Thursday 22nd September 2016

Sanusi Foresees Rebound of Economy, Backs CBN on Rate Retention Supports calls for sale of national assets

Obinna Chima The Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, among

other experts in the financial services industry, yesterday backed the resolve of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to retain the benchmark monetary policy rate (MPR), as

well as other monetary policy tools at the end of its meeting last Tuesday.

Sanusi also expressed optimism that the Nigerian economy was on the right

path and would rebound.

The emir said this at the launch of the Nigerian Banking Report 2016 by Afrinvest West Africa Limited titled “Search for Investor

Confidence” in Lagos.

The MPC held the MPR at 14 per cent, with an asymmetric window at +200 and -500 basis points at the end of its September meeting. The CBN

also maintained banks’ Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) at 22.5 per cent and the Liquidity Ratio (LR) at 30 per cent.

Continued on page 8

Budget Scandal: House in Rowdy Session, Refers Abdulmumin to Ethics C’ttee… Page 10 Thursday 22 September, 2016 Vol 21. No 7826. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

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Nigeria Will Not Slip Back to Lazy Overreliance on Oil Muhammadu Buhari Until a few years ago, Africa Rising was a dominant theme in conversations about the global economy. That enthusiasm has since cooled,

OPINION so that in newsrooms, think tanks and conference panels, “Africa Rising!” has given way to a more questioning “Africa

Rising?”

While some of that pessimism may be justified, we do not have the luxury

of distracting ourselves with lamentations about our current circumstances. Instead of hoping for commodity prices to rise, African countries should seize the opportunities that these times present — not

least here at today’s U.S.Africa Business Forum — to lay a foundation for the kind of economic growth that transforms the lives of our people.

One of our biggest challenges

during the boom years was that we failed to convert the benefits of high commodity prices into more jobs and significant improvements in Continued on page 8

Senate Calls FG’s Economic Managers Incompetent, Seeks Cabinet Reshuffle Ekweremadu, Akume kick against sale of oil assets Address N’Assembly, Dogara urges Buhari Obama expresses confidence in the administration TobiSoniyi,Omololu Ogunmade and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The Senate yesterday kickstarted its debate on the economic turmoil in the country, with some senators blaming the recession on the incompetence of some ministers in President Muhammadu Buhari's cabinet.

Senators, who did not mince words during plenary in the upper chamber, said that the president had put round pegs in square holes, observing that the incompetence of such ministers had largely contributed to the

festering crisis.

They called on the president to immediately reshuffle his cabinet by redeploying competent hands to handle sensitive economic matters.

Leading the debate on the recession yesterday, the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, laid the premise for Nigeria’s current predicament, disclosing that no fewer than 15 countries in different parts of the world, including Brazil, Russia, Japan, Ukraine, Greece, Venezuela,

LEADING NIGERIA’S MARKETING PITCH TO THE WORLD

L-R: Minister of Mines and Steel, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; President Muhammadu Buhari; United States Secretary of Commerce, Ms. Penny Sue Pritzer; and Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, shortly before Buhari godwin omoigui Continued on page 8 addressed Heads of Government and CEOs at the U.S.–Africa Business Forum in New York… yesterday

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PAGE EIGHT NIGERIA WILL NOT SLIP BACK TO LAZY OVERRELIANCE ON OIL standards of living. Hence the great debate, during those years, about how to ensure that the growth became “inclusive”.

Now that we are face to face with the vulnerabilities somehow hidden during the years of plenty, we should turn away from the unhelpful habits of the past and chart a new course.

Since I signed the 2016 budget into law in May, Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance has released more than N400 billion for infrastructure spending — more than the total amount spent in 2015.

In the face of dwindling oil revenues, we are turning to debt.

We have begun raising a $1 billion Eurobond, our first in three years.

We are also raising debt from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Chinese Exim Bank and other development finance partners.

Unlike in the past, when borrowed funds were frittered away on unproductive ventures, we will ensure their investment in the revival of stalled road, rail, power

and port projects, and in agricultural initiatives that will significantly boost domestic production of food. For far too long we have under-invested in infrastructure — the most critical element for creating sustainable economic growth. The net effect: an avoidably high cost of doing business in Nigeria.

But even more important than what the government is able to spend is the limitless investment potential of the private sector. This is why one of our main priorities is creating an environment in which private-sector capital can thrive. We are in particular using Public-Private Partnership models to support gamechanging private-sector projects in power, refining, gas transportation and fertiliser production.

We are also putting in place measures to ensure that monies intended to revamp our infrastructure do not end up in the pockets of corrupt officials and their collaborators.

Already we are investigating the theft

of several billion dollars in public funds by the previous administration.

We are not only bringing these corrupt officials to justice, we are also setting up systems to make it impossible for such a grievous abuse of public trust to happen again. And of course, we are as committed to playing by the rule of law as we are to accounting for every naira and recovering them for our treasury. These were funds meant to build roads and railway lines and hospitals and schools, and to equip our military — which has for the last seven years been fighting one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world.

In that regard, we are already seeing the positive results of our anti-corruption efforts. Long starved of both material and morale by the corruption in the military’s upper echelons, our reinvigorated troops have now put Boko Haram permanently on the back foot. Some of the more than two million persons displaced by Boko Haram have started

returning to their homes. Just last week, the people of Nigeria’s northeast celebrated their first incident-free Eid in years.

Our troops have rescued thousands of men, women and children trapped in areas held by Boko Haram. To meet their urgent humanitarian needs, we are working with the United Nations and other partners to provide food, medical help and shelter. We will strive to ensure that no victim is left behind, including the 218 Chibok girls who have, since their abduction in April 2014, served as a global symbol of the war against Boko Haram and a reminder of the horrors that it has inflicted on innocent Nigerians.

Even though the times are still dire, our economic recovery plan is already showing positive results. Investment’s share in gross domestic product is at its highest since 2010. Inflation is slowing; manufacturing confidence is rising. People are seeing and seizing opportunities to make money catering to the needs of Africa’s most populous

country. Finally, our Social Investment Programme — the most ambitious in Nigeria’s history — will kick off this month. In its first year it will provide cash transfers to 1 million of our poorest people, hot meals to five million primary school children, cheap loans to more than 1 million artisans and traders, and job opportunities in health care, agriculture and software and hardware development for half a million young people.

The journey ahead remains long and difficult. Our double-digit inflation, currency turmoil and downgraded ratings will not vanish overnight. We also know that the current recession is partly driven by the production outages in Nigeria’s Delta region, and we are confident that growth will accelerate as problems in that region are resolved.

But the real story here is not the challenges, which are all too visible, but the opportunities. We have learned the necessary lessons. We will ensure that Nigeria does not slip back into

a lazy and dangerous dependence on the price of crude oil. We will continue to insist on transparency and accountability in the use of government funds. And we will build an economy that prioritises the ease of doing business and investing, and that thrives on the entrepreneurial energy and ingenuity of our people.

To achieve these objectives, Nigeria needs robust and reliable partnerships such as we have with the United States. This is why I value the Commercial and Investment Policy Dialogue that we have just launched, and which we shall announce at today's U.S.-Africa Business Forum.

The months ahead will show not only that Nigeria is on the rise, but that this “Rising” is real and lasting — one that touches not just the statistical databases, but the lives of the people who elected us to deliver positive change.

• This Op-ed by President Muhammadu Buhari was published in Bloomberg yesterday

the tradition that a new government in the country would allow things to get worse before they learn rather than building a consensus that allows the country to forge development that is sustainable.

He stated that Nigeria has a crisis of leadership. “We must be able to show a clear game plan, with some critical elements of industrial policy in areas of competitive advantage, which would be self-explanatory and attractive to investors.

“Government must be responsive to signals and not let things go out of hand before seeking out solutions and these have eluded successive governments,” Utomi said.

Also, the CEO of the Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba, pointed out that Nigeria was facing its economic challenges because of its over dependence on inflows from portfolio investors and export proceeds.

“We must learn from India that relies heavily on Diaspora remittances, which are directly invested on sovereign assets, thus providing the needed foreign exchange. We must broaden the focus, not only on foreign investors, but with confidence building policies to attract the Diasporans,” he added.

a rather low level”.

Similarly, Senior Macroeconomic Specialist at Ecobank International, London, Gaime Nonyame, supported the rate retention by the banking system regulator.

She said the CBN could not reduce the policy rate because of inflation and could not afford to increase it because the country was already in recession.

This, she insisted, would not be desirable and encouraging to investors, who are expected to bring in the much-needed foreign currency, which Nigeria needs to get out of recession.

Also, analysts at the foreign currency trading and investment arm of Diamond Bank Plc, Uyi Ohenhen, lauded the CBN’s action. He said it was a positive development that triggered the inflow of funds into the foreign exchange market yesterday.

One of the economists that spoke with Reuters also praised the CBN for shrugging off political pressure.

“CBN’s refusal to bow to government pressure was a notable sign of the institution's independence,” said John Ashbourne of Capital Economics.

A Senior Analyst at Delta Investments, Mr. Ken Halim, said: “The CBN’s decision was generally in line with analysts’ expectations.

I would have been surprised if the CBN had cut interest rates given that the most serious challenge facing the country at the moment is the forex issue.

“Dollars are still very scarce and companies are shutting down because they can’t access FX. Cutting interest rates would have been counter-productive and discouraged foreign investors from investing in treasury bills and bonds.”

SANUSI FORESEES REBOUND OF ECONOMY, BACKS CBN ON RATE RETENTION The decision by the MPC to retain the policy rate went against the call by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who on Monday called for a reduction of the MPR in order to lower the cost of borrowing for government, individuals and businesses.

But this was rejected by the MPC on the grounds that it could worsen inflation in an environment of low productivity and could deter foreign investors who had started to show renewed interest in Nigerian financial assets, following the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market three months ago.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said at the weekend that about $1 billion had been staked on fixed income securities by foreign investors since the central bank lifted the peg on the naira.

Sanusi said: “To be honest, when the fiscal authorities and many people in the private sector said they wanted a lower interest rate, I was concerned that the central bank would succumb to pressure. The fact that the central bank did not, shows that the central bank is beginning to reclaim its independence, which to me is a very good thing.

“I was very pleased with the MPC. In fact, I was waiting for the outcome of the meeting. When the central bank said they are not bringing the interest rate down, then I said ‘yes’, that is what I like to see.

These are economic issues and you make choices.

“As an interested party and a former central banker, I can see why the central bank was not willing to

reduce the interest rate at this point in time. If you lower the MPR by 100 or 200 basis points (bps), it is not going to lead to a rapid increase in credit growth. You will not see an increase in credit growth that would reverse the downward trend in output by lowering MPR by 100 or 200 bps.

“You would however further fuel inflation and you would reduce the yields on fixed income securities at a time when you are trying to attract foreign exchange.

“The immediate oxygen that this economy needs is foreign exchange and portfolio investors are important.”

He urged Nigerians to be patient and expressed optimism that the Nigerian economy would rebound.

According to him, “The last two or three MPCs ago, as far as I was concerned, the central bank got the decisions right by going to a flexible exchange rate and by tightening monetary policy.”

He pointed out that the naira is currently undervalued just like most stocks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), but fixed income securities were offering high yields.

“Now, do we really have a flexible exchange rate? That is what we need to look at. These things require courage because some of the decisions you would take would seem to fly in your face in the first week or two.

“So, what does that tell you? If you allow people to actually come in with their dollars and sell at whatever rate, people want to buy and people see that they are going

to make money on fixed income, or on equities and on currency appreciation, you will have liquidity in the market.

“Now, so long as you don’t allow that, you are not going to have the flows that you want. It is the inflow of dollars into the economy that would move the naira towards its fair value and for it to get to where you want it to be.

“It is not by fiat. The market does not accept orders. You don’t sit down and say where you want the naira to be. It would never happen because it has never happened.

“They tried that in Ghana, we have seen it in Venezuela, we also saw it in Zimbabwe. If you don’t have dollars in the system, your naira is weak, simple!

“So, the question is, how do you attract dollars? Now, are portfolio investors the final solution? No, they are not.

“But anyone who thinks that a long-term investor is going to take a 10-15-year risk in an economy where we don’t get short-term macroeconomic decisions right is wasting his time.

“You have to have the macro right. You are not going to have the IMF or World Bank or even banks invest in your bonds, because they are looking at the huge gap in macroeconomic decisions,” he added.

According to him, the past three months had been a learning process for policy makers in the country, adding that there had been a retracing of steps.

The Kano emir also expressed satisfaction that in the past few days,

there had been a lot of conversation around the economy, adding that that is what is required in a nation in crisis.

“What we need to do is to understand what exactly is the macroeconomic framework within which to operate and what we seek to achieve as a nation.

“The central bank keeps high the rate of interest and it is very clear in its mind that it is keeping these rates up in order to keep yields high so as to attract dollars and with that help stabilise the currency.

“Greater inflow of dollars would help reverse step-by-step, all the missteps that had been taken in the last 18 months and get capital back.

“We need to encourage the central bank to have the courage to take that risk of implementing that document of actually going into that flexible exchange rate. Let the market work for two or three weeks and see how it will perform and you are going to have a gradual narrowing of the gap between the interbank and the parallel market rates and more liquidity in the system,” he said.

He also advised the federal government to sell down some national assets in a manner that does not hurt its strategic interest.

“We need to sell down some oil assets and sell down some refineries in a transparent manner that gives you value. You can even have the option of buying back later. But basically it helps you raise revenue,” the former CBN governor said.

Earlier, during a panel session, Prof. Pat Utomi said it had become

SENATE CALLS FG’S ECONOMIC MANAGERS INCOMPETENT, SEEKS CABINET RESHUFFLE Switzerland and Finland, were currently in recession.

According to him, most countries which were dependent mainly on oil for survival had been hit economically, explaining that the Nigerian situation was however peculiar because all the economic sectors were reeling, except agriculture.

He pointed out that the situation was aggravated by the depletion of Nigeria’s foreign reserves by the past administration and recalled how former President Olusegun Obasanjo built foreign reserves to the tune of $62 billion but lamented that as of 2015, the reserves had been plundered to as low as $30 billion.

While the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu called for a cabinet reshuffle, Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) argued that putting incompetent hands in charge of the economy would continue to aggravate the situation.

Ekweremadu was of the view that the situation had continued to

deteriorate because of the bottlenecks caused by the failure of the federal government to release funds into the economy as appropriated in the 2016 budget.

He also observed that if the claims by the government that it had accumulated N3 trillion in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and recovered $20 million from the former Minister of Petroluem Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, along with several millions of dollars said to have been recovered were true, the situation ought to have been different.

On the other hand, he said if the claims were untrue, the federal government needed to tender an unreserved apology to Nigerians for feeding them with falsehood and blamed the recession on the non-release of funds into the system.

Ekweremadu named two of the ministers whom he said needed to be redeployed to include the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and

Minister of Budget and Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, insisting that both ministers would perform better if assigned other portfolios.

“In the first place, distinguished colleagues, we passed a budget for 2016 and we envisaged the situation we’ve found ourselves and we believed that the best thing to do was to increase the budget for 2016 so as to reflate the economy, but we are almost in the final quarter and yet no releases are being made.

“I think the best thing to do at this point, Your Excellency, distinguished colleagues, is for the government to consciously release as much money as possible into the economy.

“Yes, we are saying there is no money; the oil price has dropped but we were also told that through the TSA, we have about N3 trillion somewhere. We were also told that the former Minister of Petroleum returned $20 million.

“We were also told that politicians

have returned several billions of naira, dollars and pounds. It is either that this is not true or that the money is somewhere and if it is not true, someone needs to apologise to us and state the correct thing and if it is true, this money has to be released to contractors so that contractors can go to work and those in the construction industry will be paid and then they will pay the school fees of their children and money will circulate.

“If we have money in the economy, I am sure that shortly, we will also find some relief.

“Secondly, the president needs to look at his cabinet. He has to put square pegs in square holes. Your Excellency, distinguished colleagues, Udo Udoma is my friend, an accomplished lawyer for that matter but in fairness to him, I believe he can do better in another ministry especially like trade and investment, certainly not budget Continued on page 9

Other Experts Back CBN Other than Sanusi and the panellists at the forum held by Afrinvest, several other international and local financial experts also threw their weight behind the CBN’s decision to leave the MPC unchanged.

Staunchly supporting the CBN’s action, financial experts and market analysts contended that the decision would ensure continued foreign inflows which, according to them, was what the country needed most at this time to pull it out of economic recession.

An economist at Exotix Partners, a leading investment firm for frontier and illiquid markets based in the United Kingdom, Alan Cameron, supported the CBN’s decision, describing it as one of the regulator’s “most sensible statement in months (and) one clear about the mandate and policy limitations”.

He believed that the naira was no longer over-valued, but rather at fair value on a real effective exchange rate basis - or perhaps significantly below (325-350 locally).

He said it would take another three to six months of high nominal yields before some cuts in 2017, if external dynamics continue to improve, noting that the MPC statement “should be confidence-building, albeit from

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

PAGE NINE

Amnesty Int’l Accuses Police of Torture, Bribery in Exchange for Freedom IG faults report Zacheaus Somorin in Lagos and Dele Ogbodo in Abuja The Nigeria Police Force has been accused of systematically torturing detainees in its custody as a means of extracting confessions and lucrative bribes. This was revealed in the Amnesty International’s report published yesterday.

According to the report, detainees told Amnesty International they had been subjected to horrific torture methods, including hanging, starvation, beatings, shootings and mock executions, at the hands of corrupt officers from the feared Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police force.

“A police unit created to protect the people has instead become a danger to society, torturing its victims with complete impunity while fomenting a toxic climate of fear and corruption,” said Damian Ugwu, Amnesty International’s Nigeria researcher.

“SARS officers are getting rich through their brutality. In Nigeria, it seems that torture is a lucrative

business,” he added. “Our research has uncovered a pattern of ruthless human rights violations where victims are arrested and tortured until they either make a ‘confession’ or pay officers a bribe to be released.”

Amnesty International has received reports from lawyers, human rights defenders and journalists and collected testimonies stating that some police officers in SARS regularly demand bribes, steal and extort money from criminal suspects and their families.

SARS detainees are held in a variety of locations, including a grim detention centre in Abuja known as the “Abattoir”, where Amnesty International found 130 detainees living in overcrowded cells.

Amnesty International’s research showed that in addition to its stated remit of tackling violent crime, SARS investigates civil matters and in some cases tortures detainees involved in contractual, business and even noncriminal disputes.

When asked by Amnesty International to explain why no police officers had been suspended

or prosecuted for torture, the police simply denied that any torture had taken place. The report also said that a senior officer disclosed that around 40 officers alleged to have carried out various acts of torture and ill-treatment of detainees were transferred to other stations in April 2016. He did not say whether the claims against them were being investigated.

“This lack of accountability breeds and perpetuates impunity, creating an environment where SARS officers believe they have carte blanche to carry out acts of torture. This is hardly surprising when many of these officers have bribed their way to SARS in the first place. The police chiefs in charge are themselves entwined in the corruption,” said Damian Ugwu.

Apart from demanding bribes, SARS officers have been accused of stealing or confiscating property from relatives of detained suspects.

Some family members told Amnesty International that SARS officers stole their cars or withdrew all the money from their bank accounts.

The report pointed out that the

majority of the victims of torture in SARS custody are poor and unable to hire legal representatives. In some cases when detainees cannot afford to pay bribes, they are simply tortured more.

“Our research has exposed the callous workings of a police squad operating outside of the law and inflicting daily brutality on Nigerians who are often legally powerless to defend themselves against criminal accusations, let alone from the torture meted out by SARS,” Ugwu added.

“Depressingly, there are scant judicial or any other mechanisms in place to prevent SARS officers from subjecting vulnerable targets to human rights violations for their own financial gain.”

Despite repeated calls from Amnesty International in recent years, the Nigerian justice system has failed to prevent or punish torture. In December 2014, the Nigerian police launched a human rights manual which prohibits torture and other ill-treatment of detainees, but SARS has failed to implement it.

When a new Inspector General of Police (IG) was appointed in early

2015, it was announced that there would be reform and reorganisation of SARS, but officers attached to the unit told Amnesty International they were not aware of the reforms. A revised version of a bill to criminalise torture, which was first introduced in 2012 but was returned unsigned by the president, was passed by the House of Representatives in June 2016 and will be resubmitted to the Senate for further debates in 2016.

“With the Nigerian government’s previous attempts at stamping out torture proving completely ineffective, it is time for the authorities to ensure that officers responsible for such human rights violations are finally held accountable,” Ugwu further explained.

“Police torture is a stain on Nigerian society that must be addressed with clear orders to law enforcement officers not to inflict torture or other ill-treatment on detainees under any circumstances. There is also an urgent need for robust legislation that ensures all acts of torture are offences under Nigeria’s criminal law. All victims

have a right to reparations, and steps must be taken to ensure that nobody profits from abusing detainees.”

Reacting to the damning Amnesty International report yesterday, the IG, Ibrahim Idris, faulted it, saying it was biased and unfortunate, as the police management was not given fair hearing.

Idris said the Amnesty International had taken a biased position against the Nigeria Police Force, adding that the report did not reflect the position of the police.

The police boss said Amnesty International and other civil society groups recently requested to inspect SARS detention facilities and other police detention centres across the country and were allowed to do so, only for them to allege that the cells were prearranged and kept clean because they were coming.

Idris however warned police commanders and other senior officers to ensure their officers and men operate within international best practices, as the police would not tolerate any action that would bring embarrassment to the force.

from the shackles of poverty, social and economic underdevelopment.

“As leaders, we must take responsibility for the present economic situation, although we are not directly responsible for it. We must admit that this is a difficult thing to do in the present generation that spurns responsibility.

“Everyone wants to blame someone for something that goes wrong.

Unfortunately, history teaches us that no one, no nation has ever achieved greatness except on account of the creative hunger that comes with accepting responsibility.

“This is not the time for partisanship.

This is not the time to score political points. This is not the time for grandstanding. This is not the time for the blame game. The situation and the times call for bold, courageous, enlightened and purposeful leadership.

This is a patriotic call to action from all stakeholders and indeed all Nigerians,” Dogara added.

The speaker harped on the need for the legislature to continue to provide support for the executive’s solutions to the nation’s economic problems, and to consolidate on existing consultations between both arms of government on the way forward.

“We must never miss the opportunity the present travails offers us to launch Nigeria into its rightful destiny and place it among the comity of prosperous nations.

“As representatives of the people we are well acquainted with the alarming state of the citizens’ penury.

We will therefore collaborate with the executive in fine tuning any observed limitations in policy formulation and implementation to ensure speedy delivery of services to our people,” the speaker said.

U.S. president described his Nigerian counterpart as a man of “integrity and honesty”, adding: “We have confidence in your leadership. There are some difficulties you face, but this administration is willing to assist in the short time we have left.

“You have made real progress in defeating the brutal organisation called Boko Haram, and that was achieved because of your leadership.”

Obama also offered a hand of fellowship to Nigeria “in the final and comprehensive defeat of Boko Haram and resolution of the Niger Delta crisis, which would help ramp up oil production and increase revenue, resolving the humanitarian crisis in the North-east, recovering stolen money, and revamping the economy”.

Describing Nigeria as a big and important country in sub-Saharan Africa, Obama said his country looked forward to a framework for sustained partnership between the two nations.

Earlier, Buhari had assured the Obama that Nigeria was making steady progress towards resolving the problem in the Niger Delta region, which had led to economic sabotage on a grand scale.

Buhari said: “We are making definite progress on how many factions of the militant groups exist, their leadership and operational basis, and we have equally sought the cooperation of the oil majors. In a short while, I believe the issues would be resolved.”

While thanking the U.S. for the assistance rendered in the area of security through provision of armaments, training for Nigerian troops, and sharing of intelligence, leading to the degradation of Boko Haram in the North-east, Buhari said the country was open to support in combating the humanitarian crisis currently ravaging the region.

The Nigerian president said the farming season was good this year, with the prospect of good harvest, adding that “Nigeria is on the road to food self-sufficiency soon”.

“We shall be able to feed ourselves and utilise the billions of dollars spent on importing food on other productive areas,” he informed Obama.

He reiterated that his administration came to power on the tripod of security, battle against corruption, and the economy, stressing that there would be no let-up in fulfilling those electoral promises.

He wished Obama happy retirement, as his tenure in office winds down.

SENATE CALLS FG’S ECONOMIC MANAGERS INCOMPETENT, SEEKS CABINET RESHUFFLE and planning.

“The Minister of Finance could do much better in another ministry also. At this critical time, we need somebody who is more experienced to man the Ministry of Finance so that we are able to coordinate the strategies for this recovery.

“I also believe that we need to have all hands on deck right now. It does not matter their religion, it does not matter their party. We need to go all out and look for the best brains to come and help us to come out of this recession.

“America was in a recession in the 1930s. They recovered within three years. What did they do? All Americans came together, irrespective of your political persuasion, and they were able to work on solutions.

“At this point, it does not matter to us whether you are APC or PDP or you are non-aligned. The important thing is that the president has to look for the best people to come together, to proffer solutions. It does not matter which party you belong to,” Ekweremadu said.

Ekweremadu also called for fresh negotiations between the federal government and oil companies, saying such negotiations would enable the government to free enough money, adding that the government needs to boost investors’ confidence by ceasing to label all Nigerians as corrupt persons.

He, however, differed on calls for the sale of the nation’s oil sector assets, noting that only non-performing assets should be sold, stressing the need for restructuring of the system by unbundling the federal government.

He also advocated the amendment of Section 162 (3,4,5,6) of the constitution with a view to stopping the monthly sharing of federal revenue between the federal, states and local governments.

“We need restructuring. We need to unbundle this federal government from the security sector, to power, to agriculture and to the social sectors.

A situation where the federal government is in charge of everything is not helpful. We need to unbundle this country if you like, call it restructuring.

“It might be a long-term strategy and it might be in phases, but it is something that we need to do quickly.

“I have heard about the issue of selling off our assets. I need to caution that other countries are not doing the same. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) does not even allow you to buy oil wells, much less selling them. And of

course, a country like Saudi Arabia, their budget each year is run by investments from their oil revenue, while other countries are investing and with all the investments we have and besides, I’m sure we will not be fair to the next generation.

“So, if we must sell, we have to sell the non-performing assets so that people can turn them around and create employment. We need to amend Section 162 especially from subsections 3,4,5,6 where each money in the Federation Account is enjoined to be shared among the other levels of government,” he said.

Melaye said the degree of poverty and starvation ravaging the land clearly showed that the nation was sitting on a keg of gun powder, pointing out that in no distant future when the poor have no food to eat, they would be forced to “eat the rich”.

Melaye echoed Ekweremadu that the managers of the economy were incompetent, submitting that only experienced and competent persons should be handling the onerous task of managing the economy.

“Anyone who wants to manage an economy must have experience in strategic economics and development economics... The president must rejig his cabinet. We need people with experience and expertise to manage the economy.

“At a time the United Kingdom hired economists from other countries to manage its economy,” Melaye said.

He also called for the immediate ban on importation of items such as wheat, refined sugar, milk and powdered milk, frozen meat and chicken, clothing and textiles, stationery, perfume and insecticide.

Melaye also solicited for the immediate constitution of the Board of the Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN), saying a situation where it operates without a board would create bureaucratic bottlenecks.

In his submission, Senator George Akume (Benue North-east) also criticised the call for the sale of the government’s oil and gas assets, alleging that those making the call are those with the money to buy them.

Akume also recalled how two former governors of the CBN, Prof.

Chukwuma Soludo and Muhammadu Sanusi II, had once alleged that several billions of dollars were missing.

He said if such funds were recovered by the federal government, the advocacy for the sale of oil assets would be unnecessary, arguing that

selling them when oil prices are soft would amount to a great loss.

“From these and from monies going through other sources, at least, we should be able to recoup over $50 billion. If we succeed in doing this, do we still have to sell our assets as is being canvassed? The thing is very straight forward - there is a buyers’ market and there is a sellers’ market.

If you want to dispose of your oil assets at this time when the price of oil has crashed, precisely how much are you going to realise?

“We are making a mistake here - what we are advocating is very unpatriotic and will ensure that those who have stolen from us will still come to buy them up. I believe that this is not the time to strip the country of these assets.

“Fortunately, the CBN governor made a very powerful statement that the worst days of the recession are over and therefore, we have to look elsewhere and not sell our assets. We should focus on industrialisation and agriculture and try to revamp this economy. I am worried because people who are telling us to sell these assets are people who have huge pockets.

“Our assets must remain for us: even Saudi Arabia didn’t sell part of their national assets as alleged,” Akume submitted.

In his submission, Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue North-west) called for the immediate release of funds into the system, explaining that monies kept in the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) account as well as pension funds should be released to stimulate growth.

According to him, monies are usually saved for the rainy day and since Nigeria was witnessing its rainy day, the ideal thing now is to release such funds to stimulate the gross domestic product (GDP) growth and spur investment in viable sectors such as agriculture and mining.

In his contribution, Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) said the current recession should not be seen as a moment of despair but rather serve as a turning point for the re-direction of the nation's economy.

Sani, who lamented Nigeria’s overdependence on oil, said unfortunately, the poor in Nigeria had always taken the brunt, noting that the only difference was that the current recession was compounding their hardship.

But Senator Bassey Akpan (Akwa Ibom North-east) reminded his colleagues of how U.S. President

Barrack Obama took over the reins of the American economy in 2009 during the financial crisis and immediately pumped $800 billion into the economy after securing the nod of the U.S. Congress.

The move, he said, fostered the quick recovery of the nation's economy.

He traced the root of Nigeria’s recession to government’s decision to mop up its funds in commercial banks into the TSA, arguing that if the nation must recover from this crisis, the federal government was left without an option than to return the funds in the TSA. Also speaking, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano Central) listed steps to be taken by the federal government to get out of the recession. He said the country would have to strike a balance between local and foreign consumption, avoid policy somersaults, stop multiple taxation, focus on agriculture and construction, and communicate its policies to the public.

Address Legislature, Dogara Tells Buhari In the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to address a joint emergency session of the National Assembly and outline his plans to pull Nigeria out of the current economic recession.

At the plenary of the House yesterday, he also called on the government to consult economic experts at home and abroad to fashion out short, medium and long-term measures for dealing with the present crisis.

Some issues that Dogara identified as deserving of a “second look” included the impact of the TSA on the economy, the pace of budget execution, the spiraling rise of the dollar against the naira and the multiple exchange rate regime, investment in infrastructure, and unemployment.

These, Dogara said, would set the nation on the path of recovery and sustained economic growth, “as it would ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page”.

The speaker also called on the government to take full responsibility for the present economic situation, pointing out that it was not time for blame game.

In his welcome address to lawmakers who just resumed from an eight-week summer recess, the speaker said all hands must be on deck to tackle the nation’s challenges and rescue her

Vote of Confidence from Obama But as the National Assembly debated Nigeria’s economic woes and proffered solutions that the executive could adopt, the Buhari administration got a vote of confidence from an unlikely quarter on Tuesday.

During a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly holding in New York, the President of the United States Barack Obama expressed confidence in the Buhari administration.

Buhari’s media aide, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement, said the

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

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

Budget Scandal: House in Rowdy Session, Refers Abdulmumin to Ethics C’ttee Protesters demand his ouster as Kano lawmaker insists on public hearing

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja Despite the rowdy session which pervaded yesterday’s plenary at the House of Representatives, lawmakers finally voted that the former Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumin, should face the Committee on Ethics and Privileges for breaches and sundry acts of misconduct.

If the committee finds him liable, Abdulmumin would be suspended for at least six months.

The development was in spite of the resolution of the Transparency Group comprising Abdulmumin’s sympathisers, to resist any move to refer the matter to the committee over fears that it would lead to his suspension.

Since his removal as the chairman of the appropriation committee, Abdulmumin has been engaged in a war of attrition with principal officer of the House and other committee chairmen, accusing them of altering the 2016 budget for personal gains.

He has also written petitions to the presidency, the police and other anti-graft agencies, asking them to probe the allegations he made against his colleagues, which they have all strenuously denied.

Expectedly, when the House resumed yesterday after the summer recess, the atmosphere was expectedly tense in the chamber.

The procession of the body of principal officers led by Speaker Yakubu Dogara walked into the chambers at 11.12 a.m. Abdulmumin, clad in a white agbada, was already in the chambers. He exchanged greetings with several of his colleagues before making his way to sit next to Hon. Mohammed Zakari, on a seat behind Hon. Herma Hembe.

Zakari and Hembe were included among the nine

chairmen of standing committees accused by Abdulmumin of allegedly making insertions into the 2016 budget, running into billions of naira.

Dogara, in his welcome address, already gave a hint that the matter would be referred to the Ethics Committee when he noted that the plenary was “not the appropriate venue to address allegations made against individual members, many of which are criminal in nature as there are constitutional avenues for that.”

The Speaker described Abdulmumin’s actions as a “strange propaganda clearly aimed not only at the destruction of the image of some members, but a systematic destruction of the institution of the House of Representatives and indeed the legislature by portraying it to the public as an irredeemably corrupt institution.”

The allegations over which Abdulmumin demanded the removal of the four principal officers had engulfed the whole House, Dogara noted “I have bad news for those who think they can pull down this institution of the people. If history is any guide, no one in a democracy has ever succeeded in destroying a democratic institution such as the House of Representatives, although examples abound of such efforts by people both within and outside the institution, ours cannot be different.

“We will therefore not be distracted by any insidious antics however well orchestrated, and falsehoods however cleverly propagated to confuse Nigerians.

We remain accountable to Nigerians for our conduct as public servants.

“It is however important to briefly say that nothing warrants the deliberate attempt at destructive public misinformation

New Oba of Benin to Emerge October 20 Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Benin Traditional Council has announced October 20, 2016, as the new date for the coronation of Crown Prince Ehenede Erediauwa, Edaiken N’Uselu as the new Oba of Benin.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Chairman of the Coronation Planning Committee, Prof. Gregory Akenzua, the Enogie of Evbobanosa, who addressed journalists at the palace ground in Benin City, Edo State.

He said the earlier date for the coronation, September 26, 2016, was changed due to the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the date for the governorship election in the state which was originally scheduled for September 10, 2016, is now September 28, 2016.

Following the announcement of the new coronation date, Akenzua said: “The Edaiken N’Uselu will now depart finally from Uselu

to Eko-Ohae on October 8, 2016.

His Royal Highness will normally perform some important ceremonies connected with the coronation everyday for 7to10 days prior to the day of his final departure from Uselu.

“We like to inform the public that from the day the Edaiken N’Uselu leaves Uselu for Eko-Ohae, the use of Coral Beads by those who are normally entitled will be restored and the current use of “Omo N’Orhue” (white beads) will be discontinued. Furthermore, burial ceremonies are prohibited throughout the period of the coronation process.”

He further urged members of the media who intend to cover the ceremony to avail the palace with the identities of their representatives for proper identification.

Other palace chiefs at the briefing were the Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri; the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, and other top palace chiefs.

aimed at discrediting the House as an institution,” the Speaker added.

As Dogara made to continue with the first business of the day, the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Emmanuel Orker-Jev, moved to raise a point of order.

He noted that attention of Nigerians was on the House with high expectations that the lawmakers would degenerate into exchange of blows. “Lets disappoint them,” he said.

Orker-Jev then sought permission to move a motion on what he called “breach of privilege of the House, breach of the privileges of the members of the House, breach of practices, precedents and usages of the House of Representatives, and sundry acts of misconduct against

the members and institution of the House and the National Assembly by Abdulmumin.”

This was accompanied by shouts of “No” from Abdulmumin’s supporters, but Orker-Jev however continued reading his motion, spurred on

by Dogara’s supporters. About the same time, Abdulmumin walked out of the chamber, returning almost immediately carrying a collection of documents and returned to his seat next to Zakari.

Amidst the commotion, the prayer of the motion which sought to refer the above matter and Abdulmumin to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for proper investigation, was passed by a majority.

The motion prescribed a

punishment of suspension of not less than six months for the various breaches and misconduct by the embattled lawmaker. The committee is expected to submit its report in one week.

Attempt by Hon. Aliyu Madaki, a pro-Abdulmumin House member, to point out certain breaches in the passage of the motion, was shouted down by members after he was recognised to speak by Dogara.

While Madaki made to continue to speak, chants of ‘Dogara’ continued and disrupted proceedings so much that several principal officers had to move round the chambers to placate members.

In the midst of the furore, Abdulmumin walked out of the chamber.

Suddenly, members were

observed distributing green silk mufflers with the inscription “#IStandWithDogara” and adoring them round their necks.

Earlier, protesters under aegis of Coalition in Defence of Democracy (CDD) besieged the main gate of the National Assembly to demand the suspension of Abdulmumin who the group accused of maligning the legislature without justification.

The protesters bore placards with different inscriptions such as ‘EFCC - prosecute Jibrin for operating £1.37 million pounds foreign account’, ‘Hon, Jibrin is a professional blackmailer’, ‘Suspend Hon. Jibrin for his failed plot to destroy the legislature’, among others.

Cont’d on pg 51

CALLING ON INVESTORS

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Niger Investment Board and former staff of UBA Group, Boubacar Zakari Wargo; President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Issoufou; and Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, at the Invest in Niger event, during the US-Africa Business Summit in New York....yesterday

N’Delta Militants Vow to Bomb NNPC HQ If Patience Jonathan is Arrested The Niger Delta Peoples Professional Volunteer Force (NDPPVF), a group which said its members are workers in the oil and gas industry, has threatened to bomb the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) if the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrests former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.

Accusing the anti-graft agency of witch-hunting the former first lady, the group, according to an online news portal, TheCable, advised EFCC to lift the No Debit Order imposed on her Skye Bank accounts.

The accounts contain more than $15 million, but Jonathan’s wife has since explained that the money was meant for her medical bills.

Last week, the EFCC filed money laundering charges against

Waripamowei Dudafa, Jonathan’s special adviser on domestic affairs, whom the former first lady directed to open the accounts Dudafa, Amajuoyi Briggs, a lawyer; and Damola Bolodeoku, a Skye Bank official.

On Tuesday, the Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, also told journalists that Jonathan’s wife was under investigation.

But in a statement by Parkinson George-Amabo, spokesman of NDPPVF, the group warned Magu that investigating Patience could result into “bad blood, embarrassment and possible unrest in the Niger Delta.”

The group said it is not in support of corruption, but against the manner in which the agency is investigating Patience

who has had an “impressive and fortuitous pedigree.”

“As a matter of fact, the EFCC has launched a criminal investigation of Mrs. Jonathan and in the process, frozen her bank accounts domiciled with a Nigerian commercial bank without affording her opportunity to state her own side of the matter,” the statement read.

“Nobody is above the law.

The NDPPVF does not support or condone corruption. If Mrs. Jonathan was found to be corrupt, we shall not hesitate to call for her prosecution.

“We, however, have a grouse with the modus operandi of Mrs. Jonathan’s investigation, given her status as the wife of a former deputy governor, former

governor, former vice-president, former acting president and finally, former president. She is perhaps, the only Nigerian woman – dead or alive – with such an impressive and fortuitous pedigree; which accounts for why the EFCC needs to thread with caution.

“Recently, there have been calls on the Attorney-General of the Federation as well as the EFCC to arrest and prosecute the former First Lady for alleged money laundering.

“We shall simultaneously bomb the 4 wings of the NNPC Towers the day it is announced that Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan has been arrestedThe group added that before her husband emerged as vice-president in 2007, the EFCC investigated Mrs. Jonathan and cleared of any wrongdoing.”

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

11

NEWS

Banire Advises APC Not to Tamper with Ondo Primary Says appeal report lacks logic legally, politically Confusion as NWC keeps mum on appeal panel’s report Olawale Olaleye in Lagos and James Sowole inAkure The National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), has written a strongly-worded letter to the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, over the appeal panel’s report on the Ondo State governorship primary of the party, saying the report was bereft of logic and facts, both legally and politically.

Banire, whose advice the party cannot afford to take with a pinch of salt given its legal standing, subtly warned the party leadership not to accede to the recommendations of the panel because it held grave consequences in all ramification, especially on the integrity of the committee that conducted the election and led by the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar.

“In summary, I recommend the rejection of the recommendations of the Appeal Committee and the dismissal of the petitions as same are lacking in merit,” Banire said in the five-page letter.

According to him, beyond the legal evaluation of the matter, “political exigency does not support nullification of the election or revisit of the procedure of conducting same as they can create more bitterness than can ever be imagined.

“Apart from occasioning waste of scarce resources, both human and material resources in this period of austere economy of the nation, it will also constitute serious indictment on the integrity of the members of the electoral committee, whose efforts had been generally commended by all and sundry including both the NWC and even the appeal committee.

Politically speaking, he was of the view that “It would be grave disincentive to others, who would

be saddled with such responsibilities in future. Thus, both legally and politically, it is unwise to toe the path of the appeal committee’s recommendations as even courts of law do not tamper with election results lightly. A most recent example is the Kogi State election petition results upheld by the Supreme Court few hours ago.”

Thus, building up his argument, Banire noted that “I have carefully gone through the report of the appeal committee on the petitions against the just concluded Ondo State governorship primary election.

I have also taken into consideration the pieces of evidence relied upon by the committee in arriving at its recommendation that the election result be nullified and a fresh election to be conducted. Based on my observations, I hereby make the following submissions: “On the allegation of fake delegates voting, apart from the oral evidence of the so-called delegates, is there any other credible evidence unequivocally showing that such fake delegates actually participated in the primary election? Did the committee verify the names of such fake delegates on the Register? How did they get the accreditation cards? How did they get into the venue? How did they get the ballot papers? All these queries require answers that the committee’s report did not answer.

“It is also important to determine the source of the delegates’ list.

Who or which organ of the party is appropriate to issue delegates’ list for an election of this nature? It is incontrovertible that it is the NWC of the party. If the list emanated from the NWC, it is authentic except if it is proved that the list emanated from some other source or sources, which is not the case.

The Appeal Committee did not bother to verify or confirm from the NWC the source of the delegates’

Oil Prices Up 2% after Third Surprise Weekly US Crude Drop Ejiofor Alike with agency reports The prices of crude oil in the international market rose by two per cent yesterday after a surprise drop in crude stockpiles reported by the United States Government for a third week in a row.

Brent crude futures were up 1.8 per cent yesterday to settle at $46.68 per barrel after it had risen more than $1.20 at the session high.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up $1.05 cents, or 2.4 percent, at $45.10, versus a session peak of $45.49.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said domestic crude inventories fell by 6.2 million barrels for the week ended September 16, against a 3.4 million-barrel drop forecast by oil market analysts polled by Reuters.

Crude oil stocks in the US, which is the world’s largest consumer of crude oil have fallen since the beginning of this month.

Some 14.5 million barrels were reported drawn for the week ended September 2, the biggest weekly drop in 15 years after a tropical storm that slowed the arrival of oil imports in the US Gulf Coast.

In the subsequent week to

September 9, there was another decline of 559,000 barrels.

While the draws have put a bullish face of sorts on oil, they also contrast with surging production from Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other major producers such as Russia, causing a swing in crude oil prices lately.

Some market participants also expressed surprise with the crude draw announced by the EIA when crude imports as a whole rose and refinery runs fell.

US crude oil imports rose last week by 77,000 barrels per day, although they dropped sharply in the US Gulf, falling to 2.88 million bpd from 3.41 million bpd in the previous week.

A comment by the Secretary General of the OPEC, Mr. Mohammed Barkindo, that a planned agreement on possible cut in production could last up to one year had helped gradual recovery of oil prices in recent days.

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria and Libya, five of OPEC’s largest oil exporters, have all raised or been trying to hike output in recent months even while talking of a production cut.

list.”

While bringing the NWC up to speed, he contended: “The two local government areas complained of were cleared by the last meeting of the NWC before the election, wherein we got submissions on the two pending court cases. In the first one, the court case was already dismissed thereby paving the way for recognition of the delegates’ list originally challenged in that local government area. It was not used hitherto because it was challenged, hence no manipulation of the list in this regard.

“As per Owo Local Government Area, the delegates’ list was equally not used then because it was challenged. However, upon the determination of the issue submitted to the court, judgment was given in favour of the recognition of the delegates’ list. An appeal was entered by an interested party

but no stay of execution order was obtained and neither was the appeal diligently prosecuted.

Consequently, the only valid list in existence as at the time of the primary election, based on the subsisting court judgment, was the list cleared to be used by the NWC. Again, having cleared same, NWC cannot reprobate on it.

“Therefore, it is my submission that the Appeal Committee goofed in this regard as they failed to ask nor answer this crucial question as to who or what body of the party is the appropriate organ to issue delegates’ list, which is the gravamen of all the complaints.

They did not bother to find out whether the NWC confirmed the authenticity of the delegates’ list.

To agree otherwise is to constitute an indictment on the NWC as it is the aspirants that would now determine, who would be their

personal delegates,” he said.

Meanwhile, confusion and uncertainty now pervade the ranks of aspirants, leaders and members of the APC in Ondo State on the silence of the National Working Committee (NWC) on the report of the Appeal Committee of the primary that produced Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) as candidate of the party.

Though, there were speculations that the. NWC of the APC had overruled the report of the Appeal Committee, which recommended cancellation of the primary held on September 3 and ordered a new one.

While those in the camp of Akeredolu were celebrating the decision of the Appeal Panel that upheld the outcome of the election of Akeredolu as the candidate of the party, those in the camps of other aspirants were refuting the

report of the decision of the party. .In fact, members of the party in Ondo East and West Local Government Areas of the state yesterday took to the streets to protest the decision of panel and another speculated decision of the NWC, which rejected the recommendation of the panel.

The members led by the Chairman of the party in Ondo East, Mr. Temitope Akintunde, said the decision of the NWC to accept the governorship primary showed that they were insensitive to the aspiration of the party to win the state in the governorship election.

The aggrieved party members who had earlier gathered to celebrate the cancellation of the governorship primary that produced Akeredolu later turned it to a protest on learning that the highest organ of the party had thrown the report into trash can.

CONSCIOUS LIFE UNVEILED

L-R: Mr. Femi Oyetunji; Author, Mrs. Funmi Oyetunji; Guest speaker and Emir of Kano, Mohammadu Sanusi II; and Chairman of occasion, Mr. Ajibola Ogunsola; and Chairman, Editorial Board,THISDAYNewspapers, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, during the launch of the book: ‘Conscious Life’ in Lagos....yesterday.

MuboPeters.

Nigerian Navy Acquires NewVessel from China Military battles Boko Haram terrorists in Mallam Fatori Sect claims 40 soldiers killed Senator Iroegbu in Abuja The Nigerian Navy Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) NNS Unity which was under construction in China has been completed and on its way to join the Nigerian Navy fleet.

The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, in a statement signed yesterday by the Director of Information (DINFO), Commodore Chris Ezekobe, conveyed the appreciation of the navy to President Muhammadu Buhari for approving all steps taken towards the departure of NNS Unity.

Ibas represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Jacob Ajani, at the handing over and departure ceremony in China, stated that the NNS Unity would strengthen NN fleet in the efforts against all maritime crimes and illegalities in the nation’s territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea in general.

He also added that areas hitherto unable to be covered by other NN ships would now be

covered by NNS Unity which will no doubt enhance the NN’s effectiveness and responsiveness to the maritime security challenges within Nigeria’s waters.

The Naval Chief disclosed that NNS Unity enroute Nigeria will pay ‘port calls’ on some ports of friendly nations before arriving Nigeria.

This, he said, would further boost the existing cordial relationship with sister navies around the world and the Gulf of Guinea in particular.

Ibas concluded by soliciting the maintenance and improved cooperation between Nigeria and the respective China Ship Building Corporations further beyond the departure of NNS Unity.

Meanwhile, the ceremony which was adjudged a success was attended by Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Senator Isa Misau; Chairman, House of Representative Committee on the Navy, Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki, Representative of the Minister of Defence, Hajia Rabi Tedman, the

Consul General of Nigerian Mission in Shanghai and senior officers of the Nigerian navy.

The vessel departed China on September 21, 2016 and expected to arrive in Nigeria in the first week of November 2016.

In another development, the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) have as part of the ongoing Operation Gama Aiki, captured Mallam Fatori in northernmost part of Borno State.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, said the town was captured after a fierce battle with terrorists, closely covered by air operations.

Usman, however, stated that the terrorists reinforced around border with Niger Republic.

“This was while the troops were consolidating on this success,” he added.

He said the troops killed several of the Boko Haram terrorists in the resulting encounter and

subsequently had to withdraw to a vantage position.

The army spokesman stressed that operation was still ongoing as at the time of this report.

But the terrorists claimed they killed more than 40 troops during the attack.

The SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors online jihadist activity, cited a communique last Tuesday as saying the Islamic State’s West Africa Province annihilated “a convoy of the African Coalition Crusader forces” in the town of Malam Fatori, though there was no way to independently verify the claim and no word from Nigeria’s military late Tuesday night.

According to AP, 18 people were killed last Sunday and Monday when insurgents ambushed another convoy, gunned down Christians and beheaded a village head and his son.

Tuesday’s was the first Nigeria attack claimed by the IS group since August, when it named a new caliph in Nigeria and provoked a leadership struggle.

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

NHRC C’ttee Blames Shiite Leader for Bloody Army Clash in Zaria Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

highway with arms, “becoming riotous and constituting an A committee of the National obstruction on the road and Human Rights Commission placing stones and bonfire to (NHRC), yesterday recommended prevent passage of the convoy the detained leader of the Shiite of the COAS.” However, the report said Islamic sect, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, for prosecution for there was no evidence before illegal blocking of roads in Zaria the panel indicating that the which resulted in a bloody clash action of the sect was prebetween the army and members planned or pre-meditated.

“The panel found that of the Shiite sect.

This is one of the the people killed during the recommendations made by the incident were given mass burial special committee constituted without first establishing their to investigate the December 12, identities or autopsy or medical 2015, bloody clash between report indicating the cause of members of the sect under the death.”

As part of its Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and the Nigerian Army recommendations, the committee said compensation computed in in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The clash which resulted in a fair manner by experts should the death of many members of be paid by the Kaduna State the sect, with others seriously Government to people whose wounded, occurred after the properties were demolished after Chief of Army Staff, Major the clash.

“The federal government and General Yusuf Buratai, who was on his way from Dutse Kaduna State Government should to pay homage on the Emir of be responsible for the medical Zazzau before proceeding to care and bills of all those that Depot NA Passing Out Parade were injured during the incident of 73 Regular Recruit Intake, including IMN leader, El-Zakzaky was allegedly denied passage and his family members.”

While it urged speedy trial of by members of the Shi’ite sect.

The committee, headed member of the sect that were

by Mr. Tony Ojukwu which arrested after the incident, the submitted its report to the panel, insisted that persons Executive Secretary, Prof. Bem who lost their lives unjustifiably Angwe, yesterday maintained during the incident, including that the leadership and members of the armed forces, are members of the sect “were entitled to compensation from the responsible for the abuse of federal government.

“The appropriate criminal right to freedom of movement of the convoy of the COAS and prosecution for blocking the other members of the public by public highway by member blocking the public highway of the IMN should be applied to the members and leadership on December 12, 2015.”

It said its findings revealed of the IMN for failing to obey that members of the sect had lawful directives when requested on that ill-fated day, turned out to do so by law enforcement en mass and blocked the public officials.

harmonised memorandum on behalf of all its members and gave individual and general evidence on the submissions, however, half way to conclusion of the proceedings, it discontinued its further participation, appearance and involvement in the proceedings of the panel.

Receiving the report, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, said he would study it carefully to enable the commission issue a final report that would be forwarded to relevant government authorities.

“The commission will at the appropriate time release to the

general public a final report of its investigation into the clash between the army and the Islamic movement.”

He said the NHRC would continue to play its part toward ensuring a balance between national security and right of the citizenry.

WE ARE STILL LOYAL

FormerVicePresident, AtikuAbubakar(left),and wifeof thelate strongmanofIbadanpolitics,AlhajiLamidiAdedibu,Bose, duringacourtesyvisittothe formervicepresidentinAbuja...yesterday

Army: Over 2m Captives Freed from Boko Haram Report: 13,000 churches affected, 1,500 schools shut, 611 teachers killed Paul Obi in Abuja

The Nigerian Army yesterday said over two million women, children including adult males held captives, have been freed from the hands of the Boko Haram sect. requested that the agency undertake The army explained that the a survey of the affected area to progress was made following ascertain the cause of the tremor. series of coordinated attacks and He however, expressed concern clearance operations conducted that the agency, as an institution against the terrorist camps. of the federal government does The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), not hold any reporting relationship Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, with the state government, making stated this in Abuja at an event it difficult for the directive of the organised by the Coalition of Civil state government to be effected. Society Groups (CCSG) to mark the Passing the motion unanimously United Nations World Peace Day. by a voice vote, the House called Buratai, represented by the Chief for investigation to determine the of Civil Military Relations, Major immediate and remote causes of General Peter John Bojie, said the the tremors, in order to arrest milestone could not have been future occurrence in the area and achieved without the support of the country. the federal government.

According to him, “The political will, clear presidential directives of President, Muhammadu Buhari and backing received from all the tiers of government was responsible for the morale boost witnessed in the military.

“On the whole, all the aforementsioned moderate achievements would not have been possible without the support of the government which has never been unwavering since Mr. President took over the mantle of leadership.

“Today, the story has changed, as the tide has turned against the insurgents. The Nigerian Army in synergy with other sister services and security agencies have liberated captured territories and rescued over 40,000 civilians.

“Over two million women, children including adult males held

Kaduna: House Demands Proactive Action over Tremors The House of Representatives has called on the federal government, the Kaduna State Government and the National Geological Survey Agency to take proactive measures over the tremors being experienced in Kaduna State.

Followingamotionofurgentnational importancesponsoredbyHon.Sunday Marshal Katung, (Kaduna APC), the HouseresolvedtosummontheDirector Generaloftheagencytoprovideaseismic report on the magnitude of the tremor thatrecentlyoccurredin Jaba, Kaduna State.

Katung recalled that the state Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has

“The blockage of public highways or roads for religious purposes or other activities like tax collections should be banned by the federal, state and local governments.”

The head of the investigation panel, Ojukwu, noted that though the sect submitted a

captives have been freed from the hands of terrorist group following series of coordinated attacks and clearance operations conducted against the Boko Haram camps.”

While speaking at the event, the President of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG), Etuk Bassey Williams, said given that “there is no substitute for peace, the commitment of all stakeholders especially the civil society organisations in the actualisation of peace is not negotiable.

The need for peace in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised considering the fact that the absence of it has led to the death of over two twenty thousand persons and displacement of over one million in the past seven years in the north east,” Williams said.

He maintained that “the several communal clashes, Boko Haram insurgency and the Niger-Delta militancy are but few of the security challenges that would have led to civil war in other climes but for the dogged commitment of the Nigerian military even in the face of glaring difficulties.”

Managing Director of Leadership Newspaper, Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, stated that though media and military are needed to ensure peace across board, the relationship has not been positive in some areas.

Nkwocha said: “Granted, as desirable as a cordial media-military relationship seems evidence suggests that it has been fraught with hostilities globally and locally.

He further called for a robust relationship between the media and military institutions to expand the frontiers of peace in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, over 14 million

Nigerians are directly affected by humanitarian crises in the North-east region of the country, two international humanitarian groups have reported.

The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative from the United States and the Stefanus Foundation, based in Nigeria, gave the figure last Monday in Abuja.

Addressing journalists during a programme organised to highlight the challenges of terror victims in the country, Mark Lipdo, Executive Director of the Stefanus Foundation, said a research conducted by the groups revealed the figure.

“14.8 million Nigerians from North-east are directly impacted by the crisis. Officially, there are 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

“Unofficially, there are five to seven million IDPs. Those in need of special assistance, are 2.5 million, comprising children under the age of five, pregnant women and nursing mothers,” he said.

Lipdo, according to an online news portal, Premium Times, said the menace of terrorism has had a wide range of casualties, which he listed to include: 611 teachers who died as a result of terrorism in the North-east; 19,000 teachers displaced, 1500 schools closed down, and 950,000 children denied the opportunity of accessing education.

Others include 13,000 churches abandoned, closed down or destroyed, 2,000 children abducted and 10,000 boys forced to join Boko Haram.

“Global Terrorism index shows that Boko Haram is the world’s

most lethal terrorist group, followed

by ISIS, while al-Qaeda ranks third and the Fulani militants mostly in the middle belt rank 4th,” Lipdo said.

Vice President of the 21st Wilberforce Initiative, Elijah Brown, added that in December 2015, the number of IDPs scattered around Nigeria alone were more than two million.

“As of December 2015, there were 2,152,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria – the third highest figure in Africa and the seventh in the world,” he said.

Brown said the activities of Fulani herdsmen were having a terrible effect on the middle belt and called for immediate action against the menace.

“Without intervention, the crisis in the Middle Belt will continue to escalate.

“This could affect other countries in West African region like the Republic of Benin, Chad, Cameroon, Mali, and Niger,” said Brown Co-organisers of the programme, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), pleaded with world leaders to respond to government’s call towards assisting Nigeria in addressing the issues of humanitarian crisis created by terrorist activities across the nation.

CAN president, Samson Ayokunle, said various reports in the past had indicated that the rate of humanitarian crisis affecting Nigerians as a result of terror were more than those of similar situations in most parts of the world.

“The situation is looked upon by international bodies as the biggest humanitarian disaster all over the world.

T H I S D AY THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

COMMENT

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

MEETING AFRICA’S UNIVERSAL HEALTH CHALLENGE

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Graça Machel and Ricardo Lagos challenge African leaders to provide affordable health services to the people

he right to health is a basic human right, one that depends on access to timely and affordable health care of appropriate quality. Yet, we know that approximately 100 million people globally are needlessly pushed into poverty every year as a result of costly health care expenditure.

Nobody should be forced to choose between seeking medical care and staying out of poverty. It is unacceptable that families, sometimes whole communities, are denied life-saving health services and forced to pay unaffordable fees for their care.

This burden is particularly felt by women, children and adolescents, who often have high needs for health care but the least access to financial resources. The needs of these populations were identified as a priority in the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by 193 countries during the United Nations General Assembly last September.

The Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), which took place in Nairobi from August 27-28, was a moment for decision-makers to take important political steps towards Universal Health Coverage.

We welcome the commitment in TICAD’s Implementation Plan to “support UHC-related policy reform... [and] promote regional cooperation towards the achievement of UHC in Africa with the support of relevant international organisations and donors”.

The Elders, the group of independent leaders founded by Nelson Mandela to work for peace and human rights which is today led by Kofi Annan, are campaigning for Universal Health Coverage because of its basis in equity and rights. We believe that everyone must be covered, with services allocated according to people’s needs and health systems financed according to people’s ability to pay.

In our own countries, emerging from decades of colonial and military rule, we know from personal experience how important affordable, accessible and quality health care is in building inclusive, prosperous and sustainable societies.

We also know that this requires both unwavering political leadership and public financing commitments. Governments and global development partners should develop and implement health financing strategies that increase levels of public financing and reduce the role of inefficient and inequitable private financing, especially health service user fees.

MALAWI HAS RELATIVELY LOW LEVELS OF POVERTY CAUSED BY HEALTH EXPENDITURE AND A CHILD MORTALITY RATE OF 64 DEATHS PER 1,000 – IN CONTRAST TO 109 IN NIGERIA, WHICH IS SEVEN TIMES WEALTHIER

It is essential to allocate these public resources efficiently and fairly, in particular to services that benefit the most vulnerable.

Priority should therefore be given to primary health care, especially to maternal, newborn and child health services. This is the process Japan, for example, underwent in 1961 when it made its own giant leap towards Universal Health Coverage.

Sadly, many African countries are still to make this transition. In 30 sub-Saharan countries out-of-pocket costs account for nearly one third of total health financing; in some countries, such as Nigeria and South Sudan, this rises to 70 per cent. At these levels, the poor are effectively excluded from the health system. And this can have dire consequences for the population as a whole when health emergencies such as the Ebola epidemic occur.

However, other African countries are achieving impressive results. Malawi has never charged user fees in public health facilities and allocates 5.6 per cent of GDP to public health financing – above the 5 per cent target The Elders urge governments worldwide to commit to spending on health. As a result, Malawi has relatively low levels of poverty caused by health expenditure and a child mortality rate of 64 deaths per 1,000 – in contrast to 109 in Nigeria, which is seven times wealthier.

Ethiopia has made tremendous progress towards Universal Health Coverage and now provides universal and free primary health care services to the entire population through an extensive network of 37,000 community health workers.

Countries like Malawi and Ethiopia prove that, even at low income levels, if governments prioritise health in their budgets, it is possible to provide free services to the entire population.

In turn, this brings huge health and economic benefits.

As the development economist and Nobel laureate Professor Amartya Sen argued in 2015, Universal Health Coverage is “an affordable dream”. We applaud Japan for its leadership in promoting Universal Health Coverage to other countries and are glad that the African leaders who attended TICAD appear to have heeded Professor Sen’s words. Their challenge now is to invest substantial political capital in making this dream a reality for their peoples.

Machel is Nelson Mandela’s widow while Lagos is a former Chilean President

BEFORE ENFORCING SPEED LIMITERS The FRSC should embark on massive publicity and enlightenment programmes to get Nigerians acquainted with the scheme, writes Adewale Kupoluyi

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n a cool Sunday evening, as I was driving on the notorious Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and within a spate of 30 minutes, two fatal accidents occurred in which some passengers lost their lives. After taking a cursory look at what really went wrong, I discovered that overspeeding was the main cause of both accidents.

This sad experience is not peculiar to the road mentioned above but a recurring decimal across the nation.

Many variables account for road crashes in the country. Problems ranging from bad and failed roads, vehicular mechanical faults, burst tyres, over-speeding, drunkenness and carelessness constitute the major factors responsible.

From a review of accident cases in recent times, over-speeding seems to be one of the commonest culprits for accident cases. Most motor accident cases, though avoidable, usually result into colossal loss of lives and property.

Therefore, having a sustainable policy and programme in place that could prevent excessive speed by motorists would be a welcome development in an attempt to curtail carnage on our highways. Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) has stated that it would implement the speed-limit policy beginning with commercial vehicles with effect from October 1. By this plan, commercial vehicles are required to first fix the device before the deadline.

A speed limiting device, also known as governor, is used to regulate, control and measure the speed of a vehicle. The device is meant to alert FRSC officials on patrol if drivers exceed the approved speed on our highways.

The device does not allow the driver to accelerate beyond the legally-stipulated speed limit, as programmed in the vehicle. Irrespective of how the driver intends to accelerate, the pre-set speed limit would not be exceeded even during emergencies.

The extant framework for the implementa-

tion and enforcement of the speed limiter for all categories of vehicles in the nation is stipulated under Section 10 (3) of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007 and Section 152(4) of National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, Section 4 of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Act of 1971 equally empowers SON to make contributions while the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) also made significant inputs into the policy.

Many factors seem to contribute to why FRSC has found it very difficult to curb over-speeding. Central to this is the attitudinal on the part of drivers and operational when it comes to FRSC in terms of enforcement. For instance, drivers found to over-speed are not easily detected due to the sparse presence of monitoring officials and inadequate working tools.

Most times, an over-speeding driver is never apprehended because he/she would have received more than enough solidarity and warnings in the form of signs from other drivers coming from the opposite lane that FRSC officials are on ground. Hence, the over-speeding driver suddenly slows down, increases the speed immediately after passing the check-point erected by the corps and the impunity continues. And for more severe offences, he/she makes a detour and takes another route to evade reprimand.

The use of speed-breakers has proven to be ineffective in curtailing excessive speed by motorists for two reasons. Firstly, there are very few speed-breakers in the country to make any significant impact. Secondly, the few existing ones are poorly and badly maintained by falling apart within a short period of their erection thus defeating the purpose for putting them in place in the first instance. Occasionally, whenever an erring driver is caught, he/she quickly resorts to profuse begging; making phone calls to whoever can intervene. Before you know it, such an offender is either released

or given light sanction.

In order to ensure that the speed limiters serve the purpose it is meant to achieve, the FRSC should address some of the issues raised

by Nigerians. For instance, the reported unit cost of N36,000 for installing the device appears to be on the high side considering the nation’s economic realities. A reduced cost would encourage as many motorists as possible to key into the programme. Another issue to resolve is the allegation that the marketing firms handling the device belong to senior staff of the corps. This should not be. The process should be made transparent in order to get maximum cooperation of the people.

The speed limiter project should not be seen merely as another revenue strategy by the FRSC at the expense of what it is meant to achieve. This fear is premised on the previous experience of motorists with the commission, especially in the processing of driver’s license and plate number. Another likely set-back that should be avoided is the notion that the speed limiters can only be used on vehicles that have injectors and not carburetors. Who then monitors the many thousand vehicles that are not injector engines? This problem should be looked into, if the initiative is to make the desired impact as many Nigerians still drive carburetor-engine vehicles.

As laudable as this idea may be, inadequate planning and faulty preparations may become a big challenge. If the project is well executed in the country, it has the tendency of drastically reducing road accidents and the attendant problems, which the FRSC’s Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, has attributed to a loss of three per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by running into trillions of naira.

Similarly, the 1998 US Federal Highway Administration Report showed that Denmark recorded 24 per cent decline in fatal crashes and nine per cent injury crashes, Germany recorded 20 per cent decline, Sweden recorded 21 per cent reduction, Switzerland recoded 12

per cent while United Kingdom recorded 14 per cent with the introduction of speed limiting devices.

Meanwhile, there is the need for word of caution for all. Relying on the Systems Theory construct of social scientists, the availability of speed limiters is not an end in itself in the sense that it does not completely eradicate road accidents, as revealed in the referenced report above, where the introduction of the device did not make much impact in countries such as the United States of America and Australia.

Stakeholders should ensure that potholes are removed from our highways, relevant agencies like FRSC should be better funded to perform their statutory functions while drivers should be more considerate, careful and disciplined, especially, during the ‘ember’ months when cases of road accidents are known to be high.

To begin with, FRSC should continue with sensitisation by embarking on massive publicity and enlightenment programmes to still get as many Nigerians as possible to be acquainted with the scheme. For instance, many people still appear not to understand what the project is all about. My interactions with many drivers show that most of them are unaware of the commencement of project that in less than a month from now. This appears rather too sudden.

Even though, the FRSC is starting the policy implementation with commercial vehicles, it is instructive to note that many cases of overspeeding and attendant problems are traceable to police escorts, top government functionaries and influential personalities that drive recklessly and at breakneck speed. These crops of motorists should not be left unattended to. The federal government should ensure that all the necessary mechanisms are put in place before October 1 and if FRSC is not very ready, it should consider postponing the take-off date for proper planning and effectiveness.

Kupoluyi wrote from Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

EDITORIAL THE ABUJA-KADUNA RAIL SERVICES The Railway Corporation should get serious about its business

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arely a month ago, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed delight while inaugurating the recently completed passenger train service from Abuja to Kaduna. But there are already worries about the seriousness of the corporation on this service.

During the last Eid-el-Kabir public holidays when many members of the public were expecting to use the services, the Nigerian Railway Corporation suspended its operations, ironically, because of the holidays.

The corporation capped the perplexing decision with the additional information that it would use the two-day break for a “comprehensive maintenance of the train.” There are many questions begging for answers: Why would a newly launched service need a comprehensive maintenance? Why would the authorities choose a holiday period when there would be many passengers to carry out such “maintenance”? Would workers on what is an essential service be going on holidays like normal civil servants, especially at a period their services would be most needed? Put more succinctly, why will a business venture suspend its operations at a time of boom?

THERE ARE QUESTIONS It is indeed BEGGING FOR ANSWERS noteworthy that ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS while inaugurating OF THIS ADMINISTRATION the Abuja-Kaduna rail track, President ON THE ISSUE OF RAIL Buhari had said: TRANSPORTATION “It is on record that between 1963 and early 1980s, Nigeria had a vibrant rail system which conveyed agricultural produce, livestock and solid mineral resources to Lagos and Port Harcourt sea ports from where they were exported to other parts of the world.” The statement was an admission of how the nation has mismanaged one of its most vital public utilities.

All over the world, rail is the most common mode of mass transit, both for short and long distances. In some countries like China and Japan, rail transportation has been modernised with high-speed express trains that even compete with airlines. They can

Letters to the Editor

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cover hundreds of kilometres within an hour. Unfortunately, our experience in Nigeria has been that of a gnawing irritation and a chorus of lamentation about what used to be.

E 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

ven though slow, tedious, painful and often overcrowded, rail transportation was accepted as a means of transport as far back as colonial times where millions of commuters and goods of international commerce like cocoa, groundnut, rubber were moved to the ports during the heyday of agricultural boom. Besides relieving the roads of pressure and traffic snarls, rail transportation was economic and energy efficient.

However, against the dictates of common sense, and aided by a marauding group called haulage cartels, the rails were neglected and later out-rightly abandoned. And since many could not afford to fly and the inland waterways have no ferry system that works, all attention is turned to the roads where trailers, trucks, cars and buses compete for space. Today, most roads in the country are in pitiable conditions, riddled with potholes and craters. Accidents are common place and are indeed assuming epidemic proportions. It is then little wonder that Nigeria has been put down as one of the countries with the highest fatality rate in road accidents in the world.

Last week, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, called for the use of rail for the movement of cargoes across the country in order to save the nation’s roads. Fashola expressed dismay at the rate the roads and bridges were collapsing as a result of stress of cargoes on them by the tankers and trailers. It is a given that a nation with a population in excess of 170 million people cannot afford to neglect the rails. That explained the excitement that greeted the recent completion and inauguration of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line.

But from what happened during the Sallah break, there are questions begging for answers about the seriousness of this administration on the issue of rail transportation.

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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.

ADDRESSING MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN NIGERIA

n Year 2000, the World Health Organisation (WHO) ranked Nigeria 187th in overall performance in health among 191 member states. This unhealthy ranking has since made stakeholders in the health sector devised several means to reverse the trend. This includes strengthening the operations of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) for safer delivery of newborns and as a strategy to reverse the country’s maternal mortality rating. Globally, Nigeria is the country with the highest contribution to annual maternal deaths with 14% of 289,000 global annual maternal deaths. Nigeria has achieved only an average of 1.2% reduction per year in under-five mortality since 1990. The rate required if Nigeria was to be on track for achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) then was 10%.

In Nigeria (Lagos State inclusive), a high percentage (more than half) of deliveries still happen at home without the support of certified medical professionals due to the variation between urban and rural areas as well as some age long customs and confidence reposed in TBAs overtime. In addition, majority of Nigerians still lives in remote villages where access to proper medicare facilities could take a whole day.

The use of TBAs and home delivery were preferable for some community members despite the availability of the village midwife in such communities. Physical distance and financial limitations were two major constraints that prevented community members from accessing and using trained attendants and institutional deliveries.

Perhaps a stronger argument in support of the traditional way of deliveries is the fact that the practice has been in existence decades

before the present day medical practice. Conversely, modern day medical way of deliveries also argues that deaths of infants and mothers during birth in the ancient days were often ignorantly linked to evil spirits etymology and in some cases the deaths were attributed to ancestral misfortunes whereas their inability to handle those cases with modern medical knowledge was responsible for those avoidable deaths.

Research has shown that the leading causes of newborn deaths occur during delivery (baby not breathing), complications of birth as well as severe infections – which could be prevented through healthy home practices and community-based care made possible even in hard-to-reach areas.

Community awareness and behaviour change can save a lot of our neonates, infants, Under-five children and mothers from untimely deaths. Undoubtedly, majority of those who deliver babies outside maternities, clinics and hospitals do so at TBAs. Others are those who take deliveries in faith-based organisations as well as traditional healers’ facilities.

As the cost of living in urban areas is increasing, large numbers of residents are moving to rural communities where they would end up relying on TBAs as their major health care providers for deliveries. With this, ignoring the contributions of these categories of healthcare givers could spell a doom for a society like ours.

Community Health Workers (CHWs) and TBAs will continue to be part of service delivery models in the coming years, especially in those countries where there are severe deficits in the number of professional health workers. In communities where CHWs and

TBAs hold respected positions, they can influence women’s use of midwifery care and can provide basic health information about healthy pregnancy, safe birth options, newborn care, nutrition, breastfeeding support, family planning and HIV prevention.

This informed the decision of the Lagos State Government to continually train TBAs on international best practices while also cautioning them of their limitations. In addition to the establishment of a Traditional Medicine Board to oversee the affair of TBAs, training is usually provided for thousands of these healthcare givers on a regular basis. The state government through this initiative, created a professional synergy platform for the TBAs to refer extreme cases of deliveries to government hospitals where such patient would be professionally attended to before sever complications set in.

In India, for instance, similar strategy is being used to address maternal mortality rate where trained midwives are not available.

In Ethiopia, there is a similar practice but the nomenclature used is ‘extension workers’ where they receive training on assisting pregnant women, conducting uncomplicated deliveries, and managing uncomplicated postnatal clients and neonates.

A ban on TBAs, which has been in place since 2007 in Malawi was effectively lifted by Malawi’s then President, Bingu wa Mutharika. Malawi has one of the highest rates of maternal and neonatal mortality in the world, with a maternal mortality ratio of 675 deaths per 100,000 live births and a neonatal mortality ratio of 31 deaths per 1000 live births.

Ayo Afuwape, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Lagos

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

POLITICS

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

PERSONALITY INTERVIEW

Sheriff: Impunity Must Pave Way for Reconciliation As the factional fights in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party continue to rage without signs of thawing, factional Chairman of the party and former Governor of Borno State, Senator Modu Sheriff, shares his perspectives on the crisis with Bolaji Adebiyi and Onyebuchi Ezigbo, listing also, some of the conditions for reconciliation. Excerpts:

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here are ongoing efforts at reconciliation in the party. Could you bring us up to speed on the progress of the peace process?

Thank you very much for coming to know what is happening. Just before the last convention in Port Harcourt, the BoT set up some mediatory committees. They came to my office about four times to discuss with me and we agreed on what to do. They reached an agreement with me. But suddenly, Governor Nyesom Wike came and said no, that they didn’t have his permission to go and talk to anybody. That he did not send them to talk to anyone and therefore, the convention must go ahead in Port Harcourt and that as far as he remained the chairman of the convention committee, no one had the right to stop the convention.

But that wasn’t the understanding we had with them. We agreed to some conditions with Prof. Jerry Gana. I was, however, surprised to see him saying something different on television the very day we had a very nice discussion in the morning. We agreed to work out ways of having a credible convention in Abuja. They were to go and discuss the modalities and come back to me. But he (Gana) didn’t come back to me till this morning as I am talking to you.

We went back to the court and we got an order from the court stopping the convention and directing the police not to secure it. What we were trying to avoid was taking the convention to a volatile place like Port Harcourt. We feared there could be violence that could lead to the loss of lives and property. So, that was why we went to the court and the court agreed with us.

After the convention, a lot of our leaders came to me and I told them that I was available for reconciliation anyday, because political parties are about people, who want to protect their interests. Nobody can do it alone. Therefore, I am available for reconciliation. The former president, Goodluck Jonathan, talked to me.

Tony Anenih came to this house twice or so and spoke with me. Dickson, who is the chairman of the reconciliation committee, had also met with wide spectrum of the membership of our party to find a solution. So, they are still working to find a solution to this problem.

As it is now, what is your minimum condition for peace?

We told them that PDP belongs to Nigerians.

PDP wasn’t formed by Ali Sheriff; PDP wasn’t formed by Governor Wike neither was PDP formed by Governor Fayose. Leaders of Nigeria in their wisdom decided to form a party that would accommodate all shades opinions of Nigerians. That was the idea behind PDP. When PDP was formed, people like Wike were junior players in politics.

The main people were Chief Peter Odili and a lot of other leaders. And at that time, we were also forming our own party. In this country, some times when you don’t know the history of Nigeria, certain things begin to happen that surprise you. But it is people that know the history of this country, the political leaders, that would sit and look back and ask why are we having problems today in PDP? They are used to doing things the way they like. They can elect a national chairman today and throw him away like toilet paper tomorrow.

You can go to a state and you win your election; your people want you as a governor or as senator, but somebody will sit down in Abuja and say no, I have one of my house boys, who served me, even if that person has never been to the state.

They would say that he would be the governor.

Look, in my career, I have built a party. If anybody claims to be the founder of the ANPP,

Let us resolve the issues based on the needs of our members. What do our members want?

They want a credible convention where they can elect their leaders.

They don’t want imposition again. At the last Port Harcourt Convention, Wike had planned to impose Jimi Agbaje, when the choice of the Yoruba was either Chief Bode George or Prof.

Tunde Adeniran. Wike went and handpicked Jimi Agbaje, who apart from Lagos, has never been to anywhere else to canvass for votes.

His only participation in politics was when he wanted to be a governor of Lagos State.

National politics needs more than that. That was definitely against the interest of the Yoruba that you said should have the chairmanship.

When I went to Taraba State to seek for support before the first botched convention, the contest was opened to everybody and I was elected. Even when there was no opposition, we still cast ballot and I was confirmed. That is democracy. My position is that the convention should hold in Abuja under a neutral chairman that will not be under the control of Wike and Fayose. The zoning too must be done by a committee of people of integrity.

And when the positions are zoned, all the zones must be allowed to decide who their representatives would be. Not this arrangement where Wike chose Agbaje as chairman and Uche Secondus as deputy National Chairman as if he has taken over our party. People laboured to form this party and no one would be allowed to hijack it simply because he has access to public funds to spend to influence people.

Sheriff...my intentions are in national interest

you can’t bring two people without me. We went for elections and we did extremely well.

PDP won the presidential election but we had credible opposition at that point in time. I was the national chairman of my party even while I was a governor. This APC that was formed, I was the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ANPP that made up the APC today.

So, I know a thing or two about party formation. I was invited to come and be chairman because they felt I had something to offer and that I could bring the PDP back to life. While it is true that many of these people did not know me because we had not worked together before, but I would not allow anybody to mess me up

The solution is very simple; we must have a solution based on truth, sincerity, something that can stand the test of time. But if people like Senator Walid Jubril would be BoT chairman that would make ten different statements at different locations, then I am afraid the resolution might be difficult

because they could not manipulate me. At the time, I had been playing at the national levels, both Wike and Ayo Fayose were junior players; they were not in the hierarchy of their party.

So their schemes will not work. It would never work. I am not saying I must be a national chairman, no! I have never sought to be a national chairman. But since I believed in the party to take a membership card of that political party, and people in the party looking at my antecedents think that this man can do the job better and made me chairman, if that has to change, then, it must be done properly. You must do it in a way that leaves my respect and integrity intact. There are many people in the party that are qualified to be national chairman but that would have to be done democratically and through the processes laid down by the constitution of the party.

This was my position at the first botched Port Harcourt Convention. There were three valid court orders obtained by our members complaining that their rights have been infringed upon. I as the leader said let us get proper direction from the court. I said we should allow the court processes to be exhausted. But what did they do? They went and set up a caretaker committee. From which section of the PDP constitution was that derived?

Are you saying the party’s constitution did not guide their action?

The constitution is clear about our processes for leadership recruitment and succession. Many people have been aggrieved in the past because they were short-changed. I say we cannot continue that way. I want to let you know, these things we are taking about are being spearheaded by only two governors – Wike and Fayose. You know God created human beings differently.

You have people that have values, people that have respect for their society and people that have respect for leaders in their society. There are certain things that they don’t do. But some people don’t have any boundary in whatever they do. For me, we must follow the rules.

There were people who opposed your chairmanship at the early stages because they said you were a new member. How did you feel about that?

Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, who is sitting here with me now, was among the people who opposed me, disagreeing with me on everything that I joined the party not long enough for me be a national chairman. He insisted that their zonal chairman in the north east must be the national chairman. They went for a process, where names of five people were taken to NEC of the party and I was amongst them. Girigiri Lawal got 9 votes, Wilberforce Juta got one vote, Kumo got zero and one other person also got zero and I got 69 votes. But today the very person that was against me, fighting me, is my deputy in the party.

In politics, you must understand the dynamics.

And why did he decide that he would follow me? It is because day in, day out it became clear to him that my message was the one that would save the party and stop it from losing elections. Secondly, I came into this party to run for election. If I don’t believe in it, I will not do that. If I could come in and pick up a ticket and bring up a candidate for governor and go to campaign then you must know that I believe in what I was doing.

I came in with pure intention to rebuild a party that lost election. I believe I have the knowledge of party politics and formation to turn the PDP around. It is a merger of three political parties that became APC today and I was among those at that time that facilitated it.

Therefore, the solution is very simple; we must have a solution based on truth, sincerity, something that can stand the test of time. But if people like Senator Walid Jubril would be BoT chairman that would make ten different statements at different locations, then I am afraid the resolution might be difficult.

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

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

INTERVIEW

Ikimi: We’ll Stop Oshiomhole’s De Facto Third Term Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tom Ikimi, in a recent interview with journalists spoke about the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State and the factors that could change some of the dynamics of the exercise. Shola Oyeyipo presents the excerpts:

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hy is this gubernatorial election in Edo State the fiercest in recent time?

My dream of a Nigerian nation as one that is politically guided by a structure founded on two balanced political parties, which provide viable alternative choices for our people has been partially fulfilled by the existence of the PDP and the APC. I am proud to have played very prominent and historical roles in both parties. It was a very exciting experience for me to be the first elected National Chairman of the National Republican Convention (NRC) from 1990 to 1992, during that very successful experiment of a two-party system in our country.

Although I was national chairman and Edo State my home State, I did not pay any particular attention to the governorship elections in the state both in the party primaries as well as in the election itself. I considered the whole country to be my constituency and I was eventually very proud of our achievement when, in the overall outcome of the general election, the NRC won 16 governorships out of the total of 30 states in the country at the time.

Throughout the period of my tenure, I maintained a very healthy and cordial relationship with Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, my counterpart in the rival Social Democratic Party (SDP). I travelled the length and breadth of Nigeria freely, happily and unmolested. Unfortunately, that innovative system came to an abrupt end.

With the return of democratic dispensation in 1999, the PDP won custody of the governorship of Edo State. That lasted eight years, followed by another brief period of just over a year.

My membership of the PDP at the time was short-lived from 2002 to sometime in 2005. I became increasingly uncomfortable with the way an ideologically fundamental core was being insinuated into the party’s operations, as though the PDP were the sole party of Nigeria. A democracy must permit an alternative party. My political quest became an earnest search for an alternative to the PDP in our infant democracy.

I was therefore one of the two persons fundamentally responsible for the creation of the Action Congress (AC), which in 2007 admitted Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as a member and eventually, the party’s governorship candidate.

Everything happened virtually at the very last minute, preceding the governorship election of that year. My colleagues and I fought a titanic battle to secure victory for the Action Congress and install Adams Oshiomhole Governor. Our team in that struggle was a formidable political family. We are still very much together today.

One of the stars of the team is Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who blatantly betrayed the group in virtually all ramifications, proceeded not only to ravage and exploit our State; he busied himself sowing the seeds of disharmony among the hitherto peaceful peoples of homogeneous Edo State. It is bewildering that a man, who proclaimed himself a crusader against the so-called godfathers has turned out to be the ultimate godfather, unable to reconcile himself with the reality of end of tenure is seeking a third term governorship by installing a weak surrogate.

Yes, the stakes are high. All of us, who set

out with Adams Oshiomhole in 2007 are on one side with the good people from the three senatorial districts of our state, earnestly seeking a peaceful change. We have all overwhelmingly endorsed the candidature of Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu, a consummate politician, a religious man, lawyer, farmer and successful business man.

What in your opinion are the critical issues in this election?

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has been in politics for about eight years altogether, which covers the whole period of his governorship. I have been in full time national politics at the highest levels, non-stop for about 28 years now. There is a vast difference between the two of us. I helped to put the Comrade where he is today and it is because I would not destroy what God helped me to build that my colleagues and I disregarded the actions of the governor during his first four-year tenure and supported him fully to win a second term.

I was privileged to be the leader of the party in the state throughout the period. I convened and chaired all the leadership meetings. Comrade Oshiomhole was admitted into the Action Congress party at a ceremony in my house.

He attended all leadership meetings held in my house throughout the period of his election campaign and the early years of his governorship.

There was no option as the governor’s office was not available to him at the time.

He did not have a house of his own in Benin City either. When eventually he gained legal access to official quarters and settled down as governor, he exploited every manoeuver to locate all meetings in the Government House, including the running of the party as a department of Government House. I detested this attitude as I am a well-known apostle of party supremacy and will not accept the hijack of the party by the executive.

It is true that I have been a leader of both the PDP and the APC. In 2012, we successfully installed Governor Adams Oshiomhole for a second term. I’ve heard the boastful claims by Oshiomhole that he won the election because of his immense popularity. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Director-General of his campaign was none other than the indefatigable Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu, who invested his rare gift of political campaign management tirelessly in the project.

But that’s Adams Oshiomhole for you. Surely, he must recall a visit to President Jonathan by himself, Pastor Osagie Iyamu and my humble self, preceding his second term election, and the successful outcome of that meeting. It is to me most embarrassing when these days, I hear the constant vilifications of the former President by Oshiomhole.

Following his assumption of office on his second term and noting that he desperately wanted to run the state party as part of the governor’s office, I decided to distant myself from state affairs and devote my energies to the establishment of a true alternative party. That was when I virtually departed from the state and embarked upon working for a multi-party merger that culminated in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Adams and some of his colleagues parading themselves today as leaders of APC never believed the merger project would work. But as soon as

Ikimi...Oshiomhole lost it long ago

the project became a reality, the master betrayer approached two top leaders of the former ACN in the South-west and pleaded with them to establish a blockade on me in the new party.

For other selfish reasons, those two endorsed the plot.

I’m sure the Comrade would recall our heated confrontation at an APC national Exco meeting in Abuja, in the presence of other governors and leaders, at which I vehemently opposed proposals by him, seeking the seizure of the state party structures by governors. This rather principled position of mine may not have gone down well with some others of his colleagues.

This played out down the line. When I notified the APC of my departure from the party, many colleagues of goodwill in the party pleaded with me to reconsider my decision but I could not come to terms with the betrayal.

A critical issue in this election is to prevent a de facto, third term governorship by Adams Oshiomhole, through the back door. The outgoing governor has been extremely hostile to the Central senatorial district, where I come from. He has boasted that he does not require the Esan vote.

We want a state in which all the three senatorial zones operate in harmony and have a sense of belonging. It is well-known that Comrade Oshiomhole has done nothing new in the state during his second four years. The period has been spent soliciting for massive loans which he has been spending quietly with Godwin Obaseki at his elbow. Edo State is heavily in debt and our people are impoverished. The truth and reality will be revealed when Oshiomhole and his cohorts leave office, so that true change takes place.

The APC candidate has been mistakenly ferried back and forth like a trophy candidate by Comrade Oshiomhole, who is quite patently short on knowledge of Benin history…On the other hand, perhaps, the Comrade knows something, for apart from parading his business partner, Oshiomhole does most of the talking at rallies, which is why people see Obaseki’s campaign as an illdisguised struggle for a continuation of the policies of the outgoing Governor

Some pundits have speculated that you want to end your active political career on a high note by ensuring total victory for your party in this governorship election, after which you will bow out a satisfied politician and successful architect. Is there any truth in this?

A victory by the PDP and the installation of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the next governor of Edo State will be the best thing to happen at this time for Edo State, the South-south geo-political zone and indeed the whole country. Edo State will breathe a gale force relief of fresh air and embrace a new lease of life. The Edo people need to regain their position of excellence in so many spheres once again.

Among the lot of governorship candidates, only Pastor Ize-Iyamu has an agenda of reasoned policies. Virtually all the notable political leaders and respected national elder statesmen of Edo State are in the PDP. They are all in full support of our candidate. The victory will be a high note success for all of them in their political careers. This election by the grace of God, will not be the end of my political career, instead the victory will ensure the end of the reckless ambitions of the outgoing governor dreaming dreams to establish himself as the “Jagaban” of Edo State.

With the entry of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and with the support of all our leaders, we look forward to the restoration of Edo State in Sports once again. We shall have modern sporting facilities, rescued from the run-down 40-year-old Sam Ogbemudia Stadium now frequently hijacked by the outgoing governor, not for sporting activities but reduced to a venue for occasional political jamborees by his party, cheered on by rented crowds.

The victory will be a high note success for our traditional institutions across the state, particularly the highly revered ancient and historic Benin Kingdom. The victory will boost tourism under the programme of a sophisticated administration that values Edo arts and culture that have fascinated and enraptured foreign awareness of the ancient history of the great Benin Kingdom. They have identified Benin City and other parts of Edo State as preferred tourist destinations.

I predict that the PDP victory will usher in a governor, who is set to hit the ground running and who will open up avenues for lucrative jobs for our teeming youths, pioneer an agrarian revolution in the state, provide shelter for our people through a simple but effective housing plan, ensure adequate medical facilities, reach every nook and cranny and establish a guarantee that qualitative education will not be merely characterised by red coloured aluminum roofs on a handful of selected wobbly structures. I thank God for preserving my life with His blessings of good health and physical strength. I do not intend to end my contributions of serving the nation and particularly Edo State, the birth place of my ancestors. I am in fact energised by the warmth of reception accorded me at various locations during this campaign.

You have been quoted as saying the results of the election in Edo State will shock Oshiomhole and his APC. Why are you so sure about this?

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, I believe is quite CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

INTERVIEW IKIMI: WE’LL STOP OSHIOMHOLE’S DE FACTO THIRD TERM aware of how he got into power in 2007/8 and how he got re-elected for a second term in 2012. I have made some remarks on this issue earlier. It is ironical that none of us that worked so hard to establish the party and who got him to power is still with him. It is also an irony that I have to discuss Adams Oshiomhole, who has converted himself to be the issue in an election that is actually about Godwin Obaseki, the presumed candidate hovering somewhere in his shadow. Be that as it may, it is important to note that it was Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu, who as one of the strong pillars of the Action Congress (AC) party at its inception, acquired and paid for the party office on Airport Road. This may be new information to our dear Comrade, who was not a member of the party at the time. The signboard in front of the property has since changed from AC – Action Congress to ACN – Action Congress of Nigeria and today to APC. We have heard campaign comments on this election made by Adams Oshiomhole, which are all mostly a variety insults to the Elder Statesmen of our party as well as the previous PDP governor of Edo State.

The outgoing governor should have had the decency to admit that it was indeed Governor Lucky Igbinedion, who recommended him to us and who also contributed substantial finance to the Comrade’s first election campaign. Adams Oshiomhole, the boastful billionaire today had nothing to contribute to his own campaign then.

I hope Oshiomhole recalls the trans-Atlantic Ocean cruise he enjoyed for the first time with Chief Lucky Igbinedion, where these matters were discussed and agreed?

When I was leading the AC, ACN and APC in Edo State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole referred to me constantly as “My leader”, but I took note of the constant derogatory remarks he made with reference to Chief Tony Anenih and Chief Gabriel Igbinedion. I was not a fool as I noted his various actions – how he undermined my local government area and negatively interfered in my senatorial district, that it was only a matter of time before it was my turn to be so insulted. I wasn’t therefore surprised when he mounted the rostrum recently at Sam Ogbemudia Stadium and also at Igueben, my home town and proceeded to insult me.

He had forgotten the two-page letter he wrote to me on my 70th birthday, eulogising, praising me. That document and a similar previous one will go into my memoirs. The citizens of my LGA love and respect me. I’m proud of the role I played in the creation of Igueben Local Government. I mention this because it was on the same day that my LGA was created that I participated in splitting Etsako into Etsako West, Etsako East and Etsako Central. That exercise ensured that the late Admiral Mike Akhigbe got his own LGA – Etsako Central – with headquarters at Fugar. Adams Oshiomhole has no idea of how Etsako West, his LGA, was created. His “Ajasko” dancing on the soap box from place to place and insulting elders has not gone down well with the general public, who are determined to pay him back on election day.

The PDP is still the dominant party in Nigeria and in Edo State in particular. Key members of the APC in Edo State are all from the PDP. For instance, the APC State Chairman, Anselm Ojezua was Lucky Igbinedion’s Commissioner for many years; the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonbvere was special adviser to President Obasanjo and contested several times for the PDP governorship ticket of Edo State; Hon Patrick Obahiagbon – the Chief of Staff etc.

APC’s campaign that the failures of the PDP in Edo State account for their failures in eight years of government is ludicrous. Comrade Oshiomhole stated recently in a Channels TV programme that he could not fulfill his campaign promises in the most recent four years of his second term because of the drop in oil price.

What a farce! He has been in office since 2012 while the collapse of oil price is only recent.

He was one of those, who would not let former Minister of Finance, Okonjo Iweala rest – always agitating for the release of national savings in the Sovereign Wealth Fund to satisfy the squander, extravagance and plunder of dubious spending costs. An example of the recklessness with State funds is Oshiomhole’s new university sited in his village. The Comrade is said to have an interest in it. This obviously is not one of his campaign promises! Your Senatorial zone, Edo Central, allegedly suffered serious neglect by the present government in the distribution of infrastructure and other development projects

Ikimi...Oshiomhole lost it long ago

in the state. Has this influenced your current hardline posturing against Oshiomhole and the APC? Let me tell you my vision of Edo land. I see it as a homogenous family in which we all should share and share alike. In 2007, I enthusiastically supported the zoning of the governorship seat to Edo North. Our reasoning was that Edo North had not been given a chance to govern the State. Even after the election, when Professor Osariemen Osunbor from Esan land, my senatorial district of Edo Central was declared the winner, I fought tooth and nail; shoulder to shoulder along with other colleagues through the court process to have Adams Oshiomhole declared the rightful winner, notwithstanding his origins in Edo North.

This reasoning is in keeping with the lofty ideals of the founding fathers of Edo State, who wanted an ethnically homogeneous state in which the three legs of Edo North, Edo Central and Edo South enjoy equal opportunities in the State.

We were most unlucky that in selecting and backing the outgoing governor, we chose a man who did not share our passion of homogeneity.

Even so in penalising Edo Central, Comrade Oshiomhole set a new standard all of his own.

The State which had always operated peacefully with the three top political positions of Governor, Deputy Governor and Speaker rotated among the three Senatorial zones ended up through a series of manipulations, with Governor in the North and Deputy Governor and Speaker to the South. Adams Oshiomhole soon revealed his true character of arch clannishness with an attitude that Edo Central being the so-called least populated could be sacrificed. This process served his selfish and vindictive interest to hurt the elder statesman, Chief Anenih of Uromi and to weaken my influence not only in Igueben but also in the whole of Esan land.

A recent survey revealed that of the top 50 official positions in Edo State, none was held by an Esan indigene. His disdain for Esan land is so intense that he has moved to annihilate the Ambrose Ali University. The University has recently suffered de-accreditation of several courses by the NUC for lack of adequate facilities and personnel. Even in his senatorial district, he preferentially favours his local government at the expense of the other five. Right now, he has selected his mutual village boy as deputy governorship candidate.

All four board membership positions recently secured for Edo State are allocated to indigenes of his local government. The Esan people in the five local governments of Esan land are not happy that they and their territory have suffered such neglect. It was shameful to watch the outgoing governor on TV in my local government of Igueben claiming that he had built roads in the LGA. Everyone was astounded as everyone there knew that not even one hundred yards of road work had been done there. He spent most of the time vomiting insults on my name. All Esan sons and daughters, who love and cherish their heritage are all invited to return home and protect their father land at the forthcoming elections!

What would you say are the essential political advantages of your governorship candidate, Mr. Ize Iyamu over that of APC, Godwin Obaseki. You must have some fears about

your candidate. What are these?

The PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a consummate politician, who has endeared himself to a vast majority of the politicians in the state, and that is across both political parties.

He is a qualified lawyer, who has acquired good working experience in government as a former chief of staff and Secretary to the State Government. Osagie Iyamu’s late father was a respected high chief of unblemished record in Oba’s palace – the Esogban of Benin.

Their family house, still standing, is an historic relic being the first storey building – Egedegenokaro in Benin City. Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who was the Director-General of Adams Oshiomhole’s second term campaign organisation is fully groomed, knows all the ropes and has submitted faultless documentation to INEC. Ize-Iyamu has personally led his own campaign to all the nooks and crannies of the State and has interacted with all our people – big or small. In sharp contrast, Godwin Obaseki is virtually unknown politically in Edo State or anywhere else in Nigeria for that matter. He came to attention after Oshiomhole was sworn in and has since operated as the governor’s business partner and bag carrier. Godwin Obaseki is touted as a technocrat and head of a so-called Economic advisory team that has no known other members.

Godwin Obaseki’s private company – AFRINVEST was used to raise a jumbo loan for storm water drainage project in Benin City.

The project was abandoned while Obaseki made away with approximately N1billion commission if not more. Some question whether he possesses the qualifications in Economics required for the lofty public office assignment awarded him by his business partner. Indeed, controversies surrounding his qualifications are the subject of a case before the courts. He certainly did not have the basic qualification to be admitted to the University of Ibadan. A successful prosecution of this matter would disqualify him from the governorship contest.

Godwin Obaseki is the grandson of Agho Obaseki, who is not remembered with great affection for his collaboration and treason with the British occupation that culminated in the fall of Benin Empire in 1897. The APC candidate has been mistakenly ferried back and forth like a trophy candidate by Comrade Oshiomhole, who is quite patently short on knowledge of Benin history. On the other hand, perhaps, the Comrade knows something, for apart from parading his business partner, Oshiomhole does most of the talking at rallies, which is why people see Obaseki’s campaign as an ill-disguised struggle for a continuation of the policies of the outgoing governor.

The political composition and alliances between the gladiators in Edo State appear quite fluid and very mobile. At one time, it was Ogbemudia/Anenih/Igbinedion Vs Ikimi/ Oshiomhole/Others. Today it is Ikimi/Igbinedion/ Anenih Vs Oyegun/Oshiomhole/Ogbemudia.

The question is whether the political landscape in Edo State is determined by the agreements and disagreements between the personalities, who constitute the leadership of the parties?

Over the past two and a half decades or so, I have related with the political leaders of our state within the framework of different circumstances and interests. These interests are sometimes influenced by leaders’ relationships in the wider national context. I have, therefore, had the privilege to work closely with most of our leaders under a variety of circumstances and at different times.

For instance, I worked very closely with Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia and Chief Gabriel Igbinedion in my days as National Chairman of the National Republican Convention. At that time, Chief Tony Anenih was in the Social Democratic Party, which eventually fielded Chief Odigie-Oyegun as the governorship candidate. I am aware that Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia is quietly retired now and not a member of the APC. He leads a group called EMM – Edo Mass Movement – a vast majority of the members are die hard supporters of Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu.

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has not got the benefit of long term relationships with any of these leaders. At any rate, I would say that from what I came to know of him, the Comrade does not possess either the temperament or the social skills to offer the loyalty to win the confidence of such experienced leaders. Such is his character. He would instead prefer to erase them from thought, word or deed in a coup

d’etat of sorts and install himself as sole leader.

When I was a member of AC, ACN and APC, I was leader in Edo State. A primary issue then was to form a party that would stop the PDP becoming the sole party in Nigeria. The circumstances that connived to make Chief Odigie-Oyegun national chairman of APC are very interesting. Although there were other contributory factors from outside the state, the essence closer home was that Adams Oshiomhole did not want Oyegun or me as national chairman.

This is not a subject for detailed expose at this time. Suffice it to say for now that the greedy eyes of the Edo State governor were fixed on the vice-presidential slot for himself.

Consequently, if Oyegun or I became national chairman, his quest would be weakened. All the same, we were informed that he invested a whopping half a billion naira for the lobbying, prior to the Lagos APC presidential primaries.

The money simply evaporated. On the fateful night of the APC Convention in Abuja, the governor took off by private plane to the United States. All that was then! Today, the Edo political leaderships’ priority is overwhelmingly in favour of establishing harmony between the peoples of the three senatorial districts of our state.

After this governorship election, should your candidate emerge victorious, what promises can we hold you and the PDP to?

The State will be in very safe political hands in which the politicians will play their role, the executive and legislature will play their roles side by side. Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu has campaigned round the state and everywhere he went, he presented a document containing his agenda titled: The SIMPLE agenda.

S -Security and Social Welfare I - Infrastructural Development M- Manpower Development and Training P - Public Private Partnership L - Leadership by Example E - Employment and Empowerment I trust that as an astute, God-fearing politician, our candidate will keep faith with his pledges.

During the Channels TV sponsored governorship debate, which Pastor Ize-Iyamu won hands down, he made a pledge that he would restore Edo’s lost glory in sports.

What are you and other leaders of your party doing to ensure free, fair, violent free and acceptable elections, given allegations and counter allegations of rigging?

A free, fair and peaceful election can only be guaranteed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies, comprising the Police, the Military, Department of State Security (DSS) and the Para-Military forces. INEC which had met several times with the security forces conveyed to all stakeholders that all was set to go for the elections. The PDP is in the opposition and cannot influence the deployment of these forces.

Elections today are predictable by the use of scientific parameters and the several rounds of opinion polls so far have predicted victory to Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu by very wide margin. This fear of defeat prompted Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to initiate the move for the postponement of the elections from the original set date of 10th September to a new date of 28th September. It is said that the postponement was necessary because of security threats. This sudden change of date was very strange and uncalled for, given the earlier assurances by the Police force that they would deploy 25000 policemen to Edo State for the elections.

The PDP is set for a free, fair and peaceful election and we plead with President Muhamadu Buhari to maintain his stance of neutrality, ignore all pressure from Adams Oshiomhole and direct the security forces to be neutral and professional.

The Edo State APC is now controlled by notorious militants now enriched by their role as reckless tax collectors harassing ordinary citizens on the streets everywhere.

Any perpetuation of violence during the election shall rest with the APC leadership.

Etsako West Local Government where Deputy Governor Dr. Pius Odubu and his entourage were attacked by pro-Oshiomhole gunmen recently should be heavily policed.

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

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

FEATURES

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

Living on the Fringe of Life Some women are in the business of living on the corn chaff in Maiduguri after they have no choice as a result of the attack of Boko Haram which left them in a pathetic situation, Michael Olugbode reports

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here there is war, there is poverty and starvation. There is so much poverty on the streets of Maiduguri where majority of people currently quartered within the ancient city have been traumatised by the Boko Haram insurgency that has pervaded Borno State for six years. Over half of the present residents of the town, before the insurgency, were living outside Maiduguri, but as the insurgents took their war from the streets of Maiduguri to rural communities of the state, the people that had no wherewithal to live in an urban setting had to flee to a town with all the characteristics of hardship.

This left them with little option for survival other than begging, which is dehumanising, or taking up menial jobs in order to keep the stomach filled even if it cannot keep them properly sheltered.

One does not need special training to discover poverty in Maiduguri as people living in affluence are just little in number, everywhere you walk in the troubled town the sight of beggars embarrasses you; it is never too far from the truth that the beggars in the town are more than those they are begging from. But as alms are less in circulation, many, mostly women have resorted to the business of separating grains from the chaff to get meals on the table for their family.

They leave their homes in the morning to congregate at a market around Customs area in Maiduguri to work all through the day at grains mills, the wage is small and sometimes do not pay their daily feeding expenses; they therefore do not have savings and need to work in the rain and under the sun in order not to only feed themselves but sometimes even their "lazy" husbands.

Most times they complement their wages with chaff collected, which they often have to sell to those raising livestock. In many cases they do have to pick corn that fell in the market to feed their family at home. It is unfortunate that these women who are mostly thrown into this pitiable condition are victims of Boko Haram who invaded their homes and threw them into what seems an unending cycle of poverty.

The sight of the women cannot but draw pity from any normal soul as they are adorned in poverty, they looked so much unkempt and sometimes stink as it seems they do not have the money to buy detergent to wash their clothes and soap to have a decent bath. The money they work for is nothing to write home about, as a group of about six women work for as little as hundred Naira on a task that might take 20 minutes.

Some of the women narratives were sad and show the human wickedness to fellow human, which is the story of Boko Haram insurgency.

Zara Mallum, a woman who is 45 years old and currently living in Budum, said she has spent three weeks in the market working daily to make between fifty and two hundred Naira, she has nine children, and a husband Mallum Zarami, who is over 50.

She said the husband was working in Dikwa but had to flee because of Boko Haram invasion. She narrated that: "When we came to Maiduguri, we were suffering and never had house to stay, we were (still) staying in a thatched house in Budum, where we are taking refuge."

She lamented that: "When it is raining we are washed in the rain as the roof links."

But added enthusiastically that: "My son gave us a promise that if he was able to make enough from the wheel barrow that

Women working at a maize mill in Maiduguri

he pushes, he will be able to raise some money for us to buy iron roofing sheets."

She said that she resorted to working at the market when she and her family were about dying from starvation as they had nothing to eat. She however said her husband "is at home with the other children, he does not have anything doing. He had another wife that does not have any other thing doing. She has six children."

Zara said though the job does not pay well, "I feel there is honour in working for your sustenance, I cannot beg like some others because it is dangerous and it does

They leave their homes in the morning to congregate at a market around Customs area in Maiduguri to work all through the day at grains mills, the wage is small and sometimes do not pay their daily feeding expenses

not give you respect. Since I am able and I believe I should not beg but work hard to make something for myself.�

She said though she earns between N50N200 daily but sometimes she comes around the market without making anything at which time she and her family have to depend on whatever her son made from pushing wheel barrow.

To Aisha Mohammed, a 38 years old mother of five children, married to Umaru Mohammed who is 60 years old, a farmer in Mafa their hometown before the invasion of Boko Haram. When they were in Mafa, she was selling mangoes and onions but lost everything to the insurgents. Now Malari, a suburb of Maiduguri, she has been coming to the maize mills for a year now and makes between N50-N200 daily which she uses to feed herself and family.

Aisha who was doing nothing while they were at Mafa, said the responsibility of feeding the family solely has fallen on her, lamenting that: "Most times my husband is never concerned about what we eat at home."

Another woman at the market, Bilikisu Mohammed, who is 35 years old, now lives in Jenta-Kawu, an outskirts of Maiduguri and had been working at the market for two years. She was a farmer before fleeing to Maiduguri. She narrated that "my village was burnt by the Boko Haram insurgents and our livestock taken away leaving us with nothing."

Bilikisu, a mother of five decried that "my husband, Bukar Mohammed who was 50 years old is now late, he died as a result of cardiac arrest due to Boko Haram crisis."

'We were fleeing from insurgent when he suffered a heart attack which led to his death."

She said her family had a meal a day which costs N150 to prepare, lamenting that: "If I do not make enough then I may not eat for the day. I stay in a thatched hut

in Simari Borehole." She insisted that: "I do not take to begging because it leaves you without respect."

Fatima Mohammed, a woman who is 48 years old with two children, and married to Tijjani, a man of 55 years, had been in the market for three years. She said: "My husband was working with government but had partial blindness and was doing nothing. I took it upon myself to work so that the rest of us can feed. They started giving him pension recently."

She added that: "The pension is very little and cannot even feed all of us. Sometimes I made nothing here but most times I make between N50-N200."

On how she had been surviving with such little amount, she said, "Sometimes we drink only Gari, and sometimes I buy corn. The insurgency has affected me as my father had to be brought from Damasak because of the trouble there. I am not enjoying this work I am doing but I'm in it just to make ends meets. I would have loved to be a housemaid or cleaner. But now I am appealing to government to assist me with some capital to trade with."

Another woman, Binta Abba, who stays around Kasuwan Shanu area of Maiduguri, who is 55 years old and had spent three years at the market has sad tales to tell as the insurgency made her to lose her stock of vegetables which she was selling at Kasuwan Gamboru. "The crisis made people to flee the market and there was no more business there, she said" Abba while lamenting that she only makes an average of N200 daily and had to cater for her ailing husband, Mustapha Abba and four children, who they fled Muna village together during the attack by Boko Haram.

To these women and others in their unenviable shoes, there is need for urgent assistance or otherwise they may die soon from the web of poverty and huge responsibilities which have encircled them.

21

• T H I S D AY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

PERSPECTIVE

African Re: Battling Discrimination, Local Content Operators of African reinsurance are being discriminated by their foreign counterparts due to ‘A’ Ratings which Africa is lagging in for over 200 years. Since 2010, there have been suggestions that imposition by foreign companies over local reinsurers still persist.

Odimegwu Onwumere writes

S

eriously weighed down by the global economic downturn, insurance operators in Africa are currently battling for a full scale local content policy in a bid to maximise profit.

They are also belligerent that multinationals doing business on the continent prefer to insure with their home countries.

As a result, reinsurance companies in Africa are being hindered by prejudices in their deals with corporations in North America and Western Europe.

International players come to the African market and haul successful deals. However, there are problems of delays in reinsurance premium remittances, making foreign operators to consider the risk and costs involved in doing business with the local. Few reinsurance companies in Africa are rated satisfactorily by international rating agencies in line with security ratings. While there may be solvency regime in the foreign sector, Africa is still lagging in financial unassailability of insurance and reinsurance operations, therefore operators on the continent have not fared well during difficult times, cumulating to un-protectiveness of policyholders and instability of the financial system.

Patience Saghana, a leading voice in the industry, once said: "The low and negative economic growth which impact negatively on investment returns, profitability and capital growth, and in return on underwriting capacity of insurance companies in Nigeria and other African countries, have made local underwriting firms in Africa to suffer problem of discrimination in their dealings with companies in the developed countries of North America and Western Europe."

The black continent has invariably repudiated to take a clue from – Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania and Slovenia – that made a resolution in 2010 that overseas assignments might be sought but only when their domestic reinsurers were unable to underwrite risks.

Prisca Soares, a Secretary-General of African Insurance Organisation (AIO), said the 16th Reinsurance forum in Casablanca, Morocco from October 3rd to 5th, 2010, would decisively address issues concerning solvency, governance, and pension funds in relation to reinsurance companies with 55 member countries of the body, but African countries have not stood firmly to the occasion after then.

Less Influence It has been envisioned that reinsurance is at cradle in Africa for over 200 years that ‘A’ rated companies have been existing. This portends that the industry is still gasping for consolidated institutions, good balance sheet and the ability to demonstrate to the insured that it can pay when there is an emergency. Recently, African insurers and reinsurers accepted their failures and agreed that the time has come for them to ginger Africa’s growth in the area of exhuming all methodologies that have been untapped in engineering insurance and reinsurance skills, by encouraging one another in the areas of knowledge impartation in ensuring that the sector on the continent stops biting the dust.

Since the 2014 natural catastrophe, reinsurance rates have continued to demur, upon that the sector was since 2008 disciplined in its underwriting. The irony is that when in 2010 the sector was waiting for the heralded hard market, it did not come but much later.

For two years, reinsurers have been under threat from losses and pressure on virtual all lines of business. 2014 recorded an added year of almost low levels of natural catastrophe losses. Today, key companies are wailing that they do not see business flow to them into higher retention.

Moody’s Investor Services, a rating agency where Kevin Lee, is an analyst, said, “Falling reinsurance prices have encouraged insurers

The currency oscillation poses a great risk to reinsurance in Africa with big projects offered to reinsurers from outside the continent of Africa.

The fear this has elicited is that operators make sure that they know where and when to invest in before they venture into any business.

Lame-Duck Approach Since 2010, there have been suggestions that imposition by foreign companies over local reinsurers still persist. There is a law in a country like Nigeria, which encourages the exhausting of local capacity. It’s therefore, quite discomforting why local insurers are still suffering in the market place.

Perhaps, there is more need for modern technology in the sector. The under development of the industry in the areas of communication, and support to agriculture, amid others, have continued to create chasm and problems for local players.

Those covering risks in the field of construction, aviation and marine, oil discovery amongst others, are mostly affected by the shabby implementation on the way forward for the industry.

Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun

to cut commercial property insurance rates but have had less influence on casualty insurance prices where low interest rates have encouraged underwriting discipline.”

In December 2009, the same thing happened when expectations were high that the reinsurance market would blossom for the 2010 renewals. It was a catastrophe season, even with the improved finances, and an enhanced investment environment.

There has been less demand by primary insurers making reinsurance prices to be flat.

The international insurance markets, where the reinsurance industry of Africa gets its retrocession, are not having it easy in recent times. The lack of strong regulators in Africa has really played down on the continent.

Political Influence Reinsurance regulators in most African countries have been regularly clinging to the decision of their political dictators. The regulators throw to the wind the notion that regulation is optimum in enhancing how financially capable companies are.

Africa needs to enhance its own markets for its products through regional economic integration, and reduce the dependence on exporting primary products. So Africa needs to break into world markets through hard knowledgeable negotiations, improved quality and prices of what it offers

In addition, experts said that this "can act as a catalyst for attracting inflows of capital and business. The intensity of industry regulation often has a direct relationship with the perceived risk of insolvency of insurance companies in a particular market."

Governments and regulatory bodies are not helping matters. For instance, in Zambia, a dam was financed by China, which later gained over 70 percent of the insurance. This is the reason in many quarters, insurers and reinsurers are haranguing that they need to be involved in deals that affect their individual countries to protect their wellbeing.

There was a prediction that a major disaster would turn the reinsurance market in the near future. It is not farfetched seven years after, counting from 2009. In that year, capacity was more than adequate, yet reinsurers gasped for lungful of air to refill capital, just as it is the case today. The multinationals own the big risks and the reinsurance is not faring well in Africa due to the economic crunch that has devalued her economies that depended on commodities like copper, gold, or crude oil to outclass.

In oil and gas, engineering, fire, property and so on, Africa has not performed over 50 per cent in risk underwriting. Regulators are not helping matter in making sure that local aptitudes are consumed before anything is given to foreign firms. Mr. Adeyemo Adejumo, the then managing director of Continental Reinsurance Plc in April, 2010 said that CRe was making impact in the reinsurance business in Africa with up to 60 per cent foreign ownership and 40 per cent local; but if that was anything to go by, how come operators are crying today than ever.

Some African reinsurance companies may be doing well, but this does not represent the stance of the collect reinsurers on the continent, who in 2010 remained in business due to good governance and after the attack on World Trade Center in September 2011.

It is vital to understand that many of the African reinsurers would have closed shops if not for the fact that they have big offices in the Americas and Europe. In a bid to escalate business, the reinsurers moved to other parts of the African continent beginning in January 2005, with business offices opened in Douala, Cameroon.

Currency Fluctuation Many companies on the continent are relocating to safe havens for business due to vacillation in currency.

Challenges The biggest challenges appear to be in West Africa. This sub-region recorded a huge loss in property and fire last year, with Cameroon and Ghana, being the worse hit.

It is depressing that the sector is being threatened by international players that are looking for ‘A’ rated companies before they could do business with local companies, knowing that the sector in Africa is zero in that aspect. Without the ‘A’ rating, it’s tough for a local reinsurer to receive shares from the international market. ''It is even more difficult to obtain balanceof-payments statistics for reinsurance flows, because many claims and liabilities between direct insurer and reinsurer are netted out, and only the balances are transferred internationally'', said Saghana. On May 3, 2010, the source added that Moroccan market practices facultative reinsurance.

"Facultative reinsurance has an advantage in that it has the flexibility required for tailormade covers, but for smaller companies it has the disadvantage of virtually allowing the reinsurer to impose his terms and conditions on the direct writing company, not only as regards the terms of markets and neighbouring countries and by way of intermediaries, they have been able to build up international portfolios," she said.

Decline In Rates Africa is not exempted in the global competitive market conditions that have led to plenty of global ability and a lack of huge insured loss bustle that accounted in enhanced underwriting outcomes and yielded heartening mutual ratios and helped account for the ninth uninterrupted quarter of rate shrinks.

The sector has recorded loss in the global pricing property calamity. Participants in the reinsurance are in quest of returns in the businesses entered than invest in fresh deals.

There is heightened competition.

A principal voice in the industry, Marsh Global Industry Specialties and Placement, analyzed last year, saying that excess levels naturally stayed at or near record levels, helping to drive the competitive marketplace, during the second quarter. Another capital persisted to flood into the sector and was generating an added source of risk conveyance, encouraging rivalry, and helping to drive rates lower.

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

22

IMAGES

L-R: Director, Charbell Construction Ltd., Mr. Bullous; Abia State Governor, Dr. Okozie Ikpeazu; and the state Commissioner for Works, Dr. Eziuche Ubani, during an inspection tour of the International Conference Centre in Umuahia...recently

L-R: Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr. Waheed Olagunju; Group Managing Director, Primlaks Nigeria Limited, Mr. Anil Hemnani; Group Head, Food Processing, BoI, Mrs Lolo Kadafa; and Regional Head, Lagos, BoI, Obaro Marvel Osah, during the BoI visit to Primlaks Nigeria Limited in Lagos... recently

L-R: Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Babatunde Fowler; Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd); and the Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, after a meeting at the Customs headquarters in Abuja...recently

The scene of the only link makeshift bridge between Giwa Okearo and Lambe, Ogun State after a downpour... recently

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

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

L-R: Chief Operating Officer, Lifecare Partners Limited, Dr Ekpo Ezechinyere; Manager, Client Services, Mrs Titilope Uwagie; and Managing Director, Dr Abiodun Oyeneyin, receiving the 2016 “Africa’s Most Reliable Quality Healthcare Improvement Company” award from the Legal Adviser for the African Quality Institute, Mr. Christian Akpotohor, at the 2016 edition of the African Quality Achievement Awards in Ikeja, Lagos... recently

L-R: Senior Political Economist, Standard Bank, Simon Freemantle; a former president, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Chief Oludolapo Akinkugbe; and Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, at a client engagement dinner organised by Stanbic IBTC in Lagos...recently

L-R: Mr. Andy Ngwodo; the Divisional Police Officer, Satellite Town, CSP Emmanuel Onah; and Mr. Femi Olabiyi, during the official opening of a Grocery Bazaar outlet in Satellite Town, Lagos...recently

L-R: Head, Digital Branding, Nobel Carpets and Rugs, Kazeem Adekoya; Senior HR Manager, Mrs. Kemi Ajibade; and Technical Head, Santosh Tomar, displaying the award and certificate for Africaís Best Premium Quality Interior Design Product for the year 2016 received at the African Quality Achievement Awards 2016 in Lagos...recently

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

23

BUSINESSWORLD NIBOR OVERNIGHT 1-MONTH

R A T E S

A S 3-MONTH 6-MONTH

29.4167% 20.7904%

A T 21.4458% 24.7096%

Group Business Editor ChikaAmanze-Nwachuku Email: chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157, 08057161321

S E P T E M B E R

NITTY 1-MONTH 2-MONTH 3-MONTH

15.8218% 15.8678% 16.2693%

6-MONTH 9-MONTH 12-MONTH

1 6 , 19.3764% 20.5132% 22.4006%

2 0 1 6

EXCHANGE RATE N308.69/1USDOLLAR AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes Millionaires Emerge in MTN Promo

It was a delightful occasion at the prize presentation ceremony for some lucky MTN subscribers who were made millionaires and proud owners of various gift items in the ongoing Mega Hunt Promo by Upstream Mobile Systems.

Four lucky subscribers became super millionaires, as they won N10million each as well as 20 others who won N1million each. A host of others beamed with smiles as they carted away their winnings in generators, TV sets and Smartphones.

The Mega Hunt Promo, a brain child of Upstream in partnership with MTN is aimed at rewarding MTN subscribers for their loyalty to the network by offering life-changing opportunities.

Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony, Country Manager, Upstream, Riaan Abdoll said that the promo is aimed at exciting and rewarding customers for their participation. According to him, “Products like Mega Hunt gives ordinary people extra-ordinary chance and opportunity to make a difference,” Abdul said.

On his part MTN Nigeria, Consumer Marketing General Manager, Richard Iweanoge who was represented by the Sponsorship and Events Manager, Okundola Bamgboye said that, the promo is one of MTN’s ways of appreciating its teeming subscribers who have stayed with the brand through the years while welcoming new subscribers onboard the MTN family.

YOU ARE WELCOME

L-R: The Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, in a handshake with the Chairman of IPv6 Council Nigeria, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, during the council’s visit to NCC in Abuja...recently

NigeriaCom: Policy Implementation, Access Will Boost mHeath Stories by Emma Okonji Stakeholders at the NigeriaCom conference, which opened on Tuesday in Lagos, have identified two key areas that would help the federal government achieve the mobile health (mHealth) initiative, which intends to provide mobile healthcare services to Nigerians in urban and rural communities, using technology.

According to stakeholders, Nigeria has good medical personnel, but lacks good medical facilities and the mHealth initiative would assist patients to have access to medical experts in developed economies of the world, where there are better and sophisticated health care facilities.

Concerned about the benefits

ICT of the mobile healthcare initiative, panelists who discussed the topic ‘Understanding The Value-chain of Connectivity for Improving Healthier Lives and Societies in Nigeria,’ at the opening session of NigeriaCom conference, identified lack of policy implementation, and ubiquitous broadband availability as the reasons for the slow take-off of the mHealth project in Nigeria.

The federal government had in 2013, entered into agreement with Vecna Cares, to provide mobile health services across Nigeria, but the implementation process has been very slow, thus affecting the desired results since 2013.

Since the mHealthcare

agreement was signed in 2013, only 5 states and the federal capital territory, Abuja, have keyed into the initiative, with about 400 mobile healthcare personnels scattered around the states, which include Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Kano, and Anambra, and majority of Nigerians are yet to feel the impact of the initiative, which had been described as laudable, if well implemented.

The forum said there was need for government to come up with policy implementation plan that would expedite the whole processes, aside the need for ubiquitous broadband penetration that would enhance connectivity, especially in the rural areas of the country.

One of the panelists, Assistant Director, ICT, Federal

Ministry of Health, Dr. Adeleke Balogun, said government was still making efforts to put in place, eHealth policy that will drive the initiative.

“The Federal Ministry of Health is trying to coordinate all stakeholders at state level, including private sector to key into the initiative, with a view to creating an eHealth policy that will drive mHealth in the country. The policy will soon be released, because there is eHealth structure on ground and we have the Ministers of Health and Communications as Chairman and co-Chairman of a steering committee, working for the release of the policy.

Other members include CEOs of health agencies and InforContinued on page 24

NCC: Proposed National Roaming Will Enhance Seamless Communication The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has allayed the fears that the planned introduction of national roaming among telecoms operators by the NCC, would worsen the poor state service quality in the country, insisting that the service will rather boost seamless communication among subscribers in the telecoms sector.

The Assistant Director, Legal and Regulatory Services at NCC, Helen Obi, made the clarification in Abuja, while giving detailed insight into the planned introduction of the national roaming service.

According to her, “The Commission expects that national

TELECOMS roaming will further promote seamless communication of subscribers as they will be able to roam on the network of other service providers where their own service provider is unavailable or has limited network coverage.”

NCC is however mindful of the possible negative impact that the national roaming may have on service quality and Mobile Number Portability (MNP), issues of fair competition, billing and reconciliation and appropriate roaming agreements.

The Executive Commissioner, Technical Services at NCC, Ubale

Maska, however, noted other issues that may arise if national roaming is allowed such as the extent of regulation required and the possibility that operators may relax in their efforts to rollout infrastructure in underpopulated areas in anticipation that another operator will do so and provide roaming services in those areas. Uale made the remarks during a consultative forum organised by NCC, to discuss grey areas in the proposed national roaming plan.

He therefore enjoined all participants at the forum to freely make their contributions and raise issues that would assist the Commission in coming

up with the right regulatory decision that would enhance the overall growth of the industry.

NCC had in December last year, in pursuant to its practice of industry-wide consultations in carrying out its regulatory functions, published a consultation paper, in order to garner industry perspectives towards developing a regulatory instrument for the provision of national roaming services in Nigeria, and the Commission received a total of 10 submissions from the relevant stakeholders.

National roaming refers Continued on page 24

Uwaje Chairs ICT Success Summit 2016

The Director General, Delta State Innovation Hub (DS-IHUB), Mr. Chris Uwaje, will chair the maiden edition of ICT Success Summit 2016.

The summit has been designed to let Nigerians have an insight into the role and impact of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) since the sector was liberalised.

It will also enable consumers of ICT products and services meet with the service providers, resellers and other partners to tell the success stories of the ICT sector.

Billed to hold October 29, 2016 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, the organisers of the summit, Datapoint Consulting and Nigeria CommunicationsWeek said Uwaje was chosen because of his passion for the growth of information and communications technology in the country.

The Programme Coordinator, ICTSuccess Summit, Lucky Uduikhue said, highly placed dignitaries in the industry have agreed to attend the event which would also feature presentation of awards to deserving companies.

The celebration also offers ICT Companies excellent opportunity to showcase some of their achievements before the largest gathering of ICT industry players under one roof.

“We therefore encourage organisations to be part of this success story and tell their success story in a special way that depicts what ICT stands for in Nigeria,” Uduikhue said.

Airtel Restates Commitment to Customers

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, has reiterated the telecoms company’s commitment to exceptional customer service.

Ogunsanya who gave the assurance at the IBM Business 2016 Connect Conference held in Lagos, recently, noted that the telco has invested in robust Information Technology (IT) platforms to deliver bespoke experience to telecoms consumers.

According to him, the telco is bound by a vision to deliver value that will ensure winning customers for life smartly.

Ogunsanya said the company’s focus in delivering exceptional customer experience, via reliable world class IT platforms, was consistent with the telco’s vision of becoming the operator of first choice in mobile Internet.

The IBM conference with the theme, “A New Era of Thinking,” featured presentations on cloud based services and cognitive IT experience.

A panel with representatives drawn from government, health, banking, telecoms, and oil and gas sectors also discussed the relevance of cognitive IT intelligence and business analytics to customer experience.

“Under-regulation will lead to high security risks, but over-regulation will limit the use and application of dynamics of modern technology and also limit access to global trade”

Chairman, ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo

24

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD NIGERIACOM: POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, ACCESS WILL BOOST MHEATH mation and Communications Technology (ICT) agencies,” Balogun said.

Primary Grantee, Qualcomm Wireless Reach in Nigeria, Deborah Theobald, said her team, which is driving the mHealth initiative in Nigeria, was at NigeriaCom to talk about the technology that will drive mHealth in Nigeria.

Speaking about the technology, Theobald said: “The technology we are using is specifically tablet devices in the hands of the frontline healthcare officers, who collect data of patients and send them directly to the local networks configured in a box, before the data is transmitted to the server in the cloud, where medical experts from different parts of the world could have access to the data and offer on-the-spot medical advice to the patient.”

We create applications that can document data of patients and make the data accessible to medical experts in developed countries of the world, and we are making efforts to make the applications and the technology accessible to rural communities, Theobald added.

NCC: PROPOSED NATIONAL ROAMING WILL ENHANCE SEAMLESS COMMUNICATION to the ability of a cellular subscriber to automatically make and receive voice calls, send and receive data, or access other services, including data services, when travelling outside the coverage area of the home network, by means of using a visited network.

It is a type of service or facility which enables the subscriber of one operator to utilise the facilities of another operator with whom the subscriber has no direct pre-existing service or contractual relationship to place an outgoing call or receive an incoming call. National roaming, which is a form of infrastructure sharing, reduces duplication of networks in less populated and remote areas.

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

DFID: Nigeria’s Agro-processing Sector Can Witness Rebirth on Weak Naira, Low Oil Price Extra $70bn annual infrastructure spending needed by country

Chineme Okafor in Abuja The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) on Tuesday said Nigeria’s agro-processing sector stood the chance of launching a rebirth on the wings of the country’s weakened currency and low earnings from crude oil sales. It said the economic downturn, the sector could become a means for it to rebuild her competitiveness in the global economy.

The DFID said Nigeria would need additional $70billion annual investment in her infrastructure to keep tab with economies that have left her behind in the development matrix, adding the government may not be able to raise this funds, but the private sector could once it gets the right signal from the country.

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo had said Nigeria was keen on revitalising the country’s economy through increased spending in infrastructure development.

The DFID, which the UK government uses to administer overseas aids to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty advised Nigeria to emphasis less on the challenges its current economic recession has brought to it and concentrate more on rebirthing its agricultural sector which it said has the potential to make it become a major exporter of non-oil goods.

Its Senior Economist, Ben Mellor said in Abuja when Osinbajo launched a compendium of work done by the DFID funded Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (NIAF) in the country’s public sector space, that if Nigeria takes proactive decisions, it could witness a renaissance in its agro-processing sector.

Mellor also said the government would need to open up to private sector financing to raise the additional $70 billion infrastructure investment.

“High oil prices over the years and a strong naira has made it almost impossible for the non-oil sector to explore the market outside of Nigeria.

“With the recent weakening of the naira, we know there are a host of challenges associated with that, but what I don’t hear enough about is the opportunities that this weakening of the naira may present Nigeria to resume its place as a major exporter of non-oil goods and I believe there is an opportunity in the agric sector – there could be a renaissance in Nigeria’s

agro-processing for the export market and we know Nigeria has the potential to export,” said Mellor. He however said Nigeria will have to look internally and externally to identify the opportunities available to her in this regard, adding, “the international potential of what Nigeria can offer is vital.”

Mellor explained that beyond the currency and low oil price challenges of the country, she still had fundamental issues that have impaired her competitive edge. According to him, “Beyond the exchange rate challenge, we know there is a fundamental competitiveness issue. For instance, if you ask firms what their biggest challenge to doing business

is, top on their list is always infrastructure, this is why government’s performance in roads, power, railway and other infrastructure is critical to getting it right.”

He said the UK will remain committed to working with Nigeria on the long term to overcome these challenges, adding that the country’s power market reforms has shown the need for such long term planning to improve Nigeria’s competitiveness.

“If we want Nigeria to have the type of take-off that economies like South Korea, China and other economies achieved, we know that there needs to be a change in the kinds of investments that come

into Nigeria. The capital stock in Nigeria is low in comparison to what other countries have.

“If Nigeria wants to keep pace with South Korea or Indonesia, it would need to invest an additional $70 billion a year more than it is already doing. We know that $70 billion is not a sustainable fund for government to borrow, so this cannot be achieved with public investment alone. The only practical way to reach this is to unleash the confidence of the private sector to invest, which will depend on how trusted the Nigerian government is on business environment and the positive signals that comes from Nigerian government,” Mellor stated.

PROTECTING LIVES

L-R: Manager, Corporate and Social Responsibility, Etisalat Nigeria, Oyetola Oduyemi, Traditional Secretary to the Ooni of Ife, Salami Idowu; beneficiary of insecticide treated net, Mrs. Aminat Ajagbe; Specialist, Community Relations, Etisalat, Abdulwahab Umoru and Corporate and Social Responsibility Officer, Etisalat, Rose Makinwa, during the distribution of free insecticide-treated nets by Etisalat, at the Ooni’s palace, in Ile-Ife...recently

BOIAllocatesN10bnforYouthEntrepreneurship NITDA UnveilsVirtual e-Library Support Infrastructure for Ekiti State Michael Olugbode The Bank of Industry (BOI) has allocated N10 billion for the Youth Entrepreneurship Support (YES) across the country during the present fiscal year.

This disclosure was made on in Maiduguri during the flag off of the capacity workshop sponsored by the Entrepreneur Development Centre (EDC) in conjunction with the BOI, where 105 youths are trained as part of the 2,500 youths currently trained nationwide.

The BOI North East Regional Head, Mallam Aliyu Umaru, representing the acting Managing Director (MD) of the bank, Alhaji Waheed Olagunju said about 25,000 youths were shortlisted out of the 71,788 that registered online for the programme nationwide.

He said: “We had about 71,788 applications based on the two online registration batches that we did.

Based on this we are envisaging that we will be getting 25,000 participants

every quarter and that makes it about 10,000 participants in a year.”

He added: “The figure might even go up to 20,000 in few years to come,” while revealing that the participants were selected based on their business proposals and the workability of their plans.

He equally revealed that the participants will be granted loans up to N5million to enable them set up their businesses at the end of the training.

He said: “At the end of the training we will determine the exact requirements for each of the participant to set up his business based on the feasibility study submitted by applicants.”

He explained the mechanism put in place to prevent default in the loan by the beneficiaries to include strict monitoring, insisting that: “If you are groundnut oil production.

We will visit your site to inspect the place and get your equipment requirements, rather than give you cash we will order the equipment

direct from the sellers and pay them the actual price on your behalf.

We will also make sure that the equipment are installed and production commences to avoid diversion.”

The Permanent Secretary in the Borno Ministry of Commerce, Mr. Tijani Balama, while speaking at the flag off, expressed delight with the federal government policy, which is targeted at reviving and creating more small scale industries.

He said that in spite of the insurgency, market women and other traders have been given similar sums through microfinance to enable them benefit from the state government’s scheme by becoming empowered.

He revealed that the state government had started the reactivation of some industries to return life into the state. He advised the participants to refrain from marrying more wives if they already have and wait for the business to grow beyond a particular level when things would have improved.

Varsity

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja The acting Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Vincent Olatunji has unveiled a virtual e-library infrastructure for Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, designed to boost teaching and research in the school.

According to Olatunji, the Ekiti State Varsity virtual e-library facility, which is the largest of all the e-libraries donated by NITDA to universities and schools in the past, contains over 80 million online materials to facilitate research, training and learning by teachers and the students.

Speaking at the official presentation of the e-library in Ado-Ekiti, Olatunji told the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Sam Oye Bandele, the students and staff at the university that the outcome of the university’s research materials must be uploaded online for Nigerians and the world to benefit.

While noting that technology

has succeeded in shrinking the world into a global village, Olatunji said research and education for development cannot be actualised without the application of ICT tools like e-libraries.

The NITDA boss urged the university to ensure adequate and proper maintenance of the facilities, adding: “In deploying these facilities across Nigerian Universities and communities, we have felt challenged in the area of sustainability. NITDA has provided bandwidth and Internet for one year to run the e-library, but what is most important, is sustainability of the project and if this is not done, it will defeat the whole essence of NITDA’s initiative.”

I want to implore the University management to deplore adequate security and regular maintenance. I’m happy that the VC of the University who is a Computer Scientist, knows what to do because if a cables are removed for one reason or the other, then it is like indirectly cannibalising what the agency is doing, Olatunji added.

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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Conflicting Signals in Telecoms Regulation Government’s interest in regulating telecoms services and the agitation of telecoms service providers against excessive regulation, are conflicting to the detriment of subscribers, writes Emma Okonji

Danbatta

Since the rollout of the services of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) in 2001, telecoms service providers and government agencies at the federal, state and local levels have always had conflicting issues concerning regulation of the telecoms sector that currently contributes N1.58 trillion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Although the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is the major regulator empowered by NCC Act 2003 to regulate the telecoms sector, government agencies from the three tiers of government have also become interested in regulating the same sector in their various domains.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), for instance, is a federal government agency backed

by NESREA Act 2007 to protect and develop the environment, and the agency had in several occasions, sealed up Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) of telecoms operators, in an attempt to regulate the environment in which telecoms service providers operate.

At the state level, different states have empowered different agencies to regulate telecoms operations in their states. Lagos State for instance, empowered the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), to regulate telecommunications in the state.

At the local government level, agencies have also sprung up, empowered by the local government councils to regulate telecommunications at the local government areas, where there are telecoms masts and base stations.

In the process of regulation, agencies have designed several methods of collecting fees and levies from the operators. And the operators are saying that the action of government amounts to over-regulation of the sector that is contributing so much to the country’s GDP, and they want such action stopped with immediate effect. Operators have threatened to pass the financial burden on subscribers by increasing tariffs, based on the charges and levies they get from the federal, state and local governments.

Some of the operators have even threatened to cut off telecoms service supply to areas where the regulation is unbearable.

In order to address the conflict between government and the operators, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) organised a forum in Lagos at the weekend, sponsored by Airtel Nigeria, to discuss the grey areas of regulation and over-regulation in the telecoms sector.

ATCON’s view on telecoms regulation President of the Association of Telecoms

Airtel CEO, Segun Ogunsanya

Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Olusola Teniola, who was represented at the forum by the first vice president of the association, Mr. Anthony Nwosu, described telecoms regulation outside the NCC regulation as over-regulation that could stifle the growth of the industry.

Teniola insisted that NCC should be the only regulator in the telecoms industry.

Speaking on the implication of multiple regulations, Teniola said: “There is no doubt that the incessant shut down of telecoms facilities by multiple regulatory bodies have an adverse effect on the quality of services offered by operators in the industry. The outages occasioned by these shut downs negatively impact quality of service indices such as reduced call completion rates, increased call drop rates, increased voice quality impairment, and transmission quality impairment. The overall implication of these is heightened consumer dissatisfaction with the quality of services provided by operators.

Other implications of over-regulation in the telecoms industry, according to him, include delay in broadband rollout; death or extinction

“Operators have threatened to pass the financial burden on subscribers by increasing tariff, based on the charges and levies they get from the federal, state and local governments. Some of the operators have even threatened to cut off telecoms service supply to areas where the the regulation is unbearable”

Teniola

of telecommunications companies; forceful relocation of telecoms operators to neighbouring countries; loss of jobs, occasioned by the closure of companies; and diversion of investment meant for telecoms industry to other sectors.

ALTON’ position Counting the gains of the telecoms industry and its contribution to the country’s GDP, which is put at N1.58 trillion or 9.8 per cent, as at June this year, Adebayo called for caution in regulating the telecoms industry, in order to avoid the same challenges that forced many businesses and companies out of business.

According to him, “While under regulation will lead to chaos and high security risks, over regulation will limit the use and application of dynamics of modern technology and also limit access to global trade and knowledge.

We must continue to debate these issues in order to guarantee the sustainability of our technology development.”

Adebayo called for the removal of all bottlenecks in the way of securing right of way and permits among others in other to provide better access, achieve the desired national broadband objectives of 30 per cent penetration by 2018 and provide affordable services for the over 157 million subscribers across networks.

Airtel insists on collaboration Director, Legal and Regulatory Affairs/Company Secretary, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Shola Adeyemi, in his presentation, said there was need for stronger collaboration of relevant stakeholders, to address cases of multiple-taxation in order to ensure that service quality is improved upon for the ultimate benefit of subscribers and the country.

NCC’s view on multiple regulation Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof.

Umar Danbatta, who was represented by the Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, said as a regulator, NCC would strive to create accessible and affordable telecommunications services across the country.

Danbatta , however said: “We do also agree that some sister agencies tend to be over zealous in trying to help us do our job and in the process, create unnecessary difficulties for our telecoms operators. However, this is being addressed at the various levels of government and I can promise that the story will be much better very soon.”

According to him, the full powers of the Commission to regulate the industry, promote competition, grant and renew licenses, facilitate investment and protect the interests of consumers, among others, are domiciled in the NCC Act

2003, which today forms the major bedrock holding up the growth of the industry.

Speaking on the implications of over regulation, while calling for deeper collaboration between government and the operators, Danbatta said: “One of our focus areas is to facilitate broadband penetration and be able to meet the nation’s 30 per cent broadband rollout target by 2018.

This can only happen in a harmonious environment where the operators are encouraged to rollout, where the regulator and other important relevant stakeholders are not encumbered with unnecessary distractions.”

“We want to create a win-win situation for the telecommunications industry and the host communities of service providers but over-regulation will continue to be a barrier. My charge to you as reporters and valued stakeholders of the industry is not to begrudge anybody for their actions but to use your knowledge of the industry to explain why certain actions should not be taken in telecoms regulation,” Danbatta said.

“It is in our collective interest for the industry to continue to post strong figures attesting to the impact of the telecom sector in our social and economic development,” he added.

Government’s interest Speaking on government’s interest in regulating the telecoms sector, the General Manager of LASIMRA, Mr. Babajide Odekunle, who was represented by the Head of Commercial at LASIMRA, Mr. Adekunle Adeyinka, said LASIMRA was established in 2004 under the Laws of Lagos State No 23 Volume 37, in order to ensure a one stop agency for all issues regarding utility infrastructure ranging from Water, Gas, Power and Telecommunications.

“This mandate ranges from conception, project management, development and maintenance of all such infrastructure in order to ensure orderly urban development,” Odekunle said.

He insisted that the agency would not do anything to stifle the growth of the telecoms sector that is contributing so much to GDP, aside enriching live styles of people and creating job opportunities.

“LASIMRA has been a fore runner in promoting ease of doing business in Lagos State as issues of over regulation or multiplicity of taxes, levies and charges are completely eliminated,” Odekunle added.

“Under my leadership, LASIMRA has engaged with NCC in order to ensure that support is given to operators in the areas of infrastructure deployment and service delivery,” he said.

Although all parties involved in telecoms regulation have reasons to do so, it is, however, important that all parties have better understanding to avoid conflicting issues.

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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

E-BUSINESS

Samsung Postpones Launch DBIKanoGetsNBTE’sNodtoOperateasInnovationEnterprise of Galaxy Note7 in Nigeria, School Begins Replacement The National Board for Technical Innovation Diploma (NID) for 30 students for each of the society in Nigeria through Stories by Emma Okonji Samsung Electronics West Africa Limited has announced the postponement of the planned launch of Samsung Galaxy Note7 in Nigeria. This is sequel to the postponement of sales of the device globally due to its battery cell problems.

Few weeks after Samsung launched its latest mobile phone, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, in August, 2, 2016, in markets outside Nigeria, the company discovered a major challenge with the mobile phone battery and advised consumers to stop using the mobile phone, and to immediately participate in a replacement programme, following further reports of the phones catching fire, due to defect in its battery.

Samsung lost $22 billion in market capitalisation due to the anomaly in the battery setup, according to Bloomberg.

The call came after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recommended on that consumers stop using the smartphone and major airlines globally banned its use during flights.

Following the situation, Samsung issued a recall for Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in early September in 10 markets,

including the US and South Korea, following reported cases that the battery of Galaxy Note 7 phone burst into flames after fully charged.

On September 2, 2016, Samsung had announced an official Galaxy Note7 replacement programme due to a rare battery cell manufacturing error which had led to a few reported incidents.

In a statement, the company said: “since customers’ safety is our top priority, all Galaxy Note7 purchased are eligible for replacement despite the original place of purchase.”

Although the Galaxy Note7 has not been released in Nigeria, the current Galaxy Note7 users were also advised to visit the nearest Samsung authorised service centre for immediate assistance about the replacement programme.

“We acknowledge the inconvenience this may have caused in the market, but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to Samsung customers. Samsung is completely committed to fixing this problem and ensuring the highest level of safety and satisfaction for its customers,” the statement further said.

PwC Launches Mobile Tax Application PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Nigeria has announced the launch of a tax mobile application, a revolutionary tool that allows business leaders, investors, regulators and citizens, easy access to all relevant tax and related laws.

The app will enable investors and businesses keep abreast of developments in the economy especially as it relates to their tax obligations, government policies and the implications on their lives and businesses.

Commenting on the development, Partner and Head of Tax and Regulatory Services, PwC Nigeria, Taiwo Oyedele, said: “Technology simplifies all that we do today, and tax is no exception.

As a technology focused organisation we are always seeking for ways to simplify the process of finding tax and related information for our clients. Our Tax247 app addresses this need.

We realise that often times, people remain ignorant of tax laws because of the cumbersome nature of digging through books for sections and phrases, but it need not be in this digital age.

We have therefore digitised a tremendous amount of tax and business related laws and placed it literally in the palm of your hands, and we will keep that collection updated.”

This application, which is free to download on the Google play store with an iOS version to follow soon, contains over 45 relevant laws, numerous circulars including the national tax policy, case laws, daily tax and related

news updates, PwC’s tax alerts and lots more.

Tax Technology and Innovation Lead at PwC Nigeria, Victor Olorunfemi, said: “One of the unique features of this application is that it is searchable and shows you contents related to the law you are currently reading. It makes reading laws and checking references very convenient.

In addition, Tax247 allows you to bookmark sections and subsections for quick future access and to also highlight important parts of a law you’re reading for quick future access.

What is more, all of this content is constantly updated

by PwC’s tax research and insight team.”

Upon download, the free version of the app, gives users premium contents and is upgradable to unlock richer content and features.

Interested organisations and individuals who wish to acquire a large number of premium licenses can contact PwC to discuss available discounts.

“This app is a novel addition to the Nigeria business environment and couldn’t have come at a more auspicious time than now when taxation is on the front burner of public discourse. With governments at all levels looking more to taxes to augment declining revenue, businesses as well as individuals need to become more aware of their obligations in order not to fall short of it. We believe this product will greatly increase tax literacy and compliance in Nigeria,” Oyedele added.

Education (NBTE) has given approval to Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) Kano, to operate as an Innovation Enterprise Institution (IEI).

The letter conveying the approval, signed by Executive Secretary, of NBTE, Dr. Musa’udu Kazaure on behalf of the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu said DBI Kano should operate as IEI with effect from May 3, 2016.

Following the approval, DBI Kano has been mandated to run programmes like National

Telecommunication Technology, Multimedia Technology, Networking and system Security, Computer Software Engineering and Computer Hardware Engineering, among others.

The approval, according to NBTE, is subject to the institution’s strict compliance with the federal government’s terms and conditions governing the operations of IEIs. Part of the terms contained in the letter is that “the approval is subject to DBI admitting not more than one stream of

programmes”.

Admission of the students into the approved programmes should commence from 2016/2017 session, the letter added.

The approval from the NBTE followed a visitation jointly carried out by the Federal Ministry of Education and the NBTE. Director of DBI, Kano, Dr. Ike Adinde said the approval was in the right direction.

DBI is a specialised institution committed to the creation of a knowledge-based information

human capacity building in telecommunication, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), established by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in 2004 with its main campus/learning centre in Abuja.

DBI now has regional centres in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Yola, and Asaba.

The institution’s facilities include fully equipped training rooms, multimedia teaching aids, video conference facilities among others.

ENABLING IT BUSINESS

L-R: Senior Manager, IT Applications, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Kehinde Olashore; Chief Oversight Officer, Sustainable Healthcare International, Dr. Mike Omotoso and Analytics Business Executive, Middle East and Africa (MEA), IBM, Mr. Sunil Mahajan, during a panel discussion at the IBM Business Connect conference held in Lagos...recently

eStream Updates Network Infrastructure from IPv4 to IPv6 In compliance with the directives from Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), that organisations should migrate from Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) to Internet Protocol version 6, (IPv6), eStream has completed the migration of its network infrastructure from IPv4 to IPv6, in order to serve its customers better.

Announcing the development when representatives of e.Stream Networks Limited joined other Information Technology (IT) specialists at a recent IPv6 workshop in Lagos, the Brand Communications Manager at eStream Network Limited, Miss Thelma Arusiuka, said the move would help the technology solution company further boost its customers’ experience.

The IPv6 workshop was organised by AFRINIC in conjunction with the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and Nigerian Internet Registration Association (NiRA) at the NiRA headquarters in Lagos.

This is a laudable effort by e.Stream Networks to make her network infrastructure stateof-the-art with the migration from IPv4 to IPv6.

“IPv4 provides a size of over four billion addresses against current population of about seven billion people hence, the need to upgrade to

IPv6, which can provide up to 340 undecillion addresses.

To better comprehend the said amount, imagine an IP address for every grain of sand in the world,” Arusiuka said.

According to her, “This migration has become necessary over the rising growth of internet users overtime, which means that in the nearest future, we will need addresses for every user, computers, internet enabled gadgets and future smart inventions. Most recently developed hardware and operating systems are now IPv6 enabled, however, a full understanding of IPv6 is required for optimal use.”

E.Stream Networks team intend to leverage on this gained knowledge from the workshop to carefully plan and execute a successful deployment of IPv6 on its infrastructure.

“As one of the fast rising internet service providers with over 10 years of connectivity across Nigeria, e.Stream Networks continually offers bespoke connectivity solutions for Corporate and government parastatals in Nigeria,” Arusiuka added.

Using technologies such as RADIO, FIBER, VSAT and their latest offering 4G LTE, the organisation ensures that any targeted market is guaranteed quality service and user experience with a 24/7 customer support option.

“Quality, speed, innovation and partnership are core values of eStream Networks and its 9001:2008 ISO certifica-

tion, positions e.Stream as a customer-centric organisation insistent on every customer’s satisfaction,” Arusiuka said.

Samsung Empowers Schools in Akwa Ibom with Smart Initiative Samsung Electronics West Africa has unveiled the Samsung Smart School project for students and teachers in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The Samsung smart school is a digital learning environment, which gives both the teachers and students an opportunity to use Samsung technology to create, revolutionise and enhance the learning process of students in public schools in the state by providing an integrated new technology to make the educational environment more interactive intuitive, and efficient.

Speaking at the event recently, the Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Changwook Lee, represented by the Head, Enterprise Business solution/ IT Business, Mr. Anu Rotimi Agboola, stated that “the aim of the Smart School Project in Uyo High School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State which is the fourth of Nine ICT Labs in the Samsung Smart School Roll out scheme is to use technology to change the learning environment by

creating a different dynamic in which teachers and students relate by empowering teachers through access to digital contents, share it with their students, use it to conduct assessments and monitor their students’ progress.”

He said the mobile learning component would enable the teachers and students to access contents from anywhere, collaborate and interact among themselves.

According to him, “Education is a basic human right and it is something Samsung takes very seriously. One of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals is to improve education, and we have really taken this to heart with initiatives like the Samsung Smart School programme.”

“It is estimated that over the next five years a collective 2,500 teachers will receive training through train the trainer approach, with a further 100,000 students impacted as secondary beneficiaries in Akwa Ibom State,” Lee added.

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

27

BUSINESSWORLD

ICT-SQUARE

The P9 Plus Review

MICHAEL MICHAEL OKEKE OKEKE

I

t is currently a trend to offer two versions of a smartphone. This is the case for high-end models, like from Apple iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus or Samsung Galaxy S7/ Galaxy S7 Edge, but also for mainstream devices Moto G4/Moto G4 Plus. Huawei follows this trend as well with its flagship device that has proven successful the P9.

Manufacturers usually equip the most expensive versions with bigger screens, bigger batteries or some additional features that justify the cost and upgrade. This can be said of the P9 Plus, but the Chinese company goes even further.

The display is not only bigger at 5.5, but is based on the AMOLED technology instead of IPS technology and it does support pressure-sensitive inputs, which are called “Press Touch” by Huawei. Users also get a second speaker as well as an Infrared transmitter.

Design Case The cases from the two P9 models hardly differ from each other. Because of the bigger screen and the bigger battery, the P9 Plus is obviously a bit bigger and slightly heavier at 162 grams. The Huawei P9 Plus shares the same design as the P9. Both feature a premium aluminium build, for a slick and solid design that very much fits with the family series, this has been established over previous devices such as the Mate S and the Mate 8. It’s flat across the back with no camera bump, but comfortable to hold. Huawei is showing off a premium grade finish in the same way that HTC did with M9, with reference to micronlevel polishing and hairline brushing. These handsets look great, coming in a range of colours spanning the usual silver and gold options. There’s a ceramic white option for the P9 Plus, which Huawei says is smoother than the paint finish on premium cars.

Much of the talk around these new models has been about the minimal bezel, meaning the display runs pretty much to the edge of the handset.

The design is excellent and

the device is good looking, although it perhaps lacks the design flourish you get elsewhere, such as on Samsung’s recent phones. Like HTC with the One M9, Huawei seems to be pushing superlatives, but it is still a fairly safe unibody smartphone design overall. At the backend, the twin cameras do make it a little unique, but Huawei’s emphasis still seems to be on creating the slimmest handset for that premium quality and top of the range design. Importantly, however, it feels solid and offers the sort of quality that you expect a premium handset level.

The Huawei P9 Plus features a HiSilicon Kirin 855 octo-core chipset with 4GB of RAM. This is an in-house solution, one of the aspects that helps Huawei keep the price down.

It perhaps will not keep pace with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 found in many rival flagship devices, but experience of the power of the Mate 8 and Mate S with previous generation Kirin chipsets suggests that in daily use it will make no difference.

There is 64GB of internal storage, which is a healthy offering, and there is support for microSD card expansion.

There is a boost for the battery, and for charging, however, on this larger model. The battery capacity increases to 3400mAh, with Huawei boasting some impressive fast charging times via the USB Type-C on the bottom. Additionally, Huawei has enhanced the speakers, claiming that the regular ear speaker can act as a loud external speaker, and when combined with the bass speaker in the base, makes for richer audio, interesting you may agree. Users of the P9 Plus also get an IR blaster at the top edge as well as the corresponding application called “Smart Controller”. The application already includes many manufacturers household devices and you can control many of your home devices, TV, DVD, Air-condition, Sound System to mention but a few.

Another highlight is the compatibility with DSLRs, where the P9 Plus can be used

as a remote trigger. A step counter is also included and it can be used in combination with the preloaded application “Health”.

Display Contrary to the standard P9, Huawei does not use a NEO-IPS, but an AMOLED screen for the bigger model.

It is slightly bigger at 5.5 inches, but the resolution is similar at 1920 x 1080 pixels.

This also results in a slightly lower pixel density compared to the smaller sibling as well as many rivals.

As expected, the luminance is a bit lower compared to the standard P9, but the performance of the P9 Plus is excellent. The Huawei P9 Plus offers several settings for the colours. Users can adjust the colour temperature pre-sets or manually and the picture mode Standard, Intense. The picture mode “Intense” in particular produces rich colours, which are typical for AMOLEDs Cameras The P9 Plus is equipped with a front camera of 8MP, so Huawei follows the current Selfie trend. The quality of the pictures is very good and is definitely sufficient for selfies. Thanks to the Beauty Mode, you can apply a soft focus, which will smoothen out folds or pronounce the eyes. This is certainly a nice gadget for some users. The camera takes decent pictures

in low-light situations. The most advertised feature of the P9 Plus is definitely the dual-camera at the back, which was designed in cooperation with Leica according to Huawei. The maximum resolution is 12MP with one standard RGB sensor as well as a monochrome sensor. The images are conveniently sharp and offer very rich colours in daylight in particular, which results in a very vivid picture impression. The picture quality is sharp will take a slight hit in low-light situations, but the picture is pretty bright and there is not a lot of noise. You can still see all the important details when you take a shot.

Connectivity Huawei P9 Plus, supports many frequencies you should be able to get a connection in many parts of the world.

The SoC – System on Chip supports fast LTE Cat 6. The WLAN standards also include the fast 802.11ac in 2.4 as well as 5 GHz networks. Huawei also advertises the so-called WLAN + 2.0 feature, where the smartphone lists networks based on their signal quality and automatically switches to the best available network.

Depending on your position or connectivity, the smartphone will not continue to use the weaker network connection but automatically switched to the better one. This provides excellent browsing or connectivity experience using the WLAN.

Software Huawei ships the P9 Plus with the latest Android version 6.0 Marshmallow including its own user interface EMUI 4.1. The latter leaves a very clean impression and can be heavily customized. There is no application drawer and applications are just located on the home screens, where folders can help to organize them. Another small specialty is a small menu, which can be activated on the lock screen with a swipe from the bottom. Similar to Apple’s iOS you will get access to some applications voice recording, flashlight, calculator, camera and you can skip through the preloaded wallpapers.

Besides regular screenshots, it is also possible to record screen videos. In addition to the actual screen content, you will also see your inputs visualized as circles. The video quality is in High Definition HD which is at 1280 x 720 pixels, 21 fps, ~7 Mbps, 60 MB per minute and Mini 768 x 432 pixels, 20 fps, ~1.3 Mbps, 10 MB per minute.

The Huawei P9 Plus also offers a split-screen mode, this will be activated by a long press on the rectangle symbol, but the number of supported applications is limited. The P9 Plus does offer another highlight because the manufacturer implements a pressure-resistant touchscreen

similar to the Mate S. Huawei calls this feature “Press Touch”, and the functionality is already familiar from Apple’s current iPhone generation. However, the feature is mainly limited to Huawei’s own applications.

A hard press on the application will open a small context menu. This feature is really handy with pictures, where you can launch the zoom with pressure gestures.

Verdict The Huawei P9 Plus is not only a bigger version of the standard P9. The manufacturer does not only equip the Plus model with a bigger screen and a larger battery but also implements several additional features and even uses a completely different display technology. The IR blaster and the additional speaker are additional value for some users, but the Press Touch feature is still in its infancy for Android.

If you consider all the improvements twice as much storage, more RAM, bigger display, bigger battery, additional features, this justify its higher price over the standard P9. The Chinese company has produced a high-end smartphone with many good characteristics that can meet many expectations; Huawei’s P9 Plus is definitely a premium product.

Michael.okeke@thisdaylive. com

THISWEEK ON GADGETS Wireless Charging Technology Charging with no cables can be convenient, but adoption rates have not been exactly smooth either.

Qualcomm one of the leading technology giant announced that it has developed a new technology by which devices with metal body can be charged wirelessly.

The technology called

Qualcomm WiPower can charge devices with metal exteriors wirelessly, thus eliminating the need for using wires, reducing the clutter.

Qualcomm says it is an industry first, and it comes at a time when more manufacturers are choosing to make devices with bodies made of something other than plastic, in an effort to grab some of the premium market.

The system uses Qualcomm’s WiPower charging technology, and the

metal-bodied phone recharging system is not the only benefit.

WiPower wireless power pads

can charge hardware that is not actually in contact with the surface, and by using Bluetooth Smart, can send the correct amount of power to multiple devices with different charging requirements.

In other words, if one device can accept a higher amount of energy than another, the charger will step up the power and recharge it faster.

With WiPower, mobile devices with metal bodies

can also benefit from wireless charging. As Qualcomm states, both plastic and metal alloy smartphones and tablets should work.

Currently, the technology can charge devices with an energy demand of up to 22 Watts and devices do not need to be aligned perfectly with the WiPower pad to begin charging.

Michael.okeke@thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

NIRSAL, BOI Partnership Will Boost Small Holder Farmers’ Productivity The partnership between the Nigeria Incentive Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) will improve productivity of smallholder farmers, producers of about 98per cent of the food consumed in Nigeria, and also reduce postharvest losses, the Managing Director of the NIRSAL, Mr. Aliyu Abdulhameed has said.

Besides, the collaboration between the agency and the BOI, which was sealed at the BOI, office on Monday, will help in building a stronger post oil economic base for the country.

“We are really excited at the potential impact that this partnership with the Bank of Industry will have on the agric value chain in the areas of boosting production, reducing post-harvest losses and helping to build a stronger post oil

economic base for the country.

We have started with the Bank of Industry to ensure that we produce and consume locally.

Our goal is to help Nigerians take advantage of the $22billion food import substitution market by producing the food locally and in order to balance our terms of trade with other countries where we spend our scarce foreign exchange for essential imports.

It will unlock the sustainable development finance window to the agricultural economy of Nigeria, as it represents a paradigm shift and a step change into affordable agricultural finance that will have a crowding-in effect on commercial banks and an immediate positive impact on the economic diversification agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration”, an

SPAR Emerges Supermarket of Year SPAR, one of the largest hypermarket store chains in Nigeria, has been named best supermarket in Nigeria.

According to the African Quality Institute, organisers of the African Quality Achievement Awards (AQAA), SPAR Nigeria was nominated from a list of other supermarkets operating in the country based on the supermarket’s hypermarket’s quality standards and relentless service in offering Nigerians the best products at the best prices.

The AQAA is an annual event initiated at celebrating leadership innovation and creativity in quality management in Africa. The award ceremony, which took place recently in Lagos, is an initiative of the African Quality Institute in collaboration with IBMN Integrated Services, The Certified Institute of Quality Management and the Pan African Quality Organisation.

Dignitaries representing various industries and businesses nationwide were present at the event.

Speaking at the occasion, SPAR spokesman, John Gold-

to tackle one of the significant challenges facing Nigeria’s agriculture – the estimated 60percent post-harvest losses across the value chain.

The strength of NIRSAL’s Credit Guarantees, its Risk Sharing Framework and its Value Chain-Fixing mandate which, combined, will enable the BOI to lend confidently into complete, end to end, agricultural value chains while at the same time protecting its balance sheet.

It will lead to the identification and financing of impactful agricultural projects within all the segments of the agricultural value chain, from primary production for the purpose of producing raw materials and sustaining the processing industries. It will also provide funding opportunities, within fixed value chains, for bankable

agricultural production projects and for agro-allied industries that have strong capacity to off-take primary agricultural produce.

“The partnership is important because it will leverage the multi-billion naira balance sheet of the Bank of Industry to make loans and credit available, at very low interest rates, to commercially viable agricultural projects that have been packaged, de-risked and linked to structured markets by the NIRSAL. In addition, projects financed under this framework stand to enjoy faster credit facility processing turn-around time estimated to be up to 50% faster than when accessing it from commercial banks.

NIRSAL, Abdulhameed revealed, will soon announce collaboration with the NEXIM

Bank to unlock sufficient flow of finance to agricultural value chain players for the export markets where the agency (NIRSAL) will focus on value addition to raw agricultural produce before exporting them to other countries.

NIRSAL’s mandate is to catalyse a national agricultural revolution by boosting commercial agricultural productivity, competitiveness, value addition, market access and food security through the mechanism of derisking the agricultural value chain in order to encourage investment by banks and the entire financial sector.

The focus of NIRSAL is on enabling a structured, sustainable and business oriented approach to agriculture that can stand the country in good stead in the emerging post oil Nigerian economy.

Best

smith, thanked the organiser for acknowledging the efforts of SPAR team in consistently delivering quality in terms of product offerings, choice of products, customer service and retail store infrastructure across its 10 stores in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Calabar.

According to him, SPAR as a hypermarket store, takes cognizance of the various kinds of shopping missions and adapts its products and services in respect of choice, quality, service and value to translate the entire shopping experience into a world class one.

He explained that SPAR understands the soul of the Nigerian consumers, saying that over five million customers walk into its outlets annually, choosing products and services supplied by over 1,000 small, medium and large entrepreneurs and manufacturers from across Nigeria.

Goldsmith added that to deliver consistent quality across all its stores, SPAR team is continuously monitoring the quality deliverables.

Premium Steel & Mines Limited Renews Hope in Ovwian Aladja The Nigerian integrated steel manufacturing giant, Premium Steel & Mines Limited (PSML) brought smiles to the faces of Ovwian Aladja primary school pupils in the Udu local govern- ment area of Delta State, when it recently donated a state-of- the-art computer laboratory and a fully stocked library room for the improvement of the educational prospects of the pupils.

The technology facility, equipped with 35 units of state-of-the art personal computers with internet access, was handed over to the Head teacher, Mrs. Dezzy Ighomi, who in the company of her teaching staff and a crowd of excited pupils, undeterred by the scorching temperatures, were full of adulations for

elated NIRSAL MD said.

According to Abdulhameed, the partnership will for the first time make possible the extension of BOI’s credit facilities to primary producers generally and smallholder farmers in particular whether they are in the crop, livestock or fishery subsectors. He also noted that agro-input suppliers for Fertilizer, Seeds, Crop protection Chemicals, Fish & Livestock Feeds as well as Agricultural Mechanisation Service providers would benefit from the unique & strategic collaboration.

According to him, it will also boost import substitution, job creation, stimulate inclusive growth as well help in realisation of the key objectives of the Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP) of the federal government.

The partnership will also help

PSML and hope for the positive changes the equipment stands to bring to the school.

Student representative and school library prefect Akeji Gbemisola said: “We are extremely delighted to have the new computer lab in our school as it enhances the library PSML has built for us. Also, their provision of a 20kva sound proof generator ensures we have continued use of the facilities. The best we can do as beneficiaries is to use them to improve ourselves while in the school.” Managing Director, PSML, Mr. Prasanta Mishra commented: “These facilities are provided as part of our “needs-based” approach to reaching the students in our communities at crucial point in their educational development.

FACILITY TOUR

L-R: Director of Operations, Rack Centre, Ezekiel Egboye; Head, Corporate Affairs, National Information Development Agency (NITDA), Mrs. Hadiza Umar; Ag. Director-General/CEO, NITDA, Dr. Vincent Olatunji and Managing Director, Rack Centre, Ayotunde Coker, during facility tour to Rack Centre’s Tier 111Data Centre in Lagos...recently

Asia Poised to Play Integral Role in Africa’s Future Growth Sunil Kaushal Weaker global outlook and the impact of Brexit have created uncertainty around growth prospects. The impact weighs heavy on world economic outlook with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicting advanced economies will grow by only 0.2% from 1.9% to 2.1% and hold steady in 2017. Against this backdrop of lethargic economic performance, some developing economies still show strong growth potential.

Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to post growth of 4.1% in 2017 and 5.2% in 2018, demonstrating resilience in the face of the global economic slowdown and subdued commodity prices. Africa’s structural growth drivers which include its attractive demographics, urbanisation and rise in consumerism remain intact.

The rising middle-class with increasing purchasing capacity and growing consumption are attracting investors’ attention in markets like South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. The growth of FinTech firms and online

lenders in the region is also helping to support the middleclass segment by enabling better access to credit. The power sector is another example of attractive opportunity in the continent Africa has about 13% of the world’s population, but half of this population does not have access to electricity.

In comparison, over 80% of the Indian population has access to electricity. African economies which are currently performing well include Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Kenya, Senegal and Ethiopia. Senegal, for example, is outperforming with a growth rate of c.6.5%, the highest it has achieved in over a decade. These economies have in many ways benefitted from lower energy and commodity prices while on the other hand, the larger economies of South Africa, Nigeria and Angola have been severely impacted by the slump in commodity prices.

Their medium term prospects however remain good.

Given this mixed picture, how will Africa continue to achieve its maximum growth

potential?

The West and Western multilaterals have historically played a significant role in Africa’s growth with the EU being its biggest trading partner. But the relationship between Asia and Africa has grown exponentially over the last decade. China has materially invested into Africa.

Japan too has shown its interest in ramping up African investments and will be hosting the Tokyo International Conference on African Development for the first time in the African continent, focusing on ways to improve Africa’s health system.

Opportunities for other Asian countries to participate in and support Africa’s growth will continue to evolve.

In the wake of European growth uncertainties following the Brexit decision, this trade partnership diversification and closer ties with Asia, could prove to be prudent in the long-term and Africa is likely to look increasingly to the East for investment and expertise.

China’s One Belt, One Road initiative is designed to promote the connectivity of the Asian,

European and African continents and their seas to enhance trade linkage.

While the long-term investment potential of Africa looks promising, the near-term landscape for Africa-Asia trade presents many challenges. Africa’s diverse markets remain poorly understood: there are 2,000 dialects and 54 countries all with different consumer needs to consider.

Africa-Asia trade patterns also reveal the trade imbalance where investment flow is in one direction – from Asia to Africa. In order to achieve sustainable economic benefits there is a need for strategic commitment and key partnerships. There must be new determination to turn around the varying levels of conditions ranging from infrastructure to red-tape challenges that persist for growth to be sustainable.

Investing in Africa presents diverse challenges and requires strategic commitment and local insight to ensure success.

Kaushal is Regional CEO, Africa & Middle East, Standard Chartered Bank

9 T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 122, 2016

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Outsourcing as Mainstay for Micro Economies in Nigeria Despite the present financial crunch, Nigeria’s business space continues to evolve at a phenomenal pace with more organisations utilising and developing business practices to enhance capacity, provide solutions and drive revenue. Raheem Akingbolu reports

In 2010, iSON spotted an opportunity in Sub-Saharan Africa and established its first operations in managed services operations through its subsidiary iSON Technologies, in 17 countries in the region. In 2011, the company started its first outsourcing centre in Kenya with 65 call centre agents. Today, iSON BPO with operations in 14 countries through its 17 call centers and iSON Technologies with operations in 25 countries in SSA have a strong & skilled workforce of 10,000 employees. So there is up skilling, probably 60/ 70 percent improvement in the growth and development of employees.

The question that readily comes to mind is; what was outsourcing like before its debut in the industry? Less than 10 years ago, the outsourcing industry was essentially unstructured and lacked professionalism.

It is on record that telecom subscribers had limited avenue to address any queries or complaints prior to 2010. Average waiting time to reach a telecom service provider via telephone used to run into several hours.

Also, automated escalation and response mechanisms were unavailable.

Other challenges that were common to that era, according to Mr. Sola Adepoju, an IT expert is the fact that concepts of close looping on queries and service recovery were non-existent prior to this regime. He also stated that no country regulator had formulated exhaustive customer service norms.

He said: “Until recently, exorbitant customer service costs were a deterrent to business and the concept of customer service through social media was non-existent. Besides, we used to encounter low data services consumption due to very low penetration of smartphones and low subscriber penetration due to lack of customer education, backend support for registration, on-boarding, after-sales, and complaint resolution processes,”

How the table was turned It is believed by stakeholders that iSON BPO played a catalytic role in turning around this grim scenario completely, a situation which now makes ‘customer experience’ the new key competitive advantage for Telcos, Retail, BFSI giants in Africa. Some of the iSON- led initiatives are believed to have helped in total change of perception of Customer Experience in SSA and as a result is leading to major

It is believed by stakeholders that iSON BPO played a catalytic role in turning around this grim scenario completely, a situation which now makes ‘customer experience’ the new key competitive advantage for Telcos, Retail, BFSI giants in Africa.

growth in client segments.

With this initiative and others being championed by stakeholders, customer’s accessibility to problem resolution has improved substantially. For instance, regulators in various countries have started coming out with regulation governing the customer service parameters, while key performance indicators (KPIs) including First Time Resolution and Repeat Call reduction have started getting measured.

Meanwhile skill development of Customer Service Handling staff has come under focus and there is a lot of attention being given to training and quality control as functions.

The services are as easily accessible from across geographies due to its availability in all languages of the region.

Another factor that has redefined the industry is that social media engagement has become highly pro-active and the fact that penetration of smart phones has boosted the use of data services. This has also helped to grow the use of mobile money because the back office processes needed to handle these transactions have become available, leading to high rate reduction in frauds.

Feedback Reacting to the current development, the founder and Chairman of iSON Group, Ramesh Awtaney, stated that Third Party Outsourcing Industry is getting established in the SSA region and that the company has emerged as Market Leaders.

“The region has started catching the attention of the leading outsourcing countries like USA and Europe. We have been able to get some assignments from some of the largest US companies which are being executed from African countries. iSON as an Onshoring partner in Africa, for Africa is not only dominating the market but redefining business

processes and how they are offered but also improving the market, defining our niche, while offering the best of superior services to the end- customers,” he said.

Challenges But it was not smooth sailing at first for the company, as it had to overcome initial apathy and general ignorance exhibited by people generally. In addition, there was the need to attract upskill and retain talented staff.

This was a major challenge for iSON as it prides itself as being an organization that is very passionate about building capacity and driving employee engagement.

Despite these initial challenges, the company soldiered on, and today has its footprints across the country, with its call centers located in Ibadan, Ilorin and Abeokuta, with plans to further expand to selected areas across the country.

“It’s evident the massive influence outsourcing is having in our local economies across all our footprints. In Nigeria alone, we are responsible for a local workforce of almost 5,000 staff. In situating our call centers in semi urban areas, we not only encourage an employment shift but also inspire and drive strong business activities not hitherto seen in these economies.

“In turn this inspires rapid development and encourages expansion. It’s all over a positive influence in all environments,” the founder added.

For him, Information Technology is a platform to bring in the latest technology to clients in Africa through its “Partner Enablement” Program. The big blue chip IT companies like AVAYA, Oracle, Cisco, IBM, EMC , Huawei are benefitting through iSON Technologies skill sets in 25 countries in the region. iSON as a system integrator has enabled these companies to offer their world- class products to clients in the region.

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T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

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Safe Workplace as Catalyst for Productivity The growing conversation around environmental sustainability has led to an increased consciousness among companies on the need to manage the earth’s resources and ecosystems in such a manner that they are able to conduct their businesses more efficiently.

Raheem Akingbolu reports The growing belief that adherence to environmental standards set by regulatory bodies is key to success is driving local and multinational companies to be more concerned about safety and environmental sustainability.

The work environment, according to several research reports, has implications for employee health and productivity. Thus, the significance of implementing workplace health and safety measures cannot be overemphasised.

For example, a safe and clean work space contributes to decline in sick leave requests by workers. Also, it can be a critical factor in determining where a consumer shops.

According to Randy Wahl, senior vice president of M/A/R/C, a marketing research and consulting firm, “Cleanliness is an important component of the consumer experience.” Interestingly, some companies have entrenched the culture of safety and cleanliness in their work policies, integrating it into every facet of their operations.

This includes activities or procedures ranging from equipment and machinery maintenance, fire prevention, maintenance of light fixtures, spill control, storage and waste disposal, daily cleanup, evacuation of unused materials to inspection.

MAN’s reward scheme This reason underscores the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN)’s promotion of best practices in the maintenance of clean and safe work environments among manufacturers in the country.

The ‘Best Kept Industrial Premises’ award, instituted by MAN, is open to manufacturing companies, including food and beverage manufacturers in the large, medium and small scale categories. Annually, the apex professional body of manufacturers conducts an assessment on the state of environment of members’ factories and work places and rewards those who adhere to strict standards.

The award, which is in two stages, has the gold award, which is competed for quarterly by its regional offices, and the grand trophy, which is awarded annually.

It was not surprising, therefore, that at the 33rd Annual General Meeting of the MAN, Southwest, the association, in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Oyo State Ministry of Environment, chose the occasion to reward and recognize companies that have committed effort and resources towards ensuring high standards of health and safety at their workplaces.

Trophies were awarded to companies in the large and small/medium scale categories for ‘Best Kept Industrial Premises, ’following the environmental assessment of factory premises conducted by the association’s environmental committee.

How the winners emerged Leading tobacco manufacturer, the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), which was only making its first attempt in the competition, garnered a 92 per cent score to clinch the trophy for the gold award.

Nampak Cartons and Nigerian Breweries finished closely behind BATN with 89 per cent and 85 percent scores as first and second runners-up respectively. For the small/medium scale category, Boulus Food and Beverages, Frigoglass Manufacturing Industries Ltd and Vina International Ltd, came first, second and third respectively. However, special recognition was given to Oriental Foods Industry Ltd, Fan Milk Plc, Filade Marble Works and Altak Industry Ltd. The event, which took place on August 24, 2016, had in attendance MAN President, Dr Frank Udemba Jacobs; Oyo State MAN chairman, Mr Kola Akosile; Oyo State Commissioner for Trade, industry, Investment and

L-R: Branch chairman, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Oyo State, Mr Kola Akosile; Manager, Operations, Environment Health and Safety, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), West Africa Area, Mr Jide King; National President, MAN, Dr Frank Udemba Jacobs; Oyo State Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Cooperative, Princess Taibat Adeyemi, during the trophy presentation to BATN, winner of MAN’s ‘Best Kept Industrial Premises’ award, at the 33rd annual general meeting of MAN, South West, held in Ibadan, Oyo State…recently

Cooperatives, Princess Taibat Adeyemi-Agaba, some industry executives and members of the association in the region. Representatives of industry regulatory bodies, such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), among other stakeholders e also witnessed the event, which took place at the Jogor Centre, Ring Road, Ibadan.

For BATN, the award serves as a deserved

The work environment, according to several research reports, has implications for employee health and productivity. Thus, the significance of implementing workplace health and safety measures cannot be overemphasised.

honour and recognition for a long-entrenched and the attendant constriction of the national industry best practice, which forms part of income, while calling for more attention to be given to the manufacturing sector. its work policy.

“The manufacturing sector is beset with quite a number of challenges, hence we Reaction The Manager, Operations, Environment Health must think out of the box to see how we and Safety, British American Tobacco Nigeria can remain in business in the face of these (BATN), West Africa Area, Mr. Jide King,who challenges. The sector is a key factor of the received the award on behalf of BATN, in a economic diversification agenda of the present chat with THISDAY, said that BATN did not administration and remains the most viable actually set out to win an award. He attributed ally of government in this regard as it creates the achievement to the company’s policy of wealth and generates employment. Therefore, entrenching best practices in environment the time has come for us to reappraise the role of existing government policies with a and safety.

Describing the award as a milestone, King view to fine-tuning them,” Jacobs said. remarked: “This award is huge. It showcases The guest lecturer, Professor Olajumoke what we do within our perimeters and vali- Familoni, Founder/CEO, International Centre dates how we do our business. It also tells for Leadership and Entrepreneurship Developa lot about our reputation in relation to our ment (ICLED), while delivering a lecture on general stakeholders and particularly those the topic: ‘Fiscal policy thrust for inclusive who use our products; they will be sure that growth in Nigeria manufacturing sector’ our products come from an environment that asked government to review its fiscal policy values quality as well as the environment thrust. She also urged government not to shy away from pumping money into the economy it is produced.”

“As a multinational, it is the desire of the in order not to strangulate the system and business to create a great place to work for its for the economy to thrive. Describing the people, contractors and other stakeholders. So, manufacturing sector as the lifeline of the it is a very deliberate policy of the company nation’s economy, she said that government to focus on housekeeping, because there is a must reduce tax for the small and medium very close relationship between housekeeping scale industry so that it can grow. and environment, health and safety. If you Speaking further, she advised that the namust have a healthy workforce, you must tion must shift from import substitution to provide them with a great place to work- a export-led industrialisation for the economy place that is conducive and clean; a place to be revamped. that is free of anything that could cause them As the federal government evolves policy harm. Therefore, we have a deliberate policy measures to drive local production of goods as well as procedures and activities that ensure in a bid to boost export and mitigate the forex crisis and economic hardship being that we achieve that goal,” King added. experienced in the country lately, it is imperative to emphasise the unique relationship that Wake-up call on government The occasion was also used to remind exists between a safe and healthy workplace manufacturers in the region of the need to and productivity. brace up for the economic challenges plaguing Therefore, manufacturing companies can the country and the present harsh business contribute immensely to the nation’s economic environment in which they operate. The rebirth by embracing and integrating health, President of MAN, Mr. Jacobs, in his address, safety and environment (HSE) practice of lamented the fall in the price of crude oil their workforce into productivity.

T H I S D AY •THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

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Logistic Firm Promises 70% Morocco Set to Strengthen Economic Ties with Nigeria Africa which includes Nigeria founded the Morocco Africa also determine the level of Freight Savings to Business Raheem Akingbolu are expected to break trade Business Club. The aim of this cooperation among businessmen A plan to break the trade barriers under the club plat- organisation is to facilitate and women.

Owners “It will help its members in barriers between Morocco and form. Senou said during the the economic integration Business owners currently facing difficulty ordering goods from overseas due to high costs of clearing and logistics are set to receive a much needed boost as Simplified Corporate Logistics, a global procurement, handling, clearing and forwarding service targeted at Nigerian businesses was recently launched and revealed its promise to help them reduce their incurred fines and charges, improve their cargo logistics efficiency and shrink their freight costs up to 70%.

Offering a full service cargo logistics package for export and import, including global procurement, warehousing locally and internationally, clearing, documentation review to ensure Customs and regulatory compliance, Simplified Corporate Logistics takes risk away completely from businesses complexity associated with import and export – by handling their forex needs to reduce the long processing times needed to access forex, providing a transparent Customs Clearing typically within 6 days while handling documentation for efficiency and offering a cargo consolidation service that will save businesses up to 70% on freight costs.

Speaking at the launch of the firm in Lagos, founder and CEO Nduka Udeh said Nigerian businesses of recent have been hit by a steep hike in the price of ordering, handling and clearing goods from overseas, stating that what Simplified Corporate Logistics does is that; it removes the risk factor from businesses.

“We make it our responsibility to source for Forex to carry out transactions so our customers only pay in Naira.

Then we guide them through the entire clearing process and handle the documentation on their behalf so that they reduce incurred fines and charges to the barest minimum. Our process is so efficient that we can guarantee clearance of goods within six days.

We can even source for the items our customers want from trusted manufacturers globally, and get them at the best prices – thanks to our partnership with several auction companies in the USA. Most significantly, we offer a cargo consolidation service that can save our customers up to 70per cent in freight costs. We believe that it is these cost and efficiency savings that will propel the Nigerian small and medium enterprises into the future,” he said.

sub-Saharan African countries, which include Nigeria, is underway.

The Co-president of Morocco Africa Business Club, a club that will be launched later this month, Kwame Senou said, a release that businessmen and women from sub-Saharan

Throne Speech of 2014, His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco clearly expressed his willingness to strengthen the relationship between his country and the rest of Africa.

“In this spirit, the Moroccans and sub-Sahara Africanbusinessmen and women

of Morocco in sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.

With its headquarters in Lomé, he said the club will provide detailed economic and financial information on African countries, promote business to business meetings.

He also said the club will

the research or development of business opportunities and other activities enhancing cooperation between Morocco and the rest of Africa. The Morocco Africa Business Club will be launched during the second half of September in Casablanca, Morocco,” he said.

Noah’s Ark Signs Affiliation with Dentsu Aegis One of the leading global advertising networks, Dentsu Aegis Network sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), has strengthened its footprint in West Africa with the signing of Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, as its affiliate creative agency in the market.

Dentsu Aegis Network subSaharan Africa (SSA) is part of the global media group that specialises in media, digital and creative communications and spans over Southern Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with both owned businesses and affiliates and affiliate partnerships in another 32 markets across SSA. Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, is one of Nigeria’s fastest growing creative agencies and a member of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN). The agency has won several awards both locally and internationally. The

agency emerged the overall best agency in Nigeria at the 2015 Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival (LAIF) with 10 awards including a Grand Prix.

Recently, the agency won one Silver and two Bronze awards at the just concluded Loeries held in Durban, South Africa in August 2016.

Speaking on the affiliation, the Group Chief Operating Officer for Dentsu Aegis Network Sub Saharan Africa, Bevis Hoets, stated that the affiliation marks a step-change for Dentsu Aegis Network SSA, providing immediate scale, talent and new capability in the digital and creative arena in West Africa.

Hoets also revealed that the new affiliation will significantly increase the collective firepower of Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network and Noah’s Ark to provide industry-leading solutions for clients.

“We are beyond impressed

with the outstanding work and results Noah’s Ark continues to deliver for their clients and we are honoured to have them as our partner in Nigeria. I am happy to welcome them to the Dentsu Aegis Network family and look forward to demonstrating the power of our partnership for our clients both locally and globally,” he said.

Also speaking on the affiliation, the Managing Director andChief Creative Officer of Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, Mr. Lanre Adisa, stated that the affiliation with Dentsu Aegis Network is another significant milestone in the anals of the agency and would further help position the company as a thought leader in the advertising industry not only in Nigeria but also in the West African sub region.

Adisa noted that the affiliation would afford the agency the opportunity to

attract global businesses and help in its pursuit of putting Nigeria on the creative world map through its audacious and non-conventional creative work.

“We are very excited and proud to be affiliated to the Dentsu Aegis Sub Saharan Africa (SSA).This affiliation gives us an opportunity to further actualise our vision of being in the top league of brand builders out of Africa. It’s an opportunity for us to plug into a global network that will go a long way in strengthening our equity as one of the new leading players in this part of the world. With this affiliation, we now have Media Fuse Dentsu Aegis Network, the Nigerian partners of Dentsu, as our media partners. Combining our creative engine with the media prowess of MFDAN will give our current and potential clients an unfair advantage in the subregion.” he said.

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NDE and Small-scale Businesses

As Nigeria confronts the challenges of unemployment, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) is also strategising on other means to tackle the scourge of joblessness in the land. Paul Obi and Kasim Sumaina write on the recent launch of small-scale businesses for women in Katsina State by the agency As federal government agencies devise means to tackled current economic challenges, a practical way to address the gaps is seeking for a sustainable project. The National Directorate of Employment (NDE), as the centre which government intends to drive the employment and job creation, is also initiating other avenues to reduce the burden. At the centre of this initiative is the need to empower women, who will in the long run ensure a replica effect on the economy.

Training Women To kick start the empowerment of women, the NDE recently launched the training of about two hundred women in small-scale businesses as part of the job creation agenda. The programme seeks to empower women with skills that are in the foreground of government’s job creation plan. The Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari flagged-off the training of about 200 women in Katsina State in various skills that will empower them to become self-sustaining and self-reliant. She explained that the objective is to expand the scope of beneficiaries, and argued that by empowering women, local households would also have been empowered economically; given that women are forerunners of homes.

Aisha noted that women constitute a critical vulnerable group in the society. To this extent, she said, carefully articulated programmes to address the peculiar needs of women must be regularly implemented.

Positive Collaboration In her speech at the launch, which is a collaboration between her pet project, Future Assured Initiative and the (NDE)-Katsina, she said: “I am happy to note that women in Nigeria are consistently taking their place to ensure a better Nigeria. Unfortunately, we are at a time when the economy of the country is experiencing great challenges. On this note, all hands must be on deck for us to salvage our nation.”

According to Mrs. Buhari, “I am glad that my Future Assured Initiative was able to find a willing and ready partner in the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to execute this training and empowerment. I am informed that environment specific skills have been identified to which the participants will be exposed to in a hands-on training approach.

“As we are aware, women constitute a critical vulnerable group in the society. That is why we are gathered here to commence the training of two hundred women who have been carefully selected from all the local government areas of Katsina State to benefit from the exercise.”

Aisha Buhari contended that “in with the partnership arrangements with the NDE, another set of two hundred women will commence training in Lagos while we prepare to expand the scope of our collaboration by engaging 200 women each in soon to be selected states in the North-east, North-central, South-east and South-south zones of the federation.”

She stressed that it is her sincere expectations that efforts put in place thus far by the partners will strengthen the hands of the Nigeria women towards becoming major players in the economy development of the country, adding that she has no doubt in her mind that when economically empowered, “Women in Nigeria would contribute significantly to the diversification of our national economy.”

Assured Future The Wife of the President further stated that, “My Future Assured Programme believes strongly in the empowering of women in income yielding activities which in the long run will bring about inclusive growth in the country. Let me conclude by advising the women participating in empowerment in this exercise to commit themselves to the ideas of the programme.”

She noted that the best way to reciprocate the Future Assured and the NDE is for the 200 beneficiaries to pay attention to their teachers and instructors, learn the skills well such that they

Skills acquisition process for women in Nigeria

will be able to compete with other practitioners when they eventually begin their own small scale businesses. “It is also one sure way to secure your future and that of your children.”

She however commended the effort of the State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, for the critical roles he played in making the exercise a reality, and also, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, for his support through the NDE which provided the platform for the collaboration to take off.

“I want to assure the Minister and the National Directorate of Employment that through our collective efforts, we will make a positive difference among women in Nigeria,” Aisha assured listeners at the forum.

Vital Scheme In his earlier address, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Ngige said, “two weeks ago, we flagged off the school-to-work scheme in Calabar, Cross River State, which is providing diverse skills training to over 900 secondary school students in 6 states across the country including Katsina State on pilot basis.”

Ngige disclosed that between January and August this year, a total of 17,938 persons have benefited from the various skills acquisition and empowerment programmes of the NDE under the popular four-core programmes of vocational

skills, agricultural skills, entrepreneurial skills as well as activities in the public works sector.

According to the Minister, represented by the Acting Director-general, (NDE), Mr. Kunle Obayan, “The collaboration between the Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari and the NDE in training and empowering women is another dimension to our efforts which this time around seeks to give women the necessary impetus to be relevant and active in the march towards a new and better Nigeria.”

He said: “Let me assure her Excellency and all Nigerians that the NDE will continue to provide innovative and environment specific initiatives that will assist in mass employment creation especially as it relates to decent jobs which is a cardinal issue in the International Labour Organisation convention to which Nigeria is a signatory.” Obayan stated further that in a quest to ameliorate the prolonged employment fiasco in the country, “I am confident that we will continue with the current momentum in our employment generation efforts, all the targets we have set towards ameliorating the negative consequences of a prolonged period of job deficit in Nigeria will be met and surpassed.”

He said: “I wish to stress the need for all the trainees to abide by the rules governing the exercise. I am sure that in doing that, they will come out successful and it is my fervent

SECURITY VOTE The former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, recently called on government at the federal level to scrap all forms of security votes usually allocated to governors. He said such money ends up in private pockets, adding that this is the worst form of corruption in the country. The pioneer EFCC boss, who made a presentation at the 2016 Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) meeting in Abuja, said the biggest form of criminality in the country is the allocation of security to governors.

According to the anti-corruption czar, “Why should security vote be

prayers that after the training, they will have nothing to do with unemployment and poverty ever again.”

Empowerment Benefits On his part, the Executive Governor, Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, said, “for us as a state and party in government, we are very serious about empowering women.

He said, “If you empowered a woman, you are not empowering her alone, you are empowering the whole family and the household. So, we are much pleased for your being here and for your partnering the NDE in order to empower at least, two hundred women.” According to Masari, “If you empower 200 women, the multiplying effect, you have empowered thousands because, if you empowered a woman as a tailor, a tailor needs a machine, needs a sister, a cleaner, a driver, so many people will get employment and not to talk about the indirect benefits that will accrue to the generality of the people.

“So, I think empowerment is the keyword now.

It is important for all of us to understand that, government is not here to provide employment rather, to provide opportunities like this not only to be self-employed but, be in the position to employ others. No economy, no nation can grow its economy entirely dependent on government,” he said.

RANDOM THOTS

kept secret by governors? If you are spending to entrench peace, then there should be no secrecy about it. Nigerians must take a stand to say that all public monies must be properly budgeted and this should be open and transparent.”

This is a view that has been endorsed by several citizens, based on allegations that governors, in the name of security votes, often mismanage such huge allocated funds for personal use, and they are not accountable to anyone about it.

Incidentally, the president also recently backed moves to separate

local government accounts from that of the States, and since there are no funds left in the Excess Crude Account to share among the three tiers of government as being done in past administrations, any removal of security votes from the Chief Security Officers of the States (Governors) may severely check their plans to get rich quick, and curb traditional avenues of looting. Maybe this will force the governors to think outside the box to generate income and revenue for both their states and their private pockets. Just thinking....

Abimbola Akosile

33

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

DEvELOPMENT/ISSUESINBOx

EFCC officials; still waging a war against corruption

Has Corruption Level Truly Reduced in Nigeria?

Although the present administration made the fight against corruption one of its cardinal aims in bringing change to governance, many analysts still believe the level of corruption in the country has not really abated. With many high-profile corruption cases yet unsolved; reports of stupendous earnings by former governors turned national assembly members, and accusations of selective anticorruption war, some believe there are no real yardsticks to show corruption has gone down in Nigeria. Is this true or not? What more can PMB do?

Abimbola Akosile * Our specie of corruption is a hybrid and “octopustic” in nature. The mere fact that the fight against it is selective gives more drive to diehard Nigerians.

- Miss Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos * Nooo! It’s on the increase albeit in more subtle, creative ways. In spite of the government’s anti-corruption war, nobody has been prosecuted and jailed for corrupt practices to act as a deterrent. It is only when the big thieves are effectively and publicly dealt with that we can record any reduction in corrupt practices. As long as petty criminals are being caught, corruption will thrive.

- Mr. Utibe Uko, Uyo Akwa Ibom State * Hmm, no; in fact it (corruption) has just started.

- Miss Nana Opoku, Lagos * On the surface, yes, as the display of wealth by some individuals in those days has vanished into thin air. No also, because of hunger there is no trust of anyone again. People tell lies to survive. How can corruption level be reduced in Nigeria when people are dying of hunger?

This regime must have a total turnaround.

- Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna * I have never expected corruption to go down, just like that. In fact, fighting corruption is like fighting armed robbery. In spite of capital punishment, armed robbery is still on. PMB has to identify the root causes and seek to remove them. The Judiciary and the lawyers have not helped matters. I am not aware of any conviction.

- Mr. Pacer Aderinkomi, Surulere, Lagos State * PMB wants all money spent in his government to be transparent and accountable to stop wastage of resources by never-do-well leaders, and also to stop looting of the treasury.

Our leaders should imbibe transparency and accountability to move their states and our nation forward.

- Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State * Yes, the corruption level has obviously reduced.

PMB is not resting on his oars too. He rightly exposed many corruption perpetrators and

THE FEEDBACK Yes, it has reduced:

6

No, it has not: Others: 11

11

Radical tip:

Re-introduce plea bargaining!

Total no of respondents:

20

Male:

15

Female:

5

Highest location:

Lagos (12)

also many high-profile cases too. Plenty stolen money has been recovered. We must start utilising these funds rightly straight away.

Our current depressing financial pressures are too vital and urgent to afford any delays.

- Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State * One can’t really measure the level without adequate data but to a large extent I can say that the fight against corruption is not getting the support it ought to get from the masses who are worst affected by corruption.

- Mr. Feyisetan Akeeb Kareem, Coordinator CDHR, Aniocha South, Delta State * This government is making a huge mistake in its anti-corruption war. They think corruption is the cause of the poverty and underdevelopment in Nigeria. The biggest cause of poverty in developing countries is not localised bribery and theft, but the corruption that is endemic to the global governance system, the tax haven network, and the banking sectors of New York and London. It’s time to rethink the corruption myth and start demanding transparency where it counts.

- Mr. Eromosele Abiodun, Lagos State * We can fight corruption if we are determined to remove its epidemic in our society. It is time to say not in my country to corruption and it starts from family, church and mosque because all these leaders belong to these groups.

- Mrs. Moses Adetoun, Ogun State * The anti-corruption war being witnessed so far in this APC-led government is still perceived by many to be selective given the manner it

has taken. Hunting down the mouthpiece of opposition party is not by any means waging war against corruption; because good governance is where things are done right.

- Mr. Acha Moses, Lagos * Corruption has not gone down. What we have is only a show of power, chasing selective individuals from past administrations. Where is the money recovered from looters? Yet you want to borrow to pump into the economy.

Who will probe Dogara’s budget padding?

Revenge mission is imminent sooner or later.

- Pst. Obinna Osagu, Akure, Ondo State * Transparency and accountability is taking place in PMB’s administration.

- Mrs. Ijeoma Nnorom, Lagos State * Former CBN Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, in a recent lecture said corruption had metamorphosed from oil subsidy scams under GEJ to forex racketeering under PMB. He said the perpetrators of the monumental fraud were highly-connected individuals. What corruption are we fighting?

- Mr. John Ogunsemore, Lagos * Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.

- Mr. Ezenwa Chika, Ikeja, Lagos * While many erroneously believe that PMB is a strong leader and will contain corruption, the truth is that the man is old and weak.

There are many people wielding power in this administration and this will only worsen the prevalence of corruption.

- Mr. Collins Nwaneri, Lagos * The corruption level is reducing but this seems to be a charade! There is disillusionment!

However, I think PMB should forget this blame game and squarely face governance. If Nigeria gets better, he takes the credit.

- Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, B.A.R., Apo, Abuja * Yes, indeed the corruption level in Nigeria today has drastically reduced across board to many citizens’ delight. Some public funds looters have been lawfully exposed and brought to book courtesy of patriotic PMB. However, there is still room for improvement. Government must provide a stable and better exchange rate policy, and check inflation.

- Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State

* Re-introduce plea bargaining! Corrupt judges and lawyers will be run out of business. Much needed money for the budget will be freed up. With our criminal justice system, plea bargaining is not even an option, it’s a necessity. At this point in our history, all-inclusive governance in terms of appointments and recruitments are critical to the trust and cohesion required for peace and development.

- Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State * Corruption has gone down a little, and looters have grown smarter in stealing of public funds. The best thing PMB can do right now is to secure a major conviction and long jail term for the culprit/s to deter potential looters. He should also do a house/ hotel audit in Abuja to find out those who have invested stolen funds into real estate in Abuja.

- Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State

Next Week: Can Stronger Regions Help Reverse Current Recession?

Some analysts blame the present economic recession in Nigeria on dwindling allocations from the federal purse to the states, caused by the global fall in oil prices. As States stagger under the burdens of unpaid wages and scarce resources, others call for return to six strong regions with a weaker centre, where comparative advantages can be employed to revive the regional and national economies and create new jobs for youths.

To you, can stronger regions (and a weaker centre) help successfully tackle the present recession in the country? Please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (Sept 22 & Monday, Sept 26) to abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@ gmail.com, AND abimbola.akosile@ thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/ or 08188361766 and/or 08114495306.

Collated responses will be published on Thursday, Sept 29

34

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT

Emergency wash spot in Lagos, caused by climate change

ABIMBOLA AKOSILE

CSO Committee Express Support for FG’s Anti-Corruption War Abimbola Akosile The Civil Society (CSO) Advisory Committee for the European Union (EU) funded Project, ‘Support to Anti-Corruption in Nigeria’, has restated its strong support for the Federal Government’s war against corruption, saying most of the criticisms of the efforts are instigated by powerful interests as part of a wider strategy to avoid being held accountable for their corrupt practices.

In a statement issued in Abuja at the end of their seventh meeting recently, the group of civil society organisations (CSOs) constituting the Advisory Committee to the project, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remain steadfast in his commitment to rid the country of its unflattering reputation as a haven for

corruption and corrupt people.

The Committee, in a release signed by its chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraj, advised the President to be wary of elements within and outside his government who are determined to scuttle the anti-corruption crusade to serve their personal interests. It welcomed Nigeria’s membership of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and commended the Buhari Administration for completing the formal processes to make Nigeria the 70th member.

It stressed that Nigeria’s membership of the OGP should not be an end in itself but should be seen as an important process of implementing a range of governance reforms which will help to make government more transparent, accountable,

participatory and responsive to the needs of citizens, and ultimately curtailing the unacceptably high levels of corruption in the country.

Accordingly, the Committee called on the federal government to expedite the setting up of a National Steering Committee for the OGP and begin immediate development of its National Action Plan through a consultative and participatory process that will ensure the active involvement of citizens and CSOs and which will process a set of key governance reforms that Nigeria proposes to undertake to improve governance as well as to reduce corruption.

The Committee also called on the federal government to take urgent steps to implement the United Nations Resolution committing States to protect civil society space. It expressed

concern that since the Buhari Administration came to power, Nigeria has consistently voted against UN resolutions on the protection of human rights defenders as well as on the protection of civil society space.

It stressed that these developments and ongoing efforts by the National Assembly to pass laws to regulate and restrict civic space were contrary to the spirit of the OGP and inconsistent with international norms and standards, arguing that the government could not hope to succeed in its reform agenda without robust citizen and civil society support and engagement.

The Committee welcomed various initiatives being implement by the UNDP and its partners under the project, particularly those aimed at improving the capacity of

CSOs to develop and implement anti-corruption activities as well as strengthening the partnership between civil society and government in the area of anti-corruption. It commended the UNDP and its partners for the initiatives.

It highlighted some of the initiatives as the training of CSO representatives and the launch of a plan to support CSOs to monitor public procurement processes in federal public institutions and subsequently at state and local government levels, being implemented in partnership with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP); the award of grants to 10 CSOs across the country to undertake anti-corruption actions after a rigorous selection process; and a plan to train representatives of CSOs on Corruption Risk Assessment

in the coming weeks, being organised in partnership with the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), the training arm of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Stakeholders present at the meeting, which was held in Abuja on September 7, included Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Centre for Social Justice (CENSOJ), Publish What You Pay (PWYP), the Integrity Organisation, the Muslim League for Accountability (MULAC); and the Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC).

Institutional members represented included the United Nations Office for Drug and Crimes (UNODC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

next. It is expected that from this training, those of you who are yet to begin plans for your future will do so without further delay.” he stressed Standing in for the project consultant, a member of the team, Mr. Dauda Madaki, urged participants to take more than a passing interest in the scheme to fully develop their potentials.

He said if effectively maximised the programme

will ensure the youths become functional entrepreneurs that would help grow the economy and create jobs for others.

Madaki noted that with N5,000 earmarked as stipends at the inception of the scheme in 2012, the Federal Government has raised the bar to N30,000, adding such cash and training could go a long way towards improving the quality of lives of the youths.

FG Trains 41,161 Graduates on Skills Acquisition Okon Bassey in Uyo The Federal Government has trained more than 41,616 graduates under the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) across the country as a step toward curbing the high rate of unemployment rate especially among the youth.

Participants in the scheme funded by the Federal Ministry of Finance were equally

empowered to practice their skilled or trade acquired after the training.

At a recent meeting with the beneficiaries of the project in Akwa Ibom State, the Project Director, Mr. Dennis Chukwu, said the scheme has demonstrated high prospect for job creation and social projection of youths.

Represented by Dr. Essien Akparawa, the Project Direc-

tor disclosed that out of the 50 beneficiaries in the state, one per cent was for the physically challenged persons, while male slot was 68 per cent and female 31 per cent.

He explained that the graduates are imbued with skills in various trades including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), community health, agriculture, construction, education, financial and em-

powerment to start businesses after one year internship.

According to him, the intervention became necessary to re-orientate and redirect the minds of the youths towards independent ventures that would make them employers of labour, instead of job seekers.

“The career development and entrepreneurship skills training have been designed to help you answer the question of ‘what

35

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

BUSINESSWORLD

DEVELOPMENT QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Sadly, certain members of the Bar are conspicuous in utilising unethical, frivolous applications and appeals, multiplicity of actions in courts of co-ordinate jurisdiction and other act of calumny to frustrate the speedy dispensation of justice. The Supreme Court takes a dim view of such delays and we will constantly introduce measures to reduce delay in the administration of justice” - CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA (CJN), JUSTICE MAHMUD MOHAMMED, DELIVERING AN ADDRESS AT THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE SUPREME COURT IN ABUJA RECENTLY

Maintain Ethical Standards in Reporting Issues that Affect Children, UNICEF Urges Media Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

UN Summit: World Leaders Adopt Plan to Enhance Protections for Refugees, Migrants Abimbola Akosile and Ugo Aliogo World leaders gathered at the United Nations summit have adopted the New York Declaration, which expresses their political will to protect the rights of refugees and migrants, to save lives and share responsibility for large movements on a global scale; with more people forced to flee their homes than at any time since World War II. At the opening of the UN General Assembly’s first-ever Summit for Refugees and Migrants Monday, delegations adopted the landmark Declaration, which contains bold commitments both to address current issues and to prepare the world for future challenges, including, to start negotiations leading to an international conference and the adoption of a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration in 2018.

The declaration, according to a UN release also seeks to: Protect the human rights of all refugees and migrants, regardless of status.

This includes the rights of women and girls and promoting their full, equal and meaningful participation in finding solutions; Ensure that all refugee and migrant children are receiving education within a few months of arrival; and Prevent and respond to sexual and genderbased violence; The commitments also seek to support those countries rescuing, receiving and hosting large numbers of refugees and migrants: Work towards ending the practice of detaining children for the purposes of determining their migration status; Find new homes for all refugees identified by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as needing resettlement; and expand the opportunities for refugees to relocate to other countries through, for example, labour mobility or education schemes; and Strengthen the global governance of migration by bringing the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) into the UN system.

The UN General Assembly in New York, USA The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated Member States saying: “Today’s Summit represents a breakthrough in our collective efforts to address the challenges of human mobility.” He said the adoption of the New York Declaration will mean that “more children can attend school; more workers can securely seek jobs abroad, instead of being at the mercy of criminal smugglers, and more people will have real choices about whether to move once we end conflict, sustain peace and increase opportunities at home.”

President of the UN General Assembly, Peter Thomson, pledged to take forward the commitment of the membership “to begin a process leading to a global compact on migration, as well as to support a global compact on refugees.

I will be urging Member States to maintain their high levels of ambition throughout these

processes, and to always reach for the higher ground. The fate of millions of refugees and migrants rests with us.”

President of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, emphasised that all countries must do their part in responding to the global challenge. “The desperation and suffering of people in flight tugs at our collective conscience, and compels us all to act compassionately to forge a global response to what is clearly a global challenge,” he said.

Urging all partners to support implementation of the Declaration’s commitments, Lykketoft also welcomed the Secretary-General’s campaign to counter xenophobia and intolerance. He said: “In the face of a changing world, it is vital that we do not give in to fear, but that we strive to maintain our principles and common humanity.”

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria Bauchi Field Office in collaboration with Bauchi State Television (BATV) organised a two-day training for working journalists on ‘Ethical Reporting of Children’s Issues’ to equip the media towards enhancing their knowledge and skills in protecting the rights of children and reporting issues that affect them, ethically.

The intensive workshop, held in Gombe and attended by participants from Adamawa, Taraba, Jigawa, Bauchi, Plateau and Gombe States was also aimed at strengthening synergy between the media and UNICEF as well as encourage journalists to prioritise children’s issues in their reportage and programmes.

The Communications Officer (Media & External Relations) UNICEF Nigeria Bauchi Field Office, Mr. Samuel Kaalu in his presentation tasked journalists to always endeavour to make use of their various platforms to educate the public and herald the attention of stakeholders as well as policy makers to create conducive environment for children as well as strive to discourage acts that are inimical to children’s wellbeing.

Kaalu, who also admonished journalists to adequately protect and promote the rights of children through objective reportage, noted that the workshop was also an avenue to provide an opportunity to strengthen partnership with the media for sustained media advocacy on child rights issues in the zone.

According to him, “Journalists and media professionals must strive to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct while reporting issues that concern children. You must strive for excellence in terms of accuracy and sensitivity when reporting issues that involve children.

Journalistic activity should always be carried out by putting the vulnerable situation of children into deep consideration, and avoid the use of stereotypes and sensational presentation to promote journalistic materials involving children”.

Participants unanimously agreed to take upon themselves issues that have to do with the vulnerable especially the children and the women, vowing to use all the available platforms at their disposal to expose persons trampling on the rights of the children.

Kaalu was thrilled at the enthusiasm and energy displayed by the participants and the outputs from the meeting which include a decision to resuscitate the Media Alliance for Children and Women (MAC) with coordinators appointed for each State.

The other outputs are the establishment of social media platforms for both MAC & Ethical Reporting on Children Network, and development of quality work-plans – Radio, TV, Print – which if implemented, will contribute greatly to helping realise the rights of children in the participants’ respective states.

Speaking in the same vein, Head of Research and Documentation, UNICEF focal officer, Umar Shira Mohammed challenged journalists to serve as voices to the vulnerable majority whom are the children and the women as “we cannot separate the Child from the mother.”

36

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Malnutrition: Raising Nigerian Children with Low IQ With over 11 million children said to be malnourished in Nigeria, Martins Ifijeh writes on its mental, health and physical implications on Nigeria’s future leaders and its subsequent effect on the country’s economic growth

W

hile well fed children of one year old are already exercising their cognitive prowess with commensurate physical growth. Baby Abigail did not show any sign of mental and physical development. She could pass for a three month old child despite being a year and two months old at the time. Her jaw bones and eye balls were the only prominent features around her face, her hair was too weak and tiny to form ponytail. Mentally, she runs from challenges fit for her age. All she does was grow thinner and smaller.

“When I discovered all these signs in her, coupled with the fact that she was not even sitting, not to talk of standing, I became concerned,” said her 21 years old mother, Aminat Babarinde, who sensed something was wrong with baby Abigail, but could not place a finger to what the issue was. “I then took her to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) centre in Eruwa here in Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State, where I was asked about her nutritional history,” she said.

Apparently, Aminat stopped breastfeeding baby Abigail when she was only one month old. She said her breast could not produce much milk, and overtime Abigail became used to the idea.

She was weaned on pap, ewedu and mashed fish. Just few months after, Aminat started feeding baby Abigail with rice, beans, eba and other types of adult food. When she noticed the retardation and underdevelopment, she started giving her herbal concoctions, which in no small measure compounded Abigail’s issue.

“The UNICEF personnel who attended to us said Abigail was not growing well because she was deprived of the essential nutrients for cognitive and physical development and that she still had a chance to regain what she had lost since her issue was reported on time,” Aminat said.

Abigail, who is two years and three months old now, is currently on a special therapeutic food regime which is mainly of soy and maize flour at the UNICEF centre in Eruwa. “Abigail is growing normally now and she is lucky her intervention came before her third year. So, she can develop her cognitive and mental features normally, as well as develop stronger immunity needed to fight off ill health both at her early life and even as an adult,” says Mrs. Ada Ezeogu, a nutrition specialist with UNICEF. Gone with the wind Unlike baby Abigail who got intervention before her third birthday and is undergoing normal mental and physical development, Malik, a fiveyear-old male is not a lucky child. He is already starting life disadvantaged. He has somewhat missed the vital years of acquiring high intelligent quotient and physical development. No thanks to his parents who deprived him of the basic nutrients needed to achieve this.

Despite being five years old, Malik could pass for a three years old, as his growth is not only stunted, but he looked too frail and emaciated for his age. Mentally, he only likes engaging in challenges befitting children of lower ages, and when he’s unable to do them, he gets angry and never goes back to such challenge. He often fails to understand boundaries and expectations, while exhibiting short attention span, poor emotional regulation and inadequate social skill.

According to his mum, Abosede, who is a cleaner with one of the banks along Medical Road, Ikeja, Malik stopped breastfeeding at the fourth month, and all through that period, he was not on exclusive breastfeeding. “In addition to the breast milk, I was also giving him other types of infant meal, until I stopped at the fourth month when I could not cope with work and the demands that come with childbearing. I started leaving him at home with my younger sister, who was helping me take care of him until I get back from work.”

Malik was not only deprived of exclusive breast milk, which he should have taken for the first

Abigail and her mum, Aminat

six months of life before adding other meals till he clocks 1,000 days. There were times he was starved or given food deficient in many nutrients needed for all-round growth.

“When I could no longer afford the usual SMA gold and other baby food, I resorted to different types of regular meal, including amala, pap, fufu, rice and beans. Even at that, these foods were not regular in the house due to the situation of things. I live on N20,000 monthly, which hardly cater for everyone in the house,” she explained.

While the direct and indirect actions of Malik’s parents may seem insignificant to them as long as their child is breathing and ‘well’, Malik is currently battling with nursery one in a Nursery and Primary School in Idimu, Alimosho area of Lagos. His age mates may be starting primary one this September, while he is still grasping with nursery learning.

Abosede said his teacher have complained of his slow learning skill and inability to socialise with his peers.

Malnutrition has been linked to slow learning ability Research by Amy Rose of North Michigan University, USA in 2010, showed that the developmental process associated with memory, mood, mental clarity, increased intelligence quotient, emotional and mental well-being is being altered when a child under five years is malnourished or is deprived of essential nutrients needed for optimal development, adding that this causes slow learning capacity in affected children.

On specifics, Rose said there was a huge correlation between iron deficiency in children and the inability to solve simple maths, adding that, an iron deficient child has a short attention span and could hardly be attentive enough in class to learn. “A child with low amount of zinc will most likely have issues with memory.

While a well fed child would easily memorise something within a day, it may take the zinc deficient child three weeks. Also a protein deficient child would most likely be passive, withdrawn and lethargic in school, all of which negatively affects learning ability in children,” she explained.

Rose recommended in the research that parents and the society should pay special attention to the nutritional needs of infants and children under five years, as this determines how much impact they will make in life due to what has been learnt. She resonated the much popular phrase, ‘We become what we eat,” which most Nigerians take for granted.

She also added that malnutrition was fingered among causal factors for delays in vision, fine motors skills, language skills and personal-social skills.

Raising an economy of underperformance No wonder Mrs. Ezeogu, during her presentation at the UNICEF Media Parley in Ibadan recently, raised the alarm that Nigeria may end up raising children of underperformance if malnutrition is not tackled head on in the country.

She said while there was high morbidity among malnourished children, those that are lucky to survive it may grow up to become suboptimal adults with underperforming economic abilities later in life, which on the log run would affect the economic strength of the country negatively.

Reports by the American Society for Nutrition suggests that countries with high incidence of malnutrition are more likely not to develop faster economically when compared to countries with less malnutrition cases. Nigeria has one of the highest burdens of malnutrition in the world.

The Society also noted that an adult who is malnourished during his first two years of life is more likely to earn income 10 per cent below what he would have earned if his childhood was malnutrition-free.

Associated health risks of malnutrition in children Apart from stunting, wasting and underweight, the Nutrition Officer, Oyo State Ministry of Health, Alhaja Alarape Khadijat, said malnutrition in children, especially for those below ages two could lead to incessant recurrent illnesses due to the decreased immune system in them, and that in almost half of the cases, it may lead to death, thereby leading to the high mortality caused by malnutrition in the country.

“Malnutrition can also make the children prone to nutrition-related non-communicable diseases in their adulthood, such as diabetes and hypertension.” This is even as she added that a malnourished child has a greater chance of dying from diseases like measles and diarrhea when compared to healthy children.

A study conducted by Orphan Nutrition, a humanitarian organisation based in the US, showed that a deficiency in one nutrient may lead to a deficiency in another nutrient.

For example,deficiency in iron, magnesium and zinc can cause anorexia and thereby result in reduced intake of other important nutrients such as protein. Low lipid intake can also affect the absorption of important fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and D. It also showed that

Zinc and protein deficiencies can retard bone growth and development, putting a child at risk for long-term complications.

The gloomy Nigerian statistics According to Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2013), Nigeria has the second highest number of malnourished children in the world, just second to India, and way ahead of Somalia, Syria and other war-torn countries, as well as those with weaker economic strength.

The Survey also showed that Nigeria has the highest number of stunted children under age five in sub-Sahara Africa with 37 per cent of all children stunted, 18 per cent wasted, while 29 per cent are underweight.“Malnutrition, an underlying cause of death, accounts for more than 50 per cent of under five mortality in Nigeria,” the study shows.

The UNICEF Communication Specialist, Geoffrey Njoku, has stated during the UNICEF media parley, that in the South-west alone, about 22 per cent of the children under five were stunted, but was quick to add that the gloomy statistics from Nigeria does not represent children of the poor alone.

According to him, children of the rich also suffer from the menace also, as it was not exclusive to poor people alone. “About 13 per cent of children of the rich in the South-west are stunted,” he added.

Way to go Mrs. Ezeogu, believes one of the contributing factors to the high incidence of malnutrition in the country was the apathy among parents to offer their children exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. She said at the moment, only 17 per cent of Nigerians engage in exclusive breastfeeding, a figure far below the 50 per cent international standard requirement.

While stating that parents who want their children to live healthy lives with high motor and cognitive capacity must give them exclusive breastfeeding for six months, she added that after six months, breastfeeding must continue for the first 1000 days of a child’s life in addition to complimentary feeding.

A Nutritionist, Mrs. Faith Olaoluwa said breast milk contains all the nutrients needed for a child to grow. “A mother who denies his child this great gift is doing the child more harm than good,” she said.

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

37

T H I S D AY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

NEWS

Meeting Immunisation Fund to Save 7 Million Nigerian Children The National Immunisation Financing Task Team (NIFT) advocacy committee has called on the Federal Government to ensure Nigeria’s commitment of $181 million immunisation funding requirement for 2017 and 2018 is met as part of efforts to reduce the tragic record of underfive deaths in the country. Rebecca Ejifoma reports While Nigeria loses 2,300 children everyday and 839,500 yearly, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the role of vaccine preventable diseases on this high mortality rate has been put on 40 per cent by experts.

Although Nigeria termed the giant of Africa, she is the second largest contributor to under-five mortality in the world after India. Hence, several organisations are urging the government to act fast.

It was on the heels of this that the Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) with support from the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the International Vaccine Centre (IVAC) held a two-day retreat in Lagos at the weekend.

They said the availability of immunisation fund for eligible children will save the lives of the seven million children born in Nigeria annually.

The CHR/PACFaH Project Director, Dr. Aminu Magashi, said it was necessary that the government scaled up plan towards mobilising fund for immunisation, plus timely and transparent release of the 2016 budget.

“As the country begins its transition process from Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) – the

Vaccine Alliance support in Nigeria – its funding requirement begins to increase. For 2017 and 2018, close to $264 million is required for immunisation to be paid for between Nigeria and GAVI. Nigeria is expected to commit $181 million out of the $264 million to fund immunisation programme.

According to Magashi, the fund should be factored into the 2017 budget to create sufficient time in order for vaccines needed to save newborns.

With its undying commitment towards achieving this single aim, the Project Director assured that the retreat was exploring other advocacy channels to catalyse actions towards domestic funding for sustainable immunisation programmes through the local production of vaccine and the need for Nigeria to create a Primary Health Care Trust Fund to raise finances for PHC revitalisation which also includes immunisation.

“In times of scares resources for health, it is advised that the Nigerian government begin to plan on how to commence local production of some of the vaccines needed in Nigeria to reduce the funding burden, as well as improve private-public partnership for immunisation financing needed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pharmacist Remi Adeseun, Programme Director, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria PSN/PACFaH

Obiano Forwards Bill on Health Insurance to State Assembly Charles Onyekamuo in Awka Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has forwarded a bill on Health Insurance to the state House of Assembly for consideration.

The state commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Akabuike, who disclosed this at a sensitisation workshop organised by the state office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for primary health providers, government hospitals, traders, market women, community leaders and community based health associations in Awka, the state capital, said the draft bill followed the set operational guidelines.

The draft bill he said has some basic health care benefits for residents of the state and would become operational as soon as it is passed into law.

According to a Director in the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Obiageli Uchegbu, he said, “The bill when passed into law will give every resident of this state the privilege to access the health insurance scheme and improve the

health system tremendously.

“We expect every health provider and hospitals in the state to do their best to ensure the success of the programme when operational”, he said, adding that the state government will embark on rigorous monitoring of the hospitals.

The Deputy General Manager and Co-coordinator, NHIS, Anambra State, Mrs. Nma Getrude Ossi said the workshop was conceptualised as a community health programme where people living in villages would be taught the need to form mutual health associations to enable them pool resources together and enjoy the benefits accruing from the NHIS. The NHIS, she said had come a long way and is all about having access to quality health care with a view to reducing infant mortality and maternal child morbidity.

Since the NHIS office opened in Ananmbra in 2014, she said it has carried its sensitization and awareness programme to about 90 per cent of the state communities, adding that it has now shifted to the informal sector.

explained that the project was a unique one that cuts across child and family health, ranging from routine immunisation to treatment of childhood killer disease.

“The 2016 budget had a lot more that could have been done.

Contrary to the provision of the law, the National Health Act provided for one per cent of the consolidated revenue fund of the FG to be compulsorily allocated for health. And that money could have gone into PHC where the basic illnesses of pneumonia and diarrhea are treated.

“So, the absence of that fund in itself on the government’s side

shows inadequate funding as prescribed by law. Fortunately, the Minister of Health and other government agencies are working towards ensuring that that one per cent is included in the 2017 budget.

According to him, Nigeria has an Integrated Community State Management Approach (ICSMA) policy where issues of pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria will be managed by community health extension workers who will be trained and supervised to be able to intervene at the PHC Board.

As an advocate for child and family health, Adeseun described some of the steps

the FG should take to scale up mobilisation of funding.

“First, there should be a clearer strategy as to how we can achieve improved domestic resource mobilisation to the fact that the National Immunisation Finance Team has several factors to it. And this retreat is one of it.”

With Pneumonia leading as the first cause of deaths in children worldwide, killing an estimated1.1 million children of under-five, more than malaria, AIDs and tuberculosis, Adeseun insisted that there should be local provision of vaccines. “If today Nigeria has an issue with these countries supplying us

and they refuse to release these vaccines. What do we fall back on?” He questioned.

On his part, the Project Officer, Direct Consult and Logistic Management Consultant for International Vaccine Assessment Project, Nigeria, Dr. Obinna Iberem said, “Vaccine is what everyone should buy into.”

“We should do enough to ensure that all children, no matter where they are, receive the vaccine they need. Example of what lack of access can do is the resurgence of white polio. As we all know, some of those areas in Northern Nigeria, vaccinators could not access them. So, we need to address this.”

HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ALL

L-R: Managing Director MetroHealth HMO, Kola Awokoya and Executive Secretary/CEO, National Health Insurance Scheme Prof Usman Yusuf, at the NHIS Stakeholders Retreat in Kaduna ...recently

Malaria in Pregnancy is a Medical Emergency, Says Ntadom Reiterates ban on chloroquine for malaria treatment Martins Ifijeh Malaria in pregnancy should be considered a medical emergency as it does more harm to the fetus than envisaged, the Head, Case Management Branch, National Malaria Elimination Programme, Dr. Godson Ntadom has said.

He noted that while malaria parasites in non pregnant persons feed on nutrients from the red blood cell of its host, that of pregnant women prefers to stay in the placenta where it feeds on the nutrients meant to supply the fetus because of its richness, thereby starving the fetus to death.

Speaking during the NMEP, Health Communication Capacity Collaboration and Health Editors interactive section in Lagos recently, he said, “during the period the parasites are feeding on the nutrients coming into the placenta meant for the

fetus, the woman will not feel the signs of malaria because technically the placenta is not part of her body. It is when the parasites are full and satisfied that they now move into the woman’s blood stream, and at which point, she will start noticing malaria symptoms.”

Ntadom said it was a medical emergency because the point the woman starts noticing malaria signs means the parasites have starved the fetus of its needed developmental nutrients and are satisfied with the placenta.

“By this time they will then move to the woman’s blood where she will start filling the symptoms of the disease. There is a high possibility that at this point the damage may have been done to the fetus. That is why it is a medical emergency to see if the situation can be remedied,” he added.

He said contrary to popular belief that anti-malaria drugs

were not good for treating malaria in pregnancy, the medical expert said it was the parasites that kill the fetus and not the drugs.

“Often times, pregnant women start treating malaria when they start noticing malaria signs, but what most people don’t know is that before a pregnant woman start noticing the symptoms, the parasites must have done damage to the fetus through feeding on the placenta. It is when the parasite is done with the placenta (probably damaged the fetus) that the woman can start noticing signs,” Ntadom said.

Meanwhile, Ntadom has reiterated Federal Government’s earlier decision to ban the use of Chloroquine and mono-therapy drugs for the treatment of malaria in Nigeria.

He said the emphasis on the ban on Chloroquine and monotherapy drugs were necessary

as some persons still sell them to unsuspecting patients.

“Apart from mono-therapy injections which are used for treatment of severe malaria, its drugs and Chloroquine have long been banned by government. It is a criminal offense for any health personnel to sell them to patients,” he added.

In the same vein, he said Nigerians do not need medicines for the prevention of malaria, adding that only pregnant women and foreigners should be given such recommendations.

“The one presently recommended now is Malarone which is a combination of two medicines and it is for foreigners who probably would be staying in the country for a short time.

He said the citizens were free to visit NMEP website www. ncmp.gov.ng for informations on malaria in Nigeria.

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T H I S D AY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

HEALTH

Nutrition: Between Under-5 and Learning Ability Odimegwu Onwumere

M

aster Chidi is a boy of five years old living with the opulent parents in Oyigbo, a suburb of Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State. Unlike some of his mates across the country are stunted due to malnutrition and may likely not show ‘school-readiness’, neighbours of Chidi are astonished at his behaviour that posits him like a grown up in the way he handles his feelings, cooperate with people, help the parents in domestic works, and does many other things with little adult regulation.

To some Christians in the country, Chidi is one of the “end time children” who show rare mettle. Such children have wisdom and are smarter than most adults. Looking at this issue critically, many see their behaviours as abnormal.

Hence, the question Chidi’s parents have been asking was, if their son has been bewitched by the behaviours he portrays.

The parents are scared that they might be living with an abnormal child in the same roof, thinking that all is well with Chidi.

The mother explains that at school, he does excellently well. The teachers marvel at Chidi’s braininess. The mother has taken him from one hospital to another in order to ascertain if he has some health challenges by the clever ways he behaves. She later encountered a team of tourists’ neurosurgeons at a popular hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where it was affirmed that Chidi has a great IQ which was as a result of early nutrition he has enjoyed.

Over the years, some leading voices in nutrition, early child development and education of a child have said that a child needs encouraging nutrition at the early age in order not to be affected education-wise in a number of ways, because nutrition boosts the brain in a child for his or her learning attainment; given that cognitive, motor and socio-emotional developments are imperative phases of school readiness and can frequently be associated with cognitive improvement intimately. They also add that health and nutrition contribute in a great way on how ‘school readiness’ a child will be, particularly, because stunted children enroll in school later than other children and show poorer developmental levels, unlike children hospitalised for other grounds.

“School readiness refers to a range of competencies that preschool children should possess in order to benefit from the school environment. In order to be ready for school, in this sense, children require certain cognitive skills, such as language abilities and numeracy, a level of physical and motor development, and appropriate socio-emotional development. Early childhood health and nutrition interventions have the potential to make a major contribution to achieving Education for All,” says Matthew Jukes, a researcher on Early Childhood Health, Nutrition and Education in developing countries like Nigeria.

Effects The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Communication Specialist, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, at a media conversation organised by UNICEF for select journalists in a number of states of the Southwest on August 22, 2016, showed worry about what he said was the incalculable number of children without a proper nutrient, with evidence showing that 22 per cent of children fewer than five years in the zone, have stunted growth.

Njoku argues that nearly 11 million children each year – about 30,000 children a day – die of diseases like malaria and meningitis before reaching their fifth birthday, mostly from preventable causes, such as malnutrition, adding that of these children, four million die in their first month of life.

“It is becoming apparent that treating health and nutrition problems in pre-school children (five years old) is important for two reasons.

First, these children account for more than 50 per cent of the global gap in mortality between the poorest and richest quintiles of the world’s population and second, they bear 30 per cent of the total burden of disease in poor countries.

“There are an estimated 600 million preschool children worldwide (US Census Bureau, 2002) and they have several-fold higher case fatality rates for many infections therefore keeping them

Healthy nutrition can raise a child’s learning ability

healthy gives them a better survival rate in childhood and adulthood. Of the 10.5 million children that died in 1999, 99 per cent were from developing countries and of these, 36% were in Asia and 33 per cent in Africa,” says Njoku.

Specialists say that from the study, children with underprivileged nutrition during the important two-year period after birth appear remote, less active and are less helpful than their well-nourished counterparts. Nevertheless, Dakota Karratti, a leading voice in nutrition showed on April 24, 2015, “A 2010 study from The Journal of Nutrition found that undernourished two-year-olds were 16 per cent more likely to fail at least one grade in school and entered school later than their well-nourished counterparts.

“The scientists behind the study determined that this could decrease the child’s lifetime income by about 10 per cent. The United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition says that even in mild or moderate situations, stunted growth resulting from poor nutrition is correlated with poor academic performance and lowered mental capacity.

Influence Connoisseurs at The Urban Child Institute, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting health, particularly that of children, accounts that nutrition, especially at the early years of a child, “has been called the single greatest environmental influence on babies in the womb and during infancy, and it remains essential throughout the first years of life.”

According to the group, “Early shortages can reduce cell production; later shortages can affect cell size and complexity. Nutrient deficits also affect the complex chemical processes of the brain and can lead to less efficient communication between brain cells.”

UNICEF says that inadequate balance feeding for children older than six months, low consumption of iodized salt by households, low vitamin A coverage for children under-five, and anaemia during pregnancy, all contribute to malnutrition in children which is not good for a child’s early development.

Experts at World Health Organisation (WHO) add that while millions of children are starving across Africa due to food crisis, especially with Nigeria recording 50, 000 children among the population starving in northeast that has been ravaged by insurgents, the likes of Chidi have a better 1000 days nutrition and this helps in the quick development the parents and neighbours can see around him.

Critical for normal brain development “Similarly, there is growing evidence that DHA, an essential fatty acid, is a key component of the intensive production of synapses that makes the first years of life a critical period of learning and development. Many other nutrients – choline, folic acid, and zinc, to name just a few – have been linked specifically to early brain functioning,” the source adds.

Understanding that she did not give Chidi just food at the early development of his life, but the right balance of foods and nutrients in the diet, Chidi’s mother is a happy and proud mother today that she goes about telling people that early childhood development has helped Chidi to be achieving in school and the essential skills he has been developing.

The WHO says that in middle-income countries, one in three children are stunted, with their bodies and brains not growing effectively and this holds them back from school and all activities of life. According to A World at School, a group that specializes on early childhood development, “Early childhood, from pregnancy to the start of primary school, is a critical period in a child’s development. About 80 per cent of brain development is completed by the age of three and 90 per cent by five.

“The lack of good nutrition – among other key factors – can impact a child’s ability to learn and affect their chances of fulfilling their potential at school and then at work.”

Checks reveal that the role of nutrition in brain development and a child’s early education is complex. According to the source, “The effects of most nutrient shortages depend on the extent and duration of the shortage, and in many cases, the brain’s need for a particular nutrient changes throughout its development.”

Impact on a child’s future Investigation discloses that intercessions with nutrition in the early age of a child have extensive and dependable future effects on the development and education, because human beings are what they eat. “Effects are seen in all dimensions of school readiness – cognitive, motor and socio-emotional development – but are perhaps greatest for motor development.

“The interventions are highly cost-effective compared with other educational interventions.

They also have a greater impact on the most disadvantaged children and can help to promote equity in educational outcomes,” says The Urban Child Institute.

The UNICEF bemoans that 18 per cent of under-fives weigh too little for their age and seven per cent experiencing acute malnutrition.

The experts say that no matter the chronic food insecurity that most countries in Africa are undergoing, this is not the same as hunger and malnutrition have future ruins.

The Urban Child Institute, adds, “Foodinsecure families are often able to avoid hunger by choosing cheaper, more filling types of food over more costly nutritious foods. For young children, the result is often a diet that provides inadequate nutrients for normal growth and development.”

According to Njoku; “In resource-poor countries, physical and mental disability can be a major barrier to schooling. This can result from iodine or folate deficiency or rubella infectious in utero or from cerebral malaria, polio or meningitis infections postnatally.

“Malaria infection, undernutrition and orphanhood can influence the likelihood and timing of enrollment. School readiness depends on cognitive, motor and socio-emotional development which can be affected by, among other things, undernutrition, iron deficiency anemia and malaria.”

Intermediate reports account that when a child is associated with food insecurity at age 4-5, the child is likely to develop obesity.

“Parents facing a shortage of food may encourage their children to eat cheaper, more energy-dense foods. Families may develop a tendency to overeat during periods when food is plentiful. Nutritional shortages during pregnancy and in the early years of life may promote obesity by causing metabolic changes in how energy is used and stored.

Brain development may also play a role.

Irregular eating patterns can disrupt brain networks involved in energy regulation and hunger signals,” say the reports.

With Chidi’s prodigious skills, his future can be seen to be bright, unlike stunted children, whom professionals say do not do well in school and in life. Chidi enjoyed early nutrition, but many children across Nigeria and by extension Africa, have devastating malnutrition resulting to stunted growth, says UNICEF, hence the introduction of “ready-to-use therapeutic food” as part of its nutrition programme for displaced children population, especially in Somalia.

Well-being and contributions to the society “For Eastern and Southern Africa, stunting, also referred to as chronic malnutrition (low height for age), is of a particular concern with more than 25 million, or 40 per cent of children under five years of age suffering from it,” the source says.

Nutritionists say that giving children the positive nutrition in their early age also dictates their body mass index. They say that good nutrition to a child secures emotional attachment between the child and his or her parents and to a wider society. The highlight of this is that good nutrition, according to experts, enables a child to develop regulator circuits in the brain and gives the child a sense of resilience. They add that hundreds of thousands of children aged 6-59 months in developing countries lack Vitamin A and are facing blindness or partial blindness each year; hence many organisations have initiated programmes for Vitamin A supplementation in slightest developed countries.

Vernon Smith, Nobel laureate economist, says, “One of the most compelling investments is to get nutrients to the world’s undernourished. The benefit from doing so – in terms of increased health, schooling, and productivity – are tremendous.”

Odimegwu Onwumere is a poet, writer and consultant based in Rivers State. Email: odimegwu@journalist.com

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HEALTH

Reducing Maternal and Infant Mortality in Sokoto, Niger While Nigeria still remains the second largest contributor to under-five mortality and maternal death rates in the world, MTN Foundation, through its Maternal Ward Support Project hopes to change the story. Martins Ifijeh writes One of the most overwhelming misfortunes that have endured throughout history is the death of a woman or child during childbirth, as it comes with a huge burden of grief, pain and heartbreak. Thereby resulting in unwarranted and preventable deaths.

Experiences have shown that the birth process is perhaps one of the most dangerous journeys majority of women are likely to make in their lifetime.

This is especially troubling as statistics revealed that the extent of loss of lives across low and middle income countries occasioned by the issue is still high despite global health interventions.

According to a 2015 report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 830 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth everyday and a high percentage of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries, including Nigeria.

And even more specific representation is provided

by UNICEF, which reports that: “Every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 children under five and 143 women of childbearing age, making it the country with the second largest contributor to under–five mortality and maternal death rate in the world. Also, for every 10 minutes, one woman dies on account of pregnancy or childbirth in Nigeria.”

Additionally, death of newborn babies in Nigeria is said to represent a quarter of the total number of deaths of children under five years.

The majority of these deaths reportedly occur within the first week of life, mainly due to complications during pregnancy and delivery reflecting the intimate link between newborn survival and the quality of maternal care. Since the lack of access to quality healthcare and the apathy by women to patronise existing facilities have been fingered as an underlying causal effect of the high indices of maternal and child deaths, the MTN Foundation, in a bid to changing the narrative and reducing maternal and child deaths in the country is equipping and renovating maternal wards of hospitals across the country with the commencement of its first phase in six beneficiary states, including Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, Abia, Cross River and Oyo. According to the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, MTN Foundation, Nonny Ugboma, a total of 24 selected hospitals in these states will benefit under this first phase of the MTNF Maternal Ward Support Project, with some states already benefitting from the gesture by the Foundation.

For instance, in Sokoto

State, the General Hospital, Shargari, General Hospital, Gwadabawa and General Hospital, Tabuwal has taken ownership of the maternal wards equipped and renovated by the MTN Foundation Maternal Ward Support Project.

According to Ugboma, the hospitals were equipped with ultra-modern executive beds, incubators, and other facilities, and were renovated to create a beautiful ambiance.

“The modernised wards would contribute significantly to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality rate in the state and the nation as a whole,” adding that the initiative was to complement government’s national objective of reducing maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria.

“Each of the newly inaugurated wards is equipped with 20 hospital beds with cardiac rest, 20 standard hospital mattresses, 20 standard hospital bed pillows, 10 four-way foldable ward screens, 20 metal bedside cupboards, 20 visitors’ chairs, 10 drip stands, 20 hydraulic over-bed tables, 10 height adjustable baby cots and 2 Carl Novel baby incubators,” she said, adding that every beneficiary state and hospitals will benefit same, as this would greatly aid the job of health workers, as well as motivate pregnant women to access healthcare.

Speaking during the delivery of the maternal wards in General Hospital, Shagari, the Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said the gesture has brought healthcare closer to the people, as residents of Shagari Local Government Area will not have reasons to travel as far as Sokoto capital to access healthcare.

The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale Shuni, said: “This is a testimony of Sokoto State being a magnet for international devoted partners and other progressive partner.”

He further stated that this was a tip of the iceberg of what the Governor has in mind for the people.

“We thank MTN Foundation for being a great friend of the state and for bringing a world class international standard maternal ward to the grass root local government,” he added.

Lending her voice, a midwife nurse in the General Hospital, Shagari, Muhibat Abdulkadir, said pregnant women in the state, especially the uneducated ones, before now, hardly visit the hospital during labour period because they believe giving birth is something natural that should not require visiting the hospital.

“But since the past few weeks that this development took place in the hospital, the number of pregnant women

Commissioner for Health, Sokoto State, Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale Shuni and District Head of Bodinga, Mohammadu Bello Abdul-rauf, inspecting some of the facilities donated by MTN Foundation in Sokoto State ...recently

that visit for treatment and counseling has extensively increased daily.

Also, Niger State Government has taken ownership of equipped and renovated maternal wards in General Hospital, Lapai, General Hospital, Suleja, General Hospital, Mokwa and General Hospital, New Bussa.

Speaking during the inauguration of the project in the state, Director, MTN

Foundation, Alhaji Muhammadu Danlami, said in order to reduce maternal and child deaths in the country, strategic and specific steps must be taken, adding that, this was the Foundation’s step in reducing the incidence of the scourge in the country.

“The high mortality rate doesn’t have to remain this way. We all have a part to play in changing the story from negative to positive. This is

our way of trying to change that story. Indeed, we believe that this partnership with the progressive government of His Excellency, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, is a step in the right direction and will also make a lasting positive impact on the overall health indicators of the country,” he added.

While thanking the state for providing critical government support required to successfully execute the

project, as well as JNC International for prompt delivery of equipments, he said MTN Foundation would continue to invest in the betterment of the lives of Nigerians in areas not limited to health.

He added that MTN Foundation which started over a decade ago, has invested over N18 billion on life-changing projects spread across 550 locations in the 36 states and the FCT.

Experts Call for Control of Mosquitoes in Africa Rebecca Ejifoma With an alarming rate of over one million deaths from mosquito vector disease worldwide, medical experts and epidemiologists in Africa have suggested that total control of the insect in Africa through proper planning is the way out.

This was the drive seen at the just concluded Pan-African Mosquito Control Association third annual conference held in Lagos from September 6 to September 9.

The Director General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Mr. Babatunde Salako, said malaria was causing lots of morbidity and mortality among children especially, alongside other haemorrhagic fevers, adding that there was need to ensure proper control of the vector.

Speaking at a three-day conference on the theme, ‘Control of Mosquito Vectors: Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st century’, Salako said owing to recent concerns of malaria, it was important that new research was conducted.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Director, NIMR, Dr. Sam Awolola, pointed out that the first challenge was not funding, but government realising the importance of research. “It is only when they realise the role research can play in a developing country that they would be able to appropriate funding for it, and make the environment enabling both in human and infrastructural capacity.

“But because of the biological threats that programmes are facing which is the increase in spread of resistance in other

insecticide and the outdoor resting of mosquitoes, new tools are needed. Until these tools become available, we should continue with the current ones and build capacity to use those tools as well,” he said.

In brainstorming on the issue to inform government policy, Awolola said, “We should also be happy to know that we have made lot of progress in disease mortality and morbidity due to malaria from use of the current tools we have, bed nets and indoor residual spray and use of lava source management.”

He continued that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was responsible for certain policies, but implementation has been the issue.

With yellow fever, malaria and the recent spread of zika virus to other countries, the

DG suggested that surveillance should be strong henceforth in Nigeria as efforts to monitor zika virus and ensure the country is protected against the virulent disease.

Forging ahead with plans, former Vector Control Officer, WHO, Dr. Abraham Mnzava, highlighted poor policy implementation at country level and lack of human resource capacity and right infrastructure as major challenges to controlling mosquito vector in the sub region.

He explained that often time, policy recommendations are made by the World Health Organisation, but implementing them at the country level requires the right skills to translate into action most of these policies. “It is one thing to come up with a policy and another to implement.”

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

NERFUND to Prosecute Customers over N17.2bn Bad Loans James Emejo in Abuja

The acting Managing Director, National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND), Dr. Ezekiel Oseni yesterday disclosed plan to engage the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes(EFCC) to recover over N17.2billion nonperforming loans (NPLs), which were advances to customers between 2013 and 2015.

He said about 1, 143 projects, mainly micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) benefitted from its financing within the period but failed to honour their repayment plans.

Oseni gave the hint in Abuja on the sidelines of a meeting with a delegation from the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association(AFRACA), led by its Secretary General, Mr. Saleh Gasua.

Until Oseni’s appointment last month, NERFUND, which was set up to provide needed medium-to long-term financing to Micro, Small and Medium Scale Industrial Enterprises, had been in turmoil as staff protested alleged corruption and mismanagement.

According to insider sources, part of the issues that triggered

the tension in the office is the huge loan portfolio of the bank, which had rendered it incapacitated.

Oseni, however, said the bank had launched an aggressive loan recovery drive, vowing to bring loan defaulters to book.

He said some of the strategies would be to identify and engage the various customers to work out repayment options and sales of assets of those whose projects are on ground but unable to pay back.

The NERFUND acting MD also said as part of the moves to encourage repayment, the bank was ready to grant concession on the loan interest to certain categories of customers.

He, however threatened to drag some of the customers found to have either invested the loan granted to them on projects not listed in their loan applications and those who out rightly diverted the fund to the ICPC and EFCC. He said: “Many of the loans that constitute the N17.2 billion loans have been hanging for more than 10 years. What we are doing presently is to get the customers to repay. We have reached out to some of them.

“This one month that I have resumed, a lot have been coming in to make some payment to

us. I expect the rate of recovery to be higher than what we are experiencing right now. What we are planning to do is to give them a little more time to enable them to respond.

“But for those that think they don’t have obligation to pay, there are a lot of strategies that we are going to embark upon to recover the money. For those whose projects are on ground, but don’t have the means to pay, we will dispose their assets.

“We are going through all the legal processes to enable us sell the assets without violating the legal agreement we signed with them.

Those we also need to take to the law enforcement agencies like ICPC and EFCC to help us to collect the money, especially where we discover that there were diversions, we will also do it.”

On why the DFI had such a huge NPL portfolio, Oseni said NERFUND was not originally set up to engage in direct lending and as such lacked the expertise to do the business.

He said findings had revealed that the ratio of non-performing loans was high because in many instances, no proper appraisals were conducted before some of the loans were granted to customers.

Nigeria’s Debt Rises by N4tn in Six Months Nigeria’s debt burden has increased by nearly N4trillion in the past six months, with potentials of hurting the chances of securing the much-needed foreign loans for implementing 2016 budget.

According to the Debt Management Office (DMO) data on the country’s debt released on Tuesday, Nigeria’s debt profile rose from N12.6 trillion at the end of 2015 to N16.3 trillion as at June 30, 2016.

The country’s total external debt stock, owed by states and the federal government, stood at N3.19 trillion by June 30, while domestic debt incurred by the federal government stood at N10.61 trillion.

Domestic debts taken by state governments stood at

N2.5trillion, as Lagos, Delta, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory top the debtors list.

The rise in debt is not necessarily due to more borrowings, but due to the weakness of the naira against the dollar. In fact, the debt, in dollar terms, has declined from $65.43 billion in 2015 to $61.45 billion in 2016, TheCable reported.

As at the end of 2015, Nigeria’s debt, in dollar terms, stood at 13.02 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). In 2016, however, the debt-to-GDP ratio has risen to 16.83 percent, based on 2015 GDP figures. Considering a contraction of the economy and the change in dollar to naira, Nigeria’s GDP is seen to

have declined dramatically over the past two quarters. While speaking to All Progressives Congress (APC) governors in August, a former Central Bank governor, Charles Soludo, had said Nigeria’s GDP stood at $296 billion.

Going by Soludo’s figures, the new debt-to-GDP ratio stands at 20.7 percent in 2016.

A rising debt profile may not be a problem if the economy produces enough to service existing loans as seen in the US and Japan, where debt often equals GDP. However, the current rise in Nigeria’s debt profile, current recession, and many downgrade in credit ratings may culminate in hurting the country’s chances of securing a foreign loan.

Guinness Nigeria Secures $95m Loan from Diageo Guinness Nigeria said on Wednesday that its parent company, Diageo had given it a $95million term loan to support its dollar needs through foreign currency shortages caused by

the West African country’s floating of the naira.

The company’s Chief finance officer, Ronald Plumridge, told Reuters that Guinness Nigeria’s currency needs were

much bigger than it can source locally and from exports and so Diageo had stepped in with the loan. The loan was priced at three month LIBOR plus 4.75 percent, he said.

‘Ghana Could Be Africa’s Number Four Oil Producer by 2020’ Ghana could become the fourth biggest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020 once two new offshore fields come on stream, to push total output above 240,000 barrels per day (bpd), Ecobank revealed yesterday.

The West African country produces around 103,000 bpd ranking it ninth, far behind leaders Nigeria and Angola, which produce an average of 1.867 million bpd and 1.754 million bpd respectively, an Ecobank research report revealed.

Ghana’s Tweneboa-EnyenraNtomme (TEN) field came on stream in August and is

expected to increase output to a peak of around 80,000 bpd.

The Jubilee field, which started producing oil in 2010 and is operated by British oil company Tullow, could bounce back to production of around 115,000 bpd once it solves technical problems with its production vessel.

At the same time, the Sankofa field operated by Italian company ENI is due to open in August 2017 and should produce around 30,000 bpd, while U.S. independent Kosmos Energy plans to connect the Mahogany-Teak-Akasa (MTA) field to the Jubilee oil

production ship, Reuters cited the report to have disclosed.

“Based on existing fields and field development plans Ghana crude oil output is estimated to be over 240,000 bpd by 2019. This could potentially make Ghana the fourth largest oil producer in Sub Saharan Africa by 2020,” the report said.

Production costs for Ghana’s oil projects, which are all in deep water, mean that the crude remains viable if global prices fall to $40 per barrel, allowing it to remain attractive to investors in the event of price fluctuations, it said.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JUNE 2016 Broad Money (M2)

21,684,965.22

-- Narrow Money (M1)

9,125,933.16

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,379,187.93

---- Demand Deposits

7,746,745.22

-- Quasi Money

12,559,032.07

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,105,663.47

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

14,579,301.76

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

24,318,143.03

---- Credit to Government (Net)

2,893,190.01

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

2,893,190.01

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-2,111,487.25

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

21,424,953.01

--Other Assets Net

-9,738,841.27

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,370,199.87

--Currency in Circulation

1,684,725.89

--Banks Reserves

3,685,473.98 • Source - CBN

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Price (N) Stanbic Balanced Fund

Buying Price(N)

Selling Price

1,660.29

1,685.29

Stanbic IBTC NEF

1,000.00

11,002.32

11,326.67.11

Stanbic SIBond

20

120.47

120.47

Stanbic IBTC Ethical

1

1.10

1.13

Stanbic IBTC GIF

142.90

143.38

UBA Balanced Fund

1.2563

1.2493

UBA Bond Fund

1.3443

1.3443

UBA Equity Fund

0.8205

0.8074

UBA Money Market Fund

1.1510

1.1510

ARM Aggressive Growth Fund

N13.0544

N13.4480

ARM Discovery Fund

N288.2515

N296.9425

ARM Ethical Fund

N22.5268

N23.2060

ARM Money Market Fund

13.1030 (Yield % ) • Monetary Policy Rate - 14%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT TUESDAY 20,SEDPTEMBER

2016

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $41.55 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $42.09 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Rabi Light (Gabon), Minas (Indonesia), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

47

T H I S D AY • thurSDAY, September 22, 2016

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

21-Sep-16

20-Sep-16

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

01 Dangote Cement Plc

183.00

183.00

0.00%

3,118,412,855,115.00

9.56

18.41

5.54

4.54%

4.41

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

142.04

143.35

-0.91%

1,126,249,490,131.52

4.50

32.25

3.84

2.48%

7.06

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

26.77

27.00

-0.85%

787,872,667,826.48

4.20

6.44

2.22

6.54%

1.76

825.01

825.00

0.00%

653,949,334,462.52

19.41

42.56

3.95

3.51%

18.61

05 Zenith Bank Plc

15.00

14.60

2.74%

470,947,406,790.00

3.10

4.68

1.09

12.41%

0.73

06 Lafarge Africa Plc

56.01

56.15

-0.25%

255,120,050,378.10

-6.71

-8.35

1.15

5.36%

1.82

07 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

11.50

11.50

0.00%

211,019,838,972.50

0.23

50.05

0.39

5.39%

0.35

08 Forte Oil Plc.

155.35

155.35

0.00%

202,340,439,351.05

4.22

38.15

1.42

2.14%

4.89

09 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd

326.00

326.00

0.00%

180,379,162,038.00 -14.43

-22.59

1.93

4.88%

0.48

10 Presco Plc

45.00

45.00

0.00%

178,671,467,025.00

0.54

83.90

2.57

2.89%

4.37

11 Unilever Nigeria Plc

45.52

45.50

0.04%

172,215,645,300.00

0.46

99.48

2.86

0.11%

19.54

12 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

16.50

16.05

2.80%

165,000,000,000.00

2.04

7.61

1.31

0.65%

1.38

13 Access Bank Plc

5.57

5.58

-0.18%

161,128,801,984.67

2.56

2.17

0.47

9.89%

0.38

14 United Bank for Africa Plc

4.31

4.30

0.23%

156,364,758,447.82

1.66

2.53

0.48

14.29%

0.37

15 Guinness Nig Plc

93.00

100.00

-7.00%

140,047,601,484.00

3.70

27.05

1.33

0.00%

3.39

16 FBN Holdings Plc

3.09

3.05

1.31%

110,916,454,727.28

0.30

9.68

0.21

5.08%

0.17

17 Total Nigeria Plc

270.00

269.00

0.37%

91,670,895,990.00

31.13

8.03

0.35

5.60%

4.02

18 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc

139.15

139.15

0.00%

89,138,149,011.45

3.75

39.07

1.05

1.50%

3.64

19 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc

6.58

6.58

0.00%

78,960,000,000.00

1.05

6.26

0.66

7.60%

1.33

20 Oando Plc

5.60

5.34

4.87%

67,393,865,806.40

-3.46

-1.47

0.33

14.71%

0.44

19.85

19.85

0.00%

65,390,848,208.00

0.17

114.65

2.64

1.25%

5.34

171.00

171.00

0.00%

61,661,789,802.00

17.69

9.61

0.74

4.24%

3.57

23 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

39.00

39.44

-1.12%

51,480,000,000.00

0.24

162.91

0.50

3.80%

2.32

24 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

19.09

19.09

0.00%

50,096,687,899.83

6.81

2.80

0.13

10.48%

0.50

1.07

1.08

-0.93%

41,431,467,244.75

-0.37

-2.79

0.89

0.00%

0.53

26 U A C N Plc

21.00

21.00

0.00%

40,338,152,127.00

2.44

8.61

0.56

4.76%

0.55

27 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

36.00

36.00

0.00%

34,340,760,000.00

4.60

7.83

2.79

0.28%

2.21

1.01

1.02

-0.98%

29,078,322,307.26

0.31

3.27

0.28

8.91%

0.35

29 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

14.75

14.20

3.87%

27,703,480,090.00

0.83

16.71

0.94

9.42%

2.08

30 Diamond Bank Plc

1.16

1.12

3.57%

26,866,051,202.88

0.11

10.42

0.13

0.00%

0.12

31 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.89

0.89

0.00%

25,776,701,265.88

0.39

2.28

0.18

17.98%

0.14

32 Wema Bank Plc

0.65

0.62

4.84%

25,073,402,952.65

0.06

9.99

0.49

0.00%

0.52

33 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

4.00

3.95

1.27%

23,527,456,780.00

0.76

5.19

0.69

3.55%

0.83

34 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

19.60

19.60

0.00%

23,439,179,164.80

-2.54

-7.72

0.80

1.53%

2.57

35 Cap Plc

33.00

33.00

0.00%

23,100,000,000.00

2.36

13.99

3.33

3.48%

15.82

36 Mansard Insurance Plc

2.04

2.04

0.00%

21,420,000,000.00

0.27

7.55

1.12

2.44%

1.02

37 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

8.00

8.00

0.00%

21,195,507,024.00

0.89

9.26

1.20

6.71%

3.15

38 FCMB Group Plc

1.00

1.00

0.00%

19,802,710,781.00

0.61

1.63

0.12

10.00%

0.11

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

18.97

18.07

4.98%

18,970,000,000.00

4.14

4.71

1.47

0.51%

0.58

40 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.41

1.41

0.00%

11,181,578,697.78

-0.40

-3.49

0.23

11.35%

0.68

41 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.01

0.99

2.02%

10,476,471,755.12

0.33

2.95

0.49

12.37%

0.52

42 Unity Bank Plc

0.76

0.76

0.00%

8,883,896,835.92

0.54

1.29

0.13

0.00%

0.10

43 Skye Bank Plc

0.63

0.65

-3.08%

8,744,589,888.30

-2.93

-0.21

0.05

47.62%

0.08

44 Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc

6.00

6.00

0.00%

7,540,066,596.00

0.44

13.54

0.68

1.67%

0.70

45 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,691,369,126.00

0.11

4.62

0.88

6.00%

0.43

46 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

3.40

3.40

0.00%

5,843,749,983.00

-0.05

-65.21

1.73

20.59%

0.16

47 Resort Savings & Loans Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

5,664,866,202.00

4.68

0.11

0.02

0.00%

1.89

48 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

3.48

3.48

0.00%

5,652,281,250.00

0.15

20.62

0.64

6.29%

0.83

49 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.59

0.59

0.00%

4,088,820,643.20

0.26

2.38

0.13

8.06%

0.45

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

1.52

1.52

0.00%

2,280,000,000.00

0.31

5.25

0.36

3.11%

0.38

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc

21 International Breweries Plc 22 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

25 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc

28 Sterling Bank Plc

TOTAL

9,125,539,092,669.16

TOTAL MARKET CAP

9,691,865,724,919.41

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

94.16%

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion) Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Open 20-Sep-16

Close 21-Sep-16

Change %

28,209.93 9.69

28,214.57 9.69

0.02% 0.02%

117.24 9.13

117.20 9.13

-0.04% -0.04%

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers Stock

Open Close Change % 20-Sep-16 21-Sep-16

PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc Oando Plc Wema Bank Plc Cadbury Nigeria Plc Diamond Bank Plc

18.07 5.34 0.62 14.20 1.12

18.97 5.60 0.65 14.75 1.16

4.98% 4.87% 4.84% 3.87% 3.57%

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open Close Change % 20-Sep-16 21-Sep-16

Guinness Nig Plc Skye Bank Plc Julius Berger Nig. Plc Sterling Bank Plc Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc

100.00 0.65 39.44 1.02 1.08

93.00 0.63 39.00 1.01 1.07

-7.00% -3.08% -1.12% -0.98% -0.93%

Market stays relatively flat as ASI inches up by 0.02% Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today – Wednesday, September 21st, 2016 ended on a bullish note as the stock market closed green today. This was further highlighted by positive performances from the NSE Sub sectors: Banking, Insurance and Oil & Gas (Save Consumer Goods). Trading activities increased in volume as 3.09 billion shares worth N6.24 billion in 2,815 deals exchanged hands today. This is an increase from the 231.46 million shares worth N2.48 billion in 3,452 deals which exchanged on Tuesday.

Topping in volume terms was GNI Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc while GNI Plc and Zenith Bank Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed positive with a 0.02% (+4.64) increase to close at 28,214.57 from 28,209.93 the previous trading day. Market Capitalization appreciated in tandem to N9.69 trillion from N9.69 trillion of prior trading day. However, the Thisday BGL 50 Index decreased by 0.04% to close at 117.20 from 117.20 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at N9.13 trillion from N9.13 trillion of the previous trading day.

A total number of 22 stocks gained on the bourse today while 13 stocks declined, 65 leaving stocks unchanged. PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc emerged as the day’s toast of investors as it topped the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list with a gain of 4.98% to close at N18.97 per share. It was followed by Oando Plc with a gain of 4.87% to close at N3.48 per share. Others on the gainers list include: Wema Bank Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc and Diamond Bank Plc, while on the decliners’ list; Guinness Nigeria Plc led with a loss of 7.00% to close at N93.00 per share. It was followed by Skye Bank Plc with a loss of 3.08% to close at N0.63 per share. Others on the decliners list include: Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Sterling Bank Plc and Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc.

REQUIRED DISCLOSURE This report has been prepared by BGL Plc. BGL Plc does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, the firm may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should use this report as one of many other factors in making their investment decisions.

For more details go to www.thisdaylive.com

48

T H I S D AY •TTHURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

MARKET NEWS

Conoil Gains 97% as Investors Increase Demand on Impressive Results An unprecedented increased demand for the shares of Conoil Plc has lifted the shares of company by 97 per cent following the impressive 2015 full year and 2016 half year results. Despite the economic headwinds that led to poor results by some companies, Conoil Plc posted a performance that beat market expectations.

In reaction to the impressive results, investors have raised their

demand for the equity at the stock market, a development that has lifted the stock by a record 97 per cent within seven trading days.

The stock, which was N21.59 before the full year results were released on September 9, soared to close at N42.60 per share yesterday. Conoil Plc has led the price gainers’ table consistently since the announcement of the results.

“I am not surprised at the way the stock is rising given the better-than-expected performance despite the challenging operating environment. But I think profit taking may set in soon as some investors may want to lock part of the gains recorded by the stock,” a stockbroker, Mr. Ayo Oguntayo said.

Conoil Plc posted a profit before tax of N3.448 billion for the year ended December

31, 2015, up by 125 per cent fromN1.532 billion in 2014. The petroleum products marketing firm rode on the back of cost containment strategy to record a higher growth in profit after tax to N2.307 billion, which is 176 per cent above the N834 million in 2014. As a result of the improved results, Conoil Plc proposed a dividend of N2.08 billion, translating to 300 kobo per share compared with the

100 kobo paid in 2014.

The company followed the full year performance with similarly impressive results for the half year ended June 30, 2016. Conoil Plc grew its profit before tax by 196 per cent to N1.566 billion, from N548 million in 2015, while profit after tax rose by 190 per cent to N1.04 billion. . “The result shows that we out-performed our previous

year both in the top-line and should exceed our bottom-line performance at the current runrate. The impressive performance followed the company’s innovative means of manufacturing and distributing products, huge financial investments in developing high-performance products and in the provision of services that matched and surpassed international standards,” the company said.

DAILY STOCK MARKET REPORT T H E

N I G E R I A N

STO C K

E XC H A N G E

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

49

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

32 American Universities to Participate in 2016 College Fair Zacheaus Somorin Prospective undergraduate students interested in studying in the United States will have an opportunity to explore their options at the Annual College and Career Fair being organised by the United States Consulate General Lagos. The Fair, in its 17th year, will be held in Lagos on Monday, September 26, 2016, at Chrisland High School, Ikeja and on Tuesday, September 27, 2016, at the MUSON Center, Onikan.

Representatives of thirty two (32) American universities will

provide participating students, their parents and guardians, with accurate, comprehensive, and timely information about higher education opportunities in the United States.

“At its core, the role of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria is to facilitate and build connections between the United States and Nigeria. One of the best ways these connections are built and mutual understanding is fostered is through education exchange.

For us, that is what this College and Career fair is about. “We are happy to provide Nigerian students who wish to study in the United

States a unique opportunity to learn about the diversity of the programs offered at various U.S. educational institutions,” said Public Affairs Officer Darcy Zotter.

The College and Career Fair, arranged by the EducationUSA Advising Center at the U.S.

Consulate General Lagos, is open to all persons interested in undergraduate studies in the United States. Students with WAEC results and a minimum of five credits are encouraged to attend.

Over the last decade, the

College and Career Fairs have contributed to a large increase in successful, qualified Nigerian applicants to U.S. institutions.

EducationUSA Advising Centre promotes U.S. education by providing students and parents in Nigeria with accurate

information and counsel for study in U.S. universities and colleges. Some of the services provided include guidance on the U.S. college application process, standardized testing, student visa requirements, and pre-departure orientation.

Fighting Buries Hopes for Syrian Truce Syrian rebels and pro-government forces battled each other on major frontlines near Aleppo and Hama, and air strikes reportedly killed a dozen people including four medical workers, as a ceasefire appeared to have completely unraveled.

The renewed battles demonstrated the thin prospects for reviving a truce that collapsed into fresh fighting and bombardments on Monday, including an attack on an aid convoy which U.S. officials believe was carried out by Russian jets. Moscow denies involvement.

The U.N. Security Council was due to hold a high-level meeting on Syria later yesterday. Despite accusing Moscow of being behind the bombing of the aid convoy, the United States says the ceasefire agreement it sponsored jointly with Russia is “not dead”.

But the deal, probably the final hope of reaching a settlement on Syria before the administration of President Barack Obama leaves office, is following the path of all previous peace efforts in Syria: still being touted by diplomats long after the warring parties appeared to have abandoned it.

Overnight fighting was focused in areas that control access to Aleppo city, where the rebel-held east has been encircled by government forces, aided by Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, for all but a few weeks since July.

Syrian state media and a TV station controlled by its Lebanese ally Hezbollah said the army had recaptured a fertilizer factory in the Ramousah area to the southwest of the city. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring body, confirmed the advance and said government forces had pressed forward near an apartment complex nearby.

A rebel fighter in the Aleppo area said warplanes had been bombing all night in preparation for an attack. But “the regime’s attempts to advance failed,” said the rebel, speaking to Reuters from the Aleppo area via the internet.

A Syrian military source said insurgent groups were mobilizing to the south and west of Aleppo, and in the northern Hama area.

“We will certainly target all these gatherings and mobilizations they are conducting.”

The army reported carrying

out air strikes on seven areas near Aleppo. The Observatory said an air strike killed four medical workers and at least nine rebel fighters in the insurgent-held town of Khan Touman south of Aleppo, saying the rebels were part of the Islamist alliance Jaish al-Fatah.

The medical staff killed were working for the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM), it said. UOSSM confirmed in a statement that at least four of its staff had been killed. Syrian government forces also launched a major advance in Hama province in the West of the country.

“It is a very intense attack, for which Russian jets paved the way, but it was repelled by the brothers, praise God,” Abu al-Baraa al-Hamawi, a rebel commander fighting as part of the Islamist Jaish al-Fatah alliance, told Reuters.

He said rebels had destroyed four tanks and inflicted heavy losses on government troops.

Syrian state TV said government forces had killed a number of insurgents and destroyed their vehicles. Rebel sources also reported an attempt by progovernment forces to advance in the Handarat area to the north of Aleppo, saying this too had been repelled. Pro-government media made no mention of that attack.

The Observatory reported that a Syrian jet had crashed near Damascus, saying the cause of the crash and fate of the pilot were unknown. Islamic State said it had been shot down. The truce brokered by the United States and Russia took effect on Sept. 12 as part of a deal meant to facilitate aid access to besieged areas.

Foreign ministers of 20 countries including the United States and Russia met to discuss it on Tuesday and gave the agreement their support. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said after the meeting: “The ceasefire is not dead”.

In the pact, the details of which remain secret, Washington and Moscow, which back opposing sides in the war between President Bashar al-Assad’s government and insurgents, agreed to jointly target jihadists that are their common enemy.

But such unprecedented cooperation, at a time when

TRUMP GOES TO CHURCH

Members of the clergy lay hands and pray over Donald Trump at the New Spirit Revival Center in Cleveland Heights, Ohio…yesterday

US: Bombing Suspect Could Face Hearing in Hospital Bed A lawyer for an Afghan-born U.S. citizen charged with bombings in New York and New Jersey over the weekend asked a federal judge to schedule his first court appearance, possibly in his hospital bed.

Ahmad Khan Rahami was arrested on Monday after a gunfight with police in Linden, New Jersey. He is now receiving treatment for his wounds at a Newark hospital, where he could formally face his charges if he cannot travel to the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, his lawyer said.

“He has been held and questioned by federal law enforcement agents since his arrest,” David Patton, head of the New York city federal public defenders office said in a court filing. “The Sixth Amendment requires that he be given access to counsel on the federal charges, and that he be presented without delay.”

Patton also asked to meet with Rahami, 28, on Wednesday. Police

also say they have not yet been able to interview Rahami. Federal prosecutors said Rahami injured 31 people in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood with a homemade bomb on Saturday night in a case that investigators now regard as terrorism.

He is also charged with planting bombs that went off in Seaside Park, New Jersey, and his hometown of Elizabeth, New Jersey, but did not injure anyone. He faces charges from federal prosecutors in both states.

“Inshallah (God willing), the sounds of bombs will be heard in the streets,” Rahami, who came to the United States at age 7, wrote in a journal he was carrying when arrested. “Gun shots to your police. Death to your oppression.”

The journal also praised slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, prosecutors said. The attacks were the latest in a series in the United States inspired by militant groups including al Qaeda and

Islamic State. A pair of ethnic Chechen brothers killed three people and injured more than 260 at the 2013 Boston Marathon with homemade pressure-cooker bombs similar to those used in this weekend’s attacks.

In the past year, an Orlando gunman and a married couple in San Bernardino killed dozens in mass shootings inspired by Islamic State.

Federal investigators were probing Rahami’s history of travel to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and looking for any evidence that he may have been radicalized or trained in bomb-making on those trips.

They still are trying to find out whether he received any help in planning his attack or building the bombs.

His father, Mohammad Rahami, told reporters outside his family’s chicken restaurant on Tuesday that he had called the Federal Bureau of Investigation about two years ago to report

concerns about his son’s involvement with militants.

The FBI confirmed that it had looked into the younger Rahami after what it called a “domestic dispute” but found no evidence tying him to terrorism. The charging documents lay out a wide swath of evidence pointing to Rahami as the bomber.

Surveillance video places him in the area, and his fingerprints were on unexploded devices including a pressure-cooker bomb found blocks away from the blast.

If Rahami’s first court appearance occurs in the hospital bed, he would not be the first U.S. terrorism suspect to be charged in such a venue. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was convicted last year for his role in the Boston Marathon attacks and sentenced to death, also first faced charges in his hospital bed while he was still recovering from injuries sustained in a gunfight with police.

German Police Arrest Syrian Migrant with IS Links German police said yesterday that initial investigations into a 16-year-old Syrian arrested at a refugee hostel near Cologne showed that the suspect had contact with someone who had links to the Islamic State militant group. It was unclear whether the teenager, who police said appeared to have been radicalized

recently, was planning any sort of attack.

On Tuesday, police in Cologne had said an initial assessment had pointed to a “serious threat” but gave no further details. “An evaluation of the young man’s mobile phone proves contacts to a person living abroad who has IS links and who wanted to

win over the young Syrian for Islamist activities,” said the police in a statement on Wednesday.

Germany is on high alert after militant attacks in France and Belgium this year that have killed dozens of people and Germans are especially fearful about security risks after last

year ’s influx of about 1 million migrants.

In July, Islamic State claimed responsibility for two attacks in Bavaria. Police arrested three Syrian members of Islamic State this month, brought into Germany by the same network that smuggled militants into France to carry out deadly attacks last November.

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

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Abuja Pension Summit: DG PenCom Excited by Prospects for Nigeria Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja The Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, has said the World Pension Summit Africa Special taking place in Abuja next week will deepen the discussion to ensure that pension funds are invested in the real sector for visible and measurable impact on the economy, while booting retirement benefits.

The DG said she is excited by the opportunities that the world summit would presents solutions to some of Africa’s most pressing pension investment challenges.

Global experts on pension

innovation, leaders of thought and key practitioners are expected in Abuja between September 27 and 28 to brainstorm on key elements of developing and structuring a sustainable pension system for Nigeria and other African nations.

With the theme: ‘Pension Innovations: The African Perspective’, the summit, as designed by the PenCom in partnership with the Pension and Investments/World Pension Summit, Amsterdam, will focus on innovations in the pension industry in Nigeria and Africa in general.

The World Pension Summit Africa Special is the platform to exchange knowhow, support

Dialogue Team: How We Secured Ceasefire with Niger Militants The Niger Delta Dialogue Contact Group (NDDCG), headed by King Alfred Diete-Spiff has said it will consolidate on the achievements made from meetings held with stakeholders.

A member of the group, Nkoyo Toyo, disclosed this at a press briefing at the end of its third working meeting in Port Harcourt.

She said the meeting reviewed the general security challenges in the Niger Delta and afforded participants opportunity to make valuable contributions on strategies toward attaining sustainable peace and development in the region.

Toyo, who said that the NDDCG had been able to host its working meetings in Akwa Ibom and Delta, added that the group was reaching out to other stakeholders for joint collaboration and partnership.

According to her, the activities of NDDCG have greatly contributed to creating a broad platform for effective engagement with government and other stakeholders on peace building in the Niger Delta.

“We have recorded active engagement with government, including meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs.

“We reached out to Pan Niger Delta Group (PNDG) led by Chief Edwin Clark, we sincerely

commend them for their decision to partner and have close interaction with us.

“NDDCG also had active engagement with all aggrieved groups in the region and ensured team work with all other relevant parties leading to the declaration of 60-day ceasefire by Niger Delta Avengers (NDA),” she said.

The NDA, whose violent activities led to a 50 per cent decline in Nigeria’s oil production, declared a unilateral ceasefire and accept conditional dialogue with the federal government.

Toyo, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said her group would consolidate by further strengthening of collaboration and synergy with the PNDG and work to produce a blueprint of fundamental issues for dialogue.

She said the group would work with local and state governments to address security challenges and economic sabotage.

“We will set-up a committee to commence work on the issue of legal frameworks for extractive, environmental matters, including follow-up and replication of the ongoing Ogoni clean-up in other parts of the region,” she said Toyo said the group would prefer that the forthcoming Niger Delta Summit be held in the region.

The meeting was attended by prominent traditional rulers and leaders in the Niger Delta region.

Buhari Salutes King Sunny Ade at 70 Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has warmly congratulated music legend, King Sunny Ade, as he turns 70 today.

Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, joined all friends, family and fans of the multi-talented instrumentalist, songwriter and dancer in celebrating his remarkable life, which had been graced with numerous awards for outstanding performances, including nominations for the Grammy.

“As a Nigerian musician, the president believes the

Septuagenarian has over the years brought pride to his country by mastering his art against all odds, taking the African musical genre to the global stage, and serving as an inspiration and a mentor to upcoming artistes,” the statement added.

Apart from bringing joy to many hearts and homes through his music, Buhari also commended King Sunny Ade’s love for humanity, especially the less privileged, by setting up a foundation that caters for the needs of others.

He prayed that the almighty God will grant the versatile entertainer longer life, good health and more strength.

professionals in social security and in all aspects of pensions to gain the expertise. It is also about taking the pragmatic essential steps to professionalise pensions and make them ‘future proof’.

Anohu-Amazu said the summit which is well-packaged to attract professionals around the world is aimed at exchanging expertise between all pension professionals in Africa to stimulate pension market developments and innovation.

In particular, she said this year’s edition of the summit would focus on key areas and experiences on relevant topics and developments such as ‘pension innovations; the dynamics of pension investment (ALM, new asset classes, infrastructure investments); ESG for pension funds and impact investing; financial inclusion covering financial literacy, micro

pensions and social security; the impact of new technology on communication; actuarial valuation and their impact on benefits, policy and governance.

In order to stimulate and encourage African scheme owners and funds to work on professionalising retirement practice in Africa, the summit has also planned to host the second edition of the Africa Pension Awards. ‘’The awards ceremony is an integral part of the summit. It is the ultimate reward for excellence, and a huge stimulus to ensure that Africa’s pensions industry remains innovative’’, the organisers said.

The inaugural awards in 2015 saw RBA Kenya, NAMFISA Namibia and PenCom Nigeria being honoured for their various roles in the development of the sector on the continent. And the

2016 awards is also aimed at recognising innovations in risk management and communication strategy for improved customer service delivery, socio-economic impact of contributory pension systems, extension of contributory pension coverage and best corporate governance practices.

The summit, according the organisers, will attract many key speakers including Chris Battaglia, the CEO WorldPensionSummit and Vice President/Group publisher of Pensions and Investments (P&I). Battaglia is of Pensions and Investments (P&I)-the preeminent international newspaper of money management, and business insurance.

Mr. Harry Smorenberg, Founder, World Pension Summit will also present a paper at the summit.

He previously worked at Banque

Paribas and ABN AMRO and was a director at two leading strategic consultants. He is a financial services marketing and positioning strategist.

Another speaker is Mr. Eric Eggink, the CEO of Eggink Van Manen/ Co-founder World Pension Summit. He started his career as a television Producer at AVRO TV and hosted a weekly radio programme about studied Dutch literature and Communications Management literature.

The DG of Pencom will also share her versed experience in the management of pension with the global audience at the summit.

She served on the Pension Reform Committee set up by former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, whose work led to the enactment of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2004.

APOSTLE OF PEACE

L-R: President/CEO, APUDI Institute for Peace and Social Rehabilitation, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd); President, Global Association of Christian and MuslimYouthforPeaceDevelopment, YusufIbrahim;andformerDeputyGovernorofPlateauState,Mrs.PaulineTallen,atatwo-dayGlobalYouthSummit onPeaceinAbuja.....yesterday ,EnockReuben

IPOB-MASSOB Coalition Voids Planned Sit-at-home Protest

Not true, protest will hold, says IPOB Anglican bishops flee Anambra over threat

Charles Onyekamuo inAwka and David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka A coalition of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has called off the proposed sit-at-home protest declared by the IPOB last week.

The sit-at-home protest was supposed to be a propeller for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Radio Biafra, who has been in prison.

But speaking through Messrs Okanu Muoneme and Basil Okwuzi, who are respectively the Coordinator and Secretary of the coalition in statement signed by them, the coalition stated that it is voiding the protest to avert “avoidable deaths.”

The group said it would no longer allow the death of members for avoidable reasons.

The coalition, however, reiterated the call for the immediate and

unconditional release of Kanu in obedience to various court judgments on the matter.

It also urged the federal government to address the infrastructural decay in the South-east and South-south geopolitical zones, especially the federal roads which it said are in terrible conditions. “We the IPOB and MASSOB (home) hereby dissociate ourselves from the directives of Radio Biafra broadcasting from oversea that people should stay indoors on September 23 in solidarity for the release of Kanu.

“We plead that President Muhammadu Buhari effect the release of Kanu immediately without condition and that all previous court judgments which ordered his release be obeyed without further delay.

“We urge the people and every believer of the Biafran struggle to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation,’’ it stated.

The coalition frowned at the activities of the operators of

Radio Biafra whom they said were enjoying themselves outside the country while some of their members at home are either dead or languishing in prisons.

In a separate statement, however, the IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, who claims to be speaking for the authentic IPOB led by Kanu, dismissed the purported IPOB/ MASSOB coalition. Powerful said the proposed sit-at-home protest would hold, and that no contrary arrangement has made.

Meanwhile, following the fear that the sit-at-home threat on Friday by IPOB could degenerate into violence, about 170 Anglican Bishops who converged on Awka, Anambra State on Monday for a five-day Standing Committee meeting of the Anglican Communion of Nigeria yesterday cut short their meeting ending it abruptly.

The conference was scheduled to end on Friday, but the bishops decided to end it for fear that they

might be trapped.

The Primate of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicolas Okoh, even expressed this fear earlier in the conference, saying that the meeting may not go on as scheduled.

He nonetheless urged the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to prevail on IPOB members to rethink their Friday protest so that the bishops’ conference could go on as planned, adding that the sit-at-home protest by the IPOB would hamper their activities.

The primate implored the pro-Biafra agitators to postpone their action until after the end of the bishops’ conference.

The Anglican bishops also appealed to the Niger Delta militants to stop the bombing of oil facilities in their region in the interest of the country, even as they called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a meeting between the government and the agitators with a view to addressing their grievances.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

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Finance Minister, Adeosun Lied on Airport Remodelling, Says PDP Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a swipe at the Minister of Finance, Ms. Kemi Adeosun for denying that Nigeria has paid its own part of the Airport Terminal counterpart funding of $100 million.

The party said contrary to the statement credited to the minister who spoke in a television programme on Tuesday, the federal government under former President Goodluck Jonathan awarded a contract for the remodelling and building of international airport terminals

FG to Review Disbursement of Social Intervention Programme Laleye Dipo in Minna The federal government will soon review the bursary aspect of its Social Intervention Investment Programme, THISDAY has learnt.

According to findings, the need to review arose after it was discovered that the amount to be disbursed every session to would-be beneficiaries was inadequate.

Also, it was learnt that the total number of the beneficiaries was discovered to be grossly short of what could make impact across the country.

The observations were made at a meeting of officials in charge of the empowerment programme from across the country when they met in Abuja last week and they were said to have immediately raised the issue with the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo who is in charge of the programme.

THISDAY gathered that the 100,000 proposed for bursary beneficiaries from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) should be doubled while the N5,000 per beneficiary should be improved upon.

As a result of these observations, the scheme may not take off until the end of the first semester to enable other observations to be corrected so that ‘the scheme will begin on a smooth note.’

In the meantime, the Niger State office of the scheme has taken off with the appointment of Mrs. Afiniki Dauda as the head and focal person and engagement of other staff to man the office.

It was learnt that the committee in charge of the programme in the state would kickstart its activities with the flag-off of the empowerment scheme next week.

Beneficiaries of the programme from the three senatorial zones of the state have been selected ahead of the official flag-off of the scheme by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.

Confirming this to THISDAY in her office, Mrs. Afiniki Dauda who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Empowerment and Social Protection, assured all those concerned that they would receive ‘fair treatment’ from the committee.

Dauda said the committee was already looking into the number of applications received from the state for other aspects of the empowerment scheme, saying “very soon we will come out with details to the public.”

She said the World Bank had assisted the committee by providing the statistics of the “very poor and the vulnerable in the 25 local government areas of the state” but declined to give the details.

“We have a formidable team that will drive this programme in the state,” she said.

$12bn Illegal Oil Exports: Court to Hear FG’s Suit against Chevron, Shell,Total, Others Sept 30 Joseph Ushigiale with agency report

A Federal High Court in Lagos will on September 30, 2016 hear the suit filed by the federal government against Nigerian subsidiaries of United States multinational Chevron, British-Dutch Shell, Italian ENI’s Agip, France’s Total and Brasoil of Brazilian Petrobas.

The government had filed the suit against the oil companies for $12.7 billion of crude oil that was allegedly exported illegally to the US between 2011 and 2014.

Officials familiar with the cases said Nigeria’s government alleged that the companies did not declare more than 57 million barrels of crude oil shipments.

That was deduced from audits of declared exports and what was unloaded in the US. Some shiploads registered less when they left Nigeria and more on reaching the US, while some entire shiploads were undeclared in Nigeria, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the cases

still are in court.

According the Associated Press (AP) Professor of Law, Fabian Ajogwu is representing the Nigerian government in the case.

Nigeria was Africa’s largest oil producer until militant attacks cut production and Angola overtook it in March.

The cases could provoke new anger against oil companies already accused of polluting farmland and fishing grounds.

Local frustration has contributed to an armed movement in the oil-producing Niger Delta, where militants are demanding the multinationals pull out.

The United States was the biggest importer of Nigerian oil until it began exploiting its own shale oil reserves, though Nigerian exports to the US have increased six-fold this year, according to OPEC. Michael Kanko confirmed that his US-based ImportGenius database was used by attorneys to confirm declarations made to US customs by shippers and importers.

in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu on a ‘Built, Operate and Transfer’ (BOT) basis, financed by Chinese EXIM Bank but with counterpart funds from Nigeria.

In a statement issued yesterday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, he described Adesun’s statement as just one of the many lies consistently peddled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) disregarding and denying all the obvious achievements of the 16 years of PDP era and collective successes of Nigerians “Once again, our attention has been drawn to a statement made by the Minister of Finance, Ms. Kemi Adeosun, during the Channels Television Live Programme, ‘Sunrise Daily’ of Tuesday, in which she stated that, ‘Nigeria has not paid the airport terminal counterpart funding of $100 million….’

“This information like many of her previous statements is: false, misleading, malicious and was deliberately made with the

intention of blackmailing previous PDP led administration which have been the hallmark of the APC government.

“We are pained that the APC under Buhari is bent on sacrificing our hard earned democracy on the slab of falsehood by consistently disregarding and denying all the obvious achievements of the 16 years of PDP era and collective successes of Nigerians.

Why is that?

“You will recall that the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, in 2014, awarded the contract of remodelling and building of international airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu on a BOT basis, financed by Chinese EXIM Bank with counterpart funds from Nigeria. The contract total sum was $500 million with counterpart funding of $100 million from Nigeria.

“The fact of the matter is that, Nigeria paid her own sum of $100 million on the

29th of January 2014 through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the beginning of the projects.

“You will also recall that the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Hajiya Binta Bello, corroborated our position during her interview with THISDAY Newspaper on September 14, 2015, where she stated: ‘Finance was not an impediment, and Nigeria government counterpart funding of $100 million has been paid at the commencement of the projects.’

She went further to assert that the projects would be completed and delivered at the first quarter of 2016.

“In the light of the above, the claim by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun is not only standing the truth on its head but depicting the habitual lies and deceit the APC is known for.

“For the record, the previous PDP government entered into an agreement with the Chinese government to construct terminals

in five airports, and in January 2014, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) wrote the Debt Management Office informing them of effecting the Payment of $100Million to the Chinese Firm, CECC which was remitted as directed by the CBN. In another thought, could it be that this needless confusion from the Minister regarding the already Paid Fund is to represent the Voucher again for payment?

“It is however unfortunate that a minister that is expected to know better on this matter would deliberately deceive the public in order to continue scoring cheap political points.

“To this end, we want to further advice the APC-led administration to concentrate on governance and stop deceiving Nigerians with their constant lies. What the people of this country need in this period of harsh economic recession is not meaningless and misguided lamentations from a government of the so called “Change” but good governance demonstrated by at least providing food on their table.

PROUD FATHERS

L-R: Son-in-law to Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, Mr. Lawrence Iyere Ehimen; Chief Orji Uzor Kalu; Mr. Frederick Iyere Iyobebe; and Mrs. Niniola Iyere Iyobebe, at the traditional paying of bride price of Kalu’s daughter, Neya, at Igbere in Abia State....yesterday

BUDGET SCANDAL: HOUSE IN ROWDY SESSION, REFERS ABDULMUMIN TO ETHICS C’TTEE The President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Mr. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, who led the protesters told journalists that they had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute Abdulmumin for maintaining a foreign account.

Ikenga added that the lawmaker violated Section 24 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act which prohibits members of the House from defaming the House any of its committees unjustly, and should therefore be suspended.

Reacting to the decision of the House, Abdulmumin yesterday said he would only appear before

the Ethics Committee if the hearing is made public, and the press, civil society organisations, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the general public are allowed to witness the proceedings.

In a statement, the embattled lawmaker accused Dogara of deploying “legislative tricks and theatrics” to ensure that the motion referring him to the Ethics Committee was passed.

In a separate statement, Abdulmumin disclosed that he has sued two leaders of the NYCN, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere and Ifeanyi Okonkwo, over claims that he operates a foreign account with a balance of 1.5 million pounds.

Ikenga and Okonkwo had circulated a document alleging that the Kano lawmaker has a foreign account with a United Kingdom bank.

Abdulmumin accused them of being Dogara’s hatchet men.

According to the statement, he is seeking an order compelling the defendants to pay N1 billion as damages for defamation and libel, N20 million as cost of the lawsuit, and the publication of detailed retractions in five national dailies.

In another development, Hon. Timothy Golu (Plateau PDP) has said Abdulmumin can avoid suspension if he apologises to the House for the embarrassment he has caused in the last two months and retract his allegations.

Speaking with journalists,

Golu noted that Abdulmumin ought to have reported his grievances to the House, and then go public if he nothing was done to address them.

“If Jibrin shows remorse and apologises to the House, I can assure you that members will forgive him. We are all human beings, but he has to tell Nigerians that all that he said were lies. I advise him to quickly do that,” he said, noting that Abdulmumin would have to abide by the decision of the Ethics Committee.

“The display by most of us today was a natural thing to show our support for Dogara. No single member had any issue with the Speaker. What happened was a disappointment to Jibrin. He only had five members behind him,” Golu said.

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

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Buhari: Nigeria to Join Most Attractive Investment Destinations in the World Meets French, Swiss leaders, seeks their cooperation Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has assured potential investors that Nigeria will soon be one of the most attractive places to invest as his administration has embarked on significant economic reforms to realise that goal.

A statement issued yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Buhari gave the assurance to a large gathering of political and business leaders from the United States, Africa and other regions of the world at the Second United States-Africa Business Forum in New York, yesterday.

The forum was organised by the United States Department of Commerce and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The Nigerian leader said the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would soon come out with wide-ranging business environment reforms on ports, visa-on arrival, improving the speed and efficiency of land titling and business registration.

Some fiscal incentives, he noted, included up to fiveyears tax holiday for activities classified as “pioneer;” tax-free operations; no restrictions on expatriate quotas in Free Trade Zones; and a low VAT regime of five per cent.

“We intend to make Nigeria one of the most attractive places to do business,” he declared, even as he noted that Nigeria remained the number one investment destination in Africa.

Buhari added that his administration would continue to

strengthen government institutions in order to address the concerns of investors and ease investments in the Nigerian economy.

“We are weaning ourselves from a historical dependence on crude oil, diversifying our economy, and putting it on the path of sustainable and inclusive growth. To this end, we have embarked on policies aimed at establishing an open, rules-based and market-oriented economy. We will continue to actively engage with the private sector at the highest levels to listen to your concerns and assure you of our commitment to creating enabling policies in which your businesses can survive and thrive,” Buhari said.

He urged participants to “take advantage of this forum to establish and strengthen business relationships, share valuable experience and collaborate for mutual benefits.”

Buhari stated that enormous potential existed for foreign investment and for the local economy.

He listed the following as sectors that investors could take advantage of: Nigeria’s 180-million population and abundance of labour; arable land; forest waters; oil and gas; solid minerals; livestock and huge tourist potential.

According to him, these are no doubt challenging times for the Nigerian economy.

He added: “But let me use this opportunity to boldly affirm our conviction that there is no crisis without an accompanying opportunity. In our case, we see Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges – occasioned mainly

Canadian Prime Minister, Tinubu, McGregor Pledge to Support SDGs On the opening day of the United Nations Global Assembly, the Private Sector Summit kicked off with a focus on the role of business in advancing sustainable development to prevent global instability.

Speaking at the forum with the theme: ‘Securing the Way Forward,’ the Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu, emphasised that education, innovation, and good governance are key facets to sustainable long term socioeconomic growth.

“Education remains the most powerful empowerment tool within a community. Through our Foundation we are addressing the issues of access and improving the quality of teaching and learning outcomes in primary schools, with a focus on the girl child.

This has led to infrastructure projects primed to impact over 75,000 children nationwide, scholarship programmes aimed at enhancing over 9,700 lives, ICT centres geared towards over 170,000 direct beneficiaries, and teacher training programmes designed to support the lives of over 1.2 million pupils. In line with the SDGs these efforts have addressed goals of quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation and partnerships. However we have much more to do, our hope is

that alongside the Government and partners we will create a sustainable and equitable educational system to ensure the empowerment of every child.”

Other speakers included the CEO of IKEA Switzerland, Simona Scarpaleggia; President and CEO, Save the Children, Carolyn Miles; SDG Advocate, Richard Curtis; Screen Writer, Producer and Film Director; Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA; and Kaan Terzioglu, CEO Turkcell.

Tinubu is part of a high profile list of attendees from the Nigerian public and private sectors including President Muhammadu Buhari, First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari; Aliko Dangote, President and CEO, Dangote Group; and Jim Ovia, Zenith Bank Chairman.

“Increased indigenous participation in varying projects across sectors is accompanied by greater accountability by all of us to ensure Africa fulfills its enormous potential. My commitment to help fulfil the SDGs is unwavering.

Tinubu also addressed African corporates’ dedication towards effectiveness, accountability and transparency—key SDG pillars for building a responsible organization focused on good corporate governance.

by the fall in oil prices – as an opportunity to set the economy firmly on the path of true diversification, sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity.”

The president said the reform measures taken by his administration since inception in 2015 had started yielding good fruits especially in the areas of security, anti-corruption and revamping the economy.

He said the priority investment sectors for his administration were improving infrastructure, industrial productivity, agriculture, mining and digital economy where “young Nigerians are increasingly demonstrating that they have the talent and the passion to leverage.”

On US Nigeria business relations, he announced the commencement of the US-Nigeria Commercial and Investment Dialogue with a focus

on the infrastructure, agriculture, digital economy, investment and regulatory reform to be jointly led by the Nigerian Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and his US counterpart.

Buhari said after this business forum, he looked forward to increased trade and investment flows between Nigeria and the US. Meanwhile, Buhari has applauded the long history of economic relationship between Nigeria and France on the one hand, and Nigeria and Switzerland on the other.

At separate bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ongoing 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States of America, the president welcomed more investment and economic partnerships, saying Nigeria was a fertile ground for

handsome return on investments.

“Apart from your country’s close relationship with us, you have the same with most of our neighbours,” Buhari told Francois Hollande of France even as he asked for more collaboration, particularly in agriculture, mining and security.

The president told his French counterpart of the Presidential Committee on the North-east, which he described as a one-stop mechanism on development partnership for a zone that had been ravaged for many years by Boko Haram insurgents, and which needed urgent rebuilding.

Responding, President Hollande pledged that France would not only fully engage with Nigeria on different fronts, but would also provide humanitarian assistance in the North-east.

“We will invest in Nigeria, we believe in her,” the French President said.

At another audience with President Johann SchneiderAmmann of Switzerland, Buhari sought his counterpart’s cooperation on speedy repatriation of Nigerian money stashed in that country, stressing that Nigeria needed such resources, particularly for infrastructure.

With the two countries having agreed on projects to which the restituted funds would be deployed, SchneiderAmmann promised quick action, as soon as the draft agreement was signed. He also pledged consolidation of mutual trade relationships, infrastructural development as well as support in training and equipping of the Nigerian military.

SDGS AMBASSADORS

Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, Wale Tinubu (left), and President and CEO, Save the Children, Carolyn Miles, at the 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York...yesterday

Insurgency: Shettima Moves Office to Bama, Begins Major Reconstruction Inaugurates 500 Civilian JTF, vigilantes to compliment soldiers Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State yesterday temporarily relocated the administration seat of the state outside Maiduguri, the state capital, to spearhead the ongoing reconstruction of Bama and two other local government areas of the state-Gwoza and Askira-Uba-destroyed at the peak of Boko Haram insurgency.

The governor would be administering the state from Bama, which was totally laid waste by the Boko Haram insurgents. He would be moving from the town to the other local government areas to supervise the ongoing reconstruction work there.

Bama, a commercial town was worst hit by the insurgency as there was no building left standing when the insurgents were pushed out

of the town. Also, Gwoza was named as the headquarters of the caliphate at the heights of Boko Haram expansionist plan.

The governor, while speaking in Bama, said he decided to move from Maiduguri in order to fast track the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts of his government.

He said he would be spending between a week and two to ensure that the reconstruction work was delivered on schedule.

Shettima noted that people tried to dissuade him from making the journey to Bama because of the perceived insecurity but decided on the contrary, insisting that one should have the courage to follow his/her conviction.

He said: “Any life that is not worth taking some risks is not worth living. I told asked about our soldiers who are here putting

their lives on the line...”

The governor promised that there would be no political consideration in the choice of houses to be rebuilt as his government was planning rebuilding every destroyed infrastructure.

Speaking earlier, the state Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Dr. Babagana Umara, disclosed that the governor has graciously directed his ministry to move to Bama for the reconstruction of the town.

He said 700 people have been deployed on the town to commence the reconstruction work which include 500 labourers, carpenters, masons and painters.

Shettima noted that people have already started the reconstruction work in the town, promising that within the next two weeks, the first phase of reconstruction work

would be completed in Bama.

He disclosed that a lot of building materials have been deployed to the town but appealed to the people of Bama to ensure that none of the materials is stolen.

The governor asked the security personnel to keep an eye on the material and ensure the security of construction workers while they are at the work.

The acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Victor Ezugwu, assured the governor of the security of lives and property in the town.

He revealed that trenches have been dug round the town and that the military would soon be vacating the town for the civil authorities.

Ezugwu praised the governor’s effort to ensure that Bama, which was worst hit by the insurgency was rebuilt.

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Recession: Advocacy Group Warns N’Assembly against Confrontation with FG Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja An advocacy group, Friends in the Gap Advocacy Initiative (FGAI), has warned the National Assembly against employing the tool of confrontation in its consideration of the current economic situation, saying doing so will be counterproductive.

The group, in a statement by its Executive Director, George Oji, said what is expected of the lawmakers as they resume tomorrow is a legislative blueprint capable of assisting the federal government in resolving the crisis and not engaging in unnecessary summons of government officials which it said would not yield any result.

Furthermore, Oji advised the National Assembly to immediately deploy the expertise of its members towards addressing the economic crisis and adequately co-operate with the federal government, pointing out that this is not the time to apportion blame but jointly pull resources together with the

federal government with a view to nipping the matter in the bud.

“Therefore, FGAI calls on the lawmakers to promptly put together a blue print of how to support the government to exit this precarious economic situation in no time. This demand is premised on the fact that members of the National Assembly are not just critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project, they are indeed, an integral part of the government.

Among the lawmakers are seasoned professionals with requisite training and expertise as financial experts, bankers, economists, accountants, lawyers, et cet era.

“It is our position that this emergency economic situation requires all hands to be on deck to achieve positive result.

The response of the lawmakers should be collaborative and not confrontational. On this critical economic situation, the executive and the parliament must work in synergy and not at cross-purposes.

This is not a time of playing to the gallery by engaging in all manners of summons.

“Indeed, if the executive must be summoned by the lawmakers, it is our position that such a parley should be for information-sharing on how to achieve deliverable results and not to answer queries. Summons in the past by the legislature as a strategy had yielded little results in problems solving. The lawmakers must refrain from actions that suggest that they are working

at cross purpose with the federal government.

“As further mark of the seriousness of the economic challenges currently facing our country, and in line with their constitutional responsibility of providing policy support to the government, FGAI urges the lawmakers as they resume yesterday, to promptly convene a one-day economic emergency

retreat to articulate appropriate economic strategies; comprising short term, medium and long term approaches to tackle the difficulties imposed by this economic recess.

“Again, it is our position that the current economic emergency situation in the country demands joint and collaborative efforts of all the tiers of government to overcome.

It is not a time to apportion blames.

The parliament in particular must

seize this moment to its advantage.

The lawmakers must act now to redeem its battered public perception. Having been away for a while now, all eyes are on the lawmakers to see what they will do differently. If the lawmakers act in a manner that their actions impact positively to redeem the economic recess challenges, they would have written their names in gold,” the statement said.

FG to Increase School Enrolment by 13.6m Children by 2020 Laleye Dipo in Minna The federal government has planned to increase school enrolment in the country by 13.6million children by 2020.

The focal person of the federal government’s Social Intervention Investment Programme for Niger State, Mrs. Afiniki Dauda, who disclosed this in Minna, the state capital, yesterday, said the government also planned to ensure that these pupils would be physically and mentally fit to face the challenges of education and life.

“This is one of the reasons the federal government introduced the home grown school feeding and health programme and other social security schemes,’ Dauda said.

She however did not give the figures of children presently in schools across the country.

Exchanging views with journalists after assuming office as the Focal Person for the federal government programmes in state, Dauda said the administration of President Muhammad Buhari was also determined to bring back

into the school system 11.4 million children mostly girls in order to prepare them for “tomorrow and discourage them from criminal activities.”

She disclosed that the state office of the federal government agency had taken off and that the first activity to be performed is the commencement of the empowerment scheme for which participants in its first phase have been selected.

The focal person explained that the participants were drawn from the three senatorial zones of the state based on the statistics on the poor and vulnerable of the society provided by the World Bank.

Dauda, however, did not give the number of beneficiaries that would benefit under the first phase but insisted that the empowerment scheme would be flagged off next week.

She assured the people of the state that the federal government agency would be ‘fair and just to all the stakeholders, adding that “President Buhari is seriously committed to wiping out poverty from our country.

Global Autism Project, ACSI Trains Special Education Teachers In a bid to assess, evaluate and train heads of special education, teachers and children affected by autism in Nigeria, four specialists from the Global Autism Project in New York, arrived Nigeria yesterday for a four-day programme to enhance the quality of care and education of autistic children.

The group, which is in Nigeria to train and formalise an agreement with Autism Care and Support Initiative (ACSI), on arrival in Abuja yesterday, commenced assessment and evaluation of children on the ACSI programme.

The Director of ACSI, Dr. Julia Ejiogu, who confirmed the

development yesterday, said the New York-based GAP, led by the Chief Executive Officer and founder, Ms. Molly Ola Pinney, and specialist trainers, Casey Harden, Jacob Sandavoy and Crystal Thompson, would spend time training ACSI staff in Abuja and open up to people who need evaluation and diagnosis.

Ejiogu disclosed that the forum is geared towards teaching and enhancing the relationship between the organisation and what ACSI and its partners can do to improve on the performance of heads of schools especially the general education teachers who also handle special needs children.

FELLOW OF IOD

L-R: Mrs. Pat Baywood Ibe; President, Baywood Continenta, Mrs. Chris Baywood Ibe; and Founder, Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Stella Okoli, at the presentation of a Fellow award of the Institute of Directors Nigeria (IoD) to Ibe in Lagos...recently

South-west Govs, Monarchs Mark 120th Jubilee of World’s Longest Civil War Tomorrow Gboyega Akinsanmi All governors and traditional rulers from six South-west states will converge on Ibadan tomorrow to mark the 120th anniversary of Kiriji War, the world’s longest civil conflict which started in the 19th anniversary and end in the 20th century.

This was contained in a statement, which the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Chief Segun Odegbami and Executive Director of Yoruba Academy, Dr. Ade Adeagbo jointly signed yesterday.

The statement provided historical background to the war, noting that September 23 “is an important date in Yoruba history being the day the Kiriji War Armistice was signed to bring an end to waves of civil wars in Yorubaland.”

It explained that the 19th Century featured many internecine wars in Yorubaland and was a big economy in at the time, which it said, should be leveraged upon to promote peace and sustainable development in the region.

It said warlords’ dispositions determine “to a large extent the socioeconomic profile of Yoruba people. In contrast, the 20th century, after the treaty was signed, ushered in an era of great socioeconomic progress.

“This tells us that when hostility is adopted as a strategy for resolving conflict, sustainable and inclusive development remains elusive and both parties end up losing more than whatever they think is their

gain” Having the record of the longest civil war, the statement added that Kiriji “has a lesson for Yoruba people, Nigeria, and the entire world. Yoruba people should therefore be proud of this heritage and come out to celebrate on that day. It will be an epic event and we hope it will provide the needed spark for the plug of renaissance in Yorubaland and Nigeria.

However, the statement said the Yoruba Academy, a policy research and cultural institution, would host Yoruba traditional rulers, governors and leaders in various sectors on September 23 for a conference themed “Celebrating Yoruba.”

It added that the conference would leverage on the symbolism of the date “to celebrate the dynamism of Yoruba people, particularly their inherent culture of peace and tolerance.

“It will feature presentations from an acclaimed columnist, Mrs. Bamidele Ademola-Olateju and renowned professors Banji Akintoye – a foremost Yoruba historian and second republic senator – and Olutayo Adesina of the University of Ibadan. There will be performances by Tunde Kelani, Brymo, Ajobiewe, Edaoto and others.”

The statement said the Yoruba Academy “has the consensus mandate of traditional rulers and political leaders to organise the event. It is a day that every Yoruba will be proud of because its

historical antecedence is relevant to the 21st century global challenges of conflict prevention and resolutions.

“We need to send this message of peace and unity to our people at home and in the diaspora through

the celebration of our history and rich culture. The world is in dire need of models of peaceful coexistence and development and we believe Yorubaland offers this in abundance.”

MultiChoice Reiterates Commitment to Greater Subscriber Satisfaction Leading video entertainment provider, MultiChoice Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to better service delivery to its subscribers.

In a statement yesterday, the company said greater attention is being paid to issues that affect subscribers’ enjoyment of DStv services.

Notable among these are signal loss, subscription payment and reconnection, customer care services, free-to-air channels and hardware related issues.

“We put our customers first at all times and hold them in high very esteem. We are committed to delivering world class service to our customers and proud to say we are the first video entertainment company to implement new subscriber initiatives requested by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC). Over the past year, we have worked closely with the CPC to identify our customers’ areas of need and made a commitment towards implementing solutions that will resonate with our customers and

lead to improved service,” the company said.

On the issue of customer care services, MultiChoice explained that the call centre hours have been extended to accommodate more queries.

“Call centre operating hours are now 8a.m. to 9p.m. on Saturdays, Sunday and public holidays. In addition, toll free numbers have been introduced on major network providers,” MultiChoice stated.

The toll free lines are 09090630333 for Etisalat, 07080630333 for Airtel, 08113630333 for Glo and 08149860333 for MTN. This means that customers’ calls to the call centre are toll free when they call the corresponding numbers of their mobile network.

The company equally explained that customers now have the option of suspending their accounts while they are away from home. This, it stated, will be upon request and a 48-hour notice that the account be suspended for a fixed period between seven to fourteen days twice yearly.

54

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 • T H I S D AY

CRIME&PUNISHMENT Timely Information Crucial to Tackling Kidnapping, Other Crimes, Says Ambode Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday urged royal fathers, traditional chiefs, Community Development Associations (CDAs), market men and women and other stakeholders in all the communities across the state to cultivate the habit of timely reporting of suspicious movement around them to security agencies to nip in the bud any potential security threats in their neigbourhood.

The governor, who spoke through his representatives in 20 different locations during the ongoing commissioning of 114 roads newly constructed in all the 20 local government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state, said there was great need for community leaders to assist security agencies to address the menace of cultism, kidnapping, miscreants, vandalism and hoodlums by providing timely information.

Speaking through the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande, at the inauguration of some of the newly built roads in EgbeIdimu LCDA, Governor Ambode said the 114 roads initiative was in fulfillment of the social pact which he signed with the people during the electioneering and his inaugural speech of running a system in which

the “greatest good shall reach the greater majority of the people.”

He said the new roads aside improving the easy movement of goods and services across the various local governments, it would facilitate prompt and efficient response of security and emergency operations.

In Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Ambode commissioned 633 meters Council Street Road through Akande, while the Chief Imam of Alausa Secretariat Mosque, Alhaji Babatunde Kassim represented him at the commissioning of 667metres Community Road in Agodo.

Also, the Sole Administrator of Egbe-Idimu LCDA, Mr. Doyin Salam, said he was extremely delighted about the development happening during his time, saying that ever since coming on board,Ambode has proven himself to be passionately committed about grassroots development. In Mushin Local Government, the governor who was represented Special Adviser on Education, Obafela bank-Olemoh at the inauguration of Aborishade Road, Lawanson, said the next set of 114 roads would commence before the end of the year.

He said in another one year, projects that will impact the community and new sets of roads, two in each local government and local council development area will

emerge. Adding his voice, member of the House of Assembly, Hon. Kazeem Adewale who inaugurated Martins Street also in Mushin LGA, on behalf of Ambode, urged residents to take ownership of the infrastructure.

At the inauguration of Alhaji Oseni and Kola Ogunkoya Streets both in Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, the Governor was represented by a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Ikorodu Constituency Hon. Jimi Benson and Community Development Council (CDC) Chairman in Ikorodu, Mr. Rotimi Owolabi Ayoku.

Speaking through his representatives, Ambode restated his commitment to making life easy for all residents of the State, just as he urged them not to fail in their own civic responsibilities of paying their taxes regularly.

On her part, the Sole Administrator of Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, Mrs. Bolanle Bashorun, thanked the Governor for keeping to his promise, saying the two roads would improve infrastructural development, which in turn would increase economic activities within the community.

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa who represented Governor Akinwumi Ambode, alongside House of

Representatives member, Taofeek Adaranijo at the commissioning of Ogundele and Fashola Streets at Orile-Agege LCDA, pleaded for more support for the present administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to be able to enjoy more dividends of democracy.

The Sole Administrator of OrileAgege LCDA, Mr. Olufemi Agboola, said the roads are major link roads, which would ease traffic gridlock, reduce travel time, especially the 0.61 kilometres Ogundele road to connect Oja Oba on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. In Ifelodun LCDA, Hon. Jide Jimoh a member of the House of Representatives and the CDC Chairman of Ikosi-Ejirin (Epe) Prince Diran Ajijedidun inaugurated Iludun Street, Pako and another in Awope Itire Street, off Alaba Road on behalf of the Governor.

Governor Ambode at the commissioning of Federal Low Cost Bypass in Ikorodu North LCDA assured that at least 456 inner city roads would have been commissioned before the end of his administration in 2019.

Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Community Affairs, Alhaji Tajudeen Quadri, Ambode said that another set of 114 roads were being identified and would be delivered next year.

PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL

Bishop of 0ndo Diocese, Jude Arogundade (third left), with Founder of Bayo Fatusin Foundation, Mr. Bayo Fatusin; and other Bishops of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo cutting the celebration cake after the dedication of the Catholic Church of Ascension, Ondo, Ondo State... last weekend.

Victim Identifies Two Fraudsters, Alerts Police Chiemelie Ezeobi A day after he was robbed by the duo of Emmanuel Anyanwu and Kennedy Ujagbor at Cele Bus stop, their victim, one Sammy Bolaji, was luckily able to track them to a drinking joint, before he alerted the police to arrest them.

Having identified them, the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command arrested the twoman robbery gang, who specialise in defrauding unsuspecting members of public around Cele Bus Stop, along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway of Lagos.

The suspects, 39-year-old Anyanwu, an ex-convict and 42-year-old Ujagbor, a drug addict, when confronted by the police admitted to the said offence.

Anyanwu, in his confession said, “We are swindlers. We are always

on the street looking for people to defraud. Yesterday, we met this guy. Our plan was to play him and it didn’t seem to work out, so we snatched his bag and ran away. His bag is in Ketu.

“Normally, what we do is tell our victim that we are foreigners with a huge consignment of mobile phones and stationery. We would now pretend that we were in search of marketers with enough money to buy the goods.

“In the process, we persuade our victims to show interest in buying the goods by dangling before them an irresistible offer.

“If they show interest, we tell them to demonstrate their seriousness with a commitment by depositing their phones, money or jewellery. That is how we con them.”

Their victim, Bolaji, who was on his way to Ogun State when he was

stopped by the duo said, “They asked me if I knew a particular address and I told them that I was a stranger in that area.

“As I made to leave them, one of them grabbed my bag from behind and took to his heels. The second one followed suit. I ran after them but I guess they knew the route more than I do, so they escaped before people around could even come to terms with what was going on.

“Sadly for me, in that bag were a sum of N7,500, two mobile phones, clothes and other personal effects.

I had to discontinue the journey because all I had on me were gone.

“The following day, my mum chose to drive me through this same spot where my bag was snatched. Luckily for me, I saw these same guys sipping alcohol early in the morning very close to the spot.

“I alighted not telling my mom what I had seen, at least to confirm first. As things would work my way, I saw RRS’s patrol vehicle passing by and I waved them down, narrated all that happened yesterday and they followed me to where these guy were sitting.

“They were shocked to see me with the police. They interrogated them and arrested them after confirming the incident. They promised the officers that they would retrieve my bag for me in Ketu, where they sold it to.”

Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, said the police would leave no stone unturned towards reducing crime in the state.

The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.

In Brief Ngilari Charged, Remanded in EFCC Custody

The former governor of Adamawa state, James Bala Ngilari, has been charged and remanded in Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) custody for violation of procurement laws. This was the ruling of Justice Nathan Musa of High Court of Adamawa state, which sat in Yola yesterday. According to the statement from the Head, Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC had charged Ngilari for violation of procurement laws in the award of contract of one hundred and sixty-seven million naira to one El-Yadi Motors Limited for supply of 25 units of operational vehicles (Toyota Corolla).

Uwujaren said the commission had instituted a nineteen count-charge against Ngilari, his former secretary to the government, Ibrahim Andrew Welye, and his former Commissioner of Finance and Budget, Sanda Jonathan Lamurde. He said EFCC accused them of conspiracy, lack of no objection certificate, No competitive bidding and others in procurement process. The three, he stated, pleaded not guilty and their lawyers applied for bail on their behalf that the prosecution opposed. The court ruled that they should be remanded in custody while he adjourned until today for ruling on bail application.

Labourers Bag 14-month Imprisonment for Stealing Rice A Jos Chief Magistrate’s Court, yesterday, sentenced two labourers, Friday Duro, 21, and Friday Audu, 22, to 14 months in prison for stealing a bag of rice. The duo, who reside at Jenta Adamu Street in Jos, are facing a two-count charge of criminal trespass and theft. The Magistrate, Mr. Jovita Binjin, sentenced them after they pleaded guilty to the crime and pleaded for leniency. In their plea, they said hunger led them to crime. “It was hunger that led us to do it, we have stayed without food for days and we needed money to buy food. “Have mercy on us we will not do it again,’ ’ they pleaded. The magistrate in his ruling, sentenced to four months in prison for trespass. “I hereby sentence you to four months in prison for the offence of trespass or pay a fine of N2,000 and 10 months in prison for the offence of theft or a fine of N3,000,’ ’ the magistrate ruled. He said the sentence was meant to serve as a deterrent to those who might want to engage in similar acts. Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Thomas Amuku, told the court that one Agbat Luke, a security man attached to the Satellite Market, Jos, arrested the accused and handed them over to the police on September 20.

Amuku, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said: “The accused persons trespassed into the market and broke into a shop to steal but were apprehended.’ ’ He said during police investigation, the accused confessed to stealing a bag of rice belonging to one Asabe Amos. The prosecutor said the accused admitted selling the bag of rice to one Mrs Asabe Alechenu for N3,000. He said the accused went back to steal another bag of rice but luck ran out on them and they were apprehended. Amuku said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 348 and 287 of the Penal Code.

Eight Die in Enugu Auto Crash

No fewer than eight persons including three children have lost their lives while 12 others sustainable varying degrees of injuries in a road traffic accident which occurred at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku OzallaEnugu end of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. The fatal accident which reportedly occurred on September 16, 2016 involved a commuter bus with registration number Akwa-Ibom KTD 58 LG and conveying people believed to be coming from a pilgrimage centre from Ezeagu, Enugu State and heading back to Aba, Abia State when the unfortunate allegedly occurred. It was gathered that the driver of the said vehicle, later identified as one Kenneth Nwigwe, had lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a bush, tumbling several times and left his passengers in critical conditions and a couple of others dead. The driver who was said to be a native of Enugwu Ukwu, Anambra State but residing at Uratta Aba, Abia State, was coming from the Enugu axis of the road and heading towards Port Harcourt expressway of the road. The injured persons are presently receiving treatment at the UNTH, Ituku Ozalla while corpses of the eight yet-to-be identified victims have been deposited at the hospital Mortuary of the UNTH Ituku Ozalla Enugu for identification and autopsy as well as collection. Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, said the state command of the Nigeria Police Force through its state traffic unit has commenced a full scale investigations with a view to finding out the cause of the incident. He however, appealed to transport owners to ensure that they engage their drivers in constant training and retraining programmes on road traffic rules in order to checkmate increasing spate of road traffic accidents.

55

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

House to Reward Paralympians with N18m NSA salutes contingent, Dream Team VI over football bronze Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The House of Representatives has pledged to reward the victorious Team Nigeria’s contingent to the Paralympic Games in Rio, Brazil with N18 million.

Nigeria won eight gold, two silver and two bronze medals to finish 17th on the medals table and also emerged the best team from the African continent.

Each lawmaker in the 360-member house is expected to donate N50,000 towards the cash gift to the paralympians.

The House is also planning to host a special plenary session in their honour.

The resolution followed a motion moved by Hon. Ayo Omidiran (Osun APC) who noted that the Paralympians deserve to be celebrated for their outstanding performances in spite of their physical challenges.

She added that the members of the team need the support and encouragement of the House.

Also yesterday, the organisers of Nigeria’s prestigious sport award, Nigerian Sports Award (NSA) congratulated the contingent for emerging

top African team at the competition.

According to the Chairman of NSA panel, Mr, Ikeddy Isiguzo, “the Paralympic team deserves all applauds and accolades for winning eight gold, two silver & two bronze and breaking world records and setting new ones; thereby surpassing the laudable feat it achieved at the London Olympics in 2012.”

Isiguzo urged sport loving Nigerians to nominate the Paralympic athletes and their coaches for the different categories in the 2016 edition of the Nigerian Sports Award (NSA).

He noted that only nominated athletes, sport administrators, team and coaches have the chance of winning the prestigious award, in recognition of their outstanding performance.

He then called on the sport ministry and the federal government to reward the Paralympics athletes and their coaches for raising the flag of the nation high at the games, to encourage other Nigerian sports men and women to excel in their respective sports.

Pele Expected in Lagos Today World famous Brazilian football legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, a.k.a Pele, is expected to touch down in Lagos today to begin a threeday programme organised by Winihin Jemide Services and the Youth Experience Day Africa.

According to the programme of event released by the organisers, Pele’s visit is to be focused on the development of football and the Nigerian youth, and also bring together kids, parents and key stakeholders in Lagos State.

A football clinic for U-15 and U-17 kids is to be handled by

ex-internationals, an exclusive dinner with Pele and other African legends are scheduled for Saturday. Proceeds from the auction of Pele’s memorabilia are to be donated to the Kanu Heart Foundation and the City of David Football Academy,” A celebrity exhibition match featuring the country’s ex-stars Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, Peter Rufai, as well as Timi Dakolo and Gideon Okeke are on the itinerary at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos.

The visit was earlier scheduled for August but was called off after Pele took ill.

NPFL: Abia Warriors Cage Enyimba, Heartland, Pillars Win

Abia Warriors and Heartland FC boosted their hopes of remaining in topflight Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) yesterday with victories in their rescheduled midweek matches.

Playing before their home fans, the Umuahia team snatched a 3-1 victory in the derby with champions Enyimba Michael Olaha set Abdullahi Biffo’s side on the road for the victory when he snatched the curtain raiser 32 minutes into the first stanza.

Olaha turned provider 10 minutes later when Ndifreke Effiong turned his cross into the net.

Alloy Brown however reduced the deficit for the visitors when he scored from the spot in the 69th minute. Joseph Osadiaye was brought down in the box by an Abia Warriors defender to earn the spot kick. Shedrack Asiegbu

took the game beyond the reach of Tornadoes when he got the third goal from the spot for Abia Warriors 10 minutes from time.

Abia Warriors have moved from 17th to 14th with the victory.

At the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, Heartland defeated Niger Tornadoes 2-0. Captain Chinedu Efugh, got the curtain raiser five minutes before the end of first stanza while Chidiebere Ajoku sealed the victory with a second goal 20 minutes before end of regulation time.

The victory did little to assuage the fears of Owerri fans from seeing the Naze Millionaires from the drop from the topflight. They remain on 40 points and 18th on the log.

In the other midweek game in Kano, Pillars secured a narrow 1-0 win over El-Kanemi Warriors.

Rabiu Ali scored from the spot 15 minute into the game.

The chairman also used the medium to commend the effort of the Nigerian Football Team captained by Chelsea FC midfielder John Mikel Obi and tutored by coach Samson Siasia for winning a bronze medal which was Nigeria’s only medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Nigerian Paralympics gold medalists include; Ezuruike Roland (Powerlifting Men’s -54kg), Kehinde Paul (Powerlifting Men’s -65kg), Ejike Lucy (Powerlifting Women -61kg), Onye Lauritta (Athletics Women’s Shot Put –F40), Nwosu Ndidi (Powerlifting Women’s -73kg), Omolayo

Bose (Powerlifting Women’s -79kg), Ugwunwa Flora (Athletics Women’s Javelin Throw –F53/54). Orji Josephine (Powerlifting Women’s +86kg).

Tijani Latifat (Powerlifting Women’s -45kg), Oyema Esther (Powerlifting Women’s -55kg) won silver medals while Innocent Nnamdi (Powerlifting

Men’s -72kg), Iyiazi Eucharia (Athletics Women’s Discus Throw –F56/57) won Bronze.

Nomination for the 2016 Nigerian Sports Award can be done through the website www. nigeriansportsaward.com and on social media platforms such as Twitter via @ngrsportsaward and on Facebook.

Real Misses La Liga Record Real Madrid missed out on a record-breaking 17th consecutive La Liga victory as they drew with Villarreal.

The hosts fell behind just before the break when Sergio Ramos used his hand to block a shot in the box and Bruno Soriano chipped in from the spot.

Ramos made amends soon after the restart, heading in from a corner.

Zinedine Zidane’s side put the

visitors under concerted pressure throughout the second half, but Villarreal held on to deny Real the outright record.

Instead they will have to share the record of 16 straight wins set

by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side in the 2010-11 season.

However a point ensures they remain top of La Liga, four points ahead of Barcelona, who played Atletico Madrid later last night.

LEAGUE CUP Results Fulham 1-2 Bristol City North’Town 1-3 Man Utd QPR 1-2 Sunderland S’tampton 2-0 Cry’Palace Stoke 1-2 Hull City Swansea 1-2 Man City Tottenham 5-0 Gillingham West Ham 1-0 Accrington

FCT Picks 82-man Contingent for NationalYouth Games Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The FCT will be represented by a contingent of 82 athletes, officials and medical team to the National Youths Games that commence on Friday in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The athletes will participate in nine of the 12 official events including: athletics, badminton, chess, karate, table tennis, tennis, taekwondo, cricket and wrestling.

In a farewell message to the team, FCT Minister, Bello Musa Mohammed, promised to

accordingly reward the athletes that excel at the Games, stressing that the administration would continue to offer support for youth sports development.

“We want you to go there and win medals and that is why we have tried as much as possible to provide you with all that is necessary to make you comfortable here and in Ilorin. So, you should try all your best. You are doing this for yourself, for FCT and for Nigeria. We want to catch you when you are young and we want to make sure that we

also motivate you to excel,” he said.

The minister, who was represented

by FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, at the occasion, also charged the athletes to use their skill and natural talent rather than depend on drug use to boost their medal winning chances.

“The reliance on and the use of drugs will motivate you today to win but your health will fail tomorrow,” Bello admonished.

He said the FCTA was already working on a blueprint for youth sports development

in the Federal Capital Territory in order to catch talent and nurture them at early stage.

Bello reiterated that the plan is to also organise primary school games especially for public schools to be able to discover talents at the grassroots level.

According to him, it is the intention of the FCT Administration to ‘catch them young’ to ensure that the FCT and the country at large develop formidable athletes for international competitions like the Olympic Games.

NFF Chief Hails Monimichelle over Siasia StadiumTurf President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has given a pat on the back to Monimichelle over the state of the art pitches it is constructing in the country.

Pinnick who spoke after inspecting the on-going job at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa was also full of praises for the Bayelsa State government for moving to get the stadium turf back to a playable condition.

In his words: “I must commend Monimichelle for bringing the latest and safest artificial turf approved by FIFA to Nigeria.

I also must give Bayelsa State government kudos for embarking

on the project and giving it to a competent indigenous firm.

This is what other states should emulate because of our terrain.

There is so much rain in this part of the world and what we need is the kind of turf Monimichelle is installing.”

He stressed that he looks forward to playing first at the new turf alongside his executive committee members.

“I want to come back to Yenagoa as soon as possible to play here. I hope the project is completed in record time. I want the NFF and the rest of the world to play here during our extra ordinary congress and after that I

will get the federation’s Technical Committee to endorse it for the Super Eagles,” Pinnick said.

The NFF boss also had kind words for a former board member of the soccer federation, Dr Peter Singabele who he described as a worthy son of Bayelsa and a football buff with integrity.

CEO of Monimichelle, Ebi Egbe, on his part assured the NFF boss that his company will continue with the good job it is doing in Nigeria stadia, stressing that the mission of his outfit is to eradicate bad pitches not only in Nigeria but the whole of Africa.

“From what we are doing, the turf will be as dry as a desert even

when it rains heavily as it does always in the Niger Delta region.

And we have a Limonta product that is safe and lush green. Our pitch here is made with cocoa-nut fiber and cork which makes it look like a natural turf.

“It is cool and players enjoy playing on it. The Super Eagles did attest to this much when they played at the Karkanda Stadium in Katsina, a pitch that was installed by us,” Egbe observed with pride.

The Samson Siasia Stadium has not been hosting football matches over the years because of the poor condition of the pitch.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Senate to President Buhari

“The body language of Mr President must change. His body language discourages investment” – From the Senate communiqué after the deliberation on the economic challenges facing the country with a view to recommending appropriate measures.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

The Zamfara State Killing Field N

igeria is currently engulfed in a major crisis of intergroup relations that is rooted in the politics of economic survival but which is often easily exploited by the elite. The latest theatre of such madness is in the Northwest state of Zamfara where towns and villages are attacked, almost on a daily basis, by armed bandits while the vigilante groups brought in by the helpless communities to help restore order are either being exterminated or are themselves engaging in extra judicial killings. With villages being deserted and a growing resort to self-help in the face of what looks like organized crime, there are serious threats to our national economy and security that many Nigerians are not paying adequate attention to.

The violence in Zamfara State is particularly difficult for “outsiders” to understand, especially when the people many of us had always assumed to be one and the same are now killing one another. That perhaps explains why most of the reportage of the orgy of bloodletting, essentially between the Hausa and Fulani peoples of Zamfara State, is by the foreign media. But the more I probe into the bloody crisis, the more it reveals the complexities of our country and how simplistic some of the assumptions that drive the political agitations in Abuja are.

In a series of attacks that started in 2011 before it exploded in the last one year, no fewer than 48 people were recently killed in one single attack after the marauders entered a village called Kizara before dawn, riding on motorbikes. “There was an attack by armed bandits on Kizara village where 48 residents were killed in apparent targeted killings by cattle rustlers that have been terrorising the state for some time now,” said a Zamfara State government official who spoke to AFP. An eye witness confirmed that the murderers “later moved house to house, telling residents that they were looking for members of local vigilante (groups) whom they said had been disturbing them.”

To compound the problem is the total neglect by the Zamfara state government to build basic transport and communication infrastructure in the conflict areas; a situation that has made law enforcement and maintenance of security extremely difficult. As a result, the area has virtually become a haven for all manner of hoodlums with the attendant rise in crime rates, characterized by frequent armed robberies, mostly targeted at local wealthy Hausa traders and cattle rustling for which Fulani herders are primary targets.

I understand that the violence actually started late in 2011 in Lingyado village of Dansadau District but it was in 2012 that the situation went out of control when 52 persons, mostly Vigilantes mobilized to protect the community, were killed, assassination style, in Zurmi, sending fears to many of the residents who had to flee with their families and cattle. In 2014, specifically on 7th April, 112 victims of one of such attacks in Yar Galadima village, Maru Local Government, were buried. The state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, who led a delegation to the burial rites promised that the culprits would be apprehended and brought to justice but those were empty words.

Yari According to the residents who claimed more than 200 people were actually killed in that attack, the attackers came on motorcycles at midday, during a meeting of people from the village and other surrounding communities to plot strategies on how to curb the incessant attacks. “They came on motorcycles and opened fire on the people who were gathered at the venue of the meeting, killing many instantly,” a resident, Mohammad Yargaladima, told Channels Television.

I have in the last week spoken to top politicians and civil servants (retired and serving) in Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi States and what they tell me about the violence sounds like tales out of horror movies. The bandits in Zamfara operate in such a brazen manner that they now send letters ahead to targeted communities to expect them, with instructions that their would-be-victims keep large sums of money at home. They would state the amount they were coming to collect from each household and woe betides those who are “stupid” enough to default when the bandits visit. These brutal assassins are reputed for killing husbands in the presence of his wife and sometimes they wipe out entire families.

In kizara village of Tsafe Local Government, the military troops stationed there was recently withdrawn because of lack of feeding allowance and two days after, the bandits attacked, killing more than 50 people. Such is the nature of criminality that it would seem the security agencies have been overwhelmed. For instance, while the military operation is now primarily focused on Dansadau-Mgani axis in Maru local government, the killings in Zurmi-Birnin Magaji-Shinkafi areas have also heightened in recent weeks.

What compounds the problem now is that it has extended to neighbouring states. On 10th August this year, while receiving the newly promoted AIG Zone 10 in Sokoto, Governor Aminu Tambuwal raised alarm over the influx of bandits from Zamfara into his state. He said the people inhabiting local governments in Sokoto that neighbour Zamfara now have their cattle rustle every day. But what is the way out?

The Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-based Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training (CEDDERT) in collaboration with some development partners recently held a seminar

on the farmer/pastoralist conflicts ravaging communities across Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara States. In his paper at the seminar, the Executive Director of CEDDERT, Dr. Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, popularly called ASM, attributed the recent killings to the ill-advised decision of the Zamfara government to clear the large forest and cattle grazing reserves in a section of the state after which the same plots of land were allocated to senior government officials and politicians.

However, my investigations reveal that this most egregious looting of public resources, by way of converting a Forest Reserve to farmlands and sharing the plots among cronies, started with the former Governor (now Senator) Ahmad Sani Yerima. The policy has resulted in the dislocation of thousands of Fulani hamlets between Dansadau area and Maradun - Zurmi axes. These were said to be communities that had been in existence for over 500 years. The dislocation of these Fulani herders and their livestock was believed to have sparked spontaneous mass movements of human beings and cattle into other neighboring communities and states in the central and southern zones of the country with the attendant consequence in conflicts with farmers being ignited along their flight paths.

While I intend to dig more on this crisis that has serious national security implications, there is no doubt that the failure of the Zamfara state government to take necessary measures has encouraged various local communities to resort to self-help, thus exacerbating the problem. Parallel vigilante groups known as “Yan Banga” and “Yan Sa Kai” have emerged in several villages within the state with their members usurping the role of law enforcement agencies. In recent weeks, members of these two vigilante groups have assumed the sole responsibility of defining, identifying and arresting alleged criminals and executing them without recourse to law courts and other constituted authorities.

Incidentally, on 14th July this year President Muhammadu Buhari intervened by personally attending the launching of a military offensive code-named “Operation Harbin Kunama” in Dansadau forest to battle the cow rustlers.

Instructively, he wore a military fatigue on that occasion perhaps to send a message but that has not brought any solution to the crisis. As recently as the Sallah day last week, several communities witnessed fresh deadly outbreak of hostilities between the two warring groups-Hausa and Fulani--leading to the death of unspecified number of people in the Dan Gulbi and Magami areas of Dansadau-Maru local governments.

While we must prevent a situation in which the conflict escalates into a more sinister conflagration that may, like the Boko Haram menace, overwhelm the Northwest zone of the country, the crisis is also a reflection of the failure of both the traditional and political authorities in Zamfara. On the political front, almost everybody from Zamfara State that I have spoken with describe Mr. Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari as an absentee governor who hardly spends up to one week within a month in Zamfara. Incidentally, the governor had been

away to Saudi Arabia for several days while the killings continued only to return at the weekend to join President Buhari’s team to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

I will enjoin the governor to stay more at home to deal with the challenge facing his people.

However, beyond the government, the traditional authority in Zamfara State should also brace up because there is so much that they can do. In a February 2013 piece titled “The Fulani-Farmers Conflicts in Nasarawa State: The Ecology Population and Politics”, Murtala Adogi Mohammed, after a brilliant analysis of what he described as a “Natural Resources Conflict” recommended the “Yauri Model” which may be worth examining by the authorities in Zamfara State.

According to Mohammed, upon his installation, the Emir of Yauri in Kebbi State, Dr. Muhammad Zayyanu Abdullahi, helped to establish many professional and tribal associations which were then encouraged to elect their chairpersons.

“The different chairs elected one representative as member to the Emirate Council. A conflict resolution mechanism was set up at three levels: Low level committee, comprising of village head, Fulani and farmer leaders. They can resolve the issue at their level, mostly by mediation and payment of compensation; Middle level committee, comprising District Head, Sarkin Fulani and branch chair of the Farmers Association. Very few issues pass this level without being resolved. Even if the issue is with the police or court, the committee can achieve an out-of-court settlement.”

If and when these mechanisms fail, according to Mohammed, the matter would then go to the “High level committee, comprising His Royal Highness the Emir of Yauri, the Galadima and other members of the Emirate Council. The verdict here is final and the conflicting parties must adhere to it. Since the establishment of this mechanism, farmers, fisher folk and pastoralists have been living peacefully with one another. The committees are multi-purpose and it resolves all forms of conflict, not just farmer-herder issues.”

Although it may appear to be a crisis localized within a few local government areas in Zamfara State, the killings and displacement of innocent villagers now abandoned to their fate not only have serious security implications, they are a scar on our collective conscience as a nation.

A Conscious Life

I

was in Lagos yesterday for the public presentation of ‘A Conscious Life’ written by Mrs Funmi Oyetunji, a chartered accountant and investment banker, at an impressive ceremony chaired by the Emir of Kano, HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II. My review of the book is published on my web portal, olusegunadeniyi.com, where new materials have been uploaded.

Meanwhile, there is also a notice on the web portal about the 2016 edition of the Pastor Poju Oyemade-inspired ‘Platform Nigeria’ coming up, as usual, on 1st October.

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