March 16, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

•AND MORE ON PAGES 4,5&59

•Ex-House Speaker Na’Abba quits PDP •Violence likely in Lagos, Kaduna, Rivers, says NHRC •YCE denies endorsement of President for second term •Jonathan promises more affirmative action for women

...74 D AYS TO GO DA

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3155 MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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•INSIDE: FASHOLA INAUGURATES OYINGBO MARKET 24 YEARS AFTER DEMOLITION P8

Jonathan’s N9b contracts ‘fuel anti-Jega protests’ APC alleges govt using MASSOB, OPC to halt polls PDP: it’s not true From Yusuf Alli, Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja and Sina Fadare

T

HOSE pushing for Prof. Attahiru Jega’s removal do not seem to be tired – a protest is slated for Lagos today.

The Jega-must-go march is being led by an amorphous organisation – The Coalition of Concerned Nigerians - backed by the Oodua Peoples Congress (APC).

The protest is coming after the weekend action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chair by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in the Southeast.

It is all at a price – N9billion – the All Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday.

The APC accused the Jonathan administration of sponsoring ethnic militias to foment trouble before, during and after the March 28 and April 11 general elections, saying the N9 billion recently paid out to some ex-militants and ethnic militias is aimed at mobilising them to scuttle the polls.

In a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the protests by MASSOB seeking the sack of the INEC Chairman were orchestrated by the administration as part of its continuing efforts to sabotage the elections.

It said the next group that has been mobilised to protest against Jega and the use of card Continued on page 4

•IN R UINS: The INEC Electoral Institute Warehouse after the fire...yesterday RUINS:

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

Fire at INEC’s warehouse in Abuja

STORY ON PAGE 5

Kwankwaso: North ‘ll reply hate campaign on March 28

Jobs cuts, firms’ closures loom

•Kano State governor lashes Fayose •Tinubu: Jonathan’s dollars can’t divide us

HE terrible effects of the state of the economy are beginning to show.

The local currency, which had maintained a parity of N165 to the dollar up to the beginning of this year, was devalued by the government, resulting in its freefall against the greenback.

It is now exchanging for between N210 to N225 to the dollar.

This development has caused some instability.

K

ANO State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso yesterday said the North will reply the hate campaign against All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate

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WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15, LAST YEAR EVER RETURN?

By Chikodi Okereocha

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By Our Reporter

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on March 28 with their massive votes.

Kwankwaso spoke at the Lagos residence of APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during a meeting with the Lagos Arewa community.

The governor reviewed the hate campaign by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), espeContinued on page 4

•Asiwaju Tinubu speaking...yesterday. Listening are Kwankwaso and Mr. Ladipo Johnson.

DETAILS ON PAGES 2,3&58

•GUNMEN KILL 70 IN BENUE P54 KOGI ASPIRANT, BROTHER DIE IN ACCIDENT P54

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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MAY 29 ...74 DAYS TO GO

NEWS

Devaluation: H

•Chairman, First Bank Holding Company Plc, Dr. Oba Otudeko (left); Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc. Mr Tony Elumelu (second left); President, Institute of Directors, Chief Eniola Fadayomi (second right) and Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer, UBA, Mr Phillips Oduoza, at the annual UBA CEO Awards to star performers in the organisation in Lagos...on Saturday

The devastation is instantaneous, grave and farreaching. Most local and foreign investors are now holding back, no thanks to the unsavoury consequences of the devaluation of the naira. Manufacturers, already buffeted by rising cost of production due to infrastructure challenges, particularly power, are sacking their workers and putting their expansion programmes on hold.

The situation is driving Nigerians to the panic mode, reports Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA.

I

•From left, Chairman Channels Television, Mr John Momoh; a Senior Adviser to Lagos State Governor, Oyinkasola Badejo Okusanya; Chief Executive Officer, CMC Connect Burson Marsteller, Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya; Chairman /CEO BursonMarsteller Africa, Mrs Robyn de Villiers and Board of Director, CMC Connect Limited Mr Akin Opeodu at the unveiling of CMC Connect Burson Marsteller at CMC Connect Office in GRA Ikeja Lagos...yesterday.

•From left, Director, Bhojsons Plc, Mr Pradiph Deshpande; Chairman, Bhojsons Plc, Mr Deepak Dalamal; Managing Director, Bhojsons Plc, Vishant Dalamal and Director, Bhojsons Plc, Mr Rakesh Kanwar at 2015 Bhojsons/Lifan Dealers’ Awards in Lagos...yesterday PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

•Marketing Director, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, Mr. Sola Oke (middle), flanked by Managing Director, Pernod Ricard Nigeria, Mr. Oliver Fages (left) and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Michael Ehindero, at the presentation of BAR150 Programme at the Inter Continental Hotel in Lagos...at the weekend.

F the health of the economy were to be the deciding factor for the pendulum to swing in the March 28 rescheduled election, there is the likelihood that the electorates will reject an administration that has made the economic climate inclement for them. Under the watch of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the economy, and by extension, Nigerians, have never had it so bad. The economic crisis triggered by the price fall of oil in the international market has dealt a devastating blow on the value of Nigeria’s local currency - the naira. Unfortunately, the downward in the price of oil slide, is beyond the country’ control. It is internationally determined through the forces of demand and supply.

However, not a few experts have insisted that the crisis that has brought the economy on its knees could have been mitigated if the Federal Government had been more prudent in the management of resources accruing to the federation.

Former President of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Mrs. Adedoja Ojelabi, who viewed the decline as normal, said the government ought to have saved for the rainy day with prudent management of revenues when the price was high.

According to her, the falling oil price shouldn’t have been a concern if the necessary precautions had been applied.

“In any normal market,” she explained, “prices are expected to rise and fall; it’s left for the economic managers to anticipate what will push prices up or down. Such failure also manifested in government’s inability to build relevant infrastructure such as refineries and improving electricity supply, among others.

“Oil, which accounts for about 90 per cent of the nation’s revenue is exported without any value creation internally. The story could have been different if the crude oil is substantially being refined locally.”

Experts argued that if the government had fulfilled its campaign promise to revive the ailing refineries or privatise them and diversify the economy from over-dependence on oil, the impacts of the crisis would not have been this severe.

Already, operators in virtually all the sectors are screaming blue murder over the devastating impacts of the crisis on their businesses.

Some of them, who spoke with The Nation, say that although a crisis of this nature is not entirely new, but its severity and scary dimension has been unprecedented.

Manufacturers, businesses count losses The high exchange rate whicg has

•Dr. Okonjo-Iweala pushed up cost of raw materials left a sour taste in the mouth of the Group Managing Director (GMD/ CEO) of Greengates Group, Mr. Charles Onyenekwe.

The multinational company, with headquarters in Nigeria, involved in manufacturing and industrial packaging, has been forced to stop operations.

Mr. Onyenekwe told The Nation that the expatriates have all returned to India, a development he said has the company’s expansion plan.

The crest-fallen manufacturer disclosed that he has already concluded arrangements to travel overseas to make a case before his company’s foreign partner-financiers for possible debts rescheduling. Although, he did not disclose the size of the debt, he said: “We borrowed heavily from overseas to fund our operations, but because of the crisis occasioned by the devaluation of the naira, I have to travel this week to make a presentation for a possible rescheduling of our debts.”

With its operational bases in the emerging markets of Africa, Asia and the Middle-East, Greengates group boasts of six subsidiaries with a range of services covering banking, funds management, stock broking, real estate, food and chemical manufacturing and industrial packaging.

Before the unfortunately prevailing economic situation forced it to pull the brake, the company had concluded plans to float additional seven subsidiaries.

Onyenekwe, who ruled staff layoff, said he has embargoed fresh employment for the company to survive, even as he noted that the closure of the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) Forex window by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) adversely affected his company and other players in the real sector.

He urged government to support the real sector by subsidizing borrowing by slashing interest rate.

Investments dry up, fiscal buffers collapse Mr. Onyenekwe lamented that local and foreign investments are drying up and thus crippling the economy gradually. Investors in the oil and gas industry have adopted a ‘wait and see attitude’ following the delay in the passage of the muchawaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly.

This, according to Mr. Bismarck Rewane, the Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), put over $100 billion investment in the sector in abeyance.

The PIB seeks to establish a legal, fiscal and regulatory framework for

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

3

MAY 29 ...74 DAYS TO GO

Harsh climate for manufacturers, workers

•Rewane

•The late Yar’Adua

•Bello

the petroleum industry to rejuvenate the sector. But Rewane, in a report released last year, alerted the nation that apart from the delay in the passage of the PIB, the uncertainties due to the unfriendly business environment has encouraged the halt in market investment.

“Investors in the economy are not new to these uncertainties. In the petroleum sector about $100 billion worth of investments is being delayed due to the delayed passage of the PIB according to the international oil companies (IOCs),” he said.

If the delayed PIB passage scared investors, the postponement of the general elections from February to March also forced existing and prospective investors to hold back their investments.

The polls shift, allegedly for security challenges, put the economy in a more precarious position, as operators say they do not expect any small or major investment decisions and projects in the face of current political tension.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) articulated this sentiment better when its President, Alhaji Remi Bello, said, political transition periods are typically characterised by profound anxiety and uncertainty; prolonging these conditions has an adverse impact on investors’ confidence.

According to him, major investment decisions are difficult to take at times like this, saying the tempo of economic activities has, expectedly, dropped because of the impending elections. Bello also said the postponement disrupted many plans, programmes, meetings, academic calendar, conferences and important local and international business decisions.

He noted that rescheduling these activities and the attendant dislocations will come at a cost to investors and Nigerians, pointing out that investors must have an idea of the direction of the country’s political and economic governance in order to manage policy and political risks of investments.

With investors at the crossroads and the economic crunch biting harder, analysts say that the nation, ordinarily, should fall back on its fiscal buffers to cushion the effects and also serve as confidence booster to foreign investors. But this has not been the case. Rather, the economic or fiscal buffers namely, the foreign reserves and the Excess Crude Account (ECA) have been depleted, thus making the economy more vulnerable.

For instance, a paltry $30.87 billion is left in the foreign reserves, which

grew up to about $60 billion under the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Similarly, the ECA in which the country saves revenue above the oil price benchmark in the budget has gone down to an all-time low of $2 billion.

The ECA stood at $11.5 billion at the end of 2013.

But Finance Minister/Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said that the depletion of the economic buffers was a reflection of the present economic realities. She blamed the fall in reserves on the vicissitudes of the global economy and oil market, which triggered the CBN to intervene by using some of the reserves to defend the value of the naira.

Also, the ECA, which is a component of the reserves, was largely used to cushion the economy at the height of the global financial crisis between 2008 and 2009. She stated that as a result, Nigeria was one of the few countries in the world that did not seek assistance from international financial institutions at that time. The fiscal stimulus used to shore up the economy during that period, she explained, was shared by the three tiers of government.

Also, savings in the ECA were used to pay for fuel subsidies and that sharing continued after the crisis ended. Besides, she said the savings in the ECA would have been higher but for the fact that a number of governors, against strong professional advice, actively kicked against continuous building up of the ECA and, indeed, pushed for its sharing.

“It is on record that states even took the Federal Government to court on this matter, and the case is still pending at the Supreme Court,” she said.

The minister further explained that the reserves were also used to settle both public and private sector

foreign currency obligations, including the importation of goods such as equipment for power sector. “Whenever a government agency or a private individual/company needs to make a payment in foreign currency (e.g. payment of goods and services, settlement of external debt among others) it must provide the naira equivalent to the CBN in exchange for the required foreign currency,” she said.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala therefore, insisted that it was wrong to say that the nation’s external reserves were dipped into or misapplied by the administration. According to her, the reserves were not squandered but used appropriately in the course of normal transactions required for the development of the Nigerian economy.

Experts unimpressed Some experts are not impressed by the Minister’s explanations. For instance, Mr. Alaba Olusemore, Managing Consultant, Nesbet Consulting, a Lagos-based firm of finance and management consultancy, insisted: “The whole story of the depletion of our economic buffers has not been told.”

He argued those managing the economy must have been hiding something from Nigerians especially since secrecy has become the name of the game.

Olusemore, however, listed some factors that could be responsible for the depletion of fiscal buffers.

According to him, the government may have been spending too much on security to contain Boko Haram insurgents; the CBN may have been taking money from the reserves to stabilise the exchange rate of the naira.

Also, a lot of money, he alleged, may have been expended on meeting some political exigencies ahead

‘

We borrowed heavily from overseas to fund our operations, but because of the crisis occasioned by the devaluation of the naira, I have to travel this week to make a presentation for a possible rescheduling of our debts

‘

of the general elections.

“The general elections are around the corner and politics in Nigeria means money; a lot of resources may have been expended on projects based on political exigencies rather than economic,” he told The Nation.

Obiora Akabogu, a Lagos-based lawyer and public affairs analyst, expressed worries over the erosion of the confidence of foreign investors on the country following the plunging of the economic buffers, which are basically savings for the rainy day, to such disturbing levels.

Akabogu said: “The development has discouraged foreign investors as their confidence on Nigeria has seriously declined. Already, there is donor fatigue because our foreign development partners now lack confidence in our fiscal system.

“Besides, foreign investors are now shifting attention to more economically stable countries such as Ghana, South Africa and even Benin Republic.”

While expressing fears that the depletion of the fiscal buffers constitutes serious threat to national security, Akabogu said the precarious position of the economy is largely fuelled by corruption.

He regretted that despite the fact that corruption has been established as a major threat to democracy anywhere in the world, Nigeria, at moment, lacks strong institutions to tackle the menace.

Sack fever grows Onyenekwe may have decided not to trim down his company’s workforce; the same cannot be said of workers in other sectors where employers, as part of cost-cutting measures, are being forced to throw their workers into the already saturated labour market.

The affected companies, The Nation learnt, have seen prices of basic raw materials for production hitting the roofs because of the plunge in oil prices, which ultimately put the value of the naira on a downward slide.

The development, which saw the naira currently exchanging at N225 to a dollar, pushed up the cost of wheat, a major raw material for manufacturers in the food and beverage sector. Consequently, the Nigerian Bottling Company Plc (NBC) has become one of the companies to take the drastic measure of sacking workers. The company, last week, sacked 800 workers. The affected workers, according to a reliable source close to the beverage giant, cut across all sections of the establishment. At least 1, 800 workers of Coca-Cola worldwide have been lined up to join the labour market when the company is fully restructured.

Coca-Cola is reportedly experiencing a downturn in its fortunes. The beverage manufacturer posted a 14 per cent fall in earnings for the July to September quarter last year and a dismal revenue growth.

The 1, 800 workers expected to join the labour market will be the largest since 2000 when the company laid off as many as 5, 200 workers. The company, which employs about 130, 600 people around the world, including a group of about 13, 000 corporate employees, who are primarily located in its Atlanta headquarters, has already notified its employees about the job cut seen as a move to cut cost.

Since Group Managing Director/ CEO of Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Mr. Paul Gbededo, hinted that that the current high price of wheat and government’s plans to raise the Value Added Tax (VAT) from five to 10 per cent, an estimated 125,000 direct employees and 1,800,000 indirect jobs in the sector have been under threat.

Workers in the sector no longer sleep with both eyes closed. Some of them, who spoke with The Nation on

condition of anonymity, said they have already started searching for alternative jobs as the security of their jobs are no longer guaranteed.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and International Distilleries Limited (IDL) have also been gripped with the fever. The two agencies have sacked 187 and 200 workers respectively. The Nigerian Breweries Limited (NBL) also reduced its workforce by 400. The Nation also gathered from reliable industry sources that two manufacturing giants - Cadbury and Nestle have concluded plans to lay off 700 and 600 workers, respectively and Mobil Producing is said to have proposed voluntary retirement benefits for its workers.

Earlier, American multinational oil service firm, Schlumberger Ltd, has lined up approximately 9, 000 workers from its global operations for sack due to lower oil prices and the expected cutbacks in exploration and production spending this year.

The company expects to record a $296 million charge associated with the layoffs. The proposal is contained in the company’s fourth quarter 2014 earnings report.

“In this uncertain environment, we continue to focus on what we can control,” Schlumberger said.

With the continuous rise in the global oil demand and the available supply significantly higher, the depressing oil price has forced exploration and production companies to cut spending. Schlumberger has already taken a number of steps to restructure and resize the company, which led to a record number of charges in the fourth quarter.

“We are convinced that performance must now be driven by an accelerated change in the way we work through our transformation program,” the company said.

The rich also cry The crisis induced by naira devaluation is no respecter of individuals or companies - rich or poor.

An unconfirmed report said foremost telecom firm, MTN was planning to empty 500 of its workers into the job market. The Nation learnt that the firm and other operators in the sector have been up against the wall in their bid to provide quality services amidst rising cost of operations.

MTN’s Nigerian operation said it recorded revenue growth of four per cent in 2014, representing a one per cent drop in compared to growth in the preceding year. At a media briefing in Lagos, MTN Nigeria CEO Michael Ikpoki lamented that the cost of diesel remained the company’s biggest cost profile, accounting for N30.5 billion in the year. It also recorded 22 per cent increase in cost of operations.

The negative impact of naira devaluation is on mobile telecommunication service providers as they import virtually all their tools.

Impliedly, the operators are faced with the harsh reality of looking for more funds to buy their equipment, thus overstretching their resources.

In MTN’s case, subscription is said to have been consistently declining on account of the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in some states in the Northeast. Other operators’ Base Transceiver Station (BTS) sites have severally been bombed by the insurgents, requiring huge dollar-denominated investments to fix.

The fortunes of Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group Alhaji Aliko Dangote have also nose-dived. He is reported to be the biggest loser among Nigeria’s richest people, having lost more than $7.8 billion of his fortune since February last year when Forbes estimated his worth at $25b. At the close of the Stock Market last Tuesday, Dangote’s net worth had dropped to $17.2 billion.

Continued on page 58

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

NEWS

•Chancellor, Dr. David Oyedepo (in grey suit), Professor Peyi Soyinka-Airewele (the lecturer, on Oyedepo’s left) and members of the Covenant University (CU) Senate after its 40th Public Lecture on the topic : The End of Politics? Reclaiming Humanity In An Age of Biopower and Necropolitics’

Kwankwaso: North ‘ll reply hate campaign on March 28 Continued from page 1

cially by Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose and the dollar sharing in the Southwest by President Goodluck Jonathan to woo voters.

Tinubu urged the Hausa community not to be deterred saying “the Arewa community is part of the government in Lagos.”

He added: “The Arewa community has come to the reality that we must work for the peace of this country. We are one. We must work together.

No Dollar can break us, no •President Goodluck Jonathan (second left) with (from left) PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu; Adamawa State Governor Bala Ngilari and Director-General, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Sen. Ahmadu Ali, at the Adamawa State PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Yola…at the weekend.

‘Lamido under pressure to damage Buhari’s image’

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HE APC Presidential Campaign Organisation alleged yesterday that Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido was under pressure from the Presidency to cast aspersions on Gen. Muhammadu Buhari with a view to damaging his reputation before Nigerians.

The spokesman of the cam-

•It’s a non-issue, says governor’s aide From Tony Akowe, Abuja

paign organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, said at a news conference in Abuja that the Jigawa State governor is being pressurised to grant an interview to a radio station alleging that Gen. Buhari will only be a figure head president if

elected, while the real business of leading the country will be handled by the vice president.

Shehu said Governor Lamido was not qualified to speak on the leadership style of Gen. Buhari because he had never had any close contact with the former Head of State and nev-

er worked with him.

He said: “We just got information that all FRCN stations have been directed to link up for a live interview to be granted by Governor Lamido.

“The contents of the interview as agreed with President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo are Continued on page 59

Euro can divide us. We had enough of 16 years of lies. They packed our children inside the stadium without food. They made them buy the uniform extorting from them, taking from the poor, we cannot continue that way.

“We are ready, at this time, we need change in leadership; we need change in vision.

There is no permanent tenant in Aso rock. A villa is a house and any president is a tenant.

God has blessed and granted him six years. We have bought him plenty shoes, many jackContinued on page 59

Ex-Speaker Na’Abba quits PDP

F

ORMER House of Representatives Speaker Umar Ghali Na’Abba yesterday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) citing frustration with the leadership and the running of the party.

He said it was difficult for Nigerians to know who governs the country and chided President Goodluck Jonathan for dividing the nation along religious and ethnic lines.

There were strong indications last night that Na’Abba could join the All Progressives

From Yusuf Alli Abuja and Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

Congress (APC).

A close aide to the former speaker said: “He may join the APC but he will make his intention known soon.”

Na’Abba told our reporter on the telephone that many parties were seeking his membership “but I’m yet to decide”.

Na’Abba, who was a member of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation and member of the Board of TrustContinued on page 59

Jonathan’s N9b contracts ‘fuel anti-Jega protests’ PDP: Jonathan not sponsoring ethnic militias to scuttle polls

Continued from page 1

reader is the OPC, which is also a beneficiary of the N9 billion payout, ostensibly for pipeline protection, but in reality to prepare the ethnic militias for their reprehensible role in scuttling the elections.

The APC said more ethnic militias are to be enlisted by the Jonathan administration to continue the protest against Jega and the card reader, in order to give the impression that Nigerians want Jega sacked and are also against the use of card reader.

As from today, some companies owned by some former Niger-Delta militant leaders and prominent Nigerians are to take over pipeline protection from the police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, following President Jonathan’s approval of their contracts.

They include Government Ekpemuopolo (aka Tompolo); Mujaheedin Asari Dokubo; and Chief Bibipori Ajube (aka Gen. Shoot-At-Sight).

According to a source, seven companies have been allocated “regions” or operation-

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HE Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation has dismissed as false, the claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the Goodluck Jonathan administration is sponsoring ethnic militias to disrupt the March 28 and April 11 general elections.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the President’s campaign office, Femi FaniKayode, also justified the employment and compensation given to families of the victims of the Nigerian Immigration Service employment tragedy, saying that the APC’s criticism of the gesture is unfortunate.

“It is not true that the PDP or the Federal Government is sponsoring ethnic militias.

al areas as follows: Egbe Security River One (Bayelsa); Gallery Security (Mosinmi -Ore); Close Body Protection (Edo State); Adex Energy Security(Rivers); Donyx Global Concept (Lagos and Ogun); Oil Facilities Surveillance-(Delta) and New Age Global Security (MosinmiIbadan).

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will coordinate the multi-billion naira deal.

The APC expressed sadness that a President who inherited

It is also not true that N9 billion has been allocated for that purpose,” he said.

“We will remain focused on the issues.

We will talk about their weaknesses and we will also talk about the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan on why it is important that he is re-elected on March 28.

That is our focus,” he said.

On the APC’s claim that the PDP and the Federal Government were trying to garner cheap political profit from the calamity that befell some young Nigerians with the employment and compensations to the families of the victims of the NIS employment tragedy, Fani-Kayode said.

“Mr. President’s gesture concerning the

a united nation has done everything he can to divide the country along ethnic and religious lines, including patronising ethnic militias who serve no other purpose than to champion sectional interests at the expense of national unity.

It wondered why President Jonathan would pay N9 billion to a handful of people at a time of great economic downturn and falling Naira, as well as in a situation in which many states cannot even afford to pay their workers because of dwindling allocation from the

victims of the calamity that took place last year when all those young people were killed was a noble gesture and was simply an acknowledgment of the fact that these people died under very sad circumstances.

“It was simply an attempt to alleviate the suffering and pain of the families of those that were killed and no right-thinking person will read any other meaning to that.

“It was a reflection of the compassion and the inherent goodness that reside in Mr. President’s heart and I think every patriotic and right-thinking Nigerian should commend him for that and not talk about feeding off people’s calamity.

Federation Account. ‘’A profligate government that has been bribing people with dollars and ferrying huge funds around practically to buy votes has outdone itself by paying out all of N9 billion to a few Nigerians, with less than three weeks to the elections.

Shortly after the payment, some self-serving groups started organising protests that, for all intents and purposes, are being orchestrated to scuttle the polls. This is a shameful show by the federal government,’’ the APC said.

The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) confirmed that it will be part of today’s protest.

While its founder Dr. Frederick Fasehun denied knowledge of the planned protest last night, its coordinator Chief Gani Adams said the OPC will be joining another group to stage the protest.

According to him, about five million people in the Southwest have not collected their PVCs, barely two weeks to elections.

“The INEC boss cannot disenfranchise our people for

•Prof. Jega

not just any reason. We are equally protesting because Jega created about 30,000 polling units in the North without creating any in the South. This is an indication that he has his own agenda.

We cannot fold our hands when majority of our people are being denied their legitimate right.”

“If Jega feels that he cannot cope with the situation on ground before the election, he should resign and let another competent man be saddled with the responsibility.”

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

NEWS ‘Atiku 100 per cent APC’ From James Azania, Lokoja

A

CLOSE political associate of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku has dispelled insinuations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader was on the verge of dumping the party.

Reacting to a newspaper report (not The Nation) attributed to Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose that Atiku and some other APC chieftains from the North would soon defect, former Kogi State Acting Governor Chief Clarence Olafemi said Fayose was only playing “true to type”, advising him to face his problems in Ekiti.

Fayose was quoted to have said that the sudden u-turn by Northern leaders in their support for the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, had rattled the party ahead of the March 28 polls.

But, Olafemi, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, asserted that Atiku, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and millions of other well-meaning Nigerians have made up their mind on the need for change, “which Fayose cannot undo”.

His words: “I am saying authoritatively that Atiku is 100 per cent APC, and if he is taking any decision like that, we his political associates will know. Fayose has enough baggage back in Ekiti. So, he should go and face it; and leave Atiku alone.”

He described the alleged endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid by Kogi indigenes as phantom.

He said: “March 28 will confirm where Kogi people want to go. How can Kogi endorse Jonathan when teachers are not receiving salary, local government workers are not paid and poverty is hitting hard on our people? Nigerians have made up their mind and it is too late for anybody to deceive them.”

Jonathan promises more affirmative action for women From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has greeted the country’s mothers as they joined others globally to mark the day set aside to commemorate their unique and indispensable service to humanity.

Jonathan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, assured them that the Federal Government would continue to do all within its powers to empower them to play their “immense and Godgiven role for the greater glory of Nigeria”.

It reads: “President Jonathan reaffirms that his administration will continue to progressively strengthen its affirmative action in favour of girls, women and mothers while intensifying its actions aimed at promoting gender equality in the nation.

“The president, who attended a special service at the Presidential Villa to commemorate Mothers’ Day with his mother, Madam Eunice Jonathan, and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, prays that God Almighty will bless all Nigerian mothers mightily...”

Court urged to stop move to replace Jega

NHRC: Lagos, Rivers, Kaduna prone to polls’ violence T

HE National Human Right Commission (NHRC) is worried about the safety of lives and property in Lagos, Rivers and Kaduna states as the general elections approach.

The commission’s concern was strengthened by post-election violence in the affected states in 2011, in which lives were loss and property destroyed.

NHRC Chairman Prof.

Chidi Odinkalu said this at the weekend at Sir Kashim House, Kaduna, when he parleyed with political stakeholders ahead of the rescheduled polls.

Those that attended the event include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, senior officers of Kaduna State Police Command, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and his Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) counterpart, Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero.

Prof. Odinkalu noted that the Sheikh Ahmed Lemu’s panel

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

report showed that over 1,000 persons lost their lives in 2011 with Kaduna State recording the highest casualties of about 847.

He added that the commission had so far received about 25 petitions alleging acts of violence during the party primaries and political campaigns, a situation he said was worrisome.

The commission chairman added that the message was the same in all the places and people visited.

He warned: “We want election to be peaceful. But if the parties and relevant authorities don’t provide an enabling environment for a peaceful election, we will press charges and demand accountability.

“Hate speeches have become intolerable and must be condemned by all. As far as we are concern in the commission, the

only winner we are interested in is Nigeria. Politics of do-ordie must be avoided.

“Our major concern states ahead of the elections are Lagos, Rivers and Kaduna states.”

But, Yero assured the NHRC boss of the state’s readiness to forestall a repeat of the 2011 post-election experience in the general elections.

The governor, who said power belongs to God and gives it to whoever he pleases at his own time, stressed: “In Kaduna State, we don’t have opposition, but people who are bent on taking power at all means by all cost; desperate illmotive people who want to take power by all means. They are not fighting us, but God. “What they do is only to instigate violence and threaten people. That is why the two peace accords signed in the state have not worked so far.”

The APC governorship can-

didate told the NHRC delegation that there was the need to have a review of the peace accord.

“If the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) card readers are used during the election, it will be peaceful.

“My prayers are that the Chairman of INEC is not removed, PVC and card readers are used for the election and that all electoral offenders should be prosecuted,” ElRufai said.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kaduna State, Hussaini Ahmed Mahuta and Police Commissioner Umar Shehu assured of their readiness to ensure a peaceful general elections.

The REC said: “INEC has made and still making tremendous efforts towards ensuring that the general elections is free, fair and credible, and to also ensure that nobody is deliberately disenfranchised.”

•From left: Secretary General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Prof. Ishaq Oloyede; Chairman, BiCourtney Group, Dr. Wale Babalakin; Muheez Durosinmi and Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN), Prof Dawud Noibi (right) at the second strategic meeting of MUSWEN at Gbongan, Osun State...at the weekend

YCE: we didn’t endorse Jonathan •’Another polls’ shift ‘ll create constitutional crisis’

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HE Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has denied endorsing President Goodluck Jonathan for the March 28 presidential election.

It also declared that another shift in election date would create constitutional crisis.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had shifted the election from February 14 and 28 to March 29 and April 14.

The YCE, which is also known as the “Igbimo Agba Yoruba”, spoke at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Ibadan at the weekend.

The Assistant National Secretary of the non-political organisation, Bayo Olateju,

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From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

who addressed reporters at the end of the meeting, said there was no need to be apprehensive about the conduct of the election as stipulated by the electoral agency.

He explained that with the Electoral Act prescribing conduct of election about 60 days before the expiration of any tenure, there could not be further shift without causing constitutional crisis.

Olateju added that with the assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan that the handover date of May 29 was sacrosanct, there was nothing to fear.

The YCE scribe expressed satisfaction with the distribu-

tion of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by the INEC, stressing that with the percentage of voters claimed to have collected their cards, the electoral commission must be praised and allowed to complete the exercise as proposed.

On the controversy surrounding the adoption of Jonathan by the Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-cultural group, Olateju said YCE was not part of the adoption.

He reiterated the earlier pronouncement by the YCE on its non-endorsement of any candidate for the presidential election, saying: “As the fathers and mothers of all in Yorubaland, we are above partisan politics and it is our advice to our sons

•Jonathan

and daughters to vote for any candidate of their choice.

“We also frowned at the spate of violence being witnessed ahead of the elections and we are using this opportunity to appeal to our people to desist from any act capable of bringing us back to the old era.

Yoruba had witnessed war before and we cannot afford reenacting the old order”, the YCE said.

Fire guts INEC’s Abuja warehouse

HE warehouse of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at its Electoral Institute along Airport Road, Abuja was gutted by fire at the weekend.

But fears that 2015 electoral materials might have been affected were doused by INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity Mr. Wole Osaze Uzzi.

He said: “None of the sensitive electoral materials for the presidential and National Assembly elections and the governorship and state assembly elections was affected.”

•Sensitive materials not affected, says director From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

The Electoral Institute’s Director of Security, Shettima Ngiladar, said the fire was caused by an electric surge.

The director said the incident would not affect the preparation for the elections since the burnt items were the non-sensitive materials like bags, forms and envelopes used in the 2011 general elections.

“The fire incident started yesterday (Saturday) at about 11 pm and it took

the firemen about two to three hours to put off the fire,” he said.

Asked whether it was a sabotage, he said: “There was no foul play”.

Corroborating, the Deputy Director of Electoral Logistics at INEC, Ken Ukeagu, said: “ All sensitive materials required for 2015 elections have been moved to the states. Whatever we have here are old stocks.

“You know the normal process of disposing materials take a little while.

But these materials here are not use-

•INEC appeals judgment on YDP From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

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HE Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to restrain the Senate from considering any person nominated by the Presidency to replace the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega.

The request formed part of the three prayers contained in a suit filed by a lawyer, Kabir Akingbolu, with the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Senate as defendants.

He argued that the alleged plot by the Presidency to use the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to compel Jega to proceed on a three-month pre-retirement leave was absurd because the INEC Chairman was not a civil servant by virtue of the provisions of Sections 153, 155 and 157 of the Constitution.

Akingbolu urged the court to among others determine whether, by the combined effect of sections 157 and 158 of the Constitution, the alleged plan by the Head of Service to request the INEC Chairman to proceed on terminal leave was not incongruous with the intention of the provisions of the constitution.

He is also seeking the determination of whether Jega, who is currently on a sabbatical leave, could be asked to proceed on the pre-retirement leave envisage under the Civil Service Rules.

Although the plaintiff has served the defendants, the suit filed on March 11 is yet to be assigned to any judge for consideration.

Also, the INEC has appealed the March 4, 2015 judgment by Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordering it to issue a certificate of registration to a group, the Young Democratic Party (YDP).

YDP had, shortly after the judgment, addressed news conferences, where it threatened to compel a postponement of the rescheduled elections if INEC failed to include its name and candidates on the ballot papers, even when it was yet to conduct primaries and the period for parties to submit list of candidates had lapsed.

In a notice of appeal it filed last Monday, INEC faulted Justice Mohammed’s judgment and urged the Court of Appeal, Abuja to set it aside.

It raised five grounds of appeal, including that the trial judge erred in granting audience to a group not yet registered as a party.

The application is expected to be heard on March 23.

ful for 2015 elections. All the useful sensitive materials have been moved to the states. Even if these were materials that would have been used, there is no way it would affect the elections.

INEC National Commissioner in charge of Electoral Logistics Col. Mohammed Hammanga, who was at the institute to inspect the damage, expressed happiness that materials affected were old stock.

“We thank God that it has not gone beyond this. We are happy that it has not destroyed the materials that will be used in the election,” he said.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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NEWS Jonathan’s man declares for Buhari

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HE National Coordinator for President Goodluck Jonathan’s support group, Jonathan Shall Lead Again, Mr. Curtis Ugbo, has declared support for the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 elections.

He described as ridiculous and absurd the campaign of calumny orchestrated by Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose against the APC presidential candidate on account of his age.

Ugbo, who spoke to reporters after he defected with thousands of his supporters to APC, cited the insincerity of Edo State PDP leaders as one of the reasons leading to his group’s defection.

He said: “As you are aware, I am the BOT chairman and grant patron of ‘Jonathan Shall Lead Again Movement’. We have been supporting Jonathan’s re-election since 2012, but here in Edo State, I discovered that the PDP leaders have not been carrying the people along.

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

“PDP in Edo State is in wrong hands. The party never showed any appreciation.

“My members said they cannot continue like this and so, we have to move on. We have been getting calls from APC and we decided to go to where we will be celebrated and appreciated. So, we have to shift our tent to the APC. I make bold to say right now that Jonathan has lost Edo State and I have made it a national announcement to all our members that any state where they are not carried along, they should toe the same line.

On the APC candidate, he said: “Buhari is going to win the election and we are going to give him our support. So, those who are making noise about his age are just playing politics. Buhari’s intelligence is what counts. This man ruled us before. So, age has nothing to do with it. Politicians always look for mundane things to criticise their opponent.”

‘NLC, INEC to ensure credible polls’

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HE new leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to work with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that it holds violencefree, fair and credible elections.

In his acceptance speech, the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said Nigerian workers could not compromise on credible elections, since it was one important area the nation should get right.

“Just like we campaigned for the implementation of the Justice Uwais Report on Electoral Reforms, we will work for a free and fair 2015 elections,” Wabba said.

He said the new leadership was aware of challenges facing the Nigerian worker,

•Petroleum marketers hail NLC President Wabba

By Toba Agboola and John Ofikhenua, Abuja

adding that they would be addressed.

“Comrades, we are not unmindful of the huge challenges in front of us as Nigerian workers and as Nigerians in the socio-economic and political realm. We are determined to identify these challenges and to confront them squarely in the coming months. Already, we have highlighted some of those we considered very urgent in our manifesto document, and I won’t need to repeat them here.

“To our comrades, who contested the elections with us, we want to say that there are ‘no winners’ and ‘no losers’. If anything, it is the Ni-

gerian worker that is the ‘winner’.

“We extend our arm of fellowship and comradeship to all comrades who contested various positions with us, to join hands with us to build the NLC of our dream,” Wabba said.

However, the other factions led by the President, National Union of the Electricity Employees, Comrade Joseph Ajaero, who lost to Wabba, has vowed to hold a fresh election.

The Restoration Group, as they called themselves, said the process was faulty and unacceptable.

They accused the former NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, of engineering the emergence of

Wabba and rejected the outcome of the election.

They said a fresh election would hold in Lagos on March 21.

But the national executive of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) yesterday congratulated Wabba on his election.

The National Secretary of the IPMAN, Mr. Danladi Pasali, in a statement, said the peaceful election of Wabba was a sign of solidarity and transformation of the country’s labour movement.

He said with vast experience in unionism, Comrade Wabba would protect the interest of the Nigerian worker and sustain the achievements of the past leaders.

‘Only manufacturing, agric can save Nigeria’

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HE Group Executive Director of Dangote Group, Devakumar Edwin, has said the crash in crude oil price in the international market and devaluation of the Naira showed that the salvation of the nation’s economy depends on agricultural revolution and local manufacturing.

Edwin, who spoke with reporters in Lagos, said the development of the nation’s agric potential was the solution to the incessant distortion to the economy by market forces.

He said Nigeria left its economic fortunes to the vagaries of the international market forces through excessive importation, adding that it was high time investors latched in on this situation and help the government out by focusing on agriculture and manufacturing.

The Dangote executive director noted that the two sectors had long been forsaken, stressing that this explained why the Alhaji Aliko Dangote-led conglomerate made a massive investment in agriculture and manufacturing by delving into sugar and rice cultivation, fertiliser production, oil and gas refinery as well as petrochemicals.

He said: “And these twin activities are the sectors with a huge potential for employment generation, which the country is in dire need of now.

“In our sugar business - Savannah Sugar, we have today, apart from the direct employment of 4,000 people during investing and plantation, we engage almost 20,000. And there is a small farm where we have about less than 10,000 hectares and the cultivation is going on today employing another 10,000 people. Today, we are talking about 200,000 hectares of land for Savannah plant for sugar, where almost 200,000 hectares will be producing 20 million tonnes of cane and two million tonnes of sugar.

“You can imagine the amount of employment we are going to create in the agricultural sector and this is a big intervention. So, most of the businesses we have done in the course of our investments will still trickle down to the cities. In Lagos, we have massive investment in our flour mills, it is in Ilorin, Kano, Calabar because it was all put up close to consumption centres.

“However, when we started going into cement, we decided that it has to go close to raw materials because it is more expensive to transport the raw materials. But again, if you see Obajana, it is quite close to Lokoja, Ibese is next door to Lagos, and Gboko is close to Makurdi - all still inside the country, but closer to major cities.

“But, if you talk about farming, we are just looking for arable lands and we are just going right deep into the rural areas, so that the people in those areas will see no reason to migrate to the cities. Because if they do, it would put a lot of pressure on the cities.”

Navy warns personnel against partisan politics

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HE Nigerian Navy has warned its personnel to remain neutral during the elections.

Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command Rear Admiral Henry Babalola gave the warning at the bi-annual Eastern Naval Command 11-kilometre route march in Calabar at the weekend.

Babalola said it was important for men of the Navy to be neutral in their conduct as the country prepares for the elections, “As the 2015 elections

•From left: Deputy Director, Finance, National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) Dr. Kenneth Kalu; Project Director NACA/SURE-P Dr. Sabastine Wakdok and the agency’s Assistant Director/SURE-P HIV/AIDS Project Dr. Francis Agbo during NACA-SURE-P Implementation Stakeholders meeting at Umuahia, Abia State.

Five million Nigerians to enjoy light by 2017, say IFC, World Bank T

HE International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has promised to deliver affordable lighting energy service to five million Nigerians between now and 2017.

The organisation decried the alarming statistics of 65 per cent rural habitants, who were yet to be connected to the national grid and the over 80 million Nigerians without access to grid electricity.

Owing to the disturbing figures, IFC, in collaboration with the World Bank, at the weekend at Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, launched the Lighting Africa programme for Nigeria.

The programme manager for the project, Mr. Itotia Njagi, who spoke at the event, said the Lighting Africa project would mobilise

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

draw nearer, we must be neutral in our conduct and we must be ready to assist INEC and the police whenever we are called.

“You have the right to vote for the candidate of your choice, but you are not expected to canvass support for any politician or political party.

“As a military organisation, we must provide assistance to civil authority and this we must do by creating a peaceful environment for the electorate to exercise their franchise.”

A

By Tonia ‘Diyan

the private sector to build and develop markets that enable access to clean, affordable, quality lighting products through the fostering of partnerships among local and global manufacturers.

Njagi added that the initiative was already creating new channels through local distribution companies to help build robust supply chains for off-grid lighting products.

He said: “Through carefully designed interventions, and in collaboration with key stakeholders, the Lighting Africa Nigeria programme aims to help five million Nigerians gain access to modern, clean and afford-

able lighting products by 2017, while reducing GHG emission by 100,000 metric tonnes.

“This project is targeting people that are not connected to the national grid, primarily people living in rural areas. With the benefit of technology, we now have products that can be able to provide both lighting and energy services with good enough competitive prices.

“So, what we are saying is that for the fact that you are not connected to a grid doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have access to better lighting and energy services.”

Director, Renewable and Rural Power Access of the Federal Ministry of Power, A. Adebisi, an engineer, said

in President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration’s bid to tap into renewable energy solutions in January 2014, he initiated a policy, tagged: “Light-Up Rural Nigeria,” in Durumi community, Bwari Area Council of Abuja.

According to Adebisi, with the power reforms initiated

by Jonathan, which, he said, were yielding fruits, the project was aimed at using renewable energy to get electricity across to rural communities not connected to the national grid.

He affirmed that the power reforms started by the administration would soon begin to materialise.

The director urged investors to embrace the project, adding that the country was blessed with a market for renewable energy solutions.

DIG: police ready for 2015 elections

DEPUTY Inspector General of Police, Mr. Adeola Adeniji, yesterday said the police were determined to ensure a violence- free elections on March 28 and April 11.

Adeniji added that the tension about the elections was akin to Nigeria’s past elections, urging the citizenry not to entertain any fear.

The police boss spoke to reporters in Ilorin, the

Kwara State capital, after a special prayer organised for him by the Ilorin branch of Ansaru-Deen Society of Nigeria.

He said the apprehension about the elections was unnecessary.

The DIG was optimistic that the elections would be conducted under a free and fair atmosphere, urging those with genuine cases after the polls to approach the

tribunals to seek redress.

Said he: “It is the collective responsibility of everybody. We all have roles to play. And the Federal Government has put in efforts and has given the police every needed support. I assure you that we shall not fail you. The elections shall come to pass by the grace of God. “Everybody is afraid, and this is not the first election.

This has always been the fear. I have witnessed over five elections in this country. When I was having my first born in 1983, I had to take my wife down home, and we survived the election. If there is any crisis, the tribunal will come in and justice will prevail.

“We are very prepared; we have no other job. We are facing this and we are facing it squarely.”

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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NEWS

Fayose plotting arrest of APC members, party alleges

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has alerted to an alleged plan by Governor Ayodele Fayose to order the arrest of its leaders before the March 28 presidential election.

A statement by APC Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatubosun alleged that the governor planned to use trumped-up charges to incarcerate APC leaders.

He further alleged that thugs in police uniforms would be unleashed on the opposition to create fears in the minds of APC members.

“After it became clear that soldiers would not be allowed to be used for the

‘Lagos’ll stop polio’

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HE Lagos State government has said it will step up efforts to fight the spread of polio among children.

Governor Babatunde Fashola spoke at the inauguration of the 2015 National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) in Ikeja Local Government.

He said children below five would be given two drops of potent OPV using the house-to-house strategy.

The exercise is aimed at sustaining a zero status for the wild polio virus, adding that the state had eliminated the virus since the beginning of his administration.

“Lagos State, along with other states, is participating in the March (first round) 2015 NIPDs. “To ensure the success of this year’s campaign, many training workshop have been organised to strengthen the capacity of health workers in micro planning, social mobilisation and actual implementation,” Fashola said.

‘Stop destroying APC billboard’ From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

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HE Senator Abiola Ajimobi Second Term Movement has declared that 20 billboards belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been damaged and defaced by sponsored agents of the Peoples Democratic Party and Accord Party.

Describing the brazen act of violence as gross intolerance, the group called on the law enforcement agents to be on the alert and ensure that the perpetrators were brought to justice.

Speaking at a news conference at the weekend, the group leader of the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Second Term Movement, Kolawole Aliu, cited five locations in Ibadan where APC billboards were allegedly damaged by PDP and AP agents.

“On Iwo Road to Challenge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, we counted nine billboards and between Molete and Gate we saw six billboards defaced by opposition parties, which pay their thugs to destroy APC billboards.

“No amount of destruction of billboards will change the minds of the electorate.”

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

polls, PDP leaders in Ekiti State have opted for the police.

“They have discovered that the fake army uniforms they sewed would be useless and they have started sewing police uniforms for their operation,” Olatubosun alleged.

He said young men in six buses imported into the state about three weeks ago with military uniforms in their luggage were the same personnel the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would use for the operation.

The APC spokesman said party members would use all legal means, including civil actions, to defend their votes.

“We want to send a strong warning to Fayose that it is not going to be business as usual this time around. He did his worst during the last governorship election when soldiers deployed in Ekiti State helped him to supervise election rigging. Details of the criminal conspiracy are being heard around the world.

“We have learnt our lessons and he should be told that APC members are prepared for the worst.

“We will never get ourselves involved in criminalities but we will defend our votes by all means, legal and civil. Let Fayose know that as he is planning for his rigging, we are also planning to defend our votes. If he be-

lieves he can’t survive without bending the law, we will show him that upholding the law by defending our votes remains the only way to make democracy work,” Olatubosun said.

He urged the police not to be compromised, saying colluding with a party in political contest is a recipe for the breakdown of law and order.

“The filthy activities of soldiers in the last election have incensed Nigerians into taking their fate in their own hands on matters of electoral contests. If anybody feels he can use the police to manipulate these elections, that person should be prepared to confront the anger of the

people.

“We warn the governor against any plan to rob Ekiti people. We call on security agencies to rein in the governor against any nefarious activities while we call on our members to be vigilant and be ready to defend their votes.

“We also say in clear terms that APC members will resist illegal arrests being planned by PDP leaders. Ekiti State is not a jungle for all illegal plans by PDP. For the first time since Fayose has been riding roughshod on the APC members and Ekiti people, our people, armed with the law, will vehemently resist any plan to constrict their voting right to elect leaders of their choice.”

1,500 join Ondo APC From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HERE was a gale of defection as the campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) hit the Ondo Central Senatorial District at the weekend.

Iju- Itaogbolu, the headquarters of Akure North, witnessed an unprecedented gathering of political leaders during the rally.

The community welcomed its son, Tayo Alasoadura, who is the APC senatorial candidate.

Two House of Representatives candidates - Afe Olowokere and Bamidele Baderinwa- added colour to the rally with their supporters.

At Idanre, 500 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters joined the APC. Similarly, at Igbara-Oke in Ifedore Local Government, 1000 PDP supporters joined the APC. The Chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, accepted the defectors, praising them for embracing change.

He called on voters not to be intimidated during the election by the presence of security agents.

‘Withdraw Tompolo’s contract’ •Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (second left), his running mate, Dr Oluranti Adebule (left), Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Akodu Fariudeen Abioye and Permanent Secretary, Home Affairs and Culture, Mrs Oladimeji Grace at an interactive session with civil servants in Alausa...yesterday

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Buhari gets massive support in Ondo

WO political groups working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State - Heritage Solidarity and Saka Lawal - at the weekend declared their intention to work for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.

The Saka Lawal group, which claimed to have worked for the former PDP governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke, was founded by Oke’s former running mate, Saka Lawal.

The groups, with structures in the 18 local governments, said they decided to dump the PDP presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan, because the party structures have been hijacked by “aliens”.

An APC chieftain, Group Capt. Bola Owoeye, said since Buhari’s emergence as the APC candidate, the party has been growing stronger daily.

Owoeye, who is the state Chairman of Buhari Vanguard and Change-Over Network, said the group

•Old PDP members to work for Jonathan From Leke Akeredolu and Damisi Ojo, Akure

would mobilise groups and prominent party members in other parties to their fold.

He noted that they have successfully lured two vibrant groups from PDP to APC, assuring that more would join the party before the elections.

The representative of Saka Lawal, Taiwo Saka, urged party members to embark on a house-tohouse campaign, particularly by enlightening the aged on the reasons why they should vote for APC. “As our groups are known for, we don’t organise rallies, but our political instrument is door-to-door campaign. As at now, our members across the 18 local governments have been directed to begin work for Buhari and before elections, our people will be more enlightened on the need to vote in APC,” Saka said.

But some members of the old PDP at the weekend

vowed to work for President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP candidates.

The aggrieved PDP supporters promised to remain committed and loyal to the party.

According to them, they would not abandon the platform they laboured to build in 16 years.

The members, who have been watching the unfolding scenario since the merging of the Labour Party (LP) and PDP made the resolutions at the weekend at a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure, the state capital.

The Central District meeting held in Akure was the second phase of the senatorial mobilisation of old PDP members.

Oke, former PDP national legal adviser, read the resolutions at the end of the meeting.

He said: “We have reached the following resolutions.

One, we remain active, committed and loyal members of PDP in Ondo State. That

we will not abandon the platform we have been on for 16 years.

“Secondly, we all resolved that we believe in the transformation agenda of Mr. President. He has been able to make our economy the largest in Africa. Our rails are working. The aviation industry is doing well.

There is economic empowerment for our people.

There is capacity building.

Our roads are looking good. Our health facilities are improving. We want him to continue.

“Thirdly, we resolved to return to our various wards and unit to maximise the returns from these levels for Mr. President. In this regard, it is our belief that Ondo State votes will be the highest in the Southwest.

“We have also resolved that we would vote for PDP candidates, irrespective of the controversy that surrounded their emergence.

We believe that PDP is the best thing that has happened to Nigeria and that we must sustain the party beyond 2015.”

Ekiti may revive salary advance policy

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HE Ekiti State government has said it will consider reviving the Salary Advance policy, which enables workers get their salaries before pay day.

Head of Service Olugbenga Faseluka spoke in Ado Ekiti at a meeting with members of the umbrella State Departmental Cooperative Union in the public service.

Faseluka said the proposed policy is one of the incentives that the AyoFayose-led government intends to

•To pay Sept salary soon From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

provide for the workers as soon as the state’s finances improve.

He said the burden of loans, which workers opt for, might distract them from focusing on their duties.

According to him, the repayment plan would be flexible such that the beneficiary would find it easier to cope with compared to loan repayment

plans.

Faseluka said the Fayose-led administration is committed to workers’ welfare of workers, adding that this is evident in the regular pay since assuming office in October.

Speaking on the September salary owed workers by the last administration, he reassured the workers that government would soon pay the salary, saying the situation calls for dialogue and understanding between government and labour unions.

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EADERS of Ilaje dynamic patriotic group (GWAMA) have threatened to pull out of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the award of the pipeline security contract to the Government Ekpemuopolo (Tompolo)-owned firm.

The Ondo State riverine group vowed to end its campaign for the re-election of President Goodcluck Jonathan if the contract award was not reversed.

The group took the decision at a meeting in Erunfon, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

They condemned the award of the contract to Tompolo without any consultation with the Ilaje, whose area produces the oil in the state.

‘No quarrel with Ajimobi’

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HE Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) in Oyo State, Nurudeen Arowolo, has said workers are not quarrelling with the Abiola Ajimobiled administration about unpaid salaries.

Arowolo, at a briefing in Ibadan at the weekend, denied rumours that civil servants and the government were bickering over unpaid salaries.

He said January salary, delayed due to dwindling federal allocation, had been paid, as well as the three-month arrears of new secondary school teachers.

The labour leader appealed to civil servants to bear with the government on the delay in salaries, saying this followed the gross reduction in the federation allocation.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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NEWS Poly workers suspend strike

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ORKERS unions at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, have suspended their two-and-half months industrial action.

They said the decision was reached after a meeting with Education Minister Ibrahim Shekarau in Abuja.

The unions are the Polytechnic’s chapters of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the NonAcademic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP).

ASUP Chairman Tunji Owoeye said the Federal

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

Government has directed the institution to pay CONTISS 15 to workers.

Owoeye added: “Apart from that, all other issues were trashed.

“The management was asked to withdraw all queries and pay backlog of salaries.

“On the deduction of pensions from casual workers, the issue is being resolved by the management.

“The issue of cooperative deductions is still lingering, but we are going to resolve it amicably.”|

Aregbesola mourns journalist

O

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has mourned the death of a prominent broadcast journalist, Olumide Ajayi, who died on Saturday while returning from a public function in Imesi Ile. In a condolence message by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon, yesterday, the governor described his death as sad.

Aregbesola said Ajayi’s life was cut short in his prime when his stars were shining.

“On behalf of the government and people of Osun, I commiserate with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and his family.

“His death only reminds us of one thing: That death is a necessary end and that while we are alive, we must strive to play our parts in manners that promote good humanity.”

Ajayi was a press secretary to the former Speaker, the House of Assembly, Adejare Bello.

Osun SUBEB launches magazine

T

HE Osun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) would tomorrow launch its periodic magazine, O’SUBEB. Board Chairman Felix Awofisayo, in a statement, said the focus of the publication was to educate stakeholders and disseminate information to schools and Local Government Education Authorities.

Describing the publication as the first of its kind, he said the gesture was in line with the commitment of Governor Rauf Aregbesola to ensure qualitative education in the state.

He added that the event would witness the distribution of mathematical sets donated to the state by the National Mathematical Centre.

The event, which would hold at the Local Government Service Commission, Abere, would be attended by the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Dikko Suleiman, Dr Tunde Ademola, the Lead Education Specialist (Guest of Honour) and Deputy Governor Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, the Chief Host.

APC freedom walk in Alimosho

A

WEEK after the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, led party supporters on a one-million man freedom march in Lagos, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Bisi Yusuf, also replicated the ‘Freedom Walk’ in his constituency, Alimosho, at the weekend.

Yusuf, who represents Alimosho I, was happy with the number of residents who walked from Abesan Gate enroute Ayobo.

Shortly after the long walk, the lawmaker, who is the Committee Chairman on Transportation, Commerce and Industry, said his constituents are resolute at ensuring a violence-free election on March 28 and April 11.

“I’m happy with the number of people who turned out today.

“It demonstrates that there is no other party in our constituency other than the APC; other parties may be making noise but the acceptability of APC in Alimosho is not in doubt.

“These are people who are ready for progress.

“They are highly developed and sophisticated and are determined on who to vote for.

“Buhari is going to emerge

By Oziegbe Okoeki

the president. People are determined to vote for change,” he said.

The lawmaker maintained that he was not afraid of any opponents.

“You are afraid when you are not accepted by the people. I know we are not violent . People are our soldiers and police. We are known for delivering electoral value.”

Responding to a question on what step he would take to prevent political opponents hijacking peaceful conduct of elections, the lawmaker said he would not disclose his strategy.

"A general would not go to war and disclose his method to the enemies. I keep that to myself."

The lawmaker, however, advised youths not to allow any politician use them to cause violence.

He said: "Most people in this freedom march are youths. I don't believe in the saying that youths are the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today. All what they need is wisdom and good orientation."

Commenting on his re-election, Yusuf said he has been able to attract a number of projects to his constituency and defend the yearnings and aspirations of his people.

•The ultra-modern market. INSET INSET: Fashola unveiling the plaque to inaugurate the market. With him are Hamzat (left), Opeoluwa of Lagos, Chief Lateef Ajose (second left), Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Ganiyu Johnson (third left), Managing Director, Palamyra Limited Corporation, Ziad Saimua (second right), Iyaloja of Lagos, Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo (third right).

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Fashola inaugurates new Oyingbo market, 24 years after

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AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola inaugurated yesterday the new ultra modern Oyingbo market complex, 24 years after it was demolished for reconstruction.

The new four-floor massive complex, sitting on 544 square metres, boasts of 150car capacity parking lot on the ground floor, 622 open shops; 102 lock-up shops; 48 open offices, 134 toilets and six exit gates.

Handing over the market, the governor congratulated the original occupants of the old Oyingbo market who are still alive to witness the ceremony.

He recalled with nostalgia

F

•618 original occupants to benefit

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

how importance the Oyingbo market was to Lagos and Nigeria in the yesteryears and what it was a couple of decades ago, citing that even his grandmother used to trade in the market.

Fashola recalled that the new market was part of his campaign promises in 2007.

According to him, “I hold my promises in high esteem.

And I am here to hand over the market in fulfillment of my promise.

“Our democracy will make progress so long as you vote for parties that will make

promise to you and keep them.

“This new Oyingbo market is one of my promises and it is here today and more modern than what used to be here before.

“I was not too young to know the old Oyingbo market because my grandmother used to sell aluminum pans somewhere around here.”

He pleaded with the users to maintain cleanliness and orderliness in the complex and assured that the 618 original occupants would be allocated shops.

“We hope that they will all

leave the roadside and come into the market, therefore freeing up the road for freeflow of traffic.”

Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Obafemi Hamzat said the new market was of international standard.

He added that Fashola really cared about the market which was first built in 1930 and had directed that a befitting market must be built after several failed attempts since it was demolished in 1991.

The commissioner urged traders to make good use of the market and refrain from acts that could undermine the purpose for which it was rebuilt.

Plot to kill Tinubu real, says Fayemi

ORMER Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has said the plot to kill the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is real.

He said the party has evidence linking President Goodluck Jonathan to a plot to foist an Interim National Government (ING) on the country.

Fayemi warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) henchmen risk going to jail, if they sabotage the elections by engaging in acts that are contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act. The former governor made the statement at the weekend in Aramoko-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti West Local Government Area, during the 40th day Fidau for the late Pa Jejelola Akingbolu and Madam Raliat Akingbolu, parents of the former council caretaker chairman, Tajudeen.

Tinubu, last week, revealed that he was invited by Jonathan to be vice president in the ING in the event that the elections would not hold as rescheduled.

Fayemi insisted that the plot to either frame-up or kill Tinubu was real because the PDP is desperate to win the polls by hook or crook.

The former governor added that Tinubu revealed the plot in good faith and because of his love for the nation’s democracy.

He said the APC National Leader’s exposure was not aimed at maligning the Pres-

•’We’ve evidence of plan of interim govt’ From Odunayo Ogunmola, ‘What Nigerians Ado-Ekiti are looking for now ident, adding that the PDP-led Federal Government would is for the elections be held responsible if anyto hold on March thing happens to Tinubu.

Fayemi said: “President 28 as scheduled by Jonathan is becoming desperthe Independent ate by the day and he would stop at nothing to return to National Electoral power.

Commission “You know what they did in Ekiti. So, there was noth(INEC) and for the ing Tinubu said that was not victor who was true.

“I have evidence that he was overwhelmingly invited to be part of an ING elected to be as a way of dividing our party. announced’ “There is absolutely nothing they cannot do to distract us because they can see that the Presidency is slipping out of their hands.

“It is good that this alarm is being raised and put in the front burner that there is a sinister intention to subvert the will of the people.

“What Nigerians are looking for now is for the elections to hold on March 28 as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and for the victor who was overwhelmingly elected to be announced.

“We, party leaders and members of opposition, are ready to congratulate the winner, but if they go ahead and subvert the will of the people, they will surely go to jail.”

The Director of Policy and

Research of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation assured that the party’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, would keep his promise not to probe the alleged corruption of the past, including the ones uncovered during the Jonathan presidency.

Fayemi added: “Gen. Buhari said he won’t probe anyone and I don’t know why President Jonathan, who has the paraphernalia of office, is afraid of election.

“There was nothing the PDP has not done to ensure that these elections are not held.

“We have heard about the sewing of fake Army uniform, we have heard about how they want to use soldiers to rig the election, we have seen the attempt to sack Prof.

Attahiru Jega.

“We have heard about how they have been preaching about religion, talking about Buhari’s health and the way they had been canvassing for postponement of elections and non-usage of card readers.

“The big question still remain, why are they afraid of the elections?”

The former governor lampooned his successor, Governor Ayo Fayose, for lying about Buhari’s health .

He advised him (Fayose) to stop desecrating the values Ekiti people are known for.

Fayemi concluded: “We have heard somebody whose own definition of politics is about lying, saying Gen Buhari was taken to a hospital in London.

“Buhari never went to hospital in the 10 days he was in London because I was with him all through.

“Fayose even used his mother as an example of how old people behave just because he wanted to drive home a point.

“This is disgracing his mother in public and it is against the value Ekiti is known for.

“If Jonathan loses this election, he can still get whatever he wants. It is a matter of negotiation with Buhari, who had promised not to probe past administrations.

“But I want to say that we will hold Jonathan’s government responsible, if anything happens to Tinubu.”

9

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

NEWS

Plan to endorse Jonathan collapses in Ekiti

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ESS than 24 hours before the arrival of First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan in Ekiti State, an attempt by the government to coerce leaders of political parties to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan collapsed like a pack of cards yesterday.

A briefing scheduled for 1pm where party leaders are expected to endorse tJonathan ahead of his wife’s visit today was called off at the last minute.

Of the 24 parties in the state, only seven showed up at the Government House, following an invite from the Ayo Fayose-led administration.

The Nation gathered that the failed endorsement would have been used to “make a statement that Jonathan is popular and acceptable in the state”.

A source in the Government House told The Nation that leaders of the political parties were invited on Saturday where Governor Ayo Fayose tried to lobby them to endorse Jonathan at a briefing to be held yesterday.

The party leaders had earlier expressed concern that they would not want to appear at the Government House but they sent a threeman delegate to liaise with the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Ademola Bello.

All was set for the planned endorsement to go ahead until the governor realised that seven of the 24 parties had representatives at the Presidential Lodge in the Government House where the meeting was planned to hold.

The seven parties that

•Parties refuse to endorse President From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

showed up are Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), United Peoples Party (UPP), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Peoples Alliance (APA) and Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN).

Another source revealed that UPN and UPP leaders were impersonated at the meeting by PDP members to shore up the number meaning that only five parties had authentic representatives.

The Nation gathered that the governor had to call off the planned endorsement when he learnt that not up to half of the political parties were present.

The source said: “The plan was for all the parties to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the campaign visit of the First Lady today.

“When the party leaders were told of their mission at the Government House, they said they were not aware of any endorsement plan.

“The governor tried to lobby them ahead of the visit of the First Lady. He introduced the issue of endorsement and we told him that we need to brief our members on the issue before taking any action.

“Only seven parties were represented and UPP and UPN were represented at the meeting by PDP members meaning that only five parties came in the real sense of it.

“When the governor saw that the number was too small, he called it off and

said that they will reschedule the programme.”

•Dr. Jonathan

TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP I, Alh. Memunat Yetunde Adegoke of Block 344A Abisogun Leigh Ogba Lagos hereby notify the general public that I have applied to LSDPC for its consent to change ownership of Blk 344A Abisogun Leigh Ogba Lagos which was originally allocated to Alh. Muritala O. Sanni, in the course of locating the allottee, it was discovered that the original allottee is deceased. I hereby indemnify the Corporation against any future claims that may arise if my application is granted and undertake to pay cost of any dispute that may arise on same. LSDPC, the family of late Alh. Muritala O. Sanni and general public take note

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

10

CITYBEATS 27 days after, another gun shot victim dies A CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

NOTHER person reportedly shot by uniformed men at Majidun near Ikorodu, Lagos, on February 18 has died, bringing to five the casualty figure.

Alhaji Aminu Salis, an engineer, died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) on S a t u r d a y , 2 7 days after the incident.

He was returning home from an event at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in Akoka, Yaba, on that fateful day before he and his wife, Toyibah, ran into the gunmen.

The couple were flagged down at Majidun Bus stop by the uniformed men, with one of them opening fire on the couple.

About five bullets pierced his arm and legs, his wife was hit on her left leg.

Their car was riddled with bullets.

Many other vehicles coming behind them were attacked.

General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division in Lagos Maj. Gen. Tanmi Dibi said the gunmen were not soldiers.

“There is no way such thing would happen and I will not know. Moreso, I have inquired and they told me none of our men was involved in that act,” he said.

The late Alhaji Salis’ remains were interred yesterday at Agiliti Cemetery in Mile 12, according to Islamic rites.

A massive crowd turned out for the funeral. Residents, passersby and commuters on the Agiliti Road watched as vehicles streamed into the cemetery on a street beside the road.

Many sympathisers expressed shocked over his death.

Some who visited him in hospital on Saturday just commissioned wondered what could have gone wrong.

Prof Fatimah AbdulKareem, Head, Anatomic and Molecular Pathology Department in the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences who delivered the 2nd Inaugural Lecture of the University of Lagos in the 2014/2015 Academic Session that the late Alhaji Salis attended with his wife, was seen weeping at the cemetery.

She was c o ns ol e d by N ational Naibatul Amirah (VicePresident) of The Criterion, an

•The late Alhaji Salis on his hospital bed last Sunday

...death is a sad ‘reminder of the

anarchy we have found ourselves.

About one month after the incident, no one was apprehended, no arrest has been made, absolutely nothing has happened.

Nothing defines the situation of lawlessness more than this

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

A

•The blood stain inside his car

•Some of the gunmen’s bullets

’ ‘just It is a sad thing that he was shot for no cause, up till now, nothing is heard

Association of Muslim Women in Business and Profession, Alhaja Fatimat Oyefeso.

Alhaji Mumuni Alao, Managing Director, Complete Communications, publishers of Complete Sports, who was with the late Salis till 5pm last Sat-

My wife is a witch, says man 58-year-old mechanic, Sabitu Jimoh, has pleaded with an Alagbado Customary Court in Lagos, to dissolve his 26-year-old marriage over threat to his life.

The petitioner, who lives at 39 Babsalam Street, Alagbado, Lagos, told the court that his wife, Afusat, wanted him dead.

Jimoh described his wife as a witch, alleging that she accused him of ‘spoiling’ her charm when he entered her room.

“She does not care for me, she stopped cooking for me in the past 20 years, I have tried to manage her but I have realised that she cannot change.

“She comes home late every night and does not listen to me. At every slight opportunity, she abuses me.

She is adulterous. At times, she won’t come home for a week and her mobile line is never available.

I heard she is having an affair with a tout in the garage where she sells.

•Alhaji Salis before his demise

•’I still love him’

By Basirat Braimah

“When I tried to correct her, she slapped me thrice. She said I wasn’t going to witness last December. I thank God I am alive,” he said.

Jimoh told the court that if he accepted his wife back, his life would be in danger.

“I am tired of the marriage, please dissolve our union,” he said.

But, the 53-year-old Mrs Jimoh, denied the allegations saying: “I am neither a witch nor I fetish. I am also far from adultery.”

She said all she wanted is a settlement adding that she was sorry for everything she did.

“Please beg my husband. I still love him,” she said.

The court President, Mr Olubode Sekoni, advised the couple to maintain peace and adjourned the matter till March 23.

from the security agents. Now, Alhaji Aminu has gone leaving behind his wife, children, family and friends and the supposed officers who shot him are walking free on the streets. This is pathetic urday, said the deceased was full of life during the visit.

“The news of his death few hours after I left him in the hospital is shocking,” he said, adding: “It is a sad thing that he was shot for no just cause, up till now, nothing is heard from the security agents. Now, Alhaji Aminu has gone leaving behind his wife, chil-

’

dren, family and friends and the supposed officers who shot him are walking free on the streets.

This is pathetic,” he said.

President, Lagos District of The Companion, an association of Muslim Men in Business and Profession, Sheikh Nojeem Jimoh, said Salis’ death “reminded us that the

nature of death is sudden.

He said Salis’ death is a “sad reminder of the anarchy we have found ourselves,” adding: “About one month after the incident, no one was apprehended, no arrest has been made, absolutely nothing has happened. Nothing defines the situation of lawlessness more than this.”

Alhaji Thabit Wale Sonaike, The Companion Deputy National President, said Salis never wanted to die.

According to Sonaike, Alhaji Salis did all he could to survive but Allah’s will prevail.

“He was loved by many and his dedication to a course was commendable. I am not surprised to see this large turnout,” he said.

My husband comes home drunk, says woman 35-year-old woman, O m o w u n m i Oluwadamilare, has pleaded with an Orile Agege Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve her 13-year-old marriage, accusing her husband of battery and lack of care.

The petitioner, a civil servant, who lives at 12, Aranseolu Street on Oko-Oba Road in Orile-Agege, Lagos, told the court that her husband, Abiodun, is a drunkard and misbehaves anytime he is drunk.

“My husband comes home drunk every night, he pounces on me whenever I am sleeping and

A

By Basirat Braimah

makes love to me, and because of this I have six children.

“He is not responsible, he does not provide for the children neither does he pay their school fees.

“I provide for the upkeep of the house and even pays the house rent,” she said.

The mother of six, between ages three months and 13 years, said her husband beats her whenever he is drunk.

“He still punched me last night after he came home drunk, I have

told him to pack his things and leave the house but he wouldn’t listen. Anytime I changed the padlock, he breaks the door and enters, I am tired of his ways and attitude, please separate us so that I can be free,” she added.

Her husband, Abiodun Oluwadamilare, failed to appear before the court for the fifth time.

The Court President, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, told the woman to maintain the peace and ordered the bailiff to re-serve the respondent another summons.

He adjourned the case till today.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

11

CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

Two suspected drug dealers held for robbery

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WO suspected drug dealers, Usman Yekini, 29, and Uchechukwu Udeh, 23, have been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for alleged robbery.

The suspects were arrested on March 5 on Badagry Expressway after attacking one Henry Eke, who was driving a Volkswagen Passat car, with registration number LND 366 AY. The satellite Divisional Police Officer, who was on patrol, effected their arrest.

Yekini from Okene in Kogi State said he went into drug business because he couldn’t afford to rent a room in Lagos.

“I used to help him (Udeh) to sell drugs just to feed myself. He used to pay me

A

NURSING mother with her baby on her back was injured yesterday in an accident at Sadiku BusStop, Ilasamaja along Apapa-Oshodi Expessway.

The accident, which involved a commercial bus (Danfo), a private car and a motorcycle, occurred around 5pm.

Iya Anu as the woman is known was on the motorcycle with her baby and another woman before the accident hap-

•Yekini

By Ebele Boniface

N800 everyday for selling cocaine, heroin, Charly pin and Indian hemp daily.

On that fateful day, the man’s car was faulty. We

•Udeh

walked up to him pretending to help him but before he knew it, we ransacked his car. He called a man who alerted the police. We got arrested while eight other colleagues escaped,” he said.

According to him, one pinch of cocaine is sold for N150, N250, and N500 depending on the demand.

“You can take cocaine of N20, 000 to N25, 000 a day. I don’t have such money. I

smoke Indian hemp which is sold for N50 a wrap. I have participated three times in operation take anything you can grab. In the first one I got N500 from the N5, 000 we got. The second one we got N8, 000 and I was given N700. The third operation I got nothing because the operation failed and I and this guy were arrested.

Udeh, a native of Agbaai in Enugu State, said he lived with his brother in Ijegun Satellite Town, Lagos.

He said: “I am a bus conductor at Navy Gate close to Mazamaza. We help drug dealers to sell drug at day time. In the night we go out on the streets to lookout for faulty cars to rob. We used to be about 10. Yekini, Uchenna, Janta, Okon (aka S14), Solo, Redman, Akpunwa, Peter and Osalome Onyema. We once robbed a man who conveyed turkey. I am a bus conductor. I used to get N3,000 everyday but spend N2,500 on drugs and N500 on feeding.

The command’s spokesperson, Ken Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said detectives were on the trail of the others.

Nursing mother injures leg in accident

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

pened.

The motorcyclist was trying to manoeuvre between the commercial bus with number plate FST 153 XE and a white Honda Odyssey space bus with number plate BR 381 EPE when the bus driver opened his door, hitting the motorcycle. The bus sandwiched the motorcycle

and the four people on it (the Okada rider, the two women and a baby) between it and the Honda Odyssey.

They were knocked down.

Sympathisers quickly rushed to their aid, helping the baby first before others.

The baby appeared unhurt but the mother fractured her left leg.

Following their rescue, the motorcyclist ran

away with his bike.

A young woman inside the Honda Odyssey lost her phone to some people who pretended to be helping victims when she tried to assist lift the women from the ground.

“I have lost my phone; I don’t know who removed it from my pocket while trying to rescue those women. This is sad,” she said.

Seeing her fractured

leg, sympathisers argued on where to take the injured woman for medical treatment.

While some recommended nearby May Hospital, some said she should be taken to traditional bonesetters at IdiAraba.

The nursing woman, writhing in pains was crying, lamenting that her leg has been broken.

Ikeja, Lagos.

Mrs Ijewere-Kalejaiye, who presented a letter to Lagos State Commissioner for Justice and AttorneyGeneral Mr Ade Ipaye, said the group is planning a workshop to sensitise rape victims on the need

to speak out.

She said the workshop would also serve as a platform to inform the society about the scourge of sexual abuse, especially as it relates to young girls and women.

Ipaye said the menace of

rape would reduce with the increasing tempo of sensitisation.

Some of the top celebrities who took part in the walk were wife of popular R’n’B star, Innocent Idibia, Annie; Ini Edo, Kehinde Bankole and Lami Philips.

NGO protests against rape

T

O stem the rising wave of rape, an advocacy group, Walk Against Rape (WAR), has organised a walk to sensitise the public on its effects.

The convener, Esther Ijewere-Kalejaiye, urged sexually abused persons, particularly women and children, to speak out.

She said WAR is committed to stamping out rape and be the victims’ mouth piece.

Members, clad in white and black attires, protested in Lagos last Friday, carrying placards with inscriptions such as: “Real men don’t rape”; “Stop defiling our girls”; “We stand against rape”; “Don’t stay unconcerned, yours may be next”; “Rape is Rape”; “Say no to sexual molestation” and “Break the silence.”

They were joined by Nollywood stars, members of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

Don calls for science centres

By Basirat Braimah

A

FORMER Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof Olusoga Sofola, has called for the establishment of science centres across the country to advance technological development.

Sofola, the initiator of Alofos Science and Technology Foundation, spoke at the end of an eight-week session tagged: “The Ingenious” organised by the foundation.

He emphasised the need to encourage school children to be passionate about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM, while giving them opportunities to show their creative skills and abilities to work as a team.

Sofola said: “There are over a thousand science centres in America. Every city boasts of one. In Nigeria, we don’t have a place, where kids can go anytime and play with science and technology tools.

“What we have been able to do with Alofos is to make kids love science and Mathematics through fun tools and computers, so that they can learn on their own. All over the world, robots are the main thing. They are now being used even in the search of a missing plane.”

About the participants drawn from private and public secondary schools, he said: “They were also given tasks to complete, using robots, such as picking up dirts on the way and dumping them somewhere or identifying an object with a particular colour, among others. With time, we will get to the level where we will start applying robots to our everyday life.”

A tutor, Mujidat Bakare, said the students were taught how to create ideas and bring them to life.

She said: “At the end of every session, there was always a project. They were taught various branches of technology that deals with robotic designing, combination of hard science, Mathematics, computer programming, 3D designing, circuit building and basic computing. The initiative has not only helped pupils participate in various robotics at home and abroad, but it has also made them improve in their studies.”

•The protesters

By Kingsley Diko

(FOMWAN), parents and students, as they moved from the Archbishop Vinning Memorial Church ground in Ikeja, GRA, Lagos, to the Deputy Governor’s office at the Secretariat in Alausa,

•Sofola

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

12

NEWS

Buhari is on a rescue mission, says Peterside

R

IVERS State candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Dr. Dakuku Peterside has described the APC’s presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, as a man of impeccable character on a mission to save Nigeria.

Peterside spoke in Port Harcourt at a gathering of small business owners, under the aegis of Pillar Association.

He noted that Gen. Buhari survived all calculated plots against him because he is a straightforward man who means well for Nigeria.

“At 72, Buhari has achieved everything few persons can achieve in one life. He attended the best military schools in the world, excelled

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

in prime military postings, and he is fondly remembered for using the forces under his command in 1983 to chase away invading Chadian forces.

“He was also governor of the then North Eastern State; federal commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Head of State and later, chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund,” he said.

Peterside, who described Gen. Buhari’s mission in politics as clearly altruistic and service-driven, warned that Nigerians must not be deceived by the cheap propaganda of a few who are defending their pockets and mouths.

He said Nigerians, across tribe and religion, supports the general because they believe he is the only person at the moment who can rescue the country from those who want the rot to continue.

Nigeria, he insisted, must be rid of corruption, ineptitude, clannish politics, lies and impunity. According to him, those castigating Buhari do not mean well for Nigeria; they want these vices and other deficits closely associated with this government to continue.

Peterside identified corruption, insecurity, unemployment, poverty and mismanagement as the challenges confronting Nigeria. He enjoined Nigerians to join in the effort to rescue Nigeria by

voting out PDP and its inept government.

Also speaking at a oneday interactive session with the state Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt at the weekend, Peterside promised that his administration would defend the independence of the judiciary and provide effective administration of justice.

The candidate assured the people that his government would put in place measures to ensure smooth and speedy dispensation of justice. He also promised to provide modern infrastructure and ensure that the courts are technology-compliant.

“Justice administration is important because every other thing rests on the law’’.

Mobil trains 62 in food processing From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

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IXTY-TWO women in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, have been trained in food processing by Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN).

The four-day capacity building workshop has the theme: ‘Enhancing Local Food Production Beyond Subsistence: the case of oil palm refining, cassava, plantain, yam and corn processing.”

The training ended yesterday with a call on the women to equip themselves and take food processing beyond the scope of domestic kitchens and empower themselves with entrepreneurial skills for a better standard of living.

The event was coordinated by Pillar Forum Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, a non-governmental organisation, and sponsored by Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN).

Mobil’s Public and Government Affairs manager Mrs. Regina Udobong said the workshop was initiated and endorsed as part of the Joint Venture’s strategy to combat poverty through knowledge and entrepreneurial development, among women in the state.

Mrs. Udobong said the workshop was also aimed at promoting constructive engagement of women interested in enhancing capacity and output of their micro processing facilities.

We’ll deliver 1.5m votes to Jonathan From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

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KWA Ibom State people have assured President Goodluck Jonathan of 1.5 million votes during the presidential elections.

Governor Godswill Akpabio gave the assurance at the weekend during the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Women for Change Development Initiative Transformation rally at Uyo Township Stadium.

Akpabio said: “There is no need for campaign in the state.

We are only here to rejoice because our women and the people are for PDP. I assure you that we will not give President Jonathan less than 1.5 million votes in the elections.

“Akwa Ibom and Nigeria love you. So, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock. Already, all PDP states have been delivered and we believe more states would be delivered for PDP. So, on March 28, this country will move forward for PDP, where there is no corruption.”

The governor remarked that women are a blessing to many Nigerian families. He called on the women to vote for President Jonathan and PDP candidates in the elections, thanking Dame Patience Jonathan for her good work in sensitising Nigerian women.

Fire guts Oritsejafor’s guest house •All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State Dr. Dakuku Peterside (second left) greeting Rev. Canon Sulivan Odike (right) during Mothering Sunday Thanksgiving at the St Andrews Anglicn church, Diobu, Port Harcourt ...yesterday. With them are Peterside’s wife Elima (left) and Rev Odike’s wife Margaret.

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HE guest house of the Word of Life Bible Church, ‘The Eagle House Building’, founded by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, was yesterday gutted by fire.

The building, it was learnt, went up in flames about 12:55 pm, towards the end of the second service. No life was lost, according to the church’s authority.

The cause of the fire was still unknown. It was put out by the combined effort of the Delta State Fire Service Department; the SPDC and NNPC fire services.

A statement by head of the church’s media team, Pastor Victor Abraham, posted on its official Facebook account, said no casualty was recorded in the incident.

“At 12:55 pm today, Sunday, March 15, 2015, The Eagle House Building, particularly the top floor, “Eagle Nest Guest House”, caught fire. The incident took place as the second service ended. Fortunately, the combined forces of SPDC, NNPC, and Delta State fire services arrived promptly and put out the fire.

“Please note, no life was lost and there were no injuries to members or personnel, damage is only on the top floor of the Eagle House building, which is the “Eagle Nest Guest House”.

‘Sacked Akwa Ibom lawmakers must go’

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•The Word of Life Church guest house on fire...yesterday.

PVCs: Engage town criers, Dickson urges rulers

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AYELSA State Governor Seriake Dickson has asked traditional rulers to use town criers to create awareness for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

He asked them to prevail on their subjects to take advantage of the extension of the deadline by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to collect their PVCs. Dickson spoke at the weekend in continuation of the state’s ‘Operation Show Your PVC’ in Yenagoa Local Government Area.

The governor said the

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

government’s desired to achieve almost 100 per cent collection rate to enable the people vote in the elections.

He noted that the elections would be different from others.

Dickson, who visited Biseni, Okordia, Zarama, and Gbarain/Ekpetiama clans of Yenagoa, urged the people to shun apathy and believe in INEC. He assured them that the elections would be devoid of thuggery and other electoral malpractices.

He said: “We are embarking on this ‘Operation Show Your PVC’ campaign to ensure that every eligible Bayelsan that registered with INEC gets their PVC. You know our voting population is not as high as some states, so we cannot afford to be indifferent about this issue.

“I know we all want our son and brother to be reelected. But we cannot achieve that if we fail to collect our PVCs, because that is the only instrument that will enable you to vote for him and the other candidates.

“For us in this state, it is PDP all the way. So, if anybody comes to tell you that he or she is contesting from another party just to win the election and thereafter come back to the PDP, it is a lie.

Don’t listen to such stories.

Bayelsa is PDP, just as PDP is for Bayelsa.

“I call on you, our respected fathers, to join us in this campaign by telling our people that this election will be different from others.

This election will be one man one vote, one woman one vote, one papa one vote and even one mama one vote.”

KWA Ibom State House of Assembly Speaker Mr. Samuel Ikon yesterday insisted that the four sacked lawmakers must go for defecting from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to other parties.

Ikon said if the House of Representatives had done the right thing, the seats of defected members would have been declared vacant.

The speaker spoke at a briefing at the Nigerian Union of Journalists Press Centre in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

Ikon said any member who defected midway through his tenure should forego his seat.

“I will not follow anybody to do the wrong thing because when we face judgment, we answer on our own and when we face the

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

people, each person talks on his own, and that is the truth.

“If the House of Representatives is misleading the nation, I will not be part of it. About Tambuwal, there was a court order that the status quo ante should remain; that is why he is still remaining there. If not for the order, he would not be there.”

The speaker on Tuesday declared four seats vacant because some members defected from PDP.

‘If the House of Representatives is misleading the nation, I will not be part of it’

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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NEWS

Tiger Woods 'hopeful' of return

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ORMER world number one Tiger Woods is "hopeful" of a return for the Masters but will miss next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The 14-time major winner is taking an indefinite break from the game having described this year's performances as "unacceptable for tournament play".

"I've put in a lot of time and work on my game and I'm making strides," said Woods, 39.

Woods added that he won't return until he can "compete at the highest level".

He has won the Arnold Palmer Invitational, held in Orlando, Florida, eight times in his career.

In a statement on his official website, Woods said: "I spoke to Arnold today and told him that I will not play in his tournament this year. I'm sorry I won't be in Orlando next week, but I know it will be a really successful event.

"I hope to be ready for the Masters, and I will continue to work hard preparing for Augusta."

Woods, 39, withdrew injured with back problems from last month's event at Torrey Pines after just 12 holes, having missed the cut at the Phoenix Open the week before.

The Masters in Augusta, which Woods has won four times, begins on 9 April.

Sergey Kovalev beats Jean Pascal to retain light-heavyweight titles

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USSIAN Sergey Kovalev retained his trio of light heavyweight world titles by stopping former champion Jean Pascal in the eighth round in Montreal.

The 31-year-old is now unbeaten in 27 bouts, 24 wins coming by knockout.

Pascal, 32, who won the World Boxing Council belt in 2009 and defended it three times, suffered the first knock-down of his career in the third round.

The Canadian was pinned to the ropes in the eighth, when all three judges had the score 68-64 for Kovalev.

American-based Kovalev remains World Boxing Association, World Boxing Organization and International

Boxing Federation champion.

He had captured two of those belts last November with a unanimous 12-round decision over former middleweight world champion Bernard Hopkins, the first time he been taken past the eighth round.

Haitian-born Canadian Pascal landed some punishing blows in the fourth and fifth rounds and called for a rematch after only the third defeat of his career, insisting: "I was still in the fight."

Kovalev was down himself in the eighth round, in what was ruled a slip, before two hard rights to Pascal's head prompted Puerto Rican referee Luis Pabon to end the contest.

Lewis Hamilton wins easily in Australia

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HIEF F1 writer in Melbourne Lewis Hamilton dominated the Australian Grand Prix to get his world title defence off to the perfect start.

He drove a measured race, controlling the gap to his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg throughout as the team left the rest of the field behind.

Ferrari's improved form was confirmed as new signing Sebastian Vettel took third, beating Williams's Felipe Massa.

Jenson Button achieved his aim of finishing in the slow and unreliable McLaren-Honda but was 11th and last.

The season started in dramatic style as the field lost three cars cars even before the start, in front of a capacity crowd in Albert Park under blue Melbourne skies, the warm sunshine tempered by a cool, strong and blustery wind.

Williams's Valtteri Bottas was ordered not to race by the official doctor after suffering an injured disc in his back in qualifying and spending the night in hospital.

McLaren-Honda's poor reliability struck Kevin Magnussen as he headed around to take his place on the grid, the Dane stopping in a cloud of blue smoke between Turns Five and Six. Red Bull also lost a car before the start, Daniil Kvyat stopping shortly afterwards, just failing to make it around to the pits after hitting gearbox trouble.

With the absence of the Manor Marussia team, who did not run at all throughout the weekend, that meant just 15 cars took the start.

And another was lost within a few hundred metres, as Lotus's Pastor Maldonado was tagged by Felipe Nasr's Sauber at the first corner and spun into the barriers, bringing out the safety car.

When the race finally started, the excitement ebbed away as Hamilton quickly built a lead and then controlled his pace until the first stops, holding it at about two seconds.

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MONDAY MARCH 16, 2015

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

All is not well with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State, despite the recent presidential visit. BARNABAS MANYAM examines the crisis and its implications for the party, ahead of the general election.

•President Jonathan being welcomed to Adamawa State by monarchs and party leaders.

Adamawa PDP: A divided house T

HE squabbling in the Adamawa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to end, despite President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s visit. The grouse was generated in the wake of the party’s primaries, which were characterised by the imposition of candidates at all levels.

The support of the Christian population can no longer be taken for granted. After seven years of Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako in office, Christians are demanding for a fair deal. They say they have waited in the wings to take a shot at the governorship, but are being denied the chance once again, with the handing of the governorship ticket to another Fulani man on a platter of gold.

They are insisting on Nuhu Ribadu’s name being substituted by that of a seasoned politician and legal luminary, Jerry Kumdisi.

According to observers, the argument of the Christian community and that of the minorities may be tenable, but the Presidency has continued to disregard this sizeable voting population, going by the outcome of the 2011 general elections.

Less than two weeks to the presidential elections, the chances of the PDP is becoming bleak by the day, as some party bigwigs have been defecting to other parties.These include: Markus Gundiri, Navy Commander Bodes, Alh. Abubakar Kari Abdulahi and Hon. Awwal Tukur. Others are: two members of the National Assembly, Aishatu Dahiru Binani and Anthony Madwatte, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Kwamoti Laori.

Laori left the party with many members of the House, including the former Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo.

Some of the aggrieved aspirants that contributed to building the party, but have been ditched by the PDP include Gen. Aliyu Kama, Hon. Awwal Tukur, Dr. Ahmed

Modibbo, Prof Andrawus Sawa, incumbent Governor Bala Nggilari, Senator Abubakar Halilu Girei, Hon. Jerry Kumdisi, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, and former Special Adviser to the President, Mr. Ahmed Gulak. It also includes senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly aspirants, who were sidelined during the primaries by the party. As a result, the party is grappling to make an impact in Adamawa State.

Under Governor Nggilari, many local government chairmen have resorted to using state funds to fund parties that are in the opposition.

Another baffling aspect is that some politicians, who are said to be loyal to the PDP are becoming lukewarm; most of them no longer attend party functions or contribute their resources to support the campaign effort. Those could be described as resourceful people in the party are aloof and unperturbed by the struggles the party is going through. People like the former Acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who was the major beneficiary of the Murtala Nyako impeachment and who also presided over the government for three month have since refused to identify with the party in terms of committing his resources to run the party.

Observers say he is waiting in the wings to benefit from the appeal court judgement between him and Nggilari. Fintiri believes the

Presidency will swing the case to his favour.

Kumdisi has been endorsed by many political heavyweights in the state. According to observers, he is the one politician that may help galvanise the party to victory, if the party decides to right the wrongs done to him during the primary. Such observers see the coming of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as a sign of the growing impunity and interference with the internal democracy from Abuja. The henchmen behind the manoeuvrings, they said, are only are interested in siphoning the state’s funds, if Ribadu comes to power.

Among the other nine aspirants that were shortchanged at the primaries, Kumdisi appears to have more political clout. He is a moderate voice that can carry many stakeholders along. Besides, he is an experienced legislator; having served three terms in the House of Assembly He is not a money bag. Yet, the people’s love for him is genuine because he is simply a grassroots man that believes in personal persuasions. Kumdisi carries more influence and acceptability among Adamawa State delegates. He was coasting to victory before the impunity that took place in Abuja was concocted.

Pundits say the only way the PDP can extricate itself from the tight spot it has found itself is to go back to the drawing board, by

Pundits say the only way the PDP can extricate itself from the tight spot it has found itself is to go back to the drawing board, by reuniting stakeholders and pacifying those that left the party because they felt they were shortchanged during the primaries

reuniting stakeholders and pacifying those that left the party because they felt they were shortchanged during the primaries.

Kumdisi is believed to be the only man who can unite members once more. Local people contributed to buy his PDP nomination forms for N11m because of their love for him.

Many party supporters have called for compensation for former aspirants with positions and cash to assuage their huge campaign expenditure and the N11m nomination fee.

Observers believe that, if Ribadu’s name is not substituted by that of Kumdisi, the party may come a distant third in the election. They believe that the change of candidature will bring the party back to his winning ways. They say this is not because they have anything against Ribadu, who is widely regarded as a gentleman, who can even stand elections to the highest office in the land. But, their grouse is the process that brought him into the race.

According to this group, the PDP would not be in the mess, if real elections were allowed to take place if the President had persuaded other aspirants to step down for Ribadu. “Many aspirants would have agreed, but, by using the elbow on the other nine aspirants and thwarting the whole process, they see in Nuhu Ribadu as a pawn being used by some dangerous people in Abuja to feather their nests,” one of such observers, who does not want to be named, said.

He added that those that drafted Ribadu into the race on the platform of the PDP have only succeeded in spoiling the bright chances that the former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had from the beginning. Only time will tell if the mafia will succeed.

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THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 16, 2015

need to ask Mr. Ayo Fayose the credentials ‘ We he parades academically and intellectually that can compare him with Gen. Buhari’s astuteness, brilliance, mental alertness

‘

...

74 D AYS TO GO ...74 DA

The National Secretary of the Southern Nigerian Peoples Assembly (SNPA), Dr. Ayakeme Whiskey, spoke with MIKE ODIEGWU on the preparations for the general elections and other issues in Asaba, the capital of Delta State.

Ayakeme: PDP not scared of election I

S PDP afraid of this election?

The PDP is not afraid of this election.

We want a transparent election. Let the needful be done, let every registered Nigerian have access to their PVCs, let there be no undue influence from INEC. Look at the issue of the redeployment of resident electoral commissioners. In the past those who were in the south were moved to the north, those who were in the north were moved to the south to ensure that things were properly done, to ensure that nobody is favoured on the grounds of primordial ethnocentric consideration.

But, what did Jega do? Moved somebody from Sokoto to Jigawa State, moved somebody from Borno to Adamawa State. We have taken this thing seriously and have expended energy to investigate and it is not every northerner that is supporting Jega and his nonsense. Northerners are the ones giving us information. So, we are not talking trash. Jega has moved people in a manner that it will secure the northern interest which is however the vote come, let it come for Buhari and the process starts from the distribution of PVCs that is why the whole southern Nigeria is marginalised. The President said this recently that how could Lagos with 5.2million voter registration access to only 38 per cent of the voter’s cards.

Why did the Southern Nigeria Peoples’ Assembly call for the removal of INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega?

You can imagine a situation where INEC recorded 60 million registered voters and only about 40 million of these registered voters received the PVCs. The Nigerian constitution guarantees anybody that is 18 years and above the right to vote and be voted for. INEC, as an institution has the responsibility to ensure that every registered voter gets his voter’s card. They have not lived up to their responsibility and they were planning to go ahead to conduct elections, disenfranchising over 20 million Nigerians,which wasn’t very fair. If you have 35 per cent of the entire population not being able to vote you can’t ascribe credibility to that election; you can’t say anybody who has won the election has won the election validly. Every registered voter must of choice vote and let not the disenfranchisement come from the institution which is legally powered to ensure that

The PDP is not afraid of this election.

We want a transparent election. Let the needful be done, let every registered Nigerian have access to their PVCs, let there be no undue influence from INEC •Ayakeme

people are registered.

This same Jega conducted elections in 2011 and declared President Goodluck Jonathan the winner. What has really changed?

Jega just came in then. There are threats that power must go back to the north at all cost, that it is their birth right to rule this country and that if power does not go back to the north, there will be cataclysm in this country.

What about the threat of war by the Niger Delta ex-militants?

It was retaliation because, in the course of his campaign, the President was stoned twice in the North. We are democrats; nobody will create any crisis, if elections were free and fair and Jonathan does not win. But, not when you have crookedly promoted the victory for Buhari as we have discovered. Are you aware that the Northern Elders Forum supplied Jega with 150 laptops for each state of the North to assist in the registration of voters? Southern Nigeria People’s Assembly is made up of very credible Nigerians and, for us to come out openly to make a statement; it is not without foundation and basis.

There is also the allegation that members of your forum were sponsored by PDP to fly the kite of the Presidency Do I look like a man that is being sponsored? I have always articulated my views very clearly. Let me make this very clear, we

are not unaware of our historical facts.

We know, as minorities, we are the most despised people in this country. As minorities, we are the most denied people in this country. As minorities, we know we are the most exploited people in this country that is why since 1966 oil was struck in commercial quantity the Ijaw territory is the way it has been until recently. This is because people felt good, they exploited our resources for their personal good. The whole craze about Jonathan must not come back, power must shift to the north is because of our oil, nothing more because Nigerian economy is standing on our oil. Remove oil, this economy collapses.

What our boys said was that ‘if you disqualify Jonathan though crooked and unfair means, you won’t see any oil to promote your government’. How much performance did Shagari bring to impact on the lives of Nigerians between 1975 and 1983, that everybody gave him the chance of becoming a two-time president before Buhari came and destroyed the government? How much performance can you credit to Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007 and particularly between 1999 and 2003? We all rallied around Obasanjo to come back the second time. What are the sins of Jonathan? A man that has been able to project the economy of Nigeria; a man that has turned around so

many infrastructure that has been moribund in this country; a man that has brought back agriculture that was our mainstay and long been forgotten and by virtue of these activities, we see an economy where the GDP is always on the rise. What are the sins of Jonathan that the whole north has come to say he must not come back, other than access to our commonwealth of which we the Ijaw people, the minority of south-south contribute over 90%.

Has this whole thing become a power struggle between the North and South?

Basically so because the north is unrepentant about their demand that Jonathan must not come back. They are unrepentant about their insistence that it is their permanent right to rule over Nigeria. They are unrepentant over their demand that power must shift to the north. Jega has become a willing tool in their hand. Jega is an Hausa-Fulani man, his people have conscripted him into their fold and that is why he has controlled the entire processes of INEC to favour them. The north-eastern states where there are crisis people have taken more PVCs than the whole south put together. Over 20 million PVCs have been distributed in the north west and only less than 40% of the PVCs have been distributed in Lagos state.

Are political leaders in the South encouraging thier people to collect the PVCs as their counterparts in the North are doing?

You are wrong. The process is this. In the North, they give these PVCs to traditional and political leaders to distribute.

Nobody goes through the painstaking process of going through advertised list to indicate names. Come to the South, they enforce the rules, and this is what you must do first. It is clearly what has accounted for it. These are the entire scheme to ensure that we are deprived of legitimate vote so that Buhari must win at all cost.

But, has Jega not yielded to the pressure of postponing the election?

Jega yielded to no pressure. Sixty-six million Nigerians registered to vote. Only about 42 million Nigerians collected their voter cards.

That is not readiness to conduct an election.

There are technicalities that have frustrated the so-called card readers that Jega introduced.

Jega was not ready to conduct any election that would be credible. The bottom-line is free, fair credible election. All Jega had interest in doing was to scheme this election in favour of the north that is why the entire south was denied access to PVCs, the north has more than enough PVCs.

Group chides Fayose over uncouth statement against Buhari

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GROUP, the Grassroots Mobilisation for Muhammadu Buhari, has berated the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose over his recent uncouth statements against the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr Remi Oyebamiji, the group said Fayose exhibited lack of depth in his contribution at the interaction with civil right activities in Lagos.

He said: “Mr. Ayo Fayose, the audacious and uncouthed Governor of Ekiti State exhibited lack of depth in his contribution at the interaction with civil right activities. In his trademark of abuse, disrespect, crude and uncivilised comments on Gen. Buhari (rtd) APC flag bearer, he described him as old, physically unfit and mentally incapable of leading the country.

“We need to ask Mr. Ayo Fayose the credentials he parades academically and intellectually that can compare him with Gen. Buhari’s astuteness, brilliance, mental alertness. Even Fayose’s principal cannot stand, Gen Buhari in mental,

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan alertness, intellectual depth in good governance. Just recently the symbol of CHANGE and BRAND Gen Buhari (rtd) received a standing ovation at Chatham House, London U.K after a brilliant presentation and question and answer sessions on issues that bother on governance.”

According to Oyebamiji, Fayose’s myopic opinion that the North should wait until 2019 for the Presidency, has reduced Nigeria to a banana republic at the expense of the clueless leadership PDP offers.

He said Fayose’s remarks about Governor Fashola’s performance is nothing but hypocrisy and distaste for good governance. Oyebamiji said Lagos State has become the standard for which other states including Federal Government are measured in terms of dividend of democracy and good governance.

He urged Ekiti people to call a family meeting on Fayose and take concrete decision on the bad conduct and demeanour has brought shame to the integrity and wellbeing of Ekiti people.

Oyebamiji added: “Ekiti State stands out among the states of Nigeria with indigenes that have distinguished themselves in all areas of human endeavour. The state has assemblage of best brains any na-

tion can be proud of. Here is a Governor whose antecedent speaks nothing but mediocracy, brigandage, impunity, indiscipline and fraud.

“The Yoruba nation also needs to

be on the alert. It is one servant that makes others to be despised. Like the bird “Elulu” calling for rain when the rains will come, the flood will sweep away everybody and everything on its part.”

•Senator Oluremi Tinubu (middle), one-time Lagos State Commissioner for Finance Wale Edun and former Commissioner for Home Affairs Hon. Tunde Balogun at the Ndigbo All Progressives Congress (APC) rally held at Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Another crude shocker •Report on America’s oil storage is a wake-up call to Nigeria to diversify its economy OR corruption-ridden and spendthrift Nigeria, the report that the current glut in the United States oil market might further dampen the prices of crude oil and refined petroleum products, further pushing the price down to as low as $20 per barrel, must have come as a terrible blow. Yes, terrible blow because Nigeria has failed to save for the proverbial rainy day, and neglected the diversification of its economic base over the decades.

According to the Associated Press, America is running out of storage for crude oil because, on the average, about one million barrels of oil per day has been flowing into the country through importation and local production. If this continues, it is only a matter of time for the storage tanks to reach their operational limits, probably by the middle of next month. The implication is that crude prices could tumble. “The fact of the matter is, we are running out of storage capacity in the US,” Ed Morse, the Head of Commodities Research at Citibank, said at a symposium at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

The difference between Nigeria and the United States is leadership. That is the singular factor that accounts for the robust planning that has put the United States in a position to attain its highest point in crude supply in about 80 years.

While the U.S. has been working assiduously over the years to ensure that America attains its present level, irrespective of the government in power, successive Nigerian governments have continued to pay lip service to the development of the oil sector. While the govern-

F

ments keep talking about diversification, they’ve done little or nothing to actualise it.

The sad aspect of it is that since the discovery of crude oil in Oloibiri in 1956, we also neglected agriculture, which until the advent of oil was the country’s economic mainstay. Perhaps if we had even paid serious attention to the oil sector beyond waiting for the monthly handout from the Federal Government to sustain the states, things would not have been this bad today, despite the shocks in the global oil market. But successive governments’ complacency and irresponsibility degenerated to the point where we abandoned our four local refineries and we now import a huge percentage of the refined petroleum products that are consumed in the country.

What we now reap is a lose-lose situation irrespective of what happens in the global crude market: when crude prices were high Nigerians paid more for the imported refined products and when they are down as they are now, we can hardly derive any benefit as a nation because some costs, i.e. landing cost, etc. are fixed, meaning they still have to be paid whatever the price of crude oil. Worse still, many of our governments mismanaged the proceeds from crude sales instead of investing in worthwhile ventures.

It is even worse under the present administration where incompetence and large-scale looting have deprived the country of huge resources that could have been spent on regenerative projects. All these explain why the country is now in a mess where many public servants at both the federal and state levels are now being

owed salaries for months.

Unfortunately, we had the same experience with oil glut in the Second Republic, during the Alhaji Shehu Shagari era, which made the government to declare austerity measures.

That singular experience was enough to wake us up from our slumber to the urgency of diversification.

But it is better late than never. Our current cash crisis should open our eyes to the reality that oil-driven economy is dying. We need to return to agriculture and agro-allied industry, even as we must unlock the potentials in many states which some extant laws prevent the states from exploiting. The government must also be ready to tackle corruption headlong because so much money had been stolen that should have been used for developmental purposes.

‘But it is better late than never. Our current cash crisis should open our eyes to the reality that oil-driven economy is dying. We need to return to agriculture and agro-allied industry, even as we must unlock the potentials in many states which some extant laws prevent the states from exploiting’

Sickening symbolism The slash in works ministry’s budgetary allocation is metaphor for a govt’s pact with underdevelopment HE sheer symbolism of it is benumbing — slashing the budget of the Federal Ministry of Works from a proposed N100 billion to N11 billion: almost N90 heaved off every N100!

Yet, the works ministry is not only responsible for road infrastructure — perhaps the most visible proof of governmental performance and economic wellbeing — it is also the bread basket of contractors, local and foreign, after legitimate daily bread.

In this age of equal opportunity sleaze and perhaps widespread budgetary padding, perhaps hardly anyone could vouch for the integrity of the originally recommended estimates? Perhaps the works ministry itself — like others? — had a history of unconscionable padding of budget estimates, so much so that someone, somewhere felt he or she had the missionary and patriotic duty to knock the flabby and fraudulent document to shape?

Still, even with the collapsing economy

T

‘Not surprisingly, a jeremiad has come from Mike Onolememen, the works minister. By this brutal hewing, the minister said, only 33 out of the Federal Government’s ongoing 210 road projects would receive attention. That is ultra-bad news, for a country that, at the best of times, has suspect stock of roads’

(which was the main reason for the slash), slicing a works ministry budget from N100 billion to N11 billion must have taken some doing! It is either the officials responsible are terribly misguided, or the Jonathan presidency itself suffers acute lack of any developmental compass.

The works ministry, after all, is the bastion of capital projects. Capital projects invest in present triggers for future growth — and development. So, visiting its budget with such cavalier hacking would appear symptomatic of a government that has made its peace with recurrent expenditures (tantamount to just living by the day), against laying solid foundations for citizens’ future wellbeing.

That would qualify for a big shame, even for the most developed economies of the world. For a developing economy like Nigeria’s, however, it is tantamount to wilful economic crime!

Not surprisingly, a jeremiad has come from Mike Onolememen, the works minister. By this brutal hewing, the minister said, only 33 out of the Federal Government’s ongoing 210 road projects would receive attention. That is ultra-bad news, for a country that, at the best of times, has suspect stock of roads.

But more bad news: if the N11 billion estimates stand, there would be no capital vote for the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), as well as for the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation. Starkly, what that means is that FERMA cadres would just receive salaries this year but would carry out no road maintenance function. It also means that the Surveyor-General and staff would hardly be in any position to design new

roads! Yet, a good number of Nigerian roads are always in a near-permanent state of disrepair and neglect!

Defending the ministry’s budget before the Senate, the minister also complained about a long history of the finance ministry withholding capital votes from the works ministry. “Only N45, 682, 844, 395 was released for the works ministry out of the 2014 capital appropriation of N98, 814, 368, 704” he said. That was less than half, leaving a shortfall of N53, 131, 524, 309.

Now, if the Jonathan presidency, by the capital/recurrent ratio of 28:72 (as per 2014) spends less than N3 out of every N10 it makes on capital projects, and still there are short-falls in the release of the capital vote, then something is terribly wrong in that government’s thinking and approach.

Besides, for the finance ministry to just brutally cut (as the works minister appeared to allege) and then engage in seeming routine capital vote shortfalls — is there no coordination between the two ministries? Indeed, is there no inter-ministerial coordination with the Federal Ministry of Finance to decide in times of stress, such that even any cuts would be taken after a joint x-ray of the crisis?

The budgetary cut of the works ministry leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, no matter the financial strictures Nigeria now faces. Even if the government hopes to depend on BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) protocols, it cannot afford to leave itself virtually stark naked as the budget suggests.

The matter should be revisited.

Political class and Nigeria’s future

S

IR: Members of the political class, who comprise of power-brokers and those governing, represent the soul of any country as they are the building blocks of leadership recruitment. By virtue of their calling, politicians are expected to show leadership and live up to their promises. They are also obligated to uphold and promote fundamental national values concerning political, economic and social imperatives. Part of these imperatives are representative democracy, good governance, popular participation, political stability, national unity, peaceful coexistence, law-abiding and dutiful citizenry, constitutionalism, due process, the rule of law, separation of powers, respect of basic human rights, social justice, sense of inclusion, equal opportunities, thriving economy, sustainable development, human welfare and international respectability.

More importantly, members of the political class or elite should stand for national cause at all times, notwithstanding their party, ethnic, religious, cultural or ideological affinity. In this case, unifying and stabilising factors like pan-nationalism, patriotism, statesmanship, national unity, corporate existence, nation-building, national integration, multiculturalism and bi-partism (or even multilateralism) should be their watchword. No doubt, these factors and similar ones encapsulate the spirit of the guardian class whose enlightened members are driven by the impulse of national interest, which is paramount, not personal or sectional interest that has been the bane of politics and governance in many developing countries, including Nigeria.

Going down memory lane, our nationalist heroes and founding fathers who featured prominently in the politics of the First Republic (1960-66), such as Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo (all of blessed memory), in spite of their human frailties, set a shining example of what are required from a model political class like selfless service, human touch, national fervour and integrity. For example, Dr. Azikiwe (the Great Zik of Africa as he was fondly called) was a tireless exponent of dignity of man, national unity and pan-African co-operation. On the other hand, Sir Tafawa Balewa was a grassroots and self-effacing political leader who espoused unity in diversity in Nigeria, just as Chief Awolowo (Awo) as he was popularly known) saw the future of the country as being inextricably tied to true federalism.

If truth must be told, the aforementioned personages had shown through their laudable feats that they were in a rendezvous with destiny as they strove to shape the future of their expectant people. With our fatherland now at a crossroads in the face of dire political, economic and social challenges, members of our political class could be said to be in a race against time. Irrespective of their affiliations, they are called upon to soften their rhetorics and close ranks for the sake of the Nigerian future that is currently threatened by intense political wrangling, violent religious extremism and ethnic militancy.

So, as we inch towards the decisive presidential and national polls on March 28 and those of the governorship and state legislative houses on April 11, our politicians owe it as a moral duty to help defuse the rising tension and uncertainties in the land over the possible outcome.

Accordingly, they are implored to shun political mudslinging, hate speeches and inflammatory remarks that could lead to violence, bloodshed and depredation.

In conformity with the spirit and letter of the Abuja Peace Accord for non-violent elections signed by various presidential candidates on January 10, 2015, all the political aspirants in the forthcoming polls in the country should drum home the normative message of this agreement to their staunch supporters and admirers who, in most cases, are the foot-soldiers of inter-party thuggery.

May God save and bless our dear fatherland.

• Okechukwu Emeh is a public analyst.

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20

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

CARTOON & LETTERS

S

IR: Dear Dame Jonathan, I hope all is well with you and your family? Let me begin by apologising for conveying this message to you through this medium. If it were possible, I would have preferred to converse with you directly to obviate the public backlash that may likely be occasioned by this open letter.

Madam, be rest assured that before writing this long innocuous letter, I had dispassionately ruminated over the possible consequences of an ‘ordinary’ citizen like me engaging the most ‘vociferous’, powerful and dreaded woman of the most populous black nation on earth. I equally adverted my mind to the fact that you are not only a married woman but the wife of the President and Commander – In – Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I did that because in my culture, it is not permissible to express perceivable insolence towards a married woman.

Let me quickly state that this cultural immunity is not rigid. The immunity is liable to be disregarded, taken away or waived.

When a married woman exudes total contempt for acceptable cul-

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Open Letter to Patience Jonathan tural, moral, ethical and legal prescriptions and standards without reference and regard to her marital status she is deemed to have waived this immunity and will be treated like any other person. Just in case you are oblivious of the non – recognition of the office of the First Lady by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and by any other law in Nigeria, may I humbly put you on notice that a ‘First Lady’ whether of Nigeria or of a state of the federation is and remains and unconstitutional being. It is a creation of the society and the political class not law.

Being the wife of the president or governor does not make one a public officer; it does not confer any legally cognizable privilege or right.

Whatever respect and recognition is accorded you and wives of governors by other citizens of this country is purely out of courtesy. It is not because they stand to lose anything if they don’t respect you. It does not also imply that they regard you as anything more than what you are; a woman that happens to be the wife of the president.

Recall that Nobel Laureate Prof.

Wole Soyinka had admonished you in the past to first be a lady before being a “first lady”. He also described you as a “mere domestic appendage “. Mr. Soyinka actually spoke the minds of millions of Nigerians especially we the “collective children of anger”.

During one of your recent needless campaign tour(s), you reportedly described the presidential candidate of the opposition All

Still on the Chibok girls

S

IR: By the 10th of March 2015, it was precisely 330 days, since the abduction of over 200 girls from a government secondary school in Chibok town, Borno state.

It is sad that up till now, the government has not provided any genuine or tangible information about the whereabouts of the girls-11 months after their abduction. It is most unfortunate that despite global intelligence partnership, the girls’ whereabouts remain a mystery, thereby foreclosing any thought of getting them free soonest by this inept government.

With over eight billion dollars reportedly spent on security in the past four years, the federal govern-

ment ought to have rescued these Chibok girls and all other Nigerians in terrorists’ bondage. That will, at least, to a reasonable extent justify those billions spent in the name of security. Until early this month, the more the government is spending more money on security, the more unsecured Nigerians and Nigeria become. There is the need for budget to be secured first, from corruption, before we can achieve any meaningful national security.

It is at the apogee of sadness and regrets that Nigerians have virtually been compelled to temporarily forget the Chibok girls, as if nothing of that magnitude has happened. Only Hadiza Bala and Oby

Ezekwesili remain the leading vanguard of this struggle to get the girls back to their parents. What a shame to a country professing to be the most populous in the African continent. There is God ooo!

Nigeria still unfortunately has more than 11 million out of school children. The government should wake up to its responsibilities and secure Nigerians and Nigeria. May Allah give us good leaders after this coming presidential election and; may the elections be free, fair and credible. Amen.

• Comrade Abdulbaqi Aliyu Jari Facebook.com/abdulbaqia.jari

Progressives Congress ( APC ), General Muhammadu Buhari as “brain dead”. An unfortunate outburst that has been upheld and reiterated by the spokesperson of your husband’s second term campaign organization, Mr. Femi FaniKayode who is presently standing trial on corruption charges. Haba Madam! Is it not you that is called ‘Mama Peace’? Cases of political rivalry abound in other parts of the country because of your meddlesome and autocratic actions in the politics and affairs of this country.

Please do not get me wrong, it is not my wish that you or the future wives of presidents and governors of this country be confined to the kitchen. Indeed, I am an advocate of women emancipation.

Dear first lady, you are not the first woman on planet earth whose husband is privileged to be the president of a country. Others were before you, and many will be after you. So there is nothing peculiar or spiritual in being the wife of the president of a country. It’s time you

retrace your steps and retreat from your inglorious war of attrition and campaign of calumny against weak and innocent people. Why should Lagos, Rivers and other states be shut down because of your visits?

Why should innocent citizens be subjected to untold hardship because of your movement(s )?.

No self – respecting woman will act and talk in a manner capable of portraying her husband as weak and irresponsible.

Always be mindful of the fact that Nigeria is greater than the first family. It is greater than Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Without Nigeria, there will be no country for your husband to lead. And without your husband you will not be the wife of the president. Nigerians are not prepared to tolerate another four years of the locust. In 2011, your husband told us the story of his humble and undignified childhood; that he had no shoes.

We were seduced, we voted for him in the hope that he will appreciate the historical significance of his election. Instead of paying us back with responsible and God fearing leadership, he took away our tattered slippers and gave it to the dogs. Now again, he thinks his ethnic, religious and hypocritical messages will secure him a second term.

Chai, there is God ooo!

• Inibehe Effiong, (From African Examiner)

My prayer for Adeboye at 73

S

IR: On this occasion of your 73rd birthday, my family and I join several Nigerians in congratulating you. I also seize this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you for your ceaseless prayers for Nigeria and Nigerians.

Your continued dedication to the service of God has drawn the admiration of many within Nigeria and around the globe.

I pray that God in His infinite mercy grant you renewed strength

and health, and the grace of many more years to provide your most distinguished pastoral care and leadership to Nigerians and the international Christian community.

Happy birthday and more of God’s blessing on you and your family, amen.

• Pastor (Dr) Olu Onagoruwa SAN, OFR Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

COMMENTS

Time to say no political clowns T

HE closer Nigeria is getting to the defiantly postponed general elections, the more desperado politicians are exposing in tomfoolery, naughtiness and waywardness. Today, many politicians who have ears are just not listening; those with eyes cannot see, while the few with brain are failing to think optimistically with confidence.

Even the blinds are shutting their eyes pretending to be asleep when it is palpable they could see nothing.

It is now as if this nation is sliding to a gutter where nothing shall profit a man if he shall gain the whole world but lose his own character. If only we can discern that the acceptance of earthly treasures by insincere tongue is a vanity flinging here and there of those in the hunt for unfulfilled life, it is then we move forward.

Surely, whether man concedes or not, there are barbs and traps on the pathway of the crooked. It is only when a leader is primarily honest on little things that he can be trusted on bigger issues that will be able to touch the life of many.

Flippant politics is on-going across the nation. Passing through the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, on getting to Alakuko Bus Stop, there is a big poster on a massive billboard written: “Facts don’t lie.” On it is the campaign photograph of President Goodluck Jonathan with his vice, Namadi Sambo. This is to assume that the president desiring reelection for the second term cannot lie as he is factual in all declarations.

But last week, there was a diplomatic row between Nigeria and Morocco over whether or not our president recently engaged the monarch in a telephone conversation.

While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement asserting that President Jonathan spoke with King Mohammed VI of Morocco, authorities of the Kingdom denied the claim and thereafter summoned up their ambassador to Nigeria.

Opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) had earlier made a statement on the issue, giving the President benefit of doubt by requesting him to clarify what really the discussion was about. To the party, the Jonathan administration has little or no regard for the truth if indeed the President was not involved in any telephone HERE are times when the reverse appears more profound than the original. This is the case with the fascinating quote by Walter Lippmann: “It requires wisdom to understand wisdom.” Perhaps more insightfully, it may be said: “It requires folly to understand folly.”

Such knowing folly was effectively exhibited by the Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Brig. Gen. Jones Arogbofa (retd), in an interview that betrayed the quality of those who work with the man at the top. To be fair, Arogbofa said: “In politics, your loyalty is to your party, it’s to your boss, it’s to your leader.” In other words, he is guided in office by the notion that the boss is always right.

He also said: “Out of nowhere, Jonathan picked me up and made me his Chief of Staff. It is a position of confidence, a position of trust, a position where you expect somebody loyal to sit and be able to watch your back.” That must be why his response to a question on public criticism of Jonathan was: “In the first place, I don’t even know what they are criticising him for. So if you feed me, maybe I will be able to have a better answer.”

With such a Jonathan-can-do no-wrong mentality, it was understandable that Arogbofa went on to say: “I haven’t spent much time here, I have spent barely one year here and I’m learning, I am learning through a very good master, in person of Mr. President. He is such a teacher who allows everything to be perfect. You can’t make a mistake with him not to cross your ‘Ts’ and dot your ‘Is’, he will call your attention to it that you can’t do this, you have to do it right. So it’s been a wonderful period of time for me.” He continued: “And when you work with a master whose mastery is awesome, you have to be on your toes all the time.” This romantic delineation of Jonathan prompts an important question: Could he be speaking about the same allegedly “clueless” Jonathan?

Interestingly, his answer to a question related to the widely condemned mountainous scale of official corruption in the country inadvertently revealed why corruption is king.

Arogbofa said: “Even my conduct, my integrity and so on,

conversation with the king. But rather than reply, APC was just vociferously abused by a presidential spokesman as if the party was ignorant of the reality.

It was not until last Friday that President Jonathan was imposed to admit that he had not at any time engaged the Moroccan king in a telephone conversation as claimed by the Ministry. He said he had also not told anybody that he spoke with the monarch. Shortly after this admittance, the opposition party has asked him to apologise to Nigerians for their embarrassment as they had now been branded liars as a result of the alleged controversial phone discussion.

More than ever before, rather than convince people of the reality in his capacity to turn his failed administration to success, President Jonathan has been exploiting the weeks of prolonged elections to visit and mobilize traditional rulers in the South West region and all manner of valueless groups and hollow elders as if they just exist. If only there is wisdom in the worthlessness of the frantic encounters. Good enough that the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona sensibly counseled him to push his agenda above his unworthy sharing formula.

Only fools will not know that it is already too late for a failed government to convince the wise to vote faultily on the basis of following the Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose scheme of sharing irrational stomach infrastructures and public financial resources. Or what is the sense in President Jonathan’s claimed approval of contracts for securing the waterways and oil pipelines to the likes of ex-militant Tompolo and cantankerous Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) split leader Gani Adams?

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors’ meeting deliberately held in Lagos last week concluded that the party will not only snatch Lagos State from APC, but will capture the entire sates in the South. It is to say that the South West is already in their hands. Afterall, they tested such promise in Ekiti State and it worked.

Even as it failed in Osun State, they might now want to repeat the same Ekiti rigging tactics at the federal level not minding if that is what will make the peace of the nation to be disrupted and the dark days in the last 16 years under PDP mounted.

If a political party is sure of winning an election, why should it then be intimidating personalities of the opposition? Sincere politicians who adore the citizens should in perseverance to the country allow election to hold free and fair. If any candidate is in sincerity of service to the people, he should not run in do or die desperation. The one once voted for but failed in performance can be voted out by voters in sensibility. But the ones failing to understand if

T

‘Abati must be living in a fool’s paradise to believe that a presidential debate of an hour or so would conclusively convince voters to reelect Jonathan, when his lowgrade performance in office and his unconvincing political campaign speak of failure’

Aso Villa voices and follies they border on corruption. If I am sitting before you now and I am lying to you about what is not happening here, then am I not corrupt? This is so because I am misguiding the people and that’s not supposed to be the situation.” If Arogbofa consciously believed his hard sell, or expected the people to fall for his performance hook, line, and sinker, it would suggest how well-adjusted he must be among the corrupt and the corrupted or how little he thinks of the collective intelligence.

Arogbofa reinforced his simplistic reasoning by adding: “So I believe that Goodluck Jonathan is fighting corruption; he is doing his best. I cannot go and meet him as a man and say, sir, approve this for me, no way. He will be sure that what you want from him is what you need to get the job done and that is the true position of things.” If this is all it takes to qualify for an anti-corruption crown, then the anti-corruption war must be far from a crowning glory.

This voice of folly is in good company at Aso Villa, considering the collaboration with Jonathan’s spokesman and media adviser Reuben Abati who has pushed his obsession with his boss well into the realm of foolishness. Abati curiously insists that the electorate needs a presidential debate to make a choice between President Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential poll rescheduled for March 28. It is noteworthy that he noted in a statement on Buhari’s alleged avoidance of a debate: “There is no gainsaying the fact that President Jonathan and General Buhari are the main contenders in this election. Every Nigerian would love to see the two of them debate. That would be good for our democracy.”

they will win or lose are those now campaigning against Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its leadership so that Nigerians would be unable to take their decision the way they want it.

With the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) now reaching acceptable state of distribution, the attack is now on the card readers. Those who are not trusting being voted for are against the card reader that can guarantee that PVCs are not forged. Won’t it then become another fake election if PVCs are not allowed to be authenticated?

Like APC’s Vice Presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s view, I believe it is irresponsible and impunity to the nation to oppose the use of the card readers for the election. It is surprising that the same government that once approved the card reader as an electronic device to give credibility to electoral process is now agitating for seeing something wrong with the device.

For a party now wooing South West at all cost, the caliber of Yorubas being used is enough to reveal what Jonathan will do for the region if by any option he is back to office. Those who truly know who former Minister of State Musiliu Obanikoro is should be convinced that is a factual clueless leadership that can re-pick him as a Yoruba ministerial representative.

This is a man who ought to adequately clear himself from the professed partnership rigging of the Ekiti State last June election or wait till the issue is resolved through proper forensic investigation and his blameworthiness in the position cleared. But the president who wants him by all means and considered the allegation as a frameup, had to use his supporters at the Senate to enforce him with political reward that may, perhaps, enable him follow up his Ekiti rigging in Lagos State.

Were this to be a society being truly reformed as a decent nation, an Obanikoro would never be considered to return as a misruling minister. But we are under an era where power is to be retained by any means notwithstanding ridicule to the integrity of the candidate.

No nation can move forward when the leader swarms his administration with those deficient in uprightness and morality.

Today, many Nigerians know who they need as their next president. The abusive media adverts are hardly convincing. Those who believe in the need for transformation will not vote for liars with liabilities. All that is needed is to let the voting and the declaration of winners be free and fair in deed and in truth. It is then the accepted will of the voters can determine the fate of this nation.

Abati further said on Buhari: “His deliberate avoidance of a Presidential debate is akin to an examination malpractice. It is not good enough for a man who wants to be President of our country. He is short-changing the Nigerian electorate by denying them the opportunity of assessing him properly in an open debate.” He added: “While a Presidential debate is not a constitutional requirement, it is an established convention that deepens and enriches the democratic process.”

According to Abati, “President Jonathan is ready to meet him in an open debate, any day, any hour, and at any venue of his choice.”

Now, how would Abati describe the jolting rearrangement of the election dates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), allegedly influenced by the Jonathan camp? What kind of “malpractice” could this be, and what does it say about a man who is seeking presidential reelection?

It is a pathetic reflection of Abati’s distance from reality that he regards “an open debate” as an opportunity for the electorate to “properly” assess the candidates. He conveniently downplayed the defining value of electioneering as well as the wisdom of the electorate. Abati must be living in a fool’s paradise to believe that a presidential debate of an hour or so would conclusively convince voters to reelect Jonathan, when his low-grade performance in office and his unconvincing political campaign speak of failure.

What this means is that Abati’s promotion of a presidential debate is much ado about nothing. It is unlikely that any perceptive voter would need to listen to Jonathan and Buhari debate before taking a voting decision. In case Abati doesn’t understand, and that seems to be the case, the candidates have been engaged in an informal but discernible debate based on their antecedents, their personalities and what they represent; and the people have followed this debate by other means with a keen and concentrated interest.

For instance, when Buhari is portrayed and recognised as a game-changing player of unstained integrity, and Jonathan is seen as a cunning champion of corruption, the collision has the ingredients of a debate.

In particular, it is evident from Abati’s fixation with a debate that he must number among the parochial who failed to grasp the import of Buhari’s February appearance and performance at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House in London. Buhari’s lecture was fittingly titled “Prospect for Democracy Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s transition”; and he glowed impressively during the question-and-answer session that followed. It was certainly not a picture of a debateshy man. But Abati is clearly reality-shy, not to call him narrow-minded.

Arogbofa and Abati are a study in how the mind operates in Aso Villa; they are also a study in how the mind does not work at The Villa.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

22

COMMENTS

I

T would appear the controversy trailing the conduct of the 2015 elections will have no end. And no end seems in sight as its eventual outcome might present more challenges than what we are currently facing.

Two basic considerations inform this seemingly damning conclusion. The first relates to the history of elections on these shores.

Even at the best of times, hardly had there been elections whose outcome was not highly disputed.

Our politicians find it difficult to accept defeat even when it is clear they had very slim chances. Matters are not helped by glaring cases of malpractices, irregularities and shortcomings that have become a recurring decimal in our electoral process. All these combine to whittle down the confidence of the people in the credibility of elections.

The cycle of violence which sometimes leads to the destruction of lives and property in some volatile sections of the country is a logical consequence of loss of confidence in the electoral process. That feeling is still much with us.

The second reason is that this election comes with very peculiar challenges. It is true that election periods by their very nature, are very trying times. But it is also no less correct to posit that the coming elections are potentially very explosive. The stakes are very high and no group will let go. There are genuine fears that its outcome could make or mar the country as the issues involved are at the very heart of our corporate existence.

That perhaps, accounts for the unending controversy that has dogged the preparations of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC since the countdown to the elections commenced. The focus has been on the preparedness and credibility of INEC to conduct generally acceptable elections. The shoddy distribution of the Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC’s) appears to have provided the platform for the plethora of attacks and criticisms that have trailed INEC’s activities in the last couple of months. The commission did not help matters when it claimed it was fully prepared to conduct the election in February as previously scheduled. A Council of State meeting was convened in which its Chairman Attahiru Jega insisted the commission was ready to go ahead with the polls.

But Jega was later to inform the nation that though he was very ready for the election, he had to postpone it on the advice of Service Chiefs who said they had a major operation in the north-east that will not allow them of-

I

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Jega’s burden fer the needed assistance to the body were the elections to proceed as scheduled. Going by the way Jega spoke, he left no one in doubt that he was only succumbing to security pressure by deferring the elections. In effect, he had a mission to exculpate the electoral body from any complicity in the events leading to that postponement.

Not unexpectedly, the Jonathan administration was heavily lampooned for inadvertently simulating the chain of events that led to that pass. This was evident in the reactions of the international community and civil society groups among others.

No less a person than former president Olusegun Obasanjo had in reaction, alleged that the postponement was to enable Jonathan buy time so as to win the election by hook and crook. He drew parallels with events in Cote d’voire when Laurent Gbagbo, faced with stiff opposition had to postpone elections until he was sure he was going to win. Such have been the level of suspicion and antagonism that followed the postponement.

Curiously, events since then have been at variance with the electoral body’s claim that it was really prepared to go on with the election. On the contrary, the challenges of the poor distribution of the PVC’s have since put a lie to Jega’s claim that he was ready for the elections. At the time the Council of State met, the rate of collection was put at less then 40 per cent. Jonathan said that much in his last Media interview.

If that was not enough evidence, the admission by Jega at the floor of the senate a week after the postponement that over one million PVCs were yet to be printed in far away China, is all one needed to substantiate the position.

T is essentially disturbing that Nigerians no longer see President Goodluck Ebele “Azikiwe” Jonathan as the nation’s saviour. His deceptive preachments, “My ambition doesn’t worth the life of anyone”, like the other swaddling hogwash, have been exposed for what they are: fraud. Since his re-election campaigns begin, no one is left in doubt that the nation is under the iron control of his PDP-led government. It has been “brain, as demagoguery offered by Femi Fani-Kayode of this world, and fist”, as offered by his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan.

His second term bid has generated indignation amongst the people who saw in him previously puritanical statesmanship and a fitting image of a liberal democrat. All that has faded now, even though he has been reeving up and clashing down potent issues to show to the world that he is not as isolated as the opposition claimed. His government is truly a gigantic fraud. As we speak, the Senate has confirmed Musiliu Obanikoro as a federal minister, appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan, brushing aside allegations that Mr. Obanikoro played a key role in election fraud in Ekiti State. To make matter worse, Mr. Obanikoro was only told to “take a bow and go”, without answering questions, on the alleged Ekitigate.

There is greater anxiety than ever before that put the nation on the spotlight, and has generated the fear that Mr Jonathan’s autocratic drift has been intensified. The “political momism”, my coinage for Dame Patience Jonathan’s verbal diarrhoea deal devastating blow to whatever peace-pact reached by all the fourteen political parties gunning for the presidency.

The peace accord came under the auspices of formers United Nation’s Secretary-General and Common Wealth’s SecretaryGeneral, Kofi Anna and Emeka Anyaoku, respectively. The violation of the peace agreement tobe non-violent is not merely an attack on the reputations of those elder statesmen who brokered the peace deal tarnished by the First Lady’s call for violence, but the nation’s sensibilities and the genuine crave for peaceful elections.

In case you forget, the President’s wife told a crowd of supporters to stone to death anyone caught mentioning, “CHANGE”. She stated this in Calabar on March 2, 2015, while campaigning for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and her husband, the incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan. “Anybody that come and tell you change, stone that person.’’ She continued: “What you did not do at 19, is it now that old age has caught up with you, you want to come and change? You can’t change; rather you will turn back to a baby. You will turn back to a baby. From old age nothing, so nothing like change. Rather (it) is continuity,” she fumed.

She added a comical note: “Even though belle (pregnancy) is disturbing you, tell it baby, baby let me go and vote. Baby wait let me go and exercise my mandate. Baby wait let me go and do what I can use to feed you. Baby wait for me, let me

Since then, the date of collection has been shifted thrice and will now end six days to the presidential and national assembly elections.

Now, if INEC was prepared for the elections as Jega claimed, how do we reconcile these developments? Could the body have gone ahead to conduct a free, fair and flawless election when millions of Nigerians stood to be disenfranchised? And what are the likely consequences of millions of registered voters denied their inalienable right to vote due to no fault of theirs. These are the moot questions. And they are at the center of the increasing suspicion trailing INEC’s activities.

There is also the issue of card readers- an innovation the commission said is designed to increase the credibility of the election outcome. The device was just tested last week- a clear one month after the postponement of the elections. The question is whether the commission intended to use that device for the postponed elections? If the answer is in the affirmative, then it further complicates the situation. Some of the challenges that have just been dictated could have created problems that would detract substantially from the credibility of that election. These are some of the dangers that faced INEC if that election had proceeded as scheduled. Some of these issues topped the grouse of the PDP Governors’ Forum that met last week in Lagos. They seemed to have struck the right chord when they asked “Nigerians to reconcile the purported readiness of INEC for the February 14, elections with the testing of card readers more than a month after the postponement”

This observation should not be ignored especially given the bad blood the postponement generated. The electoral body will regain the confidence of Nigerians by coming public on why it is so. It also has a responsibility to explain why it has continued to postpone the collection date for the PVC’s nearly five weeks after the election was rescheduled.

This is necessary for Jega to regain the confidence of the electorate. The imperative of confidence building in ensuring the overall success of any election can only be discounted at a grave risk.

Undoubtedly, Jega faces a big burden in the current elections. The challenges of the PVC’s have been considerably reduced by the postponement. He has tested the card readers with varying degrees of success. The matter is not all about the INEC’s right to deploy the device but how to ensure its efficacy during elections. If the electoral body feels sufficiently satisfied that the device will work and produce the desired result, it could go ahead and deploy them.

But it stands the risk of being discredited if there is system failure either on account of network problems or other extraneous variables. These are some of the issues. It is a calculated risk. Jega and his group should be prepared to face the verdict of history for any acts of omission or commission. That appears to be the message the PDP governors are sending across.

The buck stops at Jega’s table. He will rise and fall together with what he decides to do.

But rational calculations instruct that faced with uncertain circumstances, the right option is to minimize ones losses in the event of the worst outcome. It is akin to laying landmines for the elections to introduce innovations whose reliability and efficacy cannot be guaranteed especially when prior suspicion was raised.

‘But it stands the risk of being discredited if there is system failure either on account of network problems or other extraneous variables. These are some of the issues. It is a calculated risk. Jega and his group should be prepared to face the verdict of history for any acts of omission or commission. That appears to be the message the PDP governors are sending across’

Jonathan’s rampaging bloody politics

By Erasmus Ikhide go and vote, after voting, I will come and deliver you, and you won’t die because Goodluck has given all the safety measures. You won’t die,” she enthused.

Sad and abhorrent as the above banal statement might be from the first lady, it shows how she and her husband have sunk into the pit of desperation to be returned to power. ( The opposition All Progressives Party’s slogan for March 28 election is ‘change’, so Nigerians now know that Patience Jonathan advertently had called on Nigerians to stone the opposition politicians to death. Patience Jonathan has previously mocked the APC’s slogan saying that the PDP does not tell Nigerians about change because they are not bus conductors.

As expected, Mr Jonathan is yet to respond to his wife’s call for stoning anyone who ‘talks change’ to death. Heeding the wife’s blackmail, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai’ (rtd), SURE-P Chairman was given the boot for a lecture he delivered last week in Abeokuta during the birthday ceremony of former President Olusegun Obasanjo where he declared that “change is inevitable”. Agwai merely spoke on the topic, “Imperatives of a National Security Framework for Development and Progress of Nigeria,” at the birthday ceremony where he noted that change in leadership was inevitable. He typically stressed the need for security sector reform, without which, he said, the country might be doomed.

“In life, you find out that everything needs change; if that is what the community wants, what the people want, you must give it to them and, as such, it becomes inevitable. “You can have everything nice, but if you don’t have the right leadership to propel it, it cannot go anywhere. Integrity matters - doing what is good for the larger society and not just what you want to do for a narrow society to please yourself.”

“The military has to be transformed and this becomes necessary from the point of recruitment, training and assuming leadership role. Our forces that are trained, equipped to defend us are now in a strange field. “We must have security sector reform because everyone that has anything to do with security must be re-branded for professionalism, efficiency and effectiveness. The military has nothing to do with politics, and if we allow it, we will run into problems,” he warned.

Driving by wayward leadership principles - vast and sprawling bureaucracy, having little of the required efficiency usually credited to Nigerians, poisoned by megagraft, besotted by constant confusion and cutthroat official rivalries occasioned by the muddling interference of party

potentates, and often rendered impotent by the terror of his illiterate wife, Mr Jonathan was conned out of governance.

That Mr Jonathan himself maintained dignified silence over his wife’s open call to anarchy, kidnapping and actual slaughtering of people didn’t come as a surprise. Nine members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, southern Nigeria, were killed in two separate incidents in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, a few days ago.

While five of the men were killed in the D-Line area of Port Harcourt, the other four met their untimely death along the Eastern By-Pass in the Marine Base area of the state capital!

Journalists were not left out of the Rivers State political killing field to which Mr Jonathan turns a blind eye. Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Rivers State who could not take the threat to their lives as they discharge their lawful duties in the state lying low took to the streets in protect with placard: “Journalists in Rivers State say enough is enough to insecurity and election related violence”; “We are tired of Violent Politics”; “Allow journalists perform their constitutional functions”, “When you kill journalists, you kill society”; “Toy with journalists, toy with the future of the nation”; “Journalism is a constitutionally recognised profession”; “Rivers Journalists may be forced to boycott polls coverage if…”

At the top of the swarming heap of carnage and bloodbath stands the son of canoe-carver-born PhD holder from Otuoke, ferried by providence to power. His is pathetic governance, who, at the head of so great and powerful a nation, set out to attain its end. Six-year on, he is unable to create an enviable nation, burnish with abundant resources to the satisfaction of the electorate. Nigerians will be writing their page in the darkest of histories should Mr Jonathan finds his way back to Aso Rock in a country where second term in office do not amount to much.

• Ikhide wrote in from Lagos, Nigeria.

“We are tired of Violent Politics”; “Allow journalists perform their constitutional functions”, “When you kill journalists, you kill society”; “Toy with journalists, toy with the future of the nation”; “Journalism is a constitutionally recognised profession”; “Rivers Journalists may be forced to boycott polls coverage if…”

25

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

JOBS

ISSUES

Mixed reactions over shift in auto policy implementation - P. 29

Wanted: Personal financial advisors - P. 35 News Brief

‘Youth-led micro enterprises key to growth’

Financial regulators widen risk coverage THE Financial Stability Board (FSB) and the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) have developed assessment methodologies for identifying non-bank non-insurer global systemically important financial institutions (NBNI G-SIFIs) to strengthen rules on risk coverage.

By Chikodi Okereocha

N

–Page 26

Shippers’ Council to stop arbitrary charges IN spite of the legal tussle among the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC), terminal operators and the shipping firms, the council is determined to stop arbitrary charges to make the ports attractive for business, The Nation has learnt.

–Page 26

South Africa’s Eskom suspends bosses over power shortages SOUTH Africa’s power utility Eskom has ordered four of its executives to step aside while it investigates the problems at the firm.

–Page 27

Africa’s oil ‘sweet spots’ still viable after price rout AFRICAN oil explorers will keep drilling in select locations such as onshore east Africa and less complex projects off the West African coast even with oil at $60 a barrel, executives and analysts told Reuters.

–Page 27

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil Cocoa

$54/barrel $2,686.35/metric ton

Coffee

¢132.70/pound

Cotton

¢95.17pound

Gold

$1,396.9/troy

Sugar

$163/lb RATES

Inflation

8%

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

15.87%

Savings rate

3%

91-day NTB

15%

Time Deposit

5.49%

MPR

13%

Foreign Reserve

$34.5b

• From left: Head Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, FirstBank, Ismail Omamegbe; Executive Director, Lagos & West, FirstBank, Gbenga Shobo; Principal, Tinuola International College, Ado Ekiti, Kehinde Alao; and Business Development Manager, FirstBank Ekiti, Abiola Lufadeju, at the commemoration of the Global Money Week/Financial Literacy Day in AdoEkiti, the Ekiti State capital.

No restriction on foreign investors repatriating funds, says CBN

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it will not impose any restriction on the financial market’s regime of “free entry, free exit”, allying fears that the pressure from declining foreign reserves and devaluation of Naira might force the government to impose capital control measures.

Foreign investors account for about 53 per cent of transactions on the stock market with transactions valued at more than N1.5 trillion in 2014.

Concerns about political, currency, fiscal and monetary risks, among others, have seen a spike in foreign outflows. The resultant pressure on foreign exchange has exacerbated the depreciation of the Naira.

But the CBN said in spite of the pressure, the apex bank would not resort to imposition of capital control, which last vestiges were re-

By Taofik Salako

moved in 2009.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said capital control is not an option in the bank’s fiscal and monetary management.

According to him, Nigeria wants to maintain its status of a “free entry, free exit” market, where foreign investors will not be impeded in their legitimate decisions to invest their funds in the country and also to take profits, repatriate their dividends and capital gains or outright divestment.

Emefiele was asked to respond to the question on capital control by President Goodluck Jonathan during the interactive session with stakeholders in the capital market at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). President Jonathan indicated that the Federal Government would not interfere with such position of the apex bank, noting

that regulatory agencies are in the position to take the best decisions on their areas of control.

The CBN Governor pointed out that the preponderance of foreign investors in the stock market was a reflection of the foreign investors’ appreciation of the flexibility of the market, among other factors.

While acknowledging the continuing pressure on the foreign exchange and the decline in foreign reserves, Emefiele reiterated that capital control would not be an option for the government.

Naira-Dollar exchange rate closed weekend at about N200/$1. Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves had fallen to $30.87 billion on March 4, a decline of 9.04 per cent from $33.94 billion recorded a month earlier.

Foreign investors had taken out more than N154 billion in portfolio investments in 2014 as concerns

over Nigeria’s risk profile saw many foreign investors opting for the sideline in spite of the attractive valuations of Nigerian equity investments.

The latest Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) report of the NSE showed that Nigeria recorded a foreign portfolio investment deficit in 2014 as against surplus recorded in 2013. The report, obtained at the weekend, indicated that Nigeria recorded negative net foreign portfolio position of N154.14 billion in 2014 as against a positive net position of a modest N20.48 billion in 2013.

The NSE report is regarded as a credible gauge of foreign portfolio investments in Nigeria as it coordinates data from nearly all active investment bankers and stockbrokers. Nigeria operates a mono stock exchange, which • Continued on page 26

‘Why gas utilisation programme is low’

I

NFRASTRUCTURAL bottlenecks, such as pipeline vandalism, low investments in pipeline construction, and gas transmission are hindering the Nigerian Gas Company(NGC) from reaching its installed capacity of 2.15billion standard cubit of gas per day, an official of the firm, Erivona Avuwre, has said.

Speaking on the sideline of the implementation of the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code(NGTNC) in Lagos, Avuwre said the company could only utilise 950 million standard cubit feet of gas per day.

By Akinola Ajibade

She said the problems had hampered the company from carrying out some of its core mandates of developing an efficient gas industry that would fully serve Nigeria’s energy and feedstock needs.

She regretted that the company could not run its full capacity, adding that the gas transportation network code would help in addressing the challenges facing the firm and other stakeholders when its comes on stream.

She said the firm was seeking new gas marketing opportunities by signing new

Gas Trading Agreements (GTAs), Gas Supply Agreements (GSAs) and others to supply the product to the potential customers and further grow the industry.

Also, the Deputy Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Sntigha Ekaluo, said the agency and the Federal Government would work to ensure effective utilisation of gas by ensuring that gas users get the product for various productional use.

He said the government would minimise its interest in the industry, by providing a level playing ground

for operators in the sector.

He said: “Through our oversight functions, we would be supervising activities in the industry.

However, we would allow all the stakeholders in the value chain to fully express themselves since the focus is on the overall objectives of the industry and the economy.’’

The company is one of the subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with ensuring that gas is well-utilised by ensuring that the product is marketed locally and internationally.

IGERIA’S accelerated and sustainable economic growth depends on the innovativeness of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) development intervention and support programmes as well as the number of active enterprises, Director-General/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Youth Chamber of Commerce (NYCC), Comrade Peter Ayim, has said.

Ayim said though Nigeria has the required number of active enterprises, with a predominantly youthful population of over 70 million youths, what is required to give them the needed impetus is for government to deliberately create the enabling environment that will remove all the barriers that impede youth-led micro enterprises.

This, he suggested, could be done by building a robust and dynamic public/private enterprise development eco system.

“This will facilitate diverse direct investment options in youth focused start-ups and micro-enterprises,” he said.

Noting that the YouWin initiative is typical of such innovative intervention mechanism, he however, said the programme is limited in scope.

‘YouWiN’, an acronym for Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria, is an innovative business plan competition launched by the Federal Government with the aim of creating jobs by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youths to develop and execute business ideas. The initiative aims at providing jobs for unemployed youths, hopes to trigger a ripple effect that would inspire the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of millions of youths across the country.

The scheme is also expected to help identify and empower young Nigerian entrepreneurs with the technical skills and capital needed to start or grow a business such that they could create employment for themselves as well as for others in different areas. But Ayim argued that the scheme is limited in scope.

Ayim, whose Chamber is the umbrella body and voice of youth entrepreneurs, said since the government has demonstrated commitment to encourage and support the promotion and development of entrepreneurship and the MSME sector through diverse intervention programmes, it is also important for government to explore other credible vistas so that more people can enter and actively participate in the MSME sectors.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

26

BUSINESS NEWS

Financial regulators widen risk coverage

T

HE Financial Stability Board (FSB) and the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) have developed assessment methodologies for identifying non-bank non-insurer global systemically important financial institutions (NBNI GSIFIs) to strengthen rules on risk coverage.

The draft methodologies for identifying NBNI G-SIFIs complement those for identifying globally systemically important financial institutions (G-SIFIs) that cover banks and insurers.

The proposed methodologies aim to identify NBNI financial entities whose distress or disorderly failure, because of their size, complexity and systemic interconnectedness, would cause significant disruption to the wider financial system and economic activity at the global level or NBNI G-SIFIs in short.

According to the global bodies, these methodologies comprise a

By Muyiwa Lucas

high-level framework and an operational framework for identifying G-SIFIs that would apply across NBNI financial entities, as well as detailed NBNI sector-specific methodologies.

Detailed sector-specific methodologies include near-final methodologies for finance companies and market intermediaries; and a revised proposal on sector-specific methodologies for asset management entities. The latter comprises a revised methodology for investment funds, including hedge funds and a new proposed methodology for asset managers.

In revising the proposed methodologies, the FSB and IOSCO intend to capture various types of systemic impact posed by a wide range of business models and risk profiles, while also maintaining broad consistency with the existing assessment methodologies for global systemically important

banks (G-SIBs) and insurers (GSIIs).

Also, the global bodies tried to overcome limitations in data availability and the wide variety of business models in the NBNI space, by allowing a greater role for supervisory judgment in the assessment compared to the G-SIB and G-SII methodologies.

The NBNI G-SIFI methodologies will thus rely on detailed analysis conducted primarily by national authorities, which is supplemented by supervisory information-sharing and international coordination through the FSB process.

Chairman, FSB, Mark Carney and Governor of Bank of England, said that the revised proposal marks an important step towards addressing any too big to fail problems, among entities that are neither banks nor insurers. These include finance companies, market intermediaries, investment funds and asset managers.

• Deputy President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chief (Mrs) Nike Akande, presenting an award to Lagos State Commissioner of Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources, Mr. Taofiq Ajibade Tijani, during the distribution of Eko Gas cylinders in Ikeja, Lagos.

Shippers’ Council to stop arbitrary charges

I

N spite of the legal tussle among the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC), terminal operators and the shipping firms, the council is determined to stop arbitrary charges to make the ports attractive for business, The Nation has learnt.

The NSC, sources said, is more determined to close the gaps created by the Federal Government during the concession of the seaports to private investors about nine years ago as the economic reguator of the ports.

The council, it was learnt, has expressed its readiness to pursue the legal action to a logical conclusion to improve the operational performance of the ports by regulat-

By Oluwakemi Dauda

ing charges and making the ports more cost effective.

After the final determination of the case in court, NSC, it was gathered, would ensure that arbitrary charges by shipping firms and terminal operators become a thing of the past in all the seaports.

A senior official of the Federal Ministry of Transport, who craved anonymity, told this reporter at the weekend, that the management of the council and the officials of the ministry had embarked on the journey to achieve efficiency at the seaports.

The era of imposing arbitrary charges that have often been de-

scribed by importers, exporters and clearing agent as uncharitable, the source said, has gone.

Shippers’Council, it was learnt, is going tough because during the concession, the agreement was that the terminal operators were not allowed to increase charges without observing due process.

Part of the agreement, the source said, was to call a stakeholders’meeting at which such charges would be discussed and approved before implementation.

The terminal operators and shipping companies, the official alleged, introduced new charges in the past without calling a meeting of stakeholders.

No restriction on repatriating funds, says CBN • Continued from page 25 makes the NSE the sole gateway to the nation’s stock market and the NSE’s benchmark indices, the country indices for Nigeria.

The NSE report used two key indicators-inflow and outflow, to gauge foreign investors’ mood and participation in the stock market as a barometer for the economy. Foreign portfolio investment outflow includes sales transactions or liquidation of equity portfolio investments through the stock market while inflow includes purchase transactions on the NSE. The 12-month report showed that foreign portfolio outflow was N846.53 billion as against inflow

of N692.39 billion in 2014, representing a net deficit of N154.14 billion. In 2013, total foreign inflow stood at N531.26 trillion compared with outflow of N510.78 trillion, leaving a positive balance of N20.48 billion.

The report showed a notable spike in foreign transactions, although the negative colouration indicated that the propensity was towards divestment rather than investment. Total foreign transactions rose by 52.5 per cent to N1.54 trillion in 2014 as against N1.01 trillion in 2013.

Meanwhile, foreign investors remained the dominant bloc at the Nigerian stock market. Foreign transactions accounted for 52.52 per cent of total transactions in 2014 while

domestic investors accounted for 42.48 per cent. In 2013, foreign investors had accounted for 50.80 per cent while Nigerian investors accounted for 49.20 per cent. Domestic investors traded N1.137 trillion in 2014 as against N1.009 trillion in 2013.

Market analysts said investors were anxious about Nigeria’s macroeconomic and monetary outlook in the light of the declining global oil prices and rising economic risks. They also cited the increasing political risk.

However, analysts were positive on the outlook for the Nigerian market noting that the attractive valuation, resilience of the market fundamentals and the commitment of the government to pull through the global crude oil price challenge.

Oil firms seek increase in gas price

O

IL companies, especially those that supply natural gas for domestic use, have urged the Federal Government to increase the price of gas from $2.50 per 1000 standard cubic feet (scf) to between $4 and $5 per 1000scf, to boost investments in the sector.

Managing Director, Frontier Oil Limited, Dada Thomas, told The Nation that gas price is too low to stimulate investments in the sector.

“At that price level, you will generally have an economic gas project that lenders will be willing to lend you money and it will ensure you generate reasonable profit that would ensure you can pay your staff well. You don’t have profitable business at $2-$3 per 1000scf. A typical gas project costs at least thrice the cost of oil project. Gas is a good longterm business but it doesn’t provide you with huge income but a steady

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

annuity,” he added Frontier Oil is the owner of the Uquo marginal field located in oil mining lease (OML) 13 in Akwa Ibom State. It is among the 24 marginal fields given out during the Federal Government’s marginal fields bid round in 2003. But eventually, the field turned out to be a gas field with little crude oil.

Thomas said: “Uquo Field is primarily non-associated gas field. We are hoping that we can grow within Uquo organic golden reserves and demonstrate to the Federal Government that their faith in the marginal field programme was not unjustified because we are increasing Nigeria’s reserves. We don’t know by how much but we are hoping to define the figure in the next few months.

FCMB advocates financial literacy among students

F

IRST City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited has held an interactive session on Financial Literacy for pupils of Government Girls College, Dala and the unbanked in Kano Sstate.

This is part of the bank’s contributions towards securing the future of youths, through the adoption of savings and investment culture, by expanding their knowledge base on financial literacy and its principles.

The session, which was anchored by the Executive Director, Abuja/North of the Bank, Mr. Adam Nuru, was held as part of activities commemorating the Global Money Week and Financial Literacy Day celebration.

An initiative of the Bankers Committee in collaboration with the CBN, the financial literacy programme is focused on educating youths in Nigeria on the economic environment, impressing upon them the importance of saving, entrepreneurship and financial creation to

• Adopts school in Kano empower the next generation to be self-reliant and money savvy global citizens.

Nuru, who took the over 200 pupils that attended the session through the topic, ‘’Growing your money’’, advised them to avoid spending money on frivolities.

He counselled them on the need to open accounts and develop the habit of saving part of their income, no matter how small. ‘’Saving your money in a box, wallet or home is a good starting point. However, this method of saving does not grow your money. Money saved at home should be transferred to a financial institution or invested after a while. This reduces the risk of spending, theft and gives your money the chance to grow,’’ he said.

FCMB is determined to ensure that youths understand the importance of prudent management of resources, he said.

AFRAA canvasses opening of African skies

T

The Secretary-General, African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Dr Elijah Chingosho has called on stakeholders in the aviation industry to embrace the opening of African skies and the development of intra-African connectivity.

He spoke in an interview in Lagos.

He urged African countries service companies, airports, opinion leaders and other stakeholders to play their part towards the ‘’single African aviation market before it is too late’’.

Chingosho cited the challenges that stand between African aviation and its potential to drive growth

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

and development.

He called on leaders of African aviation to play their part to ensure the realisation of African Union Agenda 2063 for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens in which a safe, viable, efficient air transport is a key driver.

He said: “Connecting Africa through aviation and other transport infrastructure is critical to integration, intra-Africa trade, as well as to tourism, economic growth and development. Air transport is an important creator of jobs and critical skills.”

Prepare for challenges, traditional media managers told

A

S growth continues to slow down for the traditional media, the Managing Director of MediaShare Nigeria, a media strategy agency, Mr. Dele Odugbemi, has urged media managers of traditional media, such as newspapers, magazines and television, to prepare for the challenges in the sector.

He said the digital media is increasing in audience size while that of the traditional media is drifting in favour of digital, a matrix, he said, advertisers use to measure where they could put their advert money.

Odugbemi said the point of connection and engagement point, transaction point are getting closer and that any media owner who fails to realise this would lose alot of income because advertisers are spending on where the convergence

By Adedeji Ademigbuji

is stronger.

He said while the traditional media groan under production cost, duplication cost, distribution cost, and dwindling readership, the new media cost almost nothing to produce and yet makes the bulk of the advertising budget especially in technological advance economy.

“The product cost in new media is down, duplication cost is gone, and distribution cost is gone,” he said.

He said these channels had been replaced by computer and the creator of messages get across the audience without spending much.

He said media owners should realise that what they are selling to deserve advert money is the audience, which is measurable in social media than the traditional media.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

27

BUSINESS AFRICA

South Africa’s Eskom suspends Uganda to start oil production by early 2018 U bosses over power shortages

S

OUTH Africa’s power utility Eskom has ordered four of its executives to step aside while it investigates the problems at the firm.

They include Eskom’s Chief Executive Officer Tshediso Matona appointed less than eight months ago.

“This was done in the best interests of our stakeholders,” said Chairman Zola Tsotsi.

South Africa has faced severe power cuts in recent months, leading to widespread criticism of Eskom.

“The inquiry will look into poor generation capacity, cash-flow is-

sues and other problems,” Mr Tsotsi told journalists in Johannesburg.

He said the investigation would last up to three months.

Eskom, which provides almost all of the electricity in Africa’s most developed economy, has also come under fire in recent months over a seeming lack of maintenance at the country’s power plants.

Economists warn that if the energy problems are not resolved, it could further stunt the country’s growth prospects.

Nomsa Maseko reports on South Africa’s power crisis

Eskom says it needs an estimated $20billion (£13billion) to solve its problems.

The government has offered an initial bailout of $2billion, which will be paid out in tranches.

The rest of the money may have to come from the international markets, but with South Africa’s credit ratings down, Eskom may find it hard to raise funds elsewhere, says the BBC’s Lerato Mbele in Johannesburg.

In the meantime, ordinary South Africans and business want assurances that whatever changes occur within Eskom, the lights will stay on in the country, our correspondent says.

GANDA is confident it will get crude out of the ground by early 2018 and start feeding it into a proposed refinery as it seeks to become a regional energy hub, government officials said.

The government and Russia-based RT Global Resources have started negotiations about the start of construction of the $2.5 billion refinery, energy and minerals minister Irene Muloni told Platts.

"The negotiations have started in Kampala city to conclude the project agreements to the satisfaction of both parties and Kenya has already acquired a 2.5 per cent stake in Uganda's refinery," Okello Oryem, minister of state for international affairs, said separately.

Last month, RT Global Resources won Uganda's contract to build and manage a 60,000 b/d refinery in

Accenture unveils research on digital workplace

A

•From left: Mr Adegoke and Mallam Yahyah exchanging pleasantries during the visit in Lagos.

Africa’s oil ‘sweet spots’ still viable after price rout A

FRICAN oil explorers will keep drilling in select locations such as onshore east Africa and less complex projects off the West African coast even with oil at $60 a barrel, executives and analysts told Reuters.

But they warned that African governments with reserves in less attractive locations should revise terms now or forfeit the investment, leaving the oil and gas underground.

“There are still some exciting areas in Africa like east Africa and in particular the onshore areas,” said Aidan Heavey, CEO of one of Africa’s biggest explorers Tullow Oil, referring to drilling projects in

Kenya and Uganda. “This is certainly not the end of African oil – far from it.”

Oil prices have collapsed from $115 a barrel in June, prompting oil firms to slash hundreds of millions of dollars from exploration budgets, hitting relatively expensive African projects hard. Tullow has cut its budget from a peak target of $1 billion to around $200 million this year, mostly focused on Kenya, although it may double from next year.

Stuart Lake, CEO of African Petroleum, which has licences off-

shore Senegal and Ivory Coast in the West Africa Transform Margin, says the firm has no plans to cancel projects in an area he called one of Africa’s “sweet spots”.

“It’s an area that is oil-rich with little gas and it’s cheap to drill,” said Lake, pointing to two Cairn finds in Senegal. He said the mothballing of projects further south had dragged down rig rates, saying costs were now around $35-$50 million per well versus $200 million in Angola.

Low operating costs of around $10 a barrel for Ghana’s Jubilee field will mean cuts have a limited impact there, said Jacques Verreynne, an economist at NKC Independent Economists.

NAHCO chair commends Customs boss

C

HAIRMAN, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance), Mallam Suleiman Yahyah, has commended the Custom Area Commander (CAC), Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Mr. Folorunso Adegoke, for his efforts in providing the enabling environment to boost cargo revenues.

He spoke during a courtesy visit to the CAC. He said the CAC is a blessing to the command and to nahco aviance. "The kind of sentiment being expressed by everyone as it concerns you is a pointer to the fact that you are a game changer, and we are proud of you.

Your team has changed the game

plan. This will help revenue to increase and the customer satisfaction will be achieved," he said.

Yahyah said in the past two months, there had been no reported case of theft. He attributed this to measures put in place by NAHCO and the Customs. He advised the Adegoke to regularly sit down with his team to align them with the overall objective of the measures put in place. He said this would reduce tension in the system.

On his part, the Custom boss said the reduction in the incidence of theft arose from the fact that appropriate capturing is being carried out by his men. This he said

has greatly helped. "We have a system that captures everything and everything is being recorded accordingly," he said.

He further explained that what the customs does now is to capture the details of the person(s) to whom consignments are delivered. He said if after the consignment had been delivered, it was found out that other goods were concealed under the delivered cargo, the Customs goes after the consignee.

He said: "Once a particular trader is compliant, he has no issues with us.

Once there is compliance, there won't be any issue; it is non- compliance that can alter the peace. Kindly report anyone with issues."

Hoima district.

Regional states in the East African Community asked Uganda last week to expedite formation of a national oil company and refining subsidiary as prerequisites for a special purpose vehicle to implement the refinery project.

Although analysts have cast doubt on the viability of Uganda's refinery project, Muloni said it remains viable and she expects global crude prices to rebound by the time production starts.

She said oil production licenses for Tullow Oil and Total would be issued in a few weeks to allow the two companies to prepare wells.

"We are very close to grant Tullow Oil and Total production licenses since we have OK'ed most of their field plans - in a month's time, we could give them," Muloni said.

CCENTURE has unveiled a new report in the workplace.

It says that while nearly all (96 percent) global professionals consider themselves to be good listeners, the majority (98 percent) spend part of their workday multi-tasking.

In fact, almost two-thirds (64 percent) say that listening has become significantly more difficult in the digital workplace.

The research, #ListenLearnLead, which surveyed 3,600 professionals from 30 countries, found that eight in 10 (80 percent) respondents say they multitask on conference calls with work emails, instant messaging, personal emails, social media and reading news and entertainment (cited by 66 percent, 35 percent, 34 percent, 22 percent and 21 percent, respectively).Those who listen actively on calls typically either need something from the call or are required to lead, participate in or follow up on the discussion.

"Digital is changing everything, and new technologies will continue to present challenges and opportunities.

"As employees become increasingly hyper-connected, leading organisations will seize the opportunity to optimise the use of technology in the workplace, tapping its potential for employee engagement, collaboration and innovation," said Adrian Lajtha, Accenture's chief leadership officer.

The research also found that the

majority of respondents (58 percent) believe technology enables leaders to communicate with their teams easily and quickly, and almost half cite additional benefits, such as flexibility for teams to work anywhere/anytime (47 percent) and increased accessibility (46 percent).

Accessibility, however, is seen as both a help and a hindrance to effective leadership. More than six in 10 women (62 percent) and more than five in 10 men (54 percent) view technology as "overextending" leaders by making them too accessible. All respondents agree that among the top challenges facing leaders today are information overload (55 percent) and rapidly evolving technology (52 percent).

The outlook for women in key roles of technology is on the rise with more than seven in 10 respondents (71 percent) of respondents believing that the number of women chief technology officers will grow by 2030, and more than half of respondents (52 percent) saying that their companies are preparing more women for senior management this year than they did last year.

"Whether you are in charge of a meeting, an employee group, a volunteer event or a major project or account, there is always an opportunity to lead," said Nellie Borrero, managing director, Global Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture. "Our more than 200 International Women's Day events around the world will focus on recognising,

FastJet seeks South African investors to fund growth plan

F

ASTJET Plc is approaching potential South African investors about buying stakes to finance a route expansion in the east and south of the continent and support its effort to become the first pan-African discount airline.

"We are an African company, even though we are listed in London," Chief Executive Officer Ed Winter said in an interview in Cape Town on Thursday. "It makes a lot of sense to have South African shareholders" for potentially "significant" investments.

FastJet, which has its corporate headquarters at London Gatwick airport, operates three leased short-haul Airbus Group NV A319 airliners from a base in the Tanzanian port city of Dar es Salaam.

The Tanzania unit, which began operating in November 2012, had its first profitable trading month in December 2014. The carrier intends to set up operations in Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda and South Africa in the next few years.

While FastJet's planes are almost fully utilised, it has scaled back efforts to secure as many as 10 more aircraft by December due to delays in securing licenses, Winter said.

FastJet has been unchanged in London trading for about a week at 1.25 pence, valuing the carrier at 20.5 million pounds ($30.2 million). Even after rising this year,

the stock is down 34 percent from 12 months ago.

"There is a lot of value in the foundation that we have built," Winter said. "The share price doesn't reflect that yet."

The route network serves four towns in Tanzania and one city apiece in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda.

"These guys have clearly done their homework," Linden Birns, managing director, Plane Talking, a Cape Town-based aviation advisory service, said by phone. "Demand for air transport in Africa is growing at around 5 percent per annum. The challenge they face is a regulatory one."

Opening up the aviation market across 12 African nations -- Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda - could create 155,000 jobs and boost their collective economies by $1.3 billion a year, a study released last year by the International Air Transport Association showed.

FastJet is "well on the way" to obtaining an air operator's permit in Zambia, after a delay stemming from presidential elections in January, Winter said. There's scope to operate domestic flights linking the capital, Lusaka, with the town of Ndola in the north and Livingstone in the south, as well as services to South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

28

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

NAICOM gets Takaful Advisory Council T

HE Federal Ministry of Finance has inaugurated the National Insurance Commission’s (NAICOM) Takaful Advisory Council (TAC) in Abuja.

The TAC comprises four dons.

They are Prof Dawud Olatokonbo Shittu Noibi, who will serve as its Chairman, Dr. Bashir Umar Aliyu, Dr Abdulrazak Abdulmajeed Alaro and Dr. Abubakar Mohammed Sani.

The Minister of State for Finance, Federal Ministry of Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, said the event was coming at a time the industry is geared towards moving the economy forward to beat other the developing nations.

He said the development of the guidelines for the regulation of Takaful insurance business in Nigeria by NAICOM heralded an important financial inclusion platform.

He said: “Accordingly, the neces-

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

sity for Shariah Governance in islamic financial supervision, regulation and operation is indispensable for the fulfillment of stakeholders’ expectations and the maintenance of confidence in the overall financial service system.

“Shariah Governance is, therefore, an important and a unique feature that makes Islamic financial services easier for self-regulation.

This is clearly manifested in the requirement that all Islamic financial service operators must have an inhouse Shariah body referred to as the Advisory Council of Experts (ACE) which ensures the establishment of sound Shariah compliant transactions for each of the registered business entity.”

He told the members that their role as advisory council for the regulator is to serve as an additional layer for addressing issues

that may arise from Takaful operators’ ACE regarding Shariah compliance in Takaful undertakings.

He also said that in the era of risk management and risk based approach to financial service regulation, they should appreciate that Shariah non-compliance is identified as the top most in the ranking of risks in Islamic Finance.

“Additionally, it is important to highlight that the role of Shariah scholars who are in the field of Islamic financial services requires constant monitoring and review of Shariah rulings in the global Islamic financial industry. This is necessary to follow the trend towards harmonisation and convergence of Shariah principles and ongoing developments on new products as encouraged by the international standard setting bodies like the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) Bahrain, the

General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI) Bahrain and the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) Malaysia.

“It is the expectation of the present administration, that this endeavour will further our resolve to deepen insurance penetration and acceptance in Nigeria. Therefore, your role as advisory council for the Takaful regulator is highly sensitive and requires critical decision making for safeguarding and advancing public good for all stakeholders.

“As Shariah scholars, it is universally acknowledged that the status you are occupying in the society is an exalted one which is difficult to handle without vast knowledge and sincerity of purpose. I believe your choice as members of the council resulted from consideration of your rich profiles, knowledge and individual contributions towards the development of Islamic finance

in your various capacities,” he said.

Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel said that in consonance with their objective, the Commission established the framework to exploit the viable Takaful insurance sector. This led to the rolling out of the Takaful Insurance Operational Guidelines in 2013.

He, however, said that in order for the Commission to ensure an all-inclusive regulatory role, the guidelines provide for the establishment of the TAC by the Commission to serve as a second layer of governance for the Takaful operators Advisory Council of Experts (ACE).

He explained that the TAC is also established to advise and guide the Commission on all Shariah matters on the Takaful undertakings, adding that it is his conviction that the inauguration of the TAC is another step towards the implementation of the Takaful guidelines.

FBN Insurance honours 27 staff

F

BN Insurance Ltd, an FBN Holdings Company in association with the Sanlam Group, South Africa, has honoured 27 staff for their dedication to duties last year.

Its Managing Director of the company, Val Ojumah, has said.

They were honoured at the FBN Insurance maiden awards in Lagos.

Ojumah said the initiative to reward outstanding performance in staff especially those who have shown excellence in productivity and work attitude aligns with the company’s strategic intent to attract, retain and build a competent workforce.

He described the resourcefulness of the firm’s workers as one of the major drivers of ensuring expansion and growth.

He said the staff, who were drawn from the Financial Advi-

sors, Sales Managers and Senior Sales Managers categories would get all-expense paid trips to important places and cash prizes.

He reiterated that the management of FBN Insurance understood that employee success and business success were linked and a high performing workforce is essential for growth and survival of our organisation. Therefore one of our keys to staff engagement is defining and articulating Employee Goals and ensuring they are tied to organisational goals.

He pledged the commitment of the Board and Management to reward excellence. He said: “This award is part of our build up strategies to equip our human resources for more competitiveness in the evolving nation’s insurance industry.’’

• From left: CFO, FBN Insurance, Festus Izevbizua; COO, Johan Schalkwyk; Chairman, Adenrele Kehinde; Ojumah and GM, Segun Balogun, during the awards in Lagos.

STI bags award • Financial Literacy: Group Head, Strategy & Communications, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Shina Atilola; Principal, Methodist Girls' High School, Mrs. Elizabeth Nkanta and Head, Retail & Consumer Banking, South South, Sterling Bank Plc, Mrs.Nneka Enang, at the presentation of books on Financial Literacy published by the bank to the school .... the weekend.

S

OVEREIGN Trust Insurance Plc has for the second time bagged the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Company of the Year Award.

This was at the Inspenonline Media Awards at the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Lagos.

In a statement, the Head, Corporate Communications and Brand management, Segun Bankole has said the award was given in recognition of the contributions of STI to the society in the financial year.

According to the organisers of the event, the nomination for the awards, began in December, last year, having sent out nomination notices to all the underwriting companies in the country, pension

organisations and other financial institutions as well as members of the public.

Bankole recalled that the company won the Award the previous year, while the Managing Director Wale Onaolapo emerged the Insurance Man of the Year.

He said the award is a testament to the company’s intervention in the development of the country, appreciating the public for voting for the company.

He noted that STI is committed to supporting those critical areas that could boost the progress of any society.

The company’s CSR springboard is hinged on health, sports and environment, having identified these key areas as very pivotal to the development of any society.

Bank’s Internal Auditors for conference Wednesday

T

HE Committee of Chief Internal Auditors of Banks in Nigeria (CCIABN) will hold its Seventh Retreat, Conference and Annual General Meeting at the Le Meridien Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital from Wednesday, March 18 to 21, this year.

The yearly event is a gathering of

Chief Internal Auditors of banks, Discount Houses and regulators of the financial system in Nigeria, where they brainstorm on topical issues in the sector especially as they relate to audit and control, risk management, corporate governance and compliance.

The theme of this year’s retreat is tagged, “The future of banking”.

It will focus on facilitating secure transactions especially now that banking activities are increasingly going digital and with the advent of cloud computing.

The retreat will discuss how to ensure good corporate governance and risk management for sustainable development in the face of the new developments. The conference

will also discuss how to achieve results through emotional intelligence, Information technology governance and how to transform internal audit in the banking industry in line with global best practices, among other issues.

Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Godswill Akpabio is expected to deliver a keynote address at the occa-

•Saved on Mac 27 inside Insurance folder: Insurance - 17-3-15 - Mon

sion.

CCIABN is a sub-committee of the Bankers Committee of the Central Bank that seeks to encourage interaction among Internal Auditors of the financial system while fostering and promoting inter-bank cooperation, dispute resolution, ethical standards and professionalism among member organisations.

29

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

ISSUES

• Imported cars at Tin Can Island port.

The Federal Government has, for the third time, postponed the implementation of the 70 per cent tariff on imported used vehicles. Some stakeholders argue that the latest shift in date to July 1, this year will enable them keep their jobs as it will give the assembly plants enough time to produce adequate vehicles to meet local demands. TOBA AGBOOLA reports.

Mixed reactions trail shift in auto policy implementation T HE Federal Government last year directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to collect 35 per cent as duty and 35 per cent as levy for imported used cars and buses from July 1. This implies that beginning from that date, imported cars and buses would attract cumulative tariff of 70 per cent.

The circular had explained that the new increases in duty were in line with the Federal Government's new automotive policy of revamping the automotive industry, encouraging local production of vehicles, enhancing entrepreneurial inclusiveness and generating employment for Nigerians.

Consequently, the government approved import duty waivers on imported Completely Knocked Down (CKD) components while SemiKnocked Down (SKD) components will attract only five per cent duty

without any levy.

No doubt, the reasons the government proffered for raising the tariff are laud-

able. The policy will not only attract investors to the country but also enhance employment opportunities. It is instruc-

‘

The policy will not only attract investors to the country but also enhance employment opportunities.

It is instructive that since the policy was announced, many automobile industries have expressed interest to begin manufacturing vehicles in Nigeria with some already at the stage of rolling out locally made vehicles

’

tive that since the policy was announced, many automobile industries have expressed interest to begin manufacturing vehicles in the country with some already at the stage of rolling out locally made vehicles. But the government postponed the July 1, 2014 implementation date and decided to implement the policy in two phases of 35 per cent to January 1, this year. It was again postponed to July 1, from April 30, 2015, bringing the number of times the tariff implementation date will be shifted to three in six months.

The Nation confirmed that the government's decision to further extend the implementation date was informed by the fact that none of the assembly plants has manufactured vehicles in commercial quantity. In addition, there were issues bordering • Continued on page 30

30

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

ISSUES

Mixed reactions trail shift in auto policy implementation

‘

With the hurried implementation, the nation would see undue advantage being given to a few people who are cashing in on the policy to milk the nation dry through unscrupulous practices to make huge money at the expense of the national economy

•Continued from page 29

on standardisation, as well as the stiff opposition from some stakeholders.

However, the implementation of the second phase of the 70 per cent tariff would have made Nigerians pay more for imported second-hand vehicles from April 30, 2015, thereby depleting the dwindling purchasing power of the masses.

It would be recalled that government while beating a retreat in July 2014, had stated that the postponement was to enable local vehicle assembly plants to ramp up production in order to meet the nation's growing demand for brand new vehicles. But so far , the new vehicles produced by Innoson Motors and Stallion Motors costs between N1.3million and N1.6million An end of year statement issued by the National Automotive Council (NAC) said government deferred the implementation of the new tariff to April 30, 2015, due to the delay in the establishment of a vehicle finance scheme.

Some industry watchers are however praising the decision by the government. Many of them noted that the opposition was already waiting to cash in on it, in the vain hope that the backlash of the implementation of the policy would have created a spiralling inflation and a new disequilibrium in the economy.

According to the Managing Director, First Rit Nigeria Limited, Mr. Eric Umezurike,the implementation of the policy will no doubt throw many agents out of job, adding that the postponement would enable the agents have jobs to do in the main time while looking for other alternative means of livelihood.

He stated that agents were ready to look government in the face over its implementation. "We were waiting for government to begin the implementation; we wish to make a point. The issue would have been used not only to paint Mr. President black, but also as a heartless person, who does not want Nigerians to have access to even tokunboh (second-hand) cars," Umezurike said.

He was, however, quick to add that it was not that the agents were averse to any policies that would encourage Nigerians to use new cars, only that the present approach was considered too hasty and lacking in proper implementation.

The Director-General, NAC, Aminu Jalal, who noted that Nigeria imports about 400,000 units of vehicles annually, with about 300,000 being second-hand, said staff of the collaborating bank, Wesbank of South Africa, delayed their planned trip to Nigeria to set up operations from September 2014 to January 2015. He added that this led to the shift in the date, then.

"The arrangements for the establishment of the affordable vehicle finance scheme suffered a delay of about four months due to the Ebola Virus Disease," he said.

National Coordinator, Maritime Advocacy and Action Group (MAAG), Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, who confirmed the development, praised the presidency for having a listening ear.

According to him, the extension is a confirmation of the fact that government can listen when con-

• Aganga

• Shittu

fronted with genuine facts about issues.

"MAAG wishes to use this opportunity to thank the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment; Dr. Olusegun Aganga and the Director General of NAC, Alhaji Jalal for seeing reason with the position of MAAG on this issue," he said. Dantata explained that even though MAAG is in support of the auto policy, a proper and realistic roadmap needs to be designed for its proper implementation.

His words: "While we are not opposed to the new policy, our position has always been that the infrastructures must be visible on a level playing field and that the automobile plants must not take advantage of it to the detriment of the average Nigerian. Already, there are fears that prices of imported, used and new vehicles will skyrocket, but we are happy that the extension has been granted".

President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Alhaji Badaru Abubakar called on the Federal Government to further delay the take-off of the policy because of its potential to inflict hardship on the masses.

He said the delay is necessary to enable stakeholders resolve the lingering controversies generated by the policy and reach a consensus on how to effectively implement the policy for the benefit of the sector's investors and the economy at large.

"Having reviewed the lingering controversies between government and auto industry stakeholders on the implementation take-off date of the new auto policy in Nigeria, the chamber wishes to add its voice by expressing some concerns on the short moratorium period given on the effective take-off date of the policy. If implemented, it will not only constrain them to operate optimally but also negatively affect sustainable transformation of the economy as it would lead to fall in demand of imported used vehicles," Abubakar said.

According to him, this will invariably affect negatively the transportation sector; erode the welfare of the citizens by reducing their purchasing power; breed unnecessary monopoly due to privilege/insider information about the government policy; result in

increase in unemployment, low income, and inflation, amongst others.

He said to ensure that the good intention of government on the policy becomes a realityand all interests addressed , there is need for the Federal Government to put its house in order before commencing full implementation of the policy.

He said this is because it is capable of further encouraging diversion of cargoes to neighbouring countries if it is not halted to allow for sufficient moratorium period given to auto industry operators/stakeholders. He said: "NACCIMA believes that the implementation of the sharp increase in import duty on fully built vehicles to 70 per cent (35 per cent duty plus 35 per cent levy) from 22 per cent (20 per cent duty plus 2 per cent levy) will place the cost of vehicles beyond the reach of about 90 per cent of Nigerians, increase the cost of transportation by at least 50 per cent, increase inflation level and create huge gap between demand and local supply capacity of automobiles due to infrastructure challenges."

According to him, supply currently stands at a pathetic 45,000 units while demand stands at 800,000 units per annum. He said smuggling activities from neighbouring countries will boom, especially from Cotonou Port with imported vehicles still dominating the market place since Nigeria has about 1,400 illegal entry routes, over 80 poorly manned borders and a yet to be fully-equipped Customs structure, and so on.

Another stakeholder, Chairman of Oris Velvet Autos, Mr Alfred Omoghiade, advocated for a 10-year incubation period before it can be fully implemented by the Federal Government. He said: "Based on certain fundamentals in the nation's economy, the auto policy ought to have been given at least 10 years of incubation before its full implementation. This is to ensure that the right enabling environment is in place and consequently guarantee its success."

Omoghiade noted that with the hurried implementation, the nation would see undue advantage being given to a few people who are cashing in on the policy to milk the nation dry through unscrupulous practices to make huge money at the expense of the national economy. The policy

‘

While we are not opposed to the new policy, our position has always been that the infrastructures must be visible on a level playing field and that the automobile plants must not take advantage of it to the detriment of the average Nigerian

’

’

which, he said, had failed to yield the expected dividends because the local production of cars and vehicles as key elements of the policy is not being met just as the nation is losing much revenue at the ports.

He, therefore, called on the Federal Government and its agency, NAC, to take urgent steps to review the current policy in the interest of the nation's economy. Omoghiade recalled that the policy came into effect early July last year with the aim of localising the manufacturing of vehicles with the assembly plants projected to roll out an aggregate of 300, 000 vehicle units within the next two years and specifically 23, 000 vehicle units of various brands of automobiles produced by the plants between June and December 2014.

"The policy, in the thinking of government, would not only help reduce the pressure on foreign reserves by discouraging importation but also lead to massive job creation and enhance the wellbeing of the economy.

Accordingly, with the full implementation of the auto policy, tariffs jumped from 20 per cent duty on passenger cars (PC) and 10 per cent on commercial vehicles (CV) to 70 per cent and 35 per cent, respectively, he said, adding that Federal Government should as a necessity wade in and review the policy especially in view of the prevailing economic situation in terms of job losses at the ports and retarded business activities of other stakeholders.

He noted that while the policy was a noble vision, the implementation had been hasty leading to contradictions and no concrete benefits yet to the nation as planned.

Last week, the National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, recounted his disapproval over what he considers a counterproductive strategy. "We have always been critical of this automotive policy and we have not changed our position. By the time July comes and the 35 per cent levy is added, it will be a problem because there will be no cargo through here, our people will lose jobs and we will lose the whole revenue," he said.

The policy, which has five components, includes most importantly the promotion of market development and protection of local manufacturers. In order to support this, tariffs will be increased on fully assembled vehicles until the local production of cars and content procedures become much more competitive.

Recently, Jalal said the implementation of the 35 per cent import levy on used cars will now begin on July 1, as the Federal Government has once again shifted the commencement date by two months. He said a circular had been issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance deferring the implementation of the levy to that day.

31

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

MONEYLINK

Banks lose N6.2b to fraudsters

T

HE Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) has put the total amount of cash lost by banks to fraudsters in 2014 at N6.2 billion, as against N7.75 billion attempted fraud cases.

NIBSS’s Head, Information System Security, Olufemi Fadamo disclosed this during the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF) held in Lagos at the weekend. He said the volume of attempted fraud in 2014 showed a great improvement compared to N19 billion in 2013.

He said the fraud cases were only those that passed through the Nigeria Central Switch and that frauds

Stories by Collins Nweze

were mainly carried out through the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) channels.

Fadamo however disclosed that fraudsters have changed their strategy, and are now using mainly the Point of Sale (PoS) channels to perpetrate their acts.

NeFF Chairman, ‘Dipo Fatokun, said the body has come a long way since it was inaugurated in December 2011 and that it has over the years, remained committed to its core objectives of enabling information exchange and knowledge sharing on fraud issues amongst

key stakeholders.

He said the NeFF was established with the objective of ensuring collaborative and proactive approach to tackling/mitigating fraud and limiting occurrences and losses.

The body he said is also serving as an official body that represents the industry’s position on fraud related issues, while proffering solutions that restore public confidence on card usage and electronic payments in general.

Fatokun, who is also Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Director of e-Payment said the NeFF has over the years, increased information and

knowledge sharing, proffered solutions that have been adopted into circulars for the industry, embarked on strategic relationships and structured the administration.

According to Fatokun, NeFF was able to achieve these feat by creating an online presence that eases access to information on fraud and related matters. He said the body has entered into collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tackle card fraud, adding that the group has been able to create a membership schedule comprising 47 organisations and 145 members.

Fidelity CEO: BVN’ll boost customers’ credit score

T

HE ongoing bank verification number (BVN) enrolment will enhance the credit score of bank customers in Nigeria, the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, has said.

A credit score is primarily based on credit report information typically sourced from credit bureaus.

Lenders use credit scores to determine who qualifies for a loan, among others.

Okonkwo, while speaking to journalists, also said the BVN would enhance access to credit to small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

There are about 17 million registered SMEs in Nigeria. In most countries, SMEs account for up to 70 per cent or more of businesses, yet in developing economies like Nigeria, SMEs suffer from lack of access to finance.

Thus, the Fidelity Bank boss explained: “In more developed parts of the world, they have credit rating systems and social identification system. For example, if I am Nnamdi Okonkwo, there might be

other 1,000 Nnamdi Okonkwos, but each Nnamdi Okonkwo has a unique number assigned by his country such that whenever you put that number in, everything about that person comes out. We are gradually getting to that.

“Until we get there, credit scoring system is still a challenge. Therefore, it is possible that this same Nnamdi Okonkwo can go to a bank, take a

loan and default, move to another bank, still take a loan and default and nobody sees that his credit history is bad. But with what the CBN has done with the BVN, that will be taken care of. That is why I am advising everybody to go and register and get your BVN. “When each of us have our BVN, which is tied to our thump, if I need to lend money to you, I can check.

If the person is a notorious debtor in other banks, then he doesn’t get a loan from me and that protects all of us because the bank does not own all the money. Most of the monies that banks use to do business belong to depositors. So, whatever initiative the CBN is taking, is to protect depositors and the larger economy.

Union Bank marks Money Week with school adoption

A

S part of activities marking this year’s Global Money Week and Financial Literacy Day, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has announced its adoption of Uyo High School, Oron Road, Uyo in Akwa Ibom State.

The adoption is in furtherance of a wider Bankers’ Committee initiative to promote Financial Inclusion in Nigeria by providing financial education to schools across the country.

“Union Bank remains firmly committed to the achievement of Financial Inclusion in Nigeria and we recognise that Financial Lit-

eracy is a key step in achieving this,” said Emeka Emuwa, Group Managing Director, Union Bank, and Chairman, Financial Literacy and Public Enlightenment SubCommittee of the Bankers’ Committee.

During the visit, Mr. Emuwa taught some pupils a lesson on “Growing Your Money.“ The lesson was taken from a special Financial Literacy Curriculum developed

by Junior Achievement Nigeria – a non-profit organisation focused on educating children about their economic environment – and covered topics on savings, investments and

protecting one’s money.

Global Money Week is a worldwide money awareness celebration, which holds from Monday, March 9, to Tuesday, March 17.

The initiative is aimed at engaging children on financial education. The Bankers’ Committee in Nigeria designated Thursday, March 12 as its Financial Literacy Day. The day is being marked to focus attention on children and youth in primary and secondary schools nationwide and to empower them by enhancing their financial knowledge and planning skills.

FirstBank rewards 246 customers

F

IRSTBANK of Nigeria has given out cash prizes and gifts to its 246 customers during the savings promo bonanza draw held in Lagos at the weekend.

Speaking at the event, the bank’s Head, Consumer Banking Products, Mrs. Adebimpe Ihekuna, said the promo was designed to enhance savings culture amongst Nigerians and encourage the youths as well as the unbanked to embrace the financial services.

“It is designed to reward customers for their patronage and loyalty to the brand over the years in keeping with the brand’s promise of putting customers first,” she said.

Ihekuna said the promo, which kicked off last September, had at the weekend, saw 246 winners that emerged during the draw rewarded.

She said the monthly and quarterly raffle draws in the FirstBank Savings Bonanza has produced several winners in the past months to include 300 winners of 32-inch LED Televisions, 300 winners of Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, 300 winners of Home Theatre Systems, 300 winners of N50,000 cash prize each and six winners of a brand new Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla cars.

Ihekuna said the bank has offered delightful star prizes during its past promos. For instance, during the ‘Big Splash Promo’ held between June and December 2008, the star prize winner was given a brand new toyota corolla, 2008 model. In the ‘Big Splash Promo – reloaded’ held between February and August 2009, the star prize winner was a Prado Jeep.

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS 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 FIDELITY NIG FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

129.44 37,340.93 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.63 1.39 1,762.93 1,111.14 115.51 121.16 1.29 1.32 0.95 1.17

129.08 37,340.93 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.62 1.33 1,762.93 1,110.35 114.87 120.30 1.28 1.32 0.93 1.17

HONYFLOUR CHAMPION NEIMETH INTENEGINS IKEJAHOTEL MAYBAKER UNILEVER DANGFLOUR ABCTRANS SKYEBANK

O/PRICE 2.65 4.78 0.67 0.52 4.35 1.74 34.05 3.46 0.51 2.26

C/PRICE 2.78 5.00 0.70 0.54 4.50 1.79 35.00 3.53 0.52 2.30

CHANGE 4.91 4.60 4.48 3.85 3.45 2.87 2.79 2.02 1.96 1.77

LOSERS AS AT 11-03-15

SYMBOL AFRIPRUD BETAGLAS CAP WAPCO FBNH UBN PAINTCOM COSTAIN OANDO AIICO FIDELITYBK

O/PRICE 3.28 25.00 38.20 89.00 8.93 10.50 1.49 0.64 14.50 0.90 1.56

C/PRICE 3.10 23.75 36.29 84.55 8.50 10.00 1.42 0.61 14.00 0.87 1.51

FOREX RATES (NairaVs Dollar) February 23, 2015

Inflation: January

8.2%

Monetary Policy Rate

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

CHANGE -5.49 -5.00 -5.00 -5.00 -4.82 -4.76 -4.70 -4.69 -3.45 -3.33 -3.21

Interbank ($/N)

199.00

$1

Black Market ($/N)

215.00

$1

$33.2b

London Inter-bank Offered Rates (LIBOR) Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$60.91

Money Supply (M2)

GAINERS AS AT 11-03-15

SYMBOL

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

Tenor 1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 6 Months 12 Months

19 Feb

20 Feb

Rate)%

Rate (%)

0.1735 0.2147 0.2615 0.3841 0.6709

0.1715 0.2108 0.2626 0.3857 0.6744

Nigerian Stock Market Indices NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

12-02-15 Rate (%) Rate (%) 13-02-15

Overnight (O/N)

14.683

76.583

1M

15.033

15.977

3M

15.809

17.177

6M

16.493

17.908

Transaction Dates

Statistics All Share Index Mkt Cap (NGN’bn) Deals Volume (mn) Value (NGN’mn)

19 Feb 29,282.04 9,770.36 3,385 564,28 6,087.80

20 Feb 29,383.93 9,804.36 3,714 377,75 6,568.66

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Feb. 13, 2015

Rates

T-bills - 91

12.44

T-bills - 182

13.85

Amount

Amount

T-bills - 364

13.92

Bond - 3yrs

15.92

Offered in ($)

Sold in ($)

03/02/2015

500m

499.93m

3/12/2014

400m

399.97m

Bond - 5yrs

17.22

1/12/2014

350m

349.96m

Bond - 7yrs

16.59

32

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

EQUITIES

Lafarge Africa acquires Ashakacem’s 23.9% shares

L

AFARGE Africa Plc achieved 57.6 per cent success in its bid to acquire the entire minority stake in Ashaka Cement (Ashakacem) Plc. The concluding report of the mandatory tender offer (MTO) launched by Lafarge Africa for the Ashakacem’s minority shareholdings was released at the weekend.

According to the report, 3,641 shareholders of Ashakacem tendered 534.14 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each, which represented 23.85 per cent of the total minority stake of 41.39 per cent sought to be acquired by Lafarge Africa.

The board of Lafarge Africa confirmed that it has allotted about 150.73 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each of Lafarge Africa and paid about N1.07 billion as shares and cash considerations to the shareholders of Ashakacem that accepted the MTO. With this, Lafarge Africa now has 82.46 per cent majority equity stake in Ashakacem. The completion of the MTO followed receipt of the requisite regulatory approvals by Lafarge Africa.

Following the consolidation of Lafarge’s businesses in Nigeria and South Africa into Lafarge Africa, Lafarge Africa had acquired 58.61 per cent majority equity stake in Ashaka Cement. The majority equity stake was previously held by Lafarge Nigeria (UK) Limited. The

•Bolaji Balogun to chair the new Lafarge Africa

By Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

acquisition was done through a block trade at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Lafarge Africa then in late December 2014 launched an MTO to acquire the remaining 41.39 per cent equity stake held by other shareholders in Ashakacem in furtherance of the consolidation of Lafarge’s businesses. The MTO, scheduled to close in January 23, 2015, was extended for another five working days.

Under the MTO, Lafarge Africa offered 57 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each in exchange for 202 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each of Ashakacem. In addition, Lafarge Africa offered to pay N2 for every acquired Ashakacem’s share.

Minority shareholders had held 927.009 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each in Ashakacem, representing 41.39 per cent of the cement company’s total outstanding shares. With this, Lafarge was expected to issue 261.58 million ordinary shares and pay additional cash consideration of N1.85 billion as equity and cash consideration for the full take-over of the 41.39 per cent equity stake held by minority shareholders in Ashakacem.

Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, described the completion of the MTO

as a major step in the consolidation of the Lafarge’s businesses.

“This is a significant step in the conclusion of the consolidation process of Lafarge Africa Plc. I would like to express my appreciation to the AshakaCem shareholders whose participation in the transaction through the tender of their shares has made this a very successful process,’’ Osunkeye said.

Group managing director, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Guillaume Roux said the enlarged Lafarge group would continue to work to maximize shareholders’ value.

“We are delighted to have received a great response from AshakaCem Plc shareholders and will continue to work towards maximizing shareholder value,” Roux said.

The MTO was triggered by the transfer of 58.61 per cent majority equity stake in Ashaka Cement previously held by Lafarge Nigeria (UK) Limited. Section 131 of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) and Rule 445 of SEC make it mandatory for any institution or person that acquires at least 30 per cent of a company to make an MTO to other minority shareholders.

Lafarge had on July 9, 2014 received shareholders’ approval to consolidate its cement businesses in Nigeria and combine these with South African operations to create

a leading sub-Saharan building materials giant to be known as Lafarge Africa Plc. The consolidation was done by transferring Lafarge’s assets in South Africa and Nigeria to Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria Plc. Under the transaction, Lafarge Group transferred its direct and indirect shareholdings in Lafarge South Africa Holding Limited of 72.4 per cent and its equity stakes in three other cement companies in Nigeria-United Cement Company of Nigeria (Unicem) Limited, 35 per cent, Ashaka Cement Plc, 58.61 per cent and Atlas Cement Company Limited, 100 per cent to Lafarge Wapco for a cash consideration of $200 million and the issuance of some 1.4 billion Lafarge Africa shares to the Lafarge Group.

Nigerian Cement Holdings B.V.(NCH), an affiliate of Large Africa Plc, two weeks ago completed the acquisition of the first 15 per cent tranche equity stake in Unicem NCH, which is owned 50 per cent by Lafarge Africa, had 70 per cent equity stake in Unicem and with the acquisition, it has now increased its stake to 85 per cent.

NCH had in November 2014 entered into an agreement with FMN Cement Industries Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc to acquire its 30 per cent investment in Unicem.

The completion of the acquisition of the first tranche of 15 per cent paves the way for the acquisition of the second tranche of 15 per cent, which is scheduled for on or before February 2016.

Meanwhile, the board of Lafarge Africa at the weekend also announced that it has appointed leading investment banker, Mr. Mobolaji Balogun, as the successor to retiring chairman, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye.

Osunkeye, who had earlier retired from Nestle Nigeria as he winds down long industrious boardroom career, opted for voluntary retirement from the board of Lafarge Africa after leading the cement group through a complex consolidation of its operations.

Osunkeye’s retirement takes effect on May 23, 2015, the same day that Mobolaji Balogun, son of the founder of FCMB Group, Chief Subomi Balogun, steps into the board chairmanship. Balogun has been a non-executive director on the board of Lafarge Africa.

Also, in apparent appointments made to reflect the completion of the MTO for Ashakacem, the board has also appointed Alhaji Shamsuddeen Usman, Mrs. Elenda Osima-Dokubo, Mrs. Adenike Ogunlesi and Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga as non-executive directors. Kwairanga was the former chairman of Ashakacem. The four appointments took effect last Wednesday.

ICAN, CITN sign MoU on taxation practice

T

HE Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) have resolved the long-drawn rift between the two bodies over the practice and regulation of taxation in Nigeria.

In an arbitration mediated by the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), ICAN and CITN last week signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at an elaborate ceremony to end the professional crisis, which had lingered for more than a decade.

The highlights of the MoU and terms of settlement provide that chartered accountants will be able to engage in the practice of taxation without further examination from CITN. However, CITN will serve as the specialty regulator for the taxation practice in Nigeria.

Members of ICAN are expected to undergo induction process for membership of CITN. President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Chief Mark Dike commended the efforts of all parties in resolving the dispute.

A

CCESS Bank Plc sustained double-digit growths across key performance indicators as the top-tier bank at the weekend released its audited report and accounts for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Key extracts of the report showed double-digit growths in the top-line, bottom-line, balance sheet size and shareholders’ funds, implying a considerable resilience for the bank against the industry-wide headwinds occasioned by policy changes and fiscal and monetary challenges.

Gross earnings rode on the back of stronger growth in the bank’s core banking operations and improved cost management to close the year with a total growth of 18.5 per cent.

Net interest income had grown by 21 per cent while net interest income closed higher with 29 per cent growth. Net interest margin, which underlines the cost efficiency of the banking operations, had improved

“ My joy knows no bounds that a preventable dispute that lingered on for several years and which defied several mediations is eventually being laid to rest today through the signing of both the Terms of Settlement, ToS and Memorandum of Understanding by ICAN and CITN. This feat was facilitated by the astute and painstaking mediation efforts of our umbrella body, APBN,” Dike said.

President, Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Chidi Ajeagbu also commended the APBN for wading into the issue which had gone through the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

He said ICAN would work together with CITN to improve the practice of taxation and membership of the specialized regulatory body.

President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Mr. Foluso Fasoto noted that when in 2005 a dispute arose between ICAN and CITN; APBN had intervened, relying on section 4(4) of the APBN constitution.

According to him, in spite of the fact that the issue has become a sub-

•From Left: President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Dr. Anthony Dike; President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Mr. Foluso Fasoto; and President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICAN and CITN in Lagos

ject of court action, APBN did not relent in its efforts of mediation between its two member bodies.

He said APBN believes that the court should not come to solve the problems between professional

members.

“It is on record that the APBN, through its Mediation Committee has resolved similar issues in the past. To mention but a few: Tte Nigerian Institute of Architect, NIA

and the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP; the Nigerian Society of Engineers , NSE and the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV),” Fasoto said.

Access Bank grows profit by N52b from 53.2 per cent in 2013 to 56.5 per cent in 2014.

Gross earnings stood at N245.22 billion in 2014 as against N206.89 billion in 2013. Interest income rose from N145.96 billion to N176.92 billion while net interest income closed 2014 at N100.02 billion as against N77.72 billion in previous year.

The bottom-line also showed similar resilience with pre-tax profit rising by 20 per cent while profit after tax grew by 18 per cent. Profit before tax rose from N43.53 billion in 2013 to N52.02 billion in 2014. After taxes, net profit for the year stood at N42.98 billion as against N36.30 billion in previous year. Earnings per share thus rose from N1.57 in 2013 to N1.88 in 2014, representing an increase of 20 per cent.

The board of the bank has recommended distribution of additional N8.01 billion as cash dividends for

the 2014 business year, bringing total dividend for the year to N13.73 billion. Shareholders would receive a final dividend per share of 35 kobo in addition to interim dividend of 25 kobo paid earlier, totaling a dividend per share of 60 kobo. The company had paid the same rate for the 2013 business year.

The cash dividend will become payable on May 7, the same day it is expected to be approved by the shareholders at the yearly general meeting. The final dividends will be paid to shareholders in the register of the bank by the close of business on April 24, 2015.

The balance sheet of the bank also showed improved performance. Total assets rose by 15 per cent from N1.84 billion in 2013 to N2.10 billion in 2014. Net assets, otherwise known as shareholders’ funds, also increased by 13 per cent from

N244.48 billion to N277.41 billion.

Access Bank is currently raising new equity funds from existing shareholders. It is offering 7.63 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to existing shareholders at N6.90 per share. The rights issue is closing this Wednesday Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, urged shareholders to take advantage of this extension to fully exercise their rights, assuring them of quality return on their investments.

“We are going to give good returns on investment as our target is to be among top three banks in 2017,” Wigwe said.

He added that the bank was already talking to institutional investors, high net-worth investors and individuals, particularly investors who understand the value of long

term investments.

The net proceeds of the N53 billion offer would be used to upgrade the information and communication technology (ICT) systems of the bank to provide better services and build a more robust ICT platform as well as upgrade the branch network and facilities to serve the growing number of clients and further improve the working environment of staff.

The bank would also use part of the proceeds to further develop its distribution channel infrastructure to provide better and more efficient services to clients while it would also augment its working capital to expand its loan book in its identified sectors of growth in line with its medium term strategic objectives.

Access Bank would also use part of the proceeds to pursue opportunities for international expansion.

33

THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 16, 2015

BUSINESS

NEXIM Bank: Transforming economy through non-oil exports’ funding Over the last four years, the Nigerian Export Import Bank, has taken a strategy role in helping to drive the Transformation Agenda of the government through funding of non-oil products for export, reports, SIMEON EBULU, Group Business Editor

T

HE future of the nation’s economy that has long been sustained by crude oil export, is gradually shifting away from the hydrocarbons to manufacturing, agriculture and the services’ sectors.

Driving this shift, NEXIM Bank, has in the main, identified manufacturing, mining and the agric, as sectors that can churn-out non-oil goods for export. This way, the volume of external trade is being gradually shifted away from crude oil (upon which the nation largely depends), to non-oil items that are abundant and widespread in the country, but which have largely suffered neglect due to a multiplicity of factors, chief of which is funding.

The bank’s initiative is in tandem with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration’s Transformation Agenda that is intended to permeate a wide spectrum of the nation’s everyday life, ranging from housing, industry, energy, entertainment and the whole gamut of our social life.

As laudable as the Transformation Agenda may seem, it would have remained comatose and a mere wish-list without the requisite funding needed to translate it to reality. What is of note here is that, all of the goodies that the TA is advocating, require huge financial layout. Besides, the programme will require long-term sustainable funding which the commercial banks are not enabled to provide, given the short-term nature of their credit portfolio, but NEXIM Bank has risen to bridge the gap.

The bank’s Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Robert Orya, is upbeat about the successes so far recorded in the Transformation Agenda of which NEXIM Bank has played a pivotal role.

He said: “It is evident that the important story of Nigeria’s advancement from where we are would not be told by earnings from our hydrocarbon reserves alone.

Our success would be driven by a robust manufacturing industry, self-sufficiency in agriculture for food and processing so that excess yields could tap export markets, world-class service sector to serve domestic industries, global outsourcing and export markets, and commercial access to wider range of mineral deposits that dot every nook and cranny of our coun-

• Orya

try.”

It’s not for lack of ideas that the export of non-oil goods has remained at infancy, the problem, amongst others, has to do largely with the will and commitment to focus and redirect resources to the non-oil sectors and take cognitive action to actualise what is largely recognised as a cash cow.

Although NEXIM was established to play this role, the President’s avowed disposition to focus on these sectors in his bid to improve on the nation’s revenue profile outside crude oil sales and create employment, played a key role.

“What the Administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has done, perhaps more than any previous regime, is combine commitment with practical actions in diversifying the Nigerian economy away from sole reliance on crude oil for external revenue,” Orya said.

The inhibitions standing in the way of operators in the identified sectors from accessing finance has to be addressed. NEXIM Bank, having identified the drawbacks, intervened to set the ball rolling in a manner that ensured the delivery of the intended benefits. As the NEXIM Bank boss put it,“Development Finance Institutions are bearers of risks which commercial lenders would term excessive, and therefore avoid. “ New industries, new initiatives, people without financial collaterals and projects which cannot pay commercial cost of finance, have been beneficiaries of funding by the Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).

This way, business formations can continue, people can continue to innovate, bias against social and reputational collaterals are reduced, and projects can be incu-

• Beloxxi Industries Ltd: Located in Agbara Ogun State and employing over 750 Nigerians most of whom are youths.

bated and nurtured to when they can attract lending from commercial banks,” Orya said.

Support for Creative Arts and Entertainment Industry In furtherance of the government’s policy initiatives for strengthening the Creative Arts and Entertainment industry, the bank supported the industry through funding intervention with lending commitments of about N1 billion in the industry’s various value chains in the last three years. The Bank’s funding intervention in the sector is intended to address issues regarding the establishment of credible structures, attract investment in the development of content and infrastructure as well as facilitate improvement in production standards, distribution, marketing and exhibition standards.

He explained that NEXIM Bank has assumed this critical role in Nigeria where banking penetration is less than 15 per cent of the population, commercial lending rates are prohibitive, land titles are not even available to owner occupiers, but where innovators are born daily, and where we have to eradicate poverty.

He said as a DFI, NEXIM Bank has to assume its natural function in driving the Transformation Agenda of the government, by supporting the export-prone sectors, increase foreign exchange earnings and create employment, so as to free government to focus on the provision and delivery of necessary infrastructural projects to aid implementation of programmes under the plan of structural transformation of the Nigerian economy that cannot be delivered by commercial lending.

Loan Profile Orya explained that NEXIM Bank is the official and sole Trade Policy Bank of the Federal Government.

In this regard, it provides financing, risk-bearing facilities, market information and value-added advisory services to businesses towards deepening export-oriented investments in the country’s non-oil sectors of manufacturing, agro-processing, solid minerals and services, for job creation and economic growth.

He said the bank has provided N12 billion in lending to export manufacturers over the four-year period from August 2009 to April 2013, adding that it has funded agroprocessing export businesses to the tune of N6.6 billion over the same period.

He said what the Jonathan Transformation Agenda has done, perhaps more than any previous regime, is to combine commitment with practical actions in diversifying the economy away from sole reliance on crude oil for external revenue.

“From the institutional viewpoint of Nexim Bank, I am excited at the prospects of playing a role in diversifying the Nigerian economy and harnessing the immense potentials of the sectors which had, hitherto, been neglected. Indeed, the role Nexim Bank is playing is unique as a development finance institution (DFI), “ Orya stated.

Exporter Enlightenment Programmes The bank has sustained the Exporter’s Enlightenment sessions in various geographical zones to encourage investment and entrepreneurship in exports, especially valueadded exports. In response to the feedback from the Exporter

‘It is evident that the important story of Nigeria’s advancement from where we are would not be told by earnings from our hydrocarbon reserves alone. Our success would be driven by a robust manufacturing industry, self-sufficiency in agriculture for food and processing so that excess yields could tap export markets’

Saves on Mac 70-News as Business 16.3.15

Enlightenment Programmes and to increase the reach and spread of the Bank, arrangement have been concluded to establish eight Agency Offices in Yenogoa, Benin, Aba, Akure, Makurdi, Ghashua, Gusau and Yola to complement the Head Office in Abuja and the three Area Offices in Lagos, Kano and Calabar.

Also in the solid mineral sector, NEXIM Bank is working in partnership with industry stakeholders to take formal mining off the ground again, Orya said, adding that NEXIM Bank has so far provided over N2 billion in early funding to help some commercial miners to develop their site, so as to start operation and invite further funding from other sources apart from the long-term commitment of NEXIM Bank to the nascent industry.

In pursuit of its drive to impact on other segments of the economy as part of the Transformation Agenda, the bank has taken on the management of the Nigerian Creative and Entertainment Industry Stimulation Loan Scheme (NCEILS).

The fund which is lent at below commercial rate, is meant to fund businesses across the entertainment value-chain, including filming production, cinema operation, music recording, intellectual property development and recording studios, as a revolving fund with repayment terms.

He said to date, NEXIM Bank has disbursed over N1.4 billion for the Fund, adding that Entertainment industry project proposals under review exceed N5 billion. Overall, disbursements to the creative and entertainment industry, including the services sector is about N8.5 billion, covering support to transportation and hospitality industries.

Outcome Increased funding intervention of over N43billion to the four target non-oil sectors - Manufacturing, Agro - Processing, Solid Minerals & Services,which have high employment and foreign exchange generation potential leading to the creation of over 26,000 direct employment within the last five years, and foreign exchange earnings of about $353.07million yearly, over the same period

34

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

BUSINESS

‘That can’t work here in Nigeria’

I

T’S one of the most spontaneous responses that we get when we share with HR professionals how the likes of Microsoft, Google, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Intuit, Johnson& Johnson (all of whom are recognised as “Best Companies To Work for” in several countries around the world) invest significantly in their employees who, in return, reciprocate with loyalty, passion, creativity and much more.

Everything from free meals and snacks, game rooms equipped with xbox and playstation consoles, foosball tables, guitars, drum sets and comfy sofas (ideal for a mid afternoon nap), unlimited sick days and free premium healthcare regardless of position, amazing onsight recreational facilities, world class inhouse accredited universities to amazing work flexibility policies.

But I relish the expressions on their faces when we begin to share with them some of the amazing people practices that some of the Best Companies To Work for in Nigeria have adopted. Let me share a few with you Child bearing policies NSIA was one of the stand out organisations with respect to child bearing policies (and these policies have been in place since their earlier days as ADIC Insurance). At NSIA, mothers get 4 months fully paid maternity leave and fathers get 5 days of paternity leave. In addition to this, mothers get the chance to leave work an hour earlier for an additional two months. Add to this, the fact that you can work on a flexible work schedule - so you could resume at 7am close as early as 2pm if you skip lunch…who takes lunch anyway! No wonder women at NSIA rave about their “women friendly policies”. Microsoft offers dads 10 days of paternity leave, Guinness offers 4 months paid leave to mums and 5 days of paternity leave to dads and Deloitte gives fathers 3 days paternity leave and mothers, apart from their standard 3 months, have an option of taking an additional month off without pay (an option that many mothers still take as they desire above all to be close to their child especially in those early months). They go even further by offering extended paid maternity leave to nursing mothers who require more time with their babies due to health complications (either of the mother or baby).

Work-life Balance Microsoft leads the pack in modeling the concept of work life balance and utilise technology to support employees efforts to balance their work and personal priorities. Employees are extremely mobile and given the flexibility to work from home (in fact, they are encour-

By Michael Thomas

aged to work from home at least one day a week….yes, you read correctly!). Every employee has an internet modem and as such, they can adapt their schedule to allow them make personal commitments. I will also mention that you shouldn’t be surprised if you see a child or two at Microsoft because employees are allowed to bring their children to the office especially when there are no arrangements to take care of them at home. ADIC, Guinness, Coca-Cola, and a few others also offer great flex-time options to employees. Coca-Cola and Unilever give even more flexibility by allowing their employees to work from home whenever there is a need (this is in addition to allowing their employees choose preferred flextime hours which could involve early or late start and finish hours) Free Meals Yes, Free meals. Guinness offers all staff a free 3-course lunch while Microsoft Nigeria offers not just free lunch but also snacks, fruit juice, soft drinks and fruits!

Health and Wellness Gyms and Saunas, swimming pools and tennis courts are becoming more common in Nigerian workplaces. First Bank, Access Bank, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Deloitte are a few who have great on-site recreational facilities.

Deloitte further supports staff with its unique health policy where every staff - receptionist to Managing Partner - have the same highgrade HMO plan made available to them and their families and First Bank provides its staff with unlimited health coverage. Microsoft offers robust health club allowance and offers all its staff BUPA health coverage which covers their medical expenses even outside Nigeria (and would even cover emergency medical evacuations). You can also take Salsa and Aerobics classes at Microsoft and First Bank.

Learning and Professional/Career Development Guinness has an immensely comprehensive and supportive development framework that they make available to all their employees.

From e-learning modules available through the Diageo Academy, Breakthrough Performance Coaching program, People Manager Development Program, Growing Leaders Program, Diageo Africa Early Career Development Program, Career Compass to their Partners 4 Growth Program - to mention a few, literarily the organization provides an supportive structure to help staff grow and thrive in their roles.

All these programs and tools are in addition to core skill training made available to staff.

First Bank likewise has an impressive academy, First Academy. Though just under 3 years old, the Academy is one of the most structured institutions in Corporate Nigeria, with staff and faculty who exude a passion for information sharing. The Academy follows one of the most rigorous processes in developing its curriculum and ensuring its alignment with the organizaiton’s strategy and impact on the organisation’s bottom line. Their rigour is likewise evident in facilitator selection (and they have a healthy pipeline of great internal facilitators some of whom remain on the faculty even after leaving the bank), program execution and post training impact assessment/ implementation follow up. They also have a vast Computer Based Learning platform with a variety of e-learning modules that are now being made available to employees on mobile devices. Add to this their affliations with leading academic institutions, including INSEAD University.

Unilever also plays strongly in this area: a robust e-learning platform with an extensive range of international courses accessible to all employees, Global and local Mentoring programs, Future Leaders Program, Structured short term and long-term International assignments ranging from approximately 6 months – above 2 years, company sponsored and subsidized professional memberships and a continuous education scheme to encourage individual professional development etc.

Deloitte likewise encourages staff to pursue personal and professional development. In addition to 6 weeks paid training, Deloitte offers every level of staff 1 week off for residential or learning programs. Every staff is equipped with a laptop and a modem which allows them to utilize the Deloitte e-learning modules from anywhere. Deloitte also avails it staff the opportunity to acquire certifications from Harvard Univeristy. Employees also have an option for a career break of up to 2 years . Employees can also participate in the Deloitte Global Exchange Program for the same number of years.

Thanking and Celebrating When it comes to thanking employees, Unilever stands out with their MADE (Make A Difference Everyday) awards. There are 3 tiers to the program: The first is Peer-to-Peer award that allows employees to recognise outstanding performance of their peers on a daily basis; The second is the Functional awards where Directors can recognise members of their teams with gift certificate and cash gifts; The third tier is the Company-Wide Awards that honours

outstanding employees each quarter with recognition from the MD as well as gifts. But there’s more - the most outstanding employee of the quarter is sent on an all-expense-paid trip to Europe with their partner, also receiving a shopping allowance to spend as they please! In addition, at the end of the year, the most outstanding employees on each job cadre, receive the MVP (Most Valuable Player) Award – each earning cash rewards of a whopping 50% of their grossed up Annual Basic Salary!

Another organisation that stands out is Guinness Nigeria. At Guinness, not only are managers encouraged to thank employees but, through their “People Managers Hero’s Award”, the organization thanks and celebrates outstanding line managers who take the time to recognise and celebrate the successes and contributions of their team members.

Microsoft has almost too many individual and team awards (with amazing cash and non-cash perks attached to them) that occur all through the year — monthly, quarterly, bi-annually and annually - which are used to thank and celebrate outstanding performance. Coca-Cola is another company that goes a long way to say thank you with employees getting range of cash and noncash gifts valuing up to $5,000.

Sharing SC Johnson employees own 10% equity in the company and do receive dividend payout when it is declared. Fidelity Bank on the other hand goes a leap beyond the norm by making both a 13th and 14th month payment at the end of the year. As a standard, employees at Microsoft receive stock awards (that vest over a 5 year period) as a part of their compensation plan. CocaCola pays the school fees of up to 4 children of each employee.

I could go on but I’m sure that you get the picture. It is amazing to see how many of the indigenous Nigerian companies that we work with are adopting and even creating world-class people practices, some requiring very little investments but yeilding great dividend. Regardless of the costs, these companies are realising a greater level of engagement that is in turn having a significant impact on their business outcomes - they are consistently profitable despite their “generous” investment in people (more on this later).

The bottom line is this: People across the world appreciate and respond positively (and responsibly) to best people practices, and Nigeria is no exception.

• Thomas is Country Manager, GPTW, Nigeria.

‘Security vital to business survival’

D

ISTURBED by the insecurity in some parts of the country, Managing Director Montgomery West Africa Ms Tori Abiola, has urged the government to go beyond ‘hit and run’ security measures and adopt intelligence gathering as its main focus.

She is worried that the rising cases of insecurity are threatening the survival of some businesses, especially in the Northeast from where many firms are pulling out. She noted this was not good for the economy, warning that in the long run, it could have negative impact on the nation.

According to the Ms Abiola, business cannot thrive in an environment that is not secured. “Security is no longer a side issue in Nigeria,’’ she stressed.

She is worried that the security threat in the Northeast ‘’is around us’’ , adding that no one is safe with the rise in cybercrimes in the finance and telecoms sectors as well as pockets of insecurity in many parts of the country.

She noted that there were challenges of quality and capacity in this sub-sector of the economy, adding that there was need to provide the competence to deal with the issues.

As a panacea, her firm, a subsidiary of Montgomery, a global events giant, is leading the way in securing our environment for business. It is set to hold an exhibition/seminar in Victoria Island, Lagos between March 24 and 25.

Titled: Securex West Africa, the two-day event would hold in Lagos. “We believe Securex, which holds at the Eko Hotel and Convention Centre, is coming at the right time, a few days to the general elections. The event is aimed at safeguarding the lives of the people and their properties,’’ she said.

“We have the competence to deal with these challenges.’’

By Joseph Eshanokpe

A graduate of the University of London, Ms Abiola has over 16 years’experience in marketing, sales and other arms of management. Her firm, a collosus in the subsector, has over 100 years experience in events planning and marketing.

The firm said: “We have over 100 years experience under our belt, but we’ve kept our entrepreneurial spirit. We don’t shy away from innovation, and we relish a challenge – wherever in the world it may take us. Our international expertise and resources mean we deliver first-class results, no matter the vision and location. Seeking new opportunities and delivering quality exhibitions and shows is what Montgomery does best.’’

She said she and her firm would ensure that the subsector was turned around after the event.

Tori, who was listed in 2013 by Forbes Africa as among five women to do business in West Africa, said as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) drives e-banking, ‘’we need to look at our national systems in banking visa- vis the issues of theft’’. She said there were still reported cases of cyber thieves hacking into people’s bank accounts.

Ms Abiola cited the deaths and massive injuries caused by the stampede during the recruitment by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) last year, saying that they were avoidable if adequate safety measures were put in place.

She asked: “Do we have the resources or safety in place in our churches? How wellprotected are our maritime borders and others? Or our pipelines?’’

It is her view that some incidents in Chibok town in the Northeast were also preventable if the right things done. She cited the seizing of the over 200 schoolgirls by the Boko Haram

members last year, saying it was a failure of security measures.

In view of the onslaught by the Boko Haram insurgents, who started with the bombing of churches, but have not extended it to mosques, market places and motor parks, she urged the government to secure these public places properly.

Beyond this, Ms Abiola said security is not surveillance alone, but the provision of the necessary intelligence to forestall any attack.

It is for this that she wants emphasis on placed on the latter, through robust investments, noting that the budget for security can never be too much. ‘’Security is not about guns, bullets and bullet proofs alone; it is about intelligence and and CSR, adding that the community could help to secure one’s facilities if one partners them,’’ she said.

It is for this too that Montgomery is partnering with the government on the exhibition, where some security gadgets would be showcased.

Praising the private sector participants for pushing security, Ms Abiola said the issue does not end with the employment of a chief security officer (CSO) or maiguards; or even the installation of a CCTV. Rather, she said, the matter should include the level of training received by these staff. “It is one thing to give man a gun, it is another to teach him how to use it effectively while at work. Besides, there is the need for integrated or holistic CCTV in a company. What many people have are independent CCTV systems that are not connected. Those in charge of buying these items should ensure that they synchronised. From time to time, there is need for improved security audit. Again, most CSOs merely have police or military background without adequate industrial training. This should be corrected,’’ she ad-

• Ms Abiola

vised.

Basically, the organisers of the two-day event has its eyes on three main areas: commercial and home security, fire, safety and cyber security. Expected are security gurus home and abroad, notably the United Kingdom’s National Terrorism Security Oce (NaTSCO) former head, Chris Philips, who will speak at one of the sessions. Certificates to be presented at the end of the ceremony are backed by the Nigeria Institute for Industrial Security (NISS).

Its Executive Secretary Wilson Esangbedo said he had attended similar events by Montgomery West Africa for about four years and that the firm lived up to its billings as both security service providers and users got their money value.

He said over 2,000 people were at last year’s show with about 60 as exhibitors.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

• Job seekers

Wanted: Personal financial advisors Globally, economic constraints are forcing companies to let go of trained hands for less-capable ones. On the other hand, increasing specialisation, the fast-paced nature of urbanisation, intense corporate activities and lack of adequate knowledge of subject matters are creating opportunities for young and experienced graduates to provide personalised services. TAOFIK SALAKO writes on the growing need for personal financial advisors.

T

HE growing number of small and middle-income earners who appreciate the import of personal financial planning and are ready to pay for such services have created opportunities for young experienced graduates and people with expertise who lost their jobs because of global economic recession, to provide personalised financial services.

For instance, there is an unspoken fear in the capital market as the jobs of hordes of trained hands, registered professionals and young graduates are threatened by the shadowy consolidation implied by the strict enforcement of the new minimum capital requirements and minimum operating standards being carried out by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

While the new management of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is still contemplating on the win-win approach to implement the recapitalisation of hundreds of small-sized firms and several one-man portfolio companies, the NSE is indirectly putting pressure on such poorly-equipped firms. The same scenario applies to other segments of the financial

services sector including the insurance industry where low penetration is propelling casualisation, and in the banking industry where emerging recapitalisation is raising new targets for employees beyond their core competencies.

Also in the allied financial and investment services segment, low growth and seeming depression are also forcing cost-cutting and right-sizing. Similarly, huge job losses followed the previous banking consolidation exercises. Though consolidation, according to studies, may lead to large future job creation, the immediate disadvantages usually include job losses because such contraction reduces the companies’ absorptive rate for young professionals from both internal and external graduate trainees’ programmes.

This pool of talents, however, can find new income streams as personal financial advisors.

From taxes to savings, investment, insurance, pension, property management to inheritance and legacy matters, more and more people are craving for confidential and trusted channels to advise them and manage their affairs. Personal financial advisors are handy to provide the needed services.

For instance, Taiwo Akintan, a mechanical

engineering graduate who runs a small business that specialises in components for retooling of engines, is always at a loss when it comes to his finances. With a pile of unclaimed dividends and only pieces of papers to show for some investments made in the past years, he is not only worried about the pitiable state of his retirement plan and how his 15-year eldest child will be able to piece together all these in the case of sudden death.

He is worried about the troubles from the local, state and federal internal revenue claims on his small business. He will appreciate a help, at a modest cost.

He is not alone. Adeleke Bayo, who runs a small retail outlet for airtime recharge cards, also narrated the same experience. Some know what to do, but they don’t have the time for the long-drawn processes involved in the resolution of some of the issues. Many in the financial services industry have been found to have challenges tracking their investments or claiming or revalidating their dividend warrants.

What does a personal financial advisor do?

Personal financial planning has been de-

scribed as the key to sustainable living.

Hallman and Rosenbloom (2003) defines personal financial planning as the development and implementation of total coordinated plans for achieving one’s overall financial objectives. Oftentimes, where the assets involved are substantial, private wealth management is used interchangeably with personal financial planning to underline the peculiarities of each individual planning to his situation.

While people’s financial objectives may differ due to their peculiarities, there are common threads that usually run through and these include protection against risks such as premature death, unemployment, and disability; building up of strong capital base to meet current and future needs, tax and liability management, generational transfer of financial assets and sustainable management and investment of assets. Personal financial planning cuts across cadres-from the poor to the rich, young and old, and thus is a sort of unending preoccupation of the people.

That is why it is a selling topic, irrespec•Continued on page 36

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

JOBS

Wanted: Personal financial advisors •Continued from page 35

tive of the economy, population or location.

Huge gap, huge opportunities Unfortunately, people usually lack adequate knowledge of financial planning. While companies employ professionals and consulting firms to help with financial planning, personal financial planning remains detached from the people. How many people really understand their pension plans?

How many people know their taxes and benefits? How many people know about financial assets?

The knowledge and participation in most variety of financial instruments use in personal financial planning such as shares, bonds, mutual funds, insurance, certificate of deposits, bank accounts, personal trusts and real estate remain low. For instance, only 200,000 Nigerians out of a total population of about 170 million participate in mutual funds, otherwise known as collective investment schemes while only some five million people, less than three per cent of the population, participate in the capital market. These people need personal financial advisors and the gap shows the huge opportunity for personal financial planners.

With the economy estimated to continue on its growth trajectory and the designation of the country as a leading frontier market, economic and financial experts envisaged complementary increase and strengthening of the middle-income class, which lower end may not immediately be able to afford the costs of established asset man-

agement, tax and legal firms.

Becoming a personal financial advisor Personal financial advisory is a vast field and cuts across several disciplines. Getting started as an upstart, it is best to leverage on personal area of competence and professional certification. Then one can build up a network of similar professionals who can provide complementary services.

Besides, many institutes, such as the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Institute of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR) and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) among others now run short-duration courses in many areas of personal financial planning. Besides, many private and statutory organisations such as Nigerian Capital Market Institute of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Financial Planning Association also provide open courses for beginners and professionals in areas of personal financial planning.

For instance, the ICMR runs fasttrack progammes that touch several areas of personal financial planning and which also lead to membership of the institute. Topics un-

• President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu

• Chief Marketing Officer, Flobal Trust Ltd Mr. Yomi Adeyeri

der the programmes include introduction to capital market, fundamentals of new issues, introduction to financial accounting, register maintenance, understanding rights and scrip issues, management principles and practice, company law, company secretariat practice and legal issues relating to share registration, corporate governance and ethics in the capital market, marketing and research in the capital market and strategic management of registrar outfits.

SEC had also mulled short conversion programme for graduates of various disciplines to train as personal financial planners. SEC is working through the Nigerian Capital Market Institute, its training subsidiary, and the Financial

Planning Association to train graduates, certify them and attach them to fund and investment management companies to serve as a kind of out-growers for the investment management industry and the capital market in general.

The CIS is also running a diploma programme that equips graduate participants with knowledge in personal financial planning and investment management. Besides, a personal financial advisor can also serve as a sub-broker.

A sub-broker functions under the stockbroker primarily to market securities and solicit broking business. In most jurisdictions, they have very minimal professional and regulatory requirements. They are not required to be a member of

‘Personal financial advisory is a vast field and cuts across several disciplines. Getting started as an upstart, it is best to leverage on personal area of competence and professional certification. Then one can build up a network of similar professionals who can provide complementary services’

a stock exchange or an associate of the institute of stockbrokers, although some levels of capital market-focused studies are needed to perform effectively. Each stockbroker is expected to screen, train, record and account for sub-brokers under it. There is no limit to the number of sub-brokers a firm can engage as agents, primarily to interface with investors.

The sub-broker helps the broker to market securities, collect investor’s mandate and documents and foster the agent-principal relationship between the broker and investor by facilitating securities trading and rendering of returns to the investor. While the formalities and appellation of a sub-broker may change, the function of securities marketing is ever expanding, especially as the market evolves with new products and services. Understanding the stock market processes and products can be a way to earn a living.

Incomes of personal financial advisors Personal financial advisors make their income in two major ways through agreed service charge or percentage commission on assets value. As a sub-broker, he makes his income from sharing in the stockbroking commission - the stockbroker’s fee, under a pre-arranged mutually-exclusive contract between the broker and subbroker.

Besides the stockbroking commission, a sub-broker may share part of other incomes from other services relating to his clients including charges on share registration and management services such as dematerialisation and dividend collection and retrieval. Starting as a personal financial advisor is much like starting other small businesses. You start by introducing your services to people around you including your former colleagues, family friends and associates and complement your efforts with editorials in major newspapers.

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Fishing out your dream job: You need a game plan

Y

OU’VE got that great résumé in hand and you are rearing to get on and be on your mother of all searches: to find a job!

But wait, it takes much more than having just a résumé and bristling energy to have a successful job search. You need a search game plan.

The job hunter or career changer can find job hunting to be a frustrating experience. Fact is, it’s a job finding a job! There are no set of rules for job hunting; no magic formulas or solutions.

However, by utilising all the options available, you can make the job search more efficient and be successful in the shortest possible time.

A successful job search starts with thorough preparation and planning. This is true, whether you are beginning your career, seeking reemployment or considering a more satisfying occupation.

First and foremost assess your personal characteristics; take a good look at who you are and what you have done. This will require time and effort, but the time you invest will be worthwhile.

Self-assessment can help you to decide on a realistic job objective.

The information you discover will also be helpful when writing your resume, completing job applications and preparing for job interviews.

The options In exploring career options the questions are:

By Olu Oyeniran

Do I want to remain in that field?

• Would the strengths I have serve in a related field of work?

• As a recent college graduate, could I translate my strengths into a career?

In answering these questions, carefully consider personal circumstances, your lifestyle, health, family circumstances and financial needs. Keep these factors in mind when making career plans. Considering everything you know about yourself, try to think of some career possibilities that you could do well arid would enjoy.

Organisation is key Staying organised in the hunt is imperative! Maintain a notebook with contact sheets for recording names and information relative to your efforts. Keep copies of all job leads or ads that you respond to.

Maintain a calendar or weekly plan of action for your job hunt and record and review the number of contacts made each week.

As stated earlier, it is job looking a job! If you are experiencing a career transition, staying in the routine of a job hunt is difficult. Remember, you are marketing yourself each and every day. Begin each day with the attitude that you are “open for business.’ Follow the plan you established for yourself and keep with it until you’ve reached your goal. There are sev-

eral techniques and strategies for effective job fishing. We shall proceed to look at them.

Fishing-out your dream job: Networking Networking is a key process in job seeking, job keeping, and position advancement, in the future it will be necessary to give greater attention to this process as competition for good jobs becomes keener and advancement opportunities become fewer.

Networking in a nutshell, is nothing more than asking the people you already know to help you find out about the job market and meet the people who are actually doing the hiring.

The hard facts: • Informal contacts account for almost 75 percent of all successful job searches.

• Recruitment agencies find about nine percent of new jobs, mainly for professional and technical people • ads yield another ten percent or so.

Don’t hesitate to talk to friends, acquaintances, and neighbors about your job search in reality, you are asking for advice, not charity.

Most of the people you contact will be willing to help you, if only you will tell them how.

The ultimate object of your job search is to convince the person who has the power to hire you that you ought to be working for him

or her. The one you want to talk to is not necessarily the president of a company; it is rather the one who heads the department that could use your expertise.

Direct contact with the hiring authority is far and away the most effective job - hunting method.

Your strategy and schedule should reflect that fact, and most of your energy should be devoted to direct contact. You may want to explore other methods of contacting potential employers, but that should take up no more than a quarter of your job – hunting time.

How do you find the hiring authority? If you are lucky, someone you know periodically will tell you whom to see and introduce you. Otherwise, you will have to do some homework. If you cannot find out who heads the department that interests you, call the company and ask the operator.

Do not assume you can get to the hiring authority through the personnel department. If at all possible, you will avoid filling out ally personnel forms until you have had a serious interview.

The informational interview The contacts you make during your preliminary informational interviewing will be the core of your network in your job hunt.

You will also want to zero in on other contacts within your career area. Your goal is to get referred to the person who has the power to hire you.

Here are some tips: • Determine which organisations, positions, career path, or specific persons are of interest to you. Do enough research so that you will be able to talk intelligently to your new contact.

• Ask the individual when it would be a good dine to chat. Give a brief summary of your background and what you are seeking. Focus on what you have in common. Have a goal in mind and state your purpose.

• Be flexible. If they offer another time for a meeting, make effort to make yourself available to their schedule.

• Ask for information, direction and advice. Not a Job! • At the meeting, he sure to ask for referrals.

• Always listen attentively and take notes if necessary.

Respond to any questions directed to you with comments.

• Be sure to bring your resume and ask for their critique of it.

• By all means, be courteous and thankful and he sure to follow-up by sending a handwritten note thanking him or her for their time.

•Oyeniran is Lead Consultant, EkiniConsult & Associates.

He can be reached on Jobsearchhow.com.ng Tel 08083843230 (SMS Only).

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

37

Taxation

Penalties for late filers, ABC of tax returns (2) • Continue from last week Penalty for late filing of Final PPT Returns • Section 51(1) of the PPTA provides for a penalty of N10,000.00 and N2,000.00 for every day the failure continues.

6. Requirements for filingPersonal Income Tax (PIT) Returns In line with Section 41 of Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) Cap. P8 LFN 2004 (as amended), a taxable person shall, for each year of assessment, file self-assessment return in the prescribed form (Form A in the case of filing with FIRS), with the tax authority of the State in which the taxable person is deemed to be resident. This is together with a true and correct statement in writing containing: a) The amount of income from every source for the preceding year, computed in accordance with the provisions of PITA b) Particulars that may be required under PITA with respect to any such income, allowance, relief, deduction or otherwise as may be material for that purpose i.e. particulars that will serve as proof.

Due Date Returns should be filed within ninety days (90) days from the commencement of every year of assessment i.e. not later than 31st of March.This is in line with Section 41(3) of PITA. Penalty for late filing of Personal Income Tax (PIT) • Section 94(1) of PITA (as amended) stipulates a penalty of N5,000.00 on conviction, plus N100 for every day in which the failure continues. Where the taxpayer default in the payment of the penalty, he shall be liable to imprisonment for six months.

7. Requirements for filing annual returns of Pay as You Earn (PAYE) (By Employers) Section 81 (2) of PITA (as amended) and Regulation 10 of the Operation of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Regulations provide that an employer shall render to the relevant tax authority a return on each employee showing total emoluments of each employee during the year, the tax relief, if any, and the total tax deducted from the employee. This is to be done on a Form H1 or such other form as may be approved or prescribed by the relevant tax authority.

Due Date Annual PAYE Returns should be filed not later than 31st of January in respect of all employees of the employer in the preceding year.

Penalties for late filing of annual returns of Pay as You Earn (PAYE) (By Employers) Section 81 (3) of PITA stipulates a penalty of N500,000.00 for corporate bodies and N50,000.00 for individuals upon conviction.

8. Requirements for filingMonthly PAYE Returns (By Employers) The schedule to be attached to the Payment and Evi-

dence of Remittance should contain the following information. a) Taxpayer Information (Employer): I. Taxpayer/Agent Name And Address II. Taxpayer/Agent Tin III. Transaction Amount IV. Transaction Date b)Employees’ Information: i.

Staff TIN ii. Staff Name iii. Basic Salary iv. Allowances v. Transaction Date (DD/MM/YY) vi. Tax Amount vii. Period Covered Due Date • Evidence of Remittance should be filed not later than 10th of every month Penalties for late filing of monthly PAYE returns (By Employers) • Penalty for non-deduction and failure/late remittance under Section 40 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007 applies.

• Upon conviction, the penalty is at 10% per annum of the tax not remitted and interest at the prevailing Central Bank of Nigeria re-discount rate and imprisonment for period of not more than three (3) years.

9. Requirements for filingWithholding Tax (WHT) Returns Regulation 4 of the Companies Income Tax (Rates, etc. of Tax Deducted at Source (Withholding Tax)) Regulations as well as Regulation 3 of Personal Income Tax (Rates, etc. of Tax Deducted at Source (Withholding Tax)) Regulations provide that a person who deducts tax from a payment shall, when the payment is credited or paid, whichever is earlier, submit, to the relevant office of FIRS, the evidence of remittance made to the designated bank of the tax deducted. The submission shall be accompanied with a statement containing the following information: • The name and address as well as the TIN of the person from whom the tax was deducted • The nature of activity or service in respect of which the payment was made • The gross amount paid or payable • The amount of tax deducted • The period to which the payment relates Similar provisions can be found in Sections 78, 79 & 80 of CITA as well as Sections 69, 70, 71 & 73 of PITA. Due Date Evidence of Remittance should be filed not later than thirty (30) days from the date the tax was deducted or the time the duty to deduct the tax arose.

Penalty for late filing of Withholding Tax (WHT) returns WHT only has penalty for non-deduction and failure/ late remittance of deduction.

• From left: Mr Bolaga Oshiga, Director Project Management Tax Department, Mr. Achilis Amahwe, Director Internal Affairs Department, Representing Ag.Executive Chairman of FIRS, Alh. Kabir Mashi, Mr. Peter Olayemi, Director Medium Tax Department, Mr. John Obaro, MDSystemspecs Nigerian Limited and Mrs. Crystabel Onyejekwe, Executive Director, Buisiness Development NIBSS at One-day Sensitization Workshop for Tax Consultants, Taxpayers and Banks, held at Eko Hotels and suits in Lagos

Upon conviction, the penalty is 10% per annum of the tax not remitted and interest at the prevailing Central Bank of Nigeria rediscount rate and imprisonment for period of not more than three (3) years (Section 40 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007).

10. Requirements for filingValue Added Tax (VAT) returns Section 15 of the Value Added Tax Act (VATA)

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed Mashi

Cap. V1 LFN 2004 (as amended) requires taxable persons to render returns of all taxable goods and services purchased or supplied by him during the preceding month to FIRS. The Service has prescribed the use of VAT Form 002 for filing the monthly VAT Returns.

Due Date Returns should be filed not later than 21st day of the month following that in which the purchase or supply was made.

Penalty for late filing of Value Added Tax (VAT) returns Section 35 of VATA stipulates a penalty of N5, 000.00 for every month in which the failure to make returns continues.

11. Requirements for filingTransfer Pricing Returns Regulation 6 of the Income Tax (Transfer Pricing) Regulations No.1, 2012 provide for the filing of Transfer Pricing Returns and the documents required to be filed. The provisions under the Regulations refer to companies which have relationship with any other company(ies) through control, management or ownership.

The following are the content of Transfer Pricing returns: • TP Declaration Form (required only in the first year but must be updated should there be material changes in the information provided) • TP Disclosure Form (annually whether or not there are controlled transactions) • Copy of audited financial statement • Copy of Self-Assessment Form • Copy of income tax computations (including all relevant schedules) The taxpayer should write a covering letter for the TP returns; package all the documents into a separate envelope and mark the envelope “TP RETURNS”.

The package containing the TP returns should be delivered to the tax office (where the taxpayer’s file is resident) along with the annual income tax returns and obtain acknowledgement of submission at the tax office.

Due Date Same due date with CIT/PPT returns and must be filed when filing CIT/PPT returns.

Penalty for late filing of Transfer Pricing Returns Regulation 13 of the Income Tax (Transfer Pricing) Regulations specify same penalty as specified for failure to file CIT/PPT returns. v Please note that apart from penalty for late filing of returns, many of these tax types also have separate penalties for late remittance.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

39

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

BUSINESS

MOTORING

Redesigned for this year, the Subaru Outback packs more interior space, higher fuel efficiency, a nicer interior and more intuitive control than before, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO with agency addition

• Subaru Outback

Subaru Outback: Stiffer body, precise steering T HE lines have become increasingly blurred between station wagons and crossover Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs).

Give the former a bump in ground clearance and all-wheel drive, and it essentially becomes the latter. Whatever you want to call it, the redesigned 2015 Subaru Outback represents the latest version of the company’s popular family truckster. It retains its core competencies of abundant cargo space, standard all-wheel drive, impressive ground clearance and an affordable price tag. But Subaru has stepped up the Outback’s game with even more space, better fuel economy, nicer cabin materials and some tech upgrades.

Despite adding less than an inch in both overall length and width, the newest Outback somehow picks up nearly three cubic feet in added interior space. There is a bit more room for rearseat passengers along with a 2-cubic-foot increase in cargo capacity. Not quite a compact, not quite a midsize, the 2015 Outback is about the same size as a Volvo XC70, but about 10 inches longer than a Honda CR-V or a Toyota RAV4.

All Subaru Outback models now come with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while engine choices still consist of a 2.5liter four-cylinder or a 3.6-liter six-cylinder.

Thanks to the revised CVT, active grille shutters (which reduce wind drag) and the adoption of electric-assist power steering, the Outback’s fuel economy gets a boost. Whichever engine you choose, there is a 2-mpg increase in the EPA’s combined fuel economy estimate from last year.

The company also addressed the gripes about the previous Outback’s cabin, fraught as it was with hard plastic trim and some quirky controls. For 2015, there is an all-new interior that boasts notable improvements both in materials quality and ergonomics. In a nod to smartphone and tablet-trained consumers, the navigation screen allows drivers to zoom in and out by squeezing your fingers together or apart. Meanwhile, the new Outback promises more safety via new front seat cushion airbags, a newly standard across-the-board rearview camera and newly available blind-spot monitoring, lane

change assist and rear cross-traffic alert systems.

As before, the Subaru Outback pretty much occupies its own niche. The Audi Allroad and Volvo XC70 are closest in concept. They offer all-wheel drive, turbocharged power and nicer interiors than the Subaru, but both cost more, and the Audi’s cargo space is noticeably smaller.

Of course, if wagons aren’t your thing, there are plenty of small crossover SUVs to consider, like the popular Honda CR-V, the off-road-oriented 2015 Jeep Cherokee, the seven-passenger 2015 Kia Sorento and Subaru’s Forester. Yet the Outback, with its 2015 improvements and reputation for sure-footed handling, is a smart choice for an active family.

Body styles The 2015 Subaru Outback is a five-passenger crossover wagon offered in four trim levels: 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Limited and 3.6R Limited. The numbers refer to engine displacement.

Available features, depending on trim level, include a sunroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a navigation system, keyless entry and ignition and Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist system (includes the blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert systems, adaptive cruise control, a lane-departure warning system and a collision-warning and -mitigation system with brake intervention).

Powertrains and performance A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is standard on the 2.5 models, generating 175 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. It is matched to a CVT. All-wheel drive is standard on all Outbacks, as are hill descent control and hill start assist.

In Edmunds performance testing, an Outback 2.5i Limited went from zero to 60 mph in a lackluster 9.6 seconds. Most rivals reach that speed in about eight seconds.

The EPA estimates an Outback 2.5i will get 28 mpg combined (25 city/33 highway). On Edmunds’ highway-biased 120-mile evaluation drive loop, we saw 28.9 mpg from an Outback 2.5i Limited.

The 3.6R Limited features a 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine rated at 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque

• Interior of the car

and also pairs with a CVT. The 3.6R earns EPA estimates of 22 mpg combined (20 city/27 highway).

Safety Every 2015 Subaru Outback comes standard with four-wheel antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and new seat cushion airbags (to hold occupants in place in a frontal collision, instead of the traditional knee airbags). Also standard across the board is a rearview camera, while higher trims also include blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems.

Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist system is available on higher trims and includes the blindspot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems, as well as adaptive cruise control, a lanedeparture warning system and a frontal collision-warning and -mitigation system with brake intervention. EyeSight can also detect pedestrians and is capable of braking the Outback if the driver takes no evasive action.

Interior design and special features For 2015 the Outback received a number of notable interior refinements. The base model now features a 6.2-inch touchscreen interface for audio and entertainment functions, while a 7inch touchscreen comes standard on Premium and Limited trims. If the car is equipped with

navigation, that screen allows one to use the now-intuitive pinch-and-expand finger movements to zoom in or out. The cabin vibe also goes uptown as the dash and upper door panels are covered in soft-touch materials, while the various faux metallic and wood-tone accents look surprisingly convincing. The large centre stack features easy-to-use controls. The climate control system is a mix of intuitive buttons and knobs, and there’s a handy cell phone slot on the centre console.

The front seats are generously padded and provide excellent all-day comfort. Still, some long-legged folks might wish for a bit more thigh support. And you needn’t spring for leather, as we are quite enamored of the soft, grippy cloth seats in the 2.5i Premium, not to mention the ultra-plush armrests. There is plenty of room for the driver and the front passenger to spread out. But the rear seat is simply surprising — not so much because of the abundant head - and legroom but rather the plentiful hiproom. Three adults can sit comfortably in back with no complaints, a rarity in this segment.

Although the Outback is more of a station wagon than it is a tall and airy SUV, slim roof pillars give it superb outward visibility. Cargo capacity is also a strong point, as there are 35.5 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat, which grows to 73.3 with the seatbacks dropped.

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MOTORING

Porsche achieves new profit records

P • From left: Richard Collar, Head, Bespoke Sales & Marketing, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Goodwwod; Brett Soso, Regional Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Middle East, Africa, Central Asia & South America; Tolulope Gbadamosi, Sales Manager – Rolls-Royce, Coscharis Motors; Josiah Samuel, Group Managing Director, Coscharis Group; Ayman Ghanem, General Manager - Sales, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Middle East, Africa, Central Asia &South America; Abiona Babarinde, General Manager – Marketing & Corporate Services, Coscharis Group; Mohamed Fawzi, Regional Dealer Development Manager, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Middle East, Africa, Central Asia & South America at the award ceremony where Coscharis Motors was awarded the BEST PERFORMING NEW DEALER in the Middle East Region at Park Hyatt Hotel, Dubai .

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HIS year’s edition of the annual Lagos Motor Fair and Auto Parts Expo will hold between April 30 and May 6, the organisers said. At a media briefing, BKG Exhibitions Limited, organisers of the event described this year’s edition as a milestone.

Its chairman, Ifeanyi Agwu, said efforts are in top gear to roll out drums

Lagos Motor Fair gets April date Stories by Tajudeen Adebanjo

for the 10th edition.

Agwu promised to use the edition as a turning point in the history of the fair.

Nigeria, he said, has what it takes to

Vehicles’ owners warned

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HE Lagos State Police Command, have warned owners of abandoned vehicle parked at Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Ikeja to come forward with their original documents and remove their vehicles or lose them to members of public through auction sales after two weeks of this publication.

There are: Nissan Morano Jeep reg no: KRK 449 CL, V/Wagen Golf 4 reg no: KRK 81 AA, Toyota Camry reg no: BDG370 CQ, Toyota Camry reg no: BWR 435 AL, M/Benz 350 space Wagon reg no: KTU 901 AC, M/Benz 320 Jeep reg no: KJA 571 CV, V/W Passat reg no: AAA 39 AP, M/Benz Saloon car reg no: EPE 831 CG and AY 797 KUT, Honda Civic Saloon car reg no: DG 304 MUS, Ford Bus reg no: JJJ 787 XM, Nissan Path-

finder Jeep reg no: AGB 839 RK, Mitsubishi Outlander reg no: KTU 615 AV, Nissan Sunny reg no: EG 593 KRD, Toyota Camry reg no: BRJ 673 CN, DAF Truck reg no: APP 534 XL, Toyota Avalon reg no: GWA 302 JS, Honda Accord Saloon car reg no: EKY 938AW, Honda Accord Saloon car FKJ 217 AR and Mazda Tribute, Toyota RAV4 Jeep, M/Benz Truck, Landover Jeep, M/Benz Saloon car, Lexus Jeep, Honda Civic Saloon car, Audi 80 Saloon car, Honda Pilot, Toyota Avenses, Toyota Avalon Saloon car, Honda Accord Saloon car, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Sienna, Honda Odese, Nissan Micra, Nissian Alimera, Toyota Big Bumper, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Forunner , Toyota Matrix, BMW, MAZ IDH, all unregistered.

compete with developed nations in terms of staging auto show.

“Though there are some little challenges, we will not run away because our goal is to make Nigeria be among the best globally,” he said.

He canvassed support from stakeholders in the automobile sector to have a robust fair.

According to him, the automobile sector should be the second largest sector economically in Nigeria after the oil and gas sector. Apart from being a major key to the nation’s development, it should generate more jobs if properly harnessed.

He said no fewer than 300 participants from 20 countries are expected to attend the fair in the nearest future.

He, however, stated that firms dealing in auto parts are coming from six countries namely Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Austria, China and India. The fair, Agwu said, will feature Executive Disk Jockeys (DJs) that would appear live on Classic FM to talk on the fair, Queen of the fair, Raffle draw, Award night, Entertainment and Automobile Classic.

Agwu said: “The annual fair brings together major local and international vehicle manufacturers; Brand Representatives as well as policy makers in the road transport and automotive business in Nigeria and West Africa. It is always highly focused and boasts of well targeted participants and visitors.

“It has the ultimate objective of providing a good forum for existing and potential practitioners as well as other stakeholders in the automobile and allied businesses across the world to explore and exploit the potentials that abound in the industry in Nigeria.

“The fair has grown over the years and have always had in attendance high profile exhibitors and visitors from Nigeria and abroad. It avails the participants the opportunity of reaching out to more customers; interacting with policy makers; making new contacts and networks; amongst others. Our activities are focused on building long term, result oriented cooperation among the players in any sector of the economy through world class exhibitions around the African continent.”

Stallion NMN woos customers with new facility

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TALLION NMN, authorised Nissan sales company has inaugurated another multimillion billion naira 3S (sales, spares and service) facility in Victoria Island, Lagos to provide onestop shopping convenience to customers.

The new facility which is coming barely two years since the Nissan franchise was re-launched in Nigeria between Nissan Motor Company and renowned West African business conglomerate, Stallion Group would allow customers to see a

more complete line-up of Nissan vehicles.

The third in the series after the Gbagada in Lagos and Abuja showrooms, the Stallion NMN Victoria Island facility would not only help in discerning patrons evaluate their favourite Nissan models but ensure a faster and efficient service for their existing vehicles.

Managing Director Stallion NMN Parvir Singh said the construction of the new Nissan facility is in line with business expansion plan to provide a higher level of

customer satisfaction through integrated facility and enhanced hospitality.

He said the project was part of the company’s core strategies of delivering world-class customer experience and asserting Nissan’s increasing potential in Nigeria’s automobile market.

Describing Nigerian market as significant to Nissan’s cardinal objective to meet global corporate identity for quality service and customer satisfaction, Singh said: “Nissan’s global objective has conveyed

Kia posts February global sales

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IA Motors Corporation announced its February 2015 global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles, recording a total of 208,700 units sold.

This figure represents 0.0 per cent yearon-year growth compared to the same month of 2014.

In February, Kia posted year-on-year

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RIVING is the most complex activity globally because it involves the simultaneous use of the highest number of body organs in a continuously changing environment to ensure effective and safe vehicle control.

It therefore behoves every driver to be equipped with the right level of energy to be able to cope effectively with the complexity of the driving task.

In a bid to boost their level of energy, several drivers usually turn to the use of energy drinks which unfortunately works against their vision and energy level particularly because it contains high levels of caffeine and sugar.

In this article, I will talk on few energy boosting measures and more on energy drainers.

Energy boosting strategies

sales increases in North America (5.8 per cent growth with 48, 230 units sold), China (3.3 per cent growth with 47,211 units sold) and the domestic Korean market (1.2 per cent growth with 35,405 units sold). Cumulatively through the first two months of 2015, Kia’s global sales totalled 420,891 units for a year-on-year decrease of 1.0 per cent. North America (90,233 units sold) and Korea (72,072 units sold) have seen a 4.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent

rise in sales, respectively.

Kia’s bestselling model in overseas markets during February 2015 was the Bsegment Rio (known as ‘K2’ in China) with 32,719 units sold. The C-segment Cerato (known as ‘Forte’ or ‘K3’ in some markets) was the second best seller with 28,711 units sold, while the Sportage compact CUV, Optima D-segment sedan and midsize Sorento CUV followed with 27,128, 17,721 and 14,280 units sold, respectively.

the responsibility of repositioning and enhancing Nissan’s influence in Nigeria on Stallion NMN.” The facility, he stated, will create an improved atmosphere for quality experience and enhanced customers’ interactive relationship with the Nissan brand. Modern and spacious, the showroom is built to standard with theatre-like display arena and a cantilever exhibition platform on the second floor capable of holding up to 10 vehicles at a time with a quick service facility, canteen, offices and conference room.

Also incorporating Nissan’s latest Retail Visual Identity, customers can view their cars from the comfort of the customer lounge and enjoy facilities such as coffee bar, wide-screen TV and Wifi service.

The entire showroom offers ample vehicle display area with an entrance portal fitted with automatic doors on the ground floor and an imposing Nissan badge behind the reception desk that guardedly welcomes the customer.

ORSCHE AG has set new records in terms of deliveries, revenue and profit in the 2014 fiscal year. With 189,849 vehicles, deliveries were 17 per cent above the figure of the previous year. Revenue rose by one-fifth to 17.2 billion euros. The operating profit grew by just over five per cent to 2.7 billion euros. With 22,401 employees, the number of people working for Porsche reached a new peak at the end of the year. A year earlier, the figure was 19,456 employees: an increase of 15 per cent.

At the annual press conference of Porsche AG in Stuttgart last Friday, Chairman of the Executive Board Matthias Müller, stressed that the sports car manufacturer has reached essential objectives of the “Strategy 2018” ahead of schedule.

“Porsche,” he said, “has developed very successfully and is now better positioned than ever. A crucial cornerstone for this success is the Macan.

Until the end of the year, we had delivered our new five-door sports car nearly 45,000 times.”

With the Macan, Porsche has also won over many new customers: worldwide, three out of four Macan customers have opted for a vehicle of the Porsche brand for the first time.

The Porsche chairman took special pride in the success of the plug-in hybrid models. With this, Müller did not only refer to the 918 Spyder super sports car, which was sold out just a few months after start of delivery in March 2014; he emphasised that, in the 2014 fiscal year, Porsche was the only brand in the world that could offer its customers no fewer than three plug-in models in the premium segment: in addition to the 918 Spyder, they include the Cayenne S E-Hybrid and the Panamera S E-Hybrid.

Member of the Executive Board Finance and IT at Porsche AG Lutz Meschke, said in Stuttgart that the excellent performance of Porsche is also reflected in the financial situation of the company.

He said: “In 2014, we were able to completely reduce our net debt while simultaneously financing our growth – two years before the originally envisaged target date. In tangible terms, the net liquidity of the automotive business area – that is the gross liquidity less financial liabilities and excluding the financial services business in each case – improved from minus 899 million euros as of December 31 2013 to plus 195 million euros as of December 31 2014’’.

Energy level and safe driving 1. Low fat, high fibre foods 2. Balanced diet 3. Oxygen 4. Exercise and sleep 5. Optimism 6. Breakfast that combines complex carbohydrate with protein 7. Food supplements, Aloe Vera, Moringa Oleifera, and their likes.

Energy drainers 1.

Anaemia – Inadequate blood in the body. This is the reason why every driver must go for the PCV (blood level) test at least once in six months 2. Smoking – because of the presence of tar in the cigarette which could block or narrow the air-ways in the body.

3. Alcohol – which is a depressant 4. Obesity 5. Caffeine – which has strong potential of draining the body fluids among other negative effects.

6. Sugar – because it gives instant high but depresses the energy level the moment the blood sugar level drops.

7. Stress or emotional pressure.

8.

Carbon monoxide – weakens the functioning of the body organs and reduces the oxygen level.

9. Fatigue – as a result of inadequate sleep (sleep debt) 10. Sexual intercourse – usually result to the loss of water, vitamin c, fructose and zinc from the body of men.

11. Heat – dehydrates the body

12. Electromagnetic radiation from phones, computers, television sets, mast, microwaves oven, etc.

13. Toxins in the body.

14. Soda – causes dehydration just like caffeine.

15. Excessive intake of acidic foods.

16. Fatty foods – because of the presence of saturated fats.

17. Eating too late and going to bed immediately after a heavy meal.

18. Negative calories food – burn more energy or calories than they contain.

For a driver to have and maintain the right level of energy needed to effectively cope with the challenges for safe driving, he or she must em-

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

brace the energy boosters and as much as possible, abstain from the energy drainers.

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is not about money, this is about what God ‘Itwants to do, for the first time in the history of our state an ordinary lecturer ‘ ...

74 D AYS TO GO ...74 DA

100% PVC collection not possible, says Adeola

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•Southwest Coordinator, Buhari/Osibajo Presidential Campaign, Governor Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye- Tomori (2nd left); Former Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro (2nd right); Former State APC Chairman, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi (right); Candidate for Oriade State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Israel Tomi Aloba and others, during the Presidential/National and State House of Assemblies Campaigns Rally at Owena-Ijesa, Oriade Local Government Area...yesterday.

I’ve not signed any pact with anybody in Abia —Ikpeazu ...PDP candidate ready to step on toes to fix Aba

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has said that he has not signed a secret pact with Governor Theodore Orji to pay money to him, if elected as governor.

Speaking with reporters in Lagos, Ikpeazu said that he has a pact with the people of Abia to give them hope.

He promised to reposition the state and restore its glory. While ensuring that the state is properly repositioned to compete with other states.

Ikpeazu however challenged Nigerians to ask those throwing money around in millions where they got such monies from.

He said: “I have not signed anything (pact) and nobody has made that proposal to me and nobody will do it because am a person of modest means and a lot of things do not appeal to me.”

“You know from recent history that such things don’t work anywhere, you can’t show one example of somebody that has been tied and put in the pocket and he is a governor...nobody is contemplating such” He said.

Speaking on his emergence as the party’s flag bearer in the forthcom-

By Emmanuel Oladesu

ing April 11 Gubernatorial election, the Lecturer turned Politician who acknowledged the role played by Governor Orji, posited that it is the handiwork of God and the good people of Abia state.

“Governor Theodore Orji played a role in my nomination as PDP flag bearer, and he didn’t ask money from me to do that, if he wanted money, I wouldn’t have been an option because I don’t have money to offer anybody.

“One of the candidates running the election with me, who was an aspirant in PDP, offered N3billion to Governor Orji, but the governor said no, and said that equity and justice must be done, the same candidate paid another huge amount somewhere just to get the PDP ticket, when he realized his money couldn’t buy him the PDP ticket, he ran to another party, where his money was able to buy him a ticket, the records are there to show.

“It is not about money, this is about what God wants to do, for the first time in the history of our state an ordinary lecturer, a common man like me, from Ngwa, is emerging to be-

come Governor.”

He added that it was members of Aba Landlord Association that recommended him to governor and the PDP in the state when he was serving as Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Enviromental Protection Agency (ASEPA) in charge of Aba. “I want to put it on record that while I was serving as Deputy General Manager of ASEPA in charge of Aba, the Aba Landlord Association who saw the leadership potential in me recommended him to the PDP hierarchy in Abia State. At one of their meetings with the state governor, they said to him, this man could become Governor, they were so excited about my determination to wrought a change in that sector of the gamut of Aba challenge, I didn’t know them and didn’t give them them a dime, in fact it was after their meeting that I was told what they told the governor.

Ikpeazu dismissed the insinuation that the governor’s son, Chinedum Orji, who is seeking to represent Umuahia Central Constituency in the House of Assembly and nursing an ambition to become the Speaker, may be used by political actors to “track” him, if he does not play along.

•Ikpeazu

He said: “If his people in Umuahia Central State Constituency feels he is good enough to represent them in the House of Assembly so be it, I think it will be unfair to use my ambition as an Abia South man from Obingwa to truncate the ambition of a young Umuahia man who want to start a political career, it is unheard of.

“You don’t get elected as speaker of the House of Assembly by staying in your house and talk about it, you are going to have 24 people elected into the House and the speaker will be elected from among them, and if they say he is good enough to be the first amongst equals let him be, but if they look at him and say no he will not be, I don’t think it is proper for us to talk about the sex of a child before the child is conceive”. Ikpeazu posited.

Kasali: Ibeju-Lekki ‘ll vote APC

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• Kasali

ORMER Lagos State Commissioner for Health Dr. Kola Kasali has described the App Progressives Congress (APC) as the Ark of Noah, which will take the people of Ibeju-Lekki, East District, to the promised land.

The party chieftain dismissed as a ruse the insinuation that IbejuLekki is a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said the APC will win the governorship election in thew area to confirm that the people have sealed a pact with the progressive camp.

Kasali spoke when the APC campaign train rolled into Ibeju-Lekki.

He said: The APC is the ark of Noah. It will take Gen. Muhammadu

By Emmanuel Oladesu

Buhari to Aso Villa. It will take Mr. Akinwumi Ambode to Alausa Government House. It will take our candidates to the state and National Assembly. I only have one message for you. Go and get your PVC. We will use PCV for this election. We will use card reader. Get ready.”

Kasali described the PDP as a confused organisation, recalling that the party masterminded the postponement of the election because its failure was imminent.

Urging the people to reject the PDP, he said, if a PDP governor is elected in Lagos State, he will scrap the additional 37 councils.

He added: “We don’t want a governor that will reduce the number of councils from 57 to 20. We want continuity in Lagos. The government is contructing our roads here.

Ibeju-Lekki will soon become a free trade zone. sIbeju-Lekki is the future of Lagos. The future has started today.”

Another chieftain, Tunde Isiaka, said: ‘PDP is fighting against the card reader because they have seen the futility of using the card reader to rig. They are distributing rice, money and GSM. But, I ask you to reject them. Our chiefs have been upgraded. Our roads are being tarred. We only know the APC here.

PDP has not done anything for us.”

HAIRMAN of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts Hon. Solomon Adeola said at the weekend that a 100 per cent Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) collection before election is not attainable.

Addressing All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leaders from Lagos West Senatorial District, who visited him, the senatorial candidate said from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) statistics, Lagos State has attained 81 per cent PVC collection.

He said that the collection rate will improve before the March 22 collection deadline.

“It is not possible to have a 100 per cent PVC collection. Lagos has attained 81 per cent as at the last count. He said those complaining or petitioning of PVC collection at this point were not prepared for the election and only dreading their imminent defeat.

Adeola urged the youth leaders to enjoin those with PVCs not to sell their cards as some political parties are bent on disenfranchising those that already have PVCs for unknown reasons.

He called on the youths to work hard for the desired change that is adding that, since 1999, this is the first time that the opposition is ahead of the ruling party in popularity rating by reputable polling organisations.

The leader of the Youths Mr. Lukmon Jimoh, said APC youths in the district will deliver all ward to the APC. Also, a group in Alimosho Local Government of Lagos West Senatorial District, the Grassroots Progressive Movement (GPM), has endorsed the senatorial ambition of Solomon Adeola to represent Lagos West in the Senate.

Its leader, Pastor Michael Oyedepo said the group which cut across all tribes with professionals and artisans, sees in the antecedent of the legislator a representative that has the interest of the people at heart.

“We came to register our support for you face to face as we have been preaching to people on the need to have you as the senator as the most qualified candidate. You are friendly and hardworking. You have a record of public and community service and we are sure you will not disappoint at the Senate.” Oyedepo said.

Adeola lamented Nigeria’s economic situation saying he will always support and partner with groups and individuals that believe in people’s power in electing leaders adding that until such groups as theirs and individual began to assert and exercise their power change to better leadership is very unlikely.

•Adeola

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were just interested in maintaining ‘ They peace and orderliness. Nobody was harassed and nobody was intimidated. They were firm, resolute and committed ‘

...

74 D AYS TO GO ...74 DA Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary Comrade Joe Igbokwe spoke with reporters in Lagos on the general elections, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s chance and the purported endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by Igbos in Lagos: Excerpts.

Emerhor promises better life for Deltans

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‘PDP can’t stop Buhari’s victory’

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AS the postponement of the general election not reduced the momentum of APC? I f we had held the presidential elections on February 14 as scheduled

by INEC, PDP would have been history in Nigeria for now. All the security agencies in Nigeria did a combined report and told the President Jonathan that if he allows the election to hold on February 14 2015, he may not score up to 20 percent of the votes in the 36 states of Nigeria including Abuja. Now what did the PDP do?

They sent the National Security Adviser to the President Alhaji Sambo Dasuki to Chatham House London to fly a kite that because a lot of people are yet to collect their PVCs, Federal Government may ask for an extension so that people will collect their PVCs. Nigerians saw the danger coming. APC raised an alarm that PDP is planning something sinister.

The world was alerted that President Jonathan and PDP may burgle our hard earned democracy. We later learnt that the Service Chiefs wrote to INEC that given the insurgency in the North East, they may guarantee elections in the troubled areas. They intimidated INEC to accept the extension. They got six weeks to try to repair the sinking boat called PDP. PDP has been running helter skelter and so is the President. They have emptied the treasury doling out money in millions of naira, dollars and pounds. President Jonathan came to Lagos two times distributing money to traditional rulers, interest groups, market leaders, religious leaders, transporters, traders, mechanics, artisans etc. It was a bazaar, the type unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. They are also using the six weeks to attack APC leaders and diminish their towering personalities.

They started with candidate Buhari on AIT and moved to Asiiwaju Bola Tinubu and from BAT they intend to move to Amaechi and then to Rochas Okorocha. This is what they are using these weeks to do.s2 What is the assurance that the polls will not be shifted again?

PDP and President Jonathan is still tinkering with the process. They are mortally afraid of imminent and crushing defeat. PDP does not want Buhari to contest this election. They want General Buhari to die today.

They say Buhari has no certificate.

They say he is sick. They say he is too old. They say he will Islamize Nigeria. They say he is a dictator. The fear of Buhari is now the beginning of wisdom. They do not want PVCs to be used. They do not want Card Reader to be used. They want Professor Jega of INEC to be removed.

They want only President Jonathan to be the sole candidate.

Why is APC afraid of troops deployment for election purpose?

We have seen soldiers deployed before in Lagos and we know they did their job creditably and honestly.

They were just interested in maintaining peace and orderliness. Nobody was harassed and nobody was intimidated. They were firm, resolute and committed. But given what we saw in Ekiti gate scandal and the brig-

andage and impunity we saw in Osun state, we cannot trust the Army now to supervise this election. Brigadier General Momoh was deeply involved in Ekiti state scandal and invasion and up till now, he has not been invited for interrogation or questioning.

What is the chance of your party in Lagos State?

If honest and intelligent leadership is the benchmark for the 2015 governorship election in Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode is the next governor of Lagos. If performance is the criteria and the parameter to judge, Ambode has won this election for APC. If experience and knowledge is the yardstick to judge, then, the man Ambode should be the governor-elect. The great performance of both Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Fashola has placed Lagos strategically on the map of the world. Lagos is now a destination and a place to be. APC has made Lagos the economic hub, the centre of excellence, the pace setter, a huge economy as big as that of Ghana, Cameroun, Ivory Coast, Senegal etc.

Lagos is now the most secured state in Nigeria, the pride of Nigeria and Africa. APC government in Lagos has shown that Nigeria is not a hopeless and helpless case.

Which Party will the majority of Ndigbo vote for in Lagos?

I am aware that APC Lagos is having some problems with Ndigbo in Lagos because of the President Jonathan factor. PDP and President Jonathan have been pumping a lot of money into Lagos and Ndigbo is the target. They are telling our people lots and lots of lies just to sway them to their side, but I know Ndigbo will not forget the past in a hurry. I know there are intelligent Ndigbo in Lagos that will not be deceived by these antics of playing money, ethnic and religious politics. I know that majority of Igbo will vote for APC in Lagos. If out of annoyance you throw your cap away, a mad man will pick it and use it forever.

•Igbokwe

Could you shed light on the purported endorsement of the PDP candidate by a section of Ndigbo?

Yes I know that a segment of Igbo in Lagos say they are going to vote for the PDP candidate, but I want Ndigbo to think deeply. I want them to do what will make their host happy and by so doing you make friendship and peaceful co-existence possible , and once this is achieved, you will see peace and progress.

There may be problems but I know that things can get better. I have worked with the leaders of the Yoruba nation for years now and I know what they want and what will make them angry. Lagos is the second home for Igbo and they have made great success here. I want my people to show some tact, respect, understanding and common sense (even though common sense is not common) in dealing with our host in Lagos. Blackmail, careless talks, lies, clannishness and rashness will not help us. I expected that enlightened and committed Ndigbo in Lagos, I mean intelligent Ndigbo with third eyes will rise up to take over leadership and navigate our people to the path of honour, respect and integrity.

Let us dialogue with the Yoruba to fashion the way forward. Lagos is our home. This defeatism and leadership complex must stop.

Again the PDP candidate a cross section of Igbos are endorsing in Lagos cannot fly. Ambode has 27 years experience going for him while Jimi Agbaje has no experience in matters of governance. Jimi Agbaje does not understand the Lagos he wants to govern. He hasn’t been a counsellor, a local government chairman, a commissioner, a permanent secretary, a House of Assembly member, a minister, a House of Rep member or a senator.

D

elta State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Olorogun O’tega Emerhor has promised better life for the people, assuring that he will run the state like a businessman with a human face.

He described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a party without vision and mission, adding that its leaders are dereft of ideas.

Emerhor said that the PDP is jittery, ahead of the elections, because it has been rejected by the people.

He said the APC will insist on credible and transparent elections in Delta State.

Emerhor spoke in Warri, where he met representatives of interest groups and non-governmental organisations.

He said gone were the days when the people will elect a government that will plunder the wealth of the state.

The standard bearer said the stage is set for a qualitative leadership, urging the people to gird their loins.

He said the those in government in Delta State have run the state in a manner that has permitted corruption and mediocrity.

Emerhor promised to deploy his business sagacity and experience, if elected as the governor.

He said, if the allocation to the state is judiciously used, the state will be better for it.

The politician aslo said that it will be relelatively easier to jerk up internally generated revenue, if the

•Emerhor

government is perceived as a performer.

He promised to encourage public/ private partnership in economic activities and general governance to foster efficiency.

Emerhor said that poverty can be benished from Delta, if the resources are used to promote general wellbeing.

He added: “We are coming with programmess that will provide employment for Delta people and ensure that our youths are engaged. We are coming out with schemes that will make sure that our people are employed and enhance prosperity.”

Emerhor acknowleged housing as a challenge, assuring that a housing programme that will enambe workers to own houses will be implemented.

He also assured that his government will promote programmes that will attract industries will create jobs for unemployed youths, thereby adding value to the state’s economy.

‘Abia has no reason to be poor’

T

HE All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in Abia State, Alex Otti, yesterday said that the state has no reason to be poor, if the government is alive to its responsibilities.

The former Managing Director of Diamond Bank lamented that poor governance has retarded the growth of the state in the last eight years.

Otti told reporters in Lagos that a new Abia is possible, if the people can vote wisely at the general elections.

He described himself as the candidate to beat, adding that his credential, pedigree and competence cannot be rivalled by other candidates.

Otti reflected on the struggle for

• All Progressives Congress (APC) members at a road show in Alimoso Local Government Area of Lagos State... at the weekend.

By Emmanuel Oladesu

the ticket of the party between him and Chief Regan Ufomba.

He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has affired his candidature, adding that Ufomba is wasting his time.

Decrying violence in Abia, he said the state government and PDP leaders are intolerant of the opposition.

He complained that his campaigns and ralies have been disrupted by suspected PDP thugs, who have been insulated from arrest by the police.

Otti said the governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who is a senatorial candidate, is afraid because he has not performed in the last eight years.

He said his legacy projects are not worthy of pride, adding that it will not last.

Otti said that the completion of the Government House project will not be the priority of his administration, if elected as governor.

He added: “The Government House is for one person. But, the welfare of the state is my priority.”

The standard bearer promised to develop Aba, which he described as the economic hub of the state.

He said, if Aba, the commercial centre, is developed, the state would have expanded revenue base and created employment for youths.

Otti urged the people to vote wisely during the election in the interest of the state.

He urged the electoral commission to prepared well for the exercise by resolving the outstanding controversy surrounding the proposed use of the smart card readers during the contest.

Exhuding confidence, Otti said: “In a feee and fair contest, I will win the governorship in Abia.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

49

SHOWBIZ

Beautiful Nubia to launch album Easter Sunday

F • Angelique Kidjo at Cool FM

Angelique Kidjo shines in Lagos

F

EW weeks after she welcomed the Nigerian delegates and Beninoise officials who handed her two plaques she won at the maiden edition of All African Music Awards (AFRIMA), which held in Lagos, Grammy award winner, Angelique Kidjo, was in Lagos at the weekend, having an exciting time on various radio stations.

The singer, whose mission in Lagos to perform was at the grand finale of the second edition of Etisalat Prize

By Joe Agbro Jr.

for Literature which held yesterday, at the Intercontinental Hotel, arrived Saturday, ahead of her performance, and had a swell time gracing the studios for different interviews sessions on her blossoming career.

Kidjo, who is celebrated for hit songs such as Agolo and Mobolombo took her media tour to Cool FM, Classic FM and Smooth FM. The hit maker was one of the high profile personalities

at the Prize for Literature award, where one African, among the three finalists shortlisted won a whopping sum of £15,000 and a highend device, in addition to a book tour to three African cities.

The three finalists, Songeziwe Mahlangu (South Africa), Chinelo Okparanta (Nigeria) and Nadia Davids (South Africa) also gave a review of their books at the recently held book reading and signing for Etisalat Prize for Literature competition.

Lagbaja hits Obasanjo in satire video

I

N what fans and music lovers describe as overkill, Afrobeat singer, Bisade Ologunde, better known has Lagbaja, has parodied two-time Nigerian leader, General Olusegun Obasanjo, in the video of the song, 200 Million Mumu.

Lagbaja is seen as going overboard in the satirical video when he takes shots at ex-president Obasanjo, making mockery of his failed third term bid, among many other issues. The video shows the caricature of Obasanjo addressing a society that cannot do anything about the decisions their leaders make, saying; “there is nothing that I have wanted that God has not given me, except a third term.”

It would appear that

• Beautiful Nubia

By Joe Agbro Jr.

Beautiful Nubia would also perform across some universities. The selected stops are on Thursday, April 2, at the Creative Arts Department, University of Lagos; on Wednesday, April 8, the concert train moves to the Arts Theatre, University of Ibadan while on Thursday, April 9, it goes to the Pit The-

atre, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. The performances which start by 5pm on those dates are free entry for students.

The tour then climaxes on Saturday, April 18, with a show at the Alliance Francaise, Ilorin, Kwara State.

Soundbender is the 11th studio album by Nubia and his Roots Renaissance Band.

MI covers Drake’s Pound Cake

By Ovwe Medeme

F

ANS who are eager to have their rap idol, MI, deliver hardcore rap lines would be glad to know that he is back to his game.

While it is not clear whether he is going to release a third in the series of his Illegal Music mix tape, the artiste, over the weekend, dropped a cover to Drake’s Pound Cake which he titled Round Cake.

In the new track, MI delivers metaphors on money, success and love for his fans.

In a recent chat with The Nation, the artiste said that he is

• MI

toying with the idea of an Illegal Music III. “I think that maybe, I should move on and do something else. There is always going to be something else to do. My albums are made for the general mar-

ket. For Nigeria, I don’t really go hard. So, I think there is always something hardcore that I will do for the real fans.

I don’t know if it will be called Illegal Music 3, but if it is, it will be the last one.”

•Lagbaja

By Ovwe Medeme

Lagbaja is becoming more vocal in the nation’s political space. He recently declared publicly that he has picked up his Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) while stating that he wants the incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan, out of office in the forthcoming presi-

IK Osakioduwa makes movie debut in Black Silhouette

By Ovwe Medeme

B

OLKLORE singer, Beautiful Nubia, is set to launch his new album titled Soundbender on Easter Sunday.

Disclosing this on his Facebook page, Beautiful Nubia, whose real name is Segun Akinlolu, said the official launch of the album is scheduled to hold on Sunday, April 6, at the EniObanke Arts Centre, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

Also, as part of events to promote the 15-track album which is already available for sale on major online platforms, the veterinary doctor-turned folklore singer, revealed that he would embark on a tour of five venues in Lagos, Oyo, Osun and Kwara States.

According to the schedule,

BA host and OAP, IK Osakioduwa is exploring new frontiers as he stars in a new movie, The Black Silhouette.

The movie, which features popular artistes in the industry, is a politically motivated thriller, produced by Charles Uwagbai.

Premiered recently at Genesis Deluxe Cinema, the movie also features the likes of veteran actress Joke Silva, the vivacious and talented Ivie Okujaye, Femi Jacobs, Jude Orhorha, Grace Ofre, Chigozie Atuanya and Obi Madubogwu.

The Black Silhouette has already earned Okujaye, Best of Nollywood Awards 2014 and the Golden Icons Award (Houston Texas, USA) for her performance in the movie. It has also fetched Olamide David the Best Child actor at the Best of Nollywood awards among other nominations.

The movie is about an election year and a ghetto brought-up Senator, Maro Oti (Joke Silva) who is poised to make history as the first female Governor in Nigeria. However, an internationally acclaimed biographer requests to write her memoir, but his excitement however starts to dwindle as the tales of Senator Maro’s past reveal a life of sexual abuse from childhood, prostitution as a teenager and an unresolved murder.

dential election.

The Koko Below singer, who is also a Glo ambassador, shared a photo of his PVC on Facebook with the caption: “Congratulations Nigeria! I don collect my Voter’s Card and there will be no 2nd term for President Jonathan.” The singer noted that the Jonathan-led administration has not been people-oriented as he had wanted it to be.

• A cross-section of the participants at the OMG Dream Studios in Lagos

Nigerian Idol 5: evictions for 100 contestants begin

A

FTER a rigorous audition process in five centers across the country, the stage is set for the scaling down of the 100 most outstanding contestants who have been selected to participate in the theatre auditions of the on-going edition of music reality show, Nigerian Idol 5.

The contestants include 28 golden tickets awardees and other talents whose performances were rated exceptional by Dede Mabiaku, Yinka Davies and Darey Art Alade, the three judges.

From the 100, a total of 30 contestants are expected to emerge for the call-back phase of the competition.

Organisers say to arrive at this figure, they will be grouped into sizeable numbers from which individual members will be required to perform different song lines

By Mobisola Oladipo

before the celebrity judges.

Group members with best individual performances will qualify for the next round of the 3-stage theatre auditions. This process will be repeated until the final 30 emerge.

Some of the contestants who shared their views expressed confidence in their abilities to scale the hurdle the theatre auditions present to their dream of progressing to the production stage.

“I feel happy and privileged because getting to this stage is not easy; it has been a serious task for me. I had concluded that should I get to this stage, I will strive to make it to the top 30,” stated Ogunrombi Olakunle (KPeace), who got a golden ticket to qualify for the top

100.

The Dream Studios, venue of the theatre auditions has recorded scenarios of mixed emotions of hope, disquiet, uncertainties, disappointment and palpable fear of failure among contestants.

On his expectations from the top 100 contestants, Mabiaku enjoined the contestants to make the most of the opportunity offered at this stage to advance their cause for places among the top 30 expected to emerge from the current number.

Meanwhile, the last broadcast of the Nigerian Idol season 5 on both terrestrial and satellite stations aired on Saturday and Sunday.

The eventual winner goes home with N7.5 million cash reward, a brand new car, a recording deal worth N7.5 million and some high-end devices.

50

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015 USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY

Council endorses the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents for easy access in case of any emergency on the metropolitan roads. Accordingly, the general public may easily Contact KAROTA for: Breakdown of Vehicle(s), Traffic Congestion, Accidents, and Illegal/Wrong Parking to kindly Call KAROTA through the following numbers on – 08091626747. Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754, 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can be contacted on – 07051246833, 08191778888

191ST KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING PREPARED BY COUNCIL AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, KANO.

T

he Kano State Executive Council held its one hundred and ninety first (191 st ) sitting on Tuesday 10th March, 2015 (19th Jumada Awwal, 1436AH) under the Chairmanship of Governor Engr.

Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE on his return from a Duty Tour to three (3) Countries (China, India and Malaysia).

The Duty Tour which lasted for a whole week was celebrated as a wholesome fatherly endeavour to verify and ascertain the academic progress as well as the individual and collective wellbeing of a cross section of the over 2,600 Kano State Indigenous qualified candidates sponsored by the present administration for studies at Colleges/Universities/Institutions in fourteen (14) Countries abroad.

On the other hand, the Kano State Government vehemently declares its continued unflinching support for the Kano Pillars Football Club and robustly disclaims the cowardly executed attack on the team at Abaji, Niger State enroute a National Premier League Football encounter. No matter what, victory is with the Kano Pillars Football Club as upheld by the Kano State Executive Council which prayerfully meditated for the mercy of the Almighty Allah to grant quick recovery to the five (5) injured members and protect the entire team from reoccurrence of such misguided attacks – amen.

With this, proceedings at the one hundred and ninety first (191st) sitting of the Kano State Executive Council ensued with twenty seven (27) memoranda from eleven (11) MDAs tabled for deliberation of which fourteen (14) cutting across two (2) sectors were approved for execution with an expenditure of Three Hundred and Twenty One Million, Six Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand, Twenty Naira, Sixty Six Kobo (N321,684,020.66) covering fourteen (14) projects as follows; 1. THE EMPOWERMENT SECTOR Empowering the citizenry in Kano State towards actualization for self reliance as God fearing, patriotic, knowledgeable, skillful, productive, wealthy, responsible, Law abiding, etc. personalities is a cardinal priority of the present administration in Kano State under the capable leadership of Governor Engr.

Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. Series of approvals are continually granted for the execution of projects/programmes/schemes across MDAs under the empowerment sector designated as follows; provision of access to professional/academic education; provision of access to capacity building for serving civil servants; provision of access to training for employable skills acquisition; provision of support to the needy, etc. Indelible and easily retrievable records are available along the lines of which the Kano State Executive Council approved the execution of ten (10) more memoranda under the empowerment sector which can be further sub – divided into four (4). Thus; provision of access to professional/academic education = 4; provision of access to capacity building for serving civil servants = 2; provision of access to training for employable skills acquisition = 1; provision of support to the needy = 2. Total = 10.

• Provision of Access to Professional/Academic Education:i. Request for Funds to Enable Conversion of Jordanian Pilot License to Nigerian One in Respect of Sixteen (16) Amongst the One Hundred (100) Kano State Indigenous Pilot Students Sponsored for Training at the MIDEAST Aviation Academy, Jordan:-

Reportedly, sixteen (16) of the one hundred (100) Kano State Indigenous Candidates sponsored for Pilot Training at the MIDEAST Aviation Academy, Jordan successfully completed their training and acquired the Jordanian Pilot License which necessitated submission of this request endorsed by the office of the Secretary to the State Government and presented to Council for consideration.

Details were presented along with the request for the release of the sum of N2,288,000.00 for the stated purpose.

Approval was granted based on the following to each of the sixteen (16). Viz; -

Air Law Examination = N4,000.00 New License = N12,500.00 Medical Certificate = N35,000.00 Feeding/Accommodation = N49,000.00 Transport = N42,000.00 Total = N143,000.00.

Therefore, N143,000.00 x 16 = N2,288,000.00.

Rabi’u Musa Kwankawaso

Accreditation N250,000.00 Fee ii. Accommodation N25,000.00 iii. Feeding N2000.00/ Meal x 3 iv. Refreshment during visit N10,000.00 v. Local Running N15,000.00 vi. Honorarium N80,000.00 vii. Flight N70,000.00 Grand total

•

Total

-

-

N250,000

4

4

N400,000

4

4

N96,000

4 -

4 4

N10,000 N15,000 N320,000 N280,000 N1,371,000

Provision of Access to Capacity Building for Serving Civil Servants:-

i.

Request for Funds to Enable Fulfillment of Conditions for Full/Upgraded Membership of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) by Mustapha Ibrahim Fagge:The office of the Head of Civil Service introduced the Public Relations Officer of his office whose professional practice requires registration to full membership certification of the NIPR as stipulated in Decree 26 of 1990.

Considering the importance of the exercise which is in line with Government’s policy the Council approved the sum of N 876,000.00 for the stated expenditure.

The requirements were summarized to four (4) items estimated to cost the sum of N250,000.00 which was requested for release for the stated purpose.

iii. Request for Funds to Enable Conduct of Final Qualifying Examinations for the Students of School of Basic Midwifery Dambatta (9th – 13th March, 2015):-

Congruence of the request with the empowerment/ capacity building policy of the present administration prompted Council to approve as requested.

In the spirit of Free education at all levels in the state introduced by Gov Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from primary to tertiary levels the state pays all tuition fees, examination fees, etc to all indigenous students.

ii. Request for Funds to Enable Two (2) Officers in the Kano State Civil Service to Attend the Policy, Strategy and Leadership Course (PSLC) at National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru Jos (7th April to 1st May, 2015):-

Based on this the school of Basic Midwifery Dambatta request for funds for the conduct of Final Qualifying Examinations amounting to N 239,750.00 which the council graciously approved, cognizant to the fact that examinations ensure quality and standards as stipulated by especial/professional bodies such as the National Council of Nursing and Midwifery in this case.

Details on the seven (7) items required for the visitation estimated to cost the sum of N1,371,000.00 which was requested for release were presented for consideration as follows;

Duration No. of /Days Persons

Council noted, considered and approved as requested.

The Government of Gov Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has over the three years rejuvenated the entire service in the state towards improved efficiency, service delivery, transparency and curtailing indolence and wastes. To this end and catching up with the trend, the school of Health Technology Kano propose to deploy SMART ID Card system in keeping track of regular attendance, late entries, issuing question paper slips etc, which is budgeted at N876,000.00.

The Ministry of Health respectfully alerted Council, through contents of this memorandum that, an Accreditation Review Visiting Team comprising four (4) Members from the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) will be at the Kano Postgraduate School (Family Medicine) (22 nd – 26 th March, 2015).

Unit Cost

i.

ii. Request for Funds to Enable Production and Installation of Security Smart I. D Card System for the School of Health Technology, Kano:-

iv. Request for Funds in Respect of Accreditation Review Visit of Post Graduate School (Family Medicine) Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital (MMSH):-

Activity

S/N

This request endorsed by the office of the Head of Civil Service and submitted to Council for consideration was based on the significance of the cited course to broaden the conceptual horizon of the participants as well as equip them with modern Management and Leadership Imperatives for effective and efficient service delivery.

Four (4) requirements for the two (2) officers estimated to cost the sum of N1,950,000.00 which was requested for release were presented as follows; S/N Officers

MDA

Course Fee DTA

Local Running Total

i.

Director O. H. C. S N495,000 Manpower Development

N15,000 N30,000 x 30days = N450,000

N975,000

ii.

Director KARMA N495,000 Special Assignment TOTAL

N15,000 x 30days = N450,000 N30,000

N975,000

N1,950,000

Council considered and approved as requested.

• Provision of Access to Training for Employable Skills Acquisition:Request for Funds to Enable Payment of Three (3) Months (22nd February – May, 2015) Allowances in

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015 Respect of Instructors, Kitchen Staff and Matrons for the Training of 1,130 Corporate Security Personnel at Karaye NYSC Camp and Gabasawa (Batch Seven):The Corporate Security Institute is among the 26 Manpower Development Institutes established by the present administration to train our young men and women in employable skills and trades at Zakirai in Gabasawa local Government, and NYSC permanent orientation camp at Kusalla in Karaye Local Government. It trains our youth in the art of Modern Security Guard. The institute has so far graduated 3730 that have already been employed in to the state Civil Service. Another set of 500-female and 630-Male have now been admitted for the 3 month intensive training at the two campuses.

This request is for funds to settle the Instructors, Kitchen Staff and Matrons.

Details were summarized and presented with the financial implications as follows; a) Instructors and Kitchen Staff at Karaye NYSC Camp = twenty eight (28) (14 Instructors, 14 Kitchen Staff) = N1,480,000.00. b) Matrons at Gabasawa = 7 at N20,000.00 = N140,000.00.

GRAND TOTAL = N1,620,000.00 on monthly basis.

51 years Kano witnessed the construction and commissioning of Flyovers, Under passes, Northwest University, Dualised and expanded road networks all over the state, Empowerment of over 660,000 youth with skills/ trade and brand new 26 Manpower Development institutes just to mention a few. Wonderment! As echoed

by Chief Earnest Shonekan the Head of the Interim National Government, “ Kwankwaso, where do you get the money to do all these projects?” When he was commissioning Bandirawo City one of the new cities created by this administration. Others are Kwankwasiyya and Amana cities. This trend was maintained at the one hundred ninety first (191st) sitting of the Kano State Executive Council during which six (6) more memoranda were approved for execution under the infrastructural development/maintenance sector which can further be sub – divided into three (3). Thus; provision of public utilities = 3; provision of road/related structures = 2.

for the installation of walkway lighting in metropolitan Kano Phase III. They include the following; viz; State Road/Ibrahim Taiwo Road Flyover; Deneji Quarters/Surroundings; Ashton Road; Airforce Base; Consumer Protection Office/Sani Marshall Road; Gidan Radio Tukuntawa; School for Arabic Studies (SAS), Kano; KAROTA Office – replacement; School of Health Technology/Sani Marshall Road; BUK New Site.

• Provision of Public Utilities:i.

Request for Funds to Enable Provision of Four (4) Categories of Equipment for Use by the Kano State Fire Service Department:The Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport endorsed this request from the Kano State Fire Service Department and submitted it for consideration by Council.

Specifically, the four (4) categories of equipment required include the following;

ii. Request for Funds to Enable Construction of Road Network in Kwankwaso Town Layout (UC/ KNUPDA/MDB/7):The Ministry of Land and Physical Planning submitted this request for consideration by Council in compliance to an executive directive issued on the cited project via Executive Council Extract No. CAD/EXCO/7/1/566 dated 26th February, 2015.

As such, Council was requested to approve for the release of the sum of N4,860,000.00 for three (3) months which was acknowledged and approval granted.

• Provision of Access to Support for the Needy:i.

Request for Funds to Enable Redemption of a Pledge Made by Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE on 10th and 15th January, 2015 at the Armed Force Remembrance Appeal Fund Launching:This request from the Directorate of Youth Development endorsed by the Ministry for Special Duties was presented to Council for consideration.

Essentially, Council was reminded of the pledge to donate the sum of N5,000,000.00 to the Kano State Council of the Nigerian Legion.

Council noted, considered and approved for the release of the sum of N5,000,000.00 to the Kano State Council of the Nigerian Legion in redemption of the cited pledge. ii. Request for Funds to Enable Kano Pillars Football Club Pursue the Second (2nd) Round of 2015 CAF Champions League Matches:The memorandum recall members of the Council of its earlier approval in respect of the Club to participate in the first (1st) Round of the Elite African Champions League against Almalakia of South Sudan and reported that Kano Pillars Football Club won all the two (2) matches (i.e. home and away) by 5 – 0 which pave way for the Club to participate in the second (2nd) Round of the Competition against Moghreb Athletic Tetouance of Morocco.

In line with the above, the sum of N77,898,870.00 was requested to cater for provision of accommodation for players and Club officials, allowances, transportations, match bonus and other logistics.

Cognizant of the commendable/impressive performances of the Kano Pillars Football Club, Council considered and approved as requested.

2. THE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT/ MAINTENANCE SECTOR The impressive performance of the present administration inherent in activities related to the physical transformation of Kano State requires no emphasis in this medium.

Nevertheless, the unbiased reader is referred to and recommended to observe the current vibrant stature of the entire Kano State in line with international standards of infrastructural provisions across most significant sectors such as Education, Transportation, Health, Water Supply and Sanitation, Environmental Sanitation/Protection, Agriculture, Information/ Communication, etc. Edifices abound ubiquitously since the advent of the present administration under the visionary leadership of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. In the last three and half

-

Breathing Apparatus (Face Mask, Back Plate and Cylinder) = 15 Units.

Rope and Line = 15 Pieces.

Fire Pump = 2 Pieces.

-

Hand Control Nozzle = 2 per each of 15 Stations (30).

The central idea behind the project is to enhance security at night as well as beautifying the metropolis.

The entire project was estimated to cost the sum of N15,862,327.50 which was requested for release.

Congruence of the project with the Urban Beautification Policy of the present administration prompted Council to consider and approve as requested.

The Ministry of Land and Physical Planning submitted the estimated cost of the project in the sum of N189,566,716.50 to cover for site clearance, provisions of filling, sub – base laterite, priming coat, surface dressing double coat and construction of ring pipe culverts at appropriate locations.

Procurement/provision of the cited categories of equipment was approved to be executed on Contractual arrangement supervised by the State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport at the Contract sum of N9,654,500.00 which was approved for release in respect of the stated project.

Council noted, considered and approved as requested since an identified reputable Contractor is available and ready to provide his services under the supervision of the State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning.

ii. Presentation of Brief on the Need and Request for Funds to Enable Provision of Required Equipment/ Furniture at the Out – Patient Department (OPD); Accident and Emergency Unit as well as Ante – Natal Care Unit of New Imam Wali General Hospital:Conversion of the former Imam Wali Local Government Staff Development Center to the status of a viable General Hospital courtesy of the present administration under the leadership of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE was profusely applauded, through contents of this memorandum. The endeavour certainly decongests the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital located close to the converted facility.

UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES AT THE 191ST KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SITTING

Nevertheless, the Ministry of Health submitted this brief on the need/request for funds to enable provision of required equipment/furniture at the converted facility as cited estimated to cost the Contractual sum of N8,820,456.66 which was requested for release.

Approval was granted as requested and the project to be supervised by the State Ministry of Health. iii. Request for Funds to Enable Construction of a New Steel Over – Head Fabricated Tank and Reticulation at the Female Hostel and Dining Hall of the Kura Informatics Institute Permanent Site and Provision of Water Reticulation System:This request was a resubmission from the Ministry of Rural and Community Development notifying Council on the imperative need for the provision of potable water to cater for the day to day running activities of the two (2) Institutes.

Accordingly, Council appraised the request and granted approval as follows; The sum of N637,500.00 for water reticulation at Kano Informatics Institute Kura.

The sum of N2,308,500.00 for the construction of a new steel overhead fabricated Tank and reticulation to female hostel and dining hall at Kano Sports Institute Karfi.

• Provision of Roads/Related Structures:i. Request for Funds to Enable Installation of Walkway Lighting in Metropolitan Kano Phase III:This request from the Kano State Taskforce on Installation/Repairs/Reactivation of Street and Traffic Control Lights, endorsed by the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transports was presented to Council for consideration. Ten (10) strategic locations were identified

1. SWEARING – IN OF TWO (2) NEWLY APPOINTED PERMANENT SECRETARIES Council witnessed the successful swearing – in of two (2) newly appointed Permanent Secretaries on Tuesday 10th March, 2015 at the Council Chamber Government House by His Excellency the Governor of Kano State. The appointment is to fill the vacuum that was created as a result of retirement from Service by some Permanent Secretaries. The newly appointed Permanent Secretaries portfolios are as follows; i. Salisu M. Gabasawa – Ministry of Rural and Community Development ii.

Mustapha S. Minjibir – Ministry of Higher Education

In a related development, Council congratulated the new Permanent Secretaries and urged them to discharge their official responsibility with fear of Almighty Allah.

2. COMMISSIONING CEREMONY OF THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED PERMANENT SITE OF THE KANO INFORMATICS INSTITUTE KURA Council noted the successful take – off of the newly established Informatics Institute Kura Commissioned by the former Head of State, General Abdussalam Abubakar GCON. Notably, the Institute Started with 204 Students in the year 2011 and later admitted 206 and 200 Students for second and third batches respectively. The 197 Pioneer Students went for top – up degree programme at International University of East Africa Kampala, Uganda sponsored by the Kano State Government, where Fifty (50) graduated with 1st Class, eighty nine (89) with Second Class Upper and forty four (44) with Second lower degrees.

SIGNED: HON. COMMISSIONER, INFORMATION, INTERNAL AFFAIRS, YOUTH, SPORTS & CULTURE, KANO STATE

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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BUSINESS EXTRA for China-backed Asia Advanced economies’outlook UK support bank prompts US concern improving, says IMF chief T

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NTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde said the economic outlook for advanced economies has improved marginally, while emerging-market economies face more modest, if not slower, growth.

“For once, in a long time, there are clearly some relatively better news on the horizon of the advanced economies. This has not happened in a while,” said Ms. Lagarde at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other heads of the world’s leading economic organisations.

The U.S. economy is rebounding and there is good growth showing in the U.K., she said.

“The euro area is also now turning the corner,” she said. “The European growth is probably going to turn

better than expected.”

But, China is growing slower and Russia’s economy will shrink by at least three per cent this year, Ms. Lagarde said.

She also warned that there are risks stemming from geopolitical situations as well as monetary policies, given the accommodative central bank policies in the eurozone and Japan, while the Federal Reserve is set to lift U.S. interest rates to return to a more traditional monetary policy.

“This will clearly involve more volatility and it will also have currency impact,” Ms. Lagarde said.

In a joint declaration issued Wednesday, the leaders of Germany, the IMF, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, World Bank, World Trade Organisation and the International Labour Organisation

called on governments to undertake efforts to boost their economies and strengthen employment.

“Geopolitical risks have increased in various regions of the world; they constitute a significant burden for global economic development,” the declaration said. “At a time of moderate and uncertain growth prospects, governments have to strengthen reforms and pro-active measures in order to support recovery and ensure growth. Ambitious reforms can help to create more productive, more dynamic and more inclusive economies and societies.”

The declaration said strengthening growth prospects remains as a key priority. “It is important to boost investment and revert the recent trend especially of decreasing foreign direct investment flows,” it said.

HE United States has expressed concern over Britain’s effort to become a founding member of a Chinesebacked bank that could rival the likes of the World Bank.

The UK is the first big Western economy to apply for membership of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

The AIIB will fund Asian energy, transport and infrastructure projects.

However, the US has raised questions over the bank’s commitment to international standards on governance.

In a statement, UK Chancellor George Osborne said the UK had “actively promoted closer political and economic engagement with the Asia-Pacific region” and that joining the AIIB at the founding stage would create “an unrivalled opportunity for the UK and Asia to invest and grow together”.

The hope is that investment in the bank will give British companies an opportunity to invest in the world’s fastest growing markets.

But the US sees the Chinese effort

as a ploy to dilute US control of the banking system, and has persuaded regional allies such as Australia, South Korea and Japan to stay out of the bank.

In response to the move, US National Security Council spokesman Patrick Ventrell said: “We believe any new multilateral institution should incorporate the high standards of the World Bank and the regional development banks.”

“Based on many discussions, we have concerns about whether the AIIB will meet these high standards, particularly related to governance, and environmental and social safeguards,” he added.

Osborne Joining the AIIB would help the UK and Asia invest and grow together, UK Chancellor George Osborne said.

Some 21 nations came together last year to sign a memorandum for the bank’s establishment, including Singapore, India and Thailand.

But in November, last year, Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott offered lukewarm support to the AIIB and said its actions must be transparent.

Greece debt talks are too slow, says EC chief

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UROPEAN Commission (EC) President Jean-Claude Juncker has criticised the slow pace of progress in talks over Greece’s debt, since last month’s interim deal.

Before meeting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Brussels, Mr Juncker said he was “not satisfied”.

Mr Tsipras needs EU support for reforms to unlock vital funds, avoid possible bankruptcy and a eurozone exit.

The leftist leader has pledged to end austerity - but his plans have met resistance from Greece’s EU creditors.

Greece negotiated a four-month

extension to its bailout last month after tense talks with creditors.

Eurozone leaders are ready to extend help on Greece’s •240billion (£176billion; $272bilion) bailout until the end of June.

To persuade the EU of its creditworthiness, Greece has announced a series of reforms. But it also wants the EU to agree new terms for the long-term repayment of its debts.

If no agreement is reached, Greece risks being unable to meet its obligations. Within the next two weeks alone, it needs •6illion (£4.3billion; $6.4billion) to pay its creditors.

Energy drags Wall St. lower, S&P set to drop •From left: Sales Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB), Hubert Eze; Managing Director, Nicolaas Vervelde; National champion, Distributors Award, Dame Joy Igwe; her husband, Sir Gabriel Igwe; wife of NB’s MD, Mrs PHOTO: ADEJO DAVID Clementine Vervelde at the firm’s Distributors Awards Night in Lagos.

Russia cuts key rate to 14% as inflation eases GDP may shrink 3 per cent this year USSIA's central bank lowered after 0.6 per cent growth in 2014, amid slump its key interest rate in line with according to the government's most economist forecasts, as

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stabilising inflation clears the path to boosting an economy buckling under low oil prices and sanctions over Ukraine.

The one-week auction rate was cut by one percentage point to 14 per cent, the central bank said in a statement on its website Friday. Seventeen of 32 economists in a Bloomberg survey predicted the move, with nine seeing no change and five forecasting a bigger reduction. Another analyst predicted a half-point cut. Policy makers will hold a news conference later in the day.

The Bank of Russia is slowing the pace of decreases after a surprise 2 percentage-point cut at its previous meeting in January as oil prices slipped and inflation in February soared to the fastest since 2002. Even with price growth more than fourfold its mid-term target, the regulator is answering calls from business to unwind December's emergency increase to 17 per cent to buoy an economy entering its first recession in six years.

"The current monetary policy and low economic activity will be conducive to the slowing of annual consumer price growth," the central bank said in the statement. "As inflation risks abate, the Bank of Russia will be ready to continue cutting the key rate."

Inflation has more than doubled from the start of last year following a 46 per cent drop in the ruble in 2014.

The Russian currency traded 0.3 per cent weaker at 61.3520 to the dollar at 1:37 p.m. in Moscow.

The ruble's collapse and Russia's

bans on food imports in retaliation for U.S. and European sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine helped stoke inflation in February to 16.7 per cent from a year earlier, compared with 15 per cent in January. Even so, it's started slowing on a weekly basis. Price increases in the weeks ended March 2 and March 10 fell to four-month lows of 0.2 per cent.

Higher inflation readings are the result of past factors and the Bank of Russia estimates price growth will decelerate amid economic contraction and shrinking consumer demand, Governor Elvira Nabiullina said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

Price growth may peak at 17 per cent to 17.5 per cent, according to the Economy Ministry.

"There is no reason for the central bank to focus on current inflation, which will continue to accelerate for some time," said Dmitry Polevoy, the chief economist for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States at ING Groep NV in Moscow, who correctly predicted a rate cut to to 14 per cent. "Its policy is traditionally based on inflation expectations."

Pushing ahead with the rate-cut cycle will enable policy makers to focus more on jumpstarting the economy and pulling loan growth from fouryear lows. Some banks in Russia have been blocked from global debt markets by sanctions that are hobbling consumer spending and choking investments.

Gross domestic product contracted 1.5 per cent in January from a year earlier, according to a preliminary estimate by the Economy Ministry.

official forecast.

"While inflation is yet to peak, the unexpected 200 basis- point cut in January indicated that the central bank is determined to ease the burden on the economy as soon as possible to reduce the risk of severe recession," said Piotr Matys, a London-based foreign-exchange strategist at Rabobank International who correctly predicted the 100 basispoint rate cut.

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NITED States stocks slumped on Friday, putting the S&P 500 on track for its third straight weekly decline, as a robust dollar threatened to erode the profits of multinationals and tumbling crude oil prices pressured energy shares.

Crude oil CLc1 fell four percent to $45.15 a barrel, extending its losses throughout the morning, after the International Energy Agency said a global oil glut continued to build and U.S. oil production showed no signs of slowing. The commodity has fallen in six of the past seven sessions and is down almost 60 percent from a peak reached in June.

The S&P energy index .SPNY fell 1.4 percent, among the biggest decliners of the 10 primary S&P 500 sectors. Chevron Corp (CVX.N) fell 1.4 percent to $101.03 while

Noble Corp (NE.N) sank 5.3 percent to $13.46.

“It’s a bit of a surprise that the U.S. continues to produce at such a high level, and that amount of oil surplus continues to push the commodity lower,” said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist for State Street Global Advisors’ U.S. Intermediary Business in Boston.

“I don’t expect oil will go much lower, but as it keeps falling, there are bigger concerns that we could see problems with respect to capital expenditures and employment in certain regions of the country.”

U.S. consumer sentiment fell in March, dropping well below expectations, according to the University of Michigan’s preliminary monthly reading.

The U.S. dollar index .DXY rose 0.7 percent and was set for its fourth straight weekly rise.

Weak profit margins dampen U.S. producer inflation

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NITED States producer prices fell in February for a fourth straight month, pointing to tame inflation that could argue against an anticipated June interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve.

Other data showed a decline in consumer sentiment in early March, as harsh winter weather left households with high utility bills and disrupted shopping and general business activity.

The Labour Department said its producer price index for final demand declined 0.5 percent as profit margins in the services sector, especially gasoline stations, were squeezed, and transportation and warehousing costs fell.

The PPI had dropped 0.8 percent in January. In the 12 months through February, producer prices fell 0.6 percent, the first decline since the series was revamped in 2009.

"The underlying message appears to be that pipeline inflationary pressures remain quite weak, even

as energy prices have stabilised and gasoline prices have drifted modestly higher," said Millan Mulraine, deputy chief economist at TD Securities in New York.

Economists had forecast the PPI rising 0.3 percent last month and remaining unchanged from a year ago.

In a separate report, the University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index fell to 91.2 in early March from a reading of 95.4 in February. But with bad weather mostly blamed for the ebb in sentiment, a rebound is seen as likely.

U.S. Treasury prices were mixed, while the dollar rose against a basket of currencies. U.S. stocks fell, putting the S&P 500 index on track for its third straight weekly decline.

The inflation data came ahead of next week's Fed meeting, where policymakers are widely expected to signal the U.S. central bank's openness to a June rate hike by

dropping a pledge to be "patient" in considering such a move.

But with price pressures remaining muted and retail sales extending their decline in February, some economists believe the central bank could hold off on raising rates until at least September. Inflation is running well below the Fed's 2 percent target.

"The Fed will need to see some firming in core and pipeline inflation before achieving lift-off to assure that the 2 percent target on inflation is indeed within reach," said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial in Chicago.

The Fed has kept its key shortterm interest rate near zero since December 2008.

Services accounted for 70 percent of the decline in the PPI last month.

The volatile trade services component, which mostly reflects profit margins, fell a record 1.5 percent in February, after rising 0.5 percent in January.

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NEWS

AIG withdraws policemen from politicians

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HE Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 6, Tunde Ogunsakin, has ordered the withdrawal of policemen from politicians in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi states.

Ogunsakin said the men are needed to protect the larger society, adding that any politician in need of security should reapply and the application would be considered on merit.

He gave the directive after a meeting with the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Dan Bature, and other officers in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The meeting deliberated on the allegations against a special unit of the Rivers police, C41, which its commandant denied. The unit was accused by the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of favouring the All Progressives Congress (APC).

•Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi affected From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

A statement at the end of the meeting said Ogunsakin ordered the C41 to report its daily activities to Bature.

He also directed that it should concentrate on its mandate of stopping kidnapping only.

The statement reads: “The zonal command has received serious reports of allegations against the C4I Unit of the Department of Operations of the Rivers State Police Command.

Thus, it has become necessary to make this press statement. The allegations were hinged on the suppositon that the C4I Unit was being used by a political party against members of another political party. The allegations further hold that there were plans to frame some individuals of conniving

with the C4I Unit.

“In response to these, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 6 Command Headquarters, Calabar, AIG. Tunde Ogunsakin, had a meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command and some other senior police officers at the State Police Headquarters, Rivers State. Also at the meeting was the expatriate supervisor of the C4I Unit, who denied all the allegations against the outfit.

“In the course of the meeting, the assistant inspectorgeneral of Police, Zone 6 Command Headquarters, Calabar, gave the following directives: The Police officer, who heads the C4I Unit, SP Cashmir Ihiezu, must give daily situation report to the commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command every morning; the C4I Unit of the Department of Oper-

ations must continue to operate as a formation of the Rivers State Police Command and in that light must not take any action or make any deployment without the knowledge of the commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command; the commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command and other commissioners of Police in-charge of Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi to withdraw all officers attached to political appointees in line with the directive by the inspector-general of Police. This is premised on the fact that the inspector-general of Police has withdrawn all previous approvals by him as more men are needed by the police commands during this electioneering period.

Anyone desirous of police security should reapply to the commissioner of Police for a re-consideration based on

the merit of his application and the need for deployment of policemen during the elections; the C4I Unit of the Department of Operations should on, no account, post its officers to any political appointee or VIP; the deputy commissioner of Police, Department of Operations and the Officer-in Special Protection Unit (SPU) to take over all guard duties where the C4I unit was hitherto involved.”

Other directives issued after the meeting are: “ The C4I unit should stop featuring in political campaigns; the commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command and other commissioners of Police of Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi to enforce the ban on the use of tinted vehicles and vehicles with sirens in line with the directive by the inspector-general of Police. A Special Monitoring Unit has been set up by the Zone 6 Police Headquarters

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From Shola O’Neil, Warri

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Former Chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale (second left) and Chairman, Adamawa Indigenous Community in Amuwo Odofin, Mr. Peter Tungwa discussing at an interactive session on PVC collection and the general elections in FESTAC Town, Lagos. With them are: Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Amuwo, Mr. Ayo Ogungbiye and Hon. Bala Ibrahim (right).

Two PDP chiefs killed in Rivers

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State yesterday said two of its leaders in Akuku-Toru were shot dead in front of their homes.

The incident occurred on Saturday.

The victims were identified as PDP Chairman, Ward 2 Abonnema, Mr Ibima Olunta and a PDP councillorship aspirant, Ward 2 Abonnema, Mr Goodfellow Bobmanuel.

State PDP Chairman Chief Felix Obuah condemned the murder of members of his party, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of complicity in the murder.

He called for the arrest and prosecution of the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Gov-

ernment Area, Fenibo Jack.

Obuah, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media, Mr. Jerry Needam, criticised the reign of terror against PDP members.

He said: “The PDP accuses the outgoing Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi of using tax payers’ money meant for the development of the state to buy arms for youths ahead of the general elections.”

Obuah said governance has collapsed under Amaechi, adding that projects have been abandoned while money was diverted to fund the APC .

Police spokesman Ahmad Mohammad confirmed the killing of two persons on Saturday in Abonnema, adding that the police were alerted about a gun duel between rival cult groups.

Pipeline contract: Ex-militant leaders after my life, says IYC leader are threatening me. What has my house got to do with From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

•Eradiri

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HE President, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Mr. Udens Eradiri, has raised the alarm of threats to his life by some ex-militant leaders.

He said his offence was his insistence that oil-pro-

to assess compliance with the order and instructions in the four states; the commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command and other commissioners of Police in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi states to embark on intensive stopand-search operations of vehicles without exception and raiding of black spots and criminal hideoutsm, with a view to recovering arms, explosives and other incriminating items.”

Wike’s deputy to Nigerians: be positive-minded

Uduaghan: I didn’t take N40b ‘Secret Bond’ ELTA State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan yesterday denied reports that he secretly obtained a N40 billion bond without due approval from the House of Assembly.

Uduaghan, who addressed reporters at the St Cyprian Catholic Church, Warri after a thanksgiving Service of the Bishop of Uromi Diocess, Bishop Donatus Ogun, said the report by an online media was false.

His words: “It is not true; I did not obtain any N40 billion bond.”

A report surfaced at the weekend that the governor obtained the bond without the approval of 2/3 of the 29member House of Assembly.

It was alleged that the governor arm-twisted the Speaker, Peter Onwusaya and the Clerk of the House, Mrs Lyna Ocholor.

Delta State government obtained a N50 billion bond for projects and development of infrastructure in 2012.

•Ogunsakin

ducing communities should benefit from the pipeline surveillance contract of the Federal Government.

Eradiri, who spoke in Yenagoa yesterday, said despite threats he would not change his position.

Though the IYC boss did not mention names of those after his life, he said he informed his lawyers to petition the Office of the Inspector-General of Police.

Eradiri flayed the exmilitant leaders for engaging in a “meaningless” protest in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and for attacking

Governor Seriake Dickson.

He said ex-militant leaders had used the surveillance contracts in the state to acquire wealth without considering oil-producing communities.

He said the agitation by ex-militant leaders that all contracts should be awarded to their company, Bajero, was selfish.

Eradiri explained that Bajero was owned by exmilitant leaders from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, adding that awarding the contracts to the company would mean shortchanging other pipe-

line-bearing communities.

He said Southern Ijaw became notorious for pipeline vandalism immediately the Federal Government started awarding surveillance contracts to the ex-militant leaders.

Eradiri said: “I have been threatened. My life has been threatened by some ex-militants. They have written several text messages to my phone threatening my life. In any case, I am reporting the threat formally to the security authorities so that all of us will be in Abuja to sign papers.

“I am surprised that they

pipeline surveillance contract. I am not a signatory to that. I have only voiced the opinion of the people as the Ijaw youth leader.

“They said all sorts of things about the government and said the governor wants to use their money. Is it their money? Are they the owners of the communities?”

Eradiri clarified that since over two years of the surveillance contract, only a few exmilitants from one local government area were receiving money and sharing it without carrying other communities along.

UNNING mate to the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Dr. Ipalibo Banigo has called on Nigerians to focus on the positive outcome of development in the country.

Speaking as a lay preacher during the Mothers’ Day Celebration at Saint Cyprian Anglican Church in Port Harcourt on Sunday, Mrs. Banigo advised mothers and other Nigerians not to be influenced by the negativity around them.

In a message, titled: “God will provide”, Mrs Banigo said in times of challenges, Nigerians should build altars to God, praise Him and rebuild their respective foundations on His strength.

Reading from Genesis 22:8 and Hebrew 11:17, she said God would reward all sacrifices made towards developing the nation.

While urging mothers to emulate Sarah in the Bible, Mrs Banigo called on them to, on a daily basis, speak positive words into the lives of their children to influence their future on the right path.

She said: “God’s provision is tied to the obedience of the people premised on faith.

“As we celebrate Mothering day, I urge all mothers to, on a daily basis, speak positive words into the lives of their children to shape them to the advantage of our nation”.

Also speaking, the governorship candidate, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike represented by Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Korea, Desmond Akawor, assured the church that his administration would improve the living condition of women.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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NEWS

Kogi APC governorship aspirant, brother die in accident From Kolade Adeyemi Kano

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KANO-BASED, Kogi State politician and an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, AbdulAziz Omeiza Aliyu and his younger brother, Salmanu Adeiza, have died in an accident at Jere town on the Kaduna-Abuja Federal Highway.

Family spokesman, Abubakar Aliyu, told reporters in Kano yesterday that the accident occurred last Saturday when he was returning from Abuja with his younger brother in a chartered vehicle.

Abubakar said the 36-year-old APC stalwart was in Lagos for an official engagement last Friday, adding that he made a stop over in Abuja same day due to a bad weather in Kano, which resulted in cancellation of flights. He said his younger brother, Salmanu, who was also in Abuja for a private engagement, linked his elder brother for a return journey to Kano by road.

The spokesman said: “Omeiza spoke with his father about 1:30pm on Saturday and barely half an hour later, we received the sad news of his death from good Samaritans on the scene of the accident.

“From the report we received, none of the passengers survived. They have been given mass burial at a location at Jere town.”

The deceased’s father, Alhaji Momohjimoh Aliyu, said the incident was a “fulfilment of destiny”, adding: “I have accepted it as an act of God.” The old man, an ex-worker of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, said: “They are from God and they have returned to Him at the appointed time. We have ac•The late AbdulAziz cepted it as an act of God.”

Gunmen kill 70 in Benue

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EVENTY people were killed in a dawn attack yesterday in Benue State by gunmen, believed to be armed Fulani mercenaries.

They invaded the Egba settlement of Agatu Local Government, killing mostly women and children.

But Police Commissioner Hyacinth Dagala, who confirmed the attacks, gave the figure of death so far confirmed as 30.

The member representing Apa/Agatu in the House of Assembly, Audu Sule, said over 60 bodies had been evacuated.

He said the attackers usually crossed over from Nasarawa State to kill the people without any provocation.

The lawmaker said the survivors were taking refuge in Obagaji/Ogbalu, the headquarters of Agatu Local Government.

A resident, who fled the area, gave his name as Oche and

claimed he narrowly escaped the onslaught.

He told our correspondent that the casualty figure might increase to 100, stressing that he witnessed the recovery of about 80 bodies.

Oche said most of the bodies recovered were those of women, children and the aged, adding that almost all the houses in the settlement were burnt by the attackers.

A female lawyer and activist, Sonia Ajoko, appealed to the government to send relief materials to ameliorate the suffering as well as declare a mourning day for the victims.

She said: “The loss is monumental especially of what we hear of women and children. I urge the government at all levels to send relief materials as well as declare a day to mourn and commiserate with the bereaved families.”

•Terrorists’ truck destroyed by Nigerian troops.

•Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmadu (middle); Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade (second left); Commander of Troops, Col. Asuquo Eka and others when journalists visited the Emir’s palace in Mubi, Adamawa.

•Members of a vigilance group working with troops at Buni Yadi in Yobe, when reporters on tour of recaptured territories in the Northeast visited the town.

•Women and children praising troops who provided security cover to reporters who visited the community during a tour of recaptured territories in the state.

•One of the terrorists' weapons destroyed in the battle of Madagali.

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THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 16, 2015

NEWS

Cecilia Ibru: Senate probes N150b forfeited assets

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HE Senate will today begin investigation into how the over N150billion assets forfeited by the former Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, are being managed.

Mrs. Ibru was convicted and jailed for six months over bank and securities fraud by a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Dan Abutu, in Ikoyi, Lagos on October 8, 2010.

She was made to forfeit two aircraft worth $100 million, properties in Dubai, South Africa, London and abridged shares in listed Nigerian companies.

Also, the Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and AntiCorruption has summoned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and the Eco-

•Invites CBN, AMCON, EFCC From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

nomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to appear before it today to respond to a petition alleging that certain irregularities were perpetrated in the execution of the forfeited assists and the failed bank consolidation, it was learnt.

The committee is also interested in the recovery of assets from loan defaulters and convicted Managing Directors of the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Intercontinental Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Afri Bank Plc and Bank PHB. According to the letter from the committee, the petition alleged that the funds and properties recovered by the EFCC were not remitted to the banks and the proper-

ties and shares were never advertised for sale nor the proceeds remitted to either the banks nor AMCON The committee in the letter of invitation signed by its Chairman, Senator Victor Lar, noted that of particular interest to it were the assets of Mrs Ibru, forfeited under her plea bargain deal with the EFCC, which were allegedly not accounted for.

The committee’s investigative hearing would take place at the hearing Senate Room 4.38 barring last minute changes.

Also to appear before the Committee are the Managing Director of Ecobank Plc formerly Oceanic Bank, who has been directed to come along with statements of account from AMCON, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) or CBN under

the bank consolidation exercise from 2009 till date.

The MD of Ecobank is expected to also show proof of transfer of assets/shares/ cash from AMCON to the bank.

The Acting Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Munir Gwarzo, and the Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde are also expected at the heating.

A member of the Committee who spoke in confidence with one of our correspondents confirmed the probe.

He said: “It is true that we are investigating the case.

We heard that the woman (Mrs, Ibru) has reacquired all her properties which include over 60 houses overseas.

“AMCON was supposed to advertise before disposing off the assets, but we did not see any advertisement.”

NAS calls for entries

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HE Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) has begun collecting entries for this year’s NAS Science Media Award. The first prize winner goes home with a computer tablet and a plaque.

Print and Science-Journalist of the year (2014) and the Broadcast Science-Journalist of the year (2014) would go home with N200,000.

The runner up in each category wins a tablet computer and N50,000.

By Nneka Nwaneri

The award, which is held yearly, is endowed by the Nigerian Academy of Science to promote excellence in science reporting.

The entry form can be gotten and submitted by mail to admin@nas.org.ng or ngscienceacad@gmail.com.

Closing date for submission is April 1.

The award ceremony holds at the Academy’s annual luncheon for science journalists in Lagos on May 7.

Arochukwu youths support Otti

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OUTHS from Arochukwu, Abam, Isu, Ututu and Ihechioma areas in Abia State have resolved to work for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, and ensure a peaceful election.

Led by Mr. Akachi Ochonma after meeting at the weekend in Obinkita, they moved to the Office of the Divisional Police Officer to submit a letter denouncing violence.

It reads: “We don’t want violence in the elections. We know our communities well enough. We are non-violent. Anyone bringing trouble makers to this place is making a mistake because we will fish them out.

“The police should watch out for the ‘imported intruders’. It’s up to the intruders to choose another location because we won’t let them go free. We have heard what happened at Ikwuano, how people turned a peaceful event into a crisis. This will not happen here.”

‘Ensure Card Reader works’

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•Chief Corporate Services Officer, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, Mr. Tobe Okigbo (right), receiving the Lagos State Ministry of Education CSR Support for Schools Initiative Award on behalf of his company from the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Omolara Erogbogbo and Permanent Secretary/ Tutor-General Education District IV, Mrs. Derinsola Soname, while CEO, Compact Communications Limited, Mr. Chuddy Oduenyi, watches. The event was held at City Hall, Lagos.

Five vehicles burnt in restaurant fire

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IVE vehicles and a restaurant were burnt in a fire, which consumed a panel beater’s workshop at mechanic village, Nsukka in Enugu State.

Also at the weekend, three persons died and four were injured in an accident on Abakiliki Road, near Idodo

From Chris Oji, Enugu

Bridge, Amechi Idodo Enugu.

The police are investigating the incidents.

Enugu Command spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said the fire started at night when no one was at the shed, spreading to the vehicles

brought for repairs and the restaurant. He said fire service personnel, who were alerted, put the fire out.

The accident was between a trailer coming from the Abakiliki end and a car registered EKY 38 CE, also from Abakiliki.

The trailer was said to have

hit the car, which was trying to overtake it.

Three persons died on the spot and four were injured.

They have been hospitalised at the Annunciation Hospital, Emene.

The deceased have been taken to the hospital’s mortuary.

Ugwuanyi assures traders of appointments

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HE governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has promised to give board appointments to traders.

But such prospective appointees must have a first degree or its equivalent.

He said the offer would give them a sense of belonging.

Ugwuanyi, impressed by the turnout at the Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, to wel-

From Chris Oji, Enugu

come the PDP campaign train, noted that by this appointment, he wants to identify with traders and encourage them to contribute to the development of the state.

He said his administration would meet the needs of the traders and create a platform to improve their services.

The PDP governorship candidate promised to provide transformers in markets to

boost electricity supply, saying traders are important stakeholders and deserve to be catered for.

Ugwuanyi, who thanked the traders for endorsing him, urged them to campaign for the PDP and vote for President Goodluck Jonathan as well as other candidates.

President of Ogbete Main Market Association and President-General, Enugu State Traders Association,

Temple Udeh, told the PDP campaign train that Enugu markets, with the highest concentration of voters, had been supporting PDP since 1999.

Udeh hailed PDP for deeming it fit to visit the markets to campaign, stressing that they were the first to endorse Ugwuanyi.

Other markets visited by the PDP train were Aria Market, Enugu, Abakpa Markets and Emene Market, Enugu.

HE senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia North, Mr. Moa Ohuabunwa, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the card reader works.

He said the issue is no longer whether the Card Reader would be used for the election, but that the commission should ensure it works.

Speaking with The Nation in Umuahia at the weekend, Ohuabunwa said the country could not afford to make mistakes during the elections.

He said: “The Card Reader is an innovation by INEC, which is to be used for the elections, but it has to be sure that it will work to avoid crisis.

“I want the Card Reader to be properly tested to be sure it will work. But I’m worried that INEC is just testing the machine now when the election would have been concluded.

“However, if INEC cannot guarantee that the Card Reader will work, we better drop it and go back to the use of the manual method of vot-

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

ing to avoid problems and use the Card Reader for smaller elections, such as the local government election.”

Ohuabunwa, a former member of the House of Representatives, said he would give Abia North quality representation, stressing that experience counts in law making.

He said the Senate is a place where parties go with the best set of politicians, adding: “Of the candidates for the Abia North seat, I’m the best, having been to the House of Representatives and became Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament.”

Ohuabunwa said campaign is not a do-or-die affair but a period for candidates to sell themselves.

“Instead of heating up the polity, which breeds bad blood, it is a period for ideologies to be sold to the electorate.”

He said the postponement of the elections is a financial burden on him and other candidates, noting that he and others were forced to spend more.

MASSOB chief alleges assassination plot From Chris Oji, Enugu

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HE crack in the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) is deepening.

Spokesman for the group Comrade Uchenna Madu has cried out over alleged attempts to kill him.

Madu, who briefed reporters in Enugu yesterday, said a price tag had been placed on him.

He accused his former boss, Ralph Uwazuruike, of cowardice. Madu described the plans against him as a sign of frustration by the MASSOB leader, whom he said was afraid that national officers of MASSOB were out to expose his insensitivity to members’ plight, who had been killed and others detained in prisons.

Said he: “We are not afraid of him and we are not deterred by whatever order he may have given, but he must be careful because we are ready to defend the Igbo cause, no matter whose ox is gored.

“This latest development is an indication that he is no longer comfortable in Igbo land. It is a glaring show of fear and jittery because his evil deeds are being exposed.”

Madu warned those who might be used against fellow MASSOB members to beware, as no person has the monopoly of violence.

His words: “Anybody who wants to unleash violence on any Igbo man should use his own children and not deceive and brainwash members, who are suffering neglect and deprivation.”

Madu, who condemned the rally held by MASSOB against the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, accused Uwazuruike of abandoning the ideals for which MASOB was formed.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

NEWS

•Sir Emeka Offor (middle) with pupils after The Sir Emeka Offor Foundation donated books worth millions of US Dollars to primary, secondary schools and a university in Tanzania...at the weekend

Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps Commander, Mrs Ayo Sangofadeji, presenting an award of excellence to Ifo/Ewekoro Unit Commander, Mrs Akinkunmi Ebunoluwa at a gettogether organised by the Command at Mukrat Garden, adjacent Ifo Local Government Secretariat, Ifo, Ogun State. With them is Director, Traffic Training and Public Education, Commander Sola Bamidele(right).

•Delta State All Progressives Congress governorship candidate Olorogun O’tega Emerhor (middle), his wife Rita (third left) displaying their plaque after they got the Georgia Citizen Award...at the weekend. Behind Emerhor is Governor of the State of Georgia Mr Nathan Deal and some lawmakers at the Capitol, Georgia

•President, Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Samson Ayokunle (second right) cutting the tape to dedicate the First Baptist Church, Oginibo in Ughelli South Local Government at the weekend. With him are Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (right), Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Delta State chapter, Rev. Gideon Oyibo and former Minister for Education, Chief Kenneth Gbagi

•All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at a rally in Agege for Lagos State governorship candidate Akinwumi Ambode..yesterday

President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr lanre Ajayi (left); Comissioner at Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Mr Ubale Maska, Director Austine Nwaulune and Commissioner, Mohammed Bintube, who represeneted NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman Dr Eugene Juwah at a telecoms stakeholders’ forum in Lagos...at the weekend

Senator Tinubu to host constituents at Ambode promise to cater for civil servants 14th Town Hall meeting HE All Progressives all of us who are seated here.

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LL has been finalised for the quarterly interaction with the people of Lagos Central Senatorial District organised by the Lagos State office of the Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

The lawmaker introduced a quarterly Town Hall meeting aimed at promoting transparency and accountability. It has been a feedback mechanism to the people of the constituents who gave her the mandate.

The 14th edition is tagged “Threading the Path to Prosperity” and is scheduled to hold at Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos on Wednesday.

Astatement by Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s Constituent Office in Yaba, Lagos said the rounding off edition will feature the unveiling of a new book titled “Stewardship Report: A Collection of Town Hall Speeches (2011-2014)” to be unveiled by a lawmaker, Adeola Solomon Olamilekan,

who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Lagos West Senatorial District.

Past editions portrayed initiatives for her constituents such as the Post-Secondary Scholarship (PSSS), the Petty Traders Empowerment Capital Scheme (PETECS), Elderly Citizens Assistance Scheme (ECAS), Youth Empowerment & Skills Acquisition Scheme (YESAS), the Good Boys and Girls Empowerment Scheme (GBGES) and free health screenings.

Constituents of the Senatorial District, party chieftains and APC supporters are expected at the Town Hall Meeting.

Guests and members of the public are expected to be seated by 9am.

Senator Tinubu is seeking re-election on March 28.

Amosun raises alarm over plans by politicians to buy PVCs OGUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by some politicians to lure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to sell Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to them.

The governor, who revealed this at an interactive session with the League of Imams and Alfas in Abeokuta yesterday, said he has officially reported the matter to security agencies in the state.

“It has come to our notice and people have been calling to say that some politicians are trying to talk to INEC into selling PVCs to them in an attempt to disenfranchise the electorate and I think anyone who sincerely wants to serve the people should not do such things.

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Congress (APC) gov ernorship candidate in Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode, has assured civil servants of guaranteed welfare.

He said his wide experience in public service makes him well-positioned and most-suitable to cater for their interest, when he is elected.

He spoke yesterday at an interactive session with civil servants at the Adeyemi Bero auditorium in Alausa,

By Olatunde Odebiyi

Ikeja.

Ambode said his administration will carry out projects for civil servants, urging them to dream big.

He said; “All my life I have served in the Lagos State Civil Service so if am able to be your torchbearer and break the boundary that it is not enough to be just a permanent secretary or commissioner but you can become anything you want to be then the next four years is about

“There is nobody who can protect your interest in the next four years other than myself.

“Over 60 per cent of residents don’t have jobs. We cannot employ all of them because there is a limit we can employ but these people have skills and we will assist them to set up business of their own and by so doing they will also be able to employ people and we will have taken about 500,000 people off the streets by the end of the year.

Lagos doctors begin indefinite strike

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AGOS State doctors un der the aegis of Medi cal Guild today began an indefinite strike over nonpayment of their salaries.

Its Chairman Dr Biyi Kufo, said the state did not pay doctors for the period their parent body, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) declared indefinite strikes.

“We were not paid for three days in April and May 2012. We also did not receive

By Wale Adepoju

salary for August and September last year,” he said.

He said doctors in other states and those in Federal Government’s employment received their pay for the period of strikes.

Kufo said the treatment from their employer, which is the Health Service Commission (HSC), was harsh, describing it as a “selective justice”.

He said: “The judiciary workers and teachers went on strike and still got their salaries. Why is it that it is only one professional group that was singled out for punishment? This is unfair to us and we will resist it. As the saying goes an injury to one is injury to all.”

The Medical Guild, he said, has explored all avenues to make the government accede to doctors’ demand but nothing positive came out of them.

“We waited for seven and a half months for the state to address the problems but the government was not concerned. Now, nobody should say doctors are inhumane.

The situation should not have got to this level,” he added.

The Medical Guild chairman said doctors would provide only emergency service, adding that there would be no regular clinics and consultations.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

57

FOREIGN NEWS South Africa’s cabinet minister killed in car crash

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SOUTH African cabinet minister, Collins Chabane, and two of his security staff have been killed in a car crash.

Their car collided with a lorry in the north-eastern city of Polokwane.

Mr Chabane, 54, was minister for public service, a member of the governing ANC's national executive committee and a close associate of President Jacob Zuma.

He was in charge of planning Nelson Mandela's funeral.

Mr Zuma said he was "deeply

shocked and saddened" by his friend's untimely death which was a "huge loss to government and the country as a whole".

He extended "heartfelt condolences" to Mr Chabane's wife Mavis and the families of Sgt Lesiba Sekele and Sgt Lawrence Lentsoane, who also died.

The ANC said "the falling of a great baobab tree" would leave "a huge void in the ANC and government".

A lorry driver is being investigated over possible manslaughter, reported AFP news agency.

Vatican backs using force against IS

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HE Vatican says force may be necessary to stop attacks on Christians and other Middle East minorities by Islamic State (IS) if no political solution is found.

Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican's top diplomat at the UN in Geneva, said jihadists were committing "genocide" and must be stopped.

The Vatican traditionally opposes military intervention in the region.

However, Pope Francis decried the beheading in Febru-

ary of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians by IS in Libya.

The militants have targeted minority religious groups in the parts of Syria and Iraq under their control. Thousands more people have been forced to flee their homes.

In an interview with US Catholic website Crux, Archbishop Tomasi said: "What's needed is a co-ordinated and well-thought-out coalition to do everything possible to achieve a political settlement without violence.

"But if that's not possible,

then the use of force will be necessary."

He added: "We have to stop this kind of genocide. Otherwise we'll be crying out in the future about why we didn't so something, why we allowed such a terrible tragedy to happen."

Christians were the main target of IS attacks, the archbishop said, but all minorities were human beings whose rights had to be protected.

"Christians, Yazidis, Shias, Sunnis, Alawites, all are human beings whose rights de-

serve to be protected," he said.

Any coalition, he said, must include Muslim states from the Middle East and be guided by the UN. Crux said the archbishop's endorsement of military action was "unusually blunt".

In February, human rights organisations warned that IS was trying to eradicate Iraqi minority groups from large areas of the country.

In a report, they detailed summary executions, forced conversions, rapes and other abuses suffered by minorities.

Islamic State fighters in Libya battle militia near Sirte

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IGHTING has been raging in Libya between Islamic State (IS) fighters and a militia alliance from the west of the country, near the city of Sirte.

A spokesman for militia brigades told the BBC that two of their men had been killed in the clashes.

Jihadists affiliated to Islamic State seized government buildings and a state radio station in Sirte last month.

Their main base is in eastern Libya where the elected government and army have battled extremists for months.

In February, a video was released appearing to show the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians kidnapped by IS militants in Sirte.

The country has been beset by chaos since the overthrow and death of Col Muammar Gaddafi, with powerful militia alliances in the east and west fighting for control of territory and resources.

Militia forces and the selfproclaimed government ruling western Libya deny IS has a significant presence in Libya, saying the fighters are former Gaddafi loyalists.

Turkey sends teenagers back to UK after Syria attempt

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HREE teenagers who were stopped from travelling to Syria from Turkey have been flown back to the UK and arrested, Scotland Yard has said.

Two boys aged 17 from northwest London and a man aged 19 were returned to the UK on Saturday night, the Met said.

They have been arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts and are being held at a police station in London.

They were reported as missing on Friday and were detained after UK police alerted Turkish officials, it added.

Scotland Yard said counterterrorism officers had initially been made aware that the two 17-year-old boys had gone missing and were believed to be travelling to Syria.

Further enquiries revealed they had travelled with a third man, UK police added.

"Officers alerted the Turkish authorities who were able to intercept all three males, preventing travel to Syria," a police spokesman added.

They were returned to the UK at about 23:10 GMT on Saturday and were arrested by counter-terrorism officers.

•Thousands gathered outside Brasilia's Modernist Congress building to protest against corruption ...yesterday.

Syria conflict: U.S. wants to 're-ignite' peace talks, says Kerry

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NITED STATES Secretary of State John Kerry says he wants to "reignite" negotiations with President Bashar al-Assad to end the conflict in Syria.

Speaking as the war enters its fifth year, Mr Kerry said it was "one of the worst tragedies any of us have seen".

He said the international community was upping pressure on Syria's regime to hold new peace talks, saying "we have to negotiate in the end" with Mr Assad.

More than 215,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the conflict.

"We are working very hard with other interested parties to see if we can re-ignite a diplomatic outcome," Mr Kerry said in an interview in the Egyptian resort of Sharm elSheikh.

He told CBS News the US was working with the moderate opposition in Syria as well as pursuing a diplomatic track with "a number of different critical players in this tragedy".

"Everybody agrees there is no military solution; there's only a political solution," he said.

The US has "always been willing to negotiate in the context of the Geneva I process," he added, referring to a 2012 plan to end the conflict that included forming a transitional governing body and holding free and fair elections in Syria.

The White House has in the past insisted that Mr Assad stand down as part of a politi-

cal settlement.

Some analysts suggested that Mr Kerry's comments marked a shift in US policy, but State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf denied this.

She said Mr Kerry had merely repeated the "long-standing policy" that the US wanted negotiations with the regime at the table - but not direct talks with President Assad.

"Policy remains [the] same and is clear: there's no future for Assad in Syria," she tweeted.

LENT Theme: Another "Tsunami" is coming!

Text:" ... God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; ....And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh....." ( Gen. 6:12,17)

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HRISTMAS is a day to commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. All over the world, the day is marked with celebrations, merriment and exchange of gifts; in fact, public holidays are declared for that day and the next day which is a “Boxing day” - a day when gifts received on Christmas day are opened with family members.

Ten years ago in Indonesia however, their Boxing day was not a day to open boxes but a day that boxes received and given, givers and receivers of boxes, and their possessions were wiped off the earth by a tsunami at 0759 local time without prior notice and it resulted in at least 227,898 fatalities.

That was the biggest tsunami the world has seen in the past 50years. On that day, there was a massive sea surge triggered by an 8.9 magnitude earthquake under the sea near Aceh, North Indonesia. The wall of water fanned across the Indian ocean at high speed leading to deaths, injuries and displacement of several people.

In the town of Meulaboh however, 400 Christians were saved from the “Tsunami” when they decided to go on a retreat in the mountains outside the city on December 25, 2004 because some people forced them to leave the town.

After finishing the celebration, the day was already dark and they decided to spend the night in the mountains. Then what happened? The city of Meulaboh was made flat to the ground and all of the houses and buildings fell to pieces and were washed away by an unexpected Tsunami. But all of the believers who went to the worship service in the mountains, the redeemed people of God in Christ Jesus were safe, they were not touched by the Tsunami at all!

It is instructive to note that the event at North Indonesia

was not the first of such occurrences, the first “Tsunami” to occur was recorded in biblical times when God saw that “ the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). During that time, “the earth was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence” ( Gen. 6:11). God therefore “repented that He made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart” (Gen. 6:6). As a result, God decided to send a “tsunami” to destroy the earth but He saved the household of Noah because he was found to be just, perfect and obedient. In summary, he found favour with God (Gen. 6:8-9).

What is a Tsunami? A “Tsunami” is ‘a day of the Lord’; it is a time of forceful separation. It is recorded that “......the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in that day which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (2Peter 3:10). “....... In that night, there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left (Luke 17:34-36). On that day, the just shall be separated from the unjust, the kind-hearted shall be separated from the wicked and those that have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour shall be separated from the world of sinners.

Brethren, the promised ‘Tsunami’ can come to you anytime either through death which no man has control over, either young or old, sick or healthy, poor or rich, important personality or the ignorable in the society (Eccles. 8:8) or

come at His second coming to judge the world (2 Timothy 4:1). The warnings of what will herald this second coming are staring us in the face all over the world. It is very clear, even to the blind, that the mouth of the angel is probably on the trumpet and may blow it (Luke 21:10-12; 1 Thess. 4:1617). Jesus Christ said that, just like the days of Noah shall it come. In Noah’s days, they were eating and drinking, they were celebrating the joys of holy matrimony before the ‘Tsunami’ came. (Luke 17:26-27). When the trumpet is blown, the righteous in Christ shall be taken away to the mansion that Jesus Christ had gone to prepare for the elect (John 14:23). For those that have been negatively formed in their ways, it shall be a time for pains, weepings and regret (Mathew 13:50).

Brethren, the life you are living does not belong to you.

When He comes, you shall give account of your time, talents, gifts, power, position, wealth etc. If you are found worthy, the ark of Noah, which is Jesus Christ, shall lift you but if you are not, the surge of the coming ‘Tsunami’ shall envelope you. You have a golden opportunity today to come to Jesus Christ, surrender your life to Him and genuinely amend your ways before it is too late. Live a life of love, holiness, humility and charity to the sick, naked, hungry, imprisoned etc. Jesus is waiting for you to make that decision as another “Tsunami” is coming very soon. The mouth of the angel is on the trumpet!

Prayer: Oh Lord, help me so that distractions of this world’s temporal pleasures and positions does not derail me from the path leading to eternal life, in Jesus’ name.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

58

FOREIG

NEWS

Deadly blasts hit Pakistan churches in Lahore

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WO bomb blasts have killed at least 14 people near two churches in a Christian neighbourhood of the Pakistani city of Lahore, local officials say.

More than 70 people were hurt in the explosions, which targeted worshippers attending Sunday mass at the churches in the Youhanabad area.

Violent protests erupted after the blasts, with a mob killing two men accused of involvement in the attacks.

Pakistan’s Christian community has often been targeted by militants.

An offshoot of the Pakistan Taliban, calling itself Jamatul Ahrar, has said it carried out the attack.

Witnesses say suicide bombers were responsible for the explosions but police have not confirmed this.

The bombers are said to have detonated their explosives near the gates of St John’s Catholic Church

Ukraine conflict: Putin ‘was ready for nuclear alert’

and Christ Church.

A large crowd gathered at the scene of the blasts, protesting about the lack of security.

The crowd also attacked two men it accused of involvement in the explosions, killing both of them.

Photographs from the scene showed a crowd setting the men’s bodies alight.

Protesters carrying sticks blocked Lahore’s Ferozepur Road. Local television pictures showed a bus station being attacked.

Amir Masih, a witness quoted by Reuters news agency, said he had heard an explosion near one of the churches.

“I rushed towards the spot and saw the security guard scuffle with a man who was trying to enter the church,” he said.

The man blew himself up after failing to enter the church, Mr Masih told Reuters.

•Putin

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RESIDENT Vladimir Putin has said he was ready to put Russia’s nuclear weapons on standby during tensions over the crisis in Ukraine and Crimea.

In comments in a documentary aired on state TV on Sunday, Mr

MAY 29

NEWS

Putin said the life of ex-Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych had been in danger.

He also said Russians in Crimea were in danger before Russia annexed it.

In a previously released clip from the film, he said he ordered the annexation weeks before a referendum was held.

Crimea was formally absorbed into Russia on 18 March, to international condemnation, after unidentified gunmen took over the peninsula.

Speaking on the documentary called The Path To The Motherland Mr Putin said: “We never thought about severing Crimea from Ukraine until the moment that these events began, the government overthrow”.

On putting Russia’s nuclear weapons into a state of combat readiness, Mr Putin said: “We were ready to do this.” “[Crimea] is our historical territory.

Russian people live there. They were in danger. We cannot abandon them,” he added.

He said he used a “closed opinion poll” of Crimeans to judge whether they wanted to remain in Ukraine and found that “75% of the general population desired to join Russia”.

No details of how the survey was conducted were given by Mr Putin.

Russia initially denied that soldiers who appeared in Crimea without military insignia on their fatigues dubbed the “little green men” - were Russian.

But Mr Putin subsequently admitted deploying troops on the peninsula to “stand behind Crimea’s self-defence forces”.

The formal annexation of Crimea sparked unrest in eastern Ukraine in April, when pro-Russian protesters occupied government buildings in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv demanding independence.

...74 DAYS TO GO

Devaluation: Harsh climate for manufacturers, workers Continued from page 3

heavily on oil export.

On the flip side The crisis has also taken a toll on Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings - an investment company.

He is the second biggest loser among the super-rich. Heirs Holdings, which is wholly-owned by Elumelu, is the controlling shareholder in Transcorp, a publicly-listed conglomerate with interests in power production, hotels and agriculture.

Transcorp’s current market capitalisation stands at $700 million, down from $1.4 billion at the beginning of November. Heirs Holdings lost an estimated $345 million in paper value on Transcorp, and its stake in the company as at last week, was roughly $400 million, down from $700 million.

Elumelu’s investments in other listed companies like United Bank for Africa (UBA), Africa Prudential Plc and UBA Capital have shed a little over $27 million in value.

Other big losers include: Nigerian multi-millionaire banker Jim Ovia, a co-founder of Zenith Bank. At of the last count, the value of his stake in the financial services provider was $240 million, down from more than $350 million last month. He owns nine per cent stake in the bank.

In the last few weeks, fall in oil price has forced several blue-chip stocks to hit one-year-lows as a result of the general uncertainty regarding the general elections rescheduled for March 28 and April 11, CBN’s regulatory headwinds, and weak earnings from large cap companies. These factors conspired to put naira-denominated assets including equities at risk.

National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir. Sunny Nwosu, admitted that the balance sheet of publicly quoted companies, especially those who take foreign loans are adversely affected by the devaluation of the naira.

He painted two scenarios from the unfolding economic turbulence.

The first, he told The Nation, involves companies that depend on imported raw materials for production. “It means they will pay more for importing raw materials,” he said, noting that the development will push up whatever amount of money they budget as import element of their business.

The second scenario, the ISAN coordinator noted, involves companies that are into export. Although the naira devaluation is supposed to reenergise the non-oil export, he said the snag however, is that Nigeria is almost a mono-economy, depending

In developed countries, currencies are devalued to encourage exports because the prices of local products serve as incentive and toast for foreign buyers. In other words, the devaluation of the naira ought to be a shot in the arm of operators in the non-oil export sector as well as manufacturers that source their raw materials locally rather than from markets outside Nigeria. Exporters of non-oil products should have more monetary value for their products and also attracts more dollars to the local economy.

“The exchange rate depreciation offers an advantage to exporters of non oil products. The naira value of their export proceeds has gone up considerably. This will improve returns on non-oil exports,” said the LCCI chief.

He, however, noted that the exchange rate has given some comparative advantages to industries with high local content as it makes them more competitive than their foreign or import- dependent counterparts.

According to him, the trend will force industries and investors to look inwards for raw materials and services that are hitherto imported.

Experts doubt the possibility of this happening any time soon. They say the non-oil export sector is relatively weak.

According to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the total earnings from the non-oil exports in 2013 were $2.97. The report said Nigeria’s 2013 non-oil exports data showed that cocoa and cocoa preparations made up 26 per cent of nonoil exports at the end of the year, while sheep, goat skins and leather accounted for 19 per cent. Others are: sesame seeds (12 per cent); aluminum (five per cent); rubber (five per cent); tobacco products (four per cent); cotton, yarns and fabrics (three per cent) and copper (three per cent).

The obvious growing deficit in the non-oil export has been a thorn in the flesh of stakeholders, especially members of the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) Export Promotion Group (MANEG). Most of them consider the deficit as scandalous. In a comparative analysis of the performance of the non-oil export from January – June 2013, MAN observed that the non-oil exports for the period stood at about $1.52 billion, out of which commodity exports was about $1.23 billion (81 per cent of total non-oil exports), while manufacturing exports was $285

million (19 per cent of total non-oil exports).

MANEG noted that considering the importance of the manufacturing sector to the Nigerian economy, especially its contribution towards job creation, it was not satisfied with the performance of manufacturing exports in particular and the total nonoil exports.

Chairman of MANEG, Tunde Oyelola, therefore, called for packaging incentives and return of the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) to drive the non-oil export sector. He said government should support manufacturing exports in its foreign aid policy by giving out made-inNigeria products rather than cash to countries that are getting aid and assistance from Nigeria.

Epileptic electricity supply as spanner

Almost two years after the handover of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) power plants to private sector players - the electricity distribution and generation companies (DISCOs and GENCOs), the move, which elicited great excitement, has so far failed to assuage the yearnings of electricity consumers for improved power supply. Residential and industrial electricity consumers feel shortchanged, as supply gets worse.

By last week, power generation dropped by 360 megawatts. Hit by rising energy cost, manufacturers threatened to close shops. Identifying lack of power as the major problem for businesses across all sectors, Director-General, LCCI, Muda Yusuf, said the rising energy cost remains a major threat to business sustainability, as expenditure on diesel and other fuels continued to increase despite the power sector privatisation. Last year, MTN Nigeria spent a whopping N30.5 billion on diesel, Fan Milk Nigeria Plc spent more than 40 per cent of its production cost on diesel, its Production Manager, Mr. Linus Oyena, said.

According to him, poor electricity supply affects the level of production, sales and supply, which forces many companies in Nigeria to fold up.

“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,” he said.

The Chairman, Electronics and Electrical Sectorial Group of MAN, Mr. Reginald Odiah, disclosed that on the average, members of the Association spend about N2 billion per week on self-power generation. This

translates to over N73 billion annually.

Odiah, who doubles as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bennett Industries Limited, described such outrageous cost as proof that the inefficiency of the energy sector in remains a major setback to private investments and by extension, a hindrance to the overall economic growth and development.

The MAN chief, who spoke at a recent stakeholders’ forum organised

by MAN on Lagos, explained that although, members require about 3, 000 MW of electricity for optimal performance, less than 1, 000 MW gets to them.

Yet, members of MAN, he said, pay electricity bills amounting to over N120 million monthly. In all, power alone gulps between 35 per cent and 40 per cent of manufacturers’ production cost. He described as regrettable that more than 75 per cent of the electricity needs of manufacturers are generated in-house, leaving only about 25 per cent coming from the utility firms.

Arguably, Nigeria is the most expensive country to do business of manufacturing 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.

“Yet, for the 16 years, they (PDP) have been there what we have been hearing is billions upon billions of naira put into the power sector and we have not seen improvement in power supply,” National President of Covenant Group, Dr Kola Afolabi, said.

Dr. Afolabi, who owns Ago Medical Centre (AMC), Okota, Lagos, said what Nigerians want is regular power supply. He expressed regrets that for six years that President Goodluck Jonathan has been in the saddle, plus the other 10 years of PDP, “we can still not boast of stable power supply, we are still importing fuel and this is an oil-producing country.”

At moment, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy with estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) size of $500 billion, barely generates N4,000 MW of electricity for it estimated 170 million population.

Interestingly, South Africa, with a population of about 50 million people, generates above 40,000 MW. By the time Nigeria was launching its power sector road map in 2010, the Rainbow nation was already generating 40, 000MW. The country has since gone a notch higher, adding a little over 600 MW

to the existing capacity. Ghana also recently celebrated a decade of uninterrupted power supply.

Apart from epileptic power supply, other challenges that have continued to hold manufacturers down include: credit crunch; worsening inflation; insurgency in the northeast; faulty regulatory institutions; multiple taxation and corruption, among others. These challenges have been compounded by the depreciation of the naira against the dollar.

Paying the price of mismanagement The prime mandate of the CBN, as manager of the economy, is price stability. And this can only be ensured through a stable exchange rate.

However, this mandate has been called to question in recent times, with finance analysts accusing the apex bank of deliberately devaluing the naira on monthly basis. The CBN does this through the creation of excess liquidity and the substitution of dollar earnings with minted naira to be shared at the monthly federal allocation. This, according to experts, creates scarcity of the dollar and surplus of the naira in the economy.

The policy has pitted the CBN against some stakeholders in the economy, including renowned industrialist and economist Henry Boyo.

According to him, the three tiers of government get their 80 per cent of their monthly revenue from crude oil and earned in dollars, with the CBN claiming that it has the right to hold on to those dollar revenues transferred to it from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or any other dollar earning agency of government.

Boyo said the CBN holds on to those dollars and print in place of those dollars fresh naira supply and use it to pay allocations to the three tiers of government. However, in doing that, the CBN inadvertently throws the economy into more confusion.

He noted that a surplus naira pursuing few dollars in the open market will further force the devaluation of the naira.

He therefore, urged a review in the policy. According to him, a better managed currency for a stronger exchange rate of the naira remains a viable solution to the crisis. But can government heed the wise counsel as well as other recommendations by concerned stakeholders? That is the big question begging for answer.

Additional reports by Okwy IroegbuChikezie and Toba Agboola.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

NEWS Kwankwaso: North ‘ll reply hate campaign on March 28 Continued from page 4

•From left: Mr. Lanre Ajayi, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Ubale Maska, Commissioner at Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; Austine Nwaulune, Director at NCC and Mohammed Bintube, Commissioner, NCC representing the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, at a telecoms stakeholders’ forum in Lagos…at the weekend.

Ex-Speaker Na’Abba quits PDP Continued from page 4

ees (BoT), resigned his membership in a March 15 letter to the chairman of Sharada Ward in Kano Municipal Local Government Area.

He sent copies of the letter to the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, and party chairmen at the local government and state levels.

The letter reads: “You are no doubt aware of the abysmal level to which the leadership of our great country under President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party have reduced governance to, as a result of which our great party has been losing its sons and daughters including so many of its founding fathers and members by the day.

“All efforts of critical members and fathers of the party to offer advice remain always unheeded. It pains most of us that majority of the founding fathers that had died like Chief S. M. Afolabi, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Rimi, Chief Solomon Lar, Professor Osammor, Chief S. B. Awoniyi etc, all died as a result of their frustration by and with the party.

“Those living, like Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Malam Adamu Chiroma, Dr Shettima Mustapha, Alhaji Asheikh Jarma Dr, Victor Odili, Mr. Isaac Shaahu and many others, are equally living with such frustration. While others, like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, two former National Chairmen, Chief Audu Ogbe and Chief Barnabas Gemade etc have since left the party. The party and the administration clearly possess neither compassion nor empathy.

“The country’s and the party’s leadership have become cabalised to the extent that

while Nigerians are aware that they have a President in the person of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, they are at the same time at a loss as to who governs their country. Both Nigeria and the PDP are left to drift.”

Na’Abba regretted that the nation had been drifting in the last few years.

He said it was regrettable that cartels and shady characters were becoming visible, important and indispensable factors in governance.

The letter added: “In the 16 years the party has been ruling at the centre, the party’s leadership has failed to lead by example. Instead, it has left us with the conventional wisdom that people can not succeed in life unless they are ruthless and unprincipled.

“The party has become characterised by corruption and impunity in the way and manner candidates for elective positions are being selected to the extent that in almost twenty states, crisis has engulfed the party over the gubernatorial primaries and the manner other candidates for other elective positions emerged.

“In short, the party and the country’s leadership have failed to consolidate democratic gains for sister African countries and other transition countries to follow. Instead, under the current leadership, Nigeria is suffering from loss of esteem, as we are now most often consigned to the back seat of international relations.

“Most worrisome is the current anxiety of most Nigerians as the regime wobbles and tumbles toward the oncoming election.

“It has today become incontrovertible that cartels and shady characters are becoming visible, important and indispensable factors in Nigeria’s governance. It appears those at

the helm of affairs are more comfortable with such characters of easy virtue than with patriotic and altruistic Nigerians. No doubt, in our country today, the quality of governance is going down by the day.”

Na’Abba queried why critical institutions had been dragged into politics.

The letter said: “Critical national institutions that unify and weld Nigerians together have been dragged into politics, contrary to wise counsel and political correctness. No administration has used religion and ethnicity to divide Nigerians more than the current administration under the leadership of Mr. Goodluck Jonathan. “ The ultimate test of any leader is looking at what has remained after he is gone.

You will agree with me that such pervasive political behavior should under no circumstances be tolerated by all who subscribe to decent and conscionable political practice.

“I have relentlessly pushed for reform of the internal policies of the PDP individually and collectively, without success. In fact, it is common knowledge that all critical members of the party have been made irrelevant by the party. “ Members who are pliant and who lack principle and who stand for nothing are always more trusted by the leadership to carry out Party assignments. Such members are said to be ‘loyal’. Such loyalty is nothing but a euphemism for people who stand for nothing. Because no one is trusted by the leadership both at governmental and party levels, only a handful of party men and women are always entrusted with such party tasks as National Conventions, fund raising. Such men and wom-

en are now fully re circled. Their faces are today so familiar to the eyes of Nigerians.”

The former Speaker canvassed for change in the country to get out what he described as “inept leadership”.

The letter said: “As a politician with political science background, it is obvious to me that PDP is both self-destruct and irredeemable. Coupled with the regime’s divisive and unpatriotic disposition, Nigeria has become a bye-word for “touch and go”, if examples of contemporary nations are anything to go by.

“The challenge before Nigerians today, in order to secure a new lease of life, therefore, is how to get out this inept leadership that has neither allure nor inspiration. In its place, Nigerians deserve not just a good president, good governors, and other political office holders, but true and exemplary leaders.

“And within this context, leadership that is more truly both transactional and transformative and which have more competence and capacity to govern. Nigeria needs leaders with a clear vision for the future.

Leaders that will lead not from the back, side or front but from within.

“Leaders that will provide courageous and moral leadership the dearth of which has led to the weakening of political and economic institutions throughout Nigeria.

“For the above and many reasons, effective today 15th March 2015, I hereby tender my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party, it’s organs, including the Board of Trustees and all other committees to which I belong at national and state levels.

“I pray that your mind and those of other patriots would also be illuminated with truth so that you may also act wisely and accordingly.”

Troops battle terrorists to recover Borno town

T

ROOPS and Boko Haram fighters were yesterday locked in a fierce battle for Damasak, which is a border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic.

The battle to retake the town is being waged by Nigerian troops in conjunction with the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF).

Damasak is one of the boisterous border towns of Borno State where farm produce, such as pepper and tomatoes are produced in commercial quantity. It is close to Diffa in Niger Republic

and was seized by the terrorists in November last year as part of Boko Haram campaign to create “an illusory caliphate”.

The militants attacked Damasak and Ashigarchi towns in Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno in their hundreds, killing over 50 in Damasak alone on November 15, 2014.

“The sect members drove in Hillux vans and motor bikes into the town burning vehicles, houses and forcing hundreds of residents to flee to the Cameroonian borders.

“Top security and military

sources confirmed that the ongoing battle, which commenced hours ago put a lie to reports last week that the town was recaptured by forces of a foreign country collaborating in the Multinational Joint Task Force,” a military source said yesterday.

The Defence Headquarters last night said the Air Force was bombading some Boko Haram hideouts in Borno and Yobe states.

A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said the air strikes followed

intelligence reports.

The statement said: “Air Force pounding of identified terrorists’ hideouts is continuing in some locations in Yobe and Borno states as part of ongoing campaign against terror.

“Several sorties are being flown either in conjunction with ongoing ground assault by troops or to dislodge any concentration of terrorists as follow-up to intelligence reports.

“Simultaneous mopping up operations are also ongoing in the areas already operated upon by Nigerian Air Force.”

ets. So we cannot give him our vote.”

Tinubu charged them to keep their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to vote the APC and benefit more from government.

Kwankwaso said Governor Fayose had become a national embarrassment.

The governor who lamented the insults to Gen. Buhari’s person wondered what is left of values in the country. He added: “the North will reply them on March 28 in the presidential polls.”

Recalling his youth service years in Ogun State in the southwest, Kwankwaso said he had always believed that Yoruba land paraded an array of well-cultured, respectful people like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Bashorun MKO Abiola Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, among others, “but anytime I listen to this young man, the governor of Ekiti State, I feel terribly embarrassed as a governor and I feel bad for Yoruba people .

This young man, I don’t know what went wrong, I used to know him even though I was not very close to him, of course,

when I was first governor, he was not governor .

“He became governor after I left the Goverment House in 2003, but these days, when I look at him, I think many things are wrong with his words and even his mouth.

“When you see Fayose, tell him he should learn how to respect elders. Even those of us who are governors at this time are his seniors. In this business of politics and in any other business, I think seniority should be respected.

“He has been talking about the age of Buhari, I am not a medical doctor but I observed Buhari before the primaries.

He went round all the states of the federation and after the primary elections he went to 35 out of 36 states and Kano four times and I am sure he came to Lagos more than once within this short period of time, what I believe is that Buhari is healthier than Jonathan.”

Tinubu said he was surprised that the ruling party is afraid of elections.

Tinubu who said Kwankwaso is a trusted man added that the Arewa people are part of the Lagos government.

He said: “Jonathan is afraid of conducting elections.

‘Lamido under pressure to damage Buhari’s image’ Continued from page 4

to essentially damage Gen. Buhari along the line that he will be a figurehead while Osinbajo will be the de facto president. He will give examples of GMB’s leadership style, mentioning Idiagbon (COS-SHQ) and Alhaji Salihijo (PTF).

“This situation, he will claim is unfair to the North as the Southwest will be indirectly getting another term of office as president in addition to the Obasanjo years, so Northerners should not be deceived into voting APC. “A few things we will like to point out to Governor Lamido’s audience members include the fact that Lamido had been pressured to do the interview because of the EFCC pressure on his sons’ corruption charges. Lamido has never worked near or with GMB to know his leadership style.

Those working closely with him in the APC know otherwise”.

He wondered when Lamido became the official spokesman of the north and how much of the cash being doled out by the

President has been negotiated for the north by the governor.

He said “When did Lamido become a spokesman for the North? What did he and other Jonathan apologists negotiate for the North as the South West has been doing with Jonathan in the last two weeks?

“As a self appointed Northern interest spokesman, what is his response to the pejorative references made by Mrs. Patience Jonathan about Northerners?”

But, the Director of Media and Publicity to the governor, Alhaji Umar Kyari, expressed surprise when contacted by The Nation for his reaction to the allegation.

Kyari said: “It is not true. His Excellency did not grant any interview to FRCN as they alleged. The campaign organisation is replying to a non-issue. They should quote the interview, where and when.

“I think it is not right for senior journalists and imagemakers to be responding to non-issue in the name of politics.”

Prof Akinola dies at 87 Prof. Richard Adebayo Akinola, an erudite scholar, academician, geography professor and successful university administrator, is dead. He was 87.

According to the family, the late Akinola died last Tuesday.

He was at various times, Dean of Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos and the pioneer Pro-Chancellor of the Ado Bayero University, Kano.

The late Akinola was a president, Rotary Club of Lagos (1977-1978) and the founder of the prestigious Oluyole Club Ibadan.

He was also a development icon and the Bashorun Tayese of

•The late Prof Akinola

Ibadanland.

Burial arrangements will be announced later by the family”.

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THE NATION MONDAY , MARCH 16, 2015

NATION SPORT

George Boyd: 'Burnley deserved win'

•Boyd

G

EORGE Boyd has insisted that Burnley were deserving of their narrow win over Manchester City at Turf Moor in the Premier League yesterday evening.

The Scottish international scored the only goal in the Clarets' 1-0 win over the defending champions, leaving them just one point from safety.

The winger told the club's website: "What a feeling! To take four points off the champions this season is a massive effort.

It's a huge win and just a massive three points.

"It doesn't surprise us in the dressing room though. We fully deserved the point when we went there and I'd say we deserved the win today. We haven't feared anyone all season and we've got a massive belief that starts from the gaffer and the staff.

"We go into every game thinking we're going to win and as it proved today we can beat anyone on our day. We just play our own game and this is why we worked so hard to get here and enjoy these occasions and we'll now go to Southampton full of confidence."

The win was just the fifth of the season for Sean Dyche's side.

Perez interested in Man City - Carver ANCHESTER City are interested in signing Newcastle United's Spanish striker Ayoze Perez, Newcastle United head coach John Carver has suggested.

The former Tenerife striker has enjoyed a strong debut season in English football, scoring five goals despite the bulk of his 30 appearances coming off the bench.

And although he has recently played second fiddle to Papiss Cisse, Perez's potential appears to have caught the eye of Premier League champions City.

"I'm not surprised [by the interest in Perez]. He's a young lad and an exciting talent," Carver told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.

"I know for a fact there is interest. You go in coaches' rooms after games and have a chat. A few people have spoken very highly of him, which is good.

"I had a good chat with Brian Kidd at Man City about him."

Carver also explained his reasoning for resting Perez - who previously claimed to have been the subject of interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid.

"He's got five goals - just behind Papiss. I took him out of the firing line and I was right to do so," he added.

"It has helped him having a bit of a break. There was an awful lot of pressure on this young lad coming from Tenerife and being thrown into our cauldron, as we all know it is.

M

Terry defends Mourinho over PSG row J

OHN Terry has insisted Jose Mourinho has never told his Chelsea squad to put pressure on referees.

The Premier League leaders came in for criticism when a number of players surrounded Bjorn Kuipers before Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off in last week's Champions League last-16 second-leg exit to PSG. The striker described the Chelsea players as "babies", while Jose Mourinho angrily reacted to criticism from Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness regarding his team's conduct.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini spoke of his dislike of players surrounding match officials, but Terry has defended his head coach and says it is his job as captain to protect his teammates.

"Has he told us to surround referees? No never. Not in his previous time here and certainly not in this time either. It's the complete opposite. Never has the manager or any other manager I've worked under insisted on that," he told Sky Sports.

•Terry "When the captains sit down with the refs and the PFA and the Premier League at the start of each season, it's brought up and it's spoken

C

ers away and quickly move on with the incident. The refs know that they needsomeonetospeaktoonthefield and the captain's the right person."

Wenger hails -improved Arsenal H

AVING seen his side extend their winning run in the Premier League to five matches, Arsene Wenger says Arsenal are a completely different prospect compared to the start of the season.

Wenger's men saw off West Ham 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, to put pressure on Manchester City above them and warm up positively for their European clash with Monaco on Tuesday.

If Arsenal, who are into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, can overturn a 3-1 first-leg deficit, they would remain in the running for the UEFA Champions League.

While the Premier League title appears a step too far, with Chelsea six points clear and holding two games in hand, Wenger is growing increasingly confident in his side's ability.

"We are stronger today than at the start of the season," he said after the win over West Ham. "We dropped off in this league because we won one of [eight] at the start of the season but today we are a different team.

"We suffered a lot post-World Cup when some players came back and were not ready to play."

Wenger made a number of changes from Monday's cup win over Manchester United,

with Danny Welbeck and Santi Cazorla rested, and saw Olivier Giroud steal the show.

Giroud opened the scoring and played a part in Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini's late goals, but Wenger remains undecided on his front line for

Tuesday's trip to Monaco.

"I haven't decided yet, you have to take that with a little bit of perspective because the game was a bit more open and they [Welbeck and Cazorla] were a bit more fresh when they came on," he added.

•Sturridge

Sturridge: Hodgson relationship top class

•Perez

Jason Akiotu poised to sign new Crystal Palace deal RYSTAL Palace are set to offer a professional contract to highlyrated starlet Jason Akiotu in the summer.

The midfielder, who clocked 17 years this month, has been on the books of the Selhurst Park outfit for the past six years, Jason Akiotu has been one of the standout players for the Under 18 squad of Crystal Palace this season so much so that he has been invited to train with the Under 21s several times.

The Anglo-Nigerian is not short of admirers, with no

about and it is our duty as captain to make that run up the field.

"That'snottogotheretogetpeople sentofforbooked,it'stopullmyplay-

less than three clubs in the English Premier League showing interest in him ahead of the reopening of the transfer window.

Crystal Palace are aware that a lot of teams are circling for the player, and have moved quickly to open talks with his camp on a new deal.

As far as Jason Akiotu is concerned, his number one priority is to remain with The Eagles come next season.

He is eligible to represent the national teams of England and Nigeria, and would have trained with the Golden Eaglets in December if not for club commitments.

L

•Wenger

IVERPOOL striker Daniel Sturridge said past controversies have not soured his love of representing England.

In a candid interview with the Daily Mail, the 16-capped international said he had no qualms with national boss Roy Hodgson despite a change to Sturridge's workload resulting in injury in September.

At Anfield, manager Brendan Rodgers insists his quicker players take two days of rest following a match, while Hodgson wants his chargers to be training on the second day.

Sturridge injured his thigh training within 48 hours of representing England against Nor-

way in September, but the 25year-old said the incident which saw Rodgers lash out at the Football Association's handling of the former Chelsea and Bolton front man.

"Regardless of what happened in the past, I love playing for England," Sturridge said.

"That situation occurred and it's in the past. I don't want to dwell on it.

"People pick injuries up and they are unfortunate. It just so happened I got injured that day. It's life. People get injured sometimes. It is what it is.

"My relationship with the England manager is top class.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015

SPORT EXTRA AFRICA YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP (AYC):

Flying Eagles scoop third Man -of-theMatch Award

Ghana to face Nigeria in semi-final F T HE rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana in football will be reignited again at the ongoing Africa Youth Championships, AYC, as the Ghana U20 team on Sunday emerged as the semi-final opponents for the Flying Eagles.

The Black Satellites on Sunday lost 1-0 in their final Group B game against Mali and that saw them finish as runners-up in their group and will thus face the Flying Eagles who finished

top in Group A after winning two games and drawing their last match against Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday.

The match will take place on March 18 at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar.

Interestingly, both Nigeria and Ghana engaged themselves in friendly matches before heading to Senegal for the AYC. The other semi-final clash between the winner of Group B,

Mali, and the runner-up of Group A, Senegal, will take place on March 19 also at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium in Dakar.

The winners of the semis will face-off in the final on March 22 at the Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium to be preceded by the third-place match between the losers of the semis.

The four countries still in contention have qualified to represent Africa at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand in June. However, there is still the ultimate to play for at the 19th edition of the biennial championship.

SEMI-FINAL FIXTURES Wednesday, March 18 Nigeria vs Ghana Thursday, March 19 Mali vs Senegal

LYING Eagles defensive midfielder Ifeanyi Ifeanyi was the CAF Man of the Match for the final AYC Group A match against Cote d’Ivoire.

The player of Water FC Abuja, who has also featured for Nigeria National League side MFM of Lagos, posted a solid performance in midfield to curtail the attacking surges of the Young Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire.

His head injury from the bruising game against Congo and which needed a heavy bandage did not hinder him from playing his best game of the tournament thus far.

The Flying Eagles have won all three Man of the Match awards in their group games with striker Taiwo Awoniyi scooping two of these honours against Senegal and Congo.

Sharks lose again in Enugu

S

• Ifeanyi Matthew

Enyimba pip Smouha in Aba

R

AFAEL Boumsong scored the winner as Enyimba edged past Egyptian club, Smouha in their first leg, first round CAF Champions League game in Aba on Sunday.

The big news before kickoff was the relegation, to the bench of goalkeeper, Olufemi Thomas with Chijioke Ejiogu preferred in his stead.

Kingsley Sokari produced two moments of stunning quality inside the opening five minutes but was denied on both occasions by equally impressive stops by the Smouha goalkeeper, Mahdy Mohammed Soluman.

In the 20th minute, Enyimba came close again but Etor Daniel’s strike bounced off the inside of the post with Soluman rooted to the spot.

Twice inside the opening 22 minutes, the Smouha goalkeeper stayed down, feigning injury after minimal contact with Enyimba forwards as the visitors showed their intent as re-

RESULTS England - Premier League Chelsea 1 - 1 Southampton Everton 3 - 0 Newcastle Man Utd 3 - 0 Tottenham Italy - Serie A Atalanta 0 - 0 Udinese Genoa 0 - 2 Chievo Sassuolo 4 - 1 Parma Hellas 2 - 0 Napoli Spain - Liga BBVA Almeria 0 - 0 Villarreal Malaga 2 - 0 Cordoba Sevilla 3 - 0 Elche Germany - Bundesliga Wolfsburg 3 - 0 Freiburg Gladbach 2 - 0 Hannover France - Ligue 1 Lille 3 - 0 Rennes Bordeaux 3 - 2 PSG

gards their approach to the game.

Clear cut goal scoring opportunities were few and far between in a highly tactical half.

Smouha’s best chance came in the 43rd minute through Kouqo Hermann who rounded the Enyimba goalkeeper, Ejiogu only to see his goal-bound shot cleared off the line by the Enyimba captain, Chinedu Udoji.

Etor thought he had finally opened the scoring in first half stoppage time but his fierce drive from inside the box just sailed over.

Smouha, came close to claiming goal a minute after the restart when Amr Elmenofy Abousadaa found himself unmarked in the Enyimba penalty area.

It seemed easier to score than miss but the Smouha forward, surprised at the absence of attention from the Enyimba defenders, shot well wide from 13 yards.

Enyimba almost responded a minute later but Sokari wasted a free kick from 25 yards.

The home fans soon found their voice when substitute, Raphael Boumsong rose highest in a crowded penalty area to head home past the stranded Soluman in the 56th minute.

Enyimba had several other chances to add some gloss on the result but Smouha defended stoutly to set up a compelling second leg in Egypt.

Speaking to suprsport.com after the game, Enyimba’s media chief, Farriel Allaputa said the People’s Elephant are satisfied with the result.

“We missed a lot of opportunities to score more goals but we are satisfied to take this lead to Egypt for the second leg,” he said.

HARKS football club of Port Harcourt once again left the Nnamdi Azikiwe international stadium empty handed despite scoring for the first time in three visits to Rangers international.

The match got underway with vigour and vitality by the home side who were more desperate for a win as they piled pressure on the defence of Sharks.

Five times the flying antelopes made incursions into the vital area of Sharks in the first quarter of the match as Sharks defended pretty well in both occasion and when bench thought the boys could end the first half without conceding a goal the deadlock was broken by Razak Adegbite who slammed home a squared pass from man of the match Onoriode Odah in the 38th minute.

Three minutes after Rangers shot into the leads Frederick Obomate equalized for the blue angels via a well taken free kick at the edge of the box.

The first half ended one goal

apiece as Sharks scored for the first time in three visits to Enugu.

On the resumption of play in the second half Rangers took the game to the visitors and on two different occasions the wood work was at the mercy of Sharks after the cross bar denied Justice and Onoriode Odah what could have been the second goal of the day.

Sharks bench made three quick changes in the second half as Omoniwari came in for Inyiam,Chiamaka Madu came in for Salawu and Olaoke came in for Bode but the substitutions were not just enough to deny Rangers possession.

Fiev minutes from time man of the match Onoriode Odah picked a loose ball after Nathaniel failed to cleared, outran his marker before shooting past James Aiyeyemi in goal for Sharks.

Rangers FC first assistant coach Imama Amapakabor described the win as a well deserve victory even as Sharks proved to be a hard nut to crack.

Nasarawa humble Wikki

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ASARAWA United were in no mood for compromise at the Lafia township stadium as they beat visiting Wikki Tourist 2-0.

The solid miners dominated the early exchanges pushing Wikki back into their box but Esosa Igbinoba's wayward finish denied them a goal in the opening 15 minutes.

Igbinoba later turned provider for new signing Simon Zenke, who finish expertly to put his side 1-0 up in the 36 minute.

The goal from the former Enyimba man was the separation point between the two teams as they headed for the

halftime break.

Wikki returned from the break galvanised and full of vigour to draw level but it was the home side who got the second goal of the game that settled the tie.

Ibrahim Ibrahim was at the end of a flowing move to score Nasarawa's second goal and killed off any potential challenge from Wikki, who will be glad they didn't concede more.

After the game Nasarawa Coach, Baba Ganaru, reiterated his stand at the start of the season that his side will at the end of the season picking up a continental ticket to represent Nigeria on the Africa scene.

2015 AFROBASKET/AAG QUALIFIER

Nigeria, Burkina Faso clash today

T

HE race for the ticket for the All Africa Games and the Afrobasket begins today as the Nigerian team, D’Tigers and Burkina Faso clash today in Ouagadougou in the first leg.

Though upsets have been recorded in this year’s qualifiers, the biggest being Mali’s defeat of Senegal, Basketball buffs are, however, optimistic the Nigerian team has the wherewithal to win today and also win the return leg on March 25.

D’Tigers head coach, Sani Ahmed has assured that the team will not disappoint Nigerians as the players and its handlers has its mind set on picking the sole slot in the group.

“We respect the Burkinabe, but they are not capable of stopping us from qualifying for both the Afrobasket and All Africa Games (AAG) as we looking forward to challenging for the Afrobasket title and also defending our All Africa Games gold medal won four years ago in Mozambique.

“The players are ready to prove that they are worthy ambassadors of the country and are

By Adeyinka Adedipe mentally, physically and psychological prepared for the twoleg qualifier,” Ahmed stated.

The squad is made up of twelve players with ten of them drawn from the Nigerian DStv Premier Basketball League and two foreign-based players.

Ahmed will be assisted by Ayinla Johnson while the players shortlisted for the trip include Olumide Oyedeji (centre), Ejike Ugboaja (forward), Stanley Gumut (forward), Abubakar Usman (guard), Matthew Onmonya (forward), and Ibrahim Yusuf (guard/forward).

Other are Adeolu Olaiya Ojo (guard), Abdulwahab Yakubu (guard), Abdulwahab Yahaya (forward), Azuoma Dike (guard), Dele Ademola (forward) and Abayomi Oyeniyi (forward). The delegation also has the Vice President of the NBBF, Muktar Khaleh, Patrick Okeke (Secretary General of NBBF), Patrick Omorodion (media), Dr. Ohida Suleiman (team doctor) and Dayo Ogunkunle (physio).

• Flat on his back, Rooney mocks reports of a boxing incident with friends, including Phil Bardsley, at his home

Man Utd ease past hapless Tottenham

M

ANCHESTER United put a huge dent in Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four with a comfortable 3-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday night.

Spurs struggled all game long to break down the home side and one of the more dangerous moments they had was in the early stages when United defender Phil Jones sidefooted a strong backpass towards goal that David de Gea had to poke away by sliding in.

United soon had control of the game when they opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Michael Carrick fed Marouane Fellaini and the Belgian drilled low across goal into the corner with his left foot.

Ten minutes later the lead was doubled and this time Carrick was the scorer with a well-directed header into the far corner after Nacer Chadli had only been able to direct Fellaini's header into his path.

It was soon three in the 34th minute when Wayne Rooney picked up Nabil Bentaleb's errant pass and drove past Spurs' defence before finish-

ing low past Hugo Lloris for his eighth goal in nine Premier League starts against Tottenham.

After a video surfaced of him being punched in his kitchen by fellow footballer Phil Bardsley, Rooney lightheartedly celebrated by falling to the ground as if he had been floored.

The second half was a stroll for United, with Ander Herrera striking the side-netting they came as Spurs continued to offer very little.

Their one and only shot on target came in the 89th minute when Harry Kane's low effort from a narrow angle was just about kept out

by De Gea. Kane's failure to find the net means that his goalscoring run away from home in the league comes to an end at six games. Spurs also see their five-game unbeaten run against United come to an end.

Three points mean that fourth-placed United have more points at home than anyone else this season. They are five points clear of fifthplaced Liverpool, who face Swansea City tomorrow, while Spurs drop six points behind the top four.

TODAY IN THE NATION

MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

‘Abati must be living in a fool’s paradise to believe that a presidential debate of an hour or so would conclusively convince voters to reelect Jonathan, when his low-grade performance in office and his unconvincing political campaign speak of failure’ FEMI MACAULAY

VOL 10 NO 3155

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

M

AN makes machine. Man fears machine. The creature becomes god to its maker. The fear of automaton makes us cowards of progress.

That is the irony of the card reader. Some politicians, especially of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the other parties that have not even published an ad nor afforded a rally, have rejected the device. They remonstrated before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demonstrated it. Even when its test showed that it worked for most part, they would none of it.

The PDP hierarchy, including the governors that visited Lagos last week, is living a lie. Humans inhabit their own illusions and can deny the evidence before their own eyes.

“The mind is its own place,” wrote poet John Milton in Paradise Lost. “It can make heaven of hell and hell of heaven.”

They complain that some cards were rejected at the tests. Of course, that happened.

Reports attributed it to potential voters’ hands that were slimy or oily or muddy, and what that calls for is voter education.

Come to the voting booth not only with clean hearts but also with clean hands.

Cloned cards were uncovered, evidence of experimenting by some fraudsters. The lag time was a factor, too. Some people felt it took too long for the machine to authenticate some potential voters.

We expect INEC to improve its work, and that’s the point of the test. For those not happy that it might take a lot longer on the polling day, I ask patience. Better to spend a day and elect the right person than to go quickly into perdition by rigging into office a phony for four years.

The machine does not rig. People do. It does not know PDP or APC. Why not let the card reader rather than people determine who wins and who loses! Who is afraid of accuracy?

Some balk at the machine because they think they will lose. When the PDP complained about the percentage of PVCs distributed, they were hypocrites. Ekiti polls PVC distribution was less than 40 per cent, but they never kicked up any dust over it.

Now they know the power of card readers, and they are bubbling with fear.

Is it not the same government that glowed over its technology savvy when it introduced cashless banking, and e-financing on the official level?

What the PDP is doing has so many instances in the past. Humans who loathe progress resist technology. The name given them is Luddites. These were English men in early 19th century who protested the birth of new machines in the textile industry because they replaced jobs. The PDP men are the Luddites of the 21st century. They fear they will lose their jobs.

In spite of the Luddites, the textile industry used the machines, and the world saw

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

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

•Winner, Informed Commentary (DAME)

Fear of machine

‘

The machine does not rig. People do. It does not know PDP or APC. Why not let the card reader rather than people determine who wins and who loses!

’

•Prof. Jega

progress. More jobs leaped out of the new technology, but they were new jobs that required new skills. Such hugely transformative works are called disruptive technologies. We have them in the offing now, and the next 50 years will be different just like the last 50 years. The womb promises such geniuses as fusion, robotics, genomics, etc.

Where was Steve Jobs 50 years ago, or cable television, or wireless phone? Did we at independence contemplate companies like MTN, GLO, Etisalat that now outshine the mainstays of the day? Now we even have a National Communication Commission even though it still has to learn how to regulate properly, like enforcing regulations that make carriers pay their dues to other carriers and policing the parasites whose applications prey on the infrastructure of the big operators. But those are challenges of a new Nigeria, a sign of modernity.

The PDP is afraid but all we urge is a little

RIPPLES

APC, FAYOSE DISAGREE ON CARD READER–News

ANYONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE CARD READER SHOULD GO AND JUMP INSIDE THE OCEAN

courage. Do they know that slavery and slave trade ended in the 19th century less out of charity than technology? With the industrial revolution sprang new machines, and they made superfluous the sweat and brawn of black men and women from the continent that novelist Joseph Conrad called the heart of darkness.

They now wanted Africa for raw materials and not raw men. As my teacher, Professor Tunji Oloruntimehin, memorably put it, “it was an act of enlightened self-interest by the Europeans to give the Africans a new role in the international economic system.” So Wilberforce, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, even the Quakers poked the conscience of the slaver and appealed to the tribunals of sympathy. You can add a writer like Harriet Beecher Stowe with her subversive novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. When the author visited Lincoln during the civil war, the president said, “So you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this war.” Yet it was a new greed for the other African resource that singed the beast of war.

Eli Whitney, for instance, invented the cot-

HARDBALL

I

GBO elders of yore had a repertoire of sayings for capturing their bemusement in extreme moments of, shall we say, bewilderment? They would exclaim: Ah! The dog has grown horns in the night. Or they would scream: the lion has eaten yam! These rustic, earthy axioms are profound even in their stark pedestrian nature. A dog flaunting two, little hard projections at the cape of its head or a lion, king of the jungle, bending over a tuber of yam… Abomination, the forest must be emptied of all lives first.

Now why has Hardball chosen to gambol about in the countryside? Is it that he has become weary of the concrete jungle of a city life? Well, that may not be too far away from the point if you consider that Buni Yadi, the subject of one’s pathos is in the countryside.

We all thought Buni Yadi was its own epigram; its own tombstone and its own elegy written at the rubles of a crumbling country but we are mistaken. The Federal Government of Nigeria has raised the melancholic ante of Buny Yadi. Now in Buni Yadi, Yobe State, northeast of Nigeria, catastrophe has piggy-backed on calamity.

Buni Yadi is the location of a Federal Gov-

ton gin in 1807, the same year that slave trade was abolished. The gin cancelled the work of slaves working the cotton plantations.

We need a new mindset, a scientific mindset, and if leaders lack that in the 21 st century, how can the society ever develop an inventive imagination. Philosopher Karl Popper once said that we cannot predict the future because we cannot predict technology. We are at the mercy of technology.

Today the United States leads the world for that reason, unveiling marvel after marvel.

The Luddites were British but Britain was the heart of the industrial revolution. That was why it created an empire where, as some of its citizens boasted, the sun never set. The industrial revolution in Europe followed the scientific revolution that helped to rupture the Holy Roman Empire. As my other teacher Professor Femi Omisini echoed, it was “neither holy nor Roman.”

The PDP governors should bow to the card reader. The Presidency and its party should not try to subvert the future by manipulating the judiciary for a court judgment against it. Even the courts benefit greatly from technology. Where would justice be without biometrics, DNA, etc.? “The best way to predict the future is to invent it,” crooned Alan Kay, the computer icon. The past invented today with all the gizmos and their bells and whistles. To reject the card reader is to reject progress.

There was a story of a movement that called for a museum of all inventions. They said humans had reached the limit of imagination and no new invention was possible.

One of them was, of all people, Charles H. Duell, the commissioner of the US patent office. Hear him: “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” He said so in 1899. But that was before the Wright brothers gave us the aircraft, Gugliemo Marconi the radio, before man ascended the moon and Steve Jobs radicalised our lifestyles. In 1943, IBM chairman Thomas Watson said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

Did Obama not change election campaigns with social media? Yet the same American president ran into a snag when his website on healthcare collapsed. His society flayed him, but they didn’t want it to fail. Now it is humming. To kill technology is to kill time.

“You can’t kill time without injuring eternity,” said D.H. Thoreau.

When leaders campaign against technology they fail as role models and cast aspersions on the future. They stop the society from dreaming. Once a society stops to dream, it lives in its myths, which are lies that suffocate. Let us remember what Karl Popper said, “Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths.” If we don’t fight our myths, we cannot make progress.

We will lag behind even Ghana, Senegal and Sierra Leone that have used the card reader.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Buni Yadi as yardstick ernment College (FGC) for boys, one of the showpiece secondary schools built and run by the government at the centre. Wherever they are located across the country, they are strategic national monuments design to imbue quality secondary education and foster national unity.

On February 24 last year, the Boko Haram blood hounds invaded FGC Buni Yadi in the dead of night; slaughtered 29 students at a go and made away into the night. Remember how the entire US would come to a mournful standstill each time one spoilt brat loses his mind and do a shooting spree in a US school. Recall that the US President would invariably visit the scene and sometimes make a national broadcast. Then a national debate would ensue to ensure that recurrences are averted. Memorials are sometimes raised to immortalize the victims.

Here in Nigeria and Buni Yadi, dogs seem to have grown horns. Last week, exactly one year and three weeks after the massacre of the FGC students, the Federal Government

visited Buni Yadi for the first time. Yes, no mistake there: FOR THE FIRST TIME! Remember we told you it is a federal school.

This means the presidency could have visited; the Federal Ministry of Education which boasts of two ministers, permanent secretaries and directors could have visited.

No one visited the school or the parents of the fallen students until last week. Not even the school authority visited the victims’ parents. As a federal government delegation led

by Dr. Abdul Bulama, Minister of Science and Technology visited some of the parents in a hotel in Damaturu, Yobe State, one of the parents had this to say: You have come one year late. We expected the federal government to be at the forefront of bringing succor to us but you are one year late.

To describe the Buni Yadi episode as insensitivity or even irresponsibility is to mis-diagnose an acute ailment. Buni Yadi is a yardstick for measuring the leadership failure that currently threatens to blight this nation.

Our dog has grown a long horn.

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