Wed 28 aug 2013

TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Vol. 30, No. 12,662

www.ngrguardiannews.com

N150

Governor Suntai’s letter splits Taraba Assembly From Charles Akpeji, Jalingo T was a letter meant to strike Iofthe right chord in the hearts lawmakers. It was expected that they would readily agree that the governor was fit to resume work.

But the letter has turned out to be a divisive factor in the Taraba State House of Assem-

• Speaker vows gov can’t resume before public address • Says family bars House members from visiting him • Lawmakers allege governor unfit to write • Urge his physical presence, others disagree bly. Some lawmakers insisted yesterday that Governor Danbaba Suntai’s letter to the

House stating his readiness to resume work after his medical treatment abroad was not

enough.

They want him to make himself physically available at the

House in order for the lawmakers to assess his fitness for work. These lawmakers even doubt that the governor was the one that wrote the letter.

They insist he might not have been fit enough to write the letter.

But other lawmakers disagree; they want the House to approve the letter.

Apparently, there were attempts to keep this disagreement from the public domain. This is because the members of the House only met behind closed doors yesterday to discuss the letter.

Though none of the lawmakers could be reached for comments, an official of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina (right); United Nations (UN) Women Representative in Nigeria, Grace Ongile and representative of Minister of Petroleum, Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, during the PHOTO: LADIDI LUCY ELUKPO launch and dissemination of National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in Abuja… yesterday.

How theft, non-passage of PIB threaten oil production From Collins Olayinka, Abuja NMITIGATED oil theft, U pipeline vandalism, uncertainty over the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the discovery of oil, shale oil and gas in commercial quantities are impediments that combine to reduce the country’s oil production.

The Guardian learnt that the country’s oil production is gradually falling below the two million mark where the

country was shortly before the introduction of the amnesty programme.

Nigeria is on the verge of losing its status as the largest oil producer on the continent to Angola.

The country’s challenges

have largely been blamed for the upward price movement of crude oil above $100 per barrel.

Nigeria budgeted for oil sales of 2.5 million barrels per day in 2013 which, combined with the high petroleum prices,

should have allowed for substantial savings in the Excess Crude Account. But instead of increasing, the fund has been run down from $9 billion in December to $5.1 billion in July.

Razia Khan, head of Africa re-

search at Standard Chartered Bank, was quoted by Financial Standard of London as saying that the falling oil revenues should be a worry for the Nigerian government, especially with a presidential election scheduled for early 2015.

Editors urge govt to diversify economy - Page 4 West to attack Syria in days, envoys hint rebels - Page 10

She observed that previous elections in Nigeria had been preceded by a sharp rise in spending and leakages in revenue collection as politicians increased spending for electioneering purposes, and the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Health workers call off strike - Details tomorrow

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

NEWS

Benue council residents flee, death toll hits 30 From Joseph Wantu, Makurdi S the residents of Ukum Local Council of Benue State count their losses to the crisis in their community, they have put the number of relatives who were killed at over 30.

The fight, which broke out on Sunday, has made residents to flee the community.

An indigene of the area who relocated his family to Makurdi told The Guardian yesterday in an interview that the crisis was as a result of the last elections in the state which were allegedly rigged.

According to him, because there is a lot of arms in the hands of the youths in the area, any misunderstanding among themselves escalates and results in a heavy loss of lives.

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• Police, council chief disagree on figure He accused a group of being responsible for killing and robbing at Sankera, Ayati and other settlements in the area.

“Just in May, this group invaded Ayati town and one person was killed and many others injured. They had claimed that the people gave information on their activities to the police… Barely a month after, the same gang killed a great farmer in the same ward called Chaverkper. Arrests were made by the police who also demolished the houses (of suspect) and his brother, forcing the former to go into hiding”, the source said.

The source further revealed that when the suspect came out of hiding, he started meting out vengeance to those he suspected reported him to the police which led to the

burning of his house.

He said that last Saturday, the suspect along with 30 other members of his gang invaded a village known as Kusugh Aber and on their way back attacked and killed over 10 persons.

“Each time the gang attacked, the motorcycle they used which is popularly called Baja for the operation would usually head back to Abako village in Katsina-Ala Local Council. Again on Sunday night, they attacked Agbaaye village and killed about five persons, burning two persons alive in a hut.

They later proceeded to Agena and killed seven persons, including an Igbo woman, Mercy Okeke.”

“Yesterday (Monday), they invaded Tse-Gbanyan and burnt houses and many people fled. People from Ayati

village are fleeing the area.

They also killed one retired Inspector of Police, Samuel Akosu. The whole area is now deserted. So, many people are still looking for their children. Most politicians in Ukum Local Council are harbouring thugs. The nefarious activities of this group have crippled the economy of the area. The state must act fast”, he added.

The Ukum Local Council Chairman, Mr. Teryima Nguher, told journalists in a telephone interview that only 13 persons were killed. He added that he had taken steps to restore normalcy in the area. But the Benue police spokesman, Daniel Ezeala, said only 11 persons were killed.

Ezeala added that the police had pursued the militia group out of the area and a full investigation into its activities had begun.

‘How theft threatens oil production’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to further contribute to depleting the national purse with elections.

Khan added: “Nigeria still has a comfortable current account surplus, but it is declining, as is the Excess Crude Account. Unless we see a turnaround in oil revenues, investors are going to start to get concerned.”

Nigeria drastically reduced oil workers’ kidnapping and pipeline bomb attacks in 2009 by persuading more than 26,000 militants to disarm in exchange for monthly cash payments and training, which are ongoing both within and outside the country.

While it is evident that the violence has not resurfaced, the menace of oil theft has grown into a vast and lucrative enterprise involving well-connected officials, security personnel and foreign collaborators.

An industry source told The Guardian that oil theft may

not end any time soon as those behind the menace were those that could end the proceeding.

His words: “The people behind oil theft are the multinational oil firms, politicians, military top brass and other powerful people. Can an ordinary man on the street embark on oil theft?”

Apart from oil theft, the proliferation of illegal refineries in the Niger Delta has also been identified as a portent tool that is sending negative signals to the multinationals on why they cannot risk future investment in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.

Another source explained: “The issue of illegal refineries is linked with oil theft. Government attention is skewed towards looking outside as the sole source of encouragement for oil thieves. We are not looking at inside where Nigerians are being used to perpetrate this menace. Apart from the fact that some people see pipeline vandalism as

their share of the proverbial national cake, multinational oil companies are also involved in the illegal refineries.”

It is estimated that more than 150,000 barrels of oil are reportedly stolen every day, with some feeding illegal refineries in the Niger Delta and the bulk shipped to destinations as far away as Asia.

The Guardian had earlier reported the plan by government to look inwards to market its crude oil in the wake of the discovery of shale oil in the United States (U.S.) and China. The discovery of oil in commercial quantities in countries such as Ghana, South Sudan and Mozambique, among other countries, may further exacerbate Nigeria’s worry.

Just in February this year, the U.S. imports from Nigeria dropped to 194,000 barrels per day, an 18-year low, forcing Nigeria to find new buyers.

Though Angola poses a challenge to Nigeria’s continued

dominance as the continent’s leading oil producer, the fact remains that Nigeria’s 37.2 billion barrels of provable oil reserves are more than thrice that of Angola.

The dream of propelling Nigeria’s oil production to hit the four million mark has not been marched with action as government has done very little in making the dream become a reality.

Again, the uncertainty that has continued to trail the passage of the PIB and fiscal regime inherent in the bill coupled with the direction government is likely to chart post-PIB have caused oil majors to delay approving new projects.

This is manifested in the divesting of some International Oil Companies (IOCs) like Shell and Chevron, which have sold their assets to indigenous oil firms to concentrate more on deepwater blocks.

Government has repeatedly said the divestment of these oil majors is part of change in global oil business outlook.

Speaker vows gov can’t resume before public address CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Assembly told The Guardian that the “problem now is that some of them (lawmakers) want to know if it was the governor that actually wrote the letter.”

He said that “while some of the members want the governor to appear before them to confirm if he is the actual author of the letter, some of them are strongly opposing the idea of him appearing.”

At the end of the long meeting, many people who were at the House hoping to witness the way the issue would be resolved were disappointed.

More worrisome was the decision to prevent people from gaining access to the gallery as the doors were locked.

It was also observed that the number of the security operatives at the entrance of the Assembly was increased and journalists were made to identify themselves before being allowed access to the complex.

Though efforts to interview the Speaker, Haruna Tsokwa,

did not succeed as all his telephone numbers were not going through, a close associate of his said that the plan on ground “is to get him impeached.”

The leader and members of the Coalition of Taraba Youth Movement were at the House, but left disappointed.

He said the group would resist any attempt by the members to prevent the governor from appearing before the House.

The chairman of the group, Abubakar Abba Waziri, told The Guardian at the Assembly: “We are very much aware of their plan to stop the governor from appearing before them, but that I bet you, we would not entertain.

“All that we are just after is for us to see the governor talking to the people because we don’t believe in governance by proxy.”

He urged the members to put their differences aside and “do the right thing because posterity would one day judge them.”

The continuous shielding of the governor from the public, he observed, would increase the already existing tension in the state hence the need for Nigerians to speak with one voice to prevail on the members to force the governor to appear before them or “to go ahead and address the press.”

The governor, who arrived in the state last Sunday amid tight security, as observed by The Guardian, has not made a public statement.

“You know it is not easy for one to be on air for almost 12 hours. He has just returned home from a stressful journey. So, for him to speak to the people or journalists now is not the best, but I assure you that that would be done soon,” an aide of the governor said.

He urged patience as the governor, according to him, would soon begin to reach out to the people of the state.

Later, yesterday night, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly vowed not to allow the governor to resume until

he addressed the public.

Even though he acknowledged receiving the letter transmitted to the House by the governor, he said that for it to sail through, the governor must address the people of the state.

The Speaker said that his failure to “do so means that he is not yet fit to run the affairs of the state.” The Speaker also alleged that the family of Suntai prevented the House members from visiting the governor.

The Majority Leader of the House, Joseph Albasu Kunnini, earlier told journalists that the governor could go ahead to resume office since he had passed through the due process of transmitting the letter to the members.

He said both the Speaker and his deputy had both gone underground so as to stop the members from sitting to deliberate on the letter.

But the Speaker denied the allegation that they went underground in order to halt the process of allowing the governor to resume office.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

NEWS 3

News African navies meet over piracy in Gulf of Guinea From Inemesit Akpan-Nsoh (Uyo), Odita Sunday (Lagos) and Anietie Akpan (Calabar) ITTORAL states in Africa and other parts of the world came together yesterday to fine-tune ways of checking their common enemies, pirates, who have become a threat to merchant trade and economic progress across Africa.

The event which held at the Eko Hotel and Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos has “Delivering Maritime Security to Africa” as its theme.

For the first time in history, the event was held in Africa and Nigeria was chosen as the host country.

Chiefs of naval staff of various littoral nations and captains of maritime industries were at the event, which would last for three days.

The chief host and the Nigerian Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, in his speech noted that the evolving security threat around Africa’s maritime domain is directed at the economic lifeline of both littoral and landlocked states (landlocked states are non-coastal states).

According to him, “The presence today of our political leaders, heads and representatives of navies and coastguards across and outside Africa evokes an important message on commitment towards finding solution to the maritime threats and related capacity inadequacies across the continent.

“What is more disturbing is that much of the activities associated with the evolving threat. In other words, the scourge of various forms of illegalities, such as sea robbery, human trafficking, particularly pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, including degradation of the maritime environment constitute serious challenges to the development of Africa.”

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Terrorists kill six Borno youths From Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri ARELY 48 hours after B killing 14 members of Borno Vigilance Youths Group (BVYG) at Bama in Borno State, four Boko Haram gunmen shot dead six youths at Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Council in the early hours of yesterday.

The youths, according to Joint Task Force (JTF), were traders and farmers who travelled to Damasak market from Maiduguri on Monday.

Damasak is a border council headquarters with Niger Republic, and 187 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the state capital.

An eyewitness and resident of Damasak, Idris Ibrahim also told The Guardian yesterday that the youths were shot dead in a house where they passed the night after returning from the market that holds every Monday.

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Uwais (left); National President, Nigerian Institute of Building, Mr. Chucks Omeife and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ibrahim Mahe, at the 43rd Builders Conference/Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Building in Abuja … yesterday.

PDP declares Andy Uba primary election illegal, summons organisers From Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Ezeocha Nzeh (Abuja), Tunde Akinola (Lagos) and Leo Sobechi (in Awka)

HE national leadership of T the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday summoned Senator Andy Ubah, his brother, Chris Ubah and three other Anambra governorship aspirants to explain why disciplinary actions should not be taken against them for breaching the party’s constitution by organising a parallel primary election in Awka last weekend.

The development came as the new Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has ruled out zoning as a consideration for choosing who becomes the party’s candidate in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election.

Meanwhile, one of the disqualified governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Dr. Chike Obidigbo, has accused Governor Peter Obi of deceiving the people of Anambra North Senatorial zone, lamenting that the governor’s pledge of neutrality in the search for a credible candidate from the zone to succeed him has proved deceitful.

And from the governorship aspirant under Labour Party (LP), Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, has come a pledge to develop transportation system in the state if elected into office.

According to him, it is surprising that Anambra State does not have any city transport system.

The PDP, in a statement

• NNPP rules out zoning • ‘How Obi deceived northern senatorial zone’ • Ubah promises better transport system • Aspirant tasks APC on credible primary poll issued by its acting National Publicity Secretary, Tony Caesar Okeke, also urged the Inspector General of Police to investigate the illegal use of PDP election materials by Ubah and his group to conduct their own primary election.

Titled “Illegal Conduct of Governorship Primary in Anambra State,” the statement summoned Ubah and four others to appear before its National Working Committee in Abuja today unfailingly to explain their actions.

The statement reads in part: “The leadership of the PDP hereby condemns in the strongest possible terms the organisation of a parallel primary election to elect a candidate for the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State other than the one conducted by the party on August 24, 2013.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the only governorship primary election recognised by the party was the primary election conducted by the electoral panel under the leadership of Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema which was appointed by the party.

“The organisation of another primary election other than the one referred to above is a clear breach of our party’s

constitution and is therefore totally unacceptable and cannot be condoned.”

The other party members invited are Chief Chris Ubah, Ejike Oguebego, Chief Benji Udeozor and Mrs. Tonia Nwankwu.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, NNPP National Chairman, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, said the party’s candidature would not be based on any senatorial zone.

“All our candidates must go through primaries and the best candidate will emerge,” he said. According to him, there is still opportunity for intending aspirants to pick up the NNPP flag for the governorship election.

“We have four contenders as it is but we have not foreclosed nominations,” the NNPP chairman said.

He said that the party had refused to tow the line of agitations in some quarters that all political parties must zone their candidature to a particular area. “This issue of zoning is not good for the future of Anambra. Our focus is to get the best man to rule the state,” he said.

Reacting to the emergence of a director in Fidelity Bank Plc, Willie Obiano, as winner of the APGA’s primary election,

Obidigbo said the situation proved that all along, Obi had a preferred successor in mind but chose to drag leaders of Anambra North on a wild goose chase in search of a consensus candidate.

In a statement made available to reporters in Awka, yesterday, Obidigbo wondered how the new entrant, Obiano, could beat somebody like the member representing Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, expressing regret that the alleged double dealing and intrigues have opened APGA to ridicule.

In a statement issued yesterday, Ubah, who is the chairman, Capital Oil and Gas, said: “It is exigent to develop intrastate transport system to aid access within cities, towns and around the state. This will include introducing stateowned commuter buses and taxis that will transport our people at affordable costs. My government will recapitalise the Anambra State Transport Corporation (TRACAS) by restoring TRACAS to its lost glory. I will bring to bear the benefit of my entrepreneurial experience to make TRACAS one of the most formidable and viable transport outfits in the country.

“Anambra State is notorious for having motor parks along major roads, which cause obstruction and congestion of roads by commercial cars and buses as a result of indiscriminate stopping or parking in the middle of roads to

pick and drop off passengers.

I will remove street parks and develop parks and bus stops, properly located and well positioned to divert passenger drop-offs out of the roads and highways.”

Ubah also promised that “light railway system will be constructed to connect cities in the state. This rail system will also link the proposed Anambra Airport and the Awka Capital territory, Onitsha, Otuocha, Nnewi, Ihala and Orumba. This work will enable easy goods transportation among these cities and also haul cargo items to and from the proposed airport while affording our people the cheapest form of transport between these commercial cities.”

In the All Progressives Congress (APC), one of the aspirants to the governorship seat, Godwin Ezeemo, has urged the party to use the window of the November 16 election to prove its strength and belief in internal democracy by ensuring that the party conducts a free and fair primary election to pick who will fly its banner.

Ezeemo, who submitted his expression of interest form to the APC leadership yesterday in Abuja noted that conducting an acceptable free and fair primary in Anambra State will be the party’s first test to prove to Nigerians that it is well positioned for a change, stressing that it should not encourage the method of shutting out candidates through the hand picking process.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

4 NEWS

Jang blames insurgency on mercenaries NEMA registers over 4,000 persons displaced from Dumba From Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) and Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi (Jos) OVERNOR Jonah Jang of G Plateau State has blamed the insurgency in the North on the country’s lack of action when Nigerians were alerted that foreigners were infiltrating the Plateau crises.

Speaking on Monday when the Charge D’Affairs of America Embassy, Mr. Martins Brian, visited him in Jos, Jang said the state government cried out on many occasions on the involvement of foreign mercenaries in the crises in the state, adding that their plight and complaints were perceived as sentiments and ignored until other states in the North started having similar experiences.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the NorthEast sub-region yesterday completed the identification and registration of over 4, 000 persons, who were displaced last week by the attacks and killings at Dumba Village, near Baga town, by suspected Boko Haram gunmen.

The displaced persons, according to NEMA sources, were mainly farmers and fishermen on the Lake Chad shores, 225 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the Borno State

Chairman, Senate Committee on Land, Housing and Urban Development, Bukar Abba Ibrahim (left); President, Nigerian Institute of Architects, Ibrahim Haruna, Managing Director, Julius Berger, Wolfgang Goetsch, Director, Architects Services, Ministry for Land, Housing and Urban Development, Sani Gidado and Chairman, Architects Development Services, Mohammed Jimo Faworaja, during Archibuilt 2013 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Abuja ... yesterday.

PHOTO LADIDI LUCY ELUKPO

Ogun discovers N231m fraud in ministry From Charles Coffie-Gyamfi (Abeokuta) N231 million fraud has been discovered in the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Tech-

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nology.

The fraud, which has been perpetrated for about three years now, involved some officials in the ministry in connivance with some principals of public secondary schools.

The avenue the suspects used to fraudulently drain the government purse was the payment of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) fees by government.

The government, as part of its free education policy, pays WASSCE fees yearly for all final year students in public secondary schools.

But the suspected principals and their collaborators in the ministry dubiously inflate the number of their students to enable them collect the excess amount after the government has paid the total amount.

Based on a tip-off, the government set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the issue and recommend appropriate sanctions to prevent recurrence.

The Panel Chairman, AbdulFatai Opebiyi, told reporters in Abeokuta yesterday that a

total of 3,571 “external candidates” were discovered to have been fraudulently added to the list of the legitimate students.

The panel chairman added that apart from the amount discovered, various sums of money were also found to have been held illegally by certain officials of the ministry.

Opebiyi, who is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Strategy, explained that the panel had recommended appropriate sanctions against culpable officials and suggested ways of preventing future occurrences.

Responding, the Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, congratulated the panel members for the successful completion of the assignment and expressed optimism that their recommendations would be adopted to the letter.

Identity commission tasks ALGON over rural coverage From Karls Tsokar, Abuja HE 774 local councils in T Nigeria have been charged to establish easily accessible enrolment centres in their areas.

The Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Chris Onyemenam, made the call in Abuja during the 1st Local Government Areas (LGAs) Summit on the National Identity Management System (NIMS) yesterday.

Onyemenam said for the effective coverage of the grassroots in the NIN registration exercise, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) should support, partner and co-operate with NIMC in establishing enrol-

ment centres in the 774 local councils.

He stated that the call for the partnership with ALGON is hinged on the fact that the body is the closest to the majority rural population, who must be captured in the exercise in order for a comprehensive capture of all Nigerians.

He said: “NIMC is doing four important things, which are the creation of the National Identity Management Database, Managing Identity Authentication and Verification Service Infrastructure, Establishing Registration Centres in every State Capital and all the 774 Local Councils, and the Issuance of the National Identity Smart Card”. And the role of the body in mobilising the rural dwellers.”

Editors urge govt to diversify economy

By Joseph Onyekwere HE Nigerian Guild of EdiT tors has called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, begin deliberate and sustained diversification of the economy in order to wean the country from its dependence on oil and gas as a major revenue earner.

The editors, arising from the ninth All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC) held in Asaba, Delta State, said in a statement endorsed by its President and General Secretary, Femi Adesina and Isaac Ighure, that agriculture, tourism and other non-oil sources should be intensively explored, in order to avert the catastrophic consequences of a future without oil.

In the statement, the editors recommended that: • Financial institutions and funding agencies should provide increased funding to nonoil sectors, especially agriculture, SMEs and manufacturing. There is the need to add value to oil and gas resources through production of by-products for local consumption and export; and • there should be an integrated approach to diversification of the economy by involving all sectors, curbing corruption and wastage, and improving governance to ensure the survival of the country beyond oil.

They also advised the government to speed efforts to improve infrastructure, particularly power, transportation and telecommunications, as not doing so would hamper sustainable diversification of the economy.

The editors added that all tiers of government and the citizenry should be involved in the drive to ensure security of lives and property as no meaningful economic development can be achieved in an insecure environment.

NEWS 5

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Lagos Assembly approves N507b revised budget for 2013

By Wole Oyebade AGOS State House of Assembly yesterday approved a revised budget of N507.105 billion for the year 2013, being an increase of N7.5 billion from earlier budget approved and signed into law on January 2, 2013.

The approval was consequent of a letter by Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) seeking the House’s approval on amendments to 2013 budget.

The new budget proposal is largely predicated on the need to fund the acquisition of existing concession rights and toll revenue benefits held by the Lekki Concession Company (LCC), the concessionaire for 49.36km Eti-OsaLekki-Epe expressway.

At an emergency plenary yesterday, being third week into the lawmakers’ six-week recess, the House Committee on Supply approved the budget proposal after an hour of having the trio of Commissioners for Budget and Economic Planning; Finance and Works and Infrastructure explain the rationale for the increment.

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Scene of the NNPC tanker fire on Iwo Road-Ojoo expressway in Ibadan…yesterday

Three feared dead in Oyo tanker fire From Iyabo Lawal, Ibadan HREE persons were feared T dead yesterday in Ibadan and five others injured when a tanker belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) exploded while trying to offload fuel.

The explosion which occurred at Orogun junction along Iwo Road/Ojoo Expressway also touched eight shops and two Sport Utility Vehicles(SUV) which were burnt to ashes.

Thick smoke covered the air as owners of shops and cars parked close to the scene made frantic efforts to retrieve their property for fear of being burnt.

Eyewitness account said the ill-fated truck was offloading fuel from another NNPC truck which had fallen off the road which suddenly exploded.

Three persons were feared dead in the process as fuel drained into their area and exploded burning property and human beings found along its path.

Five persons who sustained serious burns were rushed to the hospital with an Oyo State ambulance dispatched to the scene.

Okorocha appoints 21 aides From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri OVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has appointed 21 new aides into his cabinet.

According to a statement issued in Owerri on Monday and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof.

Anthony Anwukah, the immediate Commissioner for Information, Strategy, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Chinedu Offor, was named the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, while the governor’s younger sister, Mrs. Ogechi Ololo was re-appointed as Special Assistant, Domestic Affairs and Mr. Raplh Afoaku, Special Assistant, Media Production among other 18 appointed officials.

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PHOTO:NAJEEM RAHEEM

Nigeria, S’ Africa may row again over alleged deportation of Nigerians From Wole Shadare, Johannesburg IGERIA and South Africa N may again be embroiled in a diplomatic row over alleged deportation of Nigerians from that country.

There was confrontation between both countries two years ago over issues bothering on deportation of Nigerians from South Africa.

It was gathered that Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is already studying a petition by Nigeria’s flag carrier airline, Arik Air, over the alleged deportation of over 40 Nigerians in August this year alone at the OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg.

A source in the Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Guardian yesterday that the government was worried over the issues that they thought had been resolved when Abuja retaliated by deporting hundreds of South Africans from Lagos Airport over issue of yellow fever cards.

The management of Arik, in a letter entitled “Maltreatment of Arik passengers” and addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Olugbenga Ashiru, intimated the ministry of alleged discriminatory and maltreatment of Arik passengers in South Africa, adding that “It has become worrisome and there is urgent need to put a stop to this act as perpetrated by the Immigration authorities in Johannesburg.”

A top official of Arik airline in Johannesburg, a Portuguese who preferred anonymity, confided in The Guardian that Nigerians slated for deportation were detained for hours and at a time the airline (Arik) that brought them would have departed for Lagos, thereby exposing the airline to $500 fine on each of the passengers deported.

The official alleged that it was a ploy to edge out Arik on the route, as the situation has made travellers to prefer

South Africa Airways where there seems to be no Nigerian travellers encountering such difficulty.

A mild drama ensued at the Johannesburg International Airport yesterday when about six Nigerian travellers were led away to a room by Immigration officers ostensibly for deportation as they claimed that they had all the documentation that made the South African Embassy in Lagos to issue them visa.

The Immigration officials claimed that most of the travellers from Nigeria had forged hotel bookings and reservations and faked yellow fever cards, among other travel documents.

But experts dismissed their claims, saying the new rule before visa can be issued is presentation of yellow fever cards duly endorsed by Port Health Authority of the Federal Ministry of Health, confirmed hotel bookings, return air tickets, letter of introduction or consent by employers and statement of

accounts.

They reasoned that once the Embassy is satisfied, leading to the issuance of visa, the South African Immigration authority does not have the right to deny travellers entry, unless the offence bothers on issues that are different from those listed above.

South Africa, after the row that made Nigeria to retaliate the former’s action, apologised to the Nigerian government for the action she took.

The government blamed airport authorities for what a joint statement with Nigeria described as a “regrettable incident which the South African government believes could have been handled better.”

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Ashiru, described the deportation as evidence of xenophobia.

“What you see playing out is what we call xenophobia by South Africans against all Africans – not just Nigerians,” he was quoted to have said.

Supreme Court rules on Ondo guber appeal tomorrow From Lemmy Ughegbe, Abuja HE ongoing legal tussle T that followed the victory of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in last year’s guber polls in Ondo State will end tomorrow, when the Supreme Court said it reserved judgment.

The appeals were filed by both the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its standard bearer, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its standard bearer, Olusola Oke, challenging the verdict of the Court of Appeal, which upheld

Mimiko’s victory in the Ondo guber elections.

A full panel of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Walter Onoghen also struck out the name of the second appellant in the first appeal, the ACN, as it has merged with other parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The court fixed Thursday for judgment after listening to arguments of all parties in the two suits. Counsel to Mimiko, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), after announcing his appearance, had asked the court to take judicial notice of the fact that ACN was no

longer in existence as it is now subsumed in another party, which was not before the court.

But counsel to Akeredolu, Wole Aina, prayed the court to reject the judicial notice since there is no evidence before the court to prove this. In the alternative, he moved an application to substitute the name ACN for APC. However, counsel to Labour Party, Yusuf Ali (SAN), submitted that the court could take judicial notice of a notorious fact like that of the instant case, adding that no one of school age would say

he was not aware of the death of ACN, which has been submerged by APC. After listening to their submissions, the court ruled that it was the duty of the second appellant to inform it of the submergence of ACN into APC. It ruled: “We have carefully gone through the provision of Section 109(2)(g) and 97 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, which the second appellant drew our attention to.

“It does not avail the appellant, as the section deals with the candidate and not the party as in this instant case.

EFCC arrests 17 suspects over N1.7b Oyo pensions scam From Abosede Musari, Abuja HE Economic and T Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has arrested a syndicate of 17 fraudsters, who were implicated in the theft of N1.7 billion pensions fund meant for Oyo State primary schools retirees. They were arrested separately by the EFCC operatives.

Investigations by the EFCC showed that all the pensions offices in the 33 local councils of the state were affected by the scam. The Pensions Board reportedly received the sum of N4.1 billion from both the Federation Account and the Oyo State Government between September 2010 and February 2011.

Of this amount, the suspects allegedly withdrew and embezzled N1.7. Items recovered from them included buildings, poultry farms, power generating sets and undeveloped plots of land.

According to a statement yesterday from the EFCC Acting Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Ajimobi

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

6 | NEWS

Jonathan urges ASUU to resume work From Charles Ogugbuaja (Owerri), Gordi Udeajah (Umuahia) and Collins Olayinka (Abuja) OR the umpteenth time, FJonathan President Goodluck yesterday appealed to the striking teachers across the nation’s universities to resume duties since the Federal Government has release about N130 billion (N100 billion for needs and N30 billion for allowances) to various universities to handle the legion of problems facing them.

However, hope that the N130 billion released to the universities would be enough to persuade ASUU to suspend its industrial action may have failed, as its National President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, told The Guardian that the sum was not only inadequate but an insincere shortcut to ending the crisis in the university system.

This comes as former President of ASUU, Prof. Assisi Asobie, said that inaction forced the union to embark on strike, stating that it took three years to arrive at the 2009 agreement, which government refused to implement for another four years (2009 to 2013).

Speaking at the commissioning of some projects built under the Federal Govern-

• Says govt released N130b to tertiary institutions • Intervention fails to pacify union ment Transformational Projects, including the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies and Physics Department Buildings at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai’i, said that government has done well by releasing the said sum.

He maintained that all over the world, no government could release at a go all that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has demanded. According to the President, the “Federal Government has released N100 billion and N30 billion for allowances; it is going to be continuous process.

“It is decided that every year, certain amount will be earmarked for development of our universities. No point for ASUU to continue being on strike. No government can bring (that) amount at a time. As at now, there is no point for anybody to be on strike.”

He promised to come to the institution to physically commission the remaining projects, while urging other

universities to utilise their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to develop their infrastructure as done by FUTO. On their part, both the FUTO Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chigozie Asiabaka, and Pro Chancellor, Dr. Emmanuel Enemuo, said the institution was facing serious infrastructure challenges, such as classrooms and students’ hostels.

Fagge declared that university lecturers would not go back to the classroom until government chooses which one to implement among the 2009 agreement, a memorandum of understanding it signed with ASUU or the University NEEDS Assessment report.

He argued that the release of N130 billion to the universities’ governing councils does not fall into the implementation of any of the documents, and that the N100 billion released to federal universities was grossly inadequate.

He noted that the methodology on how to revive the university system, with cost implications, are detailed in the NEEDS Assessment re-

port and the MoU signed with government. He revealed that about N1.5tr is needed to address the infrastructure deficiencies, which makes the N130 billion, even if given with sincerity of purpose, grossly inadequate.

Meanwhile, Rufai’I, also representing Jonathan on Monday, commissioned 10 new students hostels at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUA), Umudike, in Abia State. The project cost N1.5 billion from IGR, with capacity to house 2,640 students.

Other structures commissioned included new University Library, four new buildings belonging to Natural and Applied Sciences, Veterinary Medicine Extension, Agricultural Economics, Rural Sociology Extension, and College of Engineering Technology Extension.

According to the President, who commended the institution for financing the construction of the hostels from IGR, “this is indeed a laudable example in prudence and discipline, worthy of emulation by other institutions of higher learning. I urge all

universities and public institutions to relentlessly explore innovative methods and creative partnerships with the private sector in addressing the challenges of funding and the provision of infrastructure.”

He further directed the Ministry of Water Resources to dam the stream flowing through the university and transform it to economic value. Nevertheless, MOUA Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Anya O Anya, told the President that though the institution has over 6,000 hectares of land donated to it by the Olokoro and Ikwuano host communities, it has not been able to access the land due to unresolved issues.

Also at the event, the Federal Government disclosed that it has spent a total of N165.4 billion on tertiary educational institutions in the country in its drive to improve access to quality education.

Of this N165.4 billion, each of the 12 new federal universities got N4.7 billion as takeoff grant while under the High Impact Fund (now in its fifth phase), over N109 billion was provided to selected universities, colleges of education and polytechnics across the country to enhance the development of facilities,

UN, Nigeria move to increase women’s role in peace, security efforts From Omotola Oloruntobi, Abuja

Y the launch of the NaB tional Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR 1325) in Abuja yesterday, the UN and Nigeria are working to increase the roles of women in peace, security and conflict resolution in the country.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, noted that UNCSR 1325 was adopted on October 31, 2000, intent on recognising the significant roles that women should play in conflict management, resolution and sustainable peace.

“Though women are now major stakeholders in conflict prevention, peacemaking, disarmament and security reforms, as well as post-conflict reconstruction, there is still insufficient opportunity for them to participate in decision making processes that affect their lives,” she said.

Maina urged government, civil society organisations, non-governmental bodies and those in relevant sectors of the economy to ensure the successful implementation of UNCSR 1325 because the roles of women in the society cannot be overemphasised.

Conflict resolution panel to meet Yoruba leaders

By Oluseye Olumide HE Presidential CommitT tee on Insurgency and Conflict Resolution will

Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba (left); Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Erelu Olushola Obada; Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim; Chief of Air Staff, Vice Admiral Marshal Bandeh; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar at the first African Offshore Patrol Vessel Conference in Lagos … yesterday.

PHOTO: ODITA SUNDAY

Rivers’ commissioners, others declare expulsion illegal From Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcourt RITICISMS have continued C to trail Monday’s expulsion of 14 Rivers State’s commissioners and others from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Felix Obuah-led state executive committee.

Describing their expulsion as a nullity, the commissioners said that only the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) is constitutionally empowered to sanction any erring public office holder.

The Commissioner for Works, Mr. Victor Giadom, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, told journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday that they remained bonafide members of the party because the state executive lacks the

power to expel public office holders from the party.

Giadom alleged that the state executive did not invite any of his colleagues to appear before the “controversial evaluation committee” it set up to assess the performance of serving public officers and elected officials. He said the state PDP executive committee was not working in the interest of the party, otherwise it would have reckoned that those it purportedly expelled were critical stakeholders in the party in the state.

On his part, secretary to the ousted Rivers PDP executive, Adokiye Oruwari, said the concept of performance evaluation is alien to the party’s constitution, arguing further that the state’s working com-

mittee lacks the power to expel any public office holder.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Dakuku Peterside, has described the purported expulsion of over 18 Rivers government functionaries and party leaders as a bad omen for the PDP. He described Rivers people as peace loving, decorous and law-abiding, wondering why a respected party leader like the former national deputy chairman of the party, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, should even be considered for such despicable action.

In same vein, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Leyii Kwanee, called

for the intervention of the PDP national body, saying that it has become imperative owing to the way and manner the party was being destroyed in the state.

According to him, the expulsion of the 18 members runs foul of article 21.4, 5 and 6 of the PDP Constitution; before any expulsion could be valid, the affected members ought to be suspended and informed in writing of their offences and such allegation properly investigated and the affected persons given the opportunity of fair hearing and self-defence.

Meanwhile, a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Lasbrey Amadi, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene

and save the PDP from the looming danger ahead the 2015 general elections.

brief the leadership of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) on its efforts and progress recorded so far on Friday, at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

In a statement yesterday, the YUF Secretary General, Senator Anthony Adefuye, said that participants at the meeting scheduled for 11 a.m, would brainstorm on the positive and constructive ways to gainfully move the country forward peacefully.

He added that the YUF would hold its general meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Mrs. HID Awolowo at Efunyela Hall in Ikene, Ogun State, tomorrow at 11 a.m, where matters slated for discussion included the state of the nation and the meaningful, continued relevance of the Yoruba in governance.

200 thugs invade Nasarawa Assembly From Msugh Ityokura, Lafia VER 200 thugs allegedly sponsored by the All ProO gressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State yesterday invaded the state House of Assembly to beat up members alleged to be plotting the impeachment of the state Governor Tanko Al-Makura.

The governor had honoured an invitation by the house to appear before it and explain series of allegations bordering on gross misconduct and other forms of abuse of his office.

But immediately after the de-

liberations, which lasted for three hours, the invading thugs defied the presence of heavily armed security operatives including the police, civil defence and SSS to unleash mayhem on members of the PDP dominated legislature.

Despite the governor’s attempt to stop them, the thugs made straight for the main building in the complex to carry out their nefarious assignment but were prevented by the security men particularly the police, who fired tear gas canisters with several live shots in the air to disperse them.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Bauchi investigates three over alleged stealing From Ali Garba, Bauchi AUCHI State Police ComB mand has commenced investigation over allegations that three policemen were arrested for allegedly stealing and selling government-owned fuel at the newly built international airport.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Hassan Muhammed Auyo, who confirmed the incident to newsmen yesterday in Bauchi, said “the officers were arrested, were being interrogated at the state Criminal Investigations Department, (SCID) and the Commissioner of Police has vowed to deal with anyone of them found wanting at the end of the investigation, according to the laws of the police and the laws of the land.”

Aregbesola pledges to industrialise Osun From Tunji Omofoye (Osogbo), Laolu Adeyemi and Nnena Ugwu (Lagos) OVERNOR Rauf G Aregbesola of Osun State has reiterated his commitment to boost the economy of the state through an industrial revolution.

The governor, who spoke at the official commissioning of Omoluabi Garment factory in Abere, Osun State, on Monday, said his administration would not rest until tremendous industrial growth is recorded.

Aregbesola, who also marked his 1, 005 days in office on the same day, said Sam & Sara garment factory, which brought Omoluabi Garment factory to the state, has demonstrated greater commitment to his vision by training no fewer than 1,500 tailors in Osun.

The governor disclosed that Sam & Sara’s bid for Osun Uniform project birthed the idea of Omoluabi Garment factory.

Govt signs N79 billion pact with Chinese firm on transmission network From Emeka Anuforo, Abuja HE Federal Government has lived up to its promise of injecting new lease of life into the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), as it yesterday sealed a N79billion agreement with a Chinese firm, Xian Electric Engineering Company, to upgrade Nigeria’s ailing transmission

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facilities within the next two years.

The contract is aimed at expanding and upgrading Nigeria’s weak transmission network within two years.

The execution of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), officials said, would commence immediately with funding from the Chinese Exim Bank on a conces-

sionary loan.

The Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, said the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, negotiated the loan during the Federal Government’s delegation visit to China recently.

He said Manitoba Hydro International and TCN contract

Uwais blames weak regulation for frequent building collapses From Nkechi Onyedika, Abuja ORMER Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais, has urged the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, pass the National Building Code Bill, which has been before it in order to address the challenges confronting the building and construction industry in Nigeria.

Speaking at the 43rd Conference/Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Building yesterday in Abuja, Uwais blamed the recurring incidence of building collapse in the country on inadequate regulatory framework and enabling law that could be used to put in check the issue of quacks, greed and professional misconduct.

Uwais observed that Building Code is the appropriate and most effective regulatory framework for monitoring and controlling various stages in the execution of building projects.

He identified the use of sub-

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Fayemi donates 125 vehicles to Ekiti monarchs From Muyiwa Adeyemi (Head South-West Bureau, Ado-Ekiti) KITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday donated 125 vehicles to the traditional rulers and pleaded with them to continue to maintain peace in their various communities.

Fayemi, who warned the royal fathers against desecrating the institution through barrage of court cases in settling chieftaincy tussles, also inaugurated Oba Idowu Adama Babalola, the Onitaji of Itaji Ekiti in Oye Local Council, the chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers in the state, following the expiration of the two-year tenure of Oba Adedeji Gbadebo, the Owa Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti on August 1, this year.

The governor, who clarified that the advice did not preclude individuals from approaching the court to seek redress in respect of chieftaincy dispute, maintained that reckless filing of suits in the face of simple provocation that could be resolved locally, could debase the royalty.

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Uwais

standard materials, absence of building plan approval by concerned government agencies, poor design, alteration of design and the inability to abide by specification, as other factors responsible for the frequent building collapses in the country.

He said: “The collapse of buildings is one of the most challenging problems facing the urbanisation of the nation, this is a source of concern not only to professionals and government but also everyone.

The frequencies of collapse of buildings and the associated negative consequences have continued to place doubts on the effectiveness of all the efforts being made to stem the menace. Lives are being lost, investments in building development are being wasted and the helplessness of the situation is turning into hopelessness”.

According to him, in order to stem the tide, the industry has to look inward while professionals in the sector must keep abreast of evolving technologies in the construction industry to meet the challenges of modern times.

The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Amma Pepple, said the challenges of the building industry in Nigeria ranges from critical national infrastructure to housing, urban development and financial mechanism to unleash the potential in the industry, adding that current stock is inadequate in

Al-Makura denies spending N1.5b on son’s wedding From, Msugh Ityokura, Lafia OVERNOR of Nasarawa State Tanko Al-Makura has denied spending N1.5 billion on his son’s wedding in the United States, stating that the state government only contributed N20 million to event.

Al-Makura however, reminded concerned groups that he was personally capable of spending such a sum having been a successful businessman before becoming governor.

Al-Makura, who spoke through his Director of Press D.O.P Illiasu Yakubu referred politicians in doubt as to the governor’s financial worth to the Code of Conduct Bureau

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(CCB), which he said documented the governor’s assets before taking over office.

His reaction did not go down well with the opposition as the Peoples Democratic Party PDP insists it is going ahead with its facts finding mission to ascertain what is left in the state treasury so as to carry out the necessary action.

The PDP, whose senior official spoke on condition of anonymity said they are already in touch with the anti graft agencies and are almost done with documents that would nail the governor when their case is finally presented.

terms of quantity, spread and quality.

Pepple observed that Nigeria is experiencing an unprecedented rate of urbanisation, with projections that not less than 60 per cent of the population will be living in cities by 2015.

She blamed the rising urbanisation in the country on the phenomenal growth in urban slums, which provide breeding ground for all forms of criminal activities.

In his remarks, President of NIOB, Chucks Omeife, stressed the need to address the policy gap in the built environment regulatory framework and the gap between design and construction.

managers would design and delineate the project’s entire details.

He said: “What the money will do will be provided by Manitoba to the Chinese firm. Manitoba is already aware of their role in this MoU.” General Manager of Xian Electric, Jijun Hua, stressed how the MoU would strengthen relations between Nigeria and China and assured that Xian Electric would do its best to deliver the projects timely with extreme efficiency.

He said his firm is reputed as the largest enterprise specialised in research and development, design, production, sales and examination of power transmission and distribution control equipment, and is currently supplying complete sets of equipment and services to over 50 countries.

Following allegations of untardiness in the constitution of the present supervisory board and the confusing operational structure for the TCN, the Federal Government last Friday announced the reconstitution of the supervisory board for the firm.

This is the third time a supervisory board is being announced for the TCN in eight months. The government also yesterday, announced a nine-member management

staff to work with the expatriates from Canada for the management of TCN, which has come under heavy criticism for failing to effectively wheel generated power. Government currently has a three months’ management contract with Canadian firm, Manitoba Hydro International, with an expatriate as managing director.

Meanwhile, a crucial meeting convened by Nebo for the newly-reconstituted supervisory board of the TCN had to be hurriedly called off when it became clear yesterday that the chairman could not attend because he was allegedly not notified.

The government had on Friday announced a new 17member supervisory board for the TCN, which is again headed by Haman Tukur, while the Vice Chairman remains Akinsola Akinfemiwa, but with major amendments.

The minister said: “Ladies and gentlemen, please bear with us but we cannot officially inaugurate the reconstituted board and management of TCN because the chairman is not here. We have to do this on account of exigencies and I plead with you that this meeting has been postponed. We will reconvene tomorrow to inaugurate a properly constituted board

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

8 | NEWS

Edo APC chief’s abductors demand N100m ransom, silent on Ozekhome • Kukah condemns kidnap From Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu, Benin City

HERE are conflicting reT ports on the whereabouts of the kidnapped Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, his driver and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Athanasious Ugbome, all from Edo-North Senatorial District.

They were abducted between Ehor and Iruekpen along the Benin-Auchi Expressway last Friday.

While reports in the social media indicated that Ozekhome’s abductors have contacted his family demanding a ransom of N150 million, his elder brother, Pius, was reported to have told a confidant yesterday that the family has not been contacted as at yesterday morning.

A close friend of Ugbome told The Guardian yesterday that his abductors have demanded N100 million. He said they opened contacts on Sunday but that “since that day, they have not been in touch.”

Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko (left) and the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) during the Supreme Court hearing of appeals by the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the re-election of Mimiko in Abuja…yesterday

Governors list challenges as Abia, nd Kogi mark 22 anniversary From Gordi Udeajah (Umuahia) and Kolawole Timothy (Lokoja) OGI State Governor Idris K Wada has denied allegations that he is taking instructions from his predecessor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, on how to run the affairs of the state 18 months after he took over as the governor of the state.

Wada stated this yesterday while briefing newsmen on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the creation of the state, saying that, “I am in charge of the administration of Kogi State. I am not taking instructions or order from the immediate past governor of the state or from anybody because I came to power through the grace of God and not through any godfather”.

According to him, “when I came on board as the governor of the state, I discovered that there were many on-going projects left behind by the former governor, Ibrahim Idris, and it was my belief that as a PDP governor taking over from a brother PDP governor, it would be in the best interest of the state for me to complete all the on-going projects, which I did.

“But to my surprise, some of our detractors and enemies of the state started blackmailing me, saying that I am a puppet who is still taking orders and instructions from the former governor, simply because I did not abandon the projects I met on the ground to start my own. I believe that all the projects have direct bearing

• Wada denies taking instructions from Idris • Orji seeks support for growth on the lives of the people of the state, which is why I continue with them in order not to turn them into abandoned jobs.

“Let me state here that former governor, Ibrahim Idris, is my brother who I have known for many years. I will not say that because I am a governor now, I should be fighting with an erstwhile governor. I believe that we should team up with all former governors who have contributed their quota to the development of the state, move it forward and take it to the needed next level”, Wada added.

Commemorating its 22nd anniversary, Governor Theodore Orji has said, “At such an age, Abia State is still a major work in progress”.

He told the people of Abia in a radio and television broadcast that building the state has been difficult but that his government resolved to lay foundation for its sustainable development where the efforts made by our citizens can gain ready government’s support in security of environments and adequate infrastructural facilities.

Orji described the anniversary as an occasion and opportunity to renew commitment to the challenges to make Abia State better, explaining that that is why “we continue to build and strengthen the various institutions that support

statehood, visible democracy, youth and women empowerment in our state”.

Calling on Abia people to

join hands with his government and work for the state’s common good so that together they will build an

enduring legacy, the governor said this would become achievable only when the foundations for the administration of the state, as an important commercial, economic, political security and leadership hub, begin to bear fruits.

Abuja inhabitants withdraw from ministerial committee on land swap From Itunu Ajayi, Abuja ITING the non-acceptance C of its recommendation of 30 per cent of land for the host communities’ desire to be resettled by the government and companies involved in the land-swap programme, the Original Inhabitants’ Development Association (OIDA), the umbrella body of the FCT indigenous people, said it has voluntarily withdrawn from the Ministerial Committee on the Implementation of FCT Land-swap Programme and Resettlement Matters set up by the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed.

In a statement by the secretary of the association, it said the decision was contained in a letter signed by its president, Pastor Danladi Jeji, submitted to the Chairman of the Landswap Committee and Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), John Chukwu, at the resumed sitting of the committee last Thursday.

The group said its earlier acceptance of the membership and full participation of the committee’s sittings was

borne out of germane trust and belief that the Federal Government was sincere in its move for a proper and permanent resettlement of the people.

Quoting the minister at the inception of the committee when he said: “We will carry the affected people and communities along; it’s going to be a bottom-up and not top-to bottom approach and we shall adhere to global best practices”, Danladi, however, regretted that the words of the minister were mere rhetoric.

His words: “Despite initial misgivings, OIDA chose to give the minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, the benefit of the doubt when he said, but as things have turned out, particularly as the ‘draft report’ of this committee now attests, with due deference to the persons and personalities of this committee whom OIDA holds in high esteem, the talk about carrying the original inhabitants along and so forth was all mere rhetoric and a gimmick to get the land-swap policy endorsed and or in another word, rubber-

stamped by the said locals.”

He noted: “In view of this fact, the committee’s draft report and or resolutions/recommendations do not reflect OIDA’s most weighty position of redefining the percentage ratio of 60 per cent to private companies and 40 per cent to FCTA. Indeed, OIDA’s position that the said equation be reworked from a bipartite to tripartite arrangement or contract, i.e. by the inclusion of the PAP/communities in the equation, has not been reflected much less being so recommended. It has been the uncompromising position of OIDA as repeatedly told and submitted to this committee that 30 per cent of the ratio or equation must go back to the Project Affected Persons/Communities to be held in Community Trust Fund.

“This position was also the outcome of the FCT Enlarged Stakeholders’ Sub-committee’s consultations. OIDA believes that this demand is justified in view of the fact that the compensation due and payable for the creation (acquisition) of Abuja has not been paid for 37 years now. On 30 per cent we stand!”

Uduaghan warns aspirants against violence From Chido Okafor, Warri OVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan yesterday urged the aspirants in Delta Central Senatorial District campaigning to fill the vacuum created by the demise of Pius Ewherido to go about their campaigns peacefully and to eschew violence.

Uduaghan, who spoke during the inter-denominational thanksgiving service to mark the 22nd anniversary of Delta State at The Living Faith Church (aka Winners Chapel) in Warri, humoured that there were many aspirants in the senatorial race and that he could see some of them in the church.

He said: “Let me welcome all the politicians, especially those who are contesting for the Senate position. I can see many of them here. I want to plead with them to go about their campaigns in a peaceful manner without violence.”

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Fair reporting urged

By Isaac Taiwo HE Managing Director, ProT masidor Nigeria Limited, producers of Cowbell, Top Tea, Cowbell Chocolate Drink, Loyal Milk, Cowbell Coffee Milk Drinks, among others, Keith Richards, has called on journalists to vote for excellent reporting and jettison plagiarism and every other lazy methods of reporting.

Addressing the media yesterday on the 2014 Promasidor Quill Awards at the company’s premises along Cowbell Way, Isolo, Richards said it was for this reason his organisation last year commenced Annual Promasidor Quill Awards for excellent reporting on education, best report on nutrition, best corporate social responsibility and sustainability report, brand advocate and photo story, as a platform to encourage and reward journalists for dedicated news reportage all year round, a development that would be continuous and outlive the present management.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

PHOTONEWS 9

PHOTONEWS

Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Folusho Philips (left), Company Secretary, MTN Nigeria, Uto Ukpanah and Director General, NESG, Frank Nweke at the MTN sponsored Dialogue on Global Guide on Sports Sponsorship organised by United Nations Global Compact in Lagos

Representative of International Trade Centre, Ms. Ludavie Ghezzoni (left); Director Trade Information Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Aliyu Lawal; Director General National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii during the Training of Traders, Exporters and Standards Enforcement Officers Under the Auspices of WTO-STDF Sanitary and Phytosanitary project 172 for Enhancing Export of Sehanut/Butter and Sesame Seeds from Nigeria in Lagos… yesterday.

PHOTO: GABRIEL IKHAHON

Bishop Ikhide Isokpehi (right); Bishop Francis Shopekan; Pastor Bola Ogunmade and Prophet Peter Ogunmade at the launch of an album titled: “Singing A New Song” by Prophet Ogunmade, the General Overseer of The Glorious People of God Assembly during the Church 2013 Faith Convention with the theme: “Be Not Afraid”.

PHOTO: ISAAC TAIWO

Area Sales Manager, Owolabi Teslim (left); Regional Sales Manager, Lagos, Femi Odusile; and Area Sales Manager West 1, Bolaji Lasisi, Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Limited, at the Osun Osogbo Festival in Osun State

Category Manager, Skin Cleansing, Unilever Nigeria Plc. Rotimi Oyesiji (left); Winner of One Million Naira, Mrs. Adebiyi Oluwatobi; Vice President Operations, Unilever Nigeria Plc; Anil Gopalan and Brand Manager, Lux , Olumide Aniyikaiye at the prize presentation of the first Millionaire in the ongoing Lux ‘Gold search Promo’ in Lagos… yesterday.

PHOTO: AYODELE ADENIRAN

Deputy President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Ayodapo Soderu (left); President, NCRIB, Barrister Laide Osijo; and Group Managing Director, Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Ganiyu Musa during NCRIB members evening sponsored by Cornerstone Insurance Plc. PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU

Business Development Director, Kantar World Panel (West, East and Central Africa) Augustina Umanna, (left); Chief Executive Officer (West East and Central Africa), Adeola Tejumola; Global Business Development Director, Jose Emmanuel and Managing Director TNS Nigeria, Eddington Danda at media briefing by the Chief Executive Kantar Group in Lagos.

PHOTO: CHARLES OKOLO

Deputy Director Entrepreneurship Division Raw Materials Research Development Council, Gabriel Bankole (left); Assistant Cordinator National Youth Service Corporation, Mary Obogor and the Organiser, Mohammed Sani Usman during the Public Lecture on Sustainability and Development of Entrepreneurs in Nigeria in Abuja PHOTO: LADIDI LUCY ELUKPO

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

WorldReport Charles Taylor’s appeal ruling set for Sept. 26 HE international court hanT dling the appeal of Liberian ex-president Charles Taylor against his conviction for war crimes in Sierra Leone announced yesterday it would deliver its judgment next month.

Taylor, 65, was found guilty last year of lending support to Sierra Leonean rebels who waged a terror campaign during a civil war that claimed 120,000 lives between 1991 and 2001, in exchange for “blood diamonds” mined by slave labour.

The Special Tribunal for Sierra Leone set the date for the appeal ruling on September 26, the court said in a statement from The Hague.

Taylor’s sentencing in May 2012 for “some of the most heinous crimes in human history” was the first handed down by an international court against a former head of state since the Nazi trials at Nuremberg in 1946.

Amidst political uncertainty, Egypt’s economic, social status tell a complex story

By Kamal Tayo Oropo

West to hit Syria in days, envoys hint rebels indications have FfromINALLY, emerged that any moment now, United States and its western allies will launch attacks against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military and communication infrastructure.

As a prelude to the military action, envoys from the U.S and its allies have told rebels fighting al-Assad that Western powers could attack Syria within days, sources who attended the meeting told Reuters yesterday.

Several sources who attended a meeting in Istanbul on Monday between Syrian opposition leaders and diplomats from Washington and other governments told Reuters yesterday that the rebels were told to expect military action and to get ready to negotiate a peace deal.

“The opposition was told in clear terms that action to deter further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime could come as early as in the next few days, and that they should still prepare for peace talks at Geneva,” one of the sources said.

Ahmad Jarba, president of the Syrian National Coalition, met envoys from 11 states in the Friends of Syria group, including Robert Ford, the U.S.

• UN caught in crossfire over Assad, warns Vatican • U.S. forces ready to go, Chuck Hagel declares • Cameron recalls parliament to discuss response • France ‘ready to punish’ Syria, Hollande affirms • Damascus, Iran warn against military strikes ambassador to Syria, at an Istanbul hotel.

Also, a report by Agence France Presse (AFP) confirmed that Syria’s opposition expects a Western military intervention against al-Assad’s regime within days and has been consulted over targets, one of its officials said yesterday.

“There is no precise timing ... but one can speak of an imminent international intervention against the regime. It’s a question of days and not weeks,” said Ahmad Ramadan, a Syrian National Coalition political committee member.

Ramadan said airports, military bases and arms depots would be targeted.

But Iran’s Defence Minister Hossein Dehqan warned yesterday that any Western military action against Tehran-ally, Syria, would threaten the stability and security of the region.

“In case of military action against Syria, the region’s secu-

rity and stability will be threatened,” Dehqan told the official IRNA news agency.

“This definitely will not be in the interest of those fanning violence,” the brigadier general said, referring to Western backers of rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar alAssad’s regime.

Vatican’s official daily and mouthpiece yesterday criticised global powers for preparing possible military action against Syria despite an ongoing United Nations (UN) investigation into an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus.

“The tones are becoming ever more drastic and the action being taken by the United Nations appears subjected to a sort of crossfire,” the newspaper said.

“Various international actors appear no longer to consider the investigation a determining factor,” it said, adding that “what commitment there

was” to a negotiated settlement “appears to be dying out”.

The Vatican’s permanent observer at the United Nations in Geneva, Monsignor Silvano Tomasi, last week cast doubt on the Syrian regime’s responsibility for the apparent chemical attack in the suburbs of Damascus.

To U.S. Defence Secretary, Chuck Hagel, American forces in the region are “ready to go”, as Washington and its European and Middle Eastern partners honed plans to punish Assad for a major poison gas attack last week that killed hundreds of civilians.

“We have moved assets in place to be able to fulfill and comply with whatever option the president wishes to take,” Hagel told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

As part of Western powers’ strategy, the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament is to be recalled tomorrow to discuss possible responses.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the world could not stand idly by after seeing appalling scenes of death and suffering caused by suspected chemical weapons attacks.

President Francois Hollande said yesterday that France was

“ready to punish” those behind last week’s alleged deadly chemical attack in Syria, adding that the conflict threatens “world peace”.

“France is ready to punish those who took the vile decision to gas innocent people,” he said in a televised speech, pointing the finger of blame at President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

But Syria’s foreign minister struck a defiant tone yesterday amid growing international calls for a military response, denying his nation is hindering inspectors and warning Western leaders against an attack.

“Syria is not easy to swallow,” Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said yesterday at a news conference. “We have the materials to defend ourselves. We will surprise others,” he said.

Syria’s opposition said more than 1,300 people died when toxic gases were unleashed last Wednesday as regime forces bombarded rebel zones east and southwest of Damascus.

United Nations chemical weapons investigators, who finally crossed the frontline to take samples on Monday, put off a second trip to rebel-held suburbs of Damascus.

N the face of current political INations situation in Egypt, the United Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has released a report on the North African country showing a complex story.

On one hand, the report notes that the country managed to sustain activities in most sectors, despite a number of challenges that led to shrinking exports.

On the other hand, the political crisis is situated in a context of weak global demand that has negatively affected Egypt’s exports and Suez Canal revenues.

Entitled: “The Economic Situation in Egypt in the Context of Political instability and a Risky Transition “, the brief on Egypt explores its public finances, balance of services and social development.

It notes that unemployment appears critical in Egypt due to the political and economic uncertainties, which have led to a reduction in income from tourism and a lack of visibility among investors, who have either postponed their projects or withdrawn their capital. It adds that the scenario has deprived Egyptians of thousands of jobs.

The report, made available by the ECA, concludes that the high level of uncertainty due to the political instability and violence, coupled with the growing public deficits and the sustainability of the subsidies scheme, make the prospects very uncertain for Egypt.

The three scenarios described will also be highly sensitive to key exogenous factors such as the evolution of the food and oil prices and their direct impact on fiscal and balance-ofpayments deficits; as well as the economic situation of the main partners of Egypt (Europe and the Gulf countries), with consequences on FDI, remittances and external demand.

Rescuers work amid the rubble of a building that collapsed killing about six people and injuring 22 in Sao Paulo, Brazil…yesterday. According to Fire department sources, between eight and 10 people are still buried under the rubble.

PHOTO: AFP

U.S. partners NDLEA over drug war, intelligence sharing

By Odita Sunday NITED States (U.S.) Consul General in Lagos, Mr. Jeffery Hawkins, has described Nigeria as a great partner of his country in antidrug war.

The U.S. envoy, who made this known while presenting technical equipment to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lagos yesterday, said that the equipment would be used in the establishment of a centre for intelligence sharing between the

U

NDLEA is a great partner for the United States in drug control. The United States embarks on serious war against narcotics and we are proud to contribute in developing the capacity of the NDLEA through the establishment of a centre for intelligence-sharing. two countries.

“NDLEA is a great partner for the United States in drug control. The United States embarks on serious war against narcotics and we are proud to contribute in developing the capacity of the NDLEA through the

establishment of a centre for intelligence sharing,” Hawkins stated.

Chairman of the Agency, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, who received the items, said that Nigeria’s partnership with the United States has been very fruitful.

“The relationship between the United States Government and the Government of Nigeria has been characterised by similar gestures in the area of technical support. It is important to acknowledge your sustained determination to support Nigeria in winning the fight against notorious drug trafficking syndicates. This assistance to the agency is highly treasured,” Giade said.

The NDLEA boss attributed the high performance of the

agency to the growing support and partnership it has with the U.S. In his words: “Our collaboration in the area of intelligence gathering and joint operations has undisputedly led to high profile seizures and arrests. Training remains vital to the success of any intelligence-driven task like drug control. Your training programmes for operatives as well as high-level seminars and workshops have helped greatly to enhance the capacity of personnel.”

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

POLITICS 11

Politics Merger will improve our economic situation, says Osoba Chief Segun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State, and one of the founding members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said there was no magic behind the registration of the party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He told SEYE OLUMIDE and TUNDE AKINOLA, that he has no fear whatsoever the party would fail.

OW did the APC get registered, despite the H controversies that surrounded the party’s name and acronym before its registration?

There was no magic of any kind behind the registration of APC. I once reminded the chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, that he should remember his root as a former high-class activist, who was once the President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and who was part of the struggle for return to democracy under the military.

I believe that Jega, if card-carrying members of PDP do not surround him, would do a better job. That is the major issue about the chairman of INEC and his antecedents.

When you look at the promoters of APC across the country, you will see that most of the major players are people with enviable records of service to this country. Many in APC are tested people in their professions and have also attained high offices.

It would have been a major political suicide for Nigeria, or a great disaster, if APC were not registered. It would have caused a lot of political hurricane. It is therefore not a surprise to people like us, who were overconfident, that the party would be registered. Not just registration, I would say it is the first step to recognise the merger.

Do you think the promoters of the party would be able to sustain it being the first successful merger in the country?

It is true that this is the first merger promoted by civilians but it is not the first political merger. There had been a merger under the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. The former Head of State, promoted the merger of progressive forces when he created two political parties, which were of a little to the left and a little to the right.

Those of us, the welfarists, egalitarians and those with the philosophy of Pa Obafemi Awolowo, and followers of Aminu Kano, Joseph Tarka in the Middle Belt and the elements of National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) from the Southeast came under the umbrella of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

That merger was successful though it was masterminded by the military. That would be the first time that the progressives would produce the president of the country in the person of Chief Moshood Abiola and whether anybody like it or not, Abiola won the 1993 presidential election. Some people may want to pretend that it never happened.

At that time, the ratio of sharing governors was between one or two between the National Republican Party (NRC) and SDP. The SDP controlled the National Assembly and politics then was relatively close. I was governor of Ogun State and I could remember that Engr.

Babajide was the chairman of NRC in the state. I, as governor, was allocating subventions to the NRC even though I was an SDP governor.

The APC is the first merger to be promoted successfully by civilians. The reason political mergers had not been this successful was due to primordial rivalry among the various parties. I was involved when Pa Awolowo, being the person to promote the merger between the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) failed.

The old political rivalry between Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Awolowo led to the failure of that arrangement. They entered into a deal and jointly signed to a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) but only for Azikiwe to renege.

I can also recall when Awolowo and Michael Opara went into alliance in 1954 between the NCNC and Action Group (AG) called United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA).

Against the advice of Awolowo from prison that the AG should not boycott the election, the party boycotted it and unfortunately, Opara and his people, after the agreement to boycott the election, went ahead to vote in the East.

This time around, we have come together, realising that former President Olusegun Olusegun Obasanjo created many parties, sponsored many parties and used the divide and rule method to scatter the progressives. What we are doing is different. It is coming together again of like minds to recreate the good days of the SDP. There are rumours that the new party is having some internal challenges over how to share positions and who to represent it in the presidential election. Is the North bent on getting 2015 slot?

We have heard a lot but I need to disabuse your mind that the progressive politics of Nigeria is narrowed to the South-West. Even during the days of Awolowo, he was winning elections in all the minority areas of the Southeast. He was the promoter of CORE States-East, Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers States. That axis is what we now called South-South (Niger Delta).

Awolowo was the first to create the Mid-West out of the Western Region because he believed in self-determination. The late sage was winning elections not only in the South-West, but the Borno and Yola axes had always voted along the political philosophy of Awolowo.

If you look at the Middle Belt, Joseph Tarka was the major factor and he was an ally of Awolowo.

In today’s Taraba and Adamawa area, Awolowo was winning. In the Edo, Delta down to the South here, he was winning.

We have gone ahead to create a national party in the ACN; so, I wonder why people continue to see us as a South-West party because our governors were all in the old Western Region starting from Edo State.

The 2011 governorship election in Adamawa State was clearly won by the ACN but they, INEC manipulated it and declared PDP winner through a margin of 15,000 to 10,000 votes.

In Adamawa State, ACN came second. In Kogi, it was the same thing; also in Akwa Ibom State and Benue State. In Anambra, we have a senator, a member of the House of Representatives and State House of Assembly despite the manipulation of the polls by the electoral commission.

I want to correct the impression that the ACN is a Yoruba group. By current records of the series of elections we have on ground, we have representatives in the Houses of Assembly from across the nation. Therefore, joining forces with other progressives from other parties of the country is an added advantage.

What we are saying is, the Yoruba have always been at the forefront of progressive politicking. In fact, the rest of the country always respect us that it is mostly in the South-West we have true and genuine elections. In other parts, the ruling parties simply sit down and share votes among themselves. That gives us the respect and image of progressive leadership.

What are the factors that would most likely make the APC succeed or fail and what are your fears for the party?

I have no fears whatsoever. I am an optimist and what people call arrogance in people like us is self-confidence. I am confident that we will make it because of the factors that we set. All over the world, people are craving for change.

In most developed democracies, you always have two major parties but that does not mean there won’t be other parties. In the U.S, there are two major political parties (Republican and Democratic parties). In U.K, with its long history of democratic governance, there are two major parties - Labour and Conservatives. It is about time we start creating a culture of alternative.

The PDP had been in power since 1999 and by 2015, it would clock 16 years in power without

Osoba anything to show for it. The ruling party has reached a stage of exhaustion and it is getting too old. It has lost ideas.

The only progress the party has made is that we have had a civilian-to-civilian administration since 1999 but even at that, former President Obasanjo was forced to leave in 2007 because he wanted a third term. Otherwise, I have not seen any major achievements the PDP has done in Nigeria.

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his supporters are allegedly insisting on having the party’s mandate in 2015 against the interest of other members of the merger?

Buhari has every right to contest. We are democrats, who believe in fundamental human rights and we would not in anyway question Buhari’s or anybody’s right to go to the primaries and contest the presidential election.

The people promoting the crisis are the ones creating fathom issues to give the whole world the impression that the merger would never be recognised. They failed in that area and the next agenda is to use the issue of presidential election, which is not coming until 2015.

Are there no other contestants in the PDP who wanted to challenge the incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan? Has the likes of Atiku Abubakar given up on becoming the president?

The five northern PDP governors, who are going round the country to campaign for a northern president in 2015, have they given up on their quiet campaign?

Do you think the purpose the five governors, who have been moving round and making consultations is because of the interest of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State? They have their own agenda.

Have we bothered ourselves about PDP agenda? I don’t know the reason behind the noise over APC. The PDP should face their internal crisis. I can assure you that within the APC, we have a very good understanding of ourselves. What we need to do first is to stabilise the party and allow it to germinate before we start thinking of the benefits and how to share positions.

Do you think someone like Bola Ahmed Tinubu may continue with the overbearing attitude he has on the ACN in the APC? I want to throw the question back to you. What will make Tinubu say he wants to lord anything

over others in the APC? I have always said this, and I am going to say it loudly, that Yoruba politics is collegiate.

Even within the Yoruba family, nobody dare do that. No matter how rich or successful the person is, he or she will go to the circle of Yoruba family and decide to lord it over the family? Whenever I go to my family meeting, despite my position, I know my position within the family.

Yoruba politics is collegiate and nobody can lord himself over them. The APC is not individualistic. Papa Obafemi Awolowo was never in control of Yoruba politics. He was losing elections in all the urban centres of the South-West Lagos, Ibadan, Ilesha, Oshogbo and others.

Fadahunsi was in control of Ilesha; Adelabu was in control of Ibadan politics; the NCNC was in control of Lagos politics while Awolowo was winning in the rural areas. The first time he had the total support of theYoruba was during the 1983 elections.

If it took Awolowo so long to get full support from the Yoruba, what makes you think that they will think otherwise now? You are misrepresenting the judgment of the Yoruba.

The impression the APC is creating is that it is going to be the alternative party to the ruling PDP. But what about other parties, like the Labour Party, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)?

It took the ACN some time to wrest power back from the PDP, at least eight years after the party was rigged out in 2003. I decided then to go into what Bola Ige called “sit-down-look” politics for a period of time.

I knew that if we could be rigged out the way Obasanjo did in 2003, he would do worse to others. In the case of Ondo State election, there are some political errors we made, giving all our support to Labour Party to emerge and it became a thorn in our flesh.

I can tell you that we are still in control of the South-West and our going national under the merger with Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) is to show that the merger would not only give alternative and confidence to us, particularly people from the South-West, but it will also improve our economic situation.

12

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday August 28, 2013

TheMetroSection Mysterious fire engulfs residence, kills three family members in Benue From Joseph Wantu, Makurdi RAGEDY struck in the early hours of yesterday in Makurdi, Benue State capital as a mysterious fire engulfed a two-bedroom flat, claiming the lives of one Terhemba Makka, a senior staff of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) his wife and fouryear-old daughter.

An eyewitness in the area, one Tavershima told The Guardian that the fire started at about 2 am yesterday when power supply was restored by Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to the area.

According to the eyewitness: “We heard people shouting fire, fire from inside the house. We heard someone screaming ‘help me, help me.’ The flame and smoke was too much. But the house has only one entry door with burglary proofs supporting the windows and doors so it became very difficult for any one to go

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Briefs AGN installs grand patron HE Actors Guild of Nigeria T (AGN) Lagos State Chapter is to honour a member of the Body of Benchers, Chief Ziggy Azike, with an investiture as a Grand Patron of the Guild on August 31, 2013 at O’Jez Club in Surulere, Lagos. The honour is in recognition of the sterling leadership qualities and philanthropy of Chief Azike who was a member of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) between 1987 and 1992.

The investiture will tally with a special programme by the Guild tagged: “Blue carpet and champagne reels”, which is expected to attract the cream of Nollywood.

in and rescue any one of them.

“While some youths were pouring water on the fire, others struggled hard to break a portion of the house and managed to rescue the deceased’s son. Even before men of the fire service could arrive the scene, the entire house had been completely engulfed by fire,” he intimated.

The eyewitness said the rescued nine yearold-son of the deceased that was taken out of the house through a broken portion was quickly rushed to St. Theresa’s hospital, located in High Level for medical treatment.

Some of the sympathizers at the scene of incidence, however, decried the attitude of officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC) who they said came to the scene of the incident but refused to convey the corpses to the mortuary on flimsy excuse that they lacked gloves and stretcher to do so.

The Guardian further learnt that the late Makka who moved in to the area barely six months ago, had early this year buried his first The burnt house wife who also died mysteriously.

CPM holds programme HE Christian Pentecostal T Mission International programme tagged: Season of Ju-

Pandemonium as Police, OPC clash in Lagos

By Odita Sunday

• Five arrested

EVERAL people were injured and property worth millions of naira Congress (OPC) clashed with the podestroyed when men suspected lice at the car wash area of Ejigbo, to be members of the Oodua Peoples Lagos yesterday.

Already, the Lagos State Police Command has arrested five persons in connection with the clash. It was gathered that at about 11.00am some policemen were said to be controlling traffic at the Ejigbo area when some OPC members allegedly drove against the traffic. The policemen had accused the OPC members of contravening traffic law and the police action immediately triggered a violent clash in the area.

It was further gathered that the OPC members who saw the police action as Manko an affront, engaged them in an argu-

S

ment that led to a free-for-all.

An eyewitness John Bewebiluenu told The Guardian that while the argument ensued, the Police called for reinforcement while the OPC members also reached their members through telephone calls. They stormed the scene in their hundreds.

The source said as the OPC members were coming from different directions, there was pandemonium as the police started firing into the air to scare them away. The OPC men were also said to be firing on their own side “At that juncture, motorists and other road users started running for dear lives. Some motorists abandoned their vehicles and scampered for safety,” he said.

The Guardian gathered that over 10 cars were smashed and about five shops looted by hoodlums who cashed in on the state of confusion.

Lagos State Police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, who was contacted, said at about 11.00am hoodlums numbering about 300 masquerading as OPC members attacked some policemen on traffic duty at the car wash area.

She said five persons have been arrested in connection with “the provocative attack”.

“We recovered a double-barreled gun and three vehicles from them.”

She said the Commissioner of Police Alhaji Umar Manko has ordered full investigation to know the motive behind the attack.

IG investigates allegation of death threats by Lagos cleric

Conference holds to restore lost family values

By Babatunde Oso

By Tope Templer Olaiya

From Ali Garba, Bauchi

N reaction to a petition by Lagos cleric, Evangelist Bola Odupitan and his spouse, Aderonke, alleging death threats by a former Ogun State commissioner, the Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar has dispatched a crack team of special investigators from the IGP Monitoring Unit of the IGP Office, at the Abuja Police Headquarters to Lagos for “full scale” investigation.

The three-man team, which began work Monday, July 29th 2013, had since arriving Lagos, successfully interrogated the petitioner in the matter, Bola Odupitan and his spouse, Aderonke, both of whom have been living in fear at their Amuwo Odofin residence, Lagos since November 2011.

But, it was discovered that throughout their five-day stay in Lagos, the suspect and guarantors were unavailable to be interrogated by the IGP monitoring team who have since returned to Abuja “very furious.”

In his petition, forwarded to the IGP from Lagos, dated July 22, 2013, on which the police boss had taken action, Bola Odupitan had averred as follows: “The whole story dated back to 2011, when one Mr. Segun Olufeyisan was introduced to me for employment by my spouse as a member of her former church. “He was employed and placed on salary of N70, 000 per month, but due to his incompetence and misconduct, he was relieved of the job.

“The ex-commissioner, who was a son-inlaw, unknown to me then, is a relation of the said Segun Olufeyisan, went to team up with him.

HE Women and Marital Oneness International Foundation in conjunction with the Voice of Integrity, at its wisdom conference, starting today has called for a restoration of the once cherished family values of qualitative child upbringing as panacea to the dearth leaders in the country.

Speaking during a media conference on this year’s conference with the theme Achieving Result, Pastor (Mrs.) Ebube Godwin said the root cause of the nation’s problem of leadership is the collapse of the family. She, therefore, called on mothers to return her primary purpose of being the helpmeet in the home.

“The family is sick and not functioning because mothers are not at home and you can’t blame them because of the economic recession in the country. Mothers today are constantly under pressure to contribute to the upkeep of the family. This has led to the erosion of the family values we once cherished and many of the problems in the society can be traced to this dysfunction in the family. Once the home front is sorted, there will be peace and tranquility in the nation,” she said.

Speaking on the kind of leader Nigeria needs, convener of the conference and Pastor of Grace Prevailing Ministries, Pastor Godwin Nwachukwu, said the country is in dire need of a leader who talks less and do more.

“That is the kind of leader Nigeria needs, someone whose action is louder than words. He or she must also be comfortable, much more than the office put together, while not living beyond his or her means. We must be able to see in him through what he does the value of his ideas and content of his character, which must represent an aggregate of the wisdom of majority of us.

HE Bauchi State Chief Magistrate’s Court number one has arraigned two couples for allegedly dumping their two children inside Dumi pond in Bauchi local council.

The Guardian learnt that two separate parents had dumped their two children inside the stream in Bauchi. One child died while the other survived.

The four suspects were later arrested by the Police and arraigned in court.

Police Prosecutor Inspector Amos Ukpe had filed two separate cases over the incident, in the first case he charged the four suspects, including parents of the child who died, with criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, contrary to section 221, and section 96 of the penal code.

Ukpe also charged the parents of the child who survived with criminal conspiracy and abandonment of a child contrary to section 96 and section 237 of the penal code.

Inspector Ukpe told the court that a ward head of Gwallaga Mallam Dandada Ahmadu had reported to the Bauchi township police station that a woman called Sakina Ibrahim of Dajin Village in Tafawa

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Two couples docked for allegedly dumping their children in Bauchi stream

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Balewa local council, who claimed to be a herbalist, had told the two couples that their children were not normal human beings and advised them to dump the kids in the stream with an intent that they would drown and disappear, which the parents agreed to do.

Inspector Ukpe said: “ When the herbalist in company of the parents took the children and dumped them inside the stream in Dumi village, a child called Adamu Suleiman Danjuma, aged two years, survived and was rescued by good Samaritans, while the other boy called Aliyu Suleiman Haruna, four years old, drowned and died in the stream.

He asked the court to remand the suspects in prison custody to enable Police to complete their investigations over the matter.

A counsel, Barrister Muhammad Sagir Abubakar, made appearance for the suspects whose child survived and filed a bail application for them, which was granted while the suspects whose child died were remanded in prison custody.

The presiding Chief Magistrate Sani Mohammed adjourned the case to September 3 for hearing and ordered the suspects to be remanded in prison custody.

bilee & Increase which started on Sunday continues till Friday August 30 from11pm to 5am.

The grand finale comes up on Sunday, September 1 for local thanksgiving service by 8am at 3, Unity Close, behind Jehovah Jireh Clinic, Mowe in Obafemi Owode Local Council of Ogun State.

Aina’s funeral rites begin Friday

HE funeral service for Dr T Evans Olufunso Afolabi Aina, who passed on to glory on July 25, 2013 holds by 12p.m on Friday, August 30 at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church (Anglican Communion), Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State. His remains would be interred at Isaac Adebayo Salako Aina Lodge, IkenneRemo. Earlier on Thursday, August 29, a Christian wake-keep would be held for at the same lodge from 5pm to 6pm.

Olafusi, 92, for burial

HE death has occurred of Pa. T Gregory Akintoye Olafusi (Baba Tisa) on July 29, 2013. According to his son, Mr Sunday Olafusi, funeral arrangements begin on Friday August 30 at 5pm with wake keeping at his residence, No 18, Arogbo Street, Ode-Irele, Ondo State. Funeral Mass is at St Peter’s Catholic Church, Ebute Road, Ode-Irele at 11.00am, by 1.00pm Interment at his resident and entertainment of guests will follow at Baptist Day Primary School, Ode-Irele. He is survived by brothers, sisters, wives, children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

METRO 13

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

500 benefit from Palmgrove Rotary health outreach

By Isaac Taiwo BOUT 500 beneficiaries went home rejoicing and very grateful for the magnanimity of Rotary Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate for the attention accorded them at the just concluded Health Camp that focused on general health checkup, prevention of disease, treatment and support for better living standards.

A beneficiary, Pa Oluyimika Oluwole, 70, was full of praises to God who has put it in the minds of the organizers to remember the poor.

“For over two years, I have been having problem with my two eyes. I was at the camp for eye screening the last time the camp was in session and was given drugs and since then I have had a lot of improvement. I have exhausted the drugs and today, I have been privileged to collect another set of drugs. In fact, I am very grateful and more grease to the elbows of the organizers,” he said.

Alhaja Hasianata Ajasa, 71, was visibly happy at the attention received.

“My friend told of how she came here and was treated free of charge of her ailment. I also decided to give it a trial. Having been suffering from the sickness, probably of old age, ranging from headache, pains in the eyes to general body pains, I solicited for assistance to be brought here. This is my first time of coming, and the first impression is worth talking of. I was screened and given drugs without collecting money from me. My prayers for the organizers is that God will bless them and continue to give them more money to help those who may not be able to afford hospital expenses like me” she enthused.

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Alhaja Hajianata Ajasa and her aide at the event Ibrahim Ali and the wife Sarai, came with their two children, four-year-old Yusuf and one-year-old Sadia . According to Ibrahim, Yusuf has been suffering from fever and headache while Sadia has been feeling hot. The couple was happy for such a camp set up to attend to the less privileged.

According to the President of the Club, Venegopal Jajoo, the camp was set up to support the less privileged within the environment of the Club and with a view to providing better immunity and general health.

“Annually, a minimum of four camps are conducted, with every camp having not less than 320 patients as beneficiaries. “ “We focus on the prevention and eradication of malaria through screening of patients ac-

Incoming president, Ramesh Bismal with the patients. cording to their different ailments who also receive consultation from special doctors while treatment is provided. Anti malaria tablets and malaria treatment is given free of cost to every patient attending the camps who also go home with free multivitamin and iron tonic supplements,” he said.

According to Jajoo, other areas of focus during his tenure would be eye-screening, eye care surgeries, provision of drinking water to public schools including supply of books, magazines, newspapers to their libraries among others while the star project would be provision of artificial limbs to accident victims and those incapacitated as a result of polio.

“We are also focusing on establishing Ro-

Police arraigns petrol service Ecobank, Kanu Foundation manager over alleged N10m theft launch lottery

By Bertram Nwannekanma HE Police in Lagos on yesterday arraigned a manager of a Petrol service station, Oluwagbenga Ajobi, before an Ikeja Magistrate Court, for allegedly stealing the sum of N10million.

Ajobi, 22, who resides in Egbeda, was charged on a four -count charge of conspiracy, stealing, alteration and forgery.

The defendant, a manager of Al- Moruff service station, was arraigned before Magistrate Mrs. Eniola Fabamwo.

Police prosecutor, ASP, Barth Nwaokoye, said that the defendant committed the alleged offence between January and June 2013, at Al- Moruff Service Station located at Orelope, in Egbeda area of Lagos.

He said that the defen-

T

dant conspired with others at large with intent to defraud, altered the company’s voucher.

Nwaokoye told the court that the defendant forged the company director’s signature to steal the alleged sum.

The prosecutor also claimed that Ajobi stole the sum of N10million, belonging to Al- Moruff Service station.

According to the prosecutor the offence committed is punishable under section 409, 333, (2) (a) and 361 (1) (a), 363 (3) (1) and 285 (8) of the criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria 2011.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the four -count charge and was granted bail by Magistrate Fabamwo, in the sum of N250, 000, with two sureties in like sum.

By Joseph Okoghenun S part of efforts to raise N5 billion to build a Specialist Cardiac Hospital in Abuja for patients with heart-related problems, Kanu Heart Foundation in partnership with Ecobank Plc, has launched heala- heart raffle ticket programme.

Coordinator, Kanu Heart Foundation, Mr. Onyebuchi Abia stated yesterday in Lagos during the launch of the programme that the raffle draw, aside assisting the foundation to reduce the incidence of cardiac deaths, especially among Nigerian children, will also see one player going home with a KIA car every month from September 2013 till February 2014 when the programme would have elapsed.

Abia stated that any interested player could purchase the ticket in any branch of Ecobank nationwide at the rate of N100.

Abia regretted that most politicians who pledged to support the hospital project some months ago during fundraising

A

programme have not redeemed their pledges, adding that the organisation has only realised N39 million out of the N347 million pledged.

The coordinator called on Nigerians to see the lottery programme as their means of supporting the organisation’s vision of ending unnecessary suffering among Nigerian children, adding that all players would be listed in the hospital’s hall of fame when it is built.

Ecobank Regional Head, Island Region, Mrs. Dammy Oruwari, said that the partnership is part of the organisation’s social responsibility efforts, adding that the tickets would be available in 600 nationwide branches of Ecobank and 34 international affiliates even to persons without accounts in Ecobank.

Abia said: “We want the public to know that these raffle tickets are on sale nationwide to support the foundation to build a cardiac hospital where children between the ages of 0 to 12 would be treated free of

PHOTOS: OSENI YUSUF taract Cubs for the young ones to grow up in the spirit of giving and assisting the less privileged before they become adults and metamorphosed to Rotary Club members,” he said.

The Chairman, Publicity, Tarun Sanghvi said over 46,000 artificial limbs have been donated so far, free of cost while not less than 15,000 every year undergo free eye surgery for cataract among others with over 20,000 benefitting from distribution of free eye glasses.

According to the Club Secretary, Pradeep Pahalwani, on ground at the camp were a Pediatrician, Dr. (Mrs.) Arundhati Roy, Cardiac Specialist, Dr. Kumar Roy, while other doctors on general ailment include Dr. (Mrs.) Ogunnaike, Dr. (Mrs.) Bharti and Dr. Shenoy, who all attended to patients in their capacities according to diverse problems.

Bricklayer arrested for raping three-year-old girl in Minna anonymity, disclosed that upon interrogation by the PoHE Niger State Police Com- lice at the Homicide Section mand has arrested a 25of the State’s Criminal Investiyear- old man, Saliu Lawal gation Department (SCID) for allegedly raping one three- Minna, the suspect allegedly year-old Miss Humi (other confessed to the crime but names withheld) at Angwan claimed he was doing it for Daji in Chanchaga local coun- the first time with the minor. cil of the state.

“I know the parents of the The incident was said to have girl, they are my next door occurred on August 23, 2013 neighbours and I decided to when the suspect, who is said lure her into a classroom at to be a next-door neighbour to Nuru Islam Primary School at the yet be unidentified parents Angwan Daji where I tore her of the victim, lured the little pant and forced my manhood girl into the premises of Nuru into her when I had an erecIslam Primary School, in the tion but I could not penetrate community, tore her pant and further as she began to cry beforcefully penetrated the girl. cause her private part was It further learnt that the little very tight.” girl cried out and this at“ Her very loud cry attracted tracted passers-by to the scene some passers-by who came to and Saliu, who was caught in the scene and caught me unthe act immediately atawares. I was shocked when I tempted to bolt away in an at- saw the people and I wanted tempt to evade police arrest to bolt away but I was not so but was apprehended by the lucky as they caught up with people and handed over to the me, beat me mercilessly and police. handed me over to the PoAn insider source, who spoke lice”, the suspect was quoted on the condition of as saying.

From John Ogiji, Minna

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Len’s View

Scene of a tanker fire inferno, which left three persons dead at Ojo area of Ibadan yesterday.

PHOTO: NAJEEM RAHEEM

Environmental impact of vandalized pipelines in Bodo, which was recently inspected by the PTFP team led by Engr. Dagogo-Jack.

TheGuardian

14 | THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Conscience Nurtured by Truth

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

Editorial The economy, CBN and half measures HE Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), scheduled to T meet in September, should be reminded that successive committees, despite 233 meetings, have not yet succeeded in guiding the apex bank to achieve its primary aim of ensuring price and monetary stability. Such failure should end with this coming meeting. And that can be achieved with the committee doing the right thing.

Persistent excess liquidity with the accompaniments of high inflation, high lending rates, unrealistic naira exchange rate as well as high unemployment, is a symptom of excessive fiscal deficits. But while the MPC routinely blames government fiscal operations for the development, published CBN data invariably put the level of fiscal deficit incurred below four per cent of GDP. Such a degree of fiscal deficit is on the borderline and will not precipitate the level of liquidity surfeit in the system or wreak perennial economic underperformance.

Worse still, MPC’s prescriptions for combating the problem merely compound the economic woes. For instance, in its Communiqué Nos 52 (October 2007), 55 (April 2008) and 56 (June 2008), the MPC deployed force-surrendered Federation Account (FA) oil earnings and treasury bills for purposes of controlling excess liquidity. Sadly, the one fritters away oil earnings and the other piles up a very costly and noninvestable national domestic debt. Following growing public disquiet over their negative results, the MPC in its latest Communiqué No. 90 (last July) introduced a 50 per cent Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) on public sector bank depositor with advance notice to increase the CRR across-the-board in the nearest future. The MPC game plan is a ruse: it is all motion without movement. Despite the permanent excess liquidity in the system, the same MPC reduced the CRR to 10 per cent in April 2009 whereas pegging the CRR at appropriately high levels down the years, in principle, could have spared the country of the public treasury-draining national domestic debt. The problems of CBN-created excess liquidity and reluctance by banks to lend to the real sector will not be eliminated by raising the CRR. However, there arise some important issues. It has come to light that public sector deposits in June constituted 20 per cent of the N15 trillion bank deposit base. Where then is the touted public sector dominance? And should there be public sector deposits in deposit money banks (DMBs) in the first place? Government funds, including Federation Account allocations should remain in the treasury (in CBN vaults) where they earn no interest. That is one reason why public revenue collected through deposit money banks is expected to be remitted to government treasury at specific dates. Therefore, public funds should not form a part of the deposit base until and after disbursements from government treasury to non-government third parties strictly in settlement of matured government commitments are lodged in DMBs. Accordingly, the 50 per cent CRR on public sector deposits is a half measure, which the next MPC meeting should change to 100 per cent and make irreversible. Such a measure will not induce banking distress because “there remains a further N12 trillion of private deposits that (at CRR of 12 per cent) endows the banks with a maximum lending capacity of N96 trillion.”

There are other advantages. Firstly, that step will close one avenue for corrupt selfenrichment by government officials who prey on bank interest earnings that accrue to public sector deposits. Secondly, returning the sizeable funds locked away by government agencies to government treasury will pave the way for the liquidation of most, if not all outstanding debts owed to contractors and prevent deliberate delays in clearing government financial commitments.

A very important fact to be noted is that the long history of excess liquidity simultaneously featured vast lending capacity. Hence the low level of bank credit to the private sector over the years is not attributable to the crowding out effect of government borrowing but to the unattractive high lending rates. Lending rates have further jumped since the implementation of the 50 per cent CRR on public sector deposits, thereby defeating the MPC intention of boosting bank lending to the real sector.

Unattractive lending rates, which are the byproducts of the long-running faulty fiscal and monetary policies, are responsible for the high level of bank non-performing loans and recurring banking sector distress. In fact, in order to mitigate bank failures

LETTER

A national embarrassment The recent unwarranted devoid of acrimonious and childStheIR: and senseless attack against ish behaviours. The presidency President by some eminent in the civilized societies is generpoliticians in the country is to say the least repugnant, malicious, unpatriotic and unfortunate.

Never at any period in the history of this great nation has the office of the President been subjected to such barrage of insults.

Our democracy no doubt has come of age hence it is incumbent on all Nigerians to accord the exalted office the honour, respect and decorum attached to it through their actions and utterances.

Politics as a noble vocation should always be played in a mature and responsible manner

ally regarded as a sacred institution that should be insulated from bitter and partisan politics.

Throughout the civilized world, the presidency or head of government of a nation is regarded as the symbol of the country’s collective destiny and aspirations and as such, any unwarranted attacks or campaigns of calumny directed against the holder are usually treated as attacks on the entire nation and her people.

Nigerians are therefore enjoined to be mindful of the unimaginable damage to the

country’s image whenever they engage themselves in destructive criticisms and smear campaigns directed against the office of the president.

There is no gainsaying the fact that constructive criticisms are sine qua non in any democracy, however, extreme caution should always be applied in carrying out this vital element of democratic norms.

Nigeria cannot continue to claim to be the leader of Africa while her internal politics and actions seem to be at variance with internationally accepted norms and practices.

• Nwabueze Akabogu Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State.

over the years, the CBN has been subsidising banks by mopping a fraction of the excess liquidity with treasury bills and bonds at unduly high interest rates. Enough of MPC measures that serve as smoke-screen.

Five months ago on the pages of newspapers, the apex bank asseverated that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributed naira and dollar allocations. But “in accordance with directives of FAAC acting through the Accountant General of the Federation (AcGF),” as the CBN revealed elsewhere, foreign currency allocations are usually force-surrendered to the CBN. The apex bank then proceeds to print and substitute naira equivalent values based on unilateral exchange rate (these are not realised naira revenue) for disbursement to the beneficiaries.

To begin with, it is not the responsibility of FAAC or the accountant-general to set monetary policy and practices. Secondly, the surrendered dollar allocations are dubbed CBN external reserves. Countries do not accumulate external reserves in that manner. Thirdly, by expending the so-called naira equivalents, the tiers of government annually run unlegislated fiscal deficit levels in direct proportion to surrendered FAAC dollar allocations over and above any approved budget deficit incurred.

Consequently, the root cause of the unending liquidity surfeit is the improper substitution of unlegislated CBN deficit financing annually for over 50 per cent of the budgets of the tiers of government considering that oil earnings began to account for more than 50 per cent of accruals as far back as 1974.

The MPC long ago missed the right way, which emanated from the collapse of the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates in 1971, namely, the floating system of fixing exchange rates. By that system, FAAC dollar allocations (made loot-proof through use of domiciliary dollar accounts) should be converted to realised naira revenue in a single DMB-operated foreign exchange market that pits government and autonomous supply of foreign exchange against demand for eligible transactions.

The DMBs sell any surplus at the open market-determined rate to the CBN (which may even elect to buy at premium rate) to build up external reserves. Like realised government taxes collected through DMBs, revenue from conversion of FAAC dollar allocations by banks should be promptly remitted to the various government treasuries in tune with the recommended 100 per cent CRR rule.

Any one with Nigeria’s interest at heart must concede that the process would eliminate liquidity surfeit and reduce inflation and create realistically stable exchange rate as well as near mid-single digit lending rates across-the-board. Under those conditions, there would be no cause for monetary tightening; bank non-performing loans would drop significantly; bank credit to the economy (the bulk would go to the private sector) as a proportion of GDP would rise steadily to 100 per cent and upwards as in the successful economies. The MPC should, therefore, stop the merry go-round and repair to the right way.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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Business MoneyWatch P21

IndustryWatch P38

‘How to bolster financial system’s stability’

The bogey of industrial low capacity utilisation

MDAs secure N1.82tr budgetary allocation in first half year From Mathias Okwe, (Assistant Business Editor, Abuja)

HE Federal Government has T released N1.824 trillion to Ministries, Department and Agencies ( MDAs) to fund capital, recurrent and personnel provisions from the consolidated revenue fund, as captured in the 2013 appropriation plan.

Specifically, N1.224 trillion was released for recurrent expenditures, while N600 billion was secured by the MDAs for capital projects.

The Accountant -General of the Federation (AGF), Jonah Otunla, made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja, while mak-

ing a presentation on the Peer Review Mechanism during the visit of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Peer Review Team of Permanent Secretaries to the AGF. Under the 2013 N4.987 trillion fiscal plan, recurrent expenditure, including overhead and personnel cost is to gulp N2.386 trillion while N1.621 trillion has been earmarked for capital projects.

Otunla said of the N1,1224 trillion recurrent releases, personnel cost accounted N962 billion, with N960 billion fully cash-backed, while overhead releases accounted for N262 billion with the releases fully

cashed backed .

Under the same period, the AGF revealed that N600 billion released for capital vote was equally released to MDAs and fully cash-backed, adding that statutory transfers worth N161billion were also released to the affected commissions and fully cash-backed.

Otunla, also told the team that the Federal Government has saved over N120 billion from the ghost workers syndrome through the operation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), from April 2007 to date.

The savings, he said, were not limited to the detection of ghost workers but included

excess personnel cost discovered to have been channeled to non-personnel sub-heads by MDAs but returned at the instance of the Office of the AGF. He said : “From April 2007 when the scheme commenced to date, 246 MDAs were enrolled with a total number of 250,000 staff and over N120billion cumulatively saved as a result of the difference between the amount government would have released to the MDAs based on appropriation and actual amount released and pa through IPPIS”.

Commenting on the Government Integrated Financial Management

Information system (GIFMIS ), he said the initiative which flagged off in April, 2012 has at date covered over 209 Ministries, Departments and Agencies on the system. adding that “GIFMIS has helped government increase the ability to undertake central control and monitoring of expenditures and receipts in the MDAs; facilitate access to information on financial and operational performance; improve internal controls to prevent and detect potential and actual fraud; strengthen governance and accountability, through efficient and effective service delivery”.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (fifth from right); Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama and the Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Roberts Orya with the members of newly inaugurated NEXIM Bank’s board in Abuja

Govt to boost industrial capacity through SHESTCO initiative From Knayo Umeh, Abuja HE Federal Government is T planning to heighten the industrial capacity of the nation through its bringing to fruition the transformation of Sheda Science and Technology Complex, SHESTCO into an advanced science and research center.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Ita Ewa, disclosed this at a one-day stakeholders meeting on SHESTCO Silicon Valley under the theme “Establishment of a viable

SHESTCO Silicon Valley in Nigeria”.

The SHESTCO Silicon Valley is part of Sheda Research Town, which was established toward actualizing the implementation of the revised Science, technology and Innovation, STI policy of the federal government.

According to Prof Ewa, the importation of certain technologically developed commodities into the country will not put Nigeria to catching up with other developed countries across the globe, adding

that the SHESTCO will also help to tackle most of the economic challenges facing the nation.

“The need to catch up with other technologically advanced countries in the world is the immediate impetus for the country’s desire to establish the SHESTCO Silicon Valley, as a platform for developing and harnessing the potentials of silicon technology, solar technology and integrated circuit technology for jobs and wealth creation, technological advancement and economic development of

Nigeria, and more importantly, to become the main hub for technological inventions, development and manufacturing both for the Nigerian and African regional markets”, Ewa explained.

Some of the objectives aimed from SHESTCO Silicon Valley according to the minister include to stimulate and effectively manage the flow of knowledge and technologies through international technology transfer and domestication of the technologies; develop a complete value

chain for solar technology in research and development, sales and distribution, technical service operations, assembly and module manufacturing and solar farm host site.

He stated that local content development in solar panel production among other technologies are also targeted stressing that the government has already signed Several Memoranda of Understanding, MoU with best solar technology companies around the world to involve in the project.

SMEDAN boss seeks lower lending rates for SMEs HE Director-General, T Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Bature Masari, has urged MicroFinance Banks (MFBs) to reduce lending rates to micro and small entrepreneurs.

Masari, in a statement issued by the Head of Media Unit, SMEDAN, Mr. Levi Anyikwa, in Abuja, said lowering the lending rate to entrepreneurs would enhance access to funding for the development of the sector Speaking at the opening of a two-week Certification Training Programme for operators of MFBs, Masari said that SMEDAN would collaborate with operators of MFBs to ensure greater access to funding for the development of SMEs. ``I want to charge you to be prepared because in the course of 2014, SMEDAN will be actively collaborating with Micro-finance banks. ``Between now till the end of the year, some banks are going to be selected for the implementation of some SMEDAN programmes. ``The programmes are geared toward providing employment opportunities to ordinary Nigerians, and by 2014, they are going to be playing key roles,” he said.

Masari said that only Micro-finance institutions that offer the highest incentive by way of lower lending rates would be involved in the implementation of the programmes.

He stressed the need for human capital development as precondition for the success of enterprises.

The SMEDAN boss said that the training of operators of MFBs was imperative to ensure effective handling of issues pertaining to access to finance by micro and small entrepreneurs.

The Leader of SMEDAN Faculty Team, Mr Babatunde Osho, said that the agency had continued to perform excellently as one of the best training institutions He said that beneficiaries of the training were drawn from three states in the North-Central zone, Niger, Benue and Plateau.

16 BUSINeSS

THe GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

‘Fast food restaurants contribute N200b yearly to economy’ He Association of Fast T Food Confectioners of Nigeria (AFFCON), which is the umbrella body of quick service restaurants in Nigeria, contributes N200 billion yearly to the Nigerian economy.

The President of the body, Mrs Bose Ayeni, stated this while addressing the media on its forth-coming inaugural national conference, scheduled to hold next week.

Ayeni said that the fast food industry employs over 500,000 workers at the processing and retailing levels, in addition to paying over N1 billion to the various tiers of government in taxes and levies.

“Cognisant of the important role we play in the economy, we have chosen the theme of our conference to be: ’The Role of Fast Food Business in the Global economy,” Ayeni added.

Stressing the prime posi-

tion food occupies in human existence, Ayeni said: “Food is at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. That buttresses the primacy of food in human existence. Life is not sustainable without food. With AFFCON, food becomes an experience to anticipate, enjoy and cherish, presented always in a cosy and hygienic environment.”

The keynote speaker at the

conference will be Prof. Pat Utomi, while the Special Guest of Honour will be the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola.

AFFCON, which was conceptualised by a core group of four members, today has more than 150 registered members across the federation, with chapters in Rivers State, Cross River State as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The need to have a body that would liaise with government agencies, unite, regulate and promote the activities of the fast food brands and confectioners gave rise to the formation of AFFCON on July 21, 2004 when the formal inaugural meeting was held. The Association was registered by the Corporate and Affairs Commission on February 19,

2007.

She however,decried some of the challenges facing the industry, which include poor power supply, multiple levies and taxations, poor quality of labour, and increasing cost of raw materials.

She was however hopeful that despite these challenges, the future is bright as the Nigerian economy has huge potential for

growth.

Ayeni noted that “AFFCON, is non-political, non-partisan, non-governmental and not-for-profit. It aims to promote the interest of its members by ensuring selfregulation, while maintaining international standards. It also acts as a liaison to ensure harmonious relationship with government at the national, state and local levels.”

Nigeria’s economic growth sustainable, says ACCA boss

By Bukky Olajide

IGeRIA had the capacity N to sustain its economic growth if properly managed.

The Chief executive Officer (CeO), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Helen Brand, said this when she visited an audit firm called Mazars, Coker and Co. in Lagos.

She said that the nation achieved the growth because of the huge natural resources, vibrant and educated population, which made it the envy of other countries.

The CeO stressed the need for financial capacity development among professionals, adding that ACCA had developed a new strategy for year 2020 to increase the association’s size and present status.

She said that the strategies also involved a new framework for sustainability of international integrated reporting.

Brand said that a group called International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC) was in charge to ensure the sustainability, adding that ACCA intended to replicate it in Nigeria.

The CeO said that the association would not condone any unethical conduct from its members which was against the body’s core values.

She said ACCA operated on three principles of ethics, experience and examination, saying that the principles were used to regulate its members globally.

Brand said that the three principles distinguished ACCA members from other accounting bodies.

She said the association had 19 examination centres as against five in 2005, adding that the centres were increasing on daily basis as a result of student demand.

The former President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Michael Itegboje (left); Registrar, New York Institute of Finance (NYIF), Currie Marcia; Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Ade Bajomo; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, NYIF, Patrick Fitzgerald; and President, CIS, Ariyo Olusekun at the courtesy visit of NYIF officials to the Exchange, in Lagos, yesterday.

Nigeria can generate N1.2 trillion from tourism, says ex-ANAN boss ``All over the world, crime rate. the nation would improve National Assembly.

He former President of ``Provision of basic infra- because there would be He said that apart from alloT Association of National tourism is a big revenue cating substantial money to Accountants of Nigeria earner to governments and structure would bring increased productivity.

(ANAN), Dr Samuel Nzekwe, says Nigeria can generate N1.2 trillion from tourism yearly if the required infrastructure are provided.

Nzekwe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that government should make substantial capital allocation to develop infrastructure like roads, power supply and adequate security.

infrastructure can create the enabling environment for this to happen. ``Nigeria is capable of generating a quarter of its total annual revenue from tourism, if the sector is well managed,’’ he said.

Nzekwe said that apart from generating revenue, tourism could create employment opportunities for youths and reduce the

about Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). ``When people are coming into a country, they are able to see the available business opportunities, ‘’ he added.

The Accountant said that with its natural endowments, Nigeria could be a great tourists’ destination in the world.

He stated that by promoting tourism, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of

Nzekwe also advised the Federal government to start preparing the 2014 budget in earnest and make it as comprehensive as possible, noting that the late passage of the budget could weaken its performance.

Nzekwe further said that government should provide all the necessary schedules to back up the budget for easy passage by the

capital expenditures, the National Assembly should improve on its oversight functions.

Nzekwe urged the National Assembly to ensure that funds meant for capital projects, were effectively utilised to improve the economy.

The Accountant also advised government to reduce recurrent expenditures to check wastage.

Association wants telecoms firms listed on the exchange He President, National T Association of Telecommunication Subscribers (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, yesterday, canvassed the listing of telecommunication companies on the Nigeria Stock exchange (NSe), to service and enhance ownership base of the respective organisations.

Ogunbanjo told NAN in Lagos that quoting the companies on the stock exchange would broaden investment in the sector.

The Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola

Johnson, had earlier said that efforts were on to persuade telecommunication companies to support the move.

The NATCOMS official said that operators would have access to public shares through the stock market, to expand the scope of their operations, hence service delivery would be improved.

According to him, the move is in the interest of the country, and it will also aid some ailing Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators, to deepen investments for the industry’s growth.

“Telecoms firms would have access to public funds that

can be used in expanding and some ailing networks efficiently and consequently bring an end to the lingering poor service,” he said.

Ogunbanjo also urged government to desist from using any legislative enforcement; rather, they should be encouraged, since the market was a free entry and exit.

“Government should not force them to get listed through any legislative means but the Ministry of Communications Technology should make them see reasons why Nigerians want them on the exchange.

“Sincerely, we are in support of the ministry to get telecoms firms listed on the stock market, but the government, through the capital market regulator, should encourage them.

“Hence, the association is also appealing to them, to yield to the government’s call.

“Nigerians will love to also invest their money in the success recorded by the telecoms firms in the last 13 years of the country’s telecoms revolution,” Ogunbanjo said.

He said that the listing on the exchange would make Nigerians see telecoms equipment as a public national

infrastructure that should be protected against vandalism.

Ogunbanjo said that operators were currently syndicating some loans, and each of them would have access to about one million dollars, to expand their various network capacities.

“The loan will take care of the infrastructure in the under-served and un-served areas,” he said.

Ogunbanjo said that Nigerians would have the sense of belonging to embrace them, since more Nigerians would be inspired to buy into the companies’ shares.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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THe GUArdIAn, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

MoneyWatch ‘How to bolster financial system’s stability’ Stories by Chijioke Nelson HATever the banking industry appeared W to be today, the truth is that the system is no longer the same. There are challenges, but some are being surmounted and the prospect is still high. However, behind the innovative ideas driving the system’s dynamism are institutions and individuals.

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of nigeria (CIBn), at its 2013 investiture, which coincided with the institute’s 50th anniversary later this year, reeled out its contributions to the nation’s economic development efforts, particularly, the banking industry, while it bestowed on individuals the industry’s highest recognition (Fellow of the institute) to spur them on.

Among the individuals were the deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of nigeria (CBn), dr. Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, Group Managing director/Chief executive Officer of First City Monument Bank Plc, Ladi Balogun, Chief executive Officer of Financial derivatives, Bismarck rewane and dr. Olabode Ayorinde, among others. delivering a welcome address, the President of CIBn, Segun Aina, said: “Today, honourary fellowship will be conferred on seven eminent and distinguished bankers – a deputy governor of Central Bank of nigeria and six CeO’s of deposit money banks to make a total of fifty two (active) honorary fellows. Also, 44 associates who have met all set requirements will be upgraded and elected as fellows of the institute to join the list of 554 active elected fellows in the institutes’ register since inception. All fellows are authorised to add the designation FCIB after their names.

“The fellowship status is the highest grade of membership any banker can attain within the banking and finance profession in nigeria and in any professional banking body worldwide.

It is an acknowledgement that such a person has excelled in the art, science and practice of banking. It is a stamp of distinction and an emblem of accomplishment in one’s professional banking career. Indeed a banking career is not complete without it. I, therefore, congratulate the new fellows of the institute and say welcome to the club.

“I also congratulate the 132 top management staff of banks, other financial institutions and senior lecturers in tertiary institutions on the award of the honorary senior membership of the institute, which will earn them the designation HCIB.” Aina explained that the contributions of the awardees, though being acknowledged, “the new feathers being placed on your caps today” would require an even greater level of support not only for the institute but for the financial services industry and indeed nigeria. To him, it is a further call to support the execution of the key mandates of the institute in promoting education, professionalism and ethical conduct in the banking and finance industry. “You are also expected to continue to be credible role models, ethics champions and mentors to the younger generation, especially younger Bankers,” he said.

But the CBn chief, while responding on the award, expressed gratitude and acknowledged that it is the highest award every accomplished banker in the country and many other countries of the world could earn. However, he explained that it was a further call to duty, which he was bound to respond positively.

Speaking with journalists, Moghalu said: “So, for me, it is a very significant professional honour. Of course, I will do my very best to continue to support the CIBn to make sure that the founding purposes are advanced in the banking industry of this country. In fact, I think that is the next phase of reform in the banking profession and we at CBn have led that reform process.

As you know, one of the major reform pillars of CBn has been to enhance the quality of banks, so the whole question of the quality of manpower of banks is critical to improving the quality of banks. Few months ago, we issued a competency framework for the banking industry to make sure that for certain groups of professionals and duties in the bank, people have the right qualification.”

Also, FCMB boss, Balogun, said the award was a welcome development and a challenge to sustain the level of contributions that earned him the award. It is also a charge to enjoin all banking professionals to uphold the highest standard of ethical practice to make our country and the industry proud.

“I think it is really about training and development of your staff, making sure that they have the competencies and the scale to serve. We continue to recruit hundreds of nigerians every year and we will continue to train them and hopefully lead by example, so that they can also learn by doing and watching. I enjoin all banking professionals to uphold ethical standards to make our customers very proud and happy,” he added.

The Guest Speaker and Chief executive Officer, Institute of Bankers, Malaysia, Tay Kay Luan, who spoke shared experience on the development and roll out of Banking and Finance Industry Competency Framework in his country in 2007, said that their objective was to ensure clarity and standards on the understanding and use of competency to build world class talent to support the banking industry. According to him, more than 50 subject matter experts provided the guidance and act as a sounding board to identify key competencies, provided the necessary levelling and interpretation of the type of skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to perform their roles across various job families in the industry.

Luan said that the development of a flourishing banking sector must be underpinned by a robust professional qualification and training and the competency framework demonstrates how the banking qualification provides a sound framework that ensures members are not only fit for business but are also fit for the future.’

“A strong and vibrant pathway is important towards the development of strong talent management which is essential part of the banking supply chain. This is necessary to ensure right skills are put in place and also to ensure public trust – a key success factor towards building

business confidence.

“The industry is one that is diverse and requires different skill sets, aptitudes and competencies. It is also important that banks professionals leverage on their core competencies and clearly define the service lines across variety of core competencies they feel they will do best in- credit, operations, sales, risk, compliance, internal audit, or support services.

“A career in banking and finance can be the first step to a world of possibilities, career opportunities and personal development. It is a world where professionals hit the ground running, using their financial skills, technical knowledge and insights to help banks and clients understand and meet evolving financial reporting standards and regulations. This is vital to building and maintaining the credibility of transparency and professionalism.

“The Banking and Finance Industry Competency Framework is now being used as a tool and resource to provide guidance for those seeking to pursue a career in public practice, as well as help bank professionals already in this business arena to keep pace with the developments,” he added.

Meanwhile, the CIBn boss, while listing the achievements and the future path of the institute, said: “It may interest you to know that CIBn, in consolidating the achievements of the past and positioning for the future, has embarked on a number of initiatives designed to achieve the new vision of the institute, which is ‘To be the global reference point for Professionalism and ethics in the Banking and Finance Industry through thought leadership and capacity building.’

“Some of the key initiatives include: The establishment of the Centre for Financial Studies- a thought-led institution positioned to be a game changer and best-in-class-institution in the quest for upgrading the competencies of banking and finance practitioners not only in nigeria, but in the entire continent. It is not a training institution, but will organize research and knowledge-based events, including those aimed at deepening intellectualism of banking professionals and will be affiliated to a globally ranked University, while ensuring continuous long-term relationships with various leading institutions. The Centre had its first programme on August 23, 2013 and it was hugely successful.”

He said that CIBn will ensure the centre become the sole accreditation and certification agency under the Competency Framework developed for the nigerian financial services industry; serve as the agency to attract top talents to nigeria’s financial services industry and develop qualified professionals to meet the Financial Sector Strategy 2020 defined standards; the development and continuous enhancement of e-learning platforms for elibrary, on-line testing and examinations, online study (webcast, webinar) among others, approval of new examination structure for the flagship ACIB qualification and creation of 16 new certification programmes in various specialist areas; and strengthened alliances with highly reputable local and foreign institutions.

Moghalu

Aina

Balogun

raising the profile of women’s participation in finance ender issues are topical and G trending and the women folks are raising the bar with campaigns and greater participation in knowledge-based skills that equip them to take on the challenge. But the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a global finance and accounting body, said that its diversity concept, which is intrinsic in all its operations, is a tool to overcoming the challenge.

For ACCA, diversity is an issue synonymous with it. “Firstly, because our membership is the

most diverse of any international accountancy body. We have more than half a million members and students in 170 countries bringing with them a multitude of socio-economic, ethnic and cultural experiences. Our raison d’etre when we were founded more than 100 years ago was to give opportunity to people of talent and application whatever their background – and we really believe in the value that diversity brings.

“Secondly, on the gender issue, 45 per cent of our members and

half our student intake are female. Given the rate at which the proportion of students is changing – many have said that the future of finance is female.”

Brand, who lamented that despite its contributions, women account for only 20 per cent of the most senior posts held in finance, hence there is a great deal to work to enable the thousands of young women entering the accountancy profession to fulfill their potential and meet their aspirations.

To the association diversity is not

simply about gender, but organizations need to ensure they address equal opportunities in all areas like cultures, diversity of skills and experiences, diversity of ideas and business perspectives that help create and drive great finance functions and deliver enhanced business performance.

As a body, which qualifies finance professionals, we are committed to playing our part in ensuring the maximization of the finance function.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Luan

THe GUARDIAn, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

22 moneyWATCH

Raising the profile of women’s participation in finance CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 She noted that ACCA works to ensure that all its students, trainees and members – women and men, gain a breadth and depth of skill sets through the ACCA qualifications. “This complete skill set, which employers around the world overwhelmingly tell us they want, strengthens both male and female members in their finance functions, enabling them to deliver enhanced value and adapt to the changing needs of the business.

“We have put diversity to the top of our agenda. It is one of the main pillars of our research and insights programme, which represents our thought leadership on key issues of the day and of the near future. We have carried out several research projects on various aspects of diversity and the finance function.

We have seen in the UK and europe considerable political concern at the lack of women in the boardroom. Since the Davies report came out over two years ago, with its aim of achieving a 25 per cent figure of women in FTSe boardrooms, there have been reports that nearly half of new appointments have been female.

“ACCA hopes that this continues as an alternative to going down the quota route as the european Vice-President has pledged. We don’t believe in quotas since it could be seen as resulting in tokenism, in bitterness and to ensure organization can claim they are ticking all the right boxes – which serves no useful purpose. We want to see businesses recognizing the positive reasons for diversity. Quite simply, diversity is a critical component of capability. you want to employ the best people in finance and the best people simply are not defined along some set of homogenous criteria. So, diversity is a positive thing and capability is at the heart of the story.”

The Deputy Country Head, nigeria, Deutsche Bank, mrs. Adeola Azeez, who spoke on the barriers faced by women in the corporate world, also proffered possible solutions on how to overcome them.

For Azeez, who doubles as chair, Women in management, Business and Public Service, success is hinged on sticking with a vision and having the foresight to reassess that vision when and where necessary. “Like many who have or will, I personally faced challenges to get to where I am today- juggle my career, my role as a mother and as wife. We all know, that women have issues- we don’t network well; not assertive; don’t fight for game changing roles; have fewer sponsors who are willing to use corporate capital to advocate for us; suffer from low self esteem; short-change ourselves as wives and mothers; don’t prioritize, among

Brand

Oluwatoyin Ademola, Head, ACCA Nigeria

other things. It is undeniable that there are challenges unique to women in the corporate world, but how we face these challenges as individuals that matter. So, let’s talk about the personality traits we need to develop.

She noted that women sometimes are afraid of their own abilities and at other times, arrogant and aggressive in an effort to be confident. “However confidence is none of those things. It is simply an inner assurance of your own proven capabilities. Confidence takes your abilities to the level of recognition. So, build your self-esteem. Whether you’re speaking the queens or broken english, be eloquent in your delivery and comport yourself with elegance at all times. A smile goes a long way.

Whoever it is you encounter during your day, put up a smile. We are Africans and this is our way.

“Polish your communications skills for effective communicators make things happen. It’s just not about being able to get a message

across, its how you do it and the feeling you incite in other people during the process.

Create a reputation of being personable and professional; these are the kind of women people want to work with and for.

“Technology is key in today’s world. Women should continually be honing their skills and allow themselves to be more tech savvy, allowing them to compete on the same level as everyone else. Have defined values, strength of character and a thirst for knowledge.

Women should strive to continually educate themselves. Professional development and accredited skills give you credibility, flexibility and power. It is an essential tool when negotiating salary and career advancements.

“Join professional organizations to develop your skills and keep up to speed with changes in your field, be visible by leaving a mark, play to your strengths and know your weakness, be flexible, be a team player. men often view their jobs as vehicles for advancement and

opportunities to make connections with people who can help them succeed. They tend to look at the bigger picture making connections. However women make connections with often less strategic purposes in mind. It’s time to flip the script,” Azeez added.

Brand also noted that some researches have suggested that companies with more women on the boards outperformed rivals with 42 per cent higher returns in sales, 66 per cent higher returns on capital and 53 per cent returns on equity. In essence, a financial qualification or a background which demonstrates substantial financial acumen are seen as catalysts for women getting onto the boards of FTSe companies.

The report showed that proportionally, women appear more successful in attaining executive roles where they have a financial background: 45 per cent of female executive directors are financially qualified and 65 per cent in total have a financial background, while 26 per cent of their male colleagues are financially qualified and 44 per cent have a financial background.

Perhaps, the most important thing from the research was that networking was mentioned a lot by respondents. many of the respondents said that women needed to build their networks, use their social connections and use their financial acumen to progress their careers. “And for me this is an important element of today’s event. you need to take every possible opportunity, including today, to stretch and develop your social and work connections, to share experiences about your careers and your aspirations.

“ACCA has also carried out other studies into diversity and the finance function and I would like to turn briefly to these now. Given that we are a global organisation, ACCA organised a series of roundtables with the economic and Social Research Council, which involved experts in London, Shanghai and Delhi. These roundtables underlined the importance of leaders setting the tone from the top in harnessing the strengths for business growth and innovation around the world. The expert panels also discussed the need to train managers in how to bring out the diverse strengths and viewpoints of people in their teams. An important attribute for leaders today and in the future is cultural intelligence.”

According to Brand, in the knowledge economy, it’s the skills, knowledge and ideas that people bring to businesses which create competitive advantage. “It’s about people’s capability and that is as true for finance as it is for business at large,” she added.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

23 In partnership with

Shipping UPDATE

INTERACTIVE

COMMUNIQUE

EVENTS

A presentation on Funding your Contract Tit Bits:

By Sir. Peter Olorunfemi MBA, FCIB At the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping’s 2nd Understanding Cabotage and Local Content in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry (Upstream) Workshop INTRODUCTION • Funding play a major role in any business organization most especially in maritime business.

• Maritime business is capital intensive and complex. It therefore, requires an effective structured financing.

• This module shall be covering aspects of raising secure loans and equity by a company through various banks (Local and International banks) couple with other means.

Credit Policy and Finance Definition • Credit Policy- is a strategic documents prepared which shows a specific risk analysis and developed framework towards eliminating the perceived risks in a specific industry. Eg, Construction, Engineering, Maritime, Banking etc.

• Project Financing- The act of providing funds for business activities.

• Maritime financing covers a variety of transactions involving the purchase or sale of maritime equipments. This come in two types- senior debt and mortgages..

• There are several types of medium term loans used in ship finance such as follows 1. Corporate Unsecured Loans 2 Corporate Secured Loans 3 Project /Cashflow Financing 4 Asset Lending

• Islamic Finance- This is another mode of finance which is growing in ship financing and currently estimated at US$200billion. It is structured under the Islamic rules and TERM LOANS/ SENIOR DEBT principles.

• There are various instruments used in ship • Securitization- This relates to portfinancing, eg Hedging, Securitization, Mezzanine, Project Financing, Leasing, Islamic folio of loans that has been rated, packaged finance and Cabottage Vessel Financing Funds and offer to investors.

• Mezzanine- This is high yielding (CVFF) debt that sits between equity and term loan.

• Hedging- This is a technique designed to • Project Financing- This is a transacreduce or eliminate financial risk. The risks commonly hedged by ship owners (i.e. mitigat- tion of financing long term infrastructure and industrial project which involves noned or eliminated) are recourse to sponsors but with several disI. Protection against the risks of floating rates tinct risk components. rising on long term debt • Cabottage Vessel Financing Funds II. Protection against the risks of frequent (CVFF) changes in the exchange rates of major currencies.

LOAN DOCUMENTATION III. Protection against substantial rises in These are outline term sheet containing varibunkers (fuel). ous document pertaining to the loan agreeIV. Protection against overexposure to certain ment. freight markets.

1. Name of owning company, related owning SHIP FINANCE companies and management Companies • Leasing- is a contract between a lessor and a 2. Identities of shareholders. lessee for hire of a specific.

• Financing Vessel –Types (A) Commodity types and (B) Specialised vessel.

3. Identities and backgrounds of main management personnel if different from (2) above.

4. Management structure of the company and physical location.

5. Financial data – including if possible annual audited accounts for previous years.

6. Details of vessel to be purchased – price, condition, flag to be used etc.

7. Details of proposed employment for vessel.

8. Breakdown of operating expenses for vessel.

9. Details of the rest of fleet, including vessel description, debt outstanding, employment etc.

10. Bank references. KYC – Know your customer documentation under Money Laundering Acts.

CONCLUSION We all agree that Maritime Industry needs funding and that Nigerian Banks may not meet the demand, hence investors should explore other sources of funding internationally.

Investors should acquaint themselves with risks, required documentations, and various financing methods available.

Ship Management Technical, Manning (Crewing) and Safety (Onboard and Ashore) (Contd from last edition) Paper presented by Robert Goodwin Head Marine Logistics Offshore, SNEPCo at the Workshop Understanding Cabotage and Local Content within the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.

What it does not • Does not provide opinion on the future use of the vessel on its own.

• Does not provide a licence to operate.

• Does not guarantee contract • Does not provide future assurance and a guarantee of safety.

Vessel Management Vessel operators can conduct, and regularly review, their OVMSA assessments online at www.ocimf-ovmsa.com.

Operators of offshore vessels can use their assessment results to develop a phased improvement plan that improves CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

24

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

From the Desk of the DIRECTOR GENERAL Dear Readers , HE Nigeria Chamber of Shipping T hosts a quarterly “Members’ Evening” as part of its objective to regularly provide a platform to promote the various interests of members. The theme for the next “Members’ Evening” is ‘Stakeholder’s Participation at the Middle East Workboats and Offshore Marine Conference’ on Thursday, August 29, 2013 at 6pm.

A representative of Seatrade, an organization that is partnering with the Chamber of Shipping to host the Seatrade Middle East Workboats & Offshore Marine Exhibition, scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from September 30 – October 2, 2013, will be making a presentation at that evening. Also our Guest Speaker at the event will be the Director General, NIMASA and he will be talking on ‘the Challenges of Non-Payment of Levies on Gross Freight on Export and Import and the Non-Commitment to the Cabotage Law’.

Seatrade Middle East Workboats and Offshore Marine Exhibition and Conference which takes place every two years, is a must attend event for all Operators, Ship owners, Boat Builders, Seafarers, Marine Engineers, Bankers, Insurance Companies, Legal Practitioners, Marine Consultants, Equipment Suppliers, Manning Agents, Marine Surveyors, Trainers, Government Officials, Ship Managers and Law Makers who are key actors in the Maritime Industry.

This event focuses on what is important to the Maritime Industry and attracts key Industry players and a lot of International representation. There will be a session on West Africa, with specific emphasis on Nigeria and our Cabotage/ Local Content regime. The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development Board, Engr. Ernest Nwapa will make a presentation on the Nigerian Local Content Policy. It is the Chamber’s bid to guarantee a large participation and a large turn-out of Nigerian businesses. In this manner, we have been able to ensure visibility by creating a Nigerian Pavilion and a ‘Nigerian Day’ at the event. I am also a Panellist in one of the Intellectual Seminars.

Don’t forget that our new ABC of Shipping Course is aimed to meet the needs of the current industry climate It starts from the grass roots making room for undergraduates and recent graduates to participate. The purpose of the training course is to provide basic and fundamental knowledge about the Nigerian maritime sector.

This course is coming up on the 11th 12th September, 2013.

The ABC of Shipping Course, targets individuals already operating in the industry and ancillary industries with 0-3 years work experience. Their need is for knowledge and introductory information on how the maritime industry operates in Nigeria; Recent graduates (1-2years) who are new entrants into the maritime industry and seeking for knowledge about the industry and how the industry operates and; Undergraduates and others who will most likely have personal interests. The Course will help them determine their career and look forward to operating in it in the future.

I hope you enjoy our package this week. I promise you to endeavour to bring issues that greatly affect us in the Maritime sector. Visit us at facebook, so you can join us online; www.facebook.com/nigerianchamberofshipping or you can visit our website at www.nigerian-shipping.org We will love to hear from you.

Happy Reading.

Ify Akerele, DG, Nigerian Chamber of Shipping

Implementing an effective occupational health, safety & enviroment risk management system for maritime & offshore oil & gas corporate entities WRITTEN BY MR DELE OLAOYE MD, Q-SHE LIMITED What is Risk Management?

ISK Management is the systematic process of planning, coordinating, organizing, controlling activities with the objective to prevent or recover from any incident due to release of hazards.

R

The elements of risk management include the following: • Setting of policies or guiding principles • Identification of hazards that could pose risk challenges • Assessing and categorizing the risks with the aim of putting appropriate measures in place for management • Putting preventive measures in place in terms of controls measures to prevent release of hazards • Putting recovery measures in place in case of actual release of hazards in order to ensure restart as soon as possible.

• Putting processes and procedures in place to ensure continual improvement in the entire process. Incident reporting, reviews, and other procedures for performance improvement.

Why Risk Management?

It cannot be overemphasized that risk is inevitable. Every activity we carry out has the potential to cause harm.

However, it is quite unfelt when any harm is at the potential stage.

Risks don’t just exist; they are there due to hazards or hazardous situations.

Our action (or lack of it) to the risk determines to what extent we are exposed to dangers of incident due such risks. When we see a risk and we do nothing we gamble with our lives, our environment, our assets and other resources around us – we leave everything to chance in the hands of nature!

Either at work or outside the place of work, the probability of an incident occurring or its severity (if it does) should not in any way be the only yardsticks to determine whether we need to manage the risk elements in such hazardous situations. All risks require management.

Several devastating incidents have

been experienced in the marine and offshore industry in the past.

Many of these incidents led to irreparable losses. Risks could result in crisis if they are not adequately managed. These perhaps have become defining moments that drives the industry to seek better and more efficient ways of managing risks in order to achieve the following broad objectives: • Protection of personnel and other persons from injury, death or other forms of harm that our operations could impact on them.

• Preservation of our environment from harm that could primarily or secondarily emanate from our activities.

• Prevention of losses of assets; plants, equipment, furniture & fittings, and fixed structures due to incidents • Positioning of our organization as a socially responsible and reputable establishment with sustainable development as an organizational culture.

How do we put an effective Risk Management Process in Place?

A. Mastering Risk Exposure Classification It is evident that we cannot manage what we do not know. A good knowledge of the various types of risk exposures is required to have an effective Risk Management Process in our Organizations.

Risk exposure classification has to do with proper aligning of the risk types along areas of concern predefined by the Occupational Health, Safety & Environmental Management Systems of our individual organizations. Dealing with the risks is easier when you can categorize them into homogenous groupings. By so doing, we can deploy the learning from a particular task (or job) to proffer solutions in a new task (or job) in the same category.

The 20 subjects below may not

be the same (in terms of nomenclature or even definition) as we have in our individual organizations, however; they are good guide for risk exposure classification. It may be appropriate for us to take competency trainings in these subjects (especially for those in which we are exposed to high risk jobs) for effectiveness in managing risks.

Internationally, the following HSE subjects accepted as the major areas of concern within the oil & gas industry: 1. Medical Records & Exposure Monitoring – deals with issues concerning the baseline records and occupational impact on employees’ health.

2. Back Safety & Ergonomics – a concern in manual handling and employees’ posture at work.

3. Confined Space – deals with working in confinements that are not designed for continuous human occupancy.

4. Electrical Safety – and its associated shock & fire hazards.

5. Emergency Response – for several types of HSE incidents.

6. Fall Protection – deals with personnel working at heights and elevated objects 7. Forklift Safety – operations, types and where they are safely applicable.

8. Hazard Communication, Hazardous Materials & Hazardous Wastes Operations 9. Hearing Conservation – noise, noise levels, the science of hearing and protection methods.

10. Hydrogen Sulfide – its peculiarity (being one of the few toxic gases that are heavier than air).

11. Lock-out/ Tag-out – isolation of equipment and prevention of unplanned start-ups.

12. Offshore Orientation – observances for personnel working or visiting offshore platforms 13.

Personal Protective Equipment – their choice, use,

maintenance, hygiene issues, and change-out considerations with respect to the job and/or the level of protection they are required to provide.

14.

Process Safety Management – deals with automated operations and control panel safety.

15.

Respiration Protection – the right application and maintenance of Air Purifying Respirators, Supplied Air Respirators, Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, and Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus based on job designs.

16. Welding Protection – welding fumes, hazards, right procedures for the different welding types and appropriate PPE. 17. Rigging Safety – heavy lifting, cranes and slinging operations 18. Transportation of hazardous materials – movement of toxic, flammable or other dangerous materials from one point to another.

19. Scaffolding safety – erection, certification, and working on/ around scaffolds 20. Road & Marine Transportation – transportation hazards (especially here in Nigeria) and appropriate journey management procedures.

These are not necessarily representative of all operations (as different localities have their peculiarities) however; they form a basis for risk management with focus and depth.

These competences are required for personnel that would champion or participate actively in risk management activities (such as Job Safety Analysis Meetings etc.).

For feedbacks and enquiries please call Dele on +234 802 223 2864 or email to dele.olaoye@outlook.com.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

25

CompuLife Mobile money and growth challenge in Nigeria The fast growth of Mobile Money (MM) services in emerging countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa has butressed the need to deepen the platforn in Nigeria’s financial services sector, especially to capture the unbanked.

Despite two years of deployment in the country, the scheme seems to be crawling, as painted by a recent poll. But experts however, appear optimistic of its growth. ADEYEMI ADEPETUN writes S predicted, poor access channels, inadequate distribuA tion or agency networks, lack of proper awareness and poor mass education have become major challenges troubling Nigeria’s mobile money initiative presently.

The sub-sector, which according to financial analysts, is worth N150 billion, but if adequately maintained and proper policies in place, is projected to have growth capacity of N300 billion in another three years.

Indeed, in August 2011, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licensed 16 banks and other financial institutions to deploy the services across the country.

Touted as Bank-led initiative, the mobile money service is seen as a viable tool to provide basic financial services through the mobile technology platform, which is aimed at creating a veritable tool of payment, especially for the unbanked Nigerians in the rural areas, and also help drive financial inclusion in the country.

The growth in mobile money use is expected to benefit many sectors of the Nigerian economy, thus contributing to national economic growth. Today, in the country, a large proportion of households lack access to financial services as in many other emerging countries.

Research showed that only about 25 per cent of the Nigerian population (170 million people) has bank accounts or access to financial services.

The Director, Banking and Payments System Department, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, in Lagos, confirmed this huge gap recently.

In his presentation, entitled: “Mobile Money in Nigeria: Prospects, Opportunities and Challenges,” at the meeting of the Ikeja District Society of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Fatokun said surveys conducted on financial services in Nigeria revealed that banking penetration was relatively low because of a number of factors, some of which include proximity to financial service outlets, product complexity and cost of service.

He noted that no nation could progress or truly develop if majority of its population are under-banked or has no access to financial services.

To this end, Fatokun said the CBN was vigorously working to ensure the success of the mobile money initiative as a financial inclusion strategy to reduce the nation’s unbanked population by 20 per cent.

He said: “The percentage figure of Nigeria’s unbanked population currently stands at 46.3 per cent and the CBN will work to ensure the success of the strategy.”

According to Fatokun, a survey carried out in 2008 by an international agency, Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), on access to financial services in the Nigeria revealed that banking penetration was relatively low with only 21 per cent of adult population in the country having access to banking services, while 74 per cent had never been banked.

The remaining five per cent, previously banked, in other words, had left the banking system, Fatokun added.

Interestingly, the NOI polls showed that mobile money scheme has not been embraced by the unbanked Nigerians.

The polls result showed that six in 10 (59 per cent) Nigerians are not aware of mobile money services and only 13 per cent of the 41 per cent that are knowledgeable of it, have adopted it, depicting a very low acceptability rate.

In the NOI polls, which tried to determine the ratio of mobile money users with bank accounts to those without, responses revealed that all of the respondents (100 per cent) that use mobile money services operate a bank account.

“This suggests that the level of awareness and adoption of mobile money services amongst Nigerians without accounts

AT A GLANCE Firm deploys open access fiber network in Abia NITDA canvasses IT development for job creation Cost of supporting mobile broadband eroding Gionee enters Nigerian market with Elite E6 smartphone

P. 26 P.27 P. 28 P.29

and services”.

The NOI findings also revealed the majority agree (55 per cent: 25 per cent+30 per cent) that the service is easy to use, on the other hand 38 per cent (nine per cent+29 per cent) are of the opinion that the service is not easy to use.

In reference to the accessibility of service providers, the majority (55 per cent 21 per cent+34 per cent) agree that service providers are easily accessible.

Reacting to the NOI’s findings, the Principal Associate, Mobile Money Africa, Mr. Emmanuel Okoegwale said the outcomes of the NOI polls came with some disappointments, saying however, that he cannot fault them “since they explained the processes used to reach the outcomes though there are some contentious issues raised but that is for another day. Despite the gloomy pictures painted, there is still hope for the industry in Nigeria and I hope all the stakeholders will take time to review the outcomes of the survey and work towards a better score card in near future.”

Relating Nigeria’s case with that of Kenya, (Safaricom’s mPesa), which has become a source of reference in the Continent because of its successes within few years of existence, Okoegwale said, “these are two different climes. The mobile network operator that is also the largest organization in that country is also the provider of the mobile financial services in the country mentioned. They have everything under their control from subscribers, access channels and distribution points and a primary product (airtime), which was used to cross sell the mobilemoney value proposition. We have also seen smaller MNOs do well in that space like Econet in Zimbabwe. In the case of Nigeria, most of the factors to scale up the deployments were external to the providers and will take some time, resources and efforts to achieve.”

The mobile money expert agreed that the current agent capacity in the country is still very low, saying agency network recruitment, training, monitoring and incentifying, require significant resources for an industry that do not have existing distribution network to act as transactions points.

It is a challenge that the stakeholders are trying to sort out. Gradually, agency network is growing but the incentive is not a strong motivation yet because it is a low value business that is still running at low volume.

The Programmes Director of One Network, an industry-focused organisation whose target is to deploy mobile money agents across the country, Mr. Sola Bickersteth, said for the Mobile money services to be successful, an estimated number of 250,000 as against the about 3,000 would be required.

Bickersteth explained that the mobile money service has not been fully expanded in the country; adding that this accounts for the slow adoption of the process.

Chief Technology Officer, eTranzact International, Richard Omoniyi, agreed that there was need to step up ‘education’ on the scheme.

“One thing that is important is education. GSM is working despite the hiccups. Once in a while, we still have communications issue, but I believe that it’s a matter of time, we will get there.

“CBN needs to push further, awareness is vital. People still find it hard to believe that in their cell phones, they could send money,” he said.

Butressing Omoniyi’s claim, Okoegwale said the challenges facing the initiative in Nigeria are peculiar to the industry anywhere in the world but that “government through the regulatory agency must continuously review policies, ensure certainty, appropriate risk and balance regulation with innovation.

“The international development organisations are also keen to assist in many ways. Government must demonstrate willingness to make mobilemoney a success by actual usage.

If all current government conditional cash transfer programs are disbursed through mobilemoney then we will have better score card with the NOI polls.”

In the area of proportion of users that operate their mobile money account in connection with their bank accounts, the report showed that 93 per cent of Nigerians operate their mobile money account in connection with their bank account and seven per cent operate their mobile money account separately. This further affirmed previous findings where the majority indicated banks as their provider. is currently very low and almost non-existent,” the report stated.

In the area of proportion of users that operate their mobile money account in connection with their bank accounts, the report showed that 93 per cent of Nigerians operate their mobile money account in connection with their bank account and seven per cent operate their mobile money account separately. This further affirmed previous findings where the majority indicated banks as their provider.

Furthermore, to gain insight into the transactions users carry out on mobile money services, 65 per cent of respondents said they use mobile money for funds transfer, followed by bill payment (54 per cent), money withdrawal (36 per cent) and “payment for purchased goods and services” (25 per cent).

“Analysis based on geopolitical zones revealed that the North-west zone (80 per cent) had more respondents that carry out “funds transfer” on their mobile money account, the South-West zone (93 per cent) accounted for the highest proportion of respondents that use their account for “Bills payment”.

“Also, the South-West zone (54 per cent) had the highest number of respondents that use their account for Money withdrawal while the South-East zone (57 per cent) accounted for the highest proportion of respondents that use their mobile money account for the “Payment for purchased goods

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

26 COMPULIFE

Mimiko seeks action against technology dumping in Nigeria

By Adeyemi Adepetun OR Nigeria to play big in the global Fdevelopment economy, the need to accelerate the of indigenous technology has been stressed.

According to Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, who canvassed this, said the 21st century has been aptly described as the ‘Information Age’, in which Nigeria cannot afford to be sidelined in the myriad of innovations and creativities that has become the hallmark of globalisation.

In a related development, the Federal Government has put the country’s Internet access at 22.7 per cent, adding that there are over 4,644 public access points to the Internet all over the country.

Mimiko, while addressing the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) stakeholders in Akure, Ondo State at the second meeting of the National Council on Communications Technology (NCCT), noted that there has been breath-taking speed and changes in the ICT world, stressing that the unprecedented convergence of computer networks and other communication systems is a phenomenon that has revolutionized life on the planet.

“From the common desktop computers to the ubiquitous smartphones, tablets and most recently ‘Phablets’ it is crystal clear that ICT has become very much the core of modern civilization.

• Govt puts Internet access at 22.7% “Leveraging on the immense possibilities inherent in the unfolding ICT revolution for the improvement of living standards and development, is a key challenge confronting developing economies such as Nigeria. And it is to this challenge that all stakeholders must address themselves”, he stated.

According to him, there is need for strategic partnership between the government and the private sector in order to ensure that Nigeria transits from being a consumer nation to a highly productive one as far as ICT software and tools are concerned.

The Ondo State governor was optimistic that Nigeria has vast potential, which can be explored and harnessed for the sustainable development of ICT infrastructure for e-governance, health care systems, and food security among others, ‘but without effective linkages by all players in the spectrum, this lofty goal will remain a mirage.”

While commending what he described as impressive role of the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology under the leadership of the Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Mimiko said the minister has been able to galvanise the desired policy thrusts for the emergence of a viable ICT architecture in Nigeria.

Speaking on ICT development in the

state, the governor said, “for us in Ondo State, development of ICT is a major pre-occupation. Right from inception, the present administration has embraced the idea of ICT roll-out in all our governmental processes. We remain convinced that through effective utilisation of ICT tools, we can bridge, not only the digital divide between the government and the governed, but also keep pace with modern trends in public service delivery.”

Be that as it may, the minister, who also disclosed that apart from Internet penetration of 22.7 per cent, she added that Nigeria’s teledensity as at Q4, 2012 was 80.85 per cent.

According to Johnson, despite this success, there are still tremendous opportunities for growth, job and wealth creation and it is the mandate of this Ministry and by implication, “I believe the mandates of the state institutions and organs responsible for ICT to tap into this opportunity.”

She said synergy amongst national and sub-national institutions is of critical importance if the current gains are to be sustained; stressing that the NCCT has been established to facilitate inter-governmental consultations on ICT matters in order to avoid unnecessary disparities in ICT policies in Nigeria.

Mimiko

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

COMPULIFE

NITDA canvasses IT development for job creation tions and ICT procurements.

According to him, although the number HE National Information Technology of homes with computers and Internet Development Agency (NITDA) has access has grown dramatically off an advocated strategic Information and admittedly low base such that between Technology (IT) local content develop2003 and 2010 the number of personal ment to boost Nigeria’s job creation. computers (PCs) shipped into the country This, according to the Acting Director has quadrupled. Nevertheless, he lamentGeneral of NITDA, Dr. Ashiru Daura has ed the insignificant advances recorded in become highly imperative in the face of the area of exported software and or hardincreasing preference for foreign prodware while bemoaning the obvious fact ucts against the indigenous. that Nigeria continues to be a net Daura, who made this call at the just importer of PCs, switches, network access concluded second National Council on devices and softwares.

Communication Technology which Indeed, statistics showed that almost 60 took place in Akure, the Ondo State capi- per cent of the 743, 000 computers units tal at the weekend, said that developing sold in Nigeria in 2012 were accounted for local ICT industry in Nigeria would serve by foreign brands. as an avenue for wealth creation and Given the economic implications that provision of job opportunities. this trends pose on Nigeria if urgently The Acting DG rallied government to unrevised, the new NITDA helmsman, confer preferred provider status to local identified the enormous employment business process outsourcing in state opportunity available to Nigerians with a government outsourced business opera- vibrant local content ICT industry as a

By Adeyemi Adepetun

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good avenue to wealth creation in the country.

On the way forward, Daura posited the need to encourage local industries to avail themselves of growing local options in service offerings as a sure way to help local capacity in the sector to improve, adding that federal and states governments should have responsibilities beyond simply improving the business environment, to ensure that quality and availability of local ICT skills are radically improved as this can be achieved by focusing on lower end of value chain.

As such, the acting director general noted that in order to give the right direction, a framework and guideline for Nigerian content in IT was developed through an integrative process that took into consideration a wide range of inputs from stakeholders, global best practices as well as current realities in the Nigerian IT sector.

UN chieftain for 2013 national software conference

By Adeyemi Adepetun ll indications point to the fact that Nigeria may substantially improve her global Information and Communications Technology rating and benefit immensely on Foreign Direct investment (FDI).

This is premised on the endorsement of Professor Emeritus Tapio Varis the United Nations chair on e-learning, who has accepted to deliver the keynote at the 2013 National Software Conference and Competition organised by the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) in partnership with the government of Cross-River State.

A

The conference is scheduled for October 22 and 23, at the Tinapa Knowledge City, Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State – with the theme: “Software Strategies for Retooling the Workforce (SORWORK)”.

According to ISPON, having secured the acknowledgement of UNCTAD on her development efforts in the Nigeria Software Ecosystem, it is now ready to host Prof. Tapio Varis, before an estimated array of 850 ICT audiences at the conference.

ISPON’s statement informed that the cross section of the audience include International/ECOWAS ICT experts, Nigerian ICT professionals/engineers, hothead coders/software-developers, government policy makers from the federal and

state MDAs among others.

Other confirmed speakers for the conference include but not limited to former Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communication Commission/Chairman Open Media Group, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, founder, Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, member Federal House of Representatives, Nkoyo Toyo and MD/CEO Arco Petrochemicals Ltd, Alfred Okoigun, among others.

The ISPON’s statement further disclosed that Prof. Tapio is currently promoting the conference internationally in USA, Europe, Japan and Africa, at the highest level of intellectual knowledge domain.

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Twinepine plans market expansion WINPINE, a mobile advertising network reaching T millions of African consumers on mobile devices with operations in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, is planning market expansion, having clocked two years in mobile advertising.

Chief Executive of Twinpine and co-founder, Elo Umeh, while speaking on the company’s achievements, said: “In the past two years, we have focused significantly on investing in the mobile advertising ecosystem in Africa and this strategy has been a success. We currently work with the top publishers in the leading markets, the largest agencies and advertisers in our core markets and we are seeing a month-on-month growth in all our core indicators.”

According Umeh, with a dominant presence in the mobile downloads, brand awareness, commerce and content markets, Twinpine would extend its reach to the education, governance, gaming and payments sectors in the near future.

Another co-founder of Twinpine, Oduntan Odubanjo, said: “We strive to deliver great returns for our clients and we work hand in hand with them to solve their problems. Our customer-facing approach and focus on value before profits has helped us come this far. This we do with creativity, technology, support and feedback.”

Etisalat takes Cliqfest to Aba ELECOMMUNICATIONS Company, Etisalat Nigeria, T recently stormed Enyimba City with its student empowerment initiative, ‘Cliqfest’. The event held at the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. The fun-packed two-day campus storm, which took place at the Abia State Polytechnic saw many students smiling home with numerous prizes including the ultimate prize of a brand new car. Cliqfest is an Etisalat youth educational, entertainment and customer reward initiative targeted at the Nigerian Students. The shows are characterised by seminars, concerts and football tournaments all aimed at giving students opportunities to identify with the Easycliq product and have fun while learning and winning prizes.

Manager, Youth Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Idiare Atimomo who spoke at the event informed that Etisalat was on a mission to impact positively on Nigerian youths and would stop at nothing to demonstrate its commitment to creating equal opportunities among Nigerian students which will help them develop their talents in a bid to attain success once out of school.

THe GUARDiAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

28 COMPUliFe

Cost of supporting mobile broadband eroding subscribers’ profitability services from a laptop or netbook. The average duration of OBile broadband services a technical support call for such products is 28 minutes. are more expensive to support than any other wire- By comparison, a technical less service and are endanger- support call for a mobile ing subscriber profitability for phone averages just less than many mobile network opera- 10 minutes.

The findings come from tors concludes a new study analysis of more than half a from WDSGlobal. The study found that the cost to support million ‘technical’ support enquiries. More than 600 wiremobile broadband products less devices were represented and services is up to 200 per in the study, which spanned a cent greater than the cost to six-month period between support traditional wireless September 2008 and February products such as mobile 2009. Of the bottom 20 mobile phones. This means that devices ranked by Average despite revenue uplift from Handle Time (the duration of a increased data usage, actual subscriber profitability often support call), 13 were USB or PC Card modems. remains unchanged and The problem, WDSGlobal sugsometimes even worsens.

The area of greatest concern gests, is not always with the technology itself but the came from USB and PC Card necessity for these products to modems. These are sold to be installed alongside third allow subscribers access to a mobile operator’s 3G HSPA or party hardware and software outside of a mobile operator’s eV-DO mobile broadband

By Bankole Orimisan

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control.

“Traditional wireless products are largely in the control of the network operator; it’s their SiM card, they sold the handset and it’s attached to their network. Mobile broadband introduces the need to manage a wireless product on a third-party device such as a laptop. You have to contend with hardware performance and conflicts, driver incompatibility and buggy software.

Diagnosis and fault resolution therefore becomes more complex, negatively impacting support times. Add to this the fact that many products have not been adequately tested prior to launch, and the result is an expensive burden on existing support infrastructures,” explains David Ffoulkes-Jones, CeO of WDSGlobal.

The study also cites ‘aggressive’ connection management

software (the software bundled with the modem) as a key cause of user frustration.

During several test cases, installation software looked to make registry edits deep within the PC’s operating system. Most popular anti-virus applications immediately blocked the installation, classifying it as a security threat. in other cases, connection management software looked to hijack control of all network connections, overwriting user’s existing configurations and impeding WiFi access.

The cost of handling customer care and support calls has an immediate bearing on subscriber profitability because it forms part of the cost of maintaining a subscriber on a network.

Therefore, it’s imperative for mobile network operators to better manage the process of

testing, launching and supporting mobile broadband services concludes WDSGlobal.

“This problem is not unique; new products and services are introduced to generate greater ARPU (average revenue per user). However, the increased complexity of these services means that the cost to support them often increases, impacting subscriber profitability,” adds Ffoulkes-Jones. “There are enormous opportunities for mobile broadband in 2009.

However mobile network operators must be able to deliver new products and services to market profitably and in a way that meets their end-users’ expectations for service and quality. Many mobile broadband services are marketed as plug and play.

However, as a company that provides technical support services to the mobile industry, we know that this isn’t always the case.”

Apple distributor offers free subscription for products ORe Group Africa, has C announced a partnership with the world leading media house, Media24 Digital Magazines, to give its customers free three month subscription to selected Media24

digital magazines when purchasing an iPad or iPod touch from any of their authorize outlets in the country.

The partnership is exclusive to Core Group Africa and will be available from today at all Apple Authorised Resellers in Nigeria.

“We are constantly looking for innovative ways to ensure our customers get the most out of their Apple products,” says Rutger-Jan van Spaandonk, Core Group Africa’s Director. “Apple products like the iPad are ideal for reading digital magazines, and giving Nigerians access to free content adds to their product experience.”

When customers purchase an iPad or iPod touch from an Apple Authorised Reseller, they will be encouraged to follow a few simple steps to redeem their digital magazines voucher. The voucher is called Kanko and will give access to a bundle of popular magazines. Kanko vouchers are easy to redeem through www.isocietynigeria.com and once activated the selected magazines can be read using the My Subs+ app.

Customers can continue reading their best-loved magazines once the 3 month free subscription period is over by renewing the subscription to their favourite titles.

FDHl appoints Onadele MD leADiNG financial servicA es consultancy firm, FDHl, has announced the resignation of Mr. Bola Onadele, fondly known as Koko in financial markets circle.

Onadele will be stepping down from the Board and Management of FDHl to become the pioneer MD/CeO of the newly established FMDQ OTC PlC after serving as FDHl’s president for eight years.

FDHl will now be run by Mr. Tayo Onadele, the MD/CeO and co-founding director, who has been with the firm since leaving the banking industry as a treasurer a decade ago. He has acted in various capacities within management in addition to being directly responsible for the capacity building and market intelligence franchises of FDHl. Tayo will be supported by Mr. Ayo Onawunmi, an exbanker, investment manager and oil and gas professional, who has spent the last three years at FDHl working closely with both Koko and Tayo.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

COMPULIFE

Gionee enters Nigerian market with Elite E6 smartphone Speaking at the product launch also, the Overseas (Business), Africa Regional Manager Mr. Jack Yung, said HE Nigeria mobile phone industry is set to witness a new Gionee sells over 23 million handsets a year in China maindirection as Gionee Communication Equipment Company land, ranking as number three brand in 2G market share Limited a global brand that has strong presence in most Asia countries unveiled its flagship smartphone called Elite E6 series in Nigerian market.

Addressing journalists in Lagos at the launched of a new phone on Wednesday, Gionee officials in Nigeria led by the marketing manager, Gabriel Nwabueze, explained what makes the phone unique to other smartphones in Nigerian market.

The Elife E6 has a non-removable back and uses a One Glass Solution for the display where the touchscreen and protective glass are fused into one layer that makes the assembly thinner and elements on the screen also appear to be closer.

Gionee E6 smartphone is an anti-scratch 5 inch OGS (One Glass Solution) HD display of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 441 ppi density and running the latest Android 4.2 Jelly bean OS with a heavily customized ROM called Amigo . It weighs only 128g.

“It is powered with 1.5 GHz quad core Mediatek processor and 2 GB RAM, which is a good combination of speed to get the better experience of speed while using multiple applications at same time.

Camera wise, the E6 comes with a 13MP rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, and BSI sensor and a front facing 5MP shooter. It has 31 GB internal (onboard ) memory expandable to 64GB via microSD card. The phone has 2020 mAh battery, which is another best in talk time. DTS 3D stereo surround sound speaker is one of its major features..

The company claims E6 features Heartbeat Synchronising Technology that enables the system to synchronously wake up applications every ten minutes, reducing the number of applications wake ups improving power consumption.

The Elife E6 has a single micro SIM card slot and the SIM card tray is inspired by the iPhone, which has become sort of a standard these days with brands like LG, Sony, Nokia and HTC The Elife E6 also comes with a noise cancelation mic for calls and the speaker assembly on the bottom bears an uncanny resemblance to the iPhone 5.

One key feature it has is a hardcoded battery saving utility that the company claims will manage apps better than most Android smartphones. The Elife E6 would not see a significant drop in battery overnight, unlike other Android smartphones.

Established in 2002, Gionee is a Chinese hi-tech company engaged in mobile device designing, research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and sales in international markets, and offering mobile internet application service.

By Bankole Orimisan

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after Samsung and Nokia in November 2011, and number two in GSM market after Samsung in August 2012.

The company, which came into Nigeria 15 months ago, promised to bring exciting moments to Nigerians.

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Firm to hold mobile apps summit

By Bankole Orimisan GLOBAL content provider for A mobile applications, in partnership with e2 Marketing, has plans to host the first Nigerian Mobile Application Summit, which is be designed to step up awareness in mobile applications and to deepen its penetration among Nigerians.

Scheduled to hold in November this year in Lagos, the Mobile Applications Summit, promises to harness the potential of Nigerian youths in mobile applications, and prepare them for the mobile apps revolution that is currently sweeping across globe.

Market research firm, Gartner, estimates that this year alone, mobile users across the globe will pay more than $25 billion to buy ‘mobile applications’ in the areas of games, social net-working tools, productivity and entertainment-based mini programmes for mobile phones despite the fact that 80 per cent of these will be free downloads this year.

With regard to Gartner’s projection on mobile apps, 70th PReCINCT concluded that mobile applications have become the business with the fastest turnaround time in today’s software industry, a situation that motivated it to plan the hosting of the Nigerian Mobile Apps Summit.

Another study however predicts that the Mobile Apps market in 2013 will be worth $27 billion with an expected 50 billion downloads as Internet usage on mobile devices surges ahead, making some people predict that mobile internet usage will surpass desktop computers in 2013.

Addressing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) journalists at a pre-event conference

in Lagos recently, Chief executive Officer of 70th PReCINCT, Mr. Osamede Umweni, said the Nigeria Apps Summit would bring together the brightest minds in mobile technology.

“At the event, we are gathering over 300 of the most interesting mobile app developers, investors, company executives, entrepreneurs, brand managers, policy-makers, marketers, carriers, content developers and aggregators, advertisers, mobile devices manufacturers and the press for a day of in-depth discussion, debate and powerful networking on the future of mobile applications in Nigeria,” he said.

Targeted audience at the planned summit include entrepreneurs, Operators of Telecoms Services and Internet Service Providers, Corporate executives, Government, Venture Capitalists, Corporate Investors, Third Party Developers in Web and Mobile Apps, Internet/Mobile Marketers/ Advertisers, Content Providers/ Aggregators, Brand Managers, User Interface Architects, ICT Consultants, among others.

Umweni said the expected audience would have the opportunity to interface with the over 300 mobile apps developers that would be attending the summit.

To participate fully at the summit, Chief executive Officer of e2 Marketing, Mr. Gbolahan Olowookere, said would-be participants should contact osa@nigeriaappsummit.com and specify the package required. According to him, a tax invoice for payment of 50 per cent deposit and an acceptance form will be forwarded to all interested participants to complete and return to the summit organisers.

“On receipt of the acceptance form

and the 50 per cent deposit, a confirmation letter outlining the sponsorship agreement will be sent out and sponsorship and exhibition packages are not considered confirmed until a 50 per cent deposit of total costs is received,” Olowookere said.

Sponsors and exhibitors are expected to nominate their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices for preferred sites, and boots will be allocated based on sponsorship level.

In order to involve students and develop their skills in mobile applications, Umweni said they would partner with government to reach out to schools to sensitise them on apps development.

The summit, he said, would discuss the gains of mobile application, create avenue to develop youths on mobile application, and create jobs for Nigerian mobile application developers.

According to Umweni, “Nigeria

needs apps that will drive business in the country and we need apps that can give information as well as apps that can educate our people.

The planned Nigerian Mobile Applications Summit is therefore right platform to achieve all of these.”

The whole essence, he said, was to develop Nigeria as an emerging country, and to make it a destination hub for mobile application in Africa.

Africans to name Lenovo’s first Android status He number one PC supplier, T Lenovo will be blazing a trail by being the first company to create a

it if they had a choice.

Lenovo will then build a statue, modelling it after the winning name. The uniquely African Android statue in campaign is accompanied by a social the continent’s market. media competition on Lenovo Africa This landmark campaign is to Facebook page commemorate the launch of the (www.facebook.com/LenovoAfrica) Lenovo A1000, A3000 and S6000 asking Android and Lenovo fans, in Android tablets in Africa.

South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, to The most famous Android statues name the statue. The winner of the have been created by Google and best and most creative name will are located at their corporate head- receive a hamper full of Lenovo goodquarters (Googleplex) in Mountain ies worth $2,000. The winner will be View, California. These statues doc- chosen by Lenovo and the Africa ument important milestones in the Android statue will be unveiled in history of Android and have tradiOctober this year. tionally been based on the code “We are thrilled to create Africa’s names for the versions of Google’s first ever Android statue to celebrate Android mobile operating system, the launch of our new range of which are named alphabetically tablets,” commented Graham Braum, after desserts: Cupcake, Éclair, Country Manager of Lenovo Africa.

Frodo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, “Our latest Android tablet family is Ice Cream Sandwich, Jellybean. perfectly matched to meet our cusIt has been rumoured that the tomers’ demands. We’ve noted that 7” next official version of Android will tablets are well accepted, particularly be called Key Lime Pie, a traditional by young, active users who are always American dessert – but Lenovo has on the go, so we’ve created devices decided to launch a campaign to that address these customers’ needs, ask Africans what they would name as well as devices for more demand-

ing gamers and multimedia users.

We are confident that our Android family will appeal to customers across Africa as we’ve made them highly accessible and flexible to serve multiple needs, styles and budgets.”

Lenovo’s new Android tablet range starts with two new A-series 7” tablets designed for optimal mobility while still packing a performance punch. The A1000, with Dolby Digital Plus, will deliver a dazzling experience for music and entertainment lover, while the A3000, with its ultra-responsive quad-core processor, is high-performance tablet that’s portable enough to slip in your jacket pocket.

Alongside these models, Lenovo also launched the new and stylish S6000. The slim, light and comfortable to hold tablet is powered by a quad-core processor and delivers the performance users need to enjoy the latest apps and games on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, while its 10.1” HD IPS mutitouch display guarantees a bright and vivid viewing expe-

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34 COMPULIFE

500 volunteers to test-drive Swift Networks’ new LTE

By Felix Kuye and Bankole Orimisan OT less than 500 volunN teers are to test-drive Swift Networks brand new Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in preparation for its launch in Lagos, in the first instance.

It was gathered that SWIFT, a provider of high speed broadband Internet and data services to enterprise and consumer customers, has built the LTE network on the spectrum resources of the Direct On PC which it acquired recently, enabling it to overlay the ultra-fast LTE network over its current 4G WIMAX network to offer higher access speed to its current and future customers.

Wireless spectrum is a finite resource used by LTE more efficiently than other technologies to create more space to carry data traffic and services and to deliver a better network experience. The facility is said to have the capacity to deliver at least 10 times faster download speed than 3G and 4 times that of WIMAX 4G net-

works.

In a statement, the Chief Operating Officer of SWIFT, Mr. Chukwuma Okoye said, “this will be Nigeria’s fastest and most reliable 4G LTE network; we will not rush this launch and will take every care to ensure that we get it right the first time. Getting the most aggressive users from our current customer base to testdrive it will enable us to debug and fine-tune it to meet the exerting demands of our target customer base.”

According to him, “these volunteers who have been on our network for at least three years will give us feedback on the several performance metrics we are tracking, including download and upload speeds, network latency and uptime.

They will also ghost call the Call Centre as part of the predetermined performance indicators that are important to our market segment. These customers have been with us through our Pre-WiMAX and current 4G networks and bring along their treasured comparative memory of our

services.”

The Assistant General Manager, Consumer Sales and Marketing, Philip Sonibare, said the company has continued to see the demand for true broadband internet skyrocket in Nigeria and “our 4G LTE network rollout starting from Lagos responds to what customers want from their broadband Internet experience — faster and more reliable services backed by 24x7 customer care,” It was learnt that when activated, the new LTE network will deliver faster speeds as the technology is “capable of delivering internet speeds of up to 10 times faster than 3G. Customers can download, upload and stream audio and video content without buffering as well as make high definition phone calls.

Gamers will also game faster than ever before.”

According to Swift, the LTE is also being reinforced to be a highly reliable network, offer cool new modems and respond faster.

35 ICT firms for Nigerian Pavilion at GITEX 2013 ORE than 35 local ICT M companies have indicated first interest to participate Swift engineer fine-tunes a base station in preparation for the launch of the new 4GLTE network in Lagos.

ZTE gains five per cent global smartphone market on new product TE shipped 11.5 million Z smartphones in the second quarter, a year-on-year increase of 79 per cent, vaulting the maker of Grand S and Grand Memo to fourth position globally with five per cent market share, according to data from research company Strategy Analytics.

The strong sales performance, which made ZTE the highest-placed Chinese smartphone manufacturer, is built on the company’s commitment to design excellence and customer satisfaction. ZTE will leverage its strengthening position in the global smartphone market to develop products focused on three key segments: 4G, high-end devices, and phones based on newer platforms such as Intel chipsets and the Firefox operating system.

To fuel ZTE’s development of high-performance products, the company plans to unveil its self-developed chipset to power 4G devices at the PT/EXPO COMM CHINA 2013 conference in Beijing in September. The ZTE chipset will be the first in the industry to attain 4G standards in communications and data throughput, heralding a breakthrough in 4G technology globally.

Since ZTE began its strategy revamp in mobile devices in 2011, the company has evolved its product lineup, offering flagship devices such as Grand Memo, Grand S, N986 and U988s for the high-end market, and diversifying from lower-cost products such as ZTE Blade and ZTE Skate.

ZTE has one of the industry’s most comprehensive range of Android products, featuring

devices with four-inch, fiveinch and 5.7 inch HD displays, in addition to five megapixel, eight megapixel and 13 megapixel cameras.

Through the company’s collaboration with Intel and Firefox, ZTE claimed to be well-positioned to take advantage of the growth in the nonAndroid segment of the global smartphone market.

In July, ZTE and Intel jointly launched the GEEK smartphone, powered by Intel’s 2.0GHz dual-core Atom processor Z2580, with Intel’s hyper-threading technology and Turbo Boost feature providing superior multitasking performance and power efficiency. The GEEK smartphone further strengthened ZTE’s partnership with Intel, after the two companies collaborated to offer the Grand X IN smartphone in 2012.

Omatek Computer Ventures Plc, Programmos Solutions Ltd and Data Sciences Nigeria in the first Nigerian Pavilion Ltd underscore a growing at GITEX Technology Week momentum to promote holding October 20-24 this Nigeria’s local ICT capacity to year inside the Dubai World the international market, said Trade Centre, United Arab ITAN Secretariat in Lagos, Emirates (UAE).

Nigeria’s commercial capital.

The Nigerian Pavilion is Several countries are already being promoted by billed to have their pavilions Information Technology on ground at Gitex 2013 to Association of Nigeria (ITAN) promote their local capaciand Pinnacle International ties. They include the USA, Consulting, LLC with the sup- Germany, India, Brazil, Hong port of the Nigerian Kong and Malaysia. The list Government through the also includes Kenya and Ministry of Communications Morocco from Africa indicatTechnology. ing an increasing awareness Led by a mix of the big, old- of Gitex potential to grow est and innovative players, markets for major ICT destithe sign ups including nations.

GITEX Technology is the premier Technology event in the Middle East and south East Asia (MEASA), which now occupies over 78,000 sqm of space, and saw Infocomm and ITU (International Telecommunication Union) collocate with it in 2012.

More than 150, 000 trade visitors and exhibitors from 144 countries attended Gitex 2012, which recorded over 25,000 visitors from Africa.

Over 20,000 C-Level visitors at the event last year; $1.2 million was the average value per order placed during the event and 92 per cent of the exhibitors met their ROI expectations.

Resourcery signs partnership with Airwatch on business growth ESOURCERY Plc., an infor- ing influence in the West Africa ment,” Obi noted.

R mation technology compa- region as it continues to attract Also speaking for ny in West Africa has signed a global IT leaders as strategic Resourcery, Mr. Adewale major partnership agreement with AirWatch, the global and innovator in mobile security and the largest Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) provider.

Executive Director, Business Solutions, Resourcery, Mr. Uzo Obi said that this partnership further confirmed Resourcery’s resolve to fully embrace the 3rd Platform of the Information Technology business, adding that it attests to the company’s grow-

business partners.

“As the global Information Technology ecosystem shifts into smart connected devices, broadband, social technologies, cloud and big data, there is the need to help our customers prepare for the huge opportunity that is available.

This partnership with AirWatch is a further confirmation of our preparedness to deliver quality services to our customers through simplified enterprise mobility manage-

Oniyide noted: “As AirWatch reseller partner, we have demonstrated that we have the strategic presence in the enterprise mobility marketplace needed to secure this level of partnership. We pride ourselves as an IT services company that thrives on the quality delivery of services to our customers. This partnership represents another opportunity to provide business solutions to our customers.”

Gionee Nigeria partner Chukkie Eze, Gionee Country Manager, Jack Young and Gionee Marketing Manager, Gabriel Nwabueze, at the launch of Gionee E6 smartphone…recently.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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GSM @ 12: Spare a thought for telecoms operators

By Elvis Eromosele UGUST, marks 12 years of the entry of Global System for A Mobile communications (GSM) into Nigeria. In a dozen short years, the entry of GSM into the Nigerian market has precipitated what has now been described as a revolution. The period before the GSM era is one a lot of people would want to forget, as it was the Dark Age of connectivity in Nigeria. At that time, the total number of telephone lines in the country was about 400,000 and the entire country was served exclusively by a monopoly, the government owned operator, NITEL. Observers note that the period was termed dark not only because of the poor quality of the service, but also for the fact that there existed no consumer protection framework whatsoever.

The arrival of GSM thus ushered in a breath of fresh air!

With marketing forces fully at play, Nigeria quickly earned the admiration of the world as Africa’s fastest growing telecom market to the amazement of skeptics. During this period, operators have taken service to nooks and crannies of the country.

Indeed, today, there are over 110 million connected lines.

In terms of growth, Nigeria is ranked among the largest and one of the fastest growing telecom markets in Africa. Again, this is another indication of the robustness of the market.

Those who should know reveal that the telecom industry in Nigeria has attracted more than US$25 billion in private sector investments, including Direct Foreign Investment during this period, up from a private sector investment of a mere $50 million in 1999. In addition, the sector has contributed over N400 billion to the coffers of the Federal Government through Frequency Spectrum sales, annual operating levies and other fines. This is aside from over N1 trillion paid in taxes.

Studies indicate that the telecommunications sector now contributes significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which was hitherto dominated by the oil sector. The percentage share of GDP from the sector rose from 0.06 in 1999 to 6.5 by end of 2012.

So why is nobody listening to the telcos?

Especially when one considers that the growth in the telecommunications sector has significantly impacted on other sectors of the economy. The financial sector is perhaps, the one whose activities have been deepened much more by telecommunications, than any other in recent times. Aside from improvement in transactions using the telecommunication platforms, the banks have also been able to improve their investment portfolio through loan syndications among others.

In facilitating banking transactional services, the telecommunications industry has also provided the bedrock for the finance industry. Electronic banking facilities such as ATM services, online financial transactions, international credit and debit card facilities, airline ticketing and reservations, are some of the numerous ways that the telecommunications industry has aided the growth, sophistication, security and quick transactions in the Nigerian financial sector.

Also, the advertising, public relations and logistics sectors have received tremendous boost as a direct result of the operations of telecommunication companies in Nigeria. In all, telecom has created hundreds of thousands of new jobs both directly and indirectly over the past decade.

While the telecom operators have admittedly been striving to deliver more value to subscribers from day one, the quality of

As Emeka Oparah, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR of Airtel, scintillatingly described the power situation a year ago now: “Perhaps, the most obvious is power generation, which has been on a steady decline since 2001, in spite of the massive investments which successive administrations have claimed to have made in the sector. The most graphic illustration of the situation is to compare the cost of power generation by a typical telecommunications company with operations in Nigeria and Malawi (one of the poorest countries in the world!) and the statistics are truly eye-watering. While the operator’s OPEX (operating expenses) shows over 80 percent as power generation in Nigeria, it is a mere five per cent in poor Malawi. This means that there’s almost steady power supply from the national grid in Malawi, while the situation in Nigeria is pathetically left at the realm of speculations and pontifications by those concerned.

“With over 25,000 base stations across the country by all telecommunications operators, there’s an average of 25,000 generators (some say 50,000 at 2 generators per base station) consuming diesel and other maintenance costs all year round. Needless to say, the cost of accessing, delivering and storing diesel is another matter altogether depending on the location in question. Of course, some parts of the country are NOT on the National Grid, so the operations are 100 percent powered by generators! Even with the resort to solar and hybrid power, the operators have not made any significant savings in costs in this key area. Over N5 billion spent monthly by operators on power generation can be reinvested in further coverage expansion or tariff reduction, you know”.

There, it is obvious, that telcos are bleeding, literally.

But why is nobody listening?

The government has a moral responsibility to ensure what happened in the manufacturing sector doesn’t begin to play out in telecoms industry. The case of Dunlop Nigeria Plc comes to mind; the company moved its production line out of Nigeria in 2006 due to, wait for this, power challenges. A recent article in the Punch Newspaper indicated that the firm’s N8 billion tyre-production plant and other facilities in the Ikeja complex have been lying disused following the move.

The report noted “many manufacturing companies have packed up on Oba Akran Avenue… No manufacturing company can rely on PHCN supply. They may get you into serious loss.”

When one considers that this company went down after producing tyres in Nigeria for 45 years, it brings home the seriousness of the power challenge businesses in Nigeria have to Telecom mast contend with.

Investigation showed that the company used to invest over service (QoS) still leaves much to be desired. Indeed, telecom $800,000 yearly on electricity generation, while paying half consumers have complained relentlessly leading to several the amount as electricity to the PHCN each year. incidences of sanctions for the operators by the regulator, the Evidently, we cannot continue like this. We must intensify Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). efforts to improve the generation, and distribution of power But the operators have also complained ceaselessly of chalin the country. Hitherto unconnected areas should be lenges delivering telecommunications services in Nigeria. hooked up to the national grid. And in the light of the critical Sadly, nobody appears to be listening! role telcos continues to play in the quest for national develSpecifically, telcos have shouted themselves hoarse over the opment, perhaps it is time to grant them priority access to challenges of insecurity, decayed social infrastructure, multiple power. taxes and duties and the activities of social miscreants, and Let’s spare a thought for telcos! how these hinder the ability of operators to provide optimal • Eromosele, a journalist, writer, and micro-blogger works in the services to subscribers. Still nobody appears to be listening!

Corporate Affairs Department of a leading ICT Company.

Industry bigwigs set for 2013 Nigerian Telecoms Awards RGANISERS of the yearly Nigerian Telecoms Awards, O Logical Media Group, has said that the 2013 edition of the telecoms event will be attended by icons in the telecommunications sector who will also be honoured for their records of excellence since 2012.

In a statement at the weekend, the Secretary- General, Nigerian Telecoms Awards, Biodun Ajiboye, said the award has continued to reward reputable organisations and individuals for their significant contributions to the growth of telecoms sector in Nigeria.

Ajiboye, who doubles as the publisher of Nigerian Telecomnews, said that the award, which is the ninth in the series, was the singular most important and popular event in the telecom sector.

According to him, the awards have, in the last eight years, proven to be the most important gathering of influential individuals in the telecoms sector both from private and public sector in Nigeria. “For the sake of information, the telecom sector in the last 10 years has been the greatest contributor to the economy of Nigeria, in terms of micro and macro economic realities.

“The value of this gathering is as important as the value of the visitors and guests it is able to attract, a brief mention of the eminent personalities who have, at one edition of the award or the other, been gathered together for this celebrations, will only enrich the proposal and drive home the point more succinctly,” he said.

Ajiboye, noted that Logica Group, during past editions of the event, has played host to eminent African presidents. These, according to him, include former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Head of State of Nigeria, General Abdulsalam Abubarka; former President Dauda Jawara of Gambia; former President of Ghana Jerry Rawlings as well as General Ibrahim Babangida, President Teejan Kabbah and the British Ambassador.

“Other dignitaries in attendance include Africa’s most respected intellectual and a Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole

Soyinka; world’s most respected professor of African history and a professor in Temple University in the United States, Prof.

Molefi Kete Asante; former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Mike Akhigbe; former Governor of Kwara State and Minister of Communications; Cornelius Adebayo and former Nigerian Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Sheu Malam.

According to him, a long list of dignitaries had previously

graced the occasion at some points, which, Ajiboye said, has created “some indelible precedence to appreciate the event as being the single most important in the sector in Nigeria.”

He also stated that activities for the 2013 edition, which started on August 14, 2012, has commenced with observations of performances of the different nominees, with appointment of two level assessment categories.

Etisalat introduces new Easyblaze multi-device plan Multi-Device Plan is a solution, which gives customers better control over their data activities, by managing their data usage on multiple devices from a single source, usually their The multi-device plan allows users to access the same data Smartphone. “Many of our premium customers own more bundle from various devices by duplicating a primary (parent) than one data-enabled device, and for them convenience is a SIM card into up to four other SIMs. These duplicate SIMs can priority as they go about their busy lifestyles. The idea then be inserted into data-only devices such as tablets, USB behind this service is to ensure that they have uninterrupted modems and 3G cameras. access to data on all their devices irrespective of where they Speaking about this innovative service, Director, Business are” he said.

Segments at Etisalat Nigeria, Lucas Dada, explained that the ELECOMMUNICATIONS company, Etisalat, has unveiled a T new mobile data feature, the Multi-Device Plan, to complement the Easyblaze mobile Internet service.

Firm moves to boost cloud awareness with virtualisation.

To this end, the firm, which is a Cisco gold partner, will be bringing together decision makers in companies, especially The firm said it was focusing on data centre aggregation, data Chief Technology Officers and Chief Executives to see new opportunities in portfolio products that enhance cloud servcentre automation, server virtualisation and storage cum netices. work virtualisation.

Oroghi said the one-day programme, which will be held in Speaking to our correspondent on the firm’s new move, the Manager, Business Solutions, Southgate Technologies, Mr. Dafe Cisco Lagos office by August 22, is open to players in the priOroghi, said the ultimate journey to private/hybrid cloud starts vate sector as well as governments in various levels.

N a bid to realising cloud presence for Nigerian firms and Icapacities others, Southgate Technologies said it is poised to build new in cloud services.

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IFRSWatch

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

MaritimeWatch

Badeh

Akpobolokemi

Jonathan

NIMASA, others boost maritime security through aerial surveillance

By Moses Ebosele ETERMINED to curtail oil D theft and other criminal activities along Nigerian waterways, the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

According to the MoU signed on Monday in Abuja by the Chief of Air Staff, Alex Badeh, and Director-General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, the collaboration is designed to facilitate enforcement action that include but not limited to anti-piracy, anti-smuggling, illegal bunkering and illegal fishing activities.

Besides, the memorandum explained that “Hot pursuit” allowed under International Law and NAF operational guidelines may be carried out.

Chief of Air Staff, Alex Badeh, who signed on behalf of NAF said: “We have the capacity to go into the sea and carry out aerial surveillance. We will work in collaboration with the Navy”.

Badeh, who immediately cre-

ated a desk office to collaborate with NIMASA pledged to use technology and aerial surveillance to track down criminal activities on Nigerian waters.

“Just recently, we were able to identify a ship that was hijacked, an action was taken, life was saved even though some people still lost their life”, said Badeh.

NIMASA DG who also created a desk office charge with the responsibility of working closely with the Air Force explained that the partnership would promote maritime safety and security.

Commending the commitment of NAF, Akpobolokemi said: “We have wonderful support from the Air Force. They always rise to the occasion. We know very well that the Nigerian Air Force is well trained. Our partnership will bring more blessings”.

According to the MoU, the parties are free to review areas of cooperation on mutually agreed terms and such review is to be in writing and “deemed to be supplemental to the MoU.” It explained that “in pur-

suance of its roles, NIMASA is empowered to cooperate with any other person(s) to arrange for other person(s) to perform any functions on its behalf and to collaborate with and or seek assistance from other designated Government Agencies involved in the maintenance of security in Nigeria’s maritime zone.

“The parties having recognised the numerous safety and security challenges in the oil/gas sector and the Maritime environment militating against the discharge of NIMASA’s statutory roles

and the immediate need for cooperation in certain defined areas, to promote Nigeria’s maritime safety and security by air, have resolved to spell out herein the framework for their cooperation.

“The parties identified the following as notable challenges inhibiting the discharge of NIMASA’s roles: “Limited assets to enforce maritime laws as way as monitor and secure the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

“Rising incidences of an increased sophistication of pirates armed robbery as sea and other unlawful activities

in Nigerian waters “Theft and illegal ship-to-ship transfer of oil in Nigeria waters. Illegal refining activities in Nigerian waters.

Marine pollution in Nigerian waters”.

“In their efforts to mitigate the said challenges and enhance maritime safety and security, the parties have recognized the need to utilize selected NAF airborne assets, namely the ARR 42 MPA, the Mi-35P and Augusta Light Utility Helicopters and where necessary, the Alpha jet aircraft as well as associated plat-

forms, to complement the ongoing collaborative efforts with other Government agencies.

“The enforcement action under article 1.2 (d) of this MoU will define among other issues the interagency cooperation, the extent to which enforcement actions are to be undertaken having due regard to the legal and diplomatic implications of such enforcement actions and the necessary prior approval to be obtained for the employment of airpower in that regard.”

Singapore to relocate seaport in 2027 INGAPORE’s Prime Minister, Sunveiled Lee Hsien Loong, has a master plan to double capacity at the city-state’s airport, the busiest in southeast Asia, and relocate its seaport, build a new waterfront city and move a military airbase to create extra land for development.

Speaking in a yearly National Day address, Loong revealed

that part of the plan involves moving the seaport to a new location in Tuas in western Singapore from 2027.

He explained that the development would free up land in Tanjong Pagar, next to the central business district, for a massive new waterfront city.

The government also plans to build a fourth runway at

Changi Airport to facilitate the move of a military airbase in central Singapore to Changi after 2030 and free up 800 hectares (1,980 acres) of land for homes, factories and businesses.

Changi Airport currently operates two runways and can take over a third runway that is presently being used by the

military. The fourth runway would be operated by the air force, allowing the military to close its airbase in the central region of Paya Lebar.

“This is how we can stay the hub in south-east Asia and create many more opportunities for Singaporeans,” Prime Minister Lee said, citing competition from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

Charcoal, agric products, others dominate Nigeria’s containerised exports in six months

By Moses Ebosele the first half of this year, FuctsOR charcoal, agricultural prodsuch as cocoa, sesame, cashew nuts and cotton, dominated the list of containerised commodities exported from Nigeria.

According to a Trade Report released by Maersk Nigeria Limited, Charcoal export rose by 76 per cent as of May 2013 when compared to the same period in 2012.

The company attributed the rise in volume to the longer winter season experienced in Europe.

Finished produce export in May 2013 experienced a 39 per

cent year on year growth due to major manufacturing firms streamlining their production activities by making Nigeria their main production hub for the region.

However,thefinishedproduce export share still remains low from Nigeria, said Managing Director of Maersk Nigeria Limited (MNL) and Head of the Central West Africa Cluster, Mr. Jan Thorhauge.

Thorhauge explained that as at May 2013, the containerised import market to Nigeria is estimated to have ended at approximately 159,000 FFE (forty foot equivalent units) as compared with the same peri-

od in 2012, which produced an estimated volume of 155,000 FFE representing a relatively marginal year on year growth of around two per cent.

AstatementquotedtheMaersk Nigeria chief executive as saying the East Nigerian market maintained its superior performance over the Western part of the country in terms of growth in volume ratio with a year on year growth ratio of 10 per cent on import and one per cent on export.

Thorhauge explained that Maersk Line maintained its position as the leading shipping line into Nigeria, and combined with its sister company

Safmarine, commanded an estimated 37 per cent share of the import market and 28 per cent on the export market.

He added: “Not much has changed as the containerised market in Nigeria continues to be strongly dominated by imports, and for the last six years, the import/export ratio has remained at around 92 per cent import versus eight per cent export.

According to Thorhauge, most of the country’s containerised cargos come from the Far East, mostly China, while for most of its export commodities have been going into Europe.

“The sourcing patterns have

not changed fundamentally in the last six years though imports from Europe and Middle East has experienced significant increase in the last two years”.

Major products coming from the Middle East are industrial raw materials, chemicals, electronics, iron and steel and tyres while from Europe, major products include industrial raw materials, frozen fish and cars.

The statement also attributed the increased sourcing pattern to better pricing from these regions,increaseintheagelimits of imported automobiles from five years to 10 years, increased construction as well

as growing demands for finished products by the Nigerian populace.

He said Nigeria’s export ratio can be improved if the government is able to improve on infrastructures such as power supply, road network and rail services.

The dominant items imported into the country, according to Thorhauge, have remained the same over the past six years and are made up of traditional commodities including cars, electronics, construction materials, food items, chemicals, electrical fittings, machinery and paper among other goods covering industrial as well as private needs.

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IndustryWatch The bogey of industrial low capacity utilisation In recent times, stakeholders at investment summits have raised questions on certain industrial policies and bilateral investment treaties (BITs). Diplomats and business concerns perceive some of these decisions as retrogressive and stifling to inflow of FDIs. For indigenous manufacturers, the need for the Federal Government to protect local industries is also pertinent as they consider most policy instruments outdated and not protectionist. Clearly, investment regulation and safeguard are important. With many Nigerian manufacturers enhancing their products, the need to encourage consumption of made-in-Nigeria products has become more expedient if local capacity utilisation was to be enhanced. FEMI ADEKOYA writes.

HE drive for international competitiveness has made it imperative for countries to produce goods that meet acceptable standards across the world; a move Nigeria has continually sought better ways to implement.

However, there have been issues over the acceptability of certain products outside their areas of production, as a result of nonconformity to standards of some other markets.

Bearing this in mind, industry experts believe international competitiveness can only be fostered when local capacity is effectively utilised and support is given to goods manufactured by indigenous players.

In many developed economies, the level of unemployment is most times used as a gauge for measuring the growth of key industries as well as their contributions to the economy.

This is because, the real sector serves as mirror of the vibrancy of economy as policy makers make their assessments of the sector based on the shifts in unemployment figures.

In developing economies like Nigeria, the monolithic economy structure and strong appetite continue to affect key innovations in the real sector as well as the ability of the sector to significantly reduce the number of unemployed youth through job creation.

With the changing face of business transactions in the area of business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumers (B2C), and businessto-government (B2G), it has become necessary to empower local manufacturers to drive Nigeria’s industrialisation plan.

For instance, it is commonplace to find many Nigerian businesses displaying products with different levels of certification, yet having difficulty in attaining a degree of brand equity that international brands enjoy in the market. With the marketplace becoming more globalised, especially in the face of online transactions, the ability of many indigenous firms to up their games in the area of enhancing product standards, quality and responding rapidly to consumer needs is critical to being internationally competitive.

Many stakeholders like the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) believe that the sector’s full potential is however still hamstrung by some lingering problems, which accounted for its historical performance in terms of contribution to the GDP; export earnings, employment generation and wealth creation.

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Jonathan According to MAN, some of the challenges militating against the growth of the sector include: • difficult and unfavourable operating environment due mainly to acute infrastructure deficiency in the nation; • high cost of alternative power supply to industries resulting in un-competitiveness of locally produced goods; • smuggling, unbridled importation and dumping of cheap, subsidised and sometimes sub-standard goods that usually suffocate local manufactured products; • dearth of skilled middle-level manpower worsened by the decaying educational system and the undue reliance on paper qualification as against technical competence; • high cost of fund and unavailability of longterm loan windows to support long-gestation investments; and, • over-reliance on imported goods.

Specifically, the Acting Director-General of MAN, Rasheed Adegbenro, noted that the real sector’s contributions to the economy could improve if key challenges are addressed.

According to industry stakeholders, inadequate support to indigenous manufacturers in terms of sustainable protectionist policies is undermining local capacity utilisation and investments.

Specifically, MOMAS Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company (MEMMCOL) noted that with a gap of over three million unmetered consumers in the country, the ability of local manufacturers to fill the gap is being undermined through gross importation of meters and absence of policies to protect its investments.

Chairman, MEMMCOL, Engr. Kola Balogun decried the poor patronage of his products by government agencies and companies, adding that over N8 billion worth of investment is gradually becoming endangered.

Balogun, noted that low patronage was sti-

Aganga fling the growth of local industries, while placing a risk on funds sourced from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) like the Bank of Industry (BoI).

“Indigenous manufacturers do not get enough patronage from government ministries and that is why our economy is not growing. The revolution in telecommunications can be sustained in Nigeria through indigenous innovations.

He added: “The story of poor patronage is still the same in meter manufacturing where foreign firms are better patronised and recognised by government agencies.

“I can confidently say that we local manufacturers of meters can meet our supply needs.”

Balogun said that employment opportunities would triple if local manufacturers got more support from government at all levels.

Similarly, Cocoa manufacturers, under the aegis of Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria (COPAN), had decried the unabated exportation of raw cocoa beans, an action that the body described as killing the sector, while rewarding sole exporters of the product who have no investment in the country.

The Chairman of the Association, Dimeji Owofemi, noted that value addition to raw cocoa is decreasing as it is being poorly rewarded and unprotected against the massive export of raw cocoa beans materials, while the processed products are also heavily taxed by the same European countries that is charging no tax on raw cocoa beans in an effort to discourage value addition in Nigeria, because the Nigeria is said not to be a member of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) group.

He noted that of the cocoa processing companies in the country, only 10 are struggling to remain in production.

He identified the companies as Ile-Oluji Cocoa Processing company, Tulip Cocoa Processing limited, Stanmark Cocoa

For instance, it is commonplace to find many Nigerian businesses displaying products with different levels of certification, yet having difficulty in attaining a degree of brand equity that international brands enjoy in the market. With the marketplace becoming more globalised, especially in the face of online transactions, the ability of many indigenous firms to up their games in the area of enhancing product standards, quality and responding rapidly to consumer needs is critical to being internationally competitive.

Processing limited, Coop Cocoa products limited, FTN Cocoa Processors Plc, ALFA System Cocoa Limited, Plantation Industries Limited, Cocoa Industries Limited, Ede Cocoa Products Limited and Multi-Trex Integrated Foods Plc. According to Owofemi, cocoa processors, who have invested heavily in the country, pay an average of 30 per cent duty, whereas those who export the raw cocoa beans completely knocked down form pay only 10 per cent duty.

“The Federal Government needs to discourage the export of raw cocoa beans to protect Nigerian value addition and job creation instead of enhancing the industrialisation of Europe who are again imposing tax of up to six per cent on our value added products and zero duty on our raw cocoa, therefore helping them to keep their own citizen in gainful and sustainable industrial employment.

“To save our factories, we seek government’s intervention through an imposition of a heavy tax on export of all raw commodities export”, he added.

Also, one of the association’s members, Akin Olusuyi, stated that despite the production capacity of the sector, there is an under-utilisation of made-in-Nigeria products.

“Aside getting a warehouse, an exporter does not need any form of investment in the country but processing companies employ and add value to the nation’s economy. Government needs to encourage local firms”, he added.

Furthermore, Simon Conway Jarrett noted that if government’s protectionist policies are reviewed, it would aid capacity of the sector.

Similarly, the Managing Director of Bioorganics Nutrient Systems Limited, Dr. Uzoma Acholonu, has said Nigeria’s exporting potential in the food and drugs industry may be undermined if the Federal government does not address the issue of low patronage and capacity utilisation in the sector Acholonu decried low capacity utilisation and commitment from large companies as well as dumping as key factors hindering the company from exploring its competitive advantage in the export market.

With over $1.5 million already invested in the company, Acholonu, the company was in a position to become a major exporter not only to West Africa, but to East Africa and other parts of the continent if supported.

He added that the company, which supplies vitamin and mineral premixes to the Nigerian food, beverage, animal health and livestock industries, can be encouraged through an effective policy intervention to compel patronage in the industry.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28,

INDUSTRY WATCH | 39

UNECA advocates quality data for economic growth XCEPT African nations address the issue of E quality data generation in their policymaking processes, it may be difficult for them to sustain foreign direct investments as well as industrial and economic growth in the continent.

This was the view of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in its publication ahead of the African Statistics Day, to increase public awareness over the important role that statistics play in all aspects of social and economic life in Africa.

According to the agency, data quality is an essential tool for monitoring the achievement of national development plan and international development goals, mainly poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSP), regional integration and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

UNECA explained that quality statistics are required to monitor goals and completion point of PRSP, as unreliable data may falsely allow a country to reach the eligibility requirements for a debt relief or access the membership to a monetary zone, but such unreliable data subsequently destabilise the zone when the real figure is revealed.

It said: “Insufficient accessibility due to confidentiality also creates delayed policy responses, during financial and economic crisis, despite the availability of leading economic indicators, in alarming levels, compiled somewhere, however not given enough attention. Typically, quality statistics may be

FUMMAN hinges industrial development on investment in agriculture UMMAN Agricultural Limited, producers of Fumman juice brand has emphasized the pivotal role of agriculture in engendering development in the industrial sector, while restating its drive to renew its focus in agriculture through research and investment.

Managing Director, Fumman Layi Adeyemi, said the company is strongly focused on making significant impact through its huge investment in agricultural development.

According to him, this led to the introduction of Fumman’s passion fruit to farms closer to the factory and importation of elite planting materials.

He added that the planting materials will also be made available with time, to all collaborating farms and farmers’ group.

He said: “This critical role is to further be intensified through active collaboration with the Nigeria’s Agricultural Research Institutes.

Fumman is also working in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Genetic Resources Conservation and Biochemistry (NACGRAB), Nigerian Horticulture Research Institute (NIHORT). This collaboration has engendered the promotion of knowledge in the value chain of fruit crops research, planting, management, harvesting, processing and marketing”.

In genetic improvement, Adeyemi said Fumman has collaborated with the Centre for Environmental Renewable Natural Recourses Management Research and Development (CENRAD) and NACCGRAB. “Research is progressing on the popular “Ogbomosho Mango”, a preferred specie of Mango for Fumman Mango Juice with objectives of identifying inherent variations that can be genetically explored for genetic improvement of the crop, the propagation of identified desirable genotypes and to sensitise existing farmers and potential farmers to establish new plantation of the Ogbomosho Mango cultivar.

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used for planning, for forecasting and for crises prevention, leading economic and social indicators may predict in advance if the different ratio of deficits, debt services and growths are in alarming levels.

“Unreliable, delayed and poor quality statistics affect African countries in different ways, including lack of capacity to design adjustment measure on time to reach the comple-

tion point, inadequate capacity to mitigate the risk of devaluation, and sometimes, drastic austerity measures are taken and over adjustment may even sink the economy and exacerbated the poverty rates.

“Therefore, reliable and timely statistics are required across social and economic areas, allowing, for instance the social planner to systematically adjust the number of schools,

the hospital and infrastructure consistent with population and economic growth. While progress has been made by many African countries to improve their quality of statistics, including compliance with international standards, methodological soundness and accessibility, a lot still needs to be done to improve timeliness, dissemination and credibility.”

Indigenous shoe manufacturing plant

Trade and Commerce central to Osun’s development drive, says Aregbesola

By Femi Adekoya HE Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf . Commissions Omoluabi garment factory

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Aregbesola, on Monday hinged the State’s development drive on trade and commerce, describing it as a pivot for growth.

According to him, the state’s policies and programmes are connected in one way or another with market and marketing activities.

Speaking at the commissioning of Sam & Sara (Omoluabi) Garment Factory in Oshogbo on Monday, Aregbesola noted that the multi-billion Naira garment factory, which is a private initiative and the largest in West Africa, with encouragement from the state government, will employ at least 3,000 people to be trained in stitching with modern machines.

The governor noted that in order to encourage the investors, Messrs Sam & Sara Garment Factory, to boost the sewing of school uniforms for public primary and secondary schools across the state’s 30 local government areas, provided 6,000 square metres of land for the factory to take off in Osogbo and boost the state’s economy.

The land, which the government provided along with other ancillary incentives made available to Sam & Sara to establish what has now become the largest garment factory in West Africa, has been used to serve as the 14 per cent equitable holding of Osun State in the venture.

The project, which equipment is largely financed by the Bank of Industry to the tune of almost N1.5 billion, is designed to produce 100,000 dresses per day.

The Managing Director of the company, Folake Oyemade, commended the state government for its support in driving the initiative and creating an enabling environment for the business to thrive.

According to her, Sam and Sara is one of the few companies in Africa that took advantage of the

African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Today, she noted that tonnes of uniforms are being exported from Nigeria to America under its brand name, Impreza.

“Though the profit is still marginal because of the exchange rate and other factors, like government’s inadequate protectionist policy through the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) scheme, we are optimistic that the trade condition will improve, more so if the Nigerian government recognizes the benefits of building local industry using the instrument of friendly taxation.

“But for the Bank of Industry (BOI) that offers a reasonable interest on loan and encourages local entrepreneurs, the interest rate in commercial banks in Nigeria is outrageous,” she said.

With the company’s expansion exercise still ongoing, she added that the company hopes to increase its export capacity and generate more employment in the country.

On his part, the General Manager, BoI, Joseph Babatunde, explained that the bank committed its resources to the firm as part of efforts to encourage firms with innovative enterprise.

According to him, BoI was playing an advocacy role to ensure that indigenous players are supported to drive Nigeria’s industrial growth agenda.

“Omoluabi garment factory is one of the 52 companies that have benefitted from the Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) scheme of the bank and we hope to increase the number.

With our capacity building exercises for entrepreneurs, we hope to empower them to manage businesses profitably and generate

employment in the country. Understanding the business environment in which they operate, BoI will also increase its commitment to assisting t hem surmount challenges”, he added.

World Bank to address NASME meeting O assist Small and Medium Enterprises T overcome challenges affecting their operations in the country, the World Bank has concluded plans to address related issues at the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) meeting.

The meeting scheduled to hold in Lagos, would avail small businesses the opportunity to interface with the institution with bundles of products designed specially to encourage business growth and profitability.

In a press statement made available to The Guardian, NASME noted that key development partners, including the World Bank have accepted to make vital presentations on the impact of their activities on SME development as well as opportunities available for the sector in their various establishments.

The statement read in part: “NASME general meeting is a veritable platform for networking, knowledge-sharing and information dissemination for the benefit of all. Non-members of the Association are allowed to attend the meeting but will be admitted as observers.

Manufacturers advocate govt’s intervention in industrial growth From Abiodun Fagbemi, Ilorin HE President Manufacturers Association of T Nigeria (MAN), Kola Jamodu, has said the country could emerge the industrial hub of the world, if adequate measures are taken to address challenges facing the nation’s manufacturing sector.

Essentially, Jamodu canvassed prompt removal by the governments of the bottleneck of multiple taxation, just as he urged them to provide needed infrastructures that would bolster the activities of manufacturing industries with a view to returning the country to full industrialisation.

Jamodu who made the call in Ilorin during a familiarisation visit of the national executive members of the MAN to some designated industries in Kwara State, which include United Foam, RAJRAB Pharmaceutical company and Forgo Battery industries noted that it was only through industrialisation that the unemployment problems in the country could be solved.

According to him, if we mean very well for the country on the need to generate employment such can only be done if the manufacturing industries are assisted and revived through infrastructural development.

He said for now available records have shown

that 23 out of every 100 people in the country are unemployed.

He said the agricultural produce in the country should not be exported without adding value to it so as to guard against causing poverty to the people.

He believed that if the exportation drive was not curtail it would unfortunately increase unemployment ratio in Nigeria and lead to more job opportunities for the teeming population outside the country.

He urged government to promulgate policies that would favour more establishments of industries in the country.

He said government should accelerate the

provision of gas- pipeline to encourage establishment of industries and their sustenance in other part of the country.

In his remarks, Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said the state government would create more incentives that would encourage manufacturing industries to flourish in the state.

He said the state would also design policies that would lead to wavering of taxes to the manufacturing industries “for a while” in the state .

He assured that all bottlenecks would be removed to put the country back to the path of industrialisation.

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Energy Harmonising PIB for Nigeria’s economic growth subject.

Yakubu, who was represented by Dr. Madazu Bako, general manager, National Petroleum Management and Investment Services (NAPIMS), wondered why a nation should tinker over a well thought out bill that would produce a phenomenal positive change in an industry that has the potential of transforming the country.

He said that the conference with the theme ‘PIB: Harmonisation and Implementation for Economic Growth’ was apt and timely as it provided stakeholders the opportunity to work to devise appropriate modalities to arrive at a consensus on the subject.

According to him, it was by being able to have a harmonised position on the Bill that the nation can expect an industry legal framework that would support the growth of the oil and gas industry for many years to come.

He declared, “The position of the NNPC on the PIB is well known already, which is that our corporation wholeheartedly supports the Bill.”

Yakubu stated that the corporation cherished the Bill’s major objectives, which he said was in tandem with the NNPC’s yearnings and aspirations. He said that the Bill was bound to make NNPC a profit-driven entity and create a level playing field in the downstream sector.

The Managing Director of ExxonMobil’s Nigerian unit, Mark Ward, said that the bill

would boost industry taxes enough to deter further investment in oil exploration and development, and rather than boost revenue, could actually cause Nigeria to potentially lose $185 billion over the next ten years.

Ward, on behalf of the Oil Producers Trade Section: a group of companies including, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron Corp., Exxon Mobil Corp., Total SA, and Eni SpA, who produce around 90 per cent of Nigeria’s oil through several joint ventures with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp.

He argued that the proposed taxes could cause a 25 per cent drop in oil production from 2.4 million barrels, as the lack of new investment would mean that new wells would be too few to tackle the declining production from old wells.

Ward explained that the terms proposed increase royalties, increase taxes, and lower allowances or incentives all at the same time.”

Turning Nigeria into what he described as “one of the world’s harshest fiscal regimes.”

Ward argued that the PIB has the potential to increase the government’s share of oil profits to as much as 96 per cent, and that its share in natural gas profits will increase from 30 per cent to 80 per cent, making further exploration uneconomical.

He also stated that the energy companies were worried by the fact that under the new laws all

penalties would be set by the Petroleum Minister, and the president would have the power to ITH estimated proven reserves of 37.2 billion award licenses personally, without the need of barrels, and a number of new offshore projcompetitive bidding. They claim that under this ects scheduled to come on stream very soon, system there is no security for existing contracts, there is scope for oil production in Nigeria to and no independent, unbiased arbitration if any increase in the medium term. disputes arise.

The country’s oil and gas sector, which has not The Group Executive Director, Exploration and given much to cheer in the last few years due to Production, Nigerian National Petroleum pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, depends Corporation, Abiye Membere, said that indigeon market confidence and sustained investnous exploration and production companies ment, which in turn, relies largely on the longcontrolled over 30 per cent of the upstream segawaited and much-debated Petroleum Industry ment of the country’s oil and gas industry, Bill (PIB).

Membere attributed this development to the There have been divergent views from all stakeNigerian Content Development and Monitoring holders who believed that their interest were not Board Act passed in 2010. properly represented in the long awaited PIB, He said that the local content law had driven which is currently with the National Assembly. indigenous participation in upstream operaAt a conference in Lagos last week, stakeholders tions from less than 10 per cent in 2010 to over 30 emphasized the need to harmonise and thereby per cent in 2013. implement it to spur the growth of the country’s “Local participation has grown from less than 10 petroleum industry. per cent to over 30 per cent in upstream operaThe Group Managing Director of Nigerian tions with other spin off effects,” he said.

National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), While lauding the NNPC, international oil comAndrew Yakubu, identified the PIB as one of the panies and the host communities for the roles major challenges in the oil and gas industry they played in getting the local content law today. passed, he canvassed for a multi-stakeholders’ He, therefore, urged stakeholders in the oil and support for the PIB. gas industry to work together to devise appropri“We are hopeful that together, we will also see ate modalities to arrive at a consensus on the the successful passage of the PIB currently before the National Assembly as well as its successful implementation with attendant positive impacts on the economy,” Membere added.

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Ernest Nwapa, emphasised the need for the Federal Government to henceforth sanction equipment manufacturers that fail to adhere to laid down rules in the nation’s oil and gas industry, He said that the manufacturers had requested for a five-year plan through which they intend to outline their programmes before operating in the country. He added that any of the manufacturers that failed in their plans would be stopped from operating in the industry.

Nwapa said that a data base had been set up to capture the data of expatriates, adding that Identity Cards have been issued to all expatriates on board any project in Nigeria.

He also said that the country had the capacity to produce many of the equipment being contracted to foreign firms, adding that it was not proper for oil and gas equipment manufacturers abroad to misuse the concession given to them. He said that the country had not done well in the area of local manufacturing of equipment, lamenting that investment in the sector is seven per cent.

According to him, priority was given to local content development in the industry as evident by the enactment of the Local Content Act by the National Assembly.

He said that the Act had resulted in a change of Chairman Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation, Ayodele Akele (left); Chairman, National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi; and Coordinator southwest mindset of operators, suppliers and vendors of equipment/facilities in the industry, arguing that Civil Society Commission, Adewale Adeoye during the one-day interactive session between NERC and Civil society in southwest area, held in Lagos…recently. anything operators do now has local content PHOTO: SUNDAY AKINLOLU benchmark.

By Roseline Okere and Sulaimon Salau

W

Govt positions Egbin power plant to tackle system collapse

By Sulaimon Salau LANS are at advanced stage by the Federal Government to install a ‘black-starting’ mechanism at the Egbin Thermal Plant, in Lagos, in order to reduce the black-out experienced during system collapse.

The Chief Executive Officer of the power plant, Mike Uzoigwe, who confirmed the plans to The Guardian recently, said that the Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo, has approved the project and arrangements have been concluded to install the technology at the power station.

Uzoigwe, also revealed that the power plant to would soon restore about 220MW of power lost about seven years ago.

Explaining that the ‘black-starting’ mechanism allowed for quick revival of the plant after a system collapse Uzoigwe said that the technology, which was the first in the country, would boost power generation in Nigeria.

Before now, system collapse takes power plants in Nigeria about five days to restore electricity, but he said the black-starting technology would

P

make it possible within few hours.

However, Uzoigwe said that the power plant would soon bounce back to its full capacity, as it commenced repairs on its sixth turbine unit (ST06), expected to add 220 Mega Watt (MW) to national grid.

The power plant, with installed capacity of 1,320MW, has suffered setback over years due to ageing parts and paucity of funds to upgrade the facility.

Egbin plant was built about 30 years ago to operate on six turbine units at 220MW each, until 2006, when the unit six exploded due to some water tube challenges.

Uzoigwe said that the plant would be back to its installed capacity of 1,320MW in the next nine months, when the repairs are expected to have been completed.

He said that the contract was awarded to the Original Equipment Manufacturers- Hitachi of Japan, while other major power service firms like KEPCO, Marubeni, IGODI and General Electric supplied some of the critical components of the plant.

He added that the company had spent so much money to secure some parts of the plant, but between 2011 and 2012 it ordered and replaced all the cannibalised spares and also awarded contract for the final repairs at approximately N1 billion.

“Unit six job will last for 90 days after which the unit should be handed over completely repaired and ready for operation. Works effectively started on July 1st, 2013 and still going on. This will lay to rest the rumour that money meant for ST-06 repairs was diverted some times in the past,” he said.

He explained that the delay in flagging-off of the job was because it did not get nod of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) early enough to award the contract due to their exhaustive procedure of making sure the contract price was right.

“We have started anyway and it is hoped we will deliver on time. We are in the interim discovering everyday some other parts we need to replace. This will cost some more money and we will soon take it up with the minister of power to source for more funds,” he said.

The Guardian’s visit to the plant showed that serious works are on-going, with experts handling different parts of the turbine, ready to be fixed up any moment. Some of the new parts were seen strategically laid around the affected turbine.

Uzoigwe, who gave estimates of parts of the plant accordingly said that repair of damaged boiler was awarded to KEPCO at $17.950 million and 100 per cent completed; Dry storage awarded to Igodi at N9.8 million, emergency repairs of generator rotor and BFP motor rotors awarded to Maurubeni at $6.791 million.

Also, the total replacement of damaged reheater outlet coils and comprehensive inspection of reheater inlet coils was awarded to KEPCO at $4.943 million and N74.615 million; supply of new AVR cubicle for thyristor excitation system was awarded to Marubeni at 117.926 million yen and repair of LP turbine rotor journals awarded to G.E at $1,524 million among the list of 11 projects, which are all 100 per cent completed, except for the supply of cannibalized items which were at 80 per cent completion.

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

41

NIGERIAN CHAMBER OF SHIPPING

ABC OF SHIPPING COURSE ON MARINE SURVEY PRACTICE & OPERATIONS SCOPE: OPERATION & MANAGEMENT PAPER PRESENTATION BY DR. SAMUEL .0. BABATUNDE, FNIS, FPTM REGISTRAR, PORT & TERMINAL MANAGEMENT ACADEMY, NIGERIA Written Dr. Kingsley Usoh PREAMBLE The business of Marine Survey has attracted geometrical growth into international shipping. The role of Marine Surveyors, Cargo inspectors and cargo superintendent has been a strong tool in commodity transfer of all forms of article of trade. Present and future managers in the Marine Survey business must therefore be acquainted with the scope, operation and customers (Shippers, ship owner and government Agencies) satisfaction.

In summary, the scope of Marine Survey business is very wide covering all aspect of commodity transfer in order to establish time, type and place of commodity variance or loss or damages as the case may be whereas, the operations of Marine Survey largely depend on the consumer of the operation which ranges for the ship-owners, port Agent cargo owner (due to insurable interest), salvage club, government Agencies and port Terminal operations.

The Management of Marine Survey business in Nigeria has been viewed from two standpoint, corporate entity and freelance management. Most importantly, it has been established that strict control and regulation is absent from the core management of Marine Survey business.

1.1 WHAT IS MARINE SURVEY PRACTICE Professionally Speaking, Marine is a person who conducts inspections, surveys or examination of Marine vessels to assess, monitor and report on their condition and the products on them, Engr. Livinus. A. Okam (2011).

The marine surveys typically include the structure, machinery and equipment (navigational, Safety, radio etc) and general condition of a vessels. It also includes judging materials on board and their condition. Engr. Akin Olaniyan (2011). Marine Survey is often closely associated with marine insurance, damage and salvage, accident and fraud investigation as insurers generally, lack the independent and technical training and skills required to perform a detailed assessment of the condition of a vessel. Marine surveyors professional-

Marine Survey has a noble history that dates back hundred if not thousands of years. Indeed as long as there were boats, there have been people, who specialized in inspecting them for quality and safety while recommending repairs or total replacement. Over the years ships and shipping technology has began to evolve as a major source of transportation and trade facilitation (Commerce) demanding inspection, examination and surveys of different kinds, thus Marine Surveyors has emerged as a well as defined profession with its own principles, practices, philosophies, societies and ethical codes. Engr. Livinus .A. Okam, (2011) ly provide undiluted and unbiased view of both vessels and all articles of trade, Engr. Mba Uka (2011). Morine Surveyors inspect equipments intended for either the new or existing vessels in order to ensure total compliance with the various international and notional standards and specifications. Engr. Livinus A. Okam, (2011).

Marine Survey has a noble history that dates back hundred if not thousands of years. Indeed as long as there were boats, there have been people, who specialized in inspecting them for quality and safety while recommending repairs or total replacement. Over the years ships and shipping technology has began to evolve as a major source of transportation and trade facilitation (Commerce) demanding inspection, examination and surveys of different kinds, thus Marine Surveyors has emerged as a well as defined profession with its own principles, practices, philosophies, societies and ethical codes. Engr. Livinus .A. Okam, (2011).

Whereas the works of Larry ED. Samuels (2011) states that Marine Surveyor practice covers a very wide spectrum of Maritime activities, which are subdivided into cargo surveys that deals with cargo inspection in order to generate vital features of cargo before loading on board the ship, during transit period and during discharge and storage period respectively, he fur-

ther analyze as follows.

Marine is defined as..... found in provided by the sea.

Survey is defined as to view and examine the condition of an object or matter and determine the recommendation needed, if any to update its standard according to the classification needed by the authorities or any authorized corporation. It is the act of examing by an independent impartial group of person on behalf of others.

Surveys associated with the loading and discharging of all varieties of products, most especially all articles of trade, oil & Gas products, consumable products, chemical properties products, machinery products, mineral resources products, intellectual properties product, and liquid natural gas products.

In summary, Marine Surveyor practice is an art and science of impartial and independent examination, inspection and critical analysis of ocean going vessels and her cargo with the professional intention to establish quantity and quality assurance on behalf of ship-owners, shippers, stevedores, P and I Club, Maritime Lawyers and Government agencies.

TYPES OF MARINE SURVEYOR The Marine Surveyors Practitioners or

Surveyors primarily engaged in discipline .such as Engineer, Naval Architect, Master Mariner, Shipping Practitioner, Port Practitioner or some other basic and fundamental knowledge and skills that determines the types of Marine Surveyors that he or she can effect i.e field specialization.

Analyzing the types of Marine Surveyors largely depend on the type and the subject of the survey for inspection, examination or information.

However, for the purpose of the course, we shall examine the following distinguished scholar's model(s) of type of Marine Survey.

John Guy (1990) enumerated types of Marine Survey as follows: condition survey, examines the factual details of all aspects of Hull and or equipment (Machinery) of vessels) in terms of suitability, accessibility, causes of standard and reasonable deviation pattern and competence of the users and consignment, marks and numbers, method of loading, carriage, stow, packaging, history of voyage with dates. Reshipment cargo survey's details inspection of cargo where it is stowed before loading on board the ship.

Vessel compartment survey reports on the details of cleanliness, freedom from external influence segregation from other cargoes and security issues. Loading surveys details of loading devices, stowage, stevedoring, establishment of dangerous cargoes, damages during loading causes and remedies.

Draft surveys determines the weight of cargo on board a vessel, time confirmation, quantity accuracy, draft, density, ship lightweight, ballast, freshwater, store and constant.

Ullage surveys determines the quantity of liquid on board a vessel, time confirmation, instrument usage, shore tanks, ship-tanks, calculations and report. Deadweight surveys measures the amount of cargo a ship could have loaded and statutory survey is government requirement covering ship building, equipped and operated, this could be demanded by international organizations such as classification society, Lloyd register of ship, International Maritime organization among others, while national institutions CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

Technical, Manning (Crewing) and Safety (Onboard and Ashore) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

safety and environmental performance.

Oil companies exercise due diligence in selecting well-maintained and well-managed vessels for charter. The OVMSA programme builds upon the ISM Code and can provide valuable feedback to the charterer on the effectiveness of the vessel operator’s management system.

This is based upon industry best practice and it is recognised that “best practice” evolves so there will be updates to the programme in due course.

There are 12 elements Element 1 Management, leadership and accountability Element 2 Recruitment and management of shore-based personnel Element 3 Recruitment and management of vessel personnel Element 4 Reliability and maintenance standards Element 5 Navigational safety Element 6 Offshore operations and the management of contractors Element 7 Management of change Element 8 Incident investigation and analysis Element 9 Safety management Element 10 Environmental management Element 11 Emergency preparedness and contingency planning Element 12 Measurement, analysis and improvement

Vessel Management – The Problems The following are examples we have come across: • Insufficient certified officers on board, particularly DP. • Insufficient local technical support.

• Critical spares/components not identified.

• Insufficient planning of class surveys/inspections resulting in last minute actions to maintain class status.

• Management of relationships such that substitute vessels cannot be identified. (particular to single vessel owners) • Forged certificates of competency.

• Fuel theft.

• Illegal activity • Has resulted in death of seafarers due to fire/explosion Direct cost to the industry Vessel Management HSE Capability Shell undertakes a HSE Capability Assessment of each of its vendors prior to award of a contract and every three years thereafter. The OGP also has such a system that is rather unsurprisingly very similar in format to the one used in Shell.

With respect to offshore vessel contracts it is however worth noting that Shell is in the process of using the question sets within the OVMSA as a foundation for creating a marine contract related HSE er to the actual challenges faced when trying to man- often operating at a remote location.

Capability Assessment age the safety management system on board a vessel Questionnaire that will relate clos-

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

42

ABC of shipping course on maritime survey practice & operations scope CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 includes, Nigerian Maritime Administration and safety Agency Nigerian Ports authority, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian shipper’s councils and Nigerian Inland waterways Authority.

In the analysis of Engr, Livinus .A. Okem (2011) Marine Survey practice can be classified as Government surveyor that investigate ships before ship registration in order to enforce ship safety standards and to' insure marine industrial safety. While other classification fall" on non-government surveyors that perform independents survey to private concerns.

Whereas, the works of Larry .E .0 Samuel (2011) stress the following types of Marine Survey. Condition surveys, is carried out for the purpose of determining the condition of a vessel or equipment at the time of the survey. He further analyzed that condition surveys could result for the following reasons, on offhire such as vessels surveys, container surveys, P/L club entry surveys and sales & Purchase surveys.

Secondly, he stated that statutory surveys are carried out by the government or classification society surveyors which implies inspection of ships and equipment to ensure total and professional compliance with the wide range of regulation.

This however attract certificate of compliances, while vessels without such certificates cannot trade in such territory.

MAJOR PARTIES IN MARINE SURVEY This aspect of the study, examines the major parties in Marine Survey under two headlines.

Internal Parties in Marine Survey comprise of workforce distribution in the organisation such one includes.

Offshore officers, Laboratory officer / Manager, chemise Store Keeper, Administrative officer, Marketing Manager, Account Manager, Legal/Company Secretary, Public Relation manager among others.

External Parties in Marine Survey comprises of Naval architecture, Engineers, Industrialist, Shipping Practitioners Port Practitioners, Maritime lawyers, Insurance practitioners, Master mariners, chartered Accountant etc. from the above

Remember, there are various types of vessels or ships in practice ranging from containerized or cellular vessels, General Cargo / Bulk Cargo vessels Roll, on and Roll off vessels, Refrigerated vessels and OBJECTIVES OF MARINE SURVEY Multipurpose vessels all demand Marine Surveyors report in consoPRACTICES The primary objectives of Marine nance with international convenand regulations.

Survey Practice among others tions include: (CARGO OWNERS) To examine, investigate and deter- SHIPPERS mining with deep inspection on The insurable interest of the shipVessels or cargoes in order to estab- pers (cargo owners) often demand lish quantity and quality informa- the employment of Marine tion for settlement of claims Surveyors in the confirmation of To classified vessel or cargo informa- quality and quality before vessel’s tion in order to determine Status of loading, Voyage and discharging in cargo or vessel in terms of danger- order to track at which point in time does variance or discrepancies ous or non dangerous.

To establish the visible and invisi- occurred or established on the conble risks associated with the ship or signment. cargo in order to pinpoint responsibilities to all parties of shipment All articles of trade ranging from Specification of risks and uncertain- agricultural product, industrial ty derived from quantity and quality chemicals, machineries, consumer in order to assist in reduction of liti- goods, mineral resources, oil & Gas products and other unclassified gation process. products, merchant by shippers for To establish accuracy of quantity, commercial regulation attainment. quality and variance factor of ship or AGENTS / SHIP BROKERS cargo.

To a certain the quantity and quality Agents are representative of shipof ship for carriage of consignment owners or charterers. They are the and verification of cargo most espe- main source of employment for surcially Ship to ship transfer and load- veyors in most ports. The primary ing with discharging port opera- objective of employing marine surveyor by the ship broker is to ascertions. tain the quantity and quality of artiUSERS OF MARINE SURVEY PRACTICE cle of trade be stow on them by the With reference to John Guy (1990), cargo owner or the ship-owner as wide range of people and organiza- the case may be. tions need the services of Marine Surveyors while some have clear LAWYERS I LEGAL PRACTITIONERS needs and clear standards, others do Maritime Lawyers often demand the not identify what they want. professional and expertise advice Therefore, potential employers with and evidence document to stress their criteria of marine surveyors the interest of their client. Through marine surveyors, export witness to includes: determine cause of an incident in order to make case in the court SHIP-OWNERS The owners of a vessel may wish to room credible, the qualification of employ a Marine Surveyors to survey Marine Surveyors critically affirm a vessels and advise on-the condi- the credibility of its prove investigation, or repairs needs or value or to tion, survey and examination of advise on uses for the vessels or to insurable interest article of trade on report on an incident like cargo or behalf of the maritime lawyer's ship damage and to protect the client. owner's interest ill any dispute or claim. In another view, a buyer of STEVEDORES ship may demand Marine Surveyors The service of stevedores companies assessment and investigation on the demand confirmation of their operstrength and opportunities of the ation safety, accuracy and timely to ship before committing payment the ship-owners and the cargo ownunder sales and purchase contract. ers respectively. Basic survey under analysis, the parties in the Marine Survey practice is esteemly wide, largely dependent on the field that demand specification and competency.

this unit includes damage survey to cargo, ship or stevedore equipment or looking at cargo gear before work starts or after an incident.

GOVERNMENT The increasing regulation and international conventions in maritime operation and management crave for the services of Marine Surveyors.

In Nigerian Maritime Administration and safety Agency demand unbiased ship survey before registration that spell out the condition of the ship either for Cabotage operation or flag of discrimination: Nigerian Ports Authority derived attestification of ship and cargo condition and complete information from the Marine Surveyors as a tool for the various charges levied on ship-owners or their representative. In the similar manner, Nigeria Customs Service required the report of Marine Surveyors in attestification of the quantity and quality of articles of trade for either imports or exports in determining their duties and excise duties on bulk and liquid with gaseous shipments. Indeed, the increasing realization of the unbiased and independent report of Marine Surveyors constantly build constant and never - ending confidence of quantity and quality of Cargo to any of these government Agencies.

CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES These are third party inspection agencies which exist to inspect ships (Hull & Machinery) and other things, and to certify that those things reach the required standards of manufacture and condition. Among the know list of the above is the Llody's Register, there are other Moveable and large societies. Most of the major societies have technically and intellectually qualified Marine Surveyors at various strategic locations, but all of them have to reply on the use of independent surveyors from time to time. The less accessible the port, the more likely the local surveyors is to be find to represent a class, whereas in small ports, one surveyor may represent a variety of societies.

trade, to do condition surveys on ships, to represent the owner and his club in cargo damage claims, to do preventive surveys such as preshipment surveys on steel cargos, lashing surveys. The background of each surveyor often match their various and strategic assignment by the club. The clubs technically stress the importance of professional Marine Surveyors in the carriage of their assignments.

SALVAGE ASSOCIATION This is an independent, non-profit making organisation which exist to protect the parties involved in maritime casualties usually representing underwriters, but equally willing to represent other bodies.

The salvage association surveyor must be on the spot whenever there is damage to a ship. However, the association is based in London but has staff surveyors all around the world. They often use local representative surveyors for smaller jobs. Indeed, the Association has a very good reputation for high standards and impartiality thus choosy about who it employs.

EVOLUTION OF MARINE SURVEY PRACTICE The business of Marine Surveyors entails inspection, testing and certification activities which dated back before 19th century, in Nigeria Early practice of Marine Surveyors was government operated while the commercial practice was spear head by sir Henry Gold struck in 1878 in Rouen, France.

Today the practice of Marine Surveyors has grown and developed with the recognition of over 700 independent Marine Surveyors companies in operation Worldwide. In similar manner, international Marine survey in London, United Kingdom with the chartered mandate to train and retrain Marine Surveyors across the globe.

However, the training of Marine Surveyors has received little attention, largely depended on the job training, while the conventional P &1 CLUBS institutions such as university and These are mutual third -party insures polytechnic are yet to develop for ship-owners. They need Marine structural and professional Surveyors to help them masters with inclined curriculum. local advice on practice of port and

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

ENERGY 43

Group makes case for LADOL on Egina FPSO vessel project

By Roseline Okere IGERIAN Content AdvoN cacy Group has said that Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) has the capacity to partner with Samsung Heavy Industries in the execution of Total’s Egina field’s Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel project.

According to the Executive Director of the group, Bolaji Akinola, the partnership is first of its kind, which should be applauded as a major step for the growth and development of the petroleum industry.

Akinola told the media in Lagos at the weekend that, LADOL has been assessed by all the oil majors and found to be technically and commercially sound and had received businesses from most of them.

He noted that LADOL and Samsung were collaborating with existing yards in Nigeria, including Dorman Long and Aveon, which will be working with LADOL/Samsung on the project to maximise local content.

“Other yards that were offered work declined to take it.

In fact, we have been assured that the massive fabrication that will be needed for the current and future FPSO’s will be carried out in fabrication yards within the Niger Delta regions including, Warri, Port Harcourt and Yenagoa, before the pieces are shipped to LADOL for integration.

“Technology transfer is assured, as LADOL/Samsung are building a state-of-the-art training center, which will provide Nigerians with the necessary skills to work in the offshore industry. The integration facility and training school at LADOL will strongly stimulate fabrication throughout the country, with an estimated 10x to 15x multiple effect in terms of jobs creation, enhanced by

Technology transfer is assured, as LADOL/Samsung are building a state-of-theart training center, which will provide Nigerians with the necessary skills to work in the offshore industry. The integration facility and training school at LADOL will strongly stimulate fabrication throughout the country, with an estimated 10x to 15x multiple effect in terms of jobs creation, enhanced by the ensuing technology transfer and skills acquisition the ensuing technology transfer and skills acquisition”, he said.

Akinola said that the company has concluded plans to enlarge its existing facility in Lagos for the job. “A joint LADOL/Samsung construction term has been at work on expanding the facility since 2012. The company has already invested millions of dollars in preparing the facility for the Egina project expansion”, he disclosed.

He hinted that LADOL won the bid after three years of submissions, technical analyses and detailed appraisals, and subsequently was deemed to be the optimal location for the Egina project onshore integration, with a portion reserved for local fabrication.

He disclosed that the Nigerian Customs Service has received more than N10 billion in duties from such project as the base. “It should be stressed that without LADOL’s facilities, much of these works would otherwise been done outside Nigeria, with the attendant colossal revenue losses”, he added.

General Manager, Exploration, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Tola Adeogba (left); Guest Speaker of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Magnus Kanu; Assistant Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Patience Maseli, and Vice President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Lere Olopade, at the NAPE’S August technical/business forum, sponsored by SPDC in Lagos

Conoil repackages product against adulteration ONOIL, an indigenous C marketer of petroleum products, has re-packaged its premium lubricant brand, Quatro Ultra, to protect it from unwholesome adulteration and safeguard the interest of unsuspecting car owners who crave for the best engine oil for their vehicles.

According to a statement by the company, the Quatro Ultra lubricant pack now comes wrapped in a transparent tamper proof, weather-

proof cellophane sheen, which reinforces other security features currently on its pack.

Quatro Ultra is Conoil’s most advanced multi-grade gasoline engine lubricant, specially formulated to give automobiles all-year-round engine protection and performance plus superior fuel economy. Its performance features include adequate viscosity and low friction-reduction in fuel consumption

ESPERATE moves by some D agents to enjoy electricity through the activities of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) may have put the lives of residents of Journalists Estate in jeopardy, over the alleged improper installation of high tension poles within the estate.

The Journalists’ Estate Residents Development Association (JERDA), in a copy of the petition jointly signed by 21 members and made available to The Guardian, said the action was is in flagrant violation of relevant environmental, urban and physical planning laws of Ogun State as it does not observe the mandatory set-back for high tension cables going through residential areas.

The petition was also forwarded to the Minister of

Power, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Chairman, Nigeria Electricity Commission, Ogun State Commissioner of Police and concerned offices of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) among others.

The regulation provides for space of about eight metres from buildings for 11KV line; 10 metres distance for 33KV; 15 metres for 132kv and 50 metres distance for 330kv lines accordingly. But the petition alleged that the plant high tension (33KV) line was planned in flagrant disregard for the provision of the law, and posing death threat to residents.

“The erection of high tension wire in front of our houses is a subtle death sentence passed on the entire residents of the estate as the action will subject us to un-

production.

SON, along with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), had begun last year, a series of campaigns against the procurement, distribution and retailing of adulterated or improperly packaged lubricants, which cost the nation N200 billion in revenue with the attendant hazards like health implications and environmental pollution.

Stakeholders to meet over power sector development

By Sulaimon Salau TAKEHOLDERS in the Suppower sector are bracing to converge in Abuja to chart part to successful privatisation of the nation’s power sector.

This is coming as the Federal Government pledged its commitment to implement the power sector reforms successfully to entrench the participation of private sec-

tor for national delopment.

The Deputy Director Investments and Sector Development, Federal Ministry Of Power, Mrs. Kehinde Shonowo, who made this known in preparation for the fourth Nigeria International Power Expo and Conference, recently, said the power sector is cardinal project in the transformation agenda of Mr. President, which is also

Residents petition PHCN over threat to lives in Journalists Estate

By Sulaimon Salau

with very high oxidation stability and longer operational oil life.

The company said it was taking the lead to check the alarming rate at which processed engine oils are being adulterated in the country and reduce the untoward hardship vehicle owners are currently going through.

The company added that the initiative was also aimed at safeguarding its over N1.5 billion investment in lubricant

mitigated health hazards, including exposure to high level radiation which may cause cancer, infertility in children that are raised in houses exposed to the discharges from high tension wire, electrocution, lung and respiratory related ailments associated with high tension cable installation,” it stated.

The residents stressed: “From our preliminary investigation, the initial approval for the project was nowhere near Journalists’ Estate. But the contractor handling the project out of sheer lack of initiative has decided to cut cost and opt for an easy way out, by running the cable through a side street even though such move on the long term will be more costly not only to the residents but the entire society in terms of environmental hazard and other disasters waiting to un-

fold.

“We therefore appeal to you to use your good offices to stop the project or call the contractor handling the project to order by doing the needful, to avoid a looming breakdown of law and order as we are determined to defend our lives with the last drop of our blood, should the contractor insist on executing the death sentence he has passed on us by virtue of the project,” it stated.

The residents further appealed to the authorities to halt the execution of the project and direct the contractor to explore alternative routes outside populated areas in view of perceived health and safety hazards to residents.

It therefore challenged the contractor to present the Environmental Impact Assessment of the project before moving to site fully.

identified as the master-key to leapfrogging Nigeria’s socio-economic development and attaining the vision 202020 agenda.

The Power Expo is slated to hold from October 17th to 19th, 2013 at the International Conference Centre Abuja. It is expected to be

declared open by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The Managing Director of BKG Exhibitions Limited and Chairman Organising Committee of the exhibition, Mr. Agwu Ifeanyi, said over 150 local and international companies would be participating at the event.

N-CEAP, Renaissance set to create accessible energy IGERIA Clean Energy AcN cess Programme (N-CEAP) and Renaissance Credit have concluded plans to create accessible and efficient power solutions in the country.

N-CEAP), an initiative established in 2010 by the Concession Development Company, offers clean, affordable energy with solar systems, inverter systems, inverters, energy storage and efficient lighting systems.

The Managing Director of Concession Development Company, Val Ozieh, who made this disclosure at a media briefing recently, said that there is a renewed need for innovation when it comes to the use of electricity in the country.

Val Ozieh said: “We need to change the way we understand power consumption and stimulate change that matches the proper solutions with our consumption needs.”

According to him, the NCEAP initiative has been de-

signed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Nigeria as well as the high cost of power self-generation and consumption by households and businesses.

“To this end N-CEAP has formed a partnership with Renaissance Credit, a consumer finance company that specializes in providing credit facilities and loans towards household items like electronics, furniture, appliances and now N-CEAP inverter systems.

“When one household invests in alternate power that is noise-free and emits clean energy, it is in their best interest that their neighbour can do the same so they can create a stronger impact.”

Marketing Executive of Renaissance Credit, Toyin Ashipa, stated that Renaissance Credit offers consumers loan approval within 24 hours of applying a minimum 20 per cent down payment and an option to pay off the loan in six months or less.

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NigeriaCapitalMarket NSE Daily Summary (Equities) PRICE LIST OF SYMBOLS TRADED FOR 27/08/2013

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NSE Daily Summary (Equities) as at 27/08/2013

PRICE GAInERS

LOSERS

Conoil targets improved half year performance

By Bukky Olajide OnOIL has made plans to double its half year performance, to achieve n4 billion profit this year.

Conoil had posted an unprecedented performance for the first half of the year 2013. Highlights indicated that there was 255 per cent increase in profit after tax (from n450.9 million in 2012 to n1.6 billion in 2013) and 199 per cent increase in profit before tax (from n663.1 million to n1.98 billion) while Earnings per Share (EPS) increased from 65kobo to 230 kobo.

“We will continue to transform our business and the way we interact with our dynamic marketplace. Our half year strong performance prepares us well for the increasingly fierce competition in the industry,’’ said the management of the company.

Management pledged further

C

: “For us, the downstream remains fundamentally attractive now and for the medium to long term. With our clarity of direction and focus, our company’s long-term success is assured. ‘’We will sustain our improved performance and realize our aspiration to become the leading petroleum products marketer and one of the most profitable quoted companies.

“We will consistently pursue initiatives that will enable our brands, processes and people drive our corporate vision and ultimately drive value for our shareholders. “We will continue to benchmark our company against the best global standards and practices to ensure that the business is managed in the best interest of all stakeholders.

“Fresh initiatives to strengthen our income base in the core segments of the business will

be pursued pro-actively capitalizing on every emerging opportunity in the sector”.

The key drivers include : 65 per cent revenue increase projected from company’s retail outlets spread across the country, particularly the recently commissioned new

mega stations, through massive sale of while products as well as additional income streams from new lubricant products launched earlier in the year Other key drivers include72 percent increase in revenue projected from the fully-dereg-

ulated lubricant business with increase in volume from new production plant in Port Harcourt, engine oil exports to West African markets and joint venture partnerships with leading car manufacturing companies for the use of conoil lubricants in their vehi-

cle engines.

It also includes additional incomes from ancillary services including marketing of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) and Bitumen, which were reactivated in the first half of 2013 and will now boost sales performance in the second half

FBn Holdings posts 7.7 per cent growth in gross earnings in six months

By Helen Oji Holdings Plc has posted Flion,Bn gross earnings of n194.9 bilits unaudited results for the first half ended June 2013.

This, according to a statement from the bank represents an increase of 7.7 per cent when compared to n180.9 billion in 2012. net interest income of the bank also stood at n112.7 billion, up from n108.9 billion recorded in the comparable year in 2012: The banks non-interest rev-

enue rose to n44.1 billion, from n43.1billion in 2012 while operating income stood at n156.9 billion from n152.0 billion during the year under review.

Its profit before tax increased from n53.5 billion in 2012 to n55.1 billion in 2013 while total assets stood at n3.4 trillion, down from n3.5 trillion posted in Mar 2013 but up by 6.1 per cent year-to-date (Dec 2012: n3.2 trillion) “Total customer deposits of n2.6 trillion, an increase of 0.9per cent quarter-on-quarter (Mar 2013: n2.5 trillion) and

6.4per cent year to date (Dec 2012: n2.4 trillion) Total customer loans and advances (net) of n1.5 trillion, down 1.4per cent quarter-on-quarter and 1.2per cent year to date (Dec 2012: n1.5 trillion).”

Commenting on the results, Chief Executive Officer of FBn Holdings Bello Maccido, said: “Over the first half of 2013, the performance of the Group remained resilient, delivering year-on-year growth of 8 per cent in gross earnings to n194.9 billion. The regulatory environment across our portfolio of businesses has continued to

evolve, as authorities take measures to strengthen the various sub-sectors within the financial services industry.

“We have sustained efforts to refine our approach and responses to these developments, focusing on the strong natural synergies and crossselling opportunities that exist between banking and the other financial services sectors we are active in. We have intensified efforts to leverage our unique offering to forge deeper relationships with our customers as we navigate the evolving terrain.

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THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Opinion Birth of the new Nigerian power system

By Idowu Oyebanjo T this turning point in Nigeria’s power supply A history, it is good to state that another history has been made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo who, after several governments in power, initiated the process which turned out to be what we are experiencing today. Some myopic thinkers will not understand that everywhere from now on, whenever we talk about the history of the power sector in the country Obasanjo’s name will be mentioned. The same he did with the telecommunication industry, which led to the birth of GSM and the rest is history.

What became of GSM depended on the regulator of the industry and not the government who “mid-wifed” its birth. It is in this regard that I must recommend that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) should get its acts together. The main role of the regulator is to ensure consumers are not exploited while ensuring that investors make profit from their investment. The regulator must punish severely those who breach the conditions of their distribution licences to serve as a deterrent. To emphasise, the power system is different from the telecommunication system because electricity can kill.

The problems of the Nigerian power system is huge but that is just a fact. When there is a huge problem, there is need to approach it in a systematic order. To be sure, Nigeria is not going to experience a miracle such as “let there be light, and there is light”. The power system, like any other of its kind anywhere in the world, will evolve. There will be problems and issues to resolve from time to time as increased understanding of the power system is gained. This is where there is need for collaboration between the electricity supply industry and the academia.

The universities and other research institutions

will be saddled with the responsibility of looking into technical issues that may crop up, determine an understanding of the problem, root cause(s), and continually review and propose solution(s) that will address the issues. This will also develop the competencies of the participating universities or institutions. So let no one be scared about issues evolving in a power system that remained “non-existent” in the years it was “alive” before now.

It is good to mention that the companies that have bought the Nigerian power asset have taken a huge risk that only they can take. This is because of the many issues that are yet to be resolved by the Federal Government. These issues include but not limited to the level of involvement of government and her ministries in the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), which is supposed to be under a separate contract, the availability of quality gas and reliability of its supply to power generators requiring them by a country ranking top in gas reserve but still flares a huge chunk, the full independence of the regulator (NERC) or watchdog for the industry, strengthening of the transmission and distribution network, metering, revenue collection and many other commercial issues. Even at that, it does not stop Nigeria from addressing the issues in a systematic manner.

For example, considering the fact that the buyers of the electricity distribution companies (Discos) did not have access to the assets they have bought is funny because no one who has worked hard for his money will buy something he has not seen! But there you go, this is why Nigeria is unique!

Hence, they will have to evaluate the true value of the assets and some may find them to be well priced and others may not. For the latter, the first approach will be to “Sweat” the asset, a term Power System Engineers use to describe a situation where the companies will get the best out of the network by delivering electricity but not investing in the network. No one will complain, especially because there will be improved availability of electricity to homes and industries.

However, like a badly maintained car, these investors, knowing that the network will break down and become worse than they have met it, will exit the business in line with available exit conditions in their distribution licences. The industry watchdog (NERC) is the only body that needs to prevent this! The reason is that once those investors leave, it will be difficult to continue to enjoy the level of standard of supply customers are used to. It is best to ensure that no buyer of the Disco today leaves the network worse than it is today. To do this, NERC may apply the Outputs Measure approach to define the revenue formula for the Discos under the MYTO platform.

Suffice it to mention that for any country to have “Uninterrupted Power Supply” it must operate the power system the way and manner those countries who have been able to achieve it do. To do less is to say you do not want it – simple! For example, NERC must enjoy a very high degree of independence as stated earlier. They must be able to both “bark and bite” to keep sanity in the power system. If it is possible, separate courts will be required to handle cases that involve the power system. These cases will soon include deaths of citizens because of electricity flowing in exposed conductors without the minimum required protection, poor qual-

ity of voltage supply that damages critical equipment and disturb industrial processes for which large consumer companies will seek compensations, wayleave and property, theft of metals used in the power industry which are very expensive in the international market, to mention a few.

For me (so this may not be the most important for the Discos, GENCOs or other players), the most important problem to be addressed is the dearth of knowledge of power system.

This is not peculiar to Nigeria but hers is huge because it is almost absent. But this will not stop acquiring such knowledge because Nigerians are a determined specie. Bridging the skill gap must be done in a co-ordinated manner with short, medium and long-term approaches. This too needs to be handled by someone who already works in the power system in Nigeria or in developed countries where uninterrupted power supply is the norm. The use of quota system will not work!

There is also the need to keep the staff as they become skilled. Developed economies would soon begin to poach trained personnel in the industry. Although labour is mobile, a critical look should be taken of this.

Noteworthy is the fact that the crimes committed against the nation by the short-sighted leaders and engineers who “mid-wifed” the oil and gas industry in Nigeria included not educating, training and empowering Nigerians. It is in this regard that there is need to fully support the initiatives to encourage local content, so that in the future, a bill like the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which should benefit the nation will not be blocked by international oil companies (IOCs).

• Oyebanjo is a Power System Protection Engineer in the UK.

Resolving conflicts in Nigeria

By Chris Chukwudebem N the recent past, the peace of our nation has Isequent been under a serious trial or challenge conupon unabated threats spear-headed by the emergence of insurgents, terrorists, and criminals in various disguises.

This unwarranted development has obviously left a deep wound on the psyche of our people who are helplessly watching their property and businesses destroyed by ingrates, and their loved ones either killed or maimed for life. The business/investment climate is now clouded with uncertainty. This unpleasant situation has been apparently impacting negatively in every sphere of our nation’s life thereby retarding the growth of our economy.

The frequency of conflicts in our country coupled with the severity of the resultant damages in the recent past is unquantifiable hence the cost of mitigating the impact is so enormous. Ultimately, this would deplete the scarce resources that would have been channelled towards other meaningful development in the country.

This unfavourable situation can be evidenced in the light that many innocent Nigerians have lost their lives, or left permanently or partially disabled. Many have been rendered homeless; some communities and families have either been displaced, scattered or relocated from their traditional abode.

Remarkably, many conflict situations manifest due to anger, insensitivity to other people’s plight, contention, selfishness, self-will, pride, hatred, jealousy, envy, greediness, religious bigotry, prejudice and sheer wickedness.

I am still puzzled over what would have prompted people to go to a secondary school and killed some students and their teacher.

What is their delight in snuffing the life of fellow human beings as well as attempting the life of a notable traditional ruler in the northern part of the country; and burning of churches, police stations, repeatedly?

Consequently, conflict just as civil commotion, riot and fully blown war is an excluded risk, and any losses or damages sustained under conflict situations are not subjects of Insurance claims. In the same connection, the risk element consequent upon conflicts can only be remedied by retention or borne wholly by the government of the day.

Considering the fact that conflict resolution is a part of risk management, I believe the following practical steps would go a long way to assist in resolving the ravaging conflicts in our country: Willingness to dialogue The parties to the conflict must be willing to resolve the conflict, which is the most important place to start. With the willing hearts, there is no problem that cannot be solved. When conflict is not being resolved, it can lead to a desire to seek revenge. You may want to ‘get back’ at one another and sabotage one another rather than work through the situation together. External forces can equally assist to fuel the conflicts.

Adequate communication One of the most difficult problems to solve under conflict situations is what you hear. This is because what you hear will determine what you speak. Evil communication corrupts good manners. To this end, one will have to make a wise choice of words while making utterances. Preferably, the parties in conflicts should talk honestly with each other.

Deliberate on working through the problem together as a people of one nation with one destiny.

Working through conflicts strengthens relationship. Build on the positive. The parties in a country should endeavour to compliment themselves when they have created a good solution to the problem that was causing the conflicts.

Positive action People that are involved in conflict must be willing to please God. In circumstances whereby the other party refuses to respond to the positive actions, do not be discouraged, be patient, pray to God and do not give up.

Control your anger Anger is like temporary madness, and an angry man can easily stir up arguments. This is a choice that people must make with every conflict that occurs because explosive anger is the primary rea-

son why nothing gets resolved.

Ask for forgiveness Hatred stirs up trouble; love overlooks the wrongs that others do. To forgive is not an option; it is a command and a mark of love. Let bygones be bygones. Dwelling on the past inflicts unnecessary conflicts. I believe this is the reason why amnesty was declared for those who deserved it.

Listening instead of trying only to prove points This is possible when people humble themselves, patient and have fear of God. Taking action quickly The best time to solve a conflict is immediately, because as time passes on, the facts get distorted. The longer one waits to resolve conflicts, the harder your heart can get.

Confessing faults instead of shifting blames When there is a conflict between two parties or group of people in the environment, each party should first determine his part in the disagreement. Confession of faults leads to reconciliation.

Intimate the other party of the offensive attitude Soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Ensure you discuss with soft words of reconciliation with the offended party. Make your words good – you will be glad you did.

Seek agreement through compromise Agreement is a good option as you choose to give and compromise in the areas in which you have been stubbornly selfish.

Display sense of responsibility Take action even if the other party to the conflict will not. Anyone with wisdom knows what makes good sense, hence can easily make up his mind.

Arbitration Arbitration, as part of Alternative Dispute Resolution is a technique by which parties in a dispute agree to be bound by the decision of an independent party.

Mediation Mediation is technique by which a neutral third party tries to arrange a settlement with-

out resorting to litigation.

Don’t overestimate or underestimate the other party Wisdom should be applied and a balance maintained to avert unnecessary revolts, which might end up aggravating the situation.

In summary, violence is never a solution to conflict. Conflict resolution, which is an aspect of Risk Management is problem solving. Conflicts crops up because we are humans. It is pertinent that people should be humbled and imbibe the fear of God in resolving conflicts, which arise between them.

There is no truly innocent party when conflict arises. It is easier to settle matters when you both have the same information about the problem. This implies that under conflict situation communication is very fundamental. Decide on a common goal; confront and deal with the problems openly instead of avoiding or evading them. Agree on a common ground for handling conflict as a people. Each party must assume personal responsibility for his part of the problem and humbly seek reconciliation instead of passing buck.

We must always have it at the back of our mind that conflict is inevitable in human existence, but the most important issue is how to deal with the conflicts. We need wisdom from God to be able to handle every conflict so that the peace of the nation would be preserved. Peace is supreme. Peace must be allowed to reign for the country to move forward.

In the final analysis, it is worthy to note that irrespective of any quantum of solutions proffered, it might not be adequate to arrest all the conflict situations currently ravaging the peace and stability of our great nation unless the concerned parties are willing and determined to embrace truth, honesty, excellence, dialogue, virtue, innovation, justice, equity, patriotism, integrity and love for one another. The key factor to understanding one another is love devoid of any sentiment.

• Chukwudebem, a specialist in Marine Transport and Risk Management lives in Lagos. .

THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, August 28, 2013

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Opinion Give an Abolus to Belisarius

By Eric Teniola PRIL 19, 1967. The then Military Governor of Northern NigeA ria, Lt. Col. Hassan Usman Katsina (March 31, 1933 - July 4, 1995) told a meeting of emirs and chiefs in Lord Laggard Hall in Kaduna : “It is the declared policy of the Military Government to maintain the Chieftaincy institution and to uphold the dignity, prestige and integrity of the Chiefs and at the same time to safeguard the interest of the common man”.

Governor Katsina spoke at that time in a dual capacity. He was a prince at that time and also a military ruler. Seated among those he addressed on that day was his father, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Usman Nagogo (1905-1981). Governor Katsina was not saying anything new whatsoever. For before the military terminated the civilian government on January 1, 1966, the four regions at that time recognised and approved the role of Chieftaincy institutions in their constitution. That was from 1954 -1966.

In sub-section 2 of Section 35 of the 1963 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Constitution gave automatic membership to the Oba of Lagos in the Nigeria Senate and also one of his white cap chiefs. The section recognises the Oba of Lagos, who shall be an ex-officio member of the Senate; (b) a chief selected in such manner as may be prescribed by Parliament by the White-Cap Chiefs and War Chiefs of Lagos from among their own number.

Section 75 of the Constitution of Northern Nigeria states that (1) There shall be a Council of Chiefs for the Region, which shall consist of the Premier, who shall be chairman. Making the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello (1910-1966) at that time, as Chairman of the House of Chiefs was understandable.

He was the most powerful politician in the land. He was the leader of the Northern People’s Congress whose motto was “One north one people irrespective of religion, rank or tribe”, a rhythm being echoed loudly these days in some quarters.

Sir Ahmadu Bello was of the royal background and his ambition in life was to be Sultan of Sokoto, Sarkin Musulmi, Commander of the faithful, which eluded him. He was once quoted to have said “I would rather be called the Sultan of Sokoto than the President of Nigeria”. Section 9 of the Constitution of Eastern Nigeria states (1) There shall be a President of the House of Chiefs, who shall be elected by the members of that House (2) The President of the House of Chiefs shall vacate his office - Likewise, Chapter 2 Part 1 of the Western Nigeria Constitution states that there shall be a Legislature for the Region, which shall consist of the Governor, a House of Assembly and which shall have power to make laws for peace, order and good government of the Region. Five (5) (1): The House of Chiefs shall consist of (a) the persons for the time being holding such chieftaincies as may be presented by the Governor, who shall be ex-officio

members of the House; (b) 87 Chiefs having such qualifications and selected in such manner as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region.

Finally, Chapter 2 of the constitution of the Mid-Western Region states that there shall be a Legislature for the Region, which shall consist of the Governor, a House of Chiefs and a House of Assembly and which shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Region. 5 (1) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 9 of this Constitution, the House of Chiefs shall consist of – (a) the Oba of Benin, the Olu of Warri and the persons for the time being holding such other chieftaincies as may be prescribed by the Governor, who shall be ex-officio members of the House; (b) fifty-one Chiefs having such qualifications and selected in such manner as may be prescribed by the Legislature of the Region; (c) such Special Members, being Chiefs as may be selected by the Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier.

While the constitution of northern Nigeria endorsed the Premier as chairman of the council of Chiefs, the constitution of mid-western Nigeria affirmed in clear terms the supremacy of Oba of Benin and the Olu of Warri.

The Mid-Western Region was created on August 8, 1963 from Western Region. At the time of the creation, the Oba of Benin was Oba Uku Akpolokpolo Akenzua II (1899-1978), son of Oba Eweka II while the Olu of Warri at that time was Oba Erejuwa.

He took over from Oba Ginowu who ruled from 1936-1949. Oba Erejuwa ruled from 1951-1986. That was the position as at 1966 before the Military intervened and that was the last time the traditional rulers had any role whatsoever under the constitution either in the Federal or in the States.

By the time various memoranda were submitted to the Constitution Drafting Committee in 1976, only one from Mr. Kuye Arodunjoye from Ijebu-Ijesha advocated any role whatsoever for the traditional rulers in the constitution. Mr. Arodunjoye’s contention was that the traditional rulers must be given specific roles as custodians of the culture and tradition of the people.

This was the same stand adopted by notable members of the Constituent Assembly in 1977. According to the records those members include Mrs. Toyin Olakunni, Alhaji A.G.F. Abdul Razak, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, Alhaji Shehu Malami, Chief Richard Osuolale Akinjide, Chief Abiodun Ogundokun, Mr. Bisi Akinbobola, Alhaji M.K.O. Abiola, Chief Samuel Onitimi, Dr. Olusola Saraki, Mr. Sunday Awoniyi, Dr. Samuel Mbakwe, Shettima Ali Monguno, Dr. Pius Okigbo, Alhaji Babatunde Jose, Professor Ben Nwabueze, Alhaji S.O. Adebo, Alhaji Nuhu Bamali, Alhaji Ndanusa Ndayako, Mr. Christian Chukwu Emeka Onoh and Mrs. Abigail Ukpabi.

In spite of that, when the 1979 Constitution was promulgated there was no role for the traditional rulers under the constitution – even in the states.

I am aware that in some countries the monarchy or whatever it represents had been abolished. For example, it was abolished in Egypt in 1953, in Mexico 1867, in France -1897, Brazil in 1889, Korea -1910, Portugal (1910), China in1912, Montenegro -1918, Mongolia-1924 and Italy in1934. In the same vein, monarchy is still being practised in Thailand, Brunei, Zululand, South Africa; Oman, Denmark, Japan, Buganda in Ugandan, Jordan, Ashanti in Ghana, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Perk in Malaysia, Belgium, Thonga, Netherlands, Kuwait, Monaco, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Luxembourg, Bhutan, Dubai, Cambodia and of course in England.

We even have some monarchs that are very rich. For example the Queen of England has wealth estimated at $650 million, the Sultan of Oman, Qaboos Bin Said at $1.1 billion, the Emir of Qatar, Shekh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani $2 billion, King of Morocco, Mohammed IV $1.5 billion, Prince Karim Al Husseini $1 billion, King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej $35 billion, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi $23 billion, King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz $21 billion, Sultan of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah $20 billion and ruler from Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum $18 billion.

Here in Nigeria, the institution of traditional rulers has been abused and persecuted both in the past and in the present by the colonialists, the military and the politicians in terms of suspension, banishment and dethronement.

But in spite of all these the institution has endured and as of now barely surviving. It is not in all parts of the country that the institution is valued or esteemed. In some parts, it does not exist at all, while in some, it is daily being worshipped. In places like Benin and Sokoto, it is a religion. By and large the institution still represents a higher degree of our culture and tradition. If we give the traditional rulers a role in the constitution we are not doing anything strange – even if only in the states and local governments. We have done it before and we should do it again.

As they say in Latin, data obolum belasario, that is give an Abolus to Belisarius. In Greek terminology, Abolus is a valued coin.

Belisarius (505-65 AD) was a Roman general under Justinian.

He was instrumental to halting the collapse of the Roman Empire, if only temporarily. In 530 he defeated the Persians in the east, although they quickly re-asserted themselves in Syria. Six years later, he conquered Vandal North Africa, capturing its king. In 535-40 he took back Italy from the Ostrogoths, advancing as far north as Ravena, taking their king prisoner, and followed it with a second Italian campaign in a few years. He took Rome in 549 but was dismissed and even charged with conspiracy by a jealous Justinian, though reinstated in 564.

In his old age Belisarius was abandoned and neglected. He resorted to begging for survival, hence the idiom that says give an Abolus to Belisarius. I repeat, give an Abolus to Belisarius.

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

The threat of corrupted voters’ registers

By Lanre Ogunmoyela ECENTLY, the Independent National Electoral Commission R (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, admitted that the voters’ register for the 2013 gubernatorial election in Anambra State contained over 94,000 names that were not supposed to be in the register and therefore ordered their deletion or removal from the register. He also declared that the additional names arose as a result of multiple registrations and that the corruption of the voters’ register was a widespread one that occurred all over the country. According to him, over four million names had been so injected into voters’ registers nationwide.

These are frightening and worrisome revelations.

Way back in 2003, strange names were found in the voters’ register all over the country with particular attention on Ondo State where the register was found to have contained the names of celebrities like Mike Tyson and Wole Soyinka. In the October 2012 gubernatorial election in the state, additional names were found to have been unlawfully injected into the register and this became a serious issue at the subsequent election petitions tribunal. Indeed the appeal court that reviewed the judgment of the tribunal confirmed that over 100,000 names were capriciously and arbitrarily injected into the register by the INEC. The Electoral Act requires the INEC to display the register at every polling unit for public scrutiny at least 30 days before the election. But in many cases, the INEC had failed to fulfil this vital requirement faithfully. During the 2012 election in Ondo State, the commission only loaded the registers into CDs, which it then released to the political parties just exactly 30 days to the election. Remarkably, there were no printed copies and hence none was displayed for public scrutiny. The Appeal Court declared this to have offended Section 19 of the Electoral Act,

which requires the register to be displayed and Section 20, which requires it to be published. Predictably, the unlawfully injected names went undetected until the day of the election when party agents began to identify the names at the polling units.

With these declarations of the appeal court, it must be worrisome to every lover of the law and democracy that the same court went ahead to uphold an election conducted with a corrupted register even after finding and admitting that the register was corrupted. It was the court that declared in its judgment that INEC had no right to capriciously and arbitrarily add names to the register and that any additional name can only enter the register after due process of review or registration of voters. By upholding the election, it has sent the wrong signals to the public, signals that a party can benefit from its own wrong. To uphold an election as it did amounts to allowing to stand, a house built on an unlawfully acquired piece of land.

For, as the lawyers would say, ‘you cannot build something on nothing’.

Corruption of voters’ registers is a serious matter that portends a grave danger to the nation’s nascent democracy. This could not have been lost on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Jega who demonstrated rare courage by coming out to publicly admit that the works of his own hands are bad and needed to be remedied.

This issue should not be seen as Ondo and Anambra matters alone. Rather, it must be seen as a challenge and a call to all well meaning Nigerians and all political parties to be vigilant and as such, demand as of right, a credible register as a sine qua non for a credible election in the country, particularly as the journey towards 2015 advances.

Unlawful injections are made by people or persons that stand to benefit from the act and hence are almost invariably delib-

erate. To permit such people to get away with such an act is to send signals to other people to do same in future elections. This would then mean that in the future, many versions of the voters’ register will surface during elections and nobody needs to be told the consequences should this happen.

In these days of information technology, INEC should have no excuse at all for producing a corrupted register. For it is very easy and practicable to programme the computer to detect multiple registrations, unlawful injection of names, and the like. That corrupted registers were released at all to the public is a sad commentary on INEC’s ability to act with due diligence. In the future, the commission should take advantage of technology to produce registers that are free from corruption of any form. It also must be noted that unlawful injections are made by human beings and not ghosts and that it is practically impossible for the insertions to be made without the involvement of INEC officials. Prof. Attahiru Jega should therefore cause the unlawful injections to be investigated and the culprits brought to book.

Finally, it is needless to emphasize that the entire machinery of the INEC needs serious overhauling. The entire body politic is flatulent with fumes of corruption and decadence oozing out of the commission. It is extremely worrisome that no INEC staff has been caught let alone prosecuted for committing an electoral offence. Yet the evidence is all over the place that the commission is far from being an angel. Who then will bell the cat?

This country has another date with destiny in 2015. That date is already around the corner, but before negotiating this corner, the INEC has enough time to put its acts together. It must set out immediately to rise up to this challenge. The voters’ register is too important to be toyed with. The nation cannot afford to fail in 2015 and INEC must make sure that it does not, by any act of omission or commission, bring nightmares into the bedrooms of Nigerians in that year.

• Ogunmoyela is a Public Affairs Analyst in Akure.

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Midweek Arts With October 1, Ilara-Mokin joins Nigeria’s filmic map Movie

By Shaibu Husseini HE cast and crew of Kunle Afolayan’s new T film, October 1, are currently working in Ilara-Mokin, a once sleepy town in Ondo, which now boasts of a university and golf course.

Ilara-Mokin is also hometown of the business mogul and Chairman of Toyota Nigeria, Chief Michael Ade Ojo, whom, Afolayan hinted, has approved his company’s partnership so as to ensure a successful experience in the town.

Kunle Ade Ojo, Executive Director of the company, says they will be providing vehicles for use during the making of the movie in addition to hospitality for the cast and crew. It is, perhaps, the first time such an outfit will be lending its support to a core Nollywood production and Afolayan is grateful to the quintessential businessman, illustrious Nigerian and philanthropist Chief Ade Ojo for his interest in the film.

“I have adopted him as my father and Governor Babatunde Fashola as my uncle,” Afolayan said.

Set designer, Pat Nebo (left); Kunle Afolayan; and cinematographer Tunde Chief Ade Ojo (left) and Kunle Afolayan during visit to Ilara Mokin The filmmaker whose third movie Phone Kelani on set of October 1 Swap is about to be released in Europe has commenced shoot of the movie even though he is still far off his projected $2 million budget.

“I have not been able to raise half of that budget. I’m still looking for more money and more partners and support. But camera must roll,” he said.

According to Afolayan, Ilara-Mokin where 70 per cent of the shoot will take place was chosen because the town boasts of the right architecture and ambiance for a historical film.

He also said this gesture of Ade Ojo will save him a lot of money unlike his previous efforts — Irapada, Figurine and Phone Swap — where he had to move cast and crew from one location to another.

“I got a call from him one Monday morning, and by Friday, we were in Ilara-Mokin to see the place and the moment we got there, we found all we wanted there and even more. I mean you need to come and see the sheer size of the university and golf course. I dare say that the golf course and resort is the best in Africa. He is even planning a film village as part of the theatre and film studies programme of the Elizade University. We are working with the university on the proper take off of the project,” Afolayan told newsmen.

Toyota will bring to three the number of major partners that Afolayan have secured so far for the film, which is set prior to Nigeria’s Afolayan (2nd left); Sadiq Daba; Kelani and other members of cast during auditioning independence. Afolayan named the Lagos State Government and top clothier Deola Manuel and Femi Adebayo. movie. But the folks on set now including the will wait until God knows when. So I have to Others are Nick Rhys, David Bailie, Fred crew members are the best of them all and so begin with what has come in so far but we are Sagoe as the other partners in the production Ackerman, Lawrence Stubbings and David far I am not disappointed. I never even get still looking for more money and talking to of October 1.

Lagos State is in for October 1 as part of Reese. The Golden Effect Production regulars because I don’t attach sentiment to my work,” some companies who are showing interest.

Governor Raji Fashola administration’s such as Bose Oshin, Pat Nebo and Yinka he explained.

But we need money to shoot this film, which Edwards are on the project as Production resolve to support the film industry.

Written by the award winning scriptwriter, I’m aiming to premiere at one of the biggest The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Manager, Production Designer and Director Tunde Babalola, who wrote The Michael Power international festival. I want to be the first to Lagos State, Dr. Aderemi Desalu, said the of Photography respectively. film script and The Meeting as directed by put Nigeria’s name on the list of films in comDaba is making a big return to the screen as Mildred Okwo, October 1 is promoted as a psy- petition in any of those festivals. My film state’s involvement is part of its Nollywood Upgrade project that is designed to promote Waziri in October 1. His last major effort on chological thriller detailing the activities of a Figurine was invited to screen at Rotterdam the building of local cinema, build capacity for screen as an actor was when he featured in northern police detective, Dan Waziri who was Film Festival. It was about the first Nigerian the industry and partner filmmakers with the M-net short film project, A Place Called posted to the western region to unravel the film to be invited to screen there. But that is ideas and projects that will portray Lagos and Home. mystery behind a series of female murders in just screening the film. It is a different ball The Kano-born actor, television producer the community. He soon discovers that the game if it is in official competition. I will say Nigeria in positive light. and presenter, who retired from the Nigerian Desalu stated that the state, through the iniprime suspect is Aderopo, the prince of the with all modesty that this is a film that can tiative, would not only promote local cinema Television Authority (NTA) after 35 years of community. compete on the international stage. It will get but will support production of films from meritorious service, said he was happy to be Waziri, however, does not have plenty of time us an Oscar nomination,” he enthused. back on the turf.

“I always tell people who ask script to screen.

Afolayan expressed optimism that October 1 as he is expected to bring the Prince to book The clothier Deola Sagoe will be wearing me that the only thing that can get me back before the Nigerian flag is raised on October 1. will be something totally different from anythree caps on the film project. Not only is she a on the screen as an actor is if I find a very seri- Afolayan said he had to commence shoot of thing he has ever done as a filmmaker. partner, the notable fashion designer will also ous production and a good script. This is the movie because he could no longer tie “We have a good script written by the interbe providing period costumes. The delectable undoubtedly a good script, a good story and down most of the foreign and Nigerian based nationally acclaimed Tunde Babalola. We have clothier will also feature as Funmilayo Kuti, the director is someone who is serious and actors who had other commitments. a good cast and crew and so we are looking at mother of the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti focused. I gave him (Afolayan) my words the “I kept delaying them and pushing shoot for- turning out nothing but the best. I just need moment I read the script.

This is the kind of in the movie. ward because I was looking for a foreign co- the right funds and support in place and I will Sagoe, who said she was excited about the stories we should be telling. Stories that unite producer and I wanted to raise the $2 million give Nigeria and the continent something to film project, will be featuring alongside a us as a people.” budget before I could commence shooting but cheer about for a long time. At least if we must number of notable Nigeria and foreign actors On how he arrived at such a broad based cast, it looks as though I will wait a long time attend a festival next year, lets go there including Sadiq Daba who is best known as a Afolayan said he drew up the list after an because it is difficult to get a mainstream dis- because we have a film showing in or out of broadcaster and as Bitrus in the defunct tele- extensive audition exercise. “We had over tribution deal. It’s a clique thing and you have competition. So, I still need money. We have vision drama series Cock Crow at Dawn, Kayode 2000 people who stormed our office in Ikeja to belong to be able to secure such a deal. Also, not gotten near our 2 million dollars budget ‘Aderupoko’ Olaiya, Kanayo. O. Kanayo, Bimbo to audition for the different characters in the I wanted to secure the budget, but it appears I yet. We need money,” he said.

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Sports Countdown To Brazil 2014 Qualifier

Akide’s Play2Learn holds at Campos Square Stadium

Eagles begin final preparation for Malawi game on Sunday

By Christian Okpara FFICIALS of the Super O Eagles yesterday disclosed that players of the senior national team would start arriving in Calabar from Sunday to begin preparation for their Brazil 2014 World Cup last group game against Malawi on September 7.

The five home-based players and their 18 foreign-based counterparts, retained by Coach Stephen Keshi following the directive from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that the team be trimmed to 23 players Five home-based players and the 18 foreign stars, would be camped at the Transcorp Metropolitan Hotel, an official of the team told The Guardian yesterday.

According to the official, who pleaded anonymity, the home-based players have been directed to arrive in Calabar on Sunday, while the Europe-based stars will join them after this weekend’s game for their clubs.

“We expect a full house by Tuesday because all the teams would have played their games then, but the coaches will start skeletal preparation with the homebased players on Monday.

“The players have all prom-

ised to arrive in the camp on time and we are confident that they will adhere to the time-table set by the coaches,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NFF Director of Competitions, Sanusi Mohammed says the association is committed to creating a conducive condition for the Super Eagles to win their World Cup qualifier against Malawi.

Mohammed said the NFF was not bothered about the antics of the Malawians, but was rather focused at ensuring that the Eagles had all that they needed to succeed.

“As we all know, the Malawians have been talking tough ahead of the encounter, but that is not our focus at the moment as a body.

“All we want at the moment is for our team to go all out and guarantee us a place in the play-off, then we can look ahead from there.

“We are focused on dwelling on how to create conducive playing conditions for our players to thrive in that encounter,” Mohammed said.

He said the NFF was optimistic that the Eagles would overcome the Flames when they meet in Calabar, stressing, “we expect nothing but a victory.”

Lagos International Table Tennis Classics

Knockout stage serves off FTER the conclusion of A the group matches in the junior events in the ongoing Lagos International Table Tennis Classics, the knockout stage of the categories serves off today at Molade OkoyaThomas of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The Nigeria-dominated junior events have 16 boys

competing in the knockout stage, while eight girls will jostle for places in the semifinal stage. The doubles event also starts today.

The large turnout of fans at the venue has added glamour to the competition and the Tournament Director, Ranti Olajide believes this would help to revive the fortune of the game.

CREENING for players for Sproject the Play2Learn, the pet of Super Falcons’ former Captain, Mercy Akide Udoh, will hold at the Campos Square Stadium, Lagos on September 2 and 3, the organisers have said.

The programme is geared towards identifying and recommending talented young girls for football scholarships to the U.S.A. “I want to express my profound appreciation to Enitan Oshodi, the commissioner of Sports in Lagos State for assisting us with the use of the Campos Square Stadium,” said Akide Udoh, the first ever player to be named African Woman Player of the Year.

“What we want to do with Play2Learn is give these talented young girls from poor homes a chance to use their God-given talent to improve their lives and come back home to help their families and others too.

“At the moment, we have 10 scholarships places available, and we hope that as many girls as possible will come out and try to earn Super Eagles’ defender, Azubuike Egwuekwe

Champions League

Sports betting outfit, Bet9ja, spreads tentacles

Celtic accuse rivals, Shakhter of disrespect

a bid to ensure that it ItoNtakes its products closer the consumers, sports

EIL Lennon says claims N by the Shakhter Karagandy coach that they could score two goals at Celtic Park are disrespectful to the Glasgow team.

The Celtic boss says the comments by Viktor Kumykov could work in the Scots’ favour despite the Kazakh champions leading 2-0 from their home leg.

“I think it is very dangerous and it can always come back to bite you,” said Lennon of the perceived confidence.

“This is a two-game tie and it is disrespectful to my team as well.”

Comments attributed to

Kumykov and published in morning newspapers were in stark contrast to his remarks on his squad’s arrival at Glasgow Airport.

He had told BBC Scotland through an interpreter that he believed Celtic remained favourites for the tie.

Lennon says reaching the group stage of the Champions League is motivation enough for his players but thinks the comments attributed to Kumykov can only help his side.

“We know we have to win the game by three goals,” he said. “If they score, we need

to score four, if they score two - according to their manager - then we need to score five.

“I don’t need to motivate my players for tonight. But if they want to keep talking the way they are doing then that’s fine. Looking at the first game in the cold light of day, there is no doubt that we were the better team and created the better chances.

“We have 90 minutes to score two goals. Regardless, we could score the first goal in the 75th minute or 80th minute and that would still give us 10 or 15 minutes to get another one.

Nothing wrong with Okagbare competing in three events at World Championships, says Obajimi

By Eno-Abasi Sunday those claiming that FoverOR Blessing Okagbare was stretched by Team Nigeria at the recently International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Moscow, Russia, when she was entered for three events, a contrary opinion has come from an authority in the practice.

According to IAAF’s lecturer and course instructor, Rotimi Obajimi, it is definitely not out of place to do this as long as the athlete in question has the “ability and capability” to compete, even though he stressed that the schedule of events

must be taken into account.

Obajimi, in an interview with The Guardian said, “if the athlete has the ability and capability of doing three events, it is not unusual for him or her to be registered for these number of event. It is something that Olympic greats like Carl Lewis did in years gone by and Usain Bolt is also doing.

“If Blessing Okagbare is also able to so it, then so be it. However, the only issue I have with this is that if you are going to enter an athlete multiple events, look at the schedule and ensure that the schedule is okay for the affected athlete, so that he/she would be able to handle them without being

stretched too far as that could spell doom.”

Asked if he thought Team Nigeria officials took the schedule into cognizance in Okagbare’s case, Obajimi said, “I would not know if the schedule was in her favour since I was not there and not part of the officials that entered her for the events. But I would say, if you have a very competitive long jump finals, and the semi finals of a very competitive 100m race, then you have to look at it and establish which of the two events should be given priority over the other.

“In our case, if the priority was the long jump, then obviously they got it right

but if the strategy was to maximise the long jump and the 100m, then I think the strategy was not the best. What I would have done if I were to maximise the long jump and the 100m events, would have been to ask her to go out there and see what she was capable of doing in the first two jumps.”

Obajimi continued, “but in her case, she took all six jumps. It takes more than one hour to complete the long jump final and the level of energy expenditure and endurance capacity is very high. This is totally different from the 100m, which takes a maximum of 20 seconds to conclude.

“So the time it would take her to regenerate after the long jump should have been taken so much into consideration so that she would refresh and recover on time to put up a spirited fight in her next big assignment.”

The Ikoyi Club member added, “one thing I would have also done, would have been to take into account, the medical back-up that would put her in shape and ready her for the 100m events. But since I was not there and can’t say what the atmospheric conditions were, I really would not want to dwell much on if the team officials took the schedule into consideration.”

betting company, Bet9ja, plans to open a new outlet in Ikorodu Lagos, even as many others are being planned for other areas in the city.

According to the CEO of Bet9ja, Ayo Ojuroye, “this is to provide our customers with an opportunity for a conducive betting environment. The shops will be opened daily from Monday to Friday with customers giving the chance to take bet in football, horse racing and greyhound.

“We are happy to note that a lot of interest has been generated as a result of the opening of this new outlet. We hope our customers will enjoy our world-class state of the art facilities.”

He disclosed that unlike other betting outlets, Bet9ja offers a unique 200 per cent cash bonus on multiple bets, instant payouts, and customer friendly services, even as he assured that more new outlets would be opened in the next few months to cover other cities soon.

Bet9ja, which started operations six months ago, has created a reputation of paying out instant money to winners. Only last week, it was listed along other top betting companies in the world.

The brand is to be officially unveiled on September 5 in Lagos.

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SPORTS | 59

Ahead Brazil 2014 World Cup Qualifier

Etisalat’s Ajala celebrates, MTN star rues Telecoms Games’ loss

Ejide’s current form, a challenge to Enyeama’s position, says Shorunmu

OLOMON Ajala made histoSGames ry in the Nigeria Telecoms (NTG) when he emerged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in his very first year of playing in the tournament and says his presence was the Talisman that made Etisalat win their very first football gold in the tournament.

Etisalat lost the last two finals to rivals, MTN, even after having beaten the Yellow Boys in the group game of the 2012 edition. But in a twist of fate, Etisalat was beaten 4-0 on the opening day of the 2013 edition by MTN only to reverse the result with a 1-0 win on Sunday to lift the trophy in the presence of their Chairman, Hakeem Bello-Osagie.

“I only joined Etisalat in 2012 and was playing for the first time in their shirts in this tournament,” began Ajala.

“We have never won this trophy, but on our third time of trying our collective dream was realised today,” he enthused.

Ajala still has huge respect for the MTN team that showed the first sign of weakness when they unexpectedly lost to less fancied LM Ericsson in their last group game. That was MTN’s second loss in the history of the tournament following the 2012 loss to Etisalat.

“MTN played very well but I think they were also over-confident coming from the result they got in the group stage.

We played to instruction knowing what they were capable of doing but overall, I was the Talisman, playing for the first time and bringing the luck that saw my team succeed,” Ajala gushed.

“For me it is a dream come true, I thank my team mates, the coach, the supporters and everyone, who contributed to making our campaign in the 2013 NTG a success”.

Tournament’s best midfielder, Ubong Idong of MTN, agreed that they may have under rated Etisalat but admitted they were the better side.

“I am short of words because I find it difficult to believe that a team we walloped 4-0 on the first day have just defeated us to win the trophy. They played very well, their fitness was glaring and we could not match them. It is their determination that killed it for them and I congratulate Etisalat,” he said.

From Ezeocha Nzeh, Abuja Eagles goalkeepers’ SsaysUPER trainer, Ike Shorunmu the current fitness and

Egypt’s Omar Assar is the number one seed at the on-going Lagos International Table Tennis Classics.

Lagos International Table Tennis Classics

Odusanya upsets Ogundele, as Bobocica eyes Assar clash

By Adeyinka Adedipe HE Lagos International T Table Tennis Classics recorded its first upset yesterday when Nigeria’s Bose Odusanya defeated her compatriot, Rashidat Ogundele, who is seeded eight, by 10-12, 7-11, 11-6, 11-1, 9-11.

Despite the loss, Ogundele, who won two gold medals at the last National Sports Festival (NSF), still has a chance of moving to the round of 16, as two players

Udinese FC president commends Amosun’s initiative RESIDENT of Udinese P Football Club of Italy, Giampaolo Pozzo has commended Ogun State Governor’s wife, Olufunso Amosun, for discovering the football talents in youngsters and taking it upon herself to expose them to international opportunities.

Twenty-two talented players of Uplift Football Team discovered during UPLIFTing Under15 Grassroots Football programme organised by the governor’s wife in April 2013 are currently undergoing a twoweek summer football internship at Udinese FC in Italy.

Speaking shorty after meeting with Mrs. Amosun at Udinese Stadio Frivli, located in Udine in Italy, Pozzo described the initiative of the wife of the governor to develop grassroots footballers as a “ g i a n t vision,” which should be sup-

performance of Israelibased keeper, Austin Ejide, will make competition for Nigeria’s number one position more interesting.

Ejide shone like a thousand stars during the Nelson Mandela Challenge in South Africa prompting many followers of the team to ask that he would be given the opportunity to man Nigeria’s post instead of Enyeama.

Shorunmu agrees that Ejide has come of age, adding that his current form would put more pressure on his French-based counterpart, Vincent Enyeama, in the Eagles lineup as the team prepares to resume preparations for the world cup qualifying match against Malawi in Calabar.

Speaking from Ibadan on Monday, Shorunmu said he was pleased and surprised with Ejide’s performance, stressing that he has always shown that he is a competent replacement for Enyeama, emphasising that

the sensitive nature of the department requires competition.

“Certainly, he has not only put Vincent on his toes but also mounted severe pressure on him with his performance. If for no other thing, it would give Vincent the signal that an equally competent person is battle ready to take over his position. The department is so sensitive and demanding that the person chosen must be at his best,” Shorunmu said.

The Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup goalkeeper also defended the invitation of four goalkeepers for the Brazil 2014 qualifier against the Flames of Malawi, stressing, “I was surprised to hear that Nigerians are asking why I invited four goalkeepers.

“We should understand that we have two games to play within the same week. I don’t think the four invited goalkeepers are too much for the games considering the fact that injury or something might stop any of them. With the number of invitees, it would be very easy to get a replacement.”

ported.

“You have taken giant steps and we are ready to make sure that the kids remember their stay in the camp for good. This is a very interesting programme.

“We are interested in developing these kids, we have done it before and we would surely partner with you to do it again even better,” he said.

Responding, Mrs. Amosun appreciated president of Udinese Football Club, expressing her determination to partner with the Italian Serie A club to take the Uplift Football Team to the next level.

Amosun, who accompanied the players to Italy, described the internship as a “fantastic experience” for the Uplift Football Team, saying the programme would expose them to the arts of the round leather game and sharpen their skills.

would qualify from each group. For Odusanya, the win would be a morale-booster and put her in good stead for qualification.

The top seed in the women’s category, Congo Brazzaville’s Han Xing, defeated Nigeria’s Effionwan Ntiero 11-2, 11-5, 11-4 in her opening game yesterday, while Nigeria’s Funke Oshonaike beat her compatriot, Itoro Akpan, 11-0, 11-9, 11-7 to also make a push to the next round.

In the men’s category, top seed, Egypt’s Omar Assar, defeated Mayowa Babatunde of Nigeria 11-7, 11-2, 11-9, while second seed, Italy’s Mihai Bobocica, defeated Emmanuel Joseph of Nigeria 11-2, 11-2, 13-11. Both players are expected to be in the round of 32 draws today.

Nigeria’s top player and

tournament’s third seed, Segun Toriola dispatched compatriot, Ibrahim Yakubu 11-5, 12-10, 11-7, while fourth seed, Aruna Quadri also beat Olufemi Alabi of Nigeria 11-3, 11-8, 11-3. They are also expected to move to the next round of the competition.

Bobocica, who plays for Italian club, Carara, said he was looking for a possible match up with Assar in the final of the competition. He, however, said that he must be careful when he takes on the Nigerian players at the classics.

“My dream is to play in the final, possibly against Assar but it will be very difficult because Nigerian players are very strong and skillful. I have played against Oyebode but not against Toriola and Aruna, so when I meet any of

them, I must be careful because they also have the support of the home fans,” Bobocica, ranked 89 in the world, stated.

Assar said he was not in the classics because of the prize money, but to get close to African players and show the people what he can do. The 22year-old, who said he was

happy to be the highestranked African player in the world, stated that he was ready to break new grounds.

“It is a very good experience for me to be in Nigeria because this is my first time. I admire the people as well as the organisation of the tournament and I wish I could come here every year.

Aspire top 50 players selection begins today INE scouts from around N the world under the aegis of the Aspire Sports Academy

Tamunokury Barasinpriri, Emmanuel Ita Assuquo, Emmanuel Effiong, Agiboro based in Doha, the United Samuel, Martins Grenewei, Arab Emirates (UAE), will Shedrach Okere, Salomon today commence the selec- Osama, Abdullahi Bukar, tion process for top 50 kids Abdullahi Abdulhaakeem and from across a 100 fields Chibueza Chukwu. around Nigeria at the Legacy Others include Gideon pitch of the National Stadium, Manaseh, Odoh Gozie, Sanni Lagos.

Jamiu, Okoromi David, Among those selected are Akimola Olalekan, Peter Ademo, Adedamola Gbadebo, Fatumoju Emmanuel, Akintade Olakunle and Ugah Clement.

Also included in the list are Jegede Ayobami, Michael Odubote, Oriyomi Ogunsola, Salaudeen Damilare, Oluwasegun Sanusi, Ishola Abiodun, Olasunkanmi Adewoye, Adam Rasheed, Makinde Shola, Ferranmi Ogundele, Okeyinka Opeyemi, Benedict Benjamin, Abass Shehu, Jengram Jude and Sani Emmanuel.

The young boys would have to be at their best if they must make the final three that would make it to Aspire Football Academy based in Doha. The President, Udinese FC, Giampaolo Pozzo (left) and Ogun State Governor’s wife, Olufunso Amosun, with the event ends on Saturday.

Uplift Football Team currently on a two-week internship programme in Italy.

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CricketWeekly

Ricky Sharma (right) attempts a stumping as Onwuzurike watches with keen interest during the Jersey 2013 WCL Division Six Championship.

PHOTO: CRICKETEUROPE.

NCF wants Malaysia to host WCL Division Five Championship, says Egwuatu

By Christian Okpara ECHNICAL Adviser of the T Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Olisa Egwuatu says the federation wants the World Cricket League (WCL) Division Five Championship to be played in Malaysia instead of Guernsey.

Egwuatu, whose team against all odds qualified for the Division Five from the Division Six Championship at the play-off in Jersey last month, says that Malaysia would give all the teams in the competition equal opportunity unlike Guernsey or Jersey.

“We want the Division Five Championship to be played in Malaysia because it will favour us. If we play in Guernsey, Jersey and Guernsey will have the advantage over other teams because they are at

home. Their players play in England and thus will also have the English support.

“But if it is in Malaysia, which is very hot during the period, we can go to Dubai to train ahead of the championship.

We fancy our chances in Malaysia because there the advantage would be only for Malaysia, while all others would be on equal footing,” he said.

Egwuatu revealed that all the teams in Division Five Championship have the opportunity to host the championship, adding, however, that Nigeria cannot host it now because “we do not have the facilities.”

He believes that just as was the case in Jersey, Nigeria could be among the best tow in the Division Five if the began preparation for the

championship on time.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have the resources to call the team to camp immediately.

So, we will still depend on our players in England until we are ready with the funds to begin our programme,” he said.

Egwuatu, who is saddened by the attitude of the National Sports Commission (NSC) to cricket, believes it would be in the country’s interest if the NSC came to the game’s rescue.

“We are going to Malaysia as underdogs, but we have the same chance as other teams. I must say that if the players got the kind of support they had before the Division Six championship, they would do us proud again. That is why we need the support of the NSC to prepare well.

Ashes 2013: Andy Flower wants change to bad light rules They were in sight of sealing with the ICC and called the NGLAND Coach, Andy E “unacceptable.”

Flower has called for a their first 4-0 win in a home rules “It’s totally unsatisfactory,” change to bad-light regula- Ashes series when the umpires tions after his side missed out on a dramatic win in the final Ashes Test on Sunday.

Chasing 227, England were 21 runs short of their target with four overs remaining when bad light forced the players off the field at The Oval.

Flower said the International Cricket Council needed to amend its rules.

“In my opinion, it should be whether the contest between bat and ball is reasonable and fair,” he said.

Australia Captain, Michael Clarke had declared his side’s second innings on 111-6 in a bid to force a result.

Having been criticised for their slow batting in the first innings, England quickly set about reaching their target, helped by Kevin Pietersen’s quick-fire 62 and 59 from Jonathan Trott.

took the players from the field, much to the displeasure of those at the ground.

“Where I think the ICC could improve the regulations - and we have spoken with their officials about this for years - is the description that they use when judging bad light,” said Flower.

“They say they consider if it is dangerous or not. It is often not dangerous; it’s a poor description of that particular regulation.

“If there are spinners bowling, under their regulations at the moment it almost means you could play until it is dark because it’s obviously not dangerous. They do need to change the regulations.

Cricket will be better for it.”

ECB Chairman, Giles Clarke echoed Flower’s comments, vowed to take the matter up

Clarke told BBC Radio 5 live.

“We’ve had a magnificent match and I’m afraid to say the rules are clearly completely unacceptable.”

He said David Richardson, the ICC’s chief executive officer, should have addressed the issue long before Sunday’s incident and added that he expected the ICC to act at its next board meeting in October.

When asked if he would be making a representation to the ICC, Clarke added, “I’ll be doing a little bit more than that.”

Flower also took the opportunity to quash speculation about his future as coach of England’s Test side when he spoke to media on Monday, having stepped down as oneday and Twenty20 coach last year,

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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Conscience, Nurtured by Truth

By Okechukwu Emeh Jr HE human population is increasing at a terrifyT ing rate, alas raising the spectre of a growing mismatch between human beings and available resources – as feared by well-known overpopulation alarmists like Thomas Malthus, Alvin Tofler, Bob McNamara and Prof. Paul Kennedy.

According to the recent report of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), the number of people living on the planet Earth has reached seven billion.

This explosion in population is not unexpected.

Of course, research findings have indicated that there has been a remarkable doubling of world population since 1950, with about a million people being added to the planet every week, 90 million per year and one billion each decade. The UNPF once estimated that by 2025, nearly nine billion people would live on the Earth and 10-14 billion by 2050. This rise in population will not occur evenly across the universe, as 95 per cent of the predicted doubling will take place in developing regions of the South, especially in countries of Africa such as Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya and Rwanda.

Although fertility rates are spiraling down in recent years in Latin America and Asia, China (despite its “One Couple, One Child” policy at home and abroad) and India will remain in the forefront among the developing world where fast population growth will be most concentrated.

Currently, the demographic figure of each of these two Asian countries, which are undergoing amazing economic and industrial transformation, is in the gargantuan region of more than a billion people. By contrast, in most richer nations of the developed world (especially Europe and South Pacific), the populations are either slowgrowing, aging or even in total decline, as seen mostly in Italy, France, Australia and Japan. This is unlike most poor countries, where populations (mainly young people) are growing in leaps and bounds and capital, infrastructure, research and development (R & D), educational and health care systems are collapsing and natural resources are being depleted most rapidly.

The long-term consequences of such a demographic boom in developing countries cannot be ignored. For one, this could have repercussions for cities, people, the environment and its ecosystems, food security, available economic resources, infrastructure, social services and law and order.

For example, urbanisation in cities will exacerbate all of the problems associated with high population density, producing miserable living conditions for the vast majority of the inhabitants by putting a burden on the already inadequate or non-existent housing, sanitation, transportation, food distribution and communication systems.

Moreover, a dramatic increase in consumption, along with economic pressures, in most poor countries will place near-fatal stress on their endangered environment. As one development analyst, Lester Brown, observed: “Throughout our lifetimes, economic trends have shaped environmental trends, often altering the Earth’s natural resources and systems in ways not obvious at the time.”

Disturbingly capturing the deterioration in natural systems in many countries today, particularly those in the developing world, are dangerous developments like shrinking forests, expanding deserts, drying rivers, croplands that are losing topsoil, continuous depletion of stratospheric ozone layer, larger accumulation of greenhouse gases, diminishing of the number of rare plant and animal species, health threatening levels of pollution in many cities and damage from acid rain and climate change and the resultant global warming.

In view of the clear lopsidedness of the Earth’s population surge, one of the main challenges facing the international community today is how to prevent the fault line between the developed and developing countries from erupting into a worldshaking crisis. Alongside this is the economic gap between the rich and the poor, which are widening between and within countries. Reversing the ugly trend of two worlds of developed and developing countries and the haves and the have nots is imperative because as the Nobel scientist from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dr. Henry Kendall, warned: “If we fail to stabilise population with justice, humanity and mercy, then it will be done for us by nature, and it will be done brutally and without pity.”

Justifying this apocalyptic fear about the ecological hazards of demographic explosion is the connection of carbon gas emissions from the industrialised world with climate change. Added to this is the causal relationship between global environmental crisis and mass poverty in developing countries – as people are often forced by economic factors to over-exploit their natural resources base.

Thus, worsening poverty in most developing countries should now be seen as being more than

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Matters arising from population explosion a moral issue. Failure to urgently respond through an all-out assault on this socio-economic monster will not only dent the history of our age, but will also portend a possible destruction of much of our biosphere. This is because when the poor in developing countries destroy the ecosystems in a desperate bid to survive, they are not the only ones that would suffer the consequences, the rich in the economically advanced societies, who are immutably bonded to the fate of the dispossessed through the land, water and air in an ecologically endangered universe, would also bear the brunt.

The violent lurches of natural disasters prompted in recent years by climate change (including hurricane, tornado, tsunami and flooding) in many countries across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific have shown the potentials of man’s interference with nature is one part of the world to wreak havoc of unimaginable proportions somewhere.

Propelling fears about the ominous socio-political implications of a swift – growing population in the developing world, amid dwindling natural resources and economic opportunities, are political instability and civil strife in some of the member states like Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Such turbulent reactions have not only led to heavy loss of lives and property and threatened economic stability in the affected countries, but also security of the developed world through massive influx of refugees, illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, some of whom partake in organised crimes like drug peddling, advance fee fraud, human trafficking, prostitution and even terrorism.

Acutely aware of the high stake of ignoring the bewildering crises in developing countries, several international statesmen have warned about the dangers of such inaction and apathy from the developed world. For example, Kofi Annan, former United Nations SecretaryGeneral, had voiced concern, in the aftermath of the devastating September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S, that grave situations of abject poverty and underdevelopment in developing countries could present a real threat to global peace and security. Also, former Prime Minister, Tony Blair of Britain had warned, during an international conference on Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on October 7, 2004, that failure by the world community to take urgent and firm action to help developing regions like Africa escape poverty, misery and instability would adversely affect the global system by creating weak or failed states like Somalia, which could contribute to international terrorism.

In the light of such emerging fearful trends, the developed world cannot afford to continue standing with hands akimbo and watch as the dismal situations in the so-called Third World countries worsen. Therefore, affluent national

Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), Festus Odimegwu societies in Europe, North America and South Pacific are implored to contribute their quota in efforts to address the causative factors behind the crises in developing countries.

Particularly notable are exogenous factors that have become the rallying point for the anti-capitalist, anti-globalisation movements, which have grown since the 1990s. These include global imbalances (as observed in marginalisation of developing countries in globalisation and globalised economy), widening gap in per capita income, debt crisis, under pricing of commodity products, harsh and unfair policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), flouting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s protocol on free and fair trade by industrialised countries (especially the U.S, Europe Union states and Japan) and hesitancy of such countries to concede to the demands of the developing world for technology transfers and increased inflows of development aid and investments. Admittedly, reversing these vexed issues has been the agenda of the New International Economic Order (NIEO), as being championed by developing countries since the 1970s and proudly supported by

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Western leaders with the spirit of international humanitarianism and solidarity like Willy Brandt and Konrad Adeneur of Germany and Jim Callaghan of Britain. In this post-modernist era, the demands of developing countries from the industrialised world would include sharing the opportunities of knowledge society, as driven by information and communications technologies (ICTs) and bio-technology.

Coming back to the issue of fast growing population in the developing world, especially Africa, this can be a two-edged sword depending on how it is handled. If well managed, this could not constitute a tinderbox, especially if the affected countries could match it with productivity, as China and India have done, using their fast demographic increase as an alchemy for catalyzing economic growth and development by investing in agriculture and industrial production for both self-sustenance and export.

Interestingly, several African countries that have witnessed fast population growth in recent years have been able to turn it to good account.

For example, the Paul Kagame-led Rwanda has utilised its expanding population as veritable resources for massive coffee production as a reliable means of foreign exchange earnings, as well as ICTs for capacity and institutional building.

For Nigeria, as the most populous country in Africa (now with a population of 168 million) and the seventh largest in the world, the challenge facing it is how to make optimal use of its abundant human resources – which is the highest asset any country can be endowed with – to accelerate economic growth and national development. This calls for urgent divestment from petroleum crude that has become an albatross around the neck of the country in attempts to diversify its economy. Thus, there is an overarching need for significant commitment by the Nigerian government to invest in human capital (knowledge and skills), agriculture, tourism, solid minerals, manufacturing and technologies, using our huge human resources. For sure, petro-dollar economy will not take us anywhere in the light of fluctuating international price of petroleum crude and the new global economy marked by emerging alternative energy sources, including bio-fuel.

However, to be successful in stemming geometric population growth in developing countries, a number of confidence-building measures should be considered. One, women, as members of the gender that becomes pregnant and bears children, should be educated and empowered to enable them participate in the decisions about family size. Two, family planning services and information should be made available so that women would have some control over their fertility, including spacing of pregnancies, in order to be better able to care for their families.

Three, mindful that one of the major reasons for large families in most developing countries is the uncertainty that children will live through disease and hunger, confidence should be restored to parents that their children will survive. And four, aggressive effort should be made to reduce the escalating rate of accidental birth or unplanned pregnancies among women, especially teenage girls - but this is not supporting abortion, a wicked measure the late Pope John Paul II condemned as “the cemetery of the victims of human cruelty in our century.”

It is impossible to conclude without adding that the greatest challenge facing developing countries in a world of seven billion people is how to take audacious steps towards achieving economic growth with low inequality. To achieve this, as witnessed in the top-ranking economies of North America, Europe, Japan and South-East Asia, developing countries must invest first in education, skills, health care, agriculture and small and medium industries, while keeping the income gap between the rich and the poor from growing too wide. This will also require pursuit of equitable pattern of growth that will translate the benefits of economic expansion into the lives of the average citizen through access to economic opportunities, in terms of jobs, social welfare and infrastructure and social services.

Of course, growth with equity is a manifestation of the lofty ideals of inclusion, social justice and equal opportunity, of people coming out of poverty to share in the world’s wealth and of becoming well-provided members of a political society. Certainly, as the world population increases, the defining concerns of international discourse in this century will revolve around the quest for growth with equity – equity among countries, equity within countries and equity between genders. Equity for future generations, through protecting the environment in which they must also live, is necessarily an integral part of the development agenda.

Emeh is a public affairs analyst in Abuja.

08036895746, okemehjr@yahoo.com