December 15, 2014 by The Nation

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Primaries: Mark must go, angry PDP senators vow ‘We weren’t protected in battle for tickets’

FTER its rancorous primaries, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems set for another major crisis. The party’s senators and some of their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts who lost return tickets have decided to revolt against the Senate leadership. Many PDP lawmakers are said to be angry with the Senator David Markled leadership for not doing enough to protect them against their party’s leadership in the run-up to the

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja

December 8 primaries. Besides, shortly before the Senate adjourned plenary two weeks ago, some lawmakers had started compiling impeachable offences against President Goodluck Jonathan. The plot then, which was championed mainly by the opposition senators, was to table the president’s alleged impeachable offences as soon as the chamber resumes plenary tomorrow. In a major shift, it was gathered that the aggrieved sena-

SOME OF THE PDP SENATORS WHO WON’T RETURN •Nkechi Nwaogu Abia •Uche Chukwumerije Abia •Aloysius Etok A/Ibom •Ita Enang A/Ibom •Helen Esuene A/Ibom •Heineken Lokpobiri Bayelsa •Clever Ikisikpo Bayelsa •Emma AguariavwodoDelta •Odion Ugbesia Edo •Boluwaji Kunlere Ondo tors, with some PDP senators now joining their ranks, have decided to kick-start the removal of the Senate leadership - starting with Mark. A senator, who is privy to the plot, told our correspondent in Abuja that “the plan has changed.”

•Bassey Otu •Victor Ndoma-Egba •Chris Anyanwu •Nenadi Usman •Chris Nwankwo •Paulinus Nwagu

C/River C/River Imo Kaduna Ebonyi Ebonyi

GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES •Ifeanyi Okowa Delta •Simeon Ajibola Kwara •Benedict Ayade C/River

He added: “We never expected the party to treat us this way. We stood by the party when there was turbulence occasioned by the emergence of the New PDP. “There was a plot then to impeach the same leadership but we stepped in and

stopped it with our sheer number. In fact, we used our personal contacts to talk to the organisers and they backed down. We prevailed on them not to rock the boat, moreso as the Seventh Senate had just a few months to go.

How to defeat Boko Haram, by Kano emir From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

MIR of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II is optimistic that the Boko Haram insurgency, which has claimed some 13,000 lives, will soon be over. “I say help is on the way. Terror must and will be defeated,” the emir tweeted, adding: ”All it requires is the good leaders, uncommon courage and unrelenting determination, and victory will be

Continued on page 4

Oil workers begin strike •Fuel scarcity looms By Akinola Ajibade and Clarice Azuatalam (Port Harcourt)

HE oil sector is set for a major disruption from today as senior and junior workers go on strike. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSSAN) declared a strike because of the failure of the Federal Government to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), among others. The National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers Union (NUPENG) begins a strike in the Port Harcourt zone also today. The implication of the strike is that petrol will be scarce across the country. Other reasons given for the PENGASSAN strike, according to its spokesman Babatunde Oke, are: •The delay in carrying out the TurnAround Maintenance of the refineries; •global crude oil prices slump; •non -implementation of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act to reflect Nigerians in management positions and expatriWILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS ate quota law; and KIDNAPPED ON •appalling state of access APRIL 15 EVER

? RETURN?

Continued on page 4

•The gas explosion site in Akure, the Ondo State capital...at the weekend.

Ondo to probe Akure gas explosion

•SEE P AGE 8 PA

•SPORTS P23 •JOBS P35 •CEO P37 •MOTORING P39 •POLITICS P45 •FOREIGN P58

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS

Heartache

•Divisional Head, EBanking, UBA Plc, Dr. Yinka Adedeji, presenting an award to Co-Founder of SunCulture, Kenya, Samir Ibrahim, winner of The Future Africa Awards Prize in Agriculture, at the Future Awards ceremony in Lagos

Barely a year after, agony and pains have replaced the excitement and optimism that greeted the power sector privatisation. Rather than enjoy improved electricity supply, consumers are screaming blue murder. No thanks to high tariffs and erratic supply, reports CHIKODI OKEREOCHA

•From left: Marketing Manager, Olam Sanyo Foods Limited, Mrs. Bola Adeniji; Regional Sales Manager, South west Nigeria, Olam Sanyo Foods Limited, Mr. Rakesh Kumar; winner of N50 000 in the Cherie Noodles Naira Hunt Promo Promo, Rachael Ighouwemerehor; Head, Consumer Protection Council, Lagos, Tam Tamunokonbia; and Chief Executive Officer, Olam Sanyo Foods Limited, Siddharth Suri at the Cherie Noodles Naira Hunt Promo Prize presentation at Ikotun Market, Lagos PHOTO: NIYI ADENIRAN

• From left: Marketing Manager, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Peter Adegor, Deputy Chairman, Institute for Government Research Leadership Technology (IGRL), Prof. John Ndanusa Akanya, Managing Director, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kojo Nunoo and Sales Director, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited, Mr. Sam Osafo, receiving award conferred on Alomo Bitters as the medical berbal drink of the Year by IGRL in Abuja.

• Vice-Chancellor , Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Prof Adebiyi Daramola (second left) , Deputy ViceChancellor, Development, Prof Tolulope Akinbogun, Deputy Vice-Chancellor , Academic , Prof Adedayo Fasakin (right) and Registrar, Dr. Modupe Ajayi (left) during the Interdenominational Service commemorating the 25th and 26th Convocation ceremonies of the institution at the Chapel of Faith...yesterday.

UNDAY Effiong, a barbing salon operator, wore a long face when The Nation met him, last week in his salon, on Awolowo Road, Ikeja, Lagos mainland. “We were happy when we learnt that assets of the now defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) had been handed over to private investors. Our hopes were raised. We thought we were in for better days, but in the last one year, we have not seen any significant improvement in electricity supply,” he said, adding: “We used to have eight to 10 hours of electricity daily, but now we have about four hours, if we are lucky.” He said electricity supply in his area has not improved since the privatisation of PHCN and subsequent handover of its assets to new managers in November, last year. Effiong’s worry is not the fact that his hope of improved electricity supply to boost his business has been dashed. Rather, what is pushing his anger to a boiling point is the outrageous electricity bills he is being forced to pay despite the huge cost of running his business on generator. To his surprise, the bill he got for last month showed that his service charge increased by 100 per cent from N750 to N1, 500. He said if not for his generating set, his business would have collapsed. While the use of a generating set may have kept Effiong’s business running, at least for now, the cost of such back up power necessary to mitigate the impact of frequent outages is certainly huge for a smallscale operator like him. Apart from the rising cost of generators, cost of diesel and maintenance of the power back-up exert significant pressure on the profitability of small-scale business operators like him. The situation has forced many of them to close shop even as sellers of generators smile to the banks. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently came up with a report indicating that Nigerians spend an estimated $13 billion annually to fuel generators. Expectedly, manufacturers, industrialists, and small business operators who find suc-

•A power plant

cour in generators are the worst-hit. In Lagos, which houses over 17 million people, for instance, generators are common. Several brands and sizes of generators are competing for patronage. In offices, market stalls, homes, shops, and kiosks, generators are the in thing.

No respite for corporate bodies Although, small-scale operators are more heavily affected, as they are unable to finance the cost of back-up power, large-scale manufacturers are not better of by the erratic electricity supply. For instance, the Production Manager of Fan Milk Nigeria Plc, Mr. Linus Oyena, disclosed that his company spends more than 40 per cent of its production cost on diesel. He noted that poor electricity supply affects the level of production, sales and supply, which forces many companies in Nigeria to fold up. Oyena said: “When power goes off, materials, manpower, time and so many things are wasted. At the end of the day, you discover that you are not making profit.” Chairman, Electronics and Electrical Sectoral Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Reginald Odiah, gave a graphic account of the toll irregular power supply is taking on his members. According to him, members of MAN, on the average, spend about N2 billion per week on generation of their own power. This, he told The Nation, translates to over N73 billion annually or N365 billion in five years. He said such outrageous cost is proof that the inefficiency of the energy sector is a major setback to private investment, and, by extension, a hindrance to the overall economic growth and national development. Mr. Odiah, who doubles as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bennett Industries Limited, disclosed that although, members of MAN require about 3, 000 Megawatts (MW) of electricity for optimal performance, less than 1, 000 MW gets to the Association. Yet,

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS

e for electricity consumers

•-Elumelu

members of MAN, he said, pay electricity bills amounting to over N120 million monthly. For instance, he recalled that power supply dipped by 450 MW in December 2013 from the peak generation of 4,517MW, where most parts of the country experienced massive fluctuation. The truth is that at present, most manufacturing firms run in-house power plants full-time at production, for fear of unannounced power outages and surges from the utility companies, which often damage machines, tools, raw materials, besides man-hour losses and disruption of production processes. The Nation learnt that power alone takes up between 35 per cent and 40 per cent of the production cost. Over 75 per cent of the electricity needs of manufacturers are said to be generated in-house, leaving only about 25 per cent coming from the utility firms. What this means is that manufacturers must factor in the element of in-house plant from the start. At the 5th edition of the manufacturers consultative forum, which recently held in Lagos, Odiah disclosed that, “for small and medium size manufacturers, 25 per cent of their investment cost goes into provision of in-house power plant, while for the large manufacturers, it is about 15 per cent. These are costs that do not need to be if electricity supply is steady and guaranteed.” He said as a result of this and other infrastructural deficiencies, it is hardly surprising why Nigeria is perhaps, the most expensive country to do business in the world. The cost of manufacturing in the country is said to be about nine times that of China; four times that of South Africa and about two times that of Ghana. Because of rising energy cost, most manufacturing firms have had to contend with falling profit margin, which remains a major threat to business sustainability. Although, some multinationals and other conglomerates in the manufacturing sector may have the resilience to cope, the situation remains a nightmare for most SMSEs. Some of them, who could not stand

•Mrs. Allison-Madueke

FACTS AND FIGURES

$25b CBN’s indebtedness to gas suppliers.

40,600 The amount of megawatts generated by South Africa

N213b

10,000

The amount of the power sector intervention fund

The megawatts targetted under the power reform by the end of the first quarter of this year.

N2b

2,954

The amount MAN members spend on generators weekly

The megawatts being generated now by the GENCOs

‘

When power goes off, waste materials, manpower, time and so many things are wasted. At the end of the day, you discover that you are not making profit

‘

the heat have since disappeared from the industrial landscape or forced to relocate to other countries, such as Ghana and South Africa where there is steady electricity supply. South Africa, for instance, has been generating far above 40,000 MW for a population of about 50 million people in 2010 when Nigeria, a country of over 170 million, launched its power sector road map. South Africa has since gone a notch higher, adding a little over 600 MW to the existing 40, 000MW. Ghana also recently celebrated a decade of uninterrupted power supply. Curiously, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, following the rebasing of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP),

still struggles to achieve 5,000MW.

Wither the core investors? The unbundling of PHCN into 18 successor companies, establishment of appropriate tariff regime and gas pricing, to encourage private investors and subsequent handover of the power assets to private investors in November, last year, are interventions expected to set the stage for a major transformation in the sector. Ordinarily, such intervention ought to have guaranteed uninterrupted power supply to the manufacturing sector and other users. However, a year down the line, there has been no significant improvement has been recorded. Rather than improve, supply has

dropped abysmally to as much as 50 per cent in most parts of the country. Not a few Nigerians, including industrial and private consumers say that there has not been any difference between the defunct PHCN and private sector-driven power sector. Power supply, they say, has dropped below what it was when under government management. The country’s peak grid generation stands at between 3, 000 and 3,849 MW, down from about 4, 000 MW when the power assets were unbundled and given new managers. Yet, under the power reform agenda, the target was to attain 10, 000 MW capacity by the end of the first quarter of this year. With the expected capacities to

be harnessed from the Independent Power Projects (IPPs) of state governments, private investors and oil companies, the combined power supply is billed to rise above 14, 000 MW by next year. Under the power reform agenda, Nigeria set a generation capacity target of 40, 000 MW by 2020. Already in the last quarter of the year, the country is not anyhere close to achieving the target for first quarter. And there are no signs that this would happen any time soon. Instead of heaving sighs of relief, consumers are being forced to pay more following an upward review of tariff without commensurate supply, a situation most members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and Nigerians are not finding funny. For instance, while noting that the power sector privatisation is yet to make the desired impact on the manufacturing sector, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Remi Bello, described poor electricity supply as the sector’s major headache. He lamented that the profit margin of manufacturing firms are still adversely affected due to rising energy cost, which remains a major threat to business sustainability. He noted that the stagnation of most SMEs remains the woes of the economy, as production is critical to economic and social stability. The National Vice-President of the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, Chief Duro Kuteyi, agrees with him. He noting that the burden of inadequate supply can best be imagined, as it has forced many operators to close shop.. Kuteyi said the SME sector can only grow if small scale industrialists are exempted from fixed electricity charges. He decried the impact of the high electricity charge of N186, 000 compared to actual usage of about N50, 000 and called for a proper billing system where industrialists are made to pay for what they use.

Continued on page 56

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS Police: Tambuwal must apply for protection

• Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu (fifth right) cutting the cake during the reception in honour of the Iyalode of Lagos Chief (Mrs) Bintu-Fatima Tinubu (fourth left), to mark her investiture...yesterday. With them are: (from left) Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; Alhaji Ayinla Olowu, National Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Mama Oye of the Day, Chief (Mrs) Liala Vivian Fowler, Justice George Adesola Oguntade; Lagos State APC Governorship candidate Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and Chairman, Eleganza Group of Companies, Alhaji Razak Akanni Okoya

Continued from page 1

said, is that “we do not want the Senate Presidency to leave the North Central”. In a similar development, the lawmakers have vowed to back Speaker Aminu Tambuwal to retain his seat. “Last week’s court pronouncement that PDP governors don’t have to lose their seats because they moved to a new party will be fully applied here...”, said another source. Although the Senate resumes plenary tmorrow, the aggrieved lawmakers have not put a timeline to their

plan to remove Mark. Also, the senators did not confirm whether the plot against Jonathan was still on the front burner or whether it would be tabled in the chamber this week. Senator Alkali Jajere told reporters two weeks ago that the Preident’s impeachment plan will be unveiled on return of plenary. Mark’s Media Adviser, Kola Ologbondiyan, dismissed the alleged plot to remove his boss. “There’s no such plot,” he said. Almost half of the 73 PDP

senators lost their bid to return to the Senate. The majority of the APC Senators picked their tickets to stage a comeback. Although some of the PDP Senators have gone to court to challenge the conduct of the primary elections in their states, others have vowed to vent their anger on the Senate leadership. In Akwa Ibom State, for instance, two PDP Senators - Ita Enang and Aloysius Etok lost their bid to return to the Senate. Senator Hellen Esuene Continued on page 57

APC: choice of Buhari’s deputy ’ll be democratic

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday assured Nigerians that the choice of its presidential running mate will be made within the context of the best democratic ideals. The APC last week picked its presidential candidate in a generally acknowledge primary. In a statement yesterday by

its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party urged Nigerians to ignore the widespread and misleading reports in the traditional and social media about the choice of the APC presidential running mate, saying the party had yet to even meet let alone pick a running mate. It described the reports that

a running mate had been picked to run with the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as unnecessarily sensational, downright speculative and totally misleading. ‘’We are using this opportunity to tell Nigerians to pray for us as we seek to pick a running mate for our presidential candidate. This is because this

choice is not just for us but for all of Nigeria,’’ the APC said. The party said everyone of the candidates who have been speculated as a running mate to Gen. Buhari is unquestionably competent to be a vice president or even president, adding, however, that no choice had been made. ‘’We are glad with the feedContinued on page 57

Continued on page 57

Good leadership ‘ll defeat Boko Haram, says Kano emir

Primaries: Mark must go, angry PDP senators vow “We thought the party would take note of what we did and also note our loyalty and reward us. Rather, we were not even protected in these primaries. Can you imagine the party leaving us at the mercy of governors?” The senators, it was learnt, are considering either Minority Leader George Akume or Committee on Environment and Ecology Chairman Bukola Saraki as replacements for Mark. The reason to go for either Akume or Saraki, one of them

HE police said yesterday that House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal must apply for protection as a governorship aspirant if he desires to be protected. Tambuwal will still not enjoy any police protection as speaker since his guards were withdrawn following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Federal High Court judge sitting in Abuja had ruled that the status quo ante bellum must be maintained in the matter. But the police still did not restore the speaker’s security. Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba declared when he appeared before the House Committee on Police

•Emir Sanusi Continued from page 1

ours. “We will together see the end of them and their reign of terror.” Last month, the emir voiced support for vigilantes fighting Boko Haram in the volatile Northeast, urging others to form civilian militias. He questioned the competence of the military to end the fiveyear-old insurgency. On November 28, a week

after the comments, gunmen with explosives attacked the mosque near the Kano emir’s palace during Friday prayers and killed at least 120 people. No fewer than 270 were injured. The emir, who was out of the country at the time, returned to lead prayers at the site the following day. Also yesterday, President Goodluck Jonathan promised that his administration will win the war on terror, despite what he described as efforts by some individuals to sabotage efforts to combat Boko Haram. Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati dismissed the criticism of the president’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency as politically-motivated. He said opponents of the president were taking undue advantage of the country’s Continued on page 57

Fuel scarcity looms nationwide as oil workers begin strike Continued from page 1

roads to refineries and oil depots. Others are: insecurity, casualisation and other anti-labour practices. The strike, the union said, would ensure that the government evolves new strategies to combat pipeline vandalism; crude oil theft and other problems affecting the sector. The statement said: “The strike will affect all operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, as members will be withdrawn from all oil and gas installations. “It will not be suspended until there is a strong commitment from the government and affected managements/ operators to resolve the issues. “The NUPENG and PENGASSAN frown at the unfair practices, such as transfer and termination of appointment of national officers of the two unions. ‘’ The statement said the two bodies would continue to fight for their rights, noting that they had warned the government against failure to address the problems. It urged the government to

put in place strategies to stop pipeline vandalisation and crude oil theft, convene an industry stakeholders’ forum on PIB status and falling crude oil prices and address the ongoing high rate divestment in the industry and its attendant job losses. NUPENG National President Comrade Achese Igwe told reporters in Port Harcourt yesterday that the strike was to protest the sacking of the Port Harcourt National Zonal Secretary of NUPENG, Mrs Elo, by the management of Total Exploration and Production (TEPNG). Igwe spoke to reporters at the end of the NUPENG Thanksgiving Service at the All Saint’s Anglican Church, Okochiri, Okrika, Rivers State. He said Elo’s sacking was in bad faith. Said he: “That because she was elected at the Port Harcourt zone, you want to transfer her to the Lagos zone. But the answer is no; she was elected in Port Harcourt zone, you cannot transfer her to Lagos. That is the political office of the workers. The workers elected her; she is representing the workers,

not representing you as an institution or you as a management.” “They said they are ready to pack out of this country and we want to help them to pack out of the country. If they do, there are millions of investors out there who also want to invest in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.” On why the strike is coming now when many Nigerians would be travelling, Igwe explained that the intention was not to inflict hardship on the people. “That is why we have decided to fashion out a way so that Nigerians would not feel the impact. We are not declaring a nationwide strike. The zone where she came from would be shutting down on Monday until the issue is resolved and she is reinstated. Without that, no going back.” Workers have also planned to picket TEPNG offices in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos. While these actions are going on, tanker drivers have been instructed to put green leaves on their vehicles while oil and gas workers would be wearing red bands “as a sen-

sitisation means of embarking on a nationwide strike.” The states under Port Harcourt zone are: Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi and Abia The NUPENG chief is dissatisfied with the Federal Government’s decision to re-allocate oil blocks from next year. He urged the government to pass the PIB “so that due process would be followed and necessary taxation paid into the Nigerian economy”; otherwise, it would amount to a fraudulent process Also yesterday, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said it would demand for wages increase for workers in the new year, following the devaluation of the naira by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The National President of the Congress, Alhaji Bobboi Kaigama, broke the news at the end of the Congress’ National Executive Council Meeting in in Lagos. Kaigama said a pay rise had become necessary because the current devaluation had started impacting negatively on Nigerian workers. He added that “the issue of

wage is a dynamic thing. In stabilised economies, wages are directly proportional to the inflation trend of that country. “So, it is expected that following the devaluation of the naira and its resultant rise in inflation, salaries of workers should automatically be increased too. “But in this country, even after devaluation of the currency, there will not be any increase in workers’ salary and that is bad. “The moment devaluation is put in place the prices of goods and services surge, there should be a proportional increase in workers’ pay.’’ He said “if devaluation persists, the Congress will have no option but to enter the New Year with a demand for increase in workers’ pay.’’ The TUC boss added that the fall in crude oil price in the international market should be translated into a fall in the price of refined products in the country. Kaigama explained that the price of petrol should be brought down to N50 per litre. “If the government says that the price of crude oil has fallen in the global market, it

means that the price of products will also fall in the country. “If truly we are working with the dynamics of market principles, we expect that the price of products should drop. “We want N50 per litre for petrol,’’ he said. The Congress’ boss also said the delay in the passage of the PIB would push unions and Nigerians to the wall for a corresponding action. The TUC also advised the Federal Government to address the grievances of oil workers to avert the strike. This plea was contained in the communiqué issued at the end of the NEC meeting. It was jointly signed by the TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama, and General Secretary, Musa Lawal. NUPENG and PENGASSAN had issued a notice to begin an indefinite strike today. The communiqué said the strike would cripple the econoContinued on page 57

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THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS

Shettima seeks fund for late editors’ families

ORNO State Governor Kashim Shettima has urged the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to set up an endowment fund to provide financial and other support for families of late editors. The governor, who made the appeal at the weekend at an interactive session with editors and senior broadcast journalists in Lagos, donated N10 million to launch the fund. Shettima was in Lagos for the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention, which ended on Thursday. His appeal to the editors, according to him, was based on his experience with the family of a late editor, who was his friend years before he assumed office as governor in 2011. Shettima urged his audience to allow him conceal the

identity of the deceased editor as a mark of respect for his memory. His words: “That my friend was an editor of a newspaper in one part of this country. We were close while I was in the banking sector. He worked with extraordinary devotion to duties. He was always passionate about work. He took his newspaper as an only child; very protective and very competitive and promotional before he retired and died. “In one of my visits to his family some years ago while I was a commissioner before I became a governor, I was shocked to see that some of his children had dropped out of school because his widow couldn’t afford the private secondary schools the children were attending. “She had to sacrifice the future of two of the kids for their elders; so the younger ones

•Governor donates N10m had to drop out of school for the two seniors to remain in school.” He added: “That friend of mine was the bread winner of his extended family. He lived in a rented house somewhere in Nigeria. His newspaper paid his entitlements as it should. But we all know that such couldn’t have gone anywhere, given what we all know about the salary structure of the Nigerian media industry and even the civil service generally, except for some government corporate establishments. “So, I became very disturbed when I learnt that my friend’s children were out of school. Funny enough, I was a commissioner for Education. So, we adopted the education of the children, paying the

fees. As God would have it, the eldest of the children passed WAEC with seven distinctions, including Mathematics and English. So, I reached out to a commissioner of Education in one state because the young man wasn’t from Borno. And luckily, the then commissioner of Education was a very good man and we were close too. He assisted and that my friend’s son secured a university, graduated and completed his youth service last year and we have gotten him a job in the bank, where I know best as a former banker.” On what warranted his narrative, Shettima said: “The reason I gave this story, which I have never told anyone before now, is to offer a suggestion to the Nigerian Guild of Editors and thank God, my

very good brother and friend, NGE President, Femi Adesina, will get my suggestion and all of you that make up the Guild. “You see, the editor is an unsung hero; he is the masquerade, he is the fixer, the panel beater of whatever the reporter files. Yet, the reporter gets all the credit and the editor bears the risk, if the reporter happens to get his or her facts wrong. Some editors are known only when they pen columns. But most often, the reporters are those known; hence they are with the most goodwill. “This is why most times, those appointed by governors to take charge of media management are those who report and then out of your magnanimity, you editors also support your reporters and help them succeed as media managers.” He then suggested that the

•Shettima

Guild should come up with a welfare programme for editors, who had passed on. “Nobody wants to die; we all don’t. But the fact is that, death is a sad change of event that is permanent in our existence as mortals,” Shettima said. He made a donation of N10 million for the take-off of the fund.

Power supply drops to 2,954.51MW

NCAT to acquire training aircraft

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

HE Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) would soon acquire new fleet of training aircraft, the Aviation Minister, Chief Osita Chidoka, has said. Chidoka, who spoke at the college’s 50th anniversary, said the institution must continue to live up to expectations. He said: “Government is at the verge of awarding contract to re-fleet the training aircraft.” Chidoka said the purchase of B737 simulator for the college was a testimony to President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation of aviation. Nigeria, the minister, would rely on NCAT’s ability for the training of the needed manpower for the aviation sector. Chidoka said the zero-tolerance for accident in the sector would be achieved through the training and retraining of aviation workers. He said the next 50 years of the college would be glorious, adding that it had just started with the celebrations. The Rector of NCAT, Capt. Samuel Caulcrick, said the college had impacted on the landscape of aviation development. Caulcrick noted that NCAT graduates had always held their own in air safety and high level competence worldwide. The college, he added, was offering aviation a significant change that it could be proud of and a leadership that could be trusted. Caulcrick said interim accreditation, pending the amendment of the colleges enabling acts, had been granted by the National Board for Technical Education for National Diploma and Higher National Diploma. He said NCAT was in dire need of upgrades for effectiveness, adding that most of the administrative buildings and residential quarters required attention. The rector mentioned challenges facing the college to include subsidise and fiscal allocations from the Federation Account, adding that the continued operation of the college was subject to good economic health.

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

HE energy sent out by the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) has dropped to 2,954.51 megawatts (MW). The Federal Ministry of Power stated this on its website at the weekend, in the record of power generation and transmission in the market as at December 11. There was no disclosure of what the market actually delivered to electricity consumers from the electricity distribution companies. But it was certain that what got to the customers would be less than 2,954.51 megawatts, following weak and insufficient transformers and other obsolete equipment at the distribution end. Of the 3,271.12MW that the electricity generation companies produced on December 11, the transmission company only evacuated 2,954.51MW, leaving 64.01MW stranded. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) responsible for transmitting power to the distribution companies was said to possess the capacity for 6,000MW. According to the statistics, power generation reduced from 3,271.21MW on December 2 to 3,018.52MW on December 11. This was an indication that power generation dipped within nine days by 252.69MW. The statistics also showed that the peak power generation that was 3,554.60MW on December 2 dropped to 3,385.9MW on December 11. Peak energy demand forecast for the market, according to the statistics, is 12,800MW.

•From left: Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives Gbolahan Lawal receiving an award from President, Ultimate Circle of Nigeria Adelaja Adeleye and Seye Akinde, at the 2014 Ultimate Night in Lagos...at the weekend. PHOTO: BIODUN ADEYEWA

Obasanjo, group urge support for entrepreneurs

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo and a group, Entrepreneurs’ Organisation of Nigeria (EON), have called on the Federal Government to give more support to entrepreneurs to transform the economy. They spoke at this year’s edition of Leadership Insight and Experiences Seminar at the Green Legacy Resort, Abeokuta, Ogun State, which ended at the weekend. The call came against the background of declining oil prices, murky economic outlook and perceived policy inadequacies on investments. Obasanjo, who was speaker at the seminar, attributed the nation’s economic plight to failure on the part of the leadership, adding that the three factors responsible for effective and responsible management of the economy or any worthy institution “is leadership, leadership and leadership”. He said: “We are witnessing a downturn in the economy now because the leadership has failed in its responsibility to deliver factors that will encourage entrepreneurship. “If leadership is not okay, followership will be wrong and as they say in the military parlance, there is no bad soldier, but bad officers. So, the leadership must work to ensure the economy is well-managed, that there is social cohesion, that the expectations

of the youths and business leaders are met while also pursuing policies, laws and regulations that ensure sustenance of any investment in the economy. He urged the entrepreneurs at the seminar not to be deterred by the myriad of challenges facing businesses, especially in Nigeria, but to always see the abundant opportunities waiting to be explored. the Education Chair of the entrepreneurs’ organisation, Lere Baale, said entrepreneurs, as calculated risk takers, need the support of government to provide an enabling environment conducive to encourage risk and ventures. “Political leaders drive economic direction through policies, laws and regulations that encourage investment and it is the responsibility of the leadership and government to provide this all important platform for economic growth and transformation,” Baale, who is the chief executive officer (CEO), Business School Netherlands, explained. He added that the EON, as the only peer-to-peer network of entrepreneurs in the country, was determined to inspire entrepreneurship through programmes developed to provide the tools and resources business leaders needed to sustain themselves, especially with the nation’s harsh economic reality.

Foreign airlines canvass MMIA’s cargo apron’s expansion

OREIGN airlines operating into Nigeria have canvassed expansion of the cargo apron at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. The airlines were worried that the limited size of the cargo apron was affecting their operations into the country, as its capacity did not match the scale of operations. President of Association of Foreign Airlines Representatives in Nigeria (AFARN), Mr. Kingsley Nwokoma, has said

By Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

the expansion of the cargo apron was long overdue after decades of its construction. Nwokoma spoke at the weekend at this year’s AFARN’s safety summit. He said the expansion would generate more revenue for the government, especially at this period of dwindling oil prices. He said one of the achievements recorded in aviation industry this year was the construction of the modern warehouse by Skyways Aviation Handling

Company Limited (SAHCOL). Such a project, Nwokoma added, would add value to the industry and engender healthy competition. Nwokoma noted: “With safety in our hands, we must prioritise it, practice it and promote it.” He noted that the aviation could only recover fully when stakeholders in the sector put safety related issues on the front burner. Nwokoma praised the Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka,

for setting up committee to look into aeronautical and non-aeronautical charges, which AFARN has made representation on. The Director, Port Health Services, Lagos, Dr. Alex Okoh, in her contribution, appealed to air travellers to always cooperate with health officials at international airports during screening process against diseases such as Ebola Virus. Okoh noted that with the high volume of passengers this season, caution must be taken

to avoid another outbreak of any dreaded disease. She explained that safety in the industry was also in focus at the event with the theme: Aviation Safety Management in Nigeria: Evolution or Revolution? According to Okoh, though Nigeria has been certified Ebola-free by the World Health Organisation (WHO), there might still be the risk of any outbreak due to the large movement of people through the nation’s ports of entries.

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS Stallion Groups brings Volkswagen back to Nigeria

LOBAL automobile manufacturer, Volkswagen Group, and regional conglomerate, Stallion Group, have inked a deal to establish a vehicle assembly plant in Nigeria. The agreement marked the historic return of the German car maker after more than 20 years of their departure, following the collapse of their joint venture with the Federal Government. The collapse led to the closure of Volkswagen manufacturing facility in Lagos and the subsequent sale of government shares to the Stallion Group. In line with the new Auto Policy announced by the Federal Government in October 2013, the collaboration between the Volkswagen Group and Stallion will result in local assembly of Volkswagen brands in Nigeria. The Volkswagen Group with its headquarters in

Wolfsburg, Germany is one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. It operates 107 production plants in 19 European countries and an additional eight countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. The Volkswagen Group sells its vehicles in 153 countries. Stallion Group is already the exclusive distributor for several brands of the Volkswagen Group, including Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, and Porsche. It is a multinational conglomerate with a 45-year history operating in Nigeria and in 18 countries and is engaged in diversified industries. Stallion’s Chairman Sunil Vaswani, who spoke on the development, said: “This is a proud moment for Stallion in partnering with a world-leading global brand like Volkswagen. “Stallion is fully committed to achieving its objectives in es-

•From left: Utermarck; Director Strategy/new Projects Group Manufacturing Overseas Lutz Englisch, ; Vaswani and Spindler of International Logistics, Volkswagen, at the signing of the agreement.

tablishing assembly operations in Nigeria, and expanding into other aspects of the automotive industry value chain”. Vaswani reaffirmed his commitment to working with the Federal Government to create

jobs and attract more foreign investments to grow the economy. The Executive Director of Sales, CIS, Middle East and Africa at Volkswagen, Dr. Jan Utermarck, said: “Volkswagen is on a constant global search for mar-

ket and sales potential. Nigeria is the largest automotive market in the Sub-Saharan region; hence, we appreciate the fact that we have found a professional partner in Stallion to launch a local vehicle assembly in Lagos

Andreas

starting in 2015.” Stallion will assemble the Jetta, Volkswagen CC, and Amarok models during the initial phase, followed by the Passat, Tiguan and other models in subsequent phases.

Nigeria’s trade drops by 5.4 in third quarter, says NBS report

HE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said the country recorded a decline of about 5.4 per cent in the total value of trade in the third quarter of this year, as a result of fall in the value of import and export. In the third quarter trade report released yesterday in Abuja, the bureau said the total value of merchandise trade during the period under review stood at N6,299.7 billion. It added that this figure indicates a decline of N359.6 billion over the value of N6,659.4 billion recorded in the previous quarter. The Bureau noted that the decrease was a result of fall in

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

It, however, said the total trade grew by N641.6 billion or 11.3 per cent relative to the N5,658.2 billion recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2013. The year to date total merchandise trade amounted to N18,474.1 billion. While classifying import by Standard International Trade Classification and Country of Origin, the 15 paged report said: “Nigeria’s imports amounted to a value of N1,820.3 billion in third quarter of 2014, representing a decrease of N157.0 billion or 7.9 per cent over the N1,977.2 recorded in the previous quarter. “In comparison with the

the value of exports and imports in the third quarter relative to the second quarter. According to the report, while exports declined by N202.7 billion or 4.3 per cent to N4,479.5 billion, imports declined by N157.0 billion or 7.9 per cent to N1,820.3 billion, leaving the balance of trade standing at N2,659.2 billion. The report said further that the value of crude oil exports stood at N2,931.0 billion, constituting 65.4 per cent of the export total, while the noncrude oil export value of N1,548.5 billion made up the remaining 34.6 per cent.

N2,0948 billion of imports recorded in third quarter of 2013, the 2014 value revealed a decrease of N264.5billion or 12.7 per cent. The year to date total imports amounted to a value of N5,343.0 billion, a marginal increase of N13.2 billion or 0.2 per cent from levels recorded in the corresponding period in 2013. “Classified by SITC, the quarter-on-quarter decrease in the value of imports was primarily driven by a fall in the value of mineral fuel imports of N100.1billion or 27.2 per cent from the N368.6 billion recorded in Q2 of 2013 to N268.4 recorded in quarter three.

I ’ll floor Ajibola in Kwara, says Ahmed

WARA State Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed has argued that the emergence of Senator Simeon Ajibola as the governorship candidate of the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not a challenge for his re-election bid. The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, said: “I don’t see him as a threat. Indeed in the last election, I was part of the team who pleaded with the people of Kwara South to re-elect him into the Senate.” Ahmed promised to continue to upscale his programmes since the people were ready to make their choice in good governance, development,

‘

peace and youth empowerment as he had demonstrated in the last three years. He said the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, would end corruption and insecurity in Nigeria, if elected next year. He said the emergence of Buhari was a reflection and confidence of Nigerians that

‘

the former head of state has capacity to tackle the nation’s corruption and insecurity. The statement added that the retired general had the antecedents Nigerians could look back to, adding that he had done it before and would do it again. He said the conduct of APC presidential primaries saw democracy and sportsmanship in action, emphasizing

•Ahmed

that it was a reflection of what Nigerians should be looking forward to from next year. He urged other political parties to learn from APC’s inclusiveness, sportsmanship and allowing one man, one vote concept to be their watchwords in any democratic selective process.

CBN to issue new N100 banknote on Friday

HE commemorative N100 banknote unveiled recently by the President Goodluck Jonathan is to be officially issued into circulation by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on Friday. The ceremony billed for the Abuja Branch of the CBN will be immediately followed by a simultaneous issuance of the currency across the branches of the bank. The commemorative note, which is embedded with fea-

By Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor), Chioma Onyia, Abuja and Collins Nweze

tures to assist the visually impaired recognise genuine notes, also has other security features easily identifiable through look, feel and tilt of the currency note. It will be recalled that the CBN Governor, at the unveiling of the new banknote, explained that the new note was designed with enhanced security to offer robust resistance against counterfeiting.

Authentication features of the note include window micro-optics, showing the national flag and numeral 100, indicating the value of the denomination and the attainment of the centenary period. The new design retains the portrait of Chief Obafemi Awolowo both in the ink, which is the inter-glow level, as a portrait and also in a paper as a shadow image. In addition, there is a spark feature of a rolling manila bar, which was the instrument of transaction during the slave

N185.9 billion or 10.2 per cent of the quarter three total respectively. “Analysis at the product level showed that motor spirit recorded the greatest value of imports, contributing N227.8 billion or 12.5 per cent of the total imports for Q3, 2014. “Third quarter imports classified by Broad Economic Category showed that industrial supplies accounted for the greatest value of imports, at N510.2 billion or 28.0 per cent of total imports, followed by capital goods at N378.9billion or 20.8 per cent of the total, and food and beverages at N323.8 billion or 17.8 per cent of the total”.

SON okays Dangote’s products

I don’t see him as a threat. Indeed in the last election, I was part of the team who pleaded with the people of Kwara South to re-elect him into the Senate.” From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

“However, significant declines were also recorded in machinery and transport equipment, declining by N44.2 billion or 6.8 per cent to a value of N606.4 billion in quarter three and chemicals and related products, which declined by N39.5billion or 14.6 per cent to an export value of N231.8 billion in Quarter Three. “Classified by section, boilers, machineryandappliancesaccounted for the largest share of imports with a value of N426.8 billion or 23.4 per cent of the quarter three total. Sections of mineral products and vehicles and aircraft and parts ranked second and third with N278.4billion or 15.3 per cent of the total and

trade era. At the back side of the currency is the introduced Quick Response Code (QRC), a digital communication feature that highlights and sources all the information about the centenary. With the QRC application, the barcode on the banknote can be scanned by users to read a brief history of Nigeria. According to the bank, the commemorative note will circulate alongside the existing N 100 note.

THE Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has approved the quality, environmental and safety measures put in place by the Dangote Cement and some business units under the Dangote Group. It has, therefore, certified business units for quality management, occupational, health and safety as well as environmental management system. A statement by the Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Devakumar Edwin, indicated that Dangote Cement plants in Gboko, Ibese and Obajana have all been certified for ISO 9001, Quality management system, ISO 14001, Environmental Management system and BS OHSAS 18001, Occupational Health and Safety Management system. Edwin gave the names of other units, which have been certified by SON as Agrosacks Nigeria Limited, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Dangote Salt (NASCON), Dangote Flour Mills Plc and Dangote Pasta Limited. The Dangote Cement boss explained that the Dangote Group subsidiaries have always been compliant to all regulations as a law abiding corporate citizen and take the issue of environment very seriously.

Groups drum up support for Clark’s wife

HE senatorial ambition of Dr. Mrs. Abisola Sodipo-Clark received a boost over the weekend in Abeokuta, Ogun State following endorsements she received from two nongovernmental organisations. They were women advocacy group, Women for Change Vanguard (WCV) and a media pressure group, Gateway Media Front (GMF). Mrs. Sodipo-Clark picked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for Ogun Central. The two groups described her as an “epitome of virtue”. The National Coordinator of Women for Change Vanguard, Mrs. Florence Ogunbowale, stated that the chairperson of the board of governors of the National Ear Centre, Kaduna, “deserves not just the ticket of the PDP, but the votes of residents of Ogun Central because she has a sterling profile of achievements. She is also a caring mother and loves her people passionately”. Also during a visit to the PDP candidate ,who is wife of Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, state Chairman of Gateway Media Front, Prince Adetayo Ogundimu, enjoined the electorate to be wiser in their choice this time.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS Governor decries decay From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

KITI State Governor Ayo Fayose has deplored the infrastructural decay in his hometown of Afao-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, promising to provide social amenities to the community. He decried the activities of tipper owners and drivers engaged in illegal procurement of sand in and around the town, threatening to arrest them for destroying the major road linking the community with Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. The governor spoke at the Afao Day celebration, which featured a N250 million fundraising for developmental projects in the community. “It is shameful for the bush to overgrow the poultry farm in my community when we have able-bodied youths who can clear the bush. If I come again and it remains the same, I will not come to Afao again in the next six months,” the governor said. He pledged to give the community a modern palace and expressed his readiness to demolish a building in front of the palace. Fayose promised to compensate the owners of the building, saying “it is not appropriate to build a house to block the palace”.

APC to Fayose: you can’t criticise Obasanjo on behalf of Ekiti people

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has advised Governor Ayo Fayose and his aides criticising former President Olusegun Obasanjo not to turn the internal affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into state affairs. In a statement yesterday by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party said the governor and his aides were only speaking in their individual capacities or at best on behalf of their party. The government, last week, said Obasanjo should be jailed for alleged contempt of court for the launch and circulation of his latest autobiography, My Watch, over which a PDP chieftain Buruji Kashamu had gone to court. The party maintained that Fayose and his aides were not qualified to speak on behalf of

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

Ekiti people “in a clearly political squabble by PDP gladiators”. Joining issues with the government on the author of the statement attacking Obasanjo, the APC said Owoseni Ajayi, who signed the statement was not known to law as the attorney-general as “he was not screened and confirmed by a properly constituted House of Assembly”. The party contended that Ajayi remained a commissioner-nominee until he is legally screened and confirmed by the Assembly in line with the dictates of the Standing Order of the House and the Constitution. The statement reads: “If we agree without conceding that he is an attorney-general, he

is at best a busy body in the matter between Obasanjo and Buruji Kashamu concerning the launching of his book. “What is the business of a state government in a matter between Obasanjo and Kashamu that warranted issuing a statement on behalf of the entire citizens of a state? “The Ekiti APC dissociates the good people of Ekiti State from the statement by Ajayi calling for the imprisonment of Obasanjo for alleged contempt of court. “A bed-wetter does not haggle with a dry cleaner. If anybody will criticise anyone for disobedience of court orders, it is not Ajayi who is a product of illegality and his principal a promoter of lawlessness. “It is an interesting irony that the people who represent an assault on the rule of law

should be the ones accusing others of contempt of court. We respect elders in Ekiti. What Ajayi wrote of Obasanjo is not our collective view and we condemn it in strong terms. “The matter between Obasanjo and Kashamu, which is still pending at the Appeal Court, is better left to the judiciary to handle. “Ajayi and his principal cannot turn themselves to the interpreter of the law even though they are known to have an aversion for the rule of law. “Fayose should face the myriad of court cases on his neck. He should stop being a busy-body but face serious issues of governance, pay workers’ salaries and stop dabbling into matters that cannot bring development to Ekiti State.”

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

POPULAR brothel in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, Angle 90, has been razed. There were no reported cases of deaths in the fire that razed parts of the two-storey building. It was gathered that the fire started from one of the rooms. An eye witness, Olalekan Olayinka, said the damage would have been huge but for the intervention of the officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. An officer of the NSCDC in Olorunda Local Government Area, Rauf Olayiwola, said the incident might have been caused by an electric spark in one of the rooms which later spread to other rooms in the brothel.

Ajimobi’s wife fetes 2,000 kids From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

‘Emulate Adeboye on PVCs’ HURCH leaders have been urged to emu late the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who urged his church members to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). The Director of Social Security Outfit of the Lagos Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Pastor Olajide Afolabi, made the appeal yesterday. Adeboye instructed that the voter cards be brought to church so they could be prayed upon. Afolabi, in a statement, said church leaders should encourage their members to participate in the electioneering process. “It is the only way they could carry out the desired change in the next political dispensation,” the Lagos PFN director said. He said Nigerians, who were desirous of change should ensure they get their voter cards, irrespective of the artificial bottleneck created by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The PFN director observed that many people have been discouraged from collecting their voter cards because of the stress they go through to get it. “If people want change, they should not look at the circumstances and the situations, but should be prepared to ensure that the change they so crave for becomes a reality.”

Fire razes brothel in Osogbo

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (second left) presenting a plaque to National President, Nigerian Association of Auctioneers (NAA), Aliyu Kiliya. With them are Deputy Governor Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Head of Service Olayinka Owoeye (third left) and former Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties Ajibola Basiru at the Governor’s investiture as NAA Patron at the Government House, Osogbo...yesterday.

Amosun, David-West hail APC primary

GUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has praised the maturity and statesmanship of aspirants and delegates at the presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Wakama, the governor congratulated the winner, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, on his victory, and the APC for conducting a free, fair and credible primary. He described Buhari’s election as timely and well deserved, adding that his eventual election next year would restore investor con-

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

fidence in Nigeria and end insurgency in the nation. “With his experience and track record, I strongly believe that when elected next year, Buhari would tackle insurgency and restore investor confidence in our economy. “I also hail the statesmanship of other aspirants and the maturity they displayed at the primary. I enjoin all Nigerians to vote for the APC next year. The quantum of development across APC states and the peaceful conduct of the presidential primary are clear demonstration that the

party is not only committed to democratic ideals but also passionate about fulfilling its electoral promises.” Former Minister of Petroleum Resources Prof Tam David-West also hailed the APC primary as the best election in Nigerian history. David-West, who spoke to our correspondent in Ibadan yesterday, said the APC primary brought two paradigm shifts to the country. By the primary, he said Nigerians had shown that no amount of money could buy their conscience, adding that they showed that in The don said the development was good for democracy in Nigeria.

The former minister identified the second shift as “confirming acknowledgment of honesty”. He described Buhari’s emergence as victory for Nigeria, stressing that the country’s resources would be better managed, if he wins the presidential election. The don said: “The APC primary is the best election ever conducted in Nigeria. It was better than the June 12, 1993 election, which was adjudged to be the best in the nation’s history. It was so transparent and well organised. It was the very best we have witnessed in this country.”

IFE of the Oyo State Governor

Mrs. Abiola Ajimobi hosted 2,000 children yesterday at the Government House arcade. The children were selected from the 33 local government areas. Mrs Ajimob said the get together was organised to give children a sense of belonging and make them feel happy during the Yuletide season. “I join our Christian compatriots and all other Nigerians in giving thanks to God whose grace and benevolence has helped our nation to overcome the many challenges it has had since we celebrated Christmas last year. “The annual commemoration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is a most auspicious time for us, as individuals and as a nation, to rededicate ourselves to the virtues and ideals which the Messiah preached and exemplified during his earthly ministry. “Let us all therefore resolve this Christmas to make the ideals of peace, harmony, tolerance, love and goodwill to all even more manifest in our interactions with others,” she said.

I left PDP due to lack of justice, says Alao-Akala

ORMER Oyo State Governor and the Labour Party governorship candidate Adebayo Alao-Akala has said he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of lack of internal democracy and justice. He said his new party would win next year’s election. Alao-Akala said this when he received the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) governorship form at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja at the weekend. Speaking to reporters, Alao-

•‘ LP will form next govt in Oyo’ From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

Akala said: “I wanted justice and fairness and I did not get them from there that is why I decided to go to where I think they will recognise me. I know that in everything we do, we must be fair to one other; basically that is why I left.” On why he wants to go back to the Government House, he said: “I did not leave anything behind but I

just felt service is still needed and that is the only way I can contribute to better people’s lives. “I have done it before and if I did it wrongly I won’t have thought of coming back because I am aware of what I did to make people happy so I want to put smiles back on their faces. “My priority is how we can manage the economy and make life more abundant to the people,” he said. The LP has explained why it

accepted the former governor to run for governorship on its platform, saying the exgovernor has agreed to implement its worker-friendly policies and programmes, if elected. The party, defending its choice, said in a statement by the National Secretary, Kayode Ajulo, that there was nothing strange in fielding Alao-Akala , adding that his administration carried along workers during his first term. “It is just a matter of water eventually finding its level.

The issues must be put in correct perspective. It is not enough to limit ourselves to mere tooth picking analysis or fixated social media opinion. “The former governor worked his way rigorously and painstakingly up the ladder. He was endorsed by all those who matter in the party after a thorough check on his renewed commitment to the cause of the common man. He indeed had the support of other aspirants who acknowledged his worth and surrendered everything to him,”he said.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS 13 perm secs bow out in Lagos By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

HIRTEEN permanent secretaries have retired from the Lagos State Civil Service. They retired between January 23rd and December 8. Twelve retired statutorily after attaining the mandatory 60 years or spending 35 years in service; Mr. Hassan Mohammed (office of Auditor General, Local Governments) retired voluntarily. They include Dr. Femi Olugbile (Ministry of Health); Mrs. Olatunji Rafait Olurunilayo (Health Service Commission); Dr. Awonuga Abiola Olawunmi (office of Sports); Mrs. Ojosipe-Ogundimu Jokotola (Civil Service Commissio); Obajimi Ayobade Baiyeselu (Education District IV); Dr. Onanuga Olufemi Oludayo, (Special Services) and Akapo Samuel Oyetola (Liaison Office, Abuja). Others are Mrs. Akiyode Risikat Titilayo (Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation), Agoro Olatunde Idowu (Rural Development); Mrs. Ajayi Yetunde Oluwatoyin (Physical Planning); Odujoko Frederick Ademola (Cabinet Office) and Balogun Ahmid Okanla (Health Service Commission). Speaking at a ‘Pens Down’ ceremony at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Governor Babatunde Fashola assured that his administration will pay what he described as “Federal Government-imposed pension liabilities of 142 percent”. He said the outstanding liabilities have been captured in the state’s 2015 budget. Fashola, who was represented by Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, assured that the government would substantially reduce the bottlenecks often encountered by retirees in accessing their pension benefits. The governor said a similar celebration be extended to every retiring civil/public servant, irrespective of their grade level or status, which will be christened “Last Day In Office’ celebration.

FRC to probe Skye, Heritage accounts

HE Financial Reporting Council (FRC) of Nigeria will probe this year’s annual accounts of lenders involved in the purchase of Mainstreet Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited, the Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Jim Obazee has said. The FRC boss, who spoke a three-day press retreat in Lagos, said the investigation is to determine the transaction trend and how they were accounted for in the new owners’ books. “We will wait for them to bring their financial statements for 2014. The financial statement should be able to show what happened in the course of those transactions. We want to examine the books of the banks involved

By Collins Nweze

in the recent acquisition of bridge banks. We want to know if it was the case of a weaker bank buying a stronger bank or a reversed acquisition. We want to determine whether it was a reversed acquisition and see how they accounted for it in their books,” he said. Skye Bank Plc paid about N120 billion to acquire Mainstreet Bank while HBCL Investment Services Limited (HISL), sponsored by Heritage Banking Company Limited, paid about N56.1 billion for Enterprise Bank Limited. The FRC boss said the onus was on the buyers to report the transactions correctly in their books, else, their financial statements will be withdrawn, until they report correctly. He

also said the Council has a ‘whole lots of action’ it can take on them. Obazee who spoke on the theme: ‘Financial Reporting Regulation: Issues and Challenges’ said it was the duty of regulators to be more responsive and protect the interest of shareholders in the bridged banks. “I want regulators of the financial services sector to be more responsive and protect minority shareholders,” he said. Obazee said the FRC was created to address institutional weaknesses in regulation, compliance and enforcement of standards, and development of arrangements for monitoring and enforcing standards in the financial services sector.

The implementation of FRC Act, he added, is expected to lead to increased management credibility, more long term investments and improved access to new capital. The Council, he said, was also created to protect investors and other stakeholders’ interests. He said the regulators of the financial services sector are expected to protect minority shareholders’ interests. The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) had in 2011 acquired the Mainstreet Bank, Enterprise Bank and Keystone Bank after the intervention by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Keystone Bank is expected to be sold by February to a new investor.

Ashiru for burial Dec 23 By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

HE Simeon Adeyemi Ashiru Dynasty of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, has announced the funeral rites of their son, the late Amb. Olugbenga A. Ashiru. Ashiru, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, died on November 29. He was 66. According to the Chairman, Ashiru Dynasty, Prof Oladapo Ashiru, the late Ambassador to North Korea and South Africa, will be buried on December 23 after a funeral service at Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square. Guests will be entertained at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos. There will be a service of songs at All Souls Anglican Church, Kayode Animashaun Road, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, on December 21 by 5pm. A wake will hold at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, on December 22 by 5 pm.

‘Don’t recount my votes’ From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Ile Oluji Okeigbo/ Odigbo federal constituency, Festus Ayodele, appealed yesterday to the party leadership not to recount the votes which produced him as the candidate. Ayodele contested the APC primary with Mrs. Yejide Ogundipe, Emmanuel Adedeji and Pius Akingba. He polled 191 votes to win the primary; his closest rival, Mrs Ogundipe, scored 189 votes. Ayodele said Mrs. Ogundipe called to congratulate him and the party secretariat sent him a message to come for his certificate of return. He said he was surprised when he received a call from the secretariat that there was a petition challenging his victory. The candidate said the secretariat indicated that the votes will be recounted. “The primary election in my constituency was peaceful, free and fair and the votes were counted in the presence of security men, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and agents of aspirants “After the sorting, the votes were counte. My score was 191, Pius Akingba scored 38 , the third person, Adedeji Emmanuelgot 100 votes, the last person, Yejide Ogundipe scored 189. “I received a petition from Mrs. Ogundipe that the votes were not properly counted. I want the secretariat to uphold my victory as it is, and I cannot agree to recounting after eight days of election” Ayodele said. But Mrs Ogundipe said her agent complained that the votes were not properly counted. “My agent said he was not satisfied with the counting, some of my votes were voided and the ones voided for my opponent was counted for him, so it just has to be recounted, that’s all.”

Mimiko visits explosion scene

NDO State Governor Olusegun Mimiko has said a committee would be set up to investigate the gas explosion on Arakale Road in Akure, the state capital. The governor, who said no life was lost, said the committee will determine the compensation due to the victims. He said the gas outlet responsible for the inferno was not approved for business. The explosion, caused by a leakage at a gas retail outlet, led to destruction of 11 houses and eight people injured. Mimiko read out a letter of rejection of approval for citing the retail outlet at the location and handed over same to residents. The governor assured that all illegal filling stations in residential areas and other hazardous locations would be pulled down. Mimiko visited the Truama Centre in Ondo where some of the victims were receiving treatment and promised that government will pay their bills.

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun flanked by Senior Special Assistant to the President on National School Agricultural Programme (NSAP), Dr. Baraka Sani (left) and Commissioner for Agriculture Mrs Ronke Sokefun when Dr Sani visited the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta.

Congress suspends ASUU-LASU excos

HE GENERAL congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos State University (LASU) chapter, has suspended the Adekunle Idris-led executive after extensive deliberations. The Congress listed lack of focus and poor leadership style as some of the reasons for the action. Consequently, an interim executive, led by Asokere Ayodele, has been put in place, pending when a constituted executive for the union is elected. The congress also directed that a five-man investigative panel be constituted to probe the activities of the suspended ASUU-LASU executives. The decision of the congress was announced to reporters by Asokere, who was joined by Afobuno Sunday and Rasaq Adewale Olowu at the Ojo Main Campus at the weekend. They said the union’s

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro and Medinat Kanabe

emergency congress held last Thursday was attended by 150 people. According to Asokere, the congress was well-attended compared to the records of the past attendance. The interim chairman said the notice of the exco’s suspension was communicated to the various groups affected by the decision, including ASUU Lagos, ASUU National, LASU management and the suspended executives. The interim chairman said: “At a well-attended congress meeting of the union, we reviewed the events unfolding within the union in the last 21 months under the regime of the Adekunle Idris-led exco. “After extensive deliberations, it was decided that since the Idris-led exco has lost focus and displayed gross incapability to hold the union together, leading to its balkanisation, the exco is hereby suspended.

“An investigative panel comprising of eminent scholars is hereby constituted to probe the Idris-led exco and report back to the congress within 14 days. Reporters and the public are hereby notified of the suspension. “Finally, an interim exco led by my humble self has been put in place to steer the ship of our union, until a properly constituted exco is put in place.” Asokere defended the suspension, saying members are tired of Idris’ leadership style and lack of unity in the union. But Prof Idris said his “suspension” was “orcehestrated” by the ViceChancellor, Prof John Obafunwa. “He is using the people to create problems in the system. Everything we fight for is for the benefit of the university. “I want to make it clear to the world that ASUU-LASU is going through a form of cleansing. “Over time, there have

been instances when leaders use their position to penetrate the university management to get what they want but the exco is saying it won’t happen again. “The bad days in LASU are numbered, we don’t even recognise the VC because he has not managed the university well,” he noted. “Those people who are parading themselves as the new ASUU members are in fact among the 21 suspended members of ASUU-LASU except Dr Olowu. T “heir suspension has been ratified by the national body so as it stands they cannot address anyone as members of ASUU. They can start another union if they want. “I don’t know how it is possible for 17 suspended members to suspend us because it was only 17 people who attended the congress when we have about 720 members; they only took register round the university to get more signatures ,” he said.

Lagos APC blasts PDP on SURE-P

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has said the allegation that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Olabode George used armed thugs in SUREP vehicle to rig the Lagos PDP governorship primary has proved SURE-P’s role in Lagos. The party said the alle-

gation further confirmed the APC’s position that SURE-P is being used by the PDP to recruit thugs in Lagos under the guise of Federal Task Force. In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, the party said it was obvious that the so-called Federal Task Force is a ruse with which the PDP is recruiting

and arming hoodlums. “We are happy that a group within the PDP is confirming this position, which calls for full investigation and action by law enforcement agents. “We recall that a group within Lagos PDP called Action Support for Democracy led by Johnson MosesWhenu alleged that on the

day of the primary, Bode George came in with some armed thugs in a SURE-P vehicle. “We see this as a dangerous confirmation of our fears that the PDP is recruiting hoodlums and thugs disguised as Federal Task Force and are being armed to become hit men for PDP in next year’s general election.

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS

Udenwa gets knocks for criticising Okorocha

MO State former Governor Achike Udenwa has been slammed for discrediting the achievements of the Governor Rochas Okorocha administration at an interview he granted a national newspaper. In the interview published last Saturday, he dismissed the government’s free education programme as a ruse and alleged that Imo people “are poorer today under the Okorocha administration.” But the governor, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, accused Udenwa of lying about the achievements of the Okorocha administration in less than four years. The statement said: “The Imo State government has read with concern a two-page interview the two- term exgovernor of the state, Chief Achike Udenwa, granted Saturday Sun. At the end, it was obvious that the former governor was on a blackmail trip against the Rescue Mission Administration with Governor Okorocha occupying the driver’s seat.

•Ex-governor accused of blackmail From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

“In the interview, the exgovernor laboured in vain to discredit the achievements of the Okorocha administration, including its free education, massive infrastructural development and alleged that Imo people are poorer under the Rescue Mission Administration.” It went on: “It is disturbing when leaders like Chief Udenwa, who people look up to for direction, distorts facts for political reasons. “The administration regards Udenwa as a statesman of Imo extraction, having governed the state for eight years and having also been a minister. We would have loved him to enjoy the respect associated with the status of a statesman by ensuring that whatever comes out of his mouth can hardly be faulted. “The government does not take delight in responding to comments by illustrious

sons and daughters of the state because it belongs to all of us. But we take exception to lies against this administration.” Okorocha insisted that the former governor should have told his audience why he thought the free education programme was not working. “The free education from primary to the tertiary level is working. The recipients and their parents are happy about it. Chief Udenwa should have told his audience why he thought the programme is not working so that we can take him up. But to make a blanket comment that there is no free education in the state is worrisome. “Throughout the eight years of his administration, no school was renovated, but today most of the old schools have been transformed. Three hundred and five upstairs school buildings have been built in the 305 wards. The subvention of Imo State

University under Chief Udenwa was less than N50million, but today government gives the university N257million as subvention. “Imo State Polytechnic is also a success story under the administration. Let him visit the teaching hospital in Orlu, his home town, which he could not give life, and see what it has become. “He talked about Imo people becoming poorer today. How? He did not say. He would have substantiated his claim. Adapalm could not pay salary for the eight years he was governor. Today, Adapalm has become productive. The shoe industry and Avutu poultry were never talked about during his time. But today they are flourishing. Which community did he empower? “How many Imo people did his government employ? How much did he pay workers and how regularly? How many pensioners did he pay? These are the areas he never touched. But today the

Okorocha administration has touched all of them. “The former governor should have been happy that all he could not do and all that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government for 12 years could not do, the Okorocha administration has done in less than four years. The last time the exgovernor came home was when President Goodluck Jonathan received him and three others back to the PDP. “Chief Udenwa is liked in the state because of his humility and peaceful disposition, but engaging in the unpopular trade of trying to run down a government the indigenes have acknowledged is doing well, calls for concern. “Okorocha has dualised the Orlu/Akokwa Road, and the former governor is one of the beneficiaries because it passes through his town. There is nothing wrong if one’s successor is doing better than one. It is not a crime. “When this happens, the predecessor should be patriotic to praise his successor for doing well.”

Nwobodo’s son for burial tomorrow From Chris Oji, Enugu

THE remains of the son of the former governor of the old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Ifeanyichukwu, will be buried tomorrow. The body, it was learnt, will arrive from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, where it was reportedly taken by the deceased’s younger siblings. The funeral was fixed for December 5, but it ended in a controversy. The remains, according to a source, will be buried at the St. Mathews Anglican Church, Amechi Awkunanaw, at the instance of the Anglican Church bishops of Enugu. The former governor built the church for the community in the 70s.

‘How to deepen democracy’

BSERVANCE and adherence to the rule of law, independent and selfaccounting judiciary, separation of powers and free and fair election are some of the criteria listed by the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezulike, for deepening democratic process. He spoke at the justconcluded Law Week of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Awka branch. Umezulike, the longest serving chief judge in the South, in his paper, titled: “Deepening Nigeria Democratic ExperienceThe Imperative and Modalities for Party to Party Transition”, decried the “colonisation” of the judiciary by the executive, especially at the state level.

•From left: Prof. Austin Isamah, the bride’s father, Dr. Nneka Tolulope Jimoh, Dr. Olanrewaju Yusuf Jimoh and Dr. Adebayo Jimoh, the groom’s father, at the wedding of Nneka and Olanrewaju in Philadephia, USA.

Mining licence: Court summons minister

FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has ordered the minister of Mines and Steel Development, a firm, Jidech Mining Company Nigeria Ltd and three others to appear before it on Wednesday. This is in relation to a suit about a dispute on a mining lease agreement at a site in Agbaja, Ebonyi State. Eze-Chuks Standard Link Ltd, which instituted the suit, is challenging the purported sale of the mining site covered by a mining lease certificate held by it, to a third party, Greenex Resources Ltd. The defendants are Jidech Mining Company Nig. Ltd, its Managing Director, Elder E. N. Ezedebego, Greenex Resources, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and the minister of Mines and Steel Development. Eze-Chuks Standard Link Ltd said in its statement of claim filed by its lawyer,

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

Prof. Yemi AkinseyeGeorge (SAN), that it entered into a mining Sublease Agreement (SLA) with Jidech Mining Company Nig. Ltd in 2011 to operate and mine solid minerals on the site at Mkpuma/ Akpatakpa village, Agbaja community in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, covered by the Mining Lease: ML 2280. The plaintiff added that in pursuance of Clause 2(vi) of the SLA, the first defendant (Jidech) on December 8, 2012 sold its mining rights and interests over the site to it (the plaintiff) for N30million. It showed a receipt issued to it by Jidech. The plaintiff said it was surprised to learn in 2013, after spending huge funds to develop the site to a profitable state and settlement of debts and financial commitments made to institutions

and the host community by Jidech that Ezedebego and his company (Jidech) purportedly sold the site to a third party, Greenex, in violation of the provisions of the SLA of 2011, which allowed it (the plaintiff) the first right of purchase. Eze-Chuks is praying the court to void the purported sale of the site to Greenex, declare that it (Eze-Chuks) is entitled to purchase the site, restrain the defendants from giving effect to the purported sale or in the alternative, order the defendants to pay it (the plaintiff) about N2billion being the money it has spent in developing the site, other expenses and special and general damages. The plaintiff also seeks a perpetual injunction restraining the third defendant (Greenex Resources) and its agents from mining or carrying out any miningrelated activities on the mining site.

Last week, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, after hearing Prof. Akinseye-George, moved an ex-parte application for interim injunctions, ordered the defendants to appear in court on December 17 to “show why the interim orders of injunction sought by the plaintiff vide the motion ex-parte filed on December 5 should not be made by the court.” The judge also directed that originating processes in the suit, including the plaintiff’s pending motion for order of interlocutory injunction and the motion ex-parte for interim injunctions, should be served on the defendants. Justice Mohammed, who relied on the provision of Order 26, Rules 10 and 13 of the Federal High Court (Civil procedure) Rules 2009 in making the orders, said hearing notices be issued the defendants, who are expected to appear on December 17.

Suit against dredging contract for hearing today By Joseph Jibueze

N ACTIVIST, Mr Sam Nmeje, has prayed the Federal High Court in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, to declare as illegal the contract awarded for the capital dredging of the Calabar channel. He said the contract process breached Section 16 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, and is therefore unlawful. President Goodluck Jonathan, Attorney-General of the Federation, Minister of Transport, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and Calabar Channel Management Limited (CCML) are the respondents. The plaintiff said BPP allegedly cancelled a bidding process midway in 2010 “without stating any reasons for doing so”. He said another bidding process was held, and CCML, which allegedly was not in existence in 2010, bidded for and won the contract. “I know as a fact that the six defendant (CCML) lacks the necessary capacity and experience to execute contracts of such magnitude and economic importance to the Federation of Nigeria. “It was incorporated solely for the purpose of unlawfully procuring the Capital Dredging of the Calabar Channel, as is apparent from its objects in its memorandum and articles of association,” the plaintiff said. The plaintiff sought an order of injunction restraining the defendants from releasing any funds to the contractor for the project’s execution. He also sought to prohibit the Calabar Channel Management Limited from mobilising workers to the site, carrying out any work or executing the “unlawfully procured contract”. Nmeja is also seeking an order of mandatory injunction directing NPA to immediately revoke the contract award to CCML for allegedly being procured contrary to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007. The suit, before Justice Obilo Emmanuel, will be heard today.

Buhari visits Atiku

HE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gen. Muhammadu Buhari yesterday visited former VicePresident Atiku Abubakar. The meeting at Atiku’s Abuja residence is believed to be part of moves by Gen. Buhari to rally all leaders behind him. It might also have discussed on the choice of running mate for Gen Buhari. According to PREMIUM TIMES, another APC leader Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and Alhaji Lawal Shuaibu, Deputy National Chairman (North), visited Atiku. Atiku had in his concession speech, after losing the primary, pledged to hand over his policy document to Gen. Buhari for possible review and implementation.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS PDP can’t fix Nigeria’s problems, says Oshiomhole

Gunmen kill man, 65, in Edo

EVEN gunmen on Saturday night at Ugbowo, Benin, the Edo State capital, killed a 65-year old community head, Mr John Asemota, and three children. The late Asemota was the Odionwere (clan head) of Power Line community at Ugbowo. The hoodlums were said to have invaded his home at 9.30pm and shot him in the head and back. The deceased’s son, Mr

•Three children shot From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

Osemudiamen Asemota, who narrated the incident to reporters, said three of his father’s tenants were also shot. He said while his father died at the spot, his tenants were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) where they are re-

ceiving treatment. Osemudiamen said the incident was reported at the Ogbowo Divisional Police headquarters. The police promptly arrived at the scene. He said: “It was the police that took my father’s body to the mortuary while they rushed those shot to the hospital for treatment.”

Osemudiamen ruled out the possibility of a robbery. The deceased’s son alleged that his father was killed over community matters. The Ugbowo Divisional Police headquarters confirmed the incident but refused to comment on it. A police officer at the headquarters, who spoke in confidence, told our reporter that the matter would be handled appropriately.

Activists urge legislature to probe Tompolo’s arms’ deal

GROUP of activists under the aegis of the Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged (CENTREP), has urged the National Assembly to investigate the alleged purchase of six battleships by former Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo). CENTREP’s Executive Director Oghenejabor Ikimi said the group’s attention was drawn to the report by a Norwegian newspaper, Dagbladet, that Tompolo, in 2012, bought six decommissioned Norwegian battleships. “According to the report, among the above purchases were six fast speed Hauk class guided missile boats, now rearmed with new weaponry. We call on the National Assembly to investigate the

•‘It’s threat to national security’ From Shola O’Neil, Port Harcourt and Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

above claim of re-arming of the decommissioned boats for the sake of national security and peace,” Ikimi said. Ikimi noted that the Norwegian battleships were specially built for and commissioned by the Norwegian Navy between 1977 and 1982 to check smuggling in its difficult coastal terrain but were decommissioned and deactivated in 1992. The decommissioned battleships were bought by Global West Vessel Service (GWVS), a private security allegedly owned by Tompolo through a United Kingdom firm, CAS

Global, to beat Norwegian regulations and restriction on such sensitive deals. The GWVS was awarded a multi-billion naira security contract by the Federal Government through Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for security platforms for Navy. The deal drew the ire of prominent Nigerians, including the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which faulted the award of a national security contract to a former militant. In a statement yesterday in Warri, Delta State, the group said CENTREP was concerned about the rearming of the boats, which he said was

criminal. Recalling Tompolo’s activities and the implications of yielding matters of national security to individuals or companies not part of the nation’s security, Ikimi said urgent step should be taken in the interest of national security. He said: “While we concede that the fast moving decommissioned and deactivated battleships may have been sold as patrol boats to CAS Global before selling same to Tompolo and his firm to check piracy, as warships are not sold to individuals in the international market, we, however, take very serious exceptions to the re-arming claims of the patrol boats as criminal. We call on the National Assembly to immediately carry out an inquest into the claim in the interest of national security and peace.”

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

•Oshiomhole

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said the People Democratic Party (PDP) has shown crass incompetence to “fix Nigeria’s problems” nearly 16 years in power at the centre. The governor urged Nigerians to vote for “change”. Addressing reporters at the weekend in Auchi after attending the 22nd convocation ceremony and the 50th anniversary of the Auchi Polytechnic, Oshiomhole noted the PDP should leave the stage and do a soul searching to know why, after 16 years in power, “they have not fixed power, they have not fixed education, they have not fixed the Health sector, they have not fixed the roads”. The governor said the PDP had dashed the hopes of the youth, adding that it has also polluted the political atmo-

Umana seeks end to impunity, poverty in Akwa Ibom

HE Akwa Ibom State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Umana Okon Umana, yesterday said the culture of impunity and poverty the people were experiencing under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in the state will stop with the coming of APC. Umana noted that with the daily influx of new members from PDP into the APC, the progressive party had overtaken PDP’s erstwhile dominance in the state. The APC candidate said the party had become the biggest and strongest party in the state. Umana, a former Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government (SSG), also criticise Governor Godswill Akpabio for running the state like a

•Umana, waving to supporters on arrival at the Ibom International Airport, Uyo... yesterday. From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

family enterprise. He addressed reporters at his home in Uyo, the state caoital, as APC governorship candidate. Umana said APC would contest all elective positions with a focus to winning them. The governorship candidate urged the electorate in the state collect their Permanent Voter

Cards (PVCs), adding that this would be their weapon to ensure the desired change the state was yearning for. He congratulated Gen. Muhammadum Buhari for emerging the party’s presidential candidate. Umana said the people needed his wealth of experience to make Nigeria great. He said: “For those of us in the

APC, the time for change has come. We believe that we must end the culture of impunity that we are witnessing today in Akwa Ibom. The fact that government is run as a family enterprise means we must put an end to poverty. We must put an end to the very unfortunate situation where the people of Akwa Ibom State can no longer be respected by the rest of Nigerians.

PHOTO: KAZEEM IBRAHYM

“The fate of over 5 million people of Akwa Ibom State cannot be left in the hands of one man. We will not accept a situation where one man carries on as if it is his right to appoint who should be the governor of Akwa Ibom State. That is why we believe that the people of Akwa Ibom State will give us the necessary support so that we can bring change to bear...”

sphere and weakened the foundation of the nation’s unity. He said: “They (PDP leaders) have re-partitioned the country along religious divide, along ethnic divide. They have played brothers against brothers, sisters against sisters. They are buffeting us with primordial sentiments in place of issues of development and the country is weaker today than it was before. “We need people who fought to keep Nigeria together to come back and re-fix what PDP has broken down. It is all about all of us today.” Oshiomhole said PDP’s mismanagement of the country had affected the Power sector, a sector he said was vital to the nation’s growth. He said: “Nigerians should vote for change. Even PDP needs a change. You can see: the internal contradiction within the PDP is like a weak fabric - the more you patch it, the more it gets torn. After 16 years, even the PDP will agree that it hasn’t delivered on the promises of democracy. “Look at the newspapers. They (PDP leaders) have issues today because the cost of production is going up, because of escalating cost of procuring diesel, because you are still not able to print with power, despite the reforms and deforms of the Power sector. “Look at the typical newspaper today: you don’t find product adverts. What you find are obituaries, birthdays, endless congratulatory messages for all kinds of trivial quote and unquote accomplishments. “The private sector is dead and this is why you are not getting adverts for products. You are not going to create jobs if you don’t revive the private sector. As you can see, even though between 1999 till date, the Oil sector has performed better than it was in the previous ten years. “Remember that during the regimes of (the late Head of State) Sani Abacha and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, oil price dropped to $10. So, Nigeria has never had it so good since democracy. It picked up to $140 around 2006 and even now that we are complaining, it is about $60 to $65. So relative to the past, it is still a god price. But like they say: no nation has enough to need the greed of leaders.”

Peterside: APC ‘ll give Rivers Ijaw governor

HE Rivers State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has assured the family of the late Senator Tari James Sekibo and the Okrika Divisional Council of Chiefs that his party will achieve the late statesman’s vision of an Ijaw governor next year. Peterside spoke at the weekend in Okrika at the funeral of the late Sekibo, who was president of the Ijaw National Council (INC) and traditional chief of the famous Odo-Abaji War Canoe House of Okrika. The APC candidate described the exit of the Ijaw leader as a great loss, not only to the Ijaw but to the nation because of his ideas and philosophies.

•First Lady eulogises INC president Sekibo Peterside said: “This is why we must all come together, regardless of our political affiliations, to honour this great man of our time so that the ideas and philosophies he preached and pursued will not die. “Many of us still remember his days at the Senate. In fact, he was regarded as head of the intellectual wing of the Senate because of his contributions. He also gave sound ideas to our government and fought the Rivers cause. “As young Ijaw boys, we all looked up to him because of what he represented. So, we must sustain the Ijaw cause for liberation which he fought and

died for. Today, we the younger Ijaw are happy that all he preached is about to happen. Our quest for the governorship is at a touching distance and we must be grateful to him. “Sekibo believed that every part of Rivers State must aspire to the highest position. He did not believe in the politics of exclusion or intimidation. And like our departed leader, our party believes in justice and equity. That is why APC supports the Ijaw aspiration. “I know that (the late) Senator Sekibo will be proud to tell our forebears that he fought for an Ijaw governor in Rivers State and that even in death, the

people he left behind have realised that dream. So, when we accomplish his dream, we honour him in a very special way. This, I believe, should be our collective resolve. “Our leader was also passionate about the development of Okrika, his home town. We must, therefore, join hands in developing this great Ijaw town because Okrika has given so much, not just to Rivers State but to Nigeria.” Also, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has hailed the late Senator Tari Sekibo for his contributions to the Ijaw nation. The First Lady described him

as a selfless fighter for the Ijaw. Sekibo, 74, a former President of Ijaw National Congress (INC), died on November 18, last year. Mrs Jonathan spoke at funeral in honour of Sekibo at the St. Peter’s Cathedral (Anglican Communion) in Okrika, Rivers State. Sher said: “He lived a life of selfless service to the Ijaw nation and the country at large. He was very dependable. He did not succumb to financial inducement.” Mrs Jonathan noted that the late Sekibo was her inspiration and mentor. She said: “When you see me

championing the cause of the Okrika people, I am only following in his (Sekibo) footsteps. Indeed, he was a bridge builder, a disciplinarian and a peace maker. His death is a painful loss to the Ijaw nation. We cannot question God. “I pray that we will have someone like him again and may he rest in perfect peace.” Also, President Goodluck Jonathan, in a condolence letter, described the late Sekibo as a true patriot and committed Ijaw son. Jonathan said: “My heart especially goes out to his immediate family as well as his larger family of compatriots and fellow travellers in the quest for the entrenchment of harmony, equity and justice in our land.”

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Growing outlawry? •The BPE penchant to disobey court orders, for whatever reasons, must be curbed

HE report that the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) has handed over the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (Disco) to Northwest Power, despite an order of a Federal High Court, Abuja, that status quo ante be maintained, does not present the organization as a law abiding institution. Such conduct, if true, smacks of lawlessness, and we deprecate it. Regardless of the opinion of the BPE with respect to the merit of the case brought by the reserved bidder, Leda Consortium Limited against Northwest Power, the preferred bidder, what BPE should do, as an agency created by law, where it disagrees with a court order, is to approach the court to discharge the order made; not to diregard it. It is shocking that Benjamin Ezra Dikki, Director-General of BPE, reportedly claimed ignorance of the order of the court, even when the press reported that the agency was duly served; ordering that status quo be maintained, before the hand over ceremony took place. So who is telling lies: the DG who claimed ignorance or those who claimed to have served the agency? We hope the High Court will diligently pursue the alleged infraction against the order of court, in the interest of rule of law, which is the bedrock of any democratic enter-

prise. If indeed the order of the court was disregarded, then those responsible should be punished for contempt, to serve as deterrent to other potential lawless organs of government. We note that the BPE has elswhere allegedly been remiss with regards to the obedience of court orders, especialy when the order does not favour its preferred position. We are here referring to the alleged infraction of the order of the court, with regards to the dispute between the prefered bidder and the runner-up of the Enugu Disco. As in the present instance, there was a dispute between the winner and the runner-up, which necessitated a suit between the contending parties, before the court. Again it was reported that the BPE ignored an order made by the court as in the present case. For us, when there are pre-agreed terms for a bid, then it defeats the essence of such agreement, when the neutral agency is accused of aiding the faulty party. But regardless of the merit of the case, what is paramount for us is that when an order is made by a court, then it behoves on the parties before the court and any other concerned party, to strictly obey the orders, even when they disagree with it. To do otherwise, as has been alleged

against BPE, is a resort to self-help and a direct invitation to anarchy. So, if the court finds it appropriate in the circumstance of the reported case, it should make a positive order against the guilty party, nullifying the actions taken in defiance of the court order, to deter future re-occurence. We also expect that the Police will lend their constituional powers to enforce any order that the court may make, to right the disobedience of its order, or to punish those who may have disobeyed its earlier order. It should be noted by all and sundry that the constitution clearly empowers the court with judicial powers, which in section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, “shall extend to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any person in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligations of that person”.

‘If indeed the order of the court was disregarded, then those responsible should be punished for contempt’

Atrocious airports •Despite the hype, Nigeria’s major airports get low ratings

FTER several years of being told that Nigeria’s leading airports have benefitted from a rehabilitation programme that has made them clean and efficient, a survey of the world’s main airports has revealed that the top three in the country rank among Africa’s worst. Port Harcourt International Airport was the sixth worst airport in Africa, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja was seventh worst in Africa, and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos was tenth worst in Africa. The continent’s top three airports are O.R. Tambo International Airport, Cape Town International Airport, and King Shaka International Airport, all in South Africa. The survey was carried out by the online airport reviewers, The Guide to Sleeping in Airports; and based on the criteria of comfort, convenience, cleanliness and customer service. The rankings were determined by votes from visitors to the site, some of whom also sent in reviews detailing grossly inadequate facilities, surly or non-existent service, ridicu-

‘It is clear that the Nigerian airports singled out in the survey fall short of continental best practices, to say nothing of global standards’

lously expensive catering, incessant demands for gratification, and negligent security procedures. Although the website appears to focus on airports deemed to be most conducive to the ability to sleep in them, there is little doubt that an airport which is good enough to slumber in will also be good enough to pass through. It is clear that the Nigerian airports singled out in the survey fall short of continental best practices, to say nothing of global standards. All three have endured long-standing limitations relating to vehicular access, parking, arrival and departure terminals, and conveniences. In none of them are airport-users free from harassment by touts, overzealous security operatives and avaricious immigration officials. Laid-down processes regarding luggage restrictions, purchasing tickets and checking-in are constantly violated without sanction; flight information is rarely forthcoming, especially when there are delays. Ironically, the airport-rehabilitation programme launched by the former Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, in 2013 appears to have made things worse. In Murtala Muhammed and Port Harcourt airports, ongoing renovation has forced passengers and other airport users to avail themselves of near-primitive facilities. Renovation is in many cases limited to terminal buildings and does not often include outlying areas: access to and parking at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, for example, are still nightmares. Matters have not been helped by the overly-defensive attitude of the Federal

Government to aviation issues. Oduah was constantly touted as one of the Jonathan administration’s top performers, and any criticism of her actions was often dismissed as partisan political sniping. The former minister had conceived of an ambitious aviation master-plan which included the development of socalled “aerotropolises” or airport cities, which would attract trade, industry and investment. However, it was financed mainly by foreign loans, the terms of which were not transparent. In May, it was found that the former minister’s policies had led to an indebtedness of about N174.6 billion as at May this year, compelling her successor, Chief Osita Chidoka, to extensively review them. It is surprising that even though Nigeria’s politicians are among the world’s most assiduous travellers, many of them find it difficult to replicate the high standards they enjoy abroad at home. This anomaly is probably due to the fact that most of them shamelessly exploit their social prominence to make sure that they do not have to endure the limitations and shortcomings that others are compelled to endure. The comprehensive rehabilitation of Nigeria’s airports is crucial to the nation’s social and economic development. As such, it cannot be left to the vagaries of political propaganda, or confined to the whims and caprices of whoever happens to be in charge at the moment. If the country is able to articulate and execute a transparent and properly-designed plan for the infrastructural development of its airports, the benefits will be visible to all.

Re: Oduah: Canonising corruption

IR: I read with utmost disappointment a letter with the above title in your esteemed newspaper where one Babatope Babalobi vented his frustration against the former aviation minister, Stella Adaeze Oduah. Ordinarily, such deliberate and cowardly writing deserves no attention but for the purposes of decency, good conscience and posterity, it becomes necessary to correct certain impressions in order to answer some questions concerning the issues raised in the article. It is not true that the former aviation minister was found guilty of any criminal matter by any court in the land for any wrong doing as to prevent her from holding any elective or public office in the country. The issues under reference emanated from disputed cost of bullet-proof BMW cars meant for her ministry. She did not steal the money or failed to purchase the cars. She also did not ride in them. But at the heat of it all, she opted to leave the office in dignity. Not many Nigerians holding public office would bow out with humility and dignity as she did. Princess Oduah cannot be said to be a saint but it should be noted that there is no office or ministry that has never been mired in more serious controversies. Please check the records. Why Babatope Babalobi after a very long time since the imbroglio suddenly became exceptionally aggrieved raises so many questions. Is this not a hatchet job against the Princess over her victory in her senatorial ambition? On the issue of Oduah’s academic standing, whose interest is Babalobi protecting or does he not know where to lodge his complaint? ls it the Phd holders, engineers and professors who held sway in the aviation industry when our airports were mere motorparks and our aeroplanes dubbed flying coffings? Today, Oduah has recorded history as the amazon of the aviation industry whose positive contribution in the sector will remain indelible. In his jaundiced view, Babalobi failed to commend Oduah for upgrading Nigerian airports to compete with those of the civilised world. If no other people are proud of Oduah, the Igbos are because the feat she performed at the Enugu airport, lifting it to international standard is remarkable not to talk of approval for Asaba airport. Concerning her victory at the PDP primaries, it showed how popular and likeable she is among the people. For the avoidance of doubt, unless the PDP wants to lose the Anambra North senatorial seat, they should not field another candidate. In the senatorial district, Oduah has touched the lives of many in practical terms. She has a foundation that has given succour to widows, scholarship to the indigent, employment to the unemployed, loans to farmers, promotion of sports talents etc. Oduah’s life is full of achievements which have really not gotten into her head. She has respect for the elderly, priests and religious leaders irrespective of denomination. Chukwunwike Ononye, Akili Ozizor, Anambra State

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: There are many beliefs and sayings that are common in our clime which I consider not only fallacious but also counter-productive. I think they thrive because most people rarely pause to contemplate their import. It is even instructive to note that most of the fallacies are often deployed in the service of selfish and dishonourable ends. One of such is the idea that it is God who gives (political) power. Supporters of crooked politicians and non-performing public office holders when short of credible points with which to promote or especially defend their benefactors often try to silence critics with the admonition that it is God that put him/her there and therefore should be left alone or at most prayed for. Politicians sanctimoniously preach same to their sometimes more honourable opponents, even those sitting on stolen mandates cynically exhort their victims to eschew bitterness and strife, and look unto God since it is He that gives power to whom He wishes. As the 2015 electoral race gathers momentum, such calls

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Why bring God into our politics? would be heard even more often. In contemporary world, there are three main means of acquiring political power. They include the ballot in a true democracy, rigging and thuggery in a pseudo-democracy and the gun in the case of military dictatorship. Now one may argue that God uses the voters to give power to whom He wishes. And I will ask, does He also use rigging and thuggery to give power to those who come into power through that means, and does He use the gun to bestow power on the military dictator? Did God also give power to Adolf Hitler, Stalin, Pinochet, Idi Amin, Mobutu, Mugabe, and the rest? If God gave power to the many brut-

ish rulers that history has recorded, why then should anyone condemn or rejoice at their fall? If God gives political power why should any man including those who preach the idea call for the removal of a bad ruler? One may argue that when a leader becomes bad, then God also uses people to remove him. The implication, however, is that God gave him power not knowing that he would turn bad; in that case He made a mistake. Is that the case? One belief that has hampered the advancement of Africa and Nigeria in particular is fatalism. The idea that everything or most things has already been destined by God and happens the way He chooses is not only

Question Dame Jonathan forgot to ask

IR: It was no surprise that First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan relished the emergence of her husband as the sole presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party. She is a well-bred, loyal woman who has to be the natural runner up in joy at an occasion where her husband is the celebrant. But Patience is more than that. She is the politician’s dream wife. She loves her husband fiercely and makes no pretence about it. She dares to fix things for him whenever she can. When her husband’s enemies rear up, she attacks them like an Amazon. When there are viable candidates who are sympathetic to the cause of her husband in key states, she invites them to Abuja and anoints them. And when the harvest of votes is ripe, she tours the country, sharing truckloads of ‘empowerment’ rice- in the same proportion that Boko Haram is sharing blood. She beamed with Instagram-worthy smiles when Chairman Adamu Muazu presented President Goodluck Jonathan as the standard bearer of the party in next year’s Presidential polls. She knew full well that securing the ticket of PDP, the largest party in all of

Africa, placed her husband in pole position to score a landslide win. The ubiquitous structure of PDP guarantees that they can go into the election with more buoyancy than anxiety. But the road to this presumptive coronation could have been less easy than it turned out to be. Two presidential hopefuls had paid the prescribed fees for the nomination forms and obtained receipts. Later, they began to make some fuss about being scammed. That they were lured to spend N22 million each on goods that did not exist. The party had printed only one customized nomination form for the President. But the knotty issue self-destructed in a mysterious Wadata Plaza way. And what would have been a fascinating collision of three eggheads, Prof. Akasuba Duke-Abiola, Dr AbdulJhalil TafawaBalewa and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was averted. So President Goodluck Jonathan walked alone. And Patience Jonathan grinned from ear to ear – in sharp contrast to her agitated reaction to another person’s lonesome walk. The First Lady had convened a meeting of stakeholders to deliberate on the

fate of over 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram from their school in Chibok. The principal, Mrs. Asabe Kwambura, committed the blunder of coming unaccompanied. Apparently, the principal had not been close enough to the corridors of power to know that people who take themselves seriously move with some entourage. And the poor principal made no effort to explain that her career in school administration had not given her any opportunity to learn that vital lesson. So Madam took umbrage. She looked at her pointedly and served her a ghost Permanent Secretary-class query. She asked her,’’ Principal…na only you waka come?’’ And the First Lady’s tears began to cascade afterwards. That PDP special convention highlight was a moment of delight. It so absorbed the First Lady in excitement that she forgot to ask PDP’s sole presidential candidate, the all important question. She could have leaned forward and whispered in the ears of President Jonathan. ‘’My husband, na only you waka come?’’ Emmanuel Uchenna Ugwu immaugwu@gmail.com

the product of lazy minds but also recipe for backwardness. To say for instance that God uses the voters to give power to whom He chooses means that the voters are mere puns being manipulated. What then happens to freewill? The freewill is one of the major attributes that separates humans from lower animals. Why would anyone be so careless as to attempt to toss back this wonderful gift, what makes him human back at his creator? Peoples that have made remarkable advances appreciate that God has already empowered them to make

their choices and also face the consequences of the choices. With courage they set out to create their world. In addition to becoming masters of their fate they also learn responsibility. On the other hand even though many of us read the Bible passage where man is exhorted to subdue and dominate the earth we still run back to God seeking that He do exactly the same things He has empowered us to do. We ask Him for wealth, to build our infrastructure, run our economy, maintain peace and security, and now thoughtlessly attempt to shift to Him the responsibility of choosing our political leaders. Well, the earlier we appreciate that God does not arbitrarily intervene in the affairs of men as we have hitherto assumed the better for us. As the 2015 elections draw closer, may we have it in mind that the choice of who runs the country is in ours and not God’s hand and it is we who will bear the consequences of the choice. Nnoli Chidiebere Aba, Abia State.

Taraba: Travesty in Wadata Plaza IR: I need to make the following clarification: I am not a member of PDP or its sympathizer, my loyalty lies with the All Progressive Congress, APC. But as an indigene of Taraba state, I have every right to comment on issues bothering on our collective well-being and our future; and my argument is premised on the fact that I am a stakeholder by virtue of my being from the state, Taraba. The People’s Democratic Party, PDP last week conducted its nation-wide gubernatorial primaries where the party’s flag bearers were elected by delegates (statutory and elected) as contained in its constitution. However, few states including my state could not perform such rituals due to what the state chapter described as unresolved issues which requires the attention of the national working committee of the party. Five days later, the NWC shifted the primaries to its Wadata Plaza headquarters and before you know it, all the elected delegates voyaged from Jalingo were barred from entering the premises of the party’s headquarters. Shortly after, the party in cohorts with the presidency at the instance of a retired army general, anointed, hand-picked, and announced the emergence of Architect

Darius Isiyaku as the flag bearer of the party in the state, thus, shutting the door to other contestants. As someone whose loyalty lies with the APC, I consider this as a blessing, because with Darius as the flag bearer, we can secure our victory effortlessly. He is not just unpopular, but timid politically. As I write these lines, I have never come across a person who confesses to me that he is voting Darius come 2015. Now, politics apart, let’s talk about morality, with what PDP did to its aspirants in Taraba and other states such as the neighbouring Adamawa State, what is democratic about the party? How would somebody who owns No house in Taraba sit down in Abuja and dictate who should be what in the state? How can someone born, schooled, and work (apart from his stint in the Jonathan’s cabinet) all his life in Kaduna come to Taraba as governor? How do you expect somebody who does not know the number of local governments in Taraba State to deliver? Are we in the military era where military administrators emerged at the pleasure of the commander-in-chief? Muhammad S. Adamu Auta Jalingo, Taraba State

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

COMMENTS

OR a book that is so explosively controversial, the reviewer, Patrick Okigbo, was correct in describing My Watch, the new three-volume autobiography by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as “thought-provoking and revealing,” although he probably never intended certain meanings. To start with, it is remarkable that a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Southwest pillar, Prince Buruji Kashamu, moved to legally restrain Obasanjo from publishing his book. Also, it is striking that Obasanjo on December 9, despite a restrictive court order, unveiled the book at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja. Interestingly, there was a dramatic continuity as Justice Valentine Ashie of the Abuja High Court, in reaction gave Obasanjo 21 days “to show cause, via affidavit, why he should not be punished for contempt committed by publishing and distributing for sale to the public, the book, My Watch, in plain disregard of the pendency of the substantive suit and the order of this court made on December 5, 2014, restraining him from doing so.” Still dramatically, Jusice Ashie ordered the Inspector General of Police (IG), the Director General of the Department of State Services (DG,DSS), and the Comptroller of Customs to recover the published book from all book stands, sales agents, vendors, the sea and airports, and deposit them with the court’s registrar pending the determination of the substantive suit. It is not clear how far this particular order has been carried out, and whether the mentioned officials may also be eventually accused of contempt. It is noteworthy that the pending substantive suit in question is a libel case brought by Kashamu, relating to Obasanjo’s public letter to President Goodluck Jonathan in which he alleged that Kashamu is a fugitive wanted in the United States. Also, it is worth mentioning that Kashamu’s action to stop the publication of Obasanjo’s book was based on his fear that it would contain a reproduction of the allegedly libellous letter. So, his anxiety was a product of anticipation.

‘It is conceivable that others have their own stories too, which they could tell by writing books. Sadly, an enduring minus of the country’s political class is the poverty of mind that prevents many of its major players from documenting their experiences for whatever it may be worth’

HERE is a virtue to the credit of governance in Lagos. The environment has been transformed to the admiration of all to the extent that many in the country now copy the good deed to turn their own enclaves into better cities and states. Recent commissioning of the Agege Waste Transfer Loading Station (TLS) has brought into sharp relief the yeoman effort exerted by Environment Commissioner Tunji Bello, with his two bosses, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Fashola, to bring about a turn-around on the deplorable Lagos environment. The Agege TLS is the third in the ambitious list of 20 stations earmarked to cover the entire state. It has been built to serve Ikeja, Ifako-Ijaye, Agege, Ojokoro and Orile. TLS construction is only one of three special phases of the concerted effort to bring filth-menace under control in Lagos. The other two are the use of dumpsites and the building of waste recycling plants. At the commissioning, Governor Fashola lucidly and expertly explained that solid waste management has gone beyond simply collecting and transporting refuse. It has become a mega enterprise, playing a paramount role in urban development and governance. There goes a trademark. They always know what they are talking about. These Lagos handlers have fully comprehended the problem they are up against and have been able to design the solution from a position of competence. Also, they do not spare expenses and are not deterred by the danger inherent in enforcement. They show themselves to be people of courage. I think people even call one of them The Last Man Standing after a fierce battle thenextant President Olusegun Obasanjo waged to bring entire South-west zone into the PDP. Tinubu, Fashola and Tunji Bello have made the difference in the matter concerning Lagos environment. The joy in their foray is that they are so informed about the problem and that they deftly access or create skills and expertise needed to confront the challenge. That is why they are winning where the military rulers woefully failed. It was not that the military didn’t do a thing. Their best was not good enough because they didn’t have a thorough knowledge of the problem or the solution. Happily, the state has come a long way from those days of yore when the military held sway in Lagos. The giant metropolitan entity was a jungle city, covered in hills of rubbish and enveloped in great stench that

Kashamu should write his own book The developing drama expanded when the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), in a statement by Mr Vitalis Ortese, said: “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo wishes to state that the media report which conveyed the impression that he intended to “dare or confront a judge or the judiciary” is highly misleading. Far from this, on the contrary, the former president is a law-abiding citizen, who will only pursue his rights within the law and will not “dare” a judge or knowingly flout an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.” The spokesman further said: “The former president wishes to make it clear that in the first instance, no formal order from Justice Ashie was served and received by either himself or by proxy regarding any injunction restraining the publication of the book, “My Watch” which from the records was already in circulation.” More importantly, however, Obasanjo himself said at the ceremony to release his book: “The book had already been published and printed three months ago, only for the court to be asked to put a stop to it. Buruji went to a court to stop the book from being published and the hearing was fixed for yesterday (Monday). When that was not enough, he went to another court by 5pm on a Friday and got an injunction, saying the book should not be published. Unfortunately, the book was already completed three months ago. Secondly, I want the judge that gave such an injunction to be penalised.” Against the background that Obasanjo has challenged the “contempt of court” charge, and indicated his intention to seek a suspension or stay of execution of the court’s orders, it is clear that the unfolding show is far from a finale. In-

deed, there may well be even more fascinating twists and turns before the denouement. Of course, the thought-provoking quality of Obasanjo’s book is not limited to these extra-literary gyrations. In content, the book is a veritable trigger of contemplation. To illustrate this point, it will suffice to concentrate on Obasanjo’s pictures of his immediate successor, Umaru Yar’Adua, and the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan who succeeded him. Obasanjo wrote in his book: “I was heavily involved in the transition and exit process that saw me leaving office for my successor, Umaru Yar’Adua, as recounted in Chapter 37, the ninth chapter of the second volume of this book. The unprepared and unplanned transition from Yar’Adua to Jonathan was a more difficult exercise in some respects. One reason was the ‘cloak and dagger’ manner in which Yar’Adua’s illness was handled.” He continued: “The illness of a President cannot be regarded as private. His health has implications for the security and wellbeing of the nation. For the president and those around him to have attempted strenuously to keep the fact of the severity of his illness from public smacks of ignorance of the enormity of what the job entails and the level of provinciality of their understanding, attitude, and approach.” On Jonathan, Obasanjo wrote: “Jonathan is lacking in broad vision, knowledge, confidence, understanding, concentration, capacity, sense of security, courage, moral and ethical principles, character and passion to move the nation forward on a fast trajectory.” He added: “Under Jonathan we seem to have gone from frying pan to fire. If in the past corruption was in the corridors of power, it would seem now to be in the sitting room, dining room and bedroom of power. If what is called ‘corruption’ is stealing, under the watch of Goodluck Jonathan, then government has become legalized and protected robbery.” There is no doubt that these portraits have revelatory features, but not only concerning the portrayed characters. In a profound sense, they also represent a self-portrayal by the portraitist, who is fixated on the canvass and cannot appreciate that he may need to remove the log in his own eyes, which suggests a hypocritical hypnosis. Obasanjo was fundamentally, and perhaps culpably, the prime puppeteer in the plots that produced Yar’ Adua and Jonathan; and so he may, with believability, make magisterial pronouncements on their political careers. However, he cannot offer these insights in order to achieve self-exculpation. It is conceivable that others have their own stories too, which they could tell by writing books. Sadly, an enduring minus of the country’s political class is the poverty of mind that prevents many of its major players from documenting their experiences for whatever it may be worth.

Environmental regeneration in Lagos By Ola Amupitan oozed from the decomposing wastes. Motor-parks, market places and downtown centres at Ojota, Oyingbo, Ladipo, Alaba, Ijora, Oshodi, Yaba, Marina etc, had their hidden vicinities turned into open toilets and dens of mischief. Diseases were rampant and death from unsanitary environment was commonplace. The late social activist and leading light, Dr Tai Solarin of that era, regularly hit newspaper front-pages salvaging some of those dead bodies. It got so bad at a stage Lagos clinched the unflattering epithet of being the dirtiest capital in the world. These gory environmental circumstances remained prevalent at the onset of this civilian dispensation in Lagos when Senator Bola Tinubu assigned Barrister Tunji Bello as commissioner for the environment. Work commenced. A body of new environmental rules was churned out. Where there is no law there is no offence. It became an offence, for example to throw garbage out of vehicles to the roads or sweep waste into gutters. Close on the heel of law enactment were the recruitment and training of officers and men as environment law enforcers. Tens of thousands of sweepers and cleaners were also engaged to keep the Lagos streets spick and span. Thousands of workers were similarly employed to labour and build wastelands in Oshodi, Mile-Two, Ojota, Ketu, Yaba, Palmgrove, Ojuelegba, Marina, Apapa, Costain etc into gardens of flourishing trees and flowers. Major city streets and roads were also paved and planted with trees as boulevards in the making. The battle to reclaim the environment also involved the creation of giant dumpsites all over the metropolis to which the huge hills of waste were hauled and incinerated. But in a state with everincreasing population which generates refuse that rises by six to eight percent per annum, the dumpsites cannot be a final solution. Government therefore had to rise to the occasion establishing Waste Transfer Loading Stations. One each had been built at Oshodi and Simpson (Island) before the one in Agege that we now celebrate. Four others are reported to be under construction simultaneously at Ogombo, Abule-Egba, Ishasi and

Owutu. The Agege TLS has been built by 850 professionals and artisans in 14 months on a piece of land from which 165,000 metric tonnes of waste was evacuated. The great efforts invested on regenerating the Lagos environment under the watch of Commissioner Bello have paid off handsomely. The megacity status has been enhanced. The infrastructure has been modernized. The ability to clean and beautify the state has been established. More jobs are created for the unemployed. More contractors are put to work. We now have a state so environmentally stable it can easily demolish the influx of a plague like that by the Ebola Virus Disease which infected the state this year and was effectively repulsed. In the past the EVD would have reigned supreme in Lagos as it now does in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The international community has also been very quick in recognizing the metamorphosis of Lagos into a world-class modern state to live in or visit as tourist or business persons. According to MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities’ Index, Lagos has today become the fourth most visited city in Africa with 1.3 million visitors this year. In 15 short years, the massive environmental regeneration battle waged by Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola and Tunji Bello has yielded happy dividends. Environmentally, Eko has become a better city to live in and a famous destination for tourists. •Amupitan wrote in from Lagos.

‘The international community has also been very quick in recognizing the metamorphosis of Lagos into a world-class modern state to live in or visit as tourist or business persons. According to MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities’ Index, Lagos has today become the fourth most visited city in Africa with 1.3 million visitors this year’

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

COMMENTS

HOSE who have followed contemporary events in this country will not be surprised at the news that Nigeria struck a deal to buy arms and ammunition from Russia. Under the arrangement, Russia is to supply its MI-35s and MI-17s military jets among other armaments to this country to aid the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency. The deal followed Nigeria’s cancellation of the US military training programme for our soldiers and is largely viewed as a response to the curious attitude of that country to the raging insurgency. Though various reasons have been adduced to rationalize Nigeria’s decision to cancel the programme, it is widely believed it has every thing to do with US refusal to sell categories of military aircraft and arms to Nigeria to fight the insurgents. Two well respected Nigerians, Gen Yakubu Gowon Retd, a former head of state and Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka had heavily criticized the US for its refusal to supply the country the little arms it needed to defend its citizens and quell the Boko Haram uprising. But the US had hinged its decision on the nebulous excuse of human rights abuses by the military even when the insurgents are equally no respecter of human rights. The two personages could not understand what the argument on human rights is meant to serve when our citizens are faced with the danger of annihilation by the better equipped and more sophisticated insurgents. Moreover, US stand on the issue does not tally with its position on terrorism as is evident in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq where it is currently battling the ISIS onslaught. It was therefore seen as double standards for the US to turn its eyes against Nigeria in its difficult moment especially when the same country went to war in Iraq under the guise of her possession of nuclear weaponry. Many innocent souls lost their lives in that unfortunate encounter. Today, we know that Iraq possessed no nuclear weapons. But the harm has been done. And no body has been brought to book for that fiasco. More over, recent accounts on the activities of some US security operatives have revealed large scale human rights abuses following events leading to the twin tower bombing. So the issue of human rights abuse may not be stretched too far in such difficult and trying situations. Apparently frustrated by the US action in the face of the escalation of the Boko Haram

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Our new arms deal insurgency, Nigeria had to seek help elsewhere. Thus, the arms deal with Russia. With the action, Nigeria seems to have defined a new relationship with Russia. Not unexpectedly, the deal has become an issue of intense discussion among defense and security analysts in the US. Discussions have centered on the likely effects of the action on Nigeria/US relations, the divergence in opinions and perception of the two countries on the insurgency and what the new arms deal portends for the rivalry between the US and Russia- a rekindling of the super power competition. The discussants also threw new insights into some other considerations that may have been at the center of the US refusal to aid Nigeria militarily, allegations of human rights abuses notwithstanding. A Director of African programme at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Jennifer Cooke admitted that there is a great deal of tension between the two countries particularly over the security relationship and that each side has a different perception of the matter. Ben Moores, a senior analyst at the defense and security analysis organization HIS Janes’s 360 gave new reasons why US would not want to sell its advanced weapons system to Nigeria. He said advanced military jets and attack helicopters could not be sold to Nigeria for fear they could be passed on to a third party. Moreover, there were “leaks or moles inside the Nigerian military who were leaking information to Boko Haram. They were leaking certain bits of information, training information and perhaps information on the team itself” Moores said.

HREE years ago, Nigeria was in the frenzied grip of another sort of campaign. There were intense arguments for, and against the planned removal of fuel subsidy. By January 2012, organised Labour paralysed the country with a nationwide strike that had echoes of similar work stoppages in the preceding decade when fuel prices were increased rather peremptorily. In the heat of the debate, anyone could have been forgiven for being cynically dismissive of the federal government’s insistent pledge of what it would do with its own share of the savings from the partial withdrawal of fuel subsidy. Now, three years later, it is fair to ask whether the cynics have seen their worst fears materialise. On the contrary, there is growing evidence that the federal government is keeping faith with its pledge of judicious use of its accruals arising from the fuel subsidy removal. Let’s take a sampler from infrastructural development. In 2006, the federal government awarded the dualisation of the Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja highway. But the project languished in the doldrums owing to inadequate geological surveys occasioning poor design, and majorly the abject lack of funding, as the annual budget of the Federal Ministry of Works could hardly make any impact. Contractors abandoned their various sites on the Lots. Since 2012, following the launch of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) by the federal government, the story of the project has changed dramatically: the Abuja-AbajiLokoja expressway is now a reality. Similarly, for more than two decades, the Benin-OreSagamu expressway had collapsed, and the remedial patchwork that often was carried out on that critical arterial road was as laughable as it was dangerous. SURE-P funding is now making a huge difference that is clearly measurable in the reduced travel times on that route. The Benin-Ore part of the expressway has been totally reconstructed, while work is proceeding determinedly on the Ore-Sagamu axis. Indeed, the story is the same with the ongoing total reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which has a basket of funding to which SURE-P is contributory. Move over to the Loko-Oweto bridge that connects Nasarawa and Benue states, and SURE-P funding is the reason why the project is already more than 65 per cent complete, not to reference the hundreds of direct and indirect jobs being created in the process. Furthermore, the SURE-P wallet is one of the assured sources for financing the much-delayed Second Niger Bridge, the ground-breaking ceremony of which was performed this year by President Goodluck Jonathan. After many sorrowful years for commuters, the East-West Road was at about 22 per cent completion in early 2012 when SURE-P was created. Within two years of injecting funds, the East-West Road has

For him, what Nigeria needed most was not fighter jets and attack helicopters but a better motivated, a more professional force to deal with some of the social and cultural problems. Some of the issues raised make more sense than the trite pontification on human rights even though they are not entirely foolproof. There is no doubt that the US does not have a good reading of the situation on the ground and the general feelings of our people. That much had been given credence by the views of Gowon and Soyinka among several other well-meaning Nigerians. The nation is facing destruction by the insurgents and must take every legitimate action to protect its citizens. If all it takes is the deployment of advanced military jets and helicopters so be it. It smacks of a poor reading of the situation to hold that we do not have a pressing need for the jets and attack helicopters. On the contrary, we have very urgent need for them to decisively end this war. Whereas it can be admitted that we need a more motivated and professional force, it is wrong to ascribe the current Boko Haram insurgency to social and cultural issues. Boko Haram is similar in motivation and ideological leaning to ISIS which the US has been battling with very sophisticated military jets and hardware in Syria and Iraq. The issue of moles and leaks in the military is real. With some unscrupulous military persons leaking information to Boko Haram, any foreign partner seeking to help is bound to be frightened as the security of its personnel and equipment is not guaran-

teed. These weaknesses can be admitted. On several occasions, our soldiers have been waylaid by the insurgents due to information leaks on their movements. In one of such instances, the soldiers went wild firing shots at their commander after they suffered heavy casualty from Boko Haram ambush. Such incidences do not imbue confidence in the outside world that we are all committed and united in the fight against insurgency. More than anything, they underscore the point more forcefully that there are sections in the military and political class that lend huge support to the insurgents. This may have contributed in obfuscating US perception of the matter. But then, there is a legitimate government in place and there are standard practices on how to deal with a band of anarchists seeking to levy war on such governments. Whatever the motivation- religious, cultural or social Boko Haram has become a mortal threat to the corporate existence and survival of this country. And the government ought to be given the needed help to tame the monster. Inventing sundry reasons and excuses to deny Nigeria the arms and ammunitions to quell the insurgency is a clear invitation to anarchy. More seriously, the position Nigeria has found itself is self-inflicted. It is a huge shame that 54 years after independence, we are still cap in hand begging for arms and ammunitions from foreign countries. We fought a civil war here and certain military competences were developed then. We are also not lacking in human and financial capacities. Instead of seizing and activating the ingenuity of the civil war era to catalyze technological transformation, we allowed that opportunity to slip. The same forces and contradictions that gave rise to the civil war are at play again in the Boko Haram project.

‘It is a huge shame that 54 years after independence, we are still cap in hand begging for arms and ammunitions from foreign countries. We fought a civil war here and certain military competences were developed then’

SURE-P: Three years after By Ezekiel Greg Omafume notched more than 70 per cent completion with a new lot added, not to mention overcoming the havoc wreaked by the floods of 2012. The Lagos-Kano rail line that represents the Western line of Nigerian Railways is active today with regular commuter and cargo traffic, because of massive supplementary funding by SURE-P. The Eastern corridor, which runs from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri has also witnessed tremendous rehabilitation, on account of SURE-P financing. But one must also add that the brand new standard gauge rail line from Kaduna-Abuja is a dream come true, because SURE-P weighed in with funds. It is also deploying resources of up to N10 billion in support of the Abuja light rail project that is expected to ease intra-city transportation upon completion. The 21-member committee that manages SURE-P as a unique interventionist agency was established on February 13, 2012, after the smoke cleared from the protests against the partial withdrawal of subsidy. The mandate is judicious and transparent application of the federal government’s 41 per cent share of the subsidy savings. The funds are domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). All the 36 states of the federation and the 774 local governments are entitled jointly to 54 per cent of the subsidy savings, while the remaining five per cent goes to Ecological Fund, as well as cost of collection. SURE-P started receiving funds in July 2012. From then until now, it has received a total of N441 billion. The programme has an annual allocation of N180 billion, but its receipts so far have been N126 billion (2012), N180 billion (2013), and N135 billion (2014). SURE-P operates through specialised subcommittees and project implementation units that are embedded in, but insulated as much as practicable from the stifling bureaucracy in relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). SURE-P does not choose or award contracts on behalf of the MDAs. However, projects and programmes that are targeted for funding are evaluated by SURE-P in-house technical staff and outside consultants where necessary, to certify work done, before payment certificates are approved. The payment certificates are then forwarded to the Federal Budget Office, which scrutinizes the certificates, before advising the CBN, which credits the contractor’s account. This approach, no doubt, has boosted the confidence of contractors handling the infrastructure projects, hence the rapid milestones they have achieved in so short a time. SURE-P is focused primarily on critical infrastructure projects and social safety net programmes, which directly and positively impact on the people. The infrastructure projects

include roads, bridges, and railway. On the other hand, the social safety net programmes cover mass transit; maternal and child health; community service, women and youth empowerment (incorporating the Graduate Internship Scheme); public works (under the aegis of the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA); vocational training, as well as culture and tourism. If SURE-P can crow about its achievements in infrastructure intervention, it can crow even louder about the impact of aspects of its social safety net programme, which are not as visible as roads and bridges. Let us take it for granted that the major works in railways and on roads and bridges are generating jobs. Yet many more jobs are being created in the course of executing the social safety net programmes. No fewer than 12,400 youths have been engaged in maintaining 40 priority federal highways nationwide under the FERMA Public Works project. In the same vein, more than 120,000 jobs have been created for the youth, women, and physically challenged across the federation, under the community, social, women and youth empowerment programme. This is just as thousands of graduates have taken advantage of the Graduate Internship Scheme that prepares them for employment, even as they receive monthly stipends. By far the most remarkable is the landmark success in the Maternal and Child Healthcare programme. The programme is designed to increase the supply of skilled health workers to offer maternal and child health services at the primary health care (PHC) level, undertake infrastructural renovations to PHC centres, raise supply of essential commodities at PHC facilities with a view to upscaling service delivery, and above all to increase demand for maternal and child health care services in underserved and rural communities by deploying conditional cash transfers. As at August, SURE-P had recruited nationwide 11,912 health care workers made up of 2,811 midwives, 3,133 community health extension workers (CHEWs), and 5,966 female village health workers. Three years ago, who could have believed that the successes recorded thus far by SURE-P were possible? No one can assert that SURE-P is perfect; but it has shown what 41 per cent has achieved, and what lies ahead. If only we could also tally the aggregate positive showing of states and local governments with their combined 54 per cent receipts, we would have a much happier picture that the firm promises of partial subsidy withdrawal are being kept. •Omafume, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

CEO

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Election: Outdoor advert to boost employment - P. 35 News Briefing BPE makes N564b from 123 firms’ sale THE Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) said it realised N564.3 billion from 123 firms it successfully privatised. –Page 26

Penalty cripples AEDC

FRESH facts emerged at the weekend about the alleged rejection of electricity load allocation by some Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs). –Page 26

DMO to sell N65b sovereign bonds THE Debt Management Office (DMO) plans to sell N65 billion worth of sovereign bonds on Wednesday, December 17. –Page 31

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil Cocoa

-$117.4/barrel

Sovereign Wealth Funds are managed conservatively. They don’t borrow money the way banks do, so you can’t compare this business to banking business. This business does not expose itself to that kind of risk. It is not the same thing as private equity •Managing Director/CEO, NSI A, Uche Orji

‘How renewed NHIS will benefit Nigerians’ - P. 39

Falling oil prices: Fed Govt mulls borrowing from China

S severe economic de pression stares Ni geria in face because of falling oil prices, depletion of the external reserve and devaluation of the naira, the Federal Government is contemplating borrowing to stimulate the economy. A source in the Presidency told The Nation that the government is relying on the success of the 2007 to 2009 borrowing embarked upon by the administration of late President Umaru Ya’Adua to manage a similar situation when the price of crude oil crashed. It was gathered that the government was considering various sources to borrow from, including bond issuance, but especially borrowing from China under concessionary terms with long- term repayment plan.

From Nduka Chiejina (Asst. Editor), Abuja

The government’s desperation to borrow, the source added, was further heightened by predictions that the price of crude oil would continue on its downward trend till mid next year when prices might stabilise at between $14 and $15 per barrel. A Debt Management Office (DMO) source said: “In addition to general budget support and provision of a platform for the issuance of AMCON (Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria) Bonds, proceeds of domestic bond issuance may be used to fund special government stimulus spending initiatives like what happened between 2008 and 2010.” The money to be borrowed, the source said, would be used

to finance agriculture, rail projects and development of infrastructure, the same way the Yar’Adua administration did with “the N200 billion commercial agriculture programme, where the funds raised by the DMO were made available to the CBN for lending to agriculture enterprises through the commercial banks; the cotton, textile and garments revitalisation programme, part funding to the tune of N100 billion with FGN bond proceeds; the purchase of locomotives for the revitalisation of rail transportation; and the provision of seed money for the development of infrastructure in new districts in the Federal Capital Territory.” The new line of borrowing is expected to help stimulate the economy into recovery. Details of the financial assist-

ance is still under wraps as it press time. Last week, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala at the insurance summit said the Federal Government would not borrow to reflate the economy but was favourably disposed to borrowing under concessionary arrangements. The continued dive in the price of crude oil and the recent predictions of oil prices falling to $15 next year has rattled the government that has reviewed its annual budgetary benchmark thrice in as many weeks from $78 to $73 and now $65 with the possibility of a further downward review of the benchmark as the price of crude now hovers around $64 a barrel.

-$2,686.35/metric ton

Coffee

- ¢132.70/pound

Cotton

- ¢95.17pound

Gold

-$1,396.9/troy

Sugar

-$163/lb RATES

Inflation

-8.2%

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

-15.87%

Savings rate

-3%

91-day NTB

-15%

Time Deposit

-5.49%

MPR

-12%

Foreign Reserve

$39.6b

• Managing Director, May and Baker, Mr Nnamdi Okafor flanked Managing/CEO, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa and General Manager, Large Scale Enterprises, Mr Joseph Babatunde during the visit of the management of BoI to May & Baker,Lagos.

10 banks stake $2.5b in Shell’s divested wells

FOREX CFA

-0.2958

EUR

-206.9

-242.1

-156

-1.9179

SDR

-238

RIYAL

-40.472

EN indigenous lenders, including Fidelity Bank Plc pooled together $2.5billiion out of the $3billion indigenous oil companies spent in acquiring the onshore assets of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the Head of Oil and Gas, Fidelity Bank Plc, Abolore Solebo has said. Speaking on the sideline of the Marginal Oil Fields Sensitisation Workshop in Lagos, Solebo said the banks provided the money in the wake of the divestment of assets in the oil and gas industry by the International Oil Companies (IOCs).

By Akinola Ajibade

He said: “The bank has keyed into the local content initiatives of the Federal Government by supporting domestic operators. On the Exploration and Production (E&P) segment, the bank participated in the (acquisition of the divested share of Shell) from onshore by supporting the local oil companies with money with a view to enabling them to buy the assets of Shell. This we did alongside other banks by providing them with $2.5billion. The companies sourced and got the remaining $500million outside the Nigerian

banking industry.’’ He said local banks have the capacity to finance bigticket transactions, as the facility they granted local oil operators in the petroleum industry has demonstrated. He said the business acumen or skills of local oil operators are required before they can access credit from the banks, arguing that the banks are ready to offer them funding provided they would make good use of it. He said: ‘’$30million is not a big amount for Fidelity Bank. The bank is ready to give the money to operators that can use it for

growth. But if a bank loses $30million, the impact on the profitability of that bank would be much. That is why the banks are very careful when it comes to offering such a huge facility to oil and gas operators.’’ Solebo said marginal oil fields operators who provide Information Memorandum (MI), which is a compendium of the activities or projects the companies are embarking on, adding that if it is diligently prepared, local players would not find it difficult accessing loans from banks locally or internationally.

Aviation expert seeks fleet consolidation By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

RESIDENT of Aviation Roundtable, Captain Dele Ore, has canvassed a regulatory fleet consolidation by Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for strengthening of local operators. Such process, he said, should have a legal backing. He said such regulatory fleet consolidation would assist domestic carriers to have sizeable aircraft fleet to ensure safe and secured operations. Ore said the proposal had become imperative because of the challenges domestic operators were struggling with in a hostile business climate such as Nigeria’s. He said investments in aviation had become unattractive because of low returns on investment that only high net worth entrepreneurs could dare with their money. He said: “High net-worth entrepreneurs should be encouraged to invest in the industry to facilitate efficient funding and management of local airlines. A regulatory fleet consolidation process should be initiated by the NCAA with the backing of the National Assembly as a way of strengthening the local operators.” He said many operators were struggling to keep their business afloat because of multiple charges and other hostile steps of the government. Ore said : “The business climate is getting unfriendly. This is becoming more disturbing because of the high cost of aircraft. “It has become critical that all service providers to the airlines (public and private) should maintain a comprehensive insurance portfolio to mitigate damages to airlines’ equipment as provided for in Part 18 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations of 2012. “The insurance premium paid by the local operators is very high and worrisome and should be addressed by relevant authorities and organisations. “The multiple entries, frequencies and capacities allocated to foreign airlines are adversely affecting the growth and survival of local operators. “The government should therefore urgently review this trend in line with the stoppage of payment of royalties by foreign airlines. “We call for increased monitoring of economic regulation on airlines by the NCAA to ascertain their financial health as provided for in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations in 2012.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

BUSINESS NEWS Lagos residents assured of access to water

• From left: President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Alhaji Sakirudeen Labode presenting the Fellowship of the Nigerian College of Accountancy (NCA) to the Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, represented by the Head of Service, Mr Abdon Gin (right) at the college’s sixth convocation in Jos. With them is the PRO of the College, Mr Cyril Umoh.

HE Executive Secre tary, Lagos State Wa ter Regulatory Commission (LSWRC), Mrs Tanwa Koya, has assured Lagosians of access to good quality water. She spoke at a workshop to raise awareness and working knowledge of the Lagos State drinking water quality regulations. She said the commission was poised to ensure that citizens within the state have access to good drinking water by enforcing compliance through regulation of the production, distribution, and supply of water within the state. She emphasised that the major role of the commission was to regulate the activities of all those engaged in the provision and supply of Water and other services where there were no service provision by the providers. The Chairman of the Commission, Mr.Tàiwo Shehioba, reiterated that the primary function of the commission in accordance with the provision of the Lagos State Water Sector Law of 2004 is

Market Operator penalty cripples AEDC

RESH facts emerged at the weekend about the alleged rejection of electricity load allocation by some Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs). The Abuja Electricity Distribution (AEDC) Head, Public Relations and Media, Malam Ahmed Shekarau said there is “load allocation of 11.5 per cent to Abuja DISCo and the penalties charged by the Market Operator for energy taken above this ceiling, put constraints on our company”. He noted that the firm does not reject load allocated to it for its customers, urging stakeholders to verify from both the Market and System Operators.

According to the spokesman, the AEDC is seeking increased supply of electricity to the company to meet the customers’ needs, especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He said: “Besides, we as a DISCO will also be aggressively exploring methods of embedded generation within our network coverage area, to augment power supply from the national grid.” The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, had alleged during the ministerial briefing in Abuja that some DISCOs were rejecting electricity load allocation. He directed the Nigerian

Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to investigate, and find a way of dealing with the firms. Should they continue to reject load, Nebo directed the commission to revoke their licenses if they continue to reject loads allocated to them from the national grid. NERC had commenced investigation into the allegation. He however explained that some of the firms must have rejected their allocations due to network and capacity constraints. The chairman added that some of the DISCOs might be afraid of paying the excess charge of accepting load allocation that is beyond their

capacity. He explained that the “companies might be rejecting load allocation because in some cases due to network constraint, some DISCOs may genuinely have distribution network and therefore they cannot take what is allocated to them. Or in negative sense, when they are afraid of paying the excess charges when they have exceeded their capacity and they are given extra load they have to pay. “So, we are investigating. We have asked our people to find out whether they (Discos) have genuine reasons. May be they are afraid of taking more than what they can sell.”

BPE makes N564b from 123 firms’ sale

HE Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) said it realised N564.3 billion from 123 firms it successfully privatised. A document endorsed by its Director-General, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, a copy of which was made available to The Nation at the weekend showed that so far, the BPE has reformed eight sectors of the economy. Theses include telecoms, power, banking and finance, marine, mining, industrial, steel, and oil and gas.

By Toba Agboola

He said recently, BPE engaged mainly in the reform of the electricity sector and the privatisation of PHCN, which involved 17 of the 18 successor companies. He said BPE has settled over 95 per cent of labour liabilities in the sector such that new investors will not inherit labour liabilities. “Recently, BPE engaged mainly in the reform of the Electricity Sector and the privatisation of PHCN,

which involved 17 of the 18 successor companies. “In the process, a sector regulator, bulk trader and transmission company were put in place. “The 15 successor companies have been handed over to their owners, while two are pending. BPE has settled over 95 per cent of labour liabilities in the sector such that new investors will not inherit labour liabilities.” He said to sustain the gains of the reforms and privati-

sation and enhance the enabling environment for private capital participation in the economy, BPE has prepared eight critical bills targeted for passage into Law. The bills are railway bill, inland waterways bill, road authority bill, among others. He said the BPE had concluded reforms in eight sectors of the economy namely telecommunications, power, banking and finance, marine, mining, industrial, steel, and oil and gas.

‘Why farmers are not paying minimum wage’

OST employers in the agricultural sec tor are not paying minimum wages to farm workers, the Director, Africa Region, Cassava Adding Value to Africa, Dr Kola Adebayo, has said. According to him, farm owners believe the national minimum wage will cost them more money they ‘don’t have’. In some cases, he acknowledged it could added to freight and power costs, compounded by lower market prices. While this may be the case, Adebayo noted that so pay workers minimum wage, as

Daniel Essiet

workers’cost of living has risen. According to him, farm worker are involved in the planting and the cultivation and the harvesting and bringing food for the table and export to other places. The ironic thing and the tragic thing is that after they make this tremendous contribution, he said the workers don’t have money or food left for themselves. He said farm workers earn less than minimum wage. In some cases,they are paid based how many buckets or bags they pick of whatever

crop they harvest known as the “piece rate’’. For experts, it is not possible for a farm worker being paid by piece rate to make up to the minimum wage. According to him, even those in agro processing are paying workers lower than the minimum wage. He attributed to this to the absence of labour unions in the sector and implementation of the law requiring employers on large farms to pay minimum wage if a worker doesn’t earn it based on the piece rate. He explained that many factors besides low wages also contribute to farm worker

poverty. While farm worker unemployment rates are double those of all wage and salary workers, he added that agricultural work by nature provides virtually no job security as many workers are day labours and they are constantly at the mercy of variable conditions like natural disasters and bad weather. In addition to low wages and no job security, Adebayo said farm workers lack benefits that labour laws guarantee to workers in other industries. For instance, farm workers do not receive overtime pay, nor do they get sick time or maternity leaves.

to ensure that water and sewage functions are properly carried out within the state and those involved in the business of supplying water and waste water services are able to sustain their businesses by charging a cost reflective and reasonable tariff. He further stated that in the discharge of this duty, the long term interest of the consumers with regard to the quality, price and reliabilty of the service was the main objective of the commission and that it was imperative, putting into consideration the cosmopolitan nature of the state and the ever growing demand for water. According to him, these regulations form a part of a larger proposal to ensure that consumers in the state receive qualitative water supply and that those undertaking the availability and provision of such water are held accountable for the quality of such water they provided.

HarvestPlus engages 575 commercial farmers

HE Country Manager of HarvestPlus, Dr. Paul Ilona, said the organisation has engaged 575 commercial farmers who have multiplied 1007 hectares of vitamin A cassava. He explained that the need to make the nutritious crop more accessible to Nigerians to complement the Federal Government’s nutrition strategy of food fortification, supplementation, and food diversification necessitated the establishment the vitamin A cassava sales outlet. He said one in every three children in Nigeria is vulnerable to micro-nutrient deficiency. An estimated 30 per cent of Nigerian children also suffer blindness and sometimes death, while 20 per cent of pregnant women are susceptible to death during childbirth as a result of lack of essential micro-nutrients such as iron, zinc and vitamin A. Speaking on the sideline of the official launch of vitamin A cassava model sales outlet in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, last week, Dr. Ilona de-

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

Stories by Chikodi Okereocha

scribed the situation as disgraceful and unacceptable for Nigeria with an economy estimated at $500 billion. “We should never be ranked along the line of smaller countries where famine and real food deficiency is common,” he told The Nation. The oulet located opposite the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Idiose, Ibadan, is a one-stop shop for all vitamin A cassava products and enquiry. Dr. Ilona disclosed that over 3, 000 of such shops will be fully operational in 2015. Dr. Ilona said this was why HarvestPlus, which leads a global effort to improve nutrition and public health by developing and deploying staple food crops that are rich in vitamins and minerals, had in conjunction with 16 partners across four major ecological zones in Nigeria has disseminated vitamin A cassava stems to over 500, 000 farming households.

Institute urges economic diversification

RESIDENT/CHAIR MAN Council, Insti tute of Business Development (IBD), Mr. Ifeanyi Obibuzor, has urged Nigerians to think out of the box and manufacture machineries that will catalyse industrialisation. According to him, to diversify the economy, it begins with planning. He said: “Now Nigeria is talking about inability to produce this crude oil refined here. How do we begin to refine our crude oil? Are we going to cope with the cartel that are benefitting from importation? Petrol is just a small fraction; it is when you get things like the petrochemicals. If those who are talking of diversification are sincere, the country should first begin with planning our economy.

“What are the handicaps or challenges we have? Today, where do we want to be in 2019, for instance? What are the critical things we want to do in 2014 till 2019, a period of five years? By that 2019 we review what we have done against what we said we want to do and see how far that we are able to go. If we are not able to get there why? What were the factors that debarred us from getting there? We review them and correct them. There must be a deliberate plan how the country will develop. “What is the local content of the auto policy? How many of our engineers are actually participating? You are doing a project with so many billions, how many of our boys are understudying these people so that eventually they can take over.”

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

BUSINESS NEWS

BoI’s intervention boosts pharmaceutical sector T HE pharmaceutical sector has joined the league of world-class pharmaceuticals okayed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to produce and export drugs. This was achieved by the Bank of Industry (BoI), which provided funds to some reputable firms to boost their facilities and quality control systems to the highest international standards. Swiss Pharma Nigeria Ltd and May and Baker Nigeria Plc obtained the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance certification from WHO, which will enable them to expand their capac-

By Toba Agboola

ity, produce and export their products to other countries. According to BoI’s Managing Director, Rasheed Olaoluwa, who visited the companies’ headquarters in Lagos, the pharmaceutical sector is one that the government would continue to support to flourish under the industrial revolution policy and also to ensure sustainable quality healthcare provision for its citizens. Addressing the management of Swipha, the BoI boss said the bank was pushing the Federal Government’s development objective of local production as against de-

pendence on imports to conserve the nation’s foreign reserve, which was subjected to undue pressure as a result of the volume of imports. “We are well-endowed in human and natural resources and market demographics. We have keyed into the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) as the leading development bank to see that we drive all productive sectors of the economy,” he said. After a tour of Swipha’s production plant, Olaoluwa said he was pleased that the company had made good use of the support of the bank to upgrade their

facility and obtain the WHO cGMP certification. He was optimistic that Nigeria was geting to a point where it will stop importing drugs and start exporting consistent with the NIRP, especially as about five firms supported by BoI were also close to being certified by the WHO. “By the time they are all certified, the users of drugs: doctors and patients will have the assurance that they are using drugs that are of international quality and secondly by the time we begin to reduce the amount of imports, then we can actually begin to grow our for-

eign reserves,” he said. The Chairman/Chief Executive Oficer (CEO), Swipha, Colin Cummings said: “I would expect with what we have done so far and what we intend to do with our products that we can more than quadruple turnover and job creation because of Nigeria’s market potential.” He said the company was developing their new products around the Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 and 6 of the government to combat malaria, maternal health challenges, diarrhea and bacterial infections. “Bank of Industry has been crucial to us moving ahead and without their support we wouldn’t have managed to get to where we are so quickly and also we need

their assistance in getting to the next stage which is the pre-qualification of specific products,” he said. The Managing Director/ Chief Executive, May and Baker, Nnamdi Okafor, disclosed that by next June, the company would have had its anti-retroviral drug certified, having upgraded their facility to WHO standards with an expanded capacity, that has enabled the creation of additional 500 jobs and about 1000 indirect jobs with BoI’s support. He said Nigeria imports over 90 per cent of input in the pharmaceutical industry, urging the government to revamp the petrochemical industry so that the cost of local production could be drastically reduced.

Cadbury appoints MD

ADBURY Nigeria Plc. has announced the appointment of a new Managing Director. He is Roy Naaman. He succeeds Emil Moskofian. Naaman joins Mondelçz International from the Diplomat Group. A holder of a Bachelor of Arts in business, majoring in finance, Naaman has held many positions in the Diplomat Group in several countries, including Georgia, where he was General Manager. His appoinment takes effect from January 1, 2015. In a statement, Romeo Lacerda, the President, Markets, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, Mondelçz International, said:

“Moskofian’s commitment and leadership have made a valuable contribution to the success of Cadbury Nigeria over the last few years. “This includes commendable strides and solid achievements in sales volume, profitability and pointof-sales coverage, as well as brand innovation, compliance and control. “In Roy, we are very pleased to gain a highly experienced leader, with a strong track record in driving sustained and profitable growth. In his previous role, Roy was instrumental in spurring business expansion in southern Africa and the Caucasus. He is a most valuable addition to our company.”

Cherie Noodles rewards winners •From left: Mr. Michael Demola of Fittam Consults; his colleague Mr. Augustine Bolu and Communications Manager, AfriHeritage Mr. Sola Oluwadare, during the training on life after internship, exit strategies and entrepreneurship in Enugu.

Our staff not involved in Lagos Airport incident, HE Nigeria Customs duties for the Federal Governsays Customs Service, Murtala ment.

Muhammed International Airport Command has absolved its staff in the molestation of an official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)on Thursday, last week at the Cargo Section of the Lagos Airport. According to the Public Relations Officer of the Customs Command, Thelma Williams, a Deputy Superintendent of Customs, it is not true that a Customs officer beat up an official of FAAN stationed at the car park at the Cargo wing of the airport for refusing to pay toll. She said the Customs had investigated and found none of its men guilty. She said the officers at the Car Park resumed work in the early hours, attempting to park at the facility, when a misunderstanding ensued over the conditions attached to the facility. Her colleagues, she said, drove into the Car Park, after FAAN officials refused to grant them access, having introduced themselves and displayed their identity cards. She said the Customs had engaged the management of FAAN on its mode of operations at the airport as it affects the use of public facilities, such as the car park. Sh cited which the Customs Area Controller, Folorunsho

•’Its inappropriate for officers to pay toll fees’ Adegoke, sent to the airport manager of the International Terminal on the position of the command on FAAN’s request for toll, which he described as inappropriate as it affects Customs operations. She said the controller had explained to FAAN that the airport area, from the end of the Tarmac, apron, Cargo Section and the airside is designated in the Customs Excise Management Act (CEMA),

CAP C 46, in the Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004, Section 15, as Customs Area. He said the FAAN provides accommodation at Customs Airport, which includes accessibility to offices for its officers. The letter reads: “In view of the above, it is inappropriate for customs officers to pay tollgate fees within the airport area before they gain access into where they perform their

‘’However, you may request for officers’ identification before allowing passage at the tollgate.” FAAN, according to source has commenced investigations into the matter . An official who pleaded not to be named said efforts are on to resolve the matter to ensure inter agency collaboration. He said officials of both FAAN and Customs will meet this week to iron out grey areas.

Ecobank wins award

COBANK Nigeria has been named SME Excellence Award winner at the Nigerian SME Awards hosted by the SME Business Platform. It is a forum for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Ecobank’s Head, SME and Value Chain Banking, Sunkanmi Olowo, thanked the organisers the gesture. According to him, access to finance has been identified as a key growth factor in the development of MSMEs. He reiterated that MSMEs are known as the major drivers of economies and it is on this premise that

By Collins Nweze

Ecobank based its commitment to financing and supporting this budding sector in Nigeria. According to him, Ecobank is noted for MSME’s financing. He said this year, the bank has embarked on various initiatives that support growth in some key sectors that includes agriculture, import business finance, amongst others. On how Ecobank relates with the MSMEs, Olowo said the lender has adopted a “risk sharing asset creation”, that enables the financing of businesses with less stringent collateral re-

quirements and renewable energy financing. The bank had, in collaboration with the USAID, UNDP and several other multilateral organisations, initiated various schemes to develop the renewable energy sector. The bank has also proposed the launch of an SME club that would provide necessary advice and other financial tools and nonbank support services to support and grow SMEs. Ecobank was recognised as the number three bank in strong SME’s lending, and number four in transactional banking for SMEs.

HERIE Noodles has rewarded the new winners of its ‘Naira Hunt-Free Money‘ Promo. The prize presentation, which took place at the Ikotun market in Lagos, saw numerous consumers going home with various cash prizes ranging from N5,000 to N50,000. Over 50,000 winners have emerged across the country since the commencement of the promo last month. The Lagos event was overseen by the Consumer Protection Council, represented by the Head, Lagos Office, Mr. Tam Tamunokonbia. Marketing Manager, Olam Sanyo Foods Limited, makers of the Cherie brand of noodles, Mrs. Bola Adeniji, said the promo was one way the company is saying ‘thank you’ to its consumers during this Yuletide, and restated the brand’s commitment to continue to delight and enrich the lives of its consumers. “We have carefully timed the Naira Hunt Promo to coincide with the Yuletide period when people need money to spend on gifts for their families and loved ones, and since the promo was launched, winners have continued to emerge daily across the country and have been re-

deeming their cash prizes of N50, N100, N500, N1,000, N2,000, N5,000, N10,000 and N50,000,” she said. Explaining the mechanics of the promo, Adeniji said what a consumer needs to do is to buy a pack or carton of Cherie Noodles, look inside for the seasoning sachet with the winning amount written on it, and what you see, is what you get! “With the seasoning sachet, the consumer should go to their nearest Cherie retailer and collect their cash instantly. It is that easy and simple!” she further explained. Speaking at the event after receiving her N50, 000 cash prize, one of the winners, Mrs. Racheal Ighovwemereher said she was excited at her luck and thanked the company for the gesture. According to her, the prize couldn’t have come at a better time, with Christmas and New Year celebrations just a few days away. “It came as a pleasant surprise and I’m so happy to be one of the winners today,” she said. Adeniji said the promo continues until February, next year or until stocks last, and advised consumers to hurry so they can become the next lucky winner.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

Custodian and Allied chief seeks consolidation in insurance

O have a more viable insurance industry, there is a need for further consolidation of insurance companies in the country. This, when implemented, will make the industry stronger and more profitable for operators, the Managing Director, Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc, Mr. Wole Oshin, has said. Speaking with journalists in Lagos, noted that the 59 insurance firms in the country should be pruned to between 20 and 25. Oshin reiterated that unless the operators begin to consolidate, embrace change and allow disruptive innovation, the industry will stand still and later move backwards. His reason for this position is not far-fetched. Presently, he explained, the industry’s gross premium income is N300 billion with total assets at N682 billion. This, he contends, is not too good, especially when compared to the portfolio of other sectors like Diamond Bank, a Tier 2 bank with N1.35 trillion assets. According to him, there have been various arguments for a more compact industry to make for easier

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

regulation, eliminate fringe players, unhealthy competition, and create bigger and stronger companies to operate in the sector. Consolidation in the industry, he said, is necessary to increase premium retention, thereby reducing invisible exports and preserving foreign exchange. Besides, he further explained, it will also ensure better product pricing with higher reserve and therefore bring about a more consumer-centric, bigger spend on technology and research, better economies of scale, higher profits and returns to shareholders, even as it will lead to the attraction of best talents across sectors and improve brand perception. “It is often said that our industry lacks innovation and that we repeatedly offer the plain vanilla products. It is clear that our consumers want some excitement through a variety of products offering,” Oshin said, adding that operators in the sector need to ponder on how to make insurance attractive to the public, even as he called for the need to change the

‘How to combat challenges in the North’

way firms deliver risks to their consumers. On the quiet revolution that has been going on in the industry, Oshin explained that in recent times, certain companies have come up with innovative ways of delivering products to their consumers through the use of social media, mobile applications, telcos,

monitored. Approximately 57 per cent of the drivers in the UK will switch to telematics based car insurance policies thereby opening up new motor markets.” More shocking, he said, is the fact that the advent of driverless vehicles would crash, if not eliminated. He noted that the intelligent vehicles are seen to be more reliable than drivers and with big data analytics, the actuary is rendered redundant as there is more than enough information on customers wants, needs, and behaviour which insurers can use for more target product pricing which will not require probability theories. Oshin however said there is still a silver lining in spite of the present situation. However, this hope becomes more feasible in a consolidated and innovative industry. Therefore, from the aforegoing, he said, it is only in a water tight, united, innovative industry that companies will consistently deliver profits and return on investments to their customers and their clients.

NAICOM re-introduces advertorial processing fee

NSURANCE brokers in the North need to be more creative in product marketing in order to survive the challenges confronting that part of the country, President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr. Ayodapo Shoderu, has said. Shoderu gave the advice at the investiture of new executives of the Kano Chapter of the council in Kano. He lamented the challenges poised to insurance and the economy generally in the North following the grinding security challenges in the region. He told the brokers to study their environment as well as peoples’ needs and come up with tailor made insurance policies to suit their needs as they are professional intermediaries in the insurance value chain. He also implored government in the region to stem up strategies for combating the security challenges so that the economy of the area could be afoot again. The importance of the North to the economy, he reckoned, cannot be underestimated going by its antecedents, especially when it is considered that the region constitutes the industrial hub of the nation, going by the existence of large industries sited there. “In spite of all odds, if you are doggedly determined, the sky can only be your starting point. This is definitely an auspicious moment to admonish all my professional colleagues to brace up to the challenges confronting our practice, and strive at all times to be ingenious,” he said. For him, if other professions and

• Oshin

banks and internet which is a trusted source of price comparison. “The real question however is that is the industry ready for the impending wave of change? We have for decades practised our traditional underwriting ways of pricing and delivering risks. Today, that trend is fast disappearing in certain lines of business such as motor insurance, Life insurance, travel insurance etc. “The industry is undergoing a quiet revolution through disruptive technology big data analytics. These invaders will force a change in the sector through external agencies if we don’t embrace them. “For instance, buyer behaviour can now be determined by the insertion of black boxes in cars. This allows for proper pricing of risks based on habits and not on engine capacity of the vehicle.” Comparising the local industry and that of the United kingdom (UK), Oshin said: By 2017 the UK Insurance industry will change in response to telematics. It is estimated that by 2017 more than 60 per cent of the world’s vehicles will be connected and the safety of the drivers and vehicles will be

• Shoderu

trades are thriving in Kano State in spite of the present challenges, Insurance Brokers can also thrive as long as the operators brace up and evolve products that will naturally meet customer’s needs and aspirations. The new Chairman of the Kano Chapter, Mr. Olalekan Olaniran, called for support, stressing the need for the broking arm in the north to wake up to participate in the economy. His words: “Insurance industry plays a pivotal role in the engineering of a nation’s economy; hence, the industry players cannot afford to be on the fence in the scheme of things within the nation’s economy. For us to be reckoned with by the government and other players in the economy, we must have to make ourselves relevant at all times. The window of opportunities which the law on local initiative contents afforded our industry has not been fully tapped as Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel has challenged our industry for not taking full advantage of the law”.

HE National Insurance Com mission (NAICOM) has re-in troduced advertorial processing fee to ensure that operators are actually creating the much needed awareness about the insurance industry. This is coming on the heels of the discovery made by the commission that insurance operators always pretend to be embarking on awareness campaigns and record in their annual report to be spending huge sums of money on awareness campaigns and advertorials. Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel said the level of insurance awareness is still very low in Nigeria. To this end, he said, the commission has re-introduced advertorial processing fee, hoping that if the operators have spent money to secure approval for their advertorials, they would be forced to put such advertorials in the pub-

lic space. He blamed some operators for abusing the magnanimity of the commission which had made the processing and approval of advertorials free until recently, and therefore, never took the issue of awareness creation seriously. “NAICOM therefore decided to re-introduce the advertorial processing fee after having found out that some operators were in the habit of flooding the commission with awareness campaign materials which were never made public after they were approved.While pretending to be engaging in awareness campaign, some operators usually design campaign materials, present them to NAICOM for approval, only to keep them in their offices after the approvals have been secured,” he said. The insurance boss said although the insurance business began in

• Daniel

Nigeria about 95 years ago, the insurance gap in the country is about 96 per cent, which implies that only four per cent of Nigerians have one form of insurance cover or the other.

Lion of Africa Insurance downgraded

ARGE and unexpected attritional claims over the last 18 months have led to two capital injections, a report by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has shown. The rating agency said it lowered its long-term insurer financial strength and counterparty credit ratings on South Africa-based Lion of Africa Insurance Co. Ltd (Lion) to ‘BB’ from ‘BB+’. S&P has also lowered its South Africa national scale rating on Lion to ‘zaBBB’ from ‘zaA’.According to the agency, Lion’s capital and earnings have experienced significant volatility over the last 18 months due to higher than anticipated large and attritional claims. The report read: “Despite two capital injections of a total ZAR50 million from parent company Brimstone Investment Co. Ltd., S&P’s assessment of Lion’s financial risk profile has

weakened.”Lion has recorded accumulated losses of South African rand (ZAR) 96 million (approximately $9.6 million), the equivalent of 93per cent of total adjusted capital as of June 30, 2014. These claims have originated from industry wide losses in motor, property, and liability lines, as well as high management expenses.The changes to Lion’s reinsurance arrangements-where they switched coverage and retentions, leading to higher net losses-explains, in part, the increase in expenses and the losses in 2013. The reinsurance utilisation rose to 61.5 per cent as of June 30, 2014, compared with 32.7 per cent one year earlier, which indicates management’s measures to aim for a much higher level of capital

protection.”S&P Credit Analyst Matthew Pirnie said: “S&P expects that Brimstone will deliver further capital support to ensure that Lion’s regulatory capital does not fall below the 1.1x regulatory minimum”. Following the capital injections, and taking into account a series of portfolio actions to improve the performance of the book, it is anticipated that S&P’s assessment of the company’s capital adequacy will strengthen through 2016 to its lower adequate category from less than adequate.”S&P also assumes that Lion’s regulatory capital adequacy will improve to 1.3x-1.4x. A gradual decline in losses is anticipated in the second half of 2014, even though S&P still expects that Lion will report a material full-year loss of more than ZAR45 million and a combined (loss and expense) ratio in excess of 130per cent.

Insurers can’t deny transgender patients, New York governor warns

OVERNOR Andrew Cuomo is warning insurers that they can’t deny treatment for transgender New Yorkers. In a recent letter, the Department of Financial Services said insurance companies must cover gender-reas-

signment surgery, hormone therapy and other treatments associated with changing a person’s gender if a doctor has determined the procedures are medically necessary. It says gender dysphoria, a condition when a person’s gender at birth

is different than the one they identify with should be treated like any other psychological disorder. “Respecting the rights and dignity of all New Yorkers is paramount,” Cuomo said in a statement. “We are ensuring that principle rightfully extends to

transgender people across our state.” Cuomo, a 57-year-old Democrat who won a second-term in November, pushed through a measure legalising same-sex marriage in 2011 and has sought to retain support among New York’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and

transgender community. The letter said insurance companies still have the ability to review treatment for gender dysphoria, as they do with any other covered health benefit. The review must comply with the state law on the right to appeal a ruling.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

ISSUES

• Locally farmed catfish.

More than a year ago, the Federal Government, in a bid to stimulate local fish farming, placed a structured ban on fish importation. Stakeholders in the fish sector, however, expressed fears that the policy would price fish out of the reach of the masses. About a year into the implementation of the policy, MUYIWA LUCAS reports about its gains and pains.

Fish importation ban: The morning after I

T was a well-intended plan to kick-start a backward integration policy for the fishery sector. But at the time the Federal Goverment through its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) made its intention known to begin a structured embargo on the importation of fish into the country starting from last January, several interest groups took positions

‘

on the issue. In the thinking of the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the government's action was aimed at an integrated policy that will gradually deliver the country from the wasteful dependence on fish produced in foreign lands, while the country's abundant aquatic resources remained untapped. The policy targets a 25 per cent annual reduction in

A cautious market survey revealed how imported fish such as Titus and Kote, for instance, have their prices increased from N10, 500 and N7, 500 last year to N13, 500 and N10, 200 respectively as the Yuletide approaches. It is expected to further increase as the season closes in

’

fish importation into the country, and in line with the backward integration policy, all fish importers must begin to engage in fish farming enterprises like their counterparts in other parts of the world with the aim of increasing local production and reducing fish importation. According to the Federal Government, the only fish specie strictly regulated and prohibited from being imported are farmed fish, which is in line with best practices all over the world. Government's decision in arriving at the policy stemmed from the reasoning that a responsible ministry would not fold its arms and watch an important sector such as the fisheries sub-sector go down the drain while financing other nations' economies through indiscriminate importation, when the its economy suffers further devastation. An estimated 1.9 million metric tons (MT) of fish valued at N125.38 billion is said to be imported into the country, a situation the Ministry says is unacceptable. From the Minister's account, Niger• Continued on page 30

•Adesina

•Phillipson

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

ISSUES

Fish importation ban: The morning after • Continued from page 29

ia's total demand for fish was 2.7 million MT, while it produces about 800,000 MT locally, with the deficit of 1.9 million MT addressed by importations. Indeed, the decline in the nation's fisheries sub-sector has become obvious for many years. Since 2005, the government had observed with concern the escalating foreign exchange demand for fish importations. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also noticed an unsustainable surge in the demand for foreign exchange for fish importations by various companies operating in the country. This explains Adesina's decision to correct the abuse, which Nigeria has long been subjected to as a dumping ground for unwholesome frozen fish. Some of these malpractices include over-invoicing, foreign exchange capital flight, and ghost importation. Stakeholders in the fish business are also worried that the discrepancy in fish importation experienced lately would not only impede access to one of the most affordable and veritable source of animal protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are predominantly found in imported fish, but would have caused the price of the commodity to rise beyond the reach of low income earners. A cautious market survey revealed how imported fish such as Titus and Kote, for instance, have their prices increased from N10, 500 and N7, 500 last year to N13, 500 and N10, 200 respectively as the Yuletide approaches. It is expected to further increase as the season closes in. It is a fact that the prices of other species of imported frozen fish are increasing, orchestrating anxiety among stakeholders and keen observers, who as it were, blame the deficit in frozen fish supply on the galloping price of fish in the local market. And while the Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN) is at ease with the resultant friction in the fish market, commending government's stance on fish importation as a best practice for developing local fish production, job creation and saving foreign exchange, the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NTOA), on the other hand, has consistently criticised the policy as unwholesome for the country's teeming population, which de-

•Mackerel fish...imported.

pends on fish for healthy living. The Association cited a statement in a 2012 publication of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, titled: “Action Plan for Aquaculture Value-Chain Development for Nigeria”, where it claimed that: “Nigeria already has a shortfall of fish with a total fish production currently estimated at 600, 000 metric tons per annum with importation approximated at over 700, 000 metric tons and a projected demand for fish at 2.6 million metric tons, suggesting there is an actual deficit of 1.3 million metric tons.” With locally farmed fish production less than a quarter of Nigeria's requirement and about 41 per cent of the total annual protein intake by an average Nigerian from frozen fish, NTOA wondered why CAFAN has remained a strong advocate of the policy, describing as feeble CAFAN's argument that fish importation places unnecessary pressure on the naira by draining foreign exchange reserves and exporting jobs overseas. Nigeria currently imports pelagic fish such as Blue Whiting (Panla), Herring (Shawa), Horse Mackerel (Kote), Mackerel (Titus), Alsakan Pollock and Sardinella, which are unlike Demersal fish found near the bottom of the ocean. Aside from the cheaper cost of imported fish to locally farmed fish, is the issue of protein content. Pelagic fish, for instance, are said to be extremely healthy and offer a good source of protein and better source of Omega-3 fatty acids. A nutritionist, Taiwo Sanni, explained that this nutritional value enhances the heart and decreases risk of cardiovascular disease just as Omega-3 fatty acid is proven to reduce risks of arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats), which can lead to sudden death. Yet, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), in its publication, submitted that catfish are on the other hand, considerably lower in Omega-3 fatty acids by an average of 6.3 times when compared to pelagic, herring, sardines and 5.4 times lower in healthy oils when compared to mackerel. This finding is also corroborated by The American Heart Association’s position, which encourages eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least twice daily.

FISH DEMAND and SUPPLY PROJECTION (2000-2015) Year

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Projected Population (Million)

Per Capita Fish

114.4 117.6 121.0 124.4 128.0 131.5 135.3 139.1 143.0 147.1 151.2 155.5 160.0 164.4 169.1 174.0

13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5

Consumption (Kg)

Projected fish Demand (tons)

1,430,000 1,470,000 1,512,500 1,555,000 1.600.000 1,643,750 1,691,250 1,738,750 1,787,500 1,838,750 1,890,000 1,943,750 2,000,000 2,055,000 2,113,750 2,175 000

Projected

Fish supply

Domestic fish Gap Deficit

Production (tons) (Kg)

(Tons)

467,098 480,164 507,928 522,627 536.918 552,433 567,949 583,872 600,613 617,353 634,560 652,606 671,492 689,958 709,683 730,248

962,902 989.836 1,004,572 1,032,373 1,063,082 1,091,317 1,123,301 1,154,878 1,186,887 1,221,397 1,255,440 1,292,143 1,328,508 1,365,042 1,404,067 1,444,752

Source: Media Advocate Intelligence Resource

‘

Nigeria already has a shortfall of fish with a total fish production currently estimated at 600, 000 metric tons per annum with importation approximated at over 700, 000 metric tons and a projected demand for fish at 2.6 million metric tons, suggesting there is an actual deficit of 1.3 million metric tons

Unfortunately pelagic fish are not found in Nigerian waters as their natural habitats are the cold seas of Europe, Russia and the southern oceans of South America. Only Demersal fish species such as croaker, sole and African mix are found in the Gulf of Guinea (Nigeria's ocean). The Coordinator of Media Advocate Intelligence Resource, Mr. Manny Philipson, argued that going by the nation's population growth, it would require an increase of 100, 000 metric tonnes of additional fish annually, which is four times the growth rate of farmed catfish production in the past five years, to feed the nation. He reasoned that the estimated annual increase of 30, 000 metric tonnes of fish to 153, 000 in five years from (2007 - 2012)

’

clearly suggests that average increase in farmed fish output of 24, 600 metric tonnes is grossly inadequate when viewed against the United Nations’ (UN) five million people projection per annum, which could reach 210 million people by 2020. This view may be in sync with a 2012 FMARD publication - Action Plan for Aquaculture Value-Chain Development for Nigeria, which submits that it is unlikely that the growth in farmed fish production would meet Nigeria's requirements in the near future. Stakeholders are of the opinion that the Federal Government should improve on its support to fish farmers through the provision of fishmeal and soybean meal, which account for 60 per cent of fish - feed input cost to rather boost locally farmed fish production. Presently, the ministry is not relenting in empowering local fish farmers. For instance, as at the time of implementing the regulated ban on fish importation earlier in the year, nine states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had benefited from input supply, and 840 fish farmers per state were supplied with 500 fish juveniles (free) per fish farmer and five bags of fish feed at 50 per cent cost price. Last year, a total of 3.6 million juveniles, 36,000 bags of 15kg of feeds and 200 water testing kits were provided to fishermen in 10 states, at a cost of N1.5 billion. These efforts, it is said, may have been responsible for the glut in local fish producers, especially the CAFAN, recorded in the market during the year, necessitating the government's efforts to search for export market for their products. Also, to continue to cater for the populace, the ministry initiated the registration of all artisanal fishing crafts and boats to ensure that the artisanal sector, which contributes 80 to 85 per cent of the total fish production in the country, is well organised and duly recognised. This, it was gathered, would provide an estimate of the fishing efforts in Nigerian waters, and effective management and security of the fishing environment. It is also to give the operators an identity beyond the shores of Nigeria, especially when fishing in coastal waters shared with neighbouring countries. Other value chains being developed by the ministry, include the Tilapia Value Chain, Lates Niloticus Value Chain and the Shrimp Value Chain.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

MONEYLINK

DMO to sell N65b sovereign bonds Wednesday

HE Debt Management Office (DMO) plans to sell N65 billion worth of sovereign bonds on Wednesday, December 17. It said it would sell N10 billion in three-year paper, N30 billion in 10-year paper and N25 billion in 20year tenor. All the bonds are a re-opening of the previously issued paper and the result of the auction is expected to be published a day after the auction. Meanwhile, Ecobank Transnational Inc. (ETI) will sell equity in the first quarter of next year as it seeks to meet regulatory capital requirements for its Nigerian unit. “The bank is looking at raising

ANAN College trains 34,626

HE Nigerian College of Accountancy (NCA), Jos has,

•Ecobank eyes $250m Stories by Collins Nweze

something in the neighborhood of $250 million before the end of March by private placement. Basel III liquidity regulations call for “huge capital and we have to meet the requirement,” its Chairman Emmanuel Ikazoboh told Bloomberg. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in August ordered largest lenders to boost minimum capital ratios to 16 per cent by March, next year compared with a previous benchmark of 11 per cent. The government is preparing to implement Basel III requirements next year and increase the resilience of banks, five years after saving the industry from collapse.

• DMO DG Abraham Nwankwo ETI, which operates in 36 African countries from its base in Lome, Togo, “will increase its issued capital and sell 25 per cent to Nigerian investors to meet the regulatory capital,” Ikazoboh said. “Capital adequacy of the bank will rise to over 16 per cent from between 11 and 12 per cent at present,” he added.

Winners emerge in Sterling Bank’s Gunners promo

IX winners have emerged from the first Sterling Bank Gunners Promo. The winners will have the privilege of an all-expenses paid trip to watch home matches involving Arsenal Football Club and other top clubs in the English Premier League at the Emirates. The winners, who were picked at the promo draw at bank’s Sterling Towers’ head office in Lagos, to watch the Arsenal versus Aston Villa match, are Olaiya Joseph Rotimi; Oduntan Femi Abimbola; Oseni Adekunle; Segun John; Tamunokubie Tamunobarao and Obi Blessing Uwachukwu. An excited Rotimi expressed gratitude to the bank for fulfilling

its promise to them. Although he said the account was not opened for the purpose of the draw, “ but to identify with a bank supporting the darling team of millions of Nigerians”, he lauded the bank for demonstrating value and assurance that it is a strong and reliable financial institution that could be trusted. In all, 30 winners will emerge from five draws making it six winners per draw. The next draw will hold in the first week of January for the Arsenal-Everton match, while the third draw for the match between Arsenal and Liverpool will hold in February. The fourth

since inception in 1984, produced 34,626 post-graduates, who have been inducted into the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) fold. ANAN President, Alhaji Sakirudeen Labode, who made this known at the Sixth Convocation of the institution in Jos, said the college, which is the training arm of the accounting body, awards PostGraduate Diploma in Accountancy. “The college has been waxing stronger growing from 10 students in 1984/1985 session to over 3,000 students in the current year (2013/ 2014). ‘The college is saddled with the responsibility of training young professional accountants with modern learning /teaching techniques,’’ Labode said.

Access Bank donates van, others to Police

and fifth draws for the Arsenal matches against Chelsea and West Brom would hold in March and April. Gbenga Adegoke of Retail Banking Unit at the bank said the promo was aimed at rewarding customers’ loyalty, and enco u r a g e f o o t b a l l l o v e r s t o share in the experience. He said: “The promo is open to new and existing customers. They can open any of the Bank’s Sterling-Arsenal products, such as Arsenal Kick-Off, Arsenal Premium or the Current account product – Arsenal Platinum.’’

He said the council has decided to decentralise the college’s part-time programme in view of the security challenges in the country. Labode said the modalities for operating the centres were for ‘matured’ programme only. “We are looking forward to the state governments partnering with ANAN and state branches of the association providing adequate facilities suitable for matured programme. Where none of the above exists, individuals with sufficient capacity in terms of lecture and administrative accommodation and human resources can venture into it,’’ the ANAN president said. Labode said the college has a modern French Language lab and that its efforts had started yielding the desired dividends as both staff and students could communicate in French Language.

CCESS Bank Plc has donated Hilux Patrol Van, Bullet proof vests and Walkie-Talkies and others to the Lagos State Police Command. The state Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, received the items. He praised the lender’s zeal and commitment to the maintenance of peace and security in the state. He noted that the items would help the police in fighting crime. “We are going to access a lot of prosperity for the people of Lagos State. Access Bank has shown us what partnership in progress is and we really appreciate them. I want to also use this platform to ask other banks to follow suit and support the police,” he stated. Head, Compliance and Internal

Control, Access Bank Plc, Pattison Boleigha, said the bank remained committed to delivering worldclass service embedded in speed, service and security. “There is no way we can achieve security which is a very important part of the Access Bank’s values without partnering with the Nigerian Police. How else can we ensure the security of our customers deposit than by supporting the Nigerian Police. We are indeed proud of our partnership with Nigeria Police Force,” he said. “The presentation of the Patrol vehicle and other operational items also signifies the banks desire to always remain the front runner in the safety and security consciousness in line with our business continuity strategy” he said.

DATA BANK AFRINVEST W. A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGE FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

152.19 9.17 1.12 1.19 2,237.65 1.39 1,710.65 1,092.63 115.26 121.16 1,117.51 1.2232 1.2897 0.7759 1.0986

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS) Transaction Dates 10/12/2014 3/12/2014 1/12/2014 1,116.70 1.2158 1.2897 0.7625 1.0986

GAINERS AS AT 11-12-14

SYMBOL UBCAP AIRSERVICE TOTAL DANGCEM DIAMONDBNK STANBIC FCMB CAP ETI NESTLE UNILEVER

O/PRICE 1.52 1.73 155.00 157.99 4.84 28.21 2.98 36.10 18.20 774.78 34.00

C/PRICE 1.60 1.81 158.00 160.00 4.89 28.50 3.00 36.22 18.21 775.00 34.01

CHANGE 0.08 0.08 3.00 2.01 0.05 0.29 0.02 0.12 0.01 0.22 0.01

LOSERS AS AT 11-12-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

FIDSON FO GUINNESS ABCTRANS NB PORTPAINT UBN OKOMUOIL PRESCO NASCON CHAMPION MANSARD DANGFLOUR

3.30 218.50 129.06 0.60 153.25 5.00 8.00 26.70 26.70 6.62 7.29 3.05 5.09

C/PRICE 3.09 207.58 122.61 0.57 145.59 4.75 7.60 25.37 25.59 6.29 6.93 2.90 4.84

CHANGE -0.21 -10.92 -6.45 -0.03 -7.66 -0.25 -0.40 -1.33 -1.34 -0.33 -0.36 -0.15 -0.25

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: October

8.1%

Monetary Policy Rate

13.0%

Foreign Reserves Oil Price (Bonny Light/b) Money Supply (M2)

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

$36.8b

US Dollar

167

168

$68.12

Pounds Sterling

261.9395

263.508

Euro

206.2617

207.4968

171.546

172.5732

Yen

1.3838

1.3921

CFA

0.2944

0.3144

242.3484

243.7996

Yuan/Renminbi

27.1505

27.314

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 399.97m 349.96m

CBN EXCHANGE RATES December 10, 2014

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

Amount Offered in ($) 500m 400m 350m

Swiss Franc

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

WAUA Tenor

11-11-14 Rate (%)

Rate (%) 12-11-14

Overnight (O/N)

10.54

11.17

Riyal

44.4906

44.757

11.94

12.18

SDR

243.2856

244.7424

13.08

13.33

14.03

14.17

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

FOREX RATES

R-DAS ($/N)

165.29

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

Parallel ($/N)

185.50

Dec. 8, 2014

Rates

T-bills - 91

13.65

T-bills - 182

13.88

T-bills - 364

13.65

Bond - 3yrs

13.81

Bond - 5yrs

13.85

Bond - 7yrs

13.83

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

EQUITIES

Equities crash to lowest prices as investors lose N814b

EVERAL equities open trading today at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) at their lowest prices in a year as quoted stocks lost more than N814 billion in five straight days of losses last week. At least a quarter of companies quoted on the stock market closed weekend at their lowest prices or around their lows. With another quarter stagnated at their nominal prices during the period, the continuing downtrend and the emergence of new lows for several stocks highlighted the grim market situation at the stock market. Several leading stocks such as UAC of Nigeria, Guinness Nigeria, National Salt Company of Nigeria (Nascon), Seplat Petroleum Development Company, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, Okomu

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

Oil Palm and UACN Property Development Company among others are now trading at their lowest prices in a year. All key indices at the NSE highlighted the widespread bearishness across the sectors. The All Share Index (ASI), the common valuebased index that tracks prices of all quoted companies, indicated a week-on-week average decline of 7.42 per cent. It closed weekend at 30,763.38 points as against 33,228.29 points recorded as opening index for the week. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities also dropped from the week’s opening value of

N10.970 trillion to close at N10.156 trillion, indicating a loss of N814 billion. With the decline last week, average year-to-date return at the stock market worsened with the ASI indicating a year-to-date return of 25.57 per cent. The NSE 30 Index, which tracks the 30 most capitalised stocks, showed year-to-date return of -26.73 per cent. The NSE Banking Index carried a return of 27.66 per cent. Other returns included NSE Insurance Index, -7.61 per cent; NSE Consumer Goods Index, -28.34 per cent; NSE Industrial Goods Index, -27.16 per cent and NSE Lotus Islamic Index, which recorded the highest average loss of 30.57 per cent. The NSE Oil & Gas

Index is the only one with a gain of 11.45 per cent. With nearly seven decliners for every advancer, 10 equities appreciated during the week compared with 68 stocks that depreciated. One hundred and nineteen stocks remained unchanged, nearly half of them stunted at their nominal prices. Total turnover last week stood at 1.81 billion shares worth N28.92 billion in 20,677 deals. The financial services sector was the most active with 1.37 billion shares valued at N13.78 billion traded in 11,742 deals; representing 75.69 per cent and 47.66 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The consumer goods sector recorded a turnover of 137.12

million shares worth N9.37 million in 3,583 deals. Conglomerates sector placed third on the activity chart with a turnover of 93.13 million shares worth N567.17 million in 1,256 deals. The trio of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and Diamond Bank Plc were the most active stocks and jointly accounted for 624.39 million shares worth N9.19 billion in 5,090 deals, contributing 34.50 per cent and 31.77 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. Also traded during the week were a total of 1,299 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N452, 196 executed in 21 deals. Similarly, a total of 800 units of FGN bonds valued at N825, 011 were executed in a deal.

EMEA Finance lauds Access Bank’s capital markets activities HE publisher and chief executive, EMEA Finance Magazine, Christopher Moore has commended Access Bank Plc for its impressive dealings in the capital market. This was done at the EMEA Finance award ceremony which was held recently in London. At the ceremony, Access Bank, which was nominated in a keenly contested category, emerged victorious as the Best Local Bank in Africa. While presenting the award to the bank, Christopher Moore said Access Bank’s interim results show impressive growth not just in income and profit, but also in the bank’s loan portfolio and deposit base. He said the bank’s profile underscored its strong management team and business. Tim Burke, editor of EMEA Finance Magazine said Access Bank was also considered because of its impressive capital markets activity, which includes

• From left: Representative of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Abubakar Ambursa; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema and Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, NSE, Mr. Ade Bajomo at the induction for the newly qualified authorised dealing clerks of the Exchange in Lagos... at the weekend.

the bank’s second international bond issuance raising $400 million and its upcoming rights issue. “Access Bank competes in a very tough market, Nigerian banks are among the most innovative and dynamic in Africa, and in many other areas are global leaders and fast adopters. It is a pleasure to recognize Access Bank as our Best local bank for 2014,” Burke said. Receiving the award on behalf of the bank, head, brand and strategic management, Access Bank Plc, Amaechi Okobi thanked EMEA Finance magazine for recognizing and celebrating the humble dealings of the bank. “This award is a testament to the proactive and innovative approach to banking that Access Bank has adopted. While many might see it as a call to celebrate, we see it as a call to push further. Our promise is to deliver excellent services with lightning speed and on a secured platform and we will not disappoint,” Okobi said.

Increasing upside potential for May & Baker The recent certification of May & Baker Nigeria’s production processes to be of World Health Organisation (WHO)’s current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) opens a vast opportunity for the healthcare company

AY & Baker Nigeria Plc achieved another milestone recently with the issuance of ‘current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP)’ certificate of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to the healthcare company. The first pharmaceutical company to be certified by the International Standard Organisation (ISO), the cGMP was another pacesetting achievement by the healthcare company. The cGMP affirms that May & Baker Nigeria is a pharmaceutical manufacturing company with adequate facilities and processes that meet global standards. The announcement, which was formally communicated to May & Baker Nigeria recently by the world health ruling body, caps a deliberate and sustained effort by the company to seek international accreditation and certification for its production processes and products. The road to the WHO GMP certification began as far back as 2008 when May & Baker commenced the construction of a world class manufacturing facility at Ota, Ogun State. The facility, which was commissioned in 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan, was designed to meet all requirements of international pharmaceutical manufacturing best practice, from civil works to equipment installations, quality assurance, input supply and production processes. In 2012, the company formally applied to the WHO for GMP certification. May & Baker Nigeria’s Pharmacentre was inspected by WHO experts four times between 2012 and 2014 in the course of mandatory and

advisory inspections. In all inspections, positive reports were made about the Pharmacentre, while improvements to processes, documentation and further training were carried out. In September, 2014, the WHO finally gave a nod to the company as having met the requirements for GMP certification. The certification opens a vast opportunity for global drug contract manufacturing to May & Baker, whose Ota, Ogun State-based manufacturing complex known as The Pharmacentre was designed and positioned as the most modern pharmaceutical factory in the West African region. Nigerian pharmaceutical firms previously were not in a position to participate in international tenders for medicines against the three pandemics that require WHO prequalification. Health experts identified this as a major constraint on the local supply of medicines, especially anti-retroviral (ARVs) drugs, anti-malarial and antituberculosis agents. With another enviable position as the first and only Nigerian company with local vaccine production, the cGMP places May & Baker Nigeria in a better position ahead of other healthcare company to compete effectively for many lines of drugs. May & Baker’s business is already structured to optimize the synergies and crossselling opportunities in the general healthcare industry. May & Baker operates under three major business units and four subsidiaries. The business units are pharmaceutical manufacturing, beverages and foods. The four subsidiaries included Biovaccines

Nigeria Limited, Osworth Nigeria Limited, Servisure Nigeria Limited and Tydipacks Nigeria Limited. Biovaccines is a joint venture with the Federal Government for local production of human vaccines. May & Baker Nigeria meanwhile owns the controlling equity stake in Biovaccines. The vaccine project, when fully operational, is expected not only to save Nigeria huge revenues but also create immense room for revenue and profit growth for May & Baker Nigeria. The three other subsidiariesServisure, Osworth and Tydipacks are brand-owning healthcare companies. The pharmaceutical manufacturing business runs concurrently from two factory locations-Ikeja, Lagos State and Ota, Ogun state. Based in Ikeja are a liquid manufacturing plant, solid manufacturing plant, an ARV plant and Bectaletam plant. The total capacity for solid medicines in Ikeja is two billion tablets while there is capacity for 19 million bottles of liquid preparations of 60 ml. The new pharmaceutical plant in Ota, the Pharmacentre, has capacity to produce 4.5 billion tablets and 37.5 million bottles of 60 ml liquid preparations annually. Thus, the combined capacity of May & Baker’s pharmaceutical business is in excess of 6.5 billion tablets and 56.5 million bottles of liquid preparations per annum for a range of over 80 products. The beverage business is located in Ikeja and is currently involved in the bottling of Lily table water while the food business produces instant noodles-Mimee Noodles. The cGMP is expected to add fillips to the company’s earnings. While it

remains under cost pressure due to extended funding for the Pharmacentre, the audited report of the company showed a steady performance. Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of the company for the year ended December 31, 2013 indicated a growth of 12.3 per cent in sales. Turnover rose from N5.67 billion in 2012 to N6.37 billion in 2013. Gross profit also increased by 9.2 per cent from N2.07 billion to N2.26 billion. However, the company remained under pressures from financing charges, the main downside to the huge new pharmaceutical manufacturing plant, which was financed largely by loans. Finance costs rose by 34.3 per cent to N630.71 million in 2013 compared with N469.63 million in 2012, leading to a negative pre-tax profit of N11 million. Already, the company is considering options to reduce its financial leverage and restructure its balance sheet. It plans to raise new equity funds and recapitalize its balance. In a recent review, managing director, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okafor, said the company needs new equity funds to support the long-term growth of its business and reduce the high cost of fund, which has been constraining its profit in recent years. He however pointed out that the journey to WHO’s prequalification of products is not yet over as the company would soon commence the next stage which will involve the presentation of specific products for prequalification by WHO. He said the company has been receiving several enquiries from pro-

•Okafor spective clients who want to use its world-class pharmaceutical manufacturing centre for their drug manufacturing adding that the cGMP would encourage more customers. “We want to build a company that is strong, stable and globally relevant by setting up strong institutions and strong brands. We have launched May & Baker on the path of sustainable and profitable diversification,” Okafor assured. The certification and structural repositioning of its businesses and balance sheet of May & Baker Nigeria enhance the prospects of the company in the expanding healthcare industry. With population of more than 170 million people, Nigeria’s growing population and huge gap between healthcare needs and actual provisions present huge opportunities for companies with extensive capacity for research and capital for investments. Besides, Nigerian healthcare industry has witnessed many landmark changes in recent years including a law that mandates compulsory health scheme for employees and a step-up in the anti-counterfeit and substandard campaign.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

Taxation

Standard Integrated Government Tax Administration System (SIGTAS) Impact and Benefits for Taxpayers

OLLOWING the implementation if SIGTAS solution, below are some of the impacts and benefits for taxpayers: • Single and unique TIN for taxpayers Prior to the deployment of Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS), FIRS taxpayers were being registered and assigned FIRS Tax Identification Number (TIN) different from the TIN assigned by Joint Tax Board (JTB) resulting in taxpayers having more than one TIN.With the ITAS deployment, both federal and state taxpayers will be assigned one unique TIN from the JTB system, being the organization with the mandate to enroll taxpayers. • Centralized taxpayer registration JTB being the organization with the mandate to enroll taxpayers centrally for all tax authorities in the land serves as the centralized taxpayer registration point. The enrolment capabilities are extended technologically to the systems of the different tax authorities. • Integrated taxpayer’s tax account status across all tax types InITAS, tax accounts are created for the different tax types for all tax transactions, payments, interest, penalties and other related transactions that affect the balance of taxpayers. The status of the taxpayer’s performance in terms of tax liabilities across the different tax types can easily be viewed from the system. These tax accounts can be compared to the soft form of k-cards and it provides an integrated view of all tax transactions.

redesigned to stream-line redundant and non-value adding processes. • Automation of tax processes This is the transformation of the simplified and updated manual process into a system based process devoid of redundancies. The machine is made to carry out some standard tasks thereby, increasing process efficiency. • Increased automation of payment/refund administration The Project FACT introduced payment automation. The ITAS project is to leverage on that and introduce more payment platforms into the system. Tax refund is a complex process in FIRS marred by a number of manual interventions across different functions and departments of FIRS. The ITAS seeks to simplify the refund process by removing many of the manual interventions as is evident in the redesigned processes. • Interfaces (NCS, Interswitch, CBN,OAGF, IPA, JTB) These are third party systems/agencies that will interface with the ITAS for exchange of certain taxpayer information. ITAS will interface with NCS for import duty related transactions, Interswitch for payments, CBN for foreign tax payments and exchange rates, OAGF for MDAs tax remittance and JTB for centralized taxpayer registration. Benefits of SIGTAS • Automatic calculation of tax and penalty Tax calculations will be done by the system and it includes actual tax, penalties, interests etc.

• Redesigned tax forms The redesigned tax formsare the output of the Business Process Reengineering (BPR) project which is a subproject in the ITAS Implementation project. One of the objectives was to redesign the ‘As Is’ (before the commencement of ITAS) form so that it will be simple both for automation,taxpayer’s usage and also to bring the forms in line with internationalbest practices.

• Identifies taxpayer errors or omissions through tax declaration processing FIRS is currently running a Self-Assessment Regime which requires taxpayers to assess themselves, file and then make payments. However, the system will raise exceptions to mathematical errors and omissions at a certain stage of the declaration process. This helps to eliminate declaration errors.

• Redesigned tax processes The introduction of the ITAS system will definitely affect FIRS’ tax processes positively. The adjustments made to the old process to conform to the system requirements gave rise to the redesigned processes. Tax processes were

• Generate assessment notices, payment reminders and other taxpayer correspondence automatically. The system has the capacity to generate assessment notices, reminders and other correspondence automatically.

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed

Mashi Other Benefits include: • Automated payment posting and receipt generation • Provides an integrated view of taxpayer affairs across all tax types • Reduced cost of compliance Cost of compliance is reduced by the system in a number of ways: 1. It will reduce declaration errors to the minimum thereby reducing audit and investigation intervention. 2. The system can automatically send letters and reminders to taxpayers thereby requiring no human effort to remind the taxpayers of their tax obligation. 3. The system can automatically compute compliance gaps and communicate to taxpayers For more information on ITAS implementation, please contact Itas.changemanagement@firs.gov.ng

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS Next year’s general elections in Nigeria will open fresh job opportunities, especially in the outdoor advertising segment. Billboards, transit adverts, posters or arena placement owners are expected to hire both skilled and unskilled labour, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

HESE are boom times for players in the outdoor advertising segment of the industry. The political parties have just completed their party primaries for various elective posts. Players in the outdoor advertising are expected to witness activities in the industry after a long lull that has rendered the industry illiquid. Some players had projected about N20billion for the industry during the election period. They expect that the fund being devoted to the sector will not only create empowerment for outdoor agencies and hoarding owners, but also for both the skilled and unskilled labour. As a result, the boom will open windows for people in areas such as billboard designing, structural engineers and their auxiliaries, planting, account management, media management, field supervision. This will in trun grow government’s revenue. Of all these areas of opportunities in the outdoor advertising, the structural engineering seems to have job space for more people because it is tasked with the responsibilities of mapping out the sites where billboards will be sited. As a result, certain categories of people will be employed to carry out the job on the sites. From the cumbersome manual method to the now popular imposing electronic billboard advertising, structural engineers have been creating Jobs for people in the formal and informal sector. The former includes fine artists, graphic artists, printers of large format posters, and computer programmers, while the latter are bricklayers, welders, painters, among others. Accountants, media managers, compliance officers and creative experts such as graphic artists will benefit from the fortunes of the outdoor advertising industry during the electioneering period. With the recent restructuring and reforms in outdoor advertising also known as the out-of-home advertising medium, experts say better days await job seekers as states governments have now embraced the new generation billboards. The states, which have established agencies to regulate activities in outdoor advertising are Lagos State Signage Advertising Agency (LASSA), Osun State Signage Advertising Agency (OSAAA) and Oyo State Signage Advertising Agency (OYSAA). Others are Rivers, Ekiti, Edo, Ondo, Enugu, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. While these states are generating revenue by approving and collecting commission on every billboard erected in their domain, they have helped in providing job opportunities for people. Experts said the stakes are high for job seekers, given that companies are committing fortunes to it. They said billions of naira are being spent on outdoor advertising which has a multiplier effects in the economy.

Election: Outdoor advert to boost employment

Job potential

The Director General, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, Mr. George Noah says the industry holds huge job opportunities as the Lagos market alone currently employs some 100,000 people, adding that the industry would have grown more but for prevailing hindrances which included but not limited to loss of market share to television, radio and social media marketing. He said Lagos currently hosts 100,000 signs and 800 outdoor structures.

Gains for outdoor

The Media Facts, a key media resource for marketing professionals in West and Central Africa, showed in its fresh report on the industry that the TV sub-sector dominated the media spending for last year. With a total of N47 billion advertisers spent on their advertisements on the TV stations in the country last year, the

•An outdoor advert

figure represented 45 per cent of the overall spending by advertisers. The report said with N23.2 billion spent on outdoor advertising during the year under review, the outdoor sub-sector came second after the TV. Similarly, the report stated that the radio and print media recorded advertising spend of N15.1 billion and N18.5 billion, respectively last year. “The TV dominated media spends of advertisers – accounting for 45 per cent of the total expenditure of N103.8 billion in 2013. While TV and radio spends dropped by nine per cent and two per cent points, OOH (out of home) and print increased by three per

cent and eight per cent, respectively,” the report stated. Former General Manager, Tequila Nigeria Limited, Mr. Gbolalian Mosaku-Johnson said newspapers, radio and television advertising have overshadowed outdoor advertising for years, arguing that there is a renewed interest in outdoor advertising by blue-chip companies that can spend a fortune in producing good copies. Tequila is an integrated marketing communication outfit providing services such as brands developments, promotion among others. Mosaku-Johnson said many people would be employed either on contract or full-time

basis to help in producing outdoor advertising services because some companies are ready to pay a lot of money for such services. “This is high time graphic artists, among other skilled personnel must prepare themselves for big opportunities in the outdoor advertising industry. It is projected that outdoor advertising will get more attractions in the next five to 10 years because state governments are showing keen interest in the field by setting up agencies for such needs. Now that •Continued on page 36

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

JOBS

Election: Outdoor advert to boost employment •Continued from page 35

we have thousands of billboards in strategic places across the country, there would be more opportunities for job seekers.” he said. He projected that at least 5,000 jobs would be created directly or indirectly in a year in each of the 36 states of the federation when the outdoor advertising begins fully. He said: “Now mobile outdoor advertising which ensures that bigger buses and taxis are used to promote products/services of companies is on the increase in the country. These advertisements are produced periodically, depending on what the clients pay for. This shows that graphic artists and large format printers would be made to provide more services in the industry. “Also, drivers, among other auxiliary workers would be employed aside the workers needed to produce billboards. With this, a lot of job opportunities would be open for skilled and the unskilled workers in the country,” he added. However, the advertising practitioners in the country, acting under the aegis of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, (AAAN) said over N20billion would be spent on political campaigns this year. Its Chairman, Publicity Committee, Dr. Celey Okogwu, noted that the N20 billion that would be spent on political campaigns which may however not pass through the organised private sector.

Outdoor guidelines

advertising

Three months to the general elections, LASAA is worried by the indiscriminate ways these campaign posters are being pasted across the states. It has threatened to sanction candidates and individuals that run foul of its guidelines on the use of election campaign materials in the state.

•A billboard

•Noah

Noah, who gave the warning, said the guidelines on the use of election campaign materials for next year’s general elections in the state were issued in accordance with the agency’s responsibilities, and as provided for under its enabling law. One of these laws is the Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency Law 2006 as amended, which regulates and controls outdoor signage, advertisements and billboards in the state.

According to Noah, the guidelines were issued to establish sanity and protect the environment from defilement, visual blight and other adverse effects of uncontrolled, unregulated deployment and display of political campaign materials within the state during this electioneering period. He said: “The guidelines are also issued without prejudice to any political party, association or aspirant as it is our intention to ensure fairness and equality among all concerned stakeholders, while judiciously performing our duty and applying the rules without sentiment or bias.”

He explained that billboards and wall drapes political campaigns may only be deployed on existing structures owned and operated by outdoor advertising practitioners who are registered with LASAA and have obtained permits for such sites and structures. “Parties interested in deploying political campaigns may contact LASAA or owners of the proposed structure for clarification. 2. AFrame may only be deployed on road verges, medians on inner streets and must not exceed a size of 1 x 1 meter (big size) and 0.5 x 0.5 meter (small size) and must have a distance of not less than 100 meters

‘At least 5,000 jobs would be created directly or indirectly in a year in each of the 36 states of the federation when the outdoor advertising begins fully. Drivers, among other auxiliary workers would be employed aside the workers needed to produce billboards. With this, a lot of job opportunities would be open for skilled and the unskilled workers in the country’

between each sign deployed. “Banners may only be deployed on inner roads and streets subject to the following conditions: only if the banner is attached to the wall of a particular building limited to inner streets, and it is not to be tied to poles or public utilities (electric and telecom poles). “Posters may be deployed on designated surfaces on inner streets only and are not to be deployed on highways, major roads and high streets. Posters must not be pasted on public utility structures such as street lamp poles, transformers, road directional signs, electric poles and other unauthorised surfaces.” The agency warned political parties, aspirants and their supporters to refrain from indiscriminate deployment of campaign posters and embrace the use of other creative and innovative platforms including: a stick in the ground, billboards, mobile adverts, among others. According to Noah, aside risking prosecution, other non-conforming political campaigns would be removed without recourse to the owners, even as he reminded politicians that all political campaign advertising materials must be removed immediately after the elections.

CAREER MANAGEMENT

MPLOYMENT experts agree that skill identification is essential to a successful job search. Employers want to know what it is you can do for them-not just what you’ve done for someone else. Knowledge of your unique skills is needed to successfully complete an application, write a resume or answer interview questions. Skills Identification is a key initial step towards new employment. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a skill as “a great ability or proficiency, expertness that comes from training, practice, etc.” A simple definition is that a skill is anything you can do right now. Everyone has skills, hundreds of skills, many of which employers are looking for in an employee. Yet most people can only identify a few skills and are generally unable to describe them to an employer. Employers need to hear what you can do. If you’re looking at purchasing a product that will cost you thousands of naira a year for many years, you also would want to know that it can do. The more skills you have identified, the easier it is to convince a potential employer that you have what it takes to do the job.

Skills categories Job skills Job skills are those skills specific to a job or occupation. An administrative assistant is skilled in typing, word processing, answering telephones, company correspondence and filing. An accountant

How to identify your skills By Olu Oyeniran

would list accounts receivable, performing accounts payable, payroll, figuring taxes, using a 10 keys adding machine and computer accounting programs. A salesperson would include customer service, record keeping, order processing, inventory management, billing and product displays. Job skills are important to employers for obvious reasons. These are the specific skills they look for in a candidate to accomplish the duties of the job. Job skills do not always come from employment. Along with the skills you used in previous jobs, you may have developed job skills through education, hobbies, community activities and life experiences. Common activities such as shopping, managing finances, balancing a bank account, hosting a party and teaching a child all contain potential job skills. Self-management skills Sometimes called “personality traits,” these self-management skills are skills you use day-to-day to get along with others and to survive. They’re the skills that you unique. Sincerity, reliability, tactfulness, patience, flexibility, timeliness and tolerance are examples of self-management skills. Employers look for these skills in candidates as evidence of how they will fit into the organisation. How

a person will fit in is an important consideration to employers. Transferable skills These are skills that can transfer from one job or occupation to another. They may be either selfmanagement or job content skills, and may or may not have been developed through pervious employment. For most jobseekers it’s very unlikely that they’ll find a job that is identical to their opportunities. It’s also important to look for ways to express this transferability to a prospective employer. Duties Many people have trouble distinguishing between their skills and duties. Duties are the basic functions of an activity. Skills are tools to accomplish those functions. Duties or functions are a part of any organised activity, whether it’s employment, volunteer work or hobbies. A simple example is the management of a lemonade stand. The basic duties of a lemonade stand owner might be to manage lemonade operations including product, marketing, distribution and finances. These are many skills needed to accomplish these functions including: mixing, measuring, planning, sales, customer service, writing, cash handling, record keeping, maintenance, timeliness, dependability, accuracy and motivation. A complete list of skills

would be very long. Writing out the duties or functions of an activity first can be useful way to begin identifying skills. When presenting your skills to an employer, it’s best to tie them to specific activities in which they were used. It’s not enough to tell the employer your skills: you need to be prepared to tell where, when and how you used those skills. Writing your skills Identifying, listing and describing your skills isn’t an easy task. However, it’s critical to job search success and you should plan to invest the time needed. Listed below is an outline for skills identification that has been successfully used by many jobseekers. • List by title a job you’ve held. Start with your most recent employment and work backwards. • Write a detailed description of four to five major duties. • Think of the skills needed to accomplish each duty you’ve listed. Write those skills down on a piece of paper. Remember to look for both job and self-management skills. Be sure to include tools used, machines operated, knowledge applied, etc. • Repeat the above steps for each

activity you anticipate describing to an employer either on an application, in your resume or in an interview. Use this process for other work-related activities including hobbies, volunteer work and community experience. Once you’ve completed this process, you should have a long list of skills-A list too long to tell an employer. Go through the list, select and prioritise those skills that match your job(s) target(s). Three to eight can be optimal, depending on your years of experience and relevancy. These are the skill you will use and sell in your job search effort- deciding what you will like to do, during interviews and in your resume/CV. EkiniConsult & Associates is organising three free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only.

•Oyeniran is Lead Consultant, EkiniConsult & Associates. He can be reached on Jobsearchhow.com.ng Tel 08083843230 (SMS Only).

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

BUSINESS MOTORING

Lexus NX 300h: Firm ride, responsive steering

â&#x20AC;˘Lexus NX 300h

Not only is there an abundance of compact luxury crossovers on the market now, it is hard to pick one. It also just gets a bit harder, thanks to the arrival of the generally impressive all-new Lexus NX. However, while the regular turbo struggles to stand out appreciably from its rivals in terms of fuel economy and performance, the 2015 Lexus NX 300h hybrid version certainly does, reports TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO with agency addition

ERHAPS to no one's surprise, the company that is almost synonymous with luxury hybrids has produced by far the most fuel-efficient luxury compact crossover. Through its combination of a 2.5-liter fourcylinder engine and multiple electric motors powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack, the NX 300h is capable of returning a Lexus-estimated 32 mpg combined with allwheel drive. The only other hybrid in the segment is the Audi Q5. This fuel economy advantage does come with a trade-off, however. The NX 300h is one of the slowest vehicles in its class - alternatively fuelled or otherwise. There are reasons to consider the 2015 Lexus NX beyond either of its appealing powertrain options. It has similar dimensions to the Q5 and other competitors like the Acura RDX, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60, but clever packaging has resulted in betterthan-average rear seat legroom. It also boasts bold design outside and in, with exemplary cabin construction and a long list of the latest high-tech entertainment, convenience and safety options. Unfortunately, the NX 300h's cargo area is significantly lacking. Maximum cargo capacity is among the lowest in the segment, but its dramatically raked liftgate makes it even less versatile than its measurements would suggest. Its capacity with the rear seats in place is the worst in the segment, so if you have a family or need more versatility than what is essentially offered by most wagons, the NX is probably not for you. Lexus' bigger RX 400h hybrid would be the best family-friendly hybrid alternative, but it is as different in style, driving dynamics and overall personality to the NX as the larger luxurious Lexus ES sedan is to the smaller, sporty IS. In other words, if you are single or a couple without kids, the 2015 Lexus NX 300h is a new compelling entry in a segment admittedly filled with other compelling entries. If your priority is to find the most fuel-efficient of those, though, your choice might have be-

come a lot easier.

Body styles

The 2015 Lexus NX 300h is a five-passenger, compact luxury crossover SUV. It is technically available in a single trim level, but there is a non-hybrid NX 200t version that is reviewed separately. Standard equipment includes 17-inch wheels, automatic LED headlights, LED foglights and running lights, rear privacy glass, heated mirrors, keyless ignition and entry, cruise control, driver-selectable vehicle dynamics settings, dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats (with two-way driver lumbar), 60/40-splitfolding and reclining rear seats, "NuLuxe" premium vinyl upholstery, a power tilt-andtelescoping steering wheel, a cargo cover and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Standard electronic features include a 7-inch display screen, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, Siri-based voice controls and readouts for iPhones, the Display Audio electronics interface and an eightspeaker sound system with HD and satellite radio, a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and a USB/iPod audio interface. Other packages are also available, though availability can vary by region, so one will want to check with the local dealer. The Premium package adds 18-inch wheels, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, a sunroof and heated and ventilated front seats. The Luxury package also includes those items plus a power liftgate, automatic wipers, a tow package, leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel and wood trim. A power-folding rear seat can be added to the Luxury package. The Navigation package obviously includes a navigation system, but also adds the Remote Touch electronics interface, two additional speakers, voice control, various Lexus Enform smartphone-integrated apps and a special smartphone app that allows you to remotely control and monitor various vehicle functions. Stand-alone options include the 18-inch

wheels, a blind-spot warning system (includes rear cross-traffic alert), front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control (includes a precollision warning and vehicle preparation system), upgraded LED headlights, a power liftgate, a sunroof, heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheel and a wireless charging tray for Qi-compatible phones.

Powertrains and performance

The Lexus NX 300h features a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain that combines a 2.5liter four-cylinder with a pair of electric motor/generators supplied by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Together, they produce a maximum output of 194 horsepower. Opting for all-wheel drive (versus front) adds a third electric motor that sends power to the rear wheels for added all-weather traction. Lexus estimates that the NX 300h will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 9.1 seconds regardless of whether it's front- or all-wheel drive. This would make it one of the slowest vehicles in the segment. On the other hand, fuel economy should be by far the best in the segment. Lexus estimates 33 mpg combined (35 city/31 highway) with front-wheel drive and 32 combined (33/30) with all-wheel drive. The latter is 6 mpg better than an Audi A5 Hybrid.

Safety

Every 2015 Lexus NX 300h comes standard with antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag and a front passenger cushion airbag that prevents occupants from submarining under the seatbelt and off the seat. A rearview camera is also standard, along with Lexus Enform Safety Connect telematics that includes automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle location and an emergency assist button. Optional features include a blind-spot monitoring system with cross-traffic alert, as well as a lane-departure warning system and a frontal pre-collision system (included with adaptive cruise control) that warns of a possible collision and

can automatically apply the brakes in the event of driver inaction.

Interior design and special features

The NX's cabin isn't quite as radical as the exterior is, but it nevertheless exudes a cool, modern vibe that won't be mistaken for anything else in the segment. Construction is absolutely top-notch, with materials that look and feel rich - especially in the available twotone colour schemes. Soft leather lines the seats and passenger-side dash, as well as the padded areas that thoughtfully cushion the centre console to keep your legs from whacking against a hard surface. Details like contrast stitching, wood trim and a modern analog clock are tastefully applied. The high-mounted climate controls are easy to reach and see, while other secondary controls are intuitive. The infotainment controls are less so, however. The standard display audio system utilises a knob-and-screen system similar to Mercedes' COMAND system. We haven't had a chance to try it, but a majority of NX models are likely to leave the dealer lot with navigation and thus the latest iteration of remote touch. Various menus and icons are selected with a console-mounted touchpad (like a laptop's). There is haptic feedback through that pad when you click something, but in general, we find that using remote touch draws too much of your attention from the road. Rear passengers in the NX should find a generous amount of space, at least compared with most other compact luxury crossovers. Cargo space is skimpy, however, even if the NX 300h avoids the typical hybrid problem of significantly reduced cargo capacity over a traditionally powered version. Its 53.7 cubic feet of total volume may be about equal to the similarly constricted Mercedes GLK and just a few cubes shy of an Audi Q5, but its raked liftgate seems to make it less versatile than even its modest volume number would suggest. That's driven home by its 16.8 cubic feet with the seats raised, making it less spacious than its compact crossover rivals.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

MOTORING

Minister hails Innoson on Made-in-Nigeria cars

INISTER of Industries, Trade and Investments, Dr Olusegun Aganga, has hailed Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing Company Limited for unveiling made-in-Nigeria cars at its plant in Nnewi, Anambra State. The sedan cars which come in three variants, IVM Fox, IVM Umu and IVM UZO, were formally launched into the Nigerian automobile market. Aganga described Innoson’s ingenuity as “genius.” “We are proud of you and I can also tell you that Mr President is very proud of you. Any time we talk about auto policy, the first question he would ask is “How is Innocent doing? When you look at all the auto industry in this country today, Innoson is number one in terms of creating jobs. Innoson has the highest local content in the country today. This is a historic day for Nigeria. He said with the fall in oil revenue, Naira value and a population of 170 million, Nigeria can’t afford not to produce what its citizen would consume. With what Innoson is doing, Aganga said, government has been able to save 10 per cent of $6 billion spent yearly on spare parts importation. Aganga assured on Federal Government’s support and patronage, adding that the new auto

Stories by Tajudeen Adebanjo

policy provides that government buys made-in-Nigeria vehicles. Aganga appealed to Anambra State government to expedite action on signing a C of O to fast track the establishment of motor spare parts components manufacturing company in Nnewi which currently produces over 60 per cent of locally made spare parts. Bank of Industry (BOI) Managing Director, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa said the launch of IVM cars which will enable job and wealth creation and economic growth was a clear indication that the revolutionary auto plan is already bearing fruits. Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) President, Mr Ademola Isaac Olorunfemi, lauded Innoson, saying NSE had monitored steady progress IVM has made since inception in revolutionising the auto industry, adding that with 70 per cent local content, the company has demonstrated resilience. With the feat, Olorunfemi announced that Innoson has been admitted into NSE’s Hall of Fame as the 19th member in the society’s 60 year history. Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, thanked God for making IVM a reality. He attributed IVM’s success to Innosons doggedness and determination and

•Innoson cars

assured of his continous support. Obi said beyond being the Japan of Africa, there were so many other industries in Nnewi which if given Federal Government support, will generate the expected revenue for government. Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr Nkem Okeke assured on continuous provision of enabling

PAN opens ‘equitable’ loan scheme

EEPING with the promise of providing quality and affordable vehicles to Nigerians, PAN Nigeria Limited, has unveiled a Peugeot Vehicle Acquisition Finance Scheme (PVAFS), to assist civil servants and middle-class Nigerians own their personal Peugeot cars at a low equity contribution rate. Speaking at the unveiling ceremony which took place at Nicon Luxury, Abuja, the Managing Director, PAN Limited, Mr Ibrahim Boyi, said Peugeot brand of vehicles offer unsurpassed value to customers, adding that PAN has remained the leading automobile company in Nigeria with first-class infrastructure, technical expertise and knowhow; as well as decades of experience of the Nigerian terrain. According to Boyi, the scheme, which is a synergy between PAN Nigeria and two financial institutions in Nigeria – Enterprise Bank Limited and Jaiz Bank Limited, embodies certain features that are designed to offer maximum value to customers far above any existing scheme that is offered by competition. He explained the unique features of the scheme to include: negotiated low financing charges combined with discounted vehicle price; fixed monthly repayment plan for any tenure of between 12 to 48 months; low equity contribution of between 10-20 per cent (subject to status of

applicants); tracker, comprehensive insurance costs (including loss of job); no hidden costs or charges; option of conventional financing (Enterprise Bank) or non-interest or Halal financing (Jaiz Bank); financial partners with wide coverage and presence; as well as simple, documented procedures and efficient processing time are all the features designed to enable customers have access to the best financial options that will guarantee ownership of a brand new Peugeot car. Acting Managing Director of Enterprise Bank Limited, Mrs Mary Okpobome represented by Ag. Executive Director Abuja/North, Mr Lekan Busari, said after series of meetings with the Management of PAN Nigeria Limited, both parties came to agreement that there is a need to move Nigerians away from driving second hand cars popularly known as ‘tokunbo’. According to him, “the scheme we have all gathered to launch is one that will positively affect ordinary Nigerians to realise their dream of driving brand new Peugeot cars... Enterprise bank is providing Nigerians with the opportunity of paying for Peugeot cars at very flexible and affordable rates. The scheme is designed to offer the most convenient contributory and repayment plan ever offered to the public. With as little as 10-20 per cent down payment, Nigerians can

actually drive home a brand new Peugeot car of their choice and conveniently spread the rest of the payment over a period of 48 months.” On his part, the Managing Director, Jaiz Bank Limited, Muhammad Nurul Islam, said “the venture will help the Nigerian economy to a greater extent by replacing used cars with brand new Peugeot cars.” Mr Islam explained that Jaiz bank does not practise interest banking and it complies with Islamic ethics to finance all investments. “The financing scheme of Jaiz bank according to him is opened to all, irrespective of creed or religion. The scheme requires that a customer of Jaiz bank with 10 per cent deposit or non-customers with 20 per cent commitment deposit indicate their willingness at any branch of Jaiz bank and will in three to four days get their brand new Peugeot car. The entire process is very simple with no additional collateral, no application processing fee, no COT, no extra charges except the purchase price from PAN and market profit agreed upon,” Islam said. Unveiling the scheme on behalf of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga, the Director General, Nigerian Automotive Council (NAC), Mr Aminu Jalal, stressed that the Automotive Policy will only succeed if there is a viable, affordable financing scheme in Nigeria.

environment and partnership with all well meaning industrialists. He said the only way IVM can thrive is by patronage. Innoson Group Chairman, Dr Innocent Chukwuma, said amidst speculations and doubts he was determined to demonstrate that

something exceptionally good can come out of Nigeria. He thanked ex- Governor Obi, the Federal Government, Bank of Industry as the pillars on which IVM success stories were built. He revealed that the cars would be priced between N1.4 million and N3.5 million.

Kia posts global sales growth KIA Motors Corporation has announced its global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles for November 2014, recording a total of 257,487 units sold. This figure represents 8.1 per cent year-on-year increase. In November, Kia posted year-on-year sales increases in China, Korea, General Markets and Europe of 16.2 per cent (64,915 units sold), 14.2 per cent (44,500 units sold), 7.7 per cent (46,580 units sold) and 5.9 per cent (52,096 units sold), respectively. Cumulatively, through the first11 months of 2014, Kia’s global sales have increased by 4.6 per cent year-on-year, reaching 2,655,365 units. China, North America and General Markets have experienced cumulative gains to date in 2014 of 15.7 per cent (609,085 units sold), 5.3 per cent (601,302 units sold) and 1.4 per cent (482,996 units sold), respectively. Kia’s bestselling model in overseas markets for the month of November was the B-segment Rio (known as ‘K2’ in China) with 46,106 units sold. The Sportage compact CUV was the second bestseller with 37,296 units delivered, while the C-segment Cerato (known as ‘Forte’ or ‘K3’ in some markets), Optima D-segment sedan and Sorento CUV followed with 35,945, 28,712 and 15,945units sold, respectively.

Porsche’s sales increases PORSCHE AG increased global deliveries to customers from January to November this year to more than 169,000 vehicles, already exceeding the overall total for 2013 of 162,145 new cars. This represented a growth of 15 per cent over the same period last year (January to November 2013: 147,290 vehicles). In the reporting month of November, Porsche delivered 17,700 vehicles – an increase of one quarter over the same month last year. “This strong November is evidence that our strategy is working extremely well,” said Bernhard Maier, Member of the Executive Board – Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG. “It also confirms our commitment to taking advantage of every opportunity presented on the global markets,” Maier said. In Europe, Porsche delivered from January to November 2014 around 54,500 vehicles – an increase of 18 per cent over the previous year, with the domestic German market accounting for 22,200 of these. And with a total of 51,600 deliveries – an increase of 13 per cent – the American region also showed a significant rise in the number of customers opting for Porsche.

SAFE DRIVING

ERE are activities expressed by the Executives or VIPs in words or deeds while driving and when driven. They include the following:

When driving

• Making and receiving phone calls while driving • Reading and texting messages and reading newspaper while driving, • Eating or smoking while driving. • Egotism • Road rage. • Distraction (Directing your focus away from the path of travel for more than one second) • Disobedience of traffic signs, road makings, rules and regulation.

Unsafe executive acts on the roads • Non–attention to pre – drive checks. • Non–attention to tachometer messages in the Dashboard. • Poor lane management • Poor hazard perception • Accumulation of sleep debts. • Inadequate knowledge of the safe actions to take in various emergency situations. • Getting lost in deep conversations or plays with other occupants, particularly the opposite sex. • Inadequate attention to personal and occupational health. • Ignoring the use of seat belt. • Driving under the use of alcohol or other psychoactive drugs.

• Ignoring the use of turn indicators (pointers). • Giving room to fear • Tailgating.

When driven

• Rebuking or abusing the driver sharply when in motion. • Slapping or beating the driver when in motion • Sudden instruction to drivers for a change in the path of travel, it can confuse the driver. • Depriving your driver of enough sleep • Over–labouring your drivers. • Open caressing of the opposite sex behind the driver.

• Open expression of deep words of love with the opposite sex to the hearing of the driver. • Smoking, when the driver is in motion (effect of Carbon monoxide on the third party). • Encouraging your drivers to indulge in alcohol or other psychoactive drugs. • Encouraging your drivers to over – speed. Journey planning is the solution here, • Inadequate attention to vehicle maintenance • Encouraging your drivers to sleep inside vehicle overnight. • Encouraging your drivers to change CDs, Tune radio stations, or

Jide Owatunmise Registrar / Chief Executive, Professional Driving and Safety Academy

change phone sets while driving. • Depriving your drivers from regularly attending capacity building training programmes.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

C EO JOBS

How renewed NHIS will benefit Nigerians The poor state of the nation’s health sector has been a major concern for Nigerians. This is the reason for the country’s high index among countries with poor health delivery system. One effect of this is the huge revenue, in foreign exchange, lost to medical tourism to European countries, including America and South Africa. But there seems to be hope on the horizon going by the promise of the Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. ‘Femi Thomas,to get international standard for medical services back home and at pocket friendly cost. In this interview with select Health Correspondents, Thomas shares his dreams and plans for Nigerians in getting quality health services, amongst other sundry issues bogging the scheme. OYEYEMI GBENGAMUSTAPHA and VINCENT IKUOMOLA were at the media parley. Excerpts:

HE National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has not been impactful because many Nigerians are not captured in the scheme. Besides, health workers and professionals are always at loggerheads over sundry issues in the scheme. How have you been able to handle this situation? Let me start by thanking members of the Nigerian press, for the sustained interest in the affairs of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which has been expressed in the way you have sought to know how we have fared, particularly in the last one year. It is a demonstration of commitment to the progress of the nation and the welfare of our people. Your interest and commitment have not only inspired us, but also challenged us with regards to the public expectations from the scheme. The press has kept me on my toes. I sat and looked at the contentious areas of the schemeand travelled abroad to study how things are done in those climes. I consulted a

•Thomas

company on how to reposition this scheme for the benefit of Nigerians, and was given two options. These are the Brown and Green options. The green means starting afresh and discarding the old ways of running the scheme. The Brown option involves carrying on with the scheme as it were, and fine tune the rough edges. We went for the latter option and added the merits of the Green options. We reached out to the stakeholders as well, and we were able to get an understanding on how things should be done differently. In the last one year, how have you been able to actualise the aims and objectives of the scheme? My arrival as the helmsman for the NHIS coincided with two critical challenges before the scheme. One was the target set for the scheme by Mr. President, which has to do with the extension of coverage to no less than 30 per cent of Nigerians by 2015. The other was the emergence of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as a new global objective set for all nations by the World Health Organisation (WHO), towards enhancing the economic prosperity and social well-being of humanity. I was excited on arrival by these objectives, as I found that they fortunately coincided with my personal agenda as I came in as Executive Secretary. These were a rapid upscale of coverage, tangible and visible improvement in the quality of care available under the scheme, and

the restoration of the enrolee to a place of eminence and pride in the implementation of the scheme. In the last one year, we have completed the moulding of the building blocks, laid crucial structures and have begun the implementation of certain strategies to make health insurance easy and accessible to all Nigerians. Our efforts began with a Management retreat in December last year, during which we undertook a comprehensive assessment of the strength, weakness and opportunities of the initiative. At the end of that exercise, it became obvious that we have the capacity, not only to meet the Presidential target of 30 per cent coverage, but indeed, to surpass it. Arising from that, NHIS has set for itself an institutional target of 40 per cent coverage by 2015. Let me assure all Nigerians that it is still our clear view today as it was last December, that this is achievable. What are the constraints to the actualisation of these targets and what have you done to address them? Time is the number one constraint. The time to achieve more goals is limited. Also, as we set out to pursue these targets, we recognised that we require a corporate realignment and a well-oiled system to proceed at an acceptable pace, delivering an acceptable quality of service. Therefore, we started with the restructuring of the organisation, by unbundling the old Technical Operations Department into full-fledged formal and informal

Sector Departments, as well as the creation of a new Marketing Department to enable us embark on an aggressive drive for mass acceptance and enrolment nationwide. We have also, in the course of the past year, undertaken a painstaking study of standards, processes and strategies adopted by governments and technical organisations in the past, both locally and internationally, to acquire information and deepen knowledge that will help the scheme borrow a leaf from best practices and avoid pitfalls in the experiences of others. Another approach we adopted was the wholesome review of the programmes of the scheme, and how they have fared. This exercise resulted in the overhaul and revitalisation of a few old programmes, but more importantly, the conceptualisation and development of certain new initiatives with the potential to help frog-leap health insurance coverage in Nigeria. Are there pragmatic actions being taken to address some of the lapses in the system so as to ensure more enrolees? Change is a tough thing. But with a resolute mind and team work, we have been able to embark on certain innovations that ginger the interest of more people in the scheme. One of the most strategic initiatives of this administration, which we are confident, will rapidly increase health insurance penetration •Continued on page 40

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

C EO JOBS

How renewed NHIS will benefit Nigerians •Continued from page 39

in our country, is the National Mobile Health Insurance Programme (NMHIP). It is a novel concept, being the first of its kind anywhere in the world, meaning that great things can also come out of this country. It provides for subscribers of the Mobile Network Operators the platform to register, select Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) and Provider, and choose payment options and plans, all on their mobile phone, and at their convenience. To implement this, the scheme engaged a mobile technology and business aggregator, Salt and Einstein Limited, to interface with stakeholders and manage the process. The pilot run for this was launched in Lagos last July 21 on the platform of MTN, as a start-off point. Appreciable progress is being made in testing the process and structures, to determine the weaknesses and advantages. The other network operators, including Glo, Etisalat and Airtel, are all at high levels of readiness for roll out as soon as the national launch of the programme is performed by Mr. President anytime from now. When fully launched, it is expected that we shall be able to give coverage to no less than 20 million lives on that platform. The scheme is alleged not to be enrolling the poorest of the poor. How do you react to this? We have introduced the Mobile Health Insurance programme. The outstanding component of the Mobile Health Insurance Programme is the Adoption Tree. On this platform, rich and well-endowed individuals and corporate bodies with philanthropic hearts will be encouraged to contribute to a pool of funds from which the poor and the vulnerable will enjoy health insurance coverage. There are two varieties of the Adoption platform, including the Specific, whereby the donor specifies who he wants coverage provided for, and Non-specific, which remains open and could provide care for any set of deserving beneficiaries. Another new initiative of ours is the Public Primary Pupils Social Health Insurance Programme (PPPSHIP). This is designed to provide cover for about 24 million pupils of public primary schools nationwide, and pre-implementation activities are on-going at various stages. To accomplish this, NHIS will bear total responsibility for the programme in the remaining part of the year, while by 2015, state governments will absorb 60 per cent of the cost of implementation, with NHIS bringing up the balance of 40 per cent. It is heart-warming to note that as many as 20 states have made provision for this activity in their 2015 budget. The scheme is also laying strong emphasis on the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP), which we have since restructured and its blueprint revised. A recent stakeholders’ meeting that considered the revised blueprint of the programme underlined its significance, as administrators and student bodies such as the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), lauded the programme, and called for its strengthening. It will interest you to note that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has directed that all Nigerian Universities, public and private, participate in the programme as a matter of policy. Currently, a national sensitisation process initiated by the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students and Youth Matters, in collaboration with NANS, is in progress, beginning with a flag-off event in

•Thomas

Within the year, the scheme completed the first ever re-accreditation of HMOs. This process, anchored by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) Limited from 2012, was successfully completed in September 2014. Of the 61 old HMOs, 38 were re-accredited, while 15 new HMOs were exempted, as they were newly registered Ibadan. It is expected that we will be able to give coverage to virtually all the three million students of tertiary institutions in the country, about 900, 000 of whom are currently covered under the programme. Negotiations are equally in top gear with the Management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), towards rolling out a social health insurance programme for young graduates undertaking national service. I have had the privilege to meet with the Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawunmi to fast track the process. But Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs), are often the bottlenecks between the enrolees and the facilities. How is this being addressed? It is true and we have swung into action to tackle this. Within the year, the scheme completed the first ever re-accreditation of HMOs. This process, anchored by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) Limited from 2012, was successfully completed in September . Of the 61 old HMOs, 38 were re-accredited, while 15 new HMOs were exempted, as they were newly registered, and not due for re-accreditation. The conclusion of the exercise has brought the number of HMOs operating under the scheme to 53. We can boldly assure Nigerians that the exercise has introduced a new lease of life into the health insurance industry in Nigeria, as it engendered the emergence of strong, competitive and reliable players in the industry. Our flag-ship programme in the informal sector, the Community-

Within the last one year, enrolment figure went up by about two million lives, about 40 percent of total figure for the preceding eight years. As at today, total enrolment figure stands at about 7.2 million lives. I am aware that progress in any organisation revolves around staff welfare and motivation

Based Social Health Insurance, has been thriving. We are now pursuing it with greater vigour, and the results are inspiring. Right now, we are inundated with requests from various communities around the country for the flag-off of their CBSHIP programmes. Within the period under review, we have inaugurated the Community Based Social Health Insurance Programme (CBSHIP) in Emoriko and Egbe both in Kogi State, Nkana West Ward II of Akwa Ibom State and Lamodi-Offa in Kwara State. It is observed that Federal Civil Servants are the major enrolees in the scheme. How do you plan to get participants at the state level? Your observations are fair. You will observe that there is an evident lull in the folding in of state governments’ work forces into the scheme. Reasons for this range from political will to other factors. However, we are intensifying efforts to release the will of political leadership at the state level for this purpose, as I have paid advocacy visits to no less that 12 governors across the country since I came on board, marketing health insurance and spotlighting the advantages for them and the people they lead. Following our high-level advocacy efforts, several of the state governors have accepted our request for plots of land, as we plan to concretise our presence in the states, by building permanent office structures in the state capitals. Many of the governors have already issued Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to us. So also are we in high level consultation with the

leadership of the Nigerian Employers Consultative Assembly (NECA), to facilitate the penetration of the Organised Private Sector, which holds a huge pool of Nigerians. From experience, enrolees are denied reception at facilities because they can’t provide their Identity cards (ID) cards and it is frustrating when such people realise that their policy is almost near expiration (maturity) before they can access care. Why is your scheme not addressing this? A critical part of our work in the last one year has involved the groundwork for a comprehensive digitalisation of health insurance activity in our country. Our focus has been the attainment of a paperless process and administration of health insurance. This will bring to a final end, the perennial crisis associated with the production and distribution of ID cards for enrolees, which has hindered access to care for many. The digitalisation will be deployed to cover the entire process, ranging from registration to encounter management at points of service, including data administration. It is expected that the digitalisation will eliminate delays in processing eligibility for access and other forms of malpractices observable in the past. Human Resource is a key factor in any organisation. How were you able to manage the rank and file of this scheme? Well, the Governing Council, management and staff of NHIS, did not only receive me warmly and accepted to share my vision, but

had proceeded to work with me at a similar fast pace and with equal vigour. It is to our collective credit that within the last one year, enrolment figure went up by about two million lives, about 40 per cent of total figure for the preceding eight years. As at today, total enrolment figure stands at about 7.2 million lives. I am aware that progress in any organisation revolves around staff welfare and motivation. I, therefore, wish to pledge my unfailing commitment to the constant improvement in the conditions under which the staff operate. This will be in addition to our modest successes in that area in the last one year, especially concerning staff emolument, healthcare, retirement benefits and capacity building, among others. There are certain diseases and other life threatening conditions that have been excluded from the scheme from the onset. How are you addressing that? NHIS registered a prominent presence in our nation’s centennial celebrations this year. This is by way of offering our enrolees access to services that were ordinarily on our exclusion list, such as capital intensive super tertiary disease conditions like Oncology, Orthopaedic surgery, Trauma, Open heart surgery and Renal cases. So far, six open heart surgeries, one renal transplant, two orthopaedic surgeries and four oncology treatments have been successfully carried out under this programme. Our objectives for this unique intervention are three. First, it is to reward our enrolees, who kept faith with the scheme, especially in the years of our infancy and difficulties, discourage outward medical tourism and showcase the capacity of Nigerian medical centres and personnel to deal effectively with these complex conditions. The scheme’s feet are now firmly on the ground, and we are ready for the race, even as Nigeria relies on us as her major hub for the attainment of Universal Health Coverage by 2020, while Mr. President looks forward to the accomplishment of our target of 40 per cent by 2015. We wish to solicit the partnership of the press in this process of working to remove financial barriers to effective healthcare for our people, as we seek to unlock their potential for economic productivity and social welfare.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

MONDAY DECEMBER 15, 2014

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has achieved a major breakthrough, following the success of its maiden presidential primaries. Will the party sustain the tempo? EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the obstacles it has overcome, its prospects at the polls and challenges on its way to 2015. ken promises.

PDP’s failed prediction HEN the legacy parties mooted the idea of a mega party, the ruling party described it as a joke. Olisa Metuh, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary predicted doom for the opposition. He said the proposed fusion would hit the rock, owing to the protracted differences among their leaders. Others expressed the same feeling, saying that the “gang-up” would collapse like a pack of cards. So far, the prediction has not come to fulfillment. To the consternation of the PDP leadership, the APC held a free, fair, peaceful and successful presidential primaries at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos last week. With the emergence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as its flag bearer, the state is set for an epic battle between the opposition party and the PDP, on which platform President Goodluck Jonathan is seeking re-election.

Clamour for chamge

Post-convention challenges

Despite the success, many APC chieftains acknowledged that the party has to overcome three hurdles. The first is the challenge of picking a running mate from any of the Southern states. Another is the challenge of reconciliation among chieftains at the state level, who are aggrieved over the outcome of governorship and parliamentary primaries. The third is the challenge of sustaining the tempo till next year’s elections. But, former Gombe State Governor Danjuma Goje spoke on the greatest hurdle for the party. Urging the party faithful to gird their loins, he said power shift is only possible when there is free and fair elections. He said: “The APC is determined to take over the governance of our country. Our member should be battle ready. They should not be intimidated and cowed. We must be courageous to defend our votes like the people of Osun. What the people of Osun did should be replicated. People are yearning for change. They are fed up with poverty, insurgency and everything about the PDP. We must police the votes.”

Thorny road to primaries

The road to the presidential primaries was laced with difficulties. But, the party leaders made sacrifices. When the merger of the parties was being consummated, many were skeptic. In Nigeria, opposition alliances have never seen the light of the day. The reason is that their leaders have always elevated personal agenda above the national interest. However, the birth of the All Progressives Congress (APC) marked a clean break from the past. The leaders of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (APC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) agreed to fuse into a strong progressive platform. Later, aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and chieftains joined the fold. The ANPP Chairman, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, his CPC and ACN counterparts-Prince Tony Momoh and Chief Bisi Akande- surrendered their leadership of the parties.

Litmus test

The first test was the adoption of the name, logo, symbol and constitution. Up came a rival political association, which claimed that the APC stole its logo. But, the party survived the registration hurdle and forged ahead to enlarge its coast. There were minor disagreements when the interim leadership was set up. But, many chieftains showed understanding. But, a big crisis trailed the maiden national convention of the APC in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Three chieftains-Chief Tom Ikimi, Chief Timpreye Sylva and Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-vied for the national chairmanship. The odd favoured the former Edo State governor. Ikimi was bitter. He complained that he was marginalised and edged out of the contest. He defected to the PDP. His defection did not affect the party. Shortly before the convention, the defection of PDP governors created new challenges. The governors of Sokoto, Kano and Kwara states became the automatic leaders of the party in their respective states. Old rivalries were resumed. Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, who had scores to settle with Governor Aliyu Wamakko, could not accept the governor’s leadership. In protest, he

• Buhari

•Odigie-Oyegun

APC and 2015 battle hurried left the party for the PDP, claiming that he was not carried along during the negotiation with the governor. In kano, former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, who had scores to settle with Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, also rejected his leadership. He also defected to the PDP. In Kwara, former APC leader Dele Belgore (SAN) said he could not work with Senator Bukola Saraki. He too defected to the PDP. For a different reason, the governor of Borno State, Senator Modu Sheriff, left the APC for the PDP. But, the APC continued to wax stronger. Although it lost the governorship election in Ekiti State in controversial circumstance, the party fought to retain Osun State. It has also enlarged its coast in Enugu, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers State. Ahead of the presidential primaries, there were other challenges that confronted the party. Some people canvassed consensus, saying that a shadow poll could unleash post-primary crisis. But, the party settled for democratic primaries, which it conducted successfully. A committee was set up to pave the way for a credible selection process. It was led by Chief Ogbonnaya Onu. The former Abia State governor, who reflected on the activities of the committee, reported to the delegates at the convention that the APC is lucky to have seasoned politicians as presidential aspirants. He said they were ready to make sacrifice. In fact, the five aspirants-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Kwankwaso, Owelle Rochas Okorocha signed an undertaking to abide by the outcome of the primaries, whether they win or lose. There was also controversy over the choice of venue. Some people raised an eyebrow when Lagos was chosen as the venue. They thought that the national assignment should hold in abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). But, the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, doused the tension when he explained that the APC could not hold the exercise in Abuja because it had earlier postponed it. When it was postponed, the PDP also rented the same venue. Since the PDP may hold its own primaries barely two days after, it could disturb the preparations by the ruling party. So, the arrangement for the Eagle Square was cancelled. Another controversy revolved around the composition of delegates. According to the

guidelines, only elected council functionaries could participate as statutory delegates. But, in some states, elected council chairmen and councillors are not in place. To avoid trouble, the constitution was followed. The caretaker committee chairmen and former council chairmen were not included in the list as statutory delegates. Reflecting on how the party passed the litmus test, Odigie-Oyegun said the party has made history. He thanked the aspirants and other party leaders for making it possible. He said: “You have made history. Our enemies predicted all manners of doom. Who is going to be doomed now? The aspirants are gallant contestants. In my almost 30 years of politics, I have not seen a wonderful thing like this.”

Tinubu’s admonition

At the convention, there was no error of judgment. Ahead of the shadow pill, the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, sent a twitter message to delegates, urging them to vote wisely. He said: “Make this APC convention one that will be forever remembered at the moment Nigeria turned from failure to move forward its finest destiny. You came, not just as party members from your particular states or communities. You came here as representatives of a new Nigeria. We cannot afford th squander this moment.” Tinubu added: “A special energy is in the air.. We have attended party conventions before, but this is different. We are in a period of compound crises. We are here to pick a candidate that will rescue Nigeria. The voice of change is unique and inspiring. This voice will lead us to victory. It is the voice of the people in the cities, towns and on the farms. It is the voice of the young and the old in the North, South; the voice of Christians and Muslims. It is about the future. “In this convention, the history of our nation is to be re-written. Giving the challenges facing our county and that our party represents the last chance to avert national failure, we cannot afford to bungle the opportunity. We must rise over personal and parochial interest. The convention will demonstrate that only the APC has shown the capacity to govern the country in the spirit of democracy because it is the party of the time. The APC is the cure. Help is on the way. No more despair. The APC has better manifestos. If we choose well, we will hear the trumpet of victory. Nigeria will change for better. Enough of bro-

‘A special energy is in the air.. We have attended party conventions before, but this is different. We are in a period of compound crises. We are here to pick a candidate that will rescue Nigeria. The voice of change is unique and inspiring. This voice will lead us to victory. It is the voice of the people in the cities, towns and on the farms’

The Planning Committee Chairman, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the maiden presidential primaries was organised to showcase the difference between the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He described the APC as the product of the first successful merger of opposition parties in the country, adding that it is the first time opposition politicians will fight for federal power at the centre under a united platform. The former Ekiti State governor noted that the five aspirants are fit to rule Nigeria, adding that, apart from their competence, they have demonstrated a high degree of loyalty and commitment free and fair primaries. Noting that the shadow election is a major step towards next year’s elections. he said: “We will move forward from this event to fulfill all other formalities and commence an issue-based campaign of progressive and agenda-setting critiques aimed at reducing our land and its people. We will address the moral deficit that has led us to the breakdown of our value system, causing hydra-headed symptoms such as corruption, crass incompetence and ethno-religious bigotry. ‘These maladies have kept our nation under-developed, in spite of our vast resources. We shall reach out to the critical mass of people who believe change is possible. We will move on from here to win the presidential election in 2015.” The host governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), charged the delegates to vote for the best man for the job, warning against the consequence of missing the opportunity to make the right choice. He said the Jonathan Administration has broken its promises to Nigeria, advising the people to replace the dysfunctional government with a functional administration in 2015. Oyegun, who described the contest as a historic event, shed light on the party’s manifestos, which encompasses security, good governance, human capital development, social security for the aged, commitment to credible elections and a robust foreign policy. The former Edo State governor said any of the aspirants, who may emerge as the flag bearer, is ready to implement them, if the party wins next year’s elections. Oyegun added: “Nigeria has suffered a ruinous mismanagement under the PDP. Nigerians are fed up with the PDP and look up to the APC for a new Nigeria of our dream. Change is imminent. I and you can see it and feel it. The five aspirants are competent, But, all of them have resolved to provide the leadership needed by the country.” The national chairman congratulated the aspirants, urging them to go into the contest, where only one will be elected, but all of them would be winners. He added: ‘They are winners because they have resolved to support the winner morally and financially. To revive Nigeria, every one of us must be on board. They are winners because they live Nigeria and the party more than their individual aspirations.” Urging delegates to vote with a sense of responsibility, he added: “Vote in accordance with your consent, knowing that the votes you cast will change the future of Nigeria, your future and the future of the unborn generation. The PDP has no agenda for Nigeria beyond prolonging its bad rule. Test for two-party system: Elder statesman Onu said: “History is being made in our great country. For 16 years, only one party has been ruling us. The problem they inherited, they have not resolved them. Nigeria has been suffering. The time for change has come. The APC is the vehicle for that change. With the APC in government, we will secure our country. The six largest producer of oil is importing petroleum resources. “The difference between the APC and the PDP is the difference between life and death.. Nigeria has to make a choice. The time to make a choice has come. The APC controls 14 states, including the two populous states of Kano and Lagos. The PDP is presenting just a candidate. But, in the APC, we believe in the constitution of Nigeria that whosoever believes in contesting for the Presidency should be given the opportunity. As the Chairman of the Presidential Election Committee, I can assure you that the five aspirants are competent people.” •Continued on page 47

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 15, 2014

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It is clear now that Nigerians are determined to jettison their religious, tribal, partisan and other mundane interests to rally support for our candidate. Gen Muhammadu Buhari, I can confidently say, is not just the candidate of the All Progressives Congress but the popular choice of entire Nigerians

RACE TO 2015 Member of the defunct Presidential Advisory Committee on the National Conference Tony Uranta spoke with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE in Lagos on national security and how Nigeria can end insurgency.

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‘Buhari is Nigerians’ choice’

O How to end insurgency, by Uranta H

OW can Nigeria tackle in surgency? An insurgency or an insurgent is a man who takes up arms to prove a point within a state, staying within a state, through his being discontent. You could now say that the Niger Delta situation could aptly be termed an insurgency. The Boko Haram are not insurgents. They are terrorists, terrorists who are part of a global terrorism circle that is being controlled as well by ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. You will notice that Boko Haram, just as Al-Shabab, Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, all fly the same flag. They all talk about the Islamic caliphate. An insurgency is not foreign controlled. But far beyond that, an insurgency does not try to obtain land. Boko Haram, ISIL, Al-Shabab’s intention right now, is to take over space, territories, and declare those territories, non-border Islamic Caliphate. The only border that keeps them all in their contiguous state is there ideology. Their ideology that says for example that, slavery is proper, the enslavement of women. ISIL has come out to make a very categorical statement about that. Our Shekaus (we’ve had Shekau one, two three, maybe there is the fourth now). Shekaus have at different times asked why we (Nigerians) are asking for our girls back (Chibok Girls)? They said they have sold them to slavery because Allah allows them to sell them into slavery. This is to emphasize the fact that there is a totally new global phenomenon at play. And nowhere else in the world is that phenomenon called insurgency. Nigerians are very good at repeating like parrots. So, the moment a new word comes up, everybody says it, they say we have ‘insurgency.’ What we have is not insurgency. It is simply a mass murderous invasion of our space, by local and foreign terrorists, with intent on capturing territories, intent on massacring and depleting population that they believe is not in any way related to their belief. You see, The Sultan of Sokoto, very correctly said in his last statement, that the war must now be intensified. I wish he had said that a year or two years ago, when more Christians were been killed. In that statement, he said it’s because more Muslims are been killed now. This is not a war between Islam and the rest of the world or the rest of Nigeria. It is a war between certain radical fundamentalist that have Islam as their basis, and other parts of Nigeria. Therefore, like you see in Iran, Sunnis are killing Shiites in Iran; Shiites are killing Sunnis in Syria. The common derivative is that they are all fundamentalist who are committed to killing. Having established that, there is no insurgency ongoing in Nigeria. I will like that fact to be drummed into people’s ears, hearts and brains. It is your mindset that prepares you for what you are facing. You have to know your enemy. If you think your enemy is an insurgent, then your military is already incapacitated. That will make you believe that what President Goodluck Jonathan said in the beginning when he too was been misled into thinking that what we have was an insurgency and that we cannot go and start killing our brothers. For me, no member of Boko Haram is my brother. Some Christian people came to my birthday reception a few days ago; they said love your brother. That is Okay but I repeat that no Boko

•Uranta

Haram person is my brother. Nobody that will put a baby down and stamp on the baby’s head can be my brother. Nobody that will slaughter babies and children can be my brother. So, I will; not love that person or people as I love myself. I will resist the person because the person is a devil and is from the devil. That is the way each of us must see Boko Haram. There is no insurgency in Nigeria rather there is mass murderous terrorism. But how come the terrorists are still making inroads despite government’s commitment to stop the mess? That is a very good question and that means how come they haven’t been stopped by the military? First of all, let’s go into the issue of bombings. There is nowhere in the world where borders are porous especially as ours are, that you can control the influx of strangers. Some may be law abiding, but most will have criminal intents, because you need to have an attitude of law breaking before you start going into another country illegally. How are you going to control these people? Secondly, how are you going to discriminate or perceive that this woman in Hijab is not carrying a bomb? You cannot approach a woman in Hijab. You can’t stop her. And people should not make the mistake to think that these women are voluntarily suicide bombers. Most of the bombings that have taken place, I can tell you, may have been carried out by drugged women. They don’t hold the detonators. The detonators are held by God-knows whoever their controllers are, who have threatened, coerced and brainwashed them into having it strapped on them, then forced to go to the designated

‘This is not a war between Islam and the rest of the world or the rest of Nigeria. It is a war between certain radical fundamentalist that have Islam as their basis, and other parts of Nigeria. Therefore, like you see in Iran, Sunnis are killing Shiites’

place, and the moment they get there they now detonate remotely. This explains why the young girl who got to the door of the school and hesitated standing there weeping, did not move into the Assembly, but her controller, most probably, had estimated that by that time, she is already in the middle of the crowd, so he detonated the bomb. So it was only that young man who went to ask her “mai ne ne” (what is wrong), that was killed with her. Bombings, especially suicide bombing is not a Nigerian characteristic. But, whether Nigerian or foreign, even in the most advanced clime, it is so difficult for you to control asymmetric war, war of unconventional means. It was easy to target the Niger Delta militants because they have camps. You know where they are, and you can get your satellite to monitor them. But for our satellite could you say it’s very efficient? Naturally could we say they are even our satellite in the real sense? Our military has been badly armed in the last few years. Under the last presidents, even going back into the military regime, they very much under equipped our military. Soldiers don’t have modern weapons, don’t have latest training, and don’t understand a lot of things. It was on this basis that Nigeria was tongue lashed in Congress, tongue lashed in the British House of Commons. British has come in, how many months now, America has come in, why have they not found the girls? Why have all the countries that trooped to Nigeria for assistance suddenly become silent? Can we say there is a conspiracy? I don’t know. I am beginning to think, as friendly as I am to the Americans; I am beginning to suspect America. America has a very notorious record of arming two sides of a conflict. Nicaragua is very fresh in our mind. In fact, America armed Vietnam to some extent against its own self. I have record about this, and I will love the American Ambassador or anybody to sit down with me on TV, and I will bring out the record and let them dispute it. I will not be surprised if it is not part of a grand conspiracy to help destabilize or make sure Nigeria fails. Don’t forget that their prediction is around the corner – 2015, they said we will fail. America loves to be seen as intelligent. They hate for you to show them as not having facts. They do not have the facts about our break up. We won’t break up. But they will do all they can to see us break up, including saying to us, we will not arm you. If I am the Nigerian President, I will send the American Ambassador out of Nigeria. For them to have the temerity to say to us that for human rights abuses, they will not arm the Nigerian military which is facing a horde of not just human rights abusers, a horde of killers, a horde of beasts that are massacring hundreds of thousands of people in the villages, and they have been doing it consistently and America is turning blind eye. America does not consider it there right or duty to help us because, just wait when that horde will start picking up American citizens and beheading them the way they are beheading Nigerians you will see the same America mounting global condemnation. At that time you will hear America carrying out airstrikes! That level of hypocrisy must not be tolerated and cannot be tolerated by Nigerians. I don’t care if the Nigerian government reacts or doesn’t react.

SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said that the emergence of former Head of State Gen Muhammadu Buhari as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the best democratic pill to galvanise Nigerians towards change. He said Buhari is candidate of Nigerians, who have been yearning for a change. Aregbesola said the decision by all party men and women to elect the former head of state demonstrates the commitment to presenting a candidate who would not only win the presidential election but go ahead to rescue Nigeria from the present quagmire anti-democratic and anti-development elements had brought her in more than a decade and a half. Aregbesola, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, was quoted as speaking shortly after the declaration of Gen Muhammadu Buhari as the presidential candidate of the APC after a keenly contested primary held in Lagos. “We must congratulate Nigerians for the emergence of Gen Muhammadu Buhari as the presidential candidate of our party. The excitements, commendations and jubilations that have greeted the election and consequently the announcement of Gen Muhammadu Buhari are clear demonstrations of the fact that Nigerians have been anxious and now poised for an immediate change in Nigeria. “It is clear now that Nigerians are determined to jettison their religious, tribal, partisan and other mundane interests to rally support for our candidate. Gen Muhammadu Buhari, I can confidently say, is not just the candidate of the All Progressives Congress but the popular choice of entire Nigerians,” Aregbesola was quoted as saying. Reminding Nigerians of the urgent need to fix the country, Aregbesola said the outcome of the primary election itself confirmed that the APC has taken transparency, the fight against corruption and graft to a new height. “People have chosen the best man for the job regardless of all other less edifying considerations. Buhari represents the face of the required battle against corruption. He represents openness and commitment to good governance. For those who consider the awful impact of corruption on our country, the choice of Gen Buhari would easily translate to the readiness of Nigerians to battle against the most debilitating scourge against the country’s growth,” Aregbesola said. Listing the challenges that lay before an APC government at the centre, Aregbesola reminded Nigerians that the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party at the centre has spelt economic doom, political complications and social morass. “We have witnessed the most horrendous crimes against the soul of this country. There has been a mindless rape of the country by a gang of looters who have made Nigeria a laughing stock in the comity of other nations. “There is needless hunger in a country with many untapped opportunities. All the critical sectors have been bled to states of coma and what we have left as a country is fractured entity gasping for breath. “With the election of General Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerians are assured that a new Nigeria is possible,” he added. • Aregbesola

Vote wisely, APC candidate urges electorate

LL Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives candi date in Kosofe Constituency, Lagos State Prince Rotimi Agunsoye yesterday advised stakeholders to brace up for next year’s general elections. He described 2015 as a decisive year, urging the people to vote and defend their votes in the interest of democracy. The former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who won the ticket at the primaries, thanked party members for their support, advising them to remain loyal to the party and its leadership. Agunsoye told reporters in Lagos that the success recorded at the primaries can only be meaningful, if voters vote for the APC at the general elections. He promised to implement his campaign manifestos, if elected at the poll. Agunsoye said: “I have walked before the people of Kosofe in humility and sense of patriotism and service. I have served the grassroots with the best of my ability and the state in a strategic portfolio. I have been a party man and a community man. Now that I have been given the mandate, I will continue to work for the realisation of the developmental agenda of Kosofe and Lagos State.” The politician urged Lagosians to vote for continuity at the poll, adding that the APC will build on its achievements in government in postFashola period. He added: “Lagosians and the APC have a pact of development. The state is on cause under the APC government. What we need is continuity and the people will make it happen. From the House of Assembly to the presidential primaries, the APC threw up competent candidates. When the APC comes on board at the centre, there will be a new lease of life for Nigeria.” •Agunsoye

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 15, 2014

RACE TO 2015

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It is the will of the people of Akwa Ibom that the process of electing their leaders must be transparent, credible and civil. That was not what we witnessed on December 8 in Uyo

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An ex parte order and a petition appear to have become obstacles in the quest of former Akwa Ibom State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Udom Emmanuel, to fly the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next February’s elections, writes OLUKOREDE YISHAU.

Akwa Ibom: Not yet uhuru for Emmanuel W

HEN names of governorship candidates are submitted by political parties to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) later this week, the name of Udom Emmanuel, former Akwa Ibom State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), is bound to be missing, unless the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Adamu Mu’azu does not mind being jailed for contempt of court. Last Thursday, Justice Y. Halilu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) restrained Mu’azu and the PDP from submitting Emmanuel’s name or the name of any other person as the winner of the PDP governorship primary in Akwa Ibom State. After giving the order, Justice Halilu adjourned the substantive suit till January 5, 2015 because of the Christmas and New Year break. Until then, the propriety or otherwise of the December 8 primary in which Emmanuel was declared winner is suspect. The kernel of the suit filed by a PDP chieftain and governorship aspirant, Ime Effiong Ekanem, is also the subject of a petition by the 22 PDP governorship aspirants to Mua’zu and the PDP leadership. The petition dated December 9 described the primary, which produced Emmanuel, though broadcast live on television, as a “sham” and “scam”. In the petition, the aspirants, which include two men who served Governor Godswill Akpabio as deputy, Nsima Ekere and Patrick Ekpotu, said the primary violated the party’s rule on accreditation of delegates. They said no delegate was accredited at the venue of the primary, adding that they were told by the chairman of the Electoral Panel that the accreditation of delegates was done at the Government House, where the delegates were conveyed in buses to the venue of the poll. They alleged that

• Ekere

• Ekpotu

unqualified persons were smuggled into the venue as delegates, thus rubbishing the process. The non-accreditation of delegates, they said, broke the 19th paragraph of the Electoral guidelines. The aggrieved men said the delegates’ list was contrived because there was no proper election of delegates from the ward level on November 1. Another issue the aggrieved have against Emmanuel’s emergence is that delegates were not given ballot papers in public glare to vote during the election. They said the delegates arrived the venue with already marked ballot papers and only deposited them in the boxes when it was time to vote. They also alleged that their agents were not accredited to be part of the exercise. Their prayer to the court and the party is simple: cancel the exercise. They said: “It is our prayer that the fraudulent exercise, herein com-

plained of, be nullified for the sake of the party’s credibility and a transparent process be deployed for the emergence of a gubernatorial candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State. “The enormity of a combination of the above irregularities on the entire Gubernatorial Primary Election and the ultimate fortunes of the party in general election cannot be over emphasized. We believe that your intervention , can save us from the avoidable cataclysm we are won’t to face if this fraud is condoned.” Instituting a court case after petitioning the party and the Appeal Panel, said a source, was borne out of their belief that they might not get justice from the party, which agreed with Akpabio to zone the governorship to Eket when elders such as former Governor Victor Attah and former Minister Don Etiebet were calling for open contest. The group, which has visited the

• Emmanuel

Wadata House headquarter of the party severally to register their grievances, said they have only received “minimal attention” from the party’s leadership. This, said Ekanem, was why he headed for the court, adding that the PDP has not found it necessary to address their grievances with the urgency it requires given the time limit allowed by the Electoral Act for candidates to be forwarded to INEC. He said: “I cannot allow the will of majority of Akwa Ibom people to be swept under the carpet as if they do no matter. Democracy is the government of the people by the people. Therefore, we will not allow a few people to impose their will against the interest and the overall good of the people. “It is the will of the good people of Akwa Ibom that the process of electing their leaders must be transparent, credible and civil. That was not what was witnessed on December 8 in Uyo. We say no to a system that

APC and 2015 battle

•Asiwaju Tinubu •Continued from page 45

APC and the future

House of Representatives Speaker Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, whose entry into the venue was hailed by delegates, said: ‘We are set to make history. I thanked the legacy parties for their sacrifices. We are presenting to Nigerians the most credible alternative ti what we have in Abuja. The APC is the party for today, the party for tomorrow and the party for the future. I call on Nigerians to vote out the incompetent and malfunctioning administration that we have in Abuja. today. It is desirable to

have a Nigeria we can call our own. ‘Some parts of the country are being taken over by the Biko Haram. The APC will arrest the situation immediately we come to office. The greatest challenge before us after the primaries is to win the presidential election. I urge Nigerians to support the APC candidate. We must salvage our democracy and our nation. Ogbeh, who welcomed Gemade, his political foe in Benue State, to the event, said the delegates are the taproots of democracy in a party that promotes robust debate and dissent. He queried: “Who among us is so blind that cannot see disaster coming? who is dumb and cannot hear the sounds of bombings. Who is sick in mind that cannot see the crisis of the youth unemployment, the lack of hope and the lack of accommodation? “ He added: “We have become a sad, miserable country. Economic policies have closed the door to growth. We have become a sad, miserable country of importers of tomatoes, pencils and erasers, and toothpicks. Oil is now at 65 per barrel. It is because of the desire to halt these that you are here. Don’t be influenced by anything, except your conscience. pray before voting and vote wisely. Be prepared for change to come.” APC Women leader Hajia Ramatu said: “We are here to show that we be-

lieve in one man one vote. Before we cast our votes, we must reflect on the future of our country and the challenges we face. Our choice today will determine the fate of the APC. Remember the future of yourchildren before you cast your votes. we desire a better life.” Former Vice President Abubakar highlighted the challenges confronting the country. He said: “Nigerias want change because they are fed up with the PDP government; a regime of insecurity; they are tired of unemployment. We are paying for electricity and getting darkness and killing industries. They are tired the PDP mathematic where 16 is greater than 18 and seven is greater than 18. They are tired of the abuse of power; tired of the siege on the parliament and the tear gassing the Speaker. They are tired of the humiliation of the police and the army that has won laurels in the past and now a huge joke in the beer parlour. They are tired of bad roads, collapsed school system and failure in examinations. I pray that you will give me the opportunity to lead our party to lead the change.”

Buhari’s promise

Buhari presented a humble mien, castigating the tendency to monetise

the exercise. The former military Head of State said that he had no dollar to share to delegates. The crowd applauded his frankness and sincerity as they clapped for him. Many people delegates believe that, if he wins, he will run a transparent government that will re-invigorate the anti-graft war. Urging delegates to vote for a man of integrity, he said: “Change and the hope of Nigerians are with you. We seek a new Nigeria. I place myself before you to elect me as your standard bearer. Personal ambition does not drive me. I have much to offer in this time of multiple crises. I am ready to lead Nigeria. I do not have any dollar to give to you to get your votes. The position is not for sale. If i have the dollar, I will not offer it to you. Burahi chided the Federal Government for creating more problems for Nigeria. He said: “Instead of ending problems, the PDP is multiplying the problems. I have led our nation before. To solve our problem, we need a leader who has integrity, strength and abiding commitment to change. I have always tried to place myself to the service of Nigeria. I rely on my army pensions. I have no company that benefits from the government. I am a simple man who wants to serve Nigeria. “I want to fight corruption. This is

attempts to subvert the will of the people. This struggle is not our personal struggle but that of every Nigerian who believes in democracy, in the purity of its meaning and essence.” Akpabio has continued to insist the process which produced Emmanuel was transparent. He congratulated the Chairman of the Electoral Panel of PDP, Mr. Bola Ayebowale and members of the PDP for a successful conduct of the primaries, adding that Emmanuel’s victory was assured. The governor said more than 99 per cent of PDP faithful in the state came out to vote, stressing that the state would do the same by giving President Goodluck Jonathan their full support in 2015. Akpabio added that the transparency of the election was an indication that peace thrives in the state. Emmanuel said the people have ushered him into the next level, thanking Akpabio and the people for coming out en-mass to support him. He lauded the PDP for the peaceful conduct of the primary. Oyebowale also said the process was transparent, explaining that PDP believes in a level-playing ground for all aspirants. By their suit and petition, the aspirants have queried the process Oyebowale, Akpabio and Emmanuel have spoken so glowingly about. Will the court agree with them? That will be known on January 5. But until then and as a result of the injunction, the PDP cannot present a valid candidate from Akwa Ibom State to INEC. Doing so will mean risking having Mua’zu committed to the prison. The waiting game has started and while many will be busy enjoying the Christmas and New Year break, the aggrieved aspirants and the governor’s camp will be busy perfecting how to convince the judge to look their way. not a time for continuity. Failure and incompetence do not deserve continuity, but change. I will honestly govern Nigeria in accordance with the constitution and the rule of law. I will promote tolerance among the ethnic and religious divides. I will have a good foreign policy. I will select the best Nigerians to serve in my government.” Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso was hailed by members of his group, the kwankwasinya as he mounted the rostrum. He described himself as an experienced politician, recalling that he was a civil servant in Kano State for 17 years, member of the House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker, delegate to the 1994 Constitution Conference, Minister of Defence, Special Envoy to Dafur and performer in office. The governor, who promised to replicate his achievements in education, health care, and rural development, said he will restore security and fight corruption, if elected as the President. Nda-Isaiah said: “The APC has a divine responsibility to win the next presidential election to rescue our country. To win, we must go to the contest with our best. Nigeria needs a fresh face to lead it to change..” Firing salvos at the Federal Government, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha said: “There is nothing wrong with the Head of State. But, something is wrong with the state of the head. Political power can only be justified when it is used for the welfare of the common man.”

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 15, 2014

‘

Now that Folarin has picked the ticket, however, some of his opponents are not willing to let go easily. One of them is Oluseyi Makinde, who has vowed to challenge his candidacy in court

RACE TO 2015

Alimoso residents protest shoddy PVCs’ distribution

How Folarin emerged Oyo PDP flagbearer

HE outcome of the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State jolted some party juggernauts and residents of the state. Many concerned stakeholders had entertained fears that the party may not be unable to wriggle out of the logjam arising from the battle for its governorship ticket for the forthcoming general elections. But, it was not to be. The event ended with the emergence of former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin as the standard-bearer of the PDP for the governorship contest at the end of proceedings at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, the state capital. Observers were not surprised at his emergence, having always seen the light pointing towards his direction since 2012. The journey to last Monday’s success actually began in 2010, when he was roped into the circumstances surrounding the death of the then kingpin of the Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alh. Lateef Salako (aka Elewe omo). The unionist was stabbed to death in a location within OnaAra Local Government where Folarin hails from. He was arrested and arraigned for allegedly having a hand in the gruesome killing of the late commercial driver. Folarin was also detained on the charges, though he was the Senate Leader at the time. But, many keen followers of Oyo politics believed that the Senator was being persecuted for his ambition to succeed the then Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in the 2011 election. Owing to his detention, he was unable to contest the election; a development that was an accomplished mission for Alao-Akala. But, Folarin came into the limelight within the PDP when he moved the motion earlier in 2010, urging the Senate to adopt the doctrine of necessity to al-

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

low the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to be sworn in as Acting President, following ill-health of his boss, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. His motion was adopted, leading to the swearing in of Jonathan as President. For that singular act, Folarin sowed a seed, which he has been reaping within the corridors of power at the Presidency. His first harvest came early in 2011, when the Senate rose in his support and prevailed on the Presidency to secure his release. It worked like magic. His 2010 heroic motion had paved the way for him to realise his ambition of picking the party’s ticket in 2011, but for the murder charge. Aside enjoying the sympathy of Senate President David Mark and other active participants in that historic event at the National Assembly, Folarin also has a robust relationship with some leaders of the party at the national level. All these worked together for the success of the former Senate Leader last Monday. Thus, it was easy for him to hijack the leadership of the party in the state in 2012, after Alao-Akala left office. For any aspirant to emerge as the party’s governorship flag bearer in the

‘Folarin came into the limelight within the PDP when he moved the motion earlier in 2010, urging the Senate to adopt the doctrine of necessity to allow the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to be sworn in as Acting President, following illhealth of his boss, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’

‘

• Folarin

state, he must have control of the party executive at the state and local government levels. In this regard, Folarin started warming his way into the hearts of the executives at the state and local government levels since Alao-Akala ‘stepped aside’ in 2012. So, aspirants that started jostling to pick the ticket in the last one year were only pursuing a shadow as far as the party structure is concerned. Only statutory delegates voted in the primary. These are members of the executive of the party in local and state levels, as well as members of the state House of Assembly, as well as those of the National Assembly. Now that Folarin has picked the ticket, however, some of his opponents are not willing to let go easily. One of them is Oluseyi Makinde who has vowed to challenge his candidacy in court, should he be presented as the party’s flag bearer in the next year election. Makinde’s group obtained a court ruling three days before the governorship primary, validating the delegates’ list used on the November 24 ward congress for last Monday’s primary. He described the primary, which produced Folarin as a nullity in the face of the law. Will Folarin scale through this and any other challenges that may arise? Again, analysts are quick to ask if the new PDP candidate is popular enough to defeat the incumbent Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his predecessor Rashidi Ladoja of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Accord Party respectively.

HE collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and registration of voters is over in Lagos but most residents are still complaining of the shoddy performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Residents of Alimoso Local Government Area in Lagos have been complaining about what they described as an attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disenfranchise them during next year’s general elections. Although there has been complaints from many local government areas in the state over the performance of INEC, the loudest protest appear to be coming from Alimoso, which is the local government with the largest number of registered voters in the state, if not the country. It has been one complain or the other in many communities in the local government, especially during the registration of new voters. In communities like Ijegun and Abaaranje, the general conclusion is that there is a deliberate attempt by INEC to disenfranchise the majority of the people. There were long queues at the two communities daily, as people made efforts to ensure that their names get into the register. According to a community leader in the area, Alhaji Adeola Alase, “we have mobilised our people and they have complied, but it seems that INEC is not ready for this exercise or that it is a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise us. For the past three days, we have been using generating sets to supply power directly to the three computers on ground because their batteries are not working. Imagine INEC’s computers with no batteries, it is unbelievable.” An elderly woman, Mrs. Abigail Eleshin, who defied old age to attempt to register for the exercise, was left frustrated after waiting for four hours without even getting near the registration area. She had to go back home at the end of the day. “I can’t kill myself because I want to register, the organisers (INEC) seem not to be ready,” she lamented. The story is the same in other communities within the local government like Ilo, a border community with Ogun State; Ikola, Meiran, Ayobo, Ipaja, Ishefun, Camp David, Egbeda, Akowonjo, Shasha and Egbe. For instance, a resident of Ikola, Isaiah Oluwole, said there is need for the state government to take up the matter officially with INEC. His words: “I suspect a deliberate attempt to disenfrachise us, especially in Alimoso Local Government. INEC came to this local government with obsolete computers and equipment. I personally did my own investigation as I visited some of the registration centres as a community leader. “Most of the computers are not working. In some cases, residents have to obtain generating sets to power computers directly because some these computers don’t have batteries. “In all registration centres I visited, there was no security. For me, INEC has a hidden agenda.” • Jega

PDP governorship aspirants protest in Kebbi From Khadijat Saidu, Birnin-Kebbi

IGHT out of the 13 governorship aspirants in Kebbi State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have petition the national head quarters of the party, disassociating themselves from the recent primary held in Birnin-Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital. In a two-page communiqué signed by the Deputy Governor, Ibrahim Aliyu and six others, issued, made available to The Nation, they said the process that led to the election did not conform to the guidelines of the party. Therefore, they called for a cancellation of the election and the organization of a fresh one as soon as possible. The petitioners argued that there was no screening and accreditation before the commencement of the primary, as stipulated in the PDP guidelines. They also stated that the delegates’ register provided by the national headquarters of the party in Abuja is not in sync with the one used for the conduct of the election. Voters were intimidated and coerced into voting for the candidate anointed by the government, while a parallel congress was conducted at the Race Course with only one aspirant in attendance. The aspirants also noted with dismay that the primary election, which was attended by the State Governor Saidu Dakingari, the Minister of Special duties Kabiru Tanimu and the Electoral Committee Chairman Celestine Omehia was marred by substantial irregularities.

Aspirants disrupt APC primary By Musa Odoshimokhe

HE Chairman of the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly Primary Election, Mary Ekpere, has said the attempt by supporters of two senatorial aspirants to disrupt the party pexercise was an act of sabotage. She said the conduct of the two aspirants, who could not control their supporters was condemnable, stressing that it was aimed at undermining the success of the party in the next year’s election. She said: “The action of Tony Adeniyi and Remi Olorunleke were condemnable. The entreaties not to frustrate the process fell on deaf ears. They were adamant to frustrate the party’s chances.” She added that the aspirants sought for the abortion of the electoral process, noting that 47 wards had already cast their votes when they demanded that votes should be burnt. According to her, it was only Ayoleke Adu, one of the aspirants, that wanted the process to be concluded, stressing that the aspirant prevented the ballot • From left: Secretary, Electoral Committee Mr Olatunji Folami; All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders Chief papers from being destroyed. She added that the APC was a law-abiding party, noting that the electoral Lanre Rasak; Alhaji Shakiruden Seriki; Chairman, Electoral Committee Abraham Orekoya; Senator Gbenga Ashafa and Ayodele Odeyemi at the Lagos East Senatorial Primary at Epe, Lagos State. committee would give a detailed report to the party’s National Working ComPHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN mittee on the development.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

SHOWBIZ

Bill Cosby breaks silence on rape allegations •I want him to suffer, suffer like we have all suffered,’ says accuser

HE series of rape allegations against American comedian and series producer, Bill Cosby, has continued to attract different reactions in the media, forcing the entertainer to break his long silence on the matter. Cosby has addressed the media’s response to the resurfaced sexual assault allegations against him, saying to the New York Post; “I only expect the black media to uphold the standards of excellence in journalism, and when you do that, you have to go in with a neutral mind.” The journalist Cosby was speaking to explained in the article that she frequently writes for the African-American media. In the interview, the embattled comedian also praised Camille, his wife of fifty years, describing how she has been handling the situation as “Love and the strength of womanhood,” “Let me say it again, love and the strength of womanhood. And you could reverse it, the strength of womanhood and love,” he said. However, there are speculations that Camille may file for divorce as the abuse allegations against her husband keep coming in. Not less than 18 women have come forward and accused Cosby of sexually abusing them. Reports say the scandals surrounding Cosby could lead to a $350 million divorce. Bill and Camille have been married for 50 years. Hollywood Reporter’s Ryan Gajewski, reported that Cosby then cut the conversation short, explaining, “They don’t want me talking to the media.” In addition to numerous allegations, the star is being sued by a woman alleging he assaulted her at the Playboy Mansion in 1975 when

By Victor Akande

she was 15. His lawyer, Marty Singer, has denied the claims and questioned the accusers’ credibility. Meanwhile, one of the comedian’s accusers, Beverly Johnson, has revealed more about why she had earlier kept quiet on the matter. The supermodel elaborated on what happened with Cosby during her visit to his New York home in the mid-’80s, where she claimed he gave her a drugged cappuccino. According to Johnson, the comedian invited her there to rehearse for an audition for a role on The Cosby Show. The role was for a pregnant woman, but he wanted her to act drunk – This, another Cosby accuser also claimed the comedian asked her to do. “He kept insisting to have this cappuccino, it’s the best coffee you will ever have, and so I relented and I took the coffee,” Johnson explained to CBS News’ Ben Tracy. “And I took a sip of the coffee and I immediately felt strange and then I took another sip of the cappuccino and that drug was so powerful it just came on like a moving train, and I knew I had been drugged. “The room started to spin a little and I was getting very woozy,” Johnson told NBC’s Tamron Hall by phone of her experience after she had had a few sips of the cappuccino. “I just started to swear and curse and had a tirade. I wanted him to know that I knew that he had drugged me. “I knew he was trying to take advantage of me, but I knew this goes above and beyond making a pass at a woman,” Johnson told CBS News. “You don’t make a pass at a woman by drugging her.”

She said she didn’t initially speak out about what she claimed happened because she thought doing so would hurt her career, adding that her encounter with Cosby’s wife, Camille, also made her feel she should stay silent. “This one social gathering where Camille was, and she’s so striking and beautiful, and I walked up to her and she embraced me with this hug that was so endearing like you would hug your own daughter, and I decided I wasn’t going to push the issue any further because of her,” she told ABC News. Now that Johnson has talked to other women about her experience with Cosby, she said she has learned that the sort of behavior he exhibited with her is a Hollywood secret. “Now that I speak to other people in the business in Hollywood, it is one of the best kept secrets in Hollywood,” she told CBS News. “I most certainly had — I would not have gone to his home if I had known he had that kind of reputation; absolutely not.” When six of Cosby accusers ap-

peared on CNN to discuss their allegations against the comedian recently, one of them, P.J Masten said: “I want him to suffer, suffer like we have all suffered,” adding that his Emmy awards should be withdrawn. Masten, who was on the show with Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis, Victoria Valentino and Kristina Ruehli, all of whom have accused Cosby of sexual assault, sat down with Don Lemon and Alisyn Camerota on The Cosby Show: A Legend Under Fire, to address the recent public uproar facing Cosby. Valentino on the other hand said he should be stripped of his honorary doctorate from Temple University. Bowman said that people close to Cosby created a “bubble of protection” for the star. She said that since coming forward, she has received many emails from those in Cosby’s inner circle who corroborated the accusers’ stories of alleged abuse. “He manipulated those people in the same way he manipulated us into silence,” she said. Bowman added there were more

accusers who have yet to come forward, and Masten confirmed she had spoken to other former Playboy bunnies who h ave told her they were allegedly abused by Cosby. Lemon and Camerota asked the women to raise their hands if Cosby drugged them, and all five women raised their hands. Three raised their hands to indicate they were led to believe before meeting Cosby that he would help their careers, while none of the women raised their hands when asked if they would receive money from him. The women agreed they were all grateful for the other accusers who had come forward, and they hoped to make it easier for alleged victims to tell their stories in the future. “What I want to happen to Bill Cosby is happening,” Tarshis said. During a separate segment on the show, Lemon also spoke to former supermodel Janice Dickinson, who has also accused Cosby of sexual assault. She said she has been “victim shamed” since telling her story and said Cosby allegedly assaulting her has caused her “post-traumatic stress.”

10 years after, Jaiye Aboderin ‘resurrects’ in Lagos

Muma Gee defects to Labour Party

“J

•Wins primaries By Ovwe Medeme

FTER losing out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries, music artiste, Gift Eke, aka Muma Gee, who seeks to represent Abua/Odua and Ahoada East Local Government Constituency 1, Rivers State, at the Federal House of Representatives, has picked the ticket from the Labour Party (LP), where she immediately deflected to. The artiste was said to have quit her former party, following purported claim of irregularities in River state’s PDP. Muma Gee who noted that her community is faced with the problem of underdevelopment, had said during her campaign as a PDP aspirant, that her desire was to displace the incumbent. “I see this as my civic responsibility to take charge, and ensure that I use the tools that God has given me as a role model, knowing too well that there are many people out there that believe in me as an artiste and ambassador.” In Ogun State, Nollywood Actress, Bukky Wright, lost the ticket to represent Abeokuta South Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The thespian was defeated by a former aide of Gov. Amosun, Mr. Joseph Sopade in the party’s primaries.

• Cosby with wife, Camille

• Muma Gee

• Bukky Wright

AIYE stood for love. It was impossible to quarrel with Jaiye because he will refuse to quarrel with you,” said foremost comedian, Atunyota Akporobomerere, aka Ali Baba, during a night of tribute for Jaiye Aboderin, the late husband of Stella Damasus who died 10 years ago. Put together by Wunmi Obey, the deceased sister, it was a gathering of notable personalities, who stormed the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, last Saturday, for a commemorative session of compliments, music and dance, as they joined family members to celebrate the life and times of the late socialite. For top beautician and entrepreneur, Tara Durotoye, Jaiye, during his lifetime, was quite humble and humane. “He opened the way for so many. He was a humble and down to earth person who was principled. It seems like yesterday. So it was 10 years ago. He liked to bring upcoming talents and help them to stardom,” he said. Also, Chuck Dee, the current leader of Synergy Band, a group founded by Jaiye, expressed his thoughts in these words: “People live and they forget them in three years, but Jaiye is still being remembered 10 years on.” Obey shared their growing up experiences, as well as how emotionally troubled she became the day he died. “We shared a lot of things in common, our sense of humour was the same and even our thinking; people used to think that we were twins. And we played a lot of pranks together but one funny thing is that whenever we did something wrong, we ensured our elder sister got blamed for it…” How did she learn of his death? She recalled: “On that fateful day, my husband told me we had to get to the

• Ras Kimono and Wunmi Obey By Mercy Michael

Island immediately. He said that Jaiye had slumped but he did not say anything more than that; so I had the belief that there was a possibility he was still alive. But when I got to his house and his wife (Stella Damasus) came out and hugged me, I knew something was wrong. We then went straight to the hospital. On getting there, the doctor broke the news to me. I was shown his body lying there, he was still warm and I put my head on his chest, hoping I will hear a heartbeat but there was none. When they brought the ambulance to take him to the morgue and they covered the sheet up to his face, I was screaming ‘open it, don’t you know he will not be able to breathe?’ And people were looking at me with pity.” Such is the love that Wunmi still

has for her late brother, that she took the pain of decorating the venue of the events all by herself. Asked what she thinks the deceased will feel, if he could look down to see the beautiful decorations in his memory, Obey said, “He will be proud of me. He will say, ‘that is my sister. I don’t expect anything less.’” At the event, Yinka Davies wowed the crowd with a soulful rendition of Lagbaja’s Far Away, with the masked man himself supporting her from the crowd. T.W.O and their band also thrilled guests by performing songs such as Wedding Day and Akoba adaba, among others. Raggae artiste, Ras Kimono also performed at the event, while Blackky brought back memories with the performance of his hits; Can I Have a Dance and Bang Belly. The Synergy band also proved their mettle on the night.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS

We can’t fight crude oil theft alone, A says Navy chief A NIGERIAN Navy chief, Rear Admiral Victor Adedipe, has said the Navy cannot fight crude oil theft and other crimes in the Nigeria’s maritime environment alone. He said there was need for synergy between the Navy and other stakeholders. Adedipe, who is also the Director of the Department of Maritime Warfare in the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna State, spoke at the policing seminar for junior course 78/2014 at the college. He said: “The constitutional role of the Nigerian Navy to police the nation’s maritime domain and to en-

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

sure that the maritime environment is conducive for economic activities is a continuous and often difficult one for the service to perform alone. This is particularly so due to the enormity of responsibility of the Nigerian Navy to the nation. “This poses a serious challenge to our force planners and calls for synergy between the service and other friendly key players in the sustenance and improvement of a secured maritime environment.

“It is a fact that the Nigerian maritime environment is richly endowed with living and non-living resources. “These resources have been explored and exploited for the benefit of the nation and its populace. However, these resources and other commercial activities in the maritime environment have been subject of consistent threats which could jeopardise the revenue generating capacity and economic well being of the nation. “The effect of crude oil theft and the resultant reduction in

the daily production of crude oil as well as the negative impact of nefarious criminal activities, like illegal fishing, sea robbery and piracy are examples of downturn effects of such threats.”. AFCSC’s Commandant Air Vice Marshal John Chris Ifemeje, hoped that valuable contributions and suggestions would emanate from the seminar, with the theme: Multi Agency Cooperation in Nigeria’s Maritime Domain: a Panacea for Enhanced Maritime Security. He said the contributions would add value to the security agencies’ policing efforts in Nigeria’s maritime domain.

Millions gone as fire razes shops in Sokoto

OUR shops and property worth millions of naira were destroyed yesterday in an early fire near Sultan Atiku Secondary School in Sokoto. But nobody died in the incident. The cause of the fire, which started at 1 am, could not be ascertained immedi-

From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

ately. Our reporter, who was on the scene, gathered that four vehicles under repairs were also burnt. Also burnt were various brands of vehicle batteries, gas cylinders, welding machines, auto painting equip-

ment and electronics, among others. It took about 90 minutes of the combine efforts of firemen from the State Fire Service station, the police on patrol and neighbours to put out the fire. Speaking with our reporter, two of the affected shop owners, Jami’u Afolabi

and Steven Onyeobia, described the incident as an act of God. “We were shocked, but there was nothing we could do. We leave everything to God. It is in His wisdom that we find ourselves in this state of loss and we have nothing to say but to thank Him,” they said.

GROUP, the Taraba Rescue Team (TRT), yesterday protested in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, over the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) senatorial ticket given to sacked Acting Governor Garba Umar. Umar, who lost the governorship ticket to Darius Ishaku, was later given the senatorial ticket for Taraba North. But TRT President Ignatius Igbaa and the group’s Secretary Mainuma Haruna rejected the deal. Besides its submission that Umar had nothing to offer in the Senate, the TRT said the sacked acting governor should be arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged financial offences.

From Barnabas Manyam, Yola

of the programme. Governor Bala James Ngilari spoke on the programme when he visited the palace of Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Abubakar Isa Ahmadu to assess the damage the Boko Haram insurgents did when they captured the

town. Ngilari promised to repair the vandalised palace of the emir of Mubi by the insurgents as well he made a call to the federal government to come to the aid of the state by repairing the federal roads and bridges damaged by the outlaw group. The governor, who was

represented by his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Chubado Tijjani, hailed the security agents for their commitment to the nation’s sovereignty. He said the present administration was committed to working with security agencies to restore peace in the recaptured towns and other parts of the state by military

NEMA recovers diverted materials in Gombe

HOUSANDS of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members have defected to the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) after the PDP governorship primaries held outside the state in Abuja. The defectors alleged that the party produced a puppet candidate - Mallam Nuhu

troops and local hunters. According to him, the Ngilari administration started the poverty alleviation programme to make life bearable for Boko Haram victims. Ngilari said the programme would reduce the trauma the insurgency victims were passing through.

•From left: President, Aliko Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammed Sanusi II and a businessman, Alhaji Salisu Musa Sambajo, when Dangote visited the Emir in Kano ... at the weekend.

HE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has recovered materials allegedly diverted by a transporter in Gombe State and distributed them directly to victims of windstorm in Bangoba community of Kakara in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State. NEMA’s Director-General Muhammad Sani-Sidi has also constituted a committee to investigate the alleged diversion and unravel likely internal collaboration for the action. He said appropriate measures and sanctions should be taken against the culprits. Addressing the beneficiary community in Taraba after distributing the materials, NEMA’s Assistant Director (Training) Iyiola Akande said there was an attempted diversion of relief items. But he said the materials were successfully intercepted by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) following a tip-off. The NEMA chief said the prime suspect, who was the transporter, was under investigation. Akande said: “It is difficult to divert materials from NEMA because beneficiary states do receive advance copies of the list of items before the arrival of the trucks.”

From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

Igbaa said: “We are honestly surprised by PDP’s decision to field sacked Acting Governor Garba Umar as the senator representing the people of Taraba North. “We don’t know what informed the funny decision, but even if it was because of political expediency, the choice was done in a really bad taste. “Taraba people would reject this move as it portends a bad omen for our polity. Umar should not be allowed to go near the hallowed chambers of the Senate. He is not qualified...”

Scores of PDP members defect to PDM in Adamawa

Adamawa empowers 60,000 Boko Haram victims HE Adamawa State government has established a new poverty alleviation programme called the Social Welfare Economic Empowerment Programme (SWEEP). The government said over 60,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) would be among the first beneficiaries

Taraba group opposes Umar’s senatorial ticket

From Barnabas Manyam, Yola

Ribadu. Among the aggrieved members, who defected, is a popular businessman and a hopeful member to represent Mubi North and South in the National Assembly, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Kwacham. The businessman-turned politician decried the way the PDP became “a betrayal party” to many of its loyalists in the Adamawa state. Kwacham, who has joined the PDM, expressed anger that he was “dumped” by the PDP after buying his nomination form for the primaries. The former aspirant regretted that the primaries were taken outside the state, where they were allegedly manipulated to favour a particular candidate. He said there was no prior or official announcement to the aspirants on the sudden change of the venue for the primaries. According to him, many aggrieved PDP loyalists in the state had joined the PDM while others had joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). Kwacham said: “PDP is the party that is almost dying in Adamawa and we came and we revived the party with our resources. But today, we were thrown out of party, that our efforts are not worth enough to compensate us. I bet you, PDP is a failure in Adamawa State...”

PDP supporters injured in Taraba From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

Gbemi Saraki, Jani Ibrahim concede defeat in Kwara PDP primaries T WO Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in last Friday’s primaries, Senator Gbemisola Saraki and Jani Ibrahim, have congratulated the winner, Senator Simeon Ajibola. The party, last week, declared Ajibola a third-term senator representing Kwara South, the winner of its governorship primaries. In separate statements, Ms Saraki and Ibrahim conceded victory to Ajibola, who polled 144 votes. In an electronic mail, Gbemisola Saraki said: “After a keen contest, the wish of the majority of our delegates is that Senator S. S. Ajibola should be our governorship candidate in

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

the 2015 general election. I congratulate my brother as I also congratulate our party for the success of our primaries. “I’m a firm believer that democracy is a journey and not a destination. The appreciation of the lessons and our experience on that journey determine the value of our society as well as the quality of our leadership. Democracy was at work at our primaries and those lessons we learnt can only strengthen our resolve to see a better leadership and to work even harder for a glorious Kwara State. “The beauty of democracy is

that an individual ambition cannot supersede the true wish of the majority. If we, as leaders, are truly champions of the interests of our people, we cannot be a party to the subversion of their legitimate aspirations and/or a chance at their pursuit of happiness. “Because I believe that we can build a glorious Kwara State where competence, true passion and transparent leadership mark the process of that rebirth, I was a candidate in the primaries. However, my passion for that rebirth isn’t for the sole direction of the voting at our primaries but the true interests of our people and our state.

“As a team, we are going to work together with the choice of our party to rekindle the hope in our people of a government that can truly serve their true interests. “I’m often buoyed to see every lesson on the journey of democracy as an opportunity to grow higher and grow better in the true service of the people. “Allah gives power to whom He wishes. As a people, we must learn the lessons in His choices. Our people look unto us; we must be their mirror of the decency of a true leadership. “I thank you all for your support, encouragement, prayers, volunteering and work. I pray you would extend these to our party in the drive to birth a glorious Kwara.”

USPECTED supporters of the sacked Taraba State Acting Governor Garba Umar have allegedly injured 46 supporters of Darius Dickson Ishaku, Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) governorship candidate. The battle for the PDP governorship ticket in the state ended in Abuja last Thursday night with Ishaku defeating Umar and two other aspirants to clinch the ticket. Ishaku polled 170 votes of the 170 valid votes cast while Umar, who stepped down few minutes to the poll, later secured the senatorial ticket for Taraba North. The attack continued yesterday, with 46 of Ishaku’s supporters sustaining injury. Five vehicles were also destroyed.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

CITYBEATS Doctors stage peaceful protest over unpaid salaries D ISPLAYING placards bearing various inscriptions, medical doctors in the employ of Lagos State yesterday staged a peaceful rally at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja. They made a passionate appeal to their employer over their unpaid salaries when in April, May (2012) and September, they joined their colleagues nationwide in a strike. The doctors’ umbrella association, Medical

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

By Wale Adepoju

Guild, urged the state government should temper justice with mercy and waive its “no work no pay rule” as the decision has left its members heartbroken. Its chairman, Dr Biyi Kufo, said the doctors were owed salaries for the period the guild joined the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to embark on national strike in April and May of 2012 and

•The protesters...yesterday

September this year, when Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) broke out in the country. “The government said we didn’t participate, but we were at work and our members were part of the volunteers who treated

those who were isolated,” he said. The Secretary, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Lagos State branch, Dr Babajide Saheed said the state government did not apply the same rule when the judiciary and

teachers went on strike. “We consider this as selective justice. A father should never treat his children differently. There should be equality, fairness and justice,” he said. Saheed said the doctors consider the manner in

which the state is handling the situation as a form of harassment. He appealed to the good people of the state to prevail on the government to have a rethink and do the needful, which is to pay doctors’ outstanding salaries.

Isiguzo’s wake keep holds tomorrow

HE wake keep for the late Jude Isiguzo, The Nation Senior Crime Correspondent and Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) The Nation Chapel, will hold tomorrow at his residence in Festac town, Lagos. He died on Saturday, November 29 after a brief illness. He was 43. The final funeral holds on Monday December 22 at Umuokegbu Village,

•The spot ... yesterday

Spot where nightfall brings tears

URING the day, the popular Awoyokun Junction on Ikorodu Road in Lagos is an inviting environment. Commercial motorcyclists and some traders eke out a living in a congenial atmosphere. But at nightfall, pedestrians rarely smile there. As early as 6.52 yesterday, Mrs Tola Aderanti looked distraught. She was at the junction with a relation. Their mission: To search for some of the contents of her bag that was

By Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

snatched from her by some hoodlums at the spot around 9.48pm on Saturday. According to her, she was on her way back to her Lagos Mainland home after a prolonged visit to her cousin in the neighbourhood. “I did not know where the two boys emerged from. They swooped on me while I was standing by the road awaiting a bus to take me home. There was no-

body to come to my rescue. I could only beg them to take the N6,000 that I had on me with my handset but my documents. All fell on deaf ears. “One of them assured me that they would drop the documents. I was ordered to lay face-down. I saw them dash across the highway towards Somolu area. Since it was already late, I had to run for my life. I’m here this morning to see if they would drop the documents because they mean a lot to me,” the woman said,

sobbing. Some of the passersby and residents from the area who gathered to sympathise with her recounted the similar experiences they had at different times at the junction and such other dreadful spots across the metropolis at nightfall. Eventually, the woman left the scene disappointed as her sympathisers urged police authorities in the area and the state as a whole to beam their searchlight on such spots across the state.

By Ebele Boniface

When I got to Lagos and met Mohammed, he brought out a gun and showed it to me. He told me that the gun was what had been giving him food, assuring that if I took it, it would feed me well. But he warned that if I rejected it, he would shoot me dead. I collected one out of the four guns in his possession. “When we got to Berger area along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, they started stopping vehicles on the road. The first did not stop but the second one stopped but they did not know that its occupants were soldiers. Four members of my gang escaped and I was the only one arrested and taken to SARS. The soldiers’ vehicle bore the inscription, ‘OP MESA’ and the time they arrested me was at 2.45pm, before I was transferred to SARS.” Umoru denied Hassan’s claim, saying: “Manu has not told you the truth. I am not an armed robber. I steal cows. Even if I used gun to steal cows, the cows are not human beings. I help butchers at the Agege Abattoir to sell

meat and take my commission. At times, when I need big money, I go and steal cow and sell to one Alhaji at the abattoir. “I have made N350,000 from the four cows I sold to him. I have also collected N500,000 for the six cows I sold to another Alhaji. I paid the lorry that carried the cows N30,000 on each trip. I used to go to Eruwa in Oyo State and Igbo Ora in Ogun State to steal cows.” The suspect, who hails from Ngaski Local Government in Gidankwanu in Kebbi State, said he did not go out with Hassan on that fateful day. “Hassan is lying because we quarrelled over a bottle of Gulder beer in a restaurant at the abattoir. I was surprised when he brought police to arrest me,” he said. On how he operates, he said: “I go to the bush where the shepherds are with their cows. I strike when they were sleeping. I don’t use charms; I only tie rope on the cow’s leg and pull it away. Manu does not belong to my gang. I am not saying that I am not an armed robber, but I did not follow Manu for operation on that day.”

Omoba in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State.

Dean secures Assembly ticket

DEAN, School of Science, Ansar-UdDeen College of Education (ADCOED), Mr Salaudeen Afeez Arisekola, has secured the House of Assembly ticket under Accord Party (AP) for Mushin Constituency II in Lagos. Arisekola, also a businessman, who is also contesting in the party alongside a member of House of Representatives, Hon Kako Are, said he is a man to beat

We specialise in cow theft, say suspects WO members of a five-man robbery gang have reportedly told the police that they are cow thieves and not armed robbers. Manu Hassan (22) and Muhammed Umoru (28) are being held by the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Hassan, according to a police source, was arrested on November 4 by soldiers on patrol when the gang attempted to attack their vehicle. “On November 4, the robbers had tried to attack a bus, but it did not stop. They tried to stop the second vehicle; unknown to them, it was being occupied by soldiers who were on highway patrol in the area. The soldiers gave them a warning shot and the robbers took to their heels leaving Hassan behind. They later handed Hassan over to SARS and he led them to where Mohammed was arrested on November 27,” said the source. Hassan said: “I am not an armed robber. Mohammed told me that he would give me work when I came down to Lagos from my Bonza Local Government Area, Kebbi State base.

•The late Isiguzo

•The suspects

in the 2015 elections. The Doctorate degree student at the University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State, will slug it out with AbdulSobur Olawale, a candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for the assembly seat. “I have what it takes to win at the poll; it’s unfortunate that we had to leave APC to realize our ambition but the party still dear to our hearts,” he said.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS

Heartache for electricity consumers Continued from page 3 Core investors’ many challenges Nobody envies the new core investors. The challenges before them are quite daunting. The Nation learnt that shortly after they tookover power assets, the investors discovered that the privatisation was based on wrong assumptions. This is so because there was cash crunch in the sector and financial institutions were not willing to fund the power projects. The level of exposure of the financial sector to the power sector, the investors realised, was so heavy and the uncertainties arising from the situation raise their (financial sector) risk perception, which makes additional financing to cover identified gaps very difficult. That was not all. The investors also discovered that their projected revenue fell below expectation. They said that cash collected from customers (end users) of electricity is much lower than expected. It was not enough to cover all costs in the sector. The belief is that the electricity generation and distribution companies (GENCOs and DISCOs) face deviations between their projected business plans and the actual situation. The deviations are said to be bigger than what could be handled within the limits of the official assumptions given for the privatisation. Shortly after taking charge, the investors were faced with the challenge of inadequate gas supply follwing gas pipeline vandalism, which disrupted supply to the power plants. At the last count, about 20 ruptured pipelines have been identified, all due to deliberate sabotage, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The Corporation reported that saboteurs were responsible for the destruction of Escravos gas pipeline in 2013. The NNPC also said the EscravosWarri stretch of the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS), and the Trans Forcados crude pipeline, were also destroyed. It added that investigations conducted by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), its subsidiary, showed that the pipelines were punctured. “The cumulative effect of the above interruptions is a real degradation of power supply to Nigerians. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and NNPC would continue to make efforts to ensure gas supply in a difficult situation,” the NNPC explained. Experts say that unless a sound policy framework is put in place to ensure optimal production and delivery of gas to the GENCOs, the nation’s proposed 20,000 MW generation by 2020 would not be met. “Part of the challenges was inadequate gas supply, low water level in the various dams across, vandalism, theft of power equipment and poor funding. These have in one way or the other, resulted in shutdown of the power stations as well as power rationing nationwide,” Odiah emphasised. Other challenges include energy theft, energy wastage by customers, and lack of urban planning whereby people build along the right of way of the utility companies and under high tension lines, among others. High transmission/distribution losses and theft also result in inefficient operations and undermine financial viability of utility firms. Besides, the power utilities are plagued by poor governance, weak management capacity, lack of technical skills, poor revenue collection, and economic mismanagement. All of these explain why electricity gen-

eration capacity has been fluctuating between 3, 500 MW and 4, 400 MW over the last two years.

5,000 MW target, dream dead on arrival. Electricity supply to customers, in the last one month, has been on a steady decline, casting serious doubts on the realisation of the target of 5, 000 MW in 2014. It has also cast a cloud of uncertainty over the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). Few days to December 31, the target set by the Federal Government to achieve 5, 000 Mega Watts (MW) of electricity, Nigerians are coming face to face with the grim reality that the target will fail. Statistics from the Ministry of Power shows that as at December 11, power generation reduced to 3,271.21 MW from 3,018.52 MW on December 2, while peak power generation reduced from 3,554.60MW to 3,385.9MW. Data from the ministry also shows that on November 19, the NESI generated 3,750.73MW; 3,413.57MW was generated on November 30. Comparatively, the wheeling capacity of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) dropped from 3,671.47MW on November 19 to 3, 351MW on November 30, and 3,206.09MW on December 2. Whereas the evacuation gap of November 19 was 79MW, it reduced to 62.56MW on November 30, and 65.15MW on December 2, and 64.01MW on December 11. The market, which, however, recorded a peak generation of 3,958.1MW on November 19, had 3,576.7MW on November 30, which dropped to 3,554.60MW on December 2, indicating a decline of 404MW within three days and a further decline of 68.70MW. As at December 2, the market wheeled 3,206.09MW to the generation companies (GENCOs) from which it dipped to the current 2,954.51MW within nine days. Industry sources blame the drop on weak capacity of the TCN due to weak transformers and other obsolete equipment that characterise the electricity market. There is a gap between TCN’s actual wheeling capacity and what the company says it has. Though TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Seun Olagunju claime the company has 6,000MW capacity, its actual capacity stands at 2954.51MW. Chairman, Heirs Holding and investor in Transcorp Ughelli Power, Mr. Tony Elemelu, in the third quarter of this year, revealed that 40 per cent of the power generated is always lost in transmission. His words: “While Ughelli Power Plant generated at full capacity for the first time in July, we have been asked to scale down generation because of the outdated transmission systems; for every 100MW generated and sent to transmission companies, 40 per cent is lost, in part because of this infrastructure issue.” Apart from weak transmission, the GENCOs complained of gas shortage and vandalism of pipeline among others. To tackle the gas supply challenge, Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, announced on August 2, the approval of a new gas price to attract investment in gas to power. In fact, the government raised the price of gas to $2.50 per Standard Cubic Feet (SCUF) and 0.80 per SCF for transportation. The new price, according to the chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi, would become effective upon the implementation of the new Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).

•Sam Amadi

•Prof Nebo

‘ As at December 2, the market wheeled 3,206.09MW to the generation companies (GENCOs) from which it dipped to the current 2,954.51MW within nine days The minister also announced that the CBN would pay the $25 billion owed to gas suppliers. A few weeks later, the government jacked up the CBN intervention in the power sector to N213 billion. On the distribution side, the investors are also grappling with challenges of weak transformers, lack of pre-paid meter, electricity theft and general apathy of consumers to accept the new market fundamental of ‘pay and get power’ The situation has culminated in the trading of blame between the ministry and some electricity distribution companies (DISCOs). Power Minister Prof. Chinedu Nebo said during the last ministerial briefing that despite the power situation, some distribution firms were rejecting load allocations. It was a veiled reference to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and others. But, in a statement made available to The Nation at the weekend, the Head, Public Relations and Media, AEDC, Malam Ahmed Shekarau, explained that the company does not reject load allocated to it for distribution to its customers. He maintained that 11.5 per cent load it receives is even insufficient for its customers. “This is a fact that can be verified from both the market and system operators. The load allocation of 11.5 per cent to Abuja Disco penalties charged by the market operator for energy taken above this ceiling put constraints on our company. We are seeking for sufficient supply of electricity to our company to meet the needs of customers, especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),” the statement said. An improved NESI, where private owners would invest heavily in the entities and assuage the

‘

power consumers of past pains was the ploy with which the government convinced investors to buy into the privatisation plan. The power statistics in the last few months showed that the NESI is now on a reverse gear. Nebo, in the last ministerial press briefing, gave reasons why Nigerians should not expect magic from the private owners. His reasons: it takes a long time to build power plants, saboteurs are at work, and securing gas to power has become a Herculean task.

The way out Energy experts and industry stakeholders believe that a number of stop-gap measures could assuage the agonies of electricity consumers. Mr. Odiah suggests embedded power generation by utilising the excess power generated by pockets of small power generating plants already existing. According to him, some members of MAN already have excess capacity from their plants, which they could offer to the DISCOSs for onward distribution to other areas. Acknowledging the wide gap between electricity supply and demand, weak and inadequate transmission infrastructure, Nebo’s predecessor, Prof Barth Nnaji, suggested a short-term emergency solution in the area of embedded generation using the ring-fencing method whereby some areas are divided into economic clusters. Embedded or distributed generation allows collection of energy from many sources and may give lower environmental impacts and improved security of supply. It is a term used for any electricity generating plant that is connected to the regional electricity distribution net-

works Apart from embedded generation, experts also canvass demand side energy management (DSM), which encourages electricity consumers to ensure that power is used only when needed. To achieve this, there is need for the introduction of smart meters. Odiah noted that if meters are readily available to consumers on demand, it becomes easy for them to practice DSM and not only curtail wastages but allow consumers’ control cost. “Smart meters would allow consumers to have total control of their electricity consumption,” he argued. Another option available to consumers, particularly manufacturers, is the delineation of members into clusters and provision of power plants to serve each cluster. The thinking is that this would not only eliminate the agony of running individual power plants at unnecessarily high cost, but allow members concentrate fully on their core business of manufacturing. It will also reduce industrial pollution/green house effect on the environment. The Nation learnt that MAN has a blueprint in this regards, with 28 clusters already identified nationwide. Sound and robust measures no doubt, but the way things are currently, electricity consumers would have to contend with unstable supply of electricity, as the challenges around power generation, infrastructure, especially weak transmission infrastructure and poor distribution network, revenue collection, appropriate pricing and gas supply are quite enormous, requiring massive and long-term investments to fix. •Additional reports by John Ofikkehua, Abuja and Toba Agboola

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

NEWS Good leadership ‘ll defeat Boko Haram, says Kano emir Continued from page 4

security challenges to score cheap political points ahead of next year’s vote. “What President Jonathan has always said is that the will of the people and of the Nigerian government is stronger than that of the terrorists and insurgents. And no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes, the government is determined to win the war against terror,” said Abati. “Because we are in a political season, quite a number of persons try to play politics with terrorism and insurgency,” said Abati. “The president has called on all professional politicians that this challenge requires the cooperation of all Nigerians, it requires a bi-partisan approach because terrorism poses a threat to our sovereignty as a country.” Opponents are saying Jonathan has failed to protect citizens from Boko Haram. They also accuse him of incompetence and failure to keep his promise to transform the economy and improve the living conditions of the people. But Abati disagreed, saying the accusations are mere political rhetoric. President Jonathan, Abati said, vowed to campaign on his record, based on verifiable achievements in his re-election bid. “President Jonathan will campaign on issues and ideas. He will not campaign on the basis of emotions or empty rhetoric or the kind of

empty promises that the opposition seems to have acquired professionalism in,” said Abati, adding: “A majority of Nigerians know that this is a government that has performed, that has turned the Nigerian economy into the largest economy in Africa. This is the government that has revived the railways, this is the government that has achieved a lot in terms of privatising the power sector and giving real hope about the power sector,” he said. Abati added that the Jonathan administration has confidence that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will organise free, fair, transparent and credible elections. Not less than 800 buildings and 194,664 pupils are affected by the insurgents’ attacks on schools in the Northeast, an independent evaluation and assessment performance project report on the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) by the Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG) has said.

Presenting the report of their findings after a survey to reporters yesterday, the CCSG president, Comrade Etuk Bassey Williams, said the bleak future that education faced means that it not be able to meet the education for all goals 1,2 and 4 by the year 2015. He said the assessment carried out in collaboration with Masonso-Africa partnership for civil Society, Kristen Strong-World economic Development and Emeretine Christisle-centre for educational development United Kingdom among others was on the progress made so far in the formulation and implementation of policies for the successful operation of the Universal Basic Education in Nigeria. William called for the development of a national education policy to address humanitarian and emergency situation that may arise as a result of unforeseen crises. Besides, he sought more fund, saying decline in funding is inimical to the development of basic education. “The high rate of out-of

school children in Nigeria, which is put at 10.6 million, requires a drastic solution backed by ‘crazy’ funding in order to arrest this ugly trend.” The group also said the government needed a national free feeding programme for all primary school pupils so as to reduce the high incidence of out-of-school children as poverty is largely responsible for this high rate in Nigeria. “The enactment of a law that will address the high incidence of unaccessed grant will eliminate the high incidence of state not accessing their funds in the coffers of the UBEC. “This law is long overdue as most states have been found to be consistently negligent in accessing this grant in order to develop basic education,” the group said. The research shows that conflicts, gender discrimination, child labour, ignorance and poverty are majorly responsible for the high rate of out-of-school children in Nigeria, among other things.

Primaries: Mark must go, angry PDP senators vow Continued from page 4

lost her attempt to pick the gubernatorial ticket of the PDP in the state. In Abia State, Senator Uche Chukwumerije lost his bid to stage a comeback, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu’s ambition to govern the state is hanging in the balance after she

was reported to have defected to another party. The only Senator who survived the onslaught of the governor is Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. In Cross River State, Senate Leader Victor NdomaEgba is contesting the result of the primary election after he was defeated by a mem-

ber of the House of Representatives, John Enoh. Another senator from the state, Bassey Otu, lost to Gershom Bassey in the primary. In Bayelsa State, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri is up in arms against those who conducted the election for declaring that he lost the primary.

Oil workers begin strike Continued from page 4

my and bring untold hardship to millions of Nigerians managing to cope under the harsh economic condition. “The NEC in session expressed concern on the reported attitude and response of the concerned management and government agencies to the barrage of national issues, oil and gas policy and institutional issues as well as cases of unfair labour practices. “The NEC also notes the strong efforts made by NUPENG/PENGASSAN to internally resolve the reported grievance at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources and other agencies which the concerned managements severally frustrated. “NEC therefore urges govern-

ment to attend to all the reported issues as a matter of urgent national importance to avoid the backlash on the Nigerian public,” the communiqué said. It said that the global fall in crude oil price should be translated into the reduction in the pump price of refined products in the country. “The congress expresses dismay that the prices of refined petroleum products have remained unchanged despite the significant fall of crude oil prices which the CBN Governor acknowledges as a steady one. “We call on the government to direct the appropriate agencies to respond by adjusting the pump price of petroleum products as this will go a long way In ameliorating the impact on the purchasing power by the devaluation of the naira,’’ it added.

‘Choice of deputy ’ll be democratic’ Continued from page 4

back we have received from Nigerians on the transparent and rancour-free manner in which our presidential primaries was organized. We are assuring Nigerians that the choice of our presidential running mate will also be guided by best democratic ideals.

‘’We appreciate the nationwide interest that the choice of our presidential candidate and his running mate has generated. It is a mark of the confidence that Nigerians repose in us. We assure that we will not disappoint our compatriots who have seen our party as the agent of the change they so much crave,’’ it said.

Protection: ‘Tambuwal must apply‘ Continued from page 4

Affairs that he would no longer recognise Tambuwal as speaker. Members immediately called it a day. Police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu said: “It is the duty of the police to provide

protection for all aspirants but they have to apply to be given police operatives. “We have enough work on our hands and we cannot be running after candidates who need our protection. “All candidates must apply for police protection.”

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS Russia will react if U.S. imposes new sanctions

USSIA will take counter measures if Washington imposes new sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Saturday. The U.S. Congress has readied new sanctions on Russian weapons companies and investors in the country’s high-tech oil projects, but U.S. President Barack Obama has yet to sign a corresponding bill into law. “We will not be able to leave that without an answer,” Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying. He did not say what form of counter-measure Moscow might take. Relations between Russia and the United States are at their lowest since the Cold War because of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in March and its support for proRussian rebels in eastern Ukraine. The West says it has firm evidence that Russia has armed the rebels - an accusation that Moscow rejects - and has, together with the European Union, imposed several rounds of economic sanctions on Russian individuals and large companies. Russia retaliated to the earlier sanctions by restricting food imports from a range of Western countries. Russia on Friday criticized the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, which foresees further sanctions, saying Washington was doing its utmost to “destroy the carcass of cooperation” between the two countries.

Another U.S. citizen enters N.Korea, slams America

US citizen who said he had crossed illegally into North Korea held a press conference in Pyongyang Sunday to denounce his own country’s US political and economic systems. The man identified himself as Arturo Pierre Martinez, aged 29 and from El Paso in Texas, CNN and the North’s official KCNA news agency reported. He entered the North from China in November, according to a North Korean statement cited by the broadcaster, just two days after the US spy chief James Clapper arrived in Pyongyang to secure the release of two other detained Americans. Martinez had earlier tried to swim across the Han river between the two Koreas to enter the North, only to be caught and sent back to the US where he was placed in a psychiatric hospital, his mother told CNN. “But he got out,” Patricia Eugenia Martinez said, adding her son was bipolar. “He...got the court to let him out and instead of coming home to us he bought a ticket and left for China,” she said. US national Jeffrey Fowle was freed by North Korea in October after being detained for allegedly lea … At the press conference Martinez admitted the illegal entry but said he was “extremely grateful” for the North to have pardoned him and to have offered him “the most generous reception”, according to KCNA. Images obtained from the North’s government showed him wearing a suit and tie and delivering a statement. The North aired the criticisms by Martinez of his own government at a time when Pyongyang is under growing international pressure to improve its human rights record. The UN Security Council is expected to meet this month on the North’s rights record, following a proposal to refer it to the International Criminal Court on possible charges of crimes against humanity. A US State Department official said it was aware of reports that an American citizen had crossed into North Korea.

THE NATION FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014

Deal reached at UN climate talks

EVELOPING countries have accused wealthier nations of failing to take responsibility for climate change United Nations members have reached an agreement on how countries should tackle climate change. Delegates have approved a framework for setting national pledges to be submitted to a summit next year. Differences over the draft text caused the talks in Lima, Peru, to overrun by two days. Environmental groups have criticised the deal as a weak and ineffectual compromise, saying it weakens international climate rules. The talks proved difficult because of divisions between rich and poor countries over how to spread the burden of pledges to cut carbon emissions The BBC’s Matt McGrath in Lima says none of the 194 countries attending the talks walked away with everything they wanted, but everybody got something. There was a great sense of relief among delegates when the announcement came in the early hours of Sunday morning, he adds, following 48 hours of talks without a

•Developing countries have accused wealthier nations of failing to take responsibility for climate change PHOTO:AFP

break. Peru’s environment minister, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, who chaired the summit, told reporters: “As a text it’s not perfect, but it includes the positions of the parties.” The agreement was adopted hours after a previous draft was rejected by developing countries, who accused rich nations of shirking their responsibilities to fight global warming and pay for its impacts. The final draft is said to have

alleviated those concerns with by saying countries have “common but differentiated responsibilities”. The talks, which began on 1 December, had been due to end on Friday but ran over into the weekend Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, who chaired the talks, announced the agreement to cheers from delegates “We’ve got what we wanted,” Indian environment minister Prakash Javedekar told reporters, saying the document preserved the notion that

Burkina Faso’s deposed leader Compaore returns home

Japan: PM Abe’s coalition wins big

APANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling coalition cruised to a big election win yesterday but feeble turnout could weaken his claim of a mandate for policies including reflationary steps to revive the economy. Most media exit polls showed Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner, the Komeito party, winning more than 317 seats in the 475-member lower house, enough to maintain its “super-majority” that smoothes parliamentary business. But many voters, doubtful of both the premier’s “Abenomics” strategy to end deflation and generate growth and the opposition’s ability to do any better, stayed at home, putting turnout on track for a record low, interim figures showed. Turnout had already hit a post-war low of 59.3 percent in the 2012 poll that returned Abe to power for a rare second term on pledges to reboot an economy plagued by deflation and an aging, shrinking population. Abe called the election early to strengthen his grip on power before tackling unpopular policies such as restarting nuclear reactors taken offline after the 2011 Fukushima disaster and a security policy shift away from post-war pacifism.

The LDP-led coalition victory could ease Abe’s path to re-election in a party leadership race next September, boosting the likelihood, though by no means guaranteeing, he stays in power through 2018 and becomes one of Japan’s rare long-term leaders. The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was unable to gain much traction, largely due to voters’ memories of a 2009-2012 rule plagued by policy flip-flops, infighting and three premiers in three years. Exit polls showed the DPJ gaining from the 62 seats it held before the vote, but falling well short of the 100 seats it had unofficially targeted. Aside from local elections in April, Abe’s coalition will probably not need to face voters until a 2016 election for the upper house, where the LDP and the Komeito party now hold a majority. Doubts, however, persist over whether Abe will knuckle down on his “third arrow” of reforms in politically sensitive areas such as labor market deregulation that would make it easier to shift workers to growth areas but also to lay off employees, and reform of the highly protected farm sector.

•Abe

Hidenori Suezawa, fiscal analyst at SMBC Nikko Securities, said share prices would rise and the yen weaken when trade opens on Monday in response to the election results. But he added that doubts remained about Abe’s ability to tackle structural reform. “Whether the Abe government is able to carry things out will be closely watched and is likely to prove a key to the economic and fiscal policies going into next year,” he said.

Sudan leader hails ‘victory’ over ICC

HE president of Sudan has claimed victory over the International Criminal Court after it ended its probe into allegations of war crimes in Darfur. The ICC charged Omar al-Bashir in 2009 for crimes in the region dating back to 2003, but he refused to recognise the authority of the court in The Hague. He said the court had failed in its attempts to “humiliate” Sudan. Announcing the suspension on Friday, ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda blamed it on lack of action by the UN. She called for a “dramatic shift” in the UN Security Council’s approach, saying inaction was emboldening the perpetrators of war crimes in Darfur to continue their brutality, particularly against women and girls. Other Sudanese officials have also been charged by the ICC - but none have been arrested. Darfur has been riven by conflict since rebels took up arms in 2003. The

UN says more than 300,000 lives have been lost, mostly from disease. The suspension of the Darfur investigation came just over a week after the ICC dropped charges against another head of state, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. He faced prosecution over ethnic violence in 2007-08 in the aftermath of Kenya’s election. That was the court’s most high-profile case. Mr Bashir said the Sudanese people had stood firm against “colonial courts”. ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said perpetrators of brutality would only be emboldened Rebels stand by as a Darfur village burns after allegedly being set alight by pro-government militia in September 2004 - one of many alleged crimes during the conflict “Last night the ICC raised its arms and surrendered,” he said in remarks on Saturday. “It is the people of Sudan who stood firm and said that no Sudanese official

richer nations had to lead the way in making cuts in emissions. It also restored a promise to poorer countries that a “loss and damage” scheme would be established to help them cope with the financial implications of rising temperatures. However, it weakened language on national pledges, saying countries “may” instead of “shall” include quantifiable information showing how they intend to meet their emissions targets.

shall surrender to colonial courts at The Hague or anywhere else.” Human Rights Watch said that Mr Bashir had got the wrong message from the decision to suspend the case. “Rather than the prosecutor (Fatou Bensouda) holding up her hands in defeat, I think she threw the challenge down to the Security Council itself, that they, the Council, need to step up to the plate and assist her in the arrest and surrender of Omar alBashir and other accused, for fair trial at the ICC,” Human Rights Watch spokesman Richard Dicker told the BBC. Last month, Sudan asked the UNAfrican Union force in Darfur (Unamid) to close its human rights office in the capital, Khartoum. The move came amid tensions over the mission’s attempt to investigate claims of mass rape by Sudanese troops in the Darfur village of Tabit. Sudan says it has carried out its own investigation and has found no proof that anyone was raped.

URKINA Faso’s deposed president Blaise Compaore arrived in Ivory Coast on Friday on the latest stage of an odyssey which has taken him to several countries since he was toppled. Should he seek to stay, his presence could complicate relations between the two West African neighbors and prove politically awkward for the Ivorian government as President Alassane Ouattara seeks re-election next year. A senior official in the president’s office said Compaore, who sought refuge in Ivory Coast immediately after fleeing mass protests in October, had arrived in the capital Yamoussoukro after spending time in Morocco, Gabon and elsewhere. “He came back here. He’s free to go wherever he wants,” the official said, adding that it was unclear how long Compaore planned to remain in the country. “The president has already said that he is free to stay as long as he likes. It’s up to him.” Ivory Coast’s government spokesman Bruno Kone said he could not confirm Compaore’s presence in the country. “I don’t know why the question keeps coming up. He is a free individual. He’s free to come and go. It’s not a question for us,” he told Reuters. “He is a friend of Ivory Coast.” Compaore has a close relationship with Ouattara, and was lodged in a state villa when he first arrived after his fall from power. The Ivorian opposition accuses him of backing pro-Ouattara forces that fought against and defeated former president Laurent Gbagbo in 2011 after he failed to recognize his defeat to Ouattara in an election. With polls due again next year, Compaore’s continued presence could therefore prove sensitive. The possibility that Burkina Faso may seek Compaore’s extradition to face trial could also create complications. Burkina Faso’s interim Prime Minister Isaac Zida has promised to open enquiries into the suspected involvement of Compaore’s government in several high-profile killings, a key demand of the protesters who ended his 27 years in power.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS

THE NATION FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014

President Jonathan, W/African leaders meet on ECOWAS security summit

PRESIDENT Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is today in Abuja hosting the 46th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government which will, among other things, deliberate on the current political and security situation in the sub-region. President Jonathan and other participating Heads of State and Government of the regional body will also receive a briefing on recent developments in Burkina Faso and review the report of the 33rd Meeting of the

ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council. Also on the agenda of the summit are the consideration and adoption of the 2014 annual report of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the consideration and adoption of the report of the 73rd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and the election of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government for next year. President Jonathan, the current Chairman of the

ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President John Mahama of Ghana, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Mr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas will present statements to the one-day summit before it goes into a closed-door session. Some of the participating Heads of State and Government have already arrived in Abuja ahead of the

•Dr. Jonathan

opening of the summit tomorrow. A communiqué on the summit’s decisions is expected at the conclusion of their deliberations tomorrow.

Afghan president vows security shake-up

•Ghani

FGHANISTAN’S new President Ashraf Ghani vowed to shake up security in the capital Kabul in an angry speech on Sunday and denounced a recent surge in Taliban attacks on civilian and military targets as “unIslamic”. In recent weeks, Afghanistan has seen waves of suicide bombings and

commando-style assaults by the Islamist insurgents, who are seeking to make territorial gains and to spread uncertainty as most foreign troops withdraw this month. “It is enough and it’s no longer acceptable,” Ghani yelled while on a visit to a school. He called on religious leaders to speak out against the Taliban. “These acts are not Islamic and are inhuman,” he said. The Taliban’s increasingly bold attacks in Kabul have led to the government being criticized for serious security failures. Ghani said he was seeking to revive a security body last seen during a Soviet-backed government in the 1980s. He did not give more details, but his spokesman said the new body would coordinate between police, military and

intelligence agencies. “The number of forces we have in Kabul is sufficient, but the way they are being used is a problem, we have to change that,” spokesman Nazifullah Salarzai said after the event. Kabul houses thousands of soldiers and police armed with light and heavy weapons. It is fortified with razor wire-topped concrete blast walls and dotted with checkpoints. But this does not seem to have curbed the Taliban’s confidence. On Thursday, a suicide bombing at a French cultural center guarded by the army in central Kabul killed a German man, who was attending a performance of a play denouncing suicide

bombs. When two Kabul guest houses used by foreigners were targeted within days of each other last month, the Kabul police chief lost his position, although the official reason for his dismissal remains unclear. In the past two days, Taliban fighters shot dead a dozen workers removing landmines in the south of the country, killed seven soldiers and blew up a military convoy, killing two U.S. soldiers near Bagram Airfield, north of the capital. On a trip to northern Afghanistan on Saturday, German defense minister Ursula von der Leyen described the security situation as “fragile.”

Policing and race Global Focus relations in America (2) DAYO FAKUADE, Foreign Editor

HE election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States in 2008 was indeed a historic one. Interestingly, it has nothing to do with race relations in America. He ran with such powerful figures even in the primaries for the Democratic Party tickets such as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton former First Lady; now Vice President Joe Biden of Delaware, Senator John Edwards from N.Carolina and Senator Chris Dodd from Connecticut and in the general elections, triumphed over Vietnam war decorated veteran Senator John McCain of Arizona. All these have nothing to do with race; but shows on the positive side how race has been pushed to the back burner in the political contestation in a nation struggling to find equity in a racially divided formation. Watching that historic game - changing speech from the comfort of my Baltimore living room from the "Lion of the Senate", as Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Boston, Massachusetts was affectionately labelled, in August 2008, I think the baton was legitimately and altruistically passed on to a new demographics. Indeed a new America was about to be. The Kennedys dynasty is, of

course, your American equivalent of the monarchy in England and when the Patriarch in the company of Caroline, JFK's daughter, said the baton has been passed on to Obama, so it came to be. This again was not about race. After all, twenty years prior, a black charismatic leader in the name of Reverend Jesse Jackson Snr also ran for the Democratic Party ticket only to lose to a lack lustre political neophyte, Michael Dukakis, from the State of Massachusetts. The relevance of the race relationships in characterising and defining power dynamics between the police and the generality of the American demographics in American life cannot be singularized in subliminal contributions as once again, the sum of the parts are generally much more important and instructive than the whole. Policing all over the world is a herculean task even in a monolithic society. America's policing is no different. Issues of economic and social political divides exist which in the final analysis bring on challenges in terms of correctional intransigencies. As we wrestle with Ferguson, Missouri; Staten Island New York, we have Cleveland Ohio and lately

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‘Policing all over the world is a herculean task even in a monolithic society. America's policing is no different. Issues of economic and social political divides exist which in the final analysis bring on challenges in terms of correctional intransigencies’ Miami, Florida: all involving alleged race-based inequality in intervention mechanisms from the police, mostly involving fatalities. It's not been proven in America's jurisprudence that the police system is intricately biased against the minority. But on the front end, it is discernible that while the minority population in America are minorities, as in Blacks, Hispanics and Asians, the population of those in the criminal justice system are disproportionately minority. As mentioned here last week, the mind set of your average criminal is latently structured by such factors as lack of strong parental or mentoring capacities. We have witnessed instances of parents

giving kudos to their siblings after altercations with law enforcement agencies involving fatal altercations; knowing full well their antecedents and potentials for negativities in the community. Historically, issues of police brutality against the minority population will not go away any time soon in America. The stakes are always too high when gladiators are engaging. On the one hand we have presumably ordinary citizens, in most cases, trying to enjoy natural freedom, take care of their business in conflictual situations with law enforcement officers trying to place the theatre of the law within a proactive prism of orderliness. Back in the day, we knew

Haiti’s PM resigns after protests

AM leaving the post of prime minister this evening with a feeling of accomplishment,” Laurent Lamothe said in a televised address. Protesters had called for President Michel Martelly and Mr Lamothe to resign. Mr Martelly was to have called polls in 2011, but they were postponed in a stalemate over electoral law. Opposition politicians accuse President Martelly of wanting to rule by decree and that legislation that would authorise the vote unfairly favours the government. The government argues that opposition politicians are dragging their feet in the hope of extending their time in office without elections. Parliament’s mandate expires in January, and unless elections are held, Mr Martelly would rule by decree. A commission set up to break the stalemate said on Friday that Mr Lamothe should resign, along with the head of the Supreme Court and the country’s election commission. Mr Martelly said earlier that the accepted the commission’s findings, and would meet government officials on Monday to discuss them. Haiti is also still struggling to recover from a devastating 2010 earthquake. “

Yemen kills disguised ‘al-Qaeda women’

EVERAL suspected al-Qaeda militants, disguised as fully veiled women, have reportedly been shot dead by Yemeni security forces near the Saudi border. The militants were killed after one of them opened fire on a soldier who was checking their vehicle, officials say. One report quoting a Yemeni official said three militants were killed - while another put the number at five. The Yemeni offshoot of al-Qaeda has exploited recent instability to seize parts of the country’s south and east. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is regarded by the United States as the deadliest branch of the global jihadist network, blamed for several attempted attacks on Western targets. The vehicle carrying the militants was stopped at a border crossing in the Hawdh area of northern Yemen, according to Yemeni security officials quoted by the Associated Press news agency. One of the militants reportedly opened fire on a soldier who tried to enter the vehicle, lightly injuring him. Saudi Arabia has stepped up security along its long and rugged border with Yemen The agency quotes officials as saying that the soldier shot all three militants dead. The driver of the vehicle, who was also injured, is said to have confessed that he and his passengers were al-Qaeda members on a mission to attack Saudi border guards. However, the AFP news agency quotes officials as saying that the vehicle had been carrying five al-Qaeda suspects, all of whom were wearing the niqab, a veil used by Yemeni women to cover their faces. “As one of the soldiers climbed on board the bus for an inspection, one of the suspects opened fire and wounded him, prompting shooting from other soldiers at the checkpoint,” a government official told the agency. how African Americans struggled through the straddle of slavery, segregation and racial injustices in all aspects of their daily existence. From the Rosa Park December 1, 1955 Montgomery bus boycott to the March on Washington by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, on August 28, 1963 when he deliverer his now renowned I have a Dream speeches, the Reverend Louis Farrakhan led March on Washington October 16, 1995, not to talk about kinetically induced efforts of great AfricanAmerican leaders of yesteryears, from Rosa Park, to Malcom X, all bore testimonies to the tenacity of purpose and unflinching testimonies to the resolve of people of colour in America's race relationships. In all of these, the police came in to play pivotal and sometimes ignoble roles but at the end of the day it is not uncharacteristic within the character of a system that views people of colour as not only underclass but people prone to violence and thus approach their role of law enforcement from that negativistic assumption of a guilty suspect in any encounter apriori. Also on the other side of the coin, we can look at statistics and ask what actually puts the average black man as guilty of criminal propensity than his average white contemporary in any given circumstance? Why is a country of about 20 percent minority have a prison

population of about 80 percent of its incarcerated population? Issues of race relations and perceptions thereof will not stop until the general questions of social justice is resolved in America. There wil be instances that emanate from law enforcement sporadic and instantaneous responces. There will continue to be issues of biases based upon erroneous perceptions about a certain people's inclination to commit criminal activities. But, at the end of the day,it will take a concerted actitudinal effort to stem the tide of discriminatory applications to the wide problem of racial profiling in a country so widely divided on racial lines for ages past. On a final note, Egbon Bayo Oguntuase from Ikorodu, that Guru on English Language, reached out to us during the week on matters of International Relations updates, we doff our hat to this distinguished gentleman of so much depth in the arts of teaching the language over the decades. As we conclude, our globe is our heritage. Let's continue to keep her clean in our everyday living. Go green, plant a tree in your neighbourhood and put a smile on a tight face, by doing an act of random kindness. Remember that Babatunde Raji Fashola administration extols us :"Life is better with Trees"" Sit under it and read a story to a child and grandchildren, you will be better for it. See you next week

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

Amunike warns Siasia of Gabon’s antics G

OLDEN Eaglets Chief Coach Emmanuel Amunike has warned the Dream Team VI Chief Coach Samson Siasia to beware of the antics of Gabon and also prepare well for their All African Games qualification match slated for February, 2015. The former Super Eagles’ forward said that his warning to Siasia-led team was based on his experience while he led the Golden Eaglets to Gabon in an African qualifying match where the team faced all kinds of humiliation and most especially being denied entry to Gabon as a result of Nigeria being tagged an ‘Ebola’ country then. The Golden Eaglets lost the first leg 1-2 before coming back to UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar to maul Gabon 5-0 in the return leg and thereby qualified for the finals of the

• Siasia

From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja 2015 U- 17 African Championship slated for Niger. “My advice to Samson (Siasia) and his team is to prepare very well for Gabon match as well as other qualifying matches that the team would be playing in the qualification for All Africa Games And 2016 Olympics holding in Brazil. “As regards the Gabon match the team should be ready for the antics that they may face against the team most especially in Libreville or any other place in Gabon. If the team plays well on the pitch and get the result needed, any other thing as regards antics may be immaterial. I sincerely believe in the ability of Siasia as an experienced coach to lead his team to success in their qualification matches”, Amunike disclosed.

Lawal: U23 players should take their chances in camp

TLANTA 1996 Olympic gold medallists, Garuba Lawal has counselled the new crop of players in the U23 camp to take their chances with both hands as they seek stardom through the open screening. Lawal's midfield exploits complemented by his team mates in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta Georgia, USA bagged the U23 team a historic

From Tunde Liadi,Owerri gold medal after a close 3-2 win over Argentina. He strove to make headway four years later at Sydney 2000

Olympics as an over-aged player but his effort only earned Nigeria a place in the quarter final before they got dismantled 4-1 by Ivan Zamorano inspired Chile.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

I, MODUPE AYOADE HEREBY NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT LETTER OF ALLOCATION ISSUED TO OUR LATE FATHER MR IDOWU AYOADE BY LSDPC ON BLOCK 1, FLAT 28, RABIATU THOMPSON, SURULERE GOT LOST ON TRANSIT AND EFFORTS TO LOCATE IT PROVED ABORTIVE.

With the present head coach of the team, Samson Siasia assembling players both in the local league and overseas to a residential training with a view to pick the best for the country, Lawal has tasked the new would-be superstars to ensure that they are dedicated and play with all their might so that they will get an opportunity to represent their nation. "I'm happy with the good job Siasia is doing with the U23 team. He has invited players to camp and has been conducting the screening of these players with a view to picking the best of them for the country. I will enjoin the players to grab the opportunity with both hands and ensure that they are dedicated and discipline too," Lawal told NationSport.

Barca starlet commits future to Nigeria

ARCELONA starlet, Boluwatife Balogun has made his services available to the Olympic National Team and Flying Eagles after committing his international future to Nigeria, despite being eligible to represent Holland and France. Aged 18, the attacking midfielder is one of the youngsters being nurtured at the famous Barcelona La Masia Academy, which produced the likes of Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta. The highly- rated youngster has stressed that his commitment to Nigeria should not be doubted despite failing to honour an earlier invitation to the Golden Eaglets as a result of a last-minute injury. ''I have been called up once for Nigeria's national U-17 team but I didn't come to camp due to injuries. If I get any call now, I will honour it because I want to serve my fatherland, if I'm invited,'' Boluwatife Balogun said to SL10.ng. ''I was born in Nigeria. My mom is French and I have a Dutch passport, so I'm also eligible to play for Holland and France.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

NFF to get technical kit sponsor soon T

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will get a ‘technical kit sponsor’ for the national teams, with their contract with current kit sponsors, Adidas set to run out by December 31, SL10.ng has been told. Nigeria’s contract with Adidas will end this month, with the German sportswear giants unwilling to extend the relationship and with the Nigeria Football Federation yet to secure another kit deal with another kit company, General Secretary of the NFF Musa Amadu says they will get a ‘technical kit supplier’ for the national teams in the meantime. “We are working on getting a new kit sponsor and we do not have a timeframe but we are working on getting one. As much as possible, we will try to

get a technical kit sponsor – a technical kit supplier – to kit our various national teams. It is a transition period and obviously we are in a transition period as far as so many matters are concerned with regards to Nigerian football and I’m sure we will get over it,” Amadu said. The current relationship with Adidas started in 2004 when the German outfit took over from American sportswear giants, Nike. It is still unclear why Adidas decided against renewing their contract with the NFF, but it has been reported in some quarters that the Glass House ‘violated’ some terms of the contract. The Nigeria Football Federation, however, has yet to give an official reason why the kit deal will not be renewed.

• Eagles players

I ‘ll produce another Enyeama, says Aloy Agu

ORMER Super Eagles goalKeeper Aloy Agu has vowed to produce another first choice Super Eagles’ goalkeeper who will take over from Eagles’ Captain and number one choice in goal, Vincent Enyeama. Agu noted that there are several great keepers in the Nation

From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja that are good enough for the Super Eagles, stressing that there is absolutely no need to fret over who will man the Nigerian post when the likes of Enyeama and others retire. He promised to use the op-

portunity as the goalkeeper trainer of the U- 23 national team to achieve this aim. "We are still looking around, if we can have the Austin Ejide, the Vincent Enyeama. If we look deep, I think we can find the goal keeper we are looking for.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014

TODAY IN THE NATION

MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL 9 NO 3,065

‘Rational calculations demand that the choice available to the National Assembly is to approve the request for further extension despite whatever reservations there are. It also instructs we minimize our losses in the event of the worst outcome.’ EMEKA OMEIHE

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

HEN General Muhammadu Buhari emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard-bearer, my mind did not ponder the future. I did not contemplate President Goodluck Jonathan, his opponent. Neither did I mull over permutations of his running mate, and the fiery battle in the offing. I zoomed back into important memories, but not in a sequential order. The first was a story I read about him during those years of long fuel queues in the 1990s. Ironically we are experiencing that now in Lagos again. The Buhari story took place in a Kaduna fuel station. The line, huddled bumper to bumper in a serpentine and interminable sweep, kept the commuters hopeful. Word passed from car to car, commuter to commuter, that a certain dignitary was at the tail end, waiting his turn. This man did not send somebody, like other big men, to sweat it in the oven of the afternoon wait. Who was he? A stir of curiosity followed a consensus of sympathy. It was Buhari, the former head of state. He became a spectacle, subdued, without the frills and pomp associated with personages like him. Some walked back to confirm and to nod in obeisance, and passed the good news to all. He was one of them, in the gruelling grind of irony, the irony of a fuel-soaked land pining for drops of energy. Suddenly, by common consent, all cars yielded for the tall, gangly man with the enigmatic, if sometimes cherubic, smile. They paid homage in hand waves and cheers as Buhari drove in and filled his tank. The other was when the media asked him, after he became Nigeria’s military leader, what he would do with the media. “The press,” he roared back, his eyes aglow with rage, “I will tamper with that.” He followed with Decree 4 and jailed journalists. In that interview, he also evinced contempt for democracy. Another memory: He was a GOC and our border with Chad was collapsing under the firepower of insurgents. Garba Wushishi was his boss in Lagos and dithered over whether Nigeria should flush them out– sounds familiar. Buhari defied his boss and rallied his troops to rumble North and restore Nigeria’s pride and border. When Buhari was announced as head of state, I read an article in a newspaper cutting of the Nigerian Tribune on a notice board at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife written by Ebenezer Babatope, a former role model in that light. Babatope wrote it during the Buhari border soldiery and alerted Nigerians to the messianic spirit of the general. Babatope was quite prescient then,

RIPPLES JONATHAN WINNING ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR, Says Presidency

Agreed. But who’s in JAIL for CORRUPTION?

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

intouchnation@gmail.com 08054501081(sms only) Twitter: @samomatseye

•Winner, Informed Commentary (DAME)

Buhari’s evolution

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If we say he is not a politician, he beat that tribe to be a standardbearer four times. He has no money, he beat money bags several times. He is called a bigot and almost died in their hands and gave us perhaps the best idea yet on how to mow them down •Buhari

a quality he has lost. Buhari is one of the few men in public life who have evolved before our eyes. But neither he nor some Nigerians seem conscious of it. With a calm face and taciturn tongue, he cuts the image of the antipolitician. Yet, if military idiosyncrasy teaches guile, he did not imbibe it. We know the other military virtues: outspokenness, courage, discipline. Yet, no great soldier, from Wellington to Napoleon to Grant to Alexander the Great to our own Adekunle, ever snatched victory without the ultimate war quality: surprise. Buhari is perhaps the most predictable politician in Nigerian history. He does not seem to surprise everyone. Yet, he is the most surprising politician in our history. Some say he is the most predictable because, one, he is above board. He is a top politician who owns no business firm,

IGERIA’s current Agriculture Minister, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, remains one of Hardball’s agent provocateur and for good reasons. Yes, he is good looking, always well-turned out and ‘has the raps and smarts’ as we used to say in school those days. He is also acclaimed to be a technocrat, meaning that he knows some buzz words and jargons and he can render them in British or American accent. And this is Hardball’s beef with Dr. Adesina: he has been charged with what is perhaps the most important ministry in the land in nearly four years and like all the so-called technocrats in the Federal Executive Council (FEC), he has made a mess of it. But if it were mere incompetence and ineptitude, one would be a lot more forgiving; Adesina has survived in the FEC through panoplies of lies, deceit, bamboozlement and mesmerism. Two recent events will corroborate Hardball’s assertion. Last week, Adesina in his usual manner enthused that Nigeria’s food import bill has declined by N466 billion from one trillion naira in the last three years he has been in charge. He also said that agricultural sector added N780 billion to the economy during

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owns only a house, travels light, has little money. Two, that he does not love other tribes. Three, that he is a religious bigot. Four, that he cannot be a democrat because he has no taste for cooperative action. Yet, the Fulani Jingoist picked a pastor as his running mate. He has an unadvertised familiarity with some of the major evangelicals in Nigeria. He is called a religious fundamentalist, but he was almost killed by those some said he sponsored. Only a few months ago, his convoy fell to the bombs and bullets of Boko Haram, ending the lives of some of his associates and aides. That paralysed the critics who accused him of being a sponsor. A democrat? He disavowed this as head of state, but after soul searching, he decided to give it the loyalty of his emotion. Yet, Buhari is no archetypal democrat. Without

HARDBALL Agric Minister versus Agric Minister the period. He said further: “Our farmers are seeing the benefits and they are producing more food. Our national food production expanded by an additional 21 million metric tonnes of food within three years. This is a record in our nation’s history…” The event was the inauguration of Flour Mills of Nigeria’s first commercial 10 per cent composite flour product. Though these commercial mills are just about rolling into production, Adesina told his audience that all bread, cakes and confectioneries consumed in Nigeria today contain cassava flour. The millers on the other hand have a different story. One of them, who spoke last week, said the cassava value chain is still riddled with challenges and difficulties like a dearth of large scale investment, power and transportation. According to him, “we have not been able to get cassava processing right. The only major company doing that now in Nigeria is Thai Farms, a subsid-

cunning, how does a man like him become a presidential candidate four times? How does a man without money form a political party of influence? He is a counterfoil to a Nigeria where money answers everything. In the last primary, he contested against a money bag, and two governors, each of them capable of razing the bank. He does not schmooze with his fellow politicians. He is not gregarious. A politician orates to compensate for financial insufficiency. He is an unadorned speaker. He is said to present only one attribute for presidency: his integrity. He will stop the financial bleeding in this Jonathan world leaky with billions. Yet, he gave an illuminating insight in a recent Channels interview with Seun Akinbaloye. Buhari noted that to tackle Boko Haram, Nigeria should have held a conference with our three border nations Chad, Cameroun and Niger, and signed a treaty over border movements with infrastructure of implementation. Rather, President Jonathan keeps travelling to meet a head of state who is in cahoots with a suspected terrorist who was given a so-called guided tour of a plane loaded with arms headed for the country where the insurgents thrive and preen. A bigot would not think so creatively and so publicly as Buhari did in the Channels interview. If we say he is not a politician, he beat that tribe to be a standard- bearer four times. He has no money, he beat money bags several times. He is called a bigot and almost died in their hands and gave us perhaps the best idea yet on how to mow them down. We say he is not a democrat, but he formed two political parties and helped form a third and rose to become its standard-bearer in the most exquisite presidential primary ever held in our history. He is described as an ethnic bigot, but in the primary he garnered heavy votes from across the country. Yet Buhari projects a sort of ‘innocence’ in his public persona. In spite of his virtues, he lives with the barbs on his personality. He is not in a hurry to deny charges. He inhabits a disturbing equanimity, and that is perhaps why some Nigerians do not know that the Buhari of 1983, who appeared on television to give his coup broadcast in a beret on a winsome young face, has evolved over the decades. He is vilified as a sectional leader, but without money, oratory, cajoling and the bravura of political structure, he is at the head of the greatest political coalition in our history. That makes the challenge for the electioneering campaign compelling. His image, speeches, character, Nigerianness and ideological projection require an animation and brio. Buhari has evolved but it is time for his image to keep pace.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above iary of Flour Mills. Today, it can produce 60 metric tonnes or two trailers of cassava flour. You find other SMEs working hard but they can only produce about 10 metric tonnes. When you put everything together, you find that it is far from what flour millers need.” There you have it. As far as Adesina is concerned, the whole Nigeria is eating cassava bread, while the millers tell us that we have not even planted cassava! Adamu Bello, former Minister of Agriculture (2001- 2007) must have been so pissed off by Adesina’s unrelenting equivocation that he had to publicly challenge Adesina. He said most of the claims made by the current minister are unjustified and unverifiable. Bello said going by the data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the last time a growth rate was recorded in the agric sector was in 2007. On the other hand, NBS shows a decline in agriculture output since 2008, reaching a low ebb in 2012 and 2013. “It is only the almighty God that will judge,” Bello said in exasperation. If Hardball was full of mischief as some have accused him, what about Bello?

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