August 5, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

•Senate clears Buratai, others as Service Chiefs ` P4 •Ambode goes tough on traffic jam robbers, hawkers P7 •Firm battles to retain N9.2b cooking stove contract P5 •Sagay, Solanke scold judge seeking Aregbesola’s sack P4 •Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3297 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

Police take over PDP office NEWS Page 56

•www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

•The spilled content...yesterday

•The trailer...yesterday.

PHOTOS: ABIODUN WILLIAMS & ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

•People scooping diesel...yesterday

Six-hour traffic jam as tanker smashes three cars in Lagos

•SEE PAGE 61

•INSIDE: DOLLAR REJECTION: IMPORTERS DIVERT FUNDS TO NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES P25

Recover stolen oil money, Buhari tells NNPC boss President gives new helmsman Kachikwu six tasks

Boko Haram ‘seeks talks with govt’

From Yusuf Alli and John Ofikhenua, Abuja

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

A

NEW helmsman took the reins yesterday at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the Executive Vice Chairman/General Counsel of ExxonMobil (Africa), as Group Managing Director (GMD), asking him to give recovery of stolen oil money a priority, among other targets.

Buhari may also appoint Kachikwu, who beat three other candidates in the race for the job, as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to ensure synergy, a source said last night.

Those also consid-

•Dr. Kachikwu

Continued on page 4

S

OME Boko Haram elements are seeking dialogue with the Federal Government, the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), an independent Non-Governmental Organisation, said yesterday.

The development— should it be genuine— will bring a ray of hope that the seeming intractable insurgency in the Continued on page 4

•Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu cutting the tape to inaugurate Dangote Cement plant in Zambia...yesterday.

With him are: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (middle) and President/CE, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Aliko Dangote

?

WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS EVER RETURN?

•LIFE P13 •POLITICS P18 •SPORTS P23 •MONEY P26 •INVESTORS P28 •FOREIGN P59

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

2

NEWS

How NNPC sh The Natural Resource Governance Institute, an independent, non-profit organisation, which specialises in helping people benefit from their countries’ oil, gas and mineral wealth through applied research, in a report released yesterday, details the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC’s) dismal legacy of lost revenues, inefficiency and corruption. From its estimates over $30b, which if converted at 200 to a dollar comes to over N6tr, was lost through the NNPC under the immediate past administration •President Muhammadu Buhari (second right) recieving the Registrar, Council of Nigeria Mining Engineers and Geoscientists, Bello Bugaje while others watched during an audience with Ministry of Solid Minerals Development at the State House, Abuja...yesterday.

PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN.

•From left: Senior Manager, Business Development, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Henry Okoede; General Manager National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Mr. Sadiq Adams; former Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan; National President, Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Umar Sanda and acting General Manager, Informal Sector Department, NHIS, Dr. Eke Jonathan at the MTN Y'ello Health Stakeholders Meeting in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

•From left: Category Business Manager, Nestle Infant Nutrition, Dr Rizaran Yousouf; Head of Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Chris Isokpunwal; Executive Manager, Stakeholders' Relations, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mrs Marie Owoniyi and Past President, Dietition Association of Nigeria, Dr Chika Ndukwelu, at the Nestle symposium on maternal and child Nutrition in Lagos...yesterday.

•From left: Past President, Eagle Toastmasters Club, Jude Anyigbo, President, Eagle Toastmasters Club, Oyin Egbeyemi, Charter President, Eagle Toastmasters Club, Ambassador Vincent Okobi, President, Seaside Toastmasters Club, Blessing Momoh andDivision Director, Toastmasters Division F, District 94, Patrick Oluyide during the Eagle and Seaside Toastmasters Club to celebrate their Presidents and 10-year presence of toastmasters in Nigeria.

N

IGERIA’S national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), sells around one million barrels of oil a day, or almost half of the country’s total production. NNPC oil was worth an estimated $41 billion in 2013, and constitutes the government’s largest revenue stream. Early in 2014, Nigeria’s central bank governor Lamido Sanusi raised an alarm that $20 billion in NNPC oil sale revenues had gone missing.

Our report picks up this story, and offers the first in-depth, independent analysis of how NNPC sells its oil. It identifies the most pressing problems—including several largely ignored by the prior government’s response to Mr. Sanusi’s allegations— and offers recommendations for their reform.

NNPC’s approach to oil sales suffers from high corruption risks and fails to maximise returns for the nation. These shortcomings also characterize NNPC as a whole. Over 38 years, the corporation has neither developed its own commercial or operational capacities, nor facilitated the growth of the sector through external investment.

Instead, it has spun a legacy of inefficiency and mismanagement. Its faults have been described by a number of scathing reports, many commissioned by government itself.

Despite NNPC’s debilitating consumption of public revenues and performance failures, successive governments have done little to reform the company.

We find that management of NNPC’s oil sales has worsened in recent years—and particularly since 2010. The largest problems stem from the rising number of ad hoc, makeshift practices the corporation has introduced to work around its deeper structural problems. For instance, NNPC entered into poorly designed oil-forproduct swap deals when it could no longer meet the country’s fuel needs.

Similarly, it began unilaterally spending billions of dollars in crude oil revenues each year, rather than transferring them to the treasury, because NNPC’s actual budget process fails to cover operating expenses. Some of these makeshift practices began with credible goals. But over time, their operation became overly discretionary and complex, as political and patronage agendas surpassed the importance of maximizing returns.

These poor practices come with high costs. Average prices for the country’s light sweet crude topped $110 per barrel during the boom of 2011 to 2014.

Yet during that same period, as shown below, treasury receipts from oil sales fell significantly. While volumes lost to oil theft explain some of the decline, NNPC’s massive revenue withholdings and an increase in suboptimal sales arrangements are also to blame.

Mismanagement of NNPC oil sales also raises commercial, reputational and legal risk for actors worldwide: the sales involve some of the world’s largest commodity trading houses, are financed by top banks, and result in the delivery of crude to countries across the globe.

President Muhammadu Buhari took office in May 2015, following his

election victory over an incumbent government with a very poor record on oil sector governance. Expectations are high that the Buhari government will tackle the problem of NNPC performance. The president and other high-level figures in his APC party have made statements to that effect.

We recommend that the government make the most of this window of opportunity by pursuing two tracks of reform. The first involves urgent reforms to NNPC’s management of oil sales (to “stop the bleeding”), targeting the five issues outlined below. At the same time, however, the government should also pursue a course of deeper structural reforms to NNPC (to “cure the patient”). If it does not, a new round of costly, ad hoc coping mechanisms will emerge.

A few cross-cutting points underlie our recommendations: •NNPC oil sales are Nigeria’s largest revenue stream and face severe problems. Fixing them should come first in the reform queue, before revisiting upstream contracts with international oil companies.

•Repairing oil sale governance does not require omnibus legislation like the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Rather, a bold and targeted agenda with a one-to- two-year timeline better suits Nigeria’s political timetables.

•When overhauling oil sales, the government should prioritise simplicity throughout. Current governance problems thrive on byzantine arrangements which only a handful of people understand.

• The bad practices that undermine NNPC oil sale performance all have political interference at their root. Only sustained leadership from the very top will shift incentives towards performance and away from patronage.

The domestic crude allocation (DCA) has become the main nexus of waste and revenue loss from NNPC oil sales.

The government allocates around 445,000 barrels per day to NNPC in socalled “domestic crude.” NNPC sells this oil to the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), one of its subsidiaries. PPMC is supposed to send the oil to Nigeria’s four stateowned refineries, sell the resulting petroleum products, and pay NNPC for the crude it received, and then NNPC is supposed to pay the government. In practice, the refineries only process around 100,000 barrels per day. NNPC ultimately re-routes most DCA oil into export sales or oil-for-product swaps, and payments enter separate NNPC accounts, which NNPC officials then draw upon freely.

The DCA facilitates some of NNPC’s worst habits, and no longer serves its intended purpose. NNPC’s discretionary spending from domestic crude returns has reached runaway, unsustainable levels, averaging $6 billion a year between 2010 and 2013.

Especially now that Nigeria faces major budgetary and savings shortfalls, unchecked off-budget spending on this scale threatens the nation’s economic health. In 2004, NNPC retained around $1.6 billion, or 27 percent of the DCA’s full assessed value. By 2012, the amount had jumped to $7.9 billion—or 42 percent of the value of the domestic oil for that year.

The DCA revenues spent by NNPC

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

3

NEWS

C should be reformed, by institute

‘

hold RPEAs deliver specified products that equal the value of the crude they receive, minus agreed fees and expenses.

Nigeria will likely continue using oil-for-product swap agreements until its debts to fuel importers are brought under control or it solves its refining woes. During this period, NNPC should improve the structure and execution of the swaps.

Specifically, NNPC should close out the OPAs with Sahara and Aiteo as soon as possible, and should not sign any more OPAs. RPEAs should be used for future swap deals. However, to obtain fair returns for Nigerian citizens, NNPC should award the RPEAs through competitive tenders to capable companies; and ensure that the RPEAs contain certain updated terms—particularly on fuel pricing— and that they contain stronger reporting and oversight requirements.

Annex B details these recommendations.

Critically, traders holding NNPC-PPMC swap contracts deliver fuel into the existing supply chain for Nigerian fuel imports.

As the 2012 fuel subsidy scandal revealed, the complexity of the supply chain serves a number of entrenched, lucrative rackets around shipping, distribution and sales of fuel. These include smuggling, selling locally refined products back to NNPC at import prices, over-charging for deliveries, and outright theft.

The 2012 fuel subsidy investigations focused mainly on the mismanagement of standard import contracts, but we find that swap imports carry many similar risks.

Unless the worst rackets around fuel imports are eradicated, the swaps will hemorrhage considerable amounts of fuel and money no matter how they are structured.

The marketplace for NNPC crude is uncommonly crowded with intermediaries. By our count, Nigeria is the world’s only major oil producer (i.e., with average outputs of well over 1 million barrels per day) that sells almost all of its crude to middlemen, rather than end-users (with the exception of highly unstable countries like Libya). Over 90 percent of the barrels NNPC allocated in 2014 went to trading companies rather than end-users.

The names on NNPC’s lists of approved buyers, numbering 43 in 2014, include a small group of large, experienced Nigerian and foreign commodity traders and many low-profile, inexperienced “briefcase companies.” This latter group poses especially high governance risks. For instance, some reportedly help buyers of the oil to avoid taxes and channel payments to politically exposed persons (PEPs). Involving middlemen who serve no commercial function creates a marketplace with greater commercial, reputational and legal risks for its legitimate participants, which include some of the world’s leading trading houses, banks and refiners.

Past NNPC oil sales to the governments of Zambia and South Africa are good examples: in both, NNPC sold to intermediaries that lacked basic capacities,

NNPC should stop selling oil to companies, whether Nigerian or foreign, that never sell their allocations to refiners; that routinely sell to big trading companies that are already NNPC term customers; or that have ties to PEPs

deliver poor value for money. A large portion of NNPC’s withholdings is spent on fuel subsidy payments, which are vulnerable to misappropriation and excessive spending. KPMG for example found that in three years, NNPC paid itself roughly $6.5 billion to fund the subsidy on 15.6 billion liters of products that “apparently were not available to the Nigerian market.”

NNPC has also spent hundreds of millions of dollars in DCA revenues on pipeline protection, but levels of theft from some crude oil pipelines have risen—in some cases by over 500 percent in a year.

Since 2011, NNPC has spent as much as $7.52 per barrel to transport oil to the refineries by ship under an opaque, multi-vessel arrangement (as compared with $0.03 per barrel in pipeline fees), yet refinery outputs during the period did not improve.

Moreover, NNPC administers the DCA with few rules and weak oversight, causing chronic confusion. Debates abound on whether NNPC can legally retain DCA revenues, as seen in the controversy about whether it had permission to withhold several billion dollars annually for a kerosene subsidy that a prior government had slated for elimination.

There is no contract between NNPC and PPMC for DCA sales, despite their huge value.

In terms of reporting, NNPC’s explanations about where the money goes are incomplete and contradictory: past audits showed the corporation claiming hundreds of millions of dollars in duplicated or undocumented expenses—$2.07 billion in nineteen months, PwC found.

We saw no evidence that NNPC in-

cludes the amounts actually paid by buyers of domestic crude in its reports to other government agencies.

Controversies and competing claims, such those kicked off by Sanusi’s accusations that the treasury was “missing $20 billion,” thrive in such a context.

Most countries adopt an explicit set of financing rules for their national oil companies. Nigeria, by contrast, allows NNPC to cobble together funds from different sources, usually outside of formal budget processes. Along with retaining billions each year in DCA oil sale revenues, NNPC withdraws funding intended for joint venture cash calls to cover unrelated expenses—off-budget spending that totaled $4.2 billion from 2009 to 2012.

Some of NNPC’s subsidiaries also retain their revenues, or transfer them to NNPC’s central accounts. NNPC has also sourced third-party financing to cover further expenses at unknown costs to the nation. This makeshift system at once impoverishes NNPC and gives it far too much discretion to retain ever-growing sums. In the area of oil sales, the retention of revenues by two sets of NNPC subsidiaries raises particular concern. The first are NNPC’s five oil trading subsidiaries, headquartered mostly offshore. Originally set up to market crude and products for NNPC, after decades they function like passive middlemen, flipping the crude allocated by the corporation to experienced trading houses like Vitol or Glencore. NNPC routed 144,010 barrels per day through two offshore subsidiaries, Duke and Calson, in 2012 – oil worth $5.9 billion. Neither NNPC nor the subsidiaries themselves dis-

close how much they earn or how they distribute their earnings.

The other subsidiary which warrants scrutiny is the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), NNPC’s main upstream division.

Available records suggest that when the corporation sells oil from blocks owned by NPDC—which produced a reported 80,243 barrels per day in 2013—it does not forward the resulting proceeds to the treasury. The revenues it holds on to are substantial: in its review of the Sanusi accusations, PwC sorted through three sets of conflicting figures, and estimated total earnings from NPDC oil sales at $6.82 billion over a 19-month period in 2012 and 2013.

NPDC does not need such large withholdings: the majority of its blocks are developed under contracts—including one service contract and several Strategic Alliance Agreements— that require private partners to cover its share of operating costs.

NNPC has not explained how the funds it retains are spent. A case in point is offshore OML 119, a NPDC block governed by a service contract.

NNPC sold around 33,000 barrels per day of OML 119’s Okono grade crude in 2014.

Our research found no evidence that NNPC forwarded to the treasury any revenues from sales of Okono crude between 2005 and 2014, volumes which totaled over 100 million barrels with an estimated value of $12.3 billion. In other words, the corporation has provided no public accounting of how it used a decade’s worth of revenues from an entire stream of the country’s oil production.

The government should develop a

‘

new, legally mandated mechanism for funding NNPC operations. A successful financing model would be established in law and resolve the conflict between the country’s constitution and the NNPC Act concerning revenue withholdings; create a binding budgetary process for NNPC with adequate checks and balances; and place strict limits on extra-budgetary spending. Clear rules on revenue retention by subsidiaries are also needed.

Currently, NNPC routes around 210,000 barrels per day, or one-tenth of the country’s entire production, through deals with unacceptably high governance risks. Seven swap deals have been signed since 2010.

Currently, NNPC operates two 90,000-barrel-per-day OPAs. We find that this type of deal is less suitable for Nigeria than its alternative, the RPEA. An OPA’s higher complexity makes it more opaque—and more open to abuse. Whether Nigeria receives good value depends on many technical factors that are difficult to negotiate and monitor. OPAs supply a wide slate of products when NNPC only requires two, gasoline and kerosene. Also, the structure of the OPAs, which envisions the oil being refined by a particular refinery, does not align with their actual operations. Moreover, our analysis of two OPA contracts, the 2010 deal with SIR/Sahara and the 2015 deal with Aiteo, reveals a number of underspecified, unbalanced provisions. We estimate Nigeria may have lost up to $381 million in a single year of operations (or $16.09 per barrel), if just three of the inappropriate provisions were fully exploited. RPEAs better suit Nigeria’s needs: traders that

•Continued on page 11

4

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

NEWS Senate clears Buratai, others as Service chiefs

Solanke, Sagay scold judge seeking Aregbesola’s removal

F

OR championing the initiation an impeachment process against Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Mrs. Folake Solanke and Prof Itse Sagay have come hard on Justice Folakemi Oloyede of the state’s judiciary.

They said Justice Oloyede displayed gross ignorance on the process and removal of a sitting governor.

In a joint statement titled: “The petition presented by

From Gbade Ogunwale and Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja

T

HE Senate yesterday confirmed the four Service chiefs. They are: Maj-Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (Chief of Defence Staff), Maj-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Chief of Army Staff), Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Chief of Naval Staff) and Air Vice Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar (Chief of Air Staff).

The military chiefs were screened in a closed session with the lawmakers for over four hours. They were appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 13.

Senate President Bukola Saraki said the officers answered questions on varied issues, after which they were cleared for confirmation.

“Having successfully completed the screening and confirmation of the nominees, it is clear that their appointments were based on merit,” Saraki said.

Continued on page 58

The man Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu

•President Muhammadu Buhari welcoming President-elect of Africa Development Bank and former Minister of Agriculture, Dr Adewunmi Adesina to his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja...yesterday

Continued on page 58

Recover stolen oil money, Buhari tells NNPC boss Continued from page 1

ered and discreetly screened for the job, source told The Nation learnt, are former Petroleum Products Prices Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Executive Secretary Stanley Reginald; Shell Petroleum Development Company Managing Director Mr. Osagie Okunbor and a NNPC Deputy General Manager, whose name was not disclosed.

At the final negotiation with Kachikwu, the President gave him six terms of reference to reshape the corporation. They are to: •clean up the NNPC system of corrupt elements; •recover all stolen crude oil funds; •work with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Directorate of State Service (DSS) to trace and recover stolen oil cash; •review the structure of the NNPC to compete globally; •giving targets to all subsidiaries and put in place performance benchmarks; and •fixe all refineries, which must work at optimal level,

Justice Folahanmi Oloyede to the Osun State House of Assembly for the impeachment of Governor Rauf Aregbesola”, the two legal giants described as embarrassing for the judge to have plunged into the murky waters of partisan politics.

The statement reads: “We note with deep consternation and concern for the dignity and sanctity of the Judiciary, the petition recently sent by

T

dy claims to the tune of N28.5 billion and has not been able to account for the money.

In 2008, Willbros Group Inc of United States (U.S.) admitted making ‘suspicious’ payments of over $6.3 million to officials of the corporation and its subsidiary - the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) for assistance in obtaining and retaining contracts at the Eastern Gas Gathering System (EGGS).

In 2004, ABB Vetco Gray, a U.S. company and its UK subsidiary - ABB Vetco Gray UK Limited - admitted paying over $1 million in bribes to NAPIMS’ officials, in exchange for obtaining confidential bid information and favourable recommendations from government agencies.

After the publication of a report In November 2013 by Swiss, a non-governmental advocacy organisation - Erklärung von Bern - allegations of fraud surfaced, plac-

“The President opted for Kachikwu who is the Vice President of Exxon Mobil, not only in Nigeria but in Africa.

Buhari was impressed by his impeccable credentials as the most senior black African in any multi-national oil firm in the world with 30 years expe-

Continued on page 58

rience.

“Apart from being a First Class graduate, Kachikwu also obtained PhD in Law which enabled him to rise to company secretary in Exxon Mobil.”

But it was not easy for the President to convince KachikContinued on page 58

tion, specialising in Petroleum and Investment Law Strategie after completing his doctoral thesis in a record time.

With a H.Dip.T.L from Georgetown, the United States of America (USA), the new NNPC chief executive is a Fellow, Society for Corporate Governance (FSCG); Chartered Institute of Arbitration (FCIArb); Chartered Institute for Petroleum Policy (FCIPP) and a Visiting professorship in various universities in the Continued on page 58

Buhari sacks Dawha as GMD NNPC

Inside the NNPC

HE NNPC is the national oil company, through which the Federal Government regulates and participates in the country’s petroleum industry.

An Act to dissolve the former Nigerian National Oil Corporation and to establish the NNPC was created in 1977. The NNPC was established on April 1, 1977, as a merger of the Nigerian National Oil Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.

By law, the NNPC manages the joint venture between the Federal Government and some foreign multinational corporations including Shell, Agip, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Total.

Through collaboration with these companies, the Federal Government conducts petroleum exploration and production.

For lack of supervision, the NNPC degenerated to a rent-collector for the government with less attention to transparency and accountability.

Between 2007 and 2009, auditors found that the corporation over-deducted funds in subsi“even if it means using expatriates in the interim”.

A source said: “The new GMD of NNPC was picked after a thorough search by the President. Actually, at the end of the search, the choice was narrowed down to four candidates.

MMANUEL Ibe Kachikwu, a doctor of Law, graduated with distinctions from the University of Nigeria Nsukka and the best graduating student from the Law School, winning seven of the available nine prizes in 1999.

He holds the LLM Harvard Distinction and was best graduate in 1980 with specialisation in Energy, Petroleum Law and Investment.

Kachikwu set a record with a Ph.D/SJD Harvard Distinc-

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

•Dawha

P

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has named Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum

Corporation (NNPC).

Kachikwu, who was until his appointment, the Executive Vice Chairman/General Counsel of ExxonMobil (Africa) replaces Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha as the NNPC chief.

According to a statement by Mr. Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Kachikwu hails from OnichaUgbo in Delta State.

The statement reads: “He is a First Class Graduate of Law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Nigerian Law School.

Continued on page 58

PAST GMDs OF NNPC •Chief Festus Marinho •Mr. Odoliyi Lolomari •Mr. Lawrence Amu •Mr. Thomas John •Mr. Aret Adams •Mr. Edmund Dakoru •Mr. Chamberlain Oyibo •Mr. Dalhatu Bayero

•Dr. Gaius Jackson Obaseki •Engr. Funso Kupolokun •Engr. Abubakar Lawal Yar’Adua •Dr. Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo •Mallam Shehu Ladan •Engr. Austin Oniwon •Engr. Andrew Yakubu •Dr. Joseph T. Dawha

Boko Haram reaching out for talks with Fed Govt, says Centre Continued from page 1

Northeast will stop.

Breaking the news, the CCC confirmed that some insurgents approached it to facilitate a channel of dialogue between them and the Federal Government.

The Centre’s Executive Secretary, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd), made the disclosure at a news conference in Abuja.

Commodore Anas, who was the immediate spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force, also spoke on other national issues including: terrorism, cattle rustling, National Assembly crisis, pipeline vandalism, kidnapping, armed robbery and Radio Biafra among others He said: “The Boko Haram challenges have continued to become an intractable cri-

sis situation to our nation.

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima said that more than three million innocent Nigerians from Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and parts of Nigeria live in deep agony having lost their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relations and neighbours after brutally being attacked by members of Boko Haram.

“Indeed, many of our citizens are now orphans, widows and forced to become refugees within and outside our country.

“Over the years, government has been pursuing the terrorists with the aim of ending insurgency.

“Although, some level of successes has been recorded in degrading the volatility of the terrorists, they are far from being defeated.

“Some prominent Nigerians have in recent times canvassed the idea of dialogue

with the Boko Haram.

“The option of dialogue, according to them, at the moment provides a leeway of not only safely rescuing the abducted Chibok schoolgirls alive, but also possibly bringing to an end the orgy of violence unleashed on innocent citizens by the group.

“Considering the unspeakable atrocities which the group has visited on Nigeria and Nigerians, this option is no doubt a hard sell. However, the recent statement by President Muhammadu Buhari on government’s readiness to negotiate with credible members of the sect has rekindled the hope for dialogue.

“The centre views this gesture as good. It has opened a window of opportunity for dialogue for those insurgents that are willing and ready to lay down their arms.

“This position is predicated on calls made to this centre by some members of the Boko Haram requesting for genuine and comprehensive dialogue that could lead to hundreds of them coming out to renounce their membership.

“The centre, however, suggests that such dialogue should be done with every sense of caution and responsibility, bearing in mind the previous disappointments that attended attempts at negotiations.

“Nevertheless, the centre will continue to support and encourage all efforts towards bringing insurgency to an end in our country.”

The retired Air Force chief warned against the resurrection of militancy in Niger Delta by the outlawed Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).

He said if there were gen-

uine grievances with the Amnesty Programme, legitimate avenues and appropriate channels should be exploited.

His words: “The centre is equally agitated by the recent moves to resurrect the once rested Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).

“It was purported to have planned a meeting of its old brigade members on 25, July 2015 in Yenagoa. The arrow head of the meeting is no other person than Mr. Tompolo along with some Ijaw youth.

“Although, Mr. Tompolo denied attempting to resurrect the rested militant group, the last may not have been heard on the issue. NiContinued on page 58

ADVERT HOTLINES

08023006969, 08052592524

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

5

NEWS

Court refuses AMCON’s bid to halt trial in Bi-Courtney’s suit

T

HE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday refused to stay proceedings in a suit by Bi-Courtney Group against the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Bi-Courtney is challenging some of the defendant’s powers as prescribed in the AMCON Act. The instant suit arose from an alleged N50billion debt, which AMCON claims BiCourtney, the concessionaire of the Murtala Muhammad Airport, Terminal 2 Lagos, owes it.

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division had dismissed AMCON’s appeal of a ruling

by Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court on the alleged debt.

By Joseph Jibueze

The judge had nullified an order appointing a former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) as the receiver/manager over the assets of Bi-Courtney, its Chairman Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN), Chartered Investment Limited, Resort International Limited and Roygate Properties Limited.

Justice Buba had held that the order by his colleague, Justice Okon Abang, was made in error and should not have been given when there were pending cases and subsisting orders on the same case.

According to him, the true facts were not disclosed to

Justice Abang. “This court has no doubt it has been misled,” the judge said.

The appellate court, presided over by Justice Sidi Bage, upheld Justice Buba’s ruling. It added that the circumstances under which AMCON obtained the exparte order against BiCourtney Group amounted to an abuse of court process.

The court resolved the issues formulated by the parties against AMCON and dismissed the appeal.

Bi-Courtney, through its lawyer Oluseun Awonuga, filed a fresh suit against AMCON’s challenge of its powers and sought exemplary damages over the corporation’s actions concerning the debt.

“We are contending that the actions they took against us were in bad faith,” Awonuga said yesterday while opposing the application for stay of proceedings.

Besides, the lawyer said AMCON’s powers are “draconian” and that other debtors are in trouble if the corporation can obtain ex-parte orders to seize debtors’ property.

“These rules are so draconian,” he said, adding that AMCON also requires debtors to pay certain fees daily until they liquidate their debts.

AMCON’s lawyer James Ogungbamila sought to stay proceedings in the hearing pending the determination of

its appeal to the Supreme Court.

However, Awonuga opposed it, and urged the court to refuse it. He said AMCON was deliberately trying to stall proceedings.

Ruling, Justice Mohammed Idris refused to stay proceedings because the appeal did not emanate from the case before him.

“The application pending at the Supreme Court is not in relation to proceedings pending in this case. Sincerely, I see no reason why the application should be granted,” the judge held.

Besides, he said there is no appeal “properly” filed before the Supreme Court yet.

“There is nothing in the affidavit that supports the grant of this application. I see no reason why it should be granted. It fails and is hereby struck out,” Justice Idris added.

He adjourned further hearing till tomorrow.

Ekweremadu seeks greater Nigeria/Korea economic ties

D

EPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday sought for greater diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and the Republic of Korea.

A statement by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Deputy Senate President, Uche Anichukwu said

From: Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

Ekweremadu spoke when he received the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nigeria, Noh Kyu-duk, in his office in Abuja.

Ekweremadu noted that Nigeria and the Republic of Korea share some political history development ideas.

He commended the Republic of Korea for its support towards the socio-economic development of Nigeria, especially in education, Information and Communications Technology, agriculture, and manpower development through the Korea International Development Agency, KOICA.

He however called for more South Korean investment in Nigeria, noting that efforts had been made by Nigeria to boost infrastructure and make the nation’s business environment more conducive.

He assured that Nigeria would address a few lingering concerns of the South

•Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment, Nana Fatima Mede, Director Pollution, Alhaji Kasimu Bayero, Executive Director, Forestry and DDA, Alhaji Bukar Hassan briefing reporters after their meeting with the President at the State House, Abuja ... yesterday PHOTO: AKIN OLADOKUN

Korean business interests in Nigeria such as double taxation and issues in the oil and gas sector.

Ekweremadu noted that parliamentary diplomacy between their national parliaments had enhanced bilateral relations and would be sustained for their mutual benefits.

“No doubt, the Nigeria/ Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group remains one of our major strides in bilateral cooperation, and I assure you that we will continue to strengthen this union for the good of our nations”, he added.

Earlier, the Ambassador, Noh Kyu-duk, reiterated the need for greater economic and parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Kyu-duk, who was accompanied by the Counselor and Deputy Head of Mission, Taeho Uhm, pledged the continued support of the people and government of South Korea towards Nigeria’s development.

While congratulating the new leadership of the Nigerian National Assembly, he hoped that the parliamentary relations between their countries would receive a boost under the new leadership.

Firm battles to retain N9.2b cooking stove contracts

M

ESSRS Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited is battling to retain the N9.2 billion clean cook stove contract and wonder bags.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Fatima Mede, said the contractor, who was hired by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, to supply the facilities had sued the Federal Government.

She spoke with State House correspondents after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on her ministry’s activities at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Mrs. Mede said the contractor went to court to forestall the termination of the multimillion contract by the Buhari-led government.

The Jonathan-led Federal Executive Council (FEC) on November 26, 2014 approved N9.2 billion (Value Added

•Contractor sues Fed Govt to stop termination From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

Tax inclusive) to purchase 750,000 units of clean cook stove and 18,000 wonder bags.

It was awarded to Messrs Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited, which has been entertaining fear that the Buhari administration might terminate the contract.

The permanent secretary, who confirmed the legal action, said her ministry had notified the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on the development, assuring that the government would argue its position in court.

When asked if there were plans to terminate the contract, Mrs. Mede said it was subjudiceto comment on a matter pending before the court.

Her words: “The matter is

in court right now, so there is a limit to how I can talk about the issue of cooking stove. The contractor took government to court asking the court to grant an injunction for government not to terminate the contract.

“We will go there and argue our case. The government will go and we have briefed the AttorneyGeneral’s Office. We will present our case on the issue that led to the contractor taking us to court, it will be explained and the court will decide.”

Explaining her mission at the Presidential Villa, Mrs. Mede said the President raised concerns about environmental degradation across the country at the meeting.

According to her, the President was aware a properly managed environment was

crucial to the nation’s sustainability, describing as alarming the desertification and deforestation rate in the country.

The permanent secretary, who said over 43 per cent of Nigerians were affected by the effect of desertification, pointed to the unending clashes between the itinerant herdsmen and farmers because of forced migration.

Mrs. Mede said the President directed her ministry to consider the promotion of cooking gas, especially in the cities as a way to scale down the rate at which wood was being fetched as fuel for cooking.

She said: “For instance, if everybody in Abuja is using LPG to cook, the rate at which people cut down wood to sell will be reduced.

“The President is also concerned about the fact that Lake Chad is receding from

the 33,000 square kilometres about two decades ago to just 300 square kilometres which has affected the farmers, fishermen and the livelihood of the people around that area.

“So, he has directed that we should go and look at the report submitted in 1920 on how to prevent Lake Chad from drying up, so that the communities around, even border communities, including the countries benefiting from activities of fishermen and livelihood, based on Lake Chad are not affected.

“So, he has directed that we should bring up that report immediately and see how we can promote the use of LPG to reduce the rate at which trees are being cut down.

“He was also concerned about the level of environmental management, solid waste, erosion control, pollution, air quality, climate change, the general environmental situation in the country.”

Boko Haram: Senators for Adamawa From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

D

EPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, will today lead some Senators to Adamawa State as part of Senate’s move to obtain first hand information on the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.

The visit will also take the lawmakers to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.

This is sequel to the resolution of the upper chamber on the need to establish a Presidential Intervention Committee for the rehabilitation of the North East.

The motion was sponsored by Senators George Thompson Sekibo (River East) and 35 others on the urgent need to establish a Presidential Intervention Committee for the rehabilitation of the North East zone being ravaged by the insurgents.

Apart from Ekweremadu, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki also listed other Senators on the trip to include Senators Ahmed Lawan, (Yobe North) Murtala Nyako, (Adamawa Central) Binta Garba, (Adamawa North), Ahmadu Abubakar, (Adamawa South) George Sekibo, (Rivers East), Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South) and Bashir Marafa (Taraba State).

Saraki had on Monday led some Senators on the spot assessment of the security situation in Borno State.

He also visited IDP camps where he made a cash donation of N10million in support of the upkeep of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

APC group advises Buhari on ministers From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

A

PRESSURE group, Niger-Delta Youth Vanguard for All Progressive Congress (APC), yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be careful in choosing his ministers.

The group advised Buhari to be mindful of those with a mindset to loot, mostly those who recently defected to the party after his emergence as the president.

The group, in a statement, said only credible people without blemishes should be appointed into his cabinet for the purpose of accountability.

The group said: “We the Southsouth people have confidence in Mr. President and we’re pleading that every development from the Federal Government to the region should come direct to the people, as our leaders have failed us.

“In spite of the billions of naira coming to the region through Niger Delta Ministry, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the people still drink polluted water without good road, yet some senators and House of Representatives members are making huge some from there.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

6

NEWS

Borno elders seek Jonathan, others’ probe over military funding

B

ORNO State elders’ have urged the Federal Government to probe the alleged poor funding of the military by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

In a statement by its Chair, Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari, the Borno Elders Forum said some revelations made by the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, must be investigated.

The group wants Jonathan and others questioned over killings by Boko Haram insurgents due to the milltary’s alleged ill-equipment.

It is also demanding compensation for relations of the dead.

Air Chief Marshal Badeh was reported to have said that he presided over a military that was ill equipped and its troops poorly motivated.

To the forum, the comments are “very revealing” and extremely disturbing.

Said the forum: “What particularly baffles the Borno Elders Forum was that at some

By Joseph Jibueze

point in 2014, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, had said it publicly after assessing the true situation as the man on ground, that troops deployed in the fight against insurgents seriously lacked and required better military equipment and that those at battle fronts were poorly motivated. Several voices were raised in support of the governor’s position.

“The governor’s comments were completely rebuffed by the then President who went as far as threatening to withdraw soldiers from Borno as he spoke on live television interview relayed by the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, at a Presidential Media Chat.

“Not only did the President rebuke the Governor and, by extension, the people of

Borno State, his aides followed suite and roundly condemned the Governor.

“The Borno Elders Forum deliberately refused to make any comment at that time because the Forum thought that as Commander-in-Chief, President Jonathan was in the best position to speak on the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Forum remained silent out of wisdom and not to complicate matters.

“To our very rude shock, it turned out on Thursday, coming from an authoritative mouth, that indeed the governor was absolutely right after all.

“He has been vindicated by no less a person but the then Chief of Defence Staff who was the symbol of the Nigerian Armed Forces,” the forum said.

It added that in view of Badeh’s revelation, a National

Judicial Commission of Enquiry headed by an incorruptible judge from the South be set up.

The commission, the group said, should “ask the immediate past President questions on why his administration refused to provide the military with the required functional and superior equipment whereas our sons and daughters were exposed to mass murder, severe injuries and grave destructions of our communities.”

The group said anyone found culpable, should be charged with genocide against the people of Borno or at least criminal negligence at the International Criminal Court of Justice.

“The retired CDS retired should also be asked why he kept silent when the military under his command was not provided with the right equipment.

“He had the option of speaking or resigning as he ought to have done in order to draw attention of the world and by that he would have saved lives of Borno people,” the group said.

On those to be compensated, the group said a list of Borno citizens killed be compiled and their relations fully compensated “for the death of their loved ones as a result of criminal negligence.”

It said a list of soldiers sent on missions without being properly equipped and exposed to death should be also compiled and celebrated, with their survivors fully compensated “since their bread winners died not just in combat but out of negligence of those in authority.”

The forum urged President Muhammadu Buhari to liaise with the National Assembly to set up a Presiden-

Fed Govt won’t tolerate illegal mining, says Buhari

I owe no bank N122m, says Dabiri-Erewa

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

P

T

HE immediate past Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora, Mrs. Abike DabiriErewa, yesterday said she does not owe any bank N122million.

She said she has no business investment in Thriller Endeavour not to talk of the N122million debt credited to the company.

Dabiri-Erewa, who made the clarifications in a statement last night, said: “I owe nobody any money, not even myself.”

The statement reads: “I was thoroughly embarrassed to see my picture on the front page of a newspaper that Thriller Endeavor Company, claiming me as a director, owes about N100million to Diamond Bank.

“I know nothing about the said company, Thriller Endeavor, or its activities, as mentioned in the publication.

“If the company claims I am a director in the said bank, then it has definitely done so without my knowledge and without my permission.

“If this is the case it’s a case of fraud and will have to be brought to the attention of relevant security agencies, the bank in question, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“I once again state categorically that the company (Thriller Endeavour) is not known to me.

“As a very contented person, I owe nobody any money, not even myself.”

•Mrs Dabiri-Erewa

tial Armed Forces Capacity Monitoring and Evaluation Unit which could be directly supervised by the President.

“The current service chiefs should learn from their predecessors by building on their successes and avoiding their mistakes with regards to refusal to tell the nation the true situation of things where political leaders fail to meet critical needs of the military on matters of national security.

“We urge all sons and daughters of Borno wherever they are to continually accord 100 percent support to our gallant armed forces and pray for them to succeed in their national assignment of keeping Borno safe and secured.

“We urge President Buhari to remain focused and not to be distracted in the fight against insurgency,” the group said.

•From right: Ayade, Hoy and Mr Chuks Owo during the governor’s visit to the Iris Embassy in Abuja... yesterday.

C

Cross River, Ireland partner for development

ROSS River State and Republic of Island are to partner for the development of the Southsouth state.

Governor Ben Ayade yesterday visited the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, Sean Hoy, with a request for a stronger partnership that would engender growth and prosperity for his state and the Republic of Ireland.

The visit came ahead of his visit to Dublin where he is expected to meet with key Irish investors as he continues his drive to industralise the state.

While acknowledging the strong Irish heritage of the people of the state given their association with Irish missionaries, Ayade said the time had come for a more economically productive partnership between Cross River and Ireland.

He said he would want Ireland to take advantage of the vast arable land in the state and invest in agriculture, especially in diary, feed milling, cultivation of tomatoes and potatoes for export.

“In Cross River, we have a strong Irish heritage, especially in Calabar. I really will

like to see a stronger Irish presence in Agriculture. I want Irish companies to take advantage of the potentials our state offers,” the governor said.

Ambassador Hoy said Calabar had been home to most Irish missionaries and expressed his desire to visit Calabar.

Hoy informed the governor of plans by the embassy to bring Irish musicians to perform in Calabar.

The ambassador said one of the most celebrated rights activists in his country once served in Calabar as a young

officer, adding that even the uncle to his country’s Foreign Minister was a missionary in Calabar.

He expressed the willingness of his country to invest in agriculture in the state, disclosing that his country currently produces ten times what it consumes.

He praised Cross River for being a stand out state in the country, adding: “I have heard about your Cattle Ranch. It is amazing that as big as Nigeria is, everybody keeps talking about only one place; Calabar and the Ranch Resort. “

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday declared that the Federal Government will no longer tolerate illegal mining and other improper activities that have inhibited the growth of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

He issued the warning after receiving a briefing from top officials of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development led by the Permanent Secretary, Baba Umar Farouk.

The President, according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, noted that the mines and steel sector was very important for the diversification of the economy.

Buhari expressed displeasure at Mr. Farouk’s report that the sector had been overrun by illegal miners.

“This is one of the most demoralising briefs I have received. The biggest threat to this country besides the Boko Haram is unemployment and the mining sector is key to employment creation.

“We cannot be held back on such a strategic industry that can give us much needed jobs and promote economic growth.

“There must be more seriousness in running this country and we are determined to instill that seriousness,” the President said.

Rules forgery is Senate’s internal affair, says court

J

USTICE Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja has said the allegation that the Senate’s Standing Rules 2015 was forged was internal to the Senate.

Justice Kolawole said the involvement of the police in the case amounted to the National Assembly allowing other arms of government to supervise or regulate its internal proceedings. He threatened to void the investigation’s report produced by the police.

The judge’s view is contained in a bench ruling he delivered at the resumed hearing of a suit by a member of the Senate, Gilbert Nnaji, challenging, among others, police involvement in the investigation of the alle-

•Judge threatens to void police’s investigation report From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

gation that the Senate’s Standing Rules 2015 was forged by some individuals in the National Assembly.

“My view is that in relation the instant suit, the allegation which relates to the alleged forgery of the Rules of the National Assembly is not an ordinary allegation which the court can approach with a pedantic mindset. It is so, because the issues as relating to the Senate Rules or Standing Orders are firstly the internal domestic matters.

“But where allegation of forgery is made, it is for the court to reflect deeply whether it is not an allegation which the Senate’s Commit-

tee on Rules and of its Ethics can validly investigate and, within its internal proceedings nullify any of its Standing Orders found to be irregular and, to also sanction any of its members that is found culpable. One of the sanctions is to recommend such a member or members to the defendants for prosecution.”

At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, lawyers to the IGP and Attorney-General’s office, David Abuo and Taiwo Abidogun, did not comply with the court’s order to show cause, but filed separate notices of preliminary objection, challenging the plaintiff’s locus standi (right to sue), competence of the case and the court’s juris-

diction to hear the case.

Another lawyer, M. M. Osuma (SAN) informed the court that his client, a member of the Senate, Suleiman Hunkuyi(representing Kaduna North) has applied to be joined in the suit as a defendant.

Abuo and Abidogun, who said they were not averse to Hunkuyi’s motion, argued that it was proper for the court to first determine their objections and the joinder motion, before enquiring whether it was necessary for them to still comply with the order to show cause. They contended that once the court finds that the suit was incompetent, the need for the defendants to show cause be-

comes unnecessary.

Plaintiff’s lawyer, Peter Nwokolo said he was opposed to Hunkuyi’s motion and the position suggestion by defendants’ lawyers in relation to how the court should proceed. He urged the court to grant his client’s orders for interlocutory injunctions against the defendants on the ground that the defendants failed to show cause as ordered by the court.

Justice Kolawole consequently adjourned to September 8 for the hearing of Hunkuyi’s motion and all other pending applications.

Further proceedings in the case will however be conducted by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, who will service as the court’s vacation judge from August 11.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

7

NEWS

Ambode goes tough on traffic robbers, street hawkers

L

AGOS State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday resolved to stop the menace of robbery in traffic.

He also pledged to stop the activities of some persons posing as street hawkers to rob the unsuspecting public.

Ambode made these pledges during the state’s security meeting.

Briefing reporters on the outcome of the meeting, Police Commissioner Fatai

•Police arrest 595, prosecute 400, get convictions for 300

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

Owoseni said the council looked at the security and crime situation in the last one month with a focus on the menace of street-trading, land-grabbers and other security issues.

“We looked at the areas, where we are winning and the areas, where we need to step up our activities. One of

those areas we looked at critically was the issue of the guys that rob on the highway in the traffic.

“We have taken a decision to do all what we can do to stop all the activities. First, to decongest the gridlock, because if we do that once traffic moves, we are going to take the street traders and hawkers off the road,” Owoseni said.

He added: “Once we decongest, we would also reduce the incidence of people robbing motorists on the road and of course, the response time to distress call will be improved upon.

Those are the things we looked at “The meeting also took the decision that we continue our onslaught against criminals, especially the land-

Police uncover another kidnappers’ den in Oyo

P

OLICE in Oyo State have uncovered another kidnappers’ den, where atrocities were being committed at Oyagbe, Oyo town.

Commissioner of Police Muhammad Katsina, who led reporters to the den yesterday, said the place was a deserted hotel belonging to a businessman, Olatunji Kabiru, who is already in police custody.

The police chief added that his operatives arrested five suspects in connection with the incident.

Katsina, while parading the suspects, said a victim, Husseni Sani, was rescued.

The kidnappers, he said, came from Benin Republic through Kwara State before settling at the Atiba Local Government Area.

The police commissioner said: “Today, we are happy to announce that a groundbreaking discovery was made yet again and this time in Oyo town, where some wicked individuals kidnapped a fellow human for ransom.

“We have so far arrested five people connected with the crime, including the hotelier, and the victim is now in our custody.

The hotelier, who is a former councillor of Ward 1,

•Five suspects arrested From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

said the kidnappers came to him and asked for three rooms for two weeks.

He claimed that a deposit of N5,000 was paid to him.

Kabiru said that he was not aware they were kidnappers and that he got to know about their activities when the police contacted him.

The kidnapped victim, who trades in cattle, lives at Ikoyi Ile in Kajoola Local Government.

He said he was kidnapped in

Ogbomoso and fed with rice and Coke for 14 days.

Sani said the kidnappers demanded N1 million and threatened to kill him and his elder brother, if he was unable to pay.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, hailed the police and other security agencies for arresting the suspected kidnappers.

He said the prompt move contributed to the discovery of the hideout, advising community’s members to be more careful in their activities.

•Some of the arrested suspects...yesterday.

“I thank men of the police and other security agencies for a job well done for bursting the crimes in this part of the state, which is very surprising to us in this area. The prompt actions of the police contributed to the immense discovery of the kidnappers.

I must add that such people should not be allowed to exist in our societies.

“I have to say at this juncture that it is everybody’s duty to be alert over the happenings in their environment and keep the police informed about dangerous activities in their environment,” the Alaafin said.

grabbers, to make sure that they are brought to justice once they are arrested; diligent investigation and prosecution will be carried out to show examples to others.”

The police chief said the council also deliberated on the menace of cultists and added that efforts had been made by security agencies to clamp down on them.

“We want to sustain the rate that we are carrying out at the black spots. We want to make sure that the issue

Ondo community laments low patronage over bank robbery, others

T

HE bank robbery in Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State in February, which claimed over 20 lives, is still having an adverse effect on the economy of the commercial town.

It was learnt that many traders outside the community were unwilling to come for business after the incident.

Besides, banks in the community have been getting low patronage because of the fear of repeated attacks.

The bad roads and erratic power supply had worsened the problem.

But the Iyalaje of Ikare-Akoko, Alhaja Risikat Mohammed, hailed an indigene of the area and the founder of Synagogue Church, Pastor T.B. Joshua, for donating eight new patrol vehicles to the police to enhance security in the division’s four local government areas.

She urged other Akoko indigenes to emulate the gesture.

The woman leader condemned the deplorable roads

•A scene at the hideout

Sex workers in Ogun mourn colleague

S

USPECTED sex workers in Ogun State yesterday gathered in their dozens at Abeokuta, the state capital, to observe a solemn candlelight procession in honour of their slain colleague, Sitira.

Sitira, a 23-year-old girl from Iberekodo community in Abeokuta North Local Government Council, was said to have been killed by suspected ritualists last Saturday night.

Her body was found on Sunday morning on a refuse dump in Olomore junction, Abeokuta, where her killers threw her from a moving Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) on the Abeokuta-Lagos expressway.

The deceased was one of the

•Curse killers From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

suspected sex commercial workers, who patronised the premises of the state secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), also known as Iwe Iroyin, in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, in the evening searching for clients.

Sitira was last sighted on the premises on Saturday night.

But on Monday night, about 53 alleged sex workers mourned her at the NUJ Secretariat.

Holding candles, they wailed over the killing of the late trainee-stylist, whom they also identified as “Titi”, “Lakki” and “Folake”. They cursed her kill-

ers.

They said in Yoruba: “Oro nla leda, oro nla leda, eyin tepa Titi, t’eje o dagba, oro nla leda. Omo yin maku, eeeheee omo yin maku, eyin tepa Titi t’eje odagba, omo yin maku (meaning: You have done something grievous, you have done something grievous. The killers of Titi (Sitira) have done something grievous. Their children will die, their children will die, those that killed Titi).

They later retreated to the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, where they resumed their lamentations.

They said she was not the only colleague killed by suspected ritualist last Saturday.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

in Akokoland, especially on Ogbagi-Afin, Ajowa-Eriti, Ugbe-Epinmi and ArigidiOkeagbe-Omuo Ekiti roads, which, according to her, have become impassable.

Mrs. Mohammed lamented non-resuscitation of some factories established by past administrations, which, she said, could absorb youths that were roaming the streets.

Many residents also flayed the incessant road accidents involving trailers between Okerogbo, Oke-Alabojuto and Oke-Oka, in which several lives have been lost.

Two prominent monarchs in the area, Olubaka of Oka, Oba Yusuf Adeleye and the Olukare of Ikareland, Oba Akadiri Momoh, expressed concern on the issue.

They called for diversion of trailers and other heavy duty trucks to Ipele-Idoani.

The traditional rulers appealed for urgent rehabilitation of Owo-Ikare and IwaroOka Akoko to prevent further loss of lives.

Agency sanctions 30 filling stations

E

•Residents in front of the hideout

of gangsterism and cultism are completely wiped out in the state,” he said.

On the resurgence of motorcycle operators, popularly called okada riders, the police commissioner said security agencies within the past one month raided some identified black spots.

He said about 595 suspects were arrested during the raids, 400 prosecuted and 332 were convicted.

“We would not relent, we would continue on that onslaught to raid black spots to get rid of street-hawking and people who perpetrate crime in the state,” Owoseni said.

KITI State Petroleum Products Consumer Protection Agency (ESPP CPA) has within the last six months sanctioned 30 filling stations in the state for engaging in sharp practices.

Its chairman, Elder Adeyemi Adebayo, who spoke in AdoEkiti, the state capital, said the erring filling stations were sanctioned for hoarding of petroleum products, underdispensing of petroleum products to unsuspecting customers, unauthorised adjustment of their tramline pumps and outright diversion of petroleum products allocated to them.

He added that apart from sealing off the affected fillings stations for a period of time, the agency also slammed fines ranging from N200,000 to N250,000 each on the indicted petroleum marketers.

He urged vehicle owners and other consumers of petroleum products not to engage in panic buying, as there was enough petroleum products in circulation in the state.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

8

NEWS Ooni: Ife residents unhappy over town criers’ message From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

R

ESIDENTS of Ile-Ife, Osun State have expressed displeasure over announcement by town criers, who asked them to be calm following the “death” of the Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

They also condemned the way the Council of Ife Chiefs were handling the matter.

The residents said rather than being specific, the town criers’ message was evasive and put them “in an unnecessary suspense”.

While many of them refused to talk until they were assured that they would not be named, few that spoke said the “hide and seek game” over the matter would eventually be put to rest soon.

One of them, who said: “Despite the persistent assurances by the traditional chiefs that the monarch was not dead, but in a healthy condition in an unidentified London hospital, the people of Ife deserve to know the condition of our traditional and spiritual symbol”.

He said evidences abound that it was not well with Oba Sijuwade, even if the people were not sure whether “he is dead or alive”.

Another indigene, who was warned not to comment on the matter because of the “spiritual implications”, advised the traditional chiefs to give proof “that Oba Sijuwade is healthy and alive”.

But traditional and palace chiefs continued to say Oba Sijuwade was hale and hearty.

The security around the palace remained very low yesterday, as only few guards and four policemen man its main gate.

Mimiko sacks aides

O

NDO State Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterday announced the sack of his Special Assistants (SAs) and Senior Special Assistants (SSAs).

Mimiko, at a meeting with the former aides at the Babafunke Ajasin Auditorium, Alagbaka, Akure, thanked them for their “selfless service” to his government and the state.

He solicited their continued support for his administration.

The governor said the disengagement had become necessary following the restructuring and repositioning efforts of his government for better service delivery.

Mimiko said: “I can only thank you for your services to the government and people of this state, who elected us for the delivery of democratic dividends.

“I appreciate your selflessness and dedication and wish you well in your future endeavours”.

Mimiko From Damisi Ojo, Akure

The governor prayed that God should reward the outgoing aides as they have contributed to his government and the state during their period in office.

On Monday, local government caretaker committee chairmen were relieved of their posts and replaced with new ones.

He retained two chairmen out of the 18 councils because of their short service.

•From left: Aregbesola; Lasabi; Ajimobi and Afolabi at the conference...yesterday.

How to stop building collapse, byAjimobi, Aregbesola

S

KILLS development for construction workers and entrepreneurship in the industry should be given priority to stop buildings from collapse, Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his Osun counterpart Rauf Aregbesola said yesterday.

They spoke at the 45th Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Building at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan.

Ajimobi said: “Developing the skills of artisans will also put a check to the incidents of collapsed buildings that are now a common feature in the construction industry.

“It is imperative for your institute and other professional bodies in the construction industry to come together to create a common platform and partner with governments at all levels and tertiary institutions to develop a more robust master plan for skills acquisition and development for the country.”

He decried cases of collapsed building in Nigeria, stressing that it was unimaginable that a country blessed

with great potentials in its construction industry could experience such a problem.

The governor noted the death of 67 South African nationals in the building collapse at Synagogue Church of All Nations, which, he noted, has put the integrity and expertise of Nigerian builders to test.

He said the state government would continue to provide an enabling environment for the institute and other stake holders in the task of producing structurally stable and risk free buildings.

Aregbesola called for strict compliance to building rules and regulation to ensure a safe and beautiful environment.

Aregbesola vowed that his administration would not relent in its efforts at changing the face of the state through urbanisation.

The built environment, the governor said, is the crowning glory of all civilisation.

He noted that urbanisation was “very germane to his government economy rediscovery”.

In a statement by his Director, Bureau of Communication & Strategy, Mr. Semiu

Okanlawon Aregbesola, the governor hailed the institute for identifying with the successes of his administration in Osun despite what he called targeted and sustained attacks and criticisms from opposition of his government over inability to pay salaries promptly.

Those, who also witnessed the event, included the President, Nigerian Institute of Building, Tunde Lasabi; former Head of Service of the Federation Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan Prof.

Isaac Adewole and others.

The governor hailed the institute for its efforts at improving the environment and for imposing standard on building construction.

“An accompanying problem of regulation failure is building collapse, which has become a scourge of the cities. Buildings, even those still under construction, have been in freefall, sometimes killing people and causing grievous bodily harm.

“I have no doubt that these are of serious concerns to your body and you are seriously addressing it,” he said.

Aregbesola stressed that his

administration has returned sanity to the built environment with the need to make buildings in Osun safe and create a beautiful environment at the same time.

He added that the urgent task before his administration was to renew the urban centres, upgrade the slums and build future cities.

Through the renewal programme, we are transforming the urban centres into modern ones.

He noted that nine cities Osogbo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife, Ikire, Ejigbo, Ede, Iwo, Ikirun and Ila-Orangun - are under the renewal exercise covering a kilometre radius from the Oba’s palace, regarded as the centre of town in each city.

Aregbesola pointed out that his administration has renewed negotiation with the UN-Habitat by paying counterpart fund of N100 million.

Other cities, besides the initial nine, will receive similar attention in due course.

Ajimobi and Aregbesola were awarded with Honorary Fellowship award of the institute.

Otunba Fatai Oshikoya was honoured with distinguished professional lifetime award.

NSCDC was outstanding during my tenure, says Obasanjo

F

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday said the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), unlike other security agencies, distinguished itself during his tenure between 1999 and 2007.

Obasanjo said he did not receive much complaints of “misbehaviour” about the NSCDC and its operatives as was the case with other agencies engaged in security matters.

The former President spoke when the retired head of the NSCDC, Ade Abolurin, visited him at his Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta.

He added that one of the problems afflicting Nigeria was lack of continuity of “integrity, patriotism and cherished values” by subsequent leaders.

Obasanjo hailed Abolurin for nurturing the corps from unremunerated voluntary organisation to become a national agency combating

•Ex-president, Amosun hail Abolurin From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

pipeline vandalism, oil bunkering and other vices.

He said: “This organisation became institutionalised by virtue of the good work the organisation was doing as a voluntary organisation for many years.

“One of the things that I had to confront in my tenure as President of Nigeria was pipeline vandalisation, holdup, and crude oil stealing - what they called bunkering. There is nothing like bunkering, it is outright stealing.

“We used all the available agencies and resources and your organisation as a voluntary organisation, unpaid, unremunerated, unrecognised, uninstitutionalised, was doing a great job without being armed and without being equipped.

“And that mean the height of commitment, nationalism, patriotism and service to the fatherland and service to humanity. Of course, I didn’t hesitate to move ahead on an Act of Parliament to be able to organise you into what you are today.

“Of course, there is no human institution that is ever perfect. But I can say, when I was the president, I did not get as much complaints about the misbehaviour of your organisation as I get about the misbehaviour of other agencies of government that are doing similar security work for the nation and that is something that you should be proud of as an organisation.

“I am not saying there are absolutely no bad eggs among you and you know that. And for those of you who will continue to carry the mantle, do not spare any bad egg among

you.

“You, Ade Abolurin, you did your best, no human being is perfect and if there is any imperfection that I noted, is probably your enthusiasm to wanting to get things right.

You’ve gone, you’ve seen, and I think you have conquered and you’re welcome home.”

The former president thanked the leaders who came after him and sustained the organization.

He added: “As I am talking to you, I am also talking to your successor and I believe that where you have taken this organisation to, those coming after you will be able to build over it.

“One of our problems in this country is lack of continuity. I hope in your own case and this organisation, there would be continuity, continuity not for the man coming after you to do everything exactly like you

have done it, it is not possible even if the person coming after you is your biological son.

He wouldn’t do everything the way you would want to do it.

“But there are some essential things that should be preserved and maintained, the issue of value, integrity, commitment, patriotism, those cherished values and virtues that you have maintained in this organisation, would continue to be maintained.”

Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun has hailed the achievements of Abolurin while in office.

He said he transformed the once unknown outfit into a security agency to be reckoned with.

He spoke when he received Abolurin, who paid him a thank you visit in his office yesterday.

The governor described the feat of the ex-NSCDC boss as unprecedented and self-evident.

•Chief Obasanjo

“You brought professionalism into the Corps. There is no way the history of the Corps can be written without mentioning your name or making reference to your achievements.

Abolurin hailed Obasanjo and Amosun for supporting him throughout his stay in office.

He added that he was confronted with many tough challenges on the job, but he overcame by the grace of God.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

9

NEWS

Why Wike is waging proxy war against Amaechi, by APC

T

HE Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Governor Nyesom Wike is engaging his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, in a proxy war to avoid direct confrontation with the Muhammadu Buhariled Federal Government.

The party noted that Wike directed his associates and foot soldiers to fight Amaechi, a former chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), pretending not to be aware of their activities.

In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, APC named Wike’s Chief of Staff Emeka Woke, a former chairman of Emohua Local Government Council; the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah and a member of the PDP’s Media and Publicity Committee, Livingtone Wechie, as those fighting for Wike.

The party recalled that it had said Wike and his aides had concluded plans to assault, through spurious publications, Amaechi’s reputation and character, to paint the

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

former NGF chairman as a corrupt person.

Three days later, Rivers APC said Amaechi confirmed the party’s position at a public event and specifically mentioned Wike as one of the arrowheads of the plot.

Jolted by APC’s pre-emptive revelation, Wike, the party said, took four days to react to the accusation, which he described as patently false.

Rivers APC said: “On August 3 (a day after the governor’s bare-faced denial), the plot fully manifested by way of highly mendacious and misleading publications, filled with manifest falsehood and concoctions, all aimed at denting the character and person of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, with a view to damaging the rising profile and incorruptible record of the former governor and, therefore, diminish him in the eyes of Nigerians.

“One of the publications is a two-page affidavit, allegedly deposed to by Livingstone Wechie, a PDP member, who also claims to be the Media/

Publicity Director of a nebulous group, Integrity Group, accusing Amaechi of various corrupt practices, when he was governor.

“Yet, in another publication on August 3, a non-existing group, Association of Former Elected PDP Local Government Council Chairmen in Rivers State, accused President Muhammadu Buhari of witch-hunt in his anticorruption fight. The poorlywritten publication incoherently rambled from the matter of arrest of Dame Gesila Khan - Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) - to what it called the corrupt practices of ex-Governor Amaechi.

“It is now evident to all that the alarm raised by the APC was credible, as confirmed by the present actions of Wike. It is obvious that the scheme was planned to be multi-dimensional and to be executed by proxies of the governor, to avoid a direct confrontation with the Buhari-led Federal Government.”

The party said Wike’s

Cross River workers angry over salary deductions From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

C

•Amaechi

proxy war was real, especially with the involvement of Wechie, a PDP member.

It added that the Association of Former Elected PDP Local Government Council Chairmen in Rivers State never existed but contrived by the chief of staff at the Government House in Port Harcourt, a two-term chairman of Emohua Local Government Area.

Rivers APC urged Wike to desist from his fruitless mission to bring down Amaechi.

According to the party, the governor is on the blackmail mission because “the guilty is constantly and perpetually afraid of his shadow”.

Rivers APC said the power to sink a human being belongs to God and not man.

Dickson can’t be governor again, says PDP chief

P

ROMINENT members of Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday vowed to stop the re-election bid of Governor Seriake Dickson.

The PDP stalwarts, under the auspices of PDP Unity Forum and former members of Dickson’s State Executive Council (Exco), said Dickson would not be allowed to lead Bayelsa again.

The group’s Coordinator and former Transport Commissioner Mrs. Marie Ebikake said the PDP would lose the December 5 election, if it allowed the governor to fly its flag.

But a source at the Government House, who spoke in confidence, said it was unbelievable that Mrs Ebikake, who he accused of running aground the ministry, was accusing Dickson of non-performance.

The source said Mrs Ebikake would soon face the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly mishandling millions of naira belonging to the state’s restoration cabs.

He said: “It is shocking that Mrs Ebikake, who was Deputy Director-General of Dickson Campaign Organisation and a commissioner in Dickson’s administration, is attacking her former boss.

“She was given the mandate to purchase the state’s restoration cabs, which she could not account for. She left with the files of purchases and has refused to return the files for the current commissioner to track those given the taxis.

“Whether she likes it or not, Dickson is the best candidate for the PDP. Three and a half years of Dickson in the state have witnessed tremendous developments in all facets.”

But Mrs Ebikake, who was the Deputy Coordinator of Dickson Campaign Organisation in the 2012 governorship election, insisted that the governor’s candidature would

•Govt: accuser’s date with EFCC imminent

‘

We are averse to the governor contesting for a second term under the platform of the PDP because if he does, the party will lose woefully.

The governor has squandered his political goodwill; as such, he is bad for our party. He cannot be governor again. We will use all constitutional means to ensure he does not come back

‘

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

spell doom for the PDP. She said Bayelsans were tired of Dickson, adding that the governor failed the state because of his alleged lack of foresight.

Dickson reportedly sacked Mrs Ebikake because of her closeness to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

The former commissioner also spoke of what transpired during last Saturday’s meeting of their group with PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) at former President Goodluck Jonathan’s home in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area.

She said Dickson and former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha were not allowed to participate in the meeting because it was not meant for reconciliation.

Mrs Ebikake dismissed the rumour that she and other members of her group were sanctioned by the party.

According to her, they were neither expelled nor suspended.

Mrs Ebikake thanked the BoT members for intervening in the crisis in Bayelsa PDP. The PDP stalwart said the

party was factionalised owing to Dickson’s alleged highhandedness and manipulation.

She noted that the division compelled the forum’s members to unite other party members.

Mrs Ebikake said: “We are averse to the governor contesting for a second term on the platform of the PDP because if he does, the party will lose woefully. The governor has squandered his political goodwill; as such, he is bad for our party. He cannot be governor again. We will use all constitutional means to ensure he does not come back.”

Another member of the group and a former Sports Commissioner in Dickson’s Exco, Mr. Ebikitin Diongolo, said members of the forum decided to prevent the governor from flying the party’s flag again.

The PDP chieftain said if, by any chance the party gave him its ticket, it would lose the governorship poll.

He said it was untrue that the BoT meeting with members of the forum was initiated by Dickson to reconcile members.

Diongoli said: “During the meeting, we told the BoT members that ahead of the governorship election in the state, there was need for the party to be united. We asked them to recall unconditionally all members suspended or expelled as they were sanctioned without reasons. They agreed with us and reversed that. We also do not want Dickson to contest because it will spell doom for the party.

“The meeting was mainly called to address and reverse issues the state had failed to solve. They considered and rectified them.”

The former sports commissioner said PDP’s Acting Chairman Serena Dokubo-Spiff was never recognised by party members.

He said Col. Sam Inokoba

(retd.) remained the authentic and substantive PDP chairman in Bayelsa State.

ROSS River State civil servants have expressed displeasure at the deductions from their July salaries without their consent.

They said it was unfair that the government made the deductions without allowing the workers to know about them.

“In July, N2,000 was deducted from my salary, just like that! I think it is very wrong. We were not informed. We had no idea what the money was taken for. I think in a democracy, like what we have now, it is not the right thing to do, especially for an administration that preaches transparency,” said a civil servant, who identified himself simply as Ogar.

But the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) solicited the understanding of the workers.

NLC State Chairman John Ushie told reporters in Calabar, the state capital, that the decision on the deductions was taken last August by the umbrella union’s Executive Committee to build a Labour House.

Ushie said: “Sometime last August, the State Exco decided that the state NLC should have a Labour House to be built by workers through deductions from workers’ salaries.

ASUP hails Wike for naming Riv-Poly after Saro-Wiwa From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

T

HE Rivers State Polytechnic (Riv-Poly) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has hailed Governor Nyesom Wike for remaining the institution Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, the chapter’s ASUP said the name change was a great honour for the late Ogoni activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa and his people.

Its chairman, Ferry Barineka Gberegbe, noted that with the honour done to the Ogoni hero and the community, the school’s ASUP leadership would continue to cooperate with the Wike administration.

Gberegbe said the community and Ogoni students, for many years, expected such honour accorded the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, who sacrificed himself for the liberation of his people.

Then union leader urged the government to upgrade the polytechnic’s infrastructure and manpower to reflect the new status of the polytechnic.

He said Wike had exhibited the traits of a man who believes in due process and in the growth of the polytechnic.

10

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

NEWS

Naira weakens as dollar demand rises T HE naira reversed its gains against the dollar on the parallel market yesterday on increased demand for the US currency from some importers, traders said. The local currency was trading at N224 to the dollar on Tuesday, weaker than the N222 the previous day. It was quoted at N240 a week ago.

Reuters report explained that on the official interbank market, the naira traded at N199 to the dollar, unchanged from the previous day and near the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) pegged rate of 197.

The naira had firmed on the parallel market after commercial lenders stopped accepting cash deposits in dollars, a move to discourage

By Collins Nweze

speculation on the currency.

“We have seen increased demand for dollars again by some end users taking advantage of the gains recorded in the past few days,” Harrison Owoh a bureau de change operator said. There was concern that the naira gain on the black market would be short-lived, triggering a surge in dollar buying.

The naira had weakened on the parallel market to as much as 242 to the dollar last month, on persistent dollar demand after central bank last month limited importers’ access to dollars on the

official interbank market to buy a wide range of goods, in order to save its reserves.

The challenge facing the naira was aggravated by the drop in oil prices in the international market which reduced the volume of foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria.

The naira first hit double digits, moving from N9.9 to a dollar in 1991 to N17.2 to a dollar the following year.

That constituted a significant 73.7 per cent change. Thereafter, a gradual slide ensued, attaining triple digits in 2000.

Although it was considerably stable between 2000 and

Jaiz banks gives out N500m AIZ bank, which specialises to charity in the Islamic banking sys-

J

•CBN Governor Emefiele

Godwin

2003 (below N120 to a dollar), the recent adverse global capital flows and drop in oil price, among other factors, have culminated in the current all time low.

Access Bank launches promo for women

A

CCESS Bank has launched a special promo for women, tagged, ‘Let’s Save Promo.’

It is a unique, first of its kind promo, aimed at encouraging women to save. The bank rewards women who save under the product scheme.

The promo, the lender said in a statement, kicked off on Monday, August 3, and would last till November 30th, this year.

This promo is designed to create consciousness of Access Bank’s female customers and the Nigerian

woman, on the importance of saving and building a savings culture.

It comes as the bank marks the first anniversary of its women market programme, also known as the ‘W’ initiative in its commitment to be the bank of choice for women in Nigeria.

Speaking on the promo, the bank’s Head, Inclusive Banking, Ope Wemi-Jones, said the promo’s target audience consists of both existing and new savings and current account female customers, who would also be rewarded during the four-

month promo duration.

She urged women to take advantage of the exercise to embrace the savings culture, stating that it would help them in building wealth for themselves and the nation and create a good base for future investments.

“This is particularly important as women serve as the focal point in every home. We invite all women in Nigeria to take advantage of this awesome opportunity to ignite their savings habit,” she stated.

Also speaking on the promo, the bank’s Head,

Women Banking, Aina Akintonde, said that savers who make a deposit of N50,000 (and its multiples) and maintain it for the period of the campaign, stand a chance of winning the grand prize of a Hyundai IX35.

Other consolation prizes to be won, include generator sets, washing machines, television sets, Ipads, freezers and microwave ovens, among others.

Akintonde said multiple deposits of N50,000, increases the customers’ chances of winning.

tem has given out N500 million to charity in the last few months. The donations were done through an arm of the bank, called Jaiz Foundation.

The bank’s Group Head, Public Sector, Mallam Ismail Adamu, made this known at the maiden edition of the bank’s South West Shareholders’ Forum held in Ibadan.

Adamu, who represented the bank’s Managing Director, Muhammad Nurul-Islam, said the lender, as at June this year, had a capital base of N42 billion and a customer base of 139,977 with 73 per cent of them Christians.

He said that the bank in 2014, made a profit of N157million and gave out up to N500million bad money to charity through an arm of the bank, referred to as Jaiz Foundation.

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

Adamu said the bank adhered strictly with ethics of shariah, stating that they don’t sell what they don’t have, doesn’t charge interest nor Commission on Turnover (COT), but share profit and loss based on agreed terms.

He said that the bank renders several services ranging from deposit, mobile banking, automated teller machine (ATM), internet banking and other Islamic services, while all haram (Illegal) money’s are given out to charity through Jaiz Foundation.

Prof. Abdul-Hakeem Mobolaji from Fountain University in his lecture described interest rate as exploitative, urging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to relax its regulations for Islamic banks to grow.

‘Digital solutions’ll steer financial inclusion in Africa’

T

HE African Development Bank (AfDB) has said linkages between digital financial services (DFS) and the development agenda in Africa were discussed extensively during a panel discussion it organised with the Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A) Secretariat.

During the programme, it was noted that technology-based products and services have not received enough attention within the international development community.

The participants said only four of the Sustainable Development Goals currently refer to ICT, yet the sector is considered by all participants as a major contributor to inclusive growth.

The Minister of Development Cooperation, Digital Agenda, Telecom and Postal Services of Belgium, Alexander de Croo, identified DFS as a key driver of the formalisation of African economies.

Going further, the Executive Secretary of the African CapacityBuilding Foundation (ACBF), Emanuel Nnadozie, noted how digital payments are central to domestic resource mobilization because they channel informal savings into the formal financial system.

VISIT OF UNITED STATES CONGRESS MEN & WOMEN TO ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU’S LAGOS HOME

•Asiwaju Tinubu and a congress woman

•Former United States House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Edward Issa (third left), former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (second) right) and members of Issa’s entourage when they visited Asiwaju Tinubu in his Lagos home last weekend....

• Tinubu and another lawmaker

•Asiwaju Tinubu (middle) with the congress men and women and former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr Dele Alake(right)

• Issa and Tinubu

11

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

NEWS

Why NNPC must be reformed, by Report •Continued from page 3 which led to corruption scandals in those countries.

Going forward, NNPC should stop selling oil to companies, whether Nigerian or foreign, that never sell their allocations to refiners; that routinely sell to big trading companies that are already NNPC term customers; or that have ties to PEPs. To further protect against favouritism, patronage and inappropriate payments, NNPC should grant its next round of term contracts through openly competitive and rule-bound procedures that include a strict pre-qualification process, robust due diligence checks, and restrictions on the use of offshore vehicles by buyers. The corporation should also publish written rules for parceling out cargoes each month to buyers and stop allocating export contracts for more crude than it has to export. This will help end the monthly jockeying for allocations that occurs now, which is highly prone to corrup-

tion. Over the medium term, NNPC should rework its buyer selection process to secure more reliable global demand for Nigerian crude, and to sell more oil directly to refineries.

NNPC’s management has a history of resisting outside scrutiny. The corporation discloses very little about its finances and operations, even though more than half of public revenues flow through it. Officials from other government bodies say they cannot independently verify or challenge the oil sale figures provided by NNPC. Past reviews described NNPC’s internal oil sale data management practices as disorganised, secretive and inaccurate. For example, one government task force found two separate sets of oil sale books that diverged at times by more than $100 million per year.

Corporation officials have faced few consequences for mismanagement— at most, they tend to be retired or transferred to other posts.

Reforms in several areas can help reverse this trend. To reduce percep-

tions of impunity, the government should commission independent performance audits of areas of concern, including: the DCA; oil-for-product swaps; NPDC oil sales and related operations; NNPC’s oil trading subsidiaries; the refinery crude oil transport arrangement; and the JV cash call account.

Transparency and accountability must also advance. The government should require NNPC to regularly disclose detailed and prompt cargo-bycargo data on all its crude oil liftings, and issue a 2015 annual report that includes its audited financial statements, operational data, the financial positions and earnings of its subsidiaries, and disclosures on quasi-fiscal spending. Independent audits should occur regularly, and NNPC should publish the resulting reports. Moreover, we recommend that NNPC establish clear work programs and performance benchmarks, so that oversight actors like the National Assembly, auditor-general, and oth-

ers can then assess whether those benchmarks are regularly met. The NNPC board should meet regularly, include independent members, and have a chair other than the petroleum minister.

Solving Nnpc’s Underlying Problems As we argued at the outset, maximizing full returns from NNPC oil sales will depend on pursuing two trajectories of reform – the measures described above, and a broader agenda of NNPC restructuring. Without the latter, the Buhari government will end up relying on a range of stop-gap measures, and NNPC’s performance will plateau at best.

The high oil prices of the early 2000s allowed NNPC to “muddle through,” as extra cash flows masked the inadequacies of its various short-term workarounds. Now that this luxury has ended, the Nigerian government should revise the NNPC joint venture cash call system; eliminate the fuel sub-

sidy; remove NNPC as a commercial player from the downstream sector; tackle crude oil theft; and develop and implement a road map for restructuring and commercializing NNPC. The final section of the main report offers deeper analysis and recommendations on each of these points.

Nigeria can no longer afford to leave NNPC’s dysfunctional and costly oil sales system as it is. The status quo, characterized by convoluted, underpoliced deals with weak commercial justifications, has cost Nigeria revenues that it needs for its development priorities.

The reforms recommended in this report would significantly increase the returns to the Nigerian government from the sale of its crude oil, even at today’s lower prices. More broadly, improved oil sale functions would help create a solid foundation for remaking NNPC into a company that serves Nigeria’s citizens, rather than the interests of a privileged few.

12

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

13

Life

The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Text only: 08023058761 and 08112662687

‘Battle for food security cannot be won by wishful thinking’ – PAGE 16

•From left: Makanjuola, Idowu, Osoba and Amuka

All for ‘Uncle Sam’ at 80 LIMCAF flags off at Abuja – PAGE 49

Solomon Temitayo Oyefeko (1930 - 2015)

– PAGE 51

The publisher of Vanguard, Mr Samson Oruru Amuka, is 80. Dignitaries, especially from the media, thronged the city of Lagos to celebrate the commitment and passion of the 'birthday boy' to journalism. The day was marked with tributes, presentation of a festschrift in his honour and a lecture on the future of Nigeria's media.EVELYN OSAGIE writes.

AD SAM is gone; long live Uncle Sam. All that is left of “Sad Sam”, the witty column that was the favourite of many newspaper readers in the 70s, is the caricature of the writer — a beautiful portrait of it has been made. But the columnist, the inimitable “Uncle” Samson Oruru Amuka, is 80. He was born on July 31, 1935.

Averse to any celebration, Uncle Sam fought gallantly to stop any of the festivities that go with clocking 80. But some of his admirers, mostly his younger colleagues, found a way round it. They organised a ceremony in his honour at the prestigious Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos.

It featured a lecture on Today's Newsroom, Tomorrow's Newspaper and the presentation of an anthology of essays entitled: Voices from within: Essays on Nigerian Journalism in Honour

S

of Sam Amuka(Second Edition), which Prof Ayo Olukotun of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), rightly observed, was an "appropriate birthday gift to Amuka".

The event's convener and the book's editor, Mr Lanre Idowu of Diamond Publications, said celebrating Amuka was inspired by his belief that great men should be feted while alive. He praised the modesty of the Vanguard publisher, saying Amuka had initially objected to the celebration because he felt it wasn't appropriate to celebrate when many media organisations were experiencing hard times paying salaries.

According to him, the book's first edition was issued in 2005, when Amuka turned 70.

The current one has eight new chapters and focuses on contemporary and topical issues in journalism.

In concert with Diamond Publications, the event was convened by the General Manager, Vanguard, Gbenga Adefaye; Managing

‘Amuka impacted on the society positively because he was fair and honest. He mirrored the society with his column without compromise’

‘To us, Uncle Sam is a mentor and stabiliser and we cherish his inspiration and moderating voice. He has done everything anybody can do for journalism‘

– Chief Ayo Adebanjo

– Comfort Obi

Director, Independent Newspapers Limited Ted Iwere and Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) Gbemiga Ogunleye.

In addition to its intellectual charm, the event was one of hearty recollections and eulogies to Uncle Sam. Among the guests were Senate President Bukola Saraki; former Governor of Ogun State Aremo Olusegun Osoba; former Minister of Information Prince Tony Momoh; Chief Phillip Asiodu; National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain Chief Ayo Adebanjo; publisher of Business Day Frank Aigbogun; veteran journalist Ladbone Bonuola and The Source publisher and Secretary-General of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Dame Comfort Obi; Ovation publisher Dele Momodu and Channels CEO John Momoh, among others.

Guests showered encomiums on the celebrator for his long-standing contributions to the media. They agreed he is a mentor and a trailblazer in his own right, urging media executives and journalists to draw from Amuka’s examples.

He was praised for being "a man of intellect/wisdom", "a reluctant celebrator", "a creative narrator", "a bookworm" and "gentleman".

•Continued on Page 14

14

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

•From left: Asiodu, Momoh, Osoba and Amuka

• From left: Omatseye and Nda-Isaiah

•From left: Eniola Bello , Sunmi Smart-Cole and Odion

•Asiodu and Comfort Obi.

•Continued from Page 13

The first tribute was by Osoba. For Osoba, who chaired the event, the honour conferred on the celebrator was well-deserved. He called him "a reluctant celebrator", saying it took strong persuasion to get Amuka to agree for his 80th birthday to be marked with the book.

"We are here today not because Sam Amuka wants us to be here. If he has his way, in the next five minutes he will disappear. That is Sam; it is his style. When he goes to a party, before you know it, he's gone. I thank Idowu and all others who arranged it," he said.

Recalling his early days with the celebrator, Osoba, former governor and journalist, who made reporting a delight, described him as a lover of arts and "pioneer, in terms of magazine", observing that, as he was first editor of Spear Magazine 50 years ago, Amuka was "the first to make us appreciate cartoons".

He said: "Most people don't really know Sam enough. We call him “Uncle Sam”, but his most famous column was known as "Sad Sam", with beautiful write-ups, elegant language, rich and very cynical writing.

Amuka's columns were witty and thoughtprovoking.

"I still remember a particular edition of his column in The Punch. Its title was 'Thank God'. So, I want to thank God for Amuka's life…Because of his growing works in magazine, we now have many magazines, such as Tell, Newswatch, The News, that followed him. He is a lover of artworks and a good swimmer. I enjoin those above 70 to start swimming."

The Senate President, who presented the book, urged younger journalists to emulate Amuka’s wisdom and professional conduct.

Saraki, who was represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Gbenga Makanjuola, eulogised Amuka for his sound intellect at 80.

He said: "Uncle Sam is more than an uncle to me. He is Daddy Sam. We will be here to celebrate you at 90."

Prince Momoh praised Uncle Sam’s contributions to the media and his humane qualities, saying he represented everything noble in journalism.

Listing the places he had worked with the celebrator as his boss, Momoh described Amuka as a mentor in several ways, adding

PHOTOS: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

All for ‘Uncle Sam’ at 80 CELEBRATION that he learnt a lot from his professional and personal lives.

Momoh, who also worked with Amuka at Daily Times, said: "Amuka has always been my boss. When I joined the Daily Times, I was an assistant editor while he was the deputy editor. As the deputy editor, he used his position to contribute to the development of the profession."

Adebanjo said: "Amuka impacted on the society positively because he was fair and honest. He mirrored the society with his column without compromise."

Dame Obi said: "Uncle Sam has done everything anybody can do for journalism.

To us, Uncle Sam is a mentor and stabiliser and we cherish his inspiration and moderating voice. He has done everything anybody can do for journalism and the younger ones.''

Itsekiri leader Chief Rita-Lori Ogbebor, who represented the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, praisedAmuka for his contributions to the country and the Itsekiri ethnic nationality. She described him as a “performer, honest and gentle.”

Forging a future by re-inventing the old model

Prof Olukotun, the book reviewer, described the celebrator as a bookworm, writer and creative narrator, who is also one of the few outstandingly successful entrepreneurs.The festschrift (a term academics use to describe a book celebrating one of their own who has made significant contributions to the discipline), he said, is "an

inspiring testament dedicated to a man of excellence, a great achiever, who wears his distinction lightly".

Olukotun, who was represented by the Head of Mass Communications Department, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, said the book offers "rich insights not just into the honouree's life, but various aspects of print journalism, including visual aspects as practised in Nigeria".

He said: "The book is divided into three parts. The first features reflections on media content looking at such things as news reporting, cartoons, and editorial writing.

The second examines the business side of publishing in the context of the Internet. The third section contains reminiscences by people who have worked closely with Amuka on various aspects of his career.

The collection features a few of Amuka's contemporaries and those of the younger generation, such as Adefaye, Adesina, Aigbogun, Haruna, Fagbenle, and Ogunleye, among others.

Delivering the lecture, entitled: Today's newsroom, tomorrow's newspaper: how to survive and thrive in the internet age, Iwere advised newspaper publishers and journalists to embrace changing methods of handling news contents. He called for the re-creation of the newspaper business and re-orientation towards production and presentation of indepth, analytical stories, and re-modelling akin to a daily news magazine.

Urging publishers and journalists to "keep informed and re-tool themselves on the opportunities arising from the continuing convergence of the newspaper and the internet", he also called for the reorganisation of the newsroom and its

‘Most people don't really know Sam enough. We call him "Uncle Sam", but his most famous column was known as "Sad Sam", with beautiful write-ups, elegant language, richly and very cynical writing. Amuka's columns were witty and thought-provoking’

management, and the re-invention of content creation and distribution in the industry.

"Beyond income from such traditional sources as Google adverts, display and banner messages, a newspaper must make money from its news and information. The newspaper must monetise its online presence. In deciding what and how to charge for news on the web, a distinction ought to be drawn between commodity news that is generally available (who, where and when) and premium news (how and why). While the former is most likely to remain free, the latter can, and ought to be moved from free to fee," he said.

When asked to address the guests, Amuka, moved by their kind words, said: "May you live to be 80 years and above. May you have great tributes showered on you when you are still alive."

Also at the ceremony were Odia Ofemun ‘the poet’; veteran journalist and The Nation columnist Mohammed Haruna; social critic and activist Chief Fred Agbeyegbe; Senator Bode Olajumoke; Chairman of Leadership Newspapers Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah; former chairman of the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Commission (OMPADEC) Chief Albert Horsfall; The Nation Editor Gbenga Omotoso; Editorial Board Chairman Sam Omatseye; Managing Editor (Online) Lekan Otufodunrin; and The Guardian Editor-inChief, Debo Adesina.

Others included: Mr Dare Babarinsa; Lanre Arogundade; Mike Awoyinfa; Tunde Fagbenle, former House of Representatives member Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Bisi Olatilo; Mohammed Fawehinmi; Emeka Opara; veteran journalist Prince Henry Odukomaiya; Muyiwa Adetiba; Kunle Oyatomi; Louis Odion; Oma Djeba; Fidelis Anosike; factional president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Joe Ajaero and Felix Adenaike.

•More photos on Page 15

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

15

The Midweek Magazine

A

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

NEW magazine focused on leading professionals and politicians will be in circulation by Monday, Au-

gust 10.

The magazine, called The Interview, will be a monthly, with the major stories rendered in Q & A format and published by Banc & All an Abuja-based content and publishing company.

The maiden edition headlines among other premium content, an interview with former Governor Donald Duke in which he shed new light on two former Nigerian presidents – Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan – and sounds a note of warning to the governing APC. It also features a no-holds-barred interview with the CEO of Channels TV, Mr. John Momoh; the brave new world of virtual and augmented reality; and Nigeria Icon List.

A statement by the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, Mr. Azu Ishiekwene, said, “The Interview will provide answers and solutions to the questions that affect the lives, well being and aspirations of its readers and consumers in a style and language that fit their busy lifestyles.

“It will be a magazine that consumers, especially young professionals, can connect with and to which they can look to for answers to burning questions. Our aim is to be retailers of premium content and a strong catalyst for sharing.”

In a pre-roll out comment, journalism professor at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois and Nigeria’s number one satirist, Olatunji Dare, said the magazine, “deserves to be well- received.”

Journalist, former publisher of Citizen magazine and leading columnist, Mohammed Haruna, described the debut, as “simply great.” He commended the quality of the interviews and the columns.

The Founder/CEO of Cable Newspaper Ltd, Mr. Simon Kolawole, said, “The Interview has arrived on the scene in time to douse the growing belief that there is no more room in the ‘Inn’.

“With its creative layout, fluid writing, quality interviews and exciting subject mix. The Inter-

Arinze’s root of change at Alliance Francaise

A

Duke headlines The Interview roll-out From Azu Ishiekwene

MAGAZINE

combination of beauty and brains.”

view, in my opinion, offers the best chance to revive the sagging interest in our magazine industry. It’s a

•Ishiekwene Managing is the Director/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview

SOLO art exhibition, The root of change, by Ato Arinze, will open on August 8 and run

through 22nd at the Alliance Française Complex, 239 Herbert Macaulay Way, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos.

The exhibition will feature a series of 27 drawings compact with symbolisms and intense messages aimed at sparking and taunting the sub-consciousness of viewers. The works examine the vicissitudes and similitude of change in a bid to encourage and incite the viewer’s perspective.

Arinze said: “Whether we pay attention to the build-up of change or not, it encompasses and defines the totality of our existence. These dynamics and dualities of change will be examined through the collection of early and recent pencil drawings of spiritual and mystified intone on the quest and effect of change on the society and individual.”

The works, according to the ceramist and sculptor, are inspired by his quest for enlightenment and by his distant observance of people’s reaction to changes in their environment.

An interesting facet of The root of change is that it veers from direct political, social or religious inclination but symbolically intones droplets intended to stimulate the viewer’s perception, thoughts and understanding of what appears before him/her. It challenges the immediacy of first sight, and requires viewers take a step back, think twice and relate each piece as they come together to drill into the root of change.

The choice of graphite on paper plays down on the distraction that colours obtain and enables viewers focus solely on the works. Whilst, some are wont to

By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

VISUAL ARTS frown at what might appear as the explicit, carnal portrayal of the genitals, this is a conscious attempt by the artist to define the bareness of our existence. Our encounters and dealings are implied by the artist with subtle intents at romance and the results of such.

Arinze was born and raised in Lagos, but hails from Onitsha in Anambra state, where he had his secondary school education and his first two years of polytechnic education. Later he obtained his higher diploma at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, specialising in Sculpture and Pottery in 1991. He has been practising as a full-time studio artist from then, and occasionally freelances as a sculptor, workshop instructor, art promoter and art consultant. His preferred media is clay, for pottery, and fibreglass, for sculpture.

•Arinze

‘Lotto is stock exchange of common man’

C

HIEF Kessington Adebutu, founder and CEO of Premier Lotto Limited (PPL), also known as Baba Ijebu, has admonished youths to learn to crawl before walking.

The pool magnet gave the admonition when members of the Youth Advancement for Qualitative Education Africa (YAQE), a non-profit organisation, was in his office to

By Hannah Ojo

LOTTERY present an award to him in recognition of his philanthropy and support for the young ones.

Adebutu, who will clock 80 in some months, told the youth that the secret of his look at 79 is doing things in moderation.

Asked how he was able to rise from nothing to a multi-billionaire, he said:“It is God’s grace, that is why our front office is full of people. I should appreciate God. That is why I give back to the society and the less-privileged. God has done wonders in my life. Some people work harder than I do. At my age, I should be living on my reserve but I thank God that I am still making money.

I am very grateful to God, I don’t hide it”.

Responding to a question on his succession plan for his business, Adebutu affirmed that the plan has been perfected and sealed.

“I have my six children working with me. Whether I am around or not, they work. I came back from a trip on July 1, and I am going back on holiday. The business goes on.

ALL FOR ‘UNCLE SAM’ AT 80

•Fawehinmi and Kayode Komolafe

• From left: Osoba, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Idowu, Amuka

So my succession plan is perfect”.

On the influence of lottery business on the society, Adebutu said the influence of the game on the society is enormous. “People have reservations, they are getting it wrong. I continually say that lotto is the stock exchange of the common man on the street. Shares crash at times, but when you game, you can win, you can lose.”

16

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

‘Battle for food security can’t be won by wishful thinking’ Uduak Afangideh is a Biology professor and researcher (specialising in plant breeding and genetics) at the Faulkner University, Alabama, United States. She is a member of the Genetics Society of Nigeria, the Agricultural Society of Nigeria and the Alabama Academy of Science. In 2011, Prof Afangideh initiated the first research and creativity day of the university, which has sparked interest in collaborative researches among various departments and with other universities in the states. She discusses with Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME the differences in education standard between Nigeria and United States, why she returned to the US to teach, why Nigerian professors and students should be exposed to research techniques and resources available internationally and how Nigeria’s battle for food security can be won, among other issues.

Y

OU chaired Faulkner varsity’s first research and creativity day committee. What was the research about and what were your experiences?

In spite of the fact that Faulkner has existed as a university for over 60 years, until a few years ago, it was primarily a teaching university. With recent increase in post-graduate degrees in various fields, faculty members began to be involved in research in different disciplines. In 2011, I presented a proposal to the university’s faculty board on the need for a university-wide research day, in which the faculty and students would showcase the research that they are involved in in their fields of study. The proposal was approved by the Board and I was made the chairman of the planning committee for Faulkner’s first Research and Creativity Day. The event has been successfully hosted twice by the university; and in addition to creating an awareness of the different research areas at Faulkner University, it has sparked interest in collaborative research among different departments and with other universities. It has become a biennial event in the university and the next one is scheduled for March 2016.

How do you feel getting your full professorship few years ago?

Getting full professorship is a mighty feat in itself and considering that the promotion was achieved in a reputable American university, known for its high standard of scholarly activities, made it an even greater accomplishment. I am aware that, like the scripture says, “promotion is not from the East or the West but from the Lord,” and so I give Him all the glory.

You had your first and second degrees in the US before coming to work at UNICAL and got your Ph.D? What were the attractions returning to the US? After my Ph.D in Plant Breeding and Genetics, it became more and more obvious that the lack of sophisticated equipment, infrastructure, research materials and other resources would make it almost impossible to carry out meaningful research in Nigeria. My desire was to grow in my field and to form meaningful connections with international geneticists and I knew this would be difficult to do unless I looked beyond the borders of Nigeria. When the opportunity came to travel back to the United States, I embraced it with the full support of my Department at UNICAL. You were among three that got full professorship at Faulkner, and effectiveness in your discipline, commitment to scholarly pursuit and dedication were factors considered.

How would you have felt if you did not get this recognition?

I don’t think there was any doubt that I would be promoted to the rank of full professorship. When you give 110% in your duties, working as if you are working unto the Lord, it quickly becomes obvious to your peers and your employers.

I think this was the case with my promotion.

How regular does the varsity carry out such promotion?

The university has an equivalent of an Appointment and Promotion Committee (A&P) that meets annually, at the departmental and faculty levels. Those who meet the requirements for promotion apply and are either recommended for promotion or denied promotion based on evaluation of their academic contributions and achievements.

How will you describe the education standard in Nigeria and US, using UNICAL and Faulkner varsity as case study, especially in your discipline?

There are so many differences in educational standards in the two countries. For starters, at Faulkner classrooms are well equipped, not just with enough tables and chairs for students but also with loudspeakers (in large classrooms), computers, projectors and other things that make for effective lecture delivery. Compare this to teaching in University of Calabar where students scramble for chairs and tables and can barely hear the lecturer who is shouting at the top of his or her voice in front of the classroom. Also, in 2013 Faulkner embraced ICT on its campus fully and every registered student since then is issued an ipad. This empowers the students to take ownership of their learning and makes it easy for professors to increase student engagement and learning therefore becomes more of an interactive activity. This is a far cry from what is obtained at UNICAL. Finally, one cannot teach science without well–equipped laboratories and facilities.

At Faulkner, every science class has weekly laboratories whereas UNICAL students in my department are lucky to be engaged in three to five labs per semester. I think this and other factors are reasons why there is such a disparity in the standard of education in both countries. Having said that though, it is amazing that the Nigerian student strives to excel academically, in spite of the less-than ideal conditions in which they are taught. The stamina and desire to learn displayed by the students that I teach at UNICAL is a testimony to the depth of the Nigerian spirit, and it is quite admi-

•Uduak

INTERVIEW rable.

As a specialist in plant breeding and genetics, are there gaps between town and gown that are hindering the realisation of food security in Nigeria?

Definitely! It is amazing that research done in our universities seem to be more curiosity-driven than driven by the need to solve problems that the country is facing. Every year, we graduate hundreds of students who have carried out research in fields of agriculture and biological sciences, just to mention a few. Yet, the research projects are aimed at getting them good grades and are seldom transferred to practical applications for farmers and consumers. I think it requires a change of mindset and a change of focus among professors who are the supervisors of research and the student researchers. Given the global nature of science, there is the need to expose Nigerian professors and students to research techniques and resources available internationally. This requires collaboration between Nigerian professors and their counterparts in other parts of the world. The fact that such collaboration is encouraged by UNICAL and other universities in Nigeria will go a long way towards bridging the gap between town and gown.

How prepared is Nigeria in the battle for food security?

I think for the reasons mentioned above, we still have a

long way to go. For an agrarian society, food security should not be a problem that we face but it is and that means that there is something fundamentally wrong. Very few states in America are blessed with the tropical weather we have in Nigeria which favors food cultivation and yet they produce most of their food items and even export them to countries like Nigeria! Why would a country like Nigeria import food items like strawberries which can be grown in parts of this country? Why is the Tilapia sold in our local markets imported from China with all the Riverine areas we have in this country? The battle for food security is one that that can definitely be won, but not by wishful thinking. All hands must be on deck to ensure that we are prepared to win this battle.

What profession would you have chosen apart from teaching sciences?

I love education. My husband and I are blessed to own a secondary school in Calabar, called The Christian Science College and impacting the lives of these young students gives me a great sense of fulfilment. So if I wasn’t a biology professor, I think I would have gone into educational administration.

How fulfilling is teaching especially in a foreign land?

It is quite fulfilling. Nothing surpasses the joy of seeing the light dawn in the face of someone when they finally grasp a concept. Students everywhere seem to struggle with science and so I love being able to simplify complex concepts and make it meaningful to students at different levels.

“Teaching at Faulkner allows me to combine the two things I love most: influencing lives and pointing people to the One who designed us as the master piece of His creation.” How do you mean, and is there any link to Christian Science College?

There appears to be a tension between scientists and atheists, with people claiming that you cannot be a scientist and believe in a Creator. For me, it is the reverse. The more I study biology as a science, the more I am awed by the intricate design of biological beings that point to a Master Designer. Since Faulkner is a Christian University, the emphasis is on seeing God’s influence in everything we teach and I love being able to do that as I teach biology. With reference to the Christian Science College, it is a dream come true for my husband and I. We are excited about the growth of the school and the doors of opportunity that have allowed us to affiliate the school with Christian universities in America.

Along with parents, I think teachers are in a unique position to influence lives and I take this responsibility seriously.

Raising children in Diaspora is a big headache to most Africans. How are you handling this in your family such that the children will not be lost to the world?

I think raising African children in Diaspora is challenging for those of us who do not want our children to lose track of the things that make us uniquely African, but it is a challenge that we embrace in my family. We intentionally inculcate traditional values into our children such as respecting their senior siblings, not addressing their elders on a first name basis, morning duties and family chores. We incorporate African dishes into our daily diets, use our native language at home and dress in Nigerian attire on Sundays and on special occasions. Our children are constantly reminded that they are Nigerians by Divine design and not by accident, and we make a point of spending as many holidays as we can in Nigeria. I think it is great for them to be exposed to American culture and traditions but even more important for them to hold on to the things that are important to us as Africans.

Experts stress need for human development in nation-building

T

HE Personnel Practitioners Consultative Association (PPCA), an offshoot of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPMN), Ikeja branch, has identified training and retraining of human resources as the antidote to effective nation-building.

At a meeting of the PPCA in Lagos, the Human Resources Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mrs Monica Peach, stressed the need for talent development. She said effective training of human resources and talent development would enhance nation-building and help businesses to grow.

PCCA chairperson Mrs Ifeoma Onwuachu said the association was striving to train human resource personnel in the private and public sectors of the state.

“We invited various ministries of Lagos State to train their workers on effective human resource management.

Some of them are our members so, the relationship is cordial and we still hope to continue to contribute to human development in the state,” she said.

PCCA Vice Chairman Jide Ologun said the state needed

By Olatunde Odebiyi

HUMAN to pay attention to human training for efficient performance.

He said the PPCA and CIPMN were desirous of continuous training of personnel for the state.

“It is all about personnel management, ensuring that all human resources mangers sharpen their skills further and, in turn, help to build a virile work environment and enhance the services they deliver in their places of work “CIPMN has done a lot in giving the government policy direction on how to harness the potential of its human resources, it cannot be denied that the state is rich with very intelligent and resourceful personnel but the problem is just an enabling environment, but at our level we come together to train these people,” he said.

He tasked the government to tap into the state human potential to keep it flourishing and facilitate creativity.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

17

18

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2015

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson spoke with reporters in Yenagoa, the state capital, about the dwindling revenue, salary crisis and the plight of local government workers. MIKE ODIEGWU was there.

How Bayelsa is coping with cash crunch, by Dickson H

OW is your government coping with dwindling revenue and payment of workers’ salaries?

You spoke about payment of salaries and everyone knows that, in Bayelsa State, we don’t owe salaries, we are not in arrears of salaries. We are also not in arrears in paying retirees. Only recentlyI met with the pensioners and they expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the government.

The only challenge we have is about gratuity which has lingered for about ten years. But, in terms of regular payment of salaries, Bayelsa is not owing and we are also not owing pensioners.

What are the measures we have put in place?

It’s a combination of prudence and the selfless dedication of my team. For us the people’s interest comes first and that’s why even in my office for three months running, there has been no running cost paid. We don’t also have overhead paid for three months now, all because we want to ensure that salaries of workers are paid.

These are for us first line charges and every government needs to treat this as priority payments. And so, God has been helping and my team has been supporting and dedicated and that’s why we have been able to achieve what most states have not been able to achieve for now.

The bailout that states are getting, Bayelsa is not getting. Since Bayelsa is not indebted, Bayelsa is not given bailout because the bail out is for states that are indebted.

Yes, our commitment to contractual obligation to contractors is what we are thinking about so that development project works can continue, to see that at the end of the day Bayelsa is way up there.

We, however, noticed a slight delay in recent months with regard to salary payments. What was responsible for that?

A delay of one week or two within the context of Nigeria is nothing remarkable. not what people should talk about. Let’s not behave in a way that people will wonder whether we are descendants of the Israelites who complained about everything, even when Moses was leading them out of Egypt, asking ‘why are you taking us out of the land of Egypt to die in the wilderness?’

Some of these delays are due to late transfers and remittances from banks,which I believe is being sorted out. And as the public holiday ends, I’m sure all those issues will be taken care of.

While you are paying workers’ salaries, the same cannot be said of the local government chairmen. What is your administration doing about this?

I want to make it clear that as we have demonstrated the payment of worker’s salaries, even in the face of financial difficulty at the state level the payment of worker’s salaries should be made

•Dickson

The only challenge we have is about gratuity which has lingered for about ten years. But, in terms of regular payment of salaries, Bayelsa is not owing and we are also not owing pensioners a topmost priority. That is the first thing you do when you receive allocations even before obligations that have to do with running of the office.

For three months running I’ve not received or permitted any remittances to my office. I never permitted any payment of security votes to my office because I felt that priority has to be given to salaries and pension because these are wages that have been earned. So we are very sad that the situation such as you describe exists at the local governments. The state assembly is vested with the constitutional powers to unravel the

reasons occasioning that undesirable situation.

Well I don’t want to pre-judge the investigation being undertaken by the House of Assembly but the revenues that accrue to councils has also drastically reduced due to the shortfalls in the allocation from the Federation account as we all get it from the same source. All the same our expectation is that payment of salaries should be given priority attention, especially because there is a deliberate policy since I took over not to interfere with council funds and not to deduct any money meant for Local Government coffers.

Rather, we pay 60% percent of the burden of paying teachers that they ought to bear away from them because of the importance that we attach to education. So with regard to local government salaries we are concerned because in the end I am Governor of everybody and we are running a government that has to protect everybody. And, I await the recommendations that the Assembly shall make from their findings and inquiries but from the preliminary reports I have received so far there is the possibility of our finding one way or the other to clear the backlog of salaries of Local Government workers.

We have a very difficult situation that we are managing ourselves but I find it unacceptable in Bayelsa that any worker going to work will at month end not have his salary. It is not acceptable. So on that score, by the time I get the recommendations of the House, I will meet with my team and we shall devise ways to support the councils for the sake of the workers.

Local Government Councils as created by the constitution are autonomous and that is why we don’t interfere in things that they do. We only give them general guidelines to be prudent and just as I have obligation to declare my income and expenditure, they also have an obligation and expect that they will be doing so. But we will take more than a passing interest in their financial issues and only as it relates to workers salaries.

Recently, you started the Bayelsa State Volunteers to engage 3000 youths with N46million take off grant. What is the reason behind it?

The Bayelsa Volunteer scheme is being rejuvenated and for those who are talking about graduate unemployment, for those who are saying things that are politically motivated, this government has engaged more youths than any government before me in terms of public employment and public service at all levels.

We feel that we should start off with that. The Bayelsa Volunteers would start up a mechanism for training their members and imparting necessary skills in them for more permanent employment and productive enterprise. I said while presenting the instrument that every month they don’t need to come to me as it will be treated as first line charge, as part of the general salary payment.

So all those beneficiaries, once salaries are paid, they will also get their allowances. They will be given opportunity to do a few things to earn a living, to earn one skill or the other. As I said earlier it is not intended to be a terminal end but stop-gap for the moment. It is to assist them find their bearing , assist them to cope with these difficult times pending when they will get something better and it will be nice for them to have this at the back of their minds before they start thinking they’ve got a pensionable job because that’s not the amount they would need to make a living forever. I enjoin all of them to be law abiding and to be faithful to their assigned duties and to acquire the necessary skills and correct attitude.

If your administration truly funded some of these projects, why have they not been officially commissioned?

All these projects in Bayelsa, I wish to state unequivocally, were conceived ,designed, funded and completed by the government of Bayelsa.There is not one that was not funded by the government of Bayelsa hundred percent and I believe everybody knows.

I think what happened is this. Everybody wants to be governor, every character, every body once you are 35 years develop a governorship ambition. Any position you hold you don’t use it to help the people, you don’t use it to work for the state, you use it to fight for governorship.

That is what is happening in Bayelsa. So a lot of people who were not in Bayelsa have had the inordinate ambition but were intimidated by the performance of my government and they say ‘with the way this man is going if we don’t throw stories around and take away the credit that should go to him and his government we won’t be able to contest an election again’. So, they started concocting stories to deceive the poor unsuspecting people of Bayelsa that these are federal projects.

There is no federal project that they will do and give you the money. There must be a contract. It must be in the budget and they will pass the budget, they will award it, and they will come and supervise it and finish it.First of all I am not a flamboyant governor. I am someone who believes that our work will speak for us.

For example as we completed Amassoma road we started using it and we have been using it for almost a year. I didn’t do any formal inauguration, when we started and finished Boro road, the road to Boro town a very historic centre conceived by Chief Okilo, but, no governor could do it; probably some of them didn’t have the time, because I believe that Chief Alamiesigha would have done it,I believe that Dr. Jonathan would have done it if he had the time but I have completed that road and you have a brand new satellite city coming up.

Sylva ’ll bounce back, says Tatua

F

ORMER governor of Bayelsa State Chief Timipre Sylva will foster peace and prosperity, if elected as governor, the spokesperson of the Niger Delta People’s Movement, Mrs. Ibifuro Tatua, has said.

“Bayelsa State needs an effective leader. Sylva represents very different vision for the future of the state.

He has a vision that will finally defeat the unethical, incompetent Seriake Dickson led PDP leadership in the next election,” she added.

Tatua advised Bayelsans not to be carried away by the alleged endorsement of certain aspirants.

She said misguided attacks by some self-acclaimed leaders and their backers would never deter Sylva from becoming governor of the state.

Speaking with leaders of political parties in Yenagoa, Tatua said Sylva would make a difference.

“Bayelsans have a choice in December to pick someone who can bring about a new direction in the state, or someone who seems to want to lead because they think they are entitled to lead. Bayelsa needs a new direction, and Sylva represents that direction”.

Tatua said: Sylva would go beyond providing critical infrastructure, pay-

ing salaries, gratuities, pensions, employing large number of qualified people into the civil service and financing the education of thousands in local and foreign universities.

“Sylva will complete abandoned and all on-going projects in the state.

He will find solution to the problems of the state, inculcate positive values like honesty, hard work, and fairness and ensure social justice and good governance in the state.

“Sylva will also encourage the poor and powerless to take part in the government of the communities and the state, promote grassroots economic development, prevent environmen-

tal degradation, help the poor people develop a clearer understanding of the social, political and economic factors affecting their lives, make the development process more accountable, transparent and participatory as well as provide conducive atmosphere for local and foreign investors” Tatua said.

“Sylva is committed to ushering in a brand new way of doing things for the state. He will get Bayelsa’s economic house in order, by ensuring progressive spending and social engineering policies in place” she added.

•Sylva

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

19

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Deeper in the mire •The N12 billion scandal in the PDP house is a sad testament to how it ran the country IGERIANS must be used to the antics and misbehaviours of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) that no news about the fallen ruling party would seem untoward anymore. However, having lost its 16year perch at the centre in the last national elections, one would have expected a group that once claimed to be the biggest party in the Black world to be more sober and introspective.

But nobility of nature seems to be anathema to PDP as has been manifested in most of its affairs through its existence. It appears the shock of defeat and fall from grace has not mellowed it as the news emanating from its Wadata House National Secretariat indicates. According to report, workers at the PDP Abuja head office are threatening a showdown following reports of imminent salary cut and

N

‘The lessons in the ongoing tiff in Wadata House are indeed deep and numerous.

After the electoral calamity of last April, nothing has changed in the PDP. It is the same sordid business as usual. Had they won at the national level, the same perfidy of old would have continued without let’

downsizing exercise. A circular from the office of the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, had conveyed the notice of a reduction in the secretariat staff strength and slash in salaries and allowances of staff.

In response, the staff had raised a billow of dust, insisting on an inquiry into the finances of the party. They allege that about N12 billion realised during the last election had been ‘shared’ by members of the NWC. They noted too that during the recent party congress in Kogi State prelude to forthcoming election in the state, the sum of N1 billion allegedly flowed into the coffers of the party.

All these monies, according to the workers, have vanished. A petition is said to have been sent to former President Goodluck Jonathan and some members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) demanding the sack of the party’s interim chairman, Chief Uche Secondus; national secretary, Prof.

Oladapo and national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh. In their word, there has been a “mindless plunder of the party’s resources by the NWC” led by these men.

Though this ruckus in the PDP may be like a mere family affair that ought to be left for members to worry about, it is significant and worthy of the concern of all Nigerians because it signposts the way and manner Nigeria was

run for 16 years. Nigerians must be wary of a party that cannot run its secretariat seeking to run a country. A party that has so much difficulty keeping basic secretariat account and managing huge inflows for the purposes of running its internal affairs cannot be trusted with the national treasury.

Is there any wonder that the PDP government at the end of its era left the country bankrupt, with workers across the country, (including even federal civil servants) without salaries for months? What is on showcase here is PDP’s prodigality and licentiousness; an utter lack of regard for due process, order and accountability.

The lessons in the ongoing tiff in Wadata House are indeed deep and numerous. After the electoral calamity of last April, nothing has changed in the PDP. It is the same sordid business as usual. Had they won at the national level, the same perfidy of old would have continued without let; no one would pause to take stock; no one seems to have the presence of mind to effect change.

The alleged disappearance of a hefty sum of N12 billion from the PDP secretariat in just a few months is a signal that kleptomania, that PDP virus which has left the nation prostrate, is still alive and well among the members. The above narrative only confirms the fact that nothing else matters to the PDP crowd other than the cash. Think of a rampaging swarm of locusts!

Another wayward deal •NNPC’s role in the contract between Samsung and Hyundai reflects it is not a good ambassador

T

HE rot in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been so bad that it instigated turf warfare between two major companies of a foreign country. In the process, the corporation fell under the charges of impunity and abuse of due process.

This involved the bids from Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited and Hyundai Heavy Industries. Both firms are from South Korea, and have been familiar names in Nigerian commerce. The issue is not that both companies operate in Nigeria. Neither is the issue that both firms compete against each other. Both qualities augur well for business in the country.

As a capitalist country we even encourage firms from other countries to compete here against each other. It stirs the better spirits of commercial coexistence and a sense of international harmony.

But what happened with both Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited and Hyundai Heavy Industries is a metaphor of what can go wrong when a business umpire acts without regards to the rules and tenets of fairness.

The story concerns a contract amounting to $3.5 billion for the Engina Floating Production Storage Offshore. The contract was awarded to Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited. News reports have it that a patent unfairness characterised the award and that has made Hyundai Heavy Industries to accuse the NNPC of impunity and corruption of the process.

According to news reports, Samsung had bid at first with $3,545,678,824. Its competitor, Hyundai Heavy Industries,’

bid was $3,522,321,198. The process started in 2008 and it dragged on to 2014.

The Engina FSPO contract is aimed at the Total Upstream Nigeria Limited for the Engina Field Development Plan. There is clear difference in the figures as to what bid was lower.

As it happens in some bids, both companies were invited to meet with National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) for clarifications of their bids. Such meetings lead to the companies lowering the bids. Samsung gave a bid of $3,308,946,840 while Hyundai’s numbers were $3,140,199,986.

The questions still exist. The first is, when did the NNPC officials meet Samsung that its bid dropped to $3,143,499,498? No other clarification meeting was said to have held that could have given Hyundai the possibility of a competitive offer.

In spite of that, the final figure of Samsung - $3,143,499,498 – was still less competitive than Hyundai’s $3,140,199,986. How come the contract went to Samsung? It is not of importance to us who gets the contract, but how.

This narrative brings again to the front burner the level of highhanded impunity and recklessness that characterised the operations of the NNPC during the tenure of Goodluck Jonathan as president of Nigeria. The minister at the helm, Diezani Alison-Madueke, cannot say she was not aware of such a major transaction. And if she was not, it still keyed into the lack of seriousness with which they viewed the Nigerian project and our patrimony.

The instance of the two South Korean companies gives a hint of how companies

have been doing business with the pot of this country, the NNPC. We have had stories and litigations concerning corrupt practices with officials of foreign firms in which Nigerians have had questions to answer.

These have often happened in other continents and countries. This is the first major one with South Korea. The NNPC as the Nigerian signal firm of oil ought to understand that it does not only do business, it is our own ambassador. From all the stories that have issued out of its dealings in the past months, it has not served as an ambassador of virtue.

While the President Muhammadu Buhari administration plans to bring sanity to oil, it should look at such transactions as the Samsung and Hyundai example as the way not to do business in Nigeria and with foreign firms. Poor charity that has begun at home must not spill abroad as it has.

‘While the President Muhammadu Buhari administration plans to bring sanity to oil, it should look at such transactions as the Samsung and Hyundai example as the way not to do business in Nigeria and with foreign firms.

Poor charity that has begun at home must not spill abroad as it has’

Open letter to Governor Ambode

S

IR: As you settle down to commence your consolidation mission in Lagos State, I want to draw your attention to some issues relating to the blocked Alimosho junction of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway (between Dopemu and Iyana-Ipaja bridges).

It is pertinent to tell you that the interjection on the side road was created about three years ago by former Governor Babatunde Fashola in response to my suggestion through private and open letters. It worked like magic, creating free flow of traffic at the Dopemu, Iyana-Ipaja, AbuleEgba, Agege, Egbeda axis.

The road was blocked by the Federal Road Management Authority (FERMA) last year, thus complicating the traffic situation in the area with motorists spending up to two hours in the gridlock. We shall appreciate your quick revisit and restoration of the situation for a better Lagos.

On the last note sir, I personally constructed a kilometre L-shade road leading to my hotel at the Mosan end of the Federal low cost Housing Estate (Shagari Estate) in MosanOkunola Local Council Development Area about 18 years ago with street lights and which I also maintained without government assistance.

The road has over the years turned an alternative route to the Abesan gate-Baruwa-Ipaja-Ayobo routes and this has led to its serious dilapidation which is now beyond my comprehension. At this point, I will appreciate your intervention to help us repair the road which now serves as the gateway to Mosan town, Abesan Estate and Ipaja town.

While thanking you in advance with the strong belief that you will rapidly respond to this letter, I want to commend you on the recommencement of construction works on the Ipaja-Ayobo Expressway, particularly at the Abesan gate.

• Otunba Tony Adenubi, Mosan, Ipaja, Lagos.

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

•Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •General Manager (Abuja Press) Kehinde Olowu •AGM (PH Press) Tunde Olasogba

•IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) •Press Manager Yomi Odunuga Udensi Chikaodi •Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu •Legal Counsel John Unachukwu •Group Business Editor Simeon Ebulu • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye •Group Sports Editor Ade Ojeikere •Acting Manager (sales) •Editorial Page Editor Olaribigbe Bello Sanya Oni

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

S

IR: The above best describes the latest but reversed admission policy dished out by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). It was nothing but an attempt to conspire with tertiary institutions in the country to further compound the plights and educational woes of hapless and frustrated Nigerian youths who have over the years become objects of exploitation by the powers that be. But thankfully, same has boomeranged on the board and the universities.

This thoughtless policy was brought to the fore two weeks ago when candidates seeking admission into the University of Lagos arrived that very morning only to discover that the goal post had been shifted in the middle of the game, as it were. It is important to state that the university had earlier sold out admission forms for to the prospective students for the exercise without informing them of this sudden change.

This conspiracy theory became further exposed by the lame argument of JAMB spokesman, Fabian Benjamin, that the university was right to have jacked up the minimum admission cut-off mark from the widely acceptable and recognised 180 to 250.

The Board, in yet in another breath, overreached itself when it unilaterally redistributed and/or reassigned candidates to the socalled “starved” institutions without the candidates consent or input. This action is not only oppressive and reprehensible; it is also a flagrant violation of the law establishing the Board. Beyond the conduct of entrance examinations into higher institutions in Nigeria, JAMB has no power whatsoever to determine the choice of the institutions a candidate makes. This can be explicitly explained under Section 5 (1) (c) (iii)of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Act, Chapter 193, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which states that in placing candidates into tertiary institutions, the Board shall take into account “the preferences expressed or otherwise indicated by candidates for certain tertiary institutions and courses”.

EDITOR’S MAIL BAG SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 800 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS. E-mail: views@thenationonlineng.net

JAMB’s insensitive admission policy The whole policy appeared tailored to enrich these institutions at the peril of the candidates.

Assuming, but not conceding, that the Board had the mandate to so act, one expects that it should have factored so many things into perspective before doing that, including but not limited to the financial capacities of these candidates and the high tuition fees often charged by these receiving institutions, especially the private ones. The policy is also not in tandem with the inalienable rights to freedom of association and

choice as guaranteed under our extant law, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

For the fact that the Board could contemplate such a sensitive policy with little or no input from critical stakeholders and also attempted to force same down the throats of the candidates clearly showed the level at which impunity lack of transparency have taken over our public sphere. Perhaps, if the public outcries hadn’t been this tense, the Board and its university allies would have implemented the new

exploitative guideline without regard to its impact on the candidates and their helpless parents. This is never done in modern societies, and Nigeria cannot be an exception.

The Board’s defence for the violation of its own guidelines by some tertiary institutions is a clear indication that it has lost its bearing and focus. The 150, 180 Cut-off mark for admission into Universities, Polytechnic and Colleges of Education, respectively, should be sacrosanct.

The argument by the Board that the

tertiary institutions should on their own accord determine the benchmark for the Post UTME screening is, in every wise, ineffable, illogical and shallow.

Such practice, if allowed, will amount to double jeopardy for the candidates who are also compelled to go through the rigours of the socalled UTME screening in addition to the pains of scaling the hurdles of the Board’s own examinations.

President Muhammadu Buhari must ensure that no Nigerian youth is reduced to an object of exploitation by public or private bodies under his government. That era of impunity should be over by now. The media and civil groups should equally play a role in ensuring that the excesses of some these overzealous public institutions and government parastatals are constantly put under check.

• Okoro Gabriel, Esq. Lagos

That sermon by ex-CDS Badeh

S

IR: Thursday July 30, Alex Sobundu Badeh, retired Air Chief Marshal and former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was pulled out of the military in furtherance of a well know military tradition. He had put in 38 years in the service of the father land and it was now time to go. Everything went very well, until time came for the Air Chief Marshal to make a valedictory speech. That speech, in my opinion was the low point in an otherwise glorious parade.

In that sermon, which many newspapers published and which is now available on the internet, Air Chief Marshal Badeh, severely indicted himself and by extension, the President under whose watch he served as CDS. Amongst other things, he stated that there were fifth columnists in the military in his time as CDS! Furthermore, he claimed that he was “head a military that lacked relevant equipment and motivation”. Recalling one of the challenges of combating Boko Haram elements, he said “the enemy was invisible and embedded

with the local populace”. He also claimed that the strength of the military was inadequate.

If we accept that the claims made by the former CDS in his valedictory speech are true, he must be asked a few questions. If the military under his watch was illequipped, ill motivated and lacking in adequate numbers of personnel for the job, what did he do about that? How come he was roaming around and boasting on occasion that Boko Haram would be routed, knowing all the challenges the military had at the time? What action did he take about the “fifth columnists” that he claimed are in the military? Why did he not ensure that the troops he sent to combat had adequate equipment? What did he do about the motivation of the troops who he now claims lacked motivation? Was it fair to the nation and the troops in combat to commit them to battle, knowing all that he is now belatedly telling nation? It is very difficult to fathom the purpose of the complaints by the former CDS. If the points he made

are true, the audience is certainly wrong. Those who need the kind of information he made available are in the Presidency and not on that parade ground.

In the light of this outburst of the former CDS, certain events which befuddled the nation in the recent past have become understandable.

The widespread belief amongst Nigerians was that Boko Haram elements were better armed and better motivated. Some highly placed government officials made such statements openly and without any inhibitions whatsoever. The rash of desertions and acts cowardice in battle that led to several trials can now be understood. Going by what the former CDS now claims to be the situation, the troops fled probably because they were outgunned and outnumbered. It would be recalled that when former President Goodluck Jonathan, desperate to win the elections provided adequate arms, ammunition and other equipment, the gallant troops, within a period of six weeks rolled back all the gains of Boko Haram in terms of

territories lost to them.

The President has embarked on some whirlwind diplomatic shuttles aimed at shoring up support for Nigerian troops by troops belonging to our neighbouring countries. He has been very successful in this endeavour. However for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to be successful in the task assigned to it, very drastic steps must be taken to correct the anomalies to which the former CDS has drawn global attention. Thankfully, so much money has already been provided or pledged in support of the MNJTF. Never again should ill-equipped, unmotivated and outnumbered Nigerian troops be committed to battle.

Finally, those in charge of the humongous sums provided for the purchase of arms, ammunitions and equipment for the military, must be called to account. The President may wish to ask how so much money can be provided and the troops made to go to battle poorly armed.

• Col Ola Majoyeogbe (retired) Lagos.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY,AUGUST 5, 2015

21

COMMENTS

Our Girls; BBC/CNN; IDPs VSF; Ebola V:CSR; Film Flop: Nonsense@NASSty -75% cut?; T/ Wardens

O

UR Girls are missing since April 15 2014.

Daily girl-child suicide bombers create more InternaIly Displaced Persons.

The media should Tony stop ‘advertising’ terrorMarinho ist organisations by rebroadcasting message themes and photos of leaders giving them ‘authenticity’ and ‘free publicity’ denied more deserving citizens. Terrorists get automatic coverage, more than musicians and politicians. A deliberate ‘WORLDWIDE MEDIA SILENCE ON TERRORISM POLICY’ will lead to ignominy -an anti-terrorism policy. It is not censorship but ‘Sensible Silence’, ‘Silent Witness’ - wisdom. No ‘thank you’ to CNN and BBC for disseminating terrorist propaganda and photos for free with no fee to two billion impressionable youth and thus supporting the ‘Internet Terrorism’ Campaign.

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE ON BBC AND CNN –‘GOOD, BAD, UGLY AND TERRORIST’.

IDPs ARE NOT BEGGARS but ‘Internally Displaced Professionals’ market women, retirees, students WHO ARE RECIPIENTS NOT BENEFICIARIES. The N5billion Victims Support Foundation (VSF) released by President Buhari must empower IDPs, not non-IDPs, with positions and funds for wholesale provisions to open ‘gainful employment’ shops and work tools. IDPs deserve more than bedding and TV time. THE FACE OF VSF SHOULD BE AN IDP PASSIONATE PROFESSIONAL. Nigerians want no VSF scam ‘discovered’ in 2016. PREVENTION OF VSF CORRUPTION IS ‘CHANGE’.

Buhari’s MANAGEMENT OF THE VSF IS A LITMUS TEST for anti-corruption ‘change’ and must not fail, be slow or stopped by red tape. To ‘change’, government needs supervising Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, agents and from Day 1, monitoring VSF financial and ‘goods and services’ chain. The EFCC also requires supervision to prevent graft and intimidation. The VSF initial release of N5billion must not disappear into secret 1%/month ‘bank roll-overs’ or 10-30% civil service corruption or contractor pockets with kickbacks and envelopes for the accounting ‘feeding-chain’ or kickback from IDPS. The fund must empower IDPs with

I

T is quite obvious that those who question the myth of Ile-Ife as the origin of the human race cannot deny the historical roots of Yoruba people as a whole in the ancient town. The town is home to the sacred grove of Oduduwa, the progenitor and founder of the entire Yoruba race and to whom all Yoruba, scattered all over the globe, hold their existence. Today, a short walk from the palace of the Ooni of Ife, situated at the centre of the ancient town called Enuwa, takes you to an area called Igbodio where the sacred grove of Oduduwa is located.

Inside the grove, is a moderate building surrounded by trees. Inside the building, which is not accessible to anyone except the traditionalists in the town, is a rustic, ancient chain through which Oduduwa was said to have descended to the earth. Although, different towns and congregations of Yoruba have different stories about how they got to their present locations, that they still owe allegiance to Oduduwa is not in doubt. Except for Ile-Ife where the grove housing Oduduwa is located, I do not know anywhere else where such exists in Yorubaland.

Having said this, the role of an Ooni is central in the affairs of the Yoruba people. And when an Ooni brings to that role, the virtues of wide-spread business and enterprise experiences, immense regional, national and international connections, wisdom, wealth, and above all, a dignifying carriage, it is bound to make tremendous impact on the race in particular and other black people in the Diaspora in general.

These days, modernity has reduced

no-strings, for business, not contractor or NGO schemes and scams. Make IDPs the contractors and NGO employees who must set up IDP FUND COMMITTEES and procurement facilities. CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN and LIMIT Maximum FUNDING/PROJECT TO N5million to spread the funds. If not, corruption will erode N5billion to N1billion.

Hurray for the Ebola Vaccine and efforts governments and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others put into medical research. A Nobel Prize is due for this and the Malaria Vaccine research team, please. What did Africa or Africans or corporations contribute to Ebola, malaria or polio research? Credit to Rotary International for massive anti-polio activities. However what did billionaire Mo Ibrahim, of the $5m Democracy Prize give? What did Babangida give or any African secret or public billionaire?

What did Dangote give? He wants to buy Arsenal FC. What did Otedola give or Adenuga, Alakija, Tinubu or any other ‘jankan-jankan’ or South Africa’s MTN bosses give or our ‘mythically profitable’ Banks like Zenith, First and Diamond banks who mysteriously profit amidst poverty. Did government give through CBN, NPA, NNPC, NLNG, to foreign or NIGERIAN MEDICAL RESEARCH? Why not? Africans misplaced priorities!

African Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, billions annually, could have produced malaria vaccines 20 years ago saving millions. Shame on greedy, myopic Corporate Africa preferring to sell foreign treatments for malaria than invent vaccines! Some CSR is good but most prefer cheap Tshirt and face cap CSR. Even the new ‘MTN 25 Maternity Centres’ needs to avoid ‘misplaced applause’. Imagine if MTN had used the ‘boastful’ advert money to host a CORPORATE NIGERIA CSR STRATEGY CONFERENCE with 100 other companies and NGOs to upgrade 1000 maternities in 2015. That would save thousands on THE MOST DANGEROUS DAY IN THEIR LIVES- DELIVERY DAY. In 2016 Corporate Nigeria could COLLECTIVELY choose another 1000 Maternity Centres or ‘10million School Books for All’ or ‘1000 Ward Youth Centres’. Not all N4b+/Annum CSR is properly used though there is much need. Even CSR officials in Corporate Nigeria, government and donor agencies are not saints. Some take kickbacks for approving CSR. Africa, suffering from leader thieves, must ‘Thank God’ for the ‘generosity and selflessness’ of the UN, WHO and Corporate Europe’s ‘white man’ and the all-good ‘NEW

VACCINATION COLONIALISM’. This is set to save and hopefully keep Africans at home and away from joining the millions dreaming and desperately departing and sometimes drowning while seeking to evade security and invade Fortress Europe. They seek a ‘BETTER LIFE FOR DEPRIVED AFRICANS’ through suicidal migration across the Sahara and on lethal tiny boats through the idyllic mid-Mediterranean Lampedusa Island known for funerals of thousands of nameless drowning en route Fortress Europe. African leaders must make Africa home for all, not just their family and hangers-on.

Anyone fortunate enough to have sleep or gone deaf and blind during the last three weeks would have thankfully missed the flop film ‘Nonsense at NASSty NASS-2015’ serialised on TV. Nigeria is worse for the events. Is National Assembly (NASS) reducing its budget by 75%? In a voice vote from Fellow Nigerians, the ‘AYES’ have it for a 75% reduction. Should Nigerians have a ‘NASS -Salaries, Allowances and Perks-SAP- Referendum or recall our NASS members?

WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND 1] Part-time sittings; 2] Cancellation of titles like ‘Honourable’, ‘Distinguished’ and ‘Excellency’ which are undeserved and; 3] ‘No’ to bowing in NASSty NASS and; 4] Standing when anyone but the President enters an event.

Traffic Wardens at Osuntokun Junction, Bodija, Ibadan ignore Buhari’s ‘Change’ Agenda. Videoing and ‘interneting’ them will make them stop demanding bribes. Can they emulate the role model Traffic Warden at Customs Junction, 500 metres away?

‘African Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, billions annually, could have produced malaria vaccines 20 years ago saving millions. Shame on greedy, myopic Corporate Africa preferring to sell foreign treatments for malaria than invent vaccines! Some CSR is good but most prefer cheap T-shirt and face cap CSR’

Ile-Ife: Tradition Vs Modernity (1) the world to a global village where events and activities happening thousands of miles apart are simultaneously received and monitored all over the place with electric speed in the comfort of homes and offices. But despite these ever-consuming forces of modernity and advancement in technology, the umbilical cord that binds the ancient town of Ife with tradition has remained unbroken.

Last week, the ancient town, the cradle of the Yoruba race was put in the spotlight. In what was akin to a clash of the titans, there was a direct collision between the forces of tradition and modernity. While tradition, as exemplified by traditionalists in the ancient town held on to their age-long beliefs and norms, the forces of modernity which have found expression in the internet and the social media through smart gadgets and what have you, were both engaged in a war of supremacy.

It all began like a whisper in the early evening of Tuesday, July 28, before it quickly snowballed into a near ‘conflagration’ of sorts. Time was about 8:30pm, Nigerian time which also corresponds with the summer time in London. That evening, I received an unusual call from London. The terse message from the other end almost threw me off balance: “Baba ti lo” meaning, Papa is gone. I stammered: “Baba wo?” meaning, which Papa? My adrenalin shot up. My question received no immediate response as the person on the other side simply said:

‘Perhaps, one of the reasons the media has been abuzz with recent development at Ile Oodua, is the flamboyance and visibility of the occupant of the Ooni’s stool which, over the years, has been accorded tremendous media attention and conspicuous visibility ’

“Jo, je kin pe e pada” meaning, “Please, let me call you back.”

From that time on, things happened in quick succession. My phones rang endlessly. Calls came in from virtually everywhere from friends and relatives as well as from numerous colleagues both within and outside the country - the USA, Canada, Britain, etc. They all wanted to confirm whether the news they had heard or picked up on the internet about Ile Oodua (Oduduwa House) as the palace at Ife is now known, was true. Of course, I had nothing to tell them. All I could say was that I had just received a call from London pointing to the same thing but that the person at the other end quickly hung up with a promise to get back to me.

Minutes turned into hours and the expectations continued as the phones will not stop ringing throughout the night. I could not get annoyed for the disturbance the calls posed to my sleep that night. I knew I was paying the price for having been born and bred within the four walls of the palace in Ife where I lived for more than 22 years with my parents and siblings during the reign of a great son of Oduduwa, also a great figure in Nigeria’s history, Sir Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi, the late Ooni of Ife, 1930-1980. The callers truncated my sleep that night because they thought I was in a position to throw more light on the wild “rumour”.

The following day, almost all the newspapers in the news-stands carried the story in one form or another.

The other communication outlets the internet, via smart gadgets and the social media platforms – also continued their feast on the news. But there is no way modernity will consign tradition to the backyard of events especially when the transition of a revered monarch and powerful institution as the Ooni of Ife is involved. In spite of the encroachment

of modernity on our traditional ways of life in Africa, traditional beliefs especially in places like the Benin kingdom, Ile-Ife, Oyo and many other historical towns in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, have remained sacrosanct and unyielding to civilization. It is this unyielding stance that precipitated the clash between tradition and modernity which we have witnessed in the developments in Ife. What is at the centre of the raging media war between the traditional chiefs in Ife and mass communication practitioners who believe that it is their duty to keep the people and their readers informed of happenings at all times, is the belief that tradition is superior to modernity.

For more than four months now, the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolopkolo, Erediauwa, has neither been seen nor heard in public. Though the Benin Traditional Council came up with the news that the revered Oba was indisposed on March 8, since then, nobody has dared to speculate anything about the Oba. Over the years, the Binis have held tenaciously to their tradition so much that whatever happens to their highly revered monarch cannot be for public consumption under whatever guise until the Traditional Council decides otherwise. This tradition is as old as the Benin kingdom itself. It is a procedure that has been rigidly followed and has remained unbroken for centuries, modernity notwithstanding. I guess the whole country is now waiting patiently for an update on the fate of the Oba from the traditionalists in Benin. Before then, people can only talk in hushed tones. Such is the fear and trepidation that tradition has created.

Perhaps, one of the reasons the media has been abuzz with recent development at Ile Oodua, is the

Dele Agekameh flamboyance and visibility of the occupant of the Ooni’s stool which, over the years, has been accorded tremendous media attention and conspicuous visibility. As a result of this, it is natural that any news, whether good or bad, emanating from the Source, as Ile-Ife is affectionately called, will attract instant media celebration. Besides, it appears there are far too many leakages in the whole system and these leakages can only be engineered from within. It is like what comes around, goes round. The same scenario that played out in July 1980, is again playing out with greater effervescence and disruptive capacity to tradition, this time around in July 2015.

The question now begging for answer is: With increasing advancement in communication technology, how can these perennial leakages be stopped? I have written this with a great sense of responsibility and reverence as an ‘insider’ who has a good knowledge of Ile-Ife and particularly, the story of the palace of the Ooni of Ife. For comments Text (only) to : 08058354382

22

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

COMMENTS ‘USA-Nigeria relations: Ambassador Fafowora makes a lot of valid points: Obama has messed up the goodwill established by assassinated President John F. Kennedy (Jan 1961-Nov 1963). Obama has no respect for us.

He must not be invited here. Let us wait till a new president emerges in next year. If he or she behaves like J. F. Kennedy or Bill Clinton, then we have a friend in the White House.

Obama wants to turn the Naira to a worthless currency. He is vicariously liable for Boko Haram madness in the northeast. To get stolen funds repatriated, Buhari should ask the looters to make refund to the Federal Government. No law suit. From Dapo Shogbola’ • Saraki For Olatunji Dare Senator Bukola Saraki’s coup against his party and voters is about unravel and its seems some former Senate Presidents are about to do terms in Kuje Prisons. All criminals always leave a trail, but these Sam Aleck’s left theirs all too obvious. The end is pretty much in sight. From Daud Akinade Please who called the meeting of the APC members the same day of the National Assembly inauguration? Let us get to the root of the matter before we start blaming individuals. Regards. From Tokunbo.

Good evening Prof. Olatunji Dare, I enjoy your comment and debate, in The Nation of July 28, 2015. Sure, l will keep this paper for my children in case God will give them talent. The language you applied is powerful. Thanks. From ALHAJI SANI OMAR. ABUJA. Prof, I enjoyed your article as usual concerning events at the National Assembly. There is no gainsaying that what is playing out in the Legislative House is fraud and daylight robbery at its best! Senator Saraki and his cohorts are sitting on a keg of gunpowder.”Ile ti a fi ito mo,iri ni yoo wo lule”, literal means, a house built with dew shall sooner than later fall down. A word is enough for only the wise. Prof, your ink shall never dry.

From Sunday Adebiyi, Abuja.

Sir, am always impressed with your weekly articles because they’re always thoughtful and blunt. The alleged forgery case against the National Assembly clerk should be investigated and all the culprits duly punished. As a Kwaran, I will expect

T

the Economic Financial and crimes Commission (EFCC) to ask our Senate president what happened to the defunct state Trade Bank during his tenure as governor! I felt ashamed of his actions in the Senate as a Kwaran. Why did the EFCC refuse to invite Senator Saraki and his wife for questioning about the finances of Kwara State? Saraki should please resign honourably before he is removed. From Adedoyin Adeniyi Emmanuel, Oro, Kwara State.

Despite that the elections that brought Senators Saraki, Ekweremadu and Honourable Dogara as leaders in the National Assembly have k-leg, let them hit the ground running by doing the work that brought them into the National Assembly for the interest of Nigerians. Nigerians expect people oriented laws. From Gordon Chika Nnorom.

As it is revealed that the election of Senator Saraki as Senate president is a coup against Nigeria and the change we are expecting, President Muhammadu Buhari should as a matter of urgency start the prosecution of all that were involved, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents in the All Progressives Congress (APC). From E.A. Unuane, Warri.

For. Segun Gbdegesin Re: ‘Restructuring the presidency and the nation’ your piece makes an interesting reading. In our nation, patience could be a great virtue. The foundation of the presidential system of government which was necessitated by the need to reward party loyalties, relatives and friends with public offices was laid in the Second Republic. Even where such offices were in

HE National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) internal cohesion and inner peace have once again come under serious test, no thanks to the insidious activities of some elements with an axe to grind with its Director General, Dr. Paul Orhii, for no reason other than the pursuit of enlightened self interests.

The development naturally may be shocking to many given its novelty - no staff of the agency has had any cause to go public with perceived acts of injustice in the six years Dr. Orhii has been on its driver’s seat, not to talk of publicly rubbishing his integrity that he has spent all his life to build.

The English playwright, William Shakespeare, effusively captured the inscrutability of the human nature in one of his popular quotes: “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face”.

This is the context I situate the effrontery of a misguided group that recently mobilized some equally misguided youths to march to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja to demand the resignation of its chairman, Ibrahim Larmode apparently for his refusal to do a hatchet job for the NAFDAC’s erstwhile Director of Accounts and Finance.

The erstwhile Director of Accounts and Finance, Olusegun Mogbojuri had petitioned the anti-graft agency alleging acts of impropriety against his boss. On the surface such an action is within the ambit of any organisation’s operational framework, NAFDAC is, therefore, not an exception.

However, the real motive is unveiled against the backdrop of the fact that the petitioner resorted to this action to protest his redeployment from the head office to the agency’s training school in Kaduna as its director.

Nigeria needs anti-corruption crusaders to give fillip to the ethical agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari to rid the country of corruption in all its ramifications. However, the country does not need emergency anti-corruption crusaders deploying selective perception for self-serving agenda. The method deployed by Mogbojuri to prosecute his cause, exposes him to serious ethical and professional scrutiny. For instance, why did he wait until now and after his redeployment to blow the lid off the alleged unsavoury

short supply, more were created at the expense of enduring and sustainable national growth and development. Since then, personal interest has displaced national interest. Any leader who wants to make a difference from the past leaders should lay a new foundation for a better Nigeria. I believe that President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of the cracks and cannot continue with the structure to prevent a collapsed nation on his head. God bless Nigeria. From Femi Omoniyi.

The senate has lost its credibility, having started on a faulty foundation.

Members of the National Assembly should pay their aides themselves. From Lucky, Benin.

Utmost respect sir. You have raised very scintillating issues. Surely, President Muhammadu Buhari will perform. I beseech God to give him energy and power to reposition and restructure the nation from its morass of despair and subhumanity. In the same vein, elites change of attitude and behaviour is also paramount. The governors and Federal lawmakers. From Surveyor Amidu Saheed, Ifo. For Dapo Fafowora Thank you for your article of July 30. The United States of America should look at the Leahy Act again, and amend it in such a way that it does not give advantage to terrorists. Their attitude towards our fight against terror by refusing to supply arms to us is distasteful. From A.I. Olisadebe.

Your write-up on Buhari’s’ visit to Washington is excellent. Keep it up.

Anonymous.

•Buhari USA-Nigeria relations: Ambassador Fafowora makes a lot of valid points: Obama has messed up the goodwill established by assassinated President John F. Kennedy (Jan 1961-Nov 1963). Obama has no respect for us. He must not be invited here. Let us wait till a new president emerges in next year. If he or she behaves like J. F. Kennedy or Bill Clinton, then we have a friend in the White House. Obama wants to turn the Naira to a worthless currency. He is vicariously liable for Boko Haram madness in the northeast. To get stolen funds repatriated, Buhari should ask the looters to make refund to the Federal Government. No law suit. From Dapo Shogbola.

For Tunji Adegboyega Re: Confusion over Ooni. What has happened has happened, but what happened I do not know. It is high time we focused more on researches, technology, sciences and play a little less on religious extremism and centurion traditions. Since the one week of Yes and No, temper rose, unnecessary money spent and yet, nothing achieved. I continue to wish the Olubuse Okunade a longer life Ameen. From Lanre Oseni.

Let the announcement of the death of Oba Sijuwade follow the due process as prescribed by the tradition to avoid complications in the land. In life or death we need to celebrate the Ooni of Ife for his exemplary leadership as a traditional ruler.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace Amen. From Gordon Chika Nnorom, , Umukabia, Abia State.

NAFDAC: The trouble within

By Martins F. Ikhilae developments in NAFDAC when the man he is trying so hard to rubbish has been at the helms of affairs since 2009?

Why pull down an institution as great as NAFDAC and thus in the process strip it of its all important credibility necessary to command the respect and even the awe of Nigerians, international community and the social vermin that drug traffickers and adulterators have become?

Anywhere in the world periodic redeployment of organisation’s staff is an organic part of its modus operandi.

The NAFDAC is a well structured organization with layers of authority. Dr. Paul Orhii as the Director General is the Chief Executive Officer. In the agency’s scheme of things, he reserves the right to undertake strategic staff redeployment to enhance organizational efficiency. It, therefore, smacks of gross insubordination and insolence for any staff, no matter how highly placed, to resist such redeployment. When a staff resists redeployment at all cost including the use of blackmail to stop a mere administrative act, in order to remain permanently at a particular duty post, the message is clear: Something untoward is going on in that department.

It, therefore, makes it more compelling for such a staff to be dislodged from his/her self created comfort zone by the authorities.

I am aware a coalition of groups, African Arise for Change Network on the War Against Corruption in Nigeria, has alerted that saboteurs have planned to overwhelm anticorruption agencies by sending them on wild goose chase through petitions that have no substance. Could Mogbojuri’s petition be the sentinel in a long list that would be thrown in the way of these agencies to distract the anti-corruption fight? Are proceeds from counterfeit drug barons now being deployed on rent-a-crowd stratagem to call for leadership change at federal government agencies, including those fighting graft? What implications will this have on the zero

tolerance of the hard fighting Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government against corruption? Frivolous petitions would only serve to distract the focus of the anti-corruption bodies, waste valuable man hour, dissipate resources and kill interest in pursuing future cases. These agencies could also lose public sympathy as they will then be accused of being used for witch-hunting. This, apparently, is the expected outcome among those kicking up the dust at the moment. It is on this note that one must emphasize that without prejudice to the need to crush corruption, there must be concerted national effort to discourage the ongoing hit jobs being undertaken by elements with personal axes to grind.

And just as some people have noted, wrecking the integrity of NAFDAC for personal score could boomerang on the economy of Nigeria as foreign nations could use such as a basis for measuring the efficiency of the agency as a regulator.

A direct consequence would be the loss of confidence in the wholesomeness of the consumable goods from our small and medium scale enterprises, which will in turn frustrate ongoing efforts to diversify the economy.

The NAFDAC DG must refuse to be distracted this time around. Just as past efforts at rubbishing him drew positive attention to him locally and internationally, this current effort will pass away this same way.

• Ikhilae, is a Lagos-based Public Affairs Analyst

‘Without prejudice to the need to crush corruption, there must be concerted national effort to discourage the ongoing hit jobs being undertaken by elements with personal axes to grind’

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

23

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

25

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Commercial banks are not manufacturing-friendly as their interest rates are usually very high; therefore, commercial banks remain a major challenge to the sector. Even the Bank of Industry’s (BoI) framework, which pegs interest rate at nine per cent, only finances machinery acquisition; it does not cater for working capital.

-MAN President, Dr Frank Jacobs

Nigeria cleared to export shrimps to U.S

SEC mulls removal of 12-year ceiling on unclaimed dividend

Stories by Daniel Essiet

N

S

ECURITIES and Ex change Commission (SEC) might lead efforts to remove the 12-year ceiling on recovery of unclaimed dividends, paving the way for shareholders to be able to retrieve their unclaimed dividends irrespective of the timeline.

Extant laws currently place a 12-year statute bar on unclaimed dividends, after which the shareholders forfeit the rights to the dividends and the unclaimed funds revert to the companies that made the payment.

But SEC, as part of a basket of initiatives aimed at enhancing market integrity and deepening participation, especially by domestic investors, is considering a review of the 12year limit.

SEC is finalising the list of a highly influential advisory group that will serve as advocacy front to lobby for legislative and policy changes. The advisory council will be mandated to engage the National Assembly, Judiciary and the Federal Executive Council on key changes necessary to enhance the growth of the market.

“It is something that we need to look at as we move forward,” director general, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Mounir Gwarzo said when asked about the 12-year limit on unclaimed dividends.

He said the commission had earlier led an effort to change the statue bar because it believed that the 12-year bar is not good for the investors in the market and unclaimed dividend should be such that a shareholder should be entitled to claim his dividends if he comes around with evidence that he owns the shares.

Unclaimed dividends currently stand at about N80 billion.

SEC had recently taken several steps to address the issue of unclaimed dividends. The apex capital market regulators recently directed all registrars of public limited liability companies to return all unclaimed dividends, which have been in their custody for 15 months and above to the companies that paid the dividends.

In a circular dated June 1, SEC gave the registrars up till June 30, 2015 to comply and file evidence of remittance of the unclaimed dividends to the companies with the Commission. SEC last week confirmed that about 70 per cent of the registrars have complied while the remaining registrars have written to seek for further consideration.

•From left: Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-rufai; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mrs Zainab Ahmed and the Deputy Governor, Kaduna State, Mr Barnabas Bantex, during the visit of NEITI officials to the governor in Kaduna.

Dollar rejection: importers divert funds to neighbouring countries I

MPORTERS are diverting their dollar payments to neighbouring Ghana and Benin Republic, following the continued rejection of dollar deposits by banks.

According to findings by The Nation, the importers preferred these countries because import procedures and forex policy implementation are less tasking.

President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, confirmed the development.

He said the rejection of over the counter foreign currencies cash deposits by banks is causing problems for importers, adding that the after effect of the policy shift is already unfolding.

“The implications of the banks protest have started manifesting. The surplus dollars in the street market is unavailable to the local importers as they cannot transact with it through

By Collins Nweze

their bankers. The neighbouring countries are having a field day mopping up the excess dollar cash liquidity at a very cheap rate for the use of their imports to the detriment of importers,” he said. ‘’Importers are diverting the payment for their imports to neighbouring countries.They are also diverting their consignments to ports of neighbouring countries. The Port of Tema and Tokoradi Port in Ghana as well as the Port Autonome de Cotonou, in Benin Republic are their preferred choices.

“The policy change is helping businesses in neighbouring countries at the expense of Nigerian lenders. I believe that operators should expect further market disequilibrium,” he added.

CBN Director of Communications, Ibrahim Mu’azu said the public must be aware of the

several protocols on illicit fund flows, money laundering, and terrorism financing both in Nigeria and around the world, warning that the apex bank will increase its vigilance to ensure that banks are not used as conduits for illicit fund flows, especially in foreign currencies.

He said the banks will continue to curtail the acceptance of foreign currency cash deposits, much the same way as customers in other countries cannot just walk into banks and make foreign currency cash deposits without proper documentation.

“We wish to assure all citizens seeking foreign currencies for legitimate personal and/or business interests that there remains ample opportunity to do so within the law. The CBN’s Foreign Exchange Rules have many windows for accessing foreign exchange for legitimate business as well as for personal commitments including payment of medical bills,

school fees, mortgages, demand notes and other bills.

Also, Bureaux de Change (BDC) services to small-scale users remain valid as long as this is to meet genuine needs, and BDCs’ documentations to the CBN include the customer’s Bank Verification Number (BVN),” he said.

He said the CBN will continue to support the Federal Government’s fight against money laundering, corruption, and terrorism financing and will block any and every avenue that may be used for these purposes.

“We will also ensure that persons who venture into currency speculation and currency substitution find it unattractive and dangerous. In these efforts, therefore, we seek the continued cooperation of all Nigerians to make this work for the enhancement of our shared progress, rather than the prosperity of a greedy few among us,” he said.

Why counterfeiting thrives in ports, by SON • Says 50% electrical/electronics products are substandard

T

HE directive of the Federal Government barring some of its agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) from the ports has stalled the campaign against ridding the country of fake/ substandard products, its Director-General, Dr Joseph Odumodu, has said.

He lamented that more than 50 per cent of substandard products in the market are electrical/electronic

Boosting internally generated revenues

By Chikodi Okereocha

products, Speaking in SON’s Lagos office at the weekend, Odumodu said though the level of sub-standard products in Nigeria has reduced in the last three years, statistics

by SON shows that electrical/ electronic products constitute over half of the substandard products in the market.

He lamented that SON has slowed down in its drive to

reduce substandard products because the government’s removal of SON at the ports hampered the organisation’s drive for reducing substandard products in Nigeria.

He said: “Government in its wisdom removed SON from being at the ports. That singular action hampered the drive for reducing substandard products in Nigeria because today we are not at the ports so, we do not even know what is coming into

Stock Exchange steps up demutualisation process - P27

- P 37

Nigeria.”

Odumodu however, said SON has devised an alternative in form of segmentation of the market in a bid to rid the country of substandard products. The organisation, he said, is complementing this with the launch, this month, of a campaign called Operation Flush that would focus on electrical/electronic products and other segments of the market where substandard products are found.

igerian fishing com panies are set to be recertified to export shrimps to the United States (U.S), U.S Department of Commerce National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, has said.

An official of the agency and fisheries expert, Jack Forrester who is leading a team to recertify the nation’s fishing trawler facilities said in Lagos that Nigeria is one of the nations exporting shrimps to the U.S which has met the requirements on exportation harvest of shrimp in a manner that does not affect sea turtle species.

He said the State Department will recommend to the U.S Congress to grant the certification to the nation’s offshore shrimp fishery.

The recommendation is based on the acknowledgement that the nation’s fleet performs sustainable fisheries and protects sea turtles, in compliance with international standards.

As a result of this, he said Nigeria may continue to export shrimps to the U.S following the recommendation to the congress.

U.S government, he said, makes certifications of shrimp exporting countries annually and bases them in part on verification visits to exporting countries.

Industrialist urges banks on MSME lending

A

N industrialist and Chairman,Vegefresh Group, Prince Samuel Johnson Samuel has urged banks to assist struggling companies to survive and improve servicing of the debts.

He said the economy has shown a surge in bad loans, as high interest rates have pushed many companies to default on loan payments.

He urged the government and the banks to reach out to more Nigerians to set up new enterprises, for which it has adequate funds to reduce imports.

He attributed the unexpected resurfacing of bad loans to the inability of banks to cuddle their struggling borrowers and motivate them to pay what they owe.

He chastised ‘shortsighted’ lenders that clamped down on borrowers, stressing that it was not the way to go in the face of the state of the economy.

He urged more flexibility from the banks so that the problematic loans can be dealt with effectively.

‘Why I prefer farming to white collar jobs’ - P 38

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

26

THE NATION

BUSINESS MONEY

e-mail: money@thenationonlineng.net

Diamond Bank votes N6.6b for bad loans D

IAMOND Bank Plc has posted N5.8 billion Profit Before Tax (PBT) in the second quarter of the year. But the profit declined by 15 per cent compared to that of the previous year, while Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at N5.1 billion, representing a 13 per cent decrease.

Analysts at FBN Capital, an investment and research firm, said the decline was caused by a 62 per cent increase in loan loss provisions of N6.6 billion and a nine per cent rise in expenses.

A loan loss provision is an expense reserved for defaulted loans, or credits.

The analysts insisted that though profit before the provisions was up by nine per cent to N39.4 billion, this is not enough to offset the negatives on the loan provisions and expenses.

“Diamond’s Bank’s impairment charge continues to be high in the sector and may worsen going forward, given the trend observed

• Profit After Tax down by 44% Stories by Collins Nweze

in some of the banks that have reported second quarter results, particularly given Diamond’s relatively high exposure to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the retail segments,” they said.

Besides, Bloomberg consensus forecasts a PBT of N30.1 billion for Diamond for the year, but the performance of the lender portends a slight downward revision.

Diamond Bank’s shares are down by 28.3 per cent, much worse than the All Share Index’s -10.2 per cent performance.

For the analysts, though the bank’s cost of risk is in the three to 3.5 per cent range, below the four per cent guidance provided for the full year, it is believed the ratio is likely to worsen in the fourth quarter ended in December given the weak macro environment.

“Further up the Profit and Loss, although both income lines contributed to the growth in pre-provision profits, non-interest income, which grew by 19 per cent year-on-year, was the stronger of the two lines.

Funding income grew by only seven per cent year-on-year. Given that Diamond Bank’s loan book shrunk by two per cent quarter-onquarter, it is believed that funding income most likely benefitted from a combination of higher yields on earning assets and a three per cent quarter-on-quarter decline in customer deposits,” they said.

Sequentially, the bank’s PBT and PAT declined by 30 per cent per quarter and 44 per cent quarter mainly because non-interest income declined by five per cent per quarter while expenses grew by 12 per cent quarterly.

Compared with forecasts, PBT and PAT missed it by between 23 per

cent and 25 per cent because profit before provisions came in four per cent behind forecast, expenses was around two per cent higher than analysts’ forecast.

“The non-interest income line which came in around 18 per cent

‘Remove fuel subsidy before devaluation’

T

HE government has been urged to remove fuel subsidy before it embarks on another devaluation of the naira.

The Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, who gave the advice at a seminar for finance journalists, organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, said the impact of the devaluation on the economy would be reduced if the government removed the subsidy.

“Currency adjustment will happen, but depending on when they take away the subsidies, the adjustment required will be minimal.

What is required is the exchange rate determining mechanism which allows for a floating currency with interventions to create stability,” he said.

Rewane insisted that if oil price dropped below the value, the adjustment impact would be higher.

“The problem of currency adjustment is not unique to Nigeria; all the oil producing countries are all facing the same thing. So, let us not wallow in it. Whether we like it or not, I can assure you that they will get rid of petrol subsidy. Not because of the pricing but because it is a system that is wrong”.

He said subsidy fuels corruption, adding that the about 40 million litres of petrol consumed daily are exaggerated, adding that the subsidy is either on imported or exported fuel to neighbouring

‘Payment of $2b salary arrears’ll boost consumer HE fall in consumer confiMhango said in the series’ short hisconfidence’ dence is expected to ease after tory, the last time a positive conthe Federal Government sumer confidence index was wit-

T

tral Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is harping on a strong naira.

“We think consumer confidence will likely remain in a slump. With a still-low 12-month outlook for the oil price, we expect government revenue amongst other things to remain constrained, implying that payments for salaries and fuel subsidies are likely to continue to fall behind. This would be negative for wage growth and economic activity,” Mhango said.

“We thus expect the consumer confidence index to move sideways in the negative eight-11 range over the next 12 months, implying the consumer depression is likely to be protracted,” she added.

RenCap said it expects to see monetary policy ease and a material improvement in the oil price that allows government finances to recover before sentiments on the economy will change.

“As we see economic activity weakening in the short term and monetary policy remaining tight (given the central bank’s fixation on a strong naira), we expect the consumer depression to be protracted,” she said.

nessed was in June 2011, when large pre-election wage increases for government workers drove up confidence. Thereafter, began the deterioration in consumer confidence, which led to the index falling into negative territory, where it has since remained.

“The positive sentiment inspired by big wage increases in early 2011 was snuffed out by a 575-basis point’s hike in the monetary policy rate in 2011 to 12 per cent at year end 2011,’’ she said.

She insisted that interest rates and government wages have the highest correlations with consumer confidence.

“We think this is explained by the fact that tight liquidity and high interest rates inhibit access to credit, particularly for those traders and distributors of consumer goods that partly depend on credit to facilitate their businesses. We attribute the government wage correlation with consumer confidence to the fact that they collectively reflect wages of one-third of the 11 million formal workforces,” she said.

• Rewane

countries or overseas.

“In 2002, total subsidy paid in this country was N200 million, by 2012 it had gone to N2 trillion, does this mean that we now have 20 times more vehicles in Nigeria, no. We are talking about 40 million litres of petrol a day. Is it that we are driving on top of one another? The true figure should not be more than 10 to 15 million litres,” he said.

The FDC chief executive also stressed the need to increase productivity in the country, saying: “We must recognise that Nigeria has 2.6 per cent of the world population and produces 0.7 per cent of the world output. We can only desire and lay a claim to a higher quality of life if we can produce more.’’

Visa begins campaign to enhance cardholders’ experience

• From left: Artist Nkechi Abii; Divisional Head, Marketing Communications, Fidelity Bank, Charles Odibo; CEO, Customer Centricity, Uloma Umeano, at the “Fragrant Kaleidoscope” artworks exhibition in Lagos, sponsored by the bank.

clears the accumulated $2 billion salary arrears owed to various states’ workers, analysts at Renaissance Capital (RenCap), an investment and research firm, predicted at the weekend.

In a report titled: “Nigeria Consumer depression likely to be protracted”, RenCap’s Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Economist Yvonne Mhango said Nigeria’s consumer confidence index fell to -12.4 in June, from -2.4 a year earlier and -10 in the previous quarter.

Since the series began in October 2011, the only other time the consumer confidence index fell this low was October 2012, when it dropped to -12.7 following the partial removal of the fuel subsidy.

She said it is expected that consumer confidence will improve moderately within the third quarter of the year, following the proposed clearing of the $2 billion in salary arrears.

The analyst, however, said in the short term, economic growth is expected to remain weak and monetary policy tight because the Cen-

behind our forecast was the major driver behind the weakness in pre provision profit. In hindsight, our forecast may have been somewhat optimistic given how much deterioration the operating environment saw in second quarter,” they added.

• Ashaye

V

ISA, a global payments technology company, has launched NotATourist, an innovative, regional campaign aimed at driving international tourism during holidays and rewarding holidaying card users.

The campaign will run in the Middle East and African markets including Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Senegal until 31 August.

It provides cardholders with real and rich destination-related information to help plan their travel as well as access Visa’s global merchant offers and exclusive promotions.

It is designed to inspire travel beyond the regular tourist sites to sa-

vour truly local experiences that are the essence of making a destination unique. As travellers experience unforgettable moments, Visa remains the gateway to an array of offers that give cardholders the ability to maximize their joy and access to thousands of attractions that unlock the secrets of their preferred destinations.

Visa’s General Manger for West Africa, Ade Ashaye said the most important highlight of the campaign is that the firm is able to communicate with the hearts and minds of travellers and help them appreciate the hidden treasures of the places they visit.

“As a global payments technology company, we believe in the power and reach of mobile applications, to tap in to the large population of smart phone users, mostly millennials who can effectively influence other aspirational travellers in the same age group,” Ashaye said.

He said that in Nigeria, tourists are encouraged to participate in a competition by posting pictures of themselves on twitter. The winners will get weekly prizes such as Ipads, Nikon cameras, $1000 and a grand prize of $15,000 trip to Dubai for four nights.

27

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

MONEY

Boosting internally-generated revenues The Bayelsa State government, like other states, is being affected by dwindling federal allocations, once the bulwark of states. As the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) payout continues to fall, Bayelsa is opening its doors to investors. The Bayelsa Investment and Economic Forum held in Yenegoa, the state capital, focused on building a viable productive base for the state and enhancing its revenue, writes COLLINS NWEZE.

T

HE sharp fall in oil prices is of major concern to many states. Forward-looking ones are rethinking their revenue drive strategies, looking inwards on how to be self-sufficient.

Besides, states can no longer rely on the federal allocations to meet the increasing needs of their people.

For instance, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data for 2013 revealed that internally-generated revenue (IGR) for Bayelsa State amounted to N6.2 billion, representing 2.7 per cent of its total revenue. In comparison with Lagos State, which generated N157.3 billion, this is very low.

But Bayelsa is not resting on its oars. It is relying on private-sector investments to create jobs and boost personal income tax revenue.

At a briefing at the conclusion of the second Bayelsa Investment and Economic Forum, the Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Tourism, Kemela Okara, said the state was serious about collaborating with the private sector to grow the productive base of the economy.

“The nature of the conversation of the forum was not theoretical.

Those who are experts in various areas, those who are actively involved in different areas, spoke on how to get viable projects in the state running,” he said.

He said the forum was an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss financing, pricing of gas and electricity.

“The most explosive idea is the readiness of Bayelsa and Nigeria to take advantage of opportunities presented in business to do business. It is exciting. It makes our job easier.The Bayelsa State Investment Initiative will help the people tidy up the documentations and ensure that their expectations are met,” he said.

“We are also creating the necessary tax incentives for people to come. So, there is no doubt that we are very serious and many incentives will come. Following from this, we are going to capture a lot of things in a documentary that we will share. We are creating the necessary environment. We want to ensure that everything that investors need is provided.We will make sure that nothing is holding them back. At the Federal Government level, we are also collaborating to hasten that process,” he said.

One of the panelists and Director, FBN Capital, Patrick Mgbewelu, said Bayelsa is one of the smallest states in Nigeria with a population of two million.

The conference, he said, addressed seven budding sectors, such as agriculture, manufacturing and energy. The state’s agricultural base is considerable and comparative advantage exists in food and tree crops including cassava, sugar cane and rubber.

Bayelsa has the longest coastline in the country and significant inland waterways. Local fish production is, however, low; about 30,000 tonnes yearly. This represents only six per cent of national production.

On energy, he said the state government has placed power provision on the front burner; it owns 25 per cent of the local distribution firm. The network requires upgrading. Investors in this sector would benefit from a waiver on all

• Osinbajo

import duties for power plant equipment, which the state government hoped to secure from the Federal Government.

Governor Henry Seriake Dickson told delegates that 50 hectares of land had been acquired for its an industrial park. The park will be divided into four zones - commercial, industrial, office and residential.

He said the state is serious about expanding its economical frontiers beyond oil and gas. “How do we move away and create inclusive growth and entrepreneurship among our people. It is by making remarkable moves through private sector participation in the state’s economy,” he said.

Dickson admitted that Nigeria is living through dwindling oil revenues and, therefore, needed the support of the private sector to grow the economy.

He said the state is the home of oil and gas. Since 1956, when oil was discovered in Oloibiri, the state has been playing a major role in the oil and gas industry.

“We have opened our doors to all agencies to build sustainable wealth, skills and promote entrepreneurship. This year, the team is looking at areas of comparative advantage. Power generation is not to be left to the Federal Govern-

• Dickson

ment alone. The Federal Government has started the process of power privatisation, and needs to be supported,” he said.

Dickson said investors in the power sector needed to know that Bayelsa has oil and gas, and the need to site their industries close to the raw materials.

“Investors in the power sector need to be in Bayelsa where there is abundance of gas to help in powering the power turbines. The forum is not a talk shop. Our focus is on practical steps needed to boost business. Bayelsa is also the centre of agriculture because we have fertile soil,” he said.

He said there was no alternative to industrilisation, adding that the abundance of gas would help to solve the state’s power problems.

It would also help create jobs and boost employment, he added.

“We have been encouraging people to pay taxes. The most sustainable investment Bayelsa has made in capacity building. We are also mindful of the need to diversify to alternative sources of power,” he said.

“When we hosted the first edition in July, last year, it was inspired by my vision to transform Bayelsa State into a model of an African economic success. The vision stands, and is now even more imperative

in view of recent downturn in the oil and gas sector.

“More than ever before, it has become necessary for Bayelsa State to diversify its economy and pursue comparative advantage in agriculture, oil and gas industrial activity , power generation and manufacturing,” he said.

He said the forum focused on unveiling various projects and initiatives in addition to holding interactive sessions focused on the investment opportunities in power generation, agriculture and multisector manufacturing.

“We are pleased that Brass has been granted a free trade zone status which will impact on over multi-million dollar transactions in Brass Island namely, Brass Fertiliser and Brass LNG. The presentation by the Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone Authority will reveal investment opportunities for project developers and financiers at the new Brass Oil and Gas City,” he said.

Dickson said the government would despatch a letter to the Federal Government to seek support for the Eco-Industrial Park.

“I will send a letter to Vicepresident Osinbajo, seeking FG’s collaboration in the construction of our echo-industrial park,” the governor disclosed.

‘We have opened our doors to all agencies to build sustainable wealth, skills and promote entrepreneurship. This year, the team is looking at areas of comparative advantage. Power generation is not to be left to the Federal Government alone. The Federal Government has started the process of power privatisation, and needs to be supported’

The governor, who admitted the pressure on states over revenue short fall, said the planned industrialisation was intended to attract investments and big businesses, a development, which he said would lead to higher taxes.

At the event, the governor also unveiled the masterplan for the park, to be based at Gbarantoru.

According to the governor, it pays investors to go to Bayelsa, as saying it is endowed with abundant resources and that it would make a good economic sense for businesses to be sited close to their sources of raw materials.

He highlighted the areas in which they can have collaboration, including the establishment of a world-class Eco-industrial park, power generation, Brass oil and gas free trade zone and the Agge Deep Sea port, among other key projects.

“We are actually talking about an industrial park that has taken off.

So, for those who are thinking and rightly so, how this wonderful concept can become a reality, we already have it in reality. It is on ground. We have Shell’s investment there of about $4 billion already completed. We also have a Federal Government’s NIPP’s project that has just been privatised, which is also very expensive. All we are doing is to showcase it to the rest of the investing public and to assure everybody of our preparedness to partner going forward,” Dickson stated.

He said other notable projects in the state, when completed, have the capacity to create wealth, employment generation and boost food production as well as increase the revenue profile of the state, adding that a large expanse of land has been made available as incentive for investors in power generation at Imiringi, in Ogbia Local Government Area as well as Gbarantoru in Yenagoa.

The Special Guest of Honour, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the economic well-being of the country depends on the economic wellbeing of the states.

He said there was the need to create employment opportunities for the country and that all hands must be on deck in ensuring that the economy is diversified.

Osinbajo, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Ade Ipaye, said economic development requires structural growth, promising that the Federal Government would ensure that sustainable ideas and opportunities in Bayelsa materialised.

He called for increased transparency in the running of government and that corruption is eradicated.

“Corruption deters long term investors. Corruption can kill industries before they can become viable. There is need for zero tolerance on corruption. A lot of attention should be given to law enforcement agencies even as security of lives and property is key,” he said.

Vice President, Eastern Region, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mrs. Emelia Akpan,stressed the need to improve the capacity of the people in the state. She said youth empowerment was key to industrialisation, adding that the youths are the future leaders.

28

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

THE NATION INVESTORS Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is leading other stakeholders to chart a path of long-term sustainable development for the Nigerian capital market. In this report, Capital Market Editor, TAOFIK SALAKO, highlights key initiatives currently underway to enhance market efficiency and integrity

A master plan for the capital market O

VER the next six months, investors in the Nigerian capital market might be able to receive the net proceeds of their secondary transactions directly from the settlement engine straight into their bank accounts, be able to pay dividends into all bank accounts-current or otherwise, and have their remaining share certificates securely lodged in electronic depository that makes the shares readily available for trading. These are the first fruits of the comprehensive development plan put together by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other stakeholders. The decade-long development plan, otherwise known as the ‘Capital Market Master Plan’, was a product of long-drawn brainstorming and consultation among various capital market stakeholders’ groups under the auspices of the Capital Market Committee (CMC). It was unveiled last November.

The CMC, chaired by the director general of SEC, consists of chief executives of all registered capital market operators including stockbrokers, solicitors, custodians, fund managers, issuing houses, rating agencies, registrars, reporting accountants, trustees and consultants among others. Other members included chief executives of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), NASD Plc, FMDQ OTC Plc, Africa Exchange Holdings (AFEX) and Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX).

The CMC also included two members each from observer groups, which included Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Debt Management Office (DMO), Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Investment and Securities Tribunal (IST), Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), National Insurance Commission (Naicom), National Pension Commission (Pencom) and Financial Services Regulation Coordinating Committee (FSRCC).

At the second quarter CMC meeting in Lagos last week, stakeholders signed on to the implementation of major initiatives that will represent paradigm shifts for the Nigerian capital market. The three initiativesdematerialization of share certificates, implementation of electronic dividend (e-dividend) payment and direct cash settlement are all aimed at boosting investors’ confidence, participation, market liquidity, efficiency and competitiveness while reducing risks and cost of investments among other obvious benefits.

All the three initiatives faced the same challenges, including inadequate investor’ data bank, otherwise known as Know Your Customer (KYC), regulatory bottlenecks and low level of financial literacy. The spread and broad nature of the CMC provides the publicprivate and regulator-operator framework necessary to implement cross-sectoral initiatives. Besides, the wide consultation confers considerable buy-in for discussions at the CMC. These are evident in the three key initiatives currently underway.

Electronic dividend In what represented a milestone for the capital market, the CMC last week launched the e-dividend payment portal. The electronic dividend (e-dividend) portal basically automatically transfers dividends to a shareholder’s bank account.

The e-dividend will facilitate payment of dividends into any type of bank accounts including current and non-current accounts, bypassing a major obstacle that currently limits payment of dividend warrant into current or quasicurrent accounts. The e-dividend portal was developed in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS).

The e-dividend will help to reduce one of the market’s weak points; burgeoning unclaimed dividends. Unclaimed dividend is a recurring issue in the Nigerian market. Over the years, the market has grappled with mounting piles of returned and unclaimed dividend warrants, and the pool of unregulated “slush” fund runs into billions every year. For instance, shareholders of Nestle Nigeria Plc did not claim N2.5 billion out of the total dividends declared by the company be-

tween 2001 and 2012. A 2012 third quarter report by SEC had shown that unclaimed dividends totaled N50.7 billion by the end of the quarter. Unclaimed dividends currently stand between N70 billion and N80 billion. Being a “cheque,” the requirement of a “current account” to convert dividend warrant into raw cash has been a major hurdle to most retail investors.

Another cause of the huge unclaimed dividend is the seeming intangibility of dividend especially by small-scale investors. For instance, a dividend per share of five kobo would result into a net sum of N45 on 1000 ordinary shares. With the cheque-like nature of dividend warrant and the intangibility of some dividends, many shareholders who received their warrant merely dump them somewhere.

Also, events such as change of address, death, and incorrect entry also contribute to the unclaimed dividend problem. Many shareholders hardly bother to communicate these vital changes in their details to the registrars, so the registrars continue to work on the old details and after many returned warrants, may altogether suspend further communication based on the previous details. Besides, companies have been alleged to borrow certain sum to pay dividend with mindset that certain percentage may not be claimed by their owners. The e-dividend project would address these shortcomings and ensure shareholders get their dividends.

Head, Business Process, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), Mr. Samuel Olukemi outlined that the e-dividend portal would ensure that no investor is charged for mandate validation while also enabling payment of dividends not only into current accounts as previously done but also to savings accounts held by investors.

“Dormant accounts would also be able to receive dividends but would require reactivation in other to enable withdrawals,” Olukemi said.

According to him, the e-dividend process is a straightforward one with just a form that contains appropriate information on bank detail, shareholders’ account number from registrar, the clearing house number from Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) and bank registration number (BVN). Already, there are 17.5 million Nigerians with the BVN. There are about five million Nigerian investors in the capital market. The multistakeholders’ approach will ensure seamless enrollment of the BVN holders into the e-dividend portal.

Direct cash settlement The direct cash payment represents a major uplift for the Nigerian market and it promises to reduce investors’ transaction cycle as well as enhance market integrity by reducing inter-member risks. As against the current general practice whereby the payments for investors’ transactions go into the accounts of the brokers for onward disbursement to their clients, the general practice under the ‘direct cash settlement’ will be to send the net proceeds directly from the clearing and settlement system straight to the investors’ accounts while the existing practice of payment through brokers will become exceptional cases.

The direct cash payment could take-off as early as January 2015. Under the direct payment system, investors will provide their bank accounts to the CSCS, the depository, alongside other stockbroking and investment account details, and the CSCS will directly credit the investors’ accounts once transactions are concluded. However, a client that declines direct cash payment into its account provided to the CSCS shall notify the CSCS by completing a direct cash settlement notification form, specially made for that purpose. Also, settlement of transactions carried out on be-

half of any client whose account details are not provided to the CSCS shall be done by payment into the account of the client’s broker-dealer firm. As part of the new system, where a client provides its broker-dealer firm with a written mandate to purchase securities with proceeds from the sale of other securities any payment attributable to the sale shall be made into the account of the broker-dealer firm provided the client gives its consent in that regard. Every broker-dealer is also expected to take all reasonable steps to ensure that all details of direct settlement originate from the actual client through confirmation of the client’s details in relations to particulars contained in the ‘Know Your Client’ (KYC) provisions.

Full dematerialisation of share certificates Under dematerialization, existing share certificates will be converted into investors’ share accounts in the CSCS while subsequent issuance will be allotted through electronic-allotment (e-allotment). E-allotment is the direct transfer of subscriber’s share allotment to his investor’s account with the CSCS. Dematerialization also includes automation of bonus share or scrip issuance, otherwise known as electronic bonus (e-bonus). These have many benefits for all stakeholders. To the investors, these remove the hassles that come with share certificate including extraneous manipulations, missing-in-transit, incorrect names and addresses and the oftenexcruciating process and cost of dematerialisation.

The obvious immediate gain from the introduction of the e-allotment is the enshrinement of the principles of equality and access in the capital market. All shareholders, high networth, medium and small; highly connected and less influential, insiders and outsiders, will be on the same pedestal with regard to access to their shares and can take investment decision as they wish. This is an immeasurable gain to the general investing public.

The share certificate system has recently came under intense criticism over allegations of preferential release of share certificates to select influential investors, who quickly take advantage of high capital appreciation before the masses of investors get their share certificates and follow through the windy dematerialization process. Besides, equal access to listed shares, will enhance the efficiency of the market and minimize extraneous influences that unduly distort the price discovery process in the stock market.

To the issuer, the cost element in the share certificate system is usually high given costs of printing several thousands of share certificates, some with units that barely worth the cost of the paper, packaging, posting and duplicate share certificates among others. But under the e-allotment, the Registrar will simply send a soft (electronic) copy of the final allotment, cleared by SEC, to the CSCS, which will automatically credit the account of all shareholders, cutting off all other cumbersome steps, especially dematerialisation.

General Manager, Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Joseph Mekilliuwa, said there are three categories of investors now under the CSCS; those who have fully dematerialized, partially dematerialized and those still fully holding to share certificates. According to him, the target is to get all shareholders into the first category of full dematerialization. He noted that dematerialization will shorten investors’ waiting period and enhance the individual and institutional liquidity. This, coupled with direct cash settlement, will bring the stock market close to meeting investors’ immediate cash need, usually within four days.

‘The e-dividend will help to reduce one of the market’s weak points; burgeoning unclaimed dividends.

Unclaimed dividend is a recurring issue in the Nigerian market. Over the years, the market has grappled with mounting piles of returned and unclaimed dividend warrants, and the pool of unregulated “slush” fund runs into billions every year’

•DG, SEC Mounir Gwarzo

Collective efforts Director, general, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, has continuously stressed that the Commission will faithfully implement the ‘Capital Market Master Plan’. According to him, seven major initiatives are expected to be fully implemented by the end of this year. These priority areas include dematerialization, e-dividends, direct cash settlement, reduction of transaction costs, unified licensing model across money and capital Markets, obtaining liquidity status for non-interest capital market products and strengthening market institutions by completing the recapitalisation exercise.

Gwarzo has made personal and institutional commitments to champion all necessary changes that will facilitate the implementation of the development plan. Already, SEC has reviewed some of its rules and issued new guidelines.

For instance, SEC, through new guidelines, directed registrars to convert company registers they manage into electronic formats and supply same to the CSCS as part of the dematerialisation process. Additionally, SEC directed registrars to return all unclaimed dividends older than 15 months in their custody (including those that are statute barred) to the paying companies in line with the provisions of CAMA. SEC has also launched a massive public enlightenment campaign that covers the entire 36 states of the Federation and the FCT, being aired in Nigeria’s three major indigenous languages, English and Pidgin English.

The campaign is expected to run massively for three months and continue incrementally afterwards. SEC, as mandated by the CMC, is also setting up an advisory council that will serve as advocacy group and interface with the all arms of the government to facilitate the process of implementation of the master plan. The Commission has also set up a technical team that will interface with the various groups or committees under the master plan.

“Our focus at SEC, the NSE and other stakeholders is to continually engage and bring the domestic investors back to the market as we think they are very critical in lifting the market and that is why we are going into this public enlightenment programme, the edividends and other initiatives. We think those initiatives will be able to bring back the domestic investors.

The market is well regulated and operators are following a strong regulation regime and we are putting in strong processes to make sure the operators are fit, strong and proper.

Markets go up and down, what is more important is the fundamentals of the market,” Gwarzo said on the outlook of the Nigerian market. Executive director, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Ade Bajomo, said the NSE has progressed significantly with its institutional and market reforms, assuring that the Exchange would continue to play active roles in ensuring the success of the development plan. Mr. Michael Oyebola, president, Fund Managers Association of Nigeria (FMAN), said fund and portfolio managers are also backing up the development plan with public enlightenment on collective investment schemes. With the commitments of all stakeholders, the Nigerian market may be in for a profound change.

Newspaper of the Year

INSIDE

AN EIGHT-PAGE PULLOUT ON THE SOUTHWEST STATES

Computer training for 300 youths

PAGE 35

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

PAGE 29

Police vow to rid Lagos of miscreants

More kidnappers in police net in Ekiti

PAGES 32-33

PAGE 34

Uproar as police detain ex-Ekiti RTEAN chief

The arrest and detention of former chairman of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Ekiti State, Chief Rotimi Olanbiwonnu, popularly known as Mentilo, sparked a controversy as his family alleged victimisation. But government maintains that he has a case to answer. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports.

The house of Mr. Bayo Aderiye a.k.a. Ojugo burnt

•Mr Olanbiwonnu

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

30

SOUTHWEST REPORT Campaign against hepatitis heightens The data is worrisome and calls for national preventive actions that should involve every Nigerian. Every stakeholder within the health sector and members of the public has a role to play; either in the area of policy formulation, compliance and living healthy and hygienic lifestyle...This is why we are actively participating in this global campaign by enlightening Nigerians through all possible communication channels, on how they can prevent the hepatitis scourge

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

C

ONCERNED about the alarming rate of hepatitis infection in the country, Fidson Healthcare Plc has called for nation-wide preventive action against the scourge.

It also urged Nigerians to prevent viral hepatitis infection by knowing their status through tests, vaccination and adequate treatment for the string of hepatitis virus known as hepatitis A, B, C, D and E that cause chronic liver diseases that affect millions of people worldwide.

While speaking during the commemoration of the World Hepatitis Day whose theme was “Prevent Hepatitis: Act Now”, recently, the Marketing Manager of the leading pharmaceutical firm, Mr Friday Enaholo said the call became necessary following Federal Ministry of Health statistics which states that over 20 million Nigerians are currently infected with the hepatitis virus.

The figure, he said, represents a substantial percentage of the 400 million people reportedly living with hepatitis B and C worldwide as reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The reports also revealed that 1.4 million people die every year due to these infections.

Mr Enaholo said the report is very alarming, as it shows that on the average, one out of every 12 Nigerians is infected with the hepatitis virus.

“The data is worrisome and calls for national preventive actions that should involve every Nigerian. Every stakeholder within the health sector and members of the public has a role to play; either in the area of policy formulation, compliance and living healthy and hygienic lifestyle,” he said.

Viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by one of the five hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D and E which are transmitted through different routes. Hepatitis A and E are transmitted through contaminated food and water; Hepatitis B – through unsafe blood and other bodily fluids; Hepatitis C is transmitted mostly through infectious blood while Hepatitis D serves as an additional infection in the presence of Hepatitis B. These viruses cause acute hepatitis which is characterised by fatigue, loss of appetite, fever and jaundice. In addition, hepatitis B and C infections can become chronic leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Mr Enaholo further said the diseases are preventable, but regretted that most people, especially those living in rural or semi-urban areas of developing countries don’t even know how to prevent them.

“This is why as a company; we are actively participating in this global campaign by enlightening Nigerians through all possible communication channels, on how they can prevent the hepatitis scourge,” he said.

He, therefore, advised Nigerians to avoid unsafe blood, unsafe injections and sharing of drug-injection equipment that can result in hepatitis infection. He also maintained that safe and effective vaccine can protect the individual from hepatitis B infection.

Health centre gets borehole, generating set From Jeremiah Oke, Ibadan

M

EMBERS of staff of Oyo State branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have donated borehole and generating centre to Ojoo Health Centre in Akinyele Local Government area of Oyo

State.

The branch controller of the bank, Mr. Musbau Olatinwo said the donation informed by the plight of the less-privileged persons in the society, adding that the project was financed through members’ monthly savings.

Olatinwo said similar donations had been made to support host communities, saying “we owe Ibadan a lot and so many intervention programmes all over the country are being carried out to make the bank’s impact felt in all facets of human endeavour.

“Over the years, we have been spending billions of Naira on our host communities to sponsor identifiable area of needs such as building classrooms and provision of potable water, among others. And this is financed by members of staff of the bank. “Today is my happiest moment in the one year I have spent in this branch. It is a continuous thing and we will be glad to be back here to do more,” Olatinwo said.

Olatinwo further assured all residents of Ibadan that the CBN would continue to give priority to the needs of the people across the communities to make life meaningful for all people of diverse backgrounds in the society.

Speaking at the event, the head of local government ýadministration in Akinyele Local Government Area, Mr. Akin Akinpelu praised the members of staff for the gesture, pointing out that the donation was coming at a time when it was most needed due to excruciating economic crisis which was hampering government’s efforts at meeting all the yearnings of the people.

The Chief Matron of the centre, Alhaja B. A. Shittu described the borehole project as timely, saying “he, who gives water, gives life”.

From left: Head, Branch Support Office, Abdulkadir Muhammed; Mr. Olatinwo and Zonal Medical Coordinator, Dr. A. F. Otesanya at the inauguration of the borehole project

(Continued from page 29)

FOR the ex-chairman of Ekiti State chapter of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Chief Joseph Rotimi Olanbiwonnu and members of his household, invasion of their privacy in the dead of the night on Monday, July 27 was the least they expected.

Members of his family had retired to bed and were looking forward to seeing a new day to conduct their various businesses.

Policemen, armed to the teeth, stormed his residence in Ado-Ekiti at 12:30 in the morning and whisked him off, to the consternation of the bewildered members of his family.

A shouting-match ensued between the policemen and the Olanbiwonnu’s household on the propriety or otherwise of the arrest of the head of the family without any search warrant or warrant of arrest.

The former RTEAN chief was said to be wearing only his knickers at the time the policemen stormed his residence. He had to dress-up before he was taken away in the presence of members of his family.

The state government claims that Olanbiwonnu was arrested in connection with the killing of the former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Philip Omolafe Aderiye on September 25, last year.

But that claim is being vehemently disputed and denied by the Olanbiwonnus who alleged that the arrest and detention of their breadwinner was politically-motivated.

The family maintained that Olanbiwonnu’s arrest was a political vendetta and an attempt to punish him for his perceived closeness and support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) when the party was in power and during the June 21, 2014 governorship election in the state.

Prior to the governorship election, the leadership of the two unions-RTEAN and NURTW- supported different parties. While the RTEAN backed the APC, the NURTW supported the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It was alleged that the late Aderiye had been having issues with the leadership of the NURTW after he had ended his tenure and succeeded

by Mr. Julius Jegede.

The late Aderiye was said to have set up a private bus park in Ijigbo area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital and floated a transport company known as Lafe Ade Transport Services which did not go down well with NURTW, which saw the step as “an affront.”

He had running battles with men of the NURTW on the private bus park he established till the period of the election. The late Aderiye had been an ally of Governor Ayo Fayose during his first term and after he (Fayose) had left office.

The latest governorship bid of Fayose was another opportunity for Aderiye to assert himself in the politics of transport unions and he (Aderiye) mobilised financial and human resources for Fayose’s election.

Rumours were rife in the political circles of the state that Aderiye’s name had been pencilled in as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation after Fayose might have been sworn in which would give him full control of transport unions in the state as a reward for his support.

These were the issues on ground until that fateful day of September 25, last year when unknown gunmen killed Aderiye right inside his private bus park; a killing which sparked an orgy of violence in Ado-Ekiti for about two days.

Houses and properties of people perceived to be unfriendly with Aderiye were burnt down and among the victims who suffered the attack were the former caretaker chairman of RTEAN, Mr. Bayo Aderiye, popularly known as Ojugo and Olanbiwonnu who had left office before Ojugo took over.

Ojugo was arrested alongside the state leader of the O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Prince Adeniyi Adedipe popularly known as “Apase O’odua”.

At a funeral service held in honour of the late Aderiye at the Cathedral Church of Emmanuel (Anglican Com-

•One of the buses belonging to Olanbiwonnu razed by the hoodlums.

•The ceiling of Olabiwonnu’s house destroyed by the arsonists

munion), Okesa, Ado-Ekiti shortly after being sworn into office, Fayose had vowed to bring all those linked with Aderiye’s murder to justice.

The latest arrest of Olanbiwonnu is believed to be the fulfilment of that promise but the supporters and members of the former RTEAN chairman are crying foul, maintaining that he had no hand in Aderiye’s death.

Olanbiwonnu’s sympathisers alleged that Aderiye’s killing was connected with the internal wrangling in the NURTW and that he (Olanbiwonnu) had since left office as RTEAN boss.

The family of the former RTEAN chair claimed that a police report on the September 25 murder had exonerated him from complicity in the alleged murder; wondering the sudden twist of event that led to his arrest and remand in prison.

The Olanbiwonnus further maintained that their patriarch had no hand in Aderiye’s death, wondering why it took about 10 months before he was arrested, adding that “those who killed Aderiye are walking freely on the streets while an innocent man is being punished for what he knew nothing about.”

Speaking with Southwest Report, Olanbiwonnu’s wife, Falilat Eniola attributed her husband’s refusal to work in support of Governor Ayo Fayose’s governorship ambition as the reason for his arrest and detention.

Mrs. Olanbiwonnu wondered how the former RTEAN chief could be arrested without any police investigation and remanded in prison “in a decent society”.

According to Mrs. Olanbiwonnu, Fayose has been allegedly looking for ways to ‘deal’ with her husband; al-

leging that the fear that her husband would disrupt the planned inauguration of the new RTEAN executive held on penultimate Thursday was another reason for the arrest.

She also added that the policemen who came to arrest her husband did not produce any warrant for search and arrest.

Mrs Olanbiwonnu said: “I don’t know what Fayose wants again after our houses were burnt and our cars destroyed last year. Why are they doing this again?

“Definitely, it has a political undertone because of my husband’s affinity with the APC. My husband was not the only RTEAN on their wanted list but they didn’t arrest others because they had gone to pledge their loyalty to Fayose.

“His arrest has political undertone, the governor had always complained that my husband did not support him and my husband has been threatened several times and my husband said he is a decent man and will not associate with indecent people.

“Since the attack on our homes and property last year, I could no longer sleep in our house because of the fear of the unknown. Help me beg Fayose to leave us alone and release my husband. He should look elsewhere for Aderiye’s killers.

“We heard that RTEAN was planning to hold a swearing-in of new executive and my husband was RTEAN Vice-President 1 for Nigeria, RTEAN Southwest chairman and RTEAN caretaker chairman for Oyo State and he used to attend the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

“Daddy (Olanbiwonnu) called Agbede (the new Ekiti RTEAN chair-

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

31

SOUTHWEST REPORT

Uproar as police detain ex-Ekiti RTEAN chief Mrs. Olanbiwonnu rolling on the ground after her husband’s arrest and detention

•Mrs Olanbiwonnu weeping

man) that he (Agbede) wants to be sworn in without informing him as a former state chairman.

“My husband was arrested because they feared he would go there to disrupt it and he had no intention of doing such thing. We just saw armed policemen invading our home without any warrant of arrest and the next thing to happen was that he was charged to a Magistrate’s Court.”

Olanbiwonnu’s son, Olayide, claimed that he challenged those who came to arrest his father at a “very unholy hour” to produce a warrant of arrest and search warrant which they could not.

Olaide said: “They forced our door open and dragged me out of the house.

They said I am not the suspect; that they came for my father.

“Since my father has nothing to fear, he came out and they arrested him almost naked. But they allowed him to go into the house to dress-up before they took him away around 12.55 a.m.”.

He said his father is being victimised unjustly and being punished for committing no crime.

According to him, life has not been the same since the dramatic arrest in the early hours of Monday.

He insisted that his father had no hand in the killing of the former chairman of state NURTW Aderiye as being alleged by the government.

Olaide expressed anger that his father was being victimized because of his perceived closeness to the APC administration led by former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Olaide stressed that the first Police Report exonerated members of the opposition and sympathisers earlier accused by the Ayo Fayose government of being involved in Aderiye’s murder.

Olaide wondered why the sudden turnaround in a “desperate bid to hang a murder charge on the neck of an innocent man.”

He also claimed that his father’s arrest and detention might not be unconnected with what he called “an unfounded fear” in government circles that he (Olanbiwonnu) harboured plan to prevent the inauguration of new RTEAN executive.

Olaide described his father as a “man of peace” who would never subscribe to violence, saying since the former RTEAN concluded his tenure in office, he has been living his life quietly having served the union meritoriously.

He said: “The arrest of my father was politically-motivated and this is very unfortunate that this is happening in a democracy. We are not under the military era in which people are victimised anyhow.

“How can somebody’s privacy

•Olaide

We are watching the judiciary again as one of our sympathisers is being held over trumpedup murder charge.

The same police that are very active now to help Fayose achieve his agenda were helpless when we complained to them over indiscriminate attacks on our members...We call on the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in the various cases against our members because it is clear that the State Police Command is in firm grip of the governor and are willing tools in the suppression of our party members to help the governor carry out his clampdown on the party leaders

be invaded without any search warrant or any warrant of arrest? How appropriate is it for an innocent man to be arrested at an unholy hour because of desperation to hang a frivolous murder charge on him?

“My father has no problem with anybody and has no reason to kill anybody as he and other people had been cleared of complicity by the police.

“We, the members of the Olanbiwonnu family are demanding his unconditional release because his arrest was politically-motivated and government should look elsewhere in search of the culprits. My father has no hand in anybody’s killing.”

The police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said: “I only heard that he (Olanbiwonnu) was arrested and charged to court. That is the only thing I can say for now.”

The Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sport, Lanre Ogunsuyi, said justice must be done to the person that was killed (Aderiye) and his family who are still mourning him.

Ogunsuyi explained that government has a duty to assist the police and the judiciary to ensure that justice is done.

He maintained that the police and the judiciary must be allowed to do their jobs and no political meaning should be read into the unfolding scenario.

He said: “If the police are informed about any crime that was committed, they have the power to investigate such information. I want you to know that some people have been murdered.

“They too had used government against people in the past, but justice must run its full course. It is the duty of government to ensure that justice is done to those whose family members were killed.”

Olanbiwonnu was later arraigned at Magistrate’s Court 2, in Ado-Ekiti the same Monday morning he was arrested.

While addressing the court, the defence counsel, Niran Owoseni, raised preliminary objection that as at the time his client was brought to the court,

case on the matter has been concluded.

The presiding Magistrate, Idowu Aiyenimon, later adjourned the matter till Friday last week, when the defence counsel is expected to bring a letter to the court to that effect.

Speaking with reporters after the court session, Owoseni said the action of government was an attempt to incarcerate his client and put him out of circulation.

He noted that “what the state is trying to do is the abuse of court processes”, adding that some people have been charged on the matter and legal advice was out.

Owoseni, however, wondered why the state should bring out his client on the same matter, or is it that the late Omolafe Aderiye died two times.

The police prosecutor, Sergeant Bankole Olasukanmi, prosecuted the matter. The court proceeding on Friday was dramatic as the legal team of Olanbiwonnu raised a preliminary objection to the notice of remand filed by the state.

The courtroom was filled to capacity by supporters, friends, associates and family members of Olanbiwonnu who came to witness the court proceedings.

Olanbiwonnu’s lead counsel at the Friday’s proceeding, Lekan Olatawura, said his objection was predicated on Section 264(1) of the Ekiti State Administration of Justice Law 2014.

Olatawura argued that there was a pending legal advice as regards the murder of Aderiye, saying the presence of legal advice has not been denied by the state in its counter-affidavit.

According to Defence counsel, in the Exhibit EO2, which is the legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, Adeniyi Familoni, the names of the key suspects were stated clearly and the name of the applicant (Olanbiwonnu) was not there.

Olatawura argued further: “If there is nothing by way of advice, you cannot come by way of remand in order to incarcerate the applicant. There was no direct evidence linking the applicant with the offence.

•Continued on page ?

32

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

33

SOUTHWEST REPORT

Uproar as police detain E ex-Ekiti RTEAN chief

•Continued from page 30-31

“It is an abuse of process for the police to remand the accused person as cited in the case of Snaefule v the State as reported in 2005 4 ACLR page 96 particularly at page 121.

“When there is legal advice, they had already filed a process. Why rushing? The legal advice does not include or does not mention the accused person/applicant as being involved.

“Looking at the application for remand (Form FK), it is defective.

The police, under Section 254 are to prepare grounds for the remand of the accused but in respect of this, there was nothing like that.

“It is an attempt to hoodwink the court and the information provided is misleading.

“Looking at the counter-affidavit of Ayobami Agbekumi of the Ministry of Justice, paragraph xii, Exhibit OE1 (our own application), a letter from the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) to DPP for legal advice, nowhere is the accused person mentioned and he was not indicted.

“It is an abuse of process, particularly in view of Section 74(2) of ACJ for the accused person to be remanded and this is proper in view of Section 36 of the Constitution which presumes the innocence of every accused person.

“The DPP did not mention the name of the accused person and to entertain the remand application is an infringement on the right of the accused person. He can’t be unjustifiably sent to prison on remand.

“It is unfair to be using legal process to curtail the freedom of somebody who has been living in AdoEkiti and he has never run to anywhere. It behoves the state to prove to the court the efforts it has made to arrest the suspects.”

Responding to the submission of the defence counsel, government counsel, Ibironke Babatunde, a senior legal officer in the Ministry of Justice, told the court that the prosecution has filed a nine-paragraph counter-affidavit deposed to by Ayobami Agbekumi dated July 31 and filed same day which was attached with two exhibits.

Babatunde said: “We rely on all paragraphs of our counter-affidavit.

It will be irregular to hold that the accused persons contained in this case HAD/12C/2014 are the only people suspected to have committed the offence for which they are charged.

“Ever since the incident occurred, the applicants have been at large. We have to charge them in the court pending when other witnesses’ statements will be filed.

“It was right to have charged the accused and bringing the accused to remand is not an abuse of court process and I want to cite the case of Lufadeju v Johnson as reported in 2007 8 NWLR part 1937 page 566 paragraphs A-J. After listening to lawyers to both parties, Magistrate Ayenimo adjourned to August 17 for ruling.

As the legal fireworks rage on in the court, the state chapter of the APC has criticised the manner Olanbiwonnu was arrested and detained.

The party raised the alarm over what it called ”reckless clampdown on its leaders and supporters by Fayose”, saying “the hounding of its leaders into jail is a fulfilment of the governor’s declaration at his inauguration ceremony last year to run APC leaders out of the state”.

A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Taiwo Olatubosun said the alarm became imperative in the face of persistent victimisation of APC members arrested on trumped-up charges that saw them end up in jail.

•Fayose

•Egbede

Reacting to the arrest and detention of Olanbiwonnu, he said: “Governor Fayose at his inauguration ceremony in October last year, publicly declared a one-minute silence for the death of APC in the state, promising to send the party members out of town.

“True to his declaration, no fewer than 10 leaders of our party have been hounded out of town while two are in jail over trumped-up charges, even as teachers that were perceived as having sympathy for APC were transferred to the remote areas of the state while the governor is still after Fayemi’s officials to seize their cars even when the matter is in court.

“This is the same way he wants to eject them from their housing estate homes against legal agreement in the purchase of their houses.

“His first victim was our chairman, Chief Jide Awe, who the governor implicated in the murder of Mrs Juliana Adewumi and Ayo Jeje in ErinjiyanEkiti, even when it was proven that Awe was out of the town when violence broke out among party rivals that claimed the lives of the victims,” he said.

Olatubosun said other persecutions followed in quick succession, including attacks on APC members and candidates during campaigns and destruction of candidates’ posters, while the APC Assembly candidates were not allowed to run their campaigns.

“Another top sympathiser of our party, Mr Rotimi Olanbiwonnu (aka Mentilo), was arrested over alleged complicity in the murder of the late leader of the drivers’ union, Omolafe Aderiye, who was killed by unknown assailants in September last year,” he explained.

Olatubosun expressed worry over police handling of the cases levelled against APC members, citing Niyi Adedipe’s case. He claimed that the police in cahoots with the governor allegedly conspired to ensure that the innocent man was clamped in jail over Aderiye’s murder.

He said: “Niyi Adedipe’s case is the cruellest of how to punish an innocent man. We understand that the first police report indicated that the late Omolafe was a victim of factional crisis within drivers’ union politics.

“We knew of how the police chose to be reporting to Fayose instead of Governor Kayode Fayemi immediately he became the Governor-elect and how Fayose rejected the first police report

that exonerated the opposition members in Omolafe’s murder and then went ahead to coerce the police into implicating Niyi Adedipe, leaving out those the police recommended for prosecution after their investigation.

“The real suspects are walking free now while innocent Adedipe is rotting in jail.

“Hon. Folorunso Ogundele would have been in jail now over alleged complicity in murder in Efon after the Fayose government hired a woman to impersonate the mother of the victim to implicate Ogundele, but God saved him when the real mother of the deceased emerged to accuse the fake mother of impersonation.

“She told reporters that Ogundele had no hand in her son’s murder,” he explained.

Continuing, Olatunbosun said: “It is so bad that the concocted list of murder suspects kept increasing by the day at the whims and caprices of the Governor who had turned himself into a demigod.

“Whenever he wakes up and feels an opposition member should be in jail, such name will be added as a murder suspect and would be arraigned swiftly before a pliable Magistrate who would send the person to jail.”

The APC spokesman said it was worrisome that a pliable Magistrate could be “hurriedly procured” to send Sola Adenijo (aka Solar) to jail over Erinjiyan incident while the PDP masterminds of the violence were walking free.

Olatubosun concluded: “We are watching the judiciary again as one of our sympathisers is being held over trumped-up murder charge. The same police that are very active now to help Fayose achieve his agenda were helpless when we complained to them over indiscriminate attacks on our members.

“We call on the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to intervene in the various cases against our members in Ekiti State because it is clear that the State Police Command is in firm grip of the governor and they are willing tools in the suppression of our party members to help the governor carry out his clampdown on the party leaders.”

But the current chairman of RTEAN, Pastor Rotimi Agbede, who spoke with Southwest Report shortly after he was sworn in to office described the allegation of the Olanbiwonnu’s family as a “figment of its imagination”.

Agbede said the case Olanbiwonnu is facing in the court is different from the celebration of the inauguration of the current RTEAN executive in the state, saying that the travails of the exchairman had nothing to do with the union.

He said: “I will not deny the fact that I was aware of the Olanbiwonnu family’s allegation, but it was a figment of its imagination.

“Mentilo has played his own part and he has retired, his travails have nothing to do with what we are celebrating today. He has no stake rather than trying to disrupt what we are doing.

“He has five per cent of support while we have 95 per cent. They can’t disrupt what we are doing here.

“I want you to remember that he is facing a murder charge and it has nothing to do with this celebration. They are just trying to connect it with this celebration.”

Responding to a question on alleged existence of factions in the state RTEAN, Agbede said: “I will not say there are no factions, but it was then. I had three predecessors, Ojugo was never a chairman; he was chairman of caretaker committee.”

Agbede said the association is solidly behind Fayose, saying Fayose’s positive disposition to drivers’ unions is the reason why his party, the PDP, will continue to rule Ekiti State and stage a comeback to power in Aso Rock in 2019.

KITI State Governor, Ayo Fayose has praised the state police command and the Department of State Security (DSS) for their efforts towards ridding the state of kidnapping and other violent criminals, saying the collaboration among the state government, police and the DSS in fighting crime is yielding fruit.

Governor Fayose spoke during the swearing-in of the new executive of the state chapter of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) where he revealed that three more suspected kidnappers have been arrested. He, however, regretted the alleged involvement of commercial drivers in the crime.

He said information available to him showed that commercial transporters were being used by kidnappers to abduct innocent people with the intention of receiving ransom from them.

He urged drivers to join hands with his administration to curtail the activities of kidnappers and other criminals.

Describing drivers unions as important stakeholders in the state, Fayose urged them to be security conscious in the performance o f their d u ties in moving peop l e , goods and services.

Fayo s e said: “Three more kidnappers have been arrested.

The moment you suspect the activities of bad people, let the police know. We thank God that our efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes are yielding fruit.

“I want to commend you for contributing immensely to the development of the state’s economy, but don’t allow yourselves to be used by evil doers.

“You can see that some kidnappers were paraded recently. Information from them revealed that they have been using some of your members.

Earlier in the week, 12 suspected kidnappers were arrested in the state through the joint efforts of the police and Department of State Services (DSS).

The 12 suspects are believed to be members of a kidnap syndicate responsible for abductions of residents and visitors to the state recently.

They include a self-acclaimed pastor, Babatunde Balogun, two women and 10 others.

We could all attest to the fact that the kidnappers terrorised the state from the first week of May this year.

Their activities brought a lot of trauma to the people. Though, some of the victims have been released, we did not give in. We did investigation and we increased our network and the result is what you are seeing today...What we discovered with the composition of these suspects was that some of them were members of the inmates that escaped during the November 30, last year jailbreak in Ekiti

•The suspected kidnappers being paraded at a joint press briefing addressed by the Police and Department of State Services (DSS) in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

PHOTOS: ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA

More kidnappers in police net in Ekiti From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

Balogun was said to be giving spiritual support to the kidnapping suspects in return for a share of ransom money made by the suspects.

Four other kidnap suspects now at large have been declared wanted by security agencies.

They are Kenneth Ozor, Jonathan Ozor, Kehinde Adeleye and Sunday Ogunleye.

They were said to be

responsible for the kidnap of a Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Akingbade and an Associate Prof. at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Dr. Femi Omisore recently along Ido-Ekiti axis.

Speaking at the parade of the suspects in Ado Ekiti with Governor Fayose in attendance, DSS Director, Duke Fubara and Police Commissioner, Etop James, disclosed that the suspects had confessed to the crime.

Police chief James revealed that the state command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad has been working very hard to prevent a resurgence of kidnapping in Ekiti State.

DSS boss Fubara explained that the collaboration between his agency and the police has been yielding fruit, adding that no effort would be spared to rid the state of kidnapping and other crimes.

Fubara said: “We could all attest to the fact that the kidnappers terrorised the state from the first week of May this year. Their activities brought a lot of trauma to the people.

“Though, some of the victims have been released, we did not give in. We did investigation and we increased our network and the result is what you are seeing today.

“What we discovered with the composition of these suspects was that

some of them were members of the inmates that escaped during the November 30, last year jailbreak in Ekiti.”

Fayose, who described the war against kidnapping and other violent crimes as a “collective fight” warned opposition politicians against politicising kidnapping and other criminal acts.

While praising security agencies for their bravery in tackling crimes, Fayose attributed upsurge in crimes to the November 30, last year jailbreak at Ado-Ekiti Prisons, urging security agencies to intensify efforts to re-arrest those that escaped.

Fayose said: “It is a collective fight.

We have to fight this together, so that all of us can sleep with two eyes closed.

“Ekiti has been under great torment since last year’s jailbreak incident. But we want you to beam your searchlights on the neighbouring states such as Delta, Osun and Ondo because we had the trace that people used to come from outside to train our people here in kidnapping and make use of them.

“If you study this very well, you will understand that the networks have been widened and we have to do everything to break it”.

How to curb accidents dominates stakeholders’ meeting From Damisi Ojo, Akure

•An accident scene

WORRIED by the incessant occurrence of road mishaps on the Oka-Akoko/Abuja Road, stakeholders in road safety and prevention of car accidents had converged on Oka-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo

State recently to deliberate on ways of preventing accidents which have become common phenomenon on the highway.

The convergence aimed at curbing accidents on the ever-busy road which is said to be prone to road accidents.

The deliberation lasted for 10 hours.

After the meeting which featured arguments, intrigues and technical submissions, the stakeholders proffered measures that could help in preventing road accidents on the road which links the Southern part of the country with the North.

Fatal accidents are said to occur on the Oka-Akoko/Abuja Road on daily basis. According to statistics presented by the representative of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who was one of the discussants at the stakeholders’ meeting held at the Franklin Adefarati Hall in the centre of the ancient town, more than 250 lives have been lost on the road.

This year alone, 45 accidents had occurred on the road, with an average of six accidents happening each day and at different locations of the highway.

Accidents on the busy road are said to be caused majorly by the topography of the road which was constructed on a valley between hills.

Another cause of accidents on the road which links the Southwest with Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, is heavy-duty trucks, especially those be-

longing to construction companies that ply the road both in the day and at night times. This, the residents say, is responsible for the killing of many members of the community.

At the stakeholders’ meeting attended by representatives of the Oloka of Oka-Akoko, Akoko Descendants Union (ADU), the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the FRSC and other Paramilitary organisations, the discussants agreed that accidents would continue to occur on the road unless the Federal Government reconstructs it.

Also, a member representing Akoko South West/East Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole and other top government functionaries at local and state levels attended the meeting.

They called for Federal Government’s intervention on the road to prevent further loss of lives.

The people of Oka-Akoko, Akungba-Akoko and Ikare-Akoko who claimed to have been the major victims of the accident on the road attended the meeting in droves, even as they also called for the intervention of the Federal and state governments in curbing the occurrence of accidents on the road.

While addressing the people, the convener of the meeting, Wale Gidado said the stakeholders’ meeting was called to present a common position to the Federal Government through the National Assembly on the challenges the peo-

ple of the area are experiencing, urging the Federal Government to urgently construct the road for the benefit of the people of the communities where the road traversed in Ondo State.

He noted that the road has caused the untimely death of many residents of Oka-Akoko, recalling that “on a single day, six accidents occurred at different locations on the road and members of the families of those who died in the accidents are still living with the ugly memory at present.

“This is the reason why we are calling on the Federal Government to do something urgently to prevent further deaths on the road.

“Our children cannot go out the way they want both in the day and at night. We can’t allow our children to go to school on their own, all for the fear of accident on the highway that passed through here to Abuja.

Particularly, trucks plying the road are often responsible for many of the accidents on the road,” he said.

Gidado recalled that the Federal Government had awarded contract for the construction of the road in 1996, saying “we had thought that the road would bring development to our town and other communities around us, but the road has brought untold problem and calamity to us as a community as it had caused the deaths of many of our dear people.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

34

SOUTHWEST REPORT Govt urged to implement SDGs

A

GROUP, Campaign 2015+International has called on Federal Government to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are successor goals to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), that expires in September.

The group said 15 years on from the original adoption of the MDGs at the 2000 Millennium Summit, and less than eight weeks left to September this year, it seems all efforts by stakeholders towards achieving MDGs are not enough.

The convener of the group, Dr Tola Winjobi spoke while addressing journalists at the Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan on the engagement of Nigerian political leaders and stakeholders towards accelerated implementation of SDGs in Nigeria.

Winjobi lamented that Nigeria has failed to meet some of the MDGs goals, noting that: “Nigerians are still living below poverty line both in relative and absolutes while infant mortality rate for the total population was 69/1000. Unfortunately too, a mere 28 per cent Nigerians have access to improved sanitation facility.

“The need for all to look beyond 2015 MDGs is paramount as emphasised in the 2010 annual report of the United Nations SecretaryGeneral.”

According to him, it must be underscored that many organisations across 40 countries in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia met and had a group sessions and deliberations which led to the successor goals to MDGs called SDGs.

Group canvasses youth empowerment

I

N its bid towards repositioning and empowering youths in the Yoruba states, O’odua Youth Congress, a socio-cultural organisation has called for the repositioning and enlarging empowerment opportunities for all Yoruba youths.

The group made the call at a conference held at the Western Hall of Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan.

Some of the features of the conference were paper presentations

by Mr Olusgeun Oshinowo, Director-General, National Employers’ Commission Association (NECA), Prof. Lateef Sanni of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAB) and Chief Segun Odegbamirespectively.

Speaking on the essence of the programme, the President of the group, Ogbeni Moronkeji Oladapo isaid: “We conceptualised this conference as one of the vehicles needed to achieve our vision of repositioning and enlarging empowerment opportunities and choices for all Yoruba youths. “ It is often said that they youth are the future of any nation but the manner our leaders have piloted our affairs in recent decades indicates that majority of them are without full understanding and implication of this phrase.” “ True, there is no denying the fact that government’s actions and inactions are largely responsible for the current difficulties which the youth are experiencing; but going forward, we are convinced that it is no longer sufficient to blame our leaders for making us victims of today’s failures. It is incumbent on us all to make changes necessary to shape tomorrow in our favour.”

While blaming the failure of the system on government, Oladapo further said: “The issue of unemployment is compounded by our government’s spending priorities that have always been shaped by political exigencies. Or how do some of our leaders explain annual budgetary system that allocate more fund to city beautification and other non-capital intensive projects than youth-focused developmental programme?“ He, however, called on the government to demonstrate greater understanding of these challenges by blocking loopholes and gaps inherent in current youths’ policy formulation and implementation.

T

I

N line with Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) Fatai Owoseni’s commitment to ensure maximum security of lives and property across the state, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) has declared war on miscreants and traffic robbers.

This is coming at a time residents ýwere worried that charlatans have returned on the highways and bridges, unleashing terror on motorists and passersby even in broad daylight.

From Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Badagry Expressway, Agege Motor Road, Ijora, Ikorodu Road to Eko and Third Mainland Bridges, victims of robbery attacks relive their encounters on daily basis, with many accusing the security agencies of complacency.

But, with the arrest of over 181 suspects across different areas of the state in July by the RRS under newly deployed Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Tunji Disu, observers believe the ‘bad boys’ have started retreating.

They urged the police to fashion out modalities that will mop up illegal arms as well as stop criminal elements before they execute their plans.

Observers also believe that for effective policing, the state government must be willing to adequately utilise the Security Trust Fund by providing all the necessary tools and trainings required by the police.

Commenting on the spate of traffic robberies, a taxi driver who identified himself as Olushola said: “Though the situation is not as bad as it was about four months ago, the traffic robbers have reduced their attacks but they are still operating. If it was before, I cannot drive through Oshodi and Toyota without winding up.

“They just hang around, including little children. They usually attacked people even during the day.

Once there is small traffic, you dare not wind down or leave your car unlocked.

“I have seen them attack many people on several occasions, pointing gun or knife at their victims.

“But with the presence of policemen in most of these dark spots even late in the night, the criminals are gradually withdrawingý.

“The police need to do more, especially now that Christmas celebration is drawing near. They have to look for a way to ensure there is 24-hour surveillance across Lagos.

Police vow to rid Lagos of miscreants

•Some miscreants sleeping under Oshodi bridge before the raid

The police cannot do much without information. That is why we are appealing to the public to furnish us with useful information that will assist us serve them better

By Precious Igbonwelundu

“All those areas with bridges should be raided because teenagers who are part of these gangs hide there and smoke Indian hemps and act as spies for the older criminals.” ýIn a chat with Southwest Report on how the 181 suspects were identified, Disu said the time of their arrests was considered.

He said: “There is no way we would have arrested innocent peo-

Idirisi Bakare, one of the suspects arrested ple because the raids were carried out around 1:00 a.m. After mopping up, we interrogated the arrested persons and those who could explain what they were doing in the locations at that time were allowed to go.

“When I was posted to head the RRS, we did crime mapping in line

Monarch seeks ministerial slot for community

HE Deji of Akure , Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladesulu has urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to make its “change” agenda be noticed in Akure, the Ondo State capital by appointing one of his subjects as a minister in its proposed cabinet.

The monarch spoke through the Asamo of Akure, High Chief

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Rotimi Olusanya when APC leaders in the state visited him in Akure.

Oba Aladesulu noted that the last time Akure community felt Federal Government’s presence in terms of political appointment was during the era of the Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, when the Olu of Ilu-Abo, Chief Olu

Falae was appointed as the Minister of Finance and Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF).

According to the traditional ruler, the people of Akure will support the government and ensure the sustenance of peace in the community.

The visit to his palace was led by the chairman of the state chair-

•The Chief Medical Director of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti Dr. Kolawole Ogundipe (middle) after administering matriculation oath on the 2014 set of the School of Nursing students of EKSUTH. With him are the principal officers of the hospital and the school.

man of APC, Isaac Kekemeke with a promise that the party would support his reign for the development of Akure, the state capital.

He said the APC would work assiduously with Akure traditional council for the socio-economic development of the kingdom.

Kekemeke said: “Our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari is seen as a man of integrity by most world leaders. Now we want to change Nigeria, Ondo State and Akure and we know you too as a change agent.”

He described Oba Aladesulu as a man of integrity, stressing that APC members are for progress and development in all spheres of life.

His words: “Kabiyesi, we have many things in common to develop your domain. We know by next year, we will be working together because APC is forming the next government in Ondo State.

“We want to have a traditional rapport with the palace to have a common goal to develop Akure in particular and the entire state in general. Akure is vital to the development of the state.

“We have a great luck in having you as our monarch at a time we are preparing to take the mantle of leadership.”

Kekemeke called for peaceful

co-existence among residents in Akure, saying “APC is committed to peace and progress of the ancient community.”

He condemned the recent protest by commercial motorcycle operators in Akure, emphasising that APC would not support the destruction of public property in the name of protestation.”

The former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) however criticised the alleged mismanagement and politicisation of all issues of governance in the state by Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

He urged the monarch to prevail on all unions in the state to operate within the confines of the law.

Another APC leader, Prince Olu Adegboro said the party was for transformation.

He lamented that Akure has been relegated to the background politically by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in the state, promising the traditional ruler that the APC government would ensure that all glory of the ancient town is restored.

Other APC leaders on the visit to the palace were Prince Olu Adegboro, the Vice-Chairman (Central), Gboyega Adedipe and the State Secretary, Rotimi Rahman.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

35

SOUTHWEST REPORT

T

HE set of 1971 to 1975 of Ibadan Grammar School Old Boys’ Association (IGSOSA) recently converged on the premises of their alma mater for two days in what could be described as an unprecedented re-union to mark 40 years of bidding their school farewell.

A thanksgiving service was held at the school’s chapel on June 19, this year which was attended by the renowned principal for the set, Chief Ayo Labiyi and the teachers who thaught them various subjects which included Mr Idowu Adenuga (Chemistry), Prof. E.S. Ajibade (Yoruba), Dr Depo Fakunle (Agriculture), Mrs A.E Smith (Physics) and Deborah Bolaji Falade (English Studies and Fine Arts).

The programme was followed by a cooktail. Classmates at home and in the Diaspora were nostalgic ýabout the good old days. The atmosphere was filled with great laughter and merriment as most of them remembered their escapades, bravery, naughtiness and craftiness.

Some teachers were remembered, including their nicknames code names and esoteric slangs were freely used to refer to most of them.

Some Senior Prefects, who attended the event were Mr Joseph Oyedoyin (aka) Oga Jossy andMr Kunle Osinowo.

The reception programme followed at Emmanuel Alayande Hall and was presided over by Prof. C. Aworh; an old boy who praised the quality of organisation and presentation of the set.

The chairman of steering committee for the programme, Dr Adebayo Gbadebo-Saba lamented the decay in the education sector within the last three decades and called on all stakeholders, especially the old stuýdents of schools to take a cue from what IGSOSA is doing.

He paid glowing tributes to the principal and teachers who molded their lives during their days at the school.

Quality desks and chairs that can conveniently accommodate 180 students as well as laboratory equipment and books were donated by the set to the school. They were received by the Principal, Mr Femi Adekunle.

Tunde Lashabi, also an old student and current chairman, Nigeria Institution of Builders, proposed a toast and was cheered by other friends of the class, including Dr Tiri Oladimeji, Oloye Gbola Raaji, Jide Lawal, Kayode Adepeju and Mrs

Ekiti battles flooding From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

I

IN its determination to prevent the perennial flood incidents in several parts of the state, the Ekiti State government has dredged over 32 kilometres of water ways and river channels in Ado-Ekiti since the inception of the Fayose-led administration.

The Commissioner for Environment, Bisi Kolawole revealed this in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital when members of the State House of Assembly Committee on Environment visited him in his office.

Kolawole explained that the achievement was part of efforts of the state government to prevent flooding in some perennial flood-prone areas.

He reeled off some of the rivers and water ways that have been dredged to include Ofin Stream and its tributaries (8,200m); Odo AyoBawa (4,000m), Basiri (3,200m) and the NTA/Orubaloye/Omisanjana (1,500m).

The commissioner added that the Adere/Omisanjana/Water ways (5,200m), Christ Girls’ School, Dalimore/Akeju (8,450m) and Emirin/Poly (1,800m) have also been dredged.

Noting that work has commenced on the dredging of waterways in Ilawe in Ekiti West Local Government Area, he assured that dredging of Diamond Bank/Awedele Waterways would soon commence in order to prevent avoidable flooding of the new market.

He said the dredging work has gone beyond the state capital, even as he assured that government is determined to dredge all waterways in any flood-prone area.

Kolawole, however, warned residents of the state to avoid dumping garbage in the water ways as such act could block free flow of the water which could lead to flooding.

Commenting on the proposed house-to-house waste collection scheduled to begin soon, the commissioner explained that the concept would assist in keeping the state clean as well as boost revenue generation as the people would be expected to pay a token for the disposal of their garbage.

•Archive picture of members of the association

Association donates lab equipment, books to alma mater From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

Omolara Yusuf.

Other highlights of the programme included a lecture entitled “Education in Nigeria which was delivered by Dr Depo Fakunle and presentation of awards to the Principal and teachers.

Speaking on behalf of recipients

of the awards, Mrs A.E. Smith appreciated members of the set and thanked God for being able to impact positively on humanity.

Addresing journalists after the event, Mr Idowu Adenuja, who had headed many high-brow public schools, expressed appreciation for the students’ gesture.

He noted that Chemistry is the

cutting edge of science, advising students to be serious with their studies as education is now highly competitive.

About 40 members of the set aýttended the event with their spouses.

The parting line was “God be with you till we meet like this again”

Idimogu

with the directives of the CP and located areas that are prone to crimes. ”We identified Oshodi, Ikorodu and Ijora, among others as areas where traffic robbers, bag snatchers as well as those who steal from children and in houses were rampant. So, we decided to start with those areas with greater number. ”We raided under the bridges and other hideouts of the miscreants and in most cases, the suspects put up resistance.

“We discovered that they post spies, including juveniles on ground who informed them of police arrival. At times we saw their spies playing cards.

“We were able to arrest the 181 because of the commitment of my men. They have shown great understanding and have remained committed to our drive to ensure that Lagos is safe for residents and business.

“Residents of Lagos should not be afraid. They should go to sleep with their eyes closed because the police would clampdown on criminals. ”But as you know, the police cannot do much without information.

That is why we are appealing to the public to furnish us with useful information that will assist us serve them better.

“We have opened social media accounts so that people can reach us once any crime is being committed around them. We have Facebook, Twitter and e-mail accounts and there are people manning them round the clock.

“For Facebook, the account is rapidresponsesquad; Twitter is @response squad and e-mail address is rapidresponsesquad@gmail.com.

People should not hesitate to send information that will aid the police to keep criminal elements at bay.”

Disu also disclosed that all the suspects have been handed over to the relevant offices for further action, adding that the raid would continue until the hoodlums are out of business.

On what the RRS was doing in respect of incessant cult clashes in some areas of the state, Disu said the CP has issued a directive to all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Area Commanders to fish out criminal elements obstructing public peace, adding that no stone will be left unturned in maintaining peace and security across the state.

•A section of Orilowo Road, Ejigbo, Lagos

Computer training for 300 youths

O

OVER 300 youths will benefit from free computer training, a lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo State Constituency, Hon. Jude Idimogu has said. This,

By Ambrose Nnaji

he said, is in fulfilment of promises he made to the people during the electioneering campaigns According to him, the training

would be in two phases.

The first set is slated to commence this month at Isolo and it is expected that the outcome would Continued on page 36

Ondo community seeks upgrade of monarch

M

EMBERS of the Uso community in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State have appealed to the state government to upgrade their traditional ruler from his present status of grade “C” to grade “A” chief.

The community said the upgrade is long overdue.

The chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr. Emmanuel Ayodele made the

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

appeal during the installation of Oba Ademola Adebiyi Olanipekun III as the 24th Oloba of Uso. The stool became vacant when the former traditional ruler, Oba Albert Adebayo Olanipekun II joined his ancestors on September 30, 2011.

He lamented that since the state government released the White Pa-

•Oba Olanipekun receiving his staff of office from Mr. Dada

per on the Morgan Chieftaincy Review Commission in 1979, their monarch has been a grade ‘C’ chief.

Ayodele, who gave a brief history of the community, said though they were merged with Owo Local Government Area by the British Colonial Administration, they migrated from Oba-Ile in Akure Kingdom.

The community leader claimed that Oloba of Uso was among the earliest kings that had reign in Yoruba land after settling in the present Uso land in about 1288 A.D. “Your Excellency, no student of any institution anywhere in the world can be made to remain in the same class for a period of 36 years without promotion. Such a student will either be asked to withdraw from such institution or promoted on compassionate grounds.

“Our Oba has remained on grade “C” since the Ondo State Government released the White Paper on the Morgan Chieftaincy Review Commission in 1979.

We use this opportunity to passionately plead with you to upgrade Oloba of Uso from grade ‘C’ to ‘A’,” he stated.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

36

SOUTHWEST REPORT

•Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo with some market women

‘We’ll turn Ondo into tourists’ centre’

P

ROMINENT indigenes of Ondo Kingdom in Ondo State have vowed to make all annual traditional festivals unique to enable them to attract tourists to the ancient community. They said this would make real their long vision of making Ondo a city by December this year.

The indigenes spoke with journalists during this year’s Odun Oba Festival to honour their monarch, the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo. They also said Ondo town

is rich in culture, which they said could add value to the town and the economy of the state.

The annual Oba festival is celebrated by Osemawe during which his wife, children and subjects pay homage to him.

The three-day event begins with Olojas (the market women) paying homage to the king, followed by the high chiefs and his immediate family.

The chairman of Ondo West Local Government Area, Abiola Mak-

inde described the festival as unrivalled in the custom of the ancient town. Makinde, who said the festival was part of tradition and culture of Ondo town noted that it was put in place to display the cultural heritage of the people.

He further noted that the festival, if properly harnessed, could attract tourists to the town thereby help in generating employment opportunities for the unemployed youth.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to the realisation of

Excitement as Oyo offsets salary arrears

F

children could not sit for examinations due to the inability of their parents to pay school fees. This is because the government could not pay salaries.

“So, you can see why an average worker in the state will be happy on knowing that the government will begin payment of three months salaries to them. Yes, it is true that prompt payment of salary is our right, but is there any sanction provided in the Constitution against any employer of labour who fails to pay workers their salaries?

This is where the problem lies. Until we have a law that forbids any employer of labour from owing workers salaries, workers will continue to suffer,” one of the workers who didn’t want his name in print for security reasons said.

However, the dark, long tunnel ended with hope and promises. The workers’ morale came alive once again. And excitement filled the air with renewed vigour.

Just last week, workers received salary payment alerts for the month of March. This resulted from consultations between the government and leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Commenting on the development, the chairman Oyo State chapter of NLC, Mr Waheed Olojede said the exercise would begin with the payment of March salary to workers in the mainstream on grade levels 13 and above.

According to him, salaries of members of staff of local government areas who had already collected their March and April salaries are not included.

“With the sustained consultation of labour union with the Oyo State Government over the weekend, it is now clear that payment of the balance of March salary to workers in the mainstream of public service on grade level 13 and above, pensions and subventions to the judiciary and state higher institutions will commence with immediate effect,” Olojede said.

the other.

The elated monarch danced around the town in company of his family, praying for the people.

The celebration of this year’s Odun Oba Festival began on July 4, with the paying of homage by the people of the town to the palace of Osemawe.

Other activities that featured during the festival included musical concert, exhibition of Ondo cultural artefacts, tree planting and launch of Ondo City Vision 2015.

Computer training for 300 youths Continued on page 35

After many months of despair, Oyo State workers can now heave a sigh of relief following the commencement ofpayment of salary arrears owed civil servants by the state government and the renewed assurance from Governor Abiola Ajimobi on prompt payment of salaries.

OSEHEYE OKWUOFU reports.

FOR many, the failure of the Oyo State government to pay workers’ salaries is both unjust and insensitive to the plight of workers. An average civil servant felt depraved and unfairly treated, even in the wake of fresh screening exercise of workers when they were still being owed four months’ salary arrears.

They believed the governor had misspent state resources on electioneering campaigns and bogus contracts for projects spread across the state. But it goes beyond that.

Before workers’ salaries accumulated, civil servants in the state had received their salaries on or before the end of each month. States began owing their workers when the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan slashed allocations to states by over 50 per cent; an action which the government attributed to the sudden and unexpected fall in oil revenue.

As a result, about 27 state governors were caught in the web; failing to pay their civil servants. Some states owed their workers up to 10 months.

Till date, Oyo State government owes its workers salaries for April, May, June and July.

The workers converse in their offices, sharing their bitter experiences in the wake of the harsh economic condition occasioned by non-payment of salaries. Some find it extremely hard to make their way to the secretariat, while others relate their inability to feed and pay their children’s school fees and so on.

“We cannot but express our gratitude to God for seeing us through all these weeks and months of hardship.

We cannot say all that we have been going through these months to keep body and soul together.

“But we are glad that eventually the government is now prepared to pay the arrears. Many of us have been evicted from our houses, many school

Ondo vision 2015 which aims at turning the ancient town into a city by December this year.

Odun Oba is one of the 44 traditional festivals usually celebrated in Ondo town when indigenes who reside in every part of the world return home to honour the monarch.

A prominent Ondo Chief, Wole Benson, explained that Odun Oba Festival has become one of the important festivals that serve as unifying platforms for Osemawe and the his chiefs on one hand and the people on

Governor Ajimobi addressing journalists

The development was cheering for the workers. The payment elicited wild excitement among them, some of who rushed hastily to their banks.

One of the workers, who pleaded anonymity, described the commencement of the salary payment as long overdue, even as he expressed his happiness over the ability of government to offset backlog of salary arrears.

But just as the workers’ nightmare seems to abate, the government, last week, issued a new circular requiring all civil servants to be screened before they will be certified for payment.

The verification exercise, which was carried out from one ministry to the other, according to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Ismail Alli, is to ensure that there is orderliness in the civil service.

“The aim of the screening exercise”, he further explained, “was not to witchhunt anybody but to have a dependable data base and consolidate government’s record to know who are on ground and ensure their positions. That is why we are doing it where they resume duties every day.

“Secondly, we want to know whether people have acquired the right qualifications over the years. So, it’s just to ensure that people are in the right places. There is no interior motive behind it,” he said.

However, the labour union has cautioned against any attempt by the government to use the ongoing screening exercise to victimise or witch-hunt any civil servant, adding that such development or action will be vigorously resisted by the entire labour movement in the state.

offer the litmus test to the smooth take-off of the second phase which will take place at Ejigbo later. This phase will cater for residents of the area. This, he added is to ensure that the beneficiaries didn’t move far away from their vicinity.

He disclosed that forms and fliers had already been distributed and a committee had been set up for that purpose, noting that the training will have morning and afternoon sessions to enable the students cover the work schedule.

Idimogu admitted that rendering quality service to the people is taxing, even as he expressed his commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

“The fact is that you have to make the people happy because without them you wouldn’t have been there. They believe you are representing them, so a lot of pressure will come in terms of trying to make them happy and giving them what they want,” he said.

In a chat with Southwest Report in Lagos, the lawmaker appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode to save the people of Ejigbo from the hassles they experience due to bad roads. He said giving the people good roads would help to speed up economic activities in the area as well as enhancing the revenue base of the state government.

Idimogu stated that Oshodi/Isolo State Constituency had been neglected in terms of road infrastructure. He urged the state government to give immediate attention to the construction of Ejigbo Road, Orilowo, Fadu Avenue and the January 27 Road which was named after the victims of the bomb blast that occurred in 2001 in which several people, including children, lost their lives.

The governor had recently visited the Oshodi/Isolo State Constituency during which he announced that construction of the Ejigbo Road would commence without further delay.

The governor, during the electioneering campaigns, had said that his administration would construct 20 new roads in each of the local government areas of the state, including Ejigbo.

The lawmaker stated that the roads in the community are so bad so much so that business activities have been frustrated for a very long time.

“There are bad roads in my constituency. I appeal to the governor to assist our people and give the constituency a sense of belonging. If the roads are motorable, the persistent traffic congestion in the area would be a thing of the past.

“I want to thank him for coming and making the pronouncement, but I also want to let him know that there are other roads in this constituency that are very bad. I have already mentioned the matter to the House.”

According to him, contracts for the construction of most of the roads had been awarded several times and yet they were not delivered.

He also urged the state government to give priority attention to opening up waterways in the state.

He said: “If the waterways would be operative, it would help in decongesting traffic and make movement easier for residents of Lagos.

He expressed his confidence that the lawmakers would make laws that would be in the best interest of the people of the state, adding, however, that laws will come as the need arises.

Again, Idimogu said there has been a cordial relationship among members of the House irrespective of party differences. According to him, all the principal positions had been allocated and given to those that the cap fitted, including the Speaker, Majority and Minority leaders without rancor, adding that in the Assembly, the issue of party differences does not arise.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

37

THE NATION INVESTORS

Stock Exchange steps up demutualisation process T HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has begun the implemen tation of key action plans in its bid to convert from a member-owned mutual organisation to shareholderowned public limited liability company, otherwise known as demutualisation.

Executive director, market operations, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Ade Bajomo, who provided updates on the demutualisation process, said the council and management of the Exchange have made significant progress in the implementation of the demutualisation process.

Bajomo said the professional advisers and parties to the demutualisation would soon be announced, a step that is expected to further quicken the pace of the conversion.

He reiterated the commitment of the Exchange to ensuring that the interests of all the stakeholders are protected in the demutualisation exercise.

Bajomo spoke as the director general of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Mounir Gwarzo reassured that the apex capital market regulator would support the demutualisation of the Exchange.

“At SEC we have come up with very

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

robust rules on demutualization and we had a lot of engagements with the market in coming up with those rules.

It is now at the doorsteps of NSE. We have told them that any assistance they want in terms of advocacy we are ready to assist them,” Gwarzo said.

Demutualisation is the process of changing a member-owned stock exchange, otherwise known as mutual exchange, to a corporate entity owned by shareholders. In a mutual exchange, the three functions of ownership, management and trading are concentrated into a single group, hence the broker members of the exchange are both the owners and the traders on the exchange and they further manage the exchange as well.

In a demutualised exchange, the three functions of ownership, management and trading are clearly separated.

The approved rules by SEC simply defined demutualisation as “the process through which a member owned organisation becomes a shareholder owned company”.

The demutualisation framework approved by SEC stresses that the proc-

ess of demutualization of the Securities Exchange should include an exchange of membership rights in the Securities Exchange for ownership of shares in the demutualised Securities Exchange.

According to the framework, stockbrokers, who constitute the largest members of the NSE, may have to sell down their shareholdings within a period of five year in the demutualised Exchange.

The final rules approved by SEC indicated that the aggregate equity interests of members of any specific stakeholder group such as stockbrokers and broker-dealer in the demutualised securities exchange should not exceed 20 per cent.

The rules also retained the provision that no individual or entity must directly or in directly own more than five per cent of the issued shares or voting rights in a demutualised securities exchange.

The rules, made pursuant to section 313 of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2007, describe “related entities and persons” as a person or entity that is related to the entity or person that owns the equity or the voting rights.

The rules stipulate that the securi-

ties exchange should initiate a process for determining the accurate list of members of the Exchange prior to the commencement of demutualisation.

“The stakeholder groups who are shareholders of the Securities Exchange shall with effect from the date of demutualization shall reduce their cumulative shareholding in the demutualized Securities Exchange to no more than 20 percent within five years”, according to the rules. The 20 per cent ceiling is however an improvement on the draft rules, which stipulated a ceiling of 10 per cent within five years.

The rules allow the Exchange to give equity interest to a strategic investor subject to establishment of the facts that the strategic investor has technical expertise through previous experience in managing other Exchanges and the aggregate number of shares to be offered to the strategic investors shall not be more than 30 per cent of issued and fully paid up capital of the securities exchange.

However, if the Exchange is in dire need of funds, it could issue a higher number of shares subject to approval of the Commission.

As part of preconditions for

demutualisation, a securities exchange shall prior to demutualization submit the names and profiles of members of its committee on demutualisation, a valuation report, the draft Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Securities Exchange, the proposed rules of the demutualized Securities Exchange, the proposed allotment and the basis of the proposed allotment of shares to the initial shareholders of the Securities Exchange, a list of the directors proposed as the Board of the Securities Exchange, an implementation plan stating the process to be adopted for effecting the demutualisation of the Exchange, including but not limited to the treatment of the rights and liabilities of the existing members of the Exchange and the proposed plan for the independent management of the commercial and regulatory functions of the demutualized Securities Exchange and timelines for implementation of necessary structures to ensure the functional treatment of commercial and regulatory functions for a “No Objection” clearance by SEC. Any changes to the information provided under the preconditions must also be filed with the Commission for a “No Objection” clearance.

Household Max, Nigeria’s largest family online store, makes debut

T

HE Nigerian e-commerce space is set for a new experi ence as Household Max Online Limited formally launched its Householdmax.com, widely regarded as Nigeria’s largest family and household online megastore.

The launch in Lagos was graced by several enthusiastic customers and dignitaries, who had enjoyed the value-added services of the online megastore. The special guest of honour was Iyalode of Lagos, Hajia Bintu Fatima Tinubu. The launch also included a raffle draw during which attendees won shopping vouchers.

Speaking at the launch, executive director, Household Max Online Limited, Aisha Tinubu, said the Householdmax.com has come to provide convenience and ease challenges associated with the hectic lifestyle of an average family and individual.

According to her, with most people nowadays living increasingly busier lives with so much to do always, many tasks to juggle, and all in 24hours that never seem to be enough, lifestyle and shopping patterns in Nigeria are changing rapidly, shaped by concerns about traffic, security issues, time constrains and product availability in offline stores.

“This is where Householdmax comes in; we are Nigeria’s largest

family and household online megastore. We commenced business a few months ago with the sole focus of aiding professional, families and households in ensuring that their needs and aspirations are met and their lifestyles, supported. We are not only about online trade; we are more focused on consistently creating those value-adding services that our customers find invaluable, and we know how to support them in the realisation of their plans,” Tinubu said.

She noted that shopping through Householdmax has been designed to be simple, secure, quick, and personalised in such a way to give the buyer and any extended beneficiary much satisfaction.

She added customers shopping through the platform can make payment safely and securely using their bank cards, or they can opt to simply submit their order for processing while they make a bank transfer subsequently. The online store has also partnered Interswitch, Guaranty Trust Bank and FCMB Plc to facilitate seamless payment.

“Our payment platform is also integrated to accept International card payments and international bank transfers to aid Nigerians in Diaspora needing to shop for elderly parents or loved ones who reside in Nigeria. Householdmax

• From left; Project Fame 4, Joba Popoola, Musician, Ade Bantu, Project Fame Executive, Tolu Adesina and Miss.

Joy Panam at the opening gala show “MTN Project Fame, West Africa, Season 8” at Ultima Studio, Lekki, VI, Lagos.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

delivers nationwide and our customers enjoy free delivery, same day delivery, delivery within 24 hours or within 2-7 days for certain products and delivery locations.

Our delivery is handled by a combination of our delivery fleet as well as third party logistics companies,” Tinubu said.

She pointed out that Householdmax.com also comes with additional value in terms of knowledge and information sharing as the website continually seek and communicate valuable information and helpful tips relevant to

shoppers to them.

She assured on the quality of products from the online store noting that the company attaches much importance to the principle that customers must be happy and pleased with the products they receive in their orders and for these to match exactly what they have viewed on the website and were expecting.

“Our experienced quality control team works with stringent company standard operating procedures to ensure that every single product listed on our website meets

our quality standards. Because the ecommerce industry is still evolving in Nigeria, it is important to us that customer trust is established and maintained and this can only be achieved by consistently meeting or exceeding our customers’ expectations,” Tinubu noted.

She said the company has dedicated teams that handle and manage any peculiar requests or special instructions attached to all customers’ orders, pointing out that its personalised ancillary services have set Householdmax.com clearly apart from competition.

UBA endows N53m finance professorial chair

U

Executive Director, Brooks and Blake Nigeria Limited, Mr. Taiwo Ogunwumi, (left),and Marketing Director, Pfizer, Mr. Winston Ailemoh, at the 5th Anniversary Celebration of Brooks and Blake Nigeria Limited in Lagos

NITED Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has resuscitated the UBA Professorial Chair of Finance at the University of Lagos with an endowment sum of the N52.9 million.

A cheque to this effect was presented to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Rahaman Bello, and members of the institution’s governing council at the weekend in Lagos by Mr. Phillips Oduoza, group managing director of UBA. Oduoza, who led other executive management members to the school, said UBA is committed to the promotion of a globally competitive educational system in the country.

According to him, the bank has seen that there is a huge gap in the funding of educational system in the country and has decided to support in the

provision of qualitative education as it strongly believes that a well trained and educated manpower is important the growth and development of the nation.

He assured that the bank will continue to promote research and innovation in the Nigerian educational system, to boost man-power development and called on other banks, companies, institutions and individuals to emulate the UBA gesture.

“As first line beneficiaries of quality manpower, to support the pursuit of research and education in all Nigerian universities, private sector endowments will result in the creation of centers of excellence in different Nigerian universities, improving the quality of graduates, decision making and leadership in the society. Government alone cannot make this happen,” Oduoza said.

38

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Essiet_daniel@yahoo.com 08180714151

More entrepreneurs are creating wealth from waste and saving the environment from devastation. They have also created employment for many. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

Turning waste into cash T

HE waste on road sides in Lagos is enough to put most people off urban waste management.

But this is not so for a group of entrepreneurs who see opportunities in waste collection and recycling.

They are poised to create business and employment opportunities for many in waste management.

Chief Executive, T.Cynthia Nigeria Enterprise, Mrs Cynthia Saka, is one of the women working in the industry. She has spent the last 25 years in waste collection and recycling. She has been in the business since 1986, when she was a student of the College of Education in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

The business that she started as a start-up has expanded into a big operation run from Lagos and Ogun states; she has many employees.

Her business model is to find waste and turn it into something useful, for a profit. She specialises in the plastic waste.To get waste, she relies on contracts with businesses - to take away their waste, as well as individual consumers collecting and sending it in, in return for payment.They are collecting from dumpsites and garbage cans across the country. Her business has created jobs by partnering company suppliers, such as plastics and polythylene gatherers.

Through the business, Mrs Saka is changing people’s opinions on the value of recycling.

To raise awareness, Mrs Saka, also a member of the Ogun State Chamber of Commerce and industry is working other collectors and recyclers engaged

F

OUNDER, Springboard, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO), Lawrence Afere, has said the group seeks to create jobs and promote agriculture through organic farming and entrepreneurial training.

In 2007, when Afere graduated from the university, he shocked his family with his decision not to use his business management degree to search for a high-paying job in the big city. Instead, he went for social entrepreneurship in agriculture in his hometown Akure, the Ondo State capital.

“It was a difficult decision because my parents and siblings were not happy that I was returning home.

They expected I’d get a job in the city and then be able to help them as well,” he said.

His family thought he must be bewitched. After all, who would choose farming over a high-paying job?

“But I told my parents: ‘Please dad, please mom, I need to do something different with my life.’”

And that was what he did. Today, Springboard offers youths a sixmonth training on agriculture and business. Participants are also grouped and provided with input and farmland. At the end of harvest, each group gets 80 per cent of the profit, while the balance is reinvested into the organisation.

Social entrepreneurship was not Afere’s initial plan when he gained admission to study business at the university. Like many in his class, he was excited about a job in banking or in the oil and gas sector.

“And I studied really hard, so I could come out with good results that could get me a good job,” he said.

And Afere’s parents could not be prouder. The organisation has not just generated stable incomes for himself, but for many youths in his

in handling waste, to improve the business environment for operators in waste recycling.

She is ready to mentor young entrepreneurs, because thanks to her own experiences, garbage is the place to look for opportunities as the government and the people deal with the challenges posed by increasing waste products.

She sees opportunities across waste management, industrial treatment, wastewater and sewage, recycling, and sustainable packaging and believes indigenous companies stand to benefit from investing in waste recycling.

Another lady in the industry is the Chief Executive, WeCyclers, Mrs Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola.

Growing up in Lagos, she had witnessed a waste epidemic with plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and other waste accumulated in streets and open gutters, causing flooding, disease, and stress.

Though she studied in the United States, Mrs Adebiyi-Abiola had this issue on her mind.

A graduate of Fisk University, Vanderbilt University, and MIT’s Sloan School of Management in the United States, she returned to launch Wecyclers in 2012. She deployed a fleet of cargo bikes in collecting recyclables from houses in poor areas of Lagos, in return for rewards.

She employed young people who pedal door-to-door on modified bikes that pull large carts with collection bags. They collect recyclables from subscribers’ homes and weigh them;

•Mrs Adebiyi-Abiola, Mrs Saka, Mrs Adetunji Olatoun and Mrs Forence Omotunde at the dump site in Oyinbo, Lagos.

subscribers receive points via text message for every kilogramme of recyclables. Points are redeemed for food and consumer goods, such as cellphones and kitchen items.

Recyclables are returned to one of Wecyclers’ two plants, where they’re sorted, processed, and bought by recycling companies to make mattresses and pillow stuffing, among other things.

Working with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Wecyclers is determined to create more opportunities for people to explore waste collection and earn money and residents rewards to enable better lives and business.

Participants earn rewards that they use to buy up consumer electronics, such as cellphones, irons, and toaster ovens. The rewards programme is funded by the sale of the collected waste and through corporate sponsorships. With Mrs AdebiyiAbiola, recovery facilities and trading networks for waste materials have emerged across the state.

Aware of the danger of disappearing income opportunities for the waste pickers, she is taken it upon herself to turn waste into sustainable

employment for those at the bottom of the economic ladder.

She is working to help waste pickers become authorised collectors.

She engages pickers to collect nonhazardous parts such as plastics and drink cases before delivering them to recycling facilities.Through innovative ways of communication, she aims to reach the next generation of environmental leaders.

A visit to her storage place revealed waste, consisting mainly of plastic bottles and packaging, sorted to be processed and recycled. The pickers collect it from the numerous bins throughout the city, from watercourses, gutters and local markets.

With her presence, collection and sorting of plastic waste is a lifeline for many families. As a result of her effort, more and more women have turned to collecting and sorting waste, a commercial activity that is likely to ensure their survival. She is delighted to provide employment for workers while cleaning up the city. The Wecyclers” lever towards sustainable social-economic change includes the creation of new and stable job opportunities for younger generations in Lagos, totackle the high national

unemployment rate.

At the moment, a network of collecting and recycling activities has developed, integrated in a value chain recycling industry.

Notwithstanding, she is determined to see waste collectors well remunerated. To her, a pile of garbage representsa means of livelihood and not something from which to turn away in disgust.

To industry watchers, Mrs Adebiyi-Abiola is a rising star and Wecyclers is a growing company that has the potential to change how Nigerians interact with garbage.

At the Pitch For Lagos event held at Co-Creation Hub, which involved 10 startups, including BudgIT, Mamalette, CallBase, Alle Capital vying for a $55,000 prize money funded by the Steve Case Foundation, WeCyclers was announced the winner after a competitive.

Her work with waste has attracted quite a lot of local and global attention. She has been featured on CNN and The Huffington Post among others. She is also a Fellow of the Echoing Green Foundation and a 2013 Laureate of the Cartier Women’s Initiative.

‘Why I prefer farming to white collar job’

• Afere (in front) at work.

community.

Last year, he was named a Mandela Washington Fellow. He visited the United States and spent a few weeks meeting President Barack Obama and some business leaders.

But he will never forget the moment all this changed for him. It was on Friday, November 17, 2006. He was at the library, catching up on some news before hitting the books, and came across a report released by the minister of education. It revealed some shocking statistics about unemployment, and how the majority of young people finishing school were unable to find work. But most shocking of all was the predicted effect this

would have on the population.

“It said by 2020, Nigeria – my dear country – would have raised over 20 million highly skilled criminals.

Every year, we are raising more than one million skilled criminals. We are not raising highly skilled professionals in medicine, in law, vocational skills, but we are raising criminals.

“And, so all my plans for life, for everything, changed from that. I decided that rather than just getting a job, let me rather help young Nigerians get jobs – and in the process - get something going for myself.”

A net importer of food? No! Once Afere knew he wanted to be a social entrepreneur focused on youth

empowerment and job creation, the next step was to work out where he could best do this. Nigeria’s underutilised agricultural potential caught his attention.

“Why do we import a lot of food into the country when we have millions of hectares of land that we could use to produce our own? Why are we still senseless – buying food from India, from Thailand, all these countries in Asia, when we can grow all of this food? Millions of hectares of land are wasting,” he highlighted.

“If you combine agriculture with youths, you can transform this country within years. And that’s why I decided I’m going to help do that.”

In 2008, he started the Youth Farm Project, which brought together young people in his community to cultivate some donated land. The initiative started to grow and was renamed Springboard in 2012. It has trained over 500 youths since inception. And the programme is also scaling up operations, so it can train 100 people every six months.

“We have access to over 15 hectares of farm land, and the community is willing to give us more land if we have more young people to train.”

Towards the end of last year, Afere also managed to raise enough capital to start the construction of a plantain chips processing and packaging factory. And last month, it began production of Springboard’s branded plantain chips. They are already being sold in three states, and Afere plans to distribute to other African countries in the future.

According to Afere, one of the initiative’s goals is to change the perception of farming among youths. ‘’Many do not view it as an attractive

career path, especially the young people in the rural and semi-urban areas; they have seen their parents over the years suffer as farmers ... They are so poor and the middle men make more money than they do. And so these young people are discouraged.

This is one reason why they want to leave rural areas and go to the cities in search of jobs,” Atere said.

To slow this trend, Afere hopes to make agriculture “fashionable” among youths. “We help them to see there is a good market for produce, and that you can actually become wealthy cultivating the land,” he added.

The initiative also teaches business skills, such as how agri-preneurs can get produce to market without using middle men that cut into profits.

“Farming should be a business. It should not be seen as something only poor people do. You can build your farm and it can become a great business. So, we teach farming as a business. And if you run your business well, it can help you earn a good income. So, that’s what we help them to see: they are a farmer and they are an entrepreneur.”

The programme, he explained, shows that good farmers and good entrepreneurs have a lot in common. For example, to nurture and grow both crops and companies require hard work, teamwork, re-investment, time-management, planning ahead and patience.

“A farmer must be patient, allowing his crops to grow and mature before harvesting. The same thing with entrepreneurs – they sacrifice instant gratification for long term success,” he added.

• Culled from howwemadeitinafrica.com

39

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS PENSION

PenOp seeks investment channel for $25b pension fund

A

SAFE and workable system must be designed to channel the $25 billion pension funds, (approximately N4.925 trillion) accumulated by the pension industry for real economic development, Chairman, Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) Misbahu Yola has said.

He made this known at the 2nd forum of PenOp, organised in Nigeria

by Africonomie for African Pensions.

Aside from investment of the pension funds, Yola highlighted regulation, enlightenment of the general public and collaboration of major stakeholders as key areas that need to be worked on to facilitate and build a strong and sustainable pension system that works for the Nigerian environment.

He disclosed that as at May 31, 2015, Nigeria’s Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) had approximately 6.6

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

million contributors and assets in excess of USD25 billion.

He said that as impressive as this may sound, they have only just started.

According to him, much more remains to be done as they have covered less than one tenth of the working population.

He added that the assets are less than five per cent of the nation’s GDP and the effect on economic development is still at embryonic stage.

He said: “To effect significant changes, it is imperative that the regulator, pension operators and other key stakeholders work together to build a strong and sustainable pension system that works for our environment.

“Nigeria has drawn a lot of international attention in recent years due to the success of its CPS. The scheme has

been in existence for only 10 years and is therefore relatively young when compared to some of its counterparts in Africa.

“The common vision shared by all the players in the Nigerian Pensions industry is to see this contributory pension system grow to its full potential. This is by no means an easy task especially when we consider the size of our economy, our population and a lack of proper understanding and often mistrust at all things pensions. Nevertheless, a lot has been done since then by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and pension operators to develop and improve the new pensions system.”

Speaking on regulation, Yola said the secret behind any solid structure is its foundation.

“For the pension system in Nigeria, the foundation is the law and by extension the Regulator that is custodian

of this law, PenCom. In order for the system to succeed and be sustainable, the regulator must remain focused and continue to be innovative in its guidelines, regulations, codes and various other rules of operations.

“While being consultative, it must continue to be firm in monitoring and supervising the management and administration of the funds. It must also enforce compliance by employers in accordance with the law and sanction those who contravene any section of the Act. Fortunately the PRA 2014 has conferred more powers on PenCom in this regard. In addition, PenCom must continue to engage regulators in other industries that have a bearing on pension funds management.

“Similarly, there is a strong need to re-orientate the general public on the need for pensions and assure them of the effectiveness of the CPS. The states

Custodian Group appoints Oshin GMD

NAICOM worried over industry knowledge gap •CIIN commissions college of insurance

C

T

HE knowledge gap in the in surance industry remains high just as professional indiscipline, Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel has said.

He made this statement at the inauguration of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, (CIIN) Insurance College located at the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

The NAICOM boss who said the commission is concerned, said the situation is totally unacceptable.

He said the situation calls for a cllective effort if the industry is to attain the professional height and standards we all crave to enable the industry occupy its rightful position in the financial services sector.

He said: “As a prudential regulator, the quality of and technical capacity of insurance practitioners in the country is a major concern to the commission. We will continue to support efforts at ridding the profession of indiscipline while entrenching a culture of professional discipline and adherence to rules and ethical standards.

“It is our desire in NAICOM to superintend over an insurance industry that is flourishing, financially strong and viable but with the right mix of professionals.”

This notwithstanding, Daniel said the inauguration of the College of Insurance marks a watershed in the history of not just the Institute but the entire insurance sector.

“This landmark accomplishment symbolises growth and key to future accomplishment. The CIFMS is a value addition to the quest to better position the CIIN in the industry and, herald a new era of improvement on services rendered by the institute not only for its future growth, but more importantly, for the growth and development of the Nigerian insurance sector practitioners.

CIIN President, Bola Temowo, said the commissioning follows four years of giant strides in actualising their dream of a college, conceived to change the face of insurance and financial management education in Nigeria.

He explained that prior to the commissioning, so much had been put in place to justify the development of a full-fledged college.

and local governments and indeed the informal sector should also be encouraged to join the scheme as required by law. The mistrust from the past experiences still lingers and this must be dealt with by assurances of the safety of the current CPS structure if we want to move forward in building a strong and sustainable pension system.”

In the same vein, the PenOp chairman said collaboration of key stakeholders namely SEC, CBN, FIRS, FMDQ, NASD, Private Equity and Infrastructure Funds etc is extremely important in achieving sustainability.

On investment of pension funds, he said that an enabling environment that facilitates the creation of quality investible products and alternative asset classes through which the pension assets can be invested safely but with relatively high returns for the contributors must be encouraged.

•From left: Company Secretary, Mrs Sheila Ezeuko; Chairman, Kenneth Odogwu and GMD, Chike

Mokwunye all of Royal Exchange Plc, during the 46th annual general meeting of the company in Lagos.

Lack of awareness keeps contributory pension undersubscribed

T

HE Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is undersubscribed owing to lack of adequate public awareness, Managing Director, Premium Pension Limited, Wilson Ideva has said.

Ideva, who made this known while speaking with journalist in Abuja, said this is why the scheme remains at less than 10 per cent penetration level more than 10 years after its commencement.

He stated that a vast majority of Nigerians including the supposedly enlightened community lack information on the workings and belief in the workability of the scheme.

He said: “How else can one explain the less than 10 per cent penetration of the market more than 10 years after the commencement of the scheme?

“Less than seven million workers in Nigeria have subscribed to the new pension scheme out of the estimated more that 70 million working population while a total of 4.9 trillion Naira has been amassed as pension assets under management in the pension industry.”

Ideva lamented the lukewarm attitude of some Nigerians to the scheme.

“It is inexplicable considering the

ugly past of the Defined Benefit Scheme which we have all been striving to break away from.

“Workers looked up to retirement with so much fear and trepidation because of the inherent uncertainties.

The old scheme was fraught with corruption and bureaucratic bottlenecks that occasioned the ugly sight of long queues of aged citizens waiting to be paid pension that oftentimes never came.”

He, however, noted that the contributory scheme is a huge success and the most impactful government initiative in recent times, adding that there is the need to applaud the initiators of the scheme in the country.

He pointed out that while the old scheme which operated before 2004 left a huge pension deficit two trillion naira within the economy, the new scheme has accumulated pension asset of over 4.7 trillion naira and an enrolment of over 6.5 million people.

He noted that when these figures are put together, it would show that it has been a success story and this pool of funds is already playing a critical role in national development.

The scheme, he said, has already

begun to improve the lives of retirees in the country and also becoming a critical contributor to national development.

He recalled that initially, when the idea was presented, a lot of people did not believe in it.

“This is understandable considering where we were coming from. Such skepticism has been dissipated with the successes recorded by the new scheme since inception.

“The pathetic situation of pensioners before the scheme was introduced is different from the current situation where workers are partners in the management of their pension funds.

He urged Nigerians to note the difference between the new scheme and the old defined benefit system under which some pensioners are still being managed.

He noted that under the new scheme entitlements are being paid regularly.

He also advised workers and retirees to notify their Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) six months before retirement and submit all the necessary documents.

Once this is done, within one or two months upon retirement you will be paid your lump sum.

USTODIAN Group has appointed Mr. Wole Oshin as its Group Managing Director (GMD) at a Board meeting of the company, The Nation has learnt.

An indigenous investment holding company quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) comprising Custodian and Allied Insurance Limited (CAIL), Custodian Life Assurance Limited (CLA) CrusaderSterling Pensions Limited, Custodian Trustees Limited and Crusader Properties Limited.

Until his appointment, he was the Managing Director of Custodian and Allied Insurance Limited (CAIL), the General Insurance business subsidiary and a non-Executive Director of Custodian and Allied PLC. The Custodian Group which celebrated its 20th anniversary in June, 2015 has achieved great success over the years due to its commitment to ideals such as outstanding service and dedication to customers, innovation and comprehensive systems, processes and operations integration.

As Chief Executive of CAIL and founder of the group, he was instrumental to the growth and development of the company, having led it through successful mergers and acquisition in the last couple of years.

With his appointment as GMD, it is expected that it will leverage on his vast and rich goodwill and experience to further propel the Custodian group to achieve greater success.

Oshin is a graduate of Actuarial Science from the University of Lagos and a Chartered Insurer by profession. He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria and the Association of Investment Advisers and Portfolio Managers. He is current President of the Lagos Business School Alumni Association (LBSAA) and an alumnus of the Harvard Business School.

Whilst he assumes the position of GMD of the Custodian Group, Toye Odunsi , the erstwhile Deputy Managing Director of Custodian and Allied Insurance Limited will assume the position of Managing Director of CAI.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

40

BUSINESS AFRICA

CPC investigates DSTV’s operation

T

HE Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has begun sitting in its investigation into the operations of the Digital Satellite Television (DStv) based on complaints of alleged consumer rights violations against the paytelevision firm.

A four-man team, led by the firm’s Regulatory Affairs Manager, responded to questions from the council’s investigating panel, comprising of selected relevant staff of the agency and a team of consultants.

CPC’s Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, who at the weekend flagged off the commencement of the investigation at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja, said the investigation has been instituted on the strength of series of complaints received by the council on the services of the pay-television firm.

According to her, the investigation would afford the council the

By Toba Agboola

opportunity to know the challenges the firm may be facing in the discharge of its services with a view to proffering solutions for the enhanced welfare of its consumers.

The council had, in a notice of commencement of investigation recently served on Multichoice Nigeria Limited, a pay-media company which offers the DStv service, disclosed that it has been inundated with a barrage of consumer complaints, alleging widerange abuse of subscribers’ rights.

It asserted that despite its earlier interventions in form of meetings with the Satellite Company, telephone and written correspondences with a view to ensuring that the company addressed the issues and developed quality standards for the safeguard of the interest of consumers, complaints have been pouring in unabated

against the company.

The council declared in the notice that “these complaints in effect allege that the DStv service does not conform with international best practice and is specifically designed to exploit Nigerian consumers who have suffered loss by not being able to fully enjoy or receive the benefit or actualise the full purpose for which they purchased or subscribed to the service”.

According to the council’s notice, the consumer complaints against DStv include “poor quality of service such as incessant disruption of service without compensation while subscription is current; wrongful abrupt disconnection of service during subsisting subscriptions; monthly subscriptions lasting less than 30 days; and poor redress mechanism and customer services”.

The first sitting of the investigation was witnessed by a delegation of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Specific Sector Regulator.

Kenya’s East African Breweries to defend Tanzania investment, FY profit jumps

K

ENYA’S East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) has said it would try to convince Tanzanian authorities not to revoke its acquisition of a controlling stake in Tanzania’s second-largest brewery.

Tanzania’s Fair Competition Commission (FCC) said early this month that it wants to revoke EABL’s 51 percent stake in Serengeti Breweries, acquired five years ago, accusing the Kenyan company of not meeting some unspecified conditions.

EABL, which is controlled by Britain’s Diageo, paid $60 million for its stake in Serengeti, giving it a 28 percent share in a market offering high growth potential.

But the FCC has accused EABL of not making good on pledges made when it obtained permission for the deal. EABL has denied the accusation.

The FCC said in a statement on June 29 an investigation into the merger revealed that the “performance of SBL was not as per expectations of the Commission.”

It said it had approved the merger in 2010 under the condition that EABL would enable Serengeti to

achieve “potential growth that is well beyond the level it was able to achieve previously.”

Charles Ireland, EABL’s chief executive,has said at a news conference last week to announce the brewer’s annual results that he would meet FCC officials this week in Tanzania.

“The FCC has expressed disappointment in the performance of the business and has called us to explain why the business has not been performing to expectations,” Ireland said.

“I think probably they need reassurance that we are committed to Tanzania, and we are going to be making investments in Tanzania and ultimately we are going to be successful.”

EABL reported a 36 percent rise in pretax profit to 14.15 billion shillings ($139 million) in the year to end-June, boosted by higher sales, which sent its shares rising.

Revenues were up six percent to 64.42 billion shillings, the brewer said, with sales rising by 2 to 7 percent in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania and exports to other markets jumping by 48 percent.

South African Union snubs higher pay offer by gold producers

T

•From left:Aero Chief Pilot, Capt. Nmoka Gerald; IATA Aviation Solution Manager, Marketing and Commercial Services, South West Africa, Ewemade Atake; Acting Managing Director of Aero, Capt. Russell Leefoon; IATA Area Manager, South West Africa, Samson Fatokun and Aero Commercial Manager, Doyin Omoniyi Ojo at the certification of Aero as a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Lagos.

Heineken gains from Tiger in Asia, Europe

H

EINEKEN NV (HEIN.AS), the world’s third-largest brewer, announced betterthan-expected earnings for the first half on Monday, helped by robust growth of its Tiger brand in Vietnam and rising beer sales in Mexico and parts of Europe.

The Dutch brewer, whose Heineken lager is Europe’s top seller, increased profit on a likefor-like basis in all regions except Africa, but also saw a squeeze on U.S. margins. It said it expected faster sales growth in the second half of the year but maintained its full-year forecast for revenue growth, which will be slower than in 2014.

Heineken shares surged by as much as 4.5 percent to a threemonth high after the results and

were among the strongest performers in the FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 of leading European stocks.

“It’s a positive mixed bag. Some margin pressure in Africa and Americas, but central and eastern and western Europe good against tough comparables,” said Trevor Stirling, beverage analyst at Bernstein Securities.

Stirling has an “outperform” rating on the stock, with potential for further emerging markets gains relative to larger rivals AB InBev (ABI.BR) and SABMiller (SAB.L), whose emerging market progress, he said, was largely priced in.

Those rivals are also more exposed to China’s slowing economy than Heineken, which

is focused more on Southeast Asia.

Asia-Pacific was again Heineken’s fastest growing market in the first half. It saw doubledigit sales expansion in Vietnam, the region’s third-largest beer market, driven by demand for Tiger beer, which Heineken has been promoting harder since acquiring full control of Asia Pacific Breweries in 2013.

With breweries from Mongolia to New Zealand, Asia-Pacific accounts for almost 20 percent of Heineken’s operating profit.

Heineken also enjoyed solid sales in Mexico, but saw lower margins in the United States - where it imports Heineken and Mexican beers - due to higher marketing costs as it promoted cider and other new products.

Investors place bets on Africa

F

ROM milk churning in Zimbabwe to rose growing in Ethiopia, private equity investments in Africa have returned to pre-crisis levels and should keep rising as funds seek big returns in far-flung markets.

Private equity deals in Africa totalled $8.1 billion (R103.1bn) last year, the second highest on record after the $8.3bn posted in 2007, according to the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA).

This year could be even bigger as investors tired of low returns in developed markets look to cash in

on the rapidly emerging middleclass consumers in Africa.

Private equity deals in Africa between 2007 and 2013 earned 60 percent more than the MSCI emerging market index, AVCA said.

Traditionally private equity buyouts in Africa have been supported by development organisations but there are signs over the last year that global funds are taking more aggressive steps to tap into a continent of 1 billion people.

“The growth story in Africa is compelling,” said John van Wyk,

the head of Africa at Actis, an emerging-market focused fund.

“Global funds are realising they need to have some sort of Africa strategy and that hasn’t always been the case,” he added.

Large US private equity firms, including TPG and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), have made their first investments in Africa in the last year.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund, one of the largest US pension funds and worth about $180b, said in April it could invest up to $5bn in Africa over the next five years to boost returns and diversify its portfolio.

HE second-biggest union in South Africa’s gold industry rejected a pay offer from operators including AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., stopping short of calling a strike.

Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union members gathered at Sibanye Gold Ltd.’s Beatrix mine Sunday to consider the final wage proposal made by producers such as Harmony Gold Mining Co. The union speaks for about 30 percent of the 94,500 employees represented in the talks.

“If we need to go march at their offices, we will,” AMCU President Joseph Mathunjwa told thousands of workers at the stadium next to a mine shaft about 300 kilometers (186 miles) south of Johannesburg.

Sibanye and AngloGold, the world’s third-largest producer, proposed on July 30 to raise monthly pay for entry-level workers by 1,000 rand ($79) annually for the three years started July 1.

Harmony offered a 500-rand in-

crease. Basic pay is currently about 5,800 rand. Living-out allowances, for miners who choose not to live in provided housing, will be raised by 100 rand in the first year from 2,000 rand now.

The crowd held banners showing AMCU’s demand of 12,500 rand a month for basic pay, more than double the current wage. Only one of the union leaders who provided feedback on the stage said workers should accept the offer.

The National Union of Mineworkers, the biggest labour group in gold, lowered its demand last month for basic pay to 9,500 rand.

Still, that’s at least 60 percent more than the current wage.

“The way forward is go back to employers and give them the feedback that their offer has been rejected by the majority of AMCU members,” Mathunjwa told reporters after the meeting. The union will gather again after it hears back from the companies, he said.

Vague project ideas bane of MSMEs

T

HE Bank of Industry has said that it is not lack of fund that is the major problem of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) in the country but vague project ideas, lack of business capacity, poor access to markets and high operating cost. These factors, no doubt, militate against their growth and sustainace.

This was disclosed by the chief executive officer and managing director of the bank, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa at the 16th annual lecture of the Catholic Brothers United (CBU), St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, with the theme: ‘Enhancing Small and Medium Scale Businesses: A viable Tool for Poverty Eradication held in Lagos over the weekend.

Olaoluwa said although many entrepreneurs thought that lack of finance is the core of their problems but research has shown that ‘’many MSME’s do not have a clearly defined project idea before embarking on the journey as the goals of the project and the reasons for doing it, along with the sub-projects or major tasks involved, must be clearly understood from the onset to enhance the chances of success’’.

Olaoluwa, who was represented by the divisional head, Large Enterprises,BOI,Mr.Joseph Babatunde, said for strong and sustainable MSME’s in the country, there should be provision of financial and tax incentives, friendly

By Ajose Sehindemi

regulatory environment and export potential must be encouraged, large corporations should help MSME’s build sustainable supply chain capacity and local distribution networks should be strengthened.

On export potentials,he said ‘’SMEs contribute a large share of manufactured exports in most industrialized East Asian economies like China and India, ranging from 31-56 per cent than less developed African economies of less than 1 per cent in Tanzania and Malawi, and 4 per cent in Nigeria for instance.

There is therefore the need to focus on policies that will promote the SMEs export potential to boost economic growth and development’’.

He encouraged Nigerians to visit the BOI as they are focused on helping SME’s grow and achieve its aim of development and reducing poverty in the country.

Commenting on the reason for the theme,the president of CBU,Mr Emmanuel Uwukhor, said it was in consideration of the various developmental chakllenges currently facing the country.

Uwukhor said ‘’SME’s as we all are aware are critical to the development of any economy as they posses great potentials for employment genertion,improvement and development of local technology,output diversification as well as forward intergration with large-scale industries’’.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

42

5TH KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING 29th JULY, 2015 (13TH SHAWWAL, 1436AH) PREPARED BY THE COUNCIL AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, KANO. ince the return to democratic normalcy sixteen (16) years ago, frantic efforts have been made to transform Kano into a mega city in view of its enviable century-long position as a major commercial nerve centre in the West African sub-region thereby attracting many people from far and near which consequently leads to population growth at a phenomenal rate.

With this twin development, there is the need for the provision of critical infrastructures at all the nooks and crannies of the state to further propel the state to greater height in all fields of human endeavours.

S

via radio and television discussions, essay writing, symposia, sponsorship of state contingent to Abuja, etc. accordingly, the ministry requested the Council’s approval for the sum of N9,148,711:00 for the conduct of the event. However, the Council considered and approved the sum of N5,000,000:00 for release to the ministry for the conduct of the 2015 International Youth Week slated to take place between 5th and 12th August, 2015 in view of the value added advantage of the programme in the forms of socio-economic benefits and global exchange of ideas among the participating youth.

In continuation of these concerted efforts, the state Executive Council under the chairmanship of His Excellency, the Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR held its fifth sitting during which a number of resolutions were passed and approvals granted for the execution of some people-centred projects and programmes geared toward the development of the state.

During the sitting, a 10-man Kano State Government Committee on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) set up on 2nd June, 2015 submitted its report to the esteemed Executive Council members. The IGR committee was specifically set up to critically examine all aspects of internal revenue generation in view of the dwindling revenue accruing to all the three tiers of government in the country as a result of falling crude oil prices at the international markets which seriously affects the finances of the country and erodes the capacity of governments to deliver services desperately needed by the teeming people unless drastic measures are taken to explore other alternative sources of funds through taxation and other legitimate levies.

b) Request for Funds for the Training of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) on Maternal and Child Health Across the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State The State Ministry of Health submitted the request for the release of N40,715,840:00 for the training of forty four (44) traditional birth attendants from each of the 44 LGAs totaling 1,936 TBAs with a view to upgrading their technical skills and knowledge on modern methods of child delivery and referral of women for hospital delivery whenever necessary at the end of which the beneficiaries will be provided with modern delivery kits. This training will greatly check maternal and child mortality rate especially in rural communities where about 60% of women deliver at home under the care of relatives or traditional birth attendants who in most cases lack basic training on hygiene and safe methods of delivery. In view of the indispensable services of the TBAs, the Council approved N40,715,840:00 to be funded by the 44 local government areas.

Also, a proposal for Kano Rail Mass Transit Project was presented to the esteemed Council by a Chinese construction firm, CCECC Nigeria Limited, as part of efforts to provide convenient, affordable and cheap means of transportation to the teeming commuters in the metropolis. As the most populous state in the federation couple with its burgeoning industries and commercial centres, the state government resorted to the rail mass transit system under a publicprivate partnership arrangement having taken a cue from other sister cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt Kaduna and Abuja.

The rail project will definitely sustain and consolidate the gains recorded in the provision of critical infrastructures in the state which have positively impacted on the economy and the well-being of the citizenry

His Excellency, Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR as the rail project will consist of terminal stations that will also serve as sites for smallscale industries thereby providing job opportunities to thousands of people.

In his remarks, the Chairman, His Excellency, the Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR assured that the government would faithfully implement the recommendations of the IGR committee and that whatever was generated would be spent for the socioeconomic development of the state, warning that his administration would not tolerate any form of corruption. On the proposed Kano Rail Mass Transit Project, the Governor called on the people of the state to give their maximum cooperation toward the successful execution of the project.

During the fifth sitting held on 29th July, 2015/ 13th Shawwal, 1436AH, eight (8) memoranda were presented before the Council by MDAs for deliberations and approvals were granted, totaling the sum of N197,854,267:00 thus: a) Request for Funds for the Conduct of the 2015 International Youth Week The memorandum from the state Ministry of Information, Youth, Sports and Culture reminded the Council that the United Nations Lisbon Declaration of 1998 had set aside 5th to 12 th August of each year to mark the International Youth Week in a bid to showcase the contributions of the youth to national and international development. Activities lined up during the week-long celebrations include inter-school debates, cultural display, interstate youth exchange, exchange of pleasantries

c) Request for Funds for the Settlement of Expenditure on the 2015 Governorship Inauguration Ceremony The esteemed Council members were reminded that the Protocol Sub-committee of the Transition Committee charged with organizing the governorship inauguration ceremony incurred some additional expenditure while meeting some unforeseen commitments to the tune of N2,559,900:00. The Council considered and approved the release of the sum of N2,559,900:00 to settle the loan taken by the Protocol Sub-committee to ensure the conduct of the memorable ceremony. d) Request for Funds for the Settlement of Allowances in Respect of Magistrate and Staff of the Mobile Court Attached to the Task Force Committee on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015 The Council was reminded that the Task Force Committee was established in November 2012 pursuant to the provision of the Pharmacy and Drugs Law Cap. 62 LFN of 2004. To ensure the full enforcement of the law, the Task Force was deployed to Muhammad Abubakar Rimi Market and in the processes it has incurred expenditures which include fuelling of four (4) vehicles (50 liters/week), servicing of four (4) vehicles, purchase of six (6) tyres @ N14,200:00 each, maintenance and repairs and allowances in respect of 28 committee members covering five months (January – May 2015) and amounting to N6,354,900:00. The Council graciously approved the request to facilitate the good work of the task force committee. e) Request for Funds for the Settlement of Counterpart Funds for the Training and Provision of Empowerment Packages to 154 Participants on General Agriculture in Collaboration with Leventis Foundation The request is from the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the release of the sum of N54,645,877:00 to enable the ministry conduct the training of 154 state indigenes on general agriculture in conjunction with Leventis Foundation at the Leventis Foundation/Kano State Agricultural Training School, Panda. The training of the 154 trainees will gulp the sum of N71,465,539:00 out of which the state government pays 70% as its counterpart contribution which translates to N50,025,877:00 in addition to shouldering the provision of N30,000:00 worth of posttraining package to each of the 154 trainees totaling N4,620,000:00. The Council, therefore, approved the sum of N54,645,877:00 as the state government’s contribution for the conduct of the training and provision of packages as it is in line with the state government’s policy of ensuring food security in the state. f) Request for Funds to Sponsor 100 Youth to Undergo Power Sector Apprenticeship Training Scheme The Council was reminded on the arrangements put in place by the Federal Ministry of Power to provide qualitative skill training to selected youth for their ultimate employment as a way of overcoming manpower shortages in the power and energy sector. A total of 200 slots had been allocated to Kano State of which 100 youth of Kano State origin will be financed by the state while the federal government will shoulder the training of the remaining 100.

The sum of N500,000:00 will be paid as training fees for each trainee in addition to a welfare package and N18,000:00 monthly stipend to each of the beneficiary for upkeep until his/her employment.

The Council was, therefore, requested to approve the release of N50,000,000:00 as training fees to 100 youth and N2,000,000:00 for logistics consisting of transport, feeding and pocket money for the smooth and successful execution of the training programme. The Council readily approved the release of the sum of N52,000,000:00 to enable the 100 youth of Kano State origin undergo the training. g) Request for Funds for the Payment of Counterpart Fund for the Conduct of Programmes on Nutrition in Collaboration with UNICEF Field Office, Katsina

43 The Council was reminded that in 2014, the National Nutrition and Health Survey conducted in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory using Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) methodology showed a prevalence of acute malnutrition in Kano State at 13.1% which is far above the WHO’s 5% acceptable threshold. Also in 2013, the United Nations inter-agency group on child mortality reported that under-nutrition is a contributory cause in more than 45% of deaths among children under the age of five (5) years.

Since 2010, Kano State has been collaborating with UNICEF in treating children aged 6-59 months affected by malnutrition commencing with two LGAs and now planning to cover all the 44 LGAs. To achieve this, UNICEF has concluded arrangements to conduct three (3) different types of nutrition-related activities which include Advocacy Meeting with Top Policy Makers in Kano State, Quarterly Review and Coordination Meeting of Kano State Committee on Food and Nutrition and Capacity Mapping and Development of Nutrition Profile for Kano State expected to cost N8,110,600:00 to be jointly financed by UNICEF and Kano State Government. To this end, the Council was requested to consider and approve the sum of N3,216,300:00 as state government’s contribution which approval was graciously granted. h) Request for Funds for Release to the Islamic University, Chittagong, Bangaladesh for Organizing International Conference on the Eradication of Poverty and Street Begging.

The kind attention of the esteemed Council was drawn to the fact that in July, 2014 the State Government was invited to attend an International Conference on Eradication of Poverty and Street Begging as well as to serve as co-organizer of the event conducted by the International Islamic University, Chittagong, Bangaladesh which was graciously accepted and the delegation was led by the immediate past Governor of the State who delivered a keynote address.

The communiqué, issued at the end of the conference, called for the formation of an International Association of Social Enterprise Economics (IASEE) headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and local chapters in other countries. Accordingly, in an effort to sustain the campaign against the menace of street begging in the state and set up the proposed Association, the Council was invited to consider and approve: i) Hosting the next conference this year in Kano and forming a Local Organizing Committee for this purpose; ii)

Forming the Local Chapter of the Association in Nigeria based in Kano in liaison with Prof. Muhammad Tabi’u of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano; and

iii)

Donating the sum of N2,000,000:00 as Kano State Government’s contribution for the initial expenses of the Association.

The Council graciously approved all the above three items.

i) Request for Funds for the Conduct of Training on Social Media for 250 Staff The request is for the release of the sum of N33,426,250:00 for organizing and conducting a social media workshop by Cynox IT Limited aimed at sharpening the skills of 250

participants drawn from Government House, Deputy Governor’s Office, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Office of the Head of Civil Service as well as Ministries of Information and Commerce in the field of social media networking.

The esteemed Council’s attention was drawn to the fact that the social media is fast becoming an integral part of people’s daily life serving as a platform for people to communicate, publish, access information and collaborate on common fronts to achieve set goals and building relationships.

The workshop will consist of eight (8) modules aimed at introducing the trainees to over fifteen (15) channels widely used in the social media like Twitter, Facebook, Linkdin, Pinterest, Google+, Tumbler, Youtube, etc In view of the desirability for public servants to be trained in the art and science of social media communication, the esteemed Council was requested to consider and approve the sum of N33,426,250:00 for the training of the 250 participants which will cover provision of 250 computer laptops, 250 Generic Dongles, 250 Data plan for the trainees, internet Routers and Modems, Training Fees, 250 Branding Stickers, etc. which the Council readily approved. j) Request Funds to Enable SARERA Feed and Accommodate 119 Deported Beggars from Edo State The Council was informed that 119 beggars were recently deported from Edo State and the State Emergency, Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SARERA) had to camp them at the Dawakin Kudu Rehabilitation Centre despite the fact that the Agency had no prior knowledge of the deportation which made it unable to make necessary arrangements to receive them.

Already, the Agency has planned to conduct a 3-day screening exercise to ascertain the deportees’ respective identity and local government of origin and therefore requests the Council to approve the sum of N495,100:00 for the exercise to cover feeding, purchase of cleansing materials, drugs, transportation of each deportee, fueling of generating set and other contingencies. The Council graciously approved the release of the sum of N495,100:00 to SARERA for the exercise.

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY The council has endorsed these useful phone numbers provided by the security agencies in case of any emergency. Accordingly, members of the general public may contact KAROTA for breakdown of vehicle(s), traffic congestion, accident or illegal/wrong parking on 08091626747, the State Police Command on 08032419754 or 08123821575 and the State Fire Service on 07051246833 or 08191778888.

SIGNED: Honorable Commissioner of Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Kano State

44

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

45

46

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2015

47

So, if people want government of my family, for my ‘family and by my family, let them run after money ’

POLITICS AKWA IBOM POLITICS Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose is the former Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. She was the Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). In this interview with DAMISI OJO, she gives reasons why she must be considered for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in next year’s election.

‘Why I deserve APC ticket’

H

OW will you access the APC leadership in this state?

Well, I personally think that we have able and capable chairman who is directing the affairs of the party in the state and like old adage will say “nobody is perfect” people can have their own opinion and I think he is trying his best for the party. So many people from PDP under his leadership have joined the party. So I want to commend him on that for him to have been able to attract some big wigs in the state from PDP to join APC. Personally, I think the leadership of APC in the state is trying its best. The Publicity Secretary, Adesanya is doing his best too in making sure that he reacts on any untoward behavior of Government in power in the state. I think if other members of the executives at the state level give their full cooperation, the sky will be the limit for APC when the time of gubernatorial comes up.

What actually spurred you to join the governorship race?

I don’t want to talk too much on my ambition for now, but I will come out because I know Buhari as President and my party will perform to satisfy the needs of Nigerians and that will help me to win the heart of the Ondo State citizens and I will win both the primary and the gubernatorial election. I want my party at the centre to stabilize very well and if the party at the centre is doing very well, it will brighten the chances of APC in Ondo State.

Do you you have the financial strength to compete with your male counterparts in the race?

Well, that was the story they put forward when I tried to contest under the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) in 2012. Did Buhari pay for his nomination form to contest the presidential election? Did he have money? So, I have so many well wishers who believed very much in me that are ready to support me and, if we are still talking about money in this time of my age when Buhari became President without money, I think we should all go and check our heads because money shouldn’t be the be all and in all in getting people with integrity, getting people who will do the work well, getting people who will make sure that government is run properly and not government of my family, for my family andby my family. So, if people want government of my family, for my family and by my family, let them run after money. But, if they want government of the people by the people and for the people, then I am the right person to be voted in. Being a woman too, looking at European, Angela Merkel of Germany, German economy is the best in the world today, she is doing well and she is a woman and I want to say, if people are thinking of voting anybody for governor it is the woman in their midst that they should think about and vote for because women can do 100 things at the same time and we bring you men up without whch many of you will be juvenile delinquent on the streets of Lagos and Abuja, but here we are, we in charge of the family and without us the family will be no where and the family is the basis of the society. So if I am the only woman coming out, I see no reason why all the men that are coming out should not give me the necessary support and I see no reason, why the leadership of the party should not support me because I have supported them, I have been with them and I have not jump ship, so I think if the time comes, it is a pay back for me.

In the last governorship poll, your party failed to conduct primary. Is there likely to hold a primary in the coming election?

You know, even the presidential election of APC, there was primary, we were all there from evening till the next day, and we have about five aspirants, they all came out for primary and the party accepted the primary election method. So I see no reason why the primary should be jettisoned in Ondo State during the gubernatorial election. I think that will satisfy all contestants instead of just imposing or bringing somebody from nowhere to be the candidate of the party. I am in support of primary election.

What do you think may likely be the implication, if the party fails to conduct the primary?

I pray the party will not fail to conduct primary because it will boomerang. It will boomerang in the sense that party members would get discouraged again should somebody be imposed again. So, I am praying that the leadership of my party will not go the way of imposition. Let us give everybody a level playing ground. Let us put ourselves to primary elections, let us see how we can mobilise the delegates to be on our sides. The delegates are the representatives of the people and they will know who should be there candidate. So who ever wins, will be the preferred candidate. It will not be the preferred candidate of the leaders. If imposition is used again it will boomerang and we could have the same results like we have under ACN. Sinc 2003, when your party lost power in the state to the PDP, you havbeen finding it difficult to return to power, what do you think is the cause?

Well, I will use President Buhari as an example, he took him four consecutive times before he could win an election to become the President of Nigeria. He tried it one, two, three and it was at the fourth occasion when he was even trying to give up but as faith will have it, he succeeded. Even, if we have been losing elections in Ondo State, we too could be lucky to come back to power in Ondo State like Buhari who tried four times and succeeded. We have been trying and many of us has stayed put in the party, hoping for better day ahead. So, with that kind of situation, I think we will get there one day. You will see that we have five legislators in the state Assembly. That is a plus. Before, we didn’t have any, and two are still hanging, may be we will become seven at the end of the day because of the two outstanding results even though, they were illegally sworn-in by the Speaker, but they are two outstanding candidates that could be our legislators at end of the day. I won’t say the people of Ondo State do not like the progressives.

We all live in Nigeria and we know what the economy says, we know how people are being purperised and poverty is steering them in the face and anybody that gives out money, they usually vote that person in. I think it is the question of problem of stomach infrastructure that is the bane in the state for now. But I am sure with what is happening, the citizens of Ondo State are learning everyday that they have to change their attitude toward getting a good government.

They have seen it with the banning of Okada riders, with the payment of Kaadi Igbe-Ayo, even

•Anifowose the National Identity and Management Commission (NIMC) does not charge kind of fund but here in Ondo State we are being charged from somebody who does not have N100 to feed in a day and you are asking such person to pay N2000, when we have all sorts of IDs all over the place, National ID, Driving ID, international passport and so on and so forth. You are bringing another one just to oppress the people. This is what we called over taxation in the state. The money the Ondo State people took to vote for the incumbent, the incumbent is in a way of getting a refund of that money through this Kaadi Igbe-Ayo and demanding huge money from Okada Riders. So, I believe, Ondo State people’ orientation will be changed, and the progressives will have to take over from oppressive government. The government ought to have provided alternative like it was done in Lagos. The tricycles were put in place so the Okada Riders are able to eke out a living and the commuters too found a better source of transport. Also, Lagos provided the BRT to help commuters. Our government in Ondo State hasn’t done anything similar. Commuters are suffering. Okada riders are improverised.

What other things your party will do to win Ondo State?

Well, I think we should start educating our people what the progressives stand and what the people stand to gain by voting for us. They should compare and contrast what is happening in our states with the kind of money coming into the state. Can you compare the development in Ondo with the development in Osun. Osun State at the last quarters is the last on the revenue allocation. I think Ondo State was six or seven. Can you compare the development in Osogbo with the kind of development we have in Ondo State. Osogbo looks more beautiful than Akure. So, my party will have to do the com-

in our future campaign, we will compare and contrast what we have in Ondo State with APC governments in states where revenue allocations are so low. That is one of those things we will tell the people of Ondo State

parison of programmes and projects that are going on in all APC states, compared to us that we have so much but we are not using that money to the benefit of the people in the state.

We have to do a lot of campaigns. We must not wait until two or three months to the election before we start going round, telling people that the election will be coming up and that our candidate that emerges from the primary must be voted for. We must explain our manifesto to them, discuss on the radio, we discuss on Adaba FM, Briz Fm and luckily, we are in charge now and we can discuss on Radio Nigeria. We have enough media presence to be able to impact on the people about what they stand to gain by voting for us in Ondo State. We have everything for ourselves that we can use to let the people know where we stand . We just have to be more proactive in Ondo State in order to gain the confidence of the people. Not just the people, the leaders in the different communities, we have to let them what we can do for each communities. As I said we have our manifesto to explain why APC is different from other parties and luckily from the way the President has started, we have seen some positive changes which gladens someone’s heart. For instance, a person put it on his facebook that Gen. Buhari refused government officials to buy him new vehicles that he will be using and do away with those the former President used. Whereas, if it has been somebody else, he won’t touch it thinking the former President has put juju or done a bad things but since he asked if they are still motorable, he preferred to make use of it. That is kind of leaders we need in Nigeria. Since I came into Ondo State, the light has been very good in my hometown, Owo even my daughter who came in from abroad confirmed that the PHCN is working. He is a good example and we will showcase him in order for us to win Ondo State.

What about the division among the leaders of your party. Don’t you think this will work against your party on election day?

I am hearing that for the first time that they are factions. I know we have gubernatorial aspirants having their followers which is normal you cannot say you are contesting and your followers and well wishers come under the state executives. The state executives is to administer the party, but party members with interest will usually have their groups or caucuses. So if they are talking about groups and caucuses, I don’t want to take it as faction or division. Faction is different from group or caucus.

You and Governor Mimiko served in the Adebayo Adefarati administration. How can you describe the governor?

We were colleagues in the cabinet but I can say that if we spoke at all, it may be four or less times throughout my tenure. We are not just close but we are just acquatancies not friends. We didn’t have any kind of relationship.

How will you access his administration so far?

I said it earlier that, comparing Osun with Ondo State, Osun State at the last revenue allocation distribution, Osun State came last and I think Ondo State, came seventh. The State of Osun, even the capital Osogbo looks better in term of infrastructural development, in term of environmental cleanliness and others. Many projects the governor of the state of Osun has put in place they are more than what we have in Ondo State. That is why I said in our future campaign, we will compare and contrast what we have in Ondo State with APC governments in states where revenue allocations are so low. That is one of those things we will tell the people of Ondo State.

PDP must be sacked from power in Ekiti, says former Speaker

F

ORMER Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Hon. Femi Bamisile has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must be sacked from power in the governorship next election. The election holds in 2018. He said the sacking of the PDP will halt bad governance in the state.

Bamishile unveiled his master

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado Ekiti

plan, which he tagged: ‘Ekiti Economic Recovery.’

At a meeting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, he said change is possible.

He said he joined the governorship race to salvage the state.

Bamishile flayed Governor Ayo Fayose for raising thugs, thereby breeding youths without future.

The former Speaker promised to implement the manifestos of the APC on human capital development, if elected as governor.

A student leader, Sunday Asefon, who spoke on behalf ot the youths, described Bamisile as a man of integrity and honour.

He said:“It is unfortunate that the Governor Fayose has portrayed the state as a poverty-betrothed one, with no plans for the youth in any

of his cabinet or government, unlike the previous one. Even the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports has been proscribed because it has little or no importance before the governor.

“We need somebody urgently like Rt. Hon. Bamisile, to restore the integrity and confidence of the Ekiti people in her governments, and to also develop the education sector.

•Bamishile

48

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

49

The Midweek Magazine Glitz as Rotary gets new president in Calabar

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

I

t was all glitz and glamour as the Rotary Club of Calabar-Tinapa District 9140 installed its seventh president for the 2015/2016 year.

The Monty Suites Conference Hall in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, venue of the ceremony, was filled with excitement as the immediate past president, Rotn Ottobang Akpan, handed over to Rotn Nse Paulinus Tom. The event also featured the induction of new members, inauguration of the board of directors, presentation of service awards and a lecture on the management of prostate cancer.

Accepting the mantle of leadership, Tom said he looked forward to utilising all suggestions of past presidents and the entire club whose advice and guidance have brought about the event of the day.

He expressed gratitude to the District 9140 for the leadership orientation for all club presidents for the 2015-2016 rotary year.

He invoked the spirit of unity and giving so that they can work to address those primary challenges of promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education and growing local economies.

His words: “It is a difficult task for me alone, but a simple job for us all. As usual, every Rotary year has its theme. For the 2015-2016 we have been challenged to Be a gift to the world. This is because we started life as a gift to our parents and family; it is now time to extend same to our various communities. I, for one, identify with this theme. This identity is borne out of my realisation that giving is not the exclusive

From Nicolas Kalu, Calabar

EVENT right of the rich in materials, but the rich in heart and we can all adopt this nature of giving change to the world.

“As club president, I will urge you all to come on board with me in giving the three Ts of (Time, Talent and Treasure) of Rotary to the world. It is my benefit that from our giving, we shall restore many disorganised dreams, we shall bring back smiles to frowning faces, we will reduce child mortality rates in our communities, and we will help save our mothers from death in the course of bring joy to our families.”

Akpan said the club was able to execute some projects, such as an Ebola Virus prevention awareness and literacy project, where sanitary and learning materials were distributed to St Theresa’s Primary School, Mbarakom; St Theresa’s Primary School, Awi (both in Akamkpa Local Government Area) and the Presbyterian Primary School on Tinapa Road.

Others, he said, included the presentation of items to the motherless babies home in Uwanse; an educational grant of over N100, 000 to a blind undergraduate of the University of Calabar to support his education; hosting a rotary club from another district during the rotary exchange programme among others.

He said as a club, the challenge to their existence has been membership growth.

He charged the new president to be courageous as leadership has never been smooth sailing.

•Immediate past president of the Rotary Club of Calabar-Tinapa District 9140, Rotn Ottobong Akpan (L) handing over to new president, Rotn Nse Paulinus Tom, as other Rotarians look on.

He noted that volunteers (Rotarians) were unlike employees because they are not paid and yet have to contribute their time, talent and resources which is a higher sacrifice.

“Hence, volunteers should be treated with utmost respect and recognition. I have no doubt that with your pragmatism and hum-

ble disposition you will achieve more,” Akpan advised.

He charged members to give their support to the new president.

LIMCAF opens with exhibition in Abuja

According to her, the concept of LIMCAF is simple, unifying and it has extended to all over the country through the support of the French cultural network formed by the Institut Français du Nigeria in Abuja and the 10 Alliances Françaises spread around the country. ‘And it wouldn’t have been the same without the support of many generous private sponsors as well as the Embassy of France in Nigeria,’ she added. LIMCAF has been growing every year. As a proof of the vitality of young Nigerian artists, there are more participants every year and the standard gets higher.

•Weapon of mass destruction by Sontee Ijobo

T

HE zonal screening and exhibition of artworks for the yearly Life In My City Festival has begun with an exhibition held at the Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Wuse 2,

Abuja.

The theme of this year’s festival is Beyond all odds. The 10 collection centres are expected to display their best entries. The festival, which enters its ninth edition, is to promote artistic creativity and professionalism among young and talented Nigerian artists.

Cultural Programme Officer, Institut Français du Nigeria, Alice O’Reilly said the

By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

FESTIVAL festival has been driven mainly by passion for arts by Chief Robert Oji since 2006.

‘This year sees the 9th edition of what has become the most consistent and most expressive art festival in Nigeria. This constant high performance has been made possible because of some people such as Elder Kalu

U Kalu and Kelvin Ojiofor who involved thousands of people in their dream and whose passion for visual arts has few bounds and this passion has driven the whole board, the organising committee, the jury panel as well as all the people involved in this nation-wide project. They also had the very strong support of the Alliance française in Enugu which has actively participated in the organisation of the festival from the very first day,’ she said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

50

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

•From left: Mrs Mbanefo, Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (II), and Mr Kanu, during a courtesy call on the Emir in his palace.

NTDC opens information desk in Kano

T

HE Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Uwechue Mbanefo, has said tourism is the greatest employer of labour which contributes about 9.3 per cent to the global gross domestic products (GDP) with the Gambia contributing 17.7 per cent, Egypt 13 per cent, South Africa nine per cent, Mexico 11.9 per cent, Kenya 12 per cent, Brazil 7.8 per cent, Cuba six per cent and Nigeria four per cent.

She said tourism development remains relevant to the economic growth of any nation.

Mbanefo, who spoke during the opening of NTDC tourism information desk at the Aminu Kano Airport, said the desk is part of the corporation’s effort towards promoting domestic tourism.

NTDC’s ongoing collaboration with Viko Group of Companies Limited witnessed the inauguration of three NTDC Airport Information Desks at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, MM2 Terminal and the General Aviation Terminal at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos. She noted that Kano State is not just one of the tourismfriendly states but also a major tourism hub and gateway in Nigeria.

B

ETWEEN July 22 and 26, Prof Freeborn Odiboh held his eighth solo art exhibition, Metamorphosis of Time, at the Drawing Studio, Department of Fine and Applied Art, University of Benin, Benin City.

The developments in Odiboh’s creative works are fairly complex. It is hard to classify, analyse and synthesise their components to make up an integral composition of current events from within. This is because the processes of Odiboh’s style developed so fast, as we are either too much involved to analyse his works objectively or because art critics and reviewers are either silent or too timid. Yet, I will try to outline a general picture of Odiboh’s works.

Unscientific as it may appear, I would like to divide his experiential and explorative works into two categories, the unorthodox avant-garde and the more conventional stereotypes. His works are a breakaway from the old system of artistic values and stereotypes, freeing his self from such genre themes and conventional can-

By Ozolua Uhakheme Assistant Editor (Arts)

TOURISM “This is why NTDC found it strategically important to establish the tourism information desk and travel portal at the Aminu Kano International Airport. The centre would facilitate travel businesses and promote hospitality and tourism services in Kano and Nigeria at large”, she said.

However, Mrs. Mbanefo, the Kano State Commissioner for Commerce, Co-operative and Tourism, Alhaji Rabiu Ahmed, including some top government officials in the state, embarked on a tour of Kano metropolis, visiting major tourist attractions, such as the Emir of Kano’s Palace, Kofar Mata Dye Pits (established since 1498), Gidan Makama Museum, Kemata Game Reserve linked with Yankari and South Africa, Porto Golf Resort and ‘Kwakwasiya” overhead flyover.

At the Governor’s Office in Kano,

Mbanefo said: “It is clear that the new governor is focusing a lot of attention on tourism and security in the state and Kano is indeed very safe for tourists”, she assured.

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi, praised the laudable efforts of the NTDC boss in repositioning NTDC and the milestones achieved within a short time so far as well as for visiting and marketing Kano State as a major tourism hub. “I know the Director-General Mrs. Sally Mbanefo as an erudite and principled banker, colleague for almost 30 years. No doubt, the candour with which the DG carries herself with passion to bring out the glory of tourism in Nigeria is amazing and has endeared her to many who have come across her way. She is really working, we acknowledge your sound mind, clear understanding of the tourism sector and your passion for promoting domestic tourism even in the face of challenges”, he said.

Group Managing Director, Viko Group of Companies Limited, Mr. Lucky Kanu

‘This project will create employment for thousands of our people and will also add to our effort to rapidly reduce joblessness through the SMEs project’

Metamorphosis of time

By Best Ochigbo

VISUAL ART ons. It appears an unconscious reform has affected Odiboh’s works from known spheres and realm that transcends the ordinary, metamorphosing into what I would describe as abstract surrealism.

Odiboh’s works are more open-ended and full of subtle lines and ambiguous bold statements, oscillating between the mundane and philosophical musing, as well as spiritual. Odiboh blurs the line

between art and life. He enacts it from his Age Group, The flow, Early Morning Wishes, and Jubilation II. For Odiboh, he is simply an artist, all of life is open to him to explore. His ephemeral creativity is stuck in the texture of the real world. This is aptly encapsulated in works like The North and its Legacies, “Faces of Religion II and The Power of Union, Odiboh said: “I am a printmaker or a “draughtsman” or “painter”. Odiboh clearly shows that he can creatively handle whatever is around him to make his statements.

The more

‘Odiboh’s works are more open-ended and full of subtle lines and ambiguous bold statements, oscillating between the mundane and philosophical musing, as well as spiritual. Odiboh blurs the line between art and life. He enacts it from his Age Group, The flow, Early Morning Wishes, and Jubilation II. For Odiboh, he is simply an artist, all of life is open to him to explore’

said: “This project will create employment for thousands of our people and will also add to our effort to rapidly reduce joblessness through the SMEs project.” He pledged to support the efforts of the corporation through the public private partnership for best practices to create jobs for the youth and ensure that the tourism information portal is established in major Airports located in the country.

Mbanefo praised Viko Limited for their patriotism and passion in selflessly promoting tourism by contributing to creation of jobs for youth. “Viko’s zeal for development is highly commendable,this is a true demonstration of a successful practice of public-private partnership in Nigeria”, she said.

She stated that Viko and NTDC are working on a new project that will create over 500,000 jobs for the youth in every state in the country.

She, however, appealed to stakeholders, private sector operators and the general public to join forces with the corporation as tourism is a private sector activity which must be driven by the private sector and not just the government. “This will turn our dependence on diminishing oil revenue to tourism which is sustainable, will reduce rural-urban migration, generate revenue for poverty alleviation and job creation for the teeming youth in the country”, she said. one looks at Odiboh’s works, deliberately flat compositions or objects split into surrealistic, sometimes melancholic associations and fragments, revealing compositional, colour, linear and rhythmical techniques stemming from the subconscious of a fantast, I am tempted to regard Odiboh’s works as a phenomenon of social psychology, a conscious or subconscious artistic protest against the social and ideological values of our generation, rather than an artistic flow. His works are a rejection of the high-falutin verbiage, which is so monstrously divorced from reality. Odiboh chose this medium as he could not find any other way of expressing his protest. Most of his works are metonymic as they express his convulsive striving for something different - a new order.

•Ochigbo is of the Department of Fine and Industrial Arts, University of Uyo, Uyo

51

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

CYAN’S ORB

Solomon Temitayo Oyefeko (1930 - 2015) Pa Solomon Temitayo Oyefeko, the pioneer dicrector, School of Environmental Studies, Yaba College of Technology, died recently at 85. Oyefeko, popularly known as Baba Oye, was a former president of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (CORBON). In this tribute, ADEOLU OYINLOLA writes of his many contributions to humanity.

T

HE Yoruba place considerable premium on names. The general belief in that corridor of Nigeria is that a child’s name is a prognostication of sorts. Apart from the first Temple of Jerusalem, the Bible attributes to Solomon the rebuilding of major cities and ports. King Solomon’s wisdom was also legendary according to Holy Writ.

It is no surprise, therefore, that appropriately-christened Solomon Oyefeko was wisdom personified, an accomplished builder of physical structures and a remarkable developer of minds (S.T.O embodied the finest tradition of education in Nigeria). The difference, though, between the biblical Solomon and our very own Solomon is that ours never turned from God. He was steadfast to the last and kept the faith to the very end.

My association with Baba Oye (as he was fondly and affectionately called by many) took off a little over 20 years ago, after he and his wife handed me, an “Ara Oke” ( a somewhat pejorative, loosely-used term for those of us whose mother tongue is Yoruba but are indigenes of states other than Lagos and Ogun) the most priceless gift ever: their daughter, Yemisi, as my wife - who, like her English-speaking siblings, mirrors them (my parents-in-law) in a delightfully integrated beautiful-inside-and-out-package.

To know Builder Solomon Temitayo Oyefeko at close quarters was a rare privilege and a distinct honour. How could a soul so graceful and rich in his humanity, so accomplished yet so simple and unassuming, depart this earthly plane without the faintest hint of his imminent departure?

As we faced the devastating reality of his permanent absence from this firmament – mid-afternoon – on Thursday, July 23, 2015, we still struggled to come to terms with the finality of that awful occurrence, because Pa Solomon Temitayo Oyefeko was a decent, generous, dependable, reliable, knowledgeable, witty, convivial, debonair gentleman of high sartorial elegance. S.T was always well-turned out; even regal. His dress-sense was classy without being flashy. He carried himself with effortless grace and inimitable panache, and was an elegant, nimble dancer.

Pa Oyefeko had a way with people that put them at ease – regardless of their station in life; an attribute of his that lent him a compellingly magisterial aura. When you met him, you beheld a man who was so comfortable in his own skin, so profoundly at peace with who he was - so much so, that, humility, modesty and serenity were his most notable trademarks. My father-in-law was also deeply human, as he accorded every individual, due dignity and respect, and extended his usual courtesy to all. I will remain eternally grateful to God that my path crossed with that of such a self-deprecating soul who radiated genuine warmth and had a genial disposition and an extremely generous spirit. He would be the first to put a call through on our birthday anniversaries and followed up with a visit – armed with a gift - in the evening. A reunion of sorts ensued at each well-attended get-together he organized every New Year’s Day. When I lost my maternal grandmother five or so years ago, ageless, octogenarian Baba Oye not only turned down all entreaties that he and his wife needed not stress themselves to attend, but also fully participated in her (my grandma’s) burial rights in faraway Offa, Kwara State. What a man!

S.T related to me like a pal. Often, we engaged in conversation and debate on a range of issues during fairly regular Sunday evening visits his daughter and I used to pay him and his wife of close to six decades at their residence. Even when we disagreed on issues, he was never disagreeable. A case in point was our diametrically opposed views on two of the candidates in the period leading up to the last presidential election.

He not only articulated his position in his usual measured, contemplative, polite and non-confrontational style (as opposed to many of us Nigerians that believe he who

‘In a country where many have no compunction trading their names for money or suborning themselves for a mess of porridge, Baba Oye’s name was his most cherished, jealouslyguarded asset. He was motivated and inspired solely to leave an imprint in the area of education. He was a teacher par excellence and his former students who are spread across Nigeria’s public and private sectors are a testament to the indelible, magnificent imprint he left’ •The late Oyefeko

TRIBUTE shouts the loudest wins an argument!) but also listened very attentively to mine and ended that particular interaction on a philosophical note, when he said: God’s Will be done.

Extraordinarily, S.T kept his very sound mind and photographic memory till he breathed his last. As recently as one week before his death, he still reeled out people’s GSM numbers from memory, and used to recall events that happened in his childhood with a bewildering exactitude. He had an inexhaustible repertoire of jokes – usually accompanied by a unique, polished laughter - and a raconteur’s gift for inflection. Baba was also a sports enthusiast. He supported both Chelsea and Arsenal (in that order) and was sometimes child-like in reacting to the successes and failures of the two English Premier League clubs. For instance, last May, when Chelsea won the League and Arsenal claimed the FA Cup, he welcomed me and my wife on a visit to his residence with “thank you, Jesus”. Prodded by his daughter to reveal to what we should ascribe his ecstatic expression, he retorted: “are you not aware that the two teams I support are champions concurrently?” In all probability, it was that kind of guilelessness, simplicity and innocence which kept my father-in-law’s hair almost completely jet-black in his 85year sojourn here on earth. And, to be sure, he never touched dye of any kind in his life!

In a country where many have no compunction trading their names for money or suborning themselves for a mess of porridge, Baba Oye’s name was his most cherished, jealously-guarded asset. He was motivated and inspired solely to leave an imprint in the area of education. He was a teacher par excellence and his former students who are spread across Nigeria’s public and private sectors are a testament to the indelible, magnificent imprint he left.

Baba Oye’s greatest joy in life was his family; his wife, Moji, children and his grandchildren. However, he left such a rich, impressive legacy, because he touched the lives of so many other people. Born in Sagamu, Remo, Ogun State on March 3, 1930, Pa Oyefeko worked for some years with UAC of Nigeria, before he travelled to the United

Kingdom in 1958 to further his studies. He returned to Nigeria in 1966 and joined the staff of Yaba College of Technology as an Assistant Lecturer; where he rose to the post of Chief Lecturer in 1981 and subsequently, the Head of Department of Building and Quantity Surveying. He was also the pioneer Director of the School of Environmental Studies at the same college. He was a Fellow and one-time President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB); Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS); third President of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) and member, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON); to mention but a few.

What an outstanding profile for someone who lost his father at age 6!

My father-in-law was a devout Christian.

He was a member of both the Christian Fellowship Society of Yaba Baptist Church, and” Egbe Itesiwaju” of First Baptist Church, Sagamu. He was an exceedingly kind man.

As I think about S.T’s life, I am reminded of a passage from Paul’s letter to the Colossians: “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Col 3:12). Pa Oyefeko lived out these virtues more consistently than anyone I have known or will probably ever know. This is not just a grieving son-in-law writing. These words – “compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” – describe Baba Oye to a T. We who loved Builder S.T. Oyefeko will miss him. In truth, we began missing him the very moment doctors informed us that he had changed mortality for immortality. But we give thanks to God for his life well lived, as well as for his life everlasting with God. Because he inspired us with his life of service; because he left us prodigious ethical and moral codes; because he patented the art (and indeed the science) of giving, the man will continue to live in our hearts. Like Zion, the city of our God, glorious things shall continue to be spoken of Solomon Temitayo Oyefeko. I can confidently posit that he has fought the good fight, he has finished the race, and he kept the faith. May his generous soul find peace profound. And, as Baba was fond of saying: “Cheers”.

•Oyinlola is a geologist and public affairs commentator

In league for better schools (1) From Cyan Frank-Hanachor

I

N one of the national dailies I came across a picture of the Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole with some smartly dressed secondary school students. I screamed exuberantly to my kids at the picture they cut! It was a prayer answered! I’d wearied of seeing kids and please, now I’m not talking about Edo State and not just in the public schools, look like they were deprived or even worse, dehumanized , in the lacklustre ,ill-fitting, drab colours, the government of the day – that face-less foe – decided offhandedly as it did everything concerned with the public schools, to don on these kids who did their parents and I proud, each time they flew those decidedly awful colours!

Over the past ten years, I’ve watched with dismay the development in the educational sector especially in Lagos State. I stood at the sidelines, an unwitting observer, unwilling and unable to engage the Ministry of Education on the glaring issues in the educational school system in both the “private” and public schools.

My reticence wasn’t indifference, no! It was a pained resignation based on previous observations from my experiences with some Ministries at the seat of government at Alausa.

I grew up in a middle class family and knew the total dedication and commitment of my parents to their jobs. I’d always lament whenever I went to the Ministries and observed the nonchalance and studied insolence of the civil servants especially among the rank and file!

It hurt my sensibilities because I’m a firsthand observer of the almost maniacal dedication of most parents especially those with children of school age to work and I always pondered at the disparity in their commitment and drive to work!

I’ve come to identify the problem not to be just with the management of the schools but with the lackadaisical nature of most parents to the welfare of their kids – but that’s a story for another day! These kids and please don’t out of naivety restrict it to the public schools, are put into a system that thrives on incompetence, insensitivity and a total disregard for the fundamental human rights of either the children or the more discerning parents!

I’ve visited quite a number of schools over the past few years and I know how badly-off most of these facilities are! There’s little or no interference from either SUBEB or the Ministry of Education in enforcement or compliance to the laid down policy on education. The disposition of the proprietor or proprietress and refinement of the head of school is what drives a system that shuns innovation and thrives on mendacity!

The children, even those in our oft renovated/rehabilitated schools ,look dejected and uncared for in a system where the staff has only recently being sensitized to the fact that his personal appearance is a direct correlation with the prestige and professionalism his office should command!

The kids, through no fault of theirs, arrive at school looking the worse for wear from the long distances they had to trek to get to school. Most of their parents are economically disadvantaged and wake up at the break of dawn to beat the huge traffic jams! The children are trained from an early age to bathe and see their younger siblings and themselves off to school!

Most do away with the cumbersome task of bathing and rush off to avoid the almost certain punitive punishment awaiting the erring student and the habitual latecomers!

The plight of the teacher is little better! As the government continues to re-assess and upgrade his salary, so I pray that he’d see the necessity to upgrade his self-esteem and pride in his profession ,something the other professions have cotton on to from time immemorial!

I find the Nigerian teacher especially at the lower cadre to be a sorry caricature of the professionalism and epitome of the profession. I’ve severally enjoined most schools I’ve been “unfortunate” to visit or patronize on the need to orientate their staff on matters as “frivolous” as etiquette for dressing and personal hygiene and the necessity to inculcate the new principles of the best practice for education applicable in the developed world!

Email: scionofpapyrus@gmail.com.

Tel: 08134283539

52

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

53

BUSINESS EXTRA

Dangote Cement inaugurates $400m plant in Zambia D

ANGOTE Group yes terday inaugurated a new cement plant and 30 megawatts (Mw) coalfired power plant in Zambia.

The new plant, with the capacity to produce 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) is located in Masaiti District, Ndola town in Zambia.

The cement plant with the power plant came at a cost $420million. The plant has already started production.

Speaking during the commissioning, President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said the $400million spent on the new cement plant came from Nigeria, saying that with the plant, the company now has about 14 cement plants located in sev-

From Okwy IroegbuChikezie, Zambia

eral countries in Africa.

He added that the power plant would generate 30Mw, while 20Mw of the generated power would be used by the company while the remaining 10Mw would reserved.

In the next 10 days, he disclosed that a new haulage business would commence operation in the region with over 400 trucks.

He told the audience that the company has started the first cement road in the country, adding that it is committed to the development of the local community by building

schools, hospitals and others for them as part of its Corporate-Social Responsibility (CSR).

Aside, he said the company has set up scholarship scheme for students in the universities in Zambia, adding that small scale farmers would be assisted yearly to improve their yields.

Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, described the new plant in Zambia as an “important milestone in the relationship” that exists between Nigerian and Zambia.

He said: ”Dangote and other entrepreneurs have done us

very proud. With 1.5 metric tonnes per annum of cement in Zambia, 2.5 mmtpa in Ethiopia and another cement plants in Senegal, Tanzania and others countries.’

With the new investment in Zambia, he said three issues have been brought to the fore namely political stability, human capital development and institutional integration.

He said with the right institutional framework presently, this would guarantee an environment where business enterprises thrive.

He added that with substantive investment in human capital development, this would surely put an end to unemployment, poverty and poor infrastructure in African continent.

NESREA raises alarm over harmful pesticides’ use

T

HE National Environ mental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has raised the alarm over the reemergence of harmful pesticides in the Nigerian markets.

The agency said it found banned chlodimeform, butachor and orizo plus in Lagos, Enugu, Osun, Benue and Katsina states, during a visit to some markets in the states.

In a statement, NESREA warned that the pesticides have been proven to be harmful to humans and the environment, adding that the pesticides have been placed under the category of banned and restricted agro chemicals under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions.

“In humans, these banned pesticides cause discomforts such as abdominal pains, diz-

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

ziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting as well as skin and eye problems. In the long run, they could lead to cancer, neurological problems, dementia, and reproductive problems such as miscarriages, birth defects, and premature birth.

“Repeated application of the banned agro chemicals leads to loss of biodiversity and many of them are not easily degradable. They persist in the soil, leach to ground water and surface water thereby contaminating the environment.

Experts have linked poor agricultural yield to the use of banned chemicals,” the statement read in part.

NESREA said it will sensitise farmers and traders on the use of chemicals, adding that compliance monitoring and enforcement would follow immediately.

NAICOM orders IGI to engage auditing firm • UnityKapital board barred from meeting

T

• From left: Comedian Gbenga Adeyinka; Brand Manager, Star NB PLC, Obabiyi Fagade and Rapper and CEO Choclate City Jude MI Abaga at the IBB Square in Makurdi during Star Music Trek in Benue State.

NERC reads riot act to DISCOs over electricity allocation rejection T HE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commis sion (NERC) has issued an order imposing financial penalties on any electricity distribution company DISCO) that rejects electricity allotted it by the System Operators (SO). This is especially when there is no notification ahead of such rejection, its Head, Public Affairs , Dr. Usman Abba-Arabi, said yesterday.

Order number NERC 139 entitled “Order on the Imbalance Application Mechanism during the Transitional Electricity Market” was issued on account of high incidence of indiscipline by electricity distribution companies who reject load allocations by the

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

SO. Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) operates on the basis of a sharing formula approved by NERC, which the SO uses to allocate generated electricity to the DISCOs, many of which are lately rejecting allocation.

Rejection of load allocation besides causing imbalance in the system is preventing electricity consumers from realising the maximum benefit of the recent increase in the electricity generation. Electricity generation in the country about two weeks ago hit

4,600 megawatts (Mw) threshold.

To curb indiscipline, NERC in the Order said: “Where a distribution company has a constraint on its network that will make it unable to receive load, the DISCO shall declare such constraint to the SO a day ahead. Where a DISCO fails to give the required notice, it will be penalised.

“Every DISCO is obligated to receive load as directed by the SO, even beyond its statutorily allocated load at any time. This additional load will not attract penalty. In allocating additional load to distribution companies, the SO

shall take cognisance of historical data on distribution company’s ability to take power beyond their location.”

However, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) will be sanctioned if rejection of load allocation is caused by constraint in the transmission network.

Giving an insight into the background of the Order which became effective over the weekend, the Commission’s Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi said it was aimed at eliminating imbalance and make Nigerians have maximum impact of the improvement in the generating capacity and to also incentivise operators to invest in their network to take more power.

Fed Govt orders companies to submit EPR plans

T

HE Federal Govern ment has ordered manufacturing companies operating in the country to submit their extended producer responsibility (EPR) plans.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) last year came up with guidelines which would enable companies to take responsibility of the waste from the products they produce.

Its Director-General, Dr. Lawrence Anukam, who spoke during a press briefing in Abuja, said EPR guidelines has been developed and sent to states and zonal offices where the agency operates.

From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

Anukam added that the agency has issued an ultimatum for the companies to submit their plans to the agency.

He said: “That mandate was given by the House Committee on Environment. In fact, what we are asking for is to submit their EPR plan. Even at that meeting too, we were also mandated to provide the EPR guidelines which we have done.

“The EPR guideline was produced, sent to all our states and zonal offices. We also communicated to them through the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) the need to make sure they provide their implementation plan.

“In the guideline for the EPR, there is a strong component there. The responsibility of environment awareness on the implementation does not rest with the government alone. The private sector and the industries are all going to be involved.”

“The ultimatum to them is for them to submit their plans. We must have their implementation plan before we take it to the other level.”

Anukam said the agency has gazetted 28 laws and regulations since inception, adding that five more laws and regulations are been added to the 28.

He added that the National Vehicular Emission Control Programme will be launched this month, using Abuja as a

pilot.

Anukam urged the private sector to key into the program.

He also called on industries in the country without environmental impact assessment law (EIA) to apply for it to eschew sanction.

He said: “We employ all industries to come for the appropriate permit. We are not doing this to stifle our industries.

What we expect the industry to do is to follow the rules. Where the rules are broken; we sanction them. ”We are working with the NCC (Nigeria Communications Commission) to control the siting of mast by telecos. We expect them to comply and follow the EIA on the EPR programme.”

HE Federal Govern ment has issued regu latory orders on Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc and Unitykapital Assurance Plc to checkmate any irregularity that the companies may have in their financials.

The government through the National Insurance Commission NAICOM) said this is in exercise of the powers conferred on it by the enabling Laws.

In a statement endorsed by its Head, Corporate Affairs, ‘Rasaaq ‘Salami explained that the orders which were conveyed in separate letters dated July 30 and 31, 2015 were signed by the Deputy Commissioner (Technical) Mohammed Kari who has since July 31, this year being appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as the new Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive of NAICOM. NAICOM directed IGI to appoint an auditing firm from among KPMG, PWC and Delloitte to conduct a comprehensive financial review of the company while it restrict the Board of

By Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

UnityKapital from holding any meeting or taking any further decisions in respect of the affairs of the company.

The Commission said both regulatory orders are with effect from August 3, 2015 and for initial periods of six months in the case of IGI and 90 days for UnityKapital adding that the orders may be extended to such a period when the Commission is satisfied that there is no potential risk to policyholders of each of the companies.

The statement read: “The Commission directs IGI to appoint an auditing firm from amongst KPMG, PWC and Delloitte to conduct a comprehensive financial review of the company and submit the report to the Commission within two weeks of the date of the regulatory order.

“The firm will undertake a comprehensive review of IGI’s accounting system; conduct capital verification and validate the financial position of the company as at July 31, 2015.

Why PAAR was introduced,

by Customs chief

C

OMPTROLLER-GEN ERAL, Nigeria Cus toms Service (NCS) Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi yesterday in Singapore told the international business community that the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), a risk management tool that replaced Risk Assessment Report (RAR) was introduced to boost the economy.

He added that it was also instill discipline in the service, to facilitate trade, build better business relationship, transform cargo processes and see to the free flow of trade at the nation’s sea ports based on the global trend.

Represented by a Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Akinade Adewuyi at the Nigeria-Singapore Business and Investment Forum (NSBIF), he said the implementation of the initiative has helped to boost the rev-

From Oluwakemi Dauda, Singapore

enue profile of the Federal Government.

NSBIF was held to boost trade and promote bilateral relation between the two countries.

The role of the NCS in facilitating trade and promoting business at the nation’s sea ports, air ports and border stations was appreciated by the business community at the forum.

Speakers at the forum organised by the Nigeria High Commission in collaboration with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and International Enterprise (IE) Singapore said they were happy over the succes of PAAR. Theme of the second edition of the forum is Deepening Nigeria-Singapore Bilateral Relation.

54

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 04-08-15

DAILY SUMMARY DAILY SUMMARYASASATAT16-07-15 04-08-15

Investors raise stakes as equities’ rally gathers momentum

T

HE mild upswing that started on Monday at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday gathered momentum as investors increased stakes and showed strong appetite for quoted equities.

For the first time in recent trading sessions, the number of advancers outstripped decliners and the market simultaneously sustained two-day consecutive gain. A considerable jump in turnover, which saw 668.3 million shares traded, also underlined the positive market situation.

Aggregate market value of all quoted equities rose by 0.70 per cent or N72 billion to close at N10.440 trillion as against its opening value of N10.368 trillion. The All Share Index (ASI), the benchmark index that tracks prices of all quoted companies, showed corresponding increase of 0.70 per cent to close at 30,458.86 points as against its opening index of 30,247.83 points. The upswing moderated the average year-to-date return to -12.11 per cent.

“We believe today’s positive close was largely driven by advances in banking counters due to bargain hunting, meanwhile

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

we think the bears still lurk around. Therefore, we retain our position that investors should continue to trade cautiously while maintaining a medium to long term horizon,” said analysts at Lagos-based Afrinvest Securities in post-trading comment.

With 29 advancers to 20 decliners, the market was boosted by preponderance of gainers as well as gains recorded by some highly capitalised stocks, especially in the banking sector. Forte Oil, which had on Monday outlined its growth plan including imminent capital issue and possible mergers and acquisition deals, topped the gainers’ list with a gain of N4 to close at N194. Unilever Nigeria followed with a gain of N1.80 to close at N37.81. PZ Cussons placed third on the top gainers’ list with addition of N1.45 to close at N29. Guaranty Trust Bank chalked up N1.39 to close at N24.45. Guinness Nigeria added 98 kobo to close at N131. Ecobank Transnational Incorporated gathered 55 kobo to close at N19.85. Nigerian

Breweries and UAC of Nigeria rose by 50 kobo each to close at N172 and N36.50 respectively. Flour Mills of Nigeria added 48 kobo to close at N29.48 while Zenith Bank rose by 47 kobo to close at N16.49 per share.

Total turnover jumped above average to 668.32 million shares valued at N4.76 billion in 4,419 deals. The financial services sector remained the most dominant account for 515.70 million shares worth N3.64 billion in 2,641 deals. AXA Mansard Insurance was the most active stock with a turnover of 189.88 million shares worth N484.31 million in 23 deals.

Multiverse recorded two deals for 100 million shares worth N50 million while Guaranty Trust Bank placed third on the activity chart with a turnover of 62.64 million shares worth N1.44 billion in 372 deals.

On the downside, downstream oil stocks topped the losers’ list. Mobil Oil Nigeria led with a drop of N5.97 to close at N150.01. Total Nigeria followed with a loss of N5 to close at N155 while Conoil Nigeria declined by N3.98 to close at N36.87 per share.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 04-08-15

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

55

NEWS

Buhari urges Senate to approve N14.7b World Bank loan for Edo

P

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged the Senate to approve a $75 million (about N14.7 billion) Word Bank loan for Edo State.

Senate President Bukola Saraki read the President’s letter requesting the approval for the loan.

President Buhari said the loan is meant for the state’s development programmes.

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor, Abuja

The President’s letter is entitled: Request for approval to obtain $75m credit facilities from the World Bank for Edo State.

Buhari said: “I am writing to seek the consideration from the National Assembly an approval for the request from the Edo State Government to obtain a $75 million credit facility from the World Bank.

“You may wish to know that the World Bank had approved a development policy programme for $225 million to Edo State Government in 2012 to be implemented in three tranches of $75 millon per annum.

“The first tranche was approved by the National Assembly in the 2012/2014 Federal Government External Rolling Borrowing Plan.

“The Development Programme Operation (DPO) has since been successful implemented by the state in 2014.

“Following this success, the bank’s board of executive directors approved the second tranche.

“On April 29, 2015, the DPO too was captured in the Federal Government External Borrowing Plan of 2014/2017, which is pending with the National As-

sembly.

“It is for the above reason I seek your favour to facilitate the consideration and approval of the Development Policy Operation II loan of $75 million to enable the state to consolidate on the phase of the first tranche of the operation DPO I. “Your Excellency, it is instructive to mention that Edo State has informed me that the key programme objectives of

APC urges Ayade to concentrate on agriculture

IGP Arase to policemen: don’t allow criminals to overwhelm Rivers

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

T

you for all you have done in this last one month and to say that the one month state of emergency that has been declared is not enough to sanitise the security situation in Rivers to my satisfaction.

It is because of this I am going to extend it by another one month.” Ezike told Arase that the state had a high number of illegal firearms in circulation.

The police commissioner said they were suspected to be the offshoots of the March and April general elections.

But he assured that the command would recover such arms.

HE Southsouth National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Hillard Eta, has urged Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade to concentrate on agriculture.

He said the state has a comparative advantage in the sector than signature projects that may not work for the residents.

Ayade had promised to build a 240-kilometre superhighway, a deep seaport and a garment factory during his first term.

But speaking with our reporter in Calabar, the state capital, Eta said: “Ayade should recognise the potentials of the state so that we start to develop in the areas where we have comparative advantages.

“If you ask me, Cross River State ought to be developing along the agrarian route. It is possible for Cross River State to supply all the palm products’ needs of Nigeria. It is possible for the state to produce all the rice needed in Nigeria; same for cocoa. So, if we have just three products that Cross River State can feed Nigeria with, we would be richer and able to prosecute the infrastructural needs of the state.

Catholic cleric preaches against gay marriage, favoritism

Edo, FRSC to check traffic offenders at psychiatric hospital

•Wike donates 64 vehicles to security operatives

I

NSPECTOR-General Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has urged men of the Rivers State Police Command to bust criminal gangs from their hideouts to secure the state from criminals.

There is a preponderance of illegal arms and ammunition in the Southsouth, especially in Rivers State.

The police must do everything possible to ensure they were mopped up, Arase said.

The police chief spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, when he addressed men and officers of the command, civil society groups and other stakeholders during his maiden visit to the state.

Arase was in Rivers State to receive 64 units of patrol vehicles donated to security operatives, including the po-

• Arase (middle) inaugurating the vehicles in Port Harcourt...yesterday. With him are: Governor Wike (left), Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police (AIG) Tunde Ogunshakin (right), Police Commissioner Ezike (second right) and others.

From Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

lice, Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The vehicles are meant to boost the agencies’ fight against crimes and criminality.

Arase said records would not be re-written negatively in the security history of Nigeria, adding that it had never been heard that criminals overpowered the security agencies of any country, including Nigeria.

The IGP urged the police to ensure that criminals were

frustrated out of the state.

He hailed Police Commissioner Chris Ezike for fighting criminals since he assumed office on June 2.

Arase urged him to step up the fight.

He said: “I am here today to first share with you the policy thrust we’re having in the Nigerian Police Force and to commend you for the hard work you have done in this past one month to ensure that Rivers State does not degenerate into the state of anomie.

“I also thank Chris Ezike for providing the leadership that has brought the state to the part of sanity.

“I want to commend you ...for all you have done in this past one month to reignite the indomitable fighting spirit of the Nigerian Police Force.

There is no way we will allow criminal gangs mand groups to overwhelm the state. It has never happened in the history of any law enforcement agencies. I think it will not happen in Nigeria of our time.

“We will not allow these culprits to take over this state or the citizens. Economic development cannot take place in any society, if the society is not safe and secure.

“I want to commend all of

C

•A car being pulled out under the Ogbere bridge in Ogun State after an accident...yesterday.

PHOTO: SEUN AKIOYE

CATHOLIC Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin has urged the citizenry to avoid same sex marriage and nepotism.

He said it was against God’s commands for a man to marry another man and for a woman to marry the same sex.

Archbishop Abegunrin urged religious leaders to always keep their vows and avoid favoritism to show the world the need to embrace better values and principles of uprightness.

The clergyman spoke during the national celebration of this year’s Consecrated Life, held at St. Peter and Paul Major Seminary, Bodija, Ibadan.

Reps to probe BEDC over Ondo community’s blackout, bills

T

HE House of Representatives has asked the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to explain the disconnection of three Federal constituencies Ilaje/Esa Odo, Okitipupa/Irele and Odigbo/Ileoluji/Okeibo in Ondo State - for 15 months without explanations.

The lawmakers were also surprised at BEDC’s continued demand for bills.

Kolade Akinjo (PDP, Ondo) and four others, in a motion yesterday, noted that despite being disconnected by BEDC

the DPO are already beginning to show in terms of increased inflow of private investments to the state.

“Increased private sector employment opportunities and increased internally generated revenues, an accelerated approval of this request will help to sustain this phase.” The President requested Senate’s speedy consideration of the request.

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

for 15 months, the monthly bills had been consistently presented to the consumers.

The House mandated its Committee on Power, when constituted, to interface with BEDC and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) over the prolonged disconnection and the bills.

The committee was given four weeks to report back for further legislative action.

Akinjo regretted that despite the huge investments by the Federal Government to boost power supply, majority of households in the country still grappled with blackout almost daily.

He said: “It is worrisome that the continued blackout in the affected areas for that length of time has brought untold hardship to the inhabitants; it has paralysed business activities.

“This has left the people with no other choice but to resort to buying fuel to power

their generators.

“The prevailing situation has adversely affected the social well-being of the people, created security challenges, which have led to an increase in crime rate.

“It is, however, regrettable and absurd that despite the blackout, the people are still being asked to pay regular monthly bills for electricity that was not supplied.”

The lawmakers unanimously supported the motion when it was put to voice vote

by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

From Jeremiah Oke, Ibadan

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

He decried declining of better values and principles, especially among religious leaders.

Archbishop Abegunrin added that the celebration found great relevance in the theme: “Wake Up the World”, as declared by Pope Francis.

He said: “In as much as it is our mission to wake up the world, I remind you all that none of us can give what we do not have. It has to start from us, to see if we stand right for the mission of soul-winning.

“Gay marriage is against the wish of our heavenly father.

We cannot see in the Bible, where God says we should engage in such immorality. Rather, the Bible condemns it.

“So, I want to advise the people practising it to desist from it. We need to reconsider our vows. That is the entrypoint and the defining moment of what we sought to be as followers of Christ.

“How well do I keep my vows? I challenge you all to consider the practice of the vows of poverty and obedience. How do we practice these? Are we on track or we have derailed? Is the world your standard?

“Once we start looking away from the Lord, we can be sure to start sinking and deviating.”

HE Edo State Government, in conjunction with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has said motorists who violate traffic laws will be tested at the psychiatric hospital to ascertain their mental balance.

The Director of Operations of Edo State Inter-ministerial Task Force, Comrade Mukhtar Yusuf-Osagie, broke the news yesterday in Benin, the state capital.

He said an arrangement was in place to begin a free flow of traffic across the state.

The task force chief said monitoring gadgets would be provided for effective monitoring of vehicles, adding that the FRSC would prosecute traffic offenders at mobile courts.

Yusuf-Osagie said: “Every busy area has monitoring cameras. Our men too are equipped with monitoring cameras. Some have camera phones and ipads so that no offender will be punished unjustly.”

The task force chief, who is also Edo State Chairman of the Committee on Environment, said in the last one month, 30 persons were arrested and 24 convicted for various offences bordering on environmental, street trading and illegal dumping of refuse.

T

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 05, 2015

56

NEWS

Agony as family of seven is buried in Anambra

A

ZIA community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State was yesterday, thrown into mourning, following the burial of a family of seven that died in a gas explosion in Ajegunle, Lagos State on July 20.

Markets and shops were closed in respect to the family.

The deceased were Charles Obidiegwu, 51, his wife Esther, five children - Isaac, Ebube, the sister in-law, Mary, Kate and his son.

Death came calling when the gas cooker Esther was cooking with caught fire.

The late Charles ran a medicine shop and was a member of the Chosen Charismatic

•The deceased’s elder Livinus...yesterday

brother,

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

Church in Lagos.

Tears flowed like a river as sympathisers lamented the doom that befell the community.

The deceased’s elder brother, Mr. Livinus Obidigwe lamented: “My younger brother’s wife was cooking at about

•Community members...yesterday

12pm when the gas exploded.

“The explosion may have been caused by a leakage which they didn’t know about. None of them escaped because the kitchen was both the entry and exit point.

“Before fire fighters arrived, the damage had been done; my younger brother

had died and the others died in the hospital seven days later.

Chimezie Obidiegwu, looking devastated, lacked words to express his feelings.

He was hopeful that his late brother’s love, understanding, coupled with the fear of God, would see them through.

In his sermon, the officiat-

ing priest, Rev. Fr. Jude Unigwe condoled the family and urged them not to question why it happened the way it did, as only God had the answer.

He urged the people to live a good life as nobody knows when and how death would come.

“It is a painful death and

nobody deserves to die in that manner but nobody can question God; he knows the best. Nkwankwa village should use this death to unite and be their brother’s keeper.

“God allows things like this to happen so that the living can learn and come to repentance,” Rev. Unigwe said.

Illicit oil sales could be funding Boko Haram, says U.S. Congressman

U

•Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kolapo Olusola (second right) at the free distribution of fertiliser and agro-allied chemicals to farmers in Ado-Ekiti ...yesterday

Police take over PDP’s national secretariat

F

OLLOWING protests by workers of the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, policemen have taken over the secretariat.

The workers are protesting alleged corrupt practices of the party leaders and they have threatened to drag them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the protesters, a circular signed by the party’s National Secretary, Prof.

Wale Oladipo, conveyed the party’s decision to slash their salary by 50 per cent and reduce the workforce by half.

But the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, vowed to see the matter to a logical conclusion.

The statement reads: “The attention of the NWC has been drawn to the unnecessary and unfortunate reactions of jun-

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

ior, intermediate and supervisory members of staff under the auspices of PDP Staff Welfare Committee in reaction to NWC directive on reorganisation and restructuring of the party.

“The NWC appreciates the concerns of stakeholders and assures members that it will not be deterred in its sworn responsibility to reposition, reorganise and re-structure the party.

“For the purpose of clarity, the process of staff re-organisation is a sub-component of the reform process in the party. Consequently, the NWC affirms that the internal memo emanating from the office of the National Secretary stands.

“The NWC will not be deterred, blackmailed or cowed from taking objective steps necessary for sound political health, astute opposition and

general re-organisation.

“NWC assures members and Nigerians that finances of the party have been handled in line with standard financial regulations governing political parties and the Constitution of the PDP. “Subsequently, as custodians of the PDP Constitution, the

NWC will be guided by the provisions of the Constitution in dealing with all matters related to staff, especially schedule IV (staff rules) of the 2012 Constitution as amended”.

The workers and party leaders have been at war since the circular was distributed last Wednesday.

NITED States (U.S.) Congressman Darrel Edward Issa yesterday said there could be a link between the Boko Haram sect and oil bunkers.

Issa, who spoke yesterday at a press conference in Abuja, said the sect could be getting their funding from illicit oil trade in the market.

He urged the Federal Government to end corruption in the oil sector to tackle the insurgency.

Mr Issa is in Nigeria as head of the U.S. Congressional delegation to the country.

He said: “As long as billions of dollars are being realised from illegal oil sales, you have a black market that funds many things, Boko Haram can be a clandestine beneficiary of that revenue too.

“Some of these areas are within the power of the Nigeria government. So, when they end corruption, they may also reduce the flow of the money that sponsores terrorism.”

Speaking on the readiness of the U.S. to assist the country to tackle insurgency and boost the military capacity, Issa added “this is a military that was allowed to fall into disrepair during the previous administration, there is no denying that. When morale is low, training is low and when the training is low, the troops are not prepared to win.

“The use of South African mercenaries spoke a great deal

Award for NURTW boss, others

C

HAIRMAN of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State council and Patron of the Automobiles and Road Safety Initiative (ARSI), Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (Fele), will, on September 9, be conferred with the award of State Auto Safety Ambassador.

The ceremony will hold in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during ARSI’s third annual Auto Tyre Safety Day themed: Be Tyre Smart; Drive Safely.

The Iyaloja of Ibadan and patroness of the organisation, Mrs. Patience Labake Lawal, and Vice President of the Nigeria National Vulcanizers Association, Comrade Bashiru Adeyanju, will also be conferred with the same award at the event expected to attract over 5,000 participants. Among dignitaries expected to grace the occasion are the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; Corps Marshal/ Chief Executive of the federal Road Safety Commission

(FRSC), Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi; Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Dr. Joseph Odumodu; the Iyalode of Ibadanland Mrs. Aminat Abiodun.

Director-General of National Automotive Council Aminu Jalal will chair the event, which will have in attendance over 2,000 vulcanisers, 2,000 NURTW members, auto repair/maintenance technicians, tyre dealers, market men and women, among others.

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

about the last administration, and the condition of the military. The U.S. has been involved in training the Nigerian military and ready to do a great deal more.

“The number one thing we can bring to this government is professionalising training, both in the skills necessary to kill and the appropriate action when they capture a community, and both are our most important contributions and we also apply technical capabilities.”

He said contrary to insinuations, the military “does not lack basic firearms and basic ability to buy ammunition at the international market”, pointing out that the army lacked only the training necessary both to manoeuvre effectively and lacked historically the recognition of the rules of international law especially the human rights portion of it.

Also speaking, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee expressed confidence that Boko Haram will be defeated. She charged the Federal Government and people to work with the U.S. to also free the abducted Chibok girls and bring them back to normal life.

She said that Boko Haram has not only become a threat to Nigeria but to the region and the international community.

She said: “You need to provide for the internally displaced and secure their village for them to return so that they can begin their work in agriculture.

Madam Jigiola for burial THE death has been announced of Madam Jigiola Olaoti Akinyosoye. She was 65.

Madam Jigiola passed away on Sunday August 2 and will be buried tomorrow August 6 in Ondo, Ondo State.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

57

NEWS Governor warns against ban on rice importation From Adamu Amadu, Dutse

J

IGAWA State Governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar has cautioned against the ban on importation of rice and other essential commodities.

He spoke yesterday in Dutse when receiving the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Abubakar warned the Federal Government on the effect of the ban on Nigerians, especially workers.

He said the ban on rice required diligence and indepth analysis of the possible repercussions, to avoid weakening the purchasing power of the people.

According to him, the economy and the danger of relying on oil as a source of revenue necessitated the need for a review of the policies that hindered the take-off of the diversification of the economy.

The governor, who identified agriculture as a solution to the economic woes facing the country, said: “Unless we prioritise agriculture, the future is bleak.”

Abubakar noted that over- reliance on oil revenue was risky, “especially now that developed countries, such as the US, are investing in the discovery of renewable energy.”

SSS, STF comb Unijos for cultists

T

HE Plateau State Department of State Services (DSS) and the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis code- named ‘Operation Safe Haven’, yesterday raided the hostels of the University of Jos in search of cultists.

The combined team of security agencies also combed the hostels of the

K

Federal College of Forestry, Jos. STF spokesman Capt.

Ikedichi Iweha said: “In the raid carried out early this morning, we arrested 25 suspected cultists. We have

Flood destroys communities in Yobe

From Ahmed Rufa’I, Dutse

M

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

screened them. Those found innocent have been released. But we have detained those found guilty.

“The screening is ongoing and the combing of hostels will be a continuous exercise until we rid schools of cultists.

“The raiding is at the instance of school managements. The institutions must have noticed the rising cases of cultism. Our action is yielding results.

“Everybody is aware of the increasing cases of cultism, especially in higher institutions. There is need to curb the activities of cultists before it is too late.”

Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and PLO to the President, Mr. Nura Rimi, during his visit to the President at the Villa.

‘Jigawa achieves malaria reduction’ ALARIA in Jigawa State has reduced from over 80 per cent to less than 20 per cent.

The Director of Primary Health Care (PHC), Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim, who addressed reporters in Dutse yesterday, said the reduction followed proactive measures by the Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Booster Control Project.

He said the Health ministry, in conjunction with the National Malaria Booster Project, disbursed five million mosquito- treated nets.

Dr. Ibrahim said: “The government policy of making malaria drugs available and affordable in health institutions has increased malaria control.

“Besides making the drugs available and ensuring public enlightenment and campaign on the importance of using mosquito-treated nets, it is also the easiest and cheapest malaria control.

“This and other professional measures taken by the primary health care have assisted us to achieve reduction in malaria.”

•25 students arrested

T

HOUSANDS of people have been displaced, following a downpour in two communities in Yobe State.

The rain, which began late on Monday night and stopped yesterday, rendered residents of Ngelzarma and Jajare in Fune Local Government homeless.

From Duku Joel, Damaturu

Reports said nobody died.

Deputy Governor Abubakar Aliyu visited the victims and sympathised with them.

He directed the Ministry of Works to assess the area and come up with a solution.

Aliyu instructed the State

Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to provide a palliative for the victims, who are temporarily camped at a primary school in the community.

The SEMA Executive Secretary, Idi Jidawa, told our correspondent on the phone that he had despatched two teams to Ngelzarma and

Jajare to provide succour.

He said: “The flood in Jajare is serious. My team could not access the village from the route they followed. They will have to take another route tomorrow to get to the village.

From the report I gathered, the village has been submerged.”

Insecurity: Lawmakers summon security agencies

T

HE Benue State House of Assembly yesterday summoned heads of security agencies to explain the persistence of insecurity.

Those to appear before the lawmakers include the police commissioner, director of State Security Services (SSS), commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the special adviser to the governor on security.

The House took the decision, following a motion of Urgent Public Importance by the member representing

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

Kwande East Constituency, Mr. James Gbande, who lamented that the constituents were attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

He said 17 primary schools, three UBE secondary schools, three local government clinics, one government science secondary school and a house were destroyed by suspected herdsmen.

Gbande urged the government to deploy security personnel in the affected towns, such as Anyiase, Im-

ande-Dura, Ikyoawen and Beebeshiu, to ensure Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) return to their homes.

He said a mobile police post should be established at Anyiase, the headquarters of Moon Local Government, to restore peace.

Other legislators including, Mr. Benjamin Nungwa (Kwande West); Mr. Terhemba Chabo (Gboko West); Mrs. Ngunan Addingi (Buruku); Mr. Ianna Jato (Katsina Ala East); Mr. Kettering Ikyange (Logo); Mr. Joseph Ojobo (Ogbadibo); Mr. Dominic Ucha

(Vandeikya Tiev) and Mr. Richard Ujege, (Konshisha) described the motion as apt and timely, enjoining the Assembly to tackle insecurity.

Speaker Terkimbi Ikyange directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to give relief materials to the victims.

He said mobile clinics should be established for the IDPs and advised the state government to work with the Federal Government to establish a mobile police post at Anyiase, to prevent a recurrence.

I’m recovering govt land, says El-Rufai

ADUNA State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has said his mission is to recover government land from those who acquired them illegally.

He said he was not demolishing Kaduna as his opponents were insinuating.

El-Rufai said his government was not all about demolition, as such, people should not be afraid that he would demolish their houses.

The governor, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr.

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

Samuel Aruwan, while addressing reporters at the Government House yesterday, said the exercise his administration was starting today was the recovery of school and hospital land from illegal occupants.

He said: “After the town hall meeting in Zaria on Sunday, people started a campaign of calumny that El-Rufai has come with his demolition ideology. But to set the record straight, we are

only asking those who illegally occupied governmentowned institutions’ land to vacate the places.

“This government will not allow the encroachment of its land. For instance, when we visited the state library in Zaria and Alhudahuda College, private buildings have almost taken over the places. This has negative effect on the learning atmosphere.

“Alhudahuda College, for example, has been in existence over a decade. But if we allow the type of en-

croachment going on there to continue, the school may go into extinction in the next 30 years.“ “We have given them notice and it will expire on August 5 (today). We will recover the land for the future of our children. Public land belong to the people of Kaduna State and we must recover them before it is too late.”

The governor said people should ignore those whipping up sentiments that the El-Rufai administration would demolish houses,

•El-Rufai

adding that the recovery of government land would begin today after the expiration of the quit notice given illegal occupants.

‘Benue targets N1.2b IGR’ From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

B

ENUE State Governor Samuel Ortom said yesterday that his administration was targeting N1.2billion Internally- Generated Revenue (IGR).

The governor, who addressed State House correspondents after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the state made a little over N250million as IGR before he assumed office.

He said his priority was workers’ salaries, including payment of the arrears, which he inherited from the Gabriel Suswan administration.

Ortom said he would soon begin the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities.

He said his government would block loopholes through which public funds were diverted by fraudulent officials.

Stressing that discipline would be the order of the day, the governor said there would be no escape for those stealing public funds.

He added: “We are looking at other sources because we are not buoyant, we just prioritise salary payment. We are looking at other sources of improving our revenues, not just the federation account, but within the internally- generated revenue.

“We feel we can improve on what we are having, so that we can use it to do other projects, which will have a bearing on people’s lives and boost the state’s development.

“Everything is about the sustainability of what we have.

“What we met on ground was between N250million and N300million. But my target is to increase it to at least N1.2billion for a start.”

Cement firm spends N260m on communities From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

A

BOUT N260million has been spent by the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN) to resettle 183 families in three communities in Wamakko Local Government Area of Sokoto State, the Managing Director, Mr. Alf Karlsen, said yesterday.

The affected communities, already in their Sabon Garin Alu new settlement, include Dan Atu, Sabon-Gida and GidanMubaga.

Karlsen, who handed over items to the Caretaker Chairman of Wamakko Council, Alhaji Ahmed Kalambaina, said the money included the amount spent on the payment for quarry and compensation for houses and farmlands.

Karlsen, represented by the Executive Director (Finance), Ibrahim Aminu, said 200 plots were given to the adults from the 186 benefiting families.

He said the company had connected the new settlement to the national grid, adding that a borehole and an overhead tank were put in place.

58

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

NEWS Boko Haram ‘seeks talks with govt’

Buhari sacks Dawha as GMD NNPC Continued from page 4

“The new NNPC Chief Executive also has Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Law from the Harvard Law School.

“He started his working career with the Nigerian/American Merchant Bank before moving on to Texaco Nigeria Limited from where he joined ExxonMobil.”

President Buhari has also approved the appointment of Prof. Umaru Garba Danbatta as the new Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Mr. Adesina said in the state-

ment: “Prof. Danbatta, who holds a Doctorate Degree in Electronic Engineering, takes over from Dr. Eugene Juwah, whose tenure expired on July 29, 2015.

“The new NCC Chief Executive’s other academic qualifications include a Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications as well as a Masters Degree in the same field.

“He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and has had a meritorious career in which he rose to become Professor of Electrical Engineering and Electronics at Bayero Uni-

versity, Kano, specialising in Telecommunications Engineering and Information and Communications Technology.

“Before his new appointment, Prof. Danbatta held top management and leadership positions at different times, including Head of Department, Dean of Faculty, Director, Centre for Information Technology, Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (Kano Branch), Deputy Vice Chancellor and Acting Vice Chancellor.

“His appointment as Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC is for five years, in the first in-

Continued from page 4

•President Buhari

The man Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu Continued from page 4

world including Harvard Law, his alma matter.

Kachikwu has more than 30 years experience in policymaking positions in petroleum industry including; General Counsel/Legal Adviser, Texaco Nigeria and Texaco Overseas Petroleum Co (1984 1994); General Counsel/Secretary, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (2001); Executive Director, ExxonMobil Group

of Companies (2003).

He has been the Executive Vice Chairman/General Counsel, ExxonMobil Companies in Nigeria and Oversight Counsel, ExxonMobil Companies in Africa since 2009.

His accomplishments include the authorship of several law books. He authored the best seller – Nigerian Foreign Investment Law and Policy and more than 20 publications.

Kachikwu Influenced over

$10 billion investment from ExxonMobil Group into Nigeria and other African countries.

It is on record that he set major policy planks on, government relationship, investment policy and corporate governance for ExxonMobil in Africa and member of many highly influential policy and investment teams for ExxonMobil Corporation.

He served as a lead negotia-

tor on diverse issues for ExxonMobil in Africa including conclusion of Lease Renewal Negotiations for Mobil Producing and facilitated solid contacts in Global Energy Sphere with contacts to most Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of multinational petroleum corporations and secretaries of energy for key national country players for more than 25 years.

Senate clears Service Chiefs Continued from page 4

He added that the appointments came at a very crucial time, especially at a time the country was still battling with insurgency in Northeast.

Dr. Saraki urged them to work hard to ensure that insurgents are routed in record time, assuring that the Senate would always give the Armed Forces every neces-

•Olonishakin

•Buratai

sary support.

Saraki challenged them to

•Ekwe-Ibasi

restore the battered image and prestige of the military

•Abubakar

and also to tackle corruption in the procurement process.

gerians will recall how this deadly group almost crippled the nation’s oil production from 2005 until when late President Umaru Yar’Adua initiated the Amnesty Programme.

“Since the inception of the Amnesty Programme, billions of naira has been and is still being spent to address the youth challenges of the region.

“The appointment of Brig.- Gen. Peter Boroh (rtd) will no doubt energise the programme. If there are genuine grievances with the Amnesty programme, legitimate avenues and appropriate channels should be exploited.

“However, the full wrath of the law should be brought to bear on any individual or group that wants to engineer crisis aimed at militating against the socio-economic development of our dear nation.”

On the herdsmen clashes with farmers, the CCC chief said it has reached an alarming proportion as ‘it always precipitates bloody clashes’ leaving scores of people dead in different parts of the country, especially in Taraba, Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Nassarawa, Niger and other states over grazing rights.

He said: This recurring but often violent crisis perpetrated by unknown hoodlums has continued to traumatise innocent and enterprising Nigerians engaged in cattle rearing and farming.

“The crisis is perhaps accentuated by the economic hardship and joblessness.

The Centre has received

hundreds of calls from several parts of the north over this issue.

“Instances abound where hoodlums send letters to cattle breeders especially Fulanis and farmers to pay hundreds of thousands of naira or even millions as ransom to avert attacks.”

He praised Kano State Governor Nasir El-Rufai for setting up the ‘Cattle Initiative’ to curtail the excesses of cattle rustlers.

Anas said: “The Centre is calling on governments at all levels to ensure every action aimed at finding a lasting-solution to enable the return of normalcy in every nook and crannies of our communities.

“The Centre believes that more discussions and legislative actions at the states and National Assembly levels are needed now on the propriety or otherwise of creating or delineating grazing areas in the country.”

On the lingering National Assembly crisis, the CCC appealed to all the contending individuals, groups or parties to ‘shield their swords’ in national interest “knowing how far-reaching and negative effect political crisis of this dimension could continue to be in inflaming passions, creating divisive tendencies, and ultimately translating in crisis.”

He urged the legislators to emulate President Buhari and slash their remunerations to “demonstrate to Nigerians that they are also sympathetic to the current financial challenges of the nation and ready to make sacrifices to make Nigeria better.”

Solanke, Sagay scold judge seeking Aregbesola’s removal Continued from page 4

the Honourable Justice Folahanmi Oloyede to the Osun State House of Assembly, for the impeachment and removal from office, of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State.

“We are disturbed by the source of this petition because it reveals the embarrassing and gross ignorance of the Judge regarding the process for the impeachment of Governors.

“We are also disturbed by this apparently reckless descent of a judicial officer into the murky waters of partisan politics.

“The process for the removal of a governor by impeachment is clearly set out in Section 188 of the Constitution. It states as follows: •188 – (1) The Governor or Deputy Governor of a State may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section.

•(2) Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than onethird of the members of the House of Assembly is presented to the Speaker of the House of Assembly of the State and stating that the holder of such office is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified….”

“Justice Oloyede is clearly not a member of the Osun State House of Assembly.

She is not even a member of

a Civil Society Organisation.

She is in fact, a member of the judiciary, the third arm of government conferred with the responsibility of the interpretation of laws, including the Constitution and the issuing of orders, judgments and sentences.

“Indeed, it is the duty of someone in Justice Oloyede’s position to preside over a case for the determination of the issue, whether a purported removal of a governor by impeachment is valid or not.

“It is therefore a cause for great embarrassment and shame that a judge of the High Court is ignorant of the fact that she cannot initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor. This raises a question whether she is fit to hold the office to which she has been appointed.

“From what has been stated above, it is quite obvious that the Osun State House of Assembly acted in gross error in entertaining Justice Oloyede;s petition. That petition is an illegal document which should have been disregarded with contempt by the House.

“By setting up a committee to investigate the allegations in the so-called petition, the House itself was displaying its ignorance of the impeachment process.

“Even more fundamental is the question whether a judicial officer should be publicly engaged in a bitter pub-

lic confrontation with any other arm of government, particularly the executive arm of government headed by the target of her tirade, the governor, who appointed her into office.

“Specifically, is a judge permitted to make public political comments and engage in public diatribes against the government and the governor of the state in which he or she is serving?

“The code of conduct for judicial officers is replete with provisions requiring a judicial officer to act with dignity, decorum and a high standard of conduct. The preamble of the code, for example, provides that a judicial officer should actively participate in establishing, maintaining, enforcing and himself observing a high standard of conduct so that the integrity and respect for the independence of the judiciary may be preserved.

“Again, Rule 1, Paragraph 2 of the Code provides that a judicial officer shall respect and comply with the laws of the land and conduct himself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the Judiciary.

“By Paragraph 1 of Rule 2, a judicial officer is enjoined to be true and faithful to the Constitution and the law, uphold the course of justice by abiding with the provisions of the Constitution and the law. He or she is en-

joined to acquire and maintain professional competence.

Finally, by rule 3(b)(ii), a judge in excising his constitutional right of freedom of expression should always conduct himself in such a manner as to preserve the dignity of his office and the impartiality and independence of the judiciary.

“Now, one may ask; by issuing this angry accusation of fraud, misappropriation of funds and general denunciation of the Governor of her State to the House of Assembly, has Justice Oloyede acted with decorum? Has she conducted herself in a manner that promotes public confidence in the Judiciary? Has she acted with integrity and impartiality with regard to a possible future party in her Court? Has she been true and faithful to the Constitution?

Has she conducted herself in such a manner as to preserve the dignity of her office?

Should she engage in an open confrontation with her appointor and the head of the executive branch of government?

“If the answer to all these questions is NO and if she has desecrated the temple of justice and brought down the dignity and respect for the judiciary, what is she still doing on the Bench?

“Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this episode in Osun State is the apparent silence of the National Judicial Council (NJC) in the face of

gross breaches of judicial etiquette and code of conduct by Justice Folahanmi Oloyede.

“If this open display of indiscipline and crass irresponsibility by Justice Oloyede is left unpunished, the National Judicial Council will be guilty of gross dereliction of duty and the Judiciary in Nigeria will face a bleak future.

•Aregbesola

Recover stolen oil money, Buhari tells NNPC boss Continued from page 4

wu to accept the job because he was afraid that he might be messed up like other Nigerians, a source said.

“In their negotiation, President Buhari repeatedly said: ‘I won’t interfere with your work; I will give you a free hand because I want to reform this oil sector once and for all.’

The GMD accepted the job following what he realized as “the infectious patriotism and genuine intention of the President,: the source said.

Kachikwu yesterday took the reins at a brief ceremony held at the NNPC Towers, Abuja .

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Divi-

sion, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, in a statement, said the new helmsman expressed gratitude to his predecessor, Dr. Joseph T. Dawha, for holding the Corporation. He pledged to work assiduously in achieving the President’s growth aspiration for the oil and gas industry.

“ExxonMobil Upstream affiliates in Nigeria congratulate our Vice-Chairman and General Counsel, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, on this opportunity to serve Nigeria as Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). We thank Dr. Kachikwu for his many contributions to ExxonMobil Nigeria, and wish him well in his new role.”

Inside the NNPC Continued from page 4

ing the NNPC under suspicion of siphoning $6.8 billion of crude oil revenues.

From 2013, the NNPC has been battling with the allegation of non-remittance of

$20 billion into the Federation Account.

These allegations, among others are responsible for the continued calls for the sanitisation and repositioning of the corporation.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

59

FOREIGN NEWS Rebels driven from key Yemen base

P

RO-government forces in Yemen have retaken the country's largest airbase in a battle with Houthi rebels, government officials say.

Heavy casualties have been reported at al-Anad airbase, north of Aden, after intense fighting there in recent days.

It comes after pro-government forces, backed by air strikes from a Saudi-led coalition, retook Aden two weeks ago.

The Saudis are leading a campaign to defeat the rebels, who control much of Yemen, and restore the government.

Troops and armoured vehicles from the United Arab Emirates - a key member of the coalition - are also said to have arrived in Aden in recent days.

Military officials quoted by the Associated Press news agency say the foreign troops are helping the pro-government forces operate sophisticated weapons, including

tanks. The New York Times said the troops had been involved in the fighting at alAnad.

Military vehicles have been seen in the Aden area - but it is not clear who is operating them The reported deployment of tanks and other armoured vehicles from the United Arab Emirates, which have been seen unloading in Aden over recent days, represents the first major ground involvement by the Arab coalition ranged against the Houthi rebels.

It is a signal that the air campaign launched in March has its limits and it is a sign too that the Saudi-led coalition is willing now to become more engaged in the fighting. The reinforcements may already have had a hand in the recapture of al-Anad airbase: an important asset that could provide a launch-pad for more extensive operations against the rebels.

I

T's 7,800 tons, 337 feet and $2 billion worth of steel and stealth, with war-fighting controls that look like a big arcade video game.

That new-boat smell may have worn off a bit during sea trials, but the man in charge was pumped with pride as the U.S. Navy's newest submarine joined the fleet in a commissioning ceremony at Norfolk Naval Station on Saturday.

"The shiniest and coolest thing I've ever seen in my military career," Cmdr. Daniel Caldwell, a 22-year Navy veteran and the first captain of the USS John Warner, told CNN. "It's going to make whatever I do next anti-climactic."

For one, it doesn't even have a periscope. Instead, the John Warner will go about its business using a photonic mast, a piece of electronic wizardry that includes high-definition and infrared video to enable the Warner, the 12th in the Virginia class of attack submarines, to see and to not been seen like nothing else under the seas.

Pakistan carries out controversial execution

P

AKISTAN yesterday hanged a man whose case triggered an international outcry because his lawyers said he was arrested as a juvenile and tortured into confessing to murder.

Pakistan has hanged nearly 200 people since December, when a massacre by militants at a school in the city of Peshawar prompted the government to lift a de facto ban on capital punishment.

Only Iran and China have executed more people than Pa-

kistan this year, says human rights group Amnesty International.

"Shafqat Hussain was this morning executed in Pakistan, despite widespread calls, both within and outside the country, for a stay," legal aid group Justice Project Pakistan, which was representing Hussain, said in a statement.

Pakistani law does not allow the execution of someone arrested as a juvenile. State prosecutors said Hussain was an adult working as a watchman

when he was arrested.

Lawyers for Hussain said school records showed he was 17 in 2004 when he was burnt with cigarettes and had fingernails removed until he confessed to killing a child.

His family have said he was 14; lawyers said the family did not keep records regarding Hussain's birth.

David Griffiths, Amnesty International's South Asia research director, said the execution marked a "deeply sad day for Pakistan".

U.S Navy launches 'lethal warship' The video information is displayed on large screens in the command center. A joystick, much like the kind you might use to play video games, controls the whole show.

In front of that is where two sailors drive the sub, like a pilot and co-pilot seated before a curved wall of video screens.

Driving a sub used to take a crew of four, Caldwell said, but technology has cut that number in half.

The John Warner is armed with 12 Tomahawk cruise mis-

siles that are launched from two huge bays at the front of the boat, sort of like the chambers in a revolver, as well as MK48 torpedoes that are fired from four tubes, two on each side of the ship.

Of course, all this comes at a price to taxpayers, about $2 billion. But that's less than half the cost of the Seawolf class, the predecessor to the Virginia class. Only three Seawolf class vessels were built.

Speakers at Saturday's commissioning pointed out that the

Baby pulled alive from Beijing toilet

Tutu released from hospital

P

P

ROMINENT antiapartheid cleric and veteran South African leader, Archbishop Desmond Tutu was released from hospital yesterday after being re-admitted for a recurring infection related to treatment for his prostate cancer, his daughter said.

Tutu, 83, who was hospitalized over the weekend at a Cape Town hospital, would continue his recovery at home, his daughter, the Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu said in a statement.

"The infection was a consequence of treatment for prostate cancer that the archbishop has received over the past 18 years. The cancer, it-

John Warner was delivered early, under budget and with the highest readiness scores of any sub in the class.

Adm. Johnathan Greenert, the chief of naval operations, said the Virginia-class sub program is one of the Pentagon's most successful weapons programs, especially considering what has been delivered.

John Warner is a former sailor and Marine, a former undersecretary and secretary of the Navy and a 20-year U.S. senator from Virginia.

• Tutu

self, was well under control," Mpho said.

The nobel peace laureate, retired from public life in 2010, but has kept speaking out in a wide range of issues, including corruption among South Africa's political elite.

OLICE are searching for the mother of a newborn baby girl found wedged face-down in a Beijing toilet on Sunday.

Residents heard cries from a public toilet block and notified police, according to the Beijing Times.

"Her head was upside down and her body was falling into the drain. We could only vaguely see her feet from the side," Qian Feng, the local police chief told the paper.

Qian said initially police decided to dismantle the toilet as the drain structure was unclear, but that would take too long.

"She just kept crying. I looked again, and thought we should try to pull her out even if the possibility might be slim."

Greece expects bailout deal in two weeks

G

REECE expects to conclude a multi-billioneuro deal with international lenders within two weeks, with the drafting of an accord set to start today.

A bailout worth up to 86 billion euros ($94.5 billion), needs to be settled by Aug. 20 if Greece is to pay off debt of 3.5 billion euros to the European Central Bank that matures on

that day.

It will be the indebted nation's third bailout since 2010, designed to stave off bankruptcy and keep the country from toppling out of the euro zone.

"The first phase of negotiations ends today and the second phase starts, which really contains the details of drafting (the deal)," Olga

Gerovasili, the government spokeswoman, saidyesterday, speaking of discussions launched with lenders in the last week of July.

European Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici has said that, while ambitious, a deal is possible in August. Past negotiations between Greece and its lenders have proved tortuous.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

60

CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

Lagos Deputy Governor denies social media financial appeal

Fashion Designer excretes 44 wraps of cocaine

O

PERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended a 29-year-old fashion designer, Okechukwu Kingsley Ajaero over unlawful importation and possession of forty-four (44) wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine weighing 850grammes.

Ajaero was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during the inward screening of passengers on a Qatar Airline flight.

NDLEA Airport commander Hamza Umar said he was coming from Sao Paulo with cocaine.

The suspect, who hails

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

from Abia State, Umar said, excreted 44 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine weighing 85 grammes.

The suspect in a statement released by NDLEA blamed his arrest on operational mistake on the part of his business partner.

He said: “I am a fashion designer by profession. I went to Brazil two years ago in search of better working conditions. This is my first time of trafficking in drugs and I got involved through friends.

“I was expecting 30,000 Euros as my profit. My business partner was to collect

the drug from me while on transit in Qatar but he failed to show-up. I was compelled to come to Nigeria with the drugs but I excreted 30 on board the aircraft.”

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade said that the Agency will continue to pay attention to passengers coming from Brazil, saying “Brazil is a source country for cocaine and we shall continue to beam our searchlight on this route.

Those who seek to enrich themselves through drug trafficking shall be arrested and prosecuted”.

Giade called on members of the public to assist the Agency in reporting suspected cases of drug traffick-

L

•Alaero

ing, production and abuse for necessary action.

The NDLEA boss added that it is risky to shield drug traffickers because their activities undermine public safety.

My wife is lazy, says divorce-seeking man

A

DIVORCE-seeking retiree, Joe Ubigho, told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos yesterday that his wife of 19 years was too lazy and had left everything in the house to maids.

“My wife is very lazy; she has left everything in the house for our maids to do, including

cooking,” Ubigho, 57, alleged.

He told the court that his wife, Rita, 45, could not do anything, and usually flare up and disappear from the house whenever she was queried.

He said that it was owing to such laziness that he was forced to take their children to a boarding school for proper care.

The petitioner accused his wife of financial recklessness, saying that she could not manage a business outfit he set up for her.

“My wife mismanaged the business I established for her.

Her shop is now empty and she keeps demanding for money every time,” he said.

Ubigho said his wife packed out of the house four weeks ago, saying that he was no more ready to take her in.

He begged the court to dissolve the union.

Rebutting the allegations, Rita, a businesswoman, said that it was her husband that chased her away from the house threatening to bathe her with acid if she did not leave.

“My husband threatened to bath me with acid if I refused to leave his house; so, I packed my belongings to stay with a woman whom he knows very well.

“I pleaded with him to allow me stay in his house to care of my children,” she said.

She accused her husband of vandalism, saying that he destroyed the car he bought for her.

She said: “My husband damaged the car he bought for me, he stopped me on the road and demanded for the car key and declared that he was no longer interested in giving me the car.

“I demanded for an explanation and he threatened to burn

me with the car if I refused to comply, before I knew what was happening, he started destroying the windscreen”.

The mother of three said that she did not mismanage the business her husband set up for her.

According to her, it was her husband that ordered her to use the business money for new shops he was building, promising to pay her back.

“Most time, he will come to my shop with strange people, remove some goods for them and promise to pay me— which he never did. Anytime I ask for the money, he will fight me,” she said.

She promised to take good care of her husband and the children and urged the court not to dissolve the marriage as she was still in love.

The president of the court, Mr Hakeem Oyekan, adjourned the case to August 17.

‘How cultists dealt with me’

A

TRADER Adewale Olaonipekun yesterday narrated his ordeal in the hands of some alleged member of the Eiye Confraternity Cult who stormed his shop around Odogunyan area of Ikorodu, Lagos, with dangerous weapons.

“They barged into my shop and woke me up from sleep that afternoon. They ordered me to give them money, saying that I must pay the cult; otherwise they would kill me now or return with more of their boys and kill me.

Then, they stole the only money they could find, N1, 250, and ran away.”

Olaonipekun told The Nation.

One of the alleged culprits, Paul Vincent, 24 was yesterday arraigned by the police at an Ikorodu Magistrate’s Court on a three-count charge of threat to life, assault with dangerous weapons and stealing.

The police from the Shagamu Police Division alleged that Vincent and his accomplice, who is at large, on August 1, attacked Olaonipekun with dangerous weapons.

“They threatened to kill him with, and stole N1,250

By Robert Egbe

from him. The offences are punishable under Sections 56, 41 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State,” the police said.

When the accused, who had a swollen mouth and bruises all over his face, was led into the dock, dressed in a tattered red jersey tied across his shoulder and a dirty blue jeans, Magistrate Adejumoke Olagbegi-Adelabu warned the Investigative Police Officer (IPO), Corporal Ojesanya Akeem, on the need to ensure that defendants are brought to court in neat dresses and without being beaten up.

Mr Sakiru Omolaja and Taiwo Bakare, announced their appearance for the defendant on a pro bono basis and urged the court to grant him bail on lenient terms.

The prosecutor, Police Corporal Mary Ajiteru, did not object, but urged that the bail terms be made stringent.

Olagbegi-Adelabu granted the accused N50,000 bail with two sureties who must be authority figures to the defendant and must also be gainfully employed. The matter was adjourned to August 20.

AGOS State Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule last night alerted the public that some unscrupulous elements have been using her image on the social media (facebook) to dupe innocent members of the public.

She urged the public and her associates to be wary of such cyber fraudsters so as not to fall victim of “this ungodly practice in her name.”

One of such acts recently linked her with a deceptive ’Federal Government Empowerment Loan Scheme’ which was reported to be advertised on facebook account, using the details of the deputy governor.

The Deputy Governor urged Nigerians to disregard any form of financial appeal via social media and advised members of the public who may come

•Dr Adebule

across such fraudulent messages to report the account or the site to the appropriate law enforcement agencies to ensure that those behind such notorious act are brought to book.

She, however, suspended all her social media activities to stop the individuals from their fraudulent activities.

Housekeeper ‘steals’ employer’s $4,000

H

OUSEKEEPER, Toni Aripko yesterday appeared before a Tinubu Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for alleged theft of his employer’s 4,000 dollars.

Aripko, 23, who was living with his employer at Kyalami Weadows Street, Victoria Island, is facing a charge of stealing.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Andohemba Koti said the accused committed the offence at the residence of his employer, Mr Jasper Nwachukwu.

Koti told the court that Aripko, while cleaning his employer’s master bedroom, opened his wardrobe and removed the money.

“The accused later ab-

sconded to his village in Cross-River with the money after lying to his boss that his father died and that he needed to travel.

“It was shortly after the accused‘s departure that the complainant discovered that the money had disappeared from his wardrobe,” he said.

Koti told the court that the complainant alerted the accused’s guarantor, Etim Aku of Jakande Estate, Lekki, who lured him back to Lagos after all efforts to arrest him had failed.

Aripko pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate L.A. Owolabi, granted him N100,000 bail with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till August 31.

Civil servant in court for ‘defiling’ girl, 5

A

22-YEAR-OLD man, Adekunle Taiwo was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s five-year-old daugh-

ter.

The accused, a civil servant, who lives at Atobaje Street, Agege, is facing a charge of defilement.

Prosecuting police Inspector Racheal Williams, told the count that the offence was committed at about 10.30 p.m. at the residence of the accused on July 12.

According to Williams, the victim’s mother went to buy food and left her child at the passage of the house.

“The accused, who just returned from work, dragged the child to a corner and raped her.

“The cry of the child alerted a neighbour who came outside his room and caught the accused in the act,” she said.

The offence, according to the prosecutor, contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Taiwo pleaded not guilty.

Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias, granted him N250, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

He adjourned the case to August 12.

APC chieftain holds medical CHIEFTAIN of the screening All Progressives

A

Congress (APC) Rahman Mogbolahan Dawodu has organised free medical screening for the people in Itire-Ikate area, Surulere, Lagos.

Otherwise known as RMD, Dawodu said the gesture was part of his commitment towards community service.

The chairmanship aspirant said it was a means of giving back to the society.

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

“Our health is the greatest wealth we can possess. We all know that these days, there are lots of health challenges, many of which we do not really know them until they are fully developed.

The best we can do is to screen ourselves regularly so as to check how healthy we are”.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

61

CITYBEATS

•The traffic along the airport road...yesterday

CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

•The spilled content... yesterday

•The trailer’s number plate... yesterday

Tanker smashes three cars •Motorists held for six hours in traffic

A

FULLY-LOADED diesel tanker tumbled yesterday at Mobil junction close to Anthony bus-Stop along the busy Ikorodu road, spilling its contents.

The accident that occurred few minutes past six in the morning affected three other vehicles.

The driver of the tanker with number plate FKJ 915XD was taken away immediately the accident occurred.

Though, no live lost but officers from Bariga Police Station were seen arresting some people scooping the spilled oil when efforts to

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

drive them away by other security agents failed.

Men of the Lagos Fire Service and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials were quick to report at the scene to contain the situation.

The Nation learnt that the tanker driver was heading towards Ojota before it fell in front of Mutual Trust building.

“The driver was over speeding; nobody can say whether the break failed,” said an eyewitness.

“The road towards Ojota along the Ikorodu is usually free in the morning because

many commuters are heading the other way but the driver was over speeding, hence the accident. The head of the vehicle fell in-ward Fadeyi while its body blocked the other way,” he said.

According to him, traffic activities along Anthony were paralised while there was little flow of traffic along the Fadeyi route.

“It took the timely intervention of the LASTMA guys to free the traffic but they did not succeed until 12:30pm, meaning that for over six hours, motorists battled through the traffic to get to their various destinations,”

•The tanker... yesterday

another eyewitness said.

LASTMA Public Relations Officer Bola Ajao appealed to motorists to avoid over speeding, saying that nothing good can be achieved by over speeding.

“Why do we have to killed ourselves all in a bid to outrun other road users or rushing to our destinations.

Motorists should avoid

PHOTOS: ABIODUN WILLIAMS AND ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

hasting while on the road, concentration matters in all we do especially when driving. Thank God no life was lost but the time lost to traffic by other road users cannot be retrieved likewise the damaged vehicles will require a lot of resources to get them back in shape,” she said.

She confirmed that three

other cars were involved in the accidents but the owners managed to drive them away.

Meanwhile, another container also fell in front of Hajj Camp near Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

It caused a huge traffic along the Oshodi-Airport road.

NAPTIP rescues 281, reunites 252 victims with families in 6 months

T

HE National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) says its Lagos Zonal Office has rescued 281 persons trafficked between January and July.

The agency also said it reunited 252 victims of human trafficking with their families after conducting a surveillance and investigation on their families.

Mr Joseph Famakin, Commander, Lagos Zone, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

yesterday in Lagos.

“We have rescued 281 victims of human trafficking from January till date. We have also reunited 252 victims with their families after conducting a surveillance and investigation about their families. The agency ensured that the victims returned to the right people to avoid such a situation again,’’ he said.

The commander said NAPTIP Shelter where rescued victims were kept for rehabilitation had ensured that they were re-integrated into the society.

“The shelter is the first place where the victims are received. After they had settled down, they go through the three R’s of Rescue, Rehabilitation and Reintegration.

“We have competent care givers available at the shelter that take them through all the process,’’ he said.

Famakin added that the agency had a Victims Trust Fund that enabled it to empower victims after graduating from different skills acquisition centers.

He said: “We now have

the Victim Trust Fund and the agency now generates funds to enable it empower the victims after going through the three R’s. We have competent care givers from all fields that take care of all these. We also ask the victims what they want to do after the counselling process.

“We have victims that have returned to schools; the agency takes responsibilities of all the bills and we have some that showed interest in skills acquisition.

“We don’t give money to

victims directly, we look for shops, pay the rent, equip the place and watch them for at least two years to enable them completely erase their tragic experiences,’’ he said.

He, however, said the agency would not relent in creating public awareness through the media on efforts to curb the menace.

According to him, the strategies are public enlightenment, campaign in schools, town hall meetings and jingles in the media.

“NAPTIP in a bid to curb human trafficking and other forms of sexual exploitation

has increased awareness creation in all parts of the country through the internet, social media and other forms of communication.

“We are engaging our stakeholders via social media, educating people on the dangers of human trafficking as well as the tricks employed by traffickers to lure their victims.

“There have been town hall meetings with various sectors of the community as well as massive collaboration with NGO0s and security agencies,’’ Famakin said.

62

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015

63

TODAY IN THE NATION

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.10 NO.3297

‘African Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, billions annually, could have produced malaria vaccines 20 years ago saving millions. Shame on greedy, myopic Corporate Africa preferring to sell foreign treatments for malaria than invent vaccines! Some CSR is good but most prefer cheap T-shirt and face cap CSR’ TONY MARINHO

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

L

AST week, I promised I will reproduce today, some of the responses to my column of the week before, on the lecture in Abuja last month by Nasir el-Rufa’i, the Kaduna State governor, in which he suggested that the NNPC, Nigeria’s oil conglomerate, should be scrapped. I also said I will reveal today, my mid-year resolution about the too frequent slips I’ve made in my columns in recent times, typified by the wrong date I gave for the coup that brought Major-General Muhammadu Buhari to power, as military head of state, back in December 1983.

I made the slip in referring to a survey published by The Economist, the global London newsmagazine, on how Nigeria mismanaged its oil windfall of the early 80s.

The survey, “After the ball,” was published in the magazine’s edition of May 3, 1986.

The way our erstwhile president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, blew our most recent oil windfall, I said, reminded me of The Economist’s survey published “a few months after our soldiers overthrew the fiscally-reckless Second Republic under President Shehu Shagari and Muhammadu Buhari took over as military head of state.”

As several readers pointed out, by May 1986, Buhari himself was no longer in power, ousted by his army chief, General Ibrahim Babangida, in a bloodless palace coup in August 1985.

Inadvertent as the slip was, I told myself it was inexcusable and resolved that I simply have to put a stop to such slips, especially after Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, former minister of External Affairs and one of the country’s leading intellectuals, phoned to say every once in a while he referred my columns to his post-graduate students, which, in effect, he was saying I needed to put a stop to my carelessness.

To err is human. But I’ve resolved that three more egregious slips like the last one, I’ll pack it up and turn my attention to compiling my columns, which I started in New Nigerian nearly 38 years ago, into a book.

There are, of course, journalists/columnists who have been at it for much longer than I have, notably Dan Agbese and Dr. Olatunji Dare, who also happen to be older than me.

But none comes close to me in the frequency of my errors.

I hope and pray that I don’t have to pack it up any time soon. So help me God! And now to some of the responses to my piece of last week, “Aregbesola’s predicament”, and of the week before, “El-Rufa’i, PMB and our oil misfortune”.

Sir, Your incisive article on “Aregbesola’s Predicament” failed to point out that the ongoing action by the Osun State House of Assembly is a very loud waste of time, as it is purely illegal. There is nowhere in the constitution that a serving judge or any individual outside the House of Assembly is empowered to initiate an impeachment of a governor.

The Osun House of Assembly is setting a dangerous precedent whereby every Tom, Dick, Harry or judge who is emotionally challenged can wake up and disturb the peace of

People and Politics By

MOHAMMED H ARUNA ndajika@yahoo.com

My mid-year resolution a state. Neither Justice Oloyede Folahanmi nor the Osun House of Assembly has told Nigerians the law under which they are acting. The most the State House of Assembly could have done under the circumstance was to have raised Folahanmi’s concerns on the floor of the house by way of a motion.

Records show that this lady had raised similar dust during the tenure of Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and no one cautioned her.

Now she has raised the ante. If not now, this judicial officer is a potential threat to future governors in the state because if she goes on to become its chief judge, one day, she will wake up and summarily remove an elected governor.

Like the Americans say, “there will always be enough evidence to jail the Pope”. Justice Oloyede Folahanmi is too partisan to be a judge. It is certainly not fair to so unkindly wish away Aregbesola’s heroic interventions in education, health, infrastructure and social development.

Segun Adedeji Ibadan Sir, Osun State had been bedevilled so much by politics of grab over the years that those involved did not want to quit the stage. They had always connived with the state civil service.

As you rightly pointed out, Aregbesola as a human being has his own mistake(s), but it is appalling for a justice in the service of the state to raise the kind of petition raised by Justice Oloyede Folahanmi. I have tried in vain to get hold of her petition, but if what you stated is the true representation of her claim, it leaves much to be desired. How can anybody in a good frame of mind say there is nothing to show for huge debts of Aregbesola’s administration?

As for the governor, I wonder why it took him so long to look for a way out. Is it that he is not given any allocation again after the prices of oil plummeted in the world market? If he still gets allocations though reduced, what is the extent of reduction? The governor should realise that a hungry man is an angry man.

Many of the civil servants have no alternative income and not paying them is like sending them to the firing squad.

As for the petitioner, I advise she apologise to the governor and good people of Osun State for sending a wrong signal at this point in time.

Omo Elu posi.eluwole@springserv.com

•Buhari

Sir, Aregbesola is not the only governor owing. Even oil producing states owe. l am not from Osun, but my daughter is in the state university and attests to the construction of good roads and building of schools. PDP is darkness and APC is light. That is why darkness cannot overcome light.

Adekoya Muyiwa, Gbagada. +2348035313169.

Sir, Are you a paid agent? First, Justice Folahanmi Oloyede is acting to character. She sued Oyinlola earlier on and if 0.00001 per cent of our educated elite emulate her, the country will move forward. The main issue, $2 billon loans and badly executed projects littering Osun State, is quite unfortunate. But what do we expect from half baked semi-literate man?

Cardinal Wolesky, Sinners Redemption Assembly, Abuja. +2348055567777.

Sir, “As and when due,” is the preferred usage, not “as at when due.” Your article on Aregbesola refers.

Aminu, Minna. +23548037042295.

Sir, Re- ‘El-Rufa’i, PMB and our oil misfortune’ in Daily Trust, July 22, 2015. From my perspective you have said it all. The problem with our political elite and some others in the

HARDBALL

N

EWS coming from the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja further confirms that the former ruling party is bleeding externally and internally.

Two months after the party parted with power, having lost the presidential election, it is still writhing around as a result of the wounds of external conquest aggravated by internal injuries.

Workers at the PDP base are in a foul mood, following an official notification by its National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo, threatening their bread and butter. Their reaction to information that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) is planning a 50 per cent downsizing of the secretariat personnel and a related 50 per cent pay cut has further exposed the PDP to public ridicule.

It was an embarrassing and humiliating

A question of bread and butter lesson for the party as the PDP Staff Welfare Association staged a protest at the secretariat on July 31. The workers threatened to prompt investigation of the NWC members by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

In an exchange of gunfire, things were said that were perhaps better left unsaid. A statement issued by an aide to the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said: “We are aware that anti-PDP forces have easily found a handful of disgruntled PDP staff as willing tools to attack Chief Metuh with a view to bringing him to public odium, distract him and deny our party a credible voice to propagate its

positions.” More specifically, the statement said: “This is not unexpected given the role of the National Publicity Secretary in the rebuilding of our great party and how uncomfortable the ruling APC has been for his outspokenness.”

The desperate effort to drag the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) into PDP’s internal crisis failed to credibly address the central issues in the conflict. According to a statement by the workers’ association Chairman, Ngozi Eze, and the Secretary, Dan Ochu-Baiye, “indeed, labelling the staff of the PDP could be a veiled attempt to justify the huge sum of N70 million which Metuh collected in July in the name of fighting the APC in the media.” Among other things, the workers accused Metuh of squandering “a

upper middle class is lack of discipline and respect for rules and laws.

Mixed-economy is safe and flexible. Government must retain a reasonable capacity to produce. El-Rufa’i’s diagnosis is faultless. But the remedy is essentially capitalist dogma.

Recent turmoil and US government bailout of a major private bank contrasts with the stability of China’s controlled capitalism.

Ambassador Kabiru Ahmed, +2348033908695.

Sir, I refer to the famous New Nigerian editorial published on June 29 l974, titled “Oil Money Honey or Poison” you mentioned in your column of July 22. The comments in it came to pass a long time ago. Nevertheless, Buhari government must work on the monumental plan it suggested.

Emmanuel Olaniyan, +2348034683555.

Sir, With respect to our oil misfortune, the oil boom of the past is becoming an oil doom, given that crude oil has made us crude, very crude.

Eghosa +2348033593310.

Sir, It seems you know nil about El-Rufai. He is an opportunist, kara-da-kiyashi-daukar-marassani. He possibly, more than any single person, helped Obasanjo to enrich himself.

When he is asked where are the over N500b from BPE (Bureau of Public Enterprise) sale of government companies and over N500b from sale of government properties as FCT minister, his response is people should ask Obasanjo.

Moreover, why not make public his asset declaration? That is the dilemma. He should go quietly and enjoy his ill-gotten riches while he can and stop deceiving people. He is certainly no messiah.

S. I. Sodangi, +2348034515166.

Sir, I read your thought-provoking article and it is like the previous ones you wrote on privatisation years ago. The points you raised were similar to the issues discussed by Naomi Klein in her book, “Shock Doctrine”.

Let’s remind ourselves what El-Rufa’i said in his book, “Accidental Public Servant”, about the suspicion by OBJ (President Olusegun Obasanjo) of his Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, on the privatisation exercise which El-Rufa’i headed then. It is safe to say that Nigeria began privatisation at a time inappropriate, considering the level of corruption and impunity which largely made most of the public companies comatose. Did Nigeria care to know the where-abouts of the officials who by commission, omission or design made the companies inefficient?

This is what apologists of privatisation fail or refuse to understand. To them, our public companies must be sold by whatever means necessary. This is the misfortune of Nigeria!

Kawu Bala,

kabaaz@gmail.com

•For comments, send SMS to 08059100107

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above whooping sum of N450m media fund” and demanded that the NWC members should account for over N12billion realised from the sale of nomination forms ahead of the general elections held this year.

The implication of the workers’ point of view is that the planned staff reduction and pay cut are unjustifiable. They must be wondering: With so much bread, why should the NWC members conceive a move that would definitely endanger the workers’ capacity to put food on the table?

It is noteworthy that the workers described the NWC as “morally repugnant and obsessively corrupt.” Word of advice from the workers: “We wish to therefore advise him and the NWC to respond to gritty issues raised in our press briefing without which the fortunes of the party will continue to dwindle.” The problem is: A word may not be enough for the unwise.

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025,Oshodi, Lagos. Telephone: Switch Board: 08034505516.

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