November 17, 2014

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

2015 crisis hits PDP in Lagos NEWS Page 11

•Party members sue Obanikoro

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VOL. 9, NO. 3035 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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Oil price crash: Private jets owners to pay more taxes Fed Govt rolls out survival measures From Nduka Chiejina, Abuja

T

HE rich will be hard hit by new measures to save the economy, which has been badly shaken by falling oil pric-

es.

Private jet owners are to pay more taxes. So are lovers of luxury items, such as champagne.

Other measures announced yesterday by the Federal Government are freezing of foreign travel for civil servants, slash of budget oil benchmark and drop in capital projects financing.

Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala announced the measures in Abuja, saying it is important for Nigeria to keep an eye on oil prices because the importance of oil to the country’s economy. Oil is the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.

According to her, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2015 budget proposal before the National Assembly Continued on page 4

SOME OF THE MEASURES •Oil benchmark slashed to $73 •Half of $4.11b ECA to be spent •No foreign travels for workers •Aggressive IGR drive

•HELL: The carcass of a burnt car sits in Nagarshiku fuel station, scene of a suicide explosion in Kano...at the weekend.

APC to Jonathan: beg Nigerians

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to apologise to Nigerians for wasting the mandate they gave him rather than asking them for another.

The party said in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and made available to The Nation in Abuja that rather than deliver the dividends of democracy to the citizenry, the Jonathan administration was busy parading phantom achievements in

?

WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15 EVER RETURN?

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

its almost 60 months in the saddle.

Describing the Jonathan administration as the worst government ever in Nigeria, the party said Nigerians cannot wait to elect one that will have positive impact on them.

The party said that the President failed to get the usual bounce from such declarations because Nigerians

were not the least impressed by the socalled achievements, which have not Continued on page 4

•Policemen at Nagarshiku fuel station, Kano, scene of a suicide explosion...at the weekend.

PHOTOS: AFP

Woman suicide bomber kills 30 in Bauchi town strike STORY ON PAGE 4

Military: we’ve liberated Chibok from Boko Haram Civilian JTF for schools

•INEC EXTENDS REGISTRATION IN LAGOS, OGUN, EDO, KANO, IMO, PLATEAU P6

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

2

NEWS

APCON, CPC, lo

•Chairman, Honeywell Group, Dr. Oba Otudeko displaying the Ernst and Young lifetime Achievements Award presented to him by EY’s Managing partner, West Africa, Mr. Henry Egbiki (left) and Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga in Lagos.

Whose responsibility is it to regulate sales promos ? The answer should be simple. But it is not.

The National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC)is locked in a battle against the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI

W

•Chief Executive, Oando Plc Group, Adewale Tinubu (middle) displaying the Entrepreneur of the Year (Master Category) Award in Lagos... at the weekend. With him are Mr. Egbiki (left) and former Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Ms. Evelyn Oputu

•Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Dr. Femi Thomas speaking at a think tank session in Lagos... at the weekend. With him are General Manager, Department of Information and Communication Technology, Mr Olufemi Akingbade and Zonal Coordinator, Lagos, Mr Nasiru Ikharo.

•Managing Director/ CEO, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, Mr Babs Omotowa (right) and Managing Director, Frieslandcampina Nigeria, Peter Eshikena at the November Role Model Forum organised by the Centre for Values in Leadership in Lagos... at the weekend.

HO should regulate sales promotion run by over 500 advertisers in Nigeria? Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON); Consumer Protection Council (CPC) or the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC)? Are sales promotions an lotteries the same? These are questions that are generating a bad blood against the NLRC, which is forcing advertisers and marketing organisations to pay for vetting of their sales promotional activities.

Observers say this amounts to subjecting advertisers to additional regulation. The CPC and APCON, through its Advertising Standard Panel (ASP), perform a similar role.

The lottery business is believed to be a special intervention fund available to governments as an alternative to raising taxes when there are perceived infrastructural deficits.

Funds realised from lotteries are expended in providing infrastructure in critical health, education, transportation and power sectors. With capacity to fetch Nigeria N350bn annually, experts say it is not the same as sales promo.

According to a doctoral student in Marketing at University of Lagos, Kenneth Nwogwu, sales promo is a marketing tool to reward loyal customers.

"Sales promo has different tool of which lottery is one. But the lottery in sales promo is a reward system for loyal customers but it is not the same with the lottery the NLRC should regulate. Sales promo is meant to address a marketing or sales decline to achieve a short term objective and you do not need to buy a ticket to participate in it like the national lottery or other lottery that is not coming on the grounds of marketing a product or reward loyal customers," he said.

The role of the NLRC in sales promotional regulation is being contested on the ground that the Nigerian Advertising, Laws, Rules and Regulations through Act No 55 of 1988, Act No. 93 o 1992, Act No. 116 of 1993 among others had already empowered "APCON to regulate advertising and sales promotion in all its aspects and ramification."

Also, industry observers believe that the Act 1992 No. 66 that established the CPC also empowered the commission to handle consumers

•Doddo

complaints arising from consumption of products and sales, including promo.

The President of Advertisers Association of Nigeria and General Manager Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Kola Oyeyemi told The Nation that the NLRC has no business meddling in the affairs of CPC and APCON. He said everyone in the industry has been quiet over the issue because they were afraid that fighting a government agency might come with an axe on them.

"If you look at what has happened so far, what APCON seems to regulate is advertising and sales promotion, vet the consumer sales promo to ensure that the claims are true and the execution is credible and the prizes are given to customers and consumers. APCON is also to ensure that the mechanics are transparent and the participants are rewarded. What I know CPC does is similar, except the vetting of the communication or the messaging of the sales promo. That already is duplication but for NLRC, it's meant to regulate lottery and not consumer promo," he said.

The Dean, Lagos State UniversityAdebola Adegunwa School of Communication, Prof Lai Oso, told The Nation that on the regulation of sales promotion, APCON's main concern is vetting the communication of sales promo to ensure that claims made are genuine, adding that the CPC protects consumers when complaints arise.

The NLRC, he said, is only meant to regulate national lotteries.

"APCON is concerned with the communication of sales promo and its messages. As a result, it regulates to ensure that those promises are genuine. Lottery commission should not concern itself with that but lottery only," he said.

The legal tangle A lawyer, who works with Rickey Tarfa and Co, Gbolahan Gbadamosi, in his article on the issue, said the law that established the lottery commission was borrowed from other jurisdictions. According to him, in England, a statute of 1698 provided that lotteries were illegal unless specifically authorised by a statute. A 1934 Act was further liberalised in 1956 and in 1976 small lotteries were legalised. Its opera-

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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NEWS

lottery commission ‘tango’ over sales promos

‘

What was the NLA created to elicit?

What is the state of the National Lottery Trust Fund created by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission

tion became national in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man. It was operated by Camelot Group to whom the licence was granted in 1994 and 2007. The lottery was regulated by the National Lottery Commission and was established by the then British Prime Minister, John Major, in 1994. To take maximum advantage of what lottery should be and how it should be operated, when London won the bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics, Olympic Lottery scratch cards were launched on July 27, 2005 under the brand name "Go for Gold".

He said: "From the UK and the US, it is clear that lotteries were established by the government to either raise funds for a specific project or to augment state revenues or to support educational system. In whichever way, tickets were offered as part of lotteries to enable interested parties participate therein."

National Lotteries Act The National Lotteries Act, 2005 brought to life the National Lottery Regulatory Commission as signed into law by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on March 30, 2005. Section 57 of the NLA defines "lottery or lotteries" to include "any game, scheme, arrangement, system, plan, promotional competition or device for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance, or as a result of the exercise of skill and

‘

• Oyeyemi

•Gbadamosi

chance or based on the outcome of sporting events, or any other game, scheme, arrangement, system, plan, competition or device, which the President may, by notice in the gazette, declare to be lottery and which shall be operated, according to a licence.

Gbadamosi explained: "A community reading of sections 17, 18, 19, 21, 23 and 25 of the Act are on the operation of the national lottery, especially Section 19 (1) which reads that, "The President may grant licence to any person or corporate body to operate a national lottery or any lottery, by whatever name called.

"Are the operators of the National Lottery Act implementing the provisions of the statute? The immediate answer is in the negative. What was the NLA created to elicit? What is the state of the National Lottery Trust Fund created by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission? It now seems that the NLRC has almost completely deviated from its mandate of birthing and engendering a viable lottery industry to pursue easy forays in other spheres which are outside its remit. One immediate case in point to illustrate this is the creative stretch of the NLRC towards 'regulating' consumer sales promotions of private sector businesses especially in telecommunications, banking, manufacturing, broadcasting, etc. To all

intents and purposes, CSPs by definition are a variety of short-term promotional techniques to encourage customers or consumers to respond in some way. A sales promotion is a typical marketing technique that adds values to a product in order to achieve specific marketing goals. In these categories of CSP are some of the companies that engage in short-term promotions which operations are not within the contemplation of the drafters of the National Lottery Act." He went on: "It is argued that the act of the NLRC in issuing letters alleging 'breaches' of the provisions of the NLA to some companies that engage in short-term promotions is illegal as can be gleaned from section 29 of the Act (Sales of Tickets).

This section requires that it is mandatory that a ticket of any lottery under the Act shall be sold on behalf of a licensed company through personal applications postage or electronic transmission. It is my humble submission that companies conducting CSPs do not sell tickets, it is only additional value or incentive for patronising a particular product. The consumer is definitely not engaging in a lottery game as defined by statute because he or she already gets value for his money in terms of the product he or she has paid for."

The Deputy Director, Public Relations, CPC, Abiodun Obimuyiwa,

said the council is empowered to validate promotions to make sure they are not organised to swindle consumers.

A former CEO/Registrar of APCON, Prof Joseph Bel-Molokwu, said the NLRC is a victim of the duplication of function that is common in the public sector.

"We have seen NAFDAC and SON clash over roles and most of the roles have a thin line dividing them. What I advocate is collaboration. We have had conflict before between CPC and APCON. It is a question of collaboration. All I see is regulators jostling for territories to raise revenue. National Lottery should come under APCON's Advertising Standard Panel as a representative where we have NAFDAC, CPC and others in other to enhance collaborated effort where there is a thin line function," he said.

When The Nation called the head of the commission, Lagos Zone, Mr. Fidelis Ajibogun, he refused to comment but referred the reporter to the commission's website for the contact of the legal department.

However, at a news conference held recently in Abuja, the Chairman of the Commission's board, Damian Doddo, said the commission has contributed very well to the national economy since its establishment.

"In 2013, the commission remit-

ted the sum of N712, 832,222.00 to the Trust Fund and already, more than N537, 306,618.00 has been remitted in the first half of 2014, hence, the total amount so far remitted to the Trust Fund is in excess of four billion naira," he noted.

According to Doddo, this feat was made possible, because, "the National Lottery Act of 2005 requirement is that, for any game or promotional lottery, 50 per cent of the proceeds should go for prizes, while 20 per cent goes to the National Lottery Trust Fund for the administration of good projects that directly affect the lives of the citizens."

He added that the commission was consistent and up-to-date in making the necessary remittances to the Fund.

The Nation learnt that the commission is lobbying the National Assembly to include sales promotion in its mandate, but stakeholders believe that the intrusion of the commission into promos must have been necessitated by the collapse of the National Sports Lottery, the platform the commission was designed to regulate. However, concern stakeholders advised the government to revive the National Sports Lottery to create platform of operation for NLRC. Citing the success in Lagos State, industry players told The Nation that Federal Government should create an enabling environment for lottery to operate.

Stakeholders accuse ex-governor of pushing for administrators in Borno, others

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TAKEHOLDERS in Borno and Yobe states have fingered a former governor as the brain behind the pressure for the appointment of military administrators for Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

They have rejected the imposition of military regime on the three states and asked President Goodluck Jonathan to be careful.

Stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Northeast met at the weekend to review the Emergency Rule in three states in the zone.

It was gathered that the stakeholders considered some reports on the insurgency in the zone and counter-measures put in place.

A highly-placed source said: “Some stake holders of the APC from Borno and Yobe States held a meeting at the weekend to review recent reports about calls for military takeover of the States.

From: Yusuf Alli, Abuja

“It was during the meeting that the stakeholders were briefed that a former governor was responsible for the latest push following his failure to spearhead the impeachment of Governors Kashim Shettima of Borno and Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe States some months back despite his promise of achieving that.

Another source said: “A former governor of Borno State is behind powerful interest groups pushing for the imposition of military administrators in Borno and Yobe States ahead of the expiration of extended emergency rule ?in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

But as it turned out, the governors turned out to be in absolute control of their State Assemblies with leaderships of both assemblies expressing firm support for the Governors at

various times.

“While 22 out of 28 members of the assembly stayed put in APC and loyal to Governor Kashim Shettima. In Yobe, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has the entire assembly members fully in APC with none moving to PDP. “The ex-governor has failed all attempts in the past and now wants to have military in place. His major targets are Borno and Yobe States. He wants military administrators to supervise the 2015 elections in both States.

“They are considering keeping out Adamawa State on the excuse that the Boko Haram occupies more territories in Borno and Yobe States. In the event Adamawa is included, the governor could be made a Minister or appointed Ambassador.

“The ex-governor is very desperate to help PDP takeover Borno and Yobe because he made promises that turned out to ridicule

him. ?

“He is responsible for financing pressures on the Presidency to bring in the military. We all know that our governors have been responsible for the relative success of the military through civilian support. In Borno State, the civilian JTF are doing so much. The Governor gives them everything they need from salaries to vehicles, uniforms, intelligence sharing, just everything and the military in Borno State know this since they worked with the Governor to mobilize the civilian JTF. “We must resist the latest effort to bring the military administrators, we won’t allow it. The President himself has said it times and again that the constitution doesn’t provide for military imposition but they are putting pressures for the sake 2015".

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THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

APC to Jonathan: beg Nigerians Continued from page 1 •Officers of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) during the candle light procession to mark World Day of remembrance of the Road Traffic crash victims at the National Trauma Centre in Abuja...at weekend.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

positively impacted on the lives of the citizens.

It said: “Mr. President, Nigerians have asked themselves a simple question: Are we better off today than we were before President Jonathan assumed office, and they have unanimously answered in the negative. This is why your declaration failed to resonate, despite the hired crowds you ferried to Abuja.”

The party also said it has weighed the President’s claims in his declaration speech against the reality on the ground and decided to present to Nigerians the true scorecard of President Jonathan in the critical spheres of life, including security, education, job creation, corruption,

power sector, and poverty eradication.

It explained that insecurity and job creation, which are intertwined, represent the biggest failure of the Jonathan Administration, irrespective of its claims to the contrary.

“Today, after the Jonathan Administration has spent $32 billion on security and defence, Nigeria is not any safer, with thousands of deaths, 221,000 square kilometres of territory captured by Boko Haram, 650,000 Nigerians internally displaced and also a daily harvest of deaths from ethno-religious crises, clashes between pastoralists and farmers, armed robberies and kidnapping.

“To make matters worse, our once proud and globally-acContinued on page 58

Civilian JTF to protect Borno schools

Woman suicide bomber kills 30 in Bauchi town

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ZARE, Bauchi State’s second largest town, was bombed again yesterday by a woman suspected to be Boko Haram agent.

Sources said no fewer than 30 people were killed in the explosion which took place at about 5:20 pm at Kasuwar Jagwal, a popular area in the town. But the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) last night quoted the police as saying that 12 people died in the blast with 64 others injured.

It was the second explosion in the town in one week and the seventh in recent years.

Residents are now gripped with fear. In last week’s blast around First Bank, 21 people died and over 30 injured.

Many of those affected by yesterday’s blast were mostly telephone handsets and accessories sellers. Some of them are women.

An eyewitness told our reporter on the telephone from Azare that he counted 30 bodies.

E

Military: we’ve taken Chibok from Boko Haram

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HIBOK, the troubled Borno State town seized by Boko Haram, has been liberated, the army said yesterday.

The army wrested control of Chibok where the sect snatched more than 200 schoolgirls on April 15, on Saturday, army spokesman Brigadier-General Olajide Olaleye told The Associated Press (AP).

“Chibok is firmly in the hands of the Nigerian army.” Olaleye told the AP: “Chibok is free.”

Colonel Sani Usman, a deputy director of Army Public Relations, said 7 Division troops carried out the operation.

“The military is still carrying out mopping up operations in the surrounding environment. Chibok town is now fully secured,” said Col. Usman.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), in a terse From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

Many people were injured. The dead and injured were taken to the Azare Federal Medical Centre.

Azare, which is 283 kilometres from state capital Bauchi, is the headquarters of Katagum Emirate Council and Katagum

statement on its website, said: “Terrorists who attacked Chibok town early yesterday have been effectively flushed out. Subsequent mopping up is still ongoing.

“Troops continue in pursuit of fleeing terrorists and arrest of the wounded. Normalcy is restored. Chibok is secured.”

The military urged Chibok residents to return to their homes.

Sources claimed the troops pursued fleeing and injured terrorists after killing more than 30 The source said: “The battle for Chibok took almost 24 hours but the Boko Haram insurgents surrendered to the firing power of the troops.

“What the military did was to overhaul its

local government.

Bauchi Police spokesman Haruna Mohammed did not respond to several calls.

The female suicide bomber blew herself, witnesses said.

“A suicide bomber came into the market as it was closing and blew herself up in the middle of all the merchants and their

Continued on page 58

customers,” a witness said.

“I saw at least eight dead and lots of others wounded,” another witness, Alyu Habib was quoted by French News Agency (AFP).

Sources said the dismembered body of a woman believed to have detonated the bomb was picked up at the explosion site.

Synagogue: Bring back 11 bodies, South Africa demands

FFORTS are now being escalated to ensure that the bodies of 11 people who died in the Synagogue Church of All Nations building collapse are returned to South Africa, that country’s Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said in Pretoria yesterday.

"We will intensify our efforts to

ensure that the bodies still in Nigeria are returned without delay," he said at a ceremony at the Waterkloof air force base, marking the arrival of the bodies of 74 victims.

"President [Jacob] Zuma has made a commitment that we need to make sure that we leave no stone unturned, and that all

85 must be brought back home.

"But that is dependent on the Nigerian authorities who are responsible for these DNA samples. We are going to work with them to ensure that eventually, [the other victims]... are brought back when it is humanly and scientifically possible," Minister in the South African Presi-

dency, Jeff Radebe, said.

The sombre-looking families were glued to large television screens fixed near a stage.

The family members arrived in batches, and were ushered to chairs decorated in black cloth.

In the hangar, reporters were separated from the families by a Continued on page 58

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HE Borno State Government has enlisted local vigilantes, also called Civilian JTF, to provide security in public schools ahead of today’s resumption of studies in some of the schools.

Public schools in the state are expected to re-open after being shut on March 16 due to security challenges.

Dr Mohammed Dongel, the Chairman of the 19-man committee on the resuscitation of primary school education in the state, broke the news at a meeting with education secretaries and headmasters of public schools in Maiduguri.

Dongel said:“The state government deemed it necessary to take precautionary measures in ensuring safety of pupils and teachers in public schools before the re-opening date.

“The vigilantes have been contacted to provide surveillance and security to teachers and pu-

pils in all schools to prevent schools’ attack like what happened in Yobe,” he said.

Dongel said perimeter fencing had also been provided in public schools to prevent security breach.

He said food vendors in all schools would be thoroughly screened daily to prevent any incident.

According to him, visitors will also be properly registered to prevent any attack on schools.

He said the state government had allocated two utility vehicles to the vigilantes to monitor activities in schools in Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Areas.

Dongel, however, said that only four schools in Maiduguri, Konduga, Jere and Biu local government areas would be reopened on Monday due to logistic reasons.

He said schools in other local government areas would be reopened at a later date.

Nyako’s impeachment plot cost N1.5b

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BOUT N1.5billion was spent to remove Murtala Nyako as governor of Adamawa State, The Nation has learnt.

The cash was used to induce some stakeholders to ensure the impeachment of the ex-governor.

The ripples over the impeachment have continued, with some members of the Assembly unsure of second term tickets.

Nyako was impeached on July 15 by the House of Assembly, following the adoption of the

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

report of a seven-man panel raised by a former acting Chief Judge Justice Ambrose Mammadi.

He was impeached by 18 of the 25 members of the Assembly after considering the report of Buba Kajama Investigative Panel which found Nyako guilty of 16 of the 20 allegations against him.

Barely four months after, it has been revealed that about Continued on page 58

Oil price crash: Private jets owners to pay more taxes Continued from page 1

have been revised. The Federal Government is now proposing a benchmark of $73 dollars

per barrel compared to the proposed $78.

The Excess Crude Account has $4.11 billion down from $11.5 billion at the start of 2013.

Government’s projected revenue for 2015 is $6.83 trillion lower than the $7.288 billion initially targetted for the outgoing year.

A projected expenditure for 2015 is N4.66 trillion down 2.92 per cent from 2014’s.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said: “Given the nature of the oil market, we needed to see the extent and trend of the oil price in order to take the right measures. Panic is not a strategy. It’s important that our strategies are based on facts and a clear understanding of both the strengths of the economy and the challenges posed by the drop in oil price, which is currently at $79 for our premium Bonny Light Crude. ”The drop in oil prices is a serious challenge which we must confront as a country. We must be prepared to make sacrifices where necessary. But we should

also not forget that we retain some important advantages such as a broad economic base driven by the private sector and anchored on sound policies. Our strategy is to continue to strengthen the sectors that drive growth, such as agriculture and housing while reducing waste with a renewed focus on prudence.”

According to Mrs. OkonjoIweala, the decline in oil prices has given additional impetus to the Federal Government’s focus on increasing non-oil revenues.

In this regard, the collection target for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), which has been working with Mckinsey to increase receipts will be revised upwards for next year. The country has had good success in reaching the initial target set this year of N75 billion; so far N65 billion of this has been collected. For 2015, the revised target is N160 billion above the 2014 base.

As part of the efforts to reduce expenditure, international travel within the public service will be severely curtailed. From next year, only critical foreign travels will be allowed with the permission of Head of Service of the

Federation (HoS).

“Any other foreign travel would have to be funded by those inviting civil or public servants and all expenses paid by the inviting body. Same goes for training, local training will be encouraged but expenses for foreign training will be borne by inviting foreign host with permission sought from HoS. Evidence of sponsorship detailing all expenses paid for by inviting body must be tendered before the HoS will grant approval.”

The minister said there will be a drop in some capital spending, but critical infrastructure projects will not be affected.

Investment in infrastructure, job creation and security will not change, but there will be prioritised investment in those with significant economic impact, such as Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge and rail projects.

The implementation of the new mortgage system including the current processing of over 66,000 applicants for mortgages, will go on as planned, she said.

Also unaffected are public sector wages and key initiatives in education, health and other ar-

eas critical to the country’s human development.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said she was “not sure of what direction to take with taxes but that a key initiative on the revenue side is a surcharge on luxury items. The details are being worked out.

The government’s efforts from now, she said, will be to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of entities and ensure that they remit these IGRs on time to government coffers. “This economy has to stop talking about oil” she said.

The minister noted that there would be surcharges on luxury items, such as champaigne, private jets and yachts, so that those well-to-do individuals can contribute more to the government’s treasury.

Also Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that make surpluses will now be made to remit such surpluses immediately to government accounts while some taxes will be adjusted to enhance revenue.

On calls from some quarters that the Federal Government should respond to the decline in revenues arising from the drop in oil prices by printing more naira to fund projects, the Coor-

dinating Minister said the government could not adopt such measures.

She said such prescriptions ignore the facts of history as well as the elementary principles of economics. ”Printing money without adequate revenue support will lead to serious consequences for the country. It will spur spiral inflation as the experiences of Germany in the early part of the last century and, more recently, Argentina and Zimbabwe demonstrate. This prescription will victimize the poor and middle class that it is supposedly protecting.”

Should oil price fall to $70 or lower, the government, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said, has additional measures to ensure soft landing for the economy, which, she insists “continues to exhibit strength but government will not compensate by borrowing or printing currency but will borrow at very low interest rate and no large domestic borrowing”.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala explained that the best way to protect the interest of the ordinary people is to control inflation as much as possible, expand the economic base, strengthen the sectors that drive growth, boost critical in-

•Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala

frastructure and create more jobs.

The External Reserve, she said, “is now at $37 billion and is still reasonably good”. She said the government would spend part of the Excess Crude Account (ECA) on some transparent transactions. “We might tap into half of the ECA between now and the new year. We have arrears on subsidy pending when this will be addressed,” Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said.

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THE NATION MONDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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NEWS Ebola: Anxiety as 150 stranded Nigerian teachers ‘escape’ from Sierra Leone, Liberia, others

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BOUT 150 stranded Nigerian teachers in Sierra Leone, Cote D’Ivoire and Liberia have reportedly started escaping into Nigeria, following the refusal of the Federal Government to evacuate them because of the Ebola scourge.

But those who escaped from Ebola infected towns and villages, have not gone for any Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) test in any hospital.

The development has created panic following the success achieved at containing the virus in the country. Investigation confirmed that the 150 teachers were sent to Sierra Leone, Cote D’Ivoire, Liberia, and other countries in West Africa under the Nigerian Technical Aids Corps Programme, which is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The affected teachers are specialists in Mathematics, English and the sciences, and they are expected to spend two years in their countries of deployment.

According to a source, most of the participants in the 2012-2014 set had not been able to return on account of the Ebola scourge since mid-October, when their programme ended.

The source added that the

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

stranded teachers were scheduled to return to Nigeria between October 15 and 17.

The highly-placed source said: “Today, no airlines ply the Freetown-Lagos routes and the teachers and science specialists, under the Federal Government programme, seem abandoned at the Ebolaridden countries.

“These teachers had sent several distress signals to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for special flight shuttles to evacuate them, but their pleas fell on deaf ears”.

The source added: “Some of these teachers have resorted to self-help by escaping from the Ebola infested communities through Ghana, Tunisia, and Morocco to return to Nigeria.

“Those who came back just reunited with their relations without undergoing any medical test or being quarantined. You can see how we can be flippant in this country. We seem to have been carried away by the clean bill of health given to us by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“But a sizeable number of the teachers are still stranded in their host countries. The government should save this nation from a fresh Ebola infection by evacuating these TAC

teachers”.

One of the participants in the programme, who spoke desperately on the telephone, said: “Some of our colleagues travelled to Nigeria about nine months ago. Then Ebola broke out and started killing people.

They are stranded in Nigeria.

They still have their property here. Some of them have money in banks.

“We are also stranded too.

We cannot move out. As I speak to you, I can’t go to the market.

I just manage to send people to buy food stuff for me in the market to cook.

“In fairness to Nigerian embassy officials, they talk to us once in a while; they advised us to keep a low profile, be careful where we go and be healthy.

But they keep on telling us that they are still expecting orders from the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Nigeria”.

The participant added: “One of the embassy officials told us that now that Dr. Pius Olasanmi is now the head of the Technical Aids Corps Directorate, we will be transported back to Nigeria. But we have not heard or seen anything concrete. We are still waiting.

“But we are now orphans in West African countries; stranded, isolated and lonely. We don t know whether it is a curse to serve your country. But that is

what we are feeling now. We feel abandoned by Nigeria, our country. We feel abandoned by President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Please help us tell President Jonathan to send planes to West African countries to evacuate us.

We are tired of living in these Ebola countries.

“Some of us live in areas that are two, five or eight hours to the capitals of these countries.

“One of our colleagues called from Sierra Leone to say that markets are just reopening and that schools closed since August till further notice.

“An ambassador in one of the countries invited some of our colleagues and told us that we might be evacuated before November 20. But we are not sure how this is going to work out. It appears as if they want to give us money, so we come to Nigeria by road, with all the risk of contracting Ebola along the way on our trip home”.

“Why can’t President Jonathan direct that a plane be chartered to stop at all the capitals to transport us and then Nigerian medical workers can do further medical test on us before we re-enter the country?

“Are our lives worthless that government cannot charter a plane to transport us from all West African countries?” the participant queried.

Why Nigeria is static, by Buhari •APC presidential aspirant, others at Ofodile’s burial

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LL Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has named social injustice, insecurity and poor economy as contributing to Nigeria being static.

The former head of state spoke at the weekend in Onitsha, when he visited the commercial city for the burial of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Chike Ofodile (SAN).

He argued that a society, where social injustice, insecurity and poor economy reigned could not stand, adding that it was bound to fall as Nigeria was falling.

He said he was disturbed that the Federal Government did not allow the National Assembly to set up a panel to investigate the appropriation of billions of naira budgeted to fight insurgency in the Northeast as well as the transparen-

From Nwanosike Onu, Akwa

cy of Power Holding Company of Nigeria’s (PHCN) privatisation and petroleum subsidy.

On why he was persistent in contesting the presidential election even after three occasions and failing, Buhari declared: “I am contesting based on my efforts to institute social justice, adequate security and economic recovery”.

Onitsha stood still for the APC leader and his entourage, which included the Senator representing Anambra Central zone, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, with APC supporters and Onitsha youths singing, beating drums and dancing.

They also visited the country home of Nigeria’s first president, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, where they were received by his first son, Chief Chukwuma Bamidele

Azikiwe.

Ofodile, who served under Buhari’s administration, was the Onowu Iyasele (Prime Minister of Onitsha).

Buhari and his entourage also visited the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, at the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Onitsha as well as the Anglican Bishop of the Niger, Rt. Rev. Dr. Owen Nwokolo, before departing to Asaba Airport from where he boarded a flight back to Abuja.

He said Ofodile performed creditably as his then justice minister, adding that he was particularly impressed with Ofodile for defending him properly at the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa panel set up by President Olusegun Obasanjo to verify the activities of past regimes.

Buhari noted that he delib-

•Buhari

erately refused to appear before the Oputa panel on the grounds that Obasanjo should take him to court, if he felt that he was found wanting during his regime.

He added that it was Ofodile that volunteered himself and went to the panel to defend him.

Buhari and Ngige, at the residence of the late Ofodile, paid their last respects by his remains, which were still lying on the bed where they also signed the condolence register.

Ngige described the death of Ofodile as a great loss to Nigeria and Ndigbo.

Boko Haram: Nigeria sliding into disintegration, say activists

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AGOS lawyer and rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), and several activists have expressed fears that failure to checkmate the activities of the Boko Haram sect could lead to Nigeria’s total disintegration.

They spoke at the weekend at a symposium with the theme: “National Conference, National Question”, to commemorate the first memorial anniversary of Comrade Baba Omojola.

The forum was chaired by the former Chairman of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd).

The lawyer said the country could be overrun by the Boko Haram, if adequate steps were not taken to stop its activities.

He lamented that the military, as presently constituted,

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

could not liberate the country from the grip of the terrorists.

Fanala said the nation’s military had been incapacitated by massive corruption and internal fraud with trillions of naira meant for procurement of arms freighted away for lack of accountability.

He said: “As for the boys they accused of mutiny, when I spoke with them, they said, ‘Oga, we are not guilty of mutiny. We want to fight and die for this country, but there are no equipment. They are asking us to face the Boko Haram sect that has sophisticated weapons. We are simply being asked to commit suicide and that is why we say we have the right to life. We don’t want to die cheaply’.

“The military boys are not saying they are not ready to

fight. The money that has been voted for defence of our dear country in the last five years is N4 trillion. This year’s alone it is N968 billion.

“The President has come back for a loan of $1 billion, which is about N177 billion added to N968 billion in one year. That is over a trillion naira. At the end of the day, our soldiers are being sent to the war front with no weapon to fight.

“As of yesterday, the $1 billion has not been processed. So, if we are not careful, the money is going to be diverted to fund the forthcoming general elections.

“What I think we should be doing as Baba Omojola would have wanted to do is: how do we intervene before the collapse of our country?

Because the country will be grounded to a halt from the

way these boys are moving.

There will be no safe place anywhere if Boko Haram comes and our soldiers simply disappear and run away.

That is why it’s easy for them to capture towns and villages in the Northeast.”

Falana, who wondered why the National Assembly had not organised a public hearing on the onslaught, said: “We must find a way to ask from them why you have not passed to law, those bills that has to do with the Nigerian people.”

Another activist, Dr. Amos Akingba, noted that people keep asking the national question because Nigeria was not working.

He said ethnicity and tribalism have ruined the country’s unity, adding that the people must come together to salvage the country.

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THE NATION MONDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2014

NEWS INEC extends voter registration in Lagos, Ogun, four others •From left: Former Nigeria Airways Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Andrew Okunnuga; Chairman/Chief Executive Office (CEO), BiCourtney Consortium Ltd, Dr. Wale Babalakin; Managing Director, Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole; and former Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, cutting the cake at a dinner party to mark the second anniversary of Med-View Airline in Lagos... at the weekend.

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HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has granted a two-day extension of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in all states under the third phase of the exercise except Adamawa.

The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Kayode Robert Idowu, said the CVR that started on Wednesday, November 12th and was scheduled to end today, would now end on Wednesday.

The affected states, he said, are Kano, Edo, Plateau, Ogun, Imo and Lagos.

The Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, approved the extension to make up for initial challenges in the exercise and to enable as many eligible persons as possible to get registered.

Idowu added that the “commission strongly admonishes against persons using the CVR to engage in multiple registration, which is a criminal offence and culprits liable to prosecution”.

Danjuma, Tinubu, others for Jukun’s festival

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE.

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

E Reps summon ministry over alleged N19.2b misapplication T HE Ministry of Works has been invited by the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, Ethics and Values over alleged misapplication of N19.2 billion released for different road projects.

According to a source close to the committee, petitions were sent to the lawmakers, alleging that the money allocated to the ministry almost two years ago were deliberately misapplied.

Though the committee invited the ministry two weeks ago, it was learnt that till date, no response was received.

Available documents showed that N18.2 billion was first allocated to the ministry in the first quarter of 2013, while another N1, 055, 447,608.16 was allocated to conclude different projects in the country.

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

A circular dated January 2, 2013, with Ref N0:FD/FA/14/ VOLXV/285, gives the breakdown of the projects and allocations as follows: Lagos-Shagamu Road (N4 billion), EnuguPort Harcourt Expressway (N4.5 billion); Ilorin-Mokwa-TiginaGwari-Kaduna Expressway (N4 billion); Suleja-Minna Road (N2 billion); Abuja-Lokoja Road (N1.7 billion) and ApapaOshodi Expressway Phase 11 (N2 billion).

According to the document, the total amount released was N18.2 billion.

Again, N1,055,447,608.16

was allocated to the ministry to enable it properly renovate and refurbish the roads.

The House Committee was said to have expressed surprise that not much was achieved with the amounts released.

A source said: “You won’t believe that nothing tangible has been done to justify the various amounts allocated to the ministry.

“To clearly tell you that something is out of place, the committee wrote the management over two weeks ago and till date, they did not consider it necessary to even reply the letter.

“If you go to the ministry now, a new Permanent Secre-

tary was recently deployed there to vet how these various sums were spent.

“He was given specific instructions to unravel how the allocations to the ministry were disbursed and how it was managed. As we speak, most of the contractors working on those sites have not been paid”.

The Chairman of the House Committee, Abiodun Faleke, confirmed the story when contacted by reporters.

“Yes, we wrote the ministry and we are still expecting the management to come and defend certain allegations levelled against the ministry”, he said.

•Afe Babalola donates N2.5b for hospital’s upgrade

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From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

State University, Dr. Kolawole Ogundipe, and traditional rulers.

The sealing of the agreement followed structural upgrades undertook in the teaching hospital by Aare Afe at a cost of N2.5 billion, in line with the requirements by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the National Universities Commission (NUC) for the running of a tertiary health institution.

Alhassan added: “During this time, health workers would have to be on guard at the airports to screen those that will be coming in and to perform other routine work. We cannot afford to be caught unaware, as witnessed in the past.

“Though, we have no single case of Ebola now in Nigeria as we have been declared Ebola-free, this is the time Nigeria must be very vigilant to ensure that the virus is not brought back to our country, just because of minor issues we can handle with understanding.

“The Federal Government, through our ministry, has been meeting with the workers and we can settle the issues internally through dialogue, even while they resume for work”.

According to him, the MOU with ABUAD was the first of its kind in the health sector in Nigeria.

The minister noted:

“ABUAD has blazed the trail ever since the discussion on this collaboration started. It became like a clarion call to other universities, and our ministry has been bombarded with similar requests.

“Unfortunately, ABUAD has set a standard, which may be a herculean task for most of the private universities to meet”.

Aare Babalola, who praised the minister for weathering the odds to make it to the event, explained that the achievement was the outcome of the Federal Government’s belief in Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements to drive and achieve desirable progress in education.

His words: “We are the ones, who must improve the lots of our people. God will not come down to do it. Prayer and hard work are synonymous: you work hard and get result; you don’t, no result. Industry, determination, hard work, integrity were the investments we made to achieve what we have here today.

“This is PPP at its best. FMC has cooperated with a private university to achieve the result.

No government can alone fund education. It is impossible. If any government says it can do it alone, that government is lying. Don’t let us deceive ourselves. In Japan, there are 2,000 varsities and of these, there are 1,000 private ones”.

The CMD hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for wel-

Bakare calls for transition govt

By Musa Odoshimokhe

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Ebola: Minister urges vigilance UPERVISING Minister of Health Dr. Haliru Alhassan has urged stakeholders in the health sector, especially the striking medical workers, to remain wakeful, if Nigeria must avoid the return of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Alhassan, who noted that the approaching end-of-year celebrations would occasion the homecoming of Nigerians, especially from the Ebola-infested countries, noted: “Ebola is just a flight away. We must place general interests above any personal or group interests now.

“The borders must remain adequately policed. Medical workers under the Joint Health Staff Union (JOHESU) must see reason to return to work now in the overall interest of the country”.

The minster spoke in IdoEkiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area, Ekiti State, at the weekend, at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), IdoEkiti and Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), for the FMC’s upgrade to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido. Others at the event were ABUAD’s founder Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) and other senior officials of the institution, including the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido, Dr. Lawrence Ayodele Majekodunmi, the CMD of the Ekiti

LDER statesman Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nobel Laureate, Prof.

Wole Soyinka and Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF) Mr. Danladi Irimiya Kifasi are among eminent personalities expected to grace the groundbreaking and foundation-laying ceremony of the Lagos secretariat of the Jukun Development Association (JDA).

The occasion, which also marks the end of year celebration of the association, will hold on Saturday, at the Air Force Officers Mess, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Also expected at the event are the paramount ruler of the Jukun kingdom, the Aku Uka of Wukari, and other prominent sons and daughters of the Jukunland.

Addressing a news conference in Lagos, the National President of the association, Comrade Bako Benjamin, said the event with the theme: “Unity and Peace, a panacea for national development”, is coming at a difficult time in the life of the people, as their Southern Taraba homeland has been enmeshed in crisis since the assumption of Acting Governor Alhaji Garba Umar.

He said Gen. Danjuma would be the father of the day, Kifasi, chairman, and the human rights crusader, Mr. Femi Falana, (SAN), would deliver the keynote address.

Other dignitaries, according to him, will include a Taraba State governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief David Sabo.

•Aare Babalola

coming the PPP in the health sector, adding that the development would reposition the sector for improved service delivery..

He explained that the hospital has the best residency training programmes, which he maintained reflected in the presentation of eight members of the institution for a residency examination in which they all passed.

Attributing the achievement to hard work and commitment by the hospital’s workers since the institution was established in 1999, Majekodunmi said: “Today, this 300-bedded hospital can boast 65 full-time consultants in the fields of medical specialties and has been accredited in eight medical departments by both national and West African Postgraduate Medical Colleges to train resident doctors”.

He attributed the achievement to Aare Babalola, “who refused to be discouraged by brickwall he met on the way towards achieving the great feat”.

ATTER Rain Assembly Senior Pastor Tunde Bakare has called for a two-year transition government to midwife the transfer of power from the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to another government. He said people of high capability, integrity and character should be summoned to come together to proffer solutions to the nation’s problems.

The cleric said elections under the present circumstance would put too much pressure on the military, which was trying to overcome insurgency in the Northeast.

Bakare, who spoke yesterday at a thanksgiving ceremony to mark his 60th birthday, at the premises of the church in Lagos, said under the present situation, no genuine elections would be successfully conducted. In a paper entitled: “The Nigeria of My Dreams,” the cleric said Nigeria has been fragmented along ethnic and religious lines, adding that the North/ South divide was more visible under the present dispensation.

According to him, the nation now faces threat of insecurity and divisions in social lives than it had ever witnessed.

Saraki, Clinton, others for clean cookstoves summit From Sanni Onogu, Abuja

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HE Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District and Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Bukola Saraki, is set to join former United States’ (U.S.) Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton and other world leaders in New York at the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves Future Summit to be hosted by the United Nations Foundation between November 20 and 21.

Other members of the Clean Cookstove Alliance Leadership Council expected at the summit are the United Kingdom’s Under-Secretary of State, Lynne Featherstone; Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende; Ghanaian Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh; and U.S. Administrator for the Agency of International Development, Rajiv Shah.

The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, according to a statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Advocacy to Saraki, Bamikole Omishore in Abuja, “is a public-private partnership hosted by the United Nations Foundation to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and protect the environment by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking solutions”.

The statement added that the Alliance’s 100 by 2020 goals envisaged 100 million households to adopt clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels by 2020.

It noted that the alliance was working with its public, private and non-profit partners to help overcome the market barriers that currently impede the production, deployment, and use of clean cookstoves and fuels in developing countries.

7

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

NEWS Quarry owners protest multiple taxation From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

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EMBERS of the Quarry Owners Association of Nigeria (QOAN) in Ondo State at the weekend protested what they described as “unlawful collection of multiple taxes by the government”.

The protesters resisted government tax collectors at Elegbeka on the Ifon-Benin Expressway.

They claimed that most of their employees had been sacked due to the alleged high tax rate from the government.

The Vice-Chairman of QOAN, Ojo Jimoh, said they had lost several customers due to the huge taxes.

Jimoh said: “We now pay government N3,000 to N5,000 per trailer. This is really killing our businesses and most of our workers have been laid off.”

He urged the government to withdraw its tax officers from harassing their drivers and maintain the status -quo.

The leader of the consultancy team in charge of the state government tax collection, Akinfaderin Oye, denied that the taxes were unlawful.

He said the government had the right to collect tax from the association.

‘No police intimidation in Ladipo market’

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RADERS at the Aguiyi Ironsi International Trade Centre at Ladipo Market, Lagos, have debunked the claim that there was police intimidation inside the market.

They said there was no rancour after the conduct of a free and fair election in the market.

The Chairman of the market, Cyril Onyemaechi, said the policemen in the market were to protect lives and property as requested by the traders after the Lagos State government restored peace after seven years crises in the market.

He said since peace was restored to the market, stakeholders, comprising the government and Mushin Local Government, agreed to develop the market.

“As you can see, there is peace in the market and the police in the market are civil and are working harmoniously with the traders.”

On the alleged invitation by the Senate, Onyemaechi said those invited went to Abuja and met with the committee.

The committee, the chairman said, was satisfied with their response.

“When I assumed leadership, I brought all aggrieved parties together and made peace and those outside were allowed to come back to their shops unmolested.

“There is peace in the market as the traders are doing their business without intimidation, harassment and extortion.”

•From right: Mrs Pamela Adedayo, Mr Kunle Adedayo, Mr Funminiyi Adedayo and Mrs Funmilayo Adedayo...at the weekend.

PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

Ila-Orangun celebrates its dearest one Adedayo

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LA-ORANGUN, an ancient town in Osun State, was in Christmas mood at the weekend.

The town hosted an army of dignitaries, who joined the townsfolk to celebrate a worthy community leader, Chief Solomon Alabi Adewunmi Adedayo, whose funeral was a carnival.

The late Pa Adedayo died at 100 years.

In a sermon at the St. Matthew Anglican Church, Isedo, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, the Bishop of the Osun North-East Diocese, Rev. Humphrey Olumakaiye, described the late

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

Adedayo as righteous and devout.

The cleric said the deceased deserved all the praises because he lived an exemplary life.

He said the community leader served God, trained his children and cared for the poor and the less privileged.

The cleric said: “Baba spent his life in service to God and humanity. His life is exemplary. So no one should wonder why baba is being celebrated even in death.

“Till his death, he was

faithful to his wife, who died on January 29, 2010. Anybody who wants to be great should emulate him.

“He was respectful and treated everyone with dignity.

“Everyone was important to him. He served the people as a counsellor and the church as a choirmaster and later Baba Ijo. “He was righteous and great. Many fed from his house and he ensured that all who lived in his house were properly trained.

“Some of them have become successful in life. He sup-

ported some to become doctors and professors.

“Baba also led many idolators to Christ. He was well respected because of his visionary and resourceful leadership.

“And that was why when he summoned people to meetings they listened to him.”

At the service were former Governor Chief Adebisi Akande, Senator Sola Adeyeye, Chairman of MicCom Golf Resort, Ada, Prince Tunde Ponle, Senator Bayo Salami, former Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun, and many others.

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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NEWS Amosun to give C of Os Nov 24 OGUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun will next Monday present another batch of 5,000 Certificates of Occupancy to residents under the Homeowners’ Charter Programme.

Special Adviser/ Director General, Bureau of Lands and Survey, Adewale Oshinowo, in a statement yesterday said the certificates would be presented at the Arcade Ground, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, by 2pm.

Oshinowo said the Bureau has the capacity to issue up to 1,000 C of Os per week.

He added that they would be issued in additional batches of 500, until all qualifying property had been processed.

The special adviser advised applicants to cooperate during the property inspection process.

He reassured the public that all qualifying property would be issued with C of Os and approved building plans where applicable.

Homeowners’ Charter was launched by the government last December and allows property owners to regularise the legal status and documentation of residential property built without approval on private land or built illegally on government owned lands.

The first batch of C of Os was presented to home owners on March 26 by Amosun, under the programme which provides discounts of up to 78 percent on the usual costs.

Fayose’s one month brought painful reversals, says APC T HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has lamented the hardship which the administration of Governor Ayodele Fayose has allegedly brought upon residents.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party said while it was the practice in other states to celebrate their governor’s achievements after a month in office, the experience in Ekiti State “is that of gloom, anger, frustration and disappointment by the people”.

Olatunbosun said rather than offer hopes of better livelihood for the people as promised during his campaigns, the governor had been playing what he called “politics of deception”.

His words: “Before the election, he created the impression that within one month, Ekiti State would have become an El Dorado where the people will have all the comfort and necessities of life.

“He undermined everything done by his predecessor, Kayode Fayemi, to put the state on the fast lane of development.

“Fayose has been saying his development agenda was enough to allow the common man get the best out of life.

“But what do we have so far and what do we expect

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

from the foundation Fayose is laying?

“Of course, a journey back to Egypt, hopelessness, job losses and the old practice of governance by deceit.

“The closure of the Federal College, Isan-Ekiti, sealing of the petrol stations belonging to opposition politicians, outrageous award of contract to put marble in front of the Government House, which he had earlier described as too expensive; repainting of the newly painted building and relaying of asphalt on an already asphalted road leading to the lodge were awarded to his sister’s company.

“To add salt to injury, artisans were “imported” from Ibadan when many Ekiti artisans could do the job. This was a man who claimed to be a friend of the masses.

“He is repainting the Governor’s Office awarded by direct labour at the cost of N200million to his brother.

He told the permanent secretary, General Administration Department and Head of Service to find alternative entrance for civil servants working within the Governor’s Of-

fice building because he doesn’t want to be meeting the “evil servants” while coming in at the main entrance.

“The civil servants in the Governor’s Office now pass through the back to their offices, yet this is the class of people he professed to be his friends before the election.

"He has also cancelled the appointment of eight permanent secretaries who were legally appointed after passing necessary examinations according to the service rules.

"Fayose also collected September federal allocation but used it to pay October salary while refusing to pay September salary.

"He has sacked 800 street sweepers; the state capital is now dotted with refuse dumps, thus making a mess of Fayemi's urban renewal scheme.

"Security of lives and property is at risk, as banks in the state refused to open for business to protest incessant robberies.

"The governor did not spare the House of Assembly from humiliation and blackmail over non-confirmation of his commissioner-nomi-

nees and failure to grant his request to dissolve the local councils as he froze the House’s accounts in reprisal.

"For the first time in its history, Ekiti was in darkness for 15 days. He has reduced the running grants of civil servants by half and annulled the promotions of about 5,000 civil servants promoted last year and slashed the allowances of traditional rulers by 60 per cent; yet these are the people he raised their hopes before election.

"The Internally Generated Revenue started declining from N400 million in June (immediately he was declared governor-elect). It has now gone down to an embarrassing N120 million in November from N600million attained by Fayemi in the last three and half years.

"It is a pity that rather than celebrating one month of progress and development from where his predecessor stopped, the new administration is busy chasing shadows, boring the people with the same old tale of what his predecessor did or did not do. Ekiti deserves more than these jesters in government."

Aspirant empowers youths From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

A senatorial aspirant in Oyo South on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi, has empowered 126 beneficiaries in skill acquisition on Information and Communication Technology.

At the fifth convocation of free ICT and IT training by the Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi Foundation (RAAF), Akanbi said he was ready to continue his philanthropy in the area.

He said he set up the foundation in honour of his father, who was a philanthropist.

“My father was not a billionaire but he loved sharing and I am thankful it was a habit I inherited from him.”

The foundation’s coordinator, Oluwole Ajayi, said the aspirant’s gesture was to return to the society what he had benefited in the past.

He added that the opportunity was opened to all, irrespective of political affiliation.

One of the beneficiaries, Hamzat Ibrahim Opeyemi, said his dad told him about the opportunity and he visited the website and applied.

He said if Akanbi was given the mandate, “he will do more than this”.

•From left: Secretary, Ikorodu Leaders Forum, Olu Enifemi, Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Akinwunmi Ambode, former Deputy Governor Abiodun Ogunleye and former Secretary to the Lagos State Government Bashorun Olorunfunmi when the aspirant visited Ikorodu.

Lagos prosecutes 50 firms for ‘tax evasion’

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HE Lagos State government has said over 50 companies have been taken to court for alleged tax evasion.

The Chairman, State Internal Revenue Services (LIRS), Tunde Fowler, warned erring organisations to comply and avoid prosecution.

He said LIRS was carrying out a tax audit on many multinational and local companies to establish their tax liabilities.

Fowler said the tax audit showed that some companies were defaulting and have not fully remitted the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes of their employees to the government.

He lamented that companies, such as Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited owed the government N988 million as against the N212 million it paid to the government last year.

The LIRS Chairman said:

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

“LIRS has begun investigating Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited.

“We have told the firm to give certain information, including its monthly immigration reports, which every company which has expatriates must provide.

“We are still discussing with the company on its last year’s tax file, if in the next one or two months it is not resolved, then those cases will go to court.”

He added that several letters had been sent to the company to comply with the tax law, adding that LIRS would look into all the documents sent to it by Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited.

“When companies do not provide information on time, we write letters to inform them that we will proceed on a legal action against such company.

“You may ask us how we got to N988million; we have what we call industry aver-

age rate.

“Based on the number of expatriates that the company said it has here, it has 901 expatriates and we looked at the industry that it is in we take an average pay of what those workers earn in other companies.”

Fowler added that LIRS was verifying the basis of the company’s objection, adding that the government, if not satisfied with records provided by the company, may be forced to court.

‘Buhari’s presidency ’ll end corruption’

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HE Oyo State Coordinator of the Buhari Support Group Centre (BSGC), Deacon Abimbade Oyemakinde, has said Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s envisaged victory in next year’s presidential election will end corruption and impunity in the country.

The coordinator said corruption had retarded the nation’s progress.

In a statement at the weekend in Ibadan,

the Oyo State capital, Oyemakinde said a mention of Buhari’s name, when he was Head of State, was an effective mantra and antidote against corruption in the public and private sectors.

This, he said, would become the vogue as Buhari was never known to condone corruption.

He urged Nigerians to support the APC aspirant to enable him end corruption in the country.

‘Stop destroying our billboards’ From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government of destroying its billboards in Ondo East and West local governments.

A statement by its Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, urged Governor Olusegun Mimiko to order his supporters to stop.

“We warn these agents of destruction to desist from heating up the polity; no amount of billboard destruction can save the PDP from electoral humiliation.

“The people of Ondo State would vote against underdevelopment, fraud and hypocrisy and PDP candidates would also be rejected at the polls, no matter the intimidation.

“We alert the police and other security agencies to the wicked ploy to plunge Ondo State into political crises and unrest.”

Stop bellyaching, Oyo APC tells Ladoja

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has condemned the statement by former Governor Rashidi Ladoja on the recruitment of 5,300 teachers.

Ladoja and the Accord Party were quoted to have said the 5,300 teachers recruited by the government were non-existent and that the governor’s trip to the 33 local governments distributing letters of appointment was “executive joblessness”.

The APC said Accord should be pitied because it was apparent that the Ajimobi administration had broken the myth by Ladoja that he was the only friend of Oyo teachers.

It said: “A psycho analysis of that statement will show that Ladoja and Accord are afraid that their age-long deceit has been exposed.

“That statement was actually lamenting Ajimobi’s inroad into the hearts of Oyo State teachers.

“For a long time, Ladoja deceived the people that he had the key to the hearts of the teachers through what he called his 30-students-inclass policy. That had always been his greatest claim to heroism.

“Initially, they inundated the press with the socalled paucity of teachers in Oyo State. Now that we have given every local government a sense of responsibility by employing their sons and daughters as teachers, Accord is bellyaching.

“Ladoja even told us what was news to Oyo State: he employed 4,000 teachers!

How come nobody but him knew this phantom recruitment until now?

“The former governor knows the implication of how Ajimobi employed the teachers from their localities as against what used to be done.

“But he should be man enough to own up that the game of deceit is over and Ajimobi is the newest bride of the teachers.”

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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NEWS Tension in Lafia of fear of attack

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HERE is tension in Nasarawa State capital, Lafia, following rumours that the Ombatse Militia Group could attack the town on a retaliatory mission.

There was an attack on Saturday night on Alakio by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Unconfirmed reports spoke on the killing of the Ombatse traditional ruler, Baba Alakio, among others.

Channels Television reports that the police have mounted roadblocks and surveillance across Lafia to forestall any further breakdown of law and order.

The militants are reported

to have earlier attacked Shabu, a settlement on the outskirts of the state capital and burned over 20 houses.

A man suspected to be an Ombatse militant was also killed and set ablaze along Emir Road in the state capital.

There are also unconfirmed reports that about 8 people have been killed in skirmishes between Ombatse and Alago tribesmen at the outskirts of Lafia.

Police spokesman Theodore Ugochukwu, who confirmed the Alakio attack by herdsmen, said the police have increased security around then capital.

Ashafa empowers over 1,500

Angry youths attack Agip pipelines in Bayelsa

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HERE was tension at the weekend in Bayelsa State after youths launched multiple attacks on a pipeline and an oil well belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

It was gathered that the youth attacked the facilities in Okoroma community, Nembe Local Government Area, following a disputed security surveillance contract.

Sources said the youth overran Oil Well 7 and the Obama Oil Field pipelines.

They were said to have thrown improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at the pipelines and shut down the Ebedaba

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

flow station.

It was learnt that the indigenes and elders of the community had begun an independent investigation into the incident.

Sources said the development forced Agip to temporarily shut down its flow stations at Clough Creek, Ebedaba and Ogbeinbiri.

A security source, who spoke in confidence, told our reporter that the oil firm completed the repairs on the breached facilities on Saturday and had just begun full production.

A faction of the Okoroma community accused Nembe Local Government Chairman Beneth Eminah of attempting to hijack the surveillance job through his loyalists.

But Eminah said those accusing him were blackmailers.

The local government chairman listed his efforts at making peace among the warring youth groups in the area.

He regretted that his efforts were being frustrated by Agip’s alleged divide-and-rule tactics.

Eminah recalled that on November 6, he wrote a security report in which he warned of a possible breakdown of law

and order among the youth in the area.

The council chief said the problem escalated because the oil firm refused to recognise constituted authority.

He said the report, which was sent to all the security agencies, including the Department of State Security (DSS), condemned the act of patronising a small faction of the community with a security surveillance contract by the oil firm.

Police spokesman Lawrence Eboka said although he had not been officially informed about the incident, “the police will investigate and bring to book anyone found culpable”.

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HE lawmaker representing Lagos East, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, has empowered the All Progressives Congress (APC) members in Ikorodu. The event was held at the Ikorodu Town hall, where over 1,500 members benefited.

It was attended by APC chieftains.

The empowerment was a platform where many, who had lost hope, smiled, following the tools given them by Senator Ashafa.

They included sewing machines, vulcanising machines, grinding machines, barbing kits, generators, dryer machines, tricycles, cars, among others.

The legislator said the programme was not the first and would not be the last because he was never tired of empowering his people.

“It is pertinent to say that this mega empowerment programme was launched on August 21 at Ibeju-Lekki Local Government and Lekki Local Council Development Authority (LCDA). This was followed by two mega empowerment programmes at the Somolu secretariat for the people of Somolu and Bariga on September 2 and the people of Epe, Eredo and Ikosi-Ejinrin at Epe secretariat on September 3.

“Fifteen thousand, two hundred and forty-two members, who are artisans, traders, farmers and others have benefited from the programmes,” he said.

Okada rider ‘rapes’ two female passengers

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HE Edo State Police Command at the weekend paraded Lucky Aliu, a commercial motorcyclist (Okada), for allegedly conspiring with 25-year-old Anthony Adamu to rape two female passengers.

The incident reportedly occurred at Iddo, Okpella, in Etsako East Local Government Area.

Parading the two suspects before reporters at the command’s headquarters in Benin, the state capital, Police Commissioner Folusho Adebanjo said the victims were picked up by the Okada rider when they were returning from a funeral ceremony.

From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

Adebanjo said: “On their way, the motorcyclist suddenly stopped and pretended that his motorcycle had developed a fault. He dragged the two passengers to the bush and forcefully had canal knowledge of them.”

The suspects confessed to the crime.

The police said they were on the trail of Aliu’s “accomplice”.

The command also paraded Monday Godwin and Onyeka Nathaniel for allegedly kidnapping an 18-year old girl, who was reportedly gang-raped by three boys.

JTF arrests 10 suspected oil thieves in Bayelsa

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HE Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, has arrested 10 suspected crude oil thieves in Bayelsa State.

The Coordinator of JTF’s Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lt.-Col. Mustapha Anka, spoke yesterday on the arrest.

He said the suspects were held on Brass waterways, near the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) terminal.

Anka said the arrest followed a tip-off that a vessel, named MV SKYE, which was laden with substances suspected to be stolen crude oil, was sailing in the area.

The JTF spokesman said preliminary investigation showed that the oil was illegally siphoned from MV CERGEN – D and MT ELIMINA, which were earlier arrested and were being detained for oil bunkering.

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun monitoring the on-going Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in Abeokuta...yesterday.

•Finland Ambassador to Nigeria, Her Excellency Ms. Pirjo Soumela-Chowdhory (second left); the Director General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), Lady Onyeka Onwenu (MFR) when the ambassador visited Onwenu...at the weekend.

With them are other management staff of NCWD.

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

Anka said: “However, JTF operatives on oil theft monitoring team intercepted MV SKYE and 10 suspected oil thieves that perpetrated the dastardly act.

“The vessel, MV SKYE, and the 10 suspected thieves, are in the custody of the JTF for preliminary investigation.

“Thereafter, the suspect and vessel used for the illegal act will be handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agency.”

The JTF spokesperson said the task force’s commander, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, had zero tolerance for oil bunkering, pipeline vandalism and other crimes.

He said the JTF commander had vowed that oil thieves would be prosecuted accordingly.

•Ikotun and Isolo, Lagos units of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in a candle light procession in remembrance of victims of accidents in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO: ADEJO DAVID

THE NATION MONDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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NEWS Ajimobi to inaugurate 10 projects

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YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi would soon inaugurate 10 capital projects executed at wards in Oluyole Local Government, the Caretaker Chairman of the council, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, said at the weekend.

He spoke when he launched capital projects to be executed with the excess crude oil funds released to the council by the governor at Olomi-Olojuoro Road.

The projects to be inaugurated include: the building of Ifelajulo Community Primary School

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

at Mosfala in Ibadan, the construction of a block of three classrooms with headmaster’s office and toilet at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Onigambari, the building of a block of classrooms with headmaster’s office and toilet at Oluyole Local Government Community Primary School, Lamolo, the construction of a block of classrooms with headmaster’s office and toilet at Kolajo Primary School, Olomi, the building of 24 open stores at Toll Gate Market, Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

NHIS to phase out ID cards next year

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•Senator Chris Ngige and General Muhammadu Buhari at the funeral of the late Onowu Chike Ofodile, former Federal Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in Onitsha... at the weekend.

PDP members urge court to disqualify Obanikoro T HREE members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have urged the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja to disqualify a former defence minister Musiliu Obanikoro from seeking governorship nomination in the party’s primaries.

They said having previously presented a forged birth certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the April 2007 election, Obanikoro is ineligible to present himself for nomination.

According to them, official records, such as his Nigerian and diplomatic passports, show that Obanikoro was born on July 28, 1960, but he allegedly falsified it to July 28, 1954.

Besides, the applicants said Obanikoro also allegedly lied in 2007 when he failed to disclose to INEC that he has dual citizenship.

They prayed the court to determine whether, having voluntarily acquired the citi-

Elechi urges supporters to be calm From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

EBONYI State Governor Martin Elechi yesterday urged his supporters to be calm, following the tension over who succeeds him.

He spoke when his loyalists, comprising serving and past National Assembly members and other stakeholders, visited him.

Madam Oladapo is dead

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ADAM Abike Mobolanle Oladapo is dead.

Her son, Mr. Siyanbola Oladapo, the president of the Association of Nigeria Courier Operators (ANCO) and GMD/CEO, Bowill Group, said she died on November 8. She was 86.

By Joseph Jibueze

zenship of the United States of America in addition to that of Nigeria without renouncing the former and declaring allegiance to the latter, Obanikoro is eligible to seek nomination.

The plaintiffs – Michael Ogunsuada, Suleiman Saheed and Wasiu Odusan – are seeking a declaration that Obanikoro stands disqualified from aspiring for nomination in PDP’s governorship primaries or that of any other party for the purposes of contesting either in next year’s election or subsequent polls by virtue of his antecedents.

They prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining him from participating in PDP’s governorship primaries scheduled for December 8.

They also sought an order restraining the party from nominating Obanikoro to INEC to contest next year’s

governorship election in Lagos or any other election in Nigeria.

The plaintiffs, who joined Obanikoro, INEC and PDP as respondents, further sought a restraining order against INEC from accepting Obanikoro’s nomination by PDP for any election.

In a supporting affidavit filed on November 14, Ogunsuada said he is a loyal party man who is determined to ensure that only a high quality candidate and person of character and competence who fulfils all constitutional requirements is nominated.

“I am likely to be gravely prejudiced if the aspiration for nomination of the first respondent (Obanikoro) as a candidate in the primaries of the third respondent (PDP) is not restrained considering his shady antecedents…,” the deponent said.

The applicants lawyers also filed an affidavit of urgency praying that the appli-

Nwobodo loses son to cancer HE former Governor of the old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, has lost his son, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo jnr.

He died on Friday at the Niger Foundation Hospital, Enugu. He was 46.

Nwobodo jnr. returned recently from Houston Texas in the United States where he received treatment for cancer.

He was said to have complained of having pains in his leg and met a senior oncologist with the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, (UNTH), Enugu after which he died of complications arising from medication.

His father, Senator Nwobodo, told Ebonyi State Governor Martin Elechi, who paid him a condolence visit yesterday that the deceased was taken to the best cancer treatment hospital in the U.S. where he stayed for five months.

He said the family two weeks ago went for a thanksgiving service in his home country, Amaechi Awkwunanu, and that all was

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From Chris Oji, Enugu

well before the leg pain, which led to his death.

Elechi condoled with the Nwobodo family and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

Nwobodo jnr, a doctor, was a commissioner for Science and Technology in the last administration.

He was married and had children.

•The late Nwobodo

cation be heard quickly as PDP’s screening exercise will hold between November 22 and 25.

They stated that if the suit is not heard and determined urgently, Obanikoro may present himself for screening while the applicants “may lose their rights to challenge the respondents.”

HE National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is working to phase out the use of identity cards (IDs) next year by enrollees.

It will be replaced with the use of either a mobile number or registration number of enrollees.

Hitherto, upon registration, a contributor is expected to be issued an identity card with a personal identification number (PIN), before he can access healthcare. Overtime, it has taken months for a contributor to get the ID card, thereby denying him access to healthcare. By the time enrollees obtain the ID, the policy would have matured (expired).

The Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Dr. Femi Thomas, said the phasing out of ID was

By Oyeyemi GbengaMustapha

necessitated to remove the bottleneck created by the delay in the issuance of the ID cards.

He went on: “Contributors are expected to access care through the Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) through GSM or registration number. ”NHIS is also planning to enrol pupils and students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions. This is to ensure they have access to healthcare anywhere, anytime.”

According to him, the programme would enable primary and secondary school pupils from six to 12 years to benefit from the services of the scheme.

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

Failing kidneys threaten woman’s life

‘Be committed to clean environment’

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe

OUR resources have been exhausted. We have sold all valuables to generate money, but these are not enough. To continue the weekly dialysis now is a big problem, let alone getting money for kidney transplant to make my sister live.”

Pleading with well-to-do Nigerians, organisations and government for help, Mr Charles Eniolorunda fought tears last Wednesday when he took the worsening health of his sister to the Lagos headquarters of The Nation.

Forty-eight-year-old Mrs Taiwo Adebekun, according to Eniolorunda, was full of life until about three years ago when it was discovered that she was suffering from Kidney failure.

According to Eniolorunda, his sister is in pains, weak and fragile, adding that she had been taken to various hospitals for solution without any result.

Mrs Adebekun, he said, needs urgent kidney transplant for her to stay alive.

“I am here in respect of my sister who is having a chronic kidney problem which has lingered for three years. She has gone to various hospitals where tests showed that both kidneys are at end-stage and the only thing that can keep her living is dialysis for now before doing kidney transplant as a permanent solution,” he said.

Eniolorunda added: “We

“

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•Mrs Adebekun ... at the hospital

By Amidu Arije

have been doing dialysis for the last two years - once every week and sometimes, twice depending on the way she feels, at an average cost of N35, 000 weekly. Now, there is no money anymore and the doctors warned that if her body gets weaker than it is now, she might not survive. According to them, we need to urgently carry out the kidney transplant, but now, we cannot afford it. By our findings we will need about N12 million to do it in India and N8million in Nigeria.”

He said the woman had been in pains since the discovery of the problem, lamenting that to sustain the dialysis weekly had become difficult because the family is cash-strapped.

Dr O Awobusuyi, the Consultant Nephrologist of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), wrote in his report: “Mrs Adebekun is diagnosed as having Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and has been on maintenance dialysis. She is currently on a twice-weekly maintenance dialysis protocol for dialysis.

She, however, would like to have kidney transplantation as her modality of renal replacement therapy.

“This is considered advisable in view of the generally improved quality of life following kidney transplantation by many CKD patients.

Kindly assist her in all possible ways to enable her undergo the desired operation.”

To reach her for assistance, Mr Eniolorunda gave the GT Bank account no 0138536803, with the name: Taiwo Adebekun, adding that she could also be reached on 08033024048.

HE General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Adebola Shabi, has called on school environmental ambassadors to remain committed to a clean and friendly environment.

He spoke in his office while receiving the nine winners of this year’s secondary school competition on the environment as part of their tour of institutions promoting clean environment in the state.

The LASEPA chief said the agency had taken environmental issues to the grassroots and recruiting pupils as the new environment champions.

He, therefore, urged the winners of this year’s competition to internalise all that they would be taught and ensure they become change agents to spreading the concern for a liveable environment to their friends, relations and school mates.

Shabi said LASEPA assists public and private organisations, industries, businesses and non-governmental organisations to achieve compliance by providing environmentfriendly solutions to varied environmental challenges.

As environment champions, Shabi urged the ambassadors to partner the agency as volunteer environmental corps and report any environmental infractions to the agency.

Earlier, one of the facilitators of the environmental ambassadors’ project, Adeola Ijandipe, said the initiative, is a brain child of the Society for International Development (SFID), a German-based non-government organisation, started five years ago.

The winners, who were drawn from two public schools - Boys Senior Academy, Lagos Island and Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos - would be travelling to Bavaria in Germany for a two-week exchange programme.

Ijandipe, who has been working on the project since its inception five years ago, praised Governor Babatunde Fashola for supporting the initiative aimed at developing young change agents spreading the gospel for a neat environment to every nook and cranny of the state.

He said the winners came from public schools, adding that they were children of middle-class families and exposed to a lot of environmental information.

One of the winners, 14-year-old Master Abdulbaqee Fashola, a student of Boys Senior Academy, who was a member of the Ecosystem Club of the school, described his emergence as a miracle.

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MONDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2014

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

All is not well with the Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC). The Olusegun Osoba group has dumped the party for rival platform. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the implication of the group’s exit for the progressive bloc in the Gateway State.

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HE fervent wish of party faithful that the warring parties in the Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC) would reconcile their differences is fast becoming a mirage. The dumping of the APC by the three senators elected on the party’s platform for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) suggests that the attempt to reconcile the two groups have failed. The senators are: Akin Odunsi (Ogun West), Gbenga Kaka (Ogun East) and Gbenga Obadara (Ogun Central).

The aggrieved group has defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The Ogun State APC has been embroiled in crisis due to power struggle between Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Chief Olusegun Osoba. The emergence of two parallel executives from the parallel congresses held on April 26 was the climax of the frosty relationship between the two leaders. The recognition accorded the executives committee produced by the governor’s faction by the national headquarters of the party was the last straw that broke the back of the carmel.

After the congress, some chieftains defected to the PDP. They included Mrs. Abimbola LanreBalogun, special adviser on environment, Mrs. Adijatu Adeleye-Oladapo and Mr Samson Onademuren, who are members of the House of Assembly, representing Ifo II and Ijebu Northeast constituencies respectively.

The APC National Executive Committee made efforts to reconcile the warring factions, but nothing came out of it. A committee headed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar prevailed on Osoba and his group to have a rethink on their plan to dump the party. The committee had proposed a 60:40 power-sharing formula. But, it was rejected by the former governor.

The recent letter written by the deputy governor, Prince Segun Adesegun, to the governor has not helped matters. Analysts describe it as a spanner thrown into the reconciliation process.

Adesegun alleged injustice saying he had not been enjoying the rights and privileges of a deputy governor since the administration came on board in 2011. One of the allegations leveled by Adesegun against his principal was that he deliberately starved his office of funds and he also allocated old vehicles to him. He also alleged that his September and October feeding and out- of -pocket and sundry allowances were yet to be paid.

The governor’s silence on the allegations did not help matters. It gave opposition parties something to rave about in their quest to unseat the governor.

For instance, the Ogun State Labour Party (LP) accused Amosun of running a government of vendetta. The party said: “If the governor can treat his deputy with disdain and outright contempt like this, then it

• Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor Amosun and Aremo Osoba at a ceremony in Lagos.

Ogun APC and burden of reconciliation shows that an ordinary citizen of the state is of no value to him.

We want to say categorically that he has no human face and the electorate should vote him out at the poll.”

The PDP said: “While we empathise with the deputy governor on his ordeal, we pray that the Almighty God will touch the heart of Governor Amosun to give him (his deputy) what is due to him. We can only hope this intractable fight will not hamper governance and further impoverish the people of our dear state. We appeal to the good people of Ogun State to keep hope alive, knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Their tears will soon be wiped by a government with a human face. That is the PDP promise and deliverable”.

The supporters of Osoba had been holding meetings with the opposition parties, particularly the PDP. Indeed, chieftain of the APC, Alhaji Azzees Ajetunmobi, said the Osoba group has entered into an agreement with the PDP to defeat Amosun in next year’s election. The sympathy displayed by the PDP and the LP on the deputy governor’s or-

deal, he said, is a proof that they belong to the same political family.

Ajetunmobi said: “It beats my imagination how such a simple and mundane matter could become a public matter. Well, we are in the era of stomach infrastructure. There is no one in this country who does not know that Amosun is the most frugal governor. When he came on board in 2011, he made it clear that he and his team had come to make sacrifice. He said things were so bad in the state that they could not afford to live big. So, we were not surprised when he slashed the salaries of political office holders.

“The good thing is that the deputy governor has not accused Amosun of living in luxury while asking others to tighten their belts. He has not accused the governor of constitutional breaches. He has not complained of paying for his official residence because the governor’s aides pay some money monthly from their salaries for the government quarters in which they reside.”

A lawyer, Mr. Kunle

Ademoroti, described the deputy governor’s decision to go public, instead of treating it as an internal matter, as cheap blackmail. He said it was a deliberate act to portray the governor in bad light and curry undue public sympathy for himself and his group. Ademoroti said the allegations contained in the letter are too elementary for a holder of the office of the deputy governor to present.

Ademoroti said the complaints are all about prerequisites of office. He said: “His salary was not affected. He is not complaining about the government policies or programmes as they affect the people of Ogun State.

It sounds ridiculous that a deputy governor is blowing hot and cold because of the unpaid two months allowances. To me, the deputy governor is selfish.

“If he can’t endure, he should quit. In fact, the governor had tolerated him for long. His loyalty to his benefactor is undermining the government. His commitment to the business of governance is questionable,” he said.

The relationship between the governor and his deputy has

‘There is no one in this country who does not know that Amosun is the most frugal governor. When he came on board in 2011, he made it clear that he and his team had come to make sacrifice. He said things were so bad in the state that they could not afford to live big. So, we were not surprised when he slashed the salaries of political office holders’

turned into a cat and mouse affair. A source disclosed that, since the governor started his local government tour to assess the performance of the government programmes, the deputy governor accompanied him only on two occasions.

The source said the deputy governor is pre-occupied with the mobilisation for his new party, holding senatorial meetings in Ogun East and Ogun Central. The deputy governor is believed to be using the opportunity provided by the governor’s assessment tour to the 20 local governments to meet factional members on the umbrella of Matagbamole Group, as the Osoba-led faction is known, in different locations, telling the members of the group to remain steadfast and be committed to their objectives.

On the prospect of the SDP as a platform, Obadara said there is no problem. “We have been mobilising and creating awareness among the people. The response has been very encouraging. We have our own structure. Our leader, Chief Osoba, had contested governorship election in the state twice and won. We have the people behind us. The party is an alternative to tyranny. The election is four months ahead. We are going places and the acceptability of the party is not in doubt.”

But, Ajetunmobi disagreed with Obadara. He said the SDP, the platform the late Chief Abiola used for the presidential election in 1993, is quite different from the present SDP put in place by the Afenifere to undermine the political influence of the APC in the Southwest. “It is wishful thinking for any group to expect that the party’s name would the magic wand to win election in this dispensation,” he added.

The lawyer recalled that the SDP fielded a candidate in the last governorship election in Osun State and failed woefully. “Why didn’t they win the election, if the old fame is capable of doing the magic? I think the Osoba group is not interested in winning election, but they are out to play the role of a spoiler. Their motto is: If you can’t get it, waste it.

“They should learn from history. In 2003, the late Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu regarded as the leader of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Lagos State had political differences with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who was the state governor then. In order to stop the re-election of Tinubu in 2003, Dawodu had pulled out of the AD and contested the governorship election on the platform of Progressives Action Congress (PAC) to stop Tinubu.

But, Dawodu lost his deposit in that election. That was how Dawodu lost relevance in Lagos politics.

“The Osoba group has the right to contest on the platform of any party, including the SDP. But, they should not take people for granted. Name dropping has no role to play in this dispensation, your antecedent is what matters most,” he added.

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THE NATION MONDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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RACE TO 2015 Why Buhari should be APC candidate,

by Shagaya

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ORMER Minister of Internal Affair General John Shagaya has said in Abuja that the time has come for Nigerians to elect a leader, who is capable of bringing back the nation’s lost glory.

Speaking at a news conference organised by the Buhari Friends Organisation, Shagaya said that Nigeria is lagging behind its counterparts because of corruption and insecurity in the land.

He said it is unfortunate that Nigeria, which was a recognised as a continental power a few years ago because of her exploit in peace keeping in other African countries is not able to deal with pocket of insurgents who are occupying cities with impunity.

He said: “Nigeria was two years ago recognised as a continental power and a great contributor to world peace, hence, we were elected a non- voting member of the security council. I said in the last two years because the world has began to frown against some of the happenings in this country. There is a high level of insecurity and corruption.

“The western world is saying this is the Nigeria that saved Tangayyika, now Tanzania. We were in Rwanda and Angola and other parts of Agrica. How come that we cannot cure ourselves of minor misdemeanor? The solution can be found in the statement of the America Secretary of State in Europe that we have corrupt and porous leadership. These two factors have contributed to insecurity”.

Speaking on why Buhari should be given the mandate to lead the country, he said: “This man we are hoping that Nigerians will give the opportunity to rule is incorruptible and fearless.

“He is one man who in 1984, when the World Bank decided that we must swallow line, hook and sinker heavy conditionalities in Nigeriia, he stood up and said, I must consult my country because Nigeria must not be judged on western values because we are a developing nation.

‘They should do justice to the man who has been fighting for us so that we should have a better society.

They should give him a consensus ticket’

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Activist joins Lagos governorship race

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From Tony Akowe, Abuja

You know what happened when we began to bite the conditionalities of the World Bank. When he made this speech in 1984, the naira was equivalent to 2.2 dollars.

“Today, you need a basket of naira to buy one dollar. Those are the qualities he has. He is a man that most Nigerians who are not hungry would want to rule this country. Of course, democracy is a game of numbers and I know that all of us from different background who love this country will say that we have someone we respect and will be respected by the continental bodies. Since Nigeria cannot operate in a vacuum, we need someone that the world can accept for us to develop and progress together.

“There is, no doubt, that our leaders have done the best from the beginning in 1960 and even the struggle for, independence through the civil war until the last few years.

All I believe that the Friends of Buhari are saying today is that we are declining, instead of climbing to the top of the ladder. This is were the entire world did not expect us to be.

“Whether as Christians or Muslims or non-believers, we must realise that we must govern this coun-

What we are witnessing today in Nigeria is not governance, but misgovernance. We are witnessing a system that does not have the interest of the people of this country at heart. It is also incumbent on us as a people to vote out Goodluck Ebele Jonathan come 2015. That will bring peace, progress and development of Nigeria

•Shagaya

try with a high sense of responsibility through incorruptible citizens as well as men and women that the world and our various communities will respect.

“I want to say that, if other Nigerians listen to you, they should vote one man, General Muhammadu Buhari, and by so doing, we will be back to the great nation that we were a few years back and we will not be losing 16 local governments to Boko Haram. In some states like mine, we have 17 local governments and, if they occupy 16 local governments, it means that an entire state has been lost”.

The National Coordinator of Buhari Friends Organisation, Saint Athanasius Okon, appealled to the leadership of the APC to look inward and give the party’s presidential ticket to the former leader.

He also appeal to other aspirants on the platform of the party to reconsider their position and adopt the retired General. He added.

“They should do justice to the man who has been fighting for us so that we should have a better society.

They should give him a consensus ticket.

“Other aspirants should give the ticket to the man they were using to consult. Let him carry the flag so that it will be easy for the younger ones to follow. He stands for equity. Allow merit to thrive over mediocrity. Plead, that we do more work by going to mobilise potential delegates.”

LAWYER and civil rights campaigner, Adetokunbo Wahab, has joined the race for next year’s election in Lagos State on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC).

Wahab, who hails from Epe, Lagos East Senatorial Zone, said his decision was in response to the clarion call by youths, elders and elites adding that he has also consulted the leadership of the party.

Wahab lamented that old politicians have continuously failed to bring the desired change, which they have endlessly promised.

Wahab said the desire to bring “definitive change,” was one of the reasons why he accepted the challenge to offer himself for service.

The 42 years old aspirant, also bemoaned the space allowed youths in governance. He said his emergence was a bold and decisive response to this deficit.

According to the civil liberty lawyer youths accounts for nearly half of the five million eligible voters, whose voice and impacts are never commensurately rewarded.

The politician said he had come to galvanize the electoral strength of the youths for the purpose of placing them in the right leadership space where their democratic power could be adequately recognised and rewarded.

While acknowledging the presence of many vibrant and elderly fore-runners in the race, Wahab noted that certain exceptional criteria stand him out among the crowd. He said he has fresh ideas anding that he stands for a paradigm shift in governance.

Briggs backs PDP zoning in Rivers

By Joseph Eshanokpe

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GOVERNORSHIP aspirant in next year’s election on the platform of the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dumo- Lulu Briggs, has support ed the zoning of its governorship ticket, saying it was for justice and equity.

He said: “Equity, justice and fair play dictate that zoning should be the criteria for choosing the party’s flag bearer in Rivers State for the guber pools in 2015. Zoning is entrenched in the constitution of the PDP and zoning only recently was used in Akwa Ibom and other states of the country controlled by the PDP to pick candidates and Rivers State will not be an exception.”

Despite the pronouncement by the Chairman, Mr Felix Obuah, that the ticket was open to all zones, Briggs said: “The clamour for zoning to the riverine in Rivers state is total and wide spread and despite the opposition of a few persons, we believe that in the end, the will of the people will prevail, and the ticket will be zone to the riverine.”

“The upland has produced the governor for two consecutive terms of eight years each which is 16 years.

“It is only fair that the riverine people who have supported and waited patiently be also allowed to rule the state and contribute their own quota to development in 2015. You cannot impose another upland person on Rivers state after 16 years of their clinging to power; it’s just unacceptable to our people. That is why we are clamouring for zoning. This should be allowed to happen in the interest of peace, fair play and brotherliness that have always existed amongst us,” he added.

‘Jega may not conduct credible polls’

By Musa Odoshimokhe

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•From left: Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains Olu Enifemi, a governorship aspirant Akinwunmi Ambode, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, and Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Bashorun during Ambode tour of Ikorodu Division.

HE Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Lagos State chapter has said that the Chairman, of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, may not conduct free and fair elections in 2015.

The group made this known in a press statement signed by its Chairman, Hon. Akionla Obadia, following the assessment of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) distribution in 11 local governments.

“What borders us is the lacklustre performance of the INEC, knowing well that Lagos is one of the most populous states, based on population registration. Therefore, they ought to have prepared for this important exercise. For the INEC to have come with kids gloves to face the enormous population of Lagos State is a disaster.

“A visit to Mushin, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Badagry and Ikeja local governments as a text case is a clear manifestation of the INEC’s unpreparedness for a free and fair election in 2015."

Obadia lamented that the commission has been caught in the web, adding that it has to convince Nigerians that it is not backing Dr Jonathan’s hidden agenda.

He added: “We are confident that 2015 will roll out God’s agenda for Nigeria but INEC should not start complicating issues.

We, the CNPP in Lagos State therefore, appeal to the management of INEC to retrace their steps now and remember that Nigeria is larger than any minacious • Jega agenda.”

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

FROM OTHER LANDS

Not well-thought-out

•INEC’s suspension of action on additional polling units suggests defective structure

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S suddenly as it announced the decision to create additional polling units in all parts of the country, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opted to suspend the decision. The commission, while not ruling out revisiting and giving effect to the matter, said the units would be warehoused until the next general elections would have been conducted.

The very controversial creation of the units provoked national outcry. While some Nigerians were suspicious of the motive behind the decision, others kicked over alleged lopsidedness of the distribution of the units. The loudest protest came from the South East that got only about 1,167 units to the 1,200 allocated to the sparsely populated Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The North West was allocated almost 7,906 units while 8,414 were allotted to the three zones of the South.

The North, including the FCT got 20,715 new polling units. The commission explained that it took the action to make units more manageable in the forthcoming elections; claiming also that apart from the number on roll, distance played a major factor in distributing the new units. But, disbelieving voters in the South have argued that the distribution was designed to favour a region and reinforced a supposedly false assumption that the North is more populous than the South, arguing that Nigeria is the only country where the savannah region is deemed more populous than the rain forest region.

Beyond claiming that the creation of the

units was purely based on scientific parameters, the electoral commission has failed to satisfactorily respond to the queries about the distribution. Officials responsible for interfacing with the public on INEC’s activities were sorry sights when put through grilling questions on that matter by journalists, thus suggesting that they were either as ignorant of the underlying rationale or as unconvinced as the general public.

News filtering out of the commission and published by the media were not helpful either. There were reports that its internal decision-making mechanism had become defective, fractured along North-South lines. This is bad news for a country that has desperately looked forward to the conduct of credible general elections that meet up international standards.

We call on the commission to quickly put its house in order if it is to engender the confidence of all Nigerians. The idea of announcing such a major decision and then reversing it based on public outcry is an indication that INEC lacked conviction and was not sufficiently rigorous in considering the pros and cons of the matter. The commission, headed by a professor of political science and comprising experienced public servants ought to have subjected the matter to extensive debate before the final decision was taken and announced.

The commission and other sensitive public bodies also need to incorporate consultation with critical stakeholders into the processing of such national issues. Bowing to public pressure after run-

ning into a storm is the consequence of putting the cart before the horse. In a democracy, it is trite that the will of the people is supreme, and in electoral matters, the national interest should drown all others.

How INEC would upturn the suspicion generated by the poorly handled exercise remains to be seen. The commission has a duty to assist in pulling down strongholds that have held down Nigeria over the years. It has a responsibility to help in dissolving age-long distrusts, rivalries and unhealthy competitions that have largely accounted for the disharmony in the country’s public life. In the run-up to the next general elections, the commission has a duty to allay fears that it has been ‘captured’ to pursue narrow rather than the general interest.

‘We call on the commission to quickly put its house in order if it is to engender the confidence of all Nigerians. The idea of announcing such a major decision and then reversing it based on public outcry is an indication that INEC lacked conviction and was not sufficiently rigorous in considering the pros and cons of the matter’

Mukhtar’s exit •She has tried her best; we can only hope her successor will continue from where she stopped OME November 20, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), would bow down, having meritoriously served for 28 months. She will be succeeded by Justice Mahmud Mohammed, whose name has been sent by the President to the Senate for confirmation. With just a few controversies, the departing CJN has had a distinguished career, particularly as the CJN. We recall particularly the zest with which she tackled the challenges of corruption in the judiciary, to the admiration of most Nigerians.

Prior to her appointment, the image of the judiciary was very low, and it was made worse by some of her predecessors involved in corruption-related controversies. So, appearing before the Senate for her confirmation, the question of how to tackle corruption was uppermost in the minds of Nigerians. To their admiration,

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‘Considering the many disciplinary actions taken by the departing CJN, we can say without equivocation that she substantially delivered on her major agenda. We also note that she has championed the computerisation of the Supreme Court. While wishing Justice Mukhtar a well deserved rest, we urge the incoming CJN to also adopt the cleansing of the judiciary as his major agenda’

she said: “on the perception of the judiciary by the public, indeed as it is as at now, it is very bad and I am saddened by it. I will try as much as possible to ensure that the bad eggs that are there are flushed out”. Admirably, she did flush out many bad eggs, even though a few of the sacked judges are in court protesting their sack.

During her reign, action was taken on 11 judges by the National Judicial Council (NJC), which she heads, either by outright sack or issuance of queries over their performance. The affected judges include Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court and Justice Thomas Naron of the Plateau State High Court, who were recommended for compulsory retirement. Another was Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court, who was cautioned. On his part, Justice Mohammed Talba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, was suspended for 12 months for wrongly exercising his judicial discretion.

Another judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Lawan Hassan Gunmi, was found guilty of gross misconduct, even after he had resigned to avoid the hammer. The other judges also affected were Justices Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court and Ufot Inyang of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, who were compulsorily retired for gross misconduct. The NJC also warned three other judges; they are Acting President Court of Appeal, Justice Dalhatu Adamu, Justice A. A. Adeleye of the Ekiti State High Court and Justice D. O Amaechina of the Anambra State High Court, for low pro-

ductivity.

Among the far-reaching disciplinary actions of the NJC against judges under the leadership of Justice Aloma Mukhtar, the most controversial appears to be the suspension of the former President of the Rivers State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Peter Agumagu. The NJC suspended Justice Agumagu, following his controversial appointment as the Chief Judge of Rivers State by the governor, Rotimi Amaechi, despite the objections of the NJC. Justices Agumagu, Gunmi and Olotu are all in court to challenge the decisions of the NJC against them.

The learned CJN who also presides over the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) equally dismissed five Supreme Court workers and a Court of Appeal, Abuja Division worker, for their involvement in the leakage of a judgment in the case of Senator Alphonsus Uba Ugbeke vs Lady Margery Okadigbo and three others.

Considering the many disciplinary actions taken by the departing CJN, we can say without equivocation that she substantially delivered on her major agenda. We also note that she has championed the computerisation of the Supreme Court. While wishing Justice Mukhtar a well deserved rest, we urge the incoming CJN to also adopt the cleansing of the judiciary as his major agenda. This is important because the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. It therefore must not be found wanton, particularly in a democratic system, if the system is to endure.

Bring back our parliamentary system

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IR: Parliamentary system of government is one in which a Prime Minister is the head of government and the President is the Head of State, but is usually ceremonial.

The Prime Minister is chosen by party not directly by the people. In Britain for example, the Queen/King is the Head of State, while the Prime Minister is chosen by the party that wins the majority of the votes or through coalition.

Until the January 1966 coup, Nigeria was practising parliamentary system of government. Nnamdi Azikwe was the president, while Tafawa Balewa was the first and only Prime Minister Nigeria ever had. It was the coup de tat by renegade Nigerian Military officers that jettisoned the effectual system that led us from Parliamentary to Presidential System.

Unlike presidential, parliamentary system of government is less costly as the Prime Minister and other ministers are part-time workers. The government is answerable to the congress unlike in presidential (in Nigeria), where resolution of the National Assembly is useless. The parliamentary system is more suitable for multi-cultured countries like Nigeria, where regions can back a party based on their tribal and regional inclinations.

Nigeria is a country where tribal, regional and partisan sentiments surpass nationalism and patriotism. A tribal chauvinist is more honoured than a nationalist. How can people of Southeast continue to love Ojukwu, who intended to divide Nigeria more than Gen T. Y Danjuma, Gowon and Buhari who fought for Nigeria's unity? If Nigeria's inclination is through tribal sentiments, then the parliamentary system is better for Nigeria.

If the Parliamentary system will not be allowed to return, then why can’t Nigeria adopt the Swiss style of government? In Swiss style, the parliament will chose many people from the major tribes (in the case of Nigeria) or from regions; each person will govern the country for a year and then will step down and become a minister till all the chosen candidates do their single year term before they are replaced with other people. In Swiss style, the ultimate power rests with the National Assembly.

Nigeria needs a better system of government. This federal style is not working; it only favours the looters and undermines the will of the people.

The National Assembly should, through a referendum, bring back our parliamentary system or adopt the Swiss style. Either of the two will go a long way in solving the crisis of regional, tribal and sectarian struggles for leadership in Nigeria.

• Comrade Abdulbaqi Aliyu Jari Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto State 1total.wordpress.com TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

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THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: Since the 1914 amalgamation by Nigeria’s colonial masters, life has not remained the same for her people.

The colonialists sought to bring the different tribes together for the smooth administration and exploitation of the country.

The people were hardly consulted, neither were they given the opportunity to discuss the terms of their coming together.

Many people had expected the colonial masters to take steps to foster unity and instill a feeling of oneness among the people.

Sadly, they didn't. Instead of uniting the people, the colonial masters, for selfish reasons, further planted division among the people. People were taught to regard those from their ethnic group more than others. In every en-

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

Let’s have our own president in 2015 gagement, regional interest towers above national consideration.

People were ready to die for their regions and none was ready to die for Nigeria. The nationalists of that time were seen more as ethnic and not national heroes.

All tribes lived in mutual suspicion of one another. Lies and baseless rumours were fabricated and shared with reckless abandon against one another, and many

Trouble with educational sector

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IR: Nigeria’s educational sector needs urgent attention to halt further deterioration.

Our educational sector is nothing to write home about. Nigeria’s educational sector is deteriorating so badly because of negligence by the government.

Schools are dilapidated; infrastructures in our schools are inadequate. Teachers are forced to teach due to lack of motivation.

Students on their part are not wellequipped for learning. They lack textbooks, notebooks and some other learning materials with classes in some schools held in uncompleted buildings. Learning is crippled and students tend to even run away from school due to these factors. If the learning environment is friendly, the student will also find learning friendly.

Government needs to motivate teachers for adequate teaching to take place. Teachers in Nigeria are the suffering civil servants, especially those that are working in public schools. It is crucial and important to satisfy the teachers for them to be able to teach very well and be ready to teach not forced to teach. If teachers are motivated to

teach, adequate teaching and learning will take place and the nation will be better for it. When you ask students what they want to be in future, they will never mention to be a teacher, not because it is not a good profession but because it is not encouraged by the government. This is a clarion call on the government to help encourage teaching /teachers.

The incessant attacks by insurgents in our schools in the North show the terrible state of security. We need to beef up security in our schools because if there is no assurance of security, students will find it difficult to go to school not to talk of staying there to learn.

As must be obvious to everyone, education is the bedrock of development; so it will be a disaster for any government to shun education when building its economy. It is supposed to be the foundation for the economy. The Nigerian government should increase the budget for education so that education can receive a boost.

Emmanuel Oye, Ilorin, Kwara State

people fell for it.

This was the situation in the preindependence Nigeria. After independence, the situation did not change. Instead coming together and ensuring that the 'new' country breeds progress and development, most nationalist and anticolonialism fighters withdrew to their regions to propagate regional and not national interest.

There was hardly anyone genuinely championing the Nigerian cause. It was either a Northern, Southern or Western region affair; there was no Nigerian affair.

This state of affairs has continued till date. At every stage of our

national life, issues of regionalism and tribalism take the center stage against national interest. Merit and competence is slaughtered on the altar of religion, tribalism and nepotism. One area where this is prominent is in elections. During elections, people are more concerned about the ethnicity and region the candidate belongs to, and not his or her competence.

All the leaders we have had as a country are/were products of this faulty mindset. We are yet to enjoy the dividends of having a true and genuine Nigerian leader and president, one who will not be judged by where he comes from,

but by the love and interest he has for the country. We need a president who will not play the ethnic or religious card when he assumes office. One who will tell his people, that “although I am one of you, I am now for Nigeria and Nigerians and will operate as such for the next four or eight years.”

We must note that a Nigerian president cannot emerge without a change in the orientation of the Nigerians. Until this happens, Nigeria will remain where it is; making motion without movement.

As the 2015 elections approach, one hopes Nigerians will shove issues of regionalism, tribalism and religion aside and see through all the contestants for presidency and elect a true and genuine leader.

We cannot continue to make the mistake of the past. 2015 offers us an opportunity to correct the mistakes we have been making since 1914. I pray Nigerians find their own president.

• Frank Ijege frankijege@yahoo.com

Urgent need to rebuild IR: I was going on the road recently when some ‘boys’ repairing a fictitious pot-hole stopped the guy carrying me. They requested money from the innocent guy and when he couldn’t give them, I gave them N100. When they collected the money, come and see how they started hailing me. One of them even prostrated, and they continued like that till I left.

I felt very sad. Is this what Nigerians have been reduced to? That moment, I felt a raw hatred for the Nigerian ruling class. In a nation of plenty, people of the same nation are living in abject poverty.

It is sad that the same people that feel the effects of mismanagement and blue-black looting will still continue to harbour hope in this failed system.

This nation has failed so many people. The growth of the economy happens in worlds they don’t belong to. The steady developmen-

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tal rise is bookish and has no place in their own reality. Yet these same people continue to expect things to get better. These same people continue to hope that at 40 and earning N10, 000, the future is bright.

These same people continue to believe the false hope sold to them by religion and its agents. These same people continue to ‘sow bountifully’ to maintain their preachers’ jets, while waiting endlessly for a bountiful harvest that will never come.

The situation of this nation has never been clearer than it is now.

Recycling leaders, changing party names and supervising mergers, perpetuating religious differences and championing regional sentiments will take us nowhere. Post2015 polls will make it even clearer that the problems of this nation goes beyond individual failures and inabilities; you don’t patch up systemic failures this pronounced,

neither do you repair it; you either overturn the system or you continue in the four-year national delusion that we have been practising for the past 16 years.

Nigerians will have started on the journey to a genuine national liberation when they lose hope in this system and begin to organise to take the nation back from the thieving ruling class and inconsiderate ruling elites who are bent on not just looting the nation dry but also giving their children and friends the go-ahead to run the nation down.

Our salvation lies solely in our hands; not in the hands of any party or any political aspirant. The day we discover that is the day we take the first step in the long and tedious road to a genuine peoples’ national liberation.

James Ogunjimi Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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COMMENTS

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ORE than just a publicity stunt, the projection of the political vision of Lagos State governorship hopeful Akinwunmi Ambode through an inventive acronym, LAGOS, bespeaks thoughtfulness. At the well-attended October 24 ceremony at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, where he formally expressed his desire to govern the state, Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared: “Our message is LAGOS. LAGOS is Leadership, LAGOS is Accountability, LAGOS is Good Governance, LAGOS is Opportunities and LAGOS is Service. This is what I stand for.”

It is interesting, and a demonstration of impressive originality, that he has been able to package his guiding principles in a capsule named after the state he seeks to govern. More importantly, his antecedents indicate that he is a man who can walk the talk. His credentials in leadership, accountability and service are showcased and reinforced by the well-publicised letter of commendation he received from Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola following his voluntary retirement from the state civil service after a 27-year career that he ended as the Accountant-General from 2006 to 2012.

At the risk of repetitiveness, the well-quoted letter simply cannot be ignored or downplayed in considering Ambode’s suitability for the office of governor. Fashola reportedly wrote, in what stands as a glowing testimony to Ambode’s observed and undeniable quality: “I write on behalf of the people of Lagos to commend your high sense of dedication, selflessness and integrity which you brought to bear on the civil service. I wish to specifically remark that working closely with you has been of tremendous mutual benefit, particularly in the present administration.” He continued: “You have displayed high sense of professionalism and have been a good team player, guided by the philosophy of a true public officer, who must place himself last while rendering service to the public. We are convinced that your brilliance and zeal will make you excel in your future endeavours.” It is beyond question that Fashola knew what he was talking about, and that his striking song of praise for Ambode was firmly rooted in reality.

It is unsurprising that Ambode, 51, the Chief Executive Officer of Brandsmiths Consulting, made a passing reference to the characterisation at his May 15 book launch at the Civic

‘It is interesting, and a demonstration of impressive originality, that he has been able to package his guiding principles in a capsule named after the state he seeks to govern. More importantly, his antecedents indicate that he is a man who can walk the talk’

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HE greatest pickle or predicament that this country faces from time to time is the inability of government to listen to itself. A greater percentage of our problems should have been deciphered by now, if only the government has listened to itself. Let’s take two issues, the recent National Conference and the sustenance of the oil subsidy which is the greatest conspiracy against Nigeria and the Nigerian people.

Just like the on-going campaign agenda styled Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, the idea of the National Conference was conceived by Oronto Nathan Douglas (48) from Okoroba in Nembe Area, Bayelsa State. A man with big ideas but highly elusive, Oronto carries the title of Special Adviser to the President on Research and Documentation. He is more than that. He is the alter – ego of the President. Other alter egos of the President include Dieazani Agama Alison-Madueke, Godknows Boladei Igali, Ita Ekpeyong, John Olatunde Ayeni, King Amalate Johnie Turner, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyesegha, Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Mujahid Dokubo Asari, Senator Emmanuel (59), Steve Oronsanye, Hassan Tukur, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekepemupolo alias Tompolo.

Oronto was part of the legal team that represented the Ogoni leader, Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa (1941-1995).I have not seen Oronto since Saro-Wiwa was executed on November 10, 1995. He later became the Commissioner for Information and Culture in Bayelsa when the state was created on October 1, 1996.

With his failing health, a background worker, romanced the Afenifere to come on board for the National Conference and to be sympathetic to Jonathan’s Presidency. The National Conference was inaugurated on March 17 with 492 delegates-an assembly of the best brains that we could boast of.

The conference ended on August 14 and its report was submitted on August 21 to the President who assured that the report of the conference “will not be wasted”. On October 5, the President set up a seven-man Panel headed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Adoke Bello Muhammed (51) from Okene in Kogi State.

That was the last we have heard of the National Conference. With the help of my friend, Senator Musa Adede (60) from Ogoja in Cross Rivers State, who was the chairman of Committee on Transport, I was able to read the report of the National Conference. I must confess that I commend members of the National Conference for a job well done.

Now, party politics is in the air and with the election fever that has gripped the nation, at best, the report of the National Conference, like the Justice Niki Tobi/Sule Katagun/Bishop Matthew Kukah report of 2005 dialogue conference, the Justice Kutigi/Bolaji Akinyemi’s report will end up in the library of the office to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

In June 2000, there was a national strike over the prices of petroleum by the Federal Government. President Olusegun Obasanjo then set up a committee of all stakeholders to look at all aspects of problems associated with petroleum product supply and distribution through widespread and

LAGOS as unique selling point Centre, Lagos. The presentation of two books, Public Sector Accounting by Ambode, and his biography, The Art of Selfless Service by Marina Osoba, provided a fitting forum for him to bask in the glory of his recognition. “The letter of commendation by Fashola is my gold medal for public service,” Ambode said at the event.

Perhaps the most credible governorship hopeful in Lagos State today, irrespective of whether the other aspirants belong to his party or are members of rival parties, Ambode represents a positive mix of knowledge-driven vision and experience of the workings of the administrative system, qualities which Lagos would require of its next political helmsman to build on the acknowledged achievements of the Fashola era. It is instructive to note that Ambode himself has signified his intention to pursue “continuity of excellence.”

It is probable that such pursuit would require a reimagined governmental approach to cope with the increasing challenges of a megacity with a population of over 10 million, which may soon become a metacity with at least a population of 20 million.

Indeed, an individual with Ambode’s broad perspective, reinforced by post-retirement training in top international business and leadership institutions, may be in a better position to manage the diversity of the populace for the social good.

This is certainly not the time, or more precisely, the time is past when governorship aspirants, especially in Lagos, with its urban sophistication, would expect that all it takes is mouthing populist slogans without manifest competence in what may be considered essential to modern governance, namely, a solid developmental visualisation informed by a practical blueprint.

In this regard, Ambode’s concrete history recommends him.

In particular, Ambode’s critical role in the creation of the

State Treasury Office (STO) should be of special significance in rating him as a governorship aspirant. The STO has been acknowledged as a ground-breaking development which has fundamentally improved how the state’s funds are raised, budgeted, managed and spent. It goes without saying that Ambode’s demonstrated authoritative grasp of treasury issues would most likely be an advantage. ”If we take the concept of resource generation, allocation and distribution into cognisance and apply the principles of good governance, we will achieve economic growth and development,” Ambode said while presenting a paper titled “Public Finance: Probity and Accountability” at a workshop organised in August by the Lagos State Government and the Lagos Business School.

Also important is Ambode’s work experience at the local government level, given that the so-called third tier is regarded as the closest to the people. Ambode himself observed: “If you work successfully at Local Government level and you are able to make a difference, there is nowhere else you cannot work successfully.”

It is noteworthy that, beyond his respected financial wizardry and managerial mastery, Ambode’s claim to selfless service, which is also recognised, is another plus. This aspect may be considered fundamental because a leader without a correct sense of service is ultimately negative. Service to the people, in the purest sense of the concept, is apparently not alien to Ambode. According to him, “A true leader sees his work as selfless service towards a higher purpose. A true leader should be judged by what he has not – ego, arrogance and self interest.”

Demonstrable commitment to good governance and ability to deliver what the people yearn for should rank among the uppermost qualifications for the type of progressive leadership that would benefit the state at this point in time. As Fashola prepares to leave the stage, the state deserves an exemplary successor who will be focused on excellence in office informed by a mastery of wealth creation and a humanitarian orientation.

In a newspaper interview, Ambode shed light on his understanding of good governance, which is an essential aspect of his vision. He said: “In essence, the elected government is like a caretaker for the rest of the people, overseeing their resources on their behalf. The citizens remain the landlord while the elected officials are only caretakers.” He further said: “Arising from this, good government can only thrive where the resources of the people are judiciously distributed to various sectors/needs in the society in a just and equitable manner that makes life easier for every person.”

Ambode’s positioning with LAGOS, in the countdown to the APC governorship primary election in the state, and indeed next year’s general elections, deserves serious attention from the electorate, considering his profile and the unassailable evidence of its genuineness.

A government not listening to itself

By Eric Teniola genuine consultation with the entire spectrum of the Nigerian society. The 33-member committee was headed by Chief Rasheed Abiodun Gbadamosi (70), son of the late industrialist, Chief Sule Oyeshola Gbadamosi, the late Otun of Ikorodu. The Secretary of the committee was Chief Olusegun Olujimi Oloogunebi Ogunkua. He retired as a Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, August 2006. The committee was inaugurated on August 14 2000 by Chief Ufot Ekaette (75) who was then then Secretary to the Government of the Federation at that time.

The committee submitted its report on November 15 2000. The NLC members of the committee headed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole wrote a minority report. On November 26, 2000, the government set up a five man panel headed by Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, then Minister of Economic Matters, to reconcile the two reports. Chief Gbadamosi’s committee made 47 suggestions and the government accepted 42 of the suggestions especially on price support and market liberalisation. Only one of those suggestions has so far been implemented and that is the establishment of Petroleum Pricing Regulatory Agency with the appointment of Dr. Oluwole Oluleye as the pioneer Secretary.

The Gbadamosi committee insisted on the complete deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry so as to resolve most of the issues in cost structure pricing and subsidy of the petroleum industry. The committee also insisted that deregulation of the industry will mean that market forces of demand and supply, will be the determinants of product prices.

Suffice it to note that the four refineries that we had, were no longer working. For example, the Warri refinery was commissioned in 1979; the Kaduna in 1980 and the two in Port-Harcourt were commissioned in 1965, and 1971 respectively.

After failing to implement these recommendations, the government unilaterally increased the prices of petroleum on January 1, 2012 resulting in massive protest by all Nigerians and the establishment of a pressure group known as OCCUPY NIGERIA which has become moribund now.

No other subject has drawn the attention of Nigerians more the issue of oil subsidy. The latest figure indicates that Nigeria has so far spent over N2 trillion on oil subsidies alone. No doubt the oil subsidy is killing us and only few very few of not more than 20 are benefiting from the subsidy.

On March 18 this year the Minister of Petroleum, Dieziani Alison-Madueke (54) raised an alarm at the Oil and Gas conference in Abuja that the payment of subsidy to oil marketers can no longer be sustained by the Federal Government. “The subsidy policy cannot be sustained any longer,

this is because the subsidy payment did not benefit the poor it was targeting but rather benefitting the rich” she had declared. Only Alison-Madueke can identify the “rich”, she referred to. On May 28, the Senate Committee on Finance headed by Senator Ahmed Muhammed Markafi (58), former Governor of Kaduna State,demanded the removal of oil subsidy. Just recently on September 15, the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee ended in a deadlock when the Commissioners of Finance of the 36 states insisted that the oil subsidy should be withdrawn because of the drop in the oil money allocation to the states. The question we need to ask is why can’t this oil subsidy be removed?

With the way things are going and with the sustenance on oil subsidy and the global drop in the prices of petrol, many poor states like Adamawa, Benue, Cross Rivers, Gombe, Osun, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Kogi Kwara, Jigawa, Kebbi, Taraba and other landlocked states will run into economic problems by January.

Now we are finding it very difficult selling our oil.

Certainly if we have implemented Gbadamosi committee’s report, we would have faced some problems at the take-off in 2000 but by now, we would have overcome those problems.

We are now held captive expecting the inevitable.

With declining capacity in the real sector, poor performance of major infrastructural facilities, large budget deficit, rising level of unemployment and inflation and with the impending devaluation of the naira soon to be announced, we are heading for economic depression.

As the say in Spanish,” Recojetuhenomientrasque el sol luziere which means make hay while the sun shines”. And the French also said “aide toi et le cleit’aidera which also means help yourself and heaven will help you”.

There is economic doom in the horizon.

Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, writes from Lagos.

‘With the way things are going and with the sustenance on oil subsidy and the global drop in the prices of petrol, many poor states like Adamawa, Benue, Cross Rivers, Gombe, Osun, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Kogi Kwara, Jigawa, Kebbi, Taraba and other landlocked states will run into economic problems by January’

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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COMMENTS

I

T has since been recognized that the driving force for terrorists in their selection of targets is the desire to achieve maximum impact and instill fear in the society. The objective is to swell public anger and disenchantment with the government for its inability to live up to its primary function of securing lives and property.

That accounted for the selective suicide bomb attacks on churches and other places of worship during the early days of the Boko Haram insurgency. The attack on the United Nations building in Abuja had similar motivation.

The objective then was to precipitate a state of panic among Christians and the international community by instilling fear on them. And with their weird avowal to install an Islamic state in the north, the simmering fear was further reinforced.

The thirst of the media for the absurd also came handy in guaranteeing such events easy and generous mention. With such generous mention in both local and foreign media, their sponsors coast home happily that they are achieving their objective. That has been the pattern.

But with the stringent security measures mounted by churches and other vulnerable institutions, it became difficult for these agents of shock and awe to continue with their dastardly acts in places of worship.

They now came up with a change in tactics with schools as targets. That was how the secondary school in Buni Ladi was razed down burning to death and massacring about 60 innocent school children.

As if that was not enough to ruffle public sensibilities and precipitate public anger against the government of the day, they now hatched out the very devious and confounding plan of abducting over 200 secondary school girls in Chibok, Borno state.

The circumstances of that abduction, the heat and wide attention it generated and its unresolved nature still remain a sore point in the fight against terrorism. Apparently unhappy that the wide attention generated by the Chibok girls’ abduction was dying down, the terrorists were at it again last week. This time around, they wired a young suicide bomber disguised in school uniform with lethal explosives and directed him to mingle with school children during early morning assembly for the bombs to detonate. And it came to pass sending over 50 school children to their early graves and scores of others seriously wounded. As should be expected,

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Schools as terror targets the latest attack has attracted ire against the federal government. Coming a day before the advertised programme of President Jonathan to make a public declaration of his intention to run for a second term, the opposition has sought to castigate him for going ahead with the declaration even with the killings of the previous day. They see the declaration as callous and insensitive.

Some other groups have equally picked holes with the declaration in the face of the devastations wrought by the suicide bomb attack.

The feelings of those who pick holes with the president’s declaration given events of the previous day can be understood especially given the intractable nature of the Boko Haram insurgency. But that is where there is no partisanship in such views or rather where they are not propelled by the desire to score political points.

The impression that comes from all these criticisms is that once such killings (which at any rate have become very common) take place, the president must put off any scheduled programme. We saw such views when Jonathan went to Kano state during the sensitization rallies of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP. He was heavily lampooned for daring visit that state when scores of innocent people were killed by suicide bombers at Nyanya near Abuja. He was also heavily berated for not visiting Chibok and the parents of the abducted girls.

He is our president and must take responsibility for the inability of the government to protect lives and property of the ordinary citizens. That is embodied in the nature of the social contract he has with the people. Again, he has come under heavy fire for going ahead to declare his

E

LECTIONS are here again couple with the usual campaigns, frenzy and intrigues. It is the season of promises, cross carpeting and adoption. I must confess that the critical mass of our society are either playing the ostrich about the facts on what to do or are simply ignoring it thinking that the future will take care of itself. Another school of thought opined that, many of the electorate are pursuing personal interest and short term benefits and as such are not ready to go all the way to do the expedient.

Others opined that the high level of poverty has diminished the sensibility of many. I disagree with the last school of thought in the sense that poverty should even make you think more wisely, most especially when you have the opportunity to contribute to an action or decision that will affect your future. All said and done, my grouse is that aspirants have continually played on our ignorance or may I say lethargy. Can you hold a man accountable to promises that are not concrete and specific? Are there any documents, papers or treaty in form of manifesto that people can refer to when the chips are down? All we hear in times of campaign are high sounding words that are not measurable and do not make meanings to the average man. "When you vote me in I will

Enough of all these verbose and meaningless campaigns. On this, the Press has a major role to play in galvanizing this change. I believe the press is a powerful force in effecting change in any system. The masses at all level should be sensitized on the need to demand from aspirants their deliverables because it on this basis we can assess their performance at the end of their tenure.

intention to run for another term when school children were moved down in their prime the previous day. All the sentiments on the deaths can be understood.

But the coincidence of these killings with key scheduled events involving the president cannot continue to pass unnoticed. It is becoming a pattern for these suicide attacks to occur each time Jonathan has a key political engagement.

And when this happens, what you get is the trading of blames on Jonathan for going ahead with the scheduled event.

It may well be a coincidence. But their recurring frequency is now suggestive that there is more to them than ordinarily meets the eyes. Matters are not remedied by the frequency of criticisms that follow such events. Ironically, as these criticisms are freely traded, the impression they conjure is that the attacks were planned to prevent those events from going on.

Not unexpectedly, such coincidences have tended to reinforce the notion that the current spate of insurgency in the country is politically deterministic. Not long ago, leaders from the north under the aegis of Northern Elders Forum (NEF) went bizarre when they demanded that Jonathan should not present himself for another term until he has resolved the insurgency in the country and freed the abducted Chibok school girls.

When this kind of posturing is weighed against the recurring bomb attacks each time the president is about to undertake a major political activity and the avalanche of criticisms that follow, the value of such criticisms cannot but be heavily diminished.

The inevitable impression one gets each time these bomb attacks occur before

Jonathan’s scheduled engagement is that they are primed to discredit him. It also conveys the feeling that some people are afraid of Jonathan running the election and are prepared to throw up all manner of subterfuge to stop him. That is my reading of the demand by northern elders that he should forget his 2015 ambition if he fails to stop Boko Haram and free the Chibok girls at the end of last month.

October has come and gone. Boko Haram is still with us and nothing positive has been heard of the abducted girls. But Jonathan has gone ahead to make good his intention to run for that office. So of what value is such ultimatum and criticisms that are solely directed at stopping him from going on with his ambition? That is the issue here.

Instead of dissipating valuable energy trying to stop Jonathan, those opposed to him should direct their attention on how to win him at the polls. Bad as the security situation in the north-east is, it has not stopped politicians of different political parties from positioning for advantage to win the coming elections.

The uncanny irony thrown up by this was brought to the fore last week when Christian leaders in Adamawa state issued a communiqué urging all political parties to suspend all political activities until the heightened insecurity in the state has been brought down. The message of the clerics is clear. Its import is also not in doubt. If insecurity should debar anyone from running for the coming elections, then the entire process can as well wait. But there is no cogent reason for that now.

‘Instead of dissipating valuable energy trying to stop Jonathan, those opposed to him should direct their attention on how to win him at the polls. Bad as the security situation in the north-east is, it has not stopped politicians of different political parties from positioning for advantage to win the coming elections’

The electorate must be wise in 2015

By Alexander Ighoro bring transformation; poverty will be wiped out, Chrismas rice and sallah rams will be made available during festivities" and all the nonsense go on unending.

Campaign has been reduced to child's play. The seriousness attached to campaigns in other climes is no where to be found in Nigeria.

How do you measure transformation, what are the specific indices or parameters to know a transformed people or society? How are you going to wipe out poverty; is it by giving people rice and rams during festivities? These are some fundamental questions that need to be asked.

The electorate must be wise this time around. If you eat rice and ram in one day, what happens to the other 364 days? Are we thinking about the future of our children and generation unborn at all? For me, words like transformation and wiping out poverty are just to play on the sensibility of the average Nigerian some of whom finds it hard to eke out a living.

I remembered when we were growing up in the early 80's, I attended a campaign organized by Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the then Bendel State. One of the thing I took home was the late Prof Ambrose ‘s (Gubernatorial aspirant) saying " I will give free education to all students, he did not end there, he went further to say, parents shall not buy texts books, rulers, biros etc. These were his electioneering deliverables and as a young man, though not up to the age of voting, went home announcing the good news that if this man is voted in, we are not going to pay fees or buy text books again. Telling people "I will give you free education" is not enough. The promises should be concrete and specific.

Go to any campaign ground today, what your see is fanfare, entertainment and campaign of calumny against opposition. For God's sake, we want to know what you

have to offer when elected. The electorate must rise up to shift the paradigm by tasking our aspirants to tell us the specifics. To make the matter worse, the institutions responsible for organising political parties are either toothless bull dogs or have lost the essence of their work. Where are the party manifestoes? They are supposed to be the instruments of electioneering and not the hypes we are seeing today. They are the indices to access the worthiness of a party or people vying for positions. We must go back to the basics and shun trivialities by asking our aspirant to tell us in precise and specific terms with timelines what they have to offer. They should be able to tell us their economic policies; how the civil service will be reformed; their agenda on industrialization, agriculture and employment generation etc.

Enough of all these verbose and meaningless campaigns. On this, the Press has a major role to play in galvanizing this change. I believe the press is a powerful force in effecting change in any system. The masses at all level should be sensitized on the need to demand from aspirants their deliverables because it on this basis we can assess their performance at the end of their tenure. I tell you if this is religiously done, some of those people who are clamouring for second and third term will hide their heads. A stitch in time they say saves nine. The time to act is now.

• Alexander Ighoro writes from Warri, Delta State.

‘Go to any campaign ground today, what your see is fanfare, entertainment and campaign of calumny against opposition. For God's sake, we want to know what you have to offer when elected’

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Sovereign Wealth Funds are managed conservatively.

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

JOBS

ISSUES

The gas supply nightmare - P. 29

Hidden jobs in agric mechanisation - P. 35 BoI to assist research insitutes, fabricators

News Briefing ‘Why quality of service remains poor’

By Okwy Iroegbu- Chikezie

THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said quality of service (QoS) continues to be a problem in the telecoms sector not only because the highest percentage of telecoms traffic rides on wireless using microwave but because the sector is not insulated from what is happening within Nigeria’s ecosystem.

T

–Page 26

NECA chief seeks labour reforms THE Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has advocated the reform of industrial and labour relations in workplaces.

–Page 26

‘Lagos has opportunities in tourism’ LAGOS State has the potential to generate most of its revenue from tourism, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has said.

–Page 27

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil Cocoa

-$117.4/barrel -$2,686.35/metric ton

Coffee

- ¢132.70/pound

Cotton

- ¢95.17pound

Gold

-$1,396.9/troy

Sugar

-$163/lb RATES

Inflation

-8.2%

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

-15.87%

Savings rate

-3%

91-day NTB

-15%

Time Deposit

-5.49%

MPR

-12%

Foreign Reserve

$39.6b

FOREX CFA

-0.2958

EUR

-206.9

£

-242.1

$

-156

¥

-1.9179

SDR

-238

RIYAL

-40.472

• From left: Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Okechukwu Itanyi; Chairman, Peter Igoh and Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Eugene Juwah, during the 76th Telecoms Consumer Parliament at Oreintal Hotel, Lekki, Lagos....at the weekend.

T

Maritime workers may paralyse ports today over storage charges

HE Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) may embark on industrial action today over plans by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to reverse storage charges at the seaports.

In a letter with reference number MWUN/HMT/ FMT/WDR/360 dated November 10, this year and sent to the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, the union said it was “alarmed that an institution with or without known legal authority to perform the duties of Port Regulator could evolve such biased directive targeting terminal operationals costs alone with dire consequences on our member’’.

The letter signed by the union’s Secretary-General, Comrade Aham Ubani, said

By Oluwakemi Dauda

the council’s directive on the reduction of storage charges at the seaports would affect the welfare of dockworkers and hamper port efficiency.

He accused the council of not consulting with relevant stakeholders on the implication of its directive before issuing it.

The union said it would be wrong to blame the high cost of doing business at the seaports on the terminal operators.

According to the MWUN, poor access roads to the port which gives rise to higher cost of trucking goods in and out of the ports; presence and practice of illegal tolls/ extortions by various agencies operating in the ports both legally and illegally;

activities of some customs men and officers which also add to the operational cost of ports; effect of congestion giving rise to demurrage and additional increase on the cost of clearing goods in the port; and delays in effecting custom examination and the attitude of most customs officers as lords who must be worshipped by agents rather than serving the needs of the customers as diligent civil servants all contribute to the high cost of doing business at the nation’s seaports.

“The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria feels seriously aggrieved by the consequences of your directive as manifest in the refusal of our employers (i.e. Terminal Operators and Stevedoring Contractors) to

negotiate the Dockworkers Condition of Service which is due for re-negotiation this year.

“Our members have become restive and may resort to self-help action nationwide with effect from Monday, November 17 if the terminal operators still refuse to negotiate on the grounds of being incapacitated by the directive.

“While humbly soliciting the Honourable Minister’s prompt intervention on this issue, we by copy of this letter to Shippers’ Council demand for immediate withdrawal of this biased directive to allow for search for a collective solution to the issue,” he said, MWUN said its demand has become necessary to avert avoidable crisis at the ports.

partnership with about 480 corporate, large international banks, other financial institutions and invest banks.

He said because of what they have done over time, they are now in the position of knowledge on how economies work and to review what is happening across the developing markets, adding that with respect to Nigeria, the conference is symbolic because Nigeria represents the largest market in Africa, and that the time has to review development across the markets in the continent, on the topical issues, the chal-

lenges and the developments across the Continent.

Wigwe said the outcome of the meeting will lead to financial deepening in the country and by extension, the Africa continent.

He said the meeting focused on the fact that Africa needs capital, stating that the continent has witnessed a lot of development and that it was essential to fashion out how to raise enough capital to ensure that the current development is sustained.

He pointed out that there is a huge infrastructure need, especially with the power sector,

‘Financial sector, institute’s partnership will enhance Corporate Governance’

T

HE involvement of Ni gerian financial institu tions with the Institute of International Finance (IIF), will ensure the enthronement of governance principles in the nation’s financial system, the Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, has said.

Wigwe, who spoke at the end of the Third Africa Summit of the IIF in Lagos over the weekend, in the company of the IIF President/ CEO, Tim Adams and another official, David Hedley, said the Nigerian financial system is gradually attain-

By Simeon Ebulu

ing the governance level required to get money from overseas, stating that no investor would put his money where risks abound, as there are alternate markets ready to absorb such funds. He said “ the day you are not transparent with your investors,” there would be trouble.

He said what is important is that this is the first time the IIF is holding the African Summit in Lagos Nigeria, stressing that development is important because IIF is a global institution that is in

HE Bank of Industry (BoI) said efforts were underway to increase partnerships with research institutes and equipment fabricators that have developed indigenous technology.

This, the bank said, was in line with its objective of increasing access of small enterprises to affordable equipment.

The bank further said over 2,800 enterprises have received interventions from the bank with at least one million jobs generated.

Speaking at the BoI Day at the recently concluded International Trade Fair in Lagos, the Managing Director of the bank, Rasheed Olaoluwa, explained that the bank has concluded plans to ensure that 30 per cent of its risk assets are accounted for by small businesses, especially those involved in the agro-allied, solid minerals and gas sectors.

Olaoluwa, who was represented by the Executive Director, Small and Medium Enterprises,Waheed Olagunju, explained that the move by the bank was because of the need to increase the production capacity of the country rather than encouraging reliance on foreign economies.

“Today, BoI has restrategised to bring the bank closer to our customers. We have increased our focus and intervention to the SME sector. With a staff profile, who have at least 200 years combined experience in development financing, we hope to address the growing needs of our customers,” he added.

He justified the need to review loans to enable the sector to create more jobs and generate wealth.

• Wigwe

but added that a lot more will be done, if local capital is raised to support human capital. He said there’s unanimity of agreement that if power is resolved, it will see greater development and lower costs of production.

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THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

BUSINESS NEWS

NEXIM CEO for non-oil export conference on Thursday

T

HE Managing Direc tor/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM ), Mr. Roberts Orya, is the Distinguished Guest Speaker at the Nigeria NonOil Export & Investment Development Conference billed for Thursday, at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The theme of the conference is: Nigeria: Beyond oil & gas.

The event would be chaired by Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, the Group Managing Director/CEO, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc. In a statement, Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Business Journal magazine, Prince Cookey, said the major objectives of the conference is to provide a platform for stakeholders in the non-oil sector and investments to review the progress made over the years to stimulate nonoil export in the country, attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the economy and generate ideas for the non-oil roadmap for Nigeria.

He said the fora would also

By Okwy Iroegbu- Chikezie

create and sustain investor awareness/confidence on non-oil sector development, showcase non-oil export potential of the country to local and foreign investors, showcase investment opportunities in Nigeria towards attracting robust local and FDI into the economy and grant unique opportunity for operators in the non-oil sector to showcase their products and services to the market.

Cookey listed some of the topics at the conference to include strategies for nonoil sector growth: The NEXIM Perspective, strategies for industrial growth and export, non-oil export: Key to sustainable sconomic growth; will export processing zones change Nigeria’s economic story?, the drive for Foreign Direct Investment: The NIPC perspective; maximising non-oil potential of Nigeria: An operator’s perspective and the role of banks in growth of non-oil sector in Nigeria.

T

Why quality of service remains poor, by NCC

HE Nigerian Commu nications Commission (NCC) has said quality of service (QoS) continues to be a problem in the telecoms sector not only because the highest percentage of telecoms traffic rides on wireless using microwave but because the sector is not insulated from what is happening within Nigeria’s ecosystem.

Its Director, Public Affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo, who spoke on the sideline during the NCC Day at the Lagos International Trade Fair organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), described the problem as too much pressure in terms of traffic on telecoms networks due to the dearth of fixed lines.

He said in developed countries that subscribers are quick to compare the country with, mobile phones are

By Lucas Ajanaku

only used when the user is mobile, lamenting that in Nigeria, mobile is everything from offices to market to homes.

According to him, 98 per cent of telecoms services in the country run on mobile which includes satellite, arguing that satellite technology has proven not to be resilient when there is rainfall.

Ojobo, who represented the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, said the problem of unsolicited messages had a universal application as investigation had shown that most of the messages were rogue ones that originate from foreign countries, us-

ing the internet but riding on the infrastructure of the telcos.

According to him, the lack of adequate fixed infrastructure has further complicated the matter, as operators also face challenges, such as vandalism, Right of Way (RoI), delay in granting approvals for infrastructure rollout by the government regulatory agencies, both at federal and state levels.

“In Nigeria, there is a lot of pressure on the mobile networks. For instance, 98 per cent services being provided are resting on the mobile networks. In developed countries, there are adequate fixed infrastructures, they only use mobile services while they are on the move and use fixed line

while at home, offices and other fixed places.

“This, however, is not the case in Nigeria where whether at homes, offices, kitchens, toilets and anywhere, subscribers use mobile services, thereby putting great pressures on the mobile operators.”

He said as at 2001, when the telecoms sector was liberalised, only about 450,000 connected lines were in the country for a population 100 million.

“But today, we are talking of over 132 million connected lines in 13 years on the mobile networks, which are also facing a number of operating challenges. What we are saying here is that what has happened in the industry is phenomenal.

Within a very short time of 13 years, we have connected millions of subscribers,” he said.

Govt, oil firms discuss gas supply

B

OTHERED by gross in adequate gas supply to power generating plants and the consequent huge deficit in electricity supply, President Goodluck Jonathan has mandated Vice President Namadi Sambo to meet oil companies that produce gas, gas aggregators and stakeholders in the gas sector to find a solution to the gas problem.

The government had to take the step as previous efforts over the years to compel gas producers to meet their supply obligations to meet domestic demand had failed. The gas producers are insisting that government has to pay them at international price, which government seems incapable of affording because natural gas is highly underpriced in Nigeria as an incentive to boost gas utilisation locally. However, with development and increasing gas-consuming projects, the volume of gas required to meet local consumption has jumped and the oil firms as profit-oriented concerns, said they cannot

• Gas producers insist on international price

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

meet the huge requirement except at international price.

A source in the petroleum industry told The Nation that the meeting has been fixed and cancelled twice by the presidency due to political engagement but noted that a new date is likely next week.

“Appropriate pricing has been a critical factor over the years. Previous arrangements and agreements with the oil companies who also are the gas producers, on supply of gas for domestic usage, have continued to fail because of the pricing issue.

Therefore, what the government wants to achieve now, is to see how the stakeholders will agree on an appropriate pricing, which will not be benchmarked on international price but will be encouraging enough to enable the gas producers not to default in their supply obligations,” the source said.

Agric sector excites investors

E

XPECTATIONS of longterm growth in food de mand is making investments in food-related firms very attractive, an expert, Mr Robo Adhuze, has said.

Adhuze,Chief Operating Officer, Centre for Cocoa Initiative, told The Nation that efforts had been made to reduce the uncertainties and risks in agricultural production.

He said the industry was becoming attractive to financial players.

With the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government, he said many financial players were getting involved in the agrifood sector.

These include individual institutional investors, commercial and investment banks, private equity funds, and other trading venues for fund managers.

He said farmers were dependent on agriculture as their primary source of income and

By Daniel Essiet

need money to meet production targets.

He said farmers needed a various financial services, from small advances to tide over consumption needs to loans for investment for productive purposes.

While the nation has a range of rural financial service providers, which include commercial banks, Adhuze said bankers are not assisting farmers ,as a result many of them are deprived of formal finance.

As access to financial services reduces vulnerability and helps poor people increase their income, he said improving this access has become important and that farmers require timely finance delivery to grow their businesses.

He expressed concern that farmers are facing a number of challenges, linked to the effects of climate change.

• From left: Group Head, Business Banking Group of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Mr. George Ogbonnaya; Divisional Head, Transaction Banking, Mrs. Rolayo Akhigbe; Deputy Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Egboma Oni; FCMB’s Zonal Head, Port Harcourt 1, Mr. Oliver Okpara and President, Aba Importers Association, Chief Otems Eme, at the Customers Forum on International Trade Business organised by FCMB in Aba.

‘70 % of textile workers lose jobs to fake products’

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VER 70 per cent of tex tile workers in Ni geria have lost their jobs to closure of textile manufacturing companies and fake clothing materials from China, just as global counterfeiting estimate could hit N1.7trilion by next year, an Executive of International Trademark Association (INTA), Lara Kayode, has said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a stakeholders’ summit on counterfeiting of products in Nigeria, Lara, whose organisation is committed to curbing the proliferation of coun-

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By Akinola Ajibade

terfeiting goods through advocacy, said companies and manufacturers have lost huge revenue to the activities of fake producers.

She said: “Findings reveal that over 70 per cent of textile workers in Nigeria have lost their jobs to closure of manufacturing companies and the emergence of counterfeiting products from China.’’

Lara, also a Principal Partner O.K. Kayode & Co, said billions of naira had been lost to fake clothing materials, mostly from China. She said

since 2001, many textile firms have closed due to bad economy, failure of the Federal Government to regulate importation of goods to the country, porous borders, among other issues.

Also, the Director-General, Consumers Protection Council(CPC), Dupe Atoki, said plans were underway to establish consumers protection council department in all major institutions across the country to fight the menace.

She said it was expensive to push laws in the National Assembly, noting that the government was doing a lot to

‘curb counterfeiters through policies and legislations. She said there was the need for stakeholders to unite and see how they would use lobby to influence the passage of laws and to stop incidence of fake products in the country.

“We are working with the Standard Organisation of Nigeria(SON) on how to provide strong enforcement programs to halt the trend. Very soon, the two bodies would go to town to provide strong implementation mechanisms on the issue of fake products,’’ she added.

and how the nation would cope with the development.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the Federal Government had put in place contingency plans to deal with the problem.

The NECA chief warned that the country was prone to serious economic crisis if there were no plans to arrest the situation, advising Nigerians to cut on their expenses.

He argued that the fall in price of crude oil should have been used by the Federal Government to phase out fuel subsidies to petroleum marketers, saying the regime was no longer vital for the economy.

He advised the Federal Government to jettison what he called sloppy attitude to privatisation and embrace the policy to strengthen the economy.

Oshinowo noted that nothing stops the Federal Government from privatising the ailing refineries having recorded success in the privatisation of the power and telecoms sectors.

He advocated the need for the government to privatise the airports for efficient services.

On regulation in the country, he said some of the Federal Government’s agencies are clogs in the wheel of progress because of ill-defined roles.

NECA chief seeks labour reforms

HE Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Associa tion (NECA) has advocated the reform of industrial and labour relations in workplaces.

Its Director-General, Olusegun Oshinowo, told The Nation that this was necessary to strengthen labour and industrial harmony in line with international best standards.

“Our call for the reform of industrial and labour relations practices in workplaces in Nigeria is necessary in order to strengthen labour and industrial harmony in the country in line with international best standards,” he said.

By Toba Agboola

He decried delays in the remittance of check-off dues by employers, saying the development was not good enough for the workers.

He pointed out that there were no automatic check-off dues before 1978.

Oshinowo also lamented unionism in the oil and gas sector, saying the unions act outside the law to agitate for their members’demands.

He berated the Federal Government for failing to deal with the fall in international price of crude oil.

He said the government ought to roll out plans as well as explain the implications of the fall to Nigerians

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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BUSINESS NEWS

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Lagos has opportunities in tourism, says Ikuforiji

AGOS State has the potential to generate most of its revenue from tourism, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has said.

He told The Nation that the state is endowed to be a tourist haven. “Today, I believe Lagos should be the center of Africa, it should be the hub from where every other part of Africa, gets connected. I think we are naturally endowed and positioned to serve as a tourist centre,” he said, adding, “we have seen small places, not as endowed as we are, perform this role and doing it successfully. You look at a place like Dubai, it’s not as naturally gifted as we are, if they can do it there, we can do it here.

“Look at our Lagos, it has more to offer in terms of tourism, if we develop it. I know for example that between the Badagry and the Epe-Ibeju Lekki axis, if you know the number of beauti-

By Simeon Ebulu

ful Islands that we have, and you see the landscape and the rest of those things that make for tourism, you will be baffled, it’s like sitting on billions of barrels of touristic oil.

“If we go about it the right way, if we bring all the seriousness it requires into it, if we take care of our energy needs, and if we take care of the security, I’m sure we have what it takes to make Lagos a tourism destination and reap abundantly from that,” he said.

Ikuforiji, who spoke on his plans for the state in the on-going race for the governorship seat, said he would adopt the captive power option to address the power outages in Lagos.

He said he would light up the state by generating and transmitting the power from badges anchored on the sea, stating that the required technol-

Firm plans to manufacture cables for oil industry

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OYAL Niger Emerging Technologies, an indigenous company, is planning to set up a plant for the manufacture of umbilical products in Nigeria that will be dedicated to the local market, the company’s Managing Director, Anthony Okolo, has said.

An umbilical is a cable which supplies fluid, power and data to drilling and production equipment.

Th e um b i l i c a l s wi l l be manufactured at the company’s facility in Badagry, Lagos.

Okolo said the facility is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2015, adding that the facility will be capable of receiving umbilical components from multiple manufacturers in a variety of configurations, lengths and materials.

He said: “The plant will be a key element in ensuring that leading manufacturers of umbilical products are able to meet their Nigerian Content compliance requirements by producing up to 60 per cent of the tonnage of the equipment in Nigeria while offering benefits of reduced cost in logistics

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the same problem with the hotels and the only excuse they give is power, he added.

On infrastructure, Ikuforiji assured that he will always stand by his promises and will never politicise like others who do not honour their promises.

His word: “Those who promise one thing during campaigns and don’t do anything later, are politicians. I have never said one thing that I did not follow to the letter and I am not a politician who will just come out and tell you that I will do it. I have done it.

The House of Assembly that I lead is the number one in this nation. Nobody can contradict that.

If I can do that with the Legislature, it is easier for me to do it with the Executive. If we have done what we have done with the Legislature from where we met it and have built an institution out of it, it is easier for people to trust me since I am

proven. I don’t tell people I can do what I can’t do. In the same vein, I don’t tell people I can’t do what I know that I can do,” he stressed.

He said with some efforts, Lagos State can derive much revenue from tourist activities, as it is with Ghana. “If you go to the airport, you see many young people going to Accra to spend the weekend. Why can’t we develop Lagos to be a tourist spot to attract them? What we will get from that in terms of revenue is much. What we have now as revenue is a small portion compared to what we can get from tourism alone,” stated.

Ikuforiji said he is committed to helping the youths find accommodation in the scheme of things, but regretted that banks are somewhat reluctant to support them financially. “We have so many enterprising youths in Lagos. They have the physical strength and

•Hon Ikuforiji

competence to put in their best, to make the most of entrepreneurial opportunities if given the chance.

What they need to start off is so very little. However, most financial houses are always weary to fund these youths. They consider this very risky. The government should encourage them. There must be funds to encourage them, particularly the young ones. If this is done, believe me, we can turn this place around within a few years,” he said.

By Akinola Ajibade

and operations. The plant will also support after market services including repairs, reeler management and splicing.”

According to him, the plant will complement the efforts of the Minister of Petroleum Resources through the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to domicile this capacity in Nigeria with the intention to limit capital flight of approximately $400 million, which will occur on projects between 2015 and 2018 without the development of this plant.

An Executive Director of the company, Mr. Ivan Paoli, said: “The company hopes the industry will recognise the value this investment will bring in order to level the playing field for those that will be involved in umbilical projects in the future. We, therefore, call upon the NCDMB and industry stakeholders to open up dialogue on industry requirements in order to ensure the facility has the requisite flexibility and capabilities to serve the laudable objectives of its inception.”

Adesina for agric exhibition tomorrow

GRICULTURE Minis ter Dr Akinwumi Adesina has given his nod to attend the Agra Innovative Nigeria exhibitionand conference billed to hold between tomorrow and Wednesday at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He is expected to give the opening keynote address to kick off the two-day ceremony. In a speech during a visit by the officials of the organisers Infomat in his office in Abuja, the minister was quoted as saying: “The Nigeria Government and, indeed, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan supports ‘Agra Innovate Nigeria’ and we look forward to seeing Nigeria’s agribusiness repre-

ogy to achieve this, is readily available.

As he put: “The technology right now has made that even more achievable. It is all over the place.

You can put a barge there in the high seas, and we have them in various sizes, and the electricity is generated and transmitted to the various sections of the state.

“I can take Ibeju-Lekki, Epe as a zone and with less than 100megawatts barge on the high seas, that sector is taken care of. You can then take, say Mushin, Ilupeju and some other areas down there, generate and push it to that side, and that will be it in the interim, while you are building larger plants, and so on to take care of whatever in the future, but for the main time we can do that,” he stated.

He lamented that a number of companies have closed down or moved to the neighbouring countries because of this issue of electricity. It’s

sented at the ceremony.’’

Informat’s Project Director David Ross said his firm is the lead exhibitor in the West African sub-region, adding that it is also global keyplayer in the sector. He said the forum would provide an opportunity for stakeholders in the agricultural sector free access to a vibrant exhibition of latest technology. He said leading Nigerian companies, such as Swiss Biostadt, Dizengoff and other firms from Germany, Spain, Canada, Turkey, India, South Africa were being expected at the event.

He is optimistic that the forum would help to boost the transformation agenda of the Jonathan government in agriculture.

• From left: Council Member, Bank Directors Association of Nigeria (BDAN), Chief Ope Bademosi; Treasurer/Council Member, Michael G. Tarfa; Council Member, Sir Steve Omojafor; President, Olor’ogun Dr Sonny F. Kuku; Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele; BDAN Council Member, Mr Sam Cookey Jr; Vice President, Mrs Foluke Abdulrazaq; Deputy Governor, CBN, Suleiman Barau; Council Member, BDAN, Dr Lucy Newman; Council member, Adedapo Adeleke; Mrs Nike Animasaun, Executive Secretary, BDAN during the visit to Emefiele in Abuja.

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‘Cargo market worth N600b’

HE air freight cargo business in the country is worth N6billion, the Chairman, PrimePorts Logistics, Mr Femi Adewunmi, has said.

Limiting the business to a few operators in select airports, Adewunmi said, could stall the growth of freight from countries, such as the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), China and the Middle East.

Adewunmi, who spoke with The Nation, said the government must put the necessary policy in place to harmonise airport charges and other relevant duties to attract importers to route their cargoes through

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HE Flight Safety Foundation( FSF) has announced its conferment of lifetime achievement award on former directorgeneral, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren.

He was recognised last week at its 67th Annual International Air Safety Summit.

By Kelvin Osa-Okubo

other airports other than the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He identified inefficiencies in the supply chain of air freight as an opportunity to attract more operators to deepen participation in the logistic business.

He said it is important for the government to put in place friendly policies that could make the Port Harcourt International Airport more attractive for air freight.

Adewunmi said: ”As an example, to date, hundred

per cent of PrimePort’s handled cargo are diversions from Lagos or new traffic and their customers are seeing the difference and are now insisting on their suppliers and freight forwarders to ship directly to Port Harcourt cargo airport.

“The market needs more companies like PrimePort Logistics to make the investments and focus all its effort in driving volumes back to Port Harcourt cargo airport and by the way, the same principles apply to our seaports too.”

He noted that until the government puts in place incentives to drive cargo

volume into the Port Harcourt International Airport, operators would not be able to tap into the N630 billion market share available in the Garden City and its environs.

Freight operators using a i r t r a nspor t f a c i l i t i es, Adewunmi said, only tap into 2.5 per cent of the 17.5 million kilogrammes of cargo brought into Port Harcourt annually.

He said of the several millions of cargoes brought into the country annually, Port Harcourt’s market share accounts for only 25 per cent, out of which a paltry 2.5 per cent ate flown in by air.

Demuren gets award The Chief Executive Officer of Flight Safety Foundation, Mr Jon Beatty, described Demuren as a professional dedicated to the growth and sustenance of safety in African aviation.

"Harold has spent more than 40 years of his professional career dedicated to raising the aviation safety standards in Africa," Jon L.

Beatty, president and CEO of FSF, said.

He added: "The African aviation community is stronger and safer thanks to his tireless commitment and we are all grateful for his hard work."

Demuren began his career with the Federal Ministry of Civil Aviation in Nigeria and was appointed the director

general of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority in 2005.

He held that position until lasty year.

As DG, Demuren introduced best practices and standards to aviation successfully completed the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme in 2006.

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THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

86.6m Nigerians have no insurance, says CIIN chief

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O fewer than 86.6 million Nigerians have no insurance cover, while 1.3 million adults, representing 1.5 per cent of adults maintain one category of insurance cover or the other, the President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Mr Bola Temowo, has said.

He made this known at the institute’s yearly education seminar in Benin City.

Speaking on the theme: Maximising channels of distribution for insurance penetration, he said there was the need for improvement of the industry’s marketing machinery and action plan for actualising the Financial Inclusion Strategy (FIS) in service delivery.

According to him, it is envisaged that the record of Nigeria’s insuring population would receive a boost and improve the industry’s profile in global ranking.

He stressed that the government envisioned an industry that could turn its fortunes around to rank among the 20 largest markets in the world by 2020 from 60th in the world.

He said: “The seminar theme, therefore, calls for the improvement of the industry’s marketing machinery and the need for an Industry action plan for actualising the Financial Inclusion Strategy (FIS) in the delivery of Insurance products and services to the critical mass, comprising the low income earners. It focuses on the maximisation of existing and emerging channels of distribution as key to achieving deeper Insurance penetration.

“The significance of insurance in

• From left: Deputy Director Authorisation and Policy National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Akah Leo; Commissioner for Finance Edo State, John Enegbedion; M. Temowo and Deputy Lady Isioma Chukwuma at the event.

the life of Nigeria cannot be over emphasised. These trying times are fraught with several risk factors for both individuals and corporate bodies. As risk managers, it behooves us to increase the tempo of our campaigns for insurance awareness in order to get more Nigerians to embrace insurance with minimal compulsion.

“The CIIN has continued to explore all platforms for the propagation of insurance education and promotion of general

financial literacy. Our training and retraining programmes are being intensified, while creating new channels for capturing the younger generation and ensuring that they embrace insurance consciously as a course of study”.

He stated that the campaign for insurance awareness has become the collective concern of the entire industry adding that the Insurance Industry Consultative Council (IICC), the body c o m p r i s i n g al l ar m s o f t h e

industry, has also taken positive steps towards sensitising Government agencies on the pivotal role of insurance in the country.

The Council of our institute has also adopted measures geared at involving all stakeholders in the campaign. We have recently been appealing to insurance institutions to adopt a secondary or tertiary institution close to them and support such institutions with their employees as volunteer teachers who

would take time off their official schedules to teach insurance courses in the Schools, he said.

Managing Director RiskguardAfrica Nigeria Limited Yemi Soladoye urged the operators to evolve new channel contrary to the channels used to distribute insurance products.

He told them to eliminate unnecessary overheads by collaborating with other sectors to maximise the enormous insurance benefits in the country.

NAICOM trains ICPC officials on regulations, others

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HE National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has trained officers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to ensure a seamless collaboration between the two agencies on investigation and inspection of insurance firms and practitioners.

Insu rance Commissioner, Fola Daniel, who spoke at the workshop, said this would help in protecting policy holders’ rights and interests.

He said the purpose of equipping the ICPC officers was to enable them have the requisite knowledge of insurance regulations and practices, which is unique to the industry and differentiate it from

LASACO introduces quickteller

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ASACO Assurance Plc has boosted the cashless policy of the government with the introduction of online payment through Quickteller for its product and services, Managing Director of Lasaco Assurance Plc, Mr. Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi has said.

Ladipo-Ajayi, who made this known in Lagos, explained that the new payment regime is simplified as it entails customers logging on to website follow through a simple process to effect payment.

The new method is one of the strategies being put in place to ensure customers’ convenience thereby deepening the bond between the brand and its customers.

He said in line with the company’s desire to build on the achievement recorded last year, would focus more on its customers.

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

other financial services.

He noted that a good understanding of the insurance regulatory environment and practices would enable an efficient and effective investigation and prosecution of matters that may come up for action by the ICPC. He said: “Suffice it to say that NAICOM is saddled with regulating and supervising the insurance industry. The primary responsibility of the Commission is to ensure the protection of policy holders’ interests and rights.

“Insurance is built on the principle of utmost good faith, thus, every insurance practitioner is expected to

uphold this principle both in words and deeds. However, NAICOM lacks the requisite powers of enforcement, especially in terms of arrest and prosecution of corrupt or fraudulent operators.

“While we are aware that the ICPC had over the years been working with other regulatory bodies in the monitoring of activities within the different financial services sectors, very little has been witnessed in the insurance sector.”

The training, according to Daniel, is to increase the level of awareness of the ICPC and its officers on the insurance regulatory environment and to foster better understanding of the insurance business model as well as emerging issues in the industry.

“At the end, we expect the officers to be able to outline the legal and regulatory framework of insurance practice; explain the concept and practice of insurance; identify the practical issues and challenges of fraud investigation and prosecution in the insurance industry; discuss strategies for overcoming investigation and prosecution challenges in the industry and outline key indicators of transparency in corporate and business practice of insurance,’’ he said.

He urged the ICPC to join hands with the NAICOM in the fight against fraudulent transactions or activities in furtherance of the intense efforts being made by the government to build a better and transparent nation.

• Daniel

Consolidated Hallmark holds 19th AGM, promises better days

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ONSOLIDATED Hallmark Insurance (CHI Plc) has recorded N4.1 billion in its gross premium income in 2013 financial year, representing a N315.3 million increase or eight per cent improvement over the N3.8 billion achieved in the 2012.

He made this known at the 19th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the firm in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

The company, however, made a significant provision for impairment for outstanding premium.

This, they said, is to have a clean

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break from the era of debtors overhang thus, paving the way for future profitability.

The company also recorded a cash flow position during the period having improved on the N1.8 billion recorded during the preceding year with an increase to N2.2 billion in its cash and cash equivalents.

Its Vice Chairman, Tony Aletor, said the company made a provision of N547.7 million as impairment charges for the period.

He also told the shareholders that having cleaned the books, future results would be better.

Its Managing Director, Eddie Efekoha, said one of the major strategies that has sustained the company’s business is the avowed commitment to prompt and adequate claims settlement.

He disclosed that despite the challenging operating environment last year, CHI’s expenses on claims rose from N846.6 million in 2012 to N965.1, adding that at the close of business on December 31, last year, the company ensured that all fully documented claims for the year were settled.

He added that the finance company subsidiary, Grand Treasurers Limited (GTL) remained upbeat in their contributions to the bottom line of the Group and has grown its loan book by 125 per cent while keeping its loan loss ratio at 5 per cent.

He also said CHI Support Services Limited, the NCC licensed vehicle tracking outfit of the company, has continued to play a complementary role to ensure that the company meets the emerging needs of auto insurance customers, who desire added benefits.

Group hires CEO for UK insurance firm

ILLIS Group Holdings Plc (WSH) has hired Nicolas Aubert from American International Group Inc. (AIG) and designated him as the next chief executive officer of

the UK Insurance business.

Aubert, who was AIG’s chief operating officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa, will report to Willis Deputy CEO, Steve Hearn and take over

insurance unit after it receives regulatory approval.

“Nicolas’s wealth of specialty and retail experience in the UK and abroad, combined with his strong technical knowledge of

the market and the evolving needs of complex clients, make him the ideal candidate to drive forward the continued growth,” Willis CEO Dominic Casserley said in the statement.

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

29

ISSUES

A gas plant

One year after the privatisation of the power sector, Nigerians are yet to enjoy stable electricity due largely to inadequate gas supply. Experts say that unless a sound policy framework is put in place to ensure optimal production and delivery of gas to power Generation Companies (GENCOs), the nation’s target of 20,000 Megawatts (Mw) of electricity by 2020 would not be met, writes AKINOLA AJIBADE.

The gas supply nightmare

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ITH an estimated 187 trillion proven gas reserves, and 600trillion unproven gas reserves, Nigeria, ordinarily, should not be agonising over shortage of gas to power her turbines and guarantee steady supply of elec-

tricity to her citizens. In fact, experts say that Nigeria has enough gas to power the whole of Africa. They said the gas that is flared daily can generate enough electricity for the country.

Besides, countries that do not have gas are not having electricity problems. For

instance, as President, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of Nigeria (LPGAN), Mr. Dapo Adesina, noted, South Africa, with 55 million population, generates about 40,000 Megawatts (Mw) of electricity despite not having gas in abundance. In the absence of gas, Isreal

also uses coal to generate electricity, ditto Rwanda that generates 350 megawatts of electricity through renewable energy sources.

But Nigeria, despite her quantum of proven gas reserves, has not been able • Continued on page 30

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

30

ISSUES

The gas supply nightmare •Continued from page 29

to ensure a fairly stable supply of electricity either through the use of gas, hydro or renewable energy sources such as coal, wind, solar or bio-mass. Rather than do so, The Nation learnt that a combination of the activities of pipeline vandals, infrastructural decay, long distance between the locations of the power plants and the gas pipelines, and inadequate incentives for investors who invest in gas plants, conspired to frustrate efforts at achieving uninterrupted gas supply to the power plants.

For instance, rising incidents of outright sabotage of some crucial gas pipelines is blamed for the recent drop in gas supply to the power sector. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)’s reported that saboteurs were responsible for the destruction of Escravos gas pipeline in 2013. The Corporation said the EscravosWarri stretch of the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS), and the Trans Forcados crude pipeline, were destroyed, adding that investigations conducted by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), its subsidiary, revealed that the pipelines were punctured.

The NNPC said 20 ruptured pipelines have been identified at the last count, all due to deliberate sabotage. “The cumulative effect of the above interruptions is a real degradation of power supply to Nigerians. The Ministry of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and NNPC would continue to make efforts to ensure gas supply in a difficult situation,” the NNPC explained.

The challenge of gas supply, which has become a torn in the flesh of the new core investors in the power sector, government and electricity consumers in general, may have been accentuated by the dynamics of the nation’s power sector. Gaspowered plants require huge volume of gas to generate electricity. For instance, as the President, Petroleum and Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Emeke Ene, noted, Nigeria’s power sector operates on 80 per cent turbines and 20 per cent hydro, which means that the power plants need an uninterrupted gas supply to guarantee steady electricity supply.

Ene said the power sector uses more than 70 per cent of the domestic gas production, while the remaining percentage is shared among the petrochemical and fertiliser companies. “The capacities of the turbines are different, ditto the volume of gas required to generate power. The turbines are designed to meet certain production targets. The plants can only meet their targets when they access gas regularly. For Nigeria to increase power generation from 5,000 Mw to 10,000 Mw gas must be supplied regularly to the sector.” Ene explained.

The Chief Executive officer, Niger Delta Exploration and Production Company (NDEPC), Lai Fatona, agrees with him,

noting that turbines require millions of standard cubic feet of gas per day for optimum performance. Fatona said 200,635 standard cubic feet of gas per day is needed to produce 1,000 megawatts, while 2.635 million standard cubic feet of gas per day would give the country 10,000 megawatts of electricity.

Giving a breakdown, Fatona said while 10,031 standard cubit feet of gas per day will produce 50 megawatts, 20,063 standard cubit feet of gas per day will provide 100 megawatts.

Similarly, the NNPC said power firms need millions of metric tonnes of gas per day to generate electricity and attain optimal level. Also, the Special Adviser to Minister of Power on Investments, Finance and Donor Relations, Olajuwon Olaleye, said power and oil and gas sector needs each other for growth.

Olaleye said failure to develop one affects the other, arguing that the two should be developed if Nigeria’s power situation would improve like that of United States, Germany, and other developed economies.

Power supply in Nigeria has been dropping for a long time now. At present, Nigeria survives on less than 5,000 Mw of electricity, a level considered a far cry from the 20, 000 Mw of electricity the nation targets to realise the much-trumpeted Vision 20: 2020. Between July to September 2014 alone, power supply dropped below 3, 500 Mw, the lowest this year. According to analysts, this means that the impact of the privatisation of the power sector, which saw the assets of the now defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) sold to fifteen new private investors, is far from being felt one year down the line.

The expectation was that the sale of the assets would bring succour to Nigerians most of who have been groping in darkness for long, but this has not been the case, as there has not been much improvement in electricity supply even as consumers daily complain of estimated bills. Experts blame this on government’s inability to wheel enough gas to the sector for the purpose of generating electricity. The occasional drop in the water level of the hydro power plants also contributed to the poor power supply in the country.

And as the Chief Executive officer, Frontier Oil Limited, Dada Thomas puts it: “There is no adequate infrastructure in place to ensure speedy and uninterrupted supply of gas to the power plants. This has a cumulative effect on the operation of

•Nebo

‘

•Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Alison DiezaniMadueke

20 ruptured pipelines have been identified at the last count, all due to deliberate sabotage. “The cumulative effect of the above interruptions is a real degradation of power supply to Nigerians

’

without a robust energy programme.

Hear him: “Nobody can underestimate the im• Chief Executive officer, Nigerian Electricity Reguportance of latory Commission(NERC), Sam Amadi gas to the While stating that the probpower sector. Globally, the bulk of electricity is generated lems in the sector are nearing sothrough turbines. Though many lution, Olaleye said government counties are exploring opportu- is advocating the adoption of ennities in the off-grid electricity, ergy mix in the country. Accordgas helps in generating electric- ing to him, government sees enity sufficient to grow the ergy mix as a platform to imeconomy. Based on this, the Fed- prove electricity supply in the eral Government has put in country. The Commissioner for place machineries to solve the Energy in Lagos State, Taofiq gas problem, one of which is the Ajibade, also said that energy recent increase in the price of mix is the only option through gas from $1.5 per 1,000 stand- which Nigeria can overcome its ard cubit feet of gas to $2.5 per electricity challenges. He said the issue of combining various 1,000 standard cubit of gas.”

Olaleye explained that the aim sources of generating electricity is vital to the growth of the of increasing the price of gas was to encourage more invest- economy, urging the federal and ment in gas in order to fast-track state governments to embrace the the growth of the power sector. idea According to the commisHe said another effort aimed at addressing gas shortage is the sioner, Lagos receives 930 Mw on-going collaboration between of electricity from the grid, the Ministry of Petroleum Re- which is not enough to meet the sources, the Ministry of Power, needs of its population. That is the Nigerian National Petro- why the state government set up leum Corporation(NNPC), and Independent Power Plants (IPPs) the Nigerian Electricity Regula- and invested in solar energy, tory Commission (NERC), among other projects to compliamong other stakeholders to ment whatever it is getting from provide modalities on how to the grid,” he added.

The Minister of Power, Profesmake gas available to the power firms to improve electricity gen- sor Chinedu Nebo, said the government is set to inject additional eration.

4, 000 Mw of electricity to the current power capacity with new renewable energy contracts for 14 hydro power projects. He said the government is planning But Nigeria, despite her quantum of proven gas reserves, to provide a renewable energy policy that would set the guidehas not been able to ensure a fairly stable supply of electriclines for the use of solar and ity either through the use of gas, hydro or renewable energy coal for power generation, addsources such as coal, wind, solar or bio-mass. ing that the country is blessed with natural resources that can be used to generate power. the power sector, which relies on gas for sustenance. There is the need to explore opportunities in the marginal oil fields across the country. Some oil wells have huge gas reserves.

The Uquo Marginal Oil Field in Eket, Akwa-Ibom State is one of the wells that boasts huge gas reserves. Frontier Oil Limited and Seven Energy International partnered to develop the field.

Now, the field has the capacity to supply millions of metric tonnes of gas power plants to areas in the South -South region.’’

However, government says it is making efforts to address the gas supply challenge. Speaking during the recent third edition of the Worldstage Power Conference in Lagos, Olaleye said government is making frantic efforts to produce 20, 000 Mw by 2020 as part of on-going plans to become one of the biggest economies in the world. He assured that with the construction of the 10 National Independent Power Plants (NIPPs), and the decision of the government to provide gas to the plants to enable them meet their target of 5,000 megawatts of electricity, as well as plans to increase hydro power projects, among other initiatives, power generation would improve soon.

He said power plays important role in achieving meaningful development, arguing that no country can achieve growth

‘

’

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

31

MONEYLINK

Interbank rate up as CBN supports naira

T

HE overnight interbank lending rate spiked 287 basis points, about three per cent, to 10.87 per cent on Friday.

The figure came after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mopped up liquidity via Treasury Bills sales to ward off pressure on the naira, dealers said.

The CBN sold over N200 billion ($1.17 billion) worth of open market bills all through the week, curbing liquidity in the market, to drive up interbank rates.

Meanwhile, the Fitch Ratings has said that Nigerian and Angola, Africa’s biggest oil pro-

ducers have debt to Gross Domestic Products (GDP) levels low enough to withstand slumping crude prices, while Ghana faces risks without an aid package and Zambia from an unexpected election.

Nigeria and Angola, it said, are able to post budget deficits for the next year or two because of their low debt, enabling them to maintain spending with lower oil prices, director of the sovereign group at the agency, Carmen Altenkirch told Bloomberg.

“Nigeria and Angola have the fiscal space to run deficits in the region of four to five per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for a few years without undermining fiscal stability. However, if oil prices remain low for longer, fiscal policy may need to be tightened to avoid downward pressure on the rating,” she said.

Slumping crude prices pushed the naira to a record low last week, prompting pledges from the CBN officials that they’ll continue using foreign-exchange reserves to bolster the currency.

of equity, global depository receipts, public offering or rights issue.

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, the National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association, Sunny Nwosu, said that the shareholders supported the idea of raising fresh funds to enable it compete favorably among its peers in the industry as it will enhance the

capacity of the bank to do more business and increase its profit margin, leading to enhanced dividend payment.

“With an enhanced capital, Sterling Bank will be able to go into big ticket transactions dominated by big banks because of their level of capitalisation. The time has come for Sterling Bank to join the league of big banks and have an

Stories by Collins Nweze

Angola cut its estimate November 12 for 2015 oil output to 1.83 million barrels a day from two million. Fitch rates Nigeria and Angola BB-, three steps below investment grade.

“Creditworthiness would benefit from running fiscal surpluses,” Altenkirch said. Fiscal surpluses during the good years will give these countries scope to run deficits due to lower oil prices.”

Ghana and Zambia could be rated at similar levels to Nigeria, Angola and Gabon, which also pumps oil, if their economies were more stable, she said.

‘Why we approved Sterling Bank’s capital raise’

T

HE shareholders of Sterling Bank Plc have hinged their decision to support the request of its directors to raise additional capital on the high level of confidence they have in the Board and Management of the bank and the need to fully strengthen its operations and increase its capital adequacy ratio. They further pointed out that the judicious application of the existing capital by the directors also influenced their decision.

The bank’s shareholders at its extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) held in Lagos last week, endorsed the request of the directors to raise additional capital to boost operations and deliver sustainable returns on investments.

Specifically, the shareholders approved a private placement of N20 billion through the issuance of 7.47 billion shares to Silverlake Investments Limited, a strategic investor based in Mauritius. They also approved the Bank’s plan to raise additional capital up to $200 million through any or a combination

E

Offer Price

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

152.19 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.39 1,705.11 1,096.76 115.98 121.16 1,117.51 1.2241 1.2855 0.8238 1.0941

• UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

Ecobank battles Malaria with cash

COBANK has donated malaria prevention kits worth several millions of naira to various schools and healthcare centres in rural communities across Nigeria being part of activities to mark “Ecobank Day”, observed simultaneously in 36 African countries where Ecobank is present.

Ecobank Day which is an annual event, is a community action day set aside for the bank staff to directly engage with and render service to the community.

In a statement, the lender said the 2014 edition with the theme: Malaria Prevention and Control in Sub-Sa-

Name

O/PRICE 187.11 3.34 0.63 32.80 7.60 50.01 20.90 1.70 0.93 0.79 3.32

C/PRICE 205.90 3.67 0.69 35.70 7.98 52.50 21.93 1.78 0.97 0.82 3.40

CHANGE 10.04 9.88 9.52 8.84 5.00 4.98 4.93 4.71 4.30 3.80 2.41

LOSERS AS AT 13-11-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

the choice of this year’s theme is pertinent as malaria prevention will help save the lives of people especially children in rural communities who lack access to basic healthcare. This, he maintained, supported the bank’s vision to build a world class bank that will contribute to the economic development and financial integration of Africa.

He said the lender has grown from a very modest beginning to become the bank with the widest footprint on the African continent and it is essential that Ecobank gives back.

CHANGE

CIBN organises entrepreneurship devt scheme

T

HE Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria has concluded arrangements to organise an entrepreneurship development programme as part of the Continuing Compulsory Professional Development (CCPD) programme for the year.

This, it said, would enable members of the institute attain the required CCPD credit.

The event which is expected to attract eminent bankers and other distinguished stakeholders in the industry is scheduled to hold on November 25, in Lagos.

The programme will provide a unique platform for participants to identify and explore business opportunities in the Financial Services Industry, develop effective Pricing Strategies and Retool for Business Success in Private Practice.

Seasoned experts have been assembled to address the forum. Top on list are former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Tunde Lemo; Managing Director, Accion Microfinance Bank, Mrs. Bunmi Lawson among others.

DATA BANK RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS) Transaction Dates 20/10/2014 15/10/2014 13/10/2014 ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: October

8.1%

Monetary Policy Rate

12.0%

Foreign Reserves

$37.9b

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

15-10-14 Rate (%) Rate (%) 17-10-14

Overnight (O/N)

11.00

10.917

1M

12.464

12.393

3M

13.281

13.201

140.60

.205

4.70

4.33

-7.87

DANGSUGAR

6.68

6.19

-7.34

6M

FBNH

9.88

9.36

-5.26

14.110

CUSTODYINS

4.00

3.80

-5.00

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

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 349.97m 349.96m

CBN EXCHANGE RATES November 13, 2014

$83

Money Supply (M2)

UBA

SEPLAT

haran Africa saw Ecobank Nigeria staff offering the malaria prevention supplies that include easy to use SD Malaria Testing Kits, Mosquito Treated Nets and Mosquito Repellant Creams to pupils and officials in nine schools and nine basic healthcare centres across the geo-political zones of the country .

Some of the healthcare centres and schools visited include St Kizito Clinic, Jakande Estate Lekki Lagos; Cherubim & Seraphim Primary School, Majidun, Ikorodu Lagos among others.

Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Jibril Aku explained that

Bid Price 151.27 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.68 1.33 1,705.11 1,096.09 115.27 120.30 1,116.70 1.2163 1.2855 0.8089 1.0941

GAINERS AS AT 13-11-14

SYMBOL DANGCEM IKEJAHOTEL RTBRISCOE UNILEVER BERGER FLOURMILL OANDO FIDELITYBK CONTINSURE AIICO FIDSON

increased share of the market,” he said.

Sir Nwosu said that with the array of seasoned professionals in the Executive Management of the Bank, supported by a dynamic board and outstanding work force, an enhanced capital will strengthen the capacity of the bank to do more business leading to improved income and return on investment.

````````````` •CBN Governor Godwin

Emefiele

FOREX RATES

458.96

436.02

-5.00

PORTPAINT

5.21

4.95

-4.99

R-DAS ($/N)

157.29

157.29

UAC-PROP

11.50

10.93

-4.96

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

162.75

CUTIX

1.41

1.34

-4.96

DNMEYER

0.91

0.87

-4.40

Parallel ($/N)

167.50

167.50

ACCESS

8.00

7.68

-4.00

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

US Dollar

154.78

155.78

Pounds Sterling

247.6944

249.2947

Euro

193.4286

194.6783

Swiss Franc

160.4104

161.4468

Yen

1.3617

1.3705

CFA

0.2764

0.2964

228.0521

229.5255

Yuan/Renminbi

25.2949

25.4592

Riyal

41.2582

41.5247

SDR

228.8113

230.2896

WAUA

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Oct. 28, 2014

Rates

T-bills - 91

10.10

T-bills - 182

10.22

T-bills - 364

10.30

Bond - 3yrs

11.52

Bond - 5yrs

11.55

Bond - 7yrs

12.13

32

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 14-11-14

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 14-11-14

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

33

EQUITIES

Capital market to launch new development master plan

A

NEW comprehensive longterm master plan for the Nigerian capital market, which is expected to push the market capitalisation to more than N100 trillion over the decade, is expected to be launched next week.

The master plan, developed under the auspices of the Capital Market Committee (CMC), aggregated collective inputs of all stakeholders in the capital market into a development blueprint that will guide policies, regulations and implementation over the next 10 years.

The CMC, chaired by the director general of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), consists of chief executives of all registered capital market operators including stockbrokers, solicitors, custodians, fund managers, issuing houses, rating agencies, registrars, reporting accountants, trustees and consultants among others. Other members included chief executives of the Char-

•Stakeholders parley at annual retreat

By Taofik Salako, Capital Market Editor

tered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Abuja Securities and Commodity Exchange (ASCE) and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS).

The CMC also included two members each from observer groups, which included Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Debt Management Office (DMO), Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Investment and Securities Tribunal (IST), Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), National Insurance Commission (Naicom), National Pension Commission (Pencom) and FSS2020.

A member of the CMC and chairperson of the CMC Annual Retreat, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sanni, at the weekend confirmed that the new capital market master plan has been completed and would be launched at this year’s annual CMC retreat, holding in Abuja between November 26 and 28. Former Chairman of Accenture Nigeria, Mr. Adedotun Sulaiman chaired the capital market master plan committee.

Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh, who outlined the concept of the master plan had said the underlining aim of the master plan is to raise Nigerian capital market capitalisation from the current position of 27 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to more than 100 per cent of the GDP in the next 10 years.

According to her, the commission

will undertake comprehensive review of the various segments of the market including the regulatory framework, transaction costs, market size, listing and products.

She outlined that the CMC is looking at boosting the market’s efficiency in such a way that allows seamless transactions on the Nigerian market and other global markets.

She said the master plan would take into consideration factors that could impact market growth and develop strategies for robust governance for improved efficiency, transparency and enhancement of the market stability.

Sanni said the 2014 retreat, with the theme: capital market-creating wealth and opportunity, would bring into focus strategies for converting the gains of Nigeria’s larger economy into wealth distribution through the capital market.

She said more than 800 partici-

•From left: Managing Director, FBN Capital Limited, Mr. Kayode Akinkugbe; Chairman, FBN Capital Limited, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika; International Expert on Strategy, Globalisation and Emerging Markets and Guest speaker, Dr. Anil Gupta and Group Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Bisi Onasanya at the FBN Capital 4th Annual Investor Conference in Lagos

pants are expected at the retreat including top government functionaries and leading capital market operators and regulators.

According to her, the retreat would afford capital market stakeholders opportunity to interact and engage on issues that will have positive impact on the market.

Fidson grows net profit by 22% in Q3

F

IDSON Healthcare Plc grew net distributable profit by 22 per cent in the third quarter as the healthcare company optimized marginal sales growth with higher margins.

Interim report and accounts of Fidson Healthcare for the third quarter ended September 30, 2014 showed that while turnover increased by about four per cent from N7.24 billion in third quarter 2013 to N7.5 billion in third quarter 2014, net profit rose by 22 per cent from N381.53 million to N466.36 million.

Profit before tax had risen from N545.04 million to N685.83 million.

Gross profit also rose by six per cent N4.1 billion, largely as a result of an improvement in the cost of sales, which dropped to 45.1 per cent as against 46.7 per cent as at half-year 2014.

The management of the company said its growth trend evidenced its ability to maintain its products’ market share in key therapeutic areas.

“This is driven by innovative products, strategic marketing approaches, robust distribution channels as well as relentless efforts in ensuring quality and various anticounterfeiting initiatives,” Fidson stated at the weekend.

The management reassured that the company is also well positioned for huge growth opportunities, following the projection of a significant improvement in sales upon the completion of its ultra-modern WHO Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliant plant. The plant is proposed to begin operation in 2015.

Investment One opens direct trading to investors

I

NVESTMENT One Stockbrokers International Limited at the weekend opened a new vista in the development of the Nigerian stock market with the launch of its high-end trading portal, which offers on-line, real time trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to savvy investors.

The on-line portal known as ‘Easy Trade’ allows investors to buy and sell stocks directly on the NSE in addition to access to real time market data and back-up research and analyses. The sign-on fee is a oneoff payment of N1, 000 while investors can open account and trade with any amount. Investment One Stockbrokers International Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of Investment One Financial Services Limited.

Managing Director, Investment One Stockbrokers International Limited, Mrs Chidiogo Ezejiofor, said ‘Easy Trade’ would open up the stock market by providing clients with real time trading, market data and various technical indicators to analyse market trend and momentum of the market, thus enabling investors to make informed decisions and trade based on the latest data.

According to her, the online portal combines world-class technology with a robust client data protection and security framework in order to give clients a seamless ex-

perience when processing transactions.

“In addition, we will provide access to in-depth market insight through our research materials to enable our clients make informed investment decisions. This platform will enable our clients manage their stockbroking portfolios on mobile devices, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. The 24 hours, all days connectivity to the portfolio is complemented by access to Investment One’s online customer support through online chat functionality, so that clients can talk directly to the customer service team who will manage their enquiries,” Ezejiofor said.

She noted that Investment One as a financial and investment firm is uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive services to meet clients’ investment requirement, adding that making the art of investing in the Nigerian capital market quicker and simpler through the provision of real-time data to aid informed investment choices, the ‘Easy Trade’ would ensure that all customers enjoy the best offerings of Investment One. Executive director, Investment One Financial Services Limited, Mrs Abimbola Afolabi-Ajayi, explained that the online trading portal provides investors with two options of direct market access to the trading engine at the NSE,

•From Left: Managing Director, Investment One Stockbrokers International Limited, Mrs Chidiogo Ezejoifor; Head, Transformation, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr Olumide Lala and Executive Director, Investment One Financial Services, Mrs Abimbola Afolabi-Ajayi, during the launch of Investment One’s ‘EasyTrade’ online trading platform at the weekend

which is best suited for savvy investors and alternatively, to allow clients’ instructions to go through the Investment One in-house order management system before reaching the Exchange trading engine, which will allow investors’ orders to be previewed and completed by the stockbroker.

She reiterated the commitment of Investment One to capital market literacy in order to give the investing public the confidence to invest wisely.

“This ‘Easy Trade’ is in line with

our corporate social responsibility to promote the market development. It’s an extension of what we have been doing before. We have been doing free investment seminars for members of the public and specifically on the stock market, we have a Virtual Investment Simulator which allows users to trade as though on the Exchange but without the fear factor of capital loss,” Afolabi-Ajayi said.

In his remarks, head, transformation, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Olumide Lala, commended Investment One for devel-

oping the ‘Easy Trade’ portal describing it as another step in the development of the capital market.

He said trading portals like ‘Easy Trade’ closes the gap between the market, investors, operators and regulators, noting that the new trading portal will increase awareness about the market.

Chief executive officer, Infoware Limited, Mr Uwa Agbonile, assured that the ‘Easy Trade’ portal has many layers of protection to protect investors’ accounts and ensure that hackers do not tamper with the seamless operation of the system.

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

34

Taxation Taxation of contract and direct labour procurement of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government in Nigeria. (1)

T

HE Nigerian Tax Laws have provisions for the Taxation of contract Expenditure including those of Government, Ministry, Department and Agencies. The withholding tax (WHT) provision was introduced into the tax system in 1997 with limited coverage to rent, dividends and directors fees. Tax deduction at source has since been expanded to include: - All aspects of building, construction and related services.

- All types of contract and agency arrangement, other than outright sale and purchase of goods and property in the ordinary course of business.

- Consultancy, technical and professional services.

- Management services.

- Commissions - Interest and Royalty.

The introduction of WHT regime came about in order to address the problem of tax evasion although, there is the overriding objective of full disclosure, transparency, predictability and fairness.

Despite the huge Tax Revenue from award of contract and related source deductions, there is a growing interest in the usage of direct labour system in project procurement in Nigeria especially in the public sector. Direct Labour system is one of the several options of procurement used for project delivery process. This type of system is regarded as in-house because procuring entity, as different from contractor’s staff carry out the project delivery process and activities. One of the reasons for the preference for direct labour procurement is the Tax effect. Government Ministries, Department and Agency consume the services of contractors and hence are to be charged VAT by contractors who execute contract for them.

This paper is intended to highlight how Government Expenditures are taxed in Nigeria and the extent to which direct labour procurement can be a Tax evasion scheme. This paper will not in any way address Tax issues relating to Corporate and Individual Expenditures.

THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ACT 2007 AND AWARD OF CONTRACT By the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007, the following should be noted about award of contract and Public Procurement:i. Procuring Entities should outsource those services that are either not part of their core business activity or for which there is a fluctuating requirement in terms of specialist skills or Equipment, or where the open market provides a more efficient and commercial alternative. ii. The approval and maintenance of monetary and prior review thresholds is important for the faithful implementation of the PPA. The thresholds establish relevant approving authorities and methodologies.

“Monetary Thresholds” is defined in the interpretative section of the Act to mean the value limit in Naira set by the Bureau outside of which an approving authority may not award a procurement contract. iii. Procurement to be executed:a. by open competitive bidding, except as otherwise exempted;

‘Despite the huge Tax Revenue from award of contract and related source deductions, there is a growing interest in the usage of direct labour system in project procurement in Nigeria especially in the public sector. Direct Labour system is one of the several options of procurement used for project delivery process’

ByAnuya, F. O. (Ph.D)

b. In a manner which is transparent, timely, and equitable for ensuring accountability and conformity with the Public Procurement Act and regulations deriving therefrom; c. With the aim of achieving value for money and fitness for purpose; d. In a manner which promotes competition, economy and efficiency; and e. In accordance with the laid down procedures and timelines. iv. Where the Bureau has set prior review thresholds, no funds shall be disbursed from the Treasury/ federation Account/ or any bank account of any procuring entity for any procurement falling above the set thresholds unless the cheque, warrant or other form of request for payment is accompanied by a “Certificate of ‘No Objection’ to Award of Contract” duly issued by the Bureau. v. Subject to the monetary and prior review thresholds for procurements, the Parastatal Tenders’ Board of a government agency, Parastatal, or corporation or in the case of a ministry or extra-ministerial entity, the Ministerial Tenders’ Board shall be the Approving Authority for the conduct of public procurement. vi. The following procedure shall be observed by ministries, extra ministerial offices, and other arms of government in implementing their procurement plans, viz; a. Advertise and solicit for bids in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Bureau from time to time; b. Invite two (2) credible persons as observers in every procurement process, one from a private sector professional organization relevant to the procurement and the other from non-government organization working in transparency, accountability and/or anticorruption areas; c. Receive, evaluate and make a selection of the bids in accordance with prescribed guidelines; d. Obtain the approval of the tenders board for the award of contract to successful bidder. e. Obtain “certificate of ‘No objection’ to award contract” from the Bureau where contract is outside the threshold. vii.All bidders in addition to requirements contained in any solicitation documents shall: a.Possess the necessary: -Professional and technical qualifications to carry out particular procurement -Financial capability; -Equipment and other relevant infrastructure; -Shall have adequate personnel to perform the obligations of the procurement contracts. b. Possess the legal capacity to enter into the procurement contract c. Not be in receivership, the subject of any form of insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings or the subject of any form of winding up petition or proceedings d. Must have fulfilled all its obligations to pay taxes, pensions and social security contributions. viii. Procurement Approval Threshold (2012)

ix. Reduction or Contract splitting is an offence in the Public Procurement Act. x. The Accounting Officer of every procuring entity shall be the person charged with the line supervision of the conduct of all procurement process; in the case of Ministries, the Permanent Secretary and in the case of Extra Ministerial Departments and Corporations, the Director General or

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed

Mashi

Officer of Coordinate responsibility. xi. Procurement by Accounting Officers must be on the basis of approved quotation or Tender. Selection must be made from at least three quotations. xii. Section 19 of the Public Procurement Act 2007 specifies conditions for “Force Account” i.e Direct Labour, which should be executed within three months, to include -The procuring entity has ascertained that a schedule of rates, cost – plus or target contract would not be feasible, as quantities of work to be carried out cannot be defined in advance; -Works are small and scattered or in remote locations with no local contractors and demobilization costs for outside contractors would be too high; -Works must be carried out without disrupting existing operations; -The risk of unavailable work interruptions is better borne by procuring entity than by a contractor; -No contractor is interested in conducting the work at a reasonable price; -It has been demonstrated that Force Account (Direct Labour) is the only practical method for constructing and maintaining works under special circumstances; or -Where national security would be compromised if any other method was used.

‘Subject to the monetary and prior review thresholds for procurements, the Parastatal Tenders’ Board of a government agency, Parastatal, or corporation or in the case of a ministry or extra-ministerial entity, the Ministerial Tenders’ Board shall be the Approving Authority for the conduct of public procurement’

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

35

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

•Tractors

For its capacity to create jobs, reduce poverty and increase production in the agricultural value chain, more farmers are embracing mechanised agriculture, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

T

Hidden jobs in agric mechanisation

HE Federal Government has stepped up efforts to increase crop and animal production as part of its wider goal to increase exports and foreign exchange earnings.

This is also intended to close the big balance of payments deficit. To achieve this, the government has put in place initiatives aimed at boosting agriculture production and agroprocessing.

The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said the government is supporting innovative ideas that have the potential to transform the number one driver of the country’s economy.

He noted that the government is developing relevant policies and an enabling environment to foster investment in the agriculture sector.

This will play a big role to boost productivity and performance of stakeholders, especially small-scale farmers.

Adesina said the government targets creating about 3.5 million jobs from the agricultural sector annually under the country’s development blueprint, adding that the aspiration could only be achieved through mechanised agriculture. He said the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has started to establish 1,200 Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises (AEHE) centres across the country.

The scheme, which was launched on August 25 by President Goodluck Jonathan, is targeted at putting hoes and cutlasses into the museums and providing Nigerian farmers affordable mechanised services regardless of their location. To back this up, President Jonathan directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to set aside a N50 billion Agricultural Mechanisation Fund for the roll out.

•Over 200,000 jobs waiting to be grabbed Adesina, who performed the official takeoff ceremony of the programme in Gusau, Zamfara State, said the AEHEs scheme, with support from the Agricultural Mechanisation Fund, would lead to the establishment of a minimum of 1,200 centres where tractors and other agricultural equipment could be accessed across the nation. This, he said, is expected to happen between now and 2016. The centres will provide 6,000 units of tractors and their implements, 15,000 power tillers and over 20,000 planting, harvest and post harvest equipments.

“This will be used to mechanise minimum of four million hectares of farm land in the country, with a projection that it will expand food production by an additional 20 million metric tons, and create over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs for youths.

“Once set up, the centres will provide farmers the opportunity to lease or hire out various types of agricultural equipment for land preparation, harvesting and in the area of postharvest operations, repair and maintenance of such equipment. There are significant opportunities for job creation in post harvest management. An increasing amount of wild fish

stocks are being depleted due to overcapacity and damaging fishing methods. These depletions are widespread.”

According to him, there is a need to rebuild fisheries where ever possible. This require initiatives that would create employment in fish stock assessment, monitoring, control and protection, as well as supporting additional research positions in relevant technologies.

With rising pressure to mitigate the impacts of climate change, experts see growing biofuel sector expanding to create thousands of jobs in related agriculture and industry processes. Already, experts are seeing job creation for agricultural workers producing biofuels at small and medium capacity scales.

With mechanisation and technology, there will be jobs for professionals to help farmers align information technology (IT) and technology activities with business objectives and ambitions to enhance performance and minimise risks.

The minister was of the view that the economy will witness a growing and diversifying agricultural sector, which will create employment opportunities across the value chain. He said the government is promoting

‘This will be used to mechanise minimum of four million hectares of farm land in the country, with a projection that it will expand food production by an additional 20 million metric tons, and create over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs for youths’

farming activities across major commodities such as cocoa, rice, cassava, sorghum and maize.

This has triggered a flurry of activities requiring skilled personnel in processing, marketing, machinery operation and repair, transport and logistics, and quality control. The cassava revolution is also helping the government to create more jobs. Speaking at the inauguration of Oamsal High Quality Cassava Flour Processing factory at Ayede –Ekiti, Ekiti State, Adesina pledged government’s resolve to turn cassava into gold in Nigeria.

He stated that government’s plan is to continually make funds available to support Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs to upgrade their facilities.

The Minister said 35 Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) would benefit one million Naira each from the Cassava Bread Fund, to enable them achieve entrepreneurial optimum performance, which is made available by the Bank of Industry (BoI). Adesina sees the sector absorbing large numbers of new job seekers and offer meaningful work with public and private benefits. For this to happen, constraints to land, capital, and skills are to be addressed, providing features to make the sector friendly to the needs of young graduates.

Major food companies that have begun innovative reformation of their supply chains with the intention to improve their operations and create new job opportunities are increasing. These include Flour Mills of Nigeria, Dangote Group and Dominion •Continued on page 36

36

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

JOBS

Hidden jobs in agric mechanisation •Continued from page 35

Group.

For instance, Kaboji Farms, located in Kaboji Town, in Kontagora, Niger State, has carved a niche for itself in mechanised farming. The 10,000-hectare farm, established by Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) to cultivate maize and other cereals, has investments worth over N1 billion.

The farm has 2,000 hectares of maize and 1,000 hectares of soya beans, and other cultivated crops such as rice and cassava. The Nation learnt that as part of its expansion programme, the management of the farm has concluded arrangements to increase the cultivated area by 2,000 hectares over the next five years, with a projected output of 7000 metric tonnes (MT).

The farm’s Manager and Agric Technical Adviser, Mr. Kobus De Jager, said Nigeria needs large commercial businesses to transform her agriculture and food-production ability. He said the key to profitable commercial farming is good yield and control of key input, hence the farm uses the latest farming techniques and highly mechanised approach, which in the last two seasons, has guaranteed increased yield of more than 50 per cent.

With this, De Jager said the management of the farms is optimistic that sustained and dynamic agricultural growth initiatives such as those it has embarked on, would contribute to food security and sufficiency and help Nigeria realise its huge potential as an economic giant in Africa and beyond.

On its part, the management regularly upgrades its farming implements and machineries by using tractors, seed planters and combined harvesters. This has created jobs for the youth of the area. Apart from farm workers and labourers, heavy tractor, trailer truck drivers are in great demand. Because of this, tractors, harvesters and seed planters are indispensable tools of daily life in major farms owned by the private sector across the country.

Besides these categories of workers, mechanised farms create jobs for office production planners; agronomists; accountants; breeders; machinery and agricultural parts coordinator; business managers; human resources managers; finance manager; agric and mechanical engineers; agric extension officers; procurement managers; transport managers and farm technicians though on very small scale. There is also the demand for reliable, responsible and motivated people, who can combine technical knowledge with practical skills in such farms.

Young people are being employed and trained to use tractors to plow and get the fields ready for planting. For school leavers, the company gives them the opportunity to learn basic tractor operation and helps complete some work. As a requirement, they need to be physically fit and have drivers’ licences.

Although not essential, some of them are graduates of agricultural colleges.

As tractor drivers, they undertake a variety of different jobs including ploughing, drilling or harvesting. The role may also include maintaining and cleaning the tractor. In Kaboji town, most women are no more full time housewives, but strong contributors to family standard of living. These women, on a monthly basis, earn competitive income as their counterparts in the civil service because they work and contribute in various ways to the farms.

For instance, as early as 6am, they assemble in hundreds, clad in farm clothes, with their lunch packs and be ready for the farms. They also earn income from picking leftovers of maize and soya beans from the harvesters’ machines.

Kaboji Farm’s Crop Manager, Babatunde Hamed, said there are usually intense competitions among the women as they earn their income based on the number of bags harvested per day. Markers and clackers, at point of delivery, record harvest of each of them. At the end of the month, the women go home with between N18, 000 and N25, 000 or more.

One of the pickers on the farm, Asmau Suleiman, said she has a target of N160,000 for herself before the end of the harvesting period. “I want to replace the thatch roof of my house with corrugated sheets and buy more goats for my farm,” she said, adding: “My son can go to school now without worries.”

An aged mother of six, Halima Sani, said she was on the farm to support her weak husband, who has been suffering waist pain for years.

“I’m happy I can make some money to support my family and buy books for my last child, who is still in school,” she said. Besides,

•Dr Adesina

•Adebayo

Kaboji women still cultivate other lands for their families’ food needs. All of them still maintain their traditional farms in the locality.

While they work and make a living from the commercial farm, their husbands are also beneficiaries of the company’s out-growers scheme. They are supported with seeds, techniques and fertilisers to grow crops, which the company buys from them at the end of the harvest season.

Besides the pickers on the farms, there are women, who make a living by just separating the corn from the cob using the traditional methods. These women are part of the larger workforce that makes a living from Kaboji Farms. The agricultural activities in Kaboji have transformed the living conditions of the people.

According to the Director, Africa Region, Cassava Adding Value to Africa (CAVA), Dr Kola Adebayo, agriculture will likely continue to be the dominant sector of employment for most young people over the next few decades.

Fortunately, the increasing high demand for agricultural products is helping to create such opportunities. He said agriculture provides the largest and most ambitious social security and public works programmes that can guarantee participating adults in rural households plenty days of paid manual labour each year.

According to him, agriculture helps the economy achieve inclusive growth by generating employment and reducing poverty in rural areas, providing livelihood security to the rural poor through guaranteed wage employment, rejuvenating the natural resource base, stimulating the local economy, and increasing women’s empowerment.

He explained that job opportunities on farms abound, but they are still unrecognised by or inaccessible to most young people. “This is because a lot of them don’t see agricultural employment as a viable career, seeing the reality of their families’ situation,” he added.

Despite this, he noted, the sector represents the most immediate opportunity to realise gains in growth and create employment for young people. A combination of pooled offfarm earnings, a shift to higher-valued and more commercial products, following the efforts of the government through the agricultural transformation agenda, he said, would allow more small farms employ more youths.

According to him, higher-valued agriculture will create employment opportunities following increasing demand for transport, plant protection, veterinary services and mechanised field operations.

‘Agriculture helps the economy achieve inclusive growth by generating employment and reducing poverty in rural areas, providing livelihood security to the rural poor through guaranteed wage employment, rejuvenating the natural resource base, stimulating the local economy and increasing women’s empowerment.’

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Job search when you have to be discreet

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HEN you don’t want your employer to find out that you are job hunting, there are steps you can take to keep your job search confidential.

The last thing you need to have happen when job searching is for your employer to accidentally find out that you’re looking for a new job. It could jeopardise both your current position and future references from your employer.

Here are some suggestions on how to effectively job hunt on the sly, so that the wrong person doesn’t find out that you are looking to make a move.

Stealth job hunting do’s and don’ts

E-mail address

Do not use your work email address for job hunting. Use your personal account or set up a free web-based email account specifically for job searching.

Office equipment

Don’t use your employer’s computers or phone system. Many employers monitor Internet usage

By Olu Oyeniran

and review phone call logs. Keep your resume, your email correspondence, and anything and everything related to your job search on your home computer.

Your resume

Be careful where you post your resume. If you don’t want your current employer to accidently find your resume when searching for candidates, post on job sites where you can keep your employer and contact information confidential. For example, if you post your resume on Monster, you can make it confidential and your contact information and references won’t be displayed. You can block your present company’s name by entering an end date of present for your current position.

Additional resume options

Other options for protecting your privacy (aside from blocking) include listing a generic company name and job title, rather than a specific one. You can also leave off

company contact information. Do the same with your contact information and phone numbers. List your job searching email address and cell phone number.

Telephone tips

Do not use your work phone number for job hunting. Instead, put your cell phone number and/ or home phone number on your resume. Be sure to have voice mail or an answering machine in place so you get the messages in a timely fashion.

How and when

If you can’t job hunt from work, what other options are there besides evenings and weekends?

Visit a bookstore, cafe or library with internet access on your lunch hour and bring your laptop if you can find a wireless connection to use.

Use your phone to job search there are lots of job search apps available. Lunch time also a good time to return prospective employer phone calls, especially if you can take an early or late lunch to catch them in the office.

Interviewing

Try to schedule interviews for either the beginning or the end of the day or on your lunch hour. If you have vacation time you can use, schedule multiple interviews for the same day.

Dress the part

If you typically wear jeans to work, don’t wear a suit when you have an interview scheduled.

Someone will start wondering what the occasion is for dressing up.

Be discreet

Be careful who you tell that you’re looking for a new job. If you tell co-workers, you can be sure that it will get back to your boss, one way or the other. Do tell your family, so they can take messages for you and so they don’t inadvertently spill the beans to your work colleagues and leave you a message that someone is calling about an interview.

Social networking sites

Be really careful what you post

on social networking sites. Don’t tell your Facebook friends or your LinkedIn connections that you’re job searching. Don’t tweet about your job search activities either.

Even if your boss doesn’t follow your updates, someone else may and the word that you’re job hunting could get back.

EkiniConsult & Associates is organising three free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, sendin your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-83843230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free e-Book only.

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

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

37

THE CEO With an injection of over $500 million into its operations, BUA Cement Group is set to increase its share in the competitive cement market. This is in addition to investments in other sectors, such as sugar, pastas and flour. In this interview, the Executive Director, Projects and Technical, Mr. Yusuf H. Binji, says the Federal Government, through the backward integration policy, has given a stimulus to local manufacturing. Binji also bares his mind on competition, standardisation and capacity building in the sector. He speaks with Assistant Editor OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE.

H

OW successful is the backward integration policy of government in the cement sector?

The policy is a welcome development in all sectors it has been applied. It has influenced players in the industry, both old and new, to inject more funds into their operations. The effect is that it has brought more money into the economy. Currently, our Obu plant, which was formerly part of the Edo Cement Factory, is now 100 per cent owned by us. The new cement plant is worth $500 million; we have also invested $60 million in gas turbines for electricity generation. The Obu plant will manufacture high grade cement and it is one of the three cement projects we have in the country, with an installed capacity of three million metric tonnes per annum.

We started construction in 2012 and it is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of next year. The plant will be inaugurated at the end of February. Then, after about three months, the products will be in the market. The plant is in Edo State, which makes it strategic for the northern markets and those in the Southwest. There are excellent road networks, about 200 metres to the highway linking Okene and Benin, for adequate distribution of products.

What is the status of the Obu plant in your operation? Is it the only plant you have?

We have three plants— Edo Cement, Obu and Sokoto (former Cement Company of Northern Nigeria). New production facilities are being built in our plant in Sokoto. Obu is a green field cement plant, we are building it from the scratch.

Sokoto is a brown field project because it is an existing plant which has been in operation since 1967. It was expanded in 1985 and right now we are adding a production line to it that will almost triple its capacity. The Edo Cement, which is about five kilometres from our green field plant, has been in existence for more than 50 years. It was formerly Bendel Cement Company, producing the Rhino Brand that was recently acquired by our group; the plant is in the process of being reactivated. Sokoto Cement has a production line with an installed capacity of 500,000 tonnes per annum, and it is producing at 100 per cent capacity. However, we are building an additional line in Sokoto with a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per annum.

What grades of cement will the three cement plants produce?

Sokoto and Edo plants are producing 42.5 cement grade while Obu will produce any kind of cement that is allowed by the Nigerian Industrial Standards. It is capable of producing the three grades allowed by the regulatory authorities which are the 32.5, 42.5 and 52.5 grades.

There is controversy over the Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS) in cement manufacturing. What is your take on it?

I don’t think that it calls for controversy.

The NIS requirement is a regulatory requirement by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) which all manufacturers are expected to abide with. According to the NIS requirement, manufacturers are required to put some measures in place to ensure that their products are traced to them and to also include batch number, product use, best before date and production date. The NIS standards makes it compulsory for all producers to print on each cement bag, the grade and its application before it gets to the market. Additionally, we are required to put unique colour stripes to differentiate the various grades; yellow for 32.5, blue for 42.5 and red for 52.5 grades.” Incidentally, our facilities are equipped with a batch enabling machine. So each bag comes out from the factory with a label. Our cement plants are fully compliant with the SON’s regulations in terms of identification and traceability. These requirements also makes for healthy competition, in the long run the

•Binji

‘BUA Cement ‘ll ensure healthy competition’

consumer is better for it.

What ways are you trying to mitigate the possible effects of the exploitation of mineral resources in your host com-

munities?

Before any project is embarked on in the country, especially when it has to do with exploitation of raw materials, the law

‘The NIS requirement is a regulatory requirement by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) which all manufacturers are expected to abide with. According to the NIS requirement, manufacturers are required to put some measures in place to ensure that their products are traced to them and to also include batch number, product use, best before date and production date’

makes it mandatory for the company to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). That, we have complied with, and all the measures identified are being implemented. Recently, environmental inspectors came to ensure compliance and we have no issues whatsoever with the community. The community is also being carried along in ‘the construction of the project and some of them are employed by our contractors. When the plant kicks off operations, a lot more will be employed. We have divided the project into several aspects, such as civil engi•Continued on page 38

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

38

THE CEO

‘BUA Cement ‘ll ensure healthy competition’ •Continued from page 37

neering, mechanical and electrical engineering. As we are using renowned contractors, such as Siemens and others, we are getting the best in terms of goods and service that will in no small way affect the lives of either our workers or the host community.

What are some of the challenges in this line of business?

The challenges are almost the same with every manufacturer in the country. It is however worse when it has to do with a high technology sector such as ours. We all know that in our country, a prospective manufacturer does not only build his factory, but also the infrastructure which ideally should be provided by the government. For instance, you have to provide 24 hours electricity independent of that from the national grid. All the power we need will be generated internally and, as a result of this, our group has bought and installed a 50-megawatt power plant and it will be inagurated by the end of next month. In addition, we are building a gas turbine plant worth $60 million. This is located about 30 kilometres from the point we are tapping the gas to our factory. We are going to have a gas reduction station and the internal distribution of the gas pipeline to the user department for the gas.

These are huge challenges in terms of funding but we have overcome them because we did our home work before embarking on the business.

The gas pipeline, for example, transverse through six different communities and for each of these communities we acquired the right of way, paid compensation to farmers and a lot of other payments. We have almost completed these processes.

We plan to also use liquid fuels for both our turbines and also for our plants to check disruption in the supply of power at any time, we already have gas but we all know that gas is an energy source that cannot be readily stored. In that case and to avoid disruption we have taken adequate care to have alternative energy sources to ensure smooth operation any

•Binji

day. The alternative is addressed by the construction of more tanks for storage of liquid fuels that will be used as a backup fuel. The idea is to ensure that the plant does not have any threat of any interruption when we are carrying out our operations so that daily, about 250 to 300 trailers of cement will leave the factories.

By the time we complete our power projects, we will have about 50 megawatts to power the factory, primarily our power project is to serve the factory but if any possibility to serve the community exists, we will not hesitate to distribute to the community. We intend to carry out our social responsibility with responsibility.

How much is your green field cement plant at Obu, Edo State worth?

It is an ongoing project but at the moment over $500 million has been spent so far on the plant and we are still spending.

We have built a housing estate for majority of our staff with a lot more under construction as the idea is to house majority of our staff with very decent accommodation to make life comfortable for them. We are building roads leading to our quarries; the roads will also serve our host communities. We have constructed a big hospital for the community and also built administrative block for their youth centre. We have mechanical, electrical workshops and heavy duty workshops to cater for the needs of heavy duty equipments. We are also building a warehouse to store our spare parts because Nigeria is actually far from getting special spare parts. All these are in addition to the $60 million gas turbine that l already mentioned.

Where are your catchment areas in terms of your planned distribution network?

Cement is a very bulky product whose value is relatively insignificant when you compare it to the size. For example a trailer carrying 30 tonnes, is not like a trailer carrying 30 tonnes of gold that you can easily transfer to China or wherever. So, what this means is that for every kilometer away from the plant, you are adding to the transportation cost. For a trailer of 30 tonnes

•Binji

you have 600 bags and if you go more than 500 or 600 kilometres, then you will find that the cost of transportation is almost half of your production cost. Our priority is to be competitive in all spheres; we can then safely say that we will sell to the north, east, west and the south. This is our priority but you will likely not see BUA cement going to the extreme corners of the Northwest or Northeast because of the distance which is over 1,000 kilometres.

If the government works on the country having efficient rail system , then we can be in all corners and crannies of the country because an efficient rail system will drastically reduce the transportation cost of manufacturing in the country.

What is your staff strength now and when the plant is fully operational?

We will be employing over 1000 people directly while indirect will run into thousands because of the value chain. I want to use this opportunity to commend the backward integration policy of the Federal Government. It turned out to be a good policy about 10 years ago, Nigeria was producing about two to three million tonnes of cement, but currently, the installed capacity in Nigeria is about 30 million tonnes and because of this policy of government, existing and new entrants ventured and established cement plants increasing the capacity to 10 to 15 per cent every year leading to high expansion in growth which means more people leaving the labour market.

In 2012, Nigeria was almost self sufficient in cement production and that is why you have seen the ban on importa-

tion of cement because we believe we have the capacity to satisfy the market in Nigeria with huge potential to export to neighbouring countries. An average Nigerian manufacturer is asking for an enabling environment because we hold the path to the growth of the economy.

Most manufacturers complain of multiple taxation do you also have issues with that?

This is the bane of manufacturing. When manufacturers ask for enabling environment to operate, it is inclusive of every other thing, ranging from the provision of critical infrastructure and the harmonisation of taxes. Unfortunately, manufacturers are made to pay all manner of taxes by the local, state and federal governments. We have made representations to the Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CMAN) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) for all relevant government agencies to harmonise the relevant taxes targeted at the manufacturing sector.

It is only when manufacturers operate in a healthy environment that the economy will grow due to increased contribution of the sector to the Gross Domestic product (GDP). Now, the contribution of the manufacturing sector is at an abysmal eight per cent. The scenario is what it is because of the burden of multiple taxation. Manufacturers find themselves paying the same levy at the three tiers of government.

If this double taxation is checked, the sector will be better placed to create jobs to lift people out of poverty and enhance the prosperity and security of the nation.

‘When manufacturers ask for enabling environment to operate, it is inclusive of every other thing, ranging from the provision of critical infrastructure and the harmonisation of taxes. Unfortunately, manufacturers are made to pay all manner of taxes by the local, state and federal governments’

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

39

BUSINESS MOTORING

On Wednesday, the Cayenne and Cayenne GTS will be premiered at the Los Angeles Auto Show in the United States.

The Cayenne is todate Porsche’s most successful range, with the four-door sports cars, making a major contribution to the company’s profitable growth, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO

T

•Cayenne

Cayenne for premiere on Wednesday

HE Cayenne and Cayenne GTS will be celebrating their world premiere on Wednesday at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Both models are available for order.

Through its name alone, the new Cayenne GTS announces its outstanding sporting characteristics. With the letters GTS going back to the famous 904 Carrera GTS of 1963, in 2007; the Cayenne GTS became the first Porsche of the modern era to revive the acronym. Since then, at Porsche the GTS title has signified the brand’s special sporty models. Alongside the new GTS and completing the Cayenne portfolio at the lower end of the range, is the new entry-level 3.6-litre, V6 petrol engine Cayenne.

The Cayenne is to-date Porsche’s most successful range, with the four-door sports cars in general making a major contribution to the company’s profitable growth. As a result, it has played a fundamental role in ensuring future investment in the broad spectrum of highly dynamic models offered across the entire portfolio.

Whether two or four doors, Porsche drivers like their cars to be sporty; a 3.6-litre V6 biturbo engine is the performance-oriented enhancement of the new power unit presented in the Cayenne S. Its consumption is lower and it delivers improved levels of performance.

Compared to the previous model with a V8 naturally aspirated engine, power output rises by 20 hp to 440 hp and torque by 85 Nm to 600 Nm, while fuel consumption goes down by up to 0.9 l/100 km. The Cayenne GTS accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, or 5.1 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package.

That is 0.5 and 0.6 seconds respectively less than the previous model. Top speed is 262 km/ h. As standard it has a sports exhaust system, which provides the undeniable GTS sound.

Thanks to its suspension the Cayenne GTS captivates drivers with its unmistakable lateral dynamics. The Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) damping system has a sporty set-up; alongside standard air suspension the vehicle sits 20 millimetres lower. Additional standard features include the brakes from the Cayenne Turbo with 390-millimetre discs on the front axle (358 millimetres at the back), inclusive of brake callipers painted red

in typical turbo fashion.

Several design attributes also externally showcase the sportiness of Porsche’s new Cayenne GTS. As standard it has the turbo nose section with large air intakes and the Sport Design package including; more contoured side sills, wheel arch extensions, roof spoiler and lower rear of the vehicle, all painted in the car body colour.

All around the car, the colour black provides some striking contrasts: all lettering is black, as are the 20-inch wheels in the RS Spyder design, the exhaust tailpipes, the bi-xenon headlights’ inner apertures and the fittings of the darkened LED rear lights. The striking GTS lettering is also a new external feature that can be found on the front doors.

The sporting characteristics are also apparent in the cars’ interior. Eight-way electrically adjustable GTS sports seats in leather/Alcantara upholstery, with GTS lettering on the headrests are fitted as standard. Alcantara is the predomi-

nant upholstery material featured inside the car.

The interior GTS package is optionally available in carmine red or rhodium silver with rev counter face, decorative stitching, headrest lettering and safety belts in contrasting colour.

The new Cayenne base model features a 3.6litre V6 naturally aspirated engine, which delivers 300 hp, taking the car from 0 to 100 km/ h in 7.7 seconds – 7.6 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package. This results in a 0.2 seconds improvement from the previous. At 230 km/h, top speed matches the level of the previous model. Like all new Cayenne models it benefits from the general efficiency measures, such as coasting, Auto Stop/Start function and thermal management, as a result of which fuel consumption drops in comparison to the previous model by 0.7 l/100 km to 9.2 l/100 km.

That equates to CO2 emissions of 215 g/km, thus 21 g/km lower than before.

Compared to the previous model the new Cayenne also offers more comprehensive standard features, including a new eight-speed Tiptronic S with Auto Stop/Start and coasting functions, bi-xenon main headlights with fourpoint LED daytime driving lights, the multifunction sports steering wheel with paddle switches and the automatic boot lid.

Firms celebrate Mustang’s 50th anniversary

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ORD Motor Company has collaborated with leading cosmetics manufacturer, OPI Products Incorporated, in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic Ford Mustang.

The popular pony car, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in April, has inspired an exciting line of OPI limited-edition nail lacquers in an array of bold, dramatic shades.

The collection’s signature shade, Race Red is a tribute to one of Mustang’s most iconic colours.

Mustang Marketing Manager, Melanie Banker, said the striking colours of the limited-edition nail lacquers mirror the essence of the Mustang.

“Ford Mustang inspires passion like no other car and we are excited to be working with OPI on an exclusive collection that captures the spirit of our iconic car. There is no better way to express Mustang’s bold personality and the excitement it creates than through colour,” Banker stated.

“OPI is just as enthusiastic about being associated with the Mustang. OPI is thrilled to partner with one of the world’s top automotive companies in celebrating 50 years of Ford

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

Mustang,” Co-founder/Executive Vice President of OPI, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann said.

“For women, cars and nail lacquer offer a way to express personality. This new collection will deliver elements of sophistication, luxury, power and style fitting for both OPI and Mustang consumers,” she added.

Mustang’s unique combination of style, performance and affordability established an entirely new class of sporty cars. The Mustang’s next illustrious chapter unfolds with the 2015 Ford Mustang. Acclaimed as its most advanced version yet, the 2015 edition of the car features an all-new sophisticated design that was clearly inspired by its 50-year heritage.

Next year, the all-new Mustang will go on sale in Nigeria, with the choice of a 5.0-litre V8 engine producing 320kW and 536Nm, or a 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine producing 228kW and 440Nm. Mustang now also boasts an allnew, integral-link rear suspension. This design endows it with improved mechanical grip for high-performance applications, while still delivering world-class ride quality.

The all-new Mustang also features a signifi-

•Mustang

cant amount of innovative technologies providing drivers with enhanced information, control and connectivity when they want it.

From Intelligent Access with push-button start to SYNC® and MyKey® in every Mustang built, plus standard Track Apps™, MyColor® gauges and a new Shaker Pro Au-

dio System, with which drivers will be able to customize their time behind the wheel.

The Ford Mustang is about to become the newest member of a very exclusive club of vehicles to have been in continuous production for 50 years. More than 9.2 million Ford Mustangs have been sold over the past five decades.

40

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

MOTORING

Made-in-Nigeria Hyundai Grand on road test

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HE recently unveiled madein-Nigeria Hyundai Grand was last weekend put to the test in Lagos by motoring correspondents, who test drove the car from Victoria Island through the busy roads of Apongbon in Lagos Island to Western Avenue, Ikeja, Opebi and Third Mainland Bridge.

The guarded road test is coming three weeks after Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited, a division of Stallion Group - makers of the vehicle, took the wraps off the compact family sedan at a media event in Lagos

K

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

and thereafter sought to determine the suitability and compatibility of the car for Nigerian roads.

Hyundai Motors Nigeria presented two likeable variants of the Hyundai Grand with 5-Speed manual and 4-Speed automatic transmission-powered by 1.25 Kappa Dual VTVT engine respectively for the test drive.

Speaking to reporters before the test drive, Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited Head, Sales and Mar-

•On the road...Hyundai Grand

keting, Mr Jatin Nadkarni, said: “It is our pleasure to put to the test the first made-in-Nigeria family sedan and we are convinced you and the entire patrons of this car will discover how pleasant the Hyundai Grand drives.”

He hailed the influence of the National Automotive Industrial Development Plan on the manufacturing sector of the economy, saying the policy is capable of transforming Nigeria from an import dependent nation to a wellheeled manufacturing entity.

A new level of art and innovation, the Hyundai Grand proves that a comfortable and spacious car doesn’t have to be cumbersome.

Hyundai Grand from all angles

responds to every expectation with alluring cabin colour, textures and shape that lend it a sport appeal that could easily make any large car envious.

The Grand also shows a sharp styling with a whole new level of innovation that attest to the luminously crafted exterior which leaves an everlasting impression on all those who catch a glimpse of it.

Hyundai Grand’s clear headlight clusters for instance, not only look good, they improve night vision and on-road visibility with extra safety just as the chrome-coated radiator grille positioned to perfection guarantees strong presence.

In terms of protection, the Hyundai Grand does not compromise on safety especially when viewed against the structural safety that utilises anti corrosive steel, ring structure application to enhance rigidity and body robustness.

Powered by dual CVVT Kappa 1.25litre all-aluminum engine that emits quiet and smooth operation, the Grand will delight drivers looking for exceptionally low weight cars that maximize fuel consumption.

The Grand would also delight corporate customers looking for remarkably low weight cars with appreciable fuel consumption especially for field marketers and young couples looking for something refreshingly outstanding.

With a starting price of N1.990m, Nadkarni said the Grand may yet be one of the most affordable cars with extraordinary features in its class.

KIA wins Customer Service Award

IA Motors Nigeria has been awarded the prestigious Nigeria Customer Service Award (NCSA) in the automobile category. This year’s edition of the ceremony, sponsored by Heritage Bank was held at the Ibeto Hotel in Abuja and chaired by Senator Umaru Dahiru, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Human and Legal Rights.

NCSA Coordinator Aliyu Ilias said the awards were aimed at celebrating service excellence in the country.

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

He said: “We encourage Nigerian companies to go beyond paying lip-service and eye-service to customers because the customer deserve better.

“We also preach that dealing fairly with the customer is both rewarding to the organisation as it is to the customer, and that is why we promote and project such hard working organisations that excel in the business of fulfilling customer service delivery.”

The awards, he added, were designed to celebrate customer service delivery excellence and create the consciousness among corporate business owners in Nigeria to go beyond paying lip service to customer service by establishing a closer connection with customers in view of the long term benefits for their entities and the nation’s economy Reacting to the award, Chief Commercial Officer, Kia Motors Nigeria, Mr Sandeep Malhotra, said: “The award portrays the well-defined operating strategy,

commitment and adherence to values that include discipline, passion for excellence and a service focused culture of our employees to give exceptional service to our esteemed customers”.

The award categories cut across 27 s e c t o r s o f t h e e c o n o m y including banking and finance, tel ec om m u ni c a t i on, med i a , hospitality, transport, real estate, oi l a nd ga s, au t om obi l es, aviation and others.

A total of 37 companies were awarded the Nigeria Customer Service Award.

Luxury Report: BMW, Mercedes battle for sales crown

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ITH only two months left in the year, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are neckand-neck in the race to the United States luxury sales title, with just more than 5,000 vehicles separating the two, Automotive News reports.

In October, both German brands joined Audi and Lexus by celebrating milestones on the U.S. market.

According to industry analysts, the race may decided by who offers the right incentives in the final days of the year.

BMW USA reported its best October in history with 30,602 vehicles sold in the states. That figure repre-

sented an 11 per cent gain yearover-year, while the brand’s 2014 total is also performing 12 per cent better than it did the first 10 months of 2013. Ludwig Willisch, the chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BMW North America, saw the market debuts as a factor fueling the brand’s growth.

“Our new models, especially the 2 and 4 Series, are giving BMW a great boost as we head into the final two months of the year,” Willisch said in a company statement, adding that he was “very pleased to see our born-electric BMW i3 doing so well.” The i3

made its way into the top five of electric vehicle sales in the United States, but it was the 7 series sedans (1,680 units sold) and the hotselling X5 (3,355 units) that did major damage. Overall, BMW managed to outshine what was an impressive month for Mercedes.

The Mercedes-Benz press team had plenty to trumpet once the October sales stats emerged. From its AMG performance line to its SClass land boats, the growth contributed to the best month of 2014 for the luxury brand. It may take only the right blend of incentives and clever marketing to beat

BMW before the year is over.

Pricey AMG vehicles sold 72 per cent better in October than they did the previous year, while SClass sedans jumped 39 per cent year-over-year with 2,666 units sold in October. M-Class SUVs (up 22 per cent) joined the C-Class (up 13 per cent) in offering the brand an even bigger boost. That performance puts Mercedes within 5,389 vehicles of BMW for 2014 sales, which makes for an interesting duel over the last two months of the year. Mercedes has sold 261,804 vehicles to U.S. consumers on the year.

‘Latest electric car innovation can recharge batteries in minutes’

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MAGINE the fender of an electric car not just preventing mud splatters but also turbocharging the vehicle’s battery in a matter of minutes. And imagine this technology on the road in about five years.

Stop imagining. Scientists at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Australia report that they have developed inexpensive supercapacitors that can be used in tandem with ordinary batteries to increase the acceleration of an electric car and can recharge the batteries in a matter of minutes.

The supercapacitors are thin films made up of an electrolyte, which conducts electricity, sandwiched between two electrodes

made of graphene, a sheet of carbon one atom thick. This film is flexible and so can be embedded in a car’s body panels, such as the roof, fenders, hood, even the floor.

And their power density — the amount of electrical energy they can store — is so great that it can quickly and fully turbocharge a car’s battery.

“Vehicles need an extra energy spurt for acceleration, and this is where supercapacitors come in,” said Marco Notarianni of QUT’s Science and Engineering Faculty.

“They hold a limited amount of charge, but they are able to deliver it very quickly, making them the perfect complement to mass-stor-

age batteries,” Notarianni said.

And, Notarianni said, cars with such technology could be commercially available in five years. The researchers’ findings are published in the Journal of Power Sources and another scholarly publication, Nanotechnology.

One member of the QUT team, Jinzhang Liu, a postdoctoral research fellow, said today’s graphene-based supercapacitor has a lower energy density than a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery used to power a car. Despite this, a supercapacitor’s ability to release power quickly is far greater than a conventional battery.

“In the future,” Liu said: “It is hoped the supercapacitor will be

developed to store more energy than a Li-Ion battery while retaining the ability to release its energy up to 10 times faster, meaning the car could be entirely powered by the supercapacitors in its body panels. After one full charge this car should be able to run up to 500km, similar to a petrol-powered car and more than double the limit of an electric car.”

Some researchers once looked to graphene-based supercapacitors as an eventual replacement for Li-Ion batteries for powering electric cars. But even if that turns out not to be possible, the devices’ role as a complement to Li-Ion batteries remains extremely valuable.

SAFE DRIVING

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

Activating Use and Lose Law

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ITHOUT doubt, the rate of road accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol and other drugs is very high and this needs to be proactively addressed now moreso that the yuletide is fast approaching.

Alcohol and other psychoactive drugs affect the drivers’ ability to see clearly, think aright, perceive hazards, take right decisions, obey traffic laws, react swiftly to emergencies, be courteous, stay in lane or drive safely.

Despite the campaign against drunk driving and the use of psychoactive drugs such as cannabis or Indian (or Nigerian) hemp, a visit to the major motor parks nationwide still point to the abuse of alcohol and other psychoactive drugs in Nigeria either in form of powder, wraps or liquid under various pretence.

A decorated monkey still remains a monkey.

Consequent upon the increasing trend, it has become more expedient now more than ever before, to take more proactive and result – oriented actions to quickly stem the evil tide of drunk – and drugged driving in Nigeria.

It is time for the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and State Government Traffic Management Agencies to acquire sufficient Breathalyzers for regular use to detect drunk or drugged drivers on all the grades of roads in Nigeria.

Penalties such as substantial fine, suspension or revocation the Driver’s Licence, jail sentences, alcohol and drug education, drug treatment or rehabilitation whichever one is appropriate for each offender should be considered.

This recommendation is part of the strategies which can make the zero tolerance goal attainable in Nigeria.

If punitive measures are not taken early enough to prevent drunk and drugged driving in Nigeria, the rate of accident attributable to this cause will continue to be on the rise. It is not enough to stop at the campaign of “don’t drive when you drink and don’t drink when you drive”. There must be stern penalties for violators of the law. The time to start the “use and lose law” (that is, use alcohol or drug while driving and lose your Driver Licence) in Nigeria to further reduce the rate of road accidents and fatalities in Nigeria is now. Now! It has been successfully implemented in several countries and it can be successful in Nigeria as well.

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RACE TO 2015

What we are witnessing today in Nigeria is not governance, but misgovernance. We are witnessing a system that does not have the interest of the people of this country at heart. It is also incumbent on us as a people to vote out Goodluck Ebele Jonathan come 2015. That will bring peace, progress and development of Nigeria

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Youths enjoined to participate in elections

Bayelsa PDP aspirants insist on primaries •Oppose automatic tickets for senators

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EMBERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspiring for senatorial tickets in Bayelsa State have called for fair and credible primaries.

Some of the aspirants warned the party against giving automatic tickets to serving senators.

Irked by the recent decision of the national leadership of the party and President Goodluck Jonathan to pacify many of the senators with automatic tickets, the aspirants said the move would lead to protest votes against the PDP. Some of the angry aspirants, who spoke in Yenagoa, the state capital on condition of anonymity, said the decision should immediately be reversed in the interest of justice and democratic principles.

They described the plan to give automatic tickets to the senators as the highest level of deception by the party, which collected their hard-earned money in exchange for forms.

Stressing that the decision would spell doom for the party, the aspirants described most of the senators clamouring for automatic tickets as electoral liabilities.

They challenged the senators, whom they said had failed their constituencies, to a fair primary elections and vowed to defeat them.

The Coordinating Secretary, Southsouth Peoples Assembly and a leader of the PDP in the state, Dr. Ayakeme Whiskey, described the decision as undemocratic.

Whiskey, who is aspiring for the ticket of the Bayelsa West Senatorial District, said the decision was a contradiction to the principles of democracy, which allow the people to choose their leaders freely.

He said the PDP, by the decision would only succeed in narrowing the political space and presenting misfits to the electorate in the general elections.

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From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

He recalled that, in 1999, the PDP lost the Bayelsa West senatorial seat to the Action for Democracy (AD) because of the decision of party leaders to present an unpopular candidate.

“Therefore, the decision to give half of the seats to serving senators, whether they have performed creditably well or otherwise, will lead the party to many problems.

“The elections do not end in the party. Flagbearers of the party will certainly face the best from other parties and, where a party decided to impose a non-performing candidate on them, there could be protest votes”, he said.

He said the move by some of the senators to hide under the party for tickes was a demonstration of their unpopularity and lack of performance.

Whiskey said: “It is my conceived belief that where party members are not given the right to choose their representatives in the manner at which they want it, you are invariably alianating the people from governance.

“It is particularly painful that some of those senators who are clamouring for third term tickets may not win the elections in their own senatorial constituencies for reasons of non-performance.

“The concept of representative democracy is that where a repre-

‘Where party members are not given the right to choose their representatives in the manner at which they want it, you are invariably alianating the people from governance’

•Dickson

sentative has served well, the people will naturally volunteer their mandate for the person to go back.

“Tickets to return should not be seen to be automatic. It should be a product of effective representation.

It should be a product of the people being satisfied with the services rendered by the elected representatives.

Besides, Whiskey said the desicion by the party meant injustice to the aspirants who had spent their money to acquire forms.

He said: “The decision should be reviewed. It is an injustice to aspirants who have submitted themselves to provide effective representation to their people.

“Most of us have committed our money and have been doing underground work to actualise our aspiration. I call on the leadership of the party to review the decision, otherwise, we will feel the party has done injustice to us and we will protest it. The decision is undemocratic and should be stopped.

“I have been reaching out. If a serving senator feels that he is very popular, he should do the same and let the people return him. My prayer is that for the interest of the party, this decision should be reviewed. Justice must not be seen to be selective. Some of these senators could become electoral liabilities to the party.”

OUTHS have called upon to participate actively in next year’s election, as part of their contribution to the deepening of democracy. The founder and President, Young Achievers Campaign Organisation of Nigeria (YACOON), Temitope Adewale, gave this admonition in an interview with The Nation. He stressed the need for youths to avoid the mistakes of past leaders.

The youth leader said he was inspired by the need for the younger generation to contribute to political, social and economic emancipation of the people. He lauded some of the nation’s leaders, who assumed such positions at a very young age, saying this has helped to ensure the unity of the country.

“History, many will argue, always has a way of repeating itself, which, in my opinion, should only be so for positive historical experiences. Today, as Nigeria builds up to the 2015 elections, various youths have indicated interest to vie for political offices, but I am worried,” he said.

Adewale said that, despite being a leading and vocal campaigner for youth involvement in politics, he is worried that the situation is not changing for the better and that a negative part of Nigeria’s history is repeating itself because the younger generation has been avoiding politics.

He said: “First, I must commend Nigerian youths for demanding more by organising debates for electoral candidates, interviewing them, paying solidarity visits, organising rallies, bidding for campaign printing contracts, singing politicians to victory during and before the elections among other roles. It’s encouraging to know that many youths are asking for more involvement, hopefully because they have a plan.”

According to him, a driving force to this new passion in politics can be linked to the school of thought that power is never given freely, but forcefully. “I believe in this school of thought, but as 2015 draws nearer, it

By Alvin Afadama

is becoming more obvious to me that most youths lack the understanding of what power is, who is in possession of the power, who is qualified to take it and when the qualified needs to make a move to take it. The youth power block is perhaps the most divided in Nigeria today,” he said.

Adewale said he was worried that most youths interested in politics lack a basic understanding of the constitution. “How can you be running for a legislative or an elective position without an in-depth understanding of what the constitution says? It’s better to enter university without writing WAEC, as the worst that you can get is a personal failure whereas as a politician you are risking the entire lives of the millions or more that you seek to represent as a result of your poor preparation and lack of understanding of both the Nigerian constitution and the party constitution,” he said.

Adewale encouraged every youth interested in politics to be ready to pay the price. He said: “You are seeking to officially lose your right to privacy, you are willing to have people that may ordinarily not have access to you shout you down and speak to you as they like. You are basically seeking to live a life of sacrifice and will be willing to leave the scene financially poorer and physically more stressed than you came in.

“To those ready for the real deal, I say welcome to the arena of sweat and toil where true leaders are made. Many youths will be made in 2015, but the extent of their preparation will determine their relevance and success post 2015.”

He said he had met with a number of youths, who spoke to him about their ambitions and interest in politics. Many of such youths, he said, explained that, in one way or the other, they lost interest because of fear that leaders of their party are not carrying them along or giving them the necessary access to reach their goals.

APC governorship aspirant seeks special status for Lagos CHIEFTAIN of the All progressives Congress APC), Hon. Lanre Ope, has said that Lagos State has been shortchanged by the Federal Government. adding that it deserves a special status.

Ope, who spoke when he declared his intention to contest next year’s governorship, said the state deserves recognition for catering for people from all over Nigeria and its contribution to the economic prosperity of the country.

He said facilities in the state have been overstretched because everyday people are coming to Lagos in search of greener pastures.

The governorship aspirant said he would consolidate on the achievements of Governor Babatunde Fashola, if given the opportunity to govern the state.

Ope, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, addressed a mammoth crowd at the historic Eleganza Sports Complex, Epetedo, Lagos. The

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By Raymond Mordi

broom revolution resonated at the complex, as indigenes and residents of Epetedo community on Lagos Island trooped out to support one of their own.

The aspirant said the people of Lagos deserved a better, deal because they have been robbed of their joy and happiness over the years, particularly by the central government. He said his campaign tagline, #LeapLagos, has become a buzzword on the social media space because it simply talks about springing to a great height.

“It’s about raising the consciousness among Lagosians that we can soar and leap in bounds in all facets. My campaign is premised on this as I want a Lagos that will continue to set the standards as with the present administration in the state, so that we can collectively take that giant leap,” he told the gathering.

He said Lagos State is blessed because it was governed after the

•Hon. Ope (second left), wife and his supporters at the rally.

return to civil rule in 1999 by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who laid the foundation for its future development and later by Fashola, who built on the foundation of his predecessor.

Ope is a seasoned politician and consensus builder, who has

served in various public service roles at the federal and state levels, including being elected as one of Lagos State delegates to the 1994 National Constitutional Conference.

While in the Lagos State House of Assembly, he sponsored some motions, including the Child

Rights Bill and the bill that led to the establishment of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA). During the period, he was appointed into various House committees, where he made valuable contributions to the development of Lagos State.

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RACE TO 2015 Prominent businessmen Alhaji Jani Ibrahim is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Kwara State. He spoke with reporters on his ambition and agenda for the state. ADEKUNLE JIMOH met him.

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murky political terrain rather than focus on your diverse businesses?

When I survey the state with the eyes of a business person, see opportunities all around, but the reality on ground today is widespread poverty. Going by the goals we have been able to accomplish in Lubcon with our very modest means, wellwishers of the State have over the years and at various instances been urging me to come in and make a difference. As a true patriot who could no longer sit by and watch things fall apart before our very eyes, I have responded to their call.

The sordid state of infrastructure in Kwara is very disheartening.

Everywhere I look, there is work to be done in Kwara; there is an urgent need to rapidly create jobs for our unemployed youths; improve and revitalize the health care delivery systems; improve education to enable our children compete in the information age that demand skills, learning and flexibility. The level of poverty in Kwara is alarming and the government is doing little, and seems to be at loss as to what to do to correct it.

The electorate are no longer satisfied with candidates that spend their time in office politicking; surveys around the world show that the prime consideration of the electorate is the economy and how the economic policies being espoused by a candidate will affect them. With that been the case, candidates with like myself with a sound grasp of economics are what the times demand.

Many Kwarans see you as part of the old order. They in fact point out that you are a Director in Heritage bank (former Societe General Bank) believed to be owned by Saraki to buttress your alleged closeness to the family?

It’`s funny the types of stories that people come up with. You cannot but marvel at how they make up all sorts of tales. My relationship with Senator Bukola Saraki dates back to our secondary school days at Kings College, Lagos where he was my junior, and being from the same state, he naturally came under my wings. We have political differences, stemming from the different

‘Today, the drums of political freedom can be heard strongly in every street, town hall, village and hamlet in Kwara. So, no godfather or godson will be allowed to dictate to our people anymore, because ruling Kwara is nobody’s birth right.

We are all tired’

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Okotie-Eboh: Why Delta APC is in court

‘I would like to change the way govt works’ N the Kwara State PDP gover nor-ship primaries?

We have consulted widely and I can tell you that there is a ground swell of support for our cause. I am under no illusion that the desired political change in Kwara will be an easy process. Everyone knows the battle will be hard because no one relinquishes power voluntarily. But, the PDP will certainly reclaim Kwara come 2015 because the people are tired of the present government. Make no mistake about that. The signposts are there and the change cannot wait, it must not wait, and it will not wait another 4 years.

Who is your godfather in Kwara politics?

I do not have a godfather because I do not believe I need one. I believe that godfatherism is nepotism, it robs a people of opportunity to identify and elect the best amongst them.

Because the leaders that emerge are appointed by the godfather and not through the popular choice of the people, they owe their obligation to the godfather and not to the people. They are answerable to the godfather; they do not feel accountable to the people because they were not put there by them. They serve the bidding and interest of the godfather, and are not touched by or accept blame for the poor living conditions of our people.

We have ceased to anoint candidates in the Kwara PDP and I can assure you that every candidate will have a level playing field as we have no godfather problem in the party.

The people of Kwara will become my godfathers and godmothers if I am elected into office. That way I will be responsible to them and use the assets of the State, its resources, fertile lands and natural resources in the most efficient ways possible for the common good of all our people.

One of the PDP aspirants was quoted recently as saying that the Saraki Dynasty is dead and that Kwara people are rooting for political freedom. Do you totally agree with his submission?

Kwarans are not unmindful of the contributions that Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, the Wazirin Ilorin, and former the Senate Leader, who was widely regarded by most Nigerians as the ‘Strongman’ of Kwara politics, has made in the lives of Kwarans, both economically and politically. However, Kwara State is not an empire or private dynasty of the Sarakis. So, the argument about whether their Saraki Dynasty is alive or dead in the state is not an issue.

Kwara State is part of Nigeria, owned by the people and governed by whosoever receives the mandate of Kwarans and not by any particular family or any dynasty. And secondly, we do not have a caste system where the aristocrats lord over the common class.

A lot of people are therefore wondering why you decided to join the

In their joint statement of defence, the defendants justified the conduct of the congress in a church, arguing that the venue was selected by the SCC with the support of members of the party, who preferred that the congress be conducted in the state capital

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

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• Ibrahim

views we hold on the role of government, the manner in which it carries out its mandate and its overall relationship with the people. This has however not affected our relationship as friends.

I believe that the present government, which he installed, has not delivered the expected democracy dividends to our people. Kwara needs a new course for the economic, political and social revival of her hard working people. We want a new leadership in Government House, Ilorin, that understands that there’s nothing empty and unreasonable about the call for job creation, investing in education, providing good roads, potable water, harnessing our natural resources, supporting farmers to provide food security, reducing infant mortality and teaching new skills to uneducated youths.

In all of Senator Bukola Saraki’s eight years as governor, I was not given any position in his cabinet, was never nominated for any federal appointment, so it baffles me when people say I am fronting for him. I run a business that is about the second largest employer of labour in the state, I have been privileged to head the alumni association of the most prestigious institution in the country. My question to them is “what do they think I would be offered to make me front for someone and take orders from the person on how I run my government? Is it position, is it money or what?

I would also like to point out that I am an Independent Director in Heritage Bank, my appointment was approved by the Central Bank to ensure adherence to best practices and to help reposition the Bank and enhance its smooth take-off. And Independent Directors do not own shares in the bank as per CBN guidelines.

What should Kwarans expect, if you become the governor in 2015?

Apart from some of the key areas I have already highlighted, I would very importantly like to change the way government works by making it less bureaucratic and more accessible to the people. Transparency and accountability will be our watch word; we will make our budgets public, hold town hall meetings and publish regular accounts to ensure that the governed have access to what their leaders are doing. We will give every Kwara child a stake in the promise and future of our dear State. We will agree high learning outcomes for our schools and ensure that qualified teachers are engaged to deliver on them. We will put enabling infrastructures in place, provide entrepreneurial and vocational training for our young people so the State becomes a beehive of sprouting businesses that will provide gainful employment opportunities for our people.

CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Chief Adolo Okotie-Eboh, has said that the decision of the chapter to resolve its leadership in court is in the interest of the party.

Okotie-Eboh and Frank Egbomien, who sued for themselves and on behalf of the Executive Committee are challenging the purported recognition of Jones Erue and Chidi Okonji, who allegedly emerged from an illegal congress, as Chairman and Secretary of Delta APC by the party’s national leadership.

The suit before Justice Sylvanus Oriji, has APC, its Nationa Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Mal Mala Buni, Elue and Okonji (sued also on behalf of the purported Exco members elected at the Hope Christian Centre, Asaba on April 26, 2014.

Okotie-Eboh said they intend to show by the suit, the the congress which produced Elue and Okonji was illegal because it was held in Elue’s church, a private property, which contravened the party’s published guidlines.

The guidelines published in the Vanguard newspaper of March 31, 2014 stated that “the election shall take place at the party’s state headquarters of the APC. If for any reason, such a place becomes unsuitable, the State Congress Committee (SCC) shall identify a convenient venue for the state congress (provided it is not a private residence or office.”

He argued, that the decision of the State Convention Committee (SCC) to agree to conduct the congress in Elue’s Hope Christian Centre was in violation of the party’s guideline that congresses should not be held in a private residence or office.

The plaintiffs are praying for among others, an order restraining the 4th and 5th defendants (Elue and Okonji) from parading themselves as the duly elected Chairman and Secretary of the APC in Delta and an order restraining the 1st, 2ndand 3rd defendants (APC, Odigie-Oyegun and Buni) from recognizing Elue and Oknji as the duly elected Chairman and Secretary of APC in Delta.

They also seek a declaration that the state congress of the APC purportedly held on April 26, 2014 at the Hope Christian Centre, which returned Elue and Okonji as Chairman and Secretary of the Delta APC is illegal, null and void having been conducted in clear breach of the approved guidelines for the conduct of the state congresses.

The plaintiffs want the court to declare that they are the duly elected Chairman and Secretary of the Delta chapter of the APC having been elected on April 26, 2014 at the party’s state secretariat located at 32 Summit Road, Asaba, Delta State.

The plaintiff equally seek an order restraining all the members of the Executive Committee of the Delta Chapter of the APC as represented by the fourth and fifth defendants, who were purportedly elected on April 26, 2014 at Hope Christian Centre, from parading or holding out themselves as the validly elected executive committee of the Delta APC Alternatively, they prayed for an order directing the 2nd and 3rd defendants (Odigie-Oyegun and Buni) to conduct a fresh congress in Delta State for the purpose of electing the Executive Committee of the Delta APC. In their joint statement of defence, the defendants justified the conduct of the congress in a church, arguing that the venue was selected by the SCC with the support of members of the party, who preferred that the congress be conducted in the state capital.

They have also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit, on the grounds that the suit is premature and that not only are Elue and Okonji resident in Delta, the alleged illegal congress was also held in Delta State.

They urged the court to dismiss the suit.

Aspirant promises better life for constituency

By Nneka Nwaneri

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CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bolaji Ajimotokan, has said Agege Constituency 1 needs a good lawmaker, who understands the challenges of the area.

He said he is vying for the House Assembly seat because the community has not made significant progress under those who had represented the constituency. He said, having lived among the people for from childhood, he noted nobody understands the terrain better than him.

He said: ‘’I lived here, but over time, I travelled overseas for my education, I had thought that, by the time I come back, my community would have the grown. But, I can say that nothing has changed after 19 years of my sojourn in the foreign land. I want to be part of the change that can improve the lots of my people.’’

The aspirant said he initiated some philanthropic project, to make impact in the community. ‘’The young Agege boys have benefitted from my quarterly organised football competition. Some of them have secured better offer through the exposure and the skills they displayed during the competitions.

He added that his aim is to change the community by bridging the gap between the leaders and the led through quarterly town hall meetings.

“Again, my vision is to alleviate the suffering of our people through communication, education and infrastructural development, this I strongly believe can come from effective lawmaking process that will recognise that Agege is part of the large community in the Centre of Excellence. ‘’We will put in place programme that will benefit the widows/widowers because our party the APC major cardinal point is about the people’s welfare.

This is what I will dissipate my energy to and ensures that the enabling laws back it up. ‘’In terms of education, I hope to improve the lot of the primary schools in this locality. We can do this laying the solid foundation. This is possible through the act of parliament , I strongly believe we can do it and that must be done now. ‘’Through infrastructural development, the value of the houses will increase so as to attract into the community those in the high brow areas,” he said.

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CITYBEATS My ordeal, by ex-CAN chief

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

•Battles heart ailment 23 years after his castration at religious riot

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T 67, Rev Cannon Simon Ibrahim, a former secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has already ingested an overdose of the bitter ingredient of life. For 23 years, he has remained a faithful missionary, though on his sickbed!

It is perhaps apt to brand him a cat with nine lives.

Reason: He has waltzed through the shadows of death, where even angels would not dare tread, but not without paying heartrending prices – till date.

“Rev Ibrahim has remained a most loyal follower of Christ’s teachings. He made sacrifices in the course of his missionary activities to most countries of the world,” Ladi Thompson, activist Senior Pastor, Living Waters Unlimited, a prominent Lagos-based church, told this reporter last Thursday.

Panting dangerously when the reporter had a snappy encounter with him in Lagos last Friday, emaciated Ibrahim cut a pitiable soul.

Even with his crutches, his gait would unsettle the stone-hearted of the deepest dye.

“Whatever Pastor Ladi told you about me is true. I have traversed the world in the process of propagating His word. But it is funny the way things suddenly turned for me in 1991,” Ibrahim said, as he painfully shifted his sorry figure on his bed.

“But what happened that year (1991)?” For him, answering the poser from the reporter was herculean.

Eventually, He managed to recall how in the year, a religious upheaval seized the commercial city of Kano by the jugular. Convulsion engulfed the city, forcing Ibrahim, already a marked man, to run for cover in his office.

Born and bred a Muslim in Kano, Ibrahim was a renowned Islamic scholar before he embraced Christianity. Unknown to him, however, he had twisted the li-

Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

on’s tail.

To members of his family, he became a “leper.” His former Muslim colleagues and friends would not stand sighting him – even for a split second! Then he had to willy-nilly write his will as fatwa (death sentence) was hanged on his head.

So, in the fateful year, he plunged headlong into a consuming religious war that eventually changed his story.

Some religious bigots were on Ibrahim’s trail as the religious crisis held the city by the throat. Like a bolt from the blues, some armed men took rage to his office. They held him by his collar, dragged him out and pounded him blue and black.

His attackers did not end the assault there. They callously cut off his testicles with a sharp dagger and plucked out his right eye. Jubilantly, the sons from hell went away with the severed body parts, leaving him in a pool of his blood.

Ibrahim’s mien bore stark self-pity as he cut in, painfully: “More than 500 people were killed that day. I spent six months unconscious before I realised what befell me.

I hate remembering that day, more so that I can hardly talk for 20 minutes now.”

Some unknown good Samaritans, the Anglican pastor said, took him to an infirmary after the ordeal. He was discharged after writhing in agony for months in the hospital.

Since it became suicidal for him to remain in the country, the embattled cleric was ferried out of Kano – and later, out of the country. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) hatched the life-saving deal.

For a long time, he was in Mali as a refugee until about 2010 when he was in Lagos witnessing the handing over of an apartment and a car to

•Ibrahim

Mrs Veronica George Orji, wife of another devout pastor, who was wasted by Boko Haram insurgents in Maiduguri, Borno State, earlier in the year.

The ceremony was modest in Gbagada. It drew the presence of the then President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), now of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. Ibrahim bubbled in inspiring defiance.

He was profound in praises for Thompson, whose nongovernmental organisation, Macedonia Initiative, spearheaded Mrs Orji’s rescue bid.

The Kano tragedy was not Ibrahim’s baptism of horror.

He got his maiden blow in

1987 at a riot that literally tore Kafanchan, Kaduna State into shreds. He got the beating of his life after which he got stabbed in the belly.

Still seething with rage, the ex-CAN secretary said the fact that he lost many loved ones in the attack had remained a pain in the neck for him. “I hate remembering the horror; each time I do, I cry like a baby,” he bemoaned.

Languishing in his condition for 23 years must have been damn traumatic, the reporter surmised aloud. Then he cut in, struggling with his breath: “Yes, as a human creature, I am supposed to feel it, but I have remained in Christ.

My prime concern has been

how I could be more useful in God’s kingdom.”

Asked about other members of his family, the cleric said he lost his wife at the inception of his ordeal, but he later remarried in 2007 when he was sojourning in Togo. “What about your children?” The reporter asked.

His response: “They are there.”

When pressed further, he recounted how he was “practically dead” at a South African hospital when he went alone for medical attention.

“I was told that for some hours on life machine, I was taken for dead. To the medical experts, the next thing was for me to be taken to the mortuary pending when my body would later be evacuated for burial. They called in an Anglican priest who conducted the necessary rite on me. I was about to be wheeled out to the morgue when, according to them, I surprisingly raised my right hand to the astonishment of everyone around. That was how I got another chance to live till date,” Ibrahim said.

One would easily imagine what his thoughts on his 23-year ordeal would be. He opened up tersely: “I believe God is in the know of everything and I give Him the glory. I don’t think about what life is because I am not in the world. I don’t think about all the vain things of the world that people waste their time on. I am totally in Christ and I eternally remain a missionary.”

Heaping praises on the like of Pastor Thompson, who was on his heels that day with his aides, trying to perfect his movement back to South Africa, Ibrahim said: “If I need anything, I can call Ladi any time. I can call somebody else. What is of concern to me now is the heart problem that compounded things early this year. It has kept me on drugs. But whatever it is, I have triumphed over evil.”

Thompson, whose church and organisations - the Omoluabi Network and Macedonian Initiative – have hundreds of Ibrahim’s cases under their care, described Ibrahim’s case as pathetic, saying that he needed improved attention.

He, however, expressed shock that rather than abate, the wave of insurgency in the country with its attendant casualties had remained on the frightening rise.

Church gets first overseer

I

T was a new dawn at the weekend for the Christ Gospel Apostolic Church, Isolo, Lagos, when its founder, Apostle Paul Okedoyin, passed the baton of leadership to its first General Overseer, Apostle Samson Afolabi.

Eighty-eight-year-old Okedoyin, who praised members for their support, prayers and commitment to the growth of the church, said: “From the outset, I have never regarded the church as a personal property, but God’s personal entity. So, I have also made my family to understand that it is not a business. The council, evangelists and pastors whom I am blessed

By Basirat Braimah

with, have stood by me at all times. The idea of relinquishing the position was God’s command and it took me more than two years to digest the revelation.

“Stepping aside doesn’t mean I am completely leaving the church. It is just to give way for the new apostle and his entourage to develop their talents, while I put them through wherever necessary. If my pastors are truly God’s faithful, then, there shouldn’t be any dispute. It is only a faithful and transparent worshipper that can oversee a church.”

The general overseer praised the founder for the birth of the church, adding

•From left: Pastor Joshua Adejumo, Okedoyin, Afolabi and Pastor David Wojuola.

that he would sail the ship to a safe berth.

Afolabi, also an educationist, stated that he was reluctant to accept the position owing to his position in the hierarchy of the church. “I was, however, compelled by Baba’s assurance that it was the choice of the Holy Spirit. My experience in the ministry has been worthwhile. Though I have held many positions, I

have never aspired to this position because if we were to be appointed according to our relationship with Baba, I might not be appointed until the next 40 years. I knew he would leave some day, but I never foresaw this appointment.

My mission is to follow in his footsteps and expand the social, structural and economic development of the church,” he added.

At the colourful event, which also coincided with the 52nd anniversary of the church, members hoped that Afolabi would move the church to greater heights.

A member, Moses Adepoju, said he believed the new leadership would propel the ship of evangelism to safer shores. “The hood does not show the monk, but our Baba’s cassock confirms his holiness before God,” he added.

Council chief lifts artisans

By Kunle Akinrinade

T

HE Chairman of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, Benjamin Olabinjo, has empowered artisans with job tools.

The beneficiaries included hair stylists, tyre repairers, barbers and technicians. They got various items, including hair dryers, electric clippers, spraying machines, deep freezers, generators and sewing machines.

While distributing the items at the council’s Ijaiye secretariat, Olabinjo advised the beneficiaries: “Please make the best use of the tools; don’t sell them, so that you can be self-sufficient and have a strong means of livelihood. We are doing this to assist people, especially the indigent and this is not the first time we would do it. We have distributed transformers and job tools in the past and I hope our successors would sustain this gesture.”

“I promise to make people happy till the last day of my tenure. These items are for various categories of artisans and we expect that you will practise your vocation without violating law and order or indulge in roadside trading. We decided to add generators to the items because of the constant power outage in the country,” he added.

Muslims pray for peace

By Amidu Arije

T

HE Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Surulere, Lagos Chapter, has embarked on a prayer session for a peaceful election in the state in 2015.

The women gathered at Oluwalowi Central Mosque on Randle Street in Surulere to pray for the state and celebrate the new Islamic year 1436AH. The group’s Amirah (female president), Alhaja Rashidat Oyesoro, said: “We have come together to pray to Allah to usher in the new Islamic year and for peace to reign in Lagos and Nigeria.

We are praying against any evil in the state. We are doing this because we believe there is no power outside the Almighty’s. So, we ask Allah to give us peace in the state during the coming election and beyond.”

Alhaja Oyesoro added: “We partner with some other non-governmental organisations at election periods to monitor the proceedings to ensure that the election is successful, free and fair. We are ready again as the nation prepares for the general elections in 2015 to monitor the proceedings.”

She called on the government to provide jobs for youths to curb terrorism and other social vices in the country.

The group’s coordinator, Alhaja Silifat Oyewola, who urged Muslims to learn how to endure trials, added: “The government should give more priority to the Islamic year by enlightening the people about the year and celebrating with the Muslims.”

54

THE NATION MONDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS

G-20 leaders agree on $2 trillion U growth boost NDER pressure to jolt the lethargic world economy back to life, leaders of G-20 nations yesterday finalized a plan to boost global GDP by more than $2 trillion over five years. The fanfare, however, was overshadowed by tensions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western leaders.

The communique from the Brisbane summit of Group of 20 wealthy and emerging nations revealed that the plan for jumpstarting growth includes investing in infrastructure, increasing trade and the creation of a global infrastructure hub that would help match potential in-

vestors with projects.

Leaders also aim to reduce the gap between male and female participation in the workforce by 25 percent by 2025, saying that would put 100 million more women in employment and reduce poverty.

The G-20, criticized in recent years as being all talk and no action, was urged to deliver measurable results this year.

Perhaps in response, the group said the International Monetary Fund and OECD will also play a

role in monitoring progress and estimating the economic The G-20 communique says if the $2 trillion initiative is fully implemented, it will lift global GDP by 2.1 percent above expected levels by 2018 and create millions of jobs.

Abbott said countries agreed on more than 800 new measures to spur the global economy, which the IMF describes as facing a “new mediocre.”

“People right around the world are going to be better off,”

he said.

But experts warned that the countries would need to comply with every one of the 800 measures to achieve the 2.1 percent target, a virtually impossible task, given the difficulties they will inevitably face in pushing some of the policies through in their home countries.

Despite Australia’s push to keep the summit focused on the economy, the meeting was largely overshadowed by tensions between Putin and Western leaders over the escalating conflict in Ukraine, where Moscow is supporting pro-Russian rebels in the country’s east.

U.S. hospital says Sierra Leone doctor with Ebola extremely critical

A

SURGEON from Sierra Leone being treated for Ebola in a Nebraska hospital on Saturday was critically ill after being airlifted back from Africa, medical officials said.

Dr. Martin Salia, 44, a permanent U.S. resident, caught the disease while working as a surgeon in a Freetown hospital, according to his family.

Doctors at the Nebraska hospital said his condition was extremely critical. He had been stable enough to take a flight

MH17 flight wreckage removal begins

W

ORK has begun to remove wreckage from the MH17 crash site in rebel-held eastern Ukraine after months of delays, Dutch officials say.

The Malaysian Airlines plane, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over Ukraine in July. All 298 people on board were killed.

Workers could be seen cutting up parts of the plane and using cranes to load them onto lorries.

Access had previously been limited by rebels and the conflict in Ukraine.

The recovery operation was expected to take several days, the Dutch Safety Board said, and the debris will be transported to the Netherlands for investigation.

The wreckage would assist “the investigation into the cause of the crash”, the board said in a statement, adding that it intended to reconstruct a section of the aircraft.

Alexander Kostrubitsky, the emergency services chief in the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, said that more human remains had been discovered under the wreckage, AP news agency reported.

Teams from Donetsk’s emergency ministry are collecting the debris, under the supervision of Dutch officials.

The Dutch inspectors initially wanted to retrieve the debris themselves, but agreed to work with the local emergency ministry as

•Debris removal at the MH17 crash site ...yesterday

they feared for the safety of their staff in the conflict area, Reuters news agency reported.

Dutch Safety Board spokesman Wim van der Weegen told reporters that because the crash area was large, his team did not intend to recover all the wreckage.

The board had identified the most important pieces of debris for the inquiry and would prioritise their recovery, he added.

A majority of those who died in the disaster were from the Netherlands and the Dutch government has taken the lead in the investigation.

Dutch experts had arrived at the crash site, near the vil-

lage of Grabove, early on Tuesday, but were unable to begin salvage efforts because no deal had been reached with local rebel groups.

Although investigators have yet to establish the exact cause of the crash, Ukraine and Western countries accuse pro-Russian rebels of shooting the plane down with a Russian-made missile, an accusation which Russia denies.

Much of the G20 leaders summit, which closed on Sunday, focused on Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s position on the Ukraine conflict, with the US, UK and Canadian leaders criticising Mr Putin.

Romania head to poll

P

EOPLE in Romania are voting to elect a new president in a run-off pitting the social democrat prime minister against a centre-right candidate.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta led in the first round with 40% to 30% for Klaus Iohannis, an ethnic German mayor.

Mr Ponta has promised both to reduce the budget deficit and increase pensions and the minimum wage.

President Traian Basescu, his long-time political foe, cannot stand for re-election after serving two terms.

Since taking office as prime minister two years ago, Mr Ponta, 42, has overseen eco-

nomic growth and political stability in Romania, the EU's second-poorest state after Bulgaria.

It is also one of the EU's most corrupt member states and Mr Iohannis, 55, has promised to crack down on wrongdoing and strengthen the independence of the judicial system.

However, critics accuse the mayor of Sibiu, a town of around 155,000 people in Transylvania, of seeking to avoid confrontation with the outspoken Mr Ponta, who has maintained his lead in opinion polls.

As prime minister, Mr Ponta often feuded with President Basescu and their poor relations delayed much-needed reforms in the public sector.

Pakistan PM pledges support for new Afghan president

L

OOKING to overcome years of mistrust and hostility between their two nations, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the new Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, promised on Saturday to boost security and trade ties.

The two neighbours have accused each other in the past of harbouring anti-govern-

ment Taliban insurgents across their shared border, and bilateral relations were often tempestuous under the previous Afghan president, Hamid Karzai.

But less than two months after taking office, Ghani is paying his first state visit to Pakistan, and the warm words used by himself and Sharif at a joint

news conference suggested both sides were making a conscious effort to reset relations.

Sharif, who was elected last year in a landslide win, called Ghani a “dear brother” and said the two nations had signed agreements to improve train and road links, increase trade and explore defence, border and energy cooperation.

PHOTO: Reuters

•Dr. Salia

from West Africa to Omaha but was too sick to walk off the plane, medical officials said.

“We will do everything humanly possible to help him fight this disease,” Dr. Phil Smith, medical director of the Biocontainment Unit at Nebraska Medical Center, said in a statement. “This is an hourby-hour situation.”

Upon arrival Salia was transferred to a waiting ambulance in an isolation unit called an ISOPOD, a device used in the transportation of a potentially infectious patient, a hospital official said.

Salia is the third patient to be treated for Ebola in the hospital’s Biocontainment Unit since the virus broke out in West Africa earlier this year.

He was chief medical officer at the United Methodist Church’s Kissy Hospital when he was confirmed on Tuesday to have contracted Ebola.

His evacuation was at the request of his wife, a U.S. citizen who lives in Maryland, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

The current outbreak of Ebola is the worst on record.

According to the latest figures from the World Health Organisation, it has killed at least 5,177 people.

THE NATION MONDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2014

55

FOREIGN NEWS

U.S. hostage Kassig ‘killed by IS’

•Kassig

T

HE US says it is working to determine the authenticity of the video posted in social media yesterday, which shows a mass killing of Syrian troops and showing American aid worker Mr Mr. Peter Kassig, who was captured October 2013 last year while undertaking a project for Sera.

If his death is confirmed, the 26-year-old will be the

fifth Western hostage to have been killed by IS, following the murders of British men Alan Henning and David Haines, and US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

According to reports, this is perhaps the most elaborate and graphic of all the murder videos posted online by IS. Much of it is taken up with a recent history lesson on Iraq and Syria as seen through the eyes of the jihadists. But the latter part shows a mass beheading of Syrian prisoners in revolting, lingering detail.

One of the masked militants pictured in the video appears in size and dress to resemble so-called Jihadi John, a man believed is from Britain who carried out the

killing of the four Western hostages.

Mr Kassig’s parents last month released extracts of a letter written by their son, in which he told of the strains of captivity.

“This is the hardest thing a man can go through, the stress and fear are incredible,” the aid worker wrote.

“They tell us you have abandoned us and/or don’t care but of course we know you are doing everything you can and more.

“Don’t worry Dad, if I do go down, I won’t go thinking anything but what I know to be true. That you and mom love me more than the moon and the stars.”

Mr Kassig was a former US Army Ranger who served in Iraq.

Reactions of outrage, grief from world leaders

I

N a statement on a Facebook page, “Mercy for Abdul-Rahman Kassig – formerly known as Peter”, the Kassig family wrote: “We are aware of the news reports being circulated about our treasured son and are waiting for confirmation from the government as to the authenticity of these reports. We will have no other statement at this time and ask that you please respect our privacy.”

Kassig’s family added a request that news organisations refrain from showing stills or videos from the barbaric execution of Kassig apparently at the hands of “Jihadi John” and around 16 Syrians seen being beheaded in the same video.

“The family respectfully asks that the news media avoid playing into the hostage takers’ hands and refrain from publishing or broadcasting photographs or video distributed by the hostage takers.

“We prefer our son is written about and remembered for his important work and the love he shared with friends and family, not in the manner the hostage takers would use to manipulate Americans and further their cause.”

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “These beheadings show once again what a depraved organisation this is. Like others who have been murdered in cold blood by Isil (Islamic State), Abdul-Rahman Kassig was a selfless humanitarian worker who had gone to the region to help care for those fleeing the Syrian conflict.

“This underlines the deplorable depths to

which these terrorists are prepared to go – savagely murdering a compassionate man. My heart goes out tonight to Abdul-Rahman’s family.” I’m horrified by the cold blooded murder of Abdul-Rahman Kassig. ISIL have again shown their depravity. My thoughts are with his family.

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) November 16, 2014 On Twitter, Lord Dannatt said that UK and US “may have to think the unthinkable and engage western forces on the ground”.

In the US, National Security Council NSC spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said: “If confirmed, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American aid worker and we express our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, having just hosted the G20 summit, said in a joint news conference with German chancellor Angela Merkel: “I don’t have any confirmation of the authenticity of any new video so I don’t want to comment on specifics just to say that this is a death cult, it can’t be dignified with any other title.

“It has nothing to do with religion, it mocks God, it mocks Islam, it’s nothing but a death cult and one of the many reasons we are fiercely taking action against this death cult.

“It’s a threat everywhere, it’s declared war on the world.”

Obama accuses Putin of not living up to ceasefire

India: More arrests over sterilisation deaths

P

NDIAN police have arrested the owners of two pharmaceutical factories as part of the investigation into the deaths of 15 women after sterilization surgery.

The two men were held on charges of destroying evidence - which they deny.

The doctor who conducted the surgery has also been detained. He denies negligence, saying the medicine administered may have been faulty.

Their cause of death remains unclear. The surgeries were part of a state-run mass sterilisation campaign.

The results of the postmortem examinations of the 15 women who died in Chhattisgarh state have not been made public yet.

On Thursday police raided the factory which manufactured some of the drugs administered to the women who died after the sterilisation surgery.

A pile of ash was found in the building along with the remains of medicine packets, Reuters news agency reports.

Some of the women’s symptoms have included fever, vomiting and low blood pressure

RESIDENT Barack Obama yesterday bluntly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of not living up to a cease-fire agreement in Ukraine, but offered no new plans for how the West might change his calculus.

Obama spoke shortly after huddling with European leaders to discuss the conflict and worsening security situation.

On the potential for increasing sanctions on Russia, Obama said the U.S. and European allies are always looking at more penalties but “at this point the sanctions we have in place are biting plenty good.”

“We’re also very firm on the need to uphold core international principles,” Obama said at a press conference to wrap up a weeklong Asia-Pacific tour.

“One of those principles is that you don’t invade other countries or finance proxies and support them in ways that break up a country that has mechanisms for democratic elections.”

Despite a cease-fire agreement between Ukraine and proRussian rebels signed in Minsk, Belarus, in September, fighting continues and key conditions haven’t been met. Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of fueling the rebellion with a con-

I •Obama

stant flow of troops and weapons, accusations Moscow has denied.

Obama said his interactions with Putin during summits he’s attended on his tour were typical of their interactions — “businesslike and blunt.” He said Russia will continue to experience international isolation if Moscow doesn’t take a different path. “It is not our preference to see Russia isolated the way it is,” he said.

Putin departed Australia shortly before Obama and European leaders opened their talks. French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron were among the European leaders attending the meeting, along with leaders from Italy and Spain and EU representatives.

The White House said the leaders in Sunday’s meeting also were expected to discuss a proposed trade agreement between the U.S. and European Union.

56

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

THE NATION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

57

NEWS

Nigerian-born U.S soldier urges hard stance against Boko Haram

A •Ahmed

Ahmed empowers 500 artisans From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

K

WARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has disbursed N50 million to 35 artisan groups comprising of 500 members.

The governor also distributed tools and various equipment to the artisans.

The action, he said, was to ensure financial autonomy for the residents.

Ahmed spoke at the weekend when he distributed the tools at the maiden anniversary of the State Artisans Congress.

The governor said the initiative was to empower artisans and ensure that their potential as major players in the economy was enhanced.

He said the N50 million was the government’s financial intervention to the people, besides the N100 million it disbursed to the congress when it was formed last year.

I’m ready for Kano APC governorship race’ From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

A

KANO State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Usman Alhaji, expressed his preparedness yesterday to ensure his victory in next year’s election, if he gets the party’s ticket for the 2015 poll.

Alhaji said no other governorship aspirant was working as hard as he had been doing, adding that he has introduced a fresh dimension to campaigns in Kano State.

The APC chieftain said he had been visiting and meeting people at the ward level.

He noted that even House of Assembly aspirants did not take their campaigns to as low as the ward level as he had been doing.

Alhaji said: “So, this time round, as I am talking you, I have visited and met people in not less than 360 wards in the state, out of the 484 wards. And by the grace of God, I intend to complete this new all-time campaign style before the end of the primaries. So, I can assure you that I am reaching out to the people, a lot more than any aspirant has done so far.

NIGERIAN-BORN U.S. Army Captain, Sunday Adebomi, has said the war against Boko Haram could be won if President Goodluck Jonathan sets aside his gentle stance.

Adebomi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, that the war could be won if the Federal Government was determined to introduce a hard stand.

He said: “There are several ways of wiping out the sect and end its killings. If the government is determined to end Boko Haram today, it will be achieved.

Who are those in the sect that dare face the government? But unfortunately, I suspect there are some bigwigs behind these people.

“Mr President is being too gentle in handling the killings.

Unfortunately, it is daily assuming a dangerous dimension.

Gentility cannot win the war.

“Although gentility is not a crime, but Mr President will have to be more aggressive because this is a security threat to the nation. Mr President will have to take a stand on the matter - either to continue to tolerate the sect and leave Nigerians to mourn every day with the several killings or take a decisive decision.

“Mr President should give a matching order to the military to wipe them off once and for all.

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

Until a strong stand is taken, Nigerians may not be able to sleep with their eyes closed.”

Adebomi said the military had been doing a good job in the states under the insurgents, adding: “They are fighting unknown faces and faceless groups.

“The Federal Government will have to first identify the cause of the problem: the root, sponsors as well as where and how these insurgents get their weapons.

“The security agencies do not also understand the terrain they are fighting the war because most of them are alien to the battle fields.

“They know nothing about the sect. How then will they fight such a war and think they will win? It is difficult.”

The captain said he led over 5,000 U.S. soldiers to war during the pre-mobilisation in 2010 and expressed optimism that the sect could be wiped out.

He said the sect meant nothing to the Nigeria security agencies, if the government was genuinely committed.

Adebomi said: “All they need is a presidential directive.”

He urged President Jonathan to read the riot act to the governors of the affected states or be made to face the wrath of the Federal Government.

Adebomi noted that the Presi-

dent could also compel the governors to account for each soul lost to the insurgents.

He said: “What I am simply saying is that the matter deserves an aggressive reaction. Enough of a gentleman approach, because you don’t dialogue with faceless groups.

“The question we need to ask ourselves is: when will enough be enough? I woke up this morning with this thought in my mind, asking Nigerians when enough will be enough. I ask the President: when enough will be enough? I ask the Senate and House of Representatives: when enough will be enough?

“Is it not time the government declared full state of emergency in the affected region? Since this insurgency, what concrete intelligence step has the government taken, apart from fire for fire, exposing ill-equipped military men and women to excessive fire power of Boko Haram?

“Let us ask: when will enough be enough? Nigeria is dripping with blood on a daily basis. It is time the government woke up to its task.”

NAN reports that Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states have been under the attack of the Boko Haram insurgents, losing several lives and property.

Adebomi hails from Ise-Ekiti in Ise/Orun Local Government Area of Ekiti and had been in the U.S. Army for almost two decades.

10,000 PDP, others join APC in Kwara

O

VER 10,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) and Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP) defected yesterday to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State.

Former governor and a chieftain of the APC, Senator Bukola Saraki said PDP had lost relevance in the state.

The breakdown of the numbers of the defectors showed that over 5,000 PDP members, led by their leader Alhaji Baa Jimoh, joined the APC and over 3,200 members of the MPPP, led

•PDP has lost relevance From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

by their chairman, Abdullahi Shuaib. Others included over 2,000 members of MDB Solidarity Team, led by Comrade Abdulsalam Moshood; members ACPN and other youth groups and associations joined APC in the state.

Saraki received the defectors into APC. The defectors promised their allegiance to the APC, adding that they would ensure the party’s victory in the 2015 elections.

Saraki said: “Our progress in

APC is not hidden. The defection of these people from various factions of the PDP in Kwara shows that PDP has lost its relevance in Kwara beyond recovery. Come 2015, PDP will not only lose in Kwara but nationwide.

“Once again, I welcome you to APC and assure you that the party’s tenets of fairness, equity, transparency and progress cover you as you join us to fight for the change we crave. Our party is big enough to accommodate all Kwarans and Nigerians with equal participation.”

Security operatives call for CCTV in Yobe schools

T

HE military, police and State Security Services (SSS) in Yobe State have said there is need to install Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras to monitor movements in schools.

Malam Wakil Kaku, the State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu, the state capital.

He said: “The military, police and SSS authorities noted that all schools must be provided

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

with wall fences and CCTV cameras to monitor the movements and objects in and around the schools.

“The security authorities also emphasised the need to provide designated entry and exit points to check unauthorised movements around the schools.”

Kaku said the agency had educated head teachers and proprietors to understand basic precautionary measures on securi-

ty challenges.

The NOA director said the agency was worried about the spate of attacks on schools in which several students had been killed.

He said: “We saw the need to sensitise school authorities on basic measures to secure the schools.

“The agency, last week, organised intensive training on precautionary measures on security challenges for school principals and proprietors across the state.”

Niger East senatorial tribunal to deliver verdict before Christmas

T

HE Chairman of the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal on Niger East Senatorial byelection sitting in Minna, Justice Ibrahim Maikata, has promised to ensure that the tribunal delivers judgement before Christmas.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the election, David Umaru, filed a petition challenging the declaration of Dr. Shem Zabgayi Nuhu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner in the

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

August and September polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The tribunal chairman spoke at the weekend after a pre-trial conference on the petition.

He said the tribunal was prepared to sit on Saturdays to ensure accelerated hearing on the petition.

He fixed November 20 for the petitioners to open their case and gave them seven days to prepare and present their cases.

The tribunal chairman also allocated time for the examination and cross-examination of witnesses.

Justice Maikata urged the parties to avoid unnecessary applications that could delay the speedy determination of the petition.

At the end of the pre-trial conference, counsel to the petitioners, Chris Osuagwu, raised four issues for the tribunal’s determination.

The lawyer said he would call 73 witnesses to justify his

prayers for the nullification of the return of the PDP candidate as winner of the by-election.

He also prayed the tribunal to declare his client the winner of the by-election, having polled the majority of the lawful votes cast.

The issues raised for the determination include whether or not the by-election was not affected by substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Electoral Act 2010, as amended and the manual for election 2014.

NEMA presents materials to Mubi IDPs From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

T

HE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the weekend donated food items to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Mubi, Adamawa State, who ran to Kaduna State when insurgents took over their town some days ago.

It was learnt that 56 IDPs, mostly women and children, took refuge at Rigasa, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis.

The items given to them were blankets, rice, sugar, soap, buckets, cups and mattresses.

Others are: detergent, palm oil, beverages, noodles, mosquito nets, vegetable oil, table water and mats.

Addressing the IDPs in front of Malam Niga Rehabilitation and Skill Acquisition Centre at Rigasa, NEMA’s Northwest Zonal Coordinator Musa Ilallah said the agency responded to the need of the IDPs immediately it got a report on their predicament.

Ilallah said: “We came here immediately we heard the news of your coming here. As an agency, we decided to bring to you the little assistance we could to reduce some of your difficulties. We feel you needed assistance; this is why we are here.

“We also have other people in other parts of the state. We are trying to locate them. The moment we find them, we will go to see them.”

Some of the IDPs expressed satisfaction with NEMA’s response, saying they never expected it from the agency.

Also, NEMA’s Head of Relief and Rehabilitation, Dahiru Yusuf, said the affected children were mostly 10-year-olds.

He said the items would be shared equally among them.

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NEWS APC to Jonathan: beg Nigerians Continued from page 4

knowledged military has been brought to its knees by lack of necessary fighting equipment, even with $32 billion spent. One wonders where the huge funds went to”, the party said.

APC said while the government claimed to have created 1.9 million jobs in five years, the truth is that this is a mere tokenism. “Even if the jobs they said they have created are not phantom, which we know they are, the situation on the ground is grim: 1.8 million Nigerians enter the job market every year, 5.3 million youths are unemployed and overall 20 million Nigerians are in the job market, and these are very conservative figures.

Therefore, creating 1.9 million jobs over several years cannot amount to any achievement,’’ the party said.

The party also said that while the President promised to eradicate corruption in all sectors of the economy, the facts on ground do not back the promise. “Mr. President, under your watch, Nigeria’s rating by the global anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International has fallen. In 2009, Nigeria was rated 133 out of 180 countries while in 2013, the country was rated 144 out of 177 countries.

“Mr. President, under your watch, the list of corruption cases begging to be handled is long: The missing $20b oil money, the Malabu oil scandal, the fuel subsidy scandal, the police pension heist, kerosene subsidy, and the sudden drop in the total amount realised from the Victims Support Fund from N80b to N60b.

Plus the Ministers like Abba Moro, who presided over the

swindling and death of job seekers, and Diezani Alison Madueke, who has presided over the most opaque oil industry in history, have rather received presidential cuddling instead of sanctions.

“Also, SURE-P, which was conceived to mitigate the hardship imposed on Nigerians by the needless increase in fuel prices, has now become a cesspit of corruption, a conduit for siphoning public funds and sure pit for money that could have ameliorated the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.”

The APC also said that the statement by President Jonathan that his Administration’s ‘’bold move’’ in the sector has put the country ‘’on the road to guaranteed regular power supply in the months ahead’’ is nothing but sheer deceit.

“Under the Jonathan Administration, Nigerians should not be in a hurry to throw away their generators. The facts on the ground show this to be true: While the FG has spent 533 billion naira (about $3 billion) on power, at best Nigerians enjoy less than six hours of electricity per day, where they enjoy it at all, while spending over 800 billion naira annually to fuel their generators.

“Also, the 4,000MW of electricity being generated by Nigeria cannot guarantee stable power for 170 million people or propel the country towards industrialisation. By comparison, South Africa, with less than a third of Nigeria’s population, generates over 44,000MW of electricity. There is therefore no way that Nigeria can enjoy a stable power supply with a mea-

gre 4,000MW in power generation,’’ it said.

The APC maintained that the President’s claims that the country has met Millennium Development Goal 1, which is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, flies in the face of the reality on the ground, adding: ‘’How can we claim to have eradicated extreme poverty and hunger when over 100 million Nigerians live on less than $2 per day, according to verifiable statistics?’’

According to the party, with 51% of Nigerians, representing 90 million people, being illiterate, the establishment of 150 Almajiri schools has not even scratched the surface of the problem.

It also accused the President of insensitivity to the plight of the people who voted him into office, as he would rather fly to Burkina Faso than visit Chibok, Buni Yadi and Potiskum, which are some of the places where dozens of youth have been killed and maimed by the Boko Haram terrorists in recent times.

“The President should not just be the Commander-in-Chief but also the Consoler-in-Chief. A President who delights in comparing himself the the likes of Obama must learn to act like the US President, who did not hesitate to visit his nation’s troops in Iraq and Afghanistan despite the risks involved,’’ APC said.

It stressed that with his Administration’s litany of failures, President Jonathan should rather apologise to Nigerians for wasting the mandate they freely gave to him in 2011, instead of daring to ask them for another mandate.

Military: we’ve taken Chibok from Boko Haram Continued from page 4

operation in the Northeast. And with better equipment, the troops were able to confront the insurgents.

“Many of the insurgents were killed and more than 30 got injured. What they did was that as they were fleeing, they attempted to take away the wounded among them.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “We will be able to ascertain the actual figure of the insurgents who were killed after the mop up operation.

“But what we have achieved

so far indicated that the troops can win the war against Boko Haram with the active support of every Nigerian.”

The DHQ ordered that heavy security should be provided for the town to prevent reprisals by the sect.

The military source said: “Troops have been directed to remain in the town and keep 24-hour water-tight security because the insurgents have a way of regrouping.”

Chibok was captured by Boko Haram insurgents on Thursday night.

Thousands of residents fled when the militants entered the town, shooting from pick-up trucks and motorcycles.

Villagers around Chibok said they saw a large deployment of soldiers moving toward the town on Saturday morning.

“We saw large number of trucks filled with uniformed personnel moving toward Chibok. Initially we were scared but later realised they were soldiers as they did not harass us like the Boko Haram gunmen usually do,”said Maina Adamu, a local trader.

Nyako’s impeachment plot cost N1.5b Continued from page 4

N1.5billion was shared to some stakeholders by some forces from Abuja to effect Nyako’s removal.

But some lawmakers shunned the cash splash on ethical grounds.

A source, who was privy to the plot, said: “As much as N1.5billion was spent by the forces behind Nyako’s impeachment in July to effect a change in the state. They were just angry with Nyako and got rid of him.

“Some stakeholders in the state benefited from the funds raised for Nyako’s ousters. The records are there and at the appropriate time, they will be exposed.

“The impeachment brought Umaru Fintiri as the Acting Governor. But the same Abuja forces plotted against Fintiri when he hijacked the primaries of the

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to secure the governorship ticket of the party for next year’s poll.

“Fintiri failed to act the script handed over to him by the antiNyako forces. When Fintiri fell out of favour with the forces from Abuja, they used the legal process to also sack him too.

“They teamed up with Governor Bala Ngilari who had a ‘reasonable safe case’ in the court to be used against Fintiri. This was how Governor Bala Ngilari benefited from the conspiracy in Adamawa.”

Investigation however revealed that the same forces were unhappy that Ngilari was under temptation to renege on the agreement he reached with them before assuming office.

Another source added: “Before the Abuja forces supported Ngilari, there was a mutual agreement that he would only

seek a senatorial ticket in 2015.

“Now, Ngilari is being pushed to breach the agreement by obtaining the governorship nomination form. This is why the All Progressives Congress (APC) may win the governorship election if Ngilari is made the PDP candidate.”

Meanwhile, there were indications yesterday that some members of the House of Assembly may not be given the second term ticket for their role in the impeachment of Nyako.

A party source said: “Some of these lawmakers took the party for granted before they could be part of the plot. We knew what they did and we will not give them second term ticket.

“Even their constituents are up in arms against them, that the lawmakers will not return in 2015. They are busy begging the party but they cannot be forgiven at all.”

Bring back 11 bodies, South Africa demands Continued from page 4

rope.

Soldiers stood by with R5 rifles.

Numerous paramedics were also in the room.

The SA Police Service brass band delivered a rendition of the 1862 American civil war song “Battle Cry of Freedom” written

by American composer George Frederick Root.

Paramedics rushed towards some family members who began to weep hysterically as director-general in the South Africa Presidency Cassius Lubisi read out the names of the dead.

Only 74 of the expected 85 bodies of victims were returned to South Africa - apparently due to DNA sampling that still needed to be done by the Lagos State

Government medical team.

It has been nearly two months wait for the bodies of 81 South Africans, three Zimbabweans and one Congolese national using South African travel papers, among the 116 people – who died in the building, serving as a guest house within the church premises in Ikotun on the outskirt of Lagos.

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SPORT EXTRA Glo salutes Eagle's fighting spirit

KESHI TELLS NIGERIANS

Pray for Eagles to beat Bafana Bafana S

UPER Eagles’ Chief Coach Stephen Keshi has urged Nigerians to pray for the national team to beat South Africa convincingly in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday.

The elated coach also looked back at the way the Eagles struggled to beat those Nigerian soccer fans called minnows and thought them (fans) some lectures in football.

From Segun Ogunjimi, Just back from Pointe Noire “People think our group is easy. Many Nigerians think it should be a stroll in the park since the countries we are paired with are Sudan, Congo and South Africa and they should be easy teams for us to beat.

“But the game of football has changed. People are growing; nations are growing. So we

have to grow too and we have to continue with whatever we are doing that we think will make us good and strong.

“Our game against Congo Brazzaville national team was not bad. Two good sides played the match and I think in the second half we could have had more goals. We lost some chances in the second half but I give glory to God that we got the three points we needed in

this match.”

“As regards the last qualifying match against South Africa, Nigeria should pray for us, they should pray for the players and they should be patient and they should come out enmasse to support their team to win the match.

“They should pray for the boys to be in good health and that they should respond well in the match,” Keshi urged.

I knew I’d score, says Aaron Samuel

G

• Samuel

UANGZHOU R&F striker Aaron Samuel has said that he was thrilled to score in an African Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Congo on Saturday.

The ex-Sarpsborg 08 man also shed light on the motivational talk from manager Stephen Keshi before he replaced Emmanuel Emenike in the 70th minute.

The 20-year-old curled in a shot in the 90th minute which was enough to secure all three points for the defending champions, with Ikechukwu Uche opening scoring from the penalty spot earlier. ''I knew I was going to score because I never doubted my qualities. I'm happy to score again. The coach (Stephen Keshi) had a talk with me be-

fore I entered the pitch. ''He advised me to be focused and help the team defensively and offensively. He told me to be relaxed and do what I know how to do best,'' said Aaron Samuel to SL10.ng.

Calling a spade a spade, the youngster had been criticised by a section of the fans due to the fact that he's playing in the Chinese Super League, but the doubting Thomases are now singing a different tune.

Samuel has dedicated his second international goal to everyone that believed in his abilities from the word go, and his mother, whom he has a special relationship with. ''I have dedicated this goal to my mother and to those who know me, who know what I can do, and backed me from the beginning,'' he concluded.

N

IGERIA'S biggest corporate sponsor of football, Globacom, has congratulated the Super Eagles for the team’s spirited away victory over the Red Devils of Congo in Pointe –Noire on Saturday.

“The match was tough and the crowd was hostile. We commend the Super Eagles for their hard work, concentration and never-say-die spirit which earned them the away victory,” Globacom stated in a press statement issued after the match.

“It was an unlimited performance by the Super Eagles in 90 minutes of hard football that has given the team hope of qualifying for the next African Cup of Nations” the statement added According to Globacom, “The Super Eagles gave a good account of themselves and the attacking football from the team paid off with two second half goals from Ikechukwu Uche and Aaron Samuel which sealed the team’s victory”.

Globacom commended the team for not only picking the

three vital points but also restoring Nigeria's national pride.

The Company therefore urged the team to sustain the momentum on Wednesday when they take on South Africa in Uyo so as to seal their chance of participating in the next year's AFCON finals.

Nigeria needs to defeat Bafana Bafana, who had already qualified from the group in the last match in Uyo on Wednesday to Qualify for the 2015 AFCON holding in Equatorial Guinea in January, 2015.

We wish to advise the team to remain focused for the task ahead while we enjoin the technical crew to ensure that the fittest and brightest players are lined up for the “must-win” encounter, the statement further said.

Globacom urged Nigerians not to relent in giving the much needed support to the Super Eagles as they prepare for the last 90 minutes of AFCON 2015 qualifying matches.

Globacom is the major partner of the Nigeria Football Federation and official sponsor of the Nigeria national football teams.

Tandoh praises team Lagos'outing at 2014 NSSF Games

T

HE Director of Sports Lagos State, Dr. Kweku Tandoh has hailed the performance of Team Lagos at the just concluded 7th National Schools Sports Festival in Otukpo, Benue State, saying that they have made the state proud.

At the end of the competition, Team Lagos came third on the overall medal table with a total of 74 gold, 51 silver and 53 bronze medals, behind Team Anambra which came second with 81 gold, 104 Silver and 119 bronze medals and the winners, Team Cross River which won 124 gold, 91 silver and 84

By Bowale Odukale bronze medals.

Interestingly, Team Lagos surpassed last year's medal haul of 49 gold medals. Team Lagos made its presence felt this year in all the 16 sports it entered for with at least a gold medal in each of the sports. Lagos State displayed dominance in sports such as Gymnastics winning 16 gold, Scrabble (13 gold), Taekwondo (9 gold), Athletics Seniors (8 gold), Table Tennis (6 gold), Wrestling Seniors (5 gold), Tennis (4 gold), Chess (3 gold) and Karate (3 gold).

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SHOWBIZ

Kunle Afolayan’s October 1 leads AFRIFF awards

W

ITH three diadems, including the Best Feature Film award, Kunle Afolayan’s psychological thriller, October 1, proved the ‘alpha male’ among the over 75 films in competition at the just-concluded Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), which held in Calabar, Cross River State.

Although described as the poster boy of Nollywood, Afolayan’s feat took Africa by storm, having defeated strong contenders in the continent. The ovation was loudest as he returned to the stage a second time for the Best Feature Film award, having previously received the Best Actor prize on behalf of Sadiq Daba, who played Inspector Waziri in the film - in between, Tunde Babalola, the writer of the October 1 script, had also clinched the Best Screenplay plaque.

Known for his businessmindedness, Afolayan, who held the plush plaque high-up, asked if monetary prizes were attached to the awards, received the yes nod from the AFRIFF founder, Ms. Chioma Ude from the crowd. The filmmaker then narrated

By Victor Akande

briefly, his usual ‘sweat and blood’ story to describe how the movie gulped N200 million of loans.

This was the first competitive award the film has won since its historic release in the cinemas on October 1st. It could be said that the film came with great promises, as, prior to its release, its trailer won the Best Fiction Film Trailer at the International Movie Trailers Festival in 2013, while Afolayan himself received two awards; the ‘Creative Entrepreneur in Filmmaking‘ and ‘Overall Creative Entrepreneur‘ by the British Council in Nigeria, early in the year.

The AFRIFF awards night at the Cultural Center, Calabar, offered the best of stage artistry, compelling performances and thoughtprovoking speeches, as the winners in different categories of the Awards are unveiled intermittently.

Other awardees on the night are, Andrew Dosunmu, Best Director for Mother of George; Bola Agbaje and Destiny Ekaragha, Viewers’ Choice Award for Gone Too Far; CJ Fiery Obasi, Best Nigerian

•L-R: Chioma Ude, Ramsey Nouah, Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, Gov Imoke and is wife, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde and Kate Henshaw at the closing of Africa International Film Festival in Calabar on Saturday

Film for Ojuju; Thishiwe Ziqubu, Best Actress for South African film Hard To Get; Joanna Lipper, Best Documentary for The Supreme Price, a film on the late MKO Abiola; South Africa’s Samantha Nell, Best Short Film for Stiff; Naji Ismail, Special Jury Prize for the Egyptian film, Om Amira and Iquo Essien, Best Student Short Film for Aissa’s Story.

Delivering on her promise of further training for film students at an American university, Ude unveiled the 10 students who had shown the most aptitude during the festival’s training sessionsthey are, Udoekpo Utibe Charles and Lekan

Olarenwaju for Directing; Adeolu Adeniyi and Otobong Ekpeyong for Cinematography; Oluwabori Ijimakinde, Adelarin Awotedu and Lydia Gachuhi for Script writing and finally, Emeka Darlington, Hauwa Allahburh and Daniel Ezekiel for Acting.

Also, speaking at the glamorous event, the Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Mr. Oronto N. Douglas, represented by his Special Assistant, Molara Wood, urged Nigerian and African filmmakers to take up the challenge of promoting irresistible images of our society on the screen, to show that our stories are also im-

portant and valid.

According to him, “We need more biopics on heroes whose exploits have impacted on our societies.

We need more films focusing on pivotal episodes in our history. We need more period dramas that examine the past, and more speculative films about the future.We need greater cross-pollination between the art forms...these are some of the issues I would like our filmmakers to consider, as this year’s festival comes to its glittering close.”

Noting that no successive government in the country has done so much for the industry, Douglas said, President Goodluck Jonathan believes in the

value that the film industry adds to the economic and cultural development of the country. As a result, he has been walking the talk by providing concrete support through grants and the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, so that the industry can become bigger and better for the benefit of Nigeria, Africa and the world at large.

The event was graced by notable personalities, including the Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Liyel Imoke, and his wife, Obioma, Nollywood stars; Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Kate Henshaw, Rita Dominic, Ramsey Nouah, Segun Arinze and Kalu Ikeagwu among others.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

TODAY IN THE NATION ‘Instead of dissipating valuable energy trying to stop Jonathan, those opposed to him should direct their attention on how to win him at the polls. Bad as the security situation in the north-east is, it has not stopped politicians of different political parties from positioning for advantage to win the coming elections’ EMEKA OMEIHE

VOL 9 NO 3,043

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

I

T was a victory party that turned into a funeral pyre.

Son of former Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa had his followers waltz to the PDP secretariat in Abuja. Dressed in colourful outfit, they pulsed with songs and dance. The man, Abudul-Jhalil Tafawa Balewa, swaggered into the office to pick his presidential nomination form. While the fiesta flared on, he slouched out of the office, his shoulder sagged and his buoyant face dropped to a scowl. He infected the crowd of followers with his dour look.

The party said there was no form. The man brandished his receipt. He had paid for it. It was a breach of contract. But the only form available, we learnt later, was for one Goodluck Jonathan who had been endorsed as the automatic candidate of the party. That was how the victory song dropped many decibels to a dirge. It was a comic resemblance to the play by Spanish writer Federico Garcia Lorca, titled Blood Wedding, where a wedding turns into a dreary lamentation and mourning, Never mind that later, after President Jonathan had picked his ticket, some form of arrangement was made for Tafawa Balewa to pick his. Everybody knows that the son of the former prime minister is no great shakes in the party. He is a mere ant in the sweepstakes. When the Jonathan wind comes, no one would even see the ant go. It will vanish inside the dust bowl.

Tafawa Balewa’s complaint is the sort of tear we see in this season. The word in town now is imposition. Some might have asked Balewa how he acquired the so-called bona fides to run for an office. Was his father not imposed on the Northern People’s Congress by the Sardauna of Sokoto? It is the irony of the day that imposition has become the excuse among politicians of both parties to justify rebellion when the ticket goes elsewhere.

When the ticket is theirs, or falls in the hands of their cronies, it is democracy, or consensus. When it does not, it is an autocratic folly. Welcome to presidential system.

Some have said it is the curse of the system we borrowed from the Americans. Yet we know that even when the parliamentary system thrived in this country, we still had complaints of imposition. The battle between Awolowo and Akintola arose from the crisis of imposition. We should not wake up today and start throwing accusation of which we are all guilty.

Some have attributed it to the hangover from the military era. I have trafficked in this belief in the past. But I think it oversimplifies it. The military thrived in this part in part because we were beholden to a system of command and control embedded with centuries-old reign of monarchy. The king syndrome has overwhelmed us. It is feudalism writ large. It is politics of kings and chiefs.

RIPPLES WE’LL FLUSH OUT PDP AS WE FLUSHED OUT EBOLA –APC chieftain

In that case, you have to quickly put them under QUARANTINE

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

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

Of imposition and impostors

‘

It permeates every part of culture. It is not only because of our monarchical roots. It percolates family with its extended system. So we have to crave patriarchs. There has to be a strong family person. We carry it into the offices, into the farm system, into the village group system. How do we expect the political party to be immune just because we call it democracy? We have become a society of the big man because we have not shed the monarchical baggage.

We decided to adopt democracy as a system, but we did not know that it came as a cover of our ancient penchant for control.

Hence the First Republic collapsed. The idea of democracy is progress, but are we biting off more than we can chew?

When the Americans gave themselves the presidential system, they did not start with universal suffrage. Even the woman and poor did not vote. Their first President George Washington was not a product of popular election. He was selected by what we call consensus today. In fact, a good percentage of the founding fathers wanted him to have royal powers, like King George. They, like Nigeria, looked back to Europe, which was just beginning to shed the yoke of the divine rights of kings. They based their system on a culture that was evolving piecemeal. We have swallowed the whole bottle of beer in one swig.

That was at play when the senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cried foul.

They saw that the governors did not want them to return. In other words, they wanted

They claim they belong to the right family and others are impostors. If I am anointed, I am not imposed but others are impostors. If I am excluded, the system has been subverted

’

to be imposed once again. They cried foul that governors had taken over the system and structure and they had no prayers. Hence, in a burst of the reckless, they abandoned their duty posts to the Nigerian people – not that they did much when they were working.

This trend is also all over the All Progressives Congress (APC) where some elements are crying over imposition.

Presidentialism thrives on two things: money and influence. Influence is what we sometimes call party structure. Money, the mother’s milk of politics, plays a big role in it.

Those who recommended the presidential system for us thought it would be better than the parliamentary that gave us chaos, wetie and the civil war. Well, presidentialism has not fared better. The politicians who claim they expect it to fare better are hypocrites.

Amuta writes the wrong

C

OLUMNIST and literary critic Chidi Amuta unveils his collected journalism this week. Since he waded out of his professorial slough into the toga of a journalist, Amuta has written quite a few controversial pieces, especially as an avowed advocate of one of Nigeria’s flinty dictators, Ibrahim Babangida. He has received quite some flak for fuelling such a shameful flame. He never apologised for it. But other than that, his pieces have been quite progressive. He writes with clarity, insight and elegance of a man accustomed to the rigour of classroom debate and the concerns of the street. The book, Writing the Wrong, is welcome to the beehive of public debate.

HARDBALL

N

OW Hardball is full of envy for the great people of Ekiti State. Why am I not an Ekitite? Perhaps one should begin to consider relocating to that land of knowledge and learning, considering the epochal novelty exfoliating therefrom.

We, the untutored, were grappling with the concept of Stomach Infrastructure (SI) and having our laughs when whiz governor, the new kid on the block handed us the operational definition of SI without further ado. He simply created a Department of Stomach Infrastructure (DSI) in his Expanded Executive Council and appointed a Special Assistant and a Personal Assistant for that all-important task. All this happened on inauguration day – no debate, no grammar and no memoranda. Governance made easy, simple and straightforward. The KISS factor – keep it simple stupid!

There are reasons aplenty why some of us are lost in lustful longing for the Ekiti treat and would yet migrate to that Odua heartland.

Have you heard that the ‘gallant guber’, the ‘gods’ gift to his people, Governor Ayo Fayose, is already preparing for a bounteous Christmas for his people in the spirit of stomach infrastructure?

Hear him: “Christmas is coming, why do

They know the rules of the game going in.

They know it is about who owns money and who exerts influence. It is a sort of Hobbesian mess.

So, when in Delta, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, etc, some of the candidates are shouting down a candidate, it is not because they want fairness. It is because it is not fair if they are not the anointed one. We are seeing it in both parties from the local government to senator to governor. It is clearly at play in the presidential sweepstakes in both parties. We also see it in the balance of forces, whether ethnic, dialectal, religious, geographic, in states. It is a numbers game in money count, delegates count, etc.

What we have is a sort of declaration of independence late in the day. Candidates are showing the streaks of princes who are fighting for the crown. They claim they belong to the right family and others are impostors. If I am anointed, I am not imposed but others are impostors. If I am excluded, the system has been subverted.

Even in the first Democratic Party primaries that Obama won, Hilary Clinton complained that the caucus system in states like Colorado gave the black man advantage. It cost money and endorsements. The recent offyear elections cost about $4 billion. Anywhere we cannot stop powerful people from exerting influence unless the system mounts a buffer against them. Ours does not. The richest founding father, John Hancock, wanted to be the first US president. His money failed him because money was not enough. Was he a threat? Yes. Many people have said corruption is Nigeria’s problem. They are half right. The root problem is a culture in which we have to depend on somebody up there for things and direction, including money. It was fair in the past. Why are we complaining now when we have not changed the system?

We still run a feudal society in the guise of republicanism. Our federal system gives all the power to the centre. Even in states, all the power is in one man, as it is in a family. We fought a civil war because Ironsi gave us a unitary system. Since the war ended, we have not changed it. That is the only society we know. Unless we learn to change gradually into a system that all see to be fair, our politicians should stop complaining when it does not favour them. Hypocrisy is now the season.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Hardball challenges Fayose to a beering contest people go out of their ways to be shopping or doing other things if it is not just to make people merry?

“So I’m grooming chicken, buying rice, yams, plantain and the rest of them. I am sure if I give them to families during the festive period, they will be happy. So stomach infrastructure is a way of life.”

By Jove, it promises to be a bumper of a Christmas for the great people of Ekiti this season and for many seasons ahead. Wow, the thought of a specially-groomed chicken from the gubernatorial poultry! Good people of Ekiti, brace for the time of your lives. It’s goodbye to poverty, goodbye to hunger and your welfare is assured. It’s goodbye to crimes too for as your governor has posited, most people who commit crime do so because they feel that life no longer holds any sweetness for them and there is no comforter anywhere.

This is unassailable Fayosean intervention which requires no further intellectual interrogation. But Hardball’s concerns and fascinations are with the governor’s proposition that he does his beer (not drink,

mind you) with his people every Friday. Bingo!

Hardball hereby challenges the quaffing governor to a beering session one of these cool Friday evenings.

What joy that would bring; how that would release a glorious spirit of the Muse like a billion confetti into Hardball’s universe. And what would be the governor’s brand? What would be the accompaniment to his beer – nkwobi, isiewu, sizzling cow-tail soup or pepper snails? What would be His Excellency’s delight?

How many bottles can he knock down? Real men; the beer parlour bums would undo their belt and kill the bottles until they lose count or they count loosely, whichever one happens first. In fact great aficionados would sit at the command position, make sure the table never grows bare or cold and they hold court as loudly as they can. Most notably, they seem to possess the supernatural powers to pass on their consumption to others around the table so that as the hours grow thin they can rise and traipse into the night, leaving their co-quaffers inebriated and in a semi-horizontal posture.

Let’s meet at the parlour Mr. Governor.

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