August 10, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

•CBN directs banks to prioritise forex for fees, others P6 •Petition: Oloyede unfit to be a judge, says Aregbesola P4 •Ex-officers back Buhari’s counter-insurgency tactics P5 •FIRS collects N2.37 trillion revenue in six months P25 •Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3302 MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

NEWS Page 9

•www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Govt opens Treasury Single Account for NNPC, FIRS, Customs, others

Alleged forgery: Suit ‘meant to shield Ekweremadu, others’ From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

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HE suit seeking to stop investigation of the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 by the police is intended to shield Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and other officials of the Senate from probe, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) said at the weekend.

Ekweremadu and some senior officials of the Senate have been at the centre of police investigation into the secret alteration of some provisions of the 2011 Senate Standing Orders used by senators on their first sitting on June 9 as the Senate Standing Orders 2015 (amended).

Continued on page 4

Six suspects arrested for soldiers’ killing

•Police chief Arase

LL monies accruing to the Federal Government will henceforth be remitted into a Treasury Single Account (TSA), it was learnt yesterday.

Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who broke the news in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Laolu Akande, said President Muhammadu Buhari directed all Ministries, De-

From Austine Ehikioya, Abuja

partments and Agencies (MDAs) to be paying into the TSA all government revenues, incomes and other receipts.

The MDAs include: Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Security and Exchange Commission (SEC); Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC); Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Na-

tional Communications Commission (NCC); Federal Aviation Authority (FAAN) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Others are: Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC); Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC); Continued on page 4

•INSIDE: HOW CORRUPTION, LEADERSHIP HAMPER NDLEA’S DRUG WAR (3) PAGES 2&3

Buhari to Jonathan: looted funds must be returned Abdulsalami facilitates parley

11 in race to succeed Jega

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From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

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ORMER Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar facilitated President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Thursday night’s meeting at the Villa was at the instance of the 2015 Elections Peace Committee, following complaints by Jonathan that the President was not sticking to the peace accord they signed.

Jonathan also sought for understanding on alleged corrupt practices and mismanagement of funds under his administration, it was learnt.

A source said Jonathan claimed that he was hearing about some of the graft allegations for the first time.

But Buhari was said to have insisted that all looted funds must be returned to the nation’s coffers.

He also restated his pledge that Jonathan had nothing to fear at all, according to a source who pleaded not to be named because of the “sensitivity” of the matter.

The outcome of the session was said to have informed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s declaration at the weekend that the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption battle was not targeted at Jonathan.

According to the source, the parley was arContinued on page 4

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WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS EVER RETURN?

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For some weeks, Jonathan has been in the country to iron out some issues on his government

•President Buhari

•Dr. Jonathan

SOME OF THE ISSUES •Probe of $2.1 billion illegal withdrawal from ECA •Whereabouts of N4b NLNG taxes and dividends •How NNPC spent N3.8tr in three years •Likely trials of some ex-ministers, others

HO will be the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman?

The question became more pertinent at the weekend, with more officials leaving the agency.

Of the 13 National Commissioners, only four, including the Acting National Chairman, Mrs. Amina Zakari, remain in office.

But of the four, two (Mr. Chris Iyimoga and Amb. Mohammad Ahmad Wali) will complete their five-year tenure today.

Zakari and Nwuruku will be left to run the commission.

Also, about six of the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) have finished their terms of office.

The development has heightened the lobbying for the commission’s chairman.

The Presidency is shopping for credible candidates as INEC chairman and RECs. No fewer than 10 candidates are jostling to be chairman.

Some of those being speculated are: Mrs. Zakari; two former National Commissioners (Lai Olurode and Nuru Yakubu); the Director-General of INEC Electoral Institute, Prof. Abubakar Momoh; Mr. Festus Okoye ( a human rights activist); Mr. Mike Igini and three unnamed candidates.

A retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais, who was the chairman

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

of an Electoral Reform Committee raised by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, has been suggested for the job, but there is a snag: his age.

The top contender for the coveted seat is Mrs. Zakari, a princess of Hadejia, Kano State in the Northwest.

Besides coming from the same geopolitical zone with Jega, Mrs. Zakari is the first woman vying for the Chief Electoral Officer.

It was gathered that there were issues on whether or not the President should appoint the INEC chairman from the North or the South.

The last occupant of the office, Prof. Attahiru Jega, came from Kebbi State in the Northwest.

The North-South dichotoContinued on page 4

’ •POLITICS P17 •SPORTS P24 •JOBS P35 •CEO P37 •MOTORING P39 •FOREIGN P56 •Prof. Jega

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

2

NEWS

How corruption, In this concluding part of the series on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Assistant Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF, who has watched the agency for more than two years, examines how light sentences, poor funding and others have contributed to robbing operatives of the teeth to properly bite drug barons and couriers

I • From left: President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Alhaji Aderemi Bello, former Trade & Industry Minister, Chief Nike Akande, Executive Director, Shared Services, Fidelity Bank Plc., Mrs. Chijioke Ugochukwu and Divisional Head & General Manager, Managed SME, Fidelity Bank Plc., Mr. Ken Opara receiving the LCCI Commerce & Industry Award for the SME Bank of the year 2015 in Lagos ...at the weekend.

•From left: Deputy Managing Director, GMT Nigeria Ltd; Martin Thomle, Executive Director, business banking, Access Bank Plc; Titi Osuntoki ,GMD/CEO, Access Bank Plc; Herbert Wigwe, Group Head, Global Trade, Access Bank Plc, Banjo Adegbohungbe, and Chief Financial Officer, GMT Nigeria Ltd, Tim Maguire during the official launch of Finance & Logistics Worldwide Scheme (FLOWS) by Access Bank Plc in Lagos... at the weekend.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

•From left: Field Sales Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. David Daniel, MD/CEO, Gift Investment Limited, Mrs. Ogechukwu Mbazurike, Product Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Femi Ajala and Divisional Manager (East), Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Olugbenga Olayemi during Fidson Healthcare Plc’s Retail Reward Programme in Onitsha... at the weekend.

•From left: Vice Chairman, Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind (FNSB) ,Mrs. Sade Adefisayo, member, Executive Council, Chief Olu Falomo, Student of the Vocational Training Centre(VTC), Mr Darlington Madunemeh and Chairman, Mr Fola Osibo at the 10th White Cane Day event tagged ''fitness walk for sight'' in Lagos.

N February, last year, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Lagos, was livid with rage. Reason: men who are supposed to ensure drug couriers and barons get maximum punishment now conspire to help them escape with light sentences.

The judge openly accused Abu Mohammed, an NDLEA prosecutor, of conspiring with the defence lawyer, Benson Ndakara, to frustrate a drug case. The accused in the matter, Emmanuel Obiora, was eventually sentenced to five years imprisonment for importing 8.270kg of cocaine from Pakistan and for offering same for sale in Nigeria.

A furious Justice Abang indicted both Mohammed and Ndakara of conspiring to conceal vital evidence to help the convict to escape justice.

While delivering his judgment, the judge said his court would never be part of such unwholesome conduct.

He then convicted and sentenced Obiora to five years imprisonment for dealing in prohibited drugs and concealing the genuine origin of the N14 million proceeds of the alleged crime, ordering that the five-year jail terms for each of the four counts should run concurrently. He also ordered that the N14 million proceeds of the crime be forfeited to the government.

The judge, who relied on circumstantial evidence to convict Obiora, accused both the prosecuting and defence lawyers of colluding to help the convict to escape justice by withholding vital evidence in the case.

According to Abang, the prosecuting counsel “for the reason best known to him” refused to tender the full voluntary statement in which the convict was said to have confessed to the crime, adding that: “The written address filed by the learned prosecuting counsel was of no help to the court. If I order investigation into this matter, heads will roll.”

He said in addition to the refusal of the prosecuting counsel to tender the full statement of the accused, the lawyer also refused to corroborate the evidence of the fifth prosecution witness, Idris Zakari. According to him, Zakari had testified that the convict confessed to him and also wrote a statement to that effect on June 29, 2009, the day after he was arrested.

“Learned counsel for the prosecution kept mute in his written address that the accused made a confessional statement. Whose interest is the learned counsel for the prosecution serving? Is he serving the interest of the prosecution, or justice? Or is he serving the interest of the accused person to escape justice? The attitude of the learned counsel for the prosecution is most unfair to the court and to the administration of criminal justice system,” he said.

He was also bitter that Ndakara, also in his written address, pretended as if his client had not confessed to the crime.

The judge said: “Is it that the learned counsel for the prosecution and the learned counsel for the accused colluded to frustrate justice? Is it that they colluded so that the accused can go away to enjoy the N14 million which he illegally procured?

With regard to the unchallenged evidence of PW5 and the evidence contained in Exhibit E1 (a portion of the accused person’s statement tendered by the prosecution), it is my humble view that the accused person con-

spired with Sam Egunibe to import 8.270kg of cocaine from Pakistan to Nigeria.”

The judge’s anger makes more sense when put in a wider context.

For the records, part II (fourth schedule) of NDLEA Act, which specifies offences and punishments, says anyone who “imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to an imprisonment for life.”

The same imprisonment term applies if anyone “exports, transports or otherwise traffics in the drugs otherwise known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs”.

A life sentence equally awaits any suspect who”sells, buys, exposes or offers for sale or otherwise deals in or with drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs.”

It is only those who knowingly possess or use the drugs mentioned earlier by smoking, inhaling or injecting that are liable on conviction to an imprisonment term not less than 15 years but not exceeding 25 years.

However, as shown in Obiora’s case, most of the convictions secured

by NDLEA hardly follow stipulated punishments.

This is possible because some prosecutors do help the accused to doctor confessional statements for a fee. If a deal is struck, an incriminating statement can be swapped for a less indicting one, ranging from N200,000 to N300,000, depending on the weight of the issues involved and desperation exhibited by the defence team. It is said to be a cartel existing within the NDLEA, courts and the prison system. That is what made it possible for 197 convicts to refuse to serve their jail terms - 101 in 2005 and 96 in 2006 (see tables on convicts that evaded jail terms). Justice Gilbert Obayan panel report, which detailed how the cartel works and suggested how the agency can be reformed, was frustrated by the same cartel. The report was submitted to the government in 2007, leaving it to gather dust while the agency stinks in malfeasance. Giade, in a past interview with this newspaper, said events had overtaken the report.

Of 123 convictions NDLEA secured at the Federal High Court Lagos in 2014, made up of 117 men and 9 women, sentences ranged from one day to 15 years for various drug offences. Justice Musa Kurya sentenced a pregnant woman, Kudirat Bello, to one day imprisonment for possessing 33.3kg of cannabis, while 38-year-old Obinna Okeke was sentenced to 15 years with hard labour by Justice M. D. Idris for possession of 3kg of cannabis. Lanre Salami, who was arrested at Oshodi, lied to the court that he was 15 years old. The court later discovered that he was actually 17 years old. He was sentenced to 10 years for unlawful dealing in 400 grammes of cannabis. Salisu Usman, 42, was apprehended at Iddo Motor Park on his way to Zamfara, his home State with 47kg of diazepam. He was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Besides the evil of light sentences, there are ways that NDLEA operatives have devised to make life easy for drug suspects by helping them to get away with their heinous crimes.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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NEWS

, leadership hamper NDLEA’s drug war (3)

•20,949.411kg of drugs being set ablaze in Kano by officials

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Learned counsel for the prosecution kept mute in his written address that the accused made a confessional statement.

Whose interest is the learned counsel for the prosecution serving? Is he serving the interest of the prosecution, or justice?

•Giade

It is a cartel that operates within the agency and the courts, sometimes involving the prisons. It works using the power of bribe, blackmail and barefaced threats.

In 2012, it became so irritating at a point that Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, had to voice out his frustration. The learned judge was incensed that hundreds of accused drug criminals granted bail on liberal terms had jumped bail, a situation that cut across several other courts. The judge, clearly frustrated with the situation, scolded the NDLEA in court, sometimes having to issue several orders to the agency to re-arrest suspects.

One tactics is to advise drug dealers to contract special defence lawyers, since big names among lawyers know the judges who are favourable and those that are tough, using some court officials to manipulate and make sure that their client’s case is assigned to a court that can play ball.

That is why some judges grant bail to the suspects on liberal terms, with the stipulation that the NDLEA must verify the sureties.

Yet the job of verifying sureties is done by the same set of people who will endorse any arrangement made by the defence lawyers – all done within the NDLEA. Unknown to the unsuspecting public, this seemingly harmless arrangement facilitates drug business in country. Having realised that Justice Buba’s no-nonsense stance is frustrating their unholy deals, drug suspects do everything they can to avoid his court.

Poor funding, logistics undermine operations For a federal agency that is saddled with a mandate that touches on overall national security and public health, it is the shame of a nation that NDLEA is lacking in operational tools, logistics and equipment to discharge its functions effectively and efficiently.

In most of its commands, the agency does not have operational vehicles, with only lucky commands that get the state governments to donate one or two vehicles to cover several local

•165kg cocaine hidden in tiles seized at Tincan Port

government areas. And if it is unacceptable that many state commands of this all-important national agency exist only in names, the zonal commands do not fare any better. As a matter of fact, only fortunate state commands occupy unfurnished edifices left behind by the defunct Social Democratic Party or National Republican Party, built during the illfated transition programme of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida regime. Not only is it regrettable that the agency that was established over twenty years ago still remains ad hoc without any permanent structure at any of its state commands, the national headquarters of the agency in Lagos is sheltered in a place abandoned by the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA). Other sister paramilitary agencies established around the same time or even after NDLEA have since put up permanent office headquarters in Abuja.

But the problems go beyond lack of suitable office and residential accommodation, a luxury enjoyed by other paramilitary agencies in the country. For a fact, NDLEA, an agency that is expected to police and apprehend moneyed criminals, cannot afford official vehicles for most of its state commanders, who are equivalent of Commissioners of Police. What that means is that any state commander who cannot afford a personal car has to go on official duties on motorcycles, or find other avenues to make ends meet. Some senior officers also told The Nation that the agency denies them of common logistics such as chemicals to fumigate cannabis plantations whenever they embark on destruction operations of cannabis farmlands in densely packed forests. That is why it is not uncommon for NDLEA operatives to carry ordinary cutlasses and walk several kilometers in the forests to locate illegal farms, as most activities in the agency are being done manually in today’s increasingly modern world. It is also lacking life jackets, helmets, hand and leg cuffs, as well as firearms superior to the ones being used by barons – thus exposing

the operatives to dangers that regularly claim their lives.

Also, at the state commands, operations are hamstrung by paucity of funds, forcing some state commanders to depend on handouts from all sources. According to some state commanders, what goes to each state command on a monthly basis is in the neighbourhood of N100, 000.00 (one hundred thousand naira) for the running of the entire command, which is said to be irregular. From this meager imprest, vehicles, buildings and other operational activities are maintained, including fuelling of vehicles and generators. And to make matters worse, some senior officers confided in The Nation that any state commander that wants to remain in the good book of Giade must make substantial returns on arrests, drug seizures and prosecution, failing which the commander is punished with either removal or being sidelined or both. Ofoyeju vehemently denied this allegation against his boss, saying incorruptibility is one of Giade’s selling points.

But the management may not be directly responsible for the dearth of fund crisis that has been hitting the agency over the years. As if Nigeria is oblivious of the national security and public health implications of the war against illicit drugs, it hardly provides enough capital to prosecute the gargantuan responsibility of drug policing and control, putting severe pressure on operational and capital projects in the agency.

“Funding of the agency, especially for operations and capital projects, has not been encouraging over the years and indeed a far cry from what the agency requires to carry its functions effectively and efficiently, as well as to sustain its modest achievements.

With the perpetual dearth of funds, the management of the agency continually contends with serious challenges of prompt payment of expenses incurred by the personnel for official assignments. The continued accumulation of these claims has remained one of the most serious challenges to the agency’s operations,” said the 2014 NDLEA Annual Report.

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In more specific terms, with a staff strength of 5,150 in 2013, NDLEA was given a paltry N65,608,787 as capital expenditure, N536,293,912 as overhead cost and N6,067,598,587 as personnel cost to run its 49 formations across the country. But a worse financial quagmire handcuffed the agency in 2014, for out of N562,483,887 appropriated for NDLEA’s day-to-day operational activities, only 67.11 per cent was released. That same year, out of N183,399,762 appropriated for capital projects, a mere 37.8 per cent was released, thus crashing expectations on several contracts awarded that could not be backed with cash.

In fact, it was so bad that by the time government was constrained to give N1billion lifeline called intervention fund to the agency in 2014, the chunk of it was gulped by payment of accumulated burial expenses for deceased officers, duty tour allowances, medical allowances for officers, and other staff claims. Even in 2012, funding for the agency did not fare any better. It took N100,000,000 for capital expenditure, N630,228503 for overhead cost, and 8,880,969,451 for personnel cost; just as it was given N61,282,731 for capital expenditure, N633,008,502 for overhead cost and 7,096,260,039 for personnel cost in 2011. By the 2010 when the agency’s overall staff strength was 3,332, it received N361,058,277 for capital expenses, N523,300,000 for overhead cost, and N5,828,168,363 for personnel cost.

And with a workforce of 3,405 in 2009, NDLEA got N160,000,000 for capital expenses, N343,000,000 as overhead cost and N4,117,358,361 as personnel cost. As one officer put it last week, the agency is not the only loser; it is the war on narcotics whose proliferation is killing the country.

One drug agent to over 30,000 Nigerians Unless more hands are urgently engaged, it is sheer mirage to expect wonders from NDLEA as it is currently staffed and constituted. Perhaps as a result of lack of foresight on the part of successive leadership of the agency, the war against illicit

drug has been hampered by grossly inadequate manpower, which is not unknown to those at its helm of affairs. With a staff strength of slightly over 5,000, NDLEA is left with the precariousness of one drug agent to more than 34,000 Nigerians (using 173million estimate). According Femi Ajayi, former NDLEA DG, the agency needs at least 15,000 more hands to be able to do its work effectively.

Unfortunately, the last time the agency recruited about 2,000 people four years ago, it was allegedly mired in fraud. Each of 450,000 unemployed Nigerians was made to pay N1,500, amounting to N675,000,000 to write the test. However, by the time recruitment was carried out, most of the lucky applicants were chosen without any recourse to merit or federal character principle. In a memo sent to the Senate committee on narcotics in February 2013, it was alleged that more than 20 per cent of those given the job did not apply at all, with more successful candidates from Bauchi where Giade hails from. For upward of three years, NDLEA deploy these recruits without training and arm them, blaming it on lack of fund. The petitioners asked, “Why were they not trained with the huge money expropriated from the over 450,000 applicants? How much does Ahmadu Giade actually need to train these men? What has he done with the over half a Billion naira that he made?

Where is it? Did he pay the money into the federation account or such similar account of government? Is the Federal Government now taxing unemployed youths of Nigeria rather than give them job?”

One agency, two political appointees For inexplicable reasons, the law setting up the agency has saddled it with a multiplicity of albatross right from inception. By its structure, the National Chairman of NDLEA is the Chief Executive and also Chairman of its board – an anomaly which insiders say has been breeding mediocrity, ineptitude, high-handedness, lack of respect for rules and regulations and absence of transparency in the agency over the years. In essence, the NDLEA Chief Executive who directs affairs is also the one who supervises the activities of the agency.

As one senior officer recently mocked the agency, not only does every holder of the office run the place like his personal fiefdom, sycophancy walks on all fours in the agency, prompting serving officers to continue to write petitions against the leadership after the system has failed to address their grievances adequately.

That is just a tip of the iceberg. Unlike all other paramilitary organizations in the country, NDLEA is piloted by two political appointees – a queer arrangement that is moneyguzzling. Apart from Chairman/ Chief Executive who exercises executive powers, the government is also empowered to appoint somebody as Director General who is expected to head the secretariat where there is none. Yet NDLEA, as an organisation, has its own senior officer who is a Director in charge of Administrations. What this means is that public fund is expended on two political appointees in one agency, since both the Chairman who is the chief accounting officer of the agency and the Director General who heads a nonexistent secretariat are on consolidated salaries. Even in the Nigerian Army where there is an Army secretary, it is an Army officer who is appointed, not a political appointee from outside. “Whenever any DG comes, he or she usually keeps quiet and makes his or her money because they are outsiders who know noth•Continued on page 47

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

NEWS

•Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), his Deputy, Dr. Oluranti Adebule (third right) with the India High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Ajjampur Rangaih Ghanashyam (third left), Head, Office of High Commission of India, Lagos, Mr. Jagdeep Kapoor (second left), son of the High Commissioner, Mr. Aniket Ghanashyam (left), Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello (second right), Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Olukunle Ojo (right), Permanent Secretaries; Office of Overseas Affairs & Investment (Lagos Global), Mrs. Olufunmilayo Odulana (left, behind), Ministry of Health, Mrs. Omodele Osunkiyesi (second right, behind), Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Private Partnership (PPP), Mr. Abiodun Dina (right, behind) and the Executive Secretary, Lands Bureau, Mr. Olukayode Ogunnubi (second left, behind) when the India High Commissioner visit the governor at the Lagos House, Ikeja...at the weekend.

Petition: Oloyede unfit to be a judge, says Aregbesola

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola yesterday queried the integrity of the judge, who wrote a petition against him, Justice Folahanmi Oloyede.

His query followed last week’s dismissal of the petition against him and his deputy, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori by the State House of Assembly.

Justice Oloyede, who had accused the Aregbesola administration in a petition to the House of Assemblyof

From Soji Adeniyi, Osogbo

mismanaging the state’s resources and thereby plunging it into financial chaos, failed to substantiate her allegations when invited by the House Committee to give evidence.

The House dismissed the petition after its panel on the matter reported that the judge failed to honour its invitation.

Speaking at the 50 birthday party of Osun State Speaker Najeem Salaam on

Saturday, Aregbesola lashed out at the judge for what he described as a conduct unbecoming of judges.

He said the petition did not deserve the treatment it got in the media.

His words: “I want to say that there was no basis for the petition. It’s all lies. A judge who doesn’t know herself as a judge... Judges can only be seen and not heard. She (Oloyede) doesn’t have any substance in the judiciary. She lied

against me.

“The journalists should have checked the financial statement of the allocation before writing their stories.

“If I had collected N538 billion, Osun would have turned to Dubai. I am happy Buhari went to the USA and it was said that one million barrels of crude oil was being stolen everyday.”

The governor said Mrs. Oloyede accused him of being absent from the state, Continued on page 58

Govt opens Treasury Single Account for NNPC, Customs, others Continued from page 1

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR); Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD).

The vice president said the directive was part of measures

specifically designed to promote transparency and facilitate compliance with Sections 80 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution.

The statement reads: “Henceforth, all receipts due to the Federal Government or any of its agencies must be paid into TSA or designated accounts maintained and operated in the Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN), except otherwise expressly approved “A TSA is a unified structure of government bank accounts enabling consolidation and optimal utilisation of government cash resources.

“It is a bank account or a set of linked bank accounts through which the government transacts all its receipts and payments and gets a con-

solidated view of its cash position at any given time.

“This presidential directive would end the previous public accounting situation of several fragmented accounts for government revenues, incomes and receipts, which in the recent past has meant the loss or leakages of legitimate Continued on page 58

Buhari to Jonathan: looted funds must be returned Continued from page 1

ranged by Abdulsalami.

Jonathan was uncomfortable that Buhari had moved against his ex-Chief Security Officer (CSO), ex-National Security Adviser (NSA) and some ministers.

The source said Jonathan asked the Abdulsalami Committee to prevail on Buhari not to “rubbish” him.

The source said: “For some

weeks, Jonathan has been in the country to iron out some issues on his government.

Based on Jonathan’s complaint, Abdulsalami made efforts - five times- to get in touch with Buhari but the ex-Head of State could not get through on time. I think Buhari already had security reports on Jonathan’s emissary.”

At a point, Abdulsalami expressed his frustration to some

former Presidents who also prevailed on Buhari to give the committee a chance to mediate.

The source added: “This was how Abdulsalami succeeded in securing an appointment from Buhari for Jonathan with a caveat that the immediate past President should feel free to bare his mind.”

Giving an insight into the talks, another source said:

“Jonathan said he was hearing some of the allegations, especially financial sleaze, against his administration for the first time. He made it clear that he had nothing to do with some of these corrupt practices.

“He said whatever steps or actions the President intends to take; it should be within the framework of the peace accord the two leaders signed. ObviContinued on page 58

Ex-military officers back Buhari’s anti-insurgency war tactics

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ETIRED top military officers at the weekend pitch their tent with President Muhammadu Buhari’s approach to the counter-insurgency battle.

The Chairman of the retired Army, Navy and Air Force Officers Club, Maj-Gen. Zamani Lekwot (rtd), who stated the officers’ position, commended the President for addressing the nation’s security challenges.

Speaking in Kaduna at the weekend during the annual meeting of the Kaduna State chapter of the association, Maj-Gen. Lekwot said Buhari was doing well in his attempt to control the situation.

“What we need to do is to

pray for him and to support him in any way in terms of encouragement and advice to end the insurgency for peace, unity and stability.

“I believe President Buhari is a seasoned professional, intelligent and also our colleague, who has the interest of the country at heart, so we need to support him.’’

According to Gen. Lekwot, the retired officers were now advisers on national or state issues, adding that they were ready to respond to any call by the government for service to the nation.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the association in Kaduna, Brig-Gen. Tai Pedro Continued on page 58

Alleged forgery: Suit ‘meant to shield Ekweremadu, others’ Continued from page 1

Some of them have been invited by the police, interrogated and made to write statements.

It was in a bid to restrain the police and the office of the AGF from taking further steps in relation to the case that Gilbert Nnaji (representing Enugu East Senatorial District), on July 23, filed a suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/ 646/2015 before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Senator Nnaji alleged that police investigation of the case “is inspired by a devious petition by the Secretary of the Unity Forum Senators, solely aimed at unjustly in-

criminating the office of the Deputy President of the Senate” being occupied by Ekweremadu, representing Enugu West Senatorial district.

In its objection to the competence of the suit, the AGF Office queried Nnaji’s locus standi to institute the suit for being neither a principal officer of the Senate, elected under the controversial 2015 Orders, nor being investigated by the police.

It noted that by his averments, Nnaji has betrayed his true intention, which is to protect Ekweremadu.

It contended that it was only Ekweremadu and othContinued on page 58

Battle to succeed Jega begins as INEC suffers depletion Continued from page 1

my has placed a burden on the Presidency and made the race to succeed Jega keener, The Nation learnt.

The geo-political breakdown of past INEC chairmen is as follows: Chief Eyo Esua (1964-1966)—Southsouth; Chief Michael Ani (1979)— Southsouth; Justice Victor Ovie-Whiskey (1983)—Southsouth; Prof. Eme Awa(198719890—South-East; Prof.

Humphrey Nwosu (19891993)—Southeast; Prof. Okon Uya and Chief Sumner Dagogo-Jack (1994-1998)—Southsouth; Justice Ephraim Akpate (1998-2000)—Southsouth; Prof. Abel Guobadia(2000—2005)—Southsouth; Prof. Maurice Iwu (2005-2010)—Southeast; and

Prof. Attahiru Jega (20102015).

A source said: “Of the six geo-political zones, only three have produced INEC chairman. The zones yet to produce one are: Northeast, Northcentral and Southwest.

This is why ethnic or geo-political politics is beclouding the lobbying.

“The decision will be tough for the President because his predecessor, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, opted for a Northerner as INEC chairman. This is a template which cannot be ignored. Jonathan might have copied the template from former President Ibrahim Babangida, the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha; and ex-Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.

“Ex-President Olusegun

Obasanjo however jettisoned the template when he appointed Guobadia and Iwu from the Southsouth and the Southeast. ”From the meticulous method Buhari has adopted in making appointments, merit and incorruptibility might be his yardsticks, irrespective of geo-political zones. Some of these candidates have started lobbying for the plum job. The search is, however, difficult by the standard set by Jega.

“As for geopolitical zone, as long as Buhari gets a competent hand, he can still appoint a new INEC chairman from the Northwest. If you look at past successive chief electoral officers, a Southsouth candidate has replaced another.”

Mrs. Zakari appears the aspirant to beat.

Those backing her, mostly gender advocates, are flaunting “her rich career experience, devotion to duty, grasp of the electoral process and her tutelage under Jega”, a source said, adding that: “these feminine advocates have taken their agitation to some UN organisations and embassies on why a woman should lead INEC for the first time.

“But the reservations about her include her past service under a former FCT Minister, who is now a governor, her continued service in INEC after the expiration of her tenure on July 21, alleged illegality of her appointment as acting INEC chairman; opposition by PDP and mudslinging by some of her co-aspirants.”

A Presidency source said

President was yet to discuss his nominees for INEC. “So far, there is an acting chairman and contrary to some insinuations, the choice of Amina Zakari as acting chairman is legal.”

Section 318(4) of the Constitution states that ‘The Interpretation Act shall apply for the purpose of interpreting the provisions of this Constitution.’

“Section 11 of the Interpretation Act empowers whoever can make a substantive appointment to appoint a person in an acting capacity. It is misleading to say that there is no provision for any acting capacity in INEC.” As of press time, it was gathered that the President would need to consult with the Continued on page 58

•Mrs. Zakari

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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NEWS

Anti-terror, vandalism battle require fitness, says Army chief

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HE Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has ordered officers and soldiers to be physically fit and mentally alert as the fight against insurgency and oil theft heats up.

Buratai spoke at the weekend at the inauguration of a gymnasium for the personnel of 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt.

“As professionals, officers and soldiers must be physically fit at all times; physical training will enable them to have stamina and endurance to withstand the security challenges confronting the nation.

“We know the challenges the nation is facing in the Northeast and the recent escalation of militancy, piracy and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta.

“So, the personnel must be

physically fit and alert to enable them to be in a better position to perform their duties when deployed in operational areas to combat security challenges,” he said.

Buratai said the gymnasium, built by Brig.-Gen. Koko Essien, the commander of the brigade, conformed to his vision of putting in place a professionally responsive army to expertly perform its constitutional roles.

The Army chief said that all dilapidated structures in barracks and units in the country would be renovated within six months to improve the living conditions and boost morale of personnel.

Meanwhile, the Army also said it is the mopping up illegal refineries in Rivers and environs.

‘Improved telecoms services my priority’

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From Blessing Olaifa, Assistant Editor, Abuja

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HE newly appointed Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communcations Commission, NCC, Professor Umaru Damabatta, has promised to address lingering poor telecom services in the country.

Prof Danbatta would, however, be in acting capacity, pending the confirmation of his appointment by the Senate.

He visited the commission’s headquarters in Abuja weekend where he told anxious workers that improved telecoms services across the country would be his priority.

Prof Danbatta also said he would use his experience in the industry to improve access, affordability and availability of quality service in the telecommunications industry.

The new executive vice chairman, who majored in electronic engineering further stated that the NCC under his management would maintain the edge which it has over other regulatory agencies.

Prof. Danbatta who has an experience in the telecoms regulatory industry where he served as the vice president of the NCC owned Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) admitted that there were challenges in the telecom industry but that the challenges are surmountable with the application of the resources available.

“We will bring to bear the resources in the telecommunication industry and use it judiciously “, he noted.

Professor Danbatta was appointed last week by President Mohamadu Buhari and his appointment is expected to bring about a new vista of robust regulation in the industry.

He was acting vicechancellor of Kano University of Science & Technology, Wudil. He takes over from Dr. Eugene Juwah, whose five year tenure ended last July.

The brigade commander said in Ogu-Bolo, Rivers, that in the operation, which began on July 27, 60 illegal refineries had been discovered and destroyed.

“The 2 Brigade Port Harcourt, is conducting 30 days operation clean up of illegal refineries in Onne, Kedera, Bedera, Bolo and other areas of the state.

“The operation is part of our renewed effort to stamp out illegal bunkering and illegal refineries in our area of responsibility.

“So far, the operation has led to the discovery and destruction of 60 illegal refineries in just 13 days,” he said.

He said the operation had adopted the use of “Swamp Buggy” machine, which crushed metallic tanks,

thereby making it impossible for oil thieves to revive destroyed refineries.

Essien, represented by Lt.Col. Adebayo Lawal, the commanding Officer of the Brigade’s Intelligence Group, said the operation was in response to the renewed commitment to tackle oil theft.

“We realised that whenever we burn down illegal refineries with metal tanks, some days after our troops leave the scene, the oil thieves would return and revive the refineries.

“The use of Swamp Buggy machines is very effective because it makes the refineries impossible to be restored,” he said.

Essien said the exercise would be sustained until all illegal refineries in the state

No age limitation in Sexual Offences Act, says senator

A •Buratai

were completely destroyed.

He said that despite the destruction, the task force would continue to carry out air and ground surveillance of the creeks to ensure that new illegal refineries did not spring up.

He warned criminals to look for legitimate means of making money as the task force would arrest and prosecute anyone found culpable of sabotaging oil and gas installations.

NCS seizes N197million contraband HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “C” Owerri, seized 48 contraband with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N197.38 million in July.

The Customs Area Comptroller (CAC) of the unit, Mr David Dimka, announced this while addressing reporters on the performance of the unit yesterday in Owerri.

He said 30 suspects were arrested in connection with the smuggling on the Benin/Asaba Express Way, Owerri/PortHarcourt Road and Enugu axis.

He said 20 cases were now pending in the court in respect of the seizures.

Dimka said apart from the

•Arrests 30 suspects in Owerri 48 seizures, an under-payment of N24.25 million was also recovered.

According to him, a breakdown shows that 69 bales of second hand clothes; 39 vehicles; 139 pieces of used tyres; 244 pairs of used foot wears and 60 bags of 50kg rice were seized.

He expressed displeasure at the increased number of exotic vehicles seized by the unit on daily basis.

The area comptroller advised members of the public who wished to purchase vehicles to go through the official channels.

He advised them to always

verify from the customs before investing their money.

Dimka warned that all illegally imported goods would be impounded as ignorance of the law was no excuse.

He also warned that the NCS would not succumb to “senseless and irrational pleadings for leniency and pardon by individuals caught in the act of smuggling”.

He said it would amount to compromising the statutory responsibilities of the establishment.

Dimka decried the upsurge of smuggling of goods in the country in spite of obvious stiff penalties for culprits.

He assured that the service would never be deterred in its mission to bring the scourge to its barest minimum.

He lamented the harm being inflicted on the nation’s economy by smugglers, their sponsors and collaborators.

He warned such unpatriotic individuals to desist from their nefarious activities as the NCS was now better equipped, trained and motivated to tackle smuggling.

Dimka warned those still indulged in smuggling to be mindful that the shady deal had brought sorrows and grief to those arrested and their families.

He urged them to turn a new leaf before it was too late.

FORMER Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Sen. Umar Dahiru, has said the Sexual Offences Act was meant to protect the rights of all sexes.

Dahiru, a member of the seventh National Assembly, made the clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

He said the committee did everything to review the bill properly before its passage.

He said the Act did not set an age limit, adding that sexes of all ages were to be protected by the legislation.

“Most people have a negative mindset about the bill passed but it’s aimed at protecting everybody in the country against sexual abuse.

“All our religious groupings condemn such acts. It is also made to favour both men and women on one side and boys and girls of all ages on the side,’’ Dahiru said.

He, however, noted that the Act was restricted to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and urged the states to domesticate it when assented into law.

“Rape is a rampant global offence and we have to control it in our society by allotting a serious punishment to it to serve as deterrent to would-be offenders.’’

The punishment ranges from life imprisonment to 14 years jail term depending on the degree of the offence.

In a separate interview, Sen. Chris Anyanwu said the bill was to defend the defenseless in the society.

She said it was also meant to discourage flagrant sexual abuses in the country.

“The earlier it is assented to as a law, the better for us all because sexual offence deals directly with the human spirit,’’ she said.

Anti-corruption agencies should be faultless

By Nneka Nwaneri

A •NITDA Director-General, Jack (second right), presenting the certificate of operation to the CEO of BPO Academy, Madu (second left). With them are Madu's wife (left) and AOPN president, Nweze.

DPR seals 12 filling stations in Abuja

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HE Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed 12 filling stations in Abuja for profiteering and selling above government approved prices.

A statement by Mohammed Usman, the DPR Zonal Operations Controller, said in Abuja on Sunday that the 12 stations brought to 34 the filling stations sealed by the DPR in Abuja and environs.

It said surveillance was carried out by four teams

covering Abuja and its environs.

“About 46 filling stations were visited and the exercise indicated availability of PMS in the stations with some queues observed,” it said.

According to the statement, 12 filling stations were sealed at the end of the exercise.

It named the stations as Harry Pet filling station in Gwagwalada for selling PMS at N110, Drison Oil filling station at Giri for selling PMS at N100 and Ohinoyi Oil in Kwali for under dispensing

with -3770 mls.

Also sealed were Gausiya filling station at Giri where one pump was sealed for under-dispensing with -740 mls, Adelhi Ltd filling station at Masaka for selling. PMS at N105 and Hariz Pet at Masaka sealed for selling PMS at N110.

Oando Plc at Maraba Aso was sealed for suspected diversion of PMS (45,000 litres), Mobil New Nyanya had one pump sealed for under-dispensing with -730 mls and Badeggi Petrol station

at Dikko Junction sealed for selling PMS at N110.

Others were Edewa Ltd at Kwamba Suleja sealed for selling PMS at N105, Shemaco filling station, Kwamba Suleja was sealed for selling PMS at N97 and Dee Jones,Kwamba, Suleja was sealed for selling PMS at N105 and under dispensing with -420 mls.

The statement noted that the affected stations were to remain sealed for at least one month while also forfeiting their bridging claims for the products in question.

NTI-CORRUPTION agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the Independent and Corrupt Practices (ICPC), have been warned to desist from deceiving Nigerians and embrace the ethical standards expected of the workers.

In addition, the institutions were urged to fear God by displaying godly principles.

The call was made by the District Superintendent of the Apostolic Faith Church West and Central Africa, Rev Adebayo Adeniran at the weekend during this year’s campmeeting in Igbesa, Ogun State.

Present at the camp were delegates from Francophone and other West African countries.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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NEWS

T

HE death of a security guard attached to the home of the Chief Medical Director (CMD), University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Prof. Etete Peters, is causing ripples.

The security guard, simply identified as Mr. Isong, was said to have been attacked by a dog when he reported for duty last week.

A security guard, who did not want his name in print, said Isong was still coping with the dog bite until last Sunday morning when he was found struggling on the ground, with saliva rushing from his mouth.

His words: “We reported the dog bite to the CMD but he did nothing about it. Mr. Isong was quite helpless because we have not been paid for five months. On Sunday morning, he reported for duty, but when we turned behind the building, we saw him struggling on the ground with saliva gushing from his mouth, we rushed him to the

Ripples over death of guard at UniUyo •Colleagues: he died of dog bite •CMD: he slumped and died From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

hospital, but unfortunately he died.

“Life has been generally very hard with some of us who are working with the CMD. They keep giving very delicious meals to these wild dogs, but we humans are denied the opportunity of a comfortable life.

How do you survive when you are being owed by a man who is not poor?”

But the CMD denied the allegation.

He said the news that one of his employees died as a result of dog bite is not true.

He explained that there was

an incident of one of his security guards bitten by a dog three months ago,adding that the guard was well-treated and taken care of.

He said: “The story is false.

We do not owe our staff. The security man in question is not our employee; he was a contract staff from a security firm.

“We have actually received report that a guard slumped and died. Any dog bite related issue does not last more than 10 days. The incident occurred three months ago, and the victim was well treated and taken care of by the hospital.”

It was gathered that Isong’s

clansmen and family, who were not happy about the death of their son, blocked all entrances leading in and out of the UUTH, alleging that the CMD denied them the opportunity to see their son in the mortuary.

One of the relations, Mr. Ime Ekong, who spoke with The Nation, said: “We wouldn’t expect him to personally treat our son, why did he not at least pay his salaries? Then the young man would have been able to take care of himself. He killed him out of wickedness.”

Ekong said that the CMD invited men of the Quick Response Squad to the hospital, who shot sporadically into the air to disperse the protesting Isong’s relations.

CBN directs banks to prioritise forex demand for fees, others

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed authorised foreign exchange dealers to give priority to customers seeking foreign currency for payment of school fees and personal allowances for overseas travels.

The apex bank said this in a statement by the Director, Corporate Communications Department, Alhaji Muazu Ibrahim, yesterday in Abuja.

The bank assured forex users that it would continue to meet their demand so long such demands were for legitimate purposes.

“All legitimate requests for foreign currency for eligible transactions such as remittances for school fees, Business Travel Allowance, medical and other eligible transactions shall be fully met at the

official exchange rate.

“Already, all the legitimate demand for such transactions through recognised channels have so far been fully met by the CBN. “The CBN hereby directs all authorised dealers in foreign exchange in Nigeria to henceforth treat as top priority all legitimate demand for foreign exchange for eligible

transactions,” it said.

It stated also that holders of Naira denominated debit and credit cards would continue to have access to the use of their cards at Automated Teller Machines in any part of the world.

It stated that the amount was subject to an annual limit of 50,000 dollars, noting that ATM withdrawals would continue to be at a maximum of 300 dollars per day.

U

NITED Nation (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the international community to do more to improve on the health and well-being of indigenous peoples.

He made the call yesterday in New York in his message to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples observed annually on August 9.

The UN scribe stated that most of the challenges indigenous people were preventable.

He listed some as inadequate sanitation and housing, lack of pre-natal care, violence against women, high rates of diabetes, drug and alcohol abuse, youth suicide and infant mortality.

“These issues must be urgently addressed as part of the post-2015 development agenda in culturally appropriate ways that meet indigenous peoples’ conceptions

UN chief makes case for indigenous peoples of and aspirations for wellbeing,” he said.

He said the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples affirms the right to maintain indigenous health practices and access to social and health services.

“We must make every effort to support indigenous peoples’ rights and aspirations as affirmed in the Declaration.

“On this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, I call on the international community to ensure that they are not left behind,’’ the UN chief said.

According to the UN, out of the 370 million indigenous peoples in the world, approximately 67 million are youths.

Bayero Varsity gets VC

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HE Governing Council, Bayero University Kano yesterday said it had approved the appointment of Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello as the new vice chancellor of the institution.

The university, in a statement by the Registrar of the University, Malam Sani Ibrahim, in Kano, said: “In accordance with the power conferred on the Council by section 4 of the institution (Miscellaneous Provision) Amendment Act of 2003, a

new Vice Chancellor has been appointed for the university.”

It said an appointment letter had been given to the new vice chancellor, adding that he would serve a tenure of five years, starting from Tuesday, August 18.

The council congratulated the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, for a successful tenure, adding that it would give the new vice chancellor the necessary support to move the institution forward.

Editors hail Fed Govt on anti-corruption war

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HE Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has commended the Federal Government’s effort to fight corruption and recover Nigeria’s stolen money stashed abroad.

The guild, in a statement made available to reporters yesterday, said: “The Guild commends the fight against corruption embarked upon by the Federal Government especially in its effort to recover the country’s stolen money stashed away abroad. “ It advises that these efforts should be sustained and the rule of law be strictly adhered to,’’ it said.

The NGE also expressed concern over the instability of the exchange rate of the Naira.

It urged the Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN) to formulate and implement policy measures geared towards stabilising the exchange rate to restore confidence in the naira and in the economy.

It deplored the rising wave of crime in the country, especially armed robbery and urged relevant security agencies to rise to the occasion to safeguard life and property.

The Guild drew the attention of the Federal Government to the rising rate of unemployment and urged it to make job creation a priority.

It observed the hardship experienced by some journalists in the country due to irregular remuneration and poor condition of service and called on media owners to urgently address the issues.

NOUN students seek NYSC placement

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HE National Open University Students Association of Nigeria has expressed dissatisfaction in the non-participation of its members in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

The National President of the association, Mr Nelson Nwaonicha, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba yesterday.

Nwaonicha said the noninclusion of the graduates of the university in the NYSC programme was discriminatory.

He said there was great pride in serving one’s country, as the NYSC gave every Nigerian graduate a sense of belonging, personal worth and recognition by one’s own nation.

He said it would amount to abandonment and violation of the principle of federal

character and integration, if a set of Nigerian students were not included in the scheme.

Nwaonicha said the service was created to inculcate discipline in, educate and integrate the youth, regardless of their institutional, cultural and social backgrounds.

He appealed to the National Assembly to review the Act establishing the NOUN with a view to including its graduates in the allowed age bracket in the programme.

The national president also called on the management of the university to stop admitting students for law programmes, pending the approval of the Law School.

He recalled that the first two sets of law graduates of the NOUN had not been admitted into the law school to be certified to practice their trade.

• The Deputy Governor of Ogun State Chief Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, (1st Right) directing the cutting of the 5th Coronation Anniversary cake of The Alayeluwa, HRM Oba Dr. Adetoye Mojeed Alatishe, Ilufemiloye 1, Ogunroyega VI, Gbegannde of Ososa (2nd Right), with his wife Olori Adetokunbo Adijat Alatise (2nd Left), and the Ogun State SSG Bar. Taiwo Adeoluwa, (1st left) in Ososa, Ijebu ... at the weekend.

Boat operators without life jacket face sanction

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OAT operators in Lagos State who fail to provide life jackets to their passengers will be prosecuted, the State Waterways Authority (LASWA), has warned.

LASWA Managing Director, Mr Yinka Marinho, spoke yesterday in Lagos in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said the authority would no longer tolerate passengers travelling on waterways without wearing standard life jackets.

“It is mandatory that all us-

ers of waterways wear life jacket. We are going to prosecute all operators who carry passengers without life jacket.

“We implore passengers to insist on the use of life jacket,” he said.

He said the penalty to be melted out to boat operators, who failed to comply with the directive, would be determined by the courts.

Marinho said the regulations guiding boat operation on the state waterways would be reviewed and necessary penalties spelt out for operators who failed to com-

ply with the directive.

“Some operators have been prosecuted; our regulations will be reviewed and there will be penalties for noncompliance to the use of life jackets.

“If a passenger refuses to wear life jacket, operators should not allow such passenger on board for whatever reasons.

“Passengers should also insist on wearing life jackets, because 80 per cent of the fatalities on the waterways are caused by non compliance with the use of life jackets,”

he said.

The managing director said 3,500 life jackets had been distributed in the state and many were still being expected.

He said the authority recently took delivery of 2,400 life jackets donated by the government for distribution to boat operators across the state.

“The life jackets will promote safe and responsible boating; the authority has not relented in educating and promoting safety on the waterways through advocacy programmes,’’ Marinho said.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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NEWS

Ogun police arrest nurse for stealing ‘day-old baby’

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HE police in Ogun State have arrested a nurse for allegedly stealing a day-old baby at Arogun, Ewekoro Local Government Area, in her desperation to have a child for her wealthy husband.

The suspect, who is the proprietress of a private maternity in the community, was apprehended by police detectives attached to the Ewekoro Division.

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

She was said to have stolen the baby after she delivered the mother of the baby in her maternity on June 13.

Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who spoke to reporters yesterday, said the suspect was arrested on Friday and the baby was rescued safely.

Adejobi, a Deputy Superin-

tendent of Police (DSP), added that the suspect deceived the baby’s mother that she had a stillbirth.

He added that the mother of the baby was later informed that the suspect stole her baby” and the police immediately arrested her when notified about the theft.

The police spokesman added: “The good sympathisers in the community noticed that the suspect, who was

never pregnant, suddenly started nursing a baby that she could not even breast feed. They informed the mother, who later reported the case to the police in Ewekoro on August 7.

“In the course of police investigation, it was shown that the suspect, a mother of seven, had issues with her initial marriage and got married to another ‘rich man’, whom she wanted to have a baby

for.

“The police operatives, who made professional moves, have recovered the baby unhurt. The suspect has given credible statement that will assist the police and the matter will soon be charged to court.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State, Abdulmajid Ali, has commended the operatives for the good job they did and directed that a

proper investigation be carried out to get information required in the prosecution of the case.

“Ali has also urged owners of hospitals or maternity homes to operate legally and always employ credible and trusted nurses and workers, who will be committed to their duties and respect the ethics of their professions and the laws of the land.”

Lagos empowers rice farmers

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•From left: Anglican Church of Ascension Church Warden, Mr. Ayo Oladapo; Archdeacon of Opebi, Lagos, Venerable Yemi Agbelusi, his wife, Bolaji; Chairman of Pastorate Anniversary, Mr. Sola Adebayo and Chief Warden, Mr. Funto Adebayo, at the First Pastorate Celebration of Opebi Archdeaconry, Diocese of Lagos West (Anglican Communion)...yesterday.

PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

Court dethrones Ondo monarch

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N Ondo State High Court has ordered the Akinnuwa of Igbindo in Ondo West Local Government Area, Oba Olanji Ogundoju, to vacate the throne.

The verdict came barely two weeks after Ogundoju’s installation as the traditional ruler of the town by Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Justice Bode Adegbehingbe based his verdict on the town’s age-long tradition, which mandates that only the son from the male lineage should be installed as monarch.

Ogundoju, who is said to hail from the female lineage of the Ogbowo Okun Ruling House, was installed following the demise of Oba Pius Aderinluwo Adedoyegbe of the Otutubiosun Ruling House in 2011.

Dissatisfied with the action of the kingmakers and lead-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

ers of the ruling house, some princes from Ogbowo Okun Ruling House, led by Adetutu Fashole and Okunade Makinde Fashole, sued Ogundoju and four others over his selection and appointment.

Also joined in the suit were Adeodi Adebayo, Taye Akinkugbe, the ruling house chairman, Adeseeke Adewale Stephen, and its secretary, Joseph Olamodimu.

The plaintiffs sought the court’s declaration that by “the age-long custom and tradition of the ascension to the stool of Akinnuwa of Igbindoland, it is only the male line of the applicable ruling house and in this case, the Ogbowo Okun Ruling House, that is eligible to fill the stool anytime the stool is vacant”.

They also argued that “based on the White Paper on the Olayiwola Chieftaincy Re-

view Commission of 1982, it is the turn of Ogbowo Okun Ruling House to produce the next monarch of the town”.

The plaintiffs, therefore, asked the court to declare that Ogundoju was not qualified to contest the stool.

The defendants, in their claims, stated that they were members of the ruling house and hence, they were qualified to be the monarch of the town.

They claimed that both male and female members of the house were qualified to ascend the throne.

But Justice Adegbehingbe held that since only sons from the male lineage could be made monarch, “Ogundoju is not eligible to contest and ascend the vacant stool of the Akinnuwa of Igbindo from the Ogbowo Ruling House, whose turn is to fill the vacant stool, having hailed from the female line of the ruling house”.

Ekiti chief judge releases 34 inmates

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KITI State Chief Judge Justice Ayodeji Daramola has ordered the release of 34 awaiting trial inmates from the Federal Prison in Ado-Ekiti.

The chief judge, according to a statement yesterday, gave the order after reviewing the cases of the 273 awaiting trial inmates during his visit to the prison.

Eleven of the 34 inmates were released unconditionally and the remaining 23 were released based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution that they had no case to answer.

Three other inmates were

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

granted bail.

The chief judge, who addressed stakeholders after the exercise, hailed the authorities of the prison for its clean environment and the remarkable improvement in the facilities since his last visit last year.

He also hailed the prison authorities for the provision of a clinic and some sports facilities for the inmates.

But, the chief judge stressed the need to ensure that the clinic was provided with adequate medical personnel and drugs.

He called on religious bod-

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

ies, non-governmental and public-spirited organisations to support government’s efforts at making prisons a correctional and rehabilitation centre indeed, by donating relevant and needed materials.

Hailing stakeholders involved in the administration of criminal justice in the state for their contributions to the dispensation of Justice, he, however, urged them to redouble their efforts to ensure that justice is delivered speedily in all matters.

Justice Daramola advised the released inmates to be of good behavior.

HE Lagos State government, through its Ministry of Agriculture, has empowered rice farmers.

The support to the farmers range from land preparation, seeds, fertiliser and water pumps to boost production during the dry season farming.

The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olajide Bashorun, spoke at a programme to launch this year’s dry season rice farming and distribution of agricultural input and small irrigation scheme equipment at Itoikin rice field.

He said the programme was aimed at boosting rice production.

“The present administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode believes that governance should shift to the community, hence the distribution of input support ranging from land preparation, seeds, fertiliser and water pumps.

“This will boost production and bring about effective and efficient rice production, there-

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

by increasing the production of rice in the state,” he said.

Bashorun noted that Lagos State had comparative and competitive advantage in the rice value chain.

He stressed that the “state government places premium on this value chain, including others, such as vegetables, poultry and fisheries chains”.

The permanent secretary, who was represented by the General Manager, Lagos State Agric Input Supply Authority, Mr. Bolaji Balogun, noted that the event was symbolic, especially against the backdrop of farmers often depending on Rain-fed Agriculture.

He added: “Rice is an area that Lagos State can demonstrate enormous capacity with support from Ogun- Oshun and FADAMA III project additional financing, we can put more line into rice twice or thrice a year and move the annual gig of rice from two tonnes to six tones.”

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

8

NEWS ‘Ooni’s death may be announced soon’

Adeboye to Nigerians: keep your hope alive

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

T

HE “rites of passage” leading to the official announcement of the death and burial of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, have reached the final stage.

Sources revealed that the death of “Oba Sijuwade may be officially announced very soon”.

The Isoros, who are members of a powerful Ife deity, were said to have procured the necessary materials for the monarch’s burial as demanded by tradition.

A palace source told The Nation that fund for the procurement of Ikaro had been made available to the Isoros to begin the rites.

The source, who preferred anonymity, added that deities in Ife have to submit some traditional materials to the palace for the burial rites to be hitch-free and make the monarch’s transition easy.

There was uneasy calm at the palace yesterday as no one was seen around, except some security men and the guards manning the palace main gate.

It was gathered that some traditional chiefs came early into the palace for “a secret meeting”, which, a source said, did not last long.

Normal commercial activities remain the same as many Ife residents yesterday went to the church for Sunday’s worship. Some traders opened for business.

Lawyers seek protection for Ekiti estate residents •Residents petition police, DSS, rights commission

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HE embattled residents of Irewolede Estate, who were evicted from their homes last Thursday over alleged inability to complete payment of their mortgages, are seeking police protection from what they called “brazen impunity, unnecessary victimisation and violation of their fundamental human rights.”

They got a lifeline on Saturday following the intervention of traditional rulers led by the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe and other prominent citizens, who pleaded with Governor Ayo Fayose to extend deadline for the payment of outstanding mortgages.

Fayose accepted the pleas of the monarchs and leaders of thought by extending the deadline to November 30, after which “action will begin again on December 1”.

But lawyers to the “victims of forceful ejection”, while seeking protection for their clients, warned Fayose against “avoidable violent clash between residents and law enforcement agents” over his handling of a civil matter.

The residents have also reacted to their plight, calling on the police authorities not to allow their men to be used for illegal activities against law-abiding citizens.

The Law Chambers of Rafiu O. Balogun and Company, in a letter dated August 6, 2015, called the attention of Ekiti State Commissioner of Police to the alleged breach of mortgage agreement in the purchase of their clients’ houses.

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

“Our clients applied to the housing corporation for purchase of their houses and accepted the offer and paid the initial deposit in line with the Letters of Offer and took possession, and, accordingly, all of them have been occupying their respective houses, having paid the initial deposit in line with the agreement.

“By the tenure of the sale agreement, our clients are requested to pay the total cost of their houses within the period of five years from the day Offer Letters were written to them by the corporation,” the lawyers explained.

They added that the agreement also included extension of another five years to make it convenient for them to pay up the mortgage sum, regretting that even the first five years had not been exhausted, let alone the extension of time before the governor moved against their clients.

“It is worrisome that the governor can be threatening fire and brimstone, when the tenure of the mortgage has not expired.

“During the last meeting his excellency had with our clients, he restated his threat pointblank that he would eject our clients and allocate their houses to interested buyers, contrary to the mortgage agreement,” the lawyers explained.

They urged the police commissioner to protect their clients and prevent avoidable breakdown of law and order and its adverse consequences.

•81 women delivered of babies at convention

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HE General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has appealed to the citizenry to keep their hope in God alive “as He is able to do all things”.

He spoke at the weekend at the just concluded 63rd Annual Convention of the RCCG at the Arena, Redemption Camp, Km 46 on LagosIbadan Expressway, where 81 pregnant women were delivered of 40 girls and 41 boys.

The programme entitled: “All Sufficient God”, brought together millions of Christian faithful from 188 countries.

It featured Bible teachings, business seminar, prophetic ministration, melody hour, prayers and ordinations of new deacons, assistant pastors, pastors and graduation ceremony of Bible school stu-

By Adeola Ogunlade

dents.

The mammoth crowd of worshipers that included the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Benue State Governor Sam Ortom and his wife, Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the Speaker of Ekiti House of Assembly Pastor Kola Oluwawole and many traditional rulers.

God, he said, is more than sufficient for materials, emotional and promotional needs of the citizens.

The cleric added that “there is nothing too hard for God to do. If only we can trust him and keep our hope alive, he will do the impossible in our lives”.

Pastor Adeboye appealed to his friends, children and supporters to support him in the completion of the church’s 3.3

kilometres Arena in Simawa, Ogun State.

The facility, which was earlier billed to be used for the convention, was yet to be completed because of paucity of funds.

Adeboye said: “The new arena is yet to be completed because there is no money. I believe that all the people, who promised big money will show up one day.”

The church’s general overseer was optimistic that the facility will be ready for use

by December.

The General Overseer of the Living Faith Foundation, Rev. Joe Olaiya, who also spoke at the convention, urged the citizens to keep their faith in God, to love themselves, be truthful and fair to everyone around them.

Olaiya advised the congregation to remember that “we

•Pastor Adeboye

are in the last days and the signs of the last days are complete. With the gay marriage being acceptable to world leaders and being forced down the throat of men, show that the days of Sodom and Gomorrah is here”.

“We need to know that judgment is close by, rapture is close by and the church is better wake up and get in more harvests and be ready to go,” he added.

In his testimony, the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin said he would forever be grateful to God for his appointment.

•Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (second left); Speaker, Zamfara State House of Assembly Sanusi Garba (second right); celebrator and Speaker, Osun House of Assembly Najeem Salaam (middle) and his wives, Adebimpe (left) and Muibat (right), cutting his 50th birthday cake, at the Assembly premises in Osogbo...at the weekend.

Aregbesola, Osun lawmakers, others to hold parley on financial crisis

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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the state and National Assembly lawmakers are set to meet “to proffer an enduring solution to the financial challenges facing the state”.

A lawmaker representing Ayedade/Isokan/Irewole Federal Constituency, Mrs. Ayo Omidiran, said this at a news conference at the weekend in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

She added that the meeting, entitled: “Osun Stakeholders’ Conference”, is scheduled to hold today.

Mrs. Omidiran, who spoke in company of other lawmakers, including Ajibola Famurewa, representing Ile East/ West and Atakumosa East/ West Federal Constituency, Mojeed Alabi, repenting Iwo/

Omisore: I wasn’t invited From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo and Jeremiah Oke, Ibadan

Ola-Oluwa/Ejigbo Federal Constituency, and Bosun Oyintiloye, representing Obokun State Constituency, said no fewer than 1,000 stakeholders from the state will attend the conference.

The lawmakers added that technocrats, the state’s former governors and their deputies, formers speakers of both the national and state House of Assemblies, traditional rulers, labour unions, non-governmental organisations, religious leaders, elder-statesmen, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), market women and others have been invited

to the conference.

She noted that the National Assembly lawmakers, under the aegis of Osun Legislators Forum, initiated the meeting.

Mrs. Omidiran said the conference was necessary following the financial crisis facing the state, the incessant industrial actions over non-payment of salaries as well as abandonment of critical projects that the governor had embarked on to actualise the state’s “mega city vision”.

She said: “We realised that the times are very hard for our people. Whatever we are doing in Abuja, if our people are not happy, we too cannot be happy. It then means that the laws we are making won’t

make sense. We want to let our people know that we are committed to their wellbeing.

“The conference will present an opportunity for all stakeholders to hear from the horse’s mouth on how we got to this stage. Governor Aregbesola will explain in clear terms during his submission the what, when, why and how. He will answer all our questions and lay all his cards on the table.

“Stakeholders are expected to contribute intellectually through submissions based on facts and experiences, so that at the end of the summit, we shall together and by the grace of God, proffer lasting solutions to the myriads of problems confronting our dear state.”

Omidiran noted that the recommendations from the summit would be submitted to the

government, which has the prerogative for implementation.

But the candidate of the Osun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has denied receiving an invitation to attend the meeting.

He said if he had received the letter, he would attend, since the agenda was to deliberate on how to move the state forward.

The former deputy governor, who spoke with our correspondent on phone from Washington DC, said he was attending a World Bank’s meeting in the United States (U.S.).

He noted that the invitation must have been dropped in the wrong hands because he understand all the state’s stake-

holders were invited.

His words: “I wasn’t invited by the lawmakers. I also read about it on newspapers. Presently, I am attending a World Bank’s meeting in Washington DC. Maybe they sent the invitation through wrong persons because I heard all the stakeholders were invited to brainstorm on how to take Osun State forward and proffer solution to challenges facing the state.

“I left Ife for Lagos on Friday and from Lagos to Abuja before I flew out to United States, where I will be attending the meeting slated for Monday 10 to August 11.

“I could have attended the meeting, if I receive it because I can teach basic rules of economics on how to manage resources.”

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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NEWS

Bayelsa PDP crisis deepens despite BoT’s intervention

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HE crisis rocking Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has worsened, despite the intervention of its Board of Trustees (BoT) and reconciliation moves by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

It was gathered that the party had remained in tatters since the BoT’s Acting Chairman Dr. Haliru Mohammed led a team to the state at the behest of Dr Jonathan to resolve the protracted crisis ahead of the December 5 governorship election.

The board, at the August 1 meeting in Jonathan’s courtyard at Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area, was said to have lifted the suspension and expulsion of the party’s leaders by the State Working Committee (SWC).

Mohammed was said to have urged aggrieved party members to unite and work for the party’s victory at the election.

As the meeting ended, Governor Seriake Dickson’s camp and other aggrieved leaders engaged in a war of

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

words.

The governor, through his Political Adviser, Mr. Fyneman Wilson, claimed that PDP’s embattled State Chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd), initially suspended by the SWC, was not among those reinstated by the BoT. Wilson said the BoT and Jonathan advised Inokoba to resign since his suspension was based on an alleged diversion of N40 million campaign fund.

But PDP members, under the aegis of the Bayelsa Great House (BGH), yesterday said Wilson’s and Dickson’s apologists lied.

They insisted that the BoT reinstate Inokoba as the substantive chairman.

BGH Chairman Ebinimi Owei and Secretary Victor Woyinkuro, who spoke in Yenagoa, the state capital, described the statement credited to Wilson as a cheap political gimmick.

Owei urged Wilson to exhibit wisdom, adding that there was no time any mem-

ber of the BoT and Jonathan asked Inokoba to resign.

Owei said: “Bayelsans are all aware of the various acknowledgements, recognition and respect accorded Inokoba as one of the founding fathers of the party and as a focused leader. No wonder the National Working Committee (NWC) said he remains the substantive chairman, despite the illegality of the SWC.” He traced the crisis to the time Wilson emerged as Dickson’s political adviser and Serena Dokubo-Spiff the party’s acting deputy chairman.

He said Wilson’s statement was capable of further dividing the party and narrowing the re-election chances of his principal (Dickson).

Inokoba said: “Wilson should be galvanising and mobilising more support base for his principal...

“After the decision of the BoT, reinstating suspended and expelled members, the SWC issued a statement, claiming that the action of the

BoT was subject to the ratification of the SWC. Which is superior: the BoT or the SWC? “This simply shows the lawlessness of the present administration, the absence of the rule of law and the kind of persons running the affairs of the state.”

Owei recalled that during a meeting at the Government House on July 30, Dickson allegedly apologised and confessed to Inokoba that he (governor) was aware that Inokoba did not divert any money.

He said the governor blamed the allegation against Inokoba on sycophants in his administration, adding that PDP’s Acting National Chairman Uche Secondus and its national secretary were at the meeting, Extolling Inokoba’s virtues, he said: “If this ungodly act, persecution, lies and witch-hunt continue in the party, we shall advise Inokoba and other aggrieved members to leave for desperate and wicked politicians.”

Community decries military harassment of 90-year-old monarch L

EADERS of Odimodi community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State have expressed outrage at the alleged threat to its peace and security as well as the harassment of its 90year-old monarch by the leadership of the Nigeria Navy’s NNS Delta.

They accused the Navy of partisanship, meddling in the community’s internal affairs and threatening the peace and security of the oilproducing Ijaw community.

The community’s leaders wrote to the Commanding Officer (CO) in Warri, Commodore Aliyu Sule, following his invitation to the nonagenarian clan head, Chief Yangaboy Angalabiri.

The letter, through Larry Ovwromoh and Associates, followed the CO’s alleged threat to take “action” against the monarch and the community’s leaders unless

From Shola O’Neil, S’South Regional Editor, Port Harcourt

the monarch appeared before him in Warri.

Attempts to get the Navy’s reaction were unsuccessful.

The base Information Officer (IO), Lt. Tope Ogunaike, was unavailable. Commodore Sule also did not return our reporter’s calls or respond to a text message to his mobile phone.

But it was gathered that the Navy’s threat and invitation of the monarch were in response to the dissolution of the community’s executive

by Chief Angalabiri.

The community’s leaders had been accusing the Navy of taking sides with a faction, which is not supported by the monarch and a large section of the clan.

The letter said: “We have closely examined your reasons for the meeting and the apparent threat that noncompliance to this invitation may further require the Naval command to direct the appropriate security agencies for further actions.

“We have also been informed that on August 4 you again directed your officers at the Forcados Terminal to visit the elderly Amadiwei to intimate him of the consequence of not attending the meeting on Friday, 7 August 7, at 10am at the Naval Base, NNS Delta, Warri.

“It is our client’s view that these allegations are cooked up as a justification by NNS Delta to attack Odimodi community to corroborate (a factional leader’s) boast of using the NNS Delta to attack our client’s commu-

nity.”

The leaders accused the Navy of taking sides with those “threatening the peace of the area and the smooth operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and its workers have demonstrated total disrespect for law and order against an entire community”.

The letter added: “As a law-abiding community, our clients and the elders cannot fold their arms and watch a few misguided youths hijack the Odimodi Community Council to carry out unlawful and provocative activities that have threatened existing relationship between our clients and Ogulagha community on the one hand and SPDC on the other hand; hence, the inevitable decision to dissolve the council on July 26...”

Buhari’s wife donates to expectant mothers, others

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HE President’s wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari, at the weekend donated nutritional supplement, the Frisomum Gold brand, to about 3,000 expectant and nursing mothers in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

Hajia Buhari said the supplement, which is also an alternative to breast milk, would ensure nourishment for babies.

The President’s wife, who was represented by Mrs Mary Ekpere, said beneficiaries were drawn randomly devoid of any political undertone.

She said: “What we have is for over 3,000 women. We left it open so that those who could make it here would benefit.

“I am impressed and happy that just by the snap of the fingers we were able to gather a good number of expectant mothers and children. The essence of this is to educate mothers about what is healthy for their children. The chil-

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

dren are the future. So, they should be nourished and brought up well. This is a little token for the children.”

Cross River All Progressives Congress (APC) Woman Leader Mrs Joy Akpan Edward said the party had no bias about anybody.

She said: “We feel happy

that our mother at the national has done this for our women and children. The APC government has no bias.

We are not strictly attending to APC members but to everybody. As you can see, it is done generally.”

APC State Chairman Usani Usani added: “This is in keeping with the promises that women and children would

not be left behind in the new government. This is a sign of better things to come. The APC government is not just for APC women. We are not biased or partial when dealing with the people. It is not only APC women that need the assistance of the government; everybody does.”

Okowa gets kudos for appointing IYC man as aide

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HE Ogbe-Ijoh Warri branch of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State has hailed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for appointing the council’s national spokesman, Eric Omare, as his special adviser on Youths and Community Affairs.

In a statement yesterday in Warri by its Chairman, Liberty Arerebo and Information Officer, Joseph Oromoni, the

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

IYC said the choice of Omare, who is also a son of Ogbe-Ijoh, was best because of his relationship with youths among the various ethnic nationalities in the state.

The statement said the appointment would guard against restiveness.

It urged the governor to fund Omare’s office to enable him perform his duties effectively.

“We strongly believe that the governor has made the right choice by appointing Eric. He (Okowa) has put a the round peg in a round hole because youth restiveness, mostly in coastal areas and even the upland, will be reduced to the barest minimum because of his relationship with the youth at the grassroots. We also urge the governor to fund him and his team so that they can carry out their duties efficiently...”

Seven hospitalised in Edo community’s clash From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

EVEN persons have been hospitalised iin Benin, the Edo State capital, following the alleged invasion of Okponha community by youths from Ofunmwengbe town, both in Ovia Northeast Local Government Area.

It was gathered that the victims sustained various bullet wounds during yesterday’s invasion.

Police spokesman Stephen Onwonchei, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police had arrested some suspects.

He said the command was looking for others who participated in the invasion.

It was learnt that both communities had been embroiled in a boundary dispute.

The Chairman of Okponha town’s youths, Wilson Osaze, alleged that youths from Ofunmwengbe (aka Okada) Junction/New Road attacked the residents during a foundationlaying ceremony.

They were said to have been armed with guns and other weapons when they attacked their targets at a building site during its foundation-laying in Okponha community.

The attack forced the residents to run for cover to avoid being hit by bullets.

Attempts to get comments from the youths’ chairman of Ofunmwengbe, identified as Edosa Ogiamien, failed.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said Okponha’s residents encroached on Ofumwengbe’s land.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

NEWS

Body of slain soldier recovered in Bayelsa

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HE body of one of the soldiers killed by gunmen in last Thursday’s attack on a military base of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, in Nembe, Bayelsa State, has been recovered.

This came as the JTF said it has arrested six suspects for the attack.

The body was said to be floating on the waterway.

This increased the number of the dead to six - five soldiers and one policeman instead of the five earlier reported.

The recovered body was that of a soldier, who was declared missing, following the attack.

Gunmen, in a coordinated land and waterway operation, which lasted about 30 minutes, attacked the military base in Ogbolomabiri on Friday night, killing the soldiers and the policeman.

The hoodlums came in five speedboats, armed with sophisticated weapons.

They ransacked the base, stole arms and fled on an

•Dickson condemns attack on military base •JTF arrests six suspects for attack, says spokesman From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

army gunboat.

Sources said the missing soldier was found yesterday morning by some drivers, who alerted the community leaders.

“When the attention of some Nembe chiefs were drawn to the floating body, they immediately called the attention of the JTF,” a source said last night.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson condemned the attack and condoled with the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai and the families of the slain security operatives.

Dickson, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel MarksonIworiso, regretted the incident.

He assured that his administration would partner security agencies to arrest the

perpetrators of the dastardly act.

Dickson said: “No stone will be left unturned to bring the killers to justice.”

The governor described the attack on security agencies as mindless and barbaric.

He said he had written to the Chief of Army Staff on the condolences of his administration and people of the state.

Dickson also assured the families of the slain officers that their loved ones and benefactors would not die in vain, adding that they were gallant officers who died in active service to their fatherland.

He said: “We urged Bayelsans not despair as we will continue to do everything within our powers to stem the new wave of insecurity being orchestrated by a click of mindless and dis-

gruntled politicians, who want to wrest power by all means from a performing governor in the person of Dickson.

“All these acts of insecurity and brigandage are intended to put fears in the minds of the people, ahead of the December governorship election, and we call on Bayelsans to remain steadfast and law-abiding as well as go about their legitimate businesses.

“As a government, we worked so hard and committed a lot of our state’s resources to achieve the peace we have been enjoying. It is sad to observe that because of their political ambitions, some persons want to perpetuate violence, brigandage and insecurity across the state.”

Dickson urged Bayelsans to condemn violence and insecurity in the state, adding

•Pastor (Mrs.) Emiede Omotunde (second right); her husband, Pastor Soji Omotunde of Vintage Press Limited (left); Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni (first right) and his wife, Helen (second left) at the ordination of Mrs Omotunde at the Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State...at the weekend.

APC chief alerts to party’s division in CHIEFTAIN of Edo next governor come Edo Central tofromhavethethedistrict.

State All Progres-sives But right now,

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Congress (APC) in Edo Central Senatorial District, Comrade Matthew Emhiohe, yesterday alerted to the division among party’s leaders.

The APC chieftain urged Governor Adams Oshiomhole to intervene to save the party from electoral defeat.

He hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for fulfilling his promise of change with the repositioning of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Emhiohe urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be cautious in its criticisms.

He said: “My worry is that APC in Edo Central is severely divided. We are not as united as we were during those past elections. What I fear is going

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

to kill us in the district is the division and disunity among leaders of the party. We have many factions; you cannot get a leader to call for a meeting where every other leader will attend.

“The only leader who can summon a meeting of APC leaders in Esan land is Governor Oshiomhole. But he is not an Esan man and cannot be an Esan leader.

“I saw former governor Oserheimen Osunbor as someone who can bring everybody together as a rallying point. But I understand he is nursing a governorship ambition.

“We need somebody in the calibre of Chief Tony Anenih. Any patriotic Esan man will be happy

it is not going to work because we need the kind of leadership that will lead us; we need a rallying point.

“Who is going to reach out to Edo North and South, to talk to our brothers and sisters there? We cannot even talk to ourselves for the people to listen.”

On Buhuri, he said: “The President is already doing all he promised Nigerians. Some people will say he is slow, but again, the man wants to take his time so that he does not make mistakes.

“The PDP will always say all kinds of things. The PDP should be more objective in its criticisms because the world is seeing what Buhari is trying to do. What they are doing is exposing themselves as a corrupt party. That is why they are making all the noise about the fight against corruption...”

Okowa not flamboyant, says PDP chief

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CHIEFTAIN of Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Pius Ovwidje, has said Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is not a flamboyant person.

Ovwidje spoke at a public function while he was reacting to the N10 billion the Okowa administration borrowed because of the alleged empty treasury he inherited.

The PDP chieftain said government must continue, adding that Okowa should start from where his predecessor stopped.

According to him, Okowa could borrow, if

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

he encounters financial constraints.

The PDP chief described Okowa as a people-oriented governor, adding that he had explicit confidence that his administration would usher in the development of Delta State.

Ovwidje said: “Okowa is one man who is articulate and focused. His appointment so far has spoken volumes of his preparedness to carry all the ethnic nationalities along, respective of tribe.”

that if not checked, the people would pay for it.

The JTF said it arrested six suspected pirates who allegedly attacked and killed five of its soldiers and a policeman at Nembe in Bayelsa State.

Police spokesman Asinim Butswat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that suspected pirates attacked the JTF base at Nembe on Friday night.

A statement by its spokesman Lt.-Col. Isa Ado and made available to NAN in Yenagoa yesterday, said soldiers raided and destroyed a militants’ camp at Ke community in Degema in a reprisal attack.

Ado said: “In a swift reaction to the August 7 attack on our troops in Nembe community in Bayelsa State, JTF carried out Cordon and Search Operation on a suspected militants’ camp responsible for the attack at Ke community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“The camp was destroyed

by JTF troops while six suspects, comprising four male and two female, were arrested. Large quantities of arms were recovered from the camp.

“The suspects are in the custody of the JTF and are helping the task force in the investigation that will lead to the arrest of other fleeing suspects and their sponsors.”

Ado said other items recovered from the militants’ camp included three speed boats, communication gadgets and generators.

Auchi leaders hail Oshiomhole’s battele on erosion From Osagie Otabor, Benin

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GROUP, Auchi Leaders and Elders Forum (ALEF) of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has praised Governor Adams Oshiomhole for rebuilding the gully erosion site that ravaged the community.

The Auchi flood control project and two other erosion sites in Benin, the state capital, are being executed with a World Bank loan.

The group said the progress on the erosion site showed that the perennial Auchi flood would soon become history.

A communique at the end of the group’s meeting signed by its Chairman, Otunba Charlton Magaji, and Secretary, Alhaji Mohammmed Abubakar, said several houses had been saved in Auchi owing to the intervention of Oshiomhole.

It urged the governor to visit the General Hospital in Auchi to see its dilapidated infrastructure, obsolete equipment and nonexistent drugs.

The group said the visit would enable the governor to save the hospital from decay.

The communique urged the governor to resolve the crisis in Estako Local Government Area by releasing the White Paper on the Nosa Osifo Report.

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NEWS Plea to election tribunals on fairness

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GROUP, Southeast Democratic Vanguard (SDV) has urged tribunals sitting in the zone to uphold the truth and fairness in their judgements.

A statement by Mrs Ifeyinwa Menkiti and Dr Julius Anyanu Anambra and Imo State Coordinators, urged the tribunals not to be distracted by the antics of desperate public office holders.

They alleged that the elections were marred by irregularities.

The statement reads: “Having reviewed the last elections with its attendant judicial litigation, we arrived at a variety of issues which we intend to bring to public knowledge.

“The Southeast Democratic Vanguard reviewed the last elections, especially in

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

the Southeast and concluded that no elections held.

“The process was marred by irregularities including ballot box snatching, illegal electoral thumbprint, duplication and manipulation of electoral figures, among others.

“The electoral fraud was perpetrated by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in connivance with security agencies, among others, to assist a particular political party record landslide victory. It was only in Enugu State that elections could be said to have been ‘reasonably’ held.

“We have noticed with dismay, the desperate attempts of political office

holders, who were beneficiaries of this inglorious electoral sham, to subvert the litigation process with deceptive antics to distract the tribunal from performing its constitutional duties.

“We are notifying the public of the dastardly acts of these office holders, especially chief executives of some states, who induce opposing parties with money to abandon or withdraw their cases.

“We urge Nigerians, especially those from the Southeast, to be aware of these antics. We also urge tribunal members to uphold the tenets of truth and fairness, which they swore to, and not be distracted by the antics of desperate and power mongering public office holders”.

Arthur Eze faults link with debtor firm

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ENOWNED businessman Arthur Eze has faulted the inclusion of his name among directors of Genesis Electricity Limited (GEL), a firm accused of owing Wema Bank Plc N136.93 million.

Eze said the claim, as contained in a statement by the bank, published in newspapers on August 7, was false and had caused him ‘untold public odium’.

In a letter of complaint by his lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), to Wema Bank and the affected media houses, Eze demanded a retraction and public apology within seven days, failure of which he threatened to sue them for

•Threatens legal action From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

N10 billion each.

The letter reads: “We have been informed that in a publication on Friday, August 7, page 19, column 4 of a newspaper, you listed our client’s name as one of the directors of Genesis Electricity Limited, purportedly owing your bank N136,931,264.15.

“The above statement is false, malicious and libellous, as our client is neither a director nor a shareholder of Genesis Electricity.

“It is needless to say that your statement, which constitutes a defamation of

character, has caused untold public odium to our client, portraying him as dishonest, and undermining his highly earned reputation.

“You are hereby given seven days, inclusive of the date on this letter, to retract the statement and apologise to our client, which shall be published in five national newspapers, i n c l u d i n g the affected paper.

“Should you fail to comply with these directives, we shall subject you to the rigours of litigation, whereof we will claim N10 billion without any further reference to you”.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

MONDAY AUGUST 10, 2015

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POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Despite delays orchestrated by respondents, the tribunals hearing petitions on governorship elections in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are striving to meet the 180-day deadline provided for the determination of the petitions. ERIC IKHILAE reports.

•Emmanuel

•Umana

•Senator AlHasan

•Gaidam

From ballot box to court room •Tribunals race to meet 180 days deadline

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N five states, the governorship election has shifted from the ballot box to the court room. Until the court makes the final pronouncement, the fate of governors of Akwa Ibom, Borno, Rivers, Taraba and Yobe states hangs in the balance as their victory at the poll is still being disputed.

The election tribunals are leaving no stone unturned to meet the 180 days deadline provided by the Electoral Act for the determination of petitions arising from the elections. For the first time, tribunals are sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),owing to the fear of insecurity in the affected states.

Akwa Ibom The Akwa Ibom governorship tribunal, chaired by Justice Sadiq Umar, is sitting at the FCT High Court, Maitama. It was the first to commence trial. It has progressed considerably, with the petitioners inching close to wrapping up their case.

The petitioners-the candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC),Umana Umana-and his party challenging the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner of the April 11 election.

They want the tribunal to, among others, void the election, which they claim, was marred by irregularities and held without compliance with the Electoral Act. Although the petitioners will likely close their case this week, they have to deal with the “uncooperative attitude” of the INEC, which they have, on several occasions, accused of sabotaging their efforts to inspect election materials in furtherance of their case. Although it is obligatory under the Electoral Act for the electoral agency to make electoral materials available to parties on application, lawyers to the petitioners, including Solomon Umoh (SAN), have on different occasions, applied for extension of time for them to inspect materials used for the election.

The petitioners have consistently accused INEC of frustrating their effort to examine the election materials, despite the tribunal’s order directing the relocation of the materials to Abuja, in view of the earlier compliant that INEC was allegedly working with the PDP, Udom and their agents to frustrate the inspection of the materials.

Although the tribunal has ordered that all parties be present during the inspection at the INEC’s Electoral Institute, Abuja, there are fears that the petitioners may not be able to complete their inspection of the election materials and obtain their certified true copies (CTC), which they must tender in exhibit before the tribunal before the close of the case.

Rivers At the Rivers tribunal sitting at the FCT High Court, Apo, the pace of proceedings is akin to a snail speed.

Almost three months into the 180-day lifespan of the tribunal, it adjourned last Wednesday for the commencement of pre-hearing session where parties are to draw up a guideline on how the trail will be conducted, and in most cases, with time and days allocated to parties. This is intended to ease proceedings and reduce friction among parties.

There are five petitions in respect of the election, which produced the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyesom Wike as governor. The petitions are marked: EPT/ RV/GOV/01/2015 (filed by LP), EPT/RV/GOV/02/2015 (by APGA and its candidate, Charles Pirinye Harry), EPT/RV/ GOV/03/2015 (by SDP and its candidate, Reverend Minubim Harry), EPT/RV/GOV/04/2015 (by the APC and its candidate, Dakuku Peterside) and EPT/RV/GOV/05/2015 (by Kemka Stanley Elenmwu) and which the petitioner withdrew.

The Justice Mu’zu Pindiga-led tribunal, in a ruling last Wednesday, dismissed the petition by the SDP and Harry, having found that the petition was defective and that the two grounds of the petition were not in strict compliance with the provision of Section 138(1)(a) to (5) of the Electoral Act. The tribunal held that the grounds were faulty, thereby rendering the petition incompetent.

Justice Pindiga, who read the ruling, noted that the petitioners prayed that the election be voided, but failed to accompany it with a prayer for the conduct of a fresh election. Instead the petitioner prayed that he be declared winner, even when he did not score the highest votes.

The dismissal of the SDP’s petition brought to four the number of petitions concluded by the tribunal. Others are the petitions by the Labour Party (LP), the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the one by Elenmwu. But, the petitions by the APC and Peterside have not been decided.

The tribunal has scheduled pre-hearing proceedings in the only surviving petition by the APC and Peterside for this week.

It will also hear a motion by the petitioners for an order compelling the INEC to move election materials used in Rivers to Abuja for inspection.

The motion was informed by the petitioners’ complaint that the electoral body was working with Wike and his party to frustrate the inspection of the materials, based on the tribunal’s order made on June 11.

Yobe Trial has also commenced in the Yobe tribunal sitting at the Nyanya Division of the High Court, FCT. The petitioners have tendered exhibits and called witnesses, including bank officials.

The petitioners-the PDP and its candidate, Adamu Waziriare challenging the outcome of the election won by Gaidam.

They want the tribunal to, among others, void the election, which they claim, was marred by irregularities and held without compliance with the Electoral Act They alleged that the election was marred by irregularities and corrupt practices.

Respondents to the petition include Gaidam, the APC, the INEC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Yobe State, Abu Zama, and Assistant Superintendent of Police Zakari Deba (Aide-de-Camp to Gaidam).

On August 6, the tribunal admitted in evidence, documents relating to two bank accounts allegedly owned by Zarma. The documents, which included bank statements and payment tellers, were tendered by petitioners in their effort to prove their claim that the governor, Ibrahim Gaidam allegedly paid N15million to the REC’s accounts before the election.

It is part of their allegations that Deba aided Gaidam to pay N8m into Zama’s account with Diamond Bank and N7m into his Zenith Bank account on April 8.

Petitioner’s lawyer Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) led two officials of Zenith and Diamond banks in evidence, during which they tendered the bank documents, which the tribunal admitted.

The official of Diamond Bank (Damaturu Branch), Bamaji Kukawa, said the bank statement showed that N8m was paid into Zarma’s account on April 8 by Deba.

“Before the April 8, 2015 entry, the bank account had N28,143.60k. The depositor was Zakari Deba,” Kukawa said in response to questions from Owonikoko.

He added that on April 13, the statement of account showed that N8m was withdrawn from the account in favour of Saleh & Hanif Company, with 25,011.45 left as balance in the account as of the end of the period covered by the statement.

Head of Operation, Damaturu Branch of Zenith Bank, Umar Alkali said Deba deposited N7m into Zarma’s account with the bank on April 8.

He noted that at the end of the period covered by the statement of account, which he tendered, a balance of N1,345,503.38 was left in the account.

Counsel to Gaidam and the APC, Yusuf Ali (SAN), while cross-examining the witnesses asked if any of the bank docu• Continued on page 46

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THE NATION MONDAY AUGUST 10, 2015

POLITICS

In terms of debt profile, Osun is legitimately within the acceptable ‘debt limit. My concern is the federal government, as it is run today, does not empower states, to go their own capacity to generate revenue ’

House of Representatives member Hon. Adeyinka Ajayi spoke with reporters in Lagos on the challenges facing the Osun State Government and the way out of the crisis. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE was there.

‘Osun ’ll survive’

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HAT is your take on the allegation of mismanagement of public funds against the Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola?

The state we found ourselves in Osun is quite unfortunate. It is unfortunate because it is the best of intension, the best planning and forward looking mechanism the governor has put in place to serve the people. But, was misrepresented. We found ourselves not being in control of those parameters that determines whether we are a growing concern or not. That is not peculiar to Osun anyway, it happens across the federation. I dare say that despite the fact that the whole nation is going through some challenges till now, Osun is pronounced because certain political gladiators that wanted to use unconstitutional and illegitimate means to get what Osun State did not want to give them. That is why Osun has been highlighted, that is where we have found ourselves once again.

The government was accused of buying an aircraft. Yet, workers are being owed salaries…

I will take that issue in isolation and I am sure in the course of this interview, I will address it in holistic manner. How much does a helicopter cost? It will not pay one month salary in Osun. Is that mismanagement?

The issue of helicopter was bought for security reason. It was not bought for the movement of the government officials, which is a fact. The Federal Government of the previous administration stifled that initiative. The government of Osun applied for the equipment because we need a code from the National Communication Commission (NCC) to effectively perform the kind of serve the helicopter is needed for. Good initiative, but unfortunately politics reared its head.

The equipment came, but getting the code, the channel from the NCC to be able to operate the equipment became impossible. The so-called order from above tried to stall it, therefore, Osun State government had two alternatives, either to resell the aircraft or make it available for other purposes that could bridge the gap, while we are sorted out the issue with the NCC. The equipment was actually being run commercially pending when the NCC will give us our code to be able to operate the equipment.

How is that mismanagement? That equipment could actually be useful across the regions.

What would you say about the debt profile of the state?

In terms of debt profile, Osun is legitimately within the acceptable debt limit. My concern is the federal government, as it is run today, does not

empower states, to go their own capacity to generate revenue. Those areas where you can expand the scope of economy are controlled by legislations of the Federal Government. Therefore, it is difficult to separate the sub-state’s economy from the federal economy. So, a huge your percentages of revenue from the state will always go back to the Federal Government. Lagos State economy is probably the only economy today that is striving to set out itself from the federal economy. And we can begin to have Lagos as an independent economy. Lagos has begun to build the sub-economy, but other states unfortunately cannot because they do not have that latitude in term of resources. The debt profile of Osun is not on the negative side, safe for the debt profile that is coming from the Federal Government structures as it were.

Osun State Government has been accused of embarking on projects that are not viable. What is your reaction?

I will not agree that Osun State embarked on projects that are not directly relevant to the welfare and wellbeing of the people. If you know the person of Ogbeni Aregbesola, the governor of the state of Osun, you will know that he is irrevocably committed to the welfare of the people.

That is what he lives for, that is what he preaches. The OYES scheme has become a model not only for Nigeria, but for the whole of the world. Several governments in Nigeria have copied the project. In an economy like Osun, it is a civil service state; we have over 35,000 civil servants in the state, probably second to Lagos has much on its shoulder. What are we doing to the 35,000 civil servants in the state like Osun with struggling resources?

That is where we found ourselves. As an elected government, trying to do something about that, the chances are that you may not survive it. But as a government, something has to be done about it. We inherited so much from the western region and Oyo State government before the creation of Osun. At a time we have Osun State indigenes who were in the service of Oyo. Fortunately and unfortunately, they were like the 80 percent of the Oyo State civil service, within that period we had a governor in Oyo State, who was from Osun, the late Bola Ige, his deputy Afolabi and Chief Bisis Akande the Secreatry to the government, all from the government of Oyo. When Osun State was created, the Oyo government cut off the civil service structure by indigeneship, so people from Osun State were force to relocate. So, whether you had 100 directors and 80 percent of them

From ballot box to court room

At its inaugural sitting last month, the Chairman of the Taraba tribunal, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar, cautioned lawyers in the only petition before the tribunal to avoid unnecessary delay. He promised that the tribunal will do its best to ensure that it stays within the 180day provision.

The only petition before the tribunal was filed by the APC governorship candidate, Hajia Aisa Alhassan, and her party. The petitioners are challenging the outcome of the last governorship election in Taraba State, won by Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It is part of the petitioners’ contention that the election was marred with irregularities. They want the election voided.

On August 1, the tribunal rejected a motion by INEC, asking the tribunal to relocate to Taraba State.

INEC had faulted its sitting in Abuja on security ground. Magaji’s request for the tribunal to proceed with the hearing of his clients’ petition was opposed by lawyers to the respondents - Ishaku, PDP and INEC).

Shortly after the ruling, parties engaged in serious dispute as to how the tribunal should proceed. While

petitioners’ lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), was of the view that the tribunal could hear the petition along with the respondents’ motions, challenging the competence of the petition, respondents’ lawyers led by former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Kanu Agabi (SAN) urged the tribunal to act otherwise.

They contended that it was the tradition that a court or tribunal must first deal with motions challenging the competence of a petition or a suit before assuming jurisdiction over suit a suit or petition.

They argued that the tribunal must first determine whether or not the petition was competent for it to determine whether or not to exercise its jurisdiction to hear it.

Magaji, in a counter argument, cited the provision of Paragraph 12(5) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act which, he said, made it mandatory for an election tribunal to hear any objection to the competence of a petition along with the petition.

He argued that since election petition proceedings were peculiar, the regular rules of court do not apply. He noted that time was of the essence in electoral cases.

Magaji faulted the respondents’ reliance of the provision of Paragraph 18(7)(d) where it was provided that a tribunal may decide any objection before proceeding to consided the main petition.

“The word ‘may’ used in Paragraph 18(7) is persuasive. It allows for the exercise of discretion by the tribunal. But, the word ‘shall’ used in Paragraph 12(5) is mandatory,” he said.

He noted that the tribunal had, at its inaugural sitting, cautioned parties against delay and elected to take all preliminary motions with the petition.

The tribunal ruled on August 4 upholding Magaji’s argument. At its last sitting last week, the tribunal adjourned to August 13 for the commencement of trial.

•Wike

•Peterside

• Continued from page 45 ments tendered reflected the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Yobe State as the owner of the accounts.

He also asked whether photograph of a depositor lodging money into an account is required to be captured before carrying out such transaction. Kukawa and Alkali answered both questions in the negative.

The tribunal led by Justice Mojisola Dada consequently admitted the exhibits through the bank officials, who were subpoenaed upon the petitioners’ request. Proceedings at the tribunal resumes today.

Taraba

•Ajayi were from Osun, they had to go.

Whether Osun had the structure to accommodate them or not was immaterial. The OYES scheme is meant to keep some money in the economy of Osun. We found that the people who were making money from Osun have their business outside Osun.

Aregbesola saw this and tried to create a way of circulating fund within Osun, in the hands of the people. That is how the idea of OYES came. This was also part of his campaign promises, that within his 100 days in office, he would employ so many numbers of youth. He created the OYES scheme that puts N200 million every months in the hands of people who would have to spend it on the economy of Osun. We had so many graduates who were jobless and we tried to mop them up. How the OYES scheme has been a waste, I don’t really know. The OYES scheme is like an entrepreneurial development programme, it’s not supposed to be a job.

It is supposed to be a way to tell our youth that the only way to survive is not to look for monthly paid jobs.

Every economy in the world thrives on small and medium enterprises.

The organized private sector provides the job, while public sector employs less than 20 percent.

But, the NLC suggested to the government to stop the school feeding programme…

Remember that schools are built for children; they are built to educate our children. They are not built to create jobs. Yes, the NLC suggested the stopping of the school feeding programme, but stop the school feeding programme will stop the children from schooling. The feeding programme ensured that our pupil enrolment increased. It is the best in the world today by that standard. So, the parents do not have to worry about the feeding of their children at schools.

With this, the child would get education; he would be taken off the streets.

Nigerians in South Africa laud Speaker

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•From left: House of Representatives member Hon. Lado Suleja, Majority Leader Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, representative of Lagos State governor Mrs Adebunmi Adekanye, and Hon. Rabiu Kaugama at the victory party organised for Gbajabiamila in Lagos.. at the weekend.

OLLOWING by the peaceful resolution of the leadership crisis in the House of Representatives, some Nigerians resident in South Africa have lauded Speaker Yakubu Dogara for not sacrificing the national interest on the altar of ambition.

They made the remark at their meeting under the auspices Forum of Nigerian Stakeholders in South Africa (FANSA) in Pretoria.

In a communique signed by FANSA’s Chairman Dr. Ufuoma Omakara, the group described as commendable the way the Green Chamber ended the crisis.

The group noted that the crisis could have lingered, if the Speaker had rejected the suggestion of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the selection of principal officers.

It urged the legislators to, in the spirit of sportsmanship, settle down to the business of law-making, the purpose for which they were elected by their constituencies.

According to the group, by yielding ground to the party, the Speaker has demonstrated that he is equipped with the experience and competence to lead a virile Eighth House of Representatives.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Caging impunity • We await with baited breath the audit reports of all MDAs

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HE Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF) is the institutional fulcrum against graft and official corruption. Where this office is properly established and functional, corruption in public offices is often a rarity. This is why any attempt to curb fiscal indiscipline and financial recklessness often starts at the office of the AGF. This office tracks all financial transactions in all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) by releasing annual audit reports. It issues queries to individuals and units found to be remiss in handling finances. The report is statutorily presented to the Senate annually and also placed in the public arena.

By the very act of this report from the office of the AGF, accountability and transparency in government’s finances are ensured. This way, too, individuals and civil society groups would be able to track government expenditures both generally and as it concerns them.

The last time a proper report was presented to the Senate was in 2004 when the then AGF, Mr. Vincent Azia, released the report for 2002. The report which was in itself a novelty as there was hardly any notable one before then, caused so much uproar in the polity. The report was a showcase of financial malfeasance and recklessness in the extreme. Hardly any MDA was clean, even the Presidency and National Assembly (NASS) were not only held up for finagling over finances, they had many unanswered queries.

Not many other serious audit reports had been released since then. It seemed quite convenient both for the Senate and the Presidency not to care about the

AGF’s reports. In fact, all through the era of President Goodluck Jonathan the only reports that emanated from the office of the AGF were about the poor funding of this critical office.

It is based on the foregoing that we applaud the recent directive by President Mohammadu Buhari that all outstanding audit queries must be resolved within 30 day. Miffed by the wretched state of the AGF’s office currently, President Buhari during a meeting with the AGF called for an immediate return to the standard operating procedures and financial regulations in the service.

In addition, the president ordered that going forward, audit queries must be answered within 24 hours. “The era of impunity is gone,” said the president. As stated by his media aide, “President Buhari will ensure that public officials and civil servants in the service of the Federal Government pay heavy price from now on for violating financial regulations and disregarding audit queries.”

The real issues here are impunity and a complete disregard for laid-down rules and procedures governing public service.

Just as is the case with tracking expenditures, so it is with monitoring remittances from MDAs to the federal treasury. Impunity reigns supreme in this area too, for instance, it was reported last week that the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) found that the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company failed to remit about $11.6 billion (N2.32 trillion) between 2009 and 2012.

Particularly notable is the frustration of the NEITI chief, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed

who lamented that issues thrown up in her agency’s audit reports had remained unimplemented, describing the situation as “an unfortunate recurring decimal.”

All these indeed paint a picture of a state mired in fiscal anomie. Revenues both at the state and federal levels are not tracked while expenditures have no proper accounts. The individuals and bodies concerned ignore audit queries when they manage to come and nobody seemed to care. There is no better way to gauge a collapsed polity than by the way finances are managed.

While we salute President Buhari for identifying one of the main sources of graft in the system, we urge him to go beyond the periphery. The rot is very deep so he must make fundamental changes to the system.

The office of the AGF is a key institution of state; it requires a complete overhaul and retooling to enable it carry out its crucial assignment. There is also a need to set up a body to track the revenues of MDAs and ensure that they are duly remitted to the treasury.

We must cage impunity now.

‘The real issues here are impunity and a complete disregard for laid-down rules and procedures governing public service. Just as is the case with tracking expenditures, so it is with monitoring remittances from MDAs to the federal treasury.

The Fourth Mainland Bridge

•Federal Government should partner with Lagos in providing this critical infrastructure

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ALPABLE fears that the Lagos State government may be forced by paucity of funds to shelve construction of a Fourth Mainland Bridge is a cause for concern. The Bridge was designed in response to practical challenges arising from population explosion and anticipation of need of its greater as the city of Lagos, known as Nigeria’s mega city. The bridge, if constructed, will be a major lift for communities along the Lekki-Ajah axis and the Ikorodu corridor, which have begun to suffer from the overflow from the congested main Lagos city centre. It is a major component of a 23-kilometre ambitious modern road project.

In April, while briefing the press on activities of the ministry of works, the former commissioner in charge of the ministry, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, pointed out that the only way the government could sustain the plan was to redesign

‘We recall that President Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledged to pay adequate attention to Lagos if elected. This is the time to fulfill that solemn pledge.

Governor Ambode should pressure the president in line with their dialogue on the hustings’

and down-scale it. He pointed out that this had become inevitable as a review of the cost indicated that compensation to property owners along the right of way could amount to more than fifteen billion Naira.

However, such a review might not keep faith with the vision behind the project.

Lagos is a sprawling city, the commercial capital of Nigeria and the most cosmopolitan in the West Africa sub-region. It is, therefore, important for all involved to ensure that Lagosians heave a sigh of relief from the traffic congestion and poor planning that have defined its existence for some time.

We call on the federal government to come to the aid of the state government if the project is to come to fruition. The Lekki-Ajah-Epe axis, with the plan for an airport and a Free Trade Zone, requires careful planning that could only be boosted by the Fourth Mainland Bridge as originally designed.

We appreciate the load being carried by the state government that is at the moment handling and financing the Badagry expressway and the Mile-12-Ikorodu modern avenue. When this is added to the light rail project, it would be beyond the capacity of the Lagos State government alone to accomplish.

One of the advantages of a federal arrangement is that the central government intervenes in situations like this. The people of Lagos who are from all parts of the country would feel a sense of belonging if the Buhari administration steps in.

It has been argued many times that the

former federal capital deserves a special status. Other state capitals may be clamouring for greater attention from the federal government, too, but the case for Lagos is unassailable. This is devoid of political undertone as the contribution of the state to federal revenue from the Value Added Tax, income tax and manpower calls for compensation. The pressure on the available infrastructure is so enormous that it would be unfair if it were left for the state government alone.

Federal intervention in the infrastructural development of Lagos should not be limited to the bridge. Efforts by the state government in such critical areas that impact economic growth such as power generation and distribution, Water resources and manpower development also deserve attention.

We also call on the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to revisit, review the project and come up with a policy on it. He should table it before the federal government. He has a duty, too, to undertake a comprehensive review of the infrastructural need of the state and seek new partnership with the private sector that would also be a beneficiary of improved facilities. We recall that President Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledged to pay adequate attention to Lagos if elected. This is the time to fulfill that solemn pledge. Governor Ambode should pressure the president in line with their dialogue on the hustings.

Melinda Gates’ shinning example

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IR: I was touched by the recent report about Melinda Gates, wife of the richest man in the world, Bill Gates, carrying a bucket of water fetched from a village in Malawi. The billionaire’s spouse, alongside two Malawian women, was seen with a 20-litre bucket of water on her head walking on an untarred road. Despite her status, Melinda did not only carry the bucket, she also helped in washing dishes and stayed in the home of a local couple in a village. This act which has generated many reactions from across the globe - admirably shows simplicity, humility and sensitivity to the plight of the less privileged in the society.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is widely known worldwide to promote better living conditions in several countries through the provision of grants, aids and developmental lifeline for individuals and corporate organisations. Such a rare gesture is uncommon especially in a world where extreme capitalism, materialism, flamboyance and opulence have become the order of the day. One recalls ex-President Joyce Banda of Malawi, similarly carrying a bucket of water on her head to share the experiences of motherhood and promote water supply and development together with her people.

Ordinarily, people are bound to insinuate that such generosity could be either a way of looking for an inroad and preparing the ground for massive investment in Africa or just an attempt at getting publicity while identifying with the poor.

For me, I feel there’s no basis to hold any of these views. The duo are not known to visit any country based on political considerations. Rather, they are reputed to have brought about workable interventions at various times to lessen the plight of the weak and the disadvantaged.

Another sticking point to note on this rare display of milk of kindness to humanity is that it takes a great deal of discipline, sacrifice and humility for someone of the class, stature and personality of Melinda to leave her luxury, dignity, riches and comfort zone in the God’s Own Country for that matter and come to a continent, where the cost of living is out of reach of the common man, to render such humanitarian assistance.

In sharp contrast to Melinda, what is common to many of our women in the political and elite class in Africa is the exact opposite (penchant for luxurious living without much consideration for the poor, needy and the common man). Most male African leaders have been accused of engaging in corrupt practices that lead to bad governance. It is widely believed that public resources that are allegedly mismanaged may not have been so, if wives of such leaders had exercised positive influence on their husbands by doing what is expected of them rather using such influence and clout to ascend to glamour and fame.

African women in positions of authority should, therefore, brace up and take a cue from the Malawian episode by making a big difference in the society. They should always realise that they have much influence on their men after all the popular saying goes that behind a successful man is a woman and vice versa. It is hoped that the authorities in Malawi would take advantage of the Gates’ symbolic visit for a better life for our womenfolk.

• Adewale Kupoluyi, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: On account of what some people perceived as slowness in the take-off of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme had counseled Nigerians not to hurry the President since every leader comes with his own style. This obviously is a wise counsel considering the monumental problems the present administration inherited from the out-gone government.

Among many of those problems include Boko Haram insurgency; drop in prices of oil, corruption in various spheres of our public sector, oil theft, indiscipline among others. In fact, it is now coming to limelight that in the area of mining, that some Chinese and other nationals were engaged in illegal mining in some parts of the North Central zone with full paraphernalia of state protection. These activities were being carried out on a monumental proportion.

As a shining democrat that he is, Buhari has consistently listened to the other voices clamouring for equity in the system. For example, soon after he was sworn in, it was reported that some past officials in the Jonathan government were being barred from travelling outside the country or being humiliated at the nation’s exit points, he immediately called the affected agencies to order. Since then, he sent a clear message on his readiness to respect the fundamental human rights of all Nigerians.

Just recently, he appointed a Delta Igbo Ibe Kachukwu as the Group Managing Director of NNPC. It could be recalled that when he made fewappointments in the beginning some vested interestshad raised alarm that some sections of the country were being neglected.

President Buhari is a largehearted individual, kind and upright, but has zero tolerance for corruption. Perhaps, this aspect of him does not appeal to the few individuals with skeleton in their cupboards. But to such individuals, Nigerians have no sympathy to offer them, after all in their quest for self aggrandizementand unmer-

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As Buhari accelerates promised change ited wealth, they shortchanged the majority of Nigerians who depended on them for leadership. As a nation, we must be grateful to Buhari for having the moral courage to embark on a war of redemption for our fatherland.

On the issue of slowness in doing most of the things expected from his first day in office, it is my considered view that a thorough preparation before full take-off as in the appointment of ministers should be

more desirable if we must avoid the mistake of the past. We must that it has been the the norm in the past for new administrations to appoint ministers immediately they assume office, but experience has shown that this has always been counterproductive, as most of them end up serving their pecuniary interest rather than the collective interest.

Therefore if the “change” Nigerians earnestly clamoured for is to be

maximally realized, we must give the President the benefit of doubt, as he diligently and methodically strives to put things right.

“Change” all over the world is the only permanent thing, and it takes time to happen, especially in a clime like Nigeria where systemic corruption has tended to stultify national growth and development. Buhari, has started on a good note by keeping to his promise to bring the activities of

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the dreaded BokoHaram in check.

His commitment to chart a new economic direction for the country by tackling corruption headlong in all facets of our national life will surely prepare the ground for smooth and uninterrupted economic growth in Nigeria. There is no doubt that corruption has over the years held the country down, and unless this albatross is removed, other laudable plans of the government will not fall in place.

The bottom-line is that Nigerians are able to appreciate the efforts of government at tackling the arduous task of cleaning the Augean stable.

•Chukwudi Enekwechi, Abuja.

Ex-military chiefs’ discordant tunes

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IR: In his valedictory remarks made on the occasion of his ceremonial “pulling out” from the Armed Forces, retired Air Chief Marshal Alex Sobundo Badeh painted a depressing picture of the state of readiness and combat worthiness of the Armed forces of Nigeria. He stated rather matter-offactly that the Armed Forces are illequipped and lacking in motivation to combat Boko Haram gun men!

That shocked Nigerians and certainly non-Nigerians who have been monitoring the “war on terror” in the North East Nigeria. Not done, the Air Chief Marshall also alluded to the inadequacy of the strength of the Armed Forces with respect to the number of troops under arms. He has since been roundly condemned in the media, print and electronic as well as on the social media. Many have stated the view, that it was an act of cowardice for the former CDS to be gamboling around in smart military uniform complete with bogus epaulettes, whilst the troops under his command were in the terrible shape he admitted they were in.

Less than a week later, former Chief of Army Staff General Minimah read his valedictory re-

marks at a similar parade held in his honour in Abuja. His remarks were not as acerbic as those of the CDS. However, some key issues were raised about the state of the Nigerian Army in his time as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the ongoing war against Boko Haram insurgents. Starting with those he referred to as “the elite” he claimed that they used the Boko Haram to advance their ‘political, religious and sectional interests”. This is similar to the charge of the former CDS that there were fifth columnists in the military. General Minimah claimed that if the elite had supported the government in the war on Boko Haram, more successes would have been recorded. He alluded to the inadequate funding by the “authorities” which show-cased the scant regard for the health and vitality of the Nigerian Army personnel. He claimed that adequate welfare could have motivated the troops to perform better. He bemoaned the decay occasioned by long period of neglect. General Minimah stated that he left the Nigerian Army better than he met it.

The views General Minimah expressed were in many ways in tandem with those of the former CDS,

particularly with respect to funding and equipment of the troops.

But in an interview with PRNigeria, a public relations firm, former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd), claimed that “Jonathan facilitated the acquisition of weapons for the military in the last one year”.

Can this be the same military that the former CDS described as “illequipped? It just does not add up.

Or can it be that the former CDS was not aware of the weapons the Jonathan administration acquired for the military? This is very unlikely to be the case because it is impossible for such a quantum of armament to have escaped the attention of the CDS. Dasuki named some of the acquired weapons to include Alpha jets, APCs, MRAP vehicles, advanced artillery pieces, assorted arms and ammunitions, as well as highly sophisticated surveillance drones. The administration also deployed Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles that were bought and could withstand improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and ambushes”. Somebody is not telling the truth.

In the light of the claims and counter claims, it has become an

absolute necessity that the Federal Government carry out a full scale investigation into the matter, even as we await the valedictory speeches of the former Chief of Naval Staff and the former Chief of Air Staff. It should interest Nigerians where all the huge defence budgets went. If the funds announced in the budget were not released, then what has to be accounted for would be the funded actually released to the military out of the humongous budgets year in year out. Exactly what happened has to be unearthed. The troops in combat as well as Boko Haram elements are closely monitoring the claims and counter claims. When the truths are finally established, government must correct all the lapses and inadequacies and ensure that the Nigerian Armed Forces are fully kitted, highly motivated and given full logistics back as the combat Boko Haram insurgents and indeed kidnappers, violent criminals and saboteurs who vandalized our oil facilities and all the kingpins of illegal oil bunkering.

• Col Ola Majoyeogbe (rtd) Lagos.

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HAT may explain why two striking cultural reasons for celebration at this time have not been exploited for publicity and tourism-related purposes, particularly by the Osun State government, the Federal Government, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and culture-friendly companies? 2015 is the year Susanne Wenger, the celebrated Austrian artist and Yoruba-culture champion, would have turned 100 on July 4. The year also marks the 10th anniversary of the OsunOsogbo Grove’s recognition as a World Heritage Site.

It is ironic that there is a negative silence about these cultural milestones in the country. In other words, beyond the routinal celebration of the Osun-Osogbo Festival scheduled to close noisily in the Osun-Osogbo Grove on August 21, it is constructive to make some noise about Wenger’s centenary and the grove’s first decade as an internationally recognised heritage site. The major corporate sponsors of the 2015 Osun-Osogbo Festival have positive reasons to be part of such a special celebration as well : “telecom giant MTN; Nigerian Breweries, using one of the company’s beer brands, Goldberg; Grand Oak Limited, brewers of Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps; Kasapreko Limited, producers of Alomo Bitters.”

It is noteworthy that since May there has been a string of cultural activities abroad in celebration of Wenger’s centenary. “We are pleased to announce the exhibition schedule in the year of the 100th anniversary of Susanne Wenger at the Susanne Wenger Foundation in Krems and other locations,” said a programme released by the Austriabased organisation. “There will be shown oil paintings, batiks, drawings, photographs of the Sacred Groves and previously not seen works of art… On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Susanne Wenger, Doyin Olosun and Sangodare Gbadegesin Ajala from ‘Susanne Wenger family’ will be present at the opening…There will be guided tours and workshops…The exhibition will be accompanied by the publication SUSANNE WENGER : Artist, Priestess, Adventuress…Special exhibition at the Nigerian Embassy, Vienna, Austria, September 28-30.”

Remarkably, in connection with Wenger, this is not the first time cultural forces outside the country have demonstrated a more impressive appreciation of its cultural treasures than the locals. For instance, ahead of Wenger’s milestone 90th birthday in 2005, the Arts Center, Krems, Austria, from June 20 to October 24, 2004, staged a commemorative exhibition of “some 60 of her most important works,” including batiks, paintings and architecture. The theme of this show was: Susanne Wenger: At a holy river in Africa. The Susanne Wenger Archives, Austria, supported it. Wenger enriched the show with her presence. It was one of her rare trips outside Osogbo.

It is a puzzling paradox and food for thought that such rich Wenger memorabilia are outside the country where she lived for almost 60 years before her death in Osogbo in 2009 aged 93. Imagine my shock when she told me, during an exclusive interview in her twilight, that the Susanne Wenger Foundation, Krems, Austria, had already “collected

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OME might say the correlation is far-fetched. But the power of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has obliterated national boundaries and shrunk our world. Our march of history is now conveyed in contemporary, real-life tempo by agencies of instant communication. When Pope Francis gave his opinion on gay in July 2013, he spoke directly to Justice Anthony Kennedy and his brother justices who formed the majority in the judgement that legalised gay marriage in the US. He also addressed directly such tendencies across the world, some of whom will rule on same-sex (related) suits in the future.

I fantasised the likes of Justice Anthony Kennedy argue thus: ”Eh! We are a liberal democracy. This is a holy man who should be the embodiment of the Holy Book saying, practically, there is nothing wrong with being gay. So who are we ordinary mortals to judge, condemn and deny gays marital rights? Even if we were to be sentenced to eternal hell on the Judgement Day, we already possess a plea in mitigation!”

Here is how the Guardian (UK) reported the dangerous remarks of the pontiff on Monday, June 29, 2013.”Pope Francis says he will not judge priests for being gay.”

“Pope Francis reached out to gay people on Monday, saying he would not judge priests for their sexual orientation...’ If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?’ Francis asked. His predecessor, Benedict XVI, signed a document in 2005 that said men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies should not be priests. Francis was much more conciliatory...”

The comments of the pontiff, repeatedly broadcast across the world, are branded on my mind. “Is Pope Francis seeking worldly acceptance at the expense of the truth? If an armed robber is full of good works, who am I to judge him?” I knew instantly there would be repercussions, the scale of which I might have underestimated.

I recall a similar sentiment by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, had attracted my censure some years ago, where I called on him to take the most honourable path by repudiating his leadership of the Anglican Communion. He had even expressed a more sacrilegious opinion in a letter he allegedly wrote before he became the leader of the Anglican Church: ”I concluded that an active sexual relationship between two people of the same sex might therefore reflect the love of God in a way comparable to marriage, if and only if it had about it the same character of absolute covenanted faithfulness.” This was blasphemy writ large!

According to Pope Francis, ”When I meet a gay person, I have to distinguish between their being gay and being part of a lobby. If

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When silence is a minus all what they can get hold of, what I did and what is said about me.” She said: “I have agreed with Krems. They have better reasons to be interested than our people here. Our people here have nothing against me, but they have no reason why they should back what I do, what I say.”

It is a testimony to Wenger’s cultural celebrity that the Federal Government in 2008 honoured her with a decoration, Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). Osogbo, land of the mystic River Osun, in present-day Osun State, provided the milieu for what Wenger described as her “complete immersion;” and she controversially became a priestess of Yoruba indigenous religion and an informal guardian of its ritual grounds, which was reflected in her local moniker, Adunni Olorisa, underlining her remarkable devotion to the Yoruba pantheon.

She was famous as the arrowhead of the inventive New Sacred Art group and for her selfless dedication to the preservation of the sacred Osun-Osogbo Grove, listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) shortly after her 90th birthday in July 2005 - this was an interesting coincidence and the icing on the cake for Wenger. Recognised for natural and cultural reasons, the Osun-Osogbo Grove is the second of two UNESCO-branded sites in Nigeria, coming after the Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa State, which attained the distinction in 1999.

Long before it became correct to be environment-friendly, Wenger had championed a crusade for the conservation of nature in the Osun-Osogbo Grove, albeit based on a religious premise and her conviction that it was the abode of the gods.

Inspired by her philosophy that “Art is ritual”, she created a stunning range of majestic “architectural sculptures” in the grove as symbols of reverence, working with talented locals.

It is to her credit that, following her long-drawn-out battle

with various interest groups that failed to see the need to guard the grove, the political authorities in Nigeria eventually saw her point and stepped in to protect the space; and then, UNESCO followed. The Osun- Osogbo Grove is the site of Nigeria’s star tourist attraction, the Osun-Osogbo Festival, celebrated in honour of a river goddess. It is a preeminent cultural festival and draws a high number of visitors domestically and internationally.

The evidently grand conjuncture of Susanne Wenger’s centenary, the Osun-Osogbo Grove’s World-Heritage-Site anniversary and the 2015 Osun-Osogbo Festival deserves to be specially celebrated in Nigeria by Nigerians. It is timely that a Nigerian publishing company, Grasshill Books, is promoting a new book on Wenger, which is expected to be released to mark the 2015 World Tourism Day on September 27.

A statement by the publisher said: “We are pleased to announce the publication of a new book, Alive In The Sacred Grove – Susanne Wenger from a Nigerian view, which will fill a vacuum that has existed for years.” The author, Femi Macaulay, was quoted as saying: “What I set out to do is unprecedented. In concept and execution, this new book on Susanne Wenger is unparalleled because it is written from a Nigerian perspective and with a Nigerian flavour… At the time I discussed my plan with Wenger, she responded positively, saying, ‘I bless your work and your good intentions’.”

Describing the work, Macaulay also said: “This unique well-researched Wenger portrait offers a fresh experience of her. It consists of an extensive up-to-date close-up profile and exclusive interviews that I had with her. It explores not only her extraordinary life but also her thinking on Yoruba culture and tradition, especially at the transitional stage of her life. It is enriched with expressive pictures of Wenger and some of her eye-catching sculptures in the grove, as well as other important images related to her gripping story.

It is a modest way of paying a well- deserved tribute to a loyal vessel of Yoruba divinities; her legacy is undeniable.

The book also beams the spotlight on the Osun-Osogbo Grove and the Osun-Osogbo Festival.”

Hopefully, this new book will enjoy support from culturefriendly quarters and be appreciated as a way of breaking the silence that is anti-culture and anti-tourism.

‘The evidently grand conjuncture of Susanne Wenger’s centenary, the Osun-Osogbo Grove’s WorldHeritage-Site anniversary and the 2015 Osun-Osogbo Festival deserves to be specially celebrated in Nigeria

by Nigerians.’

Captives of liberty

By Soyombo Opeyemi they accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them?

They shouldn’t be marginalized. The tendency [to homosexuality] is not the problem…they’re our brothers.”

No, Holy Father. Gays are not our brothers. They become our brothers only if they repent and forsake their evil ways.

A gay person lives outside nature, outside the law of God. You cannot continue to be gay and please the Lord, the same way an armed robber cannot continue in his or her criminality and at the same time “accept the Lord and full of good will.”

By the way, we do not know the exact passage of the Bible or Scriptures that guided the opinion of the pontiff. The Bible is unambiguous on the place of gay, sodomy, lesbianism, etc. Here is 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV): ”9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” If the truth must be told - this is a matter of life and death. You cannot love the world and simultaneously love God. According to 1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV), ”15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

The United States Supreme Court ruled on Friday, June 26, that same-sex couples could get married in the country. Justice Anthony Kennedy, who read the lead judgement in the consolidated suit, Obergefell v. Hodges, declared: ”The Constitution promises liberty to all within its reach, a liberty that includes certain specific rights that allow persons, within a lawful realm, to define and express their identity. The petitioners in these cases seek to find that liberty by marrying someone of the same sex and having their marriages deemed lawful on the same terms and conditions as marriages between persons of the opposite sex.”

This ruling is obscene and debases our shared humanity. It is the very second in the row of notorious liberties in the US that places humanity below the level of animals. The first being the right to kill (the so-called freedom to possess firearms), since it is easier to purchase a gun than buy candies

in a supermarket. And so our humanity is continually assailed by captives of liberty, as Americans gun themselves down daily for no just cause. Yes, in the name of liberty!

Gays are social deviants who ought to live on the fringes of society. At best, they are like those with mental affliction, who should be absorbed in the social homes and rehabilitation centres till their humanity is restored. Gay is obscene and violates human dignity. Therefore, the infamous 5-4 majority decision of the US Supreme Court ought to be reviewed and set aside. All laws banning gay or same-sex behaviour should be upheld. All lovers of humanity must unite to turn the heat on the US. We must not allow America to turn our world upside down.

And to the likes of Anthony Kennedy, who may wish to rely on an excuse of being misled on the Judgement Day, the Bible - the commandment, the word - is within your reach: “11 For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ 14 But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (NKJV)) • Soyombo, public affairs commentator, sent this piece via densityshow@yahoo.com

‘Gays are not our brothers. They become our brothers only if they repent and forsake their evil ways.

A gay person lives outside nature, outside the law of God. You cannot continue to be gay and please the Lord, the same way an armed robber cannot continue in his or her criminality and at the same time “accept the Lord and full of good will”’

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been in the public domain since the advent of the President Buhari’s regime. Hardly does a day roll by without reports of the arrest and grilling of sundry personages especially those who have held one public office or the other. In this category, fall former governors and sundry public office holders including those still in service.

Of late also, the commission has extended its searchlight to women; inviting and quizzing some of them for alleged offences. Issues for which they are being probed are offences allegedly committed years back.

Not unexpectedly, tongues have been wagging as to the probable reasons the commission has woken up from the slumber into which it had irretrievably sunk. Those who toe this line are amazed that the crimes agency which almost rendered itself irrelevant during the last regime could so soon after, begin to show seeming seriousness in its statutory mandate.

Because of the dissonance between its previous perception and the new toga it now seeks to wear, motives have been imputed into the current upbeat in its activities. The first theory links the rise in its activities to the resolve by the Buhari administration to battle corruption to the ground. In order to remain relevant to that electoral promise, the agency is said to be left with no option than to align itself with the new direction.

The other which is linked to the first is the conjecture that the new regime is about to appoint a new helmsman for that anti-graft body. For this, its current operatives had to wake up from inactivity, apparently to prove a point that they are equal to the task. But the moot question is why before now they had been unable to creditably discharge their mandate despite the pervasiveness of corruption within the polity. Or was there anything in the policies of the last regime that posed encumbrances to its efficiency?

We have not been so told and nobody will be impressed if such reasons are now being invented.

Not long ago, the commission published a list of former governors it has dragged to court including monies and properties recovered from them. Ostensibly, the aim was to sway the public that it was living up to its billing. That could as well be. But without prejudice to the litany of cases the commission has instituted against many former governors and other political office holders, the general feeling is that its posturing has rather been very cosmetic. It would appear the way and manner it is prosecuting

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Corruption and restructuring its mandate are patently incapable of taming the monster. For, corruption is so much entrenched in our system that only a very radical and proactive approach to its fight can prove a successful therapy. Many are deeply worried that none of the governors the body has been parading on trial has been sent to jail. Even then, some of them have been parading the political space as if nothing will happen. The agency may want to hide under the tortuous processes and delays in our justice system. That notwithstanding, it has not approached its duties with the kind of zeal and commitment that are required to decisively tackle such a debilitating problem. Allegations that the agency has overtime turned into a tool in the hands of the government for hounding the opposition has not helped its image and credibility.

This scenario was such during the Obasanjo regime that it saw the commission deployed to carry out such constitutional duties as the impeachment of state governors. The end may have justified the means.

But the damage done to the corporate image of that body still persists. Thus, in the renewed task of dealing a death blow to corruption, the EFCC would require radical restructuring such that will not only enable it discharge on its mandate but also regain public confidence as an impartial watchdog.

But that is one side of the matter. Corruption is so endemic in our national life than what the current mandate of the EFCC can sufficiently tackle. This is because the mandate of the agency only focuses on incidences of corruption. The agency comes in only when there are financial infractions. It is helpless when it comes to stemming the causative factors that propel, reinforce and sustain the malfeasance. In other words, it

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ROM the onset the name and shame campaign by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sounds too ordinary to come from such a technocratic organization. The phrase lacks sophistication and sounds and reads like something coming out from die-hards of a political party wanting to get even with their rivals. Reducing a matter as serious as debt recovery (running into hundreds of billions of naira) to mere emotional expression reveals the weakness of the banks and the regulatory authorities.

Although it would be wrong to say categorically that the programme is politically motivated, it will also not be wrong to argue that the phrase is in sync with the current political mood in the country. Coming at a period when the new regime is making a song and dance of anticorruption and fraudulent economic and financial practices, there can be no doubt that Nigerians will be more interested in its political implications than the economic. And that is the danger, albeit the fact that the final objective of the name and shame exercise is laudable.

Not unexpectedly, the exercise has already sparked off so much controversy bordering mostly on rebuttals by the affected organizations and individuals of their inclusion on the name and shame lists published by some banks. As it is, almost every company or director named in the lists has denied owing the banks. Although it is tempting to say that such denials are to be expected, the overall result is that beyond the “Political Effect” of the publications, the CBN and the banks might have failed, at least for now, in achieving the initial objective. For, in the face of the denials, the onus of responsibility now lies with the banks to prove that they are owed by the

‘If a company has ceased to carry out the business for which it obtained a loan, should the bank still go ahead to charge interest from a non-existent business ? How thorough were the appraisals before the loans were granted?’

only tackles corruption only when it has occurred. By this fact alone, the success that can be made in the corruption reduction index through such a strategy is highly circumscribed. While it is proper to deprecate the manner the agency is carrying out its functions, it has to be said unequivocally that the battle is beyond what it can solely wage. There are more serious systemic dysfunctions that must be tackled for the scourge to be reduced to the barest minimum. These issues are not new. What has been lacking has been the sincerity of mind to admit and find realistic solutions to them. They have to do with certain issues of our federal order that have overtime constrained the building of national consensus and common sense of belonging amongst the disparate peoples that inhabit this country. They relate in the main, to the defective federal structure we currently operate and its tendency to reinforce competition for loyalty between the primordial entities and civic structures. They have to do with the amoral relationship between the government and the ethnic groups. This influences and determines the relationship that should exist between both authorities. That is the real issue.

Despite all the pretences, the way the federation is currently structured can only aid and abet corruption. The various interests’ relationship with the centre is determined by what they expect to get from it. It is not a reciprocal relationship but a one sided bargain. The concentration of too much power at that level has not helped matters.

That is why there is bitter competition for its control and leadership. People conceive that level of governance from the prism of the unjustifiable advantage it will give their primordial units to the exclusion of others. Our society does not yet frown at the

impoverishment of that level for the gains of other mundane considerations. We need to work on that. Today, people are still debating whether the recommendations of the last national conference should see the light of the day. Some even want it thrown into the dustbin just because it was promoted by an administration they hate. But there are others who contend that there are salient aspects of those recommendations the nation cannot really do without. This writer subscribes to that position.

So, it is neither a matter of who husbanded the conference nor to whom its credit should go. The irreducible decimal is the future some of the recommendations hold for the success and stability of the nation. If such credible positions on how to stabilize the polity have been clearly articulated, the credit for its successful implementation will definitely go to the regime that had the political will to see them through. It is therefore not an ego trip but a serious business to retrieve the nation from the precipice it is inevitably heading. Since that is what the Buhari regime has set out to achieve, it is left with no option than to radically restructure the country to guarantee its survival and quick development.

It has become increasingly imperative to devolve more powers to the component units for them to develop at their own pace.

This will quicken the pace of development and also reduce the reckless stealing that goes on at the federal level. It will also stem the rivalry for the control of the souls of the citizens between the central authority and the primordial entities. Happily today, such key players in the new regime as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu are well known advocates of restructuring through a national conference.

The opportunity for that engagement is now with us.

‘It has become increasingly imperative to devolve more powers to the component units for them to develop at their own pace. This will quicken the pace of development and also reduce the reckless stealing that goes on at the federal level’

Bank debtors: Beyond “name and shame”

By Ethelbert Okere organizations concerned. And since the mere publication of names does not make the debtors culpable, it means that they will remain innocent until it is proved otherwise.

And if the matters ever get to the courts, then we should forget it.

In my view, a situation where almost every so–called debtor has put up a vehement denial shows that the lists published might not be error-proof. But they should be, given the assumed sophistication of the banks and the implications – political, social and economic - of the exercise. For me, it would be quite unfortunate if any of the banks published any of the debtor organizations and their directors without being 100 per cent sure. Yes, 100 per cent, because there should be no room for such laxities in that sector. That disputes have already arisen shows that the sector has, either by design or default, become part of the pervasive malaise in the Nigerian system. It is something we can ill afford.

As I noted at the beginning, the first sign that the exercise might have been poorly conceived is the appellation given to it. Shame? Shame who? Shame who you do not have an incontrovertible evidence against? Agreed, the banks may still come up with such (fool proof) evidence but that may take some time. As things stand, it would not be out of place for critics to accuse the CBN and the banks of playing to the gallery. The idea might have been mooted before the current political dispensation but the apparent tardiness of which the banks are being accused has given room for critics to see some political contents, however marginal, in the exercise.

In spite of the haziness of the exercise so far, it should be hoped that it will overcome the initial setbacks to go ahead to realize the objective for which it was embarked on; which is to sanitize the banking system. Still, something tells me that the name and shame exercise might have been conceived as a one-sided effort. If we assume, at least for purposes of argument, that so much

rot exists in the banking system, then it is proper to ask the following questions: Where were the banks? Where were they when things were going from bad to worse?

We understand that most of the debts are accumulations of unpaid interests on the principal money borrowed.

But that also raises the question as to whether the businesses where going concerns. Where the companies operational and at what capacity when the loans were granted? At what point did the banks notice that the facilities had become non-performing?

If a company has ceased to carry out the business for which it obtained a loan, should the bank still go ahead to charge interest from a non-existent business ? How thorough were the appraisals before the loans were granted?

There is no attempt here to teach the bankers their job but we believe that given that the banks also operate in a larger environment that has been be-devilled with several flaws, it would be wrong to assume that they (the bankers) cannot share in the blame. In any case, stories of sharp practices amongst bankers are quite familiar. Not too long ago, some bank chief executives were jailed for presiding over the granting of loans to companies in which they had huge interests.

The point being made here is that while the overall objective of the name and shame exercise may be theoretically attractive, it also offers an opportunity for the banking sector to re-examine its modus operandi.

There is this story that one of the cases involved arose because a certain bank manager was fond of dipping his hands in the money of his customer. He had approved an overdraft (OD) but each time the customer came to draw from the OD, the manager would also take out from the money and prepare the documents to read that it was the customer that took away the extras. Eventually, the bubble burst. A dispute arose over the figures and inevitably, the facility became problematic. Curiously, this particular debt is among those listed by the bank in the ongoing name and shame exercise.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

T HE CEO ‘We’ll save Nigeria $50b in capital flight’

JOBS In need of a job? Try soap making

- P. 37

- P. 35

News Brief Why gas supply is low, by NGC THE Nigerian Gas Company Limited (NGC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has listed factors that militate against the development, supply and monetisation of the huge gas resource in the country.

–Page 26

Agency okays 74 meters for NERC licence OF the 93 meters tested by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), only 19 failed, it was learnt at the weekend.

–Page 26

Cyber risk, others threaten CEOs, says PwC THE findings of two reports by PwC that chart the top risks in the global insurance sector and the growth concerns of insurance chief executive officers shows that cyber risk, interest rates and growing tax burden are now among the top risks for insurers.

–Page 29

Nigeria ‘ll lose N210tr to EPA, says MAN

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HE President, Manufac turers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr Fran Jacobs has warned that signing the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) would cost Nigeria about N210 trillion ($1.3trillion).

Speaking with The Nation, Jacobs said apart from this loss, EPA would have a negative effect on local manufacturing range from the shutdown of local industries and job losses due to unfair competition.

He said this is because Nigeria is mainly a commodity-goods-producer country.

He said: “The EPA is a reciprocal preferential trade agreement being promoted by the European Union (EU) to create a Free Trade Area (FTA) between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP)

By Toba Agboola

through six regional economic communities into which the ACP is divided.

“Signing the EPA in its present form, would cost Nigeria alone $1.3 trillion revenue losses from finished goods coming from the EU while the negative effects EPA would have on local manufacturing range from shutdown of local industries and job losses due to unfair competition.

“Nigeria is mainly a commodity-goods-producer country and would trade same in an EPA free trade arrangement. It has very limited capability to produce and export industrial goods.

Most of the industries in the country are undeveloped and are plagued by lack of supportive infrastructure.

The production plans of industry players are constantly distorted by the interplay of macroeconomic variables such as inflation, exchange rate and interest rate variations. EPA, therefore, may appear to be a good course in the document proposal but may be catastrophic if implemented, as it will stifle the slowly recovering manufacturing sector in the country.

“This will therefore lead to untold hardship to the country as the unemployment situation and the standard of living of the people will worsen. EPA will also confine the Nigerian economy to a mere market extension of the EU since we cannot compete with Europe on all grounds. It is on these grounds that we believe that Nigeria does not need EPA now until it has been adequately industrialized and be

able to trade industrial goods competitively.

Moreover, after 30 years of preferential market access, the ACP countries still export just a few basic commodities to the EU. At the same time, the ACP share of the EU market is steadily declining. The existing trade preferences have not had the intended effect of helping the ACP countries diversify their economies into higher value products. Today, the ACP countries attract only a small portion of the world’s foreign direct Investment.

“Nigerian manufacturers are not averse to free trade cooperation but such should be better done in a situation of equal economic development. Any attempt to coerce the country into a free trade arrangement will only succeed in killing the fledging manufacturing sector which has just started to re-

T

COMMODITY PRICES

Cocoa

$54/barrel $2,686.35/metric ton

Coffee

¢132.70/pound

Cotton

¢95.17pound

Gold

$1,396.9/troy

Sugar

$163/lb RATES

Inflation

8.4%

Treasury Bills 10.58%(91d) Maximum lending 30% Prime lending

15.87%

Savings rate

3%

91-day NTB

15%

Time Deposit

5.49%

MPR

13%

Foreign Reserve

$34.5b

Lagos, electricity firms seek special court for power thieves

By Akinola Ajibade

DATA STREAM

Oil

cover from a long period of comatose.”

Jacobs said manufacturers have serious constraints, which will make their products uncompetitive not only in the European countries but globally.

He added that Nigeria, as a commodity-goods-producer country, can only export agricultural products to Europe while Europe will export industrial goods such as machinery and so on, which Nigeria lacks the capacity and capability to produce. Consequent upon the above challenges are also constantly distorting interplay of macroeconomic variables such as inflation, exchange rate and interest rate variations.

• From left: Executive Director, Enterprise Risk Management, Heritage Bank, Jude Monye; British Deputy High Commissioner, Ray Kyles, MD/CEO Heritage Bank, Ifie Sekibo; Acting MD, Enterprise Bank, Mary Akpobome and Executive Director, South West & Lagos, Ola Olabinjo at the presentation of ISO/INEC 27001:2013 certification award at the British Deputy High Commissioner’s Residence, Ikoyi, Lagos.

FIRS collects N2.37t revenue in six months

T

HE Federal Inland Rev enue Service (FIRS) has so far collected about N1.97trillion of its target revenue in the first-half of the year, the Acting Executive Chairman, Sunday S. Ogungbesan, has said.

However, with the N381.02 billion so far realised last month, the collection stands at N2.37trillion as at end of July, 2015.

Ogungbesan, who spoke in Lagos at an interactive session with the reporters over the weekend, said what has been realised, is equivalent of 86 per cent of the N2.23trillion target revenue expected between JanuaryJune, this year.

He said of the N4.57trillion expected yearly collectable

• Seeks Central Tax System

By Simeon Ebulu

revenue, Value Added Tax (VAT), is projected to contribute N1.28trillion, adding that as at June ending, N390.96billion, representing 61 per cent, has been realised out of the set target of N641.85billion for the firsthalf of the year.

Also, going by the revenue agency’s projection, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), is expected to contribute N1.48trillion to the revenue profile this year. Out of this amount, N697.18billion of the projected N742.44billion for the first-half of the year, equivalent of 94 per cent, has

been collected.

Ogungbesan, who spoke on a wide range of issues, said there was need to have a Central Tax Administration System in the country, pointing out that the existing 36 states tax structure was not effective and does not make for an efficient tax system. He said tax payers, especially small and medium scale enterprises and commercial entities across the nation,are burdened with multiple taxes.

He said the FIRS has a list of 450,000 registered companies in its register, but regretted that of this number, only 125,000 pay tax to the gov-

• Ogungbesan

ernment, “we don’t even know who the business owners, are,” Ogungbesan, lamented.

He said the FIRS is reor• Continued on page 26

HE Ikeja Electric (for merly Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Eko Electric Distribution Company (EKEDC) and the Lagos State government are holding talks on how to ensure that a special court for electricity equipment thieves and vandals is established, The Nation gathered at the weekend.

The discussion, which started months ago, involves the management of the two firms and Justice Ayotunde Phillips, the Chief Judge of Lagos State.

The parties were said to have examined the procedures for convicting people, who indulge in such practices, and fashion out ways on how those concerned do not circumvent justice.

EKEDC spokesman, Godwin Idemudia, confirmed the development, saying the two electricity distributions companies (DISCOs) and the Chief Judge have been meeting to ensure that a special court was set up to jail people found guilty of stealing cables, meters, or vandalise transformers, sub-stations, and other equipment.

Ihemudia said people were arrested for such crimes in areas under the jurisdiction of Eko DISCO last year, adding that many of them have been convicted by the courts.

He said: ‘’The Ikeja and Eko DISCOS are involved in a discussions with the Chief Judge of Lagos State facilitated to establish a special court and further rid the state of electricity-related crimes.

We have recorded several cases of thefts and vandalism in the past. We are still recording them.

Properties worth several millions of naira belonging to Eko Electricity firm have been tampered with ditto Ikeja Electric. This informed our decision to try and find a lasting solution to the issue.’’

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

26

BUSINESS NEWS ICC: Nigeria transit route for counterfeit, pirated products • DirectorGeneral, Benin Customs,Brigadier Charles Sezan (left) and the CAC Seme Customs, Comptroller Ndalati Garba during the presentation of vehicles

Why gas supply is low, by NGC

T

HE Nigerian Gas Com pany Limited (NGC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has listed factors that militate against the development, supply and monetisation of the huge gas resource in the country.

Its Managing Director, Mr. Dafe Sejebor, said these issues are reasons expectations on supply are not being met.

He said huge volume of gas meant for the domestic market is lost from the time of vandalism to detection, about 150 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d).

He noted that the huge amount is also spent on repairs of the vandalised pipes, adding that about N2.5 billion was spent on pipeline repairs be-

• Nigeria loses N2.5b to pipeline vandalism in six months

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

tween January and June, this year.

He also said the reluctance of upstream oil and gas companies to invest in domestic gas production as well as uneconomical gas-to-power price framework is stalling growth of the gas industry.

He said the inadequate funds for infrastructure development and limited appetite of Nigerian banks to invest in long to mid-term projects as well as host community issues, work against the industry’s growth.

Sejebor, however, said the government was working to address the issues. He said the

gas sector reforms are underpinned by a set of enabling policies that are being implemented to jumpstart the gas industry agenda.

Among the policies being implemented include scalable infrastructure, gas pricing regime to sustain supply growth in the long term and world class and bankable gas supply and purchase agreement (GSPA) and the gas network code while transmission tariff is pegged at a minimum of $0.80 MMscf to justify investments on gas infrastructure.

He noted that the World Bank Partial Risk Guarantee is also mitigating against non-payment for gas sold adding that

investors have been assembled for the Central Processing Facilities (CPF) ) for Western CPF and final investment decision (FID) is expected to be taken in 2016.

To further boost gas development, the NGC chief said the company is in discussion with current gas producers in the country to boost output. The gas producers include the international oil companies (IOCs) such as Chevron and Shell, and indigenous companies such as Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Pan Ocean and Seplat as well as potential gas producers for more gas production especially from their non associated gas (NAG) assets. The potential producers include ND Western Oil, Seven Energy, Owel Linkso, and Sunlink, among others.

Agency okays 74 meters for NERC licence

O

F the 93 meters tested by the Nigerian Elec tricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), only 19 failed, it was learnt at the weekend.

Its Managing Director, Peter Ewesor, who spoke to The Nation in Abuja, said the meters that passed the test were being sent to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for licencing.

According to him, the agency had also tested over 170,000 electricity meters from which only about 1000 failed.

He explained that the meters that failed the accuracy test have been returned to the manufacturers for a rework before they can be used in Nigeria.

Ewesor said NEMSA and the commission were resolving

• ‘Fed Govt pays 80% of people on electricity right of way’ From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

some of the issues on the metering code to ensure there are better meters in Nigeria.

His words: “We have tested well over 17,000 meters and few of them have failed may be about 1000 plus have failed.

Then, you find out that we have tested about 93 types of meters for which we gave certificate with which they are going to Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission for their licence.

“So, those 93 meter types, I think 19 of them have failed.

What that means is that if those 19 that failed didn’t go through the meter test, we shouldn’t have been able to discover

them. That means that types can bring about several thousands of meters to Nigeria because they will be bringing the meters that are not good to the country.”

He also said the Federal Government has compensated over 80 per cent of the people that built their houses on electricity right of way (under high tension).

“I can tell you to that more than 80 per cent of the people you see build their houses under the lines, especially when the line meets them have been paid compensation,” said Ewesor.

NEMSA, he revealed will embark on a sensitisation tour to meet the concerned local

government chairmen and state governors on the danger of living under a high tension.

He said: “What we intend to do is to do a lot of sensitisation, awareness campaign for people to know the danger people are posed to when living under the lines. You are exposed to constant radiation from the transmission line, the voltage and what that means is overtime is that it will affect the health of people living in the place.

“And we are going to do this overtime, meet state governors, meet local government chairmen give them advise, enlighten them on the consequences there. We can actually solve those problems because if a state governor knows that his people are living under risk, living under high tension line.”

‘Single currency for Africa requires political leadership’ A FRICA’S quest for a single currency in the mould of the European Union (AU) is possible if there is focused and committed political leadership in the continent, the President, World Federation of Business Development Organisations (WFOBDO), Dr Mohammed Kafafy, has said.

Speaking on the sideline at the ‘First International Business Development Summit organised in Lagos by the Institute of Business Development (IBD), Kafafy, an Egyptian, said a single currency for Africa would boost regional integration for sustainable practice of business development in Africa, and only a strong political lead-

By Chikodi Okereocha

ership would make that happen.

With Business Development in Africa: Regional integration for sustainable comparative advantage as the focus of the summit, the event was aimed at bringing Africans together to brainstorm on how to harness the abundant resources in the continent for sustainable growth and development by focusing on areas of comparative and competitive advantage.

Noting that Africa boasts of agricultural and natural resources, Kafafy, who was keynote speaker at the summit,

told The Nation that though, the risk of investing in Africa, especially Nigeria remains high, just as they are for most emerging markets, the perceived risk is much greater than the real risk. According to him, the key is the management of that risk.

He recommended that as part of minimising the risk, the culture of strategic alliance should be imbibed in Africa. He also stressed the need to create partnerships that will build and complement firms, making each one more competitive. He said for the strategic alliance to be successful there must be clear strategic purpose, fitting partners, responsibility of al-

location, good relationship among partners, and a flexible economy.

Kafafy, noting that the potential in Africa is, indeed, huge, pointing out that Africa is of increasing strategic interest to the global economy.

He said, for instance, that China and India are though increasing their businesses with the continent, they are often beaten by American and European firms.

“Africa offers a consumer base of more than 900 million people. While more than half of Africa lives on $1 or less a day, the other half does not, and they are hungry for products and services. Even among the poor, there are surprising opportunities,” Kafafy said.

T

HE Vice Chairman, In ternational Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Nigeria Mr. Raymond Ihyembe has lamented that Nigeria has become a transit route for fake and counterfeited and pirated products.

He listed corruption, weak legal framework and others as responsible for this development.

Speaking during the presentation of a report by Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP), an initiative ICC, in Lagos, he said it is important for the country to have national policies that create awareness of the importance of intellectual property, saying: “This is in line with BASCAP’s commitment to make the fight against counterfeiting and piracy.”

According to Ihyembe, the result of the report showed that the country has increasingly become both a target destination and significant transit route for counterfeit and pirated products.

He said: “This situation is related to several factors such as corruption, out-dated legislation and weak enforcement mechanisms, including lack of national policy on combating counterfeiting and piracy. Investment, trade and economic growth are being penalised by the negative effects of these illegal practices that also affect consumers’ health due to counterfeit practices in sensible industries like pharma-

By Olatunde Odebiyi

ceuticals and cosmetics.”

He added that the report stressed the importance of intellectual property enforcement and documented some of the challenges that Nigeria faces in relation to intellectual property rights.

“It acknowledges that economic growth needs a strong legal framework that protects IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) and encourages innovation, research and development of indigenous products,” he said.

He noted that the purpose of BASCAP report is to put forward a set of policy and legislative recommendations that stakeholders in the country could use for reducing counterfeiting and protecting economic growth.

Titled: Promoting and Protecting Intellectual Property in Nigeria, it was released during the Anadach workshop in Lagos which had The Dynamic role of Intellectual Property in Promoting Innovation and Economic Development in Emerging Markets as its theme.

The report received valuable input, support and endorsement from ICC Nigeria, key local partners including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), African Intellectual Property Group (AIPG) and the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN).

‘Vote 10% of budget for agric’

T

HE Federal Govern ment will need to set aside 10 per cent of its budget on agriculture to ensure food security, an expert, Dr Ademola Adeyemo has said.

Adeyemo, who is the Deputy Director, Directorate of General Administration, Agricultural and Rural Management Institute (ARMTI), said agriculture is one of the key sectors that have propelled economic growth.

He said adequate funding was needed to help the government follow a roadmap for the development of the sector.

According to him, a postbudget analysis revealed that that the allocation is not adequate for the boosting of the sector and fall below the international benchmarks.

He said key agricultural areas are still underfunded falling short of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) target of allocating 10 per cent of the total budget to the agricultural sector.

According to him, the budget allocation still falls short of CAADP targets of allocating 10 per cent of the total funds to the agriculture sector, stressing the need to allocate more resources to other key areas such as re-

By Daniel Essiet

search and development, and provision of extension services and infrastructure.

He recognised that various positive measures and pronouncements have been presented in the budget to support agricultural development but urged the government to ensure that the ideas are backed by implementation.

According to him, sufficient budgetary provisions will translate into a vibrant agricultural sector, raking in revenue into the government coffers and providing jobs for Nigerians to contribute effectively towards economic growth.

He urged the government to employ prudent fiscal discipline as this will be a key to ensuring financial sustainability and quality service delivery.

He said setting aside 10 per cent would help the sector to develop stimulating high production levels in crop and livestock segments.

This, he said, was vital in making Nigeria a food basket. Adeyemo also asked for efforts to promote conservation agriculture, use of improved seed varieties and diversify on-farm activities.

FIRS collects N2.37t revenue in six months • Continued from page 25 dering its tax collection strategy, by engaging tax payers and dialoguing with them, rather than continuing with the present combative method, which he stated, has not been helpful.

“I have been talking to my

people on the need to change tactics. I believe that we should keep the companies going rather than closing them,” he said, adding that certain measures the tax authority took to shame tax defaulters, felt flat on its face without achieving the intended objective.

27

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

ISSUES The figures are unflattering. Over $150 billion was stolen from Nigeria in the last 10 years, with over 90 per cent of the loot related to oil. Africa's largest economy also occupies an unenviable seventh position among the top 10 highest illicit capital outflows in the developing world, losing a cumulative $217.7 billion from 1970 to 2008. But there are indications that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration's war against corruption is off to a good start.

This has raised hopes that the monster may soon be caged to pave the way for real development.

Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports.

•President Buhari

• NNPC boss Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu

Illicit cash: All eyes on Buhari to stem the haemorrhage I

T may have been long in coming, but when it finally did last week, the shake-up at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), beginning with the appointment of a new Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, gladdened the hearts of not a few Nigerians.

For one, it was an indication that the war against corruption is off to a good start. Most importantly perhaps, the choice of NNPC for the beginning of the cleansing, is seen by many as a clear and bold statement that President Muhammadu Buhari's administration's resolve to tackle the manace is on to a promising start.

Barely a day after the appointment of Kachikwu as NNPC’s helmsman, all the Corporation’s Group Executive Directors were also booted out.

That the NNPC is one of the first to come under the administration's scrutiny is hardly surprising. The oil & gas industry, which the NNPC supervises, both as industry regulator and active player, is the cash cow and mainstay of Nigeria's economy.

It accounts for over 90 per cent of her foreign exchange earnings,

about 8.97 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 80 per cent of government revenue.

However, under its watch, much of Nigeria's oil fortune is being squandered on account of the Corporation's long history of graft, waste and mismanagement. This was what prompted persistent calls by experts and Nigerians for a probe of the management.

Such calls are not without justification, considering the mind-boggling revelations of pervasive corruption in the industry. For instance, between 2009 and 2012, about 160 million barrels of oil worth $13.7b was stolen, according to the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), also estimates that $400billion was stolen from the

‘

country between 1960 and 1999.

Even Buhari himself raised the alarm that up to last month, July 10, some people in government were illegally selling 250,000 barrels of oil per day.

To date, Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the fact that despite earning about $500 billion from crude oil in the five years to 2014 and about $1tr in 50 years, according to the US Department of Energy, there is not much on ground to show for it either in physical infrastructure or human development indices. For instance, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimated that 76.8 million of the 170 million population still lack access to drinking water in 2014, while 64 million Nigerians were illiterate, according to the National Mass Education Commission. Over 50 per

cent of Nigerians also lack access to basic health care services.

Illicit financial flows Much of the disturbing statistics of Nigeria's heavy losses to corruption appear to be in form of illicit financial flows (IFFs). For instance, a Washington DC-based research and advisory organisation, Global Financial Integrity (GFI), recently released a report, which placed Nigeria 7th among the top 10 highest illicit capital outflows in the developing world.

GFI, which produces high-calibre analyses of illicit financial flows, said while Africa loses $50 billion annually in IFFs, Nigeria topped the league, losing a cumulative $217.7b from 1970 to 2008. GFI said over 90 per cent of that loss was related to

To date, Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the fact that despite earning about $500 billion from crude oil in the five years to 2014 and about $1tr in 50 years, according to the US Department of Energy, there is not much to show for it either in physical infrastructure or human development indices

’

oil. It also added that in the last 10 years alone, $150b was stolen from Nigeria, which perhaps, was why the recovery of the $150b stolen oil wealth was on the priority list of Buhari's request on Kachikwu.

GFI did not say anything new.

It only added its voice to growing public outcry, particularly by economic experts and stakeholders that the economy is bleeding profusely from IFFs. Sometime last year, the immediate past Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Vice President/Treasurer of the World Bank, Ms. Arunma Oteh, raised the alarm that Nigeria lost over $140 billion to IFFs between 2002 and 2011, a period of nine years.

Oteh, who was keynote speaker at the 2nd Christopher Kolade Lecture on business integrity held in Lagos in September, last year, said: "Nigeria has lost more to illicit financial flows than any other African country between 2002 and 2011, even being listed in the top 10 globally.

Within a 9-year period we lost over $140 billion to illicit financial flows."

She added that poor countries • Continued on page 27

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

28

ISSUES

All eyes on Buhari to stem the haemorrhage •Continued from page 27

are losing an estimated $1 trillion annually to such illegal financial activities as money laundering, tax evasion, transfer pricing and embezzlement.

Multinational companies, banks culpable Oteh said a lot of the illicit outflows, which are basically monies illegally earned, transferred or utilised, was through the illicit commercial activities of multinational companies.

The multinational companies some of which are in the oil & gas industry are allegedly involved in big ticket crude oil swap deals and contract splitting through the help of unscrupulous government officials and their collaborators in the organised private sector including foreign businesses.

Some commercial banks are also said to be involved in the transfer of the loot.

"In all sincerity, I don't think the banks are doing or have done enough to curtail these sharp practices. More often than not, they are complicit. Such deals can't be pulled without the active connivance of financial institutions," a Security Expert and Founder, Forenovate Technologies Ltd, an Abuja-based security risk management consultancy, Mr. Don Okereke, said.

The UK-trained security expert added that lately, Nigerian banks had found a new love: a penchant for opening foreign branches.

"Some schools of thought see this as an avenue to siphon, launder money abroad. The Nigerian government must beam its searchlight on the plethora of foreign bank branches operated by Nigerian parent banks, Okereke told The Nation.

How IFFs hurt economy, fuel terrorism Mr. Okereke said the implications of IFFs on the economy are grave and far-reaching.

He said, for instance, that IFFs deplete the nation's resources while enriching that of foreign countries where these monies are domiciled. Said he: "If these monies were/are invested in the Nigerian economy, even though 'stolen', at least jobs will be created for the teeming unemployed youths. It means that these outflows indirectly lead to increase in crime since our country's resources are being looted by people in corridors of power and no jobs are created, this leaves idle youths with no choice than to do crime."

Another implication of this, he said, is that Nigeria now has a situation where some folks are richer than their State, possibly as rich as the country. "Some of these nouveauriches use their ill-gotten resources to fight the government and ferment trouble. In other words, they see themselves as a government. Some even argue that illicit financial outflows could be channelled into sponsoring terrorism and insurgency," he added.

Oteh confirmed this much, saying: "We now have a situation where these illicit outflows are not only depriving our country of desperately needed capital but are also being used to finance terrorism abroad and within our shores." she said a security expert who trained members of staff of SEC recently shared some pieces of intelligence with the Commission indicating that the rampaging Boko Haram sect received over $70 million between 2006 and 2011 through shady activities like money laundering, oil bunkering, kidnapping and dealing in drugs.

That is not all. The $150 billion stolen in the last decade as confirmed by GFI is more than the about $100 billion the World Bank said Nigeria needed to invest in power in 10 years to lift electricity supply to an acceptable level and tackle poverty and unemployment.

Again, Oteh agrees. While noting that this is money desperately needed for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and could prevent as much as 3.6 million deaths annually in the world's poorest countries, she said in the case of Nigeria, an estimated $50 billion investment is required to ensure stable electricity supply.

The World Bank Vice President was em-

• Arunma-Oteh, World Bank Vice President and Treasurer

phatic that IFFs and corruption are two issues that countries have been battling with and Nigeria suffers greatly from both issues.

"Corruption has been identified as the second most problematic factor to doing business in Nigeria ahead of factors including access to finance and terrorism," she stated, adding that the G-20 is focusing on combating illicit financial flows especially considering the fact that poor countries are losing a lot to such illegal activities.

Oteh, however, said considering the impact of corruption and anti-money laundering violations on Nigeria, efforts have been made to strengthen the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime in Nigeria.

"Other countries are also implementing reforms to make it harder for wrongdoers to find a hiding place. The United Kingdom has the Anti-Bribery Act 2010 that requires companies with any link to the UK to have robust structures to forestall shady dealings.

The United States has long had the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, which provides for up to $25 million in fines and 20-year jail term," she said.

What options for Buhari?

Since the inauguration of Buhari's administration on May 29, his perceived hard stance against corruption has largely been read from his body language. His body language is believed to have galvanised the hitherto inefficient anti-corruption agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) into action, leading to the arrest of some Politically Exposed Persons (PPPs). However, the thinking is that last week's shake up in NNPC was a pointer that the days of reckoning are finally here for corrupt people.

However, experts have proposed some measures that they believe will guarantee success in the war against entrenched corruption. With regards to IFFs, for instance, Okereke said ensuring strict financial regulation and intelligence surveillance of financial transactions as well as genuine cooperation and partnership with Western governments and institutions to check money laundering would go a long way in curbing the trend.

Okereke was not done. He also wants the Federal Government to "Mandate all revenue generating, collecting Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA's) to henceforth remit every dime they collect/generate to the federation account. Ensure that award of government contracts, crude oil blocks etc. are very transparent and in line with global best practices, and allow unfettered access to public information and free speech. Unnecessary bureaucracy enshrined in the freedom of information law must be purged."

He also urged government to strengthen the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit

• Kofi-Annan, former UN Secretary General

•Founder, Forenovate Technologies Ltd, Mr. Don Okereke

‘

We now have a situation where these illicit outflows are not only depriving our country of " desperately needed capital but are also being used to finance terrorism abroad and within our shores

(NFIU) and the anti-corruption agencies to be alive to their responsibilities.

The thinking is that reforming the EFCC, the ICPC and the CCB involves a radical overhaul of their scandalous and uncoordinated investigations and weak prosecution, which are factors believed to be responsible for losing high profile cases in the past. It also involves the strategy of making the institutions strong and efficient and without overt interference from the political class.

Incidentally, the need for some of these institutional reforms is not lost on Buhari. This was why the President gave the new NNPC helmsman a matching order to reshape the Corporation, by, among other things, cleaning up the NNPC system of corrupt elements, work with the EFCC and the Directorate of State Service (DSS) to trace and recover stolen oil cash, review NNPC's structure to compete globally, and give targets to all subsidiaries and put in place performance benchmarks.

The President also wants the GMD to fixe all refineries, which must work at optimal level, "even if it means using expatriates in the interim."

Support rises for fight against IFFs This must be music in the ears of African governments, which are hard-hit by the unbridled looting of their commonwealth. Already, the continent appears poised to compliment and collaborate with the world powers in the bid to halt the rampaging monster that has continued to frustrate efforts at sustainable growth and development.

For instance, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)-Africa pledged its commitment to support African countries and the African Union (AU) in the fight against IFFs from Africa. At the end of a twoday ITUC-Africa Human and Trade Union Rights Network meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, the ITUC-Africa General Secretary Mr. Kwesi Aou-Amankwah, said the Thabo Mbeki panel report on IFF from Africa showed that a conservative figure of $50b was leaving the continent annually.

Aou-Amankwah therefore, pledged that ITUC-Africa shall continue to pressure big business and multinational companies to pay their fair and true share tax in countries where their production and profit activities take place. "The financial haemorrhage as a result of IFF continues to harm our economies and people, as it reduces monies for social spending on education, potable water, health and sanitation, among others.

"These real drivers of development are lost

‘

If these monies were/are invested in the Nigerian economy, even though 'stolen', at least jobs will be " created for the teeming unemployed youths. It means that these outflows indirectly lead to increase in crime since our country's resources are being looted by people in corridors of power and no jobs are created, this leaves idle youths with no choice than to do crime

’

because businesses continue to find ways to manipulate tax rules and administrations.

We, therefore, say `stop the bleeding,' which is our ongoing campaign on halting IFFs from Africa,'' he said, urging governments to desist from the current harmful tax competition among themselves with the use of sundry and endless incentives.

AfDB joins the fray The African Development Bank (AfDB) has also joined the battle to stop IFFs. In doing so, AfDB Country Director, Nigeria, Dr Ousmane Dore, said while Nigeria had embarked on milestone reforms aimed at improving her Domestic Resource Mobilisation (DRM), large scale IFFs out of the country still required urgent attention.

"Some of the push factors in illicit capital flows include mainly issues like corruption perception indicators, the size of the underground economy, and weak regulatory institutions,'' Dore said.

Dore, while delivering a keynote address at a 'Multi- Stakeholders' meeting on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) out of Nigeria'' in Abuja, said the AfDB recently commissioned a study entitled, 'Nigeria: Illicit Financial Flows due to Trade Misinvoicing, 1960-2012", with its report focused on trade mis-invoicing. According to him, Nigeria has for many decades experienced serious problem with trade misinvoicing in the form of over-invoicing of imports and under-invoicing of exports for the purpose of shifting money out of the country.

"Between 1960 and 2011, Nigeria experienced cumulative IFFs totalling $83.3b or 5.6 per cent of total goods trade through trade misinvoicing only. Export under-invoicing takes the larger share of $44b, while the balance of $39.3b was due to import over-invoicing,'' he added, stressing the need for government to undertake critical tax reforms with focus on regulatory, institutional and legal issues, including reduction in complications in tax assessment, computation and collection.

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan could not agree less. He noted that "Stemming the hemorrhage of finance lost through illicit financial transfers will be a key driver of domestic resources that can be used for future development." Annan is Chairman of the Africa Progress Panel whose recent report 'People, Power, Planet' highlighted the impact illicit flows have on the continent of Africa. The report calls on the international community to "support African efforts to strengthen tax and customs administration and reduce illicit financial outflows, especially via trade misinvoicing."

The buck stops on Nigeria's table

’

Though a continental problem, Nigeria, Africa's largest economy with GDP size of $500b is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating the fight against corruption, especially with regards to IFFs. Buhari may have put the right foot forward in halting the trend by beaming the searchlight on the NNPC, but the consensus is that a strong commitment and political will, backed by the involvement of all stakeholders, is required to fight and win the war.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

29

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

Operators lauds Kari’s appointment O

PERATORS have lauded the appointment of Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The operator’s expectation are high. They are hopeful that the new commissioner will provide regulations that will further drive the growth of the insurance industry.

Buhari appointed Kari on July 31, this year on the same day former Commissioner, Fola Daniel’s tenure in office ended.

Daniel held the position for eight years. Director-General, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Kola Ahmed, thanked the president for his quick response in appointing someone as the commissioner.

For him, it shows that President Buhari’s administration has focused on the industry. He describe Kari’s appointment as the right speg in the round hole and in the right direction.

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

He said: “I also see his appointment as a vote of confidence by the government on NAICOM programs. This is why they chose somebody from the Commission.

“He does not have to reinvent the wheel because he has been part of the existing policies. It is good for the industry too because we don’t have to start understanding the commission all over again. We will cooperate and support him.”

The CIIN DG further noted that Kari is a strict person and that is the kind of person the industry need. He said that while the former commissioner on his part enforced the Insurance Act 2003 on operators, he believes the new commissioner will continue with a lot of force.

“He is somebody that will not bend the rules for anybody. He knows the pranks that any underwriter, broker, loss adjuster,

•Kari

•Ahmed

•Igbiti

agent and any other stakeholder in the industry may want to play.

Everybody will just have to do the right thing”, he said.

Chairman, Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), Godwin Wiggle said the association was willing to work with the new commissioner to make the industry better.

He said they expect more regulatory reforms to place the industry

at par with global best practice. He said the commissioner is a critic and focus person whom they believe will make an impact.

Managing Director, AIICO Insurance Plc, Edwin Igbiti, said the commissioner’s appointment is a welcome development.

“Kari is a practitioner who knows the pains of the operators.

The fact that the president ap-

pointed him shows succession plan in the industry.

“One thing we have to give to the former commissioner is that he has set the stage on a high level and Kari cannot afford to let down the level at this moment. I believe he will help us obscure the level in terms of the control the industry needs presently,” he added.

Cyber risk, others threaten CEOs, says PwC

T

HE findings of two reports by PwC that chart the top risks in the global insurance sector and the growth concerns of insurance chief executive officers shows that cyber risk, interest rates and growing tax burden are now among the top risks for insurers.

This is indicative of how high a concern these issues have become for the industry when looked at in conjunction with regulatory developments and the broader macro-economy.

One of the reports, Insurance Banana Skins 2015, a global study by Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation (CSFI) in conjunction with PwC polled over 800 insurance practitioners and industry observers in 54 countries, including Nigeria, to find out where they saw the greatest risks over the next two-three years.

Regulatory risk emerged as the overall top risk for participants in the survey for the third successive time, underlining the deep impact regulatory change is having. The report says that new rules governing solvency and market conduct could swamp the industry with costs and compliance

By Lucas Ajanaku

problems. It could also distract management from the task of running healthy businesses at a time when the industry faces radical structural change.

Similarly, the second report ‘Insurance 2020: Equipping your business for the global tax revolution noted that the reputation and well-being of companies, including insurance groups, is not just being impacted by governments, taxpayers and other stakeholders but also by external perceptions of how they manage their tax affairs.

PwC Nigeria Financial Services Leader, Patrick Obianwa, said: “The insurance industry faces enormous challenges in the growth of regulation, a difficult operating environment, increased taxation and the looming threat of structural change. This is reflected in the negative sentiment behind these survey results. Given the current speed of regulatory, technological and social change, the challenge for the insurance industry globally is less about what is already happening, and more about how to anticipate what further changes could happen between

now and 2020.

Very few tax teams appear to have evaluated the likely future alternative scenarios, let alone made plans or put them into implementation.”

Tax is firmly under the spotlight and in the global insurance industry, the ramifications for finance and tax teams will be felt in both a new set of business demands and an overhaul of how these functions interact and operate.

PwC’s report says that globally, this industry will find it difficult to cope due to the accelerating shift in market expectations, and challenges to existing business models, in a sector where operational processes are already stretched.

Head, Tax & Regulatory Services at PwC Nigeria, Taiwo Oyedele, also said: “Tax has always been one of an insurer’s most significant expenses, comparable to payroll and claims.

CFOs and CEOs have looked to their tax professionals to find ways to manage their tax liabilities, and as transactions and legislation become more complex and sophisticated, so do tax arrangements.

‘’As companies focus on maximising return on equity and managing capital under new solvency regimes, the value that can be created by tax professionals is becoming increasingly recognised and highly prized.”

“The certainties and demands that have shaped tax management over the past 30 years are being swept aside.

What tax teams are required to do, how they do it, who does it and where they do it will all change as a result.

The challenges of managing risk and tax costs are heightened by a raft of new tax compliance demands.

Key developments in place or on the near horizon include the EU’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS), the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action Plan and US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Tax teams also face a host of local reforms – the UK’s Diverted Profits Tax, new anti-avoidance rules in Australia and new controls on related party payments in Mexico are just some of the many examples.

“While some of these developments have been on the radar for some time, the operational impact of so much dis-

Wapic Insurance MD resigns

CIIN holds investiture tomorrow

T

HE Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) will tomorrow install Lady Isioma Chukwuma, the Managing Director of Nigeria Re insurance Plc, as its 47th President.

The investiture will hold at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos at 1 pm.

It will be chaired by Chief Ade Ojo, Chairman, Elizade Motors and Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc. The theme of Lady Chukwuma’s presidency is: Consolidating the gains of the industry for national economic growth.

Lady Chukwuma, a reinsurer succeed Bola Temowo, a loss adjuster. Chairman of the Presidential Investiture Committee, Fatai Lawal, said the theme is borne out of the need to consolidate on the gains the institute has made dur-

ing the tenures of former presidents.

He said Lady Chukwuma aims to achieve the objectives of her theme by situating the CIIN on the global stage, upscaling collaboration with CII, United Kingdom, promoting insurance awareness by increasing the visibility of insurance through publications in the print medium and pay courtesy visits to the newspaper houses.

According to him, she also intend to follow-up on the recognition to CIIN Certificate by the Head of Service (HOS) of the Federation, renew pursuit of training of insurance teachers, achieve wider coverage in the presentation and distribution of the institute’s sponsored insurance textbook for senior secondary schools, completion of institute’s Exams Syl-

labus Review.

Other ways she intend to achieve her aim is to commence of work in the institute’s Victoria Island property, pursue extending the institute’s professionals to countries in West and East and Central African sub-regions, including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe and promote members’ benefits.

Lady Chukwuma is Deputy President of the institute. She has served the institute in various capacities over the years and has remained committed to the institute’s cause since her election into the institute’s Governing Council in 1999.

Born in her home town of Asaba in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State and qualified as Associate of Chartered Insurance Institute, London

ruptive change in so short a period is now becoming increasingly evident. Insurance CEOs globally are clearly concerned as evidenced in PwC’s global CEO survey in which 64 per cent said they see the increasing tax burden as a threat to their growth, compared to 57 per cent two years ago.

Obianwa adds: “The long-term prospects for insurers are positive as people around the world live longer and have more wealth to protect. Yet they also face the disruptive impact of new technology, changing customer expectations, more exacting regulation and enduring economic uncertainty. Insurers’ ability to identify and manage emerging as well as familiar risks will be one of the key differentiators for success in this volatile competitive environment. ‘’It is vital that the insurance industry responds in a clear and thoughtful way to a much wider base of stakeholders than before, including not only tax authorities and governments, but also regulators, investors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the media and the public.’’

W

•Lady Chukwuma

in 1990, Lady Chukwuma joined Nigerian Reinsurance Corporation in 1980. She rose through the ranks till she was appointed helmsman in 2009.

APIC Insurance Plc has an nounced the resignation of Ashish Desai as Managing Director (MD).

This was made known in a notice by the underwriting firm to the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The resignation took effect from July 28, this year.

According to the firm, the resignation is in line with its succession planning policy its board of directors, intends to conclude the process of recruiting a successor before the end of the year.

The notice read that in the interim, Bode Ojeniyi, the Deputy Managing Director (DMD), whose appointment was approved by the National Insurance Commission on March 23, this year, take over the company until a new helmsman is appointed.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

30

MONEYLINK

CBN to resuscitate textile industry

Enterprise Bank inaugurates Association Savings Account

On smuggling, he noted that CBN and the textile stakeholders would continue to work with relevant government agencies such as the Nigerian Customs Service and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to combat the menace and ensure that importers pay the right duties for products.

On the challenges facing the industry, the Chairman of Textile Industry, Mrs. Grace Adereti, lamented that the industry which created over 18 million employment with over 150 vibrant mills in the past, could only boost of no fewer than 20 textile firms, that are managing to stay afloat.

She said the industry was in coma because 95 per cent of textile products were imports as 150 containers of textile materials are smuggled into the country in one night on daily basis, even when the country has can produce 1.5 billion metres of cotton.

NOT-for-profit organisations in the country now stand the chance of growing their savings when they open and operate the Enterprise Association Savings Account (EASA), an interest-bearing account, specially developed by Enterprise Bank Limited to satisfy the financial needs of that segment of its customers.

The bank said the contribution of these organisations to humanity and society in general, requires support that ensures they earn some form of revenue on their savings to aid their humanitarian services.

A statement from the Corporate Communications Department of the bank said: “We have a large number of nonprofit bodies, associations, organisations, clubs and movements among others in the country that do not engage in profit-making businesses. But because of the nature of

Fed Govt sets 2016 timeline for accrual basis IGERIA will begin the accounting implementation implementation of accrual

IRST City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited has relocated its Alaba 2 branch within Alaba International Market in Lagos, assuring its customers on its commitment to quality services delivering.

The new branch, which offers full banking, operates from S Line, Old Garage, Alaba Electrical Section, Alaba International Market, Lagos. The move, is part of the bank’s strategy to streamline its operations and enhance service delivery.

The branch at the Electrical Section of the renowned Alaba International Market is equipped with experienced financial experts, unique physical and technological infrastructure that ensures convenient banking and sundry financial services to enable customers experience comfort and relaxation while conducting business at the bank.

In a statement, the bank explained that the relocation of the Alaba 2 branch to a more strategic location brings its services

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed on Friday that it is working out modalities to provide funding under the Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) for the revitalisation of the ailing Cotton Textile and Garment (CTG) industry.

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who made this known during a meeting with CTG industry stakeholders in Lagos, hinted that the apex bank will partner with stakeholders in the textile sector to develop a blueprint on the development of the industry.

He lamented that the industry that previously had over 150 textile mills and employed over one million people is dominated by imports from Asia.

He noted that the industry was suffering from huge capital flight as a result of the huge importation worth millions of dollars of textile products into the country.

Stories by Collins Nweze

“India alone was estimated to export textile products worth over $140 million into Nigeria, while imports from China, Indonesia and Taiwan are more likely to be even much higher.

The challenge for us as stakeholders is how to prevent further dumping of the product into the country with the implementation of the Common External Tariff,” Emefiele said.

The CBN boss explained that the relationship between banks and the textile companies was thorny because the former was suddenly left with huge non-performing loans after the bubble burst.

He said though CBN has no mandate to ban the importation of any product, it recently included textiles as one of the 41 items excluded from foreign exchange sales from the Nigerian forex market.

N

basis accounting under the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in January 2016, the Federal Government has said.

The Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, who disclosed this in Abuja at a book launch titled: “Government Accounting in Nigeria: An IPSAS Approach”, said Nigeria started the implementation of the cash basis in 2014.

The book was written by a former Accountant-General of the Federation, Kayode Naiyeju and Prof. Eddy Omolehinwa.

Idris added that the implementation committees at both the state and national levels were working to

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

make sure that Nigeria implements the policy next year.

“There is an implementation committee at national level. There is one at state level and these committees are working based on time frame.

So there is no delay.We are on course.

“The accrual basis is supposed to kick-start in January and by the grace of God we will kick-start January. We want to also be a global player in everything and that is why we have keyed in. We have a time-frame, and like I told you the cash basis started 2014 and we are now transiting into accrual basis and that is exactly what

their role, they require our support.

“As a financial institution that cares, we are aware that these associations require savings accounts to keep their funds as against transactional current accounts with its attendant charges. It is for that reason that we have also ensured that EASA, is not for profit making businesses or Individuals. It is strictly designed for charities, religious bodies, associations, clubs, societies, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) among others,” the statement added.

To make this product attractive, Enterprise Bank also simplified the opening processes of the account.

EASA has an opening and operating balances of N10,000 with a creditpayable interest at the going rate that is dependent on the Monetary Policy Review (MPR) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

FCMB relocates Alaba International Market branch

F

we are doing.”

He explained that with the implementation of IPSAS, Nigeria will operate on the same platform with advanced economies.

He said: “We will be operating on the same platform with advanced economies in terms of financial accounting reporting, information rendition, and services of our financial accounts, among others.’’

“We need to keep government accounting more seriously in Nigeria.

Because without proper accounting, you are never going to have accountability and without accountability, we are not going to tackle the problem of corruption in our country,” he said.

closer to the mainstream, especially those who transact business or reside in the area and its environs.

The Group Head, Branch Services and Channels Management of FCMB, Mr. Oluwakayode Adigun, said: ‘’This is part of our commitment to serve more Nigerians by getting closer to our customers and all segments of the society. We are focused on bridging the service gap. We are demonstrating our drive in the provision of simple, reliable and helpful banking services as an inclusive lender.’’

Adigun assured that the lender will continue to raise the bar in the manner and environment that customers are serviced to meet their lifestyles.

He added that the bank will sustain its ongoing expansion and service delivery initiatives across all touch points.

Earlier last month, the bank opened an ultra-modern and full service branch in Lagos, which is located at Plot 123, Amuwo Odofin Link Road by Amuwo Odofin residential scheme.

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS AFRINVEST W. A. EQUITY FUND ALLAN GRAY A/EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGE FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FIDELITY NIG FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

123.91 32,381.62 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.68 1.39 1,823.19 1,087.92 108.34 121.16 1.67 1.29 1.32 0.95 1.17

123.79 32,381.62 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.67 1.33 1,823.19 1,087.18 107.80 120.30 1.62 1.28 1.32 0.93 1.17

Inflation:April

8.5%

Monetary Policy Rate

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

EVENSMED BERGER MAYBAKER AIICO LEARNAFRCA VONO PZ ASHAKACEM FO

0.69 9.50 1.43 0.82 1.04 1.08 33.00 22.00 200.00

0.75 9.97 1.50 0.86 1.09 1.13 34.51 23.00 208.00

8.70 4.95 4.90 4.88 4.81 4.63 4.58 4.55 4.00

0.76

0.79

3.95

FOREX RATES (NairaVs Dollar) May 28, 2015 Interbank ($/N)

199.00

$1

Black Market ($/N)

215.00

$1

$28.2b

London Inter-bank Offered Rates (LIBOR) Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$67.91

Money Supply (M2)

GAINERS AS AT 07-08-15

ACADEMY

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Tenor

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 6 Months 12 Months

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

May 27

May 28

Rate)%

Rate (%)

0.1735 0.2147 0.2615 0.3841 0.6709

0.1715 0.2108 0.2626 0.3857 0.6744

27 May Nigerian Stock Market Indices

Tenor

12-02-15 Rate (%) Rate (%) 13-02-15

Overnight (O/N)

14.683

76.583

1M

15.033

15.977

3M

15.809

17.177

6M

16.493

17.908

.

Statistics All Share Index Mkt Cap (NGN’bn) Deals Volume (mn) Value (NGN’mn)

34,649.3 11.8 3,385 564,28 6,087.80

5 May 29,383.93 9,804.36 3,714 377,75 6,568.66

LOSERS AS AT 07-08-15

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

FLOURMILL CADBURY NNFM OKOMUOIL GUINNESS STANBIC TOTAL LIVESTOCK GUARANTY UNITYBNK

30.84 35.05 13.99 26.00 137.00 21.90 155.25 1.95 24.70 2.10

29.00 33.30 13.30 24.83 131.00 21.00 150.00 1.90 24.10 2.05

CHANGE -59.97 -4.99 -4.93 -4.50 -4.38 -4.11 -3.38 -2.56 -2.43 -2.38

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Transaction Dates 03/02/2015 3/12/2014 1/12/2014

Amount Offered in ($) 500m 400m 350m

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 399.97m 349.96m

Feb. 13, 2015

Rates

T-bills - 91

12.44

T-bills - 182

13.85

T-bills - 364

13.92

Bond - 3yrs

15.92

Bond - 5yrs

17.22

Bond - 7yrs

16.59

31

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

31

EQUITIES

Investors scramble for penny stocks as equities gain N432b L OW-PRICED stocks, otherwise known as penny stocks, were the toasts of investors last week at the Nigerian stock market as four-day successive rally lifted the market with N432 billion capital gains.

After losing N1.13 trillion in July, the stock market opened August with considerable rally. Day-on-day gain between Monday and Thursday moderated the built-up negative average year-to-date return.

However, the market relapsed on the last trading day on Friday as investors turned round to profit-taking.

Penny stocks dominated the topgainers’ list with Evans Medical leading the pack with a gain of 38.9 per cent to close at 75 kobo.

Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) recorded the second highest percentage gain of 29.1 per cent to close at N2.66. PZ Cussons Nigeria recorded exceptional gain of 25.26 per cent to close at N34.51,

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

the largest gain by any high-priced stock. May & Baker Nigeria also rose by 14.5 per cent to close at N1.50 while Continental Reinsurance appreciated by 12.05 per cent to close at 93 kobo.

In spite of the last-day relapse, all value benchmarks at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed on the upside. The All Share Index (ASI), the composite index that tracks prices of all quoted equities, closed weekend at 31,441.71 points as against the week’s opening index of 30,180.27 points, representing a gain of 4.18 per cent.

Aggregate market value of all quoted companies also followed the same uptrend to close at N10.776 trillion; representing an increase of

N432 billion on its week’s opening value of N10.344 trillion. The gain last week moderated the negative average year-to-date return to -9.28 per cent. There were 37 gainers against 29 losers during the week while 124 stocks were flat.

Total turnover increased to 2.38 billion shares worth N18.99 billion in 19,769 deals last week as against a total of 1.37 billion shares valued at N17.95 billion traded in 17,391 deals in the previous week. Financial services sector remained the dominant sector with a turnover of 1.996 billion shares valued at N13.195 billion in 11,232 deals; representing 83.79 per cent and 69.49 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

Conglomerates sector occupied a distant second position on the activity chart with a turnover of 106.53

million shares worth N425.53 million in 1,150 deals. The third place was occupied by natural resources sector, which recorded turnover of 100.021 million shares worth N50.103 million in 16 deals.

The trio of Continental Reinsurance Plc; Zenith International Bank Plc, and Axamansard Insurance Plc were the most active stsocks, accounting for a total of 1.03 billion shares worth N5.21 billion in 2,339 deals, about 43.4 per cent and 27.4 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

Also traded during the week were a total of 6,639 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N999,551, which were traded in 22 deals. In the previous week, a total of 26,580 units of ETPs valued at N1.719 million were traded in 24 deals. Investors also bought 14,473 units of Federal Government Bonds valued at N15.576 million through six deals.

First start-up summit to promote young entrepreneurs

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HE first annual conference on start-up firms is scheduled to hold in Lagos with the aim of encouraging investors, governments and mentors to support the growth of start-up firms.

The annual conference tagged “Start-up Africa Summit” is scheduled to take place in October with the theme “Scaling Up to Critical Mass.”

The summit is being organised by CITC Global Consulting, Customer Passion Point Limited (CPPL) and Zoom Runner Technologies Inc. Chief executive officer, Zoom Runner Technologies, Ayo Sopitan, said the event would promote the activities of aspiring entrepreneurs in Nigeria by giving them an opportunity to learn from start-up veterans while also providing a platform for budding entrepreneurs to showcase their startups.

He said that the summit would also facilitate a dialogue between entrepreneurs and policy makers on how to boost entrepreneurial growth adding that the summit would help to identify, unveil and provide required funding and other resources to the next wave of promising entrepreneurs.

“We have observed that there is a lot of attention paid to SMEs in Nigeria by the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector. Very little is done to boost scalable entrepreneurship.

We seek to draw attention to the Nigerian start-up ecosystem so that investors, aspiring entrepreneurs, policy makers will all contribute their quotas to boosting start-ups in Nigeria,” Sopitan said.

GTI Securities unveils new investment product

G

•From left: Mr. Julius Owotuga, Group Chief Financial Officer, Forte Oil Plc; Mr. Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Mr. Akin Akinfemiwa, Group Chief Executive Officer, Forte Oil Plc; Mr. Bola Adeeko, Head, Corporate Services Division, NSE and Mr. Dare Arinde, Group Head, Corporate Services, Forte Oil Plc during the “Facts Behind the Figures” presentation at the NSE in Lagos

Berger Paints’ chief urges govt to support real sector

M

ANAGING Director, Berger Paints Nigeria Plc, Mr Peter Folikwe has called on the government to support the development of the Nigerian real sector by providing enabling environment for manufacturing companies to thrive.

Folikwe, who assumed the leadership position in Berger Paints in March, said Nigerian manufacturers are contending with several obstacles, which have reduced their competitiveness and limit their growth potential.

Folikwe urged the Federal Government to address the issues of foreign exchange rate, infrastructural deficit, multiple taxation and enforcement of enabling rules by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in order to create the much-needed enabling en-

vironment for businesses to thrive.

“The real sector is the major sector that can drive economic growth and development. But in Nigeria, the sector has consistently suffered a setback in the scheme of things. The sector is bedeviled with myriad of issues which include infrastructural deficits such as bad road, epileptic power supply, multiple taxation, Naira exchange rate volatility and the extent to which the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is actually tracking and sanctioning those who compromise standard in their product quality. All these increase production cost and force producers to pass the cost to consumers who are already struggling with weak purchasing power.

Government should address these issues without further delay,” Folikwe

said.

He added that efforts should also be geared towards instituting a virile consumer advocacy framework in order to promote culture of quality products among manufacturers.

According to him, quality products are necessary condition for competitiveness in the global market and it enhances consumers’ loyalty and higher turnover.

He said Nigeria would compete more favourably in the global market if the country leverage on consumer advocacy approach through which consumers of products are made to know that while inferior products appear cheap, they are actually more expensive than quality products in the area of durability and utilitarian value.

He however assured shareholders of Berger Paints that the company would sustain its profitability noting that the performance of the company in the first half of 2015 indicates that the company has been waxing stronger despite the harsh operating environment for manufactures in Nigeria.

He pointed out that the company is setting up a multi-billion Naira factory to expand its operations while working on innovative products that would not only appeal to Nigerian consumers but the entire global markets.

Folikwe reiterated that his pre-occupation is to drive Berger Paints as a brand whose products would continue to define quality and acceptability in Nigeria.

Afrik Pharmaceuticals seeks N300m in private placement

A

FRIK Pharmaceuticals Plc plans to raise N300 million new equity funds through special placement to strategic investors.

The healthcare company plans to issue 600 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to strategic investor at the nominal price of 50 kobo per share. Resort Securities & Trust Limited, a member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), is working with the company on the proposed placement.

Afrik Pharmaceuticals is a healthcare company listed on the

Alternative Securities Market (ASem) sector of the NSE. Chairman, Afrik Pharmaceuticals, Chief Emeka Onyema, had last year said that a group of investors had agreed to put Afrik Pharmaceuticals Plc back on track by increasing the net worth of the company as well as increase the wealth of its stakeholders.

He said the company was set to achieve its potentials by increasing its production of high-value products and enhancing its marketing strategy towards increasing the company’s market share and

opening of a whole new range of medical products.

He noted that with an installed capacity of 396,000 litres annually, the company could achieve a 300 per cent increase within the next 12 months, equivalent to 1.2 million litres of intravenous products yearly.

He pointed out that the company specialises in the production of large volume of parenteral solutions commonly called drips packaged in non-toxic soft medical grade bags, one of the most important and basic medical prod-

ucts.

According to him, the demand for made-in Nigeria infusions currently stands at over 60 million litres per annum within Nigeria and other African countries, which has put pressure on the few existing infusion producing plants to meet the demands.

He added that the company has taken a step to bring in a group of foreign investors to facilitate engagement of well -trained staff, expand distribution channels and streamline project management and evaluation.

TI Securities Limited, a member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), has launched a new investment product that would help individual and institutional investors to grow their assets without undergoing the stress of the market risks. GTI Securities Limited is the owner of Sub-Sahara Africa’s first private trading floor.

In a statement at the weekend, GTI Securities, a subsidiary of GTI Capital Group, stated that the new investment product, known as GTI Discretionary Portfolio Asset Management Service (D-PAMS), is designed for busy investors who do not have the time to monitor daily market activities or investors who do not have the expertise to handle stock analysis and appropriate stock picks with good fundamentals for profitability and growth.

The firm stated that institutional and high net-worth individual investors would benefit from expert financial assets management citing its pedigree in successfully managing funds and investment portfolios of clients to achieve set objectives with optimum return in relation to clients’ risk tolerance level.

“The D-PAMS is one of the latest initiatives of GTI Securities to help our clients and the investing public take advantage of the potentials inherent in our capital market; a portfolio manager is assigned to your portfolio for the sole purpose of value creation,” the firm stated.

The firm assured the investing public that it would continue to improve on its bespoke services to cater for the needs of the investing public.

According to the company, part of its value-added investment services included improved research reports, which provide daily market insights and regular business and economic news, stock analysis and recommendations and sectoral reports which give clients insights into the various sectors of the economy and assist them in making informed investment decisions.

32

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL Russia destroys foreign food imports R

USSIA has bulldozed a pile of Western-produced cheese and tonnes of other foodstuffs imported in violation of sanctions.

The country has also steamrollered fruit and burnt a huge pile of bacon.

The actions come a year after Russia banned some Western food products in retaliation to EU and US sanctions applied after Moscow annexed Crimea.

The destruction has caused an outcry from anti-poverty campaigners

who say it should have been given to the poor.

One steamroller took an hour to crush nine tonnes of cheese. Another consignment was due to be burnt.

Boxes of bacon have been incinerated.

Peaches and tomatoes were also due to be crushed by tractors.

Religious leaders expressed outrage. One called the actions “insane,

stupid and vile”.

Russia has suffered notorious famines in its recent history which saw millions starve.

More than 285,000 people have backed an online petition calling on President Putin to give the food away. The petition says that food sanctions have led to higher prices and shortages that are causing real

hardship. Food price inflation is running at around 20 per cent.

Former prime minister, Mikhail Kasyanov, said that 20 million Russian citizens were below the poverty line, commenting that destroying food products was “some real triumph of humanism”.

The EU is providing aid for European exporters of dairy produce, fruit

U.S economy adds 215,000 jobs in July

Lid on wages, investment hits productivity

T

A

S the Federal Reserve puzzles over what is holding back United States (U.S.) wages and productivity six years into the economic recovery, a pasta sauce company in New Jersey may offer some answers.

Chelten House Products makes private-label sauces and dressings for high-end grocers such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Kroger, and has doubled its workforce to 300 over the past five years to keep up with a booming organic food market.

Now it is struggling to hire not just skilled mechanics or electricians but even workers who handle the jars rolling down its conveyer belts.

Chelten Chief Executive Officer Steve Dabrow says factory work is becoming a harder sell with unemployment down at a seven-year low of 5.3 percent. “You’re not sitting down, you’re standing on your feet all day, you’re not taking breaks, and bottles are flying down the line,” he said.

The Bridgeport, New Jersey, company, which hired 60 people just last year, is not bidding up wages much for anyone save those with very specialist skills because, for now at least, it still manages to fill the vacancies. It has made some strategic capital investments, such as in a more automated new plant in Las Vegas in 2013, but has more recently focused on expanding by taking on additional workers.

Like other U.S. manufacturers for whom the 2007-2009 recession is fastfading, this company’s story of brisk

• Workers box jars of pasta sauce at a plant run by Chelten House Products in Bridgeport

hiring, limited wage hikes, and some capital investment helps illustrate why the otherwise mostly rosy U.S. labor market is marred by low wage growth and sinking productivity.

Interviews with several heads of small and midsize companies, together with results from employer surveys and data on labor costs, indicate that while companies are prepared to hire more workers, they do not feel the need to raise wages significantly or have the confidence in the economy to make big capital investments. This is good for the job numbers but it is restraining productivity and economic growth.

Dabrow and managers at other U.S. manufacturing companies say they often need to bring on workers who lack the experience or dedication of those hired in 2009, when U.S. unemployment peaked at 10 percent. That means a lot of on-the-job training and staff turnover that may keep U.S. productivity, or output per worker hour,

from rebounding quickly from its first back-to-back quarterly drop since 2006. How soon and how strongly wages and productivity rebound will influence Americans’ standard of living, and have a big effect on the inflation rate and economic growth. As a result, it will help the Fed determine whether to raise interest rates for the first time in nine years in September or later.

Fed officials are assuming there will be a rebound in productivity through innovation or investment in labor-saving technology like robotics, and that this will boost economic growth to around 2.5 percent next year. They also don’t expect the jobless rate to fall much further through the end of this year.

But if productivity remains weak it could push the inflation rate higher and lead to a more aggressive policy tightening in the months and years to come. “Overall productivity has been disappointing,” Boston Fed

President Eric Rosengren told Reuters in a recent interview.

Manufacturing, where productivity fell by 1 percent in the first quarter compared with 3.1 percent economy-wide, should be at the forefront of the expected investmentdriven bounce. But in a closelywatched proxy for investment, shipments from American factories of civilian capital goods other than airplanes rose only 0.6 percent in June from a year earlier, suggesting businesses are still shy about spending on anything beyond hiring.

While many industrial giants like Caterpillar have been squeezed by the strong dollar and weak overseas markets, triggering job cuts, smaller U.S. firms are in better shape. With less overseas exposure and accounting for 60 percent of job gains since the recession, they are planning to spend and hire more, according to a June survey by the National Federation of Independent Business.

EU officials to review Greek bailout talks

S

ENIOR European Union (EU) officials will confer by telephone late on Friday on progress in negotiations between Greece and its international creditors on a third bailout for the nearbankrupt euro zone country with Germany reported to be warning against haste.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is trying to force the pace of the talks, keen to wrap up agreement on sensitive economic reforms by mid-August, while many Greeks are on holiday, and receive an initial aid disbursement by August 20 in time to make a bond payment to the European Central Bank.

Athens is negotiating with EU institutions and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for up to 86 billion euros ($94 billion) in fresh loans to stave off economic collapse and stay in the euro zone.

At a meeting in Egypt on Thursday on the sidelines of ceremonies for the inauguration of a Suez Canal extension, Tsipras and French President Francois Hollande agreed that a new deal should be concluded soon after August 15.

“The objective is for the negotiations on the program ... to be concluded at the end of August. We know it’s difficult but we must make sure that the conditions are met, in a good spirit,” Hollande told reporters.

Talks were going “in the best of directions”, he added.

The European Commission too says talks are moving “in a satisfactory way” and is keen to wrap them up soon, not least because of the political sensitivity of arranging another bridge loan for Athens if a deal is not ready in time.

Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said she did not expect “any particular decisions” from Friday night’s meeting although negotiations had begun on drafting a memorandum of understanding on a loan agreement.

Germany, keen on fiscal discipline and far-reaching economic reforms, is sceptical of any early deal and doubts a multi-billion euro bailout can be agreed by mid-August.

“It remains completely open,” said one politician from the ruling coalition government, adding that Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was taking a cautious view of comments by Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on the chances of a deal.

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung said the German Finance Ministry favored another bridge loan to give Greece and its creditors time to negotiate a comprehensive reform program.

A ministry spokeswoman told a news briefing: “According to our

and vegetables to ease the impact of the Russian ban on those goods.

The EU Commission said last week the “safety net” for Europe’s dairy sector would remain in place until March 2016 and for fruit and vegetable growers until July next year.

There have been daily road blockades by French farmers - and on Thursday similar protests erupted in Belgium. They want higher prices for their produce, saying they are struggling to stay in business.

information, a range of issues remain to be settled, especially around future conditionality.”

Open questions included macroeconomic and budget targets which required calm and thorough discussion, she said.

That appeared to reflect Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble’s

scepticism about whether Greece is fit to remain a member of the 19nation European monetary union.

Schaeuble last month proposed that Athens take a “time out” of up to five years from the euro if it could not meet the conditions, an idea seen as a veiled expulsion from the common currency.

HE US economy added 215,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate held at a seven-year-low of 5.3%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said job gains came in retail trade, health care, professional and technical services, and financial activities.

The jobs figures are a seen as a significant gauge of the health of the economy.

Analysts said the figures meant a US interest rate rise in September remained a possibility.

Last month, the Federal Reserve upgraded its assessment of the labour market, saying it was continuing to “improve, with solid job gains and declining unemployment.”

Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: “With the Fed’s decision on the timing of the first rate rise ‘data dependent’, today’s report does nothing to discourage the belief that a September hike is very much on the table, albeit by no means a done deal.”

He said that the new hiring figures “just missed” expectations of a 225,000 rise.

“Private sector payrolls grew by a solid 210,000, just shy of an expected 215,000 rise, led by service sector hiring alongside gains in the manufacturing and construction sectors,” he added.

The Bureau of Labour Statistics said that “over the year, the unemployment rate and number of unemployed people were down by 0.9 percentage point and 1.4 million”.

Payroll figures from May and June were revised upwards to show 14,000 more jobs created than previously reported. Also, the average working week lengthened to 34.6 hours, the highest since February.

Average hourly earnings increased by five cents, or 0.2%, after being flat in June.

The statistics office also said that the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed at 2.2 million.

These account for 26.9% of the unemployed. The civilian labour force participation rate was unchanged at 62.6% in July.

Wall Street falls as jobs data supports Sept rate hike

U

NITED States stocks were lower at the weekend, with the major indexes poised to close in the red for the week, after solid job growth in July pointed to an improving economy, opening the door wider for an interest rate hike in September.

Wall Street took a dim view of the report as a stop to easy money will increase borrowing costs. The market has touched record highs, benefiting from near-zero interest rates for almost a decade.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 215,000 last month, fewer than the 223,000 forecast by economists, but the unemployment rate held at a seven-year low of 5.3 percent.

“The jobs report confirms that the market is progressing at a rate that will allow the Fed to raise rates in September,” said James Abate, chief investment officer of Centre Funds.

The Fed has said it will raise rates only when it sees a sustained recov-

ery in the economy. An improving labour market is key to the Fed’s decision to raise rates.

“I think if we have a disastrous employment report next month, that could give them pause,” said Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for Commonwealth Financial in Waltham, Massachusetts.

At 11:01 a.m. EDT (1501 GMT) the Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was down 87.39 points, or 0.50 percent, at 17,332.36, the S&P 500 .SPX was down 8.75 points, or 0.42 percent, at 2,074.81 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC was down 26.67 points, or 0.53 percent, at 5,029.77.

Eight of the 10 major S&P sectors were lower with the health index’s .SPXHC 0.81 percent fall leading the decliners as biotechnology stocks slumped. The Nasdaq biotechnology index .NBI fell to a one-month low.

Wall Street ended sharply lower on Thursday as weak earnings reports from media companies stirred fears

that more viewers are ditching cable TV, dragging the sector to its worst two-day loss since the financial crisis.

Earnings continue to remain in focus. With about three-quarters of the S&P 500 companies having reported, second-quarter earnings are estimated to have increased 1.6 percent while revenues are projected to have fallen 3.4 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Nvidia’s (NVDA.O) shares rose as much as 11.2 percent to a four-month high of $22.74, a day after the chipmaker reported a surprise rise in second-quarter revenue.

Groupon (GRPN.O) fell 3.7 percent to $4.51, while Hershey (HSY.N) was down 4.1 percent at $88.41 after the companies reported results.

Noodles (NDLS.O) slumped as much as 25 percent to a life low of $11.37 after the pasta and sandwich restaurant chain forecast full-year adjusted profit and revenue below analysts’ estimates.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

33

BUSINESS AFRICA

SON, others seek reduction of lead in paints

C

ONCERNED with the effect of lead in paints, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and stakeholders in the industry said it has planned measures to check the trend. Lead in paints, according to experts, is lifethreatening, especially to children and the young.

At a joint stakeholders'meeting in Lagos, SON's Director-General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, said the organisation would ensure that paint manufacturing is conducted in line with global best practices, stressing that SON has the mandate to ensure quality and safety of endusers of products.

The Technical Committee meeting was convened by SON to finalise the appropriate standard regulation on paints to tackle the problem of heavy lead in made-inNigeria paints.

Odumodu, represented by Mr Abiola Komolafe, SON's Director of Standards, said: "We have resolved that the appropriate benchmark is 90ppm (part per million) and this is acceptable all over the world. ?"?For the consumers, if the content of lead is high, it is very hazardous and can create a lot of health problems particularly to children.

All over the world, the focus is for the content to be brought down to the barest minimum so that it will be safe for consumers.''

Odumodu explained that SON's processes of establishing and reviewing products standards are presented to the Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment for approval, saying once they are approved, the stakeholders would decide on the implementation.

"Paint Manufacturers Association

By Toba Agboola

of Nigeria (PMAN) is here and I am sure once everything is put in place, they will know what to do. The public will benefit more through the implementation of our decision," the director added.

According to Mrs. Mbah Adaora of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), "Our major concern is the lead content in paint because of the effect it has on human beings, particularly in the bright colours, where you have the lead content more and these bright colours are what we use in our schools. Children are the most affected, so it borders on consumers as far as CPC is concerned and that is why we are sticking out our neck here to bring down the level of lead in our paint."

She urged SON to carry out adequate sensitisation on the proposed reviewed standards, adding that CPC was ready to partner with SON and move into the market for enforcement.

Her words: "SON is doing a wonderful job because they are the standards body empowered to set the standards so what they are doing is in line with their statutory duty. Manufacturers should be committed to safety and quality," She emphasised that sustained awareness programmes would be needed, adding that once new standard is in place, awareness should be the next line of action. "The public should be enlightened. Buyers should know what they are looking for. Once they are sensitized, you can go ahead to prosecute," she said.

Mr. Tosin Dania, an industrialist, praised SON for the initiative, saying that this was the right path

• New Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) Prof Umaro Dambatta (second left) being worked at resumption for work at the NCC Headquarters, Abuja. With him are workers of the Commission ... at the weekend.

to go in ensuring that all the nation's products meet safety standards. He said the manufacturers should be brought to a better standard where they could compete in the global market.

"It reposes more confidence in us by our consumers outside the nation and others seeking to buy things from Nigeria. It is good that Nigeria is taking the issue of safety seriously. When you look at the global trend of event now, suppliers themselves are going for certification that can enhance their capacity to meet the need of more stringent clients. Suppliers have to meet safety specifications," he added.

For Mr. M. Adefarati, the Technical Committee Chairman, the review was also aimed at harmonising ECOWAS standards to boost intra-African trade.

"Lead is a toxic pigment. It is very important we need to control this in the environment. Children can eat the paint and if they do, it will affect their nervous system. We have addressed the situation to keep to international standards so that our products will be acceptable all over the world as well as in ECOWAS region."

Adefarati advised stakeholders to be in tune with the ever changing technologies while also taking into cognisance safety of consumers and the environment. ?"On that basis, we need to exploit other areas that we do not need to use lead pigment in making paints. We advise that the paint manufacturers look for alternatives for lead because we are considering safety."

EU lifts four-year fresh ostrich meat ban on S/Africa

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HE European Union(EU) has lifted a four-year ban on the import of fresh ostrich meat from South Africa, following an outbreak of H5N2 avian flu, the country's main exporting region said.

The 2011 outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza strain hit the 1 billion rand ($80 million) industry, which exports meat, leather and feathers to its main EU market.

The industry has recovered slightly with the export of processed or pre-heated meat.

"Resuming exports to the EU will play an important role in increasing the number of jobs in this industry, which currently employs over 50,000 residents," said Alan Winde, minister of economic development in the Western Cape pro-

vincial government.

Around 10,000 ostriches were culled in the Klein Karoo and southern Cape regions in 2011, where the industry is concentrated, after diseased birds were detected in the area.

Outbreaks of avian flu has affected

several countries in the recent past, including China, France and the United States, and is a health concern because certain virulent strains are deadly to humans.

Francois de Wet, chairman of the South African Ostrich Business Chamber, said after the outbreak

four years ago, the country improved its bio-security measures, such as chlorinating water and restricting movement of the birds.

De Wet said the South Africa is expected to resume fresh meat exports to the EU after August 26.

Firm introduces new solutions

A

LAGOS communication firm Communication Supports Limited, has introduced MER Solutions to boost business growth.

According to the firm’s Managing Director, Mr Mike Efunkoya, the new solutions are functional programmes and tools for fulfill-

ing some of the nation’s developmental aspirations and enhancing the reputation, performance and growth of corporate organisations.

The government, business organisations and individuals now have an alternative means of meeting desired outcomes when the new solutions are used to support

business strategies, activities, systems, processes, capacities, interventions and deliverables, he said.

MER solutions are available in three business sectors---information and e-solutions, media and experimental content and development tools. They may be acquired, partnered or sponsored.

Buhari urged on environment

A

N environmentalist Valentine Opone Ottis has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to pay more attention to environmental issues.

Speaking against the backdrop of the President's trip to the United States recently, Opone said environmental matters should be part of the Buhari administration policies.

He lamented that though President Buhari while in the US discussed such vital issues as aids and repatriation of stolen money that could make robust the economy and assist in the fight on against insurgency, no mention was made on how devastated environment in the Northeast would be restored.

Opone, a member of the Nigeria Environmenntal Society (NES), agreed with analysts who hailed the outing, saying it was good for Nigeria, especially after a frosting relationship between the two countries during the President Goodluck Jonathan

By Joseph Eshanokpe

administration from 2010 to 2015.

He said: "In the light of the above, experts in the environmental sector see it as mind-burgling to discover that the issue on recovering the already devastated environment due to insurgency was not part of the discussion.

"A scholar once said that just as we must have a nation before we can talk of president, so we must have a sustained environment before we talk of human beings and lives in general.

"President Buhari should be looking more in-wards to the immediate concerns of the environment, so that the contemporary problems of Nigerians will be more in the epic centre of his policy."

He continued: "Every country has own foreign policy for the purpose of academics. Foreign policy is defined as a strategy or planned course of actions

developed by the decision makers of the country aimed at manipulating international communities in order to achieve certain natural interest; hence the evolution of Nigeria foreign policy on environment cannot be understood without sincerely adhering to the above.

What is Nigeria’s policy on environmental sustainability?''

He appealed to the Nigeria's policy makers to put environment in the front burner, warning: "a devalued environment will give a devalued society."

Opone called for the advanced cleanup of the areas where the insurgency is prevalent "to sustain agricultural activities and get diseases-free society''. He also wants the creeks of the Niger Delta devastated by oil exploration to be cleared.

"Therefore, the Nigeria should call on the United States to expand its assistance to issues environmental remediation and clean-up in the insurgency-ravaged areas, the Niger Delta and the catchment towns.

• Opone

"I further appeal to the President that as effort is on top gear to build a robust economy, we must also see the issue of global environmental challenges and its effects on Nigeria as important; therefore, attention must be shifted to them,'' he added.

Lafarge, foundation kick off contest TO promote quality education in Nigeria, Lafarge Africa Plc and Ovie Brume Foundation have commenced the Second edition of Lafarge-Ovie Brume Literacy Competition.

It is organised yearly to promote literacy skills across public primary school pupils in the country and to engage them in activities that will showcase their ability to read, write and spell correctly.

The Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Africa, Peter Hoddinott said the company is committed to promoting academic excellence among pupils in primary schools across the country and creating opportunities for them to sharpen their literacy skill and build their self-confidence in line with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

"Education is the bedrock of development of any country and the gateway to success in life. This is why Lafarge Africa is keen about creating opportunities and platforms where Nigerian children will be given the needed support to help them realise the potential in them and achieve excellence.

“We recorded remarkable success from the first edition and testimonials abound. More importantly, its impact on pupils and on the development of education in Nigeria is gradually growing," he noted.

The Executive Director Ovie Brume Foundation, Mrs. Iwalola Akin-Jimoh reiterated the Vision of the Foundation, saying: it is aimed at "a society where everyone is educated and empowered" and that by so doing, it is creating an enabling environments for young people by mobilising and dedicating resources for the provision of formal and informal education, secured livelihood, social and policy brokerage thereby enabling them to set and achieve their goals, maximise their positive energies with sufficient sense of responsibility to give back to their local communities and the country.

According to the organisers, this year's edition of the competition had begun with the first regional phase in Port Harcourt. From there, the train moved to the Southeast and Northeast. It would be the turn of the Northcentral on August 12, Northwest August 15 and Southwest September 16. The grand finale would hold in Lagos on September 29.

The contest features literacy tests, essay/summary writing and Spelling Bees to evaluate reading and writing abilities.

It is one of the CSR initiatives powered by employees of Lafarge Africa in partnership with the Ovie Brume Foundation.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

34

Taxation

Value added tax (VAT) & voluntary compliance

T

roles and responsibilities.

• FIRS ensures that the principle of know your tax payer (KYTP) is adhered to, so that it would be easy for taxpayers to reach schedule officers for information and guidance/assistance.

• Regular provision of VAT forms 002 for monthly rendition of returns.

• Encourage voluntary compliance to avoid infraction of the law.

• Consistency and civil enforcement of the provisions of the tax law • Imposition of interest and penalties and enforce compliance where default occurs.

• Improvement in the work process of the tax office to make compliance easier.

• Compliance with the Taxpayer Identification Number requirements by business owners.

• Monthly rendition of returns and payments on or before 21st of each month in arrears, to the nearest FIRS office.

• Proper documentation and record keeping of VAT charges taken at source, returns and payments vi-a-vis correct profiling of income sources.

• Businesses should note that they are not the party suffering the VAT, but a mere agent of collection and remittance.

• It is better to charge wrongly and remit to FIRS, than not to charge at all, because when the actual liability is established, it is owner of the business that would bear the entire burden.

HE operation of the tax law is universally administered. Every person (corporate or individual) is a taxable entity no matter how, when and what method is used to conduct the business.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has adequate mechanisms to assess and bring all taxable entities into the tax net. Among these methods is cordial dialogues with stakeholders during enlightenment drives to achieve mutual understanding and promote voluntary compliance.

Registration by Taxable Persons Section 8(q) of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act, 2007, directs the Service to issue a taxpayer identification number to every taxable person in Nigeria in collaboration with State Boards of Internal Revenue and the Local Government Revenue Boards. Section 8(1) of the Value Added Tax Act (VATA) Cap V1 LFN, 2004 as amended in 2007 also requires taxpayers (individuals, enterprises or corporates) to register for VAT. However, when the tax identification number (TIN) is generated, it suffices and covers all the tax types as no other registration number for any tax type will be required.

Reference to Section 8(1) of the VATA as amended, it is specifically stated that “A taxable person shall, within six months of the commencement of the Act or within six months of the commencement of business, whichever is earlier, register with the Board for the purpose of the tax (VAT).”

The phrase whichever is earlier, that specifies the time for registration, has caused a lot of pain for taxpayers in VAT administration. It is not practical to expect that a business just recently incorporated (say in 2011) to have registered in 1994 for the purpose of the tax. Hence, a business incorporated after 1994 is expected to register within six months of the commencement of business.

Therefore, penalties (and other sanctions) for late registration for VAT would start counting immediately after the six months of commencement of business if the taxpayer fails to register for VAT and not six months from the commencement of the VAT Act when the business was probably not in existence.

Historical Antecedents of VAT • VAT was first introduced as consumption tax in 1919 in Germany, France (1954), UK 1973 etc.

• Introduction was occasioned by the impacts of 1st and 2nd World Wars.

• The adverse effects of direct taxation on the economy, individuals and businesses.

• The introduction of consumption tax was later modernized into VAT. • The high point of VAT is that it has no noticeable impact on the taxpayer because of its indirect nature.

VATable Income In arriving at what constitutes a VATable income, all income from sales, rentals, charges and fees relating to activities enjoyed by customers are VATable and should be charged with VAT. The law did not make provision for any activities or services that is non-VATable in the industry.

First Schedule of the Act stated Goods and Services Exempt from VAT in Nigeria.

The implication of the schedule is that any other business activity in the form of buying and selling or rendering of services or enjoying any rights which are not stated in the schedule are liable to VAT.

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Samuel Ogungbesan

By Embuka Anna

Duration of Remittance All VAT charges should be remitted to an FIRS office within 21 days in arrears on a prescribed form 002. This is supported by Section 15 of the Act. Meanwhile, a taxable person who does not remit the tax within the time specified above, will be liable to 5% penalty and interest at commercial rate, added to the tax and the provision relating to collection and recovery of the unremitted tax, penalty and interest shall be employed.

Similarly, a taxable person who fails to collect tax is to pay 150% of the amount not collected plus 5% interest above the Central Bank of Nigeria rediscount rate.

Concept of Voluntary Compliance FIRS encourages voluntary compliance instead of the use of coercion. Tax compliance relates to the degree to which a taxpayer complies (or fails to comply) with the tax rules of a country, for instance, by declaring income, filing returns and paying the tax due on or before the due date.

Voluntary tax compliance is a situation where a taxable person or entity files returns without the tax authority resorting to using the instruments of the law and force to ensure compliance.

It is voluntary when a taxable person discharges the statutory obligation of tax payment on selfconviction and as a call to duty without notice or reminder within the time line allowed by law.

FIRS’ Means of Enhancing Voluntary Compliance • Through education and sensitization of operators.

• Business owners should have open an mind and seek clearance from FIRS when in doubt and seek further legal advice when not satisfied.

• Regular monitoring/audit visitations to check compliance and enlighten taxable entities on their

Consequences of Non-Compliance • Out of the entire VAT Act, of 47 sections, about one third of the provisions are on offences and penalties.

• Statute based consequences are highlighted from section 25 to 37 of VAT Act Cap VI, 2004 as amended in 2007. Some examples of offences and penalties are: failure to submit returns attract a fine of N5,000 for each month the failure continues.

• Failure to collect tax attracts penalties of 150% of the amount not collected plus 5% interest above CBN rate.

• VAT evasion attracts N30,000 or twice the amount of tax evaded whichever is greater or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years.

• Failure to keep proper records of accounts would attract N2,000 fine for every month the failure continues.

• Failure to issue tax invoice attracts fine of 50% of the cost of goods and services for which an invoice was not issued.

• Offences by body corporate: Every officer, manager, secretary and other similar officer including partner in partnership shall be severely guilty of an offence under the act, etc.

Reputational Implication • Second categories of consequences of non-compliance are reputational and reporting risks. Apart from reputational damage arising from actions by FIRS to enforce compliance via distrain, search and seizure, and litigation, amongst others.

• Reporting risk involves the imposition of interest and penalties.

• All the interest and penalties imposed on any of the aforementioned offences would be enforced.

FIRS tries to avoid enforcing compliance because of the Service’s slogan, “Taxpayers are King” except on recalcitrant taxpayers. It is necessary to once again emphasize that nightclub and event center activities are not exempted from VAT. Consequently, taxpayers are encouraged to embrace voluntary compliance since the consequences of non-compliance are enormous; ranging from statute based sanctions to reputational damage/reporting risk.

35

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

• Factory workers mixing chemicals for soap making.

Have you been thinking about getting a job? There are opportunities in soap making.

OLUWAKEMI DAUDA, in this report, provides an insight into them.

In need of a job? Try soap making D

ISH washing liquid soap business is very lucrative and re-quires little start-up capital. So, for those looking for jobs it is an option.

Findings revealed that liquid soap making does not require special skills or huge capital to start. It can be started on a small scale. There are lots of ways to market your products to earn an income.

How to tap into the opportunity Owning (running) a soap business (liquid or bar) needs courage and perseverance.You have to be resilient and possess‘I can

do it’ spirit, resistance to failure, undying enthusiasm for your products and a driving passion. You must be ready to dedicate most of your time to the job to get the business off the ground.

Liquid soap making Liquid soap is on high demand in the country as many prefer to use it to wash cloth and kitchen utensils. This is because it requires less energy. It is a good job one can venture into with less capital and start making huge money within a few months.

The process The process of making liquid

soap is the same as that of solid soap. The only difference is that it comes out in liquid form. One essential raw material is water. The quantity of water required for production of a given volume of detergent is high. It is necessary to have a good source of water supply when you want to venture into liquid soap production. The requirements for liquid soap production include a mixing bowl, buckets, hand glove, wooden spoon, container and good quantity of water.

Also, you need some money to buy some components such as Nitrosol/Antisol, sulphonic acid, caustic soda, soda ash, texapon, formaline (optional), perfume (fragrance) as desired. Sodium laurite

sulphate (SLS), tripoyphosphate (S.T.P.P) and you will need to put colourant of choice to make it look attractive after mixing the elements required.

Preparation A liquid soap producer, Mrs. Kikelomo Olufowobi, said you need to get Nitrosol, which has already dissolved in water or the C.M.C that has been dissolved for two days to the preparation of the liquid soap. Add the dissolved sulphuric acid, texapon and perfume to either Nitrosol or C.M.C, depending on the one chosen and stir very well. Add the already dissolved caustic soda and stir very well. Add the already dis-

solved soda ash and stir properly. Add formalin to the content and stir properly, then add the dissolved S.T.P.P, stir and add the dissolved SLS to the content.

Thereafter, dissolve the colourant in water and ensure that it is completely done, then add it to the solution and stir thoroughly. Add some quantity of water to the mixture, depending on the thickness of the mixture. Leave the mixture for some hours or the following day and then package it for use and sale.

“Most of the raw materials for bar soap are like that of •Continued on page 36

36

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

JOBS •Continued from page 35

liquid soap and are chemical in nature. Some of the basic raw materials needed include caustic soda, soda ash, silicate, calcium, palm kernel oil (PKO) and perfume,” she said.

Another liquid soap producer, Mrs. Medinat Abiodun, said a prospective soap maker can start the business with N50,000. “You can start in your house; you can do it in your kitchen pending when you will get a place. There is nothing as good as having a job to do, especially one that does not cost much to begin in terms of initial capital,” she said.

She continued: “I learnt the art of liquid soap making from a friend.

It took me less than two months.

Having understood the art of making a good liquid soap that can meet people’s needs and the requisite marketing skills, I decided to raise N30,000 to start my own job that will give me money almost every day. Today, I am doing very fine, and I am happy doing it. I’m making money to take care of myself and my children.

“I started my soap business about four years ago. After much hard work, we now sell in many of the markets in Lagos and Ogun States.

I made big mistakes along the way, especially at the beginning stages, which I have since overcome through dedication and prayers. One of the mistakes I made was to take advice from too many people.

“When you seek advice from too many people, before you know it, you lose focus. The best advice I can give for starting out is to slow down, do your research, and plan very well. When you have your focus, then you can start buying more supplies and ingredients.

“Some of the key qualities for a great entrepreneur are creativity, vision, confidence, can-do attitude, fearlessness, business savvies, and the ability to be a multi-tasker.”

Running a soap business is not for the faint of heart. You will need a fire in your belly, resistance to failure, undying enthusiasm for your products and business, and a driving passion. Again, you must be ready to dedicate most of your free

• Soap making in process.

In need of a job? Try soap making time to the business to get it off ground.

“A good rule of thumb in your initial months of operation is to buy only what you are going to use for one or few months. You must also note that if you are going to be wholesaling your soaps, that price will be half of your retail cost.

“Note that marketing and sales initiatives rank just as high as your soap making efforts. They work hand-in-hand. Successful marketing and sales results, allow you to make more soap for your custom-

ers,” she said.

Usage “It can be used as a souvenir at weddings and birthday parties.

You can drop it at supermarkets and grocery stores around you.

You can supply restaurants and eateries. You can also supply bars and cool joint owners. You can even supply guest houses and hotels around you,” Abiodun said.

“To boost your income, you can organise training workshops for people, who might be interested

in learning the skills,” she added.

Findings revealed that liquid soap is fast gaining grounds for laundry and dish washing. It has several advantages over soaps and detergents hence, its preference for laundry and dish washing.

The market This business is viable because many people now use liquid soap on a daily basis. Also, findings revealed that the market is not yet saturated and can never be saturated. This is because of the sim-

ple fact that people will never stop washing their dishes and doing their laundry. In other words, the demand for the liquid soap or any other type of washing detergent can only increase and never decrease because people must wash.

Challenges A beginner, who chooses to use a domestic location must be very vigilant and cautious, particularly where he keeps the chemicals as “most of them are corrosive.”

EMPOWERMENT CLINIC

Wriggling out of unemployment cobweb

I

READ in one of the national dailies last week that the latest report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on labour market indicates that the population of the economically-active or working-age people (people between 15 and 64 years) increased to 103.5 million in the second quarter (April to June) of 2015 from 102.8 million in the first quarter (January to March).

The NBS report also confirms that in the period under review, the labour force population (those within the working age willing, able and actively looking for jobs) increased to 74 million, up from 73.4 million in the first quarter of 2015, translating into an increase of 0.81per cent.

The implication of this analysis is that 574,498 economically-active people within 15 and 64 years joined the labour force in the second quarter of 2015.

Addition More emotionally disturbed is the fact that the NBS report shows that about 1,317,700 Nigerians lost their jobs within the period under review while the number of the under-employed people increased significantly with new

By Goke Ilesanmi

engagement of about 1,362,274 workers in this category of employment during the period.

In the same period, the number of the unemployed people in the labour force jumped to 6,063,500 from 5,533,600 recorded in first quarter of 2015, leading to a rise in the unemployment rate to 8.2 per cent, up from 7.5 per cent in the first quarter.

Matters arising The matters arising from this NBS report border on the multifaceted issues of those looking for jobs (fresh and old job-seekers); those who are under-employed and those who have lost their jobs. To tackle this triangular problem, we will discuss relevant employment solutions as a guide to the different categories of people identified in the report.

We will start with the category of (fresh) job-seekers, especially that for some weeks now, they have continued to bombard me with missiles of career inquiries.

The latest upsurge in the inquiries is natural given that there are many new entrants into the labour market as confirmed by the NBS report.

Creating the job for yourself As once said in this column, a job-seeker that gets the best job is not always the most qualified applicant but the most effective job-seeker. You need to have a masterpiece of curriculum vitae (CV), penetrate the “closed” segment of the saturated job market, write an assertive cover letter, have adequate interview preparation among others, if want to become an effective job-seeker.

Your curriculum vitae (CV) is a tool with the aim of winning an interview.

Indeed, it is an advertisement. A great CV does not just tell a prospective employer what you have done but presents you in the best light by convincing the prospective employer that you have what it takes to be successful in this new position or career. It is so eye-catching that a reader is tempted to pick it up and read it.

A good CV stimulates the prospective employer’s interest in meeting with you and learning more about you. It inspires the prospective employer to pick up the phone and ask you to come in for an interview! You can create a CV that makes you really stand out as a superior candidate for a job you

are seeking.

With a well-composed CV, you will be invited for an interview more often than many people that are more qualified than you are because the best-advertised product often gets higher sales than the best product.

Brilliant writing To write a CV that is effective, you need to learn the strategy of writing a powerful, but subtle advertising copy. Additionally, you must sell a product in which you have large personal investment, that is, yourself. It is due to the fact that many people do not think in the marketing way while composing a CV that makes them compose an ineffective one.

There are three types of CVs, and these are chronological, functional and combined chronological functional. The most effective one is the combined chronological functional CV that takes care of the combined deficiencies of chronological and functional CVs. We will continue with this discourse next week.

PS: For those making inquiries about our Public Speaking, Business Presentation and Professional Writing Skills programme, please visit

•GOKE ILESANMI

the website indicated on this page for details.

•GOKE ILESANMI, Managing Consultant/CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is an International Platinum Columnist, Professional Public Speaker/MC, Communication Specialist, Motivational Speaker and Career Management Coach.

He is also a Book Reviewer, Biographer and Editorial Consultant.

Tel: 08055068773; 08187499425 Email: gokeiles2010@gmail.com Website: www.gokeilesanmi.com

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

37

THE CEO The Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) has its job cut out for it. It is to make the seaports the hub for Africa.

To do this, it must ensure that goods are not diverted to neighbouring countries’ ports.

Can NSC succeed in this task? Yes, says its Executive Secretary, Mr. Hassan Bello, in this interview with Maritime Correspondent OLUWAKEMI DAUDA. NSC, he says, will end primitive cargo clearance procedure and stop capital flight.

‘We’ll save Nigeria $50b in capital flight’

W

HY was the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) appointed port economic regulator?

After the implementation of the Federal Government’s port reform, which led to the concession of terminals to private operators, the government noticed a disturbing vacuum in the maritime sector. The gap included absence of an economic regulator that will act as a referee in the industry. The government also noticed the inefficiency in the procedures and operations of agencies, service providers and users which were affecting and undermining Nigeria’s competitive advantage in international trade.

These were what prompted the agitation for the appointment of a commercial regulator to oversee the activities of stakeholders, including providers and receivers of shipping services. Freight forwarders had, on many occasions, gone on strike to protest against service providers increasing charges arbitrarily and the deplorable system. They had argued that it was so because there was no regulator to check the activities of terminal operators and shipping companies, most of which are sister companies of the terminal operators. It was based on this that stakeholders applauded the Federal Government when it named the Shippers’ Council the Economic Regulator.

What is your role as port economic regulator?

Our role is to consult, coordinate, moderate and harmonise the various processes and procedures with a view to achieving operational efficiency at our ports. Where there is unreasonable resistance, we shall not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions to ensure compliance. We shall remain open, independent, neutral and consultative; and all decisions will be based on the buy-in of stakeholders. We are also to assess options for competition; to decide on entry rules; to regulate. As a regulator, we are not lords, but coordinators. The ports will regulate itself with competition. It is important to ensure that quality service is affordable and in

• Bello

accordance with world standards. There should be a scientific way of setting up tariff and measuring quality of service. Specifically, our new role includes assessment of options for competition, deciding on entry rules, regulating pricing freedom and monitoring the outcomes through the competitiveness and efficiency in our ports based on a new port order and port community system we are introducing.

How do you intend to discharge your new functions?

That is why we are building capacity internally and restructuring NSC. For you to carry out your assignment and have effective structure, you must build capacity and that is what we are doing to be more educated, and more knowledgeable than the people we are regulating.

What was the situation at the ports before NSC became the economic regulator?

There were impunities and arbitrariness at the ports. People just woke up and increased their charges then. But now, you cannot do it. Many attempts have been made by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the shipping companies, terminal operators and others to increase their tariffs but they have not been able to do it because of our new role.

Although we are not against increase in tariffs but our position is that we must look at it vis-a-vis the service being rendered and what is obtainable in other climes. There are scientific ways of doing it and that is the process we must follow. The freight forwarding charges are with us and we are looking at it with the aim of seeking the best way to

implement it.

What other steps are you taking?

The NSC is looking for ways to improve the economy as far as port services are concerned. We are collaborating with the CBN, checking impunities, blocking revenue leakages and we are also blocking capital flight to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

We will save the economy about $50 billion. We have confirmed the real amount people are paying for freight from Tin-Can to Apapa ports. Whereas the amount is “X”, but people will say it is “Y”. People inflate it and look for foreign exchange. This is waste. It is capital flight. This is not helping our ports.

How do you think our ports can be restructured for greater business and efficiency?

We need to boost export. If we boost export, you will see that the cost of doing business in our ports will go down. When ships are coming to the country, they are laden, but unfortunately, they go back empty. We must also reduce the dwell time of cargo and ensure that it is less than what we have now. We also need to strengthen the cargo clearance procedure, which to say the least, is primitive presently. The clearance procedures in our ports must be technologically driven, such that an importer would not need to go to the port to clear his goods. We must develop a system where goods can be tracked from the port of origin to the time it arrives the importer’s door step. This is our focus. By the time we implement all that we are doing now, Nigerian ports will never be the same again.

What is the responsibility of NPA in that regard?

The NPA as the landlord has some certain responsibilities to perform so that the terminal operators and the shipping companies will not transfer it to the shippers. This include the provision of tug boats, pilot cutters, dredging of the channels and the berth.

NPA must provide common facilities leading to the terminals.

How has NPA fared in the process?

NPA, to be honest, has done well, and we are proud of the NPA. They have started implementing automation. We like their e-payment system. Before, it takes like four days before you can make payment. But now, it is done in a few minutes.

What about Customs?

We have to commend Customs for introducing the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR). This step has set the Nigerian ports on the path of better efficiency. But we need to do more.

In what areas do we need to do more?

The Federal Government needs to provide a conducive environment for the private sector to build new ports. These new ports to be built should be made to have capacity to accommodate larger ships than what the Apapa port can presently accommodate. This is because the bigger the ships, the better it is on the economy of scale. If we make our ports the center of activities, then we have arrived. But despite that, we need to be careful and that is why we have called on the •Continued on page 38

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

38

THE CEO

‘We’ll save Nigeria $50b in capital flight’ •Continued from page 37

operators of these ports to access the situation so that we don’t create another problem like the one we have in Apapa.

What is your take on effective regulation?

Effective regulation requires much more than just competent economic and financial analysis; it must also manage often complex interaction with the regulated firms, consumers, politicians, courts, the media, and a range of other interests. As a regulator, we need to be independent, transparent, legitimate and credible, bearing in mind that the transition to a competitive market is a major regulatory challenge. It is also necessary for us to ensure that the regulatory process is fair to all parties, by not taking arbitrary decision and by balancing the needs of stakeholders.

What do you intend to achieve with the new port order and port community system?

The objective behind the new port order is to reduce congestion at sea ports. We want a situation where over 70 per cent of in-coming cargoes are to be examined at off-dock terminals to end diversion of cargoes to ports of neighbouring countries. The planned new order will promote efficiency and reduce cargo dwell time and the ports’ cost of doing business. Under the port community system, ports business would become more attractive and boost our relationship with other agencies to generate more revenue for the Federal Government. The new port order is for service providers, users and all stakeholders in the maritime industry to enable them operate in line with global best practices and generate more revenue for the government. The order entails making the nation’s sea ports competitive, efficient and cost effective in delivery of services as well as making the ports user friendly.

It will also lead to improvement in marine and terminal handling services delivery that will lead to reduction in the turnaround time of vessel and reduced cost of vessel operations.

Based on the new port order, we are working with the CBN, Customs and other relevant stakeholders so that every payment made in the maritime domain is reflected on the platform. In doing this, we have designed a template and standard tariff system that will ensure 30 to 40 per cent reduction in cost to achieve harmony in tariff. This involves all service providers. The system harmonises every transaction in such a way that transfer of containers to off-dock terminal does not attract extra charge in terms of payment of royalty to the terminal operator. This new port order will eliminate all the wastages in the system so that the cost of doing business is reduced. Part of the arrangement is that the owner of the cargo should know when his cargo arrives to prepare him to make arrangements to clear his goods in good time. The new port order involves a situation where the cargo is scanned before it is stacked. As the ship is discharging, the cargo is also being scanned, and the image is used by the Nigeria Customs Service to commence clearing process in terms of segregating the cargo for whatever line of inspection, such as: green, yellow and red light, as the case may be.

What are the benefits of the port community system?

The port community system involves every player, what he does, timing of activity and cost of such activity. It is a command and control centre, which creates a nexus between all existing systems in the industry. It is a means of integration among all players to boost efficiency and transparency at ports.

The objective of the system is to establish a framework that will promote the competitiveness of the nation’s sea ports beyond its neighbouring ports of Cotonou, Ghana, Togo, Cameroun and other ports in the subregion. We are determined to enthrone an efficient port system that will facilitate trade, reduce the cost of doing business and lead to increased revenue generation for the government.

• Bello

‘We will save the Nigerian economy about $50 billion. We have confirmed the real amount people are paying for freight from Tin-Can to Apapa ports. Whereas the amount is ‘X’, but people will say it is ‘Y’. People inflate it and look for foreign exchange’ What was the reason for the port reform and concession?

Government’s reform agenda for the sector was targeted at improving; enhancing management capability of enterprises; creating a conducive institutional, legal and regulatory framework and developing private sector participation in financing, management and operations of port facilities.

Other related objectives of the reform are to increase the efficiency of port operations, decrease the costs of ports services to the users, decrease the costs to the government for the support of a viable port sector, boost economic activity and accelerate development, and make Nigeria the hub for international freight and trade in West Africa.

The ports concessioned to private terminal operators were to reduce cost. Cargo dwell time and the cost of doing business must come down for our ports to be competitive; it must be relative to operation and services that are being rendered by the terminal operators and the shipping companies. That is the mandate given to NSC as a port economic regulator and that is what we are trying to enthrone in our ports to boost the nation’s economy. Today, there are investments in our ports and things have improved since the concessioning.

How do you assess port concession?

We have had tremendous improvements in the port system, the indicators are there for everybody to see it, the turn-around time for ships has improved, we have more throughput and more tonnage. This means that Nigerian ports are efficient, and we are slowly gaining a competitive advantage. We

must not forget that we are competing with other ports, the more cargo throughput we get, the more advantageous it gets to our economy, revenue to the concessionaires themselves and everybody. We are putting things in place at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to ensure that the ports are competitive; our terminals must be competitive, and this means efficiency, cost reduction, less hassles, and friendly ports, so that they will be the preferred destination for shippers Almost nine years after port reforms, how far has it fared economically?

It has fared quite tremendously, and I think the port reform is not short of being revolutionary. We have had so much achievements in the way we do things during the public monopoly; things have changed drastically, and there are indicators to show that the terminal operators, the shipping companies and other privatised sector of the economy have really pushed the maritime industry forward towards positive gains.

The NPA has been able to supervise effectively as a landlord by providing common user facilities and even enhancing port operations through technology and automation and this is in the right direction. The Nigeria Custom Service is the leader in automation and technology, what is needed now is just a coordinator so that all these efforts could be harnessed towards the contribution of the maritime industry to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria.

This means economic realisation of transforming the gains as far as the economy is concerned; it means more revenue, more labour content and employment, provision

of modern infrastructure, especially transport structure. This is the next stage and that is why the Nigeria Shippers’ Council is placed to co-ordinate, supervise, moderate and superintend all the efforts so that we can harness all the positive changes to the national economy. The terminal operators have threatened that reverting to 2009 tariff is the same as reverting the salaries of workers back to what is obtainable back then.

What are you doing to reclaim over 300,000 metric tonnes of transit cargoes that were hitherto lost to ports of neighbouring countries?

The plans to reclaim lost transit cargoes have begun to yield result as some landlocked countries are ready to transit their imports through Nigerian ports. We have always emphasised the issue of competition and efficiency. So, transit cargoes are won and lost through efficiency of a port. Long before Nigerian ports were concessioned, they were really inefficient; leading to some landlocked countries that patronised our ports had to resort to neighbouring countries to transit their cargoes. Even though the movement of their cargoes through ports of neighbouring countries does not make sense to them in terms of proximity, cost and other economy of scale factors, it is preferable that they have their goods imported through Nigerian ports. About a year or so ago, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council led a trade delegation to Niger Republic together with terminal operators and some shipping companies where Nigerian ports were marketed. We were able to convince the Nigerian private sector that it makes more economic sense to import through the Nigerian ports.

What is your take on cargo dwell time?

We are concerned about the dwell time on cargo. We don’t want cargo to stay very long in the port. Port is not a place of storage. As soon as cargo comes in, it is cleared. We encourage terminal operators to take their cargo away from the port for examination.

We are happy we are getting cooperation from the Customs, the terminal operators and NPA. We commend NPA for introducing e-commerce, which means that payment which used to take five days is now done in minutes.

How can the Apapa traffic gridlock be tackled?

The solution to the issue as it is being canvassed is the multi-modal access to the port.

Presently, there is only one significant mode which is the road mode, but a port should be linked with railway or rail lines; it should be linked with inland waterways, and pipelines; but here we rely heavily on the road, if we had tracks running, we wouldn’t be having all these problems. I think the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority is conscious of this and they are making deliberate efforts to solve the problem. However, you have to appreciate that the ports in Apapa are really over-stretched and they are city ports struggling with other road users that is why the Federal Government is deliberately encouraging another public private partnership in Greenfield development of deep sea ports in many places like Lekki and also in Badagry. When these things are done, Shippers’ Council will ensure that the mistakes of Apapa would not be repeated, we must ensure that these ports are well linked through road, inland waterways, through rail lines and so on.

Importers and terminal operators are saying that cargo throughput has dropped; do you think the situation will improve?

Yes. Things will improve, more so, now that we have new government that is trying to put the country in the right direction in place. With policy of the new government to block avenues for revenue leakages, the economy will grow strongly. The drop in cargo throughput, I think these are part of the initial pangs of the foreign exchange fluctuations, and volatility in the oil market, but I believe these challenges will be overcome by the new government with all of us cooperating. Therefore, our concern now is for us to make our ports users friendly and have an export based economy whereby the ports will play a central role in the international trade.

What are those things you want to see at our ports?

We want to see a port that is friendly, a port that makes it easy to do business in Nigeria and make it competitive to other ports. We want to see a port where there is no human contact, we want to see a port, which is technology-inspired, we want to see automation, we want to see a port that is transparent, that is efficient, that is going to be the preferred destination for cargoes internationally

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

BUSINESS

MOTORING

•The Jaguar XE at the launch

In an unfamiliar terrain, Coscharis Motors unveiled the all new Jaguar XE in Lagos.

The launch was held at the Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos before a gathering of Information Technology (IT) experts.

TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO was there

Jaguar XE launched in strange environment

I

T is the first of a new generation of cars to be launched on Jaguar’s state-of-the-art-all new Aluminium Intensive Architecture; the lightweight aluminium construction that creates an incredibly strong body.

With so many firsts, the new Jaguar XE is the most advanced, efficient and refined sports saloon car that Jaguar has ever produced.The latest in an illustrious bloodline. Instantly recognisable as a Jaguar, it feels like a Jaguar, it drives like a Jaguar –XE is a Jaguar to its core.

The Jaguar XE is designed as an extraordinary everyday vehicle that combines the legendary Jaguar sporting character with systems that empower the driver and enhance the driving experience.

No wonder, Coscharis Motors decided to move away from the traditional way of unveiling new vehicles. This time, the auto giant showcased the all new Jaguar XE before a hi-tech audience including young people operating in the different fields of technology.

The launch took shine off the various events lined up for the two-day Tech+ 2015 event, which was sponsored by MTN Nigeria and Connect Marketing Services.

The avenue was an innovative technology conference and exhibition that featured live demonstrations of the latest digital products and services with hands-on practical workshops facilitated by renowned IT experts.

It was held at the iconic Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.

While it is quite unusual to launch a vehicle this way, Coscharis Motors President / Chief Executive Officer Dr Cosmas Maduka acknowledged that doing so was to showcase the edge Jaguar XE had over its competitors.

“We must remark that the Jaguar car we are launching today is also an unusual vehicle. A special pick out of the pack with the latest Jaguar innovation, technology, powertrain and design that cuts across gender,” he said.

The Jaguar XE is a compact ex-

•From left: General Manager, JLR Aftersales, Coscharis Motors, Praveen Kumar; Group General Manager, Aftersales and Parts, Coscharis Motors, Vincent Chiedu; Executive Director, Coscharis Motors, Jonathan Maduka and General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Services, Coscharis Motors, Mr. Abiona Babarinde at the launch

ecutive car manufactured by the British manufacturer Jaguar. The global launch of the 2015 model was in March 2014 at the Geneva Motor Show, and its production was said to have begun in April this year.

According to him, only a Jaguar promises a distinct combination of performance and seduction to give auto lovers a unique, utterly rewarding driving experience; advanced power-trains with roaring exhaust soundtrack; sublime agility and instinctive steering; with innovative technology and craftsmanship both exterior and interior wise.

“I must emphasise that you are not

just among the first to officially view the Jaguar XE in Africa but the very first in Nigeria. I am sure as soon as you see the Jaguar XE, you will want to hit the road,” he said.

The Jaguar XE is the first of a new generation of cars to be launched on Jaguar’s state-of-the-art, all new Aluminium Intensive Architecture; the lightweight aluminium construction creates an incredibly strong body.

Coscharis said it is positioning Jaguar XE as the leading and preferred premium compact sports saloon within the next two years.

Consequently, the focus is to project it as a fleet variant and retail

sales directed at hard working and ambitious young male and female executives and entrepreneurs in their late 20s and mid 40s.

“We have come to know that Jaguar customers are people who want to be different. The Jaguar XE amplifies this. It immediately catches the eye, standing out from the completion because of its upscale proportions, which makes it look crouching and ready to pounce on the road,” Maduka said.

The Jaguar XE comes in five models which include the XE R-Sport (2.0L), XE Supercharged (3.0L), XE Pure (2.0L), XE Prestige (2.0l) and XE Portfolio (2.0L).

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

40

MOTORING

Kia Motors assembly plant in good shape

T

HERE was a palpable air of excitement throughout the facility tour of the multi billion naira state-of-the-art assembly plant of Kia Motors Nigeria, in Lagos where over 20 journalists of leading media houses in the country visited the plant to see the equipment and the brand’s assembly process. There is no gainsaying the fact that, Kia has remained one of the major brands in the country with its year-on-year phenomenal rise that has galvanised the brand into a monumental feat in the Nigerian auto industry following the unveiling of the plant in the first quarter of the year.

Reinforcing the company’s unwavering commitment to the industrialisation of Nigerian economy and its great contributions to the success of the auto policy,the Chief Operation Officer,Gitesh Yagnik said Kia has invested heavily in the assembly plant. Its state-of-the-art technologies are arguably at par with any renowned plant. The plant now prides itself on the production of nine models and their respective trims in the country with over 2500 units rolled

Stories by Tajudeen Adebanjo

out since its launch in April, 2014.

The sprawling complex has been built to the high standard of Kia Motors Corporation. Culminating in several months of construction, installation of technologically advanced equipment and the training of its staff have snowballed into its first assembly lines that assembles Kia models, such as its best-selling Kia Rio, Cerato, Optima, Sportage and the all-new 2015 Kia Sorento recently unveiled globally amongst others are all products from the plant.

In tandem with all automobile assembling/manufacturing plants in new market practice globally, the plant kicked off with semi knocked down where painted and trimmed bodies are shipped from an established plant in one box, mechanicals in another, join the two, add some locally sourced transmission fluids, air conditioner gas and the host of others.

With no prejudice and utmost transparency to help in alleviating the rate of unemployment in the country, over 85 per cent of the employees are

•Auto correspondents checking one of the new cars at the Assembly plant

sourced locally from top Nigerian universities.

Speaking at the tour, the Chief Operation officer, Gitesh Yagnik pointed out that the plant house over 100 engineers drawn from Nigerian universities and had undergone a top notch intensive training program and capacity development before been employed into the plant.

“We now have 150 trained and qualified engineers that can be com-

Ranger Odyssey winner emerges tomorrow

T

WENTY contestants and a convoy of 17 Ford Rangers have completed an arduous 12-day 2 000km off-road expedition through the extremely remote and rugged Damaraland and Kaokoland regions of northern Namibia during Ranger Odyssey 2015 which ended in Windhoek last week.

There were many highlights during the trip, including travelling through Desolation Valley, the infamous Khuwarib, dust holes, Crowther 4x4 Trail and camping at the base of Brandberg – each just as spectacular as the last. The convoy also traversed many of Namibia’s main rivers including the Huab, Omaruru, Hoanib and Hoarisib River.

The route officially started at Spitzkoppe, and contestants travelled via Palmwag, Khuwarib and Desolation Valley to the final destination point at Brandberg campsite where the final two days were spent beneath the highest mountain in Namibia. The terrain varied dramatically during the course of the trip, from smooth dirty roads to soft river sand, suspensiontesting rough and rocky 4x4 trails through the mountains leading into barren planes that

stretch as far as the eye can see.

Each day the contestants were assessed and scored by the instructors, Ford representatives and media crew on a wide variety of aspects, including 4x4 driving, camp etiquette, communication and leadership skills, special tasks,as well as their overall demeanour throughout the trip.

The competition also featured two elimination phases. The two lowest scoring contestants were eliminated on July 27 and a further three departed on the 30th.

Contestants’ votes also counted for a portion of the scores in each round, plus were factored into the final results.

“The final 15 contestants have come through 12 challenging days in some of the most remote and unforgiving conditions of northern Namibia,” says Tracey Delate, General Marketing Manager, Ford Motor Company of Sub-Saharan Africa.

“Each one of the contestants has given it their all and we have been really impressed with the enthusiasm, energy and spirit that each person brought to Ranger Odyssey 2015.

“Ultimately there will be only one winner but everyone heads

home today as a winner in their own right, having experienced a true life-changing adventure through some of the best parts of Namibia,” Delate commented.

The Ford Ranger has been the real star of the show having conquered some of the most arduous and challenging conditions in Africa. The performance of the Ranger has been truly exceptional throughout, taming even some of the toughest obstacles.

Overall, the Ranger proved that it is indeed built for tough.

During the trip contestants proposed their own corporate social responsibility initiatives. The winner of the humanitarian project was Jacobus Muller, who won the contestants’ combined pot of “Ranger Odyssey Dollars” to get his proposal off the ground for a self-sustaining crèche powered and watered by a windmill system – after all, changing lives is what Ranger Odyssey is all about.

The winner of Ranger Odyssey 2015 will be revealed at a Ford event in Sandton tomorrow. The ultimate prize: an Odyssey Ranger for a year, plus the equivalent of R5 000 fuel per month.

pared to international standard and over 50 support staff running the operational and assembly process cycle of the plant”.

Yemisi Onanuga, the Supply Chain manager, who conducted the tour, gave a holistic and professional insight of the plant’s facility and assembling process.

Apparently, the plant is people-focused. “We believe our strength is in our employees rather than ma-

chines” the Chief Commercial Officer, Sandeep Malhotra, said.

He further alluded to the fact that the success of the plant is premised on Nigeria’s auto policy. According to him, for the industry to be revolutionised and contribute significantly to the country’s IGR, the government needs to stay true to the policy and clamp down on the unchecked influx of imported used cars, popularly known as “Tokunbo” vehicles.

Equipment firm appoints local distributor

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YB, the world largest suppliers of OE (Original Equipment) and Aftermarket Shock Absorbers and Struts has appointed APT (auto parts technology) as official distributors in Nigeria.

KYB is introducing OE to Nigeria’s evolving market to help restore confidence in the aftermarket segment of the country’s automobile market and essentially, reinstate vehicles’ original handling and control.

A part of KUNECH Group, owners of AutoNation Africa, a leading automotive service company, APT seeks to synergies with Tokyo-Japan based KYB to restructure Nigeria’s aftermarket with OE supplies and increase vehicle and plant performance beyond original handling and control.

KYB is a $4.2 billion worth global manufacturers of a variety of world class ride control products used as original equipment and replacement parts in automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, specialty vehicles, buses, aircraft, railroad cars and agricultural applications.

The varied uses and application of KYB products and equipment demonstrate her commitment to helping create a safer, more efficient and more comfortable society APT National Parts Manager Tushar Gomase said

Addressing parts marketers at the inauguration of APT headquarters in ASPAMDA Plaza, Trade Fair Complex Lagos, Tushar urged them to do away with old habits and embrace world class standard, adding that: “We are proud to be associated with KYB and together we will transform Nigeria parts’ market and restore confidence of plant and vehicle owners as well as independent garages in parts sourced locally.”

APT already has a large stock of OE including batteries, filters, cooling systems, brake pads with linings; suspensions, engine parts, belts, lubricants and tyres sourced from KYB and other well-known manufacturers based in Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.

The company similarly has several accredited parts’ dealers at the popular Ladipo, Idumota and Obalende markets in Lagos and Ibadan, Oyo State with plans to appoint dealers in Kano, Abuja, Benin City, Onitsha and Port Hartcourt by September.

Tusshar said: “The Safety of Nigerians is the company’s top priority and we are committed to supplying standardised OE parts to traders in these markets and consistently invent proactive communication strategies to discourage stocks of substandard and fake parts.”

Why FRSC and road safety are failing in Nigeria

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ONSIDERING the fact that Nigeria is among the 10 countries with the highest rate of road accidents and fatalities in the world (number two among 193 countries) coupled with the rate at which lives and properties are wasting away on Nigerian roads, there is a need to urgently examine where we got it wrong and take proactive steps to get it right and place Nigeria as one of the 10 Countries with the safest roads worldwide.

Before listing my 23 workable recommendations, I want to summarise the background information and problem analysis as guides to the suggested antidotes.

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) was established in 1988 (27 years ago) as the lead Agency for Road Safety in Nigeria

by Decree No 45.

FRSC later subjected the Decree to amendments (1992,2004,2007 and 2012) thereby accumulating many more functions, a case which I usually refer to as overloading of functions (biting more than it can chew or swallow) thereby breeding inefficiency and ineffectiveness in many ramifications to the extent that several misleading errors and costly omissions were passed and published in the current Nigerian Highway Code without being noticed nor promptly corrected by the Corps. Three years after sending a letter to FRSC authorities, pointing out the obvious errors and omissions, more copies are still being produced without effecting the correction of the embarrassing portions which they promised to correct in their responses to my letters. Several of the FRSC’s statutory functions have

either been left undone or inadequately done thereby keeping the rate of road accidents and fatalities high in Nigeria as at today.

FRSC also published codes for verifying genuine Driver licence but have turned to money swallowers.

If you input the code to know if the licence you are holding is genuine, the Network provider will deduct N50 from your account but no result will follow and the money will not be refunded. Another fraud or prank on innocent citizens? I have tested it and FRSC has not made any public pronouncement to stop people from using the non-functional code.

The errors in the offences and penalties sheet of FRSC also give room to fraud, bribery and corruption on the part of FRSC officers and motorists, yet the loopholes have not yet been removed from the sheet three years after the FRSC

Authorities assured me that they will effect the corrections in response to my letter to the immediate past Corps Marshal (Mr Osita Chidoka).

Within a span of six years, I have written over 15 letters to the authorities of FRSC and also had over 10 personal discussions with different cadres of officers of the Corps, offering various observations and advice but over the years, I have discovered that FRSCAuthorities detests consultations and resists advice thereby exhibiting the know-it-all attitude, The non-reception to external ideas and comments is part of the contributing factors to the Corps’ performance and the persistently high rate of road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria, The N1.5billion (one billion, five hundred million naira) grant given

Jide Owatunmise Registrar /Chief Executive, Professional Driving and Safety Academy

to FRSC by the World Bank about two years ago was sufficient to make a significant impact in the reduction of road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria.

•To be continued

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NEWS SERAP urges Buhari to stop eviction of IDPs in Abuja

By Adebisi Onanuga

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RIGHTS group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to stop forced eviction of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in WASU IDP camp in Apo District of Abuja or any other camps across the country.

The group in a statement by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, expressed concern that several IDPs in WASU IDP camp in Apo District of Abuja face forced eviction, following an eviction notice by the owner of the estate where they had taken refuge.

“We are concerned that unless you urgently intervene, the IDPs involved may be rendered homeless, become destitute and left without water, food or other critical assistance,” it said.

SERAP argued that any permanent or temporary removal of individuals, families, or communities against their will from the homes or land they occupy without providing access to appropriate legal or other protection is forced eviction and therefore unlawful including under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.

It urged Buhari to urgently intervene in the matter to ensure that the threat of forced eviction of the IDPs is not carried out by the landlord.

“In addition, we urge the President to address as a matter of priority the miserable and unsafe living conditions for Nigeria’s thousands of IDPs across the country and to ensure that all IDPs are provided much-needed water and sanitation and allowed to leave in dignity without continuing threat of them being rendered homeless and destitute.”

Port Harcourt Refinery: Fuel importation to crash, says Chrome Oil Chairman

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XECUTIVE Chairman, Chrome Oil Services Emeka Offor has said importation of petrol will drop by about 40 per cent when critical unit of the PortHarcourt refinery begins operation.

Offor spoke with energy correspondents yesterday in Lagos.

He said the critical constituent of the refinery, known as the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU), would become functional next week.

Offor added that the restoration work at the FCC had reached 98 per cent conclusion and would come on stream before end of the week.

He said: “Hope of petroleum products supply stability is about to be accom-

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

plished as we at Chrome Oil Services company, the major contractors handling key rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery will complete work on the FCCU. “The FCCU is about 98 per cent completed and we are hopeful that by next week it will be completed, and it will reduce 40 per cent on Federal Government importation of refined products.

“The company is among other contractors carrying out overhaul of the facility as government takes giant steps to revamp the country’s four refineries in a bid to address the lingering fuel scarcity.”

Offor said the unit would concentrate on the production of petrol, which would also go a long way to reduce impor-

tation.

He added that it would then resolve the lengthened petrol scarcity.

Offor said that lack of TurnAround Maintenance (TAM) of the existing refineries in the country had contributed to the perennial fuel scarcity.

“Over time, the refineries are working but below installed capacity, the last TAM was done in 2000 and this is an exercise that should be carried out every two years.

“The inability of the refineries to refine at full capacity further complicated the fuel supply situation across major cities in the country,’’ he said.

Offor attributed the problem to pipeline vandalism, an infrastructure which transports crude oil to the refineries and lack of TAM to sus-

tain product refining.

“We have outstandingly provided urgent situation repair work at both Kaduna and Port-Harcourt refineries.

“The vital technical and engineering services we have turned to have guaranteed the continuous running of those refineries to make sure they are not totally grounded,’’ he said.

He said over the years there had been tremendous inroads into the oil and gas industry through servicing of refineries, petrochemical plants and rehabilitation of jetties, tanks and installation of oil and gas facilities.

“All these culminated in the award of the TAM contract of both the old and the new PortHarcourt Refineries in Nigeria to Chrome Consortium.

Lawyers, others to resolve dispute over Oyo chief’s estate

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HE irregularities over the estate of the late Maye of Oyo Kingdom, Chief E. O. Ashamu, are to be resolved by a committee made up of lawyers, forensic experts, land managers and estate surveyors.

A statement by the firm in charge of the estate, Tassan & Bullman Investment Limited, said its workers would work with the committee to ensure sanity.

The statement reads: “A committee to investigate, report and correct all the irregularities perpetrated over the years by different bodies who have either forcibly or cunninglly been dealing on behalf of the estate in the company has been set up by the Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Ashamu.

“The committee members include lawyers, forensic experts, land managers, estate surveryors and other workers of Tassan & Bullman Investment Limited, with support from the Police, Oodua Peoples’s Congress (OPC), and other relevant security agencies.

“The committee is to check tax records of tenants and receipts of payment to date, give the biography of the land they occupy, sign the proper agreement, provide biometrics of the tenents for proper DNA records.Tenants are to compy with rules and regulations guiding the tenancy/occupier agreement.”

Ashamu urged all tenants/ occupiers to cooperate with the committee to achieve a good result.

•From left: Bursar, Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure, Mr. Emmanuel Oresegun, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic , Prof.

Olatunde Arayela , Vice Chancellor , Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, Oba Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo , Registrar , Dr Modupe Ajayi , Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development, Prof. Tolulope Akinbogun, Librarian, Dr Femi Oguntuase, Chairman, Committee of Deans, Prof. Michael Alatise, and Principal Assistant Registrar , Public Relations, Mr. Adegbenro Adebanjo shortly after the courtesy visit of the Principal Officers of the FUTA to the New Deji of Akure in his palace... at the weekend.

Group to Ajomobi, Alaafin, others: instal Oba-elect for Oyo community

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GROUP, the OkeOgun Professional, has called for the immediate coronation of the Oba-elect of Ago Are, Prince Kofoworola Abodunrin Oyetunji.

In a statement by the Secretary-General of the body, Chief Tiamiyu Adebayo, it praised the

ruling house and the king makers for observing due process in the exercise leading to the emergence of the Oba-elect.

It urged other candidates to join hands with the Oba-elect to ensure a smooth transition and avoid unnecessary bickering or litigation.

The group said it was aware that the Edu ruling house met about five times in the house of the family head, Alhaji Lawani Oyebisi, to enable it accommodate all interests, resulting in not less than 15 princes showing their intention. Their names were trans-

mitted to the king makers as stipulated by the extant Chieftaincy Laws of Oyo state.

The king makers, said the group, in the presence of appropriate officials of the Atisbo Local Government, the Police, Secretary of Atisbo Local Government Traditional Council

voted to elect Prince Oyetunji as the next Oba of Ago Are. It said: “With this substantial compliance with the laid down procedure and rules therefore, we are appealing to the consenting authority- His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo and the final approv-

ing authority; His Excellency, the Governor of Oyo State to graciously expedite action, so that pockets of discontent, which, of course, cannot be ruled out in most human contests, may not snowball into acts capable of contaminating the peace of the community.”

How corruption, leadership hamper NDLEA’s drug war (3) •Continued from page 3 ing about the agency. How can you be paying two political appointees in one agency? It is wrong? The law was badly drafted to squander public resources, which currently realities can hardly accommodate. Scrap either the office of DG or Chief executive and stick with one as it is done in all other paramilitary organisations in the country. The head of the place is supposed to be a DG or Narcotics General of NDLEA, being an enforcement agency. If you appoint from within, the person will certainly be desirous of leaving a legacy, unlike outsiders who just come in after retiring from their original callings,” one senior officer said.

Is NDLEA jinxed with leadership?

On July 16, when it was announced that all the boards of federal parastatals and agencies had been dissolved, some top NDLEA officers told The Nation that they were instantly locked in an upbeat mood. In their estimation, the dissolution directive would sweep Giade, who they see as

the biggest problem from the seat he has occupied since November 2005.

Since the retired deputy commissioner of police is both the Chief Executive of NDLEA and board Chairman, the disbanding of the board would terminate his 10-year reign, they reasoned. They were dead wrong, as these aggrieved officers were shocked to their marrow when Giade resumed his seat the following day, having been advised that he was not affected by the presidential directive, being the Chief Executive of the agency.

Although Giade’s seat is spared by the recent presidential order, his adversaries believe that he may not be lucky to wriggle out of an ongoing suit seeking to sack him from the plum job. At the moment, Giade is embroiled in a legal tussle at the National Industrial Court in Abuja over an alleged “tenure fraud.” In a suit filed by Emmanuel Maji, a lawyer in Festus Keyamo Chambers, Giade, who has had four Directors-General of the Agency - Dave Ashang, Lanre Ipinmisho, Femi Ajayi and Roli Bode George - serve out their tenure under him, is accused of remaining in office even though his tenure had ex-

pired on November 24, 2009. In an affidavit sworn to support the originating summons, Maji avowed that the NDLEA’s boss continued stay in office without any evidence of renewal of tenure is only a “local and unlawful arrangement” between him and the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke. The plaintiff wanted the court to among others, direct that Giade be replaced by appointing a new person, while also praying for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the NDLEA boss from “further parading and conducting himself as NDLEA Chairman forthwith; an order compelling him to vacate office having exhausted his tenure, and an order compelling him to refund all his earnings since November 24, 2013 when attained eight years in office.” He equally wanted the court to declare unlawful all duties or acts he has performed after November 24, 2013 when his tenure (if he was reappointed) ought to lapse. The case is yet to be decided.

Whichever way the pendulum swings, it is obvious the agency is in dire need of a total reorganisation as

well as new direction. And whenever that is going to happen, some senior NDLEA officers insist that it will do the agency a lot of good if the person is recruited from within. This, they added, will help correct an anomaly of “trial and error’ that is often the case in the first one year or more anytime an outsider is foisted on the agency.

“When outsiders come and fail, the public usually heaps the blame on the agency and we the officers,” lamented one officer.

But he may not be far from the truth.

A survey of the history of NDLEA leadership in the last twenty-five years shows that only the late Musa Bamaiyi (1994-1998) was chosen from the army, while Bello Lafiaji (2000-2005) was tipped to head the agency based on his background in the state security service. All other past chairmen of the agency - Fidelis Oyakhilome (19901991), Fulani Kwajafa (1991-1993), Bappah Jama’re (1993-1994), Ogbonnaya Onovo (1998-2000), Illya Lokadang (2000) - emerged from the police, including the incumbent Giade (since 2005), who was picked from retirement after serving the police for 37 years. Citing the example of the Nige-

rian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which was a ragtag group of volunteers until 2003, top NDLEA operatives said NSCDC has left NDLEA behind because the paramilitary force started on a good note by recruiting its first Commandant General from within. After twenty-five years, not a few believe that NDLEA is ripe for leadership under a career officer with evidence of sound experience in drug control and integrity track record that is backed with capacity and depth of knowledge.

But for NDLEA spokesperson Mitchell Ofoyeju, Giade is the best thing that has ever happened to the agency. He dismissed all the allegations against him, adding that the chairman had done all possible to deal with corruption.

As shown clearly in his interview published in the first two parts of the series, Ofoyeju believes that “if you conduct an opinion poll among officers, you will appreciate the fact that those writing (petitions) are either nonexistent or at best insignificant. Let me say this, nobody that loves the country will write against this leadership.”

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SHOWBIZ

Group honours K1 in Georgia • Tamara

Tamara Eteimo premieres Unblissful

By Jane Kolade

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OLLYWOOD actress and producer, Tamara Eteimo premiered her third movie, Unblissful on Friday at the Silverbird Cinemas, Ikeja City Mall.

Unblissful tackles the issue of contract marriage, a concept foreign to the Nigerian psyche, with the sub-theme of finding love in the strangest places.

Present at the premiere was Seun Akindele who plays Raymond Abasi, the male lead in the movie. He is a frustrated artiste who picks up paid employment as an Insurance Salesman in order to please his family, going into a contract marriage with Tamara (Jeffa Adolor), an aspiring journalist who goes into the marriage to find information for a feature article she is working on.

Responding to questions on her transition from being a Next Movie Star winner to a working actress, Tamara said: “It was more like a dream come true. It is something I have always wanted to do. Acting has always been a passion, passion helped me, and I didn’t relent.”

Also known by her stage name Tamara Jones, the Next Movie Star 2011 winner is also a singer and songwriter with two singles to her credit; Vibrate, and Na only you from her 2010 debut studio album.

The strictly-by-invitation event had in attendance Nollywood representatives like Kunle Afolayan, Kalu Ikeagwu, and Doris Simeon, amongst others.

The sultry actress, since winning the Next Movie Star show four years ago, has produced three movies, and was nominated for best supporting actress in a drama at the 2014 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards.

Her penultimate movie was Somewhere down the line produced in 2014.

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UJI musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, aka K1 who is presently in Minnesota, Georgia with his band, is having a double celebration, having been honoured with the Chieftaincy title of Mayegun of Georgia.

The visit to Georgia is part of his music tour of the United States.

Reports say the Fuji maestro was installed as ‘Mayegun of Georgia’ by Ori Ade of Riverdale, HRM Oba Shola Akinrimisi, the Oba of Riverdale, Georgia and the entire Yoruba community in the

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

State of Georgia & the City of Riverdale.

Recall that the musician in August 2009 was also named the first ‘Mayegun of Yoruba Land’ by the highly revered monarch, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Alaafin of Oyo. The announcement according to information was made the same year, when the popular musician visited the monarch with friends, family and fans during the Iweri (traditional rite for would-be chiefs).

Dance With Peter reunites Okoye family

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VIDENCE of normalcy in the purported troubled relationship among siblings of the Okoyes, family of popular twin singers, PSquare, emerged Saturday during the launch of Dance with Peter.

The show, which is another entertainment offering by Globacom, and anchored by Peter, one-half of PSquare, had friends and the Okoyes at the event, which held at Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos.

An elated Peter shared the good news on the social media, saying “And it was a great unveiling of DANCE WITH PETER with family.

It’s fresh and new.”

Fans have been posting comments, commending the family for coming together to show their support.

Interestingly, one person that seems to have everyone’s attention at the event was Lola OmotayoOkoye, who has been commended for her simplicity and humility.

Jramzeei said: “@lolaomotayo, I must say she’s humble, simple and gentle. She didn’t crave for the limelight; she just stood with the crowd downstairs. I admire that. But I didn’t see @rudeboypsquare yester-

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

day, he didn’t come on stage.”

Tiwacutie said: “@jramzeei so true they even asked her to come forward but she said she was okay very humble.”

Organisers say Dance with Peter is a Reality TV dance show that aims to change the generally perspective

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of dance.

The vision, conceived out of the need to redefine dance and its competitiveness, brings on board Peter Okoye, an experienced dancer who is a role model to many youths.

The show will have Peter making his debut as a judge/mentor in a Reality TV series. Dance Queen, Kaffy, Flex and an international

superstar guest are expected to compliment him.

According to the organizers, the show is open to solos, duets and groups of four from different dance backgrounds.

However, contestants will be selected as individual performers, and will be mentored in the house as such.

• The Okoyes

Top Chefz drops singles

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• Top Chefz

HEAD of the release of his EP, budding Nigerian singer, Oseghale Bernard Ohiku who goes by the stage name Top Chefz, has dropped three singles. The artiste who says that he is not limited to a particular genre is also a music producer who has done beats for some of U.K’s top rated artistes.

An Audio Engineering student, Top Chefz who says he wrote and co-produced his first song at the age of nine, admits that his lyrics are inspired by “life, its struggles, how I feel after I make a mad beat. I am inspired by my surroundings, people around me, situations that occur. Sometimes a joke I hear on TV.”

Fans laud Sean Tizzle over new song OLLOWING his latest single, Abiamo, a song which eulogises mothers, rave-of-the-moment singer, Morihanfen Oluwaseun Oluwabamidele, aka Sean Tizzle, has been receiving commendations from fans for what they describe as thoughtful and rare song among Hip-hop artistes.

The single is reportedly dedicated to his mother and all the beautiful, hardworking and caring mothers all over the world.

• K1 recieving his title from Oba Akinrimisi

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

According to Reekado, it is a song for mothers who have played their roles well in the upbringing of their children: “For every mother playing their roles well, this is for you. #abiamo by Sean Diba is out, kindly check it out.”

Cross-over actress, Funke Akindele too joined others in praising the song. “I love this song! @iamseantizzle #ilovemymum. She is a good

mother, so true and wonderful. #Godblessourmothers.”

Sean Tizzle, a Nigerian singer and songwriter, was formally signed to Sound Sultan’s record label, Naija Ninjas, but is currently enjoying a deal with Difference Entertainment.

The singer started off with D’Tunes, a record producer who holds the credit for Iyanya’s critically acclaimed song, Kukere.

He had his breakthrough with the debut single Sho Lee which was released in 2013.

By Ovwe Medeme

So far, he has released three singles, namely Get Down On It, Mazi Weekend and The Truth. ”Mazi Weekend and The Truth were released off my Maximum Chilling EP. Maximum Chilling is still a work in progress. It’s almost done. It’s packed hot from dance tracks to feel good tracks to rap. It will be out September, 2015. Maximum Chilling is like my gift to my fans. When someone gets you a gift you don’t know what to expect, until you open it you’ll know what the

present is. This album is my gift to music lovers,” he said.

Like other Nigerian artistes in the Diaspora, Top Chefz says he plans to move back to the country soon. “I have plans of starting something great in Nigeria.

I plan on putting my hands in various things; shows, festivals, cartoons and other types of animations. I also love cooking a lot. I probably cook as much as I produce tracks. So I would also love to invest my time in that field as well. You know good food deserves good music,” he said.

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NEWS NBC boss hails Enugu, Ebonyi states

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IRECTOR General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC) Dr. Mohammed B. Ahmad has enjoined officials of Enugu and Ebonyi States to maintain their existing tempo of commitment to ensure that their boundary dispute is resolved completely.

Ahead of the commission’s meeting with both states, Ahmad, who led a delegation to visit Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the weekend, hailed both sides for resolving the crisis.

He noted that the dispute resolution and boundary definition process had attained an appreciable level.

“There is no doubt that if the current tempo of commitment is maintained, the boundary will be defined and demarcated in no distant future.”

The director-general appealed to the governor to support the commission to ensure that interstate boundaries are defined and demarcated as quickly as possible, noting that the commission’s scheduled programmes of field ex-

From Chris Oji, Enugu

ercises are often not implemented as planned because some state boundary committees lack logistic support.

Ugwuanyi assured him that the dispute would be resolved.

At the enlarged meeting between the two states, Enugu State Deputy Governor Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo emphasised the need for field tracing and provisional demarcation of the boundary.

She suggested that steps be taken to install boundary pillars in the agreed areas, which she observed exceeded both the disagreed and skipped areas Ezeilo enjoined the NBC and stakeholders to ensure that all boundary supporting documents and delimitation instruments are submitted and verified.

Ebonyi State Deputy Governor Eric Kelechi Igwe noted that the states had co-existed peacefully before now.

He appealed to the people to restrain from laying claims to the areas in dispute until the final demarcation is done.

N30b loan: Abia govt means well, says ex-commissioner

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ORMER commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in Abia State Ekele Nwaohanmuo has said the N30 billion loan request by the Abia State government would be in the interest of all Abians.

Nwaohanmuo, a former deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, said he was convinced that the loan would make life better for the people. He chided critics, describing them as playing politics with the wellbeing of the state.

His words: “Where do they want the governor to get funds to finance the projects he has initiated? It has become necessary for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to raise funds to finance projects.

“From available records, it is clear that Abia is one of the least indebted states. I believe that this factor convinced the House to approve the loan.

“Majority of residents and companies don’t pay salaries.

How many landlords pay tax?

Criticisms have started flying left right and centre, what do they expect the governor to do?

“We need good roads, hospitals, schools yet we find it dif-

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From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

ficult to pay tax. People have called for change and the governor has kept to his campaign promise and he should be supported. Borrowing to finance a project is not an offence as far as it passes through the requisite processes.

“There should be no fear because the state has the capacity to repay. Why would any sane person oppose the loan if not for partisan interest? Such people should only be concerned with if the money would be used judiciously.

“Abian should stop listening to propaganda and support Ikpeazu’s efforts to rebuild the state.

“Only constructive criticism would help the state, all these pull him down can’t take Abia anywhere. I have been a commissioner and a deputy chairman of the party; I am up to date with what is happening.

“No governor in the class of Dr. Ikpeazu can approach any bank to collect loan to defray a debt. These issues are too elementary, every transaction you make now is open; anybody can get information about the financial position of a state”.

Mass defection to hit Abia PDP M ASS defection seems to be looming at the Abia State Peoples Democratic Party.

It was learnt that its pioneer Chairman, Chief Tony Ukasanya, may have decided to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) with his supporters.

Ukasanya told an APC delegation, led by its National Auditor, Chief George Moghalu, who represented the National Chairman, Chief John

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

Odigie-Oyegun, that their decision to leave PDP was because the party lacked internal democracy.

Speaking in Umuahia at the weekend, Ukasanya said the party, since inception, had been hijacked by its supposed leaders.

His words: “The purpose of forming the ‘Concerned Abians for Good Governance’ is to ensure that what

happened in the past does not repeat itself; a situation where people kept quiet while whoever became the governor ran the state anyhow.

“Our members are willing and arrangements are on to make the change at the appropriate time. Our members increase daily and as I speak, we have over 40,000 members and by our plans, this number will move into APC as many of us are done with PDP.

“Most changed their mind when a family hijacked the party and turned it into their personal estate. We rose to say no and we will not allow them. We worked during the election to deliver an APGA candidate, whose mandate was stolen”.

Chairman of APC Donatus Nwankpa assured the people of a level-playing field. “We will work with you; we will collaborate with you towards ensuring that APC takes over the state,” he said.

14 die in Abakaliki road accident

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OURTEEN persons died at the weekend in an accident at Amasiri Secondary School junction, on the Afikpo-Okigwe road in Abakaliki.

The accident involved a truck and a 14-seater bus conveying members of the Assemblies of God Church, Isu, Ohaoazara Local Government Area, from a funeral at Arochukwu.

Fourteen occupants of the bus died instantly. Six others were injured. Ten of the dead were women.

The conductor of the truck, who gave his name simply as Ekenechukwu, said his master complained of weakness and drowsiness. He told him

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakliki

to park.

“My oga complained of tiredness and I told him to stop and rest but he did not agree. He said we should keep moving as it was too late to stop on the road. At a time, he said we should drive to a residential area.

“The way he drove showed he was tired. The other bus cleared for us when we hit it,” he said.

Corroborating Ekenechukwu, a resident, Amadi Kingsley, said the bus cleared on sensing danger.

“I think the truck driver was reckless because the bus driver cleared for him but as

you can see, he still hit the bus and look at the result; innocent people have just died”.

Another resident, Mrs Regina Ukpa, said: “I call on relevant authorities to expedite action on reconstruction works to save innocent lives,” she said.

Afikpo Unit commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) Mr Roland Ogbuke, confirming the incident, said: “We received a distress call early morning of the accident and I mobilised rescue officers to the scene.

“Sources informed us that the driver of the truck tried to dodge a heap of sand but hit the oncoming bus, which was in a convoy.

“It crushed the bus to a tree,

some metres away from the road, decapitating the bus and mangling the passengers’ bodies.

“We had to mobilise a nearby quarry company to use its heavy duty machine to cut the tree and parts of the bus to evacuate the mangled bodies.

“The police assisted us in evacuating the bodies to the Mater Misericordae Hospital, Afikpo, because our vehicle developed a fault on the way.

“We urge citizens, whose relatives did not return from a journey on Saturday, to visit the hospital to identify the bodies of their relations,” he said.

Police spokesman Chris Anyanwu said investigation into the incident had begun.

•The auxiliary bishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, Most Rev. Dr. Dennis Isizor (middle), former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi (right) and SuperiorGeneral of the congregation of Immaculate Heart of Mary’s Sisters, Mother Mary Claude Oguh (left) during the blessing and dedication of the congregation’s Mater Christus Old people’s home at Nkpor

OPC to ‘factional leader’: stop parading yourself

HE Oyo State Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Chief Adeagbo Adeola, has said the statement credited to a factional leader of the group, Razak Balogun is the ranting of a man without focus. He warned him to stop parading himself as a member of the group.

Adeola urged the Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the public to disregard this group and its alleged plan to cause dissatisfaction within the rank of the OPC. In a statement, Adeola said: “My attention has been drawn to a report calling on the National Co-ordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, to step down from his position.

“The call was credited to

By Precious Igbonwelundu

Razak Balogun, who was said to have made the call during a visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“Ordinarily, I would have disregarded the story as another ranting of a drowning man, but I have decided to react to it for the sake of clarification. “ Razak Balogun, who described himself as an acting President of the group, was indeed dismissed from the organisation about five months ago for anti-congress activities by the Lagos State Coordinator of OPC, Alhaji Mutair Adeshina this was widely published.

“Razak Balogun was the Acting coordinator of the organisation in Shomolu. He has proven to be a man without

focus.

“However, one thing must be made known by all goodintentioned members of the public.

“The activities of these men have not come to me as a surprise. Among every 12 disciples, there is always a Judas. ‘’These groups of people have proved to be the Judas within the ranks of the OPC...

We are waiting to see how things turn out for them.

“For the benefit of the public, who are being fed with wrong information, I would love to say that the leadership of the OPC is not something that can be discussed by a few disgruntled people just because they have failed to realise their ambition of enriching themselves.

“In 1999, when Otunba Gani Adams emerged as the leader

of the organisation, Ifa oracle was consulted and the entire members of the National Executive Council met to deliberate on the advice of Ifa. ‘’And like true sons and daughters of Oodua, it was unanimously agreed that we should abide by what Ifa had said and based on his antecedents as a good resourceful manager since the inception of the group in 1994.

“Traditionally in Yorubaland, you don’t remove a king until his death, except, of course, if the king commits an unpardonable sin. ‘’It is the same vain with the leadership of Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, some stable and consistent self-determination groups in Yoruba land.

“Even at that, I think Otunba Adams deserves the respect

of all for his efforts to make the organisation grow. It is to his credit that the OPC, as it is known today, has grown from a mere organisation that is usually attached with miscreants to an organisation in the forefront of cultural revival in Nigeria.

“It is to his credit that the OPC has acquired several acres of land in five states across Yoruba land in preparation towards building befitting hotels in each of these states.

Today, among our members are lawyers, bankers and several highly-respected professionals.

“Today, we have a new organisation, the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU), an organisation set up to bring together every Yoruba sons and daughters in the Diaspora.

As I speak, the OPU has been launched in more than 58 countries of the world, with more than 10 in Africa and Europe slated for launching very soon.

“I will, however, wish to advise members of the public most especially respected Nigeria Union of Journalists and its Oyo State Chapter to henceforth disregard this group of people and their evil plan to cause disaffection within the ranks of the OPC because most of the journalists in Lagos are well informed about their nefarious and diabolic acts and penchants for peddling falsehood. ‘’They are all bunch of disgruntled people seeking for new ways to redeem themselves from their self-inflicted destruction’’.

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NEWS NMA plans free health care in Kwara

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HE Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) plans to carry out free health care services for about 2,500 people in Kwara State, as part of activities for its forthcoming National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

The services to be rendered include surgeries, dental and eye operations, consultations, distribution of drugs and glasses.

The Kwara State Chairman of the NMA, Dr. Abubakar Ayinla, who spoke at the weekend in Ilorin when the exco members visited the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad, said NMA would also carryout health talks on how to stay healthy and prevent diseases.

The NMA chairman and other NMA executives said they were at the House of Assembly to solicit the support of the lawmakers towards the

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

success of the NMA’s NEC meeting holding in Ilorin later in the month.

He said the NEC meeting with the theme: “National health agenda purpose, means and target”, would examine some of the challenges confronting the health sector.

Ahmad urged NMA and other health professionals to collaborate with the government to alleviate the sufferings of internally- displaced persons (IDP) caused by insurgency in the Northeast.

He said he was happy that the state had become a reference point in the community health insurance scheme and solicited support for the NMA to ensure the passage of enduring and acceptable laws that would guarantee quality and affordable healthcare delivery system.

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Four killed in Makurdi cult clash

OUR persons were allegedly killed at the weekend and many injured, following a cult clash in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

A source said on Saturday, about 9pm, there were shootings at the Welfare Quarters and near Abu King Shuluwa Junction on the Makurdi-

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

Otukpo Road.

The source said three people were killed at the Welfare Quarters and another near Abu King Shuluwa Junction.

An eyewitness, Peter

Alom, told The Nation that the residents of Abu King Shuluwa Junction confronted the suspected cult members because of the havoc they caused.

An Indian and one other person shot and injured are being treated at an undisclosed hospital in Makurdi.

The Welfare Quarters, lo-

cated near Apir Mechanic Village, Makurdi is notorious for cult activities.

Youths yesterday set ablaze homes of suspected cult members at Welfare Quarters.

Police spokesman Austine Ezeani could not be reached for confirmation.

‘APC gave Ortom waiver to contest poll’ From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

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HE Benue State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi has heard that the National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Executive Council (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) approved a waiver that qualified Governor Samuel Ortom to contest its primaries last year.

Baba Dala, a lawyer, who was the chairman of the December 10 and 11, 2014 rescheduled governorship primaries, spoke when the APC opened its defence at the tribunal.

He was led in evidence by counsel to the APC, Sebastian Hon, SAN. The tribunal was told that the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Terhemen Tarzoor, was fundamentally- defective because it was not properly signed by the originating legal team.

Counsel to the first respondent, Israel Olorundare, SAN, said: “Where various lawyers will appear for a litigant, a lawyer signing a process of such litigation should tick his name among the names of other counsel.”

He added: “There was a fundamental defect to the originating processes that activated the setting up of the tribunal.”

‘Adeboye prayed for me to become governor’

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ENUE State Governor Samuel Ortom told worshippers at the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on the LagosIbadan Expressway how he dropped out of school, became a motor park tout and now a governor.

Ortom, sharing a testimony at a service, which climaxed the week-long 63rd annual convention of the RCCG, attributed his victory at the governorship election to the prayers of the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

He said: “My name is Samuel Ortom. I’m from Benue Province 1 Mega Parish, Makurdi. My wife and I are workers in the church. My testimony is that in 1979, I dropped out of school in Form 2. But I met the All- Sufficient God and that was the turning point in my life.

“Today, through tutorials and distance learning, I have a PhD. I started as a motor park tout. By the grace of God,

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

I went through all kinds of leadership positions at the local government, state and federal levels. I was a minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and at a point, a supervising minister of Aviation.

Today, through the prayers of Pastor Adeboye, I’m the Benue State governor.”

The cleric said as at 6pm on Friday, expectant mothers had been delivered of 81 babies (41 boys and 40 girls).

‘We didn’t step down for anybody’

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ORMER Kogi State Acting Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Chief Clarence Olafemi said yesterday that he did not step down from the race.

He denied his purported agreement to be the running mate of another aspirant and urged his supporters and party members to ignore the rumour.

Another aspirant, Prince Rotimi Yaqub Obadofin, denied withdrawing from the poll.

He said those behind the rumour were afraid of primaries.

Obadofin said: “What kind of mischief is this? I was never at any meeting with anyone, so where did that rumour come from? I have my party nomination

•Female aspirant: my life in danger From James Azania, Lokoja and Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

form with me, so who is afraid? Our people should simply ignore them.”

There has been uproar following the purported step down of some of the APC aspirants ahead of the August 27 primary election. Most of them are purported consensus candidates from Kogi West.

Speaking in Lokoja, Olafemi said he neither stepped down nor agreed to be a running mate.

His words: “I’ve collected my intent and governorship nomination form.

“How can somebody

say I have stepped down? I am in the race to win and I’ve not stepped down for anybody, neither have I agreed to be another person’s running mate. How can they say I’ve agreed to be the running mate of Prince Abubakar Audu or any other person? These people are going too far in their campaign of calumny and I have called on my supporters to ignore them.

They do not mean well for Kogi people.”

Many people, including a former Board of Trustees (BoT) member, at the weekend stormed Lokoja Township Stadium for Audu’s declaration.

Other top politicians at

the event included former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Audu said the time was ripe for a change in Kogi.

He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last 12 years ruined the state.

The aspirant enjoined the people to support his bid to secure the APC ticket.

A female governorship aspirant on the APC platform, Hajia Hadiza Ibrahim, has alleged threat to her life.

Addressing reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, she said she received an SMS, threatening her to dump her ambition or face the consequences.

Hajia Ibrahim said she had reported the matter to the police.

Kaduna begins second round of workers’ verification

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•Ortom

Buhari gets appeal on IDPs

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•National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) officials registering internally-displaced persons (IDPs) evacuated from PHOTO: NAN Nigeria’s border with Cameroun at Damare Camp in Yola...yesterday

NON-GOVERNMENTAL Organisation (NGO), the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has written to President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the threat of forced eviction of internally- displaced persons (IDPs) at the WASU IDP camp in Apo District of Abuja, or any other camp.

In the letter dated August 7 and signed by SERAP’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organisation expressed “serious concern that several internally-displaced persons (IDPs) at the WASU IDP camp in Apo District of Abuja face forced eviction, following an eviction notice by the owner of the estate they are taking refuge in. We are concerned that unless you urgently intervene, the IDPs may be rendered homeless without water, food and other basic amenities.”

HE Kaduna State government, determined to clean up the civil service, has said it will begin the second round of workers’ verification today.

The exercise will enable it to authenticate the outcome of the first verification.

The Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement, said: “The biometric verification of civil servants will resume on August 10.”

According to the statement the Head of Service, Mrs. Alisabatu Dada Onazi, has sent a circular to the MDAs and councils detailing how the exercise will be conducted in Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan senatorial districts.

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

The statement said permanent secretaries/overseers, staff officers and directors are expected to identify their workers, their APP, PSN secret file numbers and N numbers.

It added: “They should be at the verification centres to identify the workers.

For the purpose of documentation, every worker is directed to present the original and photocopies of the following: Letter of first appointment, letter of present appointment and last promotion. Every worker is re-

quired to present any of these four documents for identification: Nigerian National Identity Card, Nigerian National Voter Card (temporary voter card will be accepted), international or ECOWAS passport and Nigerian National Drivers’ Licence.”

Kano to ensure social order, says Ganduje

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ANO State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said the government will accept any proposed law presented to it by the Ulama, designed to address vices and promote living standard.

He said it would pass same to the House of Assembly for ratification.

The governor, who spoke

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

at the Bayero University, Kano at the inauguration of the Committee on Social Reforms by the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammdu Sanusi II, said following the sensitivity of religious conviction and the orientation of the people, his administration, being a

populist one, would not enact any edict affecting their lives without consulting religious leaders.

He urged the main and sub-committees on social reforms to come up with advice and recommendations to help the state and the country to address social problems, family issues, education and moral decadence.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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NEWS •Senators Olorunnimble Mamora (left) and ‘Gbenga Ashafa at the funeral of Deaconess Elizabeth Adesulu Mamora, mother of Senator Mamora at Ijede Ife in Ogun State.

•From left: Mr. Adele Adeniji; President, Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Chief Olabintan Famutimi; Vice President, Alhaji Abayomi Balogun and Chief Executive Officer, Beautiful Gate Communications, Mr Kesha Adebola, at the Chambers’ Members’ Night in Lagos.

•Graduated medical doctors taking the oath during the inductions of the Second Batch of Qualified Medical Doctors of University of Jos, Plateau State

The new Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Brig Gen Kuta AY Isiyaku(left) receiving Command Flag from the former Commander, Brig Gen Aliyu A Momoh during the handing over at the Brigade Headquarters in Owena Military Cantonment, Akure •From left: Deputy Commandant, Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires (NLCC), Enugu State Command, Major Amaechi Ogbu; Commandant, Lt.-Col. Ojewoye Shogo and Representative of the General Officer Commanding Nigerian Army 82 Division, Col. Charles Daniel at the Commissioning of The Corps Batch ‘B’ Cadet Commissionaires in Enugu... yesterday.

From left: Chairman, Tastee Fried Chicken, Mr. Kunle Adedayo; a director, Dr. Olufowoke Akinleye; Managing Director, Mrs. Olayinka Pamela Adedayo; Acting Managing Director, Mr. Bode Ogunsanwo; a Director, Dr Ayo Adeniji at the inauguration of the 14th branch on Catholic Mission, Street, Lagos Island, Lagos.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

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FOREIGN NEWS

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INGAPORE held nationwide events yesterday to mark 50 years since it became an independent state in 1965 when it was ejected from the Federation of Malaya amid social unrest.

In 50 years, the former British colony has transformed itself into one of the world’s wealthiest countries.

But its critics say the rapid development has been accompanied by a strict control on free speech and politics.

The city state celebrates its independence day in style every year, but this year’s SG50 events are being billed as the country’s biggest ever celebration, with months of build-up in shops, schools, work places and in the media.

Singapore has declared a four-day weekend for the anniversary.

There were long queues at the crossing points into Malaysia on Thursday and Friday evenings, as thousands of Singaporeans chose to go away for the weekend.

The parade this year includes a special tribute to Lee Kuan Yew, who led Singapore into independence and was its prime minister until 1990.

The much-respected leader died in March this year, prompting public mourning.

Speaking on the eve of the

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Singapore marks 50 years of independence

•Fireworks explode above Singapore’s financial skyline at dusk as part of celebrations for the PHOTO:AP nation’s 50th year of independence, yesterday.

celebrations, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Lee Kuan Yew’s son, said: “At 50 years, as we stand at a high base camp, we look back and marvel how far we have come.

We are grateful to those who made it happen.”

Key figures attending Sunday’s celebrations include Malaysian PM Najib Razak and Australian Deputy PM Warren Truss.

Children perform alongside fireworks at a parade rehearsal

Despite achieving such goals as 90% home ownership and per capita GDP above $56,000 (£36,000), critics continue to point to the strict political controls.

The ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has been in power for more than 50 years and the opposition hopes to make more inroads in elections that could be called in September.

The last election saw the PAP suffer its worst performance, though it still kept 80 of the 87 seats.

It will hope the boost of the anniversary and recognition of the legacy of Lee Kuan Yew will help it at the next election.

Festivities include free outdoor games such as this circular ping-pong table Singapore’s city centre is a sea of red and white as hundreds of thousands wearing the national colours have converged to take part in day-long festivities, from free concerts and military jet flypasts to a huge parade.

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that officials believed the dead included five soldiers, four attackers and three civilians, but that the toll had yet to be confirmed.

Army spokesman Col. Souleymane Maiga said at least one foreigner had been killed, among other casualties, but did not specify the foreigner’s nationality.

The soldiers stormed the hotel to end a daylong siege that started Friday when gunmen raided the hotel after

attacking a military site nearby, witnesses said.

“The land operation was solely operated by the Malian forces,” Radhia Achour, a spokeswoman for MINUSMA, said after the siege ended.

The freed hostages, who hid from the attackers in the hotel, are now safe at U.N. offices in the city, she said.

MINUSMA is the U.N. mission in the nation.

The armed men first targeted a military site in

Sevare, but Malian soldiers pushed back, sending the attackers seeking refuge in the hotel, according to the United Nations.

“The gunmen attacked the hotel with AK-47s and launched rockets while they yelled, ‘Allahu Akbar!,’” said Oumar Arby, who lives near the hotel.

The army spokesman said the attackers were affiliated with the Macina Liberation Movement.

Six U.S. F-16 jets arrive in Turkey

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IX U.S. F-16 fighter jets arrived at Turkey’s southern air base yesterday to join the U.S.-led coalition fight against Islamic State militants, the U.S. military said.

The U.S. European Command said in a statement that the U.S. air force deployed a “small detachment” of six F16 jets, support equipment and about 300 personnel at Incirlik Air Base. The detachment is part of the 31st Fighter Wing based at Aviano Air

Base, in Italy, it said.

Turkey carried out airstrikes against IS targets in Syria last month following a suicide bombing that killed 32 people and the killing of a soldier by IS militants and agreed to allow the U.S. to use the strategically-located base. The moves ended months of reluctance by Turkey, giving it a more active role in the U.S.-led coalition against the extremist group.

Last week, U.S. armed drones taking off from Incir-

lik struck IS positions, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said an “extensive” fight against the extremists would soon begin.

“The United States and Turkey, as members of the 60-plus nation coalition, are committed to the fight against ISIL in the pursuit of peace and stability in the region,” the U.S. military said, using an alternative name for the militant group.

Turkish media reports say

the U.S. is expected to deploy around 30 fighter jets at Incirlik for strikes against IS. Incirlik is located close to IS strongholds across the border in Syria, allowing the U.S. to move more swiftly and nimbly against IS targets. Its use would enable the U.S. -led coalition to conduct better surveillance over Syria and act quicker on intelligence than when it was limited to launching flights from places like Iraq, Jordan and the Gulf states.

China to build highway for Liberia

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HINA will build a new coastal highway for Liberia as part of its aid to the country recovering from an Ebola epidemic, Liberia’s foreign minister said yesterday.

He was speaking at a news conference with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi who is visiting Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, the countries hardest hit by the epidemic.

Liberia’s existing coastal route is vital for commerce as the country rebuilds after a civil war that ended in 2003.

It connects the capital to the border with Ivory Coast via the port city of Buchanan, where exports of exports of

iron and timber pass through, but much of the road is unpaved.

“China has agreed to help Liberia with the construction of a ministerial complex which will host about 10 ministries. Also, China will construct a coastal highway,” Liberia’s Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan said.

China would use its global fund for Africa to finance the project and seek partners, he said. The construction of the ministries had already been announced.

Wang did not directly refer to the highway but said Ngafuan1 had explained the specific components of China’s aid.

“Our relations with Liberia have enjoyed fast growth,” he said. Liberia was founded by freed American slaves and has retained close ties with the United States.

Ebola has killed more than 4,800 people in Liberia and almost 11,300 people in the three countries since the outbreak began in December 2013 but the number of new cases has fallen to close to zero in recent weeks.

China, Africa’s biggest trading partner, has sent hundreds of medical workers to Africa and contributed aid of more than $120 million to the anti-Ebola effort, after initially facing criticism for not doing enough.

Iraq PM initiates new political reforms

•al-Abadi

tal heat wave with frequent power cuts, leading to mass protests even among the Shiite majority, from which the government draws most of its support.

Al-Abadi’s plan would reduce spending on personal bodyguards for officials and transfer the responsibility to the Interior and Defence Ministries, which would have their budgets expanded.

The plan also calls for the review of all corruption cases by a committee of experts, with fresh trials for officials suspected of wrongdoing.

Israel arrests man accused of spying

12 dead as Mali siege ends WELVE people — including five Malian soldiers — died as a result of a hostage situation and ensuing battle between the attackers and soldiers at a Mali hotel, Malian state-run broadcaster ORTM reported Saturday.

Five foreigners have been evacuated from the hotel in Sevare, in central Mali, the broadcaster said.

Earlier, a spokesman for Mali’s President told CNN

RAQ’s cabinet approved a wide-ranging reform plan yesterday that would abolish the three vice presidential posts as well as the office of deputy prime minister in order to slash spending and improve the government’s performance in the face of mass protests.

Prime Minister Haider alAbadi’s plan, which still requires parliamentary approval, would effectively sack his predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki, who begrudgingly stepped aside a year ago and was appointed to the largely symbolic role of vice president. AlMaliki is widely alleged to have undermined his successor in a bid to eventually return to power, charges he denies.

Al-Abadi’s seven-point plan would also require that a number of government posts be filled with political independents, a move aimed at combating endemic corruption in Iraq’s political system, in which many senior appointments are determined by party patronage and sectarian loyalties.

A year after assuming office following the Islamic State group’s rapid advance across northern and western Iraq, alAbadi is still struggling to combat the extremist group.

But he is now also facing a wave of discontent with government services. Iraqis have been suffering through a bru-

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SRAEL says it has arrested a Swedish citizen and charged him with spying for Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group.

The Israeli internal security agency Shin Bet says Hassan Khalil Hizran was arrested last month when he arrived at the international airport in Tel Aviv. In a statement yesterday, the Shin Bet says Hizran confessed to being recruited by Hezbollah in 2009 and said he was asked to gather intelligence about Israeli military bases, tanks and weapons.

The Shin Bet said Swedish authorities had been notified of Hizran’s arrest.

Lea Tsemel, Hizran’s lawyer, said her client did not carry out any of Hezbollah’s requests and that he was visiting Israel for personal reasons. She said he was born to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and later immigrated to Sweden.

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RAN’s official IRNA news agency is reporting that a son of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has begun a 10-year prison sentence after his conviction on corruption and security charges.Before entering Tehran’s Evin prison yestery, Mahdi Hashemi Rafsanjani reportedly called his conviction “unjust” and “politically motivated.”

He once again called for his closed-door trial to be broadcast on state television, a request already rejected by authorities.

Several members of Rafsanjani’s family stood by his side before he entered the prison.Critics view Rafsanjani’s trial and conviction as a way for hard-liners to weaken his father ahead of crucial parliamentary elections in February.

A simultaneous vote also will elect members of the Assembly of Experts, a top clerical body that appoints or dismisses the country’s supreme leader.

Greece to conclude bailout talks tomorrow

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•Prez

Many big companies in China have invested in Africa, tapping the continent’s rich vein of resources to fuel the Asian giant’s economic growth over the past couple of decades.

Son of Iran’s former president begins 10-year prison term

REECE hopes to conclude negotiations with international creditors by early tomorrow at the latest, a Greek official said as talks continued in Athens on a new multibillion euro bailout.

Greece’s finance and economy ministers were locked in negotiations with representatives of creditors yesterday. Greek officials have previously said they expect the bailout accord to go to the country’s parliament for approval by Aug. 18.

“Efforts are being made to conclude the negotiations, the horizon is by Monday night or early Tuesday,” said a Greek official who declined to be named.

“When the new bailout comes to parliament for a vote it will be one bill with two articles - one article will be the loan agreement and the MoU (memorandum of understanding) and the second article will be the prior actions,” the official said, referring to measures Greece needs to take for the bailout accord to take effect.

The negotiations began on July 20. A senior Greek finance official told Reuters the aim was for a meeting of euro zone finance ministers to review the accord on Friday, Aug. 14.

Athens is negotiating with European Union institutions and the International Monetary Fund for up to 86 billion euros ($94 billion) in fresh loans to stave off economic collapse and stay in the euro zone. The bailout must be in place by Aug. 20, when Greece has a repayment falling due to the European Central Bank.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

57

FOREIGN NEWS Afghan Taliban attack kills 29

Japan remembers Nagasaki atomic bomb, 70 years on

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N emotional memorial service has been held in the Japanese city of Nagasaki where US forces dropped an atomic bomb exactly 70 years ago.

Speeches at the ceremony criticised the attending Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for his plans to loosen the restrictions on what Japan’s military can do.

At least 70,000 people died in the attack, which came three days after another bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

Nagasaki was only chosen after a cloud obscured the original target, Kokura.

A solemn ceremony in front of guests from 75 countries, including US ambassador Caroline Kennedy, began yesterday with a declaration read out by children.

Nagasaki mayor Tomihisa Taue then delivered a peace declaration to the ceremony.

He said there was “widespread

unease” about Mr Abe’s bid to alter the country’s pacifist constitutional.

A survivor of the Nagasaki attack, 86-year-old Sumiteru Taniguchi, described the injuries he had suffered and said he could not accept Mr Abe’s new legislation.

The legislation would allow Japan to engage in combat - in defence of an ally which comes under attack - for the first time since World War Two. As the peace bell chimed, the people of Nagasaki stopped and bowed their heads remembering that moment 70 years ago when their city was destroyed in a blinding flash of white light.

Nagasaki often gets forgotten as the world focuses on Hiroshima. But the bomb dropped here was made from plutonium and was even more powerful.

Perhaps the most powerful

•Prime Minister Abe (centre) offers a flower wreath for the victims at Nagasakis Peace Park, PHOTO: Reuters Japan...yesterday.

moment in the ceremony came when survivor Sumiteru Taniguchi got up to speak. He described his own terrible injuries - of the skin hanging like rags from his arms and back.

But then he turned on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sitting nearby. Do not meddle with Japan’s pacifist constitution, he warned him. The audience

erupted in loud clapping. Mr Abe looked straight ahead, showing no emotion.

In his address to the ceremony, Mr Abe said Japan remained “determined to pursue a world without nuclear weapons”. He renewed his commitment to a nuclear weapons free Japan, following criticism for not making the same pledge

on the anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing last week.

“As the only nation in the world to have suffered a wartime nuclear attack, I have renewed my resolve to play a leading role in pursuing a world without nuclear weapons and maintain the three non-nuclear principles,” Abe said in Nagasaki Peace Park.

Typhoon Soudelor kills dozen in China

A

T least a dozen people have died and five are missing in the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou in the wake of Typhoon Soudelor, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, which cited local disaster management officials.

It was one of the strongest storms anywhere in the world so far this year, with peak winds at 180 miles per hour, according to the Joint Ty-

phoon Warning Center. The West Pacific Basin has seen 10 typhoons so far this year.

Soudelor made landfall Saturday night in the city of Putian, in China’s southern Fujian province. More than 185,000 people moved to higher ground, Xinhua reported.

The typhoon weakened as it moved inland toward the northwest.

Earlier Saturday, it hit Taiwan north of the city of Hual-

ien. One city in northern Taiwan saw a wind gust measured at 210 kilometers per hour (130 miles per hour).

Soudelor pounded Taiwan on Saturday with sustained winds of 52 miles per hour, the center said. Meteorologists said that Taipingshan received 40 inches of rain in two days.

Earlier in the weekend, Taiwan’s National Fire Agency said at least 185 people

Haitians vote in delayed elections

H

AITIANS are voting in legislative elections that have been repeatedly delayed since 2011, in a test of stability for the impoverished nation.

Police have been deployed as voters choose twothirds of the senate and the chamber of deputies.

A presidential poll is set for October.

President Michel Martelly, who is constitutionally barred from running again, has ruled by decree since January.

Polling stations across Haiti opened at 06:00 local

time (10:00 GMT) and will close at 16:00.

The opposition has accused President Michel Martelly of abusing his powers Nearly six million eligible voters are choosing 119 deputies and 20 senators from more than 1,800 candidates registered from different political parties.

The run-off round will be held on 25 October - the same day as the presidential election.

Several people have been killed since campaigning for Sunday’s poll opened in July.

Haiti’s police are being

helped by UN police and peacekeepers to ensure safety during the voting.

“These elections will be a major test for October,” said Pierre Esperance, who heads the National Human Rights Defence Network.

Haiti’s parliament was dissolved in January over its failure to hold elections, leaving Haiti without a functioning government.

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, and is still struggling with the legacy of the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Pope recalls horror of atomic bombs 70 years ago

P

OPE Francis says the detonation of atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki 70 years ago remains “a permanent warning to humanity” to reject war and ban weapons of mass destruction.

The pope during his traditional Sunday blessing re-

called the U.S. detonation of atomic weapons as “a tragic event that still arouses horror and revulsion.”

He said the bombings of the Japanese cities had become a symbol of mankind’s destructive power when science and technology are put to “distorted use.”U.S. planes

dropped two atomic bombs on two days in August 1945, unleashing unprecedented destruction that killed more than 200,000 people and left survivors with lifelong psychological and physical scars. It was the first and only time nuclear weapons have been used.

Another Bangladeshi blogger hacked to death

A

GROUP of attackers hacked a Bangladeshi blogger to death Friday in his apartment in the capital of Dhaka, authorities said.

The killing of the secular blogger, who uses the pen name Niloy Neel, was at least the fourth this year targeting those who posted online pieces critical of Islam.

In addition to police, Imran Sarker, who heads the Blogger and Online Activists' Network in the nation, confirmed the attack.

Neel wrote posts condemning the recent killings of three other bloggers in his country. He also routinely posted on women's and minority rights, communal violence and the oppres-

sion of Hindus in Bangladesh.

Dhaka Police spokesman, Muntashirul Islam, used a different name for the blogger, whom he referred to as Niloy Chakrabarti.

He was killed in his apartment Friday afternoon by a group of five or six men, the spokesman said.

Ansar al-Islam Bangladesh, an al Qaeda group, has claimed responsibility for the killing.

In an emailed statement to local media outlets, Mufti Abdullah Ashraf, who claims to be the group's spokesman, said: "By the permission of Allah, this operation took place today.

were injured.

Those killed in Taiwan included a mother and her 8year-old daughter swept out to sea, the nation’s Central News Agency reported, adding that the girl’s twin sister is missing.

Authorities deployed more than 35,000 military

personnel to relocate residents in vulnerable areas as the typhoon made its way across the Pacific Ocean.

More than 725,000 homes were still without electricity Saturday night, with emergency crews working to restore supply, according to state power provider Taiwa

AT least 29 members of a pro-government militia have been killed in an attack in northern Afghanistan, officials say.

Four commanders are said to be among those killed on Saturday when a Taliban suicide bomber targeted a gathering in the province of Kunduz.

The interior ministry described them as civilians but local officials and the Taliban said they were militiamen.

There has been a sharp increase in Taliban attacks in Afghanistan - more than 50 people died on Friday alone.

The UN said the attacks were likely to be the product of a Taliban power struggle following the death of its leader Mullah Omar about two weeks ago.

Such infighting threatens to kill off a tentative peace process that was suspended last week.

The Afghan interior ministry condemned Saturday’s attack in Khanabad district as a “heinous act”.

It said those killed - and some 15 wounded - were civilians.

However, local officials including Abdul Wadood Wahidi, a spokesman for the governor of Kunduz, said the dead were pro-government militiamen.

In June, the Afghan government launched a counter-offensive against the Taliban, after they took control of a key district.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

NEWS Govt opens Treasury Single Account for NNPC, Customs, others Continued from page 4

income meant for the Federation Account.

The new directive was in fulfillment the promise President Buhari made to state governors at the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) in June.

At the meeting, the President assured them that all revenues prescribed for lodgment into the Federation Account will be channeled to the proper account under his watch.

He also promised to ensure strict compliance with all relevant laws on accounting, allocation and disbursement of national revenue.

Osinbajo said the presidency has since been working with relevant agencies of the Federal Government to evolve the

new policy directive.

According to the statement, “this directive applies to fully funded organs of government like the Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Foreign Missions, as well as the partially funded ones, like Teaching Hospitals, Medical Centres, Federal Tertiary Institutions among others.

“Agencies like the CBN, SEC, CAC, NPA, NCC, FAAN, NCAA, NIMASA, NDIC, NSC, NNPC, FIRS, NCS, MMSD and DPR are also affected.

For any agency that is fully or partially self-funding, subaccounts linked to TSA are to be maintained at CBN and the accounting system will be configured to allow them access to funds based on their approved budgetary provisions.

Petition: Oloyede unfit to be a judge, says Aregbesola Continued from page 4

but the weekly executive meeting register proved otherwise.

“I have never gone on leave since November 2010 when I came into government. There is no single truth in the judge’s petition.

“I will tell the side of my story bit by bit. I am confident that before the end of the month the period of hard time will smoke off in the state.”

The governor declined to dance at the party, even when his favourite song was rendered by the band.

He jokingly told the social gathering that “a debtor doesn’t deserve to dance.”

When it dawned on the governor that the people were disappointed by his refusal to dance, he apologised: “You know that I’m Kokoro (a good dancer.) I would have loved to dance but a debtor doesn’t deserve to dance. You know I owe the workers and that is why I cannot dance. Just bear with me today.”

The musical band, a local musician from the Oranmiyan Orchestra also at the party instantly took a microphone and electrified the gathering with ýtheir songs.

Singing that there is hope, it urged the governor to dance away his worries.

Rather than taking to the dancing floor, Aregbesola took the microphone to clear the air on the allegation of misappropriation of the state resources levelled against him and his deputy.

He said: “Debt is a bad thing and I’m being careful with what I do because of the fact that I owe Osun workers. But you will hear a lot from me once I pay the outstanding salaries of our workers between August and September. Then that time I can dance.”

Speaker Salaam also echoed the governor. He told the gathering that his birthday party was not funded by the state government.

According to him, it was organised in his honour by his friends and political associates.

Buhari to Jonathan: looted funds must be returned

•Gen. Abdulsalami Continued from page 4

ously, he wanted soft landing.

“He also pledged to cooperate with Buhari as much as possible on all steps he is going to take.”

Buhari, it was gathered, restated his pledge that Joanthan had nothing to fear. But he said there was no going back on the

recovery of looted funds.

“The President reassured Jonathan that he has no personal agenda against him. But he insisted that whatever was stolen from the treasury must be returned,” the source said.

There were indications last night that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s visit to Buhari was part of moves to “offer advice” to the President on the issues raised by Jonathan.

When contacted, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina, said: “I am aware that President Buhari met with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan but it was behind closed doors. I don’t have the details of what they discussed.”

Some of the issues which made Jonathan to seek peace talks with Buhari are: •probe of $2.1billion illegally withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account without re-

course to the National Economic Council(NEC); •whereabouts of $4billion taxes and dividends paid by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited between 2009 and 2014; •how the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) spent N3.8trillion in three years; •likely trial of some ex-ministers; and •list of looted funds, banks where they are kept and exministers or government officials affected.

The National Economic Committee (NEC) had on June 29 raised a four-man panel on how NNPC spent N3.8trillion in three years.

The four “wise men” are Governors Adam Oshiomhole (Edo), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Mallam Nasir elRufai (Kaduna) and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe).

Awaiting the committee’s

report, Governor Adams Oshiomhole joined issues with the immediate past Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on how $2.1billion in ECA was disbursed without approval.

He said of the $2.1billion, only $1billion was paid to oil marketers as fuel subsidy and about $1billion used for election purposes.

Although, Mrs. OkonjoIweala claimed that the exPresident approved the spending of $1billion, Oshiomhole said Jonathan had no right to do so.

He said any withdrawal from Excess Crude Account ought to be approved by the National Economic Council (NEC).

The Nation had on July 15 published that the ex-President approached the Gen. Abdulsalami National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Election, for protection.

Alleged forgery: Suit ‘meant to shield Ekweremadu, others’ Continued from page 4

ers, who feel their interests or rights would be affected by police investigation of the forgery allegation that could validly sue.

The AGF Office said in its written address to its objection: “In the light of the foregoing, we submit that it will be in the interest of justice for this matter to be struck out in its entirety as the plaintiff’s suit has not disclosed or shown that he has any personal remedy arising from the disclosed cause of action that exceeds that of Senator Ike Ekweremadu or the Senate as an entity.

“We submit that the plaintiff can only seek declarations in court if he can establish that he has suffered or is going to suffer any injury on account of the investigation.

“This is a suit that should rightly be instituted by the Senate as an entity or better still by Senator Ike Ekweremadu, whom, by the plaintiff’s affidavit, at paragraph 27, is identified as the ulti-

mate target of the petition.”

On the plaintiff’s argument that no other arm of government could pry into the activities of the Legislature under Section 30 of the Legislative House (Powers and Privileges) Act, the AGF argued that the 8th Senate was inaugurated after the alleged forgery had taken place, which informed why all the senators saw the 2015 Orders at their inaugural sitting on June 9.

“My Lord, by paragraphs 16 and 24, most especially paragraph 24 of the plaintiff’s affidavit, the said Standing Orders, the subject of the investigation, came into the hands of the plaintiff (Nnaji) for the first time when the house was inaugurated.

“How then can the plaintiff be justified in challenging the investigation into an allegation that occurred prior to his inauguration and how has it affected his interest?” The AGF said in urging the court to dismiss the suit.

The alleged forgery of the Senate Orders 2011 relates to the alterations carried out,

particularly in relation to Rules 3(3)(e) and (k), which were said not to have been amended in accordance with the provisions of Rule 110(1)(2)(3)(4)(5) of the 2011 Orders.

While in the 2011 Order Rule 3(3) (e) talks about manual voting and open ballot, the 2015 Orders allows electronic and secret ballot voting in the election of the President and Deputy.

Also, while Rule 3(3)(k) of the 2011 Order makes it mandatory for all members to participate in the process of electing the President and Deputy, the reverse is the case under the 2015 Orders.

In the 2011 Orders, Rule 3(3)(k) provides that: “All Senators-elect shall participate in the nomination and voting for President and Deputy President of the Senate,” similar provision in Rule 3(3)(i) in the 2015 Orders reads: “All Senator-elect are entitled to participate in the voting for Senate President and Deputy Senate President.”

Nnaji’s case has been ad-

•Ekweremadu

journed to September 8 by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who served as the court’s vacation judge until August 7.

He had, at the last hearing before him suggested that the forgery case be left for the Senate to resolve, using its internal disciplinary mechanisms.

The judge threatened to void all steps taking by the defendants (the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the AGF) should he find that they (the defendants) take further steps on the issue while the case was pending.

Battle to succeed Jega begins as INEC suffers depletion Continued from page 4

Council of State before appointing the next INEC chairman.

“This means, President Buhari must do his homework very well in appointing the new INEC chairman and RECs. By Monday, only two National Commissioners will be in charge of INEC. Also, about six RECs are left nationwide,” a former National Commissioner said.

“Section 154(3) of the 1999 Constitution empowers the President to consult the Council of State before appointing

‘

By Monday (today), only two National Commissioners will be in charge of INEC. Also, about six RECs are left nationwide INEC chairman and National Commissioners.

The section reads in part: “In exercising his powers to appoint a person as Chairman or member of INEC, National Judicial Council, the Federal Judicial Service Commission or the National Population Commission, the President shall consult the Council of State.”

Also, sections 14 and 15 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution states: “The Independent National

’

Electoral Commission (INEC) shall comprise the following members (a) a Chairman, who shall be the Chief Electoral Commissioner; and (b) twelve other members to be known as National Electoral Commissioners.

“A member of the Commission shall be (a) non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity (b) be not less than 40 years of age in the case of the chairman and not less than 35 years of age in the case of the National Commission-

ers “There shall be for each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a Resident Electoral Commissioner who shall (a ) be appointed by the President subject to confirmation by the Senate (b) be a person of unquestionable integrity and shall not be a member of any political party and (c) not be less than 35 years of age.

“The Commission shall have power to (a) organise , undertake and supervise all elections to the offices of the President and Vice President, the Governor and Deputy Governor of a State, and to the membership of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly of each state of the Federation.”

Ex-military officers back Buhari’s anti-insurgency war tactics Continued from page 4

(rtd), said that one of the achievements of the association was the settlement of its members’ pension.

Brig-Gen Pedro said the members’ pension was now being paid timely.

He described the association as a symbol of national unity while its members met from time to time to share views for national development.

Pedro called on the Federal Government to review the

pension because the last review was in 2010.

He said that the Pension Act ought to be reviewed every five years or together with any federal civil service salary review whichever was earlier.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

59

NEWS

Card Reader: APC, Emerhor again petition INEC

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ELTA State All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the April 11 governorship election, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, have again petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following plans by the commission’s workers to deny the mandatory use of card readers in the election.

Both petitioners’ calls for the cancellation of the election results, by which Ifeayin Okowa was declared governor, rest on the faulted election process, which did not comply with INEC’s instruction that electronic card readers should be used.

“This position is clearly stated in the INEC Manual for Election Officials 2015 and in the Approved Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of 2015 General Election,” the petition said.

Emerhor and APC, in the petition filed through their counsel, S. M. Egbune, alleged that three INEC workers in Asaba, the state capital, volunteered to depose to witnesses’ statements on oath against INEC’s documented instruction.

According to the petition, INEC’s lawyer, D. D. Dodo,

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

got three workers of the commission - Enabor Felix, Livy Unigwe, and Donatus Anumba - to depose to the witnesses’ statements.

Emerhor and APC said they rejected the move.

The petition also alleged that in the witnesses’ statements, the three INEC workers “wilfully and wrongly mistook the commission’s position as follows: •“Denies that 3rd Respondent (INEC) prescribed the mandatory use of the electronic card readers for the accreditation of voters for the elections held on the 11th of April, 2015, in each of the polling units in each Local Government Area of Delta State.

•“That the Electoral Act is a comprehensive Act which deals with the conduct of elections in Nigeria. Electoral Act 2010 ( as amended ) provides for the only mode of accreditation of voters, which is solely through the Register of voters. Accreditation at an election is regulated by the Electoral Act 2010 ( as amended ).

•“That the introduction of Card Reader Machine is a mere instruction at the elec-

tion to facilitate the accreditation process and does not in any way equate with or obliterate the express provisions of the Electoral Act, which are extant for all purposes.

•“That from inception it was contemplated that upon failure of the Card Reader Machine, other contingencies will be resorted to in order to ensure that election is duly conducted and that legitimate voters were not disenfranchised.

•“That the ultimate mechanism was a resort to the manual accreditation as provided for in the Electoral Act. That with the challenges presented by the Card Reader Machines, the process of accreditation proceeded as was expressly provided for in the Electoral Act. There were no acts of non-compliance which materially affected the result of the election.”

Emerhor and APC expressed shock that those given the job of impartial umpires could become tools against INEC’s official position.

They urged INEC’s Acting Chairman, Mrs Amina Zakari, to intervene in the matter to save the commission’s reputation.

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THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

CITYBEATS ‘Save me, my husband is a cultist’

Katangua traders take protest to Assembly

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RADERS of Katangua Market in AbuleEgba, Lagos has taken their protest to the state House of Assembly, urging the House to intervene in the imposition of an alleged fraudulent contractor by Agbado Oke-odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) for collection of market dues.

The traders carried placards with different inscriptions like: “Odus must go, we need change, Odus Out”, “ Odus is corrupt”, “7 years of dictatorship, Odus must go”, “It is N3,000 not N54,000, Odus must go”, “Government, please help us, Odus is corrupt”, “We need change” among others Chairman of Katangua Textile Traders Welfare Association, Chief Elvis Eluwa who led the group, said the traders cannot bear the extortions and intimidation of the contractor, adding that the contractor had earlier been disengaged from the job when the council discov-

By Jumoke Onyenobi

A

By Oziegbe Okoeki

ered the excesses before reengaging him again.

He said: “We are protesting because Sylvanus Ikejiobi, alias Odus, the contractor the council appointed to be collecting levies from the traders is a fraudulent person.

“There are rules governing collections in the market whether tolls, dues or levies.

There are dues we pay daily while some are paid yearly but he converted everything to everyday thereby creating problems for the traders. He imposes unbearable levies on the traders.”

Eluwa alleged that the contractor blocked the road leading into the market for customers to pass and converted it into table shops where he collects N52,000 per person monthly.

He said: “When we complained to the council, some council officials came to see for themselves and found out that there was an illegal blockage on the road with

•The protesters (inset) Speaker Obasa

167 tables and they cancelled them. The council disengaged the consultant after discovering his illegal dealings and called on the union to start remittance of dues to the council coffers without any intermediary.

“The union test runs this by using some of its officials who met the demand of the council. They told us to remit N500, 000 for them

monthly which we did after a month. So, we were surprise penultimate Friday when the council told us that they contracted the collections back to Odus after forgiving him and we said no.

“Odus is expected to remit N1.5million every month to the council, where is he going to get that amount? Even if he will remit a kobo we don’t want him in person. Our association says this person we don’t want him, even if you want two million, let the

council give us audience and know how to get the money either through our union or we present somebody that will represent us peacefully or alternatively, let the council change the man for us.”

Speaker Mudashiru Obasa who addressed the protesters assured that the House would look into the matter and protect the traders.

“Be well assured that you are well protected, we will look at it and get back to you,” Obasa said.

Zakat foundation splashes N10m on competition

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INNERS of the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF) maiden Business Plan Competition will on Wednesday go home with N10 million.

The event, sponsored by Jaiz Bank Plc and Al-Barakah Microfinance Bank Limited will hold at Westwood Hotel, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.

ZSF Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer Imam Abdullah Shuaib disclosed this at the weekend.

The ceremony will be chaired by Chairman of Jaiz Bank Plc Alhaji Umaru Mutallab.

According to him, the foundation received 128 applicants across the country.

Twenty of them, he said, were shortlisted and appeared before a panel of experts led by Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Senior Lecturer Dr Luqman AbdurRaheem.

They were grouped into two categories, namely Idea Track and Growth Track.

At the end, four persons emerged in each of the category.

The winners, he said, will go home with an amount of N250,000 and N1.5 million based on their positions.

Shuaib said the remaining 12 applicants will receive consolation prizes.

•Shuaib

TRADER, Mrs Nofisat Adedipo, has pleaded with a Mushin Customary Court, Lagos to end her 13-yearold marriage to her husband, Adeyinka who she accused of being a cultist.

Mrs Adedipo said she lives in constant fear of attack by other cult groups and can no longer endure the marriage.

Besides, she claimed, love no longer exists in a marriage that produced a four-year-old son.

She said her husband has been threatening her and her son.

The petitioner alleged that her husband is the leader of a popular Isolo cult group.

According to her, she was arrested because of her husband’s bad ways during the general elections.

She said she was detained at the Lagos State Criminal Investigative Department, Panti, because her husband’s cult group allegedly killed someone during the election.

“I have not heard or spoken to him for over eight months, which is not a new thing because he goes out like that every time,” says Mrs Adedipo.

She claimed she has been living separately from her husband since 2010.

The case has been adjourned to August 12.

Police charge four with ‘membership of unlawful society’

By Adebisi Onanuga

F •Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area Executive Secretary Lookman Omotosho (right) assisted by a council official to present GCE form to one of the beneficiaries, Miss Omowunmi Owolabi from the ten wards in the council.

LAGBUS trains over 1,000 drivers

T

HE LAGBUS Asset Management Compa-

ny, operators of Lagos metropolitan red buses, said that the company had trained no fewer than 1,000 drivers on best performance and practices of transportation.

LAGBUS Managing Director Babatunde Disu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that the exercise was to further increase the drivers’ skills to enhance their operations on the road.

Disu said that the management would continue to train its captains and franchise operators, saying this had helped to reduce crashes involving LAGBUS operators on the roads.

He appealed to other road users to always report any of their operators found wanting in the performance of their duties to LAGBUS management.

The managing director said LAGBUS management did not give an target to any of its drivers to be met, but that the company only introduced what he called “performance-pay incentive’’ to enhance their productivity.

He said: “We have not imposed any target on any of our staff; what we have in place is a performance-pay incentive. The performancepay incentive is based on how much work they do, so we have a pay structure where our bus captains get a certain amount of money which can be referred to as attendant pay. We also get another portion of money as performance pay which is based on four per cent of the total revenue they make during their shift.

“So, the more money you make during your shift, the more you are likely to earn.

It is not a target. It is a way of

ensuring bus captains work efficiently.’

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transport Femi Olusheyi, said the training was to update the drivers in terms of driving carefully and maintaining good relationship with the passengers.

Olusheyi urged the drivers to put in their best and apply the knowledge gained from the training during their daily work on the road.

“Government is working to ensure the comfort of the passengers is guaranteed.

“People should give us feedback so that government can correct the drivers on what to do and what they have done wrongly,’’ Olusheyi said.

Lagos State Chief Vehicle Inspection Service Abdulhafiz Toriola, who was represented by Mr Adebayo

Olusoji, urged the drivers to always cultivate good human relations toward their customers.

Toriola said all LAGBUS drivers should conduct a thorough check on their buses before rolling out on daily basis.

“All the functional systems in the buses must be checked and they must report their findings to the management to act upon to ensure that the buses are road worthy before rolling out.

“This attitude will not only reduce accidents on our roads but will also reduce untimely rickety of buses, Toriola said.

NAN reports that the management also engaged medical experts who conducted check-ups on the drivers while the LAGBUS management presented certificates to the participants.

OUR members of “Aiye Axe Men” confraternity secret cult have been arraigned before a magistrate court sitting in Ikeja for allegedly establishing and belonging to an unlawful society.

They are defendants, Sikiru Amodu, 28, Michael Babatunde 19, Aziah Ogungbadewa 28 and Samuel Adebayo, 18.

They are facing a twocount charge bordering on conspiracy and felony to wit unlawful society.

Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samson Ekikere, said the defendants committed the alleged offence on July 18, at Shomolu area of Lagos.

He said the offence is punishable under section 409 and 42 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.

The defendants pleaded not guilty.

Chief Magistrate Y.O Aje-Afunwa granted each of them N200,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

Aje-Afunwa ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and have a verifiable addresses.

She adjourned the matter till November 23.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

61

CITYBEATS Police arrest ‘drunk-on-duty’ officer

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T

HE policeman whose picture went viral on social media for allegedly being drunk on Friday has been arrested.

The yet-to-be identified officer was photographed by a Twitter user in Amuwo Odofin and shared on @Gidi_Traffic Twitter handle, was seated on a motorcycle with another officer, supporting him.

According to the poster, the officer who was dressed in uniform was drunk and staggering to the point that onlookers had to assist his other colleague to prevent him from falling.

However, he was arrested after the attention of the Commissioner of Police Fatai , was drawn to the picture.

The police boss, it was learnt, immediately ordered the X-Squad leader to identify the officer and detain him for interrogation.

It was gathered that the newly deployed CP who has embarked on tour of the various divisions across the state, has also caught about three Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) drunk on duty.

Owoseni, The Nation gathered, had gone on most of his tours without informing the

•The drunk police officer on motorcycle

By Precious Igbonwelundu

DPOs, thereby, catching most of them in one illegality or the other.

It was also learnt that police officers who engage in bribery and extortion of commercial motorists, as well as arbitrary arrests are being arrested across the state.

A source told The Nation that Oweseni has given or-

ders for the bundling of police personnel around Okota, Isolo and Ejigbo who rip off innocent citizens with impunity, adding that most of them have been arrested already.

Confirming the arrest of the drunk officer, the state command’s spokesperson, Patricia Ikpowansa-Amadin, said he was being interrogated.

“He has been arrested and will be investigated. He was alleged to have been drunk so that is what he is being investigated for.

“There are a myriad of punishments that he could face according to the Police Act and Regulations, and the adjudicating officer is at liberty to choose from those punishments if he is found guilty,” she said.

NAPTIP chief seeks speedy prosecution of cases

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HE Lagos Zonal Command, National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic In Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) has urged the judiciary to hastily dispose of cases involving human traffickers.

The Zonal Commander, Mr Joseph Famakin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that speedy prosecution of suspected traffickers would help in prosecuting the fight against the vice.

Famakin, who spoke against the backdrop of the number of cases the agency had pending in the High and Supreme Courts, said it would also restrain intending traffickers.

He disclosed that the agen-

T

cy had 53 cases pending in the six states within zone and seven in the Court of Appeal and four in the Supreme Court.

Famakin said: “The problem is that the judicial procedure is cumbersome in the sense that there are cases that can last for two to three years.

And in the process sometimes, witnesses become disillusioned. In a case that is on for two years, and witnesses have given evidence, then the judge is transferred, a new judge takes over and the case has to start over again.”

Famakin said in the process, prosecution witnesses could have begun a new phase of life and might find it difficult coming back to the court.

He said: “I give you a sim-

ple scenario, a lady who was trafficked came back to Nigeria, she was rescued by NAPTIP and as the case commenced she testified.

“Then at the stage of concluding the case which has been on for four years, the judge was then transferred and another judge took over and the case had to start again.

“By then, the lady had got married and her husband was unaware she was a victim of human trafficking because of stigmatisation. In trying to call her to come and testify for us again, she was already pregnant for the second time.

“She told us there is no way she could come to testify and that she has come to Lagos up to five times to come and tes-

tify earlier on. What will she tell her husband that she is going to Lagos to do?’’

The commander said the judicial system needed a holistic reform not only for cases of human trafficking but in all court proceedings.

“The problem is a general one that allows cases to last for more than what it’s expected to be, we need to do something about it. If you know the number of cases we have in Lagos zone presently, about 53 in the six states in the zone.

“We have seven cases in the court of appeal, four cases in the Supreme Court but we have handed over two to Abuja to handle. And some of these cases have been on for about five years,’’ he said.

Association to tackle illegal orphanages, homes

HE Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) has vowed to combat the emerging menace of illegal orphanages and homes in Nigeria.

Its National President Reverend Dele George and the General Secretary Dr Gabriel Oyedeji said the emergence of illegal orphanages and homes has led to the disturbing operations of baby factories in the country.

This, Reverend George said, is not a healthy development for the country.

George, the founder of Little Saints Orphanage, Lagos,

60 wraps of hemp recovered from robbery suspect inside mini-cell

By Evelyn Osagie

said, ASOHON is set to hold a national conference on trafficking.

With the theme The Nigerian Orphans - Any hope for the future, Reverend George said the one-day conference billed for Saturday, 22 at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, is meant to bring together all operators of orphanages in Nigeria on how to improve social interventions services in the country.

George said: “Our goal is to chart a cause for our industry and brainstorm on actionable solutions to problems

confronting the association and Nigerian orphans. We are hoping this event will help bring orphanages across the country together to network, get to know ourselves, exchange information and ideas that will provide a way forward to the many challenges we face to build a stronger association in Nigeria.”

As special guests of honour, the wife of the Vice-President, Mrs Oludolapo Osinbajo and the wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode would be delivering keynote addresses at the

•From left: All Progressives Congress (APC) Apex Leader, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Alhaja Memunat Ajao; Former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Mrs Ajibola Makanjuola; Executive Secretary, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Deaconess Modupe Ajibola-Ojodu and the Council Manager, Mr Segun Ajayi during sensitisation programme for market men and women in FESTAC Town, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

conference, according to the General Secretary, Reverend Gabriel Oyedeji.

Human rights lawyer, Mr Festus Keyamo, will deliver a lecture on Child Trafficking in Nigeria, Causes and the Way Out while Reverend George will share the experiences of running an effective orphanage or home drawing from her 21 years’ experience in care giving to orphans in Nigeria as well as shed light on how the Lagos State Chapter of the association has been able to consolidate on her members, a feat that have been replicated in Oyo, Edo, Delta and Plateau States. Five delegates from each state are expected attend. According to Oyedeji, 25 states have confirmed their participation.

Oyedeji said: “We want to share our experience with other orphanage and home operators across the country with the idea that, after the conference, members will go back to their respective states and rally other orphanages in their state to form a united chapter in their states. The association wishes to use this opportunity to invite all operators of homes and orphanages to the conference”

OLICE prosecutors at Tinubu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos found in possession of a robbery suspect, Olalekan Bayo, 60 wraps of hemp at the court’s minicell.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the hemp, concealed in a Viju milk bottle, was delivered to the suspect by a courier, who fled on sighting the policemen.

Sergeant Andohemba Koti said the suspicious way the courier entered the court premises showed that he was on a mission.

“I was standing in front of the court this morning when I saw this young man with a bottle of Viju milk.

When he entered the court premises at first, he was looking in the left and right directions and I thought there was something fishy

about his mission,” he said.

Koti said the cases of inmates smuggling hard drugs and other dangerous weapons into the prisons and cells were a threat not only to other inmates, but to prison warders and other people.

He said additional charges might be filed against the suspect.

The suspect told NAN that the courier was sent from Ikoyi Prisons to deliver the bottle of Viju milk to him and that he did not know the content.

“The person just came and said Lekan, this is for you from your friend at Ikoyi Prisons and I said okay. I do not know the courier or the source and I did not know that the bottle was stuffed with hemp, ’’he said.

Two brothers nabbed for ‘fraud;

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WO brothers - Dayo Sholagbaju, 34 and Bukola Sholagbaju, 23, have been arraigned on a three-count charge before an Isolo Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly committing fraud.

Police prosecutor, Sergeant Idongesit Ekpo, an Investigative Police Officer (IPO) accused the Sholagbajus of obtaining N125,000 from one Pastor Femi Agbolagun under false pretence of clearing Agbolagun goods sent from London.

The duo, Ekpo said, converted the money for their personal use.

The charges reads: “That

By Esther Unachukwu

you Dayo Sholagbaju, Bukola Sholagbaju and others at large in April 2015, in the Lagos magisterial district did conspire together to commit felony to wit, obtaining money by also pretence and stealing, thereby committed an offence punishable under Sections 409, 312(b) and 285(a)(b) of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011” The defendants pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Joy Ugbomoiko granted them N50,000 bail each with one surety in like sum.

She adjourned the case till August 25.

Court slams N250,000 bail on man for damaging wife’s eye

A

AN Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court in Lagos slammed a N250,000 bail on Paul Oduozor, 37 who allegedly battered his wife, Faith, and damaged her eye.

Magistrate A.A. Fashola, who gave the ruling, also granted the accused two sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties, who should reside in the state, must show evidence of three years’ tax payment.

Fashola also ordered the accused to be remanded in Kirikiri Medium Prisons until the bail conditions were perfected.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that accused, a resident of Oloro Street in Ikotun, a suburb of Lagos, pleaded not guilty to the charges of assault and causing grievous harm.

Earlier, Prosecuting Corporal Femi Adeleye told the court that the accused had on March 9, 2011 in Ikotun area, caused his wife, Faith, bodily harm and damaged her eye.

“The accused, on the said date, ruthlessly beat up his wife thereby causing a permanent damage to one of her eyes.

“Paul also assaulted Faith by beating her.’’

The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 168, 170 and 243 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Fashola adjourned the case to August 31.

Brothers arraigned for ‘assault’

T

HREE brothers – Ibrahim, 25, Abdulrazak, 23 and Jibrin Alibaba, 20 have appeared before an Isolo Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly assaulted one Aliu Mohammed at IdiAraba, Mushin, Lagos.

They were arraigned on a three-count charge of assault, breach of peace against the victim.

Prosecuting officer, Sergeant John Agbo said the accused committed the offence on August 2.

He said Mohammed was unable to show up in court due to the injuries he sus-

By Esther Unachukwu

tained during the incident.

Agbo alleged that the brothers attacked Mohammed with an object.

Agbo said the offence contravened Sections 409,171, and 166(D) of Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

While Ibrahim pleaded guilty, Abdulrazak and Jibrin denied the charges.

Magistrate Joy Ugbomoiko remanded Ibrahim in police custody and granted Abdulrazak and Jibrin N20,000 bail each with one surety each.

The case was adjourned to August 25.

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

62

CITYBEATS

Chief’s, woman’s bodies recovered from wells

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HE Lagos State Fire and Safety Service said it has recovered the bodies a sexagenarian and a traditional chief from two wells in the state.

The Director of the service, Mr Rasaq Fadipe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incidents occurred at Idimu in Alimosho area of Lagos and Imota near Epe. He gave the names of the dead as Otunba Adeoye Lasisi, 63 and Amoke Adeokun, 50 The director said Lasisi, a visually-impaired, was recovered from a well of about 120 feet at Ayayo Road, Imota, while Adedokun’s body, a man believed to be deranged, was found in a well at Ajilekege Street, Pipeline Bus Stop, Idimu.

According to Fadipe, Lasisi had planned to go for treatment at a hospital at about 4 a.m. before the disaster occurred.

Fadipe said: “The wife said she was surprised when he called her husband to come and bathe with the hot wa-

By Wale Ajetunmobi

T

•Lagos State Fire Service vehicles

ter she provided that he could not be found.

“The wife claimed she later looked for him outside and found his touch light near the well. She said she believed that, perhaps, her husband wanted to fetch water from the well. It was then they called firemen at

Imota.

“It took us about eight hours with the assistance of a specialist in well-digging before we could locate his body in the well. Firemen had earlier went into the well thrice without locating the body, until the specialist after performing some

rituals, brought him out,’’ Fadipe said.

He said that of Adedokun might have occurred as a result of abandonment by her children.

“She felt abandoned by her children in her own building and decided to jump into a well of about 130 feet in

the compound. The body was later recovered after about one hour,” he said.

Fadipe said the bodies had been handed over to the police and advised residents to always secure wells in their houses properly to avert such disasters.

Police foil kidnap of Indian

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HE Police said they have foiled an attempt to kidnap an Indian national in Ikorodu at the weekend.

They also said a suspect had been arrested in connection with the crime.

The state command’s spokesperson, Patricia Amadin, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that a staff member of De-Star Metal Company, Odonla in Ikorodu, with others still at large were in involved in the nefarious activity.

She said the Divisional Police Officer at Sagamu Road Station in Ikorodu got a tip-off of the kidnap and swung into action.

She said: “A man simply identified as Timothy, 35, an old employee of the company, had planned with three other men to kidnap an Indian national working in the company in order to demand a ransom from the company.

“Immediately the report was received, the DPO swung into action and began investigations to get the details. On August 6, police detectives from the station visited the company and Timothy was arrested.’’

Amadin said the suspect had made some useful statements to the police on the kidnap bid.

The spokesperson said a man-hunt had been launched for the fleeing members of the gang.

•CP Fatai Owoseni

Lagos begins water project in Surulere

•Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), newly elected Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ) President, Mr Waheed Odusile (second left), Chairman, NUJ Lagos Council, Mr Deji Elumoye (right), Secretary, Mrs Bimbo Oyetunde (second right) and Treasurer, Kehinde Ajayi during the NUJ President visit to the Governor at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

Council resolves dispute with Ladipo traders

M

USHIN Local Government Area yesterday said it has resolved the dispute between it and traders at the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market.

The council’s Information Officer Olusegun Akinyemi said the disagreement over the market’s redevelopment has been settled.

This, he said, was made possible by the intervention of concerned eminent Igbo personalities.

He quoted the council Executive Secretary Babajide Bello as saying that the allegation that the council was interested in taking over the market was not true.

Bello said: “In the first place, the market belongs to Mushin Local Government. The traders are our tenants. We are concerned about their general well being. When the market is finally redeveloped, it is these same traders that will occupy the place.

By Joseph Jibueze

“Every genuine shop owner in that place will have their shops back without any stress. Those who wish to have new shops after redevelopment will approach the council for terms of acquiring their own shops.

“We have been on this reconstruction move for over two years. It has nothing to do with politics or ethnic colouration.

“All we are particular about is an acceptable, sane, cleaner and safer environment for buying and selling, where all will be proud and free to patronise.

“The environment of the market needs to be sanitised. We are involving all the stakeholders in order to avoid frictions. The dream of a Mega city for Lagos State must be met.”

According to Akinyemi, one of the terms of truce is that the traders needed additional three months to organise themselves so that

‘The environment of the market needs to be sanitised.

We are involving all the stakeholders in order to avoid frictions’ the developer can move into the market on October 1.

“This is the third time we are giving concession to the traders, because we are flexible and concerned about their welfare. We are in a democracy; everybody must be carried along. It was also agreed that the development will take place in two phases for the convenience of the traders.

“In fact, trading activities will not be affected significantly because the traders will remain in the market

while construction work takes place.

“It was also agreed that all the legal issues concerning the re-development of the market be withdrawn forthwith,” the council said.

The council said it was further resolved that the traders would not molest any of the workers or council official who may visit the market during the redevelopment.

The statement said those at the meeting included former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch chairman Onyekachi Ubani; Acting Chairman of the Conscience Group Emma Onyilofor; All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesman in Lagos Joe Igbokwe; Chairman Board of Trustees of the market, Mazi Chukwuka Nnamdi; Chairman, Ladipo Traders Association Kingsley Ogunor; a Council Manager Mr Rasaq Oladeji; Council Legal Officer Peju Akin Ajayi, among others.

HE Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has commenced rehabilitation and expansion of water distribution network in Surulere to provide potable water to the residents. The scheme is part of the implementation of Second National Urban Water Sector Reform Project (2NUWSRP), sponsored by the World Bank in collaboration with the state government.

When completed, the LWC Managing Director, Mr Shayo Holloway said, the project would provide clean water to more than 6,000 houses in the Surulere axis, noting that the project would span 91 kilometre distribution network.

He said the rehabilitation and expansion project, which is divided into four phases, would involve repair of water utilities and re-connection of houses in Surulere, ItireLawanson, Yaba-Ebute Metta and Victoria Island to the Lagos water service.

He said the first phase of the project is being carried out in Surulere.

The water project, he said, will last for 18 month during which the corporation’s engineers are expected to install highdensity pipes in the targeted areas.

Holloway, who noted that the current water output of the state was below the consumption, said the project, when completed, would have the capacity to boost the potable water production and reduce demand deficit.

The project coordinator, Mr Raheem Ipaye, said the project would involve rehabilitation of old pipes installed 50 years ago, noting that the corporation would carry out the expansion work with use of High Density Polyethylene Pipe (HDPE) to prevent vandalism and leakage.

Ipaye said: “LWC has raised its performance bar in terms of project implementation and execution.

We assure residents that the project will be executed with minimal disruption to human activities.”

The areas to be covered in the project include Ojuelegba-Tejuosho, Stadium-Barracks, AkereleNew Lagos, Ogunlana Drive-Obele Oniwala-Idi Araba, Kilo-Adelabu-Bab Animashaun-Orile and National Arts TheatreFunsho Williams AvenueCostain axes.

‘LWC has raised its performance bar in terms of project implementation and execution. We assure residents that the project will be executed with...’

63

THE NATION MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015

SPORT EXTRA

BATTLE OF DAR ES SALAAM

NSC partners Sportspro to host workshops

Oliseh woos Akpom, Iwobi T S

UPER Eagles’ head coach, Sunday Oliseh has had useful discussions with Arsenal duo of Chuba Akpom and Alex Iwobi in his bid to woo overseas players with Nigerian heritage to play for the senior national team, NationSport has been told.

From Tunde Liadi, Owerri A source close to the new Super Eagles’ coach revealed that Oliseh spoke with many of the current squad members of the senior national team in England and those that are yet to be capped by the team as he continues his search for a solid

senior national team.

The source told NationSport that Oliseh saw good potentials in Akpom and Iwobi and he didn’t hesitate to speak with the duo encouraging them to play for Nigeria where they have better prospects ahead of England where they could be

used and dumped.

Oliseh who is presently overseas is expected to return to Nigeria on Friday to have discussions with his technical crew where they are expected to compare notes ahead of the Gabon 2017 AFCON qualifier against Tanzania on September 5.

Amokachi, Shorunmu join Ifeanyi Ubah FC

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ORMER Super Eagles’ Assistant Coach Daniel Amokachi and erstwhile Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer Ike Shorunmu have joined the Nnewi-based Ifeanyi Ubah Football Club.

The Chairman of the Club, Ifeanyi Ubah disclosed this at the Rojenny International Stadium, Oba yesterday.

He said: “In our plans to make this team stronger and better technically, we have drafted in former Super Eagles’ coach, Daniel Amokachi to be our new Technical Adviser while former Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu has also joined us as our goalkeeper trainer, while John Obuh has been pro-

From Segun Ogunjimi, Onitsha moted as the Technical Director,” Ubah disclosed at the unveiling.

In his remark, Amokachi promised to lift the club to enviable heights in the NPFL. ”It is a great honour to be appointed as the technical adviser of a club owned by a great man who is very passionate about the game. For an individual to buy a team and spend hundreds of millions for the club as well as build huge facilities that no individual has done before in Africa, goes a long way to shows how serious he is in this business. ”I am here to team up with John Obuh who has been in

Amokachi, Shorunmu, Obuh at the unveiling PHOTO: SEGUN OGUNJIMI

charge of this team. But God decided to elevate him as the Technical Director of the team.

Ike Shorunmu who has been for several years Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer has also joined the team. We also have Shagari a

former member of the Olympics team. That shows we have a lot of energy technically, which can always help the team to grow,” Amokachi told NationSport in Oba, Nnewi yesterday.

Bet9ja unites Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal, Barca fans

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N what promises to be a unique thrilling experience for football fans, top betting company, Bet9ja has concluded plans to organize a get together for fans of top European clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Ac Milan among others.

Speaking from London the Chief Executive Officer of Bet9ja, Ayo Ojuroye said: "We are partnering with SSS7 Lounge at Victoria Lagos to bring together our customers who are fans of top clubs in Europe. These fans are expected to grace the event in their clubs jerseys to share food and drinks, discuss the prospects

of their teams in the new season and be entertained by top Nigerian musicians."

He affirmed that the fans are expected to wear their various clubs jerseys to create a festive atmosphere of a game involving their favorite clubs.

Fans would also have the opportunity to place bets on matches involving their teams.

He said the company plans to continuously reward its customers by bringing them together to discuss their passion and also win price money thorough betting.

The event slated for August 15 is expected to attract fans from Lagos and other parts of the country.

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has partnered Sportspro Nigeria to initiate a sports business capacity development programme in recognition of the potentials inherent in the development of sports as an industry in Nigeria.

The workshop is facilitated by The School of Media and Communications, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos and leading sports management company, Premium Sports Management Services Limited.

The inaugural workshop of SPORTSPRO NIGERIA 2015 with the theme “The Sports Industry in Nigeria, Communicating the potentials, Leveraging the opportunities” will have Jim Pulcrano, member of the EMBA Teaching Team and Former Executive Director at IMD Business School, Switzerland (One of the topmost business schools in the world) delivering the Key note address “Changing the Game – The outlook for sports as a business” with the sub theme “Nigeria as the Silicon Valley of the Sports Industry in Africa at the auditorium of Lagos Business School.

The workshops are aimed at engaging with a cross section of Nigerian private sector groups to communicate the potentials of the sports sector in Nigeria as a driver of the economy, and how to leverage the opportunities therein.

The NSE as its contribution towards attracting the Nigerian investing sector to participate at SPORTSPRO NIGERIA 2015 workshops has invited the syn-

dicates of the programme made up of A-list resource persons drawn from within and outside Nigeria, the SMC and other partners to the floor of the NSE on Thursday. Palcrano will address the management of the NSE as well as stockbrokers on the floor, before partaking in the ceremonial “ringing of the bell” to close the day's trading activities.

With this initiative, the NSE has joined other institutional partners expressing interest in the programme which include: The National Sports Commission (NSC), Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Bank of Industry (BOI), National Broadcasting Commission, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), The League Management Company (LMC), Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN), Tony Elumelu Foundation, International Association of Sports Journalists Africa (AIPS AFRICA), Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), amongst others.

RESULTS England - Premier League Arsenal 0 - 2 West Ham Newcastle 2 - 2 S’ampton Stoke City 0 - 1 Liverpool England - Championship Preston 0 - 0 Boro Italy - Coppa Italia Modena 3 - 0 Tuttocuoio Teramo 0 - 2 Cittadella France - Ligue 1 Bordeaux 1 - 2 Reims Toulouse 2 - 1 Saint-Etienne Netherlands - Eredivisie AZ Alkmaar 0 - 3 Ajax

TODAY IN THE NATION

MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL 10 NO 3302

‘It has become increasingly imperative to devolve more powers to the component units for them to develop at their own pace. This will quicken the pace of development and also reduce the reckless stealing that goes on at the federal level’ EMEKA OMEIHE

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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FEW weeks ago, Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, delivered a bomb, and its shrapnel ricocheted all over the media and the oil industry. It was at a lecture organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalists. No stranger to controversy, the governor suggested that the NNPC should be dissolved. It had become a cesspool of corruption, and splurges close to half of its receipts on itself.

The speech caused quite a stir at the Sheraton Hotels venue, and later all over the country. As a discussant at the event, I intervened that such a prescription was rather sweeping. The problem, I contended, was not NNPC, but us. If we scrapped the NNPC and formed another corporation, we ran the risk of reincarnating the scum.

NNPC did not materialise out of MARS. The leeches in its entrails are Nigerians. We need to purge Nigerians of our greed and impunity and set a standard for transparency before deciding on what step to take on NNPC. If NNPC dies from an official poison, we can bury it without instilling a new set of values. But it will be like a real-life pastiche of a movie like Jaws. The monster is killed, and a respite ensues. But in a cistern below, a little monster, its child, is born.

It was a feisty debate before an audience of journalists, technocrats and practitioners of oil. The governor acquitted himself well as a master of broadsides.

What struck me about his suggestion was its parallel with a step he had just taken in his home state of Kaduna. He had banned the almajiri from the streets, and he promised to construct a colony for them worthy of their dignity.

The beggars kicked, and they did not beg the governor. They lashed at him for taking what they regarded as a high-handed step against an invaluable asset to the society.

The irony was not lost on me. Within a week, he had taken a stand against two major heavyweights. The one, the NNPC, was temporal, and the other, the al majiri, spiritual.

The NNPC represented money and the flashy lifestyle, bread and butter. On the surface, the almajiri represent bread and butter. But they are rooted in the faith of Islam, and they began as apprentices of clerics sent out to proselytise the ways of Allah and peace. They have morphed over decades as mere mendicants in the eyes of many. But those who understand their history and culture see them as integral to society’s conscience of charity.

So, El-Rufai slammed the NNPC for its spiritual rottenness. In this regard, he wore the toga of a priest. On the other hand, he took on the almajiri as a materialist, wearing the toga of a man of the flesh.

In both cases, he had good reasons. In the case of NNPC, he ribbed them for corruption as a spiritual cesspit. In the case of the almajiri, he wanted to save them to save the society.

RIPPLES

I WAS ONCE A DANFO DRIVER, says Fayose

HMMM, I THOUGHT AS MUCH!

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

intouchnation@gmail.com 08054501081(sms only) Twitter: @samomatseye

•Winner, Informed Commentary (DAME)

The right to beg

‘

The point though is that beggars are everywhere in the society, and the worst are the drones who parade the vaults of power. They offer nothing but cart away billions. NNPC was their charity. Some of them go to banks, take loans, never pay, buy jets and laugh at us from above •El-Rufai

He contended that Boko Haram goons were using the boys as couriers of bombs and death without knowing it. So, if they were out of the reach of the goons, the society will have its berth of peace.

The almajiri protested and they are appealing to a right often ignored by constitution mongers: the right to beg. Again, the story of the almajiri calls to mind the African classic novel, The beggars strike, by Senegalese writer, Aminata Sow Fall. It is the tradition of the power of the open bowl. In her novel, an official bans beggars and consigns them to a colony, just as El-Rufai proposed. Just as in the Kaduna case, the beggars protest. In fact, the city dwellers miss them, and line up in a long queue to give charity to the beggars. I am sure many in Kaduna, who had done good to the al majiri, are happy to have them back. Also in the novel, a holy cleric warns the government official that if he does not have them back on the streets, he will not rise to the post of vice president.

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HEY are fortune-hunters par excellence. When other major firms saw a sprawling dark jungle with a horde of ill-clad, ill-mannered ‘natives’, they saw over a hundred million boisterous people who could yak from morning till nightfall. They were willing to brave all odds to dive in.

And were there odds? There were odds that could be spelt in capital letters and backwards. There were odds standing up, sitting down and even living in trees and there were numerous trees. There were odds dressed in smart suits and occupying oversized offices… let’s just call it Oddland, a place where there was no method to madness.

That these people could see through that incubus of odds about 15 years ago when they set out to invest in Nigeria is a feat only Houdini could have wrought. And on the other hand, that other telecoms giants could not feel the din of noisy chattering as they landed the land must be a business wonder of this age.

Well, these modern troubadours landed Nigeria in 2001 and found that they were actually in a virgin land or land of virgins if you will. And they went on a ravishing

’

That is the dilemma of begging. It became a case of the beggar becoming the nemesis of their tormentors who must beg them to keep his career.

That, essentially, is the threat from the Kaduna beggars association. Their leader, Abdullahi Jugunu, an ebullient and visuallyimpaired figure, has become an instant celebrity as an exponent of beggary. He said almajiri lined up behind him and used their resources to fight for El-Rufai’s electoral victory, and that the diminutive governor had promised to appoint a special assistant on disability.

He argued that they did good to society.

That was the premise in Fall’s novel. They said many gave zakat, and it was essential as an article of faith. German writer Karl Kraus once wrote that “there are people who can never forgive a beggar for their not having given him anything.”

Begging is necessary, according to the thesis, because charity will vanish without them. The givers need the blessing of charity.

It is a spiritual need. Even the Bible says those that give to the poor lend to God. The almajiri, I think, created a problem for ElRufai, whose profile in politics rose with some of his actions as he ascended the throne.

He has appointed a blind man, Mallam Aliyua Salisu, as special assistant on disability, and without a wink or nod he has allowed the almajiri back on the streets.

That is where governance collides with culture. How does the governor handle the use of the almajiri as couriers without touching the sensitive button of faith and the poor as a class? Just as the beggars in Fall’s novel threatened to puncture their tormentor’s career, Jugunu railed that they would support his impeachment. It was life imitating art.

It also shows how an organised lower class is more dangerous than upper class resentment. The NNPC dissolution may not have been easy if, perhaps, a Buhari dissolves it. But to flush out such a group as the almajiri takes a lot of guts. It is like standing in front of a wave. El-Rufai, never naïve in matters of politics, knows when politics flashes danger signals. Now he has to hope and pray that Boko Haram does not hit a market, a school, a prayer ground, etc.

It is ironically a smaller headache than having the army of beggars erupt.

Shakespeare knew that beggars are never meek. In the play King John, a character roars: “whiles I am a beggar I will rail.”

In fact, beggars are dangerous because they organise themselves in bodies, and they have nothing to lose. Their leaders are usually fierce. Jugunu may not have the devilry of the beggars’ leader in John Jay’s play The Beggar’s Opera and its adaption by Bertolt Brecht in Three Penny opera. Both plays take jibes at the hypocrisies of capitalism, which I noted when former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, cynically turned the almajiri into a class of official charity.

The point though is that beggars are everywhere in the society, and the worst are the drones who parade the vaults of power.

They offer nothing but cart away billions.

NNPC was their charity. Some of them go to banks, take loans, never pay, buy jets and laugh at us from above. Those are the beggars we need to flush out first. They help sustain the almajiri system by not allowing us focus on how to mate merit to industry. Soyinka’s play, Opera Wonyosi, also adapted from Jay’s Opera, mocks both executive and plebian beggary in Nigeria.

Perhaps El-Rufai the priest will now focus on NNPC. But he must first deliver the sinners and not point the way to hell, a la dissolve NNPC. He is one of four governors assigned to look at the maggoty edifice. We are waiting for a sustainable solution. Meanwhile, the almajiri exercise their right to beg.

is not the opinion of HARDBALL •Hardball the columnist featured above Y’ello! See who’s got a fever spree. It’s like a dexterous tailor who happens upon a colony of the naked. He starts by making loincloths for the price of babanriga. And by the time he gets round to donning them with that three-piece royal combo, they are already grovelling at the wily tailor’s feet, picking up anything he passes down and paying handsomely too.

This is the story of MTN, the South African telecoms minnow that grew to be a giant upon landing the shores of the Giant of Africa (GOA). This true story as retold here

by Hardball is perhaps the most current and most eloquent testimony why Nigeria is indeed the GOA. There are other great testimonials, such as Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chevron, Exxonmobile, Agip, Julius Berger, G.Cappa, to name a few. Nigeria is a land where everyone eats fufu (cake) straight from the mortar, to paraphrase my mother chiding her children for wastefulness even in an environment of plenty.

Some of these companies, barely known in their homeland, discovered their essence on the stumps of Nigeria’s dissonant essence

(take a sip of water please!). But why is Hardball retelling an age-old melancholy tale; shedding tears over a long lost paradise?

Well, it’s triggered by a brief news report last week that mobile phone frontrunner, MTN, envisages a weak outlook in this year’s returns. This is probably the first time in 15 years that the yellow giant would catch fever from snarling underlings in the sector.

Hardball is not surprised at all. A pioneer subscriber, I have not recharged my MTN line in two weeks; the first time in 15 years.

It is not only that MTN relishes in pissing subscribers off these days, they seem to nick credit these days. You will never find out though if you are a big-loader!

But the impression has become rife that MTN is as miserly as a village teacher.

Subscribers are not even allowed to sniff MTN’s fart even if it breaks by out chance.

Smaller competitors have just proved that MB can come at half MTN’s price and that a customer’s recharge can be doubled and business would not fail! Well, grasp all, lose all they say.

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Editor Daily:08111813080, Marketing: 01-8155547 . Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Tel: 07028105302. Port Harcourt Office: 12/14, Njemanze Street, Mile 1, Diobu, PH. 08023595790 WEBSITE: www.thenationonlineng.net E-mail: info@thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 Editor: GBENGA OMOTOSO