Wednesday 11th January 2017

Nigeria to Begin Tracking of Oil Production, Sales Destination To replace annual lifting contract with 10-year locked-in deals

Chineme Okafor in Abuja Nigeria will from this year begin to track the volume of its crude oil production from fields of production

and loading bays, to sales destinations in a renewed effort to cut down on prevalent oil theft and loss of revenue, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu,

has said.

Speaking in a podcast he released yesterday in Abuja where he made projections of his work this year, Kachikwu also said he would initiate

processes to gradually move the country away from holding annual crude oil lifting contracts to looking for partners that it could sign long-term lifting agreements

with.

The minister explained that the country has lost huge revenues from oil production slippages and thefts, and would in this regard finally

move to stop these practices.

“We will begin for the first time to track oil production from production to destination,

Jammeh Shifts ECOWAS Leaders’ Visit to Friday...

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FG Seeks $400m World Bank Loan to Rebuild North East

PCNI meets service chiefs over terrorism, reconstruction Navy to build outpost in Lake Chad

Paul Obi in Abuja

FIRST AND CURRENT GOVERNORS CELEBRATE LAGOS...

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and his wife, Bolanle; the first governor, Brig-Gen. Mobolaji Johnson (5th); and other former governors of the state and their wives, during a thanksgiving service in Lagos

The federal government yesterday said it was seeking about $400 million World Bank loan to rebuild the North-east of the country, where Boko Haram terrorists had destroyed Continued on page 8

Coup in the Senate: Lawan Replaces Ndume As Leader

APCsupportsremoval Again,SarakicarpetsFGovereconomicpolicyinconsistencies Condemns killings in Southern Kaduna Opposes closure of Abuja Airport, summons Amaechi, Fashola, Sirika

Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja In a civilian equivalent of a coup d' etat, the Senate yesterday removed Senator Ali Ndume as leader replacing him with Senator Ahmad Lawan.

Senate President Bukola

Saraki announced the removal of Ndume shortly after the former leader, who had led the day’s proceedings, left the Senate chamber for his afternoon prayer at the

National Assembly mosque.

On his way out of the mosque, he was confronted with the news of his removal while plenary had also been adjourned to today, January

11. A visibly shocked Ndume said it could not be true since he was not aware of any move to oust him.

His removal was the last item handled by the Senate

yesterday, an offshoot of a letter addressed by APC Caucus to the Senate president, informing him of a meeting it held on Monday, January 9 where it agreed to replace

FG Appoints Auditors to Monitor States' Finances... Page 9

Ndume with Lawan as its new leader.

In the letter, entitled: "Notice of Change in Leadership," APC senators said: "This is to inform Your Excellency and the Senate that after several meetings held on Monday, 9th Continued on page 6

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PAGE SIX COUP IN THE SENATE: LAWAN REPLACES NDUME AS LEADER of January, 2017, and upon due deliberation and consultation, the APC Caucus of the Senate, hereby wishes to notify you of the change in the leadership of the Senate - that the new Senate Leader is now Senator Ahmad Lawan, representing Yobe North Senatorial District.

Kindly accept our esteem regards and best assurances."

However, THISDAY checks revealed yesterday that Ndume was removed for two main reasons. First, he was accused of bringing the Senate into disrepute through series of behaviour and utterances, which senators considered as embarrassing to the institution.

Prominent of such perceived embarrassing acts, which eventually consumed him was the interview he granted State House correspondents in the Presidential Villa on December 19, 2016 where he debunked Senate's earlier official position, which had rejected the confirmation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) on December 15 last year.

Whereas the Senate had announced on December 15 that, in view of the damning security report against Magu, it had resolved in its closeddoor session not to confirm Magu as the EFCC's boss.

According to Senate's spokesman, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate had consequently rejected Magu and advised President Muhammadu Buhari to send another candidate as his replacement.

However, while the news of Magu's rejection was yet generating controversy in the polity, Ndume announced at the Presidential Villa that Magu had not been rejected.

He emphasised that Magu could not be rejected in a closed-door session of the Senate where the decision was made.

Ndume also dismissed Senate's call for the resignation and prosecution of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal, over alleged mismanagement of internally displaced persons' (IDPs) funds in the Northeast.

The Senate, therefore, considered a situation where its leader whom it felt was duty bound to protect the sanctity of its resolutions became the one allegedly twisting it as embarrassing.

This prompted Abdullahi to brief the press the following

day where he affirmed that Magu's rejection was the Senate's official position and there was no going back on it.

Second, THISDAY also gathered yesterday that the Senate found Ndume's removal this time to be appropriate in view of the recent rapprochement between the Senate leadership, the APC and the Presidency.

Ndume had emerged against the wish of the party, which had in June last year, recommended the nomination of Lawan as Senate Leader following his loss to Saraki in the race to the Senate Presidency on June 9, 2016.

But instead of abiding by the party's decision, Saraki announced Ndume as the Senate Leader following his recommendation by the North-east caucus of APC to which the office had been zoned. Saraki said he could not alter the decision of his colleagues who had chosen Ndume for the office and rejected Lawan by 13 to 3 votes.

The situation was seen by the party as an affront on it by Saraki whom it had accused of first emerging as Senate president against its wish and later failed to accede to its request to concede the Senate Leader’s office to Lawan. This generated bad blood among him, the Presidency and party leadership.

Reacting to his removal yesterday, Ndume expressed shock over the development, saying there was no previous problem that could have warranted his ouster.

He also said he was not aware of any meeting where the decision to remove him was taken, pointing out that there is usually a laid down procedure for the removal of a Senate leader, which he observed had not been complied with in this situation.

"I went out of the chamber to pray at about quarter to 1pm. On my way coming, one of you accosted me that there was an announcement on change of leadership. I didn't know what actually happened. I went to pray.

When l came back, the Senate had adjourned and somebody told me that Ahmad Lawan had been announced as the leader of APC caucus. I don't know what happened and what that meant. This morning, l still conducted the business of the Senate. I'm not aware of any meeting called. There is a process to follow. I will find out what that meant.

Let me hear from the horse's mouth," Ndume said.

But THISDAY further learnt yesterday that following the decision to remove Ndume, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the Chief Whip, Olusola Adeyeye, were assigned to advise Ndume to resign ahead of the announcement but at the time they wanted to tell him, he was nowhere to be found.

A source told THISDAY that he seemed to have had a hint of the decision to remove him and consequently left the chamber to forestall it. The source added that when he was nowhere to be found, there was the insistence by senators that the letter of his removal must be read yesterday whether he was there or not.

The source further told THISDAY that the fact that there was no dissenting voice to his removal was a clear expression that every senator was done with Ndume.

APC Approves Removal The All Progressive Congress (APC) yesterday endorsed the removal of Senator Ali Ndume as the Senate Leader, saying it was a welcome development. ‘’We welcome the development in the Senate, which led to the replacement of the former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume with Senator Ahmed Lawan, both members of our great party, the All Progressive Congress (APC)’’, the party stated in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.

The party added: ‘’We view this as concrete expression of faith by the APC Senate Caucus in our efforts to resolve the lingering issues that have trailed the election of Senate leadership. We believe this is a major step forward in our efforts to reunite the various interest groups in that Senate election, thereby presenting a common legislative front for our great party.’’

The APC said it was particularly delighted that the consultations that were initiated towards the end of 2016 between the party caucuses in the National Assembly and the party executives as well as other "leading stakeholders of our party had yielded this result and the Senate had demonstrated its willingness to finally submit to the will of the party."

The ruling party said: ‘’It

should be recalled that soon after the issue of election of the Senate occurred, the party leadership had resolved that Senator Lawan be compensated with the position of the Senate Leader. ‘’Sadly, that directive was not fully complied with at the time. But we are happy to see this change effected, which represents a significant progress in our efforts to build a strong and united party. With this development, therefore, we are confident that the issues arising from the elections in the Senate in 2015 have been put to rest.’’

APC thanked Ndume for his service and sacrifice to the party that would not be forgotten, and congratulated Lawan, the new Senate Leader on his election by the APC caucus in the Senate, hoping he would use his vast experience and knowledge to enhance legislative works to further the party’s agenda of change.

The party assured Nigerians that it would continue to work assiduously under the leadership and guidance of President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve any other pending issues that might have affected the party at different levels.

The party added that with this latest development, APC had demonstrated its resilience and capacity to resolve its internal differences in order to realise the true change and transformation that it promised Nigerians.

Saraki on Policy Inconsistencies Earlier in the day, Saraki harped on the preponderance of policy inconsistencies by the federal government as the bane of economic prosperity in Nigeria.

He said this while welcoming his colleagues back to the National Assembly from Christmas and New Year break, and argued that for a productive private sector-driven economy to be guaranteed in Nigeria, the nation must have policies meant to reform the business environment, "The issue of policy inconsistencies remains an issue that continues to challenge our business environment. I have in the past argued and still hold the view that for a private sector-led economy to thrive, we need to reform our policy environment to give investors and our businessmen and women ample adjustment time to make informed

investment decisions rather than have uncertainties," he said.

The Senate president said 11 economic bills currently being considered in the Senate would create 7.5million jobs and reduce poverty by 16.4 per cent when they are passed into law.

He, therefore, urged the relevant committees to fastrack the process of passing the bills to facilitate their subsequent transmission to the executive along with the 2017 budget.

Saraki also said the 2017 - 2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/ FSP) would be debated and passed this week while the consideration of the 2017 Appropriation Bill will characterise Senate's "three sitting days" next week.

He also urged all heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure timely submission of their annual budgets within the current budget cycle or risk waiting for the next fiscal cycle if they fail.

He said: "As long as our economy is still in recession, our work is not done. Because our people are still being laid off; so long as factories are closing shop, for as long as the hardship in the land continues to bite harder, investment continues to dwindle and the foreign exchange market remains fragmented, I will be demanding even much more from us to get all our economic reform bills passed.”

Saraki also condemned the mindless killings in Southern Kaduna, promising that the Senate would carry out a thorough investigation into the matter and advise the executive appropriately.

The Senate president said: "While we have our attention on the economy and are working with sweat on our brows to improve it for the betterment of our people, we cannot lose sight of the callous and growing circle of violence across the country, especially now in Southern Kaduna.

"We condemn in totality the depravity being exhibited on the streets of Kafanchan.

This Senate will not pay lip service to it neither will it sit idly by and watch innocent Nigerians being slaughtered on the basis of their religion, ethnic group or political persuasion.”

He also reiterated the importance of the 2017 budget to the planned exit

of economic recession and urged his colleagues to double up efforts to get the budget to the executive for implementation within the shortest possible time.

He emphasised the need for the National Assembly to pursue and conclude the ongoing constitutional review process by the end of March, adding that the Senate would henceforth not spare any organisation which tramples on the rights of consumers in the country by paying keen attention to the protection and preservation of consumers' rights. “The current situation where consumers’ rights are violated and treated with indignity must stop," he said.

Saraki appealed to the executive to commence an open and meaningful dialogue with Niger Delta militants in order to stabilise the petroleum industry.

He also advised it to take advantage of rising crude oil prices in the international market to turn around the fortunes of the nation's economy.

Senate Condemns Southern Kaduna Killings The Senate yesterday also condemned the protracted and mindless killings in Southern part of Kaduna State by suspected Fulani herdsmen and consequently resolved to constitute an ad-hoc committee to probe the immediate and remote causes of the tragedy.

The upper chamber also rejected the federal government's move to close the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for six weeks and consequently summoned the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika and his counterpart in Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to appear before its Committee on Aviation to explain the rationale behind the decision.

The Senate also rejected the appointment of Professor Akintunde Akinwande as the Chairman of National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) but confirmed six other nominees as members of the commission.

Moving a motion on the killings of innocent Nigerians in Southern Kaduna yesterday, Senator Danjuma La’ah (Kaduna South), recalled how various communities in the area had Continued on page 8

NIGERIA TO BEGIN TRACKING OF OIL PRODUCTION, SALES DESTINATION there are too many slippages and leakages and stories about produced oil in Nigeria. This year, we are going to commit to try tracking our oil so that from the moment one molecule is produced to the time it is sold and where it is sold, we will be able to track that and if we do that, we envisage billions of dollars in savings for the federal government,” said Kachikwu.

He stated that his preference for a long-term crude oil lifting contract against the current short-term regime was based on the need to create some level of contract certainty in marketing Nigeria’s crude oil grades.

According to him, “We are

going to firm up long-term markets, we must stop the year-to-year crude terms contracts and gas sales.

We have to go to the longterm markets that is what everybody in the world is doing.

“Nobody is letting their oil to circulate and be priced inappropriately in the international market. You have got to find who your term partners are, what do they want, how do you sign five, six, seven, 10 years contract and gravitate away from the year-to-year contract that you see in this industry.”

The minister equally stated that the government would within this year conduct

oil license renewals and allocations early enough to raise money to fund the 2017 budget.

He said: “In 2017, we are going to be running with rocket speed, we have so much to do. We are going to firm up our policies, be able to gazette all our oil and gas policies and then pass the PIB (Petroleum Industry Bill). We are going to accelerate Federal Government’s revenues and look into areas where we could have made more monies.

“We will raise money to finance the budget through improvements in royalties’ collections, through early renewals of leases and every other areas. We are going

to be conducting oil blocks allocation and marginal fields awards to try and raise money for the government and get investments in some of those sectors.”

He said he would collaborate with the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and demand they bring in investments into the country, adding that his first investors’ relations tour would start with a visit to Agip in Italy and then to others, including indigenous oil firms.

On gas, he said: “Gas revolution is key for us, first we will like to track gas flares and commercialise it so that no more flare will happen in

this country. We have set our 2020 date for ourselves and want to make money from the flare.

“We want to look at our gas infrastructure facilities that are suffering, some of them are constructions going on for over 10 years, we need to move on and find out how to complete these investments.”

He noted on his expectations from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that demands would be made on its semiindependent refineries, gas, downstream and upstream units to begin to be selfaccounting in a way they can take responsibilities for their profits and losses.

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Outrage as Lagos Club Owner Turns Girls into Human Puppies Chiemelie Ezeobi A club owner, one Mike Nwogu, of an obscured 'Club Uno' located around Ikeja area, Lagos, has courted the outrage of many Nigerians for turning young girls into human puppies.

The 30-year-old selfacclaimed 'pretty Mike', as he is known in some circles, has always been in the news for the wrong reasons, and this case was certainly not different.

In turning young impressionable girls into human puppies, the controversy-prone club owner puts the said girls on a leash and ties dog chains round their necks.

Although he probably might have been doing that unnoticed, he however brought it to limelight after he had first appeared at a function with two girls chained up like dogs, dressed in black and who lead him while he holds their chains.

Although the first appearance didn't create much fuss because many people didn't see the pictures, the second appearance, which happened this year has provoked huge social media outrage.

His second appearance was to a wedding and this time, the girls wore pink but still with their signature

black masks and dog chains round their necks, with the leash held by the club owner.

As soon as the pictures surfaced on the social media, many Nigerians felt it was all shades of wrong, especially as the picture showed about five policemen laughing at the bizarre sight.

The Computer Engineering graduate is said to run 'Club Uno' formerly known as Q Club alongside his elder brother, Frank Nwogu, also known as Don Nero.

As expected, Nigerians who didn't have access to him took to different social media platforms to call him out on his inhumane act.

One Chidi Okereke tweeting from @Chydee wrote: "What Pretty Mike is doing may not be illegal, but it is disgusting on so many levels and anyone with a sense of decency will condemn it."

Ego Joy Mark wrote: "This country must really be so hard for girls to allow Pretty Mike tie their necks with dog chain. At a point I began to think he uses jazz on girls. Premium UNILAG babes fighting themselves over him."

One Oria Bure, who was apparently overwhelmed, wrote: "A grown man calls himself Pretty Mike, you just know."

Deji Dope asked the most

pertinent question: "Why would anyone allow that Pretty Mike guy into their wedding with two women on a leash?"

For Olusola Olufolabi, the pictures and act were truly and really sickening, adding: "Girls that really allow themselves to be used by low self-esteemed men like this and other musical video producers need to listen over and over again to Linda Ikeji's video."

Mercy Okam said: "Girls really need to be empowered. They are worth more than being treated like dogs."

One Obi Dim was more concerned about the lackadaisical attitude of the policemen shown in the background of the picture.

He said: "And you have those who are supposed to be protecting us laughing in the background."

Also speaking, Nollywood actress, Georgina Onuoha said: "Why are so many of us mute on this matter?

Actors? Musicians, models and elected officials?

"When did our society become numb to everything morally wrong and inexcusable? When did we as a nation and people degenerate to this level?

"I expect all to be shouting and using their place in the society to call out this folly?

"If this were to be a white

Human puppies for sale? man today on the streets of Lagos tying two black girls or boys on a leash; I bet we will all cry foul and call for

his execution, so why do we all think its ok? Because he is a black man?"

Meanwhile, mum has been

the word from the Lagos State Police Command on the inhumane treatment meted out to the girls.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Bello, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar and heads of aviation agencies within two days with a view to persuading them to come up with an alternative solution.

This decision was the fallout of a motion by Senator Hope Uzodinma (Imo West), who had argued that six weeks outright closure of the only airport in the nation's capital would trigger untoward hardship for both international and local air travelers. He also said the development would attract negative perception of the nation’s image.

He added that a complete shut-down of the airport would impact negatively on international trade and related activities with a multiplier effect on an already recessed national economy.

In his remark, Saraki described the move as bizarre, as he sought to know where such an episode had happened in any part of the world.

"Where else in the world are things done this way?

The idea of total closure of the Abuja Airport is not the best option. Therefore the Senate Aviation Committee should meet with the relevant ministers and heads of aviation agencies within the next two days to seek for an alternative option and report back to the Senate within a week for final decision over the matter," he said.

The Senate also approved the recommendation of its Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy

for the rejection of the nomination of Akinwande as NERC's chairman over his failure to appear before the committee for screening twice as scheduled.

The Committee Chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, while presenting the report, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to send the name of another nominee to the Senate for confirmation.

The Senate however, confirmed the nominations of six others whose names were sent to it along with that of Akinwande. The nominees so confirmed were Sanusi Garba (Vice Chairman, North-west); Nathan Rogers Shatti (North-east); Dr. Moses Arigu (North-central); Dafe Akpedeye (South-south); Prof. Frank Okafor (Southeast) and Dr. Musiliu Oseni (South-west).

region.

At the Naval Headquarters, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, who also met with the PCNI, said plans were underway by the Nigerian Navy to build an outpost station in the Lake Chad Basin.

Ibas explained that the plan would ensure that all forms of criminality and terrorism perpetuated by groups like the Boko Haram would be checkmated.

While commending the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari for setting up the committee, Ibas said: "It is needless to say that this committee is pivotal to sustaining enduring peace in the North-east by winning hearts and minds of the people and quickly

resettling those affected to their various communities.

"We have the Navy participation through the ongoing operation in the Northeast. We also have identified the strategic importance of the Lake Chad.

"And to that effect, the Navy is currently consolidating on the establishment of the Navy outpost in the area."

Ibas maintained that the setting up of the outpost was geared towards resuscitating both military operations and socio-economic activities within the region.

Meanwhile, the Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Christian Ezekobe, yesterday handed over to Captain Suleiman Dahun, who takes over in acting capacity.

COUP IN THE SENATE: LAWAN REPLACES NDUME AS LEADER been consistently attacked by suspected herdsmen, resulting in several deaths, injuries, loss of properties and displacement of the communities.

He listed communities persistently attacked since December 23, 2016 by the suspected herdsmen to include Ambam, Gaska, Dangoma, Tsonje, Pasankori, Gidan Waya and Farin Gada of Iama’a and Kaura Local Government Area.

He said: "The killings of citizens of Southern Kaduna amount to serious violations of the right to life, right to security of human persons, right to the respect of the dignity inherent in human being and right to property not only guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution as Amended, but also of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the

international convention on Civil and Political Right which Nigeria is a party.

"A total number of eight hundred and eight (808) persons were killed in 53 villages across the four Local Government Areas in the affected areas, while 57 persons were injured, farm produces estimated at N5.5billion were destroyed and a total of 1, 422 houses and 16 churches were burnt during the attacks.

"In the last one year, we have witnessed a harvest of killings by these marauding herdsmen with several cases of massacre in Agatu in Benue State, Uzo Uwani in Enugu State, with several attacks in Taraba, Delta and Edo States to mention but a few,"La'ah said.

However, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, advised his

colleagues against debating the motion to avoid the bad blood it might generate in the polity. Hence, the parliament agreed to probe the immediate and remote causes of the menace.

But Saraki condemned the killings, saying "we cannot lose sight of the callous and growing circle of violence across the country, especially now in Southern Kaduna."

Opposes closure of Abuja airport Also yesterday, the Senate opposed the planned closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for six weeks, beginning from March 6, 2017.

Consequently, it ordered its Committee on Aviation to summon Sirika, Fashola,

Rejects Akinwande as NERC chair

FG SEEKS $400M WORLD BANK LOAN TO REBUILD NORTH EAST many of its infrastructure and social system.

Chairman of the Presidential Committee on North-east Initiative (PCNI), Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (Rtd), stated this during a visit by the Security and Peace Building Sub-Committee of the PCNI to the service chiefs in Abuja.

Danjuma who was represented by the Deputy Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Tijani Tumsah, said the federal government was committed to kick-starting the robust rebuilding of the North-east in order to bring normalcy to the troubled region.

He said: "The federal government is seeking a World Bank loan to rebuild the North-east. These figures will reach up to $400 million.

"And so we seek collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in a lot of ways, some of the areas, including using your experiences to curb violent extremism, disarmament, mobilisation, construction and renovation of schools.”

Tumsah said going forward, there was need to enhance the delivery of humanitarian services, adding that the Armed Forces must not relent in their efforts to make sure that the insurgency was completely ended.

At the Defence Headquarters, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Olonisakin, pledged the military’s unflinching support and collaboration in line with the committee’s action plan of ensuring a

coordinated framework for lasting peace and stability in the North-east Represented by the Chief of Defence Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Bashir Saidu, the CDS said the military was ready to collaborate with the PCNI in every area that would obliterate the suffering of the displaced persons and assist in the speedy rebuilding of the damaged infrastructure.

The CDS commended the quality of the committee’s membership, stating that all that was needed was a close collaboration between the military on one side and the committee on the other side until the war against insurgency was brought to a successful conclusion.

He added that the military was willing to provide strategic

intervention towards peace building initiatives as it pushed for continuous synergy with stakeholders in the North-east.

At the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, assured the committee of the force’s readiness to assist the PCNI in its intervention efforts in the North -east.

Abubakar explained that what was critical at the moment was the need to ensure that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returned to their homes and also to support their stay in the camps and make them a bit comfortable.

The CAS pledged to assist the committee to transport any humanitarian materials to the North-east as a strategy to reduce the burden in the

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NEWS

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

FG Appoints Auditors to Monitor States’ Finances

James Emejo in Abuja The federal government has authorised an independent financial audit of the 35 state governments which accessed its N510 billion Budget Support Facility (BSF) in June last year.

Already, eight reputable accounting firms including KPMG, Ernst and Young and PWC, had been appointed to undertake

an independent review of states’ financial management positions.

Importantly, the auditors are required to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the 22-point Fiscal Sustainability Plan (FSP) which was the precondition for accessing the intervention by the benefiting states.

Though the Federal Ministry of Finance had been monitoring compliance to the agreement

EFCC Arraigns Ex-Katsina Governor, Shema

since June 2016, the independent monitoring and verification of the states involved in the bailout programme will now be undertaken by the selected accounting firms.

The BSF is a 12-month standby loan facility designed to bring immediate financial relief to state governments and enable them meet their financial obligations with a monthly amount of N50 billion in the first three months and N40 billion available for

the remaining nine months to beneficiaries.

On the other hand, FSP is a 22-point reform programme which the states had pledged to observe as precondition for accessing the loans mandated for marked increases internally generated revenues, introduction of biometric payroll, publication of audited annual financial statements, and reduction

of wastages by establishing efficiency units among other things.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had, while announcing the appointment of the accounting and audit firms, charged them to “vigorously monitor, evaluate and verify the performance of the states against the agreed milestones set by each state government under the FSP.” State governments that fail to implement the action plans, as

stated, would be taken off the facility with immediate effect.

The FSP was introduced for Sub-national governments in 2016 with the view to enhancing fiscal prudence and transparency in public expenditure.

The plan is part of the nationwide Public Financial Management Reform which is being implemented by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Case adjourned to Feb 7 Ibrahim Shuaibu in Katsina The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) EFCC) yesterday arraigned a former Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema.

He was charged alongside three others before Justice Ibrahim Maikaita Bako of Katsina High Court.

The former governor and other accused persons arrived at the court premises at exactly 8.45a.m. under the protective custody of the operatives of the anti-graft agency.

The duo were arraigned on a 22-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds.

In his submission at the court, Shema’s counsel, Mr. J. B Dawodu (SAN), challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

The agency’s counsel, Jibrin Samuel, urged the court to revoke an administrative bail earlier given to Shema for showing some “signs of not reporting to the commission” as agreed.

He demanded that Shema be

remanded in prison so that there could be access to him at will.

But Justice Bako ruled that it was premature for the EFCC counsel to pray for the detention of the ex-governor.

He advised both sides to take the case slowly in order to have a decent trial, and adjourned the case till February 7 for mention.

Speaking with journalists after the court session, counsel to the accused, Dawodu, said: “The case has been adjourned to February 7 for arguments whether the court has the jurisdiction.

“We are challenging the jurisdiction of the court because this court has no jurisdiction over this case and we will continue to challenge its jurisdiction.

THISDAY observed that the court session ended after a heated debate for over two hours.

It was also observed that security was beefed up within and outside the court premises, while soldiers were stationed few metres before the court along Daura Road in Katsina.

FG to Roll out Diaspora Bond in March Alex Enumah in Abuja Following the successful passage of the Diaspora Bond Bill into law by the National Assembly, the federal government has hinted of plans to roll out the bonds in March this year.

The move is part of efforts to fully engage the Diaspora in the economic and social development of Nigeria as well as recognition of the immense contribution of Diaspora particularly in the last year.

Minister of Finance, KemiAdeosun, disclosed this yesterday inAbuja during a courtesy visit by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Adeosun disclosed that Nigerians abroad are keen to support the development in the country hence government has also designed ways that would accommodate them by creating a conducive environment for doing business.

She said with the rolling out of the Eurobond in January and the passage of the Diaspora Bond law plans are under way to ensure that the Diaspora Bond is rolled out

by March this year.

Adeosun noted that apart

from the Diaspora Bond, other measures put in place by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to lure back some Nigerians doing well abroad is the recently launched Family Home Fund that provides housing loans both to Nigerians abroad as well as their relatives in Nigeria.

She advised Nigerians abroad to catchin on the gesture by supporting their people to own a home through the scheme instead of sending monies for food or other emergencies, adding that owning a home would greatly reduce the burdens of most families in the country. Earlier, Abike Dabiri-Erewa had urged the ministry to come up with various incentive for Nigerians abroad who want to invest in Nigeria.

Dabiri-Erewa, while disclosing that Nigerian diaspora remitted the sum of $35 billion last year which is the highest in Africa and the third in the world, stressed that with a conducive business environment, they can help Nigerian come out of recession.

She also advised that Nigerian Diaspoara should always be considered in the nation’s quest at seeking foreign investors.

CARING GRANDFATHER

President Muhammadu Buhari, carrying a little boy named Buhari during the inauguraition of the revitalised Kuchigoro Primary Healthcare Centre in Abuja....yesterday. With him is the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole (left); and Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehinare State House

Jammeh Shifts ECOWAS Leaders’Visit to Friday Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari will no longer lead a delegation of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders to The Gambia today.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, issued yesterday said the postponement was at the instance of The Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh.

Shehu said: “At the instance of President Jammeh of The Gambia, the high level ECOWAS mediation mission led by Nigeria’s President, Buhari, has pushed forward its visit to Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, to Friday.

“In accepting to postpone the visit earlier planned to take place today, President Buhari, who is mediating alongside Mr. John Mahama, the immediate past President of Ghana, said the delay notwithstanding, the mandate of the ECOWAS will be accomplished.”

The statement said Buhari reiterated the appeal last Monday

by ECOWAS leaders that The Gambian leaders do everything they can to douse the tension in the West African country, which has led citizens to leave the country due to political uncertainty.

The Nigerian leader said ECOWAS was committed to the resolution of the crisis through inclusive dialogue with respect to the constitution and the will of the people of The Gambia.

ECOWAS leaders had last Monday met at the State House in Abuja and ruled out the use of force in resolving the political imbroglio in The Gambia.

They agreed “on the determination to resolve crisis in a manner that every step of the way conforms with the constitution of The Gambia and respect the will of the people of The Gambia.”

They also resolved to meet President Jammeh on Wednesday on the imperative for him to respect the constitution of the country.

Jammeh had rejected the result of the last month’s presidential

election after he had earlier accepted defeat.

The Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, who addressed journalists after the meeting, said: “President Buhari, in his capacity as the mediator of the crisis in The Gambia, hosted a meeting today (yesterday) with certain ECOWAS Presidents here in the State House.

“Present at this meeting were Presidents of Liberia who is also the Chairman of the ECOWAS authority; the President of Senegal and former President of Ghana who is also the co-chair mediator with President Buhari.

“They deliberated on the current state of affairs in The Gambia and shared views on the way forward. “They agreed on the determination to resolve The Gambian political crisis in a manner that every step of the way conforms with the constitution of The Gambia and respect the will of the people of the country.

“They expressed particular concern at the deteriorating situation

that has been reported in respect of security in The Gambia in particular; the closure of some of the radio stations and media house, arrest that have been taking place and also the refugee situation that is being created with the mass exodus of a large number of people to the interior and to neighbouring countries.

“In view of this, the meeting agree that a certain number of presidents’ will visit in two days time, President Jammeh in The Gambia and that again will comprise the mediator, President Buhari, together with the President of Liberia and hopefully, the President of Sierra-Leon and the co-mediator the former President of Ghana (John Mahamma), as well as the President of the ECOWAS commission; the Special Representatives of United Nations and a representative of the African Union.

“So, this meeting will take place in two days time today (yesterday) to discuss with President Jammeh the need to respect the constitution.”

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WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

Abuja Council Unleashes Outrageous Tenement Rates on Residents Exempts presidential villa, government agencies, embassies Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) yesterday released provisional lists on tenement rates on both commercial and residential buildings within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), even as the Presidential Villa, government agencies, ministries and foreign embassies were exempted.

The release of the provisional lists on tenement rates which many described as outrageous was slammed on both commercial and residential buildings in the city.

This is coming at a time Nigerians are still trying to find their footings as the economic recession bites harder.

The provisional valuation lists on display at the council secretariat showed that a six bedroom duplex in the Asokoro district would pay N6 million as tenement rate, while five bedroom duplex goes for N5 million and seven bedroom duplex goes for N9 million per annum, while a bungalow at Orozo, a suburb of FCT goes for N200,000.

Also, annually on the average, residential buildings in central area

would pay N5 million , while Hotel like Bolingo would pay N367 million, and Elizade N25 million among others.

Also, residential buildings in Guzape district would pay N4 million on the average per annum.

Tenement rate for eight bedroom duplex in Maitama district goes for N8 million , while residential building in Gwarimpa 1 and 2 and Garki 2 would also pay N1 million on the average per annum.

The Council Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu Candido, who was already aware of the controversy that would be generated by the tenement rates noted that a committee has already been set up that would listen to complaints as a result of objecting to the provisional lists that has been made available.

Inaugurating the committee in his office in Abuja, the chairman said the details of the valuations of the houses within AMAC conducted by the tenement division of the Council was now ready for inspection and objection.

According to him, “Any property that is in the city was captured except of course the presidential Villa, the federal

secretariat, government agencies, and embassies .”

Candido called on the residents of the city to be tax friendly, stressing that; “our problem has been that we don’t like to pay tax but it is mandatory in the world over. It is the rich that make room for the poor to live, and therefore, we expected that the properties been valued today, being also objected today finally comes to fruition at the end of 21 days.

“Once that is done, what is expected of us is to go to the

National Assembly which have the authority to make the ratings; that is the rates we are supposed to collect on the field, it is not our own obligation. It is the obligation of the National Assembly and once we finished with this, we are set to go; collect tenement rates as it is expected of us and of course, if you refused to pay, we have the authority to enforce collection.”

Candido stressed further that the council did not want to rely on monthly subvension which was not even forthcoming before

it could carry out its constitutional duties; adding that “we want to strengthen the base so that we can provide services as it is expected of a local government.”

The chairman however urged the committee set up to look into the objections of the people critically and make recommendations where necessary, while also urging the residents to corporate and support the council in this drive.

Also, the Divisional Head, Tenement Rate, Mrs. Hannah

Ibrahim, said the law says the list should be pasted for 21 days according to districts.

She stated:”The public, corporate bodies and individuals are expected to come and check, if they have objections to make; pick objection forms and the objections would be attended to.”

Ibrahim said: “This is a provisional valuation list, the final list will come after all the objections have been attended to, and it is then we will paste it on our website to be accessible to everybody .”

NUPENG Begins Three-day Strike Today to Protest Sack of Members The National Executive Committee of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has taken a decision to commence a three-day warning strike to protest “anti-labour practices” in the oil and gas sector.

The President of NUPENG, Mr. Achese Igwe, who spoke with journalists shortly after a meeting of the NEC of NUPENG, said further steps by the union would depend on the outcome of a meeting between it and the federal government today.

Igwe said the union would attend a meeting initiated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, with the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, on Friday.

He said while the DirectorGeneral of the Department of State Services, Mr. Lawal Daura, had intervened to stop the planned action, the NEC felt that it must take place, after deliberations.

Igwe, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said though the strike would commence today, the decision to continue with it would be reached at the meeting with the federal government delegation today.

He said the strike became necessary in order to draw attention to pressing issues in the oil and gas sector, such as casualisation, job security, non-implementation of collective agreements and non involvement of the union in the ongoing divestment system by Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited and others.

He said: “The NEC held a meeting today to review the three-day warning strike that was scheduled to take place on

Wednesday.

“However, as you are all aware, it is not an indefinite strike; it is a symbolic strike action to drive home some of those issues that are really challenging, and to give them the ultimate attention as expected.

“They have to do with casualisation, job security, non implementation of collective agreements across the entire country in the oil and gas sector and the balkanisation of the ongoing divestment system.

“NEC directed that pending the outcome of the meeting tomorrow, the three-day warning strike will take place. The Ministry of Labour has called for a meeting with the Minister of Petroleum.

“We are positive that the meeting will resolve the issues; where it fails, the three-day warning strike will take place.”

Igwe added that over 4,000 oil workers have lost their jobs due to the ongoing divestment by Shell and other oil firms, which excluded the union.

He said several oil firms, including Halliburton, are closing shop, while Saipem has folded up.

Igwe also lamented that most of the multinational oil firms had refused to respect existing labour laws. According to him, a good number of workers who have lost their jobs were sent away without benefits and have been unable to meet family obligations.

He lamented that huge amount of money running into trillions was being tied down in the sector in the name of debt buy back by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

He recalled that AMCON took over a company, Sea Drill Nigeria limited, in the guise of debt buy back and fired all the workers without paying heir due benefits in 2013.

DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (right), in a handshake with the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adeshina, during his visit to the governor in Sokoto....yesterday

Audited Financial Reports of Power Operators Ready in One Month Chineme Okafor in Abuja The audited financial books of the electricity generation, transmission and distribution companies in Nigeria’s electricity supply industry would be ready next month as statutorily demanded by regulatory agency - the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), a communique on the outcome of the recent power sector operators’ meeting has disclosed.

According to the communique which was sent to THISDAY yesterday in Abuja, operators at the meeting in Lagos agreed to conclude with NERC all outstanding issues in the compilation of their annual financial reports and submit them before the next meeting in a month’s time.

NERC had before now, continously slammed regulatory fines running into millions of naira on some of the operators who failed to comply with its requests for their audited books.

The communique however noted that at the next meeting, all the operators that are yet to submit their reports would work

with NERC to have them in place.

“The meeting resolved to complete and submit all outstanding audited financial accounts of all operators before the next meeting in order to improve transparency within the sector,” said the communique.

It listed other things that were agreed at the meeting to include: “The meeting deliberated and resolved as follows: The minister reiterated that customer service should be the focus of the power sector and encouraged each operator and service provider to improve the user experience of its consumers, by improving metering and reducing estimated billings.

“The meeting noted that the family affected by the electrical accident at Oke-Ira, Ogba in Lagos State had been compensated by Ikeja Electric.

“All operators agreed to prioritise safety in all their undertakings to avoid future accidents. The meeting acknowledged the challenges of liquidity in the sector and efforts being made by government and international development partners to address these challenges,” it

added.

On market revenue remittances which had become a challenge to the sector, the communique said: “The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) reminded the meeting that all operators must pay their bills to NBET as well as their suppliers and service providers promptly, to ensure that the sector remains functional and friendly to investors.

“The meeting agreed on the importance of government MDAs paying their debts, and acknowledged the need for proper verification prior to payment, and also noted the ongoing verification and data collection exercise which is aimed at improving liquidity in the sector.”

It said on ongoing works in the sector that the the Ikot Ekpene switching station that was inaugurated on November 21, 2016 would take full advantage of the added capacity to deliver incremental power.

“Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reported the progress of the projects in Shagamu, Ikeja West, Ajah,

Ayobo, Omotosho, Ayede and Ogba which will be completed between April and the end of 2017. The projects, when completed, will improve power supply in Lagos State and its environs. TCN reported that the capacity of the grid is dynamic, and that with the inaugurations Ikot Ekpene switchyard, transmission capacity is now above 6500MVA. “NNPC noted that work is ongoing to repair all pipelines vandalised in 2016 to restore gas supply to power plants,” it added.

The communique equally stated that “NERC announced that Abuja Disco was the best performing Disco in the third quarter of 2016. The score is based on rates of collections, metering progress, health and safety, among other indicators. Okpai Power Plant was announced as the best performing thermal plant in the third quarter of 2016, and Shiroro as the best performing hydroelectric plant.

The score for generating plants was based on availability and general compliance with industry standards.”

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NEWS

Fayose: 2019 Ambition, Public Outcry over Adeboye’s Resignation Forced Buhari to Sack FRC Boss Jonathan did not sign FRCN law, says Reno House to deliberate on FRC’s powers to regulate religious bodies Damilola Oyedele in Abuja Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described the sack of the Executive Secretary of the Financial Regulatory Council (FRC), Mr. Jim Obazee, in connection with the implementation of the controversial Corporate Governance Code 2016 as an afterthought and cover-up to stem the tide of negative public reactions to the implementation of the controversial law that stripped the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye and others of their positions.

In statement issued in Ado Ekiti yesterday and signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said: “When they realised the implication of their action on President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 ambition, especially the personality like Adeboye that is involved, they quickly sacked an innocent man who must have acted on instruction.’’

Fayose added: “Obviously, their attention is more on 2019, not on justice and any love for the sustenance of Christianity in Nigeria. Mind you, they have only suspended the implementation of the regulation, they did not abrogate it. It is obvious that they have an agenda. And if you look at the president’s pattern of life, he is a sectional leader, whose appointments reflect sectionalism and nepotism.”

He said it was funny that a president that is over 70 years would be the one to implement a regulation limiting the age of General Overseer (GO) of

Churches to 70 years, asking “if men of God like Adeboye, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi, Bishop David Oyedepo, Bishop Mike Okonkwo and others cannot be GO of their church beyond 70 years of age, how do we now justify a man like President Buhari who is over 74 and still willing to be president beyond 2019 that he will be 77?”

Fayose, who described those defending President Buhari by claiming that the law was made when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was president as hypocrites, asked: “Even if the law was made before President Buhari assumed office, who is to blame for its implementation?

Could President Buhari have implemented a law he does not believe in and could the sacked FRC boss that they have now used as the sacrificial lamb have implemented the law without the consent of the presidency?”

He questioned the speed at which the president reacted with sacking the FRC boss, asking; “Why was there no such swiftness in his action on Southern Kaduna killings where a race was almost wiped out, with people killed like goats? Why didn’t the president react swiftly to the Senate indictment of the EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu?

The governor further added: “Obviously, it was an afterthought, which was aimed at dousing the negative outcry that greeted the action by using the sacked FRC boss as the fall-guy.

“This has further made it very clear and evident that Buhari is not a leader, he is ruler. He is a religious apologist that believes that

Nigeria’s Democracy is Unique, Says US Envoy The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, has applauded the unique nature of Nigeria’s democracy, saying the greatest democratic lesson he learnt in Nigeria is that government depends on the people order than the people depending on the government.

Symington was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, at his Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office yesterday.

He noted that in countries with not too strong democracy, people depend on the government, while in countries with strong democracy, government depends on the people, because they are well educated, like what obtains in Nigeria.

The US envoy, who described Nigeria’s democracy as peculiar, which according to him, is the hallmark of democratic governance, identified the role played by the Nigerian

media in connecting the people to the government as well as the educational standard of the people of the country, as the reason for this.

Revealing his mission in the state, the envoy said it was to know more about Nigeria and Ogun State and also further strengthen the bilateral relationship that already existed.

“The prosperity and peace of the United States of America will be that of Nigeria through the ties,” he added.

Heexpressgladnessatbeinginthestate, aplacewherehesaidgreatimportanceis attached to education.

Inhisresponse,Amosunsaidthestate isthecradle of education, the first to have accesstoWesterneducationinNigeriaas well as being reputed with many firsts.

Saying the US indeed has a lot to learn from Nigeria, the governor urged the ambassador to use his office to facilitate increased US presence in the state, which he described as the hub of distribution to the West African sub- region and the industrial hub of the nation.

he must silence anybody that does not believe in his line of thought either politically or religious wise.

“Sadly, all those things that we have forgotten and never thought will happen again in this country are now happening. The country is now badly divided more than ever before.

“Nigerians have been able to read through President Buhari in this short time to realise that all he is doing now is to destroy this country like he did in 1984, but God will not allow him.’’

Meanwhile, the former Special Adviser to ex-President Jonathan on Electronic Media, Reno Omokri, has denied claims making the rounds that former president signed the

FRC law that forced Adeboye to announce his retirement.

He equally condemned the call by the Council of Imams and Ulamas that President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Ayokunle, Senator representing Southern Kaduna senatorial sone, Senator Danjuma La’ah and the President of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, Dr. Musa Solomon, among others, be arrested for what it said were their inflammatory comments over Southern Kaduna killings.

However, as the controversy on whether the FRC has powers to regulate tenure regulation of commercial entities and profit organisations lingers, the House of Representatives is set to

deliberate on the powers of the agency to regulate religious bodies under the “not-for-profit” category.

The issue, raised as a matter of urgent importance by the Minority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, is scheduled for debate today, in line with House rules which stipulates that any matter of urgent public importance would be debated on the next legislative day.

The agency ousted boss, Mr. Jim Obazee had enforced the controversial governance code which set 20 year tenure limit for heads of not-for-profit organisations, which include religious bodies.

The enforcement might have led to the resignation of

the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, as head of the church last weekend.

Ogor, speaking at plenary yesterday, said the regulation was a pure creation of the agency and not the National Assembly.

Section 50 of the FRC Act 2011 provides the agency with powers to set guidelines for commercial entities and not-for-profit organisations.

Ogor however, noted that the FRC hadgone beyond its mandate.

He noted that the outrage which greeted the enforcement of the regulation, has caused an embarrassment.

DIPLOMATIC VISIT

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (right) and the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, when the ambassador paid the governor a courtesy visit at his Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office...yesterday

N400m Fraud: Metuh’s Ill Health Stalls Trial Alex Enumah in Abuja The trial of the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, for alleged money laundering offences at the Federal High Court in Abuja was yesterday stalled due to ill health suffered by the defendant.

Metuh was said to be on admission at the National Hospital in Abuja.

His counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), at the resumption of his trial yesterday, informed the court the defendant was last Sunday rushed to the National Hospital where he was admitted for complications arising from the spinal cord ailment for which he had earlier prayed the court to allow him leave for a scheduled surgery abroad.

According to his counsel, doctors at the National Hospital were still running series of tests and examinations on Metuh and

had insisted that they would only be able to issue a report later in the day after collating the results of the tests.

Ikpeazu therefore urged the court to adjourn the matter till the next day on the grounds that the doctors had assured that the report will be ready later today.

Ikpeazu also urged the court to direct the prosecution and an officer of the court to accompany him to see Metuh at the National Hospital if it was not satisfied with his explanations.

Also, counsel to the second defendant, Chief Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) (Destra Investments Limited), told the court that Metuh took ill and suddenly could not stand while attending church service last Sunday after which it was realised that his lower limbs had gone numb.

According to him, Metuh was rushed to the National Hospital where preliminary examination by doctors showed that the untreated spinal cord ailment had triggered a complication resulting in the numbness of his lower limbs.

He said Metuh had to undergo series of examinations including an MRI scan on his spine at an Indian Hospital in Karu, Abuja on Monday which results came in late last night making it difficult for the team of doctors to arrive at a comprehensive deduction for a medical report the same day.

Onwugbufor urged the court to note that the defendant is human and susceptible to the frailties of life including falling sick, and is only asking the court to grant him an adjournment to enable his doctors conclude on the tests and issue a report

on him.

He also argued that under the law, the defendant is entitled to such adjournments under such circumstance.

However, in his argument, prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, said the explanations by the defence counsel does not substitute for a sick certificate or a medical report from the hospital and urged the court to adjourn the case to the following day after which it should invoke the relevant sections of the laws to continue the case in the absence of the accused if he fails to appear in court or produce the necessary medical documents.

Justice Okon Abang in a bench ruling, adjourned the case at the instance of the accused person to today on the grounds that the same day had already been listed for continuation of trial on the case.

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WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

NEWS

To Avoid Scandal, House Moves to Pass Budget Openly Backs ECOWAS peaceful transition in Gambia In a bid to avoid a repetition of budget fraud allegations which plagued the 2016 budget, the details of the 2017 N7.3 trillion budget would be debated and passed openly at plenary and during proceedings by the House of Representatives.

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, in his welcome

address at the resumption from the Christmas/New Year recess yesterday, reiterated the House’s commitment to the budget reform process.

He described the 2017 budget as a major tool to rejig the national economy.

“We must brace up and work assiduously and conscientiously

Chinese Foreign Minister Visits Nigeria Today Alex Enumah inAbuja China’s Foreign Minister, Yi Wang will tomorrow visit Nigeria as part of a six-day official visit to Africa.

The visit, which takes him across various regional blocks in Africa, is aimed at strengthening relations between China and Africa.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, the main purpose of Wang’s visit is to further explore how to implement the major consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and African leaders, as well as the outcomes of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

“It is against the backdrop of new changes emerging in international political and economic situations and new challenges turning up in African countries so as to assist Africa’s rejuvenation and development, boost the upgrading of ChinaAfrica cooperation and contribute to solidarity and common development among developing countries,” the statement read in part.

Speaking further, China’s Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Geng Shuang, said Wang chose the five countries as the destination

of his first overseas visit in the new year.

Shuang disclosed that the foreign minister’s first trip of every year usually takes him to Africa, a practice he added has been in existence for over two decades, and is already establishing it as a fine diplomatic tradition.

He noted that 2017 would witness China-Africa cooperation marching forward and upgrading in an all-round way.

“China’s diplomacy is rooted in strengthening relations with developing countries, including those in Africa,” he said.

According to the release, 2016 was the inaugural year of ChinaAfrica cooperation in the new age, with China and Africa making positive efforts to implement the outcomes of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation (FOCAC) and reaping a bunch of important early harvests.

He disclosed that, from January to September 2016, China’s nonfinancial direct investment to Africa registered a year-on-year 31 per cent increase.

He said: “Between the end of the Johannesburg Summit and the end of last July, 245 cooperation agreements worth more than US$50 billion covering various

to give Nigerians a budget that will not only lift us out of recession but kick start the needed expeditious journey into Nigeria’s prosperity. We pledge to reform the budget process,” he said.

“To this end therefore, we would ensure that the procedure and process of consideration and passage of the 2017 budget is transparent, inclusive and professionally handled. The details of the budget should be debated and passed in plenary to avoid those needless pitfalls that normally characterise the budget process,” Dogara added.

The practice before now was that budget details were debated at relevant committee levels, with each committee presenting recommendations to the House at the plenary.

Dogara, three principal officers, and some committee chairmen had been accused of budget fraud by a former Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Jibrin Abdulmumin, who accused them of inserting projects in the 2016 budget.

Each item in the 2017 budget would therefore be discussed openly at plenary for approval or rejection by the lawmakers.

The Speaker in his address

harped on the need for passage of critical bills for economic stimulation, before active politicking starts.

He listed the bills to include Public Procurement Act amendment, Federal Competition Bill and Petroleum Industry Bill.

“The recent fiscal measures including import prohibition of certain items and the increase or decrease of tariff on some items should receive appropriate legislative scrutiny to ensure that the economy and the interests of our people are protected. We must ensure that we take no prisoners in accomplishing this task,” Dogara said.

Despite the assurances to the expeditious passage of the 2017 budget however, THISDAY gathered that the budget debate would not commence this week, and does not seem likely next week.

This is because lawmakers in the House and Senate are yet to receive the details of the budget, which must be made available before second reading.

Also, this week’s notice paper obtained by THISDAY does not have any matter on the budget scheduled.

Furthermore, a meeting of

principal officers with chairmen of all standing committee to agree on guidelines and procedures for the budget process is yet to hold.

After the meeting, the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee is expected to release a memo to all lawmakers and committees on the procedures for submission of reports.

Meanwhile, the House has supported the position of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to ensure a peaceful transition in the Gambia, and ensure that no leader in the sub-region engages in conduct prejudicial to the growth of Africa’s democracy.

ECOWAS leaders recently resolved to continue mediation in the Gambian impasse where President Yahya Jammeh said he would not handover despite losing the recent presidential election.

The Speaker of the House, Dogara, in his welcome address to lawmakers from recess yesterday, said the position of ECOWAS was reassuring.

“The situation in the Gambia constitutes a serious dent on the rising profile of the development of democracy

on the African continent,” Dogara said, citing the recent case of former Ghanaian President John Mahama who just last week, handed over to President Nana Akufo Addo who emerged victorious at the country’s presidential election.

Dogara, in his address, also expressed worry at the spate of impeachment of the Speakers of Houses of Assembly, particularly arising from external influences.

Jigawa and Abia State assemblies recently impeached and replaced their Speakers.

The manner of removal of Speakers of Kogi and Edo States, last year, received national attention.

“While we recognise the constitutional right of the legislature to conduct its internal affairs including the right to hire and fire its leadership, it presents a different scenario where such leadership hiring and firing is rife with accusations and insinuations of external influence and also devoid of extant procedure,” Dogara said.

“Leaders everywhere can only function efficiently where there is certainty that commendation is the reward for good leadership and sanction the consequence of inept leadership,” he added.

APC Has Been Dislodged in Rivers, Wike Boasts Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has boasted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been completely dislodged in the state.

He said the vestiges of the APC were removed following the mass execution of key projects across the state by his administration.

Wike, who spoke yesterday while inaugurating the OzuobaRumuoparaeli-Choba road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, said the APC no longer has a voice in the state because leaders of the party are only involved in antipeople programmes.

He lauded the Akpor people for giving him the traditional mandate to protect the people of the state , pointing out that he would stand for the people at all times.

Wike said: “There is no more APC in Rivers State, we have used projects to dislodge the party in the state.

“If they don’t steer clear of

Rivers State, we shall cut them off from the state. Now that our people have given us the mandate to clear all the unwanted items.”

Speaking further, Wike said: “All those that know, must not come close because my people have given me the instrument to go to war against enemies of Rivers State.” Commenting on the road, he said the OzuobaRumuoparaeli-Choba road traverses three communities and two wards.

He said he had fulfilled the promises made to the people of the area, adding that more projects will be executed in the area.

The state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Iheanyichukwu Bathuel, noted that the completion of the road hadimproved the value of property in the three communities that the road serve.

The spokesman of the Rumuokparali community, Sir Chris Abel, expressed the gratitude of the people to Wike for fulfilling his campaign promise to them.

IT COMPLIANT GOVERNOR

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (left), and Guest Lecturer/Senior Pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare; and pupils in the computer room during official inauguration of St. James CAC Caring Heart Maga Primary School, Irowo in Akure....yesterday.

Osinbajo Cautions Nigerians against Legitimising Corruption Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged anti-corruption agencies in the country to step up their engagements with the Nigerian public especially those who think that when a politician who is their kinfolk steals, it is permissible.

Osinbajo made the observation earlier yesterday while meeting with a delegation of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) led by its Chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay, at the Presidential Villa.

“How we communicate what is going on regarding corruption is important. There are still those

who think a politician who steals, is some kind of Robin Hood, instead of being vilified,” Osinbajo noted in a statement by his spokesman, Laolu Akande.

The vice president, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), added: “Some people believe that if ‘my kinsman’ steals it is ok,” stressing that it is important to completely delegitimise corruption especially through the way it is communicated.

He praised the work of PACAC. “I commend the excellent work you have done so far from the beginning,” he told the PACAC

delegation, adding that the committee has done very well removing skepticism as to whether an anti-corruption initiative can work well in the country.

“This has been very good,” the vice president declared, explaining that the committee has given credibility to the anti-corruption war.

While expressing satisfaction that the anti-corruption war has been going on very well, especially with the role of PACAC, the vice president also noted that it is important that corruption trials once commenced should be concluded promptly.

In his comments at the meeting, Prof. Sagay said PACAC has engaged with all anti-corruption agencies in the country, including the police and the judiciary. “We are cooperating effectively well with them,” he disclosed.

Sagay who was accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the committee, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, and members including Hadiza Bala-Usman, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), called for an harmonised National Anti-Corruption Strategy for the federal government.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

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NEWS

DSS Arrests Boko Haram Members in Lagos, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi In its determined counter-terrorism efforts to consolidate on the gains it has made in the sustenance of offensive against identified criminal gangs, kidnap syndicates and terrorist elements across the country, the Department of State Services (DSS) has recorded major successes to further degraded the capacity of these elements to operate in the county.

Tony Opuiyo of the Department of State Services in a statement issued yesterday, noted that on January 1, 2017, at Mutum Biyu in Gassol council area in Taraba State, Bale Kolomi Grema and Kolomi Adba AJI were arrested in a mosque after they had fled Marte in Borno State, where they were involved in Boko Haram terrorist activities.

Also, it was learnt that on the same day, a kidnap suspect, Amadu Bello, was apprehended at Hotoron Arewa, Nasarawa council area of Kano State for his involvement in a kidnap operation at Zomo village, Ningi council area of Bauchi State from which he got a share of N3million from the ransom.

In a related development, on January 6, 2017, one Paul Ali (aka Simplee), a high profile leader of a

kidnap syndicate, was arrested at Hill Flower Hotel, Asaga Ohafia in Abia State. Ali, who operates camps at Ikot Abasi and Mbo council area of Akwa Ibom State, is responsible for notable kidnap incidents across the Niger Delta region.

He, according to Opuiyo, is also a member of the Bakassi Strike Force (BSF) which has carried out attacks on oil installations in the area. At the time of his arrest, Ali, with his associate, Chidiebere Kanu, was planning the kidnap of a federal lawmaker and an expatriate.

Kanu is presently at large.

According to the source, in another incident, two suspected Boko Haram terrorists, Ibrahim Mala and Abdallah Modu, were arrested on January 6, 2017, at Amba and Gudi villages of Kokona council area of Nasarawa State.

The suspects who are indigenes of Maiduguri, Borno State, had fled the military action in the state and were regrouping in the state under different trade covers.

While Modu sells children’s wears, Mala, who trades in perfumes, confessed to his membership of the sect and disclosed that he (Mala) joined the Yusufiyya faction in 2007. Similarly,

Abdulkarim Dahiru, a key terrorist commander and an indigene of Okengwa, Okene council area of Kogi State, was arrested at the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja. The suspect was identified as the main coordinator of several kidnappings as well as other robbery activities in Kogi and Edo States.

Furthermore, the statement said security operations conducted from January 3 to 7 across some flashpoints in Lagos State led to the arrest of seven kidnap suspects, six of whom, namely; Gilbert Koku Nelson, John Nelson, Adekoya Kazeem, Muhammad Lawal, Abu Yahro and Kelvin Nwanaji, were arrested in connection with the kidnap of a management staff of Dangote Group.

The two other suspects, Abdullahi Bello, a Customs officer, and Bello Gumel, were apprehended at Navy Town, Ojo council area and Naval Base, Alakija, respectively, in connection with the kidnap of another Customs officer, on December 20, 2016.

Members of the above gang, the source stated, specialised in spying on senior company executives and laying ambush for kidnap and robbery operations for huge ransoms.

On January 7, one Muhammad Auwal was arrested at Andaza village, Kiyawa council area of Bauchi State in connection with Boko Haram terrorist activities.

Auwal who was arrested with the sum of N300,000 on him, is believed to be a drug supplier to the sect in Sambisa forest.

Also on January 7, the Service said it also arrested the trio of Elijah Awua, Joseph EjakA and Hope Nathan, at Kanshio, Otukpo road, Makurdi, Benue State. The suspects are members of a notorious kidnap syndicate that has been responsible for several kidnap operations in Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau States.

Their most recent venture was the gang’s abduction of a staff of Radio Benue, Makurdi on December 2, 2016. Suspects

were arrested with a silver coloured Toyota RAV4 vehicle marked ABJ AQ 720 KUJ. Two other members of the syndicate identified as Gabriel Joshua and Timothy are currently on the run and being trailed.

On January 8, 2017, one Bello Mohammed (aka Awilo), the leader of a syndicate that specialised in car theft and burglary in Gombe State was arrested at Jekadafari area of Gombe metropolis. Mohammed confessed to being the kingpin of the syndicate in the state. His confession led to the arrest of an associate, Abdullahi Ibrahim (alias Dibal) who is seen at the arrowhead of the gang in the Northeast.

Ibrahim also disclosed that he has stolen 10 cars in Gombe. Based on his confession, two buyers of the stolen cars identified as Surajo Ali Gombe, and Danjuma Baka, have been arrested.

The Service also arrested four suspected fleeing members of the boko Haram, Fanayi Bukar Hassan, Butame Hassan, Kologoni Bukar, and Amina Abubakar on January

10at Oko-Oba, Ifako-Ijaiye council area of Lagos State.

They are suspected to have fled to the state to evade arrest in the ongoing military offensive in the Northeast. Same day, at Okene town in Kogi State, the leader of the sect in Okene, Abdullahi Mohammed aka Huja, was arrested.

He had been responsible for the coordination of the sect activities in Okene axis of the state.

The Tony Opuiyo of the Department of State Services stated that “it is important to state that these successes were recorded as a result of proactive and credible intelligence offered by patriotic citizens, and the effective cooperation of sister agencies and other relevant stakeholders.

“This Service wishes to restate its determination to sustain the tempo within the provisions of the law as part of its drive towards ensuring the security of lives and property of all law-abiding residents and citizens in the country.

Nwodo Emerges New Ohanaeze Leader as Maduekwe Stays away Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu Former Minister of Information, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, yesterday defeated former Vice Chancellor of Anambra State University of Science and Technology, Prof Chinweyite Ejike, to emerge the new President-General of the apexIgbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Nwodo polled a total of 242 votes to beat Ejike who came a distant second with 13 votes.

While two others contestants for the position, Prof Simon Ortuanya and Chief Joel Ezeugwu had earlier stepped down from the race and endorsed Nwodo in their stead, Admiral Alison Madueke who initially bought form for the exercise neither appeared for screening nor showed face at the election.

A former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Hillary Opara, and one Uche Okwukwu emerged as Deputy President General and Secretary General respectively, while a former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Prof Chigozie Ogbu, was elected as the Vice President General.

Other 13 officials mainly politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) also emerged at the election which attracted the presence of top Igbo leaders including a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, former governor of old Enugu State, Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Senator Chuka Utazi, among others.

Though none of the governors or ministers from the South-east attended the event, Deputy Governors of Enugu and Ebonyi States, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo and Kelechi Igwe, stormed the national secretariat of Ohanaeze, venue

of the election at about 5:30p.m. when the results were being sorted out.

Delegates for the election were drawn from the five states of the South-east as well as from Rivers and Delta States.

Other affiliate bodies including Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Aka Ikenga, among others also sent delegates.

Delegates at the election had earlier endorsed the dissolution of the Chief Gary Igariwey and Dr. Joe Nworgu-led executives.

Igariwey had told the gathering that his executive recorded some modest achievements especially the ongoing construction of an ultra-modern secretariat for the organisation by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

He therefore, urged the incoming executive to ensure that the project was competed within the next three months.

On his part, the chairman of the Election Committee, Prof. Anya O. Anya, said the election coming exactly 50 years after the Nigeria/ Biafra war started in 1967 showed that the Igbo were in the threshold of a new era and therefore called for sober reflection.

He recalled that the defunct Eastern Region built the fastest growing economy in 1964, expressing dismay that the zone had continued to totter afterwards.

He urged the new leadership to restore the lost glory of the Igbo.

On his part, the new President General pledged his readiness to serve Ndigbo with commitment and dedication.

While observing that Ndigbo had invested heavily in other parts of the country, Nwodo said his leadership would ensure that Igbo capital was repatriated to Igbo land.

READY FOR LEGISLATIVE WORK

L-R:SenatorrepresentingRiversEast,MagnusAbe;Chairman,SenateCommitteeonGas,BasseyAkpan;andMinorityLeader,SenatorGodswillAkpabio. whentheSenateresumedfromChristmasbreakinAbuja....yesterday JuliusAtoi

FG Tackles 70% Out-of-pocket Payment for Health Buhari launches revitalisation of PHC programme Kuni Tyessi in Abuja In its bid to ensure that Nigerians have access to medical care at affordable prices and at Primary Healthcare Centres close to their places of residence, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday launched the revitalisation of primary healthcare programme, involving 10,000 healthcare centres nationwide, in Kuchigoro, FCT. Also, in order to tackle over 70 per cent out-of-pocket expenditure for health, which he disclosed is more than the globally recommended 30-40 per cent, it is unfortunate that only less than 5 per cent of the total population is covered by any kind of health insurance or risk protection mechanism which is against the recommended 90 per cent coverage by the World Health Organisation.

In his address, President Buhari said the revitalisation of the PHCs

is apt and needful, as it will reverse the unsatisfactory situation and better care for the poor and needy which will signal the revitalisation of the first 109 Primary Health Care facilities across the 36 states and the FCT.” He assured that the federal government will focus more on people living in the rural areas and the vulnerable population in the society such as women, children under 5years of age and the elderly in collaboration with national and international partners.

“I am aware that out-of-pocket payment for health constitute over 70 per cent of total health expenditure. This is more than the globally recommended 30-40 per cent. However, only less than 5 per cent of the total population is covered by any kind of health insurance or risk protection mechanism which is against the recommended 90

per cent coverage by the World Health Organisation. Our vision is to reverse this unsatisfactory situation and better care for the poor and needy.”

“We have commenced the revitalisation of one Primary Health Care Centre in each senatorial zone in the country. Our vision is to revitalise 10,000 Primary Health Care Facilities in Nigeria using a phased approach. The first phase of this approach is what we are flagging off today. It will signal the revitalisation of the first 109 Primary Health Care facilities across the 36 states and the FCT.” “Kuchigoro Primary Health Care Centre has been renovated as a model primary health care centre where quality health care services will be obtained at little or no cost to the beneficiaries.” ”I want to assure Nigerians that government will continue to ensure that great numbers of Nigerians

have access to quality basic health care services. Accordingly, the provision in the National Health Act, 2014 for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund is in the process of being implemented. I also assure my fello countrymen and women that our Administration will fulfill all the promises made to the people.”

“The provision of quality health care service will reverse the poor health indices in the country. I am hopeful that our women will no more be dying needlessly during childbirth; our children will no more be dying needlessly as a result of vaccine preventable diseases or common ailment; access to health care will not be limited because of lack of money to pay.”

“Our Government has also through the Saving One Million Lives Initiative, provided 1.5 Million USD to each state government and FCT to ensure quality health care to women and children.”

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WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

COMMENT

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

BURATAI, SOLDIERS AND COWS

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Soldiers should face their constitutionally defined role, writes Tola Adeniyi

his battered landscape called Nigeria is a funny place.

The so-called leaders are so zany that they make you wonder whether some of them just recently escaped from Professor Lambo’s Aro Mental Hospital, Abeokuta. I don’t mean to say they are mad or suffering from some degree of lunacy. That will not be appropriate. Leaders cannot be madmen, or the other way round, madmen cannot be leaders. I don’t want to get confused: madmen cannot be leaders but leaders can behave like madmen.

When I was growing up in the ‘40s and ‘50s there was a great slapstick comedian in Ijebu-Igbo, a sprawling city in the neighbourhood of my great Ago-Iwoye city called Kaga. Kaga was so good and captivating that he became a butt of many jokes and songs in the whole of Ijebuland and beyond. His peculiar style was to pose as a mad man, a powerful disguise antics that made him to get away with anything.

I think the spectacular success being reported by the media regarding the performance of our soldiers in the dreaded Sambisa forest has gone into their heads. Now they want to conquer the whole of Nigeria, a country in the image of the Fulani Empire. What bloody civilians from the ruling cabal have not been able to achieve because of the stiff opposition from those who feared a Plateau and Agatu treatment on their people is now about to be carried out through the backdoor.

Thanks to the brilliance and ingenuity of Lt. General T.Y. Buratai.

He wants to use the soldiers who are trained and equipped to safeguard the territorial integrity of the country, and are to ensure internal security at all times to abandon that specific and specified assignment and devote their time and military expertise guarding cows. It would have been a great comic relief if it had been during the time Nigeria soldiers were in the hands of a general who went by the unusual name Malu, the Yoruba name for cow!

People of this unfortunate place called Nigeria have gone through brutal assaults in the hands of the Fulani herdsmen. This writer does not care if the barbaric, brutish and brutal Fulani in question are from Futa Jallon Highlands or from Cameroon mountains or from the Moon as being shamelessly canvassed by tactless apologists who keep insulting our Ministry of Interior. The sad truth is that peaceful citizens of the nations that were forcibly yoked to produce a nightmare called Nigeria have gone through hell in the hands of marauding Fulani herdsmen who obviously value the lives of cows above the lives and sanctity of human beings. They have plundered, they have raided, they have raped, and they have killed hundreds of defenceless human beings in the deceptive name of animal grazing.

Now that there is stiff opposition to the government’s wrong headed plan to forcibly establish grazing lands across the country, clever Brutai, obviously acting a script handed over to him, wants to arm soldiers to the hilt and unleash them on people’s lands across the so-called country.

The Fulani herdsmen were carrying AK47 rifles. Frightened and brutalised Nigerians cried “Havoc!” Now it is soldiers who will be marching on people’s lands possibly forcibly acquired, and taunt

THE ARMY WILL BE TRESPASSING IF IT DARES ACQUIRE ANY PORTION OF LAND ANYWHERE IN THIS SO-CALLED COUNTRY FOR MILITARY IMPOSED GRAZING. AND BURATAI SHOULD NOT FORGET THAT THIS IS A CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT, NOT JACKBOOT DICTATORSHIP

them with bullets and fire and whip them to submission should any one dare challenge those who rape their wives, daughters and mothers!

Perhaps General Buratai is unaware that most of the finest bridges and dams in Egypt were built by the Egyptian army. The Engineering Corps of the Egyptian army is almost comparable with the Germans Julius Berger in terms of both quantity and quality of the numerous construction tasks performed for their country.

With most of our roads in deplorable state what one would have expected from the Chief of Army Staff is a programme of rehabilitation whereby soldiers not engaged to flush out Boko Haram would be busy mending roads from Sokoto to Lagos and from Saki to Yola.

The Nigeria Police is over stretched. Even with the 10,000 recruits into the police force, that over burdened agency is still grossly understaffed. A good number of the soldiers now headed for cow lectures in Argentina could be utilised after a crash programme in police training.

I am aware that highly respected Audu Ogbe is sending millions of dollars to Argentina to purchase GRASS! This is ridiculous when considered against FODDER technology which is much cheaper and is billed to provide hundreds of thousands of employment to our restive youths. When I first read the story of the Ministry of Agriculture heading to Argentina to buy grass I did not believe, and I waited for weeks for a rebuttal that never came. I still want to believe that the media lied against Ogbe. The Ogbe I knew!

All Nigerian senators, members of the House of Representatives, local government chairmen across the country and our revered traditional rulers including the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto should all speak with one voice and stop Buratai’s scheme to put fire on the country that is well sitting on a keg of gun powder.

State governors hold the lands in trust for their people. All the lands occupied by soldiers as barracks belong to the state governors in whom the authority of land ownership is vested by the Nigerian wobbled military constitution.

The army will be trespassing if it dares acquire any portion of land anywhere in this so-called country for military imposed grazing. And Buratai should not forget that this is a civilian government, not jackboot dictatorship.

This hidden agenda is too open and too pedestrian to escape detecting. It is dead on arrival. And Nigerians [I know people merely pay lipservice to that title] should resist this demonic backwood strategy to further inflame passion in this place.

There are too many problems begging for solution, too many questions begging for answers in this damned place that no one who wants and desires peace for our hungry people should add the lash of provocation to their many aches. Nigeria does not want a Rwanda!

Let soldiers face their constitutionally defined role. They should not be a cranky substitute for Fulani herdsmen!

Chief Adeniyi is a former Managing Director of Daily Times

THEYORUBA AND OBASANJO IN NIGERIAN POLITICS

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Agboola Sanni argues that the former president is not the messiah he claims to be

f there is one person whose personage in national polity offers a case study, it is no other than General Olusegun Obasanjo. Whether in his career in the military or his debut into Nigerian politics, he is so far the luckiest person in Nigerian public life.

To some, he is the symbol of Nigerian unity. Some will not even mind giving him the cognomen of one that can lay down his life for Nigerian cause. What such people may not remember however is that whether in the military or in government, his so-called courage is shielded by mortal cowardice.

Various accounts of the war showed him as somebody gifted in hiding himself away from trouble zone only to emerge from nowhere to take credit that he did not deserve.

But even if we did not have details of his military career, the incident of February 3, 1976, when even as number two man, he reportedly disappeared upon hearing the news of the assassination of his principal, General Murtala Muhammed. He was later to be located under the bed, hiding in the room of the late Chief S.B. Bakare in Ikoyi.

Even after surfacing, he could not on his own muster the courage to take the leadership position until the necessary courage was instilled in him by the likes of T.Y. Danjuma, Shehu Yar’Adua, and others. At that critical stage in his life, Nigeria was not worth dying for. It turned out to be a peculiar idiosyncrasy to him that the first thing he usually did with sword of authority was to turn that sword against those who risked their life to give it

to him. Just as it was with the likes of Alani Akinrinade, Alabi-Isama in the war front, so also was it with the Danjuma, Ibrahim Babangida, e.t.c., at the Dodan Barracks.

The story is not different with those who equipped his wardrobe for presidential garment in 1999. Atiku Abubakar, Danjuma and business moguls like S.O. Bakare, Fasawe, Orji Uzor Kalu, among others have different stories to tell on the 1999 episode.

One may wonder, why in spite of all these, he is still being seen as the symbol of unity in the country. The reason for this is not far-fetched for those who care. The case of Obasanjo is the myth or paradox of the man who loves his distant cousin better than his direct sibling. The paradox is the passion of sacrificing the blood of his sibling brother to save the life of his cousin.

The political narrative of that analogy is that in selling himself to other federating units of the country, he always sees his own race, the Yoruba race as the pawn or tool to ignite the lamp of Nigeria. Mention any Yoruba man, living or dead aspiring to the leadership of the country, Obasanjo would be quick to portray him to the other zones either as a tribalist or a Yoruba irredentist.

Going memory lane, it was Obasanjo who as military head of state coined the slogan ‘the best candidate does not have to win at all costs in a democracy’. He deliberately coined that to quench the flame of the rising profile of Awolowo’s four cardinal programmes of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

As if that was not enough, he arranged an official state visit to the eastern part of the country where he held clandestine meetings with the Igbo leadership regarding Awolowo’s role as Federal Commissioner for Finance which changed the face of the currency that finally led to the collapse of the Biafra dream.

That for the East; for the North on the other hand, he would never miss the opportunity to remind their leaders that for him, one of them, Shehu Shagari could not have emerged as President in 1979 when he used his executive prowess to foil Awolowo’s aspiration.

As it that was not enough, Obasanjo did not change his colour in 1993 during M.K.O. Abiola’s presidential bid. He did not hide his endorsement of the 1993 election annulment in ‘national interest’.

His response to the Abacha clampdown on Yoruba leaders was a tacit endorsement of the anti-Yoruba Abacha agenda until nemesis caught up with him. In a nutshell, anything anti-Yoruba is to him in the country’s national interest. Needless going through the intrigues that brought him to power in 1999, it suffices however to state that all those who contributed in one way or the other for his emergence were to be paid back with the tag of either being a thief or crook.

Although, ostensibly, the presidency was zoned to the South-west in 1999 at northern initiative, to assuage the pain of the Yoruba for the annulment, the period turned to

be the worst for the South-west in the political history of the country. All sensitive positions that should ordinarily go to the South- west were given as bonuses to other zones with a view to portraying himself as a nationalist, in fact, as the only nationalist in Yoruba land; as against tribalists, which he had branded all other Yoruba leaders.

Even his Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar drew the irk of his anger in his bid to revive the SDP confraternity of the Babangida era. Atiku started by initiating a regular progressive meeting with the AD Governors who were his political soul mates in the SDP days. Obasanjo tacitly queried him for undue interference in his political zone.

He found a way of admonishing the AD governors for fraternising with a Fulani man at his own expense. He thereafter initiated his own rapport with his ‘brother governors’. We all saw the end of that rapport. He made sure all the governors, except Bola Tinubu lost their second term bid. Only Tinubu can tell the story of what he went through in the hands of Obasanjo before he could secure his second term.

Where other leaders used the opportunity of their incumbency to raise their people, the reverse is the case with Obasanjo. The Awujale had just narrated how he dealt with Mike Adenuga. Maybe one day, somebody will also tell the story of Chief Bakare of the Oluwalogbon fame in the hands of Obasanjo Sanni wrote from Ibadan

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WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

EDITORIAL COLLAPSED BUILDING AT POLICE BARRACKS

There is alternative to chaos. The authorities should ensure buildings conform to codes and regulations

A sergeant and one other person died from a collapsed building at the police barracks, Ikeja, Lagos last month. As usual, the authorities have threatened to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse and bring those responsible to book. But nobody has said anything about the cracked and dilapidated structures that litter the entire barracks in which living has become hell on earth for our policemen and women that inhabit the place.

The subtext in that report is the sub-human conditions under which majority of our policemen live. Yet, the pertinent questions we keep asking are: How can we expect the best of our police officers if we treat them with such contempt as to expose their families to this kind of indignity?

How can we expect those to whom the society literally denies justice by the way we treat them to help us?

While we commiserate with the families of the deceased persons, it is unfortunate that we continue to witness this unfortunate occurrence largely caused by unethical HOW CAN WE EXPECT dealings by project THE BEST OF OUR promoters leading to POLICE OFFICERS IF WE such a huge number of fatalities. From TREAT THEM WITH SUCH CONTEMPT AS TO EXPOSE the use of cheap and inferior materiTHEIR FAMILIES TO THIS als to improper KIND OF INDIGNITY? supervision and distortion of original building plans, it would appear some unscrupulous people just create problems for the society in the bid to make easy money.

However, the case of the Ikeja barracks collapse would appear to have resulted from the failure of oversight and negligence by the appropriate authorities for supervision and monitoring of physical structure that are prone to collapse due to wear and tear. Had the said building been properly monitored, the authority would have been aware

Letters to the Editor

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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

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

of the defects and would have applied the remedial measures needed to prevent the collapse and the attendant avoidable loss of lives.

This is a nationwide problem though. Everywhere you go there is the failure of the regulating agencies to properly perform their supervisory roles, giving rise to a situation where quacks have taken over in many areas. Indeed, some land speculators have also become estate developers and self-styled construction experts all rolled into one. From the architectural design stage to civil and structural engineering, actual construction and project completion, most of these characters are interested in how to cut costs, even if it means circumventing laid down regulations. This can only breed the kind of disaster we experience from time to time.

Yet as the Nigerian Society of Structural Engineers has said, the construction of a building is expected to be managed by qualified professionals including structural engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, architects and quantity surveyors, among others. All these professionals are to be supervised by site engineers and inspectors whose duty it is to ensure that everything is done in accordance with approved plans and standards, but above all, they are expected to pay attention to the use of the quality of materials. It is therefore unfortunate that in spite of the abundance of a great number of building and construction professionals in Nigeria, buildings still collapse like packs of cards.

While we recommend sanctions for those who may be found guilty of the kind of criminal negligence that led to the police barracks building collapse and others, government should do a complete overhaul of the nation’s building and construction regulations. There should be a policy that makes any professional connected with a collapsed building to forfeit his licence and face the full weight of the law. Unless drastic steps are taken and building codes implemented to the letter, the nation will continue to experience these avoidable serial disasters.

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.

DAMBAZAU AND NIGERIA’S INTERNAL SECURITY

he internal peace and security of any nation is key to development and it is the bedrock against external assault.

For any external aggression to succeed, the internal harmony and security must have to be overrun. That is why in some developed countries, the Minister of Interior is one of the most powerful. And any security matter that hits the ministry has reached the supreme point. Therefore, the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, is one of the ministers in the present administration admired by Nigerians of diverse cultural and ethno-religious affiliations. He has proved competence and the reason is clear.

When Dambazau was appointed to head this very sensitive ministry, it was against the popular view of many who thought he was best for the Ministry of Defence. But apart from fate, President Buhari knew who he was and his capacity in security matters. A man whose loyalty to his superiors and particularly to the president is boundless can only display it in words and in actions. No wonder he remained loyal to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua even when crucial security apparatuses in the country were ready to betray him during his sick period before death.

Luckily, I had the opportunity to be close to a one-time interior minister during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

One acceptable reason to ascribe intellectual sagacity cum humility in national service to Gen. Dambazau is the progressive subdual of internal crises that have been threatening the fabric of Nigeria’s existence. Many Nigerians, including the writer, are still wondering what would have happened to Nigeria as an entity if there had been no change in the government of Nigeria. Based on reality, there have been result-oriented thrust and civil-military actions against the Boko

Haram terrorists, the Niger Delta insurgents and Biafra agitators.

Wonderfully, the way these three forces against national interests are being handled calls for praise and support for the Nigerian security apparatuses largely overseen by the Interior Minister in conjunction with few other government ministries and agencies.

However, the Boko Haram terrorists, the Niger Delta insurgents and Biafra agitators are not the only threats to Nigerians. Contraband goods including foods, drugs and substandard materials and equipment, influx of expatriates some of whom are questionable, immorality in the security organs, fire disasters as well as unnoticed or ignored corruption in the system are dangers that are often neglected or undermined. These menaces have been systematically tackled under Gen. Dambazau’s watch.

I want to applaud these achievements within one year and commend the synergy amongst the security chiefs: National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Interior and the Director General of Department of State Services (DSS). With these men on board, Nigeria’s safety has been guaranteed while the nation has been positioned for greatness.

Another thing that has impressed the citizenry about the minister is his way in handling other internal crisis. He does not rush in making statements and conclusions without proper, thorough and independent investigations. Look at the recent herdsmen/farmers killings across the country. The minister. urges refrain from giving religious interpretations to the crises or making comments that could heighten them. In a statement by his press secretary, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, the minister tasked Nigerians to live amicably as a people with common destiny. He cited communities in Zamfara, Katsina, Taraba, Enugu, Lagos and Niger as examples where attacks have been carried out by violent criminals. “A criminal should

be treated as such, whether he is involved in armed robbery, drug trafficking, homicide or cattle rustling”.

Changes are being seen in the security organs. The civil defence corps is highly proactive in security matters nowadays. The road safety corps is becoming professionally productive. The Nigeria Customs has tightened the borders against smuggling in such wise that foods that are harmful to human beings as well as contrabands are refuted entry into the country. Revenues are generated for the government from genuine imports. While it is laudable the land-border closure for car importation, there is need for a careful reexamination in such manner that would allow cars already at the borders to be cleared. The prisons have improved performance but congestion and feeding are two areas of concern; the reoccurrence of jailbreaks is irritating. The immigration has so far intensified efforts at monitoring foreigners in the land according to international standards. The police and other paramilitary organs have mounted swift actions in protecting and rescuing the citizens.

Particularly, the police force is gradually being pulled out of its moral deficiency. The recruitment of about 10,000 men and women to boost the civil security outfit is commendable. But two critical observations have baffled many feelers. How did it happen that in the whole South-east there is no single Muslim recruit? Secondly, it is worrisome that the Chaplain/Imam unit of the force has been abandoned for so a long time that most police posts across the country are lacking qualified spiritual leaders especially as it relates to the efforts in building morality in the force.

Muhammad Ajah, Abuja

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MIDWEEKPOLITICS

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

THE NEWSMAKER

Bayelsa: Remembering the Electoral Warfare One year after the Bayelsa governorship election which drew global attention, echoes of the exercise have continued to reverberate in the state as attempts to document what many aptly described as a warfare takes shape. Emmanuel Addeh writes

I

t was a contest like never before seen in the annals of the state. Compared to the election that saw to the ouster of then Governor Timipre Sylva in 2012, considering the interplay of various forces, including ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s Abuja’s, the election held roughly a year ago, would forever remain a reference point in the history of the state.

With none of the two major parties viz: the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) unwilling to yield any ground to each other, the election hit a dead end more than once.

For a state that does not play in the big league in terms of population and land mass, many were shocked that a contest that should ordinarily be rounded off within 24 hours stretched for over a period of 30 days, precisely 35 grueling days.

Indeed, to sound a bit hyperbolical, the Bayelsa gubernatorial exercise took place in two whole years, from the first time ballot was cast on the 5th of December, 2015 to the 10th of January, 2016 when the final results were eventually announced consequent upon the resolution of the Southern Ijaw impasse.

Though there were 18 other gubernatorial candidates in the contest, they were quickly relegated to the background by the sheer animosity that characterised the poll, which was a straight fight between Mr. Seriake Dickson, the incumbent and his arch rival, Chief Sylva.

Ironically, their aliases betrayed what could actually have been a political game between two brothers of Ijaw descent. While Dickson was nicknamed ‘Ofurumapepe’ the Great White Shark by his supporters, Sylva’s sobriquet was ‘Opu Abadi’, which in Ijaw dialect is interpreted to mean the Great Ocean.

To many observers, nothing between the duo during the election portrayed the eternal peaceable relationship between the shark and its habitat, the ocean. If anything, it was the direct opposite. Allegations of violence, ‘thuggery’, ballot snatching, intimidation of voters and outright killings, equally weighed, became an integral part of the political exercise.

In the end, the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Zana Akpaogu, declared that Mr. Dickson polled 134,998 to defeat Sylva who scored 86,852 votes. The litigation that ensued has since gone through all the levels of the Nigerian judiciary which eventually put to rest the contentious issues. All that would appear to be in the past now! But a few days from now, when the state kicks off the activities to mark what it has severally described as a ‘war’, the events leading to the victory by the incumbent are likely to be resurrected.

“This election that brought me back for the second term was not just an election,” Dickson recently recalled. “It was more than an election and more like warfare. Getting through it was actually like surviving a war”, he alleges.

The governor adds: “We were against a full display of the totality of power at the centre, deployed to the fullest. All elements of national power were displayed to take over Bayelsa by force and my opponent’s campaign was appropriately nicknamed ‘Operation Takeover Bayelsa’.

“He called it a ‘takeover mission’, a tag he said appeared innocent at first “but in retrospect, we now understand what it meant from day one.”.

For a start, efforts to fully document the entire political impasse by some actors who were in the thick of the action may have fully taken off.

Indeed, in the next few weeks, the Bayelsa State Government would be remembering the first anniversary of the second term of Governor Dickson, who won the keenly contested poll.

Perhaps, no other person better qualifies, at least from his own perspective, to preserve in

Dickson...an election Bayelsa will live to remember

writing what happened before, during and by extension the entire gamut of court cases that followed, than the governor’s Chief Spokesman, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson.

The governor’s Chief Press Secretary believes that this generation would be doing a disservice to the next if there is no conscious effort to document the happenings for posterity. Being an active participant in the entire process, and a close watcher of events and especially the politics of the state, Iworiso-Markson posits that regrettably, there were “complex webs of intrigues” which characterised the governor’s

But from whichever perspective whoever is telling the story of the 2015/2016 governorship poll chooses to see it, what is certain is that the violence that characterised the last year’s political contest ran contrary to civilized behaviour. Both the major parties, namely the PDP and APC, which have continued to trade blames over the anomalies during the election, may also need a few lessons in civility and proper conduct during the next round of general election

re-election in 2016.

“As part of the activities lined up to commemorate the anniversary celebration, I have endeavoured to write this book to promote democracy in the country because as the reader would also discover, and corroborated

by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson convincingly, what took place in Bayelsa was more than an election; it was war.

Titled ‘Bayelsa’s Landmark Election: How Dickson Deployed Peoples Power to Defeat Federal Might ‘, the governor’s Spokesman says ‘the government at the centre and her candidate acted out a script that transformed a mere election into a warfare and perpetrated acts of violence against public morality, violation of human rights, kidnapping, shooting, maiming and intimidation under the rubrics of elections’.

“The Operation Take Over slogan of the federal government-backed candidate was put to real action but scuttled by the greater will of the people,” Iworiso-Markson argues.

On key lessons learnt from what occurred during the exercise, he says: “It is to show how the people could help themselves to reject political imposition by being active in the defence of their votes as Bayelsans did, even having to throw their bare bodies to challenge armoured tanks on the day of election when it was clear that the army of occupation was desperate to rig the election”.

“Democracy is still very much on trial across board”, he opines, adding: “And it is our collective responsibility as active and patriotic citizens to save the situation because the development of the nation’s democracy has an important relationship with our economic development”.

According to him, the conscious attempt to rig elections resulted into the mayhem that engulfed the state during the exercise.

“We were helplessly shocked to see such loss of lives and property. But this shouldn’t have been the case in a democracy. It is an issue

which hopefully will continue to be reflected upon by all concerned”.

Politics itself being an avenue for service, he says, should not lead to killings and destruction, but should be about superiority of argument in a peaceful atmosphere and driven by sane people, who are fired on by the common good.

In line with this, Iworiso-Markson boasts that even if the governor had decided not to run again in the last election, he could actually say he had already put his footprint on the sands of time in Bayelsa State.

“Recession or no recession, Governor Dickson is intent on making a difference. Indeed, he has made such a huge difference in the last four years and it was on the strength of his very impressive and remarkable performance in office in his first term that made Bayelsans to return him back to office for the second time”, he maintains.

According to him, the governor’s manpowerdevelopment through his free and compulsory education, scholarships, health, job creation and the very broad plans for the diversification of the state’s economy are testimonies that politics should be about service to the people. Aside the book, which he admits is only a minute part of the events mapped out for the occasion, some of the plans put in place to mark the anniversary are the commissioning of completed projects.

Billed for inauguration, it was learnt, are the state archives, museum, language centre, new secretariat annexes, the magnificent new governor’s office complex, the impressive Government House Hospital Complex, the pharmaceutical storage and distribution centre as well as the world class Diagnostics and Forensic centre.

Added to the above is the ongoing construction of an airport in the state and the renewed emphasis on the Agge Deep Seaport. In the estimation of Governor Dickson, his aide opines, the successful completion of these two projects would speed up the quest for a diversified and vibrant economy, thereby making oil just one of the sources of income for the state.

“The airport and seaport would jumpstart the state economy so much in terms of massive job-creation, boom in trade, leading to a huge leap in income for the state and of course a new lease of life for the people”, the governor’s spokesman explains.

But from whichever perspective whoever is telling the story of the 2015/2016 governorship poll chooses to see it, what is certain is that the violence that characterised the last year’s political contest ran contrary to civilized behaviour. Both the major parties, namely the PDP and APC, which have continued to trade blames over the anomalies during the election, may also need a few lessons in civility and proper conduct during the next round of general election scheduled for 2020. As a mark of honour to those who died during the poll and to the many more who were maimed, suffered psychological trauma or had their properties destroyed, their only consolation might just be to be assured that such overt display of barbarism during electoral contests would not reoccur in the state in the future.

The governor appears to have recognised the essence of healing after such a brutal political contest as he has continued to preach peace and togetherness publicly.

As he keeps reminding those who care to listen, “Now that elections are over, we must strengthen the synergy between citizens, the state government, leaders and security agencies to recapture the peace and security that prevailed prior to the elections”.

But beyond the call for unity, many believe, there must be genuine and conscious efforts at reconciliation if indeed Bayelsa truly has to emerge the Glory of all Lands.

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PERSPECTIVE

MIDWEEKPOLITICS

Shall We Break up to Make up?

The inevitability of Nigeria’s restructuring is more evident now than ever. Goke Omisore reckons

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he Fulani’s first-born syndrome is naturally a recurring manifestation in siblings’ rivalries in Nigeria’s quagmire of political indebtedness. The symptom persists often times in their grandstanding. Heir apparent traits, resulting in theatrics after depleting family fortunes or marred is fame or failure of missions. These are typically the bane of a deeply rooted bitter acrimonious relationship amongst siblings, naturally and more pronounced in poverty ridden societies, particularly in Africa.

This culture which thrives on inheritance and birth rights is prevalent in our clime.

It runs in our gene, so much that it ruins even the best of stable nuclear families’ relationships. A hundred year of suspicions, distrust and polarised unresolved political relationships we have had since 1914 is very stressful and now taking its toll on our country.

Now, the situation is heightening and hurting our best potential and for the worse, it is hibernating our full progressive growth into nationhood. That, as a matter of urgency, needs to be revisited. It’s a complex siblings’ rivalry. Who can see the wind? Neither I nor you, but when the leaves are moving tremblingly, the wind is passing through.

I had the privilege to have listened and heard randomly from some of the finest minds from across the Niger, their individual views on restructuring. They sound bitterly hurtful as they covet this country. A first born syndrome, even though they have been at the helm of affairs of governing this country on aggregate, much longer than any other nationality in this union, on this tortuous journey of nationhood, which now appears progressively backward in favour of our founding fathers’ first republic positions and solutions.

Even when our country’s rulers had taken three steps forward and dozens backward, they are upset at the mere thought of restructuring into a new nation. To many Northerners, it’s a gong of disintegration!

Don’t even sound it! They stood unrepentant of their prodigiously wasteful years but they are busy trading blames indicting others – anyone else but themselves.

In fact, they cherished the audacity to query unabashedly, the rights of the goose that lays the golden eggs. The wronged – Niger Deltan nation we have all robbed blind to sustain and maintain this flawed amalgamation! Blaming their wasteful tendencies is the worst of ingratitude – sickening and morally wrong and downright condescending.

Even though to whom much is given, obviously much more is desired. But such gratuitous insults, calling for accountability from the oppressed by the oppressors smacks of arrogance and reeks of insincerity.

They are pointing fingers – unconsciously pointing back four fingers at themselves.

This is a clear case of pot calling the kettle black. But when cornered with superior submissions and presented with their privileges and antecedents, they are often seen withdrawn into offers of tokenism or begging the real issues by making consolatory offers in considerations. I screamed. Is a dead diplomatic-craft long since condemned into relics of history and stale diplomacy? They posit that we should keep the federation as it is now, but grudgingly conceded to power devolution belatedly.

They posit we should let there be constitutional amendments through the national assembly, where they are in schemed majority. Who is fooling who? If need be, only as a concessional token of appeasement to temper the heat from Southern agitators and worldwide cry. This is a studied case of the judge and jury in their own defence. I sort of enjoy their side of the story though. Human nature at work here folks, once reasoning is usually tainted, naturally coloured by one’s own convictions positions, background and foreground.

Understandably, that is too little and too late an offer to pacify a hurtful union but all

The cold hard fact is that Nigeria is a union of nationalities ab initio but definitely, it is not anyone’s conquered ancestral estate.

So, we had better bond together in this race of restructuring in everyone’s best interests with due respect fully accorded to all nationalities at the conference table

Buhari

that stands logic on its head. Besides, that in itself somewhat still has a dirty, master and servant rings around the collars of superiority on their toga of appeasement and superiority complex. Hopefully, the scales will soon fall off their eyes – dawn of global new movements on change. We must restructure into a better nation than this skewed geographical expression into a nation where rule of law reigns supreme.

Only then they will see clearly that the same blood that flows through their veins runs in circulation of other people’s heart beats. That the same sun that shines on their palaces and huts, hides not its face from other nationalities’ creeks and crevices in these strained union. The world is waiting for us to consolidate on true fiscal federalism and rule of laws to the letters. It is the reducible minimum in expectations of foreign investors on their money.

How do we extinguish or at least temper the reservations of our Northern brothers’ morbid fear without compromising the true spirit of true fiscal federalism to be realised? My heart bleeds on this note. They are somehow justifiably in a deep trance on such realities, though caused by their own doing. Yet, they are still snoring through the possibilities, advancing primordial, intrinsically poisoned reasons not to see reasons till the last drop of blood is shed on such volatile matters?

They bragged and whine on and on over the inconsequential – on why restructuring is a no-go-area with a degree of haughtiness.

They dismissed the 2014 conference with inconsequential abandonment. In this digital age, they prefer us running on feudalism, favouritism and nepotism.

“Most part of the North is backward”, they lamented in the affirmative. Yes, I agreed but whose fault? The greater part of the South is developed, a fair judgment in comparison with our joint sweat and earnings in a combined North and South enterprises. He steadied his positions and opinion to my amazement. So, where is the equity in Southern demands on the North for our country to restructure now? Knowing the strength of the North is in these existing political structure and status-quo advantages; it is suicidal to surrender.

The unassailable fact in our situation is truly here stated and very much frightening: conventional war or any war at all, other than war of words to enshrine positive orders and the rule of law is tantamount to nothing but stoking the embers of disintegration. It is an all losers’ game and very expensive venture on the realm of lunacy.

Our country will suffer irreparably a la Ruwanda, Somalia and Syria. Allah forbids.

War will set us back for decades and the wounds will never heal in this amalgamated land of distinguished nation states of proud ethnicity steeped in different faiths, diversity and varying exposures. I am sure majority will agree on this note. Nigerians, please, let us all wake up!

In fact mere mentioning of the word “restructuring” provokes such a passionate,

deep seated anger from our Northern folks. They seem blinded to its merit and threatened on positive reasons. In fact, it ignites rabid and instant repulsion of the worst kind in most Northerners, no matter their faith, wealth and education or better yet, indoctrinations on assumptions decreed in faith to them. It’s just not it!

Here we are at a crossroads. The chicken is coming home to roost a hundred years late!

Is it not about time? Northerners’ emotions are blindly charged on latent instincts of grand royal conquerors’ traits, powered somewhat by their accustomed to British divide and rule hangover of what could have been but there is no second chance on spilled water.

Whereas they have abused that which has been programmed ab initio by our colonisers in their favour, backed by Fulani conquerors victorious spirit and zeal of yore in their domain, not mine. But reality betrays such claim because all other tribes in Africa too, usually have one or other claims to royalty and to their faiths – blue blood – and such mundane claims run a dozen in our space.

That’s our common denominator and the bane of Africa’s hegemonic tendencies and underdevelopment but we rarely invent anything tangible.

We like to revel in grandiosity of proud estimations of ourselves. It’s called feudal thinking. A backward legacy trounced in lateral thinking. The cold hard fact is that Nigeria is a union of nationalities ab initio but definitely, it is not anyone’s conquered ancestral estate. So, we had better bond together in this race of restructuring in everyone’s best interests with due respect fully accorded to all nationalities at the conference table.

Fellows, the above scenario is a rather vile indoctrinations, eclipsed in the fallacy of superiority complex, steeped in religious arrogance and undiluted assumptions full of wishful thinking, which runs in true royal blood but now checkmated in time – the arbiter of all matters and substances. That which has failed over the years, time after time. That which will continue to wither our best of potential and crash like deck of cards in time honoured leagues of achievers, when fate justifiably adjudicates on this mental undeclared war, either as perceived by unitary favoured governing disciples and we, the proponents of true fiscal federalism.

It’s time we let commonsense prevail.

All heads must be put together to salvage our drowning country. Human nature flourishes on such luxury of assumptions and self-glorification as ordained by fate or as obtained since our amalgamation. The Northerners have been programmed to think it’s their birthright to rule or be seen to lead.

Even if that is true and to a great extent in our country till today that is obtained, Northerners have been pampered, privileged and politically cushioned by the unitary system in operation for far disturbingly too long a time.

It is a very sad reality of our situation, but they failed miserably leaving the nation and themselves with little or nothing to show for such pride of place since independence. Why should the nation continue to live in such fantasy of delusion to please a few of us

that have held us all backward, even when they are the worst hit or now in regrets for just power sake to soothe a few egos that are scripting such delusional thinking in this 21st century?

It’s nothing other than the premier position of our rulers and leaders: The Godfather of corruption in all its total ramifications to sustain such monstrous governments on free for few in favoured Bazaars. Knowing most states are not viable, most certainly we know that but each of our present six geopolitical zones would grow a great nation out of this miserable but viable potentially great zones in our country when we restructure.

Imagine all of them fused in fiscal federalism. We must be prepared and determined to work harder, strive thrice to thrive in times as people lagging behind are wont to, not just lounging away in champagne indulgence and carousing with women of easy virtue. When we should be burning midnight oil in this hopeless situations and very fierce competition should be in order amongst of the six zones.

The worst of Nigerian cultures – corruption, ethnicity, nepotism, greed-driven mediocrity – reigns supreme amongst all of the tribes in our country today. It’s high time we started revisiting these profound issues above. Greed of favoured few has ruined and wrecked the Niger Delta creeks and farming lands unquestioned by the dominant Northern oil barons. The North East stands ravaged by the Islamic war of Boko Haram, though we are seeing appreciable efforts on that. Congratulations to the president, Muhammadu Buhari.

The North West is backward in most indices of developments. The South Easterners are feeling alienated in their own country and their industrial potential stands arrested in this quagmire. The South-west that appeared surely well footed by geographical location and other blessings, values of our culture on education we have long invested and our potential human resources are waning, but we are equally corrupted by all Nigerian ills and our progress subtly earmarked for decimation in political gains and our muffled economy is a state agenda.

But we are best prepared to determine our own phase of progress in this union under true fiscal federalism. That remains our position. It is not too much to ask for. Now or never after a hundred years of coerced amalgamation since 1914, that couldn’t possibly be wrong. These are all the burning national issues that must be resolved and urgently addressed in a no winner, no vanquished conference table on restructuring.

That should begin to happen now – a marshal plan to the rescue on a 20-25 years oil-barter-plan to allay fear, reservations and strengthening the weakest chains in our union’s link remains a valid common sense option at the conference. After all, what is a quarter of a century in the life of a country?

The fault lines in our nation’s tectonic seams are growing more pronounced these days and the citizenry is getting restless and insecure.

We need to move a critical mass of our people to think deep and we need to be influenced and be powered on positive thinking lane, plus lateral thinking be encouraged to negate established culture of our tones of idiosyncrasies and complacency, writhing in corruption and laziness politicians are wont to feed on. Here lie the challenges at hand. Nigeria must survive in all our common interest, not perpetually in the interest and advancement of negligible few Rankadedes!

Greater Nigeria needs to be born now. It’s high time a great movement for change was ignited and our present crop of politicians should be the first casualties of our freedom not leaders for selfish desires. The time is now. Our course is just and posterity will judge us all kindly. I humbly submit.

This piece is dedicated to the indefatigable memories of a true federalism icon, the late Sir Olaniwun Ajayi.

-Omisore wrote from Lagos

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FEATURES

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

ESUT: Providing Solutions to Society’s Problems The Vice-Chancellor, Enugu State University, Prof. Luke Okechukwu Anike, has among other things said that universities do not just engage in academics, but also provide solutions to problems that confront the people, Peace Obi reports

L-R: Chancellor, ESUT, Dr. Hassan Adamu, Pro Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council, Prof. Godfrey Onah, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Vice Chancellor, ESUT, Prof. Luke Anike, during the ESUT convocation

Anike

he enormous potentials of the university system, its capacity and capabilities in dealing with both academic and non-academic problems might not have been sufficiently appreciated by the society. To point the attention of the society, her leaders and policy makers to the seemingly neglected role of the academic community, the Vice-Chancellor, Enugu State University (ESUT), Prof. Luke Okechukwu Anike, has said that aside academic services, the university system is meant to proffer solutions to diverse problems confronting the society.

Speaking recently with the newsmen at the convocation ceremony of the state-owned university in the Coal City, Anike disclosed that the university community possesses all it takes to address different issues arising from human environment. Speaking on the relationship between the university system and Nigeria socio-economic development, Anike noted that one of the the cardinal objectives of the university is community service. According to him, the university and socio-economic development of the country are two elements that must work together for the good of the society. Stressing that it is a relationship that must be sustained, the Don said that the university community has the options of using knowledge and skills to find solutions to diverse problems. "The essence of the university is to proffer solutions to the societal issues. That is why the cardinal objectives of the university are community service. When problems arise, the universities take them up as challenges and look at all the options using knowledge and skills to find solutions.

"So you cannot separate the university system from the society. They must work together. So we want the government to challenge the universities by giving them more tasks specific towards finding solutions to particular problems in the country both socially and economically. With the right funding and motivation, we will be able to provide sustainable solutions to some of our contemporary problems in the country."

The Don who said that he believes in free flow of action that yields results and that at the

visibility and excellent academic ratings. We have also tried to build best practices and skills so that they will be strengthened and be more confident to carry out whatever functions that come their way. We have tried to build linkages and connections with institutions around the world and we will continue to build such linkages.

"In fact this morning, I will be signing an MOU with Anglo Ruskin University in the United Kingdom for staff and students exchange programmes and for collaboration and research which is one of our principal actions. In addition to the collaboration/ linkages with other universities and agencies, and as a way of enriching and enlarging its coast in terms of academic content, capacity building and internalisation, the university has successfully signed MoU with a number of foreign collaboration in areas of staff and student exchange, curriculum development and other areas of mutual benefit. Some of the institutions include, Dolphin University Ireland, which was attracted by our dear Governor, Right Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi when he visited UK, University of Wolverhampton, England to mention a few.”

Speaking further, the VC who disclosed that ESUT management is committed in making the institution the number one choice for seekers of quality higher education, however noted that insufficient resources has been a clog on its wheel. "We as a university, we cannot say we have everything that we need to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves, especially with regards to funds and materials, for instance, laboratory materials and other important features and structures that the university requires." Adding that working with a government that appreciates and values education has made the job a lot more easier for the institution's management.

"In terms of funding, it is pertinent to mention that the government of Enugu State has shown deep interest in allowing the university to function by providing subventions to the universities regularly. We are very happy with our governor who believes in education and achieving excellence and he has maintained that by showing great interest and releasing funds to us as at when due.

T

end, the expected results are used in moving the society forward noted that it has been partly responsible for the recent landmark ratings of ESUT as the number one state university in the country and the number 17 in the country, in the recent webo-metric survey rating of universities. Discussing the roadmap in sustaining the feat, Anike said, "From on-set, I have promised that our university will take bold steps to ensure global

We want ESUT to be a university that people seek to enter and graduate from.

In that line, we are ready and committed to hire the best staff and leadership, timely intervention for any crises, for information that will be valuable for staff and students and then organise them.

We emphasise research because the university was established for that purpose. We should be able to carry out such mandate by emphasising collaboration and linkages to solve contemporary problems

Disclosing other sources of funding and assistance to the institution like the state local governments, TETfunds, corporate organisations such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Communications Commission, Innoson Group and a philanthropist like Prince Arthur Eze, the university's, Chancellor, Wakili Adamawa whom he said has also mobilised his friends in the support of the university projects, the VC said that it has also extended its tentacles to its alumni, well-meaning individuals as well as international organisations. Calling on philanthropists and well-meaning persons to invest in the nation's education system, Anike said it would enable universities live up to their responsibilities.

"I think it is necessary to motivate other philanthropists and other well-meaning persons to invest in education because the gains of such investments to the community and the nation are unquantifiable. Such funds will allow universities like ours to obtain some features and materials that are necessary for the smooth running of universities. We still need to continue to work at the pace or increase the pace in order to achieve the goals of which the university was set up and set the pace for the development of our university."

Noting that the economic downturn has had a critical impact in the smooth running process of the university system, the Don disclosed that "it becomes more difficult to be able to get the proper and quality materials we will require to carry out the critical functions you need to do to maintain the standards with other universities. That is why I said that government should challenge the universities more by asking them to carry out specific tasks geared towards solving particular problems,” he said.

And despite the economic recession, Anike said that the welfare of the ESUT staff remains paramount on the scale. According to the Don, his administration believes in management with human face. "We believe that the staff should get what is due to them. As a result, we put prize target to providing their emolument.

When we pay them, we can then ask them to do their work. If you do not pay them, you do not expect them to do their work.

We make every legitimate efforts to ensure

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017, • T H I S D AY

FEATURES

As a government and in line with our promises, we have continued to place a very high premium on the improvement of the quality and standard of education in Enugu State, and we have continued to develop and implement policies that are designed to reposition and revitalise educational institutions at all levels in the state

ESUT VC, Prof. Luke Anike (left) in a chart with Dr. Authur Eze during the convocation

Ugwuanyi delivering his speech

that staffers are paid. As long as we have the resources to do that, we pay them and ensure that they re-dedicate themselves each month in carrying out their functions."

And that with an inclusive management system, seamless information flow among others, the relationship between the management and the staff remained cordial. "The university management cherishes its teachers and programmes. It is very critical for us. We have been able to do this by laying every information to the unions and other interested members of the university. When you tell them the truth, everybody becomes aware of the situation on ground. There is nothing to hide. We maintain seamless information flow between management and staff and we call meetings often,” he said.

Discussing on the roadmap towards positioning ESUT to be globally competitive,

From behind Dr. Hassan Adamu (Wakili Adamawa), the Chancellor, Prof. Godfrey Onah, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Luke Anike and his wife, Angela, during the convocation procession

Anike said making it attractive to prospective scholars is the beginning point. According to him, "We want ESUT to be a university that people seek to enter and graduate from.

In that line, we are ready and committed to hire the best staff and leadership, timely intervention for any crises, for information that will be valuable for staff and students and then organise them. We emphasise research because the university was established for that purpose. We should be able to carry out such mandate by emphasising collaboration and linkages to solve contemporary problems."

Painting the global picture of the university, the VC envisages in the next four years, he said, "I would like to see ESUT as having moved forward from what the situation is to another level. To have a large number of our staff and students quartered within the university so that 24 hours everyday,

we will have communal activities within the university. I want to see ESUT to be a full community of its own. A large proportion of our staff leave the campus after work and in a university, there is no after work. This is the kind of global picture we want to have of ESUT.” On his part, Ugwuanyi who commended the Governing Council, the management, staff and students of the state owned university, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), for keeping faith with their mandate, and ensuring that the institution’s flag continues to be high despite many odds, noted that he had at the inauguration of the Governing Council in January 2016 charged the Council and the Management of ESUT, to deploy all their energies and competences to improve the fortunes of ESUT and take it to the desired pinnacle of intellectual and

technological excellence.

"Today, we have come, not just to witness the 17th Convocation but also to celebrate the milestones that it has achieved in the recent times.” The Governor, who is also an Alumnus having obtained two Master’s Degree from ESUT, assured that “as a government and in line with our promises, we have continued to place a very high premium on the improvement of the quality and standard of education in Enugu State, and we have continued to develop and implement policies that are designed to reposition and revitalise educational institutions at all levels in the state. These include provision of critical infrastructure, renovation of existing facilities and the re-equipment of our schools so as to enable them compete favourably with their contemporaries and keep up with emerging realities and developments,” he added.

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IMAGES

THISDAY •WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017

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

A cross-section of Orumba North Local Government,,Women League,of Independent Democrats (ID)Anambra State during the Launching of the League in OAnambra State,..r ecently

R-L; President Muhammadu Buhari; President of Senegal, H.E Macky Salla and Permanent Secretary, State House, Alhaji Jalal Arabi during the meeting on political situation in The Gambia at the Presidential Villa Abuja... recently state house

L-R: Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela; and one of the protesting students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Olamiposi Fawole, during a peaceful protest to the Governor’s Office against the continued closure of the college, in Ibadan..recently

L-R: Former Chairman, Aviation Round Table (ART), Captain Dele Ore flanked and Mr. Ime Akpan,during a discussione on the state of Aviation Industry at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja..recently kolawole alli

Sen. Theodore Orji (right) in a handshake with one of the recipients of his Annual Scholarship Scheme for undergraduates from Abia Central Senatorial Zone, Mr.Mpama Frank Ifeanyi (visually impaired) as Abia state Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (middle) looks on at the ceremony in Umuahia....recently Photo Govt House

R-L: Chairman, Photo Journalists Association of Nigeria (PJAN), Mr. Ademola Akinlabi; Vice Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Osodi; Secretary, Mr. Sylvester Okoruwa; Assistant Secretary, Mr. Kolawole Aliu; Treasurer, Mr. Kola Olasupo and Internal Auditor, Mr. Adekola Bamgbala, taking oath of office, after their election as the new officers to steer the ship of the association, at the NUJ Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja……Lagos….recently

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T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S NIBOR OVERNIGHT 1-MONTH

A S

A T

3-MONTH 6-MONTH

Email chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157

D E C E M B E R

NIBOR 4.150% 15.8625%

Group Business Editor Chika Amanze-Nwachuku

18.3916% 21.0554%

NITTY 1-MONTH 2-MONTH

11.4397% 16.8358%

9 , 3-MONTH 6-MONTH

2 0 1 6 17.1394% 19.7842%

EXCHANGE RATE N305//1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes CIBN, Firm to Assess 2017 Outlook

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria Centre for Financial Studies (CIBNCFS) in collaboration with B. Adedipe Associates Limited (BAA) are set to hold a roundtable titled: “Economic Outlook: Implications for Businesses in Nigeria in 2017.” The session, which is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, January 24, 2017, in Lagos, would feature prominent faculty including Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Joseph Nnanna, as the keynote speaker; former Deputy Governor, Operations Directorate, CBN, Mr. Tunde Lemo, as chairman of session.

Other notable economic players expected are: President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs, and Group Managing Director, Omatek Ventures, Mrs. Florence Seriki, as panellists. According to a statement, the aim of the programme is to X-ray both global and Nigerian economies in 2016; look at the expectations of local businesses in 2017 visà-vis global economic and political developments; analyze the implications of the developing economic and political trends for key business sectors in Nigeria; discuss feasible business survival strategies during recession; and chart practicable ways of mitigating businesses’ risks and improve performances. Expected participants at the event include staff of financial institutions (regulatory institutions, deposit money banks, development banks, microfinance banks, insurance companies, capital market operators among others), academics, government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), NGOs and other key stakeholders in the Nigerian economy.

SOLAR POWERED ATM

L-R:Head, Customer Service, Wema Bank, Mrs. Kemi Aina; Head, E-Business and Payments, Demola Bolodeoku; Head, Infrastructure Business Unit, Inlaks Computers Limited, Mr. Tope Dare; and Head, ATM, Wema Bank, Mrs. Seyi Oguntade, at handing over of first solar powered ATM branch to Wema Bank in Lagos… recently

SEC Set for Risk-Based Capital Framework, Awaits Minister’s Approval Goddy Egene Strong indications emerged on Monday that the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun will soon approve the new risk-based supervision(RBS) frame work for capital market operators by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The market regulator had disclosed introducing the RBS framework to replace the current minimum capital requirement for operators. Under the class minimum capital requirement, the commission set minimum capital requirements for all

CAPITAL MARKET capital market functions without giving much consideration to the assets size and inherent risks.

However, after the last recapitalisation exercise for operators, SEC had planned to adopt the RBS capital requirement for operators.

Market sources said the commission was awaiting the approval of the minister to go along with the new framework.

“Barring any unforeseen delay, SEC will get the approval by the minister this week and

the necessary steps will be taken by the commission to ensure the introduction and implementation of the riskbased framework,” a market operator who is familiar with the development told THISDAY on Monday.

Under a RBS capital adequacy framework capital market operators get a graduated capital requirement in line with their business level and inherent risks.

The new framework is expected to address the shortcomings in the current minimum capital requirement, which does

not consider operators’ risk arising from operations, level of business and market activities.

Also, it will strengthen SEC’s commitment to the enforcement of strong corporate governance and enthronement of robust enterprise risk management in the market.

It is expected that RBS approach will receive wide acceptance in the capital market and beyond because most advanced and emerging capital market regulators adopting this approach.

Continued on page 24

Expert Seeks Restructuring of Nigeria’s Forex Regime Obinna Chima The Managing Director of the Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane has said that for Nigeria to escape from what he described as a ‘forex trap,’ the government must work towards adopting a properly functioning market.

Rewane, who made this remark in his 2017 outlook on the naira, said a well functioning forex market allows the exchange rate to respond to market forces and reduce market distortions.

According to him, Russia and Kazakhstan recently did that and their currencies sank

ECONOMY for a short period and then recovered sharply. On the other hand, Venezuela fell into the trap and has become a basket case, he said.

The FDC boss stressed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will need to eliminate or phase out regulations that stifle market activity; ceate a sense of two-way risk in the market; reduce its market making role and stop indirect or overt rate determination; increase market information on the sources and uses of foreign exchange; there

must be liquidity, transparency and openness; and that the CBN as a regulator must be firm in dealing with market infractions “Forex policies usually complement trade and investment policies. The Nigerian government will in 2017 strive towards greater coordination of these policies, and will move from its current bias for a command economy monetary policy towards a mixed economy.

“I believe that with oil prices at $55pb and production back up to 2mbpd, the naira will slip in the interbank markets to N350-N380/$. It will fall in

the parallel market to N520/$ before recovering sharply to N425/$. These projections are based in the assumption that the market will be reformed and that sanity will return to what is now essentially a foreign exchange asylum,” he said.

According to him, the exchange rate of N305/$ is neither a realistic nor an effective price of the currency at this time.

“This is because you cannot get dollars at this price unconditionally. In the parallel market, the naira is trading at N495/$, whilst transfers are going at Continued on page 24

Comoros Endorses AUC Candidate

The President of the Union of the Comoros, President Azali Assomani met Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Amina Mohamed at the Presidential Palace in Moroni, Comoros recently. Amb Mohamed delivered a special message from Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta on her candidature to become Chair of the African Union Commission (AUC). President Assomani highlighted the critical role of women in leadership and their ability to lead the continent’s transformative agenda - citing the legacy of the outgoing AUC chairperson, H.E Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. The President expressed his desire to see a woman elected to Chair the AUC. He applauded Mohamed’s achievements and acknowledged her capacity, proven leadership skills, great experience and expressed that she was the best person suited to Chair the AUC. “Africa needs a visionary leader with the foresight, experience and skill-set of Amb. Mohamed to drive Africa’s development Agenda”, President Assomani said.

“Mohamed is now the leading candidate with over 25 countries having pledged to support her in the elections scheduled for end of January 2017. Amina’s Comoros tour comes after she visited The African Leadership University (ALU) in Mauritius where she reiterated her message on the critical role the youth play in moving the continent to the next century. “Amina stated that if elected as Chair of the Africa Union Commission, one of her top priorities will be to collaborate with other countries and look for ways to bring down the level of unemployment among the youth.

Finalists Emerge in AFIF Award

Six African Small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) have been nominated as finalists for the Africa Finance & Investment Forum (AFIF) 2017 Entrepreneurship award. The award is supported by the Rabobank Foundation. According to a statement, out of the 51 projects from around the continent and following a few rounds of selection, the jury has selected the innovative projects from Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania for their social, economic and ecological impact, and their potential for growth and job creation nationally and regionally. The winner will be announced during the AFIF 2017, which will be held in Nairobi from 13-16 February.

Official finalists for the AFIF award included: Aybar Engineering, Ethiopia, the company developed the “Aybar BBM”, a technology that prevents excess water from suffocating crops and stores it for later use.

Nigeria cannot continue to depend on foreign expertise for national development.

It is only Nigerians that can best develop the country

Minister of Science andTechnology

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu

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T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

BUSINESSWORLD SEC SET FOR RISK-BASED CAPITAL FRAMEWORK, AWAITS MINISTER’S APPROVAL Currently, minimum capital base for broker and dealer is N300 million. Broker only is N200 million, while dealer only is N100 million. Issuing houses, which facilitate new issues in the primary market, require a capital base of N200 million to operate, while an underwriter needs N200 million to be in the market. Trustees, rating agencies and portfolio and fund managers N300 million, N150 million and N150 million capital respectively.

However, given the globalisation and competition for investments, operators in the Nigerian market will be at disadvantage if the regulator continues with current same requirement rule.

SEC has been entering into pacts with many countries aimed at deepening the Nigerian capital market. The last was with Morroco’s capital market regulator, which the commission believes will encourage cross investments in the respective capital markets.

“It will also engender mutual recognition of regulations related to public offerings and professional certifications to facilitate dual listings and mobility of capital and labor between the two markets.

EXPERT SEEKS RESTRUCTURING OF NIGERIA’S FOREX REGIME N505/$. Any market structure where the same product is selling at different prices at the same time is described in economics as a price discriminating monopoly market structure.

“Typically this market is characterized by barriers to entry that allow those with influence or connections to buy in the cheaper market, e.g. N305/$ and sell in the more lucrative market, e.g.

N500/$. This is what is probably happening right now (round tripping).

“However, before we look at the outlook for the naira in 2017, we need to examine the fundamentals that determine exchange rates. We also have to understand why Nigeria’s attempt at unifying its exchange rates has proved abortive so far.

Group Business Editor

NEWS

‘Functional Debt Capital Market Key to Sustainable Economic Growth’ Goddy Egene The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, Mr. Bola Onadele.Koko has said there must be a functional debt capital market (DCM) to build a sustainable economy.

Speaking during the listing of Access Bank Plc commercial paper on the FMDQ OTC last week, Onadele said the exchange recognised the importance of a fully functional debt capital market for sustainable economic growth.

This, he said, would make the exchange to continue to innovate and provide efficient services.

“In building a sustainable economy, FMDQ recognises the potential of a fully-functional debt capital market (DCM), and will therefore continue to innovate and provide efficient services and infrastructure, as may be necessary, to support issuers and investors, towards achieving an operationally excellent and competitive DCM,” he said.

According to him, from streamlining of its processes to the delivery of unrivalled services to the Nigerian debt capital, foreign exchange (fx) and derivatives markets, FMDQ is set to continue championing and effectively support initiatives in line with its product and market development agenda to further deepen and align the markets with international standards, and

invariably contribute to the growth of the economy at large.

FMDQ OTC was licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2013 as an OTC securities exchange and self-regulatory organisation to run the fixed income trading platform and organise the market to international standards And it has facilitated transactions worth N340.98 trillion in the fixed income securities and currency market within

three years.

The platform has boosted the fixed income market leading to transactions N340.98 trillion within three years. This shows an average yearly transaction of N114 trillion, which is a significant improvement on N39.693 trillion recorded a year before the platform commenced operations. An analysis of the yearly transaction data obtained from FMDQ OTC showed that N103.57 trillion was recorded

in 2014, which rose to N137.43 trillion in 2015. However, it dropped to N99.98 trillion so far this year, apparently due to the challenges in the foreign exchange market.

A further analysis of the transactions indicates that Treasury Bills accounted for the highest value of N113.29 trillion, followed by repurchased agreements/buy buy-backs, which recorded N83.86 trillion.

Foreign exchange accounted for

N72.81 trillion, while federal government bonds recorded N25.92 trillion. Foreign exchange derivatives accounted for N23.02 trillion just as unsecured placements/takings recorded N17 trillion among others.

The FMDQ OTC recently set up the Debt Capital Market Development (DCMD) Project to ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations drawn its debt capital market (DCM) workshop in 2015.

MEETING OF LIKE MINDS

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Banklink Africa, Mr. Israel Ovirih; Head of Research and Development,P3M, Dr. Lambert Ikechi Ofoegbu; Global Representative, University of Liverpool, Nigeria Alumni Network, Faith Osiobe; Managing Director/CEO, Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

Mr. Valentine Ozigbo and Entrepreneur, Mr. Kevin Abaka, at the 2nd annual general conference of University of Liverpool Nigeria Alumni Network in Lagos….recently

Investors Hail Suspension of National Corporate Governance Code Goddy Egene Some shareholders on Monday hailed the decision of the federal government to suspend the implementation of the National Code of Corporate Governance introduced by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC).

The federal government on Monday ordered the suspension of the NCCG, and removed the Chief Executive Officer of the FRC, Mr. Jim Obazee. Speaking on the development, the President of Association for the Advancement of the Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS), Dr. Faruk Umar, said it was a good decision.

“I had opposed his(Obazee) attitude towards corporate

governance at every annual general meeting(AGM), especially when he wanted to impose accountants as chairmen of audit committees even though they have no knowledge of corporate governance and finance,” Umar said.

Also, a founding member of Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA) Alhaji Gbadebo Olatokunbo had condemned the over bearing attitude of FRC, saying it was unbecoming of a regulator.

According to him, instead of having adequate consultation with stakeholders, FRC was oppressing the people it ought to regulate and protect.

Before now, shareholders under the aegis of Independent Shareholders Association of

Nigeria (ISAN), had said the NCCG would discourage the establishment of new business, kill existing ones and invariably stunt economic growth.

The National Coordinator of the group, Sunny Nwosu, who spokes on behalf of other members said a review of the code by ISAN revealed its suffocating effect on entrepreneurial aspirations and initiatives of Nigerians and persons seeking to establish business in the country.

“This is based on the provision of the Code that companies shall have not less than five directors. This provision is seen by ISAN as unnecessarily expansionary and costly for micro small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) noted as

engine of the nation’s economy,” he said.

He added that there are provisions of the code which directly conflict with existing laws governing certain sectors, which FRCN has included all in a bid to elevate itself to another super regulator over and above existing sectorial regulators for some companies.

The shareholders pressure group stressed that FRC should and must provide leadership in the nation’s corporate world by constituting its board in line with its new corporate governance code. Other grey arrear, he said, is the provision in the code which allows executive directors of the companies to be appointed board members of another company or companies.

They also contested the time frame provided or “cool off period” before former executive director is appointed chairman of the same company he served and the engagement of two auditing firms. The group argued that contrary to the views espoused by government through the FRC, the appointment of substantive executive directors into board(S) of other companies breached the whole essence of internationally accepted corporate governance and best practices.

The group argued that the prescribed 10 years “cool off period” before former CEOs assume the position of chairman in the same company amounts to serious setback in utilisation of limited experts, managerial proficiencies and scarce human capital resources.

years of professional experience in top-class rated insurance institutions including Goldlink Insurance Plc and Law Union & Rock insurance where he was the chief technical and business officer to bear in the operations of the company.

Falana is a proactive seasoned insurance executive versed at delivering appropriate technical operations, marketing solutions aligned with corporate

strategy and business goals.

He obtained Higher National Diploma in Insurance with Distinction from Lagos State Polytechnic and Master in Business Administration from University of Ado Ekiti.

He is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (FCIIN) and has attended several insurance trainings, seminars and conferences both locally and internationally.

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 (Maritime)

NAICOM Reinstates Glanvill Enthoven Licences Ebere Nwoji The National Insurance Commission(NAICOM)has reinstated the operational licences of Glanvill Enthoven,a firm of incorporated insurance brokers.

With this new development, the company is authorised to operate general insurance, life & pensions business as well as reinsurance brokerage services.

The company is a member of Nigeria Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) and has reputation for high level professionalism.

It maintains a professional indemnity cost of N750 million and owned by the five South Western states including Lagos State( Odua Investment Company Limited).

Established in 1957, Glanville Enthoven, has become a leader

in the provision of highly efficient and innovative insurance broking and related services through a well motivated and pro-active professional workforce whilst satisfying the aspirations of stakeholders.

The company’s management team, said the secret of its success lies in the strength and versatility of the team led by the managing director, Supo Falana , who has brought his 25

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Capital Express Assurance Appoints Isa Sali as Chairman Ebere Nwoji The Board of Capital Express Assurance Limited, has appointed Alhaji Isa Bello Sali as its chairman.

Bello, took over the chairmanship baton of the company from Otunba Ademola Adenuga,who held the position for several years.

Sali said he would add value to the company and promised to deploy his given talents, knowledge, experience and clout to see that he leaves capital Express better than he met it.

At a reception organised in his honour by the company, Sali, said in accepting to serve on the board of Capital Express Assurance, he was aware of the expectations of the company owners and stakeholders .

He also said he was not

oblivious of the current economic realities of the country and the need to employ the best tools in comparing in the volatile market in which the Nigerian business community found itself “Herein lies the significance of bringing on board new competences to augment existing one to drive the organisation.

Indeed I would not have accepted to come on board if for in a moment, I have felt that I would not add value to the company. I want to thank you for this honour and pray to God to bless the company, its owners ,board, management and the entire staff”, he stated.

Sali, an astitute administrator and successful manager of human resources was born in Mubi, in Adamawa State.

He attended Mubi 11 Junior Primary School, Mubi and

Government Secondary School Ganye in pursuit of his basic education.

He proceeded to the School of Basic Studies , Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and obtained a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. He is also a proud graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School Cambridge.

His work career started with the then Gongola State Civil Service where he served as principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development Yola between 1984 and 1987.

In1988, he became the Under Secretary in the ministry of works and Transport Yola.

In 1990, he transferred his services to the Federal Civil Service in the capacity of an Assistant Director, Personnel in the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, Lagos.

FBN Insurance Provides Family Cover for Journalists is a major stakeholder for us. of the association.

Ebere Nwoji FBNInsurance Limited has provided a Group Family Shield Insurance cover valued at N14.5 million for the members of the National Association of Insurance and Pension Correspondents (NAIPCO).

The company, said this is part of its corporate social responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) drive. Speaking during official presentation of the policy certificate to the leadership of NAIPCO in Lagos, the Managing Director of FBNInsurance Limited, Val Ojumah, said NAIPCO is a major stakeholder to the company and insurance industry. He stated that the company places high premium on its stakeholders.

He said: “For us, our stakeholders, both internal and external, are major drivers of the success of our business. NAIPCO

Providing the association with a Group Family Shield cover is our way of showing them how much we value and appreciate what they do. Today marks the beginning of another fortune in this partnership. This document exemplifies the fact that should the unforeseen happen, FBNInsurance, would stand by you. While we hope you find the document in order, we also hope that this will help to foster a better working relationship with you. Please consider this as our commitment to the ideals and values your association stands for.”

While accepting the policy certificate President, NAIPCO, Omobola Tolu-Kusimo, commended the management of FBNInsurance for its benevolence and for another addition to its many firsts as this has never been witnessed in the history

“FBNInsurance has done well with this CRS initiative and on behalf of the entire members of NAIPCO, I thank you for this. We have always been good partners in progress, we will not relent,” she said.

The FBNInsurance Group Family Shield cover provides support in the case of permanent disability or death. Available to all categories of association, group or society, the cover seeks to foster unity within a group while ensuring every member is protected from stated uncertainties in the course of their daily tasks.

With a large retail network of about 2,000 retail sales agents operating from 28 sales outlets and 3 branch offices nationwide, FBNInsurance is devoted to exploiting the vast uninsured public with a view to bringing affordable insurance to everyone.

FUG Pensions Assists Down Syndrome Foundation Ebere Nwoji The Future Unity Glanvills (FUG) Pensions Limited, recently assisted children of the Down Syndrome Foundation by organising Christmas Carol to give them sense of belonging during the festive period.

The company said the gesture was part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) to its host community.

The company, known for its drive to pay back to the society through its CSR projects, has been in the forefront in ensuring that people with special needs, including the children with Down Syndrome have a sense of belonging.

At the Christmas Carol the Managing Director, FUG Pensions Limited, Usman Suleiman, said the gesture was to assist the children with Down Syndrome have a sense of belonging in the

society, adding that the PFA, in the past, has been supporting not just the DSF, but also in other CSR projects within the environment it operates.

He maintained that the company, had in the past, supported the foundation morally, physically and financially in a bid to give back to the society it is conducting its business activities.Suleiman pledged that his firm, will continue to impact the lives of the less privileged so that they can be successful in the society.

“This is also an avenue to sell not only FUG Pensions brand, but also the entire pension scheme in the country”. Suleiman stressed. Speaking on the sideline of the event to journalists, the General Manager & Head of Investment, FUG Pensions, Mrs. Ngozi Chuks-Okeke, said, aside the partnership with Down Syndrome Foundation, her

company, recently, partnered the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on ember months, donating reflective jackets and distributing handbills to create awareness on speed limits, driving with good tyres and how to have a safe drive all the time, especially, in the yuletide,where people travel for Christmas and New Year festivals. She added that the firm, equally partnered with Lion’s Club, adopted a classroom at Anthony Village Primary School, where it furnished the classroom with furniture as well as partnered with Bells of Mercy Orphange Home, all in Lagos State.

While urging other corporate organisations to extend their helping hands to the less privileged in the society, she promised that her PFA will continue to initiate and support projects, such as this, in a bid to grow and develop the country.

“ELEVATING TO THE NEXT LEVEL Marie-Therese Phido

Why You Must Have a Personal Brand Several years ago when I was promoted Associate Director in the Professional Services Firm I worked in, my boss started to address me as Director, especially in official correspondence with other offices within the network and other organizations outside the firm. My team and I then caught on to this trend because, Director and Head, Sales & Markets, was more relatable to the outside world than Associate Director and Head, Sales & Markets, especially as most organizations outside of professional services did not have the Associate Director appellation.

So, we continued using the title in our correspondence with the outside world until one day, my other boss, as I had two reporting lines, was sent a letter to review by my colleague, saw the title and advised that the internal title be used. We explained that we were only following the leading of our senior boss, but he felt otherwise. Since the title was not so important to me as the idea was to have more cache in relating with the outside world. I had absolutely no problem dropping the title.

After ensuring that I was not violating the firm’s brand and regulatory compliance requirements on how staff were addressed, I experimented with dropping the title entirely from all correspondence from me internally and externally. I also removed all titles from my business cards and was known only as Marie-Therese Phido. I stayed title less for several years. But, was I effective? Very! I had built enough confidence in my audience within my immediate sphere of influence that I did not need to relate with them with a title to get a response for the requirements of getting my work done and ensuring that they responded to my requests. My immediate audience was comfortable interacting with me by name only.

What am I getting at? We need to be able to ensure that we have built in value and confidence in our names alone. Do people know you for the value you bring to the table?

What are you known for? What will people say about you in your absence? What impression doyouleaveonpeopleaboutyourcompetence and clout? Answers to the questions above are intrinsic to your personal brand. Do you have a personal brand?

In recent months, I have noticed that many professionals in the private and public sectors, are tied to their titles, especially when they have left the employment of their organizations. A few days ago, I was browsing on LinkedIn and two examples on the above

We need to be able to ensure that we have built in value and confidence in our names alone. Do people know you for the value you bring to the table? What are you known for?

What will people say about you in your absence? What impression do you leave on people about your competence and clout? Answers to the questions above are intrinsic to your personal brand

struck me. A former Deputy Governor of the CBN, invited to give a talk in a country, could only be recognized by the tagline, former CBN Governor. Remember this is not a title you bear for life as there are some titles that can be borne for life e.g. President of the United States.

The other example is a CEO who ran a major regional cable network, now running her own business. Instead of pushing the brand of her own business and her personal brand, the author had to refer to her previous organization and title. For me this was a wakeup call! I do not want to be defined by my previous titles or the organizations I have worked in.

Don’t get me wrong! The organizations I worked in were key to moulding me and making me who I am today. But, I’d like to believe that I am working towards ensuring that I am recognized as Marie-Therese Phido or MTP going forward and not by an attachment to the organizations I have worked in. In Nigeria, there are people with strong personal brands, whose brands were not affected by their movement from one organization to the other. In fact, their personal brands enhanced the perception of the organizations they joined or founded. A good example for me isTony Elumelu, who spent many years in the banking sector and has now used his brand to promote the development of other organizations in hospitality, CSR, Power, etc. Since leaving UBA, though now back as Chairman, his brand has grown. Sometimes, I wonder whether his brand would have grown as much as it did, if he had not had to leave UBA. The change was good for him and enhanced his brand equity. Another good example is Christopher Kolade, who is known to be ethical. His personal brand enhanced the Ethics Programme offered by the Lagos Business School (LBS). Those of us who attended his classes in LBS, will remember how revered his classes were because of his personal brand that he brought to bear.

Others with strong personal brands who have made a mark within their spheres of influence, brought value with their interactions positively, and known by name recognition alone most of the time, are: Ifueko Omoigui, Oby Ezekwesile, Fola Adeola, Pat Utomi, John Momoh, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Jim Ovia, Wole Soyinka, Aliko Dangote, Nduka Obiagbena, Ibukun Awosika, Mo Abudu, amongst a few others. You will notice that I did not mention the names of musicians like Fela, or the names of artistes or Politicians, this is intentional, I am keeping my examples in the business community.

What you will notice about the names I mentioned above is: • They are known and easily recognized by their names.

• They are not only defined by the titles they bear or the organizations they have worked in.

• They tend to enhance the positions and organizations they are associated with.

Again, don’t get me wrong. We all do not need to have exalted titles and positions in big organization to have strong personal brands.

What we need to aim for is to build our personal brands within our immediate communities and spheresofinfluence. Agoodexampleismyjunior colleague, a Graphic Artist, already on his way to building his personal brand and solidifying his presence in the Graphics Design community.

Building your personal brand is a conscious decision. It starts with your name and the work you put in to ensuring that your name has value and can be recognized in its own merit.

Don’t neglect your personal brand. Own it and build it. .

- Marie-Therese Phido is Sales & Market Strategist and Business Coach Email: mphido@elevato.com.ng tweeter handle @osat2012 TeL: 08090158156 (text only)

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Financing the 2017 Budget Deficit Goddy Egene writes that given the challenging environment, it is better for the Debt Management Office to begin strategising on how to successfully finance the deficit in the 2017 budget All eyes will soon focus on the National Assembly when it resumes and begin to consider the 2017 budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari last month. President Buhari had presented a budget of N7.298 trillion to the National Assembly up from N6.077 trillion in 2016. A breakdown of the budget showed that N2.24 trillion will be for capital expenditure, while N2.98 trillion will be for recurrent non-debt expenditure.

Aggregate revenue is put at N4.94 trillion, comprising N1.985 trillion from the oil sector and N1.73 trillion from the non-oil sector. Budget deficit is put at N2.63 trillion, which is about 2.18 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The deficit would be funded through N2.23 trillion estimated borrowing. Out of this amount, N1.067 trillion would come from external borrowings while N1.245 trillion would come from local borrowing.

The amount to borrow this year is higher than the N1.8 trillion meant to finance the deficit of 2016 budget. Although it has not be confirmed if the federal government was able to successful borrow those funds, the stakes are higher now in 2017.

This is why many analysts and stakeholders believe the Debt Management Office(DMO), which has the obligation to borrow on behalf of the government has a herculean task ahead. According to them, given the challenging operating environment, which borrowing difficult, DMO should begin putting on its thinking cap and strategise on how to successfully raise funds needed to finance the deficit.

Need to borrow According to a former Managing Director of Unity Bank Plc, Rislanudeen Muhammad, in a period of recession where the economy has contracted for three quarters consecutively and still counting, the plausible way to pull ourselves out of it is by way of reflating the economy through massive investment in infrastructure, income and job creating sectors like agriculture, mining and manufacturing, public private partnership etc with multiplier implication of increasing employment and jump starting the micro economy.

“To that extent, the budget was rightly structured to deal with that challenge of stagflation and recession. However we need to be careful in ensuring we borrow for capital expenditure only, on projects that will generate growth and support repayment of the loan. We should not borrow for consumption,” he said.

He noted that due to lack of any fiscal buffer in savings, Nigerian government today do not have any option of financing its budget other than through borrowing.

First quarter borrowing plan In an apparent move to ensure that funds needed from the domestic are sourced, the DMO said it planned to issue between N340 billion to N430 billion of local-currency bonds during the first quarter of this year.

It explained that it would auction N110 billion to N140 billion worth of bonds maturing in 2021 and N85 billion to N105 billion in debt maturing in 2026. It will also sell N45 billion to N55 billion in bonds maturing in 2027 and N100 billion to N130 billion of the 2036 debt.

According to the debt issuance calendar, the 2027 bond will be a new issue, in March. The rest will re-open previously issued debt, starting after January 18, Reuters reported.

Planned $1bn Eurobond Another source of funding for the government is the planned $1 billion Eurobond. Although this plan has been on since last year, it was not executed last year. However, all indications point to the fact that $1 billion would be raised this year. Already the government has appointed Citigroup, Standard Chartered Bank and Stanbic IBTC Bank as advisers on the bond.

Speaking on the bond, the e Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has the selection of the advisors followed her presentation of a memorandum to Federal Executive Council

Adeosun

meeting seeking approval for the issuance of the Eurobond in the International Capital Market and the appointment of transaction parties responsible for the execution of the programme.

According to her, the $1bn Eurobond issuance would provide funds to support the implementation of capital projects in the 2016 budget.

Apart from Citigroup, Standard Chartered Bank and Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, she gave names of other appointed transaction parties for the execution of the bond as White & Case LLP, Banwo & Ighodalo and AfricaPractice.

She stated that the selection was based on an open and competitive bid process in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and that a certificate of ‘No objection’ was received from the Bureau of Public Procurement to award contracts to the recommended parties.

The minister is optimistic about the success of the issue.

She said: “We have so far received strong commitment from the international community.

Investors believe in the long-term economic outlook for Nigeria as we continue with our structural reforms and increased focus on infrastructure development to diversify the economy and grow the non-oil sector. Stable oil prices and steadying foreign reserves will support our plans and we expect high demand for this issue to further push down yields. We are confident that this will be a successful outing in 2017.”

The Sukuk option Apart from the Eurobond, analysts believe that another way DMO may successfully raise funds to finance the deficit is to tap into the non-interest financial market. Already plans are on to float the first sovereign Sukuk this year. Analysts believe that apart from sourcing for capital from conventional sources, issuing a sovereign Sukuk is a very viable alternative source. By the end of 2015, total assets under management in the global Islamic finance industry surpassed $2.5 trillion as more and more investors continue allocating their funds to Shariah compliant instruments across the globe. There is therefore a huge, unmet demand for Sukuk issuances from high-potential economies like Nigeria, especially in view of the fact that similar issues by peer countries were oversubscribed.

The federal government can therefore leverage this market to raise money to fund critical infrastructure across the country.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the DMO have been working closely to ensure the floatation of the sovereign Sukuk is realised this year.

Also the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

Nwankwo

last year released the guidelines for granting asset status to Sukuk instruments issued by government. The Director General of SEC , Mounir Gwarzo commended the release of the guidelines saying it followed follow diligent advocacy efforts from the Capital Market Committee (CMC) on the need to grant liquidity status to Sukuk in order to bolster its appeal as a product for both issuers and investors alike.

“Sukuk is becoming increasingly attractive as a capital market instrument across the globe.

Annual Sukuk issuances around the world have grown from $15 billion in 2008 to over $150 billion in 2015. As the federal and state governments seek alternative funding sources for infrastructure, these new guidelines will make Sukuk more available option,” the SEC boss said.

According to him, “The guidelines will play a key role in broadening and deepening Nigeria’s financial system by catalysing the development of non-interest products and enhancing financial inclusion. We wish to commend the CBN for this laudable step while appreciating the CMC sub-Committee on non-interest products for their dedicated work leading to the release of these guidelines,” the capital market regulator added.

DMO’s capacity Although successfully raising the N2.3 trillion looks a major task, some analysts said given the pedigree and capacity of DMO, it is achievable. Established in 2000, the DMO has recorded significant achievements. Prior to the establishment of DMO, the management of the nation’s debt was characterized by systematic and structural deficiencies.

In practice, debt management functions were split across several government departments including the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

This approach was laden with operational inefficiencies and poor coordination, inadequate debt data recording system and poor information flow across agencies. The result was inaccurate and incomplete loan records which gave rise to difficulties in the verification of creditors’ claims arising from conflicting figures from various bodies handling the debt management function.

However, the establishment of the DMO brought sanity into the system as it centralised the nation’s debt management functions with the statutory mandate of maintaining comprehensive, accurate and timely records of the nation’s debts, prudent management of the debt portfolio and negotiating with and ensuring debt relief from creditors.

Besides, the emergence of Dr. Abraham Nwankwo at the helm of DMO in 2007 gave

more fillip to the operations of the agency with positive impact on the economy.

Given his solid academic background and position as one of the pioneer management staff of DMO, Nwankwo led the charge in the on-going transformation of the capital market and played a pivotal role in the repositioning, strengthening and resuscitation of the FGN Bond market.

The DMO has formulated a National Debt Management Framework (NDMF), 2008-2012, a review of same and publication of the revised (2nd) NDMF, 2013-2017 which incorporated debt management policies and guidelines. The agency has ensured regular and timely servicing of government’s debt has continued to conduct an annual Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) and has successfully prepared a Medium Term Debt Management Strategy (MTDS), 2012-2015 which is being implemented.

One of the major objectives of MTDS is to achieve optimal composition of external and domestic debt structure and to ensure low cost of government debt consistent with a prudent level of risk.

DMO has consistently promoted policies to encourage the creation of opportunities for private sector access to long term capital in both domestic and international capital markets in order to sustain and expand their businesses.

Determined to facilitate access to the International Capital Market for Nigerian corporate players, DMO issued $500 million Sovereign Eurobond in 2011. This was followed with $1 billion dual-tranche Eurobonds in July 2013, thus creating benchmarks for corporate borrowers.

In 2014, DMO issued FGN Bonds in Global Depository Note (GDN) format for the first time aimed at diversifying the investor base and attract foreign investors to the domestic securities Market. Also, DMO developed a template for the establishment of Debt Management Departments (DMDs) which include outline of the legal institutional human resource framework. All the 36 states including the federal capital territory (FCT) have established DMDs) in conjunction with the agency.

In 2015, DMO assisted in the managing and restructuring of the debt of cash strapped states in the country as a result of their failure to meet their financial obligations. Following the announcement of a bailout package for the states by President MuhammaduBuhari, 22 states applied to DMO for their debts to be re-structured into Federal Government of Nigeria Bonds. The agency successfully concluded the restructuring of N322.788 billion short term commercial bank debts of 11 states out of the 22 states to long term domestic bond at 14.83 percent yield in 20 years.

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Deepening Digital Financial Services Mobile money has the potential to give millions of people access to a broader range of financial services, writes Obinna Chima

Emefiele

Globally, mobile money is becoming a powerful tool for building more inclusive, stable, and secure financial sectors. The potential of mobile technology to improve people’s lives has continued to grow exponentially.

Mobile money has been described as innovation that lowers trading costs, transaction time and allows for immediate financial transfers (credits and debits) by both formal and informal sectors. It has the potential to drive financial inclusion by providing efficient transaction options and greater reach. Mobile money is also a tool for economic growth and development, if fully explored. It enables monetary transactions to be done on mobile phones through text messaging.

Unfortunately, the level of mobile money penetration in Nigeria has remained very low, despite the huge number of persons that have mobile phones in the country. A recent report by Ericsson had pointed out that there are lots of barriers to adoption of mobile money services for personal use on mobile phones. In addition, almost half of the respondents in the report had not heard about the possibility to use mobile money on their own mobile phone.

The Swedish multinational communication technology and services company stated this in a report titled: “Financial services for everyone.”

The report presented insights from a national sample of 6,215 respondents aged 17-59 years old, representing 150 million people across five countries: Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda.

A survey by the NOI Polls had attributed the slow pace of adopting the mobile money services to the low public awareness on the payment transfer system. As a result of this, experts have stressed the need for improved awareness.

In its contribution, the Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC) noted that borrowing from Kenya’s story, mobile banking remains the most feasible means to create a successful cashless economy.

Also, a report by McKinsey stated that in most of sub-Saharan Africa, only a small percentage of upper-income households enjoy the convenience of card-based, online, and mobile banking and payments, while most consumers still pay with cash.

The study showed that more than 90 per cent of retail transactions in parts of Kenya remain cash based, and Gallup’s survey of 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa found that more than 80 per cent of adults there have

made bill payments or remittances with cash.

“Given the lack of digital-payment penetration, consumers, banks, and governments in sub-Saharan Africa are still bearing the high cost of cash payments—costs associated with manual acceptance, record keeping, counting, storage, security, and transportation,” the report added.

Furthermore, it reiterated that lack of mobile technology is not the major obstacle to increasing mobile-money penetration in the region as two-thirds of adults in sub-Saharan Africa currently use mobile phones.

“And in Kenya, mobile-payment penetration is at 86 per cent of households. However, the payment-digitisation gaps between Kenya and other nations in sub-Saharan Africa still vary widely (exhibit). Nonetheless, regulators in many markets are paving the way for e-money and the entry of nonbank operators. “ And business models and systems for electronic remittances—both domestic and international—have already been well tested in other markets around the globe. Together, these factors should make it easier for digital payments to leapfrog the costly development of formal banking by introducing advanced mobile systems,” it added.

DFS and Poverty Eradication AIso, another report, titled: “Financial inclusion insight (FII),” by InterMedia, stressed that digital financial services (DFS) can play a key role in managing expenses and setting individuals and households on paths to stay out of poverty permanently. According to the report, through digital technology, financial services can reach billions of new customers quickly and efficiently. It noted that digital accounts cut the costs of transactions by as much as 90 per cent.

In addition, it showed that digital accounts give people the ability to save and budget for the first time in their lives, allowing them to withstand financial shocks and direct money toward specific uses, such as education and healthcare. Also, new customers and financial interactions have a domino effect of growth, touching providers, merchants, service providers, among others.

“When cash transactions that once circulated outside the formal economy are channeled within it, merchants and providers have new customers and new revenue, which can inspire more services and innovation. DFS gives people a secure way to save, which allows them to build cushions against financial shocks that would otherwise pull them right back into

poverty,” it added.

Furthermore, it showed that more than 90 per cent of the world’s poor are covered by a mobile signal, which allows people to conveniently make payments digitally rather than in person.

It pointed out Africa is living proof that DFS can effectively reach the unbanked, stating that in Cote d’Ivoire, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe, more adults use a mobile money account than a traditional account at a financial institution. In Tanzania, ownership of mobile money accounts surged from one per cent of the population in 2009 to 32 per cent in 2014, according to the report. Also, 60 per cent of Africans live in rural areas (per United Nations). DFS is the only way to reach them cheaply, affordably, and at scale.

“In total, the worth of Africa’s mobile money market is expected to top US$14 billion in just another five years,” as a result of greater adoption of DFS. Based on its findings that four out of 10 adult Nigerians do not have access to any form of financial services, it concluded that “life is not only more difficult, but also more expensive” for these set of people.

“These individuals must rely on informal services, which are not always trustworthy, such as: keeping their savings hidden — in pots, under mattresses, in fields where they constantly worry about thieves; sending money to a family member in another village is risky and can take days; obtaining even a small loan for an emergency is often impossible.

“When they do use a formal service—like cashing a check or sending money—they often pay high fees and conduct transactions in person, which can mean giving up valuable time and traveling long distances,” it added.

Its findings on trends in mobile money and other digital financial services in Nigeria showed that the potential for increasing financial inclusion is ripe—particularly among young people.

“Those who are unaware of mobile money are largely young (15-34 years, 60 percent), educated (70 per cent), and employed (60 per cent). This group has the financial skills and equipment required to register and use mobile money, and could potentially use the service to pay school fees.

“More than four in 10 Nigerians experience some form of economic vulnerability, and financial inclusion is needed to create resilience. Most of the vulnerable are numerate and few are literate. Nine in

10 are poor and nearly two-thirds live in rural areas,” it added.

Need for Greater Collaboration The Head, Mobile & Acquiring Channels at Stanbic IBTC, Francis Nwoboshi recently highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government, banks and telcos in other to promote mobile money.

He pointed out that limited mobile money agency distribution outlets across the nation were also impeding the development of mobile money in Nigeria.

Experts have also called for increased awareness on mobile money as well as consumer education.

According to the Head of Financial Inclusion Strategy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Temitope Akin-Fadeyi: “For mobile money participation, the major concern has been limited availability of access points. If I have money on my wallet and I have to go 50 kilometres to the next banking agent, then it is no longer convenient.

“So, to address that concern of limited access points, we brought up the issue of shared agent network where partners can come together and develop many more dispense such that it is easy for consumers to reach. We also have the super-agent licence that has been issued presently to two operators which promotes agency banking and the deployment of more agents such that they are closer to people and the services they offer becomes more readily accessible.” To the Chief Executive Officer of the Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA), Mrs. Chidinma Lawanson, digital financial services method can help bring a lot more persons into the financial services industry, through micro savings, micro insurance, etc.

She added: “Then, there would be sufficient funds to lend out to other stakeholders who run micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs). Think of where those MSMEs have those funds in terms of loans, they can create more employment, manufacture more goods and have a lot that would make them compete and the economy would have more products in the non-oil sector.

All those activities add to the GDP of the country.

“So, obviously, DFS matters a lot in reaching previously unbanked people, bring them into the ecosystem and assist them to reduce the shocks in their lives, make more funds available to the economic system and build more activities around the MSME sector.”

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ANALYSIS

Making Insurance More Attractive Ebere Nwoji examines the roles various arms of the insurance industry can play in order to improve its fortunes in 2017 and beyond Amidst mixed performance of insurance sector in 2016 due to economic recession which weakened activities in various sectors of the economy, leaving operators in struggle for premium generation, the insurance industry is obviously left with the choice of decisively taking two major steps in its effort to achieve growth. These include evolving strategies that will encourage Nigerians to see the need for the industry patronage. Also the industry must boldly face negative factors that have for several years limited developmental efforts.

To encourage the populace to increase its patronage of the industry, operators should consolidate on the improved awareness of insurance among Nigerians and push insurance products to their door steps using the new channels of distribution created by the regulator at the end of last year and identify other relevant distribution channels that will help in this regard.

The operators should also deal with the growth inhibition factors some of which include: over concentration on government and corporate accounts and total neglect of retail market; unprofessional practices like rate cutting , price wars, failure to pay genuine claims; unhealthy competition in pricing of government businesses, ignorance and nonchalant attitude towards loopholes through which the industry suffers leakages and other acts of misbehavior which the industry regulator has been kicking against.

This being the case, there is need for operators, the regulators and various arms of the industry to be proactive in guarding their fence against impending danger of impoverishment through the activities of some industry operators that seem to present the industry in bad light through the above factors so that the improving confidence will can be sustained. This will make operators to generate more premium that will position them to pay returns to investors.

The regulator, in particular, should stand firm and ensure full implementation of some of the reforms it has lined up especially those billed to take off this year.

Indeed, the regulator should ensure that reform like the risk base supervision( RBS), which will channel operating firms to consolidate only on the line of business they have financial capacity to underwrite and leave those they lack capacity to underwrite, takes off in order to save some operating firms whose names are in the danger list on account of declined shareholders’ funds.

This will enable individual firms remain focused and concentrate only on businesses they have enough financial muscle to underwrite and give returns to their share holders.

The investors have, in the past two years, been complaining about failure by their companies to pay dividend to them, pointing accusing fingers to the regulator whom they said milk the operating firms in the name of fines for offences committed.

Against this backdrop, there is urgent need for various arms of the industry to sit up and play their assigned roles in a way that will reposition the industry and enable it to weather the storm ahead.

Industry observers said by their constitution and personalities manning these arms, they are capable of saving the industry from any shock during the year if they perform their duties on their members and the market generally.

For instance, industry observers, noted that the commitment of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) to insurance education would further popularise insurance and deepen the market.

According to them, innovation through information technology, would remain a tool for driving the micro insurance product distribution during the year while NAICOM’s commitment to the policy of ‘No premium No Cover,’ is expected to boost the overall premium income of the industry during the year.

This has spelt the need for institution like CIIN to sit up and put on its thinking cap on how to push insurance education ahead to all

NIA Chairman Edie Efekoha

secondary schools and institutions of higher learning in the country.

The institute, is already doing this but obviously there is need for it to set up monitoring team that will follow up on the previous efforts made. For instance, the institute needs feedback

To encourage the populace to increase its patronage of the industry, operators should consolidate on the improved awareness already created and push insurance products to their door steps using the new channels of distribution created by the regulator at the end of last year and identify other relevant distribution channels that will help in this regard

on the effectiveness of inclusion of insurance as subject of study in secondary schools .It needs record of number of students that write insurance in West African Examinations and even needs to extend it to other examination bodies like NECO and General Certificate in Examinations (GCE).

By its establishment, the institute is the educational arm of the industry. Therefore, it should in line with the promise of one of its past presidents, Mr. A A Lawal, play key role in insurance education of Nigerian masses. It should realise the fact that part of the problem of the industry is ignorance of what insurance is and what it can do. It should therefore spend quality time in educating the masses in addition to what it is already doing. It should extend this to both public and private schools in the country and encourage insurance departments of various institution of higher learning in addition to what it has already done.

Currently, insurance teaching in senior secondary schools in the country is still in principle and not in practice and is limited to public schools with exclusion of private schools. The institute should push further to see that insurance teaching is practically done in both public and private schools in Nigeria .

The various arms of the industry should give financial support to the institute in this regard bearing in mind that its mass education activities across the country is for the good of the entire industry because as more insurance policies are sold, brokers will collect more commission while adjusters will have more claims to adjust in time of loss. So in addition to NAICOM’s financial support to the institute for its mass

education programme, other arms of the industry should contribute their own quota.

NAICOM Role On its part, NAICOM should face the challenge thrown up by the economy experts last year in their prediction especially that of ensuring full implementation of ‘No Premium No cover’ rule across the country including government.

The experts in their prediction hinged the success of the industry for the year on the willingness on the part of government to pay the outstanding N 10 billion premium owed to the industry by government. Till date, this huge amount has not been paid even as government is yet to pay premium for group life insurance of its workforce for last year.

NAICOM, as government adviser on insurance, should call the attention of government to the ‘No Premium No Cover,’ law implemented by the industry in January 2013 and ensure that government leads by example by paying premiums for its assets and workforce.

In 2013, during the tenure of Mr. Fola Daniel as the commissioner for insurance, NAICOM, took a bold step that reshaped the face of the industry through the implementation of the “No Premium No Cover policy.”

He compelled the operators to adhere to it and even made government to pay premium for group life insurance cover of its workforce.

A situation, which has to a reasonable extent solved the lingering problem of huge outstanding premium in the industry and positioned the industry as a pacesetter for other regional markets.

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For instance, the success of the ‘No Premium No Cover’ policy implementation in Nigeria spurred the National Insurance Commission of Ghana into action. The commission in January 2014, commenced the implementation of its own ‘No Premium No Cover’.

NAICOM in 2014, collaborated with the industry operators and stake holders, consolidated on this and vigorously pursued the propagation of micro insurance in Nigeria. Licences were issued while operators went into franchising for marketing of micro insurance.

NAICOM should also take note of the prediction of the experts that scramble for customers in the industry during the year may further force prices of insurance products down and may also increase cases of unprofessional practices like rate cutting except there is intervention from the industry regulator.

The commission should provide this needed intervention effort to ensure that unprofessional practices like price wars, rate cutting among others which have been existing in the industry over the years is controlled to the barest minimum.

Also reports last year on the threat by overseas reinsurers to delist Nigerian airlines on accounts of their failure to pay premium, a situation which was attributed to difficulty in accessing forex is not a good one.

The commission, should advise government on the need to make discriminating policies that will give sensitive sector like aviation sector preferential treatment in obtaining foreign exchange to settle important bills like reinsurance premium.

By its establishment, the commission has the mandate to ensure effective administration, supervision, regulation and control of insurance business in Nigeria. The commission has the duty to establish standards for the conduct of insurance business this year in order to improve on the existing standard and ensure that operators conduct their business better than they did last year.

NAICOM is to determine whether there is need to increase insurance rates this year and should as such approve rates of insurance premiums to be paid in respect of all classes of insurance business.

It has to approve rates of commissions to be paid in respect of all classes of insurance business and ensures adequate protection of strategic government assets and other properties, regulates transactions between insurers and reinsurers in Nigeria and those outside Nigeria.

It acts as adviser to the federal government on all insurance related matters; especially in the face of prevailing poor attitude of government towards insurance of its assets as well as the revelation year n year out, less than 30 percent of government’s budget on insurance is released and spent.

Given its numerous tasks, the commission has to work hard in this regard considering the fact that the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), the previous year had said that failure by government to insure its assets was the main reason compulsory insurances could not be successfully enforced.

Also considering the fact that NIA recently expressed concern that insurance industry is suffering abuses from government, NAICOM should through its advisory role to government address this problem.

What NIA should do The NIA, which is the umbrella body of insurance underwriters in the country was established in 1971 to promote and uphold the universally accepted standards of business ethics and professional integrity among its members, using modern technology in maintaining and disseminating information globally. There has been crusade over the years by public speakers against unethical practices among insurance underwriters. The NIA as the umbrella body should tighten its belt in disowning or delisting operators who indulge in any form of unethical practices. It should also caution its members who still drag the image of the industry in the mud through repudiation of genuine claims.

The association also has the duty to protect and advance the common interests of insurers in Nigeria by creating and sustaining a positive image for the insurance industry and contributing to legislation, and decisions made by the government and other public authorities in the

ANALYSIS

President, CIIN, Isioma Chukwuma

best interest of the industry in particular and the national economy in general. NIA, whose members constitute core industry operators, should contribute its quota towards education of Nigerians on claims filing, claims settlements and policy interpretations and understanding to avoid unnecessary allegations on claims and fraudulent claims, which will portray industry in bad light. It should also spur its members to action in making in house polices and efforts that promotes micro insurance.

Nigeria Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) The NCRIB is by law expected to register all brokers before they can be licensed to operate in the Nigerian Insurance market by the NAICOM. The council has as its objectives the duty to establish and maintain a central organisation for insurance brokers and generally do all such things as may, from time to time elevate their status and safeguard and advance their interest and procure their general efficiency and proper

Members of ARIEN have the responsibility of promoting and selling grassroots insurance resting on their shoulders.

They have numerous members scattered all over the country and are closer to the masses more than the brokers and the underwriters.

They should therefore use this opportunity to market insurance to Nigerian masses and in doing that protect the image of the industry by not presenting themselves in bad light

professional conduct, with a view to ensuring for the community, the existence of a class of Insurance Brokers who can be relied upon as being trustworthy and duly qualified to perform their responsible duties. The president of the association should be awake in doing this. He should keenly watch over legislation affecting insurance brokers, and to promote, or support and assist in any legitimate manner, the carrying into effect of any legislation having for its object the common interest of members, of the council and the general public.

He should collaborate appropriately with government and with various institutions and professional bodies in achieving the objectives of the council.

The council as professional arm of the industry has the duty of marketing insurance to the public through its members interpreting insurance policy documents to the public and ensuring that the client gets his or her claims on time.

Before now, the council, had through its former president, Mr Ayodapo Shoderu, said that it has targeted the distribution and extension of insurance services to the remotest part of the country.

The council through its current president Emmanuel Kayode Okunoren and its members are expected to champion the cause of retail and grassroots insurance in Nigeria this year riding on the numerical strength of its members.

The council under its present leadership has not done much in propagating the gospel of retail insurance. Rather than doing this, it has spent all its time defending its members on delisting or not being delisted by NAICOM. NCRIB leadership and NAICOM should settle whatever rift they have and concentrate effort on development of the industry.

Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria (ILAN) The objectives of setting up the institute was to establish and sustain a professional body of practising loss adjusters of Nigeria.

It has the responsibility of engaging in activities that will ensure the general welfare and public well-being of insurance loss adjusters and to take necessary actions for the advancement of education in the field of loss adjusting in Nigeria. The objectives should be pursued by the institute by establishing and maintaining institutions, libraries, schools, and recreation centres for the succour, assistance or education of its members, and the public in Nigeria in loss adjusting.

By applying the funds of the institute in the purchase of proprietary or other interests and the establishment of projects, the proceeds of which shall be appropriated wholly and entirely for charitable purposes and public well-being of loss adjusters in Nigeria.

The institute should this year establish a more cordial relationship with the insurers and the regulator especially in respect of the controversy in their commissions and scale.

Association of Registered Insurance Agents (ARIEN) Members of ARIEN have the responsibility of promoting and selling grassroots insurance resting on their shoulders. They have numerous members scattered all over the country and are closer to the masses more than the brokers and the underwriters, they should therefore use this opportunity to market insurance to Nigerian masses and in doing that protect the image of the industry by not presenting themselves in bad light. They should liaise with the newly approved distribution channels by NAICOM and spread insurance to all Nigerians. They should establish branches in rural areas to pursue the federal government 10 million farmers insurance scheme by marketing micro insurance scheme to farmers in rural areas.

ARIEN should also rise up to the challenge of keying to the model marketing tool like these of information technology in selling insurance to the grass root through the education of its members and enlisting of young graduates who are more versatile in the use of modern technology in the sale of insurance.

The association should ensure that its members do not dent the industry’s image through misbehaviours like absconding with premium they supposed to remit to insurance firms and non documentation of policy contracts of their clients.

Risk Surveyors Association of Nigeria (RISAN) The RISAN is an association of corporate bodies and individuals performing the duties of risk surveyors in the fields of risk management, risk surveying, loss prevention, risk controls, etc in relation to fire technology, safety devices, engineering, business information and other risk of both industrial, commercial and personal lines.

RISAN provides continuous education for its members and inculcate in them the virtues of maintaining good business relationship with clients when giving professional advice on risks.

One of the areas insurers are not getting things right in Nigeria is in the education of Nigerians on how to stay safe and avoid risks.

The result of this is that insurance industry is prone to claims emanating from avoidable risks.

The risk surveyors should this year make their position and services more prominent and accessible than the previous years. Many don’t understand their position and place in the insurance industry they should therefore tell people where they are and what they can do to help in reducing the burden of claims from avoidable risks coming the way of insurers.

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Indonesia Bars JPMorga n from Next Dollar Sukuk Issuance

Indonesia has barred United States bank JPMorgan Chase & Co from submitting an underwriting proposal for its next issuance of dollardenominated Islamic bonds, a finance ministry official said on Monday.

The government has asked other banks to submit proposals by Thursday for a planned

dollar sukuk offering, IFR, a Thomson Reuters publication, reported on Monday.

The government’s exclusion of JPMorgan comes shortly after the Finance Ministry said it was penalising the U.S. bank following its issuance of a negative report on Indonesia in November.

“The point is (JPMorgan)

Morgan Stanley, UBS to Raise stakes in China Joint Ventures to 49% Morgan Stanley and UBS Group AG are set to raise their stakes in separate Chinese securities joint ventures to 49 percent, people with direct knowledge of the moves said, betting on strong deals momentum in the world’s second-largest economy.

China allowed foreign banks to boost holdings in securities joint ventures to a maximum 49 percent in 2012 from the previous cap of a third to help modernize its capital markets.

However, foreign investments banks did not raise their stakes as most of the securities joint ventures in China were small or struggling to break even due to sluggish onshore deals. But the prospect of China soon allowing global banks to own majority stakes in securities joint ventures and growing volumes of equity issuance and trading businesses have motivated some foreign banks to explore raising their holdings.

“The China securities market is ripe for growth, and foreign investment banks will look to put more money there when it comes to boosting revenue. It’s a long-term bet,” said Benjamin Quinlan, CEO of consultancy Quinlan & Associates.

Morgan Stanley and its Chinese partner, Huaxin Securities, have agreed to a proposal to raise the U.S. investment bank’s stake in their joint venture to 49 percent from 33.3 percent, two people with knowledge of the plan said. This is awaiting approval from the Chinese securities regulator, one of the sources said. UBS, which registered its Chinese securities joint venture in 2006, is in talks to hike its stake in UBS Securities to 49 per cent from 25 per cent, two separate sources said.

One of the sources said UBS expected the process to be completed later this year.

All the sources declined to

be named as the details of the plans were not public yet. A Morgan Stanley spokesman declined to comment. News of the stake hikes was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. UBS China Country Head and President Eugene Qian confirmed the bank was working to raise its stake in its Chinese securities joint venture, subject to regulatory approval.

“If we can make a significant increase in the percentage stake we hold, it will result in more attributable revenue and earnings to the group,” Qian told Reuters, without providing any further details. Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities’ offering includes underwriting and sponsoring of stocks and bonds. UBS China securities joint venture businesses include fixed income, equity underwriting and financial advisory. Morgan Stanley China securities joint venture posted a net profit of 30 million yuan ($4.33 million) in 2015, data on the website of the Securities Association of China shows, compared with a loss of 470,000 yuan in 2014.The net profit at UBS China securities joint venture in 2015 was 296 million yuan, versus 118 million yuan a year ago. Reuters reported last year that Credit Suisse was also planning to boost its stake in Chinese securities joint venture to 49 per cent.

The foreign banks’ bigger push in China comes at a time when a pickup in onshore equity and bond issuance is helping the nation’s home-grown investment banks to grab a bigger share of the fee pool. Equity capital market deals in Shanghai rose 2.8 per cent in 2016, while volumes at Shenzhen’s SME board and its tech-heavy ChiNext board surged by 74 percent and 64 percent, respectively, buoyed by follow-on share sales, Thomson Reuters data showed.

Cocoa Tumbles as Two-day Mutiny Ends in Ivory Coast Cocoa futures slid the most in a month in London after negotiations ended a two-day army mutiny that had paralysed several cities in Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer.

Following an extraordinary cabinet meeting on Saturday, President Alassane Ouattara said he’d reached an agreement with soldiers who had blocked roads in the central city of Bouake in Daloa, one of the biggest cocoa areas, and the commercial capital

of Abidjan.

Protests began Friday over demands for higher wages, payment of bonuses and better living conditions.

The unrest supported cocoa prices Friday, taking last week’s gains to 5.1 percent, the biggest for a most-active contract since August.

“The market was shaken by the Ivorian unrest Friday,” Micky Donovan, a broker at Sucden Financial Ltd. in London, said.

will no longer do business with the government,” said Suahasil Nazara, head of the Finance Ministry’s fiscal policy office, when asked if JPMorgan could make a proposal for the U.S. dollar sukuk offering.

In the report issued after Donald Trump’s election as U.S. president, JPMorgan downgraded its Indonesian stocks recommendation to “underweight” from “overweight”.

On Jan. 4, Nazara defended the penalizing of JPMorgan, saying its research was “not credible and not objective.”

Indonesia is planning to

issue a rule to ensure primary bond dealers produce only “factual” research, senior government officials said last week.

A primary bond dealer is a bank or a securities firm appointed by the finance minister that can buy government bonds in auctions and resell them in the secondary market. Indonesia had 19 such dealers as of November, 25, 2016.

Officials have met with primary dealers to convey the message that they should “help the government to maintain stability,” Nazara

said on Monday.

In the JPMorgan case, the Finance Ministry dropped the U.S. bank’s services as a primary dealer for domestic sovereign bonds and as an underwriter for bonds sold to the global market. The bank also no longer receives certain transfers of state revenue.

Before the punishment, JPMorgan helped Indonesia to raise at least $11 billion by selling global bonds between 2012 and 2016, according to data from the Finance Ministry and the central bank.

JPMorgan was part of a syndicate of banks working

on Indonesia’s sale of 3 billion euros ($3.16 billion) worth of bonds last June, but it was not listed for two more offerings in U.S. dollar and yen since then.

In 2015, JPMorgan was one of the lead managers for a dollar sukuk offering for Indonesia that raised $2 billion.

Foreigners hold more than 37 per cent of Indonesia’s sovereign bonds, while the local capital market lacks depth and liquidity, making the perception of foreign investors particularly important for Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

LUCKY WINNER

Ford Brand Manager, Coscharis Motors, Mr. Felix Mahan; Winner of The Next Titan Season 3, Mrs. Marvis Marshal Idio, and Divisional General Manager, Dealer Network Development, Coscharis Motors, Mr. Olalekan Adenuga, during the presentation of Ford EcoSport 2016 model to the winner Lagos...recently

McDonald’s Sells Business to CITIC, Carlyle for $2.1 billion McDonald’s Corp has agreed to sell the bulk of its China and Hong Kong business to state-backed conglomerate CITIC Limited and Carlyle Group LP for up to $2.1 billion, seeking to expand rapidly without using much of its own capital.

The 20-year deal caps months of negotiations between the fast-food chain, private equity firms including Carlyle and TPG Capital Management LP [TPG. UL] as well as several Chinese suitors.

The U.S. fast food chain said local partners will help speed up growth in the world’s No. 2 economy through new restaurant openings, particularly in smaller cities that are expected to benefit from increased urbanization and income growth.

“McDonald’s globally overall is struggling and didn’t have the money or intellectual resources to focus on China,” said Shaun Rein, managing director at China Market Research Group.

The company has more than 2,400 restaurants in mainland China and roughly 240 in Hong Kong. The new partnership plans to add 1,500 in the two areas over the next five years.

Under the deal, Hong Konglisted CITIC Limited will own about 32 per cent of the business, with CITIC Capital, an affiliate company that manages private equity funds and other alternative assets, holding another 20 per cent.

Carlyle will control 28 per cent of the business, while McDonald’s will retain a 20

percent stake, the companies said in a statement. The deal will be settled in cash and in shares in the new company that will act as the master franchisee for the 20-year period.

McDonald’s originally wanted to raise up to $3 billion from the sale of the business, but later decided to keep a minority stake to benefit from exposure to future growth in China, a person with direct knowledge of the plans previously told Reuters.

The partnership will also aim to boost sales at existing restaurants, with menu innovation a key focus. Fast-food firms including McDonald’s and Yum Brands Inc are recovering from a series of food-supply scandals in China that have undermined their performance.

“I’m not sure how much more you can do with McDonald’s in China. They’re a well-run company, so I’m not sure that CITIC and Carlyle are able to add that much more aside from capital,” Rein said.

McDonald’s said in March it was reorganizing operations in the region, looking for strategic partners in China, Hong Kong and South Korea. The company later decided to keep its South Korea business.

Other companies that had bid for the China and Hong Kong assets included TPG, which teamed up with mini-market operator Wumart Stores Inc, and real estate firm Sanpower Group Co Limited, which owns British department store House of Fraser Limited, sources have said.

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Potential Fed Chairs Suggest Tighter Policy Potential candidates to head the Federal Reserve in 2018 has suggested that monetary policy would be tighter if they were in charge.

Speaking at the annual American Economic Association meeting that ended Sunday, Glenn Hubbard of Columbia University, along with Stanford University’s John Taylor and Kevin Warsh, criticized the central bank for trying to do too much to help a struggling economy, Bloomberg reported.

Fed watchers see the three, all former officials in George W. Bush’s administration, as among the candidates to take over should President-elect Donald Trump decide not to nominate Janet Yellen for another four-year term as chair when her current one expires in February 2018. Trump criticized Yellen during his successful campaign for the White House, at one point accusing her of keeping interest rates low to benefit the Democrats.

“The Federal Reserve is a little behind the curve” in raising interest rates, Taylor, a Treasury undersecretary for international affairs under the last Republican president, said Saturday during a panel

discussion in Chicago.

Hubbard, who headed the Council of Economic Advisers under Bush, said he agreed with what he perceives as Trump’s stance that the U.S. has depended too much on the Fed to support the economy in recent years.

“The Federal Reserve was very successful in the initial period after the crisis but continued a policy perhaps past its shelf life,” he said during an economic association panel on which he appeared with Taylor.

The Fed raised interest rates in December for the second time since 2006 as part of a process known as normalization, after holding them near zero for seven years. Its target for the overnight interbank federal funds rate is now 0.5 to 0.75 percent. Policy makers expect to increase the range’s midpoint to 1.4 percent by the end of 2017 and 2.1 percent by the end of Hubbard said the Fed might accelerate its rate hikes if Trump looks like he’ll succeed in pushing through his plan for big tax cuts and increased outlays on infrastructure.

“One would expect that the normalization that the Fed

was already engaged in will continue at perhaps a more brisk pace,” Hubbard said.

But he said the central bank shouldn’t rush any response and instead should take a “wait and see” approach so it can better judge the impact of whatever measures the president-elect and the Republican-led Congress look set to agree on.

“There’s a difference between policy actions that are likely to lead to overheating -- an

underfunded infrastructure bill comes to mind -- versus policy changes that affect the supply side and productivity,” Hubbard said. “We don’t know yet which” it will be.

San Francisco Fed President John Williams said the economy doesn’t need a shortterm fiscal boost now because it is at full employment and inflation is approaching the central bank’s 2 percent target, according to a newspaper article published Monday.

“What we need is really better policies and investments in the long-term health of the economy,” the Financial Times quoted him as saying in an interview Friday.

Hubbard, who is dean of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business, reckons that Trump’s budget and deregulation plans could lift annual economic growth to 2.75 percent in coming years, from about 2.1 percent during the expansion that began in

2009.

Other policies not yet articulated would be needed to boost it higher, according to Hubbard. Trump himself has said he wants to raise growth to 3.5 percent annually.

Hubbard cautioned the incoming administration against making “aggressive” assumptions in its budget about the economic impact of its tax reforms that don’t take account of the Fed’s likely response to them.

Treasuries, Gold Climb as U.S. Stocks Drop Treasuries rose with gold as an advance in riskier assets faltered amid uncertainty over the United Kingdom’s future trading role with Europe. Most United States stocks slumped as energy shares retreated with the price of crude oil.

Bloomberg reported that the S&P 500 Index slipped from a record as the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated below 19,900. Sterling fell to a 10-week low as angst over political risk rippled across foreign-exchange markets with the Turkish lira and South Korean won leading declines.

Yields on 10-year Treasury notes slid below 2.40 percent, while gold racked up its first two-day advance since the U.S. presidential election. Oil fell for the first time in four days.

For the past month the Dow Average has failed to take on the 20,000-point milestone amid concern stocks rose too far too fast in the wake of Donald Trump’s surprise presidential victory. Treasury yields are now below the level they were at before the Federal Reserve raised interest rates last month, while the dollar remains near a 14-year high. Elsewhere, currencies, not bonds, have become the preferred way for investors to express displeasure with political developments.

“After a solid first week of trading it’s been a disappointing start to the week,” said Michael Hewson, a markets analyst at CMC Markets in London. “Last week’s optimism is giving way to a raft of profit taking.”

The S&P 500 Index fell 0.4 percent to 2,268.90 as of 4 p.m. in New York. The measure closed Friday at an all-time high, capping a 6.4 per cent

advance since Trump’s election.

The Dow Average slipped by 76 points to 19,887.38. It’s been stuck in a 250 point range for the past month. The Nasdaq 100 Index advanced 0.2 percent amid health-care deals.The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.5 percent Monday, its biggest decline in almost a month.Shares of Cambridge, Massachusettsbased Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc. were halted before Osakabased Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. announced a $4.66 billion takeover. In other buyouts, UnitedHealth Group Inc. agreed to buy Surgical Care Affiliates Inc. for about $2.3 billion in cash and stock.Asian index futures largely signaled losses, with yen-denominated contracts on Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average down 0.8 percent in Chicago.

The pound weakened one per cent to $1.2160, after earlier dropping as much as 1.3 percent to its lowest level since Oct. 28.U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday that negotiations on Brexit will be about “getting the right relationship, not about keeping bits of membership.”

A so-called hard Brexit may push the Bank of England to keep rates lower for longer, while weakening the pound and supporting foreign-focused companies in the main stock index.The MSCI Emerging Markets Currency Index lost 0.2 percent as the lira fell 1.8 percent and the won slid 1.3 percent.The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index dropped 0.1 percent, leaving it down almost 1 percent since touching a 14-year high on Jan. 3.The yen gained 0.8 percent to 116.06 per dollar amid the bout of risk aversion

CSR IN ACTION

Managing Director,Future Unity Glanvills Pensions Limited,Usman Suleiman(middle) with the children of Down Syndrome Foundation during the 2016 Xmas Carol hosted by the company in Lagos...recently.

How to Remake the Most Famous Airport in the World New York’s Idlewild Airport opened in the summer of 1948 on a former golf resort. This outpost at the southeastern edge of New York City became an aviation marvel in the late 1950s as several big airlines opened terminals with cutting-edge technology aimed at enhancing the passenger experience. “Its every feature bespeaks speed and function,” Life magazine wrote in a 1961 photo essay.

In 1963, Idlewild was renamed after the U.S. president slain just weeks before in Dallas. John F. Kennedy International Airport has come a long way since—becoming one of the most recognizable airline destinations in the world. More recently, though, it’s better known for a long slide into decrepitude as infrastructure investment failed to keep pace with growth.

New York officials are hoping to change that, announcing a $10 billion program last week to modernize JFK, America’s largest international gateway airport, which sits 15 miles east of Manhattan. JFK has seen steady growth, from 32.3

million passengers in 2000 to about 54 million today. The airport is projected to hit 100 million by 2050, according to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“You look at airports all across the globe, and one is better than the next,” Cuomo said last week, unveiling his proposal for the revamped, “world-class” As with the current $8 billion project to rebuild the smaller, frayed LaGuardia Airport to its north—an effort that will connect all terminals with that airport’s 72 gates—the JFK design calls for making the revamped facility more cohesive and unified, two words Cuomo used to describe the plans. In 2017, if a traveler jets into JFK from Dubai and needs to connect, she may well confront a frantic, confusing scramble: Where’s the other terminal—and the train? Is it running on schedule? Can I walk/jog? Is there a shuttle bus? To be fair, one can encounter similar problems at other U.S. airports, such as JFK’s West Coast sister, Los

Angeles International. But at JFK, itself a small city in size and population, the challenge can be much more daunting.

JFK’s current mishmash of roadways would be streamlined into a ring spanning the six terminals, with parking centralized at the interior. Officials also are planning to expand the adjacent, habitually clogged Van Wyck Expressway to allow for easier airport access and are mulling a “one-seat” mass transit ride directly to JFK, an amenity almost every modern airport now offers. Right now, you have to switch from either the subkway or the Long Island Railroad to the Airtrain that serves the terminals.

Much of JFK also retains what can charitably be called a dated look—a decided disadvantage when compared with gleaming air hubs in such places as Beijing, Seoul, Singapore, and Munich.

“We are the airport that, nostalgically, people know from around the world,” said Mercedes Altman, executive director of the JFK Chamber of Commerce, the only airport

chamber in America. “We want to be able to provide that customer experience that is available in other [global] airports. We want to be able to have that polish and sheen and sleek look that an airport of that stature requires.”

Cuomo said he would like to fund as much as $7 billion of the estimated cost from private sources, just as much of LaGuardia’s overhaul is being overseen by a publicprivate partnership. That group has a lease to operate LaGuardia’s 35-gate central terminal until 2050; Delta Air Lines Inc. gained a similar lease for its 37 LaGuardia gates before agreeing to spend heavily to revamp terminals C and D. A spokeswoman for Vantage Airport Group, the Vancouver-based airport operator involved with LaGuardia’s overhaul, said “we look forward to finding out more about how the Port Authority, governor’s office, and airlines intend to move forward with these ambitious projects.”

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EDUCATION ‘Establishment of Poly Commission, Funding will Boost Global Competitiveness’ In this interview with Funmi Ogundare, the Rector, Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Mr. Oluyinka Sogunro, called for the establishment of a polytechnic commission that will oversee the affairs of polytechnics as it is with universities, as well as adequate funding to enable the institutions compete globally, among other issues. Excerpts: Since you came on board in June last year, how has it been running the institution?

I have been in the institution for so long so I know how it has been. We want to bless God because we are still surviving. We have had a stable academic calendar that is the major thing.

Last year, we rounded up the last session in June and we have commenced another session.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) also delayed the resumption of year one students. We have opened up collaborations with external agencies, for instance, the third gate of the institution has being demolished and currently being rebuilt by FCMB; in the next three or four weeks the project will be completed. We are also collaborating with CHAMS, AFRI one; a software developer, International Aviation College through our consult which will commence this January to build drones. We also partnered with Cassava Stakeholders Association; we have cultivated about 10 hectares of cassava plantation. We had a partner that came from China and wants to collaborate with us in the area of cassava starch, by the first quarter of this year, we are going to expand the plantation. They have taken samples and will be requesting for about five tonnes of cassava. We will also be collaborating with the Federal Institute of International Research Oshodi (FIIRO) and Technology Incubation Centre. Huawei recently donated 60 computer systems, refurbished the chairs and tables and gave us inverters, among others, running into several millions of naira. It is a good gesture, it was facilitated by the state government. That is in the area of collaboration and in the area of research we have gotten patent right for fuel-less generator, automatic jack, and biogas digester, though we are still improving on it. There are several research works going on right now. Some of our staff have also benefitted from TETFund grants to study abroad for those who want to do PhD and masters programmes.

Some experts are of the opinion that there is double standard on the part of the government when it comes to handling polytechnic education in the country, do you share in this believe?

The issue of dichotomy between the university and polytechnic has taken so long. During the Obasanjo administration, it was on paper that the dichotomy should be removed, but in reality, it is in Nigeria that everybody believes in university education. It shouldn’t be the case.

University education is not for everybody; that is the mistake parents make everybody wants his/her wards to go to university. Polytechnic education is very key. By the time you attend a polytechnic and you acquire the adequate and necessary skills, the sky will not be the limit for you, you will use your hands to do so many things. People are looking for white collar jobs; we try to train students here to be employers of labour, not people who will be looking for jobs. By the time you finish, you should be on your own with adequate entrepreneurial skills to employ others and train them and before you know it your family will grow. The National Assembly is working on the issue of dichotomy and I believe very soon, it will be signed into law. We have our own representatives in the ministry of education who are there, our association which is the Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria (COHEADS) is there, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) is also working on it; nobody is resting on his oars. Our members at the national assembly are also making the moves.

What has been your relationship between

Olawumi Gasper left in 2007 and his deputy was acting in that capacity, that was when they brought the document on retirement and they minuted on it to the registrar and sent some people on a fact finding mission to see how it is been implemented and they came up with the proper interpretation of the law. They asked the then registrar to circulate it among members of staff. Along the line, something happened, but people just viewed it that anybody who wants to leave the system in the next three years should signify, which was wrong. That was what made some of them to go for retirement.

It was a management problem at that time.

Is your institution benefitting from the white paper on needs assessment that will ensure that laboratories are upgraded and affiliated institutions updated or refurbished?

On the needs assessment, they came here some years back but we have not seen the outcome.

That is one of those things the COHEADS was asking that they should give us. For this nation to move forward, polytechnic education is the key, otherwise, we will just remain where we are. Nothing has been done about it and as far as facilities are concerned, we are not relying on the federal government; this is a state institution, though we are going to benefit from it. The state government has budgeted N750 million for our accreditation coming up in the first quarter of 2017 and it has been budgeted for facilities.

What it means is that Lagos is very serious about polytechnic education; we have not gotten that before in the history of this school.

Sogunro

the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of the institution and pensioners?

The relationship has been cordial with the unions. This institution has been known to be peaceful for some years, not until recently when staff were agitating for the implementation of CONTISS 15 salary structure. The staff were to be moved from their present position to another. We have a supervisory body just like NUC for universities, and for polytechnics, we have the NBTE. We received a notice from them in 2013 that some staff should be migrated and we recognised that and looked into that document in 2014 but we could not implement it. Some institutions implemented theirs, but got stuck due to paucity of funds; they could not go ahead with it. So we had to remove some allowances from it, but thank God that the Lagos State Government has been doing its best to give subventions to institutions. We were on that and as a state-owned institution, if there is a document from the federal government on certain issues, the document must be domesticated within the state, it is not binding on the state. It will be binding if the federal government is going to give the money or to increase salary. If the federal government is going to make that decision, it will be backed up with financial output. We have the federal and the state and by the time we get it from the federal government, we still need to take it to the state government to negotiate it.

Are the unions still agitating for it?

We were on that until recently when the unions came up and said we have to get it.

On one hand, you must get the approval of the state government, the governing council here has the welfare of members of the staff at heart, they have tried their best to make sure that they take the decision to the next level.

We have met and rubbed minds and we need to forge ahead. We thank God that the state government has said that in 2017, it will have to take responsibility of the implementation

and institutions should look inwards and take it up by October, November and December which we are doing. We hope that this month, the state government will come in. In June 2015, they increased our subvention and we were able to resolve the matter to a greater extent. In this institution, we have three unions; students’ union, retirees, alumni and agencies.

We have so many things we are confronted with. I don’t envy the governor or president.

In fact, when I read the papers and people are saying things about them, it is very easy to criticize these days, but once you are saddled with responsibility, you know that there are enormous tasks. It is not easy, it is not new to me because I have worked closely with those who have been heads of this institution before so, I know what it takes. On the issue of staff union, the relationship is cordial. The retiree issue is one major thing that we were trying to resolve.

There are two sets of retirees; the ones that are having problems are those who retired in 2010.

You recall that the state government implemented the new pension scheme that took effect in April 1, 2007. At that time, we gave a moratorium that those who have three years more to leave the service either by age or length of service should be allowed to stay. We got a circular which was a law that if you don’t want to be part of the new pension scheme, you should be allowed to go by March 31, 2007. If you don’t want to go, then you remain. So if you don’t go by the end of March 2007, it is assumed that you are already in the new pension scheme. There was a moratorium for those who had probably spent 32 years in service, that means you have three years to go and for those who were to retire at the age of 60, but were 57 years old at that time; and those who were to retire at the age of 65 like our academics and they were 62 years at that time, so they had three years to their retirement. If you are not within that age bracket, then you have to stay. The major problem was that there was a communication gap and from the memos I have read, during the transition period when the former Rector,

It is believed that the Polytechnic Act is obsolete and needs to be reviewed. What efforts is your administration making to ensure that it gets to the National Assembly for public hearing?

There have been some committees working on that, we have agitated for polytechnic commission and when that is granted, be rest assured that we will review the act on a regular basis, just like we have NUC for universities, NCCE for the teachers college of education, so when we have that commission, it will go a long way to assist us. It is before the national assembly.

Do you think polytechnic education is getting what it deserves in terms of funding?

Funding is a major issue, for instance in the budget presentation, the percentage allocated to education is beyond UNESCO standard which is 26 per cent and I cannot remember when last Nigeria met that benchmark. As a state, Lagos is trying. Many institutions would have collapsed if not for TETFund. You will recall that many institutions could not pay wages of staff, then you see some going on strike. Most of the infrastructures are decayed, facilities are obsolete. For proper accreditation to take place, you must have a conducive environment, which goes a long way. It all boils down to funding; most institutions don’t have enough personnel, teaching and non-teaching, no equipment in the laboratory, furniture for their staff. For learning to take place, the environment must be conducive. In order for institutions to compete with the modern world, funding is the major thing. If there are enough funds, tertiary institutions would be able to do research. We try to develop capacity, though TETFund has been assisting in the area of academic and staff development. In terms of funding, kudos to the state government; it can do better. Some states are still struggling to meet up. So as far as education is concerned, the state is trying its best and it also strives to improve on the facilities that will make education conducive for learners.

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T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

EDUCATION

Seek Fun Ways of Teaching Chemistry, Teachers Told Uchechukwu Nnaike Teachers have been advised to find fun ways of teaching Chemistry and be friendly with their students so as to eliminate the phobia for the subject and other science subjects and encourage more students to study sciences.

The Corporate Affairs Director, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Yomi Ifaturoti, who gave the advice at the commencement of the 2016/17 PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge for public and private secondary schools in Lagos State, said the company decided to focus on the subject because “chemistry is everywhere; in our chemical processes, in the air we breathe, in the water we drink, it is everywhere.”

She regretted that many youths nowadays are moving away from sciences to arts subjects because they think the science subjects are difficult, saying that when students are afraid of a particular subject, the teacher needs to come closer to them and try and find out fun ways of teaching it.

Ifaturoti, who doubles as a member of the advisory board for the competition, also expressed concern that since the inception of the competition four years ago, no female student has advanced to the second stage; this she said necessitated the decision to insist that each mixed school must present at least a female representative out of the three students that would enter for the competition.

Assessing the performance of Lagos State students in chemistry in the past four years, she noted that surprisingly most of winners of the competition came from public schools “because the private schools for some reasons are not doing as well as we expected them to do and I think that is kudos to the Lagos State Government.”

While calling on private schools put in more efforts so that their impact would be felt, she said “we have been doing this for four years now and we found that slowly but surely the interest in chemistry is increasing and we intend to continue to do this and hopefully we will be able to go nationally in a

Firm Pledges Support for Education, Women Empowerment in the North Ibrahim Shuaibu in Katsina An agricultural input company, WACOT Ltd has restated its commitment to women empowerment and improving educational standards in various communities in northern Nigeria as part of its integrated support approach under its Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) activities.

The Head of the CR&S Division, Mr. Anuj Kumar Bhatia, said the company renovated two blocks of classrooms, donated furniture and instructional materials at Magajin Rafi Primary School in Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

He said the gesture was the second time as the company had rehabilitated six classrooms and donated similar materials to Mairuwa Community School in Katsina State last year to support the farming families.

He also announced that WACOT donated 1,000 free notebooks to the children at the occasion.

Bhatia said the organisation has been supporting different social and economic initiatives for farmers who he described as partners in progress, adding that the integrated approach is to ensure that the farming communities benefit from health, education and other capacity building initiatives besides supporting them in farming business.

He said the CR&S division has partnered international agencies like GIZ, Propcom Maikarfi, among others and they are executing several projects to include health awareness camps, self-help group formation and capacity building, women empowerment, health facility and schools renovation to farming communities. He added that the company is working in Kebbi,

Katsina, Jigawa, Gombe, Kaduna States and Abuja.

The Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Sadiq Kassim, expressed the management’s appreciation for the Emir of Argungu’s support for its activities and described the gesture as the beginning as many will be executed in future.

Kassim said besides the 100,000 metric ton WACOT rice processing mill, which is coming up in Argungu, Kebbi, more agricultural business activities are underway, and expressed hope that residents would benefit and improve their wellbeing.

In his remark while unveiling the projects, the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammadu-Mera, said the projects would benefit students and improve their performance.

He commended WACOT for its support, adding that the company was the first with such gestures on education and health in the domain and urged the school management to ensure judicious use of the facilities.

The Argungu Zonal Director of Education, Alhaji Muhamadu Manuga, who represented the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Muhammadu Magawata, acknowledged the contributions of WACOT and enjoined other companies to emulate it, adding that such contributions would improve children’s performance in schools.

The event witnessed drama and quiz competition by the pupils and was also attended

by Alhaji Garba Dandiga, who represented the Commissioner for Agriculture; the Director, Administration Argungu Local Government Area, Alhaji Bawa Zobirma, the school PTA chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Fakai, among others.

short while.”

She expressed hope that in the nearest future the competition would become a standard for all future challenges.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the board, Professor Dele Osibanjo, has called for the review of chemistry curriculum in secondary schools and higher institutions in the country to acquaint students with new concepts and paradigm, as well as make them aware of the existence of endocrine-disrupting

chemicals in many products.

He regretted that the developed countries are now shifting the manufacturing of dangerous chemicals to developing countries where awareness is low and where chemical control regulations are weak. “We are happy to have them because they create jobs. In their countries, those chemicals have not been well tested for the safety of human health and environment.”

According to him, “risk

assessment is not part of our curriculum; we need to start changing our chemistry curriculum at the secondary and university level so that people are aware of the chemicals like endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

These chemicals like lead, mercury, they mimic the hormones of the human body that is why a child can be born with four fingers or three legs. These chemicals can change human nature.”

Osibanjo added: “Now there

is a new paradigm; we are now talking about green chemistry, chemistry that involves the use of less dangerous chemicals. In green chemistry, you have to find a replacement and still produce the same thing but with less dangerous chemicals.

Also we are now talking about sustainable chemistry, it is similar to green chemistry, use of chemistry in manufacturing in everyday use that is not dangerous to human health and the environment.

WE ARE GRATEFUL

The Chief Medical Director, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku Ozalla, Enugu State, Dr. Chris Amah (middle), flanked by House Officers (young medical doctors) who concluded their 16-month training at the hospital, during their courtesy visit and award presentation to Amah in appreciation of his care during their training… recently

60 More Abia Undergraduates Benefit from Ochendo Scholarship Scheme Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia With a target of producing 240 graduates in four years, the Ochendo Scholarship Scheme has added 60 more beneficiaries as part of its second phase thereby bringing the total number of beneficiaries so far to 120.

The annual scholarship scheme instituted by Senator Theodore Orji was meant to assist brilliant and indigent undergraduates from the Abia Central Zone with 10 beneficiaries selected from each of the six component local government areas of the zone.

Speaking at the launch of the second phase in Umuahia recently, Orji said the idea of helping his constituents to

acquire tertiary education came to him during a moment of sober reflection after he took his seat to represent Abia Central at the senate.

“If I could offer scholarship to people it would impact on them positively. We are not doing this to grandstand; we are not doing this to be praised.

We are doing it to empower our people through education.”

According to him, good education is not for the benefit of the individual beneficiaries but also for the society because “education makes people good citizens,” adding that he would continue to sustain the scholarship scheme.Orji, who is the immediate past governor of the state, told the beneficiaries that the obligation they owed him

was to excel in their academics.

In his remarks, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu commended his predecessor for the scholarship scheme, which he described as an expression of the love the Abia Central senator has for the welfare of his people and his determination to make them excel academically.

He also announced the immediate revival of the state Scholarship Board, saying that with effect from this year, scholarships would be awarded to 10 persons from each of the 17 local government areas making a total of 170 scholarships each year.

He said the board should liaise with the committee responsible for organising the Ochendo Scholarship Scheme

Lagos Commences Registration for BECE Funmi Ogundare The Lagos State Government has announced that registration for the 2017 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) has commenced across the state.

According to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi, all principals of public junior secondary schools in the state are to collect customised Compact Disc (CD) from the state’s examinations board for early input of their candidates’

bio-data and Continuous Assessment Scores (CAS) I and II, in line with the subjects for the examination.

He said approved private junior secondary schools will collect their compact disc at the examination board after submitting evidence of payment of N6,000 examination fee at the board, adding that junior secondary schools with special permission and subject recognition inspection report are to pay N9,500 only.

“Failure to submit registration

details on or before Friday, April 28, 2017 will be tantamount to late registration which attracts a penalty of N10,000 while damage of compact disc attracts a penalty of N2,500 irrespective of the status of the school, private or public.”

The permanent secretary disclosed that late registration to accommodate those who might not meet the deadline will commence on May 2 and end on Friday, May 19, 2017.

He advised schools with albino/visually impaired

to have a template with which to make the selection process free, fair and transparent.

To create more opportunities for physically challenged persons to benefit from the Ochendo Scholarship Scheme, Ikpeazu offered to sponsor 34 persons, two from each local government area. The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Chijioke Onwutebe, who said he was once an indigent student, advised the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity in order to achieve their life ambitions. The Chairman of the scholarship scheme, Emma Nwabuko described the sponsor as education friendly and a leader who knows that education is important for the advancement of his constituents.

candidate(s) in JS III to inform the examinations board through a separate letter meant to convey that information to enable it make adequate preparations for issues that may likely affect such candidate(s) during the examination.

He advised members of the public especially parents of concerned students in public junior secondary schools not to pay money to anyone for the BECE, warning that anyone caught collecting any form of fees in this regard will be made to face the law.

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T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

EDUCATION

Minister Urges Nigerians to Write More Books

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

Nigerians have been enjoined to channel their intellectual capacities into productive ventures like writing of books so as to create wealth and for posterity.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu made this known in Abuja at the presentation of a book ‘Journalism and Business: My Newspaper Odyssey’, written by an economist-turned journalist, Malam Isiaq Ajibola.

He said if more Nigerians could convert their dreams, visions and experiences into commercial products like books,

such intellectual works would further develop the minds of people, just as the sales would generate wealth for the authors.

The minister recalled Ajibola’s contributions to the establishment of Media Trust Limited before the other members of the founding team joined him to build a successful company known for its widely read newspaper, Daily Trust.

He commended the author for his exemplary resourcefulness, hard work and self-determination and urged him to remain a role model, especially to his professional colleagues.

In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion and immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, commended the author for documenting his business and journalism experiences in a book.

Wada encouraged Nigerians to buy and read the book and to emulate the author’s doggedness in “what it takes to start a newspaper and make it work.”

In his welcome address, Ajibola explained that insufficient reference materials “beyond the subject matter of journalism itself” gave him the inspiration to write a book that would combine journalism and business, using his experience as a case study.

The Devil in Cocaine (II) Cocaine is taken into the body in different ways. It is good to be aware of how this is done to be further well informed about the nature of and the value in taking this drug.

The main ways cocaine is used include: Snorting: Here the Coke is divided into lines and inhaled up the nose. The user takes longer to peak with effects lingering for only about 30 minutes.

By injecting: In this way, the Crack or Coke forms are made into a solution and injected intravenously with speedy reach to the brain.

By smoking: Where Crack and Freebase are heated up and their vapours smoked in: a pipe, glass tube, plastic bottle or foil. The user reaches an immediate peak that holds for two minutes and lasts for only a further 10 minutes of euphoria.

Addiction to cocaine becomes invariable for many people.

Firstly, to avoid the long crash days of low moods and ill health, its users go back quickly and top-up on the drug. Secondly, its users get very used to the period, albeit short, of intense euphoria.

The likelihood of a cocaine user going on to experience long-term problems is high. Issues that could significantly negatively impact on the user’s wellbeing and all-round performance include: · Damage of the cartilage separating the nostrils (for sniffers). ·Mental illness where the user already has a heredity predisposition to mental health issues or the user has had a previous mental health problem. · Breathing problems and chest pains. · Damage to the veins causing ulcers, abscess, clots, gangrene, and constricted blood vessels. · Spread of blood borne infections like HIV and Hepatitis C through sharing needles.

CONGRATULATIONS

· Financial problems as cocaine addiction may mean insufficient funds for other needs.

L-R: The Assistant Brand Manager, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Oluwatooni Odewole, receiving the Best Company in Education award from Professor Ralph Akinfeleye of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, during the Lagos PR Industry Gala · Risk of overdosing when taken intravenously with effects like convulsions or seizures, heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, and Awards, organised by the state chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations in Lagos… recently

Promasidor Emerges Best Company in Education The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos Chapter has named Promasidor Nigeria Limited the ‘Best Company in Education’ for its efforts at improving the standard of education through its Cowbellpedia Mathematics Television Quiz Show initiative.

Speaking at the 2016 Lagos PR Industry Gala and Awards (LaPRIGA, the Chairman, NIPR Lagos, Mr. Olusegun McMedal, said the consistency of Promasidor’s Cowbellpedia Mathematics Quiz initiative is commendable and that it has motivated students to develop interest in the subject which is a basic requirement in any profession. He said the company has done well in ensuring that students imbibe the culture of having Mathematics as one of their favourite subjects in school.

Receiving the award, the Assistant Brand Manager, Promasidor, Miss. Oluwatooni Odewole, said the award was deserving

as it shows the company‘s commitment to improving the standard of education and encouraging them to erase the notion that mathematics is a difficult subject that should be neglected. “It is part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of the company which has greatly impacted on students’ perception of the subject.”

In his remarks, the Managing Director of Promasidor, Mr. Olivier Thiry, said a solid foundation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education has become important at this stage when Nigeria is determined to broaden its economic base like that of the developed world.

“STEM courses are pivotal to a nation’s technological advancement and mathematics, which has historically been seen by students as an unattractive subject is a key component of STEM education.”

To galvanise students’ interest in

the subject, the company increased the prize money for the finals of last year’s competition for students and teachers.

The top prize student winner in each category went home with N1 million in addition to an all-expense paid education excursion outside the country. Also, the teachers of the winners in each category got N400,000 each.

These improvements, according to the company are to underscore its effort to provide a credible platform that discovers, recognises and rewards excellence in mathematics, a critical component of STEM education in Nigeria.

The 2016 edition of the Cowbellpedia Mathematics Television Quiz Show ended on November 5 with Juliet Ekoko and Ayooluwa Oguntade, both of the Ambassadors College, Ota, Ogun State winning in the junior and senior categories respectively.

‘Entrepreneurial Skills, Best Way Out of Unemployment’ Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Chairman, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of Ladela Schools, Abuja, Dr. Joshua Usman, has said the best way to address the unending unemployment situation in the country is to inculcate entrepreneurship skills in schools from the basic level.

Usman, who made this known at the inter-house sports competition of the school, said the country’s education system has suffered many setbacks as a result of change of government and policy somersault and that unemployment can be taken care

of with a bit of modification.

According to him, sporting activities in schools should be encouraged and made huge annual events as they keep humans mentally alert with the ability of creating the opportunity to sleep well, as well as creating friendship and bond.

“The education system in Nigeria generally has suffered some challenges. The challenge I have noticed personally is policy somersault, you bring one minister today and he brings in a new policy, you bring in one government today and it brings another policy. We went through reform system in those

days and it was said that we were running the American system. “I believe there should be a little bit modification in our education system. We can introduce entrepreneurship and learning the arts. I believe government is looking into it now by improving the quality of teaching and the policies being brought into place to promote quality education.”

He added: “If entrepreneurial skills are inculcated in the education system, the issue of unemployment would have been taken care of. If students are taught from secondary

schools how to think outside the boxthat will be very great.”

“I remember how I used to represent my school from Plateau State in other parts of the country. Then school sports was a yearly event and we went from one state capital to another. I remember when I was in Owerri for the first time as a result of school sports.”

“We have a great potential but we are not tapping into it. Sports is very important as it keeps us mentally alert, it gives us the opportunity to sleep very well and to interact properly. It creates friendship and bonding between people.”

coma, headaches, gastrointestinal problems like nausea and abdominal pains.

· Sudden or unexpected death at first use or, cocaine-related deaths resulting from cardiac and respiratory arrests.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and guys, let’s strive to have a drugs-free 2017.

Omoru writes from the UK

Ede Poly Partners Ex-student to Produce Fish Feed Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, has expressed its readiness to partner one of the graduating students who promised to supply maggots for fish farmers if encouraged.

The student, who graduated from the Department of Quantity Survey, took part in the entrepreneurship training organised by the school in conjunction with Agrikk Matas Institute.

Speaking at the presentation of certificates to over 4,000 students that participated in the training, the Rector of the institution, Patrick Hussein, said the skill was introduced into the curriculum in accordance with the change mantra of the federal government.

He said the agricultural programme was meant to make the students selfreliant, adding the skills acquisition programme revolved around fishery, piggery, grass cutter and mushroom training for both

HND and ND graduates.

Husseini added that the management only started with the four skills, and that other aspects of the agricultural training would be explored in order to make its graduates self-reliant.

He said the institution would continue to support the change mantra of the president Muhammadu Buhariled administration with the introduction of adequate skills that would help the students to be independent after their study.

Also speaking, the Director, Agrikk Matas Institute, Mrs. Afolabi Olubumi, promised the graduating students who are interested in going into farming of adequate support.

She said her institute is ready to provide funds for any of the students that want to start farming after graduation, and advised the students to focus on agriculture, stating that it would be the mainstream of the country’s economy, especially with the present situation of oil in the country.

T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

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EDUCATION

LASU to Introduce Pharmacy, Nine Other Programmes Ahead of Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun’s first anniversary as the Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU), the management has announced plans to introduce additional 10 programmes in the areas of Tourism and Hotel Management, Local Government Administration and Leadership Programme, Pharmacy, among others.

Fagbohun, who highlighted these as part of his 32-point objectives with time lines, which he presented to the university’s senate last December, attributed the prevailing atmosphere of peace on the hitherto troubled university to his administration’s transparency and inclusive style.

“We have received the best

support from our visitor, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and every other stakeholder including the state House of Assembly, governing council, senate, staff unions and students.

“Therefore, the best way we can reward their trust in us is to offer the best in terms of leadership and administration, and I am very happy that LASU is back on its path to greatness.

“It is also our plan to ensure that the university keys into the vision of the Lagos State Government, which is committed to driving development through various forms of innovation.

This is why we have resolved to match the government’s desire with our plan to develop

adequate manpower for the future, through the creation of additional programmes that will provide jobs for the future of Lagos, Nigeria and Africa by extension.”

The vice-chancellor added that the new hostel being planned for the university will accommodate between 5,000 and 6,000 students in its first phase, and that the foundation stone will likely be laid by the governor between March and April.

“As regards the hostel facilities, it is a vision the governor is so committed to. The stage we are now is that our transaction advisers, the PWC is currently working on the contractors’ selection processes so that both legal

and financial due diligence on the contractors are done.

This will ensure that once the contracts are awarded, the contractors will have no excuse than to deliver within the specified period. What we are introducing to the hostel are modern facilities including the use of renewable energy in support of our conventional electricity supply system.”

He said the current system on the campus has restored the culture of merit above mediocrity and that through the whistle-blowing technique and tracking system, corruption is being phased out and students attend lectures with the abolition of the old culture of attendance by proxy in classrooms.

RUNNING THE CLASSROOM

CHIOMA ERUOTOR

Parenting Styles and Effect on Children Parenting is challenging but very rewarding when one knows how to go about it. In the early 1960, Baumrind studied parenting styles and concluded that parenting differs in many areas.

Need to say that whatever parenting style adopted or is about to be adopted will depend on your family background, warmth, communication style and expectation for control. The parenting styles used on you by parents which has impacted more on your life if it is in the root, it will be in the fruits, except there is a change in the branches. The expression in your own life will always be a reflection of attitude you got from your family background except change. The change that will need includes: your information, orientation and disposition.

Understanding these dynamics will help you to manage yourself in parenting your children and not allow any negative spill into your life. The four major parenting styles as conducted

by Diana Baumrind include: Uninvolved parenting style: This is also known as unengaged.

In this case there are no rules, no regulations, no relationship and no boundaries. Children that grew up from this kind of style don’t want to hear anything that sounds like rules or regulations. They react to and resent anything that looks like rules.

This is dysfunctional and not ideal. The parents are not actively involved in the upbringing of the children as there are no demands or response or care of the children’s whereabouts or welfare. The parents are either absent or present but not participating. Uninvolved parents make few demands on their children and they respond to children in an uncaring and rejecting manner. Their children frequently exhibit serious difficulties in many areas, including problems with school achievement, emotional control, tolerance for frustration, and delinquency.

Permissive parenting styles: This is also known as “indulgence” as there is no rule, no regulation, but there is relationship by the use of gift to manipulate the children. Permissive parenting is high on warmth, very low on discipline and structure, low in parent-to-child communication but high in child-to-parent communication, and low on expectation. Children from this family gravitate towards people who shower them gifts because they mistake it for love. Permissive parenting finds it hard to set clear limits provide structure, are inconsistent disciplinarians and reward bad behavior regularly. Children are not pushed to obey guidelines or standards that, even when they do exist, are not enforced. This parenting style teaches children that they can get their way by manipulating others and may also grow up manipulating around rules that are not firm. As they have not been taught how to control or discipline themselves, they are less likely to develop self-respect.

REVIVING READING CULTURE

L-R: The Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Kufre Ekanem; President of the Rotary Club of Lagos, Mrs. Modupe Sasore; the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs. Adelaja; the Sole Administrator, Surulere Local Government Area, Hon. Sherif Balogun; and the immediate past President, Rotary Club of Lagos, Mr. Larry Agose, at the launch of the library built for Randle Avenue Primary School, Surulere by the company… recently

‘Youths Must Strive for Excellence, Eschew Vices’ Funmi Ogundare A lecturer at the Department of Guidance and Counselling, University of Lagos, Mrs. Ronke Asiwaju, has appealed to the youths to strive towards excellence in their academic pursuit; this she said can be achieved if they are not carried away by social vices.

Asiwaju, who made this known recently at a youth leadership conference, organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education with the theme ‘Empowerment to Overcome Societal Challenges’ said irrespective of their background, they should remain focused on their goals, shun distractions and crime and manage their time effectively.

“How do you strive towards excellence? You have to desire it and be determined to excel. You have to set smart and specific

goals which are measurable, realistic and time-bound. You also have to be dedicated in your strive towards excellence with due diligence.”

She said when youths strive towards excellence, they will feel accomplished and stand to be counted, adding that the applause will make them strive for recognition.

In his paper, ‘Say No to Drug/ Sexual Abuse/Cultism’, a retired director in the ministry, Mr. Raji Akinola, highlighted the implications of getting involved in social vices, while enjoining parents to bring up their children properly by teaching them to fear and obey God. He argued that the issue of drug abuse among youths has become so troubling that if nothing is done urgently about it, the future of the country may be reduced to rubbles because

the youths of today are leaders of tomorrow.

On sexual abuse, he quoted the United Nations (UN) reports as saying that about 120 million girls around the world, slightly more than one in 10 per cent, has been raped or sexually assaulted by the age of 20.

“Sexual abuse can occur in places teenagers think are safe like their homes, schools and communities even in religious places. It can also happen over the internet and it is perpetuated by family members, teachers, neighbours, strangers, religious leaders and other children.”

Akinola stressed the need for stringent law prohibiting sexual assault to be enacted, adding that children and teenagers should be taught lessons on self-affirmation.

“The action should be in tune with the voice ‘no, zip-up,

speak out’. Good dressing code that is not suggestive should be emphasised. Girls should not ask for or take gift from the opposite sex; they should also avoid isolated areas as it is difficult to get air if no one is around.”

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi, said the choice of the theme was apt given the prevalence of youths in social vices like robbery, kidnapping, human trafficking, child abuse, drug abuse, rape, prostitution, among others. These he said are mostly a result of unnecessary peer influence, indiscretion and haste at seeking riches.

“As the popular saying goes that youths are the leaders of tomorrow, it implies that you are agents of change. You can make the difference depending on the kind of difference you want to

Authoritative parenting style: In this there are rules, regulations, but no relationship as demands are made on children and parents don’t care how the children feel. Authoritarian parenting also termed dictatorial are strict on discipline, high in parent-to-child communication, but low in child-toparent communication, and high on expectation. There is no show of little affection and parents are only known to be right... Obedience, respect and tradition are highly valued.

Children obey their parents in order to avoid punishment, and they become passive. Children are more susceptible to anti-social peer pressure and learn not to discuss issues with their parents and are influenced greatly by their peers.

Authoritative parenting style: This is the best way to raise children as there are rules, regulations and relationships.

Authoritative parenting is high on warmth, moderate in expectations of maturity. Demands punishment for children is based on what they do and not who they are, Rules are democratic and not dictatorial through the use of reason, negotiation, and persuasion, they are sometimes given alternatives, encouraged to decided, and accept responsibility for their actions and decisions which makes them to be self-empowered. Children are more likely to develop high self-esteem, positive selfconcept, greater self-worth, less rebellion and generally are more successful in life.

Conclusion: Research has proven repeatedly that parenting styles have a “direct correlation with how children will grow up, how they live and whether they will abide by the rules in society.” Therefore we need to analyze our style and see if it is in line or we can make the necessary change now for a better future for our children. It is possible! . .

Eruotor writes from Lagos

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017, • T H I S D AY

CITYSTRINGS

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

Delta Communities Lament Distressing Gas Flares Despite the global outcry against the serious implications of gas flaring on the wellbeing of host communities and the environment, oil companies in the Niger Delta and the government have continued to pay lip-service to the issue. Omon-Julius Onabu examines the worrisome trend against the backdrop of sensitisation visits by a team of environmentalists to oil producing communities in Ndokwa-land in Delta State

Gas flaring site at Obodo Ugwa-Ogume community in Delta State

I

f properly channeled, biomass from natural gas in the Niger Delta is considered capable of meeting the needs of local power generating plants as well as domestic fuel demand of the entire population of Nigeria and several neighbouring countries not served by other contemporary fuels. That is, the gas requirements of over 320 million people; but that is the volume of gas that is currently flared in oil exploitation operations by companies in the Niger Delta. Aside the enormous financial implication of the practice, the negative effect of gas flaring on the environment - including global warming and climate change - the effect on the health and economic well-being of the people of host communities is indisputable and well documented globally.

The people of Ebedei and Obodo UgwaOgume impacted oil communities in Ukwuani and Ndokwa West Local Government Areas of Delta State, respectively, bared their minds during sensitisation campaign meetings with environmental rights activists and oil community advocacy experts organised by Koyenum Immalah Foundation (KIF), an Asaba-based non-governmental organisation. The Executive Director of KIF, Faith Nwadishi, is one of the prominent voices South of the Sahara that has been pushing to the front burner the issue of ending gas flaring especially in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

She let THISDAY into the whole gamut of real-time concerns over the persistence of the industrial and environmental menace in the region as epitomised by a recent tour of flare sites in some oil producing communities within Ndokwa ethnic nationality of Delta State.

According to Nwadishi, who is currently

the first Nigerian to sit on the international Board of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) for two terms consecutively, the objective of the stop-gas-flaring campaign borders on arousing the communities to the hazards of gas flaring as well as their rights to mitigation through compensatory measures by relevant authorities. "The objective is to sensitise oil communities in the Niger-Delta region on the need to stop further flaring of gas by oil companies, which have existed in the region for almost 50 years; and, at the same time, arousing them to available legal options to mitigate such adverse effects," she said.

“The idea is not to truncate or halt the operations of oil companies in the Ndokwa or Delta communities,” she added, “but to enable the host communities, who bear the brunt of the negative impact of gas flare, access such available opportunities.” Through the

The objective is to sensitise oil communities in the Niger-Delta region on the need to stop further flaring of gas by oil companies, which have existed in the region for almost 50 years; and, at the same time, arousing them to available legal options to mitigate such adverse effects

awareness campaign, the KIF boss in synergy with several associates knowledgeable in the field desire to trigger a partnership between the oil companies and their hosts with a view to reducing and ultimately ending gas flaring in the host communities. The two-time visits to host communities of Obodo Ngwa-Ogume in Kwale and Ebedei in Ukwuani covered

by THISDAY provided new insights into the challenges confronting Delta oil producing communities. More importantly, it was simply a case of hearing from the horse's mouth as men, women and youths told their own story; some of them septuagenarians and octogenarians, and even older residents, who came out in appreciable number to identify with the exercise.

The people said that they were suffering neglect and members of the community dying silently from strange diseases due to the negative impact of gas flaring and expressed dismay that the Nigerian Government, which collects benefits including fines for gas flaring, appeared to be unconcerned about their plight. They stressed that gas flaring has been affecting the physical health of the generality of the people, including eye problems and excessive heat. Crop yields were also declining inexplicably by the year while the air, water and land were being polluted mainly by acid rain.

At Obodo Ogwa, an elder and community leader who spoke through an interpreter said, "When the company started some years ago, we didn't know the thing (gas flare) was affecting us negatively; some neighboring communities were even envious of us because they felt it was a good thing to have in our community.

They called it ‘Shell-fire’ which gave light

at night where public power supply was unreliable or absent. Then, we gradually realised that our maize plants just grow unusually tall only to produce very small ears or nothing at all at the end of day. It is almost the same with the cassava and yam.

"We are suffering immensely because of this oil in our community," an elderly community leader lamented at the Kwale community of Obodo Ngwa-Ogume. "We've had discussion with DPR (Department of Petroleum Resources) but nothing has come out of it," he added with a hint that the community had been deceived with empty promises from federal government. He however pleaded with the visitors that "this shouldn't go the way of the past efforts" and assuring, "Our CDC (community development committee) will liaise with you to get a letter prepared and sent to the federal government."

An obvious attempt to cover up or give the wrong impression about the gas flaring status of its operations was evident at Ebedei where platform oil firm operates. Travelers on the Agbor-Abraka-Eku road might be hoodwinked into thinking that the oil company at Ebedei flow station had dismantled the flare platform that was hitherto conspicuous from the Umutu area and had perpetually lit up the night sky several kilometres. But alas!

The flare platform has merely been brought to few centimetres of ground level apparently to keep it from prying eyes of travelers on the main road between Warri and Agbor.

Speaking on the apparent attempt to hoodwink unsuspecting publics and particularly the international community opposed to continued flaring of gas by oil companies, Nwadishi said, "Participants in an international

39

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017, • T H I S D AY

CITYSTRINGS

Elders and community representatives at Obodo Ugwa-Ogume, Kwale community during a meeting on the challenge of gas flaring in the community

conference recently were astonished to hear that gas flaring continued unabated in Nigeria, whereas oil companies operating in the Niger Delta painted a picture that flaring had ended in the region."

While noting that the campaign was not aimed at stopping the legitimate operations of oil companies in the area, she maintained that the insistence of oil companies to continue with the very harmful practice even in the light of global outcry should be condemned by all well-meaning individuals and organisations.

“What is accepted world-wide as best practice in the oil and gas sector is the enhancement of gases associated with oil exploitation instead of flaring them,” she stressed, saying thousands of jobs could be created for the people if flared gas was harnessed.

In the same vein, Rev. Fr Edward Obi of the National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spills in Niger Delta (NACGON) while addressing chief, elders, women and youths of the Ndokwa communities, said that they deserved a fair deal from the natural resources on their land, which should be a blessing rather than impoverishing them. While explaining the impact of excessive heat from the gas flare on the air, rain and groundwater as well as the health of the people and even their unborn offsprings, Obi assured that the team would not relent in its efforts to stop gas flaring by engaging relevant authorities including oil operators and the government.

Dr. Michael Uzoigwe of Facility for Oil Sector Transparency in Nigeria (FOSTER) also pledged his organisation's assistance in this regard, saying FOSTER had developed a facility to track gas flaring sites anywhere in the Niger Delta. He urged the people to put heads together in order to take full advantage of the gas flaring device. Obi said that the communities should find a way of working with the appropriate NNPC agencies without being confrontational or disrupting the operations of the oil companies on their land.

Recently, one of the Ndokwa oil producing communities, Obodo-Ugwa, joined others, including Irri, Okpai and Beneku to petition the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Board of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) over “Ecocidal Carbon-Credit and Exploitation

We are suffering immensely because of this oil in our community. We've had discussion with Department of Petroleum Resources but nothing has come out of it

President Muhammadu Buhari...should take steps to end gas flaring in the Niger Delta

of the UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) by Eni-Agip and Xenergia in Kwale and Isoko Communities.”

As THISDAY gathered, the bone of contention of the petition - an outcome of the town-hall meeting - was the identification of what they described as characteristic fraud and statutory

irregularities regarding the procedure of the award of carbon credits particularly to Eni-Agip and Xnergia by the CDM board. In the same vein, the communities alerted the world to the fact that oil companies were still flaring gas with increased intensity and volumes, urging the UNFCCC to cancel the

award of carbon credits to the two companies in question as they did not merit it against the backdrop of certain inconsistencies like failure to reduce emission.

Thus, the question begging for answer is why the companies and the government are unwilling or reluctant to exploit such a great opportunity to grow the economy and support the development needs of the country and the continent. If there is a world of economic good to be derived from alternate uses of the several trillion cubic feet of gas being flared constantly by the oil companies in addition to the aversion of environmental and health hazards, why does the Nigeria government continue its laid-back attitude to gas flaring? Why does the NNPC, Nigeria's sole oil management authority admit that the country loses at least N174 billion to gas flaring but yet Nigeria shunned a World Bank-sponsored anti-flare summit? Specifically, authoritative statistical figures from the NNPC in 2015 showed that as much as $5 billion was lost annually through gas flaring. In an instance, according to the NNPC source, a whopping N2trn (two trillion naira) was "burnt away" or flared by Nigeria within seven years.

Nevertheless, Nigeria was consciously absent at the World Bank/IMF Group Spring summit in Washington, USA, to endorse an agreement to end "routine flaring" by 2030, though the country is said to be favourably disposed to the idea. Other oil producing countries like Norway, Angola, Congo, France, Cameroun, Gabon and Uzbekistan were in attendance.

41

T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017

Nigeria’s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

10-Jan-17

9-Jan-17

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

01 Dangote Cement Plc

168.00

169.00

-0.59%

2,862,805,244,040.00

9.20

18.36

5.07

4.73%

3.85

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

142.00

142.00

0.00%

1,125,932,326,096.00

4.03

35.19

3.73

2.54%

6.87

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

23.54

24.60

-4.31%

692,809,958,932.96

4.90

5.02

1.80

7.20%

1.47

809.00

809.00

0.00%

641,258,907,868.00

8.81

91.81

3.71

3.58%

20.32

15.10

15.49

-2.52%

474,087,056,168.60

3.91

3.97

1.02

11.62%

0.70

379.99

379.99

0.00%

210,252,385,836.87 -44.58

-8.52

2.71

4.19%

0.53

10.00

10.00

0.00%

183,495,512,150.00

0.68

14.78

0.31

6.20%

0.29

08 Access Bank Plc

6.30

6.51

-3.23%

182,246,221,275.30

2.59

2.52

0.53

8.45%

0.43

09 Lafarge Africa Plc

40.00

40.00

0.00%

182,196,072,400.00

-9.39

-4.26

0.85

7.50%

0.90

4.75

4.91

-3.26%

172,327,750,029.50

1.75

2.81

0.53

12.22%

0.41

11 Presco Plc

40.10

40.10

0.00%

159,216,129,504.50

0.03

1,371.42

2.23

3.24%

3.81

12 Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc

15.00

15.00

0.00%

150,000,000,000.00

2.04

7.37

1.07

0.67%

1.27

13 Unilever Nigeria Plc

35.00

35.00

0.00%

132,415,368,750.00

0.69

50.57

1.99

0.14%

14.11

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc 05 Zenith Bank Plc 06 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd 07 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

10 United Bank for Africa Plc

14 FBN Holdings Plc

3.66

3.65

0.27%

131,376,771,618.72

0.21

17.59

0.25

4.11%

0.21

15 Guinness Nig Plc

80.00

80.00

0.00%

120,471,055,040.00

-3.06

-26.16

1.17

4.00%

3.06

16 Forte Oil Plc.

79.76

80.37

-0.76%

103,885,892,775.28

3.31

24.31

0.68

4.29%

2.42

17 Total Nigeria Plc

305.00

300.00

1.67%

103,554,160,285.00

38.02

7.89

0.38

4.67%

4.47

18 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

263.01

265.05

-0.77%

94,840,159,858.62

19.32

13.72

1.05

2.72%

5.16

6.00

6.14

-2.28%

72,000,000,000.00

1.03

5.98

0.51

8.14%

1.18

111.40

122.55

-9.10%

71,361,766,438.20

-0.05 -2,683.08

0.84

1.80%

3.54

18.00

18.50

-2.70%

59,296,487,040.00

0.02

821.05

2.29

1.35%

5.56

4.61

4.55

1.32%

55,479,593,101.34

-3.15

-1.44

0.22

16.48%

0.34

23 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

38.58

38.58

0.00%

50,925,600,000.00

-2.95

-13.09

0.44

3.89%

2.68

24 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

18.30

18.44

-0.76%

48,023,540,522.10

-1.19

-15.45

0.12

10.85%

0.49

25 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

40.17

40.17

0.00%

38,318,564,700.00

4.82

8.33

5.83

0.25%

2.37

0.91

0.92

-1.09%

35,236,107,656.75

-0.47

-1.97

0.68

0.00%

0.48

17.00

17.00

0.00%

32,654,694,579.00

3.37

5.04

0.43

5.88%

0.43

28 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.91

0.90

1.11%

26,355,952,979.72

0.39

2.32

0.17

17.78%

0.14

29 FCMB Group Plc

1.30

1.28

1.56%

25,743,524,015.30

0.61

2.09

0.16

7.81%

0.14

33.00

33.00

0.00%

23,100,000,000.00

2.28

14.45

3.46

3.48%

13.50

31 Diamond Bank Plc

0.97

0.94

3.19%

22,465,577,298.96

-0.29

-3.20

0.10

0.00%

0.10

32 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.75

3.70

1.35%

22,056,990,731.25

0.76

4.85

0.60

3.78%

0.76

33 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

8.25

8.50

-2.94%

21,857,866,618.50

0.85

10.01

1.20

6.47%

3.05

34 Sterling Bank Plc

0.74

0.75

-1.33%

21,304,909,413.24

0.29

2.61

0.20

12.00%

0.26

35 Wema Bank Plc

0.50

0.51

-1.96%

19,287,233,040.50

0.06

8.56

0.38

0.00%

0.42

15.75

15.75

0.00%

18,835,054,686.00

-2.98

-5.28

0.67

1.90%

2.14

37 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

9.28

9.03

2.77%

17,429,714,931.20

0.50

18.08

0.60

14.40%

1.66

38 Mansard Insurance Plc

1.62

1.69

-4.14%

17,010,000,000.00

0.28

6.07

0.89

2.96%

0.84

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

14.50

14.50

0.00%

14,500,000,000.00

5.69

2.55

1.01

0.69%

0.39

40 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.10

1.05

4.76%

11,410,018,743.20

0.42

2.50

0.49

11.43%

0.58

41 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.29

1.29

0.00%

10,229,954,978.82

-0.40

-3.19

0.21

12.40%

0.31

42 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.54

0.52

3.85%

7,226,678,656.08

0.18

2.89

0.89

5.77%

0.42

43 Skye Bank Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,940,150,705.00

-2.93

-0.17

0.04

60.00%

0.07

44 Unity Bank Plc

0.58

0.58

0.00%

6,779,816,006.36

-0.10

-5.66

0.10

0.00%

0.08

45 Resort Savings & Loans Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

5,664,866,202.00

0.03

17.71

3.72

0.00%

1.94

46 Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc

4.40

4.33

1.62%

5,529,382,170.40

0.22

19.78

0.49

2.31%

0.51

47 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

3.15

3.00

5.00%

5,414,062,484.25

0.30

10.03

1.22

23.33%

0.14

48 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

2.75

2.59

6.18%

4,466,601,562.50

0.15

17.14

0.52

7.72%

0.70

49 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.59

0.60

-1.67%

4,088,820,643.20

0.22

2.69

0.14

8.33%

0.41

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

1.27

1.33

-4.51%

1,905,000,000.00

0.24

5.65

0.30

3.76%

0.31

19 Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc 20 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc 21 International Breweries Plc 22 Oando Plc

26 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc 27 U A C N Plc

30 Cap Plc

36 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

TOTAL

8,506,069,502,533.22

TOTAL MARKET CAP

9,065,117,674,067.20

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

93.83%

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators

Open 9-Jan-17

NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion)

26,580.22 9.15

26,346.24 9.07

-0.88 -0.88

110.29 8.59

109.25 8.51

-0.94 -0.94

Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Close 10-Jan-17

Change %

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers Stock

Open 9-Jan-17

Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc UACN Property Development Co. Limited Continental Reinsurance Plc Wapic Insurance Plc Diamond Bank Plc

Close Change 10-Jan-17 %

2.59

2.75

6.18

3.00

3.15

5.00

1.05 0.52 0.94

1.10 0.54 0.97

4.76 3.85 3.19

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open 9-Jan-17

7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc Fidson Healthcare Plc Guaranty Trust Bank Plc Mansard Insurance Plc United Bank for Africa Plc

122.55 1.33 24.60 1.69 4.91

Close Change 10-Jan-17 % 111.40 1.27 23.54 1.62 4.75

-9.10 -4.51 -4.31 -4.14 -3.26

Market halts bullish trend as Index dips by 0.88% Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today – Tuesday, January 10th, 2017, ended on a negative note as market closed red. This was further highlighted by negative performance from the NSE Subsectors: Banking, Insurance and Consumer Goods (Save Oil & Gas). Trading activities increased in volume as 372.85m shares worth of N1.33 billion in 4,068 deals exchanged hands today. This is an increase from the 219.03m shares worth of N1.41 billion in 3,423 deals which exchanged hands on Monday. Topping in volume terms are: Fidelity Bank Plc, Access Bank Plc and United Capital Plc, while Nigerian Breweries Plc and Access Bank Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed negative with 0.88% (-233.98) decrease to close at 26,346.24 from 26,580.22 the previous trading day. Market Capitalization appreciated in tandem to N9.07 trillion from N9.15 trillion of prior trading day. Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index followed suit with a decrease of 0.94% to close at 109.25 from 110.29 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at N8.51 trillion from N8.59 trillion of the previous trading day.

A total number of 19 stocks gained on the bourse today while 25 stocks declined, leaving 55 stocks unchanged. Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc emerged as the day’s toast of investors as it topped the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainers’ list with a gain of 6.18% to close at N2.75 per share. It was followed by UACN Property Development Co. Limited with a gain of 5.00% to close at N3.15 per share. Others on the gainers list include: Continental Reinsurance Plc, Wapic Insurance Plc and Diamond Bank Plc; while on the decliners’ list, 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc re-emerge with a loss of 9.10% to close at N111.40 per share. It was followed by Fidson Healthcare Plc with a loss of 4.51% to close at N1.27 per share.

Others on the decliners list include: Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mansard Insurance Plc and United Bank for Africa 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

43

wednesdAY, jAnuArY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Guinea Insurance Records N43m Profit After Tax in Nine Months Goddy Egene

Guinea Insurance Plc yesterday announced a profit after tax of N43.449 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, showing an increase compared with N40.9 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2015.

Details of the results showed the insurance firm recorded gross written premium of N664 million, down from N711million, while net written premium fell from N673 million to N514 million in 2016.

However, the company reduced certain expenses which led to a higher bottom-line.

For instance, claims expenses fell from N118 million to N63 million, while under writing expenses declined from N189 million in 2015 to N153 million in 2016. Consequently, the company ended the nine months with a bottom-line of N43.49 million, up from N40.9 million in 2015.

The company last month got the nod of National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to hold its 58th

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

annual general meeting (AGM) following the approval of its annual financial reports and Accounts for year 2015.

The company, in a statement said: “We are alive to our responsibilities of consolidating and strategically growing market share through decisive long-term investments and customer engagement initiatives. In spite of the daunting challenges in the operating environment, we have remained focused and true to our ideals of becoming an insurer of first choice. We will

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 09-Jan-2017, unless otherwise stated.

determinedly build capacity, explore opportunities within the industry and strategically set our internal processes on the path of returning to profitability.”

Guinea Insurance further reassured all stakeholders that the newly appointed crop of eminent Nigerians and professionals as members of the Board of Directors have set a growth agenda which is aimed at positioning the insurance company on a higher pedestal that will further propel confidence, equitable service

delivery and offer gratifying returns on investments to all stakeholders.

Shareholders of Guinea Insurance Plc appointed Isioma Omoshie as acting managing director. They also approved new directors following the exit of the chairman and four directors, who have served for over nine years on the board of the company.

According to the company, the restructuring was to ensure sound business practice and effective compliance with all statutory requirements and

the code of good corporate governance as stipulated in section 5.04 (vii) of the 2009 Corporate Governance Code of NAICOM. The company recently disclosed its resolve to support growth and development in the insurance industry. As part of the support, Guinea Insurance strategically partnered the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) to ensure that the recently held street presence exercise in Lagos was seamless and successful.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Afrinvest Equity Fund 129.65 Nigeria International Debt Fund 214.35 ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.69 AIICO CAPITAL LTD Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price AIICO Money Market Fund ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name ARM Aggressive Growth Fund ARM Discovery Fund ARM Ethical Fund ARM Money Market Fund AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund AXA Mansard Money Market Fund CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Nigeria Global Investment Fund Paramount Equity Fund Women's Investment Fund FBN CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fbnquest.com; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name FBN Fixed Income Fund FBN Heritage Fund FBN Money Market Fund FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund

100.00

aaml@afrinvest.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 130.78 2.33% 215.88 0.62% info@acapng.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 0.70 -0.98% ammf@aiicocapital.com Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

100.00

17.27%

enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Bid Price 12.51 290.95 22.57

Offer Price 12.88 299.72 23.25

Yield / T-Rtn 2.63% 4.10% 2.35%

1.00

1.00

17.06%

investmentcare@axamansard.com Bid Price 105.93

Offer Price 106.67

Yield / T-Rtn 6.30%

1.00 1.00 16.41% investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Bid Price 2.15 9.22 83.69

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 2.20 5.58% 6.00 -23.75% 85.83 3.18% invest@fbnquest.com

Bid Price 1,088.65 111.41 100.00 $104.87 $104.26

Offer Price 1,089.86 112.18 100.00 $105.12 $104.51

Yield / T-Rtn -0.16% -0.15% 14.93% 0.58% 0.68%

115.13

0.84%

113.59

FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Legacy Equity Fund 0.93 Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.58 FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Coral Growth Fund 2,184.70 Coral Income Fund 2,113.88 INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Abacus Money Market Fund 1.00 Vantage Balanced Fund 1.69 Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00

fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 0.95 0.00% 2.58 0.32% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 2,209.17 -1.13% 2,113.88 0.46% enquiries@investment-one.com Offer Price 1.00 1.70 1.00

Yield / T-Rtn 15.87% 0.38% 15.82%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.00 1.02 0.00% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,011.42 1,011.42 0.15% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: www.meristemwealth.com ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 9.76 9.84 1.00% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 15.98% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.05 1.07 6.57% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.36 10.53 0.25% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.12% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 108.46 109.34 6.52% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.25 1.25 0.27% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 1,840.70 1,850.97 0.52% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 153.55 153.55 -0.27% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.77 0.78 0.65% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 187.83 187.83 0.50% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 129.99 131.72 0.14% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.47% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,626.28 7,726.59 0.64% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.11 1.13 8.56% United Capital Bond Fund 1.22 1.22 15.47% United Capital Equity Fund 0.66 0.68 -1.24% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.00% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 9.80 9.97 1.78% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.14 11.25 2.13% Zenith Income Fund 16.75 16.75 1.41%

REITS

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 124.03

1.01% 0.05%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.61 75.11

8.71 77.11

-1.93% -0.50%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697

Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

2.68 6.92 10.98 15.37 129.88

2.72 7.00 11.98 15.57 131.88

-2.50% -1.56% -4.67% -3.61% 0.00%

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

44

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

UAE Ambassador to Afghanistan Wounded in Kandahar Blast The ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Afghanistan has been

wounded in the southeastern city of Kandahar in a bomb blast that

Donald Trump Win ‘Won’t Sway World on Climate The election of the climate sceptic Donald Trump as US president will not sway UK leadership on the issue, a minister has said.

Mr Trump, reported to believe climate change is “mostly bunk”, has threatened to withdraw from the UN climate deal.

Environment Minister Nick Hurd admitted the Trump victory was “a very big rock chucked in the pool”.

But he said the world including the UK - would continue working to curb emissions without the US if necessary.

Mr Hurd also stressed that it was impossible to be sure at the moment exactly what Mr Trump’s policies would be.

Mr Trump, reported to believe climate change is “mostly bunk”, has threatened to withdraw from the UN climate deal.

Environment Minister Nick Hurd admitted the Trump

Civil-liberties advocates have seized on Sessions’ voting record and his appearances before groups that espouse anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant views. He was rejected for a federal judgeship by the Senate Judiciary Committee 30 years ago amid accusations of racism.

In a prepared opening statement, Sessions says he understands “the history of civil rights and the horrendous impact that relentless and systemic discrimination and the denial of voting rights has had on our African-American brothers and sisters”.

He also said accusations of racism were “damnably false charges”.

Clare Hollingworth: British War Correspondent Dies Aged 105 Clare Hollingworth, the veteran British war correspondent who broke the news of the Nazi invasion of Poland, has died in Hong Kong at the age of 105.

Hollingworth, who was born in Leicester in 1911, was the first to report on the invasion that triggered the outbreak of World War Two. She went on to report from Vietnam, Algeria and the Middle East.

Hollingworth was a rookie reporter for the Daily Telegraph when she fell upon “the scoop of the century”.

It was she who spotted German forces 6amassed on the Polish border while travelling from Poland to Germany in 1939.

Convinced Philby was part of

In a statement, the UAE foreign ministry said it was “following the heinous terrorist attack on the guesthouse of the Kandahar governor which resulted in the injury of his excellency Juma Mohammed Abdullah al-Kaabi, UAE ambassador

to the Islamic Republic ofAfghanistan, and a number of Emirati diplomats”.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Earlier on Tuesday, two suicide blasts near Afghanistan’s parliament in Kabul killed at least 30 people

and wounded 80, in an attack claimed by the Taliban.

In a separate incident also on Tuesday, a suicide bomber on foot struck in the southern Helmand province, killing at least seven people, officials said.

victory was “a very big rock chucked in the pool”.

But he said the world including the UK - would continue working to curb emissions without the US if necessary.

Mr Hurd also stressed that it was impossible to be sure at the moment exactly what Mr Trump’s policies would be.

Mr Trump’s supporters say rules on climate and energy are stifling business.

Details of his climate policy are not yet clear, but his team has talked about boosting coal, opening new oil pipelines, and allowing mining on public wilderness or drilling in the Arctic.

Mr Hurd told the cross-party Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee that President Obama had led the way in partnership with China towards the Paris climate deal at the end of 2015.

Trump Cabinet: Protests Mar Jeff Sessions Confirmation The Senate confirmation hearing for Jeff Sessions, Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, has been marred by interruptions.

Two men wearing costumes of the Klu Klux Klan (KKK), the white supremacist organisation with a history of fatal racist attacks on people of colour, were ejected from the building on Tuesday after they disrupted the hearing.

Security removed them from the room as they yelled mockingly “you can’t arrest me, I am white!” and “white people own this government”.

Other protesters later erupted in chant: “No Trump! no KKK! No fascist USA!”

also killed at least seven people.

The attack on Tuesday, which took place during a meeting between senior officials and diplomats from the UAE embassy, wounded 17 others, including the provincial governor.

the spy ring that included Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean, she wrote that he had defected to Russia only to have her story put on ice for three months.

Before becoming a reporter, Hollingworth helped rescue thousands of people from Hitler’s forces by arranging British visas.

Margo Stanyer, one of those she helped, remembered her on Tuesday as “a grand lady who was in the right place at the right time”.

The reporter narrowly escaped death herself in 1946 when a bomb blast destroyed the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

Nearly 100 people died in the explosion, from which she was just 300 yards away.

Six Baloch people died while 10 sustained injuries in an incident of unprovoked firing and shelling by the Pakistan Forces in Dera Bugti of Balochistan… recently

Uganda’s Museveni Promotes Son to Special Adviser Role Uganda’s leader Yoweri Museveni has promoted his eldest son to become a special presidential adviser in a reshuffle of army commanders.

Maj Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has risen rapidly within the military, fuelling speculation that he is being groomed to become president one day.

Analysts say his new role, working more closely with state house, will broaden his remit and experience.

Mr Museveni, 72, is one

of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.

He came to power in 1986 after winning a five-year guerrilla war - and last year won his fifth term in office with more than 60% of the vote.

Gen Kainerugaba, 42, had been in charge of the Special Forces in charge of his father’s security since 2008.

He graduated from the UK’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2000 and last year was promoted from brigadier to major general.

“Muhoozi... is going to play a significant role in a post-Museveni Uganda, there’s no doubt about it,” political commentator and rights activist Nicholas Opiyo told the Reuters news agency.

“He is just giving the boy a hand in experiencing how government works on the side of politics.”

In the reshuffle Brigadier Peter Elwelu, who oversaw a deadly raid in November on the palace of a regional king accused of launching a

secessionist movement, was promoted to army chief.

The BBC’s Patience Atuhaire in Kampala says the promotion is being seen as a reward for the operation, in which more than 60 people were killed.

Meanwhile the previous army chief General Katumba Wamala has been made a junior Minister for Works in the government after serving as the top army official since 2013, a departure seen as a demotion, our correspondent says.

Jeff Sessions, US Attorney General Nominee, Denies KKK Sympathies President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be the new attorney general has denied sympathising with the Ku Klux Klan, in a tough Senate confirmation hearing.

Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, 69, also pledged to recuse himself from any investigation into former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

A Democratic senator expressed “deep concern” about the Alabama Republican’s nomination.

But Democrats do not have the power in the chamber to

block his confirmation.

The attorney general, America’s top prosecutor, leads the US justice department and acts as the main adviser to the president on legal issues.

Beginning two days of hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mr Sessions, 69, testified that allegations he had once supported the KKK were “damnably false”.

“I abhor the Klan and what it represents and its hateful ideology,” he added.

Mr Sessions also acknowledged “the horrendous impact that relentless and systemic

discrimination and the denial of voting rights has had on our African-American brothers and sisters”.

Protesters repeatedly disrupted Tuesday’s hearing, including a couple dressed in KKK white robes who chanted: “No Trump, No KKK, No Racist USA.” “Stop this racist pig from getting into power,” shouted an African-American demonstrator as she was led out of the hearing by police.

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein voiced her concern over “fear in this country,

particularly among the African-American community”.

She noted Mr Sessions had voted against an amendment affirming that the US would not bar people entering the US on the basis of their religion.

But Mr Sessions said he did not support the “idea that Muslims as a religious group should be denied admission to the United States. We have great Muslim citizens.”

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley described the nominee as a “man of honour and integrity”.

45

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

US Church Attacker Sentenced to Death A white supremacist has been sentenced to death for the racially motivated killings of nine black people at a South Carolina church.

Dylann Roof was convicted last month of 33 federal charges, including hate crimes, after opening fire on a Bible study group in 2015.

He remained unrepentant and had told the jury: “I felt like I had to do it and I still feel like I had to do it.”

The jurors deliberated for nearly three hours before reaching their verdict.

The massacre shocked the nation and reignited a debate

about race relations and the flying of the Confederate flag.

Roof told police he wanted to start a race war and he was photographed holding the battle flag, which to many is a symbol of hate.

The tragedy led to the flag being removed from the South Carolina statehouse, where it had flown for 50 years. Earlier on Tuesday, Roof addressed the jury, saying: “I don’t know what good it would do anyway” if they spared his life.

The judge will issue a formal sentence on Wednesday morning.

After the sentence was announced, the 22-year-old killer stood and requested to be appointed new lawyers and to file for a retrial.

US District Judge Richard Gergel replied that he was “strongly disinclined” and instructed Roof to think about it overnight.

Nearly two dozen friends and relatives of those gunned down at the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston testified during the sentencing phase about how Roof’s crimes have affected their lives.

But none of them had appealed to the jury to return a death sentence.

Vaccine Skeptic Robert Kennedy to Head Trump Commission US President-elect Donald Trump met Tuesday with prominent environmentalist and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr and asked him to head a commission on vaccine safety and scientific integrity, Kennedy said.

The 62-year-old son of slain senator Bobby Kennedy and nephew of late president John F. Kennedy has questioned the use of mercury in vaccines and suggested an apparent link to autism, a notion that the majority of the scientific community rejects and numerous studies have debunked.

“He asked me to chair a commission on vaccine safety and scientific integrity,” Kennedy said after the meeting, which he said Trump had called and requested.

“I said I would.”

Kennedy said the job would be to “make sure we have scientific integrity in the vaccine process for efficacy and safety.”

Both Kennedy and Trump have expressed concerns that childhood vaccinations could lead to autism.

“Trump has some doubts about the current vaccine policies and he has questions about it,” Kennedy told reporters.

“His opinion doesn’t matter but the science does matter and we ought to be reading the science and we ought to be debating the science,” he added.

“Everybody ought to be able to be assured that the vaccines that we have -- he’s very provaccine, as am I -- but they’re as safe as they possibly can be.” - A ‘holocaust’ Kennedy authored a 2014 book describing the dangers of the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal in vaccines.

At a film screening in California in 2015 he expressed mistrust of public health officials who say vaccines are safe for children.

“They get the shot, that night

they have a fever of a hundred and three, they go to sleep, and three months later their brain is gone,” Kennedy said, according to a report at the time in the Sacramento Bee. “This is a holocaust, what this is doing to our country.”

Such fears have spread online in recent years, fueled in part by celebrity attention, and by the fact that doctors don’t fully understand what causes autism, leading some parents to connect the sudden onset of the brain disorder with the series of visits to the doctor for vaccinations in childhood. Trump has repeatedly suggested a link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. He tweeted in 2014: “Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vaccines, doesn’t feel good and changes - AUTISM. Many such cases!”

Afghanistan Bombings: Dozens Killed Across the Country Dozens of people have been killed in a series of militant attacks on Tuesday throughout Afghanistan.

Up to 30 people were killed and 80 wounded in twin bombings near the parliament in the capital, Kabul.

Blasts at the governor’s guesthouse in Kandahar killed at least 11 and injured 14 including the UAE ambassador.

Earlier, in Helmand province a Taliban suicide bomber targeted a

guesthouse used by an intelligence official, killing at least seven people.

The Kabul blasts took place during rush hour as staff were leaving the parliament complex.

The Taliban said they were responsible for the twin bomb attacks in the centre of the city.

“We planned this attack for quite some time and the plan was to target some senior officers of the intelligence agency,” a Taliban spokesman

was reported as saying.

The attack is the latest in a series carried out by the Taliban over the past year. Most of the victims on Tuesday are said to be civilians, including parliament staff.

Reports speak of a suicide bomber striking first outside the entrance to parliament, followed by a car bomb, olo News reported.

President Ashraf Ghani vowed that all those behind the “criminal attacks” would be caught.

Defeated Mahama ‘Refused Permission’To Keep Official Residence Ghana’s former President John Mahama has not been given permission to stay in the house he occupied while in office, an official says.

Mr Mahama’s failure to vacate the house when his term ended on Saturday has caused huge controversy.

He says he reached agreement with new President Nana Akufo-Addo’s team to remain there last month.

But Yaw Osafo Mafo from Mr Akufo-Addo’s team said the request had been rejected,

reports said.

“We have not approved of his request, and I want to repeat we have received the request and the requests are two - for him to be given his ex-gratia where he lives and also be given another property as his office,” Mr Mafo was quoted by the Daily Guide newspaper as saying.

Mr Mahama stayed in the vice-presidential residence during his mandate.

Critics say his continued presence there is unlawful

and has also left incoming Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia with nowhere to live.

Ghana’s parliament passed a law in October stipulating that outgoing ministers and other government officials had three months from the date of the new president’s inauguration to hand over state-owned homes or face forcible eviction.

But the law does not apply to former presidents and vice-presidents.

46

THURSDAY JANUARY 5, 2017 • T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Uyo Church Collapse: GO Reveals How He Escaped Death Admits some victims have been buried contrary to govt’s position Okon Bassey in Uyo The General Overseer (GO) of Reigners Bible Church International Inc., Akan Weeks, yesterday revealed how he managed to escape when his church building collapsed on October 10, 2016 in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, killing scores of people and injured many.

Weeks, while being crossexamined by the counsel to the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in the state who represented the estate of the dead and those injured in the incident, Clifford Thomas, said he jumped through the window to escape from the disaster.

Weeks, who said he was injured on the leg in the process of escaping from the incident, said he sat on the high table with other bishops and top clergies in the state who came for his consecration, adding that he didn’t

know how other bishops and clergies managed to escape.

When asked how he escaped, he said the wife told him that he was unconscious and passed on when he jumped out from the window but he was revived in the hospital after six hours.

“During the day of the incident, I sat with bishops and very senior clergies. When the building was curving in, I didn’t know how they escaped from the collapsed building; but I jumped through the window when the building collapse,” he said.

The General Overseer of the Reigners Bible Church who could no ascertain the number of members of his church who died in the church building collapse, told the commission that medical report put the figure of the deceased at 28.

Contrary to the government position that corpses of those killed in the incident were still in

the mortuary, Weeks said he was aware that some of those who died in the disaster had been buried by family members.

After the incident, he said he personally visited those injured in the hospital and some of the bereaved families to prayer for them.

“I visited those who were injured

in the hospital. I cannot recall the number visited but they were more than nine people. I pray for them and gave them money and also gave financial assistance to the family of those who died to facilitate their burial.

“What happened on December 10, 2016 was a sad event I expected

people to sympathise with me. My heart goes to the deceased and those injured.

“My intention was not to build a house and bring people to die. I look at it as an accident.”

Weeks, who affirmed that the state Governor, Udom Emmanuel, is his good friend, said he invited

the governor to his Bishopric enthronement as a special guest of honour.

“I cannot ascertain the actual number of people invited for my enthronement as bishop. I invited several thousands of people to the event,” noting that the auditorium was still under construction.

Ogun Govt Demolishes Hospital Renovated by Kashamu Sheriff Balogun in Abeokuta The Ogun State Government yesterday demolished a primary healthcare centre in Ijebu-Igbo area of the state said to have been renovated by senator representing Ogun East senatorial zone, Prince Buruj Kashamu.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye and the Chairman Ijebu North Local Government, Hon. Adebayo Adekoya, was said to have

witnessed the demolition.

Adekoya, who reacted to the issue, said the lawmaker violated the law by not seeking due approval from either the local government or the state government.

Meanwhile, the Media Assistant to the senator, Mr. Austin Oniyokor, while reacting to the demolition, said: “We received with rude shock the news of the demolition of a Primary Healthcare Centre in Ijebu Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State under the

direct supervision of the Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Ipaye and the local government Chairman, Adekoya.”

He said: “Information at our disposal revealed that Ipaye and Adekoya led some thugs and policemen to the facility, which is being renovated and refurbished by the senator as part of his constituency projects, and ordered them to demolish it because they were allegedly not ‘carried along.”’

He, therefore, said: “We condemn

this act in its entirety because we think that the APC-led state and local government officials should have put the interest of the people beyond and above any other consideration.

“We did not encroach on the property or vandalise anything as being erroneously spread by agents of the APC-led government. We strongly believe that governance is more about the welfare of the people and not procedures and interests, be it political or otherwise.”

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017 • T H I S D AY

47

NEWSEXTRA

Biafra: Court Commences Secret Trial of Kanu, Others Uwazuruike berates IPOB leader, says he’s nobody Alex Enumah inAbuja andAmby Uneze inOwerri The secret trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and three others finally commenced yesterday, with the court providing shields obstructing journalists and the public from getting a glimpse of witnesses, counsel and even the trial judge.

The trial however also witnessed a stiff opposition from the defendants challenging the competency of the charge against them.

Kanu and his co-accused, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuis, are currently facing an amended 11-count charge slammed against them by the federal government.

The charges range from treasonable felony, terrorism and illegal possession of firearms.

They however pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

At the last adjourned date the trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had ruled that witnesses in the matter would be shielded from the public.

But at the resumption of the trial yesterday, not just the witnesses but the judge and counsel in the matter were all shielded from public view.

Counsel to the 1st defendant, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, informed the court of pending applications seeking to quash the charges against the four defendants.

He also said there was another application challenging the competence of the charge against the defendants.

Ejiofor therefore asked the court to take a look at the proofs

of evidence and juxtapose same with the substantive charge to see if it warranted the continuous detention of defendants.

The counsel, while arguing that there were no facts to sustain the charge, expressed fears of the defendants on the possibility of getting justice in any of their motions.

“The defendants have been crying that they are not getting any justice from the courts from the ruling so far. The motion is ready for hearing but the court is not taking it,” the counsel said.

Alleging threat to lives of the defendants and others, Ejiofor said some of the relatives of the defendants who visited the defendants at the Kuje prison where they are held in custody were arrested and are being detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) for two months now.

According to him, “The information we are getting is that most of them have been killed by operatives of the DSS. My client is no longer safe in custody.

“The DSS counsel, Labaran, should make their corpse available to us for burial. The matter is before the court and the DSS must respect the court.”

Speaking further, another defence counsel, Mr. Maxwell Okpara, similarly accused the DSS of making the process of visiting the defendants cumbersome.

He disclosed that the DSS subject lawyers to rigorous questioning and make them fill two separate forms, with detail information before been allowed to see their clients in prison custody.

Okpara therefore, prayed the court for a pronouncement on the visiting procedures for easy access

to their clients.

Responding, the prosecution counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, while denying knowledge of the allegation, describing it as an attempt by the defence to frustrate the proceedings of the matter.”

He therefore urged the defence to detach him from the difficulty they are encountering with the DSS. Though, the court did take the applications of the defendants, Justice Nyako however ordered the prosecution counsel to file his reply and serve it on the defence.

The court therefore adjourned the matter till January 12 for adoption of all the processes.

Justice Nyako also asked the defence counsel to bring all the issues raised against the DSS properly before the court.

“If you said some relatives of the defendants were arrested and some of them killed, put the allegation in writing, you know

what to do for the court to make pronouncement,” the judge held.

She urged the prosecution counsel to prevail on the DSS to treat the case against the defendants like any other case and that the lawyers should be allowed access to their client.

Meanwhile, a large crowd of demonstrators demanding the release of the IPOB leader and other accused gathered outside the premises of the headquarters of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Also, the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has blasted the leader IPOB, Kanu, over the accusation of his group that he (Uwazuruike) was colluding with the federal government to testify against him (Kanu) in court in Abuja.

In a swift reaction to the accusation, Uwazuruike told

journalists at his residence in Owerri, yesterday that Kanu should face his trial and stop opening his mouth so wide over his ordeal, adding that what he was currently facing had not matched his own (Uwazuruike) ordeal with the federal government in the past over the issue of Biafra.

According to him: “Who is Kanu?

Kanu is a nobody. I discovered him in 2009 in London, 10 years after I had championed the Biafran cause. I appointed him to head the Radio Biafra in London. By then, he was squatting with a Ghanaian woman. He had no house. I rented an apartment for him in London and gave him money to buy a car. He was into internet crimes when I met him.

“He (Kanu) was not in school, he had no degree. That was why I appointed other four people to work with him in Radio Biafra and the four who had higher degrees

said they would not work under him, because he was not educated but I convinced them to work with him (Kanu) because that was the person I had in mind before coming to London. You journalists are the ones flaming him up as somebody. If I or Kanu dies today, the struggle for Biafra cannot die, a bigger person will take over.”

The MASSOB founder continued: “Who is he (Kanu) that I will travel to Abuja to testify against him. It is idiotic. It is stupid. The present day Biafra is my product. I introduced it in 1999. Ojukwu gave me the franchise. It is not Kanu that I can handover to. He was using that Radio Biafra against me. I get embarrassed when people call me to talk about Nnamdi Kanu.

“Anybody working for Biafra today is working for Ralph Uwazuruike.

I don’t compete with mediocres.

I am a professional of 30 years in the Nigerian bar.”

Buhari Support Group Brands FROM A KIND HEART Former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, presenting a cheque of N2million to the Immaculate Heart of Mary’s Sisters for their home for the elderly BBOG Leaders ‘Socio-advocacy atNkpor,AnambraState....yesterday.

Terrorists’ Agroup tagged WithBuhariWeStand has emerged to counter the activities of the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG), which it described ass practising “socio-advocacy terrorism.”

After the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014, the group, led by Oby Ezekwesili, began pressuring the Goodluck Jonathan’s government to free the girls from captivity.

It has been doing the same to the Muhammadu Buhari government.

The new group, led by Idris King, marched to the army headquarters, Abuja, yesterday to show its support for the army and the government, and to put down the BBOG movement.

Its members, according to The Cable, carried placards with inscriptions such as: ‘BBOG, give some credit to the government and the Nigerian Army for the achievement recorded in the fight against Boko Haram’, ‘Oby Ezekwelisi, stop politicising the rescue of Chibok Girls’, ‘No more business”, and “BBOG business is over.’

“What they (BBOG) came out initially to do was good but by the manner in which they are going about it now, they are distracting the government and the army,” said King who denied that his

group was sponsored.

“What they are doing is simple and is what I call socio-advocacy terrorism.”

He said his group came to identify with and congratulate the armed forces, particularly the army, for its successes in the fight against Boko Haram, and to sympathise with families of soldiers who had died in the course of the war.

“We want to salute the doggedness of the Nigerian armed forces, especially the Nigerian army,” he said.

Major-General Chris Jemitola who addressed the group on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Tukur Buratai, thanked the group for identifying with the army and commended them for their orderly conduct.

“It is quite painful that when you are doing so much, some people are out to point out faults.

He noted that security is a collective responsibility, adding that nobody could claim to love Nigeria more than Nigerians.

Jemitola, who is the army’s chief of policy and plans, urged the group to align with groups of like minds to project the country in good light.

Asaba Airport for Inauguration in March as ILS is Installed for Safer Flights Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Flight hitches due to poor or shortened visibility at the Asaba Airport will soon be a thing of the past as the installation of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) of the airport and the entire rejigging of the airport have almost been completed.

THISDAY gathered that apart from the essential landing system, which enables aircraft to land safely without much interference or poor visibility, works on the airfield lighting system has reached advanced stage.

The inauguration of the recomdeled airport, conceived as an international airport handling both passenger and cargo particularly agricultural produce, is expected to take place in March this year.

In April 2015, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) downgraded the Asaba Airport initiated by the administration of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, stripping it of its

international status due to observed shortcomings including the high range of hill surrounding the facility’s runway and others like inadequate lighting system and lack of standard perimeter fencing.

Subsequently, the new government of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa awarded contract for upgrading of the airport to an indigenous firm, ULO Consultants, consisting primarily of the lowering of the surrounding hills, the construction of a second runaway, expansion of the taxiway and lighting of the entire airport. Going on simultaneously with the installation of the ILS and the airfield lighting are the construction of the perimeter fencing and the construction of the airport watchtower, a technical flight control system that complements the control tower.

Giving clarification on the installation of the ILS, Chief Uche L. Okpuno, the Chief Executive Officer of ULO Consultants, in a chat with journalists in Asaba, noted that with the installation of the ILS and the general facility

upgrade at the airport having reached advanced stage, the pains of travellers through the Asaba Airport would soon be over.

He expressed confidence that by March this year, the entire project would have been wrapped up for inspection by the country’s aviation authorities with high prospect for positive assessment that would restore the airport’s international status.

Okpuno said: “I believe that in the next eight weeks everything will be completed. The rehabilitation work on the runway and taxiway is projected to end in March. All things being equal, we should be able to finish work by March ending.”

He noted that workers of the contracting firm did not observe the Christmas and New Year holiday as they had to work throughout the period in order to make up for the disruption of the initial completion plan by the heavy rains in 2016.

“Our workers and partners worked through out the holiday in order to save lost time that the

rains did not permit work,” he explained, adding, “Hopefully, we should be able to deliver the airport to the Delta State Government

by March.” On the installation of the crucial ILS, Okpuno said the government had from the outset planned to install the equipment but because of the hill obstacle which the contracting firm has been removing in the past one year, it was not possible to install it as you need a particular clarity for ILS to work.

The company’s chief executive explained: “Now that we have done an extensive work on removing that hill, the ILS has been installed where it was originally designed.

Because we fly by sight, there is a limit of visibility required for aircraft to land at Asaba, about 4,000-5000ft but with an ILS in operation, you won’t need that huge visibility. With 800ft, aircraft can land as they are guided with the instrument which allows the pilot to land without him needing to see the runway perfectly.

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ERA Calls on FG to Impose 150% Special Levy on Tobacco Products Chiemelie Ezeobi The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN), has urged the federal government to as a matter of necessity immediately impose a minimum of 150 per cent special levies on all tobacco products.

The group said it was a means of raising revenue, while also reducing the consumption and health impacts of tobacco use on Nigerians.

A statement by ERA/FOEN Head, Media and Campaigns, Mr. Philip Jakpor, said they were reacting to the newly announced import duties on tobacco products.

According to the body, the new policy falls short of recommendations by public health experts, but instead incentivises local consumption of the deadly product.

The statement said: “We believe that on the surface, the new policy looks promising but a deep analysis

shows it offers subtle protection for local tobacco companies which already controls 90 per cent of the Nigerian market and will now produce more to get youths addicted.

“Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had in a circular to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) two weeks ago, announced a raise of import duty on tobacco from 20 per cent to 60 per cent.

“Other products that also had their duties reviewed upwards are imported rice, sugarcane, cassava products and salt, among others.”

Also reacting to the policy, ERA/ FoEN Deputy Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said: “We commend the listing of tobacco among luxury goods deserving higher duties.

“We however feel that the measure falls short of what is needed to reduce consumption of tobacco products instead it further

cushions the local environment for production and consumption “We have consistently urged government to look the way of special levies, high excise and high duties on tobacco products, only a consolidated tax regime and the complete removal of all incentives and grants could end the indirect subsidy on smoking by the Nigerian government.”

Oluwafemi said government’s decision to leave out locallyproduced tobacco from the high taxes or levies regime is an indication of disconnect between the Ministries of Finance and Health.

He also said it would be counter-productive as other tobacco companies would start considering building new factories in Nigeria to produce their lethal products to

worsen the current health burden of the nation.

He said, “ We are also worried that the new circular ranks tobacco with rice, salt, medicine and other daily needs.

“Tobacco is not food. Tobacco is not just a product but a lethal one that needs special attention.

The nation stands to gain from imposing higher taxes and other

levies on tobacco if done with public health in mind.

“We again re-echo our call that tobacco should be totally excluded from grants and other government incentives. “We demand that the government instead go beyond the announced duties by imposing 150 per cent levies on locally-produced and imported tobacco products.

Anything short of this is cosmetic.

Kerosine, Cooking Gas Hike: Residents in Edo Resort to Firewood as Alternative Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The hike in prices of cooking gas and Kerosene has forced residents of Edo State to resort to the use of firewood and charcoal as alternative means of cooking their meal Apart from the high cost, THISDAY gathered that the scarcity of the products has caused untold hardship as most dealers complain of drop in supply of the product.

A check by our reporter indicated that the price for a litre of kerosene at filling stations that was previously between #150 and #190, is now sold for between #300 and #350 restively.

Apart from that, a bottle content of the kerosene that was sold at between #200 and #220 to retailers, now goes on the for between #450 and #500 in Benin.

In the same vein, the price of 12.5kg of cooking gas has suddenly jumped from #3,600 during the Christmas season to #4,500.

Speaking of issue, a resident of Benin City, Mrs. Osariemen Edosa, lamented that she could not understand the “sudden and sharp” rise in the prices of both products.

She described what she went through before she could to get kerosene to buy as horrible.

According to her, “when I eventually got it to buy, the price I was given frightened me. I had to jettison my plan of buying 4 litres for a bottle at the rate of #350.”

Also in his comment, Lucky Amusa, said with gas and kerosene out of reach of the people for now, he decided to go nfor charcoal as an alternative.

His words: “Yes, I told my wife that we simply cannot afford this for now, especially against the backdrop of bills, including the children school fees that needed to be paid this month of January.”

On his part, Emmanuel Ogala advised that Nigerians must learn how to be their brothers keeper.

He described as pathetic the situation where Nigerians take advantage of little opportunity to increase prices of good and services indiscriminately without taking into account that the market is not only for the rich, but the poor as well.

“If you ask me, what made the dealer of these products to add such an amount to the prices of the products, I don’t know,” Ogala inquired.

Geofrey Okwumabua Passes on The Okwumabua family of Issele-uku in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State has announced the death of their husband, father, uncle and grandfather, Chief Geofrey Oboli Okwumabua who until his death was the Odogwu of Issele Oligbo Kingdom.

Okwumabua had his post secondary school in the United States, came back to Nigeria and was at a time, a Special Adviser to the then governor of Bendel State, Brigadier General Samuel Ogbemudia (rtd).

He was transferred to Auchi Polytechnic where he lectured for 17 years, transferring his wealth

of knowledge and experience to the upcoming generations.

He retired from active service in 1990 and went back to United States where he founded the Issele Uku Development Union in Atlanta with branches in over seven states in America.

He came back to Issele Uku in March 2007 and due to his contributions to the community, was given the title of the Odogwu of Issele uku.

He passed on in October 2017 at the age of 82 and will be buried in his family compound in Issele Uku on January 13, 2017.

MEETING THE PEOPLE

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, acknowledging cheers from people, during the town hall meeting held in Oyo Town....yesterday

Calls for Proactive Development of Vocational Education in Nigeria to Foster Economic Growth The Chevening Alumni Association of Nigeria (CAAN) has called on the federal government to jumpstart proactive development in all sectors of the Nigerian economy through urgent collaboration with private sector professionals who are willing to drive end-to-end growth in the country’s economy.

This took the form of recommendations from the break-out sessions at the maiden edition of the National Chevening Alumni Leadership Summit/Re-union Gala, held at Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

CAAN at the leadership summit analysed every sector of the country’s economy and extracted feedback from various discussion groups on collectively moving the nation’s economy forward.

It emphasised the importance of vocational education in the country as a bridge that fills the gap left by the more traditional higher education and a platform that contributes to the country’s economy.

For CAAN, the definition of vocational education is changing; going beyond past notions of an apprenticeship programme and becoming a more dynamic tool of empowerment of our nation’s youth.

CAAN further posited that the country’s educational planners and regulators must put in place measures that would make

vocational education attractive to the teeming population.

“Indeed, the country’s educational framework must put vocational education at par with higher education, as this would leap-frog job opportunities in areas requiring technical expertise and human capital development.”

The association listed new job opportunities in the nonoil sectors such as shipping, logistics, agro-allied industries, manufacturing, ICT, aviation and the semiconductor industry as areas that would expand Nigeria’s economy.

Members of the Chevening Alumni Association are products of various top universities in the United Kingdom and recipients of the prestigious Chevening Scholarship.

Chevening Scholarships are awarded to outstanding emerging leaders to pursue a one-year master’s at any UK university.

The scholarship programme provides a unique opportunity for future leaders, influencers, and decision-makers from all over the world to develop professionally and academically, network extensively, experience UK culture, and build lasting positive relationships with the UK. Chevening is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and partner organisations.

After the one year course of study, these distinguished Cheveners return to Nigeria to contribute to the socio-

economic development of the nation. Nigeria has over 1,400 Chevening Alumni drawn from across the private and public sectors and civil society. Among them are Prof. Chukwudi Amasike, renowned legal practitioner, Prof Kenneth Amaeshi, Senior Lecturer University of Edinburgh,

Amina Oyagbola of MTN, Simon Kolawole, publisher of The Cable, John Momoh, President and Chairman of Channels TV, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, CEO of First Bank Nigeria Limited, Herbert Wigwe, CEO of Access Bank among other distinguished Nigerians.

Maiduguri Now New Hub for Fake Drugs in West Africa, Says NAFDAC Michael OlugbodeinMaiduguri The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday decried the large volume of fake and adulterated drugs in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, insisting that the town has now become the hub of such drugs in the West African sub-region.

The agency raised the alarm during the raid of pharmaceutical stores in the troubled town.

Speaking to journalists after the sealing of 18 pharmaceutical shops in Gamboru area of the town, the Chief Legal Officer of the agency, Umar Shamaki, who alongside Waheed Agboola, the Chief Regulatory Officer led a team from Lagos on the clampdown, said: “It is quite unfortunate that Maiduguri has now become the new hub of fake and adulterated drugs in the West African sub-region.”

He said every suburb of the town has drug wholesaling market where drugs sold are mainly fake

and adulterated. He lamented that most of these drugs found their ways into neighbouring Cameroun, Niger and Chad and by extension some Central African countries.

He said: “As a responsible agency, NAFDAC, owes it as a duty to the nation and her neighbours to ensure that fake and adulterated drugs do not get funneled through Nigeria.”

He explained that the growth of the market for fake and adulterated drugs was as a result of the prolonged Boko Haram crisis in the North East state which made it is almost impossible to check the explosion.

He however, insisted that with the improved security, the agency would ensure that it was on top of its game by clamping down on all dealers of fake and adulterated drugs.

He said: “NAFDAC is not out to clampdown on the wholesalers alone but will go to the root of this illegal trade by smoking out the importers and manufacturers.”

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Report: State Resources Abused in Edo, Ondo Polls Ndubuisi Francis and Kelvin Okofu in Abuja A report just released by a civil society organisation (CSO), Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), has indicated that State Administrative Resources (SARs) were abused in the conduct of the recent gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States.

The CSJ report, which was released at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, affirmed that the abuse of SARs was rife and perpetrated by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government

in Edo State to the disadvantage of other political parties in the state.

It noted, for instance, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was denied the use of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin-City when the party was ready to pay for the venue, adding that it was clearly an abuse of state resources as the same venue was used by the ruling APC to flag off its campaigns.

It also noted that other attempts to secure venues were thwarted by the APC-led government at other times.

Another strategy to secure

RTEAN Boss: APC Offered me Bribe to Impeach Fayose Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The embattle Chairman of the Ekiti State chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Mr. Samuel Agbede, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of offering him bribe to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Agbede said he rejected the offer. The RTEAN boss revealed that the opposition party also promised him political appointment, luxury cars and other incentives if the association could support it in its plan to frustrate the state government. Agbede said his rejection of the bribe led the APC to sponsor some willing members of RTEAN to cause confusion in the association, particularly the recent brawl between him and another member of the union, Mr. Olaoye Oba, culminating in the subsequent court case against him (Agbede).

But the APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr. Taiwo Olatunbosun, had at various times denied that the party was plotting to impeach Fayose, saying the “governor is

a sinner who runs when no one chases him.”

Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday during the inauguration of the first phase of the state RTEAN secretariat, Agbede vowed that no amount of harassment, intimidation and threat would make him to withdraw support from Fayose.

“They offered me money, promises political position and luxury cars among other things.

I rejected them.

“Their latest antics is that they gathered former members of the executives to be causing trouble within the association.

“I will never deviate. I’m working in line with the Constitution of RTEAN which says we should support the government of the day,” he said, reeling out his achievements, Agbede said: “I have empowered over 30 drivers by making them car owners since assumption of office and I have promised to continue to do so.

“I want to appeal to members to control their emotion so as not to harass innocent private car owners on the road,” he pleaded.

Group Calls on Adeboye to Reverse Resignation over Term-limit Law Senator Iroegbu in Abuja The Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER) has called on Pastor Enoch Adeboye to reverse his resignation as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) following the enforcement of the controversial Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) law that limited the tenure of heads of religious bodies to a maximum of 20 years.

The Executive Director of CASER, Mr. Frank Tietie, threatened to seek a court order to compel Adeboye to rescind his decision should the “holy man of God’’ refuse to voluntarily do so.

The statement read: “CASER urges the highly revered Pastor Adeboye to change his mind and rescind his resignation as the general overseer of RCCG. “Where, therefore, the holy man of God refuses to review his decision to resign, CASER shall seek an order of court to compel him to remain as the general overseer.’’

Tiete noted that the clergyman stepped down as the General Overseer of the RCCG in Nigeria last Saturday on the basis of the controversial Corporate Governance Code of the FRCN. However, the code, which stipulates a 20-year maximum tenure for heads of religious groups and civil rights organisations, among other provisions, was suspended by the federal government last Monday.

But for the suspension, the regulation could have also seen the exit of other affected men of God from the headship of their churches which include David Oyedepo (Living Faith Church Worldwide aka Winners’ Chapel); William Kumuyi (Deeper Christian Life Ministry) and Mike Okonkwo (The Redeemed Evangelical Mission).

Meanwhile, Tiete said the group was acting, not only in the interest of members of the RCCG who respect Adeboye, but also in the interest the Church generally.

votes from farmers, which the report stated, was that the Edo State government guranteed N2 billion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for farmers in the state in the Anchor Borrowers Programme. It pointed out that the Anchor Borrowers Programme of the CBN is not a campaign initiative, noting however that the use to which it was deployed in the state and the statement made during the presentation clearly portrayed its deployment as an abuse of SARs. The report stated that events were quite similar in the Ondo gubernatorial election in terms of abuse of SARs as it brought

about an uneven playing field between parties.

The report, which was unveiled by the CSJ Legal Officer, Kingsley Nnajiaka, also raised concerns over issues of electoral misconduct and asked the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take corrective measures to neutralise such acts.

Section 91 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) sets the limit of campaign expenses to be incured by a candidate at a governorship election at N200 million.

In sub Section 9, the Act also sets the limit of contribution by an individual at N1,000,000.00 to

any candidate.

The Electoral Act provides in Section 100 (2) that state apparatus, including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.

Sections 88-92) also provide for the regulation of the finances and expenditure of the political parties and also places a reporting obligation on them in Section 93.

However, political parties and candidates have not adhered to such directives particularly in the Edo and Ondo States 2016 gubernatorial elections, the CSJ report said.

CSJ stated that in Edo State, PDP and APC spent a total of

N614,874,750 and N1,066,933,362 respectively for the gubernatorial campaign, while in Ondo State, the PDP and APC spent the sum of N409,241,900 and N981,317,400 respectively, which were far in excess of the N200 million bar set in Section 91 (3) of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) CSJ noted that while voting was going on during the September 28, 2016 Edo election, both the APC and PDP were guilty of state-wide vote buying to boost the chances of their party flagbearers.

Based on findings, the report said the PDP and APC spent N47, 000,000 and N130, 500,000 respectively to buy votes during the Edo election.

EVANGELISM

L-R: Head, Media/ Public Relations, The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries; Chidi Lious; General Overseer, Pastor Lazarus Muoka; and his wife, Joy, at the church’s international convention in Mgbidi, Imo State.... recently Etop Ukutt

Alleged N2bn Fraud: Right Group Exonerates JAMB Boss of Wrongdoing Following the allegation of N2 billion fraud levelled against the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a group, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET), has described the allegation as false.

The Executive Secretary of the group, Ikpa Isaac, while addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, said the petition against Professor Oloyede signed by several ASUU officials including 49 lecturers of the University of Ilorin who were sacked for embarking on an illegal strike in 2001 when Oloyede was the institution’s Vice Chancellor showed that it was self-serving.

It noted that while it clearly supports the anti-corruption fight of President Muhammadu Buhari, the anti-corruption war must however not be trivialised or subjected to ridicule by being converted to a tool for settling personal scores, committing institutional blackmail or for extorting undeserved concessions.

According to him, “We further have it on good authority that the union members are not

comfortable with the reforms already being initiated by Professor Oloyede at JAMB since these changes would deprive some corrupt lecturers of the money they would have made from admission racketeering.

Isaac stated: “The petition to the EFCC is therefore part of a wider plan to get rid of Oloyede and reverse the gains that the Board has made. If the reforms he is implementing at the examination body are disrupted then the future of tertiary education in the country is in jeopardy. For us it would be a sad situation if unionists from a few universities can deprive other universities, polytechnics and colleges of education the opportunity to get quality candidates just for their own selfish gains.

“To the extent that all the allegations that ASUU and its officials have made against Professor Oloyede have been found to be false, malicious and mischievous we are calling on the union to without further delays tender an unreserved apology to the man,” he stressed.

The group noted that it was on record that the board has

been firm about the admission processes since the new registrar came on board, adding that JAMB has also taken a tough

stance against the questionable courses that some lecturers have introduced without the necessary approvals.

Ahmed Directs Release of N2bn to LGs as KWSG Receives N3.7bn Paris Club Refund Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has directed the immediate release of N2billion to the 16 local government councils in the state.

This follows the receipt of N3.773billion yesterday evening from the federal government, being balance of the 25 per cent of the state’s claim as its share of the London-Paris club.

The state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, who disclosed this in Ilorin, noted that the state government’s account was credited around 5p.m. today.

Banu explained that following the receipt of the money, Governor Ahmed, who personally coordinated efforts to secure the outstanding balance, directed the immediate release of

additional N2billion out of the money to the 16 LGs to enable them pay part of salary and pension arrears.

He further disclosed that this brings to N3.4billion the total amount of money the state government has released to the LGs as their share of the London-Paris Club refund.

Alhaji Banu expressed optimism that the release of the N2b to the local councils will bring some succor to their workers, who are owed backlog of arrears.

It will be recalled that the state government on Saturday announced that it was in the process of getting the Federal Ministry of Finance to process and release the balance of N3.7billion this week.

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Buhari’ll Visit S’ East in March to Receive Nwobodo, Kalu, Others, Says APC Christopher Isiguzo inEnugu President Muhammadu Buhari will visit the South-east zone in March to formally receive some notable Igbo leaders including former Governor of the old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu and billionaire businessman, Ifeanyi Ubah, among others who recently joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Briefing journalists in Enugu yesterday, the Chairman of the local organising committee (LOC) of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO), who also doubles as BSO Chairman in Enugu State, Chief Anike Nwoga, said although the exact date has not been fixed, there was optimism that the event would take place in Enugu in March.

Since Buhari’s assumption of office in May 2015, notable

politicians in the South-east, mostly from the former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had decamped to the APC in their numbers, a development the APC in the zone had applauded.

Nwoga who was flanked at the briefing by the party’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Mrs. Kate Ofor, Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu and other leaders of the APC in the state disclosed that Enugu State will be hosting the National Committee of BSO in the five South-east states on January 21, 2017 to put finishing touches to the planned mega rally in March.

“Our meeting of January 21 is to strategise on how to give our brothers and sisters a rousing welcome in the months ahead. For us, it is a

celebration that majority of Igbos are acknowledging the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari towards improving the infrastructure base in the South-east, which wallowed in dilapidation during the 16 years rule of the PDP, a party that Ndigbo gave 100 per cent support.

“In just 24 months, the current Buhari-led APC administration will achieve what its predecessors in the PDP-led federal government failed to do on the roads in the South-east region- Aba-Calabar, Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene, Owerri-Port Harcourt

Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu-Port Harcourt expressways- in 16 years. In the 2017 budget, the South-east region got an allocation of N26billion for road projects, with Anambra State getting N13.7 billion; Abia State, N1.3 billion; Ebonyi State, N1.4 billion; Enugu State, N7.5 billion, while Imo State got N2.2 billion,” he said He added that only recently, the Federal Executive Council approved additional N16billion payment for the construction of the Second Niger Bridge.

“As you are equally aware,

the federal government recently released N388.304 billion as refunds of over-deductions on London-Paris Club loans, of which Enugu State got N9 billion,” he said. He therefore applauded Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for making the N9.972billion received by Enugu State open and channelling it into payment of arrears of salaries and pensions as well as monies owed to contractors as directed by the president.

“However, we urge the governor to ensure that unelected

local government chairmen do not partake in the disbursement of the monies recently received, since they do not hold the mandate of the people. We still use this opportunity to call for local government elections as enshrined in Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Nwoga therefore used the opportunity to appeal to Ndigbo to have faith in the administration of President Buhari, expressing optimism that in the fullness of time, the administration would fulfill all promises made to the South-east region.

Badejo-Okusanya to Deliver Lagos NIPR Lecture Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) yesterday announced Yomi Badejo-Okusanya as the guest lecturer at the January edition of its PR Clinic; a high-end training geared to equip and capacitate members of the institute with high-level strategies, tactics and how-to’s so they can do their jobs better, train their teammates, and lift their campaign results.

Badejo-Okusanya, President and Chairman of Council, Africa Public Relations Association, and Managing Director/CEO, CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller; a leading media, communications and public affairs group, will lecture on the theme: ‘10 Things that will Shape the Future of Public Relations,’ on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at Elomaz Hotel, 3/5 Immanuel Street, Off Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way, Maryland, Ikeja by 3p.m. prompt.

The theme seeks to x-ray how the industry is undergoing major transformations.

The NIPR said: “As practitioners of an ever-evolving field, there was

need for public relations and social media professionals to constantly strive to stay on top of all current and even future trends in the industry.

“These trends illuminate which tactics most effectively help practitioners execute their strategies.

The theme is also premised on the need to groom practitioners to cultivate professional image going forward.”

Badejo-Okusanya is consummate public relations practitioner with almost three decades’ cognate experience in the areas of advertising, marketing and public relations.

A leading industry figure, he has worked on various accounts for both private and public sector clients including multinational companies.

He is a member of the Governing Board of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), and past Chairman of Lagos NIPR. The Lagos PR Clinic has featured several notable speakers over the years and has become a rich resource for public relations practitioners and the media.

C’River Civil Servants Get Early January Salary Cross River State Governor, Prof.Ben Ayade, has ordered the payment of January salary to the state civil and public servants in the state.

The governor gave the directive through a statement issued yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita. Ita said the directive was in line with the governor’s promise to continue to place premium on workers welfare.

It would be recalled that the governor paid December salary to workers in the state on 1st of December 2016 to enable them prepare for the yuletide season.

Ayade who is passionate about the welfare of his people recently said: “The truth is that the only way you can measure your progress and success as a leader in authority is by how much you have taken care of your people.

“In Nigeria today, they call me Salary Master including many A-rated musicians and I accept it because I care for my people.

“We are building the

superhighway, the deep seaport and completed the garment factory to industralise our dear state to reduce unemployment. But we must put food daily on our people’s tables.

That is what informs the reason why I don’t joke with workers’ salaries.”

In the same vein, the governor has directed relevant agencies of government to compute the severance packages for the immediate past chairmen and councilors of the 18 local government councils and 196 wards respectively as well as other past chairmen and councilors whose severance packages have yet to been paid.

The governor in a statement signed by Ita read in part: “His Excellency, the governor of Cross River State has directed the computation of severance packages for the immediate past council Chairmen and Councilors and others before them”.

The Governor is known for prompt payment of salary to workers and public officers since

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

L-R: Chairman/Coordinator, Independent Democrats (ID), Orumba North Local Government, Anambra State, Chief Linus Nwafor; National Chairman, ID, Hon. Edozie Madu; and Mrs. Chizoba Madui , during the launch of the Orumba North Local Government, Women League,of ID Anambra State....recently

UCTH Delivers Woman of Quintuplets Governor’s wife donates N1million, incubator to support them Bassey inyang inCalabar The family of Dr. Ekpo Edet whose wife delivered a set of quintuplets at the University of Teaching Hospital (UCTH) on Monday has been given N1million by the wife of the Cross River State Governor, Mrs. Linda Ayade, to support the up-keep of the babies.

Mrs. Ayade also announced the donation of N500,000 to medical doctors and other staff of the hospital who were on duty to deliver the mother of the babies.

Aside from the monetary pledges, the wife of the governor also donated an incubator to the hospital to help in the upkeep of the babies.

Making the donation a few hours after the quintuplets were delivered in the morning hours of the day, Mrs. Ayade said her husband, Professor Ben Ayade, has extended his sincere congratulations

to the family of the babies.

She said the birth of the five babies at once was a miracle that only God can perform.

Mrs. Ayade informed the family that her husband resolved that his administration will not abandon the babies. Stating that the birth of the quintuplets was historic for the state, Mrs. Ayade said she has never witnessed quintuplets delivered before, except what she has heard or read in books.

“God has showed us a sign that this is our year of abundance. On the first day of the year, it was twins, today its quintuplets, am over joyed!!!!,” she said.

The state Commissioner for Health Dr. Inyang Asibong, who was at the hospital to see the family congratulated the parents of the new babies and assured them that the government, will support them.

“I want to on behalf of the government and the people of the state congratulate the parents of the babies as well as the entire team led by Professor (Christopher Ubung) Iklaki that delivered these babies.

I know it must have been a difficult job and thank God the babies all came out safe and the mum is also safe. If the situation were different, I would have advocated exclusive breastfeeding, but in this case, I know it will be impossible to insist on that. But the government will definitely support the family in the upbringing of the children,” Asibong said.

Father of the children who is also a doctor at UCTH, told journalists that he and his wife had waited for ten years to have a child, saying the period was the most grueling in their family.

Edet said the arrival of the quintuplets after a decade is a victory for God and his family, but said the family needed support.

“God is never late. I have waited on for 10years for this children.

We realised that God was going to bless us with something special when my wife had a scan after some months of the pregnancy.

“At that point, we knew she was carrying more than one baby in her womb. So, I am very happy at the successful delivery of this children and I give thanks to God that the babies and the mother are very well and safe. I call on the government and the good people of Cross River state to come and assist us to see how we can bring these children up. The country is presently going through recession everyone will agree so we will need everyone’s support to complete this joy that God has given us,” Edet said.

Buhari CongratulatesVeteran Actor, Jimmy Johnson at 77 Tobi Soniyi in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the Nollywood family and media industry in congratulating ace entertainer, presenter and comedian, Jimmy Johnson (aka Okoro), who turns 77 years today.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media

and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Buhari extolled the exceptional talent, skills and versatility of the veteran actor, whose sterling performances in the Village Headmaster, the Citizens and other soap operas, earned him reputation and recognition at both national and international levels.

The president noted that as one of

the pioneers of TV drama in Nigeria and a respected thespian, the septuagenarian’s contribution to the movie industry, which ranked second in the world, remained indelible, especially as the actors now play major roles in national and global development.

Buhari commended Johnson for the sacrifice, patriotism and loyalty to

his country and his calling, starting out early on stage and the screen when rewards were very minimal, but pursuing his career with relentless passion and vigour.

The president prayed that the almighty God would grant Johnson longer life, good health and the strength to keep serving.

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CRIME&PUNISHMENT

EFCC Faults Witness’ Attempt to Distort Facts in Badeh’s Trial Attempt by a prosecution witness to distort facts in the ongoing trial of a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (rtd), was yesterday exposed by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).

Badeh is being prosecuted by the EFCC before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja. He is standing trial alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.97billion.

He allegedly abused his office as CDS by using the dollar equivalent of the sum of N1.4billion removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase properties in choice areas of Abuja between

January and December, 2013.

The offence contravened Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act. The witness, Joseph Okpetu, who testified as PW13, told the court that he received hundreds of millions of naira from Badeh for various construction projects.

Okpetu, a builder and managing director of Habco Nigeria Limited, Kunychun Drilling Services and Dilplast Nigeria Limited, narrated how he was contracted to build a threebedroom duplex in Yola valued at N150 million for Badeh; renovate Badeh’s country home at Mubi, Bintin in Gwoza Local Government Area of Adamawa State at the cost of N50million; paint one of Badeh’s homes in Zone B, Abuja amongst other

renovations, and purchase of plants and equipment for a farm belonging to the former defence chief.

He said: “Yushau (former Director of Finance and Accounts of the Nigeria Air Force during Badeh’s tenure) had called me to his official residence and showed me a drawing of a building to be constructed in Yola for his boss, Badeh. Initially, the quote was N200million but after scaling down some of

the features of the house, the price came down to N150million. “At the meeting, Yushau gave me the dollar equivalent of N50million as mobilisation.

The other payments were done later in two installments.

During construction, Badeh visited the house on two occasions (with Yushau) and there were no complaints.”

The drawing in respect of the Yola duplex was tendered and marked as Exhibit T88.

Confusion however started when the witness began to contradict the statement he had earlier volunteered to the EFCC. Sensing a foul play, counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs swiftly drew Okpetu’s attention to the contradictions, asking the witness if he still stood by what he had said in his earlier statements.

“I do not stand by my statement to the EFCC,” Okpetu replied.

Upon further examination

by Jacobs, Okpetu admitted that the counsel to the second defendant (Iyalikam), Samuel Zibiri, SAN, who was holding brief for S. T. Ologoorisha, was in fact, his close family friend.

“On the first day that I was arrested by the EFCC, Zibiri came to bail me. Like me, he is from Edo State. We are family friends,” he confessed.

At this point, Justice Abang adjourned to January 12, 2017 for continuation of trial.

Four Die as Farmers Fulanis again Clash in Niger Laleye Dipo in Minna Another clash between Fulani herdsmen and Gbagyi farmers occurred in Sabon Daga community in the Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State yesterday, resulting in four deaths.

The police said its men were still combing the bushes to ascertain if there are more dead bodies.

The incident occurred when farmers denied the herdsmen the right to graze their cattle on their farmlands.

According to an eyewitness, a hot argument ensued between the farmers and the nomads, leading to dangerous weapons being used by both sides.

It was also said that both the Fulanis and the farmers recorded casualties as a result of the crisis.

The state Police Public Relations

Officer, Bala Elkana, confirmed the incident to journalists.

“Four corpses have been recovered, but security operatives are still combing the bushes around the area because the incident just happened and there could be more casualty,” Elkana said He added that the situation had been brought under control following the quick intervention by men of the Kpakungu police division with reinforcement from the command.

Elkana said Fulani and Gbagyi elders had been invited to a meeting to forestall the possibility of a backlash as well as finding a lasting solution to such incident in future.

Just last Sunday, a senior secondary school student was killed by suspected cattle rustlers in another part of the senatorial district.

Gunmen Kill Girl in Ondo James Sowole in Akure Omoyemi Akinbamiwa, was late on Sunday shot dead by gunmen around Coca Cola Area of Ondo City.

Akinbamiwa said to be one of the sons on a popular food vendor in Ondo City, the headquarters of the Ondo West Local Government, was killed in the town while in company of a boy.

An eyewitness said the deceased was allegedly shot by the gunmen, who rode to where she was on a motorcycle.

A source said the gunmen shot the lady who was preparing to travel out of the country at a close range while the boy in her company ran away.

The robbers were also said to have fired several gunshots into the air to scare people in the area and thereby caused confusion in the entire area.

The source said a team from the Special Anti-Robbery Division of Yaba Divisional Police station in the town later arrived the scene few minutes later to assess the situation.

The remains of the Akinbamiwa was later removed by the police to the morgue of the Ondo State Specialist Hospital.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Ondo State Command, Mr. Femi Joseph, said the police have arrested the boy that was with the girl before she was shot.

Joseph said the police was looking at several angles on the incident because the lady’s bag containing her laptop and her phone was beside her.

He said the police had commenced investigation on the incident.

PROTECT OUR INTEREST

Members of Movement Against Fulani Occupation (MAFO) protesting at the Benue State House of Assembly over the inability of the assembly to pass the bill prohibiting open grazing by Fulani herdsmen in Makurdi...yesterday

Mysterious Death of Two Tricyclists Shocks Asaba Residents Police debunk reports of farmers/herdsmen clash in Delta Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Asaba, the Delta State capital, has been gripped by shock and fear following the mysterious death of two men believed to be commercial motorcyclists operating in the city.

This followed the finding of the decomposing bodies of the two tricyclists apparently killed and dumped in an undeveloped plot of land in Asaba by yet unidentified assailants.

The remains of the two men were reportedly found in an undeveloped area near the Old Deputy Governor’s Office on the Onitsha-Asaba expressway, within the Asaba metropolis.

A police officer, who was said to have taken his car for repairs in a mechanic workshop in the area, reportedly made the startling discovery.

The policeman reportedly found the decomposing bodies

when an offensive smell from the spot aroused his curiosity and he decided to find out the source of the offensive odour.

News of the mysterious deaths has caused fear among residents of the relatively small and close capital city, particularly tricycle and motorcycle riders who were said to have identified the corpses as those of their colleagues.

Nevertheless, as the shock-find created concern among residents of the area and other parts of Asaba, members of the Hausa/ Fulani community who were attracted by the report and have allegedly identified the deceased as Mr Abubakar Suleiman and Mr Hamza Abdulahi Alhaji who were reported missing two weeks ago.

The police are working on the possibility that both victims were killed by the attackers who also dispossessed them of their tricycles.

However, THISDAY learnt that this was not the first time

the corpses of persons killed in mysterious circumstances would be dumped in the undeveloped plot of land as similar incidents had occurred in the past.

Confirming the incident, the Delta State Police Command spokesman, Mr. Andrew Aniamaka, said the state commissioner had met on the matter with the officers and men with a view to unraveling the deaths.

Aniamaka however cautioned commercial motorcyclists and tricyclists “to be security conscious” and to avoid late night operations.

The police spokesman disclosed that four persons had been arrested in connection with the killing, including a spray-painter who was allegedly found with one of the tricycles belonging to the deceased.

Under the Delta State regulations on the operation of tricycles in Asaba and other towns across the state, commercial motorcyclists and motorcycles should not operate

in Asaba after 10p.m.

Meanwhile, the state police command has in an e-mailed statement, denied reports of any clash between farmers and herdsmen in certain communities in Delta State. According to the statement by the spokesman, report of the alleged clash was contained “some national dailies” but the publication was based on falsehood.

“The command also notes that such unfounded reports are unprofessional, misleading and capable of causing a breakdown of law and order,” it said, adding, “While calling on journalists to always verify their stories from relevant authorities before rushing to press, the command urges the public to disregard the reports as it will continue to do everything within its power and the law towards ensuring that peace and safety reign supreme in the state.”

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WEDNESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Africa Gets Nine Slots in Expanded 2026 World Cup

Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report World football ruling body, FIFA, was unanimous in approving an expanded World Cup to 48 teams in 2026, with a format of 16 groups of three nations.

With the decision, Africa is to now get nine slots, four more than the continent currently enjoys in the next two World Cups slated to hold in Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022 respectively.

Europe is to have 16 teams, three more than what they have now, while South America will now get six automatic slots, upwards from the four automatic and one playoff places.

Asia have four extra spots with eight automatic and a playoff, while CONCACAF get six automatic and a playoff slots. Oceania and host country will have a slot each.

“The FIFA Council unanimously decided on a 48-team #WorldCup as of 2026: 16 groups of 3 teams,” a tweet from FIFA’s official account announced yesterday afternoon.

The decision marks a major coup for the body’s President Gianni Infantino who has made enlarging football’s showcase event the centre-piece of his young administration.

The controversial proposal had faced criticism from some of the sport’s most powerful voices, including warnings that it would dilute the quality of play and overburden already exhausted players.

But Infantino had in recent weeks voiced confidence that his flagship project would be approved.

The FIFA chief has noted that a bigger tournament would beef up FIFA’s coffers.

According to a confidential FIFA report seen by AFP, the 48-team tournament would bring

a cash boost of $640 million (605 million euros) above projected revenues for next year’s finals in Russia.

But Infantino has also argued that more World Cup berths would help drive football’s global growth by boosting “inclusion” in the “biggest social and sporting event”.

Among those who seemed convinced by that argument was Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, who on Monday said a 48-team format “will give more possibilities to countries that have never reached that level of competition”.

But the information remained unconfirmed and

world football’s governing body was not expected to immediately announce its final decision on allotments.

The powerful council officially weighed five proposals during Tuesday’s meeting at FIFA’s snowcovered Zurich headquarters, including maintaining the status quo of 32-teams.

The landmark decision to expand the tournament is the latest overhaul of the World Cup, which has seen its global popularity and financial might surge since the inaugural edition in 1930.

That contest, won by Uruguay, had just 13 countries.

The World Cup expanded to 24 teams in 1982 in Spain

before moving to its current 32-team version at France 1998.

BREAKDOWN UEFA...16 (13 at present) CAF...9 (5 ) ASIA...8.5 (4.5) SOUTH AMERICA ...6 (4.5) CONCACAF...6.5 (3.5) OCEANIA...1 (0.5) HOST COUNTRY...1

Manchester City Striker Kelechi Iheanacho’s Manager, Kingsley Okechukwu Ogbodo; Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Ogbodo’s business associates, Ben Ekejiuba; and Harrison Ngwu; during the presentation of sports items to the governor on behalf of Rangers International Football Club, at the Government House, Enugu …yesterday

Iheanacho’s Manager Rohr to Name Eagles for AFCON 2019 Qualifier Feb Boosts Rangers ahead of New Season Kingsley Okechukwu Ogbodo, manager of Manchester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho, yesterday afternoon donated 50 footballs, 36 bibs and 30 jerseys to Rangers International Football Club of Enugu to support the club as the new 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season takes off soon.

The gesture is also in appreciation of Rangers recent victory as the NPFL Champions as well as to motivate the team to win the forthcoming CAF

Champions League.

Receiving the items on behalf of the club at the Government House, Enugu, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi thanked the donor for his gesture towards the progress of Rangers and the state.

The governor described Ogbodo as a good ambassador of the state and called on other indigenes to emulate his disposition by contributing to the development of the state and society at large.

AJC Tennis: Nigeria Begins Title Defence in Togo The 2017 ITF/CAT African Junior Championship West and Central Africa Qualifiers serves off today at the Stade Omnisports Lome, Togo with Team Nigeria putting at stake her overall champions tag at the 15-nation tournament expected to end January 21.

All eyes would be on Team Nigeria’s Captain, Oyinlomo Quadri, as she returned to the continent following her glorious campaign in 2016 highlighted by her winning of an unprecedented threestraight ITF 16 and under junior circuit titles.

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr has revealed he plans to name in February his squad for an AFCON 2019 qualifier in March.

CAF will stage the draw for AFCON 2019 qualifying tournament in Libreville, Gabon, on Thursday, January 12, 2017.

“I will make my list by the end of February,” Rohr said of his plans for AFCON 2019.

“This will depend on what the players are doing at their clubs.

“Some new players could come like fullback, we have somebody, but it’s too early to speak about that now.”

He further said the domestic league players will now have a better chance of making his squad as the new season resumes this weekend after the past season officially ended in November.

“I will watch Wednesday’s Super Cup (between Rangers and FC Ifeanyi Ubah) to see if I could see some players in the domestic league,” he

said.

“It will be interesting for me to watch this game as I have already watched Ifeanyi Ubah during the Federation Cup final, now I will see the Nigeria champions,” the Franco-German coach further observed.

Meanwhile, qualifying tournament for the 2018 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) will begin on April 20.

The tournament is exclusively reserved for

players who are playing in their domestic leagues.

Nigeria debuted at the 2014 edition of the competition in South Africa, where the CHAN Eagles finished third.

They also featured at the 2016 edition in Rwanda.

Super Eagles Chief Coach, Salisu Yusuf, will be in charge of the home-based team and he will be assisted by Rangers Coach, Imama Amapakabo.

DR Congo is the defending champions while Kenya will host the 2018 tournament.

Ocheme Seeks Super Cup Redemption against IfeanyiUbah FC Enugu Rangers central attacker, Edoh Ocheme, is seeking redemption in his side’s Super Cup clash against oriental neighbours, FC IfeanyiUbah.

The Cup clash meant for the winners of the league and Federation Cup will take place today at the Abuja National Stadium.

Ocheme said his side want to make the Super Cup clash the Nigerian champions’ first silverware of the upcoming football season.

“It won’t be a brotherly affair when we step onto the pitch on Wednesday to confront FC IfeanyiUbah in the annual Super Cup. “We are not happy with what happened at the NPFL/ LMC Super Four in Enugu which we lost to Rivers United.

“We want to redeem our image by going all out to win the Super Cup and make it our first trophy of the season.

“I know the encounter will not be easy given the

pedigree of the opponents but we have told ourselves that we must win the Cup top prize.

“Ours is to win the Super Cup irrespective of the opposition FC IfeanyiUbah will present,” said the former Crown and Giwa FC marksman to supersport.com.

Ocheme said the Super Cup victory will put his side in perfect mood to confront oriental neighbours Abia Warriors in the top-flight matchday 1 clash on Sunday

in Enugu.

“We have prepared as well as trained for the league season but the Super Cup will put us in sound mood to confront Abia Warriors.

“We will use the Cup clash to get ready for the league clash against Warriors,” said the former Ranchers Bees hitman.

The Coal City side will host neighbours Abia Warriors in Sunday’s NPFL matchday 1 clash at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

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WEDNESDAYSPORTS

AFCON 2017…AFCON 2017…

Nyantakyi Drums Support for Black Stars

Black Stars at training ahead of their AFCON 2017 opening game this weekend Ghana FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi has called on the country’s football fans to give their full backing to the Black Stars ahead of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

Avram Grant’s team head to Gabon 2017 looking to end their long wait for a return to the top of the African game: Ghana won the last of their four AFCON titles back in 1982.

They nearly claimed the trophy in 2015 but fell to a penalty shootout defeat to Ivory Coast in the final, with that near miss following on from their calamitous showing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The 2014 fiasco turned many fans away from Ghana’s senior team, but Nyantakyi believes the interest is coming back, especially with the AFCON

ACCESS/ LAGOS MARATHON

More over 50s Register for 2017 Edition Probably buoyed by the success of sexagenarian Abiola Oshodi-Adeniyi Bada and Seni Ogunlende who competed in the 2016 edition of the Access Bank/ Lagos City Marathon, more members of the over 50 years club are showing interest in the 2017 edition of the race.

Since registration began in November last year, there has been an increase in the number of men and women over age 50 coming to pick entry forms at the Teslim Balogun Stadium office of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.

While 68-year-old Oshodi-Adeniyi Bada is yet to pick entry form for the 2017 race, 64-year old Ogunlende was one of the sexagenarians at the marathon office on Monday to register for the road race.

Ogunlende was warmly received at the Marathon Office by the Access Bank/ Lagos City Marathon General Manager, Yussuf Alli, and Head of Communications and Media, Olukayode Thomas.

Alli, a former international long jumper, expressed his joy at the increase in the high number of older men and women

embracing the culture of running.

He said it was a global phenomenon, adding that between 1991 and 2011, 518,000 finished the New York Marathon and about 18 per cent were members of the over 50 club.

Alli urged more and more Nigerians, especially those over 50 years to show more interest in walking, jogging, exercise and running as it an anti-aging antidote.

“Medical research have proved that exercise by men and women in their 40s, 50s and above counteract the effects of aging,’’ he noted.

Alli revealed that running benefits include calorie burn, improved cardio, muscle strength, stress relief, and the prevention of some types of cancers.

“Old age comes with certain conditions and diseases, so finding ways to improve your health become more important as you grow older. For example there are simple daily exercises that help over 50 controls their weight, strengthen your heart muscle, lower blood pressure, and help prevent heart attacks and strokes.

on the horizon.

“I did not get that impression that Ghanaians are still disappointed when I attended the team’s training sessions at the St. Thomas Aquinas Park. Well they were disappointed in 2014, 2015 or 2016 but I believe that Ghanaians have forgiven the team now,” Nyantakyi was quoted by the Ghana News Agency.

“The interest is now coming back. I can see a renewed interest from Ghanaians and that was demonstrated by level of attendance at the training grounds and it shows that if the team does well, we will win back everybody, I can say convincingly that majority of Ghanaians will be back to support the Black Stars.

“I will want to appeal to my fellow Ghanaians

to forgive the team for the mistakes of Brazil 2014 and rally behind the team as we head to Gabon for AFCON 2017. It is the expectation of every Ghanaian that we will win this trophy but that will not happen with a divided front.

“We all saw what happened in AFCON 2015, we were very close but unlucky to lose the cup. Now we have to work

on the psychological build-up of the team, good preparation and motivation for the squad.

We need to build a strong team to win the cup that’s the wish of every Ghanaian.

“We need your support. We need the prayers of everyone regardless of where you come from, where you live or what you do. We need a united Ghana behind the team to win the Africa Cup of Nations.”

Guinea-Bissau Settles Players Strike over Unpaid Wages Guinea-Bissau’s players have ended their strike after being paid outstanding wages, four days before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations.

It clears the way for the team to make their debut appearance at the tournament, which will be held in Gabon from January 14 to February 5.

After the news emerged, thousands lined the streets of the capital, Bissau, to watch the squad parade by on Tuesday.

Guinea-Bissau plays Group

A rivals and hosts Gabon in Saturday’s opener.

They will also face Burkina Faso and Cameroon in the group stage having achieved a fairytale qualification - one of the biggest shocks in Nations Cup history.

Yet the bonuses that had been promised them for qualifying remained unpaid, leading to the players going on strike at the weekend.

It was only settled after a delegation of three players

went to see the country’s President, Jose Mario Vaz, Portuguese news agency Lusa reported.

They have since all received between 10,000 and 23,000 euros in outstanding fees, Lusa added.

“In the early hours of Sunday, the players received everything they had to receive,” a government spokesman told the agency.

A charter plane, borrowed from Congo-Brazzaville, is due

to fly the team to Libreville today.

The former Portuguese colony frequently beset by coups, eliminated former champions Congo and Zambia in qualifying last year.

They were a Leicester-like long shot when the qualifiers began, having previously won only four matches in Nations Cup and World Cup qualification combined since first entering international competition just 22 years ago.

Koulibaly Insists No Regrets Opting for Senegal Instead of France

Kalidou Koulibaly has admitted he waited and waited for the call to come from France before choosing to play for Senegal, and does not regret his decision for one second.

The powerful 25-year-old centre-back was born in France and represented the country of his birth at under-20 level, but he accepted the call from coach Aliou Cisse in September 2015 to help the Lions of Teranga qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.

“I waited for a long time for a call-up for Les Bleus,” says the Napoli star. “I know there was a possibility at the time of my arrival at Napoli, but I have made my decision now and I don’t regret it.

“Senegal have a magnificent team. There are young players, a lot of whom have played in France and now in England.”

Having waited for the call

that never came, Koulibaly was astounded to hear France coach Didier Deschamps cite his name in an interview on French television last year when asked about players who he was monitoring.

“I was watching the programme without really paying attention and then I heard my name. He must have missed something. I don’t blame him for it,” said Koulibaly, who is now focused fully on helping the country of his roots.

Runners-up in 2002, Senegal have never won the Africa Cup of Nations before.

However, the presence of players such as Idrissa Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyate, Sadio Mane, Moussa Sow and Koulibaly in their squad means they are one of the favourites going into this year’s tournament in Gabon.

In a Group B also containing much-fancied Algeria, Tunisia and Zimbabwe, Senegal should at least make the knockout rounds, something they failed to do in Equatorial Guinea two years ago.

“Our common objective is to get past the first round,” admitted Koulibaly, who has shaken off an injury to make the squad, after an audience with President Macky Sall.

Finishing ahead of Algeria would be no mean feat, and the sides will meet each other in a likely group decider in Franceville on January 23.

The Fennecs of Algeria have a star-studded front line, but none of them will relish coming up against Koulibaly, a player revered at Napoli and described by club legend Diego Maradona as a “phenomenon”.

After modest beginnings at Metz, the defender starred

for Genk in Belgium, earning himself a move to Napoli in 2014 when Rafa Benitez was still in charge of the Italians.

Kalidou Koulibaly happy opting to play for the Teranga Lions

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WINTER TRANSFER

Ozil Wants Wilshere’s No.10 Shirt at Arsenal

Mesut Ozil has again hinted at his want for Arsenal’s No.10 shirt following Jack Wilshere’s loan move to Bournemouth.

The German playmaker has worn the No.11 since arriving from Real Madrid for a club-record fee in 2013, with Wilshere handed No.10 when Robin van Persie left for Manchester United 12 months earlier.

Ozil took up the No.10 shirt for Germany following Lukas Podolski’s international retirement last year and now, with Wilshere spending the 2016-17 season at the Vitality Stadium, has reiterated his desire to swap shirts.

“Since Wilshere’s departure last summer, the number is free,

but I have yet to get it,” he told Kicker.

Ozil confirmed his interest in the currently vacant number last summer, telling Express after Wilshere’s exit: “[The No.10] has become free and I definitely want it.”

The World Cup winner also spoke about his need for clarification on Arsene Wenger’s future before recommitting himself to Arsenal, with his current contract set to expire in under 18 months.

Wilshere’s is due for renewal at the same time, though his future at Arsenal is also under question despite improving performances and fitness under Eddie Howe at Bournemouth.

Heerenveen Seals Loan Deal for Real Madrid’s Wonderkid, Odegaard Heerenveen have confirmed that they have signed Real Madrid youngster Martin Odegaard on loan until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old will be unveiled by the Eredivisie side yesterday morning, having moved to the Dutch club in order to get more regular first team experience.

In May 2015, Odegaard became the youngest ever player to play for Real Madrid, aged just 16-years and 157-daysold.

Despite that early breakthrough, he has failed to hold down a regular spot in Zinedine Zidane’s squad, and has found himself playing for the club’s second-string Castilla side.

Odegaard’s prodigious talent has seen him compared to some of the biggest names in world football, including Barcelona star Lionel Messi.

However, former Norway international Jan Aage Fjortoft felt that it was wrong to put too

much pressure on the teenager, and that he should be allowed time to develop.

“Comparing Odegaard to Messi is nonsense from the media. Messi is a player who can make the difference and Martin can do the same, but any comparisons should not be taken seriously,” Fjortoft told Goal .

“He should be able to develop gradually and one step at a time. He has already shown that he is ready to take on new challenges.

“Martin does not feel any extra pressure. Let’s compare his situation to that of established stars like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and Toni Kroos.

They were all cheered by the media at some stage and they are role models now.

“The footballer of the future does not only need talent, but he should also work hard, be disciplined and put in more effort than others. You have to follow your goals and stay professional.”

Juventus Steps up Kolasinac Chase with €3m Bid Italian champions, Juventus have begun negotiations with Schalke over full-back Sead Kolasinac.

The 23-year-old’s contract is due to expire in June, but Massimiliano Allegri’s side would like to sign him during the January transfer window and are set to offer the Bundesliga club €3 million to push the deal through.

Kolasinac is a former target of both Manchester City and Liverpool, having impressed for Schalke before the midseason break with two goals in 12 league appearances for the Gelsenkirchen side.

The Bosnia international’s form could prove a stumbling block for Allegri, as Schalke boss Markus Weinzeirl is eager to keep the left-back at the Veltins-Arena, and wants him to sign a new contract with the club.

Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta has been in Milan meeting with a mediator in order to speed up negotiations

between the clubs for the 17-time international.

Should Juventus’s €3m offer be rejected, the Serie A champions are willing to wait until June to sign him on a free transfer, with Alex Sandro, Kwadwo Asamoah and 21-year-old Federico Mattiello providing options at left-back until then.

In November, Kolasinac commented on speculation of a possible move away, especially given the interest from the Premier League, but refused to be drawn on his future plans.

“There is nothing new to report. My agent and the club are in contact,” Kolasinac told Bild.

“Currently I am a Schalke player and want to continue to play a good season. Many say my style of play would fit well in England.

“But if I move abroad, not only the club changes but you leave your environment, need to build something new.

Ozil

Tottenham Set for‘New Aguero’Bid from River Plate Tottenham Hotspur are ready to launch a bid to secure one of South America’s most exciting talents in River Plate forward Sebastian Driussi, according to reports from the Independent .

Mauricio Pochettino is keen to open talks with the 20-year-old striker, who scored 10 goals in 14 league games to finish as top scorer in the Argentine top tier in the first half of the season.

River club president Rodolfo D’Onofrio and technical director Enzo Francescoli are ready to let the striker leave for Europe as long as a bid in excess of £10 million is received, despite head coach Marcelo Gallardo being desperate to hold onto his star.

Spurs are the lowest scorers in the Premier League’s top four and Pochettino is exploring

options to alleviate the pressure on last season’s

leading marksman Harry Kane following Vincent

Janssen’s shortcomings this season.

Driussi

Liverpool to Make Summer Move for Brandt Jurgen Klopp hopes to secure a deal to land Bayer Leverkusen attacker Julian Brandt in the summer, according to reports from The Liverpool Echo.

The 20-year-old Germany international has long been linked with a move to Anfield, with the Liverpool boss an admirer from his Bundesliga

days with former club Borussia Dortmund.

Klopp and his team have monitored Brandt for some time and are preparing a £20

million offer for him at the end of the season, though they face competition from German giants Bayern Munich, who Brandt has already rejected once.

55

T H I S D AY • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 11, 2017

WEDNESDAYSPORTS

NPFL 2016/2017 SEASON… NPFL 2016/2017 SEASON…

MFM Good To Go, Says Ilechukwu Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football Club head coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu has stated that his wards are ready for hostilities in the upcoming 2016/17 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

With less than 5 days to the start of the new topflight season, MFM FC gaffer believes the Olukoya Boys have prepared well enough to kickoff their campaign on a high in the new Nigerian topflight season.

“We have prepared well enough in all ramification in our team but we want to use these remaining days to round up our preparation,” Ilechukwu told the club’s website mountaintopfc.com.

He continued: “We have signed new players in our team and I believe with the

response from the players during our training sessions.

I believe we are good to go.

“With what I’m seeing the team will do well because their response in training shows that they are good to go. I believe that by God’s grace they will do well,” he concluded.

Ilechukwu’s men who emerged as the runners-up of the 4th edition of Nigeria’s most prestigious pre-season event, the Gold Cup, held in Ogun State last year after they lost the final to Lobi Stars 4-3 on penalties. They are expected to maintain their fine form in the league.

The Lagos-based team will begin the new season with a home game against Niger Tornadoes on Sunday, January 15, at the Soccer Temple, Agege Townships Stadium.

MFM FC at training at their Agege Stadium ahead of the new NPFL season starting this weekend

Ndukwe Boasts Remo Stars Pillars Supporters Embark on Will Maintain NPFL Status Enlightenment Campaign for Fans Remo Stars top goalkeeper, Chizoba Ndukwe, has indicated his readiness to ensure the team maintains its new status in the Nigeria Professional Football League, (NPFL).

He told the club’s website about his readiness to contribute his best to Remo Stars’ success in the topflight.”I am willing and ready to assist the team in maintaining the NPFL status

by God’s grace”.

“God assisted me and the team during the NNL season to gain promotion and I am very sure he will do the same when the NPFL season starts in some days time.”

Chizoba who was the team’s number one goalkeeper during the club’s time in the Nigeria National League, (NNL) hailed

the team for doing the greater job of making sure the club secured the NPFL slot.

“It’s a delight to have the team gain promotion, I appreciate my teammates for doing the greater job during the NNL season and I am sure they will do the same in the NPFL”.

The Sky Blue Stars will play Plateau United in the first game of the new NPFL season scheduled for January 15, 2017.

Meanwhile, Remo Stars has officially captured the signature of Enudi Solomon from 2016 FA Cup Champions, FC Ifeanyi Ubah.

The former El-kanemi Warriors and Sunshine Stars winger said that he joined the Sky Blue Stars to achieve greater things.

“I joined Remo Stars to win matches and achieve greater things, also to assist the team maintain their NPFL Status.”

“Remo Stars is a young side with ambitions, and prospectus with the zeal to achieve greatness and together we will.”

“I also want to score goals to assist my new club, Remo Stars in reaching our desired goals.”

Solomon scored the winning goal against Dolphins and scored a brace two seasons ago against his former club, Elkanemi Warriors in the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL. The winger will be in line feature for the team against Plateau United in the first game of the new season on the 15th of January, 2017.

Ex-Nigeria International, Obi Okoye, for Burial The remains of former Nigeria international defender Francis Obi Okoye, who died in December 2016, will be interred at his family compound in Mbarakpaka, Ihiala, Anambra State on Thursday.

An energetic and efficient defender in his days with the Red Devils (as the Nigeria senior team was known in those days), Obi Okoye featured in a number of matches for Nigeria between 1959 and 1961.

He was in the Nigeria team

that defeated Ghana 3-1 in a 1960 Olympics qualifying match in Lagos in October 1959, though the team lost 1-4 in the return fixture in Accra.

His team –mates included Elkana Onyeali, Isaac Nnado, Dejo Fayemi, Emmanuel Omiunu, Dan Anyiam, Godwin Achebe, Albert Onyeawuna, Olu Onagoruwa, Fabian Duru, Asuquo Ekpe, Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun and Amusa Shittu.

A versatile sportsman, Okoye also excelled in athletics and tennis. A certified teacher, he

starred for the renowned Aba XI (known then as Aba Giant Killers), from where he was picked for the Eastern Nigeria Selected XI, and then on to the Red Devils.

In later years, he attended several coaching courses within Nigeria and abroad, earning top badges in Wales and England.

He also served as a match commissioner in Nigeria in the 1990s and was an executive of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association.

ABSFC Declares Otegbeye AWOL The management of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC, has declared its striker Ajibola Otegbeye AWOL. The club in a statement on Tuesday, signed by its Media Manager, Olayinka Owolewa, said the striker was supposed to resume for training after the Christmas and New Year break but has not been seen since then.

The management warned anyone against doing any business with the player because it has not gotten any permission to speak or do business with any club or person.

The statement expressed concern with the character and behaviour of the youngster.

The club said it has since reported his absence from

the team to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the League Management Company (LMC) for necessary actions.

The statement reminded that the young striker completed all preseason formalities until the Christmas and New Year break failing to turn up for the closed camp in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

Uchenna Iyoke Towards sustaining the friendly atmosphere that prevailed at the Sani Abacha Stadium last season, Supporters Club of Kano Pillars recently organised an enlightenment campaign for fans and other stakeholders of the club as the club hosts the official kick-off fixture of the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League season.

Sani Abacha Stadium, according to stats from the last season recorded the highest average turn-out of fans and while the season was largely incident free, the club was fined for crowd restiveness and ordered to organise a session on good conduct for their supporters.

Last Saturday, a good number of the Masu Gida faithfuls gathered at the Kano Pillars Stadium on France Road in Kano to participate in the awareness programme which was aimed at avoiding the isolated disturbance of last season.

The event was anchored

by Mallam Nasiru Ibrahim, the chairman of Kano State Referees’ Council and also featured a novelty football match between two academy sides which served as simulation of real match situation.

The programme sought to provide fans education on rules of the game and interpretation of referees’ decisions. Nasiru used a microphone to explain calls for infringement as the two academy sides played.

In the course of the novelty match, the game was usually halted each time the whistle was blown and detailed explanation was provided the fans for the call made.

He supplemented the on-field tutorials by reading extracts from existing and new laws of the game, citing reasons why the fans should be law abiding and embrace

the spirit of fair play.

“Football is a round leather game played between two teams, but it goes a long way to unite people from different races, religions, culture etc.

We must understand the do’s and don’t’s of the game for us to be good ambassadors”, stated Nasiru.

He also emphasized on why the fans must desist from encroaching on the field of play, pelting of match officials and visiting teams with objects such as sachet water etc and other forms of crowd trouble.

The referee advised the Pillars’ followers to avoid any attempt at such unruly behaviours. He said: “No team had ever been successful by means of violence but would always face the possible outcome of bringing the game to disrepute which ultimately ruins the chances of achieving the desired result in the league”, he charged.

Chairman of the Pillars Supporters Club, Bashir Idris Mu’azu, stated that the scheme is an enlightenment campaign geared at educating every fan of the club to abide by the rules of the game.

“We designed this awareness session so that our people can be in the know and avert every form of misconduct before, during and after every match. This will go a along way to stabilize the good image we have been trying to parade as a reputable club,” he noted.

The enlightenment programme which lasted for about two hours was graced by all and sundry with the presence of the Chairman of Kano State Sports Commission, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadimma, Chairman Kano Pillars Board Tukur Babangida, Bashir Idris Mu’azu (chairman supporters club), Kano Referees Association led by Nasiru Ibrahim and large number of soccer loving fans in the state.

Kano Pillars have won the Nigerian top flight league four times and are adjudged to have the largest fan-base in the country.

The Sai Masu Gida players are currently in Kaduna preparing for the new season.

They start their campaign with a home fixture against FC Ifeanyiubah on Saturday 14th January at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

Shooting Stars’ Sunday Adetunji (left) attempting to waltz pass a Kano Pillars’ defender last season

Wednesday January 11, 2017

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Price: N250

MISSILE

Oil Marketers to FG ”Government’s delay in paying debts to IPPIs and the difficulty they face in procuring forex at equitable rates will likely see the extinction of many of the IPPIs in 2017 thereby creating petroleum products shortages and attendant insecurity” – Legal Adviser to oil marketers, Mr. Patrick Etim warning of dire consequences in the event that the federal government continues delaying the payment of subsidy to its members.

CHIDIAMUTA GUEST COLUMNIST

The Banjul Urgency

P

resident Buhari’s preoccupation with domestic headaches will not excuse Nigeria from the consequences of dangerous developments in our West African neighborhood. Foreign policy bad judgment and missteps in matters around us can in fact vitiate the best exertions at home.

Nor can a nation be insulated from the hazards of its time and place because it has domestic problems. West Africa is our immediate place. The challenge of democratic transition at least in the sub region defines this moment for us. The tiny state of The Gambia presents us a test case, one that is glaring and urgent.

Central to the imminent political crisis in The Gambia is Nigeria’s centrality and commitment to democracy, order and security in West Africa. At no other time has that challenge been more sharply defined than now. And never have the chances of quick and decisive success been brighter. The urgency of the situation however overrides other considerations because of the humanitarian, economic and other unintended costs of a possible flare up.

Let us quickly recall the prologue.

Reasonably credible presidential elections were held in the Gambia at the end of 2016. The incumbent president, Mr. Yaya Jammeh, was defeated. He congratulated Mr. Adamu Barrow, the winner, and the world heaved a sigh of relief that perhaps democracy’s prospects in that nation had brightened given Mr. Jammeh’s autocratic and bloody antecedents. Suddenly, a few days later, Mr. Jammeh changed his mind and rejected the polls, calling for fresh elections.

Leaders of West Africa rose in unison to insist that Mr. Jammeh must abide by the constitution of The Gambia and peacefully hand over power to the winner in the next few days. Mr. Jammeh has been digging in, openly defying the authority and diplomatic persuasions of ECOWAS. His actions so far indicate an incremental rejection of diplomacy and a preference for confrontation and autocratic stubbornness. He has closed opposition media houses, bought over the military and reportedly begun recruiting militants and jihadists as mercenaries in the event that ECOWAS opts for force. His body language, utterances and maneuvers so far indicate that he is digging in and may prefer to be dug out or buried in the rubble.

West Africa has rightly handed over the crisis to Nigeria with President Buhari as lead actor. The clock is ticking as there are only a few days left to the handover date.

There is narrow certainty that Jammeh will leave peacefully. If he jumps down, it would be good but unusual. If he does not, Nigeria now has to lead the charge in helping him climb down somehow.

For Nigeria and President Buhari, there is a huge reputational risk and strategic

Jammeh imperative, albeit one that is only derives from our extant foreign policy sketchpad.

With the benefit of historical hindsight, there is a sense in which Jammeh may be seen as a default creation of Nigeria.

Founding President Dauda Jawara signed a defense treaty with the Abacha regime in 1993 to protect the democratically elected government of the small nation, re-train the Gambia’s small army and generally guarantee its security. A contingent led by then Colonel Lawan Gwadabe was sent to the Gambia. All seemed well until suddenly in 1994 when Yaya Jammeh, a Nigerian trained junior officer staged a bloodless coup that toppled Dawda Jawara and sent him into exile in Senegal aboard an American war ship. Gwadabe and his team were sent packing. No one knows to what extent the coup that brought Jammeh to power was inspired directly or indirectly by the influence of Nigeria’s coup culture. Thus was born one of Africa’s most vicious and ambitious dictators.

Beyond this vicarious responsibility for the emergence of Jammeh, Nigeria’s strategic stake in the sub region has thrust the task of neutralizing Jammeh squarely on Nigeria’s laps. On the matter of security and order in the West African sub region, Nigeria remains the ultimate guarantor.

Our economic interest as indicated by the presence and activities of our nationals stretches from neighboring Benin and Togo to as far as Guinea and Mauritania.

The small nation of Gambia poses a veritable danger to itself and the subregion. In recent world affairs, a new principle has replaced non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations.

When a nation so mismanages its affairs that it poses a danger to its citizens and other nations, it defaults in its sovereign obligations and therefore loses its sovereign immunity: Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Iraq are ready recent examples. The power vacuum so created imposes a moral burden on nations with strategic interest in the region to act in a manner

to save the afflicted nation from itself and its people from its leadership and the world from dire consequences. Such action could be diplomatic concert or military force.

Gambia is small. But the strategic implications of its implosion are huge for Nigeria and West Africa. There are many Nigerians living and plying their trades in the country. Their safety ought to be a prime consideration in the event of an ugly escalation. Jammeh has already rechristened his country The Islamic Republic of The Gambia. The implications of that nomenclature are more than cosmetic in today’s world of sectarian madness. The adverse implications of a self-declared Islamic Republic in the armpit of West Africa will increase if the Gambia is allowed to implode.

In recent times, Islamic fundamentalist terror has found a comfort zone in West Africa especially the Maghreb. Terrorist insurgency has already threatened the security of Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana, etc. While Nigeria remains engaged with Boko Haram, a homegrown and increasingly viral variant of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism, bombs have exploded in hotels in Burkina Faso, Ghana and frequently in Mali, a country whose government was sacked by desert terrorists until the French sent troops and aircraft to restore order. The routing of ISIS in Mali, Algeria, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Yemen has exposed West Africa even further. The Gambia as a failed state would present a ready staging post, one that is easy to overrun and convert into an ISIS enclave.

The Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria readily affiliated itself to ISIS. Its recent routing in the Sambisa Forest has unleashed a wave of migrant terrorists in search of a safe haven and a territorial nucleus.

Already, Mr. Jammeh is reported to be recruiting mercenaries to bolster his small army and secure his longevity in power.

The Gambia has therefore become ripe and attractive to terrorist strategists as we speak.

In all of this, Nigeria has an overwhelming national security interest.

We have established it repeatedly that The ECOWAS sub-region remains our immediate and primary sphere of influence.

Our economy, demographics and basic national security dictate this. In the past, we have demonstrated a fairly credible capacity to project our limited power in pursuit of our strategic interests in in West Africa. We did so through the use of force in Liberia and Sierra Leone and through diplomatic sagacity in Guinea and Sao Tome and Principe.

Previously, our interventions aimed to stabilize and ensure order in the ECOWAS zone. The primary impetus then may have been mostly economic. In recent times, our strategic interest has been sharpened by recent developments both at home and in the wider world. When we first

went into Liberia and Sierra Leone, we were under military dictatorship. So the interest was economic and security.

We are now a subsisting democracy with close to 20 unbroken years of civilian-tocivilian transitions, no matter how untidy.

Other democracies have sprouted in the sub region and seem to be enduring: Ghana, Togo, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Cote D’Ivoire, Mali and even Burkina Faso. We have therefore acquired a responsibility to protect and also project democratic order and culture in the sub-region.

We also more critically now find ourselves in the forefront of the global war against terror both against sectarian fundamentalism and extractive industry piracy within the Gulf of Guinea coastal theatre. Both the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea define the territorial parameters of this engagement while the interests coincide with those of major global stakeholders. Therefore, any political developments that are likely to complicate these two engagements threaten our national existence and strategic interests.

These two engagements also furnish a convergence between Nigeria’s national interest and the larger strategic interests of our development partners, especially the United States and the European Union.

I share the optimism that ECOWAS will succeed with diplomacy in the resolution of the Gambian crisis. But I also share the trepidation of informed analysts who are busy reading Jammeh as a typical African despot. The United States State Department has issued a travel warning and expressed readiness to evacuate its nationals from the Gambia any time now.

European countries have followed suit.

I hope Nigeria has in place a coherent contingency arrangement to extract our nationals from the Gambia. If Jammeh stands down, all is well that could end well. But I fear that he will not stand down.

In that frightening prospect, the options for Buhari and ECOWAS narrow down drastically and quickly. It may become necessary to take measures aimed at discouraging Mr. Jammeh from further political bad behavior. That is shorthand for a limited armed intervention with one broad objective: to create an environment in which the winner of Gambia’s Presidential election is sworn in on schedule and the polity is made stable to complete an orderly transition of power from Mr. Yaya Jammeh to Mr. Adamu Barrow. The primary pre-requisite for success in this regard is the personal safety and security of the President-elect. This has to be followed by the neutralization of pro-Jammeh forces and the possible extraction and rendition of Mr. Jammeh himself to a destination of his own choice.

•Dr. Chidi Amuta is the Chairman of Wilson & Weizmann Associates, Lagos.

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