Mixed reactions trail new pump price of petrol

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 63027

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N200

FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

N386bn looted Militants give Atiku, Danjuma, Lukman •P.13 funds to finance •P.10 two-week ultimatum budget deficit — FG

Mixed reactions trail new pump price of petrol •Actual cost of PMS is N243.05 per litre — PPPRA •This pain is necessary— TINUBU •New price'll help sustain supply — KACHIKWU •NLC, TUC, NANS, senators, Fayose, Falana, others react

By Soni Daniel, Victor AhiumaYoung, Abdulwahab Abdulah, Michael Eboh & Ediri Ejoh

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BUJA—Mixed r e a c t i o n s , yesterday, trailed Wednesday's increase in the pump price of petrol to N145 per litre by the Federal Government.

While some hailed the government decision, as they see it as a way of addressing the perennial fuel crisis in the country, others believe that the decision was hasty and insensitive.

Meantime, petrol stations in most parts of Continues on Page 5

Oil sector deregulation: Naira depreciates

by N14 to N334/$ •P.10 PETROL—The usual long queue disappeared at Abakpa Mega Filling Station, Kaduna (right), due to the increase in pump price of petrol. Left, the price board of a fillng station in Lagos, showing the new price, yesterday. Photos: Olu Ajayi&Kehinde Gbadamosi

Buhari wants movement of corrupt persons restricted •P.43 COLUMNISTS: EKITI: How herbalist made father, daughter commit incest See inside

Crooks, torturers and God’s Own country •P.19

Buhari in London

Court okays Ese Oruru to give evidence ‘in camera’ •P.33

Mr & Mrs

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POCKET CARTOON

BLACK MARKET—Fuel hawkers in Mushin area of Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Mixed reactions trail new pump price of petrol Continues from Page 1 the country have adjusted their pumps to the new fuel price of N145 per litre.

This came as the federal government, yesterday, stated that the real cost of petrol in the country was N243.05 per litre.

In Lagos, yesterday, very few stations with the product sold for N145 per litre. While motorists bought with ease in some of the petrol stations, some other stations still witnessed long queues which had resurfaced a few days ago, after initially easing out.

It was also gathered that many petrol stations sold no fuel because they had run out of stock, according to some of the fuel attendants.

Of the over 53 petrol

stations visited by Vanguard, yesterday, only four sold the product, including Forte, Rain Oil and Mobil.

Consequently, the streets of Lagos were virtually empty as only very few vehicles were on the road. A motorist, who didn’t want his name in print, said he was at a petrol station in Ikeja where people refused to buy the product, even when there was no queue, saying it was too expensive.

The government in a document obtained from the PPPRA in Abuja, also explained that the decision to undertake the recent increase in the price of petrol was reached after a comprehensive study of the costs of importation and in furtherance of the

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

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FTER all said and done, you are the only captain responsible for navigating the ship of your destiny. Therefore, give no room to detractors, who are headed in a completely different direction from yours.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

No one can make you feel small unless you allow it —Eleanor Roosevelt

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F you find yourself in hostile enviroment or dealing with hateful persons, take these words to heart. Know that it's okay if someone can't stand your light and joyful energy...dislike or project their feelings on you, it makes no difference anyway. A true friend cannot be easily influenced by mere opinions from hateful persons. Stay focused by being around loving people in your life.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE If an old bachelor does not act like a mad man, his father will not marry a wife for him.

price modulation framework started in January 2016.

Actual price of petrol

On the actual cost of PMS, the PPPRA said: “The estimated ‘true cost of PMS was valued at N243.05 per litre. This is factoring the estimated average time spent to obtain PMS at the official price, which was N86.50 per litre; the estimated hourly wage of the average Nigerian; the average price of PMS on the black market and the estimated average volume bought by visit to the filling stations and also factoring in the frequency Nigerians source PMS from different markets.”

The PPPRA debunked reports that the downstream petroleum sector had been deregulated, stating that the Federal Government would, through this new price regime, ensure that the price of products was monitored and modulated to ensure that citizens got fair value for the products they purchased.

To this end, the National Secretary, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Alhaji Danladi Garba Pasali, called for a total deregulation of the sector, allowing market forces to determine price.

According to him, this will help ensure efficiency in the sector. Speaking to Vanguard in a telephone interview, he said: “The government should just remove its hand from the oil sector because 80 to 85 per cent of marketers are not getting the product at the amount being regulated.

"So, the best thing to do is to deregulate the system, so that people can

compete and bring in product, to reduce prices in the market. What we are saying is that they should open up the industry that will bring investment and ensure an attractive environment where investors could come in and invest.

"It would also ensure that people are attracted into investing and building refineries in the country. But with all of these regulations and other bottlenecks, it does not help the system function to its full capacity. We have been on this issue for a long time and have seen how people manipulate the regulations to exploit the masses and loot the treasury.

"We are saying that subsidy should be removed to bring about a level environment that will be determined by the forces of the market.”

Also speaking, a petroleum economist and President, Nigerian Association for Energy Economics, NAEE, Professor Wumi Iledare, condemned the decision of the Federal Government to continue regulating the price of the product, saying it was detrimental to the growth and sustainability of the petroleum sector.

He said: “This is not a way to develop policy that will be sustainable for the petroleum sector. I do not think they should have fixed any price, but the government should have given a band that this is the situation of the market other than setting the price which should not have been the case.

"We should know what the equilibrium prices are in the market and then you set the price. If they want to deregulate, they do not need to set the price.

“If they are really talking about deregulation, let the market set the price and not the government. Right now, everybody will go on the new price. Suppose they said it should be between N130 to N145 per litre, it will be good rather than fixing a price for the commodity.”

He further argued that the market was full of uncertainty and unrealistic.

According to him, the Federal Government should have adopted partial deregulation if it could not afford full deregulation of the sector.

“Suppose the price of crude reduces to $30 per barrel, can you force the market to move downwards?

“The government had over the years, made same mistake repeatedly. At least, what they should have done is a partial deregulation. Those who want to go to NNPC to buy at N145 should go and the private sectors should be allowed to sell at their

price.”

Also speaking, Professor Adeola Adenikinju, Director, Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law, CPEEL, University of Ibadan, called for the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector to allow for increased private sector participation.

He argued that the fuel subsidy regime was unprofitable and wasteful and should be eliminated totally.

NLC, TUC, NANS, Fayose, Falana, others react

Among those who expressed anger over the price increment were human rights activist and Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN; Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, Labour Party, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, and members of both arms of the National Assembly.

While Mr. Femi Falana declared that the new fuel price regime was illegal, the Labour movement, comprising NLC and TUC, said it would mobilise its members against the price increase.

Similarly, NANS said it would mobilise students across the country against the increase next week, should government fail to reverse the decision.

On its part, the Joe Ajaero-led faction of NLC,called on workers and other Nigerians to rise against the N145 per litre of petrol, adding that the increase came as a rude shock to Nigerians.

According to Ajaero, the action of the government can only be described as inhuman and callous.

In a statement by the factional President, Ajaero said an emergency Central Working Committee, CWC, and National Executive Council, NEC meetings of the Congress had been fixed for today and tomorrow to enable members craft the needed strategy and receive all the needed directives to embark on chosen course

of action against what he described as wickedness.

The statement contended that Congress “cannot now abandon Nigerian masses who have reposed so much trust and confidence in us to protect and deliver them from the hands of mindless politicians and businessmen.”

In its reaction, TUC rejected the hike in price and vowed to mobilize forces with other concerned Nigerians to fight against it.

It also dismissed report that labour was part of the decision that brought about the new price regime of N145 per litre.

Giving details of what transpired at Wednesday's meeting in the office of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbanjo, where the price was reached, TUC in a statement by its President and Acting Secretary General, Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Simeso Amachree, respectively, said: “The Congress wants to use this opportunity to put the records straight concerning the development. Organised labour received a 24-hour notice inviting us to meet with Vice President Osinbajo and some other key government functionaries, including the Minister of Labour and Employment, the Minister of Information, Chairman of the Governor ’s Forum, and the Minister of State for Petroleum.

"Others include the principal officers of the National Assembly, led by the Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and chairmen of the respective Committees on Petroleum in both chambers of the National Assembly.

"The meeting held, yesterday (Wednesday).

The call for meeting stated no specific agenda, and we were left to conjecture.

Little did we know that the government had already concluded plans to hike the price of petrol. Indeed, we were taken aback."

Similarly, NANS, yesterday, said the over 40 million Nigerian students

Continues on Page 9

6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY MAY 13 , 2016

EFCC docks Adegboruwa over alleged property scam

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—A rights activist and lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, was, yesterday, charged before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged lease of a property attached by a court’s order.

Adegboruwa is facing a one count of lease of a Lagos property which is subject of a court order of attachment.

At the hearing in the matter, prosecuting counsel, Mr Idris Abdullahi informed the court of an amended charge by the prosecution, noting that the earlier charge, had been replaced with the amended charge and prayed the court to substitute same.

Trial judge, Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo in a short ruling, struck out the charge and replaced it with the amended charge.

Adegboruwa was then arraigned on the amended charge, to which he pleaded not guilty.

World leaders vow to give corruption priority

By Dapo Akinrefon

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ORLD leaders, yesterday in London, pledged to make corruption a top priority just as they plan to take necessary actions to prevent corruption from festering in governments, institutions, businesses and communities.

This was contained in a communiqué setting out a common approach to tackling corruption, as agreed by participating countries and, where appropriate, international organisations.

It was, however, gathered from sources close to the organisers that the communiqué was drafted before the commencement of the anti-corruption summit.

While the leaders identified corruption as the bane of “so many of the world’s problems”, they

vowed to expose the menace across board.

“We see tackling corruption as a top priority, at home and abroad.

We will take action to prevent corruption and to ensure it does not fester in our government institutions, businesses and communities. We will seek to uncover corruption wherever it exists, and to pursue and punish those who perpetrate, facilitate or are complicit in it. We commit to make it easier for people to report suspected acts of corruption, and to support communities that have suffered from it.”

On plans to tackle graft, the leaders said; “We will fully implement the Financial Action Task Force, FATF, Recommendations on Transparency and Beneficial Ownership of Legal Persons and Arrangements.

TAX ANNUAL CONFERENCE : From left, Annual Tax Conference Committee Chairman, Samuel Agbeluyi, Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters Office of the Vice President, Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu, Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and President/ Chairman of the Council , CITN, Olateju Abiola Somorin at opening ceremony of 18th Annual Tax Conference of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria held in Abuja yesterday. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

Firm moves 25m households to digital broadcast platform

By Jonah Nwokpoku

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AGOS—SES (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), a satellite operator, has signed a multiyear agreement with Cable Channels Nigeria Ltd. (CCNL) to provide a strategic, reliable and stable video platform, via SES’s prime orbital position 28.2 degrees East, for the provision of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and Direct to Home (DTH) broadcast platforms in Nigeria. SES will utilise teleport services provided by its local partner Computer Warehouse Group Plc. (CWG).

CCNL, a company licensed by the Nigeria National Broadcasting Commission (NBC),is the certified content aggregator and platform owner for the free-to-air DTT and DTH platforms in Nigeria, and is playing a key role in the Nigeria Digital Switchover (DSO) process by getting channels onto the land-based DT T network and onto satellite as DTH, both offered under the brand FreeTV.

‘’We will ensure accurate and timely basic and beneficial ownership information (including legal ownership information) is collected, available and fully accessible to those who have a legitimate need for it, including to help prevent abuse.”

The communiqué also stated that “We will take steps to eliminate loopholes that allow corruption to thrive through the misuse of these entities, and work, in accordance with national law, to ensure a level playing field between foreign and domestic companies in respect of requirements to provide beneficial ownership information. ‘’We will work towards ensuring the effective exchange of beneficial ownership information, in line with applicable data protection laws and rules, both domestically and internationally,

Lagos lists churches, mosques, bans hate-preaching established that most religious established platforms.”

By Monsuur Olowoopejo

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AGOS State Government has started what it calls enumeration of Churches, Mosques and other religious outfits across the state, to avert breach of security and to aid planning.

Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr. Abdul-Hakeem Abdul-Lateef who disclosed this yesterday, at the ministerial press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja in commemoration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s first year in office, lamented that the state does not have accurate data on religious outfits operating in Lagos.

He noted that religious outfits are established daily in the state, noting; “This is to allow the State Government have a reliable data of Churches, Mosques with their locations towards making adequate security plan for them in view of the current security challenge in the country.”

The commissioner also warned the religious outfits against hatepreaching, saying; “Studies have

crisis are ignited by unguarded preaching of hate message by some overzealous religious leaders.”

Abdul-Lateef said; “We have adopted a very strong stand against such messages. Through constant advocacy, we hope to stop this unhealthy practice by appealing to the leadership of the various faiths using all related

He meanwhile, stated that the economic downturn had forced the state government to increase the 2016 Hajj fare from N950, 000 to N1.2m for intending pilgrims.

He explained that 1,600 forms had been sold to intending pilgrims, stating: “All intending pilgrims were given till May 31st, to pay the new balance of N250, 000.

Fudgies Café opens shop

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HE management of Fudgies Café, a new entrant into Nigeria’s bakery and confectioneries business, has officially opened their first café in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Chief Executive, Mr. Emeka Mario Okonya said, “With very few local cafés around, we wanted to have a friendly and comfortable environment where friends, family and business associates can hang out and be treated to exquisite gourmet.

The location has been designed to give customers a relaxing and refreshing break from the hustles of the city. We hope to build a unique Nigerian brand to

compete with the international players coming into the country.

We offer more than just tasty food.

We offer a unique experience which we’ll constantly strive to improve on to meet our customers’ needs”. Okonya stated.

“We are putting together a number of periodic activities aimed at ensuring that customers not only enjoy good food but also have fun and excitement. These include a Childress day special and a cake tasting event amongst others. We would like people to be able to dine here daily and feel good about themselves and our offerings.” Mr. Okonya added.

Fudgies Café is open daily and will soon start its Sunday brunch.

and between authorities, including tax authorities, asset recovery offices, and financial intelligence units (FIUs), law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies.''

LASPEMA warns scrap dealers against environmental degradation

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HE Acting General Manager, Lagos State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Authority (LASPEMA), Engineer Olanrewaju Kazeem, has warned scrap dealers against environmental degradation through burning of copper waste materials at Marwa roundabout, in the Lekki area of the state, saying that such act is hazardous to human health.

The AGM gave the warning recently during an inspection visit to roundabout at Lekki Phase 1, in response to public complaint against the burning of metal objects and other waste materials by scrap dealers in disregard to the danger it poses to public health.

He appealed to the scrap dealers as well as owners of the workshops in the area to stop the indiscriminate burning of hazardous waste, informing them that the fumes from such burnings were capable of causing cancer because it is carcinogenic and can also cause lung and heart diseases.

Obsequies

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HE remains of Late Madam Comfort Ibitayo Tehingbola, 87, will be buried Friday, May 27, at Iwaro, Ule Gbooro, Osi-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

According to a statement by the family, lying-in- state holds May 26, at Iwaro, Ule Gbooro, OsiEkiti, Ekiti State.

While funeral service holds at St Paul Anglican Church, OkeOsi Ekiti, internment and entertainment of gust follow after the service at St. Paul Anglican Primary School, Iludi, Igbole Road, Osi-Ekiti.

Madam Comfort Tehingbola

Vanguard, FRIIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 — 7

Court stops tomorrow’s S-West PDP exco polls

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has restrained the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its national chairman, Ali Modu Sherrif from conducting any election into the party’s South-west Zonal Executive Committee.

Trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba also stopped PDP from recognising any such election until the suit is finally determined.

The zonal congress was scheduled to hold May 14, for Akure, Ondo State and Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.

The court made the order following an application by the Zonal Secretary, Chief ‘Pegba Otemolu. He is suing Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, PDP, Sheriff and PDP National Secretary, Prof.

Wale Oladipo Otemolu had prayed the court to declare that it was wrong for the party and its national officers to plan organising a zonal congress for the South-west when the tenure of the Zonal Executive Committee members had not lapsed.

He further contended that since members of the zonal exco were elected on October 11, 2014 to serve four years tenure, their term would end on October 11, 2018.

Justice Buba in his ruling, said “An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby granted to the plaintiff/applicant restraining the second, third and fourth defendants from conducting or permitting or recognising any election into the offices of the South West Zonal Executive Committee pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons.”

The court adjourned further hearing in the matter till May 24.

PDP S-west congress will hold as scheduled - Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, South-west Zonal Congress slated for Saturday in Akure, Ondo State will hold as scheduled.

The governor, who addressed newsmen at the party’s National

By Daud Olatunji

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VISIT: From left; Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Noh Kyu-duk; and the embassy's Counsellor/Economy, Mr. Dae-Sup Lee, during a courtesy call on the governor, in Ibadan, yesterday.

Secretariat in Abuja yesterday, said materials for the congress had already been distributed.

He said the party was not aware of any court order, stopping the congress and as such, machinery is in motion for a hitchfree congress.

While calling on elders of the party to take the backstage and

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DO EKITI—THE Central Bank of Nigeria yesterday disclosed that 60 per cent of Nigerian women are expected to benefit from the N220 billion loan scheme the Bank is rolling out to strengthen MicroSmall and Medium Scale Enterprises, MSME, in the country.

A CBN official, Mr Babatunde Ogunlaja , made disclosure in Ado Ekiti while interacting with

play advisory role, the governor said; “Those who have occupied exalted positions in the party should be ready to bow out graciously for the emergence of new blood burning with ideas, especially the youths who are not Abuja based but popular at home.”

He said; “In as much as we

respect and appreciate all our elders, they must act in a way that the overall interests of our party and its members will not be jeopardised.” He said the era of people forcing themselves on the party, using court orders is gone and anyone interested in party positions must be ready to face elections.

CAN presidency aspirant denies being sponsorship

By Sam Eyoboka

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S the National Executive Council of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN meets in an extraordinary session to address the crisis rocking its TEKAN/ECWA bloc, president of the Evangelical Carch Winning All (ECWA) and co-founder of Cultural Evangelistic Ministries for Africa, CEMA, Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Gado, 63, the first person to publicly declare his interest in the presidency of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has denied insinuations that he is a government candidate.

“My candidacy dates back to 2013. Was this government in power then? In 2013, I was asked to preach at the Christmas Carol

60% women to benefit from CBN’s N220bn empowerment fund

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

Ooni visits Obasanjo, seeks support for youths

prospective beneficiaries of the scheme comprising farmers, business men and women artisans and unemployed youths.

Ogunlaja said women were allotted such high percentage because available data indicated that they are better loan repayers than men.

The CBN official said N63 billion had since been disbursed since March, 2016 out of which N5 billion was given to 80,000 farmers in Kebbi State to shore up rice production in the country.

and the present leadership at that time had his eyes on me,” Dr. Gado said, declaring: “I am not a government candidate. I am spending time to get money to help educate people, to help inform people. Have you seen us make any publication? Have you seen us make any press statement or advertorial? Is it because we don’t want to?

“No! We want to but the money is not there. If we were

government candidate, we would be flowing in money. My candidacy is being supported and funded by private friends. I can give you a list of them. So it’s not true. They think that projecting me as government candidate and because the president is a Muslim so therefore I am a Muslim candidate, they have failed. I am not a Muslim candidate. I am God’s candidate.

I am CAN’s candidate.’’

Fayose's wife brings succour to sick orphan, grandma and Ijero - Ekiti during her usual

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DO-EKITI—SUCCOUR has come the way of a five-year old orphan, Master Lekan Jegede who is having some health challenges and his grandmother, Mrs. Esther Jegede diagnosed of bilateral cataract at Ijero Specialist Hospital as the wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose has directed that their cases be referred to appropriate institutions for treatment and necessary care.

According to the statement

by Gbenga Ariyibi, Special Assistant (Media) to the Wife of the Governor in Ado Ekiti Yesterday Mrs. Fayose gave the directive while presenting cheques to patients whose hospital’s bills were defrayed at the Specialist Hospitals in Ikole

hospital visit, noted that hope is not lost for the boy and his grandmother as required attention will be given to them.

T h e Governor’s w i f e encouraged women in the state to go on regular checkup i n government hospitals irrespective of their financial status to forestall preventable death.

BEOKUTA—THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi on Wednesday disclosed how former President Olusegun Obasanjo facilitated his emergence as the Ooni of Ife. The monarch stated this during his visit to the former President at his Presidential Hilltop residence in Abeokuta.

Ooni while recalling the role Obasanjo played in his emergence, said; “I remember that when I was still a Prince, it was this same sacred room that I knelt down before Baba and he laid his hands upon me and prayed for me in African way. And the result is what we are seeing today.

The monarch was full of gratitude for the role the former President played in his emergence as the Ooni after the demise of Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

He said; “For me, I cannot but get closer to Baba. May he forever live long for us not only in Nigeria but worldwide. I am happy to be here and I will continue to come. You are one of the foremost Blackmen on earth.

We implore you that what we grew up to know about is preaching the unity of this country and it is based on that that we are following you so that the unity of this country is not negotiable,” Ogunusi said.

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13 , 2016 — 9

New price'll help sustain supply — KACHIKWU A

STRANDED—Commuters at Lugbe Bus Stop, on the outskirts of Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

NEW PETROL PUMP PRICE:

This pain is necessary —Tinubu L

AGOS—NATIONAL leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, has appealed to Nigerians to take the difficulties that might arise as a result of the new pump price of fuel as a sacrifice for a better future.

In a statement issued by his media office, the twoterm governor of Lagos state, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for taking “a bold step”, telling Nigerians that “this pain is necessary”.

He said the new development will clear the rot in the petroleum sector, and push out “fake businessmen who became true billionaires over night.

“We all want fuel at a cheaper price under the subsidy, we got the right price but not the fuel,” the statement read.

“I would be lying if I said this will cause no pain or dislocation.

However, it will stabilise supply and end the costs associated with long waits and delays for fuel. The days and hours of waiting for fuel will be a thing of the past.

“As originally envisioned, subsidy formed a basic part of the social contract between the people and their government. It was a benefit all were to enjoy.

Yet, because past governments were not for and of the people, the true meaning and objective of the subsidy policy became lost. Over the years, the operation of the measure was distorted to where it no longer functioned for the benefit of the masses but for the undue enrichment of a small club of businessmen, some legitimate in their work, some not.

“Instead of remaining a positive aspect of the social contract, subsidy was transformed into an opaque haven of intrigue and malfeasance. It was turned into a shadowy process from which the unscrupulous extracted large sums of money without providing the services and products duly paid for. Fake businessmen became true billionaires over night as if by supernatural force.

They paraded themselves as such.

“To allow this unfairness to continue would have been a breach of the promise made by this government to the people.

We all have an emotional and sympathetic attachment to the ideals upon which the subsidy was founded.”

Tinubu said allowing the situation to remain the same would have translated to a breach of the agreement which the ruling party had with Nigerians in the electioneering period.

He confessed that though he would have ordinarily preferred that the sector was sanitised and not totally liberalised, he believed that the current government took a decision that serves the people best.

“This administration entered office with a mandate of CHANGE. The government could not forever sit back and allow this dire inequity to continue, lest it forfeits the essence of its mandate,” he said.

“I wish we could have sanitised the subsidy regime and thus continue it, but I believe that President Buhari is removing it not for the austere purpose of saving money but for the nobler purpose of putting those

same funds to fairer, more equitable use in order that government might better serve those of us who are

truly in need.

“While this may not be perfect, it is a much better deal than the one the subsidy offered us.”

Mixed reactions trail new pump price of petrol Continues from Page 5 would re-enact the Occupy Nigeria protest against the removal of subsidy from petroleum product next week.

National President of NANS, Comrade Tijani Shehu, stated this in Abuja, at a protest rally where the association called for the removal of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.

He said NANS was already mobilizing Nigerian students to resist the new N145 per litre pump price of petrol.

According to him, “a directive has been issued to all tertiary institutions to shut down all campuses on Tuesday and Wednesday, next week.

After that, they will all converge on Abuja for a mass protest."

Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, also, yesterday, called on Nigerians, especially organized labour to resist the new pump price of petrol, saying the arbitrary price increase was not only insensitive but also wicked.

Fayose, who described the increment as a “ wicked act of President Buhari and his party”, added that “those who opposed removal of fuel subsidy in 2012 and funded the Occupy Nigeria protest must not be allowed to get away

with this imposition of hardship on Nigerians now that they are in power.”

Similarly, the national leadership of Labour Party expressed shock and displeasure over the increase in the price.

The party in a statement signed by the National Chairman, Abdulkadir Abdulsalami, and National Secretary, Julius Abure, read: "After critically analyzing the issues involved, we have come to the inevitable conclusion that the new price for PMS is u n w a r r a n t e d , unnecessary and unacceptable, especially at this time when our people are grasping with the harsh social economic conditions occasioned by poor leadership."

While Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources, Senator Omotayo Alasoadura, APC, Ondo Central, said the pains for Nigerians would be shortlived once the product was made available in large quantity, Senator Shehu Sani, APC, Kaduna Central, described the price increase as not only insensitive but also punitive.

Meanwhile, security men were deployed all over Abuja to forestall angry protest over the price increase of petrol.

B U J A — MINISTER of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has said that the new pump price of N145 for Premium Motor Spirit would help to sustain supply and reduce the suffering to get the product.

Kachikwu told newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, did not have the resources to supply the product to meet the demands of the nation.

“I want to explain the situation with the recent price of the PMS and I know that a lot of you that watched the movement of the price from N86 to N145 will understand more.

“The reality is that we are unable to bring the product with the prices we sold before, that is why we see the systemic queues all over the country for a very long time. I will urge you to trust that we are trying to do what is right and there is no better time to do this other than now under the leadership of President Buhari”, he said.

He added that nonavailability of foreign exchange and inability to open letter of credit forced marketers to stop products importation.

This, he said, imposed 90 per cent supply on NNPC since October 2015 against its supply strength of 48 per cent.

This development, Kachikwu said, contributed to the continuous queues witnessed in the country.

He said that with the N86.50 pump price of PMS, Federal Government would have been paying subsidy of N13.7 per litre which he added, translated to N16.4 billion monthly.

The minister said government could not go on with such funding and had completely removed subsidy and working with the price modulation to get things

done right.

He added that the renewed pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta had drastically reduced national crude oil production to 1.4 million barrels per day as at yesterday.

This, he added, was against 2.2 million barrels per day as proposed in 2016 budget.

“This will further reduce income to the federation account and also affect crude volume for PMS conversion and federal government’s foreign earning. To continue massive importation of PMS, it is clear that unless immediate action is taken to liberalise the petroleum supply and distribution, the queues will persist”, he said.

The minister said that diversion would worsen and the current price spiral out of control.

Kachikwu further said that if pump price was not increased, more states would have no money to pay salaries as monies accrued to federation account would not be able to solve their needs.

He assured that the current policy would help to sustain and create jobs instead of job loss that was witnessed in the system.

Kachikwu said that the situation would also put to an end to various sharp practices such as hoarding, smuggling, and diversion and ensure market stability.

“It will potentially create additional 200,000 jobs through new investments and prevent potential loss of nearly 400, 000 jobs in existing investments.

“It will provide government more revenue to address social and infrastructural needs of the country ”, he added.

He urged Nigerians to trust government’s effort to ensure growth and development in the oil sector.

•See analyses on Pages39&40

10—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

BUDGET BREAKDOWN: From left, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed; Minister for Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma; Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani, during the 2016 Budget breakdown presentation, at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

N386bn looted funds to finance budget deficit —FG Says Calabar-Lagos, Lagos-Kano rail lines allocated N120bn

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief, Levinus Nwabuhiogu & Emmanuel Elebeke

A

BUJA— MINISTER of National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, said yesterday, that N386 billion recovered looted funds would form part of resources to finance the 2016 budget deficit.

He disclosed this while announcing details of the N6.06 trillion budget, with the CalabarLagos and Lagos -Kano rail lines taking combined allocations of N120 billion from the N1.75 trillion total capital budget, with each of the rail lines gulping N60 billion.

The Calabar-Lagos rail project was one of the major controversies between the Presidency and the National Assembly which led to muscle flexing, as President Muhammadu Buihari insisted it must be included before he would give his assent to the 2016 Appropriation Bill.

The N6.06 trillion 2016 budget outlay represents an increase of about 35 per cent over 2015 budget provision of N5.067 trillion.

Deficit

The Federal Government revenue projection was put at N3.855 trillion, leaving a fiscal deficit of N2.2 trillion which translates to 2.14 per cent of GDP. Senator Udoma explained that the deficit to be financed largely through borrowings was within the limit of three per cent of the GDP, as stipulated by the Fiscal Act. The deficit is to be financed mainly by borrowings, projected at about N1.8 trillion, which would be sourced from the domestic market through bonds on the one

hand and foreign loans on the other.

He said: “The borrowing is to be raised roughly equally from domestic and foreign sources. We have decided to source from international sources so as not to rely exclusively on domestic borrowing, which may have the effect of crowding out the private sector.

“Furthermore, we are optimistic that we may be able to access some of the foreign loans on a concessionary basis. The Ministry of Finance is currently negotiating with multiple sources to secure the external financing.”

The administration plans to spend N 2.56 trillion on Non-Debt Recurrent, which would be basically personnel costs and overhead.

An analysis of the sectoral allocations indicated that the Ministry of Interior will receive the largest funding of N513.65 billion; followed by Power, Works and Housing with N456.93 billion and Defence, N443.07 billion Education was fourth on the list with N403.16 billion, followed by Health (N250.06 billion), Transportation (N202.34b), Agriculture and Rural Development (N75.80 billion), Youth and Sports (N75.79 billion), Water (N53.3 billion) and Solid Minerals kept the rear with N16.73 billion.

Highlights of major projects

The breakdown showed 40 of the priority projects of the administrations to be undertaken

across the country to include: N40 billion for Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Section I); N14.2 billion for the construction of Oju/Loko Oweto bridge to link Loko and Oweto with approach roads and Oshegbudu-Oweto road; N13 billion for dualization of Kano-Maiduguri road (Sections I-V); and N8.7 billion for reconstruction and pavement strengthening of sections of Benin-Sagamu expressway.

Other majors road projects earmarked for the fiscal year include: N13 billion for concession of 2nd Niger bridge; N8.8 billion for rehabilitation of Sokoto-Tambuwal KotangoraMakira road; N6 billion for dualisation of Odukpani-ItuIkot Ekpene road in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States; and N6 billion for dualisation of IbadanIlorin section.

Similarly, N5 billion was set aside for the rehabilitation of Apapa-Oshodi-Oworoshoki road; N4.8 billion for rehabilitation of Ilorin-JebbaMokwa-Bokani road; N2.8 billion for completion of Gombe-Numan-Yola road Phase II; and N2.6 billion for dualization of Kano-Katsina road phase I; N5.5 billion for rehabilitation of EnuguOnitsha Road; and N2 billion for dualization of Sapele-AgborEwu Road (Section I).

Power sector

In the power sector, N1.1 billion was budgeted for the generation of 700MW from Zungeru Hydro Power Project; N1.2 billion for construction of 2X60MVA connection of Gurara to national grid; and an allocation of N5.5 billion for construction of 215MW gas power plant, which location was not specified.

The minister equally announced a N235.7 million allocation for coal-to-power development projects in Enugu, Benue, Gombe and Kogi states; another N303.9 million for the completion of ongoing construction of ITC/TDN and installation of injection and distribution substations; N305.3 million for completion of small

scale renewable energy; power plants development; N324.2 million for completion of rural electrification scheme in 23 communities in Ondo; and N250.7 million for completion of ongoing electrification project in Kano State Besides the huge allocations to the Calabar-Lagos and LagosKano rail lines in that sector, the minister disclosed that N18.3 billion had been earmarked for the completion of Abuja (Idu)Kaduna 186.5 kilometre single track rail line and another N18.5 billion for the completion of I t a k p e - A j a o k u t a - Wa r r i 326kilometre rail track and structures .

Udoma revealed that N35.6 billion would be spent on the construction of 1,973 blocks of 7,068 housing units in six geopolitical zones and FCT. On the implementation of the budget, the minister said his team had been working with their colleagues in the Federal Ministry of Finance and assured that releases would be announced shortly.

Social intervention projects

Speaking in a similar vein, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said of the total budget estimate, N500 billion was earmarked for social intervention projects in five key areas of job creation, school feeding, conditional cash transfer, enterprise programme and STEM education grant.

A breakdown of the amount showed that N191.5 billion was mapped out for job creation and this would be spent on hiring of 500,000 teachers proposed by Federal Government and creation of 100,000 artisans across the country.

She further explained that plans had been concluded to make the teachers' recruitment a very competitive one.

The sum of N93.1 billion was also earmarked for School Feeding Programme, with which about 5.5 million children would be fed for 200 school days.

Petroleum sector deregulation: Naira depreciates by N14 to N334/$ As oil & gas shares gain 3.7% on stock market

By Babajide Komolafe & Nkiruka Nnorom

L

AGOS — AFTER two months of stability, the naira, yesterday, depreciated by N14 in the parallel market, in response to demand pressure occasioned by the deregulation of petroleum sector announced by the Federal Government, Wednesday.

Meanwhile, shares of major petroleum products marketers recorded significant price appreciation on the Nigeria stock market in response to the announcement by the Federal Government.

While announcing the deregulation of petroleum imports, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, said in order to meet the consumption demand of the country, importers will henceforth be permitted to source for their foreign exchange

requirements from secondary sources.

This development, according to bureau de change operators, triggered a demand for dollars in the parallel market, leading to sharp depreciation of the naira.

Hence, the parallel market exchange rate, which had been stable at N320 per dollar since end of February, rose to N334 per dollar at the close of business, yesterday.

Confirming this development to Vanguard, President, Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwada, said the market today experienced increased demand due to the announcement that petrol importers should source dollars from secondary sources.

The market has been stable all this while due to drastic reduction

in import activities hence demand for dollars by importers reduced sharply. Those who had bought dollars when the rate was high and used it to import are having difficulty selling their goods, hence those who are still importing have reduced.

But the announcement, yesterday, has changed the whole thing. More demand for petrol importation is expected in the market, meanwhile, there is no supply of dollar. Some people with dollar, especially those who bought when the exchange rate was high, feel the rate is too low for them to sell, hence they are withholding their dollars, waiting for the rate to go higher.

Oil & gas shares gain 3.7% on stock market

The shares of downstream oil marketing companies experienced significant price appreciation on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), yesterday, leading to a 3.7 percent increase in the Oil and Gas Index of the exchange.

Trading results showed that the shares of Total Nigeria Plc, which led others in the oil and gas sector, appreciated by 6.11 per cent or N9.19 to close at N159.60 from N150.41, followed by Oando Plc, which rose by 5.03 per cent or N0.23 to close at N4.80 from N4.57 perc share.

Forte Oil’s shares appreciated by five per cent or N10.50 to close at N220.50 from N210.00; Mobil Oil rose by 3.59 per cent or N5.57 to close at N160.66 from N155.09, while Conoil Plc inched up by 0.33 per cent or N0.06 to close at N18.16 from N18.10 per share.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—11

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

VISIT: The Olu of Warri Kingdom, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli (right) with the Emir of Borgu Emirate, Alhaji Mohammed Dantoro Kitoro IV, during his visit to the Olu of Warri, as part of his nation-wide visit to traditional rulers and governors in the country.

The Emir of Borgu Emirate, Alhaji Mohammed, Kitoro IV (left) presenting a gift to the Orodje of Okpe HRM Orhue I, during his visit to the Orodje in Orerokpe.

I wasn't detained by EFCC —Ize-Iyamu

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—A PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant for the 2016 election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has denied media reports that he was detained

by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at its Port Harcourt office.

Ize-Iyamu, who addressed journalists in his residence in Benin, yesterday, said that the explanation became necessary to dispel the rumour of his detention, otherwise he would have kept quiet and allowed the issue to play itself out.

He had, in a statement, said that no amount of blackmail, harassment or witch-hunting could stop him from crying out over how his state (Edo) had been mismanaged and plundered by a government that was expected to do a lot better than previous ones.

Ize-Iyamu, reacting to a statement credited to Edo State Commissioner for Information and Oreintation, Prince Kassim

Afegbua, asking him to be more concerned with defending himself at the EFCC over a N700 million campaign fund, said that harassment from any quarter will not deter him from speaking on issues affecting Edo State.

On his EFCC case, he agreed that he was actually invited by the anti-graft agency to explain how the N700 million given to him as the campaign coordinator of former President Goodluck Jonathan's presidential election

P

ORT HARCOURT— ELDERS in Rivers State have condemned the killings and insecurity in the state.

Former Director General, State Security Service, SSS, Chief Albert Horsfall, who spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, after a meeting of Rivers Elders and Leaders Council, RELEC, said that as elders, they were worried over the security situation in the state.

Horsfall, who is Chairman of the elders council said they resolved to send a mail to the governor, advising that he should evolve programmes to productively engage the minds of youths.

He said that they will defend

C M Y K

million would not be enough.

Our leader volunteered to make up the difference which he brought from his house.

“I must confess that they were very professional, cautious and I cannot believe that it was done specifically to harass me because even while I was there, I saw coordinators from other states, who were also invited, so it was clear to me that what they were doing was a nationwide exercise."

Oshiomhole blasts S-South PDP govs

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, carpeted the five South-South governors of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who said they will take over Edo State in the September 10, governorship election in the state, adding that he would defeat the Delta State governor,

Elders condemn killings in Rivers

By Jimitota Onoyume

in Edo State during the 2015 general election was expended.

According to him, “I told them who got what, that we needed money for transportation, mobilization of our people, some of them that had to leave Benin to their polling units in the rural areas and that the state chairman of the party worked out a realistic budget.

“And that by the time we looked at what they brought and what we had in mind, it became clear that the N700

the state against efforts by some persons to destroy it, adding that they will continue to take steps to promote peace.

“We think we should defend our state to gain back stability. We want peace to reign. People are trying to create an impression of instability in River State. Law and order must prevail,” he said.

Chief Horsfall also enjoined youths to shun violence, stressed that they should commit their energetic age to productive ventures.

“Don’t say you will change when you are old. That time may be too late. If you are robbing people with guns today, know that these things will not help you in your old age," he added.

Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, or any of the governors in their respective states if he ran election against them.

He also blamed the differences in the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state on some fifth columnists who left the opposition PDP but do not wish the APC well.

Oshiomhole spoke when members of the Peace Committee set up by the national leadership of APC, led by former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagusoye Oyinlola, paid him a courtesy visit.

The committee is in the state to look into the crisis in the state

APC. Oshiomhole, who said that the PDP governors in the SouthSouth were wallowing in their dreams, added: “Last week, I read in the media that PDP governors in the South South met in Asaba and said that they were strategising on how to win Edo. I looked at those who were talking, if I contest election in Delta State, I will defeat Okowa.

If he tries it and we amend the law, I will contest election in Delta State and I will defeat Okowa.

“My pedigree speaks for me.

I am not a radio-manufactured or newspaper-created activist, I can communicate vertically and horizontally. They are lucky but we are waiting for them.”

Pipeline attacks: Affected communities to support NNPC

By Tare Youdeowei

T

HE leadership of Inikorogha and Bafan communities in Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, affected by the recent pipeline attacks by militants, have pledged to support the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and Nigerian Gas Company,

NGC, to maintain the existing cordial relationship between parties.

In a statement, yesterday, in Warri by Chairman of Inikorogha community, Mr Christopher Ejoh and others, the affected communities urged NNPC/NGC management not to become hostile in dealing with their host communities who they said were innocent of the heinous pipelines attacks.

Dickson swears in new Finance Commissioner

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—BAYELSA State governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, has sworn in Mr. Maxwell Ebibai as the state Commissioner for Finance.

Until his appointment, Ebibai was the Vice President, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON. Speaking at the swearingin ceremony at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa, Dickson explained that Ebibai would have been sworn-in alongside the first set of members of his cabinet, but was regularizing his disengagement from AMCON.

Sarah Oniekoro for burial

M

RS. Sarah Oniekoro, 41, is dead. She died on April 18, 2016. Burial takes place at Ofagbe, Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, tomorrow.

She is survived by her widower, Dr. Francis Oniekoro, a lecturer at the Nigerian Law School, Enugu Campus, and three children, Oghene-Oreva, Aghoghozino and Oghenemairo.

Late Sarah Oniekoro

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—13

Militants give Atiku, Danjuma, Lukman two weeks ultimatum ....As Wike condemns pipelines vandalism

By Emma Amaize & Brisibe Perez

W

ARRI—NIGER Delta Avengers, yesterday, listed some oil blocs which it claimed are owned by some prominent Nigerians, among whom are former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd), late exMinister of Petroleum, Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman, a two-week ultimatum to shut down their operations and evacuate their workers from the locations or have them blown up.

The militant group, pressing for a sovereign state of the Niger Delta, in a statement by its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, warned: “If at the end of the ultimatum you are still operating, we will blow up all the locations. It will be bloody. So, just shut down your operations and leave.”

The oil blocs listed are: "Apo Well awarded to Sapetro Oil. Apo field is capable of producing 300,000 barrels per day and crude reserve of 500 million barrels * OML 110 Obe oil field owned by Alhaji Mai Daribe, Cavendish Petroleum, with an estimated 500 million barrels of crude oil worth $50 billion after tax. *Akpo condensate field awarded to Sapetro Oil. This field is worth $100 billion. *OML 112 and OML 117 awarded to AMNI International Petroleum Development Company. It is worth $150bn after tax. *OML 115 also known as Oldwok field and Ebok field and both are worth $200 billion. *OML 215 awarded to and operated by Nor East Petroleum Limited. The field is worth $100 billion after tax. *OML 108 awarded to Express Petroleum Company .

This field is worth $128 billion. * OML 113 is $150 billion. * OML 112 and OML 117. *OML 67 is worth $180 billion. * OPL 245 was awarded to Malabu Oil and Gas. It is worth $50 billion. *OPL 289 and OPL 233 were awarded to Cleanwater Consortium. The two fields are worth $200 billion. *OPL 288 was awarded to Focus Energy. The field is worth $70 billion. * OPL 291 was awarded to Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited. The field is worth $100 billion.

The group said: “From our analysis above, 90 per cent of oil blocs are allocated to individuals from Northern Nigeria and some confused elements from the region are C M Y K

HANDMAIDENS WOMEN IN LEADESHIP: From left: Sola David-Borha; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc; Mrs Siju Iluyomade, host and Omobola Johnson, former Minister of Communication Technology, at the Handmaidens Women in Leadeship series, with the theme, Leading Women, Leading Change, in Victorial Island, Lagos, yesterday.

Photo: Akeem Salau. calling the Niger Delta Avengers names, some are calling us criminals.”

On the rumour that oil has been discovered in the North- East, it said: “How will you feel if the oil allegedly found is being managed by Niger Deltans?

We are very sure that Niger Deltans will not even have two per cent oil bloc if oil is really found in the NorthEast. If you do not shut down, we will shut your stations permanently for you.”

Flag, passport

cur rency,

The group hinted: “By October 2016, we will display our currency, national flag, passport, our ruling council and our territory to the world.

“To the United Nations, we are not asking for much, but to free the people of the Niger Delta from environmental pollution, slavery, and oppression. We want a country that will turn the creeks of the Niger Delta to a tourism haven, a country that will achieve its full potentials, a country that will make health care system accessible by everyone.”

Strike teams

"The Commander of Strike Team 9 of the Niger Delta Avengers is from Eastern Nigeria. So, nobody should limit this struggle to the Ijaws of the Niger Delta. The leader of Strike Team 6 that blew up Chevron Valve Platform is Itsekiri. The Commander of our elite Strike Team One is from Akwa Ibom."

Purported threat to Kachikwu It explained: “No agent or representative of the Avengers called the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Group Managing Director, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, to threaten his life.”

Wike condemns pipelines blow up

Meanwhile, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has condemned the blowing up of pipelines in the Niger Delta by militants, saying

that it was not in the interest of the region, as it will negatively affect the revenue accruing to the states for development.

He assured that the states of the Niger Delta will work with the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure the stoppage of pipelines vandalism by militants.

In an interview with German Television, ARD, in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Governor Wike said: “Blowing up pipelines will further decrease our revenue, which will affect payment of salaries and development projects.”

Meanwhile, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice,

Grazing reserves, plan by Fulanis to take over Nigeria —Ijomah

By Emma Amaize

E

LDER statesman and member of Nomadic Commission set up by the Federal Government, Prof B. I. Ijomah, yesterday, said that the move to mandatorily acquire land in other parts of the country for cattle rearers was an old plan by the cattle Fulanis to take over Nigeria.

Prof. Ijomah, who spoke to Vanguard in Asaba, said that the cattle Fulanis were one ethnic group in Nigeria though not all Fulanis were cattle rearers.

He said: “Let me caution that cattle rearing is an occupation of one ethnic group. Any attempt to legislate so that the cattle Fulanis can be given a legal authority to move into every town in Nigeria and acquire land against the wishes of the

people will backfire.

“The legal backing might bring Nigeria to an end. It is an attempt to give the Fulanis grazing rights in every part of Nigeria, despite their condemnable atrocities in different parts of the country.

“As a member of the Nomadic Commission for some time, we did everything to domesticate the cattle Fulanis. We even wrote books in the Fulfude language, which are used to teach these nomadic Fulanis in schools set up by the Commission.

“The school is a success so far but the nomadic Fulanis do not want to settle down in one place, so that they can go to school and be domesticated. The attempt to have grazing fields in every part of Nigeria shows that the Federal Government is sponsoring one occupation as a national occupation."

CEPEJ, in Delta State, yesterday, asked Niger Delta Avengers to have a rethink and halt the bombing of oil and gas installations to avert further destruction of the deteriorated environment.

National coordinator of the group, Sheriff Mulade, in a statement, said: “Although it is important to agitate for the development of the region, it is wrong to destroy the environment in the process because it takes a long time to remediate a destroyed environment.

“Militants cannot continue to use Niger Delta communities and kingdoms as a war front to the detriment of the environment, image and people of the region.

“Gbaramatu communities are not at war with the Federal Government and security agencies. The Centre, therefore, appeals to relevant authorities to employ intelligence in fishing out the culprits and bring them to book.”

Similarly, Commandant General, Riverine Security (Coast Guard of the Federation), Commander Bibi Oduku, has said that the militants bombing oil installations in Delta State under the cover of Niger Delta Avengers, hail from Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state.

Madam Ughwuruvwe Okpeki for burial

M

RS. Ughwuruvwe Okpeki of Ubogu family of Abraka-Otorho is dead, aged 110. She was married to Mr. Ekoyeyanor Okpeki of Ikromoku in Eku, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State.

Service of songs holds today at Okpeki's compound, Ikromoku Street, Eku, while interment comes up tomorrow at the Ubogu family compound, Umolo Street, Abraka.

Late Madam Okpeki

14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

Scholars recommend solutions to education woes

By Charles Kumolu & Gbenga Oke

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AGOS—SOME of Nigeria’s leading scholars, yesterday, flayed what they described as the distortions in the country’s educational system and proffered recommendations that will reposition it.

Among the suggestions offered were the revival of the boarding system in secondary institutions and the prioritisation of the teaching of values, which, they said, would bequeath enduring legacies to future generations.

The scholars spoke at the public presentation of the autobiography of one of their own, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, one of the continent’s leading scholars of public administration.

He was a former Dean of the Faculty of Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, and former lead public sector management specialist at the World Bank.

The public presentation of his book, I Remember: The Autobiography of Ladipo

Adamolekun, was graced by renowned academics, media executives and past public office holders, among others.

Roll call

Among those present at the event, which had Professor Akin Mabogunje as Chairman, were Senator Bode Olajumoke; Professor Jibola Meshida; Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka; Professor Adele Jinadu; Chief Joop Berkhout; General Manager/Editor-in-Chief Vanguard Media Ltd., Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, and Mr. Seye Adetumibi.

Mabogunje, the first President of African Geographical Union and the first African elected as a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences, lamented that the country abandoned the pursuit of excellence leading to its multifaceted challenges.

He called for the right policies and urged Nigerians to be steadfast in prayers.

As Mabogunje, Jinadu, Berkhout, others honour Adamolekun Review

While reviewing the 352-page book, Professor Jinadu, a former Director-General of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON, described Adamolekun as a distinguished academic, who, even in retirement, had continued to project the highest ideals of a true academic.

He further said the book would help to guide generations, especially those that seek to operate at the highest level in their chosen professions.

His words: “Adamolekun’s autobiography has some massages for all of us. His upbringing has a message for parents; his exploits as a student have a message for students.

“His experiences as an accomplished academic and as a leading professional at the World Bank should provide useful guidance to those who seek to operate at the highest level of professional calling.

From left— MD, Standard Chartered Bank, Mrs Bola Adesola; Senator Bode Olajumoke; Chairman of the occasion, Professor Akin Mabogunje; author, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, and his wife, Jumoke, at the presentation of a book, I Remember: The Autobiography of Ladipo Adamolekun, at Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: Lamidi Bamidele.

Mrs Rita Amuka (left) and Dr. Ganiyu Owolabi.

Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu (left) and Dr. Femi Ogunsanya, Founder, Oxbridge Tutorial College.

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“His description of academic standards at the University of Ibadan in the 1960s should forever shame those who have been responsible for the current academic decadence.

“Significantly, I Remember, he did not insult or malign the character of another in a quest for self-promotion.

“The only missing links are his philanthropic gestures known to this reviewer.”

Author speaks

Adamolekun, in his remarks, said: “I do not think the tradition of friendship still exists in the country today. I am still friends with the students I met in the school and some of my lecturers.

“Some of the people here today are people we have been friends for over 50 years. In those days, you will have some teachers as friends. I believe if we could go back to that tradition of students and

teachers being friends, the country will be better for it.

“The tradition of boarding schools should be encouraged. In November last year, I was invited to deliver a lecture in Ondo State and one of the recommendations I made was that at least there should be one boarding school in each local government.”

Publisher’s comments

Chief Joop Berkhout, Founder of Safari Books, publishers of the autobiography, said: “Professor Adamolekun has been able to put something together that makes sense. He has put together what happened several years ago. How many of the new generation are ready to do that?

“I believe you could build brand new schools for the children, but unfortunately, today they are not doing anything. I spoke with the Minister of Education over this.

“We can all testify to what Professor Adamolekun has done and we are all proud of him.”

From left— Publisher, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka; Lt-Gen Alani Akinrinade (rtd) and Olu Okeowo.

From left— Mr. Segun Ajibola; Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager/ Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Media Ltd., and Dr. Wale Adeniran.

From left— Professor Peter Adeniyi, Seye Adetumibi, Dr. Gabriel Ojegbile and Professor Goke Adegoroye.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—15

Ugwuanyi inaugurates commission of inquiry on Nimbo massacre

UNILEVER AGM:

From left— Non-Executive Director, Mrs. Ammuna Ali; Legal Director, West Africa and Company Secretary, Mrs. Abidemi Ademola; Chairman, Board of Directors, Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe; Managing Director, Mr. Yaw Nsarkoh, and Finance Director, Mrs. Adesola Sotande-Peters, all of Unilever Nigeria Plc, during the firm's 91st Annual General Meeting in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

By Emeka Mamah & Chinedu Adonu

G

Ebonyi discovers 838 ghost workers employed as ‘cemetery keepers’

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—EBONYI State government said it had uncovered a job scam in

the local government system involving 838 cemetery keepers, who are receiving consolidated Health Salary Scheme, CONHESS, the

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Samuel Okoronkwo, said in Abakaliki, yesterday.

Forgery suit: Judge warns counsel to Gov Ikpeazu, Nwosu against delay

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—PRESIDING Judge of the Federal High Court, Owerri, Justice A. I. Alagoa, who is now hearing the tax forgery suit filed against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu by an aspirant in the December 8,

2015, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries in Abia State, Sir Friday Nwosu, has warned parties in the suit against delaying the matter.

Justice Alagoa stated that there was no reason the suit, which is a pre-election matter,

Court sacks Abia lawmaker, orders fresh election in 30 days

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—AN Umuahia Federal High Court presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor has nullified the election of Mr. Kelechi Onuzurike, representing Umuahia North state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, saying he was not the authentic candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, for the election.

The court, therefore, ordered a fresh election to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the constituency within 30 days.

The court also ordered Onuzurike and other defendants, including APGA, to pay the applicant, Mr. Sunday Ajero, N8 million as compensation.

Ajero had approached the court, claiming that he was the rightful candidate of APGA in the April 2015 election. He claimed that he was displaced by the defendant and four others joined in the suit.

In his ruling, Justice Osiagor agreed that Onuzurike, who won the seat under APGA, was not the rightful candidate of the party in the election.

Counsel to the applicant, Smart Apu, lauded the judgment, while counsel to Onuzurike, Chief Uwandu Onyenakom, described the judgment as an error, saying they would challenge it at the Court of Appeal.

should not have been earlier decided. He warned the counsel to parties in the suit that he will not entertain any delay in the matter and directed parties to appear for the matter on June 1 for hearing.

Parties were fully represented by their respective counsel. Lead counsel to Nwosu, Frank Unyimadu, prayed the court to hear and decide the case urgently, stressing that it was a governorship pre-election matter, which ought to have been decided before the April 11, 2015 general election to determine who was the lawful PDP governorship candidate between Sir Friday Nwosu and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

Counsel to Governor Ikpeazu, Casmir Elele, also reported that all the documents had been filed and exchanged and issues joined between the parties.

The Commissioner also debunked rumours making the rounds that the state government had concluded arrangement to sack medical workers in the local government areas. He noted that what the state government was doing was to find out the workers that are not health workers, but are being paid CONHESS. According to him, investigation so far revealed that previous administrations employed about 838 workers as cemetery keepers even while there was no cemetery in the 13 local government areas managed by the state government.

He said: “The only cemetery in the state is in Abakaliki and it is being managed by the Catholic Church, so what are the cemetery keepers doing?

Why are they earning CONHESS?” He said the affected workers will not be sacked, but be removed from CONHESS and reposted to other areas, where they will be useful, adding that a committee has been set up to look into the issue with members drawn from various unions and government.

ForexRally targets youths with empowerment

By Oboh Agbonkhese

I

NTERNATIONAL online brokerage firm, ForexRally, has said empowering Nigerian youth by creating platforms in the foreign financial market through training, education and motivational competition is their vision.

The firm’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Artem Trofymenko, said this at a prize-giving ceremony in Lagos. He added that he had travelled round

the country, seen the huge potential in the youths, and witnessed the highly entrepreneurial nature of Nigerians, hence ForexRally’s desire to bring the youths into the global financial market.

He said incentives such as the firm’s N5,000 for zero deposit, 0.08 percent charge, trading in world reputable companies and credible competitions are some of the incentives to encourage youths to tap into the huge earnings

possible in forex trade.

Earlier, Mr. Michael Akinwale, ForexRally’s GM, said: “To create platform for traders in foreign financial markets, we educate Nigerians on the opportunities in the sector and create motivational systems.”

Winner of the star prize, a Toyota Hilux pick-up, Mr. Henry Williams, said he had made trade on ForexRally platform his social media and “it is paying.”

OVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, yesterday, inaugurated a seven-man Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the killings and destruction of property at Nimbo in UzoUwani Local Government Area of the state by herdsmen about two weeks ago.

The Commission has a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Chukwuma Ene as Chairman.

Other members of the commission include Major General Godwin Ugwuoke(rtd), Professor Uchenna Nwagha, Professor Osita Ogbu and Anthonia UgbeneMgbachi.

Inaugurating the commission of inquiry at Government House Enugu, Ugwuanyi urged the members to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident with a view to bringing justice to all concerned in line with Section 4(1) of the Commission of Inquiry Law, Cap 24, and Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004.

The Commission’s terms of reference include to, among other things, ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the recent bloodbath and destruction of property in Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area.

Transition

H

ERBERT Mehara Obichere, Eze Ola I of Oforola Ancient Kingdom in Owerri West Local Government Area, is dead.

He died on Friday, April 15, aged 83, after a 36-year reign.

Burial rites began Tuesday, May 10, with a service of songs at his palace, followed by night of tributes on May 12.

Interment is today after a funeral service at Christ’s Anglican Church, Oforola.

16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

Anisulowo: Kingpin, two other suspects transferred to Abuja —Ogun CP

By Daud Olatunji

A

BEOKUTA—THE Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Abdulmajid Ali, yesterday, disclosed that the command has transferred suspected kingpins that masterminded the abduction of the former Minister of State for Education, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, to the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Abdulmajid Ali disclosed this in a meeting with the Police Community Relations Committee, Ogun State chapter, in Ibara, Abeokuta.

Ali also said three other suspects, who were members of staff of the former minister, were still undergoing interrogation at the state command, to ascertain their level of involvement in the abduction saga.

Man in court for allegedly stabbing girlfriend A 26-YEAR-OLD salesboy, Kingsley Njuzie was, yesterday, arraigned at a Gudu Upper Area Court for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend, Charity Ene with a knife.

The Prosecutor, told the court that Urom Otu Njuzie, who resides at Lagos st., Garki 2, was on trial on a two-count charge of criminal force and assault and voluntarily causing hurt.

Otu alleged that the complainant, Ene of Wunba village, Apo, FCT had reported the matter at the Garki police station, May 8.

Otu told the court that the defendant allegedly dragged the complainant from a moving tricycle and assaulted her.

He alleged that the defendant punched the defendant on her face, beat her up and used a knife to inflict injuries on her body for no justifiable reason.

He said the offence contravened Sections 265 and 246 of the Penal Code.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Presiding Officer, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N20,000 with one surety in like sum.

C M Y K

2 killed in petrol tanker explosion in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson

tanker was carrying 33,000 litres of diesel expected to be discharged at a filling station in the commercial town of Ore. Motorists plying the BeninOre expressway watched helplessly as the fire raged until it consumed the entire truck leaving its wreckage.

Vanguard learned that policemen in Ore, who were informed by sympathizers, raced to the scene and assisted in removing the wreckage that had caused traffic gridlock for hours.

Confirming the incident, the state Police image maker, Femi Joseph, said two of the occupants in the truck including the driver were burnt beyond recognition in the explosion while the only survivor was rushed to the hospital.

A

KURE—TWO persons were reportedly burnt beyond recognition and one other injured as a diesel-laden tanker exploded on BeninOre Expressway, yesterday, in Ondo State.

Reports had it that the accident occurred 28 kilometers after Ore town.

Eyewitness accounts told Vanguard that the dieselladen truck was coming from Ore end of the Expressway and heading towards Benin in Edo State and on getting to Ofosu reportedly lost control and somersaulted before it exploded.

It was learnt that immediately the truck exploded two of its three occupants were reportedly burnt beyond recognition.

The only survivor, who also suffered severe burns, was immediately rushed to the Ore General Hospital for medical attention.

Eye-witness accounts attributed the crash to overspeeding and reckless driving.

Vanguard gathered that the

Scene of the fire.

One dead, 2 injured as container falls in Lagos

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

O

NE PERSON was, yesterday, confirmed dead while others sustained

injuries when a container fell on adjoining shanties during relocation of containers at Sifax Container Terminal, Ijora, Lagos.

It was learned that the three

Egbeda murder: Lekan was jealous, scared —Deceased’s confidant I've

no child outside wedlock —Suspect

By Evelyn Usman

G

LORIA ESIOHE, a former colleague of late Mrs. Ronke Shonde, who was allegedly beaten to death by her husband Lekan, last week, in their Egbeda residence, yesterday, revealed that jealousy and fear of losing his wife could have led him to kill his wife.

But the suspect, Lekan Shonde, insisted that he did not kill his wife.

The suspect also refuted the reports alleging that he has a child outside wedlock.

Enraged Esiohe, in a chat with Vanguard, promised to show up in court to give evidence on all she knew about the domestic violence on her late friend whenever the case gets to court.

She had earlier told Vanguard that the deceased raised fears of losing her life a week before the incident, due to what she described as Lekan’s overbearing attitude.

According to Esiohe: “My late friend complained that her husband was always eavesdropping anytime she was on the phone. Whenever she was going out, Lekan would follow her without her knowledge. He would hide behind cars to see if she would enter into any man’s car.

"At times, when he returned early from work, he would hang around, waiting to see if his wife would be dropped off by a man.

"Most times he would tell her to go and change her clothes

Lekan Shonde

Late Ronke

and at any resistance, my friend said he would beat her.

“The Police can ask the children. Sometimes the children would be consoling their late mother anytime their father beat her. Most times she tried to maintain a calm disposition in order to give the children the impression that all was well. She also complained that he was temperamental."

Esiohe added: “The straw that broke the camel’s back was when she got to know that Lekan had a child outside wedlock. She went into depression. At a point she thought of moving out of the house, but kicked against the idea after many pleas from Lekan and interventions from some relatives.

“I have had cause to even beg Lekan to tread softly with his late wife and he told me all he was doing was because he loved her with his life and was ready to die for her. He said it was unfortunate that he did not have much money to take care of her the way he really wanted to. He also said he was scared of losing her to another man.

"During that conversation, my late friend came out and told him that she had no intention of marrying another man, not after having two children. She jokingly said, 'who will even marry a Tokunbo woman' and we all laughed over it. You can verify from her sister all what I am telling you,” Esiohe stated.

I have no child outside However, when approached, Lekan denied ever having any child outside. Though he admitted that a woman claimed he was pregnant for him and even had a child.

He said: “The lady came with the baby one year after she claimed she had the child for me. When I discussed the issue with my friends, they suggested we should go for a DNA to confirm the paternity.

But I swear, the child isn’t mine. Do you know what? The lady has even taken the child to the real father after I told her I would go for a DNA test.

The name of the real father is Niyi. They are only saying that to give the dog a bad name."

containers fell from the rack onto the structures while the occupants were still asleep.

The deceased was simply identified as Ezinne, while the injured were identified as Babatunde Ademowo and Jide James.

Vanguard gathered that the tragedy occurred between 4.00 and 5.00a.m. during the heavy downpour experienced across the state, yesterday.

When Vanguard visited the scene at about 10a.m., the Emergency Rescue Team comprising Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, men of the Lagos State Fire Service and the Nigerian Police and others were sighted at the scene recovering the deceased from the rubble.

Sources said that the Sifax container terminal located at 110/112 Ijora Road few meters away from Ijora Bus-stop, embarked on night arrangement of their containers, which eventually fell on the structures in the community.

Speaking to Vanguard, the Iyalode of Iganmu Alawo, IjoraBadia, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oshindele, said one person was rescued from the building, while over two persons, who sustained injuries were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Oshindele noted that the deceased was an apprentice at a fashion designing outfit in the community before her demise.

The Iyalode lamented that the company operated over-night without minding the repercussion of their activities on the residents.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, General Manager, Mr. Akin Akindele, said that the agency ’s assessment indicated that operational activities were carried out without floodlights and safety procedures.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 —17

Buhari in London

A

S I write, President Muhammadu Buhari is in London attending the first Anti-Corruption Summit that has ever been hosted in the United Kingdom.

This pioneering Summit, the brainchild of David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, has been bogged down in controversy because Cameron was overheard, on Tuesday, describing Nigeria and Afghanistan as “fantastically corrupt……” while he was chatting informally to Queen Elizabeth II, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Justin Welby) and the Speaker of the House of Commons (John Bercow), at an official function to celebrate the monarch’s 90th birthday.

Many Nigerians were deeply offended by Cameron’s remark and said that Buhari (who arrived in London at the precise moment when it was being widely reported by British, Nigerian and international publications and TV/radio channels) should get back on his plane and boycott the Summit. But I did not share this view.

Private conversation The British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, interviewed me on Tuesday evening, thinking that I’d be as outraged as many of my compatriots. But I told the programme presenter that I didn’t think we should get into a major strop about a supposedly private conversation that Cameron didn’t intend the world to hear.

This is, in a nutshell, is what I said: Let’s face it: Most of us, including me, say tactless things from time to time, when we are talking to people we trust. But, yes, Cameron has been undiplomatic.

Cameron was also being unfair when he singled Nigeria out, given that 167 nations are listed on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and that Nigeria is Number 136, while Afghanistan is Number 166.

C M Y K

•President Muhammadu Buhari

•David Cameron...At the summit

In other words, we shouldn’t really have been mentioned in the same breath as Afghanistan because we are considerably less corrupt than Afghanistan, and above quite a few other countries that Cameron did not bother to mention.

Having said this, though Buhari is not a thief, I can’t vouch for everyone around him and feel that we have a long way to go because Nigeria IS still very corrupt.

Buhari himself later adopted a similarly nonchalant stance.

On Wednesday, he gave the keynote speech at a preCameron-Summit conference

ill-gotten gains) the “tolerant” democratic attitude that people are innocent until proven guilty!

By the way, Welby was also overheard - informing Cameron that Buhari is a decent man who is trying very hard to eradicate corruption.

Bercow was also overheard saying that he hoped that the leaders of corrupt countries who were coming to London to attend the Summit were paying for their own airline tickets.

I thanked Welby, during my BBC slot, for defending our President. As for Bercow, he is a patronizing idiot. And I was angered by his impudent suggestion that we are silly, child-like leeches who may expect the UK government to cover our President’s travel costs. Cameron’s remark was, in my opinion, no big deal by comparison.

Buhari hit the nail on the head by making it clear that if Britain is sincere about confronting the global corruption menace and serious about supporting Buhari’s efforts, the British authorities should help us repatriate stolen funds

titled “Tackling Corruption Together ” (this event was hosted by Baroness Patricia Scotland, the wonderful black British Commonwealth Secretary-General).

And when he was asked

whether he would demand an apology from Cameron, he charmed everyone present by saying, with a smile on his face and while facetiously rubbing his thumb and forefingers together to show that the bottom line was cash: “What will I do with apologies? I will only demand the return of assets!”

And this is, of course, the main issue.

Global corruption menace Buhari hit the nail on the head by making it clear that if Britain (which is not totally clean itself and is Number 10 on the Transparency International list) is sincere about confronting the global corruption menace and serious about supporting Buhari’s efforts, the British authorities should help us repatriate stolen funds that have been lodged in British banks or used to buy properties in the UK. Buhari speaks very well sometimes and is good at cracking self-deprecating jokes that make the audiences he is addressing warm to him. The comment about the return of assets inspired a lot of laughter, as did the following observation: He said that he’d had to adjust his mindset and behaviour when he became an elected head of state last year (having been a military head of state in l984/85).

In those bygone days, he told us with a chuckle, he could get away with assuming that people were guilty until proven innocent, whereas nowadays, he had to accept (even when he saw seemingly dubious individuals driving around in Rolls Royces that could probably only have been purchased with the proceeds of

Chronic insecurity After the Commonwealth conference, Mr President spoke to several journalists, including me; and I asked him what he was going to do about the chronic insecurity in the Niger Delta. He said that he had appointed a Niger Deltan – Brigadier General Paul Boroh (retired) – to deal with militancy-related Amnesty issues and that other measures would be undertaken to make the Niger Delta safe.

ANYWAY, I must say that I am immensely glad that I had the opportunity to interact with Mr President in London yesterday…not least because the physical proximity to him had a surprisingly positive effect on me, psychologically.

Regular readers of this column will be aware that I have expressed a lot of

frustration about Buhari’s administration in the past few weeks because of my concerns about the economy, fuel shortages, electricity cuts, etc.

And I’m still worried about these problems that are putting Nigerians under so much pressure and inflicting countless hardships.

Current doldrums But Buhari oozes integrity and has a reassuring fatherly aura; and seeing him up close - for the first time since I encountered him on the election campaign trail in 2014 - has cheered me up, made me feel that we CAN get out of current doldrums with him at the helm and reminded me why I put my trust in him and voted for him.

Millions of other Nigerians are feeling pretty depressed at the moment; and I often hear people saying that they are fed up with Buhari and his Team.

I would therefore strongly advise Mr President to travel less and spend more time touring the country, so that suffering Nigerians can see him in the flesh, because he possesses a powerful low-key charisma that can truly inspire the disillusioned; and the Personal Touch can work wonders at home as well as abroad!

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 OR 0811 675 9752 (texts only).

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18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 FINALLY the 2016 budget controversy is over with the signing of the Appropriation Bill into law

by President Muhammadu Buhari last weekend after a four-month delay.

With the budget in place, the fiscal policy and plans of the administration are now up and running along with the traditional complementary role it plays with monetary policy in economic stability and development.

The prolonged lack of fiscal policy direction is accentuated by a harsh business climate in the country with a huge cost to the economy.

Only last week the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that in the first quarter of 2016, the economy recorded a 73.39% yearon-year decline in capital imports to USD710.97 million, particularly as foreign direct investment decreased by 55.97% to USD173.73 million. There was also 82.30% year-on-year plunge in portfolio investment to USD201.69 million.

Now the budget is here, what next Last week also, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) published the Purchasing Managers’ Sur vey results for April 2016, which showed worsening contractions in both the manufacturing and nonmanufacturing sectors.

All these come against the backdrop of rising inflation which, had surpassed the CBN’s singledigit red line of 9.6% to peak at 12.8% in March 2016 with April readings forecast to be out next week at over 13%, the highest in several years.

The Naira value has seen its worse position in the first quarter

of this year at the rate of N322/ USD1.0 in the open market segment.

And the lead indicator – the gross domestic product – (GDP) which has seen one of the worst positions in recent years, is predicted to be worse than the low level 2.1% recorded in the fourth quarter of 2015.

All these point to worsening standards of living for an average Nigerian who had expected so much from the new administration that assumed power a year ago.

The key thrust of the budget is reflating the economy through

bullish capital expenditure and investments. This is a needful bailout, and we applaud it. We believe that the huge financial injection into the economy and the vote for the most vulnerable will boost the purchasing power of the people.

On the macro-economic front, the government in conjunction with CBN, should plan to achieve an appropriate and predictable exchange rate regime by the end of 2016 without necessarily effecting a de-facto devaluation of the local currency.

It is important that a harmony of fiscal and monetary policies should be in place to address and achieve low (single digit) interest rates for the real sector while containing inflation rate also at a single digit.

Rapid implementation of the capital component of the budget could generate enough impulse to effectively lift aggregate demand in the medium term, thus raising the GDP.

OPINION Appraising

Buhari’s

By Lucky Ofodu

O

NE word can be aptly used to appraise President Mohammadu Buhari’s one year in office: discontent.

Nigerians are thoroughly disappointed by the turn of events. The President and his party the All Progressive Congress, APC, had promised so much, but so far fulfilled so little.

The economy is in bad shape. Power in bad shape; the Naira in bad shape; inflation is on a steady rise. The Chibok girls are still in captivity. Let’s not mention the unprecedented fuel scarcity and now a galloping hike in pump price of PMS. All these leave a bitter taste in the mouth. It has been a litany of woes. There is a feeling of general discontent across the land.

I do not expect the President to mark his one year in office with the same grandeur and panache that ushered him into office because the truth be told, he has not lived up to expectation. The President knows that Nigerians were better off before he came to the scene. They have been inflicted with a lot of pains this past twelve months. What is happening now seems a repeat of what was when Mr. President ruled as a military head of state in the early ‘80s when Nigerians were made to queue in the rain and sun to buy beverages like milk, sugar, oats and the like which they hitherto could buy from the shop next door. If nothing is done, sooner we will queue for food and possibly air.

one

year

Part of the problem is the fact that the President has surrounded himself mostly with Yes-men and propagandists. The latter are those misinforming and making him see nothing, absolutely nothing good

The President is in a hurry to change a lot of things, and in the process making mistakes about the Jonathan administration. As a result, the President is in a hurry to change a lot of things, and in the process making mistakes. He forgets that while everything may be possible, everything is not expedient. For example, the sack of Vice chancellors and the dissolution of Governing Councils of federal universities which he apologised for. There are others.

These mistakes tend to have deeply divided Nigerians along ethnic, religious and political lines.

These propagandists in the last one year diverted the attention of the President from the core issue of governance which is to better the lives of the citizenry. They pushed him to go after political opponents

after in the name of fighting corruption. This is all Nigerians have heard in the last one year without any tangible result. No one is saying that those who looted the country’s treasury should not face the consequences. No. What is being said is that it ought not to have become the only focus amidst so many other challenges.

Besides, it ought not to have been targeted at political opponents only. After all, many of those shouting ‘change’ and ‘corruption’ today, were in the opposition party holding very exalted offices for years before decamping only recently to the ruling party. How come these persons are not investigated and prosecuted. Or does carpet-crossing to the ruling party make one corruption- free?

The President am sure feels the pulse of Nigerians. He knows they are dissatisfied with the state of things no matter how the propagandists try to paint it. He should listen to them and do the needful: alleviate their suffering. It is becoming unbearable.

Enough of the excuses and the apologies please!

Furthermore, the President should shun the praise of propagandists, sycophants and rumour-mongers. He should not see any section of the country as his enemies as some have made him believe. By age and experience, one expects the President to be above political sentiments and bigotry. He should see and do things from the perspective of a leader not a partisan

politician. Also, he should drop some ministers who by their age are not in tune with the demands of present-day realities.

This administration still has three years to right its wrongs, and to consolidate on its achievements if any. Let us just assume that the last one year was used to cross the Ts and dot the Is. In his Easter message, the President admonished Nigerians that his change agenda would work if “citizens imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ and place national interest above selfish, personal and group interest”. This is true. But what is truer is that the President himself and leaders of his party especially need this admonishment more because they tend to be parochial in their attitude and utterances and additionally, blame the shortcomings of this administration on the opposing party. This is becoming rather boring. This APC- led government must start delivering on its numerous promises.

That is why the recent assertion by the APC chairman-John Odigie-Oyegun that the untold hardship being experienced by Nigerians is a necessary sacrifice for ‘change’ can be viewed as a blatant display of sheer callousness on the plight of ordinary Nigerians. They cannot continue to make sacrifices while senators are busy buying brand-new SUVs for themselves at this critical time with tax payers money. Too much of a sacrifice is nothing but punishment!

*Mr. Ofodu, a public affairs analyst, wrote from luckyofodu24@gmail.com

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016— —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com Following 9/11, the George Walker Bush administration charged like a drunken bull into Iraq, destroying and transforming it into a failed state, and Afghanistan, turning it into a perpetual war zone. In the process, it captured various

Crooks, torturers and God’s Own country T HE terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001 (9/11) in which nearly 3,000 people were killed, was a nightmare for humanity. But while people mourned across the globe, some schemed to make fortunes out of it even if it meant sending more innocent people to untimely graves. This is the case against two American psychologists; James Elmer Mitchel, 64, with a 1986 doctorate from the University of South Florida, and ‘Bruce’ Jessen who are accused of running a “Joint criminal enterprise”. Three of their victims have returned to hunt them in the courts.

Suleiman Abdullah Salim, a Tanzanian fisherman was married to a Somali and was working in that country when he was kidnapped by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). His torture began almost immediately with an object inserted into his anus. He was to go through detention centres in various countries for five years until his release from the Bagram Airfield centre in August, 2008.

Mohammed Ben Soud was a Libyan held in Afghanistan. As

part of sleep deprivation, he was paraded naked for fifteen minutes every thirty minutes from night to morning. After long tortures, he was taken to Libya where he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The two are lucky to be alive, but not so for Gul Rahman, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan whom CIA kidnapped. As part of the torture methods developed by Mitchel and Jessen, Rahman was frozen to death. Now, his estate has teamed up with Salim and Soud to sue the two torturers who inverted their professional training of healing.

Since they cannot get justice against the American State and its agencies, they decided under the Alien Tort Statute to sue the two individuals who developed and operated the criminal programme of torture used against them. Mitchel and Jessen are being sued for “their commission of torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment; non-consensual human experimentation; and war crimes”. In a landmark judgement, US District Court Judge Justin Quackenbush ruled on April 22, 2016 that the two can be sued.

To maximise profits from their criminal enterprise, the two in 2005, established a company; Mitchell Jessen and Associates and secured from the CIA, a contract worth $180 million out of which $81 million was paid before it was stopped in 2009 persons and went round the world, kidnapping others. With such people in its custody, the US decided that it would not take them to its soil where it could be forced to present evidence against them in a law court, and where legitimately, many will have prisoner of war status. So it set up illegal detention centres in various countries where such people were dumped, tortured and held without trial.

In 2002, the CIA approached two alleged experts, Mitchel and Jessen for help on how to interrogate such detainees, especially Abu Zubaydah an alleged senior al-Qaeda operative. The pair, claiming to be experts developed “enhanced interrogation techniques” based on the 1960s ‘learned hopelessness” theory by which dogs which were continuously subjected to small doses of

electric shocks for long periods, became such emotional wrecks that even when offered escape, they refused. The thinking of the two torture merchants is that if an individual is subjected to an adverse condition he is powerless against, he would like the dogs, become passive and depressed, and in that state, provide whatever information required.

Mitchell and Jessen said “Our goal was to reach the stage where we have broken any will or ability of subject to resist or deny providing us information (intelligence) to which he had access.” They developed twenty ‘enhanced techniques’ for the CIA which was so appalled that it rejected ten of them while ten were accepted and authorised by the Presidency. These included a combination of regular beatings, confining victims in coffin-like boxes, mock executions and burials, use of insects in tiny cells, shackling of arms and feet to hooks which leaves victims perpetually in a painful squatting position, sleep deprivation, anal penetration, water boarding and dousing victims in ice-cold water and then wrapping them like frozen fish in freezing plastic sheets.

They followed up their ‘inventions’ by going out into the field to practice on victims and assessing their psychological degeneration. Not since the days of Dr. Josef Mengele, aka The Angel of Death, the German Schtzstaffel (SS) officer at the Austchwitz Concentration Camp during the Second World War, had humanity been confronted with the type of horrors perpetuated in these 21st Century American concentration camps. Mengele and his fellow physicians had tortured children, women and men and performed medical experiments using human

FG's bail out money: A strategic bribe?

By Clement Udegbe Don’t approach a goat from the front, a horse from the back, or a fool from any angle----- Jewish Proverb

S

OME of our leaders, especially the Governors, fit aptly into these three kinds of persons in this proverb. Some of them are like goats, and must not be approached from the front, because they will simply beat a u-turn and speed off.

You will then be left to pursue them and you will never win when it comes to money matters. Federal Government knows them and is aware that it will be an uphill task to recover money from them.

A good number of these Governors must not be approached from the back, because they are smart and skilled in what they do- take the people’s money and put up a poker face. These are the ones who do everything to create the impression of extreme wealth, in fact some of them will want their people to believe that they are richer than their states.

They are fast in every sense, and like the horse, if you dare approach them from the back, they simply gallop out of sight, in a moment. The President knows them too, as some of them are his party caucus members.

Many others among the Governors should not be approached from any angle, because like the fool, they will always put up strong and spirited resistance, in spite of overwhelming evidence and circumstances against them.

Impunity reigns amongst these ones, they think and act as if they will remain Governors with constitutional immunity for life. Federal Government knows them but can’t just figure them out.

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The President for two reasons, namely to buy time from Nigerians in order to organise his cabinet and grapple with the myriad of issues associated with the settling down of his government after being sworn in, and to actually alleviate the suffering of the workers of the country, approved the release of workers’ salaries bail out money to the states.

The money was to be used by Governors to pay workers’ salaries arrears that had accumulated, majorly because they had dipped their hands into states coffers and helped themselves to organise elections.

Imo and Zamfara states are not helping the fight against corruption of Mr. President, as they fuel the impression that the bail out money was a bribe When we remember that it is the misappropriation or misapplication of money meant for arms, that has landed series of PDP stalwarts in the net of the EFCC, since Buhari came to power last year, then the real purpose of this bail out money will become clearer, and a justification for the kids gloves with which the Federal government is handling the culprits.

The President needs the Governors to coast through the security challenges from Boko Haram, Fulani Herds men, the Niger Delta militants, religious intolerant groups in the north, all these in the face of

excruciating economic hardship for the common man, thrust upon the country by the dwindling earnings from oil, and the deliberate go slow method of Mr. President.

It has taken him one full calendar year to get a Budget approved and come to grips with how to govern and run the economy, and he cannot afford to push the Governors hard, and they all know the game, hence the frittering away of the bail out money with impunity as they have done.

According to Saturday Vanguard of the 23rd April 2016 at page 3; of the 21 states reported upon, a total of about N100 billion of the bail out money cannot be accounted for by 19 states.

Niger and Ogun states only, presented clean slates, while Nine others, namely Adamawa, Cross River, Katsina, Gombe, Nasarawa, Osun, Imo, Enugu and Kebbi States are holding almost over N80 billion unaccounted for.

It has become obvious that our President had gone to China to borrow money substantial proportion of which could be fished out from Governors’ purses back home.

The case of two states stands out.

According to the ICPC, of particular concern is the case of Zamfara State which applied for N32.5 billion, but as at the time of collecting N10.billion from the Federal government for workers’ arrears, the state was reportedly not indebted to any of its workers. But after receiving the cash, the state government made overtures to its House of Assembly which approved the use of the money for the settlement of indebtedness to contractors and other purposes.

Laws for Financial matters and rules, are enactments of strict application.

Money meant for workers salary have

beings. This included killing people by simply freezing them to death, putting them in pressured chambers, performing experimental surgeries on children without anesthesia and sex change experiments.

To maximize profits from their criminal enterprise, the two in 2005, established a company; Mitchell Jessen and Associates and secured from the CIA, a contract worth $180 million out of which $81 million was paid before it was stopped in 2009.

The US Senate which investigated the tortures found that Mitchell and Jessen were fraudsters.

"Neither psychologist had any experience as an interrogator, nor did either have specialised knowledge of al-Qaeda, a background in counterterrorism, or any relevant cultural or linguistic expertise."

Even the CIA was to say the Mitchell and Jessen claims were unscientific and bogus. But the men are not remorseful; enjoying his loot in retirement, Mitchell told the British GUARDIAN “ I'm just a guy who got asked to do something for his country by people at the highest level of government, and I did the best that I could.” He did not mention the profits he made from his inhuman trade.

The US is also not remorseful for its crimes against humanity violating the Geneva Convention on treatment of civilians and prisoners of war.

It is also unrepentant violating the United Nations Convention against Torture which forbids any act of intentionally inflicting pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, on a person for whatever reason.

For a country to continue laying claims to be God’s Own Country, it must respect human beings.

found its way into contractors' pockets. It is misapplication, or mis appropriation of funds, a punishable offence.

But Zamfara state is the headquarters of Sharia Law in Nigeria, and as far as that goes cannot be held culpable, for lack of political will.

In a different dimension of mis use, Imo State which collected the sum of over N26.806 billion from CBN, paid the amount into two commercial banks, and transferred part of the money into uses not related to workers’ salary.

The ICPC said it discovered N2 billion was lodged in a Government House Account, N2 billion paid into Imo State Project Account, while another N2 billion was lodged in a Micro Finance bank and a “Management Fee” of whopping N21 billion paid into an unspecified account out of the bail out fund received by the state.

Some body has taken what belongs to another, but no one is shouting Thief Thief, Holam Holam! Imo State is the only APC State in Igbo Land, and again for lack of political will nothing will happen. Buhari needs APC to have a strong foot hold in that part of Nigeria, and the Governor knows it.

Fact is that Imo State owes over five months workers salary, and pensioners are dying by the droves due to nonpayment of their gratuity by government. It is unconscionable!

Imo state alone is holding over 25 percent of the total bail out money that is unaccounted for. It is simply wicked to hope to propagate a political party in this manner in Igbo land. Imo and Zamfara states are not helping the fight against corruption of Mr. President, as they fuel the impression that the bail out money was a bribe.

*Mr Udegbe, a lawyer, can be reached at ceeaai@yahoo.com.

20—Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

Anxiety in Customs over screening of certificates

By Godrey Bivbere & Favour Efughi

T

HERE is anxiety in Ni geria Customs over the planned screening of entry certificates of its personnel in the Assistant Comptroller and Deputy Comptroller cadres.

A circular sighted by Vanguard directed those in the affected ranks to route their correspondence through their respective area commanders.

The circular was signed by Deputy Comptroller General Austine Warikoru, ACG Human Resources Development on behalf of the CGC. The directive has torn the affected officers along two divides. While some officers who spoke with Vanguard explained that the purported screening exercise is in bad faith, designed to achieve political end, others are of the opinion that it is an action in the right direction.

De-ranking policy Some of those who spoke to our reporter off-record fear that the exercise may be an extension of the de-ranking policy, which allegedly came to the fore after controversial promotions in Customs in 2004. While others said it is an exercise aimed at de-ranking those who elected to upgrade themselves educationally in order to broaden their skills to be able to serve their fatherland in a more proficient manner.

The grieving officers have appealed to the new Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Retd.), not to accede to recommendation to punish officers who elected to up-

Apathy to listing slows economic growth — Ajayi

By Jonah Nwokpoku

T

CONFERENCE: From left, Mr. Abayomi Obadare, General Manager, Billings; Mr. Markus Brinkmann, Executive Director, Commercials and Inland Container Depots; Alhaji Mohammed Bulangu, Acting Managing Director, Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited, a subsidiary of SIFAX Group and Mr. Mustapha Mohammed, General Manager, Operations at the 10th anniversary press conference of the company’s port concessioning, in Lagos. grade themselves.

This is even as others urge the CGC to remain apolitical and be very circumspective in the current matter. They argue that officers who got approvals to embark on further study should not be part of a controversial sweeping process that pegs career progression to specified levels beyond which officers cannot aspire or attain, on the ground of an obnoxious policy.

Those criticising the directive and previous implementation of the de-ranking measure say it is administratively and legally unacceptable. They blame the emergence of politically exposed and ambitious officers who schemed their way into the service leadership in the wake of the controversial 2004 Customs promotions, as those who were promoted during the ongoing policy thrust.

Many described the move as unfair, backward and a major disservice to nation building.

Officers in the affected cadres vow to use every legal means at their disposal to resist the continuation of waht they call witch hunt from a clique of management staff that were part and parcel of the last "repressive and oppressive" regime, all in a bid to cling to power.

FG should initiate policies to attract long term investment — Renaissance Capital

By Peter Egwuatu

R

ENAISSANCE Capital Limited said the Federal Government needs to initiate policies that will attract long term investment into the country. $ 125.90 0.75 Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria’s Renais$3,088.00 43.00 sance Capital, Mr. Temitope Popoola, said in$ 16. 69 -0. 08 vestors all over the world invest in countries where there are favourable policies that $47. 32 -0. 28 enhance productivity and in turn lead to prof$46.20 4.50 itability. "Investors invest with the purpose CURRENCY BUYING SELLING of having returns from their investment.”

US DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 POUNDS 283. 6316 284.3552 285. 0787 He therefore called EURO 223. 44 224.01 224.58 on the government to FRANC 201.1288 201.6419 202.155 put in policies that will YEN 1.7964 1.8009 1.8055 drive investment into CFA 0.3214 0.3314 0.3414 WAUA 277.1033 277.8102 278.5171 the country, not just RENMINBI 30.0604 30.1376 30.2147 short term but long RIYAL 52.2611 52. 3944 52.5277 term investment.

KRONA 29.9548 30.0312 30.1076 While reacting to the SDR 276.6736 277.3794 278.0852 proposed plan by the CBN Exchange rate as at 12/05/2016 federal government to

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— 21

borrow N1.8 trillion to finance the 2016 fiscal year, he said: “There is nothing wrong in borrowing, but the government should put adequate structures in place to ensure it generates revenue to repay whatever it borrows."

Both equity investors and other investors coming into the country for businesses would want to see better governance, strong growth and sustainable strong currency

In his remark at the Renaissance Capital’s 7th Annual Investor Conference held in Lagos, the global chief economist at Ren-

aissance Capital, Mr. Charles Robertson, said Nigeria do not need hot moneybut longtermfunds from Fund Managers. Fund managers would like to engage investors with long term fund to invest in the country .

“TheywanttoinvestinNigeriafora longtermespeciallyinequitymarket.

Theywillwanttobuyintostockswith goodfundamentalandnottouchitfor 10 years and it just goes up and there arestockslikethatinRussia,thathave madesomefundmanagerssuccessful. They want Nigeria to derive the right policy for investors” he emphasized.

Healsopointedoutthatbothequity investorsandotherinvestorscoming intothecountryforbusinesseswould wanttoseebettergovernance,strong growthandsustainablestrongcurrency.

Robertson noted that with the level of the per capital GDP of the country, the agriculture processing industry andtextileiswhereinvestmentshould be happening now and as Nigeria gets richer and by year 2020, investment can then be moved into the heavyindustrylikesteelforexample.

HE Group Managing Director, Financial Trust Company Nigeria Limited, Alexander Ajayi, has attributed the slow pace of Nigeria’s economic growth to businesses’ apathy to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

He stated this while addressing newsmen at the sideline of the company’s 40th anniversary celebration held in Lagos.

He said: “The poor enthusiasm to list is a big problem. I know that so many efforts are being made to get some of the unlisted giants to get listed in the market. So the primary market has to be energised. There is a downturn right now and there is no enthusiasm to come to the primary market to come and issue an IPO. But listing is going to be the way to grow the market and the general economy.”

“The deregulation and privatisation of Nigeria’s economy is a critical factor. The private sector has to drive the economy. And government has to raise debts, firms and industries have to get listed to raise more capital. The objective of the market, I think, is to hit $1 trillion in market capitalisation and you are going to have to list the biggest companies in this country.

Private sector refineries The power sector has to come in, including oil and gas. Deregulation has to be real. Companies are going to come and they are going to need capital to build their capacity to build private sector refineries, to grow industries, manufacturing. There is so much capacity that needs to be developed in this country,” he stated.

Speaking on the company’s strategy to reclaim its position as Nigeria’s premier stockbroking house, Ajayi said: “Our strategy is to basically take on what the market gives.

We want to key in as facilitators and intermediaries in the market both on the equity and debt side. And also to access all the other platforms, the NASD, the FMDQ, these are platforms in the market we want to access. Each of them requires different level of capitalisation and we will go there and develop our services. We are building capacity."

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, May 13, 2016

FCMB Group posts N34.4bn Q1 gross revenue

By Nkiruka Nnorom

F

COMMISSIONING: From left, Mrs Folasade Tinuoye, Chairperson, Prisons Officers Wife Association, PROWA, Lagos State Chapter; Chief Uju Nolue, MD, Pipeline Oil and Gas; Mrs Lizzie Ogugua Ekpendu, National President, PROWA; Mrs Caroline Ogundana and Olumide Tinuoye, Lagos State Comptroller of Prisons during the commissioning of the PROWA International Shopping Complex and Petrol Service Station, Kirikiri by PROWA National President. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

CMB Group Plc has gross revenue of N34.4 billion for its first quarter, Q1, ended March 31, 2016, representing 12.5 per cent decline over N39.3 billion recorded within the same period in 2015.

The holding company, which consists of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, CSL Stockbrokers Limited and CSL Trustees Limited, attributed the decline partially to nonrecurrence of exchange revaluation gains, reducing yields and a marginal decline in earning assets.

Breakdown of the financial statement released on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE,

NASD targets Alternative Investment Market status

By Nkiruka Nnorom

N

ASD OTC Plc has declared its intention to fully evolve into an alternative Investment Market catering not only for equities which was its start point, but other asset classes in the course of the year.

The Managing Director, Mr. Bola Ajomale, who spoke in a forum with the shareholders in Lagos, said the exchange plans to diversify into Private Equity Market, small and Medium Enterprise support Intercooperative fund trading as well as Crowd funding.

He said already, the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, is also considering the draft Guidelines on how NASD can expand upstream to support the

SME class. The NASD boss stated that in 2015, SEC approved trading OTC Linked Notes which would broaden the range of tradable asset classes and NADD Guidelines for Market making to boost liquidity in the market. This is in adition to approval of pivotal rule on Trdaing Unlisted Securities, he said.

He disclosed that NASD would continue to build structures that would support economic growth in the West Africa region, and also support capital mobilisation through liquidity and transparency.

Specifically, he said the Exchange aims to significantly increase the number of securities trading on the platform by the end of the year.

According to him, “As the market matures and builds local acceptance, we have comenced building relationships with other exchanges such as the London Stock Exchange, LSE, the Bourse Regionale des Valeurs Mobilieres and the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Currently, we are completing our registration with the association of Stock Exchanges of Africa, ASEA.” “Technology has always been major driver of the OTC market and a result, we launched a more interactive website in January 2016, which allows all stakeholders to obtain even more information. We are also in the process of forming relationships with major data distributors with a view to

Fidelity Bank’s customer wins over N30m duplex in savings Promo”

By Richard Udofia

A

S part of efforts to encourage savings culture in the country, Fidelity Bank Plc has given out a 4bedroom duplex worth over N30 million to one of its customer, Mrs. Ibedu Clara Ego, at the last phase of its “Save 4 Shelter Promo”.

The duplex, located at Lekki Gardens, Lekki, Lagos, will bring the total number of houses given out by the bank throughout the duration of the promo, which commenced in September 2015, to three.

The first two houses given out were located at a prime area in Abuja and Port-Harcourt GRA respectively.

At the draw which took place at the bank’s head office in Lagos, eight customers won N6.5 million cash prizes, while

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others won other consolation prices like generating sets and fridges.

When contacted on telephone, the winner of the 4bedroom duplex, was full of surprises and shocked when told that she had won a duplex at the end of the draw.

While encouraging other people to cultivate the savings culture, she thanked the bank for keeping to its promises and said she never believed these things were real until she experienced it herself.

Speaking at the event, the bank’s Acting Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Mohammed Lawal Babalarabe, assured her that necessary and official documents would be fast tracked to ensure that all certificates and documents are transferred to her as the real owner of the duplex as soon as

possible.

Balarabe said the essence of the promo was to encourage customers to cultivate the habit of savings as keeping a portion of resources for the rainy day is a profit venture that should be practiced by everybody.

commence distribution of our market data.

“We shall continue to adopt technology that will ease access to trade and obtain information on the NASD OTC Securities Exchange,” Ajomale added.

Trading securities He noted that the number of trading securities on the platform increased from 19 as at January, 2016 to 24 at the end of the year, representing 26 per cent increase. He added that the number is expected to increase significantly during the year with the release of the list of public companies duly registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC. “24 securities had been admitted to the market with an aggregate market capitalisation of N360 billion. The capitalisation-weighted Index on the market rested at 582.79 units as at December 2015, while 16.5 per cent of the total market has been dematrilaised.

We expect this to increase significantly in 2016.”

showed a profit before tax, PBT, of N2.2 billion, compared to N5.8 billion in Q1 2015. Net interest income stood at N17.2billion, a decline of five per cent Year-onYear (YoY) from N18.1 billion in 2015, Loans and advances reduced by five per cent Quarteron-Quarter (QoQ) to N561.6 billion in March 2016.

However, the Group’s net fees and commissions were up 11 per cent to N3.4 billion from N3.0 billion for same period last year.

In the same vein, the financial institution’s capital adequacy ratio increased to 18.5 per cent, compared to 18.1 per cent in the fourth quarter 2015, just as liquidity ratio rose to 38.2 per cent, as against 35.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Operating expenses was flat at N16.5 billion.

Financial position Commenting on the results, the Managing Director of FCMB Group Plc, Mr. Peter Obaseki, said that: “The continued lull in the economy, especially international trade, capital flows and government spending weighed on our group’s Q1 results; we are also, actively re-balancing our financial position by reducing wholesale deposits and slowing down loan growth, especially from lumpy sources; as a result, the retail business is getting more pronounced as the real growth driver”.

He explained that: ‘’This approach is complementary to enhancing our capital position, liquidity management and cost saving initiatives. Core fees and commission which are not tied to loan expansion are showing a strong and sustainable trend, with YoY growth of 11 per cent.

We expect that subsequent quarterly earnings will improve upon Q1 2016, PBT of N2.2 billion, especially if government rolls out its expansionary budget and subject to well co-ordinated monetary stance.” The Group Managing Director of FCMB Limited, Mr. Ladi Balogun, said: “The commercial and retail banking division of FCMB Group witnessed improvements across a number of parameters when compared to prior quarter.

Stanbic IBTC improves customer experience with banking platform upgrade

S

TANBIC IBTC Bank, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, has concluded plans to upgrade its core banking platform to enhance its information technology (IT) infrastructure and operational efficiency.

The upgraded core banking system will go live on May 16, 2016, according to Stanbic IBTC. Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Yinka Sanni, stated that the systems upgrade is in conformity with the customer value proposition of the bank, which is to provide exceptional

financial solutions to its customers. “We will continue to focus on meeting the diverse needs of our customers in a timely and efficient manner; by availing them of a wide array of products and services that enable them to realize their personal and business goals,” he added. In providing these leading edge products and services,he said the bank will continue to work closely with its customers and potential customers, while it consistently invests in its people and employ leading edge technology.

VOL. 1: NO. 17

FRIDAY, MAY 13 , 2016

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

T

O some people this may seem stranger than fiction, but as the reality of the mysterious death of a 35-year old woman begins to dawn on her family, they have vowed to unmasked her killer and bring the culprit to justice.

Simply identified as Busayo Ojo, the mother of one, died on April 17 after a prolonged illness.

Strange happenings and confessions Chiefs and people of OgbagiAkoko in Ondo West Local Government Area are still at a loss as to how Busayo met her unfortunate end.

But the deceased's father, Mr. Jimoh Clement Ayibiowu, fingered a popular herbalist and native doctor in Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area, as being responsible for the death of Busayo.

Father of the deceased, Ayibiowu has allegedly confessed to asking her to follow him to a herbalist sometime in 2015 to find a solution to the strange illness which he was suffering from.

According to the council of Chiefs in Ogbagi-Akoko, where Pa Ayibiowu and Busayo were living, the former allegedly learned about the healing powers of Chief Alado on a radio broadcast, which prompted them to come to Ilawe-Ekiti around May last year to seek Alado’s help when a strange development

It was gathered that shortly before she passed on, Busayo had confessed to her mother that a strange thing had happened to her and her father when they visited chief Alado in IlaweEkiti occurred.

Speaking with Vanguard, one of the chiefs-in-council of OgbagiAkoko community, simply identified as Chief Oshodi, disclosed that “Ayibiowu and Busayo his daughter are both from our town, Ogbagi-Akoko. He impregnated Busayo’s mother at a young age but the union later crashed with both going their different ways, but because a child had solidified their relationship, Ayibiowu still C M Y K

•Busayo: Before the illness

•Busayo: Died after the illness

EKITI: How herbalist made father, daughter commit incest related with his daughter and her mother in spite of the separation.

“When on April 17, 2016, Busayo suddenly died under strange circumstances, some of the family members and residents of Ayibiowu cried out, alleging that he must have been the cause of his daughter’s sudden death.

He was also putting up very strange behaviour. It was gathered that shortly before she passed on, Busayo had confessed to her mother that a strange thing had happened to her and her father when they visited chief Alado in Ilawe-Ekiti,” he said.

Oshodi further explained that Busayo had said that her father had asked her to follow him to

•Alado: The herbalist the herbalist’s place and described Chief Alado’s place in Ilawe-Ekiti, as one built on a small hill and painted red. She said they met an elderly man at the gate of the building who told them to go in, saying that Chief

Alado was around and that his secretary would attend to them first.

In addition, he said: “Busayo said further that on getting to the bigger building of Chief Alado and entering the first room on the left, a lady asked them to pay a sum of N1,000 as consultation fee, which they did before they were allowed to see Alado. She added that there were expensive vehicles inside the premises of the herbalist which include a limousine, a Hummer Jeep among others.

“The young lady added that Chief Alado turned out to be the same old man they had met at the gate who had directed them

IN THIS EDITION

Uneasy calm trails Ondo varsity •Page 24

SMUGGLERS VS CUSTOMS:

Fear grips Ogun residents •Page 25

to his secretary. She said when Ayibiowu explained to him the motive for their visit, he told him to pay a sum of N135,000 for a permanent cure to his ailment as many fetish materials would be procured for the treatment.

“Busayo said that they pleaded with Chief Alado to reduce the fee as they had only N15,000 on them and could only part with 10,000 because they would need the remaining N5,000 for transport back home.

“After much persuasion, Busayo said Alado accepted and gave some concoction to Ayibiowu and asked him to forcefully vomit something by opening his mouth three times. She said after this, her father vomited a strange object which Alado showed her saying that it was part of the evil deposits that caused Ayibiowu’s illness.”

According to Chief Oshodi, Busayo alleged that she noticed that since she had carried out Alado’s instruction with her

Continues on page 24

24—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

ONDO STATE are asked to pay as reparation levy, was not commensurate with the properties destroyed during the protest.

Speaking with Vanguard, the Student Union President in the institution, Adegbola Oluyemi said the money was on the high side and pleaded with the school management to review it downwards.

He said: “We are appealing to the school to look into the money, it is too much, cutting the head is not the solution to headache, we are also calling on the governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko to wade into this matter, we don’t want to protest again but the school should reduce the money.”

•Entrance of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko. Inset: Prof Ajibefun, VC

Uneasy calm trails Ondo varsity

By Dayo Johnson

U

NEASY calm presently pervades the 17 year old Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, owned by the Ondo State Government.

In the last one month, all has not been well with the institution following a disagreement among the university management, students and the Akungba community, which hosts the institution.

Named after the former governor of the state, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, the institution has been enmeshed in avoidable crisis in the last one month.

Within the space of one month the institution had witnessed an upheaval that led to its closure.

As if that was enough, the university authority has released names of students in various levels that were expelled and suspended indefinitely for alleged cult activities, exam malpractices and alleged destruction of the institution's properties during a violent protest.

In all, 23 students who are in their third year, were suspended indefinitely for their involvement in cult activities and destruction of the university properties while six others were expelled for examination misconduct and impersonation.

The students on April 9, went on rampage when a 200 level student of the department of Economic Education in the institution, Ojo Afolabi Daniel died during an accident involving two commercial motorcycle operators popularly called C M Y K

Okada.

But the student union leaders have dissociated the students from the rampage which destroyed the institution's properties and that of individuals in their host community.

They fingered miscreants, who hijacked the students' peaceful protest to wreck havoc in the community. Over 40 persons including students were arrested and detained by police after the bloody protest.

Vanguard gathered that what infuriated the students, leading to the eventual violent protest was the cause of death of their colleague, who was conveyed in the university ambulance to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo for medical attention.

Students protest The aggrieved students protest was however reportedly hijacked by some miscreants and this led to the destruction of the university health centre, the restaurant and shops. Properties belonging to some individuals within the community, were either looted or destroyed by the protesters.

It took the intervention of the regent of Akungba Akoko, Princess Oluwatoyin Omosowon, who assured the school authorities that the community would not launch reprisal attacks on the students upon resumption at campus before the authorities of the University announced that the student should resume next week Monday.

Reports had it that fear had gripped the University

authorities and the students that their host community may transfer their aggression following the mayhem unleashed on the people during the protest.

Dispelling the speculations of a reprisal attack, Princess Omosowon told the University Management led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Igbekele Ajibefun who visited her that “I want to state unequivocally that there is no truth in such a report.

Though some members of the community are aggrieved over the unwarranted attack on them and the disruption of their lawful trading and economic activities, no one is planning any attack whatsoever. I want to assure the university community that my people are not planning any attack on the students. They are our children.”

Omosowon was quick to add

that “I have appealed to my people that what happened was one of the prices we have to pay for hosting the university that has brought a lot of economic and social changes to the town.”

In his response, Prof Ajibefun commended the people of Akungba community for showing restraint in dealing with the protest which he said was hijacked by miscreants.

Damages levy Another showdown seems to be brewing as the students are poised to reject the imposition of N25,000 damages levy/ reparation fees on each of the over 15,000 students of the institution.

They have vowed to resist the extortion by the institution arguing that the amount they

APC feast on crisis But the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC in the state railed against the development in the institution.

It’s Director of Publicity and media Affair Steve Otaloro alleged that the reparation fees by government was meant to “divert the attention of the public from its negligence to provide adequate healthcare facilities at the University and Akungba Communities that could have saved the life of the student that was hit in the unfortunate fatal accident that led to the closure of the institution after students went on rampage. This levy is uncalled for at this time when government is owing most of the parents of these students five months salaries. Where does the government expect them to get such money from at this tough time in the state where workers are moaning and groaning in poverty?"

VC talks tough The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Ajibefun has vowed that criminal elements masquerading as students would not be awarded the University’s certificate so that the name of the university is not tarnished.

According to him, “the Management of the institution is committed to positioning the University among the best globally.”

EKITI: How herbalist made father, daughter commit incest Continues from page 23 father, her health condition had been deteriorating and she soon became critically ill and was emaciating. Her once robust and youthful body turned lean and scary.

Oshodi added that the young woman couldn’t make the confessions until her condition worsened to that critical stage because of the custom in the community which places an open disgrace to anyone who commits such abominable act.

“Such culprit would be paraded round the town while many would sing shameful songs against him or her”, adding that Busayo’s condition worsened

until her death on April 17.

“It was this confession that angered members of the community and made them to apprehend her father and forced him to confess also. After he was paraded round the town as it is our custom, Ayibiowu confessed and corroborated what his late daughter had said. That is why we are telling the whole world about this development now,” Chief Oshodi said.

never my clients. In fact, if you come to check the records of my visitors which I take daily, you won’t find their names there because they were never here.”

Alado handed over the phone to a man he identified as his lawyer to respond on his behalf, but Vanguard later discovered that he was a popular broadcaster (names withheld), and a freelancer with a radio station in Ado-Ekiti.

Conspiracy When Chief Alado was contacted on phone and asked for his reactions to the allegations, he said: “I don’t know those people. They were

Attempted cover up In what appeared like a cover up, the freelance broadcaster told newsmen that the allegations by the Ogbagi-Akoko Council-ofChiefs against Alado were untrue.

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VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 — 25

26—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13,

2016

OWAMBE

• From left; President, African Shipowners Association, Mr. Temisan Omatseye, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside and the Chairperson, Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Barrister (Mrs.) Margaret Orakwusi at a stakeholders forum organized by NIMASA in Lagos recently.

• Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, with Sokoto State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal (2nd right) ; President Muhammadu Buhari and Katsina State Governor, during the Katsina State Economic & Investment Summit 2016 in Katsina.

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), with President/C.E.O, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (left) and Katsina State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari during the Katsina State Economic & Investment Summit 2016 in Katsina

•From left; Co-Chairman, Committee for Lagos @ 50, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi; Special Adviser to the Governor on Lagos Global & member of the Committee, Prof. Ademola Abass and another member Sarah Boulos during a media briefing by the Committee in Lagos

•Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo flanked in the middle by former governor of Ogun state, Segun Osoba , business mogul, Chief Tunde Abudu and Chief Alani Bankole at the launch of the book, 'Alake of Egbaland: The succession Dynamics'.

THE TEAM EDITOR: Adeleke Adeseri 08054682557 (sms only)

•Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside in a handshake with a former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili at the opening ceremony of NIMASA Top Management retreat in Lagos

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CORRESPONDENTS: Dapo Akinrefon Lagos Ola Ajayi Ibadan Gbenga Olarinoye Osogbo Dayo Johnson Akure Daud Olatunji Abeokuta Olasunkanmi Akoni Lagos Rotimi Ojomoyela Ekiti Monsuru Olowoepejo

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—27

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HE last is yet to be heard of the age-long crisis rocking the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria, PMAN, as the recent ruling by Justice C.M.A Olatoregun-Ishola of the Federal High Court, Lagos, which set aside the Consent Judgment establishing the National Executive Caretaker Committee of the union may have hit the brick wall.

According to a statement signed by PMAN’s General Secretary, Kenny Ama George, the development follows the Notice of Appeal and Motion on Notice filed by their counsel, Ogbeide Kingsley Ukumhen, which picked holes with the ruling.

The counsel stated that the trial judge erred in law by setting aside a Consent Judgment that was entered by the court based on terms of settlement that was neither an issue before the court nor contested by any parties to the suit.

He also observed that from available records, it is obvious and undisputed that parties to the suit entered, executed and filed several terms of settlement based on which the court gave its seal upon. ‘’Further to the above, the law is trite that the terms of settlement properly executed and duly filed by parties to a suit doesn’t become consent judgment of court unless and until pronouncement is made

Unending PMAN crisis as Pretty Okafor declares:

‘I’m still the president’ to that effect by the court binding parties thereto accordingly.”

For the avoidance of doubt, he said that it must be noted that Hon Justice O. E. Abang of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on the 31st day of October, 2014, pronounced the terms of settlement dated and filed on the 13th day of October 2014, a Consent Judgment in the aforementioned suit.

He then argued that the ruling th of 14 April 2016, subject of this appeal, showed that Hon Justice C.M.A Olatoregun-Ishola while relying only on the relief sought by the respondents in their motion on notice dated 17th of November, 2014 but filed on the th 18 of November 2014 seeking to set aside a consent judgment delivered on 31st day of October, 2014 which said judgment was not predicated on the terms of settlement dated 23rd day of April 2014 as contained in the said ruling of 14th April 2016.

“Justice OlatoregunIshola should be told in unmistakeable terms that from available records of court,

that there is no consent judgment delivered on the 31st day of October 2014 based on a terms of settlement dated 23rd day of April 2016 as erroneously contained in her ruling of 14th April 2016,” he deposed.

Noting that it is apparent that the ruling in itself is a nullity from an exercise in futility, the learned counsel observed that the consent judgment by Hon Justice Abang on October 31, 2014 is still v a l i d , subsisting and binding on all the parties accordingly.

Sunset for Zambian BBA ‘The Chase’ Housemate O

NE of the Big Brother Africa house mates for Season 8, “The Chase”, Evelyn Eveva Sitali has reportedly passed on at the age of 29.

Her death was announced via her Facebook page Tuesday. “It’s sad to inform you all of the passing away of Eveva Sitali. She had an accident in 2014 and had undergone many operations on her leg but the last operation she had on Saturday 7th May was unsuccessful and she gave up on the 10 of May at Levy Mwanawasa hospital…M.H.S.R.I.P”, the post reads.

Fondly called Eveva by her fellow Housemates, she joined the Big Brother Africa season 8 as one of the six housemates C M Y K

deployed by Big Brother to bemuse the real housemates of the house.

She however, died on T u e s d a y following an unsuccessful operation on her leg. According reports, she lost her life at the Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.

In 2014, she got involved in an accident after which she was impelled to undergo a series of operations in the leg.

The Big Brother Africa season 8 show, tagged “The Chase” had other housemates like Beverly Osu, Melvin Oduah, Dillish Matthews (winner), Selly, Pokello, Angelo, Bassey and more.

•Pretty Okafor

Halima Abukakar explains why she wouldn’t get married

•Halima

P

OPULAR actress Halima Abubakar earlier in the week took to her Instagram page to pour

•Eveva

By Juliet Ebirim

T

HE 43rd anniversary celebration of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Choir known as Seraph Voices (Ayo Ni O), Surulere District, saw choristers gathering to render songs and praises to God. The annual event which held recently at the church premises along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos will remain in the minds of the choristers, members and guests in a long time as it was characterized by

her heart out, explaining why she would never get married to any man.

According to the actress, those in marriage are miserable, hence she wouldn’t want to get involved.

“I don’t want to be ever get married. Those in it are miserable. Forget the smiling, I didn’t ask you not to marry...” she said.

However, no sooner had she posted it than some of her female fans began to admonish her. “Marriage is a beautiful thing so change your perception. Just pray to God for a wonderful partner,” one of them wrote. Another told that, “You still need a man in your life”adding “You will prefer being married.”

Ayo Ni O marks 43rd anniversary amid fanfare glitz and glamour. This year’s concert tagged ‘New Glory’ featured songs and dance presentations ranging from Fuji, Highlife, Afrobeat, Juju, Hip Hop and other genres, as various groups took turns to showcase their talents.

The opening song titled ‘His Glory’, was followed by Mo Sope, Moti Loluwa, Eni Nla Ni Oluwa, Bolojo and others. The various choreographic display and costumes contributed in making the event colorful.

The festival of songs and dance had awesome renditions

from the Queen of Juju music, Queen Ayo Balogun; Evang.

Kunle Ajomale, Lady Evang.

Nike Elegbede, Lanre Teriba and other members of the Seraph Voices. There were also a host of upcoming artists who reeled out powerful performances.

While speaking on what informed the theme of this year ’s celebration, the choirmaster general, Prophet Adeniyi Adeyemi said, “ New Glory is an uplifting account of a new story and a rousing rendition of a new song.

28 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 — 29

30 —VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 O you who believe!

Observing fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious. (Q 2:183)

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S the beautiful month of Ramadan approaches, some Muslims are still in a state of unpreparedness. In this part of the world, many of them have no blame though due to the harsh economic condition. Quite a lot live from hand to mouth without any hope of the next meal. But all the same, we still have to give glory to Allah who is the Disposer of our affairs. Against all odds, many of us are still wont to the fire brigade approach, living un-done what we ought to have finished long before now. Our preparation ought to have started some few months back and not now that we are in the twilight of Ramadan.

Giving some thought to the unique concerns that Muslims face during the month of Ramadan, it is pertinent first and foremost check our health status, make necessary corrections and get physically and medically ready for the exercise.

Most importantly therefore, It is crucial, then, that Muslims take the time to to their health and other concerns before the month even starts.

Moderation in eating: Some erroneously believe that a few weeks before Ramadan, they have to eat voraciously to make up for the period of fasting. This is antithetical to the teachings of the

Shaaban 7, 1437 A.H.

Are you prepared for Ramadan?

Prophet. One hadith says: “No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.” (Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa’I, Ibn Majah ) Besides, by controlling what we eat now, it will help us a great deal in our quest for sound health and enable us to worship more everyday during Ramadan.

Change your sleeping habit: If you are an individual who is used to sleeping throughout the night, it may be wise to change your sleeping patterns in order to ensure that you don’t miss your suhoor as well as attaining the benefit of Qiyaamul-Layl.

Control your tongue and character: We must start controlling our tongues now. Bad habit can not be controlled in an overnight process. We must make a start now so that by the time Ramadan comes, we would have achieved

Ahmadiyya holds centenary shoora •Condoles Adeniji-Adele's family

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HE Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Nigeria has ended its 68th Shoora- Consultative Council Meeting, at its headquarters in Lagos.

The meeting which was the highest decision making organ of the Islamic organisation was attended by delegates across the country.

Farreachingdecisionsontheway forward for the Jamaat were taken, success stories of previous years were discussed and election of new officers for the next three years were conducted.

According to traditions, results of the election will be sent to the Markaz, headquarters of the AhmadiyyaMuslimCommunityfor the approval of the Spiritual head of the organisation.

In his opening remarks, the AmirHead Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Nigeria, Dr Mashuud Fasola thanked Allah for the acceptance of prayersovertheelectionofPresident Muhammadu Buhari. He praised the President's resolve to fight corruption, praying that Nigeria becomes the most upright and blessed Nation in the world soon.

Theorganisationalsocondoledthe family of late Prince Adeniji Adele and Lagos State Government over the death of Prince of Hope as he was fondly called in political cycles.

Late Prince Ademola Adeniji Adele will be fondly remembered for his support to the Youth wing of the organisation as the former CommissionerforYouthsandSports during the first term of former Governor Raji Fashola.

Late Ademola Adeniji Adele visited the headquarters of the Jamaat in Ojokoro to open the Pa Ameen Library as part of his contribution to education advancement and shared values of the Ahmadiyya Community.

His late father and King of Lagos, ObaMusediqAdenijiAdelewasone of the earliest General Secretary of AhmadiyyaMuslimJamaat,Nigeria in the late 1930s.

the necessary changes in our manners and characters. Let us begin to feel that Ramadan is here and ensure that everything we do falls within what is permitted during the month.

Dua/Superrogatory prayers: Endeavour to always perform some superrogatory prayers, (nafil). We should start now by observing all the daily supperogatory prayers. This will

enable us to get accustomed to observing the Sunnah and Nafils in Ramadan and even increase them during the month. By increasing our voluntary worship, we can also give more attention and concentration to our regular daily salat and thus, gain closeness to Allah. Making Dua: What better time than now to get into the habit of regular communication with Allah through Dua. By the time

Ramadan arrives, we would have already gotten into the habit of making the long and intense dua during this blessed month especially while fasting and in the later part of the night during Tahajjud. Charity: Ramadan is a time for generosity and giving. It is a time we think about the less privileged and also show gratitude to Allah for everything He has given us. Ramadan is a blessed month, and the rewards for charity are in multiple. Therefore, we should set aside part of our wealth to fulfil this act of ibadaah. It will not be nice if we are caught in the web of ill preparation and found wanting in this profitable act.

We pray Allah to give us the grace to witness this forthcoming Ramadan, observe it and grant us the strength and ability to maximise the rewards therein. O’ Allah save us from the punishment of the hereafter. Amin.

NASFAT women tasked on nation building

A

BOUT 1000 NASFAT Women drawn from eight zones in Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Cote de Voire including Republic of Benin rose from their 3-day 5th Biennial Women Conference recently in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin and strongly resolved to vigorously pursue peace and quality lives by contributing meaningfully to the development of their various countries.

In her welcome address at the event, the Women Affairs Secretary of NASFAT, Alhaja Samiat OmolaraMumuni reemphasized the significance of the event.

In her words: “this conference is a milestone in the annals of the society. Apart from being the 5th Biennial conference, it is the first International conference held by NASFAT which coincides with 21 years anniversary of our reputable society.

Speaking further, Alhaja Mumuni stated that “the

conference seeks to review the performance of women in the propagation of Islam so that we can chart a way forward to do more towards the propagation of Islam in our various communities and the society at large”.

In his address at the event, the President of NASFAT, Engr.

K a m i l Yo m i B o l a r i n w a commended the women for the celebration particularly in the task of coordinating the international event. In his lecture titled: “The Muslim woman, Islam and Society ” Engr Bolarinwa strongly charged the women to urgently rise to the ever increasing domestic and

societal responsibilities of women.

According to Bolarinwa, “Islam has placed women in a unique position, the truly knowledgeable will acknowledge the tremendous influence of our women in our homes and in our communities and indeed in our lives, and in our world today”.

The saying that “What a man do, a woman can do even better” continues gaining currency and has assumed an incontrovertible universal validity of Women, Yes Muslim Women are taking giant strides that there is no sphere of human activity where women play second fiddle to men.

Lasun, Shittu, Ali, Lai Mohammed storm OAU for UNIFEMGA lecture

T

HE Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuf will tomorrow May 14, leads other prominent alumni of Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State to brainstorm on sustainable national development.

The event is part of the threeday annual national reunion of Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA) taking place at Oduduwa Hall of the institution.

In a statement, UNIFEMGA National President, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, said Mr Bayo Shittu, Minister of Communications will chair the occasion while Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture and the Deputy Speaker are Guests of Honour.

Egbewole said Prof. Labo Popoola of University of Ibadan, will speak on the theme on: “Sustainable National Development: A

Challenge to the Muslim Ummah”.

HeaddedthattheViceChancellor of the Institution, Prof. Tale Omole will be the special guest of honour while Malam Yusuf Ali, SAN and AlhajiRafiuEbitiareSpecialGuests.

He said that the public lecture was part of the Association’s contribution towards national development in the country.

Highlights of the three-day event, which starts today, May 13, include special Jumat service, courtesy call on the Vice Chancellor, Annual General Meeting and couple retreat in honour of Prof. M.A. Rahman 70th birthday.

Others include visit on the Ooni of Ife , election of new officers, scholarship for the students, keep fitexercise,noveltymatch,visitation to UNIFEMGA student hostel projects and multi-puprsose OAU central Mosque.

From left, Branch Women Affairs Secretary of NASFAT Porto Novo Branch, El-Hadji Rachidath Ebe; National Women Affairs Secretary, Alhaja Samiat Mumuni; immediate past Women Affairs Secretary, Alhaja Nofisat Arogundade; Chairperson, Organising Committee, Alhaja Monsurat Usman during the 5th biennial conference in Port Novo.

From left: Chairman, NASFAT Porto Novo branch, El-Hadji Moubaracou AbdulLatifu; Chair man, NASFAT 21st anniversary, Alhaji Remi Bello; NASFAT Chief Missioner, Alhaji Abdullahi Akinbode; Alajase of Ajaseland and NASFAT President, Kamil Bolarinwa, at the occasion.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—31

By His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar Continued from last week

F

OR reasons of their own advantagetheywilldeceivethe ruler and make injustice acceptable to him so that they may obtain their objectives.

Inordertosatisfythesedesires,such people would surely use their ruler as a fisherman may use his net, to achieve their purpose. Their services are for their own benefit and not for him. If they hear some rumours that their ruler would be dismissed from office and someone else would be appointed in his place, they would surely turn their backs on him and ingratiate themselves with the new person. Wherever there is money to be had, they will offer their services and prostrate. “ TheFifthPrincipleistheimperative ofsustainingarobustmechanismfor the defence of the state. Once again, inthewordsofShaykhAbdullahiIbn Fodio, “The ruler must organize his State to serve the interest of his people by having civil servants to manage (affairs of state) and men of wisdom to give advice. He must have trustees to keep the treasury and to spend the funds for prescribed purposes. He must have clerks and accountants to take care of the tax revenue.

He must have envoys, spies, guards, policemen as well as scholars to serve as guides. The ruler must have military experts whose advice would help overcome crises, for it is certain that victory in war depends uponstrategyandnotonthenumerical strength of the army. “ In another place, Shaykh Abdullahi admonished rulers in the following words buttressing the essential role which the Intelligence Services play in the State: “The ruler shouldfindoutabouttheconditionof the enemy through trusted intelligence officers at all times - peace or war - so that nothing of the adversary’s activities may be hidden from him at any moment. For he who is ignorantaboutsomethingisalsoblind to it; while he who can perceive it, is able to defeat a thousand blind men. “

Shaaban 7, 1437 A.H.

Traditional, religious institutions in Nigeria:

Implications for national security (2) tified and put under surveillance.

Those bent on causing trouble were handedovertothesecurityagencies.

Itisalsoworthyofnotethatthenew administration took pro active measures in incorporating sons of traditional rulers into the emerging security architecture. As I pointed out in my keynote address at the National SecuritySummitheldinAbujaonthe 1 ih of August 2015, The formation of a modern Police Force- the Native Authority Police Force (NAP F), was credited to the Egba United Government (EUG) under the Alake in 1905 which was followed a year later by the Ibadan Council.

SubsequentNativeAuthoritypolice formationswerepatternedalongthese sterling examples, but all closely associated with or supervised, in both theWesternandNorthernProvinces, bytraditionalcouncils.Inmanyprovinces of the North, the Police Liaison OfficerScheme,amongtraditionaltitle- holders, was also instituted.

My father, Sultan Abubakar IlL served as one of such liaison officers in Sokoto from 1931 and only relinquished the position in 1938 when he became the Sultan of Sokoto. “I evenwenttoKaduna,“heoncesaid, “for formal Police training so that I could liaise with the police more efficiently. “ In other places, sons and closerelativesofEmirsactuallycommanded their forces. Alhaji Usman Nagogo of Katsina, Alhaji Aliyu MustafaofAdamawaandAlhajiAdo

Colonial transformation Despite the expanse of Nigeria’s traditional domains and the residual strengthofitsvalue-systems,itsindependencebegantowaneasfrom1861 and came to an abrupt end at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The new British rulers, dictated more by necessity than intent, were constrained to incorporate the traditional system of governance into the new dispensation, albeit under the guise of indirect rule.

Thenewtraditionalcouncils,especiallyattheprovincialanddistrictlevels, played significant roles in their areas of jurisdiction and handled all aspectsoflocalgovernmentadministration.

The traditional councils, it must be stated,alsomanaged,veryeffectively, the security of their domains and deployed the extensive network of officialdomattheirdisposal,tomountan efficacious surveillance system. The religious scholars, who usually constituted a~ integral part of the traditional system, also helped to maintain place within their sub-domains.

Errant preachers and those holding unorthodoxideaswerequicklyiden-

This is because traditional and religious institutions in most cases are held in high esteem by their people, enabling them to sensitize their subjects to support government programmes Bayero of Kano all served as Chiefs of Police before becoming Emirs of theirrespectiveEmirates.

Duringthecolonialtransformation, it should also be pointed out, the British made a conscious effort to incorporatetraditionalrulersintotheemerginggovernancestructures.Although

•His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar Lord Lugard did make a spirited attempt to bring them into the Nigeria Council of 1914, it was not until the promulgation of the Richards Constitution in 1946 that a House of Chiefs for the Northern Region was established.TheMacphersonConstitution addedanotherHouseofChiefsforthe Western Region in 1951.

Itwasnotuntiltheeveofindependence that the South-South Chiefs put theEasternRegionundermuchpressure for the creation of an Eastern Region House of Chiefs. Those Houses remainedasflagshipsofthetraditional system’s participation in politics until thedemiseoftheFirstRepublicin1966.

The real decline in the influence oftraditionalandreligiousinstitutions began in earnest after the collapse of the First Republic. As early as 1967, Emirs and Chiefs, especially in the NorthernStates,weredeprivedoftheir controlovertheNativePolice,Prisons and Alkali Courts.

Chieftaincy matters The most decisive blow was, however, the Local Government Reforms of 1976, which created elected local government councils, and left traditional authorities with little to do excepttopresideoverceremonies.Itwas thereforenotsurprisingthatwhilethe 1979ConstitutionprovidedforaCouncil of Chiefs at the States levels, it had no defined functions for them except to regulate chieftaincy matters. The 1999 Constitution built on this precedenttoremainsilentonthisage-long institution.

The enduring roles of traditional andreligiousinstitutions Conflict Management and Settlement of Disputes: The promotion of socialharmonythroughconflictmanagement and resolution of disputes is an area of strategic interest and importance to traditional and religious institutions in Nigeria. These institu-

tions have always resolved conflicts usinginternalandexternalsocialcontrol mechanisms. The traditional mechanisms for peace and conflict resolution are well-structured, timeprovensocialsystemsgearedtowards reconciliationandimprovementofsocial relationships. The methods are deeply founded in the customs and traditionsofpeoplesthathavegradually developed over a long period of time, based on dialogue, compromise,compensationandgenuinereconciliation.

Theincreasingchallengesofcombatingcontemporarythreatstopeace and security require the articulation ofarobustandwell-structuredframework that allows traditional and religiousinstitutionsanexpandedcomplementary role in relation to other formal state institutions during conflictmanagement.

Therefore, fusing traditional and religiousinstitutions’mechanismsof promotingpeaceandconflictresolution into Nigeria’s peace and security architecture could have positive implications for surmounting some ofthechallengestonationalsecurity inNigeria.AdvisorySupporttoGovernment: The offering of strategic advice is oneofthecriticalrolesthattraditional andreligiousinstitutionshaveplayed for enhanced national security with positive impact on development in Nigeria.PartOneoftheThirdScheduleandSection140ofthe1999Constitution, as amended, clearly spelt outthattraditionalinstitutionscanonly playadvisoryrolethroughtheCouncilofStatearrangement.

They have acted and continue to act as respected interlocutors on behalf of the people with their elected andappointedgovernmentofficials.

It has been noted that, “whenever the policymakers areoverwhelmed byasenseofinadequacyincarrying themassesalongonsomecriticalsecurity issues, the assistance of tradi-

tional and religious leaders is always resorted to”. Some of the traditional and religious institutions have leveraged on their wealth of experience to provide strategic advice to governmentonhowtopromotepeace and stability.

CustodiansofTraditions:Thesocioculturalnormsandtraditionsembeddedinthetraditionalinstitutionshave remained an integral part of every organizedsocietyinAfrica.Traditional institutionsarethecustodiansoftheir peoples’norms,culturesandpractices.

Apart from being a powerful human tool for survival, the defined cultural norms and values also form the basis for the existence of every civilized society.

These norms and values have helped in sanitizing the various societiesbothinthepreandpost-colonial Nigeria. The traditional institutions also form the basis upon which traditional and religious rulers exercise power,authorityandinfluenceontheir subjects. The traditional rulers are closely linked to the grassroots, and so understand the problems of their peopleintimately.

Hence traditional and religious institutions have acted as the custodiansofcustomarylawandcommunal assets, such as lands. Apart from the fact that they embody the dynamic, evolvinglinkstoourhistoricpastand future, they also give us pride in the uniqueness and ethics of our society byservingasguardiansandsymbols of cultural values and religious practicesthatengendernationalcohesion withpositiveimplicationsfornational security.

Community Mobilization Traditional and religious leaders are critical agents of community mobilization in Nigeria. They actively protecttheinterestofdiversegroupsand constantly seek their involvement in enduringeconomic,socialandpolitical order and development in their domains.

ProgrammesandpolicesofGovernmentcanbebetterachievedthrough community mobilization and active participationofthegrassroot.Equally, general awareness on government programmes has easily been passed across through church pulpits or mosquemessages.

This is because traditional and religious institutions in most cases are held in high esteem by their people, enabling them to sensitize their subjects to support government programmes. For instance, during the National Population Census and the Death and Birth Registration programmes, traditional and religious institutions were called upon to educatetheirsubjectsontheprogrammes tofosternationalsecurity.

The participation of traditional and religious leaders in the campaign against polio also had a positive impactonthesuccessoftheprogramme and had received wide acclaim from theinternationalcommunity,including the United Nations and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Traditional and religious rulers were also instrumentalinthecampaignagainst the menace of Boko Haram to the populace in their domains.

This had led to better participation at both local and national levels, thus fostering nation building and collectivesecurityarchitecturewithpositive implicationstonationalsecurity.

To be continued

32— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 SCORPIO: Those of you willing to let go hard feelings at work are for a progressive day to the betterment of your finances. Let go yesterday, move ahead.

SAGITTARIUS: Once again, you’ll have the needed opportunity to assert yourself to the administration of others. Both love and financial success can be yours with efforts. Reason with your tried and trusted friends.

CAPRICORN: You can make it a successful day with positive approach on your part. You will be in a better position to defuse tension within your working arena. Try to be more ambitious.

AQUARIUS Yes! You’re not scared a bit even, when opposition and/or competition come your way but, if you give in to diplomatic approach, you’ll fare better today.

PISCES: Pressure that came your way suddenly will give way unexpectedly, today, to the betterment of your course. The more financially ambitious you are today, the better for you. Be steadfast.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Want to live in peace with your enemy?

T

HE holy writ says if our ways pleases the Lord, he will make our enemies to live in peace with us.I want to ask you a question:Are you living in peace and har-

mony with your neighbour?If you are not,then it is time for you to examine your relationship with your creator.If

TERROR MUDA

your relationship with your creator is smooth,there is no way your relationship with your neighbour won’t

in “Never say goodbye”

benefit from it.You cannot be antagonistic towards your neighbour and expect your creator to be happy with you.Relate well with your creator and your enemies will be at peace with you.

Think about it!

By Kola Fayemi

ARIES: You sincerely believe in intelligent argument or discussion. And if you allow your ability to be diplomatic come to play today, you’ll be better for it.

Enjoy your love life.

TAURUS: You’ll tend to become both creative and persuasive to the administration of others. Then those who’ve been resisting secret love may slip suddenly and become excited.

GEMINI: Even if opposition persists, supports you are getting from the influential people will be enough to see you through. Yet, the more cooperative you are the better.

CANCER: Your creativity quotient within your working arena will today be enhanced. You’ll be blamed if you keep official issues secrets from your challenges at work.

LEO: After a few tension soaked days, you’ll have the needed opportunity to look through windows of the world and have your way as well. Magnetic and/or magic days is predicted for lovers today.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

VIRGO: Even if you continue to work under pressure via increased workload, you will have good results to show for your efforts today. Be steadfast.

LIBRA: Better than yesterday. And the more co-operative you are today the better for you. Those of you travelling for love are in for an exciting day.

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

Which day was I born?

Dear Joshua, Kindly tell me how the planets lined up when I was born and the day of the week I was born but don’t publish my date of birth.

Suleiman, Kaduna.

Dear Suleiman, Under-here are the planetary positions as requested by you.

YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Day of Birth = Sunday Sun Sign = Scorpio. Sun in Zero Degree of Scorpio Moon Sign = Libra: Moon in 5th Degree of Libra Mercury in 12th Degree of Scorpio Venus in Zero Degree of Sagittarius Mars in 1st Degree of Aquarius Jupiter in 29th Degree of Cancer Saturn in 10th Degree of Scorpio Uranus in 27th Degree of Cancer Neptune in 25th Degree of Libra Pluto in 26th Degree of Leo North Node in 8th Degree of Capricorn South Node in 8th Degree of Cancer No planet in earth spar sign, one in available, two in fire, three in air, four in cardinal, fixed and water star signs hosted five planets each.

PHYSICAL INFLUENCE = 50% NON-PHYSICAL INFLUENCE =50% PLANET AT HOME = NONE ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA You are both an intelligent and emotional person. And as there was planet at home when you were born, too many ideas will always struggle for prominent place in your mind, thus decision making is difficult but most times, your intelligence comes to the rescue.

Certainly,youappeartootherasagentlepersonwhocanbemistaken for soft fellow but your inner-self is the personality with a steel like will power.

You are the consistent type who may find it difficult to change once you have made up your mind as indicated by distribution of the planets as written out in paragraph two of this exercise.

One major challenge you have been battling for a very long time is constant worries, some times, necessarily and the other time, uncalled for, as indicated by conjunction Mercury and Saturn formed when you were born.

Placement of your natal Sun (basic self head) and Moon (your subconscious self) in Scorpio and Libra respectively are indications of your being mainly Scorpio born person and partly in Libran. And that is to say basic characteristics of both Scorpio and Libra are highly pronounced in you.

Then, you are spiritually gifted; if you don’t develop it is another thing.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—33

Court okays Ese Oruru to give evidence in private Y

By Emem Idio

ENAGOA—JUSTICE Aliya Nganjiwa of a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday, granted the request of the prosecution to take the evidence of Miss Ese Oruru in private at the resumed pre-trial hearing in the trial of Dahiru Yunusa, aka “Yellow”, who is facing a five-count charge of criminal abduction, sexual exploitation an havingd unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor, Miss Ese Rita Oruru.

Granting the application, Justice Nganjiwa, who premised his decision on the provisions of Section 36 subsections 4 (a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, said: “The evidence of Miss Ese Oruru would be taken by the court in private and in chambers excluding all persons other than the prosecution, the accused's counsel, court clerks and prison officials and any other persons if the accused person does not object.

“The defence counsel failed to show what injury or harm the accused person would suffer on account of private hearing for the victim, Miss Ese Oruru,” adding that it was only the evidence of Miss Ese Oruru that would be taken in private as other trial would be done in open court.

Justice Nganjiwa, who adjourned the matter to June 2 for hearing in the substantive suit, said: “Let me correct the impression that private hearing would jeopardize the hearing of the substantive suit as other trials would be conducted in public.”

Reacting, defence counsel, Kayode Olaosebekan, said they had learned a lot from the ruling of the court, describing the decision of the court “as nothing

unusual but a superior opinion by the court.”

On Yunusa's bail conditions, Olaosebekan disclosed that they had filed a motion in court to review the bail conditions as they were having challenges securing bail for the accused person.

Meanwhile, Urhobo Progress Union, UPU and Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, have intimated the court of their

readiness to provide legal services for Miss Oruru and her parents.

UPU's counsel is led by Albert Akpomudje, SAN, while FIDA legal team is headed by Mrs. Dise Ogbise.

Akpomudje, who is also the National Secretary of UPU, said they had applied to the state Commissioner of Police to be joined in the matter and were awaiting his response.

VISIT: Managing Director, MD8NPTY Limited, Australia, specialist in Systems Infrastructure Design, Mr Lee Hunphries(left); General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency, LASIMRA Mr Babajide Odekunle and Managing Director, Critical Infrastructure Services Limited, Mr Chukwudi Okpara, during a visit by the duo to partner LASIMRA on its ongoing Utility Network Audit, Tuesday, in Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos .

TUC rejects FG’s removal of fuel subsidy

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

R

IVERS State council of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, yesterday, rejected Wednesday’s removal of fuel subsidy and hike in fuel price by the Federal Government, warning that the action would worsen the hardship and poverty level in the country.

State TUC, in a statement by its Chairman, Hyginus Onuegbu, insisted that the introduction of deregulations without appropriate legal framework and the fixing of outrageous prices for petroleum products at a time when Nigerians were passing through excruciating economic hardship was the most insensitive decision any government could have taken.

He said: “We want to state very clearly that every country in the world has one form of subsidy or the other. So the issue is not about subsidy but how it is managed, the costs and benefits of the subsidy to the country.

“Moreover, a good percentage of the figures being bandied around as cost of fuel subsidy is actually the cost of corruption in the fuel subsidy management process. The removal of subsidy is therefore, more about transferring the burden of the payment for the corruption in the subsidy scheme from the government to the ordinary people.

“We restate our rejection of the removal of subsidy as aforementioned and look forward

to an emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of TUC on this and other burning issues such as the

continued disobedience of court orders on the 45 percent hike in electricity tariff. We also appeal to the Nigeria Labour

Congress, NLC, to also summon its NEC meeting as this is clearly a national emergency.”

FG urges states to implement Child Rights Law, National Gender Policy

A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—MINISTER of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan, has stressed the need for the implementation of the Child Rights Law and National Gender Policy as part of efforts towards addressing issues affecting children, women and the vulnerable in society.

Speaking in Asaba, Delta State, when she paid a courtesy call on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Alhassan also called for economic empowerment of women and their increased participation in politics and decision making.

Stressing the need to address harmful traditions that affect women and children, the minister, who was represented

by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Dinta Bello, called for care, development and integration of persons with disabilities.

Commending the Delta State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Sola Williams for her diligent attitude to work, she thanked Governor Okowa for

bringing her on board to serve.

Alhassan, who also visited the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Monday Igbuya, the Asagba of Asaba and Deign of Agbor, insisted on increased budgetary allocation to issues relating to women, children, other socially disadvantaged groups and empowerment and job retraining activities for the elderly in the country.

In his brief remarks,

Governor Okowa commended the minister for the advocacy visit, adding that government and governance were all about enhancing the welfare of the citizens.

Okowa, who spoke through his deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, said his government would partner and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to bring succour to the vulnerable.

Delta youths urged to key into govt's devt programmes

By Ehi Eweka

Y

OUTHS in Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State, have been urged to unite and take advantage of the opportunities in the present administration and galvanize their strengths towards ensuring rapid development of the area.

Newly elected youth leader of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bomadi council, Mr Preye Ekpebide, in a statement after his emergence at the council's

congress, insisted that peace and unity were major factors needed to attract development to the people and community.

He said that the youths have a responsibility to maintain peace and unity to collectively pursue the common good of the area and the people.

Preye explained that support for one another as leaders of tomorrow and creating the right atmosphere would bring transformation and the needed attention from various levels of government.

Mitee flays Jonathan’s cousin’s continuous detention

A

By Soni Daniel

BUJA—FORMER President of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Mr. Ledum Mitee, has condemned the continued incarceration of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola, by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, without trial.

Mitee, in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, also queried the defiance of a valid court order by the EFCC to release Azibaola or bring him to court despite a valid order by a judge.

He said that while he was in support of the anti-corruption drive of the present administration, it must, however, be conducted within the ambit of the law so as not to violate the rights of innocent Nigerians.

Mitee said: “The continued detention of Mr Azibaola Robert, as a metaphor for others like him, for almost two months without formal charges, raises pertinent questions on the right balance to be struck between the desirable war against corruption and the rights of individuals in a democratic setting.

“For the avoidance of doubt and honest misinterpretation, we need to state here from the onset that the war against corruption undoubtedly has my support and those of most Nigerians. But as desirable as the anti-corruption fight is, it should not be done in a manner that sacrifices the constitutional rights of citizens."

Princess Atsimene for burial

T

HE death has occurred of Princess Oluyemi Atsimene, at the age of 59 after a brief illness. She will be buried tomorrow. She is survived by children, grandchildren, several brothers and sisters.

Late Princess Atsimene

34—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

10 luxury buses belonging to ‘The Young Shall Grow’consumed by mysterious fire

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

N

NEWI—MYSTERIOUS fire early yesterday gutted 'The Young Shall Grow' bus

Employments: Group commends Onicha-Ugbo indigene, Osakwe

terminal/warehouse, located at New Cemetery Road, Onitsha, Anambra State, destroying about ten luxury buses worth over N600 million.

The fire was said to have started at about 3a.m. No life was lost but many sustained minor injuries

while trying to rescue some buses and other property of the company at the scene of the incident.

The workers who were alerted while the fire was raging, were said to have been able to prevent it from affecting the warehouse, with the help of men of Fire

Service, who later came when the the buses had all burnt beyond repair.

As early as 7a.m. when Vanguard visited the scene of the incident, the fire had been put off, but the wreckage of the buses littered the compound while

Herdsmen attacks: Enugu CAN rejects alleged Grazing Reserve Bill …commends Gov Ugwuanyi’s stewardship

By Emeka Mamah &Chinedu Adonu

By Tare Youdeowwei

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HE CHRISTIAN GANISHU Association of Nigeria, ONICHA-UGBO CAN, Enugu State Chapter has Social Club of Nigeria, of rejected the proposed bill for Aniocha-North Local grazing reserve in the country, Government Area of Delta describing it as a “private State has commended the business” that should not be Chairman/Managing allowed to see the light of the day.

Director of Agadat Group of The association made its stance Companies, Mr. Osadebe known at the Government House, Osakwe for his contribution Enugu, during a peaceful protest to the community's to condemn and register their economic development. grievances over the unfortunate In a statement issued on incidents of killing, maiming, behalf of the group by its raping and destruction of spokesman and national propertyies of innocent people of publicity secretary of the state by suspected herdsmen, Onicha-Ugbo Patriotic especially the recent attack on Union, OPU, Mr. Emma Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani Local Fejokwu, said the vote of Government Area. confidence and Addressing Governor Ifeanyi commendation on Mr. Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, who Osakwe was as a result of received them, the state Chairman his various philanthropic of CAN, Rt. Rev. Christian contributions to the socioObiefuna, who was accompanied economic development of the community.

The group remarked that Mr. Osakwe, had ADAM MARGARET through his farm Okenwa of settlement at Umuekwe in Osumoghu O n i c h a - U g b o , Okenwa family of Ihiala LGA created and of Anambra State, aged 92, o f f e r e d will be buried on Thursday, employment to May 19, 2016 after a funeral many men, women service at the Church of and especially the Nigeria (Anglican youths of the area Communion) Diocese of Late Madam and beyond.

Okenwa Nnewi.

O

Madam Margaret Okenwa for burial

M

by other notable clergymen such as the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Enugu (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, the Archbishop of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Fr. Christopher Ede, among others, urged the Federal Government not to allow the passage of the alleged bill because of the public outcry and its threat to the peace and unity of the country.

The association also commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for his stewardship, path to peace and recourse to God through prayers, especially during the Nimbo crisis, stressing that the governor “did not abandon his people.”

Responding, Gov. Ugwuanyi condemned the dastardly act, assuring them that the latest incident in Nimbo will be the last in the state.

sympathizers were seen taking photographs of the buses from outside the compound. Others gathered in groups discussing the fire incident and bemoaning the great loss.

Efforts to speak with the staff of the company proved abortive However, an eye-witness, who said he works for the company but did not want his name mentioned, said the fire started at about 3.30a.m. He said more vehicles would have been rescued but the drivers left with the keys of the luxury buses thereby making it impossible for those around to remove the buses. He added that each of the buses cost about N60 million, and therefore their loss totalled N600million.

Prof Iwu gets another honour in tropical medicine

A

FRICA’S FOREMOST pharmacologist and expert in tropical medicine, Professor Maurice Iwu, is to be honoured May 13, by the Association of Lady Pharmacists, ALPS, for his role in the promotion and development of tropical medicine.

A letter dated April 14, 2016 from the association conveying his nomination for the award, said the “award is in recognition of your commitment to the

profession and the tremendous role you have been playing in the promotion of traditional medicine through various ways such as research, training of herbal practitioners and establishment of Bio-resources Development Group that promotes the sustainable utilization of natural products and also through the annual HerbFest – a herbs and food as medicine exhibition and training conference.”

Engage global stakeholders to develop 5G standards —Gwandu According to him, experts need

By Emeka Aginam

T

HE FORMER Acting Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and the Chairman Commonwealth International Telecommunications Union, ITU Group, Dr. Bashir Gwandu, has urged Fifth Generation, 5G, systems engineers and standards developers to ensure full engagement with key stakeholders around the globe for successful development of 5G

standards to avoid the pitfalls of other technologies such as the Wimax and even the 3G. Gwandu made the call in London during his analysis of the 5G development efforts as part of his presentation on 'Delivering a sustainable and long-term 5G future,' at the recently concluded 2nd International Conference on 5G Hurdle 2016 organized in London by Wireless World Research Forum –a group of leading experts and researchers on 5G networks in association with Forum Europe.

to adopt 5G to have a sustainable future. In particular he spoke on ensuring sustained research effort; global stakeholder engagement and collaboration; innovative regulation and policy development; technical standards harmonization and spectrum availability and early release; infrastructure design and harmonization; co-existence and network interference minimization; security, privacy, resilience; reliability, partnership and funding.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On FG’s increase of pe tr ol pum p price tto o N1 45 per litre petr trol pump N145

l

am not convinced that the best way out of current fuel scarcity was recent increase in pump price. The primary duty of government is the welfare of its citizens, they could have found a way in funding subsidy. -Mr. Richard Akinnola- Activist

W

hy, any logical reason? This is nothing, but sheer wickedness! President Buhari is only proving the stuff he is made of, especially to those not around in the early 80's, when he ran a military junta. -Mr. Onyx Mark- Worker

I

am an ardent supporter of PMB administration, but I am against the removal of subsidy because it came at a wrong time. This increase of petrol pump price to N145 per litre should have waited. Nigerians are really suffering. -Mr. Yahuza Biwai, Self Employed

P

lease, let us remain calm and learn how to bear the situation -comedyor whatever we call it. We voted for a change and here it comes. Either good or bad we are bound to take it like that for now, after all, it is what we voted for. -Mr. Allen Gordon, Businessman

I

do not want to know the reason; APC deceived us, that is all I know. The same thing they criticised the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan for, is the same thing they are doing. -Miss Joy Amos, Unemployed

H

ypocrisy is if Pastor Bakare, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Joe Igbokwe, ex-Govs Amaechi and Fashola, Sen. Melaye and the rented musicians, who protested against subsidy removal in 2012, do not lead another protest. -Mr. Kenneth Ochiabuto, Communicator

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 — 35

MNJTF kills 675 Boko Haram insurgents, arrests 566 in 5 months As forces rescue 4,690 hostages, destroy 32 terrorist camps, bomb factories

By Omeiza Ajayi

A

BUJA—THE MultiNational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, yesterday in Abuja after an assessment of its operations in the in last five months, said no fewer than 675 Boko Haram terrorists were killed within the period, while 566 others were arrested.

Force Commander of the MNJTF, Major General Lamidi Adeosun, who spoke in his opening remarks at the ongoing 2nd Regional Security Summit, said “the MNJTF operating together within the sector and across the sectors with troops of national contingents have degraded the Boko Haram in a way that they can no longer carry out organized attacks on its troops.”

Adeosun said between January and May this year, 566 Boko Haram terrorists were apprehended while 4, 690 hostages were rescued, stressing that 32 terrorist camps including factories used for making Improvised Explosive Devices IEDs were destroyed.

According to him, apart from being able to restore the confidence of the people, the MNJTF had recorded several other achievements.

He listed them as, “the continuous handling of IDPs and refugees by the various sectors and sub-sectors within the

MNJTF areas of operation; the liberation of 4,690 hostages from January 2016 to date; neutralization of 675 Boko Haram terrorists and arrest of a total of 566 Boko Haram Terrorists with their logistics...across all the sectors; destruction of 32 terrorists’ camps and Improvised Explosive Device-making factories as well as capturing and destruction of the terrorists’ equipment which include 318 motorcycles, 84

vehicles, 137 assorted weapons, 18 boats and other logistics.”

40, 000 kids out-of-school in IDP camps

On the humanitarian situation in the MNJTF area of operations, Adeosun said the conditions remained very critical for IDPs and refugees in 14 camps across Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger.

“The MNJTF secures these

camps with armed troops. It also escorts humanitarian workers.

Following areas require urgent attention in the camps; provision of water and food in all the camps; deployment of medical personnel and materials; need to provide education for over 40, 000 out-ofschool children and reconstruction of destroyed infrastructures to enable the return of the displaced and refugees”, he stated.

FORUM: From left; Dr. Biodun Adedipe, Economist/Management Consultant and Guest Speaker at the maiden edition of Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), NIM Corporate Members Forum, Dr. Nelson Uwaga, immediate Past President, NIM, Emeritus Prof. Munzali Jibril, President and Chairman of Council, NIM and Prof. Olukunle Iyanda, Deputy President, NIM at The Maiden Corporate Members forum held at the Institute's headquarters. Photo by Oscar Ochiogu.

Fresh bomb blast kills suicide bomber, 5 others in Maiduguri

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI—A fresh bomb blast caused by suspected male suicide bomber, yesterday rocked the busy Musa Usman Secretariat Main Gate in Maiduguri, the Borno State , leaving four civilians including the bomber, and two policemen dead, with scores injured.

The incident which took place at about 11:40am, was masterminded by a male suicide bomber who disguised as a lunatic and attempted to enter the Secretariat, but due to heavy security checkpoint at the gate, he detonated the Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, strapped on his body shattering himself and the other six victims including the two policemen.

The area was later condoned off by soldiers and men of Civilian JTF before the arrival of Governor Kashim Shettima, his Deputy, Alhaji Usman Mamman Durkwa and other top government officials visited the scene.

Briefing Governor Shettima, Chairman Borno State Emergency Management

Agency, SEMA, Engineer Satomi Ahmed said one Policeman was scattered beyond recognition with other five Civilians dead and 6 other seriously injured.

He said the charred body of the victims including the suicide bomber and the injured had

been evacuated to State Specialists Hospital.

When Vanguard visited the scene few minutes after the blast, it was observed that human parts including with intestines littered everywhere while some were seen hanging on branches of trees

at the entrance of the Secretariat.

Confirming the blast, Acting Director Army Public Relations, in an email message confirmed the suicide attack at the entrance of Musa Usman Secretariat, Maiduguri, Borno State.

Boko Haram stops 400 hectres of wheat cultivation in Borno

By Ndahi Marama

however, despite the security challenges and the paucity of AKE Chad Research funds experienced, the institute Institute, LCRI, was able to make appreciable Maiduguri, Borno State, has said the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents stalled the cultivation of over 400 hectares of wheat in Marte Local Government Area AIWANESE technology and some parts of the north east . giant, ASUS, has Executive Director LCRI, Dr. introduced VivoBook laptop to Oluwasina Olabanji, lamented the Nigerian market with that the activities of Boko Haram Windows 10 embedded on it terrorists and other security The new product features the challenges that displaced many revolutionary reversible USB families from their communities, Type-C port for easy connection hindered the cultivation in the of peripherals, along with all last five years. the latest technology including He spoke at the 2016 Annual the newest Dual-core Intel In-House Review Meeting and Celeron processor and prethe North East Zonal Research installed Windows 10.

Extension Farmer Input Linkage According to Simplice System (REFILS) 3-Day) Zaongo, Country Product The Executive Director said Manager, Notebook, Nigeria

L

progress in research efforts with the release of two rain fed wheat varieties, LACRIWHIT-7 (Reyna 15) and LACRIWHIT-8 (Crow ‘S’.)

ASUS unveils VivoBook laptop

T

and Kenya, the new product has a footprint smaller than a sheet of A4 paper, and is thinner, lighter and more compact than ever before.

He said: “VivoBook Flip TP200 is just 18.45mm thin and weighs a mere 1.2kg. With up to 8 hours battery life, it’s perfect for all-day on-the-go work or play.”

The device, he explained is the thinnest, lightest and most compact Transformer Book Flip ever, featuring a footprint smaller than a sheet of A4 paper.

Court adjourns suit challenging appointment of Bauchi's CJ

By Suzan Edeh

B

AUCHI—A Federal high court sitting in Bauchi State, has adjourned the suit challenging the appointment of Chief Judge, CJ, of Bauchi State, Justice Rabi T. Umar to May 18,2016.

The defendants in the suit include the National Judicial Council, NJC, Bauchi judicial Service Commission, BJSC, Bauchi State Governor, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Chief Judge of the State and the Registrar High Court Bauchi.

It could be recalled that the Plaintiffs in the suit, one Muhammad Ibrahim and Musa Ibrahim dragged the NJC and the Bauchi State government before the Federal High Court in suit number FHC/Bau/cs/17/ 2016, seeking for the determination whether Justice Rabi Umar was not properly recommended to be appointed as CJ of the state by the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendant.

When the case was mentioned for hearing, after listening to counsels to the parties, presiding judge, Justice Shitu Abubakar adjourned the case for hearing.

Transition

R

EVD Mother Esther Florence Mojirola Towobola (alias Iya Pupa), aged 87 is dead. She died Wednesday, May 11, 2016.

She is survived by eight children, many grand children and great grandchildren, among her children is Depo Towobola, Managing Director of Asdar Communications Limited and a Fellow of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

Burial arrangements will be announced by the family.

Revd Mojirola Towobola

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

CLASSIFIED

OMOMOH

OLAIY A OLAIYA

OMOWUNMI

OGADIMMA

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that the names Ashade Kafilat Omowunmi and Ashade Bukola Kafilat is one and same person, now wish to be known and addressed as Ashade Kafilat Bukola. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogadimma Rose, now wish to be known and addressed as AMrs. Ikenga Rose. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ABIKE

OMOLABAKE

I, formerly known and addressed as Ayeni Taibat Abike, now wish to be known and addressed as Ayeni Mosun Taibat. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Lawal Aderayo Omolabake, now wish to be known and addressed as Lawal Fatimoh Aderayo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Addition of Name I, formerly known and addressed as Ithunokha Michael, now wish to be known and addressed as Ithunokha Michael Omomoh. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Adewuyi Kamoli Olaiya, now wish to be known and addressed as Adewuyi Kamoli Atanda. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EYUBE

LEWIS

OBIAGU

OL UK OYA OLUK UKO

Addition of Name I, formerly known and addressed as Micheal Ohwata, now wish to be known and addressed as Ohwata Micheal Eyube. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Lewis Efanga Mbung, now wish to be known and addressed as Mbung Efanga Mbung. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obiagu Joyce Adaolisa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okeke Joyce Adaolisa.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Modinatu Adeola Ishola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeola Toyin Funmilayo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

JEMIDE

FOLORUNSHO

OK ONKW O OKONKW ONKWO

BARTHOLOME

FATOMIDE

ELOGBO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jemide Elfreda Tsemaye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omajugho Tsemaye Elfreda. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss F o l o r u n s h o Shulammite Ayo or Miss Folorunsho Shulammite Ayobami, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ilebiyi Shulammite Ayobami. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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ANTHONY I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Comfort Uwem Anthony, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Udoutun Comfort Innocent. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OPUFOU

EGHEN

ENDURANCE

BALA

SHAHVSMAN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyinpreye Blessing Opufou, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oyinpreye Blessing Afolabi. All former documents remain valid. IBTC Pension Managers and general public take note.

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I, formerly known and addressed as Oladejo Olalekan Shahvsman, now wish to be known and addressed as Oladejo Olalekan Usman. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BODE

MEDIN AT MEDINA

SALAMI

ESE

NJOKU

OKWUOHA

ISHOLA

AREWA

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ARUOTURE

SAMUEL

OP AYEMI OPA

SARAH

ANEKE

ANAGBOSO

I, formerly known and addressed as Samuel Taiwo Toyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Olajide Taiwo Toyin. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adetola Oyeteju Opayemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adetola Oyeteju Jaiyesimi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Falaye Damilola Sarah, now wish to be known and addressed as Falaye Damilola Prosper. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Victoria Onyedikachi Aneke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Victoria Onyedikachi Onodu.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ifeoma Chidiebere Anagboso, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifeoma Chidiebere Igwebuike. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aruoture Felicia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oladipupo Felicia. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

C M Y K

VANGUARD

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

— 37

CHANGE OF NAME

C M Y K

OBIAGERI

USEN

EDIRI

JOSHU A JOSHUA

Correction of Name This is to confirm that my name was wrongly spelt in my Keystone Bank Account as Arebame Lizzy Igho, instead of Arebame Elizabeth Igho. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Confirmation of Name The names Obiageri Patience Dominic and Patience Dominic refer to one and same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Obiageri Patience Dominic. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Usen Blessing, now wish to be known and addressed as Akpan Blessing Faith. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Agofure Endurance Ediri, now wish to be known and addressed as Agofure Endurance Oshare. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Joshua Osariemen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Aboh Osariemen. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NUMA

ONIYINDE

EFE

ELOHO

BRIDGET

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Numa Linda Happiness, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Obonoje Happiness Tenure. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluwatoyin Olufunke Oniyinde, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olalekan Oluwatoyin Olufunke. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as Emmanuel Etito, now wish to be known and addressed as Emmanuel Efe Etito.

All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eloho Elizabeth Okiemute, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anighoro Elizabeth Okiemute. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Reconciliation of Name This is to confirm that Alegimenlen Bridget and Alegimenlen Khadijah is one and the same person, now A l e g i m e n l e n Khadijah. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

ORUBEBE Correction of Name This is to confirm that my correct name is O r u b e b e Arekedoumene, wrongly written as Areks Dio, now O r u b e b e Arekedoumene. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHUKWUKA

OMO TAYO OMOT

CHINWE

AMBALI

ONYEJE

SHAIBU

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that some of my documents was entered as Echibechi Meshack Chukwuka while others as Echi Chuke Meshach. That the name Echibechi Meshack Chukwuka. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omotayo Abimbola Olajumoke Victoria, wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gbemi Abimbola Olajumoke victoria (nee Omotayo). All former document remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs Chinwe Ijeoma, wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oyiga Fester Ijeoma.

All former document remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Akeem Olalekan Ambali, wish to be known and addressed as Ambali Akeem Azeez. All former document remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Joy Alice Onyeje Agida, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Joy Onyeje Ida. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Shaibu Nkechi Lilian, now wish to be known and addressed as Anoruo Nkechi Lilian.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OLAMIDIY O OLAMIDIYO

NW OYEOCHA NWO

DIMBO

MAGGIE

RIT A RITA

UDUMAGA

I, formerly known and addressed as Adeniyi Bolarinwa Olamidiyo, now wish to be known and addressed as Adeniyi Bolarinwa Olaoluwa.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Vincent C h i d e b e m Nwoyeocha, now wish to be known and addressed as Vincent Chidebem Akhad Ifeme. All former documents remain valid. General Public please take note.

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that Bernedette Nchekwube Dimbo is one and the same person as Benedeth, Benedette, Bernadette, N c h e k w u b e , Nchee,Anopueme Dimbo.

All former documents bearing the above listed names remains valid, general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mackintosh Ebi Maggie , now wish to be known and addressed as Mackintosh Ebi Margaret.All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Lott Rita Chizoba, now wish to be known and addressed as Lott Bridget Chizoba .All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Udumaga Ebere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ibe Ebere.All former documents remain valid.

Federal Medical Center, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

HELEN

AGBANS

OMOEMU

EDUMUPUDE

OJ AK O OJAK AKO

ONIGBA

I, formerly known and addressed as Helen Maduabebe, now wish to be known and addressed as M a d u b a u Maduabebe.All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Agbans Azibayam Benita, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Igobasi-Chris, Benita Azibayam.All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and

known and addressed as Omoemu Diamond.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Edumupude Azikiwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Kemasuode Emienbor Azikiwe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Reconciliation of Names These names Elizabeth Ojako and Elizabeth Ighozi Ojako refer to one and the same person now wish to be known and addressed as Elizabeth Ojako.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Onigba Freedom Lucky and Onigba Freedom Ogheneochuko, now wish to be known and addressed as Onigba Freedom Lucky. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OSIOH

OWHE

OMAJERO

ANDREW

UFUOMA

UDEAGHA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ufuoma Doris Osioh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ufuoma Doris Adidi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Owhe Ufuoma Jennifer, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Oguma Ufuoma Jennifer. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as Miss Omajero AziakponureĂ˝ Oghenekome Rachael now wish to be known, called and addressed as Dr (Mrs) Ogbizo Oghenekome Rachael. Documents bearing both names remain valid. General public to take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Omofeye Maureen Andrew, now wish to be known and addressed as Omofeye Maureen Tovia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Godwin Osidarohwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Godwin Ufuoma Osidarohwo.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Udeagha Thelma Nnenna, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ibanga Thelma Joseph.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EKAH

NDUBUISI

ONWUKA

SAMPSON

UBAKANWA

CAROLINE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Patience Eyibio Ekah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Patience Ebikedi Akube. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ndubuisi Rose Obiageri, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinenye Rose Obiageri. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jennifer Chika Onwuka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jennifer Chika Uzochukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sampson Eucharia Monday, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ojinere Eucharia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwachukwu Miriam Ubakanwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onyeokoro Miriam Ubakanwa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Keme Okiovochete Caroline, now wish to be known and addressed as Keme Okiovochete Florence.

All former documents remain valid. FBN PLC and general public please take note.

IKWU

LIZZY

I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. C h r i s t a b e l Chiakpolamgbo Ikwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. C h r i s t a b e l Chiakpolamugbu Ikwu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

addressed as Omoemu Efe, now wish to be

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME CHIME I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chime Theresa Nneamaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aneke Theresa Nneamaka. All former documents remain valid.

Electronics Development Institute, (ELDI) Awka and general public please take note.

OKOH

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ubogu Ewomazino, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ewomazino Tovia Ubogu-Ologuntere.

All former documents remain valid. Caritas University, Enugu, NYSC and general public please take note.

OWOWUMI

NKENCHOR

OGHWURUU

ARENYEKA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nkenchor Jennifer, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jennifer Ojerahi. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Sunday Ovabor Oghwuruu, now wish to be known and addressed as Ovabor Okpakowodo.

All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank PLC, Sterling Bank PLC and general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Arenyeka Stella, now wish to be known and addressed as Mene Stella. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EREWA

IVOKE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nice Okoh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Odiete Nice. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mafimisebi Owowumi, now wish to be known and addressed as Oduwole Abiola, Nee Owowumi. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public please take note.

Correction of Name That my full and correct name is Eneruteshofo Erewa, which is abbreviated in my UBA account No, 2044269609, as Erewa Tetsofo. (TETSOFO is the abbreviation of the name Eneruteshofo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Barr Miss Ivoke Ogechi Bernice, now wish to be known and addressed Barr Mrs. Ohwomeregwa Ogechi Bernice. All former documents remain valid, any authority and the general public to take note.

NWANKWO

BOLUM

AMAJUORITSE

NUMALO

I formerly known and addressed as E m m a n u e l Ikechukwu Nwankwo, now wish to be known and addressed Emmanuel Ikechukwu Emmanuel. All former documents remain valid, any authority and the general public to take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Isioma Charity Bolum, now wish to be known and addressed as Isioma Charity Offor. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akpiteyetan StephRachelle Amajuoritse, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odiete Akpiteyetan Steph-Rachelle Amajuoritse.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Zina Numalo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Igbede Zina Udonadi.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGBAJIE

MEKOMAH

UMUNNA

IFESAN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Augustina Amarachi Ogbajie and Miss Ogbajie Austina Amarachi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mbagwu Austina Amarachi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Helyn Unoma Mekomah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Helyn Unoma Mekomah-Obi. All former documents remain valid. Igbinedion University, Okada and general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Umunna Lorrita, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akaeze Lorrita. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Olowu Henry Ifesan, now wish to be known and addressed as Olowu Henry Ifesonu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKAFOR This is to confirm that the names Abuaekwu Anwilika Joy and Okafor Anwilika Joy refer to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Okafor Anwilika Joy. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UMUKORO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Umukoro Elo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esume Elo . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EMMANUEL I, formerly known and addressed as Miss E m m a n u e l Oghenetekevwe Augustina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs A g b o v i n u r e Oghenetekevwe Augustina. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

C M Y K

UBOGU

OKEYIA

IFECHUKWU

This is to confirm that the names Francis Ikechukwu Okonyia and Francis Ikechukwu Okeyia refer to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

My name is Anthonia Ngozi Ifechukwu. My date of birth is 6th March 1984, but the date was wrongly stated as 6th March 1981 in my West African Senior School Certificate No. 4111407136 dated June1999. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AKPOBARO

GODWIN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akpobaro Oghenetega Blessing now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eyaife-Emonena Oghenetega Blessing . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Godwin Mary Ebiturufa now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Guwor Mary Peter .

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OLOGWUMA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ologwuma Joyce Onyemowo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ochai Oche Joyce. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ERIC I, formerly known and addressed as Ozule Eric, now wish to be known and addressed as Ozule Henry Maro.

All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

EHIGUESE I, formerly known and addressed as Mary Ebosetale Ehiguese, now wish to be known and addressed as Mary Eboseyale Okamgba. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKORO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okoro Faith Janet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Faith Janet Chinedu Michael. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ORUMA I, formerly known and addressed as Ufuoma Oruma, now wish to be known and addressed as Ufuoma Akubo. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ONORIODE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onoriode Esther Omamie, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ebinum Esther Omamie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IBOYI

OKORO

I formerly known and addressed as Iboyi Wilfred Atakaye now wish to be known and addressed as Ovwighoadiowho Wilfred Atakaye. All former documents remain valid, any authority it may concern and the general public totale note.

Confirmation of nameThese names, Bebebo Martins and Okoro Frank belong to the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Bebebo Okoro Frank Martins.

All former documents remain valid. UBA and Eco bank and the general public to take note.

OKITIKPI

ANUNASO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Toritse Toyin Okitikpi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Toritse Toyin Ehigiegba. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anunaso Anaekwe Miriam Uzoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aniekwe Miriam Uzoma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANIEKWE

ODOME

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that the names Anaekwe Paulinus Ogbonnia and Aniekwe Paulinus Ogbonnia refer to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Aniekwe Paulinus Ogbonnia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that the names Odome Janet Enoreureha and Odome Janet refer to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OSAGIEDE

IDIABETA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Osagiede Joy Imalele now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Arigi Joy Imalele. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Idiabeta Sandra Efe now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uwawah Sandra Efe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ALI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ali Ogochukwu Edith, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ossai Ogochukwu Edith. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

JOHNBULL I, formerly known and addressed as Johnbull Iredunefe Onoronu, now wish to be known and addressed as John Iredunefe Onoronu.

All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ODII I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzoamaka Odii, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uzoamaka OdiiOkafor. All former documents remain valid. University of Nigeria, ESUT Business School and general public please take note.

MADUABUCHI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Margaret Chinagorom Maduabuchi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Margaret Chinagorom Chimaobi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—39

AKINLOSE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Akinlose Modupola Oluwaseun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ezugwu Modupe Daniella Oluwaseun.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWANA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Dora Nkiru Nwana, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Dora Nkiru Mackys Maduka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWANNEKA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Harreth Nwanneka Obiakor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Harreth Harrison Tochukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EJIMMADU I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ejimmadu Peace Ugochi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nnanna Peace Ugochi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

PHILIP I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mary Leji Philip, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Maryleji Lazarus Alexander. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGWO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nnenna Ugbalu Ogwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Favour Nnenna Ugbalu Chukwuemeka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

WESAKU I formerly known and addressed as Miss Augustina Enitan Wesaku, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Augustina Enitan Wesaku Iyodo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHUKWUONYE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Henrietta Obiageli Chukwuonye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Henrietta Obiageli Obimma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKEKE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okeke Juliet Eberechukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okafor Juliet Eberechukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EMEGHARA I formerly known and addressed as Gloria Kelechi Emeghara; now wish to be known and addressed as Gloria Kelechi Okoye.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NGWOKE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ngwoke Lynda Nwanneka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ugwuanyi Lynda Nwanneka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TIMOTHY Confirmation of Name this is to confirm that Timothy Ado, Timothy Danladi and Timothy Ishaku Gora is one and the same person but now wishes to be known and addressed as Timothy Ishaku Gora. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

OSOFODUNRIN I formerly known and addressed as Mrs Grace Agatha Ogwa Osofodunrin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Grace Ogwa Osofodunrin.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Is this deregulation or price adjustment?

NEWS ANALYSIS

By Omoh Gabriel, Business Editor

T

HE Federal Government, Wednesday, announced that it has deregulated the down stream sector of the oil industry. But in the same breath the government said that marketers can sell their products between N135 and N145 per litre of petrol. Just a day after, the PPPRA came out with its price term plate stating that the actual price of petrol should have been N243 per litre.

This has raised a fundamental question, is this actually a deregulation or price adjustment?

As it appears, the government finding that it is unable to fund the importation of petrol into the country as a result of scarcity of foreign exchange just decided to allow those who could have access to foreign exchange to import the product and sell at an expanded price.

Deregulation would not permit price fixing by government. If the government was serious with deregulation, it would have scrapped the PPPRA as it would no longer be relevant in the pricing of products or at best redefine its role in price modulation. As it seems, there is still element of subsidy, if the actual price of petrol is about N100 above the PPPRA price. Who in this circumstance will pay the difference?

Equally the government would have removed the Petroleum Equalisation Fund as well as the Bridging Fund used to pay importers the difference between landing cost and transportation of products to different part of the country. As it is today, the two funds and PPPRA are in operation and will continue to play their roles in the distribution of products.

Current scarcity Before arriving at the new price, the government had a meeting withtop government officials, leaders of the National Assembly and labour unions to discuss the current petrol scarcity. The minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, after the meeting announced a new price ceiling for petrol of N145 per litre. He noted that the cause of the current scarcity, which has persisted for several months, is the inability of petroleum product importers to source the required foreign exchange at the official rate given the decline in the nation’s foreign reserves.

Looking at what the government has done, the pressing issue is that at the moment the outlook for global oil prices remains subdued; as such, a quick build up of foreign reserves is remote and far fetched for the short and medium term. The Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency’s (PPPRA) product pricing template assumes that all transactions for imports are carried out at the official foreign exchange rate. This means that while previously, the template was based on official rate it will now be

realities. When crude oil prices rise, the PPPRA’s price ceiling will also be increased and vice versa.

The government decision needs further clarification. Does it mean that the quarterly import allocations by the PPPRA may cease to exist and marketers would be allowed to import products as each firm determines?

Would the PPPRA’s product pricing template’s foreign exchange assumption now reflect the foreign exchange rate at the parallel market? The most important of outcome of the decision is the possibility of the re-entrance of many industry participants, mainly the independent marketers. The policy change also suggests that the PPPRA would have to monitor Fuel station with the new price regime two variables going forward, crude oil prices and foreign conducted at the parallel market exchange rates at the parallel market, rate. Given that around 50 per cent as opposed to only oil prices previously. of national petrol consumption was The major fall out of the policy change previously met by the private sector, is that there will now be an increased the inability of this group, mainly pressure on parallel market rates which independent marketers, to source will continue to widen the gap between foreign exchange at the official the official exchange rate and that in market rate led to an unprofitable the parallel market. venture for many marketers. Hence The Price increase of petrol will trigger the NNPC has had to carry the off price increases in transportation, supply burden alone, sourcing its food, housing and production cost. If foreign exchange from the central this was full deregulation, it would bank with much difficulty. Realising have enabled players in the medium that the previous strategy did not and long term industry to set up succeed in meeting the national refineries that would ease off the cost demand of around 45 million litres of fuel in the country. As it stands the of petrol per day, the government government has just done price has to ditch the approach and throw adjustment without resolving the issue the gate wide open to those who of the status of the Nigerian National have the means to import the Petroleum Corporation. NNPC can not product. As it seems the federal be a regulator and at the same time an government prefers pricing operator in the oil industry. Full modulation mechanism which did deregulation of the down stream sector not yield the desired result for the of the oil industry in Nigeria, will first economy. Given that price ceilings unbundle NNPC into several are still set by the government it is companies, to allow for a level playing obvious that government field. So long as the PPPRA will announcement did not usher in full continue to determine how much fuel blown deregulation. Price ceilings will be sold, government has not will be set in tandem with market deregulated that.

The new fuel pricing regime: Matters arising NEWS ANALYSIS

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

T

HE federal government had announced a new fuel pricing regime which had sent the pump price to an all time high of N145 per litre, and in some places far above that. This development was a culmination of the various economic crises that had attended the present government since inception.

The Global Economic Prospect, June 2015 edition of the World Bank titled, “The Global Economy in Transition” indicated that despite some pickup in economic growth rate across the world in the first quarter 2015, lower oil price is having an increasingly pronounced impact, albeit, negative, on oilexporting countries like Nigeria, with lower prices sharply reducing economic activity and increasing

fiscal, exchange rate, and inflationary pressures.

By the time President Mohammadu Buhari was one month in office oil price had a brief recovering from about USD53/ barrel as at May to about USD63, a development which had given a semblance of hope, but only to begin an uninterrupted drop down to less than USD30 in March 2016 before rebounding to USD45 as at this week.

Coupled with this was a less than targeted oil production at about 1.8 million barrels per day, (mbpd), achieved as at June last year, which has now dropped further to about 1.67mbpd as at this week.

With an oil-dependent economy, the impact of this development on government finances was obvious and it spilled over to all other economic facets such as external reserves, real exchange rate, inflation, gross domestic products and general wellbeing of Nigerians.

As at the time Buhari assumed duty inflation rate had spiked to the upper Continues on page 40

40—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

The new fuel pricing regime

N145 per litre: It’s not deregulation, but market interplay NEWS ANALYSIS

By Clara Nwachukwu, Energy Editor

M

ANY theories have been used to describe Federal Government’s announcement of a new price band for petrol not exceeding N145/litre. Some say it is deregulation, others argue it is partial deregulation since the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF, is still in force; while some others say it is market interplay.

So definitions or postulations differ according to respondents.

Since 1999 at the inception of the renascent democracy, Nigeria has experienced 13 pump price regimes for petrol, two since President Muhammudu Buhari took over power. This notwithstanding there had been at least 15 similar price hikes from the days of General Yakubu Gowon to the General Abdulsalam Abubakar administrations.

Each administration had given a plethora of reasons for every increase, with the most common being the need to make the product more available and affordable, while also deploying the excess funds realised into the development of other sectors. But these objectives were rarely met.

What Nigerians are paying for with N145/litre: At the current price band not exceeding N145/ litre, Nigerians are paying for a lot of systemic weaknesses that the government is unable to deal with.

These include shortage of resources to fund subsidy; porous borders; non-functioning local refineries; foreign exchange inadequacies and import dependency; obsolete infrastructure; inability to tackle corruption, and a host of many others.

80 percent pump price increase While government is forcing these addition costs of up to 80 percent pump price increase, it conveniently seemed to forget that the national minimum wage of N18,000/month has not had a corresponding increase, even as many states in the federation are unable to pay that little. Yet, the organised labour is proposing a new minimum wage levels of N56,000/month; where the best offer so far is about N25,000.

Product availability and accessibility: Government said the new price will make petrol more available and accessible to Nigerians, and will eliminate the acute scarcity situation witnessed in the recent past. But again, the concern is how will the market play out under the current dispensation where marketers are to source for foreign exchange, forex, on their own? The Chairman, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists, NAPE, Mr. Nosa Omorodion, who spoke in his personal capacity, argued: “There is no doubt that the new price can only encourage more people if they are allowed to join the fray of importers and ultimately you’ll C M Y K

see demand and supply forces at play and over time price will fall as supply increases.

“Now the challenge is the smooth process of how people will be able to access the market and I worry about asking them to go source for forex from the secondary market and not the primary market. What I see is that by the time oil price goes up again to either $60 or $70, then you’ll discover that we will be back to square one and government will start doing subsidy again.”

Subsidy is gone: Again Abiodun allays fears of possible future subsidy and forex challenges, saying “there will be no subsidy because nobody is paying subsidy anymore; if you bring in petrol to sell at your cost plus margin, where is the subsidy?

When crude price rises to $50 or more, or falls below, you simply price your product accordingly.”

He also noted that “the price of

we were looking for was N197 $1, but now we can buy from export proceeds; we can buy from the parallel market and also from people who have funds who will now legitimately loan out the money.

He added that marketers no longer needed to go begging cap-in-hand to access forex, as even with the government’s intervention, NNPC was only able to make available between $200 and 300 million monthly, against marketers requirement of up to $700 million, to import about 10 billion litres of petrol. Besides, he said government was still owing marketers over N300billion from forex differentials and interests.

PPPRA template/deregulation: There are still issues as to whether the petrol sub-sector of the downstream market had been fully deregulated, as the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, put the market

Queues for unavailable fuel...will they end with the price change? petrol, kerosene and diesel is di- price of petrol at N243.05/litre, rectly proportional to the price of even as the Template on its officrude. So if crude price rises or cial website put the price band at falls, your price will do same. between N135 and N145/litre. In Subsidy is now out of the win- this regard, the Executive Secredow completely, it was unsustain- tary, Major Marketers Associaable and gone forever, God will- tion of Nigeria, MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, said: “What ing.”

He insisted that under the cur- we have is partial deregulation rent price regime, there would be because there will still be PEF, more players in the market, which and so we have just started the would eventually force down journey to the Promised Land.”

PEF sources, told Vanguard that bridging claims, to enable marketers sell petrol at uniform prices nationwide, was an average of N2billion, adding that across the 95 depots operated in the country, “once the depots are receiving products, it goes into our accounts and claims are beThere will be no ing processed immediately. The subsidy because nosource also confirmed that PEF owed marketers hundreds of milbody is paying sublions of Naira in outstanding sidy anymore claims, adding that claims were compiled on a daily basis.

The source said the claims for April were currently being comprice as the market interplay takes piled. But Abiodun insisted it had control. “Current unprofitable pro- nothing to do with deregulation cedure cannot persist because it – full or partial as nobody had is not sustainable, if we must said the country was in deregugrow the economy. Let everybody lation. “Nobody has said we are go ahead and import. Go find in deregulation, what governforex and import products,” he ment is saying is that every Niadded. gerian can go and import fuel. If Sourcing for Forex: Against you want to do the business, go this backdrop, Abiodun lists the to DPR, register your company, benefits of marketers and import- get a licence and find a way to ers sourcing their own forex to in- bring in fuel; you will see that at clude freeing up forex from sec- the end of the day, price will crash ondary sources. He said: “It will because competition will grow help because hitherto, the forex among the marketers.

Continues from page 39 bound of the CBN target of 9% in May 2015, up from 8.7% previous month. By March this year inflation had galloped up to 12.7%. The demand pressure in the foreign exchange market persisted since Buhari assumed office culminating in an unprecedented depreciation in the Naira value in the parallel market despite all the CBN efforts at administrative controls.

As at this week it was N323/ USD1 as against N220/ USD1 as at May 2015.

What we are faced in this current pricing regime is beyond removal of subsidy. For instance, what is the policy thrust of the new pricing? Is it fixed or market determined? Are we now on deregulated or partial deregulated downstream petroleum economy? What are the basis of or how did the authorities arrive at the new price? And so many more questions. First, by announcing a price whether with a band or a ceiling or both, the government has sent a signal that it is not yet deregulated, that we are still in the old government’s controls. If so what have we achieved beyond just increasing the pump price, the same measure that has been taken more than 25 times since 1972 and it never worked?

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who had said that he would prefer liberalization to deregulation, ended up confusing everybody as to what is the difference. But the point he has made obviously is that we are still not yet in a deregulated environment. This brings to question of how they arrived at the new price.

Kachikwu did not release any information on this except the pricing template of the government that had showed that actual landing cost of fuel along with marketers’ A full margin, would deregulation put the price at between N100 of the and N105 as at downstream last week. How come the price and announced had midstream gone up to sectors N145?

By citing the would exchange rate based pricing guarantee the ministry efficiency had made the circumstances m o r e intriguing, more so as they are saying the price should actually be N247 with the current foreign exchange costing. Which exchange rate? The official rate of N198/USD or parallel market rate of N323/ USD? The policy change could be more transparent.

Finally, and probably the most important aspect of the new petroleum marketing environment, Kachikwu announced that private sector operators are now to import the product. This is most important

because the acute shortages the economy had experienced, the worse so far in Nigeria’s history, was as a result of abandonment of imports to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, as private oil marketers have been apprehensive over the policies of the present regime on private sector market-led economy, indicated in price controls in the petroleum industry as is also the case in the foreign exchange market.

But more confusion appears to have also trailed this as it came with upper limit price fixing. One wonders what happens if the importer’s cost is higher than the stipulated limit. In such circumstance, would the government expect the importer to sell at a loss or would the government pay for the difference, a clear case of subsidy?

Related to this is the uniformity or otherwise of pump prices across the country. Obviously, common sense tells that the price cannot be same across Lagos State let alone across Nigeria given the additional transportation cost.

Transportation cost differential Would the federal government continue to operate the Petroleum Equalization Fund, the bridging cost under which it pays for the transportation cost differential to ensure uniform prices across the country?

With all these questions and more many analysts are looking at possible hidden agenda behind the new pump price as just a way of raising money for the cash-starved government. But there are other better policy options for this agenda rather than the complications this new regime would bring. One would have expected a full deregulation of the downstream and midstream sectors that would guarantee efficiency in the sector, while shielding the government from the huge bureaucracy requirements and corruption piles associated with running a regulated market system.

Moreover, a deregulated system would save the government the scarce resources associated with bridging costs and foreign reserves. The fear of higher price in a fully deregulated system appears diversionary and deceptive. Already the economy and the citizens have burn the full brunt if not more beyond what would have been the real market price of a fully deregulated pump price. That the fuel marketers gladly agreed to import with their own foreign exchange and sell at the new price gives the indication that the new price has covered all costs including a healthy profit margin.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 — 41

IMF, ADB want African countries to diversify amid sliding prices

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F R I C A N governments that are struggling with low commodity prices need to diversify their economies, control spending and raise tax revenues to make up for lost earnings, the IMF and African Development Bank said on Thursday.

Sub-Saharan economic growth is likely to slow to •David Cameron is hosting the anti-corruption summit in London, with US 3 percent in 2016, its Secretary of State John Kerry (left) and Nigeria’s President Muhammadu weakest in nearly two decades, also hurt by Buhari drought and the aftereffects of last year’s Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the International Monetary Fund said this month.

“We have to presume that

the low (commodity) prices will be around for a long time,” IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton told a news conference at the World Economic Forum on Africa.

“It makes sense for countries to begin to adjust ... which means controlling spending, finding ways to diversify the economy, finding ways to raise other forms of government revenue through the tax system,” he said in Rwanda’s capital Kigali.

Oil producers including Nigeria, Angola and Gabon have been among the hardest hit, while mineral exporters such as

Zambia and South Africa have also suffered.

Many African currencies have tumbled in value. In Nigeria’s case, the government has responded by fixing the dollar rate, a move that has scared off investors. In other nations, trade deficits have ballooned.

“We’ve witnessed a number of the countries are facing balance of payment deficit and some of them are also facing domestic fiscal imbalance,” African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina said on the sidelines of the conference.

Anti-corruption summit launches global plan for stolen assets global plan to help as “fantastically corrupt”, community must come up Sudan’s Bashir defies international A recover stolen assets while meeting the Queen with ways of getting rid of has been announced. surrender him to the ICC,” safe havens and ensuring The Global Forum for Asset Recovery will bring together governments and law enforcement agencies to discuss returning assets to Nigeria, Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Tunisia.

The meeting will be held in the US next year, cohosted with the UK, and supported by the UN and the World Bank.

David Cameron made the announcement at a global anti-corruption summit in London on Thursday.

It was being hailed as the first of its kind, bringing together governments, business and other organisations.

However, it was overshadowed by controversy after it emerged that Mr Cameron had described Nigeria and Afghanistan

and the Archbishop of Canterbury while telling them of the summit.

Nigeria’s President Buhari made no reference to the comments while sitting next to Mr Cameron at the opening of the conference.

The Nigerian leader said the international

Brazil’s President describes suspension as coup

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RAZIL’S President Dilma Rousseff has addressed the nation in a defiant speech from outside the presidential palace, calling Senate’s decision to suspend her for 180 days “a coup”.

Rousseff, 68, has been in office since 2011. Her suspension came hours after the Senate voted 5522 to put her on trial, a

Trayvon Martin gun ‘removed from auction site’

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HE pistol used to kill unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin appears to have been removed from an online auction.

George Zimmerman, who shot and killed the 17year-old, had planned to auction it on the website Gun Broker.

The bidding was due to begin on Thursday, with the first bid starting at $5,000 (£3,450).

Mr Zimmerman, 32, a neighbourhood watchman, was cleared over the death of the teenager in February 2012 after saying he acted in self-defence.

In an online posting to announce the auction, Mr Zimmerman said that he would use the profits to “fight” the Black Lives Matter movement and oppose Democrat Hillary’s Clinton’s presidential campaign.

A lawyer for the Martin family told the

a better return of assets.

There are also plans for a new anti-corruption coordination centre in London and a wider corporate offence for executives who fail to prevent fraud or money laundering inside their companies.

Washington Post that “it is insulting to this family that he would decide that he would sell the gun that he killed their child with”.

“Think about what that means: This is a gun that took a child’s life and now he wants to make money off of it.”

decision that ended more than 13 years of rule by the left-wing The Workers’ Party.

The party rose from Brazil’s labour movement and helped pull millions of people out of poverty before seeing many of its leaders tainted by corruption investigations.

Rousseff said on Thursday what hurt her most was her understanding that she was “a victim of a legal farce and a political farce”.

“When an elected president is suspended because of a crime she hasn’t committed, the name we give is not impeachment but a coup,” Rousseff said.

“I may have made mistakes but I did not commit any crime. The coup d’etat threatens to undo true victories of [the] last decade.”

Ex-VP Quayle backs Trump, wants Republican to support nominee

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ORMER Vice President Dan Quayle said Thursday that he is standing behind Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

“Look, I was the Republican vice president. And I’ve been a Republican all my life.

I’m going to support the nominee,” Quayle said on NBC’s “Today” show.

Quayle made the announcement as various

Republican leaders grapple with the idea of Trump as their party’s standard-bearer in the general election. The brash billionaire ran a scorched earth primary campaign and alienated much of the GOP establishment.

Former President George H.W. Bush, under whom Quayle served, is among those who have signaled that they were not planning to endorse Trump.

arrest warrant

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UDANESE President Omar Hassan alBashir began a two-day visit to Uganda on Thursday, the official Sudanese news agency said, in defiance of an international warrant for his arrest over acccusations of genocide.

The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Bashir in 2009 and 2010, accusing him of masterminding genocide and other atrocities in his campaign to crush a revolt in

Sudan’s western Darfur region. Uganda is a member of the ICC, which means it is required to act on the arrest warrant. The trip is Bashir ’s first to Uganda since the ICC warrants were issued and follows Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s visit to Khartoum last year.

Amnesty International called on Uganda to arrest Bashir immediately and hand him over to the ICC. “As a signatory to the Rome Statute, Uganda has an absolute obligation to

said Muthoni Wanyeki, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.

“Failure to do so would be a breach of its duty and would be a cruel betrayal of the hundreds of thousands of people killed and displaced during the Darfur conflict.”

Bashir, who has ruled Sudan since a 1989 Islamist and army-backed coup, rejects the ICC’s authority and has flouted the warrant before, travelling inside the Middle East and Africa.

Sudanese President, Al Bashir who attended the inauguration of Uganda's veteran president yesterday in Kampala in defiance of ICC's arrest warrant.

Firm creates platform for shoppers in Africa

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By Faith Agbi

allforAfrica.com, one of the fastest growing online marketing companies in Nigeria has introduced a user friendly and secure platform for its customers to shop directly from a variety of leading European and American stores.

The goods so purchased will be delivered to them effortlessly in Nigeria.

The platform www.mallforafrica .com is designed to provide a patent pending platform that enables Africans shop directly on foreign ecommerce sites, select items of their choice and then buy

the items so selected on their platform.

According to the Business Manager of MallforAfrica.com, Ugo Nwevo, said whenever any customer

purchases a product from our platform, the products are shipped to their homes or any of our local pick up locations scattered all over the country.

Uganda’s president promises to fight corruption after disputed vote

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GANDA’S veteran president said on Thursday he would fight corruption and impose discipline on inefficient bureaucrats who frustrated investors, in a swearing-in speech after a disputed election and protests against his rule.

Authorities blocked Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and other social

media citing security concerns ahead of the ceremony in Kampala in which Yoweri Museveni, 71, was sworn in for another five-year term that will extend his rule to 35 years.

The president officially won 60 percent of the votes in the February election, which the opposition said was rigged.

42—VANGUARD, FIRDAY, MAY 13, 2016

By Vincent Ujumadu

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HE protracted crisis in the Anambra State branch of the PDP, which began just after the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999 was thought to have ended with the expiration of the tenure of Chief Ejike Oguebego on 26th April, 2016.

However, indications from the Tuesday’s state congress of the party showed that the trouble in the party is far from over.

An 11 member congress committee led by Mr. Ladi Edun was appointed to conduct the exercise at the ward, local government and state levels and members of the committee arrived Anambra State early enough to prepare. But like the previous exercises, various interest groups penetrated the committee such that four of the members disappeared and went to Chief Chris Uba who was sponsoring Oguebego to continue as the state chairman.

However, the chairman, Edun, as well as the secretary, Isa Shaaba and five other members continued the exercise as directed by the national leadership of the party.

So, while the Edun committee was conducting the exercise in the 326 wards, the 21 local governments and at the state level during which Chief Kenneth Emeakayi was elected, a member of the committee, Alhaji Shetima Gwando stayed with Chris Uba and produced another set of delegates and, expectedly named Oguebego as its state chairman.

National leadership Meanwhile, Edun said as far as the committee was concerned, there was no other committee from PDP national leadership in the state. He also showed reporters the committee’s letter of appointment signed for the National Organizing Secretary of PDP. But Gwando retorted that when they arrived Anambra State on May 1, preparatory to meeting the State Administrative secretary of the party for guidance as enunciated in the guideline for the wards, local government and state congress given to them, the chairman absconded and remained incommunicado.

He said: “We communicated that development to the national chairman and national secretary who knew we are conducting the congresses. We are four with the secretary of the appeal panel. I don’t even know the chairman and the secretary and if I see them now, I won’t know them.

We are only here to conduct and supervise the congresses based on the rules and guidelines given to us.”

•Andy: Engaged in factional battle with Brother Chris

•Chris: One time godfather sponsoring rival PDP faction

CHRIS & ANDY: Brothers at war in Anambra PDP THE on-again-off-again sibling rivalry between the Uba brothers of Anambra State was again brought to focus at the Tuesday State congress of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP where Andy and Chris Uba led parallel factions.

In fact, the two arrow heads in the present crisis are the two Uba brothers, Senator Andy Uba and his younger one, Chris, who are working at cross purposes politically. Recall that during last year ’s National Assembly elections, while the PDP national leadership submitted the name of Andy Uba, along with others to INEC as the party’s candidates in Anambra State, his brother, Chris also submitted his own name along with others also to INEC.

Unresolved matter Eventually when INEC declared Andy and others as the authentic candidates and declared them winners after the election, Chris went to court.

And when the Supreme Court declared his crony, Oguebego, as the authentic chairman of the party in the Anambra State, Chris wanted his brother to vacate the Senate for him and others in his line-up. The matter is yet to be resolved.

So, while Andy who is nursing another governorship ambition for the 2017 Anambra governorship election is working hard to build a structure that

would assist him realize the ambition, his brother chose to create a parallel structure, ostensibly to thwart the ambition of his brother. The result is that PDP and its teeming supporters in the state are the ones suffering as the party cannot get its acts together to be able to prosecute any election effectively.

Eventually when INEC declared Andy and others as the authentic candidates and declared them winners after the election, Chris went to court

Ongoing battle: Aligned with Andy in the ongoing battle are Senator Stella Oduah and four of the nine members of the House of Representatives elected

on the platform of the party, as well as the two members of the state House of Assembly.

Majority of the former state officials of the party are also in that camp. Also, in the camp of Chris Uba are former Senator Annie Okonkwo, former minister of state, John Emeka, among others.

However, some like former party chairman, Dr. Tony Nwoye, who is representing the Anambra East/West Federal Constituency and his colleagues representing Orumba, Onitsha North/South, and Idemili Federal Constituency are said not to be on the same page.

Political observers Rep. Chidoka who was with Andy is also said to be displeased over the result.

Political observers believe that should the situation remain as it is in the party at present, what has been happening to it since 2003, when it lost the governorship to All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, will repeat in 2017.

As it stands, the hope of resolving the matter depends on the efforts of the Congresses

Appeals Committee set up by the national leadership of PDP to look into petitions arising from the congresses of the party. The chairman, Senator Mohammed Hassan representing Yobe South in the Senate, received six petitions from aggrieved party members after the ward congress.

Rules and regulations Addressing some stakeholders of the party in Awka, Hassan said: “Our task is essentially to ensure that the rules and regulations as encapsulated in our party’s constitution and guidelines are adhered to, both in spirit and letter, in the conduct of the congresses. Accordingly, we shall be impartial arbiters and fair assessors to all in the discharge of our responsibilities.

During the voting that produced Emeakayi on Tuesday, there was a mild drama as two people, Ngozi Agudosi and Emeka Nzekwe, who submitted forms for the office of chairman, were disqualified on the basis of a court ruling that disqualified them. The court decision was based on the fact that the office was not zoned to their senatorial zones.

The controversies nonetheless, Emeakayi was quick to promise to carry everyone along, saying that no one would be left out in the scheme of things.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—43

CONFERENCE: From left, Igor Vayn, Chief Executive Officer, Renaissance Capital; Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, former Minister of National Planning; Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Oba Otudeko, Chairman, Honeywell Group and Temitope Popoola, Chief Executive Officer (Nigeria), Renaissance Capital, at Renaissance Capital’s 7th Annual Pan-Africa 1:1 Investor Conference, in Lagos.

Buhari wants movement of corrupt persons restricted Adopts another strategy for anti-corruption war Says his govt'll pursue full implementation of OCDS Accuses int'l community of keeping silent against corruption

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By Levinus Nwabughiogu

BUJA— PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in London, said Nigeria was favourably disposed to the initiative of restricting corrupt people from travelling, investing and doing business abroad.

This was even as the President unveiled the Open Contracting Data Standard, OCDS, a new strategy to effectively curb corruption in Nigeria.

The new plan is contained in Nigeria’s statement to the AntiCorruption Summit hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain.

The President said Nigeria would soon begin full implementation of the new principle.

The OCDS enables disclosure of data and documents at all stages of the contracting process by defining a common data model.

President Buhari said that the Federal Government would apply the new system to major projects in the oil, transportation, power, health, education and other sectors.

A statement from Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, stated that the publication of OCDS data would ensure greater transparency in public contracting, and could support accessible and in-depth analysis of the efficiency, effectiveness, fairness, and integrity of public contracting systems.

President Buhari also said his administration was taking steps to ensure greater transparency of

the ownership and control of all companies involved in property purchase and public contracting.

He said: “Nigeria is already collating this information through the Extractive Industries Initiative, EITI, process and will extend it to other sectors.

“Nigeria will establish a transparent central register of foreign companies bidding on public contracts and buying property. We welcome the proposal by developed countries to work together to improve the access of developing countries to beneficial ownership information for use in public contracting.”

Restriction of corrupt persons’ movement

Speaking on the initiative to limit the movement of corrupt people, President Buhari said all hands needed to be on deck to realize the objective.

He said: “We commit to joining the pilot initiative for automatic

exchange of beneficial information. Nigeria commits to deploying public-private information sharing partnerships to bring together governments, law enforcement, regulators and the financial sector to detect, prevent and disrupt money laundering linked to corruption.

“We commit to work together to enhance company disclosure on the payments to governments for the sale of oil, gas and minerals, complementing ongoing work within the EITI.

Declarations

“We welcome voluntary disclosures through EITI reporting and by some major companies regarding payments to governments for the sale of oil, gas and minerals.

“We welcome the new 2016 EITI Standard, in particular the requirements on beneficial ownership and sale of the government’s share of

production. We will sign up to the Common Reporting Standard initiative.

“We commit to reviewing penalties and other actions against professional enablers of tax evasion, including for corporations that fail to prevent their employees from facilitating tax evasion.

“We commit to the strengthening of our asset recovery legislation, including through non-conviction based confiscation powers and the introduction of unexplained wealth orders.

“We will work with other countries, civil society and international organisations to support accelerated implementation of the voluntary provisions of the UN Convention Against Corruption, UNCAC, and we commit to the implementation of the outstanding obligations under the UNCAC.

Keeping silent against corruption

In a related development, President Buhari also accused the international community of keeping silent for too long, allowing corruption to thrive.

He said Nigeria was ready to join the world to combat illegal activities, such as crude oil theft to which, he noted, Nigeria loses about $7 billion annually.

He also called on the community to urgently create anti-corruption infrastructure and a strategic action plan to facilitate the speedy recovery and repatriation of stolen funds hidden in secret bank accounts abroad.

He said: “When it comes to tackling corruption, the international community has unfortunately looked away for too long. We need to step up and tackle this evil together.

That is why we have gathered here today.

“Corruption creates a system where resources are shared by a small elite, while the majority wallows in poverty. Corruption also undermines the ability of countries to finance development.

“I wish to reiterate our demand that the global community must come up with mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for stolen funds and facilitate the return of stolen assets to their countries of origin.”

Nigerian military debunks Amnesty report

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA— THE Nigerian military has dissociated itself from the report of Amnesty International, which claimed that some civilians died in a detention cell at Giwa Barracks.

A statement by Acting Director of Defence Information, BrigadierGeneral Rabe Abubakar, said: “The accusation comes as a surprise and shock because the organization has accessed the facilities and made recommendations which were implemented.

“It is rather unfortunate that an

organization of higher repute such as Amnesty International could come around to release a report which is completely baseless, unfounded and sourceless with the intent of denting the image of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“We will not be deterred by this report, but would remain committed to the task we have started against the Boko Haram terrorists until they are annihilated.

“We are calling on all wellmeaning Nigerians and international communities to

discountenance this report as it has no iota of truth.

“The Nigerian Armed Forces uphold the tenets of observance of human right and dignity of lives of innocent individuals as enshrined in the Conventions and Charters of the United Nation which Nigeria is a signatory.

“This one sided report is defective in all intents and purposes and does not portray the sincerity of Amnesty International as well as reflecting the true situation in Giwa Barracks now.”

US Congress moves to compel Obama to withhold Abacha loot for Boko Haram victims

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AWMAKERS in the Congress of the United States of America may soon vote on a bill that will empower President Barack Obama and his government to set aside all or part of Abacha loot recovered in the US for victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who represents the 18th District of Texas, is sponsoring a bill, H.R. 528, which will allow the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to use money from the recovered Abacha loot that is in its custody to provide relief for families of the abducted Chibok girls, Premium Times correspondent in Washington reported.

Speaking on Wednesday at a Congressional subcommittee hearing on the US role in helping Nigeria confront Boko Haram and other threats in Northern Nigeria, Ms. Jackson Lee sought the committee’s support for H.R. 528.

“I have HR 528 which I would like to bring to the committee’s attention,” she said, giving the title of the bill as “Victims of Terror Protection Act” and added that “it deals with the Abacha loot which the DOJ has.”

Ms. Jackson Lee was one of 10 people who spoke at the hearing, including one of the Chibok girls, who escaped from Boko Haram terrorists on the night they were kidnapped.

The congresswoman, who visited Nigeria on a factfinding mission a few weeks after the kidnapping, said the bill was motivated by the plight of the families of the kidnapped girls and that the intention was to create relief fund for them and other victims.

“When we were in Nigeria two years ago, families were still in pain, they are still in limbo,” she said, adding: “Boko Haram has killed Muslims, Christians and others. They’ve killed and burned mosques and churches and homes and schools.”

She said while the overall question remained what we can do to bring the girls back, “there are broken families out there” and she believed the DOJ “can begin to utilize that money asap” to provide the relief these families desperately need.

44—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

Power supply and energy development

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ITH a population of 170million and a fluctuating mega watts of 4200, there is no miracle for ‘stable’ power supply ! With Nigeria’s population, experts are of the view that the nation needs 70000mega watts.

This is a long way to go in the energy sector. Why can’t each state generate about 360 mega watts in two years?

There won’t be development if the country lacks stable power supply.

Tony Ogun-Amahwe +2348051112924

Total collapse power supply

The recent pronouncement made by Mr. Rotimi Amaechi calling for the cancellation of the Nigeria Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Warri Southwest Local government Area in Delta state is quite regrettable and this is because he is fast losing credibility in the region.

The statement credited to the Arewa consultative forum applauding Rotimi Amaechi for calling for the cancellation of the school is also condemnable and could instigate crisis.

Solo Aloba. +2347052624455

of

Recently, the Minister of Power, Housing and Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola reassured Nigerians that the 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation target set by the present administration would be attained by 2019, when the nation got to ground zero without power supply all over the nation as at March 28- April 5!

Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN couldn’t transmit supply to DISCOs for more than a month. The minister should not promise or reassured Nigerians on what is impossible from a short period of time. TCN and DISCOs should be prevailed upon from sending estimated bills it customers because the country has been in total darkness for more than two months now.

Anonymous, Lagos state.

Anambra Central Senatorial poll

Cancellation of Maritime University

The court of Appeal sitting in Enugu ordered INEC to conduct fresh election within ninety days to elect a new senator for the senatorial district. A fresh election means a completely new election whereby any of the political parties is free to present a fresh candidate for the fresh election.

INEC is therefore under obligation to issue fresh guidelines/time table for the election. The election of 28 March, 2015 having been nullified by the Appeal court.

Worthy of note is the fact that only a member of a political party can challenge the nomination of a candidate as any candidate whose name has been forwarded to INEC without objection by a fellow aspirant is deemed nominated by that party Anthony O. Obi Esq +2348056009586

Amendment of the 1999 constitution

We should not think that only one man can make or serve a whole nation like Nigeria without consultation. Our nation is not made for only a certain group of persons to hold on to public office with their stolen resources.

The National Assembly should note that in amending the constitution, the issue of second and third tenure should be erased from our constitution. The reason for this is not far fetched. Politicians neither get to their constituencies nor provide dividends of democracy to those who voted them into office .

Nigerians are tired of these selfish appointees and elected officers who make their pockets and families fat and neglect the citizens. NASS should as a matter of urgency amend the 1999 constitution to a single term of four years, Happiness Aduku. +2348136582917

Fuel scarcity and functional refineries

Fuel scarcity and payment of subsidy will end if we build more refineries and allow the four refineries that were hitherto functional brought back to life. President Buhari is not a novice on this, it was during his tenure as military head of state that he built three additional refineries.

Other administrations neglected this, but instead we have powerful people who built refineries outside the country and in collusion with people in the corridors of power didn’t allow the refineries to function effectively.

Hence the refining of our fuel in their private refineries abroad.

It must stop forthwith. The fund realise from fuel subsidy removal should be channel into infrastructural projects and the economy for the good of the citizens.

Obire 08079018001

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS A bad habit that lasts more than a year may turn into a custom.

- Igbo proverb

Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable.

Address your sayings to: editor@vanguardngr.com

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016—45

I don’t want Cameron’s apology, but return of stolen money — Buhari

FG removes subsidy, petrol to sell for N145 per litre

Emmanuel Chris President Buhari went to the United Kingdom to paint the picture that Nigerians are corrupt. Now, David Cameron, the Prime minister of Britain says Nigeria is Fantastically corrupt. I have never heard this kind of phrase ‘fantastically corrupt’ until this era of President Buhari and after his re branding trip to the UK where he branded Nigerians as criminals. You are what you say. Wail not Mr. President, Wail not Presidency. If you choose to become wailing wailer, am not sure the wailers are willing to admit yo Ugber Samuel Atume The British government should release Nigeria stolen money stock in their banks back to Nigeria. That way, corruption will be reduced the barest minimum Usman Kehinde We a government that is indirectly telling the British government that they are the one extra fantastically corrupt by helping our greedy leader to steal our money to develop

Aderotimi Bishopton This is anarchy of the highest level, no light and you people are increasing fuel. It is better to strangle the poor people of Nigeria or else give us the social amenities including energy. This is not the time to increase fuel price.

•Buhari

•David

their country/. I think that Nigerian hatred for current government is not called for.

Isaac U. Okus President Mohamed Buhari told them that Nigerians are criminals. Therefore, we deserve no apology as he rightly said. All what he wanted is the money so that it can be brought back to

Nigeria.

adminsitration.

PaulOmasyOmamegbe If the President can’t make David Cameron to apologize for his humiliating statement about Nigeria, how is he going to make him to return the stolen back to Nigeria.

This is a trying period for our country and the change mantra of the present

Dare Timothy And if Britain refuses or fails to return stolen loot? What next? Will the Nigerian government report Cameron to the International Court of Justice?

Gowon to pro-Biafran agitators:

You’re ignorant of history, emulate Zik Ndubueze Samuel Nigeria integration by colonization and amalgamation is forced on all sections of Nigeria. We are not the same people and that is why the integration is not working. There is need to bring Nigeria together on a round and through a referendum and let us decide and agree that we should be together as nation then make a constitution that will guide our co-existence which shall be acceptable to all sections.

Luvvenom The elder Statesman, Gowon is now threatening us with the death of our 3.5 million Biafrans during his genocide. We are not deterred by the death of our people but we are rather fighting to reward their death with Biafra independence.

Milky Victor Chukwuemeka If we are to go by history, then we are not ignorant because history till date has shown us that this hatred that the northerners had on Igbos cannot stop and the only thing that can stop this is our freedom Uche Chris The elder

Gowon is ignorant of the situation of Nigeria situation now. Biafra now or we will all regret it with all the things

happening in Nigeria now .

One Nigeria is not working.

War or no war, Nigeria will not be one.

C3kwe The Prime minister ’s comment is not new because Nigerian President has been going all over the world saying that his country men and women are corrupt. So the Prime minister borrowed a leaf from Buhari.

Bahyore tayoijebu What is the price of crude oil today? What will happen if price of crude oil now goes above $100? It will mean we will be buying a litre of petrol for N400 Delta_Quagmire My question: Where are the politicians that were all over the place in Lagos and Abuja pulling the last administration down for attempting to do same?

N24bn cash receipt: How we shared N1.1 billion by former ministers TDaniels The sharia law should be applied too in this case.

Given the number of cases in these two states where sharia law has been applied, the same standard should be applied to these politicians. We need to see their limbs too chopped off. Let justice begin!

Remagb’s Icon Some shallow minded people will still be praying for these people and their leader for this mess they brought us to.

Onomskky Merely collected N700 million for doing apparently nothing. Its like N700 million is small money to them. God delivered us from PDP and am still shocked some people are still defending them.

•Pro-Biafra protesters

TRENDING ISSUES YESTERDAY ON TWITTER #whysubsidyremoval #SolomonGrundyByProphett #OneMoreTimeByGifttyDrops2mao #WhySubsidyRemoval #OneMoreTimeByGifttyDrops2mao

Statesman,

Umar Muhammad Kwatta Nobody has put us in trouble except the last administration. We support and stand for Buhari and we pray for him to get success in his good effort to amend Nigerian

@Dare_dknl #whysubsidyremoval I advice the president should stop all this travelling and try solving da issues from within

Tony O. Elumelu, CON @TonyOElumelu Transportation is key for the development of #Africa. Addressing it will help us achieve sustainable development & transformation in Africa

AmnestyInternational @amnesty #Uganda: Sudanese President #Al-Bashir must be arrested and surrendered to the #ICC

Nigeria Super Eagles @NGSuperEagles John Mikel Obi & Ahmed Musa released from Mali, Luxembourg friendlies for May 27 Joseph Yobo testimonial game in Uyo

46—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

TOURISM SUMMIT: Exploring opportunities for growth

By Jimoh Babatunde

T

HE crash in the price of oil, the mainstay of our economy, has triggered a ? disaster for Nigeria's economy, but wanting to turn the disaster to a blessing, this administration is looking beyond oil for widening the country's revenue base.

One of such areas the present administration is turning its attention is the culture and tourism sector of the economy. So, stakeholders in the sector were expectant when they converged in Abuja recently for the National Summit on Culture to deliberate on how to grow the sector in the country through initiating advisory and consultative processes.

The convener of the summit, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, speaking on the importance of the summit said that the summit was designed to explore all the various opportunities in tourism sector to improve the economy. He explained that change mantra of Federal Government can only be sustained if culture and tourism provide needed drives. “We want to turn adversity into sustainable fortune by tapping our National cultural heritage and tourism.”

Cultural heritage Lai Muhammed said the challenge before the country was to work out long term strategies to develop the country's Culture and Tourism Sectors and move them into the mainstream of the economy, “while not failing to design ways and means of plucking some low-hanging 'fruits' along the way.

Declaring the 3-day summit with the theme: “Repositioning Culture and tourism in a diversified economy” open , President Muhammadu Buhari promised his administration will provide the required enabling environment for arts, culture and tourism to thrive and develop through the massive upgrading of infrastructure and the provision of security.

The President represented by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah, promised to encourage public and private sector participation and partnership in all the desired areas including Transportation as well as Beach and Resort development in a deliberate effort to develop tourism as a catalyst for economic growth and diversification of the economy.

“Tourism therefore, is a resource

C M Y K

of development and means of providing an additional opportunity for a non-industrialised country like ours, to diversify its economic base for the betterment of all,” he said.

The summit, attended by Ministers, Members of the National Assembly, Former Ministers of Culture and Tourism, State Commissioners of Culture and Tourism, Federal and State Permanent Secretaries, Chief Executive Officers of Culture and Tourism Parastatals, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Culture and Tourism Stakeholders, Media Professionals, the General Public, and Officials of the Ministry, had four major papers presentation.

Former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke's presentation on 'Tourism in a Diversified Economy' was refreshing as he took the audience on the practical steps taken to position the state as a preferred tourism destination it is today. While harping on the need for change of attitude, Duke said tourism development is a long term project as it is attitudinal and cultural.

Donald Duke noted that one of the problems of coming into Nigeria is securing entering visa, while calling for synergy among all ministries, he said there is need to revive the Presidential Council on Tourism (PCT) that will be headed by President Muhammed Buhari.

“The Presidential Council on Tourism (PCT), chaired by Mr. President with all the State Governors as members, should be resuscitated. This is to ginger accelerated development of culture and tourism in the country.”

Dr. Franklin Adejuwon in his remarks wants the government

NATIONAL SUMMIT: Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed (middle); Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Matthew Urhoghide (left) and Chairman House Committee on Culture and Tourism, Omoeregie Ogbeide, during 2016 National Summit on Culture and Tourism, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

NATIONAL SUMMIT: Cultural Troupes performing at during 2016 National Summit on Culture and Tourism held in Abuja.

Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan strict adherence to the National Tourism Master Plan which he described as the road map.

“As long as government drifts away from the contents of the National Tourism Master Plan, there cannot be any hope in the repositioning Culture and Tourism in the diversification of the nation's economy.

“Besides, it will be difficult if not impossible in future to achieve any meaningful support from international organization, which assisted Nigeria to achieve the road map.”

Speaking on behalf of private sector in tourism, the President, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), Chief Tomi

Akingbogun, said the ministry and her agencies should develop statistics and tourism satellite account.

He said that government should provide adequate funding for the sector through Tourism Development Fund and Tourism Bank to manage the funds for industry players.

“Different categories of funds were designated in many formats but no bank to manage them; the Central Bank made funds available for tourism but banks deliberately left out tourism funds.

“The ministry should resuscitate the Presidential Committee on Tourism (PCT); this is highest decision making body on tourism which is chaired by the President.

“States and local governments should also be included in the PCT as well as FTAN to represent the private sector.

“Other state governments should copy the success of Cross River State and the social media should be used to market our tourism,'' Akingbogun said.

Worst travel rip-offs and how to avoid them Getting ripped off from time to time is just part of traveling don't let it ruin your day or your overall experience. But there are things you can do to avoid some of the most common jabs at your wallet. Let share travel tips for how to avoid hidden fees, disappointing experiences, and overpriced items.

1. Baggage Fees Depending upon the airline, you can pay $15 to $75 for the first checked bag, and more for overweight bags. When possible, pack lightly enough to carry-on one bag or fly airlines that still allow free checked bags . Many airline frequent flier programs allow members with a high status to have a free checked bag, so check your status.

2. Wi-Fi Charges Hotel Wi-Fi can be very expensive hotels charge from $10 to $30 per day to have it in your room. Save money by setting up a personal hot spot on your smart phone and using your cellular service to access Wi-Fi on other non-cellular devices. Some hotel chains offer free in-room

Internet access to members of their loyalty programs, so ask in advance and sign up to take advantage of the offers.

3. Overpriced Hotel and Airport Food To avoid the overpriced water sold at airports, bring an empty water bottle with you through security at the airport. Then, fill it up at a water fountain or ask a barista at a coffee shop to fill it up for you. Pick up some snacks at a local corner store instead of hitting the hotel room mini bar, which can lead to expensive surprises on your final bill.

4.Restaurant or Hotel Bill Mistakes Many times mistakes occur by accident; politely ask responsible staff to revise. Even if it wasn't a mistake, a polite request to fix the bill will go much further than an aggressive accusation.

5. Credit Card Transaction Fees Check with your bank before you leave: Some charge $5 per withdrawal, and an added 3% for all credit card purchases.

Many credit cards and banks do not charge these fees. Avoid carrying a ton of cash around with you while abroad. Use your credit or debit card and go to ATMs for cash. Before you leave home, call your bank and credit card companies to put a “travel alert” on your file detailing your travel plans, so they don't think the foreign transactions are fraudulent and freeze your accounts.

6. Tourist Trap Restaurants If you're visiting a restaurant or attraction that has an online presence, Google it or search it on Yelp! to see what the locals say about it and to find any available coupons that might get some extra savings. Often restaurants run deals on Yelp! where if you “check in” at that restaurant and review it, you get a free dessert. or 15% off the total bill, etc. By researching online, you'll not only see whether there are any coupons or extra savings available, but people will tell you if the chef changed a month ago and the food is lousy now.

SOURCE: Yahoo Travel Explores

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 — 47

S

Arsenal lose interest in Ighalo A

RSENAL reported interest in Odion Ighalo has gone cold after he struggled in the second half of the season, but the Nigeria striker will still not be short of suitors in the summer as West Bromwich Albion have joined the race for his signature.

Arsenal were interested in him during the last window, but Ighalo has failed to replicate his electric form from the first half of the season and so the Gunners’ interest has now cooled, according to Express and Star News.

This comes when West Brom have joined the race to sign the Nigeria international in the summer. ‘ The Baggies’ want to

add at least two new striker to their squad for next season and are mulling a move for the Nigerian who’s expected to cost less than £15 million.

West Brom want to buy new forwards in the window to replace Saido Berahino, who will probably be sold, and former Nigeria star Victor Anichebe, whose contract will not be renewed.

The 26-year-old Ighalo has scored 17 goals in all competition in his first top-flight season, netting his 15th EPL goal in a 42 loss at Norwich City Wednesday night.

Watford have reportedly received a £10m bid from an unnamed Qatari club, but Ighalo is keen to remain in the Premier League.

UPER Eagles de fenders, Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Oboabona have insisted that wins against Mali and Luxembourg in Nigeria’s next set of internationals, are a must.

Caykur Rizespor defender, Oboabona will not play in the two games but Omeruo is one of the nine defenders called up

by Nigeria head coach, Salisu Yusuf.

Omeruo bullish ahead of May clashes Both men are eager for Nigeria to record positive results in both matches according a member of the Super Eagles’ consortium of coaches, Kennedy Boboye.

Dortmund snap-up Dembele

B

ORUSSIA Dortmund have confirmed the signing of promising youngster Ousmane Dembele from Rennes for an undisclosed fee.

The 18-year-old forward pens a contract with BVB until June 2021 and had been receiving interest from several of Europe’s big hitters, with the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool and Bayern Munich

among those reported to have been tracking his progress.

However, Dembele has opted to continue his promising development at Signal Iduna Park.

“Ousmane can play in almost every attacking position,” Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc told Dortmund’s official website.

20 teams jostle for Acess Bank-UNICEF Polo

T

HE 2016 edition of the Access BankUNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament is scheduled to hold in Kangimi Resort, Kaduna, from May 25 to June 5, 2016.

The biggest charity polo event in Africa in collaboration with Fifth Chukker will this year, feature 15 teams vying for honours in three categories, organizers said yesterday. The event, which is in its 10th year of Access Bank sponsorship, is a reaffirmation of the importance of the lives of the orphaned and vulnerable children in northern Nigeria.

Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access

•Ighalo

Giwa Continues from BP

against Christopher Giwa and his group in Abuja yesterday, the NFF Disciplinary Committee stated that “Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong are found guilty of illegally representing the NFF in breach of Art. 40 of the NFF Statutes, when they without due authorization and mandate purportedly contracted a Law Firm, Messrs Leslie Cohen & Associates of Illovo Law Chambers in South Africa in the name of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and refused to pay for services whereby the said Messrs Leslie Cohen & Associates commenced proceedings against the NFF for the sum of $100,

000 being legal fees for professional services rendered in the High Court of South Africa.”

Giwa and his associates were also found guilty of “breaching Art. 69(1) of the NFF Statutes by taking football matters to the ordinary court and failing to submit to the jurisdiction of FIFA and the NFF.” They were also found guilty of “breach of the general rules of conduct as contained in Art. 13 of the FIFA Code of Ethics when he invaded the premises of the Nigeria Football Federation and falsely presented himself as President of the NFF on 6th May, 2016”.

Similarly, Giwa and co were found culpable for “failing to comply fully with the Statutes, regulations, directives and decisions of FIFA and

NFF in contravention of Art. 13 1(a) of NFF Statutes 2010 in relation to the NFF Election held in Warri Delta State on 30th September, 2014.”

The committee also found them in breach of fiduciary and loyalty as contained in Art. 15 of FIFA Code of Ethics 2012 by carrying out various deliberate acts and conducts capable of attracting a ban from FIFA on the NFF capable of putting the administration and development of football in Nigeria into jeopardy.”

Based on the above findings, the Disciplinary Committee handed a five-year ban that will prevent them from any football related activity to Christopher Giwa, Muazu Suleyman, Yahaya Adama, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong.

Bank, Victor Etuokwu, said the Bank had maintained its yearly support to UNICEF towards its projects for orphans and vulnerable children.

He stated that in addition to the donation, the Bank is continually seeking new avenues through which more resources can be pooled towards supporting the children and touching the lives of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) scattered across the country.

“We have been working in Kaduna, in collaboration with UNICEF to ele-

vate quality of lives. We need to do a lot more in support of these orphans and vulnerable children to especially in the IDP camps to enable them live a better life and have access to education,” he added. The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Jean Gough thanked Access Bank for the partnership which has over the past decade positively touched the lives of children needing support particularly in Kaduna and its environs.

Ms Gough who was represented by UNICEF

NFF

Port Harcourt to the magnificent Akwa Ibom Stadium, Uyo. Joseph Yobo represented Nigeria at both U-20 and senior levels, captaining the Super Eagles at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups and featuring in six Africa Cup of Nations finals. He won a century of caps for the senior team, with his last match being the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 defeat

by France in Brasilia in 2014.

Continues from BP accordingly,” NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, yesterday. Nigeria will play Mali in Rouen on 27th May and then take on Luxembourg in Luxembourg on the first day of June. Yobo’s testimonial, to which he has invited several players from outside the country as well as Super Eagles’ players of his generation, has now been moved from

Sodje

Continues from BP the team is declining, a foreign coach might be what we should consider at this point, no disrespect to our home-grown coaches but not just a foreign coach that is needed just because he’s got a different skin colour, but a proven and good one, someone who has the credentials to speak for him,” said Sodje.

“If NFF are not ready for

such coach, there is no need to get a foreign coach.”

Sodje, who is holding talks with English teams like Manchester City, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Liverpool for partnership with the Delta Elite U16 League, said Nigeria coaches have not shown they are good enough to handle the Eagles.

Communication Officer, Blessing Ejiofor stated that the partnership has increased the space for lots of children orphaned

by HIV/AIDs in the target communities to enjoy their rights to education.

“We know that sustainable development begins with safe, healthy and well-educated children irrespective of status. We have no doubt through this partnership, made positive impacts in the lives of disadvantaged children in education and healthcare and we are hoping to do more.”

Roberto Martinez sacked •Ever ton axe underfire manager - Roberto

R

O B E R T O Martinez has been sacked as Everton manager.

Martinez, who had overseen a run of just one win in the last 10 matches, was relieved of his duties to spare him the ordeal of taking charge of the final match of the campaign against Norwich.

The Catalan, who promised Champions League football when appointed in June 2013 after winning the FA Cup with Wigan, lost Everton’s supporters and the appetite for a change of manager among the fan base was overwhelming.

He reached the point of no return.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

NFF releases Mikel, Musa for Yobo testimonial INSIDE

Roberto Martinez sacked

•Roberto

Arsenal lose interest in Ighalo

FORBES’ TOP 20 MOST VALUABLE FOOTBALL TEAMS 1. Real Madrid 2. FC Barcelona 3. Manchester United 4. Bayern Munich 5. Arsenal 6. Manchester City 7. Chelsea 8. Liverpool 9. Juventus 10. Tottenham 11. Borussia Dortmund 12. AC Milan 13. Paris Saint-Germain 14. Schalke 04 15. Atletico Madrid 16. Inter Milan 17. West Ham 18. Roma 19. Napoli 20. Newcastle

-

ORMER Nigeria international Sam Sodje has said that the Super Eagles need a top foreign coach to return the Super Eagles to the top.

“I won’t really want to say foreign coach is what the Eagles need, but I think the rate at which Continues on Page 47

•Ighalo

HE Nigeria Football Federation has decided to allow Super Eagles’ captain John Mikel Obi and his assistant, Ahmed Musa to be part of the Joseph Yobo Testimonial Game planned for the Akwa Ibom State capital, Uyo on Friday, 27th May. “The NFF leadership has decided that Mikel (Obi) and (Ahmed) Musa should be excused from the two friendly matches in Europe so that they can honour Joseph Yobo, who is having his testimonial game on the same Friday, 27th May that we are playing Mali in Rouen, France.

“The two players have been communicated

$3.65bn2 $3.56bn3 $3.32bn4 $2.68bn5 $2.02bn6 $1.92bn7 $1.66bn8 $1.55bn9 $1.3bn10 $1.02bn11 $836m12 $825m13 $814m14 $655m15 $633m16 $559m17 $542m18 $508m19 $396m20 $383m

Eagles need top foreign coach — Sodje

F

T

•Mikel

Continues on Page 47

Giwa banned!

T

HE Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation yesterday slammed 5-year bans on Messrs Christopher Giwa, Mua-

zu Suleiman, Yahay Adamu, Sani Fema and Johnson Effiong after finding them guilty on conducts “capable of at-

tracting a ban from FIFA and putting the administration and development of football in Nigeria into jeopardy.”

Rising from its sitting on the case brought before it by the Nigeria Football Federation Continues on Page 47

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Spectre (5) 7 Wood-joint (5) 8 Undress (5) 10 Keen (5) 12 Child (3) 13 Fibre (5) 15 Famed (7) 17 Epistle (6) 19 Enthusiast (3) 20 Determined (7) 23 Watched (4) 25 Unhearing (4) 26 Discussed (7) 30 Loose (3) 31 Death (6) 34 Moaned (7) 37 Monarch (5) 38 Parched (3) 39 Liability (5) 40 Revolt (5) 41 Thick (5) 42 Appended (5)

DOWN 1 Fairy (5) 2 Huge (5) 3 Cured (6) 4 Prophet (4) 5 Harmonised (7) 6 Quoted (5) 9 Decay (3) 11 Purified (7) 13 Slumber (5) 14 War-horse (5) 16 Cushion (3) 18 Eased (7) 21 Satan (5) 22 Tender (3) 24 Postponed (7) 27 Prohibit (3) 28 Scorn (6) 29 Command (5) 32 Quietened (5) 33 Feeling (5) 35 Sphere (3) 36 Act (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Alter 7, Mess 8, Elicit 9, Stamp 11, Per 13, Cad 15, Reel 16, One 18, Eme 19, Grumble 20, Stud 22, Fate 23, Sedated 25, Even 27, Nor 28, Solo 30, Did 31, Rip 33, Sneer 36, Divine 37, Ache 38, Train.

DOWN: 1, Melee 2, Ass 3, Tea 4, Rep 5, Wit 6, Divan 10, Menu 11, Pressed 12, Refined 13, Creator 14, Develop 16, Organ 17, Ember 18, Elf 21, Den 24, Town 28, Visit 29, Lithe 32, Lie 33, Set 34, Era 35, Ran.

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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