Inflation rate hits double digit, worst in 3 yrs

...towards a better life for the people

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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VOL. 25: NO. 62805

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

N150

RIVERS SHOWDOWN:

Electricity, corruption Police commissioner crippling Nigerian firms steps aside, as sensitive — WORLD BANK 6 materials arrive 39 FOREX CRISIS:

Inflation rate hits double digit, worst in 3 yrs Story on Page 16

Van crushes pregnant woman, 4 children, Okada rider 10 Buhari lists Dangote, GE, others as Africa's most strategic investors

PROTEST—Cross section of students from different parts of Lagos, staged a peaceful protest against the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and its Leadership, at Lagos State House of Assembly over failure of the Computer-Based Test (CBT), in most examination centres, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Herbalist, 69, marries 18-year-old girl as 57th wife See Inside C M Y K

COLUMNISTS:

Alleged N190m fraud: EFCC docks ex-HoS Oronsaye •P.9 Nigerians in diaspora may vote in 2019 — BUHARI •P.8 P.17

TABIA PRINCEWILL

STATES AND LGS:

A cartel against the common good

P.49

DEAR BUNMI

My rival is a sugarmummy

P.19

ROTIMI FASAN

Women and the struggle for gender parity

Saraki: Endless saga of proving innocence by evading trial

•P.19

44 Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 3

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 5

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

POCKET CARTOON Benin - 259.59MW; Enugu - 259.59MW; Ibadan - 374.96MW; Jos - 158.64MW; Kano - 230.74MW; Kaduna - 230.74MW; Port Harcourt 187.48MW; and Yola – 100.95MW.

Other business challenges

COP21—Vice President Yemi Osinbajo flanked by the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Aminat Ibrahim (right) and the French Minister of Environment, Energy and Marine Affairs, Ségolène Royal, after a meeting on the just concluded COP21 at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Electricity, corruption crippling Nigerian firms—WORLD BANK

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief; Clara Nwachukwu, Franklin Alli, Naomi Uzor & Jonah Nwokpoku

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BUJA—THE World Bank has identified power, corruption and access to finance as the bane of the private sector in Nigeria.

According to the bank, this has resulted in as high as 17-20 per cent losses in sales recorded

by Nigerian firms.

To make matters worse, rather than improving, power generation dropped again, yesterday, to 2,884.30 megawatts, MW, a development the Ministry of Power struggled to explain.

This came on a day the Federal Government said it was determined to cut

down on Nigerians’ spending on foreign products by introducing and enforcing a local patronage policy that will drive patronage of madein-Nigeria goods, especially by government.

The present precarious situation of companies in Nigeria is contained in the report of the bank’s study, entitled: “The Nigerian private sector and its challenges,” presented by the bank’s Specialist, Finance and Private Sector, Mr. Michael Wong, in Abuja, yesterday.

According to Wong, the study was conducted within the period of April 2014 to April 2015.

He noted that 48 per cent of the 28,000 firms sampled identified inadequate power supply as their greatest

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO F you found out today that all you had was just one year to live, how would you live it? The answer you give is how you should be living right now. It's up to you.

I

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes— Carl Gustav Jung TO love deeply is like making a masterpiece of art, loving is constant unfolding, there is always room for improvement. It comes with an awareness to know what really is...for me, it’s beyond being beautiful, beyond success, beyond the everyday striving to just being and learning to live life in the moment with joy and gratitude.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

W

E wear cloths because of outsiders; everyone knows the shape and colour of his brother's buttocks.

challenge, adding that the study covered 19 states of the federation.

Generation capacity Generation capacity fell from 3,192.00MW last recorded on Monday, after reaching a peak of 4,326.80MW. Spokesman for the Power Minister, Mr. Hakeem Bello, had promised to find out what was responsible for the drop, but could not at press time, especially as reports had quoted the minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, as saying that generation had increased appreciably to above 4,000MW. The drop in output meant a corresponding reduction in the quantity of power allocated to the 11 distribution companies, DISCOs, for onward distribution to homes and businesses.

The Federal Government after apologising for the very poor power situation, promised Nigerians of improvement in the comings days.

Data from the Nigerian Systems Operations, NSO, Department of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, website,www.nsong.org, indicated that power generation peaked at 2,884.30MW as at 12:57PM:00 on Tuesday.

The 2,884.30MW was distributed to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, as follows: Ikeja - 432.65MW; Abuja - 331.69MW; Eko - 317.27MW;

The two other worst problems of Nigerian businesses, according to the World bank report, are corruption and access to finance.

The report said: “When asked to take the severity of investment climate constraints, Nigerian managers of formal firms were most likely to report electricity, corruption and access to finance as serious obstacles to business performance.

“Firms in Nigeria are significantly more affected by power outages than firms in comparative countries.

Nigerian firm managers reported that losses due to power outages were approximately 17 per cent of sales.

“Firms in Lagos and other Southern states reported the highest losses, equivalent to more than 20 per cent of sales.

“There are slight differences across states.

Electricity and corruption are among the top three constraints throughout Nigeria. Firms in Northern states rank political instability among the biggest constraint."

However, the drive to shore up Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the last Lagos State government under Mr. Babatunde Fashola was considered an impediment to operational growth by companies that responded in the study.

“In Lagos, tax rates rank among the top constraints, and in other Southern states, the top constraint is access to finance,” Wong said.

The report called for greater attention to the power sector in order to make Nigerian companies competitive, both at the regional and global levels.

In her presentation on “More, and More Productive, Jobs for Nigeria", another official of the bank, Ms. Kathleen Beegle, noted that the nation was facing a major challenge of a population that was growing more than the economic growth rate.

She noted that the wide gap in the socio-economic well-being between the North and the South had continued to increase

and had been exacerbated by the high fertility rate in the North where girls get married at early age and give birth to many children.

Ms. Beegle said the study indicated that those in that category were categorised as “inactive” going by the International Labour Organisation’s definition because they were illiterate and hardly ever get into meaningful employment.

She noted that Human Development Index results had shown that Northern Nigeria had largely lagged behind in virtually all areas of development, owing to antagonism to formal education, as well as cultural and religious beliefs that have continued to increase the rate of poverty in most areas of that region.

According to her, the refusal to moderate birth rate in most parts of the North and the almajiri culture have contributed not only to an increasing poverty rate but also now directly responsible for the level of insecurity in much of the North.

Made-in-Nigeria goods Meanwhile, the Federal Government said, yesterday, it was determined to cut down on Nigerians’ spending on foreign products by introducing and enforcing a local patronage policy that will drive patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods especially by the government.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, stated this during the opening session of the 3rd annual Manufacturing Partnerships for African Development and Nigerian Manufacturing Expo 2016, organised by Clarion Events, Spintelligent Pty Limited in collaboration with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN in Lagos.

Represented by Mrs. Omotara Awobokun, Director of Trade at the

Ministry, the Minister said: “We are working on a Memo for local patronage at the ministry and we are about to present it to the Federal Executive Council for approval.

"When the policy takes effect, it will compel government agencies, ministries and departments to be in the vanguard of purchasing made-in-Nigeria products.

“The administration has identified the manufacturing sector as one of the key drivers of the nation’s economic diversification process.

The strategic plan is to support increased production of goods and services, encourage more patronage of locally produced goods and services and export processed goods to earn much needed foreign exchange.

"More than ever before, we shall pursue these objectives with vigour and a determination to succeed. My presence here is to identify with you as a starting point in this process of economic diversification and to appeal to all Nigerians to buy Made in Nigeria products as a matter of service to our nation.

“The event is timely as it is coming at a time when the nation is faced with the urgent need to diversify the economy in the light of dwindling price of crude oil in the global market which has had significant negative impact in the Nigeria economy with depletion of our foreign reserve and decline in GDP growth from 6 per cent in 2014 to 3 per cent in 2015.”

According to the Minister, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment was strategically positioned to play a pivotal role in the economic diversification agenda of the government.

Also speaking, President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Jacobs, commended the anticipated policy and described government as the biggest spender in the economy.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 7

Fayose queries Buhari’s silence on Agatu massacre, Mile 12 killings

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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DO-EKITI—EKITI State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described as worrisome, the deafening silence of President Muhammadu Buhari on the massacre of over 300 Agatu people of Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen and Mile 12 Lagos killings and wanton destruction of properties among others.

Fayose urged President Mohammadu Buhari to pay more attention to real governance at home, rather than on those of other countries and persecuting perceived political enemies, describing the President’s condemnation of Sunday’s terrorist attack on the Grand Bassam Resort in Cote D’Ivoire as hypocritical and demonstration of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.

The governor, who described terror attacks anywhere in the world as condemnable, said; “If President Buhari could afford to pick his phone and call the Ivorian president, Alassane Ouattara, immediately after the attack, Nigerians must ask the President why he kept mute for days over the Fulani herdsmen massacre of over 300 Agatu people of Benue State, the Mile 12 Lagos killings and wanton destruction of properties among others.”

In a statement made available to newsmen by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said it was strange that President Buhari was more concerned with the killing of 16 people in Cote D’Ivoire than the Fulani herdsmen’s murder of over 300 citizens of Nigeria.

He said it was alarming that even when someone of the status of former Senate President, David Mark was attacked by the Fulani herdsmen last Saturday when he went on inspection of the eight communities completely destroyed by the Fulani herdsmen, there was no reaction from the President condemning the terror attack.

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Insurgency'll soon become history – BURATAI

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—THE Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, has assured Nigerians that the insurgency that has threatened security and peace in some parts of the country will soon be suppressed.

He gave the assurance during a courtesy call on the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, in his office, in Ibadan, yesterday.

The Deputy Governor of the State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, received the COAS on behalf of the governor.

The army chief, who was accompanied by top military officers, including the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Maj.-Gen. Laz Ilo, said the military had recorded remarkable achievements in the fight against terrorism, especially in the NorthEast.

Buratai said, “We will soon overcome the insurgency that once threatened peace and security in some parts of the country. I’m using this opportunity to again solicit the support of

Oyo Assembly prescribes life imprisonment for kidnappers

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—THE Oyo State House of Assembly has passed an anti kidnapping bill that prescribes life imprisonment for anybody found culpable of kidnapping in the state.

But, the 32-legislative arm is still awaiting the assent of the governor before it becomes fully operational.

The bill which is entitled, “Prohibition Bill 2015” also prescribes punitive measures against any other persons found guilty of abetting or aiding kidnap attempts in the state.

The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary and Justice, Mr. Olukayode Akande representing Ogbomoso South submitted the report of the committee to the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Michael Adeyemo yesterday.

While presenting the report, Mr. Akande said the House further prescribed 20 year imprisonment for anyone involved in aiding kidnap suspects.

He added that a 15-year jail term awaits individuals that harbour a kidnapped person, while the House prescribed a 7-year jail term for anybody who gives false information on kidnapping.

He said, “For anybody that is found guilty of a successful kidnapping, it is life imprisonment. For anyone who aids kidnapping, it is 20 years imprisonment; for anybody that

members of the public in the provision of information on any suspicious acts or criminal activities.

“The army will adopt a long term surveillance and intelligence gathering to put a final stop to Boko Haram attacks in the country.”

He commended the Ajimobiled administration for what he called its support for the officers and men of the Division, a development, he said, had contributed immensely to the sustained peace in the state.

He said, “We appreciate the

efforts of the governor in the maintenance of peace in the state. We appreciate the cordial relationship between Oyo State government and the army.

“Oyo State has been very supportive in the area of providing security to lives and property in the state. I can confidently say that the security situation in Oyo State is quite encouraging.”

In his remarks, Adeyemo applauded what he called the supportive role being played by the army in the area of security of lives and property in the state,

which, he said, had largely contributed to the prevailing peace in the state.

He commended the army for the sacrifices being made to curb the incessant attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents, charging officers and men not to relent on the efforts until the outlaws were completely wiped out.

The deputy governor pledged the continued support of the administration for all security agencies in the state, stressing that it would continue to accord priority attention to the maintenance of peace in the state.

INSPECTION: From left: Lagos State Commissioner For Works and Infrastructure, Ganiyu Solomon, Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos, Commissioner For Physical Planning, Mr. Wasiu Anifowose and DPO, Ilasa, Oyinye Onwuamaegbu, during the inspection of the Governor to the Site of Lekki Collapsed Building, Lagos yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Falae, SDP deny receiving N100m from CBN

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—THE Social Democratic Party, SDP, yesterday denied that N100million was transferred to the company account of its Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, from the Central Bank/ Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited.

This was contained in a statement issued in Akure by the state Publicity Secretary of the Party Remi Olayiwola.

According to the statement; “The party and it’s national Chairman never had any business dealing or transaction whatsoever with either the CBN or the Joint trust Dimension Limited. “ We wish to inform the general public that it is the same amount sent by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the SDP as a result of their inter-party agreement that is now being re-presented to the public through another dubious channel in order to portray Chief Falae and the SDP in bad light.

“It is falsehood. It has failed in the past and it will fail again no matter how many times our detractors attempt to smear our name obviously for political reasons.

The party noted that “ On many occasions in the recent past , chief Falae had reiterated that the sum of N100m was transferred by the PDP through its former Chairman, Board of Trustee, chief Tony Anenih to the SDP through him as the National Chairman of his own party. “ Chief Tony Anenih in his own statement has confirmed this transaction which was based on

a written inter party agreement which existed between the two parties before the last Presidential election.

“It is also a statement of fact that the national secretariat of the SDP has confirmed through a widely publicized Press Conference that the N100m was received in full by the party haaving remitted to the party account

by Chief Olu Falae.''

CURRENCY SCAM: New judge takes over case of CBN staff, others

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—FOLLOWING alleged bias against Justice Olayinka Faaji of an Ibadan Federal High Court in the case of staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria and some commercial banks over alleged theft of N8. 5billion mutilated currency, a new judge, Justice Joyce AbdulMaleek has taken over the case.

Before the case resumed yesterday, some of the counsel to the accused had alleged that the presiding judge was bias in his ruling when he refused their bail applications.

The judge had ruled that the offences of the accused were so ‘weighty’ and ordered that they be remanded in Agodi Prison.

Dissatisfied, the accused appealed against the ruling at the Appeal Court but their appeal was rejected and were sent back to the lower court for continuation of their trial.

At the resumption of the case yesterday, fifteen suspects were arraigned before Justice AbdulMaleek.

When the charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were read, they all pleaded not guilty.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Nigerians in diaspora may vote in 2019 —Buhari Says ‘We'll be merciless, relentless in anti-graft war’

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would be encouraged to explore the possibility of Nigerians resident abroad voting in the 2019 general elections.

He also said his government would be merciless and relentless in its anti-corruption war.

Oyegun’s statement on Lai Mohammed’s replacement reckless —Timi Frank

Buhari stated these in Malabo, the capital city of Equatorial Guinea, during a meeting with the Nigerian community in the country, where he was on a state visit.

Responding to a request of Nigerians to be given a voting right abroad during national elections in Nigeria, President Buhari, who sympathized with them, said: “I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders.”

He noted that some African countries had kick-started the exercise, saying he would ensure Nigerians were also

given their right to vote in national elections.

On his anti-corruption war, the President said there was no going back in pursuing all the elite who had conspired to run the nation aground.

He said: “We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust.

Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run the nation down."

Rules out new national airline

On the request that a national airline be established in the absence of

a direct flight from Nigeria to Equatorial Guinea, the President ruled out the possibility, saying his priority now was to achieve the reduction of poverty in the land.

He said the priority of his government included developing the infrastructure need of the country to boost production in all sectors of the economy and create more jobs for young Nigerians, as well as other actions that would directly improve the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—DEPUTY a t i o n a l Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Timi Frank, has described as reckless, baseless and unwarranted the comment by the party ’s national chairman, Chief John OdigieOyegun, that finding replacement for Lai Mohammed was difficult.

Oyegun, who returned from a 10-day working leave on Monday, had told journalists at the party ’s national secretariat in Abuja that arrangements had been concluded to nominate Mohammed’s replacement.

Mohammed now Nigeria’s Minister of Information was the national publicity secretary of the party.

Oyegun had said: “I think arrangements have been completed to hold the necessary congresses to nominate a spokesperson. I think that should be done very shortly.

"In fact, the issue is getting somebody that can be as close as possible to the outstanding performance of the present Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.”

But reacting to the development, Frank said he disagreed with the national chairman, saying the need for election shouldn’t have arisen when there was a deputy who would step into the shoes of Mohammed.

He stated that the statement was malicious and meant to discredit him and the party, stressing that there were many party men and women who could fill the vacant positions in the party.

He called on Oyegun to withdraw the statement and desist from making further N

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EXPO: From left, Mrs Omotara Awobokun, Director of Trade, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment, representing her minister (left), Dr Fran Jacobs, President,Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN; and Mr Russell Hughes, Development Director, Clarion Events, during the official opening of 3rd annual MAN and Nigeria Manufacturing Expo 2016, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

N3.3trn scam: Senate vows to probe Auditor-General’s report

By Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA —THE Senate,yesterday, said it would carry out thorough investigation into the audit report presented to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Monday, by the AuditorGeneral of the Federation,Mr Samuel Ukura.

The report had said that N3.2 trillion was allegedly not remitted to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Senate spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi, said the red chamber would stop at nothing to probe the audit report.

Senator Sabi, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, said the intending probe of the report was in line with the resolve of the 8th Senate to stand itself out from the past ones.

He said: “The 8th Senate has chosen to be different as we have stated severally since we came on board and for which we came up with our legislative agenda to make us different from the past. This is because we are in the season and period of change and we want to seriously key in to that.

“Along that line, you could see the courage that we have to make some differences from what was obtained in the past and on this note, we have passed reports of some committees such as the Treasury Single Account, TSA, which is a classical example.

“Through that exercise, we were able to save the country N7 billion. There are similar works that have been done. We want to say that since we have chosen to be different, we urge Nigerians to wait and see what we will make out of the investigation.

“Without holding forth for the past assemblies, I want to say that it is not as if they have not been doing anything about the past audit reports, perhaps they have not taken their action up to the scale that would have made a huge impact that people want to see.

“If that is what the AuditorGeneral meant, I agree with him. The Auditor-General is raising a query, it is not an indictment. So, when he raises his queries, the essence of the Public Accounts Committee is to invite those parties involved in the query and through the instruments of their own work , investigate all the issues by seeking for clarification.

"At the end of the day, where they have infractions or infringement on certain procedures, they met out appropriate sanctions as stipulated by extant rules and

Buhari’s anti-terrorism war earns him Equatorial Guinea’s highest honour

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

B U J A — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been conferred with the highest national honour of Equatorial Guinea, the Grand Collar of the Order of the Independence.

The event took place, Monday night, in Malabo, the country’s capital city.

The honour came on the premise of President Buhari’s dogged fight against terrorism and Boko Haram insurgents on the African continent.

Expressing his gratitude for the recognition at the investiture ceremony, the President dedicated the honour to the people of Nigeria, who, he said, had worked tirelessly for peace in the country and Africa.

“I will like to express profound gratitude for the honour given to me and my people. There has never been a time for greater neighbourliness on our continent in the interest of peace, security and economic stability than now,” he said.

While urging a collective resolve on the part of African leaders to tackle some common economic challenges as a continent, President Buhari pledged that under his leadership, Nigeria would continue to make significant contributions to peace, political stability and progress in Africa.

Also speaking, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea said the honour was conferred on Buhari for his “personal integrity, exemplary leadership style and courage to fight terrorism in order to ensure peace and safety in Africa.

“We deemed it fit and appropriate to honour this son of Africa for the great work he is doing, which includes tackling Boko Haram, which is a great menace to the continent.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016—9

N1.04trn fine probe: Reps walk out MTN rep, MTN rep not qualified to appear before c’ttee summon MD Say Threaten to issue bench warrant, if...

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA — MEMBERS of the House of Representatives Committee on Communications, yesterday, politely asked the representative of MTN to leave the venue of the public hearing on the operator’s N1.04 trillion fine.

Immediately the investigative hearing started, a member of the committee, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, PDP, Delta, had raised an objection that those invited had failed to show up, insisting that those present could not stand in for them.

Ossai quoted extensively from Sections 88 and 89 of the constitution that empowered the committee to invite anybody, no matter how highly placed.

But Chairman of the committee, Akinade Fijabi, APC, Oyo, guided Ossai, explaining that the management of MTN had written earlier to say the committee should refer its findings to Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. The committee’s clerk had read the letter which further irked the committee members, who at this point, asked MTN’s representative to leave the hearing.

Attempts by the manager of the company on Government Affairs, Mr Austin Iyasere, to identify himself as the representative of the carrier was ignored.

At this point, the committee members resolved that the Managing Director of the company, Mr Ferdinand Moolman, should appear before it and adjourned sine die.

Meanwhile, the letter, which spurred the action, entitled, "Re: Amicable Settlement Negotiations With The FG," read: “We note your reference to the above subject matter mentioned above.

"In this regard, we wish to refer you to the appropriate government agencies, specifically the Nigerian Communications Commission, Offices of the Honourable Ministers of

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Communication and Justice as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria which agencies are in a position to furnish your committee with relevant information on this issue.

“As you know, MTN is pursuing amicable settlement negotiations with the Federal Government. We believe you will understand that processes of this kind require sensitivity

and confidentiality on all sides.

“Accordingly, we are unable to make any further comments about the process at this stage.

We trust that we can call upon your sound judgment at all times and that this process be allowed to continue in order for the parties to be given the opportunity to reach a settlement as envisaged by the court when it adjourned the matter for that

purpose on January 22, 2016.”

The letter was signed by the company’s CEO, Ferdinand Moolman, and one Amina Oyagbola.

Chairman of the committee in a brief chat with journalists, after the committee adjourned, said: “We have invited the MD, if he fails to show up, we will approach the Inspector General of Police and, through him, order for his arrest.”

PROBE: From left: Member, House of Representatives Committee on Communications, Ahmed Abu; Deputy Chairman, Ujam Chukwuemeka, and Chairman, Saheed AkinadeFijabi, during the investigative hearing on MTN's unregistered SIM cards, at the National Assembly, Abuja yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Alleged N190m fraud: EFCC docks ex-HoS, Oronsaye on fresh 2-count charge

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA — THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, docked former Head of Service of the Federation, HoS, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, before an Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama.

Orosanye was arraigned before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck on a a two-count

charge bordering on alleged N190 million fraud.

The former HoS was alleged to have abused his position as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Financial Action Task Force by fraudulently obtaining N190 million, which the anti-graft agency insisted was part of N240 million grant the committee received from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. EFCC alleged that the fund was paid into an Access Bank account operated by Oronsaye without the knowledge of other members of the committee.

The defendant was said to have invested the money for his personal gains.

Meanwhile, Orosanye pleaded not guilty to the charge, even as the EFCC, through its lawyer, Mr. O. Uket, applied for his remand in prison custody, pending trial.

“My lord, we shall be asking for a date to commence the trial. In the interim, however, we apply that the defendant be remanded in prison custody,”

Uket submitted.

His application infuriated the defence counsel, Mr. Joe Agi, SAN, who led three other Senior Advocates of Nigeria that entered appearance for the defendant.

Agi drew the attention of the court to the fact that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, had on Monday, directed that criminal cases must be heard on a day-today basis, starting from the day of arraignment.

He, therefore, urged the court to compel the EFCC to immediately open its case against his client.

In a short ruling, Justice Goodluck upheld the submission of the defence counsel and ordered the prosecution to produce its witnesses immediately.

Apparently not prepared for the sudden turn of events, EFCC lawyer, Uket, begged the court for a stand down to enable him to go and fish for some of the proposed witnesses, an application that was accordingly granted.

IOCs fault Kachikwu, say freezing supply won’t guarantee oil price rebound

By Michael Eboh & Grace Udofia

A

BUJA— International Oil Companies, IOCs, and energy experts, yesterday, stated that freezing the supply of crude oil alone would not likely lead to a rebound in the price of the commodity, stating that other factors needed to be considered also.

This was contrary to claims by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, that freezing supply at certain levels would help drive up prices.

The minister’s idea had been bought into by a number of countries, with a meeting scheduled to be held April 2016 in Russia, to deliberate on the issue of freezing supply among OPEC and non-OPEC members.

Speaking at the ongoing Sixth African Petroleum Congress and Exhibition (CAPE VI) in Abuja, the IOCs and the energy experts disclosed that due to inefficiencies in terms of energy use, the demand curve at the moment was not what obtained in the past and would hamper a rebound in oil prices to levels seen in the past.

Specifically, Mr. Clay Neff, Chairman, Oil Producer Trade Section, OPTS, of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, stated that effective collaboration was critical in overcoming the challenges facing the petroleum industry.

According to him, success at the continental level and, indeed, globally starts with a critical recognition that producing and consuming countries, IOCs and all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry must all recognize that when it comes to the challenges of the industry, they are all playing for the same team.

Neff, who is also Chairman/ Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria Limited, maintained that collaboration would throw up practical solutions which would help drive the industry.

He said: “The good news is the industry and the Federal Government are collaborating to mitigate these challenges and the collaboration has never been very good.

"I am optimistic the collaborations will lead to the surmounting of the current challenges in the industry, especially in Nigeria.”

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Food Poisoning: 2 students die, 9 hospitalised in Zamfara We don't know what it is yet— COMMISSIONER

NUJ petitions IG over detention of journalist

T

HE Lagos State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has petitioned the InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, over the detention of one its members, Yomi Olomofe.

Olomofe, who has been having a running battle with the Nigeria Customs Service, was invited to the Police Station, Panti, Lagos, for clarification on the matter, but rather than being questioned on the purpose of

the visit, was on Thursday detained.

Olomofe, who is the Editorial Board Chairman of Badagry Prime News, was later moved to Alagbon Command in Ikoyi area of the state.

In the petition written by the union’s lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, NUJ and Olomofe are seeking a public apology, assurance of Olomofe’s safety and N100 million compensation for breach of fundamental human rights.

In the petition, Ogunye wrote that Olomofe has, again, been admitted to the hospital for urgent medical attention and that the shock of his latest harassment has caused him fresh psychological breakdown.

He said: “Our client’s rights to the dignity of the human person and personal liberty, guaranteed by Sections 34 and 35 of the Constitution, have been violated.

“His right to freedom of

As govt sets up c'ttee

By Salisu Maradun

Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adekunle O l a d u n j o y e , displaying weapons recovered from suspected criminals in Jos, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

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USAU—TWO students of Government Unity Secondary School, Gumi, Zamfara State, were reported killed by food poisoning with nine others in critical condition at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, the state capital, following which government ordered the closure of the school indefinitely.

A source said: “The food supplied to the students since resumption are expired ones, while some stored grains, such as beans, guinea corn and other perishables were of old stock, and could be the cause of the outbreak.”

However, some of the students told Vanguard that they had been complaining about the quality of food they were being fed with by the school authorities.

One of them, who is from Niger State, said he had long stopped eating the school’s food when he discovered that they were unhealthy, “so I decided to tell my parents to supply me with food from home.”

The state Information and Culture Commissioner, Alhaji Umar Bukkuyum, said what they have on hand in the school was an outbreak, the cause of which is yet to be known.

He said: “Nobody can exactly say what the real cause of this calamity was.

We can only talk on an issue that we know, so we will not make mistakes.”

Though he denied the casualty number, the commissioner said only five of them were in the hospital and not nine.

Bukkuyum said the state government had already constituted a committee which was shouldered with the responsibility of finding out the actual cause of the disease and the subsequent death of the two students.

Speeding van crushes pregnant woman, 4 children, okada rider

By Ochuko Akuopha

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LEH—A pregnant woman, her four children and a commercial motorcyclist were crushed by a Hilux pick-up van along old Oleh-Ozoro Road, Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State.

The woman, who sold electrical appliances, sources said, had boarded a motorcycle with the children after close of sales for the day, when the incident occurred.

A source, who sought anonymity, said the driver of the pick-up was going home with N200,000, being part payment of proceeds from the sale of his family’s piece of land, when he rammed into the victims.

The source said deliberations on how the part payment of the land, sold for N400,000, should be shared had resulted in a dispute among members of the family, during which one of them snatched the money and drove off in the Hilux pick-up.

The source said three of the family members went after him in a Toyota Camry car. It was in the course of the chase that he lost control and hit the motorcycle, which was headed in the same direction.

He said the victims died on the spot and the vehicle dragged them along the road for a while before stopping.

According to him, the car somersaulted several times, but no casualty was recorded. He added that the bodies of the

deceased had been deposited in the mortuary of a nearby hospital, while the Hilux driver is still at large.

UNIPORT lecturer, driver, 2 tutors abducted in Rivers

By Davies Iheamnachor

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ORT HARCOURT— GUNMEN abducted a lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt and his personal driver, yesterday, just as two teachers from Ubima Community Secondary School in Ikwerre Local government Area of Rivers State were abducted, Monday.

The senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education, Professor Ebi Awotua-Efebo, was trailed and intercepted by the kidnappers outside the premises of the university.

A source revealed that contact has been established with the kidnappers and that N50 million was being demanded as ransom.

The two secondary school teachers, Blessing Chukwu and Ikpendu Samuewere, were abducted along the school road on their way from school.

At press time, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, DSP

Ahmad Muhammad, said police were aware of the kidnappings, adding that they were doing everything to safely rescue the victims.

Sources from the victims’ families, yesterday, disclosed that contact had been established with the abductors, who were demanding N5 million as ransom.

A teacher in the school, Mr. Sunday Onu, told Vanguard: “We are not happy over the abduction of the newly-posted teachers; we were still in the school around 4:30p.m. when we heard gunshots. When we came out to see what was happening, the abductors had taken them away.

“We are calling on the state government to provide security in this community if they still want us to do our work. The rate of kidnapping and killing in this community is unbearable.”

The school's Principal, Mr. S. A. Akor, said meetings were on with some stakeholders on the development.

expression and the press under Section 39 of the same Constitution, as a practising journalist, who is being cowed, intimidated and harassed to compel him into selfcensorship, is implicated.

“In the circumstances, we hereby request, that the Nigeria Police Force refrain from further violating the rights of our client, at the instance of his assailants and tormentors, as described above.”

Lagos lawyer slumps, dies in court

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—TRAGEDY struck, yesterday, at Igbosere Magistrate’s Court premises Lagos Island, when a lawyer slumped and died after court proceedings.

He was in court to represent Okedairo Okedeji 38, and Akolade Agbola, 28, charged with theft of meat and snail worth N28,000, property of Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

When the lawyer, simply identified as Chidi, got to the court with the defendant, the court had already heard his matter and adjourned till April 14.

He then apologised to the court for himself and on behalf of his client for coming late.

He was said to have attributed his lateness to the traffic he encountered.

It was while he was apologising that he started gasping for breath and coughing profusely. He was rushed outside the court for fresh air, but when he was not getting better, his tie was removed and he pleaded that they should help him get a cab to take him home.

A source said: “Later, he could not move so his client had to carry him on his back down stairs. Immediately he got into the cab, he stopped breathing and the taxi man returned him to the court premises, saying he cannot carry a corpse.”

It was later confirmed that he died at the Lagos Island General Hospital.

His clients, who were arraigned on February 29, were alleged to have committed the said offences on November 11, 2015 and had pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate F. M. Dalley granted them N5,000 bail, with one surety each in like sum and adjourned the matter to yesterday for trial.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 11

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Ubulu-Uku kingmaker rejects 17-yr-old monarch Ejiofor is on suspension, says palace source

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By Festus Ahon

SABA—CRISIS is brewing in Ubulu-Uku Kingdom, Anoicha South Local Government Area of Delta State, following the rejection of the newly crowned 17 years old monarch, HRM Chukwuka Akaeze I, by the Onishe (Kingmaker), Chief Emma Ejiofor.

The 17 years old monarch, succeeded his father, late Edward Akaeze Ofulue III, killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen who kidnapped him on January 5.

Briefing newsmen in Asaba, Ejiofor described the teen-aged king as a “government appointed self-styled king” and his late father as a “usurper.”

“I am the alter-ego of UbuluUku traditional council. It is the Onishe that has the powers to crown or dethrone a king. The late Akaeze was a usurper. I did not crown him. If you go through the edict that makes my office, you will see that I did not also crown the boy that was politically manipulated into office recently,” he said.

Explaining that the “Nineman Council of Chiefs, called Umuezim, which custom and tradition of the kingdom empowers to select a new king was sidelined in the choice of HRM Chukwuka Akaeze I.” He said that he will right the wrong, adding that he had served for 11 years as Onishe.

“I won’t dance to my grave on the altar of mediocrity. What is a 17 years old boy doing in

Government House? That tells you that it was a political manipulation.

By all standards, the boy is still a minor. If I dance to their side, the gods will strike me.

“The young man came from London on a Thursday and his father was interred that day.

He was crowned that same day. He was taken to the local government council chairman the following day. The third day, they took him to the

governor of the state and he returned to the United Kingdom the next day. These things were done to tell you that some persons schemed to cover up for their traditional rascality.”

On his suspension as the Onishe, he said that the late monarch, “ who was not crowned a king could not have suspended a traditional title holder. The late Akaeze had no powers to suspend me

for not accepting his self-styled installation.”

Efforts to reach the Regent for comment on the matter proved abortive at press time. However, a source close to the palace said that Chief Ejiofor was suspended from office about two years ago by the late monarch.

The source who pleaded anonymity, said, “Emma Ejiofor is just an individual and can’t be greater than the entire kingdom.”

INSTALLATION: From left: High Chief Wellington Bobo; Chief Cleri Ibojoh; Chief.Patrick Heavens, former Regent of Gbaramatu Kingdom, and Chief Julius Tonfawei, during the installation of Pere Williams Naira Ogoba Oboro II, as the 26th King of Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Edo PDP congress: National leadership moves to resolve crisis

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ENIN—THE national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has intensified efforts to unite aggrieved members of the party, after its just concluded congresses.

The party, led by its South South Vice Chairman, Mr Cairo Ojougboh, who was represented by the Zonal Organizing Secretary of the party, Dr Ebenezer Okorodudu, stressed the need for the leaders of the party in Edo State to recruit more members from the grassroots with a view to giving every member a sense of belonging.

It warned that unless the party was united, it would be difficult to wrestle power from the All Progressives Congressled government in the forthcoming governorship election.

Vanguard learned that the party through the members who conducted the recent congresses including Dr Ebenezer Okorodudu, zonal Auditor of the party, Berry Negerese and others, urged the leaders of the party in the state to think of the interest of the party first before their personal interest so as to stand a chance in winning the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Olu of Warri, man with uncommon humility —Oshiomhole

By Simon Ebegbulem

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E N I N — GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, described the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, as a man blessed with uncommon humility and prayed God to continue to give him the wisdom to pilot the affairs of his kingdom.

Oshiomhole, when the Olu and his chiefs paid him a visit at Government House, Benin City, congratulated the Olu on his recent coronation, saying that the nation will benefit from his wisdom in ensuring peace and unity among Nigerians.

He said: “I should have been the one to come to Warri and visit you at your palace but you chose to come to my office. That shows your uncommon humility. I was at your installation because I felt I must fulfil that assignment. I had no choice at all, particularly when you look at the history between Edo and Delta states.

“We are all one family and I thank God for what he has used you to achieve for our people. We pray that God will continue to strengthen you and give you the wisdom to pilot the affairs of your C M Y K

community to an enviable height. I congratulate you once again on your installation,” Ogiame, who spoke earlier, told the governor that he came to express his gratitude for the governor's presence at his

installation. “I have paid similar visit to Lagos State governor and other governors because it is not easy for you to abandon you busy schedule to attend the occasion.

“I want to thank you for the

assistance you have been rendering to Itsekiri sons and daughters resident in Edo State and I appeal to you to continue to accommodate all Itsekiri sons and daughters resident here as you have always done.”

Jubilation as Gbaramatu crowns Ogoba as 26th Pere

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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A R R I — GBARAMATU Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, home to embattled exmilitant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, yesterday, crowned Williams Ogoba as its 26th Pere.

Ogoba, of the Oboro Ruling House of Benekruku, who succeeds Chief Godwin Bebenimibo, Gbaran III, the 25th Pere who passed on 26 months ago, during which Chief P. Heavens served as regent, was crowned as HRM Oboro II, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom.

The tension that had engulfed the kingdom over Tompolo’s lingering face-off with the

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was overshadowed by wild celebration among subjects who moved from the various Gbaramatu communities to the Palace Square at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, where the installation took place.

The coronation started yesterday morning at Oporoza, with several rites culminating in his escort to the Gbaraun Egbesu Shrine, where he undertook more secret rites before the new monarch was presented to a large gathering of his subjects at the Royal Square.

“I present to you the 26th Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, HRM Oboro II,” Chief Godspower Gbenekama, the Bebenowei

(Chief Mobilizer) of Gbaramatu announced to a thunderous ovation from the crowd gathered to honour the monarch.

Gbenekama added, “We must at the success of another royal transition praise the immeasurable leadership of our dear son and pride of the Ijaw nation, Chief Ekpemukpolo (Tompolo) whose selfless sacrifices and contributions to the common good of the people underscores the peaceful selection and coronation we are witnessing today.”

Addressing his subjects in his palace where massive upgrade is on course, the new monarch, speaking in Ijaw, preached peace across the kingdom and with neighbours far and near. The monarch withdrew momentarily to return to the Gbaraun Egbesu Shrine were the rites continued.

Deaconess Nunu passes on

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EACONESS Gladys Adetoun Nunu, a former staff of Union Bank of Nigeria plc, is dead, aged 76.

The late Deaconess Nunu, a.k.a. Ogbodun, hailed from the Nunu family of Ugbege, Warri North LGA of Delta State and the families of Francis Ugiagbe Amayo of Ikhueniro of Uhunmwode LGA of Edo state and Johnson Nanna family of Koko, Warri North LGA.

Late Deaconess Nunu

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016—13

Amuka, Delta Speaker, others condole with Ibrus ....As Egbuwoku, Idisi, Asohro pay tribute

By Emmanuel Aziken, Festus Ahon & Godwin Oghre

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yesterday: “It is a painful death.

He was a personal friend and a very close political associate and as far as I know, he was talk na do. When he said something he did it. In his period as governor, he brought peace and stability to the state, and above all, he brought ethnic harmony amongst all ethnic groups in the state."

Also, pioneer Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Emmanuel Okoro, yesterday, said that the late Ibru laid the foundation for the development of Delta State as the first civilian governor of the state.

Okoro, in a statement said: “It is a reality that no man lives forever except you have the special grace of Almighty God. How I wish Ibru had that favour to see from year to year, the growth of Delta State which he served as the first elected governor after its disengagement from Bendel State on August 27, 1991."

Noting that Ibru lived a fulfilled life and contributed his quota to the overall development of Delta State and Nigeria in general, Okoro said, “We shall see you again on resurrection day by God’s grace in accordance with the scripture in John 5 : 28-29.”

Also, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ethiope federal constituency, Chief Lovette Idisi, described the death of Olorogun Ibru as great loss to Delta State and Nigeria.

Commiserating with the Ibru family, the Urhobo nation and

MINENT Delta State indigenes, among them, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Monday Igbuya, his deputy, Mr Friday Osanebi, have condoled with the family of the late Chief Felix Ibru who passed on this week at the age of 80.

In their separate statements, they described Felix Ibru’s death as a great loss to the people of Delta State in particular and Nigerians in general.

They described the late Ibru as "a father, a patriot and a political icon who laid the foundation of a state we can truly call our own, as first civilian governor of Delta State."

They also condoled with the President-General of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Chief Gabriel Ofotokun and the Urhobo nation, noting that Ibru’s death came at a time when his fatherly advice, contribution and ideas were most needed, adding that his very rich ideas would have come handy in the present socioeconomic and political uncertainties in the country.

Others who joined in condoling with the family and the Urhobo nation include the Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Amuka, the state Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Joyce Overah, the Commissioner incharge of Asaba International Airport, Mr Austin Ayemedejor, former Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Mr Godwin Atose, immediate past Commissioner for Transport, Ben Ibakpa, and current Chairman of Sapele LGA, Ejaife Odebala.

Sam Amuka, who spoke EACONESS Angelina Odiase through a member of his family in Sapele, Mr Ben (nee Aluebhose), mother Tobi, said: “We, however, of the Commanding take solace in the fact that Officer, NNS WEY, the late icon’s sojourn on Nigerian Navy, earth remains a huge Commodore Celestine blessing to humanity,” Odiase, is dead, aged adding that "Ibru was 87. among the very special She was a community people who made leader in Ukpogo-Ogwa significant and indelible in Esan-West Local contributions to the country Government Area in Edo State. and humanity.”

Also, elder statesman, Lying-in-state takes Chief Tom Egbuwoku, has place at her compound in mourned the late Olorogun Ukpogo-Ogwa on March Ibru, describing him as a 24, at 6p.m. Funeral worthy example for the upcoming political class to imitate.

Egbuwoku, who served as Whip in the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, in the House of Representatives between 1979 and 1983, in his condolence message, praised the late Ibru’s inclination to always do what he said.

Egbuwoku said, Late Deaconess Odiase

befitting burial to Olorogun Ibru, Deltans over the death, Idisi in committed to the well-being of enjoining the family to carry them a statement, said that the late his people in all spheres of life.

He said that the USF would along in the burial arrangements.

“Ibru was a father, a patriot and a political icon who laid the play active role in giving a foundation of a state we can truly call our own, as first civilian governor of Delta State.”

Noting that Ibru died at a time his fatherly advice, contribution and ideas were most needed in the country, he said, “We, however, take solace in the fact that the late icon left b e h i n d legacies to follow.”

The Chairman of U r h o b o Soliderity CONDOLENCE VISIT: From left: Amb. Patrick Dele Cole, Mr. Eddy Agbaroh Forum, USF, and Chief Goodie Ibru, during a condolence visit to late Olorogun Felix Chief Smith Asohro on his Ibru's family, at G.R.A IKeja, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez. p a r t , described the demise of Olorogun Ibru as painful and unexpected.

Asohro said Ibru, a worthy son and leader of the Urhobo, was

Commodore Odiase’s mum for burial

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service holds at the same venue on March 25, while interment follows immediately.

She is survived by her son, Commodore Celestine Odiase, Commanding Officer, NNS WEY, Ojo, Lagos, grandchildren and other relations.

14 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016—15

Abia Police begin man-hunt for killers of ABSU students •As Governor condemns killings

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By Anayo Okoli

MUAHIA—ABIA State Police Command has begun man-hunt for the persons behind the beheading of two level three undergraduates of Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State.

The Police Commissioner, Joshak Habilia dispatched crack detectives to investigate and fish out the culprits.

The Command’s spokesman, Onyeke Udeviotu, a deputy superintendent of Police, however said that no arrest has been made so far and appealed on the public to offer the police useful information to aid their investigation.

The victims, Nwigbo Chukwuebuka, a 300 hundred level student of Estate Management and Samuel Ethelbert, a third year student of Political Science were slaughtered Saturday night in their hostel located off-campus by persons suspected to be members of rival cult group.

Another person, Umeaforo Chigozirim, also a 300 level Political Science undergraduate sustained serious injuries resulting from machete cuts.

The killers, alleged to be members of Burkina Faso cult group were believed to be on a revenge mission over the death of their leader known as one

Collins Agwu, aka Biggy, said to have been killed recently by another cult group known as Mafia.

Abia Governor speaks

Meanwhile, Abia state Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has condemned the killing and cult violence in the university, saying that the gory picture of the two lifeless bodies with their heads severed has been a source of agony and mental

torture to all well-meaning people who have respect for the value of life.

In a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Mr. Godwin Adindu, the governor described the incident as a show of savagery which should not be identified with students who are going through a process of training in character and learning.

He lamented that such trend of violence was capable of

tarnishing the growing reputation of the institution as a topmost centre of academic excellence in Nigeria as attested by the performance of the students in the Nigerian Law School and in other national competitions and awards.

The governor warned that such dastardly acts perpetrated by students in the name of cult rivalry can no more be condoned in the tertiary institutions in the state, stressing that Abians are peaceloving people who have respect for the value of life.

LAUNCHING: From left: Mr. Ugo Umeseaka, MD, Aba Mega Mall; Ms. Oyinkan Adesanmi, Regional Manager Victoria Island, Skye Bank; Valentine Okelu, GM, Foods Division, May & Baker; Andrew Ikekhua, GM, Marketing, NEM Insurance, and Mr. John Ekwueme, Chief Channel Officer, Shopsmartdiscount.com, at the formal launch of Shopsmart Online Discount platform in Lagos, yesterday.

How FG spent N248bn on travels in 3 years —Minister's aide

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

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BUJA—OFFICIALS of the Federal Government spent N248 billion on travels between 2012 and 2014.

The Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance on Media, Mr. Festus Akanbi, who disclosed this in a statement, in Abuja, yesterday, said, however, that officials of the ministry have opened discussions with local and international airlines to secure discount through which about N4 billion could be saved this year.

“A review of government overhead expenditure for the period 2012 to 2014 showed that travel was the largest single expenditure item. ‘’A cumulative total of N248 billion, equivalent to about 18 per cent of total overhead expenditure, was spent on travel during the period.

“This translates to N83 billion per annum. At a conservative discount of 5 per cent on ticket prices,the estimated savings per annum is approximately N4 billion.

“To this end, the Efficiency Unit has engaged in negotiation and discussions with local and international airlines for discounts commensurate with C M Y K

the large number of ticket purchases made by government annually. ‘’The savings generated will increase funding available to the government for capital

investment,” he said.

He explained that given the large amount spent on travel, and consequently the significant potential for savings, it was imperative that the Efficiency

Unit prioritises travel as a key focus area for cost cutting and generation of savings.

Mr. Akanbi reiterated the commitment of the federal government to cut costs and promote fiscal prudence.

6 in court over murder of Abia monarch

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By Anayo Okoli

MUAHIA—SIX suspects have been arraigned in Court over the murder of Eze James Nwabeke, the traditional ruler of Ikeala Ahiaba autonomous community in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

The Public Relation Officer of Abia State Police Command, Udeviotu Onyeke, DSP, who disclosed this to Vanguard in a telephone chat, said he however, did not have the identity of the suspects yet.

The traditional ruler was last month killed in his palace and his body was mutilated by the gunmen.

His killers also inflicted serious machete injuries on his wife and daughter- in-law.

Though the reason for the killing was not known, the slain monarch was said to be getting ready for his coronation ceremony before the assassins

struck.

According to a resident of the sleepy community, “Eze Nwabeke is easy going and a peace loving man who has contributed immensely to the development of this community.

We wonder why someone will go to the extent of killing him”.

The Abia State police Commissioner, Mr. Joshak Habila who visited the palace after the ugly incident had vowed to bring the culprits to book.

ABIA NORTH:

‘Ohuabunwa’s victory, divine intervention,

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By Prince Osuagwu

MUAHIA—A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain and brother to the Senator representing Abia North senatorial district, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, has dismissed reports that his brother won the re-run of the Abia North senatorial election by rigging out former governor of the state, Chief Orji Kalu and his People’s Progressive Alliance, PPA, party.

Ohuabunwa challenged Kalu to go to court, if he has proof, noting that if he goes to court as he had threatened, he will have to explain to the court how he got up to 14300 votes in one LGABende, and over 5000 votes in one ward, Umuimenyi/Nkpa, which translates to almost 100 percent voters turnout, whereas the average voters turnout in the entire re-run was below 30 percent.

He described his younger brother’s victory as a divine intervention, urging the people to look at the detailed result of the election from the five councils that make up Abia North senatorial district to draw real facts, trends and abnormalities.

ThefiguresshowsthatinArochukwu, PDPpolled5083votes,APGA2266,PPA 3599 and APC 97 votes, making a total of11,280. InOhafia,PDPrecorded 6101, APGA 3469, PPA 3733 and APC 222 votes, making a total of 13,592 votes.

InIsuikwuato,PDP,3306votes,APGA 1714, PPA 2304 and APC, 36 votes, totalling 7,451 votes.

InUmunneochi,PDPgot5824,APGA 3768, PPA 1878 and APC 269 making a total of 11,781 votes.

Meanwhile, in Bende, while PDP scooped 5695 votes, APGA 2416, PPA polled 14,300 and APC 232 totalling 22,736 valid votes cast Hesaid:“Allthepartieshad somewhat evenspreadacrosseachcouncilsexcept PPA’svotesinBende.PDPscoresranged between a low of 3306 in Isuikwuato to a high of 6101 in Ohafia; APGA votes rangedfromalowof1714inIsuikwuato to a high of 3728 in Umunneochi; APC votes ranged from a low of 36 votes in Isuikwuato to a high of 269 in Umunneochi."

EZE NDIGBO LAGOS: Ohanaeze disowns

Nwachukwu

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By Clifford Ndujihe

AGOS—THE apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has disowned Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu over his claims that he has been the authentic Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State since 1999.

Ohanaeze President-General, Chief Enwo Igariwey, in a telephone chat with Vanguard, said Eze Hyacinth Ohazuluike, remains the chairman of the council of Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State with Eze Nwachukwu as member.

Nwachukwu had in a press statement, last week, dismissed media reports affirming Ohazulike as chairman of the council as false and insisted that he is the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos.

Faulting Nwachukwu, the Ohanaeze president-general said the umbrella body of Igbo groups set up the Chief Guy Ikokwu-led committee that drew up guidelines for installation of Igbo cultural leaders in the Diaspora. And that a meeting in Lagos where the issues were discussed that Nwachukwu and Ohazulike were there and both embraced after agreeing that Ohazulike will chair

the council for two years because he has been leading for many years.

After him, the position will be rotated for a term of four years.

Asked his take on Nwachukwu’s claims and whether the Ikokwu-led committee had the backing of Ohanaeze, Igariwey said: ‘’Yes, the Ikokwu committee has Ohanaeze’s backing. We set up that committee and they are doing a great job.

Nwachukwu was at the meeting of the Ezes in Lagos. I was there. They (Nwachukwu and Ohazulike) agreed not to be fighting over Eze Igbo Lagos.

"They can rotate it. There are six groups. They could do election and rotate it after a term of four years."

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 , 2016

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor, Babajide Komolafe, Abdulsalam Muhammad, Luka Binniyat, Anayo Okoli & Francis Igata

2016 BUDGET:

Senate allocates N10bn to IDPs in North East

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AGOS—INFLATIONARY pressure in Nigeria’s economy has hit double digit, upstaging major monetary policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, February report released yesterday indicated that Consumer Price Index, CPI, which measures inflation recorded a significant uptick with the headline index increasing by 11.4 per cent yearon-year, roughly 1.76 percentage points higher from 9.6 per cent recorded in January.

The new figure is at a twoyear high last seen in December 2012 while the pace of acceleration has been one of the fastest in decades.

The February inflation figure also showed a massive overrun of CBN’s inflation tolerance limit of 9.0 per cent while upstaging the apex bank’s monetary policy strategy of price and exchange rate stability.

In line with its statutory mandate of price and exchange rate stability as well as the bid to stem the inflationary pressure which had pressed on since first quarter 2015, CBN lowered the benchmark interest rate by 2.0 percentage points to 11 per cent in November last year while placing administrative controls over exchange rate volatility in its official window, thus ensuring no major change in the exchange rate at N199/ USD1 even as parallel market rates rose as high as N400/ USD1 before moderating to N320/USD1 last week.

But in its report yesterday NBS indicated the obvious impact of foreign exchange rate crises on inflation indicating that rather than the CBN’s stable official exchange rate, the economy actually runs on parallel market rates reflecting in upwards movement in the general price levels.

In the report NBS stated, “the All-Items-Less-Farm-Produce or Core sub-index, also increased at a faster pace in February as imported items as well as other domestic shocks resulted in ripple effects across many divisions that contribute to the Core. The index increased by 11.0 per cent in February, roughly 2.2 percentage points from rates recorded in January.

“Imported food items as well as other necessary inputs to producing key local staples such as bread continue to drive the food index higher,” NBS stated.

Prices increased across all sectors

According to the NBS report, “the faster pace of increases which led to the overall increase in the headline index were

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

VISIT: From left: Secretary, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency, LASIMRA, Yemisi Oyeneye,; GM/CEO, LASIMRA, Mr Babajide Odekunle; Director, Technical Standard & Network Integrity, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Mr. Fidelis Onah; and Deputy Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Reuben Muoka, during LASIMRA's visit to the NCC in Abuja.

Inflation rate hits double digit, worst in 3yrs •Parallel forex rate drives inflation •Bond market crashed by inflation report recorded across almost all major divisions which contribute to the headline index with the exception of the Restaurants and Hotels division which increased, albeit at a slower pace.”

On a month-on-month basis, the headline index increased at a faster pace in February relative to January. The index increased by 2.3 per cent in February, roughly 1.4 percentage points from rates recorded in January, as all divisions that contribute to the index increased with the exception of the Restaurants and Hotels division increasing at a slower pace.

On a month-on-month basis, both the Urban and Rural indices increased at a faster pace, as the Urban index increased by 3.0 per cent in February from 0.9 per cent in January, while the Rural index increased by 1.8 per cent from 0.9 per cent in January.

The implications by Economy analysts

Reacting to the inflation developments yesterday,

economists at Afrinvest West Africa, a Lagos based investment house, said “the record high Headline and sub-indices numbers were above our forecast but much in line with our expectation that inflation would remain broadly driven by structural supply-side/cost-push factors.

“This is likely to cause political backlash on the fiscal side and put question on the current monetary policy thrust of the CBN which appears to have given up the objective of price stability for an “induced” FX stability, trade protectionism and stimulating domestic manufacturing growth.’’

Vanguard retail price checks

In several cities across the country prices of staple food items have increased significantly since this year with the traders complaining that exchange rate spike is also affecting them even when some of the commodities are local produce.

Kano

According to a market spot check conducted in some selected markets in the Kano city, a bag of satchet water that sold for N60 a few weeks ago, now cost N80.

Similarly, a bag of foreign rice that used to go for N10, 000 is now selling for N15. 000, while local rice now sells at N8, 000, up from N5, 000.

Kaduna

In Kaduna, a measure of beans (derica) which sold for N200 in December, now sells for N350. Also a similar measure of imported rice rose from N350 in December to N450 at present. Similarly, Garri increased from N150 per measure to N250. Price of groundnut oil rose marginally from N250 per bottle to N280.

Umuahia

In Umuahia, the Abia State capital, prices of commodities ranging from beverages to toiletries, have also gone up significantly. Also prices of local food items have gone up.

Prices of items such as Milo, Bournvita, detergents have increased by between 15 and 25 per cent and the sellers blamed it on the rise in exchange rate.

Why fuel scarcity may persist —NUPENG

By Ediri Ejoh & Prince Okafor

L

AGOS—The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has said that the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country may persist until the Federal Government takes effective action on petroleum products availability.

The declaration comes even as independent oil marketers and other private petroleum products operators insist that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation,

NNPC, is running a monopolistic system.

President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese, told Vanguard, “Clearly from the perspective of our own study, in as much we are concerned with the current situation we find ourselves, scarcity will continue.

However, like we rightly said, if Federal Government is having a political will to address these issues, definitely, we will get out of this quagmire. For now, I’m sure we will still continue to find ourselves in where we are.

“NNPC, through its Products and Pipeline Marketing Company, PPMC, subsidiary is trying everything possible to see that this scarcity issue is resolved, but it also requires the commitment of all stakeholders.”

Regarding the loading of products at the depots of PPMC and other marketers, he argued that, “It is not an issue of Capital Oil, or Mosimi, it is an issue of the process. We need to change our approach, we need to change our structure in terms of the way and manner we carry out these operations.”

BUJA—THE Senate, yesterday, mandated its Committee on Appropriation to allocate the sum of N10 billion under service wide vote for the relocation and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons,IDPs, returning to Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

The Red Chamber also urged the National Emergency Management Agency,NEMA, and the Refugees Commission to make special arrangement for repatriation and resettlement of Nigerian refugees in Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

But the Senate asked the committee to include IDPs in Taraba,Plateau,BenueandNasarawa statesasbeneficiariesintheallocated amount.

The Senate action was sequel to a motion,tagged:“Interimfinancialand material support/assistance to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, returnees in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states”, presented for consideration during plenary by the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume,APC, Borno South and eight others from Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

The managers of the Victim Support Fund have been directed aswelltoallocatereasonableamount ofmoneyfromthefundforimmediate relocation and resettlement of the IDPs,pendingtheshortandmedium term plans they may have.

Ezinne Selina Ugwunna for burial

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HE REMAINS of Ezinne Selina Nnenta Sunday Ugwunna, Nee Nwoke Okeke, 81, will be laid to rest Friday, in Amaba Ikputu, Azukaba, Oboro, Ikwano Local Government Area, Umuahia, Abia State She died January 15, 2016.

According to statement by Mrs. Grace Nneoma Chinke, her Christian wake keep holds tomorrow at same venue, while thanksgiving service takes place Sunday, March 20.

She is survived by seven children and many relations, including Mrs. Grace Nneoma Chinke.

Late Ezinne Selina Ugwunna

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 —17

O

UR political history has seen a succession of opportunistic characters appealing to our base instincts to secure power and quick wins. As an American novelist, Henry Adams once put it, politics is “the systematic organisation of hatreds.”

Leaders engineered a winner takes all economy, implanted their stooges and fronts to represent them at the head of companies which exist only to do business with government, rather than provide any real market worthy, competitive services.

They made sure the system they had now rigged in their favour fully belonged to them, so that even when attempts at liberalisation or privatisation were made, they were the only ones with access to the funds to buy whatever asset was on sale.

Besides the obvious lack of understanding of the power reforms which necessitated a hike in prices, the fact that virtually all the power holding companies seem to involve, or to be backed by, in one form or another, past political office holders and generals, didn’t help to inspire public confidence.

tprincewill@yahoo.co.uk

STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

A cartel against the common good

New business opportunity Are they equipped to efficiently run these companies, or did they simply believe this new business opportunity would allow quick returns? Beyond the vandals destroying infrastructure or the lack of gas which prohibited the proper functioning of the DISCOS and GENCOS, we must begin to look at our distorted political and economic system where both political and economic power are bought, then remain concentrated in the hands of a few who cannot even do us the favour, for all their supposed might, of running the system properly.

As I have said numerous times in this column, Libya, Saudi Arabia and many other countries in the Arab world are not democracies. Yet, they boast of free education, healthcare, good roads and social security. What we could have achieved if our oil wealth during boom periods hadn’t been so chillingly looted is anyone’s guess. What we could also have done, without the financial bur-

den of 36 states is also left to the collective imagination. We were ruthlessly manipulated by clever politicians into believing that more states would mean more representation and development.

All it did was give us more governors, deputies, house of assembly members, retinues of aides,

Our politics has been a combination of self-regarding tactics, where leaders only engage in activities that grant them huge personal payoffs

ARCELO Odebre cht, the former CEO of Brazil’s largest construction company was convicted a few days ago of corruption and money laundering. He was sentenced to 19 years in pris-

*Lula and Dilma Rousseff

Positions of authority The reason why so many states do not function correctly is simply because they have the wrong people in positions of authority.

Let us all stop screaming or wishing for Buhari’s magic wand to change our reality and rather question those closest to us whose job it is to do so in very real, incremental ways which we would immediately feel if said people were up to the task.

But then again, we vote for the people the parties present, and we are caught, many times, between the devil and the deep blue sea, asking ourselves “which candidate is worse or would do the most harm” rather than who is the best.

I firmly believe we must begin to rethink meritocracy in Nigeria and examine how talent pools are created and maintained abroad so that when parties recruit, they go to serious-minded, efficient individuals rather than those with experience in hooliganism or fraud.

Senator Ali Ndume

Lula

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advisors, commissioners etc. Only in Nigeria would an aide’s personal assistant also have his or her own assistant, paid for by the government, often a family member, useless to the people’s cause but happy to milk the federation dry.

I’ve often called for us to emulate France, a country that merged several of its regions in order to face up to economic challenges and avoid the burden of costly state administrations. Et tu, Nigeria?How does it make sense for a country such as ours, grappling with crippling poverty, to spend almost 80% of our revenue on accommodating, as the current Emir of Kano and former Central Bank Governor said, one million public officers at the expense of over 160 million Nigerians. Let’s not forget that governors, for example, besides their

salaries, pay themselves huge amounts upon leaving office for the rest of their lives, while residents of their states collect puny pensions, if at all. If only our governors’ performance were commensurate with their salaries, then we would be the most developed nation on earth. Nigerian politicians are skilled manipulators of ethno-religious identities for their personal gain and we continuously fall into their trap.

Our politics has been a combination of self-regarding tactics, where leaders only engage in activities that grant them huge personal payoffs. But in all critics’ talk of Buhari’s travels (a grossly misunderstood issue) and his agenda, no one ever asks what our state governors and local government chairmen are doing.

We misunderstand the whole point of a Federal system which is supposed to bring government closer to the people through governors and local government actors. We are yet to query any of them as to the proper use of the bailout funds or as to any of their activities for that matter.

Commissioning schools and boreholes, or in the case of Governor Fayose, buying food from children who should be in school, is not enough, it is an insult to our collective intelligence and aspirations. Our local councils do not make the best use of our money nor do they share power with the communities they are supposed to serve, which defeats the purpose of their very existence.

Now, what do councils normally do? Controlling where new houses and other buildings are built, making sure they meet safety requirements, providing for leisure centres to keep young people away from drugs or other nefarious activities, providing services for families, children and the disadvantaged, waste management, maintaining roads, cleaning the streets, supervising schools and most of all connecting with communities, being open to suggestions and giving power to them by enabling them, for example, to get involved in how services are delivered.

We can all agree in most cases, this is hardly done. As for audits of our local governments and citizen’s ability to scrutinise how funds are spent, we can also agree that, perhaps, the greatest transparency issue within the federation today occurs at that level. So, besides creating and mediatising kingpin governors who were virtually unknown before their elections, what are we going to do about this political class or political economy where public office is a kingship rather than a call to service? Will we continue to pay the cartel to impoverish us?

on in order to send a strong signal to the business community that bribery and corruption wouldn’t be tolerated. Odebrecht was reportedly close to former President Lula and his party. The investigation revealed the business community routed cash gifts to party leaders through executives at the state oil company Petrobas. Brazilians supported the move to rid their system of bribery: why can’t we?

T

HE Senate, as an insti Senate President, Bukola Sartution, is one of our big- aki to marry a second wife. It gest problems. Most see it as a would be interesting to hear retirement home for governors Toyin Saraki’s views. Ndume who add their senator’s salary proffers polygamy as a solution to the huge benefits they con- to women’s problems, on Intertinue to receive as former gov- national Women’s Day, of all ernors. With little impact on days. Nigerian women are conpolicy making beyond obstructing reform, it isn’t surprising that rather than take on child marriages, the Senate would discuss men taking on a second wife. Ali Ndume, the Senate Leader, curiously said he was advised by the Senator Ali Ndume

stantly objectified, but it is most embarrassing that our Senators’ public utterances are continuously haphazard, bordering on illogical. After Dino Melaye’s incongruous onslaught on foreign wives, one must ask if there is a shortage of issues for the Senate to debate. Poor Nigeria, at the mercy of those who have made themselves into court entertainers.

*Tabia Princewill is a strategic communica- tions consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the cohost and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 FOLLOWING the steep slide of crude oil prices from $140 per barrel in 2013 to the current trading level at just below $40 per barrel, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN made bold, proactive moves to protect the economy from spiralling into chaos.

First of all, the CBN sought to preserve our foreign reserves and stablize the value of the Naira by prohibiting the sale of foreign exchange for the importation of items that can be produced in Nigeria. It also strove to make foreign exchange available to manufacturers to import machinery and other intermediate goods to keep their production lines running. The Bank is at the forefront of the current drive to look inwards, dump the national mania for imported products and redirect efforts to “made in Nigeria” goods.

These measures have ensured that the foreign reserves have remained steady at just below 30 billion US Dollars, thus holding up Nigeria’s credit

Embracing “Made in Nigeria” worthiness among our international trade partners.

We are expecting the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Finance, to immediately unfold a national economic agenda that will mobilise all sectors of the economy to embrace the “Made in Nigeria” campaign. This it can do by first of all enunciating a robust fiscal policy support to complement the CBN’s efforts at managing the foreign exchange, inflation and interest rates.

We are disappointed that the socalled Economic Team headed by Vice

President Yemi Osinbajo, has not shown its hands to guide the drivers of the various sectors of the economy to confront the challenges posed by the oil glut. It was this lack of spark that prompted concerned Nigerians like Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, to call for an emergency economic conference, which the Federal Government has accepted in principle to do.

The Federal Government must unleash its various arms to key into the “Made in Nigeria” drive. The Nigerian Customs Service NCS must

re,double its efforts to plug the entry points to ensure that unpatriotic Nigerian traders and their foreign collaborators do not undermine the inward-looking measures. This it can do through the imposition of stringent import tariffs to discourage importation.

Happily, the National Assembly has shown its eagerness to play a leading role in the “Made in Nigeria” initiative through the application of appropriate legislative measures. Nigerians must do away with import dependency. They must consume what they produce as well as produce what they consume. That is the only way to increase productivity, diversify the economy and provide jobs for our teeming jobless youth.

When that happens, the rate of crimes will come down and Nigeria will be economically prosperous and politically stable. Let us see this economic crisis as an opportunity to escape import dependency.

OPINION The coming anarchy

By Ayodele Adio

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HEN Robert Kaplan penned the highly popularised article in 1994, “The coming anarchy”, his gift of clairvoyance was vehemently criticised by various African scholars and politicians who believed strongly in the spirit of Africanism. 22 years after the publication, many of the African countries sighted in that piece are yet to reverse the dooms day prophesy hung over them. Kaplan didn’t mix words when he captured the fragility of the Nigerian state, in his words, “The country is becoming increasingly ungovernable. Ethnic and regional splits are deepening, a situation made worse by an increase in the number of states from 19 to 30 and a doubling in the number of local governing authorities; religious cleavages are more serious; Muslim fundamentalism and evangelical Christian militancy are on the rise; and northern Muslim anxiety over southern [Christian] control of the economy is intense . . . the will to keep Nigeria together is now very weak.”

The notoriety of the Nigerian state to constantly shift the burden, abdicate its responsibilities, vulgarise its institutions and politicise governance have amalgamated to produce the current harsh socio-economic reality, threatening the very existence of our nationhood. A one sided view of this national malaise as solely economic is even more frightening than the predictions of political pundits of a coming anarchy. The reason is simple,

the overlapping interests between politics and economics along with its concomitant effects in such a hugely diversified country is crucial to its growth and stability. It isn’t bad policies in itself that has ruined us, it is bad politics.

I dare to state that irrespective of the urgency in our economy, it is only a political reform that can redeem us from the coming anarchy. Nations, however resourceful can achieve very little in the absence of peace and security, it is thus safe to say that good and altruistic politics will more often lead to good economics. One question that needs to be asked, however, is whether Nigeria is a failed state? Or is Nigeria merely a geographical expression as the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo postulated? More so, can Nigeria as currently structured make any significant leap towards inclusive socioeconomic development? Your guess is as good as mine.

One hardly needs the medulla of a professor to observe the obvious, Nigeria is in a hole and would not stop digging.

Nothing forces us closer to the coming anarchy more than the structure of governance and the current wave of insecurity. These two supposedly mutually exclusive issues seem to have

It isn’t bad policies in itself that has ruined us, it is bad politics

found a point of convergence in our nation.

It is the epileptic structure of governance as currently ran that feeds the growing state of insecurity. Even the blind can see that the Nigerian state isn’t held by a constitution, a shared value nor a common interest but by an annoyingly exhaustible commodity, oil. At the risk of repetition, this nation isn’t short of brilliant ideas to galvanise it to the promise land but politics have refrained us from finding the courage to execute such ideas. One example clearly stands out; it is common knowledge that shrinking the size and power at the centre and allowing states and local government more autonomy (and resource control) is the sine qua nun for rapid economic development. This structural shift is only simplistic in theory because in practice the recommendation is dead on arrival. Why? Because politicians are either too greedy or intellectually bankrupt to allow the South-South enjoy the largess of oil wealth while they struggle with states that hardly can meet overheads. But for politicians, why should a clearly unviable state be allowed to exist? The merger in the banking industry was pivotal in strengthening the obviously weak institution that ordinarily would have gone under. Rather than have states nag why don’t they simply merge.

No they won’t, because the cake would become too small for politicians to share, the larger the merrier. Without a doubt, Nigerians have become the instruments of government and not the purpose, we have become pawns in the hands of politicians satisfying only their interests.

My exasperation about the denial of the Nigerian state and its modus operandi is

nothing compared to my fear of the return of Usman Danfodio (A Fulani warlord that unseated the Hausas from the north and hijack power). Between 2010 and 2013, three thousand people were reportedly killed by Fulani herdsmen. Between January and July last year, the police reported the death of 621 people in the hands of this dreaded militia, and this year alone over 7000 people have been displaced from their homes. It is quite intriguing to note that no arrest was ever made neither have the security agencies repelled any attack. People are being raped on their farms in Enugu, displaced from their homes in Benue, murdered in Jos, held captive in Nassarawa yet there isn’t a plan of action to arrest this ugly trend.

The usual rhetoric of condemning such acts and setting up an investigative committee to submit its recommendation have only seen the issue blown out of proportion. How many more reports would we need to take decisive action? What irks me the most is that the medieval tendencies of these herdsmen hardly arrests national attention. For what it is worth, it is a national emergency, one that threatens the fabric of the nation far more than the fall in oil prices.

If we fail to address the aforementioned issues, it won’t be long before we start living in Dr. Kaplan’s world of anarchy.

In the words of Romauld Hazoume “They did not know where they were going but they knew where they came from. Today we do not know where we are going and we have forgotten where we came from.”

•Mr. Adio, is the executive director of Become Change Institute, Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016—19 —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Women and the struggle for gender parity

By Deborah Adeojo

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ANY of those close to me accuse me of being a feminist but that’s an assumption that depends on one’s definition of the term.

Personally, I have struggled with finding where I fit in in this sphere, so I chose to do away with the concept and focus more on the cause which is of greater importance than definitions and personal interpretations.

For those who bother to ask, I tell them that I am what I call “an accidental feminist”. This is simply because my interest in issues of gender marginalisation and equality was an unconscious development.

As a young girl, I had my fair chance to become what I wanted to be. I grew up without the consciousness of any deprivation that bothers on the structure of my genitals. This is not the experience of many girls in Nigeria, even Africa.

Being a year younger than my elder brother, we pretty much had almost equal treatment at home, and if there was any form of marginalisation, I was

either at the advantaged end or practically wasn’t paying any attention.

Here in Africa, domestic chores are a big deal and when it comes to domestic relevance, the girl child is put to more work. That’s not my story. My brother and I had our fair share of chores. In fact, now that I think of it, I think he did more.

Also, the fact that our mum’s a superwoman who’s too functional around the house made me unaware of any pressure to perform. By the time I was nine years old, I left for a boarding secondary school so I wasn’t really aware of the situation at home any more.

Boarding school was quite different. It was a same-sex school so I had NO cause to be marginalised or limited because of my gender. Every limitation I experienced was a reflection of the limitations hidden in the content of my character, skills, talents and abilities. So, when I didn’t make it to the list of school prefects, or ever become a class captain, or function on the sports team or ever really applied myself to extracurricular activities, it

wasn’t because I was a girl.

Academically, I played it safe in between and the only time I was applauded for leading my class it was in food and nutrition. Yet, every other person who made it to the top in any subject was a girl, just like me. There was no gender preference, there couldn’t have been.

University was a bit different; I had to deal with boys. Yet, I cannot really say that I was ever marginalised because I didn’t even allow anyone to make the attempt. I had no interest in anything else in school apart from my academics and church. Yes, I graduated with the second best grade in my class and even that had nothing to do with me being a girl because the student who led the class with two points ahead of me was in fact a girl. The boys? They didn’t even make it to the first five. Now, you must be wondering where I caught the cold of gender-based

The world is NOT a fair place and we humans made it so, not God. And if we are ever going to make it fair, which is not even a debatable choice, we have to undo the trend we have created and encouraged for centuries

Saraki: Endless saga of proving innocence by evading trial OES Senate President Bukola Saraki would induce Saraki and his army of believe he is innocent of the charges of SANs to accept the all-important goal of D false and anticipatory assets declaration filed establishing innocence through a prompt

against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal?

If so, why has he chosen a most curious, if not downright dubious, manner of proving it? It is now half a year since he took his plea of “not guilty,”though not before a bench warrant for his arrest was issued to compel him to attend court.Yes, he agreed to declare his innocence only on pain of imprisonment. But that was only the beginning of the intriguing steps Saraki has taken since then to clear his name.

Rather than be impatient for the commencement of trial so he could be vindicated in the shortest possible time, Saraki elected to corral every willing and able senior advocate of Nigeria—66 of them at last count—to erect the most formidable obstruction to justice money can buy.

As far as judicial obstructions go, any one founded on jurisdiction is a veritable mountain, especially when pursued all the way to the Supreme Court and back.

The Code of Conduct Tribunal, Saraki’s army of senior advocates averred, lacked jurisdiction to try him because it was constituted by two members (the chairman and one other), instead of three (chairman and two others) as required by the enabling Act. Furthermore, that the charges were not endorsed, having been filed when there was no sitting Attorney-General. Lastly, that Saraki’s arraignment is just a judicial cover for political persecution. The law gives the persecuted or maliciously prosecuted a remedy in tort, but not even that assurance

and speedy trial. So off to the Court of Appeal they went when the tribunal rightly asserted its jurisdiction. And when the Court of Appeal upheld the tribunal, off to the Supreme Court they went. On February 5, 2016, the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed Saraki’s appeal.

With forum competence determined, you thought,Saraki and his army of SANs would finally welcome the commencement of trial. After all, they had gone to the end of the judicial world in Nigeria because they would prove innocence only before a properly constituted court, you were willing to concede. Alas, the jurisdiction battle will be waged all over again! And so on the fixed day of trial, Saraki’s reconstituted army of SANs, this time led by former

It is beyond doubt now that Saraki has absolutely no desire to have the state prove his loudly proclaimed innocence simply by letting its false charges collapse in court

inequality, well, the virus has always been around.

Honestly, the classroom can be a fair place if you are lucky enough to get in. The home can also be a fair place if your parents have some measure of understanding. But, the world we live in is NOT a fair place and we humans made it so, not God. I have observed through my journey that when it comes to leadership, the man in crowd is always found most suitable.

People generally have a default belief that men are natural leaders. Some even think that leadership skills and abilities are genetically formed and gender-assigned. Overtime, it had become a norm that if ever a woman was considered to lead, she’s to serve in a supporting role to the man whose birthright is the helm.

So, she’ll either be a vice or a secretary or some form of assistant.

This trend encourages the notion that the woman can only help, she can’t be in charge. Therefore, by default, key leadership roles have over the years been reserved for men whether they have the skill and resource to pull it off or they don’t.

Sometimes I think it’s psychological. I think it is sad that at this stage of our evolution, our society still thinks that if a man is in power he automatically commands more authority. It’s pathetic that some still believe that the depth of your voice, height, sex is what will deliver the required results and get the job done.

Well, we’ve tried that theory for centuries, has it worked? Then, we have the religious folk who believe that God didn’t intend leadership for women. It makes me wonder if they’ve ever read

or heard of Deborah. What then makes a human fit for leadership? Is it their ability to lead based on possessed skills, exposure, resources and experiences or, well, gender?

I say it again, the world is NOT a fair place and we humans made it so, not God. And if we are ever going to make it fair, which is not even a debatable choice, we have to undo the trend we have created and encouraged for centuries. I personally know that there is more to every woman than shoes, weaves, milk and chores.

I have seen, followed, and read about women who have broken down boundaries of limitations internationally and in their communities. And with Hillary Clinton now standing for election in America, everyone, male or female, can one day hope to be truly free.

More on this later, but before that let me illustrate my point a bit. Economics has never been my forte neither has math but some elementary lessons have never left me. One of them is the lesson on the barter system of trade where one good can be used as equivalent exchange for another good. Now, these two goods may be different in size, shape, function, weight, model, yet by some measurement scale they are equivalent to each other and fit for fair exchange. In other words, though they are different, they are equal.

To be continued

*Deborah Adeojo, is a broadcaster and writer of the blog #Shewrites. She sent in this piece from Ibadan to celebrate the International Womens’s Day

AttorneyGeneral, Kanu Agabi, ambushed the prosecution with a fresh Motion on Notice asking the tribunal, once again, to decline its validly asserted jurisdiction now affirmed by the Supreme Court! The motion was knowingly served on the justice ministry when the whole world is aware that the said ministry is represented by counsel on record in the case. The aim, of course, was to stall by any means necessary, fair or foul but mostly foul,the commencement of trial.

And not for just one day. If the tribunal falls for the trap of disregarding the clear intent of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act to hear this frivolous motion, and re-asserts the tribunal’s jurisdiction, then Saraki and his army of SANs will proceed post-haste to the Court of Appeal. And thence to the Supreme Court. And then back to the tribunal where another reconstituted army of SANs would file yet another Motion on Notice in flagrant abuse of court process to prolong the circus of proving innocence by preventing the very opportunity of doing so!

I do not possess the unfathomable brilliance of Saraki and his army of SANs, so in my column of September 23, 2015 entitled “Were I Senate President Bukola Saraki, I would Resign Today!” I foolishly urged him to do otherwise. I said, “if I were Saraki, knowing that my reputation and moral authority have been grossly tainted, I would jump at the opportunity to restore my name. I would go to any

court or tribunal, any forum, properly constituted, to prove my innocence. I would spurn my lawyers’ well-laid obstruction strategy sure to delay my day of vindication. After all, their best outcome can only be legal victory in the stifled courtroom but assured conviction in the open court of public opinion. I would say to my lawyers: ‘And while you file motions upon motions and cripple the court, how shall I regain the respect and trust of my peers and my party for the serious business of nation-building?

What will the people think of me while you grin in self-satisfaction over your cleverness?’”

Obviously, my presumption of integrity and a desire for exoneration on the part of Saraki, even if only made rhetorically, was simply too generous. It is beyond doubt now that Saraki has absolutely no desire to have the state justify him simply by letting the allegedly false charges collapse in court. He would much rather destroy the integrity of parliament and government by hiding the legislative gavel in the folds of his agbadas and taking it with him in and out of the dock, in and out of every court in the land,than resign as Senate president. It is time the judiciary, if it is to salvage any of its battered image, put an end to this ridiculous but well-laid strategy of evading trial.

20 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

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FG inaugurates $1m investment, technology partnership with UNIDO

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LAUNCHING: From left, Mr. Akinsola Akinfemiwa, Chairman, Heritage Bank; Brig- Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC; Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN; Dr Sarah Alade, Deputy Governor, Econonmic, CBN at the launch of the CBN/NYSC youth innovative enterpreneuurship development programme (YIEDP), in Abuja.

n collaboration with the United Nations International Developemnt Organisation, the Federal Government, yesterday, launched the first N300m Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Nigeria.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who described the development as timely, explained that the move would accelerate the industrial revolution mantra of the Buhari administation while supporting the diversification of the Nigerian economy.

Discussing the benefits of the ITPO to the country, the minister said it would attract beneficial and technologically based Foreign Direct Investments and Local Direct Investments into Nigeria,

OPS kicks against exclusion from Economic Management Team headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

HE Organised Private Other members of the team sector, OPS, has criti- includes the Chief of Staff to cized the non-representation of the President, Alhaji Kyari; their members on the Federal Deputy Chief of Staff Ade Govern-ment’s Economic Ipaye; Minister of Budget and Management Team.

National Planning Senator The OPS comprises Udoma Udo Udoma; Minister NACCIMA, MAN, NASME, of Finance Kemi Adeosun, NECA, NASSI and NESG. Minister of State for Petroleum Vanguard learnt that the Ibe Kachikwu; Minister of current economic management Trade and Investment team of President Okechukwu Enelamah; GoverMuhammadu Buhari is nor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele and the Director-General of the Debt Management Office $125. 00 -0.60 (DMO).

Reacting to this de$3,005.00 -38.00 velopment, Chief Dr Bassey Edem National President- NACCIMA, noted: “Thank you very much Vanguard for raising this issue. It is $38. 51 -1.02 a shame that Nigeria is said to have an Economic Team with no representative from the CURRENCY BUYING SELLING Organized Private SecUS DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 tor.

277. 4968 278 . 2047 278. 9126 POUNDS “We in NACCIMA 217. 4816 218. 0364 218. 9126 EURO sent a memo to Presi198. 3806 198. 8866 199. 3927 FRANC 1.7362 1.7406 1.7451 YEN dent Buhari when the 0.3131 0.3231 0. 3331 CFA Team was being consti272. 8283 273. 5198 274. 2158 WAUA tuted but there was no 30. 0909 30. 1681 30.2453 RENMINBI response. I even raised 52. 3916 52. 3916 52.5249 RIYAL 28.7761 28.8495 28.923 KRONA the issue during NESG Economic Summit Round Table session CBN Exchange rate as at 15/03/2016 with Vice President

By Franklin Alli

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C M Y K

Osibajo in attendance yet no action. The Economic Team is for Nigeria as a whole and not just for the Public Sector. It is still not too late to co-opt the Organized Private Sector into it, especially NACCIMA which is the “Voice of Nigerian Business “to balance it up,” he said.

The president of Sapele Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Prince David Iweta, also said that he was surprised that the current economic team of the federal government doesn’t encompass the private sector.

“Even when in the past they

What this administration is doing is to constantly engage representatives of the private sector

have members of the OPS on the team, they don’t consult the OPS members before they take decision; this is why there have been policy shocks because governments always take us by surprise.

As for me, I have resolved to no longer attend seminars called by governments because they end up as paper –tigers.

Who are the ones to diversify the economy- is the ministers in Abuja, is the directors of CBN or the foreign speakers; the answer is no.

Economic management team It is those who are already involved in agriculture, mining, manufacturing as private sector.

However, in a statement, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, explained that unlike what obtained in the past, Buhari’s administration did not make anybody from the private sector a member of the economic management team.

“The economic management is a government affair. Unlike in the past when private sector individuals were made members of the economic management team; what this administration is doing is to constantly engage representatives of the private sector,” he said.

adding that the African continent stood to benefit from the Office as its services would be extended to ECOWAS member states.

Nigeria has all it takes “Nigeria has all it takes to drive and sustain the activities of the Office at home and abroad,” the minister said, adding that the country ’s large market, natural resources, agricultural endowment and skilled labour would drive and sustain the activities of the ITPO. He said the ITPO would collaborate with relevant Nigerian MDAs to enhance and drive efforts for attracting investment, acquiring and promoting access to technology, developing the small and medium scale enterprises through capacity building and cluster development.

The minister called for the establishment of a league between UNIDO ITPO Nigeria and existing ITPO networks in Italy, China, Baharain, Russia, Japan and South Korea.

The ITPO Coordinator at the Investment Promotion Division of UNIDO, Ms Lucia Cartini, said the choice of Nigeria as the spot for launching the lead ITPO office was a joint decision of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and member states of UNIDO, adding that it was based on the consideration of Nigeria as the country with enormous ability to drive and sustain the project.

Nigeria largest economy in Africa “Nigeria was chosen not only because Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa, but also because there is abundant human and material resources to feed the sustainability needs of the ITPO,” she said, adding that the country offered excellent opportuites, especially in the non-oil sector of the economy.

According to her, the fact that the price of oil is falling in the international market has made it instructional for the country to urgently begin a rigorous develoment of its non-oil sector.

This, she said, would save the Nigerian economy from collapsing.

22 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Market operators are of the opinion that unless the federal government puts its seal on these compulsory insurances, Nigerians will find it difficult to embrace them the way they have embraced the CPS

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Agili to oversee continued growth in Royal Exchange

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R. Benjamin Agili, the new Managing Director of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company is set to oversee the continued growth and expansion drive of the company, as the company seeks to be amongst the top five general insurance companies operating in Nigeria.

Agili was recently appointed by the Board of Directors of Royal Exchange Plc, as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Royal Exchange General Insurance Company (REGIC), following the confirmation of his appointment by the National Insurance Commission, (NAICOM).

Chairman of Royal Exchange Plc, Mr. Kenneth Odogwu, said that Agili, with his extensive experience and knowledge of the insurance industry, will seek to drive the continuous growth and profitability of Royal Exchange General and make the company a market leader in general insurance business in Nigeria.

Agili holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Building Technology from Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA, Financial Management) from Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State. Following his completion of the mandatory Youth Service programme, he worked briefly as a Project Manager with Savannah Enterprises Limited before he joined the insurance industry as a Superintendent with UNIC Insurance Plc, rising through the ranks, culminating in his appointed as the Area Manager, Eastern Operations in 2000.

Agili joined Royal Exchange in 2003 as an AGM Eastern

Operations and later elevated to Regional Director, East in 2007. He then left Royal Exchange to join Insurance PHB as General Manager, Branch Marketing in 2008 and rejoined the company in 2010, following a stint as the Managing Director of an Insurance Services firm.

At REGIC Agili was appointed Deputy General Manager/Head, Business Development with direct responsibility for generating new business for the company, nationwide, before he was appointed the Director, Southern Directorate and later, Director, Lagos & Western Directorate in January, 2015.

Vital areas of insurance He has garnered over twenty-five years of cognate insurance experience cutting across vital areas of insurance practice such as underwriting, claims, risk management, marketing and branch operations.

Agili, is well exposed and trained, having attended several courses, seminars and workshops within and outside Nigeria. He is an alumnus of the famous Swiss - Re Insurance Training Centre, Zurich, Switzerland. He is a Fellow, Chartered Insurance Institute of London (FCII), and the Insurance Institute of Nigeria (FIIN).

It will be recalled that in January, 2016, Royal Exchange Plc also announced the appointment of Alhaji Auwalu Muktari as the Ag. Group Managing Director, as well as that of Mr. Francis Okoli as the Group Chief Financial Officer respectively.

COMMISSIONING: Chairman, Anambra West Local Government Area, Mr Simeon Okonkwo (2nd right), cutting the tape to officially commission the Bank of Industry funded 24kw mini grid pilot project at Onono-Anam, in Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State, with him are Acting Managing Director/CEO Bank of Industry, Mr Waheed Olagunju (right); Igwe Ben Nwoji Onyiaka of Onono Community and Divisional Head, Large Scale Enterprises Bank of Industry, Mr Joseph Babatunde.

C M Y K

INSURAN Why FG should put seal on compulsory insurances Stories by Rosemary Onuoha S TAKEHOLDERS in the insurance sector have reiterated that the N1 trillion target set by the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, to be realised by insurers from compulsory insurances will continue to elude the sector unless the Federal Government puts its seal on the products.

According to industry analysts, the seal of the federal government on compulsory insurances, as is obtainable with the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, will go a long way in aiding the insurance industry reach a trillion naira market.

Recall that NAICOM had projected that the enforcement of the compulsory insurances under the Market Development and Restructuring Initiative, MDRI, would grow the industry gross premium income to N1 trillion from N302.105 billion at which it currently stands.

spoke to Vanguard are of the opinion that unless the federal government puts its seal on these compulsory insurances, Nigerians will find it difficult to embrace them the way they have embraced the CPS. The federal government’s seal is on the CPS as such the National Pension Commission, PenCom, has been issuing Compliance Certificates to organisations bidding or soliciting for contracts with Federal Government Ministries, Department and Agencies in line with the provision of Section 16 (6) (d) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007. The Certificate has replaced the erstwhile Letters of Compliance that were issued for the same purpose.

Section 16 (6) (d) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, which states that any supplier, contractor or consultant bidding or soliciting contract or business

Compulsory insurances The compulsory insurances are the Builders Liability insurance under the Insurance Act 2003 and Lagos State Building Control Law 2010; Occupiers Liability insurance under the Insurance Act 2003 and Lagos State Law; Employers Liability insurance (Group Life) under the Pension Reform Act 2004; Healthcare Professional Indemnity under the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS )Act 1999; as well as Motor Third Party Liability insurance under the Insurance Act 2003. Market operators who

Unless the federal government puts its seal on these compulsory insurances, Nigerians will find it difficult to embrace them the way they have embraced the CPS

from any Federal Government Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) must fulfil all its obligations with respect to pensions.

Compliance with the Pension Act, at minimum, include ensuring that all employees open Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) with Pension Fund Administrator of their choice; remitting both employer and employee pension contributions to the appropriate Pension Fund Custodian not later than seven days from the date of payment of salaries; and transferring all pension funds and assets prior to the commencement of the Pension Act to licensed pension operators.

Monthly pension contributions Specifically, the following documents are to be attached while request: evidence of remittance of monthly pension contribution to include certified list of employees, certified statement of rate of employer/ employee pension contribution and schedule of monthly pension contributions for the last three years indicating: names of employees, Retirement Savings Account (RSA) Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) name, amount of monthly employer/employee contribution.

Also required is the schedule of evidence of remittance of monthly pension contributions to RSA for the last three years indicating; date of payment, name of PFA, name and location of receiving bank, payment instrument reference number and amount paid.

CHARITY BALL: From left, Managing Director, BD Consult Limited, Tola Bademosi; General Manager, RB West Africa, Rahul Murgai and Sales Director, RB West Africa, Dele Adeyole, at the RB/Save the Children Initiative charity ball, in Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

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CE & YOU

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MDRI is a growth area in terms of reaching out to the innermost part of the country, hence the insurance industry and the federal government need to come together to work on that area

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FUG Pensions gets ISO certification in quality management system

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Nigeria insurance brokers under the aegis of Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) during the African Insurance Forum at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa last week.

Companies requesting for the certificate are equally to provide evidence of transfer of all pension assets of any employee retirement benefit scheme prior to the commencement of the Pension Act to licensed operators, as well as evidence of valid group life insurance policy for employees which should include amongst others; policy certificate, policy documents, schedule of employee covered by the policy indicating; name of employee, total annual emolument, sum assured and premium paid. It must also be noted that employers are to provide the soft copies of all the required documents.

PenCom’s actions Recall that PenCom rejected the applications of 210 employers who sought compliance certificates to enable them bid for government contracts, because they failed to meet the necessary requirements. PenCom received 1,050 applications for issuance of compliance certificates in the first quarter of this year, of which 840 employers were issued certificates while the remaining applications were rejected on the ground that they did not meet the requirements. Accordingly, insurance operators are of the view that such actions should be replicated in the insurance industry.

Insurers demand: Accordingly,

insurers are demanding that the compulsory insurances should be structured to carry the seal of the federal government since they are also laws of Nigeria.

Managing Director of Custodian & Allied Insurance Plc, Mr. Wole Oshin said that the MDRI is a growth area in terms of reaching out to the innermost part of the country, hence the insurance industry and the federal government need to come together to work on that area.

Oshin said, “The regulator should assist us in this regard.

We will want a situation where the industry can work hand in hand with the regulator to help us put the seal of the federal government on the compulsory insurances just like what we have with the CPS. “If you are not subscribed to the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, PenCom will write to you and make sure that you do it. I believe that if the federal government can also put such seal behind the compulsory insurances, those yet to commence buying them. I appeal to the Nigeria Insurers Association, NIA, and all the different bodies in the insurance sector to work with NAICOM to see that it is realised.

Managing Director of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi, said that it is important to get the seal of the federal government on the compulsory insurances as such development

TOP INSURANCE GAINERS & LOSERS

will boost the growth of microinsurance in the country.

According to Ogunbiyi, microinsurance products can also assist the industry meet the N1 trillion target.

Managing Director of Riskguard Africa Ltd, Mr. Yemi Soladoye said that absence of governments seal, as well as inadequate infrastructure, poor products offering and lack of investing in retail insurance could continue to hinder the industry from reaching the trillion naira mark.

The MDRI: The MDRI initiative was designed to be achieved in three phases. The first phase spanned between 2009 and 2012 with the objective of transforming the industry to a trillion naira market through the enforcement of the compulsory insurances.

Premium income In addition to increasing the premium income of the industry through the enforcement of the compulsory insurances, MDRI also focuses on sanitisation and modernisation of insurance agency system, wiping-out of fake insurance institutions, introduction of risk-based supervision as well as building consumer trust in the industry.

The initiative is expected to raise the contribution of the industry to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, from 0.72 percent to four percent.

The way forward: On the way forward, Former Commissioner for Insurance, Mr Fola Daniel said that federal government should recognise insurance; hence the present administration should be interested in driving insurance to the forefront of the financial services sector in Nigeria.

Daniel said that the current administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari should be sensitive to the fact that insurance is key to building a virile economy.

UG Pensions has been awarded with an International Organisation for Standardisation, (ISO) certification in Quality Management System.

In 2013, the Board and Management of the company took a corporate decision to undergo the process of obtaining an ISO certification, ISO 9001:2008.

After many months of rigorous review of the Company ’s Management system, independent assessors certified that the Quality Management System of FUG Pensions are in compliance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008.

International standards The certificate, applicable to provision of Pension Fund Administration was issued in December 2015. With the certification, FUG Pensions management systems are of international standard.

The ISO is an independent, non-governmental organisation, the members of which are the standards organisations of 164 member countries. It is the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards and facilitates world trade by providing common standards

between nations. The use of the standards aids the creation of products and services that are safe, reliable and of good quality.

The standards help businesses increase productivity while minimizing errors and waste. By enabling products from different markets to be directly compared, they facilitate companies’ entry into new markets and assist in the development of global trade on a fair basis. The standards also serve to safeguard consumers and the end-users of products and services, ensuring that certified products and services conform to the minimum standards set internationally.

FUG Pensions was licensed in June 2007 and commenced operations in October 2007. Since then, it had consistently improved its services to the delight of its customers. With this in mind, FUG Pensions developed a self- service platform to help customers have access to their account details without necessarily talking to agents. FUG Pensions affirms that it will continue to strive to satisfy the needs of its customers within legal and regulatory limits.

Managing Director of FUG Pensions, Mr. Usman Suleiman stated that the Company is challenged to deliver and sustain quality service to its customers and stakeholders.

STI’s commitment to sports commendable — Funmilayo

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HE intervention of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, (STI) in sports development in Nigeria and beyond has been hailed by sports enthusiasts in the country.

Captain of Ibadan Golf Club, Mr. Akin Funmilayo expressed his gratitude to the Management of STI for staying true to its promise of sponsoring the 4th Open Golf Tournament on an annual basis.

Venue of the 3-day tournament is the Ibadan Golf Club on Onireke Reservation Area, Ibadan. The tournament will bring together some of the country’s finest golfers both at the amateur and the professional levels in the male and the female categories of the competition.

Funmilayo said he is very optimistic that this year ’s tournament will be far thrilling and exciting than the last edition. He enjoined all golf enthusiasts across the country to make the ancient city the converging point during the 3day tournament. According to him, “Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc has consistently been leading the pack amongst insurance companies in the country in promoting sporting activities at all levels.”

He therefore urged more participation from other corporate organisations in advancing the game of golf and other sports in order to further enhance the human capacity in the burgeoning sports industry in the country.

Send comments & enquiries to insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

24 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

VOL. 1 NO 59 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JANUARYWEDNESDAY, 20, 2016 Vanguard, MARCH 16, 2016

Gully Erosion: As rains begin, South-East communities already under threat

By Vincent Ujumadu, Anayo Okoli, Chidi Nkwopara, Francis Igata, Chimaobi Nwaiwu & Chinenyeh Ozor

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ITH just two rains so far this year, many parts of the South East zone are already under the threat of devastating gully erosion, which has become a common feature in many communities in the zone. In past years, it was common to see many families abandon their homes whenever it rained because their homes lie within gully erosion sites that are up to 100 feet deep in some cases.

In many communities, the floods are constantly creating gully erosion sites in areas that hitherto did not have such problems and sometimes pulling down people’s houses and those residing close to the sites no longer sleep with their eyes closed. The worrisome aspect is that the large number of erosion sites seen in many communities started as small holes and later developed into a crisis situation. Apart from houses, completed roads are also being threatened such that it is common to see many roads cut into two by erosion.

The most popular erosion sites in Anambra State are located at the NankaAgulu-Oko axis, Nkisi near Onitsha, Ojoto, Alor, Umuchiana in Ekwulobia, Ozubulu, Oraifite, Uli and Awka, among many other areas.

Sometimes the erosion is man-made.

For instance, residents in Awka woke up after recent heavy rains to find out that most of the roads were filled with debris from blocked drains and culverts even as it was noticeable in some areas that cracks were developing at the edges of the roads. If allowed to continue, the small cracks could develop into big gully erosion sites.

Also, due to road construction in some parts of the state during the last dry season, residents of such areas noticed after the recent rain that many houses

Some of the erosion sites in the South-East states. were flooded due to lack of a proper drainage system. If proper channels were not created for the flood, they could develop into gully erosion sites.

Anambra State, which is the most erosion devastated state in the country with over 1000 sites, has had many farm lands washed away, thereby denying the people one of the main sources of their livelihood.

Although other states in the South-East geopolitical zone of the country have many erosion sites that also cause devastation, none compare to Anambra State in terms of numbers and size.

Though the federal and state governments have been making efforts to contain the erosion menace, the rate at which new ones develop surpasses

Herbalist, 69, marries 18-year-old girl as 57th wife

By Emeka Mamah

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NUGU—A 69 year old herbalist, Chief Simon Odo, who married an 18 year old girl, Chidinma, as his 57th wife last November has said that he would not marry again, having had a fair of women in his life. Chidinma was married from Okutu, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Odo, also known variously as Onuwa, King Solomon of Africa or King of Satan was however married to C M Y K

68 women but some of them had earlier died. Augustina Odo (nee Asogwa) and Virginia, nee Mogbo from Oraifite were among the dead ones.

However, Odo spoke in an interview with the South East Voice at his palatial home at Aji, Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Onuwa who was armed with an Onward note book where names of his wives and over 200 children were listed

Continued on Page 27

the rate of control, necessitating the call by governors in the affected states for the intervention of international agencies to fight the menace.

South East Voice, SEV, investigations showed that the devastating gully erosion at Oko in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, threatened to destroy the family house of the former Vice President, Chief Alex Ekwueme and over 22 other families in the community.

Already, the people of the area are said to be afraid that the erosion from this year’s rainy season may complete the devastation of the community having consumed over 22 houses earlier.

The Oko devastating gully erosion that cuts into the town from Ifite Nanka and Amako Nanka communities in Aguata Local Government Area, is better seen than imagined.

The present situation in Oko forced the Umuada Oko, (daughters of Oko), married within and outside the community to embark on peaceful demonstration against the alleged nonchalant attitude of the Federal Government towards addressing the erosion problem in the community and other neighbouring areas.

Speaking with SEV in Oko, President General of the community, Hon. Cyprian Nwanmuo, expressed disappointment that both the federal and Anambra State governments have not done anything to address the erosion menace. Nwanmuo said that the community made efforts to secure government’s intervention through the

state Ministry of Environment without achieving results.

“We have Erosion Control Committee in Oko. We have made representations to the Anambra State government, the Federal Ministry of Environment; the Ecological Unit, House of Representatives and even the World Bank asking for intervention and assistance to save our town from being wiped out by gully erosion but help is not forthcoming” he said.

A similar problem is being faced by residents of Ibolo Layout in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

According to the community, they lost six persons including four women and two children last year to the devastating erosion that swept the area, destroying houses, farmlands and other household properties worth millions of Naira.

The Ibolo residents equally protested peacefully to the state government for action to be taken having survived last year erosion, saying something needs to be done urgently on their roads from where the erosion find its way into the community.

Chief Anthony Ekechukwu told SEV that residents of the community were not happy nothing had been done to address the erosion problems and the roads it had consumed in the community.

Other residents in the area namely Chief John Okoye, Ndidi Uzoma and Chinasa Onuoha, also corroborated

Continued on Page 27

26— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Traditional ruler sends SOS to Imo govt over amenities for community

By Chinonso Alozie

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WERRI—THE traditional ruler of Ebenasaa Autonomous Community, Orsu Local Government Area, Imo State, His Royal Highness, Eze Michael Okechukwu Abanigbo, has pleaded with the Imo State government to give special attention to their community, due to lack of social amenities in the area.

The traditional ruler made this appeal recently in an address presented to the South-East Voice and signed by the President–General of the community, Edmund Orajekwe, during the coronation ceremony of Abanigbo and conferment of Chieftaincy title awards to sons and daughters of the Ebenassa community.

The areas the traditional ruler needed urgent attention included roads, creation of small scale industries to reduce the growing population of unemployed and qualified graduates as well as engaging them positively. He also emphasized the importance of support from the government to boost the agricultural sector of the community.

He said, “as a young community, we need special attention and care to enable us grow. Our people are agrobased, which included production of all sorts of Agro products along the Urasi, Ezize and Eze Obune rivers bank.

There are no access roads to evaluate all these products because of bad road networks and very poor topography.

“We are praying you to help us construct the age long Ebenassa ring road traversing

THE TEAM Supervising Editor: Chioma Gabriel, Lagos (08052201257) Editor: Emeka Mamah, Enugu email: emekemamah@yahoo.com) Anayo Okoli, Umuahia Vincent Ujumadu, Awka Austin Ogwuda, Awka Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri Peter Okutu, Abakaliki Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi

Francis Igata, Enugu Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba Enyim Enyim, Onitsha Chinoso Alozie, Owerri Chinenye Ozor, Nsukka Eric Ugbor, Aba

from Nkwodi, Umungozi via Obi Amakwe to Umuogu, Umughadinawa, Eluiuugwu to

Ama Idi Emeruo to Ihuoma village. With this Ring road in place the people of Imo State

His Royal Highness, Eze Michael Okechukwu Abanigbo

will always enjoy a bumper harvest from Ebenassa. We also pray for improved seedlings of all sorts to enhance early harvest.”

He also pointed out that, “As a result of the current dwindling in oil price that adversely affected our dear economy, I call on all the Ebenasaa sons and daughters to come home and develop small scale industries to help in creating small scale industries to help in creating small jobs for our teaming youths.”

The traditional ruler, however, cautioned the newly inaugurated cabinet members to conduct themselves according to the norms and traditions of the community.

“As we inaugurate both the inches, high chief, we humbly mandate all those to emerge for the inauguration to live up to expectations and do everything humanly possible but in conformity with the norms and values as well as the external laws made to guide human behaviour to ensure that this young community grow faster than other communities that are of the same age,” he said.

Mrs Ugwuanyi to Mothers: Deworm your children early

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—THE wife of the Enugu State Governor Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi, has called on mothers to intensify efforts in the de-worming of their children to reduce the risk of sudden illnesses that could be harmful to their health.

Mrs. Ugwuanyi made the call at Nkanu West Local Government Area during a health care programme she carried out in five primary schools in the area.

She explained that the programme was initiated to remind mothers of their unavoidable roles in the family aimed at having healthy children in the society.

The Governor ’s wife later enjoined the pupils to imbibe the culture of constant reading of their books, washing of hands after using the toilet as well as form the habit of cleanliness at home and in the school.

Mrs. Ugwuanyi, during the programme, administered free deworming drugs, stationeries and lunch boxes to the pupils.

Earlier in their separate addresses, some of the Head masters and mistresses, including Mr. Godwin Nnaji, Mr. Kingsley Anyimba, Mrs.

Patricia Offia and Iren Okereke thanked the governor’s wife and called on Enugu State government to provide security, school furniture, renovation of school buildings as well as the provision of more classroom teachers to their schools, in order to curtail some of their

challenges.

On behalf of the pupils, Miss Mmesoma Ngene of Community Primary school Umueze Awkunanaw, commended Mrs. Ugwuanyi for her health programme which she said would go a long way to improve their health.

Rotary seeks N26m for charity projects in Enugu communities

By Emeka Mamah

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HE President of the Rotary Club, Enugu City Centre, Dr. Eddy Ndibuagu, has said that the club needed at least N26.3m to finance its projects within the current rotary year.

Apart from immunization, youth development and educational programmes within its immediate vicinities, Ndibuagu, stated that the construction of toilet facilities and provision of boreholes for a secondary school in the rural area, were among the club’s priority projects.

He spoke during the inauguration of the Rotary Teen Peer Ambassadors Projects, ROTEPA, for secondary schools, in Enugu.

Ndibuagu, explained that the club also planned to embark on

the provision of toilet facilities in a rural based college to save the students from the perils of going to the bush for defecation.

He then solicited the support of corporate Nigeria to actualize the dream of improving the quality of life of the students On his own part, the National Coordinator, Human Rights Volunteer Corps, Larry Oguego, explained that the ROTEPA was designed to harvest young talents through essay competitions, adding that those discovered would be trained and mentored to expose them to the world to enable them excel.

According to him, the event was organized as part of activities to mark 111 years (1905 to 2016) of Rotary International.

Lassa Fever: Ebonyi constructs first virology centre in South-East

A

By Peter Okutu

BAKALIKI— GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has began the construction of a multi-million naira virology centre which will take care of the diagnosis and treatment of Lassa fever in the State and the South East geopolitical zone of the country.

The Centre which will be commissioned this month was conceived following Governor Umahi’s vision and passion that never again would an Ebonyian or foreigner living in the state die of the deadly disease.

South East voice learned that since the outbreak of the disease this year, 5 cases had been confirmed, 3 deaths recorded while 49 suspected cases were successfully treated in the state.

The cost estimate for the construction of the Centre would gulp N250 million even as the state has made provision for the purchase of four ambulances in the fight against the scourge.

While each ambulance would be sent to the three senatorial zones of the state, Ebonyi South, Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central; the last one would be stationed at the Virology Centre in Abakaliki to handle emergency cases within the area.

Recall that the Governor in a bid to rid the state of the deadly disease had last week declared a state of emergency in the health sector, following increasing cases of lassa fever outbreak in the state.

Inspecting the ongoing construction of the Virology Centre at the premises of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA, Governor Umahi expressed optimism that the funds approved for the project would get centre to be up and running within three weeks.

“Exco went further today to approve four ambulances to attack lassa fever. One should be in Abakaliki here and one would be in each of the designated hospitals in the three senatorial zones of the State. “And we have also directed that emergency building or caravan should be constructed,” the governor said.

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Herbalist, 69, marries 18-year-old girl as 57th wife Continued from Page 25 according to their dates of birth said that his first son, Emeka was born on December 15, 1969.

“I was born in 1947 on the day they had an eclipse of the sun and the moon. There was darkness in the afternoon on the day I was born. I was the only son of my parents.

"I was baptised as a Christian in the Catholic Church and I even became a mass servant under Rev Father Desmond McGlade. I however became a herbalist because of circumstances beyond my control. As I said, I was the only son of my parents but because some of his relations wanted to take over his landed property, they poisoned me. I contracted tuberculosis and had to be treated for years. At a point, I was even unable to walk for about five years because I became lame.

“I ran to Ondo State in the South West, where I trained to become a herbalist at the age of 15, before returning to the village. I married 15 wives when my father was alive and the situation prolonged his life. He died in 1992 at the ripe old age of over 90 years.

My first son has seven children and four grandchildren.

“Any of my children who chooses to become a Christian is free to do so,

Emeka, first son, Franca, one of the wives and Onuwa provided he/she must become a Catholic. I don’t like the Pentecostal churches.”

On feeding of his large family, Onuwa said, “People think that I feed many of them but this is not true. Most of my children are grown up. The boys among them usually marry and go to their own houses just like the girls who marry and follow their husbands to their places."

However, my wives cook food for the whole family in turns.

For example, if it is the turn of Ada or Omada to cook, she would invite five of her colleagues to assist her in cooking. One woman cooks for everybody in the house at a time but my other wives would always assist such a person.

Asked if any of his sons has taken after him as a herbalist, he said, “I will not encourage them to do so. I don’t want my sons to take after me because

some of them will do bad things with my medicine. As a herbalist, I have never killed anybody or thought of evil against anybody but I do not trust that my children would be upright like me.

That is why I will not encourage them to inherit my medicine but I may bequeath them to some of my younger children, not the old, greedy ones.”

Meanwhile, it was learnt that although Onuwa abhorred seeing his children attend churches other than the Catholic church, seven of them were ordained pastors at the Lord’s Chosen Church.

Hitherto, some of them attended Catholic and Anglican churches while many of them took after their father in his business.

However, the ordination of the pastors brought about a radical Christian awakening

The new bride in the extra-large family of Chief Odo. In the past four years, there had been a simmering misunderstanding between the pastors and their father regarding his herbal practice. The pastors were said to be mounting heavy pressure on him to repent and turn to Jesus, a demand the herbalist spurned. Odo, said to have lost one of his wives last February, had arranged for the burial programme, which his pastor's sons rejected and rather organized a prayer programme for her burial, triggering confusion in the family.

Gully Erosion: Twice rain has fallen, South-East communities threatened Continued from Page 25 Chief Ekechukwu’s claims saying that they were jittery over what erosion would do to them this year and appealed for government’s intervention to save them from the impending danger that may come with this year ’s erosion, which had given them some signs already.

Other communities where erosion had caused destruction include Umuogboo Obiofia Nnewi Ichi and at 100 Foot Uruagu Nnewi road in Nnewi North Local Government Area.

In Enugu State, the menace f erosion on the environment has devastated farmlands, lvestock, washed-off roads, displaced individuals and communities.

Zik’s residence under threat Since the end of the war in 1970, erosion from the Catering Rest House Road in Nsukka metropolis had killed no fewer han two persons each year. The erosion runs through the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Main Gate - the

moribund Fire Service Zik’s Flats to Alor Uno and in the process, destroys houses and other valuables.

It was gathered that flood from various parts of Nsukka had swept both motorists and pedestrians alike and taken them to Onuiyi down to AlorUno community where their dead bodies were discovered several days after the flood might have subsided.

Already, the Onuiyi Haven residence of the first Nigerian President, late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, has been cut-off at the Onuiyi end of the federal road which traversed through Ovoko to Obollo Afor in Udenu, as motorists have in the last five years diverted to other routes, just as Zik’s residence is now standing at the mercy of the floods.

Wife of the late Azikiwe, Prof (Mrs) Uche Azikiwe, a retiree of the UNN, who still resides at the Onuiyi Haven residence could not be reached to speak on the woes of the family following the closure of the

only entry and exit point to the residence as she was said to have travelled out of town.

However, South East Voice gathered that the condition of the road worsened about several years ago when the contractors engaged by the Federal Government to handle the road, destroyed the gutters without replacing same, thus worsening the gully erosion at Onuiyi Haven and its environs.

The contract for control of the erosion around the UNN and Onuiyi, Nsukka was awarded

by Federal Government to Messrs Eco Builders, Abuja.

Sources said that the contractors had moved out of site following alleged disagreement with their employers, with the erosion posing a more serious threat to the residents of the areas affected.

At Enugu- Ezike in Igboeze North, erosion has destroyed farmlands in Ugbaike, Amachalla, Igogoro, Imufu, Aguibeje, Umuida, Olido and Onicha communities among

others.

At Eha Ndiagu, an oil bearing community in Nsukka Local Government Area, residents are groaning over lack of access road to the community due to erosion since the end of the Nigeria- Biafran civil war about 45 years ago.

For anybody in the community to get to the Nsukka Local Government headquarters, such a person must pass three other local governments including Isi Uzo, Udenu and Igboeze South through Ikem, in Isi Uzo via Obollo Afor in Udenu before reaching his destination through Ovoko in Igboeze South.

Investigations by South East Voice showed that apart from the high cost of such journeys, a lot of man-hours are lost as the journey which ordinarily would not take more than an hour usually takes a whole day.

After many decades of agony, the people have since resigned their fate to God and adapted to primitive living conditions.

In 2015, hundreds of houses were submerged by floods at Aku community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Okutu, Iggah communities while the most busy Ogurugu, Orba and Echera roads in Nsukka were the worst in the locality, due to lack of drainage systems.

The present governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi upon assuming office promised to turn the university town into a mega city and invited the Arab Contractors, RCC and the Builders Construction Company among others to handle major roads in the area.

Both contractors have since commenced work with every amount of seriousness, but the fear now was whether the contractors would be able to control the flood at Ogurugu, Orba Echera, Ugwuoye roads among others.

Ezeagu The disaster is threatening natives of Obinofia Ndiuno community in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State. The people raised alarm through the President General of the Town Union, Chukwudi Ezinwa, over the erosion problem, calling for quick intervention by the government.

The community noted that any further delay could see the community cut off by erosion.

At the Ogege end of Nkpologu road from Nsukka, the activities of sand excavators have primed the community for ecological disaster if government and other relevant authorities fail to stem the tide.

The hilly sand deposit that traverses through to Aku, in Igbo-Etiti Local Government is caving-in and if allowed, will cut off the community from Akpugo, Aku among others. It will subject residents to excruciating travel hours through Nsukka for a journey of less than 20minutes.

Also, the erosion menace at Ugwu Onyama near the Enugu-9th Mile Federal Road is threatening to cut-off motorists plying the road. The bad portions on the road have accounted for the increasing auto crashes in the areas.

It’s same story in Abia ABIA State is one of the states in the South East geo-political zone being devastated by erosion menace.

At least eight out of the 17 local government areas of the state are under severe erosion threat.

The affected council areas include Arochukwu, Bende, Isiukwuato, Ikwuano, Ohafia, Umunneochi, Umuahia North and Umuahia South with over 800 active erosion sites which pose great danger to the communities.

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

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DAKKADA: From left— Chief Executive Officer, Image Faculty Ltd., Idongesit Smart; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State on Marketing and Brand Management, Sam Edoho; Chief Executive Officer, Niramax Farms, Mfon Udoh, and Chief Executive Officer, Vickadof Nigeria Ltd., Victor Udofia, during Dakkada Ambassadors' awareness and mobilisation campaign in Etinan Local Government Area.

THREE CROWNS PROMO: From left— Brand Manager, Three Crowns Milk, Ms. Ifunanya Obiakor (middle) presenting N50,000 gift voucher to Mr. and Mrs Sokenu at the Three Crowns Milk Valentine’s Day promo celebration in Lagos.

ECONOMIST CONFAB: From left— Deputy Editor, The Economist, Edward Carr; Acting CEO, Konga.com, Shola Adekoya; VP, Procter & Gamble Nigeria, George Nassar, and Managing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Adeola Adetunji, at the 2016 Nigeria Economist Conference in Lagos.

BABCOCK STUDENTS: From left— Director, Human Resources, Babcock University, Dr Abiola Makinde; Group Managing Director/CEO, Omatek Ventures Plc, Engr Florence Seriki; Associate Professor, Dr. Uloma Onuoha; Managing Director, Test Inspections and Engineering Services Ltd., Dr. Allan Emezue; National President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, and guest speaker, Dr Rotimi Oladele, receiving his award from the Vice Chancellor, represented by the Provost, College of Management and Social Sciences, Babcock University, Professor Dayo Alao; Dr. Babalola Yemisi and class representative Paul Emmanuel, during the Information Resources Management Department Annual Student Week.

CHARITY: Founder/Chairman, Peter's Mission for the Less-Privileged, Mr. Onoriode Peter-Smith (left), presenting foodstuff, books and other educational materials to over 500 women and children of the Hausa community in Ughelli, during an empowerment programme in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State.

OANDO AWARD: From left— Chief Operating Officer, Oando Marketing Plc, Mrs Posi Williams; winner, Oando Lubricants Distributor of the Year 2015, Alhaji Hamisu Dantiki; Chief Finance Officer, Oando Downstream, Mr. Adegboyega Bello; and Head, Lubricants, Oando Marketing, Mrs. Lillian Ikokwu, during the recently-concluded Oleum Distributors Award Ceremony.

AWA R D :

Executive Editor, Tellview Magazine, Mr. Sunday John (left) presenting the magazine's Man of the Year 2015 award to Chukwubuike Orogwu in Lagos.

MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS: From left— Director, Human Capital and Infrastructure Group, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Mrs. Maryam Bayi; immediate past Secretary General, International Telecommunications Union, ITU, Dr. Hamadoun Toure, and Secretary, Universal Service Provision Fund, USPF, Mr. Ayuba Shuaibu, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 2016 —33

POLIO: Rotary honours Emeka Offor

By Sola Ogundipe

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PRESENTATION: Rotary International President K.R. Ravindran (right), presenting the Award plaque to Sir Emeka Offor during a luncheon in Abuja. recently.

OTARY has recognised Nigerian philanthropist and business leader, Sir Emeka Offor and presented him with the International Service Award for his contributions to a polio-free Nigeria.

Offor, who is Executive Vice Chair of the Chrome Group and member of the Rotary Club of Abuja Ministers Hill, has contributed more than $3.1 million to Rotary, with over $2 million dedicated specifically to polio eradication.

His support came at a historic time for Global Polio Eradication

NAFDAC set to flush out corrupt officials

By Chioma Obinna

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ATIONAL Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has launched its maiden edition of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit Newsletter, ACTU, as part of fresh efforts to leave no stone unturned in keeping with its commitment and loyalty to the Federal Government’s change mantra and fight against corrupt practices in the country.

Launching the newsletter at a South-West sensitisation workshop on Anti-Corruption Gender and Servicom, the Acting Director General of the Agency, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, said the workshop was to expose personnel to the code and conduct guidance protocol.

Oni recalled that in 2013, NAFDAC embraced the Federal Government’s anti-corruption crusade and created the AntiCorruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU), adding that the mandate of the ACTU was to ensure zero-tolerance for any form of corrupt practices within the Agency and to address all noticeable cases of corruption among its workforce.

“In the message of its responsibilities, the ACTU unit prepared, published and disseminated the code of conduct for NAFDAC staff. This NAFDAC’s code of conduct contains guidelines on how staff of the Agency are expected to act and conduct themselves while dealing with clients/customers and other staff,” the Acting DG said.

She said in the ACTU work plan, the sensitization workshop on anti-corruption for all NAFDAC staff is to be carried out in the six geo-political zones of the country.

So far, the unit has concluded workshops for the North-West zone, North-Central zone, NorthEast zone and more recently the South-East zone.

On the milestones achieved in the last three weeks, Oni said the Agency secured a seven year jail term for a fake drug manufacturer, Clara Onahwho, who specialised in manufacture, distribution and sale of fake Amazon Amagyl, a brand of Metronidazole tablets.

Oni announced that the European Union (EU) and Dutch mission are coming on board this Friday to inspect the NAFDAC laboratory, to certify its

Mrs Yetunde Oni preparedness to test the pesticide residues in beans.

Beans export from Nigeria into the EU countries was suspended, because of a high level of microtoxins and pesticide residuals.

Initiative, GPEI. Rotary International President K.R. Ravindran noted during the award ceremony in Abuja that: ”Sir Emeka is an outstanding leader whose contributions have been instrumental to the successful eradication of polio in Nigeria. His commitment, generosity, and determination have advanced not only the fight against polio, but the health of all Nigerians.”

In 2014, the World Health Organization removed Nigeria from its list of polio endemic countries.

Africa has not seen a new case of polio since the last report in Kano State, Nigeria in July 2014.

In addition to donating funds, Emeka and fellow Rotary members advocate for federal, state and local government support.

They also work with religious and traditional leaders whose support is critical for successful polio immunization campaigns.

The International Service Award for a Polio-Free World was established by Rotary International in 1992 to recognise outstanding contributions to the effort by Rotary volunteers.

Rotary launched its polio immunization program PolioPlus in 1985, and in 1988 became a spearheading partner in the GPEI with the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since the initiative launched, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to less than 75 confirmed in 2015.

An incident on the track I WAS in the Northwestern part of England at the annual track and field gathering of University students from Lancaster, Sheffield and Manchester.

This day even a telescope would not find the sun.

Midday looked like a hazy Nigerian harmattan dusk.

A light drizzle began, light enough to pelter tiny ice pellets on a shaven head, but not heavy enough to require an umbrella.

There was no wind but the air clung on to us like a chilly hug inside a deep freezer.

The hot coffee in hand was both to keep me alive and to keep my hands warm; scarf around neck, balaclava on head, jeans and trainers, I looked more like an African lost in Greenland, than a doctor from Nigeria.

There were a handful of African competitors but I was the only African parent.

My daughter was to compete in the 100m, 200m and the last leg of the 4x100.

Hurdles

Somewhere in between her events was the 100m Mens hurdles. The organizers had decided that each athlete would run, and be timed, individually.

I looked at the hurdles from where I stood. Trouble ahead, I thought the bars seemed to be at the level of my chest.

"Er...excuse me...they are too high!" I tried to attract the organizers but, perhaps because of their thick ear mufflers and various head covers, they didn't hear me.

Or simply ignored me.

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I heard a shrill whistle, then a sharp bell, followed by a frantic figure waving a white flag in the distance.

The first run was about to start. It was a young African from the host University.

Barely taller than the obstacles in his path, the solo athlete took off.

I watched, enthralled by the excitement of the moment. He cleared the first hurdle. Then the second; then the third.

I stood just beyond the finish line. This young lad could run. At the fourth he clipped the top of the obstacle, staggered but stayed on his feet.

At the fifth, he decelerated to a near stop, then took a nervous leap to clear the hurdle. With renewed confidence, he raced to the sixth hurdle.....

Tragedy

There, tragedy struck. He clipped the hurdle with his right foot and landed, inelegantly, on his belly like a swimming pool belly-flop. He pulled himself up and, cheered on by the crowd, he hurled himself over the remaining heights with various degrees of contact.

Organizers rushed towards him at the finish line, both to congratulate him on what was apparently a fair time on the stopwatch, and to assess his injuries.

Soon he was hobbling on one foot with two fellow students hoisting him up on both sides. With brave smiles and waves to the crowd he hobbled past me.

I observed as he was half-carried into a portacabin office just behind where I stood.

Some people followed, presumably to offer some sort

doctor@lagospainclinic.com of assistance. Someone shouted "Get some ice!"

They didn't look like medical people....er...neither did I. I knew my neutrality would not last long. I found myself somehow at the door of the cabin, peering through the glass pane. The injured athlete sat, right leg outstretched on a chair, encircled by sympathizers, as in a pre match prayer session.

I found myself somehow inside the room and heard myself saying to two officials as they removed the athlete's socks: "Are you in the health field?" "Oh no," they said together, and stood up.

"I am a Doctor," I said. "Do you mind if I take a look?"

Eager nods all round.

Under curious eyes and stadium noise, I asked a few questions as I examined the foot.

To everyone's relief I announced: "Stay seated and use this ice pack for the next thirty minutes. You"ll live."

They laughed as I walked away. I winked at one of the older female organizers and mumbled : "Ice. Works for everything," Then I couldn't resist adding, with a chuckle and chest rub, " Not bad for a plumber!"

I wish I had taken a picture of her face and reaction.

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 35

Photoreel

Officials of Rotary Club of Enugu City Centre and students from Girls High School, Uwani; Enugu Federal Government College, Enugu; Holy Rosary College, Enugu; Queen’s School, Enugu, and Girls High School, Enugu at the inauguration of the Rotary Teen Peer Ambassadors Projects, ROTEPA, for secondary schools, in Enugu.

Enugu State First Lady, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi (2nd right); wife of Nkanu West LGA Chairman, Mrs. Afam Okereke (right), and some teachers, during the de-worming of pupils at Central School, Ozalla, Enugu State, as part of a health care programme.

From left—A student, Edwin Chinaecherem; former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi; student, Eneh Euphamia, and Manager of Regina Pacis School, Fr. Jerome Ezenwelu, during the opening of their new building complex in Onitsha, recently.

Mbaise people recently celebrated the famous Ahiara Declaration by late Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu at the Podium. PHOTOS: Chidi Nkwopara.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 1) Catholic priests of Ahiara Diocese 2) Elders of Mbaise 3) Entertainers 4) Priests mounting the podium for mass.

36 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Dikko seeks more support for Falcons

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IGERIA Football Federation vice president,

Shehu Dikko has stressed the need to give more support to the national women team, Super Falcons in their quest to regain their pride dented by the failure to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The Super Falcons are currently in camp training ahead of the African Women Cup of Nations qualifiers. Dikko who watched the team beat All Stars team 2-1 in a friendly game played at the FIFA Goal Project said: “I think they are coming up well. It looks as if they are really progressing. This means that the coaches are doing what they are suppose to do.”

“If it were to be the Super Eagles playing you will see hundreds of people coming out to watch them.

That’s the area we need to work on. On the part of the NFF, we are always taking the Super Falcons very serious and we will continue to treat them specially.”

Super Falcons captain Evelyn Nwabuoku said the team is doing well with their new coaches and the girls are looking forward to playing more competitive matches.

Eagles will not score in Kaduna, Pharaohs’ coach boasts E

gypt assistant coach, Mahmoud Fayez stoked the fire of the mind games ahead of the African Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and the Pharaohs, saying the Eagles will lose in Kaduna.

The Egyptians are desperate to reach their first AFCON final since 2010. They currently have their destiny in their hands in the group G pairings featuring Nigeria, Chad and Tanzania. The Egyptian will open camp on March 20 and according to Fayaze their plan is to stop the Super Eagles from playing their game. .

“We know everything about Nigeria, we have been studying them. They are a very good side but we have our plans in place to beat them”he said.

“We think we are a capable of going to Kaduna and not just winning but also shutting them out totally. We simply cant afford to let them score and they wont, as we know what to do when we get there” Fayez told supersport.com.

“The national team needs all the support from our fans to make this possible,” he added.

However, coach Samson Siasia said there should be mutual respect between the two teams as they chase qualification for the tournament in 2017.

“We are doing good in camp.

The coaches are trying their best to build a solid team.”

Ojo emerges winner of Inter-School Sports C 2016 NNPS ompetition

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BY FAITH AKE

RU M S we re rol led ou t weekend at the Nige ria n Navy School , Navy Tow as the Nigerian Navy n, Lagos, School Ojo emerged Primary winner of the 4th Annu overall School Sports competi al – Inter tion of the NNPS in Lagos.

The inter-house sport which started with a march past, saw NNPS Ojo clinching the overall winner by 105 points.

NNPS Mobil Road, and NNPS Okoko ca Ajegunle me second and third respectively.

Th e Co mm an di ng Ni ge ria n Na vy Sh Of fic er, ip Beecroft, Commodore , NN S Ab Adaji, graced the occa raham sio other senior naval office n with whom were the Directorrs among Education, Commodore of Naval A. Almu;

Base Education Offic er, Ibrahim; Captain Samu Lt.-Cdr el Ogwu , Captain Lizzie Okoh -Iloba and Lieutenant Comman der igboezue among others Ngozi In his remarks, Adaji said the Nigerian Navy Direc torate of Education placed a very high pr em iu m on ex tra cu rri cu la activities, owing to its im portance to health.

He said “It is not jus classroom that learn t in the ing place. Sports is one tho takes se extra curricula activities tha t the school orgnises to ensure the ph ys ica l an d ul tim mental, ate ly th e academic health of the pupil ‘’Indeed today is not on s. but for the children. Th ly for us is those programmes pa is one of ckaged to ensure total developme nt of the children,’’ he said.

NFF dismisses foreign coach reports ...Oliseh withdraws suit

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igeria Football Federation technical and development committee vice chairman, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh said there was no basis for the federation to hire a foreign coach for the Super Eagles.

Fresh said in Abuja that the NFF has not received any application for the job of the senior national team as being speculated, stating that for the moment there was no vacancy.

“We cannot be talking of employing a foreign coach when there is no vacancy for a job.

“We didn’t receive any application and there's C M Y K

nothing like hiring a foreign manager for Eagles on the table for now. It is all lies that we are receiving applications for the Eagles job, “ he said.

Meanwhile run away coach Sunday Oliseh revealed that he has asked his lawyers to stop a suit he filed against the NFF claiming damages after he resigned unceremoniously from the national team.

“I have instructed my lawyers to withdraw the lawsuit against the Nigerian Football Federation, after speaking with many Nigerians whom I respect a lot,” Oliseh said in a video message posted on his personal website.

FIFA U-17 WWC: SA coach gives up on Nigerian girls S

OUTH African coach Maude Khumalo believes that the chances of her country qualifying for the FIFA Under17 Women World are slim following the 6-0 whitewash by their Nigerian counterparts.

The Nigeria girls’ assault spear-headed by Rasheedat Ajbade punished the South Africans severely, for their poor defensive display and errors at the first leg decided at the National Stadium Abuja.

“It was our first international game, and it was unfortunate that we conceded many goals. So we have to work very hard for the return leg because it is going to be very difficult because of the goals

we conceded,” Khumalo said.

Nigerian coach Bala Nikyu buttressed her point, and sees no way out for the South Africa girls.

“The South Africans will now be playing on their home ground under pressure. At home they will

want to reply quickly with goals. By so doing we will have more advantage because by the time you are desperate to attack your opponent’s goal area in a bid to score, you won’t know when you are leaving your rear open to counter attacks. So I think we have a better advantage”, Nikyu disclosed.

Rasheedat Ajibade (R) of Nigeria battle Leidy Asprilla (L) of Colombia during the 2014 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 37

Barca will not allow Arsenal breathe — Enrique L uis Enrique revealed that Barcelona’s strategy against Arsenal will be to ‘keep the ball’, when they clash this evening in the second leg Champions League round of 16 at the Nou Camp.

Two goals from Lionel Messi was enough to see off Arsenal, who struggled to create chances at the Emirates Stadium. Barca are firm favourites to reach the quarterfinals, with Arsenal facing a sixth successive last-16 exit.

And Enrique says the best way

to stop Arsenal is to stifle their attacking play by dominating possession.

“The 2–0 scoreline in the first leg will influence the game but it doesn’t change our intention to win,” he said.

“In London we overcame what Arsenal threw at us, and tonight we have to do it again.

“If we keep the ball we won’t see Arsenal’s strikers. That’s one of our weapons.”

Barca head into the fixture

Don’t poach Bayern stars, Beckenbauer warns Guardiola unbeaten since October and on an eight-game winning streak.

But Enrique wants them to get even better.

“When we’re winning there many aspects of the game you have to keep improving,” Enrique added.

Bayern Munich honorary president Franz Beckenbauer has warned Pep Guardiola it would be unacceptable to try to take any members of his current squad to Manchester City this summer.

Guardiola has agreed a three-year contract at City, which will begin when his Bayern deal expires at the end of the season, and there has been speculation he is keen to sign players such as Manuel Neuer and David Alaba.

Bild reported on Monday that he had unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Alaba to join City, but Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge quickly denied the story and Guardiola himself has previously said he has no intention of poaching any member of the squad.

Beckenbauer, who enjoyed a hugely successfully playing career with Bayern and later had two brief spells as coach and later became club president, said he did not expect Guardiola to pursue any deals but warned him against any efforts to do so.

“This can’t happen,” Beckenbauer, whose current role at Bayern is purely ceremonial, told Bild. “If true, this is not acceptable, but I don’t think Guardiola is capable of doing it.”

Rummenigge said in December that the fact that Bayern’s players remain under contract means any sales to City can be ruled out, and Arjen Robben has said he does not believe Guardiola would ever attempt to convince any of the squad to follow him.

Wenger threatens to resign amidst fans protest

•Wenger

A

rsene Wenger could leave Arsenal before the end of his contract, according to reports. The Frenchman has been under increasing pressure in recent weeks following a poor run of results.

Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League are quickly fading, while a defeat to Watford on Saunday ended their FA Cup dream. Arsenal fans unfurled a banner at the match that read: “Arsene thanks for the memories but it’s time to say goodbye.”

Wenger has one year left on his current contract after this season and is set to be allowed time to plan for his exit.

The Arsenal board are fully behind Wenger’s work but the 66year-old may step down from his post if he feels pressurised to do so from the Arsenal faithful,

according to the Daily Mail.

The report claims Wenger is determined to see out his contract but is concerned about the anger shown towards him from fans.

Videos emerged online of Arsenal fans arguing in the wake of the club’s defeat to Watford as frustrations reached an all-time high.

Ranieri shields Leicester players from pressure

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Juve face Bayern without Dybala, Marchsio P aulo Dybala and Claudio Marchisio have both been ruled out of Juventus’ Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, joining Giorgio Chiellini on the sidelines for the Bianconeri.

Dybala — Juve’s top scorer this season with 14 Serie A goals — picked up a knock in training on Monday. He was later diagnosed with a swollen soleus muscle.

“He will therefore remain in Turin where his condition will be monitored ahead of Sunday’s Serie A fixture against Torino,” read a statement on the Serie A club’s official website.

Midfielder Marchisio tore a calf muscle also in training on Monday and he has been ruled out for 20 days. Either Stefano Sturaro or Hernanes will replace Marchisio, with both impressing as substitutes in the first leg and Sturaro netting his first Champions League goal in that fixture. Chiellini, who missed the first leg with a calf injury, still has not recovered while there is also a doubt over former Bayern forward Mario Mandzukic, who picked up a groin injury during Friday night’s win over Sassuolo.

Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez

Dybala

eicester City manager Claudio Ranieri said he was still refusing to look at the Premier League table despite his team re-establishing a five-point lead by beating Newcastle United 1-0.

Shinji Okazaki’s stunning 25th-minute overhead bicycle kick gave Leicester a hard-earned 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium on Monday and left them needing 20 points from their final eight games to complete one of the most improbable title triumphs in the history of European football.

But while teams like Arsenal and Manchester City continue to flounder in their slipstream, Ranieri was insistent that neither he nor his players are allowing themselves to think about the title.

“I don’t look at the table. I look at the next match — Crystal Palace,” he told his post-match press conference. “It’s difficult.

We want to enjoy, we want to continue. Of course our fans are dreaming, are so proud of us. We must continue.” He added: “Never we speak about the title. Every time we speak about our performance, how we enjoy the football and helping our teammates. I’m very proud when I say everyone helps each other.”

C M Y K

38—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Adebayo Shittu, Communications Minister

•Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta

•President Buhari

Lifeline: FG moves to criminalise non patronage of indigenous ICT brands

By Emmanuel Elebeke

I

f the plan of the present administration for the Original Equipment Manufacturers, OEMs, in Nigeria and other ICT product manufacturers is anything to go by, then the future appears to belong to them, as the administration is poised at giving them a competitive edge over their foreign competitors.

This followed a resolution by stakeholders at the just concluded Local Content workshop organised by the National Information and Technology Development Agency, NITDA in Abuja, where concerned participants condemned the dominance of Nigerian ICT market by foreign brands.

Participants argued that for Nigeria to succeed no stone should be left unturned in giving the needed protection to the local brands through the amendment of the law.

The purpose of the Local Content Act is to promote the indigenisation of Nigeria’s ICT industry, implementation of local content but on the contrary, foreign companies had taking advantage of obsolete policies and flooded the market with their goods.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government at the workshop, said it is currently seeking to enact enabling laws with the aim of criminalising non patronage of indigenous ICT brands,

mainly by MDAs and other relevant stakeholders.

The Minister of Communications Technology, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, who stated this in his keynote address at the event, said the Federal Government would be aggressive in addressing this anomaly by prioritising Local content development which is geared towards ensuring that all the local OEMs partner with our local operators to ensure backward integration.

Shittu, who frowned at the dominance of the $39.7bn Nigeria ICT Market by foreign brands, noted that Nigeria was losing about $2.8billion annually to the continued importation of ICT hardware and services, which he said is largely unsustainable amid revenue constraints occasioned by the dwindling oil resources.

Shittu said: “The Original Equipment Manufacturers can buy components of their systems that are produced by

The local content development policy would be implemented to protect indigenous players in the industry

local manufacturers as well as maintain in-country research and development departments for the purpose of product conceptualisation, capacity building, innovation, adaptation, and design and prototype development.

“The local content development policy would be

implemented to protect indigenous players in the industry and the ministry would galvanise right policies that would see to the needs of the small and Medium scale Enterprises(SMEs)” he said.

In her goodwill message, the Managing Director,

OMATEK, Florence Seriki said the move would address the issue of apathy towards the patronage of Nigeria ICT products, thereby creating huge opportunities and the enabling environment for the local ICT industries to thrive and succeed in business.

Seamless roaming guidelines among West African states underway … as NCC promises to continue headlining WATRA

By Prince Osuagwu (Hi-Tech Editor)

V

ery soon telephone users in West African countries may no longer have to worry over the high cost of roaming because the regional regulator, West African Telecommunications Regulatory Assembly, WATRA, is putting up a guideline that will harmonise roaming activities of the ECOWAS region This was revealed recently by the Executive Secretary of WATRA, Alhaji Maman Laminou when he led a delegation of WATRA to Abuja on a visit to Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC. Meanwhile, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta has declared that having been involved in the formation of WATRA, his commission will continue to lend a helping hand to the activities of the ECOWAS telecom watch dog.

The EVC made the promise while welcoming the WATRA team in his

office recently. He revealed to the visitors that the NCC hopes to leverage on WATRA’s expertise to actualise the recently unveiled eight-point agenda which focus is on the turnaround of the telecommunications sector.

He assured them that the National Broadband Plan will be pursued vigorously and that attaining the 30% minimum coverage by 2018 is possible, adding that broadband plan will cater for everybody including those in the rural communities.

In his remarks, Mr Laminou congratulated Danbatta for his appointment as EVC of the NCC and pledged the support of WATRA to NCC at all times.

He said that WATRA was in the process of harmonising the roaming activities of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He said guidelines are being developed for a seamless interconnection and roaming of telephone users in West Africa, adding that this and many others will form discussions at the yearly general meeting in April, 2016.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016—39

Smart characteristics of Lenovo VIBE P1m

By Laju Iren

of talk time with just 15 minutes of charging and a manual power saver switch that instantly extends battery life.

I

t seems that new smart phones are released every day. As a result, excitement at the release of a new device is usually not as high as it used to be ; unless the device has so much going for it in terms of innovation, affordability and power. All the excitement surrounding the newly released Lenovo VIBE P1m proves that it just might fall into that class. Here are some reasons why:

Vibrant display The device boasts a 5-inch display alongside a high definition resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, guaranteeing your enjoyment of applications, photos, videos and games in their unaltered form.

Epic battery life This smartphone boasts a powerful and long-lasting 4000mAh battery that gives you up to three days of battery life with just a single full charge.

Whether you’re big on social media, an avid gamer, or you simply enjoy chatting, this smartphone won’t slow you down.

•Lenovo reliability VIBE P1m

Spill and splash proof Thanks to its splash-proof, nano-coating technology, this smartphone is protected from everyday splashes and spills, dramatically increasing its

Fast charging, energy saving The device boasts of several advanced power management features, including a Quick Charge function that lets it go from zero charge to having hours

USB On-the-Go Charging Searching for wall charging outlets and fumbling for power banks will become a thing of the past for users of the Lenovo VIBE P1m, as you can recharge the battery of your other devices by plugging them into the smartphone using the On-the-Go cable that comes with every VIBE P1m purchase.

Brilliant rear and front camera

Information management lecture to tackle good governance

By Laju Iren

T

he Institute of Information Management, IIM, has said that only proper information management can give the country basis for promoting transparency, accountability and good governance.

The institute which says it is organizing an annual lecture to prove this, deliberately tagged theme of the event: "Leveraging on proper information management as basis for promoting transparency, accountability and good governance in Nigeria.”

The event which comes up weekend, in Lagos, will also double as Induction & Award ceremony where different stakeholders in Nigeria and other parts of the world including past and present public office holders, captains of industries including leaders across the various sectors of the economy would be honoured.

According to the President / Chairman Governing Council.

IIM Africa, Dr. Oyedokun Oyewole , “the recent drive by the present administration to fight corruption, promote transparency and good governance can only succeed if government have unhindered access to quality information.

“It is obvious from recent happenings in government that Nigeria as a nation is yet to have fully control over the records and information being generated, used and transmitted by the government, as government struggle to manage their public records in accordance with international good practice standards."

He added that “well-managed records and information provide clear and durable evidence of what the government has promised, what it has done, what services it has provided and how it has spent public funds. Weak records controls result in an ad hoc, potentially misleading national evidence base that opens

opportunities for manipulation, corruption and fraud; weakens citizens’ ability to claim fair rights and entitlements; undermines the ability to plan and monitor policies and services; and makes it difficult to open records and information effectively.

The Lenovo VIBE P1m boasts two advanced cameras – an 8 megapixel rear camera that gives you high quality photos with each shot and a 5 megapixel front-facing camera that lets you enjoy clearer video chats.

Premium performance at an affordable cost

The Lenovo VIBE P1m is positioned as a mid-range smartphone but its premium content and powerful performance puts it in the league of high-end devices.

The VIBE P1m also boasts of expandable storage, dual-sim capacity and built-in Lenovo Apps.

Smile introduces new products into Nigerian market

B

roadband service provider, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited has introduced two 4G LTE innovations called SmileVoice and SmileUnlimited to its customers in Nigeria SmileVoice comes in two options; using a world-first downloadable free mobile App that affords customers with a Smartphone Android and Apple iPhone device the ability to make SuperClear voice calls over Smile’s 4G LTE network, or through the use of VoLTE-enabled handsets plus a Smile SIM card, such as the latest Samsung devices.

Similarly, SmileUnlimited offers customers 30 days of unlimited access to Smile’s SuperFast 4G LTE mobile broadband service.

Speaking on the new products, Chairman Smile Communications Nigeria, Mr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, said: “Smile is the first mobile operator in West Africa to develop and introduce Voice over LTE, plus a world first to in a free Voice over LTE application that enables all

our customers in Nigeria with Android and iPhone devices to experience highquality voice calls over Smile’s network. We are committed to improving the quality of voice and data services in Nigeria. With SmileVoice our customers can call anyone locally and in the world just like on any other mobile.

“With our recently announced funding Smile has doubled the size of its 4G LTE network in Nigeria to 7 states and the capital and now provides 30-days of unlimited access to SuperFast mobile broadband – there is no other provider that is offering its customers such value and convenience,” Elaborating on the SmileUnlimited offering, Mr Michiel Buitelaar, Managing Director Smile Nigeria explained that any unlimited offering is subject to a fair usage policy (FUP). Smile’s FUP is very generous when compared with other local offers and ensures that connectivity is maintained throughout the 30-day period.

Lumia 950 XL goes swag with du al SIM, Windows Hello phone.

T

By Emeka Aginam

he introduction of Microsoft ’s new Lumia 950 XL smartphone with Windows 10 operating system has again, raised the bar in the sma rt phone ecosystem.

With robust state-of-the-a technologies embedded in the rt Windows 10 phone, Microsoft first begun a new song in the smart phohas ecosystem, giving other brands a ne big fight.

For one thing, the dual SIM advantage, Windows Hello, big scre and many more features, the dev en ice is already thrilling end users.

Performance With an octa-core processor and 5.7" Quad HD display, Lumia 950 a is a powerful phone ever built Xl Microsoft. With USB-C Fast Charginby an extra-large battery, and wirelesg, charging, the device has fast chargin s advantage over other phones in g the market.

Windows Hello Beta

Display The device has a phenomenal mu Quad HD AMOLED display, with lti-touch watering 2560 x 1440 resolution, an eyeby Corning Gorilla Glass 4. This protected at an awesome 518 pixels-per-iworks out nch. The device has harp with great viewing angles and solid visibility outdoors. Tha nks to Microsoft’s ClearBlack coating.

•Lumia 950 XL Microsoft has embedded robu of-the-art technology to the Lumiast statecalled Windows Hello Beta , an incr950XL personal and secure way to unlo edibly Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM. It isck your sec urit y fea tur e tha t unl ocka new s the smartphone by checking your iden against a quick scan of your iris. tity feature is really exciting while usin This g the

Dubbed Glance One of the useful features Microso included in the device is Dubbed ft has that allows Lumia 950 XL display Glance some basic information like tim to show battery and notification indicator e, date, smartphone is asleep. It is good while the wh o hav e the hab it of lea vinfor users smartphones next to their desk, g the ir bed or on the dinner table.

Battery Life Battery life of a smartphone can be for customers who want to purcha critical mobile phone. The Microsoft Lum se a new ia 950 XL comes with a big battery that offe usage time. The device is packed rs long 3,340 mAh battery, which is onein a big biggest batteries found in wel of the l-known phones.

40 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

AQUARIUS; Early part of the day may bring you good opportunity along your business/business lines. Work and your health must be taken very seriously PISCES; Like yesterday the Moon will operate from your Star sign again to the betterment of your cause. Think of both your immediate and far future now.

ARIES You can still count on the supports of your tried and trusted friends. But it’s imperative you keep secrets as much as you can positively do.

TAURUS; The more receptive and willing you are to give and take co-operation the better for you today. It’s wrong of you to neglect your friends in need now.

GEMINI; You’ll have the needed opportunity to consolidate on progress you have recorded yesterday along your career/business lines. Try to work harder.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

L

IFE is all about relationship. It is all about how you relate well with the other man or woman. For ex-

About Relationship? ample, a successful father should be able to relate well with his children, a successful leader

TERROR MUDA

should be able to relate well with his followers.

Similarly, a good manager should have a good rap-

in “Scavenger Elite”

port with members of his workforce.How well you relate with people could determine how far you will go in life.Think about it.

By Lanre Kehinde

CANCER; Element of luck will work favourably for you.

Therefore you’re advised to expand the scope of your tentacle for better results. It’s another fairly favourable day for lovers who are more enterprising today.

LEO; Joining forces with other people is not a sin but it’s important everybody knows the clear term of the venture , be it of short or longer duration. Be very practical.

VIRGO; Many of you’ll travel either physically or within your mind; whichever one you’re involved with the out come will be favourable. Be more receptive, especially if your priority is commercial success. Take your new ideas more seriously today LIBRA; Similar to yesterday but, today more emphasis’ll be on money. Thus those of you who are more financially ambitious’ll have better and rewarding day than others.

However that is not to say you should neglect your health.

SCORPIO; Positive things are happening from (and around) you. The more enterprising you are the better for you today. And some of you will be mixing business & pleasure without harm. Lovers can have their way moderately.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in “HEY’

By Andy Akman

SAGITTARIUS; This is your day when things’ll go according to your plans. And you’re advised to hit very hard not minding minor pressure from your base.

CAPRICORN; Once again success would come if you experiment with good ideas rightly at the right time. Those of you travelling are in for an exciting day.

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

Basic characteristics of Aquarius Aquarius is ruled by freedom loving Uranus-the planet of unpredictability, eccentricity and genius.

Aquarius is friendly, loving, hopeful and very altruistic in nature. That is why they are nice persons who truly care for others, especially the less fortunate ones. They are loyal friend willing to belong to powerful social clubs or reasonable community.

The quality of Aquarius is fixed. That means it is important for them to watch the way they change their minds on important issues; Uranus factor makes all Aquarius natives freedom loving and whoever tries to impose any idea on you will be resented.

The element of Aquarius is the air. That makes you an intelligent person with fair share of sense of humour. Aquarius is the star sign that rules considerable social influence, and the natives of this star have better chances to have at least some influential friends. Then, Aquarians are truly good friends and bad enemies; it is not in the best interest of anybody to frustrate an Aquarian..

Aquarius being a scientific sign. Aquarians can be inventive. Any Aquarian who falls to take his sudden flashes of ideas seriously is doom (to fail eventually) because, Uranus the ruler of Aquarius, usually bring success to Aquarians unexpectedly through ideas that come suddenly, and unexpected luck usually accompany their sudden inspiration and/or ideas.

The most dangerous weak points of Aquarian are the tendencies to procrastinate things and willingness to take opponents or enemies for granted I mean you must not believe that some body you might have had heated argument with will not try to undermine your progress after what will look like intervention of peace makers.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 41

Foreign trip: Ayade violated no law, says C-River govt C

ROSS River State Government has defended the foreign trip embarked upon by the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, saying he has not violated the constitution by travelling out of the country without writing to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Ita, in a statement, denied claims by Okoi Obono-Obla that the governor was in breach of the constitution.

According to Ita, it was also not true that the governor left the state in January, stating that the governor was still in the state in February and even attended the burial of late former deputy governor, Dr Walter Eneji, in the second week of February.

He said that the constitution mandates the governor to write the Speaker only when he is proceeding on his annual leave or medical leave.

He said: “The governor in this instance is on a working visit to some countries, including Canada, where he and some members of the state executive council are attending the biggest mining conference in the world at the invitation of the Canadian government.

“Under Section 190 of the

Constitution, the governor does not need to transmit any letter to the Speaker unless he is on annual leave or medical leave.

“Under Section 193, the governor can assign his

responsibility to his Deputy or a commissioner whether he is on leave or not. The deputy governor can only act as governor when the governor is on leave or incapable and then

transmit the declaration in writing to the Speaker.”

Ita urged the public to ignore the ignorance being peddled by Obla on the issue, saying he was only seeking cheap publicity.

BRIEFING: From left: Joy Obinyan, Chairperson, 5th Innovention Series Planning Committee; Dipo Adesida, Group Director, Content Synergy and Innovation and Nkiru Oguadinma, Group Business Director, all of Verdant Zeal, at a press briefing on Verdant Zeal's 5th Innovention Series 2016 coming up on March 22, in Lagos.

Tompolo appeals court order for his arrest

By Innocent Anaba

C

HIEF Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo) has filed his appeal before the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, challenging the order of the Federal High Court, Lagos, for his arrest.

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the lower court had, on January 14, 2016, issued a warrant for Tompolo's arrest. On January 27, 2016, Tompolo filed an application before the court, to set aside the said warrant of arrest.

On February 8, 2016, the said application was argued and dismissed by the court. Tompolo, thereafter, appealed against the ruling of the lower court, on February 18, 2016.

Determined to pursue the appeal, Tompolo has since compiled the record of appeal in the appeal and has forwarded same to the Registry of the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

It was gathered from his counsel that the 170-page record of appeal was received by the Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Nassara Williams, on March 3, 2016, with Appeal No. CA/L/240/2016. The prosecutor, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has also been duly served with the said record of appeal.

Tompolo also filed his appellant’s brief of argument, through the law firms of Tayo Oyetibo, SAN and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, on March 11, 2016,

thus invoking the judicial process for the prompt and effective determination of the said appeal.

Tompolo, in the appeal, is complaining that the trial court erred in law, in refusing to set aside the warrant of arrest issued against him, when there was no evidence to show that he had been notified of the summons and the charge pending against him, before the court.

Tompolo also complained that the trial court ought to have ascertained that the respondent, that is the EFCC, duly complied with the order of the court for substituted service, by posting the charge at the correct address as contained in the order of the court.

Tompolo stated further that the application leading to the issuance of the warrant of arrest was not competently placed before the court, as the counsel

that signed and filed it on behalf of the EFCC failed to affix his seal thereto, as required by law.

Tompolo is thus asking the Court of Appeal to set aside the warrant for his arrest and vacate all subsequent proceedings emanating from the flawed process of the criminal charge.

He is further seeking that the charge against him should be transferred from the current judge, to another judge of the Federal High Court.

Bayelsa Assembly re-elects Benson as Speaker

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THE Bayelsa State House of Assembly has unanimously reelected Mr. Konbowei Benson as the Speaker of the House.

This followed his re-election as member of the state House of Assembly representing Southern Ijaw Constituency IV in the recent re-run poll.

Benson and Michael Ogbere for Ekeremor Constituency III were inaugurated as members, Monday, during the sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Abraham Ingobere.

Benson had vacated his seat and office as the Speaker after the Court of Appeal nullified his election.

The two lawmakers were presented with their certificates of return last Friday by the

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr. Austin Okojie.

After they were sworn-in, the Deputy Leader of the House, Mr. Tonye Isenah representing

Kolokuma-Opokuma constituency I, moved a motion to re-elect Mr. Benson as the Speaker.

The motion was seconded by Mr. Monday Bubou Obolo, Southern Ijaw Constituency II.

NIMASA: Ijaw youths hail Peterside’s appointment

By Tare Youdeowei

I

JAW Youth Council, Lagos Chapter, has commended the appointment of Dr. Dakuku Peterside as Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. A statement by the group’s Chairman, Mr. Boma Johnbull, said: “We are grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government for

the appointment. We are optimistic that as a technocrat and great visionary leader he will bring his expertise and leadership qualities to bear in the agency. He will make life meaningful for the people and also take this nation to greater heights.”

Johnbull assured Peterside that the IYC Lagos, would continue to pray and give him all the necessary support needed for him to achieve his set goals and objectives.

Abe campaign organization flays destruction of billboards, posters

S

ENATOR Magnus Abe’s campaign organisation in Rivers State has alleged the wanton destruction of Abe’s billboards and posters by those suspected to be agents and sympathizers of the state governor, ahead of the governor’s visit to Bori.

A statement by Parry Benson, Chairman, Media Committee and Spokesperson to Senator Abe, said: “This shows lack of tolerance of opponents, which is an ingredient of democracy.

“The campaign organization wishes to advise the governor and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that the contest is not necessarily on the bill board but winning the hearts, minds and support of the people, as rather than make Senator Abe unpopular, it is even popularizing him the more.

“However, the campaign organisation appeals to law enforcement agents to take necessary steps to contain this barbaric behaviour and ensure that the culprits are brought to book.”

Okunbor unveils $750m farm in Edo

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—A $750 million farm that will provide 85,000 jobs in Edo State was, yesterday, unveiled

by Edo-born businessman, Captain Hosa Okunbor.

Okunbor, who unveiled the farm in company of the Director General of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Dr Segun Awolowo, when they paid a courtesy visit to Governor Adams Oshiomhole at Government House, with his partners from Mexico, explained that the farm will create 25,000 direct jobs and 60,000 indirect jobs.

He explained that he acquired the 9,000 hectares of land in 2006, because it was his dream project.

He said: "I am partnering investors to realise this dream.

It is something very special to me. I am doing this, not because of money, but because of what we can give back to the society. It is a legacy project. This will eventually outlive me when I do it the right way.”

In his response, Governor Oshiomhole, commended Capt. Okunbor for initiating the project in his home state, saying, “I thank you for the confidence you have in your own state by veering into agriculture."

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

ALLEGED MARGINALIZATION:

Okorocha pleads

Abia bans touting

with Senate on NDDC O

By Chidi Nkwopara

WERRI—IMO State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has charged the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to critically look into what he called “the gross marginalization of the state by the Commission and take steps to ensure that the anomaly is corrected in the new dispensation.”

The governor made the plea yesterday, when members of the Senate Committee on NDDC, led by its Chairman, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, paid him a courtesy call at the Government House Owerri.

“The NDDC has not done well in Imo state. If there is any state that has not benefitted from NDDC programmes, it is Imo state. We are worst for it. There is no single project completed by NDDC in Imo State, except for boreholes and renovation of classrooms. Something has to be done and urgently too in Imo by the Commission to give the state, a sense of belonging,” Okorocha said.

The Governor complained that the NDDC constructs a kilometer of road for N500 million, while the state government spends only N70 million for the same job.

“The Senate should ask the contractors to come and do the job.

We are not interested in recovering the money. We want the job done”, Okorocha said While pleading that there must be change of attitude on the part of NDDC, the Governor also said that the essence of democracy is to provide dividends of democracy for the people and where this is lacking, democratic structure has failed.

His words: “The Senate committee has done well by asking for government’s input before the passage of the NDDC budget.

The Owerri/Okigwe Road is a death trap because of its narrow nature and it is a federal road.

The NDDC can do that road. The road linking the Imo Industrial park and the one to Oguta Lake can also be taken up. I want to advise the NDDC to think of one unique project that will touch the lives of the nine NDDC states like railway or power. That will define the true essence of the

commission.”

Speaking earlier, Senator Nwaoboshi told the Governor that they were in the state on factfinding to enable them carry out total evaluation of NDDC jobs from 2000 till date.

“We are also here to find out whether the performance of the Commission has actually affected the lives of the people in the NDDC states. The committee

members decided to undertake such action following a motion to that effect in the Senate, which was passed”, Nwaoboshi said.

He assured that his committee would ensure that the contractors who abandoned their sites on flimsy reasons would be made to face the wrath of the law, while those who require assistance of the committee to return to site would be assisted to do so.

Fraudsters clone Gov Ugwuanyi's facebook account business dealings with the

E

By Francis Igata

NUGU—THE Enugu State Government has alerted the general public to the antics of suspected fraudulent activities of unknown persons who hacked into the Airtel cell phone number two weeks ago belonging to Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor of Enugu State.

Regrettably, the attention of the governor, has again, been drawn to yet another phase of suspected

fraudulent activities, this time in the social media, where Facebook accounts have been opened with the name and photograph of the governor, perhaps, with the aim of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.

This urgent announcement is, therefore, to alert and urge members of the public not to fall prey to the antics and possible nefarious activities of these suspected fraudsters. All official

Enugu State government and the governor, should be transacted through the Government House, Enugu, and not through any social media platform.

The governor, however, appreciates the genuine support and goodwill of the various groups and supporters who have remained steadfast in supporting him as he serves the good people of Enugu State with the fear of God.

Soldiers seize pro-Biafra newspapers in business in Aba, at about 7am and to come back,” the eye witnesses Aba confiscated newspapers bearing said.

By Ugochukwu AlaribeChimaobi Nwaiwu

A

BA—A team of soldiers believed to be attached to the 144 Battalion, Asa, Ukwa West local council, Abia State, yesterday invaded a newspaper office along St. Michael’s Road, Aba and seized copies from vendors.

Vanguard gathered that the confiscated papers were both unsold and new editions of New Republic, Vesym, Freedom Journal and some copies of Authority newspapers.

Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the soldiers that arrived in two Hilux vans in the area which serves as the hub of newspaper

pro-Biafra stories.

According to the eyewitnesses, the soldiers packed the unsold and current editions of the said papers into their vans and left the place and vowed to arrest the publishers of the various newspapers.

“At about some minutes past seven, soldiers in two Hilux vans arrived this place (St. Michael's) with one of the vendors asking to know who publishes or supplies the newspapers. The newspapers they confiscated were New Republic, Vesym, Freedom Journal and some copies of Authority newspapers that carried Biafra stories. They packed all of them into their van and promised

A publisher, who would not want to be mentioned in an interview with journalists however, condemned the action of the military, and denied that pro Biafra newspapers incite hatred among the people.

According to him, the military are overstepping their bounds and vowed that “No amount of efforts by the military to gag the press will work. We are publishing reports about Biafra like other national dailies do. Let the military go and close down all the media houses because they are carrying Biafra stories, after all, we are not the only people publishing stories on Biafra.”

T

he situation is terrible in Warri because five litres of petrol is sold at N2000.

President Buhari should do something about it fast.

Nigerians are really suffering from this fuel scarcity. Mr Hussaie Mustapha, Self Employed

D

uring the Jonathan’s administration that some people saw as a corrupt government, there was fuel everywhere. Now we are fighting corruption, there is no fuel. Bring back our corruption. Mr Leonard Nwaeke, Worker

W

e are buying fuel in Warri at N150, an oil producing city for that matter. We need corrupt PDP back because we were buying fuel N87 and it was available anytime and anywhere. Also, there was light at 5800mw and now it is 185mw. Mr Akason Frank, Businessman

F

uel scarcity is just manmade. It is just a question of time we will get over it. Those behind it will suffer and crash out in vain. We shall see their end soon. Many of them are running helterskelter now. Miss Constance Nduba, Model

MUAHIA—WORRIED by the increased level of touting in the State, Abia State Government weekend banned all forms of touting, saying the embarrassing activities of touts has been projecting the state in a very bad light and warned that it would do everything in its power to ensure that the ban stands.

Of late, many touting groups, some in uniform, have surfaced in the major cities of the State, particularly, Umuahia and Aba, harassing people, including motorists transiting through the cities in the name of revenue collection.

In Gestapo move, the young men, hire commercial buses and acting like criminals, jump into moving vehicles, especially lorries and struggle with the drivers for the steering which had on many occasions caused accidents.

The State House of Assembly has since passed a law banning them but this law has never been respected by these touts who claim that they pay some money to government through the Ministry of Commerce which mandated them to drive for revenue and collect part of it as their commission.

Besides, so many of the touts are currently going to offices and shops on the streets of Umuahia and Aba to serve demand notices for one form of levy or the other.

Perhapswokenupfromitsslumber, the Government has decided to try and enforce the ban enacted the House of Assembly as the State Commissioner for information, ComradeBonnieIwuohaannounced the ban and warned that security agencies have been directed to arrest anyone found touting in the state.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On fuel scarcity in Nigeria

U

By Anayo Okoli

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hen a government is built on lies what do we get? Failures in all departments! I can vividly remember some months back when this PMB led government says all three refineries are working to full capacity. Mr Ben O n y e k a c h i , Entrepreneur

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ost of the filling Stations in and outside Abuja and Lagos sell at N150 per litre or N145. It is awful and painful to see Nigerians buy fuel at such prices when the price of oil is that low at the international market.

Miss Anita Williams, Communicator

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 43

Ganduje vows to expose Kwankwaso's shady deals

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

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ANO—THE crisis between Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, and his predecessor in office, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, deepened yesterday, following threat by the former to expose the latter alleged shady deals in office.

The crisis between the two top All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftains has already polarised party faithful across the state.

Speaking while inspecting road project at Dakata-Bella, Nassarawa local government area of the state, Governor Ganduje said: “Some of the landmark achievements purportedly executed by Kwankwaso were characterised by sharp practices, and we would soon expose him for people to know the calibre of person he is. We are peaceful people, we do not go about with dangerous weapons and our mission is to improve the welfare of our people and we won’t be distracted.”

He accused Kwankwaso of turning what ought to be a

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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R-l: National treasurer, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Comrade John Adaji with the general secretary and chairman, Industrial Global Union, sub Saharan Africa, Comrade Issa Aremu and the ag. deputy general secretary, Comrade Dele Ojo at the press conference on textile union's achivements in promoting gender parity in Kaduna. Photos: Olu Ajayi. condolence visit to a presidential campaign, and urged him to bury his ambition since there was no vacancy at Aso Rock villa.

Ganduje said: “A lot of things have happened recently when some people have been undermining President Muhammadu Buhari. ‘I want to make it clear that we would not tolerate insubordination under

our roof and Kano would do the needful whenever the need arises. We are solidly behind President Muhammad Buhari and his programmes. Kano people will not support anybody working against him. It is unfortunate for the so-called politician who claimed to be leader to hire hoodlums with dangerous weapons to disrupt

the peace of the state.

Government and security agencies will not tolerate this attitude.’’

He advised Kano citizens to always watch those working against the unity and peace of the state, assuring that all measures had been put in place to restore the lost glory of the state.

AGATU VS HERDSMEN: David Mark warns against reprisal attacks

By Peter Duru

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A K U R D I — DETERMINED to check further escalation of the crisis between Fulani herdsmen and Agatu farmers, former Senate President, Senator David Mark, yesterday advised against any form of reprisal

attack on herdsmen in any part of Benue south district.

He assured that government had beefed up security in the area and was already making necessary efforts to find an amicable solution to the lingering crisis for peace to reign in the area.

Addressing his constituents

separately in Oshigbudu, Ugbokpo and Idekpa in Agatu, Apa and Ohimini local government areas of the state, in continuation of his peace mission in the aftermath of the Agatu killings, Mark also urged survivors of the killings, squatting in various parts of the state to return home.

KOGI ASSEMBLY: G15 lawmakers accuse Bello of fuelling crisis

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA—FACTIONAL members of the crisis ridden Kogi State House of Assembly, known as “G15 members” yesterday accused Governor Yahaya Bello of fuelling the crisis rocking the Assembly.

But the executive arms said reacting to the accusation of the group would amount to elevating its status, saying its earlier position of not having hand in the Assembly remained sacrosanct.

The group dismissed insinuations that the Deputy Governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the last November Kogi Governorship election, James Faleke, was its sponsor.

Speaking with newsmen at the house of the embattled Speaker, MomohJimoh Lawal, the group said they were not going to relent in their battle as doing so amounted to surrendering to C M Y K

Osinbajo, Oshiomhole, others storm Kano for Textile workers’ confab

alleged Governor’s impunity.

Spokesperson of the group, Kolawole Matthew (Majority Leader, said, “As G15 who are opposed to the purported impeachment of SpeakerMomohJimoh Lawal by G5, what we collectively resolved to fight is the height of impunity in the process and the dangerous legacy it may bring where five members as against the 15 members under the dictate and protection of the executive, will announce the impeachment of the Speaker. ''Where a quorum is not formed and five members will claim to have sat; where members have to subject themselves to the direct dictates and command of the executive of what to do; where signatures of 10 members of the House will be forged in broad day light in a bid to forcefully impeach the Speaker; where oath of office of a Speaker will be taken in the office of the Deputy Governor; where the House will no longer serve as

check on the excesses of the executive; where the House will be puppet and stooge under the armpits of the executive and where there will be executive actions without reference to guiding principles of the law.”

The group also berated the other faction (G5) for ignoring the House of Representative resolution on state Assembly and rather declared that “peace has returned to the House.”

He pleaded with the state and Federal governments to intervene by rebuilding the war ravaged communities as well as rehabilitating the survivors to resume their routine farming business.

Senator Mark urged the invaders to halt further destruction of farm crops and other economic trees belonging to the Agatu people.

According to him, “It is sad enough that scores of lives have been lost. But the continued destruction of the peoples’ crops and other economic trees is inhuman and unacceptable. The government has promised to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the hostilities. I’m sure the truth would be unearthed and both parties would find a common ground for peace and harmonious coexistence.”

ALLEGED PLAN TO ISLAMISE NIGERIA:

Methodist prelate refutes report

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RELATE of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Uche, has refuted media reports that there was a grand plan by President Muhammadu Buhari to turn Nigeria into an Islamic state.

In a statement, Prelate Uche described the reports has a misrepresentation of facts.

The cleric said “President Muhammadu Buhari was never accused of planning to Islamise Nigeria rather, I said that the militant sect of the Fulani herdsmen with their Boko Haram collaborators think that they can Islamise Nigeria. Their efforts will always be resisted.”

A N O — V I C E President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will tomorrow lead three state governors, including Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to the 11th Quadrennial National Delegates’ Conference, NDC, of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, taking place in Kano State.

While the other two governors are Governor Umar Ganduje of Kano and Mallam Nair El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Emir of Kano, His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II, will be the Royal Father of the day.

Also expected are the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment, Information, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, TUC President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama, Presidents and General Secretaries of fraternal industrial unions, Director General, Nigeria Textile, Garment and Tailoring Employers Association, NTGTEA, Mr. Hamma Kwajaffa and other captains of industry.

General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, Geneva, Switzerland, Jyrki Raina, Regional Secretary, IndustriALL Global Union, Sub Sahara Africa, Fabian Nkomo, General Secretary, Ghana Mine Workers Union, Prince William Ankrah, General Secretary, Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union, SACTWU, Andre Kriel, General Secretary, National Union of Mine Workers, South Africa, Ko ekile David Sipunzi among others will also grace the event..

A statement by the union’s General Secretary, Issa Aremu, said the theme of the conference is Labour and Industry: Back To Basics.”

According to him: “Textile industry is a strategic non-oil industry which in spite of its depressed state is still largest private sector employer of labour after government. This conference offers another opportunity to compliment President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign promise with respect to industrialization, textile revival and job creation.

To this extent, the conference is of national and international significance in promoting awareness about industry protection, employment generation and decent work.”

44—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea sign MoU on security

Senate throws out bill on gender equality

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—A bill seeking to guarantee women equal rights with their male counterparts was, yesterday, thrown out by the Senate when it was presented for consideration during plenary.

The bill, which was presented for consideration by Senator Biodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South), incurred the wrath of senators, mainly from the Northern part of the country, who did not only slam those behind it but also described it as anti-Islam.

However, the bill’s sponsor, Senator Olujimi in her lead debate, explained that its purpose was to permit women to have equal rights with men in marriages, education and employment.

She said this had become compelling in view of increasing discrimination against women in education and employment.

The bill also sought to eliminate discrimination against any person, irrespective of his gender, on any ground, including sexual violence against women.

According to Olujimi, gender discrimination often makes women insecure, denies them meaningful employment and exposes them to discrimination and exploitation.

NAPPS holds confab

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HE South-West Conference of National Association of Proprietors and Proprietress of Private Schools, NAPPS, will hold at Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, today and tomorrow.

The conference, to be presided over by its President, Prince Abayomi Olesegun, is on the theme Evils of Examination Malpractices, and will scholars and administrators giving talks.

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ROTARY: From left— District Governor’s Personal Assistant, Rotary International, Yinka Adeogun; Secretary, Femi Adenekan; District Governor-nominee, Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo; District Governor, Sir Bola Onabadejo; District Governor-elect, Rotarian Pat Okheloa; Treasurer, Taiwo Sonubi, and District’s Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunye, all of Rotary Club District 9110, when the District Governor and his entourage paid a courtesy call on NTA Lagos Zonal Directorate, Headquarters Management, Victoria Island, Lagos.

You can’t release Dasuki from detention, FG tells ECOWAS court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Federal Government, yesterday, challenged the powers of the Court of Justice for the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to compel it to release the erstwhile National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) from detention.

Government, through its lawyer, Mr. T. A. Gazalli, maintained that ECOWAS court was bereft of the requisite jurisdiction to entertain the fundamental rights enforcement suit the former NSA lodged before it.

It told the court that Dasuki was facing multiple criminal charges bordering on corruption and economic sabotage, insisting that his continued detention was not in disobedience of any legal pronouncement.

Government argued that the ECOWAS court lacked powers to enforce the bail conditions granted Dasuki, as it could not exercise appellate jurisdiction over Nigerian courts.

However, Dasuki’s lawyer, Mr. Wale Balogun, urged the court to dismiss the objection raised by the Federal Government, saying it was misconceived.

Balogun told a panel of three justices of the ECOWAS Court, led by Justice Friday Nwoke, that Dasuki was only asking for the enforcement of his fundamental rights to freedom, having been arrested and detained since December 2015 without any lawful court order.

He said there was no dispute in the fact that Dasuki was charged before three courts in Nigeria for various alleged offences and that he was granted bail by the three courts but was disallowed from enjoying the bail.

HE Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with African Network for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural Resources Education, ANAFE, based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The memorandum is expected to facilitate partnership and collaboration in agriculture, agroforestry, natural resources management education, research and community outreach.

Under the terms of the agreement, FUTA will lead member-institutions of ANAFE in Nigeria and spearhead the establishment and promotion of

BUJA—NIGERIA and Equatorial Guinea have signed an agreement on establishment of a joint Maritime Policing and Security Patrol Committee.

A statement by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the signing was done in Malabo, capital of the Central African country yesterday.

The agreement would enhance security in the Gulf of Guinea and also help in curbing maritime crimes, such as piracy, crude oil theft, sabotage of oil rigs and arms smuggling.

It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari left Abuja on Monday for Malabo for the bilateral agreements.

A communiqué at the end of President Buhari’s visit to Malabo stated that both countries also agreed to discuss greater cooperation on oil and gas production and a bilateral trade agreement.

Meanwhile, Buhari returned to Abuja after the state visit, yesterday.

Buhari lists Dangote, GE, others as Africa's most strategic investors

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has described Dangote Group, General Electric, GE, among others, as strategic investors sustaining

FUTA partners African Network on agric

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The counsel informed the ECOWAS Court that since December 2015 when the applicant was arrested, till date, he had not been told of his offence or any charge preferred against him in the past four months.

Balogun pleaded the court to not only assume jurisdiction over the matter, but to also dismiss the objection by the government as grossly lacking in merit.

After listening to the parties, the Justice Nwokeled panel adjourned the matter till April 11 for ruling.

Dasuki had gone before the ECOWAS, begging it to, among others, compel the Federal Government to release him on bail.

A

the regional chapters of the network.

In his comments, FUTA’s ViceChancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, said building bridges between African institutions will further develop the continent, adding that the collaboration with ANAFE will further empower FUTA scholars to contribute more robustly to the search for food security.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of ANAFE, Professor Aissetou Yaye commended Professor Daramola on his style of leadership, saying progress in Africa will be rapid if leaders are easily accessible to their followers.

Africa's economy and urged them not to relent.

He called on other investors in Africa to consider the strategic nature of investments made by the conglomerates and emulate them to enhance the value of the continent’s economy.

President Buhari made these remarks during the opening of proceedings at the sixth African Petroleum Congress and Exhibition, CAPE VI, organised by African Petroluem Producers Association, APPA, in Abuja yesterday.

President Buhari, who was represented on the occasion by his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, said the identified companies were adding value to the nation’s economy through their ingenious investments.

According to him, African countries should develop ingenious ways of promoting value addition and investment through

sustainable policies in local content.

He said: “A common approach to local content will ensure that the whole of Africa benefits from economies of scale associated with our vast resources.”

Buhari noted that ongoing mega projects as the General Electric Service Centre for manufacturing rotating equipment in Calabar; Ladol industrial free zone in Lagos, wholly indigenous, privately developed and hosting the largest shipyard in West Africa; the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery in Lagos and the Samsung FPSO Integration Yard in Lagos, were some of the most strategic to the struggling African economy.

The President said the continent must recognise that the development of domestic refining capacity in oil and gas would remain critical to its sustainable economic growth, saying reliance on importation would continue to stunt Africa’s growth.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016—45

Switzerland returns $723m to Nigeria in 10 years ABACHA LOOT:

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AGOS—THE Swiss government has confirmed that it had so far returned $723 million (about N142.43 billion) of stolen funds seized from the family of the late former head of state, Sani Abacha, to the Nigerian government over the last 10 years.

The amount excludes $321million (about N63.24 billion) which the Swiss authorities recently said it was planning to repatriate to Nigeria.

March 8 agreement

These details are contained in the agreement signed on March 8, 2016, in Abuja by representatives of the Swiss Federal Council and the Nigerian government.

The agreement, titled “Letter of Intent on the restitution of illegally-acquired assets forfeited in Switzerland,” was signed by Nigeria’s AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Swiss Head of Foreign Affairs Department, Didier Burkhalter.

The document revealed that $321 million acquired illicitly by

C M Y K

the Abacha family, was initially deposited in Luxemburg before being confiscated by the Swiss Republic Judiciary and Canton of Geneva following a December 11, 2014 forfeiture order.

The agreement said funds to be returned to Nigeria would contribute to the implementation of social programmes for the benefit of the Nigerian people in “an efficient and accountable way, guaranteed by a monitoring by World Bank.”

Acknowledging the cooperation of Switzerland and Nigeria as an excellent opportunity to fight against corruption at domestic and international levels, the signatories to the agreement recalled the long partnership by their two countries in asset recovery, based on the principles of national interest, trust and mutual respect.

Considering Chapter V of the UN Convention against corruption, which is the international legal framework for asset recovery, the signatories also drew attention

to Article 51 of the document that states afford each other measures of cooperation and assistance.

Process of repatriation

The agreement also emphasized the need for the process of repatriation of the stolen funds to be undertaken, based on international best practices of transparency and accountability in a manner that satisfied the scrutiny of civil society and the international

community.

The signatories affirmed, among others, their intention to maintain a fruitful cooperation based on trust and respect in order to enable transparent and efficient use of the funds for the benefits of the Nigerian people.

Funds to be monitored by the World Bank

They also agreed to ensure that the deployment of the funds was monitored by the World Bank in

line with separate forfeiture orders issued by the Swiss Public Prosecutor and the Canton of Geneva on December 11, 2014.

The two countries pledged to maintain regular exchanges and constructive engagements towards the conclusion of the processes necessary for the final return of the looted funds to Nigeria, adding that the letter of intent, which did not impose any legally binding obligation, would continue to provide the basis for their cooperation.

“The implementation of the present letter of Intent between the Signatories (Swiss and Nigerian governments) is guided by the principle of ethics, mutual respect and cooperation,” the agreement stated.

Glo garners 95% of Nigeria's new internet subscribers in January 53% of the total 13.644 million new

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AGOS—GOING by the figures for new internet subscribers released by the telecommunications regulator for January 2016, Globacom increased its data subscribers by 354, 178, the new industry figures for new subscriber acquisition by the major operators for January 2016. Globacom garnered 94.7 per cent of 373,835, which is the total number of new data subscribers for the four major operators as posted on the website of the regulator, NCC.

MTN recorded a loss of data subscribers with 1,705,878 internet users dropping the network in January. Etisalat shed 94,115 internet customers in January, while Airtel gained 19,657 new subscribers in the month.

The operators’ performance in the last 12 months has become much clearer with the release of the January statistics. A breakdown of the figures for the last 12 months shows that Globacom garnered 7,251,657 new internet users, representing

customers who subscribed to internet services of the four major operators. Etisalat trailed behind with a total of 5,431,190 new internet customers, while Airtel came third with 961,548 new data customers in the 12 month period.

The latest figures which is for January captures the trend seen in the last quarter of 2015. A breakdown of the industry figures for that quarter showed that it was only Globacom that recorded an increase in its internet subscriber base in the last quarter of 2015.

46—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

RE-RUN POLL: THE atmosphere in Rivers East senatorial district is charged as candidates of the two major political parties in the state, Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressive Congress, APC crisscross the length and

Showdown in breath of the senatorial district campaigning for votes in the Saturday rerun elections.

The senatorial district has eight local government areas. They are Emohua,

Etche, Ikwerre, Obio Akpo, Ogubolo, Okrika , Omuma and Port Harcourt.

The candidates of the two major candidates, Thompson Sekibo of the PDP and Andrew Uchendu of the APC are no

APC, PDP bicker PDP accuses APC of rigging plots •Buhari's hands not in your hands, APC replies Wike

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday accused the All Progressives Congress, APC of plotting to rig the elections through printing ballot papers and the recruitment of APC inclined electoral officers from the University of Port-Harcourt. The party in a statement thus vowed to reject electoral officers recruited from UNIPORT saying that the use of the officers would compromise the elections.

The PDP in a statement issued by its spokesman, Jerry Needam moreover accused the APC of complacency and not campaigning for the election because of the party ’s inclination to rig the weekend election.

He said: “the APC has brought into Rivers State from Lagos a printing press called

The PDP believes that the apparent relaxed mode of the APC leaders and candidates not to carry out any serious campaigns in the State is a confirmation of their plot to rig

scores that could be announced by a compromised INEC official at the stipulated time.

“The PDP believes that the apparent relaxed mode of the APC leaders and candidates not to carry out any serious campaigns in the State is a confirmation of their plot to rig the elections with the aid of the military, armed youths in camouflage military uniforms and fake results.”

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State has said that the life of President Muhammdu Buhari rests in the hands of God as it affirmed that neither Governor Nyesom Wike nor any mortal could truncate his life untimely.

Accusing the governor of unguarded utterances during a campaign outing on Monday, the APC in a statement yesterday said it was not surprised by the choice of words of the governor noting

•Uchendu:

•Sekibo:

that the present PDP regime shot its way to power.

The party said: “Let them go and bring that man in Abuja (President Muhammadu Buhari), I will send him to his ancestors with only few punches. Amaechi and me (sic) are from Ikwerre, one day I will meet him in the alley or corner of the street, I will cause him to somersault several times before he lands on the

ground...”

Reacting yesterday, the party said: ‘The APC condemns it without reservations. However, we are not surprised that such a statement is coming from a badly brought up who managed to climb into office as governor. ” The party said that frustration was forcing Wike to resort to the life of falsehood.

My people will enjoy good representation — Nwuke

I'll give my people adequate representation — Jerome Eke

Stories by Jimitota Onoyume & Davies Iheamnachor

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GBONNA Nwuke is the candidate of the APC for the House of Representatives seat Etche Omuma constituency He was elected into the House in 2011. He contested again in 2015 but lost out. He challenged the outcome of the election and got a favourable judgement at the Tribunal and the Appeal court nullifying

•Nwuke: C M Y K

‘Sam Printing Press’ which will be used in printing all printable sensitive and non sensitive electoral materials for the rerun elections in the State, and which some APC members have been assigned and to be lodged in a hotel in Port Harcourt and Owerri, the Imo State capital, to fill the result sheets with already decided

the election.

Nwuke was a former Director of Press Affairs to former governor Chibuike Amaechi. He was later appointed Commissioner for Information by Amaechi.

When the former governor reshuffled his cabinet, Nwuke became Commissioner for Commerce before he was elected into the House of Representatives to represent his Etche/Omuma federal constituency.

He assured his constituents effective representation, promising to continue to evolce empowerment programs to redress challenges of poverty in his constituency.

Strength: He has had robust relationship with people of the area overtime, they also believe that having been a member of the House it will be a plus for the constituency if he wins.

EROME Amadi Eke won the 2015 general election on the platform of the PDP to represent Etche/Omuma federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

The Appeal court however nullified the election and ordered a rerun.

He said he is in the race to better the lot of his constituents and is urging voters to ignore threats that voters will be harassed by the military on Saturday.

“I am calling on my supporters to come out and vote. They should ignore threats that some persons will use the military against them“, he said.

“I am in the race to attend to the needs of my people when elected. I will introduce empowerment programs to reduce challenges of poverty in the area. I will also ensure my people get quality education. I will see that my people get the dividends of

democracy from government”, he said.

Strength: He enjoys grassroots supports in his

constituency. And also has warm relationship with influential political leaders like Prince Emma Anyanwu.

AMAECHI/WIKE: Battle for

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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OWHERE represents the charged political atmosphere in Rivers State today more than the Rivers East Senatorial District. It is the battle ground in the sense that it is the major political base of the leading political figures from the state.

Erstwhile Governor of the state and present minister of transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi is from the district and so is his successor as governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

Amaechi is from Ikwere

Local government area while Wike is from Obio Akpor Local government area all within the senatorial district.

Obio Akpor Local Government area is also, arguably the most politically restive local government area in the state and it is from there that Wike built his political machine.

The truth may remain buried in political folklore, but it is alleged that one of the issues between Amaechi and Wike was the opposition by the former to the latter succeeding him as governor of the state on the basis of rotation of the offices.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2015—47

Rivers East

RIVERS VIOLENCE:

We’ll punish offenders — Buhari vows

strangers, having been colleagues first in the House of Representatives and also been fellow members of the PDP before the parting of ways in 2013.

Stories by Jimitota Onoyume & Davies Iheamnachor PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to bring the severity of the law on all those involved in recent killings in Rivers State.

In his first open denunciation of the recent spate of violence in Rivers State, which Buhari described as “primitive, barbaric and unacceptable,” the president told the Nigerian community in Equatorial

Politicians should stop vain promises — Chinda

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INGSLEY Ogbundu Chinda is the PDP candidate for the Obio Akpor federal constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

He is a lawyer from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST. He was at a time president of the Students Union Government of the university.

He was Commissioner for Environment under former Governor Amaechi.

He contested election into the Obio Akpor constituency

seat in the House of Representatives in 2011 and won. He won again in 2015 but the election was annuled and a rerun election ordered.

Chinda cautioned politicians from making empty promises, assuring that he will continue to give special attention to the needs of his constituents when elected.

Chinda has assisted many youths from his constituency to pay their fees and initiated several empowerment programmes for his people.

Strength: His supporters see

More policemen arrive •As Rivers CP steps aside tomorrow •Chinda: him as one that has built trust among his people overtime.

They also see him as a frank person. His strong civil society background has continued to earn him respect among his people.

I will productively engage constituents — Okocha

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HIEF Tony Okocha is the candidate of the APC for the Obio Akpor House of Representatives seat. He was a former Caretaker Committee Chairman, Obio Akpor local government area. He also worked as an aide to Mr Nyesom Wike when he was Chairman, Obio Akpor local government area.

Okocha took over from Wike as Chief of Staff Government House, in the second term of former Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

He is a graduate of Philosophy in the University of Port Harcourt.

He was among the exceptionally brilliant student of the department in his time. He excelled excellently in Advance Logic, an optional course in the department many students

avoided in his time.

The soft spoken Okocha said poverty was the major challenge in his constituency, promising to tackle it if elected into the House.

He said he would pursue policies and programmes that will redress the issue.

Strength: Okocha is seen as a man of the youths and a bridge between the young and elderly in his constituency. As a former Chairman, Obio Akpor local government council and now seeking to represent the area in the House of Representatives they said they were not in doubt that he was familiar with challenges of the area and how best to tackle them.

They also recalled his empowerment programes, saying as Chief of Staff,

•Okocha: Government House, Port Harcourt he had several empowerment programs for women, youths and scholarship for those seeking educational pursuit.

Ikwere heartland Wike, however, persisted and after Amaechi’s forced exit from the PDP, Wike became the political leader of the PDP in the state.

It was as such a battle of sorts for Amaechi taking on a patriotic stance trying to convince his Ikwere kin not to vote for their own in the governorship election.

Besides the Ikwere factor, the influence of non-Ikweres in the region is expected to count heavily in the forthcoming election, especially in Rivers East.

Whereas many of them locked shops or went on holiday during the March/April 2015

Guinea during an interactive session yesterday.

“We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the security services clear directives in this regard,” the president said.

“We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections.”

“I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders.”

•Amaechi

•Wike

general election, the assurance of non-partisan security arrangements would

likely persuade many to hang around and possibly vote this Saturday.

SOME of the 6,000 Policemen billed to provide security for the rerun elections in Rivers State have started arriving, command spokesman, DSP Ahmad Muhammad told Vanguard yesterday. He said they started trickling into the state since Monday.

He said the three Police Commissioners, DIG zone 6 and the AIG zone 6 were already in the state for the election, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Musa Kimo will step aside formally on Thursday to resume duties at a later date after the elections.

Continuing, he said all the Divisional Police Officers in the state have been swapped. “There was reshuffling of DPOs ahead of the rerun elections.”

“The Deputy IG directed that all DPOs be swapped for the election. They will go back to their posting after the election,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has dismissed as untrue allegations in some quarters that it ordered its men to pull out of the streets ahead of the election.

Brigade Commander 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt, Brigadier General Stephenson Olabanji said there was no iota of truth in the rumour, assuring that the army will provide security at all strategic locations during the election.

A statement by the spokesman of the brigade, Captain Lazarus Eli said the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Olabanji did not grant any interview where he said the soldiers will be withdrawn to the barracks on the day of the rerun elections.

Nobody beheaded in Rivers state The Police spokesman has also dismissed as untrue speculations that the photo of a beheaded man in the social media was a development that occurred within the week in the state.

He said since the last incident on March 5 where a man late Frankline Obi was beheaded in Omoku, his wife and their son shot dead by assailants there had been no such incident in the state.

We'll receive sensitive election materials today — REC THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has started despatching nonsensitive materials for this weekend’s election showdown to the local government areas, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak said yesterday.

The sensitive materials including ballot papers and result sheets he said would start arriving the state from today.

He said training of ad-hoc staff for the elections was still ongoing in the local government areas.

“We are working, receiving materials and sending

especially non sensitive to the local government areas.

“We are hoping that it will be a peaceful election. We are still training some of the adhoc staff in the local government areas. You know we have a timeline. We will be through with training collation officers soon as well”, he said.

•Yakubu: INEC boss C M Y K

48 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

VANGU ARD, WEDNESD AY, MARCH 16, 2016—49 ANGUARD, WEDNESDA

Why is he sending love texts to his ex?

It would be nice to know he loves me Dear Bunmi, MY boyfriend of two years is very loving and affectionate, but he is absolutely rubbish at telling me why and how much he loves me, or saying romantic things. I tell him these all of the time but he doesn’t get the hint. I know he loves me, but would it kill him to tell me on a regular basis? It’s starting to make me feel really depressed and lose

confidence as I’m a very passionate person.

Joke By e-mail.

Dear Joke, What you’re going through is a classic dilemma for lots of people and usually brought to a head on valentine’s days and birthdays with most women wailing, “Why can’t he be more romantic/tell me he loves me?” The simple

He doesn’t show much passion Dear Bunmi, MY boyfriend is great in many ways and I love him to bits. The problem is he never makes me feel special.

I know there are more things in a relationship than mushy cards and presents, but I need some romance in my life. In the two years we’ve been together, he’d never once taken me out without me dropping hints.

I’m fed up with always asking him to. How romantic is that? So should I just grin and bear it.

Dora, By e-mail.

Dear Dora,

Why should you grin and bear it? Unless you’ve asked your man to do something how would he know you want him to do it? It’s unfair to expect him to deliver unless you have been clear with him exactly what it is you want.

So, without nagging or whingeing, just tell him straight that there’s one thing he’s ignoring that would really make you happy. When he asks what, suggest one or two things he could do without your prompting, like presents and quiet futings. If there are one or two things you want him to do in the bedroom, you should also speak up.

answer is that men and women tend to show love in different ways. Men usually show love through actions and women through words.

Which way is better? Neither.

Your boyfriend might have a similar groan about you but in reverse. His complaint could be that you tell him you love him constantly but don’t necessarily show it physically.

You say you know he loves you and he shows you he loves you through physical affection, so why do you need to hear it? You need to go deeper to fmd out what’s so important about hearing those words on a constant basis.

It’s true that most women love hearing it, but if his only fault is not saying that one phrase, it seems a bit of an over-reaction to feel depressed and lose confidence because of it.

What does it truly represent for you? Have you told him how much it means to you?

Do the words have to be spoken?

If he feels uncomfortable saying it loud, would you be happy if he left you little notes saying “I love you”? You need to fmd an easy compromise, even if it’s you accepting he isn’t perfect and just because he doesn’t articulate his love doesn’t mean it’s not there.

He doesn’t want to go public with our affair Dear Bunmi, I‘VE been having an affair with one of my husband’s good friends for the past six months and I think I’m in love with him. He’s also married and we’re all good family friends.

I’m really confused about the relationship as he carries on as if nothing is between us when we’re with other people, yet he shows a lot of passion in the bedroom.

In fairness to him, it all started out as a bit of fun and I’m sure that’s the way he still sees it. I daren’t tell him the way I feel in case he ends the affair. I also don’t want to seem pushy as he’s made no promises. I know he’s sexually attracted to me. But is that all?

Kuburat, By e-mail.

Dear Kuburat, Whether or not your lover feels love for you is not the point. Couples everywhere quietly fool around with each other’s closest friends. Apart from thrills, these extraC M Y K

marital games usually have little emotional value and do not provide romance, let alone a happy new beginning. The consequences of being found out are often immensely painful for everyone involved.

There’s no doubt you have feelings for this adulterer.

There’s always a feeling of

lust between attractive partners when they have sex - it is elementary chemistry.

Your husband’s friend is obviously using you for sex and he’s quite happy with the way things are. Put an end to this ‘party’ as soon as you can before you’re left with burnt fingers.

There’s no doubt you have feelings for this adulterer; there’s always a feeling of lust between attractive partners when they have sex - it is elementary chemistry; your husband’s friend is obviously using you for sex and he’s quite happy with the way things are; put an end to this ‘party’ as soon as you can before you’re left with burnt fingers

Dear Bunmi, I recently had to use my boyfriend’s mobile, with his consent, but curiously peeped through his messages. To my horror, I discovered he’d been sending steamy texts to a woman called Jakie. He said she’s an ex when I confronted him and the texts are just their way of communicating.

This still sounds far-fetched to me. What do you think?

Dami, By e-mail.

Dear Dami, It’s obvious you don’t trust this man of yours or you

wouldn’t be scrolling through his messages. You don’t believe his excuse and now he can’t trust you not to peep at his private messages. The tone of these texts appears suspicious, though. Exgirlfriends should be in the past and any talk should be friendly not using the language of lovers.

If you can’t genuinely believe what he’s telling you then your relationship isn’t that solid. It is now up to you really, either you give him the benefit of the doubt or you find a different partner who makes you feel secure.

Involved with a husband batterer Dear Bunmi, MY wife has always been very possessive and hates me going out without her, even before we got married nine years ago.

Recently though, her jealousy has become so bad that the rows have turned violent. If I talk to another woman at a party, she kicks me viciously under the table, and when we get back home, she attacks me. I try to fend her off, but it is difficult as she is bigger than me.

I have had teeth marks and other bruises and it’s difficult coming up with a story explaining my wounds that my workmates would believe. I’ve also had a nasty gash at the back of my neck after she pushed me backwards off my chair. I’ve tried talking to her but she wouldn’t listen and the violence is getting

worse. I’m afraid she might really hurt me one of these days.

What else do you think I can do?

Steve, By e-mail.

Dear Steve, Domestic violence against men is one of the last taboos but it’s a growing problem.

You need to let your wife see she’s killing your marriage and she must seek help for her anger and jealousy. Make it clear that you will end the marriage if she attacks you again. In the meantime, you have to let a few of her relatives know what danger your life is in. If she won’t change, pack your bags and leave, albeit temporarily. If that doesn’t work, then I’m afraid you have to make an alternate plan so you could have a stress-free life.

My rival is a sugar-mummy Dear Bunmi, I knew my boyfriend was romantically linked to a fashion designer almost 16 years his senior when I met him. He was a widower and his lover visited as often as she could because she was married.

As compensation, she was financially responsible for virtually everything he had - the bed, his clothes and second hand car.

After I met him, we started meeting fairly regularly and I even stayed over in his flat from time to time.

He made it clear, though, that he was very fond of this older woman and wouldn’t want to hurt her. I asked him if he didn’t want to remarry and he said not in the immediate future. I have seen this woman and she’s not half as pretty as I am.

What in God’s name does he

see in her to prefer hurting me like this?

Bago, By e-mail.

Dear Bago, It has been established that a lot of men in relationships with much older women are sometimes the ones who find it difficult to make decisions and take responsibilities for themselves.

They’re happy to let an older woman do it for them, just like their mum did. You knew this man was involved with an older woman when you met him and now he’s not ready to sacrifice his cushy existence for a permanent relationship with you, you could either stay for the fling or find another man who cares enough for you to be proud of a relationship with you.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

50 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

•Market women displaying tomatoes and pepper...but prices have gone up geometrically

A.L.A.R.M.I.N.G: Rising prices of goods trigger high cost of living •Panic as hard time worsens

By Charles Kumolu & Faith Ake

F

OR Bartholomew Ugonabo, living in Lagos has never been a comfortable decision, but there is no better option available to him.

The commercial motorcycle operator who resides in a two-room apartment in a public compound at Baruwa, located in a cluster of suburbs off Old Ojo Road in Amuwo Odofin Local Area takes care of his family of five with the meagre funds he makes daily.

Barring unpleasant circumstances, especially encounters with the Police, the 42year-old secondary school leaver makes N3000 on a good day.

In spite of the harsh economic realities of his life, Ugonabo, who pays N10,000 monthly for his tworoom apartment in a public compound otherwise known as Face- Me, I-Face-You would hardly entertain the suggestion of relocating to the village.

As far as he was concerned at the time, Lagos was the only city in Nigeria that has a place for the poorest of the poor, that even the most wretched of the earth could afford a daily meal in the city. It is this belief that had kept him going in spite of the fact that his family is

in the category of those who live on less than $1 daily.

Time, however, seem to have changed for the Anambra Stateborn secondary school leaver as he is presently nursing the thought of relocating his family back to his village in Dunukofia Local Government Area.

Recent encounter This was a surprising decision given the fact that he had earlier told Vanguard Features, VF, that doing that would be suicidal. So why does he want to embark on a suicide flight?

Giving insight into that during a recent encounter with VF,Ugonaba painfully said in Pidgin English: ‘’My brother I dey situation. This Okada business don spoil. No be even Okada sef, na the country.

The small money wey I dey make no dey reach me do anything for my family again. You remember say I tell you say my wife get belle.

Before my wife dey take N2000 go market, but now the thing no fit buy anything again. Every body go dey say na dollar cause am. I swear na village I dey plan send my family o make I know wetin I dey do. ’Before na only police and

fuel we dey suffer, now na every thing. Even tissue paper sef don add money. Which kind country be this sef?”

His lamentation underscores the plight of most Nigerians following the general increase in the price of goods and services.

Checks across the country by VF show that the prices of virtually all commodities have skyrocketed, leading to financial pressure on most families.

Coming at a time when the salaries of both public and private sector workers are not longer paid as at when due, makes the experience more excruciating to the extent that virtually everyone is lamenting.

This is one development that has made both the rich and the poor speak with one voice even though the latter is worst affected.

Sadly, the situation is steadily reducing the real income of N18,000 minimum wage of an average Nigerian worker.

Accordingly, market surveys at the Trade Fair Complex, Idumota, Ebute Ero, Balogun, Iyana Iba, Oyingbo and Mile 12, among others, confirmed that prices of commodities have actually increased by over 70 percent.

At the Trade Fair Complex, it was

discovered that prices of imported food items, cosmetics and beverages, among others, witnessed over 60 percent hike from November last year, climaxing in February. The ripple effects of this price increase automatically provoked price hike by middlemen and retailers.

At Idumota and Balogun Markets, VF learnt that importers and retailers of fashion wares and textile materials have increased the prices of their products as a result of the volatile exchange rate.

The prices witnessed over 50

Checks across the country show that the prices of virtually all commodities have skyrocketed, leading to financial pressure on most families

percent rise as a result of this, resulting in low sales.

Prices of commodities Painting a gloomy picture of the situation, a businessman who imports fashion wears from China, Hong Kong and India, Mr. Chidebere Onyeachonam, told VF thus: ‘’The prices of our goods have gone up nearly 70 percent of what it used to be late last year. It is only a few people who can afford to travel, and they are the ones fixing the current prices. Majority of us don’t travel any more; some products that are in the market were bought at exorbitant prices.”

Findings at Oyingbo, Iyana Iba, Ikotun, Cele and Agboju markets revealed that prices of food items have gone up geometrically.

Specifically,pricesofcommodities like rice, garri, beans, yam, wheat and semovita, among other basic items, have soared beyond the reach of many families since January 2016. A bag of lower grades of rice which sold for N9000 in December, now sells for N13 000, while the high quality grades now sell between N14,000 and 15,000.

Also a big basin of gari which had sold for N1,500 now sells for N2,000 while one paint bucket of it which was selling for N200 now sells for N500.

A five kilogram and 10 Kilogram of semovita which was selling for N1,100 and N2, 200 before, now sells for N1,400 and N2,500, respectively, even as the price of a five kilogram of wheat which previously sold for N900 now goes Continues on page 43

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 51

A.L.A.R.M.I.N.G: Rising cost of living begets hard times Continues from page 42 for N1,000.

A five litre of groundnut oil which was selling for N1,700 before, is now selling for N2,200, while its 3.8ltr now sells for N2,000, as against former price of N1,600. A bottle of groundnut oil previously sold for N220, now goes for N350, just as a big keg which formerly sold for N6,500, now stands at N10,500.

At the aforementioned markets, a 20- litre keg of palm oil that sold for N6,000 is now selling for N7,500, while a bottle which was selling at N200 before, now sells at N450. Also, a three litre keg of same product which then sold for N1000 at Ore, Benin and other points along Benin/Ore Expressway, now goes for N1400.

Similarly, a cartoon of turkey which sold for N7000 in December now sells for N10, 000 while a kilogram previously sold for N750 now goes for N1100.

One of the selling noodles, which had its big and small packets selling for N50 and N35 now goes for N60 and N70, respectively. In addition, a bag of sachet water otherwise known as pure water, which earlier sold for N80 now sells for N130.

Perishable food items Though yam is not expected to be expensive at this time given that the item is experiencing a glut in various markets, five tubers which previously sold between N1,500 and N2,000, depending on the size, are now being sold between N3,000 and N4,000.

The survey also showed that the price hike affected the price of beef, as VF noted that one goat leg which formerly sold at N1,500 now goes for N2,500 while the neck now sells for N1,500 against the former rate of N1000.

Perishable items like tomatoes, pepper, pumpkin leaves and spinach, among others, are not left out. For instance, a paint bucket of tomatoes which on normal times sold for N400 now sells for N800, though it was gathered that but for the recent ethnic crises at Mile 12 Market, the price of tomatoes and pepper would have remained relatively low.

Apart from the aforementioned items, further investigations showed that the price of virtually every item has gone up from the point of production down to the final retailer.

While the volatility in the exchange rate occasioned by the slump in crude oil prices is primarily responsible for the soaring prices of imported items, the increase in the prices of other locally produced items seems to be a puzzle to many.

Expressing disappointment at that, a trader in Iyana Iba Market, Mrs Chinenyenwa Okonkwo,

•Section of a market in Nigeria with popular foodstuff on display said: ‘’I have to be truthful to you; what we have now is a situation whereby people increase prices because prices of imported items have increased. Yes, I can say that most things I sell are not imported because some are produced in Lagos, Agbara, Kano and Aba but this is an opportunity to make

A paint bucket of tomatoes which on normal times sold for N400 now sells for N800, though it was gathered that but for the recent ethnic crises at Mile 12 Market, the price of tomatoes and pepper would have remained relatively low

money. ‘’In any case, the raw materials of some of the things sold in Nigeria are sourced outside the country. So looking at the big picture, the exchange rate is responsible. The government needs to act now because things are getting out of hand; it may get to a level where it would become uncontrollable. Do you know that some customers who hardly buy on credit, now sometimes buy to pay at a later date? ‘’ A house wife, Mrs Joy Inegbedion, corroborated Okonkwo’s revelations, adding that ‘’the situation is frightening.”

Continuing, she said: ‘’I had most things at home and only went to the market to buy meat and a few things with N10,000 only to discover that I could hardly buy much things. The prices of most food items have tripled, thereby affecting the purchasing power of most homes like mine. My husband earns about N160,000 monthly while my take home at my place of work at the firm where I work at the airport is N45,000.

How do we cope when our children are all in school? It is hell living in Nigeria now.”

Desperate measures Speaking on the matter, an economist and Managing Director of Brokers Assets, Dr. Tayo Moyegun, expressed sadness over the general soaring prices, noting that the situation demands desperate measures. ‘’ It is a terrible situation. Daily, it is getting out of hand. I don’t think the response to this by concerned authorities is satisfactory. From experience, it could be said to be understandable that the scarcity of dollars has affected the propensity to import. That, by extension, has affected the prices of imported items because people can fund imports,” he noted.

However, he said: ‘’What baffles the market now is that other products that could be sourced locally without foreign exchange have also witnessed a sharp rise in the prices. What is the justification for that? What concerns the fisherman and yam farmer at Ilussi in Edo State with exchange rate? ‘’You may be shocked to know that people has capitalised on the

Past and current prices of commodities Latest and current price of commodities Former Price Bread N200 regular slice Wheat N500 per plastic Sugar N100 per 100g Flour 1 bag N6,500 to N7,000 Sugar N8,000 per bag Palm Oil oil N1,200 per 5 litre Vegetable oil N7,000 per 30 litre Noodles N60 per 120g Rice N10,000 per 50kg Beans N900 per paint plastic Yam N300 per average size Sachet tomato N50 per 50g Fish N550 per kilo Chicken N6,500 per 10kg carton

Present Price N250 regular slice N600 per plastic N120 per 100g N10,000 to N11,000 N11,500 per bag N1,500 per 5 litre N10,000 per 30 litre N70 per 120g N14,000 per 50kg N1,200 per paint plastic N500 per average size N70 per 50g N700 per kilo N10,000 per 10kg carton

dollar issue to inflate prices of items that ought not to have gone up.”

On his part, a member of Abia State Chamber of Commerce, Chief Marcilunus Chilaka, said since Nigeria is a mono-product economy, the current hard times should not be suprising to anyone.

He, however, suggested government should urgently look into the artificial price hike with a view to sanctioning those exploiting the masses. ‘’The very poor are the most affected because the rich have enough; the poor whose income have remained stagnant are paying out of nothing. That is why the situation is pathetic and calls for government intervention,” Chilaka said.

In addition, he said: ‘’The authorities should not look the other way and pretend as if people are not suffering; Nigerians are suffering. How can civil servants, whose pay are lean and irregular, cope at a time like this? Some have suggested price control board, but while I am not calling for it, I think it is not a suggestion that should be discarded. Though it was not much of a success when we had it in the past but who knows if it could make the needed difference now?”

Exploitation by the suppliers Indeed, VF checks showed that most consumers, with layman’s understanding of the economics of the recent soaring prices, want such a measure put in place. ‘’Commodity price control board can save the masses from the current hardship where a woman who sells fish and pumkin leaves would tell you that dollar is high and for that reason, the price of what she sells has to go up,” Mr.Gbenga Oluwabamise, a banker with one of the old generation banks said.

Continuing, he said: ‘’Government needs to do more to protect us from exploitation by the suppliers. By doing this, basic goods will become affordable to all the citizens. Irrespective of the arguments against it, I strongly think when that is done, the rate of inflation will be controlled. They can do this by ensuring that all the producers in the market has a minimum income for their producers.”

In many of Africa’s big cities, including Lagos, Nairobi, Kinshasa and small pockets of Johannesburg, growth remains robust and investors are prospering.

Consumption per capita in Accra is 1.6 times greater than the average in Ghana, 2.3 times bigger in Lagos than the average in Nigeria, and 2.7 times larger in Nairobi than nationally in Kenya(Abraaj estimates).

Lagos, one of the world’s fastest growing cities and with a population of 20 million, expects economic growth of 7 percent this year, twice the pace of the country as a whole.

52 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY MARCH 16 , 2016

IKORODU KIDNAP: We fed the girls with noodles — SUSPECTS

By Esther Onyegbula

L

AGOS—OPERATIVES of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, Lagos yesterday said they had arrested three more suspects over the recent kidnap of three female Senior Secondary School students of the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, in Ikorodu Lagos state.

Preliminary investigation showed that the suspects were the cooks during the girls six days stay in their den.

The weekend arrest brought the number of arrested suspects to four.

A police source who pleaded anonymity said; “Three more suspects were arrested at the weekend in different hotels in Lagos. We tracked them through the network providers and they have confessed to being the ones cooking for the girls and ensuring that they did not escaped. They told us that they fed the girls with noodles. The suspects also informed us that they had attempted to kidnap the girls twice in the past but succeeded in their third attempt.”

The police initially arrested one of the suspected gang members and two accomplices behind the kidnap of the students; Timilehin Olosa, Tofunmi Popoolaniyan and Deborah Akinayo.

But police sources revealed that three others who allegedly participated in the crime were arrested weekend in different hotels in the state.

The police arrested three suspects, Emmanuel Arigidi , James Henry , and Akanju Oluwasegun, when the girls were rescued on March 3, 2016.

The prime suspect, Arigidi revealed that an eleven-man gang perpetrated the act.

Ambode orders evacuation of Lekki Gardens occupants

tragedy occurred, his will pay a penalty for any over- briefed in due course.

Commiserating with families administration took some steps development on the site.

Further to the above, the State of those who lost their lives and by ordering the immediate

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Government intends to carry those injured in the building sealing of the construction site out an audit of all structures in collapse, Ambode said the and cessation of further AGOS State Governor, Lagos to ascertain those with responsibility of any construction; ensured the coAkinwunmi Ambode planning approval or not and government was to ensure the ordinated emergency rescue of has ordered occupants evaluate the physical safety of lives and property of all injured victims and treatment in all houses built by Lekki development against the its citizens and that his at its hospitals and ordered the Gardens to vacate their approved building plans. The government was determined owners of the collapsed building apartments in order for details of this initiative are not to fail in that duty. to submit themselves to the integrity test to be carried out being finalized and you will be He stated that since the police, which they did. on all the buildings to ascertain their safety.

The governor, who visited the scene of the five-storey collapsed building which killed 34 people in Lekki area of Lagos, was obviously displeased with what he saw and ordered immediate action.

Addressing newsmen after the tour of the collapsed building site and other buildings owned by Lekki Gardens, Ambode ordered integrity test to be carried out on all the buildings by the company in Lagos to ascertain their safety.

He said the developer should take responsibility of JAMBed: Students from different parts of Lagos State, on the platform of Association of Tutorial the relocation of occupants of Colleges of Nigeria, protesting the results of Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB's Computerthe buildings as government Based Test, CBT, at Lagos State House of Assembly, yesterday. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez. would not wait for the buildings to kill more people.

“The State Government will undertake a stability test on all other buildings constructed by fundamental human rights were the same.

By Innocent Anaba the developer in the state, enforcement suit filed by Lagos Trial judge, Justice whether occupied or not, to lawyer and Senior Advocate of Mohammed Idris Federal High Court ascertain their structural Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Rickey consequently stayed further sitting in Lagos, stability. The developer will Tarfa, were the same in the proceedings suit he filed pay the cost of the tests. Any yesterday, upheld the charge of obstruction of pending when the charge building found to be defective argument of the Economic and justice bribing a judge filed against Tarfa before Justice Financial Crimes would be demolished. against him before a Lagos Aishat Opesanwo of the “For those that pass the Commission, EFCC, that the State High Court, Igbosere, Lagos State Court would integrity test, the developer facts in the N2.5billion have been disposed of.

Justice Idris noted that even though, there was no law that forbids the hearing of both civil and criminal

By Demola Akinyemi, The placard carrying went to print it out yesterday, I matters together, a court Dayo Adesulu & admission seekers in Lagos, saw 164. It is unfair. I spent retains discretion to stay Elizabeth Nwandu marched to the Lagos State eight hours to Igbajo civil proceedings during House of Assembly demanding Polytechnic, in Osun State from the pendency of criminal GGRIEVED Joint for the resignation or dismissal Ketu, Lagos.’’ proceedings.

Admissions Matriculation of Prof Ojerinde.

Justice Idris had earlier in Reacting to the development, Board, JAMB, candidates and At the scene of the protest, the board’s Head of Media, Dr. the ruling dismissed the members of Association of Tutorial Vanguard gathered that most Fabian Benjamin accused EFCC’s objection challenging School Owners of Nigeria of the aggrieved candidates proprietors of private schools, the jurisdiction of the court to yesterday protested against what blamed the leadership of whose facilities were not used entertain the matter. they described as the poor JAMB for their failures, for the examination of being The judge disagreed with conduct and outcome of the adding that the electronic behind the protests. the anti-graft agency that by recent examination conducted by devices used for the Benjamin in a statement said: the circumstances of the the board. examination malfunctioned. ‘’The protests were being arraignment of the applicant The protests which took place Speaking, a protester, Mr. sponsored by some proprietors at the Lagos High Court, the in Lagos and Ilorin were largely Kalejaiye Joshua said; ‘’When whose examination centres relief sought in the peaceful even as the protesters the result came out my English were lacking in all the indices fundamental rights demanded for the resignation of was 37, Mathematics, which I needed for a successful enforcement suit have the Registrar of the examination am not good at, I got 47. My Computer Based Test (CBT) become academic. board, Prof Dibu Ojerinde.

In the substantive suit, total score was 220, but when I examination.’’

“The attention of the Board Tarfa is asking the court to has been drawn to a planned compel the anti-graft agency protest tomorrow over the and his acting Chairman, Board’s activities by individuals Ibrahim Mustafa Magu to House by the Chairman of the The House subsequently who called themselves pay him N2.5billion.

Joined as defendants were House Committee on Health, resolved that a letter should be education consultants. JAMB the Commission’s Acting Olusegun Olulade, it was written to Governor Ambode to has called for calm and advised Ibrahim revealed that the house leader sponsor the education of the candidates to always avail Chairman, Obasa led some lawmakers young man, who was said to have themselves of the opportunity Mustapha Magu, the EFCC from the Assembly last scored 250 in the last Unified provided by the board through operatives that arrested him, weekend to visit Bolaji in the Tertiary Matriculation its public complaints unit to Moses Awolusi, and the Director Lagos State University Examination,UTME, and who vent their grievances and not Deputy Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, wishes to study medicine at the to allow blackmailers use them Operations, EFCC, Lagos office, Iliyasu Kwarbai. where he underwent a surgery. University of Ibadan. for any selfish interest.

L

RICKY TARFA: Court upholds EFCC’s argument

A

JAMB accuses tutorial proprietors of sponsoring protests

A

Assembly recommends Mile 12 crisis victim for scholarship ByEbun Sessou

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AGOS State House of Assembly has appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to award scholarship to Mr. Bolaji Kalejaiye, who was hit by a stray bullet during the recent crisis in Mile 12 Market, Lagos.

In a report presented to the C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016—53

Deacon arrested for allegedly defiling 7yr-old girl •I don’t know what got into me — SUSPECT •He threatened to kill me, my parents if I told anybody — VICTIM

•Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni

By Evelyn Usman and Esther Onyegbula

A

RADIO technician identified as Obinna Aneke alleged to have raped a 7-yr - old girl in Bariga area of Lagos, yesterday, lamented that he did not know what made him commit the offence. It was gathered that the incident happened on the 8th of March, 2016, after the victim’s mother dropped two of her daughters in the suspect’s house at about, 6:30am. Crime Alert learnt that the suspect’s 13-year-old daughter, usually takes the victim and her sister to school.

It was while they were waiting to take off that the suspect, Obinna, allegedly drew the victim close to himself, shifted her pant and then inserted his manhood inside her.

Thereafter, he threatened to kill the victim if she tells her parents.

Five days after the incident, the victim told her father that Obinna shifted her pant and discharged. Her parents reported the case to the police in Bariga, consequent upon which he was arrested and transferred to the gender section at the State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja.

Preliminary report on the girl showed that there was penetration.

Suspect’s account: During an interview with Crime Alert, the suspect who hails from Udi in Enugu State but lives at James Esu street in Bariga, Lagos, said, “The girl’s mother goes to the market very early in the morning. She drops her two children (ages seven and five) in my house because my eldest daughter (13) usually takes them to school”.

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•Aneke: The suspect

The father of four however, denied penetrating into the seven old girl, explaining rather that “ I only shifted the girl’s pant and robbed my manhood on her private part until I climaxed.”

Asked where and how the act was committed, he revealed that he committed it at about 6am, while his children; three girls and a boy were still sleeping in the bedroom.

Lamentations: “The children usually stayed in the sitting room. On this day, I sat on the chair and called her to come sit close to me. There after, I stripped her and placed her on my lap with my wrapper drawn up.

But like I said, I did not penetrate.”

Also asked what came into him, to have thought of committing such an act with a minor, he heaved a sigh, bowed his head, and said remorsefully, “Honestly, I didn’t know what came over me. In fact, I regret being born in the first place.

I did not take alcohol or hard drugs before I engaged in the act.

But the devil struck and got me.

Alcohol or hard drugs I am a born again Christian, a dedicated worshipper of God and a deacon. I don’t want my church to know about this, please. I cannot question God, I don’t know why this is happening to me. I did not take alcohol or hard drugs before I engaged in the act. But the devil struck and got me. Ordinarily, I am not a womaniser.

I have been a faithful husband and father. But, I can’t explain the force that came into me. I have already condemned myself before any body condemns me. I beg everyone who is aware of this case to forgive me.

Indeed, this is an evil thing that has never happened in my family. I wish I could turn the hands of the clock back, so as to right my wrong.”

Earlier, the seven year-old victim (names withheld) told the Police that; “He is fond of calling me a ‘fine girl’.

He has done it several times. Last year before the Christmas celebration, Uncle Obinna called me into his room and warned me not to tell my parents whatever he was doing with me. He said he would kill me and my parents if I ever revealed it to anyone. He would constantly question me if I wanted my parents to die, but I would say no. He poured his saliva into my private part and put his tomtom (manhood) and ‘wee wee’ inside. He also told me to turn my back where he put his tomtom again, “ she said innocently.

Wife abandons him: Meanwhile, the suspect’s wife has reportedly abandoned him. Crime Alertgathered that the visibly angry wife who

described the incident as a shame to her family, has never shown up at the station since her husband was arrested.

Efforts to speak with her failed as she snapped at our reporters when approached at their Bariga home yesterday. But a relative of hers said; “What do you expect hertosay?Istheactnotdisgraceful enough? She has vowed never to see her husband again. She even said if he ( husband) would be taken to court , that, its his own cup of tea.”

At a point, the wife’s phone rang and from her conversation with theunknowncallerinIgbodialect, she said in a tearful voice: “You can see the disgrace your brother hasbroughttomeandmychildren . Where do I hide my face in this area? Nobody knows me because I usually leave the house in the morning and come back at night.

I am in my 30s. Am I not pretty enough, or would he say he was sex starved? Even if he was, should it be with a child of same age with our last child, when there are adults around? Oh my God, this incident has broken my heart!”she said in tears.

Meanwhile, Crime Alert gathered that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni has directed that the victim and members of her family should relocate from their Bariga abode to Idimu, to avoid stigmatisation. Besides, Owoseni also directed that she should be enrolled in the Police Primary School . As at yesterday, she was kept in one of the homes .

54 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016

Mother Theresa to be made a saint M OTHER Theresa, the Roman Catholic nun who worked with the poor in the Indian city of Kolkata (Calcutta), is to be declared a saint on 4 September, Pope Francis has announced.

She founded a sisterhood that runs 19 homes, and won the Nobel Peace Prize.

She died in 1997 - aged 87 - and was beatified in 2003, the first step to sainthood.

The Pope cleared the way for sainthood last year when he recognised a second miracle attributed to Mother Teresa.

Born in 1910 to Albanian parents, Agnese Gonxha Bojaxhiu grew up in what is now the Macedonian capital,

Skopje, but was then part of the Ottoman Empire.

Aged 19, she joined the Irish order of Loreto and in 1929 was sent to India, where she taught at a school in Darjeeling under the name of Therese.

In 1946 she moved to Kolkata to help the destitute and, after a decade, set up a hospice and a home for abandoned children.

She founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950. The sisterhood now has 4,500 nuns worldwide.

She achieved worldwide acclaim for her work in Kolkata’s slums, but her critics accused her of pushing a hardline

Catholicism, mixing with dictators and accepting funds from them for her charity.

•Mother Theresa

Tanzania arrests 500 sex workers

T

ANZANIA is holding about 500 suspected sex workers and nearly 300 of their alleged customers in detention as part of a crackdown on prostitution.

The first suspects will start appearing in court on Wednesday, Dar es Salaam’s deputy police commissioner told the BBC, confirming the arrests.

Rights groups have condemned the arrests, which started a week ago, urging police not to hold suspects beyond the legal 48-hour limit.

Tanzania’s new President John Magufuli, who came to power on an anticorruption platform, has previously criticised prostitution in the country.

President Magufuli,

known as the Bulldozer, has vowed to uphold law and order since taking power in November.

Deputy police commissioner Simon Siro said the suspects were being held in three prisons around the city.

He said the sex trade was linked to both drugs and violent crime in Tanzania.

BENIN REPUBLIC: Zinsou, Talon for second round

By Tony Lohou

F

INALLY, the Constitu tional Court has declared the provisional results of the presidential elections 2016.

It confirmed the major trends published by the Commission in charge of the elections (CENA), which give winners in order of merit.

The candidates are Lionel Zinsou, Patrice Talon, Sébastien Ajavon, Abdoulaye Bio Tchane and Pascal Irenee Koupaki.

The second round between the top two candidates will indeed take place on 20 March 20th.

Provisional results of the 2016 presidential election whose first round took place on March 6 are finally known.

Thus, the candidate Lionel Zinsou was officially declared first in the first round of the presidential election with 27.11%, in contrast to 28.40% indicated by trends.

He is followed by Patrice Talon, candidate who obtained 23.52% of votes rather than the 24.80% announced.

The candidate Sebastian Ajavon, who ranked third, has a score of 22.07% and not 23.03% as the CENA said.

Despite these minor changes observed in the percentage of votes obtained by the candidates, the top three did not change.

In reality, the figures published by both the CENA by the Constitutional Court, candidates Lionel Zinsou and Patrice Talon are the two who C M Y K

received the most votes.

According to the Electoral Code, they won their tickets for the second round of the presidential election scheduled to be held after the first round.

The government candidate, Lionel Zinsou, carried by the republican alliance of the Renaissance of Benin (RB), the PRD, the alliance Eclaireur and others, will face the candidate Patrice Talon, a member of breaking coalition created on the eve of the election campaign for the first round.

If all the candidates of the breaking coalition decide to support Patrice Talon candidate for the second round, it’s evidence that he is likely a favourite. It remains true that Lionel Zinsou, who President Boni Yayi is supporting, remains the favourite.

Zinsou obtained the highest score in the first round.

Similarly, Patrice Talon surprised many with his breakthrough in some strongholds of the major political parties in the country. Hecan still cause an upset in the second round.

Recall Iranian envoy over inciting utterances, group urges govt

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

T

HE Federal Govern ment has been called upon to prevail on the Iranian government to imme-

diately recall its Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Saeed Kocheezi from the country.

The call became necessary according to a pressure group, Africa Arise for Change (AAFC) to prevent further blood shed in Nigeria between the authorities and the embattled Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise know as Shite movement.

At a press statement issued by the AAFC Executive Director, Comfort Solape, following their procession to the Lagos State House to present their re-

quest to President Muhammadu Buhari through Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, alleged that there is a link between the Iranian ambassador and IMN. The AAFC also accused the Envoy of making utterances which they viewed as being against the country.

She therefore urged the government to investigate the alleged link behind foreign interference and the recent security incidents in several parts of the country.

Solape explained that the “Peaceful Freedom Walk “ was to draw the attention of President Buhari and other government officials to the state of securi-

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 — 55

Oliseh withdraws suit against NFF ORMER coach of F the Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh said yesterday that he has implored his lawyers to withdraw a lawsuit against his erstwhile employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The former national coach said he made his decision after being placated to do so by “some well-meaning Nigerians”.

“I have instructed my lawyers to withdraw the lawsuit against the NFF,” Oliseh said via his official Youtube account, the same medium through which he announced his resignation as coach of the national team two weeks ago.

Oliseh cited breach of contract including nonpayment of salaries by his employers before his resignation.

He had threatened to sue the Nigeria FA early this month, after the local football governing body made claims the backlog of salaries owed him were cleared shortly before his resignation as coach.

PRESENTATION: L-R: Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe; President, Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijjani Umar and Board Member, NBBF, Mustapha Suleiman, during the cheque presentation to the NBBF for the sponsorship of the 2016 season of the DStv Basketball Premier League in Abuja yesterday.

By Elizabeth Uwandu

T

HE Nigerian Soci ety for the Blind, NSB has said the Minister of Sports, Solomon

F

ORMER Nigerian international John Ene Okon has passed away, according to the country ’s football federation, the NFF. Ene Okon died in Calabar on Tuesday at the age of 47 after illness.

“Former Nigeria international player John Ene Okon has passed on,” the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced via Twitter on Tuesday.

Until his death, Ene Okon

Continued from B/P

Green said the NFF was not unaware of its rights. He made it clear that the NFF would soon write to Oliseh to demand a refund of the five million Naira paid him in lieu of his accommodation in Nigeria, and the February 2016 salary (another five million Naira) that should serve in lieu of his one–month notice of resignation.

Green rejected claims by the former Super Eagles’ Coach that the NFF Technical and Development Committee tried to impose players on him.

Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Chris Green, wondered when his Committee made moves to impose players on the former trainer.

“I can vouch for Felix Anyansi-Agwu, who was chairman of the committee before me, that he is not that type of person.

I was made chairman on

HE Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) has praised the organisers of the GOtv Boxing Night for their unwavering support towards the revival of Boxing in Nigeria Speaking on Monday, General Secretary NBB of C, Remi Aboderin, said the commitment of the sponsors has rekindled hope that Nigeria boxing will soon be reckoned with on the global stage.

“There is a new enthusiasm and re-awakening of interest of boxers, who now have brighter hopes of being regularly engaged in the ring.

“Due to long period of inactivity which, thankfully is becoming a thing of the past because of GOtv ’s sponsorship, boxers resorted to menial

GOtv Boxing Night: NBB of C lauds organisers jobs, became depressed and some took to gangsterism.

“In the medium term, let’s say before 2020, we are optimistic that Nigerian boxers will be talked about around the world,” he said.

Aboderin was speaking ahead of the GOtv Boxing Night 6 scheduled to hold on Good Friday, March 25 at the Indoor Sport Hall of the National Stadium, La-

Ene Okon

was the head coach of Calabar Rovers, where he was famed for his talent as a midfielder.

January 16 and travelled to Rwanda on January 17, when the team for the CHAN had been composed. The Super Eagles have not played any match since CHAN. So, when did we have time to try and impose players on him?

“We are not in anyway moved by his vituperations. He claims we did not provide him information with regards to Egypt, but how come we have been able to provide Siasia with the same? He should respect himself and move on.”

Green, a ranking member of the NFF Executive Committee, added: “We welcomed Oliseh with so much warmth and so much regard for his person. It is sad that he has failed to reciprocate, even at departure. He is simply full of too much talk.

“He should stop leapfrogging into unfamiliar territories, such as his mention of capacity – building program. That program was fully spon-

Dalung will grace its 21st annual inter-house sports, on March 17, 2016, at Yaba College of Technology.

Former Chairman, Executive Council, NSB, Chief Olu Falomo in company of the Chairman inter-house sports committee, Major Kehinde Danmola and other stakeholders of the society; said that the presence of the Minister would be a boost to the society and raise the spirit of the blind students. His words,” The Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung is the special guest of this year’s event as we are renewing our contacts

F

ORMER Super Ea gles striker, John Utaka has backed coach

sored by corporate bodies and was never at the expense of anyone’s benefits.”

He also sneezed at Oliseh’s self-adulation in claiming that he put Nigeria first in his work.

“How much he put Nigeria first in everything he did show in the way he abandoned ship with only weeks to crucial games.

“It is clear he wants to remain in the news for no other reason than to distract the NFF and the team from concentrating on these two crucial matches. It is very easy for people to grandstand and claim to be more patriotic and altruistic than others, but the true test remains what such people do when the chips are down.

“Oliseh showed a lack of heart in the way he left. And he was purely grandstanding when claiming some persons spoke to him to drop a law suit, when he knew from the beginning that he had no case.”

tually impaired persons have to offer.”

Speaking on some of the activities to be displayed by the Vocational Training Centre students that included: March past, 50m race( male/female), 3 legged race, walking race, shot put, old students race, parents/guardians’ races etc., Major Danmola said sports activities are major boost to the confidence of the virtually impaired persons.

House Committee Continued from B/P

the former Super Eagles captain was not the first coach to have left the national team.

A reliable source at the secretariat of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) told Sports Vanguard exclusively that Oliseh had written a letter to the federation saying he was not interested in the hearing because he has moved on with his life.

“I know that the House Committee has announced the postponement of the meeting with Oliseh. I also know that the same Oliseh has sent a letter to the NFF last Monday stating that he is not coming because he has decided to move on with his life and I am sure that he may have sent the same letter to the National Assembly.

“So that may have resulted in the talk of shifting the meeting till after the Super Eagles matches with Egypt this month. After all they knew about the matches before inviting Oliseh” our source added.

gos. The event is a sixfight professional boxing tourney featuring established stars and five graduates of the GOtv Boxing NextGen Search.

The best boxer of the event, which is scheduled for live broadcast by SuperSport in 47 African countries, will go home with N1million cash prize and the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.

Utaka backs Siasia, Amuneke to lift Eagles

Dalung to grace School for the blind with the Federal Governinter-house sports ment to see what the vir-

Ene Okon passes on

NFF

T

*Utaka

Akwa Utd Continued from B/P

Paul Bassey told the players after their last training session yesterday that they should underrate Ikorodu at their own peril. “ News of their lack of motivation and even thrashing at the hands of Ifeanyi Ubah has nothing to do with us.

You should come out tomorrow (today) determined to win and win well”, the Chairman told the players.

He further told them that the Executive Governor of the State His Excellency Mr Udom Emmanuel is delighted with the progress the team is making so far “..and we have to continue to keep him happy. So far he has given us all we need to succeed and we have to play our part and reciprocate his fatherly gesture” he said.

The players through

Samson Siasia and Emmanuel Amuneke to lead the national team to qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Utaka who played in Egypt with Ismaily stated that with a good selection, the Eagles can beat the Pharoahs of Egypt in AFCON qualifier.

“It’s a good choice [selection of Siasia and Amunike]. They will do very well,” Utaka told KingFut..

“I think whoever the coach picked will be more than ready for the match at hand.

It is difficult say but it is up to the coach to assemble his starting 11.

“We have quick players in the attack as well but I think Obi Mikel will be the key to Nigeria’s play because he knows his midfield duties.” captain Otobong Effiong promised to live up to expectations.

Coach Maurice Cooreman whose last port of call was Ikorodu United when he led them to the elite class says he relishes the challenge of playing against his former wards.

Apart from a slight knee knock suffered by Emmanuel Chiegozie and a fever condition reported by Kufre Ebong, the team is fit and raring to go.

Akwa’s next match will be against Rangers International in Enugu over the week end.

Neymar

Continued from B/P

pics get under way in Rio in August.

It remains to be seen whether he will play in both tournaments, with Brazil coach Dunga set to meet Barca counterpart Luis Enrique to discuss the forward’s commitments.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 ar

Neymar maintains Olympics tic close-season scheddesire ule.

m

B

*N

ey

RAZIL captain Neymar has reiterated his desire to represent his country at their home Olympics in Rio this year, despite a hec-

Continues on

Barcelona star Neymar could feature for Brazil at the Copa America Centenario starting in June, before the Olym Continues on Page 55

NFF’ll demand N10m from Oliseh –Green *Maurice Coomer

T

*Dismisses player-imposition claim

HE Nigeria Foot ball Federation is dusting its legal pads and reviewing the controversies following the sudden resignation of former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh with a view to making claims, where necessary.

Laughing off some of the statements credited to Oliseh, chairman of the ‘powerful’ NFF technical committee, Chris

Akwa Utd’ll fight Ikorodu Utd

T

HE belief that Akwa United will underrate Ikorodu United in today’s reschedule premier league match at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo has been debunked.

According to a release issued by Club Media Officer Uwem Ekoh, the chairman of the club Mr Continues on Page 55

Continues on Page 55

*Oliseh

*Green

Why House Committee shelved Oliseh’s invitation

By Jude Opara, Abuja

E

VEN as the House Committee on Sports announced that the much celebrated invitation of former Super Eagles Coach, Sunday Oliseh earlier scheduled

for tomorrow has been shifted till after the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) between Nigeria and Egypt, we can reveal that the shift is because Oliseh was not enthusiastic about the hearing.

Many analysts were surprised when the news broke out that the lawmakers had invited Ol-

iseh to find out what led to his resignation, a development that they argued showed bias since Continues on Page 55

Today’s Champion League matches Bayern Munich Barcelona

v v

Juventus 8:45 pm Arsenal 8:45 pm

*Anyansi-Agwu

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 5 Garden pest (5) 6 Shellfish used to make chowder (4) 8 Slightly unwell (3-6) 9 Marmosets and tamanns, eg (7) 13 Monarch (9) 15 The Hunter, Michael Cimino film (4) 16 Speak unclearly (4) DOWN 1 Racecourse founded by Queen Anne (5) 2 Ride a wave (4) 3 Dismal (6) 4 Well-dressed or intelligent (5) 7 Parody (7) 10 Displayed, exhibited (2-4) 11 Words spoken directly to a theatre audience (5) 12 Contemptuous nasal sound (5) 14 Inactive out of use (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 5, Starturn 6, Myth 7, Lobe 8, Eat 9, Scat 11, Lamp 13, Opposite.

DOWN: 1 Stay 2, Archetype 3, Guiltless 4, Snub 10, Cook 12, Mate.

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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C M Y K