Condemnations trail new PIB proposed by NASS

...towards a better life for the people

**

VOL. 25: NO. 62909

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

4 assets belonging to Saraki family uncovered outside Nigeria, as Ibori allegedly used foundation to hide funds >>9

Condemnations trail new PIB proposed by NASS •Removal of host community fund, invitation to crisis — HOSTCOM •It'll sow seeds of discord, Senator Owie warns •Removal raises moral questions – Senator Okon •Some House of Reps members kick •New PIB to be presented in Senate in two weeks — Alasoadura

By Henry Umoru, Emman Ovuakporie, Festus Ahon, Joseph Erunke, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Egufe Yagbuforhi, Godwin Oghre, Perez Brisibe & Ochuko Akuopha

A

B U J A —

C O N D E M N AT I O N S , yesterday, trailed the National Assembly ’s proposal to remove host communities’ fund and local content from the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. Vanguard had exclusively reported yesterday that the

Continues on Page 5

See Inside

Mr & Mrs FUEL CRISIS—Commuters and vehicular traffic caused by fuel queues at Dopemu and Iyana Ipaja areas of Lagos, yesterday as the fuel crisis bites harder. Photos: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

COLUMNIST AMAZING: 60-year old man attends secondary school in Bomadi See Inside C M Y K

Letter to Governor Shettima •P.17

Marketers need $825.2m to import petrol >>28

NJC queries Justice Yunusa over alleged judicial misconduct

•P.14

2— Vanguard, TUESDAY,

APRIL 5, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 3

4— Vanguard, TUESDAY,

APRIL 5, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON — Ayiri Emami, others

From left: President, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); Mr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu; Minister of State for Transportation (Aviation), Sen. Hadi Sirika; President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, after a meeting with the ICAO delegation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Condemnations trail new PIB proposed by NASS Continues from Page 1 National Assembly had, among other issues, proposed to remove the host communities' fund in a new petroleum industry bill, now known as Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, PIGB. Also, some members of the House of Representatives and prominent citizens from the Niger Delta, including Chief Ayiri Emami, Senator Roland Owie and Senator Anietie Okon, flayed the move by the National Assembly, describing it as capable of returning restiveness to the region.

Reacting to the development, National Chairman, Host Communities of Nigeria, Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, Dr. Mike Emuh, said: “The 10 per cent equity was an executive proposal in the original bill expected to be paid by prospecting oil companies to the host

communities; it is not government money.

"It is the best tool in favour of host communities in the history of oil production in Nigeria. So if the federal government proposed such in favour of host communities, why should the National Assembly abort it? Are they trying to cause renewed crisis between the communities and oil companies?”

He said HOSTCOM was grateful to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration which proposed the 10 per cent equity, adding that the National Assembly needed to toe the path of progress and pass the bill with this provision intact for the host communities.

“That bill has been with the NASS for eight years.

They must not give the impression that the HOSTCOM fund is the contentious content that has made it impossible for them to pass the bill for so long because that is what

IT'S UP TO YOU

C

BY AYO ADIO

OMMITTED people believe they can achieve their goals. They can visualize and are confident of crossing the finish line. It’s up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

As we express our gratitude, we must remember that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them —John F Kennedy

G

RATEFUL people have a higher sense of selfworth. I think that’s because when you’re grateful, you have the sense that someone else is looking out for you. Once you start to recognize the contributions that other people have made to your life, once you realize that other people have seen the value in you, you can transform the way you see yourself. Just because gratitude is good doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Practicing gratitude can be at odds with some deeply ingrained psychological tendencies but if we focus on gratitude, we’ll attract our heart desires.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE No matter how skillful a wrestler may be, he must not forget to consider the power of slippery ground.

their action now implies.

“They should not create chaos. NASS should reverse that decision within 14 days. We don’t want our children, our people to react in unpleasant manner before they redress this anomaly,” the HOSTCOM leader added.

In search of options

For Prince Yemi Emiko of the Warri royal family, it would be hasty to jump into conclusion over the reported removal of the host community funds, urging stakeholders to study the new bill critically to see the options provided by the NASS in place of the vexed removal.

“We know there is 13 per cent derivation guaranteed by the constitution to the communities through the state and council. There is also 3 per cent by oil companies to NDDC. "When I was in Chevron, there were issues around the 3%. The oil companies want to know how well the agency is spending what they have paid in before they will continue to pay more.

“We need to go back to the drawing board and say, if you are removing the 10%, what are the options left? If we are going to increase the 3 per cent due to NDDC from oil companies, say to 10 per cent, that is one good way to go.

“I do know what the communities want is that the money should be paid directly to them, but that will further create its own crisis inside the communities and that is a major concern.

"Right now, if you want to get the community people to kill themselves, just go there and make a cash payment of N1billion, or far less, then come back the next day and see if that community is still in existence.”

It's inciting

In his reaction, Delta investor and a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Ayi ri Emami, said the reported removal of local content input in the new bill “is as inciting as the removal of the 10% equity fund.”

Ayiri, who spoke in Warri, yesterday, said: “We will kick against this flaws in the new bill and we will do that with all sense of duty as host in the producing environment.

"Local content has been a protective tool to guard against discrimination against contractors and job seekers in the oil producing states.

“Why we are agitating that the local content act as currently operational is not being fully honoured and implemented by the oil companies, it is inciting that we are being faced with removal of the act. It is something we won’t take. We will resist it with all our might.”

National Coordinator of the Mandate Against Poverty, MAP, Chief Bobson Gbinije, said the removal of the communities’ fund from the PIB would be resisted by all Niger Deltans through intellectual militancy.

He said: "Enough is enough of this horrendous theatrics of suicidal enslavement from 1956 till date.

“All our governors, politicians, legislators and activists must come together to fine tune the logistics. It is a war that must be won”.

On his part, Chairman of the Oil Mining Lease, OML 30, Delta State, Chief David Edegware, said the bill would be vehemently resisted by the host communities.

He said: “At present, the host communities have been completely forgotten because the level of development here is grossly insignificant compared to what they are taking away from our land.

“There is no tangible development in the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta and to come up with a proposal to remove the development fund will be totally resisted by the people.”

In a similar vein, former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Rowland Owie, warned that removal of the fund would sow the seed of discord among the host communities, the government and the oil sector.

Senator Owie, who urged the National Assembly to note that the PIB remained the key to the development of the oil sector in Nigeria, said it would attract both local and foreign investors for the development of the host communities.

He said: “The National

Assembly should know that the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, is the key to the development of the oil sector in Nigeria which will attract both local and foreign investors for the development of the host communities.

“Removing the fund will sow the seed of discord among the community, the government and the oil sector, meaning that the oil will be destroyed.

Benin has a parable that the child who says the mother will not sleep by crying throughout the night will not sleep as well.

"When the community is neglected in the PIB, oil exploration and development will not take place.”

Senator Anietie Okon noted that the move had moral questions, adding that what formed the justification for allowing others benefit from mining rights and the pittance from the oil was being denied oil producing communities.

“It is an unconscionable act of impunity and oppression and further evidence of the heinous plot to subjugate people whose resources have sustained this country," Senator Okon said.

Asked to comment, Senator Matthew Urhoghide said: “I cannot comment because the PIB has not been officially presented on the floor of the Senate to senators. It is still a hearsay; it is dangerous commenting on a document you do not have the details."

Senator Mao Ohuabunwa also warned against the removal of Host Communities Fund in the Petroleum Industry Bill,PIB. He insisted that the aspect of the bill which sought special fund for development of petroleum producing communities could not be tinkered with, saying the people concerned would not accept such action from any quarter."

Members of the House of Representatives also, yesterday, slammed their Senate counterparts for the development.

One of the lawmakers, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, PDP Abia, who spoke to Vanguard described the position of the Senate as another form of

imperialism and colonialism in the 21st century.

Nkem-Abonta, who is House Committee Chairman on Public Petitions, said: “If 10 per cent meant for host communities was actually removed, then what happened to the fund allocated to the frontier states that are yet to discover oil?

“If is true it was not touched and the Senate expunged that of the host communities, then anybody in doubt should visit the oil producing communities in the Niger Delta states and see the level of damage inflicted on the lands caused by oil exploitation and exploration.

"In other climes, oil producing states take everything and pay tax to the centre, like the states in the United States that produce oil,” he said.

On his part, Daniel Reyenieju, a third timer in the House and a member of the adhoc committee on PIB from the 6th through the 7th House, said: “The PIB was not structured or it wasn’t a law that was brought in to favour any section of the country. It has to do with good governance of the oil sector which has to be economic and the development of this country which is predicated on oil.

"I was in the 6th Assembly when the PIB was introduced under the chairmanship of Tam Dieffy Bricks from Bayelsa State. He was removed as chairman and Bassey Ottu was brought in.

"We did all we could, and in the last minutes of the 6th Assembly, we were about considering it clause by clause and we lost it, because we couldn’t push it through and the Assembly wound up.”

Meanwhile, the new version of the PIB, would be presented on the floor of the Senate in the next two weeks.

Disclosing this to Vanguard in a text message, yesterday, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources, (Upstream), Senator Omotayo Alasoadura, said: “Sorry, until I present the Bill on the floor of the Senate in the next two weeks, I have no comments.”

6 — Vanguard, TUESDAY APRIL 5 , 2016

Utomi hails Ambode’s administrative style

L

AGOS—RENOWNED economist and public commentator, Professor Pat Utomi has described Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as a man with a lot of substance, who is administering the state methodically and is very sensitive to important things.

Utomi, who spoke in an interview with newsmen shortly before delivering a keynote address at the unveiling of the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment otherwise known as Lagos Global, said from his assessment of the Governor so far, “the man is governing the state with the mindset of an accountant, and that informed why he was being methodical and concentrating on getting things done.”

He said those criticizing the Governor have really not taken time to study his management style, a development he said informed the unfair criticism of the Governor and his team.

He said: “You know I have had the opportunity of talking to him (Governor Ambode) quite a number of times before the elections and after the elections. I think people have not been as fair to him as he deserves.

“However, I think he is a very clever guy and I think that he is very sensitive to what is important to do, but people who are used to one style are not in a hurry usually to accept a new way of doing things, but I think he would probably be more methodical in getting things done from what I see of him. He has the accountant mind which is a different kind of mindset.'' ''When I teach corporate leadership, I refer to styles of management as they are called and there are three unique cultures of management as stated by a former professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Edgar Schein.''

TRAFFIC DISPUTE: Osijo, Magistrate to settle out of court

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Jane Echewodo

L

AGOS—A new twist was yesterday added to the traffic dispute that occurred two weeks back as Mrs Yetunde Osijo, a mother of three charged for committing traffic offences against a Lagos Magistrate, Funke SuleHamzat, made a move to resolve the matter out of court.

This was disclosed before Magistrate Tajudeen Elias of a Lagos Magistrate court sitting in

Ogba, when the matter came up yesterday.

However, Vanguard exclusively gathered that the option of committing the insurance companies that insured vehicles to repair the damaged car may have been one of the conditions or grounds to resolve the matter out of court.

The moment the matter was called yesterday, the lawyers appearing for both parties informed the court that there was a process initiated by the defendant to settle the case with the complainant, (Hamzat).

Osijo, who announced her

VISIT: Chairman of Jagal Group, Mr Anwar Jarmallami, (right) and ComptrollerG e n e r a l , N i g e r i a n Customs Service, Col. Hameed Alli (rtd) with top management of N i g e r i a n Customs on official visit of Nigerdock/ Snake Island Free Trade Zone, yesterday.

35 ships laden with petroleum products, others arrive Lagos under review are crude palm

By Godfery Bivbere

L

AGOS—THIRTY six ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods started arriving Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos between yesterday and April 26.

According to the shipping position of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, released yesterday, of the 36 ships, four have already arrived awaiting berthing while 32 others are expected during the period under review.

A breakdown of the expected vessels showed that three are to bring in 453.9 metric tones of

general cargo, M.V. Green Freezer is expected to berth with 109 metric tones of frozen fish while three others are expected to bring in 570 metric tones of bulk sugar.

Similarly, M.V. BALTIC PANTHE and 14 other ships are expected to ship in 190 metric tones of bulk wheat and containers respectively. Other items expected to arrive the country during the period

olein, steel products, diesel, ethanol and petrol.

The document noted that four ships had arrived the ports, waiting to berth are; M.V. STI MILAUKEE, M.V. MSK KALEA, M.V. RHINO and M.V. ORE OFE. While M.V. MSK KALEA, M.V. RHINO are expected to discharge 348 metric tones of JET A1, the other two will be discharging Petroleum Motor Spirit, PMS or Petrol and Dual Purpose Kerosine, DPK.

Emmanuel’s position, submitting that the court should grant them a short adjournment to exhaust the arrangement for settlement.

Responding, the defendant’s counsel, aligned himself with the development, saying, “Your Honour, that is the position.”

The matter was subsequently adjourned till April 19, for report of settlement.

Fuel scarcity breaching rights of Nigerians — SERAP

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

L

AGOS—SOCIOECONOMIC Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said yesterday that the ongoing fuel scarcity ravaging the country constitutes a violation to the fundamental rights of Nigerians.

To this end, it urged President Muhammadu Buhari to expeditiously proffer solution to the crisis.

According to a statement signed by its executive director, Tokunbo Mumuni and made available to Vanguard, it stated that the suffering Nigerians are enduring constitutes a violation of their rights, contrary to the words and letters of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

It stated: “This situation is incompatible with the letter and spirit of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and constitutes a serious violation of the Covenant’s provisions.”

SERAP urged the President to “exercise his authority as the Minister of Petroleum Resources by urgently prioritizing the sector and coordinating government responses to the fuel scarcity across the country.''

TRAFFIC LAW: Lagos taskforce impounds 30 vehicles

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

L

AGOS—MEN of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (TaskForce), embarked on aggressive enforcement of the

C M Y K

intention to assuage the Magistrate’s anger over the issue told the court through her counsel, Ahmed Adetola Kazeem that she has started a move to settle the matter amicably with the complainant.

Mr Ali Emmanuel, a lawyer representing the state judiciary, the employer of Magistrate Hamzat also confirmed to the court that the defendant approached the complainant for peaceful settlement.

Messrs Bamidele Ibironke and Abdul Kehinde, who were both watching brief for the complaint aligned themselves with

state traffic law and impounded about 30 vehicles at different locations of the state.

The taskforce, at the weekend, warned motorists on its plans to enforce traffic laws of 2012 across the state, hence, the need for strict compliance.

It threatened that any vehicles parked illegally at any locations thereby causing obstruction to other road users or free flow of traffic, especially around any filling stations would have his vehicle impounded and charged to court.

Chairman of the task

force, Superintendent of Police, Olayinka Egbeyemi, who gave the warning, vowed to ensure sanity on the roads, particularly around all filling stations across the state irrespective of the fuel situation.

Mob attacks

Meantime, Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasaq Fadipe, has lamented over serial attacks on fire men by irate residents during rescue operation.

Fadipe, stated this following attack on fire men yesterday, in which the fire engine was vandalized as well during rescue operation in one of the fire incidents in the state.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 7

Fayose, Tope Aluko reconcile in Lagos He remains expelled from PDP — PUB SEC

By Dapo Akinrefon & Rotimi Owomoyela

G

OVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and a former secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Dr Temitope Aluko have resolved their differences. The peace meeting took place, yesterday, in Lagos.

It was a misunderstanding — Aluko

Aluko, who spoke to newsmen after meeting with the governor behind closed doors, said he has resolved to bury the hatchet in the interest of the party.

He said: “Yes, we had a wedding yesterday, and the whole family came down and we had all other well-meaning Nigerians around. And then in the last one and a half hours, I have met with my brother, Governor Ayodele Fayose, so we are resolving the issue, we have made appreciable progress and we hope and pray to God that there will be peace.”

Debunking claims that he reconciled with the governor to solicit political office, he said “This

is about misunderstanding, this is about talking together, this is about family coming together, this is about well-meaning Nigerians stepping in and that is all we have achieved now.”

Aluko is my son — Fayose

Responding, Fayose said the parley was ongoing, adding that considerable progress had been made so far.

His words: “In politics, we have to resolve issues and we have made considerable progress like he said. His coming is to further strengthen the progress he is talking about and I am sure if this is not important, he won’t be here.

He is here because there must be peace and I want to let you know that a lot of issues have been discussed and he wants us to give you basic information that we are making considerable progress.”

Speaking further, he said; “For him to be here shows that there is peace and that there is a step forward. Dr. T. K. Aluko came to see me after all the drama for us to move forward. Like he said, we’ve made considerable progress.”

Stressing that the issue remains

in the past, he said: “Let me tell you, I am the father of the state and so whatever has happened in the past, I am the father and I should be seen as a father. I should see it as one of those things and accommodate everybody. If I leave him to the whole world, who would be there for him?

Nobody. I am his father, I am his brother, whatever the past has held for all of us, I am still his father.”

On whether he has forgiven the former PDP scribe, the Ekiti governor said; “You see, whether you are talking of forgiveness, Aluko remains my boy, my son.

Like I said, whatever has happened, whatever he has said in the public glare, whatever you have seen, it’s time to move beyond that.”

I’m vindicated — Olayinka

Reacting to the development, Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka described the parley as a vindication of his (Olayinka's) position.

He maintained that: “He (Aluko) can make a 360 degree

You can’t threaten me, Ajimobi tells Labour

By Ola Ajayi

I

BADAN—GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State told about 62,000 workers in the state yesterday that they could not threaten his administration with strike, noting that the principle of pro-rata payment of salaries would be applied for every worker who participates in a planned industrial action without adherence to due process.

He said this at a stakeholders’ meeting on agricultural development at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.

The meeting had in attendance prominent traditional rulers in the state, labour leaders and caretaker committee chairmen of the 33 Local Government Areas of the state.

Among the traditional rulers that attended

Lagos LGs, SUBEB retirees get N912m

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

T

HE Lagos State Government has paid accrued pension rights of N912 million to 165 retirees, mainly from local government and State Universal Basic Education Board for March, 2016.

Speaking at the 25th Retirement Benefit Bond Certificate presentation ceremony, the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pension, Dr. Akintola Benson Oke, said that the regular monthly payment of accrued pension rights, being entitlements of retirees under the old pension scheme, underscores its importance to the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration.

He assured residents that the state government remains committed to making the state a role model for other states to emulate in regards to the regular payment of retirees benefit.

C M Y K

the meeting include; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji; Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oyewumi Ajagungbade, who sent a representative and several others.

Apparently, the rulers were invited to the meeting so that they could prevail on the workers to shelve the planned strike. The workers had given a 7-day ultimatum to the governor to do something urgent about the five months salaries being owed them.

Some of the workers were last paid in October last year.

At the meeting, the traditional rulers pleaded with the labour union to consider the dwindling allocation to the state and shelve the strike.

But, responding, the state Nigeria Labour Congress chairman, Mr. Waheed Olojede, said another meeting had been slated for yesterday evening and the outcome would determine what action to take.

While speaking, Governor Ajimobi said; “Instead of N5 billion, everybody is aware of the Nigeria situation, and now we are getting N2 billion plus from Federal Government. It was agreed that about 90 per cent of income accruing from the state’s monthly allocation from the Federation Account should be dedicated to the workers, while the remaining 10 per cent would be deployed to the running of other aspects of governance.”

He explained further the state government had kept its own parts of the agreement, describing the planned strike as surprising, unnecessary and uncalledfor in the prevailing circumstance.

Reacting, Olojede said: “The governor said we did not have to go into ultimatum because we had a mutual agreement. The ultimatum became necessary when we discovered that the government was dodging the labour force.

turnaround and return to the same Governor Fayose that he claimed rigged election because he lacked integrity.”

Olayinka, who spoke in his personal capacity noted that; “Being the person that faced Aluko on television interviews where he told so many lies against Governor Fayose and the people of Ekiti State, I am constrained to make my position known on this new development.

“Even though Governor Fayose, being someone with large heart may not be too happy that I am making this statement, but as one of the major dramatis personae in the saga, my conscience won’t allow me to just keep silent after all the pains and confusion caused by Aluko. Today, I have been vindicated because Aluko has done just that and I wonder how he will feel when he comes face to face with the people he has destroyed. I wonder how he will feel when he comes face to face with those fine military officers he lied against in Kaduna and made them to lose their jobs.”

My role in peace talks — Olugbemi

On his part, the former speaker, Dele Olugbemi said his

intervention in the rift was aimed at moving the PDP forward in Ekiti State, noting that there was no condition attached to the resolution of the crisis.

Aluko had, in February, made startling allegations about the June 21, 2014 governorship election in the state, accusing Fayose of manipulating the poll.

The former PDP scribe had claimed that former President Goodluck Jonathan released $37 million to Fayose for the election.

He remains expelled from PDP — Pub Sec

Meantime, the state chapter of PDP, has described whatever happened between Governor Fayose and Dr Aluko during the meeting in Lagos as personal and would not affect Aluko's expulsion from the party.

State Publicity Secretary of the party, Jackson Adebayo, who reacted to the truce in a statement, said as far as the PDP in Ekiti State was concerned, “Aluko has been expelled and he remained expelled.”

Adebayo said: “After collaborating with the APC to cause confusion, I can say it categorically that Aluko is not welcomed in the PDP in Ekiti State anymore. Perhaps, he is targeting the next convention of the party so that he can perpetrate another treacherous act.''

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

PDP didn't save for rainy day in its 16-year rule —Buhari

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA — IN a manner that depicted worry and anger, consequent upon the present poor state of the nation’s economy, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in Abuja lashed out at the 16-year rule of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, regretting that the previous governments did not save for the rainy day.

Buhari spoke while receiving President of International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Dr. Bernard Aliyu, at State House, Abuja.

Making a comparison of PDP governments with the First Republic which he said achieved

a lot with meagre resources, the President regretted that the PDP governments failed to help the economy grow, even with the alltime high of crude oil prices at over $100 per barrel then.

Buhari, who also declared that Nigeria needs to grow beyond the point of emphasizing its potentialities, however, assured that his administration would go beyond mere rhetorics in its efforts to develop the economy.

He said: “Nigeria needs to work on her potentialities, so that we don’t remain permanently at the level of potentialities.

“If Ethiopia is sustained largely by her airline industry, we have greater potentialities here. But we must move out, engage with the

rest of the world, as we need to re-establish the integrity of this country. We need to rebuild this country again.”

The President recounted that for the greater part of the last 16 years, oil sold above $100 per barrel but expressed regret that the nation did not have much to show for it.

“In the First Republic, more enduring infrastructure was built with meagre resources. But in the past 16 years, we made a lot of money without planning for the rainy day.

“We showed a lot of indiscipline in managing our economy, and that is why we are where we are today. But this time round, we’ll do our best,” he said.

Speaking earlier, Dr Aliyu, the Nigerian-born ICAO president,

commended President Buhari for the strides on anti-corruption and urged Nigeria to pay more attention to development of civil aviation.

“Civil aviation is a catalyst for economic development. The level of aviation development in any country mirrors the economic development of that country,” he said.

The ICAO president also pledged to support the development of the aviation industry in Nigeria, urging the country to improve on training and capacity development, aviation security, aerodromes and air navigation, runways, control towers, terminal buildings, among others.

Dispersed Immigration recruits protest, demand reinstatement

A

By Omeiza Ajayi

BUJA — HUNDREDS of “dispersed” recruits of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, yesterday, shut a section of the Ministry of Interior, Abuja, following the refusal of the ministry to allow them resume work after undergoing necessary training and issuing employment letters.

The protesters are among the 2,000 Nigerians recruited into the service last year by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, following the conduct of a new recruitment after the botched 2014 recruitment into the service.

The protesters, who arrived the ministry as early as 9am, demanded to see the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd).

A complement of security men, drawn from the Special AntiRobbery Squad, SARS, of the Nigeria Police Force as well as personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were on ground to prevent any breach of the peace.

Although the minister was not in the office, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bassey Akpayung, had just entered his office before the protesters besieged the premises.

The protesters said despite embarking on a recent secret recruitment of hundreds of people, who are currently undergoing training at Immigration schools in Kano and Port Harcourt, the Federal Government did not care about their plight.

They also accused the Comptroller General of the service, Martin Kure Abeshi, of nepotism, alleging that his son was among those currently undergoing training in Kano, despite having not gone through any recruitment test.

The protesters had severally C M Y K

Protest by applicants who were droped after training by the Immigration, in Abuja, yesterday

written the relevant committees of the National Assembly whose intervention unravelled the fact that their fate was in the hands of Gen. Dambazau.

They were trained for three months on all aspects of immigration, including weapon handling, and were issued appointment letters along with identification cards before they were deployed in the various state commands.

Order to disperse However, in a twist of fate, the NIS had in a letter dated August 20, 2015, and signed by a HY Malgwi, a Deputy Comptroller General, directed all its state comptrollers “to disperse forthwith all the candidates who were issued appointment letters, following the conclusion of the recent recruitment conducted by the Presidential Committee to Assist in Immigration

Recruitment.”

The state comptrollers were ordered to ensure that the dispersal did not lead to a breach of the peace as they were to take all necessary measures to guard against that.

After a parley with security operatives, the protesters delegated one Solomon Ojigbe and two others to represent them in talks with the permanent secretary.

The protesters said they were recruited under presidential orders and wondered why they were suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, even though they had no political affiliation.

Speaking with journalists, spokesman of the group, Mr Ojigbe, said many of his colleagues had hitherto resigned from their various jobs to take up the Immigration vacancies, only to be left in the lurch.

He said: “Many of us here had to resign from the little jobs we

were doing. After the botched recruitment in 2014, a presidential committee was set up to re-conduct the exercise and we went through a very rigorous and transparent process.

“We went through all the requisite trainings for the three months we were in camp and we were, thereafter, issued appointment letters and made to buy our service uniforms and other accoutrements.”

Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Felix Okonkwo, who received the protesters, said the ministry would in a matter of weeks revisit the issue.

“This is the second group of protesters we have received here.

The first were those who took part in the ill-fated exercise in 2014 and those ones have been taken care of,” he said. He assured that their protest letter would be delivered to the relevant authorities, while their case would be treated on its merit.

Nuclear security: FG restricts movement of radioactive materials

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor & Ben Agande

A

BUJA— AS part of its proactive measures to safeguard the lives of Nigerians, the Federal Government has restricted the movement of radioactive materials into and out of the country to one airport, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

Director-General of the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, NNRA, Prof Lawrence Anikwe Dim, who disclosed the measure in an interview with Vanguard in Abuja, explained that the move was to prevent such materials from getting into wrong hands.

Similarly, Dim said the Federal Government had also made it mandatory for the all institutions and agencies requiring the use of radioactive materials for any purpose in the country to seek and obtain appropriate licences from the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority as a condition for getting such approvals.

Dim said the agency was working round the clock to ensure the safety of Nigerians and warned those who had no business using radioactive materials to keep off as its eagle-eyed personnel, working with other security agencies, were on the prowl to detect and punish offenders.

The DG said: “We have put certain measures in place to ensure that illegal materials do not enter this country, although some persons would still want to try to do so.

"But the point is that under our template, no user of radioactive material can be given any approval to import any nuclear or radioactive material into Nigeria if our license is not seen.

“To prevent the possible abuse, the NNRA has made it a law that only one airport in Nigeria, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, is approved for the importation and transportation of radioactive materials into and out of the country.

“We need to replicate this in some other international airports such as Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and even Abuja, so that we can also effectively monitor the movement of such materials.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—9

4 assets belonging to Saraki family uncovered in secret offshore territories As Ibori allegedly used foundations to hide funds I’ve fully complied with law on asset declaration —Saraki

A

T least four assets belonging to the wealthy and famous Saraki family of Nigeria, all tucked away in secret offshore territories, have been uncovered.

But the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, failed to declare them to the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, as required by law.

This revelation, made possible by internal data of the Panamabased offshore-provider, Mossack Fonseca, obtained by the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung and shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), could worsen Saraki’s case as he battles to extricate himself from allegations of corruption.

Meanwhile, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, said he had fully complied with the provisions of the law on declaration of assets by public officers.

Last September, the CCB slammed false asset declaration charges on Saraki, accusing him, among other things, of failure to declare his assets in full.

Under the code of conduct law, a public office holder is required to declare his own assets, those of his wife as well as assets in the names of his children below the age of 18.

his different asset declarations included properties owned individually by himself and his wife.

He said: "The property in question forms part of Dr Saraki’s wife’s family asset. It is public knowledge that Mrs. Saraki comes from a family of independent means and wealth with numerous and varied assets acquired over decades in family estates and investments.

“Furthermore, the law only requires a public officer to declare both his own assets and those held by his spouse and his children under 18 years of age. The law does not require a public officer to declare assets held by the spouse’s family.

“It is not expected by the law that a public officer should declare such assets held in the spouse’s family estate. Indeed, the Code of Conduct form does not make provision for declaration of spouse’s family assets.”

How Ibori allegedly used foundations to hide funds

Also, former Delta State governor, James Ibori, was found to have established limited liability companies and foundations in secret offshore tax havens to hide some of the funds allegedly taken from the state’s treasury, a leak of secret tax documents has revealed.

Ibori, who is currently serving jail term in the United Kingdom, after pleading guilty to fraud charges in 2012, enlisted his immediate family as beneficiaries of the offshore companies and foundations.

Details of how Mr. Ibori allegedly took the funds were contained in a leak of about 11.5M secret documents owned by the Panamabased international law firm, Mossack Fonseca, obtained by the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitungand shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists ICIJ, and over 100 other media partners in

82 countries.

The Panama papers scandal has been described as the biggest leak in history.

To hide the funds, Mr. Ibori, working through a Swiss asset management firm, Clamorgan S.A. in Geneva, was said to have established several offshore companies, including Stanhope Investments Limited,a foundation, Julex Foundation, and a trust, The Hopes Trust, enlisting himself, his wife and daughters as beneficiaries.

Clamorgan prides itself as a company that provides asset management, fiduciary services, immovablepropertyadministration, among others, and operates under the laws of Geneva, Switzerland.

The leaked papers has now revealed how Mr. Ibori used offshore shell companies and foundations to launder Delta State’s money, including an attempt to take outamassiveloanfromLloydsBank in London.

The beneficiaries of Mr. Ibori’s Julex Foundation were Mr. Ibori himself; his wife, Theresa and some other believed to be his daughters: Obianuju, Ehriatake Ibori, Otonvwen, Eseoghene, Oberhili and Eguono.

The hidden assets

However, a fresh investigation has uncovered a hidden London property in the name of Toyin Saraki but which was left out among the assets declared by the Senate President.

The hidden property is located at #8 Whuttaker Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 8JQ. It has title number NGL802235.

The first, Girol Properties Ltd, was registered on August 25, 2004, (a year after Mrs. Saraki’s husband became governor of Kwara State) in the British Virgin Island (BVI).

Company documents show that Mrs. Saraki owns 25,000 numbers of shares with a par value of US$ 1,00 each, and was appointed the first and only director of the company.

It, however, remains unclear what businesses Mrs Saraki transacted with the company. Mrs Saraki, however, in a letter to ICIJ, through her lawyers, denied ever owning any shareholding in Girol Properties.

I’ve fully complied with law on asset declaration —Saraki

In a reaction to the claim contained in the Panama-based offshore provider, Mossack Fonseca and shared by the International Consortium of Investigation Journalists (ICIJ) that he failed to declare assets belonging to his wife, Mrs Toyin Saraki, in secret offshore territories, Saraki said he had in

C M Y K

VISIT: Chief Operating Officer/Chief Executive Director, Upstream Sector, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, headquarters, Mallam Bello Rabiu Babura (right) and Managing Director, Kaduna Refinery & Petrochemical Company, KRPC, Mallam Idi Muktar, during an inspection visit to Kaduna Refinery. weekend. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Detailed copy of 2016 budget ready today —Reps

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA—BARING any last minutes change, a detailed clean copy of the 2016 budget will be ready today for onward transmission to the President for assent.

Recall that the Presidency, last week, said the passed budget would not be assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari because it did not contain the details.

But reacting, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on

Appropriation, Abdulmumuni Jibrin, said some previous administrations in the country, especially former President Olusagun Obasanjo, during his time signed the budget without the details which were made available two weeks latter.

However, a member of the Appropriation Committee, Joseph Edionwele, representing Esan Centra/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency of Edo State, told Vanguard that there was no cause for alarm as the joint committee would meet today to produce the clean copy for onward transmission to the

President.

Edionwele said necessary reconciliations had been concluded and that the final copy with the details would be ready at today’s meeting.

Also speaking to Vanguard on why the details of the budget were not submitted to the Presidency, member representing Akoko Edo Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House of Representatives, Peter Akpatason, said the National Assembly had to submit the passed 2016 budget to the Presidency without the details to satisfy the curiosity of Nigerians.

Alleged N400m fraud: Metuh ‘cooked up’ allegations to frustrate trial —EFCC

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has accused the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Olisa Metuh, of attempting to use “cooked up” allegations to frustrate his trial before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The anti-graft agency, in a counter-affidavit deposed to by one Mr. Francis Jirbo, said it was appalled that Metuh, who is facing a seven-count criminal charge alongside his firm, Destra Investment Limited, resorted to “antics and gimmicks” aimed at blackmailing trial Justice Okon Abang to hands off his case.

Metuh had in a petition he forwarded to the Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, expressed his unwillingness to conclude his trial before Justice Abang, who he said he always had a “frosty relationship” with from their days in the Law school.

Aside the claim that the judge was his classmate, Metuh insisted that Justice Abang had through some interlocutory rulings so far delivered in the matter, shown elements of bias against him.

The petition with Ref No. EES/01/11/03/16 and dated March 11, 2016, was signed by one of the four Senior Advocates of Nigeria representing Metuh before the court, Mr. Etiaba, SAN. Meantime, at the last adjourned date, March 24, Justice Abang, directed the EFCC to respond to Metuh’s bid to disqualify him from further presiding over his trial.

In its response, the commission argued that it was late in the day for the defendant to raise such issues, having already subjected himself to the jurisdiction of the court despite the fact that he purportedly attended law school together with the trial Judge.

“All manner of allegations, as stated by the defendants, were cooked up by them just to justify frustrating the stalling of proceedings. We submit that the antics and gimmicks deployed by the defendants are nothing but mere afterthought and pure blackmail aimed at intimidating the court to drop the case in the guise or pretext of bias by the judge.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Court jails 2 men 6 weeks each for stealing fish

A

GUDU Upper Area Court in the Federal Capital Territory, yesterday, sentenced two men to six weeks each in prison for stealing fish from a pond.

The convicts, Samuel Mamman, 22 and Jaffaru Bashir, 23, both of Berger Yard junction, Games Village, Abuja, pleaded guilty to the charges of criminal conspiracy and theft.

The offences contravened sections 97 and 287 of the Penal Code.

Presiding Officer of the court, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, who sentenced the men after they both pleaded guilty and begged for leniency, however, gave them a fine option of N4, 000 each.

Kagarko also advised the convicts to desist from engaging in criminal activities, but rather engage in honest jobs.

He said that the parties could appeal to the High Court within 30 days.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Rebecca Odunjide, had told the court that Patrick Okoh reported the matter at the Wuye Police Station on March 27.

Odunjide said that the convicts were caught using a fishing net to steal fish from the pond.

Road mishap claims 5

By Esther Onyegbula

F

IVE PEOPLE people reportedly died in Abule-Ado, Lagos, when a commercial bus rammed into a truck in a ghastly accident, weekend.

It was learned that the five passengers inside the commercial bus died on the spot while other passengers who sustained varying degrees of injures were taken to General Hospital on the Island.

According to a commuter: “The truck driver was speeding on Badagry Expressway, right after Trade Fair, before Abule Ado, when he had brake failure and hit the commercial bus killing five of them instantly.

"What we saw was that the truck suddenly surged forward and hit the Danfo bus. It was a very gory sight as those who were still alive sustained severe injuries," the commuter said.

C M Y K

How Barnawi, Boko Haram deputy leader was arrested by DSS, Army

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—DETAILS OF how Boko Haram deputy leader, Khalid Al-Barnawi, was arrested in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, emerged, yesterday, with top security commanders disclosing that the feat was achieved by a combined

operation involving the Department of State Security, DSS, and the Nigerian Military.

Before the final raid on the house accommodating the ANSARU, located in a hilly area of Lokoja town, that is mostly avoided by indigenes of the city, Vanguard was told that the Nigerian Police working in

collaboration with the DSS had mounted several surveillance and intelligence operations on the alleged Shekau’s deputy.

On the day of Barnawi’s arrest, which the source declined to reveal, a combined team of heavily armed soldiers and DSS operatives stormed the house said to be surrounded by adherents of

VISIT: The Managing Director, Lekki Gardens, Mr. Richard Nyong, praying with a survivor of the recent Lekki building collapse, Chika Elechi, while Operations Executive, Ubong Udoh and Office Management Executive, Mr. Tunde Adebiyi look on, during Lekki Gardens executives' visit to survivors, at Lagos General Hospital, Marina.

the recruits, but were taken unawares.

They were warned that any attempt to resist arrest or engage the troops in the operation would lead to their waterloo as the joint operation will cut down any opposition to the task.

A military source said last night that the deputy Boko Haram leader had been moved to Abuja under heavy security, but did not volunteer information about the location where Barnawi is being kept.

During the surveillance by the DSS, it was discovered that Barnawi was preparing a new Boko Haram cell in Kogi with many of the new recruits receiving training in Okene hills and engaging in several armed robbery attacks on travellers plying Abuja-Lokoja- Okene Road that connects Edo, Delta and the Eastern part of the country as well as the LokojaOkene-Ibillo Road leading to South West.

The source added that since the North East was becoming too hot for the group and they were being wiped out by the Nigerian Military, plan B was to establish a new base and relocate the commanders that would survive or escape the onslaught in the North East.

One dies, others injured as robbers' car collides with another Police arrest two suspected gang members

By Evelyn Usman

A

N OPERATIONAL vehicle of a fleeing four-man robbery gang collided with a car, yesterday, in Isolo area of Lagos, resulting in the death of one of

the passengers.

Other passengers, who sustained varying degrees of injuries were rushed to the Isolo General Hospital.

Report said the hoodlums positioned their vehicle, a Honda Accord saloon car with number

plates EPE 707 CM, on Ire-Akari road, where they dispossessed unsuspecting persons, who were on their ways to their respective places of work, of cash, phones and other valuables.

In the process, a team of antirobbery policemen from Isolo

Troops rescue abducted soldier in Bayelsa creek

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE Joint Force in the Niger Delta code named Operation Pulo Shield, yesterday, disclosed its troops on a search and rescue mission have rescued a kidnapped soldier in the creek of Otakeme community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Operation Pulo Shield, Col. Isa Ado, who confirmed the development in

Yenagoa, said the soldier was kidnapped by suspected sea pirates in the creek of Nembe in Bayelsa East senatorial district on March 24, 2016.

His words: “Troops of Sector 2 Operation Pulo Shield during a search and rescue operation in the creek around Otakeme Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State rescued a soldier who was kidnapped by suspected sea pirates in Nembe creek on 24 March 2016.

“The Soldier was taken to a medical facility for treatment while effort is ongoing to apprehend the fleeing criminals.”

Medical worker nabbed According to him, troops deployed in Nembe Local Government Area of the state also arrested a medical worker, who specialized in treating wounded militants and sea pirates that sustained gun injuries during shoot-out with security operatives in the region.

division on patrol intercepted them. The bandits were said to have zoomed off in a bid to evade arrest. However, on reaching Pako, it collided with a Volkswagen car.

The impact of collision, as gathered, flung one of the hoodlums out of their vehicle.

Effort by one of the robbers to bring the injured colleague back into the operational car resulted in the arrest of both of them, as they were abandoned by others.

Contacted, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus, a Superintendent of Police, gave identity of the deceased passenger as Anslem.

She disclosed that one locally made pistol with an unused cartridge, two Nokia phones and one wrist watch were recovered from the arrested suspects.

“The command will continue to be on the trail of criminals in Lagos state,” Badmus stated.

Policeman sanctioned for demanding N2,000 from newspaper vendor

By Esther Onyegbula

L

AGOS STATE Police Command has sanctioned the policeman, who allegedly demanded N2,000 from a vendor, Ifeanyi Friday, who went to Kester divisional police headquarters to

make a report last Tuesday of assault by Newspapers agents in Lagos.

Disclosing this, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmus, said that though Kester Police Station was not under the jurisdiction of Golden

gate where the incident occurred, the complaint against the policeman’s action had been dealt with appropriately by the officer in-charge of sanctioning.

She did not, however, expatiate on the nature of the sanction.

It will be recalled that a 34-

year-old vendor, Ifeanyi Friday, who was beaten up by six newspaper agents on Easter Monday, got the shocker of his life when he went to make entry at Kester Police Station, Lagos Island only for the officer on duty to demand N2,000 for case entry.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 11

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Bayelsa APC accuses Dickson of sponsoring party's crisis

By Emem Idio

Y

ENAGOA—A faction of the Bayelsa State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has alleged that Governor Seriake Dickson was the brain behind the current crisis in the party.

In a statement in Yenagoa, yesterday, the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Paniebi Fortune, alleged that the statement read by the embattled state chairman,

Chief Tiwei Oruminighe, emanated from one Daniel Iworiso-Markson, who is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dickson.

Fortune said: “It has become compelling for us to expose the underhand dealings between Governor Dickson and the suspended state chairman of the APC, Chief Oruminighe, and two others.

“However, our attention has been drawn to a statement laced with lies and outright

misinformation purporting financial dealings between two leading lights in our party, Chief Timipre Sylva and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator

P

ORT HARCOURT— NIGER Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is set to raise female participation in science-related disciplines with its programme, Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Sciences, GEMS. Acting Managing Director of the commission, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who made the

disclosure, yesterday, at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that the initiative was to close up the gender gap in science related fields between males and females in the region.

She said that on Wednesday, the grand finale of the commission’s GEMS programme will hold in Port Harcourt, adding that 30 finalists drawn from SSS1 and SSS2

E

By Glory Adokwu XECUTIVE Director, Media and Public

prizes.

Mrs Semenitari explained that the finalists will emerge from rigorous competitions among schools in member states of the commission.

She said that the school that will produce the first prize winner will receive a Chemistry laboratory while the second and third place winners will be given Physics and Biology laboratories respectively.

Gov Emmanuel makes case for good upbringing of children

G

OVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has emphasised the need for proper upbringing of children for the moral growth of the society.

The governor made the submission at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Barracks Road, Uyo, during the dedication of Master Dominion Udofia, son of the orderly to the governor, thanked God for the gift of the child to the couple. He expressed appreciation to the family for taking their first fruit to God for blessing and commended the church for steering the people towards the manifestation of their spiritual potentials through incisive teaching of the Word and prayers.

He stressed the need for Christians to remain focused on God alone as the source of power, noting that other powers were doomed to fail.

The Provincial Pastor, Redeemed Christian Church of God , Akwa Ibom Province 5, Pastor Goke Anyeloye, who culled his sermon titled Take it to Jesus, from Psalm 23 verse 4, said that God created man to worship and serve Him with a guarantee of blessing and protection, adding that with this covenant of grace, no evil C M Y K

can overwhelm true believers who trust and depend on God alone as David did to the disgrace of his enemies.

In a testimony, the father

of a bunch of misled ingrates. But our curiosity is that the statement emanated from Iworiso-Markson, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dickson.”

Edo 2016: Beware of wrong candidate succeeding Oshiomhole, Mayaki warns

We'll raise female participation in science-related fields —Semenitari would compete for various

By Jimitota Onoyume

Heineken Lokpobiri, prior to the appointment of the latter as minister.

“We find these lies very disgusting and ignoble, and should be seen as the ranting

Mr Ime Udofia, an orderly to the governor, thanked God for his benevolence and the fruit of the womb shortly after their marriage a year ago.

Affairs, Edo State Governor’s Office, Mr. John Mayaki, has warned of dire consequences, if a wrong person succeeds Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

Mayaki, who described Oshiomhole as a governor who upholds the rule of law, increases the freedom of the people, demystifies governance and increases political participation, said, “He has delivered to the letter on the mandate of the people, shunned corruption, promotes efficiency, punishes indolence and inefficiency and stands up against tyranny.

“Politics and governance can be better when you see risk coming.

A month after November 13 and after Governor Oshiomhole’s exit, when the typical civil

servant fails to receive alert, what happens?

“Civil servants, in this case, who have their fingers on the pulse of risk, what they see, share and thrive on, can best tell, if not now, after Oshiomhole, how it hurts when there is no alert by month’s end just because a wrong person was elected to run the affairs of governance.

“Change is the only constant, they say, but there is imminent disaster for a bad choice ahead, the brunt of which we will all suffer, the civil service, politiciandelegates and the masses.

But where Oshiomhole comes in is outside-the –box thinking, to help inside-the – governance driving."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—13

Communal conflict rocks Obubra community in C-River

By Emma Una

C

ALABAR—SIXTEEN Community leaders in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State are being interrogated by the state Police Commissioner, Mr Henry Fadairo, over their role in the communal conflict that rocked the area, weekend.

The leaders who comprise chiefs, village heads and opinion leaders, were invited

by Fadairo to the police command headquarters in Calabar, to explain the circumstances that led to the conflict which resulted in the pulling down of houses and destruction of property in the face-off between youths of Owakande and Obubra Urban on Saturday, following disagreement between the two communities over a parcel of land.

According to Chief Ekong James, a community leader in the area privy to the police invitation, there had been a lingering disagreement between Owakande and Obubra Urban communities over which community was the

first to settle in the area and who has the right to sell or give out land in the area.

He said: “The two communities live in close proximity to each other and the Obubra Urban community is laying claim to the land as the first settlers in the area but this is disputed by the Owakande people and recently an Owakande man sold a plot of land which belongs to him to another person but the Obubra Urban people insisted that the land belongs to them and that triggered the conflict.”

Ekong said that the man who sold the land, Mr Philips Okpechi, claimed he bought the land from government to build a house but changed his mind and decided to sell it, but when the new owner went to begin construction on the site, Obubra youths stopped the work and chased the workers away.

“There have been committees set up by the Cross River State Government to see to the amicable settlement of the dispute and the last one was that of 1992 and the two sides

were stopped from building on the disputed land but the agreement has largely not been kept by both sides,” he said.

He said that though no life

B

ENIN—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, has said that it prays that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state gives Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu the party ’s governorship ticket to enable the party tell the world the role the PDP leader played in the alleged under development of the state when he was Secretary to the State Government, SSG, under the administration of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Godwin Erhahor, who was reacting to the claim

by Ize-Iyamu that the state government expended N30 billion on Edo State University, Iyamho, at the expense of two other state universities said that even though the PDP governorship aspirant was manufacturing what it described as frivolous figures, the said university belongs to the people of the state and not any individual.

According to him, “IzeIyamu is just being C M Y K

desperate because he wants to get the PDP ticket by all means and he felt that the only way to get the attention of PDP governors is to make frivolous claims on every project executed in this state. He should tell us what happened to allocations that accrued to the state during the I g b i n e d i o n administration because

while the Iyamho University was on ground for everybody to see, nothing was achieved during his administration as SSG. “Ize-Iyamu was the most powerful man during Igbinedion's administration and he supervised the squandering of the treasures of the state."

I didn't buy ministerial slot from Sylva —Lokpobiriresignation of Lokpobiri,

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE Minister of State for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, yesterday, dismissed as untrue, claims by a faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State that he bought the ministerial slot for the state, saying that he did not pay for the position he currently occupies in the Federal Executive Council.

The suspended Chairman of the Bayelsa chapter of the APC, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, had in his comment against the governorship candidate of the party, Chief Timipre Sylva, called for the

Okpechi, to report the matter to the police which led to the deployment of mobile policemen to the area and the subsequent invitation of the leaders for interrogation.

AKEES EXPO 2016: Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State (2nd right) and Senior Special Assistant, Bureau of Technical Matters and Due Process, Elder Ufot Ebong (right) inspecting locally produced flour from garri during Akwa Ibom Enterprise and Employment Scheme, AKEES 2016 Exposition in Uyo.

APC accuses ex-SSG Ize-Iyamu of aiding underdevelopment in Edo

By Simon Ebegbulem

was lost, property worth millions of naira was destroyed which prompted the member representing the area in Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr Friday

claiming that he bought the ministerial position from Sylva.

Lokpobiri, in a statement in Yenagoa through his Special Assistant, Media, Mr Donald Ojogo, said that the crisis in the Bayelsa APC was being “orchestrated by an insignificant few within the party and oiled by some external forces who feel threatened about their political future, specially as the APC challenges the outcome of the last governorship election at the Election Petition Tribunal.”

He insisted that he was found worthy for the position and was appointed, adding that he did not need to pay anybody.

14—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

‘We must all work with Okowa’

NJC queries Justice Yunusa over alleged judicial misconduct

T

HE Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Osanebi, has called on opinion leaders, elders and statesmen to harness their strength and join hands with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to realise his prosperity creed for all Deltans and his commitment to transform the state.

Osanebi spoke, yesterday, when he paid an unscheduled visit to Chief Chuks Ochonogor, ProChancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of Novena University, Ogume, Ndokwa West local Government Area, in continuation of his routine visitations to opinion leaders, elders, statesmen, cultural and social groups across Ndokwaland.

He harped on unity of purpose, noting that the support and prayers of opinion leaders and elders are crucial and paramount to the overall success of Okowa’s administration.

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE National Judicial Council, NJC, has queried Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, following allegations of judicial misconduct and perversion of justice levelled against him by the Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC. The group had, in a petition lodged before the NJC headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, on December 15, 2015, raised sundry allegations against the judge, including the fact that he repeatedly issued perpetual injunctions that stopped the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from prosecuting cases.

CSNAC stated: “The grant of the orders of mandatory and perpetual injunctions by Justice Yunusa against Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions, EFCC, is a grave departure from the

established principles as laid down by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, which are binding on the Federal High Court, being a lower court.

“Honorable Justice Yunusa, by the grant of these orders, has stripped EFCC of its constitutional powers as a law enforcement agency, as well its powers under the enabling law, the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Act, LFN 2004, a federal legislation. It

is also a gross abuse of his powers as a judicial officer.”

Besides, the petitioners, led

by CSNAC Chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, told NJC that Justice Yunusa’s action would “undoubtedly serve as a leeway for unscrupulous and corrupt individuals, who will stop at nothing to truncate their arrest and prosecution by the appropriate law enforcement agencies to render our criminal law ineffective, as well as allowing corruption fester in the society.”

Meanwhile, over three

months after the petition was filed, the NJC finally succumbed to pressure and queried the judge on March 16.

The query, marked NJC/F3/ FHC.49/1/421, signed by the CJN read: “I forward, herewith, a petition dated December 21, 2015, against you by Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC, on the above subject matter.

“The petition speaks for itself.

I shall be glad to have your comments within 14 days from the date of your receipt of this letter, please.”

I'm not at loggerheads with Saraki—Lafiagi

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Security and Intelligence, Senator Shaaba Lafiagi (APC, Kwara North), has denied reports that he was at loggerheads with Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, describing the report as a fabrication designed to overheat the polity.

Senator Lafiagi also

The new looks of Berleit-Iyana I t i r e Ilasamaja axis of A p a p a O s h o d i Expressway.

PHOTOS: B i o d u n Ogunleye.

described as untrue report that he was planning to circumvent the position of the Senate President as leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kwara State, adding that it was all part of the plot to create the impression that there was crisis in Kwara State, home state of the Senate President.

In a statement yesterday, the former Kwara State governor described as untrue

reports that he had fallen out with Senator Saraki over the 2019 governorship nomination in the state.

He said: “My attention has been drawn to a report over the perceived crisis in Kwara State because of my alleged governorship ambition and other falsehood contained in the said report.

“I wish to state that the report is nothing but bunkum, absolute falsehood and full of fabrications.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—15

Anambra records 2,000 tuberculosis cases

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—NO fewer than 2,000 cases of tuberculosis, TB, have been recorded in Anambra State, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Josephat Akabuike, has said.

Akabuike, who was addressing reporters in Awka, said the TB patients were

$9bn needed to rehabilitate North-East

receiving treatment at various health institutions, otherwise known as Directly Observed Therapy Centres, in the state.

According to him, Anambra and 13 other states, including FCT, account for over 75 percent of the total TB burden in Nigeria.

The commissioner debunked the belief in some quarters that TB was caused by voodoo, saying the disease was caused by a germ called Mycrobacterium Tuberculosis and that it is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs sneeze, cough, spit, speak or sing.

He explained that people living with HIV were more

vulnerable to TB infection, adding, however, that the disease could be cured when detected early.

He commended Governor Willie Obiano for the prompt payment of salaries of health workers and provision of health facilities for the TB programme, as well as signing an MoU with the global funds providers to contribute 20 percent for the control of TB in the state.

He regretted that Nigeria contributed the highest burden of the disease in Africa and the fourth highest among the 22 high burden countries with an annual incidence of 338 per 100,000 and prevalence of 322

per 100,000 individuals.

He said: “The untreated infected individuals can spread the disease to between 10 to 20 persons each year within the poor population, PLWHIV and other key affected populations.”

The state Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Buruli Ulcer Control Officer, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Okolie and the state Director of Primary Health and Disease Control, Dr. Emmanuel Okoye, in their contributions, stressed the need for early diagnosis and treatment when detected, assuring that diagnosis and treatment were free.

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

B U J A — A N estimated $9 billion would be required for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of d a m a g e d infrastructure in the six North-East states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe, the office of the Vice President said yesterday.

Of the amount, over $6 billion is immediately needed to commence the recovery of the North-East region.

Relying on a report of an exercise jointly put together by the Federal Government, the United Nations, the European Union and the World Bank after the completion of the two-day validation and consensus building workshop in Abuja, the office announced that the World Bank had pledged to make available $800 million towards the rebuilding of the region.

To this end, a statement by the media aide to the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande, said: “The joint efforts of the federal and state governments with the global partners would now be directed to prioritising the needed interventions and projects, arranging their sequence and coming up with an action plan.”

It quoted the Sector Manager, Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, Mr. Idrissa Dia, as saying that the physical participation of the Bank at the validation workshop last week in Abuja is a affirmation that the global financial institution is encouraged by the initial feedbacks on the findings of the recovery and assessment.

C M Y K

From left—Director, Technical Standards, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Engr. Fidelis Onah; Deputy Director, Corporate Planning, NCC, Alhaji Ismaila Adedigba; Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Tony Ojobo; First Deputy President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Sir Emeka Udeze, and Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs, NCC, Dr. Joseph Atoyebi, at the just-concluded 27th Enugu Trade Fair.

‘I won't withdraw forgery case against Ikpeazu’

By Anayo Okoli

U

M UA H I A — C H I E F Friday Nwosu, who dragged Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State to court over alleged forged tax certificates, has vowed to continue with the matter despite “attacks and intimidation organised against him.”

Nwosu said he remained “resolute and undaunted, in spite of official and clannish attempts to appease him for an out-of-court settlement of the suit.”

Nwosu, a lawyer, was reacting to a statement allegedly made by a former governor of the state that he (Nwosu) must lose his tax forgery suit against Ikpeazu.

According to him, he has “resisted several attacks and intimidation organized against me in the course of his litigation,” insisting that he would not surrender.

Restating his commitment to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion, Nwosu said: “I will

not withdraw the suit. I want the court to vindicate or vilify me.”

According to him, the former governor of the state had, while addressing some Ngwa people, assured them that Nwosu’s suit against Governor Ikpeazu on an alleged tax certificate forgery was bound to fail.

Ikpeazu and Nwosu are from Obingwa Local Government Area.

Nwosu quoted the former

governor as having said: “I heard that some people are still in court; being engineered by others. They will fail. For sure, they will fail. If they did not succeed during the election tribunal, is it in this one they are going to succeed?”

Nwosu dragged Governor Ikpeazu to court for allegedly obtaining tax certificates for three consecutive years fraudulently. The matter comes up on April 28.

Akanu Ibiam Rector calls for Poly Act review

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—THE Rector of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, AIFPU, Venerable Ogbonnia Ibe-Enwo, yesterday, called for the review of the Federal Polytechnic Act. The Rector, who made the call on the occasion of the 35th matriculation of the polytechnic at Unwana, Afikpo, added that the review would help in the production of manpower up to the highest level from Bachelor of Technology to the Doctorate degree in Technology.

The breakdown of students admitted into the polytechnic for the 2015/ 2016 academic session include 3,911 granted provisional admission to pursue National Diploma programmes; 2,114 admitted into Higher National Diploma programmes, as they were admitted into 30 departments, spread across six schools of the institution.

Venerable Ibe-Enwo charged the matriculating students to shun cultism and any form of cult activity even as he described membership of secret cult group as a way of pitching one’s tent with Satan against God. He threatened that any student caught violating the rules and guidelines governing the institution would be flushed out of the institution without delay.

He said: “We have zero tolerance to cultism in the polytechnic and all established cases are dealt with without compromise. We are poised to leverage on facilities and competence of our teaching staff.”

HERDSMEN CRISIS: Gov Ugwuanyi commended on intervention efforts of Governor Ifeanyi efforts of Governor Ugwuanyi in

F

OLLOWING the release from prison custody of the 76 farmers from Ugwuleshi Autonomous Community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, after they were granted bail by Magistrate’s Courts in Umuahia, Abia State capital, the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Godwin Nwobi, and other leaders from the area, have commended the

Ugwuanyi of Enugu State in securing their freedom.

Igwe Nwobi and other political stakeholders, appealed to the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the problem between Hausa/Fulani herdsmen and indigenous farmers in their community over the grazing of cattle on farmlands.

Commenting further on the

calming frayed nerves and reducing tension on the matter, Igwe Nwobi said that the intervention of the governor made it possible for the people to be granted bail and released to return home.

Igwe Nwobi said: “I appreciate Governor Ugwuanyi's efforts, who visited my community on the matter. It shows he is a man of the people. I also thank my community for understanding.”

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 5 2016—17

Letter to Governor Shettima Asalamalekun, INDLY take a few minutes of your time to read through this letter which I hope should meet you in peace.Let me plead with you to read the fairly long one as I don't think I will ever have to write you again for the rest of your tenure as a governor.

The purpose of this letter has to do with some remarks credited to you when you received the Ebora of Owuland and former President Olusegun Obasanjo in your state some days ago.

You were quoted to have made two fundamental statements while receiving the visiting former president.The first was that you were sure the Chibok girls would have been rescued if they were abducted under Obasanjo.

The second was that former President Goodluck Jonathan did not call to commiserate with you in your words ".....after the Chibok abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in April, 2014, it took 19 days for me to receive a call from the Presidency."

First let us deal with the wizardry you ascribed to Obasanjo in a moment of genuflecting pandering. Thank God we were not all born yesterday as not be able to reconnect with our pertinent recent history.

K

Governorship candidate We recall vividly that Omoluabi Funso Wliilams,the Lagos State governorship candidate of the PDP was gunned down in his house in Lagos in 2006 and Obasanjo whom you said would have rescued the Chibok girls with the speed of lightening could not apprehend his killers. Ditto for the South-South National Vice-Chairman of the PDP, Marshal Harry.

So frequent were high profile killings under that administration that the Nobel Laureate said the PDP had a "nest of killers". That the Otta Farmer tore his PDP card did nothing to our memory card.

The sorest thumb under Obasanjo's watch was the murder of his Attorney General,Chief Ajibola Ige(SAN) in December 2001. As we gathered to say farewell to Ige at the Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan, Prof. Wole Soyinka kept on interlacing his oration to him with "the murderers are in our midst".

Obasanjo sat there and listened to all Soyinka said but for the six years he stayed in office after the act,his Justice Minister could not get justice.

C M Y K

Sunday Ehindero,Obasanjo Inspector General of police at a stage declared that the Ige matter was closed only for Obasanjo to declare during his parting presidential media chat that Bola Ige might have been killed by a drug baron but he could not use the wand you claimed he could have used to rescue the Chibok girls to apprehend him.The statement irked Mrs. Funsho Adegbola, Ige's daughter such that she declared that her father's ghost would haunt Obasanjo.

By some strange coincidence Obasanjo out of office got friendly with a man he was to later brand a "drug baron" until he left the PDP on the account of not wanting to remain in the same party with a man allegedly wanted for narcotics.

Enough on Obasanjo and to your self-indictment. If you had turned the matter in your hand properly you should never have mentioned that it took former President Goodluck Jonathan 19 days before he could place a call to you. Did you listen to yourself Mr. Governor?

Please hold my hand and let us review the whole matter again.The narrative is that Chibok school had been under lock and key for a while until you allegedly ordered the school to be re-opened for examination purposes. I am not aware of your explanation, pardon me if you did make one to the effect that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) did not want the school re-opened for the examinations but that you allegedly insisted to the contrary.

On the day the over 200 girls were reportedly carted away,it was said that neither the Principal,matron nor security personnel were in the school area.

You were the Chief Security officer of the state in question and after this unfortunate incident all you were doing was counting 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,1 0,11,12,13,14,15,17,17,18,19 days

It is unfortunate that by this little slip you may be giving credence to the widely held belief that the abduction may have been orchestrated to serve political purpose

only to look at your phone to see Jonathan calling.You now folded your babanriga, adjusted your cap and with a little frown on your face to answer "hello". Pray Mr. Governor, if your daughter was among the over 200 girls abducted would you not have put politics aside to find yourself at the villa that night to give a firsthand account of the tragic event and compare notes on what should be done? If I may ask,who

were you then discussing the abduction of the girls with in all those 19 days? Your party secretariat? The invisible government of Nigeria?It is unfortunate that by this little slip you may be giving credence to the widely held belief that the abduction may have been orchestrated to serve political purpose.

The whole saga became 'curiouser' as top military intelligence (working with the invisible government?) reportedly fed the then President with a false report that the girls had been rescued thereby destabilising his response to the whole situation.

Before anybody could spell Chibok,demonstrators started rolling on the floor in Abuja demanding the head of the president without a placard surfacing in front of your office who allegedly ordered the Chibok school re-opened.

Is it now any surprise that some of the #BringBackOurGirls campaigners and the principal of Chibok school have landed plum

political appointments and have long abandoned rolling on the floor at Unity Fountain?

My prayer is that God in His infinite mercy would let us find those girls one day so He can prove that Obasanjo does not have the final say over their lives.When that happens,he would have to eat his words that those innocent girls are gone for good and that anyone saying they would ever be found again is a deceiver!

I am certain that one day we would bring this matter to a final closure and this country can see how far evil can go in the pursuit of temporary power. After all,we have seen a "Pastor" who accused some Pastors of collecting N7b as bribe for the 2015 elections now recanting and apologising to the men concerned. When the final day of reckoning comes on this pathetic episode, Your Excellency, may have to tell this country more than "Obasanjo would have rescued them ".

Give my regards to Hajia.

Yours Inquiringly.

The more things change in Nigeria

T

HE report below sadly confirms our position that unless we CHANGE the structures of Nigeria,nothing is going to change for the better.

Read the report: The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) withheld 12 percent more money in six months under President Muhammadu Buhari than it did with his predecessor from 2013 to 2014.

According to a report by the National Resource Governance Institute (NGRI), an international non-profit policy institute with focus on oil, gas and minerals, NNPC withheld more in the last six months of 2015 than in the first six. “Under the Buhari government, transfers from NNPC’s convoluted oil sales system to the Federation Account have continued to decline,” the report read.

Oil sale earnings “After analyzing NNPC’s own numbers, we estimate that during the last six months of 2015, the corporation transferred $2.1 billion in oil proceeds to the Federation Account from the three types of oil sales we examined: regular export sales, domestic crude sales, and sales of oil from NPDC fields.

“During that same period, however, the value of these sales totaled $6.3 billion. In other words, under the Buhari government, only one third of NNPC’s oil sale revenues found their way into the country’s treasury. “The figures show that NNPC retained $4.2 billion in the last six months of 2016, 14 percent more than what was withheld in (Goodluck) Jonathan’s last days as president.

NNPC withholdings of selected oil sale revenues “NNPC reported retaining $4.2 billion—or 66 percent—of the value of the oil sold through these three types of transactions.

“As seen in the figures above, this was 14 percent more than the corporation’s withholdings under Goodluck Jonathan in the first half

of 2015, and 12 percent higher than the share withheld in 2013 and 2014. “Go back a decade, and the numbers nearly flip: in 2005, NNPC sent 68 percent of its oil sale earnings to the Federation Account and kept only 32 percent.” The report, which was compiled based on NEITI financial audit reports, NNPC financial reports, and NRGI’s investigations, revealed that NNPC withheld 52%, 52% and 59% of its revenue in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Where does the money go?

NRGI did not stop its research on how much was retained by the NNPC, but takes the process further to unveil tentative locations where the monies end up. According to the report, some of the monies are used to pay outstanding joint venture debts, refineries, and the rest to NPDC which it referred to as “one of the Nigerian petroleum sector’s great black boxes”. NNPC withholdings of revenues, January-June versus July-December 2015 “The subsidiary (NPDC) produced a sizeable 110,000 barrels of oil per day in the last six months of 2015. But we have seen no evidence that proceeds from NPDC oil sales enter the treasury. “Instead, they are spent in an unknown manner. In one especially questionable case, we found evidence that NNPC has retained all earnings from the

offshore Oil Mining Lease (OML) 119, a field owned wholly

by NPDC that produces around 30,000 barrels per day of Okono grade crude.”

These revelations have called Buhari’s fiscal responsibility message to question, with NRGI saying “corruption aside, allocating $4.2 billion in six months to NNPC expenses of unknown priority raises serious questions about fiscal responsibility”.

NNPC ACT and Constitution at loggerheads Recommending probable solutions to the president, NRGI said “clarifying the financial relationship between NNPC and the state may be the single most important component of the Buhari administration’s oil sector reform campaign”.

The report further recommends that a “longstanding misalignment” between the NNPC Act of 1977 and the 1999 constitution “leaves this money in legal limbo”.NRGI seeks that “the government should put in place a clear, legally enforceable rule governing which revenues NNPC can keep”.

NRGI commended Buhari and his team for clearly working towards a cleaner oil sector, stating that much of its focus has been limited to replacing unethical officials and tracking stolen funds.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,APRIL 5, 2016 THE Judiciary as an independent arm of government plays a pivotal role in deepening the roots of a young democracy like ours. The 1999 Constitution emphasises this importance and makes sure this arm of government does not rely on other arms of government in discharging its functions. This underscores its inclusion in direct first line charge in terms of funding as provided in Section 81(3) of the Constitution.

We, therefore, find media reports that over 600 judges were owed two months salary - January and February 2016, unsavoury. The unpaid wages cut across board. It included those of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justices of the Supreme Court, Appeal Court Justices, Federal High Court and National Industrial Court Judges. Judiciary workers are also still affected to date.

The January salary was paid last week, while that of February is still pending.

Pay judges their wages promptly According to Section 81(3) of the Constitution: “the amount standing to the credit of the (a) Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) (b) National Assembly, and (c) Judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation shall be paid directly to the said bodies respectively; in the case of the Judiciary, such an amount shall be paid to the National Judicial Council for disbursement.

“If in respect of any financial year, it is found that (a) the amount appropriated by the Appropriation Act for any purpose is insufficient; or (b) a need has arisen for expendi-

ture for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by the Act, a supplementary estimate showing the sums shall be laid before each House of the National Assembly and the heads of any such expenditure shall be included in a Supplementary Appropriation Bill.”

The National Judicial Council’s (NJC’s) call on the Executive to release all allocations on first line charge is, therefore, timely and apt. The importance of this cannot be over-emphasised.

The anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Government may suf-

fer a severe setback if grumbles echo from the hallowed temple of justice over the Judiciary’s inability to meet its basic needs. The nation cannot afford a situation where judicial officers appear disillusioned and unhappy in their jobs.

We wholeheartedly agree with former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, that poor funding exposes judges to corruption.

Judges are human beings and may be susceptible to temptations if their wellbeing is neglected. A corrupt judge is a danger to the society. Our much vaunted war against graft cannot be won when judges are going on empty stomachs.

The Federal Government must always comply with the provisions of the Constitution and give the independent arms of government their funds to enable them discharge their constitutional duties without financial or any other hindrance.

OPINION Re:

Edo

politics

By Emmerson Igbinadolor

I

READ with interest an article with the above title written by one Nosakhare Osahon. A proper dissection of the write-up reveals many illogicalities and shallowness. For one, his attack on Ken Imasuangbon, a fellow APC stalwart who has deployed the richness of his resources and goodwill to promote the APC both at national and state levels, shows that Osahon is obviously working for some forces within the party who are uncomfortable with Imasuagbon’s rising profile. He apparently has an issue with the fact that Imasuangbon’s business is located outside Edo State, alluding therefore to the fact that Imasuangbon cannot claim to love Edo people on account of this.

Pray, how many APC leaders in the state from the Comrade Governor to other leaders of the party and government have any known or viable business located in Edo State? Indeed how many of them have any visible business in the first place?

Comrade Oshiomhole prior to his foray into politics of Edo State did not live in Edo State and does not own any property in the state. Whilst he was campaigning for the office of Governor, it is a well known fact that he lived as a tenant in a

and

perennial

house behind Benoni hospital. But today, the story is different. Today he owns a ‘palace’ in Iyamho.

Mr. Osahon also has an issue with the rice distribution philanthropy of Mr. Imasuangbon whereas he does not own a rice farm. Pray, which rice farm or agricultural products outfit does any of the APC chieftains own? And for that matter, what is the agricultural policy of the present Edo State Government? Are there any rice, cassava or produce farms?

If Imasuangbon has to import rice from outside Edo State to give to Edo indigenes, it should be food for deep thought and indeed something of an embarrassment to the state government.

If Osahon and his paymasters can be excused for calling Ken Imasuangbon a pretender for whatever other reasons known to them, by what stretch of the imagination does Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu qualify to be called a pretender. It is obvious that these are individuals who have lost touch with reality, people who relish in standing history on its head. For,

It was this same Pastor IzeIyamu and some of his friends who introduced Oshiomhole to the electorate in 2007

pretenders every student of history will recall that it was this same Pastor Ize-Iyamu and some of his friends who introduced Oshiomhole to the electorate in 2007 and against the formidable political machine of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, both at federal and state levels. Oshiomhole won with the help of this Pastor. Thereafter, he became the Vice Chairman, South-South of the ACN and played a key role in the merger of the parties that became APC. When Oshiomhole sought re-election in 2012, it was Pastor Ize-Iyamu whom he sought refuge from and promptly named Director-General of his campaign and for the first time in the political history of Edo State, a candidate won in 18 of the 18 local government areas due majorly to the dexterity and ingenuity of Pastor Osagie.

Can anybody in his right senses therefore refer to such a person as a push over or a pretender? Hardly so.

For it is common knowledge right now that amongst all the formidable PDP aspirants, Pastor Ize-Iyamu stands tall both in height and reputation and indeed he is the one to beat. This is a well known fact and is obvious that this was what warranted Osahon’s hatchet job.

Every Edo indigene knowledgable in the political terrain knows that Oshiomhole catches cold at the mention of Pastor Ize-

Iyamu’s name knowing very well that this is the man who will demystify him and show him to the world for who he really is.

Ize-Iyamu parades a robust pedigree, coming from a well known and acclaimed traditional family. He has lived all his life in Benin, his businesses which include a farm that employs hundreds of Edo indigenes, are all located in Edo state. He has at various times been the Personal Assistant to the Chairman of former Oredo Local Government Council, Chief of Staff to the Governor and Secretary to the State Government. Lately, he was appointed Director General of Goodluck Jonathan Campaign in Edo State. Ize-Iyamu has never contested any election (though he has assisted anyone he supported to win election) so how does he qualify to be referred to as a perennial pretender? This can only come from the figment of imagination of the writer.

Permit me to submit that come September 10th 2016, (by INEC timetable) the people of Edo state will troop out massively to vote out the true perennial pretenders (the APC and their candidate) and by the grace of God and the will of the people vote in one of these gentlemen who have been errorneously described as perennial pretenders as the next governor of Edo State. * Mr. Igbinadolor, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016— —19

Who is to blame?

By Sunny Ikhioya

S

OLUTIONS and ideas sometimes come from the most unlikely of places. A couple of days ago, my wife and I were at the Ogudu GRA residence of my brother Captain Austin Anianu to commiserate with him and his wife on the death of the mother in law and somehow we got talking. The woman who allocated sixty million monthly allowance to herself was in the news. It does appear that those sent to help bring sanity to the pension office are the ones compounding the situation, beginning from Maina and his other accomplices. The looting of the pension funds have become a recurring challenge and I expressed my fear for the future of the workers of the NPA and the NNPC should they end up moribund like the railways corporation. The response from Captain Austin was swift: ‘I have no sympathy for any of them’, he said. I asked why? He responded: ‘all of them who have worked in the government and other parastatals have contributed to the mismanagement and looting that brought these establishments to their present deplorable state and so must suffer the consequences of their actions on their retirement’. He went further, ‘ look at the

Nigeria Airways, when it was in operation, a Lagos to London flight will have over 60 percent of the passengers on complimentary/ rebate tickets, how do you expect the airline to survive? Go to any government ministry or establishment, you will discover how workers hold on to files until their palms are greased. See their attitude to work, they assume that it is nobody’s business and allow government infrastructures to run down without care, see NITEL, see PHCN’. He reminded me of how it used to take us days to get NITEL technicians to fix a simple broken line, ‘after shamelessly running the company aground, they are now coming out to cry for pension, like the PHCN staff are doing presently, where do you expect the money to come from?’

I began to see the situation in a new light. I have always known civil servants to be the biggest challenge facing the positive change process in this country; their work culture, drive and patriotism is based solely on ‘me and myself’. After robbing the government of vital incomes during their stay in service, they now want to receive pension for work not done, that is exactly the situation.

If our civil servants have chosen to work with the expected diligence and patriotism, will our public corporations be in the state they are in presently? I believe the answer is no.

Therefore, for those of us crying wolf now, the question we should ask ourselves is: what has been our contribution to the deplorable state of affairs? As we speak, the documents at various government ministries and parastatals are still been processed at snail speed. Nigeria is still one of the most difficult countries to do business in because of several encumbrances put in place by civil servants.

From the sea, land and air ports, different agencies of government are working at cross purposes, duplicating efforts all to no avail but for individual's personal gain. Despite the policies put in place, the Customs still allows in contraband goods, the Police has refused to dismantle its roadblocks on our highways. The country is filled with illegal immigrants while we have a functioning immigration department. Even the Justice system is not spared. Getting a document from the courts is like passing through the eye of the needle.

People must learn to operate within the confines of the law. Nobody is above the law

Why Governor Fayose must hang

By Chuks Iloegbunam

P

ETER Ayodele Fayose. Two-time Governor of Ekiti State. There’s certainly something to say for this man.

Without question he is, for good or for ill, the most talked about State Governor in Nigeria today. He is one of the most controversial, if not the most controversial. Those who believe in him, who swear by his name, would readily die for him, would give whatever it would take for their man to retain his gubernatorial seat, will strike innumerable blows to thwart his traducers. Others who hold Fayose to be beneath contempt, who proclaim that disdain expended on his account amounts to vital energy exercised in obedience to barrenness, people who abhor all that the man stands for, and who stand eternally against his regular ventilation of contrary opinion, would yearn for a cudgel – and a chance to bring the deadly weapon hard down on his head, to shatter his cranium, to finish off everything for the first-andfinal time.

Yet, there is something to say for Ayodele Fayose. If the country ever had an autonomous Governor, the accolade belongs to this occupant of the Ekiti Governor’s Lodge. Leftwing ideologue Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, tried his hands at autonomy as Governor of the old Kaduna State during the Second Republic. He waged a determined war against the behemoth known otherwise as feudalism. He got impeached in less than two years. Even though the exercise that moved him from office was unwarranted, unjustified and shameful, the Federal Government then run by the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) sanctioned it. He went. Balarabe may have had a chance to bounce back to the governorship seat but a second, protracted military interregnum killed and buried the possibility. He still lives though – with C M Y K

his integrity intact – while very little is today heard of those who abused democracy to get a blameless leader off the principled path.

Fayose is empathetic to Balarabe’s experience. On October 16, 2006, he suffered a similar fate when into the third of his four-year tenure as Governor of Ekiti State. He was impeached, not necessarily because he was a wolf among the sheep, but largely because the top leadership of his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), found him expendable. But age was on his side. Only a month shy of his 46 birthday when he was impeached, he bided his time. He switched parties. He contested other elections. He ultimately returned to the PDP. Then he strode back to Government House, Ado-Ekiti!

Peter Ayodele Fayose has soared to the zenith. He has plummeted to the nadir.

The extreme experiences have fashioned and sharpened his choices. It is said that a man who moved forward, and then moved backward, stood in a proper stead to contextualize positioning, in order to determine the best of options at all times.

Fayose has seen it all. Like gold, he has been tempered by the alchemist’s unrelenting fire. If he professed half measures previously, the Fayose of the Second Coming has shed kid gloves for iron fists in the fight against chicanery. He has effected an adamantine repudiation of fear. He now has little problem glaring at the lion and spitting in its face. Like a Shakespearean scholar, he has taken to

He is, therefore, more patriotic than hypocrites and sycophants who would tell a leader that the stench of his fart wafts like lavender

So, having failed to make a not re mitt deductions to the positive contribution while you appropriate authority. They will were in service, who will you now deduct from the workers' pay, blame when money that is due you including taxes, but divert the as pension,is now being diverted? money to other uses. That has been It is a food for thought for those of the tradition and that is why the us still in public service. The pension challenges linger on.

People must learn to operate bottom line is that, everyone must realise that whatever foundation within the confines of the law. we lay today in the course of work Nobody is above the law, even will come to haunt us later in life if the President and those in the not properly laid. I do not know armed forces. Why for example, how those in government will do should a government ministry it but until they put a culture of fail to pay for energy consumed? taking government business as Why should the police personal responsibility, the authorities not pay for power positive change will be difficult consumed? Definitely, someone to execute. I believe the top up there does not think it is echelon of our civil service should important because he or she is be targeted for effective change not directly affected. They also, to take place, not the junior do not care about the state of workers, the way President John infrastructure because the Magufuli is doing in Tanzania government bears the brunt for now. If the top can lead by all of these excesses.

It is important for us to realise example, the lower rung will our little actions naturally follow. I believe that that our focus must be in the effective contributed to the bad state the monitoring of our senior civil country is today. PHCN workers picket the DISCOs daily. They servants.

It is a good thing that the forget they contributed to the previous governments have put present mess. The oil workers in place Pension Managers to union are also warming up for take care of pensioners funds action, forgetting that they after service and with the way helped to supervise what brought some of them are operating, the about the present situation.

We must all examine our era of mismanagement or looting of pension funds will be a different actions in the course of thing of the past. The problem is service to the nation and ask that the same government ourselves how we have agencies and ministries will be contributed individually to our the ones flouting the regulations present dilemma. that have been put in place on check off deductions and *Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on payment to relevant bodies.

We have situations where national issues, wrote from government agencies/ministries do Lagos.

heart the immortal words of Caesar in Julius Caesar: Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.

Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear, Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come.

Fayose has left many disconcerted and scandalised. Coming from Ekiti, a state reputedly peopled by professors, he wasn’t even counted in the ranks of academics.

So, what business had he being the tenant at Government House, Ado-Ekiti? Those mouthing this question forget that professorship and leadership stand in distinction. They take no account of the fact that Ekiti indigenes appear infinitely more interested in those who care for their very existence than the rest who are interested mainly in stuffing their brains with the contents of the fattest tomes.

They are becoming wiser, or are they?

They had impeached Fayose in 2006.

When they tried a reenactment of the absurdity last year, the people refused and said No! They demonstrated their preparedness to die for the one unafraid to die. Thus, they worsted undemocratic elements. At that time, all members of the Ekiti State Assembly were of the opposition. They commenced a fresh move to impeach Fayose this year, when all members of the State Assembly are of the Governor’s party! The Honourable members went public, disavowing inducement with filthy lucre, opting instead for long stretches behind bars or worse! They would never abide by the disgraceful plot to impeach the one that led from the front.

Whatever his political adversaries and opponents mete out to him today or the day after today, (And only what the Lord sanctions can happen to him), Fayose has become a star. He will, like Balarabe Musa, shine over the dulled and dying ends of the political Lilliputians wielding political power tyrannously; politicians in

opposition to the contentions and contretemps that add colour and vigour to democratic culture and texture.

The critical cannot but be sorry for the pathetic lot against Fayose because he is sometimes clad in T-shirts and jeans pants, and rides on Okada motorbikes, and eats in open spaces and bukaterias with society’s flotsam and jetsam. Fayose only borrowed from Fela who, during the 1970s craze for the Mercedes had purchased one such German limousine and used it to carry firewood through the streets of Lagos. Fayose has demystified governance and shamed those that confuse the hood for the monk. He has exposed the ludicrousness of fops invariably turned out in what a wellknown teacher once memorably described as the Garment of Stupidity.

In the sense of embodying free speech, Fayose is currently an Epitome of Democracy. He never shies away from the right to pronounce in mediation of contemporary challenges.

His interventions should keep any true leader on their toes. He has advised President Buhari to shun globetrotting and settle down to some work! He has questioned Buhari’s physicality for the onerous job of directing Nigeria’s affairs. He has condemned the political leadership’s indifference to the marauding massacres

by Fulani herdsmen. He is, therefore, more patriotic than hypocrites and sycophants who would tell a leader that the stench of his fart wafts like lavender.

Only last week, the Ekiti chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) spectacularly claimed that Governor Fayose’s conduct was a threat to “national security.” If they got a chance, they would probably recommend that he hangs.

Since I have written, not about a saint, but on a voice against the crowning of unworthy heads with the halo of sanctity, I align myself with the metaphor of hanging. But, say I, Governor Fayose is not a candidate for the noose. Rather, his official portrait should hang prominently on a wall in the nation’s Hall of Fame.

Mr. Iloegbunam, wrote from Lagos.

an

author,

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

*No fuel here....But this has not stopped desperate fuel seekers from queuing

Desperation time: Some brought their power generating sets to buy fuel.

PHOTOS: Mike Ebonugwo

Fuel crisis of unending frustration and pain:

Conflicting claims of why problem persists (2) Even after Vanguard published last Friday the first part of its report on why the problem of fuel scarcity persists, the suffering continued for Nigerians as they desperately search for the essential but scarcely available commodity. In fact, it can be said that the situation has taken a turn for the worse as reports across the country indicate that most filling stations, including those owned or managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, are presently under lock and key as they have no PMS or petrol to sell.

By Mike Ebonugwo and Michael Eboh

T

HIS is the origin of the problem itself. Normally, they give us allocations, and we go and import. But they gave us allocations and we can’t import because the ones we imported before, we have the Naira, but we can’t find Dollar to buy”.

Kachikwu has since apologised over his contentious comment and has promised to end the crisis in the first week of April. But meantime the unprecedented long queues remained with some motorists spending over 20 hours at the few petrol stations selling the commodity.

Also, unscrupulous individuals, mostly petrol stations owners, have taken advantage of the situation to make quick bucks as most of them are now engaged in hoarding of the commodity and over-pricing. Some of them sell fuel to motorists from their dispensing pumps as high as N250 per litre.

In the midst of the suffering, different reasons had been propounded for the persistent fuel

crisis, but operators and key stakeholders had blamed the crisis on the insincerity and highhandedness of Kachikwu, scarcity of foreign exchange, inadequate capacity of the Nigerian national Petroleum Corporation to handle huge volumes of fuel import among others.

Specifically, Tokunbo Korodo, Lagos Zonal Chairman of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural gas Workers, NUPENG, faulted claims by Kachikwu and the NNPC of increased fuel import to meet the national demand of about 40 million litres per day.

Kachikwu and the NNPC had told Nigerians that the corporation had commenced the importation of one cargo of fuel per day, comprising about 44 million litres of fuel. However, Korodo questioned the claims, saying that most depots in the country had run out of the products to discharge to marketers.

Korodo said: “The way I’m looking at it, the NNPC is the main cause of the fuel scarcity, other stakeholders are not complementing the efforts of the Federal

Government while they claim they don’t have access to fuel.

According to Korodo, depot owners with the product in their facility now engage in rationing, leading to the loading of fuel from the depots dropping to about 40 trucks per day, from about 100 trucks.

“If there is fuel, as the NNPC claimed, why are the depots not loading as they normally do? The Federal Government promised to make fuel available to them. Why are they not giving it to them and sought it out for Nigerians?” Korodo queried.

Continuing, he said: “Kachikwu, being the policy maker, is entitled to his opinion, but what I have seen so far, the situation is not encouraging. “Capital Oil, being the storage facility of the NNPC in Lagos, did not load fuel yesterday and even today, same with MRS. The Minister is just using Nigerians as experiment and we don’t need that.”

He agreed with Kachikwu that the NNPC is presently the sole importer of petrol, but noted that the NNPC lacked the facilities to ensure a smooth distribution of the product across the country.

He, however, noted that fixing the vast pipeline network across the country and rehabilitation of NNPC’s depots in strategic parts of the country would have gone a

If there is fuel, as the NNPC claimed, why are the depots not loading as they normally do?

long way in supporting the efforts of the corporation.

He stated that major and independent oil marketers are currently not importing petrol because of the difficulties in accessing foreign exchange with which to import the products.

He further stated that addressing the foreign exchange challenge and other critical issues of infrastructure, such as pipeline repairs and fixing of the country’s refineries would help address the persistent crisis.

Also, a source in the NNPC said Kachikwu has created widespread disenchantment in the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, saying this is a major contributory factor to the fuel crisis witnessed across the country.

Controversial restructuring The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Kachikwu had polarised the NNPC and majority of the senior management staff, especially the redeployed executives in the controversial restructuring of the corporation are unhappy with his style of management .

Specifically, the source said Kachikwu unbundled the Pipeline Products Marketing Company, PPMC, the subsidiary of the NNPC, in charge of fuel supply, marketing and other downstream activities, thereby, creating confusion as to who is directly in charge of fuel supply and distribution.

The source noted thus: “Prior to the restructuring, PPMC used to be the arm that is held responsible whenever fuel is scarce, but with Kachikwu’s restructuring, the PPMC has been broken into three companies and there is confusion as to who should act or be held responsible in this situatio n.

“The former PPMC chief executive is now in charge of

NNPC Retail, with oversight mainly on NNPC-owned or NNPC-branded filling stations.

These are some of the major reasons why the fuel scarcity is yet to abate and why it is also worsening on a daily basis.”

“Some people here think Kachikwu is confused and does not really know what running a corporation like the NNPC entails.”

In the area of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, a staff had told Vanguard Features that the senior management staff of the Ministry were angry with the way and manner Kachikwu is running the place, adding that their displeasure came to the fore at the last Sixth African Petroleum Congress and Exhibition (CAPE VI) where all the senior officials boycotted the programme.

The staff of the Ministry said Kachikwu and the Permanent Secretary had to order all staff above Grade level 10 to attend the opening ceremony and other sessions of the event so as ensure that the venue was not deserted.

Despite that the event was marked by low turnout, as only a handful of participants, mainly journalists were seen at the programme.

The source in the NNPC further said Kachikwu has to humble himself and engage the services of staff of the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to get their support in tackling this fuel crisis.

Furthermore, some oil marketers said the difficulties faced by them in the importation of refined petroleum products, particularly, petrol,was due to the fact foreign suppliers have blacklisted Nigeria from further business until such transactions are backed with dollar cash. One of the marketers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that marketers owe their foreign suppliers over $1.29 billion.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

$3.8bn FPSO: Customs boss explains Buhari’s passion for first ‘Made-in-Nigeria’ vessel C

OMPTROLLER General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Alli (retd), has described the integration of the first made-in-Nigeria oil services platform, otherwise known as Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, as one of the pride of President Muhammadu Buhari, in his passion for repositioning the nation’s economy.

The $3.8 billion platform otherwise known as Egina project was awarded to Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) in 2013 to build a world class oil production platform in Nigeria with the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), acting as the local content partner.

The Customs boss made the assertion in Lagos, yesterday, when he led top management team of the NCS on a facility tour of the LADOL Free Zone, in Tarkwa Bay, Apapa, where the integration of the world class oil platform is being integrated.

Indigenous owned facility

A

VISIT: From left, Chairman, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Mr. Oye HassanOdukale; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya and Executive Secretary, LSSTF, Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun during the courtesy visit on collaboration between LSSTF and Airtel Nigeria, at the Telco’s headquarters, in Lagos.

US DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

-0.55

$38.23

-0.44

$ 36.34

-0.45

CURRENCY BUYING 196 281.7304 223.2244 204.2305 1.7444 0.3153 273.467 30.3401 52.2416 29.9575 276.1248

SELLING 196.5 282.4491 223.7939 204.7515 1.7488 0.3253 274.1646 30.418 52.3749 30.0339 276.8292

197 283.1678 224.3633 205.2725 1.7533 0.3353 274.8622 30.4958 52.5081 30.1104 277.5336

CBN Exchange rate as at 04/04/2016 C M Y K

Access Bank seeks shareholders’ approval to borrow N100bn

By Babajide Komolafe, with agency reports

doing here. The President is inExpressing delight at the whol- terested more so that you are the ly indigenous owned facility first people that are doing this which has so far consumed $600 kind of project in West million in local content input, Col Africa…and to say that your orAlli observed that for an indige- ganization is owned by Nigerinous investor to take such bold ans, it is amazing!

“With what you are doing here, step amid the risk in undertaking such ventures, the project I have no doubt that government must be appreciated by the pres- will continue to support and encourage you because the sky is idency.

“I have come and I have seen. the limit. Any government will They say ‘seeing is believing’. I be glad to support an entity such will take the message to Presi- as this that will put us (Nigeria) dent Muhammadu Buhari at par with other industrially dewhom I’m sure will be impressed veloped countries of the if he gets to know what you are world.“Not too many of our indigenous investors can take the risk as you have done…I am happy to be here, and the Nigeria $ 123.30 -3.95 Customs Service is also glad that you are gen$2,856.00 -25.00 erating revenue into

$ 14.63

— 21

With what you are doing here, I have no doubt that government will continue to support and encourage you because the sky is the limit

government coffers through your activities here” he said.

Earlier in her address of welcome, Managing Director of the LADOL Free Zone, Dr. Amy Jadesimi, said the zone which has been developed into a worldclass facility from a swamp land, has so far generated about

N16.9billion dollars in customs revenue in the past ten years.

“Over the years, we have done our best in terms of customs revenue generation. So far, we have generated almost N16.9billion as customs revenue”, she said.

Stanbic IBTC tasks youths on early financial knowledge

S

TANBIC IBTC Bank, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, has said that given the highly complex world, financial literacy education should be a continuous learning exercise among students and the younger generation in order to enhance the retention rate and application.

Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Yinka Sanni, represented by the Head, Public Sector Group, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Yusufu Modibbo, emphasized that having a solid foundation in financial knowledge prepares students and young adults for financial independence.

Making a presentation at Government Girls Secondary School, Maimuna Gwarzo, Tudun Wada, Kaduna State, as part of activities to mark the 2016 Financial Literacy Day, Mr.Sanni said financial literacy has gone beyond opening and maintaining a savings

account at a local bank. The growing sophistication of society and the attendant need for customised products, services, and solutions means that customers must be sufficiently informed to enable them make appropriate choices and manage their personal finances successfully, he said.

In addition, as technological improvements have prompted significant changes in the way the financial services market operates, consumers generally must become familiar with the changing roles in the conduct of financial transactions.

For a start, Mr. Sanni said students need to have a grasp of basic money management skills such as living within a budget as well as handling credit and debt, all of which will put them in good stead for better management of finances and future success.

ccess Bank Plc will this month seek approval of its shareholders to borrow N100 billion via a public offering or a private placement The bank disclosed this yesterday saying a shareholders’ meeting on the proposed debt sale has been fixed for April 27.

The bank’s share rose by two kobo to N4.01 at the close of trading yesterday on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE).

Access Bank raised N41.7 billion last year through a rights issue to fund expansion of its branch network and lending. The amount raised was less than the N52.6 billion naira targeted, with analysts citing difficult market conditions Access Bank recently released its performance for the year ended December 31st 2015, which showed 38 percent increase in gross earnings from N337 billion to N245.4 billion in 2014. Interest income and non-interest income contributed 62 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively to the gross earnings.

Non-interest income Non-interest income jumped by 89 per cent to N129.450 billion from N68.429 billion. Profit before tax (PBT) grew by 44 per cent from N52 billion in 2014 to N75 billion in 2015. Profit after tax (PAT) was up 53 per cent from N43.1 billion to N65.9 billion. Return on Average Equity (ROAE) improved from 16.5 per cent in 2014 to 20.4 per cent in FY 2015, indicative of the bank’s commitment to maximising shareholder returns. The bank recommended a final dividend of 30 kobo per share to bring the total dividend to 55 kobo, having paid an interim dividend of 25 kobo per share. Access Bank’s customer deposits rose by 16 per cent to N1.68 trillion, from N1.45 trillion in December 2014 driven by enhanced customer engagementandanaccelerateddeposit mobilisation drive.

Total Assets closed at N2.59 trillion, up 23 per cent from N2.1 trillion in December 2014, reflecting overall business growth.

22 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Succour for erosion troubled Akwa Ibom community

Environmentalist laments indiscriminate disposal of untreated sewage into Bayelsa creeks PAGE 25

PAGE 25

opportunity to go to school since then, and continued doing menial jobs to survive, which I am still doing.”

VOL. 1: No. 86

TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

On his decision to return to school at his old age, he said “I realized that without education one cannot do well in this present society. I also do not want a situation whereby someone else would interprete or write for me if eventually I am chosen to hold an office in my community."

Makes a living pushing wheelbarrow Seribor, who also explained how he managed to combine his studies and work, “I am a truck-pusher. After school hours, I go back home to look for work to do, which I have been doing to earn a living. I pay my school fees from there.

I am determined to complete my education because of the pains in my heart. Have come to realise that one cannot do well without education in this society. I do all type of menial jobs for a living: I pack dirt from gutters, I pack sand, clear grasses in people’s compounds and pack soak away faeces in the dead of the night. I am a JSS II student and by the grace of God I will finish from this school.”

60-year-old Adalabu Seribor in uniform

Seribor as a labourer

AMAZING: 60-year old man attends secondary school in Bomadi — I perpetually feel the pain of being illiterate — I do menial jobs for a living

By Chancel Sunday

B

OMADI — "I DECIDED to go to school at this age because I perpetually feel the pain of being an illiterate in this modern world where everything has to do with English and education. I also do not want a situation whereby someone else would interprete or write for me if eventually I am chosen to hold an office in my community,” says 60 year old Adalabu Seribor.

The JSS II student of Izon College, Bomadi- Overside in Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State, who lost his mother at a tender age said C M Y K

though he was privileged to attend elementary school like some of his peers when he was taken to Ekeremor community in Bayelsa to stay with a relation, he however dropped out when he chose to return back to Bomadi due to the strict regime of his benefactor, a magistrate.

This is a true life story of a man, who believes that anything is possible with determination.

Adalabu Seribor, fondly called Oyibo by his community folks told Niger Delta Voice the reasons for his return to school at old age, a decision that has kept many people wondering what he wanted to achieve in school at such age.

Why I returned to school Narrating his life story, he said: “I am sixty years now and the reason why I decided to go to school at this age is because I perpetually feel the pain of being an illiterate in this modern world where everything has to do with English and education. My mother died during childbirth when I was a little boy, while my father was a hunter. I was raised by a grandmother after the death of my mother and later taken to a stepmother when my father remarried.

“I went through discomfort and hardship from my tender age to adulthood. It would

interest you to know that I was so tender at the time my mother died that I was crying for food while she laid dead.

I went through struggles all through my life. I was opportune to go to school at my young age, when a relative, who was a magistrate at Ekeremor in Bayelsa State, took me to his house, but because of early morning beatings due to my failure to greet him when rising from bed, I fled back to my father. I had no

I realized that without education one cannot do well in this present society. I also do not want a situation whereby someone else would interpret or write for me if eventually I am chosen to hold an office in my community.

Future plan When asked what he planned to do in future after school, Seribor said: “When am through with my education here, I will proceed to Teacher Training College because I want to become a teacher. I want to teach and I advised young boys and girls wasting their time and years roaming the streets to go to school. If I can go to school at my age, then why are young people wasting their time and opportunity to acquire education?”

Exceptional courage M r. Christian Agu, a business mogul in the cosmopolitan community, described Seribor ’s decision to acquire education at old age as unprecedented and historic.

He said: “I never believed that somebody of this age will ever dream of going to secondary school, it is quite amazing. I know him and I sometimes call him to work for me. But I never knew he had this determination. I want to counsel young people, who have the opportunity to go to school to emulate him.”

Also, his class teacher, Mr. Edesemi Anesah, said: “my encouragement to him is that he should hold unto his determination. He is the oldest student in the school and my advice to young people out there is to emulate him.”

24 —

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Community seeks govt intervention over abandoned road AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

By Chioma Onuegbu

E

KET—RESIDENTS of Afaha Atai community in Eket local government area, Akwa Ibom State have decried the deplorable state of the Ikot Ibiok road and pleaded with the state government to come to their aid.

Some of the villagers who spoke with Niger Delta Voice said the road had caused them untold suffering over the years.

They noted with sadness that their hope of having the road constructed was dashed when the contractor abandoned it sometime last May. A youth of the area, who simply identified himself as Akaninyere said: “People living along this road are suffering. Cars cannot enter this road due to flooding, so we are calling on government to come and help us. Those living along this road are more disturbed now that the rainy season has returned.”

Also speaking, an indigene of the area, Uduak said: “While we are appealing for help, we don’t want the same contractor handling the road project to return again.

You can see the poor work they did here in the name of constructing a drain. You can see that the gully has started encroaching on people’s homes due to the poor drainage system, so we don’t need the contractor again. We need an experienced contractor to handle this road because of the topography of the area.”

Chairman Afaha Atai village council, Mr. Samuel Udobong condemned the poor drainage constructed by the company adding that it was unfair for the contractor to have done such a poor job.

He said the community had

THE TEAM Emma Amaize, Editor Jimitota Onoyume Samuel Oyadongha Simon Ebegbulem Gabriel Enogholase Festus Ahon Egufe Yafugborhi Emmanuel Una Akpokona Omafuaire Godwin Oghre Tom Moses Chioma Onuegbu Ike Uche Davies Iheamnachor Emem Idio Brisibe Perez Theresa Ugbobu Ochuko Akuopha Barnabas Uzosike Nath Onajoke Chijioke Nwankpa C M Y K

initially protested against the one-side drainage because of the volume of water on the road during the rainy season.

“The initial design of that road was a two-side drainage but I understand the NDDC have not paid them any mobilization to continue the road project. This is just the beginning of the rains and the road is already a mess such that people who own cars in the area now park their cars at the Qua Iboe Church premises along the main road. You can only see motorcycles plying that road.

“The Ikot Ibiok group of village road has been abandoned for so many years and past administrations have been so insensitive to the plight of the people over that road despite several appeals. And the hope of the community that the NDDC has come to their rescue has again been dashed. All I can say is that we are not happy with the situation, our people are suffering because of the bad road,”he explained

In his remarks, the former Chairman of the Afaha Atai village council, Chief Sam Etti, also expressed concern that the situation had deteriorated with the return of the rainy season.

“The road has gone from bad to worse since the contractor abandoned it last year. You cannot imagine what those people are passing through. As a community leader I was told that the contractor has not received any payment to enable it complete the project. So I am appealing that the required funds should be released to the company so that they can complete that road,” he said.

Work not abandoned Contacted, the Community Liaison Officer, Chief Friday Ndioho, described as unnecessary, calls for change of the contractor blaming the delay in completion of the road on a change of national leadership of NDDC.

Beginning of Ikot Ibiok road flooded and overtaken by weeds

Youth lamenting poor drainage construction at Ikot Ibiok Road

This, according to him, made it impossible for funds to be released for the completion of the projects started by the past administration.

He said: “The road has not been abandoned. The contractor is waiting for funds to continue from where it stopped. I spoke with the Director of Projects of the construction company recently and he said that once he receives money he would return to site to complete the work.

“The way it works is that you

are awarded a contract and no money is given to you until you got to a milestone and where we are now we have actually gotten to that expected milestone. We are now expecting money to be able to continue. I have briefed the community on this so the community is aware that the contractor has not been given any money for the job it has done so far. But I want to assure them that the road will be completed, it has not been abandoned.”

Delta poly students groan over incessant robbery DELTA… attacks FINGER OF GOD

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

ZORO—STUDENTS of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro have raised alarm over the alleged worsening security situation in the institution’s host community, citing the rising cases of armed robbery attack on private hostels.

They appealed to the police, men of the various vigilante groups and other security agencies to intensify security surveillance in the community to ensure security of lives and properties.

Some of the students, who spoke with Niger Delta Voice lamented that they could no longer sleep with their eyes closed in their hostels for the fear of hoodlums, who they claimed, invade their hostels between the hours of 8p.m. and 11p.m. daily.

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the hoodlums, a male student (names withheld), resident on Campus 2 Road, lamented that he was brutally attacked by some armed men, who accosted him at about 8.30p.m. when he was about entering his room.

His words: “As I was trying to argue with them, they inflicted machete cut on my back and carted away my laptop, a television set and mobile phone.

They had earlier attacked the hostel close to mine.

“We have been experiencing attacks, but the situation has worsened lately. We are begging the security agencies to come to our aid because it is no longer safe to live in some of these hostels.”

A female victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said robbers had been terrorizing their hostels and that some of them were raped in the process.

“It was a painful experience; they asked me to give them money, my phone and my laptop.

When I told them I didn’t have any of these things, one of them, took me to my toilet and the three of them raped me,” she said as tears dropped from her eyes.

Some students, who were robbed in one of the hostels at Erovie quarter of the community said the unknown gunmen numbering five, arrived the hostel in a car, carrying guns, daggers, battle axe and four school bags.

“They came and raped two girls in this hostel and took away all our phones, laptops where we were charging them. They also carted away three television sets.

This is the first time such a thing will happen in this vicinity.

Throughout last year, we did not hear of anything like this in this area,” one of the girls said.

Contacted, Chairman of Isoko North Local Government

Council, Hon. Emmanuel Egbabor, expressed concern over the recent trend of kidnapping and other criminal activities in the area and assured that plans are under way to address the situation.

Egbabor disclosed that he recently held a meeting with all the security heads, Presidents General and Chairmen of communities in the council area on the need to reorganize and strengthen the various vigilante outfits to enhance security of lives and properties in the area.

“I have ordered them to inject

A female victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “it was a painful experience; they asked me to give them money, my phone and my laptop. When I told them I didn’t have any of these things, one of them, took me to my toilet and the three of them raped me,” she said as tears dropped from her eyes.

new blood into the vigilante groups and take away those, who they think are into cultism and other criminal activities,” he said, warning all criminally minded persons to stay away from the area.

“The government will not take it lightly with anyone caught. We have been enjoying relative peace in this area and we will not sit down and fold our hands and watch some miscreants make our communities uninhabitable for us.

We will fight with all our arsenals,” he said.

Commenting on the development, the Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, Mr. Boniface Ogeleya, said the institution had tried “to encourage students to take advantage of the hostel accommodation provided by the institution but the students prefer to stay in the town.”

According to him: “We always try to monitor the security apparatus installed by the owners of the private hostels in the community and if the security measures are found to be insufficient, we proscribe such places.”

On his part, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Ozoro division, Mr. Paul Ibegbu, said his men are working round the clock to bring the nefarious activities of the hoodlums to the barest minimum.

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 25

Environmentalist laments indiscriminate disposal of untreated sewage into Bayelsa creeks BAYELSA…

GLORY OF ALL LANDS

By Samuel Oyadongha

O

POLO-EPIE – A NIGER Delta activist and Head, Bayelsa Field Coordinator of Environmental Rights Action (ERA), Mr. Alagoa Morris has expressed concern over the indiscriminate dumping of sewage/toxic chemicals in swamps and bodies of water along the Opolo-Epie axis of Yenagoa, some distance away from the state refuse dump site in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

He lamented that the development not only poses a health risk to residents of the area but is also a threat to the already fragile environment.

Morris, who spoke with Niger Delta Voice described as crude and unacceptable the continued discharge of untreated sewage into the environment.

His words: “The act is unacceptable as it is too crude, environmentally retrogressive and poses serious health risk to our people. Not only is raw sewage discharged into the environment there, drilling fluid/ liquid from oil company facilities/sites are also disposed there.

“The health risk it poses to

By Tom Moses

A

TAN OFFOT INDIGENES of Atan Offot, Uyo, the Akwa-Ibom State capital who fled the community last year in the wake of the threat to their homes caused by flooding and gully erosion have commended the state government for coming to their rescue.

Niger Delta Voice (NDV) gathered that the community had for long been cut off from the rest of the state due to the terrible condition of its access road until the recent intervention by the Governor Emmanuel Udom led administration.

In an interview with NDV, Mrs. Rose Akpan, a businesswoman, expressed gratitude to the state government for commencing construction work on the link road to the community and for also filling the deep craters, which for long had threatened the foundation of several homes.

“I am very happy with this government because Atan Offot was not only neglected by the previous administrations but also cut off from the rest of Uyo Local Government by gully erosion.

C M Y K

Illegal disposal of untreated sewage

the people is too high, considering the fact that what is disposed there gets directly into our swamps, rivulets and creek and, the fact that our people drink directly from the environment; besides the effect on aquatic lives and plants.”

According to him, “there

are no approved sewage dump sites causing sewage truck operators dump sewage indiscriminately; sometimes with the approval of some unscrupulous community folks.

“One community where this has been going on is Opolo-Epie, at locations not far from the state

government’s refuse dump site along the TombiaAmassoma road. And, the untreated sewage and other liquid chemicals (even crude oil) are dumped into swamps and other flowing bodies of water in the environment.”

Morris added: “some of the plants around also showed the negative impact,

as some are either dead or dying. No doubt, since our people fish in such swamp/ bodies of water within their environment, drink and use the water for other domestic uses; this poses a great health and livelihood concern. Sadly, the act is done with impunity, in broad day-light and on major roads used by the public.”

The environmental activist, who stressed the need for sewage treatment and approved dump sites in the state urged the relevant agencies of the state and local government to take immediate steps to investigate and halt the assault on the environment by sewage truck operators in the state.

“The state government should, without delay; take steps to construct sewage treatment plants at sites to be approved for supervised dumping/disposal of sewage in our environment,” he noted.

He recalled that it was based on the health implications and aesthetic concerns that ERA had earlier condemned the act and went ahead to advocate the establishment of a proper sewage treatment and disposal site by government.

“Sewage needs to be disposed of only at such approved site, and undergo treatment before finally discharged into the environment harmlessly.

Although it would cost the government much to do the needful, on the long run it would also generate revenue as sewage disposal contractors must pay before disposing at the site. Even the special deltaic nature of our environment makes this demand a must,” he declared.

Succour for erosion troubled Akwa AKWA IBOM… Ibom community LAND OF PROMISE

Succour for erosion-troubled community in Akwa Ibom

“This road was so bad that even bicycle could not ride on just as we could not walk freely. We had to construct wooden bridges from our houses for easy movement.

It was a terrible situation.

“Our farms too were destroyed by the gullies and flood. That is why we are extremely happy with Governor Udom Emmanuel and the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang for coming to our aid.

“Through their intervention, the grace of God has now come to us and we now have a road to link our homes,” Mrs. Akpan noted.

Also speaking, Mrs. Veronica Sunday Ben said: “To walk on this road was a difficult task. So, I thank our governor for constructing this road for us. It has given us a sense of belonging.”

But the state

Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang reiterated the preparedness of the state governor to respond promptly to challenges facing every community in the state in line with his promise to the people to bring the dividends of democracy to their door step.

Inyang also commended the seriousness of the contractors handling the road project and expressed the

hope that the project would be completed on time.

“At the end of the contract, you will have drainage on both sides of the road. There is provision for solar light panels from the beginning to the end of the 6.4 kilometre road.

“What we are trying to do is improve our environment such that in a short while, anywhere you live in AkwaIbom, you are as good as living in Uyo metropolis or Uyo City Centre and this will bring development closer to our people.

“This will also allow investors coming to have lots of options and people can decide to leave the Uyo City Centre and buy land anywhere and benefit from the same quality of infrastructure available at Ewet Housing or anywhere else,” the commissioner said and thanked the people of the community for their appreciation and support for the government.

26 — Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

FLAG-OFF CEREMONY AND UNVEILING OF THE NEW CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, TAGGED ‘FAST TRACK 90,' AT EVENT CENTRE, ASABA

From left: Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Sir Dan Okenyi, Commissioner for Lands, and Mr. Obayemi Oladipo, MD, Queens Bridge Capital Investment Limited. Photos: Nath Onojake

From right, Mr. Obayemi Oladipo, GM, Queens Bridge Capital Investment Limited, Sir Dan Okenyi, Commissioner for Lands, Delta State and Governor Okowa, and an official watching.

Bayelsa State governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (left), commiserates with his Ebonyi State counterpart, Engr. Dave Umahi (right), over the demise of his mother, Deaconess Margaret Umahi, while the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff (middle), looks on, during the Christian wakekeep/lying in state of the late mother of the Ebonyi State governor, at his country home Agu-Ugwu, Umunaga-Uburu, Ebonyi State.

C M Y K

From left, Governor Okowa, Mr. Obayemi Oladipo, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, Deputy Governor, and Chief Edwin Uzor, Chairman, PDP, Delta State

From left, Engr .Blessing Enamuotor, Director, Central, Engr. Frank Enekorogha, Director-General, and Engr. Smart Emeka, Director, North, during the inspection of roads rehabilitation in Asaba by Delta Direct Labour Agency, DLA.

From left, Ag. Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Dr. Victor Osiatuma; Consultant to the committee, Dr. Rukewe Ogumba; Chairman of the committee, Senator Lanre Tejuosho; Member of the committee, Senator Gbolahan Dada, and Clerk of the committee, Mr. Angolo Danladi

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—27

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Marketers need $825.2m to import petrol •As NPMC blames power crisis for lingering fuel shortages •Assures of product availability

By Clara Nwachukwu, Victor Ahiuma-Young, Sebastine Obasi & Prince Okafor

A

HEAD of the planned support to access to foreign exchange by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and the International Oil Companies, IOCs, petroleum marketers will require at least $825.2million or N164.21billion over the next 90 days, at the rate of N199 to $1 to import petrol.

The amount is based on the second quarter, Q2 import allocations in which the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, approved 58.27 percent for the importation of premium motor spirit, PMS, also

called petrol, for private downstream operators including the depot owners, the majors and independent marketers. Aside from what the 41.73 percent NNPC is bringing in, at 40 million litres daily estimated national consumption, the private operators will have to bring in excess of 2.1 billion litres or 58.27 percent over the next 90 days to end the lingering fuel scarcity.

The PPPRA April 1, Template put the landing cost for petrol at $527.52/MT. This means that NNPC and the IOCs will have to find ways and means to make available this amount to marketers to import 2.1million metric tonnes, MT of petrol in Q2.

Power outage: The development comes as the National Petroleum Marketing Company, NPMC, attributes the cause of the continued fuel shortages to the increasing power outage. Power outage has been at its worse in the last week, with Nigeria experiencing total systems collapse on Friday as generation output was nil for several hours, which the Transmissions Company of Nigeria, attributed to “tripping of Osogbo/Ihovbor and Ihovbor/ Benin 330kV transmission lines.”

NPMC’s Executive Director, Marketing, Mr. Justin Ezeala, told Vanguard in Lagos: “The only possible explanation for the

persistent long queues at the filling stations is that there is no power. Many Nigerians, especially in Lagos, are using the fuel not just for their vehicles but also to power there generators.”

Ezeala argued that based on the increase in truck loading, the queues should have thinned out by now, saying, “For Lagos, in the past we used to do like 200 trucks a day, but now we do up to 300 trucks daily, just like in Abuja we used to do between 120 and 150 truck but now do 200 daily.

This means the product must be going somewhere; we all know how terrible the power situation has been in the last couple of weeks. This is why you see people

queuing for petrol with their generators or generator tanks.”He insisted that NNPC/NPMC is committed to meeting the Minister’s target to end the fuel shortages by April 7, adding, “We’ve been bringing in one vessel per day like we promised.

Product stock: Corroborating the NPMC chief marketer, the major marketers confirmed that aside from the fuel in NNPC depots in Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt as well as in Misimi Satellite depots, there are about 80 million litres of petrol in Apapa major depots in Lagos.

The major marketer, who spoke in confidence told Vanguard on the telephone, “The Majors vessels will start arriving this week, and additional two vessels are waiting to berth." The major, who expressed shock at the unending queues at the filling stations, expressed happiness that “effective from tomorrow (today) the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, will be deployed to all filling stations in Lagos.”

Access to FOREX: The National Operation Controller of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, commended the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, for taking the bold step to let marketers have access to FOREX. He said: “We commend the Minister for admitting that the government cannot do it alone. It shows that he means well for this country.

Before now, it took months to get FOREX to import products.”

He however cautioned that “only genuine marketers should be given FOREX at the official exchange rate, so as to checkmate those involved in the alleged round tripping,” even as his major counter denied the allegation that marketers use FOREX for round tripping. According to the major marketer, “I am not aware of round tripping when it comes to petroleum products. We operate on very strong ethical business practices. Whether the FOREX is made available

by NNPC or sourced from our banks, we have a responsibility to our shareholders and customers, as well as the government to bring in products. I don’t know about round tripping.”

Labour decry energy crisis: NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday said from all indications, government had no immediate solution to the protracted fuel and electricity supply crises Nigerians had been grappling with.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 29

By Theodore Opara

Kewalram auto assembly plant comes on stream K

EWALRAM Chanrai Group of Companies, an enterprise with global presence and distribution that boasts a history spanning more than 150 years, has inaugurated its automobile manufacturing hub in Nigeria with the capacity to assemble trucks, cars, minibuses, three wheelers and twowheelers.

Briefing newsmen shortly before the unveiling in Isolo, Lagos, the company’s Deputy Group Managing Director, Mr. Victor Eburajolo, discosed that over $4 million has been invested in the new plant which will employ more than 100,000 workers.

Giving a breakdown of the automobiles to be assembled in the plant, which included brand like Foton Daimler Auman truck, Isuzu trucks, Chevrolet cars, Piagio three-wheelers and Hero two-wheelers, Mr. Eburajolo appealed to the Federal Government to address the issue of automobile financing to encourage the fledging local automobile plants in the country.

The new Kewalram automobiles manufacturing hub has been built to assemble annually 12,000 trucks (heavy, medium and light), 30,000 cars and minibuses, 36,000 three-wheelers, and 120,000 units of two wheelers.

The Deputy Managing Director who briefed the press alongside the company’s Executive Director, Anil Sahal and the General Manager of Isuzu Truck, Kaul Gurav, explained that, though things could be tough currently, there is no where in the world that things are smooth all the time.

He said: “There is no where in the world that things are smooth all the time. We suggest that government do something in the area of auto finance if the people must be encouraged to buy new cars,” adding that it was the only way to stop the used car syndrome in the country.

“We are starting with Foton Truck and shall include buses, Isuzu light trucks and in due

From left: Mr. Siva Subramanian, GMD, Kelwalram Chanrai, Victor Eburajolo, DGMD, Kewalram Chanrai Group, Mike Ma, Director for Africa, Foton International, Mr. N.G. Chanrai, Group Chairman, Kewalram Chanrai Group, Mr. Luqman Mamudu, Director Policy and Planning, National Automotive Design and Development Council, at the unveiling of Kewalram assembly plant in Lagos. course, we shall assemble Chevrolet cars,” he stated.

The Deputy Group Managing Director also used the opportunity to appeal to some agencies working against the surviv-

al of the auto policy to support the policy as it has the capacity to create the highest number of jobs for the citizenry.

He said,“we appeal to some government agencies that are

FAW targets service delivery firms with J5 Rigid Truck

H

AULAGE, construction and delivery companies are bound to pick interest in the newly unveiled FAW range of trucks, especially the FAW J5 Rigid truck, which has gained international recognitions as an outstanding product.

The 10 ton payload rigid truck, which boasts 220 horse power, was recently launched into the Nigerian market, alongside other FAW vehicles by Perfection Motor, the official distributor of FAW vehicles in Nigeria.

According to the General Manager, Perfection Motor Company, Adrian Fourie, the truck was built taking into consideration the Nigerian road condition, quality of fuel locally available demands of owners of fast moving consumable goods, among other factors.

With an assembly plant in

Nigeria and availability of parts, FAW Truck rigid has added advantage in Nigeria as the

Automedics, FYD train youths on auto maintenance

A

UTOMEDICS Limited, an auto maintenance/repair franchisor that trains and entrepreneurially empowers or enfranchises its alumni who, whilst in training, display diligence and moral character, have signed an Memorandum of Understanding MoU, with Foundation for Youth Development, FYD. Foundation for Youth Development, is led by Chibudom Nwuchie, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, to train three hundred young Niger Deltans on the conventional and diesel engines’ technologies specialisations of automotive mechatronics.

C M Y K

trying to create bottlenecks to the policy to join hands with the operators to sustain the programme so as to create new job and improve the people’s standard of living.”

The Kelwalram Group Automobile Assembly zones are equipped with pneumatic lines with nut runners, vehicle lifts, shower testing facility and testing equipment required for the vehicles being assembled in that particular zone.

It should be recalled that in compliance with the new auto policy of the Federal Government, Kewalram Chanrai Group started work towards setting up an automobile manufacturing hub in 2014.

Kewalram assembly plant is located at Afprint premises in Isolo, Lagos, covering 10,000 sq. metres of covered area for assembly facilities with more than 6,000 sq. meters of open area for road testing and off-loading of the SKD kits for vehicles for various brands under its umbrella.

The hub has three separate sections for assembling of vehicles and is built to meet the safety and quality standards adopted by vehicle manufacturing units for similar products.

Automedics, which has an existing agreement with a major high-street filling stations’ owners and operators, NIPCO Plc, has promised that the beneficiaries of the programme, who show positive attitude and requisite diligence during the extensive training programme, which will include auto-diagnosis, auto-electrical, air-conditioning and key-programming will be entrepreneurially enfranchised like the youths part-owning and running its branches inside the NIPCO filling stations in Fadeyi, Lagos, and Jabi Upstairs, Abuja.

According to Gbola Oba, Chief

Operating Officer COO, of Automedics Limited, who joined his principal partner, Kunle Shonaike, in signing the MoU, “the one hundred candidates for the heavy-duty class who come out in flying colours already have employers, ranging from heavyduty trucks maintenance/repair companies to marine engines’ maintenance repair firms, industrial-machinery-using manufacturers and heavy-duty power generators maintenance/repair businesses, talking to us to engage them." He pointed out that there’s a profound dearth of skilled technicians in this area of engineering.

customer is sure of having his vehicle on the road throughout the year.

The truck which is competitively priced, can be adopted to suite the customer’s needs such as for water tankers, bottling companies, beverage carrier, construction industry needs as well as other special purpose applications.

With an extended chassis, the beverage company can have between 10 to 20 pallets from the rigid truck which comes with a length of 7.5m, even as the suspension is re-enforced to make it rugged and durable.

FAW’s quick-change brake design delivers dependable high performance in a simple and proven design. Premium asbestos-free brake lining provides superior fade resistance and strong braking power.

The outboard-mounted brake

drums offer superb braking performance combined with lightweight strength and balanced design. Self-adjusting slack adjusters maintain optimum lining-to-drum clearance for maximum braking performance.

Perfection Motors company has opened a befitting workshop for the FAW brand in Ikeja, Lagos and has a network of presence in both the Northern and Southern parts of the country, with an assurance of well trained technicians to handle after-sales issues.

The 2x4 single axle truck boast best in class ground clearance and fuel efficiency which makes it China’s leading rigid truck.

With simple technology which makes it easy to maintain (Euro II emission level), the FAW J5 220 truck guarantee fast returns on investment.

30 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—31

32 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA; Take note that others may break promises made before early afternoon period; that is to say you should not take anybody for granted before 12.43pm.

SCORPIO; Although friends are willing to assist you circumstances may not allow complete help as expected.

9.46am to 12.43pm can be a bit sensitive…..

SAGITTARIUS; Emphasis will continue to be on career related issues. However you will not be wrong if you take matters-of-the-heart more seriously now. Be more loving.

CAPRICORN; Mid-morning till early afternoon period may bring more promises than it can actually deliver; your being clever will see you through. Be very practical.

AQUARIUS; Continue to attach necessary importance to your family values. Here is a day when joint ventures can bring you under pressure between 9.46am and 12.43pm.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

N

OW, the first quarter of the year has gone, examine yourself, find out what you were able to achieve within the period.Did you measure up to your

It’s Never Too Late —1 expectation?In case you do not know whether you have achieved something reasonable, go back to the beginning of

TERROR MUDA

the year , check your record, are your successes more than your failures? If not , what is responsible?Find

in “Never say goodbye”

out the cause of your little or non achievement.Never you make the mistake of saying it is too late.Even if it is only one second left, make the best use of it.Remember, it is never over until it is all over...

By Lanre Kehinde

PISCES; Other people will continue to feature in your activities; that is to say you will need to be as cooperative as reason permits. Watch it between 9.46am&12.43pm ARIES; You will be in good position to consolidate on progress made yesterday. However you will need to watch your mood from 9.46am to 12.43pm.

TAURUS; It is important you don’t take things for granted around mid-morning and early afternoon period so that you will not run into avoidable disappointments.

GEMINI; If you are in position to control your actions you would fare better if you can wait till after 12,43pm before you make an important move. Be family minded.

CANCER; Your being receptive can enhance your prospects but that is not to say you have to be naïve, especially during mid-morning and early afternoon periods.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

LEO; Success is boldly printed on your cards and like yesterday if priority attention is given to money the scope of your success will be wider.

VIRGO; Although things may be happening around you, you are the right person to make things happen and give others opportunities.. Be wise.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What Is My Sagittarius?

Dear Joshua, I want you to tell me characteristics of my Star; Sagittarius as you have done to others.

Marthins, Ibadan.

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Marthins, BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SAGITTARIUS Sagittarius is a mutable sign by its quality. It‘s element is fire, symbolised by half horse half man and/or an Archer aiming at the sky. Mutable means changes and experimentation, while fire is all about enthusiasm, taking of the initiative and leadership ability.

Thus, you are the type that will exhibit strong interest in an important project that catches your fancy and you will not mind to experiment with ideas just to achieve your objectives and aims.

Sagittarius is the 9th sign of the Zodiac that rules philosophy, RELIGION, law, foreign land, higher mind/higher institutions, lawyer, long (distance) travelling, in-laws, future, optimism and bluntness. Major problem or weak points of Sagittarians are excessive openness/bluntness and sometimes fanatical approach to religion.

Being a born adventurer, you are not afraid of exploration and new beginning. Sagittarians are incurable optimist and ever ready to listen to and eager to believe others; you are not an exception.

Honesty is truly in your inner self You are a tolerant person but you are not ready to compromise your FREEDOM Sagittarius as a fire sign can make you a quick tempered person.

Half horse half man as the symbol, of Sagittarius indicates dual (double) personalities known in different circle with different personalities. Yet, you are not a pretender. As the Archer aims arrow into the sky also Sagittarians have many lofty ideas and ambition. But sometimes their ideas and/or ideals are not practical enough for realisation. Many times, they start too many things at a time only to either forget or lose view of their original targets.

Development of practical approach is more important for Sagittarians, this is in order to make success of many of their brilliant ideas, otherwise they tend to become dreamers. In reality, Sagittarians are dreamers (by this 1 mean real dream many use to have at night) and many of their dreams usually come to pass.

Sometimes their dreams are vividly prophetic.

Sagittarians are born philosophers, that is why they have well developed minds indispensable to rare wisdom. Then, you are humorous, lively, sports loving out going, energetic, good hearted, in love with experimentation, ever willing to co-operate, socially inclined, enthusiastic and highly intelligent. As intelligent as you are, you can surprisingly appear fanatical about your believe and/ or views.

C M Y K

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—33

Lawmaker accuses military of brutalising Delta communities E

By Perez Brisibe

KU—A member of Delta State House of Assembly, Evans Ivwurie, has accused the military of brutalising members of some communities in his constituency.

The affected communities, Ovre-Eku and Ovre-Igun both in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, have been in dispute between Edo and Delta States.

Expressing dismay over what he described as the continued manhandling of residents of the communities, the lawmaker, who represents Ethiope East, lamented the delay by the state and Federal Governments to wade into the matter, stated that the matter if not properly handled, might result in the breakdown of law and order in the affected communities.

Speaking to Vanguard, yesterday at Eku, Ivwurie said: “Residents of the affected communities have been deprived access to their farmlands and are consistently being tormented by soldiers who are supposed to be protecting lives and property.

“As the lawmaker representing the affected communities, I have moved a motion on the floor of the state House of Assembly, with an appeal to the state and Federal Governments to call to order, the soldiers who

have been molesting residents of the affected communities.

“The brutalization which my people are undergoing in their own land in the hands of soldiers is unacceptable. I will not

accept it and will stand to defend them at all times.

“The soldiers not only molest women who had embarked on a peaceful protest, but they also assault journalists on duty who were covering the protest.”

VISIT: From left: Gbenga Adebayo, President, Association of Licenced Telecom Operators of Nigeria, ALTON; Kamar Abass, CEO, ntel and Osondu Nwokoro, Director, External Affairs at ntel, during a courtesy visit by ALTON to ntel’s project office in Ikoyi, Lagos.

I'm no neophyte in Edo politics —Obaseki

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—AHEAD of the 2016 governorship election in Edo State, a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has visited the state leadership of the party, informing them that he was in the race for the governorship position, not as a neophyte, but as one who has a clear understanding of the politics and needs of the people of the state.

Obaseki, who expressed his loyalty to the leadership of the party, said he wanted to restructure the party in such a manner that it will help in executing policies and programmes of government for advancement of the state, adding that his mission was to continue with the developmental strides of the Governor Adams Oshiomhole led administration which he has been part of since 2008.

He said: “The reason I decided to join the governorship race is not far-fetched. In the last seven and a half years, I have been an integral part of this administration and I am proud to say that I am also one of the foundation members when the party came into being in the state. I understand the terrain perfectly, both politically and otherwise. I am not a neophyte in this business.

“As you are aware, we have accomplished quite a lot, even beyond the imagination of many C M Y K

because of the leadership provided by our governor and as his tenure is coming to an end, I am sure it is also your hope that we don’t lose all the advantages we have gained to make us the dominant party in Edo State.

“My interest in becoming governor of Edo State is to

continue the achievements which we have accomplished to date. I know the need to ensure we continue to sustain those gains so that we remain the dominant political party in this state.”

Responding, the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr Godwin Erhahon, commended

Obaseki for his visit, saying, “after the primaries, all of us are going to come together to fight the common enemy, so let us not exhaust all our armoury in fighting the battle when the war is yet to begin. We advise all of you to avoid abusive campaigns so that we can have hitch free primaries.”

Nigeria's Head of Service sued over extension of tenure for Perm Sec

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—A group, Rainbow Push Coalition, Nigeria, has instituted a legal action against the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Attorney General of the Federation and Dr. Jamila Shu’ara for extending Dr. Shu’ara's tenure as Permanent Secretary after she allegedly attained the mandatory age of 60, contrary to the Public Service Rules in force in Nigeria.

In the suit before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, by their counsel Dr. Ehiogie WestIdahosa, the plaintiff is seeking amongst others, a declaration that the said extension was contrary to relevant laws and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended; refund of all emoluments received during the illegal tenure by paying same back to the Federation Account.

The plaintiff also wants the court to direct the Attorney General to ensure compliance with the judgment of the court when delivered.

The action which was commenced by originating summons is supported by an

affidavit of many paragraphs sworn to by Benjamin Agbenyo, of Rainbow Push Coalition, Nigeria and a written address in support of the reliefs claimed by the plaintiff.

No date has been fixed for hearing.

Nigeria’s problem, attitudinal —BIU don

N

IGERIA’S problem is not institutional and structural, but attitudinal and there is an urgent need to develop critical institutions, processes, attitudes and symbols that would enable Nigerians and their leaders cherish and embrace the ‘federal spirit.’

This was the position of Professor Andrew Oronsaye, while delivering the 5th Benson Idahosa University, BIU, inaugural lecture entitled The Anatomy of Nigeria's Federalism and the

Physiological Imperatives for Sustainable Development.

The professor of Public Policy and Public Administration said, “The political/ruling class must internalise the moral component of federalism, which is manifested in integrity, honesty, commitment to selfless service and respect for the rule of law.

There is also need for political affiliations to be ideologically driven.”

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Ernest Izevbigie, and Professor Eghosa Osagie also delivered lectures at the event.

‘Okowa, Nigeria's most detribalised gov'

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—CHAIRMAN of Association of Registered Political Parties in Delta State, David Ashikondi, yesterday, described Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the most detribalized governor in the country.

Ashikondi, in a statement, said that the group would soon celebrate Governor Okowa, adding that an award of excellence would be given to Deltans who have distinguished themselves in their chosen professions.

Noting that Delta State was a mini-Nigeria where ethnic politics and sentiment have become “obvious reality of Delta social existence,” he said: “Governor Okowa is of the view that ethnicity should not be an instrument of disunity in Delta State. He believes that the problem of ethnicity in Delta lies neither in the definition of ethnicity as a conscious instrument of solidarity nor as an instrument of socio-political mobilization and manipulation."

Group hails Kachikwu’s resolution of IPMAN's crisis

By Tare Youdeowei

M

INISTER of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Emmanuel Kachikwu, has been applauded for wading into the crisis in the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN. His action has been described as a demonstration of his willingness to end fuel shortages across the country.

Making the commendation, an oil monitoring group, the Niger Delta Indigenous Movement For Radical Change, NDIMRC, said: “This is why we are urging Nigerians to support the Minister who is not happy about the fuel scarcity and we are glad that IPMAN has promised to partner the Minister in the resolutin of the fuel crisis. We want to implore all Nigerians that all hands must be on deck to end the fuel scarcity.”

The group congratulated the minister on his recent apology to Nigerians over the fuel crisis in the country during a meeting with Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream on the lingering fuel scarcity in the country.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5 , 2016

CNPP condemns double pay for ex-governors, ministers Calls on NLC, TUC, others to rise up

APC issues ultimatum to Ikpeazu to organize LG polls

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia State has issued a 60-day ultimatum to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to organize

By Angela Okpe

local government elections in the state and bring governance closer to the grassroots.

It would be recalled that Ikpeazu had expressed the willingness of his administration to organize

council polls, but however, blamed paucity of funds as a setback to the exercise.

As at press time, Vanguard gathered that the state government had ordered the State Independent Electoral

VP Osinbajo to Gov Umahi: Sustain legacies of your late mum

T

H E CONFERENCE of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has condemned, in very strong terms, double pay for exgovernors, ex-deputy governors and others currently serving as legislators in the National Assembly and as ministers in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, describing them as “wicked and insensitive to current national realities.”

The CNPP in its reaction to media report that 21 former political office holders are now drawing salaries from public purse, as serving lawmakers and ministers, after using their various state assemblies to pass laws granting them wide range of entitlements or pension for life as former governors or deputies, expressed displeasure over the development.

In a statement jointly signed by CNPP’s National Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and the Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu and issued in Abuja, Monday, it called on well-meaning Nigerians, the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and their affiliates, as well as the civil society to strongly condemn the double pay for the ex-office holders.

By Peter Okutu

A

B A KA L I K I — Vi c e President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, charged Governor David Umahi and his entire family to sustain the legacies of their late mother, Deaconess Margaret Umahi.

Osinbajo stated this in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State during a thanksgiving church service by the Umahi’s family to appreciate God for the life of their late mother.

The Vice President, who described the late matriarch as a great woman of Christ, noted

that since late Mrs. Umahi encountered Christ in 1971, she remained close to God till her death.

Osinbajo, who lauded Governor Umahi’s performance, prayed God to bless the state.

In his remarks, Governor Umahi described President Muhammadu Buhari and the VP, Prof. Osinbajo as detribalized Nigerians, poised to ensure rapid transformation of the country.

He said the two eminent leaders possess similar character of his late mother, who while alive related with all manner of persons that came her way.

According to him, that was why her burial witnessed the presence of many Nigerian leaders both past and present and commended the President and the Vice for the show of love to his family by attending the ceremony.

He reiterated his support to the Buhari administration and called on all Nigerians to rally round the President irrespective of political affiliation for the unity and progress of the nation.

The thanksgiving service was presided over by the Founder of Dominion City Church International, Rev. David Ogbueli who called on Christians to set their affection on things above rather than on earthly things.

Commission, ABSIEC, to submit to the government what it would cost the commission to organize the exercise in the state.

In a statement by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Benedict Godson, the APC, described the Governor's statement as deceitful and a tactics employed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, administration to continue to use transition committees to administer the local councils.

The party noted that the absence of grassroots government in the 17 council areas of the state have done more harm to democracy, adding that “the last time council elections were conducted in the state was during the first tenure of the immediate past administration and since then, it has been appointment of caretaker committees. This has continued under the present government and that has been responsible for high scale under-development at the local communities."

Garba Shehu deliberately got it wrong on Badeh —CWN

By Starrys Obazei

T

HE PRESIDENT of Citizens Watch Nigeria, CWN, Omoba Aigbegbele, has lashed at Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity for reportedly saying that the former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, “whose own community had been seized by Boko Haram up to three times” used the money given to him to buy weapons to build palaces in Abuja.

“This is a deliberately false and misleading statement by

Mallam Garba Shehu which was calculated to tarnish the unblemished professional reputation of a distinguished professional, who has spent the better part of his life protecting and defending this country from external aggression and securing the territorial integrity of Nigeria,” Aigbegbele said.

“Shehu went beyond the charges against Badeh. There is not a single allegation in the charges against the former Chief of Defence Staff that he built palaces in Abuja with monies given to him to procure arms to secure his community.

“Second, it is quite unimaginable of the Senior Special Assistant to use the scourge of the Boko Haram terrorist to score cheap political points, knowing full well that no one is exempted from the terrorists and their nefarious activities.

Even President Buhari was also once attacked by the same group."

Aigbegbele said the Senior Special Adviser may have forgotten that Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) created the sacred and constitutional doctrine of presumption of innocence.

“It is, therefore, a matter of grave concern that he would make such unguarded pronouncements about a matter, which is currently subjudicial, and to which the former Chief of Defence Staff has pleaded “not guilty.

“This again is a hollow attempt to unduly interfere with the functions of the judiciary, a conduct, which is repugnant to the constitutional principle of separation of powers,” he said.

"Shehu should rightly direct his media and publicity functions to address the increasingly deteriorating plight of the good people of Nigeria," he said.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On Super Eagles ffailure ailure tto oq ualify again ffor or AFCON qualify

F

ortunately, many Nigerians now derive pleasure in watching international football because of bad football administrators.

I hope they will learn their lesson by employing a coach and pay his salaries as at when due. -Mr. Okechukwu Nene, Self Employed

Y

es, it is a shame miss ing two Nations Cup back to back, with the third in 2012 that made it three in four years. The administrators in the Glass House should look beyond personal interests and move Nigeria’s football forward. Miss Chimezie Ezembu, Broadcaster

W

e should stop expecting miracles when adequate planning has not been put in place.

We assemble players within two weeks and we expect them to win all the time. No, not possible!

There is a reason it is called a football team. -Miss Chika Dike, NYSC member

I

t is about time we woke up to reality and stop hiring or recycling ex-internationals to coach the national team. Five African countries like Ivory Coast and Cape Verde could afford world class foreign coaches, why can't Nigeria. -Mr. Samson Robinson, Worker

P

ersonally, I think Pinnick should resign.

Siasia and the boys have done well, but were let down by inexperienced FA body. Siasia would have succeeded if he started the campaign. It is a pity that we didn’t qualify. -Miss Chinasa Akaeze, Soloist

N

FF should be blamed for Super Eagles' failure to qualify for AFCON 2017. Why did they take the match to Kaduna? I am sure that if the first leg was played in National Stadium, Lagos, it would have been victory for Nigeria. -Mr. Chinaza Onuigbo, Self Employed

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 35

Soldiers kill 15 Boko Haram terrorists, capture 6, rescue 275 hostages

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—NIGERIAN soldiers yesterday killed 15 Boko Haram terrorists and captured six of its commanders as the battle to clear remnants of the insurgents continued with another large-scale recovery of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs. The military also rescued 275 hostages.

In a statement by Col Sani Usman, the Army said: “Troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Army Headquarters Strike Group (AHQ SG) accompanied by some Civilian JTF on fighting patrol to Boboshe, Garna, Kyare, Kadawu, Gineba and Ajiri arrested 6 Boko Haram terrorists and recovered Improvised Explosive (IED) making devices on yesterday.

“Although the fighting patrol team found Boboshe village virtually empty, they however recovered eight industrial gas cylinders and five regular gas cylinders at a Primary School being used for IED making and also recovered a Pickup vehicle.

The patrol team captured three Boko Haram terrorists at Kadawu and recovered four motorcycles, three bicycles one solar panel and two liquid herbicides. At Garna, the troops also captured three and recovered seven locally-made guns from them.”

Similarly, Usman, in a another statement said, “Troops of 152 Task Force Battalion in conjunction with troops of Sector 1 of Multinational Joint Task Force yesterday, carried out clearance operation in suspected hideouts of Boko Haram terrorists around Madawaya general area, cleared

an IED-making factory, killed 15 terrorists and captured some weapons. The troops cleared terrorists in Madawaya, Jere, Kardile, Koujili, Ngenere and Maksamari, as well as Douse, Bembem, Zombulum and Taraji villages.

“In addition, they recovered several vehicles and motorcycles.

They also discovered and destroyed the Boko Haram terrorists’ IED making factory at Bula Umara and killed 15 terrorists in the same area. In addition, the troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, four fully-loaded magazines with 7.62mm ammunitions, two power generating sets, welding machines, assorted batteries and

solar panels. Other items recovered include drums of beans and other grains as well as bandolier.

Hostages regain freedom

''The soldiers also rescued 275 persons held hostage by the Boko Haram terrorists. One interesting thing is that, one of the rescued persons gave birth to a baby boy shortly after their liberation and both mother and child are fine.

“The troops have continued with their clearance operations to other suspected hideouts of the Boko Haram terrorists in their areas of operations.

Police order AIG's relocation to Kaduna

Meanwhile, aftermath of the kidnapping and killing of a

Colonel of the Nigerian Army and other security emergencies in Kaduna State, Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase has ordered the immediate relocation of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 7, Ballah Nasarawa, to Kaduna State.

AIG Zone 7 is in charge of FCT, Niger and Kaduna states Police Commands.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole said, “Concerned by the general crime situation in Kaduna State, the InspectorGeneral of Police, Solomon Arase, has directed the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge Zone 7, AIG Ballah Nasarawa, to relocate to Kaduna State for effective supervision of security situation in the state.

VISIT: National Chairman of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTDs), Comrade Otunba Salimon Oladiti exchanging pleasantries with President Muhammadu Buhari, during a visit to Presidential Villa with Petroleum Minister, Dr Ibe Kachikwu (2nd left) over the lingering fuel crisis in Nigeria.

Labour threatens to shut down Kaduna over unfair policIes

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

O

RGANISED Labour, yesterday threatened to mobilise workers, students, civil society groups, market women, among others, to shut down Kaduna over alleged anti-workers polices, among other alleged excesses of Governor Nasir ElRufai.

Speaking through Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, labour said should Governor El-Rufai continue his perceived unfair policies against workers and other ordinary Nigerians in the state, what labour did in Imo State in February 2016, when Governor Rochas Okorocha sacked 3,000 workers, would be a child’s play to what would be done in Kanduna State.

TUC, in a statement by its President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama in Abuja , lamented that all efforts by the TUC, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Joint Council in Kaduna State to prevail on Governor El-Rufai to cease his alleged siege on workers and trade unions in the state had been

treated with contempt.

According to the statement: “As we write, the Kaduna State Governor is compelling workers in the state against their will to choose whether to belong to Trade Unions or opt out of the Trade Union system completely. By his bizarre actions, Governor El-Rufai may think that he is destroying the trade unions in the state but what he is actually displaying is his lack of elementary knowledge of labour laws in the country because even though the law permits the worker to opt out of trade union, it is not the responsibility of the Governor to force him or her to do so. ''El-Rufai further exposed his ignorance when he told a national newspaper recently that he decided to destroy the union in Kaduna State because N2,000 was deducted from a worker’s salary as union dues and that when he multiplied that amount with the number of Kaduna State Government employees, including the local government staff, he came to the spurious conclusion that the union collects N170 million as check-off dues. It

is really a pity that a governor of a state in Nigeria does not know that union dues is not a flat rate of N2,000 for every employee and that there are about 15 unions in the public service of a state that are entitled to union dues based on a rate approved by the Registrar of trade unions. ''El-Rufai even wants the workers to pay tax on union dues deducted

from their own salary.”

The TUC contended that Labour Matters, which included the trade unions were listed under item 34 in the Second Schedule of the Exclusive Legislative List in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and as such the Kaduna State governor has no legal authority to write his own labour laws.

EMIR'S CORONATION: Borgu hosts Gani-Durbar Dantoro, Kitoro III.

By Gabriel Olawale

T

HE Borgu International Gani Durbar Festival will hold April 27th to 30th as part of the coronation of the new Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Dantoro, Kotoro IV. The festival, which was billed to be attended by President Muhammadu Buhari as special guest of honour last year December was postponed on account of the demise of the former Emir of Borgu, Haliru

Gani-Durbar International festival is in its third edition and notably reverberates across the Borgu sister nations in Nigeria and West Africa frontiers of Benin, Togo, Mali and Niger republic.

It is a celebration of the historical and cultural gifts of the Borgu people with a window to creating a tourism economic platform that will empower the rural poor and highlight benefit of Nigeria diverse rich culture as other key cultural groups in Nigeria will also be on showcase.

APC youth leader, 3 others killed in fresh Fulani herdsmen,

farmers' clash in Benue

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI—FOUR persons including the All Progressives Congress, APC, youth leader, were feared killed in another bloody clash between Fulani herdsmen and farmers at Tse Tia, in Tarka Local Government area of Benue State.

Vanguard learned that the latest killing erupted when some unidentified youths in the village allegedly killed two herdsmen and five cattle that were grazing the said village.

According to the source, when the story of the murder got to the herdsmen, they stormed the village later in the day to retrieve the remains of their kinsmen.

The source said: “Their presence in the village enraged the locals and a bloody fight ensued leading to the abduction and murder of two persons from the village, including the APC youth leader in Tarka local government area, Mr. Aondohemba Kasa. ''The reprisal attack was what forced the youths of the community to take over the busy Makurdi-Gboko road for several hours yesterday thereby disrupting the free flow of traffic on the highway.

“They made bonfire on the highway and rebuffed appeals by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Takema Targema who visited the scene to plead with them to open up the highway, insisting that the herdsmen be compelled to release corpses of those they had earlier abducted and killed.”

It was further gathered that after much persuasion, the youths reopened the highway, after the corpse of the youth leader was recovered later in the afternoon by the Police.

Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Moses Yamu said the remains of the APC youth leader had been recovered by the Police.

“Normalcy has returned to the area and the road has also been reopened for use by motorists,” he said.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

TINUBU @ 64: From left— Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila; Lagos State All Progressivess Congress, APC, chieftain, Alhaji Olowu; APC National Leader and celebrant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator 'Gbenga Ashafa, during the 8th Annual Bola Tinubu colloquium on the theme Agriculture: Action, Work, Revolution, as part of activities to celebrate Tinubu’s 64th birthday in Abuja.

GREEN-ME FESTIVAL: From left— Consul-General, Federal Republic of Germany in Lagos, Mr. Ingo Herbert; CEO, and Festival President, Green-Me Festival, Mr. Nicolai Niemann; and Chief Excutive Officer and official representaive of the Commerzbank in Nigeri, Mr. Olaf Schmuser, at the unveiling of Green-Me Film-Festival 2016. PHOTO: Emeka Aginam.

WALK FOR AUTISM

From left— Executive Director, The Learning Place Centre, Mrs. Bolanle Adewole; Service Director, Children's Development Centre, Dr. Yinka Akindayomi; CSR Officer, GTBank, Ms. Tolu Onipede, and Director, Patrick Speech and Language Centre, Mrs. Dotun Akande, during the World Autism Awareness Day 2016 walk in Lagos. PHOTOS: Lamidi Bamidele.

ICAO'S VISIT: From left— General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye; President, International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Dr. Olumuyiwa Aliu; and General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, during Dr. Aliu's arrival in Lagos.

From left— Mrs Tricia Maja; Mr. Akin Maja, owners of Fuzion Fitness Centre, and others at the event.

WEDDED: Couple, Mr. and Mrs Kesiena Gbemre, flanked by parents of the groom, Justice and Mrs Godwin Gbemre (right) and parents of the bride, Chief and Mrs Andrew Irikefe, during the wedding in Warri, Delta State.

Participants at the the event.

C M Y K

NESTLE'S WORLD WATER DAY: Country Business Manager, Mr. Jason Lambe (right); Corporate Affairs Manager, Dr. Samuel Adenekan (3rd left); Marketing Manager (left) all of Nestle Nigeria Plc, and pupils from various schools in Ogun State, during the World Water Day briefing by Nestle and water education for teachers and students at company factory, Agbara, Ogun State. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 37

38—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

•Udom: No one is pointing a finger at him

•Luke: Boosted by vote of confidence from members

Preferred candidate

AKWA IBOM HOUSE CONTROVERSY:

Smoke without fire THE imminent return of the immediate past speaker of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly to the House has set tongues wagging over the prospects of a leadership tussle. Should there be?

By Chioma Onuegbu

W

HEN last Tuesday the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the speaker, Onofiok Luke it inevitably confirmed the speculations over an imminent power tussle.

The controversy over his position appeared to have grown out of proportion in the last few weeks since the state constituency rerun elections which returned the four lawmakers of the People’s Democratic Party PDP who were earlier sacked by the Appeal Court last year. Among them was the former Speaker Aniekan Uko of Ibesikpo Asutan state constituency.

Part of a conspiracy At the centre of the controversies was the speculation over whether Uko who lost his seat as speaker was coming back to reclaim the office of speaker.

The controversy was especially stoked by some PDP chieftains from Uyo Federal Constituency comprising Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Uruan and Nsit Atai local government areas who alleged that the office of speaker was zoned to the Federal Constituency.

In their permutation Luke who is not from Uyo Federal Constituency should step down for Uko. The controversy has been further stoked by the dithering procrastination on the part of the C M Y K

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in giving the certificate of return to the four members who won the rerun election. INEC it was being alleged in some quarters, was part of a conspiracy to delay the return of Uko to the House for the purpose of safeguarding Luke’s office.

It was as such not surprising that the House in a unanimous dismissal of the insinuations last Tuesday affirmed full confidence in the leadership of Luke.

A two-term member representing Ibiono Ibom state constituency and Chairman House Committee on Information Barr Ime Okon described the insinuations on the issue as mere distractions while arguing that the speculations and thinking of some people that the party zoned the Speaker seat to Uyo federal constituency as erroneous.

Rather, he said the position was zoned to Uyo Senatorial District.

The lawmaker equally

explained that Luke could not be readily dropped because he was democratically elected as the substantive speaker last December.

“For people to think that because the immediate past speaker is returning that he is coming to take over the office of speaker is erroneous. You will th recall that on the 8 of June 2015 members elected Hon Aniekan Uko as the speaker of the Sixth Assembly. He did his best and enjoyed the confidence of all of us. Unfortunately the Court of Appeal annulled his election alongside about three other of our colleagues, and they had to

ENUGU:

go for a rerun. Therefore there was a vacancy in the office of the speaker, office of the deputy speaker, and office of the deputy leader “So on December, 21, 2015 members found Rt. Hon Onofiok Luke worthy to be entrusted with the office the speaker. That election I want to stress was not on an interim basis. Onofiok Luke was not elected as acting Speaker. He was elected by the members of the state assembly as a substantive speaker of the sixth assembly since there was a vacancy.

Idongesit Ituen, member representing Itu state

A PRE-ELECTION governorship candidate dispute within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP ahead of the 2011 election comes up at the apex court tomorrow with probable consequences for many stakeholders in the state.

T

A leading elder in the party and former minister of lands, Chief Nuduesse Essien equally spoke in the same direction saying the controversy was unnecessary as he recalled that even at the inauguration of the present state assembly, that Luke had been the preferred candidate for the Speakership of the House.

“That time Onofiok had a good number of members that supported him for speakership.

But because of the tussle, the compromise position was accepted to allow Hon Aniekan Uko to be the speaker. And Onofiok willingly accepted. But at the tribunal Aniekan Uko’s election was nullified and the position became vacant again.

So the members unanimously went back to Onofiok Luke as the speaker. And positions in the House are not zoned to any individual. It is the choice of the members of the legislature that counts. He pointed that with the position was zoned to Uyo Senatorial District just as the governorship was zoned to Eket District.

Echoes from the past

By Innocent Anaba

At the centre of the controversies was the speculation over whether Uko who lost his seat as speaker was coming back to

constituency who sponsored the motion on vote of confidence on Luke said the motion was necessary for the public to know the loyalty, trust and confidence in the Luke leadership in order to put to rest the misconception and falsehood flying in social media.

Even the only All Progressives Congress, APC member representing Urue Offong/ Oruko Hon. Asuquo Achibong was quick to endorse the confidence motion on Luke.

Chairman of the PDP in the state, Obong Paul Ekpo during a get-together-party held on Monday at the party secretariat in Uyo declared the position of the leadership over the issue by endorsing Luke even as he cautioned the media to desist from causing rift among political office holders and heating up the polity.

HOUGH the 2015 governorship election in Enugu State, has been concluded and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi sworn-in, yet there are insinuations that echoes from the 2011 governorship election before it may still be haunting political stakeholders in the state. This is because of a 2011 gubernatorial pre-election case filed by Dr. Chukwuemeka Obechina of the PDP still pending at the Supreme

Court which is due for hearing on Wednesday, April 6.

Obechina was an aspirant who filed a court case who filed a case against the PDP governorship candidate for that election, Chief Sullivan Chime who he claimed was not validly nominated.

Interestingly, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had in its submission also concurred with Obechina that the primaries that produced Chime as the PDP candidate was not validly nominated.

Interestingly, the case has inched through the processes and despite the exit of Chime from office in 2015, the case has yet to be concluded.

Obechina in a chat alleged some suspicious hands involved in trying to frustrate the case.

“The level of desperation to frustrate this case, if possible from being heard, is very worrisome and raises serious concerns to my supporters about my life.

“I am making it clear that should anything strange happen to me, I hold those in government solely responsible as I have no other enemy. They way they are Continues on page 39

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—39

Why Okowa should reject Itsekiri DESOPADEC budget — RITALORI RIGHTS activist, Chief Mrs. Rita Lori-Ogbebor in this interview calls on Delta State governor, Sen Ifeanyi Okowa not to append his signature to the budget of Delta State Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission prepared by the representatives of the Itsekiri ethnic group on the board of the commission. She noted that any budget without the input of the Itsekiri people, would only promote the interest of a privileged few.

By Charles Kumolu

I

T is understood you are against the budget as prepared by DESOPADEC? This budget, I learnt is ready to go before the governor and then it will go to the House of Assembly. Let me talk about the Itsekiri nation.

We have our representatives there, who did they talk to? I am a chief and know everything about Itsekiri land, I know the people, I know the areas and who did they talk to before submitting this budget?

What have they submitted?

About three months ago, the Olu formed a council called the Olu-in-Council which is the highest body in Itsekiri land.

We are here; we did not hear anything from our representatives.

they never told anyone what the budget contains. Today, the situation in the riverine areas is getting worse. The thought of it makes me sad. These people have no conscience and that is why I am constantly reminding them that there is God. If you take, you must give. How can you see your own human being suffering in the midst of plenty?

That is why I keep talking about it. I want the governor to send the budget back. Other ethnic groups can tolerate their representatives if they act like that, we the Itsekiri cannot tolerate that.

We the Itsekiri want to see that budget that the so called people who they chose as our representatives prepared. We didn’t choose them. I am now asking the governor, who chose

Situation in riverine areas These boys just rushed and put things together to benefit themselves. And they are now taking it to the governor before it will go to the House of Assembly. The House will take their cut, and then the remaining will go into their pockets because nobody knew what they put in the budget.

When that is done they cannot be challenged because

ENUGU:

We the Itsekiri want to see that budget that the so called people who they chose as our representatives prepared. We didn’t choose them

them to return this budget to the people. Let there be a town hall meeting where all the communities will sit and decide what they want to do in line with the immediate needs in their communities after which it will be ratified by the Oluin-Council after which we will now send it to the House of Assembly.

I don’t want to battle him (Okowa) that is why I am telling him now to do good things for us. He asked for our votes and we gave him, now we want him to use the money accruable to us and develop our areas. If the budget is not returned, I will go to court because our people are suffering.

Echoes from the past

Continues from page 38 going about this case is not noble and certainly outside the dictates of sustainable democracy. My only hope is in the Almighty God and on the fact that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, a man of great simplicity and a legal icon of impeccable character, will lead our highly respected and equally impeccable Justices of the Supreme Court to boldly deliver justice to this case without fear or favour not minding whose horse is gored, as always shown in the past track records of their judgements.”

However, lawyers remain divided on the relevance of the case given that Chime has finished his term in office.

Some argue that once four C M Y K

•Lori-Ogbebor: They drive Rolls Royce on bad roads

•Chime: His 2011 candidacy still in dispute! years had lapsed and another general election held, a preelection case on it becomes academic. Among lawyers who hold this view is Mr. C. Egwu, who argued that ‘’a pre-election

case in court becomes academic once a period of four years lapses and another person is elected into same office through a general election. This is because the office under which the appellant seeks to serve has become spent.”

However, another lawyer Mr. Henry Osigbemhe, differed saying that pre-election cases in courts are not time barred depending on the relief and office being sought in the court.

Noting Section 64(1) of the 1999 Constitution which stipulates a four year period within which the Senate and the House of Representatives shall stand dissolved, he affirmed that the same was not applicable to executive offices.

“Senators are merely elected to secure seats in the House. Thus if a person has a senatorial pre-

Before now did the representatives of the Itsekiri ethnic group on the board of DESOPADEC ever have any interface with your people?

There was nothing of such because they believed they were appointed by the PDP government, so they had nothing to do with the Itsekiri people. They even said that the Itsekiri did not appoint them to the board.

There was a case of money that was taken during Christmas. The money was allocated to the ethnic group but they said it was PDP’s money. I don’t know whether the PDP produces anything.

That was how the money vanished and that is not

election case and the suit is not determined and four years lapses from the date of the first sitting of the Senate, then the term of office upon which he was elected, if he wins the case, has lapsed as the Senate has been dissolved,” he argued.

He added that “pre-election suits for the president and governors are not time barred as the Constitution donated the tenure of office to their lawfully elected individuals and not to the parties that sponsored them and not also to the House that has a fixed life span. Besides, the Constitution further made the date for the taking of their Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office indeterminate.

But the pre-election cases for Senators, House of Representatives and State Assembly members and Area Council Chairmen in FCT are time barred if the House is dissolved and the relief sought

acceptable.

There are claims that some chiefs in the region also shortchange their subjects in terms of the funds accruable to the oil communities.

The answer is no. I am a chief and we work together. Most of these chiefs travel to Warri from their various places There is the Warri Council of Chiefs which I am a member. There is no chief collaborating with them.

It is important to state that the chiefs don’t receive anything from these people because our service is selfless.

We are only concerned about how to better the lives of our people. My service to my people is free and all the chiefs too.

When the Olu of Warri was hosted by the Itsekiri when he visited Lagos recently, the monarch remarked that those embezzling funds meant for community development should desist from such; can you comment further on that?

Before the Olu came to the throne, he was part and parcel of his people. So he knows the challenges confronting his people.

Non existing projects He is asking them to desist from doing so. And I am saying the same thing because the step they have taken on the budget is their usual step which is by fraudulently putting non existing projects into the budget.

When such budgets are approved, same projects keep reflecting in subsequent budgets. It is good that the Olu is aware. We all are saying that they should not go and misrepresent us when they have never spoken to us. So, I am waiting for the governor to return the budget proposal to us. in court is only political and does not include civil damages. It will constitute great havoc to lump the provisions of sections 64(1), 105(1), 180(2) and 135(2) of our Constitution together and interpret them as if same provision. Such interpretation shall seriously violate the provisions, contents and the spirit of the Constitution.

“The problem is that many people do not take pains to read our Constitution and see the different provisions for the various elective office holders in our country and thus tag all preelection cases as time barred once another general election is held.

Unfortunately too, a pre-election case involving presidential or gubernatorial election has not come up, after another general election, to the Supreme Court for an interesting and vibrant constitutional debate.

40 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Nigerite breathes life into old buildings with Solo Xtra

By Kingsley Adegboye

N

Construction site

2016 BUDGET: QSRBN asks FG to develop templates for building costs •Says weak institutions cannot deliver good governance

By Chris Ochayi

T

HE Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria, QSRBN, has said that there is urgent need to develop templates for determining costs of building projects in the country if the implementation of the 2016 budget is to be felt in the construction industry.

President of QSRBN, Mallam Husaini Dikko, who disclosed this at the 2016 National Project Cost Reduction Summit in Abuja, said the templates, if developed, will determine the costs of constructing roads/highway, bridges, railways, dams and other civil engineering projects in Nigeria.

Siphoning of public funds According to Mallam Dikko, “The absence of these templates often places project costs at large and subject to the whims and caprices of administrators and politicians who see it as a loophole to siphon public funds into private pockets. A costing template will provide the tool for benchmarking costs of all types of construction projects across the country. This is a major objective of the national project cost reduction summit”.

He noted that the concern expressed by Nigerians about the unusually high cost of construction projects in Nigeria compared to other developing countries of similar bracket and C M Y K

even developed countries informed the board’s decision to convoke a summit to address the disturbing trend, pointing out that the maiden edition was held in 2012 and it was decided at that summit that the national project cost reduction summit should be an annual event.

“That a project is costly in itself is not a crime because if the inputs in the form of materials, labour, specifications and technology are of the highest standard and complexity, the project will not come cheap. The idea is that given all the indices and factors that influence prices and cost, construction projects should not cost more than they should cost.

It becomes worrisome when substandard works are procured at outrageously high cost.

“Even a high quality project should not cost more than it

That a project is costly in itself is not a crime because if the inputs in the form of materials, labour, specifications and technology are of the highest standard and complexity, the project will not come cheap

should. High cost of construction arising from inflation of prices/ costs, contract padding and other corrupt devices is the major cause of poverty and underdevelopment in Nigeria. The summit is designed to find solution to the irritant challenge posed by corrupt practices and other ignoble tendencies by participants in the construction project delivery in Nigeria”, Mallam Dikko noted.

Good governance He said the theme of the 2-Day summit which is “Good Governance, Value-for-Money and Sustainable National Development” was carefully

chosen to underscore the strong nexus between good governance, value for money, economic growth and development. “Good governance is the common denominator that characterizes the affairs of all developed economies in the world today.

The World Bank has defined Good Governance as “the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for development,” he said. He recalled that while “Speaking at the Anti-Corruption Day, 2013, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon declared that to achieve an equitable, inclusive and more prosperous future for all, we must foster a culture of integrity, transparency, accountability and good governance”.

NIQS holds workshop on building and engineering standards

T

HE Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors NIQS, has concluded plans to hold a two-day workshop geared towards training quantity surveyors on the latest building and engineering standard methods of measurement. The workshop which is the fourth edition in the series, is kicking off tomorrow in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The workshop according to Mr. Jide Oke, Secretary Marketing and Corporate

Affairs, would address all new standards, innovations and methods of measurement in building and engineering construction works, which will enhance delivery of value to clients of quantity surveying services.

Titled “Relevance of BESMM4 in Total Cost Management of Construction/ Engineering Works”, the training workshop will hold simultaneously in Abuja, Bauchi, Benin, Abeokuta, Enugu and Kano centres.

IGERITE Limited, one of Nigeria’s foremost building component solutions company has launched a new corporate social responsibility initiative to deliver brand new, high quality roofing products to selected homes across South West of Nigeria at no cost to the home owners.

Beneficiaries of the initiative had their old rusty and leaking roofs changed and replaced with Nigerite’s Solo Xtra; a newly launched roofing product which comes with all the great features of fibre cement product, with added aesthetics which is derived from its variety of colours and patterns. The product breathes new life into old dingy buildings.

Nigerite Solo Xtra roofing product is a very affordable colored and patterned sheet that meets the building taste of Nigerians in all strata of the society. It was recently launched into the market to offer Nigerite’s customers more choices from the array of products on the company’s portfolio.

Dilapidated roof coverings Speaking about the initiative, Marketing Communications Manager of Nigerite Mr. Victor Jolaoso, noted that in giving back to the community of its operations, the company decided to identify some buildings all around South West and North Central Nigeria which had old, rusty and dilapidated roof coverings.

“These home owners were approached and their roofs were changed to the Nigerite Solo Xtra free of charge in order for them to enjoy firsthand the satisfaction that comes with the Nigerite new roofing product,” Jolaoso said.

The initiative which is part of Nigerite’s corporate social responsibility plan was received with joy and gratitude by beneficiaries at Ikorodu and Ilaro, two ancient towns in Lagos and Ogun State. The Nigerite CSR train is expected to visit several other locations like Ijebu Ode, Ibadan, Ilorin, Ado Ekiti, Osogbo and Akure where many more old rusty roofs will give way for Nigerite’s Solo Xtra.

The company has said that the aim of the campaign is to have the initiative enjoyed across all the sales regions where Nigerite operates and give a sense of partnership to the people in all the communities. It is also aimed at boosting the awareness of the Nigerite’s Solo Xtra product.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 41

Massive data leak in Panama reveals money rings of global leaders •Govts begin probe

A

MASSIVE, anonymous leak of financial documents from a Panamanian law firm

has revealed an extensive worldwide network of offshore “shell” companies including ones with ties to Russian President Vladimir

•Putin: Companies with ties to him were mentioned in Panama leaks

Donald Trump urges John Kasich to quit White House race

R

EPUBLICAN front-runner Donald Trump has said he would easily win the Republican nomination if John Kasich drops out of the contest.

He said the Ohio governor should not stay in the contest because he cannot collect enough delegates to win.

His comments came just ahead of Tuesday’s Wisconsin vote which could reshape the Republican race.

“If I didn’t have Kasich, I automatically

win,” Mr Trump said at a rally in Wisconsin.

If Mr Trump loses the primary contest on Tuesday, as the polls suggest, it is far less likely he will have the allimportant 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination.

Delegates represent their states at the party’s convention and are accumulated by the votes in each state.

Currently, Mr Trump has 735 delegates, Texas Senator Ted Cruz 461 and Ohio Governor Mr Kasich 143.

EU begins shipping migrants to Turkey

A

CONTROVERSIAL European Union plan to curb migration and smash smuggling rings in Turkey began Monday as 202 migrants from two Greek islands were piled onto boats and shipped back to Turkey.

Under heavy security, authorities on the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios deported people from 11 nations - the first in a plan that has drawn

strong criticism from human rights advocates but is seen by some European nations as the only way to resolve the continent’s migration crisis.

The first vessel from Lesbos was escorted into the Turkish port of Dikili by the Turkish coast guard as a helicopter hovered overhead. The migrants were taken to red-andwhite tents for registration and health checks.

U.S. transfers two Libyans to Senegal from Guantanamo prison

T

WO Libyans held for years at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been flown to Senegal forresettlement,thePentagon said on Monday, the latest move in President Barack Obama’s final push to close the facility.

The two men were the first of a group of about a dozen who are expected to be transferred in coming weeks to at least two countries that have agreed to take them, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of

anonymity.

With the latest departures, there are now 89 prisoners at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo.Mosthavebeen held without charge or trial for more than a decade, drawing international condemnation.

Obama, who in February presented Congress with a long-delayed plan for shuttering the prison, is seeking to make good on his long-time pledge before he leaves office in January. But he facesstiffoppositionfrommany Republicanlawmakers,aswell as some fellow Democrats.

Putin — that allow the wealthy to hide their assets from taxes and, in some cases, to launder billions in cash, a German newspaper alleges.

The documents, combed through in the past year by hundreds of journalists worldwide, show links to 72 current or former heads of state, including dictators accused of looting their own countries.

The data reveal details of secret offshore companies linked to families and associates of Egypt’s former president Hosni Mubarak, Libya’s former leader Muammar Gaddafi and Syria’s president Bashar Assad, among others. Also included: Ian Cameron, the late father of British Prime Minister David Cameron.

The elder Cameron died in 2010.

It also alleges a billiondollar money-laundering ring run by a Russian bank tied to associates of Putin.

The bank allegedly channeled money through offshore companies, two of which were officially owned by one of the Russian president’s closest friends.

“I think the leak will prove to be probably the biggest blow the offshore world has ever taken because of the extent of the documents,” said Gerard Ryle, director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ), a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., which coordinated the reporting.

The cache is larger than the one leaked in 2013 by former CIA employee Edward Snowden — who tweeted on Sunday that the “Biggest leak in the history of data journalism just went live, and it’s about corruption.”

ICIJ said as much as $2 billion has been secretly shuffled through banks and shadow companies linked to Putin’s associates, and that the bank has been instrumental in building a network of offshore companies.

The “Panama Papers” cover a period from the 1970s to December 2015.

Sueddeutsche Zeitung, a Munich-based newspaper, obtained the trove of documents more than a year ago from an anonymous source tied to the firm Mossack Fonseca.

M e a n w h i l e , governments across the world began investigating possible financial wrongdoing by the rich and powerful on Monday after a leak of four decades of documents from a Panamanian law firm that specialized in setting up offshore companies.

Gunfire rattles Congolese capital after disputed polls

G

U N B AT T L E S rocked the capital of the Congo Republic on Monday, shattering a relative calm that had followed President Denis Sassou Nguesso’s reelection in a disputed poll last month.

Fighting erupted in the southern part of Brazzaville, with heavy fire in opposition bastions between troops and unidentified assailants sending thousands of residents fleeing, AFP news agency reported.

AFP reporters saw streams of people panicked

by the gunfire heading north away from districts loyal to the opposition, which is contesting President Nguesso’s recent re-election.

According to several witnesses, the crackle of automatic gunfire began after 2:00am local time (0100 GMT) in Makelekele and Mayana districts, and continued without stop until dawn.

Several explosions were heard and two police stations reportedly torched in the restive run-down districts, strongholds of the

opposition.

Following the violence, hundreds of police and troops, some in armoured vehicles, fanned out across the city’s southern areas and threw up roadblocks on the main road between the south and the city centre.

The reason for the clashes was not immediately clear, but government spokesman Thierry Moungalla told Reuters news agency that former members of a militia that fought President Nguesso in a 1997 civil war were behind the violence.

•Nguesso's re-election in a disputed poll last month resulted in gun battles that rocked the capital of the Congo Republic yesterday

Five-year-old becomes latest Ebola victim in Liberia •As S/Leonean survivors protest

A

SECOND case of Ebola has been confirmed in Liberia just months after the country had been declared free of the disease, according to health officials.

The five-year-old son of a 30-year-old woman who died on Thursday has now been taken to a treatment centre in Monrovia, Tolbert Nyenswah, the country’s

deputy health minister, said on Sunday.

“We are investigating in both Guinea and Liberia how she entered,” he said.

“But knowing the porous border we are not surprised.

She entered Liberia before getting sick or manifesting signs and symptoms.”

Authorities are now checking everyone the woman was in contact with

and 10 health care workers from the hospital where the woman was treated are also under observation.

The woman, who died on arrival at the hospital on Thursday, had travelled with three of her children.

Meanwhile, survivors of Ebola held a protest across Sierra Leone over what they called lack of government care.

Indonesia holds exhibition in Abuja

I

NDONESIAN Trade Promotion Centre, ITPC, in partnership with Dexa Medica and the Embassy of Republic of Indonesia Abuja is showcasing all Indonesian exporters from April 5 to 7, 2016.

The exhibition is the first of its kind and aimed at showcasing various Indonesian brands from several industries like food, beverages, drugs, medical andagricultureamongothers in Nigeria.

The exhibition is free to the public and will entertain visitors from both private and public sectors of the nation.

Dexa Medica, a leading

pharmaceutical company under the distributorship of Orange Drugs and CHI Pharmaceutical will be showcasing its flagship brand, Boska.

The exhibition will also serve as an opportunity for the public to interact with Dexa Medica exhibitors on their products.

South African ruling party in crisis talks over Zuma scandal

S

OUTH Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party held crisis talks on Monday to discuss the fallout from a court ruling last week that President Jacob Zuma flouted the Constitution, triggering

calls for him to resign.

The ANC backed Zuma, 73, after the Constitutional Court rebuked him for ignoring Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s order that he pay back some of the $16 million spent on upgrading his private Nkandla home.

42—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016

Boost your immunity, longevity through fasting

By Sola Ogundipe

G

OOD news for those that love fasting. There is now scientific proof that starving yourself each day, or a few days of the week is a good thing.

Evidence already abounds that timed periods of fasting are beneficial and can boost immunity and control intestinal inflammation.

Fasting for health reasons for upwards of six to 24 hours at a time has become increasingly popular especially in the fitness world. But it’s not a new trend—fasting has been around for centuries, even Hippocrates used fasting as a means of promoting weight loss.

Fasting alters body mechanisms for the better, says Dr. Courtney Peterson, an Assistant Professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Centre.

"Fasting lowers levels of inflammation and puts the body into repair mode. Production of antioxidant enzymes increases, and that helps repair and recycle cells."

Traditional medicine Researchers from Emory University Atlanta, USA, say that “Caloric Restriction" in the form of fasting has been used in traditional medicinal practices such as homoeopathy, naturopathy, ayurveda for treating various ailments.

The research team found a mechanism of body’s ability to adapt to nutrient scarcity. They noted that limiting nutrients could be a great booster of vaccine-induced immunity and protective of intestinal inflammation.

They identified a gene, whose activation in key immune cells was found to be a sign of a robust, protective immune response.

The gene, GCN2, General Controlled Nonrepressedkinase, which is a known metabolic sensor involved in sensing amino acid starvation and found to regulate the process of autophagy, a response to starvation or stress within cells. The results were published in the journal ‘Science’ earlier.

Fasting has become increasingly popular over the years, and many people are becoming more aware that eating less does have incredible benefits when used sensibly.

Longevity For instance, it is fact that the less you eat the longer you will live. Studies show how the lifespan of people in certain cul-

tures increased due to their diets. A primary effect of ageing is a slower metabolism, a younger body metabolises faster and more efficiently, so the less less older persons eat, the less toll on their digestive system.

Weight loss: Intermittent fasting can be a safe way to lose weight because it allows the body to burn through fat cells more effectively than just regular dieting.

Intermittent fasting allows the body to use fat as it’s primary source of energy instead of sugar. Many athletes now use fasting as means to hitting low body fat percentages for competitions.

Insulin sensitivity: Fasting has shown to have a positive effect on insulin sensitivity, allowing tolerance of carbohyContinues on Page 43

If only 2,000 people are on dialysis and 17,000 need to be on dialysis, when you don’t get dialysed, you will die

LAUNCH: - From left: UNAIDS Country Director, Dr Bilali Camara, Director General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, Prof John Idoko and Country Programme Manager, AIDS Healthcare Foundation Nigeria, Dr Adetayo Towolawi during the National launch of the popular version of HIV Anti Discrimination Law in Abuja.

NMEP tasks states, private sector on subsidised antimalarial drugs

By Victoria Ojeme

T

HE National Malaria Elimination Programme, NMEP, has called on state governments, philantropists and companies to key into its programmes on funding the recommended malaria treatment drug, Artemisinin based Combination Therapy, ACTs, in order to make it affordable and

accessible.

National Coordinator, NMEP, Dr Nnenna Ezeigwe, made the call in Abuja during an interactive session with newsmen on private sector malaria case management.

Represented by the Director and Head of Programme Management, NMEP, Dr Audu Mohammed, she said: “State governments are also encour-

Scientists worry over Nigeria’s high TB burden

By Chioma Obinna

D

ESPITE progress made globally in the fight against Tuberculosis, Nigerian scientists have raised alarm over increasing new cases of Tuberculosis (TB), lamenting that Nigeria not only ranked 5th among countries with highest burden of the disease but leads the rest of Africa in TB cases.

The scientists who spoke at a symposium organised by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, to mark this year’s World Tuberculosis Day with the theme: “Unite to End TB” called for political will in the fight against the killer disease.

In 2014 estimates showed that Nigeria in 2014 had about 600,000 people infected with the disease and more than 500,000 people infected with Tuberculosis in Nigeria remain undetected and not placed on treatment.

Decrying that TB is treatable and curable if appropriate treatment commenced on time, the Medical Director, Mainland Hospital Lagos, Dr. Abimbola Bolawale maintained that TB is on the expressway in Nigeria.

Bolawale who was represented

by Dr. SOA Adesola regretted that despite the rise in cases of TB in Nigeria, the country seems not to be doing enough in terms of treatment, management and research.

“TB is a headache for Nigerians because it ranks 5th among 22 countries with highest burden in

the world. TB is on the express lane and it is still an emergency in Nigeria.”

Earlier, the Director General of NIMR, Prof Innocent Ujah who described TB as the disease of poverty said TB remains one of the world’s most deadly infectious Continues on Page 43

aged to key into the ACT copayment mechanism for their respective states.

“Philanthropists and companies are encouraged to key into the Private sector Co-Payment funding system, in order to help their states or populations of interest.”

The Private Sector Co-Payment Mechanism, PSCM, is an innovative Public-Private Partnership and financing mechanism, aimed at expanding access to affordable ACTs in eight developing countries including Nigeria.

While calling on the public to insist on paying only N200 for adult dose of 24 tablets of ACT, Ezeigwe urged healthcare providers to advise patients to do a malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) and to treat based on the results of the test.

Group hails Ambode over improved health budget

By Gabriel Olawale

G

OVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state has been commended for giving priority to the health sector in the 2016 budgetary allocation of the State.

Giving the commendation in Lagos, the Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations, NNNGOs, remarked that the health sector in Lagos got about 9.6 percent of the budget which is higher than the 2014 and 2015 allocation of about 6 to 7 percent.”

Speaking during the quarterly CS-Media forum organised by Devcoms Network, the Secretary

General of the Association, Barrister Ayo Adebusoye however urged the governor to ensure more transparency in the implementation of the budget and make copies available online.

Further, he said the distribution of ambulances to all LGAs and General Hospitals in the state immediate after the Governor assume office was a step in right direction.

Adebusoye said efforts of the state government may have little or no impact without the appointment of health authorities into the various Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas, across the state.

“The health authority personnel are an important structure in the health sector. They are recognised by the National Health Act as the body to manage health at the local government level.

He said they supervise activities of Ward Health Committee and health officers and that their time had elapsed, and urged the Governor not to waste time appointing new officers.

Adebusoye noted that the Lagos state government had invested a lot in healthcare which needed to be complimented at primary care level, but it was not happening remained the weakest point.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016—43

LASSA FEVER: Nigeria accounts for 138 out of 164 deaths

By Gabriel Olawale

T

HE World Health Organisation, WHO, has scored Nigeria low in its response to Lassa fever outbreak even as the organisation called for more rapid diagnostic test as a way of preventing deaths.

The United Nations Organisation said that since it broke three months ago, Lassa fever has killed more than 160 people in West African countries with Nigeria accounting for 85 percent (138) out of 164 Lassa fever deaths in the region.

"Since November 2015, Nigeria, Benin, Sierra Leone and Togo have reported more

Boska partners ITPC on Indonesian Solo exhibition

D

EXA Medica, makers of Boska is partnering the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre Lagos (ITPC) and the Embassy Republic of Indonesia, Abuja, to showcase all Indonesian exporters from April 5- 7, 2016.

The Indonesian Solo exhibition is the first of its kind aimed at showcasing various Indonesian brands from several industries like Food and Beverages, Drugs and Medical, Agriculture in Nigeria.

The exhibition is free to the public and will entertain visitors from private and public sectors. Dexa Medica, a pharmaceutical company under the distributorship of Orange Drugs and CHI Pharmaceutical will be showcasing its flagship brand Boska among others.

The exhibition will serve as opportunity for the public to interact with Dexa Medica exhibitors. The Country Business Manager, Mr. Dhanang Anggoro, said the exhibition will showcase the product range with superior benefits to Nigerian consumers.

than 300 cases of Lassa fever and 164 deaths. Nigeria accounts for the majority of the cases with 266 cases and 138 deaths reported in 22 of the country's 34 provinces. Benin has recorded 51 cases and 25 deaths, Togo and Sierra Leone each reported 2 cases.

Without early diagnosis and treatment, 1 in 5 infections result in severe disease, where the virus affects the liver, spleen and kidneys," explains Dr Formenty, expert in haemorrhagic fevers at WHO. "We need resources to invest in diagnostics to easily, accurately and safely test for Lassa fever as we do for malaria and HIV. Without proper diagnosis, many people do not receive correct treatment and that is why there are Lassa fever dying each year."

Scientists worry over TB in Nigeria Continues from page 42 conditions and leading cause of deaths worldwide.

He recalled that in 2014, an estimated 9.6 million people globally fell ill with TB resulting to 1.5 million deaths.

Ujah said NIMR is appraising the progress and challenges that may erode the country’s success and fashion out strategy to sustain the gains made towards reducing TB deaths by 95 percent and TB incidence rate by 90 percent by 2035.

On his part, the Dr Patrick Sunday Dakum from the Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria, who lamented that three million new cases of TB are missed globally, urged the NIMR to intensify research and innovations towards the fight against multi-drug TB.

WORKSHOP:From left - Marketing Director, Pfizer Nigeria and East Africa Region, Winston Ailemoh; Mr Lere Baale; Vice President, Nigerian Cardiac Society, Dr Amam Mbakwem; MD, Pfizer NEAR, Dr. Kodjo Soroh at the 25th anniversary of Pfizer’s commitment to cardiovascular health in Nigeria held at Sheraton Hotel Ikeja, Lagos.

Chairman of the symposium, Dr. Shofola said global TB control strategies which saved 43 million lives in the last 15 years, give hope that the fight can be won.

“In Nigeria, there is remarkable progress in TB control but there are gaps particularly the high TB prevalence compared to cases notified which indicate low case detection, suggesting that coverage of vulnerable populations remains low.”

Fasting Continues from Page 42 drates (sugar) better than if you didn’t fast.

Speeds up metabolism Intermittent fasting gives the digestive system a rest, and energises the metabolism to burn through calories more efficiently. It regulates digestion and promotes healthy bowel function, thus improving metabolic function.

Improves hunger Fasting helps to regulate hormones in the body so that you experience what true hunger is. Nutritionists say obese individuals do not receive the correct signals to know they are full.

The longer you fast, the more your body can regulate itself to release the correct hormones, so that you can experience what real hunger is. And when your hormones are working correctly, you get full quicker.

Detoxification Fasting can help clear the skin because the body is temporarily freed from digestion and able to focus its regenerative energies on other systems. Not eating for just one day helps the body clean up toxins and regulate the functioning of the liver, kidneys and other parts.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

S it okay if one cheats to save her marriage? I ask because I love my family and my husband, but I have been unhappy for a long time. My husband travels a lot. He is never around and I miss sex. I feel so lonely sometimes that I cry at night. It became so unbearable that three months ago I started a sex only relationship with one of my co-workers. The relationship is purely physical and I don’t plan on leaving my husband for him. This other man just fulfils my sexual needs and that’s all – Nonye Dear Nonye, what you are doing might sound clever but it doesn’t make it right. I understand that you are in a difficult situation and I am the first to admit that long distant relationships are impossible. I understand your pain and loneliness. I understand that you are sexually deprived. Unfortunately, cheating is not a solution. It is only a matter of time before your family collapses. There are other options that you can explore such as moving with him to wherever he is working or vice versa. It won’t be easy but at least you will be together. You can also get yourself a vibrator and learn to have cybersex with your husband over the internet. None of this is easy but these are sacrifices worth making for family. But cheating is the worst option. I know for certain that if you tell your husband that you are having an affair in order to save your marriage, he won’t be hugging you in celebration of your genius idea – Uche Please what vibrators for women give the most satisfaction? – Joke Hello Joke, rabbit vibrators offer more to women than all the other vibrators because of their multiple functions of simultaneous clitoral stimulation/ vaginal penetration in addition to multiple speeds of vibration, pulsation and rotation. A good example is the Diamond Heart Rabbit Vibe – Uche I just ordered Power Zen Gold supplement and Dickalicious Penis Arousal Gel from you. I have never bought an adult product before and I was so embarrassed that I nervously threw away the instructions

on how to use. Don’t be annoyed sir but please I need advice on how to use it – Niyi Dear Niyi, that is funny. You are an adult man. Why are you nervous? You have every right to seek the help that will improve your sex life. Relax. Most people go for help when they need help. So don’t be embarrassed.

Power Zen Gold is a male erection supplement taken to strengthen weak erections or to give erection where there is none. It also helps control premature ejaculation and enlarges the penis. For the dosage, take one to two capsule 45 minutes before intercourse. Power Zen Gold is taken every 48 to 72 hours because one dose works for days.

The Dickalicious Arousal Gel is a mild erection supplement that men apply on the penis and then get oral sex afterwards to make it work. You can use this gel whenever and wherever you like. It has no dosage – Uche I used the Dick Plumper Cream for many years. I want to know if I can keep using it just for enlargement when I am taking an erection drug – Obinna Yes you can – Uche Hi again. I finally received the Rhino 7 drug and the other things I bought. I had to go and collect it myself.

The delivery people couldn’t get me because of the numbering of my house address. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I have collected it. Thanks. I have also used the Rhino 7 once and the performance was impressive. Thanks – Isaac You are welcome – Uche Hello Uche. I got the Elan rabbit vibrator. I love it. You rock! - Nancy Uche - Thanks That is all for today. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can now call us now on 08171912551, 08027901621 or 07086754515 for help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com to place their orders. Zee Virtual Media delivers all over Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com- Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

APRIL 5, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 45

46— Vanguard, TUESDAY,

APRIL 5, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 — 47

Okpekpe organisers set deadline for registration of athletes O

RGANISERS of the IAAF bronze label Okpekpe international 10km road race have set Sunday May 1 and Wednesday May 4,2016 as deadlines for submission of completed registration forms for the fourth edition of the race which holds on Saturday May 7,2016 in Okpekpe near Auchi,Edo state.

Spokesman for the race Dare Esan said in a statement at the weekend that international

*Oshoala(8) is mobbed by Super Falcons teammates

Oshoala’s arrival excites Omagbemi

H

EAD coach of Nigeria’s senior women national team Florence Omagbemi has expressed delight following the arrival of Arsenal Ladies forward Asisat Oshoala for Friday’s African Women Cup of Nations qualifier against Senegal.

The 41-year-old insists her side will not rely on individual talents but team quality and has expressed satisfaction with the class and quality of both foreign and home

based players in camp.

“We are not expecting any foreign player except for Oshoala who is currently in the country,” Omagbemi told Goal.

“We have almost everyone in camp and Oshoala is the only one we are expecting. We already settled the issues with those who are not in camp now. She (Oshoala) is in Nigeria already and will join us in camp in couple of minutes. She is being expected just like any oth-

Neymar

with Barca until 2018,’ Ribeiro told L’Equipe.

‘He feels good in Barcelona, he’s loved over there and he’s playing for the best team in the world. It’s no small feat to impose yourself at such an enormous club.

‘But the prospect of living in a city like Paris and to play for a club like PSG - that’s also a dream for every player.

‘We’ll see in two years, when he will be at the end of his contract.’

Continues from B/P

The Brazilian star, 24, has formed an impressive partnership with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in Spain this season and has scored 27 goals in all competitions.

However according to his agent Wagner Ribeiro, the lure of living in Paris may be too hard for the former Santos forward to turn down.

‘Neymar has a contract

er one in the team.

“We already had those from Sweden, France and others in camp. So It’s all about team work as we all have a goal to achieve.

I’m happy she is part of it,” she concluded. In the same vein, the new Arsenal Ladies forward has confirmed her arrival in the country and eager to team up with her teammates at their Abuja camp.

“Yes, I’m around and currently heading to camp” Oshoala told Goal in a brief telephone chat.

The reigning champions will have their final training session on Monday evening before departing the country to Dakar on Tuesday.

The African giants will face the Senegalese opponents on Friday, April 8 at the Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar.

The 10th edition of the continental showpiece will be held in Cameroon with eight teams to play in the tournament scheduled to hold from November 19 to December 3.

Pinnick takes case to Dalung Continues from B/P

ior national football team, the Super Eagles or keep faith with the local coaches.

Already, the NFF President had since signed off any talks about hiring any local coach for the Eagles, as long as he remains at the helm of Nigeria’s football administration. In the wake of the Eagles’ failed attempt to secure a ticket to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after they fell 2-1 on aggregate to the Pharaohs of Egypt in Kaduna and Alexandria, Pinnick had openly declared to reporters, “it’s either a foreign coach, or I resign.”

The Alexandria declaration did not come as a surprise to most followers of the NFF helmsman as he has never hidden

his contempt for local coaches. An earlier statement from him had drawn the ire of many local coaches, including the President of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, Bitrus Bewarang who said the NFF boss was being disrespectful to Nigerian coaches. “What has a foreign coach achieved that a Nigerian coach has not?” Bewarang asked, insisting that, “Nigerian coaches can hold their own anywhere in the world.

In all this, however, the local coaches seem to have an ally in the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, who only recently said he was opposed to the hiring of a foreign coach. He claimed local coaches were not given enough

time to prove their mettle. In a veiled reference to Samson Siasia’s firefighting mission with the Eagles against the Pharaohs, Dalung intoned, “ you cannot assess a coach just after one or two matches. You give him ample opportunity and generate correct data to assess his performance.

Talking about today’s meeting, the NFF boss had told reporters in Lagos last week that he would take his case to the minister where he will brief him on the need for a foreign coach, “He is still sitting on the fence because he is under intense pressure.”

With this contrasting positions, it is expected that the meeting today will be the climax of all the drama.

athletes wishing to participate in the race have until May 1 to submit their forms while local athletes must submit theirs three days later.

‘Entry form and other documents must be received by the deadline dates and entries mailed after the dates will not be accepted,’he said.

Esan also revealed that screening and accreditation of athletes will begin from Thursday May 5. ‘We insist that athletes

must complete the authentic application forms with duly certified medical report before confirmation can be given,’he further said,adding that all relevant rules governing the organisation of the race will be obeyed to the letter.

‘The race has already set an indelible mark as the first to be labelled by the IAAF in Nigeria with the bronze label certification we got last year and which has been renewed for this year.

Hammers target Ighalo EST Ham United Ighalo as the ideal tar- is reportedly valued at W have emerged as get. £15-million, with only a potential suitors for WatThe Super Eagles play- big-money move set to ford’s Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo.

The Sun reports that the Hammers are looking to build on their fine showing in the Premier League this season by improving their squad.

Top of the priority list is a prolific striker and the East London club has apparently identified

er has enjoyed a fine season with Watford in the English top flight, scoring 14 goals in 31 appearances for the Wasps.

Ighalo has also been linked to Manchester United and Arsenal, though those are just rumours at this stage.

The 26-year-old striker

tempt Watford to part with their prized asset.

West Ham already have five Africans in their squad: Cheikhou Kouyate, Victor Moses, Alex Song, Diafra Sakho and Emmanuel Emenike.

Technical Committee Continues from B/P

*Ighalo

Conte Continues from B/P

don on Monday.

The 46-year-old has put pen to paper on a threeyear contract but will not take charge of the club until after the European Championship in France this summer, where he is looking to guide the Azzurri to only their second continental win.

Chelsea have been looking for a long-term successor to Jose Mourinho since the Portuguese was sacked in December, with popular interim boss Guus Hiddink unwilling to take on the job permanently.

“I am very excited about the prospect of working at Chelsea,” Conte told the club’s official website. “I am proud to be the coach of the national team of my country and only a role as attractive as manager of Chelsea could follow that.

“I am looking forward to meeting everyone at the club and the day-today challenge of compet-

ing in the Premier League. Chelsea and English football are watched wherever you go, the fans are passionate and my ambition is to have more success to follow the victories I enjoyed in Italy.

“I am happy we have made the announcement now so everything is clear and we can end the speculation. I will continue to focus on my job with the Italian national team and will reserve speaking about Chelsea again until after the Euros.”

The Blues are unbeaten in the Premier League since Hiddink took over - their 15-game streak is the longest undefeated run in the division this season - and still have a slim chance of qualifying for Europe.

The lack of Champions League football has not put Conte off, however, with the Italian beating off competition from the likes of Copa Americawinning coach Jorge Sampaoli to land the Stamford Bridge job.

recruit a foreign coach for the Eagles in two weeks to ensure that Nigeria qualifies for the World Cup as compensation for the Nations Cup debacle.

But a member of the ‘almighty ’ Technical Committee denied any knowledge that Nigeria would be hiring a foreign Technical Adviser for Eagles soon. ‘’The Technical Committee members are not aware of that request for a foreign coach. The board has not requested or intimated the Committee on that’’, one of the influential members of the Committee said.

Pinnick had said in Alexandria that the Board would meet to deliberate on a foreigner for the Eagles given that there was no chance to waste for the Eagles to maximise all the FIFA windows where they are expected to play quality Grade A friendlies to put them in tip-top shape for the World Cup qualifies.

Another member of the Technical Committee said that the Committee would meet to analyze the ouster of the Eagles first and come out with best solutions on the way forward. ‘’We’ve not met. We need to meet first to evaluate everything concerning the Eagles and their matches and come up with a report to identify mistakes and take positives for the way forward.

Until then, we’re not aware of the search for a foreign Technical Adviser ’’, the member who craved for anonymity said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2016 TODAY’S MATCHES Champions League Barcelona v Atletico 7:45pm Bayern v Benfica 7:45pm

Foreign Coach: Technical Committee not aware

By Tony Ubani

A

S Nigerians come to terms with the fact that the Super Eagles would not be part of next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, the Technical and Development Committee of the NFF has denied knowledge of the search or employment of a foreign Technical Adviser for the Super Eagles.

A devastated President of NFF, Melvin Amaju Pinnick had vowed to Continues on pg 47

...Pinnick takes case to Dalung

By Jacob Ajom

T

O be or not to be.

That perhaps sums up today’s showdown talks between the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick and the Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung on whether the NFF can go ahead and hire a foreign coach for the floundering sen Continues on pg 47

*Dalung

Conte pens 3-year deal with Chelsea

A

NTONIO Conte is the new manager of Chelsea, the club have confirmed, with the Italy boss ending months of speculation by finally penning terms in Lon

*Conte

Continues on pg 47

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

*Pinnick

PSG target Neymar, ready to splash £155m

B

ARCELONA superstar Neymar has emerged as a shock transfer target for Paris Saint-Germain, with the French giants reportedly willing to activate his £155million release clause.

Neymar, who has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United in the past, could

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

arrive in France as a replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

According to French sports paper L’Equipe, PSG are prepared to trigger his release clause by offering Barca £155m in a move which would make him the world’s most expensive player.

Continues on pg 47

*Neymar

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Play about energetically (4) 3 Junk electronic mail (4) 7 Pistol or rifle, eg (3) 8 Communicate via the internet (5) 9 Loud confused noise (3) 10 Presumed landing or docking moment (inits) (3) 12 Espionage agent (3) 14 One of eight types of teeth in humans (7) 15 Copy mimic (3) 16 Fisherman’s tool (3) 18 Have a meal (3) 19 Heap (5) 21 Clumsy dolt (3) 22 Fight between two (4) 23 —— Anise, Chinese spice (4) DOWN 1 Scoundrel (5) 2 Run-of-the-mill, ordinary (7) 4 Pod vegetable (3) 5 — Way, solar system’s galaxy (5) 6 Many-legged creature (9)

11 Gratuity (3) 12 Organise (4,3) 13 Golf expert (3) 15 Pointed at a target (5) 17 Postpone (5) 20 Put into service (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1 Attempt 7, Chandlers 8, Name 10, Etch 12, Marsupial 14, Backing.

DOWN: 2, Tea 3, Ends 4, Pleat 5, Economy 6, Asphalt 9, Maria 11, Bulk 13, Inn.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.