Thursday 14th July 2016

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THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016 T H I S D AY

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THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016 T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

NEWS APC DISMISSES IMPEACHMENT THREAT AGAINST BUHARI, CALLS IT A JOKE the two arms, and we resolved that finding an amicable solution to the impasse will move the nation forward and give the president focus to pursue his Change Agenda.”

He said he was too principled as a politician and had no cause to scheme against the president and the party he campaigned for or the cause he believes in.

“Let me once again reiterate that we hold the president in high esteem, and we will do our best towards ensuring that there is a cordial relationship and harmony between the two arms of government,” Wamakko said.

The senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Melaye, also denied media reports that he was the one instigating the impeachment of the president.

Melaye, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said those spreading the falsehood were people who believe that a “Nigeria that is not led by them must not exist”.

In a statement he issued yesterday in Abuja, Melaye said the allegation was the “narrative of the attack dogs of demagogues who have decided to turn Nigeria upside down for failing to choose leaders for senators”.

He added: “It is pertinent to note that the incredulously machinated misinformation was orchestrated by forces bent on destabilising the upper chamber of the Nigerian Parliament for selfish reasons.

“One of the mushrooms and faceless online platforms used to promote the ill-fated and calumnious write-up has been notorious for serving as the propagandist machinery of political commercialists who are pushing for the extension of their fiefdom to the National Assembly.

“While I remain unimpeachably committed to the leadership of the Senate, I believe the respected arm of government charged with the onerous responsibility of law making should be given the independence to conduct its business.

“It is untrue and malicious; the allegation is the narrative of the attack dogs of demagogues who have decided to turn Nigeria upside down for failing to choose leaders for senators.

“I am a responsible Nigerian, role model and a champion of anti-corruption

and equity which my party (APC) stands for. I therefore urge the general public to discountenance the libelous publication, as I will continue to respect the history, culture and excellence of my Kogi West people on the floor of the Senate.

“The true threats to the current Republic are those who believe that a Nigeria that is not led by them must not exist.”

Tinubu, Lagos APC Blast Melaye However, Melaye failed to address his outburst and alleged threat to beat up and impregnate Senator Remi Tinubu during an altercation at a closed-door session of the Senate on Tuesday, prompting the full weight of the wrath of Senator Tinubu’s husband and a National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, and leaders of the Lagos Central Senatorial District, which Remi represents.

Reacting to the threat on his wife, the former Lagos State governor described Melaye as a “disgrace to the Senate”.

Tinubu, in a statement by his media aide, Sunday Dare, dared the lawmaker to carry out the threat and see if “nothing will happen".

“Dino Melaye sunk to the lowest ever. From this point, it is downhill for him. A disgrace to the Senate of the Republic,” Tinubu’s spokesman wrote on Twitter.

“And if Dino thinks nothing will happen if he dare beats up another senator, then he must be living in a fools paradise. Things will happen,” Tinubu’s spokesman said.

In another statement, the leadership of the Lagos Central Senatorial Zone said: “We the leaders of the Lagos Central Senatorial District have monitored the developments in the Nigerian Senate closely for well over a year now.

“We have kept abreast of the under currents of the issues and the political alignments within the red chamber.

“We are mindful of the divisions that exist and thus we are in full support of those efforts to get all the senators working for the larger interest of Nigeria and the reforms needed to give birth to a more just and prosperous nation.

“Thus, we were taken aback and shocked by the events of Tuesday, July 12, 2016 during the closed executive

session of the Senate when Senator Dino Melaye launched a derogatory attack against a ranking senator, Oluremi Tinubu.

“We condemn in very strong terms Dino Melaye’s attacks on our distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

"We demand an investigation of the incident and the motives of Senator Dino Melaye. The Senate must look into her laws and find appropriate sanctions to prevent future attacks."

The statement signed by Chief Tajudeen Olusi; Mr. Fouad Oki, APC state vicechairman, Lagos Central Senatorial District; and Hon. Hakeem Bamgbola, the acting secretary of APC in Lagos, said it considered Melaye’s behaviour as unbecoming of the exalted office he holds and reminded him that he cannot muscle a colleague and a ranking senator.

“The right of every senator is guaranteed and Dino cannot seek to circumscribe it. The founding fathers of our democracy left behind a tradition of discipline, decorum and selfless patriotism. We hope the Eighth Senate will uphold this tradition.

“We stand behind Senator Oluremi Tinubu and firmly support her activities in the Senate. We salute her courage and consistent defence of democratic principles and the rule of law.

“Senator Oluremi Tinubu, a ranking senator has a tradition of speaking truth to power and never one to be cowed.

Lagos State regards Senator Dino’s attack as an affront on Lagosians and its political leadership,” the senatorial zone stated.

Malami Defends Forgery Trial Meanwhile, the AGF and justice minister yesterday told the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters that he instituted the forgery case against Saraki and Ekweremadu in the interest of justice and in the interest of the public. He also added that the case predated his appointment as the AGF. Malami, who appeared before the committee 24 hours after he apologised to its members and Saraki for not honouring the committee’s invitation twice last month,

explained that the suit was predicated on the outcome of the investigation of the forgery allegation against the suspects by the Nigeria Police.

Malami explained that prior to his appointment as the AGF in October last year, two cases on the alleged forgery had been instituted by some senators, one of which he said was filed by Senator Gilbert Nnaji (Enugu East) on July 23, 2016.

He explained that the criminal suit with reference number FHC/ABJ/CS/646/ 2015 was filed on July, 23 2015 alongside a report of the investigation carried out by the police.

“I was appointed on the 12th day of November 2015, that is precisely about four months. As at the time I came to office, the report was concluded,” he said.

Malami further said as the AGF, he was obliged to charge the accused persons to court in his commitment to sustain democracy and the rule of law.

When he was put under pressure to explain if his action did not constitute a threat to democracy, Malami said it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the matter because it was already subjudice, citing Section 53(5) of the Senate Standing Rules to buttress his position.

He reminded the committee that Section 53(5) of the Senate rules state that when a matter is pending before a law court, it will be overreaching for him to insinuate or comment on it.

But the chairman of the committee, Senator David Umaru, said the purpose of the meeting was not to look at the matter pending before a law court but was in compliance with Sections 62, 88 and 89, which among others, confer on the legislature the power to summon any officer to give evidence as the case may be.

The chairman also questioned Malami’s insistence on filing a criminal case on the alleged forgery of the Senate rules when he was aware of an ongoing civil case on the matter, as well as the ex parte order of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

In the same vein, Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North) said whereas Section 174(3) of the amended 1999 Constitution empowers the AGF to institute a case against anybody in the public interest, he demanded an explanation

from the AGF as to if the forgery suit was not an abuse of office.

Utazi also cited Section 30 of the Legislative Houses, Powers and Privileges Act which he said gave parliamentarians the powers to handle their own matters, just as he asked the AGF to determine if he was not infringing on that provision.

Another member of the committee, Senator Babajide Omoworare (Osun East), also expressed displeasure over the decision of the AGF to ignore the invitations of the committee, saying it was the responsibility of the AGF to collaborate with the committee as a required synergy to move the nation’s judiciary forward.

But the AGF cited Section 60 of the constitution, which he said gives the Senate the powers to regulate its own proceedings as the motivating factor for the suit, explaining that the amendment of the Senate Standing Orders 2011 was a violation of the provision.

According to him, the amendment was not done in observation of Senate rules as envisaged in Section 60 of the constitution, pointing out that the Senate rules are regulated through votes and proceedings, motions and resolutions and since none of these were observed in the amendment of the rules, the constitution had been breached and as the chief law officer, it was his responsibility to protect the constitution.

Malami further added that the amendment could not by any means secure legal protection because it was done in flagrant disregard to the Senate rules, and since it “came within the purview of criminality”, he had no option than to contest it in a law court.

“Certain people amended the rules without following due processes. Definitely, something was wrong and I had to do something about it in the interest of justice and public interest. There was need to show responsibility and it behoved me to initiate a suit in line with Section 174 of the constitution because it was a breach of Section 60 in the interest of justice to ensure that things are done within the procedure of the Senate,” Malami added.

Malami also said he did not deliberately stay away from the committee's invitations,

explaining that it was not in his character to ignore invitations to social events, much more those from constituted authorities.

But Utazi contested his earlier submission, drawing the attention of the AGF to Section 64(1) of the constitution which provides that each house of the National Assembly stands dissolved upon the expiration of a four-year tenure.

Utazi told the AGF that the argument that the Senate Standing Orders 2011 was forged was not tenable, claiming that the Standing Orders used in the Seventh Assembly automatically expired with that assembly.

However, the committee was divided, as Omoworare alluded to the unfettered powers of the AGF to charge anyone to court, citing the submission of the late Justice Kayode Esho that “the AGF was a law unto itself”.

But Umaru further read the submission of Esho on the powers of the AGF in the same document to the extent that the powers of the AGF as unfettered as they may be, are not absolute as submitted

by Omoworare.

He observed that the AGF could be dragged to court if it was found that he had erroneously damaged somebody’s reputation by wrongly invoking Section 174 against anyone.

Omoworare, however, reminded the AGF of the submission he earlier made that the matter was already subjudice, a comment which was protested by Utazi that Omoworare was attempting to stop the AGF from responding to his question on Section 64(1) of the constitution through that advice.

However, Senator Joshua Lidani (Gombe South) reminded the AGF that Saraki and Ekweremadu were not invited by the police, neither did they make any statement before they were charged. He therefore asked the AGF to provide proof that the document was forged.

The senator warned the AGF that the forgery suit would amount to a disservice to this country if in the end, the court finds out that the rules were not forged.

But the AGF said he had no comment on Lidani’s question that he should provide proof of forgery and restated his earlier stance that the matter was subjudice.

table yesterday the feeling was that we have our Angela Merkel,” said Jeremy Hunt, health secretary in Cameron’s team, which met for the last time Tuesday.

“We have an incredibly tough, shrewd, determined and principled person to lead those negotiations for Britain,” Hunt told Sky News television.

German Chancellor Merkel will be May’s most important counterpart on the continent as the process unfolds. Both women are renowned for their firmness, pragmatism and discipline.

The new British leader is expected to immediately start putting together a new cabinet, a complex political balancing act in which she will try to satisfy opposing camps in her party.

She has said she plans to

set up a new government department to lead the process of quitting the EU, which would be headed by someone who had campaigned on the Leave side.

Financial markets, which had been extremely volatile since the referendum, reacted positively to news on Monday that May would become prime minister earlier than expected.

Stock markets traded within sight of their highest levels of the year, as the prospect of stimulative economic policy across the developed world eased immediate concerns over the impact of the Brexit vote.

Economists predicted in a Reuters poll that the Bank of England would halve its main interest rate to 0.25 per cent today in a pre-emptive strike to try to ward off a recession and reassure markets.

THERESA MAY TAKES OVER AS BRITISH PM, PROMISES ‘BOLD NEW ROLE’OUTSIDE EU few, but by yours. We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives.

“When we take the big calls we’ll think not of the powerful but you, when we pass new laws we’ll listen not to the mighty but to you, when it comes to taxes we’ll prioritise not the wealthy but you.”

The US government immediately congratulated May and said it was confident in her ability to steer Britain through the Brexit negotiations.

“Based on the public comments we’ve seen from the incoming prime minister, she intends to pursue a course that’s consistent with the prescription that President Obama has offered,” White House spokesman, Josh Earnest, said.

An official photograph showed May courtesying to a smiling Queen Elizabeth, for

whom she is the 13th prime minister in a line that started with Winston Churchill. She is also Britain's second female head of government after Margaret Thatcher.

EU leaders, keen to move forward after the shock of ‘Brexit’, want May to launch formal divorce proceedings as soon as possible to help resolve the uncertainty.

But she has said the process should not be launched before the end of year, to give time for Britain to draw up its negotiating strategy.

Although she favoured Britain remaining in Europe, May has repeatedly declared that “Brexit means Brexit” and that there could be no attempt to reverse the referendum outcome.

The shock vote partly reflected discontent with EU rules on freedom of movement

that have contributed to record-high immigration - an issue on which May, as interior minister for the past six years, is politically vulnerable.

But EU leaders have made clear that free movement is a fundamental principle that goes hand-in-hand with access to the bloc’s tariff-free single market, a stance that will hugely complicate May’s task in hammering out new terms of trade.

“My advice to my successor, who is a brilliant negotiator, is that we should try to be as close to the European Union as we can be for the benefits of trade, cooperation and of security,” Cameron told parliament in his last appearance before resigning.

Appearing later in Downing Street with his wife, Samantha, and their three children, he delivered his parting remarks

to the nation after six years dominated by the Europe question and the aftermath of the global financial crisis.

“It’s not been an easy journey and of course we’ve not got every decision right,” he said, “but I do believe that today our country is much stronger.”

In parliament, Cameron took the opportunity to trumpet his government's achievements in generating one of the fastest growth rates among western economies, chopping the budget deficit, creating 2.5 million jobs and legalising gay marriage.

May is seen by her supporters as a safe pair of hands to steer the country through the disruptive Brexit process. Colleagues describe her as cautious, unflappable and intensely private.

“I think around the cabinet

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THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

News Editor Davidson Iriekpen Email davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Sheriff Rejects INEC’s Position on PDP Leadership Window for dialogue still open, says Makarfi Stakeholders meet today on fresh convention

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The factional leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has said it would not accept the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party’s candidate for the Edo State governorship election.

Sheriff’s position came just as the Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, stated that it has not foreclosed the chances of reaching a peace accord with the aggrieved group despite successes so far recorded by the party at the courts.

Also, the caretaker committee has said as part of its effort to quickly deliver on its mandate, it would hold a stakeholders’ meeting of the party yesterday to consider the possibility of fixing a fresh national convention within the next 90 days.

While addressing a youth group, the Young Professionals

from the South-South, which came on a solidarity visit to Sheriff, the former National Vice Chairman of PDP (South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh, said the group remains the true leadership of the PDP, and that the report of INEC’s recognition of the Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the party was a mere rumour.

Ojuogboh said: “We hear a rumour making rounds that INEC has accepted another person as candidate of the PDP for the September 10 Edo State governorship election.

“I hereby dispel the rumour and categorically state that INEC has not yet communicated to us. INEC is still considering all judgments and orders of the court.”

Ojuogboh who was flanked at the event by the former presidential aide, Ali Ahmed Gulak, further said their candidate, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, will push on with his campaign to contest for the governorship election.

“As we speak, the orders of the federal high court in

Abuja specifically asked INEC to recognise only candidates presented by Sheriff as national chairman of the party.

“The court in Port Harcourt is not superior to the court in Abuja.

And as such, cannot reverse the specific orders of the Abuja court ruling that INEC can only accept PDP candidates from Sheriff leadership for purposes of Edo and Ondo States governorship elections.

“In view of the above, I call on all our PDP members to remain calm as we call on our

candidate, Mathew, to go ahead and campaign vigorously and seriously to win the election in Edo State.”

But Senator Makarfi-led leadership of the PDP appeared not to be perturbed by the outburst from the Sheriff’s camp as they went ahead to receive a delegation of prominent leaders of the party from the North-west geopolitical zone yesterday.

The North-west party leaders which included zonal officers and state chairmen of the PDP said they were on a solidarity visit to

reassure the caretaker committee of their full support in the effort to reposition the party affairs.

Speaking during a brief ceremony at the temporary operational base of the committee in Wuse II, Abuja, Makarfi said the party still prefers a reconciliatory approach to resolving the current crisis to litigations.

He said the caretaker committee would try as much as possible to avoid engaging on war of words with the aggrieved faction led

by Sheriff.

“So far, all legal intervention has

been in favour of the decisions of the Port Harcourt national convention. That is not to say that the job is finished. In the past I have said severally that the path of peace and reconciliation is the best path.

“Litigation can resolve issues on legal grounds but not between brothers and sisters.

We will never foreclose that window, even if the legal issue is terminated at this stage. If the legal issue continues, we will not foreclose the window of reconciliation,” he stated.

Cameroun Reopens Far North Nigeria Border as Boko Haram Retreats Fighter jets, ground troops repel attack in Borno Senator Iroegbu in Abuja with agency report Cameroun is reopening its border with Nigeria in the Far North region because the threats of attacks by Boko Haram militants have subsided sufficiently to resume commercial activities, according to the region’s governor, Bloomberg reported yesterday.

“At this stage in the crisis, we are confident to declare that the insecurity caused by Boko Haram is firmly under control,” Governor Midiyawa Bakari said by phone on Tuesday from Maroua, the regional capital.

“The efforts of defence and security forces, as well as the remarkable contributions by self-defence groups, have paid off enough to permit the reopening of the closed markets and the land border with Nigeria.”

Schools will also resume teaching when the new academic year starts in September, Bakari said.

Cameroun closed the border amid at least 200 attacks by the Nigeria-based militant organisation, which killed as many as 480 people since July 2015, according to Amnesty International.

The attacks have forced over 33,000 pupils to abandon schooling, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund said.

Despite Cameroun’s decision

to reopen its far northern border with Nigeria, fighting continued in Borno State, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency, when fighter jets of the Chadian and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) backed the ground troops of 119 Task Force Battalion stationed in Kangarwa in the northern Borno to successfully repel an attack by the terrorists against their positions on Tuesday evening.

Nigerian Army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, stated yesterday that the attack, which started at about 6.30 p.m., was successfully repelled.

Usman disclosed that calm was restored after about three hours of exchange of heavy gunfire that inflicted tremendous casualties on the terrorists.

“Unfortunately, two of our gallant soldiers paid the supreme price, while seven were wounded in action,” he said.

He said due to poor visibility, the number of terrorists killed could not be immediately ascertained.

According to the army spokesman, “The bodies of the gallant soldiers and those wounded in action were evacuated while the unit continued to carry out mop-up operation.”

He said the successful resistance to the attack was made possible by support from the Nigerian and Chadian air force fighter jets.

ONCE A GENERAL......

Chief Army Staff, Lt-GeneralTukur Baratai (second left); President Muhammadu Buhari (third left); and Governor of Zamafara State, Alhaji AbubakarYari, during the president’s visit to 1 Brigade Headquarters of the Nigerian Army as part of the 2016 Nigerian Army Day celebration held in Zamfara State... yesterday

IEA: Oversupply Remains a Major Dampener on Oil Prices Prices drop by 4% Ejiofor Alike with agency report

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has reported that oversupply of crude oil in the international market has refused to ease, thus acting as a dampener on the prices, despite the robust growth in demand.

This is coming as the prices fell yesterday by over four per cent on after the United States government stunned the market with a raft of bearish inventory data that added to concerns over a global glut of oil.

IEA, which coordinates the energy policies of industrial nations, said the global oil demand was robust, but not enough to ease glut, stressing that the Middle East market share has risen to highest since 1970s The Paris-based group said it had revised up its forecasts of 2016 and 2017 global oil demand

growth by 100,000 barrels per day from last month to 1.4 million and 1.3 million bpd respectively.

According to IEA, demand is growing, thanks to good consumption in India, China and Europe.

“This (European demand growth) is unlikely to last, though, with the ongoing precariousness of the European economies now dealing with added uncertainty following the result of the UK referendum on membership of the European Union,” IEA said.

Oil prices fell by over four per cent yesterday after the United States stunned the market with inventory data that raised the concerns over a global glut of oil.

The US inventory report pressured prices in a market already bearish after IEA warned about a global oil supply glut.

Brent crude was down $2.25, or 4.6 per cent, at $46.22 a barrel, while the West Texas Intermediate

(WTI) fell $2.10, or 4.5 per cent, to $44.70.

US gasoline tumbled four per cent too, while heating oil, a proxy for ultra low sulfur diesel, slumped nearly six per cent at the session low.

On Tuesday, both Brent and WTI had gained nearly five per cent, a day after hitting two-month lows.

IEA, which advises industrialised nations on energy policies, said crude stockpiles kept rising last month, pushing floating storage to the highest level in seven years.

Oil prices had slumped to their lowest in over a decade at $27 a barrel in January this year from as high as $115 in 2014 after OPEC raised production to fight for market share against higher-cost producers such as the US. The slump forced many producers outside the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to curb output and prices recovered to around $50

in recent months, also supported by production outages in countries such as Nigeria and Canada.

But IEA said it was not enough to reduce the glut that had accumulated over the past two years.

According to it, commercial inventories in industrialised nations rose by 13.5 million barrels in May to a record high of 3.074 billion.

Inventories kept building in June, pushing oil in floating storage - one of the most expensive methods of stockpiling - to its highest levels since 2009, the IEA said.

“Although market balance is upon us, the existence of very high oil stocks is a threat to the recent stability of oil prices,” IEA added.

“Although stocks are close to topping out, they are at such elevated levels, especially for products for which demand growth is slackening, that they remain a major dampener on oil prices,” said the Paris-based group.

THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016 • T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Ikpeazu’s Continuous Stay in Office is Illegal, Says Keyamo Davidson Iriekpen Lagos lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has said the continuous stay in office of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State despite being sacked by a Federal High Court in Abuja was an aberration.

Keyamo said Ikpeazu ceased to be governor the day Justice Okon Abang delivered the judgment sacking him from office.

In a press statement yesterday, the Lagos-based lawyer said as against the insinuation that the benefactor of the judgment, Dr. Sampson Ogah, challenged the governor for submitting forged document to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the real content of the case was that Ikpeazu lied under oath.

He said the provision of Section 143(1) of the Electoral Act, Part VIII which gives Ikpeazu or any other office holder for that matter 21 days within which to file an appeal against an adverse judgment and to remain in office until the appeal is determined applies only to post-election matters before election tribunals or the Court of Appeal and not pre-election matters as in this case.

Keyamo maintained that INEC acted legally and correctly by instantly issuing a certificate of return to Ogah, stating that it would have been permissible for Ikpeazu to continue in office as Governor of Abia State pending the outcome of the appeal despite the judgment of the court if Ogah had not been issued a certificate

NLC: Court Reversal of Electricity Tariff Hike, a Courageous Judgment Paul Obi in Abuja The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday described the judgment of Lagos Federal High Court reversing the 45 per cent increase of electricity tariff by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the federal government as a courageous judgment in the interest of the people.

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said the judgment is a victory for Nigerians against arbitrariness in governance.

He said: “The Federal High Court, Ikoyi, in a landmark judgment has declared the 45 per cent tariff increase by NERC as illegal and should be reversed immediately.

“The court held that the implementation of the 45 per cent increase constitutes a violation of its interim order. The court awarded N50,000 cost against NERC. “We at the NLC wish to state that this is a courageous and judicial judgment deserving of commendation. We also consider it victory for the ordinary Nigerian who has been crushed by exploitative bills.

“Similarly, we urge NERC and Discos to obey the judgment and revert to the old rates without further delay.

“We demand that the NERC and DISCOs observe all the conditions precedent as contained in the sales agreement before any increase be made.

“We call that the joint stakeholders on increment on electricity tariff led by the NLC in their communiqué issued in

Lagos and dated January 29, 2016, had declared as follows: The increase is illegal, unfair, unjustifiable and a further exploitation of the already exploited Nigerians; the due process in the extant laws for such an increment was not followed in consonance with Section 76 of the Power Sector Reform Act, 2005.”

Wabba said: “There has been no significant improvement in service delivery coupled with the fact that most consumers are not metered in accordance with the signed privatisation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of November 21, 2013 which stipulates that within 18 months gestation period, all consumers are to be metered.

“There is a subsisting court order dated May 28. 2015 by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, in the case of Toluwani Yemi-Adebiyi versus NERC and Ors, that there shall be no increment until the determination of the substantive suit.”

He explained that “the increment at this time negates the present biting prevailing economic recession vis-a-vis an attempt to further impoverish the poor masses.

“Accordingly, the stakeholders demanded an “immediate halt of this morbid and exploitative intention” with a warning that an observance in the breach would attract a response such as the mobilization of all Nigerians to resist the new tariff, mass protest or picketing of all Discos nationwide, and a directive to all consumers to reject any bill with the new tariff.”

Obama Appoints Symington New US Ambassador to Nigeria President Barack Obama last Tuesday appointed Stuart Symington as Ambassador to Nigeria.

Symington is expected to replace James Entwistle, who would retire from the United States Foreign Service at the end of this month, after 35 and a half years of service.

Making the announcement, Obama in a statement published on White House website was quoted as saying: “I am honored that these talented individuals have decided to serve our country. They bring their years of experience and expertise to this administration, and I look forward to working with them.”

of return instantly.

“On Monday, June 27, 2016 the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja nullified the nomination of Ikpeazu as the candidate of the PDP for the 2015 gubernatorial election of Abia State and also his subsequent election as Governor of Abia State. The court ordered the INEC to issue a certificate of return to Ogah who scored the second highest number of votes in the primaries that produced Ikpeazu.

“A thorough scrutiny of the judgment of the court will reveal that, contrary to widespread opinion that Ogah’s case was that Ikpeazu presented forged tax papers to INEC, his case was simply that Ikpeazu apparently rushed to pay all his backlog of taxes just before the elections, yet he swore to a false affidavit and supplied a false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission that

he paid his taxes AS AT WHEN DUE. It was based on this false information that the court nullified his candidature.

“I have carefully listened to various arguments regarding the immediate issuance of a certificate of return to Ogah by the Independent National Electoral Commission in strict compliance with the judgment of the Court. Contrary to opinions expressed in certain quarters there is no judicial decision or statutory provision preventing the INEC from complying immediately with the Orders of the Federal High Court. The provision of Section 143(1) of the Electoral Act, Part VIII that gives Ikpeazu (or any other office holder for that matter) 21 days within which to file an appeal against an adverse judgment (and to remain in office until the appeal is determined) applies only to post-election matters before

election tribunals or the Court of Appeal and not pre-election matters as in this case.

“In the circumstance, INEC acted legally and correctly by instantly issuing a certificate of return to Ogah.

“It would have been permissible for Ikpeazu to continue in office as Governor of Abia State pending the outcome of the appeal despite the judgment of the Federal High Court (and the nullification of his Certificate of Return) if Ogah had not been issued a certificate of return instantly.

“But having been issued a certificate of return, it is constitutionally abnormal and legally paradoxical that a person with a validly issued certificate of return should not occupy that office immediately, and the person with an invalidated certificate of return continues to occupy that office.

“That is why the interim order restraining the Chief Judge of Abia State or any other judicial officer from swearing in Ogah is a non-sequitor as the judgment of Justice Abang has already been complied with by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“The scenario we have now is that of a person, without any document entitling him to that office, occupying the office of Governor of Abia State, whilst a person who has both a valid court judgment and a valid certificate of return is unable to assume office as governor of the state.

“Let the world know today that Ikpeazu is operating illegally as Governor of Abia Sttae and all his actions, orders and anything done in that capacity are null, void and of no effect.”

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

L-R: Wife of Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo; Wife of President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; Executive Director, International Trade Centre, Ms. Arancha Gonzalez; Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Chief Executive Officer, Emzo Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Dr. Stella Okoli; and Executive Director/Chief Executive Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, during the women in export stakeholders’ forum and exhibition in Abuja....yesterday Enock Reuben

Gbaramatu Women Protest Arrest, Detention of Children by Military Sylvester Idowu in Warri Hundreds of aggrieved women from Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State yesterday protested the arrest and continued detention of 10 of their youths by the military for their alleged involvement in the bombings of oil facilities by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

The protesting women alleged that some of the youths were writing the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) last month when they were seized by the soldiers on the trail of members of Niger Delta Avengers.

The women, dressed in dark top and skirts, wailed and rolled on the road as they marched along the ever busy Warri-Sapele road in Warri, causing gridlock.

They demanded the release of their children within seven days or face another massive protest in Abuja.

Some of their placards read thus: ‘We need them back in school,’ ‘Mr. President Free Our Brothers

Time is Running Out’, ‘They are Not NDA, They Are Students of Gbaraun Grammar School, Oporoza’, ‘Just Bring Back Our Sons Alive’ and ‘10 Boys Are Still In Detention, Free Our Brothers.

They Are The Future.’

According to the women, the youths arrested by the JTF during the militarisation of their communities were not members of any militant groups but school children who we’re getting set to write examinations.

Speaking on behalf of the women, the national leader of Ijaw Women, Mrs. Veronica Tanbowei, accused the federal government of oppressing the people of Gharamatu kingdom by wrongfully labelling their children militants.

“If the federal government comes out and tell us that they have killed our children, then they should be ready to kill all of us. We are giving them seven days ultimatum and if they do not allow us to see our children we all will march to Abuja and they will kill all of us.

“Buhari government has sent the army to kill our children, but today we are asking them to bring back our children to us. They should bring our innocent children back to us.”

She alleged that the youths were dragged out of their beds in the middle of the night and whisked away to unknown destination only to later read in the papers that they were militants which she denied.

One of the mothers of those arrested, Mrs. Endurance Uyaotede, who was crying and rolling on the ground while speaking to journalists, lamented that her son, Friday Oyaotede, is her only son.

Another mother, Mrs. Rona Odike, said: “My son was sleeping in the house when they came to whisked him away at midnight.

I have not seen my son for the past two months and we are beginning to get worried because we do not know if he is alive or not. My son is a little boy and he is not a member of any militant group. We are pleading with the

federal government to release our children because they are innocent.”

On his part, the National Assistant Secretary of Gbaramatu Students Association, Freeborn Abraye, said the arrest of the students by the military was the height of oppression against the people of Gbaramatu kingdom.

“Most of the youths arrested are students of Gbaramatu Grammar School in Okporoza community.

They were all whisked away while they were sleeping. Most of them were supposed to write the last SSCE examinations but because of the arrest, they could not write it.

“These students are suffering for what they do not know about.

It is now 46 days and we have not heard anything about them.

We do not know how they are faring over there nor do we have a clue of where they are,” he lamented.

An Ijaw leader, Sheriff Mulade, decried the continued detention of the innocent children and demanded for their unconditional release.

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THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

Osinbajo: I’m Opposed to Restructuring Nigeria along Ethnic Identities Tobi Soniyi in Abuja The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has said he supported the idea of re-engineering Nigeria.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, the vice president said he believed in fiscal federalism and for states to have more resources.

However, the vice president said he was opposed to restructuring Nigeria along ethnic identities.

“Dividing Nigeria, going back to regions and all of those kinds of things, I do not believe them at all. I don’t think that we need to go back to regions,” he added.

He said he supported the idea of states having their own police.

Osinbajo also said Value Added Tax (VAT) should be left for states.

He said: “VAT for example, we believe must be a state matter; sales tax ought to be a state matter. I

strongly believe in that and we’ve always fought for those issues.

“State police. I strongly believe that we must have state police.

“So, if there are people who believe that we must structure ourselves again along ethnic lines I don’t accept that that is the right way to go. ”But as a general position, Nigeria always needs to be re-engineered, we have to keep restructuring, re-engineering.

“For example, look at (some of the current) questions today, around whether or not a state should have rule over its resources. That is a major point.

“Of course, states ought to have a good measure of control over their resources but we must have to agree how do you then ensure that the federal government itself functions. Do you need a federal government or not?”

Osinbajo also spoke on power sharing. He asked: ”What do you

mean by power sharing, you must be specific. Is it the rotation of the presidency?

“As far as I am concerned whatever the political arrangement the political party makes, wherever they want the presidency to go should be left entirely with the political parties and should be a political arrangement.

“But I don’t believe that we should go and write it in our constitution that there must be... that the presidency must go from zone to zone. I don’t think that should be a constitutional issue.

I think we should leave that to the parties themselves.

“If a party decides that we want zoning, its a party thing, let it be so. But I don’t think we should go and write that into our constitution.

“And I very strongly believe that the time will come when we will no longer be emphasising geopolitical zone and that is the kind of Nigeria I will like to see. I like to

see a Nigeria where we are all able to work together, where we are able to de-emphasise ethnicity and de-emphasize geo-political zone.

That is the kind of Nigeria that I’ll like to see.

“I believe that sometimes, we pre-occupy ourselves with some of these issues you know, but let’s take a close look at today when we’ve had problems in this country.

“Whatever problems we had today, we have serious economic problems. Is it on account of geopolitical arrangement that we have serious economic problems?

“Corruption for example, which is crippling Nigeria, is it a geo-political problem?

“Because what I have seen, just looking at the case files, is that when there is corruption in Nigeria, any case of corruption, you will find federal character, every geo-political zone is represented.

“If somebody steals $200million or $2billion as we see, you will find

that everybody is represented. You will find Yoruba man, Hausa man, the man from South-south, and an the Igbo man. There is equal representation. I think we must also interrogate our elites, Nigerian elites.”

The vice president said he supported constitutional reform saying: “I’m one for continuously reviewing our constitution especially because there are many faults that are it. There are many different problems, many different issues.

“I believe that we must continue to take a look at the constitution and look for ways of modifying it, we should not be shying away from constitutional amendment or revisiting our constitution but what I am against is anything that is vague.

“For example, if you take a look at our constitution, some people say it is not our constitution because it does not originate from the people.

Most constitutions as you see all

over the world, are usually from elites. The elites come together draw up a set of rules and regulations, and everybody accepts it. There are very few places where even a man on the street don’t understand half of what you are saying in the constitutional document.

“So what our elite and our representative ought to do is to provide for the people the very best that will ensure the welfare, the safety of the vast majority of the people. That is the responsibility of the elites.”

On state police, Osinbajo said he had always called for state police.

He said: “I continue to advocate for state police, I believe very strongly that we must have state police...

Community policing, we can’t achieve it without a constitutional amendment. So I very strongly believe that we must have community policing.”

PARLIAMENTARY TALKS

President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki (left), and Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Mustapha Cisse Lo, during a courtesy visit to the senate president by the Speaker in Abuja.....yesterday Julius Atoi

Danbatta: NCC Has Generated over N1.4tn in Three Months Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has realised over N1.4 trillion in the first quarter of 2016.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, disclosed this in Kano yesterday, during a courtesy visit to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State at the Government House, Kano.

Dambatta revealed that the funds generated was part of their contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He also said: “multiple taxation, coupled with obstruction of right of way for development in states of the federation have been identified as the major challenge militating against the growth and development of telecom service providers in the country.”

Danbatta urged Governor Ganduje to mobilise his counterparts

in the 19 northern states to fashion out modalities for a downward review of the multiple taxes imposed on telecommunication companies in Nigeria.

According to him, his mission in Kano, among others is to draw the attention of the state government to the resolution of the National Economic Council (NEC) on multiple taxation, levies and charges on ICT infrastructure in Nigeria to which all state governors accented to, which calls for urgent downward review.

He disclosed that the Lagos State Government had already commenced the full implementation of the provisions of these recommendations, which has become the model which have states can adopt.

Danbatta emphasised that the resolution had ample provisions for addressing the challenges of multiple taxation and levies, including obstacles to right of way

which the NCC observed that most agencies of state governments are either unaware of have failed to implement the provisions of NEC documents in their scheme of planning, implementation and service delivery.

He said about 40 million have been denied access to service delivery by operators due to their formation which has made it difficult for service providers to deliver excellent and efficient services to their numerous subscribers.

Danbatta noted that the realisation of these objectives will depend largely on the level of support and partnership that we are able to establish with critical stakeholders, like state governors in achieving the set objectives.

Also, the NCC boss said the issue of achieving broadband penetration target and associated benefits is of mutual benefits and importance to the telecom regulator, to the

federal government, the citizens and particularly state governments, which would enhance their sources of revenue in various ways other than taxes and charges that are capable of driving away investments.

The executive vice chairman stressed that Nigeria has one of the fastest growing communication sectors in the world.

“Apart from providing home for the Zonal office of the commission for the entire northern part of the country in the last two decades, Kano is also host to one of the three major campuses of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), a human capacity building institute established by the NCC in 2005.

“Today, more than 78 million people in Nigeria have access to the Internet. And we are all witnesses to the level of growth of the use and application of the social media and Internet-related products and services,” Danbatta said.

T H I S D AY THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016

COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

FORGERY CHARGE AND SEPARATION OF POWERS

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Kingsley Amaku picks hole on the forgery charges against the leadership of the Senate

t is no longer news that the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami,SAN, has proffered forgery charges against the leadership of the Senate. Forgery is a very serious allegation. This presupposes that the accused persons in this case conspired to forge the rules of the Senate. To make such an outlandish claim against the leadership of the highest lawmaking body, the National Assembly, would require that the attorney general has done his homework well and his case is not just unassailable but that it would be a matter of national security not to fully prosecute the case. Any other suggestion with less weight would have incalculable ramification for the development of our democracy, good governance and the perception of Nigeria in the eye of the international community.

But can this be the case?

Let’s examine the issues for a moment. Part two of the 1999 Constitution Section 60 clearly provides for our government to be based on three separate but equal arms of government on whom power is shared in such a manner that neither of the other or a combination can intimidate, influence or supervise the other in the running of its internal affairs but must necessarily in the spirit of co-equality work together to ensure the rule of law.

Section 60 states that “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Senate or the House of Representatives shall have power to regulate its own procedure, including the procedure for summoning and recess of the House.” The constitution again declares under section 64 as follows “(1) The Senate and the House of Representatives shall each stand dissolved at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date of the first sitting of the House.”

The implication of these two provisions for the purposes of this article will be examined as if they refer only to the Senate. It will be apparent on the face of the provisions that the Senate Rules are made by the Senate for itself. It will also be easy to conclude that by the combined effects of the two provisions, the rules of a new Senate are not dependent on how consistent it is with the outgoing Senate.

This is because aside the provisions of Section 64 of the constitution which borrows from the practice of the parliament of the United Kingdom, the implication of dissolution of parliament is that the old parliament ceases to exist (dissolves), which in this case under our constitution has been defined as (after four years). Meaning that every activities not concluded by the outgoing Senate becomes annulled.

The implication includes that the in-coming Senate becomes a fresh Senate that starts afresh. This new Senate’s power to make rules for itself is not dependent on having and indeed adopting the former Senate rules. The former Senate rules are only helpful as a guide at best or a template. This template is either amended, adopted, approved by the incoming Senate for itself.

The question then that arises is that under what rules are the

THE PETITION AND THE REPORT PUT TOGETHER CLAIMED THAT THE SENATE STANDING ORDERS 2015 AS AMENDED UPON WHICH THE SENATE LEADERSHIP ELECTION WAS BASED IS NOT AUTHENTIC BUT FORGED. BUT IS THIS CONCLUSION GROUNDED IN FACT AND IN LAW?

election and swearing in of senators-elect based? In order to answer this question, let’s examine and understand the process of inauguration of a new Senate. Having established that by the provisions of the constitution, a former Senate dissolves into non-existence, it goes without saying that the rules to be adopted for the proclamation of a new Senate and the election of members can only be based on the culture, custom and usage of the Senate. This position becomes even tenable with the fact that until sworn-in, members remain by the constitution, merely senators-elect with no authority to adopt, apply or in any way authorise anything whatsoever until sworn in. In this case, only the clerk of the National Assembly who is the harbinger of the rules and is in-charge of the conduct of the proceeding can determine the procedure to be adopted. I can’t recall any objection by any senator-elect to the process or the rules adopted on the day by the clerk of the National Assembly in swearing in and through the election process.

According to the AGF, his decision has been based on the petition from certain senators and the report of the police investigation. The petition and the report put together claimed that the Senate Standing Orders 2015 as amended upon which the Senate leadership election was based is not authentic but forged. But is this conclusion grounded in fact and in law?

In fact, it is hardly plausible putting together the ingredients of forgery into play, the practicability of the so-called conspiracy to forgery would have taken place effectively. To start with, these questions must be answered positively. If there is forgery of the 2015 Rules it presupposes that there is an original, the AG must have this original from which he must have determined that indeed forgery has occurred. Two, if the clerk who is the bearer of the rules has not alleged forgery and the Senate in chamber has adopted and ratified their rules as authentic, can the courts hold otherwise in view of the separation of powers and non- interference on each other’s turf? Can the AGF based on any other report craft a charge of forgery? If the charge is based on the old 2011 rules, how is it that Saraki who was neither the keeper of nor a principal officer of the 2011 assembly be held responsible in law?

While we had earlier established the fact that no arm of government including the executive has supervisory role over another arm, a fact strongly highlighted under section 30 and 32 of the Legislative Houses (Powers & Privileges) Act. LFN 2010 CAP 234 which limits the powers of the executive and the judiciary to pry into the activities of the legislative houses, one is hard pressed to understand the grounding of the attorney general’s position. It is arguable and almost very easily, except for the pedigree attached to the AGF office to suggest that the AGF may have in this case over-reached himself and severely damaged his own pedigree almost irredeemably as his position is hardly tenable.

Amaku is Senior Special Assistant to Senate President

BUHARI’S BULLISH AND BUMPY RIDE

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hese are delicate and challenging times for the country in view of a catalogue of hard and stubborn national issues which constitute bumps on the path of President Muhammadu Buhari. These issues include the outcry trailing his top appointments with disregard for geographical spread and religious diversity, alleged taciturnity of the president regarding the inflammable issue of the Fulani herdsmen (this writer hopes another ‘Agatu’ does not occur); the ‘’Burataigate’’, open rebellion and bombings by militants in the Niger Delta, agitation for Biafra and the associated moral burden on the military for killing hapless agitators, the un-rescued Chibok girls contrary to public expectations that was based on a perceived ‘’Buhari Power’’, and the increasing call by eminent Nigerians for the restructuring of the country which the president is opposed to.

Others include the seismic change in oil price which destabilised government’s projections and action plans, a hitherto adverse exchange rate which saw the naira battered at the parallel market, a double-digit inflation, increasing unemployment, degenerated power supply which has earned the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola the unkind moniker of ‘’Minister of Darkness’’, an all-time increase in pump price of petrol in contradiction to the electoral promise of the ruling party and which was preceded by an unprecedented fuel scarcity which lasted a record time span and took a heavy toll on the GDP; and a depressed economy with prevalent hardship, so severe, it was reported that ‘’people exchange kids and clothes for food to survive.’’

These developments have impacted negatively on the public perception of the president, depreci-

The president could make his appointments less parochial, argues Arize Nwobu

ated the goodwill that trailed his election as the expectations of many hitherto optimistic Nigerians have been put to the ground. As noted by Dr Frederick Fasheun in a recent press report, ‘’Nigerians were cheering him initially but now they are getting despondent. Buhari should not wait until Nigerians start jeering at him as a result of failed promises.’’

This writer had earlier, in a piece captioned ‘’A Bull and the Fallen Rider’’, published in THISDAY, July 2, 2015, said that ‘’President Muhammadu Buhari needs to make hay and be strategically agile to remain on top of matters, ride political undercurrents and be able to forestall any strange quirky happenstance that may cause Nigerians to be disenchanted in his presidency’’.

The piece was inspired by a dream I had in April 2015, three days after I prayed for the president and asked God to tell me something about him if He wished, and which I shared with the reading public therein. I hereby recall the dream: I saw a big fat-fleshed bull that came out with a rider on top who wore a traditional ‘’Babariga’’ cap. As the bull walked, it jerked though not vigorously, and the rider struggled to remain on top but he eventually fell off to the ground. When he stood up, he had a bemused smile on his face and I noticed he was light-framed and bespectacled.

Farther in front, I saw a herd of cows jumping over a gully from the east side (my right hand in the dream) to the west side even as some other cows tried to copulate. I woke up and pondered what these things could be, and my mind went to President Buhari.

The jumping and copulating cows represented the unusual cross-hatch between APC and PDP at the Senate which led to the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as the Senate President and Mr Ike Ekweremadu of PDP as the Deputy Senate President.

The article elicited feedbacks from readers, some of which are as follows: From Uchenna- ‘’The rider definitely is the President, not Tinubu. On the other hand, the bull represents Tinubu and APC. He is the driving force of the party, and most of its members are similar in personality to him...bullish.

The bulls copulating in hindsight is the affiliation of some APC and PDP that took place’’. And from Toby: ‘’I had a similar dream, however the weight of the bull crushed the rider. Wow! There was anarchy and katakata in the land. There was blood in the air as the fury of the harmattan ravages from the Sahara towards the sea shores. May the Lord deliver us all and protect this country we love so much.’’

A bull is a great, very powerful, muscular animal. Strong individuals are associated with bulls and Buhari is a strong man. Also, a bull is associated with service and production and increase in wealth: ‘’Much increase is by the strength of the Ox” (bull), the Bible says; which could explain why, for instance, Dr Mike Adenuga proudly associates his company with the bull.

Spiritually, a bull represents the zeal to serve both God and fellow man. But it also represents an attacking spirit. The Psalmist uses the imagery of the bull to depict powerful enemies that came to harm him: ‘’Many bulls have compassed me: Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion.’’(Psalm 22 vs 12-13) Therefore, is President Buhari a friend or foe?

Has he come to serve both God and fellow man, or has he come to attack? Evidently, he is a foe to treasury looters, the enemies of Nigeria. Like a bull, Buhari is attacking them frontally, and massive funds are being returned to the state treasury. That is service to both God and fellow man and only Buhari could have been able to do that, for the reason

that he abhors the acquisition of filthy lucre. He is not interested in building mansions on mountain tops with state funds, nor is he interested in sharing state assets in the commanding heights of the economy to his cronies for kickbacks, hopefully. In all that, he stands shoulder high above his peers.

But beyond that, not a few are suspicious of the president’s power agenda especially as it reflects in his top appointments which are not broad-based. A rundown of his top appointments showed a vote of no confidence on the people of Southern Nigeria.

Such lopsidedness can only heighten existing mutual suspicion among the federating units and may serve as fuel for fire.

As the president and representative of God in Nigeria, God expects Buhari to represent Him both morally and governmentally through equity and justice. Anything to the contrary is antithetical to God’s purposive will. The president should therefore, demonstrate convincingly that he did not ride to power to attack and minimise Southern Nigerians and deliver the entire country to the North.

The president needs to care a lot more about his image and avoid committing further faux pas either in words, actions or inactions which tend to portray him as nepotic. He may need to work harder to establish the image of a true statesman, because, as they say in public relations, ‘’image and public sentiment is everything. If your image is good and public sentiment is in your favour, success crowns your efforts’’.

Going forward, just as the Israelites prayed for King Saul, saying, ‘’God save the King’’, so this writer prays for President Buhari: God help the president.

Rev Nwobu is a sociologist, policy analyst and business journalist

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016

EDITORIAL ABUSE OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM

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States should stop playing games with local councils and the future of the people

espite public protestations, the abuse of local governments by state governments have persisted without any hope that the obvious affront on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended) would be addressed. The abuse takes two significant forms: the refusal by many states to conduct elections into their councils and the theft of funds of the councils put in the care of the states for disbursement in accordance with the law.

Specifically, Section 7 of the constitution states, “The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly the Government of every state shall, subject to Section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils. ” This provision has in the last 17 years of democratic rule been observed more in breach as many states have taken undue advanTHE ABUSE OF THE LOCAL tage of the powers COUNCIL SYSTEM BY THE granted them by the STATES HAS CREATED A constitution to make LACK OF GOVERNANCE AT laws for the establishTHE GRASSROOTS WHERE ment of the councils.

MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE And so with that, such LIVE laws not only grant the governors powers to dissolve an elected council but also grant state Houses of Assembly regulatory controls that hinder efficient and democratic administration of the councils as envisaged by the constitution.

The situation has given rise to a cluster of unelected officials, tagged caretaker committees, appointed by state governors who run the councils in a clear violation of the express provision of the constitution. Even the few elected councils operate under such a stifling regulatory environment that they become unable to deliver on their mandate to the people at the grassroots since they are forced to pander to the wishes of their

Letters to the Editor

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governors and legislators who often times act in self interest.

The impunity of the states also finds expression in the abuse of Section 162 (6) which establishes the State Joint Local Government Account into which monies due to the councils from the Federation Account are paid for onward disbursement to the councils. The states have habitually short changed the councils, disbursing only a fraction of the accruable funds and keeping the rest without regard to transparency and accountability.

The effects of these have been chronic underdevelopment of the council areas which, castrated as they are, remain unable to deliver on their primary mandate of providing basic social infrastructure, including primary healthcare, primary education, feeder roads and modern markets, at the local levels. This no doubt accounts for the massive degradation at the grassroots, giving rise to social strife, including the rising propensity for insurgency in several parts of the country.

T H I S DAY

EDITOR IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU DEPUTY EDITORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, JOSEPH USHIGIALE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR OLUFEMI ABOROWA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS PETER IWEGBU, FIDELIS ELEMA, MBAYILAN ANDOAKA, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS HENRY NWACHOKOR, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI GENERAL MANAGER PATRICK EIMIUHI GROUP HEAD FEMI TOLUFASHE ART DIRECTOR OCHI OGBUAKU II DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

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t is not an exaggeration to say that the abuse of the local council system by the states has created a lack of governance at the grassroots where majority of the people live. The implication is that as people are increasingly alienated from governance, chances are that self-help may be on the rise. The eventual outcome is better left at the realm of the imagination.

We urge a consideration of this proposal that will free the local governments from the yoke of the states.

In the meantime, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to use his moral authority to rein in the governors and encourage them to obey the constitution, particularly with regard to the establishment of democratically elected councils.

To the extent that the people have a right to choose as well participate in the governing process, the authorities must work to enforce the constitution. A way forward is for the president to table this matter before the Council of States and extract a clear commitment from the states that they will roll back this reign of abuse of the constitution and impunity by conducting elections into all the 774 councils in the country.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

OMO-OJO’S PEEP INTO OSHIOMHOLE’S TENURE

n his article entitled “A Peep at post- Oshiomhole’s Tenure” published recently in a national newspaper, Orobosa Omo-Ojo succeeded in raising more questions about his character, sincerity and knowledge of happenings in Edo State, than his intention to pooh-pooh Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s administration.

Is it a lack of ideas or a tedious struggle to remain relevant that would inspire such a pathetic, revisionist plunge into Governor Oshiomhole’s highly celebrated two-term tenure as governor of Edo State? Every true politician worth his salt, any journalist relevant to his calling and all public commentators with anything to offer are at this time preoccupied with the candidature of both APC and PDP since in a few months from now, one of them will constitutionally step into the big shoes of Oshiomhole as Governor of Edo State. But the lazy, never- do-well, vindictive prophets of doom are fixated on the person of Adams Oshiomhole and how fulfilled and relieved they wish to be on November 12, 2016, as he vacates Osadebey Avenue, Benin City. However, all progressive -minded Edo people know in essence that their frustration will be rekindled when to their bewilderment and certain bafflement on that day, Adams Oshiomhole would be celebrated and his name permanently engraved in gold, as he moves on to higher calling.

In his vile attempt to rewrite history and malign his erstwhile boss, Omo-Ojo, who prides himself as a journalist, relied neither on statistics nor facts to conjure his jaundiced and bogus conclusions.

How else can one interpret his assertion that “…all sporting infrastructure that the present administration inherited from past ad-

ministrations have been destroyed due to poor maintenance culture”?

Is he unaware that it was Governor Oshiomhole that renovated the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium and refurbished the football pitch to a level where an international match was played in Benin City? Or is he so oblivious of current affairs to miss the recent news that late Super Eagles coach Amodu Shaibu was a consultant on sports development in Edo State? If there is no sports development in Edo State, how come Eyeanugie Primary School, Benin City won the 2015 edition of the Channels Kids Cup championship where under 13 pupils from all states of the federation competed? For winning that tournament, Governor Oshiomhole built a new football pitch for the school, approved the building of new classroom blocks and gave scholarship to all the pupils that participated in the tournament.

Could it be that the pressure of meeting the editorial deadline forced Omo-Ojo to churn out fantastically incorrect claims that “three years after Edo State students still trail behind their counterparts in the West Africa School Certificate Exam every year” even when a teacher who was employed to impart knowledge to our school children, embarrassed not only herself, but the entire Nigerian educational system, through her inability to read a simple affidavit to which she appended her signature? What point was he struggling to make?

Would Omo-Ojo, in all honesty, entrust the education of his own child in the hands of Mrs. Augusta Odemwingie, on the grounds that her poor performance was “obviously out of fear…lost her nerves and composure which made her stutter”? If not, why should any Edo child’s education be entrusted to her? For the avoidance of doubt, Edo

State students have consistently maintained their top three position in external examinations for some years now due to the unprecedented investments in education by the Oshiomhole government. Edo pupils and students have never had it so good, with free transportation to and from school, beautiful classrooms with ceiling fans, clean toilets with adequate water from boreholes and teachers who get their monthly pay cheques as at when due.

Even on the IAAF accredited Okpekpe Road Race, Omo-Ojo could not get his facts right. Is he aware that, there is a correlation between sports and tourism and that this race has opened up Okpekpe and neighboring communities to the world as no other event could have?

And does his claim that “the exercise which can best be described as a public relation stunt, failed to develop local talents in the state” make sense in light of the introduction of a special category for local athletes from the host communities of North Ibie in the 2016 edition of Okpekpe Road Race?

An honest commentator would do well to acknowledge the good in a man even while outing his perceived shortcomings, but not Omo-Ojo whose sole mission was to vilify no matter how illogical his contorted conclusions. How easy it was to conclude that Governor Oshiomhole was heartless to spontaneously reprimand Mrs. Joy Ifijeh, a widow who no doubt broke an existing law, but who in humility was brave enough to publicly apologise to, compensate her and rehabilitate her when he knew about her challenging circumstances?

Victor Oshioke, Benin City

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor Olawale Olaleye Email wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com 08116759819 SMS ONLY

T H E G U B E R N AT O R I A L I N T E RV I E W

Fayose: Nigerians Will Soon Realise Buhari was an Error Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, recently told journalists that he was not compelled to support the President Muhammadu-led administration in anyway because the right of choice is personal. He also shed light on his alleged involvement in the Dasukigate scandal. Shola Oyeyipo presents the excerpts:

T

he problem you are having with the president started immediately he became the candidate of the APC, when you took him on through advertorials. What informed your position, is it purely politics or you just don’t like the man?

Let me make it very clear that I am a straight forward person. I answer questions as they come. I am not somebody, who is begging for favour from anybody. I respect humanity, I respect human beings but I fear God and we are all going to account for our leadership here. President Buhari is a Nigerian leader without doubt, but it is a right of everybody in this country to choose, as long as you are grown enough to choose – it’s your choice. I am entitled to decide to support or not to support him based on principles and perceptions of the person.

The same thing President Buhari did at that time (when he was military head of state) is what he is doing now. You will recall that even the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Emir of Kano, Ooni of Ife – their passports were taken away from them. Their rights were taken away. A man that is grown cannot change.

Most young ladies will say, ‘Let me just marry that man, I will be praying, he changes.’ You can’t change anything, because as soon as a

What do you make of what Aluko said recently?

Who is Aluko?

Fayose...Buhari can never change

President Buhari is living true to type. If you look at the way he is governing Nigeria today, it is the same way he did before – by his appointments, by taking away the rights of the people, by doing things without recourse to due process. I listened to him when he had his first interview and he said, ‘That boy would remain in prison.’

You are not the law court…These things, it doesn’t matter who is benefiting from it today, at some point, a lot of people will come to realise that we have elected the wrong person

man is formed – except you are converted and become born again. The Bible says ‘Behold, all things have become new.’

In the Christendom, you will see the change.

It would be clear! You want to see a man that used to be a drunkard, when he is born again, he doesn’t drink at all. You see a man that was smoking, but when you are truly born again, you will see a total departure from the past.

So, President Buhari is living true to type. If you look at the way he is governing Nigeria today, it is the same way he did before – by his appointments, by taking away the rights of the people, by doing things without recourse to due process. I listened to him when he had his first interview and he said, ‘That boy would remain in prison.’ You are not the law court.

These things, it doesn’t matter who is benefiting from it today, at some point, a lot of people will come to realise that we have elected the wrong person. I am not somebody who is afraid of anything. I have said it several times. There are two things a man seems to be afraid of. Some are afraid of incarceration, some are afraid of death; I am not afraid of anything except God. I have gone through this road before.

Fighting corruption is a great thing. It is good but anything that does not represent the truth is simply corruption. Anything that doesn’t represent justice…those who make peaceful change impossible would make violent change inevitable. You’re oppressing some people now either because they are not from your region or because you had issues with them before; it is a mission of vengeance.

So, let me round it up, there is nothing personal between President Buhari and me.

There are instances that are so glaring now that people in the APC are like saints. Look at my state, there are documents, clearly – the EFCC has them but will not call somebody. The Universal Basic Education, where the former governor went away with N892m – even in the letter they wrote, they said, “This is a criminal act” but when you are in the APC,

you become an angel. It doesn’t matter!

Look at how the wife of the president was calling me ‘unchained mad dog’, the wife of a president. This is our country, we cannot all be silent. Somebody has to talk. The one that is useful, you take it and the one that is not useful, you throw it away.

In fact, opposition is the strength of any democracy. It is where the average man can get value for money. You are trying to silence Femi Fani-Kayode; you are trying to silence Metuh and others. My brothers, where in Nigeria have people contested election, vied for office and not spend money? All the aircraft carrying President Buhari during campaigns, were they cows that were carrying him around?

Recently, they said somebody has houses in Dubai, quickly there was a defence. When they were talking about the wife of the president, defence came from Nuhu Ribadu, even the former EFCC chairman, Larmode, looking for a way out of his problem, quickly said too that it was not the person they were looking for.

As a member of the National Economic Council, when last did you attend the meeting and what advice did you give on the economy?

Each time they call meetings, my deputy goes there. You remember I was in Abuja and I said expressly there that they were calling it economic summit – they brought all of us there, but when I saw the list of the people that will lecture us, I cannot allow a sick man to be treating me – people I know how they ran the economy of their states aground will now be the lecturers at the summit.

And when you go there and see the figures they are brandishing for arrangements and feeding running into over N250 million – that is not economic summit; that is economic stealing.

So I send my deputy regularly. One, I am a second term governor. When you want to work with people whose ideology does not align with yours, it is better to leave them.

They are the ones carrying Nigeria; they are the ones leading Nigeria.

The man who said your election was manipulated?

Goodluck to him sir! They will continue to say something until I finish my government. Your enemies will continue to say something until you get to where you are getting. Judas was still saying something when Jesus Christ was ascending. My enemies always take me to the next level. Somebody was saying something when they took me out of office, and when I came back they were still talking.

When I was to be sworn-in, Aluko was talking because I didn’t make him my Chief of Staff, he said it himself but I don’t want to join issues with Aluko. Aluko is a small young boy. I am used to all these things. They are petty people. I am the issue in Ekiti politics.

I am the first Ekiti man to be governor two times. I spent three and a half years the first time and I have spent over one and half years now, so, apparently, I have served over five years. I am the longest serving Ekiti governor.

These things are not man-made; they are God’s purposes and plans for me! I am their problem, even in Nigeria today. By the grace of God, in my level, I am the only voice left and they want to crush it brandishing all sorts of things.

Where is Dasuki that told them that he sent Obanikoro to me? Where is Obanikoro? They said they are looking for Obanikoro, where is Obanikoro? Where did he make a statement to them? You said you found money in my account.

Yes, it is my money! If you give me money to do marriage, when I finish the marriage, am I supposed to return the money to you?

If you support my father’s burial and a lot of people come there; Fayose take this, Fayose take that, because my election was well funded by friends, associates, banks and different people.

I never had it so good. And I am telling you, after the election, am I supposed to carry the money to them? It is not possible. It is my money. But they are looking for just anything to log on to the former National Security Adviser.

They just want to paint me black like they did in 2006. It will not work!

Why are you so confident this will pass over soon?

I have told you it is a familiar terrain.

The money in contention runs into billions, can you tell us exactly how much is involved?

They said Obanikoro brought N1.2bn. And I am telling you, I had no encounter with Obanikoro financially. No money was transferred to me from the office of the former NSA. Money laundering or whatever you are trying to establish is a chain, you must be able to trace the chain of money.

And I want to tell you very clearly, the principles are very clear. If the NSA had sent money to me, it must be with my consent because I am the one contesting.

And funny enough, they said they brought it in cash. If it is an illicit money – if is from the NSA and they brought in cash, that means it is not supposed to be known about. I am supposed to go and hide it too, but I put the money into my friend’s account because I have said it, the bank said I should send somebody to come and handle it for me.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

INTERVIEW

‘Money Bags Seeking to Undo Abia’s Politics’ Aformer commissioner in Abia State and Executive Director, Abia Interest Group, Dr. Eze Chikamnayo sees the present governorship conflict in the state as a selfish move by some money bags to thwart the power sharing understanding in the state. He spoke to Onyebuchi Ezigbo. Excerpts:

B

eyond the legal slant, what do you think is the politics behind the current Abia crisis?

Like it is always said conscience is an open wound and only the truth can heal it. The truth of the Abia situation is that all political parties, not one, not two but all political parties are of the agreement that power in Abia State should be made to rotate amongst the three component senatorial districts of the state – Abia North, Abia central and Abia south. Dr. Orji Uzoh Kalu the former governor is from Abia North and he was governor for 8 years. Governor T. A. Orji, immediate past governor is from Abia central and he ruled for 8 years and it is in consideration of this fact that all the parties chose their governorship candidate from Abia south.

The contender who is causing all these confusion now, Dr. Uche Ogah is from Abia North the same from Dr. Orji Uzoh Kalu, the people who had governor for eight years. It is not the right thing to do. We of the Abia Interest Group are of the opinion that it is an attempt to scuttle the hollowed truth that is causing the tension in Abia today. It is this attempt either by hook or crook or by the imagination of money-bags to overrule the general good in favour of personal interest.

capacities in Abia State. So, when I speak, I speak out of practical experience. So, it isn’t a sentimental thing. I am providing solutions that I think would bring stability to our people.

But coming to the issue in contention, the matter is very simple.

A civil servant, a public servant or anybody working under the employment of governance went to the tax authority to ask of records of his tax deduction and he was given a paper prepared by that authority. In law and in fact, it is very clear that even in the affidavits that we swear it is clearly written that I make this oath even to the best of my knowledge.

If you prepare a document as a professional journalist, I can only aver to that document to the best of my knowledge not being a professional in that field.

So whatever the people in the Board of Internal Revenue did and brought out as papers which they have come out to take responsibility for what they recorded, it is not within the purview of individuals who are not professionals in the issue of tax and tax returns to come out and give a text book interpretation of the receipt paper. Like you said, these matters are still in court and I don’t want us to prejudice the legal aspect that is why I concentrated more on the issues that are outside the court.

Now the matter is still in court and like you said, it appears the solution may not just be legal. What peaceful alternative is your group offering?

Well let me even address even the legal issues you talked about. I am from Abia north. I am a working encyclopaedia of Abia politics. I have served from 1999 till date in various

If you think intervening will bring about the solution, how are you going about it or what suggestions are you giving to the government and other stakeholders in the state in addressing this issue?

First of all, you can’t belong to a group when you have so freely subscribed and become a deliberate deviant in that group. Abia PDP

this matter as a clear condition for a political solution.

Then on the part of the governor, I would advise him to be all inclusive in all his dealings. He has tried so far to show equity in his appointments, in his projects. I would encourage him to do more of that.

I also want him to reach out to all the people that contested with him in the past at every level whether at the primary level or the party level. I want to ask him to reach out to everybody and carry everybody along because he is now the father of the state and must be seen to accommodate all shades of interest and opinion within the state.

Chikamnayo

has said we have zoned Abia governorship to the south. A law abiding and loyal member of PDP should be able to honour that. That is a gentle man because it is voluntary to join a political party and if you don’t believe in their ideology, manifesto or decision of that party, the honourable thing to do is to leave and explore your interest in another platform.

Uche Ogah is a bull in China shop. Uche Ogah is doing what we call a deliberate and despicable disaster to the fabrics of cohesion that binds Abia State together and he must be told in clear terms that this wouldn’t work.

Second, my advice is for him to withdraw forthwith all the legal gymnastics involved in

As an insider, has the PDP tried to initiate dialogue aimed at resolving this matter?

The contending forces are not entirely from Abia State you must know. This is an act of impunity instigated by some money bags in Igboland; money bags from Anambra, money bags from Imo and money bags from Abia.

They have so much money that they can even collect your wife. They just act with reckless abandon otherwise how would a gentle man wake up and begin to overrule the decision of the Abia collective? For everybody in Abia, it is given and well known that the issue of zoning is sacrosanct, which has been established for public peace.

It would be unimaginable that an adult, who knows this reality that has given us peace, will want to throw the standards to the wheels just because he has stumbled onto some emergency billions.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

Pearse: Bode George is the Problem of Lagos PDP Publicity Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the PDP, Dr. Adetokunboh Pearse, in this interview with Segun James, x-rayed some of the problems plaguing the party in the state and at the national level, and identified Chief Bode George as a major problem in both instances. Excerpts:

T

here seems to be no end in sight to the crisis in the Lagos PDP. Why is this?

The main reason for the factionalisation of the PDP in Lagos is because of the activities of Chief Olabode George. His attitude of selecting and imposing the party’s executive on everyone, irrespective of any election is majorly responsible for the crisis in the party in Lagos State.

Now, some of us decided to challenge that; and that such impunity should no longer take place in the party. He has found it difficult to accept this.

It is such impositions in the past that have affected the fortunes of the party negatively.

We need to rescue our party from him.

Talking of fortunes, the party has played opposition politics in Lagos since the commencement of the Forth Republic, has there been any effort to reconcile the various factions in order to have a better play for the 2019 election? If there is going to be any reconciliation, the man who has been at the helms of the party’s affairs and failure since inception, Chief Bode George is the one that should spearhead it.

He should make the move and call the various factions together. But the problem is that Chief Bode George is not a leader! He takes sides when there are problems. Which leader does that? Instead of reconciling, he takes sides.

That is the pity. He does not want peace to reign. That is his way, and that is why we have problems in the state chapter.

Oyewunmi

I will give you an example.

The last executive committee led by Captain Olatunji Shelle had problems. Out of the 46-member executive, 39 disagreed with the leadership of Shelle and challenged him. Instead of the leader, Chief Bode George to call a truce, call all the aggrieved together and find out what was wrong and find solution to it, he decided to support Shelle against the 39 people. That action broke the party apart and adversely affected the fortune of the party in last year’s elections. That’s Bode George for you.

Chief Bode George has been the leader of the South-west caucus of the party and a member of the national caucus. Now, what is the reason

why the Lagos Collectives (LC) in a statement denounced Chief Shuaib Oyedokun, that his selection to represent the South-west was an error? Is there another rift in the Southwest caucus of the party?

Well, this unfortunately, is another of Chief Olabode George’s making.

He survives by causing rift and confusion.

He seems to enjoy it and thrives in it, because the Lagos Collectives are some boys who gather at the boys’ quarters of Chief Bode George’s house to support his cause. These are the Lagos Collectives! Tell me, what are the Lagos collectives all about? When did they start to speak for the southwest? What are they all about and who are its members?

right and he has the right to call any meeting he wants. After all, the man has been identified and recognised by the Southwest caucus in the National Assembly as their leader. So tell me, what is wrong with that? The truth is that anybody that is peace-loving and wants reconciliation would attend that meeting, but not Bode George.

He would not go because he does not want any other leader on the field beside himself.

If people go to his house to have meetings, why would people not go to other places?

Must it always be Bode George’s house or the meeting he sanctioned? That is the problem.

That reason for the problem in the state’s PDP. He thrives on confusion.

Why is Chief George the problem?

Chief Bode George is angry because he wants to be the only face of the South-west in the PDP. Yet, he is not qualified for this. A man, who couldn’t settle his own state, now wants to be the leader of the party in the Southwest.

What an irony! There is nothing called the Lagos Collectives. Imagine the name itself, what do they stand for? Who are they and what authority do they have to speak for the South-west? Nothing! If it is Bode George they are trying to support, let them come out and say it. But then, Bode George himself has no claim to the leadership of the South-west.

Let me tell you, the reason for this crisis is because Chief Oyedokun attended a South-west caucus meeting called by Senator Buruji Kasamu at his home. Kasamu is a leader in his own

Talking about confusion, there is also crisis at the national level of the PDP, and there are factions also. How is this affecting the fortunes of party as the race towards 2019 gathers momentum?

Let me begin by saying that something led to the crisis and the factionalisation. One group led by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is claiming it is completing the term of Governor Muazu’s tenure, which took over from Alhaji Bamanga Tukur in 2014. Remember that Bamanga Tukur came in 2012 and was ousted in 2014. That year, there was a special convention at which election was held.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

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THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016 • T H I S D AY

FEATURES

Acting Features Editor Charles Ajunwa Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

Promoting Peace among Nigerians An international non-governmental organisation, UFUK Dialogue Initiative, is determined to take the message of peaceful co-existence among Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country, Martins Ifijeh writes

Participants at the conference

O

nce upon a time in Nigeria, people lived in peace and harmony. Once upon a time in Nigeria, ethnic and religious sentiments were not a topic for discourse in any forum. But things began to change gradually in the build-up to the 1966 coup that eliminated a crop of elite from a region in Nigeria. And the rest is now history.

Since then, there has been no love lost. Religious and ethnic sentiments now dominate the country’s daily activities at the expense of peaceful co-existence. The atmosphere is awash with tales of ethnic and religious conflicts, so much so that allegiances from Nigerians are now based on ethnicity and religion. These two phenomena now come first before the country. Nigeria is now clearly divided along religious and ethnic lines which is unprecedented in our history. And the attendant result has been series of ethnic and religious clashes in the country.

But just as Nigerians were thinking the situation can’t get any better, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel with the activities of an international non-governmental organisation in the country dedicated to peaceful co-existence among Nigerians through the instrument of dialogue, love and tolerance. This NGO is UFUK Dialogue Initiative.

UFUK Dialogue Initiative was founded in 2011 in Nigeria with a mission to foster

interfaith and intercultural dialogue, stimulate thinking and exchange of opinions on supporting and fostering democracy and

The initiative serves societal peace, love, and friendship wisely and compassionately in support of human dignity and the common good by striving to bring forth the common values of humanity; values such as understanding, tolerance, respect, and compassion

peace all over the world and to provide a common platform for education and information exchange.

“We have no one particular agenda and no inherent ideology, other than respect and genuine concern for the spiritual quality and welfare of life on this planet of ours,” said Mr. Kamil Kemanchi, the president of UFUK Dialogue at the recently concluded international conference on love and tolerance organised in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in Abuja.

The conference, tagged: ‘Countering Violent Extremism in Nigeria Through Love and Tolerance’ was aimed at ensuring that love and tolerance continue to dominate actions, inactions and relationships in the quest to build a better society.

No doubt the UFUK Dialogue has in no small measures contributed positively to peaceful co-existence in Nigeria through conferences, dialogue dinners, awards and seminars all geared towards promoting peace and that platform for the exchange of ideas aimed at fostering peace and unity in Nigeria.

His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan who has been a regular face at events organised by UFUK Dialogue, said: “The initiative serves societal peace, love, and friendship wisely and compassionately in support of human dignity and the common good by striving to bring forth the common values of humanity; values such

as understanding, tolerance, respect, and compassion.”

Dr. Khalid Ebubakir, the Secretary General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) who was one of the speakers at the conference had this to say: “There is no better time to organise such a conference. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; hatred cannot drive out hatred; only love can do that. Love brings acceptance and accommodation.”

On his part, the Director General of the IPCR, Prof. Oshita Oshita, said: “The event was aimed at highlighting love and tolerance as veritable tools towards countering violent extremism in the society.

“We cannot ignore the role of tolerance and love in every functional society. And it must be stated emphatically that what Nigeria needs at this point in time are love and tolerance,” he stated. He also added that “with love in our hearts, we would be able to tolerate one another, including our religious affiliation and cultural inclination.”

UFUK Dialogue Initiative aims to be one of the most active and effective foundations in Nigeria and by contributing to peace through dialogue and creating a platform for the coexistence of cultures and adherents of different faiths and ethnicities.

“There is a lot of misunderstanding, a lot of suspicions not only amongst religious lines but among individuals, the only way we can clear this misunderstanding is through dialogue,” says Mrs. Saudatu Mahdi, the Executive Secretary of Women Rights

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• T H I S D AY THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

FEATURES Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA).

“This conference is well-timed with the calibre of speakers and also the composition of the audience. It is hoped that the message of love and tolerance as preached

by UFUK Dialogue would spread to every nook and cranny of Nigeria,” she added.

In a world where even the farthest point is within an arm's reach, it is impossible to live anywhere without experiencing diversity.

In order for everyone to live peacefully, it is important for individuals to rise above differences that drive us apart or against each other. UFUK Dialogue envisions a community in which people from all walks of life interact with each other and cooperate to serve their communities, thereby strengthening civil society and promoting the development of human values.

The Minster of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, who was among the panelists at the event, spoke extensively on the origin of the Boko Haram insurgency and how the lack of tolerance further gave steam to the insurgents to continue to cause havoc and pitch the Christians against the Muslims through their activities and making it look like a religious crisis.

“Boko Haram insurgents took advantage of our impatience and intolerance to cause havoc. The Koran does not encourage killing and likewise the Bible, we must learn to love and tolerate one another,” he stated.

UFUK Dialogue is a non-partisan organisation; “we support activities pertaining to the better service to humanity, such as promoting conflict resolution within and between nations. As such, we are committed to universal values of freedom, justice, democracy and the rights of all living beings,” the director of the foundation says.

The conference which was well-attended and had speakers like John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, Dr. Rachel Rudolph, an international expert on religious extremism and a host of other international speakers as well as representatives of the Service Chiefs, ministers, head of agencies as well as the wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari in attendance. A visibly elated participant from one of the South-south states could not but hide his excitement when approached for his view on the importance of the conference.

“This is what Nigeria needs. We need to go back to those days where a Muslim can dine freely with a Christian without fear of food poisoning and vice versa,” he said. “We missed it a long time ago and the earlier we began to preach the language of love and tolerance the better for the upcoming generation,” he further added.

UFUK Dialogue has been in the business of preaching peaceful co-existence across Nigeria since 2011. It is to their credit that they have organised high profile events that have brought religious leaders of the two major religions together on a table to feast.

We believe that religious leaders should set worthy examples for adherents of their faith. That is why our activities always have the support of religious leaders in the country like John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Sheik Ahmed Lemu, Bishop Hassan Mathew Kukah and others too numerous to mention

His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan (middle) and other participants

A cross section of participants at the conference

His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, delivering his speech at the International Conference on Love and Tolerance

“Our meetings are characterised by a high level of mutual respect and love for one another,” Kemamchi stated.

“We believe that religious leaders should set worthy examples for adherents of their faith. That is why our activities always have the support of religious leaders in the country like Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Sheik Ahmed Lemu, Bishop Hassan Mathew Kukah and others too numerous to mention.”

The activities of UFUK Dialogue in Nigeria is sponsored by the First Surat Group of Companies, the parent organisations of the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC), Nigerian Turkish Nile University (NTNU) and the Nigerian Turkish Nizamiye Hospital (NTNH).

“Nigeria is a great country. Nigerians are also loving people. UFUK Dialogue is that voice we use to encourage dialogue and

peaceful coexistence amongst the various religious and ethnic groups all around the world,” says Mr. Mehmet Basturk, the General Managing Director of First Surat Group.

“Tolerance is our safest refuge and our fortress against the handicaps that arise from schism, factions, and the difficulties inherent in reaching mutual agreement,” Fetullah Gulen said.

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IMAGES

L-R: Mr. Oladunbi Tunde; Sole Administrator, Apapa Local Goverment, Alhaji Babatunde Alao; Chairman, Orile-Agege National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Najeem Ariori; and Alhaji Akeem Osanyinpeju during the Eid-Fitri celebration in Agege Lagos...recently

R-L: Head, Emerging Business, Diamond Bank, Njideka Esomeju; Diector, Marketing & Operations, Microsoft Nigeria, Awonni Olumide-Sojuirin; and Microsoft Advisory Officer, David Ita, during a one-day workshop on improving business productivity using Microsoft office 365 organised by Diamond Bank in partnership with Microsoft and Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) at Victoria Island, Lagos...recently KUNLE OGUNFUYI

Executive Producer, HB Consolidated, Oludare Onasanya; Manager, Sponsorships, Etisalat Nigeria, Orah Egwu; Host, Kids Say The Darndest Things, Tony Okungbowa; Director, Brand and Experience, Etisalat Nigeria, Elvis Ogiemwanye; and Chichi Nwoko, Executive Producer, Kids Say The Darndest Things, Chichi Nwoko, during a press conference to announce the commencement of Kids Say The Darndest Things (KSDT) Season 2 in Lagos...recently

R-L: District Governor, International Association of Lions Club, Chief Paul Uchenna Muotolum; the Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi; and the Deputy Corps Mashall, Motor Vehicle Administration, Charles Theophilus, during a courtesy visit to the corps marshall by the district governor in Abuja...recently

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

Photo Editor Abiodun Ajala Email abiodun.ajala@thisdaylive.com

L-R: The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo State, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, receiving a certificate of return from the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun, at partyís National Secretariat, Abuja...recently ENOCK REUBEN

L-R: Head, Consumer and Privilege Banking, Diamond Bank, Aisha Hamad; winner of Diamond Xtra mid-year promo, Mrs. Binta Joy Ogun; Chief of Staff, 9 Brigade Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Ikeja Cantonment, Col. Ibikunle Ajose; and Head, Mass Market Segment, Diamond Bank Plc. Ostia Ede at the season 8 mid-year draw for Diamond Xtra Account at Ikeja Cantonment in Lagos...recently SUNDAY ADIGUN

National Chairman, Independent Democrats, Hon Edozie Madu (left), and a former governor of Niger State, Abdulkadir Kure, at the former governor’s residence in Minna...recently

Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko (right), and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South-west Zone, Eddy Olafeso, during the inaugural meeting of the PDP South-west zone in Akure...recently

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BUSINESSWORLD FIRST BANK OUTLINES NEW STRATEGIC FOCUS, SAYS FUNDAMENTALS REMAIN STRONG importantly, the entire credit system has been overhauled and we have adopted a new model driven by People, Policy, Process and Technology.”

He said the bank under the new management “has adopted the Oracle risk management system and has recruited an internationally certified Credit Risk Officer to ensure that our NPL never goes way near where it is today and we are not in the category of any bank the regulator is intervening because our capital adequacy ratio is above the required minimum. In addition, we have revoked lending authority from junior officers and centralized the approval process to forestall infraction.”

‘LOW PATRONAGE OF LOCAL SOFTWARE WILL STIFFEN ECONOMIC GROWTH’ Although government meant well for local industries in the country by making such pronouncement, but government was reluctant to enforce it on companies and individuals who still patronise foreign IT products, including foreign developed software.

But just as local software developers are complaining of low patronage, the buyers are also complaining of low quality software developed in Nigeria and would not want to risk their businesses in the name of local patronage.

Reacting to the issue of low quality software products from Nigeria, Oseni told THISDAY that software development had always thrived on the platform of constant improvement on existing solutions, which he insisted, must come with support and patronage. He explained that the big foreign software products that have made their marks today, started small, with support from government in the areas of seed funding and policies that ended up protecting the solutions from undue competition. Oseni called on government to consider coming up with policies that would help protect locally developed software from any form of unfavorable competition.

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Crusoe Osagie

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Cap Mkt) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Maritme)

NEWS

FG Woos Insurers to Invest in Infrastructural Devt Ebere Nwoji The federal government has solicited the collaboration of insurance industry operators in infrastructural development in the country, just as it has said that henceforth, only contractors with prove of compliance with Workmen Compensation Act would be allowed to work in government ministries.

Workmen compensation is an insurance cover put in place by employers for their employees against injury at workplace.

The policy was in 2010 transferred to the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and has currently yielded about N60billion premium according to records.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola stated at the 2016 National Insurance Conference organised by the Insurance Industry Consultative Council ( IICC) in Abuja that insurers can contribute to the infrastructural development through investment in infrastructural projects and insurance of different stages of the projects across the country.

Fashola, who spoke on the topic “Expected Role of Insurance in Infrastructural Development”, told the insurers that infrastructure does not begin and end with road and power but also includes housing, health care among others.

He said beyond housing, insurers can go into mortgage financing insurance, which is the retail branch aspect of the business.

The minister urged the insur-

ers to develop higher spirit of creativity and innovativeness in order to develop products that meet the present day business demand.

He said they are in position to do this because of availability of long term funds and the need for the industry to expand its horizon in investments business.

Fashola further noted there are a lot of opportunities for insurance in infrastructural

development adding that in terms of risk bearing opportunity, policies on infrastructural insurance alone can only be limited by the operates’ lack of imagination and enterprising spirit.

Responding to complaints by the insurance managers on incessant poaching of insurance products by different agencies of government in recent times, Fashola urged the insurers to guard their fence jealously and

pursue their right through the use of legislators.

According to him, government, on its part would play its role to ensure compliance of Nigerians to laws affecting insurance and safety of the citizens.

He said his ministry would insist and demand that contractors provide recognised prove that they have complied with the Workmen Compensation Act.

According to him, the ministry will continue to emphasise on the protection that the Act provides for work men and women in construction sites across the country.

He acknowledged that in the case of occupational diseases and work place risks, most of the promises made in the Workmen Compensation Act are not complied with in reality both in public and private sector.

LUCKY WINNER

L-R: Head, Small Business Group, Skye Bank Plc, Ayodele Olojede; Relationship Officer, Montgomery Road Branch, Skye Bank Plc, Joseph Imoehimi Imuezerua; Winner in the N100, 000 Category (a Civil Servant), Ottun Elizabeth Olukemi and Group Head, Retail Banking, Skye Bank Plc, Nkolika Okoli at the twelfth cheque presentation to winners in the ongoing Skye Bank’s “Reach for the Skye” Millionaire Reward Scheme held in Lagos… recently

BEDC to Install Additional Diamond Bank, Microsoft to Empower 38m 100,000 Meters this Year SMEs with MPoS The Benin Electricity Distribution Plc. (BEDC) has announced plan to install additional 100,000 meters for domestic and commercial customers for the remainder of this year.

The company stated this at a press briefing during the 7th monthly power sector stakeholders’ meeting, which it hosted at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Benin. Specifically, the company said it would strive to achieve the 100per cent metering of all industrial and Maximum Demand (MD) customers by November ending. Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, BEDC, Mrs. Funke Osibodu said that the company will also achieve the metering of at least 2,000 distribution transformers in order to adequately account for energy billing to customers.

“The company has been proactive in installation of meters having installed over 120,500 meters since takeover of the company. We have taken advantage of both the industry CAPMI Scheme and own funded meters. More than 25,000 out of these have been installed this year alone,” remarked Osibodu who was represented by the Chief State Head, Edo, Mr. Fidelis Obishai.

BEDC she noted has also commenced some projects to ensure the health of the customer meters including 100 per cent recertification

and rectification of existing maximum demand customers; massive meter sealing exercise for domestic and commercial customers, prepaid meters recertification and rectification exercise, and shifting meters from customer premise to external visible locations.

Speaking on the company’s Enforcement and Network Monitoring team, she said the objective was to ensure that connections to the network were in line with safety standards, and to ensure only paying customers were on the network, and that by-pass or illegal connections were not allowed on the network.

She added that customers who have not paid their bills within 10 days of the delivery of bill will be disconnected from the network during this process. She said: “In addition to customers who have by-passed their meters by removing part or all of the electricity load from reading on the meter would also be disconnected, except upon payment of the appropriate fines and reconnection fee.

“BEDC prides itself as being committed to the continued provision of improved service delivery to its customers while ensuring that connection to its network for power supply connections is not dangerous to the health and safety of the public.

Emma Okonji Diamond Bank has said that its recent collaboration with Microsoft on Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) growth in Nigeria is capable of empowering the 35 million registered SMEs in the country by 2017, through its Diamond Mobile Point of Sales (MPoS).

Both companies stated this in Lagos at a one-day workshop on improving business productivity among SMEs. The firms pledged to scale up SME business in Nigeria in the next one year, by providing the right technology tools that will empower Nigerian businesses in today’s digital world.

Head, Emerging Business, Diamond Bank, Njideka Esomeju, who spoke on Diamond MPoS, said the solution would enhance business productivity among SMEs in the country.

“We need to get SMEs to move online, which is the next level of business, and to learn how to maximise the use of their computers to improve their business efficiency. At Diamond Bank, our slogan is ‘Beyond Banking’ and we have fully gone beyond the initial ways where customers had to go into the banking hall to deposit, withdraw or transact some forms businesses. We have introduced solutions that

empower small businesses to move to the next level, which is about leveraging technology for business efficiency,” Esomeju said. She added: “Some of our recent products include the Diamond Mobile Point of Sales (MPoS), which assists SMEs in doing their business seamlessly.”

She explained that the Diamond MPoS could be operated offline and online, with and without connectivity.

If there is difficulty in internet connectivity, our MPoS will only record the transaction, store it and effect it when connectivity is restored, and there is no limit to the daily amount of financial transactions that could be carried out by SMEs on the Diamond MPoS. “We are partnering Microsoft on its Office 365 small business solution to boost SME business. The Microsoft solution will enhance communication among SME staff. We are also partnering Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) because they also support SMEs”, she stressed.

Explaining how the solution could be used, Gideon Akpebu said: “The Diamond MPoS is a smart reader that works with mobile phones.

It is unique because it differs from other PoS in terms of size, as it comes very handy, and can accept payment for business transactions from

any part of the country and at any time. It takes record of daily transactions and issues receipt for each transaction.”

According to him, all that the SME need do is to download the app from Play Store, pair it with a mobile phone via Bluetooth and activate it for usage.

Marketing and Communications Lead, Microsoft Nigeria, Edmond Idokoko, while speaking on the value that Microsoft brings to SMEs, explained that Microsoft mantra is to enable individuals and organisations achieve more in the business by leveraging Microsoft technology solutions.

“We are bringing value to SMEs by collaborating with Diamond Bank on SME growth. For instance we are offering our Office 365 technology solution free of charge to SMEs for a period of six months, after which the SME can begin monthly subscription on the solution.

We are using Nigeria as a pilot market, from where we will move to other regions and countries to also support SMEs. The focus is on Nigeria because Nigeria falls within the emerging market. Again, Nigeria is a strategic market for Microsoft, because of its large population size, as well as the important role it plays in the African market,” Idokoko said.

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E-BUSINESS

Bridging the Technology Skills Gap The commitment of Samsung Electronics to develop technical skills among Nigerian students, no doubt will help address the technology skills gap in the country, writes Emma Okonji Nigeria’s dependence on oil over the years has widened the technology skills gap in the country because little emphasis was placed on technology skills acquisition.

The decline in the prices of crude oil is beginning to raise concerns in government circle on the need to diversify the Nigerian economy.

Industry stakeholders are already clamouring for the diversification of the Nigerian economy in the area of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and the President Muhammadu Buhari led government is also singing the same song.

Recently, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelemah, spoke extensively at a technology forum in Lagos on the need for economic diversification in ICT. He also emphasised the need to impact technology skills on students in secondary schools and higher institutions of learning in order to develop technology savvy students that will drive the Nigerian economy.

Having identified the technical skills gap in the country, Samsung Electronics, through the Samsung Engineering Academy, has shown a lot of commitment and investments in developing technical skills among technical school students, in collaboration with the Lagos State government.

Technology innovation Innovate or die is a common mantra often invoked when the success or failure of any enterprise is examined. Across the globe, there are painful narratives of organisations that hitherto dominated the economy, which ultimately collapsed due to their failure to embrace innovation, whether in the sphere of technology, human and resource management, service and product improvements, among other factors. Former photography giant, Kodak, easily comes to mind.

On the flip side are companies that have not only embraced innovation as a success driver, but have actually applied it practically in every field of human and business enterprise to transform previously difficulty and innocuous endeavours into global phenomena. A company like Samsung, for example, has not only made technology and innovation the bedrock of its operations, but has creatively applied it even in its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. A major outcome is the endearment of the brand to consumers across the globe. Other companies as Diageo, parent company of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Coca-Cola, and Nike, among others, are well noted for their innovative approach to CSR. However, a recent innovation in Nigeria’s education sector, which is capable of transforming the country’s skills acquisition requirements, is worth giving a closer examination.

From its inception as a small export business over 70 years ago, Samsung has grown to become one of the world’s leading brands, specialising in digital appliances, semiconductors, memory and systems integration. In the ICT space, the company has established an reputation in innovation and style. In Nigeria, the company has established its presence in various segments of the economy and society. Samsung Electronics has continued to appreciate the talent and tenacity of people in Nigeria in fulfillment of its mission to make life better for consumers all over the world.

Samsung Electronics believes that success goes hand in hand with robust corporate citizenship. The company ensures the integration of social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders, achieving a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives, while at the same time addressing the expectations of stakeholders is a key consideration for Samsung.

Bridging technology skills gap As part of Samsung’s CSR vision that aligns to CSR, research and development in ensuring excellence to its business, Samsung has in

A cross section of graduating students from one of the technology skills acquisition programmes in Lagos...recently

the past few years, helped to develop skills among young people in Nigeria, a strategy designed to bring out the best in people by providing necessary tools to support growth and development.

Through the Samsung Engineering Academy, which is a flagship initiative of the company, it focused on developing young skilled technicians across Africa, Nigeria inclusive. The company has shown a lot of commitment and investments in using the academy to develop skills acquisition.

The initiative commenced in Nigeria in 2012, with the opening of the first Samsung Engineering Academy at the Government Technical College, Ikeja in Lagos State. The capacity-building programme is an integral part of Samsung’s vision to reduce unemploy-

“Through the Samsung Engineering Academy, which is a flagship initiative of the company, it focused on developing young skilled technicians across Africa, Nigeria inclusive. The company has shown a lot of commitment and investments in using the academy to develop skills acquisition”

ment within Nigeria to its barest minimum by investing its resources in training and empowering young Nigerians.

The academy, since its inception, has helped to trim down the huge dearth of skilled manpower in the technical and engineering fields in Nigeria, thus creating clear cut pathways to job opportunities. Part of the company’s broader goal is to develop 10, 000 electronics engineers across the continent by 2015. In Nigeria, the academy has produced 125 electronics engineers. The recent being the graduation ceremony of the Samsung Engineering Academy Class of 2015, held in Lagos in June, 2015.

Commending Samsung initiative Speaking at the ceremony, a representative of Lagos Eko Project, Mr. Sunday Awefi, stated that the Samsung Engineering Academy remained a great initiative which had given hope to youths with technical skills and had also equipped them to become technicians in electronics engineering, in addition to knowledge relevant in the changing world.

“It is a tremendous improvement to the country’s technology sector,” he said.

According to him, “The engineers are now well equipped with sound technical skills, which will help them build a better future for themselves while contributing towards driving Nigeria’s economic growth and development.”

More students’ participation Last week, Samsung Electronics, through its Engineering Academy, graduated 67 students in Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Technical Training from three Technical Schools in Lagos State.

The programme, which lasted for 21 months was organised in partnership with Lagos State Eko project, designed to assist students in technical schools across the state to become qualified technicians in their chosen technical fields.

The 67 students, who graduated from the academy, were honoured. The Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. ChangWook Lee, said at the graduating

ceremony that one of major goals of the company was to positively impact the lives of the youth.

“Today, your perseverance doesn’t go unnoticed. Today is a milestone for you as you carve your next steps. As a company, we don’t just think of ourselves as a technology company. One of our main goals is to positively impact the lives of those at the core of our society- the youth,” Lee said.

He encouraged the graduating students to think about the future and develop big ideas that will make them better citizens that will contribute to the development of the country.

The academy’s training programme The Samsung Engineering Academy, an initiative under the Samsung Hope for Children portfolio, was borne out of the need to positively impact the society by helping to provide students in the scheme with free hands-on, vocational training. The initiative is expected to rapidly close the huge gap in technical skills available on the continent.

Students undergo a one-year programme comprising basic, intermediate and advanced engineering skills and are subsequently introduced to industry-appropriate practices, tools and equipment. In addition to ensuring that Africa develops an adequate pool of engineering skills, the academy also provides learners with well-paying job opportunities, a commitment that supports the Nigerian government’s drive to address youth unemployment.

Speaking on Samsung’s pivotal role in the ICT space, Lee reiterated the company’s dedication to facilitating a better future for Nigeria by training a skilled workforce of technicians who will thereafter become service experts empowered to create wealth.

“At Samsung, we understand the importance of investment in quality education and its role in youth development and empowerment. Samsung’s aim is to build successful partnerships in Nigeria to equip the country’s youth with the technical skills,” he stated.

Undoubtedly, the Samsung Engineering Academy showcases Samsung as an innovative investor in the driving force of any country’s economy, its youth.

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BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Oseni: Nigeria Needs Home Grown Smart Apps for School Administration

CEO, Trisat Communications Limited, Abiola Oseni, spoke on the importance of locally developed smart apps that would address the administrative bottlenecks in the school management system. Emma Okonji brings the excerpts: What is the relationship between Trisat and Notify software app?

Trisat Communications Limited is one of the leading ICT firms in Nigeria and Africa. We offer three major services: the first is Network Solutions, which is a platform, where we provide inter-branch connectivity, via internet for corporate organisations. The second major service is Certification Training, where we train people in computer networking and programming, and at the end of the training, we certify the trainees. The third major service is Software Development. Trisat has been in operations in the past nine years, and within this period, we have embarked on projects that are remarkably successful and reliable.

In software development, we have developed homegrown software for organisations, which they are currently using to improve work efficiency and productivity.

In a bid to develop a wide range of software applications that could be used commercially, we came up with Notify App, which is a smart school software solution, developed to eliminate administrative bottleneck in school management system. Notify App covers exam testing, admission, fees collection, notifications, communication and general school administration.

So what exactly propelled you into developing software solution that addresses administrative bottleneck in school management system?

As a technology company, we were able to envisage how software application can increase efficiency and productivity, while addressing peculiar challenges. So we looked at the education sector and discovered a lot of administrative challenges in the areas of admission, fees collection and remittance, as well as communication between parents and the school authority, and we decided to develop Notify App to address all these identified challenges in school management system. So in a nutshell, the solution is designed to help increase efficiency in school administration.

How exactly does the software app address the identified administrative challenges in schools?

Permit me to begin by explaining that Notify App was developed based on failed project, which we earlier developed for schools. The project failed because the solution did not address key challenges of school management processes.

We developed a school management software, which appeared to us as fantastic solution, since it had to do with school management, but the solution did not address the key challenges of school management and so schools did not invest in it. We felt schools will need the solution, only for us to find out, after going to the market with the solution, that it does not address key challenges of school management.

So the project failed and we lost some money.

After that, we constituted a focus group, which comprised of business analysts, programmers and school administrators and teachers. The focus group helped us to understand the actual challenges that schools were passing through in terms of administration and we went back to the drawing board, where we analysed the challenges and then developed Notify App to address those challenges. Now, I will answer your question on how the app addresses the challenges. Through the focused group, we were able to identify the actual challenges such as the difficulties in conducting entrance examination in schools, and we came up with a computer-based solution that will help schools conduct entrance exam for a large population of candidates, mark the scripts instantly and produce accurate results for admission same day, by eliminating paper work that hitherto makes the conduct of such exams very cumbersome. Again, we identified the challenges of collecting school fees, which has to do with accountability. We discovered that schools have

win several awards in software development and usage. The keyword about Notify App is simplicity because it is easy to use.

What competitive advantage does Notify App has over other software solutions that are addressing the same issue?

Notify App has competitive advantage over other apps because it has end-to-end integration.

What this means is that 100 per cent of the processing is automated, and this makes it a lot easier to use. I can assure Nigerians that our solution is the only solution in the country that has 100 per cent paperless testing.

Oseni

challenges to track debtors, especially debtors that have outstanding school fees. So Notify App is able to track fees payment from entry level of the students to exit level of the students, such that no parent will owe the school without the school knowing. The solution also helps schools to know how much fees were collected at every given term, as well as outstanding fees, just at the click of a button. Our solution also helps to send push notifications to parents on a regular basis, informing them to pay up their children/wards schools fees as well as notifying them of important information like school open day, cultural day, parents-teachers association (PTA) meetings, among others. So the Notify App comes with three modules: the smart testing, smart payment system and the smart messenger.

How long did it take to develop the solution and what has been the response of school administrators, since it was developed?

It took us 18 months to develop Notify App. We started developing it in January 2015 and we completed it in June 2016. Before we got to the final stage in June, we were test-running the different modules of the app with some school administrators and the ones that have used it so far, liked it. So we have done pilot testing of the various modules with most schools, before finally completing the app last month. One of the very successful modules is the smart admission engine, which is a module under the smart testing system. It handles admission and internal exams. We tried it during the pilot testing for admission into schools, as well as for internal exams with most of the schools and it worked very well and the schools liked the efficiency and convenience in the use of the app. Five schools that piloted it have continued using the app.

How did the schools rate Notify App after usage?

The rating was high and this was so because our system is machine-to-machine (M-to-M) based solution. It is integrated in such a way that there is less human interface and interaction. So it eliminates the physical process of admission and internal exams in schools. So school admission and exam registration are all done seamlessly online. The solution conducts the exams, mark scripts, records marks and publish results same day that the exam was taken. The administrator will thereafter upload the scores to Notify portal and Notify will match the scores with the criteria set for the exam, and any candidate that meets the pass mark, gets instant admission as well as admission letters.

That dame day, the parents receive admission

offer letters via emails. Those that did not meet the score could be considered for selective/ supplementary admission.

Nigerians believe more in foreign developed software than the locally developed ones.

Do you see this as a threat to your locally developed Notify App? We cannot rule out the fact that most people inclined more to foreign products than to locally developed products, but the truth of the matter is that locally developed software solutions are as good as the foreign software.

We are trying hard to disabuse the minds of Nigerians who still have strong perception for foreign developed software. One thing we have done with the development of Notify App is to develop it in three versions and Nigerians can subscribe to them free of charge. Although the free software has limited features, but it can allow users to interact and retrieve students information. So schools can log on to www. notify.com.ng to access the solution and use it for free, just to convince them that the solution is as good as any foreign software, addressing the same purpose. They can try the free version and see how reliable it is before making up their minds for the paid version.

What are some of the benefits of Notify App to users?

There are three key benefits of Notify to business owners and school owners and managers. Notify helps to save time, save cost, and it provides convenience to the teachers, parents and the school management.

If a school invests in Notify App, such school will save time and cost for itself. Using the example of students’ admission for instance, where parents have to go to the school, pick the admission form, fill it and return to the school, clearly shows waste of time management. But using Notify, which is an online solution, parents can log on to the site, access the forms and fill them online and also submit online, and this method will save a lot of time and cost for both parents and school management. Apart from saving cost and time, it also provides convenience and ease of doing things. It also eliminates paper work, which is always huge cost for schools. Invigilation cost is also reduced, because every entrance exam test on Notify App is on Computer-Based Test (CBT).

How easy it is to use Notify App? The joy of any software is in the ease of use.

When the use of a particular software is becoming cumbersome, then the essence is defeated. We have this in our minds when developing software and it has helped us to

How can governments at all levels benefit from Notify App? Aside schools, government can also benefit from Notify App. The app is capable of centralising the operations of branches of government organisatons. For example, a state government has several secondary schools and they conduct large exams like the Junior West African School Certificate (WASC) exam. What schools do is to send the names of candidates to the exam body and they use the list of the names to create schedule for question papers and answer sheets. They conduct the exam and send the results to the school principals. But with Notify, the entire exam registration process is first centralised and the exam officer in schools go online to submit their school registration. The Ministry of Education will then use the online information for budgeting of the exams and everything is done online realtime. Our CBT is fully integrated and it assigns the questions to the students and the questions can be attempted at any of the designated CBT centres. Notify App will mark, and create statement of result that is automatically uploaded online, to enable students check their results online. Through the same portal, successful students can apply for their certificates, and the ministry gets an alert, prepares the certificate and informs the students for pickup of their certificates.

Government is using CBT to conduct post UME exams, but majority of the candidates had challenges with the processes of the CBT exam, a situation that generated calls to scrap CBT exam in the country. What is your view about this?

No doubt there are lots of challenges to CBT exams, ranging from poor infrastructure, lack of computer laboratories and poor electricity supply. Another reason for the challenge is user proficiency, especially for students in the rural areas. But in spite of the teething challenges, CBT is still the best way to conduct exams because it is easier and cost-saving. It saves government a whole lot of money in the area of printing exam question papers. A state government can spend between N80 million to N120 million in printing only question papers for Junior Secondary School exam in the state, but with the use of CBT, the government eliminates paper work and save a lot of money as much as 70 per cent of the total cost of the exam. What government should do is to adopt new technologies, improve on infrastructure and boost electricity supply.

As a solution provider that is based in Port Harcourt, how do you intend to take your solution to other parts of the country?

Our solution is cloud-based and it is online, driven by internet connectivity. So it is accessible from anywhere in the country and from anywhere in the world. As of today, Notify is being used in three countries. We have customer in Uganda, Spain and in Nigeria, even when we have not officially launched the solution.

So all we need do is to ensure that our web presence is strong enough for people to easily have access to the solution.

We intend to use channel partners to drive our presence in Nigeria, and the channel partnership programme is already up and running.

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E-PPAN Targets Increased IGR for States, Federal Government Stories by Emma Okonji Electronic Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN), the organiser of e-Government Summit, has said the target of the 2016 edition of the summit is to increase internally generated revenue (IGR), for state governments as well as the federal government.

The association also announced a shift in the date of the summit from July to September this year, to enable it make adequate preparation and awareness creation that will boost the summit.

Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, E-PPAN, Mrs. Regha Onajite, who made the announcement in Lagos, said the summit earlier scheduled for July 12 and13 would now hold from September 27 and 28, 2016 in Abuja.

Onajite added that the summit was moved to guarantee active participation of more stakeholders from both the private and public sectors.

“This year’s summit with the theme: “Attaining Increased IGR; Efficiency and Accountability in Government through Smart Innovation,” draws home the current issue facing state governments and the vast opportunity in leveraging epayment and Information and Communication Technology

(ICT) as an alternative measure in generating and increasing IGR in an accountable and efficient manner,” Onajite said.

She explained that the timeliness of the summit gives all stakeholders the opportunity to key into the summit, which will showcase an array of smart solutions to boost IGR in the state government, “instead of solely depending on the federal government for statutory allocation, which has been greatly affected by the dwindling oil revenue.”

“With reports indicating that 15 states in the federation are going bankrupt due to declining IGR, coupled with the apparent lack of transparency and accountability in the traditional way of revenue collection,” Onajite said, adding deployment of innovative and smart ICT solutions and adoption of best-practice strategies would rescue states from their current financial doldrums.

This year’s e-government summit is being organised, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and put together by a Local Organising Committee made up of representatives from CBN, Galaxy Backbone, FSS2020, NITDA, National Pension Commission (PENCOM), FSS

2020 and E-PPAN. According to her, “The summit, therefore, gives every state government an unparallel opportunity to amass knowledge, expertise, and solutions that will keep them afloat in the face of impending bankruptcy.”

“To extensively address the theme of the summit, the twoday intensive discourse will be centered on providing real-time solutions that will catalyse a paradigm shift from the norm in revenue generation, data management

drive, flash drive, at the same time, thereby boosting users’ experience,” Okonkwo said.

All TV sets are super slim with high-resolution screens, equipped with energy saving mechanism, which enables the television to store energy that is as high as 30 over cent.

It boasts of superb pictures and voices, thanks to functions like colour fidelity, sharp contrast, and supports local language menu display and USB play as well. All these functions and features are designed in full consideration of the local market condition and consumer habit, which once reflect the Syinix design philosophy and mission of serving the local African people with top quality yet affordable electronic products.

Syinix Brand Director, Mr. Bruce Deng, said: “Africa, Nigeria in particular is our most important strategic market. We are very pleased to bring Syinix TV into Nigeria during the European Cup. We are committed to provide the Nigerian people top quality leisure entertainment experiences, combining classic Japanese design and technology with local Nigerian insights.

Moving forward Syinix is going to launch more electronics products in Nigeria and Africa, in adherence to its original brand mission of serving African families, and hopefully become a household name and the first choice of Nigerian and African families.”

She further added that the summit was an initiative borne out of the desire to enhance government frameworks on techno-interactive fora, which support e -government strategy, strengthen institutions and build capacities of public servants.

FOR TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT

L-R: Programme Director, Techplus2016, Mr. Gbonju Akingbade; MD, Connect Marketing, Tunji Adeyinka; General Manager, Marketing & Corporate Services, Cosharis Group, Mr. Abiona Babarinde and General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Mr. Richard lweanoge at the media briefing to announce the upcoming Techplus 2016 Expo in Lagos…recently ABIODUN AJALA

Syinix LEDTV Series Launched in Nigeria DS-IHUB to Induct ICT Syinix, the electronic arm television with no assistance Experts into Tech Innovation of Transsion Holdings, has from anyone. It has multi ports launched its Japan-originated design, which allow multiple Hall of Fame electronics brand TV sets in plugs such as USB, DVD, hard Nigeria, designed to catch the grand final of the European Cup to provide epic viewing experiences for the Nigerian football fans.

Originated from Japan with a basic principle of “For a Better Life”, Syinix television is a professional electronics brand committed to becoming a practical family choice for warm and cozy lives. The product comes simple, with elegant finish design, easy and optimised user experiences.

Speaking at the launch of Syinix television sets in Lagos this week, the General Manager, Nigeria operations, Transsion Holdings, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo, said Syinix was designed with a wide rage of voltage that ranges from 100 volt to 260 volt, and allows the television to operate at its optimal, without the use of a stabiliser. It comes in 22”, 32” and 40” flat screen size, with plans to expand to 50” and beyond in the near future. According to Okonwo, the Syinix range of TV sets, have perfect sound quality, designed for better listening, with full high definition (HD) Light Emitting Diodes (LED), for bright viewing.

“It also supports local language menu display in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, including English language, this making it easy for people in remote parts of the country that do not speak or write English language, to easily understand the setting of the television, and can operate the

and opportunities for shared infrastructure in government to reduce cost and overhead, among others, to delivering developmental impacts in addressing the multi-faceted and complex challenges we face in Nigeria,” Onajite said.

The newly established Delta State Innovation Hub (DSIHUB), designed to harness all knowledge attributes, potential and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) processes as core accelerator for leadership, public policy, inclusive governance and wealth creation, is set to induct select ICT experts into the Technology Innovation Hall of Fame, its Director General, Chris Uwaje has said.

The select ICT experts will be given ‘Life-Time Achievement Award’, in recognition and appreciation of their over two decades of distinguished and innovative leadership, unmatched professional commitment and inspirational contributions in science, technology and innovation for humanity.

Empowered by Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the DS-IHUB is set to step out in style with a proof of concept and bold statements on innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to Uwaje, the DS-Innovation Hub is a disruptive technology platform for re-engineering the blueprint for smarter processes, more effective leadership and governance for inclusive public service. The Hub will provide expertise on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy roadmap and implementation strategy advice on new processes and emerging approaches to

conceptualisation, application and usage of Information and Communications Technology to respond to challenges and drive innovative solutions at all levels of engagement.

Those to be inducted include the founder and publisher of Guardian Newspapers, late Alex Ibru; the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu; Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia; former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe; Chief Executive Officer of MainOne Broadband Company, Funke Opeke; Political Economy and Management expert, Prof.

Pat Utomi, among others.

“The Hall of Fame will establish an endowment fund whose content will focus on insightful perspectives and strategies on how to effectively engage the challenges of technology innovation in Delta State and Nigeria. The endowment fund will focus on Technology Leadership, State Policy and Strategy, e-Government, Education, Industry and Entrepreneurship, Research and Development, Software Development Smart City Initiative Start-up and Incubators, E-Health, Youth Employment, Women Empowerment, Technology Funding, Venture Capital and Angel Investors, State Security, among others. The Hub aims to be a well groomed platform for timely harnessing critical knowledge,” Uwaje said.

TechPlus 2016 to Showcase Latest Technologies Nigeria will this month witness the display of latest technologies on connected devices and mobility, including the showcasing of a driverless car that is powered and controlled by technology, courtesy of TechPlus exhibition and conference, which holds in Lagos from July 20-23, 2016.

Although a little demonstration on the driverless car was showcased at a press conference in Lagos this week to announce TechPlus exhibition and conference, the organisers, said the full demonstration of how a driverless car could navigate along busy roads, will be demonstrated at the TechPlus show, among other latest technology solutions that are currently driving the Internet of Things (IoTs) connectivity globally.

The event, according to Connect Marketing Services, organisers of TechPlus, would witness presentations by key sponsors and partners and the presentation of the driverless car to the public.

Speaking on the fourth coming technology even, the Managing Director, Connect Marketing Services, Mr. Tunji Adeyinka, said the maiden edition of TechPlus provided a test-bed for new technologies, new applications and great innovation last year, drawing over 6,500 attendees, over 30 speakers and over 30 exhibitors and thousands of gamers.

He, however, said this year’s event has been expanded to even greater dimensions. “The theme this

year is ‘A Connected World,’ and the Internet of Things is revolutionising the world around us, with technology being built into everything we do, giving room for explosion of connectivity and innovation in every area of our lives,” Adeyinka said.

This year, TechPlus is targeting 10,000 participants, 100 exhibitors, over 3,000 gamers, over 55 sessions and over 80 speakers. The conference has been organised into five different tracks and segments with topics and speakers addressing the different tracks.

The tracks are the Government Technology Forum where topics like the Smart City and E-Government will be discussed. The government track will be dedicated to government officials at the federal, state and local government levels as well as service providers. The Start-Up forum with topics like different capital sources and funding, success stories and rules. This forum is for entrepreneurs at different stages of their venture. The Marketing and Media forum will address topics like the how disruption affects global brands, the role of audio visual content in marketing, among others, Afeyinka said.

The CIO track will have topics like Life on the FrontLine: Perspectives on the role of the CIO and the Evolution of IT, Big Data Conversion: Monetizing Customer Service.

This track is for C-Level officers

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Firm Introduces New Beoplay H5 Earphone App B&O Play has announced the company’s first wireless earphones with the launch of Beoplay H5. Beoplay H5 is designed for music lovers with an active lifestyle by one of Scandinavia’s foremost designers, Jakob Wagner, and combines the highly acclaimed Bang and Olufsen Signature Sound with sleek aesthetics and an effortless tech experience.

For seamless integration into an active everyday life, Beoplay H5 comes tuned with a variety of sound profiles to deliver best-in-class sound experience in all situations. Users simply choose one of the preset sound profiles in Beoplay App on their smartphone or Apple Watch, such as working out, commuting, listening to podcasts or relaxing, or they can adjust the tonality and staging with the playful and intuitive B&O Play ToneTouch interface.

To make sure that users do not leave their earphones behind, Beoplay H5 comes with a magnet built into each earpiece, so users can click them around their neck for effortless wear and easy access to their music and podcasts. Clicking the earpieces together, Beoplay H5 automatically powers down saving battery life.

Announcing the new app, Senior Vice President of B&O Play, Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, said: “Beoplay H5 is the most versatile product we have ever made. It is designed to be worn and used effortlessly, and with the integrated app to change the tonality to what you are doing, it will be a device that enriches the everyday lives of people worldwide. Combined with an active, fashionable and dynamic design that complements your active wear as well as your best outfit, we are very

proud to broaden our range of wireless headphones with Beoplay H5.”

Speaking on the design, Lorensen said the cable connecting the two earpieces was encased in braided textile, which makes it comfortable against the skin, and is molded directly inside the rubber to prevent dirt and sweat from interfering with the delicate electronics.

“The housing of the earphones is made of textured rubber and polymer to resist sweat and moisture, and to complement the braided textile cable a diamond cut and radially polished aluminium plate is mounted on top of each earpiece. Human ears are very complex and diverse, so Beoplay H5 have been meticulously tested and improved to get the perfect fit,”said designer Jakob Wagner.

“When designing earphones to be worn in the inner ear for many hours, comfort is the most important factor. The human ear is a delicate and fascinating part of the body, and I wanted to honor that and take care for it to make Beoplay H5 sit beautifully in the outer ear and blend in naturally. Soft and yet precise,” Wagner added.

Beoplay H5 has a 6.4mm dynamic speaker, a small electromagnetic transducer and a bluetooth 4.2 chip with digital sound processing that allows for dynamic sound tuning. It comes tuned by acclaimed Bang and Olufsen sound engineers, for the best all round sound profile that prevents listening fatigue, and Beoplay App can be used for Android, iPhone and Apple devices.

Users can adjust the tonality and sound staging themselves with the playful and intuitive B&O PLAY ToneTouch..

E-BUSINESS

StarTimes Offers Exclusive Chinese Super League Stories by Emma Okonji Digital TV entertaining company, StarTimes has announced its media rights to cover exclusive matches of the Chinese Football Association Super League, popularly known as Chinese Super League, in Sub-Saharan Africa region.

The two-year media rights, which was signed during the CSL media rights press conference in China, gives the African audiences, especially Nigerians, the opportunity to watch native football stars like Nigerian and Shanghai Greeanland Shenhua forward, Obafemi Martins, Senegalese’s Demba Ba and Zambia’s Jacob Mulenga among others on their StarTimes channels.

The General Manager, Media Divisions, StarTimes Group, Mr. Michael Dearham,

said: “We understand that football is like a religion in Africa and that is why we are bringing exclusive matches to the living room or offices of our teeming subscribers in Africa and Nigeria. Chinese Super League has excellent and amazing football players with strong presence of African stars.”

Dearham assured Nigerians that the company would help to popularize CSL in English, French, Portuguese and African native languages in next three years. “Our vision is equal access to every one at a very affordable price.

StarTimes is set to provide “free to air” signals, delivering CSL to all people,” he said.

“I know CSL now has a new road in the future,” President of China Sports Media, Zhao Jun, who manages broadcast rights of CSL, said. She said

that CSL would take more African football stars to China in the future, which would help spread of CSL in Africa.

StarTimes is the leading digital-TV operator in Africa, covering 90 per cent of the continent’s population with a massive distribution network of 200 brand halls, 3,000 convenience stores and 5,000 distributors. StarTimes currently has seven million subscribers in Africa.

Aside from the CSL, the Pay TV Company is playing more important role in StarTimes’ strategy. In 2015, StarTimes signed an exclusive broadcasting contract with Bundesliga and the International Club Championship for successive five years in Sub-Saharan Africa region, and got the Africa wide rights to televise the French Ligue 1, the Italian Serie A for three consecutive

years. Other exciting sports content includes 2015 exclusive broadcast rights to FIFA under 20 World Cup, FIFA Women’s World Cup and the FIFA under 17 World Cup Event, and the Copa America 2016.

In February 2015, StarTimes signed world football icon and Nigeria football legend, Kanu Nwankwo as Continental Brand Ambassador.

The company’s vision is to enable every African family to afford and enjoy digital TV. StarTimes achieves this by combining satellite and terrestrial DTV systems to provide an open and secure digital wireless platform. The company provides a robust signal transmission service for public and private broadcasters that offers consumers outstanding pay-TV programs, mobile multimedia and wireless Internet connectivity.

Accenture Partners HP to Provide IT Solutions to PPP ON THEIR MINDS Enterprises L-R: Director, Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Lagos State, Mr. Nurudeen Sodeinde; Principal Hewlett-Packard Company and Accenture has announced an alliance to provide Information Technology (IT) outsourcing services to enterprises. The two firms will focus on migrating legacy mainframe applications to next generation architectures and platforms as well as supporting “backwards” integration with legacy applications. These new services will give enterprises a faster and simpler way to harness IT assets while minimizing costs and risk.

The alliance formalises a three-year collaboration developed to support the full lifecycle of complex Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions, among the most difficult to implement and scale globally.

The two companies have already collaborated on 15 engagements and developed repeatable best practice methodologies for ERP outsourcing. Today’s announcement builds on this heritage to provide customers with a single point of contact and accountability for program management.

Speaking about the partnership, the Managing Director, Technology, Accenture, Mr. Niyi Tayo, said, there are new

technologies and solutions, more data than ever before, legacy and new systems coming together, an upsurge in collaboration inside and outside the enterprise, more of everything digital driving businesses.

Accenture HP solutions include, private cloud for the Hybrid Cloud, Automated and highly scalable private cloud that minimises upfront investment, improves scalability, rapidly deploys secure application environments and simplifies management. The comprehensive service management—Real-time and predictive service monitoring, analytics services and automation that delivers superior results with business-class monitoring, five 9s reliability, scalability, enhanced service quality, greater predictability, increased agility and cost optimisation It also has the data-driven digital analytics, customisable and scalable architectures that improve analytics, performance and digital capabilities with seamless integration, reduced TCO, enhanced innovation and performance, through an automated SAP environment that speeds business outcomes.

Partner, Bona Fidei Law firm, Mr. Anthony Kpokpo; Director of Center for Ethics and sustainable Development, Dr. Olajumoke Akiode; a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr. Dan Ekere and a lecturer in the Urban Planning Department, UNILAG, Dr. Taibat Lawanson, during a stakeholders’ forum on viability of Public-Private Partnership in Lagos...recently

Cisco Predicts Increased Network Attacks in 5 Years With the growing dependence on mobile and fixed broadband networks, security concerns are increasingly becoming top of the mind for service providers, governments, businesses and consumers, according to the recent Cisco Visual Networking Index report.

For the first time in its forecast, Cisco collaborated with Arbor Networks to help quantify the current and future threats of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. According to the report, the DDoS incidents can paralyse networks by flooding servers and network devices with traffic from multiple Internet Protocol (IP) sources. The new DDoS analysis suggests that these types of breaches can represent up to 10 per cent of a country’s total Internet traffic while they are occurring. The report also predicted that over the next five years, DDoS attacks would increase from 6.6 million to 17 million attacks. These initial

findings underscore the need for more comprehensive security measures to protect data and reduce network exposure to such risks, the report said.

General Manager for Cisco Nigeria, Olakunle Oloruntimehin, said: “The digital transformation is happening now for billions of consumers and business users across the globe. Innovation is imperative for Cisco and its service provider customers to deliver scalable, secure, high-quality services and experiences over all types of broadband network infrastructures.”

According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) forecast for 2016 to 2020, Africa’s IP traffic would also grow six fold and fixed broadband speed will increase 2.4 fold with an average mobile speed connection of 5Mbps. Increased connectivity and internet usage will positively impact Nigeria’s digital migration journey.

The report said global digitisation transformation, based on the adoption of personal devices and deployment of machineto-machine (M2M) connections will have an even greater impact on traffic growth. Over the next five years, global IP networks will support up to 10 billion new devices and connections, increasing from 16.3 billion in 2015 to 26.3 billion by 2020.

Within Africa, a renowned mobile centric hub, there will be approximately 1.5 million networked devices per capita in 2020, out of which 77 per cent will be mobile-connected.

The report said advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) would continue to drive IP traffic and tangible growth in the market. Applications such as video surveillance, smart meters, digital health monitors and a host of other M2M services are creating new network requirements and incremental traffic increases. Globally, M2M

connections are calculated to grow nearly three-fold from 4.9 billion in 2015 to 12.2 billion by 2020, representing nearly half of total connected devices.

Within Africa, M2M modules will account for 22 per cent of all networked devices by 2020, the report added.

The report said video services and content would continue to be the dominant leader compared with all other applications. Internet video will account for 79 percent of global Internet traffic by 2020, up from 63 per cent in 2015.

The world will reach three trillion Internet video minutes per month by 2020, which is five million years of video per month, or about one million video minutes every second.

High Definition (HD) and Ultra HD Internet video will make up 82 per cent of Internet video traffic by 2020, up from 53 per cent in 2015, the report explained.

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CPC Comes under Scrutiny The profile of the Consumer Protection Council has risen over time due to its commitment to the promotion of international best practices. But allegations of selective justice are currently being levelled against its management, Raheem Akingbolu reports For years, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) was considered a toothless bulldog because of what seemed like a lack of political will that could make it follow issues related to redress of consumers’ abuse to the logical conclusion. As a result of this, the council had always been dismissed as an agency of government that only existed in name until two years ago, when Mrs. Dupe Atoki was appointed as Director General. Atoki, a lawyer with robust profile was until her appointment, the Chairperson, African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, an African Union organ.

By January 2014, barely six months after she assumed office, Atoki and her team had displayed a sense of commitment that showed the world that they meant business.

The council thus promised that things would improve and that business owners would stop seeing Nigeria as a dumping ground.

CPC was quick to identify poverty, weak regulation and failure of consumers to pursue their cases as some of the challenges facing regulators in their quest to protect the rights of Nigerian consumers.

The council warned itself to the hearts of Nigerians when it went after some sectors that were initially considered untouchable.

Some of the sectors include; telecoms, aviation, banking and power. The sectors were marked out as areas that recorded the highest level of consumer rights abuses in Nigeria.

Major achievements The first major breakthrough was the collaboration between CPC and the Ministry of Communication to tackle the problem in the telecommunications industry. At a press briefing addressed by Atoki and a former Minister of Communication in Lagos, Dr. Omobola Johnson, the operators were warned against provision of poor services to subscribers and that if nothing was done to right the wrong, they would face sanction. Atoki had personally warned that any of the operators found to be fleecing subscribers through poor service delivery would face the law.

In the same way, CPC moved on to the Aviation sector and kicked against ill-treatment often meted out to passengers. In particular, it condemned the operation of the Ethiopian Airlines on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, when passengers were shabbily treated and described the act as a violation of international best practices.

The Council in a letter, where it called the airline to order, said its reaction was based on several complaints received from passengers of the said flight, particularly those of the Business Class, who felt their rights were wantonly abused.

Following the council’s complaint the airline had swiftly apologised to the affected passengers through the Council.

Another Airline that was called to order was AERO Contractors.

In the case of the airline company, the council appeared to have used statutory legislations of the federal government in carrying out its investigation and enquiries. This entails establishing the infractions and awarding compensation based on existing consumer laws including but not limited to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)’s Passengers Bill of Rights.

Coca Cola and multichoice CPC also came down hard on Coca-Cola and the Nigerian Bottling Company, (NBC) with a threat of severe sanctions after it found the companies wanting on product quality.

“Pursuant to a consumer complaint received by the CPC regarding two half-empty cans of Sprite, products manufactured by NBC under the licence and authority of Coca Cola, the Council in accordance with its Act, investigated the complaint and found among other things, that the cans of Sprite

Atoki

were defective and had health and safety implications for consumers,” Atoki had said at a press briefing in Lagos.

The issue soon went sensational and led to a legal tussle between the council and the global beverage company. At the end, it was resolved but the message was successfully passed. Other issues that have been addressed under the current leadership were; indiscipline in the financial sector and ‘check the BB (Best Before) date’ campaign that was strongly back by the federal government. The council strengthened the campaign when it gave a six-month ultimatum to product dealers to stop indiscriminate storing, which could undermine the quality of products in the market.

It was also to its credit that MultiChoice Nigeria launched two new sports channels, Super Sport 11, (DStv Channel 231) and Super Sport 12 (DStv Channel 232) dedicated to showcasing the EPL and La Liga respectively on the DStv Compact bouquet. The new package was said to have come from CPC’s Order given to MultiChoice, which directed it to ensure a reasonably equitable spread of popular sports and other channels hitherto concentrated in its premium bouquet over all available bouquets.

Aside the fact that the declaration shocked observers, considering the fact that the same government agency recently raided the company, its continued silence over the activities of StarTimes is also worrisome. As a Pay-TV operator, StarTimes is believed to be guilty of the same offence DSTV was sanctioned for

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (MITI), Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah

Anticlimax Despite its achievement, some recent steps embarked upon by the council are attracting criticism. Two weeks ago, the council and the management of Multichoice addressed journalists in Lagos to give the Pay-TV Company a clean bill of health.

Atoki, who spoke on behalf of the council, commended the management of Multichoice Nigeria for successful implementation of the customer focused initiatives prescribed by the council early this year. She said the Pay-TVCompany, has achieved the targets set out by CPC to improve customer service.

The DG said the mandate of the council was to ensure that consumer’s rights and interests are protected, adding that the council has been working with MultiChoice Nigeria in achieving this and that she was confident that the issues have been addressed.

Aside the fact that the declaration shocked observers, considering the fact that the same government agency recently raided the company, its continued silence over the activities of StarTimes was also worrisome.

As a Pay-TV operator, StarTimes is believed to be guilty of the same offence DSTV was sanctioned for.

A Lagos based Lawyer; Mr. Taju Adeyemi believes that StarTimes is being pampered unnecessary in Nigeria. In an interview with THISDAY, Adeyemi, who described the business relationship between StarTimes and NTA called for thorough investigation of the stake of Nigeria in the business.

“To me, StarTimes – NTA relationship is enslavement by foreigners. While we cannot blame CPC for Nigeria’s stake in the business, which I think is around 30 percent, the council and other regulatory agencies can compel the management to do the right thing in the market. Apart from the issue of ownership that is generating rumpus among Nigerians, the company is seeing as a sacred cow in the market. I don’t have any special interest in Multichoice and have consistently condemned the way the South African company extort Nigerians but that notwithstanding, searchlight must also be beamed at the activities of the StarTimes,” Adeyemi, who also called for the investigation into what transpired between CPC and Multichoice that forced the council to make a sudden u-turn, said government agencies must be transparent while addressing issues that concern Nigerians.

Nigerian Breweries purported investigation Another issue that recently attracted criticism was the pronouncement by the council that it

has commenced investigation into the veracity of the claims of the Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB) regarding the health benefits of beer consumption. In a statement issued by the council, it was stated that the claims were capable of luring unsuspecting consumers into unwholesome consumption of the product.

Some media reports from the recent symposium held in Lagos by the breweries giant have asserted that consumption of beer has many nutritional, health and therapeutic benefits.

CPC, in a swift reaction, has sent a notice of the commencement of investigation of the claims to the leading company, quoting relevant sections of its law mandating it to protect consumers from misleading advertisement or information on any consumer item, among others.

The Council, in a letter signed by its Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, listed some of the claims, which include that beer is not an alcoholic beverage and that if taken regularly and in moderation has many defined nutritional and health benefits and can indeed be part of a healthy life style.

Knotty issues Since the pronouncement over the investigation was made, many questions have been raised by observers. A journalist, Mr. Silvanus Idowu, who was present at the symposium, though commended the council for its efforts in curbing the excesses of operators in many sectors but pointed out that the event was not put together to address the benefit of beer consumption alone.

“Except the council wants to be mischievous, experts who spoke at the event spoke on both the negative and positive of beer consumption.

There was no single person who spoke that didn’t touch on both sides and at every point, the fact that beer must be consumed in moderation was emphasised. Beyond this, it is just a one off programme and not a campaign that was deplored to be sustained in advertorials. Perhaps, the council should have blamed those who report from one angle of the story without looking at the other side,” The journalist also urged CPC to build redressed structures for Nigeria consumers as well as looking beyond the multinationals, especially the operators in the fast moving consumer goods.

“May be it has not occurred to CPC, there are many areas that need attention. For instance, I don’t think there is any producer of Plantain Chips in the market that have put ‘best before’ on their pack and this is dangerous,” he said.

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Ilonah: Our Target is the Biggest Billboard in the World As the management of Lona Media prepares to inaugurate the biggest outdoor billboard in Africa to commemorate the 10th year anniversary of the outdoor company, the founder and chairman, LONA Group, Mr. Idoko Kingsley Ilonah, has outlined the company’s plans for the future and the potential in the nation’s advertising industry. Raheem Akingbolu brings the excerpts: How did Lona Media Limited start?

Lona Global Resources started like a joke; initially we started with LONA Petroleum and Gas which is registered as a marketer with Pipeline Product and Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) in the upstream sector. In the process of looking to diversify into other potential viable areas, I traveled abroad during this period to South Africa.

While there, I fell in love with the LED digital advertising which was not yet in Nigeria. On my return to Nigeria, it also happened that Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, the then FCT Minister decided to sanitise the outdoor advertising business by setting up the department of outdoor advertising to bring sanity and order to that sector in the FCT. I see el-Rufai as the father of modern advertising in Nigeria because; his innovative policies and revolutionary approach in that regime became a template for other states across the country. It’s on records that Lagos sent his officials to Abuja to understudy the el-Rufai innovations and LASSA was born.

Thus with the sanitised environment in the FCT which coincided with our readiness, we launched LONA Global Resources in 2006 by inaugurating the very first LED digital displaying billboard situated at Labour House in the Central Business District (CBD) Abuja.

At the end of the day, a staff of the department of outdoor advertising, Mr. Adewale Adetona approached us and suggested that our billboard was not strategically located and would not attracted the eyeballs that we intend it to attract. Thereafter, we applied for a new location and were relocated to the Transcorp Hilton junction after meeting the requisite environmental regulations. That was how we got our big break.

At 10, can you stress on the success story of the agency?

The company as stated above is a subsidiary of our conglomerate of companies known as Lona Group. It is an indigenous company that specialises in outdoor advertising. We are unique because of our sites and functional billboards that dominate the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)’s landscape. We have been in active business since 2006 and were formerly known as the Lona Global Resources but have now rebranded to Lona Media.

What is the unique selling point of the brand?

Lona Media is a premium advertising firm.

We in Abuja are not as loud as our Lagos counterparts; it is on record that Lona Global Resources (now Lona Media Ltd) is the first to introduce outdoor LED digital billboards in Nigeria. Amongst many pioneer steps we took is the installation of the first outdoor LED digital Billboards in Abuja by Transcorp Hilton junction, also in Lagos at the Murtala Muhammed International airport (MMIA) at the arrival gate, first to build the biggest billboard (20m x 40m) in Nigeria at Abuja International Airport Road by Nelson Mandela University of Science & Technology and also the the first to build the biggest billboard in Africa (30m x 90m) at the Abuja International Airport Road by Lugbe Interchange.. Our uniqueness is embedded in the fact that since our debut in 2006 to date, we maintain the best location and deploy state-of-the art billboards across the FCT and pan-Nigeria. We pay huge attention to aesthetics features of our billboards and also the environment around which we operate and deploy our billboards.

We maintain 24/7 services to our clients in

into media business. I wanted to establish a one stop media empire comprising of radio, television and newspaper, but God’s plan worked the other way round.

Ilonah

billboard maintenance across Nigeria and ensure that there is no downtime.

How have the challenges of doing business in Nigeria affected your company?

There are very many challenges and I must say Nigeria is the most difficult place to start a business. Banks are not ready to fund startups but are willing to fund already made billionaires and their businesses. I don’t know the policy of the present administration on its funding support for startups or entrepreneurs but the administration of Jonathan initiated the YouWin scheme. In Nigeria, unlike in other countries, a policy for funding a business from scratch is not in place. For instance, in a country like the U.A.E, (Particularly Dubai), government deliberately formulates policies to encourage their citizens doing business with funding to ensure they grow entrepreneurs and create jobs and wealth for the people.

How can government intervene to provide ease of doing business in Nigeria?

I think government should adopt similar policy currently in force in Dubai and also reintroduce the YouWin scheme and ensure that the programme and its beneficiaries are closely monitored to ensure compliance in paying back the loans. There should be a department that should be specially delegated to oversee new start-up ideas. The present stringent conditions attached to loan applications by banks are not favorable to new businesses. Nigerians are highly talented and resourceful and should equally be supported by government to help them realize their full potentials through a special agency that would make it easier to secure funding for new businesses through the banks. Banks can fund start-ups innovatively by getting involved all the way in the value chain, monitoring their projects and the beneficiaries on a 24/7 basis. Bank officials are lazy and fail to do what they should do. They give you a loan and go to sleep instead of getting involved and ensuring that the beneficiaries stick to the plan of action so that they don’t default on the loans at the end of the day.

How has your company contributed to the Nigerian economy?

We have created employment for many FCT residences, we contribute to the revenue base of the FCT, we are improving daily to the aesthetics outlook of the federal capital, and with our pioneer and innovative achievements in the outdoor sector, we have brought prestige to the FCT and the country at large.

We intend to meet with the FCT Minister to discuss areas we feel we can further contribute towards the community by implementing our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as it’s done in accordance with global practice.

The Abuja Environmental Protection Agency is doing well but we want to also help ameliorate their burden by taking up some streets for the provision of aesthetic value in the environment around Abuja through the planting and maintaining of trees and the beautification of the ambience wherever we deploy our boards.

What informed your decision to venture into outdoor business?

I am a geologist by profession but I grew up in a family of business people. My grandfather was the first Igalaman to go into oil and gas and my late father also followed suit. So, growing up, I saw my father as a mentor and an idol and decided also to do business but in a different way not as my father. I decided to carry out some research and finally settled for geology as a course of study in the university. My initial plan was that, after I graduate, I will proceed to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to undertake a post graduate degree in geophysics and then return to join the oil and gas sector in Nigeria. My dream as a very motivated person changed halfway because I envisaged that I didn’t want to work for anybody. The LED billboard I saw during one of my trips to South Africa fired my business imagination and laid the foundation for this business today. This imagination coincided with the period when el Rufai was the Minister of the FCT who decided to sanitise outdoor the outdoor advertising sector in the FCT and by extension Nigeria.

My plan or desire was to follow the path of Ted Turner the owner of CNN, whom I greatly admire, by working in the oil and gas industry to raise money and then go

You just built a large bill board that is put at 30m x 90m size, why this extra-passion?

It was good I discovered my call very early, had I followed my initial dream, perhaps I would have been unhappy today. I am a pragmatic man full of workable ideas and don’t believe that everything good must come to us from abroad. I just sat down one day and thought about innovating something fresh and new. What we are doing today is the product of a five year plan because we want to be the Kings of Innovation in the Nigeria outdoor advertising climate.

I have been across Nigeria and we know the nationwide trend, so based on what I saw, we decided to be at the forefront of innovation, change and to create unique quality products to capture our clients’ imagination and be ahead of our competitors because we are a premium advertising brand.

Four years ago, we built the biggest billboard measuring 20m by 40m and deployed it along the Abuja international airport road

by Nelson Mandela University of Science and Technology. Right from that day, our target has been to build the biggest billboard in Africa. Our target is to put the FCT on the world map and we intend to further push the boundaries of innovation by building the biggest billboard in the world. These are our grand plans for the years ahead. Our plan now as an innovative company is, how we provide added value to our client so that they can get both the value and money back in terms of revenue generation.

For instance, our titanic billboard Lugbe, a city with over 600,000 populations, comes with a garden and we are offering our clients a viable platform to provide hotspot for residents in the Lugbe area. Today, we want to create value where we can innovate by using aesthetics, business intelligence and technology to give our clients cutting edge advantage in the market place.

What is the future of Lona Media?

I envision that our future is bright because we aspire to be the most innovative billboard company in the world.

What should your customers expect in the next five to ten years?

They should continue to expect the best from us but what we promise is that we shall remain the best company at the forefront of developing local content to achieve and deliver full value to our clients.

Tell us how Lona MEDIA is making its workforce happy with this great achievement and their job satisfaction in the industry?

Without blowing our trumpets, we have staff that have been with us for 10, 9, 8 and 7 years and that simply shows you that they are here because they are satisfied with their conditions of service. Let me state that our staff are highly motivated. The group and its subsidiaries pay our staff salaries and allowances as at and when due and we have very competitive package that attracts and retains the best hands in the industry. We place premium on training of staffs both home and abroad and also have welfare, holiday packages including periodic car giveaways.

Our staff can attest to these facts and in fact they should be better placed to speak for themselves.

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CONSUMER

‘Policy Marketing, Vital for National Development’ Raheem Akingbolu The president of the Nigerian Institute of public relations, NIPR, Dr. Rotimi Oladele has tasked Nigerian government to emphasise the need for policy marketing if the country is to harness its human and natural resources development.

Oladele, who spoke during the Brand Campaign Magazine’s 5th anniversary lecture in Lagos, said successive Nigerian governments did not put in place the right policies.

Speaking on the theme “Leadership, Policy Marketing and Repositioning of the

Nigerian Nation”, the NIPR boss said Nigeria is a fertile ground for ‘unbaked’ policy, ‘disorganised’ policy, and ‘rotten’ policy, adding that such that people cannot lay hands on what it is that is a Nigerian policy on virtually any issue. “The issue of policy marketing is totally neglected as far as policy is concerned”, he said.

Likening national policy to a well fenced garden to prevent intruders from unworthy harvesters to buttress how and why national policies should be cultivated, nurtured and guarded to produce good treasures for

development, he said if the garden is not protected sheep will come, goat will come and all manners of intruders to harvest from it, noting that it is exactly what is happening with policy making marketing in Nigeria.

According to him, development is anchored on the rectangle of policy, law, regulation and infrastructure.

“Once these are put in place, you do not need to preach to anybody to know what to do and when to do what is right.

He expressed worry that currently, Nigeria policy does not allow the nation to grow. “Good policies ensure

that manufacturing companies are located at the source of raw materials, and even the locations of strategic agencies are where they will be optimally effective,’ he said.

He therefore charged leaders on the need to rethink our policies and also on the followers to have change of mindsets.

On leadership, Oladele said one cannot remove leadership from followership. He defined a leader as someone who gives direction and someone who services, stating that the two roles can never be played without followership, noting that followership role are causative.

“If it does not happen, leadership cannot happen.

It is the feedback from the followers that give direction to the leader on what he should do. There is no leader who will act on his own; he must get feedback from the followers”.

Oladele stressed that service should be out of the expectation of the followers.

“Service not made out of the expectation of the followers is wasted. That is what always happens in Nigeria’s situation. If there is no feedback from the followers then the leadership cannot be true and original. And if you look at the manifestos of your political

representatives they are never a reflection of the needs of the people.

Alluding to the didactic theory of social relationships, he said relationship between the followers and the leaders is a reciprocal one.

“A mutual benefit must exist between the two and that is when followers will be loyal; and that is when the leaders will be free to walk among the followers. Translating that to Nigeria, how many of your representatives are free to walk on the streets among their people today? How many governors can walk in the market place here?”

Skye Bank Hosts 36 Promo Winners Skye Bank Plc has set a new record with the emergence 36 millionaires from its nationwide ‘Reach for the Skye’ Millionaire promo.

In celebration of this landmark achievement, the bank hosted a cross section of the promo-made millionaires in Lagos, as part of activities marking the successful conclusion of the first phase of the promo. The millionaires were drawn from various parts of the country.

Sharing his experience as a beneficiary of the promo, Mr. Job Abiona Fatunbi, a truck driver who won N1 million in the April draw held at Ikotun, enthusiastically described how his life has been transformed.

Abiona said: “I had no idea that 2016 would be a year of tremendous blessings for me; but thanks to Skye Bank, my dreams of financial freedom finally came true.

Winning a million naira in the promo turned my family’s circumstances around and it has changed my perception about the difficulty involved in saving.”

Another winner from the N1 million naira category, Mr. Bashiru Adeyemi, who emerged in the May draw in Akure, Ondo State disclosed

that his business was on the verge of collapse before he participated in the promo.

“I was getting ready to close my business and look for a small job somewhere, just to keep my family fed and clothed.

Despite all the challenges we were facing, my spouse insisted that our little savings in Skye Bank should remain untouched and that was how we qualified for the 1 million naira draw.

I put the money back into the business straight away and now, with advice from Skye Bank, we thank God that we are doing well again,” he said.

Speaking on the initiative, the Head, Retail Banking at Skye Bank Plc, Nkolika Okoli said the scheme was established to increase the flow of funds to support SMEs, accelerate employment generation and development of indigenous entrepreneurship as well as encourage saving culture among Nigerians.

Okoli also announced the commencement of the second edition of the promo in July 2016, encouraging new customers to open a Skye Save Plus account with N2, 000 to qualify for the campaign while existing customers need to fund their accounts with a minimum of N2, 000 on a monthly basis.

MultiChoice Connects with DStv Subscribers at Customer Forum DStv subscribers in the Lekki/Ajah area of Lagos had a chance to interact with MultiChoice representatives at the DStv customer forum held recently in the area.

The forum, which is a regular customer engagement initiative by MultiChoice Nigeria, provides the opportunity for subscribers and the organisation to have face-to-face dialogues with a view to having a better understanding of customer issues and providing solutions to them.

During the interactive session, some DStv subscribers voiced their concerns on a number issues ranging from signal loss during rainstorms, alternative payment options and programme repeats.

In her response, the Marketing Manager, DStv, Chioma Afe said the issue of signal

loss was due to ‘rain fade’, a situation caused by very bad weather at reception of signal or at the source. She explained that in the event of subscribers experiencing problems with their signals, they should contact MultiChoice trained and certified installers to rectify the problem. “A list of our certified installers is available on our website and at all DStv offices”, she said.

While commenting on the issue of programme repeats, Afe said that programme repeats are an integral part of pay TV operations.

“Programmes are repeated according to the agreement we reach with the content providers. Also, movies and programmes are shown at different time slots to allow viewers to plan viewing time at their convenience”, she said.

CAPACITY BUILDING

L-R: Chairman, Youth Entrepreneurship Summit (YES), Mr. Meka Olowola; Founder, YES, Mr. Ndiana Mathew; GMD/CEO, Nedcomoaks, Mr. Kennedy Okonkwo and GMD/CEO, Protection Plus Services Ltd, Mr. Ubong King at the YES 2016 in Lagos…recently ABIODUN AJALA

Believers Connect Unveils App for Singles Owing to the rising number of Christian singles who are due for marriage but cannot find a worthy life partner, a new app, believer’s connect has been launched even as its promoters disclosed that it will also offer credible relationship tips among other benefits.

Announcing the launch at a press conference in Lagos recently, Lead Pastor, Elevation Church, Lekki, Lagos, Godman Akinlabi, stated that it had become necessary for an immediate intervention in helping Christian singles find a Godly spouse with true and genuine intentions towards marriage in order to keep the values of

marriage as ordained by God. “Believers Connect was created to ease the stress and sometimes pain some single Christians go through while trying to find a worthy life partner with whom they share true Christian values. There are so many hard working, matured Christian men and women out there that have become limited in their choices as a result of their daily routine, mostly influenced by their job, business or church engagements now desperate for a life partners.

This is about to change with Believers Connect” he said.

Akinlabi added that the idea was born out of the need to

connect Christians with similar desires for a successful marriage irrespective of how long they have been looking for a life partner.”

Also speaking at the launch, renowned relationship coach and Radio show host, Stephen Omojuyigbe stated that there is hope for single Christians in finding a life partner with Believers Connect adding that the site has is safe and secure.

“The essence of Believers Connect is to bring Christian faithfuls who are single and committed to finding a spouse together from all parts of the country. You don’t have to wait until you are in a position of

desperation before joining the platform. For those who may feel downtrodden as a result of their long search for a spouse and desire for marriage, there is hope now for a true relationship and marriage with this platform”.

Believers connect can be downloaded as a mobile applicationon all android smart phones from the android play store. With over 20,000 active followers already engaging online on its Facebook page, it can also be accessed on the web with an unlimited access to a digital library and resource for marriage counseling and life coaching.

CORRECTIONS In our story titled “PPP: Experts Urge Govt to Consider People’s Interest”, published on page 34 of our Monday July 11, 2016 edition, the Director of Center for Ethics and sustainable Development, Dr. Olajumoke Akiode was erroneously referred to as Dr. Olajumoke Seweje Akiode.

Also, in the said publication, we also erroneously credited a statement about Visible Assets Ltd, which was actually made by Dr. Taibat Lawanson to a principal partner in Bona Fidei Law firm, Mr. Anthony Kpokpo.

We have since realised that Kpokpo is not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Furthermore, the said statement was not correctly reported, as Dr. Taibat Lawanson did not say that her

“findings showed that one of the partners, Visible Asset had no information on its website to show how capable it is to deliver on its mandate, an indication of lack of transparency in the arrangement…”

She said there was no evidence on their website to show they are experts in road and bridge construction, rather that their expertise was mainly in the oil and gas sector.

Also, a director in the Lagos State Ministry of Works, Mr. Nurudeen Sodehinde, spoke extensively on the state’s approach to infrastructure development, especially as it concerns PPP. The errors are regretted.

- Editor

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2016

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NEWS

Certified Computer Manufacturers Collaborate for Business Advancement Emma Okonji Computer manufacturing companies certified by the federal government through the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), have come together to establish an organisation to aggregate and champion their support for local content in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) policy.

The companies, which include Brian Integrated Systems, Beta Computers,

Omatek computers, Veda Technologies and Zinox Technologies, recently unveiled their organisation known as the Certified Computer Manufacturers of Nigeria (CCMON).

The coordinator of CCMON, Mr. Bode Pedro, who is also the CEO of Veda technologies, said the coming together of the certified computer manufacturers, has been in the pipeline for quite some time but that now is the right time for its birth because of the renewed

impetus of the government towards the support and growth of local content in Nigeria ICT space.

The main objectives of CCMON include working with all relevant stakeholders to grow the capacity of Nigeria computer manufacturers that will generate increased employment, strengthen the Naira and grow local economy.

In meeting these objectives, the group pledges to work closely with NITDA, Office for Nigerian Content

in Information Technology (ONC), the Ministry of Communication and the office of the Vice President that heads the nation’s economic team to ensure that the laudable objectives of the government guidelines on local content adoption in ICT, is properly implemented to the benefit of the country.

The drive to encourage and support local manufacturers of computers started back in 2002 when the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, through

the office of the Secretary of the Government, issued a circular dated 7th of March, 2002, to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), that only locally manufactured computers, certified to be of acceptable quality standard should be patronised by all federal establishments. The directive was followed up during the last government with the establishment of the ONC to drive this process and to ensure increased implementation monitoring,

compliance and value addition to all stakeholders, especially the MDAs who are the major consumers whose satisfaction are uppermost in the whole value chain.

With the coming of CCMON, it is now expected that the manufactures will have a unified platform to drive their operations to the highest international quality standards that will lead to increased capacity to meet local demand and export to other African countries.

WEMA Bank to Sponsor Fashion Week Wema Bank Plc has announced its sponsorship of this year’s Nigerian Student Fashion and Design Week (NSFDW 2016). The event will climax with the grand finale scheduled for the Indoor Sports Hall, University of Lagos next month.

Speaking on the brand’s involvement, Head, Brand Marketing and Communications, Wema Bank Plc, Onome Odili, explained that the sponsorship is aimed at encouraging young creative fashion entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

“We are passionate about our consumers in the youth market who are fashion inclined,” Odili said.

“As a leading financial institution in the country, Wema Bank is always looking for innovative platforms that afford engagement and enhance the actualization of consumers’ aspirations.”

She added that the platform will also be used to promote entrepreneurship and to encourage improved saving

culture among the youth of the country.

Among activities planned as build up to the event is a tour across selected campuses around the country.

Some of the campuses to be visited include Obafemi Awolowo University, IleIfe (OAU); Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH); Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka; Covenant University; Babcock University; Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB); Oduduwa University; Redeemers University; Caleb University; and University of Lagos.

The Wema Bank’s branch network extends to most of these schools.

There will also be online activations that will include the Fashion Designers Contest, General Public Contest for Most Stylish Student.

The Nigeria Student Fashion & Design Week team will also visit selected malls and cinemas to further drive publicity for the event.

U.S. Tech Company Files Bitcoin ETF Application with SEC SolidX Partners Inc, a U.S. technology company that provides blockchain services, on Tuesday filed an application with the Securities and Exchange Commission to launch an exchange-traded product that tracks the price of bitcoin.

Blockchain is the technology that powers bitcoin, the digital currency. SolidX provides blockchain-based software relating to the recording of digital records, transfer of assets, and identity, according to its website.

The ETF product will be called SolidX Bitcoin Trust and will list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol XBTC upon regulatory approval, SolidX Partners said on Tuesday.

SolidX is the second company to file for a bitcoin exchangetraded product with the U.S. regulator. The Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust, owned by brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, filed the first bitcoin ETF application three years ago.

In its SEC filing, SolidX said it will provide investors with exposure to the daily change of the U.S. dollar price of bitcoin.

The value of bitcoin will be

based on the price tracked

by XBX, an index created by TradeBlock, a financial services company.

Bitcoin is a digital asset launched in 2009 that can be transferred among parties through the internet without the use of a central administrator or clearing agency. Its blockchain has gained global popularity due to its perceived usefulness in recording and keeping track of assets across practically all industries.

The exact size of the offering was not disclosed, but based on the filing, the company said the ETF will issue a basket of 10,000 shares.

Bank of New York Mellon has been tapped as the custodian of the cash held by SolidX Bitcoin Trust, while SolidX Partners will be responsible for the ETF’s bitcoin holdings.

SolidX, in its ETF filing, said the bitcoin it will hold will be insured. The insurance will cover the loss of bitcoin through theft, destruction, or computer fraud.

Bitcoin’s value has been highly volatile, having peaked at over $1,200 in late 2013 before crashing after the collapse of the Mt. Gox bitcoin exchange.

SPAR CALABAR MALL LAUNCH

L-R: Tunde Olatundun of Ishtmus Engineering Limited; Director-Artee Group, Sahil Keswani; a former Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke; Director Artee Group, Rahul Keswani; Mall Head, Sunny Chawla; Artee Project Administrator, Ijeoma Ihevueme and Mall Project Manager, Sanesh Chandran, at the unveiling of SPAR’s its 10th store in Calabar …recently

CTO Report Raises Hope on ICT Devt in Commonwealth Countries Emma Okonji The report of last month’s Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) ICT Ministers Forum held in London showed public and private sectors coming together to help accelerate ICT development in Commonwealth countries.

Held every two years as a closed-door meeting, the event included a two-day open conference for the first time. Called the Open Forum, it provided industry and government leaders with an opportunity to discuss challenges and solutions to ICT adoption in the group of nations. On the eve of the Open Forum, the ministers issued a declaration at the end of a closed-door meeting that endorsed the CTO’s strategy for supporting member countries over the next four years. Key issues addressed in the declaration included broadband, cybersecurity, applications and Commonwealth coordination.

CTO’s Secretary-General, Mr. Shola Taylor, saud: “Contributions from the private sector at this year’s event were very constructive, and from the various comments I’ve heard during and since the event, the addition of the Open Forum has been a success.”

Key outcomes of the two-day open conference, discussed competition as an important

factor that must be allowed to flourish in order to drive innovation and creativity, especially when the rollout of new fibre networks and the mobile network transition from 3G and 4G to 5G are taken into consideration.

Bridging the digital divide is profoundly important if we want to transform our global economy to a digital economy.

The Internet of Things will see 20 billion devices connected, possibly by the end of the decade.The digital divide still remains large, with 60 per cent of the world population still offline. Four billion people still don’t have Internet access, and this gap is visible within individual countries, between the rich and the poor as well as between urban cities and rural villages.

With crimes being committed at an alarming rate online, the need for accountability in cyberspace is fundamental.

Market liberalisation, independent regulators, encouragement of new technologies, new financing models, making broadband access a legal right, are several key factors that can help reduce the urban/rural digital divide.

Giving young people access to broadband technology is a key factor in driving forward the economic development of countries.

Amazon’s Prime Day Shoppers Encounter Checkout Snafus An Amazon.com Inc shopping event that the online retailer billed as its largest ever had a bumpy start on Tuesday, with some customers unable to add discounted items to their shopping carts and rival retailers aiming for a cut of the buying frenzy.

The glitch, which affected Amazon’s U.S. and UK websites, sparked outrage on social media with the hashtags #PrimeDay and #PrimeDayFail trending in the United States.

Amazon said it resolved the issue, in which users faced problems adding some “Lightning Deals” products to their carts. “#PrimeDay is giving me nothing but add-to-cart fails.

Nice job @amazon. Another #PrimeDayFail,” Twitter user Prero Design (@PreroDesign) said in a post. The snag was a blow to a company that takes pride in its stable technology infrastructure. BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis said the glitch potentially indicated a flood of demand for products on Amazon.

The one-day sale for members of Amazon’s $99-per-year Prime subscription service had been expected to generate up to $1 billion in sales, more than double the $400 million in extra sales made during last year’s inaugural Prime Day, according to Citi analysts. But by mid-day Tuesday, U.S. sales remained in line with Amazon’s 2015 Prime

Day, according to a report from e-commerce software company ChannelAdvisor. Sales for the United Kingdom were up 11 percent from last year as of 12 p.m. EDT. Scot Wingo, executive chairman of ChannelAdvisor, said the UK results “could be indicative of where we end up,” with more deals for U.S. customers scheduled to launch this afternoon. Still, the results are expected to pale in comparison with the more than $14 billion of total value of goods transacted during Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s Singles’ Day shopping festival in China in November.

Amazon.com Inc shares were down 0.7 percent at the close of trading, while broad stock market indices were up 0.7 percent. Amazon devices such as the Echo voice-enabled speaker, Fire TV and Fire tablet were available at big discounts as were a host of other products from high-end televisions to shoes and toys.

Several other U.S. retailers appeared to attempt cashing in on the hype surrounding Amazon’s Prime Day event, by offering their own online midsummer promotions.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc launched free shipping with no minimum order threshold on all items, touting products “at or lower than Amazon’s prices.” Gap Inc, Macy’s Inc, Target Corp and others marketed midsummer sales as well.

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DEVELOPMENT

At last, road rehabilitation comes to Creek Road, Apapa

ABIMBOLA AKOSILE

Adopt Women Candidates, Deputies, WSRN Advises Political Parties Urges FG, States to implement 35% affirmative action Senator Iroegbu in Abuja The Women Situation Room Nigeria (WSRN) has urged the major political parties in the country to look towards adopting female candidates or deputies for electoral offices in order to give women in Nigeria the opportunity and bridge the huge gender gap in socio-political positions in the country.

To this end, the women advocacy group suggested that the two major political parties in the upcoming governorship election in Edo State

including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), could have adopted female deputies as part of the design to ensure proper representation of women in the political evolution of the country.

The National Coordinator of the WSRN, Ms. Joy Onyesoh and other members of the group, made the call recently during the maiden media launch of their programmes and activities in Abuja.

Onyesoh said the call is timely since the race is a straight contest between Mr.

Godwin Obaseki of the APC and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of PDP, adding that female deputies could have made the electoral process more democratic.

She assured stakeholders gathered at the event that the group would be ready to mobilise women voters in Edo state in support of any of the candidates that picks a female running mate.

According to her, the women advocacy group would always be ready to mobilise support for female contestants in elections at all levels, irrespective of party

affiliations.

She also called for the full implementation of the 35 per cent affirmative action at both the state and federal levels, saying that the “existing political parties is denying women the needed leverage in electoral contests, as they are always overwhelmed by their male counterparts during nominations.”

She asserted that the WSRN would be engaging the nation’s political parties in the next few days, with the view to articulating the rightful position of women in the political system.

Onyesoh said the group would demand a review of the constitutions of the parties for the purpose of reserving some party offices and elective positions exclusively for women.

She identified material inequalities and domination of party machinery by the men folk as some of the factors working against women’s active participation in the electoral process.

The WSRN coordinator appealed to the political class to stop the trend in which women are seen and treated only as singing and dancing groups at

political rallies. She called on political party administrators to consider making nominations to elective positions free for women in all political parties.

She added that the WSRN was already working on a position paper to be articulated into a bill for onward transmission to the National Assembly for consideration.

Onyesoh called on government at all tiers to increase the number of women appointees in their various administrations, arguing that present empowerment options for women appear constricted.

Abia House Targets People’s Welfare, Passes 10 Bills into Law Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia The sixth Abia State House of Assembly has in the past one year of its life passed into law 10 bills out of the 16 that were considered within the period under review while the remaining six were still at “various advanced stages” of legislative process.

Deputy Speaker of the House Hon Cosmos Ndukwe, who is also chairman of House committee on information, media and publicity, made this known while presenting the score card of the legislature in the last one year at the monthly press briefing on

the activities of the House in Umuahia recently.

He said most of the bills passed into law were targeted at improvement of the economy and security of the state, citing the Abia State Security Fund Law (Amendment) which seeks to provide a framework for improved security across the state.

“The importance of this bill meant that we didn’t record one dissenting voice as the debate concerning it raged in the house,” the House spokesperson said,” adding that the essence of such law was crystal clear considering

that “our country is experiencing the most agonising threat to security of lives and property”.

The Deputy Speaker took time to debunk the insinuations that the lawmakers were interested in “money bills only”, saying that those criticizing the House had lost sight of the fact that bills created to improve the economy of the state impact positively on the welfare of the people. According to him, the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue Law (Amendment) was in response to public outcry regarding the burden of double taxation, which

the organised private sector as well as traders had been complaining about over the years.

“While the bill sought to establish more integrated tax system, it had the people in mind when it also closed some tax windows considered to have appeared more than once. It’s more of the people’s bill than government’s bill,” he said.

The chairman of the House committee on information, media and publicity assured stakeholders that the Abia legislature would continue to be responsive on issues pertaining to the welfare of

the people as the lawmakers are not oblivious of the present economic hardships in the land.

On the loss of homogeneity in the composition of the House after the 2015 general election which saw the opposition registering a strong presence in the legislature, Ndukwe said it was a positive development as the progress made so far was as a result of hearing “the other side”.

Presently the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has 15 lawmakers while the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) snatched nine seats in the 24 member

legislature.

He pointed out that in performing their legislative duties the 24 lawmakers see themselves first as Abians and not just partisan politicians hence “we are held together by a common interest which cardinal objective is to develop Abia and Abians in all spheres of human life”.

“We have it at the back of our mind that rancor, mutual distrust, fanning the embers of disunity and legislative rascality can only be counterproductive. We are working harmoniously as one happy family,” the Deputy Speaker said.

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DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The EFCC cannot stamp out corruption in the country without the support of all stakeholders. We consider everybody a stakeholder, as the EFCC does not have monopoly of knowledge to defeat all shades of graft. What is important is the interest of the nation which should be placed above any other interest” - THE CHAIRMAN, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC), IBRAHIM MAGU, SPEAKING IN ABUJA

Junior Workers Get 100 Housing Units in Enugu Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu

Population Day: Nigeria, Others Urged to Invest in Teenage Girls Abimbola Akosile The United Nations has called on leaders and communities in Nigeria and other member countries to focus on and stand up for the rights of teenage girls, particularly those who are poor, out of school, exploited, or subjected to harmful traditional practices.

The global body said this while marking World Population Day, with a call to bolster the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by investing in better opportunities for teen girls.

Despite significant gains made in reducing poverty and improving opportunity and well-being for many people around the world, hundreds of millions remain desperate for a chance of a better future, said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message on the Day, celebrated annually on July 11.

“Among those least served by previous development initiatives are girls, particularly those in their formative teenage years,” continued the UN chief, explaining that just when girls should be in school and imagining the possibilities ahead, too many are held back from pursuing their ambitions by social and cultural traps.

While a boy’s options and opportunities tend to expand when he becomes an adolescent, those of a girl too often shrink. Moreover, Ban stressed, half of all sexual assaults worldwide are committed against girls aged 15 or younger.

In developing countries, one in three girls is married before she reaches 18. And teenage girls are less likely than teenage boys to start or finish secondary school, he added.

Recalling that “leaving no on behind” is a central objective of the 2030 Agenda, which also includes a specific goal to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, the Secretary General urged all Governments, businesses and civil society to support and invest in teenage girls.

Many teenage girls in Nigeria need help

“Everyone deserves the benefits of economic growth and social progress. Let us work together to ensure a life of security, dignity and opportunity for all,” he stated.

In his message, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin said: “When [a teenage girl] has no say in decisions about her education, health, work or even marital status, she may never realize her full potential or become a positive force for transformation in her home, community and nation.”

Indeed, he explained, in some parts of the world, a girl who reaches puberty is deemed by her family or community as ready for marriage, pregnancy and childbirth.

She may be married off and forced to leave school. She may suffer a debilitating condition, such as fistula, from delivering a child before

her body is ready for it. She may be denied her human rights. “[Yet], when a teenage girl has the power, the means and the information to make her own decisions in life, she is more likely to overcome obstacles that stand between her and a healthy, productive future.

This will benefit her, her family and her community,” said Osotimehin.He also stressed that investments are needed to protect their health, including their sexual and reproductive health, to enable them to receive a quality education and to expand economic opportunities, including those for decent work.

The UNFPA chief underscored that a teenage girl whose rights are respected and who is able to realise her full potential is a girl who is more likely to contribute to the economic and social progress of her community and nation.

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state has presented keys to 100 housing units to 100 junior civil servants in the state who had won the facilities through an open ballot exercise.

The governor had initiated the gesture four months into his administration in 2015. While the government wrote-off 30 to 54 per cent of the total cost of the houses, the AG Mortgage Bank provided the balance by way of mortgage arranged through the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMBN).

The one bedroom apartments are said to worth N4.7 million naira each, and some of the beneficiaries, who are mainly civil servants between Grade levels 1 and 10, have a five-year duration to complete payment while others have up to 30 years.

Speaking at the event, Governor Ugwuanyi said the occasion was “very auspicious and historic occasion” noting that the beneficiaries emerged in an open lottery exercise.

“A hundred lucky civil servants thereafter emerged as winners of the lottery and, having paid the over 30 per cent equity contribution that we promised for each of them, we are here today to formally hand over to them, the keys to their apartments.

“This event is in accordance with our promise to deploy government resources and services to create fair and equal opportunity for every willing citizen, to make a living, create wealth and enjoy life in a peaceful and secure environment”, he told the jubilant gathering at the estate venue of the handover ceremony.

He further recalled that the gesture “is also a reaffirmation of our commitment to improving the welfare of workers in Enugu State and to the provision of affordable housing for all Enugu citizens”.

Also, the management of AG Mortgage Bank in their presentation through the Executive Director, Ngozi Anyaogu while congratulating the beneficiaries said the bank as at June 2016 have investments worth about N2.1 billion in lands and mortgage financing in the last nine years of its operation Enugu state.

Anyaogu said the bank remained determined to partner the state especially in mortgages, explaining that the 100 Housing Units enjoy insurance cover in event of death, accident involving permanent disability and loss of job.

Other speakers included the Chairman of COPEN Group, Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, whose company are the developers, the state Head of Service, Mr. Chidi Ezema, commissioner for Housing, Charles Ogbo Asogwa, and a representative of the beneficiaries Mr. Peter Odo, a driver on grade level 3 praised the governor for remembering the workers in the state.

Gov. Ugwuanyi of Enugu State

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INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Clinton Gets Sanders’ Endorsement in Show of Party’s Unity Democrat Bernie Sanders endorsed former rival Hillary Clinton for president in a display of party unity on Tuesday, describing her as the best candidate to fix the United States’ problems and beat Republican Donald Trump in the Nov. 8 election.

With Clinton nodding in agreement beside him, Sanders put aside their bitter campaign for the Democratic nomination and said she would take up the fight to ease economic inequality, make college more affordable and expand healthcare coverage for all Americans.

“This campaign is about the needs of the American people and addressing the very serious crises that we face, and there is no doubt in my mind that, as we head into November, Hillary Clinton is far and away the best candidate to do that,” he told a raucous crowd in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, that included plenty of vocal Sanders supporters.

“I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States,” the U.S. senator from Vermont said. His endorsement, five weeks after Clinton became

the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, brought the most prominent holdout in the party’s liberal wing into her camp. Sanders threw Clinton his support less than two weeks before the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where she is to be formally nominated.

“I can’t help but reflect on how much more enjoyable this election will be now that we are on the same side,”Clinton said of Sanders.“Thank you, Bernie, for your endorsement, but more than that, thank you for your lifetime of fighting injustice.”

Trump ridiculed the move in a series of Twitter posts, saying Sanders had abandoned the supporters who flocked to his insurgent campaign to rein in Wall Street and get big money out of politics.“Bernie Sanders endorsing Crooked Hillary Clinton is like Occupy Wall Street endorsing Goldman Sachs,” Trump said on Twitter.

In a statement, the Trump campaign said Sanders was now officially part of the rigged system the senator had criticized during his long primary battle with Clinton.“Bernie’s endorse-

ment becomes Exhibit A in our rigged system - the Democrat Party is disenfranchising its voters to benefit the select and privileged few,”said Stephen Miller, a senior policy adviser to Trump.

In a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday, Clinton extended her lead over Trump to 13 percentage points, up from 10 points at the end of last week. The former U.S. secretary of state hopes the Portsmouth appearance with Sanders will help her win over his supporters, some of whom held Sanders signs at the rally and chanted his name. In recent Reuters/Ipsos polling, only about 40 percent of Sanders backers said they would back Clinton, and the crowd at Tuesday’s rally made it clear she still had work to do.

“I am absolutely certain I will not vote for Hillary Clinton,”said Gale Bailey, a Sanders supporter and an unemployed graphic designer from Rochester, New Hampshire, who attended the rally in a Sanders T-shirt.“She’s a crook, and I’m not going to vote for a crook,” Bailey said, adding that she would write in Sanders’ name on the November ballot.

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China Vows to Protect South China Sea Sovereignty China vowed to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty in the South China Sea and said it had the right to set up an air defence zone, after rejecting an international tribunal’s ruling that denied its claims in the region.

State media called the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague a“puppet”of external

forces, after it ruled that China had breached the Philippines’sovereign rights by endangering its ships and fishing and oil projects.

China has repeatedly blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, where its territorial claims overlap in parts with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and

Five Political Parties Boycott Burundi’s Peace Talks Representatives of five parties that participated in Burundi’s general election boycotted a second round of peace talks in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha on Tuesday. Burundi has been mired in crisis that has killed more than 450 people since President Pierre Nkurunziza pursued and won a third term last year. Opponents said his move violated the constitution and a peace deal that ended a civil war in 2005.

Dialogue in Bujumbura last year between the government and opponents failed to bridge differences, and talks mediated

by Uganda earlier this year also swiftly stalled. The five parties were unhappy over the decision of the mediator, former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, to invite Burundians accused of human rights violations and involvement

in an attempted coup against Nkurunzinza in May 2015.

“We are very surprised by their inclusion in the dialogue after all the humanitarian crisis they caused in Burundi,” Jean Didier Mutabazi, RADEBU’s president, told reporters at the venue of the talks. “We don’t see the point of continuing with the dialogue.”

The government in Bujumbura also expressed its unhappiness over the inclusion of some participants with Willy Nyamitwe, Nkurunziza’s communications adviser, complaining on Twitter.“Jean Minani, Nininahazwe Pacifique, Armel Niyongere are being prosecuted and can’t be invited in Burundi dialogue in Arusha,” Nyamitwe wrote. Earlier in the day, three former presidents of Burundi were seen walking out of a closed session chaired by Mkapa.

Taiwan.

“China will take all necessary measures to protect its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,”the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily said in a front page commentary on Wednesday.

The case, overseeing an energyrich region that is home to also one of the world’s busiest trade routes, has been seen as a test of China’s rising power and its economic and strategic rivalry with the United States.

Beijing called the Philippines claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea“baseless”and an“act of

bad faith”. In a government white paper published on Wednesday China also said its fishing boats had been harassed and attacked by the Philippines around the Spratly Islands.

“On whether China will set up a air defence zone over the South China Sea, what we have to make clear first is that China has the right to...But whether we need one in the South China Sea depends on the level of threats we face,”the Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters in Beijing, adding that China hopes to return to bilateral talks with Manila.

“We hope that other countries don’t use this opportunity to threaten China, and hope that other countries can work hard with China, meet us halfway, and maintain the South China Sea’s peace and stability, and not turn the South China Sea in a source of war,” Liu said.

U.S. officials have previously said they feared China may respond to the ruling by declaring an air defence identification zone in the South China Sea, as it did in the East China Sea in 2013, or by stepping up its building and fortification of artificial islands.

China’s Liu also took aim at the judges on the tribunal, saying that as not one of them was Asian they could not possibly understand the issue and it was unfair of them to try.

The Philippines reacted cautiously to the ruling late on Tuesday, calling for “restraint and sobriety”.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte held a cabinet meeting after the ruling was announced, but no comment was made about the what was discussed and the presidential palace cancelled a regular briefing on Wednesday.

Envoy Urges Nigeria’s Intervention in South Sudan Alex Enumah in Abuja South Sudan has called on Nigeria to come to its aid in restoring lasting peace in the wore-torn country. The South Sudan Charge de Affairs in Nigeria, Ambassador Riek Puok Riek, made the call yesterday during a chat with newsmen in Abuja.

Riek who made the call following the resumption of fresh hostilities in the country’s capital city, Juba, last week, said his country believes in Nigeria’s ability to enthrone peace in South Sudan, adding that Nigeria has contributed

greatly in restoring peace to similarly countries in Africa.

While putting the blame on the rebels of Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) for the recent outbreak of hostilities, the envoy however noted that Nigeria’s timely intervention would go a long way in restoring peace as well as restoring confidence in the new administration.

“It is to be noted that the Compromise Peace Agreement (CPA) that was signed between the government of the Republic of South Sudan and the rebels of SPLA-IO was implemented and a Transitional Government

of National Unity (TGoNU) was formed with the leader of the SPLA-IO becoming the First Vice President of the Republic’.

‘The government was moving forward with the implementation of the agreement steadily. The opposition which has become part of the Transitional Government of National Unity was allocated a sizeable number of portfolios in the cabinet, and we have provided Cantonment areas for their soldiers”, Riek said.

He added: “Today, businesses have reopened, people are going back to their normal duties and all government institutions are

functioning. The international airport is opened and flights have resumed”.

While assuring all that the truce currently reached by the parties would be pursued towards establishing enduring peace, the envoy however called on the United Nations Security Council to halt the move towards sending additional troupes to the country, claiming that with the over 12,000 UN troupes already in the country, any additional troupe would be counterproductive and could lead to over militarization of the country.

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PENGASSAN Suspends Nationwide Strike Paul Obi inAbuja The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of

Nigeria (PENGASSAN) yesterday suspended its nationwide strike following a dialogue with the federal government over the crisis

House Debates Criminalising Late Payment, Underpayment of Emoluments Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The House of Representatives yesterday briefly debated a bill seeking to criminalise the late payment and non-payment of wages and emoluments either by private or public sector employers.

Named: ‘A Bill for an Act to Prohibition of Late Payment, Non-Payment and Underpayment of Workers’ Wages, Pensions and other Emoluments in Nigeria and Prescribe Penalties for Violations and other related matters,” was stepped down to be reconsidered at a later date.

Sponsor of the bill, Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, lamented that the reports on workers being owed for months on end, has dominated the media in Nigeria.

He argued that non-payment of salaries and emoluments amounts to infringement of fundamental human rights.

“It infringes on the right to life which is determined by the quality of that life, it infringes on the right to dignity because the person goes begging from neighbours, family and friends to feed his children,” he said.

Gbajabiamila added that such workers are denied access to health care and denied the wherewithal to acquire property.

“It builds resentment. You cannot tell a child who sees the effects of his parents not being paid, to be patriotic. It encourages criminality, if we talk about security, we must talk about prompt payment of salaries,” he said.

Gbajabiamila however had to

step down the bill as mounting opposition became evident among the lawmakers.

Hon. Linus Okorie, who spoke immediately after the Majority Leader, said most of the provisions of the bill, are contained in the Minimum Aage Act. The Chairman, Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Orkev Jev agreed with Okorie.

He suggested that the inadequacies of the Minimum Wage Act contained in Gbajabiamila’s bill, can be provided for, by an amendment to the existing Act. “If there is need for some of the interventions in the bill, then we should amend the Minimum Wage Act,” Jev said.

As the debate continued, several lawmakers were observed conferring with Gbajabiamila, who insisted that the bill was not about the Minimum Wage, but of emoluments generally.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara subtly urged the leader to step down the bill, to correct any perceived loopholes.

Gbajabiamila withdrew the bill, and on a light note, expressed his intention to include the ‘main opposers’ as co-sponsors, when it is re-presented.

THISDAY however gathered that the opposition to the bill and murmurings while Gbajabiamila was presenting the lead debate may not be unconnected to his vehement opposition to the immunity proposal for presiding officers of the National Assembly, which caused a rowdy session at plenary on Tuesday.

Niger Assembly Begins Probe of Governor Bello Laleye Dipo in Minna The Niger State House of Assembly has commenced a discrete investigation into management of the finances of the state since Governor Abubakar Sani Bello came into office in May 2015.

The assembly in commencing the probe, has summoned both the Commissioner for Finance and his Budget and Planning counterpart to explain at plenary how the funds that accrued to the state from October last year to date were spent.

The legislators issued the summons in a resolution after passing 10 motions within 50 minutes all geared towards looking at the books of accounts of the state.

The assembly which resumed from the Eid-el-Fitri, break on Monday, debated the address by the Speaker, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, in which he X-rayed developments in the state especially the strike by civil servants.

All those that contributed to the debate on the Speaker’s address, said the governor had been operating like a military man and was violating the provisions

of the constitution by his actions.

The lawmakers argued that all the motions and bills passed by the assembly had been ignored by the governor, an indication that “he does not want to work with us.”

Addressing a press conference after plenary, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Alhaji Shuaibu Liman, said the motions passed arose from the welcome speech of the Speaker, “concerning issues of public interest.”

He said the governor had kept the assembly in ‘the dark’ on how public funds were being utilised while contracts were awarded outside budgetary provisions, adding that the finance commissioner is expected to appear on July 19 of this month to give detailed explanation on how much money accrued from statutory allocations and how it was spent.

His counterpart in the Budget and Planning Ministry, he said, would appear on July 20, 2016 to give account of capital receipts and other monies that accrued to the state outside statutory allocations.

in the oil sector.

The suspension came amid several deadlocks during the negotiations between the oil workers and the federal government.

In a communique signed by Francis Johnson, PENGASSAN President; Igwe Achese, President NUPENG; Lumumba Okugbawa, Ag General Secretary, Adamu Song, Deputy General Secretary, Dr. Clement Illoh, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and B.M. Isah, General Manager Human Resources, NNPC, the two parties agreed to work out modalities to address the crisis bedevilling the sector.

They observed that “based on the understanding at the meeting, and in view of the on-going social dialogue, the meeting urged PENGASSAN that in order to make also for an unfettered execution of most of the resolutions reached at these two meetings.

“The national strike of her members which started on July 7, 2016, be suspended immediately in accordance with provision of the Trade Dispute Act Cap T8 LFN 2004.

“The meeting was satisfied on the new model of the new joint venture arrangement by the Petroleum Resources Ministry and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as the payment structure put in place to pay off the arrears of the old Joint Venture Cash Calls inherited by the new government as this will help the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to stem the tide of redundancies being declared in the industry and help address job losses of oil workers that would otherwise be put into the unemployment market.

“The meeting noted with satisfaction the report of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources that almost all the IOCs have signed into these proposals.

“On other unresolved industrial relations issues the meeting agreed that where redundancy has been declared by some IOCs without going through Section 20 of the Labour Act, Cap L1 LFN 2004 such companies should revert to status quo Ante Bellum.

“Most of the IOCs and indigenous oil companies that have laid off workers without passing through the due process

of the law all agreed to comply and in such cases where the workers had gone on strikes or lock outs by employers, the meeting directed them to unlock such premises while the actions of employers have also been put on hold to make for a free and unfettered atmosphere during the negotiations.

“Negotiations not concluded today with Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), were all deferred to 19 and 21 July, 2016.

“The meeting thanked the leadership of PENGASSAN and NUPENG and the headship of Federal Ministries of Labour and Employment, the Petroleum Resources and NNPC for their candour in dealing with the matters. Also, the IOCs and Indigenous Oil Companies came to present their own case at these meetings.

“The meeting agreed that there will be no victimisation of workers by reason of participation in the strike The explanation and work plan by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with a view to reactivating the refineries were satisfactorily adopted. The non

implementation of 2015 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) in Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria Content Development Management Board (NCDMB), Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), and Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA). The meeting resolved that only one agency was not yet covered and all efforts would be done by the NSIWC, Budget and National Planning Ministry to correct this effective March 1, 2015.

Furthermore, the Technical Committee constituted May 12, 2014 was reactivated to conclude the modalities for the implementation of IPPIS in the relevant Agencies in the industry before end of October, 2016.”

The communique stressed that “in response to the question raised on the restructuring in PPPRA, PEF, DPR, PTI, NNRA, PTDF, and NCDMB, by PENGASSAN, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources affirmed that the restructuring exercise had been done in these agencies and no jobs were lost or will be lost.”

EXCO MEETING IN BADAGRY

L-R: Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello; Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; and Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. Olukunle Ojo, during the State Executive Council meeting at the Conference Hall, V.I.P Chalet, Badagry, Lagos...yesterday

Labour Shuts down Caverton Helicopters over Alleged Discrimination in Remuneration The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) yesterday shut down the operations of Caverton Helicopters as part of the one-day warning strike to protest against the alleged disparity in salaries between expatriates and Nigerian pilots and engineers.

NAAPE said the strike would affect the company’s offices in Shell, NAF Base in Port Harcourt, Warri and Lagos.

The warning strike was enforced

by NAAPE members from 3:00 a.m. yesterday.

When THISDAY contacted the spokesman of the company, Kinsley Uwagbale, he said Caverton did not have an official statement on the matter, however, THISDAY gathered from source in the company that the economic downturn and low activities in oil and gas operations have drastically affected all oil exploration and production support companies, adding that it is very difficult to even pay anyone in dollars,

considering the high exchange rate.

“Instead of sacking workers because of the economic downturn, workers were persuaded to accept lower remuneration until the economy improves. This is what the labour unions do not want to understand; that we are facing economic downturn now and things would not be as it used to be,” a source told THISDAY. NAAPE however said the warning strike was equally to express the union’s discomfort over the refusal by the helicopter company to commit to pay remunerations being converted from dollars to naira at prevailing interbank rate as previously agreed between the management of the rotary wing and NAAPE. Speaking to Aviation journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, the General Secretary

of NAAPE, Ocheme Aba, stated that it was worrisome that Caverton Helicopters was discriminating between expatriate and Nigeria pilots and engineers in the payment of salaries.

He further stated that while the salaries of expatriates in the company had been paid up to date and promptly, the Nigerian pilots and engineers are still being owed their salaries.

The general secretary also hinted that the one-day warning, which would see the activities of the rotary wing giant grounded, was to protest the refusal of the company to pay salaries every month or before the 26 of the month as contained in the Condition of Service as against the current practice, where salaries runs into months in arrears.

He posited that despite several efforts made by NAAPE to address the several labour issues that have severed the relationship between the union and the management of

the company, Caverton has refused to resolve these matters.

The union, he stated, would not allow Caverton Helicopters to get away with this, hence the warning strike.

NAAPE also accused Caverton Helicopters of deducting tax and from the workers’ salaries without remitting same to the appropriate authorities.

According to him, “having exhausted all avenues of seeking redress without success, we have come to the painful conclusion that the management of Caverton has taken our patience and goodwill for granted.

“Accordingly, all pilots and engineers in Caverton are hereby directed by the National Executive Council of NAAPE to withdraw all services as from midnight of today (yesterday) July 12 to midnight of tomorrow (today) July 13, as a warning to Caverton to do the needful or face more drastic actions.”

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EFCC Seals off Fuel Station Purportedly Belonging to Fayose Governor refutes ownership, flays commission for lack of verification Shola Oyeipo and Chiemelie Ezeobi As part of its ongoing war against corruption, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it had sealed off a fuel station purportedly belonging to the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

The filling station identified as ‘Chance Oil’ which is located at Lambe, Akute area of Ogun State, was said to have been sealed off by operatives of the commission for reasons yet unknown.

The action was not the first time the governor and the commission would clash, especially as it concerns sealing off of his purported

Hope Rises for Power Generation as Shiroro Dam Repair is Completed Laleye Dipo in Minna There are indications that the epileptic power supply in the country will improve soon following the completion of repairs on the fourth turbine of the Shiroro Hydro Dam in Niger State.

The turbine collapsed since 2010 and all efforts to bring it back on stream had failed until a few days back when work on it by engineers was completed.

With the completion of work on the turbine, it is expected that 150 megawatts of electricity would be added to the national grid which would consequently bring the total output from Shiroro dam to 600megawatts.

It was learnt that the repair on the turbine cost over $8.5million.

Confirming this yesterday, the Executive Vice Chairman of North South Power Company Limited, Mr. Olubunmi Peters, described the successful repair on the turbine as ‘a breakthrough,’ saying that the engineers who handled the project faced “enormous safety and technical challenges.”

Peters stated that the completion of the repairs was described as an engineering feat because the damage to the turbine occurred about 60 metres under zero visibility water and was therefore difficult to access for repair, adding that there were concerns about the

possibility of further catastrophic failure to the entire dam.

The Executive Vice Chairman disclosed that an inauguration would soon be done by the Minister of Power, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola.

Shiroro Dam that was inaugurated in June 20, 1990 by General Ibrahim Babangida, had never had major any repair since its establishment.

The Assistant General Manager of Hydrology and Dam as well the team leader of the group, Mr. Isaac Akandi and the Managing Director of Power China Huadong Nigeria Ltd, Prof. Rao Jiangiang, promised the effectiveness of the work carried out and appreciated the federal government for the confidence reposed in them.

In the meantime, youths in the Shiroro dam area have given the management of the North South Power Company two weeks to improve its services or face their wrath.

The youths, numbering several hundreds, had protested, blocking the road leading to the dam site during which they complained about the non-payment of resettlement claims and poor supply electricity to their homes.

They later marched to Minna where they presented their petition to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello for presentation to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Customs Laments Drop in Revenue Generation in Oyo-Osun Command Ademola Babalola in Ibadan The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Oyo/Osun Area Command has lamented the drastic drop in the estimated revenue generation for the first half of 2016.

The customs Area Comptroller Mr. Temitope Ogunkua, made this revelation while addressing journalists at the command’s headquarters in Ibadan.

Ogunkua, who said his command so far generated a total of N7,245,680,587.69 as its total revenue for the first half of this year, however regretted that the revenue when compared to the period between January to June, 2015, there was a shortfall of N345,830,989.81.

He linked the development to some factors like government fiscal policies as the high exchange rate, ban on importation of rice through the border areas, general economic down turn which led to the low sales on the part of the major excise factories within the

command like the Britiah American Tobacco, Nigerian Breweries and International Breweries and an general insecurity in the land.

The Area Comptroller while giving a breakdown of the anti-smuggling activities of the command, said: “It is worthy of note to report that a total of 948 vehicles paid duty to the tune of N156,258,222.00 within the period under review.

Ogunkua also informed that a total of 119 seizures with the duty paid value of N240,317,865.08 was also made from January to June this year.

He said: “The command looks forward to unprecedented performance in the second half of the year, re-strategising various diversification in intelligence gathering and utilisation, application of diplomacy in an to-smuggling especially in volatile border areas etc will enable the command to constitency build on both revenue and anti-smuggling feats”.

properties and freezing his account.

Early this month, the commission had seized four duplexes in Victoria Island in Lagos State and another at 44 Osun Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, purportedly belonging to the governor.

While reacting to the incident, Fayose flayed the commission for always putting the cart before the horse, adding that the commission should have adequately verified its information before acting.

Fayose, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said the EFCC was acting in unbelievable manner by not adequately verifying its information before going after

his boss.

He said: “It is ridiculous to say such thing about a person who has been governor for two years.

How would you say Fayose has a filling station at Akute “If he would have had a filling station, he would have had it along Lagos-Ibadan Express Way or Lekki and other highbrow areas and not Akute. Does he even have any link with Akute?

“Fayose would rather have something like NNPC mega station, which would have had at least 20 pumps. He has been a successful businessman before becoming governor.

“When I hear some of these things, I am just surprised. Last

week, because Fayose used a guest house, Brilla Bicaso at Gana Street, Abuja, they wanted to lock down the place.

“The operator of the place dared them. They wanted him to provide evidence to show that he owns the place. He said they should lock the place and that he would meet them in court. He later said he is not the actual owner of the place.

He leased it from Domkat Bali.

“They went there in their ‘gra gra’ manner, whereas they have access to government information.

They should check with relevant authorities like the Ministry of Lands before taking actions.

“In other climes, you are

supposed to have concluded investigation before you go after people. But they would want to arrest people and want them to provide evidence against themselves.

“I would not act this way if I am the EFCC chairman. It is insulting. How can you say he (Fayose) has a filling station at Akute? They should operate like people with brain. It is like vendetta mission has beclouded their sense of reasoning.”

All attempts made to reach EFCC spokesperson, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, proved abortive as his phone lines were switched off and a text message later sent to him got no reply as at press time.

HOUSING PROJECT FOR JOURNALISTS

L-R: Otun Baale of Abaren Kingdom, Chief Solomon Taiwo Akinyemi; Mr. Adebayo Odifa; Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, Mr. Deji Elumoye; National President, NAWOJ, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Omowole; former President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye; Group Managing Director/CEO, PrimeWater View Holdings, Mrs. Morola Olabisi Babalola; Chairman, PrimeWater View Holdings, Prince Adetunji Ogunwusi and Design and Project Manager, PrimeWater View Holdings, Lauck R. M, at the ground breaking ceremony of Pen Jewel City in Abaren, Ogun State…yesterday.

Ambode Moves Exco Meeting to Badagry to Decide Development Plan Gboyega Akinsanmi

He explained that the state government under his leadership In what was described as the first “will reduce the state’s dependence time the state Executive Council on federal allocation to 10 per cent, meeting would hold outside Ikeja, even zero level in three years. The the state’s seat of power, Lagos future of Lagos is about service and State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi tourism. We have a greater plan Ambode, on Monday relocated for Badagry. Our plan is to make to the state’s most cherished Badagry Africa’s hub of tourism.”

After the State Executive Council tourist centre, Badagry, to perfect development for the ancient town. meeting held in Badagry yesterday, After holding series of the governor said his administration meeting with different groups has fine-tuned plan “to make the including religious leaders, civil ancient town of Badagry a hub society organisations, traditional of tourism and resort enterprise rulers and persons living with in Africa within the next 18 to 24 disabilities, Ambode therefore, said months.”

Alongside the Secretary to the his administration had perfected development strategy to make State Government, Mr. Olatunji Bello Badagry Africa’s hub of tourism. and Commiassioner for Information At a town hall meeting he held and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde with religious and traditional on among others, Ambode presided Tuesday, the governor disclosed the over the meeting which at the VIP strategic plan of his administration, Chalet in Badagry.

He said his administration which he said, plunged the state’s dependence on federal allocation would spare nothing “to to zero percent when Badagry’s make Badagry a flashpoint for tourism potentials and service sector development projects in the state.

Our eyes are set on Badagry, let were fully developed.

us do something for the future.

We are going to open up Badagry forever.”

During his three-day visit to Badagry, Ambode inspected ongoing projects and other government establishments in Badagry, which according to him, was an immediate response to the questions and suggestions from the townhall meeting.”

He also inspected the road under construction from Badagry Expressway to Whispering Palms Resort, where he said the contract for completion would be awarded next week, which he said, boost the tourism potentials of the area.

Ambode also paid an unscheduled visit to the Badagry Asphalt Plant, where he seized the occasion to commission the facility, saying his administration was aware of their hard work just as he assured that they would be duly rewarded.

Also speaking on the significance of holding the council meeting in Badagry, Bello acknowledged that it

was the first time that a government would hold such a strategic meeting in Badagry.

He disclosed that no government since he had been serving the state in different capacities had ever brought the state executive council to Badagry, noting that it “is a good sign of the visionary leadership Ambode is providing in the state. Governor himself has been here since Monday.”

On his part, Ayorinde explained the symbolism of the state executive council meeting, which he said, held in Badagry for the first time.

Ayorinde said the decision to take the meeting outside Ikeja, for the very first time, was a clear indication of Ambode’s readiness and commitment to spread development to every nook and cranny of the state.

He said the governor had spent three days in Badagry, which according to him, showed that every part of the state is secure and the governor can perform his duty in any part of the state.

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UN Seeks Effective Trade Liberalisation for Africa’s Economic Growth Crusoe Osagie Expressing concerns over the low level of intra-African trade, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has emphasised the need for African countries to embrace the full benefits of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) to achieve economic integration.

The Africa Regional Head, UNCTAD, Dr. Joy Kategakwa,

explained that the surest way for African economies to go is to grab the momentum of CFTA that the African Heads of States have agreed to in order to eliminate barriers to trade and create opportunities for African people in Africa.

Kategakwa during a dialogue session organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), tagged “Challenges of economic integration in West Africa”, said: “Regional integration

Senate Condemns Killing of Redeemed Pastor, Tasks Police to Find Killers Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Senate yesterday condemned the brutal killing of a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastor, Mrs. Eunice Olawale, on Saturday in Kubwa, Abuja and tasked the security agents to immediately ensure the arrest of killers.

Moving a motion through Order 43 in the Senate Standing Rules, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos West), lamented that aimless killings have continued to be on the rise in Nigeria, noting that the trend is in contradiction to Sections 33, 38, 39 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution which provide that lives are sacrosanct.

In the motion, Tinubu condoled with the family of the late Mrs. Olawale, observing that she cried for help when the assailants attacked her but none came as she tasked Nigerians to cultivate the culture of responding to distress calls. The Senate observed one minute silence in her honour.

In the motion, Tinubu said: “The Senate notes the gruesome murder of deaconess Eunice Mojisola Olawale, a woman preacher who was gruesomely killed on Saturday 9th July, 2016 at about 5am at Kubwa FCT, Abuja. The Senate is saddened by the unfortunate incident which turned the husband into a widower and seven children motherless.

“The Senate recalls that Eunice

Olawale had been into early morning preaching for years without complaints from any quarters. The Senate is saddened that on this fateful day as she was being attacked and shouting for help, no one came to her rescue.

“The Senate observes that unwarranted killings are becoming rampant in Nigeria. The Senate observes further that it is unlawful to take another life of a citizen as enshrined in chapter four Sections 33, 38, 39 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

“The Senate urged members of the public to always respond to distress calls anytime at least calling emergency police numbers where they cannot physically intervene. The Senate accordingly urged governments at all levels to provide more security facilities like close circuit (CCT) cameras at nooks and cranies of Nigeria and that the Senate urged the police and other security agencies to intensify their investigation at arresting and prosecuting those who committed such heinous crimes,” she added.

In his remark, Senate President Bukola Saraki, said the brutal killing of the pastor was of great concern to everyone, regretting that lives are being gruesomely cut short in Nigeria whereas other countries jealously protect their citizens as he tasked the security agencies to ensure they arrest the culprits and bring them to book.

Kalu Hails Egbemode’s Emergence as Acting President of NGE Former Governor of Abia State and Publisher of the Sun titles, Dr. Orji Kalu, has described the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of New Telegraph Newspapers, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, as a veteran journalist who has contributed immensely to the media industry.

According to Kalu, Egbemode has the capacity to steer the affairs of the Guild, adding that she would bring to bear her vast experience and network of contacts.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Kunle Oyewumi, Kalu said: “I received with joy the news of the emergence of one of my colleagues, Egbemode as acting President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).

“Her emergence is not a surprise to many Nigerians who are conversant with her media endeavours.

“Having served in various

capacities and positions in the world of journalism, there is no doubt in her capability to sustain the good name of the professional body.

“Egbemode has over the years created a niche for herself in the media industry and as such her new role as acting President of NGE is in the interest of the professional body”.

The former governor while advising media professionals to exhibit a high level of professionalism in the discharge of their duties, added that the strategic importance of the media cannot be undermined in the society, noting that the media is the voice of the voiceless.

Kalu equally used the opportunity to commend the Guild for being gender- neutral in its appointments.

is a cornerstone and a key path to get strength and numbers to create big amount share of the international trade. UNCTAD believes in the catalytic role that regional integration plays in economic development. We are here to help and also to learn the better structure to support the projects that we have.”

According to her, “Intra-African trade has huge potentials and this is why we have to work relentlessly to make it happen more but official figures tell us that it is in the range of 12 to 14 per cent, but of course we are not good at capturing what happens in informal trading which is a huge part of trade landscape in Africa. For me the figure is low but the opportunity is huge and this is why opportunities within ECOWAS, at the continental level must fully be embraced to bring into fusion the possibilities of opportunities that businesses in Africa have.”

She added that one of the biggest challenges affecting intra-African

trade is lack of infrastructure which has crippled many business opportunities, noting that the CFTA will go a long way to address the challenge “UNCTAD is very pleased to be associated with the dialogue organised by the LCCI because of its historical importance and also the strategic role Nigeria plays in the region and in West Africa.

UNCTAD is very much supporting what countries can do to use trade as a tool for development,” she said.

She added, “We can do this by treaming down the cost of tariffs, rules and regulations, creating opportunities for African people to have businesses wherever it is in Africa. We are working with the African Union (AU), ECOWAS and member states to position them to better manage technically and analytically how the integration will be a success,” she said.

She noted that UNCTAD has a long credible experience in supporting countries to develop trade and trade related policies across different sectors,

maintaining that it would prioritise trade and trade related policies with its regional operations in Africa.

Also speaking at the event, the representative of the Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Mrs. Idiat Adebule, the Director in charge of Administration and Human Resources, Mrs. Yetunde Odejaiye, said the theme of the event is apt and timely as it hinges on identifying the underlying challenges and prospects critical to achieving the fundamental objectives of promoting cooperation and integration under the auspices of ECOWAS. She said as member states, African economies have common challenges and similar prospects, stressing the need to build on the gains already achieved in trade, commerce, transportation, communication amongst others.

“We also need to build enduring institutions that cuts across and remove any manifestation of ideological differences, colonial or political affiliations. We need to come together and focused to ensure that we turn these

challenges to our gains. We need to put in place infrastructures and ensure adequate security to attract both local and Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). African nations must continue to encourage entrepreneurship and allow more private concerns to create jobs, develop our industries in order to be self reliant. We should focus attention on critical change that will attract FDI and stimulate the economy. African nations must look inward and diversify their economy to meet the needs of the people in order to increase productivity, encourage industrialisation and remove all impediments that will inhibit the flow of economic activities within the region of member countries,” she said.

She pointed out that the current administration is committed to increase productivity and also encourage more private concerns in the economy, adding that plans are already on course to diversify the economy from the current economic situation.

WHERE IS THE POWER?

R-L: Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Governor of Kaduna State, MaIlam Nasir el -Rufai; and Director of Rockson Engineering Limited, Mr. Biyi Sangowawa, during the minister’s inspection tour of the ongoing construction work at the Dual Fired (LPFO/Gas) 215MW Kaduna Power Plant in Kaduna...yesterday

PIND Releases Impact Assessment Report on Niger Delta The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) and its US-based strategic partner, the Niger Delta Partnership Initiative (NDPI), have released an independent impact-assessment report detailing the progress made by both organisations to date towards achieving sustainable, systemic change in the Niger Delta.

The report showed that since its inception in 2010, PIND and NDPI had brought significant international attention and resources to support sustainable development initiatives in the Niger Delta, a region that until recently was virtually beyond reach by the international community.

As a result of PIND and NDPI’s work, the Niger Delta is now receiving investment from multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and international NGOs as well as other private sector institutions, according to the impact assessment report prepared by the Initiative for Global Development (IGD), a

Washington DC-based non-profit organisation.

In a statement signed by the Knowledge Systems Manager of PIND, Chinwe NnohamOnyejekwe, PIND and NDPI’s work have enabled and strengthened relationships between local individuals and hundreds of organisations, resulting in more than $92 million of new investment into the region in both monetary and in-kind resources since 2010, according to the report.

“Although socio-economic challenges in the region persist, this report emphasises that PIND and NDPI have created positive change for the people of the Niger Delta,” said PIND Chairman Clay Neff.

“We are proud that this assessment validates the progress we have made to date and provides us with recommendations to generate even greater impact going forward.”

The greatest impact of PIND

and NDPI’s work was in the areas of economic development, peace building, and cultivating an enabling environment through advocacy and capacity building for economic growth and peace to take hold.

PIND and NDPI have also achieved significant impacts in forging strong partnerships, alliances and networks, and establishing a self-sustaining, rapidly growing movement of peace actors numbering more than 3,800 individuals, according to the report.

“We place a high priority on working with partners and existing organisations because coordinated development efforts can achieve greater impact than each organisation working alone,” said PIND Executive Director, Sam Daibo.

With more than 32 million people, the Niger Delta represents a complex, yet critical region to Nigeria and West Africa as many

of its current events typically have far-reaching effects. “The report shows PIND and NDPI’s programmes are moving the needle on achieving systematic, sustainable change in a complex, yet important social environment in West Africa,” Daibo said.

The IGD impact assessment report is available online at www. igdleaders.org. Information about PIND and NDPI programs are available at pindfoundation.org and ndpifoundation.org.

Established in-part through a five-year, $50 million endowment by Chevron in 2010, the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) and the Niger Delta Partnership Initiative (NDPI) work with a wide range of partners in the public, private and civil society sectors to support projects designed to reduce poverty and conflict in the Niger Delta region.In 2014, Chevron committed an additional $40 million to the initiative over the following five years.

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THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016 • T H I S D AY

CRIME&PUNISHMENT Four Policemen, Two Kidnappers Feared Killed in Shootout in Rivers

Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Four policemen and two suspected kidnappers were feared killed during a shootout between security operatives and hoodlums on the Ubima-Omerelu Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

THISDAY gathered that the victims were shot dead when operatives of the state police command went to the community to rescue kidnap victims held in the area.

Sources said the suspected kidnappers, on sighting the security men, opened fire and killed two of the police operatives.

The source, who simply identified herself as Miss Miracle, disclosed that the victims had been rescued before the suspected kidnappers struck.

She said the incident created panic in the community, adding that the police and some other

security agencies immediately reinforced, taking over about two communities.

Another resident, Mr. Madu Amadi, said: “The cultists killed four policemen, while the police killed two of the cultists. The police also arrested two of the boys.

“The police got information that some victims were kidnapped and kept somewhere in the bush between Ubima and Omerelu. The kidnappers attacked members of SARS who were coming to rescue the victims.

“So there was exchange of gunfire between the kidnappers and the policemen which led to the recorded death. Because of the shooting in the community some residents of Ubima slept in the bush last night. Till now the kidnappers are still in the community shooting.”

The state police spokesman, Omoni Nnamdi, while confirming the incident, said a kidnapping syndicate was smashed in the community, while some hostages

were released and arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspected hoodlums.

Omoni, in a statement yesterday, said the security operatives acted on information that some kidnappers had earlier attacked and killed two policemen attached to 48 PMF at Omerelu and made away with their rifles, along with about six male hostages.

“Our intelligence led the police team to their camp where, on sighting the police, the hoodlums opened fire which consequently left in its wake, the rescue of their hostages namely, Damiete Clinton Amachree, Weldly Udo Abasi, Deacon Sebastian Amenkhienan, Reverend Ogagarue and Ibe Onyebuchi, a staff of MCC Nigeria Limited who had been held hostage by their abductors in a bush at Ubima.

“Two of the kidnappers were fatally wounded in the process, while two AK 47 riffles with S/Nos. 0325836, 3552713 and 80 rounds of

live ammunition were recovered from them. Investigation is on-going at the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU),” he said.

The Rivers police spokesman also disclosed that the command’s crack team, on Monday, arrested a gang of suspected kidnappers who had been terrorising motorists and passengers along the Elele-Owerri Road.

He said one victim, Oka Emmanuel, was rescued while some items recovered from the suspects included one Toyota Sienna car (Reg. No. ERY 679 GR); One Honda Accord Care (Reg. No. AHD 485 RX) and another Toyota Sienna car (Reg. No. APP 292 DD).

“Efforts are still on to arrest other fleeing members of the gang. The command wishes to re-affirm its stance to nip crime in the bud in the state, assuring all and sundry that Rivers State will be safe again, as we shall spare no efforts in reducing crime to its barest minimum in the state,” he said.

RELEASE OUR CHILDREN

Women protesting the arrest of some youths in Gbaramatu Community by security operatives in Warri....yesterday

Society Must Rise against Domestic, Sexual Violence, Says Ambode’s Wife Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, yesterday urged community leaders and members of the society to rise up against domestic and sexual violence, just as she said that people must be made to be aware of the heavy punishment for perpetrators of such crime.

Mrs. Ambode, who spoke in Ikorodu at a town hall meeting organised by the state Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) in partnership with the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotebi, said community leaders must spread the message to prevent the crime, adding that such was necessary to combat the menace and discourage people from indulging in it.

The wife of the Governor, who was represented by Mrs. Titilayo Ogunlewe, wife of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, commended DSVRT for being at the vanguard of the fight against the crime, but reiterated the fact that rape and defilement carry life

imprisonment, whilst domestic violence and child abuse are all crimes committed against the state.

She said: “It is also important to sensitise members of the public on the impact these crimes can have on the victim, understanding the multiple effects on the victim, immediate family and the community. If members of the society are aware of their roles and responsibilities, more victims would be willing to come forward and therefore help in ensuring perpetrators are brought to book.”

The town hall meeting, which took place at the Palace of Ayangburen of Ikorodu, was said to be in line with the mandate and commitment of the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode to combat all forms of domestic and sexual violence crimes.

The theme of the town hall meeting was: The Role of the Society in Tackling Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).

Earlier in her welcome remarks, DSVRT Coordinator, Titilola Vivour-

Adeniyi, said the meeting was in clear response to the reprehensible trend where victims of SGBV are ostracised and harassed by the community because they reported the crime.

She disclosed that there have been instances where the victims have been pressurised by the society to settle out of court.

According to her, “The strategic initiative taken by the DSVRT is to embark on grassroots sensitisation campaigns which aim to enlighten key stakeholders and influencers within the society on the right steps to take in response to an incidence SGBV.” On his part, Oba Shotebi harped on the important role of the society, which can be summarised as report the act, protect the victim, encourage justice and shame the perpetrator.

The monarch sounded a clear warning that the culture of stigmatisation would no longer be tolerated, just as he said that such was of utmost importance as

recent statistics revealed an increase in the reporting of these incidents in Ikorodu area and its environs.

The contact details of relevant agencies in Ikorodu was given out and victims of Sexual Assault were advised to go to Primary Health Care Centres in Ikorodu as Health Workers had recently been trained on sexual assault management and equipped with Rape kits and cost of laboratory testing had been provided for by the state government.

The meeting had all the relevant stakeholders in attendance namely officers of National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW), market men and women, artisans, the Nigeria Police, faith based organisations, community development associations, vigilante groups, landlord and tenant associations, sole administrators of the local government, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, school children drawn from both public and private schools and the media.

In Brief Cattle Rustlers KillThree in Adamawa

At least three persons wereon Tuesday believed to have been killed and several others injured by cattle rustlers in Tambo- Gimo village of Girei Local Government Area in AdamawaState. While confirming the attack, the village head of Tambo, Mallam Idi Wakili Sama, said the cattle rustlers stormed the village at about 11p.m. while villagers were about going to bed. He said as soon as the rustlers entered the village, they started shooting into the air to scare the villagers aways so as to enable them carry out their operations. Sama said three persons were killed and several others were also injured as a result of trying to escape from the rustlers whom he claimed came with sophisticated weapons. He said because of the kind of sound of the guns of the rustlers, no villagers could come close, adding that they finished their operations and left without any challenge.

Sama said the rustlers carted away cattle belonging to some villagers in Tambo- Gimo and broke into shops and stole goods worth millions of naira. Another eyewitnesses, Chris Jallo, said the rustlers stormed the village with the sole aimed of stealing cattle but were surprised when the rustlers broke into some shops and carted away goods and money. He said the dead bodies of the three persons killed by the rustlers had been deposited at the mortuary at the Specialist Hospital Yola. Also confirming the incident, the police spokesman in the state, Abubakar Othman, said three persons were killed in Tambo-Gimo by cattle rustlers while they were trying to steal cattle belonging to some villagers.

Motorists Protest Alleged Killing of a Woman by DSS

Hundreds of commuters plying the Kaduna -Abuja Express way were yesterday stranded as angry motorists blocked the road following the accidental killing of a traveller by men of the Department of State Services (DSS ) along the express way. It was learnt that the victim and her five children who boarded a commercial vehicle from Abuja to Kaduna was hit by a stray bullet when the men of the DSS fired at a vehicle that was also plying the road. The incident occurred at around 2:20p.m. near Jere town, about 200 kilometres away from Kaduna.

The corpse of the woman was brought to the Toll Gate located at Kakau/ Sabon Gayan community near Kaduna metropolis, prompting angry reaction from motorists who witnessed the incident. Both sides of the expressway was blocked by the motorists, preventing commuters who were either heading towards Abuja or coming to Kaduna. The DSS operatives were said to have allegedly opened fire on vehicle which they attempted to stop, however the bullet hit the vehicle the woman and her children were travelling in, killing her instantly. According to an eyewitness who spoke with THISDAY on phone, the DSS operatives were six in number and were driving in two Toyota Hilux vans, but could not say exactly say what led to the shooting. “We actually don’t know what really happened but we only saw the DSS operatives about six of them arriving in two Hilux vehicle. “Immediately they saw a vehicle coming they, tried to stop the driver but he refused to stop so they shot at him, but unfortunately they missed their target and hit at the commercial vehicle conveying the victim and her five children. She died on the spot “This angered motorists that witnessed the incident as they block the highway, the eyewitness said. Hundreds of commuters coming into Kaduna, Zaria and going to other nothern states like Katsina, Kano, Zamfara, Sokoto, Jigawa were stranded for several hours including members of House of Representatives Committee on Army who were on the way to Zamfara State. It took the intervention of the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Adamu Ibrahim, who pleaded with the motorists to pave the way for other vehicles plying the highway. The police commissioner disclosed that the DSS suspects had been arrested and called for calm, assuring that the incident would be investigated.

Lagos Task Force Arrests Fake Army Officer

The Lagos State Task Force yesterday arrested one Oluwayelu Adeboye, in the Ogba area of the state for impersonating as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army. The serial impersonator was said to have been arrested after he attempted to secure the release of a vehicle impounded by the taskforce, after which he would have been paid N15,000 by the owner of the vehicle. Adeboye said he was on his way to Ogba in Ikeja to collect his original Year 2010 West African Examination School Certificate results with examination No 20108040DC when he saw operatives of the agency impounding someone’s vehicle for traffic obstructions. According to him, since he felt, it was another avenue for him to make money as usual, he quickly intervened but was surprisingly taken to the Commander of the taskforce, Olayinka Egbeyemi, for interrogation. The 27-year-old, who revealed that he was rusticated from the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro in 2014 for the same offence of impersonation, said he had in the past successfully deceived different security personnel across the country. He also confessed to have once impersonated the son of a general in the Nigerian Army during an interview when he wanted to secure admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). He also admitted that he had been impersonating as an officer of either the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Police Force in order to secure the release of anyone arrested at different police stations across Lagos. Adeboye also said he equally impersonates through telephone conversations for release of impounded vehicles from different law enforcement agencies for a fee of N15,000 or more.

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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY JULY 14, 2016

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

RIO 2016

NOC Considers Oyedeji, Okagbare for Team Nigeria Captain’s Role Swimming, canoe slalom added to sports Nigeria to compete for medals

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has narrowed down the choice of the captain of Team Nigeria for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to basketball star, Olumide Oyedeji and super sprinter, Blessing Okagbare-Ighotegunor.

THISDAY scooped last night that though no formal decision has been made about who should be made the team captain, the choice is a straight bout between Oyedeji and Okagbare.

The team captain will lead the Nigerian contingent and carry the national flag at the opening ceremony in Rio on August 5.

Oyedeji has unmatched experience with the basketball team which he led to the last Olympics at London 2012 on top of record making Afrobasket triumph in Tunisia last year.

Officials claimed he is already cut for the role considering he was the Nigerian team captain to the last All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville last year.

Okagbare’s effervescent individual accomplishments also make her a candidate that cannot be ignored.

The sprinter, who will represent Nigeria in women 100 metres, long jump and women 4x100 metres relay, qualified for the 100 metres final at London 2010 and won a silver medal in Long Jump at the World Athletics Championship in Moscow in 2013.

She remains one of Nigeria’s biggest attractions at Rio2016 in view of her glittering record in the majors and world circuit.

The NOC, which will formally hand over the Nigerian team to President Muhammadu Buhari on July 19, has confirmed that Nigeria will now compete in nine official sports, instead of seven earlier reported.

NOC Secretary General, Tunde Popoola, said that Swimming and Slalom Canoeing have been added as the events Nigeria will participate in addition to football, basketball, boxing, athletics, wresting, weightlifting and table tennis where they fulfilled qualifying requirements.

Nigeria featured in canoeing at London 2012 and now intends to be in Brazil with two swimmers on the special invitation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Popoola told THISDAY that IOC made it mandatory for Nigeria to feature two swimmers under the “Universality Places”

designed to ensure that all countries are represented to make swimming a truly world event.

“We will now include two swimmers at Rio 2016 under the universality places arrangement.

It is not a wildcard, rather

they asked us to bring two male swimmers who will be sponsored at their own cost,” Popoola concluded.

…House Urges Finance Okagbare Oyedeji Ministry to Release F E D E R AT I O N C U P Funds for Olympics Rivers Utd Dims 3SC, Ifeanyiubah Through to Q’final Damilola Oyedele in Abuja Worried by reports that Team Nigeria has not been financially mobilised in its preparations for the Rio2016 Olympic Games starting in August, the House of Representatives has urged the Finance Ministry to urgently release funds to the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The House also called on the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, to follow up with the Finance Ministry, Budget Office

and Accountant General of the Federation, to facilitate the release of the funds.

Hon. Abubakar Nuhu (Kano APC) in a motion noted that Team Nigeria ought to have been settled in camp by now as part of preparations for the Games.

He lamented that the shoddy preparation occasioned by the late release of funds which usually mars the performance of Team Nigeria may also lead to another failure at the Rio2016 Games in Brazil.

Transfer: Ranieri Reveals Why Leicester Signed Ahmed Musa Leicester City Manager, Claudio Ranieri, has said that the Foxes will be relying on Ahmed Musa for his blistering speed.

The Italian tactician has underlined the importance of adding the Nigerian to his fold ahead of next English Premier League season The Deputy Captain of the Super Eagles joined the reigning English champions from CSKA Moscow having snubbed a host of other English teams.

Ranieri has now revealed that Musa can now join his Royal Air Force to bolster the Foxes forward ranks as they

hope to successfully defend their title.

“Musa can bring his speed,” Ranieri told Foxes Player HD. “I don’t know if he’s as quick as Jamie Vardy, but he has lots of speed.

“It’s very important to have another airplane in our squad.

Remember, we are the RAF and we’ve signed one of them!”

Leicester City kicks off its season against Manchester United in the FA Community Shield on August 7, 2016.

The Foxes are to begin their title defence a week later against Hull City before hosting Arsenal at the King Power Stadium.

Rivers United and FC IfeanyiUbah are through to the quarterfinals of this year’s Federation Cup after they went past Shooting Stars and Katsina United, respectively.

Rivers United eliminated Shooting Stars 3-2 on penalties after fulltime scores were 0-0.

Goalkeeper Sunday Rotimi saved two penalties for the Port Harcourt club to stay in hunt for the cup competition’s top prize.

In another Round of 16 clash, goals by Maduabuchi Okereke and Suleiman Mohammed for IfeanyiUbah saw off the threat posed by second division Katsina United.

Prime FC lost out to Warri Wolves 6-5 on penalties after 1-1 in regulation time.

Earlier on Tuesday, top NPFL sides Enugu Rangers and Sunshine Stars were the big casualties of

The Open 2016: Day, Dustin, Spieth and McIlroy Hold the Aces Those players skipping the Olympics because of fears about the Zika virus in Brazil would probably play this year’s Open if there was Bubonic plague in Scotland. What’s a spot of gangrene when you could win the Claret Jug? So while the top four golfers in the world rankings - Australia’s Jason Day, Americans Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy - are all giving Rio a miss, expect one of them to be in contention on Sunday afternoon at Royal Troon. If we’re lucky, it might be all four of them.

Johnson, rightly or wrongly, had earned a reputation as a serial choker before winning his first major title at this year’s US Open. When the 32-year-

old won the Bridgestone Invitational in his very next tournament, after Day dropped four shots in his final four holes, it suggested the floodgates had left their hinges.

Johnson’s major derailments include the 2010, 2011 and 2015 Opens but no-one has ever doubted he has the game to triumph in links conditions.

His mind always seemed to be the problem, although it seems to be a problem no longer.

Former world number one and four-time major winner McIlroy has endured a maddeningly inconsistent season. The 27-year-old missed St Andrews because of injury and has not won a major title since his Open-USPGA double in 2014.

the men’s Round of 16 of the Federation Cup. Rangers, 1977 winners of the old Africa Cup Winners Cup, and several times champions of the Federation Cup, fell by a goal behind to Nigeria National League side Crown FC at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna but earned the equaliser on the hour mark.

However, the Ogbomosho, Oyo State –based Crown FC went all

out and got the winner 10 minutes from time, sending shock waves round Nigeria football, in the manner of the Federation Cup .

At the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi, the all-NPFL clash between Akwa United and Sunshine Stars of Akure finished 0-0 in regulation time, before the Uyo side clinched penalty shootout victory in sudden death, 8-7.

Sirawoo Elected New SWAN President Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) yesterday elected Mr. Honour Sirawoo as the National President of the association.

He was returned unopposed at the election which held at the Kwara State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin.

Speaking after his election, Mr. Sirawoo charged the federal government to come up with its strategic blueprint for the nation’s sports development.

This, he said that, would go a long way in demonstrating its seriousness in the revamping of the sports sector in the country.

He also advocated a reappraisal of the act establishing the National Institute for Sports (NIS) with a view to upgrading the centre

to a degree awarding institution in the country.

Sirawoo said that such development would properly equip coaches and others in the administration of sports in the country.

The president decried members of the association seeking financial assistance from the government or corporate bodies under various groups. He also banned the various groups operating independently away from the umbrella body at the congress Other elected national officers of the association include, Mr. Wale Alabi, (VP North West), Mr. Ado Salisu, (VP South East), Mr. Cajetan Nkwopara, (Financial Secretary), Mrs. Jibo Zakari, (VP South West), Mr. Ajayi Adeboyen (Treasurer), Mr. Abdulraheem Audu amongst others.