-Francois van Boxmer, Chairman/CEO, Heineken Netherlands.Other Co-Chairs include Jabu Mabuza, Chairman, TelKom Group, South Africa; Sunil Mittal, Founder/Chairman, Bharti Enterprises, India and John Rice, Vice Chairman, General Electric, Hong Kong. About 67 speakers from 26 countries, including Founder and Executive Chairman, WEF, Klaus Schwab, will make presentations during the three-day meeting. President Goodluck Jonathan will lead the 12 speakers from Nigeria, including Ministers of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madudueke; President Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Yonov Frederick Agah,

Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization, WTO, Geneva; Biola Alabi, Managing Partner, Alabi Media Consulting; Akudo Ikemba, Founder/ CEO, Friends Africa (Friends of the Global Fund Africa), Kola Karim, Group Managing Director/CEO, Shoreline Energy International; Stephen Onasanya, Group Managing Director/CEO, First Bank of Nigeria and Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando PLC. Participants will attempt to identify the challenges and opportunities shaping Africa’s growth outlook, and how Africa’s growth strategies could be made to be more inclusive and create jobs and accelerate regional integration. Discussions will focus on how investments in Africa can drive diversification and promote inclusive growth, particularly finding ways African economies can overcome the paradox of resource curse, where, despite the hugely rich energy resources, the people remain largely poor. WEF Africa 2014 will provide the opportunity for African leaders to attempt to align the global narrative with the local perspective to shape the future development path for the continent. Debates will strive to initiate inno-

vative partnerships to bridge the skills gap to create an adaptable workforce capable of adopting inclusive development strategies to help restore peace and security in the continent. Apart from private business opening session on Wednesday May 7, 2014, various sessions will be held over two days, May 8 and 9, 2014 on a myriad of issues. The arena sessions will offer top government, business and civil society leaders opportunity to interactive and debate on a wide range of issues on the theme. The Interactive sessions will provide in-depth understanding of new, emerging or complex issues aimed at expanding the dialogue, while new solutions sessions will highlight the creative approaches to solve some of the region’s intractable development issues, including education, development finance, gender gap, agriculture. The One-on-One sessions will afford inspiring individuals from business, government, academia and civil society to share their insights on transformational ideas. The plenary sessions will open the conceptual framework for discussion on important trends and themes.

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Maritime ‘Appointment of NSC as economic regulator will ensure uniform charges’ By Moses Ebosele HE appointment of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) as economic regulator for the ports is intended to improve services and provide a platform for central administration of commercial operations, Chairman Governing Board of NSC, Lt Gen Salihu Ibrahim (rtd) has said. According to Ibrahim, the appointment will usher in uniform charges and rates for uniform operations and activities. Speaking at a forum in Lagos, Ibrahim emphasized the resolve of the Council to partner with all stakeholders in the industry. “We have invited you (Stakeholders) to this meeting so that together we can look at the best ways to make our new assignment a huge success for all of us”, said Ibrahim. He told the gathering that the appointment is also inline with the present administration’s transformation agenda to sanitize the ports and make it conducive for business. “It is also intended to herald the standardization of operations where defined rules and regulation will guide the day to day activities in the ports. “You will agree with me that the appointment of an economic regulator for the port industry is a welcome development that is intended to improve services in the ports and also provide a platform for central administration of commercial operation which obviously will usher in uniform charges and rates for uniform operations and activities”, Ibrahim added. Speaking in a similar vein, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Hassan Bello, said the council has resolved to boost the capacity of its workforce in line with the renewed mandate. Bello said:“Our cardinal guidelines is consultation and communication. We are going to operate democratic regulations. We need the inputs of all the people. If the process is successful, its success is for all the parties in terms of regulation and revenue. Its beneficial for NPA and terminal operators. “Capacity to regulate is one of the factors that influenced the Federal Government to name Shippers’ Council the economic

Ibrahim

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regulator. Shippers Council has been performing some regulatory functions. “Therefore, NSC has the pedigree, trained staff and other tools to carryout this regulatory functions. “However, it is important that we build further capacity. There are areas we have to build capacity. This we have already started. We have had training on regulation especially scientific ways of determining tariffs. We also had training to access the efficiency of ports, to carryout audit on weather a terminal is efficient in accordance with the concession agreement. “Our capacity will be geared towards accessing the quality of

service and setting standard for providers of services. We will have capacity tariff assessment. “To have capacity on efficiency of the terminals and also capacity on quality of service from providers. We will build further capacity on investment. It is very important that NSC advised the government on the right investment in transport infrastructure especially in the deep-sea port and others. “We have the experience and pedigree. We also need to have intense capacity building. The resolve to grow capacity is deliberate. It’s concise and deliberate”, Bello added.

NIWA tasks boat operators, passengers on safety By Moses Ebosele S part of measures to preA vent fatalities associated with boat mishaps, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has urged boat operators to adhere strictly to all safety procedures including compulsory use of life jacket by passengers. In a telephone chat with The Guardian, the Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Mu’azu Sambo advised passengers within the metropolis not to board any boat that compromised on established laid down rules. Sambo explained that the area office has a standing Safety Compliance Team (SCT) whose primary mandate is to ensure that safety standards are complied with. Urging passengers to wear their life jacket properly, Sambo said based on recent mishaps,the safety team has reinvigorated its schedule through increased frequency of visits to passenger jetties especially during peak periods to ensure that all safety standards are enforced He explained that in the cause of the team’s oversight functions, “it is not unusual to find life jackets that are below standards by way of quality or wear-and-tear, in all such cases, such life jackets are seized for destruction and the operator is required

to provide acceptable alternatives”. Besides, he said the area office distribute hand bills which according to him provide information about what is expected of passengers and operators while on water. He said the manifest scheme, unveiled recently by the agency is designed to assist in getting information on commuters when mishap occurs. Speaking on the manifest scheme recently, he said “We introduced the use of manifest at our jetties following the recent boat mishap at Majidun in Ikorodu, that was attributed to overloading. “The manifest would help in checking overloading, providing names of commuters, point and time of embarking and disembarking, next of kin, as well as their cell phone numbers. “Such information is necessary in case of any mishap considering the peculiarity of this mode of transportation”. The Managing Director of NIWA, Hajia Maryam Ciroma recently pledged the commitment of the agency to fully implement safety code. Ciroma also advised boat owners in the country to give adequate priority to the safety of Nigerians who live in the riverine areas and rely on boats as a means of transportation Speaking at the flag off of a

safety campaign on waterways in Nupeko and Malale in Niger State, Ciroma explained that the agency has observed that Nigerians living in riverine areas do not like wearing life jacket. Ciroma said that the campaign is intended to sensitize Nigerians in the coastal areas on the need to observe safety measures that will preserve

their lives in the event of any accident on the waters. Ciroma observed that the two recent boat mishaps in Nupeko and Malale could have been avoided if safety measures were observed. She explained that when the accidents occurred, NIWA moved in quickly to cushion the effect on the victims by donating relief materials such as life jackets to people of the Communities.

Ciroma said:“We realized that it is not enough to just donate these life jackets. We have to really explain to the boats owners and operators how to make use of these jackets effectively so as to help save lives in the course of future accident that may occur. “We are visiting these two Communities not only to enlighten them on all the necessary guidelines but to

Association seeks support for capacity building in maritime sector HE Nigerian Association of Master Mariners at the T weekend in Lagos urged multinational firms operating in Nigeria to partner with the Federal Government in the area of capacity building in the maritime sector. President of the association, Capt. Ade Olopoenia who spoke at an interactive session with Journalist expressed the group’s readiness to engage oil majors such as ExxonMobil, Chevron among others in the training of Nigerian seafarers. He also cautioned parents and students on the proliferation of substandard maritime academics across the country. Olopoenia said Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State is the only recognized nautical college in Nigeria. Urging members of the public to be vigilant, Olopoenia said some students have been taken for a ride in the process. He also used the opportunity to appeal to the government to appoint professionals into key position in the maritime sector. Okonjo-Iweala

also make additional life jackets available for the use of these Communities. “We hope that at the end of our visit, the Communities would have been able to embrace all the necessary safety guidelines on our waterways”. Ciroma said the campaign would be taken to all geopolitical zones across the country, especially in the

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Cosco, APMT, others bid for Piraeus port HINA’s Cosco Group has expressed interest in purC chasing most of the 67 per cent stake in the Greek Port of Piraeus (OLP). Other bidders expected to show interest in the transaction scheduled to end by December this year are from Ports America, Maersk unit APM Terminals, private equity firm Cartesian Capital Group, Manila’s ICTS and investment company Utilico Emerging Markets Limited. Meanwhile, Cosco Pacific has pledged another $313.8 million for capacity expansion over seven years in return for exemption from fees paid to state-owned OLP port. Piraeus according to agency report has continued to grow volumes 15 per cent to 3.1 million TEU in 2013, increasing net profit 12 per cent to EUR8 million during this fiscal year. The asset sale of the state-owned port adds to a trend of picking Chinese-backed bids following its latest development of a prime waterfront property at the former Athens airport Hellenikon, said Greece’s privatisation agency. Available information indicates that the sale will contribute to Greece’s EUR240 billion bail-out which has been made possible by foreign investment from China, Russia, United State of America (USA) and the European Union. The European Commission recently announced plans to probe fourteen of the world’s largest ocean carriers over an alleged price-fixing. The carries include Maersk Line, Cosco Container Lines, China Shipping Container Lines, CMA CGM, Evergreen Line, Hapag-Lloyd, Hanjin Shipping, Hyundai Merchant Marine, MOL, Mediterranean Shipping Co, OOCL, NYK, United Arab Shipping Co and Zim. According to agency report, Danish shipping group Maersk, Swiss-based MSC, France’s CMA CGM, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd and Taiwanese Evergreen have confirmed that they are among the shipping lines under investigation for anti-competitive behaviour. APL, the container shipping arm of Singapore’s Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), Hamburg Sud, Yang Ming, “K” Line, Pacific International Lines and CSAV, according to the report are not subject to investigation at this time. It explained that the probe will focus on price-fixing following raids on several European offices in May 2011 which included carriers that have been discounted from the anti-competitive behaviour. The competition watchdog will examine whether any breach of rules occurred since 2009 when shipping lines announced price-increase intentions in press statements

or via their websites. The report explained further that the European Commission requirements differ from the United States of America’s Federal Maritime Commission which requires publishing on its website within 30 days of rate increases. Meanwhile, container cargo volumes from Europe to the east coast of South America fell nine per cent between August and September this year, to 74,114 TEU, yet volume in the third quarter was still six per cent higher than the previous quarter. Making reference to Datamar figure, Drewry explained that Imports from northern Europe from AugustSeptember decreased five per cent to 54,000 TEU, while imports from the Mediterranean dropped 18 per cent year on year to 20,500 TEU. Year-to-date, total container volume grew six per cent compared to the first nine months of last year, taking the southbound total to 668,000 TEU. Imports from northern Europe were up eight per cent to 471,000 TEU, while imports from the Mediterranean increased two per cent to 197,000 TEU. Exports from ECSA to Europe also fell five per cent between August and September, down to 68,462 TEU. Traffic to northern Europe rose 1.4 per cent to 48,000 TEU, but container cargo to the Mediterranean plummeted 17.4 per cent to 20,724 TEU. According to the report, this means that third quarter 2013 northbound traffic was only 1.4 per cent higher than the previous quarter, with exports to northern Europe growing 0.6 per cent to 137,200 TEU, while those to the Mediterranean increased three per cent up to 67,200 TEU. During the first nine months of the year total exports out of ECSA decreased by almost six per cent year on year to 589,400 TEU. Traffic to northern Europe dropped 5.7 per cent to 396,500 TEU, while volume to the Med fell 6.4 per cent to 193,000 TEU. Reefer cargo, an important component of ECSA’s exports to Europe, fell by 4.6 per cent in the first three quarters compared to the same period a year earlier to 227,000 TEU. In spite of the six per cent rise in southbound cargo between the second and third quarter, ocean liners made few changes to their schedules after July 1 2013. The number of services remained the same, only port rotations were amended, and vessels upgraded. Average vessel size between July and November increased from 6,422 TEU to 6,590 TEU. Overall annu-

alised southbound vessel capacity rose by 4.5 per cent to 1,653,000 TEU. Northbound capacity was up by 11 per cent to 1,165,000 TEU. Drewry concludes that “having seen what happened when supply and demand in the Asia/ECSA trade lane got hopelessly out of balance between April and October, ocean carriers will be reluctant to rock the boat any further between Europe/ECSA,” adding that vessel sharing will remain popular. In a related development, ship owners have once again turned to more dry bulk carrier ordering over the course of the past week, as more and more appear convinced of the industry’s long term prospects. In total, shipbrokers reported a total of 77 new orders for ships with an aggregate carrying capacity of 8,080,772 tons, out of which, 44 transactions were reported at an undisclosed price. According to Piraeus-based shipbroker Golden Destiny, the total amount invested stood at $1.5 billion for 33 new orders (involving many vessels each). The shipbroker noted that out of the 77 new vessels ordered, 37 were dry bulk carriers, 14 were tankers, six were container ships, two were car carriers, three were gas tankers, while the remaining 15 were special projects. In total, the weekly newbuilding activity was 57 per cent higher than previous week and a rather impressive 83 per cent up over the similar week of last year. According to Golden Destiny, “the largest volume of newbuilding activity is reported in bulk carrier segment with focus in ultramax/kamsarmax/capesize vessels and VLCC tankers. Orders for bulk carriers and tankers held 48 per cent and 18 per cent share respectively of this week’s ordering activity; special projects follow with 19 per cent share and containers with eight share”, said Golden Destiny. It added that “at a similar week in 2012, 42 fresh orders had been reported with zero reported business for tankers (nine bulkers, six gas tankers, three containers, two car carriers and 22 special projects). Compared with previous week’s levels, a large increase of 61 per cent is recorded in the volume of new orders for bulkers (37 new orders from 23 last week). In the tanker segment, there is a 13 per cent weekly decline with 14 new orders from 16 last week. In the offshore segment, there is 200 per cent weekly increase with 15 new orders from five last week and high valued contracts for jack up drilling rigs.

Apapa Customs records N29b revenue in April By Moses Ebosele OR the month of April 2014, Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa area command 1 collected N29.4Billion revenue compared with N55Billion recorded between January and March. Speaking at a forum in Lagos recently, Customs Area Controller (CAC) in charge of the command, Charles Edike explained that delays and challenges associated with the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) has been successfully tackled. According to Edike over 28,861 PAAR were issued by Apapa Customs in April, adding that the figure surpasses what three Destination Inspection (DI) service providers were able to achieve during the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) regime. He attributed the increase in revenue to dedicated staff and improved technology. He said PAAR document is currently being issued within hours of entry submission, pointing out that importers or agents should desist from making declarations that are self-contradictory. At inception of PAAR regime, according to Edike, over 99,000 RARs were left unattended to by the Destination Inspection service providers. Explaining further, Edike said: “We are happy that PAAR is coming out beautifully. I must say that we are coming out of the storm gradually and as we speak, PAAR is being transmitted with ease. PAAR is rolling out smoothly and before the importer gets home after processing his/ her form M”, the PAAR will be ready.”

A press statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO),Emma Ekpa explained that in the face of tariff increase for imported rice, which constitutes a good percentage of the revenue collected by the command, “efforts have been intensified to block all possible areas of leakages and ensure maximum collection of all monies due to the government on import duties through the area”. The statement added: “In 2011, out of a total of N235.2Billion collected for the year, N131.4Billion was from rice alone while in 2012 out of N285.6Billion total collection achieved for the year,N125.3Billion was from rice. “A sharp drop in revenue from rice through the command was recorded last year (2013) when out of a total of N250.2Billion, only a paltry sum of N10.1Billion was made from rice due to the policy. “Although the increase in tariff on imported rice from 60 percent to 110 percent has affected the command’s revenue adversely, it was better for Nigeria and Nigerians as the good intentions of government is paying off with the increasing number of rice farm across the country which will not only boost local food production but also increase employment of citizens in the agricultural sector. “Presently, a little increase on rice importation is being recorded as importers are taking advantage of a technical committee quarterly review of the free on board value on the commodity from some countries, this has however not changed the government’s stand on tariff”.

Maersk Container ship

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Industry CPC’s long walk to protect consumers The aphorism that “the customer is king and is always right” has gained wide acceptance in marketing parlance, particularly in enhancing customer service. In Nigeria however, the reverse seems to be the norm as consumers have long been exploited and their rights infringed upon. There seems to be a growing imbalance of power relations between producers and consumers of goods and services, with the former enjoying an advantage. To address this anomaly, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) was established by Act No. 66 of 1992 to provide holistic protection of the consumer in line with the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection of 1985, to give the Nigerian consumer hope of redress when wronged by a product or service they have chosen to use. Though it commenced operations only in 1999, when its institutional framework was put in place, the agency needs a lot of support to fulfill its mandate. With efforts ongoing to sanitise the Nigerian market place, FEMI ADEKOYA examines CPC’s long walk to fulfilling its mandate. N many climes, consumer protection laws are Ifrom enacted to protect the interests of customers unfair value exchange. The Consumer Protection Act has been designed to ensure fair trade competition and the exchange of truthful information in the consumer marketplace. The laws associated with consumer protection are designed to prevent businesses and organization from engaging in fraudulent and unfair practices that specifically aim to gain an unfair advantage over competitors in the marketplace, while jeopardizing the interest of the consumer. In Nigeria, the quest for profit maximization has led most businesses to engage in unethical practices, which have endangered the lives of consumers, leading to sporadic complaints from individual consumers. Unlike other developed climes, there seems to be no real organized mass movement of consumers to fight for the protection of the rights of the consumers. This has left the bulk of the work of consumer protection at the doorstep of the government. According to industry watchers and early studies, this is a phenomenon that is common to most developing countries, where consumerism, has been more of a matter of government policy through legislation and efficient enforcement than a matter of engaged public support. Successive governments in Nigeria have set up agencies like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), and recently, the Consumers Protection Council of Nigeria (CPC), to protect and safeguard the rights of consumers against unwholesome practices of producers and suppliers. Precisely, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria, supervised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, remains the apex consumer protection agency of the government. Its core mandate as empowered by the Consumer Protection Council Act Cap 25, LFN 2004, is to, among others, provide speedy redress to consumers’ complaints, remove hazardous products from the market, cause an offending company to protect, compensate and provide relief to injured consumers, encourage the adoption of appropriate measures to ensure that products are safe for intended use, ban the sale of products which do not

Aganga comply with safety or health regulations, undertake investigation of consumer abuse and prosecute violators of all enactments for protecting consumers. Addressing consumerism in Nigeria Across virtually all sectors of the Nigerian economy, the issues and challenges relating to consumerism and consumer protection are verse. The Nigerian consumer is continuously saddled with substandard goods and services, coupled with inadequate sensitization and limited choice in the market. These challenges have necessitated the need for government’s intervention as a regulator in the market place to address the undue advantage enjoyed by producers of goods and services at the expense of consumers. Indeed, consumers have over the years expressed one form of discontent or the other against the activities of organizations, with which they engage in trade relationships. This has led to the growth of mass movements (a phenomenon referred to as consumerism) that have forced marketing and business firms in general in most developed countries, especially in Europe and America to respond favourably and adopt better ways of delivering goods and services to the consumers. In Nigeria, the CPC remains the key ombudsman that can give aggrieved consumers redress as well as unfettered access to courts to pursue their rights if properly empowered. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Olusegun Aganga said the present administration in the past two years has worked assiduously to produce new legal and regulatory framework for competition and consumer protection sating that there is currently a draft on federal competition and consumer protection bill being considered by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for onward transmission to the National Assembly for passage into law. Aganga during the formal presentation of the draft national completion and consumer protection policy prepared by his ministry pointed out that the draft bill delineates the institutions, laws, regulations, orders, rulings and other implementations and enforcement tools that will allow competition and consumer protection matters to be dealt with. “Mindful of the need to chart a coherent policy direction that will guide any future direction and legislative initiatives in the sector and conscious of the need to make the reforms sustainable, there is a need to spell

Atoki out a policy framework that will regulate consumer protection and competition matters in Nigeria,” he added. The Director-General, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, recently noted that it would no longer be business as usual for business entities that choose to violate consumer rights in the country. According to her, the agency would partner other regulators across the sectors to seek measures on how to effectively address consumer complaints as well as provide redress in such situations. Sectoral intervention as a viable strategy Going by the level of rot in the market place, Atoki noted that the agency hopes to fulfill its mandate through sectoral interventions that would ensure that key objectives are attained. Indeed, the intervention commenced with the telecommunications sector where the agency launched a Compendium of the Rights of Telecommunication Subscribers in Nigeria. “Like most interventions and innovations that have such an immense bearing on the general populace, abuses are prevalent. Such abuses remain unabated if the consumers of these products or services know little or nothing about their rights in this regard. On the other hand, the conglomerates that provide these products or services benefit from the apathy of the uninformed consumers. “The Nigerian consumers of telecoms services have been unable to assert their rights due largely to ignorance of these rights and where to complain. Therefore, in celebrating the World Consumer Rights Day, with the theme ‘Fix Our Phone Rights’, the CPC believes that the way forward is to codify the rights of telecommunications subscribers so that they can access, read and understand these rights.” Atoki added: “These rights come under segments such as poor network, unsolicited services, unlawful deductions/non-transparent billing, exploitative automated services, unauthorised SIM swaps/line disconnection, poor Internet services and poor customer service. In the food and beverages sector, the agency sanctioned a global brand, Coca-Cola for noncompliance with established safety standards and regulations. Similarly, in the aviation sector, the CPC evoked the Passenger Bill of Rights (PBR) in Consumer Protection Regulations of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCAR) and other extant consumer protection enactments on airline operators in Nigeria. According to the consumer protection agency, the move to evoke Part 19 of the NCAR was necessitated by the need to address the

unabated violation of consumer rights in the industry. Atoki noted that the regulations, which had been neglected by airline operators, would become operational and would address issues of undue delays/cancellation of flights without proper notice and compensation, mishandling of passengers’ luggage, poor customer relations and lack of redress for aggrieved consumers. Making the bites harder with enhanced regulations Despite the fair attempts that have been made by the CPC and regulators, the truth remains that the Nigerian consumer is a long way from being king in the real sense of the word. Some industry observers believe that the enactment of consumer protection law in Nigeria is only an attempt at consumer protection. The level of consumer awareness in Nigeria is still relatively low, thus culminating in the near absence of consumerism or action against unwholesome business practices. Specifically, they believe there is a need for the agency to embark on sustained sensitization of consumers on their rights and also push for the amendment of specific sections of the CPC Act to give aggrieved consumers unfettered access to courts to pursue their rights. Building a followership of responsible consumers According to experts, consumer protection is not a one-way street and requires consumers to act responsibly as no quantum of protection can secure irresponsible consumers. Consumer Protection is a process that involves consumers, service providers, producers and the government in a blend of roles and responsibilities. This presupposes that for consumer protections to exist, prevail, and be effective, every actor in the value exchange process must be actively informed, involved and supported. Of critical importance is the essence of consumer and business education as a government responsibility in achieving desired objectives. It is believed that even with the presence of consumer protection organizations, consumers, thus, have a responsibility of learning to read labels of products to check the ingredients, date of expiry, among others since no organization or law will do so for them at the point of purchase. Similarly, consumers are to read and understand contracts there are given to sign before appending their signatures.

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Stakeholders seek collaboration to drive real sector’s growth Stories by Femi Adekoya TAKEHOLDERS within the Sadvocated Nigerian real sector have a collaborative effort in driving the growth of commerce and industry in the country, particularly that of small enterprises if desired economic growth and development would be realised. Specifically, they sought government’s intervention across all levels in addressing the challenges of infrastructure deficit and ease of doing business in the country. Speaking at the maiden edition of the Commerce and Industry award organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in Lagos at the weekend, the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola empha-

sised the need for stakeholders to support the growth of the real sector. According to him, commerce is the driving force of the economy, and with a monthly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of N20 billion, the importance of commerce for the state’s growth cannot be emphasised, adding that, it remains the reason why the state would do what it can to support organizations, including small and medium businesses. Fashola, who was represented by the state’s commissioner of commerce and industry, Mrs Olusola Oworu said: “A few years ago, we reckoned that to achieve greatness, we must focus on the provision of power, the expansion of agriculture, the provision of prop-

er, organised transportation systems and affordable housing. “As a state government in a federal system of government, there are constraints limiting what we can achieve, especially in the power sector, but we are constantly finding creative solutions to these problems. That is why we embarked on building Independent Power Plants, a project that we are constantly expanding so that in some years, power will no longer be an impediment to conducting business in Lagos State. “Although today we are celebrating companies in the public and private sectors, which have contributed most meaningfully to the development of commerce and Industry in different sectors

of the Nigerian economy in the past year, I urge others to emulate these companies. “If you all do your part to ensure the growth of commerce and industry, you will not only be contributing to the economic growth and development of Nigeria, but also to the individual growth of your companies.” President of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello added that though the investment environment has remained challenging for business operations, it has brought the best out of entrepreneurs. “We are celebrating enterprises that have excelled in the economy amidst multitude of challenges in the investment environment. We are excited that many of them are also indigenous enterpris-

es. Value creation is at the heart of wealth creation, while the main drivers of wealth creation are private enterprises. We need to recognise the drivers of growth in the nation’s economy”, he added. Bello stated that the objective of the award was to celebrate private and public institutions operating in Nigeria for their best practices, growth through innovations, business sustainability and positive impact on the society, adding that the award seeks to promote healthy competition among corporate organisations as well as public sector institutions. “While the government is fixing the power sector, security challenges, infrastructure issues, institutional bottle-

necks, corruption, the private sector must move on. The enterprises nominated have not only moved on but have excelled”, he noted. On his part, National President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, expressed optimism on the award further encouraging organisations to improve on their contributions to the development of the nation. Indeed, over 550 entries were received from virtually all sector of the economy with metrics for selection based on the firms’ impact on society, best practices, growth through innovation and business sustainability.

Dangote Cement rewards distributors with N1.2b ANGOTE Cement Plc has with the 2013 star prize of D rewarded 850 of its local N62m for having sold about distributors with a total pack- 373,000 tonnes of cement in age of N1.2 billion for their commitment in promoting the brand across the country in 2013. In his remarks at a ceremony held in honour of the distributors in Lagos, at the weekend, the chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote expressed optimsim that with the support of distributors, the company was on course to attain its ultimate goal of being the leading cement manufacturer in the world in a few years to come but definitely in Africa by the year 2016 with nearly over 65m tonnes in capacity. He commended the distributors for their unflinching commitment and loyalty to Dangote cement, which he said, remains the number one cement in the Nigerian market in spite of the intense competition. “We would not have achieved this without your tremendous contribution and support that is why we have gathered here tonight to show you our sincere appreciation for bringing us up to the level where we are today,” he said. He expressed his delight over the efforts of the distributors in fine tuning their marketing strategies to remain on top of the game as demonstrated by the excellent result posted by the company which he said has allowed them to remain in pole position. Of the 850 rebate recipients, Chinedu and Sons Ventures having come 13th in the 2012 maiden edition, improved their rating as they went home

2013, the highest sold by any distributor. In commending him, Dangote said: “His meteoric rise attests to the unrelenting spirit of human enterprise, I enjoin all of you not to rest on your oars as it is easier to get to the top than to remain there. The future belongs to those that are innovative and creative in their approach to doing business.” He used the occasion to formally introduce the new 42.5 grade cement, which he noted was a product of many years of research and development. He also disclosed that very soon the company will be introducing the 52.5 grade of cement which it already has certification for into the market, in order to serve consumers with options that will deter them from using the 32.5 grade. Dangote used the occasion to assure the distributors that the company had no plans to increase the cost of cement despite having incurred extra costs in production. “As an ethical organisation we believe in putting our customers and our consumers first before profit and that is why we struggling to make sure that we improve on the standards of cement not only in our company but in the whole country because we believe in creating value in a sustainable manner we believe in making our products affordable to enable the ordinary Nigerian have a roof over his head,” he said.

National Relationship Manager, Lafarge, Ibrahim Zitta(left); Customer Services Manager, Lafarge, Nathaniel Shoforasin; Managing Director, Young Ade Blocks Industry, Ayobo, Yusuf Adeoye; and Managing Director, RASCO Blocks Industry, Baruwa, Alhaji Rasheed Adebowale, at the Block Makers Forum, organized by Lafarge, in Lagos.

Entrepreneurship, way out of poverty, says Honeywell ONEYWELL Flour Mills Plc H has described entrepreneurship as a panacea to the spiraling cases of unemployment and poverty in the country. Head, Group Human Resources, Honeywell Group, Mrs. Juliana Esezobor, who stated this at the weekend in Lagos during the Women: Inspiration & Enterprise (WIE Africa) Conference 2014 noted that every individual has innate skills which when properly harnessed will push them beyond their limitations. Esezobor, who was a key discussant and whose company is a major supporter of the conference said Honeywell

will continue to align with any cause to promote entrepreneurship as exemplified in the quantum support it gave the WIE Conference and similar other ones. She urged youths to imbibe the spirit of entrepreneurship as this will make them to be self-dependent and further reduce quest for non-existing white collar jobs. While advising women against seeing their gender as a limitation to excel in a turf dominated by their male counterparts, she said “the only limitation is yourself. If you do not see limitation, there is no height you cannot get to. The environment may not be favourable to women

though, but as an individual, if you are persistent, determined and confident, you can always overcome any challenges in your way”. She described the female gender has stable and loyal, saying in industry, government and private enterprises, the most reliable personnel there are unarguably women. Government, according to her, need to do a lot more to encourage the education of the girl-child. They need to do a lot more to help indigent families who have intelligent daughters to be able to go to school and create platform also for them to express themselves. On Honeywell’s support for

women, she said: “we target women basically. Women are the ones who go to the market, they are the ones who nurture the home, they are the ones who take decision concerning the well-being and upbringing of the children. Predominantly, women are the ones who find themselves in this sort of situation. “We respect our women, we want to honour them, we recognize the role they play both in the home and in the larger community. Also for Honeywell, we are working towards having more female executives within our group. This is a way of also showing our solidarity”.

Outsourcing, key to job creation, real sector development HE Association of T Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria (AOPN) has stated that outsourcing remains a viable alternative in bridging Nigeria's unemployment gap and achieving a virile economy. President, AOPN, Austin Nweze said outsourcing, if given the necessary support it deserves, has the capacity to transform the nation's economy noting that India that was technically declared by the World Bank as bankrupt, has transformed its economy with a strong outsourcing industry.

Nweze during the association's induction ceremony, stated that the outsourcing industry which is worth about $480 billion globally, pictures Nigeria to have just one percent of this staggering amount maintaining that the opportunities in the industry is yet to be fully harnessed in the country. "Outsourcing was responsible for the transformation of the Indian economy. It became a major exporter of Chief Executive Officers due to outsourcing. This shows how important outsourcing is and this is the reason why

we are promoting it and we cannot do it alone and that is where we need the media," he said. He encouraged other sectors in the industry to complement the efforts of the industry in order to provide services to international clients saying that this is the way to go boost employment opportunities and earn foreign exchange for the economy. "I will like to see outsourcing standing alone like other sectors of the economy. This industry has not been captured and yet it employs about 20,000 personnel in

the country and I believe we will get there because by 2050, the service sector will provide 80 percent of jobs globally according to the International Trade Center's (ITC's) projection," he added. He pointed out that the growing competition in business has positioned Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) as a key source of competitive advantage and said India and China have dominated the industry. According to him, if government outsources about 10 percent of its business, it will turnaround the industry and

create more jobs in the most efficient and cost effective manner. "What we are saying is that, we want to make Nigeria an outsourcing hub so that international and domestic jobs will be outsourced," he stressed. Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director, UACN Property Development Company Plc, Hakeem Ogunniran said outsourcing has become a global trend developing many economies of the world with South east Asia leading in the top 20 countries for outsourcing

destination rankings. He said the industry is so huge, that it almost equal the size of the Nigerian economy pointing out that on the short run, the outsourcing industry has the ability to focus resources and attention on core business operations, reduce human resources and management costs and provides access to specialised resources. He added that on the long run, the industry would bring out joint and interactive problem solving and creativity, more predictable results based on budgeting for the

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MarketReport EQUITY MARKET SUMMARY

AS AT 06-05-2014

PRIMERA AFRICA www.primera-africa.com

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MARKET INDICAToRS

AS AT 06-05-2014

PRIMERA AFRICA

Seplat Petroleum leads gainers chart, market capitalisation up by N10b Stories By Helen Oji oLLoWING price gains recorded by most bluechip companies, especially Seplat Petroleum, equity transactions on the trading floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange closed in an upbeat yesterday, as market capitalization appreciated by N10 billion. Specifically, at the closed of transactions yesterday, Seplat Petroleum Development led the gainers table, growing by N30.96 kobo to close at N662.99 per share. Nestle Nigeria Plc followed with a gain of N10.00 to close at N1080.00 per share. Total Nigeria Plc appreciated by N2.50 kobo to close at N152.50 per share. Larfarge Wapco and UACN improved by N2.02 kobo and N1.75 kobo respectively to close at N110.02 and N57.00 per share. on the contrary, Seven UP Bottling Company of Nigeria Plc recorded the highest loss, dropping by N4.50 kobo to close at N85.50 per share while Nigerian Breweries trailed with a loss of N0.69 kobo to close at N148.72 per share. Dangote Cement declined by N0.59 kobo to close at N225.92 kobo. other stocks that recorded price depreciation were Stanbic IBTC and UAC Property Development which shed N0.40 kobo each to close at N22.60 kobo and N23.00 respectively Consequently, the market capitalisation of listed equities grew by N10 billion, to close at N12.667 trillion, from N12.657 trillion recorded on Monday while the All Share

Consequently, the market capitalisation of listed equities grew by N10 billion, to close at N12.667 trillion, from N12.657 trillion recorded on Monday while the All Share Index increased by 32.18 basis points to 38480.07 points from 38447.89 traded on Monday. Index increased by 32.18 basis points to 38480.07 points from 38447.89 traded on Monday. Also, volume stocks traded increased marginally, as investors bought 511.320 million shares valued N4.633 billion in 5209 deals against 258.409 million shares worth N2.014 billion exchanged the previous day in 4552 deals. Further analysis of yesterday’s trading showed that African Alliance Insurance was the most active stock during the day, exchanging 155.979 million shares valued at N77.989 million, Access Bank Plc trailed with account of 52.974 million shares worth N481.226 million while United Bank for Africa (UBA) traded 41.379 million shares cost N280.276 million. Diamond Bank also took fourth position having sold a total of 33.105 million shares valued at N204.870 million and UBA Capital traded 28.401 million shares worth N59.314 million.

Fidson posts N9.2b turnover Explains slide in PBT, PAT IDSoN Healthcare Plc FN9.2billion has posted a turnover of in its 2013 operations, against N7.2 billion achieved in 2012. Specifically, the company’s financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2013 showed a revenue of N9.2 billion, up from N7.2 billion in 2012. It’s gross profit also increased by 26 per cent from N4 billion to N5 billion, with operating profit rising from N854 million in 2012 to N1.3 billion. However, profit before tax (PBT) declined from N540 million in 2012 to N250 million. Also, profit after tax (PAT) slide from N207 million to N155 million. According to a statement from the company, the drop in profit before and after tax was due to impairment loss incurred on Fidson Products Limited, an associate company that was adversely affected by changes in government policy, as

well as the ban on importation of diapers, the major product of the company. The company attributed the rise in gross profit to improved performance in turnover, as well as better management of its operational costs. “This would be the first time the associate’s result will be consolidated with that of the company in compliance with International Financial Reporting System (IFRS) provisions,” the company said. Despite the decline in post-tax profit, other comprehensive income majorly from actuarial gains of N42 million against a loss of N19 million in 2012, moderated total comprehensive income for the year to N197 million, up from N188 million in 2012. It added that the balance sheet grew by 15 per cent from N10.8 billion in 2012 to N12.4 billion, mainly resulting from its investment in the Biotech Plant.

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Midweek Arts ‘Why children should be encouraged to use mother tongue’ By Anote Ajeluoru and Greg Austin Nwakunor VER wonder why many Europeans and other nationals living in African set up E indigenous schools here and elsewhere with a strong bias for their respective local languages or mother tongues? The French, the Dutch, the Germans, the Turks, the Chinese; they all have their own schools that teach their respective local languages besides the broader curriculum for examination purposes. Like the tortoise and his ancient shell, these Europeans go everywhere with their local languages or mother tongues just as, ironically, they have labelled African languages ‘vernacular’ that should be banned! As a result, African children, nay many Nigerian children, raised even in their home towns and villages now speak very little of their mother tongues preferring instead to speak ‘English’, Nigeria’s official language of communication, business and prestige. Needless to say, those with abilities to write the mother tongues are dwindling by the second. In most cases, it’s the bible that is the only surviving written material or text of most local languages; the much-talked about threat of indigenous language extinction couldn’t be more real for a majority of African languages than this. It’s against this bleak background that some three Nigerian and African writers, scholars and academics spoke at the recent handover to Port Harcourt city UNESCO World Book Capital 2014 baton. Eminently qualified to speak on this vexing issue and condemn negative attitudes regarding neglect of mother tongues both at homes and in schools were Dr. Gabriel Okara, Prof. JP Clark and §prof. Omolara Ogundipe, currently at the Department of English Studies at University of Port Harcourt. They spoke at different sessions during the weeklong literary events that accompanied the handover ceremony designed to stimulate interests in books that open windows of opportunities to those who make them lifelong companions. Okara, a poet and children’s writer, was responding to a question on his major prose work The Voice, which he wrote back in the 1960s, and why he peppered it with a lot of Izon elements and ambience. Okara, who turned 93 on April 24, was engaged on sundry literary and national issues embedded in his writing. For Okara, the language issue is a touching and even personal one. It’s akin to an elder watching a tethered goat give and unable to do anything to help. He affirmed that his desire to preserve his native Izon language prompted him to create an essentially Izon ambience in the novel, as a way of rescuing his language from dying out outright. For Okara and a host of other discerning intellectuals and thinkers, a grasp of the mother tongue is a key element in deepening intellectual pursuits, as it prepared the basis for a clearer understanding of concepts. Okara maintained that Africa was losing a lot as a result of abandoning its mother tongues for foreign languages. He said, “By using English as a means of communication, we’re losing some ofour values. When we try to translate from our languages, we lose some of our meanings and values. And if we lose our local languages, we lose our culture as well, as language is carrier of a people’s culture!” For Clark also, poet, playwright and first African to be appointed to a chair in an English department of a university, abandonment of mother tongue that seems the modern fad in raising children both in the cities and villages by most parents is so disheartening, as it amounts to emptying out the soul of a continent and replacing it with hollowness. His mood, while speaking on the issues, was that of melancholy and loss of all that is dear and enduring. He said he was to realise the loss he was also aiding to perpetuate late in the day,

Ogundipe

Clark and admitted being complicit in the language betrayal and but couldn’t do much about it afterwards as a writer. Clark said he only came to realisation at University College, Ibadan that all the great English poets and writers he’d read at Government College, Ughelli, were actually writing in their mother tongue or local language. He recalled his maternal uncle, Debesi, an Urhobo, who was a great poet, composer and singer of Udje performance poetry, whom he’d seen perform as a child and compared his prodigious performance talent with those of the English poets he’d been taught in school like Chaucer, Wordsworth, Byron, Blake and the rest and found no greater talent in these English men than in his uncle. As an act of redemption and restoration, he quickly began to translate some of his uncle’s song-poems into English like ‘The Death of Okrika’, a moving dirge on the loss of a newly wed bride, and those of others he could find. He also translated the Ijaw epic Ozidi into English and which performance he helped midwife in the 1960s; it all stemmed from this need to resurrect his mother tongues – Urhobo and Izon – into mainstream linguistic recognition. He regretted, however, that he didn’t write his poetry and plays in either Ijaw or Urhobo (his mother being Urhobo), something he can’t start doing all over again. But having realised the mistake of his generation of writers in not using their respective local languages like their Kenyan counterpart, Ngugi wa Thiong’o (author of Weep Not Child), Clark encourages younger writers to try and reverse the trend by writing in their local languages. Clark said, “try and take back your mother tongues in your writing in indigenous languages and not just write in English alone. Let the children grow up in your mother tongue. Do it well by knowing it well. At a conference of writers, wa Thiong’o wanted us to write in our local languages but we were all doing this in English”. Coming from a man of Clark’s stature, and being humbled by such generational mistake, as pioneer writer and thinker, this must mean something. Educational policymakers would only do well to listen and learn. Late Prof. Babs Fafunwa’s 6-3-3-4 education policy of the late 1980s was designed to redress this language difficulty when it prescribed that the first few years of a child’s education should be in his or her mother tongue. But this was soon jettisoned for a host of logistical problems and a lack of commitment.

Okara But to complete the mother tongue proposition at the Port Harcourt UNESCO World Book Capital 2014 was Prof. Ogundipe. She spoke at the Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God@50 Celebration sub-event commemorating Achebe’s second novel that turns 50 this year. For this first female to graduate first class in English from University of London at University College, Ibadan, the place of mother tongue in a child’s early education is key. She narrated how, as a child, her mother, an English teacher, forbade them from speaking any language other than Yoruba at home. It was not until she entered the school system and at advance classes that she first encountered English. She went on to make superlative grade in it. For parents who erroneously assume that exposing a child to English at an early stage would aid him or her, Prof. Ogundipe has a shocker for them in her own personal experience, which should serve as shinning model. According to her, “My mother, an English teacher, didn’t encourage us to speak English at home, but I went on to get 7As in my school certificate and the first Nigerian woman to get a first class at University of London!” She said those of them who went through that process spoke better English and charged parents to be at the forefront of instituting mother tongues in schools, as they stood more to gain by so doing. Ogundipe opined that language

embodies a whole set of values, particularly African values, which she said were already being lost with the entrenchment of a foreign language. She frowned at how Nigerians, especially those in the Diaspora, shun their local languages and actively promoted its abandonment. She said efforts to set up a Yoruba language study centre in the U.S. some years ago to help Yoruba children failed because of poor parents’ attitude towards the project. “Parents should fight for the institution of mother tongues in schools, at home and through study centres”, Ogundipe noted. “Parenting is also at the heart of the mother tongue debacle. Parents need to change their attitudes towards their mother tongues, and it should start from homes where mother tongue should be encouraged”. Also lending his voice to the debate was former Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr. Wale Okediran and National Organising Chairman (NOC) for the Arrow of God@50 Celebration. He argued that Achebe, the late literary icon, although wrote his prose works in English, was passionate about his Igbo language and tradition, which he made popular in his works. He said Achebe also wrote some of his poems in Igbo language, adding, “The Achebes, even though had western education, were steeped in African tradition. Too bad we moderns forget the traditional ways as we educate our children in English”.

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SPOTLIGHT ON 10 YEARS OF THE REFORMED PENSION MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA PART (1) ...Reform Set To Lift Workers Welfare HEN in June 2004, the Pension Act was signed into law by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo which ushered in the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), many individuals, experts and social critiques did not give the new system a chance to survive. Some believe it is a new wine in an old bottle or a square peg in a round hole. Experts are of the opinion that Nigeria is good at evolving or enacting and unveiling new innovations, which would not survive the tide of the time. The assumption of the skeptics is that the old pension regime witnessed a lot of drama that is yet to be unsettled till date. The old regime of pension was characterized by alleged fraud, non-payment of benefits and inaction. Indeed, the inactivity in the old regime of pension management has bogged down the lives of the ‘‘adult citizenry” who had used their entire life to serve the country but when it is the time for compensation, nothing to show for it. Good enough, the new CPS was meant to correct the old anomalies in pension management. Since 2006, when the first set of Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and the Pension Fund Custodian (PFCs) were licensed, the

entire pension regime has witnessed a new dawn. Eventually, the number of PFAs licensed rose to 26. With recapitalization of PFAs in 2013, the number shrank to 20 with some PFAs merging to survive the tide. Particularly, Crib Pension and Oak merged to form the new look Oak Pension. Both PAL Pension and ARM Pension swallowed their competitors to form formidable outfits. Today, there are 20 PFAs, four PFCs and seven Closed Pension Fund Administrators. The Chinelo Anohu-Amazu Acting Director General most interesting develthe asset base has shore up to opment here is that the miliover N5 trillion and with over tary withdrew their invest5.6 million registered employment to put the funds in a ees. The number of retirees more diversified outfit with collecting their final benefits supervision of Pencom. The is on the increase as majority implication is that some PFAs of the PFAs have been fulfilling are already feeling the impact their promises to pay retirees. of this new drive. An anonymous operator is of Since the scheme began, Pension Fund Operators the view that Pencom should have allowed the military Association (PENOP) stated that about N24.6 billion have cum police to stay within the been paid to over 84,000 new system noting that the retirees. effect of their withdrawal is Observers of the scheme enormous on the system. The biggest achievement of pointed out that ignorance on the PFAs is that they have been the part of the employees is the greatest impediment for able to move the new pension them to collect their dues. scheme into new heights as

individuals in collaboration with various groups and associations, in its bid to make the pension scheme flourish. According to PENCOM, it has embarked on a lot of measures to move the pension industry forward by applying sanctions to the operators and stakeholders within the system. It has also issued compliance certificates to operators. The six zonal offices in Kano, Ilorin, Gombe, Awka and Lagos were meant to cater for the needs of the employers and employees within the geo-political zones. Usman B. Suleiman,MD, FUG Pensions The body is putting in place relevant laws to Similarly, some employers of standardize pension managelabour particularly foreign- ment in line with what obtains owned companies are alleged- in the international standard ly discouraging their employ- as laws are being reviewed to ees from partaking in the new take care of the needs of programmes. Some state gov- employees. The PENCOM and ernments are yet to finetune pension operators are worktheir pension laws for their ing hand-in-hand to tackle the staff to benefit under the new challenge of non-remittance pension act. What would lift of funds by employers. However, expectation is high the sector remains the informal sector. Here, the laws are that the coming years may witbeing reformed and hopefully ness boom with the transfer the artisans and other cate- window coming into stream gories of workers may be and harnessing the framework of the informal sector. incorporated. Pencom on its own is not rest- Other reforms may include ing as it has indulged in a lot the addition of gratuity to that of enlightenment of various of the PFAs and the likely

review of the assets under management to a substantial level. Pencom is emphatic that the new scheme is succeeding adding that reasonable employees and employers should sign into the scheme to streamline their future for the better. It observed that the new scheme has aroused curiosity from some African countries who came to understudy the Nigerian system to perfect their pension regime. Countries such as Ghana, Uganda, Malawi among others have understudied the Nigerian Pension Scheme. Interestingly, the May Day presents a better haven for workers to finetune their future by embracing the new pension regime to better their future. Investing in future through the compulsory savings would go a long way in modifying their future. The Acting Director-General of Pencom, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amaza said that the commission had remained steadfast in the implementation of the CPS and that 10 years of its existence, some modest achievement had been made which include the consistent payment of retirement benefits to all employees who retire since 2007 without the bottlenecks experienced in the past.

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SPOTLIGHT ON 10 YEARS OF THE REFORMED PENSION MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA PART (1) Suleiman as the Managing FUG PENSIONS: Director/CEO. Sound Pedigree In Asset CRUSADER STERLING Management PENSIONS: UTURE UNITY GLANVILLS FPENSIONS LIMITED (‘‘FUG Notable For Excellent Pensions”), was licensed by Customer Service the National Pension

Commission on the 21st of June, 2007 to carry on the business of Pension Fund Administration. Its shareholders are Unity Kaptial Assurance Plc – an insurance company with shareholders funds of N8 billion and branches strategically located throughout the Federation, and Glanvill Enthoven & Co. Limited – an insurance broking company with over 30 years experience in pension fund management and administration. FUG Pensions has an authorized and paid up share capital of N1.5 billion and operates from six regional offices in Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja, Kano, Maiduguri and Lagos and several branch/zonal offices spread across the country. FUG Pensions represents: A strong financial base; Sound pedigree in investment and asset management; Over 30 years experience of shareholders and management in pension funds management and administration; and an enviable track record and credibility of our shareholders and management. At FUG Pensions, they seek to offer their clients Financial Freedom at Retirement. The Vision of the Company is to be the leading and most trusted name in Pension Fund Management. Its people consists of a dynamic Board made up of individuals who have excelled in their chosen fields of endeavour. They bring their wealth of experience to bear in the growth of the company. They also have a management team whose main focus is ensuring that contributions funds are not The Mission of FUG Pension is producing competitive investment returns for our clients by employing worldclass management expertise and technology to the benefit of all stakeholders. The core values of the company are trust – confidence of our clients in all our activities; Integrity – Wholeness of our purpose and actions; Prudence – Wise and farsighted investment practices; and Partnership firm affiliation to our clients. FUG Pension philosophy is that its driving force is the desire to create value for all our stakeholders especially, contributors whose life after retirement is determined by the quality of pension administration services rendered. The pension fund administration services are automated to enhance the quality of service delivery. The people are trained to give the best investment advice to maximize the growth of pension contributions whilst its operations staff are experts in pension fund administration techniques designed to give comfort to the contributor and dependants in the event of death. The branch expansion policy is designed to bring the customer closer to you. The company is safe but increases in volume and value. The management ream is headed by Usman B.

RUSADERSTERLING C PENSIONS LTD is a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) licensed by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) incorporated on 12 October, 2004. It is a fully capitalized with Automated and Paid-up Capital of N1.6 billion and N1.3 billion respectively. The PFA is owned by Institutional Investors, which includes Custodian and Allied Insurance (Nig.) Plc., Sterling Asset Management Ltd., Custodian Trustees Limited, WSTC Financial Services Limited and Ideal Insurance Brokers Limited.

The company is notable for excellent Customer Service and Rendering very competitive returns on funds under its management. An account manager is attached to each of its corporate client and contributor and has the responsibility to ensure that each client is adequately attended to and launched into our inhouse care/proactive process. Customers can access their Retirement Savings Account online through the CrusaderSterling Pensions Limited website www.crusaderpensions.com. They can also send a mail to info@crusaderpensions.com and receive a response within 30 minutes. The Products and Services of the company include: • Management of Retirement Savings Account; • Management of Retiree Funds;

• Management of Defined Benefit Scheme; • Management of Additional Voluntary Contributions; • Management of Gratuity Schemes; • Provision of pre-retirement professional counseling; • Assistance and Support during NSITF withdrawal; and • Provision of 24/7 on-line access to account balances. The Board of Directors is made up of seasoned professionals with vast experience from various sectors of the economy and they include: Oluwole Oshin (Chairman), Adeniyi Falade (MD/CEO), Adeyemi Adeola, Larry Ademeso, Femi Oyetunji, Olanrewaju Adesanya, Richard Asabia, Benedikter Molokwu, Tofarati Agusta, and Kunle Omilani. The client base of the company is over 225,000 plus

Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) with a total asset Under Management (AUM) in excess of N105 billion. It has over 4,000 retirees on monthly programmed withdrawal with a cumulative payout of over N15 billion from inception. Also, the company has the mandate of 13 states of the federation to manage their employees retirement savings account with 7 (seven) states already fully active. The CrusaderSterling Pensions Limited is advantageous to their clients in the following ways, which are: • Customer Centric; • Experienced Fund Manager; • Robust IT infrastructure, on-line real time, 24/7 daily; • Driven by professionalism and integrity; • Proven Leader in the industry with very competitive

return on investment; and • Presence in all 36 states of the federation and the FCT. First Pension Custodian Nigeria Limited serves as the custodian to CrusaderSterling Pension . First Custodian is a subsidiary of First Bank Plc incorporated on August 16, 2005 and the most diversified financial services group in Nigeria. First Bank has an asset base of N2 trillion and the oldest with one of the largest branch network of over 550 branches. The corporate headquarter of CrusaderSterling Pension is located at 14b Keffi Street, Off Awolowo Road, S.W. Ikoyi, Customer Service Help Desk: 01-2714605, 01-2713800-4, email is info@crusaderpensions.com. Customer Care line 08180112985, Benefit Admin: 08180112988.

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Sports Ik Uche out, Yobo, Odemwingie in, as Keshi names preliminary World Cup team

Journalists protest Internet fee at Commonwealth Games journalists from ShavePORTS more than 100 countries signed a petition

• Bring back the cup, Danagogo charges Eagles By Christian Okpara and Ezeocha Nzeh UPER Eagles’ Coach, Stephen Keshi, yesterday made good his threat to exclude in-form Villarreal striker, Ikechukwu Uche from the Brazil 2014 World Cup when he released his provisional squad for the Mundial Coupe. Uche and Fegor Ogude are the notable members of the South Africa 2013 Nations Cup winning squad excluded from the list, which saw the return of Osaze Odemwingie to the fold after more than one year absence. Also in the 30-man provisional squad is Joel Obi, who has not played for the Eagles since 2013. There is also no place for Obafemi Martins, Taye Taiwo and Haruna Lukman. One surprise inclusion in the squad is Gabriel Reuben, who could not hold his own in the Scottish league, Reuben now plays in Belgium. In the provisional squad are goalkeepers, Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim and Daniel Akpeyi. The defendersare Elderson Echiejile, Juwon Oshaniwa, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Kenneth Omeruo, Joseph Yobo and Kunle Odunlami. To vie for positions in the midfield are John Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi, Ramon Azeez, Ejike Uzoenyi, Sunday Mba, Gabriel Rueben, Nosa Igiebor, Joel Obi and Michael Uchebo. The strikers called to camp are Ahmed Musa, Shola Ameobi, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Nsofor, Osaze Odemwingie, Michael Babatunde, Nnamdi Oduamadi and Nwofor Uche. Meanwhile, Minister of Sports/Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Tammy Danagogo, has told the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Eagles that the Presidency expects them to win the World Cup in Brazil. While the NFF has insisted that it cannot give any target to the Super Eagles, the minister dis-

agreed, stating that the target of the Presidency is not even the semi final, but bringing home the trophy. Speaking during his investiture as the patron of the Nigeria football Supporters Club in Abuja, Danagogo argued that President Jonathan has given enough support to the development of football in the country, adding that winning the World Cup would be an appreciation of his support to sports. While assuring the supporters club that the government would back them fully as they prepare to cheer the Super Eagles to victory in Brazil, he revealed that the President has approved the release of N50 million he promised them to make their trip to Brazil. “I know that Mr. President was conferred with a very deserving honour as the grand patron of the supporters club because he is not just a President, but also an enthusiastic sports lover who believes in the success of Nigerian sports men and women. Since I entered this commission as the minister for sports, I have seen that love, dedication and commitment from Mr. President. “We have said it repeatedly that our target is not just the semi finals of the World Cup. No. Honestly our target rightly is the World Cup trophy. If by any means we are stopped at the semi final, we can also welcome the team back home. But our target is to win and not just the semi final,” Danagogo said. Earlier in his remarks, the President General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Rafiu Ladipo, solicited the minister’s support to send over 800 Nigerian supporters to cheer the team, stressing that the team would be cheered to victory in Brazil by Nigerian supporters from all parts of the world. “It is very important that we go to Brazil not just to make up the numbers, but to give a very good representation to our great country,” he noted.

Keshi

Uche

Joel Obi

Nuhu proffers solution to East Africans’ dominance of Okpekpe race IGERIAN coach, Stephen N Nuhu, believes the dominance of Kenyans and Ethiopians at the Okpekpe 10km road race could be stopped if the country’s athletes got the enabling environment to prepare for the event. Kenyan duo of Moses Masai and Georgiana Rono won the respective men and women’s titles at the inaugural edition of the race last year, while it was the turn of Ethiopia last weekend at the second edition with Teshome Asafan and Wuday Ayalew emerging the

men and women’s champions respectively. “I have the athletes to break the dominance,” said Nuhu, who coached Sarjo Ismail and Deborah Pam to emerge the fastest Nigerian man and woman at the world acclaimed event. “If we can get a good place to train and good food to eat I believe we can match and even surpass the East Africans,” he said, adding that good nutrition and a conducive atmosphere for training are sine qua non for success

“The Kenyans and the Ethiopians train three times daily because the conditions are good for them to do it. But here the athletes managed to train once a day because they do not have a good place to rest and good food and vitamins to take to regain lost energy and get ready for the afternoon training,” Nuhu lamented and appealed to both the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) to spare some thoughts for distance running in Nigeria.

Okagbare pleads for abducted Chibok girls IGERIA’S biggest athletN ics export, Blessing Okagbare, has called for the

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Bank Limited and Official Banker to the second Okpekpe 10km International Road Race, Mallam Ahmed Kuru (left), handing over a commendation plaque to the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (middle) at the end of the race, which held at the weekend in Edo State. With them is Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, President, Nigeria Supporters Club.

Yobo

release of 276 students kidnapped from their school in Chibok on April 14. The African 100-metre record holder at the weekend won the 100m race at the 2014 Jamaica International Invitational, powering home in 11.19 seconds ahead of Jamaican pair of Olympian Kerron Stewart, who clocked 11.32 seconds and Carrie Russell, 11.46 seconds inside the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica. Speaking from her US base yesterday, Okagbare said,

“I’m soliciting for the release of the abducted girls, who need to reunite with their families. I can imagine the pains their families are going through, but we need peace as a nation. “We all need peace to survive and we all need peace to excel as a country.” It is now there weeks since the nation was greeted with the gory news that female students writing their final exams at Government Secondary School (GSS), Chibok in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, were abducted by the

dreaded Boko Haram. The students were from schools in Ashigashiya, Izge, Lassa and Warabe. Meanwhile, the highlights of the Jamaica International Invitational, held in Kingston on Saturday night, included 2013 triple world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryc,e who won the women’s 200m in 22.53, .08 better than U.S. champion, Kimberlyn Duncan. Jeneba Tarmoh was third in 22.69. Justin Gatlin’ won his first 100m of the season in 10.11secs ahead of the Jamaican duo of Andrew Fisher (10.21) and Nesta Carter (10.22).

protesting the Internet fee imposed by the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. In a press statement signed by Evelyn Watta, AIPS Executive Committee Member, Lausanne, they said that about 150 signatures were collected from journalists. According to the statement, it was collected from 103 countries members who attended the just-concluded 77th AIPS congress in Baku, Azerbaijan. It said they supported calls by AIPS to the organisers to reconsider the decision to charge Internet fees for journalists covering the event from July 23 to Aug. 3. The petition was a followup to letters sent to the Chief Executive Officer, David Grevemberg, and a meeting between AIPS President Gianni Merlo and Scottish Sports Minister Shona Robinson over the issue. The members of the AIPS, some of who have been accredited for the Games, register the strongest protest to the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee. The statement questioned the restrictive policy for not providing free Internet access for accredited media covering the Games. In the statement, AIPS made it clear to the organisers that it was unacceptable to have the Internet rate cards at the Games for a fee. It maintained that it was a service that was provided for free at the Sochi Olympics and would also be offered at no cost at the World Cup in Brazil.

We’ve lost EPL’s title to Man City, Rodgers concedes manager, LsideIVERPOOL Brendan Rodgers, felt his had conceded the Premier League title by throwing away a 3-0 lead against Crystal Palace. Palace came back to draw 3-3 at Selhurst Park and substitute Dwight Gayle’s brace left Rodgers admitting defeat in the race for top spot. Liverpool are a point ahead of rivals Manchester City but have played a game more, and victories over Aston Villa and West Ham would guarantee the title for City. Asked if he felt the title was now gone, Rodgers told Sky Sports 1: “Yes. We needed to win tonight. It’s a massive advantage for Manchester City.

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The lure of a number, the promise of the beautiful game By Mitchell Obi every four years it is a feast with a varIiedTandcomes menu, hardly the same flavour. Being part of it conjures an appetite that lingers for long until it is checked. But who really wants to miss it? Even for those who have seen it all, played it all, another fresh opportunity stirs up another level of excitement. And sometimes some go to the extreme to be part of the feast, prompting and lobbying, genuflecting and supplicating, and even calling on their gods to clear their coast and get them on. Just for the sake of the game. It is a fever that spreads wide and the coaches who make the judgment over players to be used get into the stress mode. As Nigerians sink their heads on the provisional list bound for Brazil, the man on whose head the fate of the Super Eagles will be determined will just stay faithful

‘

The master tactician

to a number that has given him not only the big push in his life, but as they say in golf, the luck of the green. Stephen Okechukwu Keshi loves the number four and with the World Cup here with us after four years of Africa hosting the world with unequalled success in South Africa, can we count on the chief from Illah, in Delta State, to provide a new visage for our game at the highest competitive level. “It’s the number four jersey I wore throughout my career. In Anderlecht (Belgium), in Strasbourg (France), in my club, New Nigeria Bank in Benin, anywhere I played, it became part of me,” Keshi, opened up on a number that has also marked the glittering career in the Super Eagles of onetime Africa Footballer of the year and soccer ambassador, Nwankwo Kanu. A solid pillar in the defence, Keshi, like Kanu, who called it a day in international football four years ago, also had

My World Cup story…Keshi

Keshi (right) and his predecessor, Samson Siasia when he was unveiled as Super Eagles’ coach in Abuja. an eye for goal. When all seemed lost in a crucial game and the team needs to find a bearing, Keshi, remarkably, comes to the rescue, either joining the attack or waiting for the deadball moments and set pieces to hit his celebrated canons. This was all from the lesson he learnt watching football greats who played in the same central defence. “When I was growing up, I had three idols. They were playing in the same position and I was studying them. One of them was Frank Beckenbauer. The others were Bobby Moore, the late England Captain, and a former Nigerian Captain that I took over from, Christian Chukwu.” The influence of this trio on Keshi was not limited to their playing style. He even had to settle for one of their shirts number.

When I was growing up, I had three idols. They were playing in the same position and I was studying them. One of them was Frank Beckenbauer. The others were Bobby Moore, the late England Captain and a former Nigerian Captain that I took over from, Christian Chukwu. Bobby Moore wore number six. Beckenbaner had number four and Chukwu was number five. I had seen their style of play and I wanted to be part of them. I had a coach from Yugoslavia. I was in the junior team then and he said to me: Hey Keshi I want you to wear number four.

’

“Bobby Moore wore number six. Beckenbaner had number four and Chukwu was number five. I had seen their style of play and I wanted to be part of them. I had a coach from Yugoslavia. I was in the junior team then and he said to me: Hey Keshi I want you to wear number four. “I looked at him and said how does he know that I am contemplating on which number to wear. I asked,

coach you said number four?’ That was how I just picked number four.” Truly so, all through his rise and shine as a player, Keshi had a fervent attachment to the number four and it became a family predilection and maybe figure of success. “One of my sons if he’s playing, he wants to wear number 4. My daughter if she’s playing, she wants to wear number 4. So it’s just a num-

The master and his pupil... Keshi and midfielder, John Obi Mikel.

ber I just love to have.” With 37 days to the seductive sound of the samba and the feast of goals, Keshi will count on the creative strength of the number four to make a difference with a team he has groomed and patterned to play like him…hard fighting, versatile, direct yet colourful like the four phases of the moon. •A Mastersports International Presentation (c 2014).

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Akodu Peter Kehinde HE just concluded economic summit in Nigeria dealt with the fallen standard of education. Speaker after speaker woke the country to the reality and magnitude of the rot, and propositions for a lasting solution came in torrent. They fingered the tardiness of teaching and learning as contributive factors. Of course how learning takes place involves nature of reading culture, a function of the changes in societal sophistication in technology. This article looks at students’ obsession with listening to music while reading through the use of earpiece, a phone accessory. I frequent libraries these days. I see mostly students and young adults use earpiece by hanging it down through both ears and connecting it to the phone placed somewhere on the reading table. On a particular visit to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) library, students hung out in clusters, just outside the library building drunk in language (English) spawned fast rhythm of it (sometimes the colloquial way) to whoever was part of the cacophony without any perceived order. I rolled into the library looking for a reading table to possess a section; I panicked for a moment and thought, “These students who nod as if responding to a stimulus, which stimulus are they responding to: The subject being read or the subject of the music?” The intrusion was so strong any careful and presentminded observer would feel it in both conscience and consciousness. The earpiece has an in-built speaker. The plastic casing, its outer covering, is designed to conserve the sound waves and conduct them efficiently into the ear canal, to the eardrum. The air path in the earpiece is generally a horn shape with a narrowing column of air, which increases the air displacement at the eardrum, increasing the loudness confined to the eardrum of the user, the outside environment thereby shut out. Whatever level of loudness, surely, will constrain and distress the human brain designed to select one activity at a time. If the reader, therefore, confronts the brain with two or more activities at a time the brain will ask the question: “Which of these activities do I select? How do I process and store them?” The human brain is not designed for multitasking. It can select and beneficially process one, only one activity at a time. To read and listen to music at the same time becomes a composite for listening to music while lecture goes on. The human brain is not designed to juggle itself or switch forth from one activity and then back to the other ad infinitum. The resultant prolonged selection because of multi-tasking stalls beneficial reading. Neurobiologists insist that the human brain being the smallest –the size of a cauliflowerand the most complex human organ controls our daily functions including motor control, visual processing, auditory processing, sensation, learning, memory and emotions. Not just hearing and reading! The human brain gives us the power to speak, imagine and solve problems. It is an amazing organ. Reading, however, one important human activity is found to be associated with either fall or rise of education standard in Nigeria and other countries of the world. Poor reading culture especially among children and young people has resulted into poor education standard in Nigeria. Listening to music while reading, therefore, remains an onslaught technol-

Poor reading culture especially among children and young people has resulted into poor education standard in Nigeria. Listening to music while reading, therefore, remains an onslaught technology brought upon beneficial reading and high standard of education

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Earpiece menace and reading: Any composite?

ogy brought upon beneficial reading and high standard of education. Scholars have argued we are in an age that no more considers reading as a relevant leisure activity - compared with interactive activity on the Internet, television, film and music. Consideration of music as relevant leisure activity over and above reading surely tips concentration during reading in favour of

music. What this means is students who listen to music while reading are likely to give their concentration to music than to reading. Children of our time have relegated reading to the background. Scholars corroborate this fact. They believe decline in reading among children and young people occurs because reading is considered a solitary pursuit as it no more forms part of chil-

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The ability to read well is absolutely critical to success in life. Reading is the foundation of much enjoyment in life and is pivotal for vocational efficiency. Scholars believe students and employees must read to keep abreast of happenings in their fields. Reading is about the only form of relaxation, self-improvement and entertainment that is also an essential life skill dren’s social interaction. Children now prefer to spend more time with their friends than to remain at home reading. Added to music, adults and children enjoy television and films as a way of enjoying their leisure instead of reading. It is plausible then to argue that students congregate in the libraries not really to read, but to identify with friends who also enjoy their unsolicited music in the library. Fruitful childhood and student-hood are over for children and young people who do not read – they will not claim fruitful and responsible adulthood either. No one can attain any meaningful existence without reading. The ability to read well is absolutely critical to success in life. Reading is the foundation of much enjoyment in life and is pivotal for vocational efficiency. Scholars believe students and employees must read to keep abreast of happenings in their fields. Reading is about the only form of relaxation, self-improvement and entertainment that is also an essential life skill. It must therefore be nurtured from a child’s earliest years. No matter the sophistication level as children, they will always need support in order to attain full potential as readers. It is unfortunate that some teachers who should be guiding light to the students, gaffe when faced with reading challenges. Governor Adams Oshiomole gave an indication of this in his intervention in one of the National Economic Summit Group (NESG) sessions. He told the gathering of a teacher in Edo State who couldn’t read a sworn affidavit she presented as one of her credentials. The Chairman of the State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Patrick Ikosimi, called the show of shame an embarrassment. In the same state was another teacher who couldn’t successfully name two local government areas. As British colony, literacy culture in Nigeria ought to be as standardised as that of Britain. Findings show that about 99 per cent of British citizens can read and write. Cuba, a country adjacent to America, has the highest rate of literacy in the world. Cuba has a vibrant economy despite decades of diplomatic conflicts with America. In essence, the percentage of a country’s citizens who are literate determines the way of life of the nation. Literacy makes the nation. Thank God the economic summit is over. The Vice President has promised to table the outcome before the President. He also promised the resolutions of the summit will not go the way resolutions before it went: being cast into the dustbin of history. There is need to declare a state of emergency in the education sector because of the crisis of literacy, a menace ravaging our children and young people right now. The National Policy on Education places inculcation of permanent literacy and numeracy, and ability to communicate effectively as one of the objectives of school education. The library must provide resources to complement education. The most urgent resource needed now is abiding discipline. Discipline must be fully in charge of affairs of reading in our libraries. • Kehinde, media scholar and social commentator, wrote from Lagos.