October 27, 2014

Newspaper of the Year

News APC: Fayose Page bought 7 N43m Range Rover Sports NEWS

•Party alleges squandermania

Protest as PDP sacks Ondo exco P8 FIFA hammer looms over NFF P24 Business ‘Banks’ earnings’ decline to persist’ P25

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 9, NO. 3014 MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

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From Tony Akowe, Abuja

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has streamlined its manifesto to six broad areas for the 2015 general elections.

The party also said at the weekend that it is poised to present a candidate who will be a Nigerian president when elected, from among its aspirants.

According to a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, the APC will hold an extraordinary national convention on Wednesday in Abuja to approve amendments to the constitution of the party Continued on page 4

N150.00

Lawmakers get N9b projects’ letters

APC to ratify six-point manifesto at convention

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•www.thenationonlineng.net

•Chief Odigie-Oyegun

AWMAKERS have got the Presidency’s nod to embark on constituency projects.

Some N9 billion will go into such projects, which generated some controversy, with the Executive claiming that lawmakers should not execute projects.

Such arguments seem to be dead, with House members getting letters to embark on the projects.

It is all believed to be part of

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

a plan to pave the way for President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of his intention to run again next year.

Besides, it is to smoothen the road for his budget presentation and make peace with the National Assembly, according to sources.

The release followed a “new understanding” between President Jonathan and the leadership of the National Assembly.

Similar gesture was said to

have been extended to the Senate but the figure was kept under wraps as at press time.

But, to many members of the National Assembly, the approval does not amount to automatic backing for Jonathan.

According to sources, after foot-dragging on modalities for the projects the presidency also bowed to the demands of the lawmakers.

Continued on page 4

•INSIDE: NJC TO NOMINATE CJN’S SUCCESSOR P6 PRESIDENCY THREATENS AMAECHI P4

Boko Haram abducts 30 boys, girls in another raid Cameroon kills 39 sect fighters

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O fewer than 30 boys and girls were at the weekend abducted in a Borno State village as Boko Haram continued to violate the “ceasefire” it allegedly reached with the government.

Some government officials had a discussion with some Boko Haram representatives in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago after which a ceasefire was pronounced by Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.

Talks are going on in N’Djamena, the Chadian capital, believed to be coordinated by President Idris Derby.

The release of the abducted 219 Chibok girls, since April, is believed to be top of the discussion.

But the sect has continued its violence without let, although its representative at the Saudi talks said the attacks were being carried out by “armed robbers”.

Boko Haram at the weekend killed 17 in attacks. It abducted 30 girls and boys in a Borno village and killed four Nigerians in an attack on a Nigerian refugees’ camp in Cameroon. The Nigerians in the camp were those who fled Boko Haram’s attacks.

A local chief confirmed the attack and abductions to reporters yesterday.

“The insurgents... grabbed young people, boys and girls, from our region,” said Alhaji Shettima Maina, who is in charge of the Mafa village around 50km east of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital “They took all boys aged 13 and over... and all girls aged 11 and more. According to our information, 30 young people were abWHEN WILL THE ducted in the last two CHIBOK GIRLS days.” Another village elKIDNAPPED ON der, Mallam Ashiekh Mu-

?

APRIL 15 BE FREED?

Continued on page 4

•MISSION TO NIGERIA: German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (right) and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on board a plane on their way to Abuja at the airport in Paris, France...yesterday. The ministers are billed for a meeting today on the security situation and Ebola Virus PHOTO: DPA Disease in West Africa.

•SPORTS P24 •INSURANCE P36• JOBS P37 •CEO P39 •POLITICS P43 •FOREIGN P54

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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NEWS

Nigerians, o on choice U •From left: Country Manager of International Finance Corporation (IFC), Mr. Solomon Quaynor; Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive, First City Monument (FCMB) Limited, Mr. Ladi Balogun and the Company Secretary/General Counsel Mrs. Funmi Adedibu at the signing ceremony of a loan facility secured by FCMB from IFC in Lagos.

What has Ebola and Boko Haram got to do with wealthy Nigerians acquiring property in London? A report says Boko Haram and Ebola have seen an increase in Nigerians investing in the United Kingdom property market

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•Dean, Centre for Economic Development, Galilee International Management Institute, Israel, Nathan Tirosh (left), former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof Olufemi Bamiro and Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Vice-Chancellor Prof Adebiyi Daramola (right) at the Strategic Management Retreat for FUTA officials at the Ikogosi Warm springs Resort, Ekiti State... at the weekend.

•From left: Director, Lagos Photo Foundation, Mr Azu Nwabogu; Head, Event and Sponsorship, Etisalat, Modupe Thani, and Channel Sales Director, Etisalat, Mr Ken Ogujiofor at the 5th edition of LagosPhoto festival grand opening reception in Lagos... at the weekend.

PHOTO: ADEOLA SOLOMON

REPORT in yesterday’s London Mail has detailed how African, especially Nigerian, buyers are spending almost £4million on London property every week. The report said they were snapping up exclusive investments in the United Kingdom.

“Super-rich oligarchs are taking their vast resources and investing them in the safe haven of London property - with more than £600million spent in the capital in the past three years. A mixture of traditional reasons combined with increased terrorism and the outbreak of Ebola is said to be behind the dramatic influx of African money to the capital.

“While African buyers only account for 1.5 per of transactions in the ‘ultra prime’ London market, they make up five per cent of sales by value - up from two per cent. This is by typically spending between £15million and £25million on each home,” said the report.

The report said the interest of Nigerians and other wealthy Africans in London property has gone up since the Ebola outbreak and continued terrorism from as Boko Haram and others.

Beauchamp Estates, which sells some of London’s most expensive homes, yesterday released a report on African buyers in the capital.

Nigeria leads five other countries,

Ghana, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon and Senegal, on the list of big time players in the UK property market.

The report reads: “Nigerians are the biggest spenders, with wealthy nationals forking out £250million on London homes in the last three

Addressing the rate of disobedience to court orders

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• Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, Chairman, Chief Kola Jamodu, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry,Mrs. Ibikun Odusote at the signing of MOU between the ministry and Nigerian Breweries on Hybrid Soghum Development in Abuja.

•Mrs Alakija: A major player in the UK property market

N many occasions, concerned citizens in Nigeria have expressed worry about the spate of disobedience to court orders in spite of democratic governance.

They observe that some elements saddled with the responsibility of protecting the law are somewhat found to be abetting disobedience to court orders in some cases.

Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court, Lagos, in his opinion, said “disobedience to court order in the country has become an endemic disease which has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigerian society’’.

According to him, the situation requires urgent attention to restore sanity in the Nigeria judicial system.

Corroborating this viewpoint, Mr Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), recently called for the efforts of all stakeholders at checking the rate of disobedience to court orders.

He insisted that the Bar has a great

By Obike Ukoh

role to play in that regard, noting that in the past; it was the responsibility of lawyers to ensure that people complied with court orders.

Falana recalled that when the late Mr Alao Aka-Bashorun was the president of the Bar, he directed Nigerian lawyers to protest the disobedience to a court order during a military regime.

“Then, for the first time, Nigerian lawyers went on strike to protest the disobedience to court order; but this day, it has become part of our culture of impunity,’’ he said.

Sharing similar opinion, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, challenged members of the Bar to fight against disobedience to court orders.

He said at the opening ceremony of the 2014/2015 Edo Legal Year recently in Benin that disobedience to court orders constituted a threat to the rule of law.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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NEWS

s, others spend £4million e UK property every week

•One of the exclusive property being acquired by wealthy Africans

years.

“The new wave of super-rich includes Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian business magnate who, with a £16billion fortune, is Africa’s wealthiest man.

“Folorunsho Alakija, a billionaire oil tycoon, fashion designer and philanthropist from Lagos, is also a big investor in the London property market. She recently bought four apartments in One Hyde Park, the super-exclusive development in Knightsbridge.

“Her British-born nephew Rotimi Alakija, who also goes by the stage name of DJ Xclusive, has also invested property in the capital.

“It is thought other tycoons have also been eyeing up homes on Kensington Palace Gardens - known

as Billionaires’ Row.” Managing Director, Beauchamp Estates, Gary Hersham, said he has had three super-rich Nigerians enquiring about homes in the past week alone.

He said: “ I’ve had an upturn in African buyers over the last few months. The situation in West Africa at present is pushing rich African buyers back into Central London at a significantly higher level than is normally experienced.

“While war, disease and terrorism in West Africa grab media headlines, actually for super-rich Africans its domestic wealth, cultural ties to London, general safety and education for their children that are the key attractions for buying a home in central London.”

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If senior advocates of Nigeria advise people to disobey court orders, it is a sad thing and if the Bar keeps quiet in the face of such disobedience, then it is a terrible thing for the rule of law •Falana

“Every lawyer must endeavour to uphold the law and those that live by the court must not be seen to aid and abet disobedience.

“If senior advocates of Nigeria ad-

‘

vise people to disobey court orders, it is a sad thing and if the Bar keeps quiet in the face of such disobedience, then it is a terrible thing for the rule of law.

“If court bailiffs are assaulted in

•The wealthy buyers are typically spending between £15million and £25million on each home and are purchasing luxury properties

Hersham said these super-rich look to buy property in the ‘platinum triangle’ — Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge.

The report added: “Around 80 per cent spend between £15million to £25million on a residential property, with ten per cent spending more than £30million. If they are not buying, they are renting luxury homes for up to £15,000-per-week and staying for between six weeks and three months per year.

“London’s reputation for having a residential property market, which is secure and a stable investment, is one of the main reasons wealthy Africans are buying, according to Beauchamp Estates. Another reason is historic cultural and community ties.

“Nigeria is a Commonwealth country and there is a community of 70,000 in London. There are a similar number of Ghanaians in the capital.

The third reason is education, with King’s School Canterbury, Wycombe Abbey, Cheltenham Ladies College, Eton, Harrow and Bradfield are among the favourite private schools for wealthy families from Africa.

“According to the Nigerian embassy, Nigerian nationals spend more than £300million-a-year on tutoring, accommodation, fees and equipment at British schools and universities.”

Hersham added: “ It is going to be the African century. Continental African buyers or luxury tenants in London are currently where the Russians and Ukrainians were five

years ago. At present virtually all the transactions are for end use, not rental investment, which indicates that the African buyer market in London has significant room for growth and maturity. Nigerians have been long standing property purchasers in the central London market, going back to the early 1980s.

“However, in the 1980s and 1990s they typically purchased houses in North London, in Hampstead, St Johns Wood and Primrose Hill.

“Now, enhanced wealth has enabled them to move into the ultra prime market in Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge, and have been joined by affluent purchasers from other West African and French equatorial states.”

public view and senior advocates and other learned members of the community keep quiet, it is not the best.

“This is because those who may not be affected today may be the people to be affected tomorrow, particularly where the rule of law operates on the basis of precedent.

“The challenge of defending democracy demands that we have not just an independent judiciary, but a courageous judiciary with potent teeth to bite or smile regardless of those appearing before us,’’ he said.

Observers, however, note that Oshiomhole’s view represents the recent occurrence in Edo House of Assembly where members of the house refused to obey court order that barred them from entering the legislators’ quarters in Benin.

They note that disobedience to court order by the members obviously escalated the crisis in the house.

They recall that the crisis was preceded by the suspension of the Deputy Speaker of the house, Rep. Festus Ebea of All Progressives Congress (APC) and three other members who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They also observed that the house leadership secured a Benin High Court order, restraining the defected lawmakers from entering the assembly complex and legislative quarters in Benin but the orders was not obeyed.

According to them, the fallout of the disobedience is that both parties are still in court, the House of Assembly has two speakers and the lawmakers are divided.

Citing a similar example, observers recall that in spite of the order of Jos Federal High Court, barring the conduct of the election of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), the association recently went ahead to conduct the election.

They note that in disobeying the court order, the Aminu Maigari led faction of the association conducted the election that produced Mr Amaju Pinnick as the NFA chairman.

Stakeholders insist that such practice is worrisome and can cause anarchy if not checked on time.

Mr Sunday Ameh, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), stressed that court judgments should be obeyed always, until they are set aside, saying that “affected parties are under obli-

gation to face the judgment being executed against them.’’

Also, an Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Terkaa Aodoo, said there was no justification to disobey the orders of court. “ In fact, anybody or corporate organisations have no right to disobey court orders no matter how the order was given.

“If the order was given in error, the only thing to do is to challenge the order in an appeal court to set it aside.

“But to disobey court order amounts to contempt of court and the court can carry out contempt proceedings against the disobedient person or group. “ So, disobeying court order is a very fundamental issue that should not be encouraged in our judicial system,’’ he said.

Observers, nonetheless, insist that court orders are disobeyed with impunity in connivance with some elements in the judiciary.

They say that the NBA, as suggested by Falana, should address arbitrary disobedience to court orders.

•Ukoh is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Presidency threatens Amaechi

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•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (second left) cutting the tape to inaugurate the first fully serviced gated estate in the State at the Orange Valley, in Abeokuta…at the weekend. With him are: his wife Olufunso (middle), Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Suraj Ishola Adekunbi (left) Managing Director, Ogun State Property & Investment Corporation (OPIC), Babajide Odusolu (right) and National Women Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. (Mrs.) Ramotu Tijani Aliyu.

Lawmakers get N9b projects’ letters Continued from page 1

The demands are input from the lawmakers on the types of projects for their constituencies and facilitation of the contractors to make execution faster.

The release of project letters to lawmakers started on Thursday.

Each member of the House got a letter for a project worth about N50million with conditions attached to it.

As at press time, about 180 of the 360 Representatives have got letters on their constituency projects.

It was learnt that others

might get theirs this week.

The government is, however, expected to fast-track payment to contractors as soon as any project is certified as “properly executed”.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have had issues with the Presidency on constituency projects which ought to have come on stream in the last five months. But, surprisingly, during the week, I think on Thursday or so, some of us got letters to proceed with our proposed constituency projects.

“We were suspicious of the timing because the letters came at about the same time the

President announced plans to seek re-election.

“But if anyone thinks that the constituency projects will amount to automatic support for the President’s second term, it is a joke.

“We are not begging for constituency projects; they are already in the 2014 appropriation. They only used their veto to delay it. In any case, failure to implement the constituency projects will amount to a violation of the 2014 Appropriation Act.” Another high-ranking member of the House said: “I think they are using the projects to appease us to consider the 2015

Appropriation Bill. They know that they are behind time because the bill ought to have been presented in September.

“As I am talking to you, they are still dealing with Medium Term Framework for the 2015 budget.

“Definitely, there is no way we will not join issues with the Executive on the constituency projects when they bring the Appropriation Bill. They are trying to pre-empt us.

“They have used the projects to douse the tension building up in the National Assembly against the Executive. You see, Continued on page 57

PDP desperate to win Rivers, Edo, says Odigie-Oyegun

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is desperate to win the governorship elections in Rivers and Edo states, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said.

He also said the Southsouth and Southeast zones are notorious for massive rigging of elections in Nigeria.

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

Odigie-Oyegun spoke yesterday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Port Harcourt during the maiden meeting of the APC in the Southsouth zone, which had in attendance, Amaechi and his Edo State counterpart Adams Oshiomhole.

He added that the mammoth crowd at Saturday’s mega ral-

ly, marking the 7th anniversary of the Supreme Court victory of Governor Rotimi Amaechi at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt confirmed that the Rivers governor controls the grassroots.

The zonal meeting was also attended by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Segun Oni; the National ViceChairman, (Southsouth)

Prince Hilliard Eta; a member of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva; members of the National Assembly and party officials from the zone.

The national chairman of the APC condemned the mayhem in Delta State over Saturday’s local government elections.

Continued on page 57

HE Presidency yesterday threatened Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi with legal action over his comments on President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Speaking during the 7th anniversary of his Supreme Court victory in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Saturday, Amaechi, among other accusations, claimed that corruption under Jonathan has reached an industrial scale.

But, in a statement issued yesterday, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, maintained that the claims were false and baseless.

The statement accused Amaechi of making “totally false and baseless vituperations against President Jonathan, the First Lady and the Federal Government”.

It described allegations as “completely unfounded and off-the-mark” and alleged “demagoguery, libel, blackmail and incitement of public disorder”.

The Presidency maintained

stapha, confirmed the account to the French News Agency (AFP) Both men said 17 people were also killed in recent days in a Boko Haram attack on the nearby village of Ndongo.

Kidnapping young women and girls — as well as forcibly conscripting young men and boys to fight for Boko Haram — is a well-established tactic by the militants.

Some estimates put the number of women held by the group in the high hundreds.

Most are believed to be forced into marriages with rebels.

Mr. Maina said his village and areas around it were targeted in nearly daily raids by Boko Haram, prompting many residents to flee to the city of Maiduguri for safety.

He said he had pleaded for help from the government but that so far none had been forthcoming.

The sect members also attacked a refugees’ camp, where Nigerians running from insurgency are camped in Cameroon. Four Nigerians were killed. A Cameroonian was injured. It was one of the

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Abuja

that Amaechi was using falsehood to incite the people against his perceived political enemies.

The statement said: “We can only assume therefore that he is deliberately spewing malicious falsehood in a desperate effort to incite the people of Rivers State and Nigeria against his assumed political foes.

“We warn him that there are legal, constitutional and moral limits to political rascality beyond which he will not be allowed to go without repercussions.

“The immunity which he currently enjoys notwithstanding, Governor Amaechi should be under no illusions: A day of reckoning will surely come when he will answer for all his actions and false allegations against President Jonathan, the First Lady and the Federal Government.”

Continuing, the statement reads: “He should also know that Nigerians are aware of the Continued on page 57

APC to ratify six-point manifesto at convention Continued from page 1

and also adopt its manifesto for the general elections.

The party said the proposed amendments when approved at the national convention, will align the party’s constitution better with the Electoral Act and also allow the APC to function more efficiently.

It also said the convention would adopt the six-point manifesto that has been extracted from the one submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) earlier. ‘’The manifesto to be adopted at the extraordinary convention of our party is specifically for the 2015 general elections. Because of shifting priorities, we do not believe that a party manifesto should be one for all time but a document that will adjust to the changing needs of the people. ‘’In this regard, we have con-

Boko Haram abducts 30 boys, girls in another raid Continued from page 1

From Augustine Ehikioya,

ducted a survey to find out what Nigerians urgently need at the moment to raise their standard of living and ensure their security and welfare, which is the raison d’etre of any government. Based on the outcome of the survey, we have come up with a six-point manifesto. ‘’The six broad priority areas for the APC ahead of the 2015 general elections are National Security, Good Governance, Human Capital Development, Economic Development, Land and Natural Resources as well as Foreign Policy. The issue of job creation, fight against corruption, infrastructural development, health, qualitative education, regular power supply, etc are subsumed under these broad priority areas,’’ APC said.

The party said when the manifesto is adopted, it will be made available to all NigeriContinued on page 57

‘We’re expecting Chibok girls back’

XPECTATIONS were high yesterday in Abuja that the abducted girls of the Chibok Girls Secondary School girls could be released today from the Boko Haram gulag.

At the sit-out of the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) protesters in Abuja, parents and campaigners expressed hope in the planned release.

Mrs Rebecca Samuel, mother of Sarah Samuel, one of the girls in the sect’s custody, said: “The government should not be ashamed to ask for help from other countries to rescue our daughters, since obviously they cannot do it on their own.

“If they could have done it alone, they would have done it a long time ago.

“We don’t trust the government and all their claims of a ceasefire at all. We three raids they carried out on Cameroon territory.

But Cameroonian forces subsequently killed 39 Boko Haram men. Cameroon’s Defence Ministry, in a statement yesterday, said Friday’s fighting in the far north of Cameroon near Nigeria also claimed four civilian lives.

Their latest attack targeted the village of Glawi, “killing

From Grace Obike, Abuja

cannot believe them until we see our daughters. This is because Boko Haram so far has proved that they can agree on a ceasefire today and tomorrow they change their minds.

“If I wake up tomorrow to find out that my daughter is back, I will be excited and thankful to God because it is all we have been praying for.

“I don’t care if she comes back pregnant, we will accept her and pray for save delivery because the important thing is that she is alive so that she can return to school and complete her education.”

One of the leader of the #BBOG advocacy, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, said if the Chibok girls were not rescued today as promised, it will be tragic, because it will make it three times the hope of Nigerians have been raised and dashed.

four Nigerian refugees and wounding one Cameroonian, before being pushed back by defence forces which pursued them until the borders,” the ministry said, adding that a dozen militants were killed by troops.

Another two groups of Boko Haram Islamists entered Cameroon at around the same time, but were “immediately inter-

“If the hopes of Nigerians get dashed ones again, it will be difficult to imagine the kind of grief that will be generated and it will be a kind of grief that those it is directed to, will not want to experience,” she added.

Mrs. Ezekwesili added that the advocacy would not just fold up and go, whether the outcome of the rescue is positive or negative.

“God forbid, if tomorrow (today) comes and our girls are not back.

“We are not going to simply fold our mats and go whether we have a positive or negative outcome. If tomorrow comes and tomorrow comes positively, it will birth a successive initiative with the focus on the girl-child in Nigeria.

“The Chibok girls are a symbol of what we must continue to advocate for, in the aspect of the girl-child in Nigeria.”

cepted and neutralised by our defence forces who destroyed three 4x4 vehicles equipped with machine guns, killing 27 assailants,” said the ministry statement.

The toll issued by the ministry has not been confirmed by independent sources. There was also no details on any casualties suffered by the army.

The Cameroonian army reg-

ularly issues updates on the number of Boko Haram fighters it has killed.

Last week, it said it killed 107 Islamists during fighting that also saw eight Cameroonian soldiers dead.

Cameroon President Paul Biya has vowed to “totally wipe out” the Islamist group, after 27 Chinese and Cameroonian hostages kidnapped

•Air Chief Marshal Badeh

in May and July on Cameroon’s territory by suspected Boko Haram Islamists were released.

Cameroon shares a border of more than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) with Nigeria, where Boko Haram has been waging a bloody insurgency since 2009 in which 10,000 people have died.

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

NEWS APC Reps to challenge Jonathan’s eligibility in court From Victor Oluwasegun, Abuja

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OLLOWING the declaration of President Goodluck Jonathan to run for Presidency in 2015, a group of lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives have said they will challenge his eligibility in court.

Jonathan, after declaring his intention to run last Thursday, set up a team, chaired by former Minister of Defence, Dr Bello Haliru, to handle his campaign.

One of the lawmakers, Nasiru Sule Garo, representing Gwarzo/Ikabo Federal Constituency of Kano State, spoke on the pending action.

He said: “People are ready to go (to court). We are just waiting for him to declare.

For now, he is not a candidate.

He is just being endorsed, like it happened during (the late Gen. Sani) Abacha’s regime, when selfish individuals were just coming out to say that Abacha was the sole candidate of every other party.”

The lawmaker hinged the fresh agitation to contest Jonathan’s eligibility on the Supreme Court ruling on former Adamawa State Governor Boni Haruna, which quashed his re-election bid after completing the tenure of his predecessor and another four years.

He said: “By the Constitution of Nigeria, I don’t think the President (Jonathan) has any right for now to contest.

He has been sworn in twice and our constitution says that a person shall occupy the Office of the President for two terms of four years, which makes it eight years. This President has occupied this position for two years and he contested an election and he is occupying for four years, which makes it six.

“If he seeks a re-election, it means he is going to be sworn-in for the third term.

That one too can be contested.

Is he going to serve for two years and then we do another election, or is he going to violate the constitution and serve for four years, which would make him the President of Nigeria for 10 years? So, there are a lot of questions that need to be clarified by the court before he even contest for that position.”

Nigerians hail NHIS healthcare plans

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HE National Health Insurance Scheme campaign on its new programmes came to Lagos few days ago.

It moved on to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and to the Southeast, including Asaba, Onitsha and Enugu.

Residents of the cities hailed the government for the scheme.

The campaign, which featured a road show and market storm in Lagos, rocked major parts of the city, from Ikeja to a village square meeting at Tabon-Tabon community in Agege Local Government Area.

Community leaders at Tabon-Tabon were educated on how to register and benefit from NHIS programmes.

Obasanjo, Buhari differ on ‘same religion’ ticket

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ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo disagreed yesterday with the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, General Muhammadu Buhari, on the place of religion in determining how a party should pick its presidential and vice presidential candidates for next year’s election.

Gen. Buhari said Nigerians genuinely need a President and a vice-president who would place Nigeria first and pull it out of the brinks, regardless of whether or not both are Muslims or Christians.

But Obasanjo noted that a Muslim-Muslim or ChristianChristian presidential ticket at this time of the nation’s precarious unity was not only absurd but also out of tune with the present Nigeria.

The former President, who was apparently reacting to

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

Gen. Buhari’s position, said: “It will be insensitive to the point of absurdity for any leader or any party to be toying with a Muslim-Muslim or ChristianChristian ticket at this juncture.”

Gen. Buhari, a former Head of State and three times a presidential candidate, told The Cable, an online media, that he saw nothing wrong with a Muslim-Muslim or ChristianChristian ticket.

The APC aspirant said his position did not make him a “fundamentalist”.

He said: “I had demonstrated to Nigerians that I’m not a fundamentalist and there is nothing more I can do. Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. I had to face one of the governors during one of our party’s meetings (over the issue of religion).

“In 2003, I chose (the late Senator) Chuba Okadigbo as my running mate. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Edwin Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even a pastor Tunde Bakare.

“Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do?

“How about (the late Bashorun) Moshood Abiola, a Southern Muslim, who picked Babagana Kingibe, a Northern Muslim, as running mate in the 1993 presidential election?

The Muslim-Muslim ticket went on to win an election that is still considered by many as the most credible in Nigeria’s history.

“I have not absolutely closed my mind to picking a Christian or Muslim as running mate, if I get the ticket.

This is because I firmly believe

that Nigerians, having gone through what they have gone through, realise it is not a matter of religion but a matter of Nigeria.

“The main religions Christianity and Islam - know and they believe in Almighty God. The question of stealing and short-changing people in the name of religion should stop.”

But in a statement yesterday from his Presidential Hill Top Estate in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Obasanjo explained that because of the current peculiar situation of the country, it is pertinent that any leader or political party should run away from a Muslim-Muslim or ChristianChristian ticket in next year’s presidential election.

Obasanjo said: “Sensitivity is a necessary ingredient for enhancement of peace, security and stability at this point in the political discourse and ar-

rangement for Nigeria and for encouraging confidence and trust.

“It will be insensitive to the point of absurdity for any leader or any political party to be toying with a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket at this juncture.

“Nigeria cannot, at this stage, raise the spectre and fear of Islamisation or Christianisation. The idea of proselytisation in any form is a grave danger that must not be contemplated by any seriousminded politician at this delicate situation in Nigeria. This time is different from any other time.

“Therefore, disregarding the fact that there are fears that need to be allayed at this point will amount not only to insensitivity of the highest order but will also amount to bad politics indeed.”

ASUU, others to restructure Education

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

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•From left: Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) new Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun; new Secretary, Alhaji Salinsile Razaq and wife of the new chairman, Mrs Famodun, at the inauguration of the new APC leadership in Osogbo, Osun State...yesterday.

APC: we want to produce real Nigerian president

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it is poised to produce a Nigerian President who will be acceptable to all citizens as an upright person with commitment to the ideal of a united nation, irrespective of their tribes or religions.

APC National Secretary Alhaji Mai Mala Buni addressed reporters at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

He said APC, being the best thing to happen to Nigeria, was not interested in producing a Northern or Southern President but a true Nigerian President.

Buni noted that the level of

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

poverty and degradation in the country had no boundary in the South or North, Christian or Muslim.

The party chieftain said what the nation needed was a President who could fight insecurity and restore peace and progress in all communities.

He said: “It is not about producing a Northern or Southern President. We want to produce a Nigerian President; we want to produce a President who will work for the country, sacrifice himself for the country and be selfless in discharging his responsibilities

to the country. We want a President who will be acceptable to every Nigerian as an upright person; who can fight corruption and bring development to the country.

“That is what we want. It’s not about the South or the North. Let me tell you that the level of poverty and degradation and impoverishment in this country has no boundary of South or North, Christian or Muslim.

“We are all suffering; nobody is left out. Everybody is desirous of change. That is why the APC is poised to produce the best President for this country. We want to have

somebody who will fight corruption because it is the major dent on this country, which is underdeveloping the country.

“We want somebody who can fight the insecurity and restore peace, harmony and tranquillity in all communities.

This is our hope. I don’t think we will now restrict this to either the South or North. These are political boundaries.

“APC is poised to give the best President who will be read to address the problems militating against the development of Nigeria. This is our common problem; it is our common challenge. So, it is not about where the person comes from.”

‘The strike still continues. Therefore, you should disregard any letter of threat or intimidation from your various management’

continues. Therefore, you should disregard any letter of threat or intimidation from your various management.

The union had replied to the letter from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and we have been invited to a meeting with the Federal Government next week.”

Ogbonna also said the strike had been successful across the country.

Federal Government’s last minute effort to stop the health workers from going on strike had failed.

Govt, JOHESU to meet on health workers’ strike

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HE Federal Government and the striking health workers are expected to meet this week to resolve the lingering issues in the Health sector.

Both parties were scheduled to meet last Wednesday but the meeting could not hold because the Ministry of Labour and Productivity was preparing the list of circulars generated by the health workers’ union.

Health workers embarked on an indefinite strike on Oc-

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

tober 16 to press home their demands, including the appointment of Chief Medical Directors (CMD) and wrong advertorials on the posts; the need to abolish the post of Deputy Chairman Advisory Committee, being illegally created, among others.

The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) National General Secretary Obinna Ogbonna said the strike would continue as the union awaited

the outcome of that meeting.

He said: “The strike still

TAKEHOLDERS in the Education sector, led by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), will today converge on Abuja to review the nation’s Education system at a National Education Summit.

It was learnt that the summit is aimed at restructuring the education system.

A statement at the weekend by the Chairman Planning Committee and former ASUU President Dr Dipo Fashina stated that the fiveday education summit (27th31st October) will hold at the Conference Hall, Top Rank Hotel, Utako District, Abuja With the theme “Towards a System of Education for Liberation in Nigeria”, the summit is being put together by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in collaboration with Federal and State Ministries of Education and Civil Society Groups.

The former ASUU chief said for the country to be a stakeholder in the global system, it must restructure its educational system to promote development.

Fashina in the release stated Prof Biodun Jeyifo of Havard University will be the chairman of the occasion while Minister of Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau is the special guest of honour.

Fashina disclosed that the Summit will review the educational system with a view to restructuring it to liberate Nigerians.

According to the former ASUU leader, the educational system is one sided, promoting the interests of the world’s powers, who colonised Africa, making the need to develop an educational system, which can serve the interests of Nigerians a necessity.

He said: “The four main unions in tertiary institutions are organising a national education summit, the purpose of which is to look for what will be a liberating educational system in the country.

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

NEWS Stakeholders urge review of NIMC Act

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By Collins Nweze

TAKEHOLDERS have called for a review of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act to allow multilayered identity assurance scheme.

They spoke at this year’s annual lecture of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

The experts noted that centralisation of Nigeria’s identity management system was a setback to its successful implementation.

Chams Plc Group Managing Director Demola Aladekomo said a multi-dimensional approach to identity management was the global best practice Nigeria should embrace.

Speaking on the theme: Identity Management: A Catalyst for the New Economic and Financial Service Transformation, Aladekomo said: “No system depends on a single point of failure, such as single national database, to meet all identity assurance needs. We need to cross-reference several databases to be able to really ascertain who is who.

No single database can do this. We need multiple databases, which are integrated into the national database as obtained in other countries.”

But NIMC Director Chris Onyemena said the constitution stipulates that biometric data is an Exclusive Legislative item, adding that only the Federal Government could do it.

“In this country, we know that some states went ahead to create their own laws to provide for residency cards.

The federal government after years of limited success and failures established the National Identity Management Commission vested with the authority to keep biometric information of all Nigerians and the provision for legal residence, whether you are in the private sector or public sector. That is the position of the law,” he said.

Turaki takes over Labour Ministry From Tony Akowe, Abuja

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HE Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Kabir Taminu Turaki, has told workers in the ministry to work harder for the implementation of the Transformation Agenda in the Labour sector.

The minister said this should be done with transparency and open door policy, in line with international best practices.

He spoke at the weekend in Abuja when he took over the affairs of the ministry.

Turaki, who is also the Minister of Special Duties, promised to stabilise the Labour sector for enduring peace in the work place to enhance national development.

The minister said the enormity and urgency of the national assignment in the Labour sector required that all should unite to achieve the objectives of the ministry.

He promised to build on the successes of his predecessor to strengthen national peace through industrial dialogue and harmony as Nigeria approached the election year.

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NJC to meet Thursday on CJN Mukhtar’s successor

HE National Judicial Council (NJC) will meet on Thursday in Abuja to deliberate on who among the serving Justices of the Supreme Court, it should recommend to President Goodluck Jonathan to succeed the retiring Chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar.

This is line with Section 21(a)(i) of the Constitution, which says: “The National Judicial Council shall have power to recommend to the President, from among the list of persons submitted to it by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), persons for appointment to

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

the offices of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Justices of the Supreme Court, the President and Justices of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Judge and Judges of the Federal High Court.”

Justice Mukhtar assumed office as the CJN on July 16, 2012 and will retire on November 20, when she is expected to attain the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Barring any unforeseen development, the next most senior Justice of the court, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, is expected to succeed the retiring CJN, in line with the apex court’s long tradition.

It is not yet certain if the tradition will be sustained because of the recent departure from such practice, which led to the appointment of Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa as the president of the Court of Appeal. She was not the most senior justice of the Court of Appeal when she was appointed.

Our correspondent learnt that the FJSC met on October 23 and submitted a list of the three most senior Justices of the Supreme Court to the NJC, as stipulated by the constitution.

The NJC is expected to follow up on the list submitted by the FJSC, meet on Thursday and recommend

Govt to increase domestic food production

By Toba Agboola

T •Justice Mukhtar

one of the names on the FJSC list to President Jonathan for appointment.

On the FJSC’s list are: Justice Mohammed, who serves as the deputy chairman of the NJC by virtue of his being next to the CJN, the Chairman of the NJC and the FJSC; Justices Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen and Ibrahim Tanko Muhamad.

•President Goodluck Jonathan (second right); Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (third right) and other members of the presidential pilgrimage in Jerusalem, Israel, during a visit to Mount Tabor...at the weekend

FCMB secures $300m loans from DFIs, others

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IRST City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited has secured over $300 million medium- and longterm loans from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and international commercial banks in four different transactions.

This followed an upgrade in its rating by Global Credit Rating (GCR) to A- (stable outlook), the bank has said.

Securing the loans, the statement said, was a demonstration of the confidence the lenders and the international financial market have in the FCMB management capability.

By Simeon Ebulu

It added that the proceeds of the facility would be used for lending to key sectors of the economy, the bank’s branch development and channel enhancement.

FCMB said the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution; Citibank and Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a multilateral finance institution owned by the United States government, provided the loans.

Other Development Fi-

nance Institutions (DFIs) that completed the package are: the Nederlandse FinancieringsMaatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO) – the Dutch Development Bank; Société De Promotion Et De Participation Pour La Coopération Economique S.A (PROPARCO), a subsidiary of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), a multilateral finance institution owned by the European Union (EU).

A breakdown of the facilities showed that the bank secured $100 million Senior Debt Financing from the IFC for

five years; another $100 million from OPIC and Citibank for between two to five-year tenor; $60 million from FMO and PROPARCO for a tenor of between three to five years and $32.7 million from the EIB for tenor of eight years.

The facility from Citibank/ OPIC, IFC, FMO/PROPARCO, will provide lending to telecommunications, power and infrastructure projects, while FCMB will use a portion of the loan from Citibank/OPIC to finance small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and other activities that will enhance financial inclusion in Nigeria.

Block makers hail Dangote on cement standard

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LOCK moulders have hailed Dangote Cement Plc for its leading role in enlightening stakeholders in the building and construction industry on cement standardisation and other allied products undertaken by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

President of the North zone of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria (NABMON), Alhaji Rasheed Adebowale, spoke at the weekend at the Obajana cement plant of the company after a tour of the facility by the members

By Olamilekan Andu of the national association.

He noted that Dangote Cement’ s e f f o r t s w o u l d create the desired awareness on how members of the association would always ensure better quality for the blocks they make.

The union leader said NABMON would remain grateful to Dangote Cement for enlightening block moulders throughout the country to enable them understanding how quality blocks could be produced.

Adebowale decried the spate of building collapse and regretted that the blocks his colleagues made were the first of the items in building that people usually point accusing fingers at.

The NABMON president noted that Dangote Cement’s enlightenment would enable the members to make stronger blocks.

He said in line with NABMON’s motto of “Quality is our goal,” quality and zero tolerance for using poor and substandard materials to mould blocks remained topmost in the association’s agenda.

Adebowale said: “We are grateful to Dangote Cement. We have a better understanding of how blocks are produced and what it takes to produce quality blocks. The presentation afterwards have also revealed to us why it is not in our interest to produce substandard blocks that would later give way and cause loss of lives and property.”

Dangote Cement’s Sales Director for the Northwest, Obasola Alo said the company was creating a platform for stakeholders to be happy in their business.

HE Federal Government has said it will increase domestic food production by additional 20,000,000 metric tonnes and create about 3.5 million jobs next year.

President Goodluck Jonathan spoke on his administration’s food agenda at the presidential flag off of the National Schools Agriculture Programme (NSAP) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The President said this would be possible through the administration’s Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA), which is targeted at positive youth development.

Also, in recognition of their contribution to agricultural development and food security, the Federal Government yesterday honoured some stakeholders in the sector.

Those decorated by President Jonathan included the President of the Rice Millers and Importers of Nigeria (RiMIDAN), Dr. Tunji Owoeye.

Others are: former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; former Chief of General, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. T. Y. Danjuma; business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Transcorp chief, Tony Elumelu; Nigeria’s songstress Onyeka Owenu and Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Mrs. Bola Shagaya; Wilma Aguele and Senator Nimi Amange.

SON to unveil road map on ‘made-in-Nigeria’

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By Muyiwa Lucas

HE Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has promised to assist economic players to compete favourably in the global market through improved standards.

Its Director-General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, will host a world news conference on Thursday to educate stakeholders on major economic problems and unveil the organisation’s strategic programmes for removing obstacles hindering Nigerian products from competing in the world market.

Odumodu will also unveil SON’s blueprint, which will put Nigeria on the global map with standard products and services that can compete well in the world market.

The conference, a part of activities marking the World Standards Day, has the theme: Made in Nigeria for the World: The Transformational Imperatives. It will hold at 10am on Thursday at the Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja.

The conference, according to a statement by SON Director of Special Duties, George Okere, will also enable Odumodu to seek stakeholders’ consent to buy into the agency’s programmes and assure the international community that Nigeria is set to enforce a quality culture in all aspects of its national life.

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

NEWS Roundtable on counterfeiting, piracy

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HE Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration Nigeria (ACC) and the International Trademark Association (INTA) will hold a roundtable on counterfeiting and piracy on November 4 at Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos.

With the theme: “Practical Solutions to Counterfeiting and Piracy Issues In Nigeria’’, the Roundtable focuses on policy and enforcement issues and features representatives from stakeholders, including brand owners, regulatory authorities and international organisations.

ACC, a not-for-profit coalition, was formed in October 2006 to assist in reforming intellectual property laws and sensitise brand owners, regulatory agencies and the public on counterfeiting, infringement and piracy.

The INTA, founded in 1878 by 17 merchants and manufacturers, is a global association of trademark owners and professionals supporting trademarks and related intellectual property to protect consumers and promote fair and effective commerce.

INTA members are drawn from more than 6,400 organisations in 190 countries and represent some 30,000 trademark professionals.

Alaafin calls for good governance

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APC warns of Fayose’s alleged ‘squandermania’

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has raised the alarm over what it called the ‘squandermania’ of Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The party, in a statement at the weekend by its State Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, alleged that Fayose bought a N43 million Range Rover while still a governor-elect and passed the bill to the government.

The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to a publication where Governor Ayo Fayose reportedly accused his predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, of being after self comfort.

“If there is any Ekiti governor past or present who is after self comfort but pretends to be a friend and lover of the masses, it is Fayose.

“The governor’s reference to accreditation of courses at the State University shows

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

that he either lacks information and proper briefing on the transformation that took place under Fayemi or he is simply mischievous.

“It was during the Fayemi administration that 52 courses were accredited for the first time in the 32 years existence of that institution.

“The former governor was the first to release N400 million capital grant to the institution.

“During this period, the College of Medicine which is awaiting accreditation was given approval to operate by the Nigerian Medical Registration Council of Nigeria.

“Fayose’s attempt to rewrite history will fail because his past antecedents as a mas-

ter of stunts and a pretender will continue to hunt him as it is doing now.

“Fayemi’s achievements are there for all to see and no amount of bad blood and hagiography can erase it. It is not by prostrating and weeping before teachers that ensures their welfare but by lasting welfare packages and institutional reforms which his predecessor put in place.

“Ekiti teachers are one of the best paid in the country with the core subject and rural allowance incentive as well as the 27.5 per cent teachers’ peculiar allowance. Teachers certainly did not earn N19,300 minimum wage during Fayose’s first term.

“Over 4,000 primary school teachers were promoted by the Fayemi administration; 13, 230 primary and junior

secondary school teachers were trained.

“The standard of education improved considerably under the Fayemi administration and it was not by accident that Ekiti won the best secondary school teacher and second best primary school teacher in Nigeria last year.

“Performance in WAEC and NECO improved considerably from 24 per cent in 2010 to 53 per cent in 2013.

“This was how Fayose lied about a non-existent N50 million bed in the Government House. Fayemi served Ekiti with diligence, candour and deprivation. “ Fayose knows that he lied about the N3billion cost of the new Government House and we challenge him to release independently verifiable documentary evidence to prove us wrong.

“Nobody could deny the fact that the Government

Motorcycles may be banned for public transportation

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HE National Council on Transportation (NCT) has proposed a ban on the use of motorcycles, popularly known as Okada or Achaba for commercial purposes.

The proposal, seen as one of the measures aimed at the provision of safe and secured transportation across the country, was one of the major issues at the National Council on Transport (NCT) retreat at the Nike Lake Resort, Abakpa Nike, Enugu State.

A communiqué, which was co-signed by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar and the Kogi State Com-

By Adeyinka Aderibigbe and Bukola Amusan

missioner for Transport,Abdulraman Wuya, said “All states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been advised to establish a public transport system that ensure strict regulation of the operation of public passenger transportation through a well articulated management system for enhanced safety, security, effective and efficient service delivery.

“The states are to also develop master plans for the development of Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to facilitate the development and management of their

transport operations in line with emerging trends and global best practices.”

It was also agreed that all commercial vehicles should be properly registered in each state; their enumeration should be carried out periodically to enhance safety and security.

This year’s theme: “Providing safe and Secure Transportation: Building Stakeholders’ Confidence” examined transportation on the nation’s waters and directed that the Ministry of Transport should develop a national minimum standard framework on safety and security on the nation’s inland waterways.

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

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HE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has called on parties to live up to their responsibilities by applying rules to aid good governance.

The monarch spoke at the weekend while addressing residents, who stormed the palace to show their solidarity for his son, Adeniyi, who is contesting for a seat in the House of Representatives.

Oba Adeyemi said parties should organise debates for the candidates to ensure that credible and dedicated got the mandate. ‘’During the debate, the incumbent must tell the public what projects they have been able to do and the aspirants must lay down proper manifestos.”

He said such steps would prevent aspirants who have no programme to get the party’s ticket. ''If a young serving political office holder of less than 30 years can boast of N300 million mansion when his total pay package for four years is not up to half of the amount spent to build the mansion, is that not disturbing and worrisome?

The monarch urged the people to exhibit the concept of Omoluabi, which is an integral part of Yoruba culture and tradition.

He warned that unless parties brace up and refocus their operational modes, there may be no end to impunity, corruption, poverty and unemployment.

Alaafin later presented N2.2million to his son and N500,000 to the member representing Atiba State Constituency, Waliu Adekunle Alagbom to buy expression of interest forms.

• Fayose

House is a legacy bequeathed by the Fayemi administration for the use of his successors.

“No wonder the governor sleeps and works from the same Government House that he has condemned. Whether Fayose likes it or not, Ekiti will forever be grateful for the monument.”

Church programme on Oct 31

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HRIST Apostolic Church (CAC) Canaan land, Erio Mountain of Mercy, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, will hold a two-day prayer and deliverance session for men with the theme : “Men Like an Eagle” on Friday.

Expected at the event were Pastors Samuel Olu Alo, Peter Ilesanmi Ojo and gospel singers such as Glorious Adebayo, David King and Oluwaseun Ologun.

The host, Prophet Hezekiah Oladeji, said 80 percent of the crises bedevilling the country are caused by men.

“The country is governed by men if you look at the comparative analysis of the number of men to women in position of authorities. So they need to have the fear of God for Nigeria to move forward.

“This is the reason why the programme is being organised. We must have leaders who would respect humanity because no country can grow where bad people are ruling.

Our men must not only be disciplined, they must be godly as well.

“Men need to be fortified at all times to be able to overcome the challenges of the world.”

Ogun IPMAN gets new exco From Jeremiah Oke, Abeokuta • Ikuforiji at the event...yesterday. With him are his wife Mayowa (right) and daughter Olaomopo.

I’ll promote good governance, says Lagos Speaker

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PEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly and an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Adeyemi Ikuforiji has said his vision for the state was to consolidate and promote the legacy of good governance that Lagos is known for.

Ikuforiji spoke yesterday at the official declaration of his governorship ambition at the Blue Roof, LTV 8 Ikeja, Lagos.

At the event were member of the House of Representatives from Epe, Lanre Odubote, members of the House of Assembly led by the Deputy Speaker and Majority Leader, Kolawole Taiwo and Dayo Adeyeye, among others.

The Speaker said the time has come to re-articulate the vision of the founding fathers of Lagos, and “re-energise the people of this great city”.

“My dear people of Lagos, I believe that the time has come for us to consolidate the gains

•Ikuforiji declares governorship ambition

By Oziegbe Okoeki

of good governance ... and take Lagos even further.

“I intend to build on the achievements of Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola to make Lagos a truly global city.”

Ikuforiji said if he emerges the party candidate and governor, Lagos would become a global city that all will be proud of.

He said: “I will work hard to make Lagos the African Alpha City, one that will link the African economy to the world economy. Lagos will constitute the heartbeat of the continent in the 21st Century.

“I believe that our state has all it takes to seize this role. I am convinced that we can make it happen for Lagos under my leadership.

“I will ensure that even to the most politically aloof resident, politics will be attrac-

tive and no longer perceived as a dirty game characterised by nepotism.

“My government will combine the populist approach of Lateef Jakande, the financial ingenuity of Tinubu and the vigour of Fashola for Lagos.

“I am in this race to make a difference; my conscience tells me this is the best time to do the will of God for Lagos. I am well placed to lead this new phase in the history of Lagos.

“I have the training, the required experience- the vision, the leadership qualities as shown in the last nine years as Speaker.

“I have suffered all sorts of attempts at distractions. I have triumphed over trumped-up charges, and even survived an assassination attempt. But through it all, I have remained committed to the ideals of Lagos.”

He promised to bring about major turn around in major sectors of the economy through a 10-point cardinal programme, which connects all critical areas and provides a synergy between these sectors.

Ikuforiji highlighted areas such as education, health, energy, agriculture, tourism, transportation etc.

“Within the first 18 months of my government, our hospitals will be upgraded to world class standard. Our schools will be restored to their former glory and I will not rest until the State University is one of the top 500 universities in the world.”

His wife, Mayowa, said he has a good vision for the state.

“I am sure that Adeyemi, my husband, will deliver because he wants to do for you in other sectors what he did for education by ensuring increased allocation.

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THE Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Ogun State has elected a 12-member executive committee with Samuel Idowu as Chairman.

Other members of the committee are Olawale Yusuf (Secretary); Alhaja Rafisat Adeniyi (Organising Secretary) and Olumide Ogunlaja (Legal Adviser).

The members were elected unopposed at a zonal congress held at the IPMAN secretariat, Mosinmi, Ogun State.

The electoral committee chairman, James Idowu, described the exercise as successful. He said due process was followed, adding that members were aware when the committee began the sale of forms.

The new chairman said he was going to build on the legacies of his predecessors.

“By the grace of God, we shall not fail. We shall be at the forefront of members’ welfarism. During our regime, I pray that building of filling stations by members shall be on the increase.”

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

NEWS

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New exco for Osun APC

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has a new executive council.

Gboyega Famodun, a former secretary, was elected chairman through consensus by party members in Osogbo, the state capital.

Speaking at the inauguration, Governor Rauf Aregbesola urged the party leadership to ensure that the continuous lies and deception being spread by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) do not hold water.

He said the party should start working to see that the opposition do not have up to 10 per cent of the votes in the state.

Aregbesola advised the new leadership to be united, focused and committed to building a virile and strong party.

Famoodun said his administration resolved to ensure openess, fairness within the

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

party.

"We are prepared to listen and consult party leaders and members from time to time.

“We will not be sectional, but we will be sensitive to the various backgrounds and orientations of party members.

“We will ensure that the welfarism and good governance of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola continue unabated, until development becomes irreversible in our dear state."

Other members of the exco include Azeez Adesiji (Vice Chairman); Rasak Salinshile (Secretary); Segun Olanibi (Treasurer); Mufutau Adesoji Abubakar (Financial Secretary); Morakinyo Akintola (Publicity Secretary) and Alhaja Bolanle Kudirat Fakokunde (Women Leader).

Police: ex-council boss freed

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From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

HE police in Ondo State at the weekend said the kidnapped former Chairman of Irele Local Government Area, Nicholas Akinbiola, has been released by his abductors.

He was released before his relatives were about to meet the N20million demand of the kidnappers.

Commissioner of Police Isaac Eke said this while parading 13 suspects at his office in Akure, the state capital.

He said the family failed to carry along the police in the negotiation process.

Eke said nine of the suspects were arrested for robbery and four for cultism.

The commissioner said the four cultism suspects -Sunday Osunmadewa, Samson Balogun, Muritala Olawale and Imoleayo Akinlami -were arrested at Ife garage roundabout in Ondo town.

He praised residents for giving useful information to the police

•Senator Oluremi Tinubu (right) and Chief Mrs. Winifred Adefolahan Awosika at the 25th memorial thanksgiving service for the late Dr. Victor Oloyede Awosika at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos ...yesterday.

PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

Members kick as PDP dissolves Ondo exco

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HE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the dissolution of the Ondo State Executive Committee.

By this announcement, all party structures at the ward, local government and state levels stand dissolved, according to a statement yesterday by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh.

A caretaker committee has been constituted to pilot the affairs of the state chapter, with Dare Adeleke as chairman and Dare Solomon Osawu as secretary.

“We enjoin all members of our great party in Ondo State to continue to work together

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From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja and Damisi Ojo, Akure

in harmony even as we are confident now, more than ever before, of our total domination of Ondo politics, especially with the rejoining of our political family by Governor Olusegun Mimiko,” the statement said.

But the state chapter has kicked against the directive.

In a statement in Akure, the state capital yesterday, its Publicity Director, Ayo Fadaka, said: “We received with shock the news of the dissolution of the party executives.

“To say the least this action is a clear intention by those we expect to safeguard the interest of the party to behead it.

“We also consider this action a disappointment, particularly in view of the fact that there is a subsisting court order barring the NWC from taking this action.

“We, therefore, reject it and affirm our absolute confidence and support for the executives from the ward to the state level.

“We want to remind Abuja that it is by choice that we are party members and that

the party is not a prison yard where we are inmates who are bereft of liberties and rights.

“We also declare our defiance of this action and as such will continue to recognise and relate only with our executives at every level.”

The state chapter said prosecution of this action clearly demonstrates that those who have elected on their own to serve Mimiko’s interest as he joined the PDP have sown a seed of discord.

It called on members to be firm and resolute in this period, saying” we will jointly and collectively determine, shape and reorder our political destiny”.

Fayose disowns ‘fake’ Facebook accounts

KITI State Governor Ayodele Fayose has disowned the spurious Facebook messages and exchanges being ascribed to him.

His Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, in a statement, alleged that fraudsters were operating the fake accounts in the governor’s name to dupe the public.

Olayinka warned the public against falling victim, saying money was being demanded by the operators of the fake Facebook page with promises of government contracts.

The statement reads: “It has come to our notice that some Facebook accounts have been opened by some fraudsters in the name of Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose. The accounts are being used to

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•Caretaker committee set up

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‘Stomach infrastructure all-encompassing’

PECIAL Assistant on Information and Civic Orientation to Ekiti State Governor Lanre Ogunsuyi has said the “stomach infrastructure” concept encompasses the administration’s welfare programmes.

Ogunsuyi, in an interview with reporters in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, said: “Stomach infrastructure goes beyond establishing soup kitchens or doling handouts to the poor.

“It is a total package for the well-being of the less privileged in the society.

“Even the Holy Book enjoins us to be our brother’s keeper, we are not talking about having soup kitchens here and there. Even if we do, it is only a part of the exercise. In foreign lands, From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

dupe the unsuspecting public.

“Last week, we alerted the public to a certain Dr A.U Richard with phone number, 08162404959, who is among the operators of the fake Facebook accounts.

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

they have such things for the poor as well.

“However, what we are working on is a total package, including the health needs of the people. A man is not only poor by lacking the three basic needs of life, like food, shelter and clothing. Sickness can also render a man poor.

“The Fayose administration is placing emphasis on making food production and that is why agriculture will be accorded top priority.”

He said the governor would not relent in the provision of physical infrastructure, such as good roads, quality education, among others.

“As at today, the fraudsters are yet to desist from their nefarious activities and we wish to warn the public not to relate with anyone, claiming to be Governor Ayodele Fayose on Facebook.

“Already, we have contacted Facebook management on

the fraud and anyone who does business with these fraudsters does so at his or her own risk.

“Do not be gullible. Do not fall victim to fraudsters.

Governor Fayose does not have any Facebook account.”

Lawmakers sue Ondo Speaker, others

WO lawmakers in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olugbenga Edema and Fola OlasehindeVicente, have sued the Speaker, Princess Jumoke Akindele, the Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This followed alleged plans by the Assembly to suspend them and declare their seats vacant for defecting from the

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The suit was filed at the Federal High Court, Akure, by a lawyer , Charles Titiloye.

They are praying the court to declare that their seats are not vacant and that INEC cannot conduct by- elections in Ilaje Constituency II and Ose

Constituency.

The lawmaker urged the court to declare that the steps being taken by the Speaker and the Assembly to suspend them before the completion of their tenure were unconstitutional and illegal.

They sought the court’s protection to continue to attend proceedings and perform the functions of their offices until the expiration of their tenure.

Titiloye said the Speaker and other PDP lawmakers who precipitated division in LP before joining PDP could not preside in judgment against their colleagues, who joined APC. The lawyer said: “Their hands are soiled with the same allegation of defection.

We will not allow them to use their majority to undermine the rights of the minority APC lawmakers.”

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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NEWS TAN endorses Ekweremadu for Senate

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HE Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Enugu State chapter, has endorsed the return of Senate Deputy President Chief Ike Ekweremadu to the National Assembly, as the lawmaker representing Enugu West.

It took the decision at the weekend at its town hall meeting in its Enugu State office.

The group said Ekweremadu has given effective and qualitative representation to Enugu West, Enugu State and the Southeast, in his capacity as the Senate deputy president, therefore his re-election is sacrosanct.

TAN’s decision is a contrast to the views of some serving council chairmen from Enugu West, who endorsed Governor Sullivan Chime as a replacement for Senator Ekweremadu.

The Enugu State Coordinator of TAN, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu, said the Senate deputy president had bought the nomination form, adding that Enugu West was the only seat that was not vacant.

Multi-Door Court to settle over 200 cases

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•Begins district settlement week tomorrow

N line with its pilot district settlement week billed to start tomorrow, the Lagos State Multi-Door Court (LMDC) has said it would resolve about 200 cases from the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court.

The week-long exercise is geared towards decongesting the courts by using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism to solve issues emanating from contract disputes, debt recovery, property, tenancy, defamation as well as family matters.

With 10 cases billed to be resolved per day, the LMDC Director, Mrs. Caroline Etuk, said seasoned mediators had been selected and lined up.

“The exercise is aimed at bringing ADR to the grassroots as well as giving participants opportunity to explore settlement of their disputes by the intervention of skilled mediators.

“The parties are not deprived of their day in court. In the event of a non-settlement, the matter is returned to the court’s docket and the parties are at liberty to continue with the case in court.

“Since the mediation process is conducted confidentially and without prejudice, neither party is prejudiced by the mediation process”, she explained.

By Precious Igbonwelundu

Etuk assured that the exercise will be extended to other magistracies like Ikeja, Yaba and Ebute-Meta very soon? in order to aid the administration of justice.

According to her, the LMDC provides services for disputants in various areas of law including commercial, employment, and contract, maritime, matrimonial, energy using ADR mechanism such as mediation, arbitration, conciliation, early neutral evaluation and hybrid process.

The Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC) was established on June 11, 2002, as a public-private partnership between the High Court of Justice, Lagos State and the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group (NCMG).

Its objective is to facilitate dispute resolution within the Nigerian Justice System. It is the first court-connected Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre in Africa.

Section 3(1) of the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse empowered the Chief Judge of Lagos State to designate a week in which disputants, lawyers and neutrals would engage in the settlement of disputes through the deployment of ADR mechanisms.

Abia primaries: PDP officer sues Muazu

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HE Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in

Nkporo Eititi Ward in Abia State, Mr. U. O. Okocha, has sued the National Chairman of the party, Adamu Muazu and six others, seeking the stoppage of the state congress and primaries.

He said the constitution of the congress and primary committee for the 2015 general elections was illegal.

Other defendants in the matter are the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo; the state Chairman, Sen. Emma Nwaka; the state Secretary, Mr. Charles Esonu, Governor Theodore Orji and the Chairman of Abia PDP state congress and primary committee for the 2015 general elections, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya.

Seven aspirants, including a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu and a former Deputy Governor, Eyinnaya Abaribe, are jostling for the party’s governorship ticket.

•Asks court to halt congress From: Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

In an ex-parte motion, the aggrieved member said the state congress and primary committee were already in favour of an aspirant.

The ex-parte application, which is due for hearing today, was filed pursuant to Order Rules 4(1) and (2) of the Abia State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2014.

He sought an order to restrain the PDP national leadership from recognising, parading as members and or carrying out the functions of a state congress of the PDP, Abia State, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Okocha asked the court to stop the Ogbonnaya-led congress and primary committee from conducting any congress primaries pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice.

His affidavit in support of the application reads: “Since October 10, 2014, some members of our party have embarked on a course of breaching our party’s constitution by appointing an unconstitutional body to perform the function of a state congress in the primaries for the 2015 general elections in Abia State and Nigeria.

“That under the combined effects of Section 25(1) (a), (31) (2) (e), 31(2) (j), 50(1) (2) of the constitution of the PDP as amended up to 2012, it is only the National Executive Committee (NEC) that can perform the function of constituting a state congress where the tenure of the state congress has elapsed and or dissolved.

“That if the defendants/ respondents are not restrained, the political injury and bickering and instability that will be un-

leashed on me and our party will be grave and cannot be remedied because there is a real danger that some of the defendants will breach the peace in our party and cost me my political fortunes.”

In a supporting argument, the applicant said his “right to participate in the state congress primaries of the PDP and to protect the sanctity of the party’s constitution faces a clear and present threat by the respondents, who have failed, neglected and refused to abide by the terms of the PDP constitution as amended.”

“It is our submission that due to the respondents’ refusal to conform to the provision of the PDP constitution as amended up to 2012 and with respect to the state congress primaries of the party, which may be conducted in 14 days time, there is a case of extreme urgency, which merits the discretion of the court in granting the relief sought,” he added.

NCC arrests nine for illegal business

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From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

HE Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) has arrested nine persons in Onitsha for infringement of protected musical works, using MP3, MP4, memory cards among others.

The commission, in alliance with armed security operatives, yesterday stormed Emeka Offor Plaza in the city to carry out the operation.

NCC Director-General Mr. Afam Ezekude in a statement said the suspects would be arraigned as soon as investigations were completed.

Navy hands over 23 suspected vandals to police WENTY-THREE

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SUSPECTED pipeline vandals arrested in Ikorodu, Lagos State during a recent operation by the Nigerian Navy (NN) have been handed over to the police for action.

Last month, Navy began an operation code-named ”AWATSE”, a Hausa word which means scatter around Ikorodu, to rid the area of oil thieves and pipeline vandals.

Led by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade, naval personnel recovered over 2000 kegs loaded with petroleum products from the area.

A statement by the command’s information officer, Lieutenant Commander Abdulsalam Sani disclosed that all retrieved kegs have been

By Precious Igbonwelundu

handed over to PPMC. Sani said that the 23 suspects were handed over to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Anti Pipeline Vandalism Unit, because preliminary investigations revealed they have cases to answer.

Lt Commander Sani, who said the operation was still ongoing, emphasised the zero tolerance for illegality within the nation’s maritime dormain by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin. ?He said: “The Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Tekeimo Ikoli, who represented the FOC (Alade) at the occasion, handed the suspects over to the representative of the IGP Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Team, Xpress Omoigue (DSP).”

•Abia State Governor Theodore Orji greeting medical personnel at the inauguration of the House officer’s hostel at the Abia State Specialist and Diagnostic Centre, Amachara Annex... at the weekend.

Twist in Imo governorship poll as Agbaso joins race T

HERE was a twist in the race for Imo State governorship at the weekend, with the entrance of the elder brother of the impeached Deputy Governor, Chief Martins Agbaso, who has dumped his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Agbaso’s intention to contest the governorship election on the PDP platform has altered the party’s calculations ahead of next month’s primaries.

His return to the PDP, The Nation learnt, was not unconnected with the resolve of the national leadership of the party to field a “strong candidate, who has the capacity to wrest power from Governor Rochas Okorocha.”

Another reason, which might have influenced the PDP leadership’s decision to draft Agbaso into the race, was the role he played in

ousting the PDP administration in 2011 and bringing in an APGA government.

Speaking at the party’s secretariat when he led thousands of his supporters, including youths, traders, artisans and members of professional bodies to formally declare his interest to join the race, Agbaso, who was received by members of the state executive led by the Chairman, Sir Nnamdi Anyaehie, said he was in the race to deliver Imo from a “clueless administration.”

He said his return to the PDP family was inspired by President Goodluck Jonathan’s style of leadership and humility, adding that “he is my role model.”

Agbaso said he got a waiver from the party to compete with other aspirants, noting that PDP would be a better platform to pursue his governorship ambi-

tion.

His words: “I feel PDP is a bigger and better vehicle to pursue my career next year. The man I admire so much, President Jonathan, has inspired me. No matter the provocation, he keeps quiet and strives to achieve.

His temperament is what we need now. People have said a lot about him, but he remains focused. I understand his vision. Most visions materialise with time.

I joined the PDP to give him my support.” Dismissing the insinuation of his likely emergence as a consensus candidate, Agbaso said he

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would emerge after a highly competitive primary election.

He said: “I believe in competition. I have the pedigree to repeat the feat we achieved in 2011 when we defeated the incumbent governor. I did that with APGA, a party I built from nothing to challenge and defeat the ruling party. This strength is what I am bringing to the table.”

The aspirant said if elected, he would create 250,000 jobs in the first two years, adding that the state’s challenges, such as unemployment, healthcare delivery, education and security could be surmounted with the right leadership.

Baptists meet

HE monthly Executive Committee meeting of the Itesiwaju Baptist Association holds today at 6:30pm at Araba Baptist Church, Ilasamaja, Lagos. It will be presided over by the moderator, Rev. Gbenga Ojo of Araba Baptist Church and consultant, Dr. Femi Ajayi of Victoryland Baptist Church, Isolo, Lagos. Issues affecting the association and member-churches will be discussed.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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CITYBEATS

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FRSC enlightens motorists

HE Special Marshals of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), have intensified efforts to ensure stress-free traffic flow on the ever-busy Lagos/Ibadan Expressway through Mowe in Ogun State.

They held an “operation national patrol and enforcement exercise” to focus public enlightenment, arrest and booking of offenders in line with the organisation’s efforts at bringing road crashes to zero level in the country.

It was organised to reduce

carnage on the roads, ensure lives and properties are saved from crashes, educate motorists on illicit acts that cause accidents, make the roads free from traffic gridlocks and arrest erring drivers driving contrary to traffic rules and regulations.

It was led by the Coordinator, Lagos Sector Command (RS 2.1), Special Marshal and Partnership (SMP), Mr Benson George Babatunde.

The outing was supervised by the Lagos Sector Command’s Head of SMP, ACC Victoria Babatunde.

Rotary’s 1000 limbs for the disabled

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HE President, Rotary Club of Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos State, Dr. Christopher Anyakorah, has sought the support of wellmeaning Nigerians for the less-privileged.

He made the call during his inauguration at the Le Real Hotel, Ajah, assuring that the club would give 1000 artificial limbs to disabled persons across the country.

Anyakorah said the club was making its little contributions towards enhancing the wellbeing of the lessprivileged in the society.

He maintained that it is the tradition of Rotary Club to improve the lot of the people within its areas of operation, stressing that it had impacted positively in the lives of residents of VGC and Ajah through several projects.

He explained that the donation of artificial limbs to disabled across the country was informed by the need to look beyond Ajah for such people, explaining: “There is will be no tribal, educational or social barrier. We just want to extend our kind heart to fellow human beings who have been constrained by their inability to freely move about and fulfil God’s purposes in their lives.”

The Rotarian said that

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By Musa Odoshimokhe

one of his major assignments when he took over the mantle to lead the club was a visit to the Arrow of God Orphanage, where bags of food items, toiletries, clothes and learning materials were donated.

He said the club paid its electricity bill of N250,000 and promised to support the home in other areas of urgent needs.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to Nigerians, particularly those who have more than enough to eat, to remember these people who can barely afford basic needs for survival. We were actively involved in educating VGC residents about the dreaded Ebola Virus; we are also considering the establishment of a vocational school in Lekki Peninsula; this will include a residential, multi-faceted volunteer-based institution to handle mechanics, tailoring, cooking and carpentry,” he said.

Anyakorah assured that the club would continue to cater for the educational needs of the schools it has adopted, stressing that his administration would supply free drugs to hospitals and clinics in the interest of Nigerians who cannot afford costs of medical treatments.

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

What hope for this orphan?

•Poor guardian can’t fund his education

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HOUGH his school, Rybeka Model School, Olodi/Apapa in Lagos, resumed penultimate Wednesday, Master Favour Njoku could only join his classmates last week.

The paltry money left in the bank account opened for him by The Nation could only settle part of his tuition.

Now, there is heightened fear that he may drop out of school unless kind-hearted Nigerians urgently rise to his rescue.

Favour became The Nation’s kid, following a plea to Nigerians by his maternal uncle, Ambrose Njoku, to save the three-year-old orphan’s unsure future.

The boy’s father disappeared two years ago at the height of a cancer-related ailment that held his mother bedridden for months, thus prompting Ambrose to move her to Lagos in search of financial assistance. The helpless woman eventually died, leaving Favour behind.

Ambrose decided to cry out to Nigerians to help Favour.

Favour’s ordeal was first published by The Nation in March, last year. His story provoked an outpour of emotions as Nigerians inundated this newspaper’s hotline with demands for how

they could send him their widow’s mite.

The Nation promptly opened ‘Master Favour Njoku Trust Fund’ account at Sterling Bank Plc, Matori, Lagos, with number 0019623543.

Cash started trickling in and in no time, N240,000 was realised to kick-start a journey that would see the boy attain his educational dream.

A kind-hearted commissioner in the state led the pack of the Good Samaritans.

Against the tradition where The Nation usually pays Favour’s school fees for a whole session, the money left in Favour’s account could cater for his first and second terms only in this 2014/15 session.

The boy was initially enrolled at Cedec International Schools, a high-flying private school at Olodi-Apapa, but owing to the N100,000 tuition

By Basirat Braimah

By Olatunde Odebiyi

long, there had been no branch at the college to organise workers and fight for their rights, adding that the branch must help the workers to have a voice in the management of the college and fight for their rights.

“The inaugurated branch is for checks and balances.

The running of the management like a one-man show where workers are not involved has to come to an end so that there would be better productivity and improved results,” he said.

The branch’s chairman, Adewale Oriola, said the branch was borne out of the need for unity among workers of the NPMCN. “The branch will also enable members to articulate their needs under one umbrella and in a common front and collate their grievances and suffering and table it before the management,” he added.

Secretary of the branch, Mr Emiloju Oluwadamilare, thanked members for their efforts, promising that the executive would be transparent in its activities.

By Adegunle Olugbamila

•Favour

(excluding other costs) charged by the school, Nigerians advised that Favour be moved to another school with a modest fee. The Nation heeded the call, thus facilitating his enrolment at Rybeka Model School, a modest nursery/primary school in the same vicinity.

Favour’s account is low, following the withdrawal was made last week to settle his first and second term’s tuition in the session.

Now, his guardians are calling on public-spirited Nigerians and charity organisations not only to assist poor Favour, but also his jobless uncle, whose one-room apartment at 3, Braimoh

Street, Olodi-Apapa where he accommodates his wife, three children including Favour, is dilapidated.

Favour’s performance in the 2013/2014 session, as indicated in his result sheets, revealed a significant excellence. He scored 87 per cent in the first time; 89 per cent in the second and 95 per cent in the third term.

“This boy (Favour) is too bright to be allowed to drop out of school for lack of parental care or funds. Sadly, I’m poor and helpless; this is why I have to cry out and see if God will continue to touch the hearts of the few Good Samaritans that have taken him this far,” said Ambrose.

‘We’re banishing want in Alimosho’

Group gets new exco

N eight-member executive committee has been inaugurated to steer the ship of a new branch of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN). The event was held at the college in Ijanikin, a Lagos suburb.

NPMCN is a branch of the Senior Staff Association of University, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI).

SSAUTHRIAI’s General Secretary, Mr. Moshood Akinade, urged the executive members to uphold its constitution. “Be good examples to your members and ensure that you carry out the decisions of the membership. The branch is out to cater for the welfare of NPMCN. Don’t just hold meetings with the management on matters relating to the workers welfare; where you cannot succeed, inform the SSAUTHRIAI so that we can come to your aid,” he said.

The Acting President of SSAUTHRIAI, Dr Benjamin Akintola, noted that for

‘This boy (Favour) is too bright to be allowed to drop out of school for lack of parental care or funds. Sadly, I’m poor and helpless’

•Kuye

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HE boys – and some women – were said to have stormed the neighbourhood in four buses, with posters bearing various inscriptions, urging their host, Olanrewaju Arestus Kuye, a businessmanturned politician, to aspire to represent their Alimosho Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The scene was adjacent to the Ilupeju home of former Governor Lateef Jakande.

With songs, the Alimosho

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residents extolled Kuye’s virtues to high heavens as a trusted leader, insisting that he must run in 2015 because “he has proven to us that he has the stomach for the feelings of the have-nots, even without occupying any public office.”

“We have, at various levels of governance in the country, been unlucky to have unwilling candidates who later became rulers.

Through his Larry Empowerment Forum, this man (Kuye) has where taught many of our people various vocational skills and has greatly supported market women. He gave loans to many people who wanted to start up small-scale businesses to earn a living.

“Many of our children have benefitted from his sponsorship on the General Certificate of Education (GCE) and the University Matriculation Examination (UME). Many indigent students are in various institutions through his magnanimity and provided jobs for some graduates who had for

15 years after graduation, languished in hopelessness.

He is the kind of person that we want in public offices,” Mrs Catherine Alabi told The Nation.

But why would Kuye, 44, who has made fortunes for himself through Larry Homes, his business outfit that is doing well in the engineering and construction industries both in the United Kingdom (UK) and Nigeria plunge into the murky waters of politics?

He explained his passion to this reporter: “Life has taught me to be my brother’s keeper. To me, life is like fighting for the have-nots because this life is ephemeral and the less-privileged are always in want. Right from my youth and later as student of The Poly-technic, Ibadan, where I studied Civ-il Engineering; Yaba College of Technol-ogy, where I obtained my Higher National Diploma in Civil/Structural Engineering and the University of East London, where I Civil Engi-neering, graduating with a First-Class (Honours) degree, I have remained ad-

dicted to being concerned with the welfare of the under-privileged.

“Besides the inspiration I got from welfarist like the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, MKO Abiola, Baba Lateef Jakande, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Fashola among others, my mother has always been a politician.

I want to emulate her and the disposition of my grandfather who was the Oba of Igbese in Ikorodu. I have been a politician since I was a student in the days of June 12.

“I know things can be better in Ali-mosho than what is on ground now. With my knowledge and capability, I will improve their lot by the grace of God. I want my people to have three square meals everyday and the only way I can do that is for their voice to be heard in the House of Assembly. And it is going to be through me so that the govern-ment will know what is going on. With my experience of how governance is run abroad in people’s interest, I’m sure I’m here to bring novelty into legislature if elected.”

LASRRA rewards its workers for dedication

AGOS State Residents R e g i s t r a t i o n Agency (LASRRA) has rewarded its workers in recognition of their dedication and quality service during registration of residents in the state.

The agency’s General Manager, Ms Yinka Fashola, said it had so far verified about 2.124 million residents in the ongoing exercise.

By Emmanuel Udodinma

Saying that the event was a way of appreciating the workers’ hard work, she added: ‘’LASRRA is out to have information about our residents where they live and how many people living in a particular area. We will keep the information secret and the identity cards being issued can be use for financial

transactions.

“Some do give false information, but when you give us such about a street for instance, we might not say anything at the point of registration, but when we upload the information, we will discover that something is wrong in the address and we will investigate.’’

She urged those who had not registered to do so

because the permanent card would be soon be made available to people.

Mr.Kazeem Idowu Surakat won merit award for registering 600,000 people; Mr Ayodele Abiodun Ayanleye, 700,000; Mr Lucky Emeka Oha, 800,000; Mr Micheal Ogbabor Agi, 900,000, and Mr Tunde Sunday Akano, who registered one million residents.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

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Philanthropist seeks support for the needy

HE proprietor of Lotto Lottery, Chief Kessington Adebutu, has urged private and public organisations to invest in human capital for the growth of the country.

At a conference held at his premier Lotto Office in Surulere, Lagos, to mark his 79th birthday, he said the Kessington Adebukun Adubutu Foundation (KAAF) was established to uplift human capacity in the country.

He said: “The less-privileged in the society need education, good health and convenient environment devoid of disease to grow. It is when such conditions are available that they can add values to their own lives and the country in general. KAAF is poised to serve humanity with passion as an instrument of change for a better social order and elevation of human dignity.”

He maintained that 80 per cent of the corporate responsibilities at KAAF are focused on enhancing the quality of life of the ordinary people.

•From left: Baale of Igbologun community in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Riverine Area, Lagos State, Chief Amisu Gegeiyawo; Medical Office of Health, Dr. Taiwo Giwa; Onilado of Ilado & Inagbe Island, Oba Mobadenle Oyekan; Chairman, Amuwo-Odofin Local Goverment, Comrade Ayodele Adewale; a House of Representatives’ aspirant in the Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, Hon. Segun Akinyelure and a community leader, Alhaji Saliu Sanu, during the official commissioning of Boctors’ Lodge at the Igbologun Primary Health Centre ... last Friday.

Chibok girls: Women doctors urge action

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OMEN doctors under the aegis of Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) have urged the Federal Government to step up efforts towards securing the release of the 219 school girls languishing in insurgents’ custody.

At a public lecture tagged: “Insecurity and the Nigerian Child, Implications, Now and the Future”, organised by the group in Lagos, its President, Dr. Iyabo Tijani said: “After a period of crisis in the health sector, there is need to get together once again and discuss topical issues. Among these is the abducted Chibok girls saga that has become an embarrassment to our country lately, hence, the theme of this lecture. Most importantly, there is need for government and security apparatuses to redouble their efforts to secure the release of

By Kunle Akinrinade

the girls.”

At the event, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who was represented by Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, said: “It is true that in the past years, Nigeria has faced some security challenges. We all aware of the Boko Haram insurgency, prominent in the northern part of the country as well as cases of kidnapping, ritual killings, child trafficking and other abuses in many parts of the nation.

“The most vulnerable in the face of any insecurity challenge remain children.

They are harmless, innocent and still in the care of their parents, yet, they find themselves in difficult situations they cannot ordinarily protect or defend themselves.

The case of the over 200 Chi-

bok girls kidnapped on April 15, 2014, remains fresh. It is unfortunate they are still in captivity six months after their abduction.”

Frontline rights activist and guest lecturer on the occasion, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, harped on the need to tackle insecurity in the country because of its toll on children.

“According to Global Overview report on Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), 470,500 persons were displaced in Nigeria in 2013 alone. About half of these are children displaced due to Boko Haram insurgency while 4.7 million primary school children are still not in school due to insecurity. In Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, more than 56.7 per cent have been denied access to education due to continuous attacks by Boko Haram.

Government should acknowledge the failure of the

‘I thought I would die’ •Survivor of kidney ailment recounts ordeal

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ITH her Sunday best on, she had every reason to roll in the mud in appreciation of God’s rare kindness to her. And everyone around her was not surprised when she praised Him to high heavens for, against all odds, being lucky to be counted among the living.

A year ago, 48-year-old Elizabeth Chima almost surrendered to death no thanks to a chronic kidney disease. Her health condition assumed an unbearable dimension and death seemed the only option.

She developed the terrible ailment two years after the death of her husband. Today, the storm is over for Elizabeth, following a successfully kidney transplant in India, six months ago.

She was all-smiles at the Saint Michael Church, Alapere-Ketu in Lagos when, joined by well wishers and other members of the sanctuary, she heartily said “thank you Lord” as a thanksgiving service.

She openly appreciated God for giving her a second chance to live to nurture her six children. Her friends and neighbours from her Ketu residence were not left out. They all dined and wined with her.

While her dark moment lasted, Elizabeth was always lying helpless in the hospital.

By Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

Her only companions were some well-meaning Nigerians who empathised with her through the media, family members, friends and her children. She needed to raise the sum of N7 million to make her whole again. And luck eventually smiled on her.

After the service, the woman spoke with this reporter at her residence. She gleefully affirmed that her health condition “is now perfect.”

“I want to use this medium to thank Nigerians for coming to my rescue during those trying periods. And I pray that God shall reward everyone bountifully,” she said.

She recalled: “I said I had got to the last bus stop when all hope seemed lost. Even in the eyes of the nurses and doctors, I could see doubts, but within me, my mind remained strong. The pain was too much to the extent that at a time, I didn’t think I would survive.

At first, I asked: is this how my journey will end?

“I knew there was no way I could raise the N7 million needed for the operation. I looked around; there was nowhere. So, I just said if I survived, I would be thankful to God and if otherwise, fine. But honestly, I never thought I could make it. That I am alive

•Elizabeth

today is by the grace of God. On many occasions, I fainted at the hospital and they would use oxygen to revive me. So, I am very grateful to God and to everyone that made my journey through hell a success.”

A major lesson the ailment taught her, according to her, “is that if you don’t have money, learn how to be graceful to God.” She had good words about the doctors who supported her fight for survival. She said: “Whenever I was rushed in, you would see doctors running to attend to me.”

Though she has surmounted the challenge, it is too early for her to do strenuous works.

But she hopes that by the end of next year, she will be able start up something for sustenance.

“I am not a lazy woman. My children are the ones feeding me and buying my drugs among other needs now. I don’t have any money since I cannot run around now,” she said.

security agencies; hence, there should be a complete overhaul of security system in the country to prevent security breaches. Government needs to act decisively and this can be achieved by implementing the anti-terrorism law and punish culprits of such heinous crimes capable of causing instability in the nation.”

Odumakin later led the audience to make an open demand for the release of the girls, urging government and security forces to ensure their release and safety. “What we are asking for is the release of the girls, now and alive and we will not keep quiet until that is achieved,” she said.

UNAD’s ex-official passes on

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REPARATIONS for the burial of Prince Bamidele Olusegun Aladelokun, a retired staff of University of Ado-Ekiti (UNAD), have begun.

The late Aladelokun, who retired in 2007 as Chief Secretary to the Registrar of the institution, died on September 6 after a protracted illness. He was 72.

A statement by one of his children, Pastor Olumide Aladelokun, the Shepherd in Charge of Chapel of Apostles, Ado-Ekiti, said a wake-keep will hold at his 206, Ikere-Ado Road, Kajola home on December 5.

On December 6, according to the statement, a funeral service will hold at the African Church Cathedral, Kajola following which interment will take place at his residence.

•The late Aladelokun

Guests will be entertained at the play-ground of the African Church Comprehensive High School (ACCHS), Kajola.

He is survived by his wife and children among others, the statement added.

THE NATION OCTOBER, MONDAY 27, 2014

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NEWS

APC, Uduaghan differ on conduct of Delta councils’ polls

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IXED reactions have continued to trail last Saturday’s local council elections in Delta State, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) chapter calling for their cancellation.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, after casting his vote at Unit I, Ward 6, at Abigborodo Primary School Polling Station in Warri North Local Government, described the election as one of the best ever held.

But the APC, calling for the cancelation of the elections in a statement yesterday by its publicity secretary, Isaac Adaka Adakpo, alleged that they were characterised by violence and irregularities.

The party said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in connivance with security agents, the state’s electoral body and thugs, made a travesty of the entire electoral process.

It alleged that cases of physical attacks and destruction of property were recorded, citing events in Warri North, Isoko South and

PDP records landslide win

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ELTA State Independent Elections Commission (DSIEC) Chairman Mr. Moses Ogbe has announced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of last Saturday’s council elections.

The party won in 23 local government areas of the state’s 25 councils.

The local government areas are Okpe, Udu, Ndokwa West, Aniocha South, Oshimili North, Warri South West, Ukwuani, Ughelli North and Oshimili South.

Others are Warri South, Ika South, Bomadi, Warri North, Uvwie, Burutu, Ika North-East, Ughelli South, Ika South, Sapele, Aniocha North, Isoko North, Patani and Ethiope West local government areas.

From Shola O’Neil, South-South Regional Editor and Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

North council areas.

The statement reads: “The Delta State local council elections were held yesterday, October 25, 2015.

The elections across the state, local governments and wards were marred by violence, PDP-Police col-

From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

Elections for chairmanship position in Patani and Ethiope West were returned unopposed.

About 96 councillorship positions on the platform of the ruling PDP across the 15 local government areas were returned unopposed.

The commission, however, annulled election results for Ndokwa East Local Government Area, following large-scale irregularities.

Polls were also inconclusive in Ethiope East as elections took place in 12 out of 20 wards in the area.

Results for Isoko South local elections were still being awaited as at the time of filing this report.

lusion and corruption of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) officials. Army troops were used to intimidate the people.

“The run of the elections was against the promises on honour and personal integrity of the DSIEC Chairman, Moses Ogbe, who was at one time Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State.

“The PDP, fearing defeat, went on

rampage with thugs, burning, maiming and killing. Over 36 cars were destroyed in Koko by the PDP’s army of violence. Many other properties were destroyed. In Isoko South and North, the violence unleashed saw many people hospitalised. The trail of sorrow, tears and bloodshed left behind by the PDP in the local government elections cannot be said to be in

compliance with the law or in accord with the assurances given by the DSIEC Chairman that elections of one-man-one-vote shall be held.

“APC therefore calls for the cancellation of the entire exercise at once,” the statement said.

But reacting to the election, Uduaghan expressed delight in the conduct of the polls, describing the process as one of the best ever conducted.

The governor said reports he received indicated that the exercise was largely peaceful in all parts of the state.

He said there were some hitches, delays and security situation, which were promptly dealt with to enable the people exercise their franchise.

The governor hailed the people for keeping faith with the exercise and expressed happiness that all went well.

Uduaghan said certain elements wanted to disrupt the exercise in Warri North, but security was called in to handle the situation.

Church leader hails Oshiomhole

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HE Spiritual leader/ General Overseer of Christ Chosen

Church of God, Benin City, Edo State, Dr Joshua Osasuyi, has praised Governor Adams Oshiomhole for standing by the church when its Uzama branch office caved in on September 19, killing one person.

In a statement yesterday, Osasuyi also hailed the efforts of the state Police Commissioner Folunsho Adebanjo and operatives of the Operation Thunder Storm for saving the church’s building from being burnt by enraged residents.

Contrary to reports that three persons died in the collapse, the cleric said only one person died and about five others injured.

•From left to right: The Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson; Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State Gboribiogha John Jonah(rtd); the Wife of the governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Rachael Dickson; the mother of President Goodluck Jonathan, Madam Eunice; Governor Seriake Dickson; Bishop, Diocese of Ogbia Rt. Rev. James Oruwori (JP); Chief Asara A. Asara and Chief Iboro Edaba, cutting the anniversary cake in commemoration of the centenary celebration of St. Matthews Anglican Church, Akipelai, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Buhari, others attend Sylva’s uncle’s funeral From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

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ORMER Head of State and All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential aspirant, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, was among the dignitaries that attended the funeral of the uncle to former Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva.

The remains of the 87-year-old Pa Benson Adigio-Eseni was buried at his hometown in Okpoma, Brass Local Government Area, last Saturday.

Others, who attended were Sylva’s political associates and friends, including some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The solemn ceremony brought back memories of the sad circumstances that led to the death of the octogenarian, who died in his kidnappers’ den and was buried in a shallow grave at the entrance of Kula community, a border town between Rivers and Bayelsa State.

Youths buy Senate’s form for Akpabio

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KWA Ibom Governor Godswill Akpabio has accepted the entreaties of the people of North-West Senatorial District to run for the senatorial seat next year.

Akpabio made this known yesterday at Ukana in Essien Udim Local Government Area when the youth from the senatorial district presented him with PDP nomination form for the primaries.

It was at a reception organised by Esop Mbong Ikpaisong Afud Annang.

He said: “I have been under pressure by the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District to represent them as a senator in 2015. I want to say that I have

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

accepted the call to serve my people”.

The governor praised the youths for their love and support to his administration.

He added: “Akwa Ibom State is a peaceful place because youths have shunned criminality. Youths have supported government efforts and this is why we are able to build a state of equal opportunity for all the youths.”

The representative of the youth, Chief Moses Akpan, while presenting the nomination to the governor hailed him for giving Akwa Ibom State a voice at the national level.

Wike criticises Amaechi for celebrating verdict

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VERS State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Nyesom Wike has criticised Governor Rotimi Amaechi for celebrating the Supreme Court judgment that brought him to power while allegedly “crippling” the state’s judiciary.

His Special Assistant (Media), Simeon Nwakaudu, said in a statement that the former minister of State for Education spoke at Abonema last Saturday at a rally where he addressed would-be PDP delegates from the four local councils of Akuku Toro, Asari Toro, Degema and Bonny.

The aspirant said for a man, who benefited from the judiciary, it was unfortunate that the governor al-

A

legedly locked up the courts to deny the less-privileged indigenes access to justice.

Wike regretted that instead of presenting his party’s candidate, the governor was busy campaigning for himself.

He also wondered why Amaechi was losing sleep over PDP candidate.

The aspirant said: “Amaechi is happy with the Supreme Court judgemetn that brought him to power but he has crippled the judiciary. Amaechi is siphoning Rivers money. But he will lose the presidential and governorship elections.

“Amaechi is spending on PDP governorship aspirants because he cannot present a candidate of APC. I will win the PDP primary by the support of PDP members and

will go ahead to win the governorship election.”

Responding, an Ijaw leader, Chief Precious Elegema, said it’s no coincidence that Wike was visiting the Ijaws to promote his governorship candidacy.

He thanked the aspirant for proposing to choose his deputy from the Ijaw.

Elegema said though the Ijaw were interested in becoming the state’s governor, but at the moment, they fully support Wike.

He added that Rivers State was at a moment of decision, hence the need to support a strong candidate who would liberate the state.

Former commissioner, Chief David Briggs, stressed that the Kalabari people were working with Wike for future reasons, adding that

the people have entered a contract with the former minister for the state’s development.

King Hope Dan Obusenga, a traditional leader of Oceania in Akuku Toro, said even before Wike started his aspiration, he had started his developmental projects in the area, touching the lives of the people.

He stressed that Wike stopped Amaechi’s impunity in the area, by ensuring that soldiers were posted to maintain peace.

According to him, if Wike as a minister could promote peace in the area, he would promote infrastructural development. He donated N10 million to the Wike campaign funds.

Gunmen kidnap tugboat’s captain after attack

TUGBOAT belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has been attacked in the Bayelsa State waterways by gunmen suspected to be pirates.

It was learnt that the tugboat was conveying unknown items to the Agip Brass Terminal in Brass Local Government Area last Saturday, when it came under attack

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

about 10am.

Its captain, identified as Famous Abrakata, was reportedly kidnapped and whisked away to an unknown place by the hoodlums.

The bandits were said to have stormed the tugboat, which was coming from Onne in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at an area called Juju

Fish Town on Nembe-Brass waterways.

A security source, who pleaded anonymity, said the bandits dispossessed their victims of their valuables, including cash worth N150,000.

The incident occurred a day after pirates during a separate occurrence killed four policemen and abducted six other persons along the same Nembe-Brass route.

But it was learnt yesterday

that the gunmen were after the policemen’s weapons and uniforms.

It was gathered that the gunmen believed to be pirates were not bothered about the barge owned by NAOC, which was being escorted by the policemen at the time of the incident.

The body of the victims were said to have been recovered and taken to the office of Marine Police in Yenagoa.

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COMMENTARY EDITORIAL

FROM OTHER LANDS

Banks’ chronic debtors •It’s still the same story of no lesson taught; no lesson learnt

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N an industry that has done little else while fulfilling their obligations than “name and shame” chronic and promptly, the fact that more than twice pathological debtors, the report last the number, for whatever reasons, have week that the Bank of Industry (BOI) neglected to fulfil their obligations would has inducted 10 indigenous companies seem to indicate a more fundamental into its Hall of Fame must be seen in problem in the industry. In this particutwo parts. The first is to see it as wel- lar instance, the BOI would merely serve come – an affirmation of the Nigerian as a miniature – a window into an indusspirit of honesty and enterprise despite try of which the value of non-performing widespread claims to the contrary. The loans has continued to soar in spite of the other is to rekindle the debate as to strict guidelines said to have been put in whether the financial services industry place by the apex bank. If ever any evihas learnt anything of significance, in dence was needed for this, it must be the the aftermath of the 2008/9 toxic assets quantum jump by 16 percent in the value crisis from which the entire sector has of non-performing loans in the 12 months barely recovered, on the basis of which it can hope to chart a pathway to a stable future.

The main substance of the report is that the companies “obtained longterm credit facilities from BOI at least twice and fully repaid the loans as and when due”. In the words of BOI’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Rasheed Olaoluwa, the companies “have proven that integrity is not a function of size or of the business environment.

They have shown considerable honour and character that we commend and applaud”. The 10 companies are, Supercor Industries, Bauchi; Rumbus Sacks, Kano; Ammasco International, Kano; Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, Sokoto and Cobet International, Port Harcourt.

Others are Happinex Foam, Benin; Innoson Enugu, Nigerian Aluminium Extrusion Ltd, Lagos;, Nigerian Found- •Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor ries, Lagos and Paul B Limited, Enugu.

The obverse side of the same story is spanning August 2013 to August 2014, that another set of companies – 24 in from N344.26billion to N400.57billion.

Beyond its symbolism, there is little number – made the bank’s blacklist for their failure to repay their loans and else that the idea of a Hall of Fame for showing “a high level of dishonesty would achieve in practical terms – the same way that the tactic of “name and and lack of integrity”.

In an industry where bad moral haz- shame” has not proven to be effective ards have become the rule rather than deterrent to loan abusers. If we are any exception, the exemplary performance wise to the efficacy of the regulatory reof the 10 companies obviously deserves forms promised by the Central Bank of to be showcased. And while there must Nigeria (CBN) in the wake of the bankbe thousands of such entities and indi- ing crisis, it is their falling short of what viduals operating in the financial sec- was expected. A measure of the result tor, doing good business with the banks is the latest finding by the apex bank

‘Most certainly, there is a lot that the banks can do to improve on their credit decisions through the instrumentality of the credit bureau. Then is the issue of corruption which also needs to be tackled frontally, particularly at the level of the judiciary. The greater challenge of course, is to prevent the abuse in the first place through the banks whose responsibility it is to strengthen their internal controls; and the apex bank in the area of enforcing the relevant guidelines.’

that two banks have their capital adequacy ratio (CAR) below the 10 percent prudential minimum stipulated under the Basel 1 and 2 frameworks.

While it cannot be denied that the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has largely succeeded in cleaning up the banks’ toxic assets, there are however, as yet, no proofs that the practices which necessitated the coming of AMCON have disappeared. This apparently is the context to explain the latest diversionary debate as to whether AMCON, a child of necessity, should operate in perpetuity as against its original design to wind up after 10 years. If we are worried by the curious provision for the sinking fund for AMCON which appears to have thrown entire cost of the resolution of the crisis to the banks, we are even more worried by the seeming reluctance of AMCON to embark on the process of winding down. Of course, we find the idea of the CBN committing N50 billion annually into the sinking fund as inexplicable, hence our relief when the National Assembly rejected the provision in the proposed amendment to the AMCON Act. The point is - the banking sector has never been lacking in worthwhile suggestions on how to deal with the hordes of delinquent debtors. The easiest one is to shut the debtors out of the financial system – something that has proven, time and again, to be easier said than done. In the situation that the frustratingly slow pace of the judicial process has hardly helped matters – the debtors are simply allowed to enjoy the fruits of their unwholesome behaviour even while preying on the system in the absence of a functional credit bureau.

Most certainly, there is a lot that the banks can do to improve on their credit decisions through the instrumentality of the credit bureau. Then is the issue of corruption which also needs to be tackled frontally, particularly at the level of the judiciary. The greater challenge of course, is to prevent the abuse in the first place through the banks whose responsibility it is to strengthen their internal controls; and the apex bank in the area of enforcing the relevant guidelines. While these may not necessarily provide fool-proof mechanism to insulate the banks from bad or non-performing loans, they would no doubt go a long way to bring the loans to the barest minimum.

Ebola, CAF and Nigeria

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IR: The continent of Africa presently faces a huge burden in her battle to contain the deadly Ebola Virus Disease. According to a recent WHO data, the number of people with Ebola is set to hit 10,000 in West Africa. The WHO data further reveals that 9,936 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the three major countries mostly hit in what is, undoubtedly, the world’s worst Ebola epidemic, have contracted the disease. In total, 4,877 people have so far died as a result of the epidemic.

Experts have raised alarm that the rate of infections could reach 10,000 a week by early December, if something urgent is not done to quickly take control of the disease. In Liberia, in order to stop the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, schools across the country remain closed while economic activities have come to a standstill. Similarly, the army has been deployed to enforce all measures put in place to avert the further spread of the disease. The situation in Guinea and Serria-Leone is only marginally better. This, without a doubt, is a trying time for mother Africa.

Part of the current Ebola burdens in Africa, is the issue of the venue for the continent’s prime soccer competition, the African Cup of Nations, AFCON, slated for January 2015. The competition, which was initially billed to be hosted by Morocco, is facing a race against time with indications that Morocco is considering pulling out as a result of the Ebola virus epidemic.

CAF has started shopping for a country that could host the competition. South Africa was approached by CAF as a possible replacement for Morocco, but the request was reportedly turned down on the account that it has twice played host to the championship in similar situations and that it doesn’t have the financial muscle to host it within such a short notification.

Ghana, which was contacted after South Africa declined the offer, is demanding for more time to carefully study the Ebola situation before making its position known to CAF. Now, there are widespread speculations that Nigeria is considering hosting.

It would be careless and inconsiderate for the authorities to jump at the chance of hosting the AFCON without properly putting into context the pains and anguish that the nation went through in the course of its 93 three days’ battle to contain Ebola. Considering the porous nature of our borders and other such limitations, hosting the competition, at this point in time, could make nonsense of all the gains we have made in respect of our recent travails with Ebola.

Could we have suddenly forgotten the several complications that the Ebola invasion brought to our land while it lasted?

If Morocco, a country that is yet to record any cases of the Ebola virus could turn down the opportunity to host the AFCON based on the fear of Ebola, it would be a suicide mission for our dear nation to do same. It would amount o spitting on the graves of our unfortunate compatriots who paid the supreme price, while battling the deadly virus in the country.

At the moment, rather than investing on hosting the AFCON, we should pull our resources into spearheading scientific researches that could bring about the much needed cure for the Ebola virus.

This is what we owe Africa. As for CAF, it should respect the position of Morocco on postponing the competition till the continent’s Ebola situation improves. This is the time to put life above every other consideration.

• Tayo Ogunbiyi Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

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, OCTOBER 27, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: President Goodluck Jonathan administration is a labyrinth of confusion. Nigerians’ aspiration that he would someday put himself in the right column of history has been dashed, once more. He ought to be the fate of Nigeria and the fate could not be sustained. Now, a thousand years will pass and the guilt of his government will not be erased.

By his ceasefire deal with the Boko Haram, President Jonathan has practically exaggerated the malevolent power of Boko Haram in an effort to legitimise his bankrupt rule. Pitifully, he has openly disembowelled his government by his disdain for the armed forces for which he is a commander-in-chief.

In 2011, a Presidential Committee on Security Challenges in the North-East Zone, set up after bomb attacks by the Islamic sect, submitted its final report, asking President Jonathan to consider granting amnesty to members of the sect wishing to surrender their arms to the federal government. The panel, headed by Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari, recommended that the federal government consider the option of dialogue and negotiation which should be contingent upon

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Jonathan’s confused presidency

the renunciation of all forms of violence and surrender of arms, to be followed by rehabilitation. In November 2012, the sect said it was willing to cease all hostilities and attacks if the federal government would arrest a former Borno State governor, Alli Modu Sheriff and meet its other demands.

Sheriff has since become a PDP financier.

On January 7, 2013, the insurgents for the second time restated its commitment to ceasefire in order to pave the way for dialogue. One Sheikh Abu Mohammad Abdulazeez Ibn Idris, who claimed to be a top member of the major faction of the group led

by Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, spoke on behalf of the group.

In April 2013, the Federal Government set up another committee to consider the feasibility or otherwise of granting pardon to the sect and to

collate clamours arising from different interest groups who wanted the presidency to administer clemency on members of the barbaric group.

The president followed this up in May with a promise to release a number of Boko Haram members, including all women in prison custody. In July, Nigerians happily looked forward to the end of the insurgency when the federal government said it had signed a ceasefire agreement with the militant group.

Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the Peace and Dialogue Committee in the North, Alhaji

Of mutiny and military court-martial

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IR: Mutiny has become a subject of public debate after a military court martial handed down death

What do Nigerians want?

S

IR:Nigerians want good leadership? This is a seemingly simple question and most will readily answer ‘yes of course’.

Theoretically such answer appears faultless after all what sane person will say he does not desire quality leadership. The issue, however, begins to get complex as one moves away from the world of theory and into the realm of practice. What do Nigerians do to ensure quality leadership? How do their orientation and actions promote good leadership?

In sport a team that desires to excel must field its best players. Likewise a country that is hungry for development must have its best in leadership positions. Alas this has never been the case with Nigeria. It is a fact that so far the country has been governed by individuals who are nowhere near the best she can offer. In fact the Nigerian set-up seems hostile to quality leadership materials particularly at the centre.

This anomaly can be traced to a combination of mass ignorance and

our two major fault lines –religion and ethnicity. Nigerians are suffering and hunger for development and improved living condition.

However, their sentiments and actions often work against the emergence of the quality leadership that can help them actualize the good life they desperately desire.

As 2015 draws closer, the polity is becoming livelier. It is, however, sad to note how little attention is paid to the leadership ability of who occupies Aso Rock for the next four years. Emphasis has been largely on religion and ethnicity. Ethnoreligious champions are busy propagating their gospel of hate and division; divisive rhetorics reverberate across the polity. I have never seen Nigerians this polarized.

It does not portend good.

It is correct to say that ethnoreligious bigotries are major impediments to the emergence of quality leadership in Nigeria.

Unscrupulous politicians and elites who are masters at ‘divide and rule’

Tanimu Turaki, announced the ceasefire agreement on the Hausa service of Radio France International.

Since then, there has been no cessation of hostility.

In May this year, Minister of Youth Development, Boni Haruna, told the country that President Jonathan had granted conditional amnesty to the terrorists group with a view to putting permanent halt to insurgency in the North-east. He added that series of integration programmes had been lined up for the members of the sect who would surrender their arms and embrace peace. Shortly after he made the statement, the Presidency

debunked the statement. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the President did not mention the word amnesty in his Democracy Day broadcast that Boni Haruna relied on to make the statement.

Is it really difficult to put the Boko Haram rabble to rout? Is it just that the Jonathan administration is profiting politically from the insurgency? That is why the purported ceasefire reached between the militia sect and the Federal Government is comical.

You can now understand why Nigerians have been hankering for a strongman; a leader who would stamp out insecurity, corruption, reverse growing inequalities and make the country tall in the comity of nations. A president with common touch and toughness who can snare the sacred cows that have fed fat from the common till.

• Erasmus Ikhide, Lagos.

wield these weapons to devastating effect. Many Nigerians know who or what may likely serve the common and greater good but are too enslaved to their primordial sentiments to give it support. Many for instance declare what good leaders Governors Fashola, Okorocha, Amaechi, Kwankwaso and few others are. Yet should any of them present himself for election to the office of the president, many of the same people will reject him for ethnic or religious reasons. So what really do Nigerians want? Good leaders or simply any Tom from preferred ethnic/religious group?

To move the country forward Nigerians must jettison these divisive sentiments. Amidst biting hardship they are luxuries the people can ill-afford. Nigerians must recognize that a bad leader is a tragedy even to his kinsmen. As the 2015 elections draw nearer, the watchword should be ‘let the best man lead’.

• Nnoli Chidiebere Aba, Abia State.

sentences to 12 out of the 18 soldiers recently and subsequent commencement of the trial of another 97soldiers consisting of four officers and men.

What is mutiny? Section 52 (1, a & b) of the Armed Forces Act, 1994, affirms that a person subject to service law under this Act, “who takes part in a mutiny involving the use of violence or the threat of the use of violence … refusal or avoidance of any duty or service against, or in connection with operations against the enemy, or the impeding of the performance of that duty or service; or to disobey the authority … is guilty of an offence under this subsection and liable, on conviction by a court-martial, to suffer death.”

The Armed Forces Act is an aggregation of rules guiding the operations of the armed forces of the federal republic of Nigeria. It is a body of principal laws strictly meant to be obeyed by all soldiers who subscribe to it under the military service law.

Part XII of the Act clearly defined various offences and the attendant consequences upon infraction. One serious deviant act within the military and which of course attracts disastrous consequences is mutiny.

Every public service comes with its condition of service and the mutineers explicitly failed to take refuge under Section 179(2)(4) of the Armed Forces Act (Redress of Complaints) which

states that; “If a soldier, rating or an aircraftman thinks himself wronged in any matter by his commanding officer, either by reason of redress not being given to his satisfaction on a complaint under subsection (1) or of any other reason, he may make a complaint with respect thereto to any Army, Naval or Air Force officer… provided he/she shall first exhaust the administrative remedies available to him under this section before embarking on any other action.”

Fortunately, there is a window of opportunity in section 149 of the same Military Act to appeal decisions of court martial even to the High Courts. Those already sentenced are therefore encouraged to take advantage of this window to ventilate their arguments.

However, military service rules and procedures are too secretive for public appreciation. Therefore, they need urgent reforms adaptable in civil environment and for operational efficiency. There should be a systematically laid down channel of redressing complaints other than through an officer who might even be the reason for the complaint. The military should not only court martial the soldiers but investigate further the rationale behind general misconduct in the military.

• Sunday Onyemaechi Eze Samaru Zaria, Kaduna State

21

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

COMMENTS

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S Lagos State, which is considered a megacity with a population in excess of 10 million people, surely approaches the status of a metacity or hypercity, meaning that it would be home to more than 20 million people, there is a renewed focus on the concept and definition of Lagosian, thanks to a new book. Launched on October 17 at the City Hall in Lagos, Possessed: A History of Law and Justice of the Crown Colony of Lagos, written by Olasupo Sasore, a former Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, provides a basis for reflection on the identity and identification of the people in the megacity.

It is no news that Lagos has been tagged “no man’s land” in certain quarters, especially by those who view its richly diverse populace and cultural variety as evidence of its alleged nonownership by a particular group. In an illuminating interview, Sasore said: “I actually addressed that phrase because it is a phrase you hear a lot. I answered people who use that appellation for Lagos, and I hope that with the reading of history, it will show you that there are people who have indigene rights.”

He further said: “I’m not an ethno-centrist, but indigenous rights have been recognised by the United Nations. Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations’ convention right of indigenous people, and the convention clearly states that you have a right to feel indigenous, to dress indigenous and to speak with your indigenous tongue.” What he said next suggested his self-classification as a Lagos indigene. Sasore stressed: “It is my right and you can’t take it away from me. If you read the history of colony, you will understand that some people have that inalienable right.”

However, it is significant to point out that the issue is whether indigenousness should be tied to exclusivity in specific contexts.

The matter is certainly not restricted to Lagos. It is instructive to note that in July the National Council of State formed a committee to address the alleged discriminatory promotion of indigenousness in states across the country and work towards ending the institutionalisation of indigenity.

The committee included the governors of Sokoto, Niger, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Ondo and Gombe states, representing each of the country’s six geo-political zones, and they were expected to identify discriminatory practices in all states of the federation. Two governors, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State and Babangida Aliu of Niger State, gave useful insights

‘However, it is significant to point out that the issue is whether indigenousness should be tied to exclusivity in specific contexts. The matter is certainly not restricted to Lagos’

O

VER the ages, man by virtue of his uniqueness as a rational being has fashioned out means and ways to advance its primacy among all other living creatures that God has created to inhabit the current earthly plane. In his efforts to a further divine injunction to expand and dominate the world, various schemes and processes were put in place by him to ensure orderliness as the key ingredient to achieving the mandate from the Supreme Being.

One of such efforts was man’s desire to evolve leadership and by extension governance in promoting societal good rooted in orderliness. In the end, the concept of governance was evolved by him to cater for his well-being and security.

Several definitions have been given to the concept, but the most apt is that which states that a government is the system by which a state or community is governed. As the definition suggests the people, which are the basic component of a given socio-economic space, design and implement an arrangement that cater for the well-being of all.

Flowing from the initial steps, the people who have designed and implemented the system are assumed to subscribe to the authority whom they have agreed to set up as a means of not only guaranteeing their well-being but also ensure that their safety is adequately catered for in the socio-political space that they’ve found themselves.

Thus, for the government architecture that has been designed, it is assumed that the best in any given society is invested with the right legal and coercive instruments to function effectively as the ‘guardian’ of the area under his authority.

Owing to the dynamic and intricate nature of government (as a machinery) and governance as a process, it is assumed or envisaged by philosophers who over time evolved the concept, that leadership must be attained by those considered as the best the society could put forward at any point in time.

Governance and government have also assumed different forms such as monarchy, democracy, autocracy and other patterns but the central theme in the process that threw up leadership is the need for members of the society aspiring to leadership to undergo a certain form of apprenticeship, a period that allows an aspirant to understudy the society which he hopes to preside over.

In monarchical arrangement, which is rooted in leadership by divine rights, princes and those in the nobility are put through a period of tutelage where they are taught etiquette and right mannerism that must be exhibited by occupants of the offices they are destined to occupy. They are also expected to learn more about the history, culture and tradition of their society.

In some monarchy, some of them are even expected to undergo some form of leadership training via administering lesser territory before eventually becoming the supreme leader. The same process (though with some form

Lagos and identity question

into the dimensions of the problem.

Akpabio said the Council was against the idea of states creating platforms for the registration of indigenes, adding, “Council viewed the report seriously that some citizens were being deported; deportation should be from one country to the other but where you have a Nigerian who is being returned to his state of origin from other states then you know there is a problem. We felt that that was capable of disrupting the unity of the country, making Nigerians to become apprehensive and unsafe.”

Aliyu highlighted alleged discrimination in the education sector which also came up for discussion, saying that in some states “non-indigenes” paid higher fees in public schools. He said: “In fact the very concept of indigeneship came to the fore; whether in Nigeria we should be concerned about so called indigeneship or residency.”

Interestingly, Sasore attempted a clarification that seemed like a complication. According to him, “So, Omo Eko (Lagos indigene) is a right that some people have and you can’t take it away from them, but ‘Lagosian’ is the right that all people who live in it have.” He continued: “It will interest you to know that the word ‘Lagosian’ was in use in the 1870s, I didn’t create it. I used to think that the term ‘Lagosian’ was a latterday term until I started my research. It was a term that was used in The Weekly Record newspaper that was in circulation in Lagos in the 1890s.” What Sasore means is that not every Lagosian (Lagos resident) is Omo Eko (Lagos indigene). The questions are: Are there rights that should be considered exclusive to indigenes? If so, what are those rights?

It is food for thought that an interest group called Lagoon State Movement is campaigning for the creation of Lagoon

State out of Lagos State. The group re-energised this advocacy at its 7th town hall meeting this year at the Awolowo Institute for Government and Public Policy and Museum, Lekki, Lagos.

According to reports, its leader, Chief Babatunde Olusola Benson (SAN), claimed that the consequences of preserving the status quo include overpopulation, inadequate representation of the state’s indigenes at the federal level, imposition of heavy taxation on residents of the state and indigene welfare problems. On the other hand, he argued, the creation of Lagoon State would result in substantial job openings, greater representation of the indigenous people in the Senate and House of Representatives, and increased federal government funding which would facilitate grassroots development. It is confusing that members of this group seem to assume that they would retain their Lagos indigenity should their campaign for Lagoon State succeed. The proposed state is expected to include the following local government areas: Ikorodu, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Apapa, Eti-Osa, Somolu and Kosofe.

The definitional challenge, which Sasore may not have overcome, was also evident at the 6th Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture and Merit Award held in March at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos. The event was organised by the Association of Lagos State Indigenes (ALSI). Prof. John Obafunwa, the guest speaker and Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), who spoke on the theme, “The place of Lagos State Indigenes – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, acknowledged the difficulty of categorisation, after a conceptual exploration that significantly accommodated “native and original inhabitants” of Lagos and those whose progenitors had settled in Lagos at least “60 years” before Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule in 1960.

Obafunwa took advantage of the forum to elaborate on what he called the “challenge of indigenisation” at LASU. According to him, the dream of the university’s founding fathers was that it should have a 70 per cent indigene composition, and since his appointment as the institution’s head in 2011 he had achieved 60 per cent indigene makeup. It is enlightening to note that as part of the 2013/2014 screening of candidates for admission, the Lagos State University Independent Indigeneship Verification Committee issued a revealing identification guide, which indicated “acceptable evidence of Lagos State indigeneship.”

According to the guide, “freshmen who claim Lagos State as their state of origin” are expected to back such identity with “Photocopy of birth certificate of the applicant; Photocopy of birth certificate of the applicant’s father; Evidence of title to landed property (Long standing title usually over 50 years); Written testimony from relevant Oba to certify claim to Lagos State; Written testimony from Secretary to Local Government.”

Can there be a more thought-provoking expression of the seriousness of the identity question?

Fayose: Populism or opportunism?

By Lateef Raji of modifications is also expected to take place in a democratic environment where those who aspire to a high office usually rise through the ranks by taking up one post or the other before becoming the figure everyone defers to.

Thus, the leader of any given society must be seen to have passed through the furnace and rigours of apprenticeship and must be seen to be a man of high moral rectitude, of sound mind and intellectually capable of functioning effectively in office.

These bring to light the current theatre of the absurd playing out in Ekiti, a state acclaimed to be the Fountain of Knowledge but, which is currently being presided over

by Ayodele Fayose, a combative character as its chief executive.

Fayose, who is currently standing trial in various law courts on charges that bother on graft and unethical financial dealings during his first stint in office, was returned as elected in the race that pitted him against the then incumbent, the cerebral Olukayode Fayemi.

Aside from his trial, Fayose whose initial tenure was marked by unbridled violence was impeached from office by members of the state House of Assembly for the same reasons of engaging in graft. Cognizance of statutory provisions that bar such a character from seeking public office until after 10 years, he soon launched into self-help to stave off efforts by well-meaning citizens of the state to question his eligibility.

A self-styled populist, Fayose is reputed to have limited or scanty regards for democratic or governmental institutions which he hopes to utilize for the greater well-being of the people whom he has in the past touted as his major constituency. In the premises of the state High Court Complex, his nature took the better part of him when he allegedly ordered his rampaging supporters to beat to pulp, a judge, who had the audacity to urge him to call his restless supporters to order.

Interestingly, the security operatives drafted to maintain order looked the other way when the Afao-Ekiti born politician unleashed his ‘boys’ on the hapless judge. The symbolism of the action and the manner it was managed is such that in Nigeria under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the platform upon which Fayose won the June 21, election, might is right. It is only in Nigeria that a barbarism of this nature will take place, and the people vested with the powers to act would behave as if nothing happened.

To Fayose and his co-travellers in the PDP, there is nothing wrong in committing unpardonable infraction on the very institutions of state necessary for safeguarding the

well-being of the people that they lead. Nothing short of being in power is desirable and any means to sustain it would do.

Not satisfied with defiling the temple of justice, and as part of his current efforts at showmanship, rather than do stocktaking for effective take off of his administration, Fayose did what many people think is rather impossible by throwing the gates to the newly constructed Government House located at Oke Ayoba open to all manners of people.

His media handlers were quick to rush to the information space to describe the action as epitomizing his populist bent as a ‘caring leader’ not minding the fact that the monument is a sacred edifice that should be accorded the best in terms of reverence and awe by not only those in leadership but those teeming masses of the populace.

Can anyone imagine the gates of the White House being thrown open to all comers? I don’t want to talk of Aso Rock Villa because, I believe they are part of the present madness. Besides, I see a very spiteful character that is so full of hatred for conventional reasoning, and would do anything to desecrate it. There is nothing wrong in not accepting conventional positions, but whatever you are bringing must be superior. In this instance, has Fayose offered anything better than the new Government House?

Guess.

To Fayose, there is nothing wrong if and when such edifice or institutions are desecrated as long as they provide tools for political opportunism. The new governor must be advised to free himself from the current electoral hangover by applying himself to the task ahead. Reading the current trends in the country, electorates are getting impatient with incompetent office holders, and from the way he started, he might have a shorter tenure than the last time.

• Raji is Special Adviser on Information & Strategy to the Governor of Lagos State.

‘To Fayose, there is nothing wrong if and when such edifice or institutions are desecrated as long as they provide tools for political opportunism. The new governor must be advised to free himself from the current electoral hangover by applying himself to the task ahead’

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

22

COMMENTS

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IANCA Ojukwu, widow of late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, is grieving. She had cause last week to bare her current state of mind. Though the issue has little to do with the demise of her husband but it is not entirely unrelated.

She is grieving because the most trusted confidant of her late husband and former governor of Anambra State; a man trusted to uphold the ideals of the late Ikemba, Peter Obi dumped the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Obi rode on the shoulders of APGA to become the governor of Anambra State twice and was seen as the political son of the late Ojukwu. The minimum expectation from such a person is to keep the flag of APGA, a party dear to the heart of Ojukwu flying. But all that hope has now been dashed.

Not just that. Obi decamped without the courtesy of confiding in Bianca. She granted an interview last week expressing deep shock and disappointment at the development.

According to her, up to the last moment, Obi continued to reassure her that “this will never happen; that it would be over his dead body; that the day he leaves APGA would be the day he quits politics; and most importantly, that he would keep the promise he made to Ojukwu”.

Bianca feels greatly pained and deeply betrayed because Obi swore in his honour before her late husband that he would never leave APGA; that he would do everything within his powers to sustain and advance APGA, that he would ‘sink and swim’ with the party.

‘Obi’s contention that loyalty to a cause does not change with a change of platform is puerile...You cannot serve two masters loyally at the same time. It is an exercise in wishful thinking for Obi to nurse the feeling that he can still serve the overall interest of APGA from his current platform. He cannot’

O

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

APGA: Obi and Bianca All these promises appear to have come to naught with his recent defection to the PDP. Bianca fears that his action could rob off negatively on the fortunes and ideals for which APGA has continued to attract large following in the south-east geo-political zone.

Given the weight of issues raised by Bianca, Obi could not but join issues with her. He said ‘loyalty to a cause does not change with a change of platform’ and there has not been any change of principles on his own part.

Admitting that Bianca gave accurate account of his exchanges with the late Ikemba, Obi said he is “still loyal to our great leader (Ojukwu) in terms of what serves the interests of our people and the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

He was quick to add however, that APGA today is no longer what it used to be and his assurance to Ojukwu did not imply he will remain loyal to a platform some people have turned into an empty shell without an inner core of shared values.

In his words “time would reveal whether the APGA of today is still propagating the late leader’s core principles”. He said he had seen enough violation of what APGA stood for and therefore cannot continue to stay in a place which has departed from the original course and where clearly he was not wanted.

The issues raised by both personages are as touchy as they are weighty. This is very evident from the manifest caution on the part of both parties in handling the subject matter.

Bianca had very pleasant words for Obi both in terms of his sterling performances in office, his principles, loyalty and commitment to the APGA cause. Her expectation is that

F all the sub-committees of the constitution drafting committee of 1975, none was more important than the sub-committee of the executive and the legislature.

The sub-committee was saddled with working out the modalities for the operation of the presidential system of government, which was a novelty at that time considering the fact that we have never operated the system before.

The sub-committee was headed by Alhaji Abdu Ganiyu Folorunsho Razak (87), the Mutawali of Ilorin and the Tafida of Zaria, who was born in Onitsha, Anambra State and served as Nigerian Ambassador to the Ivory Coast (Cote Ivoire) from 1962 to 1964. He is the first lawyer from Northern Nigeria.

Razak was a delegate to the 1960 constitutional conference in London, a member of the Leaders of Thought from Northern Nigeria for the 1967 constitutional conference, Minister for Railways between 1965-1966 and a man of distinct letters. He declined to be a High Court Judge when his name was gazetted for the appointment. Long before Dr. Abubakar Olushola Saraki, the late Waziri of Ilorin, Alhaji Razak was the “grand commander” of politics in Ilorin. Very urbane and highly civilised. I met him for the first time in 1975.

Other members of the sub-committee were Dr. Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe, former minister in the First Republic and my very good friend, Alhaji ShehuMalami, former chairman of Union Bank and later Nigerian ambassador to South Africa, Professor G.A. Odenigwe of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, former Minister of Works, Dr. Kole Abayomi, Senior Lecturer at Nigeria Law School in Lagos, I.D. Ahmed, a councillor by then in the Kano Local Government Authority, Sam Ikoku, who was then of the University of Lagos and former Secretary of the defunct Action Group, who later became the secretary of the Peoples Redemption Party of the late Aminu Kano.

The other two members were Alhaji Sule Gaya, a former minister in Northern Nigeria and Dr. U.O. Eleazu, lecturer in Political Science in Institute of Management and Technology, now Co-ordinator and Director, Nigeria Policy Development Centre (Think Tank).

The sub-committee recommended, among other things, that the future president of Nigeria “must perform and be seen as performing the following functions: that of being a symbol of national unity, honour and prestige; being a national figure- a political figure in his own right; and that of being an able executive-someone who can give leadership and a sense of direction to the country”.

The sub-committee declared: “We were very much influenced by the debate on national objectives and public accountability and the need to avoid concentration of power in the hands of a few, or a sectional group; the need to replace ethnic with national politics, etc. In short, it is the intention of the sub-committee that anybody who wants to be a

Obi ought to remain the lynchpin on which the APGA spirit revolves.

Unfortunately, that hope has been betrayed such that a big vacuum that may adversely affect the party’s fortunes has now been created. Matters are not remedied by what amounts to her loss of confidence in Chief Victor Umeh, APGA national chairman.

For Umeh, Bianca had this to say: “the bitter truth and sad reality is that every vice, offence and transgression his predecessor, Chekwas Okorie was accused of, which prompted his removal as national chairman of APGA has been committed a hundred times over with impunity by Umeh”.

With these, one can then appreciate why Bianca is scared about the fortunes of the party. We can understand why Obi’s defection jolted her in such a devastating manner. This is more so when the dwindling fortunes of the party in neighbouring Imo State is brought into focus. The governor there, Rochas Okorocha also rode on the platform of APGA but has had to dump it for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

If Bianca takes a total picture of the party in the two states that are considered its stronghold, she will indeed have great cause to worry. Her feelings should be understood.

For now, Obi’s contention that loyalty to a cause does not change with a change of platform is puerile. The reverse should really be the case if party politics is conceived in its pure form. Each platform (political party) comes with its shared values, expectations and loyalty patterns. That is why

parties are registered as distinct entities. They ought to offer alternative choices to the electorate through their different ideologies and programmes. You cannot serve two masters loyally at the same time. It is an exercise in wishful thinking for Obi to nurse the feeling that he can still serve the overall interest of APGA from his current platform. He cannot.

But more importantly, Obi raised further contradictions in his reasons for leaving the party. He had sought to justify his position on the grounds that APGA has deviated from the spirits of its founding fathers. If APGA is no longer propagating the leader’s core principles, Obi should share in the blame.

In his positions as the former governor elected on its platform and lately the chairman of its Board of Trustees (BOT), Obi had critical and pivotal roles to play to redirect the party to its original ideals rather than present himself as someone helpless in the circumstance. The impression we get is that there is a behemoth in the party that determines everything. And who could that have been except Umeh who has survived many battles to shove him aside. May be Umeh has become the greatest obstacle to the survival of the party. Or could it have been governor Obiano who is just learning the ropes?

So when Obi made the allusion that he is no longer wanted in the party, one begins to wonder who those frustrating him are.

Bianca corroborated the point that Obi should have done more to reinvigorate the party when she said many of the members victimized by Umeh for demanding internal democracy were disappointed that he could not help them.

Beyond these, it did not come as a surprise that Obi defected to the PDP. All along his body and soul have been there. Bianca should also be consoled by her current ambassadorial appointment courtesy of the PDP government. APGA has not really behaved as an opposition party and this is bound to affect its fortunes. The current fate of the party is partly self-inflicted and partly a response to the dynamics of party politics in this country. With the formation of the APC, the political landscape has substantially altered.

Parties without national spread are bound to suffer reverses. It is trite that APGA has become a franchise exploited by desperate politicians to climb to power in Imo and Anambra states only to dump it as soon as their interests have been served. Is anybody listening?

The imperial presidency

By Eric Teniola President must strive to become a national figure, and the method of his election is meant to provide him with a means of nationalising himself as well as test his standing as a national figure”.

The sub-committee declared further: “what has been uppermost in our minds is how to provide for an effective leadership that express our aspirations for national unity without at the same time building up a Leviathan whose power may be difficult to curb”.

Call it rotational principle, call it zoning or call it Federal Character, it was Razak’s committee that first proposed this idea as far back as 1975.

The sub-committee insisted that rotational principle must be embodied in the constitution. The sub-committee went further to group Nigeria into four zones. That was in 1975 when we had 19 states. According to Razak’s committee of 1975, Zone 1 shall consist of Sokoto, Niger, Kwara, and Kaduna states, Zone 2 will comprise Kano, Plateau, Benue, Borno, Bauchi and Gongola states, Zone 3 – Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Bendel states and lastly Zone 4 which were Anambra, Imo, Rivers and Cross Rivers states. The recommendation of the sub-committee was that there shall be rotation of the Presidency and each of the four zones should have the Presidency once in a while.

In defending rotational Presidency, the sub-committee submitted that “By and large, we have been very much influenced by the experience of political leadership in this country-both civilian and military; the need to decommercialise politics (or to undecorate politics as one member put it); the need to balance the stakes politics so that each section of this country will come to feel a sense of belonging to a great nation; the need to develop an approach of consensus to politics and finally the need to accentuate our national inclination towards a bargaining approach to decision-making rather than regarding politics as a game of the winner-take-all”.

Incidentally most of the committee’s reports were accepted by the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) later. On November 1, 1977 the chairman of the CDC, Chief Rotimi Williams presented a bill to the Constituent Assembly for a new constitution. He said: “Safeguards Against Abuse of Power, all of us in the Constitution Drafting Committee, without exception, were eager to ensure that the sovereignty of the people is not merely manifested in the choice of the persons entrusted or to be entrusted with power. We were also concerned to ensure that no functionary of the state shall

be in a position to install himself as a dictator over the rest of the country. Hence provisions were made in the Draft Constitution to prevent the over-concentration of power in any one hand or in the hands of a few and to ensure that there are adequate checks and balances to avoid the abuse of power”.

In my later discussion with a member of the CDC, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, the Otun of Ikorodu, he said” concentration of power in the hands of just one man could disintegrate the country. All that we did between 1975 and 1976 was to ensure that the government truly belongs to the people. And truly we have no apology for that”. He was a member of the sub-committee on the Economy, Finance and Division of Powers. He wrote most of the reports of that subcommittee.

If you take a look at the 1979 and especially the 1999 constitutions, one could see the imperial powers of the President of Nigeria.

Having read and re-read the report of Abdu Razak’s committee, I am still not sure that it is what the committee recommended that is in practice today, with the imperial, dominant and regal powers of the President crowned by the constitution and a cash-sharing National Assembly that has made itself impotent in an era where sycophancy, heroworshipping and boot-licking is the only industry around.

If one reads the 1999 constitution, one will be puzzled and astounded by the extensive wide powers of the Nigerian President. In short he almost owns the country. In a land where majority are very poor, one can’t have all these wide powers certainly without inviting envy, jealousy, outright grudge if not hatred.

Our biggest dilemma is how to cope with the authoritarian and absolute powers of the President as decreed by the constitution. It is these powers that have made the race for the Presidency absolutely desperate.

Just imagine the despondency of the incumbent to retain his Presidency at all costs as if there is no more life outside government having been in power for over 15 years and the desperation of his political adversaries to dislodge him by all means.

We shall see in the coming weeks the ugly effects of the despair and hopelessness.

If we have reduced the power of the presidency and made that post less attractive, may be and just may be the forlornness will be avoided. A Presidential election is not supposed to be a do-or-die affair. In some countries the Presidential election is a celebration period. That is the way it is supposed to be.

• Teniola, a former director at the presidency, lives in Lagos.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 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

CEO

JOBS

Over 1.5m jobs from five airports’ terminals - P. 37

‘Technical workers’ training key to power sector’s growth’ - P. 39

News Briefing

‘Electricity tariff increase likely’

Chevron’s gas production hits 500 MMscf/d

By Akinola Ajibade

E

CHEVRON Nigeria Limited (CNL) is advancing its efforts in gas utilisation and commercialisation with its current ready –for- use natural gas production standing at 500 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d).

–Page 26

ALNCA, ACSC chiefs decry state of ports’ access roads EXPERTS in logistics and maritime business, have called on the Federal government to take seriously issues of logistics in its agenda to grow the economy.

–Page 26

• Managing Director/CEO, Enterprise Bank Limited, Mallam Ahmed Kuru (2nd right) launching the SME Product, Enterprise Graduate Empowerment Scheme (EGES) with Head, SME Business/Product Development, Mr. Obioma Emenike (left); Executive Director, Lagos & South-West Banks, Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe; and Executive Director, Abuja & North Banks, Mr.Audu Kazir (right), in Lagos, last week.

Okonjo-Iweala urges operators on industry growth THE Nigerian insurance industry is growing at a pace desired by the Federal Government, the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said.

–Page 36

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

Banks’ earnings’ decline will persist, says RenCap

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OUGH requirements im posed by the banking sec tor regulator, have led to earnings’ decline, Renaissance Capital (RenCap) has said.

The investment and research firm, in a comparison of core regulations across key banking systems in Sub Saharan Africa, revealed that Nigerian banks operate under one of the strictest environment, adding that liquidity ratio in Nigeria is 30 per cent, compared with 20 per cent in Kenya, 20 per cent in Rwanda and no minimum regulatory requirement in Ghana.

There were proposals to increase the minimum liquidity ratio to 35 per cent for Systemically Important Banks, but that could be excluded from the final regulation set to kick in by 2015.

It said Nigeria’s blended Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 31 per cent, is almost three times that of Ghana, at 11 per cent, and six times those of Kenya and Rwanda, at 5.25 per cent and five

By Collins Nweze

per cent, respectively.

The minimum CAR is 15 per cent for international banks (10 per cent for local banks), compared with 10 per cent in Ghana, 14.5 per cent in Kenya, and 15 per cent in Rwanda.

“We expect the SIB rules in Nigeria to indicate a minimum CAR of 15 per cent for SIBs, with tier-2 capital capped at 25 per cent of total qualifying capital. Above the 15 per cent, SIBs will be required to maintain a one per cent capital buffer that comprises entirely of tier 1 capital, which will raise the minimum CAR for SIBs to 16 per cent. The first set of identified SIBs include: First Bank, Zenith, UBA, GTBank, Access, Ecobank Nigeria, Diamond and Skye Bank,” it said.

The minimum capital requirement is $150 million for local banks and $310 million for international banks in Nigeria, compared with $15 million in

Ghana and $11 million in Kenya.

Basically, the lower end of the absolute minimum capital requirement for commercial banks in Nigeria is 10 times more than the minimum for the next closest country, Ghana.

According to RenCap, other regulatory constraints the Nigerian banks currently face include AMCON introduced a levy following its acquisition of non performing loans from the banks.

In 2013, a reduction in commission on turnover was announced. This is a fee charged to retail banking clients on transactions, and the measure is very much oriented towards consumer protection.

The permissible fee was initially reduced to 0.3 per cent of total monthly debit transactions, from the previous 0.5 per cent, with a timeline of reducing the cap further to 0.2 per cent in 2014 and 0.1 per cent in 2015, be-

fore finally abolishing it in 2016. The lower commission on turnover has had a negative impact on non-interest revenue across the sector.

Also cutting banks’ earnings is the minimum interest rate on savings accounts is now pegged at 30 per cent of the Monetary Policy Rate even as the current minimum savings rate is 3.6 per cent.

Capital requirements have been tightened ahead of the transition to Basel 2/3 by October 2014. This move introduced measures for the computation of operational and market risk, and the banks are mostly reporting a reduction in Capital Adequacy Ratio of 100-400 basis points. This compares against the 500-600 basis points in Kenya, which we think is due to the utilisation of some credit risk mitigants in capital computation by the Nigerian banks, unlike in Kenya.

AfDB votes N24.7b for Lekki port

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HE African Develop ment Bank (AfDB) has obtained its board’s approval for $150 million (about N24.7billion) funding for the Lekki Sea Port project, The Nation has learnt.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) which is eager to invest in the project, a source said, has also got Principal Board Approval (PBA) to support the project with funds.

The $1.5 billion deep seaport project is being executed through Public Private Partnership between the Federal Government (represented by the Nigerian Ports Authority), the Lagos State government and the Tolaram Group. A shareholder’s agreement to

By Oluwakemi Dauda

this effect was signed in December 2012 among all three parties.

LASG’s equity and that of the Tolaram Group, it was gathered, are in place, while NPA, is in the process of making its equity contribution to the project.

Findings revealed that it is standard procedure for due diligence to be conducted by shareholders before infusion of equity into a project.

It was gathered that NPA has carried out and concluded due diligence on the project through a credible auditor, KPMG, to ensure accountability, transparency and value for

money of the project, which is essential and crucial to a project of this magnitude.

NPA, findings revealed, has also gotten its Federal government budget approved by the House of Assembly.

Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for the project and issuance of the finance guarantee, it was learnt, was received by NPA in December last year.

Chief Finance Officer, Lekki Port, Sandeep Parasramka, said while commenting on major developments, particularly as they concern the company’s drive in ensuring that Lekki Port becomes operational by 2018, that it was not true that the project is threat-

ened by funds.

He said all the banks, are keen on participating in the development of the port, given its strategic importance, competitive advantage, good financial returns, strong government support, and the unprecedented economic value it is expected to inject into the economy.

Conventionally, projects of this magnitude are undertaken through project financing on a non-recourse basis.

“With the magnitude of processes and resources required to complete a large infrastructure project of this magnitude, it is inevitable that there will be time overruns, and Lekki Port is no exception.

LECTRICITY consum ers should expect in crease in the tariff following the decision of the Federal Government to increase the price of gas from $.50 to $2.50 per 1,000 cubit feet, President, Liquefied Natural Gas Association of Nigeria, Dapo Adehsina, has said.

Adeshina warned that the development would have ripple effects on various stakeholders in the entire energy value chain, adding that consumers would in the end pay for the increase in cost of natural gas in form of higher tariffs.

He said: “The planned increase in the cost of gas would lead to a corresponding increase in electricity tariff by the power distribution companies. The power generation companies would buy gas from the International Oil Companies (IOCs) at a higher price and in return, pass the cost to the power generation firms. The firms would transfer the cost to the power distribution firms, which would further pass it to the consumers via increased tariffs.’’

He said the development is going to benefit the IOCs because it would increase their revenue greatly.

“The IOCs such as Texaco, Chevron, Shell, and Exxon Mobil, as gas producers would generate more revenues as a result of the increase in the price of the product. 50 per cent increase in price of gas is not a small thing. However, it is you and I as the consumers are going to bear the cost by paying higher tariffs.’’ he added.

According to him, more people would invest in gas utilisation activities, as a result of the increase, arguing that the development would not affect the price of liquefied natural gas otherwise known as cooking gas.

“Natural gas and LPG are not the same thing. While the latter has more comprehensive functions and capacities, the former is not. So, there is no way the increase in natural gas price would affect the price of LPG,’’ he said.

The power firms had indicated interest to increase the tariffs few days after taking over the assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) last November. This was met with stiff opposition from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that queried the rationale behind the planned increase in tariffs.

Its Chairman, Sam Amadi said the companies can only increase the tariffs after they stabilised power supply.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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BUSINESS NEWS

Chevron’s gas production hits 500 MMscf/d

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HEVRON Nigeria Limited (CNL) is ad vancing its efforts in gas utilisation and commercialisation with its current ready –for- use natural gas production standing at 500 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d).

Company sources told The Nation that the firm’s natural gas production per day, has exceeded the 500 MMscf/ day.

The source stated that Chevron is carrying out some major gas projects aimed at reducing flared gas from its operations in Nigeria and to convert the flared gas into meaningful usage. He said the 500 MMscf/day produc-

• Oil production averages 233,000 bpd

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

tion is essentially for domestic usage, adding that the company plans to develop a leading domestic gas utilization infrastructure in the country.

Some of the natural gas projects that Chevron Nigeria owns, include the Escravos Gas Plant (EGP), Escravos Gas-to-Liquids (EGTL), Sonam Field Development project, West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), Ohaji South field, and Agura Independent Power Plant projects.

Its Manager, Gas Project,

Debo Lukanmbi, said between 2008 and last year, CNL has been able to reduce flaring of associated gas from its oil fields by 60 per cent and expects to further reduce it by 95 per cent by end of next year.

Lukanmbi however, noted that the disrespect of contract agreements in Nigeria constitutes a major challenge to gas utilisation and commercialisation aspiration.

“Frequent incidents of gas sales agreements and other contracts not being honoured is a major challenge,” he said.

He also identified low do-

mestic gas prices and fiscal uncertainty as challenges to gas project economics.

CNL’s information portal also showed that its net daily production in Nigeria averaged 233,000 barrels of crude oil (bpd) last year. It said: “We operate and hold a 40 per cent interest in 13 concessions under a joint-venture arrangement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Chevron also does business through other subsidiaries in Nigeria.

“Work to rebuild the Olero Creek production facilities and lay a new pipeline to

transport natural gas from Abiteye to the processing facilities at Escravos was completed in 2012. Startup occurred in the first quarter of 2013. The production facilities were designed for a capacity of 48,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

“The Dibi long-term project is designed to rebuild the Dibi facilities that were vandalised in 2003 and replace the existing early production system facility, placed in service in 2007. The facilities have a maximum production capacity of 70,000 barrels of crude oil per day. A final investment decision was reached in the first quarter of 2013, and startup is expected in 2016.”

• From left: Head, Corporate Planning and Stategy, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Tajudeen Ahmed, Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo; Trade Representative, Enterprise Ireland, Mrs. Thesa Brongers Bagu; and the Directorate Head, Corporate Banking/Lagos Commercial Banking, Mr. Segun Opeke, during Bagu’s visit to the bank on Friday.

ALNCA, ACSC chiefs decry state of ports’ access roads

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XPERTS in logistics and maritime business, have called on the Federal government to take seriously issues of logistics in its agenda to grow the economy.The Director-General, Africa Centre for Supply Chain (ACSC), Obiora Madu and the Chairman Board of Trustees, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ALNCA), Henry Njoku, made the call at the third Fellowship Investiture and Induction Ceremony of ACSC, in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital, Logistics, including good road network and ware housing are central to the growth of the economy, he said.

He said the decay in logistics infrastructure is part of the reasons for the dwin-

From Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

dling fortunes of the national economy, citing Onne/ Eleme and Lagos Port roads as case studies.

He said: “Logistics is crucial in economic growth. Part of the reason the economy is not doing well is because of the decay in our logistics infrastructure. It is disheartening the way the Onne road road it. I am sure it will not cost the Federal Government so much to fix.

“Logistics has to do with movement of people and material from origin to destination, while transport is the mode through which it goes. When an item leaves point of origin to destination, there is possibility that it may not get to its destina-

tion same day and so it requires warehousing. So as a result storage is also part of logistics.

“When we talk about poor logistics in Nigeria this include lack of good road network, absence of warehouses among others.”

Njoku who was one of the recipients of the ACSC’s Fellowship award, said logistics is part of freight, shipping and allied services which are the businesses of licensed agents.

“The state of Onne/ Eleme road is frustrating logistics businesses in Nigeria. It is key to the growth of the economy and should not be toyed with.

“The Federal Government should get serious with fixing the roads. It should also ensure that durable jobs are

done on the road putting into consideration the kind of vehicles that ply the roads and because of the location of major government oil and gas investments in Onne and Eleme areas.”

Earlier, the DG had highlighted the organisation’s efforts at drawing the attention of the government to the need to making a holistic logistics policy instead of transportation policy which is presently being practised, stressing that logistics and transportation are not the same.

He said: “We have held programmes where we brought transport commissioners together to inform, educate and enlighten them on the need to take issues on the improvement of lo-

gistics seriously by assisting private operators to grow the business.

“This is imperative because government doesn’t do business, if a nation is progressing, it is because businesses are progressing, if businesses are suffering so much, then economy is stunted; that is part of why Nigeria is badly rated logistics wise in all international documents.

“This is why we’ve suggested to the government that instead of having a transport commission, let’s have Logistics Commission, so that you have a wider body that will take care of everything because logistics is not transport.

“Our institute is a continental base, an African Centre with offices in parts of Africa.

Why helicopters don’t fly at night, by NCAA

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HE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has given reasons why helicopters are not permitted to fly at night despite mounting agitation for the service by oil and gas operators.

Acting Director-General, NCAA, Benedict Adeyileka, said helicopters or rotary wing operators can only operate between 6.00 am and 7.00 pm in line with regulations by the Authority.

But helicopters operate at night in other countries of the world including the United States and United Kingdom (UK) under strict regulatory

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

requirements.

He said in other countries they operate at night for intense oil and gas locations to move materials and men to the rigs.

But, safety and security considerations, as well as an enabling policy covering such operations, are part of the bottlenecks affecting plans to have helicopters fly at night in Nigeria.

Adeyileka said until the regulator completes survey and mapping of obstacles in the flight path, helicopters will not be permitted to op-

erate 24 hours operation.

Adeyileka said although the NCAA realised the need to expand the scope of operations of rotary wing operators, yet it will carry out adequate policy and regulatory framework before granting such permit.

He said the NCAA has embarked on nationwide obstacle survey and mapping of the Nigerian airspace to identify telecommunications, radio and television masts and other high rise installations which would be identified and mapped to guide helicopter operations during the cover of night .

He said apart from reaching

to owners of the masts posing as obstruction on the flight path, the authority has informed the owners of such masts to ensure they have red lights to give signals to helicopters’ in flight.

He explained that until all challenges associated with night operations are addressed by both the regulator and owners of such masts, 24 hour helicopter operations will not be approved by the authority.

Adeyileka said: “The NCAA will not just give approval for 24 hours helicopter operations, until all issues are resolved concerning the litany of telecommunication

masts that litter the flight path .

“We will only approve night operations for helicopters after carrying out a comprehensive survey and mapping of all masts around the country. The essence of this is to give approval to the route that helicopters would fly without colliding into masts.

“Even some high rise installations, we need to identify where these obstacles are located; properly identify and map them, so that the helicopter operators will know the path to fly,” he said.

Industrial revolution plan won’t deliver, soon, says LCCI

By Toba Agboola

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HE Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LLCI), Mr Muda Yusuf has said the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) is not something that is structured to begin to deliver results immediately, rather the plan is a long term plan.

He said the good thing is that it would bring into focus very important issues that could help to propel the country’s industrialisation drive.

“The plan is a long-term plan. But it is not something that is structured to begin to deliver results immediately.

That is my own understanding of it. It is like a vision of where you want to be in terms of industrialisation.

“But generally, I think it is a very good plan because if you look at the composition of the members of the Presidential Advisory Committee, it is made up of some very critical stakeholders.

“And from what I have heard, they have also been given quite a reasonable license to operate and advice the government at the highest level. And some members of key economic ministries are also there. Ministers of key economic ministries are also members of the committee.

There is also this inter-ministerial angle that will facilitate all the things that they need to achieve. So, I think it is a good idea,” Muda said.

He said the challenges facing manufacturers in the country are multi-faceted and would require a holistic appraisal and a strong determination by the government to bring the manufacturing sector out of the wood.

‘How to guard against building collapse’

By Chikodi Okereocha

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ANGOTE Cement has described its current enlightenment campaign on how to guard against building collapse across the country as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project.

Chux Mogbolu, Director, Sales & Marketing, SouthSouth Region of Dangote Cement, said the public awareness initiative became necessary as research has shown that 90 per cent of cement users in Africa and 80 per cent of cement sellers do not understand the difference in cement grades and their applications.

Mogbolu, speaking at the annual conference of the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NISE) said the construction sector has become an all comer’s game as regulation is lax, with little or no enforcement of approved standards, buildings will continue to come down until steps are taken to arrest the situation.

According to him, because of the abysmal low level of knowledge among artisans, block makers, masons and other craftsmen in the building industry, use of 32.5 grade cement in block making and house building has resulted in cases of building collapse.

He said that Dangote Cement introduced its 42.5 3X, which comes with extra life, extra strength and extra yield to solve the problem of building collapse.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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BUSINESS AFRICA

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Samsung launches Galaxy Note 4 in Nigeria

AMSUNG Electronics has launched the Galaxy Note 4, in Nigeria. The device was formally unveiled to the public at its Ikeja City Mall Experience Store in Lagos over the weekend.

Blending an advanced S Pen with superior viewing experience, the Galaxy Note 4 provides users with a unique and powerful mobile experience.

Speaking at the launch at the weekend, its Managing Director, Mr. Brovo Kim, said the new Galaxy Note 4 introduces the most refined Note experience to-date by combining the latest technology that users expect from Samsung's

Galaxy series.

He said: "In 2011, we introduced the original Galaxy Note and launched a whole new smart device category. Its larger screen size and iconic S Pen technology initiated a new standard in smartphone culture. The undeniable success of the category strengthened our conviction that consumers want higher quality features on their devices and they want those new features to positively impact their quality of life. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is a powerful, original approach that enables its users to tell the stories of their lives through dynamic and seamless expressions of their

passions across work, play and life experiences."

Kim reiterated Samsung's commitment to fulfilling its brand promise of inspiring the world and creating the future by bringing new and meaningful innovations to the doorstep of consumers.

Embracing the legacy of Samsung's Galaxy Note series, the Galaxy Note 4 boasts a 5.7-inch QUAD High Definition (QHD) resolution display that reproduces clearer and more vivid images with better viewing angles, to deliver the ultimate viewing experience to users. Its large screen and refined multi-window feature op-

timize users' experience by making multi-tasking easier; users can choose how they access their applications using the device's full, split or pop-up screen options. They can also easily change the size and positioning of on-screen applications with just one swipe.

The firm said the device parades an advanced camera system that generates brighter and clearer images. It said its a 16-megapixel rearfacing camera features a smart optical image stabiliser that counterbalances camera shake and automatically extends exposure time in poor lighting conditions. In addition, its 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera offers users a default 90degree shooting angle and up to 120 degrees wide angle to enable users take better selfies and wefies with friends.

A new snap note (Photo Note) feature enables the conversion of images into editable format within the Galaxy Note 4's S Note application. Users can rearrange or edit text and objects in photographs as well as convert hand-written notes to editable images with this feature.

Its Director, Information Technology & Mobile, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas described the device as a testament to the firm’s leader-

ship and innovation in the smartphone market and its commitment to developing best-inclass products to meet the everchanging needs of its consumers.

"A major complaint by users of smart mobile devices is that their device's battery doesn't charge fast enough, even after extended charging periods. With the Samsung Galaxy Note 4's Adaptive Fast Charging technology, users can get their battery charge up from zero to 50% capacity in just 30 minutes.

Its ultra power saving mode also lets users make the most of their battery power, helping them stay connected for longer periods. Today, we are excited to present Nigerians with the world's most powerful mobile device," he said.

He said the device comes equipped with multiple microphones and an improved speaker phone for better audio feedback in noisy environments. A built-in voice recorder offers eight different directional voice tagging options and a selective playback capability that allows users to isolate and listen to specific voices in a group conversation. The device also offers an improved fingerprint scanner for securing users' personal data alongside the world's first ultra-violet sensor in a mobile device.

Smile Communications extends services to P/ Harcourt

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•From left: Regional Manager, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance), Mr. Yahaya Hassan; Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative, Mr. Kayode Ashafa and Acting Director of Market Development, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Mr. Mathew Iranloye, at the stakeholders’ workshop on addressing challenges in export of horticultural products from Nigeria in Lagos.

Nahco, NEPC, others partner on export promotion

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JOINT committee made up of representatives of the Lagos State Government, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), nahco aviance and Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) is to be set up to work out ways to improve export in the country.

Each party is to be represented by two members each.

This was the resolution of a workshop hosted by nahco aviance for stakeholders in the agro – allied export business.

At the workshop titled “Stakeholders’ workshop on addressing challenges in export of horticulture products from Nigeria” which took place in Lagos recently, the Executive Director of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo said the body had to be

part of the workshop in collaboration with other bodies such as nahco aviance, NAQS and Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative because of the visit made to the firm and NAQS by the officials of the council.

Represented by the Acting Director of Market Development, Mr. Mathew Iranloye, said the visit to firm was to acquaint the Council with the workings of the two organisations with a view to assessing how their operations could help facilitate the body’s efforts at galvanising Nigerian exporters of foods towards servicing the growing demands of European Union and The United States of America markets for fresh and processed food items from Africa.

Also speaking in his capacity as the

NCAA urges indigenous capacity building in aviation industry

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HE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), has urged operators in the aviation industry to step up efforts in the training of aircraft engineers and other key professionals in the industry.

It said training of personnel has become imperative as a way of reducing risks associated with technical operations such as helicopter services.

Its Acting Director General, Bendict Adeyileka who spoke at the weekend during the graduation of 15 helicopter engineers trained by Caverton Helicopters, said the development of manpower in the sector is vital to the sector’s sustainable development.

Represented by its General Manager in charge of Aircraft Registration and Airworthiness , Engineer Chinyere Totti, he said training is very important to any airline organisation, which must be taken seriously.

He described Caverton

Helicoptets as a firm that takes training of its personnel seriously, as it adhered to an agreement reached in the last audit to ensure that its key personnel were sent for training in critical areas to develop indigenous capacity.

The NCAA boss said very soon, the authority will establish its training academy for the development of indigenous capacity in the aviation sector.

He urged the graduands to face their engineering background and not get carried away with other pursuits, contrary to the objective of their training.

He said the NCAA is monitoring operators to ensure they adhere to training programme for their staff.

Managing Director, Caverton Helicopters, Captain Josiah Choms described it as a milestone for the firm, which is committed to the development of local capacity within the aviation sector.

Acting Director of Market Development of NEPC, Iranloye reiterated the need for exporters to adhere strictly to global standards especially on packaging and labeling of their products.

Nahco’s Business Manager, Lagos Region, Mr. Yahaya Hassan who represented nahco at the workshop said that the company has put different facilities in place such as freezers, cold rooms etc., to help facilitate the exportation of goods. He also stated that the nahco aviance’s Free Trade Zone which will soon commence operations will be an impetus to exportation of goods in the country.

Mr. Kayode Ashafa who represented the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative stated that the state government has been supporting and will continue to support the promotion of export. He said the state government was ready to partner with stakeholders to encourage exportation of agricultural products. He advised exporters to always follow standards in their businesses. He also thanked nahco aviance, NEPC, NAQS and Customs for putting the workIn

MILE Communications Limited has launched its broadband internet services in Port Harcourt.

The launch brings to an end, the long wait by the people who had long been expecting the rollout, to enable them join other internet users in Lagos and Ibadan to experience fast internet speed any time any day.

Through the launch, the state will by implication be riding on the back of valuable experiences which Smile has garnered in the market as well as the innovative services which has become synonymous with the company.

Its Group Chief Operating Officer, Smile Communications, Tom Allen said he was excited about what Smile is already doing in both Ibadan and Lagos and now Port Harcourt.

“Nigeria is one of the most dynamic markets in the world, and mobile broadband will continue to play a crucial role in the transformation and development of the country, and Smile is well equipped to play a significant role in the nation’s telecommunications industry,” Allen said.

He assured the people of the city of that the firm’s best service delivery will remain consistent.

He said: “We have the technology, people and partners to ensure that we deliver what we promise and more. LTE deployed

by Smile is the most advanced global technological standard for wireless data communications and represents a major change

compared to older technologies such as 3G.” He noted that the Port Harcourt roll out was very unique because the city would enjoy new services introduced by Smile from day one.

According to him, Smile Nigeria has introduced several new innovations in its offerings, all intended to improve the customer’s experience. The first innovation was a few weeks ago where they introduced the ability for a customer to dynamically select the speed of the service through a personalised online portal called MySmile. The tool enables individuals to select the speed of the Smile data service that could be altered any time.

Smile has also gone further on the same personal portal page (MySmile), where customers can now select to disable access to high data sites. The objective of this is to give the customer more control and help them manage their data efficient and effectively.

Another innovative solution from Smile is the SmileON offer.

With SmileON, customers will not run out of data bundle before the end of their validity period, as customers could still enjoy restricted access to the Smile service, even when they exhaust their airtime.

Allen further said one of Smile’s objectives is to deliver a product that the customer can effectively and efficiently use. He therefore urged the people of Port Harcourt to take advantage of the services it has brought to the city.

Phone expo gathers stakeholders

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HE maiden edition of Phone Expo Nigeria 2014 (PEN 2014), scheduled to hold in Lagos, is planned to be the largest annual gathering of the mobile ecosystem, according to organizers.

According to a statement, “Next Frontiers of Connected Nigeria” is the theme of the gathering designed to become the nation’s marketplace of the mobile ecosystem, according to the producers of the show, Technology Times Events, the conferences and events subsidiary of Technology Times Media Limited.

Founder/Group CEO of Technology Times, Mr. Shina Badaru said

the event will offer an annual gathering that brings together diverse segments of the biggest market in the economy, the vibrant mobile telephony subscribers.

He said event will focus on four key touch points that matter to the Nigerian Mobile Marketplace: BITE: Business, Innovation, Thought Leadership and Entertainment.

“PEN 2014 will co-locate PEN 2014 Exhibitions, PEN 2014 Mobile App Challenge; PEN 2014 Thought Leadership Conferences and Miss PEN 2014 Pageants, to deliver maximum benefits to show visitors, partners, sponsors and advertisers.

“We are pleased to be producing PEN 2014 with our partners to evolve the annual must-attend mobile telephony show in Nigeria that will become the flagship exhibitions and trade show catering exclusively for the mobile ecosystem,” he aid while formally announcing the show plans.

He said the latest telecommunications market statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that

by June this year, the telecommunications market base has grown to 130,780,703 active telephone subscriber lines; 67,197,505 Internet users and 93.41 per cent teledensity.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

28

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

U.K. economic growth slows as obstacles to recovery mount

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NITED Kingdom (U.K.) economic growth cooled in the third quarter as threats to the recovery from the euroarea slump mounted.

Gross domestic product rose 0.7 per cent in the three months through September, compared with 0.9 per cent in the second quarter, the Office for National Statistics said at the weekend. That matched the median forecast of 36 economists in a Bloomberg News survey.

On an annualised basis, the U.K. economy grew 2.8 per cent in the third quarter, according to ONS calculations.

The slowdown comes as Bank of England policy makers become more concerned about threats from the weakness in the euro area, Britain’s biggest trading partner. Reports this month showed manufacturing and services cooled in September, and BOE Chief Economist Andy Haldane said last week that he’s become more “gloomy” on the global backdrop.

“Growing signs of renewed stagnation in the euro zone and some softer manufacturing surveys have intensified concerns that the recovery will lose pace,” said Samuel Tombs, a London-based economist at Capital Economics Ltd. “But the U.K. economy has shown on several occasions in the past that it can outperform the rest of Europe. The recovery seems unlikely to suddenly stall.”

Growth in services, the largest part of the economy, eased to 0.7 per cent from 1.1 per cent. Within that, growth in distribution, hotels and restaurants slowed to 0.5 per cent in the third quarter from 1 per cent in the previous three months. Business services and finance saw its expansion ease to 1 per cent from 1.5 per cent.

The GDP report also showed that manufacturing grew 0.4 per cent, the least since the first quarter of 2013.

G7 Economies Britain is the first Group of

Seven economy to report GDP for the third quarter. The euro-area economy is forecast to have expanded 0.2 per cent, according to a survey of economists. U.S. data on Oct. 30 will show the world’s largest economy grew an annualized 3 per cent, a separate survey showed.

“Today’s strong growth figures show that the U.K. continues to lead the pack in an increasingly uncertain global economy,” Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said in a statement. “But the U.K. is not immune to weakness in the euro area and instability in global markets.”

The pound rose against the dollar after the data and was up 0.3 per cent at 1.6070 as of 9:49 a.m. in London.

EU Demand While the recovery may be losing momentum, the economy has grown for seven straight quarters and GDP is now 3.4 per cent above its previous 2008 peak. The perfor-

mance means Prime Minister David Cameron is facing a demand from the European Union for an increased contribution to the bloc’s budget.

The EU has requested that Britain pay an extra •2.1-billion because of the nation’s relative economic health, said a U.K. government official who asked not to be named because the negotiations are private.

The BOE held its key interest rate at a recordlow 0.5 per cent this month. Today’s ONS report is a preliminary estimate based on about 44 per cent of the data that will ultimately be available. The BOE has forecast a slowdown in the pace of growth, though it expects third-quarter expansion to be eventually revised up to 0.9 per cent.

“It is not a bad reading by any stretch of the imagination,” said Alan Clarke, an economist at Scotiabank in London. “It is lower than the BOE’s projection, but they will assume upward revisions in subsequent releases.”

China launches World Bank rival in Asia USTRALIA, Indonesia and South Korea skipped the launch of a China-backed Asian infrastructure bank at the weekend as the United States (U.S.) said it had concerns about the new rival to Western-dominated multilateral lenders.

China’s $50 billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is seen as a challenge to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, both of which count Washington and its allies as their biggest financial backers.

China, which is keen to extend its influence and soft power in the region, has limited voting rights in these existing banks despite being the world’s second-largest economy.

The AIIB, launched in Beijing at a ceremony attended by Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei and delegates from 21 countries including India, Thailand and Malaysia, aims to give project loans to developing nations. China is set to be its largest shareholder with a stake of up to 50 per cent.

Indonesia was not present and neither were South Korea and Australia, according to a pool report.

Japan, China’s main rival in Asia and which dominates the $175 billion Asian Development Bank along with the U.S., was also not present, but it was not expected to be.

Media reports said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry put pressure on Australia to stay out of the AIIB. However, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: “Secretary Kerry has made clear directly to the Chinese as well as to other partners that we ýwelcome the idea of an infrastructure bank for Asia but we strongly urge that it meet international standards of governance and transparency.

“We have concerns about the ambiguous nature of the AIIB proposal as it currently stands, that we have also expressed publicly.”

In a speech to delegates after the inauguration, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the new bank would use the best practices of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

“For the AIIB, its operation needs to follow multilateral rules and procedures,” Xi said. “We have also to learn from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and other existing multilateral development institutions in their good practices and useful experiences.”

The Australian Financial Review said Kerry had personally asked Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to keep Australia out of the AIIB. “Australia has been under pressure from the U.S. for some time to not become a founding member of the bank and it is understood Mr Kerry put the case directly to the prime minister when the pair met in Jakarta on Monday ¬following the inauguration of Indonesian President Joko Widodo,” the paper said.

South Korea, one of Washington’s strongest diplomatic allies in Asia, has yet to say it will formally participate in the bank. Its finance ministry said last week it has been speaking with China to request more consideration over details such as the AIIB’s governance and operational principles.

“We have continued to demand rationality in areas such as governance and safeguard issues, and there’s no reason (for Korea) not to join it,” South Korean Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan said in Beijing at the weekend after attending a separate regional meeting.

The Seoul-based JoongAng Daily quoted a South Korean diplomatic source as saying: “While Korea has been dropped from the list of founding members of the AIIB this time around, it is still in a deep dilemma on what sort of strategic choices it has to make as China challenges the U.S.-led international order.”

A

•From left: Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria/Chairman of the event, Mr. Jibril Aku in a handshake with Former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Joseph Sanusi, while former President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Segun Aina and current CIBN President, Mrs. Bosede Adebola Osibogun at a forum in Lagos.

Ford scraps potential $2b investment in Windsor, Ontario

A

Ford Motor Co. investment of about $2-billion that was being proposed for engine plants in Windsor, Ontario , will go elsewhere, industry and government sources said at the weekend.

Ford had been proposing to assemble a new family of small engines at its Windsor operations that sources said would have provided as many as 1,000 new jobs and led to the recall of several hundred more employees who have been on layoff.

The federal and Ontario governments had been in negotiations with the auto maker, which has also been looking at Mexico as a location to assemble engines that would go in its Fiesta subcompact cars and other vehicles.

One source familiar with the discussions called it a “game changer” for the auto industry in Ontario that would have made Ford’s Windsor operations a key player in smaller, more fuel-efficient engines as regulators in North America put in place more stringent fuel economy and emissions standards.

One source described the plant as “a complete shift in the direction of the industry in

Ontario,” which has for generations been focused on larger vehicles such as minivans, full-sized cars and more recently crossovers.

Japan-based auto makers make compact cars at plants in Alliston, Ont., and Cambridge, Ont., but traditionally the Detroit Three assembled pickup trucks and large cars.

If a plant making small engines such as the 1.5-litre power plant – which also had a hybrid version – could be made profitably in Ontario, assembly of small vehicles might follow, the source reasoned.

One source said in recent weeks that Mexico has increased the amount of financial assistance it was planning to offer.

Jerry Dias, president of Unifor, which represents workers at Ford’s Windsor engine plants as well as an assembly plant in Oakville, Ont., said the decision is disappointing.

The union got involved late in the process, by which time Ford had already started talking to suppliers in Mexico, but had the union and the governments had more time, they might have been able to wrest the investment away from Mexico, Mr. Dias said.

The sticking points in the deal have been

getting specific commitments from Ford on productivity numbers, research and development investment and using Ontario suppliers, a provincial source said. The governments wanted firm guarantees that Ford would not only create a specific number of jobs but that the company would also keep production at a certain level and spend money on Ontario companies and in research and development.

The governments wanted hard numbers on all these things, the source said.

The province was captivated by the Ford proposal because it believes small cars are the way of the future. It saw the Ford investment as a way to get in on the type of product that will dominate the market in coming years.

While Ford wanted a deal in short order, the provincial source said the governments were determined to take the time to get what they want out of it. The numbers involved in the deal – what the province and federal government have considered ponying up – have fluctuated throughout negotiations based on what Ford is willing to invest, the sources said.

Amazon stock plunges as record loss difficult for investors to overlook

A

MAZON.com Inc.’s blistering growth rate – the primary reason investors have been willing to overlook the company’s near-total inability to generate profit – is starting to slow.

The world’s best-known retailer posted one of the worst quarterly losses in its 20-year history at the weekend, driven in large part by heavy spending on a variety of products and reinvestment in the company’s core infrastructure.

“We still think that we have a lot of opportunities,” Amazon chief financial officer Tom Szkutak told analysts during an earnings call.

“That said, we need to be very selective about what opportunities we pursue.”

Amazon’s share price took a dive on the news. At the weekend, investors pushed the shares down as much as 11 per cent about two hours before the markets opened For years, Amazon has been one of the most

successful technology companies in the world.

And yet, despite generating tens of billions of dollars in revenue, the company rarely turns a profit.

Its most recent quarter was no different – for the three months ending Sept. 30, Amazon posted revenue of $20.58-billion (U.S.), a 20per-cent increase over the same quarter last year. But the company also posted a loss of 95 cents per diluted share, compared with a loss of 9 cents per share last year.

Analysts had expected another quarterly loss from Amazon, but on average estimated it to be closer to 74 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters.

Investors might have been willing to forgive Amazon for the worst loss in its history, had the company shown signs of continued sales growth. However, Amazon also posted less-than-stellar guidance.

The company expects sales to grow between

7 and 18 per cent in the coming quarter – investors had become accustomed to sales growth in the 20 per cent range.

The main culprit behind Amazon’s lowerthan-expected numbers appears to be a continued focus by the company on reinvesting in its own infrastructure. Primarily, Amazon has spent billions building and expanding its fulfilment centres, part of a wider effort to reduce shipping times and to begin to offer more and more items with same-day shipping.

Amazon has also expanded the number of locations where it offers its grocery delivery service, Amazon Fresh. At the same time, the company spent tens of millions developing its own original entertainment content – part of an effort to beef up its media offerings.

Such ongoing investments are in addition to major one-time costs, such as the company’s $1.1-billion purchase of Twitch, a site that lets video game players stream footage of their

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

29

ISSUES Despite several billions of naira to stimulate growth, the industrial sector remains in the doldrums. This has put the Bank of Industry (BOI), the managers of the intervention funds, under pressure from industrialists, most of who complain that difficulty in accessing the funds from BoI has resulted in curtailing the impacts of the funds. The bank disagrees, flaunting its records, reports Assist. Editor, CHIKODI OKEREOCHA.

Whither the intervention funds?

T HE Bank of Industry (BOI) prides itself as Nigeria’s oldest, largest and most successful development financing institution. Reconstructed in 2001, BoI set for itself the mission to transform Nigeria’s industrial sector and integrate it into the global economy by providing financial and business support services to existing and new industries. It is, therefore, hardly surprising that the bank is charged with administering the several sector-specific intervention funds and schemes introduced by the Federal Government in the hope of breathing life into dead or dying key sectors of the economy particularly the industrial sector acknowledged as holding the key to sustainable economic growth.

At the last count, no fewer than 13 of such intervention funds, amounting to hundreds of billions of naira have been introduced, targeting one segment of the industrial sector or the other. Some of the special intervention funds that raised the adrenalin of industrialists and manufacturers include the Federal Government’s N100 billion Cotton Textile and Garment (CTG) Fund, for the revitalisation of the CTG industry along the entire value chain; N10 billion Rice Intervention Fund, to ensure Nigeria attains self sufficiency in rice production; and Africa Development Bank (AFDB) $500 million Line of Credit, for the development of exportoriented Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Others are: Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (FMWASD) N90 million Business Development Fund, to provide soft loans to women entrepreneurs; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) N220 billion Intervention Fund, for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs); BOI N5 billion Cottage Agro Processing (CAP) Fund, for the establishment of small-scale plants or mini mills to process Nigeria’s agricultural products; National Automotive Council’s N16.91 billion Fund, for the development of the automobile industry subsector; and Federal Government’s N2 billion Sugar Development Council Fund, to ensure Nigeria attains self sufficiency in sugar production by 2020.

The expectation was that government through BOI would leverage these special intervention funds to address the dearth of long term investible funds required by manufacturers and industrialists particularly SMEs. This would ultimately transform the industrial sector into a vibrant and globally competitive sector capable of guaranteeing bountiful returns to all stakeholders and the economy in general. However, the way and manner BOI has been managing and administering these funds appear to have left sour taste in the mouths of operators and stakeholders in key sectors of the economy.

Citing inability to access the funds with ease because of bureaucracy and bottleneck in BOI’s administration of the funds, some of them argue that the special intervention funds have made little or no impact on the industrial sector.

For instance, observers say that with a whopping N100b, a generous interest rate of six per cent, and a repayment period of five years, the CTG industry along the entire value chain should have since been bustling with manufacturing activities. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. So far, only about 20 textile firms have managed to access the loan, according to the DirectorGeneral, Nigeria Textile Manufacturers Association (NTMA), Mr. Jaiyeola Olarewaju.

He also disclosed that very few cotton and garment firms have taken the loan, which

• Bank of Industry headquarters in Abuja. sought to revitalise the CTG industry along the entire value chain, including textile, cotton, and garment production.

President, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade Oladele Hunsu, painted a more disturbing picture of the CTG industry, lamenting that “We are stagnated now; the problem goes beyond money.”

Comrade Hunsu told The Nation that although, there was a significant improvement in the industry, as 1, 500 jobs have been saved through the intervention, efforts to put the industry back on track have been frustrated by government’s policy inconsistency. He said before the introduction of the fund, government had banned the importation of textiles into the country, which was why operators hailed the initiative and also embraced it.

But the same government, he said, pulled the rug from under the feet of the operators when it again unbanned the importation of textiles, thus opening the floodgate for cheaper textiles to come in from Asia.

Olarewaju agrees with him, noting that the fund, introduced in 2010, recorded some noticeable improvements in the fortunes of the CTG industry such as the re-opening of United Nigeria Textiles Limited in Kaduna, and Arewa Textiles, which indicated interest to come back. Besides, the industry, he said, recorded relatively less factory closures and redundancies, as some of the 20 textile companies who took the loan deployed it either as working capital or used it to refur-

bish their machines.

Olarewaju however, regretted that those who took the loan got their fingers burnt when they discovered, shortly after accessing the loan, that over 80 per cent of the market has been taken over by cheap imports from Asian countries. According to him, the influx of foreign textiles into the country made locally produced textiles less competitive, as they are often costlier than imported or smuggled ones. The result, he said, was that other companies yet to access the loan chose to avoid it. Most of them became afraid that they may not be able to repay the loan considering the prevailing unfriendly operating environment particularly with regards to lack of infrastructure.

Hunsu says the situation is regrettable considering the fact that the real sector rather than the service sector remains the real growth diver. He said the textile industry is the second largest employer of labour after government, which is why government must put necessary measures and policies in place to salvage the industry. He is right. The textile industry was once the bride of the nation’s industrial sector. In its heyday, around the 1980s, it was acknowledged as third largest in Africa, with over 160 vibrant textile mills and over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs. By 1985, the number of textile mills had increased to about 180, engaging about one million workers. The country’s textile capacity accounted for 60 per cent in West Africa.

The administration of the CBN N220b intervention fund for MSMEs has also not gone

down well with manufacturers. “There were lots of bureaucracy/bottlenecks when we wanted to access the CBN N220b intervention fund. We as manufacturers need our own bank,” one of the industrialists said lamented during the public session lecture of the 47 th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of MAN Ikeja Branch, held on Thursday, October 16, 2014. At the AGM themed, ‘Creating a Vibrant Economy through Sustainable Entrepreneurial Development,’ the industrialist, who did not want to be mentioned, came down hard on BoI, describing it as “an arrangee bank” in reference to his argument that the bank allegedly only gives loans to politicians and friends of the bank.

In terms of access to loans, SMEs appear to be holding the short end of the stick, as they appear to face the greatest hurdle in accessing funds from BOI. Despite being acknowledged as major catalysts for wealth creation and poverty alleviation, The Nation learnt that uncoordinated business plans and poorly packaged projects are largely responsible for the difficulties experienced by SMEs in accessing the funds.

There are other factors apart from poor access to funds though. Some of them include weak institutional support, unstable macro economics, complicated and unstructured legal framework/regulation, inadequate business information, infrastructure and business environment and human • Continued on page 30

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

30

ISSUES •Continued from page 29

capital factors, among others.

According to experts, these factors, which militate against most SME operators’ quest to optimise their potential, explain why there is high mortality rate of SMEs in Nigeria. There are over 17 million SMEs in Nigeria, according to data from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Most of these SMEs in Nigeria, experts say, die within the first five years of existence, while another smaller percentage goes into extinction between the sixth and 10th year, with only five to 10 per cent surviving, thriving and growing into established corporate status. Yet, SMEs are said to account for over 90 per cent of enterprises in the world and are responsible for 50 to 60 per cent of employment, according to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

For Obiora Akabogu, legal practitioner and public affairs analyst, the high mortality rate of SMEs in Nigeria would have since been halted given the magnitude of special intervention funds targeted at the sector, which plays key role in employment generation. Unfortunately, BOI, he argued, has deviated from the original concept of the intervention funds, which was to provide financial assistance particularly to small scale industrialists. He accused BOI of giving loans to politicians without collateral. He said that the special intervention funds have become drain pipes for siphoning the nation’s scarce resources.

His words: “The implementation of the funds has not really been felt.

Micro finance banks are even more popular with the masses because they are closer to the grassroots. It has become elitist in nature; it is not on ground. Outside Lagos and Abuja, BOI is as good as dead. It has deviated from the original concept.

Only a total overhaul can bring it back of track. Besides, unless the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) beams its searchlight on the financial records of the bank, the bank will perpetually remain a sick child.” He added that despite the fact that the bank had been recapitalised several times in the past, it is still suffering the same fate of lack of capacity to deliver on its vision and mission.

The Director- General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Muda Yusuf, also noted that the biggest challenge to the economy especially for the SMEs is the challenge of accessing funds from banks. He regretted that SMEs can’t access loans, credits and other facilities from banks. He said some of them had to resort to Cooperative Societies, micro finance banks and family sources to raise funds. As he observed, “Cost of fund sometimes is as high as eight per cent, making access to credit a big challenge.

Whither the intervention funds?

•MAN Ikeja Branch Chairman, Prince Oba Okojie

•Barrister Obiora Akabogu

•Diamond Bank Plc’s Regional Manager, Ikeja, Benson Oraelosi

million and was denied, he was rather given N80 million in machinery and equipment.

Chief Chukwuma is not alone.

Chairman, Rumbu Sacks Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Salisu Buhari also praised the single digit interest rate given to manufacturers, noting that it is not only convenient, but also easy to repay. He said the company grew from scratch 15 years ago to become the biggest producer of woven sacks and mats.

“BOI improved our operations to the extent that we have been able to achieve an evolution of our production process from manual to advanced automation. Similarly, our company has been able to increase its workers from 231 in 2001 to 1,163 to date in direct and indirect employees,” he disclosed.

Same for the Managing Director of Nigeria Aluminium Limited, Mr. Iyiola Ishola, who admitted that their long standing relationship with BOI since 2005 paid off with the growth in earnings per share of the company’s customers.

through the intervention, while capacity utilisation for most beneficiaries increased from below 40 per cent to about 61 per cent. Besides, over 50 per cent of those making losses has started reporting profits.

BOI also pointed out that the N300b Power and Aviation Fund (PAIF), which aims at refinancing of commercial banks’ exposures to companies in the power and aviation sectors, fast-track the development of the aviation sector by improving the terms of credit to Airlines establish new power plants especially in clusters, and provide leverage for additional private sector investments in the power and aviation sectors, has paid off. The bank said it has disbursed over N208.21b as at March 2013.

Total power generated by assisted projects is put at 747.7 Megawatts ?(MW), which represented about 18.7 per cent of the current power generation of about 4,000 MW. The scheme, BOI said, has also been able to leverage private investment into the power sector, and beneficiaries have been able to increase their investment in other assets or expanded their revenue base as a result of the lower debt obligations.

Olaoluwa also dispelled insinuations that accessing loans from the bank was cumbersome. Said he: “The way to access finance from BOI is very simple. We have a website: www.boing.com, we have a lot of information in that website, such as the sectors we support, the products and ways in which you can apply. He said there are three simple processes: the application form, questionnaire, and the need for customers to engage at the end of the day with the bank’s analysts.

“When you want to take a loan from BOI, it is important that as a promoter, you have a sound business model. The way we access

business model at the bank is to ask you a few questions: First, the product you want to bring to the market; second, what is the target market (who are you going to sell the product to?) Thirdly, what stands your product out or what is your value proposition (why should anyone be interested in your product?) How is your product different from others in the market? Fourthly, which is more important, how are you going to deliver that value proposition to the target market,” he explained, adding that the bank has seven zones. Apart from its head office in Marina, Lagos, the bank is also present in Akure, Asaba, Enugu, Bauchi, Kaduna and Abuja.

While the controversy over perceived cumbersome process of accessing loans from BOI rages, Diamond Bank Plc’s Regional Manager, Ikeja, Benson Oraelosi, raised the critical issue of the role of MAN in the introduction and subsequent administration of the intervention funds. “How much role did MAN play when the Federal Government introduced the intervention funds targeted at the manufacturing sector,” he asked, pointing out that MAN should have been the conduit or intermediate between government and borrowers.

Oraelosi, presenting a paper titled, ‘Creating a Vibrant Economy through Sustainable Entrepreneurial Development,’ un-behalf of the bank’s former Group Managing Director, Dr. Alex Otti, at the MAN 47th AGM, said this would have reduced the rate of default by ascertaining the credibility of borrowers. He added that the rate of loan default in Nigeria is high, a position shared by BOI. A fortnight ago, BOI blacklisted 24 loan defaulting companies that failed to repay loans granted them.

At the occasion of the induction of

BOI’s position However, BOI says it is still on course. Its Managing Director, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa,, disclosed recently that the bank has so far disbursed about N692 billion loans to customers, created approximately one million jobs, and financed about 2, 000 projects. For instance, information on the bank’s website says that over 60 per cent of the CTG fund has been committed to 52 companies as at March, 2013. The bank cited the re-opening of United Nigeria Textiles Limited in Kaduna as one of the numerous positive impacts of the scheme.

BOI also said that a mid-term evaluation of the CTG industry commissioned by BOI/UNIDO to evaluate the impact of the scheme reveals that over 8,070 jobs had been saved

Beneficiaries speak Despite the outcry by many business operators, there are however, some people who have given BOI thumbs up for its funding and capacity support. For instance, the Executive Chairman, Innoson Group, Chief lnnocent Chukwuma, admitted to having enjoyed BOI’s facilities for three different times for the production of household plastics ranging from plates, chairs, tables and tanks to pipes and plumbing parts, which has placed the company as the biggest manufacturer of plastics in the country.

He said in 2010, the company accessed a fourth facility for its diversification into automobile assembling plant, with the plastic arm producing almost all plastic components of the vehicles. According to him, his company, till date, has enjoyed four facilities from BOI, and has been able to maintain good debt service record on all the facilities.

This made the company employ over 700 direct staff and 2,000 indirect workers. He said though he initially asked for a facility of N100

Intervention funds at a glance FUND 1. Federal Government’s N100 billion Cotton Textile and Garment (CTG) Fund 2. Federal Government’s N10 billion Rice Intervention Fund 3. Africa Development Bank (AFDB) US$500 million Line of Credit 4. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) N235 billion Intervention Fund.

PURPOSE

INTEREST RATE p/a

For revitalisation of the CTG industry along the entire value chain.

Designed to ensure Nigeria attains self sufficiency in rice production For development of export-oriented Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) For refinancing of commercial bank’s exposures to SMEs in the manufacturing sector 5. Dangote-BoI N5 billion Fund for Small Businesses For the development of MSMEs across the nation 6. Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development To provide soft loans to women entrepreneurs (FMWASD) N90 million Business Development Fund for Women 7. National Automotive Council’s N16.91 billion Fund For the development of the automobile industry sub-sector 8. N9.5 billion Cement Fund.

For the development of cement sector 9. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) N220 billion Intervention Fund For the development of MSMEs for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs).

10. State N19.8 billion Micro Small & Medium Enterprises For the development of the MSME sector in each of the Development (MSME) Funds. participating 15 states of the federation.

11. Federal Government's $200 million Entertainment Fund 12. Federal Government's N2 billion Sugar Development Council To ensure Nigeria attains self sufficiency in sugar production by Fund.

2020.

13. BOI N5 billion Cottage Agro Processing (CAP) Fund.

To establish small-scale plants or mini mills to process Nigeria’s agricultural products.

14. N300 Billion Power and Aviation Fund (PAIF).

Refinancing of commercial banks’ exposures to companies in the power and aviation sectors, and establish new power plants especially in clusters, among others.

6 per cent 4 per cent

7 per cent 5 per cent

5 per cent

4 per cent

7 per cent

10 customers into its hall of fame, Olaoluwa said that the blacklisted companies were also involved in shady deals. According to him, BOI decided to name and shame the bad customers’ to help Nigerian banks to identify business people with no respect for integrity and purpose.

He alleged that the 24 companies cloned and falsified documents and diverted loans to non-profitable ventures. “In addition to naming these companies, we have also exposed their directors and shareholders in order to put lending institutions and credit bureaus on notice,” he added.

On the other hand, Olaoluwa said that the 10 companies inducted into its hall of fame obtained credit facilities from the bank at least twice and fully repaid the loans thus, proving that integrity was not a function of size or of business environment. “As a bank, our hope and prayer is that we increase the number of customers in the hall of fame and minimise the blacklist,” he said, adding that the effect of any loan default was severe, with certain socio-economic consequences capable of defeating government’s objectives of financing the strategic sectors of the economy. The BOI boss pointed out that as a development bank, BOI derives its funding from government resources that are limited, finite and subject to competing demands.

MAN’s reaction As far as MAN is concerned, its hands are tied with regards to high rate of loan default among members. Chairman, Ikeja branch of MAN, Prince Oba Okojie, argued that it is almost impossible for MAN as an association to stand or intermediate between government and borrowers. We can try, but there is a limit to what we can do,” he said, noting however, that “the inability of manufacturers to access funds with ease has led to closure of many factories, making our young people who would have been gainfully employed to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the economy idle and jobless and therefore, engage in all kinds of vices.”

Conclusion Beyond the outcry by some manufacturers and business operators over lack of access to the funds, experts say that the intervention funds constitute only an interim measure. They argue that the funds translate to only a part of the fundamental changes needed to make the intended beneficiaries and the industrial sector competitive “While it provides a way forward in a financially arid operating climate, the equally critical issue of infrastructure should be taken into consideration. Otherwise, the loan beneficiaries may be frustrated midstream,” the Managing Director, Fruity Drinks Limited, Lagos, Mr. Livinus Okafor, said, for instance.

He noted that the problem of the SMEs is not so much about physical fund, but the provision of infrastructure that gulps the small fund available for business. He said as long as government neglects the provision of needed infrastructure such as electricity, motorable roads, water, raw materials and whatever makes operating environment possible, the fund would not do much for operators.

Mr. Yusuf noted that SMEs have great potential in terms of job creation and should be eagerly supported by the government and all the necessary agencies to see that the sector is robust. He encouraged the administering agencies, which include state governments, cooperative societies and other institutions to ensure that they get round the challenges of collateral, which has become an albatross for small scale industrialists in the country.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

31

MONEYLINK

e-commerce to hit $75b by 2025, says UBA Chief

T

HE Deputy Managing Director and CEO, UBA Africa, Kennedy Uzoka, says the ecommerce market in Africa will hit $75 billion by 2025.

He spoke following the bank’s deal with Ixaris and its Nigerian partner “Ojapay” meant to deploy a virtual card platform across its 20 African markets. He said the bank will use Ixaris Payment Server to deliver innovative payment options for individuals and corporates.

Uzoka said many consumers and businesses across the continent currently lack a secure, convenient and low-cost means to make purchases online. The bank, he said, selected Ixaris payments server to quickly and cost-effectively deploy pay-

Stories by Collins Nweze

ments programmes based on virtual prepaid cards.

“We have partnered with Ixaris and Ojapay to make this convenient payment option available to customers because virtual cards are not only easy and convenient to use but also protect users against online fraud.

They will offer our customers across Africa a new layer protection and security for their online transactions.”

Uzoka said.

He said the banks’s new virtual card option will enable more than 10 million customers across 20 African markets to make safe and easy online purchases at any online merchant worldwide.

The new virtual payment card will also enable the bank’s corporate clients take advantage of the wider range of goods and services available on the Internet, while also enhancing internal controls through full traceability of purchasing and payments activities.

Founder and CEO of Ixaris, Alex Mifsud said: “We are excited to be working with UBA, one of the most respected banks in Africa, to help bring safe and convenient e-commerce to millions of people who can really benefit from it. This deal shows how open payments platforms like Ixaris Payments Server are transforming how banks approach the product development lifecycle for payments. By using this tech-

nology, enterprising banks like UBA can bring compelling payment applications to the market at a fraction of the time and cost it would take using traditional methods”.

•Uzoka

Enterprise: Heritage plans bigger, innovative lender

H

ERITAGE Bank Limited has said that its acquisition of Enterprise Bank will produce a bigger and more innovative lender.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Heritage Bank Limited, Ifie Sekibo said this at the sidelines of the Investiture programme of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) held in Lagos.

Recall that HBCL Investment Services Limited (HISL) promoted by Heritage Bank recently paid N56 billion to acquire Enterprise Bank from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Commenting on the integration of the two banks, Sekibo said the acquisition will enable the bank become bigger and more innovative.

Sekibo, who along with the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele and two other bank chief executives were awarded Honorary Senior Members of CIBN, said that to achieve the

above, the bank would focus more on training and would be guided by the standards and codes of the Institute.

He said: “It is an honour that in so short a time the institute would award me Honourary Senior Membership.

This award would impact on our bank because we would be clear in our focus because the institute is the guiding institute that helps the industry set standards and educate on codes of conduct. So this would lead to in-

S

TERLING Bank Plc has assured that it will continue to partner all sectors to ensure to grow the nation’s economy.

This assurance was given at the weekend by the bank’s Group Head, Strategy & Communications, Mr. Shina Atilola at the Pret-a-porter, a fashion show sponsored by the lender in Lagos.

The sponsorship of the show, he

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

148.31 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.69 1.39 1,694.65 1,092.36 120.48 121.16 1,117.51 1.2195 1.2842 0.8302 1.0889

said, demonstrate the bank’s reputation as one of the leading institutions, spearheading the development of entrepreneurship in the country.

Pret-a-Porter is a soiree and networking event that brought together the best of the players in the fashion industry for an evening of intimate ideas exchange and an exhibition of ready-to-wear collections from some of Nigeria’s leading fashion expressions.

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS) Transaction Dates 20/10/2014 15/10/2014 13/10/2014 ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: September

8.3%

Monetary Policy Rate

12.0%

CHANGE

Foreign Reserves Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

C/PRICE

MAYBAKER

1.63

1.71

4.91

GOLDBREW

0.84

0.88

4.76

LEARNAFRCA

1.39

1.45

4.32

INTENEGINS

0.50

0.52

4.00

Credit to private Sector (CPS) Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

26.00

26.99

3.81

COURTVILLE

0.55

0.57

3.64

AFRIPRUD

3.15

3.20

1.59

IKEJAHOTEL

3.08

3.12

1.30

RTBRISCOE

0.83

0.84

1.20

171.00

173.00

1.17

TOTAL

LOSERS AS AT 23-10-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CADBURY

52.51

49.89

-4.99

6.63

6.30

-4.98

33.73

32.05

-4.98

1.02

0.97

-4.90

DIAMONDBNK PRESCO NPFMCRFBK

CHANGE

T

HE Executive Director, Ovie Brume Foundation, Mrs. Iwalola Akin-Jimoh, has advised youths on the need to embrace financial literacy and other issues that deepen their knowledge on finance.

In an interview in Lagos, she said companies can help the youths in advancing their knowledge on finance and entrepreneurship.

The foundation is a non-governmental organisation focused on youth education and empowerment.

Also, the group in partnership with Lafarge Nigeria, recently announced dates for literacy competitions that will take place in three regions across the country.

She said: “This initiative is part of our strategy to encourage literacy and literacy appreciation amongst primary school students in Nigeria.

The competitions are organised to mark the World Literacy Day which is held annually in September. It is a day set aside by UNESCO to celebrate literacy with the aim of eradicating illiteracy globally.”

“We are also celebrating the results from our Books on Wheels Project that was carried out in different Lafarge sites around the country.

Books on wheels is one of the many literacy programmes put together by the Ovie Brume Foundation to build writing skills, promote reading culture and improve the vocabulary of public primary school pupils within the country,” she added.

The competitions will feature tests to assess reading and writing ability and spelling bees. Selected schools from various regions will provide two primary six pupils as their representatives at the regional level.

DATA BANK

O/PRICE

PZ

The exhibition which is an initiative of Lagos Laid Bac and held at Wheat Baker Hotel, Ikoyi was attended by government officials, editors, civil society, retail organisations and academics who shared their experiences on value chain development and discussed how best smallholders can be incorporated into value chains in order to promote garment production and rural development.

Bid Price 147.43 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.68 1.33 1,694.65 1,091.70 119.65 120.30 1,116.70 1.2117 1.2842 0.8148 1.0889

GAINERS AS AT 23-10-14

SYMBOL

the two banks will produce a force to be reckoned with and a paradigm shift in the banking industry. The bank said, “We have always seen Enterprise Bank as one of the potential giants in Nigeria’s banking landscape. With a truly vast branch network, innovative and professional staff, solid assets and large customer base, Enterprise Bank is easily one of the preferred banks for value creation wherever you might be in the country.

Sterling Bank assures on support for economy

Name

• UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

creased awareness of the standards within our institution and it would also enable us run our training programme in line with the institute. It also means there would be a lot of training which is why the institute is important for us. So we would have these training as one family not as two organisations. So look out for a much stronger and bigger organisation.”

Similarly, Heritage Bank in a statement said that the combination of

Foundation supports financial literacy

Money Supply (M2)

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 349.97m 349.96m

CBN EXCHANGE RATES October 20, 2014

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

$39.1b

US Dollar

154.76

155.76

$97.9

Pounds Sterling

249.6279

251.2409

Euro

197.6595

198.9367

Swiss Franc

163.8365

164.8952

Yen

1.4481

1.4575

CFA

0.2835

0.3035

230.5372

232.0268

Yuan/Renminbi

25.271

25.4352

Riyal

41.255

41.5216

SDR

230.9483

232.4406

N16.42 trillion.

N17.2 trillion 16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

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

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

6M

14.205

14.110

FOREX RATES

CUTIX

1.84

1.75

-4.89

UBCAP

2.10

2.00

-4.76

R-DAS ($/N)

157.29

157.29

STERLNBABK

2.34

2.23

-4.70

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

162.75

NEIMETH

1.16

1.11

-4.31

AIRSERVICE

1.91

1.83

-4.19

Parallel ($/N)

167.50

167.50

WEMABANK

0.98

0.94

-4.08

WAUA

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Oct. 21, 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, OCTOBER 27, 2014

33

34

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 24-10-14

F

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 24-10-14

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

35

EQUITIES

Experts harp on savings, investments W

ORKING class Nigerians need to develop early culture of savings and investments in order to create healthy pool of assets that could sustain them beyond their working years.

Financial and investments experts who spoke at a one-day financial workshop organised by Klass and Korporate Consultants International for staff of Chevron Nigeria underscored the importance of working knowledge of financial and investment management in order to ensure sustainable living standards during and after working phase.

Regional head, public sector, South-South and South-East, Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Mr. Abayomi Adeyeri, who was the guest speaker at the workshop, said people with adequate financial and investment knowledge would be able to make sound decisions that would ensure that they are able to live sustainable and wealthy life.

According to him, the purpose of the workshop was to activate staff potentials in order to expand their overall total income.

“Your money should work for you rather than you work for your money. The participants should be able to make sound financial decisions at the end of the class, convert debts to savings, savings to investments and in the long run, retire strong, early and wealthy,” Adeyeri said.

The workshop had eight modules including goal setting, budgeting, savings and investments, planning

By Taofik Salako, Capital Market Editor

for a secure retirement, insurance, stress management among others.

The workshop also dwelt on personal income basics, roadmap and personal income management as well as how to manage debt and balance assets and liabilities.

Participants were also made to understand how to set goals, plan for the children, pay loans, and avoid some obvious financial traps by money lenders.

Head, Human Resources Department, Chevron Nigeria, Mr. Babs Ajayi, said the workshop was an excellent opportunity to broaden staff knowledge and make necessary shift to position them for success.

“Presenters were excellent in their fields. The programme was very robust and without a doubt a time very well spent,” Ajayi said.

Chief executive officer, Klass and Korporate Consultants International, Omoefe Siakpere, pointed out that the main reason why most big earners find themselves broke later in life is because of lack of financial planning.

According to her, planning for the future entails an extensive process of the various elements of a financial plan that should be integrated into overall lifestyle which outlives physical existence to include a person’s estate.

She identified personal income management as one of the fundamental elements for a secure future and rejected insinuations that Chevron staff are too rich to get broke.

•From left: Mr. Abayomi Adeyeri; Mr. Olusoji Akinwande; Omoefe Siakpere and Mr. David Ikutegbe, at the event

“The truth is, money is never enough. What you know comes to play, and even if you earn N10 million a month, and you do not have enough knowledge to sustain that money, at the end of the day, it all goes down the drain,” Siakpere said.

She pointed out that many workers of Chevron and other oil companies still have challenges after retirement, noting that the work-

UBA grows Q3 top-line by 12% to N211b

U

NITED Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc grew its top-line by 12 per cent to about N211 billion in the third quarter as the bank’s core banking operations further stimulated overall performance.

Key extracts of the interim report and accounts of the bank for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2014 released at the weekend showed that interest income grew by 12.5 per cent, nudging the bank’s gross earnings by 12 per cent to N210.7 billion. The bank had recorded gross earnings of N188.02 billion in the comparable period ended September 2013.

Interest income had risen from N132.76 billion recorded in third quarter 2013 to N149.41 billion in 2014. Net interest income also rose from N78.16 billion to N81.96 billion. Operating income increased to N138.39 billion in 2014 as against N129.87 billion.

Group managing director, United

Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Philips Oduoza, said the growth in gross earnings reflected the increasing business activity across the bank’s operations.

According to him, the bank has been supporting businesses and institutions with the finance they need to exploit emerging opportunities on the continent.

He noted that the operating income of N138 billion for the ninemonth period to 30 September, 2014 represented a 6.6 per cent increase over the corresponding period of last year, showing the strong underlying operating efficiency of UBA business globally, and the capacity of the business to remain profitable. The bank made a profit before tax of N42.54 billion and a profit after tax of N33.6 billion for the period.

“We are confident that our performance will continue to improve in the last quarter 2014, with increased contribution to Group Bal-

ance sheet from the African subsidiaries,” Oduoza said.

Oduoza had recently outlined that the bank’s key strategic imperatives remain as defined in 2013 under the bank’s “Project Alpha” adding that the bank will leverage on the viable platform established in 2013 to further consolidate on the current growth momentum.

According to him, as a proactive bank, UBA has adequately resourced and re- aligned its structures to optimise emerging opportunities arising across all the regional blocs, while also adopting appropriate risk management frameworks to mitigate likely exposures in its operations both within the local and global environment.

“We will adopt a very aggressive approach to market and ensure focused implementation of our strategic priorities, to drive achievement of our corporate targets,” Oduoza added.

Stockbrokers explore financing options for entertainment industry

S

TOCKBROKERS would this week explore possible options and frameworks for developing amenable finances to Nigerian entertainment industry.

Stockbrokers and other financial pundits would consider ways and means to support the growing entertainment industry with affordable and viable finances through the Nigerian capital market.

The entertainment industry will be the focus at the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS)’s annual stockbrokers’ conference which will be taking place in Lagos on October 30 and 31 with the theme; ‘The capital market as the key catalyst to developing the entertainment industry in Nigeria’.

Chairman, 2014 Annual Stockbrokers’ Conference and executive director, Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Akeem Oyewale, said the entertainment industry has not benefited from the

capital market because the capital market has not been able to provide solutions that could get the entertainment industry cheaper capital that could boost the industry.

According to him, there are so much money in the entertainment industry yet untapped and stockbrokers would use the conference to enlighten the practitioners in the industry on the opportunities in the capital market.

“Given the reach at which our entertainment industry has taken Nigeria to, with Nollywood as the third largest film industry after Nollywood and Bollywoodand the fact that the financial aspect of entertainment industry is large and the Nigerian capital market being the second largest in Africa and one of the leading emerging market in the world, there should be a coherence between the entertainment industry and the capital market,”

Oyewale said.

In his remarks, managing director of Cordros Capital Limited, Mr. Wale Agbeyangi pointed out that the latest rebasing showed that the entertainment industry is a significant contributor, noting that the capital market will give a framework for adequate funding of the industry.

He added that involvement in the capital market would ensure that the entire nation participate from the profitability and wealth created in that industry.

Expected speakers at the conference include the governor of Lagos state, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, chairman of Silverbird group, Ben Murray-Bruce, the director general of Securities and Exchange Commission, Aruma Otteh, the chief executive of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema and many other personalities in the entertainment and financial sectors.

shop was aimed at correcting that.

She said the training would possibly become regional as Chevron staff in Warri had already undergone a similar training.

“I think it’s going to be a regional training. We were in Warri the other day and we are in Lagos today and we are going to be in Port Harcourt and Escravos just to enlighten them because this is important,” Siakpere said.

She praised the management of Chevron for taking into consideration the future of their staff and urged Nigerians to plan for their future.

“My message to Nigerians is that when you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” she said.

President, Delta Chevron Employees Cooperative Society Limited, David Ikutegbe,said the programme is meant for a secure future and could not have come at a better time.

We discovered that our members are not doing well after retirement.

So while they are still in service, we tell them of the need to bridge the gap. They should start planning

for a secure future. That’s why we hire competent consultants to come and talk to them on how they can secure their future,” Ikutegbe said.

In his remarks, general manager, Delta Chevron Employees Cooperative Society Limited, Olusoji Akinwande, said that the whole essence of putting the programme together was to take Chevron members to the next level.

“We want to go beyond the regular loan and thrift services and we really want to see our members do well. We want to see them retire very successful and happy. That’s the whole essence of putting this programme together,” Akinwande said.

He said the workshop offered an avenue for Chevron staff to understand that the best time to start planning for their future is now.

“Not just planning, they have to plan smart and they have to plan ahead of time,’ he added.

Participants expressed satisfaction at the end of the workshop.

Another participant, Bassey Ephraim, said he learnt how to set goals and stand by them.

Unity Bank boosts capital with N39.2b

U

NITY Bank Plc has listed the supplementary shares from its recent combined rights and special placement offers, adding N39.22 billion in new equity funds to its capital base and similar amount to its market capitalisation.

Unity Bank listed a total of about 78.45 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at par value at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), conclusively rounding off its rights issue of 38.45 billion ordinary shares and special placement of 40 billion ordinary shares, both of which were offered at par value. The supplementary listing significantly impacted on the capital base of Unity Bank and its market capitalisation.

Speaking at the NSE, managing director, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Henry Semenitari, noted that the bank’s offers were oversubscribed, an indication of the investing public’s confidence in the bank and its growth agenda.

He pointed out that the rights issue went across the shareholders of the bank and the entire rights were taken by local investors as there were no foreign investors.

He said the bank decided on the new equity funds in order to accelerate expansion and create value for shareholders.

According to him, the new equity funds would be used for branch expansion, investing in human capital, and the development of in-

formation technology.

He said the bank would undertake share reconstruction given the size of its current outstanding shares. Yesterday’s listing brought the bank’s total outstanding shares to 116.90 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo.

Semenitari said the bank would explore all avenues to recover debts including the use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

He also noted that the bank’s capital adequacy ratio was in compliance with regulatory guidelines, adding that all the branches that the new management met when it came on board are operational and plans are ongoing to open more branches.

In his remarks, managing director, APT Securities and Funds Limited, Mr. Garba Kurfi said Unity Bank has a bright future citing the third quarter result recently released by the bank.

According to him, with the additional capital and the ongoing debt recovery by the bank, and with the bank’s results so far, the bank may likely reward its shareholder in the next two years.

The third quarter result for the period ended September 30, 2014 showed that Unity Bank made a profit after tax of N11.05 billion, an increase of 856.83 per cent on N1.15 billion recorded in comparable period of 2013.

36

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

Okonjo-Iweala urges operators on industry growth

T

HE Nigerian insurance industry is growing at a pace desired by the Federal Government, the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has said.

The Minister made the statement at this year’s national conference of Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), themed: “Disaster Management: Any Role for Insurance and Insurance Regulation?” held in Abuja.

She said there has been remarkable improvement in the last five years, where the industry was ranked number five in Africa. She said Nigeria is number three, trailing behind South Africa and Morocco.

She noted that the coumtry’s economy is the largest in Africa, thus having the potential to be the largest insurance industry in the continent sooner than later and can only be achieved by remaining cohesive and focused.

She stated that it is the government’s expectation that the industry will propel economic growth, adding that NCRIB members should continue to support the National Insurance Commission’s (NAICOM) ongoing efforts to instill market discipline and international best practices.

Concerning the conference, Okonjo-Iweala said the theme was very apt based on growing incidences of disasters across the country and the impact of the losses on human and material assets.

She said: “The primary role of insurance is to restore the policyholder back to business whenever the risk insured crystallises.

In fact, insurance is the confidence entrepreneurs need to embark on any significant venture.

“Natural catastrophes affect all sectors of business directly and indirectly. Disasters can cause operational and supply chain disruptions through the physical damage to property and or loss of critical resources and infra-

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

structure, which can cripple an entire operation.

“Yet, there is this erroneous belief by some entrepreneurs that perceive insurance as a cost. This, indeed, is an error. In reality, insurance is probably one of the biggest value additions to any business. We have experienced devastating events such as natural disasters without any prior warning. Insurance is the only effective mechanism to minimise the loss caused by these unforeseen events, which in some instances can mean saving an entity from having to close shop.”

She stated that there had been incidences of fire disasters, collapsed buildings, flooding in the country, storms and fatal accidents without insurance cover for these losses, which have reduced the affected individuals to poverty while victims are left without compensations.

She said the recent flood disasters in the country washed away so many homes and businesses including fish ponds. From available records, she said, the industry was on hand to restore businesses that were insured with them, particularly farmland and produce that were washed off by the flood.

On regulation of the industry, the minister said the impression one gets is that insurance operators, intermediaries and underwriters abhor regulation. “I’ve seen commentaries in the media of recent, of complaints from operators, of excessive regulation.

I’ve seen and read about sections of your profession advocating and soliciting to regulate themselves.

“Regulation becomes imperative to protect management from the excesses of companies’ directors, the management and directors against infringing the interest of shareholders and policyholders or the exuberant insurance broker against the interest

Lasaco Assurance to sustain growth

L

ASACO Assurance Plc has reiterated its commitment to sustain the growth and good performance witnessed in the last fiscal year, the Group Managing Director, Mr. Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi has said.

Ladipo-Ajayi made this known to shareholders at the end of the company’s annual general meeting (AGM). He said the management is poised to build on the gains recorded in 2013 business year, adding that the company has perfected plans to invigorate its three-pronged growth strategy to ensure better performance.

He said: “Successes recorded in net profit, gross premium income, net premium earned, underwriting profit and other positive indicators

are not accidental, but results of doggedness and strategic planning.

“Just imagine the level of hard work and team spirit the organisation enjoyed from its workforce to have moved from loss position of N180 million in 2012 to a profit position of N412 million in 2013 business year.

He said recapitalisation and expansion through the instrumentality of merging and acquisition, new-level branding and worldclass quality certification and financial system rating, would be given critical attention in the fiscal year in order to sustain the gains already made.

Lasaco Assurance Plc was incorporated in December 1979 and started operation in August 1980.

Wiggle extols Olowude’s virtues

T

HE late immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) and Executive Vice Chairman of Industrial and General Insurance (IGI), Mr. Remi Olowude is a colossus, who cannot be replaced in the insurance industry, Chairman of the association, Mr. Godwin Wiggle has said.

Speaking at the Service of Songs

organised by the association for the late former chairman at the Muson Centre, Wiggle regretted that Olowude could not achieve most of the things he set for himself before answering the final call.

He said Olowude was a thoroughbred professional, who stood miles apart from his peers and contemporaries.

•From left: Former Minister of State for Finance, Mr Remi Babalola; Ebi of Idena-Remo, Oba Omosanya Akinyemi; President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr Ayodapo Shoderu and Director-General, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) Mr O. Sunday Thomas at the just concluded NCRIB Conference in Abuja of the insurance company or vice versa.

“Definitely, regulation is beyond the registration or management of a club membership.

Clubs are voluntarily set for the protection of some interests and the promotion of some benefits and where the two mixes, conflict arises. Regulation should be the coming together of some responsible structures that cater for all and more, of the interest listed above especially, that of responsible governance and of the public image at large.”

She also admonished operators on the need to join hands with the the government’s quest to ensure financial inclusion in all spheres of the community.

She noted that the task will entail conducting themselves in a manner that would help deepen insurance, which arguably is the

T

weakest in the chain of financial services.

“We cannot add value to this noble objective with a decimated insurance industry, no matter the personal urge to satisfy private ends. I would, therefore, enjoin you all to avoid any journey in self-destruction, no matter the temporal benefit that may be perceived as attainable,” she added.

The NCRIB President, Ayodapo Shoderu, said the council’s adherence to professionalism is undisputable, adding that the council will spare no available opportunity to chastise charlatans in realisation of the need to promote professionalism and embed high ethical standards among insurance brokers.

He said the council is engaging NAICOM on a very silent, but robust and result-oriented dis-

course over the recent deregistration of some of the council’s members by the Commission, stressing that, within a very short period the issue would be fully resolved.

He added that through the council’s intervention, NAICOM has invited some of the deregistered brokers to update their registration and commence operation.

While NAICOM has maintained a good stand as arbiter between insurance brokers and underwriters, it has also continued to facilitate adherence to ethics and professionalism through collaboration with the council on implementation of the NCRIB Act. It is on record that members have benefited from this formidable relationship through reduction in levies charged by the commission.

Increasing, changing weather risks call for risk management adjustments

HE number of weather-related natural catastrophes have increased losses in threefolds in the last three decades (19802013), a report, Munich-Re, has said.

Likewise, the number of convective (thunderstorm) events in Europe have more than tripled over the same period. Heavy summer storms accompanied by hail have become much more frequent, partly because the water content in the atmosphere is increasing.

The world’s costliest insured weather loss last year was a hailstorm in Germany with an insured loss of •2.8 billion (overall loss: •3.6 billion).

In June this year, convective storm, Ela, caused economic losses

totalling •2.3 billion and insured losses of •1.8 billion in Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg.

The trend towards such weather patterns is changing the probability and intensity of hail and flash floods, and hence of potential losses.

Another noticeable trend has been the increased persistence of weather patterns, which may cause heat waves and droughts under high-pressure conditions in summer, and river flooding during lowpressure systems.

This was also the origin of the heavy flooding in Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria last year, with most expensive weather event with overall losses of •9.7

billion (insured loss: •2.4 billion).

In the United Kingdom (UK), flooding at the turn of the year led to financial losses amounting to •1.1 billion and insured losses of •800 million.

Changing weather risks entail higher risk of losses The increased frequency and intensity of such loss events is very difficult to predict locally.

Moreover, changes in building features–for instance, thermal insulation and solar installations–tend to aggravate claims volatility. “For primary insurers, this means rising income uncertainty and more volatile results,” said Ludger Arnoldussen, member of Munich Re’s Board of Management.

Almond Production holds insurance consumers forum

A

LMOND Productions Limited, producers of Almond Finance and Wealth Report on Television and Wetin Insurance Dey Do Sef on Naija FM, has concluded plans to host this year’s Insurance Consumer’s Forum (ICF) The Insurance Consumer’s Forum, which started last year, is a platform for interaction between Insurers and the Insured for better service delivery.

A statement from the organ-

iser, Faith Ughwode, said the forum with the theme: “Consumer’s Roles and Responsibilities in Enhanced Service Delivery in the insurance industry,” is scheduled to hold on October 29, at Lagoon Restaurant, Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos by 10:00am.

This year’s event will be chaired by Mr. Sunny Adeda, a past president of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria

(CIIN) while the lead paper will be delivered by Dr. Lucy Newman, Director-General, Financial Institutions Training Center (FITC).

The no-holds-barred forum will focus on standards in the Nigeria insurance industry, mobile/e-insurance, mechanism put in place for conflict resolution, simplifying claims payment processes and procedures, among others.

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

37

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

•The construction site of the new International Airport Terminal in Lagos.

The Chinese Government is supporting the construction of five international airport terminals in Nigeria. These projects, aside providing the much needed aviation infrastructure, are expected to generate thousands of jobs for professionals in the building, design, technology and related areas. KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.

Over 1.5m jobs from five airports’ terminals T

HE construction industry, the world over, is a huge job spinner.

Reports have shown that the ongoing construction of five international airport terminals in Lagos, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kano and Abuja, could create direct and indirect jobs for over 1.5 million people.

The projects are being handled by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) under a deal by the Federal Government and the Republic of China. Many countries initiate construction projects because of the massive jobs they create for their nationals.

This is also predicated on the fact that construction as a composite activity, requires the input and efforts of various professionals to complete. The masterpieces are drawn by architects and others engaged in construction, electrical and other activities.

According to experts, construction activities in the aviation sector hold the key to job provision for many professionals, thus creating multiplier effects.

The construction of these terminals comes as a fallout of about $500 million loan the Federal Government secured from the Chinese Export Import Bank.

The government is providing a counterpart funding of over $100 million to see the projects to fruition.

Experts believe that the volume of work involved in the construction of five international airport terminals will create thousands of jobs and continue to create

jobs even after completion.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, where construction work is ongoing, hundreds of jobs are being created for architects, civil engineers, bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers, concrete mixers, truck and crane as well as fork-lift drivers.

There are also welders, tillers, electricians, and other building artisans, who carry out activities at the site. The projects are part of realisation of Federal Government’s efforts to boost critical infrastructure. The government signed an agreement for a $600 million facility with the China Exim Bank for two high priority, high impact projects expected to be completed by next year.

Explaining the rationale for prioritising

the projects, the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, said the projects are targeted at making a difference in the lives of Nigerians across the socio-economic segments. She said: “President Goodluck Jonathan is keeping his promise to Nigerians through these important projects. And the four new airport terminals will, like the others, create jobs and also ensure that Nigerian air passengers enjoy the services and convenience their counterparts in other parts of the world take for granted.

“The new airport terminals will help Nigeria achieve the status of a hub on the continent and deepen employment generation in the sector. The terminals will also help to grow passenger capac-

‘The new airport terminals will help Nigeria achieve the status of a hub on the continent and deepen employment generation in the sector. The terminals will also help to grow passenger capacity to over 50 million from the current 20 million and increase the number of direct and indirect jobs in the sector to 1.5 million from the current 60,000....’

ity to over 50 million from the current 20 million and increase the number of direct and indirect jobs in the sector to 1.5 million from the current 60,000....”

A document prepared by the Ministry of Aviation indicated that when the airport terminals are completed, it would provide additional jobs for aviation and other related professionals. The document said: “We project that by the time the Aerotropolis Project is completed, additional 80,000 – 100,000 job opportunities would have been created.

“We project that the aviation industry will contribute an additional N300 billion to the economy directly and indirectly. This will come from additional investments, construction of the infrastructure and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into the industry.

“Overall, we project that the Aviation Industry will in future make a net Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution of over N500 billion to the nation’s economy annually and will support more than 200,000 jobs in Nigeria.”

It continued:“Nigerian registered airlines directly employ 7,000 people and support through their supply chains a further 33,000 jobs. These include ground handlers, aviation fuel suppliers, catering service providers.

•Continued on page 38

38

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

JOBS

Over 1.5m jobs from five airports terminals •Continued from page 37

“The industry as a whole directly contributes about N110 billion to the economy and indirectly another N67 billion. A further N21 billion comes from the spending of the employees of the industry and their suppliers. Overall, the aviation industry contributes over N200 billion to the Nigerian economy annually and supports more than 70,000 jobs in Nigeria. This is a key element of the National Aviation Transformation Road Map for the industry.

“It represents our determination to ensure that our airports impact significantly, not just on the host communities, but also on the national economy.

Though at the preliminary stage, we are developing land use plans for Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano to guide the Aerotropolis developments.”

In an interview with The Nation, the Chairman of PrimePorts Logistics, Mr. Femi Adewunmi described the construction of more airport terminals as a huge window to generate jobs for aviation professionals. According to him, it will not only generate jobs, but serve as an avenue to position any region in the country as an economic hub.

He cited an example of the construction of an additional terminal at the Port Harcourt International Airport, which he said, would attract more professionals into the industry.

Speaking in the same vein, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Saleh Dunoma, said the airports would need more personnel by the time the ongoing projects are completed.

He listed the category of per-

sonnel to include aviation security; aerodrome rescue and fire safety officers; aerodrome engineers; baggage handlers and other professionals.

“The new terminals under construction at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport will boost commercial activity and generate jobs in Kano,” Dunoma said while inspecting work at the construction site in Kano.

The airport when completed, he said, will further expand the potential of the ancient city as a hub of commerce and industry.

A member of the Aircraft Owners Association of Nigeria (AOAON), Alhaji Ibn Na‘Allah, who spoke on the same issue, described the Dutse International Airport as an air transport infrastructure that would jump-start the economic development of the area. The former House of Representatives member said airports play a key role in the development of their host states.

He said: “The Dutse Airport for instance, is a world class facility. I think it is very important. It helps to generate jobs for teeming professionals. A lot of people don’t understand the economic impor-

•Boyo

•Dunoma

•Adewunmi

tance of airports as an avenue to generate jobs. Airport is one of the strongest security and economic infrastructure for any community.

“Airports play an important role in regional economic development. If a city is equipped with an efficient airport, including extensive passenger and cargo links, it would certainly have comparative advantage in creat-

ing additional jobs. Cities and airports can try to attract economic development through airport business parks.”

He added: “Transport infrastructure provides defined channels of movement for the physical interaction of goods and people between places.

The flow of goods and people is the crux of economic functioning and it is possible with

transport infrastructure. The functioning of an economy requires the use of transport.

Apart from the direct employment generated by the airport, there is indirect employment associated with activities that support the airport, airlines and passengers.”

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Overland Airways, Capt. Edward Boyo, said the construction of airport terminals is one of the key drivers of jobs creation, because a galaxy of professionals works at the airport.

However, some professionals would need to horn their skills in fixing state-of-the-art facilities at the terminal in line with global standards. Part of this would require certification as airport managers, baggage handlers, operations personnel and other professionals require further knowledge in safety management systems.

‘The Dutse Airport for instance, is a world class facility. I think it is very important. It helps to generate jobs for teeming professionals. A lot of people don’t understand the economic importance of airports as an avenue to generate jobs. Airport is one of the strongest security and economic infrastructure for any community’

CAREER MANAGEMENT

A

JOB application (referred to as cover letter by Americans) is the first impression a potential employer gets of you, and it can make or break your chances. As you only get one chance to make a positive first impression, then you need to be careful and do your levl best to do everything right.

Something to honest confession: Following these guidelines perfectly won’t guarantee that all your application will get you somewhere as some manager look for some pretty strange things.

Application form Some jobs require an application form and some don’t. When there is an application form ( sometimes called application blank), it asks for the information the employer most wants to know, like work experience.

Most information required is already on the Resume. Nevertheless, it is important thing is to include all the relevant information.

The reason employers take this route is to provide a standard format for assessing applicants. Don’t leave a field blank unless it’s optional or you don’t have any relevant information to include.

Another important thing to do right is how you format the information in each field. If you format things like your phone number or your name (I have seen it) incor-

How to apply for a job

By Olu Oyeniran

rectly, an employer is likely to assume you have poor communication skills. This means proper capitalization in text, proper grouping in phone numbers and proper layout of things like addresses.

Cover letter Sometimes entry level positions wouldn’t require a cover letter but all higher level and professional jobs do. Your cover letter should be tailored to the specifically to the job you’re applying for and, when possible, addressed directly to the hiring manager or the person-with-thepower- to-hire. A cover letter should be brief, generally one page and never more than two, and professionally written. You should clearly state why you think you would be most suited to the position and the organisation.

It’s crucial that your spelling and grammar are correct. One spelling error could remove you from consideration instantly.

Read over your cover letter at least once, probably twice, before it goes off to an employer.Better

still, get somebody to look it over for you.

Résumé Your résumé is the core of your application and thus the most important. It’s always a good idea to tailor your résumé to the job somewhat and you absolutely must format it correctly.

(You’ve probably noticed a theme.) It should be separated into sections that deal with the things employers look for, like work experience and education.

Be sure to keep all your points brief. Say the most important things firstHiring managers have a large volume of applications to review and only have a few minutes to look at each one .

Typos, grammatical errors are a no, no, no. If you feel needs to be expanded on you can do so in your cover letter but only if it’s particularly relevant.

Email application Even though email is usually regarded as quite casual, an email application is not. You generally don’t need a separate cover/application letter, the

email body can serve that purpose. All the same rules apply to the email that apply to a conventional cover letter. The subject line should always contain the position you’re applying for.

Addressing the hiring manager In cases where you know the name of the hiring manager, you need to address them properly.

The rule of thumb is to start as formal as possible and get more casual when they indicate it’s appropriate. Obviously, if all you know is a first name then it’s appropriate to use it but if you know a surname then that’s what you should use to start with.

The only exception is when you have no indication of what the appropriate salutation would be, like if they have a unisex first name such as Alex. If you’re applying to me, you should start by addressing me as Mr. Oyeniran and later, once I’ve demonstrated that I’m a fairly casual employer you could start addressing me as Steve or Steven if you’d like.

Truth is the last part hardly apply in this part of the world.

Application method Most job postings include how you should apply and all list at least one piece of contact information. When there’s an application method listed, that’s how you need to apply. Otherwise you could be eliminated without your application even being read. If there’s only contact information, then the method is at your discretion, just be sure to do it properly.

Hopefully you found this helpful and will make your job search easier.

EkiniConsult & Associates is organising 3 free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only.

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

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

39

THE CEO The National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) has been the focal point for capacity training in the power sector since 2009 when it was established. Its Director-General, Rueben Okeke, an engineer, in this interview with AKINOLA AJIBADE, says the Institute lays emphasis on the training of technical workers.

According to him, such category of workers is key to the growth of the power sector, as it plays crucial roles in electricity distribution, generation and transmission. He also speaks on efforts to achieve the 20, 000 megawatts target by 2020 and the challenge of gas supply, among others.

W

HY did the Federal Government establish the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN)?

Government established NAPTIN to serve as a focal point for capacity building in the power sector. It is to provide a credible, virile, and competent workforce for the industry. Being a stateowned agency, NAPTIN was set up to train people who would man the huge infrastructural networks the government is providing to improve electricity supply in Nigeria. NAPTIN’s major goal is to train workers who would operate existing and future infrastructural networks in the sector.

Which categories of workers are being trained by NAPTIN? The body trains technical and nontechnical workers because they are key to the sector’s growth. Of note is that the organisation is laying emphasis on the training of technical workers because it is the hallmark of the sector. The reason is because they play crucial roles in the electricity distribution, generation and transmission. The sector is technically driven globally; a development that informed the decision of NAPTIN to provide training for such workers.

How many workers have been trained by NAPTIN since its establishment in 2009?

The Institute has trained 5,446 technical and non-technical workers between 2009 and 2013. Out of this, 4,800 are technical staff, while over 400 are nontechnical. Those trained include engineers, technicians, craftsmen, artisans and others. Since 2012, NAPTIN has been targeting engineers to improve productivity in the sector. It has been training people with Bachelor of Science (BSc) Degree and Higher National Diploma (HND) in mechanical and electrical/electronics engineering to move the industry forward. It has graduated 243 engineers since 2012. Presently, there are 779 people receiving training under the Graduate Development Scheme; an idea introduced to develop graduates’ skills and further bring out the best in them.

How far has the scheme impacted electricity distribution?

The scheme has impacted positively on the sector. From operation to repair to maintenance of distribution networks, the list is limitless. Through the scheme, we have trained engineers that ensure seamless operation of the distribution networks. The scheme provides engineers with skills that enable them operate the networks optimally. The scheme, among others, has become indispensable tool for people that want to work in the industry. Without the training of engineers and other workers, the distribution networks would not function well.

Some people have to operate and manage the networks before there can be light in the country.

We need to answer this question to get a clearer understanding of the operation of the industry. Can we get light if we do not switch on the light? The answer is No. Some people must be trained on how to handle switches and maintain the breakers when they are faulty. People need to be trained on how to erect new or collapsed poles. These are some of the areas where NAPTIN has trained people and the results are evident. Because if the Institute fails to train engineers and other workers, it would be difficult to provide people with the electricity they need for socio-economic development.

There is skill-gap in the industry following the sack of over 60 per cent of workers of defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). How can this be addressed?

‘Training of technical workers key to power sector’s growth’

•Okeke

The government has introduced measures to reduce skill-gap and further improve productivity in the industry. The measures include the sponsorship of 7,400 youths for training in NAPTIN,

the employment of engineers and other professionals, who have retired from the sector on contract basis among others.

For instance, youths are being trained to replace the ageing workers in the sec-

‘The Institute has trained 5,446 technical and non-technical workers between 2009 and 2013. Out of this, 4,800 are technical staff, while over 400 are nontechnical. Those trained include engineers, technicians, craftsmen, artisans and others. Since 2012, NAPTIN has been targeting engineers to improve productivity in the sector’

tor. The power firms inherited ageing workers. These workers could no longer carry out the business of their employers. They could not meet up with the standards in the industry. When the youths complete their training and get jobs, they will replace the ageing workers. Interestingly, the power firms have employed many of the people trained by the Institute. Besides, the firms are sending their workers for training in NAPTIN as part of efforts to reduce the skill-gap. Also, government has employed retired engineers and others on contract to transfer skills to the younger and inexperienced workers. Govern•Continued on page 40

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

40

THE CEO

‘Training of technical workers key to power sector’s growth’ •Continued from page 39

ment decided to bring them back to enable workers benefit from their wealth of experience. NAPTIN has organised a workshop to intimate them on how and where they can help sharpen the skills of workers. These efforts are going to help the sector to get replacement for workers with lower skills.

When is the contract with retired engineers going to lapse?

The government has introduced the National Power Sector Apprenticeship Scheme (NASPS) to train cable joiners, fitters, lines men, distribution sub-station operators and others. The scheme is going to run for between six months and one year, while the retired engineers are expected to render their services within this period. However, we are going to identify and pick some engineers who would work in the Adjunct Faculty after the expiration of their contract. When this happens, we would be inviting them to pass on their knowledge to workers whenever the need arises.

Has the power distribution companies (DISCOs) been patronising NAPTIN? The DISCOs have been sending their workers for training at the Institute. The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) and others, have enrolled their workers for training. Be-

sides, the firms have employed people trained by NAPTIN because they believe they would perform well.

Some stakeholders have called for a robust renewable energy policy in Nigeria. What is your take on this?

There is nothing wrong in having a robust renewable energy programme in the country. In fact, government has taken a step in that direction by introducing what it tagged: “Light Up Nigeria’’ scheme. However, renewable energy cannot take us anywhere. Solar, biomass, coal, and other forms of renewable energy cannot provide the electricity megawatts (Mw) that would accelerate the growth of the economy. They can only be used in rural areas where the population is small. Given the country’s 170 million population, we need electricity megawatts that would take care of our huge density areas, factories and other economic indices. This cannot be provided by renewable energy. It is only the conventional energy such as hydro and turbines that can make industries work optimally, create jobs and grow the economy. Once an efficient conventional energy system is in place, growth is assured in the country.

You said renewable energy is meant for rural areas because it produces lower megawatts of electricity. Are there other reasons?

Yes, there are many. One of them is huge cost of connecting the rural areas to the grid. It requires a lot of money to

‘Given the country’s 170 million population, we need electricity megawatts that would take care of our huge density areas, factories and other economic indices. This cannot be provided by renewable energy. It is only the conventional energy such as hydro and turbines that can make industries work optimally, create jobs and grow the economy’

•Okeke

connect rural areas to the grid. It would be better if government provides the rural areas with off-grid method of generating electricity than spending billions of naira to run transmission lines and put sub-stations in the hinterland.

The rural electrification project is battling with problems of corruption and lack of commitment from contractors. How can this problem be solved?

There is no problem that is insurmountable. The problems confronting the rural electrification programme can be solved. However, Rural Electrification Agency (ERA), an agency that is supervising the project, is in the best position to proffer solution to those problems.

Can Nigeria meet its 20, 000 megawatts of electricity target by 2020?

The country has the capacity to meet the 20,000 target in the next six years.

Considering what Nigeria has on ground, the feat is attainable. The National Independent Power Plants (NIPPs) are expected to deliver 5,000 megawatts of electricity, aside the fact that we are expecting thousands of electricity megawatts from various Integrated Power Projects (IPPs) across the country.

Also, General Electric (GE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to produce 10,000 megawatts of electricity. Besides, thousands of megawatts are expected from companies that bought the assets of the defunct PHCN. How soon can government solve the problem of gas supply to improve electricity generation?

Solution to gas problem is imminent in Nigeria. The problem is going to be re-

solved soon, in view of efforts put in place by the government. The Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have met to find lasting solution to the problem. They have discussed how to provide gas to the sector. They know that the country generates 80 per cent of its electricity through gas powered plants, and the implications of not having enough gas in the sector. There is no doubt Nigeria has enough gas. But there is need to gather the gas before it can be made available to the power firms. That is where infrastructure comes in. Installation of pipelines and other infrastructural facilities is going on to serve the 10 NIPPs, and PHCN successor companies among other projects. Once this has been put in place, the power companies will be able to access gas for productivity. I’m very optimistic that the sector would get enough gas and this would help the country to meet its target of 20,000 megawatts of electricity in the next six years.

How can the problem of scarcity of metres be solved?

The Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are behind the manufacturing of metres- be it pre-paid or post paid; analog or digital. I believe that efforts are on-going to solve the problem. The area that concerns NAPTIN is how to train people who would install the metres, manage them and provide credible bills to customers. We have a training programme for people who install metres, detect metres that have been tampered with among other responsibilities.

Such people acquire what we call nontechnical staff.

‘But there is need to gather the gas before it can be made available to the power firms.

That is where infrastructure comes in.

Installation of pipelines and other infrastructural facilities is going on to serve the 10 NIPPs, and PHCN successor companies among other projects. Once this has been put in place, the power companies will be able to access gas for productivity’ •Okeke

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 2014

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

• Shagari

•Umar

•Lawani

•Saleh

In this dispensation, the ambition of most deputy governors to succeed their principals in office has failed. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines this trend and its implications for the polity.

Governors, deputies part ways over 2015 ambitions

I

N an ideal setting, the deputy governor’s position should be a stepping stone to the governorship. But, because political parties in Nigeria do not have succession plans, governorship candidates are chosen arbitrarily; without recourse to succession plans or internal democratic process.

As next year’s general elections draw nearer, some deputy governors are eyeing the seat of their principals, who will complete their tenure next year. But, most governors are not favourably disposed to their deputies succeeding them, for reasons best known to them.

Since 1999, deputy governors have failed to find their feet in the polity. When most of the 1999 set of governors rounded off their two terms in 2007, it was only former Zamfara State governor, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, who endorsed his former deputy, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi, to succeed him.

Analysts say the reason why governors are not disposed to succession plans is because deputy governors are usually imposed on them by their party leadership for political expediency and not necessarily for purposes of good governance. Such arrangement, they contend, brings anxiety and mutual suspicion between the governors and their deputies and, in most cases, lead to major crises.

A political scientist, Dr. Friday Ibekwe, is worried that most governors treat their deputies as “spare tyres” simply because they feel they lack the capacity to succeed them as governors. “In some cases, they feel threatened by the political influence of their deputies. That explains why many governors had to change their deputies with the support of the legislature,” he said.

Ibekwe said the position of the deputy governor is shallow and only holds value to the extent that its holder enjoys immunity like the governor and has the prospect of becoming the acting governor or substantive chief executive depending on what happens to the governor. According to him, the 1999 Constitution made the deputy governors mere appendages of state power. He cited Section 193 (i), which stipulates that: “The governor of a state may, in his discretion, assign to the deputy for any business of the government of the state, including the administration of any department of government.”

He said this clearly makes a deputy governor an unnecessary attachment to the governor. Many state governors have refused to create a place for their deputies. This set of governors has made it a habit of leaving their states without any legitimate leadership whenever they are out of such states. This explains why some governors failed to carry their deputies along in the scheme of things.

However, a lucky few are assigned a ministry or agency to superintend, in addition to their roles as deputy governor, but a good

number of them are either impeached or rendered redundant, in line with the wishes of the governor, he added.

Civil rights activist Mallam Idris Abubakar said governors do not trust their deputies because of the fear that they (deputies) may not protect their interests after leaving office.

“Most governors would prefer to be succeeded by someone who can protect their interests.

But, when the governors are convinced that their deputies cannot protect their interests when they leave office, they go out scouting for reliable successors,” he added.

Abubakar noted that, though the constitution does not make provision for deputy governors to succeed their principals at the expiration of their tenure, deputy governors, by virtue of their experience as second-in-command, provide a better option for continuity. He said the only way through which deputy governors could curry their bosses’ favour, in a bid to succeed them, is to show unalloyed loyalty to them.

A lawyer, Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji, shares Abubakar’s view. He said the possibility of a deputy succeeding his principal depends on the relationship existing between the two of them.

“The decision by a governor to support his deputy as successor depends on the level of confidence he has in him,” he added.

Ogundeji said the frosty relationships between governors and their deputies are borne out of the fact that the two are often strange political bedfellows. Deputies are foisted on the governors by political parties or godfathers, he said.

Investigations revealed that scores of outgoing deputy governors have shown interest to succeed their principals. Some of them are:

Sokoto The deputy governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari, has indicated interest in the governorship election. Shagari and Governor Aliyu Wamakko belong to different political parties. While Wamakko defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in November 2013, Shagari refused to follow suit, saying he preferred to remain in the PDP. As a result, Wamakko has no role to play in Shagari’s ambition to succeed him in office.

Shagari, who is the leader of his party in the state, has assured the PDP that, despite the de-

fection of the governor, the party would produce the next governor in Sokoto State. “I will continue to be loyal to Wamakko as governor, until the expiry of our tenure. But, in 2015, the PDP will produce the next governor of this state,” he said.

But, will Shagari scale through the primaries and emerge as the party’s consensus candidate? This question is pertinent, in view of many interest groups in the PDP. Will the former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, who defected from the APC to the PDP support his governorship bid? Will Bafarawa’s group concede the party ticket to Shagari? Besides, there are other stalwarts like the former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, former Minister of Youths Senator Abdullahi Gada Ambassador Abdullahi Wali, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Maccido, who are also interested in who occupies the exalted position next year.

Apparently to preserve the unity of the party, the Sokoto State chapter held a meeting last week, but failed to agree on a consensus candidate. Bafarawa told newsmen after the meeting: “We are just trying to make sure that we put our house in order”.

Benue Chief Stephen Lawani, the Benue State Deputy governor, is scheming to succeed his boss, Governor Gabriel Suswam. This is the second time Lawani is showing interest in the number one position. He contested the PDP governorship ticket in 2006 with Suswam, who defeated him at the primaries and eventually won the governorship election. A source close to Government House, Makurdi, said that the governor is not looking in that direction; meaning that the governor may have pencilled down someone else to be his successor.

Lawani is yet to formerly declare his governorship ambition. But, his campaign posters and billboards have flooded Makurdi, the state capital and other parts of the state. Analysts say the major obstacle standing before Lawani and his ambition is that he hails from the Benue South Senatorial District, which is populated by the Idoma ethnic group who are not favoured for the governorship slot by the dominant Tiv population.

‘The possibility of a deputy succeeding his principal depends on the relationship existing between the two of them. The decision by a governor to support his deputy as successor depends on the level of confidence he has in him’

Taraba The acting governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, has not declared his intention to run for the governorship election but his actions tend towards that effect. Umar became the acting governor in October 2012, when Governor Danbaba Suntai sustained injuries in a plane crash. In a letter dated October 30, 2013, Umar declared himself the “Executive Governor” when Suntai has not died, resigned or impeached as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution.

Umar has through this act lost the support of Suntai’s group in his quest for the governorship. The group accused the acting governor of betraying Suntai by lusting after the office of his principal, who had reposed confidence in him.

Apart from Suntai’s group, Umar may have to contend with the resolve of the people of Taraba South Senatorial District to get someone from the area elected as the governor in line with the party’s zoning principle. A retired General from the zone is said to have been endorsed to fly the party’s flag in next year’s governorship election.

Bauchi Governor Isa Yuguda has anointed the Secretary to the Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Dandija, as his likely successor. This is in spite of the fact that his deputy, Alhaji Sagir Aminu Saleh, has expressed his interest to contest for the position. An indigene of Bauchi State, who spoke in confidence said Saleh has been very loyal to his boss and that many had expected that the governor would compensate him, by supporting him.

Observers say the governor’s preference for the Secretary to the Government may have informed the decision of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to change his mind on his governorship ambition.

Plateau The kinsmen of the deputy governor of Plateau State, Ignatius Longjan, have drafted him into the 2015 governorship race. A spokesman of Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State, Hon. Joe Dawam, said it is the wish of the stakeholders that the deputy governor should succeed his boss. Dawam, who is a member of the state House of Assembly, said the call on the deputy governor to contest governorship election was initiated by the people of his local government. “But, other local governments will soon join. From our consultations across the 17 local governments, the deputy governor is the popular choice. People are just waiting for him to declare his con•Continued on page 44

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THE NATION MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 2014

POLITICS Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Abia State. He spoke with Assistant Editor GBADE OGUNWALE on the succession battle in the Southeast state, his ambition, zoning and other issues.

Ikpeazu: I’ll restore middle class in Abia

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HY do you want to succeed Abia State Governor Theodore Orji?

I have about 19 years experience in politics as a home baked politician in Abia. I understand the sentiments of the average Abian and I also represent the middle class. I spent these 19 years in the trenches with my people, fighting and battling alongside the present governor for the elevation of Abia State. I know some of the things he did, to make sure that the Ochendo magic becomes a reality. I have served all the political gladiators in Abia State diligently. This is pay-back time. Secondly, I represent the middle class.

Regardless of that, I am just a regular guy, but I’m in touch with the people. The people know that the best person to trust is one of their own. The greatest challenge in the country is that the economy is in shambles and the middle class has disappeared. We now have two classes of people; its either you are rich or poor. So, the middle class is what I represent and they know that their pain is my pain and their joy my joy. My mission is to restore the middle class in Abia State and give them a pride of place.

What would you do differently from what the governor is doing?

When the incumbent governor took over, the socio-economic framework of Abia State was in shambles. There was no discipline in the political arena. It took the transparency of Ochendo to bring everybody together under the big umbrella of the PDP. Even those that are not within the PDP family are also going to him. He came to unify Abia. So, what I think I bring to bear is the fact that I have the capacity to contribute towards the unity of Abians, here and in the Diaspora. We need to bring a little more of Abians that possess expertise in one field or the other, to come and join in the rebuilding and rebirth of Abia State. This is also the time for other Abians to bring to bear other competencies and contacts because modern states are developed not only with internally generated revenue or from the federation account, but with ingenuity. One must be able to attract the interest of development partners across the globe to come in and help develop your state.

We do know that no government anywhere has enough resources required to jumpstart the development of a state.

Besides, I also think that I have a very good knowledge of the Aba environment and the philosophy of my team is that by developing Aba, you have developed Abia State. The development of Abia State can be driven from the rebirth and re-engineering of Aba in terms of what you will get from internally generated revenue. You know the potentials of Aba. The place is referred to as the Japan of Africa.

But, we need to fix a few things like electricity, roads, the environment and structure of the markets. I am thinking along the line of industrial clusters. We have the competence and expertise in leather works. We are good in textile processing. There is no reason why Abians, Nigerians and the entire West Coast cannot depend on Aba for their belts, shoes, bags and clothing materials.

How do you intend to tackle youth unemployment, if you are elected?

One edge I have over other aspirants is my footprints in the platform of employment generation in Abia State over the years. I have been involved in an enterprise that engaged about 340 persons. The latest one offered employment to about 500 youths. Besides, I was secretary of the Abia State youth empowerment programme that engaged about 4, 500 youths. I know the locations of the beneficiaries; they are in every community. Through sanitation and traffic management alone, we can employ between 5, 000 to 10, 000 people within my first year

•Ikpeazu

in office.

Abia is one of the states with the least Internally Generated Revenue.

How would jerk up the IGR? The reason for that is not far-fetched.

If you recall, two, three, or four years down the line, Abia had very serious issue of kidnapping that adversely affected every sector of the economy.

Even the collapsing road infrastructure in Aba can be traced back to those days. I am aware that the present government tried many times to get contractors fleeing from kidnappers back to site. But some of them recalled their staff and kept them away from sites as a result of the activities of kidnappers.

The last time that the present Minister for Finance was coming to attend an Economic Summit in Abia, she was warned by the World Bank that she would be coming to Abia at her own risk.

But, as I speak today, Abia has been lifted from the red zone and people come and do their business without molestation. We have lost so many years that would have been useful in terms of reconstruction. No contractor came and nothing was done for two years. While that was going on here, other parts of Abia like Umuahia were benefiting from the activities of the present government in terms of good infrastructure. Security is in place now, so we need to address our poor rating by the National Planning Commission by providing the enabling environment for people to do business in Abia. There is need to establish a one-stop shop. There is need to place on the desk someone that is very knowledgeable, not only about our local environment, but also in those things that we have comparative advantage. We also need to keep abreast of developments in our neighboring states. For instance, how do we tap into the activities of the oil companies in Rivers State? What do we do about the oil wells around Ukpa? There is no reason why we should not be thinking about developing our city towards Port Harcourt. Besides establishing a one-stop shop, I think also that we should be able to strengthen our service delivery institutions because government is built around institutions. If you don’t strengthen in-

‘We should be able to strengthen our service delivery institutions because government is built around institutions. cannot get the desired result. How do you build institutions? You must be able to implement time-tested policies. You must be able to put together people that are very competent and give them a free hand to operate’

stitutions and build institutions, you cannot get the desired result. How do you build institutions? You must be able to implement time-tested policies. You must be able to put together people that are very competent and give them a free hand to operate. Finally, the process and procedure for doing business must be transparent such that an investor can come with his briefcase, walk into your one-stop shop, get every information that he or she needs to get without being encumbered by bureaucratic bottlenecks.

There shouldn’t be hidden charges or hidden taxes because they discourage investment. Institutions must be built around very competent people. They must be built on strong policy frame work, time-tested procedure and transparency. Once we can put all these things in place, I think that Abia will bounce back to be one of the first five investment-friendly states in the country.

How do you intend to tackle corruption?

The best approach against corruption is to build institutions because those are the things that would outlive you.

One must also lead by example for others to follow. I am not a trader, I come from a teaching background. If I am not doing politics, I would be teaching. So, if you lead by example the only way you can know whether you are doing well or not, is how serious you are in terms of building institutions. You must appoint people that are capable, competent and who can deliver. You must not appoint them based on political sentiments or which part of the state they come from. You bring on board people with little or no inclination towards enriching themselves at the expense of the state. I intend to run a very transparent government. I intend to bring all shades of Abia people into governance; the traditional rulers the youths (which is my primary constituency) and the women.

You must bring in people that have something to offer, so that they can help in building the state.

How would you develop Aba, where land and facilities are already overstretched, without choking up the place?

Part of the problem is that Aba was allowed to outgrow its existing facilities with increased housing stock. But, infrastructure in terms of drainages, roads, and water have remained the same. There are vast areas of land in the local governments that are within the vicinity of Aba. For instance, we are thinking about the new bridge across the Aba River. This would facilitate the building of a ring road around Aba as far as Benin. The only way to ventilate a chocking city is to build a ring road. Once you do that, the city begins to expand. There will be a deliberate effort to build a new Aba where everybody can live; with water treatment plant, ultra-modern schools, roads, adequate security, regular power supply. These would be complemented by a waste management plant. This is the kind of city we are thinking about and Aba is overqualified for it.

How would you rid the city of filth?

Incidentally, I don’t think anybody has a better knowledge of the garbage challenge in Aba than I do. I have worked as the Deputy General Manager, Environment and Protection Agency and I know what we met on ground. I also know what we did to make the modest impact that we have made so far. But the gap, the missing link is that as I speak, government is not in charge of waste management at the primary level. What I mean is that there are three different segments – the primary, the secondary and the tertiary. We are only intervening at the secondary and the tertiary segments.

We collect at the receptacle or dumpsters and take to the landfills.

Jani: Kwara has potentials for greatness

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ROMINENT businessman and Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Alhaji Ibrahim Jani has said the state has potentials for greatness, if its resources are propertly managed by competent administrators.

The 55 year-old politician said that he joined the race to offer quality service and reposition the state for excellence.

Jani, the Chairman of Lubcon Group, is reputed for his philanthrophy. He is also an employer of labour.

He said: “As a businesman, I am dedicated to the revatalisation of the economy of this state. I have what it takes to take Kwara to greater heights.”

The aspirant added: “I have been pursuing excellence since when I was young. I attended Kings College, Lagos and graduated with distinction.

After my A’Levels in the school, I proceeded to the United Kingdom to study Mechanical Engineering on a British Petroleum scholarship and I graduated with First Class Honours.

“At King’s College, I distinguished myself as one a star, carting away more laurels at graduation. The effort fetched me a scholarship from the British Petroleum (BP) to read Mechanical Engineering at Greenwich University, London.”

Jani described himself as an experienced administrator, adding that the state will benefit from his rich experience and acumen, if elected as the governor.

He stressed: “I started my working career with the BP London before returning to Nigeria to work with African Petroleum Plc. I worked with Unipetrol Nig Plc (now Oando Plc).

At Unipetrol Nigeria Plc, I rose to the position of the Chief Executive Officer of Stallion Property and Development Company (a joint venture between Unipetrol and NNPC). In 1997, I was appointed the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nigeria Airways. In 1999, I returned to private business.”

•Jani

Olaiya join senatorial race in Oyo From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

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SOCIO-cultural group, the Oyo Central Elites Assembly, has urged the people of Oyo Central District to support the senatorial ambition of the chartered accountant, Gbenga Olaofe. The renowned technocrat has picked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s expression of interest form.

Olaofe is the former Chairman of the National Accounting Standards Board, the apex accounting regulatory body.

The group’s leader, Mr. Bello Olaoluwa, said Olaofe will offer qualitative representation and robust debate in the Senate. He also said that, if elected into the Upper Chamber, he will attract developmental projects to the districts.

He said: “Olaofe will facilitate job opportunities, enhance rural integration and agricultural development, maintain open door policy, offer scholarships and foreign trainings to indigent students and guarantee dividends of democracy for all. ‘’We are deeply concerned about how our district will beeome fulfilled.

Olaofe is not a beginner in politics. He has contributed to the upliftment of the socio-economic life of the district.”

Olaoluwa explained that Olaofe heeded the call to service at a time the people have decided that an indigene of Oyo should represent them in the Senate.

Governors, deputies part ways •Continued from page 43

test. We are expecting Governor David Jang to endorse his deputy, since both of them have worked closely to provide dividends of democracy to Plateau people,” he said.

Kano The deputy governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, is among the array of governorship aspirants that want to succeed Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. Ganduje could aptly be described as the most loyal and obedient servant of Kwankwaso. But, indications are that the relationship between both leaders is no longer as cordial as it used to be. In 1999, Ganduje sacrificed his governorship ambition for his boss, by agreeing to serve as the deputy governor.

Analysts are of the opinion that Kwankwaso picked Ganduje as his running mate again in 2011 because he conceded the ticket to the incumbent governor in 1999. That may perhaps explain why Kwankwaso placed the strategic portfolio of Commissioner for Local Government Affairs in his hands.

Ganduje is counting on the rapport between him and his boss for the APC ticket. When he declared his interest in the race recently, he said: “If I say I am contesting, it is no news; but if I say I am not contesting, that is the news”. But, the governor is yet to endorse any of the aspirants.

Ebonyi When Chief Dave Umahi emerged as the running mate of Governor Martin Elechi in 2011, some indigenes of the state believe it was an indication that there are more battles ahead in the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Prior to his appointment as the deputy governor, Umahi was the state chairman of the party. His appointment generated tension at the time.

Recent developments in the party suggest that Umahi’s plan to succeed Governor Elechi in 2015 has crashed. This is because he was not favoured by his principal. The governor and the PDP caucus in the state have endorsed the former Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, who hails from Ebonyi South, as consensus candidate. The choice of Chukwu, according to the governor, was in line with the zoning arrangement of the PDP in the state.

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POLITICS ONDO POLITICS The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Abayomi Adesanya, in this interview with DAMISI OJO, says the defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko from the Labour Party (LP) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)is not in the interest of the state.

‘Mimiko ‘ll betray PDP again’

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HAT’S your party’s reaction to the defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko from the LP to the PDP? We are not surprised because it is no news to us that Governor Olusegun Mimiko is joining the PDP. Of course, he has always been a member of the party. He has been PDP in Abuja and LP in Ondo State for quite some time. So,his defection is not a big deal, since it was long expected. That’s his attitude. He had wanted to betray them, but they were able to pin him down, that “oh boy, you are not going anywhere, you must honour your own part of the agreement”. As far as we are concerned, Mimiko’s defection is a survival strategy. He is looking for soft landing because he has committed so many atrocities in the state. The governor’s defection to the PDP is not to add any value; he is there because of his own selfish interest. I only pity the people in the PDP because Mimiko has come to “ebolarise” them. The Ondo state chapter of the party has been criticising the Mimiko-led government, but what are they going to do now, since the governor has joined them?

If former Governor Olusegun Agagu were to be alive, I am sure he would not be comfortable having Mimiko in PDP. Is your party not worried that Mimiko has joined forces with the PDP in the state?

We are not worried at all. We even like it because it will make our job easier. We have only two parties in Ondo State now, no more LP. That’s the way we look at it. As he has moved to the PDP, more than half of the LP members are moving to the APC and half of the PDP mem-

bers are saying they cannot work with him. I learnt he has been given 60 percent of the party structure because he is a sitting governor. Automatically, the state chairman and other members of the state executive committee of the PDP must go. All the positions from the state level to the ward level will have to be shared according to the 60/40 formula agreed upon. How do you think they will be happy with the arrangement?

Chief Olusola Oke was given an appointment, but he has not been sworn in since then. What’s he waiting for in the PDP? I see him as a progressive-minded person. He should now come to the APC where he can realise his ambition. We still have a number of them in the PDP who have a lot of credibility. They should come and join the progressive people. There is no way President Jonathan will not lose the 2015 presidential election. Therefore, the APC is forming the next government. We have six geo-political zones in this country. Jonathan is popular in only two of them, which are Southsouth and Southeast. And in the history of the whole world, there has never been a place where the alliance of the minority defeated the alliance of the majority. There is the alliance of the majority in the APC. I still want to implore PDP members in Ondo State to come and join the APC so that we can work together and move the state forward.

The rule of Mimiko has taken the state 20 years backward.

Why do you think Mimiko will not add value to the PDP in the state?

The truth of the matter is that Mimiko has become a political leper.

He has spent his relevance, and his popularity has drastically waned.

• Adesanya

‘Mimiko’s defection is a survival strategy. He is looking for soft landing because he has committed so many atrocities in the state. The governor’s defection to the PDP is not to add any value; he is there because of his own selfish interest’ The governor is our own Maradona.

He dribbled the defunct Action Congress (AC). We supported him to get to government. I contested for the House of Assembly in 2007 on the platform of the AC. My petition at the Appeal Court, Benin, was with-

drawn in solidarity with the LP. Dr. Tunji Abayomi was our lawyer. We received an instruction that we should withdraw all our petitions so that they would not affect the chances of the LP. We helped him there. He betrayed us.

He used President Jonathan to get a second term. He deceived the whole state. Mimiko betrayed former Governor Adebayo Adefarati. It was Adefarati who gave that name, Iroko, to him because he was the commissioner of commissioners. His colleagues in the cabinet then would have to liaise with Mimiko before they could get anything from Baba Adefarati because he was very close to the old man. But, what did he do to him? He betrayed Agagu too. He betrayed the PDP. The political Maradona would have wanted to betray Jonathan, but he has exhausted his cards. Mimiko is playing his last card which is this defection to the PDP. Our people are now aware of his antics. Don’t you see what is happening to the PDP since his plan to join the party in Ondo state? Mimiko has even infected the party with a virus deadlier than ebola. So, it is a good omen for us.

How are you preparing for the people, who may join your party as a result of Mimiko’s defection to the PDP? We are preparing. Many of them have been discussing with the APC leadership, including commissioners and members of the House of Assembly. I don’t need to mention names.

We have set up committees to handle the influx of people into our party.

Our leaders have been making efforts to reposition the party in the state because we knew that this would happen, that there was going to be a political tsunami in the Ondo PDP because of Mimiko. I would like to say that our tickets are open to anybody who wants to contest the 2015 elections. If they come on time, they can realise their dream in our party. Gone are the days when we used to have anointed candidates. Now, every aspirant will have to emerge through primary elections because we want to win elections and have government. The only person we will not accept in our party is Mimiko because of the deadly political virus he is carrying.

Sunday Menukuro was a Labour Party (LP) stalwart in Ondo State before it dissolved into the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). He spoke with LEKE AKEREDOLU on how Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s defection will add value to the party.

‘Governor ‘ll add value to PDP’

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HAT may likely be the future of the LP in Ondo State?

Well, the future of the LP in Ondo State, I may not know because I am no more in the party. As such, I am not in the position to know.

His Excellency, Governor Olusegun Mimiko was the one who brought the party to the state after wide consultations and he has seen better reasons to leave the party. He also had wide consultations with the majority of the party members and important Nigerians before he left. And we are happy to leave with him.

Don’t you think Mimiko dumped the LP because the party is losing its popularity in the state?

It is not true that Mimiko dumped the party because it is no more popular in the state. The party was not in existence in the state, until governor Mimiko and some of his friends brought it to the state. The party was just a platform that we used to win all the elections we won in the state. We could have used another party as a platform to win the elections as well.

Therefore, the party did not make itself; it is the people that made the party. However, I must say that I am happy for the party, even though it is Mimiko’s fortune that he brought to bear on the party that made the party to be known all over the nation. I am happy for the party because it is the lucky one among all other parties that we pinched our tent with.

There was nothing negative that happened to the party that made us to leave party other than our interest to aid the President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to win the 2015 presidential election.

Of what benefit is Mimiko to the PDP?

The benefits are enormous. It is unquantifiable. If you ask the PDP members, they would tell you that they did not have problems with other parties apart from the LP. It was like no other party was existing in the state apart from the LP and the PDP. Except, may be the APC which has a semblance of presence in the state.

You can recall that between 2009 and 2010 three elections took place in the state; the LP won all the three. In 2011 general election, apart from the fact that the governor delivered the state to President Jonathan, he won 25 out of the 26 House of Assembly members in the state, eight out of nine House of Representatives members and all the three Senatorial positions.

Even in the last rerun election that took place in Ilaje and Ese Odo Local Govts few months ago, the LP won but for INEC’S unexplainable wisdom, it declared it non conclusive.

What I am saying is that, no party has won against us since 2007 and it is going to amount to unmitigated hypocrisy and heresy for anyone to say that we joined the PDP because we are no more popular. When have they won us in any election? Before anyone can beat his chest that he would beat us, the person must have beaten us or must not have been beaten severally by us before, not the ones we have beaten severally. As I talk to you, we have never had any history of defeat of any kind since 2007 that we have been using LP’s platform to go into elections.

All these are great blessings and successes that no one can wish away. If any group that has all these fortunes decided to join any party it is a

great plus to such party. And I am sure that it is going to be a great relief to the party and any candidate picked in this new union is as good as having won the final election.

Does Mimiko still enjoy the support of Ondo State?

Mimiko is still enjoying the support of the people of the state, it is evident in the last governorship election when they reelected him and ever since he has not disappointed them. My brother, forget about what political desperados and rabble rousers are saying all over the place. The election they could not win at the poll is what they intend to win on the street by inciting the people against government. Thank God such orchestration does not work in Ondo State, the people of the state are too knowledgeable and wise to be so hoodwinked. So, these people failed as usual at the poll, they also failed and are still failing on the street. ”Will Mimiko’s defection not cause mass defection of PDP and LP members to opposition parties?

How can Mimiko’s defection cause mass defection of any kind from PDP? Well, there is free entry and free exit as enshrined in the federal constitution of Nigeria. Nobody will prevent anyone not to join any party of his or her choice but I doubt if there is any reasonable one who will see somebody who carries victories all about and would run from such person. It is suicidal and practically unreasonable.

If I may ask, are they going to form a new party? When they were in a major party they could not win him is it when they go to the relatively lowly rated party that they would

• Menukuro

win him? Like I said earlier, anyone who does that embarks on a suicide mission.

What is your solution to the issue of sharing formula between old and new PDP members?

I don’t have any solution for the sharing formula than to advise all the stakeholders that everything must be done with the fear of God, we should look for the round pegs in the round holes in those positions to be contested for. We must have it in our minds that we want to win the elections to better the lots of our people.

Meanwhile, the governor is the automatic leader of the party; the party members should join hands with him to do the right thing. They must not forget as well that Mimiko has the bigger stake in this union or call it a reunion of like minds. I pray that God will give us the wisdom to do it well.

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NEWS

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The standard of facilities in the Nigerian prisons are appalling, to say the least. Most of the prisons audited lacked facilities that would aid the wellbeing of the inmates as well as the reintegration of inmates back in the society after their release from prison •File picture of a prison facility

•Dr. Agomoh

‘ Saving prisons from decay

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LD. Decrepit. Overcrowded.

Broken down. These are words that have been used to describe many of Nigeria’s 227 prisons. Some of those who have experienced them have described them as “a taste of hell”. And ordinarily, it should not be. Prisons are supposed to be for reformation.

The situation could even have been worse but for the likes of the 20-yearold Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), a human rights organisation active in Nigeria and many other African countries.

This organisation, since 1994, has been at the forefront of prison reforms. It provides psychological rehabilitation and medical intervention to victims of torture and prison inmates.

Its Director, Dr. Ugo Agomoh, said: “In light of the prevalence of torture committed in prisons and in the course of police interrogations, we also carry out capacity building of healthcare departments in prisons, police officers and members of academia on the prevention and documentation of torture.”

PRAWA, in 2010, entered into partnership with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), the African Correctional Services Association (ACSA), the International Corrections and Prison Association (ICPA) and the Prisons/ Correctional Services in the piloted countries. Through this partnership, the group started the Prisons Reform Interventions in Africa (PRIA) Project. This was a three-year project supported by the Dutch government in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The project promoted effective and sustainable prison reforms in Africa. It aimed to make the prisons comply with international human rights standards.

PRAWA is involved in many other key projects, such as the Human Rights Training Integration (HRTI), designed to improve the awareness and observance of international human rights principle and good prison practices in Nigeria; Illegal Migration Awareness Project (IMAP), which purpose is to increase the awareness of Nigerian youths on the effects of illegal migration and positive life planning skills; Justice For All (J4A), which has the mandate to speed up criminal Justice in Enugu State; and the OAK Project, which is expected to stand up against the long-standing practice of torture.

On November 5, PRAWA will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in Abuja with the theme ‘Transforming Public Safety and Security in Nigeria: An Integrated Vision for the Crimi-

The country’s over 200 prisons play host to inmates who need help seemingly out of government’s reach. The Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), which is now 20 years old and others are helping out, writes OLUKOREDE YISHAU nal Justice Sector’. The speakers will include the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria (NHRC), Dr. Chidi Odinkalu; and the Executive Director, International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology, USA, Dr. John Gannon.

PRAWA said: “This event is quite important because it does not only provide an opportunity for the organisation to review its activities; it also presents a platform for it to kick off its plans for the future. The organisation understands that any reform worth having must be comprehensive and sustainable. Hence, in coming years, PRAWA hopes to consolidate its work in meaningful ways by becoming: a reference point for social development intervention for crime prevention in Africa; a champion in building a critical mass of personnel and institutions in community corrections; and a leading resource centre for sustainable, social entrepreneurship research and social development models for both rehabilitative and crime prevention purposes targeted at youths, prisoners, ex-prisoners, and victims of torture.”

The event will witness the launch of an Endowment Fund for PRAWA youths at risk projects; the Public Perception Survey Report on the Nigeria Criminal Justice System— an action plan for an integrated approach to security and justice sector reform.

Dr Agomoh said that the organisation’s work in the sector underline certain areas in need of discussion.

She questioned the achievements within the sector, especially when awaiting trial inmates account for over 70 per cent (and in some cases over 80 per cent) of the total inmate population in Nigeria. She added that the youths who are supposed to be the future of the nation, account for about 50-90 per cent of prison inmates in Nigeria. With about twothird of ex-prisoners re-offending, the highlighted issues are further worsened by the existing high level of recidivism, which places a question mark on the efficiency of society’s way of processing offenders.

She also bemoaned the prevalence of torture and violence, but added that even in the midst of all these there are still reasons for stakeholders within the criminal justice to celebrate. Reminiscing, she

stated that formerly, little or no free hand was given to NGOs within the prison sector, but now many government agencies are even extending invitations to NGOs as partners in the process of development.

To date, the organisation has visited over 150 prisons and intervened in over 39 countries. From only two members of staff, it now has over 30.

Dr Agomoh said the organisation has a strong interface with the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, with a designated desk at the office of the Special Rapporteur on Prisons and Places of Detention – a feat yet to be achieved by an NGO. GOMOH noted that the Eco nomic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice is an important forum for victims of torture in the subregion.

She said: “It is very important for victims to be able to make themselves heard beyond their own legal system, as otherwise they may not have a remedy, for instance, in cases that are indefinitely delayed. The ECOWAS Court of Justice can provide an alternative forum for torture victims in Nigeria and elsewhere in the sub-region. It may also be easier for victims, especially female victims, to file a case against the State outside Nigeria because of their fear of reprisals by law enforcement agents and the absence of witness protection mechanisms in Nigeria.”

She added: “Not many victims in Nigeria know that the Court exists, and lawyers are often not trained in seeking a remedy from the court either. Most legal representatives in Nigeria are not aware of the five different forms of reparation that can be requested when submitting a case on behalf of a torture victim to the court.

“It is important for lawyers and others assisting torture victims to know that the court only decides on what the parties request. If the legal representative fails to request a specific form of reparation, such as rehabilitation, the Court will not award such reparation, even if it finds a State responsible for torture. This is a somewhat limited approach that fails to take into account the rights of victims to reparation under international law.”

Head, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel

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Onwubiko, said Dr. Agomoh has done a lot to better the lot of prisoners in the country and beyond.

He wrote: "Uju Agomoh, the Executive Director of one of Nigeria's best known credible civil society organisations, Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, has done a lot of advocacy activities around the issue of the illegality of prolonged detention of mentally challenged persons in the heavily dilapidated, derelict and decrepit archaic infrastructure we today call prisons in Nigeria. In several speaking events around Nigeria, Uju Agomoh, who is vastly travelled globally, has canvassed an end to the unconstitutional practice of detaining persons who are mentally challenged in the antiquated prison facilities in Nigeria that are lacking in medical and/or psychiatric facilities. Sadly, the political administrators heading the highly incompetent ministry of interior don't give a damn about what to do to change this evil status quo.

"Many years after, Agomoh kickstarted her campaign to end the impunity of detention without medicare of persons afflicted with mental retardation, this tireless human rights advocate, may have finally got the institutional support of the Federal Government because a recently released 2012 prison audit report by the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria which was publicly validated by the National Assembly of Nigeria and other leading human rights stakeholders, disclosed that there are many persons that are mentally challenged who are detained in prisons across the country who ought not to be there in the first instance."

GOMOH and her likes still have a lot to do. De spite their efforts, the prisons still need more help.

The 2012 prison Audit report paints a grim picture of the prisons.

One sore point was the presence of mentally-challenged people. It shows that in the Northeast, four of 37 prisons had 20 mentally ill inmates. In the Northwest, there were 50 mentally-challenged; while in the Southsouth there were 79. For the Southwest, there were 121. 289 mentally-challenged inmates were found in the Southeast, with Enugu having 136.

The sanitation is also poor. The report noted: "Though there is every

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effort by the inmates to keep the cells clean and tidy, the age of the infrastructure (some of these prisons were built in 1925) and overcrowding in some cells frustrated the effort. In most of the prisons, the water cistern toilets were broken and there was no water to flush after use in some instances. In some, they used the bucket system and that created a lot of stench in the cells. Some of the prisons where the bucket system of toilet is still in use are Gassol and Serti prisons in Taraba State, and Misua prison in Bauchi State; Otukpo in Benue State, Pankshin in Plateau State and Ilorin in Kwara State. In some other instance there exist sewage system, the sewage systems were either broken or filled up. The prisons also lacked basic toiletries like soap or disinfectants.

"The UN Standard Minimum Rules on the Treatment of prisoners and other international, Regional or National laws have set a benchmark for the treatment of prisoners. In each of these human rights instruments, it is stated that prisoners are to be accorded with dignity and human being shall not be treated in a dehumanising manner, even when his/ her freedom to liberty has be taken away by the instrument of law.

"The standard of facilities in the Nigerian prisons are appalling, to say the least. Most of the prisons audited lacked facilities that would aid the wellbeing of the inmates as well as the reintegration of inmates back in the society after their release from prison.

"The dignity of the human person is an inherent right. In Furtherance of that, the need to adhere to minimum standard in protecting the welfare of inmates cannot be overemphasized. Despite the fact that the inmates are legally deprived of their freedom of movement, their right to the dignity of the human person cannot and need not be compromised.

Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), provides that ‘every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person’. Similarly, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provide as follows: ‘All persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human persons’.”

With this grim situation, PRAWA’s work is not done yet. Its life may just begin at 20.

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NEWS

Akume gets backing

Ex-envoy slams U.S. on arms purchase

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

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ENATE Minority Leader George Akume has been endorsed for a third term by All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Masev, Iharev and Nongov, also known as MINDA. MINDA comprises the Tiv in the four local government areas (Makurdi, Guma, Gwer and Gwer west) making up Benue North West Senatorial District.

The stakeholders took the decision at a meeting held at the Makurdi home of Senator Joseph Waku at the weekend.

Chief Har Orpin urged the people of MINDA to loan the Zone B Senate seat to their Jemgba brothers, who he said would support MINDA to produce the next governor.

•Akume

Speaking for MINDA people, Justice Bokon Ustaha said they had no choice but to support Akume.

Akume thanked them for their support and pledged never to disappoint them.

At the meeting were Mr Emmanuel Jime, Mr Mike Iyordye, Mr Akande Audu and House of Assembly members from MINDA.

ORMER Nigerian Consul-General in the United States Joe Keshi has slammed the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle’s statement on the country’s arms purchase blockade by America.

Keshi described Entwistle’s excuse for blocking Nigeria’s arms purchase as “tactless and undiplomatic”.

In a statement, titled: “America-Nigeria troubled relations”, he said it was unfortunate that Entwistle did not understand the seriousness of Nigeria’s security challenges.

Blaming some politicians for trying to discredit the President Goodluck Jonathan administration and create a gulf between Nigeria and

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

America, Keshi said the security challenges make it imperative for Nigerians to protect their country, regardless of their differences.

The former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the American government, which failed in its promise to help Nigeria rescue the kidnapped Chibok girls, should not take a position that could demoralise the Nigerian military or denigrate the Nigerian government.

Describing the American policy as “double faced”, the diplomat said: “No Nigerian should be impressed, misled or fooled by America’s excuses. There are credible evi-

dence from official U.S. records indicating that America has, over the years, executed some of the biggest arms shipments, running into several billions of dollars to countries with abysmal human rights records, including brutal suppression of democratic dissents.

“A number of countries in the Middle East, Latin America and Africa, including one whose recent history we all know too well, are beneficiaries of American military support.”

Keshi wondered if America’s refusal to sell arms to Nigeria and its subtle blockade of same by other countries was an indirect way of hastening the fulfillment of a prediction that Nigeria would break up

by 2015.

He said: “In comparison, the United States is mobilising global support and spending billions of tax payers’ money in humanitarian and military support to prevent the total disintegration of a region it helped to destabilise.”

On allegations of human rights abuses by Nigerian soldiers, Keshi said the U.S. government has also been accused of gross human rights violations by the Amnesty International. He queried whether “the definition of right and wrong is solely determined by what suits the narrow interest of the American government”.

Keshi hoped that Nigeria would overcome the insecurity in the Northeast.

Kogi West, Central demand power rotation

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•Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Archbishop Christian Efobi at the one year memorial service for Madam Lucy Okoli-Ogudebe, mother of House of Representatives’ member Uche Ekwunife, at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Igboukwu...yesterday.

From James Azania, Lokoja

HE people of Kogi Central and West have called for power rotation among the three senatorial districts.

After a meeting yesterday in Kabba, representatives from both areas said they had not been treated fairly since the creation of Kogi State in 1991.

They came together under the aegis of West-Central Coalition for Equity and Justice to work together to redress the “injustice”.

In a statement by its Chairman, Prof. Yusuf Aliu, and Secretary Chief J. Yusuf, the group said: “The people of Kogi Central and Kogi West have not been fairly treated since they came to the state in 1991; they have been reduced to second-class citizens in a state that is supposed to be theirs.

“The task now is how to liberate ourselves and become full citizens. The starting point for this liberation, freedom and democracy is power rotation among the three senatorial districts.”

‘Why public hospitals have low patronage’

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LAGOS doctor, Gad Subete Aaron, has attributed the low patronage of primary and secondary health care centres to lack of facilities.

Aaron, who is seeking Adamawa State Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) ticket to contest the Toungo/ Ganye/Jada/ Mayo Belwa Federal Constituency seat, spoke with reporters in Yola, the state capital, after obtaining his nomination form.

He said the challenges in the health sector need to be addressed by stakeholders.

Aaron said he would work

with like minded people to improve the health sector, if given the PDP’s ticket.

He lamented the deplorable state of primary and secondary health institutions in Toungo/Ganye /Jada/ Mayo Belwa Federal Constituency, which he attributed to the “lack of a true representative to champion the people’s cause”.

Aaron said he knew the plight of his people and would improve their lives, if elected.

He was accompanied to the PDP secretariat by his supporters.

Makarfi denies ‘plan’ to dump PDP

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From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

ENATOR Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna North) yesterday denied rumours that he was planning to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Makarfi spoke at the PDP secretariat in Kaduna while submitting his nomination form to seek another term in the Senate.

He said: “I am among the founding fathers of the PDP and I have no intention to dump the party for any emerging political party. I am here to submit my form, and I don’t believe in making noise. It is not in the party office that one should show his or her strength; it is in the ballot box that we should show that we have people.

“We will do our best to ensure victory for our party; I will run again in our party for the Kaduna North Senatorial District seat. We should work together; I am a founding member of PDP and will remain here. I have no intention to dump the party.”

Answering a question on whether the All Progressives Congress (APC) was a threat to the PDP, Makarfi said: “It depends on what you mean by threat; it is not a one man party and I consider all parties contesting against PDP as threats. It is a threat that we should do more to win and ensure victory.”

The former governor is the first PDP senatorial aspirant in the state to submit his nomination form.

I’m a change agent, says Lubcon chair

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HE National Vice-President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Alhaji Jani Ibrahim, yesterday declared his intention to contest next year’s governorship election in Kwara State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing his supporters in Ilorin, the state capital, the former managing director of the defunct Nigeria Airways promised to make job creation, agricultural revolution, natural resource development and infrastructural development his four-point agenda, if elected.

Ibrahim, who is the chairman/technical adviser of the Lubcon Group, said: “Today’s declaration is that of freedom, prosperity and the economic emancipation of Kwarans. I am motivated; I am driven by passion to see this state and

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

every individual in it attain the fullness of their potential.

“This declaration is an expression of the burning desire of a man with a humble beginning, a man who lost his father at the tender age of five, a man it has pleased God to raise from grass to grace and who is today immensely imbued with the genuine love of his fatherland; one who is determined to apply his wealth of experience, his knowledge, his energy and faculties to the socio-economic transformation of Kwara State and the emancipation of the people from the shackles of poverty, ignorance, disease and oppression to freedom and prosperity.

“This is why I have decided to step out to offer myself, trusting God and believing in your support, to serve the people by providing the desired

exemplary leadership and strategic direction for charting a new course of accelerated socio-economic development of our state.

“If given the opportunity to serve, I promise to lead a government that will serve as an agent of change, stability and sustainable economic prosperity, while upholding the universal principles of good governance, transparency, accountability, efficiency, rule of law and social equity with zero-tolerance for corruption.

“I can only do this with your mandate because sovereignty lies with the people. My promise and your agreement to do your part is the covenant I have with you to make my word my bond. It is called the social contract. I stand on the threshold of history and the people. We have the opportunity now to elect a selfless leader and I shall offer selfless service by the grace of God.”

Hausa/Fulani give conditions to return to Southern Kaduna

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ULANI and Hausa people, who were displaced by the 2011 post-election crisis at Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have agreed to return, but with conditions.

Speaking at a town hall meeting at the Zango-Kataf Council Secretariat, organised by the Interfaith Mediation Centre at the weekend, Sarkin Hausawa, Zonkwa, Alhaji Uba Ado said the government must tighten security and rebuild all houses burnt during the crisis before they return.

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

He said for peace to reign, the natives of Zango-Kataf and neighbouring areas must accommodate settlers and shun inciting statements.

Ado said: “A situation where the natives openly call us settlers is degrading and unacceptable.”

The paramount Chief of Zango-Kataf, Harrison Bugon, assured the Fulani and Hausa of security.

The Director of Intervention, Interfaith Mediation

Centre, Imam Mohammed Sani, urged the natives and non-natives to reach an agreement that would ensure peaceful coexistence.

Expressing joy that the displaced persons agreed to return to Zango-Kataf after two years, Sani said: “This is the essence of the meeting. We are happy that our efforts to ensure relative peace achieved in Southern Kaduna has yielded positive result.”

He urged people of various faiths to respect and tolerate one another.

Northern youths donate N2m for Jonathan’s form

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HE Northern Youth Forum (NYF) yesterday in Kano donated N2 million for the purchase of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) presidential nomination form for President Goodluck Jonathan.

NYF Chairman Bello Bichi said the token was not political, but “a clear indication that northern youths support Jonathan’s transformation agenda, as well as to enable him accomplish a second mandate”.

Describing Jonathan as “a detribalised leader”, Bichi said northern youths would not succumb to sentiments aimed at dividing the nation.

Minister of Education Ibrahim Shekarau collected the N2 million cheque on behalf of the president at Marhaba Cinema in Kano.

Shekarau said the gesture was more important than the amount donated.

He urged every PDP supporter to play his/her part to ensure Jonathan’s victory next year.

Present on the occasion were Minister of Youth Affairs Boni Haruna; Minister of Foreign Affairs Aminu Wali; Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs Ahmed Alkali and PDP stalwarts in the state.

THE NATION MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 2014

54

FOREIGN NEWS

•The UK and US flags have been lowered at Camp Bastion and Camp Leatherneck ...Yesterday

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UK ends Afghan combat operations

HE last UK base in Afghanistan has been handed over to the control of Afghan security forces, ending British combat operations in the country, yesterday.

The union flag was lowered at Camp Bastion, while Camp Leatherneck - the adjoining US base - was also handed over to Afghan control.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said “mistakes were made” but much had been achieved since troops arrived in 2001.

Pro-Europe parties wins in Ukraine

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PHOTO: MOD

RO-EUROPE parties led by a group backing President Petro Poroshenko swept a parliamentary election in Ukraine on Sunday, an exit poll showed, giving him a mandate to end a separatist conflict and pursue democratic reforms.

The survey, issued after voting stations closed in the ex- Soviet republic, gave Poroshenko’s bloc 23 percent of the votes cast for the 29 competing parties, ahead of the party of his ally, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk, on 21.3 percent.

A third pro-Europe party was in third place but a surprise was the strong performance of a group representing allies of ousted president Viktor Yanukovich. The Opposition Bloc, led by former Fuel Minister Yuri Boiko, secured 7.6 percent enough to put his party into parliament.

Though a fuller picture will not take shape for hours as the vote is counted, the exit polls confirmed expectations of a pro-Western assembly emerging from the first parliamentary election since Yanukovich’s overthrow in February.

The polls offered a reading only of party voting for 225 of the 450 seats in parliament and results from voting to single constituency seats will be known only in a few days time.

With the party of the pro-Europe party, Selfhelp, in third place on 13.2 percent, Poroshenko should easily be able to forge a coalition to press on with plans to end the conflict in the east and move Ukraine toward the European mainstream.

Other parties which seemed likely to enter parliament on the basis of the exit poll included the populist Radical Party and the nationalist Svoboda (Freedom) party.

The Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko performed worse than many had expected though with 5.6 percent of the vote on party lists she also should enter parliament.

The number of deaths of British troops throughout the conflict stands at 453.

Camp Bastion, in Helmand Province, has been UK troops’ main Afghan base since 2006.

The last US Marines unit in Afghanistan ended its combat operations with the handover of Camp Leatherneck. So far, 2,349 US military personnel have died in Afghanistan.

As UK combat operations end, Afghan security forces will take an increased role

US, UK and Afghan military personnel attended the handover ceremony Mr Fallon said: “It is with pride that we announce the end of UK combat operations in Helmand, having given Afghanistan the best possible chance of a stable future.

Speaking about the UK military mission, he said: “Mistakes were made militarily, mistakes were made by the politicians at the time and this goes back 10, 13 years.

In a simple ceremony in Bastion - the now mostly empty main base

for UK forces - it was lowered for the last time.

The moment was a symbol - for Britain at least - that its war in Afghanistan was over.

US marines alongside British and Afghan soldiers formed a guard of honour, saluting as the national anthems of all three countries were played over a loudspeaker.

The Afghans will now carry on a fight that’s already claimed the lives of around 4,000 of their security forces this year.

As for the few remaining British

Kobane :IS fighters attack crossing Kurds

Mali to contain Ebola fears after girl dies

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ALI authorities over the weekend sought to calm fears after Ebola claimed its first victim in the African country, a contagious toddler who took a 1,000-kilometre bus journey before being treated.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned the situation in Mali was an “emergency”, and said in its latest Ebola situation report that the biggest outbreak on record has now killed 4,922 people, the vast majority of them in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, with 10,141 cases reported.

The US states of New York and New Jersey ordered mandatory quarantine for medics who had treated victims of the disease in west Africa, after a doctor who had returned from the region became the first Ebola case in New York City.

President Barack Obama told Americans on Saturday that they must be “guided by the facts, not fear”. He sought to calm a jittery public by hugging one of the two nurses who became the first to con-

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tract Ebola on American soil after treating a patient, but has now been declared free of the disease.

Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita aimed to ease fears after the death of a two-year-old girl, the first Ebola case in the landlocked country, who travelled from neighbouring Guinea.

Mauritania meanwhile reinforced controls on its border with Mali, which led to a de facto closing of the border, according to local sources.

The WHO said it was treating the situation in Mali as an “emergency” because the toddler had travelled for hundreds of kilometres on public transport with her grandmother while showing symptoms of the disease—meaning that she was contagious.

The Malian authorities were tracing everyone who had contact with the girl and her grandmother and placed more than 50 people under observation.

One metric tonne of medical supplies was dispatched from WHO

I

•Boubacar

stocks in Liberia to Bamako late Friday.

The search for an effective vaccine to fight the disease for which there is currently no licensed cure intensified as the WHO said several hundred thousand doses could be available in the “first half” of 2015.

Experts are pinning their hopes on the experimental vaccine rVSV, with doses arriving in Geneva for a new round of trials, and ChAd3, made by Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline.

Egypt activists jailed for ‘illegal protest’

N Egyptian court has sentenced 23 activists to three years in jail for breaching a controversial protest law.

The activists include Yara Sallam and Sanaa Seif prominent civil rights campaigners.

There have been increasing complaints about restrictions on civil liberties since President Abdul Fattah alSisi came to power last year.

The protest law requires special permits from the authorities for any protest involving more than 10 people.

The defendants were accused of holding an illegal demonstration on 21 June to call for the release of detainees and the annulment of the protest law itself.

They are also being fined $1,400 (£870).

Campaigner Sanaa Seif is the daughter of the late Ahmad Seif al-Islam, one of Egypt’s leading civil rights lawyers and campaigners who died in August.

Sanna Seif’s brother, the prominent blogger Alaa

troops in Bastion - about 300 - they will be leaving for good soon..

The UK’s command of Helmand was transferred to US forces in April and personnel, military vehicles and kit have begun returning home in recent months.

Only a small number of personnel are due to remain in the country after this year, at the Britishrun military academy in Kabul.

British troops entered Afghanistan under Tony Blair’s Labour government.

Abdel-Fattah, was released on bail in September while he appeals against a 15-year jail term for violating the same protest law and assaulting a policeman.

Amnesty International says that Ms Sallam, a lawyer Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, was not even participating in the protest for which she is being imprisoned.

The law has been widely condemned as repressive, says the BBC’s Orla Guerin in Cairo, and the verdict comes at a time when human rights activists in Egypt feel increasingly under threat as restrictions tighten.

Former US President Jimmy Carter recently closed his Cairo election monitoring office, expressing doubts about Egypt’s transition to democracy, our correspondent adds.

After large protests led to the military’s overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, the army began a crackdown on his Islamist supporters and further restrictions followed.

S militants yesterday launched a pre-dawn assault marking the fourth straight day that the jihadists had attacked the Syrian side of the border crossing as the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighters prepare to head for Kobane, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Kurdish forces, backed by US-led air strikes, have been holding out for weeks against an IS offensive around Kobane, which has become a highprofile symbol of efforts to stop the advance of the jihadists.

More than 800 people have been killed in ground fighting for Kobane since the IS offensive on the Syrian Kurdish enclave began on September 16, the Observatory said.

The jihadists have lost 481 dead, while 313 Kurds have been killed fighting to defend the area, said the Britain-based group, which has a wide network of sources inside Syria.

Last week, under heavy US pressure, Turkey unexpectedly announced that it would allow the peshmerga fighters to cross its territory to join the fight for Kobane.

The main Syrian Kurdish fighting force in the town has close links with the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought a three-decade insurgency in southeastern Turkey and Ankara had previously resisted calls to allow in reinforcements.

The peshmerga forces are “ready to go”, but they are not expected to deploy to Kobane before Monday at the earliest, Kurdish news agency Rudaw reported.

The names of all of the fighters in the force have been submitted to both Ankara and Washington, it added.

The Democratic Union Party (PYD) which dominates Kobane agreed to the offer of the peshmerga troops.

But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan charged in comments published on Sunday that the “terror” group did not really want the peshmerga forces to deploy to Kobane for fear of seeing its influence diminished.

THE NATION MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 2014

55

FOREIGN NEWS

HKong protesters abandon vote on govt proposals

Brazil: Rousseff and Neves in tight election

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P

OLLS have opened in Brazil in what correspondents say is the tightest presidential election for decades.

Incumbent left-leaning President Dilma Rousseff of the Workers Party (PT) faces centrist Aecio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) in the second run-off round.

Both candidates have pledged to kick-start Latin America’s largest economy and make it more competitive.

Voting began at 08:00 (10:00 GMT) and will end at 20:00.

The latest opinion polls showed President Rousseff with a slight lead over the opposition candidate.

A survey by pollster Datafolha gave her 52% voter support against 48% for Mr Neves.

This is a working class area where the incumbent, Dilma Rousseff, might be expected to do well, thanks to her

•More than 140 million Brazilians will choose between Dilma Rousseff (left) and Aecio Neves PHOTO: Reuters

government’s welfare polices. But, as in the rest of Brazil, the standard of many public services is poor and Mr Neves’s track record for good political management will attract many voters.

Voting here is brisk. Brazil is one of the world’s biggest democracies and people seem genuinely engaged with the issues. The result is expected to be tight and there’s an awful lot to play for, which is perhaps one reason why the campaign has, at times, seemed bitter and divisive.

Poor Brazilians, particularly in the impoverished northeast, remain loyal to Dilma Rousseff thanks to her party’s

trademark welfare programmes, such as the Bolsa Familia family grant scheme.

She obtained her largest support there in the first round of the presidential election on 5 October, with almost 60% of votes.

But wealthy Brazilians, who are against interventionist economic policies such as petrol price controls and high taxes, favour instead businessfriendly Aecio Neves..

Supporters of the government say that despite low growth, unemployment has reached historically low levels and wages have been rising.

More than 140 million Brazilians voted yesterday, but

correspondents say much will depend on who wins the middle-class vote in the industrialised southeast.

Nowhere is the race closer than in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais where the two candidates were both raised, the BBC’s Wyre Davies reports.

Ms Rousseff, who has been serving as Brazil’s first woman president since 2010, spent instead the last day of campaigning in her southern stronghold of Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, where she held a rally.

The vote is widely seen as a referendum on 12 years of government by her Workers Party.

ROTESTERS in Hong Kong have abandoned plans to hold a ballot over whether to accept several government concessions.

Protest leaders said they decided to “adjourn” the vote after disagreements over its format and apologised for a “lack of discussion” with protesters.

The vote was to be held electronically and was cancelled just four hours before it was meant to start.

Tens of thousands of protesters have joined a sit-in calling for full democracy in Hong Kong since September.

On Tuesday, student protest leaders and government officials held talks for the first time, but made little progress towards ending the impasse.

Protesters have continued a sit-in in central Hong Kong, but their numbers have dwindled The government, represented by deputy leader Carrie Lam, offered to send a report to Chinese government officials reflecting the protesters’ views, and set up a platform to facilitate dialogue on future constitutional changes.

Protest leaders initially rejected the government’s offer before pledging on Friday to hold the now-cancelled vote.

In a statement, Occupy Central said: “We apologise to the public for the lack of discussion among the participants before making the previous decision.”

Though numbers have fallen significantly since the early days of the protests, a hard core of demonstrators - mostly students have said they will not give up their occupation of central areas until China changes its mind on the rules for Hong Kong’s 2017 election.

They also want Chief Executive CY Leung to stand down.

The Chinese government has ruled that candidates for the chief executive election must be vetted by a nominating committee dominated by pro-Beijing groups. The protesters say they should be allowed a wholly free choice of candidate.

Chinese and Hong Kong leaders say the street protest is illegal.

Tunisia holds first election under new constitution

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•Re-elected President Khama’s supporters at a pre-election rally at the weekend in Gaborone

PHOTO: AFP

Botswana’s ruling party wins general elections

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HE ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has won the general elections in the world’s largest diamond producer.

It secured at least 33 of the 57 parliamentary seats being contested, the national electoral commission says.

A party needs 29 seats to take power. Opposition group Umbrella for Democratic Change has won 14 seats.

The BDP party of President Ian Khama has been in power since Botswana gained independence in 1966.

But it has been battling to

gain support in urban areas where opposition parties have made recent inroads.

Botswana is seen as one of Africa’s most stable and democratic countries.

Three parties competed to win over the 824,000 registered voters who directly elected the 57 members of parliament.

Vote counting is still under way. However, the Twitter account of Botswana’s independent election commission said on Saturday that the BDP had already won 33 seats of the 57 contested, followed by

the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) with 14. The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is in third place with just two seats.

A further four members of the 63-member assembly will be chosen by the new parliament, with the president and the attorney general filling the remaining two seats.

Preliminary results for local council elections also showed a strong showing for the two opposition parties in Botswana’s urban centres, including the capital of Gaborone, Associated Press

reports.

Once elected, the MPs will then choose the leader. President Khama, the son of the country’s first president, is likely to get a second term in office.

He has faced challenges in urban areas, amid a worsening economic climate.

Despite being a middle-income country, Botswana continues to grapple with unequal distribution of wealth, high levels of poverty, unemployment and HIV, according to the African Development Bank.

China to offer $82 million in fourth round of Ebola aid

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HINA has said it would donate 500 million yuan ($82 million) to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea to battle Ebola, its largest round of aid to help contain the spread of the deadly virus.

This was the fourth round of Chinese aid against Ebola, the highly infectious hemorrhagic fever that has killed more than 4,800 people since its worst epidemic on record began earlier this year.

China has sent hundreds of aid workers to Africa to help fight the Ebola outbreak and so far has contributed about

$40 million in aid to fight the disease, including $6 million to the World Food Programme.

“China will offer aid in cash and in kind, send more health experts and medical staff and help build a treatment center in Liberia,” the official Xinhua news agency cited China’s President Xi Jinping as saying.

The World Food Programme said on Monday that China’s corporations and billionaires have lagged behind in contributions to fighting the Ebola epidemic in West Africa despite vast economic ties to the re-

gion.

Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd., a Chinese drug maker with military ties, has sent several thousand doses of an experimental Ebola drug to Africa and is planning clinical trials there.

About a million Chinese nationals live in Africa, with about 10,000 in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

The World Health Organization has warned of 5,000-10,000 new cases of Ebola globally every week by December.

UNISIA is voting to elect its first full parliament under a new constitution passed earlier this year.

The election is one of the final stages in the political transition which followed the ousting of authoritarian leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

There are no opinion polls, but the moderate Islamist Ennahda party, which won Tunisia’s last national election in 2011, is expected to do well.

Its main rival is likely to be the liberal Nidaa Tounes (Tunisia’s Call).

Most of the major parties have vowed to tackle Tunisia’s high unemployment and to reinvigorate its economy.

Polls opened at 07:00 (06:00 GMT) and will close at 18:00 (17:00 GMT). Results are expected on Wednesday.

Despite a rainy and damp start to the day, there were queues outside this polling station in the Tunis 2 district, with some carrying the Tunisian flag.

In this district, voters have a choice between 45 candidates. The entire process is being tightly observed by around 800 international, as well as more than 10,000 national, election monitors across the country.

The security presence is visible at the polling stations and on the streets.

Today marks the end of the political transition period from dictatorship to democracy. It’s a milestone, the expectations are high, not just in Tunisia but abroad as well.

Tunisia is seen as the birthplace of the “Arab Spring” the pro-democracy movement which sought to replace autocratic governments in several Arab countries.

Tunisia is considered to have had the most successful outcome, with relatively low levels of violence.

However, radical groups within Tunisia have threatened to disrupt the elections

•Marzouki

and on Thursday militants shot a policeman on the outskirts of the capital, Tunis.

More than 50,000 security personnel and nearly 20,000 soldiers are expected to be deployed on Sunday to ensure safe voting.

Voters have more than 100 parties to choose from in the race, which uses proportional representation On the eve of the polls, Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa warned that extremist groups could attempt to attack voting stations.

“We know that this [election] will be a target because it is unique in the region. It brings hope,” he said, during an inspection of troops near Tunis.

Around five million Tunisians have registered to vote, with overseas residents having already cast their ballots on Friday.

Some observers fear a low turnout, arguing that voters have become disaffected with politics after a lack of economic progress in the years following Ben Ali’s overthrow.

Ennahda, which currently rules in coalition with other parties, has promised to pursue a unity government even if it wins the most seats.

Tunisia is set to hold a presidential election on 23 November, which will deliver the country’s first directly elected leader since the removal of Ben Ali in 2011.

Protests which began in the Tunisian town of Sidi Bouzid in late 2010 later gathered pace and spread across much of the Arabworld the following year.

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

NEWS

APC to ratify six-point manifesto at convention

Continued from page 4

ans, complete with the full details, in many languages.

National Secretary of the party Alhaji Mai Mala Buni expressed optimism it would produce a candidate acceptable to all Nigerians.

Alhaji Buni told reporters at the party’s national secretariat that the level of poverty and degradation in the country has no boundary of south or north, Christian or Muslim, saying what the nation wants at this point is a president who can fight insecurity and restore the peace, harmony and tranquility in all communities.

“It is not about producing a northern or southern president. We want to produce a

Nigerian President. We want to produce a president who will work for the country, sacrifice himself for the country and be selfless in discharging his responsibilities to the country and who will be acceptable to every Nigerian as an upright person who can fight corruption and bring development to the country.

“That is what we want and not about south or north. Let me tell you that the level of poverty and degradation and impoverishment in this country has no boundary of south or north, Christian or Muslim.

“We are all suffering and nobody is left out. Everybody is desirous of change and that is why the APC is poised to produce the best President for this

country. We want to have somebody who will fight corruption because it is the major dent of this country that is under developing the country.

“We want somebody who can fight the insecurity and restore the peace, harmony and tranquility in all communities.

This is our hope and I don’t think we will now restrict this to either south or north. These are political boundaries.

“APC is poised to give the best President who will be read to address the problem militating against the development of Nigeria. This is our common problem and it is our common challenge. So, it is not about where the person comes from”.

He described the merger of

the opposition parties as a major milestone in the nation’s political history, saying: “There used to be alliances which often collapse. But for political parties to merge and form one single formidable opposition party has never happened until the merger that gave birth to the APC. So, when you look at it carefully, you will not be surprised about the defection of the seating governor from the PDP the APC. “That goes to tell you how the country is suffering. If things are going well, how can sitting governors defect to opposition party to fight the ruling party to form government?”

ment does not determine what projects to be executed, where to be sited and how much to spend.

Turaki, who spoke on the phone last night, said the projects were not coming late as being insinuated because constituency projects have a lifespan of up till March 31st, 2015.

He cautioned against reading politics into the management of constituency projects.

Turaki said: “Constituency projects are executed through intervention funds given or allocated to the National Assembly.

“Usually it is about N100billion every year and the National Assembly members know the formula they use.

While every member of the House gets [projects worth about N70million, Senators may get N90million.

“It is within the discretion of each member of the House or Senator to determine the constituency projects to implement based on the needs of their constituents, which MDAs to implement out of the budget envelope allocated.

“We, in the Ministry of Special Duties, do not give out these contracts, we do not pay but we supervise to make sure that they are properly executed. So, we do not see the contracts, we don’t pay.

“Therefore, the Federal Government does not determine what projects, where to be sited and how much to be spent.”

Explaining how it works, Turaki added: “The way it works out is this: A member of the House might out of his envelope want a skill acquisition centre in his constituency and will prefer the National Directorate of Employment (NDE)

to handle it. He or she might say out of N70million, I want N15million used for the centre, and another N20million for motorized boreholes to be executed by the Ministry of Water Resources. The breakdown will flow until his envelope is exhausted.

“For each constituency project, the money from the Budget Office will go to the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

After, the Ministry of Special Duties will write to the MDAs to send us evidence of completion.

He said: “Last year, 114 MDAs were involved but this year, 127 MDAs have been engaged for constituency projects. Some have started early and more than 70 per cent have been completed.”

Lawmakers get N9b projects’ letters Continued from page 4

they do not know that these projects are not our personal jobs. They are short and quick win projects to improve the lives of the electorates.

A PDP member of the House said: “I see the projects as in line with the improving rapprochement between the Executive and the National Assembly.

“My concern is that the projects are late and the development is a setback for our plans to make December the life span of any budget. We have been struggling to keep that budget window.”

The Minister of Special Duties, Alh. Kabir Tanimu Turaki yesterday said constituency projects are purely National Assembly affairs which the Federal Government only supervises.

He said the Federal Govern-

‘PDP desperate to win Rivers, Edo’ Continued from page 4

The Rivers governor called for unity among APC members. Oshiomhole lauded Amaechi for the success of his 7th anniversary and the massive crowd at the stadium.

After the opening ceremonies, reporters were excused.

The national chairman of APC, in his address, said: “For the Southsouth, this is perhaps even more crucial and more important than a lot of the other zones. In the Southsouth, we have the President of the nation (Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) and the National Chairman of the APC. So, there is already, from the very beginning, the challenge that we have before us, that we must prove something.

“The challenges are obvious.

The Southsouth is absolutely valuable to both the PDP and the APC, because the two states we control are the two states badly wanted by the leaders of the PDP and they will do whatever it takes to get these states (Edo and Rivers), but thank God, the two states are where we have governors that are charismatic and that have been able to very strongly relate with and identify with the people that they govern.

“Like Governor Amaechi proved yesterday (on Saturday), nothing must be taken for granted. What happened yesterday (on Saturday) was to let everybody see that in case they have any doubt, after President Jonathan’s statement in Benin that the APC in Rivers State only existed on billboards and posters. It was necessary to do what happened yesterday (on Saturday), apart

from celebrating the 7th anniversary that brought us this fortunate man, Governor Amaechi. The first challenge is that we (APC) must retain Edo and Rivers states.

“Since the Southsouth and Southeast zones are the home of massive rigging, if the best cannot happen that we can get a few more states in the Southsouth zone, we must at the same time not allow the worst to happen. The worst being that we will become a kind of canon folder that the PDP leaders will use. We have clearly these challenges before us.

“I wish to congratulate the Governor of Rivers State for proving the point yesterday (on Saturday) and making it clear to all concerned, about who controls the grassroots in Rivers state, with the large crowd at the stadium.”

The APC’s national chairman said the burning of houses and confusion in Delta State over local government election was very unfortunate.

He said: “We must praise the APC members in Delta State.

The PDP leaders in Delta State are taking the APC leaders more seriously. It is really sad that the PDP members in Delta State yesterday (on Saturday) lost their sense of balance and started burning houses and destroying valuable property. The mayhem is condemnable.

“Whatever the results that are finally written and announced, I want to say that we are quite pleased with the conduct of the APC members, who have shown that APC is fully on the ground in Delta State.”

Odigie-Oyegun also admitted the lack of unity among the APC members in Delta and Akwa Ibom states, while urging the governors of Edo and Rivers to intervene.

He said: “When we finally kill the elephant, there will be enough for everybody. No political party can be a one man party, no matter how strong that one man is.

“There is need for compromise. The problem in these areas is that there has not been any genuine attempt at compromise. We need healthy and virile party. We should now take very seriously the issue of unity in the party, which will turn the elections in our favour.”

The APC’s national chairman also urged members of the party in Rivers and Edo states to obtain their voter cards in order to vote out PDP and its candidates during the 2015 elections.

He said: “A lot of lessons have been learnt. So much has gone wrong in other states and these are mistakes we cannot afford to allow to happen in the two states (Edo and Rivers). We need every vote that we can get. So, there should be massive mobilisation, particularly at the unit level.

“We need quite a bit of funding too to get people from far distance to where they are supposed to get their permanent voter cards, because the N10 or N20 in the people’s pockets is very important.

“Unless somebody is a dedicated person, he or she may not bother to spend such money in this hard time, just to go and get a permanent voter card.”

Presidency threatens Amaechi Continued from page 4

truth and will never be fooled or swayed by his arrant opportunism and anti-Jonathan rantings.

“Nigerians know that while Mr. Amaechi falsely accuses others of corruption, he cannot show or explain to the people of Rivers State what he has done with the billions of Naira that has accrued to the state under his tenure.”

It went on: “Nigerians will know too that while he falsely alleges that Rivers and other states have not received funds due to them from the Federation account, the only outstanding allocation was for September, which was released to all states well over a week ago.

“The governor should stop trying to make President Jonathan the scapegoat for his woeful performance in Rivers State and look to his own very apparent failings and incompetencies.

“He should also stop blackmailing the First Lady who has demanded nothing from him other than good governance, justice, equity, fairness, real development and progress in Rivers State.”

Also yesterday, First Lady Patience Jonathan denied asking for money from the Rivers State governor.

Amaechi had, while speaking in Port Harcourt at the joint graduation of the students of University of Ibadan and pioneer graduates of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, at the weekend, was quoted as saying that his problem with Mrs. Jonathan started after he rejected her demand.

“I refused to give them money in Abuja because if I did that, I won’t be able to carry out any development project or finish the road from Rumuolumeni to Rumuepirikom.

“The quarrel between me and the wife of the President is because she said I should bring your money, Rivers people’s money and share with her,” the governor reportedly said.

But Mrs. Jonathan, in a statement by her media assistant, Mr. Ayo Adewuyi, said the statement was a deliberate attempt to malign her.

The statement read: “Having waited patiently for Governor Amaechi to refute the statement credited to him about the First Lady, (with the assumption that he was misquoted), it has become clear that it was a deliberate attempt to malign Dame Patience Jonathan and score cheap political point. ”The governor may have been beclouded by the political uncertainty surrounding him to make such a jaundiced and unsubstantiated allegation that the First Lady asked him to bring Rivers State money to share.

“This is a blatant lie designed to denigrate the person of Dame Patience Jonathan and undermine the Presidency.

This is to say the least most unfortunate.

“It is crystal clear that Governor Amaechi is looking for cheap excuse for his failure in the governance of the state. We say without any iota of equivocation that the First Lady never made such a request and could not have done so in any way either directly and indirectly.”

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Sport Extra

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THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

SPORT EXTRA AFRICAN WOMEN CHAMPIONSHIP (AWC)2014

Buruj picks five for international tourney

Mark hails Falcons P

S

ENATE President, David Mark, has congratulated the Super Falcons of Nigeria for beating their Camerounian counterparts to retain the Afri-

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sani Onogu, Abuja can Women Championship (AWC)2014.

A statement by Chief Press Secretary to the

Senate President, Paul Mumeh, said that Mark thanked the Nigerian girls for lifting the soccer spirit of the country once more, saying that their remarkable feat in

• Standing from Left: Super Falcons captain Evelyn Nwabuoku, NFF board member Dilichukwu Onyedinma, Nigeria High Commissioner in Namibia ;Ambassasdor Biodun Olurunfemi, Minister for Sports Tammy Danagogo and wife of the Ambassador at the Nigerian House for the dinner

Windhoek, Namibia gives the nation a sense of pride.

He said, "Once more Nigeria has demonstrated her superiority in Soccer in Africa with the superlative performance of our girls in Windhoek . This remarkable record is commendable. The nation owes them a debt of gratitude."

The Senate President promised that the National Assembly will continue to make adequate budgetary allocation for sports development not only for the need to win more laurels for the country but because of the potential of sports in the promotion of peace and unity of the country.

Mark assured that government would do the needful to honour the girls on their return home for making the country proud.

The Senate President counseled the troubled members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to resolve the dispute rocking the football house in order not to have a negative effect on soccer development in Nigeria.

Keshi to get two months pay this week

E

X-SUPER Eagles' Chief Coach,Stephen Keshi will get two months salaries for handling the national football team in September and October during the AFCON qualifiers.

The Big Boss whose contract was not renewed after he led the Eagles to the second round of the Brazil 2014 World Cup was prevailed upon by the sports minister Tamuno Danagogo to take charge of the team in an interim capacity for the Nations Cup qualifiers.

However,two weeks ago,the Nigeria Football Federation officially told the ex-Hawks of Togo coach that his services were no longer required.

Speaking to NationSport at the prestigious Hilton Hotel in Windhoek,the sports minister insisted that he even though Keshi is no more the Eagles' coach,he

RESULTS England - Premier League Burnley 1 - 3 Everton Tottenham1 - 2 Newcastle Man Utd 1 - 1 Chelsea England - FA Cup Worcester 2 - 1 G.Borough Italy - Serie A Chievo 1 - 2 Genoa Juventus 2 - 0 Palermo Udinese 2 - 0 Atalanta Cesena 0 - 1 Inter Lazio 2 - 1 Torino Napoli 6 - 2 Hellas Spain - Liga BBVA Malaga 4 - 0 Rayo Espanyol 0 - 0 Deportivo Germany - Bundesliga Wolfsburg 3 - 0 Mainz 05 Gladbach 0 - 0 Bayern France - Ligue 1 Rennes 2 - 0 Lille Guingamp2 - 7 Nice

From Onyewuchi Nwachukwu in Windhoek will be paid his two months salaries latest this week.

"When I asked Keshi to take charge of the team on an interim basis,i promised him that he will be paid his wages for the period of time he worked"Danagogo said

in the interview.

"Based on that,i have instructed the NFF to pay Keshi his two months salaries from their allocation this month.We must learn to honour agreements because Keshi ceases to be the coach does not mean we should deny him of his entitlements, "he said.

Siasia eyes Iheanacho

T

HE new Under-23 Coach, Samson Siasia has insisted that he is not under any pressure at the moment to perform as he is more concerned with recruiting raw talents into the team.

The silver winning coach at the Beijing Olympics Games is however not ruling out Man City's rave of the moment, Kelechi Iheanacho from his line up afterwards as he said: " Let me do my screening first, Iheanacho is a very good player, if that time comes for us to include comes up then we will do

• Iheanacho

By Stella Bamawo that. Right now we are looking for raw talents let’s go down and dig deep and look for those players that have not been found yet. We want to bring them out so that they can be the likes of Iheanacho and other big players, let’s go out and look for them.”

Siasia however persists that he is in the building process: “For now I don't have any players, we don't have any team we are starting all afresh. I am not under any pressure right now, all I want to do is make sure I get a team to start with start with. If we get to the Olympics we will worry about winning or not but for now let's see our we will come on with a s very good team that Nigerians will be proud of.It's a long way from the Olympics, almost two years so we have to take it one step at a time let's start with the all Africa games and see where we are.

The former Super Eagles however admonished football stake holders in the country to call a truce as he foresees the crisis affecting the round leather game in the country.

"Let' them sit down I think everybody means well for this country, both parties should see how they can iron out these problems. Going to the

court every month or two months will drive us down, it won't encourage us to do actually what we are planning to do,” he noted.

Iheanacho is a good player, if that time comes, now we are looking for raw talents, let's go out and look for them This is Siasia’s second stint in charge of the U23s. He led the team to winning silver at the Beijing Olympics Games.

REPARATIONS are in top gear for five players who excelled during their one-year training programme at Buruj Sports Academy to travel abroad and feature in some international soccer competitions.

According to the Managing Director of the Academy, Salaudeen Waheed, five players who distinguished themselves Yusuf Sani, Fadeni Kehinde, Alabi Afeez, Isong Daniel and Adiankpo Edidiong, are all set to be travel abroad as part of the team that will represent Buruj Academy in some international tourneys to organised by Team Tour Direct, based in United Kingdom.

The training tour will also be in conjunction with Buruj Health for Alternative Therapy.

"We are already putting finishing touches to the arrangement to take some of our players abroad. Some of these players have been training with us since the last one year," Buruj began.

"One of the main objectives for establishing the academy is to create a unique platform for young players to showcase their talents both at home and abroad."

MONTHLY BOXING SHOW

Abua, others emerge winner

A

BUA Christian has emerged winner of the The 57th edition of the Monthly Boxing Show held in Rowe Park, Yaba on Saturday 26th October, 2014.

As in the Case with the previous editions it proved to be quite a thrilling event as boxers from schools and boxing clubs across lagos squared up to each other in the ring.

The first bout of the day Kudus Omotayo from Ajegunle Nursery/Primary School, in the red corner slugged it out with Lekan Akindele of Alapere Nursery/Primary School. Kudus won the bout, which was a 30kg exhibition bout, by a 3-0 unanimous decision.

Omotayo Semiu from Makeye Junior High School, Ajegunle lost his 44kg match by a 3-0 unanimous decision to Akinola Azeez of ILupeju Junior High School.

The 49kg weight category fight had Dare Ogunyanju of Lion Boxing Club in the red corner against Chinede Sylvester of Ola Akins Boxing Club in the blue corner. The bout ended with a 3-0 unanimous decision to the boxer in the red corner.

The only female bout of the day had Yetunde Odunuga of Always Boxing Club beat Toyin Adejumola from Smart Boxing Club by a 2-1 majority decision.

Funmilayo was fighting from

Emenike benched again

F

OR the third time in four matches, Emmanuel Emenike was relegated to the bench for Saturday’s Super Lig clash between Fenerbahce and Gençlerbirligi .

But his introduction in the 82nd minute sparked the Yellow Canaries attack into life, with the Nigeria international fouled 4 minutes later for a penalty, which was converted by Dutchman Dirk Kuyt.

The Turkish champions went ahead in the 50th minute through Emre Belözoglu before Antal netted eight minutes from time to bring the scoreline to 1 - 1.

Emmanuel Emenike has spent 296 minutes on the pitch without scoring in the Super Lig, hav-

"And just like these players, those who register with us can be assured of highly modernised, scientific and intensive training to sharpen their skills under the watchful eyes of competent coaches and trainers. If they can prove their worth, we will create avenues for them to follow their dreams through our partnership with some international agents and scouts who will be willing and ready to secure professional contracts for them abroad.

It is part of our firm commitment that those who register and train with us get value for their time and money," he affirmed.

Some of the tournaments that have been lined up for Buruj Sports Academy to participate in are Turkish Super Cup, Dubai Super Cup, Welsh Super Cup and Manchester Super Cupamongst others.

"Registration for new session has commenced in earnest and all enquiries should be directed to our office or interested players can visit our w e b s i t e : www.burujsportsacademy.com for further information," he noted.

ing netted last against his first team in Turkey, Karabükspor.

He is one of the players ex-

By Mayo Orekoya the red corner.

Taiwo Abiodun of Lagos State University had a 3-0 unanimous decision win in his bout against Babatunde Bello of Golden Star Boxing Club in the 52kg weight category.

The 56kg weight category had the boxer from Olu Omo boxing club, Akintunde Hammed lost his bout to Saheed Adisa of Star Boxing Club. Adisa in the red corner won the bout by a 21 decision from the judges.

Otto Joseph of Paramount Boxing Club was defeated by Hammed Rufai by a 2-1 majority decision. Rufai was competing for No Shaking Boxing Club Saheed Lawal of W.T.T Boxing Club. fighting from the red corner was adjudged the winner of his bout after the referees ended his bout against Samuel Elegbede in the 2nd round The final bout of the day had Seyi Oroku in the red corner slug it out with Abua Christian of Paramount Club.

Abua won the fight in the 1stround by a technical knockout. Oroku was boxing for Morgan Boxing Club The 57th edition of the Saturday Monthly Boxing Show served as match practice for Team Lagos ahead of the National Sports Festival coming up in November at Calabar, Cross Rivers State. pected to lead the Super Eagles front-line when they square off against Congo and South Africa next month in crucial African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

• Emenike

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

62

SHOWBIZ

BBA Hotshots: No regrets being massaged by Luis, says Lillian Afegbai

A

FEW days after her celebrated eviction from the ongoing Big Brother Africa (BBA) Hotshots, Lilian Afegbai, Nigeria’s female representative, was hosted by MultiChoice Nigeria last Friday at an event tagged “ Homecoming party/ Media reception” in Lagos, where she opened up on her experience in the house, warts and all.

With great composure, the 22-year-old actress and model, who was all smiles during the evening of fun and glitz, said she didn’t have any regrets over all her actions, including the controversial scene, where she was massaged by Namibia’s representative, Luis.

During a brief media interactive session, Afegbai, who entertained the housemates with her twerk moves during her two-week stay in

By Babatunde Sulaiman

the house, faulted her critics over the widely reported “physical therapy” with Luis, saying she would have done same with any male friend outside the house. “I have no regrets for all I did in the house. I will and can do the same thing outside the BBA house. After I came out, I watched myself while in the house and I was excited. In the real world, I can ask a friend to give me a massage.

I had no ulterior motive; I didn’t have anything negative in my mind and it didn’t lead anywhere. When he was giving me that massage, I was relaxed. That is the most important thing. As far as you don’t have any negative thoughts in your mind, you will feel free to go wherever you want and even do whatever you want to do as far as you know what you did was

right,” she said.

When asked what she would have done with the $300,000 prize money, Afegbai, also a presenter, said she would have invested it in her talk show, while also expanding her business. “I would have also got a house for myself, so that when my parents and family come, they will have a bigger place to stay, compared to where I live at the moment,” she added.

Like many of her fans, she

Bayelsa International Jazz Festival returns

•Masekela

B

•Kuti

•Scholars from Fela’s alma mater to train Bayelsan youths

By Victor Akande

13 , at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, Yenagoa.

But beyond the razzmatazz, Director General of the BSTDA, Mrs. Ebizi Ndiomu Brown, stated that this year’s edition of the jazz fiesta will also offer music training to young indigenes of the state.

She said the training will be conducted by professors from Trinity College of Music, the Alma mater of late Afrobeat precursor, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

Mrs. Brown also hinted that an assemblage of experienced technical crew and stage managers have been hired to oversee the two-day event.

According to The D.G, who is a business development and project management expert, all hands are th

also disclosed that she received the news of her eviction with shock. In an attempt to explain the seeming riddle surrounding her eviction, she said: “I can’t really tell you what happened because I wasn’t outside. Tayo and I were up for eviction; so, I knew it was going to be hard on you guys out there. When I came out, I found out that Tayo had a lot of nominations than me. Maybe Nigerians just felt they should focus

more on Tayo, believing that I wasn’t going anywhere. But I tried my best and tried to represent my country very well.”

Now that she is back to the real world where she will continue to compete for the attention of individuals and corporate organisations as an actress, model and presenter, the question on the lips of many is: won’t her two-week stay in the house, the shortest so far by any Nigerian representative at the

BBA, jeopardize her chances in the industry? However, Afegbai, a graduate of Accounting, said the experience would not in any way prevent her from realising her dreams.

“I am in the real world now and I am going to make the best out of it.”

In attendance at the event were Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, DStv; Caroline Oghuma, PR Manager, DStv and Efe Obiomah, PR Manager, Gotv.

Organisers unveil plans for CARNIRIV 2014

T

HE much-anticipated Bayelsa International Jazz Festival returns with a sophomore, which organisers say will set the mood for the yuletide season.

No doubt, the initiative is motion-in-progress for the Bayelsa State Tourism Development Agency (BSTDA), which is using the elevated genre of music to sustain tourism drive to the Niger-Delta state.

The maiden edition of the show had so much to remember, having featured an impressive lineup of world-class acts, including the revered South African jazz maestro Hugh Masekela and Nigeria’s Afrobeat King Femi Kuti, whose elevated performances doubled as tribute to the late African freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, who died around that period.

For a global music culture that is gradually being imbibed by the Bayelsa State people, last year’s show was a bomb, as Yenagoa was engrossed in two nights of thrilling cymbals, trumpets, percussions, pianos, flutes, guitars and sonorous voices.

This time, organisers say fans are in for more excitement, with a star-studded show that will feature Grammy award-winning jazz impresario, Earl Klum, among others.

The two-day event will hold from December 12th to

•Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, DStv; Caroline Oghuma, PR Manager, DStv and Efe Obiomah, PR Manager, Gotv

on deck to ensure the success of the jazz festival, adding that contacts are already being made with potential partners and other support groups, including the hospitality industry in the state to ensure a hitchfree event.

She urged potential partners, whom she said will earn certificate of partnership, to take advantage of the windows, created by the festival, to promote and market their products and services to a wider audience during the event.

Other artistes who rendered thrilling performances at last year’s event include, Somi, a Rwandan based in U.SA., Ego Ogbaro (Nigeria), Bright Gain (Nigeria), Gangbe Brass Band (Cotonou), Lekan Babalola and the Afro Jazz Messengers (UK).

ARRING any hiccup in arrangements, this year’s edition of popular Rivers State carnival, otherwise called CARNIRIV is set to be a great improvement on the previous editions, as the organisers have announced some innovations such as the introduction of the Miss CARNIRIV beauty pageant, the launch and deployment of state-of-the-art stage as well as increased exposure for local artistes to perform on the same stage with international stars.

The CARNIRIV holds from December 14 to 20, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

At a media interactive forum in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, last Thursday, the Director-General and CEO of the Rivers State Tourism Development Agency, Dr. Sam Dede, said: “This year, we are set to introduce our state-ofthe-art stage spanning 140 feet and reputed as the biggest of its kind in Africa. The stage has the capacity to hold a large collection of performers at once and withstand heavy duty equipment and stage accessories. The stage will also be deployed, for the first time, for the benefit of sponsors in the areas of

By Victor Akande branding and related purposes.”

Dede, an award-winning actor and lecturer, also stated that over 500,000 participants, consisting residents, tourists, fun lovers and representatives of corporate bodies, would converge on Port Harcourt during the one-week period of the carnival tagged “ One love, one people”.

“We have opened up the carnival for commercial exploitation from interested corporate bodies by packaging at least 12 signature carnival events into stand-alone brands for category sponsorships. Each category sponsor is entitled to multiple levels of commercial and non-commercial exploitations such as publicity, speaking opportunities, branding, the distribution of company mementos and other forms of corporate canvassing,” he said.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Board of Rivers State Tourism Development Agency, RSTDA, Deacon Vincent Erinwo, assured that the RSTDA would judiciously expend all funds released by the government for the purpose of the carnival. Accord-

ing to him, “We at the RSTDA have been given a matching order not only to put the scare funds to the best use, but to also seek sponsorship and collaborations from both corporate and non-corporate organisations to make the carnival a self- sustaining annual exercise in line with the vision of the state government.”

Since it made its debut in 1988, no fewer than 12 major events are held every year to the delight of indigenes, participants and visitors who throng Port Harcourt for the one-week carnival. It covers 14 kilometres of street parade made of colourful displays and entertainment for people of all ages.

According to the organisers, some of the signature events of the carnival set to return this year include: Kids carnival, Praise jam, Dance of fireflies, Keera( rhythm of the tribes) Egelege (champion of the sand arena), Hosh jam, International Aquatic Fiesta, Black African Musical Festival (BAMFEST), Reggae 360, International Heritage Parade, Garden City free style parade and World Peace Concert.

•Chairman, RSTDA, Deacon Vincent Erinwo (R), Director General, RSTDA, Dr. Sam Dede and Carnival Route Procession Coordinator, Deinbofa Ere, during the media briefing

THE NATION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

63

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL 9 NO 3,014

TODAY IN THE NATION ‘Obi’s contention that loyalty to a cause does not change with a change of platform is puerile...You cannot serve two masters loyally at the same time. It is an exercise in wishful thinking for Obi to nurse the feeling that he can still serve the overall interest of APGA from his current platform. He cannot’ EMEKA OMEIHE

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

T

HE beginning of the day is hard to decipher. In his beehive routine, the start or end of day can only be arbitrarily determined. You cannot decide by when he sleeps if he slips into his night clothes at 3am. Or when he starts by the start of his executive council meeting at 8am. Sleep can come in snatches. Hours dovetail in hours. Days are like night and vice versa.

Time is a blur.

You can start as I do at about dusk when he trots to his tennis court. This evening, with a cloud looking down without grace, his feet move deftly to the modern-looking arena. About half a dozen persons are with him. His attire is unmistakable. The Nike register distinguishes the short, shoes and top. When he enters the court, his racket is freed out of a bag. His face, embossed by earnestness, shows that he wants to make a quarry of his opponents.

Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan did not look like one on the verge of his sixth decade on earth when he defeated his opponent that evening. He did not look like a neophyte. His strokes were firm, his calculations cunning and his delivery definitive. This is quite unlike what my colleague and columnist Steve Osuji witnessed a few years back when the governor was bested. Could it be that the man had improved over the years? Playing with the liberty of equals, his opponents did not apply their strokes with respect.

Hierarchy crumbled. It was their platform for psychological revenge, to square off against the most powerful man in Delta State.

It was not the opponents alone that played equal. The element also did as a baleful cloud unleashed its content. With the rain unstoppable, the game ended with the score in Uduaghan’s favour. The game was a routine of Governor Uduaghan to keep fit.

But more potent was the collegial air about him that encouraged the opponents to compete without let or intimidation, something I witnessed the morning after at the executive council meeting that began promptly at 8am. It was a meeting of irony, humour, deliberations, statistical queries, repartees, polemical intensity and flashes of vanity. A full dish. Two things stood out. A bill to criminalise cults proposed by the attorney-general, Charles Ajuya. Some members of exco cowered at the topic. In irony, Governor Uduaghan reeled out names of members once associated with cults, when they were in university, the pirates that Soyinka started in Ibadan. Some deadpan humour it was. But the cults on the table that day were ferocious gangs laying waste state infrastructure, engaged in armed robbery and kidnappings. They were everywhere and they had to be criminalised. Some said why not identify the individuals, others said they hid under cults. Destroy the cults and

RIPPLES Egwuekwe to Nigerians: YOUR PRAYERS CAN GET EAGLES AFCON TICKET

PRAYERS?...So you mean other COUNTRIES too don’t PRAY?

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

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

Dusk to dusk ‘

He is the first governor to have subjected himself to that scrutiny

’

•Uduaghan

the criminals stand exposed. The bill was accepted by majority.

Some of the contract figures came up for corrections, and the governor said they were missing figures because they did not belong to the sciences. On a contract sum, Uduaghan quipped about the commissioner who was a lawyer, noting that if it was legal fees, he probably would miss the sum.

A member did not do an assignment because he did not know his 2014 budget. He still spoke of 2013. The governor, usually calm and reticent, rebuked him and threatened to fire him if he did not complete the job before the next exco.

“Your documents speak for you. It is clear you don’t know that you have a budget for 2014.”

The petrified man eventually collapsed to his chair. Roads, the rehabilitation and compensation of Sapele market after a fire disaster, the completion of school projects, hospitals and a number of roads were treated with urgency. The governor says he wants to commission before he leaves. The meeting

R

ICE in Nigeria is a conundrum and so has become our ‘honourable’ Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina. He holds the record as Hardball’s most talked about minister and the reason is obvious – rice is Nigeria’s number one staple and Adesina is intent on not only producing Nigerian rice, he wants Nigerians and the rest of Africa to eat Nigerian rice.

He has grand ideas and speaks in grandiloquent hyperboles. He also has a knack for throwing figures around like confetti to lend credence to his very hollow words. In fact, he has excellent intentions but the ‘technocrat’ has been taken over by the ‘Nigerian factor’ and his dreams are often far removed from his reality. For instance, he is worried that his dear country spends an injurious $2.5 billion on rice importation from the far-east annually. He thinks it is suicidal for a country of about 170 million people to depend on other countries for its number one staple.

Great, but what is he doing about it. He has given a deadline for the discontinuation of rice imports in Nigeria – 2017. He increased the tariff on rice imports and imposed a punitive levy on

ends on a traveler’s note. The United Nations would, in its Annual General Assembly in New York, unveil a report on assessment of Delta State activities under the governor. He would visit with a few members of the exco.

A sense of congratulations greeted the announcement. The governor said he allowed the assessment in order to see if he met international best practices. He was happy he did. He is the first governor to have subjected himself to that scrutiny.

After the exco, he hops into an SUV with Information Commissioner, Chike Ogeah, beside him. Uduaghan is driving. He says he loves driving. He moves in a rainy day to a meeting with pensioners. He enters the hall, and the pensioners, all gloomy and scowling, gather in a section of the hall.

“Wetin una want?” the governor asks with humour to tease the pensioners out of their melancholy.

“Una want rice, eba, fufu?”

The pensioners, especially a woman who was gorgeously dressed, had no time for humour. They said they were not getting their pensions. They presented their cases, and the issue took up to an hour, and it was learned that the pensions were coming to them but it was not stated in their slips. And it became clear that the government was paying about 10 per cent contribution, higher than the statutory seven and half per cent. The meeting ended with the governor walking to the pensioners and pumping hands with them, some of them cheered up, some others with the grimace of discontent. Some of them were frustrated that the system as it stood was as prescribed by one of them. Irony.

HARDBALL

Governor Uduaghan hopped back into the vehicle and drove back to the government house. He was to meet with the new executive of the Nigerian Bar Association. Their new president, Augustine Alegeh, was there but his team was not ready. In another part of the government house, the chief executive of Agip Oil and his team awaited him. It was a meeting of irony. The governor was happy that AGIP came on a routine courtesy visit. In the past they often came to complain about theft and vandalisation. After AGIP head’s glorious talk about their work with IPP and gas pipeline under construction, he ended with complaints about criminals damaging their installations. Talk about irony.

He met the NBA chiefs later. After the rituals and niceties of protocol, the governor lamented that lawyers encourage politicians out of governance, pointing out that while politicians are preparing for elections, lawyers are preparing for tribunals even before the first ballot is cast. Lunch followed.

But a brief lunch it was as the governor had to meet with the top brass of both the National Sports Commission and the Nigerian Football Association. Amaju Pinnick, the ebullient new President of the NFF, was the chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission. Unmistakable in the contingent were Paul Bassey, ace commentator, and Nigeria’s international Victor Ikpeba. It was part serious fare about Uduaghan’s sports feats, part traditional fealty with the breaking of colanut, and humour.

It was the softest part of the day. If, that is, the day started at 8am. My day ended there with him because many people were waiting to see him. He met with some individually and others in private groups. In my arbitrary definition, it began with sport and ended with sport, one indoor and the other outdoor. The full day was dusk to dusk. He had not fazed. It was not a day like when he held meetings of nocturnal frenzy that pinned down the Kokori militant or irritant as messiah, or when he was a heartbeat from death when he paddled in the creeks near militants with cocked guns, or when he operated in the theatre, or when he worked the phone on social media responding to enquiries and comments on his stewardship…

It was a full day. Not like a movie titled One Fine Day, starring George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer. That was a romantic comedy.

There surely was no romance, unless if you observed that first lady Roli Uduaghan often sat on the sidelines when her husband played tennis. Or the classic novel, One Fine Day, by Molly Panter-Downes on England after the ravages of the Second World War. No ravages this day, but building. Or the plot of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, a novel by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. That was too gloomy even though it gave the author the Nobel Prize. It was a peep into the heady day of a man who, last week, turned 60 in the saddle of Delta State.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

A – rice oh Agric minister! the shiploads upon shiploads of rice streaming into Nigeria from air, land, sea and bush borders.

The levy goes into what can be described as a dark account called Rice Development Fund (RDF). The total combined fee importers pay under Adesina’ regime has been 110 per cent in the last three years.

But the Adesina formula is not working. Tariff on rice in all the neighbouring countries’ ports is in the range of about 20 per cent. The result is that plucky and ubiquitous Indian and Lebanese businessmen are making a killing shipping rice into Nigeria like ‘mad’ through countries bordering us and smuggling same massively into Nigeria. It is, therefore, a case of double jeopardy for Nigeria, losing huge revenues to Indians and yet local rice production is on shaky ground.

Home-grown rice accounts for less than 10 per cent of current consumption.

Most crucially, Adesina is not walking his talk.

The little effort in local production is by small holder farmers, businessmen and stakeholders in the Nigerian rice value chain. The local rice is almost non-existent in the market; when they manage to

produce, their price is higher than that of the imported/smuggled variety. But what is the Minister doing about all these? Not much beyond making media proclamations and setting and resetting local production self-sufficiency targets.

The RDF which has been accumulating for over a decade is shrouded in secrecy. Nobody knows how much it is or how it is being deployed.

Engineer Charles Ugwu, an old patriot and a ‘chronic’ rice farmer told The Punch recently that, “At the level of the farmer, we are uncompetitive by almost 50 per cent. By the time I produce I don’t make profit and I try to be patient but no matter how I try, I cannot reduce that differential…

“There are a lot of other issues but the first is at the farmer level and finally at the level of infrastructure that we use to process rice in our factories. No power, no water and many other things are not there but we still struggle to be competitive. In the end, it is a lost battle.”

The key question in the Adesina rice conundrum is where is the RDF; where is the FG support and where is the so-called rice revolution Adesina talks glowingly about?

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