PDP suspends Oyinlola, Baraje, Jaja, Kazaure

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62012

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Kidnappers asked for N100m, I offered N1bn —GUO Motors boss

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PDP suspends Oyinlola, Baraje, Jaja, Kazaure •It's an attempt to circumvent court ruling — OYINLOLA •They're to face Dikko's disciplinary committee •We've not received court judgment on Oyinlola-—PDP •It's abuse of Judiciary, Constitution — Baraje, others

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA — THE cri sis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday got messier as the National leadership of the party wielded its big stick and suspended former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola,

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Confusion trails sack of PHCN •P.8 workers COLUMNIST:

•P.17

Mr & Mrs

POLIO—From left: President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; President Goodluck Jonathan and President, Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Bill Gates; during a meeting on Polio Eradiacation at the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

ASUU divided over 9 plans to call off strike C M Y K

Gunmen attack police station, kill three •P.7 policemen, one other

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

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POCKET CARTOON

REMEMBRANCE—From left: Former Lagos State Governor/ Leader of APC, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu; National Chairman APC, Chief Bisi Akande; Oyo State Governor, Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi; Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao at the 1st year remembrance of former Governor of Oyo State, Late Alhaji Lam Adesina at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

PDP suspends Oyinlola, Baraje, Jaja, Kazaure Continues from page 1 who was last Wednesday re-instated as National Secretary of the party through a judgment of an appeal court sitting in Abuja.

Claiming that it has not received the court judgment re-instating Oyinlola, the leadership of the party said, yesterday, that Oyinlola would face the Disciplinary Committee chaired by

Second Republic Minister of Transport, Dr. Umaru Dikko.

Also suspended with Oyinlola were chairman of the aggrieved camp of the party and former acting national chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje; the group’s Deputy Chairman, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja and National Vice-Chairman, North-West, Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

K

EEP away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great —Mark Twain Michelle Pillow wrote about people who try to belittle others, when they make snide comments to authors like “anyone can write a book” or “well, you did it, so obviously I can/it can’t be that hard” or poke at a book because it’s “romance” or “genre fiction” and act like that somehow makes it substandard because they don’t read it... well, ok, go ahead. Write a bestseller. Don’t forget to go through the correct edit process. We’ll wait.”

Often the best part of knowing is knowing what to ignore and if you feel the need to confront others that have talked bad about you that shows that you value their opinion of you. Take them off the pedestal and know that there are more important things to focus your attention on. Start the day beautifully, and with these wise of Mandino, welcome every morning with a smile.

Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don’t waste on trivial and people trying to cheer you to failure, you were born to win, believe and trust that every effort takes you a step closer to your dreams.

Addressing journalists in Abuja at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, who noted that the party withheld decision on the matter for a long time because elders and the leadership of the party had been appealing to the aggrieved members to reconsider their steps.

Citing Section 58(1) of the Party’s constitution 2012(as amended) as reason for the action, Metuh said: “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Party shall have power to discipline any member who says or does anything likely to bring the party into disrespect, hatred or contempt; engages in disorderly conduct at meetings or rallies or at any party functions; engages in any conduct likely to cause disaffection among members of the party or is likely to disrupt the peaceful, lawful and efficient conduct of the business of the party; engages in unauthorised publicity of disputes within the Party or creates a parallel party organ at any level”.

It’s an attempt to circumvent court ruling– Oyinlola

But in a swift reaction,

Prince Oyinlola who described the action of the leadership of the party as an attempt to circumvent the ruling of the court of appeal, said: “This is part of the impunity we are protesting against.

None of us has been queried or requested to give explanations for any alleged offence, and if they are reacting to the issue of the new PDP, why did they decide to leave out the serving state governors, senators and members of the House of Representatives who have been very vocal? It is all an attempt to circumvent the ruling of the Court of Appeal. Certainly, the last has not been heard about this matter and I am sure that truth will prevail over falsehood.”

According to Metuh: “We have witnessed an attempt at political identity theft where some unknown people, our brothers who are aggrieved will collude with some known individuals to attempt an identity theft, where some people will claim your name, your birth date, your job, your complete identity; that has failed, the court has pronounced on it.

“We have countlessly appealed to our brothers that this is not a production of drama, or a production of Nollywood movies. This is a serious matter, it is a party administration. The NWC in line with its constitutional right and the provisions of the constitution and after preliminary hearings as stated in our Constitution suspends forthwith from the PDP the following: Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Sam Sam Jaja, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Ibrahim Kazaure.

“The suspension of these four members of the National Executive Committee because of their past position in the party, past and present, wherein they are members of the national executive and according to our Constitution is only the national executive committee that can make pronouncement on it for breach of section 58 1b, g, h and I. “The provision of our constitution stated that anyone who talks or says anything, likely to bring the party, the PDP into disrepute, hatred or contempt has committed a disciplinary offence.

“Anyone who engages in disorderly conduct at meetings, or rallies at any party functions including walkout at conventions, taking a walkout, engaging in disorderly conduct is guilty of an offence against that

constitution.

“58 1h, anyone who engages in any conduct likely to cause disaffection among members of the party or is likely to disrupt the peaceful, lawful and efficient conduct of the business of the party has committed an offence.

“Section 58 1 (i) anyone who engages in un-authorised publicity of dispute within the party or create a parallel party organ at any level is guilty of an offence against the Constitution of our party."

On August 31, 2013, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, six aggrieved governors stormed out of Eagle Square venue of the Special National convention and later, joined by Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers, addressed a press conference at the Yar ’Adua Centre where the Baraje-led group was formed with Dr Jaja as deputy chairman and Prince Oyinlola as national secretary.

The seven governors in the group are Governors Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano; Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto and Abdulfattah Ahmed of Kwara.

On why the seven aggrieved governors were not suspended alongside the four leaders, Metuh explained that the leadership of the party took the decision because they formed a parallel executive in the party and Kazuare, a national officer, engaged in antiparty activities.

NWC, stakeholders divided

Earlier in the day, there were series of reconciliatory meetings and talks among stakeholders geared towards bringing peace. Members of the NWC held a meeting at the Wadata Plaza without the National Chairman,

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and at the end of the meeting, Metuh and the National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha drove out to meet Tukur at his Wuse 2 Residence.

Also yesterday, the Nigeria Police blocked all roads leading to the PDP National secretariat to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order with arrangements for Oyinlola to take over as national secretary of PDP. In some of the closeddoor meetings held on Monday in several locations in Abuja, Vanguard gathered that party leaders and stakeholders were sharply divided on whether or not to allow Oyinlola to resume office.

At the meeting in Aso Rock Presidential Villa earlier yesterday morning, it was gathered that those who wanted the party to allow Oyinlola resume as secretary were of the opinion that it would facilitate the peace moves in the already troubled party.

Proponents of this argument were said to have tried to persuade President Goodluck Jonathan and other key party leaders present at the meeting that accepting Oyinlola would assuage the feelings of some of the aggrieved governors.

At the party national secretariat in Abuja, it was also gathered that issues relating to conflict of personal and political interests were rapidly playing out too.

Reacting to the development, the National Publicity Secretary of Abubakar Kawu Barajled new PDP, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, who described the action as an abuse of the judiciary and the constitution of the country and that of the PDP, said, “ you see the problem we are having with Tukur and his NWC is that they lack not only democratic character, but lack common understanding of the PDP Constitution."

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

One killed, 7 injured in Bauchi auto crash

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI — ONE person was killed while seven others sustained injuries in a motor accident along Potiskum road, about 30km from Kwanan Madara village in Azare Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The lone accident which happened, Sunday, around 6pm involved a Honda Accord car with number plate AS 21 FGE. Confirming the incident, the Federal Road Safety Corp, FRSC, sector commander, Mr Sunday Henry Olatunji said: “Three men, two adult females, a boy and girl were involved in the crash. The girl died while seven others were injured.

He said: “The accident was caused as a result of one of tyres of the vehicle that bursted, which made the car to somersault several times.”

Two docked over alleged assault

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS — A WOMAN, Tairat Ajalogun, 26, and one other Kashim Babamoria, 30, were yesterday, arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate's Court, over alleged assault and stealing.

The defendants who reside at Ikorodu, are facing a fourcount charge bordering on assault and stealing, preferred against them by the police.

The defendants were docked before Magistrate Margaret Dan-Oni. The police prosecutor, Inspector Edet Okoi, said the alleged crime was committed on October 6, 2013, at Igbogbo area of Ikorodu in Lagos.

He said the defendants assaulted one Mariam Olatunji by inflicting injury on her face and all over her body with broken bottles.

Okoi said Baba Moria stole one Blackberry Bold 4 phone worth N35,000, gold jewellery and pendants all valued at N285,000 and a cash sum of N18,000, belonging to Olatunji.

The prosecutor also claimed that Baba Moria wilfully damaged one shirt worth N25,500, property of Olatunji and also conducted himself in a manner to cause breach of peace by inciting Tairat to inflict injury on Mariam with a piece of broken bottle.

My abductors asked for N100m, I offered N1bn — GUO Motors boss

BY OKONKWO EZE

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NITSHA — THE Chairman of G. U. O. Motors Limited, Chief Godwin Okeke, yesterday, commenced his evidence-inchief at an Onitsha High Court in Anambra State, presided over

by Justice Chudi Nwankwo, in respect of his abduction by kidnappers in Onitsha on Sunday, August 23, 2009.

Okeke who spoke under oath, shortly after the court granted a motion to file and serve additional proof of evidence with respect to one of the suspected kidnappers, Alexander Onyinanya, filed by the prosecution counsel, Chris Ajugwe with Mrs. N. D. Wilcox.

He narrated his encounter with the kidnappers at the All Saints Anglican Church Cathedral, Onitsha when he went for a Sunday worship with his wife, driver and some family members.

However, counsel to the first and third accused persons, O. U. Uduma and J. N. Okongwu, did not object to the prosecution counsel’s motion to file and serve additional proof of evidence with respect to the third accused, Onyinanya.

How he was abducted Led in evidence by his counsel, Okeke stated that he went for 7 a.m. service which ended at about 10 a.m, adding that between 10.30 and 11 a.m., his wife mounted the steering of his Nissan Armada SUV, and was driving towards the church gate when suddenly, gunmen blocked the car with a bus in front and a Mercedes-Benz car at the rear.

Okeke told the court that before he could ask questions, the gunmen started shooting sporadically, adding that even though he managed to disarm one or two of them, they shattered his left leg, over-powered him, drove away his wife and family members before bundling him into his SUV and zoomed off with the abductors’ vehicles following.

He further told the court that they passed through Awka Road and at Limca Road, they met a traffic gridlock but his abductors shot sporadically into the air to scare the commuters before they continued their movement up to Nkpor junction where he said they met some policemen and exchanged fire with them.

Two vehicles snatched He said: “At Umuoji Road, my abductors discovered that their tyres were deflated during the exchange of fire with the policemen and they quickly jumped out of the vehicles, blocked the road, snatched two other vehicles from their unsuspecting owners and transferred their arms

and ammunition, including 9 AK 47 riffles, rocket launchers, machine guns and a big Ghanamust-go bag filled with loaded magazines and live cartridges into the snatched vehicles.

“They continued their journey and drove through Alor, AdaziAni and Adazi-Enu. On getting to somewhere between AdaziEnu and Neni communities in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state, they drove into a bungalow, rounded up the occupants, who were mainly children, locked them up in one of the rooms and kept me inside the living room.

“I removed my shirt and tied my bleeding leg as part of measures to control the blood gushing out from the bullet wound.

At a stage, I became thirsty and requested them to give me water to drink. Two of the abductors, Emeka Eze and Anthony Ifeanyi Okafor were with me while others were outside monitoring movements."

He said the duo with him advised him not to drink water because of his bullet wound but he insisted on drinking and eventually they gave him the water which he drank.

He said: “I overheard those outside asking the detained children where they kept oil, salt and other condiments because at that point, they had started cooking breadfruit meal for lunch.

The third accused was my ex-employee He said after cooking, they presented the food and he ate with them. He said among those outside, two of them, a tall and short one wore masks, adding that he could discover that the tall one, Alexander Onyinanya, the third accused with mask was his

Chief Godwin Okeke, GUO Motors boss former employee.

“I could identify Onyinanya because he limps as a result of an accident he had when he was working for me. I was the one who paid his hospital bill when he had the accident.

I offered them N1bn, instead of N100m “After eating the breadfruit meal, they praised me for my courage and for accepting their food, unlike other victims who usually refuse to eat during their captivity."

He said they now asked him to get ready for negotiation to which he paid attention.

“They told me that Chief Paul Okonkwor, Managing Director of Pokobros Group West Africa Limited paid them N70 million as ransom when they kidnapped him,

while Chief Anthony Enukeme, Managing Director of Tonimas Oil Limited paid them N80 million during his own time and told me to pay them N100 million.

“I replied them promptly that Okonkwor and Enukeme are millionaires, while I am a billionaire, and offered them N1 billion, instead of N100 million.

“The offer gave them special joy as they now dropped their weapons by the side, relaxed and asked me how and when the money would get to them to which I told them that the money was in the bank."

At this stage, Justice Nwankwo ordered him to stop for the day till the next adjourned date.

The court now adjourned the matter to November 14, 26, 27, 28, December 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9, this year for accelerated hearing and possible dispensation.

35-yr-old polytechnic staff shot dead in Bayelsa

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA — A 35-year-old man was, weekend, shot dead by gunmen suspected to be hired assassins at Agudama community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The deceased, identified as Frank Moses, was a staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Ekeowe, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

It was learnt that the deceased, a father of two, was the Financial Secretary of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics, SSANIP, Ekeowe chapter.

He was said to have been killed few minutes after celebrating with

other neighbours at the end of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup match between Nigeria and Mexico, last Friday.

The deceased, an indigene of Okiki in Ogbia Local Government Area, who is a cousin to the Special Adviser to the President on Research and Documentation, Mr. Oronto Douglas, was shot dead few metres from his house.

The family of the deceased led

by Frank Talent alleged that the preliminary investigations conducted by the family and text messages on his mobile phone showed that he might have been murdered over labour crisis rocking the institution on issues of unpaid 28 days allowance to

newly employed workers of the polytechnic.

Frank Talent said the gunmen had laid ambush for his brother in an uncompleted building close to his house and shot him on the head.

According to him, “the jubilating Eaglets supporters tried to pursue and apprehend the killers but failed. They however apprehended a woman.”

Contacted on the development, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Hillary Okpara confirmed the incident.

He said: “The police have apprehended a suspect, but we are keeping an open mind on the investigation and we will give an update when we are through.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—7

Gunmen bomb police station, kill 3 policemen, one other

BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

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OKOJA — GUNMEN yesterday bombed the Area Police Station in Osara, Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, killing three police officers and one other person.

Vanguard gathered that the gunmen numbering 20 attacked the station around 10 p.m, using dynamite.

Some of the gunmen were said to have shot sporadically into air at the Police Station's gate, scaring away passersby, villagers and students of the state polytechnic, Osara cam-

pus which is adjacent the police station.

An eyewitness said some of the villagers scampered into the bush to avoid been victims.

The villager who died in the attack was said to be visiting a friend who lives near the police station. He was hit by a stray bullet while running

from the gunmen.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Romanus Nwaneri, who confirmed the incident said investigation was ongoing on the motive of the attack, stressing that the gunmen were unable to get any weapon from their armory.

Man, 27, jailed 42 months for fraud

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS — JUSTICE Oluwatoyin Ipaye of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, sentenced a 27-year-old man, Junior Williams, to 42 months imprisonment over attempted fraud after pleading guilty to a six-count charge preferred against him.

Justice Ipaye convicted him after pleading guilty to the sixcount charge. However, Williams is to serve seven months in prison since the sentence is to run concurrently.

The defendant who resides at Federal Housing Estate, Flat 14, Street 42, Ikpoba Hill, in Benin City had earlier been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy and intent to obtain credit in the sum of 300 million euros under false pretence.

The defendant, who is also known as James Smith and James Williams, was said by the antigraft agency to have conspired to defraud one Redsea Cooperative Hotels of the said sum, by being in possession of document dated May 16, 2013 entitled “Gentleman agreement financial instruments via swift MT199+MT103” purportedly originating from Barclays Bank Plc, 1 Churchhill Place, London.

The EFCC’s prosecutor, Babatunde Sonaike, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 16, 2013.

He said the offence committed is contrary to Sections 74 and 75 of the Criminal Justice Administration Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

Sonaike further said the defendant attempted to book an online room reservation at Four Points Sheraton Hotel, Lagos also known as Ocean Winds Hospitality for self and his accomplice with stolen credit card No. PAN 49354901096990649 in the name of one James Smith among other charges.

An articulated vehicle that fell on Abaji-Lokoja road, Sunday. PHOTO: NAN.

Robbers kill 2, injure 2 others in Enugu

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NUGU — DAREDEVIL robbers, yesterday shot two persons dead while two others sustained injury.

An eyewitness in Enugu said the dead were an MTN driver who was distributing recharge cards to his customers and a tricycle rider.

The robbers, according to the eyewitness who would not want his name mentioned, intercepted the MTN driver close to Mbanugo Bus Stop, after which they opened fire on him at close range and an undisclosed amount of money and unsold MTN recharge cards stolen from him The Keke driver was, however, hit in the head by the robber ’s bullet when he abandoned his tricycle and took to his heels.

Although the name of the MTN driver has not known immedi-

ately, the Keke driver was simply identified as Praise.

The other two victims, who were shot in the leg, were rushed to hospital.

The robbers numbering four were said to have operated in a yellow taxi.

Prisons Comptroller, Inspector arraigned for stealing

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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GWASHI-UKU— TWO top officials of Ogwashi-Uku prisons in Delta State arraigned before an Asaba High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly stealing gas oil kept in their custody will know their fate on their bail application today.

They had been in EFCC custody and when they were arraigned two weeks ago the issue of bail was fixed for today.

Arraigned were a Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in charge of Ogwashi-Uku prison, Diete Wure Wisdom and a senior Inspector of Prison, Ayamede Peter.

They were arraigned on a four-count charge.

When the plea was taken, the two accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

CONTRACTS: BPP drags 50 firms to EFCC over false information

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA— THE Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, has submitted a list of 50 companies to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for investigation and prosecution over falsification of information in a bid to get government contracts.

Similarly, BPP has also recommended four staff of some government agencies to EFCC for prosecution for trying to compromise the Public Procurement Procedure of the Federal Government.

The Director-General of the bureau, Dr. Emeka Ezeh, disclosed these to newsmen after signing a cooperation agreement between BPP and UN office on drugs and crime to strengthen the organisation in preemptive detection of corruption in government procurement process.

According to him, the companies that had provided false information in an attempt to get government procurement contracts included small local companies and multinational companies.

He decried duping government through dubious quotations, noting that through its diligent scrutiny of procurement processes of government agencies and departments, BPP had been able to save government more than N523 billion.

Speaking on the agreement signed yesterday, Dr. Ezeh said it was to enhance the capability of BPP in the areas of ICT, manpower capacity development, rules and procedures, that 34 million Euro grant was given to government agencies such as EFCC, ICPC and BPP. “There is need to put in place procedures using technology and manpower. Nigeria is the first country where this system is to be deployed,” he said.

WORKSHOP: From left— National President, Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering, NATE, Dr. Leo Okereke; Chairman, Global Environment Technology Ltd., Mr. Tony Ojeshina; representative of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Victor Durodola; NATE Secretary, NATE Workshop and Exhibition Committee, Mr. Ukaegbu Bartholomew and Director-General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Dr. Gloria Elemo, at the inauguration of the 2nd NATE workshop and exhibition in Lagos, yesterday.

Confusion trails sack of PHCN staff, payment of benefits zNew, re-engaged staff on 6-month contract

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG & KUNLE KALAJAIYE

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HE confusion trailing the November 1 hand-over of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, facilities to new owners deepened yesterday, as reports indicated that thousands of workers of the defunct PHCN have been sacked with many of them yet to get their severance benefits.

The confusion that has led to erratic power supply across the country is also compounded by the fact that those who are being reengaged are employed as casual workers on six months

contract.

Already, organised labour in the sector has petitioned the Federal Government over the sack of almost all the union officials and casualisation of new employment, urging the authorities concerned to reverse the perceived antilabour policy or risk industrial action without notice.

Investigations revealed that since the November 1 handover, not less than 60 percent of the entire workforce, including union officials, have been issued sack letters by the Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, based on a rationalisation list allegedly prepared by the former Minister of Power,

Professor Barth Nnaji.

While the hand-over was done on November 1, the sack letters being issued were dated October 21, ten days before the hand-over.

Similarly, the re-engagement letters were dated on October 21, 2013, A sample of the letter read: “Following the reforms in the power sector and the privatisation of PHCN successor companies, we wish to inform you that Eko Electricity Distribution Company has approved your engagement (position withheld) on a contract basis for a period of six (6) months effective from November 1,

MTEF, FSP stall Jonathan's budget presentation

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA— THE planned presentation of the 2014 budget by President Goodluck Jonathan earlier scheduled for today has been postponed till Tuesday next week.

The Senate and the House of Representatives had last week accepted to jointly receive President Goodluck Jonathan to present the 2014 budget today despite the fact that the

two chambers failed to pass the 2014-2016 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF. The postponement of the budget presentation was contained in a circular by the Director, Personnel Management, Dr. Ishaya Sarki, on behalf of the Clerk of the National Assembly.

No reason was given for the postponement, but Vanguard reliably gathered from principal officers of the National Assembly that the

non-passage of the MTEF and Fiscal Strategy Paper, FSP, were responsible for the postponement.

It was also learnt that the development was not unconnected with the stiff opposition of members of the House of Representatives, who were reportedly angry over alleged poor implementation of the 2013 budget.

The two chambers had not concluded MTEF and FSP presented to the Senate by Jonathan.

2013 to 30th April 2014.

“The terms and conditions of service during the aforementioned period of your engagement are as set out in the attached contract.”

‘Dead employees'

A labour leader, who confirmed this, said: “The irony of that list is that it contains names of dead workers and staff who have voluntarily retired.”

On reports that about 60 percent of the workforce has been sacked, he said “they are just being hasty. You cannot sack 60 percent of the workers in one swoop. That is why there is confusion in the sector.

“We had an agreement with government that is expiring this Friday and until then, as a union we are not going to respond to some of these issues though there are meetings slated for today (yesterday) and tomorrow (today) between government and labour over some of these issues.”

Meanwhile, the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, has petitioned the Federal Government through the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, over alleged sack of almost all the union officials in the sector and casualisation of jobs in the electricity sector, urging authorities concerned to reverse the perceived antilabour policy or risk industrial action without notice.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—9

ASUU divided over move to call off strike

BY TAYE OBATERU, OLA AJAYI, LAJU ARENYEKA & IKENNA ASOMBA

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HE hope that the four month old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, may be called off this week, following President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention last week, may be dashed as the 61 chapters of the union are divided over the move to call off the strike.

President Jonathan held a meeting with the leadership of ASUU last week, where he made some offers which ASUU was expected to take to their members for deliberation with the hope that it will pacify them into resuming academic activities this week.

Congresses of the 61 chapters of the union were therefore held, yesterday, while the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting will hold tomorrow in one of the northern universities.

The outcome of the union’s congresses indicated that there was disagreement on the need to call off the strike.

Vanguard gathered that while

some ASUU chapters were ready to suspend the strike in the light of the President’s intervention, others insisted that they will continue the strike due to what they described as their distrust for the government.

It was learnt that while the University of Lagos, UNILAG, resolved to suspend the strike, chapters like the University of Ibadan, UI; University of Benin, UNIBEN; University of Calabar, UNICAL; University of Jos, UNIJOS and the Lagos State University, LASU, said the strike must continue, arguing that the Federal Government could not be trusted to fulfil its promise of injecting over N1.1 trillion to universities in the next five years.

Voting at UNIJOS

Members UNIJOS chapter, yesterday, voted overwhelmingly for the strike to continue.

After receiving briefings on what transpired at last week’s meeting of the union’s representatives with President Goodluck Jonathan and after going through copies of the

resolution of the meeting, 194 members voted for the strike to continue while 80 voted for a suspension.

Sources told Vanguard that after hours of debate by those for and against the continuation of the strike, it was obvious that majority felt that the meeting with the president did not achieve much.

Those who spoke in favour of the strike to continue wondered why the strike should be called off on the basis of pleas and verbal promises by the president, when the government is allegedly reputed for not to honoring agreements.

They were said to have argued that the suffering by students and members in the last four months would be a waste if something concrete did not come out of the strike to improve the situation in universities.

It was further gathered that those for the suspension of the strike spoke passionately on the need to consider the impact of the strike on students and the gesture from President Jonathan, who met personally with ASUU leaders and pleaded with them to suspend

the strike.

A few of them were quoted as saying it was better to suspend the strike and find other ways of pursuing their demands so as not to lose the support of the people.

It was learnt that the Branch ASUU Chairman, Dr. David Jangkham, after announcing the result of the voting, said it would be taken to the national body which would collate the referendum on the issue from various chapters to come up with a position on whether the strike would be suspended or sustained.

A member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed fears that the referenda in other branches might follow the same trend “if the briefing we got here is what they got.”

UNILAG

the management committee? So, our position is that the strike should not be called off.”

LASU's internal issues

The source added that LASU chapter of ASUU may embark on its local action, after the national strike is suspended or called off if the university’s Governing Council and the State Government fail to adequately address some of its local issues, which border on members’ welfare and a reduction in the institution’s tuition fees.

He said: “It is our resolve at the congress that if the state government and the university ’s Governing Council, which is meeting on Wednesday, fail to address our local issues adequately, we shall embark on local actions.

“The university management has wasted four months without addressing our local issues, which border on the casualisation of our academic staff, the steep increment in tuition fees paid by students and the nonimplementation of the Universities Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2012, which allows academic staff on professorial cadre to retire at 70 years against the former 65 years.”

A source at University of Lagos, UNILAG, chapter, told Vanguard that the debate at its congress was on whether to end or suspend the strike.

He said: “We eventually moved to suspend the strike and end it only when the President pumps in the first N220 billion into the universities in January 2014.

“Although this is not totally in line with the 2009 agreement, we feel that we can suspend the strike out of respect for the President. We At UI just want to give him the benefit At the University of Ibadan, of doubt, and hope that he Vanguard gathered that fulfills his promise.” members asked their leadership to commit the LASU President to signing the At Lagos State University, resolution of FG/ASUU meeting LASU, one of the executive held last week and include nonmembers of ASUU, who spoke victimisation clause. to Vanguard on condition of The Chairman, ASUU, anonymity, affirmed that University of Ibadan, Dr. Segun though the chapter was not Ajiboye, said that the union had averse to the proposal of set up project monitoring President Jonathan, but the committee to ensure that funds consensus at its congress was that released by government was ASUU should not just be a not misappropriated. monitoring body when the fund Ajiboye maintained that it was is finally injected. not how quick the strike ends He said: “After our congress, but how well it ends, adding which lasted several hours, it was that the goal of the strike must the resolve of our chapter that be actualised. the strike should not be called off, According to him, it was because we are uncomfortable regrettable that it took the with the fact that the Federal Federal Government four Government has said that months to think education was ASUU will just be a monitoring an important sector, adding that officer, while the Minister of no country in the world plays Education will be the with education the way Nigerian implementation officer. leaders do.

“We argued that we must be part and parcel of how the David-West funds are managed Also, former Minister of CHANGE OF NAME and what they have Petroleum, Professor Tam earmarked for UMUKORO—I, formerly within the period of David-West said, yesterday, that ASUU would continue to known and addressed as five years. go on strike as long as Miss Umukoro Ese, now “How can we injustice remained in the wish to be known and know if the Ministry system. addressed as Mrs. of Education and He said this at the UI-ASUU Omoghaghare Ese. All other authorities are congress, where he vowed to f o r m e r d o c u m e n t s prudently spending always support all the remain valid. General the funds for the struggles that would lead to public please take note. proposed projects if the rejuvenation of the ASUU is not part of education sector.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

FG explains delay in seaports, railways concession

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

F

E D E R A L GOVERNMENT, yesterday, explained the delay in the completion of the concession agreement of some sea ports and rail projects across the country, saying, "There are several procedures that must be adhered to."

Minister of Transportation, Senator Idris Umar and the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, spoke at the opening of 13th National Council on Transportation, NCT, with the theme, 'Transformation of Transport Infrastructure: Catalyst for Socio-Economic Growth,' hosted by Lagos State.

Umar, who was represented by the Ministry's Permanent Secretary, Engr. Nebolisa Emordi, while speaking explained: "Measures are already on the way, we are about getting a transaction adviser for the concessionaire of all the ports and not only the Onitsha ports and even for the railway lines.

"We are working with the World Bank to develop the strategy and get a transaction adviser for the projects as quickly as possible, all these will take time.

"There are several procedures that have to be followed. So, we need to get the transaction adviser in place first, then we will develop the business case studies and other things for which investors can use as bases to submit their expression of interest."

Umar, noted that funding of the sector was becoming increasingly a huge challenge

and "this necessitated the new strategies that were developed by the central government.

"The strategy is that the Federal Government is collaborating with the private sector which is through the

Public, Private Partnership, PPP, to bridge the funding gap in the sector, and aid the provision of desired infrastructure for the citizens.

"We are also developing inland containers in the

depots through the PPP arrangement.

"We are also looking at concessioning the railway lines and all the ports, even those that are u"

PRESENTATION: Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, presenting keys of four buses to Mrs. Catherine Ononye, Comptroller of Prisons, Lagos State Command, during the presentation of vehicle to Nigeria prisons service, in Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

4, 900 inmates in Lagos prisons — Comptroller

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

T

HE COMPTROLLER of the Nigerian Prison Service, NPS, State Command, Lagos, Mrs. Catherine Nonye has disclosed that there are over

4,900 inmates across the state prisons.

She spoke yesterday, at the handling over ceremony of four operational vehicles by Governor, Babatunde Fashola at the State House, to the NPS, Lagos, to improve its efficiency in the state.

First Bank acquires W/A operations of Int'l Commercial Bank

By PETER EGWUATU

F

IRST BANK Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc has announced its acquisition of a 100 per cent equity interest in the West Africa operations of International Commercial Bank, ICB. The banks are ICB Ghana, ICB Sierra Leone, ICB Guinea and ICB Gambia from International Commercial Bank financial Group Holdings.

The transaction has been effected through the completion of a Conditional Sale and Purchase Agreement with ICB FGH. According to a statement by the bank: “As a result of the acquisition, First Bank will consolidate its position as one of the largest corporate and retail banking financial institutions in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa).

"The transaction delivers against First Bank’s stated ambition to win significant market share, expand its pan-African footprint and diversify earnings while delivering value to shareholders.

"The transaction has considerable strategic benefits directly aligned with First Bank’s growth plans and provides a very strong platform for regional growth as the bank expands its operations across the continent."

Fashola while handling over the vehicles tasked the Federal Government to do all it could to improve funding of the Service, saying, "proper funding of the service was imperative to strengthen criminal justice administration system.."

Earlier, Mrs. Nonye said: “We have about 4,900 inmates in the various prisons in the state and transporting some of them is a bit hard.

"We are happy with these buses as they will add to our fleet and will facilitate the movement of inmates from the prison to the courts."

Lagos sanctions 9 school teachers

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

N

O FEWER than nine teaching staff of public secondary schools in Lagos State have been sanctioned with various punishments ranging from demotion, transfer, deferment of promotion and stern warning for contravening approved promotion criteria for public secondary schools and mutilation of students report cards.

They include four principals, three vice principals and two class teachers.

According to officials of the State Ministry of Education, the decision to punish the teachers, which was meant to serve as a deterrent to others was taken after an emergency Personnel Board Meeting of the Education District III, Falomo.

The affected teachers are Mrs. A. A. Ogunsina, a grade level 17 Officer and the Principal of Dolphin Junior High School, Lagos Island; Mr. O. F. Talabi, the Vice Principal (Academics) of Dolphin Junior High School; Mrs. R. O. Adebara, Vice Principal (Academic) and the Acting Principal of Girls Senior Academy, Lagos Island; Mr. Joshua A. Afolabi, Principal, Ebute Elefun Senior High School, Lagos Island; and Mrs. Abigail O. Makanjuola, Principal, Girls Junior Academy, Lagos Island.

Others are Mrs. Falilat O. Shodipe, the Vice-Principal of Girls Junior Academy, Lagos Island; Mrs. Muninat A. Rafiu, a class teacher also at Girls Junior Academy, Lagos Island, Mrs. O. A. Fajulagbe, Principal, Dolphin Senior High School, Lagos Island and Mr. Olaniyi A. Bada, a class teacher at Dolphin Senior High School, Lagos Island.

Princess Adijatu Kosoko for burial

RINCESS ADIJATU Kosoko, an industrialist, P philanthropist and a scion of the Olojo Kosoko Royal Family of Lagos, is dead, aged 84.

The late Princess Kosoko, who was a federal contractor for the police, army and the prisons in Owerri for 28 years, was also the chief promoter of the Kosoko Football Club of Owerri.

A statement from the family said the late Princess OlojoKosoko will be buried, November 15, 2013, after service of songs at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Eric Manuel Crescent, off Bode Thomas, Surulere, Lagos, November 13.

This is to be followed by interdenominational service on Thursday at the Police Officers Mess, Onikan and funeral

Late Princess Kosoko service at the United African Methodist Church, IgaIduganran Street, Isale Eko, Lagos and Ikoyi Cemetery, on Friday, November 15.

She is survived by Prof Adetutu Vivian Mottohmigan and Prince Christopher Adeyinka Mottoh.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—11

I won’t hand over polio to the next government —Jonathan •Confers CFR honour on Bill Gates

By BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, pledged that his administration will do everything possible to eradicate Wild Polio Virus in Nigeria next year saying that he will not hand over polio to the in coming government in 2015.

Speaking, yesterday, at an award ceremony for best performing state governors from the six geopolitical zones on the eradication of polio, President Jonathan also called on political leaders not to relegate the fight against the eradication of polio to the background because of

campaigns for the next elections.

He particularly commended Bill Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for his efforts in eradicating polio in Africa and announced the conferment of the award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on him as an appreciation from the government and people of Nigeria.

The president stated, “apart from helping us in fight against polio and provision of life saving commodities, Bill Gates is also assisting us in agriculture. Like Dangote mentioned there is no reason we should not eradicate polio by 2014. Let me assure you that the Federal Government is to-

Chief Segun Phillips now Aare Kakanfo

H

is Royal Highness, Oba Abass Fiwajoye, the Bejeroku of Oke-Agbe, Ijebu Igbo has made the Executive Chairman of Peacock Group of Companies, Chief Segun Phillips, the Aare Kakanfo (The Generalissimo) of Oke-Agbe in Ijebu, Ogun State.

Chief Phillips’ wife, Olusola,

was also conferred with the title Yeye Kakanfo of Oke-Agbe, Ijebu Igbo. Chief Phillips’ philanthropic spirit and total dedication to community service across the country informed the Ogun monarch’s decision to confer on him one of the most respected Yoruba traditional chieftaincy titles

tally committed to eradicating polio. We promise that we will work hard because we don’t want to handover polio to another government in 2015.

“With the support of all stakeholders present here I believe we will succeed in our commitment to eradicate polio.

I charge you all to be so committed especially as the elections are coming. In fact from the analysis I was just briefed

now I’m really surprised that in 2011 there was lapse and it was attributed to the elections.

It has been learnt that during campaigns for elections we the politicians think more about winning the elections and forget about other things. I charge you all that we must work together to make sure that the 2014/2015 will not create any kind of gap in our commitment to eradicate polio.”

Tinubu, Akande, PDP chieftains, others honour Lam Adesina

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN — SENATOR Ahmed Bola Tinubu, National leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Bisi Akande, National Chairman of the party were among the leaders of the APC, who assembled in Ibadan, yesterday, to mark the one year remembrance of the late former governor of the state, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina.

The event almost turned to a political rally as thousands of party faithful who filled the Lekan Adamasingba Sta-

VISIT: From left, Mr. Danzil Kenlebi, President, Ijaw Professional Group; Mrs. Nkechi Chukwueke, member; Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd), Celebrant; Mr. Emka Ugwu, President, South-East/South-South Professionals Group, and Mr. Hamibal Uwaifo, Legal Adviser, during the visit to Admiral Kanu, (rtd), on his 70th birthday, at his office, in Kofo Abayomi, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

dium, venue of the ceremony sang ceaselessly the praises of Tinubu, Akande, Governors Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola.

This came as some aggrieved members of the party organised a separate ceremony at the Felele residence of late Lamidi Adesina.

Those who attended the ceremony at Felele were Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, Senator Ayoade Adeseun, former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, and many others. Tinubu, Akande, Adeseun, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Monsurat Sunmonu, and other lawmakers were among the eminent personalities at the stadium.

Also some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were in attendance at both events. At the stadium were the former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese; Alhaji Gbolarumi Azeez, business tycoon, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao, representative of the Ogun State governor, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa; representative of the Ekiti State governor, Dr. Ganiyu Owolabi; Speaker of the State House of Assembly; former gover nor, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo; General Oladayo Popoopla (rtd), Chief Iyiola Oladokun; former Deputy Governor to Alhaji Adesina, Chief Azeem Gbolarumi; Justice Adekola Nurudeen, Chief Lateef Oyelade, representative of the Olubadan, Chief Olufemi Olaifa, Senator Ayoade Adeseun, Reps member Kamil Akinlabi, Reps member Biodun Awoleye, Chief Aminat Abiodun, Alhaja Sekinat Adekola, Dr. Busari Adebisi, Dr Busari Adebisi, Chief Lai Mohammed, APC State Chairman, Chief Akin Oke, a group of Adesina supporters called Abegi Group, among others.

FG demands apology from India over attack on Nigerians BY: VICTORIA OJEME

ABUJA: The Federal Government yesterday demanded an apology from the Indian Government over the recent attack on Nigerians following protests that trailed the killing of a Nigerian, Obodo Simeon.

Minister of Foreign Affairs. Prof Viola Onwuliri disclosed this yesterday while answering questions from newsmen at the Pre-Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting press briefing in Abuja.

The Nigerian was said to have been stabbed to death on October 31 in Panaji, capital of Goa state. It was reported that about 200 angry Nigerians blocked a highway while the body of the deceased Nigerian was being taken for postmortem. The Indian Police were said to have restored normalcy but accused 51 Nigerians of rioting, arson and damaging public property.

Professor Onwuliri stressed that while Nigeria would not tolerate any act of unruly behaviour from its citizens, the conduct of Indian authorities was unacceptable.

Ajimobi swears-in new commissioners

By OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN — Gover nor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has sworn-in the 12 newly-appointed commissioners that he presented to the State House of Assembly last week.

While swearing-in the commissioners at the executive council chambers of the Governor ’s Office yesterday, he charged them to be epitome of integrity, commitment and service to humanity. Out of the 12 newly-appointed, five of them are former members of the cabinet while seven were new.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Delta community demands more wards, units

BY EMMA AMAIZE

B

URUTU— THE people of Ayakoromo community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, weekend, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to create additional three wards and more voting units for communities in the area.

They said that the 18 towns and villages with an estimated 40,000 population were lumped into one ward with 21 polling units, forcing people to paddle very long distances on election days to overcrowded polling units.

Speaking to reporters at a joint conference in Ayakoromo, Austin Ozobo, Asiayei Enaibo, Izonfade Oguma and Ebi Wayas, who hail from the area, blamed the development on alleged political imbalance in previous ward creation exercise.

Ijaw Network commends Jonathan on East-West Road

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN— THE IzonIbe Network for Good Governance, Justice and Accountability, INEGOJA, an Ijaw group in the Niger Delta, has described as encouraging, the pace of work on the East-West Road and urged the people of the region to continue to support President Goodluck Jonathan.

The group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Samson Uroupa, also condemned what it described as the unfair attack on the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, over the purchase of two bulletproof cars, saying that the embattled minister had explained that the cars were not bought for her, therefore, it would be unfair to continue to “crucify her.”

Delta govt moves to avert workers' strike

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA— GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has waded into grievances of the public servants in the state, following the 14-day ultimatum the workers issued over “excessive taxation of workers’ salaries,” among other grievances.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour and Industrial Relations, Mr. Mike Okeme, confirmed to Vanguard, yesterday in Asaba, government's readiness to act.

He said: “As I speak, we are meeting with labour leaders later today (yesterday). We have the capacity to address the issues raised. You know our governor is labour friendly. We are meeting with them.”

Public servants in the state had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government, threatening to proceed on

strike over what they described as “excessive taxation of workers’ salaries,” among other grievances.

The ultimatum was

contained in a letter by the State Council of the National Public Service Negotiating Council (Union Side) to the state governor, endorsed by

the state Secretary of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Mr. Lucky Edewor and leaders of seven other affiliate unions.

VISIT: From left— Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor; Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager, Publications/ Editor-in-Chief, both of Vanguard Newspapers; and Senator Ken Nnamani, Chairman, National Steering Committee on the 2nd African Union Peer Review of Nigeria, during the committee's visit to Vanguard in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Diran Oshe.

Expert tackles Obasanjo on ALSCON, NAFNON, DSC

W

ARRI— AN engineer in the oil and gas, steel and power sectors, Engr. Benson Okah-Avae, has challenged former President Olusegun Obasanjo on his claim that Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, ALSCON; National Fertiliser Company of Nigeria, NAFNON, and Delta Steel Company, DSC, Aladja, failed due to bad managers.

Okah-Avae is seeking to know, among others, who appointed the managers, what government did to them for betraying the country and what happened to the vehicle assembly plants that were established in Lagos, Kaduna and other places?

CHANGE OF NAME KOLAWOLE — I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED A S M I S S KO L AW O L E BUKOLA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. ADEPOJU O L U B U KO L A K . A L L FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. NIGERIA SOCIAL INSURANCE TRUST FUND (NSITF), FIRST BANK PLC. AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Okah-Avae, a visiting lecturer to two universities in the Niger Delta, said there was no communication between universities in the country and industries, stressing that vision 2020 could end up in a fiasco if government fails to immediately establish benchmarks for engineering to cover the remaining seven years.

He said that blame for the non-existence of an industrial base after 53 years of independence despite over five national development plans, spanning several decades should be “placed at the feet of an inept and corrupt leadership that placed no emphasis on production and self-reliance.”

Speaking during a lecture

organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, Warri branch, Okah-Avae corroborated the views of the NSE Warri branch Chairman, Engr. Precious Omatseye, calling for critical review of the local technology being used by illegal bunkerers in refining crude oil with a view to developing the country’s oil and gas industry.

We'll resist PDP in 2015— Ogbuagu

F

the last Delta Central senatorial district by-election as a show of federal might, where uniform men, civil servants, councillorship aspirants, and chairmen were threatened to deliver PDP or face the consequences.

She said that because of the threat, PDP members in the state viewed the election as a do-or-die affair.

PUBLIC NOTICE She called on PDP and state security apparatuses to Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above named church is direct their applying to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990. strength and The Trustees Are: election rigging 1. PASTOR KIERI AYEBAPRIYE J AM AIC A-Founder/Chairman expertise to 2. BARR. ANTHONY EKPETE-Secretary 3. REV. DR ALAO JONATHAN AFAMEFUNA-Member curtailing the 4. PASTOR (MRS) KIERI VICTORIA UCHENA-Member excesses of Boko 5. SISTER BIBEREBl KPEGEDEGE-Member Haram activities in The Aims And Objectives Are: Nigeria.

1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to all people.

2. To raise a people with value and significance.

Ogbuagu painted 3. To impact lives positively for destiny through the rich resources of the a picture of Word of God. hopelessness, Any objection to the application should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Garki, Abuja within 28days of this when she said that publication. because of the attitude of PDP in Signed: PASTOR KIERI AYEBAPRIYE JAMAICA the last senatorial FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN Faithword Christian Center, off Okpoi Street, Edepie, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State election, most ORMER Delta State Commissioner for Education and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Veronica Ogbuagu, has vowed that her party would resist the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, antics in the 2015 general elections.

Ogbuagu, at a meeting in Ekpan, Delta State, described

FAITHWORD CHRISTIAN CENTER

people were no longer interested in casting their votes, a situation she said could spell doom for any country.

She said that the attribution of PDP victory to an act of God was untrue.

She congratulated APC members for their steadfastness and belief in the party.

Anniversary

T

HE 25th anniversary of Young Men and Women Association of St. John’s Anglican Church, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, begins today with a lecture on Terrorism as it Affects SocioPolitical Life of Nigeria.

The guest lecturer is the Lord Bishop of Lagos West (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. James Odedeji. The event will hold at the Church hall by noon.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 13

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14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 2013 — 15

HRM Oba Sikiru Adetona, Awujale of Ijebuland (middle) and his entourage on arrival, at the Holy Matrimony between former Miss Oladepe Funmi Adeshina and Mr. Eyituoyo Amuka, son of Vanguard Neswpapers’ Publisher, Mr. Sam Amuka, at Yaba Baptist Church, Commercial Avenue/Raymond Street, Yaba, Lagos. Pix: Bunmi Azeez.

Cross section of Royal father's from Ijebuland, Ogun State, at the event.

AMAECHI VS OMEHIA: S-Court fixes Feb 7 for judgment

BY IKECHUKWU

A

NNOCHIRI

BUJA—THE Supreme Court, yesterday, fixed February 7, 2014, to rule on whether the candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in Rivers State, Mr. Celestine Omehia, has the legal right to appeal the Federal High Court judgment, which held that Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s tenure ended on May 29, 2011.

A five-man panel of the apex court, adjourned for judgment after parties, adopted their briefs of arguments in the consolidated appeals that were filed by Governor Ameachi and a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Chief Cyprian Chukwu.

Both Ameachi and Chukwu, told the Supreme Court panel headed by Justice M. MuntakaCoomassie that the Abuja Division of the Appeal Court, erred in law, when it granted Omehia the leave to appeal against the High Court

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judgment, even though he was not a party in the substantive suit that culminated to the appeal.

It will be recalled that Chukwu had in 2010, applied to a Federal High Court in Abuja, asking it to interpret the Supreme Court judgment which in 2007 removed Omehia from office and declared Amaechi as the governor of the state.

He asked the court to determine whether governorship election should be held in Rivers during the general electiond of April or later, since Amaechi took the oath of office in October 2007 and not May 29, when all other governors took the oath.

The high court held that the Rivers State governorship election should be included in the April 2011 general elections.

After the high court decision, Omehia, who was not a party to the high court proceeding, applied to the Court of Appeal to

be allowed to join in the matter as an interested party, contending that he was a party in the apex court judgment that was interpreted by the high court, adding he would be adversely affected by the Supreme Court judgment.

Meantime, a new twist was added to the case, yesterday, when the PDP, which had initially opposed Omehia’s request to be granted leave to challenge the high court judgment, made a U-turn, and urged the apex court to allow Omehia to seek the sack of Governor Ameachi from office.

Counsel to the party, Chief Olusola Oke, argued that under section 243 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the appellate court, rightly granted Omehia the leave to appeal the high court judgment as an interested party, contending “a person, who is affected or likely to be affected by the outcome of any proceeding is an interested party.”

16— Vanguard , TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Don't collapse democracy, Jonathan warns legislators

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, JOSEPH ERUNKE & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

A

B U J A — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, tasked members of the legislative arm of government within the African continent not to do anything that could lead to the collapse of democracy.

President Jonathan who gave the warning in Abuja while declaring open the Ist Africa Legislative Summit 2013, organised by the National Assembly in collaboration with the National Institute for Legislative Studies, with the theme, “Emerging Legislatures in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities” also said that despite the progress made in the continent, there were still threats to democracy in some countries.

He said: “In spite of the progress we have made so far, we are still experiencing threats to democracy in some African countries, we should do everything possible to resolve the challenges to discourage a revert to military rule in the affected countries.

“Parliament should legislate against issues and actions that could lead to the collapse of the current democratic arrangements in African countries.”

The President said that the summit which would give room for peer review among member countries was a laudable effort that would give Africa a new vision and new initiative that would lead to rapid development.

According to him, “It is coming at a critical period when the African nation is in search of a means of strengthening the various democratic institutions to pave the way for enduring democratic structures.

"There is the need for strategy for networking and capacity building. The legislature has a critical role to play in lawmaking, oversight function to consolidate democratic practice and norms."

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ENUGU FIRST LADY CONFINEMENT: Clara Chime leaves govt house E

BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—THE Enugu State First Lady, Mrs. Clara Chime, yesterday, left Government House where she alleged she had been illegally confined following controversies over her reported health challenges.

Mrs. Chime left the Government House, yesterday, following an earlier meeting between the families of her husband, Sullivan Chime, and those of Clara on Saturday. It was learnt that Sullivan had convened the meeting in view of the controversies trailing his decision to have his wife treated at home instead of a mental home either in Enugu or abroad.

Governor Chime had himself hinted that the Saturday meeting would determine whether Clara would be asked to go to her parents where she would have unlimited freedom or remain at the Government House and be restricted in accordance with the advice of the neuron-psychiatric doctor treating her.

The governor, with the assistance of security operatives attached to Government House had packed Mrs. Chime’s personal effects on Sunday evening and forcibly took her from the lodge to her mother’s residence at the Coal City Garden Estate behind CBN headquarters in Enugu.

Trouble had started when Mrs. Chime insisted she must leave with her four-year-old son, a plea that was vehemently rejected by the governor who ensured she was led into a convoy of six

vehicles and driven straight to her mother’s place.

However, on getting there, the mother who had not been notified that her daughter was

Vanguard gathered that after waiting for close to two hours, without the security men returning, the governor, ordered that Mrs. Chime be brought back to the Government House.

MEETING: From left: Secretary to the Committee, Dr. Akilu Indabawa, Chairman, Senator Femi Okurounmu and Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduji, at the National Dialogue Advisory Committee consultative meeting with stakeholders in Kaduna State, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Foreigners invest $20bn in Nigeria within 3yrs —OKONJO-IWEALA

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF BUJA—THE efforts by the Federal Government for increased Foreign Direct Investments, FDIs, has started yielding fruits as the nation’s economy attracted more than $20 billion-worth of investments from foreign investors in the last three years.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala disclosed this, in Abuja, yesterday, while briefing the press on preparations for the forthcoming World Economic Forum, WEF, slated for Nigeria next year.

According to her, the Federal Government would work assiduously for with both local and foreign investors to raise the outlook of the nation’s private sector investments in all sectors of the economy, especially in infrastructure, agriculture and the Small and Medium Enterprise which are key to boosting job creation across the nation.

The minister said that although the present administration has made great progress on several fronts of the economy, unemployment remained a major challenge that required the collaborated efforts of both the public and private sectors.

A

being brought home, was not at home which forced Mrs. Chime and the security operatives to sit in their cars waiting for her mother to return.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 17

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Questions without answers

These questions about the routine disappearance of Nigeria’s billions just won’t go away, even though the presidency provides no satisfactory answer.

When I heard of David Cameron’s query, the first question I asked was whether Nigeria actually made that kind of money in 2012.

Who knew? Not too long ago, our total income was not more than $5 billion a year. I phoned a financial expert who confirmed that, based on the number of barrels of oil Nigeria was selling at the general market prices of 2012, that amount was very likely.

So we are back to the question; what happened to the money?

What did we do with it? I live in Nigeria. If we made that kind of money in 2012, I should know about it. I should be able to point to one or two things done with the money. But I cannot. In 2012, to all intents and purposes, the Nigerian economy was in some kind of recession. The business climate was dull. Unemployment was high. Yes, the economy grew statistically by 7.1 percent. But statistics often have little relationship with the actual situation on the ground.

The nagging questions about the theft and squandering of Nigeria’s patrimony do not let up, and they are not only being asked by foreigners. Oby Ezekwesili, a former World bank Director, stirred up the hornet’s nest by

Money-laundering Nigeria’s future declaring that the combined administrations of Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan misappropriated literally billions of dollars. She pointed out that Obasanjo left $45 billion in Nigeria’s foreign reserve account and another $22 billion in the excess crude account when he left office in 2007; being direct savings from increased earnings from oil under his administration. These savings have completely disappeared without trace.

Where did these monies go?

The government has no explanation and would not accept Ezekwesili’s challenge to engage in a public debate on the matter.

The answer to such questions as these must remain relevant in the so-called democratic election of our next president.

Capital of money-laundering

As a country, Nigeria has a tendency to excel in the negatives. One of these is in the league of international moneylaunderers. Indeed, Nigeria is the money-laundering capital of Africa. According to Global Financial Integrity, GFI, a Washington D.C. based research and advocacy organisation, Nigeria comes first among the African countries that have suffered from massive outflows of illegal funds between 1970 and 2008. In a study entitled: “Illicit Financial Flows from Africa: Hidden Resource for Development,” GFI maintains Nigeria lost $165 billion, nearly 19 percent of the total $854 billion outflows from Africa, to the developed market-economy countries. GFI also placed Nigeria seventh out of the 20 largest exporters of illicit funds worldwide, with a total figure $129 billion from 2001 to 2010.

With the exit of General Sani Abacha, the former Nigerian head of state from 1993-1998 who died in office, we suddenly discovered that money was looted directly from the Central Bank and transferred into secret bank accounts abroad. In all, Abacha alone reportedly looted and laundered over $4 billion.

What this means is that a considerable amount of Nigeria’s income is round-robined back to our trading partners. They get back part of what they pay us for our exports as our officials steal the money and funnel it back to them. That means a significant amount of Nigeria’s earnings never benefits Nigeria or Nigerians. Nigeria’s oil and gas income is used to develop further

•President Goodluck Jonathan our trade partners in the developed market economy countries.

This money laundering puts pressure on money markets as corrupt Nigerian officials buy up foreign-exchange for export. The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, revealed that as much as $14 billion in cash was taken out of Nigeria from January to August, 2012 through the nation’s airports. This was corroborated by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who puts his own estimates at about $11 billion.

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N 1987, at a reception in honour of President Ibrahim Babangida at the Waldorf Astoria, New York during his visit to the United States, I had an interesting conversation with Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, then Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance. He said he had just been to the World Bank where he was asked what happened to the $12.8 billion Nigeria had made from windfalls in the oil market as a result of the Iran-Iraq war. I said to him: “What did you tell them, Sir.” Alhaji Alhaji is a naturally blunt no-nonsense man. He replied: “I told them to ask the military.”

More recently, David Cameron, Prime-Minister of Great Britain, is reported to have asked President Goodluck Jonathan what happened to the $100 billion dollars Nigeria made from oil and gas exports in 2012, insisting that “lack of accountability and transparency is a big problem in Nigerian oil and gas industry.”

Before you ask what business is it of David Cameron’s how we spend our money in Nigeria, let me point out that the question apparently came up because President Jonathan went cap-inhand to the Group of Eight industrial countries (G8) to solicit loans in international multilateral institutions for unspecified infrastructural industrial restructuring in Nigeria. The fact that his request was rejected outright tells me our President could not give satisfactory explanation to the G8. Why give aid to Nigeria when it is clear the money would largely be pocketed by strategically-placed penrobbers within the Nigerian government?

compete with the depressed prices of money-laundered imports.

Western double-dealing

Grandstanding Western moralists like David Cameron who lecture Nigeria about the corruption of our leaders are themselves inherently corrupt. If they were really against theft by government officials in developing countries, they would not readily accept stolen money in their countries.

However, while they rail against corruption, they create frameworks which permit them to receive stolen money with thanks.

Some of this money ends up in

Nigeria has a tendency to excel in the negatives. One of these is in the league of international moneylaunderers. Indeed, Nigeria is the money-laundering capital of Africa

If some of these monies happen to come back, it is with diminished value. They are not used to create real wealth or to enhance job opportunities. They are not, in any case, in the hands of the industrious or the enterprising.

Instead they are laundered back into the less productive sectors of the economy, such as the overvalued real estate sector.

Little wonder then that some houses in Lagos and Abuja are as expensive as those in New York.

Money launderers import goods at sub-market prices. Since it is stolen money and their primary objective is to re-integrate their illgotten wealth stealthily back into the national economy, they don’t care if the goods are sold at a loss. Therefore, their activities hinder domestic production because local producers cannot

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choice real estate. Others are hidden in fake offshore companies and investments entities whose ownerships are suitably disguised. This makes it very difficult, if not impossible, for investigators to trace the monies, let alone recover them. The GFI report said the massive outflows of illicit money out of Africa to the West was facilitated by “a global shadow financial system comprising tax havens, secret jurisdictions, disguised corporations, anonymous trust accounts, fake foundations, trade pricing, and money laundering techniques.”

In a series of articles, the Financial Times of London revealed that much of the money stolen by corrupt soldierpoliticians of Nigeria’s past military regimes ended up in British banks. In an article

entitled “Money laundering probe targets London” it said: “Banks in London played a key role in enabling former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha to launder more than $4bn (£2.76bn) looted from the country during his four and a half year rule. The trail has led to accounts at London offices of 15 banks.” It is estimated that over £1.5 billion looted from the Nigerian treasury is currently being kept in British banks.

The British have imposed no sanctions on these banks for laundering “lucrative” stolen money. They are not even that enthusiastic about facilitating the return of the monies to Nigeria.

Rowan Bosworth-Davies, a former Fraud Squad officer, is quoted as saying that a lot of people in the City of London are convinced that if proper legislation is enforced to facilitate the recovery and return of stolen money: “It will be bad for UK Plc.” In short, Nigerian moneylaundering has been good for Western economies, funneling funds for them through backdoors deliberately opened to attract those funds. Abacha’s loot did not only go to Britain. It also went to banks in the United States, Germany and especially Switzerland, without any intervention from financial regulators in those countries.

Some of these countries are now concerned that those same backdoors may be used to finance terrorist activities. But, at the same time, they are mindful that concern for terrorism should not militate against their status as citadels of international finance, be it legal or illicit.

The way forward

Money-laundering is a major problem for the Nigerian economy, especially because a lot of the money ends up abroad and those that return are used unproductively.

With a population of 170 million, Nigeria can hardly be described as a rich country. If the modest earnings of the country over the years had remained in Nigeria, it would have made a considerable difference to the economy. But looting has now reached epidemic proportions. If millions were being stolen before, billions are being stolen now. This portends a bleak economic future for Nigeria.

It is naive to expect the Western nations to help us to police the theft of our patrimony. In many ways, they benefit from our corruption. It is also not possible to expect the Nigerian government to police itself. The government itself is the problem.

Nigerian politicians, both military and civilian, capture government with the intention to prepare for their personal futures while mortgaging Nigeria’s future.

Therefore, there is need for Nigerians ourselves, through public enlightenment processes and through insistence on accountability by Nigerian officialdom, to grab the bull by the horns. These issues must be at the forefront of any democratic election campaign and those involved must be brought to the book.

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18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

N

IGERIA is reputed to have the second highest rate of road accidents among 193 countries and deaths from reckless driving are the third leading cause of death in Nigeria. In 2012, at least 473 persons died from a total of 1,115 vehicular accidents nationwide.

April may go down as the worst month in terms of road accidents in 2013. ·April 3: A luxury bus and a smaller bus crashed on the Abuja-Lokoja Road, 18 died. ·April 5: A petrol tanker set luxury bus and articulated vehicle ablaze at Ugbogui village on Ore-Benin Expressway, 80 people were burnt beyond recognition. ·April 6: At Dazigan, 11 kilometres from Potiskum, Yobe State, 20 died in an accident. ·April 11: 10 died on the Damaturu-Gashua Road also in Yobe State. ·April 14: Seven died on the Abuja-Lokoja Road, a car ran into an articulated vehicle. ·April 15: Five died on the Asaba-Onitsha Expressway.

By the middle of April, 142 people had died from reported motor accidents, 30 per cent of the 473 deaths recorded in 2012 had been

Road accidents — more causes for alarm covered in only 15 days! Are we the only ones panicking? There could be more unreported cases, and as often happens, some of the injured die without making the statistics.

What inform compilation of travellers’ manifests and payment of insurance premiums?

Who collects the money? Why are insurance companies not paying families of accident victims claims? There is no record of any payment for loss of lives and disabilities from road accidents though it is stated that fares include insurance covers.

Put differently, Nigerian roads have become killing fields without protection for their users. Travellers heave a sigh of relief if they

make their destinations. The worrisome trend has tremendous negative impact on the nation’s health system as well as its social and economic aspirations. Who takes responsibility for these?

Are the campaigns of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, effective, going by the recurring carnage on our roads? Are these campaigns substitutes for proper road construction and maintenance culture, maintenance of vehicles, regulation of articulated trucks and petrol tankers, sanctions on owners of vehicles that cause mass deaths on our roads? When bad roads cause accidents, governments that failed to maintain the roads should share in the liability.

Efforts must be made to curb the menace of the tankers and articulated vehicles on our roads. The carnage has to be stopped. All the various agencies that should ensure safer roads should work together to save lives.

Public enlightenment should be intensified.

Our roads would be safer if they are well built, well maintained and a culture of obeying traffic regulations is enforced.

OPINION

BY MOSHOOD ISAH

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AUDED by many, loathed by countless Nigerians, the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, may continue to generate reactions and comment until when the new owners prove their worth.

The Federal Government once again took a “giant stride” towards the refurbishment of the power sector by fully handing over the electricity company to private firms with the mandate to provide uninterrupted and quality power supply in the country.

It could be recalled that a partial takeover started in 2005 when the Government fully controlled National Electric Power Authority, NEPA, sold a percentage of the company to private individuals. This was due to the high level corruption that ravaged the sector where it exposed its abysmal performances to the discontentment of Nigerians.

Major effort to sanitize the sector proved abortive, even after partially handing over to private hands. As a matter of fact, power output dropped drastically as megawatts dropped on a daily basis. Black-outs were the order of the day, businesses collapsed, and sounds of generators became common in many vicinities. Rumors also abounded about top managers in PHCN who were alleged to sabotage the energy sector by promoting and dealing in the business of sales of generators.

It is believed that private investment yield more output compared to government-controlled organisations which are usually in the hands of nonchalant personnel. But perhaps, only if the investment is fully privatised would the desired impact be felt.

Probably in view of the above negative scenarios, President Goodluck Jonathan must have realised the need to finally relinquish the sector to the hands of private investors who have skills, expertise, competence and financial muscle to rescue the sector from further collapse.

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Power sector reforms: Killing many birds with one stone It was therefore not surprising when the National Council on Privatisation, NCP, chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo approved “core investor” sale strategy for the privatisation of the 11 distribution companies created out of the PHCN. Recently, President Jonathan handed over the share certificates and licenses to 14 new core owners of the PHCN successor companies with an assurance that things can only get better in the power sector. President Jonathan described the process of the privatisation as most transparent in the history of privatisation in the country and that government is working out modalities to tackle the challenges such as the payment of severance allowances to the PHCN staff.

F

ive generating companies and 10 distribution com panies received share certificates from President Jonathan who also promised that the physical hand over of the assets would be undertaken soon. He added: “Going forward, this administration is committed to providing all elements are necessary for our private sector partners to succeed in providing Nigerians with uninterrupted power supply. To start with, the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company, NBET, the off-taker, has been provided with a capitalization of over $750 million, positioning it to carry out its mandate without financial constraints.”

It is also gratifying to note that the government has promised that PHCN workers would get their full entitlements.

This will surely prevent any attempt by labour to derail the process. In partnership with the labour unions, the government should be able to come up with an outcome that is beneficial for all stakeholders. Labour leaders are therefore urged not to nurse a feeling of displacement, but dwell on the tremendous possibilities partnering with the government through the reform process and urge them to con-

tinue in this spirit for the greater good of all Nigerians.

Some pundits believe that means of production is still being controlled by corrupt politicians. Thus, it is another stratagem to milk the economy. Be that as it may, economists have it that, fixing electricity could reduce business costs by up to 40%, add 3% to GDP and cut mass unemployment, which is the major nucleus behind security issues around the nation. More so, the issue of kidnapping will be reduced to the barest minimum as close circuit cameras will become a common sight on our major streets. This will help checkmate all sorts of social vices and delinquent acts commonly found due to blackouts on our streets. Without doubt, if the takeover is genuine which I think it is, local businesses, local industries will spring up; local raw materials will be harnessed to the optimum.

Apart from the fact that it will reduce unemployment, it will boost the economy as locally manufactured products will take over the imported ones. The economy will be streamlined and self-sufficient. Rather than channel a large chunk of the budget on importation of products, the government will generate revenue from tax levied on such local industries. In a similar vein, the revenue can be diverted towards creating better road network, thus locally manufactured product will be accessible in most, if not all parts, of the country.

Though it will not be out of place to nurse the fear of increase in the electricity tariff, the new power owners should assure and ensure that consumers will enjoy better and affordable services. Thus, when cost of production is minimal as a result of constant power supply, output will be optimum, and individuals and industries will afford to pay the new electricity tariff.

Mr Isah, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Garki, Abuja

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—19

B

ETWEEN Samuel Johnson, the English lexicographer, Louis VI (1078-1137) King of France and Horace Mann, the American lawyer and educator is a common thread underlying the salient essence of death, impinging on the life of revolutionary activist, Baba Omojola.

“Prepare for death if here at night you roam, And sign your will before you sup from home. It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives”, says Johnson. “Better a thousand times to die with glory than to die without honour” is Louis VI wise counsel while Mann says: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity”.

Adewole Babarinde Omojola Ajibola, 75, gave his entire life to the cause of the oppressed and the betterment of humanity not only in Nigeria but the African continent.

Unlike the burden of Mark Antony after the assassination of acclaimed Roman statesman, Gaius Julius Ceaser, we are here not only for the celebration of an enviable life but to eulogise Baba.

Born on July 13, 1938 and popularly known as Baba Oluwide Omojola, he lived for what he believed and was on his feet fighting for social justice till sunset.

After a tortuous life laced largely by commitment to the empowerment of the working people and the struggle for social justice, Baba took a bow in glory and honour on Saturday, October 19, 2013. Although the circumstances of his death still ring around some mys-

tery, we are gladdened that he acquitted himself very well in the revolutionary vineyard.

With his peculiar wise crack and a disarming sense of humour which distilled tense discourses, Baba neither was undaunted and never wavered for a minute nor mortgaged his belief for a mess of pottage.

A great mobiliser, organiser and humanist who was generous with all he had, Baba who worked as private secretary to Labour Leader No 1, Pa Michael Imoudu and revered elderstateman, Chief Anthony Enahoro, was practically a prime mover to virtually all the revolutionary groups crystallised in the last 60 years.

Baba provided the elixir for formation of the Movement for Popular Democracy in Nigeria, MPD( 1976), People’s Redemption Party, PRP(1978), Socialist Revolutionary Vanguard, SRV(2001), National Consultative Forum, NCF, that spearheaded the 1990 National Conference aborted by the Babangida junta; Campaign for Democracy, CD and the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO. He was the fulcrum of the Socialist Conferences in Nigeria between the 1960s and 2000s, and played a vital role in the formation of the All-Nigerian Socialist Alliance, ANSA; Pro-National Conference Organisations, PRONACO, Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN and the June 12 Movement, among others.

As the struggle to resolve the national question intensified in the latter stage of his life, he became

His life evinces a dialectical relationship not only between form and content, underground and open work of the revolutionary movement but also theory and praxis

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active at the level of Yoruba selfdetermination groups.

He considered every political platform an opportunity to deepen the crisis of the bourgeois state.

Baba collaborated with leading lights of the revolutionary movements like Michael Imoudu, Wahab Goodluck, Dapo Fatogun, Eskor Toyo, Funmilayo RansomeKuti, Aminu Kano, Obafemi Awolowo, Gambo Sawaba, S.G. Ikoku, Mokwugo Okoye, Anthony Enahoro, Alao Aka-Bashorun, Mayirue Eyeniegi, Kolagbodi, Ola-Oni, Balarabe Musa, Abubakar Rimi, General KKM Kassonghov, Abayomi Ferreira, M.T. Akobo, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Jonathan Ihonde, Edwin Madunagu, Arthur Nwakwo, Alfred Ilenre, Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Ambassador Otunla and many others.

Even at 75, Baba, also a member of the Zikist Movement, was not given to slowing down his revolutionary fervour. At the National Political Summit held recently in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State by the Nigeria Consensus Group, Baba, armed with documents and leaflets, was at every gathering pushing for the adoption of the PRONA-

November 16, test for Anambra politicians

By CLEMENT UDEGBE

N

OVEMBER 2013 is a peculiar month.

On the celestial level, it is the month of partial and full eclipse for different nations and regions of the world, with its spiritual and physical climatic implications.

On our national level, it is the month our President, the first to formally go for spiritual rejuvenation in the Holy Land of Israel, came back and pounced on the ASUU strike with the prowess of a gifted prophet against a ravaging demon, giving us all hope that our young ones will go back to their studies soon. It is the month Stella Oduah will know her fate after the car scam.

This month will prove the hollowness of the Sure-P with billions claimed to have developed wings from their account. The demon of corruption will receive some badmouthing this month. It is a month that will decide the fate of the nPDP, and if well handled, the fortunes or challenges of the APC. On a personal level, it is the month, my Oga, Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe( rtd), GCON, a fine, gentle, disciplined naval officer and ardent believer in the SouthSouth and the Nigerian project, passed on, almost same time with his good friend, Prof.Omo Omoruyi, both of beloved Edo State. We have a lot to learn from the lifestyles of these two men.

As an Igbo man, November also offers opportunity for the correction of a bad notion Anambra State has created in her politics.

Anambra State is easily reputed to have a C M Y K

repository of the finest brains, the smartest and richest entrepreneurs, the boldest of men that the South East can boast of. The financial resources of Anambrarians alone can change the face of the whole of the South East if they choose to harness and apply it positively. But that the state still has poor infrastructural facilities and is struggling like most other states of the South East, is a reflection of the bad political practices of her leaders. Anambra keeps the worst record of political brigandage in the politics of the South East, has the record of being the first state where an incumbent governor was held hostage by his political “kingmakers”, and these men are still throwing their weight around in all aspects of the political life of the state. It was also in Anambra that violence, rigging, and ballot box snatching of unprecedented levels occurred during gubernatorial elections of the past. Same Anambra politicians never let any elections results go uncontested in the court of law. Anambra will be the first and perhaps only state, where Governor Peter Obi ruled for two terms of eight years without elected local government chairmen. Same governor wants APGA to win when he pulled the carpet under the feet of the party by this action! One had thought that APGA will be elevated to the level of an Igbo party, but selfishness and intrigues will not let them do so.

When Pope John Paul of the Catholic Church visited Nigeria in 1998, he came to Anambra State, and the then State Government announced that they would build an International Airport at Oba, among many other plans. It was reported later that private transporters came together

CO peoples’ constitution.

On the morrow of the summit, a meeting to perfect strategies for popularising this agenda was convened at his hotel room. A postsummit review also held at his instance to take stock of the gains of the meeting. Baba passed on a day after he had presented copies of the PRONACO peoples’ constitution and other documents to the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue in Akure, Ondo State.

Away from the opportunism and crass exhibitionism that seem to characterise the work of many comrades, Baba was humble, unassuming and brought a peculiar candour to the conduct of the revolutionary movement.

His life evinces a dialectical relationship not only between form and content, underground and open work of the revolutionary movement but also theory and praxis. Even with his waning health, he still partook in all manner of revolutionary work.

An avowed internationalist, Baba was a vital link with Fidel Castro and Ernesto Che Guevara in the African liberation struggles in Algeria, Congo-Zaire and Southern Africa. Following the vanquish of French colonialism, he became a revolutionary confidant to Ahmed Ben Bella, the first Algeria president.

He also worked with Winnie Mandela at the Mandela House in London which served as a coordinating centre of the international phase of the African National Congress, ANC, struggle against Apartheid South Africa.

Reputed for deepening underground revolutionary work, Baba, the author of the biographical work on Imoudu titled, The Imoudu Biography - a political history of Nigeria 1939 – 50, provided cover for most African freedom fighters who

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BY TONY IYARE

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Baba Omojola’s revolutionary praxis

Nigerians and lovers of peaceful democracy are watching Anambra State to see if they will pass the November 16 test of good and credible polls, devoid of violence, ballot snatching and court cases

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and blocked that project. Though some tell me it is not the case, then why has that project not taken off? While the politicians were busy deceiving and chasing themselves, blocking each other, Governor Uduaghan commissioned the Asaba Airport, and now most of them rush down to Asaba to board planes they would have boarded at Oba. Soon there will be a deep seaport in Bayelsa, while they will continue to kid themselves.

On November 3, just 13 days to the gubernatorial elections, no fewer than 28 persons who attended the weekly crusade at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State, lost their lives during a stampede at the end of the ceremony.

The crusade, organised by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obinma for prayers, healing and spiritual retreat, attracts thousands of people, but because this one was held on the Feast of All Saints and it was the first Saturday of the month, an estimated 100,000 worshippers reportedly attended

were in Nigeria clandestinely at one time or the other in the '60s to early '80s, including Thabo Mbeki, former South African president.

He related very well not just to his peers but to the younger comrades. He practised the essence of humanism and flung his doors open to all manner of people. Besides his four biological children – Adeola (who died in London), Eyinade, Akinola and Morenike, he fathered so many other children. After the usual morning devotion laced with sonorous hymns and music emitting from Baba’s mastery of the piano, this is gleaned from the sea of heads at his breakfast table.

Delighted I was when Baba who reinforced my revolutionary theory and work, was at the head of the table as chairman of my wedding ceremony also graced by Comrade Ola Oni, Professor Gordini Darah and many other comrades, 20 years ago.

Though he had a middle class upbringing as son of the late Canon Emeritus of the Diocese of Ibadan, Emmanuel Ajibola, he opted to commit class suicide.

Even his father perceived early that his son who made a first class from London School of Economics and was at the Inns Temple was cut out to devote his life to humanity and gave his blessing. “He told me if I wish to serve humanity it’s my natural turf”, Omojola reminisced.

Baba opted to take his exit fighting for the cause of social justice and the empowerment of the oppressed and the betterment of humanity not only in Nigeria but Africa.

Adieu Baba, we shall miss you

Iyare, a former Special Adviser to Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole is Editor-in-Chief of The Gleaner News Online.

the crusade. Governor Peter Obi who attended the crusade in company of 10 persons, including the National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, the candidate of the party in the November 16 governorship election, Chief Willie Obiano, as well as two siblings of the governor, was said to have left the crusade ground around 3.30am, before the tragedy. Obi and APGA will want us to believe that Ngige and APC were responsible, and they all are trading blames.

Whose report shall we believe? If a witch cries in the night and a child dies in the morning, who killed the child? Politicians have gone there with their bad behaviours, spoilt a good crusade for the servant of the Most High God, and now instead of blessings, the people received death and heart aches. Ndigbo as a whole criticised Governor Babatunde Fashola’s government for deporting 28 Igbo indigenes from Lagos State, what shall we do to these men who by their conducts have caused the death of 28 Ndigbos?

The report did not say that Chief Ngige of APC was at the event, but the air waves in Anambra State is awash with government propaganda that APC was responsible.

What has Ngige done to these people other than he delivered on his electoral promises in spite of all challenges from his oppressors in state politics.

Nigerians and lovers of peaceful democracy are watching Anambra State to see if they will pass the November 16 test of good and credible polls, devoid of violence, ballot snatching, court cases and the rest. Ondo and Edo states have passed this test in flying colours, will Anambra be able to pull through this one successfully ?

*Mr. Udegbe, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 21

QASA sees potential in Nigeria’s economy

By PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

Q

BRIEFING: From left: Mr. Sola Oyetayo; Mr. Shaka Braimah; Chairperson, Mrs. Toyin Sanni; and Vice Chairman Mr. Emeka Madubuike, all members, organizing committee of the third annual Capital Market Committee (CMC) Retreat at the press briefing on the retreat coming up in Abuja.

NPA staff urge FG to stop NIPCO’s tank farm construction

By GODFREY BIVBERE

that project which is expected to stretch from the Lagos water front through the joint venture company between NPA and several outfits will constitute great danger and greatly affect revenue accrued to government.

Umar explained that it will affect the function of the pilotage of ships calling at the ports in Lagos, since the Joint Venture Company (JVC) handling the pilotage of Lagos district is located at the Dockyard through which the pipeline is proposed to be constructed.

He disclosed that tug boats and dredgers berthed

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HE Senior Staff Association of Communication, Transport and Corporation (SSACTAC) in the maritime sector has called on the Federal Government to stop the management of Nigeria Independent Company (NIPCO) Plc from its planned construction of a tank farm and the laying of pipeline across the Lagos water front because of the danger such project could have on the area.

Making the call in Lagos , the association’s President, Omeizah Jimoh Umar, said

-0.3

103.65 2,648.00

-28.00

18.08

0.04 +1.15

94.33

+0.13

DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

154.7 248.6493 209.0152 169.5528 1.5672 0.2998 236.3594 25.3968 41.2489 28.0177 238.608

CENTRAL 155.2 249.453 209.6907 170.1008 1.5723 0.3098 237.1234 25.4793 41.3823 28.1083 239.3782

SELLING 155.7 250.2566 210.3663 170.6488 1.5773 0.3198 237.8873 25.5619 41.5156 28.1989 240.1484

CBN Exchange rate as at 10/11/2013

1.5km will be blocked and any attempt to check vessels and NPA Tug boats shall lead to collision with the pipe and of course there will be explosion, fire and spillage of the products.

On environmental impact, he said there will be serious ecological side effect in terms of pollution that will definitely arise from NIPCO Plc activities. “Who bears the brunt, who pays for the destruction and who cleans the waterways? What about the impact of pollution on fishes and other aquatic lives and human side effect?, he quarried.

Enugu State BoI set to disburse N1bn fund to SMEs

By NAOMI UZOR

104.61

CURRENCY BUYING

alongside the dockyard and should the project proceed as planned, the under water pipes may be ruptured.

“There is another JVC known as the Continental Shipyard Ltd (CSL) that repairs ships and vessels NPA and other third party jobs.

This company repairs the Tug boats, dredgers and pilots cutters of NPA with priority preference and half cost as compared with charges of others like Niger Dock”, he said.

He said if NIPCO Plc is allowed to go ahead with her obnoxious intention, the navigational channel of about

T

HE Government of Enugu state has said that one of the key objectives of the state is the disbursement of the Enugu State - Bank of Industry Small and Medium Enterprises one billion naira fund, which is in progress.

Speaking at the Enugu state special day at the Lagos International trade fair, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Jude Akubuilo, said the state is continuously reviewing its policies to ensure that businesses have a conducive atmosphere to take root and expand in the state, and in this regard, the disbursement of the Enugu State Bank of Industry Small and Medium Enterprises one billion naira fund, is in progress as well as many other

interventions initiatives.

“The issue of double taxation is being addressed by the committee set up by the state to harmonize and come up with a single payment coupon. The administration is not relenting but determined more than ever to turn around the state to become one of the choice destinations for investors in the South East” he said.

Akubuilo said Governor Sullivan Chime’s government embarked on and succeeded in the creation of a very conducive environment for businesses to thrive, thereby creating employment and boosting the internally generated revenue of government.

“In fact not long ago, the Nigerian Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar declared Enugu state, the safest state in Nigeria. All these and more led to the influx of local and foreign investors to Enugu.

UALITY Assurance, Assurance Service, QASA, a foreign firm, says it has confidence in Nigeria’s economy as a result of its untapped and increased economic potentials and return on investment.

QASA, manufacturers and marketers of home appliances said it is ready to face the robust competitive market of home appliances and electronics in Nigeria. QASA, is a subsidiary of Qlink, a Taiwanese group of companies.

Speaking at the trade launch of the company in Lagos, the Global president of the Qlink Group, Nelson Wu, said the introduction of QASA into the Nigerian market is the answer to the millions of middle class population across Nigeria and other African countries seeking products that are affordable and reliable with good quality and service.

Wu who was confident of the Nigerian market promised distributors who records 30 percent sales growth will be rewarded.

“We will run a sales promotion between January and March next year to stimulate the market on our products”, he said.

The Global president who is strategizing to dominate the home appliances market said his plan is to mount campaigns such as painting of houses and mounting billboards in major cities.

He also plans to deepen his after-sales -service which he considers important to customer loyalty.

Also speaking, QASA’s Managing Director, Max Kuan, said the firm holds a sizeable share of the market in every country it operates. ‘”We have a range of electrical and home appliances products, including 200cc motorcycles and tricycles” stating that the launch of QASA is the result of five years research

by Qlink group to satisfy the market.

22— Vanguard, TUESDAY,NOVEMBER

12, 2013

Is this company genuine?

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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HE above is one of the constant requests we receive on this page from readers. It is a question that strikes the core of the practice of investment. But it is question you ask before you invest, not after investing. Unfortunately, the readers asking such question have already invested in the company in question. However, asking the question reflects increased awareness of the existence of fake and illegal investment companies.

The problem of fake and illegal company has continued to plague the nation’s financial sector. Only last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission shut the Port Harcourt and Sokoto offices of a Women-In Oil, for operating illegal investment fund.

There is a difference between a fake company and an illegal company and it is important that you know the difference.

A fake company is a company registered or not registered but with the intention to defraud.

Such company, if registered,

does not play by the rules and they hide their real intention from the regulators and public, by falsifying documents etc. An illegal company is one that is not registered and hence not authorised to do the business it is doing. Both abound in the capital market.

One of the reasons why it is important to differentiate be-

tween the two is the possibility of recovering your investment.

If a company is illegal, and you transact business with it, if anything goes wrong, you are on your own. If you patronise an illegal stockbroking or Fund Management Company, if the company defrauds you, you are on your own. If it is a fake bank, the deposit insurance protection

of the Nigeria Insurance Deposit Corporation does will not cover your money. And if it is a stockbroker or illegal fund manager, whatever investor protection fund is offered by SEC and NSE may not cover you. Of course, if the company is shut down by the regulators, they would return money to the investors but that is pro-

SEMINAR: From left: Mr. Ambrose Inyiama, Business Manager, Trans Amadi Branch, Diamond Bank Plc, Port Harcourt; Mrs. Amy Iyk-Asadu, Business Manager, PPMC Branch, Diamond Bank, Port Harcourt; and Mr. Festus Erewele, Business Manager, Aba Road Branch, Diamond Bank, Port Harcourt at the 39th Business Xpress Seminar in Port Harcourt.

Top 10 performing stocks On the top ten performing stocks last week were Forte oil Plc, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp), Eterna Plc, Mansard Insurance plc, Conoil Plc and MRS Oil Nigeria Plc. Others were Nestle Nig. Plc, Cutix plc, Cadbury Nig. Plc and Learn Africa.

F

orte Oil recorded 47.68 percent or N33.87 price appreciation from N71.03 it started the week at to N104.90 per share. It was one of the companies that successfully acquired one of the generating plants in Nigeria in the recent privatisation exercise of the power sector by Bureau of Public Enterprise, where it secured ownership of 434MW Geregu Power Plant. The company recently revealed plans to extend its operation to other West African markets including Liberia, Togo, Sierre Leone, Chad and Niger Republic. It already has presence in Ghana through APOG, its

fully-owned marketing subsidiary. Nine months financial statement to September, 2013, showed revenue increase of 28.97 percent from N71.43 billion to N92.13 billion in 2012. Cost of sales rose significantly by 32.13 percent to N83.6 billion from N63.27 billion in equivalent period of 2012. The profit before tax at N3.22 billion was 258.40 percent increase over N898.33 million recorded in 2012, while post tax profit rose by 316.99 percent to N2.74 billion as against N656.39 million in 2012 despite 99.45 percent increase in tax paid within the year.

T

ranscorp closed as the second most active stock in the week with 20.86 percent or N0.39 price appreciation to close at N2.26 from N1.87.

Closing price last week is thus far the highest this year.

Though the stock price is far from approaching its listing price, it is making, however, making gradual progress. The company had recently undertaken N12.91 billion rights issue, which was oversubscribed by 32.08 percent, thereby increasing the market

E

capitalisation by 54 percent to N54.6 billion. With the increase in the market capitalisation, Transcorp, has thus become once of the most capitalised stocks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. The proceed aided the company in completion of acquisition of Ughelli Power Plant, and will also be directed towards construction of new hospitality projects in Lagos while refurbishing and expanding the Transcorp Hilton Hotel. There seems to be a reversal in the company’s fortune as shown in the nine month financial statement to September, 2013. Though it recorded a dip in revenue to N11.780 billion for the nine months as against N13.244 billion for the period ended 31st December, 2012, the profit before tax and post tax profit appreciated considerably. While the profit before tax rose to N5.148 billion from N3.948 billion as at December, 31st 2012, the post tax profit increased to N3.580 billion from N2.527 billion.

terna Plc’s share price appreciated by 18.00 percent or N0.45 to close at N2.95 from N2.50. Listed on the petroleum and petroleum products distributors sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Eterna engages in the manufacturing and sale of lubricating oils, importation and bulk/retail sale of petroleum products including PMS, AGO, LPFO, base oils, bitumen and export of lubricants/fuels, bunkering among others.

The company recently won a N2.2 billion contract for the supply of fuel oil to Egbin Thermal Station belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) as part of the efforts of the government to find viable alternatives to supplement gas supply to the plant for electricity generation.

M

ansard Insurance rose by 12.38 percent or N0.25 to close at N2.27 from N2.02 per share. The

vided there is money that can be traced to particular investors. However, if a company is fake, if it is registered, if anything goes wrong, you can report to the authority that issued the licence. In this case, there is hope of recovering your investment.

That is why before you transaction investment business with any company, you must ascertain if the company is licensed to do so. In Nigeria, before a company can operate in the capital market, be it as stockbroker or fund manager or investment adviser, the company must be registered and licence by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

If by any reason the company is registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, in as much as it is not licensed by SEC, it is an illegal company.

Doing business with such company is at your own risk. Also, before a company can operate as a bank, savings and loans, mortgage bank, bureaux de change, finance company, it must be licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Any company doing any of this business and it is not licensed by the CBN is an illegal company, even if it has CAC registration. Anybody transacting business with such company does so at his/her own risk.

By NKIRUKA NNOROM stock as at today is one of the highest priced insurance stocks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. It recorded N6.131 billion total underwriting income for the nine months ended September, 2013, as against N5.812 billion posted in 2012. Its underwriting profit was flat at N2.35 billion during the period.

Conoil Plc advanced by 10.24 percent or N4.78 from N46.70 to N51.48 per share. For the half year ended 30th June, 2013, Conoil recorded N79.6 billion in revenue, a marginal increase of 4.5 percent compared to N76.2billion posted in 2012.

Gross profit also rose by 7.7 percent to N8.32 billion from N7.73 billion.

MRS Oil advanced by 10 percent or N3.80 to close at N41.79 from N37.99; Nestle went up by 8.08 percent or N91.24 from N1, 128.76 from N1, 220.00; Cutix appreciated by 7.56 percent or N0.13 from N1.72 to N1.85; Cadbury rose by 6.80 percent or N3.81 from N56.00 to N59.81, while Learn Africa appreciated by 6.78 percent or N0.12 from N1.77 to N1.89 per share.

Vanguard, TUESDAY,NOVEMBER 12, 2013 —23

INVESTORS SPEAK

come back.

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BY WILLIAM JIMOH

P

ASTOR Williams Adebayo: Nigerian big men are running away from taking risk in stock market.

The money available in the market today is not from local investors. It belongs to foreigners. This is because if you look at most of the companies that are doing well in the market today, they are owned by multinationals/ foreign investors. And in some of these companies, they own as high as 80 percent of the total share, while the remaining 20 percent or in some cases less than that is left for the minority shareholders.

The condition we find ourselves in the country today makes it look as if, whether the presence of foreign investors impact positively on the market or not, there is very little the •Binuto Teju government and even the regulators can do about it.

If you look at it from another angle, you will see that more than the matter of saying they are exploiting the potentials in the market principally for their own good, we cannot totally describe their presence as bad because anyone that is putting his money into any form of investment is doing so with the main motive of making profit and ones that will be enjoying the benefit that is understandable.

What we see in the country today is when it comes to sharing profits made that a typical Nigerian that has what it by these companies.

Look at Guinness for instance, considtakes to invest in the capital market to make it grow and better the lot of the ering the population of Nigerian invescountry’s economy like these foreign- tors, minority shareholders are holding ers do to their home country are not just about 17 percent, less than 20 perwilling to come into the market, be- cent. Also in Nestle, with our populacause they feel the risk is too much for tion, all we own is just 20 percent and them to take. So, if it is the foreigners that is the situation with most of them. that will continue to dominate the mar- But we can say that this is good for the ket then it might be said that that is our Nigerian economy since we are still a fate for now basically due to our own growing.

Let me quickly add this, the investing attitude towards our market. And maybe until this is changed, we will con- population in the country is very tiny. tinue to experience foreign dominance. And that is why we cannot for now, do What I am saying is that; since it is without the foreign players. And taking the foreign investors that are ready to about Guinness and others, I will tell take the risk, they should also be the you that we really need them, or you

•Pastor Williams Adebayo

Big time in or et tto o invvest estor orss are yye reco om their apath o recovver fr from apathyy tto investment tell me, how many of us are ready to invest, when majority of us are jobless, and our income cannot even feed us talk less of keeping some money for investment.

And talking about them repatriating their profits, to us as investors, we believe that it is normal which is usually when they have problems in their home country; like what is happening in most European nations today. They will surly want to go and improve the economy of their countries, and that is when they take their money back home.

I want to believe that if you are in their position, you will do likewise. But even at that, the interest of the minority shareholders is still protected, and at worst if they leave the country, they can easily

ngineer Teju Binuyo, an investor; we understand reason for fall in dividend.

I want to be specific about Guinness, they hold a meeting recently where it was announced that they are this month; they said they are going to withdraw some money and give to the shareholders, in form of dividend and bonus and this we all know will drop the stock price in order to allow those who want to buy to come in.

But by second quarter which will commence from December, the price will rice up again. And then, investors will be looking at how the company is making its profits and compare it with that of the previous year so as to know whether it is better than that of last year or not.

This will to a great extent affect whether some of us will continue to hold their shares or not. But if it is better or there is outlook that it is going to be better, more people will surly come for their stock.

We can say that the fall in profit and stock price is applicable to every stock, but still, different company have different ways of ending their years, but while all these is happening, there is need for shareholders to understand as well monitor what is happening to the stocks they holds When you consider the fact that these company over years have not offered any new share to the investing public, I think this policy is right, for instance I have more than 5000 unit of shares with Guinness and other big companies but what I feel is that, since the company can run and operate as well as compete with other stocks in the market profitably now, I have nothing against them neither do I think that since they can run the company with the available capital there is need for them to go and offer any new share for the public.

COMPLAINTS & INVESTIGATIONS Expressview genuine?

Please I want to know if the Expressview Integrated Financial Services Ltd with head office at No. 104, Yaya Abatan St. Yaba, Lagos is genuinely accredited.

Investors Forum Genuinely accredited as what? Do you mean registered as SEC or NSE to operate in the capital market or registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission? We need you to be more specific?

I need update on Honeywell Flour, two others I bought 1000 shares each at Honeywell Flour, First Inland Bank and Daar Communication. I got a share certificate numbered: 25545, acc number: 22862 from Honeywell only in 2009. I have not received dividends from any.

Please help. (Odunukwe Chialuka)

Investors Forum You should contact the registrar of each company. Note that First Inland Bank merged with IMB to become FinBank, which was later acquired by FCMB. For your investment in Honeywell Flourmill and DAAR Communications, contact: First Registrars Plot 2 Abebe Village Road, Iganmu or call 08033018295, 08191410456 for your investment in FCMB contact City Securities Primrose Tower, 2nd Floor, 17A Tinubu Street, Lagos. Tel: 234-12641298, 234-1-7924462.

No certificate from Daar Communications I bought Daar Communications shares in 2007 public offer. My Shares certificate not yet collected. (OLABIMTAN, M. Kolawole)

Investors Forum Please contact First Registrars Plot 2 Abebe Village Road, Iganmu or call 08033018295, 08191410456 I need update on Unity Bank I was offered 8700 Unity Bank Shares from my 50000 First Interstate bank shares during the merger. However, to date, Unity Bank has never contacted me or paid any dividend. Worse still I don’t even know the registrars. What can I do?

Investors Forum This is the contact of the registrar: Unity Registrars Limited, Unity Bank Building, (2nd Floor) Plot 1683, Sanusi Fafunwa Street Victoria Island, Lagos.

Tel: 0803-3006-038, 01-7408123, 018418765 What is the fate of depositors’ money in Savannah Bank?

Please, what happened to depositors’ money with Savanna Bank of Nigeria?

Investors Forum Depositors’ money in the bank is still intact. The owners of the bank are still

making efforts to reopen for business.

Depositors would be able to access their money once the bank reopens.

Is Dangote Flour still existing?

I bought shares from Dangote Flour Mills Plc in 2007 and I got annual report for 2007. I never heard from the Company again. Does it still exist?

Investors Forum The company still exists. For update on your shareholding please contact Afribank Registrars Limited Address: 2A Gbagada Expressway, Anthony Village, Lagos. P.M.B.12021 Lagos.

Phone: +234 1 2691867, 2692094, 7735963; Fax: +234 1 2692019 What is CSCS? Please what is the meaning of ‘’CSCS’’ because (Darr Comm) they said with this people as my stockbroker that there’s no need for certificate. Please what is their contact address or phones?

Thank you. (Greg Chukwu)

Investors Forum CSCS means Central Securities and Clearing System. The company is a bank for shares. As you keep your money in bank account, so also shares are kept in CSCS accounts. With your shares in CSCS account, you don’t need share certificates. The CSCS statement becomes the documentary evidence of your shares. The contact of the compa-

ny is: Central Securities Clearing System Plc, 1st floor Stock Exchange House 2/4 Customs street Lagos or info@cscsnigeriaplc.com or 07025768449 I need update on First Bank unclaimed dividend I want to know my fate as to unclaimed dividend in First Bank as at march 31, 2005 which was published in a booklet.

I sent an email to the registrar, First Registrar about it and I have not gotten answer. My name is (Rev Akpata Godwin).

Investors’ forum Your dividend is still valid and you can collect it. Contact the Registrar via phone. The contact number is 08033018295, 08191410456.

COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS Do you have any challenge with your investment in the stock market or with any company (stockbroker, Registrar Company etc), write to vanguardinvestorsforum @gmail.com OR send text to 07043855187. We will INVESTIGATE AND REPLY

24 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

AWARD: Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; Manager,

Financial Services, Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, Mr. Dapo Segun, representing General Manager, Finance, CNL, Jerry Uwakwe; and Minister of Communications and Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, at the 2013 CBN Electronic Payment Excellence Award, won by CNL, recently.

FG reviews electricity market rules

…Set to declare Transition Market

By CHRIS OCHAYI

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HE Federal Government has began the process of reviewing the Market Rules that will guide the privatised electricity sector operations, ahead of the declaration the Transition Electricity Market, TEM, by March next year.

Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, disclosed at a workshop organised for the review of the Market Rule in Abuja that the Interim Rule for the current Interim Market operations is still being reviewed in collaboration with

the new investors.

Amadi noted that while the Market Rule is being reviewed for possible amendment following a change in the power sector operations, the interim rule has been drafted and would soon be ready to guide the new investors during the

ongoing interim and market testing period.

In his remark, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Prof.

Chidiebere Onyia said, “there are certain things that we are trying to ensure that they are put in place before the declaration of TEM.” According to him, “this is one of those things that should be in place before the commission, NERC, can advise the Minister to declare TEM. Right now we are looking at the 1st of March, 2014.

He said the review of the interim rule will guide the new owners in the current interim operation, adding, “I am happy that the Interim Rule is being reviewed, but more importantly with the contributions of stakeholders and all of you here.”

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Initial Stakeholders Advisory Panel, ISAP, and Director General of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader, NBET, Mr Rumundaka Wonodi, stated that the panel commenced a holistic review of the Market Rule in July 2012, in anticipation of TEM in collaboration with all the stakeholders.

Wonodi noted that the previous Market Rule was based on public sector TEM, adding that the erstwhile privatisation and handover was deemed for the medium market which is no longer the case, hence the need for amendment of the MR to reflect current realities.

NNPC denies shady dealings in crude lif ting lifting …Says no company enjoys monopoly

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HE Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, over the weekend denounced a recent report by a Swiss-based, NonGovernmental Organisation, NGO (The Berne Declaration), which accused the Corporation of collusion with some local and international oil traders to execute unfair industry practices.

The Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Ms. Tumini Green, said in a statement on Sunday that the publication is not only bogus but strewn with inaccurate and poorly researched data, which defies common sense and verifiable evidence on

ground in Nigeria.

“For instance, how can anybody who claims to be a close observer of the Nigerian oil and gas industry say that the process leading to the award of Term Contract for lifting of Nigeria’s crude is shrouded in mystery, when it is common knowledge that the call for tender for this contract is periodically published by almost all the newspapers in Nigeria via paid advert placements by the NNPC?’’ Green quipped.

The NNPC spokesperson explained that in practice the Corporation sells Nigerian Government equity crude oil to lifters/traders engaged on Annual Term Contract basis, adding that at present, there are about 50 of such term

contracts.

“No company has a monopoly or exclusive right to lift any quantity of Nigerian crude oil. The process of selection of Traders/lifters is competitive and transparent.

Traders lift crude oil according to the terms of Contractual agreements applicable to all traders, among others on (Free on Board) FOB basis and proceeds paid directly into designated Central Bank of Nigeria Crude oil sales accounts,’’ She said.

On the allegation that Nigeria’s crude is sold to some companies at special discounted rate, Green countered, “Nigerian crude oil is sold at published Official Selling Price (OSP),

which is not only benchmarked against the internationally recognised pricing institution, Platts daily publications, but also fixed after a critical analysis of market fundamentals and price determinants at global level. OSP differentials are crude stream determined and cannot favor an individual or group of traders as being insinuated.’’

Green thanked the Nigerian media for their sustained show of support for the growth of the oil and gas industry while appealing to them to always resist the temptation of endorsing foreign media reports about the industry as gospel truth.

Germany offers r $40m fo le renewab energ y

By CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA: In an effort to promote the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the country, the German Government is proposing to provide the sum of $40 million Green Credit Facility for the Nigerian Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMSE. Details of this proposal were discussed in Abuja last week by the two countries; with the Federal Government represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Dr. Godknows Igali, and a development partner KfW of Germany respectively.

The Green facility when finalised would be utilised to provide low cost loans to SME’s in Nigeria in an effort to promote efficient use of electricity and the use of Renewable Energy by them.

Sequel to the handover of assets of PHCN successor companies to private owners, the initiative is expected to support current efforts at promoting Demand Side Management (DSM) in the electricity industry and increasing the proportion of Renewable Energy in the nation’s energy mix.

On their part, KFW of Germany - a development Bank, assured the Ministry of Power of continued support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s Power Sector Reform, through the provision of financing such as the proposed Green Credit Facility.

The facility, when approved would provide additional $40 million investable funds for the sector.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—25

POWER: FG assures of sufficient manpower …As NAPTIN graduates 243 engineers

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA: The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of the availability of sufficient indigenous manpower for the 10 new National Integrated Power Plants, NIPPs, being commissioned across the country.

The Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, gave the assurance in Abuja, at the first graduation ceremony of trained power engineers from the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, NAPTIN. He explained that the assurance stems from the success of government’s capacity development programme for the power sector.

He said the graduation of the first set of 243 engineers by the Institute was a big milestone on the road to achieving efficient and reliable local content in the unfolding revolution in the new power sector.

The minister said there was no fear of redundancy for the high caliber of engineers being produced under NAPTIN’s Graduate Skills Development Programme. He said there was a great need of them in the now privatised generation and distribution companies, the NIPPs, as well as at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, where some of the young engineers had already been engaged.

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

VISIT: Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential

Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, and Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development Management Board, NCDMB, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, when Kuku visited the NCDMB headquarters in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State.

Nebo said the products of the Institute were the critical mass of skilled manpower needed to take Nigeria to her envisaged place among the 220 most developed nations by the Year 2020.

In his address earlier, the Director General of NAPTIN, Mr. Reuben Okeke, affirmed that the graduate progamme was designed to act as a systematic interventionist

approach to the grand plan of meeting the nation’s manpower needs in the energy sector.

He commended the Minister of Power for intervening to secure appropriate job placements for some of the graduates.

He explained that following the launch of the programme in September 2012, over 1,530 applications were received nationwide with a total about 243 graduate trainees eventually

‘Maint enance culture'll ensure ‘Maintenance sust enance’ sustenance’

By CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA: The Federal Government has assured consumers of power that that electricity generation will improve over the next few months, as the new owners of the privatised successor companies will introduce maintenance culture that ensure steady power supply.

The Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, who said this in his presentation to the Course 22 of the National Defence Academy, in Abuja.

He added that the new owners will embark on the importation of spare parts to replace and refurbish the moribund components.

In a paper entitled, “The Federal Government Privatisation Programme: The Journey So Far,” Dikki disclosed that the major work

Group cautions against consumer exploitation

of the Bureau was the reforms of the various sectors of the economy to create an enabling environment for private sector investments.

He said the agency, instituted sound sector policies; liberalisation of the sectors by abrogating monopoly laws; and delineation of the roles of policy formulation from regulation and operations. Others are the establishment of appropriate legal and regulatory framework; mitigation of risks to encourage private sector investments and the setting up of independent regulatory agencies.

He noted that the BPE championed the Telecommunications Sector Reforms that revolutionalised the country’s telecom sector with the enactment of the Telecom Act of 2003.

According to him, this led to the licensing of several service

providers that have created many new jobs and an astronomical growth from a teledensity of 0.4%, representing 450,000 telephone lines in 2001, to 82%, representing 123 million telephone lines as at June 2013.

Dikki argued that the BPE midwife the enactment of the Pension Reform Act of 2004 that led to the establishment of National Pension Commission, which entrenched a stable pension policy in Nigeria.

Through the Commission, retirees are now certain to get paid on retirement which has so far created over N3 trillion long term investable funds for infrastructure development – if the restrictions of the law are relaxed.

He explained that the establishment of the Debt Management Office (DMO) is one of the outcomes of the reform works of the Bureau to curb arbitrary borrowing by public enterprises and government

admitted and enrolled.

The DG explained that while some were under their state government’s sponsorship, a good number also came on private or self sponsorship.

The 243 NAPTIN trainees graduated at the event span across the power chain with 92 from generation, 79 from transmission and 72 from distribution.

agencies.

He enumerated the primary benefits of the Ports Reforms by the BPE on the economy to include faster ship turn-around time; faster cargo turn-around time; and faster truck turnaround time. Others are use of larger ships; increased port utilisation efficiency; lower port operating costs and opportunities for inland distribution by rail.

The secondary benefits according to him are increased competition; lower port charges; lower freight rates; increased private sector investments; labour force improvements and net financial transfers to the government.

To sustain the gains of past reforms, Dikki listed seven critical Bills targeted for passage into Law, which have been approved by the National Council on Privatisation for presentation to the Federal Executive Council, FEC.

BUJA: Following the successful handover of power assets to their respective new owners, the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, has called on the Federal Government to monitor the activities of the private investors with a view to checking incessant hike in electricity tariff to rip off Nigerians.

National Coordinator of SNG, Mr. Benedict Ezeagu, who made the call while addressing newsmen in Abuja, insisted that government and the new investors should stand by their promises to achieve the target of making electricity available and affordable to all Nigerians.

Ezeagu who was assisted by his image officer, Mr. Francis Olabode, said, “We want to clearly remind the new investors in the power sector that what Nigerians expect from them now is to nip the problem of power in the bud, to ensure that the promised affordable power supply all over the country and rapid socio-economic transformation are immediately realised without further excuses.

“Nigerians have been promised that the participation of the private sector would bring about higher generation capacities through the provision of more efficient and cost effective power stations and improvements in electric power distribution in the areas of billing, collection and transmission networks thus the expectation are very high considering the fact that power is the engine room of development as the driver of all other sectors in any country.

“The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and the Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE, should monitor the operations of these private investors and do everything necessary to allay Nigerians’ fears of incessant hike in electricity tariff following this transfer of ownership of power distribution to the private sector.

“NERC as the regulator of the electric power sector must ensure that all the new stakeholders in the power sector play according to the rule and that the new investors in the power sector would not rip off Nigerians.

26—TUESDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 12 , 2013

Expensive energy is tott ering ttering Europe — Eni

By SEBASTINE OBASI

T

he continent of Europe is walking with difficulty due to its expensive energy, said Paolo Scaroni, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Eni, Italian oil giant.

Scaroni also said that the aim of European energy policy should be to combine economic growth with environmental sustainability.

However, the continent has ended up with energy costs that hamper growth, as greenhouse gas emissions have not fallen despite the decline in energy consumption.

According to him, “The problem is that we have, so far, failed to grasp the implications of the US shale revolution for Europe. Thanks to the rapid increase in efficient non-conventional gas production, US companies pay about $3.50 per million British thermal units (mBtu) for their natural gas. That is about a third of what Europeans pay,” he said.

Turning to electricity, he said that not only are European consumers hit by relatively high gas feedstock prices, but they also have to pay an extra charge to cover the more than €30 billion of incentives to invest in renewables which EU countries spend every year. As a result, Europe’s electricity is twice as expensive as America’s.

Scaroni explained that cheap energy gives the US a huge competitive advantage. “it comes on top of other factors that make the US a good place for an industrial investment, including a qualified, flexible labour market, a deep managerial pool, fiscal advantages and a generally business-friendly environment.

“In light of this, it is hard for businesses to justify new investments in European industries. Energy-intensive activities – such as petrochemicals plants or refineries – that can relocate to the US are doing so. European gas demand is already down 15 per cent since 2008,” he said.

The Eni CEO also said that apart from growing more expensive, European energy has grown dirtier. That is because cheap, clean gas has crowded out coal in power generation in America. And that coal has made its way across the Atlantic at prices that are still competitive compared with the European own, higher, natural gas prices.

Downstream players urged to expand capacity

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

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ownstream players in Nigeria’s petroleum industry have been challenged to expand capacity through the construction of refineries to become net producers of petroleum products in the country. By so doing, they will become competitive at the international level Speaking on downstream competitiveness at the justconcluded, Oil Trading Logistic Expo, OTL in Lagos, Senate President, David Mark, said Nigeria, especially operators in the downstream sector must relate to what is happening in the international market.

He stressed that Nigeria must be ready to relate international competitiveness to the nation’s capacity to expand values and the capacity to become not just marketers in the downstream sector but indeed producers, refiners and in adding values to the nation’s God given product Mark argued that Nigeria’s downstream sector is profitable and will remain profitable essentially if the operators remained efficient middlemen, or at the very best, strategic margin traders by importing products and selling at the margin.

Mark continued, “In dealing with the theme of the conference, one is forced to ask, Why are we talking of competitiveness? Is it competitiveness between MRS and Total? Or are we talking about competitiveness on an international scale because the petroleum industry is an international industr y. And if you are gathering here to discuss competiveness, we must discuss the capacity of Nigeria to compete with other companies at the international level and in that respect, I am force to question whether we have actually identify the true principles of such international competiveness.

“Nigeria downstream sector is profitable and may remain profitable essentially by being efficient middle men or at the very best strategic margin traders by importing products and selling at the margin. But in terms of adding value to the Nigeria economy, in terms of competitiveness as a country and as an industry in an international environment, are we actually competitive?

This is the question that I except the organisers,

participant, speakers and all stake holders can provide answer.

“If you are talking about local competitiveness that is a different conversation, if you are talking about competitiveness in the downstream sector of our economy, then we must relate it to what is happening in the international market, we must relate it to our capacity to

expand values, we must relate to our capacity to become not just marketers but indeed producers, refiners and in other ways adding values to the product that is already given to us by God Almighty.

The Senate President who was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abe, further

said: “My brother has already mentioned the examples of countries that don’t even have the advantage that Nigeria has in that we actually have the raw material which is the foundation product for the industry. But others who don’t have that advantage are even more competitive than us. I expect that these are some of the questions that would be answered by this conference.

“I hope we would be able to have a ground plan for moving the industry forward not just as marginal traders and as marketers but indeed as producers and internationally competitiveness in the global market.

CAMPAIGN: From left: General Manager, Strategy, Total Nig. Plc, Mr. Jefferson Nnamani; Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Total Upstream Company, Mrs Abimbola Shikoya; and Permanent Secretary to the Abia State Government, representing the Deputy Governor, Elder Ochu. I.Ochu, at the HIV/AIDS campaign organised by Total in Umuahia.

NIPCO rebrands 150 retail outlets …Deploys electronic gas skids

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

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ipco plc, an indigenous integrated downstream operator in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has commenced the rebranding of 150 retail outlets across the country, for better positioning and optimum service delivery to consumers of petroleum products The rebranding of the outlets according to the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Venkatapathy Venkataraman is being carried out in line with international best practices in the oil and gas industry.

Venkataraman, who disclosed this on the sidelines at the justconcluded, Oil Trading & Logistic Expo in Lagos, said the exercise is also aimed at providing some value addition services to motorist aside from

the conventional product dispense.

He asserted that this will ultimately increase Nipco’s share of the retail market currently put at about 10 per cent, and is also in line with its corporate mission of meeting the needs of stakeholders in the sector.

He noted that the rebranding of the 150 outlets will make customers who patronise the stations to enjoy fuel and nonfuel related services, as well as shore up Nipco’s rating as a reliable marketing organisation.

According to him, a unit put in place by the company is charged with the remodeling with the ultimate task that clients get value for their purchases and other services rendered at the stations through routine checks.

Venkatapathy further disclosed that in the new outlets

a standard workshop and service centre are in place to make motorist have a one stop chop for all automotive related issues.

On the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) skid, which is the latest technology in dispensing gas with a dual purpose of refilling for domestic cooking and automobiles, the NIPCO boss said that the company has deployed some across the country to bring gas close to the populace.

The skids have electronic filling machines and deliver accurate quantity of gas as well as instant verification by buyers, which is targeted promoting gas usage.

He said that Nipco has stock of all LPG accessories like cylinders, burners, regulators, hoses, etc which are currently sold at very competitive rates across the nation.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 27

NCDMB, Amnesty Office collaborate on employment

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he Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and the Presidential Amnesty Programme, are to collaborate towards integrating exagitators from the Niger Delta into the Oil and Gas Industry.

This was mooted when the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Mr. Ernest Nwapa, hosted the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, at the Board’s office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State last week.

Nwapa said the plan was to upload the list of ex-agitators who had completed training in oil and gas service areas

into the Nigerian Oil and Gas Joint Qualification System (NOGIC JQS), the data base of choice for talent sourcing in the oil and gas industry.

He explained that the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Chairman of the Board’s Governing Council, Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke, had directed the Board to pursue capacity development and employment initiatives that will support President Goodluck Jonathan’s

transformation agenda in the Oil and Gas industry.

According to him, major operating companies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, cannot employ more than 50,000 Nigerians as they had outsourced most of their operations. He added however that the industry could create thousands of jobs through the execution of its projects incountry and manufacturing of

components used by the industry.

He regretted that Nigerians had for nearly five decades focused on the exploitation of crude oil and the revenue receipts, while ignoring the value chain. Thereby failing for too long to establish facilities, own hi-tech assets and manufacture components for the industry that can create jobs and retain spend in the country.

Nwapa clarified that the implementation of the Act had

BRIEF

Chevron wins CBN e-pa yment e-payment award

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hevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, operator of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, has won the 2013 Electronic Payment Excellence Award of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

According to the CBN, the company won the award, in the ultinational Category, for its “commitment to the Federal Government’s transformation initiative on end-to-end electronic payment of all forms of salaries, pensions, suppliers and taxes.”

Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Governor, CBN and Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Minister of Communications and Technology jointly presented the Award at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory in September.

Presenting the award, the CBN Governor noted the company’s alignment with and promotion of a national initiative (electronic payment), which has caused Chevron Nigeria to be “singled out as a model worthy of emulation within your industry category and the country at large.”

CNL’s General Manager, Finance, Mr. Jerry Uwakwe, thanked the CBN for recognizing Chevron’s commitment to electronic payment saying it is in keeping with the company’s value of partnership and ingenuity through technological innovation.

EXPO: From left: Executive Secretary, Petroleum Products Pricing & Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Mr Reginald Stanley, and Managing Director, Nipco Plc, Mr. Venkatapathy Venkataraman, during the Oil Trading & Logistics Expo in Lagos.

gradually reversed the trend, and Nigerians have begun to invest heavily in facilities, own hi-tech assets and manufacture components for the industry.

He noted that some of the capacities already developed for the industry, are being utilised in other sectors of the economy like power, telecommunication, construction and information technology.

Speaking further, Nwapa described various initiatives of the Board, which had helped create and retain about 38,000 jobs in the industry from 2010 to date.

He added that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industrial Park Scheme (NOGIPS), will unlock employment opportunities from the industry as it will elevate local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). This will produce standard high tech equipment for the industry under a shared service and resource optimisation model.

He explained that the Board was also set to start an artisan training programme that will produce qualified artisans who will eventually build the Board’s Headquarters Building in Yenagoa.

In his remarks, Kuku underscored the agency ’s relationship with the Board, explaining that both agencies were developing manpower for Nigerians.

He said, “We are doing a lot of vocational training programme that falls under the ambit of NCDMB, so we needed to get advice from the Board on what is available and how we can tap into the opportunities. We want the Board to help us in post training placements.

‘Impatience bane of solid minerals sect or’ sector’

BY GABRIEL EWEPU

A

BUJA- THE acting Director General, Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, Mr. Nwegbu Ndubuisi, said the slow development in the mineral and metal sector is as a result of lack of patience.

Ndubuisi in an exclusive interview with Vanguard disclosed that past administrations and the private sector had failed to show resilience and commitment to invest in the solid minerals sector as it requires high level of painstaking effort to get the desired results.

Ndubuisi said: “It requires the understanding of the administrators on the

workings of solid minerals sector, because a lot of people are not patient with the processes that lead to the activities of the sector. For instance, if you invest money in exploration before you get to the level to establish a mine and it starts yielding revenue to the government, it will require not less than five to 10 years.

“So a lot of governments are not patient enough to see through this gestation period of five to 10 years before being rewarded with the investment. You find out that you could give in money from one or two years, and if they do not have the immediate returns to satisfy their expectations they feel that the money has

been wasted. So they draw back in funding the sector further. It is also part of the problem in the sector.

“You find out that it is a very capital intensive sector, and not many Nigerians have the patience and level of capital of investment.

They would rather go and import something and sell, and within six months that will multiply their income, but in the case of solid minerals it does not just come that way.”

He also lamented the neglect of the sector for so long by past administrations and failure to diversify the country’s economy towards the solid minerals sector.

Therefore cautioned the government not to hinge the

economy on a mono-culture economic system, which was capable of affecting the economy negatively.

“Nigeria has no choice than to diversify the economy considering the endowment we have in the solid minerals sector, and it can only serve us good if we diversify into the sector, because it is not going to just provide enormous employment opportunities for our teeming youths.

“It will provide raw materials for our industries, attracting foreign players and would bring the foreign direct investment which we so crave. These are the benefits of our diversifying into the solid minerals sector, Ndubuisi stated.

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12,

2013

Issues before national confab In this memo to the presidential committee on the proposed national dialogue, the Ndi-Igbo Council for National Coordination canvasses burning issues that should be discussed at the confab.

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REAMBLE: IT is a good thing that the President has seen it fit to set in motion the process that will lead to the holding of a national conference to give Nigerians opportunity to make their input in the making of a constitution that will govern our common life. Except in 1949/50 when the colonial government of Nigeria sent questions to every clan council or Native Authority to seek the views of Nigerians from the grassroots up, no other constitution making effort has involved such a widespread consultation and public participation since then.

People of the age bracket (80 +) will remember the Ibadan Conference of 1950 which was the culmination of that exercise which was started in 1949 at the various local government levels; then to the Provincial councils moderated by the colonial officers known as Resident; then to the Regional level (in 1948/ 49 parlance. They were not called Regions but Groups of Provinces) where the views from below were harmonized and streamlined into a “Constitution” for each group of Provinces. And so we had a constitution for the Eastern Group of Provinces, another for the Western Group of Provinces and the third for the Northern Group of Provinces.

•Nigeria

In the process, each Region built in the peculiarities of their region, for example, the West had a Council of Chiefs in addition to a House of Assembly, also the North had two chambers, but the Eastern Region had a single-chamber legislature; a House of Assembly. It was from this build-up that the London Conferences that came later hammered out what we had as 1960 Independence Constitution.

This process had three effects: •It created awareness that something momentous was happening and gave the various groups in the country a sense of belonging as well as satisfaction for their aspirations; • It helped the people to identify their credible leaders; and • It substantially aided the process of nation-building and the awakening of national consciousness among Nigerians.

•Structure of the Dialogue/ Conference: It is being suggested here that the Advisory Committee should adopt a staggered multilayered, bottom-up, and then up-down approach to this proposed dialogue/ conference.

To be continued

At the national confab, let’s do it right (3) This is the concluding part of this discourse. The second instalment was published last Thursday

BY CHIEFS BROWN MENE & CHARLES IKOMI

•What is the best structure and layers of government(s) that we should have and at what cost to the nation?

•How do we fashion and provide the environment that will encourage and assist any Nigerian who has the drive and the capacity to reach and be the best in a chosen field of study, commerce, industry, field of performance, service delivery etc.?

•What should be the contributory duties and responsibilities of each one in leading public service position, in relation to nation building?

•What should be the responsibilities of state in caring for and encouraging a Nigerian to blossom in a chosen field of contribution to nation building?

•What should be the responsibilities of state to protect each citizen and the corrective and commensurate sanction of deviants?

•How do we ensure that all state and public matters/business are conducted with transparency, probity and accountability.

•What should the nation demand and expect from anyone in a position of trust?

The above should serve only as samples of issues that would require expert deliberation from which recommendations can be reached and forwarded by the experts to the plenary that only has the final say on such reports.

When all is set and done: The reason people have been calling for Sovereign National Conference is because when the

representatives (however chosen) had finished at least with a good measure of consensus on the major issues, those in government would unilaterally expunge some key areas of previous agreement and would impose some others which were neither canvassed nor agreed on. The result was a caricature of a document said to be by the people. That is the major flaw in our present Constitution.

For once, we should finally depart from this for the good of the nation we are trying to build.

The way to go is to present the findings of the plenary of the national conference to be subjected only to a referendum for the people to vote on it.

The outcome would then really be the collective voice of the people. Then and only then can the resultant document begin with “We the people of Nigeria…”

The National or State Assemblies should have nothing to do with ratifying it. The mandates of the Houses of Assembly were not derived from the ethnic nationalities of the nation. The constituency of each elected member is not any ethnic nationality but a geographical enclave wherein every Nigerian resident there in and who is registered to vote comprised the Constituency. That is very distinct from the profile and definition of the National Conference of Ethnic Nationalities of Nigeria. For once we should let the people speak and for their Voice to be given effect.Thereafter, The nation will be run as the people would have spoken. The sovereignty lie with the people. May Nigeria truly rise at last from a just and upright foundation laid by the people for the people of Nigeria.

•Chief Brown Mene, the ogwa-Olusan of Warri is chairman while Chief Charles Ikomi, the Ero of Warri is Secretary

INGUISTS no longer insist on prescribing how the English Language should be used. Focus has shifted to describing how it is manipulated to suit communication purposes with context in mind. So, please, consider ‘necessary’ to be a noun and not an adjective. Seen in this light, ‘Failure to provide necessary’ is good English. So good and true it almost sent a family man to jail.

A very senior colleague has enough near death and hairraising experiences to write an engaging memoir. Now that he is a desk Oga, he regales me with rib crackers. Oh yes! Comedy is tragedy plus time. Anyway, he told me of a secondary school girl that almost turned her father to a prisoner for failure to provide necessary. Her father had suddenly stopped paying her fees: “I no go train girl for another man to marry.” She arrested him.

My senior colleague was asked to intervene as an elder and relative. By the time he got to the station, father was behind bars, swollen with righteous anger.

“What is this man’s offence?” my

minister’s driver living in your area? How is that my business? I am coping. So you can. Just relocate or bear the meaning of being a Nigerian under leaders that suddenly discovered so many pairs of slippers at their disposal. Deciding which to wear for morning tea, wine sampling or cocktail now takes all their time.

Better still, just be patient. One of the multitudes of confusing elections will soon begin. That is when you realise our politicians are well-read and obey this particular law to the letter. They will locate you wherever you live to provide you necessary. Just be sure who you collect necessary from. They are very closelyrelated. To narrow the margin of confusion, just mark them down by their owner’s names: Ovie’s Party, Otigbu’s Party, Oboh’s Party, and so on. It is important so that you do not collect necessary from same party twice.

Remember, they are well read.

Just that they lack ideologies. No big deal. Who needs any other ideology apart from Nairamisappropriation skills.

Oga asked. The officer-in-charge pointed at the charge board.

Against the father’s name was: Failure to provide necessary.

What kind of law is this, he wondered aloud. Olokpa was provoked. “You claim to be educated and a journalist, yet you do not know the law?” On and on he ranted. The said law is so catchy that I resist the urge to go through my copy of the 1999 constitution. If it is not there, it will lose the magical taste. It might be in one of those many books of by-laws.

One thing is sure, Nigerian politicians are more educated than this my Oga at the top. They obey this law to the letter because to be an ex-convict can be damaging. This must be why no close friends or neighbours of a politician suffer lack of basic amenities. Farm roads in the hometown of a former Aso Rock number two are tarred with good drainage. If in the middle of a Lagos suburb you suddenly run into good road network and “steady ” power supply, a commissioner or legislature once lived there or still does. When one pipe snakes out of a politician’s 10-foot high fence to meet a community’s daily water needs, that politician does not want to be charged with failure to provide necessary.

So you are not fortunate enough to have a Special Assistant to the Special Adviser on Road Navigation to a

Now, what happened to that father that went against this law?

My colleague ran around and was told the case would go to court in two days! He was told to advise the man not to say anything in court. “Just accept that you failed to provide necessary.”

But trust prosecutors. Father was probed, needled, tickled and harangued until he lost it and started to question the rationale behind being told how to run his home.

The magistrate promptly sent him to two full weeks in detention.

When he came out looking like capital letter ‘I’, the magistrate moved the court to his house. Yes! Clerk, prosecution and all in the man’s sitting room, where a half tuber of yam worsened the man’s case as one that was good at failing to provide necessary. How it ended? You will have to wait. I am still trying to convince this Oga about the memoir.

Meanwhile, whether you want to buy a plot of land, build or rent a house, look out for where a government official lives or is likely to move into. You will be surprised what necessary even a local government councillor can provide. What is your business if, until the last elections, he was a tout? You want good roads, water and security. They are sure where he lives. Even the light that spills over his fence into your room through the window can make a lot of difference.

It is just my opinion.

,

BY ELDER UMA ELEAZU & ARC UCHENNA NWANKWO

P

Failure to provide necessary

A very senior colleague has enough near death and hair-raising experiences to write an engaging memoir.

,

C M Y K

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Mixed grill over proposed reintroduction of tolling on federal roads

By JUDE NJOKU

I

N a bid to push through the hike in the prices of petroleum products, former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2004, announced the scrapping of tolling on all the Federal Government -owned roads in the country. One of the reasons adduced by Obasanjo for the increase in the pump price of fuel was the need to raise money to finance the construction and reconstruction of federal highways that were in dilapidated conditions.

To pacify aggrieved Nigerians who could not come to terms with the increase at that time, the former President ordered the dismantling of all toll plazas in the country. But less than ten years after, the Federal Government has begun to sing another tune – tolling must be reintroduced to raise money to fix the roads that are in parlous conditions.

At a stakeholders conference on federal roads and bridges tolling policy, convened last week by the Federal Ministry of Works, the Minister of State in the Ministry, Bashir Yuguda, explained that the planned re-introduction of tolling is to make additional funds available for road management as well as opening up the sector to local

and international investors.

According to him, the new policy would be pursued on a Public Private Partnership, PPP basis unlike in the past when it was implemented through public service with all its trappings of i n a d e q u a c i e s and mismanagement.

His words: “Nigeria operated toll roads for several years, and it was abandoned in 2004 due to legal disputes, revenue leakages and unmet maintenance of the tolled roads. However, substantial benefits can be derived from tolling; road tolling has been tried and tested in many countries.

“Nigeria can usefully refer to the experience of other countries, apply lessons learnt and follow best practice in successfully building, managing and maintaining such roads.” Continuing, he said that morere than 90 per cent of economic and social activities in the country entailed plying the roads, and thereby putting pressure on them, hence funds are needed to maintain and keep them in good condition.

Mr. Yuguda said the tolling policy would ensure improvement in the quality and safety of roads, as well as adoption of international

*One of the toll gates on Lekki-Epe Expressway best practice in road management. The Green Paper on the policy, he said, would be deliberated on by stakeholders in the sector and submitted to the Federal Executive Council for approval.

But while most built environment experts favour the reintroduction of tolls simply because it is the normal practice all over the world, a cross section of

Nigerians cutting across all walks of life, have picked holes in the proposed tolling policy.

A banker, Mr. Ayodeji Obelawo stated that it amounts to insanity to introduce tolls on roads that are not motorable. “Have they forgotten that the removed toll gate revenue has been added as a tax to the petrol motorists are buying. Are we that forgetful that we have

Fashola calls for attitudinal change to save environment

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

T

HE Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has stressed the need for attitudinal change and proper disposal of wastes to sustain a clean environment.

The Governor who spoke at th the 5 sensitisation and awareness workshop for street sweepers organised by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment in collaboration with Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, explained that the issue of cleanliness is a continuous process that will always attract global discourse.

“The benefits of living in a healthy environment cannot be over emphasised. You have fresh air to breath in, free of bacteria or contaminants. It means reducing incidents of

sicknesses, saving you money from constant visit to the hospital, enjoying longevity, protecting and preserving the earth for future generations and you ultimately achieve a priceless healthy, happier and quality life.

“When you dispose your wastes properly, you indirectly contribute to the beautification of your environment which can also be attained by planting of trees or flowers to ensure fresh air circulation. I need to emphasise here the need to jettison our habit of drying of clothes on verandas and balconies along our high streets,” he said.

“The government has put in place equipment ‘and manpower to clean all our highways around the state, but we must be ready to change in attitudes and avoid acts of littering indiscriminately and

other social vices that disrupt the visual aesthetics of our environment,” he added and advised the stakeholders to use the workshop as an avenue to put in place various strategies that will be adopted at the end of this workshop.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello stated that the annual workshop has achieved its objective of building the sweepers’ capacity to achieve maximum productivity in the discharge of their duties. He pointed out that the state’s passion for a cleaner environment was borne out of conviction that a cleaner environment is a product of healthy individuals, communities, state and nation.

“Managing our environment is a responsibility that nature has bequeathed to us to nurture and in an effective and

sustainable manner. When. we beautify our environment through planting of flowers and trees, clear drainage, dispose your wastes properly, stop indiscriminate felling of trees, stop construction on drainage channels and alignments and desist from dumping refuse into the drainage and water bodies, we are helping ourselves and our future generations,” he said.

Earlier, the Managing Director of LAWMA, Mr. Ola Oresanya said the state government has invested substantial resources in both human and materials to re-emphasise its commitment to rid Lagos environment of wastes on the roads, bridges, drainage channels, canals, highways and in the communities.

developmental tax of N2.50k on every litre of fuel being bought? This was clearly stated in the 2003 speech of OBJ when he was removing the toll gates. Is it not insanity to be tolling roads that are practically not motorable such as the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Before the federal government can toll the roads again, they should first fix the roads and remove the development tax on fuel.

The coming of the toll gates again is a conscious effort to enrich some and probably a bargain for some in the race for 2015,” he said.

Also toeing the steps of Obelawo, Mr. Abdul Basit Ahmed alleged that money realized from tolls will be squandered and not put into roads reconstruction His views were corroborated by Mr. Ajibola Dada who described the reintroduction of tolls on federal highways as double taxation. “Why is it that this government cant come up with a better idea on how to develop the country’s infrastructure? Tolling is not the answer. A more people - friendly policy on infrastructure is what we need,” he said. Mr. Benjamin Ebeshi of Niger Delta University however differed with them. He suggested that the tolling must be electronic based and the proceeds made public on monthly basis. “This will enable members of the public to match that particular road or bridge maintenance to the total amount collected from tolling of that particular road or bridge,” he said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 37

*Marine waste

Nigerite refurbishes MAPOLY's architecture studio

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

I

Experts make case for wastes recycling

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

A

GAINST the backdrop of the outbreak of cholera in some states of the country, environmental experts have emphasised the need for manufacturers of products like sachet water to invest in recycling in order to eliminate negative impact of pollution on health and safety of Nigerians.

They experts made this observation in Lagos at workshop organised by the Lagos State Environmental Regulation Agency, LASEPA. The workshop centred on the theme: “Extended Producer Responsibility: Recycling Processed Water Packages in the 21st Century.”

At the workshop designed

particularly, for packaged water manufacturers, the experts noted the adverse effects of environmental pollution and the impacts on the health of Nigerians.

Raising alarm on the various types of pollution in the country, the Managing Director, PathCare, Dr. Pamela Ajayi who spoke extensively on improper disposal of packaged sachets water, explained how plastic water package is nonbio gradable and are eaten by fish, birds and marine life.

According to Ajayi, these pose serious health risks to human consumers.

She stated that the implications of water pollution are vast and could lead to infections like Cholera and typhoid, lead and mercury poisoning, infer-

tility and cancer amongst others.

Ajayi called on the participants, Government and wellmeaning Nigerians to embrace recycling as a way of life to eliminate negative impact of pollution on health and safety of Nigerians.

On his part, the General Manager, LASEPA, Mr. Adebola Shabi, an engineer, admonished packaged water manufacturers to ensure full commitment and implement the various changes identified at the workshop.

Other speakers at the event include the Managing Director, Richbol Environmental Services, Mr. Gbenga Adebola, Mr. Oloruntola J.O, ATWAP Chairman Lagos State and B. Ajakaiye, MD Kaiye Consult.

n furtherance of its corporate social responsibility, CSR, programme titled The Youth Our Future, Nigerite Limited, a leading building component solution company, has remodeled the Architecture Studio of the Department of Architecture, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, MAPOLY, Abeokuta. Ogun State. This gesture represents the third intervention by Nigerite which had earlier renovated architecture studios in University of Lagos and Yaba College of Technology in Lagos State.

Handing over the remodeled studio to MAPOLY in Abeokuta last week, Executive Director, Marketing, Nigerite Limited, Mr. Toyin Gbede, the company believes that government alone cannot solve the educational needs of the country. He stated that the private sector must also help in order to promote conducive environment for learning.

Gbede added that the initiative which started in the South-West will cover other tertiary institutions in the country. He assured MAPOLY officials that Nigerite is keen on fostering a lasting relationship with the institution, saying the journey of a thousand miles starts with a step. Nigerite, he said, would also consider donation of computers to the department in the next few years.

“We believe in the entity called Nigeria hence, our investment in the country in 1959 before independence.

We also know that the future of the country depends on the youth who form the generation that unfortunately does not have as much attention from government, as earlier generations of Nigeria. This is why we came up with a programme tagged: “The Youth, Our Future” because we realise the need for private sector intervention in helping our youths to realise their potentials. This explains also why we have embarked on remodelling of architectural studios in some selected institutions across the country. So far, we had done that of University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and now MAPOLY which is the third institution. At present, we are working with Obafemi Awolowo University,” he said.

Declaring the studio open, Rector of MAPOLY, Tokunbo Fowode, an arcitect, thanked Nigerite and members of staff for their unalloyed support to the school, saying “it was gratifying that the school is receiving the blessing of long time relationship.” While promising that the facilities would be properly maintained, the Rector advised other corporate bodies to follow the Nigerite example which deemed it fit to renovate the architecture studios of the school and other selected institutions across the country.

Forum seeks more investments in water sector

BY FUNMI OLASUPO

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articipants at at the justconcluded 4th National Water Conference, in Calabar, have called for appropriate short, medium and long term investments in the nation’s water sector.

They said this should in-

clude the construction of more dams to effectively utilise Nigeria’s major river systems.

A communiqué jointly signed by the Cross River State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Elemi Etowa, an engineer, the executive director of National Water Re-

sources Institute, Dr Olusanjo Bamgboye and the managing director of Cross River Basin Development Authority, Mr. Mfon Essien, an engineer, called for the management of water resources within what it called “hydrologically bounded catchments” without political interference, to avoid

conflicts and waste of resources”.

The participants further resolved that “a mechanism for effective inter-sectoral, interagency and international cooperation and collaboration for information sharing and effective service delivery should be actualised by stakeholders.

“While it noted the existence

Yuletide season: FERMA embarks on road repairs

BY ALICE FESTUS

T

he Federal Roads Main tenance Agency, FERMA, has embarked upon the repair of some major roads the country to stem the discomfort motorists encounter during festive periods.

The managing director of the agency, Mr.Gabriel Amuchi,

an engineer, made this known at a training workshop for zonal coordinators and federal roads maintenance engineers in Abuja.

Amuchi explained with the new equipments at its disposal, FERMA is now ready to tackle those discomforts which Nigerians face on the major highways.

“FERMA now have quick access to work materials all over the country and by this I mean that even during the rainy season, we have the capacity to maintain our roads and ensure that portholes are attended to properly. We have also added to the mobilisation in respect of equipment. Presently, we have added so many equip-

ment that include patch hole compacting machines. We will ensure that the patchers are on the road all year round. We have also resolved to make sure that between now and January all through dry season, that the patchers will be put fully to use to ensure that where ever we have challenges will be attended to,” he said.

of more than 200 dams in Nigeria currently, the conference emphasised the need to complete all the downstream structures with adequate involvement of the host communities for their maximum utilisation for food security and youth employment.

They enjoined the governments and other stakeholders in the water sector to take advantage of the various courses and ongoing youth empowerment programmes at the National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna to address the identified “skills gap and ageing workforce”.

They also called for adequate funding of research and development in the water sector in order to develop appropriate technologies and techniques in water resources management.

The Theme of this year’s conference was“Water Cooperation – Building Partnerships.’’

38— Vanguard ,

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

By Theodore Opara

Toyota outpaces GM, Volkswagen in sales •Leads on Interbrand ranking

Ford launches conservation, environmental grants

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OYOTA Motor Corporation is poised to end the year as the fastest selling auto brand again. The Japanese automaker sold 7.41 million vehicles through the third quarter and is on track to deliver more vehicles this year than General Motors and Volkswagen which sold 7.25 million and 7.03 million vehicles respectively during the same period.

According to Bloomberg report, during the third quarter, from July to September, Toyota’s 2.5million deliveries helped push it higher than its closest competitors this year.

In that period, GM delivered 2.4-million vehicles while VW posted 2.33-million deliveries.

Part of the reason behind the resurgence of Toyota and other Japanese automakers globally is the weakened yen, which can be attributed to policies put in place by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe since he took office in December last year. Many refer to those monetary easing policies as ‘Abenomics,’ which has led some, such as Ford , to call Japan a currency manipulator and is a big reason the US is lobbying to oppose Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Because the yen is weakened, Yuuki Sakurai, president of Fukoku Capital Management Inc., reportedly says, “The selling prices of some Japanese cars in the US have been lowered to make them more competitive.”

In the US, at least, GM did out-deliver Toyota in the third quarter. It delivered 697,113 vehicles

F

to Toyota’s 586,016, but that was enough for the Japanese automaker to grow 12 percent in the US and beat Ford for the first time in 15 quarters.

Meanwhile, Toyota retained its spot as the Interbrand study’s top automaker. It finished the survey in 10th position overall (the same as last year), despite a 17-percent improvement in its brand value, from $29.33 billion to $35.34

billion. Mercedes-Benz , BMW and Honda all made the top 20, at 11th, 12th and 20th place, respectively. Hopping a ways down the list, we come across Volkswagen in 34th place, up from 39th in last year’s study, with a brand value of $11.12 billion, a 20-percent improvement over 2012. Ford and Hyundai round out the automakers in the top 50, at 42 and 43.

Porsche made the

largest year-over-year gain of any automaker, with its brand value increasing 26 percent to $6.47 billion. Chevrolet meanwhile, cracks the list for the very first time at 89th place. As Interbrand notes, Chevy’s inclusion is notable because of the sheer number of vehicles it moves for General Motors and its recent push in developing markets. The final interesting note on this survey is the position

of an automaker that takes its name and logo more seriously than perhaps any other - Ferrari . The Italian exotic manufacturer finished 98th out of 100, with just $4.01 billion in brand value, a six-percent improvement over 2012.

Interbrand’s global brands report takes into account the financial performance of the products and services of each brand, as well as their influence over consumers.

ORD Motor's Con servation and Environmental Grants Programme, the first ever private initiative of its kind in the Nigerian automobile industry, is now accepting applications for its 2013 programme from on-goingnot-forprofit environmental projects that are seeking additional funding. A total of $25,000(USD) is available to deserving environmental projects that are working towards raising awareness about the environment and much-needed efforts for conservation.

This programme follows the Henry Ford European Conservation Awards (now Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants), which originated in Britain in the early 80’s with the vision of encouraging a wide range of projects that support, preserve or restore the local environment, heritage and natural resources.

Lanre Shittu slashes prices of Mack spare parts

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EPRESENTATIVES of Mack Trucks in Nigeria, Lanre Shittu Motors has slashed the prices of spare parts in an ongoing promo to keep more Mack trucks on the Nigerian roads.

The promo which started last week will run till the end of the year and is open to both owners of

new and old Mack trucks.

According to the company’s group executive director, Mr. Taiwo Shittu, “customers will enjoy over 30 per cent discount in the on-going promo on spare parts purchased during the period. He explained that the promo period might be extended depending on management’s decision.

“This is our own way of saying thank you to our customers and encouraging them to keep their Mack trucks on the roads without complaints,” he stated.

Continuing, he said, “our dream at Lanre Shittu Motors is to see more Mack trucks on the Nigerian high ways, making returns to their owners who have made investments in the vehicles.”

The executive director who described Mack vehicles as workhorses, said that an average Mack truck has lifespan of over 30 years if properly maintained, hence they are encouraging Mack truck owners to buy original spare parts from the manufacturers directly from Lanre Shittu Motors who is the sole representative of the brand in Nigeria.

He identified the outstanding qualities of Mack trucks to include low fuel consumption, ruggedness, longevity, easy to maintain, availability of original parts, and technical support from the manufacturers in USA. Mr. Shittu further hinted that his company decided to introduce the cut in the prices of all Mack truck spare parts because of the need to encourage Mack

truck users to use genuine spare parts, adding that his company gets direct technical support from Mack truck company in the United States of America.

According to him, “we are offering 30 percent discount for all Mack truck spare parts ranging from servicing kits, clutches, radiators, brake pads, Electronic Control Units , Bulldog batteries and so many others”.

The Director, whose company has presence in different parts of the country, says over 33 percent of the premium truck market in Nigeria is being controlled by Lanre Shittu Motors, (Mack) even as he called on Mack truck users to seize the opportunity and acquire Original Equipment Manufacturers

(OEMs) parts.

It would be recalled that earlier in the year, Lanre Shittu Motors blazed the trail by introducing single digit interest rate for the purchase of Mack trucks in Nigeria, an initiative that some haulage companies are already utilising. Lanre Shittu Motors has been known over the years as an auto concern that provides affordable, dependable and guaranteed vehicles in a manner that exceeds customers’ expectations, an experience it has brought to bear in the marketing of Mack trucks.

Mack Trucks, Inc.is an American truck manufacturing company and a former manufacturer of buses and trolley buses.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—39

By Theodore Opara

Dana takes Renault franchise from CFAO D

ANA Group of Com panies has finally taken the Renault passenger car franchise in Nigeria, with a promise to make customer satisfaction a priority. Renault Passenger car franchise was until last year under the CFAO group in Nigeria.

Dana Motors and Renault Motors recently signed a memorandum of understanding making Dana the new sole distributors of the Renault brand of passengers cars in Nigeria.

Briefing the press at their office along Oshodi-Apapa expressway, Dana Motors Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Sudeep Malhotra said that the company is poised to re-enact what they did with the Kia brand with Renault in Nigeria.

He recalled that when Kia was re-introduced into the Nigerian market by Dana over ten years ago, the feeling was that the brand would not succeed but the brand few years later became a huge success in the country.

The same feeling, he said, is what Renault customers envisaged about the new brand which Dana plan to also make a house-hold name in the near future. He described the Renault brand as very exciting, sharing technology with the revered Nissan brand.

According to him, Renault has been in Africa, building quality cars made with European technology for the past 40 years and

aims to increase its market share in the region as the global trend of foreign direct investments shifts focus from Europe to Africa. In view of this trend, Renault has sought after a reliable partnership with the technical know-how and experience to “Drive the Change”, and Dana Motor became the ultimate choice."

“Dana Cars and service is proud to announce this new partnership with Renault Motors and aims to surpass expectations by providing quality cars made in Europe that are to last.”, said Mr. Malhotra, during the media briefing. According to him, Dana Cars communicated their plans to open a 3S facility in the heart of Lagos before the end of the year and commence after sales services to current Renault owners.

Also speaking at the occasion, Head of Marketing, Dana Cars and Service, Mr. Kayode Adejumo hinted that eight exciting Renault models will be available in the Nigerian market. He said, “Renault Nigeria will be kicking off with new generation Logan, Fluence and Sandero, Duster etc. He disclosed the new models will

be unveiled soon during the launch of the new facility.

Dana cars will aim to position Renault as a European brand, providing driving pleasure

and very reliable cars, with high quality service tropicalised to suit Nigerian weather and road conditions, he said.

Renault new concept is to

provide new products adapted to Nigerian market with high safety levels of European standards.

SKODA releases attractive models

W

ITH completely new and redesigned models, fantastic special editions and additional features for the current model range, ŠKODA is really picking up the pace before the end of 2013. The new ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback is currently being launched onto the markets and orders are being placed for the revised Yeti, which will be celebrating its sales premiere at the start of 2014. Additionally, the Citigo, Fabia, Roomster, Rapid und

Octavia now feature a whole host of innovations.

2013 is ŠKODA’s year for new models, having brought out eight new or revised models this year alone. Moreover, the Czechs have once again upgraded their current range as part of their regular model improvements. Two years into the 2018 growth strategy, the ŠKODA model range is more attractive and varied than ever before. The company looks to be

ideally placed to achieve their target of selling at least 1.5 million vehicles worldwide every year.

The new ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback has been on the market since early October, becoming the Czech brand’s first compact hatchback ever launched. The young compact, for which four petrol and two diesels are available, boasts the best ŠKODA qualities and a fresh design.

Rationale for new national automotive policy framework (2) Continues from last week

BY LUQMAN MAMUDU Cushioning the automotive market for policy shock

I

N the design of this pol icy plan, there was concern that increased tariff might result in a shortfall in supply of automobiles to the economy as import dropped so provision was made to guarantee supply and keep prices steady. All members of Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association (NAMA) are allowed to import fully Built vehicles (FBUs) of their models to augment capacity.

Numbering about 12 today, the combined annual installed capacity of National Automotive Manufacturers Association, NAMA, is 108,000 units in cars, trucks and buses. The policy grants them 0% duty on all Completely Knocked Down Vehicle

(CKD kits) imports and the concession to import up to 200% of their CKD import as Fully Built Units (FBUs) for the first two years. This will serve to check price rises before they are able to ramp up production and before new entrants possibly, Nissan, Kia and Toyota, commence production. It is expected that a larger majority of Nigerians will look towards this source to meet their vehicular needs as FBU traders cash-in on the tariff hike, to increase prices. Vehicles from NAMA members will be offered at today’s prices and even less as the CKDs products are rolled out.

Lessons from automotive manufacturing operations in the past suggest that the proliferations of brands did not allow for mass production of any particular brand to engender low cost from economies of scale. The strategy of

model rationalization and parts standardization will therefore, be vigorously pursued under the new policy initiative. In the circumstance, $10,000 or less unit price for a modest car is anticipated from this strategic positioning. The policy framework therefore, provides for the adoption of a lowcost brand by all companies and a credit purchase scheme to enable Nigerians buy new cars and commercial vehicles including agricultural tractors.

Most commercial banks already have various products offering in this regard although difficult to obtain because of high cost of new vehicles and cost of funds. NAC will work closely with the private sector including the Motor companies to launch a readily affordable scheme. Rickety vehicles may be traded in for new ones under the

scheme. An urban mass transit framework is expected to be launched shortly by Government to reduce undue dependence on car travel. Nigeria remains one of the few countries where the only option of travel from an airport is by taxi. No bus, no rail.

The automobile is a safety product, so everyone is rightfully concerned about the quality of vehicles made any where, not least, Nigeria. It should be comforting to know and all must recall that Nigeria has, in the past, demonstrated its ability to produce world class cars. This was evident in the product of Peugeot Nigeria certified by it parent company in France, Volkwagen products by Volkwagen Nigeria certified by its Parent in Germany, etc.

It should be reassuring also that all CKD kits imports have SONCAP quality certificates en-

dorsed by internationally accredited standards agencies. In addition, NAC has commenced the establishment of standard Automotive Test laboratories at three locations in Nigeria. The feasibility study was undertaken by Automotive Association Research Institute of India (AARII) and civil work contracts have been awarded while tender for equipments will be opened in November 2013.

The laboratories will be available to both quality assessment agencies like SON and as common facility to support quality control needs of automotive practitioners. NAC will work closely with local and international development partners to build sustainable capacity for quality assurance in the sector.

Continues next week Luqman Mamudu is director Policy and Planning; NAC

40 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—41

No place for PDP in Edo— Oshiomhole

PDPYC condemns attack on Olejeme's residence

U

GHELLI— DELTA State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party Youth Council, PDPYC, weekend, condemned the attack on the Asaba residence of Dr. Ngozi Olejeme.

It will be recalled that the Asaba residence of Dr. Olejeme was allegedly set ablaze by unknown assailants about a fortnight ago.

Speaking on behalf of the group, its state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Roland Oyibo, said: “The PDPDYC sympathises with Dr. Ngozi Olejeme over the fire incident that occurred at her private residence in Asaba.

“We condemn the act and urge the Delta State Police Command to carry out a thorough investigation into the attack and those behind the dastardly act brought to book.”

Delta inaugurates new legal officers' exco

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HE executive of legal officers in Delta State Ministry of Justice, under the aegis of Legal Officer Association of Nigeria, LOAN, has been inaugurated in the office of the state Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Garban Okirhienyefa.

Meantime, the newly elected chairman of the association, Mr. Patrick Mekako, has called for support from all, saying that the executive cannot succeed without the support of legal officers.

LOAN’s chairman assured members that the new executive will be committed to their welfare and would not betray the confidence reposed in them.

He commended the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary for providing a friendly atmosphere during the tenure of the last executive and called for the provision of office space for LOAN’S executive.

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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E N I N — GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has kicked off campaigns for the 2015 state and national assemblies, and the 2016 governorship elections in the state, saying that by the time he concludes his urban renewal programme in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would be rejected by the people of the state.

The governor spoke during the commissioning of the five-junction road project, Ogba Market Road, Ogiesoba Road, Osuan Road (Vegetable Market Road), Golf Course Road, now renamed Tom Ikimi Lane.

He was reacting to the setting up of a 45-man committee by the state PDP to strategise ahead of the said elections.

Oshiomhole said: “As elections are approaching, I heard last week that they (PDP) set up a 45-man committee to strategise on how they will try to recover the state House of Assembly.

“I know that Edo people will never allow the cockroach to get back into our palm oil because they will resume sucking.

“Our commitment to rebuild Edo State is total and we must never forget that we have replaced lamentation with hope; we have regained the confidence of Edo the man.”

CONDOLENCE: Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (right) presenting a condolence letter to his Deputy, Lady Valerie Ebe, during the funeral of her mother, late Madam Patricia Paul-Bassey, in Uyo.

Delta issues 30-day ultimatum to occupants of govt property

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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GHELLI— DELTA State Government has given a 30-day ultimatum to illegal occupants of the state Housing Estate in Ughelli to vacate same or face eviction.

Similarly, the government has directed all those that encroached into Delta Development Authority, DDPA, land, Ughelli, to quit within 60 days or face the same

treatment.

Commissioner for Housing, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, at a meeting with notable traditional rulers in the area, including the Ovie of Ughelli, HRM Oharisi III and Ovie of Ogor, HRM Onajite Igere Adjara III, spoke on the decision of the state executive council to crack down on the encroachers.

He said that the State Executive Council had given

IYC tasked on reconciliation

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HAIRMAN of Olabrakonpre community, Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Andabafa Namah, yesterday, called on the newly elected President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, to set up a reconciliation committee that would reconcile all aggrieved members of the group.

Namah said he was aware that the recent IYC election was one of the freest in the history of the council, adding that dele-gates from all the Ijaw states and clans were present at the election venue in Bayelsa State.

He said: “I was an observer in the election, and as an observer, the election was free and fair.

“We were about 78 observers from Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers, Delta and Edo states that witnessed the election and we all endorsed it as the freest election.

“All I want now is for all the aggrieved persons to embrace the leadership of Odengs if the

overall development of the Ijaw nation is their priority.

“Odengs, on his part, should also extend an olive branch to the aggrieved persons to have a united IYC. “IYC must work together to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan return as president of Nigeria come 2015.”

approval for the eviction of illegal occupants of the houses and landed property with military men after the expiration of the ultimatum.

Akpeki said: “This is a follow-up to a meeting held with the traditional rulers of Ughelli Kingdom, where we deliberated on government property in their domain and solicited your support to assist us to talk to your subjects, who are occupying government land and property illegally.

“From information reaching us, illegal occupants of government property and land have refused to vacate them.

“I, hereby, convey to you the decision of government as approved by the Executive Council that all illegal occupants should vacate the place within 30 days and if they did not, they will be held responsible for their actions.”

Kokori chiefs, elders beg monarch over attack on palace

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI— WORRIED by the attack on the palace of the Ovie of Agbon Kingdom, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, HRM, Ogurime-Rime Ukori I,

by Kokori community youths, the leadership of the community has appealed to the monarch for forgiveness.

Speaking when he led an eight-man delegation to the monarch’s Otorho-Agbon lodge on behalf of the community ’s Council of

Chiefs and Elders, the Orosue of Kokori community, Chief Josiah Orhorhoro, expressed the community’s unhappiness at the action of the youths.

Describing the ill-treatment meted on the traditional ruler by the youths as Jacob’s voice and Esau’s hand, he noted that the community had no hand in the action of the youths.

Orhorhoro said that Ukori I had before his ascension to the throne, contributed immensely to the development of Kokori community when he was

President-General of the community and Chairman, Board of the Niger Cat Construction Company.

He said: “In such a crisis situation, what we ought to have done was contact you to assess the situation and look for a lasting solution.

“But because we had offended you through our children and yours, we could not face you on any issue and this was what the Council of Chiefs and Elders considered and sent us to come and we are sorry, please forgive us.”

42—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Delta EduMarshals initiative lauded

MOSOP threatens to invoke UN genocide convention over UNEP report M

OVEMENT for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, has threatened to invoke the provisions of the United Nations Convention on Genocide against the Federal Government, following the expiration of an ultimatum it handed government to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, on Ogoni environment.

Meanwhile, the senator representing Rivers SouthEast district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, had described the nonimplementation of the UNEP report as an act of wickedness against the people of Ogoni by the Federal Government.

President of MOSOP, Legborsi Pyagbara, issued the threat while speaking at 18th anniversary celebration of the killing of foremost environmentalist, Kenule Saro-Wiwa and 12 other prominent Ogoni leaders, at Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Pyagbara said the people of Ogoni would embark on series of protests in days to come to demonstrate their total disapproval to the Federal Government’s handling of the UNEP report.

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA— THE Education Marshals (EduMarshals) initiative of Delta State Government is recording remarkable achievements since it came into existence two months ago, investigation has shown.

The initiative has been widely acclaimed as a right step in the right direction, even from the opposition including Deltans in Diaspora.

One of the Deltans in Diaspora, Mrs. Patricia Onyemeziem, who runs a non-governmental organisation, Keep Hope Alive Vineyard Initiative International, based in United States of America, told Vanguard that “on my recent visit to Nigeria during the World Mental Health Day in October, I noticed that children were not hawking items during school hours.

“I was told about your educational empowerment programme for children. No child is left behind in the programme, which will ultimately change Delta State.”

Senator Abe reacts

Also speaking, Senator Abe said all efforts made by elected representatives of the people of Ogoni to get the Federal Government to implement the UNEP report had not been

EOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart and First Deputy PresidentGeneral of Aladja Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Christian Whiliki, has said that the party comes out of crises stronger.

He said all the talks about the new PDP and threats from the All Progressives Congress, APC, were makings of news media.

He told newsmen that there was nothing like new PDP in Delta State and that the party will deliver in the 2015

A

university don in the Department of Theatre Arts, Delta State University, Abraka, Dr. Godfrey Enita, and the commissioner representing Ndokwa on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Sir Kenny Okolugbo, have condemned the recent explosion at a political gathering in Obomkpa Community, Aniocha Local Government Area of the state, in which the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr.

Victor Ochei, escaped.

Dr. Enita, who also is the state Coordinator of a sociopolitical group, Delta Unity Group, described the plot as “unacceptable and unwarranted attempt on the life of the speaker.”

Okolugbo said people should play politics without bitterness, maintain the peace that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had achieved and leave 2015 elections in God’s hand.

Enita said: “It is totally

unnecessary, uncalled for and unwarranted for anybody to plan to take the Speaker’s life, particularly at this time that the state government is doing all it can to establish peace in the state, through its three-point agenda of peace and security, human capital development and infrastructure.

“It is most expedient for all Deltans to join hands with the governor to see that the peace initiatives he is facilitating in all the local government areas of the state are not hampered.”

Aguariavwodo's election ends politics of opposition— Omo-Agege, Odibo, others

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI— A cross section of members of the Urhobo Political Congress, UPC, yesterday, said the election of Chief Emmanuel Agua-

general elections.

Whiliki said: “One thing that is peculiar to PDP is that the party comes out of every crisis stronger and more united.

“What we have now is one PDP. There is nothing like new PDP in Delta State.”

riavwodo as a Senator has ended politics of opposition in Delta Central senatorial district.

Those who spoke to newsmen include Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, Elegbete Moses Odibo, Chief G. Sefia, Dr. Steve Oru, Chief Fred Majemite, Olorogun Ebenezer Okorodudu, Olorogun Jaro Egbo and Chief Isaac Akpoveta.

Ovie Omo-Agege, who is acting National Chairman of the UPC, said: “The Urhobo made a statement during the October 12 Delta Central senatorial by-election that they are united behind the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

“The election has rekindled the resolve of the Urhobo people to unite behind President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

“The election of Chief Aguariavwodo as a Senator has put an end to politics of opposition in the Delta Central senatorial district.”

Odibo, who is one of the National Vice Chairmen of the group, on his part, said: “Aguariavwodo’s election is a testimony of the love that now exists among Urhobo politicians.

You saw the number of Urhobo politicians that went to Abuja to witness the swearing-in of Aguariavwodo.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

Federal Government.

“I want to acknowledge the contributions of all our heroes.

Those that marched, those that were killed, those that shouted, those that wept and those that carried placards.”

Don, Okolugbo condemn attack on Ochei

PDP comes out of crises stronger— Whiliki

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successful.

He said: “I have said it before and I want to repeat it here that the nonimplementation of UNEP report is nothing other than wickedness on the part of the

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On Golden Eaglets'performance

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OACH Garba,your skills are such that the Super Eagles can use soon. Whatever you did with the Eaglets is a living proof you are one of the best coaches in football. You made Nigeria proud. Thank you and God bless.— Miss Chioma Ani, Student.

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tell people that the glory of the youth is in their strength. This is now proved in the Golden Eaglets team. You saw the energy and commitment they put in the competition. Golden Eaglets have proved that Nigeria can make it. Kudos to you guys.— Mr. Bayode Emmanuel, Accountant.

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HE boys played well and did a fantastic finishing. You guys are real players indeed.

More grace to your elbow. To God be the glory. I am really proud of the Golden Eaglets team and wish them more successes.— Mr. Safulahi Abdul’Azeez, Worker.

I

T has happen here again, again and again and I have said that Golden Eaglet’s will make Nigerians happy all the time. Congratulation Nigerians, it is well all the time. The boys played well, so they deserve the Cup.— Mr. Adamu Mahammad, Businessman.

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HE Eaglets’ outing shows what football academies can do: produce well grounded and technically advanced players with everybody playing as a unit.

It also produces a team that is not built around one or two superstars.— Miss Ogbue Immaculate, Journalist.

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HOSE seeking the breakage of Nigeria should hide their face in shame. Politicians are not included in this victory song. They should all go and face their handiwork in Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa states.— Miss Ilokoli Augusta, Communicator.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 43

Enugu people, family remember Onoh

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BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—FORMER Governor of old Enugu State, late Chief Christian Chukwuma Onoh, was, yesterday, remembered by the people of the state and members of his family who urged the people of Wawaland to emulate his virtues.

Onoh died four years and eminent Igbo who converged at an inaugural memorial lecture at Enugu Sports Club, were unanimous in their submissions that the people of the state could rediscover themselves through the spirit of Onoh by rallying round his name.

Enugu State Youth Movement, EYM, the organisers of the event said it has commenced the process of immortalisation and celebration of the late Wawa leader.

The group noted that C C, as Onoh was fondly called, personified the vision and mission of Wawa people, noting that he fought for the liberation and self determination of his people without ulterior motives.

NTI settles outstanding teachers pay

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A D U N A —THE National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna, has cleared all outstanding allowances for the 2011 nationwide capacity building workshops under the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, for Primary and Junior Secondary school teachers.

The non-payment of the teachers’ outstanding allowances immediately after the training had generated a misunderstanding between the teachers’ umbrella union, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, and NTI in 2012.

Director-General of the institute, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu, said in a statement, weekend, that funds to settle the outstanding allowances have already been disbursed to the beneficiaries.

As many as 125,000 Junior Secondary School and Primary School teachers participated in the training workshops and therefore benefitted from the allowances.

C M Y K

Why we’re prosecuting Owerri CDA boss —POLICE O

CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—IMO State Police Command has given reasons for the arrest, detention and arraignment of the General Manager, GM, Owerri Capital Development Authority, OCDA, Mr. Iheanyi Abaekwume.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent, Joy Elemoko, stated that the GM was arrested last Thursday for alleged illegal possession of prohibited firearms and Indian hemp among other items.

“Mr. Abaekwume’s arrest and interrogation was a pure police operational procedure, which is devoid of any political undertone as being bandied by some misguided elements in the society,” the PPRO stated.

According to the police, a search conducted in Abaekwume’s house and office, yielded one prohibited firearm, six rounds of live cartridges, one operational belt of the Nigeria Police and vest with police logo.

She further revealed that the OCDA-GM was interrogated last Thursday and charged to the

Magistrate’s Court 4 on Friday and assured members of the public that “the Command’s war against crime and criminality will not be inhibited at the sight of any person or group until an environment conducive for peaceful living’’ was achieved.

Speaking to newsmen after

being granted bail by the court, Abaekwume said he was not surprised at his arrest, stressing that it was part of the hazards of his job as a development enforcement officer.

He denied the gun-running allegation levelled against him, pointing out that the gun found

in his premises belonged to members of Imo Security Network, ISN, who were guarding his residence.

Abaekwume equally denied that the substance believed to be Indian hemp was found in his premises.

EMPOWERMENT: Chief Maduka Uwadi, Special Adviser to Abia State governor on Youths (right) handing over car keys to some beneficiaries, during the 4th batch of Ochendo Youth Empowerment Program in Umuahia.

Why we recalled sacked non-indigene workers —ORJI

BY TONY EDIKE NUGU—GOVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State said his decision to recall the non indigenes disengaged from Abia civil service was informed by the desire to have a united country.

Orji particularly emphasised on the unity of the Igbo of the South East whose indigenes were mostly affected by the disengagement.

The governor spoke at the press week of the Enugu Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, at the weekend.

Represented by his Special Assistant, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the governor explained that when he took the decision to disengage the non indigenes, there was an

E

overflowing number of Abia indigenes disengaged from other states’ civil service.

“The idea then was to replace the non indigenes in our civil

service with the Abia indigenes sacked from other states’ civil service,” explained the governor.

He said Abia State was not the first to disengage non indigenes

We’ll vote for Ngige —NSUKKA ZONAL UNION

O

BY OKONKWO EZE

N I T S H A — NSUKKA people living in Anambra State have asked their people to vote for the All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate in the Novemeber 16, governorship election in the state, Senator Chris Ngige, saying that ‘’Ngige is our man.”

The Nsukka Zonzl Union, NZU, which made this known in Awka, said that Ngige had had relationship with the people of the area since his days at the University of Nigeria, UNN, adding that voting for APGA candidate was like extending

Governor Peter Obi’s tenure by another four or eight years.

National Chairman of NZU, Chief Oliver Ngwu who made this known during a meeting with the people at Nnewi, weekend said: “With Ngige, you know where the buck will stop, unlike the APGA candidate who wouls clear with his boss at any given time. There is an Igbo saying that ebe onye bi, kaona awachi.

“Most of you have lived in various parts of Anambra State for close to 40 years and would probably end up dying here, so whatever affects Anambrarians

I’ll win Anambra guber election, says Ngige

A

BY ENYIM ENYIM

WKA—FORMER Governor of Anambra State and All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for the November 16, 2013 governorship election in the the state, Dr. Chris Ngige, has given reasons why he would win convincingly in the election.

Ngige said he was several kilometres ahead of his opponents adding that he could be trusted by the people.

He said: ‘’Going round the

in its civil service and enjoined other states in the South East to emulate Abia State in recalling those they disengaged on such grounds.

state, Ndi Anambra had assured me that they will vote overwhelmingly for me and the APC. Their reason are not farfetched. From their assessment of those offering themselves for the governorship, I am several kilometers ahead. They can trust me to deliver on my 12-point agenda, my record in the 33 months I spent in office speaks for me.”

In a statement by a member of his Media and Publicity Committee, Tony Icheku, Ngige

was quoted as dismissing insinuations that the APC, was not an Igbo party.

“Ndigbo abhor dictatorial imposition and bad governance.

From their political history, they had always sought collaboration and cooperation from either the North or West. There had never been any instance of Igbo secluding themselves from participation in the politics of the centre, and come 2015, APC is the vanguard for the actualisation of Igbo presidency.”

either positively or negatively would affect you. In this regard, this election is not for the indigenous people alone.”

Ex-Rep cautions G-7 govs

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AGOS—AS the intention of seven governors from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join the newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC, heightens, a former PDP member of House of Representatives from Ogun State, Hon. Kayode Amusan has advised the governors to rather remain landlords in their party than being squatters and strange fellows in APC. Amusan who made the remark during his interaction with newsmen, weekend, in Lagos urged the governors to revisit records and remember the case of one of the founding fathers of PDP, and vice president who ruined his political career when he erroneously joined the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN. He said: “I strongly advise my dear governors to have a rethink and remain with the party that made them.”

44—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Katsina govt seeks review of revenue allocation

Group advocates tracking financial flows to tackle oil theft

BY LUKA BINNIYAT & MAY ETIM

K

A D U N A — KATSINA State Govt has called for a review of revenue allocation in such a way that the Federal Government takes 40 per cent while the states and local governments receive 60 per cent.

The state also said that there was so much concentration of power at the centre and asked for devolution of such powers to the states and local governments.

Katsina made these known when the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue visited the NorthWest geopolitical Zone in Kaduna, yesterday.

It also called for the adjustment of the revenue sharing formula even as the Southern Kaduna groups stood against the creation of cattle grazing reserves, funding of Islamic Almajiri Schools, and the discrimination against Christian minorities in some northern

DEMOCRACY:

PDP ahead of other parties — Aminu

BY UMAR YUSUF

Y

OLA— A MEM BER of the Board of Trustees, BOT, of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Prof Jibril Aminu, has observed that the party is far ahead of other political parties in terms of internal democracy.

Aminu spoke, yesterday, in an interview with newsmen in Yola, capital of Adamawa State.

“The other political parties do not have internal democracy more than PDP. In fact for all the accusations against PDP it has more internal democracy than others. In some of these parties you don’t here anything like primaries when selecting their candidates” Aminu said.

On reconciliation effort in the PDP, Aminu said he was not optimistic about its success, as according to him, some of those involved in the dispute were merely trying to buy time.

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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EKITI—From left: Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; President of Ekiti Parapo Lagos, Chief Kola Akomolede and former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba at the Ekiti Parapo Day in Lagos last the weekend.

Taraba lawmakers elect new Speaker

BY JOHN MKOM

J

ALINGO—THE Taraba State House of Assembly, yesterday, elected Josiah Sabo Kente, member representing Wukari 1 Constituency as the new Speaker following the death of Haruna Tsokwa.

Tsokwa, the former Speaker died Monday, November 4, 2013 in a Jalingo hospital over alleged heart related disease.

However, Kente who is serving his second term in the house hails from the southern zone of the state where the late speaker came from.

Emmanuel Dame representing Ardo-Kola moved the motion for nomination of Kente as new speaker while the member representing Bali 2 Constituency, Hamanadama Abdulahi seconded it.

Abdulahi described Kente as a capable member who can take the house to higher levels.

Yuhana Adaki representing Usah State Constituency was endorsed by the House to replace Kente as the Deputy Majority Leader.

In his acceptance speech, Kente promised to use his new position to end the political crisis bedevilling the state since the return of Governor Danbaba Suntai from USA where he travelled for treatment following injuries he sustained during a plane clash.

He also promised to unite members of the House of Assembly.

“My priority will be to work

assiduously towards ensuring that we close ranks and not allow the enemy to further divide us because, as the saying goes, united we stand, divided we fall. ‘’It is a learning period and the entire nation is keenly observing with interest what transpired here and how we eventually resolve it politically.

“My prayer is that the lessons from this saga will teach us not to pass through the same route again. I want to

assure the people of Taraba State that we shall not let them down and the matter will soon be resolved amicably to the satisfaction of all interests," he said.

Until his election, the new speaker was Government House correspondent for Taraba State-owned television station from 1991 to 1994. He also served as the state chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, just as he had earlier served as the deputy majority leader and chairman house committee finance and appropriation.

AGOS—A NONGovernment Orgainsation, Stop the Theft Campaign Foundation, has said that tracking the illicit financial flows associated with oil theft is one of the key weapons available to the Nigerian government and international partners in the fight against oil theft.

The group made the call when it convened a workshop for international experts on economic crime to consider solutions to oil theft in Nigeria.

The foundation said their campaign is to raise awareness about the scale and consequences of the illegal theft of oil in Nigeria and to work with partners and other interested parties to propose and advocate for long term and tangible solutions.

According to Dr. Patrick Dele Cole who is the spokesman for the Campaign, “Stealing industrial quantities of crude oil and selling it into the international system inevitably involves significant financial transactions.

1,000 people undergo screening for HIV in Jos

BY TAYE OBATERU & MARIE-THERESE NANLONG

J

OS—OVER 1,000 resi dents of Kabong community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, yesterday benefited from free HIV screening, medical tests and treatment for various ailments under a programme organized by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA. The programme which was sponsored by the Millennium Development Goals, MDG, included hepatitis test, blood sugar level test, blood pressure test, malaria test with free drugs administered to the sick and infected people given re-

ferral letters to where adequate care would be given.

Addressing the people, the Director General of NACA, Prof. John Idoko through the Agency ’s Deputy Director Programme Coordination, Dr Priscilla Ibekwe stressed that the need for citizens of the country to know their HIV status so as to access timely treatment, adding that NACA brings free HIV Counseling and Testing, HCT, to citizens’ doorsteps in order to intensify the fight against the disease in the country.

He decried people’s reluctance to go to the clinic and screening centers for regular checks and called for a change of attitude.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Plateau AIDS Control Agency, PLACA, Dr. Francis Magaji commended NACA for the free screening saying, “The last HIV sero prevalence survey (2010) showed that Plateau State has a prevalence rate of 7. 7 percent and it is the 6th out of 36 states with the highest HIV burden in Nigeria.”

Magaji disclosed that the community was not randomly chosen but indices show that Jos North Local Government Area of the state has the highest number of persons living with HIV/AIDS due to the cosmopolitan nature of the area and the agency is working hard to create the needed awareness with a view to curbing the disease.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—45

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RECEPTION: From left, Airtel Chief Executive Officer, Segun Ogunsanya, Dr. Michael Omolayole, and Chief Ernest Sonekan, at a reception in his honour by Advocacy Group, in Lagos.

AWARD: Delta State Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama, SAN (right), receiving on behalf of the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, a Golden Star Award for Exemplary Leadership in Governance in West Africa, from National Security Advisor of Ghana, Brig.Gen. Joseph Mensah, conferred on the governor by the Security Watch Africa, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

CONCERT: Assistant Manager, Youth Segment, MTN; Mr. Joseph Ogbuka (right), interacting with the winners of Samsung Galaxy mobile phones for Karaoke rendition, Moradeyo and Abiodun, during the MTN ‘Loud in Naija’ concert, featuring Nigerian music stars, at the Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan, weekend.

SWEARING-IN: Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, inspecting a guard of honour, during the swearing-in of the 2013 National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Batch C members, at the state's permanent orientation camp, in Paiko, Niger State.

FORUM: From left, Mr. Sule Umar, MD, FEDEX Red Star Express; Ms Ejine Nzeribe, Consultant, People First Consulting and Services LTD; Ms Binta Max-Gbinije, CEO, Stanbic IBTC Trustees; Muyiwa Olumekun,ED,Red Star Express, and Mr. Ademola Adepegba, star prize winner, at FEDEX Red Star customers' forum, at Eko Hotel, Lagos. Photo: Oscar Ochiogu.

COCKTAIL: From left, Agricultural specialist, International Finance Corporation, IFC, Mr. John Hatton; Director, Free Range Farms, Mr. Deji Akinyanju, and Deputy General Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel, Mr. Cliff Shiridzinodya, at the Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel VIP cocktail, in Lagos C M Y K

BIRTHDAY: From left, Oyo State PDP Chairman, Mr. Yinka Taiwo, and Mr. Rafiu Etti, at the 50th birthday anniversary of former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, at Gaso Events Centre, Toll-Gate, Ibadan. Photo: Shola Oyelese

LAUNCH: From left, Mr. Yinka George, MD, Marteks Nig Ltd; Mr. Olamilekan Asa-Afariogun, MD, Anthill Investment Ltd, Genevieve Pawar, Marketing Manager, and Mr. Frank Asante, Research & Development Manager, both of Golden Tree, during Golden Tree Cocoa Processing Company Limited's products launch, at the Protea Hotel, in Ikoyi, Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola (Photo Editor)

FAIR: From left, Customer Marketing Manager, Intercontinental Distillers Limited, IDL, Wilson Oguchi, a dealer in IDL brands, Mrs. Adenike Lawal, and winning distributor of IDL products, Mrs. Fausat Lawal, of Zaibak Enterprises, Oke Erin, at the IDL stand at the Tafawa Balewa Square, venue of the 2013 Lagos International Trade Fair.

EXHIBITION: From left, Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Emeka Mba; former Minister of State, Communication, Mr. Ibrahim Nakande; Below the Line Specialist Manager, TECNO Telecom Limited, Mr. Soffack Sonna, and Manager, Digital Marketing and Public Relations, TECNO Group, Mr. Mounir Boukali, during the 5th West African Information and Communication Technology Congress and Exhibition, in Lagos.

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

46— Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

•Associated plane crash site

Burial of Associated crash victims:

Lagos is frustrating us – Relatives

By MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

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ELATIVES of victims, who died in the Associated plane crash of October 3, this year, have described as 'tedious' the procedure for the release of the bodies to their families.

They, also alleged that the state government has set one week deadline for relatives to pick the remains of their relatives after which the state government will embark on mass burial for unclaimed bodies.

It will be recalled that the aircraft with registration number SCD 361, conveying the corpse of Ex-Governor of Ondo State, Chief Olusegun Agagu, from Lagos to Akure, the Ondo State capital for burial, crashed shortly after take-off at Murtala Mohammed Airport, killing 13 persons on board.

Collection of corpses They noted that the process is cumbersome and barred relatives from having any connection with the collection of the corpses, saying; "Victim’s spouses are the only persons allowed to effect the release of the corpses."

Mr. Eugene, brother to late Kingsley Duru who died in the crash spoke to Vanguard said: "The process is tedious. The state government is frustrating us.

They aren't making the collection process easy for the relatives. On Thursday, I was there and they said they wouldn't attend to me except the wife of the deceased, that only the wife can be allowed to fill a certain form that will lead

to the release of my brother.

Also, from the wife, they were demanding marriage certificate, international passport/National Identity card among others."

This was confirmed when Vanguard visited the mortuary.

The attendants said that for those that are married, it is only their spouses that could be al-

lowed to fill the required forms.

Another relative who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the procedure was delaying the family’s burial arrangement for their

— 53

late kin.

“Despite the harsh procedure, the state government is planning mass burial for the unclaimed bodies next week,” he said.

Responding, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba and Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Wale Ahmed, who spoke to Vanguard at different times debunked the claims by the relatives.

According to Ibirogba, "This was the same process we adopted last year for the release of the bodies to the relatives of the Dana plane crash. The next of kins were given the forms to fill, to show that they were relatives to the deceased. It is also meant to ensure that the right body goes to its family. The bodies are not up to 20 and we handled a far greater number during the Dana plane crash."

According to Ahmed;"I don't see the reason why it should take someone more than one week to complete the process if the relatives had followed the process from the scratch.

"We have made every process easy for the families of the victims to collect their corpse. Apart from that, the commissioner for health, Dr. Jide Idris and I have also made ourselves available to assist the Chief Examiner and the Consultant forensic pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa in the entire process."

Residents condemn operators of ‘767', ‘112' emergency numbers

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS residents are complaining to the high heavens over failure of operators of the emergency lines to respond to distress calls. Worried by the increasing crime rate in the state, Governor Babatunde Fashola, in the early life of his administration, created dedicated ‘767’, ‘112' toll free emergency lines for quick communication with the men of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, during accidents and other crisis. The kernel of the complaints is that lives and properties are frequently lost due to lack of quick response from security agencies in times of distress.

Mr. Victor Okon, a worker in one of the bakeries along LASU-Iba Road, while recounting his experience with the emergency numbers, expressed disappointment, saying, the lines are a huge joke on the citizens.

According to him; “The only time they respond is when there is fire incident. There was an early morning, lone accident along LASU Iba-Road last week. The driver would have survived if the emergency response workers had arrived on time but they were nowhere to be found before the man died.

“We even had to take the dying man in our personal vehicle to General Hospital, Igando where he was confirmed dead. We made a call to the toll free line where the receivers asked for all the details and assured that help was

on the way immediately. Alas! No team “At the end of the day, no response from ever showed up at the scene, it so pa- policeman, they never showed up and the thetic because the man would have sur- lady was left to her fate. I did not know vived if he had received medical atten- what happened to the poor lady but I guess tion quickly. the assailants had there way unchallenged.

“I don't believe in this emergency joke “It can happen to anyone, the state govof a thing. If the governor is not aware, ernment should make the emergency lines he should do something fast to the op- more responsive for people to trust the erators before more lives are lost.” An- lines.” other resident, Mr Anthony Abiola, a Flagging off the 767 security line in Labanker, narrated his experience thus; “ gos, Fashola disclosed that private sector, I live somewhere in Shomolu., because including banks and some telecommuniof the nature of my job, I work late into cation service providers, had contributed the night.

N700 million towards the State Security “One night, as I just entered my apart- Trust Fund; while the state, through the ment I started hearing a young lady provision of bullet proof vests, walkie-talkpleading for mercy from a group of young ies and other gadgets, added another N300 guys, which I guess were about to rape million. her. The scene of the incident was just a The emergency lines control room is lostreet at the back of our compound. cated within Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, in “Immediately I picked my phone and the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, headdialed the emergency number 767. quarters.

Somebody picked it at the other end and started asking me if the gang was armed, and how many they were. I was so annoyed because the screaming from the lady kept on comin border. The lady was begging her assailants to spare her and take her Blackberry.

•Emergency scene

54 — V anguard Vanguard anguard,, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2013

BRIEFS

Rebels accept talks, without Assad

US think tank doubts new video on Shekau S

PECULATIONS over the existence of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, deepened yesterday as the Council on Foreign Relations, a top United States Security ThinkTank and government advisory body to White House confirmed that the Terrorist in Chief has died According to the statement issued by the Council on Foreign Relations, the Boko Haram leader had died since July this year but the group has been on a psychological warfare to create a mystique around him by issuing video of Shekau.

The statement said: “after a thorough investigation of the recent infamous 33 seconds video issued by the Boko Haram Sect, it is apparent that Abubakar Shekau of the Boko Haram sect is indeed dead, contrary to claims of the sect in their recent infamous 33 seconds video”.

According to the report released on Saturday,” it is apparent that the recent video released by the sect was doctored.” In July, the Joint Task Force in Nigeria said that Shekau may have been killed.

There has been no office confirmation by the State Department which placed a princely sum of $7million on the head of the terrorist leader.

“In this latest 33 second video, Shekau was even further from the camera and only appeared to speak for just 10 seconds.

The latest video, released on Youtube, is perhaps the biggest sham in the history of terrorism media: Latest 10 Second Sham Vid-

eo of Blurry Ghost of Late Shekau,” the US security think-tank observed.

It was noted in the report that this latest sham video clip is very identical to the August video which was also circulated by AFP, which the US Council on Foreign relations” discred-

ited as that of an imposter, except it has a black drape over the old background and Shekau’s image appears to have green-light peripheral shine around it, indicating superimposition.” It added that the older video was also of highly questionable authenticity,

adding: “It appears ‘Shekau’ did not wish to risk thorough investigation of ‘his’ video clips and hence, he made it as blurry, as distant from the camera and as short as possible 10 seconds only, enough time to say 5 words and quickly brush his ghost teeth!”

Rescued woman gives birth in Typhoon rubbles

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MILY Sagalis cried tears of joy after giving birth to a “miracle” girl in a typhoon-ravaged Philippine city, then named the baby after her mother who went missing in the storm.

The girl was born yesterday in a destroyed airport compound that was turned into a makeshift medical centre, with her bed a piece of dirty plywood resting amid dirt, broken glass, twisted metal, nails and other debris.

“She is so beautiful. I will name her Bea Joy in honour of my mother, Beatriz,” Sagalis, 21, whispered shortly after giving birth.

Sagalis said her mother was swept away when giant waves generated by Super Typhoon Haiyan surged into their home near Tacloban city, the capital of Leyte province which was one of the worst-hit areas, and she has not been seen since.

But, in the most tragic of circumstances, Bea Joy restarted the cycle of life. “She is my miracle. I had thought I would die with her still inside me when high waves came and took us all away,” she said, as her teary-eyed husband, Jobert, clasped the baby and a volunteer held an IV drip above them.

A new baby who was born yesterday by a woman who was rescued from the typhoon rubbles in Philippines The husband said the first wave that came carried their wooden home in the

coastal town of San Jose many metres inland, washing all of the family outside.

Typhoon Haiyan hits Vietnam

national state of ca lamity has been declared in the Phillipines as the country reels from the destruction of Typhoon Haiyan, with an expected death toll expected to reach tens of thousands.

The president, Benigno Aquino, yesterday declared emergency measures to get aid to the many millions of people left destitute by the superstorm, and promised them that “help will reach you faster and faster ”.

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“My appeal to you all is: remaining calm, praying, co-operating

YRIA’s Western-backed opposition agreed yesterday to attend planned peace talks in Geneva but said President Bashar alAssad could play no part in a transitional government aimed at ending the 30month old civil war.

The Syrian National Coalition also demanded the release of women and chil-

dren from Syrian jails and an easing of military sieges of rebel-held areas as a precondition for going to Geneva. No date has yet been agreed for the peace talks, which have been repeatedly delayed by discord between Washington and Moscow and by the coalition’s failure to define its stance until now.

DRC, M23 rebels sign peace deal

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ONGO and defeated M23 rebels are to sign a peace deal yesterday aimed at ending the country’s most serious conflict in a decade, though other militias still roam and stability remains a distant prospect.

The rebels gave up their 20-month revolt last week after the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army, backed by a United Nations force, routed them from their last remaining hilltop hideouts along the border with

Rwanda and Uganda.

The peace deal is due to be signed in Entebbe outside the Ugandan capital, Kampala. M23’s rebellion had at times risked sucking Congo’s neighbours into a wider conflict. United Nations experts documented evidence that Rwanda and Uganda had supported the rebels, straining relations with Kinshasa. Both Kigali and Kampala repeatedly denied the allegations.

Iran offers more access to nuclear sites in an eastern neighbor-

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RAN will grant U.N. inspectors “managed access” to a uranium mine and a heavy-water plant within three months as part of a cooperation pact reached yesterday that aims to allay concern about Tehran’s nuclear program.

This came as the Iranian deputy minister of trade was assassinated

hood of Tehran on Sunday night, according to the state news agency IRNA. In what is believed to be the first killing of a senior central government official in years, Deputy Industry Minister Safdar Rahmat Abadi was shot twice in the head and chest in his car.

EU, US resume trade talks despite spy scandal

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Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in Vietnam yesterday, days after it left thousands feared dead and widespread devastation in the Philippines.

Aquino announces emergency steps to deal with Typhoon disaster

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with, and assisting one another are the things that will help us to rise

from this calamity,” he said in a televised address.

HE EU and United States began a second round of talks yesterday on the world’s largest free-trade accord despite damaging revelations of US spying on its allies.

Chief negotiators, the EU’s Ignacio Garcia Bercero and Dan Mullaney for the United States, stepped before the cameras for an official handshake but made no statement as they began a weeklong round of negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade

and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

This second round was to have been held in October, but due to the US government shutdown had to be postponed just as the spy scandal worsened.

Since then a steady flow of surveillance revelations by US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has angered European nations, prompting demands in some EU quarters that the TTIP talks be halted altogether.

Palestinians: Israel PM accuses world leaders of bias

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SRAEL’s prime minister on Sunday accused the international community of being too soft on the Palestinians, saying the world must understand that peace is a “two-way street.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his comments in the wake of heavy international criticism for plans to build thousands of new homes in Jewish set-

tlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. During a swing through the region last week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the construction, planned in occupied lands claimed by the Palestinians, raised questions about Israel’s seriousness about peace.

In an address to Jewish leaders from North Amer-

ica, Netanyahu said that it was time for the world to turn a critical eye on the Palestinians.

“It cannot be that the Palestinians are forever pampered by the international community,” he said.

He claimed the world had ignored Palestinian incitement and a refusal to accept Israel as a Jewish

state, and said the world has accepted half-hearted Palestinian attempts to fight violence.

“It’s time that the international community, certainly the serious members of the international community, understand this is a two-way street, because peace is not a one-way street and it won’t be,” he said.

•Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Vanguard, TUESD AY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 —55 TUESDA

What I’ve done for polio eradication

Study shows American girls hitting puberty earlier

— Funke Akindele, Rotary Polio Eradication Ambassador

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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N October 19, 2013, Rotary Nigeria organised a charity cycling event tagged Rotary Bike-A-Thon to highlight the strategic importance of raising awareness collaboration and embracing oral vaccinations to aid complete eradication of the Oral Polio Virus, OPV, in Nigeria and globally.

One of the participants at the event tagged the “ThisClose campaign” was Nollywood actress Funke Akindele, appointed by Rotary in Nigeria to join other notable global Rotary polio icons - Bill Gates, Desmond Tutu, Isabella Fontana, Donnie Yen, Jackie Chan, Dan Maraya, Sani Dana and many others - in creating awareness for polio in a fun and practical way.

Funke, also spearheaded the grassroots enlightenment outreach in the rural areas. When she was called upon to be Ambassador for the Rotary End Polio Now campaign, also known as the Bike- A-Thon event, Funke didn’t hesitate to accept.

Here are excerpts of her response during the event: “I feel so interested, honoured and privileged joining international stars such as Jackie Chan, Bill Gates and Desmond amongst others.

“I see it as a plus for me and a privilege. I have passion for helping people in my own little way I have my own Foundation called Jenifa Foundation. We empower young people, we fight

causes like stopping HIV/AIDS stigmatisation. Whichever way, we can give back to society I will support and that’s why I accepted this. We give back to society so that’s why I decided to do this for free.

“I will do my best to help rid the world of polio, through efforts like educating people on polio, drawing people’ s attention etc.

On this kind of project, you don’t expect money. People love the jenifa character and funke akindele and this is the way I can use to help stop children dying because of polio.

“I love the children so much and I’m ready to go all over to talk to people about polio. If we say polio isnot here in the South, what if people change location?

Every chld will be at risk again, so let’s join hands to kick out polio now.

“I feel so honoured to be part of a charitable cause like this. I accepted this appointment because polio kills or paralyses children and Rotary is committed to ending this terrible disease worldwide. I also learned that the world has never been so close to eradication of polio since the mid 80’s thanks to the vigorous efforts of Rotary International and its partners.”

Already, Nigeria is on the verge of polio eradication. As of October 4, 2013, there were 49 cases of confirmed Wild Polio Virus in nine states of the Federation compared to 101 cases in 11 states at the same period in 2012.

Lagos set to attain liveable mega city status — IDRIS

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

A

RE Lagosians ready for the mega city socially and emotionally? To answer this question and further consolidate the presumed liveable mega city status of Lagos, the State government is organising a talkshow tagged “The Livable City; Preparing for the Mental and Social Health needs of the Lagos Mega City”.

At the event, scheduled for November 4-5, 2013 at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, a wide range of participants including the State’s Executive Council and leaders in the Health, Education, Environment and Social Welfare sectors, public opinion leaders, the private industry,and a host of other stakeholders, will examine implications of Lagos attaining a mega city status while focusing on the health and social issues characterising a mega city.

At the end of the two-day workshop a document with a multi-sectoral strategy

A

• Funke Akindele, Rotary Polio Eradication Ambassador.

MERICAN girls are developing breasts at a younger age compared to years past, and obesity appears to explain a large share of the shift, a new study suggests.

A report in Pediatrics says between 2004 and 2011, American girls typically started developing breasts around the age of nine, and those who were overweight or obese started sooner -- usually when they were about eight years old.

Worried about the numbers, researchers say the typical age at breast development is younger now than it was in a similar study from 1997. The main reason is that girls are heavier now than they were in the 1990s.

The findings add to evidence that American children are hitting puberty earlier than in decades past. The rising tide of childhood obesity has been suspected as a major cause, but the new study

Continues on Page 56

Experts worry over low cancer survival rate ...As Health-to-Heal Foundation debuts

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

F

IVE-YEAR-OLD Davies Yemi is a survivor of kidney cancer. Chioma, Davies' mother recounts: "It was a horrible experience. He could not go to school and he was almost robbed of his childhood. Right from the day he was diagnosed, our life changed. Dur-

for integrated development of mental and social health needs of the Lagos megacity is expected to be produced.

Only recently, the Economist Intelligence Unit, EIU, an independent forecasting and advisory business within the Economist Group, rated Lagos as Africa’s second-fastest growing city.

In the global rating, Lagos was ranked at the 137th position alongside Port Moresby, in Papua New Guinea, as the fourth worst inhabitable city on earth.

In a chat with Good Health Weekly, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris observed the conference will focus on topics such as Society and Crime, Mental Health Services in a Mega City, Environmental Psychology, etc.

He said the objective of the conference is to learn from experiences of other cities that have faced the mega city and rapid urbanization challenge, hence delibera-

Continues on Page 46

ing those times we passed through hell, we sold all we had just to raise money for the surgery because there was no help.

Psychologically and emotionally we were down, for the fear that one day the doctors will come and say, 'Madam we are sorry”, she stated.

But Davies is lucky, unlike fouryear-old Ayokunmi Makinde and nine-year-old Olamilekan Ajadi

who died of leukemia (cancer of the blood). Hundreds of other childhood cancer patients are on the waiting lists of health institutions across the Federation.

Worried about the low survival rate of cancers in the country, the Head of Department, Paediatrics Department, College of Medicine, University of Lagos,

Continues on Page 56

• L-R: Mr. Mohammed Elish, Ambassador of Egypt in Nigeria; Shousha Moshen, GM, Golden Tulip Hotel and Prof. Adeola Akinsulie, HOD, Paediatrics, CMUL/LUTH, Lagos, during a media chat on the upcoming Help to Heal Charity Concert in Lagos.

56—Vanguard, TUESD AY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 TUESDA

Lagos attaining liveable mega city status Continues from page 55 tions will involve participants taking stock of existing health and social infrastructure for dealing with the emotional well-being of citizens, critique of the plans and structure that are in process, and chart a pathway for development that comprehensively addresses the problems.

Idris noted that Lagos as a mega city

faces some unique challenges. “The health facilities and scope of services offered are being expanded at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, and private sector involvement in the health sector is being fostered through a variety of government initiatives”, he stated.

The conference is to afford the state government opportunity to have a clearer understanding of emerging issues that come

with a megacity and how to implement short term and long term improvements in livability, in an emerging mega city like Lagos.

“It is hoped that implementation of deliberations at the Conference will help chart a positive and realistic course towards making the evolving megacity of Lagos one of the most livable cities of the world”, Idris said.

Lagoon Hospitals implement EMR records

I

N what has been described as a major milestone, Lagoon Hospitals, Lagos recently acquired a new, Electronic Medical Record, EMR, system for keeping patients' medical records to closely integrate patient care and physician practices.

An EMR system is a toolkit that enables clinical transformation becomes the source of truth for a patient's journey within hospitals and provides a framework for patient-centered healthcare delivery.

The Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Naseem Mohammed, said "The EMR allows Lagoon Hospitals to create a unique record database of all patient's medical and criti-

cal information such as medical history, future appointments, current medications, allergies, etc. Using an EMR enables continuous improvement in healthcare delivery by capturing structured information, supporting interoperability across systems and by enabling active decision support through the ability to access and interrogate medical data.

Group Clinical Advisor and Chairman,

EMR Committee, Dr. Jimi Coker, observed the easy access to patient records, reduced waiting time, legibility of handwriting, reducing errors in orders, better management of the appointment system and more space in the hospital. Hygeia Group Chief Executive Officer, – Mr. Lars Stork, said the milestone is a major accomplishment for us and will promote patient safety and enhance the customer's experience.

PAU Guest Lecture

T

HE Distinguished Guest Lecture Se ries of the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, holds at the Victoria Island Campus, on Thursday, November 14, 2013.

Topic: of the lecture is “Tackling the Leviathan: NAFDAC and the Challenge of Fake Drugs in Nigeria”.

Guest Lecturer is Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii.

•L-R: Mr. Bala Yesufu, Head of Corporate and Government Affairs, Cadbury West Africa; Mr. Amir Shansi, Marketing Director, Cadbury Nigeria; Ebele Mbanugo, Founder, Run For Cure Africa and Mr. Emil Moskofian, Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria, during the Cadbury Bournvita-sponsored 'Run For Cure 2013' breast cancer awareness campaign held in Lagos, weekend.

Puberty

Continues from page 55 Studies have found that girls who mature early are more likely to be influenced by older friends, start having sex sooner and have more problems with low self-esteem and depression. Also, early puberty has been tied to long-term health risks such as a heightened risk of breast cancer.

Cancer survival

Continues from page 55 CMUL/LUTH Professor Adebola Akinsule, identified late presentation of cancer cases and the expensive nature of cancer treatment as reasons for the unfortunate trend.

Speaking on the prosed mega charity fund-raising concert tagged; "Paediatric Concert", organized by Help- to- Heal Foundation and Golden Tulip Hotels, Festac, Akinsule said a complete treatment for kidney cancer (nephroblastoma), costs around N1 million.

"We will have to monitor the child up to five years. It takes between N7 million and N10 million to cure blood cancer, which lasts two or three years. This is not feasible for an average Nigerian family, and remains one of the reasons why our cure rate is very low due to lots of treatment abandonment. It therefore becomes an excruciating experience for families of children who have cancer and can't afford to travel or be properly treated in Nigeria", Akinsule explained.

"Part of the short and long term for funds raised at the concert and other various sources will be used for the treatment of five children in Egypt, assist in the provision of paediatric hospital equipment to some hospitals in Lagos state, training of doctors abroad and building a modern paediatric oncology hospital in Lagos," Shousha Mohsen, GM, Golden Tulip Hotels, remarked.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL) • Dr Vijaya Rajakumani,

I

AM in my early thirties and I noticed that for the last two years (immediately after my wedding), I always have issues having erection after the first round of sex.

Also, the early morning sex seems to be impossible.

Prior to this period, I have never had this issue before especially with early morning sex. I had to abstain from sex for about three years before my wedding because my wife was a virgin and she wanted us to have sex only after our wedding. It was after the wedding that it started. I need your help – Cletus Dear Cletus, like you observed, this problem started after your marriage. This may lead you into thinking that your marriage is to blame for this. A lot of men with similar problems blame it on some kind of witchcraft. But don’t jump to such conclusions. You might have developed a form of erectile dysfunction which you did not know about because you weren’t having intercourse.

Now that you are sexually active, you are only just becoming aware of the problem. Secondly, sometimes boys are so used to sexual relief through masturbation that when they now get into a relationship with a woman, they struggle to adapt. There are also men who cannot perform at home but do okay when they have sex outside. These things happen.

In any case, we will identify the cause of your own problem through a system of elimination. I recommend taking a supplement that will give you renewed sexual energy, interest, strong erections, staying power and the ability to have multiple rounds of sex soon after ejaculating at any time of the day. For this I recommend Exploding Thunder supplement. If there are no results after taking this supplement for one month, then it can safely be said that your problem borders on the psychological. But if you respond to treatment, then you are experiencing a form of erectile dysfunction, which is not unusual for men in their thirties. Men are at their sexual peak as teenagers. After that, their sexual powers begin to grow weaker as they get older – Uche My sex drive is back after I started taking the Max Intense testosterone Booster you suggested months ago.

I only wish I could last longer in bed. What should I do for that? Thanks – Joseph Hello Joseph. I am glad you are responding to treatment. That is phase one. To last longer now, all you need is an ejaculation delay cream, delay condom or penis sleeve. Look for Stay hard Delay Cream. It is very good. Pasante Delay Condoms are very good too – Uche My wife is undergoing menopause and she has become dry. This makes intercourse painful and uninteresting and we are still in our early fifties. Kindly assist on possible solution. Thanks – Eloka Eloka all she needs is to apply a lubricant before intercourse. This will get rid of the dryness and enable you enjoy intercourse again. Get Fruitopia lubricant or Mood Tingling Lubricant– Uche I used to ejaculate very small semen during intercourse until you recommended Maxload supplement. It worked but I cannot find it anymore. Please how can I get it? Ehis You can get in on www.zeevirtualmedia.com for sure or you can call the numbers below – Uche I am 58 and for years, I never could bed a woman for more than one round and my erections were always a bit soft. I just assumed that there was no hope until a friend told me about your Exploding Thunder supplement. I cannot believe how well it improved my performance. It is like magic. Does it enlarge the penis too? – Edmond You are welcome. Exploding Thunder does not enlarge the penis but Maximus Cream does. You can use them together – Uche That’s it for this week. Next time around, we will discuss all new products for the holiday season. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. You can call us on 07086754515 or 08051924159 to order or you can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com . We deliver to you wherever you are.

For enquiries, email custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 57

C M Y K

58— Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Emergency ru How Jonathan got Senate nod

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

E

VEN when people were aware it would come to an end, they had not thought of its imminence, let alone renewal, in spite of the continuous violence and killings of innocent lives by the Boko Haram Islamist sect in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. This perhaps, could be due to the fact that no emergency rule in the history of the country, since its first declaration in 1962, had been renewed or extended beyond initial six months period. And so, when the Senate President, David Mark, read President Goodluck Jonathan’s correspondence to the upper legislative chamber last Tuesday, intimating it of his resolve to elongate the current state of emergency in the North East states, and sought the approval of the latter, many were indeed surprised.

The president, in a letter dated November 5, 2013, to the Senate President, David Mark, seeking approval for the extension, had explained that he took the decision because “some security challenges still exist in a few parts” even as he admitted that the security agencies, through the support of citizens in the affected areas, have achieved considerable success in containing the activities of the terrorist elements.

Jonathan noted in the letter that by virtue of the provisions of section 305(6) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the proclamation of emergency rule in the affected states will “elapse after a period of six months

•Senate during a sitting which time it is expected that normalcy would have been fully restored.”

“In view of the foregoing, I most respectfully request the Distinguished Senate to consider and approve by resolution the extension of the proclamation of the state of emergency by a further period of six months with effect from the 12th of November,2013,” he pleaded.

Like the sitting governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako and a group under the aegis of Borno Elders Forum, that had immediately kicked against the president’s move and asked the National Assembly as a whole not to accord approval to the president’s request, many lawmakers, espe-

The president was said to have pleaded with the legislators in the report to consider the interest of the nation and ditch their political and ethnic and differences

,

from the date of approval except the period is extended by the National Assembly.

“As a result of the laudable efforts of our security agencies and the support of the citizens in the affected areas, we have achieved considerable successes in containing the activities of the terrorist elements. However, some security challenges still exist in a few parts,” he explained.

The president further said: “Consequently, it has become pertinent to request the approval of the Distinguished Senate for an extension of the state of emergency for a further period of six months, during

cially from the region were not favourably disposed to the extension.

There were reports that opponents of the extension of emergency rule had begun mobilizing members of the National Assembly, especially those from the North East geopolitical zone of the country, to kill the president’s request whenever it came to the Senate or the House of Representatives.

As provided for in the constitution, the Senate, through its leadership, accorded the plea for extension urgent attention, as it was slated for debate the next day after receipt.

So, shortly after the Senate began its plenary Wednesday, at exactly 11:05 a.m, Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, PDP, Cross River Central, moved a motion vide Order 136 of the Senate Standing rules that the Senate go into a closed-door session to look into President Jonathan’s correspondence on the state of emergency in the three states.

The motion was seconded by the Senate Minority Whip, Ganiyu Solomon, APC, Lagos West.

During the close-door session, the President’s security reports involving the three affected states which necessitated extension of military action, was said to have been read for all those present to hear by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the day’s sitting, in the absence of Senator David Mark. In the report, Jonathan was said to have not only intimated the legislators of the progress so far recorded since six months ago when the military action was made, but warned that unless extension was approved, his administration’s efforts at permanently restoring peace in the volatile region would be defeated, given what he claimed as the possession of assault weapons as well as the backing by foreign terrorist groups such as Al-Qaida, Mali’s Maghreb for the terrorists.

The president was said to have pleaded with the legislators in the report to consider the interest of the nation and ditch their political and ethnic and differences else Federal Government’s war against the

dreaded Boko Haram sect in the region in particular and the North in general, would remain a mirage, a development that made the senators to bow to his request.

Upon resumption of plenary and having studied the president’s letter, the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, disclosed that “the senators in a closed-door session were unan-

imous to extend the state of emergency in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.”

He therefore, moved that the Senate approve the request of Mr. President to extend the state of emergency in the three states but on the same terms and conditions as earlier approved and gazetted.

When Senator Ekweremadu, put the question to his colleagues, there were responses of both ‘aye’ and ‘nay’ in the chamber but the former carried the day.

In his reaction, Senator Bello Tukur, PDP, Adamawa Central, explained that the Senate decided to support the president’s request for the extension because of the visible challenges in the three states. Though, he said there had been some appreciable level of restoration of peace in Adamawa State.

On his part, Senator Ahmed Zanna, PDP, Borno Central, said that even though he had reservations on extending the emergency, but that it was unfortunate that he had no alternative. Asked if he was he coerced by his colleagues to support the extension, Senator Zanna said: “I’m not coerced.

As the situation is in Borno, we don’t have any other option than to approve it.”

Obiano’s double registration: REP. Victor Ogene is a member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency. He is also the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs. In this exclusive interview with Vanguard, he responds to questions bothering on the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State among others.

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

W

OULD you say that your party, APGA has worked hard to retain power?

Well, I think that seven years and 8 months into the administration of His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, what we have on the ground is enough for anybody flying the banner of APGA to showcase as a government, as a party towards what they have done and it is clearly an indication of the performance skill the incoming administration will be expected to further improve upon.

So, for this election on Saturday, it will be a clear choice.

My take on it is that we have just two clears choices. It is either a return to the dark days of anarchy in Anambra State or a

sustainability of the peace which Governor Obi has enthroned.

These are the two choices. APGA represents a continuation of peace, a continuation of development across all sectors, a continuation of relationship with international donor agencies; a continuation of a smooth working relationship with the government at the center.

How come, Willie Obiano, supposedly a dark horse emerged as the APGA candidate when big names like yours were mentioned before now?

No, it is not surprising. The issue is that in a political contest, people tend to confuse the individual with the message. My self for instance, I am still in the race and when I say so people shudder. But because they didn’t

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013—59

le extension: inri/Oji Federal constituency, Enugu state said: “We will give the president all the necessary support to enable our security agencies accomplish the work they are doing in those three states. The extension is a welcome development.”

No Comment yet— Mohammed However, Spokesman of the House, Rep Zakari Lafia Mohammed said: “I cannot make any comment on that issue until it is brought to the floor of the House and it must be well introduced.”

President is in order— Rep Abia To Hon. Dan Abia, who represents Esit-Eket/Ibeno and Onna Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State, the president’s request is in order. ”You know that at the very first instance members gave their massive support to the issue of emergency rule because the issue of Boko Haram is one that needed a drastic action.

Anxiety in the House

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

T

HOUGH the letter was read in the House of Representatives on the same day as in the Senate, the House, however, did not consider the letter. It is now expected that the House would formally consider the request today. Speaking ahead of the consideration, members were diverse in their reaction to the extension.

Emergency rule is an aberration – Rep Ogene Said Hon. Victor Ogene, House Deputy Spokesman and Member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State: “Speaking for myself as Hon. Ogene representing the people of Ogbaru who have kith and kin that have been victims of the parlous security situations in some parts of the country and who have also been dislocated from their previous abode where they eked out a living, contributed to that particular society and generally domiciled, it should worry any body.

The security situation has not quite returned to normal. And so, the request by Mr. President, I should think is in order because nobody will beat his chest and say the situation is under control.

“However, I think that we

•House of Representatives in session should not be enamored with the extension of state of emergency.

A State of emergency is what it is. It is an aberration. We should rather work towards finding a lasting solution to the insecurity issues because when you have a suspension of some democratic structures, it is also insecurity in its own way. So, the earlier we think out of the box, I mean in-

security can also be addressed through political solutions which was what we saw in the NigerDelta. ”It was a novel political decision that brought about the relative peace in the Niger-Delta. I am glad that a week ago, the committee on Disturbances in the North submitted its report. I think that the president and the executive ought to take far-reaching

They're rumours — Ogene quite listen to my message, they concentrated on my person. My message was simply that it was time for somebody from Anambra North Senatorial district to be governor. I never offered myself. I didn’t consult one individual in Anambra State telling him or her I wanted to be governor. But I had always insisted that after 22 years of Anambra State ‘s creation, that it was time for somebody •Ogene from the North senatorial district to which I names. Before 2003 when belong to be governor. And to Governor Obi contested, it was a God be the Glory, my party chose few people in the business somebody from my senatorial community that knew him. district. So, that’s the first leg of Nobody knew him on the the battle won. But I will not rest political scene. In fact, he was on my oars until I see somebody clearly apolitical but we all have from my district sworn in as seen what he has done. governor of the state. That’s why It’s your relationship with the I am still in the race to ensure people that does and Willie that that happens. But beyond all Obiano of APGA has that that, when you talk about big relationship with the people of names, we were too fixated with Anambra.

How may you react to insinuations that APGA is now an appendage of the PDP with the obvious relationship between Gov. Obi and the Presidency?

I don’t know how you called that an appendage. You can go to the field and find out what we have benefited with the smooth relationship between Gov. Peter Obi of APGA and Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of PDP, then you will make an informed choice.

Informed choice If you drive into Onitsha today, it looks like you are driving on a higher way to bliss. Why? Because there is a smooth relationship.

Your candidate is currently enmeshed in double registration crisis. And the opposition is calling for his prosecution.

Won’t that deny you the position?

No, it can deny us any position for the simple reason that allegation of double registration

decisions to ensure that while we are it, extending the life span of the state of emergency, we are able to bring every part of the country under one roof.

We’ll give Jonathan necessary support –Okechukwu Also speaking, Deputy Chairman House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Toby Okechukwu, PDP, representing An-

bothers on criminal charge. It is not just a misdemeanor, it is a criminal charge and so if such a scenario exists, it has to be investigated by security agencies and normal course of the law should follow. But I shudder when I see people play politics with virtually everything. What will be the motivation for anybody, just any citizen going for double registration, how much more a candidate of a major political party who on the day will be under focus by journalists, election monitors, observers, other political parties, agents of political parties, electoral officials, a whole horde of people will be where he is. So, do you expect such a person after casting his vote, presumably in his community, he now moves to somewhere else to cast a vote?

I don’t think that such scenario is imaginable. If it is not imaginable, then what will be the motivation for doing that? Look, there is nothing we can’t do with technology. There is nothing fifth columnists won’t do with technology. Of course we have seen people do registration, using photos in calendar and they go and register.

Legislative matter So, we were happy for once that the President decided to do that which was right. So, apparently, from the reports he was getting, it is obvious a lot still needs to be done. And I want to believe also that before Mr. President took that decision he must have been briefed by the Minister of Defence and the Service Chiefs. So, I believe it is more of a security than a legislative matter even though there are principles of check and balances.

“We will definitely need to know why it is so. But the very obvious belief is that from reports the Boko Haram insurgency is still on and I believe that for the President to have taken this decision, he must have been briefed by the service chiefs. It is well within his purview to do that and I believe he did it for the collective good of our people because Section 14 of the constitution said that duty of government is to guarantee welfare and security of the citizens. So, he is in order and I support it.”

It is necessary— Rep Okwu On his part, Hon. Samson Okwu, member representing Oju/Obi Federal Constituency, Benue State, responded: “The Deputy speaker read the request

by Mr. President to extend the emergency rule in the states where it was declared.

In my own view, I think it is necessary because the country is passing through a lot of insecurity right now. And the laws allow him to request for that where within the period of the emergency rule peace has not returned to the place.

60 — Vanguard, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2013

How we turned Eaglets into goal-scoring machines — Garba

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN, Just back from UAE

W

ORLD Cup winning coach Manu Garba has spoken up for the first time on how the historic Golden Eaglets were turned into a goals-scoring machine at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which ended last weekend in the United Arab Emirates.

The Golden Eaglets won the World Cup for a record fourth time after beating Mexico 3-0 in the final held at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The team scored 26 goals en route winning the Cup, a record feat since the competition started in China in 1985 and speaking on how his players were turned into sharp shooters, Garba told Sports Vanguard that it was down to the experienced coaching crew, which sold the philosophy of total attacking football to the players, who in turn replicated it n the pitch.

“When we started recruiting players into this team, the coaching crew wanted players who can score. We had to sell the idea to them that they must know how to score before

on the final day of the 2013 FIFA U 17 World Cup in Abu Dhabi last Friday.

Chief Umeh was outraged that he, as Vice President of the Federation, was not given one of the 20 VIP tickets allocated to Nigeria and he verbally attacked Musa for that.

Apparently angry about the development he yelled at Musa, saying that he was “useless.”

Musa took offence and said that Umeh was an idiot. This was inside the stadium close to the VIP stand. Umeh got in with a ticket that only allowed him seat outside the VIP stand. And that was where Musa also sat. The two men were said to be going for their jugulars when they were prevented from fist cuffs.

We gathered yesterday that the President of the Federation, Aminu Maigari is so embarrassed that he wants the federation members to probe the incident exclusively reported by Vanguard.

This was after some members who witnessed the incident recounted their experience.

The National Sports Commission which is the supervising sports body,

award, Nduka Ugbade, the skipper of the first Golden Eaglets that won the first FIFA Under-16 Cup and Emeka Amadi, who was a former goalkeeper of the Flying Eagles.

I

•Garba

Enahoro, Omini, shine at Southern Sun Ikoyi tourney

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LENTY of fun, networking opportunities and a platform for gross fertilisation of ideas, were the hallmark of the 2013 Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel

Golf Day, which took place at the Ikoyi Club 1938 Lagos. The event offered business associates, friends of the hotel, sponsors, golfers and invited guests the

convivial atmosphere to exploit the business opportunities available.

At the end of the 18hole tourney, which employed foursome format of play, and

10-year-old Tennis whizkid opts to play 16s

M

ARYLOVE Edwards, 10, who sensationally beat a 14 year old opponent at the finals of the CBN Junior Tennis Championship in February, opted to play the Girls 16 category of the NNPC Shell Junior

NFF

Continues from BP

passing making the grade.

“My task was made easy because I was surrounded by experienced former football stars like Emmanuel Amuneke, a winner of the African footballer of the year

we gathered, has also shown interest in the matter.

It was a case of two wrongs. Ume was said to have lost his cool and called Musa a “useless” person which was wrong. Musa was also wrong to have said that Umeh was an idiot and useless. He had actually explained that he knew nothing about the VIP tickets allocated to Nigeria but Umeh expected him to be accountable to such tickets as SecretaryGeneral of the federation. As Vice President of the Federation Umeh deserved a VIP ticket. It was absolutely wrong not to have given him one. But should he have lost his cool? And when he did should Musa have attacked him too, knowing the supposed authority of Vice President of the federation? He was also said that “over my dead body ’’ would he apologise to Umeh.

The question now is what happened to the 20 VIP tickets allocated to Nigeria especially when the vice President of the Federation was denied one? It is up to the expected probe to unravel.

Tennis Championship which started in Lagos yeterday but was restrained by her father who asked her to “make haste slowly.”

Marylove was sponsored to a training programme in South Africa by the CBN following her excitiing performance and is bustling with a lot of confidence. She has

been drawn to play in the 12s which starts Tuesday.

The maiden NNPC/ Shell Junior Championship which features competitions in boys and girls 10, 12, 14 and 16 age groups has attracted 152 entries from all over the country.

Bankers Games: Skye Bank edge UBA to win 4th title

which the best three scores per hole counted, it was the quartet of Andy Enahoro, Ofem Omini, Vitus Ezinwa and T. Okwoju that carried the day after posting a 96 stable-ford points to win on countback.

In the competition, which is in its third year, and which over 130 golfers searched for honours, the team comprising of Martins Osadebe, Bunmi Lamikanra, C. Osamor and former chief executive of Union Bank, Godwin Oboh, finished second with 94 points.

N a carnival-like at mosphere, Nigeria Bankers Games Cup holders, Skye Bank on Sunday successfully defended their football event title and went on to set a new record four title wins. Skye Bank also emerged the first side to win the Cup three times on the trot. Skye Bank defeated United Bank for Africa (UBA) 5-3 on penalties after regular time score had stood at 1-1.

Standard Chartered bank won the third place play-off against First Bank 7-6 on penalties after a hard fought game that ended with neither side scoring in regulation time.

Skye Bank had lived dangerously through the final stages of the tournament winning all their games on penalties.

NOC scribe loses Mother

T

HE death has been announced of Mrs Deborah Bolaji Popoola aged 78.

Mrs Popoola who passed on in Osun state was a Christian mother who touched a lot of lives.

Her burial rites would be announced by the family.

She is survived by her husband and many children among whom is the Secretary General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, Hon. Tuinde Popoola.

L-R: Assistant Captain, Sterling Jets, Mr Joshua Adegboro; Regional Business Executive, Lagos Island, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Kayode Lawal; Group Head, Strategy and Communications, Mr Shina Atilola and Managing Director, Media Vision Ltd, Mr Fela Bank-Olemoh, during the presentation of the Overall Winner trophy of the Nigerian Bankers Games to Sterling Bank Plc at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos on Sunday

Igiebor Continues from BP Igiebor thus joins the list of Nigerian stars that have been ruled out of action for the remainder of 2013.

It will be recalled that only recently the duo of Sone Aluko who plays

for EPL club Hull City and Babatunde Michael who does business in the Ukrainian League were both ruled out of action for the rest of the season owing to varying degrees of injuries.

BBC award

Continues from BP Africa, playing in the Fifa Confederations Cup and being on the verge of qualifying for the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

The winner will be decided by African football fans and announced on December 2.

The final five on the list were voted by 44 journalists across Africa.

FIFA Continues from BP Palmeraie Golf Palace Hotel in Marrrakech by December 4.

Peter Edibi is one of the six African referees invited, the others being Gassama Bakary Papa of Gambia ( who will handle Nigeria’s match against Ethiopia this week end ) Alioum Neant of Cameroun, Ogbamarien Angeson of Eritrea, Kabanda Felicien of Rwanda and Menkwande Evarist of Cameroun.

Bayern Munich, European Champions and favourites to lift the trophy have drawn bye and lie in wait for the winner of the confrontation between African Champions Al Ahly and the Asian Champions.

Also to feature are Raja Cassablanca as host, CONCACAF Champions CF Monterey of Mexico, South American champions Clubbe Athletico Mineiro of Brazil and Auckland FC of New Zealand.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 61

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62 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 — 63

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V anguard anguard,, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Mikel, Moses up for BBC award The five-man V list:

NFF probes Abu Dhabi show of shame

ICTOR Moses and John Mikel Obi are among five players shortlisted for 2013 BBC African Footballer of the Year Award.

The other players are Burkina Faso forward Jonathan Pitroipa, Gabonese star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and last year’s winner Yaya Toure from Ivory Coast.

Chelsea player Mikel is a firm favourtite to win the award having been

Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast) Victor Moses (Nigeria) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon) John Mikel Obi (Nigeria) Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso) in superb form for club and country, helping Nigeria win the Africa Cup of Nations in South

Continues on Page 61

•NSC shows interest

V

ICE President of Nigeria Football Federation, Chief Mike Umeh and Secretary of the body Musa Amadu are not yet free from the fracas that they put up Continues on Page 61

•Umeh

•Musa

Igiebor blow for Eagles R

EAL Betis mid fielder Nosa Igiebor will be conspicuously missing from the Super Eagles line up when the Nigerian team take on their Ethiopian counterparts this weekend as he has been ruled out of action till mid January 2014.

According to informa-

•Nosa Igiebor

tion on the official website of Igiebor’s Spanish team, the Eagles midfielder who is set to undergo surgery later this week to correct the chronic adductor enthesopathy on his left leg is not expected back in action earlier than mid January 2014.

Continues on Page 61

PUZZLE

Pitroipa

Mikel

Moses

Yaya

FIFA appoints Edibi for Club World Cup that will officiate at which was sent to the in Morocco rees the FIFA Club World Cup referee and copied Mr

N

IGERIA contin ues to shine in the firmament of world football, the latest being the invitation of Peter Edibi as one of the refe-

Morocco 2013, scheduled to hold in Agadir and Marakech from December 11 to 21 A letter by the FIFA Referees Committee

Linus Mba, FIFA Referees advisor and Consultant to the NFF on Refereeing asked the referee to report at the Continues on Page 61

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

Aubameyang

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Cease (4) 4 Name (3) 6 Job (4) 9 Every (3) 10 Shortened (8) 11 Appear (4) 14 Serpent (3) 16 Lure (5) 19 Described (8) 21 Wine (5) 23 Harmful (8) 24 Canal-boat (5) 27 Edge (3) 31 Singer (4) 33 Isolate (8) 34 Tune (3) 35 Notice (4) 36 Manage (3) 37 Gasp (4)

DOWN 2 Duct (4) 3 Bucket (4) 4 Assimilated (8) 5 Corpse (4) 6 Flavour (5) 7 Beer (3) 8 Slumber (5) 12 Morsel (5) 13 Javelin (5) 14 Limb (3) 15 Foot-lever (5) 17 Sorcery (5) 18 Leathery (5) 20 Realm (8) 22 Beret (3) 25 Map-book (5) 26 Grandeur (5) 28 Just (4) 29 Break (4) 30 Stupefy (4) 32 Gratuity (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Shared 5, Secure 8, Instance 9, Shun 10, Get 12, Amend 15, Hew 17, Oil 18, Eye 19, Urn 20, Onset 21, Act 22, Inn 23, Err 24, Arc 26, Eider 29, Try 33, Ogre 34, Assassin 35, Revere 36, Eleven .

DOWN: 2, Hinge 3, Rite 4, Denim 5, Stern 6, Cast 7, Rouse 10, Gouda 11, Tonic 12, Alone 13, Eased 14, Deter 15, Heart 16, Witty 25, Rogue 27, Irate 28, Ensure 30, Raise 31, Mere 32, Isle.

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.

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