NASS slashes, passes N6.06trn 2016 budget

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62901

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

Traffic to prison: Insurance experts fault Lagos magistrate's action

Abducted school girls: Suspect asked us for forgiveness, prayers 10

— PRINCIPAL

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NASS slashes, passes N6.06trn 2016 budget •Slashes Buhari's estimate by N17bn •Queries omission of salaries, allowances for MDAs •Adopts $38pb bench mark •N2.2 trillion as fiscal deficit retained •Presidency hails NASS over passage

By Gabriel Omoh, Henry Umoru, Emman Ovuakporie, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—THE N a t i o n a l Assembly, yesterday, passed a N6.06 trillion

BUDGET 2016 HIGHLIGHTS NASS

Presidency Proposal

*Total budget N6. 06 trn N6.0777trn *Reduced by N17 billion *Revenue estimate- N3.86 trn *Deficit : N2.204 trn *N2,646 trn recurrent (non-debt) N2.486trn *N1,587 trn capital N1.45540trn *N1,475 bn Debt service 1,475,320 *$ 38 pbl oil benchmark (same as executive proposal) *Oil output – 2.2m bpd 2.2mbpd *Exchange rate-N197/$1 N197/$ *N351.370 bn statutory transfers N351.70bn *NASS gets N115 billion *UBEC N77.110 bn *NJC N70 bn *INEC N45 bn *NDDC N41.050 bn *N20 billion amnesty programme, *N8 billion Lafiya Dole

2016 budget into law, following a motion by the Chairman, Joint Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje, seconded

by Senator Andy Uba, thus reducing the President's proposal by N17 billion. While the President proposed a budget of N6.07 trillion,

Continues on Page 5

Presidency: No vacancy in 2019 From left: Dr. Oba Otudeko, Founder/Chairman of Honeywell Group and winner of the 2016 CEO Award, being congratulated by Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Former Minister of Finance and Dr Akinwunmi Adeshina, President of African Development Bank (AfDB) at the 2016 Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan.

CBN POLICY: Interest rates, Bond yields 16 rise, as stock market reverses gain COLUMNISTS:

Borno State: Counting the cost Core issues in Will gas flaring of insurgency•P.17 the Rivers polls •P.19 ever end? •P.19

Fuel scarcity continues till May —KACHIKWU

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— APC National caucus 8

Mr & Mrs

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POCKET CARTOON

FUEL CRISIS—From the right, the National Chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, Sulaimon Oladiti; Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu and President Muhammadu Buhari, after a meeting for the presentation of the Oil Workers Position on the lingering fuel crisis in the country at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

NASS slashes, passes N6.06trn 2016 budget Continues from Page 1 the National Assembly slashed it to N6.06trillion.

The 2016 budget had been trailed by allegations of padding which delayed its passage.

The highlight is as follows: N351bn for statutory transfers, N1.4trn for debt service, N2.6trn for recurrent expenditure, and N1.5trn as capital expenditure.

The N17 billion reduction in the aggregate expenditure of the budget was taken from overhead votes component of the N2.65 trillion recurrent expenditure of the budget which has now been reduced to N2.646 trillion.

N2.2trillion fiscal deficit was retained.

Also retained, were the parameters of $38 per barrel oil price bench mark for the budget, 2.2million barrels of oil production per day, exchange rate of N197 to a US dollar and deficit GDP of 2.14 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Presidency said that the

Executive was adequately involved in the resolution of controversy that arose from the budget before it was actually passed, just as it hailed the National Assembly for the passage.

In the approved budget, the National Assembly ensured that only the N500billion Intervention fund was allowed to scale through untouched as other components in the budget were cut because it bordered on giving relief to the poor.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday, December 22, 2015, presented before a Joint Session of the National Assembly, a total budget estimate of N6, 077,680,000,000.

Of the total sum presented by Buhari, N351,270,000,000 is for statutory transfers, N1, 475,320,000,000 is for Debt Service, N2,648,600,000,000 is for recurrent(non-debt), w h i l e N1,845,540,000,000, inclusive of N157,150,000,000 Capital

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO T is respect for individual differences and diversity that ensures peace and prosperity.

People don’t have to look or think like you to earn your love and respect. It’s up to you.

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TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Worry is a complete waste of time and a drain on your energy. Besides, you could attract negativity with your worry energy— Take Heart Quotes

P

ERHAPS you’ve been worried because you’re going through so many changes right now, or because you have empathically picked up on other people’s fear energies. Also, on days where you feel tired and just want to give up, you may be a little more emotionally vulnerable and more prone to worry. Stay Positive. Pray and meditate.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE Seeing and not rebuking, kills the elder; hearing but not heeding, kills the young.

expenditure in Statutory Transfers and N86,000,000,000 as interest on Capitalised Loans, is for contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the year ending 31st day of December, 2016.

The National Assembly which observed that the budget was not presented in time, however, urged the federal government to submit the budget subsequently in strict compliance with the Fiscal Policy Act. From the N351.370 billion approved for statutory transfers, National Assembly gets N115 billion; Universal Basic Education gets N77.110 billion; National Judicial Council gets N70 billion; the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, gets N45 billion; Niger Delta D e v e l o p m e n t Commission, NDDC, gets N41.050 billion; Public Complaints Commission gets N2 billion, while National Human Rights Commission gets N1.210 billion.

Also captured in the budget are: N14,690,036,516 for Group life insurance for all MDAs, including DSS/ insurance sensitive assets/corpers; N1 billion for armed forces enhanced retirement benefits of Commodores and above; N2.795 billion for severance benefits of Delta Steel company/ Pension pay-off; N2,544,110,811 for military retirees NHIS; N36 million for Administration and monitoring of OHSCF Group Life; N200 million for Pension verification and administration; N2.3 billion for entitlements of former Presidents/Heads of State and Vice Presidents/Chief of General Staff and N1.5 billion for public service reforms (including payment of severance benefits of civil servants).

Out of N1,475,320,000,000 approved for Debt service, the sum of N1,307,400,000,000 is for Domestic Debts; N54.480 billion for Foreign Debts while N113.440 billion is for Sinking fund to retire maturing Loans.

From the N1,898,444,450,116 approved for Recurrent (non-debt expenditure), Interior gets highest allocation of N451,942,552,070; Education gets N367,734,727,223; Defence gets N312,213,355,618; H e a l t h , N221,412,548,087; Youth & Sports Development, N72,297,326,595; Petroleum Resources, N54,336,926,923; Foreign Affairs, N39,440,096,249; Information & Culture, N38,729,446,483; Works, Power & Housing, N422, 964,928,495; Agriculture, N29,632,584,416; while Science & Technology gets N25,554,038,310.

Presidency gets N21,676,277,888; NSA N56,791,291,063; SGF N45,890,745,817; Head of Civil Service of the Federation N6,270,657,023; Justice N17,389,782,636; Environment N14,515,408,468; Transportation N13,667,122,591; Water Resources N7,219,056,441; Solid Minerals N9,402,106,704; Industry, Trade & Investment N10,410,294,458; Finance N9,994,990,976; National Planning N7,737,100,536; AGF N2,480,584,708; Labour & Employment N7,735,604,366; Niger Delta - N1,261,723,837; ICPC - N5,029,989,359; Communication & Technology N9,885,909,120; ICRC N838,569,623; FRC N320,198,366; Special Duties SGF N65,604,713; while Women Affairs gets N1,216,723,837.

According to the report on capital votes for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing gets the lion share of N422,964,928,495, followed by Transportation with N188,674,679,674; D e f e n c e , N130,864,439,542; Interior, N61,713,279,496; A g r i c u l t u r e , N46,173,963,859; Water R e s o u r c e s , N46,081,121,423; E d u c a t i o n , N35,433,487,466; National Security Adviser, N32,084,085,624 and FCTA, N29,297,122,872.

The sum of N28,650,342,987 for Health; N27,006,179,073 for Science and T e c h n o l o g y ; N23,004,199,702 for P r e s i d e n c y ; N20,319,288,049 for Secretary to the Government of the

F e d e r a t i o n ; N19,440,328,551 for Niger Delta; N7,332,623,257 for Solid Minerals Development; N5,542,655,626 for Labour and Employment; N6,304,900,570 for Petroleum Resources; N5,992,735,230 for Communication T e c h n o l o g y ; N4,957,964,638 for Environment while N2,322,144,778 for Budget and National Planning.

The sum of N3,497,043,000 for Youth & Sports Development; N1,429,176,735 for office of the Head of Civil Service of the F e d e r a t i o n ; N2,293,528,977 for Women Affairs; N897,736,744 for Justice; N123,044,650 for Fiscal Responsibility C o m m i s s i o n ; N169,871,885 for National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission; N35.730 million for Infrastructure C o n c e s s i o n a r y Regulatory Commission; N317,509,819 for Auditor General of the Federation while N667,842,500 for Finance.

From the N1,173,407,694,354 approved for Executive (Federal Executive bodies), Code of Conduct gets N4,889,127,358; Code of Conduct Tribunal gets N1,055,560,066; Federal Character Commission gets N984,780,230; Federal Civil Service Commission gets N16,841,017; National Population Commission gets N4,411,606,590; Police Ser vice Commission gets N269,628,000 while Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission gets N19,883,417.

Also provided for in the budget are: N300 billion for special intervention (recurrent); N20 billion for amnesty programme, N8 billion for Lafiya Dole; N4 billion for IPPIS capturing; N1 billion for service wide training of budget/planning officers on GIFMIS budget preparation system as well as monitoring and evaluation of all projects nationwide; N2 billion for payment of outsourced services;

N2.5 billion for provision of security equipment for selected public buildings; N4 billion for E m p l o y e e s Compensation Fund; N500 million for election logistics support; N12 billion for Pilgrims support services; N12 billion for contingency; N3,599,600,000 for margin for increases in costs and recurrent adjustment costs; N8.5 billion for external financial obligations; N3.5 billion for assessed contribution to African Union and others; N6 billion for contribution to i n t e r n a t i o n a l organizations including WAEC inter national; N33,597,400,000 for public service wage adjustment for MDAs (Inc!using arrears of promotion and salary increases); N3 billion for outstanding payments to health professionals; N13 billion for operations - internal for armed forces; N10.255 billion for Improved remuneration package for Nigerian Police including 2014 and 2015 shortfalls and N400 million for 35th annual general meeting and symposium of ShelterAfrique in Nigeria in June 2016.

Presenting the report at the plenary for consideration, Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, who noted that the budget was filled with controversy, said there were many lapses in the budget, adding that if the senate had insisted on clearing the lapses, the committee would not have been able to meet up with the deadline of submission. The Senate said its approval of the 2016 fiscal document was due to its satisfaction that the country would benefit if it was passed into law.

He said: “This budget is full of controversy and we did not want to have more controversy or else it wouldn't have been presented today and the National Assembly would be blamed. The people would not understand it because people are even saying that we are playing politics."

6 — Vanguard, THURSDAY MARCH 24 , 2016

TB death rate drops 47% in 25 years, says WHO

By Sola Ogundipe & Chioma Obinna

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S Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark this year ’s World Tuberculosis Day, the World Health Organisation, WHO, has ranked Nigeria as one of the countries with the highest burden of Tuberculosis, even as it disclosed that TB death dropped by 47 percent between 1990 and 2015.

The disease infects about half a million Nigerians every year, and kills about 170,000.

In a statement to mark the Day themed “Unite To End TB”, WHO called on countries and partners to unite to end the scourge of TB as a target in the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The world health body noted that although there has been significant progress in the fight against TB, with 43 million lives saved since 2000, the battle is only half-won as over 4,000 people lose their lives each day to TB. Regretting that many of the communities that are most burdened by tuberculosis are the poor, vulnerable and marginalized, WHO said ending TB will only be achieved with greater collaboration within and across governments, and with partners from civil society, communities, researchers, the private sector and development agencies.

Wigwe, Shobanjo want more investment in education

By Amaka Abayomi

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HE Chairman, Troyka Group, Mr. Biodun Shobanjo and CEO, Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, have called for more investments in education, saying quality education is the only way to re-ignite the economy.

Speaking at the launch of the City of Knowledge Academy, CKA, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Shobanjo said the free education scheme of the old Western Region changed the fortunes of hundreds of thousands of children, who would have been uneducated due to the financial status of their parents.

Announcing the sponsoring of 10 students to the school, Wiwge said: “One of the greatest problems of this country is lack of quality education because without an educated populace, you cannot ignite the economy.''

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ABDUCTED SCHOOL GIRLS: Suspect asked us for forgiveness, prayers — PRINCIPAL

By Bose Adelaja

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A G O S — T H E management of Babington Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, has said one of the suspects arrested in connection with the kidnapping of the three students has asked the school to pray for him.

The school Principal, Venerable Olaoluwa Adeyemi disclosed this yesterday, while addressing the staff and parents of the school immediately after the end of the term thanksgiving service by the school, which effectively closes the abduction issue as far as the school is concerned.

Though he did not reveal the suspect’s name, he said the accused has sent many text messages asking for forgiveness.

The girls were released on Sunday, March 6, after six days with their kidnappers.

Also, the principal has revealed the security arrangement so far put in place by the school, saying the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Metro Police, OP Messa and two other security organisations have taken charge of the security arrangement.

Three Senior Secondary Students, SSS 11, Timilehin Olusa, Tofunmi Popo Olaniyan and Deborah Akinayo were abducted from the school on Monday, February 29 at about 8.30pm but were released unhurt after six days.

The principal said the incident was an eye opener and a big lesson for the school and this has brought about improved security services by the school.

According to him, the school has set up a security committee in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force which has detached five security groups to the school.

Apart from this, the school has sought the services of the local Police and Nigeria Legion to complement the effort of the government.

He told the parents that the rear perimeter fencing of the school had been raised while a patrol van was bought and this will be

LAGOS, KEBBI'S MOU ON AGRICULTURE: From left: Permanent Secretary, Kebbi State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Nababa Adamu; Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State; Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos and Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau, during the Signing of Memorandum of Understanding on Food Production between Lagos and Kebbi states at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday. Photo by Bunmi Azeez. managed by the internal security of the school.

Adeyemi informed that the school has mounted a close circuit television, CCTV and security lights round the school. He said; “We are in collaboration with The Nigeria Police Force and have requested the services of the Nigeria Legion and the local Police. ‘’We are glad to inform you that the school has bought a security patrol van to be managed by our security officers. Also, we have formed a security committee and there are local guards because we we have vowed not to take the issue of security for granted as long as the school exits,” said the Principal.

Parents, students and teachers seized the occasion to appreciate God for the release of the girls after which the school also ended its second term academic season and the students were released to their parents.

During the thanksgiving service, Tofunmi’s father, Mr Olaniyan, who spoke on behalf of the affected parents thanked the school for its effort in rescuing the girls.

LASU suspends students for exam malpractices summoned to appear before

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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A G O S — MANAGEMENT of the Lagos State University, LASU, has suspended 25 students for examination malpractices and failure to appear before the panel investigating them.

The students, who were accused of committing various forms of examination malpractices ranging from impersonation to appearing in examination hall with fake exams identification tags were

investigative panel, but failed to turn up.

Majority of them are 500 and 400 levels students who are in their final year of graduating from the University, except a student from the Faculty of Social Science, (Political Science) who was caught with photocopied materials right inside the examination hall.

The decision to suspend the students was taken by the school sequel to the 37th Statutory meeting held by the Student Disciplinary Panel,(SDP) at the main campus of the university.

Lagos, Kebbi start agric revolution ...Target 70% of Nigeria’s rice needs

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—THE Lagos State and Kebbi State government yesterday, entered into a partnership on the establishment of a commodity value chain that will give a quantum leap to food processing, production and distribution.

The partnership, among other benefits, is aimed at bringing about national food sufficiency and security, as well as creating employment and wealth distribution for the benefit of both states and the nation in general.

The move is in line with the overwhelming calls for a paradigm shift from overdependence on oil as the major earner of the country.

Speaking at the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two states at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the partnership signalled the commencement of a new beginning of cooperation and common-sense revolution, which is in line with the change mantra of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which calls for patriotism in all facets of life.

Ambode said the partnership would bring an end to the era of imported rice in the country, noting that the country has the economic prowess to produce rice locally.

Also speaking at the event, which was attended by top government functionaries, traditional rulers and members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) from both states, Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu thanked Governor Ambode for providing leadership and innovation that brought about the partnership, adding that same was

in line with the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to steer Nigeria from depending solely on oil.

Bagudu said in the world of genetically modified food, the partnership between the two states was an additional motivation to provide certainties for the people in terms of food production and sufficiency, and that the goal is to produce 60 to 70 percent of Nigeria’s rice needs, and replicate same in other food items.

Corruption economy bigger than national economy – ADEMOWO

By Gabriel Olawale

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AGOS—DEAN Emeritus, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, Most Revd. Dr. Adebola Ademowo has expressed worry over the dimension corruption is taking in the country which tends to threaten the authority, power of state and continued existence of the country.

According to him; “The corruption economy is arguably bigger, better structured and more sophisticated in its operations, than the national economy. Corruption has grown more desperate and its corroding influence is more wide-ranging.

“No country can survive, develop and make progress in such a condition.''

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 — 7

Airtel unveils VAS subscription mgt short code

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ELECOMMUNICATIONS services provider, Airtel Nigeria, has introduced a new Service Short Code, which empowers customers to choose, activate or deactivate their Value Added Service, VAS, subscription at any point in time.

First of its kind in the telecoms industry, customers are to dial *902# to choose from two options of either activating or deactivating a VAS or SMS service. The customer either presses 2 to deactivate or 1 to activate a service.

Speaking on the service, the Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Ahmad Mokhles, described the new offering as ‘placing power back in the hands of consumers’, as it enables them to easily decide what services to enjoy on the Smart Phone network.

Mr. Mokhles said: “With the introduction of the service short code, Airtel as a customer-centric brand has yet again, broken new grounds and also set another benchmark for the telecommunication industry in Nigeria.

“This simple-step service short code offers our customers ‘freedom of choice’ which ties with our commitment towards enriching the lives of Nigerians through the provision of exceptional service experience, driven by innovative products and services.’’

LAWMAKER’S ARREST: Ekiti Assembly drags DSS, FG to court ...As Court stops Ekiti airport project

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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DO-EKITI—EKITI State House of Assembly, yesterday said it has instructed its counsel to sue the Department of State Security Service over what it termed “the undemocratic, unpatriotic, dictatorial and brutish” incarceration of one of its members, Mr Afolabi Akanni, by the Department of State Services, DSS, for 18 days with neither explanation nor trial in court.

The lawmaker, who was arrested on March 4, was released on Tuesday, but information available to newsmen confirmed that he is yet to reunite with his colleagues because of his poor health.

At a press conference in Ado Ekiti, the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Kola Oluwawole, carpeted the DSS for not officially notifying the Assembly that Akanni has been released and taken to the hospital, describing this as an

OPENING: From left; Chairman, Governing Council, City of Knowledge Academy, Mr. Bambo Adesanya; Founder, Mrs. Mosun Belo-Olusoga; Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, representing the Governor Ibikunle Amosun; the Governor's wife, Mrs Olufunsho Amosun; Awujale of Ijebuland, HRM Oba S. K. Adetona and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, during the formal opening of City of Knowledge Academy at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, yesterday. Photo by Amaka Abayomi.

dictatorial and brutish.

“Detaining Nigerians for weeks without trial is a clear return of Decree 2 , with which President Buhari hounded Nigerians into detention when he was a military dictator and we in the assembly will continue to support our leader, Mr Ayodele Fayose not minding the harassment or intimidation”.

Meantime, Governor Fayose’s plan of build an airport has suffered a setback as an Ado Ekiti High Court yesterday ruled that the forcible takeover of the land for the airport project from the farmers and the destruction of economic trees, crops and buildings were unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, null void and of no effect.

Justice Dele Omotoso in his judgment also ordered the payment N5million as general damages to the claimants for the loss they suffered for the damage of their crops and economic trees.

Claimants are Faluyi Ayeni and 8 Others who sued for themselves and on behalf of land owners and farmers of Iwajo, Aso Ayegunle Farm Settlement along Ado-Ijan Road.

Justice Omotoso held that the purported revocation of the Right of Occupancy of the Claimants to their respective parcels of land was unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, null and void and of no effect.

N2.6BN THEFT: Court adjourns ex-NIMASA boss, others trial

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, adjourned till April 18 for continuation of trial of former Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA boss, Patrick Akpobolokemi and five others, charged with N2.6 billion theft.

Trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba adjourned the case, saying it was saddled with much work load and so, fixed continuation of trial on the next adjourned date.

Akpobolokemi is standing trial alongside Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene

Nwakuche, Amaechi Juan and two companies; Blockz and Stonez Ltd and Al-Kenzo Logistic Ltd, on a 22-count charge.

The accused are charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. They had all pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The court granted them bail in the sum of N50 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

In the charge, the accused were said to have committed the alleged offences between December 2013 and March 2014.

The prosecution alleged that in February 2014 in Lagos, the

Triumphant Baptist Church holds 20th anniversary

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HE Triumphant Baptist Church, Akowonjo, Lagos is holding its 20th anniversary with a revival service, which started last Sunday at the church auditorium.

According to the church’s Pastor, Dr Sunday Oladejo, the anniversary provides a vantage avenue to celebrate God and appreciate His faithfulness in the life of the church despite her serious challenges in the past years.

Dr. Oladejo also said there will also be an empowerment programme tomorrow while the grand finale is a special thanksgiving service on Sunday.

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affront on the Assembly and the people of the state who voted them into their respective offices.

He declared that the Assembly will claim damages for the brutish and illegal way the DSS had dealt with the lawmaker .

A speech read by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Gboyega Aribisogan, said : “DSS under President Muhammadu Buhari is becoming undemocratic, unpatriotic,

accused persons conspired to convert about N437 million belonging to NIMASA. They were said to have on January 9, 2014 converted to their

private use, about N66 million and between April and August 2014 converted the sums of N21 million and N53 million respectively, to their use.

Ajimobi condoles with Oyo APC over legal officer’s death

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BADAN—THE Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has mourned the death of the Director of Legal Services of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr. Wale Diya, an incident he described as the exit of a shining star within the fold of the progressives.

The governor commiserated with the party, the deceased immediate and extended families, friends and professional colleagues in a statement by his Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka, yesterday.

Diya died at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, during a brief illness. He was aged 48.

Ajimobi said, “I received the news of the death of the young man with shock and disbelief.

We have been praying for his recovery since he was

hospitalized, but God knows the best and we have to succumb to His will.

“Diya was a shining star within the fold of the progressives. He will be sorely missed. He was a brilliant lawyer and dedicated party member who was always ready to sacrifice his comfort in defending the cause of the party.

“I’m saddened by this loss and I want to pray for the repose of his soul.He was snatched by the cold hands of death in his prime. May the Almighty grant his family the strength to bear this unfortunate incident.”

Ajimobi acknowledged the late legal practitioner’s immense contributions to the APC’s unprecedented victory in last year’s general elections and the attendant string of victories of the party’s elected representatives at the election petition tribunals.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

Presidency: No vacancy in 2019 — APC National Caucus Odigie-Oyegun dismisses threat to his office

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA — THERE will be no vacancy in the Presidency in 2019, members of the National Caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, declared on Tuesday night in a seeming lure to President Muhammadu Buhari to seek a second term.

The national caucus, comprising serving and former governors, the National Assembly leadership, and selected members of the national executive of the party, at the meeting said the endorsement of President Buhari for a second term would help to stabilise the polity in the face of what members described as the 16-year rot inherited from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Meanwhile, the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has dismissed insinuations of a threat against his position, just as the caucus, Tuesday night, constituted a committee to resolve all pending issues in the party.

One of the issues agreed on at the meeting, Vanguard learned yesterday, was that President Buhari should be given opportunity to seek a second term.

Though the issue of a second term for the President was generally agreed, caucus members, however, also agreed that it would be too early in the day to kick start a second term campaign for the President.

Vanguard learned that the issue was brought up as a way of resting restiveness among some party leaders, who have been divided over their various aspirations for 2019.

The positioning by different party leaders on 2019 has been blamed for the problems that led to the crisis in the National Assembly and also the inability of the party to inaugurate its Board of Trustees, BoT, till date.

“With Buhari contesting in 2019, those who have been squabbling will now have to queue up behind him and put the interest of the party ahead,” a source privy to the development revealed yesterday.

Remarkably, leading senators in the party on Tuesday night met in Abuja where they also pledged to unify themselves in the face of the prospect of losing their influence to the more united PDP caucus.

Odigie-Oyegun dismisses threat to his office

Meanwhile, Odigie-Oyegun speaking to reporters at the end of the caucus meeting on Tuesday night dismissed reports of pressures on him to resign his office.

He said: “I am not aware that my office is under threat. I led the party to the State House. It amazes me, occasionally it annoys me.

That is one of the things you have

to endure when you are in a position like mine."

Noting the trend of the meeting, Odigie-Oyegun said that a committee had been

constituted to resolve all the crises in the party.

Speaking on the performance of his party’s government almost one year after taking over power,

the national chairman pleaded for time on the part of Nigerians.

He said the government would come on full stream when the 2016 budget is passed.

EFCC, military release Dasuki’s ex-aide

By Kingsley Omonobi

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MEETING: From left, National Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, at the party's national caucus meeting, in Abuja, Tuesday.

Recruitment of 10,000 men into Police PSC unveils portal for the exercise begins April 1 As Warns against shortcut

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—The Police Service Commission, PSC, has commenced the process of recruiting 10,000 men into the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, warning against any form of shortcut during the exercise.

This is in response to the presidential directive that more Nigerians be recruited into the force to boost its personnel.

To this ends, a portal for the recruitment, which begins on April 1, 2016, has been unveiled by chairman of the commission and former Inspector-General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro, in Abuja.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had at the National Security Summit last year in Abuja, directed the recruitment of 10,000 men into the police force to provide adequate internal security for the country.

Okiro, while unveiling the portal at a ceremony attended by the management team of the commission, disclosed that the portal would be opened to the public on April 1, 2016, which will herald the commencement of the recruitment.

He said the unveiling of the portal was in actualization of the Presidential directive, adding that the commission considered the exercise remarkable, since there had been no recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force for more than five years due to financial constraints.

He noted that thousands of policemen, who died in the

course of service, dismissed or retired, had not been replaced since the last five years, leaving the Force under-manned and over stretched.

Okiro said the recruitment would strengthen and reenergize the Force to face more squarely the myriad of security challenges posed by insurgency, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other criminalities that impede the socio-economic and political development of the country.

He explained that the commission could not commence the exercise last year because the funding was not captured in the 2015 budget, adding that with

the commencement of the process on April 1, interested Nigerians should access the portal through the c o m m i s s i o n ’ s websitewww.psc.gov.ng or that of the Nigeria Police Force, www.npf.gov.ng.

Okiro announced that there would be no charges for the processing of the forms which would be done on-line, adding: “We are not charging money.

It is free, absolutely free."

He also noted that the portal had been structured in a way that there would be no short cut, stressing that everybody must go through due process.

BUJA— THE Federal Government finally released Colonel Nicholas Ashinze, former Military Assistant to former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), by 2pm yesterday.

Colonel Ashinge, who had been under the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the military authorities, has already reunited with his family.

He was received by a joyous mother, brothers and his children after he arrived home from months of detention.

The EFCC and the military authorities had declined to effect the release of Colonel Ashinze, in defiance of the High Court order of March 14, 2016, that he be released.

A judge of an Abuja High Court, sitting in Jabi, Justice Yusuf Haliru, had on March 14, 2016, ordered the EFCC, and the Nigerian Army to release Colonel Ashinze, who served as Military Assistant to former NSAs, Sambo Dasuki and Patrick Azazi.

Ashinze, who was detained before resuming his new posting as Defence Attaché in Germany, has been in detention since December 23, 2015.

In his judgment, Justice Yusuf Haliru, ordered the antigraft agency and the Army to immediately release the applicant on self-recognition, saying his detention for over three months without trial, was “illegal, wrongful, unlawful and constituted a blatant violation of the fundamental rights of the applicant.”

Alleged N2bn bribe: Saraki begs judge to deliver judgement on suit challenging his trial

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor & Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA —EMBATTLED Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, begged Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to go ahead and deliver judgement on the suit challenging his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. This came on a day the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, distanced itself from the decision of Justice Kafarati to decline ruling in the fundamental human rights enforcement case brought before him by Senate President.

Justice Kafarati had on

Tuesday, disqualified himself from the matter which was originally scheduled for judgement, owing to bribery allegation levelled against him by two online media outlets.

However, Saraki, yesterday, said he was dissatisfied that the judge was blackmailed by his enemies to hands off the suit that was ripe for judgement.

In a protest letter, dated March 22, which he filed before the Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, Saraki, through his lawyer, Prince Ajibola Oluyede, insisted that though he had sympathy for the judge, the interest of justice would only be served if the judgement was delivered.

Oluyede, while speaking with journalists after the submission of the letter to the Chief Judge, yesterday, alleged that EFCC was the brain behind the publications which he said were intended to intimidate the judge.

Meanwhile, the EFCC has distanced itself from the decision

by Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to decline ruling in the fundamental human rights enforcement case brought before him by Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Spokesman of the agency, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said last night that the commission had no idea of the source of the information as it did not give out same at any time.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016—9

Fuel scarcity'll persist till May —Kachikwu

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA — AT a time Nigerians are expecting respite from the pangs of the lingering fuel scarcity in the country, Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, has dashed their hopes, stating that the current queues at gas stations would persist till late May. The minister, who doubles as Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, added that he was not a magician to make the queues disappear overnight.

According to him, it is even a “magic” that the stations are still getting volume of products they dispense to the public, judging from the prevailing circumstances at NNPC. The minister also revealed that NNPC’s import rates had moved form 50 per cent to all-time rate of 100 percent, saying the 445,000 barrels allocated to crude swap now service 50 to 55 per cent importation of refined product.

But giving a glimmer of hope on how to achieve lasting solution to the product scarcity, Kachikwu said government was working to beef up the reserves.

He stated that when the refineries come on full stream, locally refined products would be left unsold in the reservoir to boost supply and availability of the products.

The minister was fielded questions from State House correspondents after leading officials of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,yesterday.

I'm not magician —Kachikwu

He said: “One of the trainings I did not receive is that of a magician but I am working very hard to ensure some of these issues go away. And let’s be honest, for the five, six months, we have been here, NNPC has moved from a 50 percent importer of products to basically a 100 percent importer.

And the 445,000 barrels that were allocated was to cover between 50 and 55 percent importation.

“So, it is quite frankly sheer magic that we even have some amount of products at the stations.

We are looking to see how to get foreign exchange input. The President and I discussed extensively on how to get more crude directed at importation.

"His excellency will rather have less crude but have individuals in the society suffer less with inconveniences than have more crude and have them continue to suffer.

“So, we are going to put a new model to enable us increase the C M Y K

Says he is not a magician Our concerns, by oil workers

Alleged N32bn fraud: Dasuki declines to appear in court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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CONFAB: From left, Comrade Abel Agarin, Chairman, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Lagos Zone; Prof. Pat Utomi, Founder, Centre for Value in Leadership; Prof. Kola Ojikutu, Dean, FBA University of Lagos, UNILAG; Prof. Duro Oni, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management & Services, UNILAG and Prof. Wunu Iledare, President, NACC, during the International Conference On Global Oil Crisis and Labour and Employment Reforms in Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe. pace and actually get majors as part of the crew of those to bring in more products, so that the NNPC will sort of go back on the capacity of what it used to do and the majors will take over the balance of importation.

“I think if we do that, although I don’t want to put a time frame, but I will expect that over the next two months. Of course, you are aware the SAP programme begins in April. So, over the next two months, we should see quite frankly a complete elimination of this.

“Our strategy is that whatever is produced in the refineries will not go for sale. We are going to keep them in strategic reserve because the key problem here is that there is no reserve. Any time there is gap in supply, it goes off.

“So we are going to dedicate the next couple of months to moving all the products that we produce to strategic reserve so that we can pile up reserves in the nation and that will push up the reserves in the nation. ‘’Believe me, this is giving me and my team sleepless nights and we are working on it and we are committed to making this go away. Nigerians should please bear with us.”

Mission to villa

Speaking on his mission to the villa, the minister said a lot of concerns were raised with the President to which he showed both sympathy and commitment to resolve.

He said: “The meeting with the President was basically to review in the oil industry some of the concerned areas that he himself is trying to find joint solutions and shared thoughts.

Like you know, His Excellency

has too many constituencies.

First will be politics, second army and the third will be the oil industry.

“So, matter of this nature touches his heart very much.

And this is the first opportunity that the unions have had to spend a bit of time with him as a father. So, we shared thoughts, areas of concerns and some solution potentialities and agreed to collaborate and work together.”

Oil workers' concerns

“I will probably highlight a few areas of concerns. The PIB. The union wants us to obviously work harder than we do and try to get the PIB passed as soon as possible. They are worried about the fuel scarcity issue and want long term solutions to finally resolve this issue. ‘’ They are worried about the refineries and are thankful we didn’t sell the refineries without looking to work collaboratively with them to see how to make the refineries work.

“They are worried about the utilization of depots and how best to do that. They are worried about all kinds of logistic issues that plague the oil industry. ‘’They are worried about job loss in the sector, arising from the position of majors who feel that the economy is giving rough end of the sticks and then try to whittle down staff. And so, we are going to be working with the oil majors to ensure that we do not experience the kind of job loss that we are hearing has the potentiality to occur in the sector.

Assurances from the govt

“The assurances His Excellency gave was willingness

to work together with them (oil workers) to bring good jobs, tasking them as agents of change within the respective areas where they work to ensure that they continue to look out, contribute, take change on its head and make it happen also and for recognising the difficulties this government has inherited.

“A lot of these problems that are on the table was quite frankly there when we came and we are doing the best we can to try and work on it. But we are looking to work collaboratively, those were the assurances.”.

NUPENG, PENGASSAN speak

Also speaking, National President, NUPENG, Igwe Achese, said one of the issues that featured at the meeting was how the age-long Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, could secure a quick passage in the National Assembly.

He said: “We had a successful meeting, quite interesting in terms of the emotional attachment of Mr. President on the issue of oil and gas sector and the challenges we are facing as a nation.

"We tabled the issue of fuel scarcity, the quick passage of the PIB and to see how the sector bounces back economically and to make Nigerians smile again."

Similarly, the President, PENGASSAN, Comrade Olabode Francis Johnson, said the President sought collaboration with the associations to bring an end to oil theft and pipeline

BUJA — ALLEGED refusal by the erstwhile National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), to appear in court, yesterday, stalled hearing on the 19-count money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and four others.

At the resumed sitting,yesterday, EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that the former NSA, who has been in detention since November 3, 2015, refused to be brought to court.

He said: “My lord, yesterday (Tuesday) the 1st defendant was notified that this matter will come up today (Wednesday) for hearing and that he should prepare.

“However, this morning, the 1st defendant refused to come to court on the ground that his lead counsel, Mr. J. B. Daudu, SAN, and Ahmed Raji, SAN, will not be in court.

“We persuaded him to at least come to court first but he refused and insisted that he cannot be abducted.

“This recent action is a deliberate game-plan by the defendant and his counsel to ensure that this trial does not go on today. My witnesses are here and ready to testify. The blatant refusal by the defendant to appear in court amounts to misconduct.”

Nevertheless, the lawyer who announced appearance for Dasuki, Mr. Wale Balogun, told the court that he was not aware of any of the allegations the prosecution raised against his client.

He contended that the onus was on the prosecution to produce the defendant who has been in its custody, in court for trial.

“The learned silk cannot give evidence from the bar. His allegations should have been supported by an affidavit duly deposed before this court,” Balogun argued.

Similarly, counsel to the other defendants agreed with Dasuki’s lawyer that EFCC ought to have backed the allegations with an affidavit evidence.

They equally noted that the matter could not proceed as scheduled owing to the absence of the 1st defendant.

After listening to the parties, Justice Yusuf adjourned the matter till April 6.

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

Quack doctor treats barren couple with antibiotics

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—IT was a chilling story, yesterday, at Oyo State Police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, when a middleaged woman, Mrs Ojo Damilola, a quack doctor, confessed how she had spent years administering injections and drugs on unsuspecting victims, including a couple that has been childless for 12 years.

The suspect claimed she studied Laboratory Technology in a university in Ondo State, but had been operating a private hospital, where she paraded herself as a qualified doctor before her arrest.

Ojo also said she swindled several people of millions of naira after giving them false impressions that she operated oil and gas business.

She told newsmen that she collected N22 million from the same woman that consulted her for solution to her years of barrenness.

Mrs Damilola said: “It is true that I paraded myself as a qualified doctor. When I finished studying Laboratory Technology at a university (name withheld) in Ondo State, I had no job.

So I started a hospital. I employed a doctor, who I pay N25,000 monthly.”

When asked the type of drugs she administered on the childless woman, she said antibiotics, instead of the fertility drugs she told the victims.

On how many patients she had treated, she said: “I do not know. They should be up to 20. I have never performed surgery on any of my patients.”

She first operated a hospital with the name at Ologuneru and Moniya in Ido and Akinyele Local Government areas.

On her non-existent oil and gas business, she noted that she was also defrauded of the larger chunk of the money by one Ajinikirun.

She added that police had been on her trail for some time and that as soon as she gets hint of her possible arrest, she changes location.

NO SCARCITY: Petrol hawkers at Ojota, Lagos, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

TRAFFIC TO PRISON: Insurance experts fault Lagos magistrate’s action

By Rose Onuoha & Onozure Dania

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AGOS—INSURANCE experts have faulted the action of a magistrate, Funke Sule-Hamzat, who allegedly instigated the remand of a mother of three, Mrs Yetunde Osijo, in Kirikiri Prisons, after their cars were involved in a minor traffic crash.

Managing Director of Quicklink Insurance Brokers, Mr. Rotimi Edu, said that it is wrong and high-handedness on the part of the magistrate to jail somebody who hit her car.

According to him, the magistrate should be conscious of the fact that the accident did not kill anybody.

He said: “What the magistrate should have done is to find out if the other person has insurance, then the case should have been reported to the insurance company. She should be reported to the Judicial Commission and they should call her to order.”

Also, Mr. Tope Adaramola, Assistant Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, added that it was not proper for the magistrate to arbitrarily drag the issue to court in the first instance, irrespective of her status in society.

Adaramola stated that such action is illegal because the law mandates every vehicle owner to have a valid insurance policy and where there is an insurance contract in place, the action of the magistrate is tantamount to over-use of power.

He said: “Where there is no insurance contract in place, the magistrate might be justified to drag the other party to court; but the human interest should be considered here.

“Also, the liability of the accident should have been passed to the insurance company because the insurance company is liable to compensate the victim in this instance.”

L

AGOS—A 34-year-old man, Tunde Abdulsalam, who was alleged to have interfered with a private network server and unlawfully disconnected it,

C M Y K

was yesterday charged before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Igbosere.

The prosecutor, Inspector Kingsley Dickson, said the defendant committed the alleged offences on January 13,

contact the broker and inform him of the accident.

If the insured got the insurance directly from an insurance company, the company must be contacted. It is only then that the insurance company can commence payment of claims to the insured or third party as the case may be.

by men of the Rapid Response Squad at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, and taken to Area H, Police Command, Ogba.

According to the magistrate, the Area Commander made an attempt to resolve the matter, but Yetunde Osijo insisted on calling her husband, who came in and became very boastful.

Magistrate Sule-Amzat’s story

‘I dined with Governor last week’

Insurance

Insurance is a means whereby a person pays some sum of money, called premium, in order to indemnify self or property against loss of a belonging worth much more than the premium.

In Nigeria, motor insurance is available with two different levels of cover: comprehensive and third party.

Motor insurance is designed to protect car owners against various risks associated with vehicle ownership. It cover is mandatory for all driving on Nigerian roads and vehicle owners can obtain their insurance covers directly from an insurance company or through an insurance broker.

However, in the case of an accident involving two cars, the person who is at fault should contact his insurance company to pay compensation to the other victim if he has just third party insurance for his car. But where he has comprehensive insurance, both car owners would be compensated.

If the insurance is got through a broker, the insured must

Man docked over network vandalism

By Onozure Dania

... As she tells her story

at 11a.m., at the premises of Airtel Networks Ltd., Lagos.

The magistrate, Mr. B. A. Sonuga, admitted him to N200,000 bail with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till April 11 for mention.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Judiciary has denied the allegation that a Lagos State Magistrate, Mrs Funke SuleAmzat, allegedly ordered the remand of one Yetunde Osijo in Kirikiri Prisons custody, for allegedly hitting her car.

It was alleged that the magistrate ordered that Yetunde Osijo be arrested and arraigned before her at the Ogudu Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, where she promptly ordered that Yetunde be detained in Kirikiri Prisons without a legal representation.

Reacting to the report, Lagos State Chief Registrar said that the magistrate’s version of the story had it that the incident occurred on Monday, March 21, around 9a.m. on her way to work, close to Abiola Gardens, Ojota area of the state, when a car brushed her car from behind.

He said the magistrate’s driver alighted from the car and Yetunde Osijo, who drove the car that brushed the magistrate’s, rained abuses on the driver and his master.

The magistrate, while stating the account of what happened, said that she stepped out of the car to see the extent of the damage done to her car, only for Osijo to speed off in a dangerous manner.

She was eventually arrested

The Registrar said, according to the magistrate, Dipo Osijo and his wife Yetunde Osijo, uttered words like: “She is the daughter of the former Clerk of the House of Assembly,” “We own Lagos State,” “Tunde Disu gave me fuel yesterday for my car,” “I dined with the governor last week,” “A common magistrate cannot hold us to ransom,” “We will report to the Chief Judge and she will be punished for this,” “My father will see to it,” and many more.

At that juncture, the magistrate said the law should take its course and left for her court.

The Registrar said: “The true position is that the magistrate, upon the occurrence of the incident, lodged a report with the Police, who effected an arrest and, upon investigation, arraigned the suspect before the Chief Magistrate Court, Ogba, presided over by Mr. T. A. Elias.

“She was immediately admitted to bail on liberal terms and the matter was adjourned for mention.

“The suspect was never arraigned before the complainant, Mrs. Funke SuleAmzat, and she made no order or take any step in respect of the matter. The matter is presently pending before the court for determination.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016—11

FOREX CRISIS: Food, beverage sector shutting down

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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RGANISED Labour, yesterday, raised alarm that the food, beverage and tobacco sector of the nation’s economy was on the verge of shutting down and that over three million jobs were at risk due to the inability of companies to source foreign exchange to import raw material for operations.

Already, leading companies in the sector, such as Nigerian Flour Mills, Nigerian Breweries Limited, Guinness Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company, 7-UP Bottling Company Plc, Friesland Campina Wamco Plc, among others, have written to labour for discussions on retrenchment of workers.

In the last three months, no fewer than 1,500 workers had been sacked in the sector as employers seek ways of coping with foreign exchange crisis, among other challenges.

At a briefing in Lagos, leaders of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, FOBTOB, called on government to intervene to save the industry and over three million jobs.

President of FOBTOB, Quadri Olaleye, claimed that employers in the sector had devised every opportunity to sack workers, adding that

between the 2012 and the first half of 2015, over 3,000 workers were sacked in the guise of reengineering, restructuring, right sizing, downsizing, redundancy and reorganisation.

He lamented that over the years, the same excuse of difficult business terrain, dwindling profit, irregular and insufficient power supply, and so on had been given.

He said: “The current situation has reached a pathetic level, because it seems all the employers in our sector are in

3m jobs threatened competition with each other on who can lay off the most workers.

“Every company is now calling for a downsizing of the workforce, and this time under the guise of lack of foreign exchange due to the Federal Government’s recent policy on foreign exchange.

“We are aware that not all the raw materials used in our industry can be sourced locally. Where they can be found, they are mostly not

available in commercial quantity.

“That is why it is imperative that the government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, takes a second look at the policy on foreign exchange to avoid shutting down the companies in our industry.”

According to him, companies mostly hit by the crisis are intellectually lazy to engage in research development on alternative sources of raw materials.

COMRADES' ACT: From left— The General Secretary, National Union of Textile Garment & Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Mr. Issa Aremu, addressing the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, protest rally against Kaduna State Goverment's policy on labour matters in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTOS: Olu Ajayi.

Ex-PDP Chair, Bello, diverted N120m—WITNESS To travel abroad for medical check-up, court fixes hearing for April 7

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Haliru Bello, who was alleged to have illegally received N300 million from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, diverted N120 million to his personal use.

Bello is answering to a fourcount criminal charge alongside his son, Abba.

The firm allegedly used to perpetuate the fraud, BAM Projects and Properties Limited, was also cited as the third defendant.

EFCC maintained that the fund, which it said was paid into the Sterling bank account of Abba’s company 11 days to the 2015 presidential election, was part of the N30 billion the former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki(rtd.), withdrew from the

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. At the resumed hearing yesterday, the star witness, Mrs. Rouqayya Ibrahim, while being cross-examined by the defence lawyers, Chief Kanu Agabi(SAN), and Mr. Solomon Umoh(SAN), said aside the N300 million that was transferred to the defendants from the NSA’s office, another N300 million was also traced to their accounts.

She told the court that out of the N600 million, the defendants only disbursed N400 million in support of campaign activities of PDP. The witness said the later N300 million was paid to the defendants through another firm, Jabbama-Ada Global Services Limited.

Money movements

EFCC told the court: “During the course of investigation, we discovered that on March 18, 2015, disbursements of the funds were made to two

companies— Kumugomo Limited received N137 million and North-Pole Limited, a little over N178 million.

“On March 23, 2015, Hijrah Textiles Limited was paid a little over N163 million. On March 26, the first defendant, Abba Bello, who is the owner and sole signatory to the account of Bam Projects & Properties Limited, made a cash withdrawal of N20 million in two tranches of N10 million each.

“On May 28, 2015 Abba Bello made a transfer of N50 million into another of his accounts. In the same month, another transfer of N50 million, in five tranches of N10 million each, was made on the same day to AGIS for the purpose of mass housing development.

“In the same month, another transaction of N2 million was made to Julius Berger Plc for the supply of furniture to Abba Bello’s client.

“Another payment of N5 million, in May 2015, was made

to Archiplus Limited, an architectural firm, as part of services the company rendered to Bam Projects & Properties Limited.”

Travel application

Meanwhile, trial Justice Ahmed Mohammed, yesterday, adjourned further hearing on the matter till April 7, even as he gave Bello the nod to travel abroad for medical check-up.

Bello’s application to travel was not opposed by EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), who only urged the court to put his sureties on the alert with a view to ensuring his return to stand trial.

The offence the defendants allegedly committed, which attracts a maximum of 14 years imprisonment, was said to be contrary to Sections 15(2) (d), 17(a), and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012, and punishable under Section (15) (3) of the same Act.

Stakeholders advocate restructuring of NHRC

By Innocent Anaba

A

S the human rights community in the country awaits the constitution of a fresh Governing Council for the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, stakeholders have called for its restructuring, with the appointment of capable hands to run it for the maximum benefit of Nigerians.

Stakeholders are of the view that such persons should be able to run the commission without allowing individual differences undermine its noble objectives.

It will be recalled that in 2010, stakeholders, with the collaboration of the National Assembly and civil society, successfully advocated the passage of the NHRC Amendment Act 2010, which, among other things, empowered the commission to compel evidence, investigate human rights violations, register its decisions with the high court and get its finances as a first line charge on government finances.

The Act also gave the c o m m i s s i o n independence in its operations and not subject to the directives of any authority or person, secured tenure of members who cannot be removed before the end of their tenure without an act of misconduct and whose removal shall be subject to the concurrence of the Senate.

Among the comity of national human rights institutions, the statute of the commission is adjudged to be the best.

As it is with most institutions in the country, the enabling act setting up the NHRC is second to none, but in terms of serving Nigerians who are the primary focus by way of advocating and protecting their rights, it had been a question of unfulfilled expectations.

The general opinion is that if the commission is left in the hands of persons who know what to do, it should be the hope of the common man and thus realise the dreams of its founding fathers and government.

But that has not been the case.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

Clean up of N-Delta oil spills to begin in three weeks —FG

By Emeka Mamah

T

HE Federal Government, yesterday, said that it would commence the clean up of oil spills in the Niger Delta region starting from Ogoni land within the next three weeks.

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, BrigGeneral Paul Boroh (retd), made this known in Enugu, yesterday.

Boroh spoke at the commissioning of the Skills Acquisition and Training in Automobile Technology and Manufacturing of Plastics by about 200 former Niger Delta agitators under the sustainable reintegration programme in the Presidential Amnesty initiative.

The skill acquisition programme was in partnership with the Innoson Group, manufactures of Innoson Vehicles and Plastics Manufacturing Assembly Plant, Emene, Enugu.

“The clean up exercise will begin at Ogoni in three weeks time and progress to other parts of the Niger Delta region. We have gone to visit the area to assess the level of damage and a lot of people from the region will be involved in the exercise,”

he said, while describing the facilities at Innoson Kiara Academy as “fantastic.”

On the Amnesty Programme, Boroh said: "It has substantially achieved its core mandate of restoring peace and stabilizing the security in the Niger Delta region.

“Ex-militants have now been

trained and graduated from formal and informal trainings.

The programme is now at its critical stage of sustainable reintegration of beneficiaries who have been trained.

“Though conceived as a national response to security conditions in the Niger Delta between 2009 and 2011, it has been able to substantially meet

its mandate and has been able, through its formal vocational programmes, trained approximately 17,000 beneficiaries in various skills and set up or employed more than 3,583 beneficiaries. The process is ongoing and 1,040 will conclude their refreshers and set up their own business by the end of this quarter.”

BRIEFING: From left: Director-General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr. Adolphus Joe Ekpe; Engr. Babachir Lawal (SGF) Mrs. Obiageli Nwokedi (Perm Sec, Special Duties), during the commission's monthly briefing to the SGF, in Abuja, yesterday.

Olu of Warri vows to foster unity, peace, love

By Akpokona Omafuaire & Ochuko Akuopha

O

ZORO—THE Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, yesterday, restated his determination to build bridges of unity, love and peace across all ethnic nationalities in Delta State.

Speaking at the palace of HRM Anthony Ibuka I, the Ovie of Ozoro Kingdom, Isoko North Local Government Area of the state, HRM Ikenwoli, advised against rancour and mutual suspicion which he said were inimical to the development of any state.

“God wants us to be united and peaceful so that development can come to our areas,” he said, adding “I want to be a bridge builder. I want to build a bridge of love and peace among all the ethnic nationalities.”

He advised Deltans to support the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, to bring development to all parts of the state.

Thanking the people of the kingdom and the Isoko ethnic nationality for the rousing reception accorded him during the visit, he described his visit to the area as home coming, adding: “When you visit someone from another ethnic nationality, you do not know what to expect. You have demonstrated love.”

Emphasizing the need for the people of Itsekiri and Isoko nations C M Y K

to sustain the primordial relationship between the ethnic nationalities which he said had spanned many centuries, the Olu noted that his visit was part

of his thank you visit to those who supported him during his coronation.

Earlier in his remarks, the Ovie of Ozoro Kingdom, HRM Ibuka

I, described the visit of the Olu of Warri as an affirmation of the age long relationship between the people of Itsekiri and Isoko ethnic nationalities.

Rivers govt to support security fish out killers of corps member shore up the security situation in

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State Government has offered to provide needed support to security agencies to fish out killers of Mr Samuel Okonta in the last re-run elections in the state.

Governor Nyesom Wike made the promise when he paid a condolence visit to the state Director of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC , Mrs. Ngozi Watarali, at her office on Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt.

The governor said he was deeply pained by the death of the corps member, promising that the government will identify with the family of the late corps member.

He said: “The death of this corps member is unfortunate and condemnable. I urge the Police to thoroughly investigate the crime. The outcome of the investigation should be made public so that those involved are prosecuted. The killing of this corps member must not be

swept under the carpet.”

The governor also commiserated with the Department of State Security, DSS over the death of its member recently in Egi, Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area of the state, saying that the government had taken steps to

the state.

He further increased the monthly allowance of corps members serving outside Port Harcourt from N10, 000 to N15000.

He also increased the state monthly allowance of corps members serving in Port Harcourt from N5,000 to N10,000.

...As Wike sets up panel to probe re-run polls violence

By Jimitota Onoyume

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IVERS State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violence and killings that occurred during the March 19, re-run legislative elections in the state.

In a state broadcast, yesterday, Governor Wike said: “In order to forestall a repeat of the needless violence and fatalities in future elections, I hereby establish a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violence, killings and other related acts that occurred in parts of the state during the

March 19, 2016 re-run elections and make appropriate recommendations to government for implementation.”

The Commission has Justice Monima Danagogo as Chairman; Mrs. Uche Uriri, Secretary; Venerable John Adubasim, Mrs. Douye Green, Joseph Zabbey and Engr. Luke Nwanodi as members.

The Commission will be inaugurated on March 24, 2016 at Government House, Port Harcourt by the governor.

The governor said that as a responsible government, the administration will continue to be alive to its responsibility to protect lives and property in Rivers State.

Tompolo not arraigned in absentia

By Innocent Anaba

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, separated the charges filed against former boss of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi and eight others from that of Government Ekpemupolo (also known as Tompolo).

The separation of the charge, which left out Mr. Ekpemupolo from the original charge, was to allow for the arraignment of Tompolo at a later date, when he is eventually arrested, contrary to an earlier report that he was arraigned on Tuesday in absentia.

The formal arraignment of Tompolo has been continuously stalled due to the inability of the EFCC to arrest him.

It will be recalled that at the last court sitting, last month, Festus Keyamo, counsel to the EFCC, requested for an adjournment to enable him separate the charges, leaving out Tompolo, who would face a separate charge when arrested.

Those arraigned on Tuesday were Akpobolokemi and eight others over an alleged N35 billion fraud.

In the new charge, Mr. Akpobolokemi, Global West Vessel Ltd, Odimiri Electrical Ltd, Kime Engozu, Boloboere Property and Estate Ltd, Rex Elem, Destre Consult Ltd, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh, are accused of conspiracy to commit fraud between 2012 and 2015.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty.

The defendants’ lawyers prayed the court to grant their clients bail “in the most liberal terms.”

Mr. Keyamo did not oppose the bail applications.

“Because the accused persons are already on bail in another charge before this court, I pray my Lord to grant them bail in a condition good enough to enable them attend this trial,” Mr. Keyamo said.

Justice Ibrahim Buba granted bail to all the defendants, except Mr. Enisuoh, in the sum of N50 million with “one reliable surety in like sum.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016—13

Power outages, threat to security —Oshiomhole

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has expressed dissatisfaction with the low power supply by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, to Edo State, saying it posed a threat to security in the state.

Speaking at a meeting with the management of BEDC at Government House, Benin City, Governor Oshiomhole said: “I have a couple of concerns.

Sometimes, we have seen some protests, some violent reactions and obstructions and stories about property being stolen and vandalized, and every day, I am confronted with protests from various communities who are in darkness, either their transformer is not working or it has broken down. There are bills people are paying even without electricity, or they are being over-billed based on estimates as they have no meters.

“Even the House of Assembly has just spoken to me that they need to spend some money to set up a sub-station that will provide more regular power supply to the Assembly. Right now, they are getting less than four hours a day in their residential area. That is an arm of government. They have made a request for a substantial

investment for us to provide part of the cost in the distribution chain, and when we provide that and they have access to power, how do we get our fund?

“Recently, the Commissioner of Police wrote to me that the Police Headquarters was in darkness, and that it was a serious issue because at the

Police Headquarters, we have cells where there are inmates.

And of course, you have offices.

Police is a 24- hour operation.

Now, the transformer has broken down, and the police headquarters is without electricity. They have informed Benin Disco, and after weeks and months, there is no solution.

Now out of desperation, I have to buy, using tax payers’ money to provide a transformer for the Police Headquarters.

“I mentioned this because we used Edo people’s money to buy transformer, and you told me now that they have power. Now, what happens when you generate bills?”

CELEBRATION: Prof. D. D. Moro (3rd left); wife of Delta State Deputy Governor, Mrs Otuaro (4th left) with Comrade Joseph Evah, Coordinator of Ijaw Monitoring Group, IMG, and chief host (5th left); and others at the celebration of Prof. Moro as the first Ijaw Arogbo Professor by Ijaws in Lagos.

Carry yourselves with dignity, IG charges police officers

By Festus A hon

A

S A B A — INSPECTOR General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, yesterday, charged officers and men of the Nigeria Police, to carry themselves with dignity so as to earn the respect of the public.

Addressing officers and men of Delta State

command in Asaba during his official visit to the command, Arase told his men, particularly the rank and file, to be proud of their job to elicit appreciation from the public.

He said: “As an officer of the Nigeria Police, you must be able to walk with swagger. Carry yourself with dignity to earn

appreciation of members of the public. I am delighted seeing you here today because you are all looking radiant.”

Saying that their welfare was top in his agenda, Arase explained that the rank and file formed the bulk of the workforce of the police and thereby deserve special attention.

Arase said that over 40,000 men of the rank and file were promoted to higher ranks in 2015,

adding that over 300 of their children have been given scholarships courtesy of the force.

Buhari urged to confirm Semenitari as substantive NDDC MD

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By Jimitota Onoyume

ORT HARC O U R T — P R E S I D E N T Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to confirm the appointment of Mrs Ibim Semenitari, as substantive Managing Director of Niger Delta D e v e l o p m e n t Commission, NDDC. President, Niger Delta Youths for Positive Change and Progress, Mr Emmanuel Enisuo, who made the appeal in a statement, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that as acting Managing Director, Semenitari had effected positive changes in the commission that needed to be consolidated with her confirmation as substantive MD. “Mrs Semenitari has been a blessing to the region. Her appointment is a square peg in a square hole. We urge the President to confirm her appointment and also constitute the board to help her deliver on her new assignments,” the group said.

Edo 2016: PDP assures on free, fair primaries

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—AHEAD of the September governorship election in Edo State, the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Chris Nehikhare, has assured people of the state of the resolve of the party to organise free, fair and transparent primaries to select a credible and acceptable candidate.

He re-emphasized the party’s position on campaigns and used the opportunity to respond to a media aide of one of All Progressives Congress, APC’s governorship aspirants, saying that it was Governor Adams Oshiomhole that introduced hate campaigns into Edo politics.

Nehikhare, who spoke in

Benin, when he received members of Gatekeepers, an Independent Political Action Group, who visited the party’s secretariat, said that the aide to APC governorship aspirant

should know that Edo people have also resolved not to support or vote “strangers” as their governor after their experience in the hands of Oshiomhole.

Delta Deputy Speaker lauds Okowa on youth empowerment

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EPUTY Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Osanebi, has called on youth leaders to be proactive and people orientated in their leadership, always carrying their followers along in policies and programmes.

Osanebi gave the charge, when he supervised the disbursement of Operation Feed Your Neighbour funds for community youth leaders in Asaba, Delta State.

He applauded Governor

Ifeanyi Okowa for his strategic interest in the development of youths in the state, noting that the purpose of Operation Feed Your Neighbour was to empower and bring succour to the less privileged in their localities.

He charged them to put the money to judicious use.

He said: “The funds released to you are intended to cushion your financial challenges. I, therefore, implore you to put the stipends to judicious use.”

C M Y K

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

Alleged N1trn fraud: Court stops Senate, IGP from arresting Lamorde

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—ABUJA Division of the Federal High Court has restrained the Senate and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, from arresting the former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, over his alleged complicity in N1 trillion fraud.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole issued the order on the basis of an ex-parte motion Lamorde filed before the court through his lawyer, Mr. Festus Ukpue.

The former EFCC boss had in the application, dated March 7, begged the court to stop the Senate from issuing a warrant for his arrest, pending the hearing and determination of a substantive suit he lodged before the court.

Lamorde was earlier summoned by the Senate to account for funds the anti-graft agency, under his leadership, seized from some alleged corrupt public office holders.

The funds were said to have been re-looted, with no record kept on how it was remitted or utilised.

Meanwhile, without honouring the invitation by the legislative house, Lamorde ran before the court with a suit challenging the investigative process the lawmakers initiated against him.

Although his suit is still pending before the court, Lamorde who was said to have gone into hiding, sensing an intensified move to get him arrested, quickly filed an ex-parte motion to abort plans to apprehend him.

Justice Kolawole, after listening to the ex-parte motion, ordered: “A limited order of injunction is hereby granted to restrain the defendants, pending when they are heard on the reply to the plaintiff’s motion on notice.

“That the plaintiff ’s counsel is hereby directed to obtain a certified true copy of the order in this ruling, and cause same to be served on the InspectorGeneral of Police.”

FG reads riot act to lottery operators T

HE Federal Government warned, yesterday, that it would not tolerate sharp practices in the lottery industry, threatening to deal with anyone found wanting.

Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Babachir Lawal, who gave the warning at a meeting with the management of National Lottery Regulatory Commission, NLRC, in his office in Abuja, said fraudulent practices in the industry would be tantamount to sabotage, especially under-remittance of revenue due government.

He assured the management of NLRC that the Federal

Government would support them in their determination to generate more revenue for government through lottery activities.

Lawal also commended the commission for the deployment of modern and automation technology to monitor operators in the industry.

He urged them to be more aggressive in enforcement activities, to ensure that all revenues due government, in these austere times, were collected.

He said all legal disputes affecting the operations of the commission should be resolved speedily and

appealed to those with unused lottery licenses to utilise them without further delay or risk forfeiture.

The SGF told the commission that he would work closely with the Attorney-General of the Federation to strengthen the legal framework within which the commission operated to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the commission as an industry regulator.

Lawal charged the commission to create new products for the industry to reap the full revenue earning potentialities that a

huge population had to offer.

In his remarks, DirectorGeneral of the commission, Adolphus Ekpe, said his commission had developed a robust transaction monitoring platform that will be deployed in its operations shortly.

He added that the new platform offers transparency to all actors in the industry, including the players, operators and the regulator such that disputes are substantially eliminated.

He said the new technology was now being test-run with access to the activities of a number of operators, after which it will be officially launched.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016—15

BIAFRA: IPOB asks DHQ to channel resources to ICC, not in-house rights c'ttee

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA— THE Directorate of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has advised the Nigerian Defence Headquarters to channel the money which they used in setting up a 12-man committee on human rights recently towards hiring a formidable defence attorney who will defend them at the up-coming court case at the International Criminal Court, ICC in the Hague.

IPOB said perhaps, the attorney, if hired, could be able to reduce by a few years, the imminent long jail terms awaiting the killers of unarmed civilians in Aba as soon as the human rights abuse cases are heard and determined at the ICC in the Hague.

In a press statement issued yesterday and signed by Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya, their spokespersons, IPOB described the 12-man committee inaugurated on Monday, March 21, this year by the Nigerian Defence Headquarters represented by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin as a charade and a red-herring strategy of General Olonisakin and his cohorts to deceive the general public and the ICC officials.

According to the statement entitled: “Nigerian defence headquarters and their deceit”, IPOB contended that although

it is not clear if the Defence Headquarters was acting based on Section-5(1) CAP A20 L.F.N. 2004 or trying to save the life and career of the neverretiring Buratai , it is pertinent to note that the military cannot investigate a crime committed by itself and come out with a fruitful result.

During the inauguration of the so-called 12-man human rights committee on Monday, March 21, General Olonisakin had noted that each member of the committee was invited to look into the complaints of

human rights abuses leveled against the military. He also urged the committee to expand their focus beyond the North East, to also include other areas of contention including the issues emanating from clashes with the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, IPOB, and Rivers State election re-run amongst others.

General Olonisakin also stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are always guided by global best practices, Rules of Engagement, ROE for military operations other than war as well

as Codes of Conduct for internal security operations. On the other hand, he warned that the Armed Forces “ would not sacrifice professionalism on the platter of lawlessness or extra-judicial conducts of anybody or groups.

“The terms of reference of this committee include “collation and documentation of written complaints, as well as investigation of all the alleged rights violations, interface with human rights bodies, recommend appropriate sanctions where necessary and advice generally on modalities to curtail violations of human rights by troops.”

INAUGURAL MEETING: Director General, PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu (5th left) opens the London Stock Exchange market at the inaugural meeting of the LSE Africa Advisory Group in London.

Reps tackle AGF over N1.04trn MTN fine •Condemn unconstitutional review of fine

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—THE House of Representatives yesterday condemned the interference of the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over the reduction of the N104 trillion fine imposed on the South African telecommunication giant, MTN. The House stated that the AGF had no right to negotiate a reduction of the N1.04trillion fine imposed on the MTN by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, for violating sections 19 and 20 of the registration of Telephone Subsribers Regulation, 2011.

The House said that neither the President of the country, the lawmakers nor the MTN was above the law of the land, hence, the telecommunication outfit must obey and pay the fine as imposed by NCC. The House, presided over by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate where the AGF derived the power to negotiate a reduction of the fine from and if he was not usurping the powers of the legislature.

The ad hoc committee will also investigate if the NCC also has the authority under the law to reduce the fine which under sections 19 and 30 of the law are fixed, and if this did not

amount to amending the law without recourse to the National Assembly.

The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of the prayers of a motion sponsored by

a member, Johnson Agbonayinma, representing Egor/Ikpoba/Okha Federal Constituency of Edo State on the floor of the House.

Abia retirees lament non payment of pension arrears from such delays are not easily

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By Anayo Okoli

MUAHIA—ABIA State Council of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, has called on Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to pay their arrears of pension, saying the arrears ranged between four to ten months.

According to the union, the backlog of arrears covered between 2014 and 2015, and called on government “to make deliberate authentic plans for clearing the arrears.”

Rising from an emergency meeting, the pensioners lamented the plight of pensioners in the state, and called on Governor Ikpeazu to do something urgently about it.

In a communiqué jointly signed by the State Chairman, Comrade Chukwuma Udensi and State Secretary, Elder O.

C. Arungwa, the union lamented “the situation where retired primary school and secondary school teachers and Local Government Service Staff are not pay rolled for pensions for up to one year and over, after retirement.”

According to the pensioners, “in most cases, the arrears arising

processed and paid to the beneficiaries”, which they said exposed them to a lot of hardship.

The pensioners also frowned at the non-payment of gratuities in the state for the past fifteen years (2000-2015), and demanded immediate commencement of payment of gratuities to retired workers in the state.

Police recover stolen vehicles from fake Army Lieutenant

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

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BA —THE Police in Abia State have recovered two more vehicles from a fake Army Lieutenant, Ahanna Ogwezi who specializes in stealing exotic cars from unsuspecting car dealers.

Recall that the Police had arrested a fake Army Lieutenant who bears the name Ahanna Ogwezi, and also operates with the names LT. Danjuma Aliyu when in Abia State and LT. Thompson Adedeji when in Imo state.

The fake soldier had in November 2015, gone to a car stand in Umuahia and deceived his victim into believing that he genuinely wants to test-drive a Toyota Camry 2011 model which he was interested in. He drove off in the car and never came back.

Abia State Police spokesman, Ezekiel Onyeke said the latest recoveries included a Toyota Avalon and a Lincoln MK X AWD. He disclosed that the Toyota Avalon which was stolen from a customs officer in Anambra state in December 2015, was recovered from Owerri, Imo state, in February 2016, while the Lincoln MK X AWD stolen from a car dealer in Port Harcourt, Rivers state in December 2015, was also recovered from the buyer in Calabar.

Onyeke put the number of recovered vehicles from the fake soldier who has since been arraigned in court, at five.

Inarelateddevelopment,thePolice in Abia state have arrested one UzoukwuChukwudi,a21-year-old student of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede,Imostateforallegedarmed robbery.

Chukwudi who claimed to be an ND 2 student of the Polytechnic was arrested at Exclusive Lodge, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state when he and three other students identified as Eminem, Chuks and AwiloinvadedthefemaleLodgeand robbedthestudentsoftheirhandsets and other valuables.

Why auto companies collapse in Nigeria Automobile Nigeria, PAN, paid industries in Nigeria to invest in —Onu him a courtesy visit in his office. developmental research efforts that

A

By Emmanue Elebeke

BUJA—Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu has blamed the collapse of automobile companies in the country on the absence of research.

The minister made the observation yesterday, when the management team of Peugeot

Dr. Onu, who flashed back to the memories of the positive impacts made by the automobile companies on the economy in the 80's and 90's noted that all the auto companies that existed then, collapsed because they did not invest on research and development projects.

He therefore called on the surviving and new automobile

will enable them withstand developments that may arise as a result of competitions and unforeseen market forces.

He noted that every successful multinational companies all over the world always site research institutes in their laboratory and factory to enable them plan and carry out their developmental projects

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24 , 2016

CBN POLICY REVERSAL: Interest

rates, Bond yields rise •Stock market reverses gains •Market operators disagree with policy change

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By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

AGOS—NIGERIA’S financial markets have been hit by the full impact of policy reversal which Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, announced two days ago with interest rates and bond yields spiking, while stock market went down.

The apex bank had raised its benchmark Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, to 12 per cent from 11 per cent, while also increasing the Cash Reserve Ratio, CRR, to 22.5 per cent from 20 per cent at end of the Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, barely four months after the committee had reduced all the rates.

The immediate implication of both rate changes was increased interest rates and returns on money market investment instruments as well as tightening of money supply.

Consequently, yields on the benchmark 20-year bond rose 55 basis points (bps) to 12.7 percent just as the 10-year yield climbed 45 bps to 12.65 percent yesterday. The yield on fiveyear paper, the most liquid maturity, gained 41 bps to 11.7 per cent.

Rise in inter-bank interest rates

Similarly, inter-bank interest rate rose sharply as banks quoted 10 per cent on the overnight lending market, over 100 per cent jump from Tuesday’s 4.8 percent before the policy reversal.

Treasury executives told Vanguard that lending to commercial customers have also recorded rates hike with prime lending rates tending towards 25 per cent, up from average 18 per cent, while other categories of lending may attract as much as 35 per cent interest rate.

The stock market received fortune reversal as dealers weigh in the implication of the policy change on market liquidity coupled with profit takings.

Consequently the market which has seen four straight days of gains one of the best in recent weeks, reversed to a 1.19 per cent loss as bear run took over yesterday.

Commenting on the stock market development dealers at Afrinvest West Africa, a Lagos based investment house, said:

‘‘Nigerian equities market returned to the red today (yesterday), which did not come as a surprise as investors were bound to take profit after four consecutive days of gain amid weak macroeconomic conditions and uninspiring deliberations from the recently concluded MPC meeting.

“Sell offs by investors across board resulted in the 1.1 per cent decline in the All Share Index, which settled at 25,736.92 points”.

The investment actions of money dealers, according to the treasury executives, was to channel their funds to the most profitable and safest investment outlet which happens to be placement with the CBN at a yield of 7.0 per cent.

Surprisingly however, there was the foreign exchange market recorded only a slight depreciation in the value of the local currency as Naira traded at N325/ USD yesterday in the parallel market, down from the week’s opening range of N322- N324. The CBN Committee was largely silent on exchange management and rates.

Financial institutions disagree with CBN

Some financial investment institutions have reacted sharply to the apex bank’s decisions at the last MPC with most of their positions running counter to the CBN’s.

Analysts at WSTC Financial Services Limited stated: “ we believe the higher nominal anchor rate and the liquidity tightening

effect of the 250 basis points increase in the CRR should drive yields higher in the fixed income market.

“This notwithstanding, we expect the recent change in Standard and Poor’s B+ credit rating outlook to negative from stable, with the possibility of a downgrade in the near term to support demand for higher yields, considering the increase in risk premium”.

With a considerable level of disagreement with CBN analysts at Afrinvest stated that “the decision of the MPC to tighten monetary policy was against the run of play as it came against the broad analyst consensus of a hold on all policy rates.

“Afrinvest Research had projected 100bps increase in MPRto12.0%inour2016outlook but we are particularly surprised that the MPC would be taking the tightening course this early into its easing mode; especially given that; 1) the pressure on consumer prices, as admitted by the committee, is as a result of structural and cost push factors which we believe could worsen if cost of funds go up with policy tighteningandforeignexchange shortages are not addressed; 2) the suggestion that increase in banking system liquidity is fundamentally driving the pressure on exchange rate is not also subject to fact as we have continued to see high subscription at CBN inter-bank auctions despite intermittent OMOmop-upsconducted; and 3) exchange rate certainty has as much impact on foreign capital inflows as interest rate competitiveness and the current tightening is too mild to compensatefortheexchangerate risk."

God's Children Great Talent Season 6 enters qtre finals

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AGOS—THE season 6 of God’s Children Great Talent, GCGT, a social development project of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Apapa family, is set to enter the quarter final.

The gospel talent hunt holds on Saturday, March 26, at RCCG Christ Church, Gbagada, Lagos.

The gospel talent hunt is focused on discovering, grooming and producing young talents and stars in various fields of artistic expressions across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States of America.

This year, Season 6 opened its doors beyond the Apapa family to children and young people aged five to 20 years with auditions recently held in Lagos, Abuja and PortHarcourt. Over 2,000 contestants registered online for a chance to participate in the competition.

In each of these cities, leading gospel performing and nonperforming Artistes judged performances in order to pass them to the next level. Dayo Benjamin-Laniyun,WaleRubber, Enitan Adaba, Zuriel Oduwole, and many others guided the competition to its next stage.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016— —17

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N Monday this week, DAILY TRUST led with quotations from a Post Insurgency Recovery and Peace Building Assessment Report, presented by the Borno State Government to the World Bank, based on the effect of the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno, in the last seven years.

It was a frightening report, which showed that Borno State lost 20,000 citizens and suffered property damaged worth $5.9billion (N1.9Trillion in today’s parallel market exchange rate).

The sum in question represents an “estimate of the value of public and private property damaged by the insurgents’ war in the state’s 27 local government areas”, as quoted by the newspaper.

Of the 3, 232, 308 private houses in Borno, 956, 453, or 30% were destroyed by the insurgency, with Mobbar local government being worst hit, where 101, 085 0f 150, 585 private houses were destroyed. The report also noted that 5, 335 classrooms and other school buildings were destroyed, with Bama suffering the most, losing 519 classrooms and other school buildings. Schools were destroyed in 24 of the 27 local government areas.

Distribution substations In the same vein, Boko Haram destroyed 201 health centres, mostly primary health clinics, dispensaries and some General Hospitals. 1,630 water sources were also destroyed, such as motorised boreholes, solar powered boreholes and piped water schemes. 665 municipal buildings comprising ministry and LGA buildings; prisons; police stations and electricity offices were similarly vandalized.

Others included 726 distribution substations of 11 KV/ 415V and distribution lines in the 27 LGAs of Borno. Parks, game reserves, grazing reserves, green wall projects, orchards, ponds, river basins and lakes were also either poisoned or bombed, in addition to 470, 000 livestock that were either killed or stolen.

While 20, 000 people were killed, majority of the two million internally displaced people, or those who took refuge in Niger, Chad and Cameroun, are mainly from Borno state. These are colossal figures of deaths, destruction and dislocations in communities that were very underdeveloped, even in the best of times.

Bornu State: Counting the cost of insurgency It is pursuit to a post insurgency development and rehabilitation as well as a peace building process, that this report has been prepared and presented to the World Bank and other development agencies, by the Borno state.

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AST Thursday, Forbes.com reported that Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, had made a bid for a majority stake in Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN) Limited. The bid announcement was made by the Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who pointed out that Aliko Dangote was a key member of a consortium that included Dangote, the Kaduna and Kebbi states. They were applying to acquire majority stake in PAN, which is presently owned by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

El-Rufai told the media that: “we have submitted bids for the carmaker with Aliko Dangote on board together with BoI, Kebbi and Kaduna State, we are confident our bid will sail through”. There is no gainsaying the fact that if the PAN bid becomes successful, the possibilities for recommencement of production and new jobs would be significantly enhanced. At the height of its production success in the 1980s, PAN produced 90, 000 cars annually, and there were remarkable linkages with other companies that supplied components for vehicles within the Nigerian economy, with remarkable ripples for prosperity as well as jobs.

The PAN bid was just one of the new investment initiatives that Aliko Dangote is exploring with potentials to redound positively to the benefit for the Nigerian economy. The new investment

HERE is an alleged statement by Cuban revolutionary icon, Fidel Castro, making the rounds online. Fidel was said to have assured that: “the United States will come to talk to us when they have a black president and the world has a Latin American Pope”. It might just be apocryphal, but those vaunted conditions are here, and the Americans have re-established diplomatic relations with Cuba, after over 50 years of blockage; attempted assassinations of revolutionary Cuban leaders and a failed invasion, at Bay of Pigs in the 1960s.

This week, President Obama paid a visit to Cuba, where he confessed that a boycott from the years of the Cold War was no longer relevant in the contemporary world condition. President Obama was right and has also taken the right step, but the boycott must eventually be lifted to have normal relations with heroic Cuba. I think the Cuban Revolution has won a major victory with the developments of the past year. Cuba is located about 90miles from the United States, and it is good that a mutually beneficial relationship of equals is being opened between the two countries.

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Northeast in general. There are issues in education and healthcare; water and sanitation; the rehabilitation of municipal buildings and the reconstruction of the thousands of private houses of people, as well as the

The Dangote phenomenon: How does Aliko manage these endeavours?

President Obama in Cuba

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Long road to peace: The truth is that there is a very long road ahead, between the defeat of the insurgency, peace consolidation and the work that must be carried out to rehabilitate and reconstruct Borno in particular and the

re-planning and re-building of communities, villages and towns.

This is a process that must go together with the recommencement of livelihood in agriculture; livestock; fishery; trading and in regeneration of community life in hundreds of locations that will be de-mined; while security must be restored as well as the provision of posttraumatic therapy for people, especially children, that will be re-integrated into communities, where schools must functions and teachers return to provide education.

Surely, the Boko Haram insurgency has cost Borno and its people a lot! Nigeria and the world need to accelerate the reconstruction of these communities!

that will go into a re-activated PAN, will have positive effects on jobs creation and the local and national economy in general.

Endless TAM: Similarly, there is increasing optimism that the 650, 000 bpd Dangote Refinery will come on stream in 2018 as planned. Its completion will help Nigeria solve the problems associated with the importation of refined petroleum products, which has become the heart of one of the greatest economic scandals in recent years in Nigeria. Stateowned refineries were run down and became scenes of on-going sabotage and corrupt appropriation of endless sums of money in yearly “turn around maintenance”, that neither turned around for the better nor produced the requisite amounts of refined products for Nigerians.

An elaborate structure of corruption developed around a lucrative project of importation of refined products, which left Africa’s largest oil producing country prostrate, unable to refine the requisite petroleum products to drive economic development.

This is the conundrum that the Dangote refinery is likely to burst once and for all!

Single line refinery Aliko Dangote recently spoke about the refinery and promised that it would mean the end of importation petroleum products, as well as turning Nigeria into a net exporter of refined crude and also helping to end the importation of fertilizers: “Today, Nigeria imports 100% of its fertilizers, but when we finish, Nigeria will be the largest exporter of Urea and Ammonia in Africa. The refinery is the largest single line refinery in Africa and the world; and it will meet our total domestic requirement and save foreign exchange”.

The fertilizer plant is the largest in the world and that section alone will employ up to 2, 500 workers and the petrochemical plant will also employ up to 2, 500 workers. It is significant to add that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in its world oil outlook

for 2015, had pointed out that Dangote was responsible for nearly 50% of African refinery projects into the next five years.

And the Nigerian central bank envisages that when all these projects are completed, Dangote was not only going to meet our domestic needs but would be a major exporter and could be supplying foreign exchange to the tune of $6billion annually to Nigeria’s coffers.

There are also very significant projects in rice production, with a vision to stem importation of staple food and commencement of local rice farming with the recently inaugurated Rice Outgrowers scheme in Hadejia, Jigawa state. He said Nigeria spends nearly $1.8billion annually on importing approximately 3.2million MT of rice; this was money that could make more meaningful social impacts on the country, if kept within the Nigerian economy.

And last week, he opened a new tomato-processing plant in Kano, which targets the production of 1, 200 metric tons per day. The company was the outcome of a report from a 2011 CBN study, which showed that it was cheaper to process tomato paste locally, rather than import from China, from where we take about 300, 000 tons a year, worth around $300million.

Rice and sugar plants: Dangote’s new Kano plant will produce more than 400, 000 tons annually, with most of the raw material coming from the farmers of Kano’s Kadawa valley.

Similarly, Dangote is also working in sugar refining, with plans to become a leading integrated sugar producer, within the

There is no gainsaying the fact that if the PAN bid becomes successful, the possibilities for recommencement of production and new jobs would be significantly enhanced

national sugar master plan; Dangote plans to produce 1.5million tons of sugar per annum. A sum of N180billion is being invested in four factories in Sokoto and Kebbi states, while 150, 000 hectares of land is being brought into the sugar project in Kogi, Kwara, Jigawa, Sokoto, Taraba and Kebbi states. These are very significant developments, because one of the criticisms that trailed Dangote’s endeavours in the past was how little of his investment used to go to states in Northern Nigeria.

Africapitalism: But it is clear, that Dangote’s industrial development vision is not just regional or only national; he has gone continental, as his cement plants in various African countries have shown. Aliko Dangote is the best expression of what is now termed “Africapitalism”.

Capitalist enterprise An African entrepreneur that is investing in the development of the productive forces of the African continent and in the process, sweeping the carpets from under transnational capitalist enterprise, with such strategic investments that keep jobs on the African continent as well as helping to modernise and invigorate economic activities in various parts of Nigeria and Africa.

The Dangote Group now has investments in cement, flour milling, fruit canning, salt and sugar, refinery, roads construction and agriculture, to mention a few.

Aliko Dangote made a remarkable transition from trading and importation of goods into industrialisation and production within the Nigerian economy and it is a remarkable testimony to the growth of his investments as well as the confidence that he has developed in that process of development, that he can also make those giant strides within Africa and even beyond our continent.

The Dangote Foundation is also putting a lot into social causes.

Frankly, I keep wondering just where he gets that prodigious energy to keep churning out and tracking these multi-faceted and multi-billion dollar enterprises!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

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HE Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) appears bent on enforcing the introduction of the Speed Limiting Device (SLD) come September 1, 2016 in spite of furious opposition from some quarters, particularly transporters and members of the House of Representatives.

In fact, the Lawmakers called for the outright suspension of the scheme, arguing that the Commission should settle for a more technologically-up to date approach rather than embracing the speed limiting device which, they argued, had been dumped by many countries because they “do not work”. The transporters threatened to go on strike should the FRSC go ahead with this scheme, which was at first billed to take off on April 1st, 2016.

They insist that it is the FRSC that needs to adopt technology (such as the Spider Technology) to enable them detect overspeeding

Before enforcing the speed limiter vehicles from long distances. They also argue that the cost of the speed limiter (N36,000 per unit) is prohibitive and the scheme is a ploy by the promoters to enrich themselves in collaboration with contractors whom, they allege, have already been selected.

We are in support of any well thought-through idea or strategy that will reduce the high rate of crashes and attendant fatalities on our roads. We are solidly behind anything that can be done to get our road users; especially haulage operators, transporters and government officials to drive within the

approved speed limits.

For this to work, it will require all stakeholders working cooperatively to achieve better road safety rates in Nigeria.

The FRSC will have to improve on their use of technology such as the deployment of Spider and other modern devices to track overspeeders. It will also include getting road users to comply with statutory speed limits, even if it means using the speed limiters.

Trucks, trailers and tankers, in particular, must be compelled to install speed limiters for greater road safety.

It has long been observed that two major reasons account for high accident rates all over the world: overspeeding and wrongful overtaking. If drivers cannot discipline themselves to drive within acceptable limits, then they must be compelled to do so.

However, we call for the removal of anything that will bring corruption or graft into the scheme. No effort should be spared to make the device more readily available and affordable. If the law-enforcement agents take their work more seriously, the armed robbers, assassins and kidnappers who may take advantage of speed limiters to catch up with targeted victims will be caught in most cases before or after they strike.

We urge the FRSC to work harder and gain the confidence and cooperation of highway users to ensure we all drive within statutory speed limits.

Speed kills. We must kill speed.

OPINION Who wants the power reforms to fail?

By Theophilus Zigwai

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O I was having a discussion with a friend about the power sector reforms and predictably, we came very quickly to the issue of the tariff review. It took me a very long while to lay out for him facts about the industry that disproved his assumption that the DisCos ‘who were already making so much money, were asking customers to pay more’.

Besides, he asked, what investments have these new owners made into their businesses since the takeover? Those were his lines of argument anyways.

I had to for instance, start explaining to him that from the implemented MYTO 2.2, Discos receive only 25 per cent of the monthly collection from electricity bills. The other 75 per cent is distributed among the Generating Companies (GenCos), the regulator and other service providers in the value chain to keep the sector moving. It is from this 25% that Discos eke out funds to cover their infrastructural and operational obligations.

But this friend of mine is not alone. There is a pervasive paucity of information about the sector and because nature abhors a vacuum, what has happened over time is that the negative perception held about the industry has led customers to conveniently reach wrong assumptions and hold these tightly, in areas where they needed information but did not get. This did not happen overnight either. It grew over decades and until recently, not much was being done to enlighten the public.

Even when the Minister of Power, Works

and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, took his time to explain why the tariff review had to be implemented, and despite presentations to different stakeholders among the public including members of the legislature, many Nigerians remained skeptical.

The truth though remains that it is practically impossible to sell a product below its cost of production and expect whichever industry it is existing in not to collapse. Many Nigerians are still unaware that for decades, government was meeting most of the funding deficits of NEPA and the burden on the nation’s budget is part of the reason the sector had to be privatised.

Now the general expectation is that the unrealistic subsidised prices should be maintained without a critical look at how this will eventually bring us to the total collapse of the sector. Someone even mentioned once that the worst that could happen was darkness…and that we were already used to that. He forgot to consider the fact that the efforts being made presently are designed to ensure that we never have to go back to being a people who assume it is alright to live in darkenss.

The improved revenue flow from the appropriately priced electricity will help the Discos significantly reduce their Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses in 2016 alone, a core basis for success of the power sector privatisation.

The reduction of these losses, power experts have shown, will ensure that more electricity is supplied to genuine customers.

Also, electricity usually lost through energy theft and other network defects will

now be available for the customers, due to the capital-intensive investments the DisCos have committed to in the year and beyond.

As projected for this year in the reviewed tariff order, Eko Disco will reduce its losses from 28.32% to 20.66% in 2016, and by 2024, it will be as low as 10.32%.

The Ikeja Disco had 32.15% but it is reducing it by about 9% this year. Only 9.1% loss will be left in its network by 2024, it assured. For Abuja Disco, its ATC&C was at 49.22% but it’s being reduced to 33.79% and will go down to 18.05% by 2024, Kano Disco had 45.0% losses in 2015 but it is cleansing its networks to reduce loss by 7% and will go down to 14.67% by 2024.

As for new investments by the owners, I had to inform him that the 11 Discos have already begun the implementation of their Capital Expenditure (CAPEX). Eko Disco in its tariff plan requires about $1.1billion in addition to the N5billion that has been spent in acquiring the EKEDC Head office. They will be spending N18.05billion annually which is in excess of the N141.9billion approved for EKEDC in present MYTO 2.2.

The Disco earlier earmarked N445million to expand its network technology, procure and install prepaid meters.

The Ikeja Disco on its part is spending N60billion in the first five years but the entire plan assumes a total of N92.8billion which tallies with the MYTO assumption of N92.2billion CAPEX by 2024. The Disco has installed about 4,560 prepaid meters since it took over.

Abuja Disco has spent N2.3billion since it took over in November 2013; it is forecasting N73.3billion spending by 2024. It installed

140 transformers for over N200million, to replace faulty ones. It is providing additional 200 distribution transformers with a combined capacity of 80MVA for about N260million. It has started the installation of meters with similar assurance of 100,000 installed units annually.

Kano Disco has injected over N500million revamping its network and proposes N4.769billion yearly spending which will be over N47billion by 2024. It has begun the installation of meters and would have installed about 100,000 by year end, while recruiting additional 350 staff.

The story is also progressive for Jos Disco. It has invested N210million to address its infrastructures, meter and billing challenges in the coverage area.

Most of the Discos this year have committed to rolling out 100,000 meters annually for the next five years (2019) as provided for and agreed in their contracts with the Bureau of Public Enterprises at the point of sale. This figure will see the closure of the five million metering gap accumulated over decades under the NEPA/PHCN era in just five years of the 10 year tariff plan.

In effect, by 2020, all old electricity customers would have been metered and new entrants must be metered before they are connected as directed in the new tariff order. The order enacted and now strictly monitored by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) insists the 11 Discos after exhausting the installation of 500,000 meters each in 2019 must complete metering for all remaining customers within one year (in 2020).

•Mr.Zigwaie, a certified energy expert, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24 24,, 2016 – 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Core issues in the Rivers polls

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VERY election sends a message. What were the messages behind the partially conclusive parliamentary re-run polls in Rivers State which took place last weekend? It is important to answer this question to know the juncture of Nigerian politics and democracy from that corner of the Nigerian commonwealth.

One bold, identifiable trait is that certain old myths are disappearing. Before now, political pundits held that because Nigerian Minority groups usually feel “unsafe” in the opposition, they gravitate to whichever party is in power at the Centre. The fact that states in the North dominated by indigenous Minority groups (such as Plateau, Benue and Adamawa States, which were once Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongholds) went with their mainly Hausa/Fulani Majority neighbours during the 2015 general election tended to reinforce this belief.

However, in the South, the reverse was the case. The SouthSouth Zone, which is dominated

by Minority groups, albeit with sizeable Igbo-speaking indigenes

and residents in Rivers and Delta, remained in the PDP. If the above notion was entirely correct, the legislative rerun election would have provided Rivers voters with the chance to dump the former ruling party (PDP) and go en masse for the new party with the “Federal might”, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obviously, this did not happen.

Instead, we saw (from the results so far released) a confirmation of Rivers State as a strong PDP enclave. Of the results declared at the collation centres, PDP won ten seats in the State House of Assembly election while APC had one. When added to the ten already in their kitty that were not nullified at the Election Tribunal, it means the umbrella party boasts of 20 out of the 32 seats in the House of Assembly; a safe majority for Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, even before the rest of the polls are concluded.

I call it a “safe majority” because if the APC had secured the “bandwagon” they were hoping for and upturned PDP’s commanding control of the Assembly, Wike would, by now, have been quietly packing his

personal valuables from the Brick House. To be sure, the moment the new House was convened, he and his Deputy would be summarily impeached to enable the new APC Speaker to hold the forte to usher in a new APC governor through yet another election. As it is now, Wike can only worry about his opponents’ alleged “Plan C” – the prospect of President Muhammadu Buhari declaring a state of emergency in the state to get through the use of force what the APC failed twice to secure through democratic elections.

The South-South appears to have found its own political footing, unlike in the past when they danced to the tunes of the North in what was deceptively termed a “traditional alliance”; a master-servant relationship that gave the North free ride into the zone – and open access to its oil wealth. The reason for this is simple. The South-South, which

As it is now, Wike can only worry about his opponents’ alleged “Plan C” – the prospect of President Muhammadu Buhari declaring a state of emergency in the state to get through the use of force what the APC failed twice to secure through democratic elections

Will gas flaring ever end?

IRE could be man’s best friend or his revenue accruing to the Federation F worst enemy – depending on how he Account, Nigeria would have been looking uses or misuses it. This land of obvious out for alternative revenue sources. It is contradictions has been caught severally on the wrong side of the use of fire – burning what should be conserved and conserving what should be burnt!

For example, nations realise that the first contact with them is invariably through their currency. That explains why their currency is handled with utmost care and respect. Right from the entry point to such countries, you do not need to be reminded to quickly procure a wallet so that you can join in the maintenance culture of their currency.

But in Nigeria where the country’s currencies are treated with utmost disdain and carelessness, the practice of the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN, has been to occasionally gather the mutilated notes and burn them.

Nigerians still got smart on this age-long practice. A few months back, we witnessed the case of some CBN officials whose schedule it was to burn the old notes. They cornered hundreds of billions of Naira meant for cremation and helped themselves to the old notes. In the place of the old notes, they burnt old exercise books and newspapers just in case anyone was interested in ashes. This might have been the practice for long but this time around, their cup got full.

For every currency that is destroyed, a replacement is printed and immediately put in circulation. With the old notes still in circulation plus the presumed replacement, a new inflationary spiral was set in motion. It was now a case of excess liquidity – as they say in economics, with so much money pursuing very few commodities!

At the other extreme, one would expect that with the crash in oil prices in the international market, which has dipped C M Y K

rather disturbing that we are not bothered in the least on how to put an end to the evil practice of gas flaring.

Currently, International Oil Companies, IOC, in Nigeria produce about 2,524 trillion standard cubic feet, scf, of gas annually. The estimated gas they utilise is put at about 2,235 trillion scf, with a hefty 289 trillion scf flared. Last year alone, Nigeria reportedly lost about N1.6 trillion to gas flaring. A further breakdown shows that Nigeria loses N139 billion monthly to this monstrous practice.

Among the top 10 gas flaring countries in the world are Russia, Nigeria, Iran, Iraq, USA, Algeria and Kazakhstan.

Nigeria is clearly the undisputed heavyweight champion of gas flaring in Africa, where her flares are four times higher than that of the second highest country, Algeria.

Apart from the colossal financial loss from gas flaring, we are told that gas flaring contributes more greenhouse gases than all of Sub-Saharan Africa combined.

The flares contain a cocktail of toxins that impact gravely on the health and livelihood of local communities thus exposing residents of the Niger Delta

Gas flaring is wasteful and evil.

Therefore, nothing short of zero-flaring is acceptable, particularly in the face of our dwindling oil resources

started agitating for the presidency about twenty years ago, has tasted power at the highest level. One of theirs – Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan – dwelt in Aso Villa for over five years as President, Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

They were hoping he would complete an eight-year two-term run. But one of their sons, former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi took his quarrel with Jonathan to the point of helping to truncate Jonathan’s second term. Some PDP supporters call it the “Judas effect”, though Amaechi’s supporters insist that he has the right to join any political party and pursue his own independent political ambition. The perception that Amaechi “sold out” to an alliance between the North and a section of the South West and thus “robbed” the South-South of the Presidency was a driving sentiment that governed the voting pattern of the Rivers and South-South electorate since 2015.

Another issue which notably hardened the resolve of majority of Rivers voters was the feeling that the APC Federal Government was hell-bent on recapturing the state and other oil-rich South-South states like Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta to ensure a free ride for Buhari or whoever it sponsors in 2019. The open lamentations of the National Chairman of the Party, Dr. Odigie Oyegun, that the party lost these “resource-rich states” at the Supreme Court reinforced this perception.

The re-run was a clash of titans between the forces of incumbency led by Governor Wike and those of “Federal might” led by Minister Amaechi. Usually, when

Region to the high risk of premature death, cancer, respiratory illness and asthma.

A Report on gas flaring issued in 2004 by the Environmental Right Action is instructive: “This is a monstrous and unnecessary state of affairs – especially in a country where more than 66% of the people live below the poverty line and where the benefits of nearly half a century of oil production have gone almost exclusively to the multi-nationals and the corrupt local elite”.

Nigeria is blessed with such abundant gas resources that elsewhere, she is often described as “an ocean of gas with a speck of oil”.

Truly, oil and gas are found mixed up in same walls, with gas on top while oil is beneath. In order to get to the oil, which has always been described as the lucrative driver, perhaps erroneously, what oil companies do is to flare off the gas to leave the crude oil alone.

While gas flaring has been frowned at in many places, it has flourished in Nigeria.

The normal practice would be to gather the associated gas and re-inject it into the ground and so preserve it so that when crude oil, which is a wasting asset, gets exhausted, we can fall back on the gas reserves. But the process of gas re-injection is a bit cumbersome and expensive. So the oil companies simply take the path of least resistance by flaring the gas.

In Europe, 99% of the associated gas is either used or re-injected into the ground.

The Federal Government has tried to compel oil-producing companies to adopt the gas re-injection option by imposing sanctions for gas flaring. In 1979, the Associated Gas Reinjection Act was

incumbency clashes with the “Federal might”, the latter tends to flop, especially if the former enjoys greater popular support.

It is always important to allow the people’s will to prevail peacefully or it will prevail any other way. The way the Federal government mobilised its coercive forces to harass, intimidate, arrest and hound Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, state government officials, judicial officers and others during the Tribunal proceedings, added to the massive deployment of army, police and other security forces for the rerun created a siege atmosphere. The rival political camps freely helped themselves to the use of hoodlums to kill and maim people before and during elections.

This was totally unnecessary because the harassment of the electorate never makes people to change their minds and vote for anyone other than their preferred political parties and candidates.

It is reassuring, however, that Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s INEC, despite its blundering inability to conclude any election, has generally conducted credible polls as we saw in Kogi, Bayelsa and now Rivers.

I consider it a healthy development any time the opposition performs well in elections. That the PDP remains rather strong in their strongholds is good for our democracy. I would also want the APC not to lose heart in Rivers and the South-South.

Doing so will return the oil-rich zone to the days when ruling parties had no fear of the electorate and did as they liked.

Strong opposition is good for democracy and good governance, but it must be violence-free.

promulgated. By a further amendment in 1984, a fine of two kobo was imposed on oil companies for each 1,000 cubic feet of gas flared. Oil companies easily opted for the fines.

Various target dates to end gas flaring have been set but such targets have been met more in the breach than in the observance, leading Climate Justice to conclude, rather ruefully, that “Broken promises, shifting commitments, shady deals and ignored legislation mar the history of flare-out targets”.

Suddenly, even the World Bank is beginning to vacillate towards 2030 for zero-flaring, which leads us to ask if gas flaring will ever end.

The Federal Government is also at war with itself. Our present predicament is largely due to the failure of government to complete projects designed to reduce gas flaring, including Brass and Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas, NLG, projects, which were expected to have been completed in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Besides, the Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline designed to transport about 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Warri in Delta State, Nigeria, through Niger Republic to Algeria has made no appreciable progress. Where do we go from here?

Gas flaring is wasteful and evil.

Therefore, nothing short of zero-flaring is acceptable, particularly in the face of our dwindling oil resources. The time to act is now!

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

Herbalist’s near-death experience and ordeal in hands of gunmen

By Chinenyeh Ozor, Nsukka

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HE university town of Nsukka which was not long ago thrown into confusion and mourning following invasion and murder of two persons in nearby Abbi community by suspected Fulani herdsmen is once again under the grip of tension arising from the attack of an Enugu-based herbalist, Emmanuel Udorji, by unknown gun men who stormed his home supposedly on a killing mission. But the talking point of the incident is that while the invaders had succeeded in assaulting and tying up their victim, they somehow found it difficult shooting him dead after several attempts as the bullets allegedly could not pierce or penetrate his skin and flesh.

The unidentified gunmen allegedly invaded the home of the native doctor along EdemAni road in the University town of Nsukka in a convoy of about eight vehicles, laid siege at the entrance gate of the house and waited for the native doctor to emerge from a meeting of his kinsmen holding in his residence.

Vanguard Metro gathered that kinsmen of the herbalist from Abbi community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State had convened a 12-man town hall meeting to hold in the Nsukka residence of the herbalist.

Sporadic shooting Investigations revealed that kinsmen of the herbalist had convened the meeting to discuss the atrocious acts of Fulani herdsmen who had in recent time terrorised Abbi community, including maiming and killing hapless villagers as well as burning down their houses and farms in the community. But only three out of the 12 people invited attended the meeting which ended abruptly following sporadic shooting by the invading gun men who allegedly came with a picture to enable them identify the herbalist.

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the gunmen at the Ascension Hospital, Nsukka, the herbalist said that the invasion of his residence by yet-to-beidentified gunmen was the worst traumatic experience of his life over the years as a native doctor in Abbi community.

His words: “My kinsmen convened a meeting of about 12 men and asked me to host it in my residence. I obliged. To my C M Y K

surprise only three persons showed up for the meeting. But we decided to go on with the meeting as earlier planned. The meeting was earlier scheduled the previous week. Later I received a phone call that it has been cancelled and rescheduled, unknown to me that there was an unseen hand behind the arrangement. The three that attended the meeting were Hyacinth Uchu (aka Yoke), Pastor Nicholas Diara and one other person.

“We started the meeting around 4pm and closed around 5.30pm. I was seeing off my guests to the gate with my good friend Chike Ndubuisi when I noticed about eight vehicles with tinted glasses parked outside the gate of my compound.

Immediately, about eight individuals dressed in army uniform alighted from one of the vehicles; another six in civilian dresses and three others in Fulani attire were also there. That was when it dawned on me that something was wrong. And before I could react, they suddenly pointed guns at me and started shooting at me. There was stampede in my house and those of my neighbours. It was confusion everywhere with my family members shouting for help on top of their voices. Many people ran into bushes.

They tied my hands backwards: “When the unknown gunmen realised that their bullets could not kill me, they grabbed and beat me up mercilessly and tightly tied my hands backwards with rope and bundled me into one of the vehicles to an unknown destination. Along the way, my assailants who were discussing the incident, suddenly took pity on me. It was then they told me

When the unknown gunmen realised that their bullets could not kill me, they grabbed and beat me up mercilessly

Emmanuel Udorji ... After the attack that we were going back to Nsukka and advised me to be careful of my people. I demanded to know what offence I had committed to warrant the unjust treatment but they did not tell me.

They took me back to my house

around 1pm. I had never seen any of them before and so cannot identify them.

“I cannot say exactly whether the gunmen were military men.

The only thing was that I was driven to to 82 Division Enugu,

though I was not brought down from the vehicle and taken to any office at the army headquarters.

Only thorough investigations will unveil the circumstances surrounding the matter.

When the gunmen had gone after bringing me back, my entire family broke down in tears.

“I have lodged a complaint with the police at Nsukka. I will definitely petition the Enugu State Commissioner of Police and the Human Rights Commission over the incident. My estate in my village was burnt, vandalised about two years ago.

Now they are after my life.”

Police confirms incident: A senior police officer at the Area Command, Nsukka who would not want his name in print confirmed the incident, saying that the matter is being handled to avoid break down of law and order. He noted that investigation has commenced into the matter, promising that it will be amicably settled for the interest of peace in the community.

Victims of presidential election boat mishap immortalised

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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ARELY a year after they lost their lives in a boat mishap while on an assignment to monitor the last Presidential and National Assembly elections at one of the riverine areas in Epe Local Government, Lagos State, the six victims are to be immortalised, courtesy of a group, AMBSAM Foundation, which has concluded plans in that regard in collaboration with Epe community.

The event is slated to be formally launched on March 28, 2016. The foundation’s name was adapted from the last names of the victims.

The victims were Prince Olakunle Adewale, Mr. Muiz Bello, Mr. Wale Mogaji, Mr. Agoro Samson, Mr. Mogaji Gbolahan and Mr. Tunde Salawu.

They died on March 28, 2015 in a boat mishap, an incident which shock the all communities in Epe. Briefing journalists at Alausa, Ikeja on the development, a member of the

Board of Trustee of AMBSAM, Otunba Tunde Abass who spoke on behalf of other members of the foundation, said the primary aim of the foundation is to immortalise the victims and to cater for their immediate dependents.

He said: “The foundation will be used as a spring board to alleviate the sufferings of those other less-privileged and vulnerable youths in Epe division and beyond. A committee has been set up to collate the statistics and present it to the Board of Trustees for consideration.”

Fund mobilisation committee He said to drive the initiative, an operational framework has been set in motion, adding that the foundation had set up a fund mobilisation committee saddled with the responsibility of mobilising the required funding from public spirited individuals.

Speaking further on funding, he said: “The foundation shall

be run on financial donation and grants from government at all levels, philanthropists, public spirited individuals, non-governmental organisations.

The success story is that in the last few months, the response had been very encouraging and the start-up was made possible because of financial support received from members.”

According to Otunba Abass, beyond the launching of the foundation, AMBSAM has mapped out strategies and programmes to sustain the long term goals of the foundation, saying the programmes such as social awareness, learning and education as well as economic empowerment would be pursued vigorously.

“There is a plan to have a memorial park with a state of the art swimming pool accessible to members of the community whereby they can learn how to swim. This memorial park will be in the name of the fallen heroes,” he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

— 21

FG to establish container weigh-stations to beat IMO July deadline

By Godfrey Bivbere

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EDERAL Government is to establish weigh-stations at the nation’s seaport to beat the new International Maritime Organisation, IMO, law that makes it compulsory for all consignment meant for export to be weighed before leaving their port of origin.

The law is expected to take effect from the 1st of July, 2016.

A senior staff in the ministry of transportation, who disclosed this to Vanguard in Abuja on condition of anonymity, said that government is considering whether to construct the weigh-stations directly before concessioning them or construct them on a Public-Private Partnership basis.

The ministry top shot told Vanguard that they are expecting a recommendation to that effect from the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, at the end of the just concluded workshop themed, “Transport cost and regional connectivity of African countries.”

An official of the NSC who confirmed this to Vanguard explained that he could not speak officially on the issue as they have not sent their recommendation to the ministry but assured that they will work at beating the deadline for the implantation of the new policy.

The NSC official said that they also considered the option of allowing terminal operators to handle the weighing of such con-

signments but reasoned that the terminal operators may use it as a means of further exploiting Nigerian shippers.

Stakeholders at the Abuja workshop had kicked against the 1stJuly,2016commencementdate because most countries in the subregion except Ghana are not ready.

They were however reminded by the Chris Welsh, Secretary General of Global Shippers Forum, GSF, the resource person that the new law was passed by the IMO in 2014.

Walsh said member countries had the opportunity to contest the implementation last year before the agreed implementation date this year.

He explained that mis-declaration of container weight has led to significant losses to shippers and shipping lines.

From right: Acting-General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Paul Angya; Mr AbdulYekini Lawal of FRSC, Lagos; Director of Training and Research, Dr Justin Nickaf and Head of Budget, Mr Emmanuel Gege, both of SON, at the meeting with tyre marketers and dealers, in Lagos.

CBN approves N3m loan per beneficiary of YIEDP

By Iloaze Blessed-Odidi

I

N an effort to reduce the unemployment rate in the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria, said it has approved the sum of N3 million credit line to each beneficiary of Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme, YIEDP The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who disclosed this dur-

ing the launch of the programme in Abuja, said that a credit line of up to N3 million would be made available to each eligible youth.

Accordingtohim,recipientswho wereonrecordstohavemadegood utilization of the funds would be encouraged to migrate to other CBN intervention schemes that would enable them access more funds.

He said that the scheme was launched by the bank in response

to unemployment among the youths in the country.

Emefiele said, “The alarming figures coming from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, NBS, which put the number of Nigerian Youths inthelabourmarketat36.3million, representing 48 percent of the entire labour force, could not be allowed to degenerate further, given the bright ideas and big dreams to the youth”.

“To this effect, the CBN initiated

Forum to address how to build skilled workforces

A

FRICAN and global business leaders will gather for the Initiative for Global Development’s

Spring Frontier 100 Forum on May 13-14, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Under the theme, “Engines of Growth:PoweringAfrican Companies to Create Employment and Accelerate $133.35 1.80 Development”, the forum will focus on how African $3,059.00 -13.00 companies and multinational corporations can $ 16.31 0.02 drive job creation and capitalize on today’s business environment for growth. $ 41.16 -0.38 The Initiative for Global Development (IGD) is a $ 41.02 -0.50 U.S.-based organization that engages an influenCURRENCY BUYING SELLING tial network of global busiUS 196 196.5 197 ness leaders in creating DOLLAR 279.9076 280.6217 281.3357 sustainable growth and POUNDS 221.0292 221.5931 221.1569 poverty alleviation EURO 201.9786 202. 4938 203. 0091 through strategic busiFRANC 1.755 1.7595 1.764 YEN 0.3176 0.3276 0.3376 ness investment.

CFA 274.7064 275.4072 276.108 The Frontier 100 Forum WAUA 30.1827 30. 2601 30.3376 is an exclusive, invitationRENMINBI 52.2569 52. 3902 52.5235 only biannual event that RIYAL 29.5127 29.588 29.6633 convenes the IGD FronKRONA 274.694 275.3948 276.0955 tierLeaderNetwork,anetCBN Exchange rate as at 22/03/2016 work of CEOs and senior

executives from U.S., African, European and South Asian companies operating in Africa. More than half of IGD Frontier Leaders hail from the African continent.

“The African region is experiencing unprecedented economic growth and Africa’s home-grown companies are at the center of that growth, creating more than 80 percent of jobs on the continent,”

The programme was designed to complement other inventions of the NYSC such as the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED

saidDr.MimaNedelcovych,IGD’s President & CEO. “The Frontier 100 Forum will bring together global business leaders and leading economists to address how to advance economic growth to bolster employment opportunities through greater investments in growth sectors, industrialization, as well as regional cooperation,” said Nedelcovych.

The Forum will open with an afternoon session on May 13, on trade promotion and facilitation.

The half-day session, Achieving Inclusive Growth through Greater Trade Opportunities, will uncover the details on how African companiescantakefulladvantageoftrade opportunities to boost their export potential and drive Africa’s economic transformation.

The two-day forum is designed to encourage business leaders to offer insight, collaborate, and identify bold, action-oriented strategies to promote a business-driven development agenda on the African continent.

programme would provide timely andaffordablecredittoassistyouths in implementing their business ideas,andwilltarget10,000youths in productive activities within the next four years. He Added that the programmewasopentoyouthcorps members and those with not more than five years of post-NYSC experience. ‘’The collateral required for the participationintheprogramme,that the bank would make such assets includingacademicandNYSCcertificates, third party guarantee and other moveable assets as collateral for all successful candidates.”

Skill acquisition and entrepreneurship Speaking earlier, the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier General Johnson Bamidele Olawumi, whoseorganisationhasjointhands with the CBN to float the YIEDP, said ‘’The programme would provide world class training start-up capital to the youth corps members who have indicated interest in skill acquisitionandentrepreneurship”.

He added that; ‘’ the programme wasdesignedtocomplementother inventionsoftheNYSCsuchasthe Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, foundedin2012andGraduateEntrepreneurship Fund, GEF, launched in the collaboration with the Bank of Industry, BOI”.

Olawumi urged corps members nationwide to take advantage of the opportunity by coming up with creative ideas and bankable business plans that would qualify them to access the fund.

C M Y K

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 — 23

The art of networking Become a brand: Consider why the person you’re speaking to should care about what you’re saying. Craft your conversations accordingly. You only have a short time to make an impression, so try to make it favorable. Give without expecting anything in return. Turn yourself into a staple at networking events. Avoid too many events where no one knows you, you’re doing yourself a disservice by having to build your brand from scratch in each environment. You’ll also find that networking is a lot more fun when you become a regular. People will sing your praises to new attendees (this is always better than you doing it yourself) and you’ll see lots of familiar faces.

Mind your Body Language The art of networking

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VERY so often, we are bombarded with statistics upon statistics of women underperforming in virtually every field of endeavour. This dismal state of affairs cannot be too far removed from our abysmal ability to network.

Networking is the social soul of business, and joining the ‘Boys Club’ is crucial to having your foot firmly on the corporate or political ladders. Don’t bother with the business card; networking success comes from building real relationships.

Thankfully, it can be learned…

Find the Food! Whether or not you’re eating, it’s always a great idea to position yourself at the edge of the buffet. From this vantage position, you can easily strike up a conversation as people turn with

food in hand.

Be yourself: Don’t try to be the person you think others want to meet. Be genuine. Treat people like friends. The people you connect with when you are authentic are the ones you’ll want to stay in touch with. Treat new networking relationships as you’d treat your friendships. Build rapport and trust that business will happen. Ask questions.

The only way to get to know someone else is to ask them genuine and thoughtful questions. It’s always best to walk away from a conversation having allowed the other person to speak more than you did.

Not only will they feel great about the conversation, but you’ll have gotten to know a lot about him/her

Set goals before going: When attending an event, understand what you are there to do. Is your goal to feel out a new organization? Is it to meet five new people? Is it to meet one or two specific people? Plan ahead. Take notes. When you ask for someone’s card after having a great conversation, take notes on their business card after they walk away or immediately after the event.

This will help you to be more specific in your follow-up. A great way to get to know more about an organization and who is involved is to seek out the event organizer and introduce yourself. He/she can then help point you in the right direction and can introduce you to other attendees to get you off on the right foot.

Secrets of my success — Folorunsho Alakija A

FRICA’s richest woman, Folorunsho Alakija, has remained an enigma of sorts even as she hit international limelight as the woman who beat Oprah Winfrey to the number two spot on the Forbes black women rich list.

Many aspiring women will however find inspiration as she gave a peek into her very essence recently at her inauguration as Chancellor of Osun State university recently, while sharing nuggets of wisdom or “ wisdom pills” that have helped her over the years.

Do not accept ‘’No” for an answer – Many doors were shut in my face but I refused to give up and kept going back and it paid off; see where I am today.

Be determined to succeed as there is always a way where there seems to be no way. Only the persistent and diligent find it.

Time is money, use it wisely.

C M Y K

Say “no” to corruption Find mentors for practical guidance in your chosen career.

Find out God’s purpose for your life and embark on it.

Exercise patience and have courage. Courage is fear that has said its prayers.

Family influence Always remember, that anything worth doing at all is worth doing well.

Don’t sit on the fence but come to Nigeria’s defence. Proffer solutions and follow through.

My personal ethics have been formed through family influence, religious beliefs, life’s experiences, my personal reflections and the culture in which I was raised. My family instilled a strong work ethic in

Don’t be a card spammer. The closest thing to you throwing all of your business cards away is handing them out to anyone and everyone you meet without them asking. If you haven’t built enough rapport with someone to encourage them to ask for your card, don’t offer one. Keep eye contact with your conversation partner.

Nod your head and tilt your body towards them when you’re speaking. These small cues go a long way towards making them feel like you care, which helps you to build rapport and trust: the foundation on which you can later do business.

Don’t try to meet as many people as possible in a room; focus on making just a few solid connections. People can sense when you’re simply speaking with them to grab their card and go. These short interactions will not be memorable and therefore work against you. Aim to meet a few people and begin a meaningful dialogue.

The more specific you can be about what you do and what others can do to help you (if they ask), the better. Tell them the names of a few specific companies you’re looking to work with. And remember; do talk to strangers!

me as a child and they hardly ever missed a day of work.

Ethics is a word I live by because it is conducted in a work environment and in individual daily life. I always try to do the right things and this will be my guiding principle throughout my 5 year tenure at Osun State University.

In addition, she attributes her success to her relationship with God and enjoined all to put their trust in Him who, according to her, brought her from a Moslem family background to become a Born again Christian; singled her out from 52 children for His “divine assignment”; gave her a husband for almost forty years in a marriage that is still growing strong and brought an Executive Secretary to the Oil Industry to break glass ceilings.

Folorunsho Alakija

24—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

GENDER PARITY BILL:

What religion, tradition say about women

My father, though a bil in girl-child education She may be a big global oil player today with hands in various big pies, but chancellor of Osun State University and Chairman Rose of Sharon Foundation, Folorunsho Alakija was herself a victim of gender discrimination and child abuse, as she revealed in her speech as she accepted an honorary Doctorate- her 5th- from the same University recently

H

Prof. Ishaq Akintola

By Josephine Agbonkhese

I

T was with consternation that many Nigerians, last week, received the news of the rejection of a bill seeking gender parity and prohibition of violence against women by the red chamber.

Interestingly, this is coming in March, a month internationally set aside for honouring women, with Pledge for Gender Parity forming the theme for this year’s celebration- one in which the same lawmakers participated with special sessions.

Apparently, the lawmaker, Mrs Abiodun Olujimi, a senator from Ekiti State, who presented the bill, expected to successfully sway the house with the euphoria of the season.

The rejection of that bill has since then trended, with many expressing disappointment and condemning the lawmakers for claiming that some aspects of the

bill negate the principles of religions and traditions in the country, and for failing to own up to the deep-seated misogyny and religious bigotry which many believed formed their opinions.

About the bill: The Gender Parity and Prohibition of Violence against Women Bill which did not survive a second reading was aimed at eliminating the gap between the rights of men and women in Nigeria. It also sought to put an end to traditional and stereotypical practices that drive discrimination based on gender.

In totality, the bill seeks to eliminate discrimination based on gender in the fields of economy, antagonistic treatment of widows, early marriage, women’s inheritance rights, politics, education and employment, and also takes a firm stand against domestic and sexual violence against women.

ER early years As a 7-year old girl who just followed daddy’s orders to leave her beloved homeland, siblings and loved ones, and the warm sunshine of her African continent for school in a snowy cold country where she suddenly had to learn a new culture, wear heavy warm clothing and make new friends; Folorunsho Alakija journeyed into that new land not knowing what the future would hold in what was to be her boarding school for the next four years, in 1958.

Her holidays with an aunt could be likened to the Cinderella years that helped to shape and prepare her life for the future.

Discovery of talents, strengths Having been made ready to face a life of hard work, she discovered her talents, strengths and weaknesses which she applied and learnt even in bringing up her own children later on in life.

But when in her teenage years she desired to read law in the university, her father declined her wish and steered her to become a secretary “In Colonial times, women were relegated to the kitchen, had less formal education – if any at all – and were forcefully

could be heard in palaces and village meetings. My late father was one of those who, despite being a billionaire, initially had the mentality that

married off early. The main education they could get was limited to domestic sciences, dress-making, hair dressing, mat weaving, pottery etc. They had little recognition in politics and only the voices of a few

Her holidays with an aunt could be likened to the Cinderella years that helped to shape and prepare her life for the future. Having been made ready to face a life of hard work, she discovered her talents, strengths and weaknesses which she applied and learnt even in bringing up her own children later on in life

I have passion for children —Bola

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

T

UESDAY March 1, 2016 will go down in history of Lagos State as a day when the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode demonstrated her love and passion for children’s welfare.

It was a day when she donated ten conveniences which she built for the Ndubusi Kanu Park in Alausa Ikeja.

The park in question was one of the mostly visited parks in the state and it was instructive to note that the Lagos First Lady observed the absence of children’s toilets when she visited the park in December 2015 as part of activities marking the celebration of end of the year.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Ambode expressed her commitment towards improving the welfare and generating happiness for children, just as she charged parents to ensure that children and wards are always accompanied by adults at public places. The wife of the Governor said she was motivated to provide the conveniences at the park because of the need to separate children’s facilities from that of the adults.

According to her: ‘’At public places like this, little children should not share facilities with adults, for health reasons and for their privacy and protection; as parents we must not unduly

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Donates welfare facilities expose our children to health risks. These facilities are partly meant to discourage open urination and defecation which can deface and pollute the environment,” she further said.

Ambode, who also announced plans by the state government to embark on mass provision of toilets facilities across the state, said it was time for parents to stop exposing their children to health risks through open defecation.

Privacy and protection The first lady said on no account should children share public toilet facilities with adults, adding: “More importantly, at public places like this, little children should not share toilet facilities with adults, for health reasons and for their privacy and protection. I am thankful to God, that what came up as a little idea, has become real,” she said.

Ambode, who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare, however, added that relaxation, recreation and leisure, remain integral part of city life everywhere in the world. While urging residents to create time to relax once in a while in order to boost their healthy physical, mental and emotional

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 —25

lionaire, did not believe n —Folorunsho Alakija educating the female gender was a waste of money. So, I was sent to England for a shorter course– for after all according to him, women would just become housewives bearing another

family name. The rest of course, is history” .

First female Chancellor in Nigeria : Thanking her husband of almost forty years

whom she fondly refers to as Modu (Modupe Alakija) and describes as “loving, kind and indefatigable”, Mrs. Alajika adds: “Undoubtedly, today history has again been made. I congratulate Osun State University for taking such a bold step in being the first Government owned University, whether Federal or State, in Nigeria to appoint a female Chancellor.

I feel extremely humbled, proud and excited to be receiving this conferment as Chancellor. I also appreciate the Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration, DBA, Honoris Causa which came in as a surprise.

Glass ceiling broken by womanhood This is another glass ceiling being broken by womanhood and I thank God for His grace for letting me be a part of it”.

Encouraging more women to improve on their education, especially in Nigeria and Africa where the women and the girl child are still very much under-represented, especially in higher institutions of learning and the economy as a whole, she quoted the UK Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, Theresa May, as having said: “Giving women the opportunity to achieve their full potential must be at the heart of our approach to economic growth”.

anle Ambode development, she advised them to be security conscious and ensure their wards are always accompanied to park by adults.

Speaking on the environmental challenges in the state, Adejare on his part, decried improper waste disposal across the state, saying that some parts of the state may experience flooding unless they adopt proper waste management before the rainy season, which, he said, would be intense.

The Commissioner warned people living in the flood prone areas to vacate their buildings ahead of the intense rainfall, saying that the consequence of improper waste management is massive flooding during rainy season.

Adejare also frowned at the usage of children for hawking and street trading, saying such action was unacceptable to the state government. He said apart from the risk involved because such children are constantly put under the risk of being killed by vehicles on the road, such development also prevent the children from going to school. He said an untrained child will definitely be servant to his mate in future, and even constitute nuisance to the society, therefore all hands must be on deck to stop parents and guidance from using their children for street trading and hawking.

Besides, Adejare said the state government would strictly enforce the provision of the law restricting street trading, adding that any child caught involved in the act would have his or her parents or guidance prosecuted in the court, while such child would be released.

Adefarasin

Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, a n s w e r e d sarcastically immediately he heard this reporter was calling from the Vanguard.

He however turned down further attempts to have him speak, saying he was about boarding a flight.

Another scholar, Ishaq Akintola, Professor of Islamic Eschatology, activist and social c o m m e n t a t o r, without mincing words, however said both the Bible and Quran emphasize the need for women to lower their wings.

“Islam does not say women are slaves. No. They have their own peculiar rights and men cannot take those rights from them. Islam says women have equal rights with men in economy, they can run their own business, their money belong to them, including their dowry.

“Many people pretend to be activists, with some claiming to

What religion, tradition say about...

B

UT were the lawmakers correct in their argument or simply being misogynistic?

“Traditionally, women are not equal to men. According to the Yoruba tradition for example, the husband is said to be the owner of the wife; he is the chairman of the home. But it is because some men are becoming lazy economically nowadays that women are now claiming equality with men. Men are above women. God Himself makes women to outnumber them so that men can marry as many women as they desire,” Chief Ademola Awolola Ifabunmi, a traditionalist answered in a t e l e p h o n e interview with Woman’s Own.

Product of mischief “I don’t know of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede any sane religion that downgrades women. be fighting for the rights of That is not possible in Islam. women. But when Muslim But was it not in your paper women are disallowed from I read an article two days using Hijab, they keep quiet ago in which one of your because it doesn’t affect them. columnists, Yinka Now they want to override Odumakin, itemized twelve religion in the guise of activism. erroneous facts about Islam? God has assigned to everyone I want to believe he is your his or her own roles. Our expert and has given you his women have not told us they own Islamic opinion. What want to assume the financial again do you want me to say? responsibilities of the home.

He has accused Islam of all They’ve not said they will stop the worst things in the world collecting allowances. So, why and given judgement the hypocrisy? It is ungodly,” already. Those were the worst Akintola expatiated. things I’ve ever heard about Meanwhile, Pastor Paul Islam. I’m even disappointed Adefarasin, Founder, House on your paper published such a the Rock, was explicit in his trash because anybody who response. knows what Islam is will not “The Bible makes it very clear allow such a blasphemy to go that all human beings are into a newspaper. Everything created equal in the sight of Odumakin said in that piece God. In the contest of marriage, is a product of mischief though the role of the husband against Islam,” Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, General Secretary, Continues from page 26 C M Y K

26—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

BY JOSEPHINE AGBONKHESE

Ham Fashion hits the industry I

By Aina Iyabo

N a bid to improve and take the fashion industry to the next level, fast rising fashion designer, Aisha Mohammed, has officially launched her fashion house, Ham Fashion.

The new outfit located in Agbara Industry Estate, Lagos state boasts of a training school and a production hub.

The event which took place recently, also saw models walk the runway, displaying some

of her creations.

Speaking at the event creative head of Ham fashion, Mrs Aisha Mohammed said “The idea behind the fashion place is to improve the fashion industry and at the same time encourage young Nigerians who have the interest in fashion designing”. Also, “Ham fashion is reputed to be one of the best in the country”.

She added that “The Ham fashion is mainly for promoting excellence in the field of design education in Nigeria”.

What religion, tradition say about...

Continues from page 25 and wife may be different, it never tampers with their equality,” he said.

Early marriage: Also alluding the aforementioned piece by Odumakin about the issue, particularly on the subject of early marriage, Prof.Akintola derided Odumakin, saying: “What does Yinka Odumakin know about Islam? How can Yinka be talking that way about Islam? I will demand an apology.

“You think it is among Muslims that early marriage is practiced? Go to states in the United States of America and you’ll see where marriage is allowed even as early as age 13. Can Yinka also tell us what he thinks about a Pastor who raped a 13-year-old girl and was given a bias six-month imprisonment sentence by a Christian judge for a crime as grave as rape?

Nobody is making any noise about that.

Imprisonment sentence “Yunusa and Ese Oruru were Romeo and Juliet and we all saw the love letter Ese wrote to Yunusa. But the young man was accused wrongly because he is of a different religion.

When will Nigeria learn to respect one another’s religion?”

“Back to that bill, I want to state clearly that there is no single Islamic scholar who will support such a bill.

We are asking the Muslims in the House of Representatives to examine their backgrounds. They will be disgracing Islam if they support such a bill. And the Senate President should forget about reconsidering that bill. For your information, that bill will not pass through because we are going to blacklist Muslim representatives and senators who support it.”

Gender equality foreign: Speaking on the entire concept of gender equity, while debunking claims that third world countries like Nigeria were backyard because of failure to allow women equal rights as humans, Chief Ifabunmi described gender equity as foreign to the Nigerian culture.

“That is a wrong ideology and it cannot work here. That’s why they C M Y K

make a lot of mistakes abroad.

Women are made to be under men; that is however not to say any man should abuse or violate his wife.

Nigerians who go to marry Americans, for example, are now suffering the consequences because if the woman decided to divorce them, she is granted most of the family properties by the court while the man is left with nothing.

Widows’ inheritance rights: Commenting also on the subject of widows’ inheritance rights which the bill also captures, Ifabunmi declared in clear terms that the African tradition does not require a bill such as that to determine who gets what.

“The will of the late husband is what everybody should honour because it is the man who knows who will manage his property better and also cater for his children. That’s why every man should have a will as soon as he starts acquiring properties,” he explained.

Both genders equally relevant: Although some Christian lawmakers also claimed the Bible doesn’t approve of gender equality, Adefarasin, while re-emphasizing the symbiotic role of both genders in marriage and the society, made plain his stand against the undermining of any sex.

“The man is given the responsibility to lead in marriage and also consult his wife when necessary. The head, on its own, can’t work without the neck (woman). Hence, the leadership of the man is impotent without the support of the woman.

“In society, when you look around, you’ll observe women are performing better academically around the world, and have a natural penchant for caring for others, unlike men who are more concerned about their jobs. That’s why when you put a woman in a public office, she goes the extra mile to ensure the well-being of the vulnerable and everyone else. So, I therefore want to say both genders are equally relevant to any society,” Adefarasin said.

More celebs join the fight against rape

By Kehinde Ajose

T

HE sixth edition of the much awaited Walk Against Rape campaign was held on Thursday, March 10th in support of the ongoing fight against rape in the country and in commemoration of the International Women’s day. Celebrities such as Wunmi

The walk started from the Archbishop Vining Memorial church (AVMC) ground and ended at the Ministry of Women Affairs

Obe, Susan Peters, Dayo Amusa, Tayo Odueke, Niniola, Koker, and Pryse joined several concerned Nigerians from different sector of the society to create awareness and encourage victims to speak up. The walk which is aimed at creating awareness and lending a voice to sexually abused persons (particularly women and children) in the society was a huge success as people came out enmasse to participate.

Esther Ijewere- Kalejaiye , the National coordinator of Walk Against Rape says the aim of the rally is to help in encouraging victims to speak out and reduce the stigmatization attached to the victims of rape, also to demand for the creation of more help centers across the state.

The walk started from the Archbishop Vining Memorial church (AVMC) ground and ended at the Ministry of Women Affairs, Alausa, Ikeja, where the group was received by the Commissioner for the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016—27

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

believe CBT will delve in the right direction,'' he added.

Meanwhile, a specialist in Higher Education, Science, Computer and Environmental Education, Professor Peter Okebukola in his submission said that the inertia to change is part of life, adding that over time, human systems adjust to change as the forces of homeostasis kick in.

According to him, the CBT of UTME is a classic example of this inertia, noting that in the he last two weeks, public comments have underlined the merits and demerits of the innovation which the Ojerinde-led JAMB recently introduced.

He, however, argued that Professor Dibu Ojerinde and his staff should be commended for the farsighted innovation.

By Dayo Adesulu & Tare Youdeowei

A

S the House of Representatives moved the motion on the need for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, to revert to Paper Pencil Test, it is imperative as stakeholders to recapitulate the pains and gains of Computer Based Test, CBT and Paper Pencil Test, PPT. Between 1978 to 2012, JAMB had conducted yearly, its national examinations on a single Saturday using paper pencil. Thus, for 34 years, the records were there for stakeholders to cross-check the good, the bad and the ugly of JAMB. However, in 2013, the Professor Dibu Ojerinde’s administration introduced the computer based test, explaining that it will correct the deficiency of the paper pencil test. Having experimented the CBT for just four years, the result is also out for all to see.

Paper examination It would be recall that last Thursday, the House of Representatives urged the Federal Government to direct JAMB to suspend the computer based 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination test.

The lawmaker while moving the motion said there is need for JAMB to revert to the paper examination until the board is ready to conduct a hitch-free Computer Based Test (CBT). It was reported that while some candidates were getting conflicting scores in the 2016 JAMB, others were complaining of malfunctioning computers, double-option answers and sudden short down of systems causing absurdities that placed

80% fail NECO, WAEC, JAMB for dear th of reading culture — Ignite Africa Page 29

PGA unveils The Students’ Fortress in 99 schools Page 30 C M Y K

UNVEILING: From left, Babs Olugbemi,Convener, Students Fortress Club; Dr. Yinka Ayandele,

TG/PS Lagos Education District I; Felix Ohiwerei, Special Guest of Honour; Mrs. Akin-Aderibigbe, representative, Lagos State Deputy Governor; Mrs Amidat Anifowoshe, TGPS Education District IV, SSA on Education; Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni and Omotola Fawunmi,Executive Director, Positive Growth Africa, during the unveiling of the club in Lagos.

Pains, gains of CBT, PPT some candidates at a disadvantaged position.

Curbing malpractice: However, before reverting to the paper pencil test, some stakeholders who are calling for patience with the Board, urged Nigerians to consider the advantages and disadvantages PPT and CBT. In his reactions, Mr. Abayomi Moody, a retired teacher who once taught at Federal Government College, Lagos said, he has experienced both PPT and CBT, as a teacher and as a parent.

“When I took my son to write JAMB at Tolu Complex in Ajegunle, about 5 years ago, it was Herculean. We were there before seven but the exams did not commence till about 10.

Demerits of a full scale CBT have been loudly canvassed to include weak technological infrastructure to support CBT on a large scale and low level ICT literacy of potencial UTME candidates

"While I waited for my son to finish I saw young men outside sending answers as text messages to students inside. I didn’t understand what was going on at first, till some of the students finished, came out and were complaining to the men that the answers were not correct or not for their type. It shocked me.’’

He continued: “Now I have brought my twins for CBT and I am most impressed that nothing of that nature is taking place. The students are on their own in there, left to rely on their abilities. ‘’With this CBT, students will sit up and study hard knowing that there would be no short cut to

success.’’

On his part, Dr. Shina Akintolure, an education consultant, and lecturer at the Department of Science and Technology Education, Lagos State University said: “Before now, the pen and paper was super,but in the last 10 to 12 years, the rate of examination malpractice in Nigeria has been on the increase, as such it is the main reason why JAMB introduced CBT.’’ He, however, noted that the awareness campaign of CBT is not enough because students have not been well trained. ''If JAMB can go back to the drawing board and get it right, I

Far-sighted innovation The former NUC Scribe said: “The demerits of a full-scale CBT have been loudly canvassed to include weak technological infrastructure to support CBT on a large scale in Nigeria at this time, and the low level of ICT literacy of potential UTME candidates.

Irregular power supply: "Irregular power supply is another important element in the arsenal of people shooting down the idea of a full-blast CBT. Coincidentally, the worsening state of power supply met with the lament of President Buhari during the just-concluded retreat of the National Economic Council.”

According to him, in spite of these handicaps, Nigerians need to be far-sighted in our approach and pitch our position on a number of emerging scenarios.

“We are training undergraduates for an ICT-dominated 21st Continues on page 29

80% fail NECO, WAEC, JAMB over dearth of reading culture — Ignite Africa

By Dayo Adesulu EARTH of reading culture and absence of equipped libraries have been identified as the two causative agents in the rate of failure in WASSCE, NECO and JAMB among our youths.

Mr Kolawole Oyeyemi, Founder, Ignite Africa Leadership Foundation who spoke while launching a world class Library at Ikeja said: “The reading culture is almost dead ; the libraries are either nonexistent or empty of relevant books.”

Oyeyemi who pegged the rate of failure in WASSCE, NECO and JAMB at over 80 per cent, described the synario as a national embarrassment that only emphasis on reading culture.

He posited, “If you give a child a book, he is going to star t

D

reading. If a child starts reading, he is going to start thinking. If a child starts thinking, he is going to imagine. And if a child experiences the beauty of imagination, there is no telling how high he can soar!”

He asked, “What does the future hold for a nation with a youthful population that is not interested in studying, and to whom the reading culture is unattractive.”

Sustainable development He maintained that the consequences are at variance with sustainable development, adding, “this is where Ignite Africa comes in.”

He averred that the NGO wants to turn up a crop of Nigerian who

are intelligent to take the world, nothing that if you don’t read, you can’t lead.

The launched library which is designed for primary, secondary and university students, according to him, will also serves as a research centre for undergraduates and professionals.

Meanwhile, the Project Director, Winnie Aduayi disclosed that Ignite Africa currently has about 4500 books to serve students, while expecting 65,000 imported books.

According to her, 90 percent of the Ignite Africa books come from the US, because it is cheaper, adding that the cost of similar books in Nigeria are relatively higher.

She said: “Ignite Africa has impacted hundreds of school children across the Nation. “We Continues on page 29

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016—29

Ambode splashes N2.5m on schools’ debate winners

By Amaka Abayomi

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CONFERENCE: From left, Mr. Robert Fifo, Member, Governing Council, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo; Prof. Oka Obono, University of Ibadan; Mr Idowu Boniface Ologunagba, Rector, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo and Mr. Aina Kehinde, General Manager, Executive Trainers, at the ongoing Higher Education Conference in Dubai organized by Executive Trainers.

Pains, gains of CBT, PPT Continues from page 28 century, hence they should encourage all those who wish to take advantage of university education in Nigeria to be prepared for such a world through improving their computer-literacy skills before they obtain the form for the UTME. “The second scenario is that the Nigerian university system has capacity for only about a third of eligible candidates. It has more than enough to absorb hence it makes intuitive sense to select only the very best with ability to take the selection examination via the platform of a computer being a selection criterion.

“The third scenario is that not less than half of those who claim they cannot use the computer during the CBT, use devices such as smart phones and are fluent in the use of these devices which require just a little tweaking to upgrade their computer skills. They complain when they score abysmally in the UTME

and find a scapegoat to blameOjerinde’s CBT. “I queue up stoutly behind those who want the CBT to stay.

There are two key advantages of not going back on the CBT mode of conducting UTME. Advantages “First, it will catalyse the attainment of a higher degree of computer literacy by potential undergraduates of Nigerian universities. “Secondly, it will reduce to the barest minimum, cases of examination malpractice in the conduct of the UTME. “With all the glitches which

popped up during the conduct of the 2016 UTME, my recommendation is for JAMB to regard the deadline of 2016 for stopping the paper-and-pencil mode of UTME as the “yellow card” and set 2018 for the “red card” when there will not be any form of paper-and-pencil testing.

“The two-year grace period will allow JAMB to dot its “I”s and cross its “t”s. It will allow JAMB to do an accurate census of centres that can conduct near hitchfree CBT and clean up all the bugs (errors) in the software for the CBT delivery system.''

80% fail NECO, WAEC, JAMB over dearth of reading culture — Ignite Africa Continues from page 28 have established over 50 book clubs and Book-To-Child connection groups across schools in Lagos State; Onelga region, Portharcourt, and Bonny Island in Rivers State.

We provide these books free to them for reading.”

Aduayi urged every person to register freely online www.ignitenigeria.org to enable them use the books and internet computers, stating that the library opens 8:30am - 4:30pm from Monday to Friday, while on Saturday, it opens 10am - 4:30pm.

Evangel College old students give back to society

By Osa Amadi

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T a time when most Nigerian youths are angry with society for failing them, old students of the mission school, Evangel College, Okokomaiko (2005 set) recently returned with gratitude, donating books worth hundreds of thousands of naira to the school library.

It was an occasion that availed seasoned educationists the opportunity to diagnose the problems afflicting education in the country.

Speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Mercy Okorie, represented by the Vice Principal, Mr. Egwu Moses, lamented the sorry state of education in the country. She said lack of motivation for teachers, decayed infrastructure, and moral decadence among students,

have contributed to the fallen standard of education in Nigeria.

“The challenge of educational system in the country is numerous.

Stakeholders, parents and

students are involved.

Teachers who are everybody’s mentors in the society are not motivated through proper welfare. Salaries are not paid as when due and promotions do not come as expected.

N line with its commitment to ensuring continual success of the Lagos State Schools’ Debate as one of the channels of promoting youth development, hard work and healthy competition amongst students the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has added N2.5 million to the cash prizes of winners of this year ’s competition.

Presenting the cash prizes to the winners, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, urged all secondary schools in the state to brace up to the challenge, work hard and participate in the subsequent editions with the aim of defeating the champions of today.

With this development, Badagry Senior Grammar School went home with the star prize of N1.5m while the first runner up, Ogudu Senior High School, went home with N1.1m. Lagos Progressive Senior Secondary School, Surulere and CMS Girls Grammar School both coasted home with N750,000 and

8 get Efon Alaaye scholars/vocational awards

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By Dayo Adesulu

O honour and celebrate academic excellence and entrepreneurship training, Efon Alaaye Development League has awarded eight indigenes scholarships worth over N2 million.

Speaking during the award ceremony held at Efon Alaaye House, Lagos, the Chairman, Efon Alaaye Development League, Lagos, Mr Emmanuel Ajewole said: “The Efon Alaaye League, Lagos is standing up and setting in motion with over N2 million to sponsor the Award on annual basis with a view to promoting and supporting worthy Efon Alaaye youths in their tertiary education, vocational training and self employment.”

He said that despite considerable progress made by the Ekiti State government in

education, its youths are still confronted with financial challenges in achieving their dreams. According to him, due to lack of financial support, and turbulence in global economy, so many dreams and focus of youths have been lost.

The solutions, he noted lies in Non Governmental Organization and governance of society and the equitable distribution of economic resources which the government alone cannot provide.

Awardees of the maiden edition include: Olawuyi Oluwanifemi Alice from Federal University of Technology, Akure, Olajuyigbe Gbenga Michael, Yaba College of Technology, Kolawole Esther Adekemi, Ekiti State University, Balogun Oluwatoyin Patricia, Ekiti State University and Adande Samson Enitan from Federal College of Education, Akoka, Lagos.

Blue House triumphs at Brook Stones inter-house sports

By Elizabeth Uwandu

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Cross section of teachers and old students of Evangel College, Okokomaiko, Lagos during presentation of books.

N500,000 respectively.

While commending the parents, the Deputy Governor specially appreciated the teachers for working tirelessly in grooming the students in the debate competition, the result of which has manifested in the proficiency in which the students intelligently articulated their thoughts on issues on a broad spectrum covering academics, political, economic, social and moral development in the nation.

In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Olabisi Ariyo, stated that the annual debate, which is an integral part of the state annual school calendar in the area of co-curricular activities, is opened to all public and private senior secondary schools in the state.

Her words “The competition is geared towards improving academic research, students’ intellectual capabilities and communication skills as well as instilling in them the confidence to speak intelligently anywhere and at any time.

LUE House emerged triumphant at the third edition of Lagos-based, Brook Stones inter-house sports. The house swept the medals table racking up: 11, 8 and 4 gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.

Green Houseemerged first runner-up winning 7 gold and 8 silver and bronze medals.Red House placed third with 6 gold, 7 silver and 5 bronze medals.

Held at the Campus Mini Stadium, Lagos Island, the competition witnessed pupils vie for

honours in a range of track and field events. The occasion was also exhilarated with choreographic displays and cultural dances.

With the theme: Every Child A Winner, the school’s proprietor, Mrs. Victoria Felix AmieyeOfori, explained that the competition was staged as means of promoting physical fitness among pupils – which she added is also essential in ensuring a child’s mental composure – besides promoting healthy rivalry among children and fostering togetherness.

30 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

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Show compassion to people living with disabilities —CDC

By Chioma Obinna

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WENTY years into the educational, vocational and social care services for children and young adults with disabilities in the country, Children's Developmental Centre, CDC, and partners have called on Nigerians to learn to show compassion to people living with disabilities in the country.

Making the call during a press conference to announce its 20th Anniversary in Lagos with the theme:“Compassion, Connection: Why our communities should care”, the Service Director of CDC, Dr. Yinka Akindayomi explained that that the inclusion of children and adults with disabilities into the mainstream can only be achieved through the compassion of the people and communities.

She said the sense of disconnection is so pervasive that unkindness, indifference, and selfishness appear as the norm, while compassion, kindness and caring are the outliers.

Akindayomi who is also the Founder of the Centre, said: “Without compassion there is no connection and in order for a community to grow, it must include everyone’s needs. This is why the value of compassion is even more relevant concerning issues of today.”

Further, she stated that in the spirit of its core value - Care and inclusion, the theme of the anniversary was in realisation that inclusion of children and adults with any disabilities into the mainstream can only

come through the compassion of the people and communities.

Akindayomi added that for society to ensure the desired transformational impact on the lives of the people, stakeholders must collaborate and move beyond rhetoric to match lofty words and plans with action.

The CDC was set up with a vision to support children and young adults with developmental disabilities as well as build their self-esteem, social skills and achievement but most importantly creating an environment that is accepting of differences. She disclosed that after two decades the organisation has impacted on the lives of over 2000 children and young adults with development disabilities and their families.

AGPMPN rolls out big guns against Tuberculosis

By Sola Ogundipe

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S part of the commemoration of the 2016 World Tuberculosis day, March 24, the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program NTLCP, is collaborating with the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, to inform and educate the public about the disease.

Towards this end, a host of medics known as the “big guns”, Dr Lovett Lawson, Chairman, Stop TB partnership in Nigeria, Dr Gabriel Akang, Dr Josephine Okechukwu and Dr Emmanuel Meribole, all of NTLCP are billed to attend the 38th Annual General Meeting

From Left: Chief Operations Officer, Supreme Education Foundation, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo; Founder, Children's Developmental Centre, CDC, Dr Yinka Akindayomi; and CEO, Lani Group, Mr. Ani Bassey-Eyo during a press briefing to mark the 20th Anniversary of CDC in Lagos recently.

and Scientific Conference of the AGPMPN in April to enlighten the public and healthcare practitioners on TB. Disclosing this in Abuja, spokesperson for AGPMPN, Dr. Biodun Ogungbo, said the multisectoral collaboration will enhance the number of diagnostic, treatment and research centres in the country.

Theme of the 2016 World TB Day is ‘’Find TB, Treat TB and Working together to Eliminate TB’’ while the slogan is “Unite to End TB”.

Ogungbo said diagnosis and treatment of TB are provided free of charge by the NTLCP with support from partners including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, USAID, WHO, Clinton Health Access Initiative and private sector organisations like Agbami-CoVentures..

He said private hospitals exist nationwide and can enhance a functional referral system plugged into the national pathways for diagnosis, treatment and control of TB. "We need private hospitals to domicile the diagnostic kits and drugs for easy access by Nigerians. This also allows monitoring, evaluation and research by the team thus spreading the catchment net widely.

“This is also in the spirit of public private partnership in health care as majority of Nigerians patronise private hospitals and clinics.”

With an estimated 9.6 million new cases in 2014, TB rages in India, China, Indonesia and Nigeria causing death and disability.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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HINGS are difficult right now and my business is not as profitable as it used to be. This has affected my marriage. My wife and I have fought severally over the fact that even though she works and earns money, she does not like to contribute financially to solve problems in the house. I cannot believe her level of selfishness in this difficult times and this has affected our love life. It has been two to three months since we made love – Osita Osita I sympathize with you but to be honest, I would advise that you look elsewhere for support and not from your wife. Since the beginning of time, women have never seen themselves as having any major financial responsibility in the home and when you try to force the matter, it gets worse. It is a gender thing. A man can spend fifty years taking care of his family, paying for everything and doing so quietly and happily. When a woman does it for a month or two, she will never stop talking about the ‘burden’ she had to bear taking care of her family.

This is not because women are bad. It is just their nature and the way they have been raised to understand their role in the home and society. Women expect to be taken care of and our society helps foster that point of view. It has been this way for millennia. It is bigger than you and frankly if you are ever going to have peace in your home, don’t force her or expect her to contribute financially.

There is an unspoken law that ensures a relationship balance between men and women. Men control the money while women control the sex. Whoever controls both money and sex in a relationship has too much power and this has terrible consequences for that relationship.

So for the greater good of your marriage, bear your burden.

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Merely being able to travel is a major victory for your relationship because you will be able to spend time together. If you are wondering what to do, the list is endless. Sight-seeing, resting, cuddling, sex, massages, movies, dinning, shopping and playing games are some of the things you can do. Get the game Private Pleasures or Who is the Biggest Slut? They are both fun games for couples – Uche I have been using VigRx for months now and I am thinking of stopping it in the next few weeks. I am big enough now (7.9 inches). I want to switch to Rhino 7 to now ensure strong and long lasting sexual performances. Can I switch immediately or wait till I finish the VigRx? Moses It is up to you. You can take VigRx in the morning and Rhino 7 at night. No problems. Also Rhino 7 is taken once every few days while VigRx is daily – Uche That is all for today. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can call us on 08171912551, 08027901621 or 07086754515 for help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com to place their orders. Zee Virtual Media delivers all over Nigeria.

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32 — Vanguard, THURSDAY MARCH 24 , 2016

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 — 33

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34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24 , 2016

ILLEGAL BUNKERING: Army destroys crude oil

RIVERS RE-RUN:

reservoirs in Abia A

By Eric Ugbor

BA—THE 144 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Asa in Ukwa West local government area on Tuesday destroyed two makeshift crude oil reservoirs containing about 10,000 litres of crude oil each. The operation which was led by Captain Ademola Sampson of the Battalion also burnt the houses used in siphoning crude oil from a crude oil pipeline in the area.

The bunkerers built the two makeshift reservoirs using large sheets of tarpulin material which were pinned to many sticks used to keep pulling it up from the dug-out space it sits on from the ground.

The two makeshift reserviors which measure about 16 feet by 12 feet and built up to 8 feet in height were tucked into the heart of the Umuelechi forest which is over 8 kilometers from the Aba – Port-Harcourt Expressway.

According to a Shell Petroleum Development Company staff who pleaded anonymity, the pipeline from which the bunkerers were siphoning crude runs from Isi Mmiri in Umuelechi in Ukwa West to Imo River flow-station.

The SPDC staff said that they have been fighting a big battle with illegal oil bunkerers and pipeline vandals in the area for a long time. He said that the destruction was not the first time such a facility was found and destroyed, adding that as soon as the facility is destroyed, the criminals move their post and build another reservior.

However, the Commander, 144 Battalion, Asa, Lt. Col. Umar Sidi told newsmen in Asa that they have been arresting people found to be behind such illegal activities. Sidi said that although they have not caught the culprits responsible for the Umuelechi reserviour, they have set out their dragnet to find them.

He warned communities and

residents involved in such illegal activity which constituted economic sabotage to desist from continuing unless they want to

face the wrath of the law.

Sidi said that at a time when government was finding it hard to get funds to provide

infrastructure for its citizens to make living better, it would be tantamount to fighting government to waste oil resources.

Gov Umahi laments death of 9 in auto crash Federal Road Safety Corps to

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BAKALIKI—GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has expressed sadness over the death of nine persons in a motor accident which occurred Tuesday at Ezzamgbo- Abakaliki- Enugu Expressway.

Umahi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Emma Anya, described the accident as very sad especially judging by the fact that a similar accident occurred on the same spot barely two months ago which claimed the lives of 10 people.

The governor said that

information reaching him attributed the cause of the latest accident which involved a lorry and a commercial bus to overspeeding and burst tyre.

He advised motorists to always avoid over- speeding and check the condition of their vehicles before putting them on the highways.

Umahi said, “It is unfortunate that we have allowed avoidable accidents to happen. People must learn to be patient and cautious on the roads.”

Governor Umahi called on the

deploy more of its officers on the highways in Ebonyi State to check recklessness on the part of commercial drivers.

He also called on the National Road Transport Workers and the National Association of Road Transport Owners to intensify the enlightenment of their members on safe driving.

The governor wished the survivours quick recovery and prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed. He asked God to grant the families of the victims the heart to bear the death of their loved ones.

NEMA trains 487 corps members ahead of flooding While stressing the need for the

O

By Chidi Nkwopara

WERRI—THE Owerri Operations Office of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has trained 487 National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, members that will serve as Emergency Management Vanguards, EMV, ahead of this year ’s likely flooding.

The NEMA Coordinator, Imo/ Abia Operations Office, Mr. Evans Ugoh, who disclosed this while fielding questions from newsmen in Owerri, also disclosed that the corps members would help in sensitizing the citizenry on disaster risk reduction.

“Preparations are also in top gear to inaugurate another group of EMVs in Ohaji/Egbema and

Oguta local government areas, which are the most vulnerable areas in Imo for flood disaster”, Ugoh said.

According to NEMA Coordinator, the main aim of the retraining and inauguration of EMVs was for them to help the agency to propagate the campaign on disaster risk reduction at the grassroots level.

“The campaign will enable the agency send across the early warning measures, which would go a long way in preventing or mitigating flood disaster”, Ugoh said.

Answering a question, the coordinator disclosed that NEMA has distributed relief materials worth over N150 million within three months to no fewer than 5,000 victims of disasters spread across Imo and Abia states.

people to quickly report any unusual rise in water level to NEMA, the coordinator however opined that in case of any disaster, the agency would always identify with the plight of disaster victims.

“Between January and March 2016, the agency ’s Owerri Operations Office in collaboration with other stakeholders in disaster management have intervened in various disaster occurrences, which include the fire outbreak at Pictorial Hotel, Nekede Market fire and Mofil Filling station”, Ugoh said.

Continuing, the coordinator said that his team also intervened at a fatal road traffic crash, involving FRSC staff in Aba, Abia State, the flood disaster in Ohafia, Aba South, Obowo and Ihite/ Uboma local council areas.

AMB should com pletely be cancelled rather, let there be a law that anybody with five credits, including Maths and English should be given admission directly as it is happening in other countries. Prince Shehu Anka Muhd, Student C M Y K

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On vvalidity alidity of JJAMB AMB results ffor or 3 yyear ear earss

his is not a solution to our educational problems When JAMB validity is extended to three years, this will affect the younger ones. Government suppose to build more universities, polytechnics, colleges and monotechnics.

Mr Gaddafi Muhammad, Graduate

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hat is a good idea be cause what it means is that if you pass JAMB and you are unable to secure admission that year, then that result still remain useful for two more years. I believe it will go a long way in boosting our education.

Mr Samuel Ogungbemi, Statistician

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AMB will conduct exam every year and students can use the result for 3 years before enrolling for another, except the result was not good. It will be the best achievement of our senate because JAMB extorts students. Mr Benjamin Onyenekwe, Businessman

By Peter Okutu

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BAKALIKI—THE Nigerian Police Force yesterday debunked insinuations in some quarters that it aided the violent attacks and disruption of the electoral process that took place during the last rerun election in Rivers State.

In a chat with newsmen during his one day working visit to Ebonyi State Police Command, Abakaliki, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase emphasized that nobody can accuse the Nigerian police of complicity or conniving with any person or group of persons to cause mayhem during the election.

According to him, it is not the police that ignites violence but the political class.

“What we did was to secure the environment and allow law abiding citizens to go and cast their votes; so it has nothing to do with the police but the political class”.

On the issue of communal clashes between Ebonyi State and its neighbouring states like Benue and Cross River states, the Inspector General of Police urged the parties involved to learn to live together as the police was not resting on its oars to ensure the protection of lives and properties in the affected communities.

In a welcome address, the Commissionerof Police,EbonyiState police command, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah who appreciated the IGP for his visit to the command noted that all the crime indices in the state have assumed a downward trend following the command’s usage of intelligence-drivencrimecombating strategies.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

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Nobody can accuse Police of complicity —IGP

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ersonally, I have no qualms with JAMB’s validity for three years.

However, what happens to those that may fail, will they remain at home for three years or wait till the expiration of the three years before writing another JAMB? Mrs Mercy Atori, Worker

I

ts a welcome develop ment which I support. I see the era of extortion coming to an abrupt end.

Both the federal government and private bodies must put in place additional institutions to handle the problem of overpopulated admission seekers. Mr Samuel Akang, Worker

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 — 35

36—Vanguard,THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

Pension fund not idle, says PenCom ON March 10, the first part of this interview with the DIRECTOR General of the National Pension Commission, PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, when led other top management staff of the commission to an interactive session with a cross section of journalists in Lagos, was published. In this concluding edition, Mrs Anohu-Amazu, among others, dismissed the view in some quarters that the accumulated pension fund is idle.

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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HE Pension fund is not idle, every single fund is invested.

The fund is now 5.3 trillion and it is not idle at all. However, can we invest it better, can it be optimised? Yes. We will like to see tangible things done because there is always room for improvement. We are pushing for optimal investment because for me an investment is optimal when it is utilised by the larger number of people. There may be investment that will yield returns for the pensioners , but it won’t touch lives.

If you build a house now, how many people will benefit from it?

Remember the retreat we had where the Minster of Works, Power and Housing attended.

The PFAs, PFCs and PenCom sat down with him and talked about financing infrastructure. We told him we are willing, but you must meet the criteria. We will not change it for anybody or group.

We shared the matrix with him and his team. Unfortunately our country has infrastructure as one of its biggest challenges and this is not only in Nigeria, it is all over Africa. But because this is Nigeria, we must start at home.

Domestic financing At the World Pension Summit, WPS, the same issue of leveraging on domestic financing to solve infrastructure needs was discussed.

In fact, very soon we will release the improved guidelines once we finalise it. The point is that investors should meet the requirements that are already laid down.

It is not something that we do arbitrarily.

The key thing that I have seen is that there is always an interest to sensationalise key issues. People trying to position themselves for whatever gains.

Violation of investment guidelines: As regulators, we are to ensure a safety of the pension fund and the laws we have assist us in doing that. If the PFAs per chance invest in something they ought not to have invested in, it would read on its raider instantly.

They have two options, rescind the transaction or we will withdraw our license, very simple.

Because we are regulating from a fair point of view without fear or favour, it is easier. So, they know where they have violated. So, when they say ‘oh have mercy on the fine’, the issue of the sanctity

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of the funds, the interest that should have come to the RSA is not negotiable. They may ask us to go easy on the fine and depending on the severity. For a constant offender, we will just withdraw our license. This is the job of PenCom. We do not invest the fund, we regulate the investment.

All the heads of departments, compliance, surveillance etc, their jobs are guided by the law. So there is no, ‘I don’t know, it was a mistake.’ So, if you look at the issues we are having in the pension industry today, we have not registered any case of fraud. Even if we find out a corporate governance issue in a PFA, the funds are not domiciled with the PFA. In dealing with these investments there is no point heating up the polity.

We get calls every day, we hear people talk like ‘this our money is not going to be invested in infrastructure’ even from informed people. The law already provides for investment in infrastructure and how such investment must take place. Now if we have not seen a lot of investment in infrastructure, it is because a lot of people have not met the guidelines. The clamour we should think of is, meet the guidelines, and raise investible instruments so that more of these funds will be useful. If they build a bridge, it is us that will benefit from the bridge. We have over 10 million housing deficits, if they build more houses, who will benefit?

But who will build these houses?

So, that is the labour force we are talking about. For us at PenCom, we will be happy because once the micro pension comes up, the labourer will also open an RSA. It is a beneficial

Now if we have not seen a lot of investment in infrastructure it is because a lot of people have not met the guidelines

PARLEY: From left; Head, Investment Department, Mr. Ohioma Ehimeme; Director General, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu; Head, Surveillance Department, Mr. Muhammad Bello Umar; and Head, Benefits and Insurance Department, Mr. Olulana Loyinmi, all of National Pension Commission, PenCom, at the interactive session.

cycle once you follow the law. Part of the things we fought for in the 2014 Act is to ensure that you could use your RSA account to provide for your primary home mortgage because it was not in the 2004 Act. So, it is here now, yet has it been utilised? We have not done one single mortgage. Where are the houses, which one meets the criteria? So, these are the engagements we are having as an industry. We need to engage those whose job it is to raise bonds to create the mortgage, to build the houses and build it in accordance with the regulation laid down by PenCom so that the pension funds can actually impact on the economy.

Micro pension Whatever you have, learn to save something for tomorrow. Part of the problems we have now in Nigeria is that in the period of boom we did not save for tomorrow. Now there is problem everywhere because the reserves are not reflective of the boom we had earlier.

We were in Kaduna sometime ago to engage the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, even as most of the textile factories have been shut down. So, why are we not interested in jump starting micro pension? Why would we get into an arrangement where manufacturers will ship products down to us instead of build their factories here? Nobody has engaged Nokia to come and put a plant here. 70 million people use handsets. So, every state we are in, we must try not to be parochial, we have to think of how we can push for the right agreement. if you sit down at the table with a foreigner, it is what you push for that you get. They are not going to offer you what you did not ask for. In

fact, their first offer is to their benefit and if you push hard, they say ‘well’, you push harder and then they say alright. If you insist, they will say ‘ok fine’.

My point is how many industries, factories do we have here that are working with the kind of population that we have here?

Empowering people We need to empower more people and that person that you are empowering needs to have an RSA. These artisans are craftmen and at some point in life, arthritis sets in. They cannot walk as efficiently as they do. The tailor is sewing all over, sometimes the eyes fail. The mason will get to a point where he cannot turn out a certain amount of blocks again.

By that time if they have saved nothing, then the liability is on all of us.

So, these are the challenging issues surrounding bringing them aboard. We have to take them into consideration because they have to be protected and they have to have a means where at some point when they are old and cannot walk. For example the Nollywod stars or musicians.

Some of us are singing to some kinds of music today, if I sing it tomorrow you will say, ‘oh that is outdated.’ At some certain point they start dwindling in their performances.

There are very few of them that will act into old age. The bulk of the musicians or actors today, how many of them will perform when they are no longer commanding the kind of fees that they are commanding before. Their lifestyles require the glamour associated with that kind of job. So, they find themselves living a lifestyle that is huge. You need to create a platform where they can set aside something so that when they are no longer in their prime, will have something to fall back to. We

have been working on this for the past three years. We have done a lot of studies and what we are looking at now is the technology that will allow everyone, no matter the kind of phone you have or the kind of occupation you are in, you access your information. They will need a bit more access than those who are in the formal CPS. So, we are trying to work out an acceptable percentage for them. We need to have an idea of how much they earn, how much is their disposable income. From then, we will move to the individual man working on the street.

The regulation would probably be more than the formal one because as they are coming on the system, you are also introducing them to the financially inclusive literate world that they were not part of. So, you are raising the standard of the average man on the street.

CBN, Pensioners’ club elect new Excos

By Onozure Dania

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EWLY elected President of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, pensioners ‘club, Mr Omoyemi Banjo, has assured the pensioners of better days ahead during his leadership.

According to him, his team will strive to serve members and ensure that they are not shortchanged, stressing that the new leadership would strive to justify the confidence reposed in the team.

Banjo spoke after the swearing in of the newly elected National Executive Committee, NEC, of club to take over the leadership from the leadership headed by Chief Abidoye Akinlade.

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How DR Congo's Mujila beat African writers for Etisalat Prize for lit

By Prisca Sam Duru

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ROM the moment the Democratic Republic of Congo writer, Fiston Mwanza Mujila began reading an excerpt from his début novel, ‘Tram 83’ during the Etisalat Nigeria Book Reading held at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotels, Lagos, last Thursday, it was clear he was going to pick up the coveted Etisalat Prize for Literature. It wasn’t because he had the best voice or performed better but because the nature of his work spoke loudly of a writer thinking out of the box. His style was described as nouveau by many.

True to that, Poet and novelist Fiston Mwanza Mujila was on Saturday, 19th March 2016 announced as the winner of the 2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature for his first novel, Tram 83.

Originally written in French, Tram 83 was translated into English by Roland Glasser and published by Deep Vellum. 35year-old Mujila is the first Francophone writer to win the prestigious Etisalat Prize, the first ever pan-African prize that celebrates debut fiction books by African authors. Mujila got the

Etisalat Prize after beating two South African authors; Penny Busetto ( The Story of Anna P as told by herself) and “What will People Say” by Rehana Rossouw.

At the grand finale held at Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos he received 15,000 Pounds and a specially engraved Montblanc Meisterstück pen as well as a scholarship at the University of East Anglia, U.K. for mentorship in writing. Mujila becomes the third winner of the Pan-African literary prize for first time published authors

L-R: Efosa Imasuen, (moderator), Penny Busetto( The Story of Anna P as told by herself), Fiston Mujila Tram 83 ( Winner) and Rehana Rossolu, (What People Say) during the Etisalat book reading in Lagos in the fiction category instituted His poems, prose works, and of the judges Mr Toni Kani conby Etisalat telecommunication plays are reactions to the po- gratulated her for the feat. He company since 2013. Zimba- litical turbulence that has come also commended Etisalat Nibwean writer, Ms NoViolet in the wake of the independ- geria for the integrity it has Bulawayo won the maiden edi- ence of the Congo and its effect shown over the years which is tion in 2013 with her novel, ‘We on daily life. According to Prof evident in the quality of books Need New Names’ while South Quayson, out of 100 entries re- that have won the prestigious African Songeziwe Mahlangu ceived which were pruned to 9 prize.

He said “out of over 1300 won the 2014 edition for Pe- and finally 3, Tram 83 emerged entries received in the Flash winner. numbra.

Fiction category, only 50 were Fiston Mwanza Mujila was selected out of which the three born in 1981 in Lubumbashi, Flash Fiction shortlist emerged. The entries 35 -year -old Mujila Democratic Republic of Congo, category he said, all expressed emowhere he studied Literature is the first and Human Sciences at He commended the boldness tions and issues that affect us Francophone writer Lubumbashi University. He of Etisalat in interpreting books as a people.”

The Chief Executive Officer lives in Graz, Austria and through the adaptation that to win the prestigious now is pursuing a PhD in Romance were complemented with Etisalat Nigeria, Mr Matthew Etisalat Prize, the Languages. His writing has screen images and compliment Wilsher in his opening rebeen awarded with numerous live performance adding that marks, said that the “Etisalat first Pan-African prizes, including the Gold “It’s a unique prize in its own Prize for Literature bears out prize that celebrates Medal at the 6th Jeux de la right, of books written by Afri- this years theme, Representing Francophonie in Beirut as well cans and judged by Africans. It’s the Diversity of African Voices debut fiction books as the Best Text for Theater storytelling that expands our as something that is the beauty

by African authors (State Theater, Mainz) in 2010. imagination; that gives us em- of it and a foundation for innopathy for people we do not vation which is something we know. It’s storytelling that truly believe in, something in makes us law-abiding citizens.” our roots.

Diversity is very true in litOn the Flash Fiction category, come useful to themselves, fam- Kuti Ojuolape Modupe won for erature while innovation is tion and marketing of the fab- ily, state and the country at her story titled ‘Gone’. She very important in literary ric. large. emerged winner out of over world. The diversity in literaThe foundation is however ture is key.

“Lady of Africa Empowerment 1300 entries. seeking supports and partner- and Advocacy Foundation hopes Declaring her winner, Chair ship from culture-loving people, to empower millions of people corporate organisations, federal directly or indirectly, through and state governments and seminars, exhibitions, carnivals parastatals towards ensuring that and cultural activities in the counthis dream comes to fruition. try.

According to Princess Fasuyi, special blend of movie and mu“The mission of Lady of Africa

By Prisca Sam Duru the vision of Lady of Africa Em- Empowerment and Advocacy sic personalities, captains of inpowerment and Advocacy Foun- Foundation is to support the lessHERE was no better time dustry and socialites including dation is to eradicate laziness, privileged people in the society and better tool to celebrate leading characters from the poverty, crime, and unemploy- by waking them up from their African women that the screen- movie, Ireti Doyle, Omoni ment from our society and to slumbers and creating employing of the blockbuster movie, ti- Oboli, Nse Ikpe Etim, Kemi touch the lives of less-privileged ment opportunities for them and tled Fifty which largely showcases ‘Lala’ Akindoju and Uzor people in Nigeria and Africa make the world a better place for Osimkpa who were rewarded femininity like never before. through upliftment and empow- all. In the course of our activiChronicling the highs and lows for their roles in the film. erment, in order to ensure that ties, the most urgent question Mo Abudu, Founder of of women coming of age, Fifty was the less-privileged people be- often asked is, ‘What have you screened to mark the 2016 Inter- EbonyLife Films and Executive national Women’s Day. The producer of ‘FIFTY’ said, “It is done to so far?’ screening came courtesy of international women’s day and EbonyLife Films which hosted I thought it would be nice to exabout 200 women to a special pri- tend a gesture to women everyvate champagne screening of the where of all ages and backrecord smashing FIFTY at the ground and treat them to a priGenesis Deluxe Cinemas in The vate screening of our movie Palms shopping mall Lekki, La- FIFTY. This is also a girl’s night out that had champagne, popgos.

Directed by Biyi Bandele, Fifty corn and special cupcakes has been described as Mo served all in a bid to celebrate Abudu’s quest to showcase Afri- women as we all have a story can women coming of age, loaded worth celebrating.”

Fifty opens with Tola (Dakore with increasingly similar aspirations and dilemmas faced by their Akande) weeping silently in contemporaries everywhere, pains while obviously, waiting while yet navigating unresolved up late for her stray husband who oblivious to her, has found traditions and obligations.

The star-studded special solace in the warmth of another Beautiful works of art and craft on display screening had in attendance a woman.

Lady of Africa arts and craft exhibition opens in Lagos

By Japhet Alakam RT and culture enthusiasts especially lovers of fashion will experience the beauty and richness of the Lady of Africa Arts and Craft exhibition which opens in Lagos. The exhibition which is designed to promote the Adire products is put together by President and Founder of Lady of Africa Empowerment and Advocacy Foundation, Princess Sandra Bukola Fasuyi will open on Friday March 25 and run till Monday 28 at the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Iganmu, Lagos.

The exhibition is open to exhibitors who will experience the beauty and richness of the African culture that will be on display.

The foundation will also be taking the Adire promotion to Europe and America, to satisfy the craving of lovers of the Adire fabric in those parts of the world.

Also, the foundation will organise Adire carnival on October 1 at the National Council for Arts and Culture Hall, Iganmu Lagos.

Lady of Africa Foundation also hopes to empower up to 20million Nigerian women and youths through its various activities. Already, lots of people in the country - privileged and the less privileged have been empowered through direct and indirect job opportunities created by the foundation through its various promo-

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Fifty...celebrating African women coming of age

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Can a CJ sign another judge’s judgement order?

By Sylvester Nwobi

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HE media have been awash of recent with petitions by one Mr. Peter Eze, a lawyer against the Chief Judge of Enugu State, His Lordship, Hon. Justice Innocent Umezulike,totheAttorney-Generalof the Federation, the National Judicial Council,andtheIndependentCorrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, wherein he levelled allegations of forgery and misconducts.

In particular, the petitioner alleged that the Chief Judge and Mr. Vin Aneke, (a lawyer and Director of LitigationandCourtsDivision)forged aJudgmentOrder.Hefurtheralleged that Aneke accepted gratification in parcels of land from the plaintiffs supposedly for the allegedly forged JudgmentOrder.

However, the Chief Judge denied theallegationsatadinnerheorganised fortheEasternBar.Inhiswords:“The truth of the matter is that Justice P. K. Nwokedi as Chief Judge of Old AnambraStatewithHeadquartersin Enugu delivered judgment in Suit NO:E.170/76onthe25thdayofJune, 1985. Thereafterthecaseprogressed through the Court of Appeal to the SupremeCourt,whichdeliveredfinal judgment in the case in favour of the plaintiffs.

Judicial officer “By the time the Supreme Court finallydecidedtheappeal,JusticeP.K. Nwokedi has ceased to be the Chief Judge of Old Anambra State (with Enugu as its Headquarters); he had been elevated to the Supreme Court fromtheHighCourtofOldAnambra State. And by the time Supreme CourtdismissedtheappealinJanuary 1997,JusticeP.K.Nwokedihadretired from the Supreme Court and was no longer a judicial officer.

“Thatwaswhyuponthepresentation of Annexure Two and I was satisfied that the Supreme Court had ended the matter I, (as the Chief Judge of EnuguStatenow)signedthewarrant ofexecution.”

It is instructive that Justice UmezulikekeepstalkingabouttheWrit of Execution. He does not talk about the Judgment Order. The complaint offorgerybypetitionerisnotinrespect oftheWritofExecution. Thecomplaint offorgeryisnotinrespectoftheWritof Execution. What is in issue here is whetherajudgeisentitledtodrawup a Judgment Order of a judgment he did not deliver and insert his name in itasifhewasthejudgewhodelivered the judgment.

TheJudgmentOrder,whichhedrew

upandsigned,states:“Uponthiscase comingupbeforemetoday25thofJune 1985forjudgment.

“Anduponconsideringtheevidence, Exhibitstenderedandsubmissionsof N. N. Anah Esq. of counsel for the plaintiffs and A. N. Anyamene Esq. counselfortheDefendants,thisCourt adjudged as follows.”

Itgivestheimpressionthatheheard thecaseanddeliveredthejudgment.

Heevenwentaheadtodatethecourt order 25th June 1985 when he was notajudge. Didhesignthejudgment orderin1985?

So,doesthedocumenttellalieabout itself? Yes it does; and a lot. The JudgmentOrderisheaded“INTHE HIGHCOURTOFENUGUSTATE”, butthejudgmentwasdeliveredbythe High Court of Anambra State, not Enugu State. Enugu State was not in existence in 1985. There are therefore two lies: that the judgment was delivered by the High Court of Enugu State; and that Enugu State was in existence in 1985.

Another lie is that the case came up beforeHon.JusticeUmezulikeandthat heheardtheevidenceandlistenedto the lawyers in the case. It is not true

*Justice Innocent Azubuike Umezulike thatHon.JusticeUmezulikeheardthe caseanddeliveredthejudgment.But, Justice Nwokedi who heard the case and delivered the judgment.

Again,theJudgmentOrderwasalso signed by Mr. Aneke and is said to

The Judgment Enforcement Rules provide that if a judgment is more than 6 years old, you need the leave of court to enforce it

havebeenissuedatEnuguon25thof June 1985. He was not a lawyer or the Director of Litigation and Courts Division in the High Court of Enugu Statein1985. Hebecamealawyerin 2003. He did not sign the judgment order on 25th June 1985 as shown in thedocument.

He argues that once a judge retires or dies, any other judge may sign his judgments or orders and insert his name as if he were the person who delivered the judgment. That is not true. Only a judge who delivered a judgment can sign the Judgment Order drawn up from the judgment.

Indeed, there is a very remarkable difference between a Judgment, a Judgment Order, and a Writ of Executionbasedonthejudgment.Any judge may sign a Writ of Execution drawn up to execute a Judgment whether he was the person who

delivered the Judgment or not and regardlessofwhatdatetheJudgment was delivered. A Writ of Execution is not backdated, but is dated the date it is signed.

Hon.JusticeUmezulikesignedand backdated a Judgment Order based onajudgmenthedidnotdeliver,which he had no authority to do. He also signed and properly dated a Writ of Execution,whichhehadpowerinlaw to do. Both are two different court processes. A Chief Judge ought to knowbetter.

The next issue is the proper procedure for the enforcement of a judgment. The Judgment Enforcement Rules provide that if a judgment is more than 6 years old, you need the leave of court to enforce it. Whatwasbeingenforcedwasthe judgment of the High Court of AnambraStateandnotthejudgment oftheSupremeCourt.Thatiswhythe Judgment Order drawn up was that of the High Court, which contained thetermsofthejudgmentandnotthe Judgment Order of the Supreme Court. Leavewas,therefore,required toenforcethejudgment.

Another issue is that the original parties to the suit were dead. Before the judgment could be enforced the people being represented were requiredtobringanapplicationtothe High Court to substitute their representatives. A case in court cannot stand when all the parties on record are dead.

Therefore,someofthequestionsthe NJC would likely be asking the CJ are: When a judge retires or dies, can anotherjudgesignaJudgmentOrder based on the judgment delivered by the retired or dead judge? Can he provide evidence of any other JudgmentOrder,whichheoranyother judge has signed in similar circumstances?Washeentitledtoalter theheadingofthecasefromAnambra State,whereitwasdelivered,toEnugu State?

Ofserv Nigeria, Weatherford International in court over Local Content Act

By Dotun Ibiwoye

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N indigenous oil service company, Ofserv Nigeria Limited has dragged Weatherford International PLC, to court over alleged breach of contract and flouting the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act. Already the matter has been fixed for March 28 for hearing.

It will be recalled that in 2010, the Nigerian government passed into law the NOGICD Act with a view to increase local participation in the oil and gas industry, to facilitate job creation, and promote local enterprise development through increased investments in local supply chains.

Compliance with the NOGICD Act was to be a major criterion for award of contracts to bidders, as a step towards growing the oil & gas sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP. The plaintiff, Ofserv, in the suit before a Lagos High Court however alleged that the defendants, Weatherford International and Weatherford Nigeria Limited obtained proprietary market information and contacts from it, while

excluding it from execution of contracts that came out from its efforts and resources.

Meanwhile in its notice of preliminary objection, the first defendant, Weatherford International PLC has urged the court to strike out the suit for lack of jurisdiction and that its of no effect whatsoever. The company also requested for an order striking out its name from the suit for non-disclosure of a reasonable cause of action.

Business intelligence The plaintiff has alleged that Weatherford engaged it to enter into a partnership with Weatherford based on the NOGICD requirements. Based on that according to the plaintiff, it shared its market data and other business intelligence, introduced Weatherford to drilling services decision-makers and operators in the Nigerian market, and ultimately expended significant resources to facilitate Weatherford’s market entry and secure a drilling services contract for joint execution.

However it alleged that soon,

as Weatherford had reached a level of familiarity with players in the market, and was on the verge of securing a contract, it made it clear that it had no intention to follow the parties’ agreement or complying with Nigerian content requirements.

Specifically it submitted that Weatherford insisted that it will only pay Ofserv Nig. a commission and would not allow it to use its own tools or personnel.

The plaintiff further alleged that Weatherford’s actions made it lost approximately 200,000 Nigerian man-hours and over $25million potential lost in-country revenue for the oil & gas sector.

It therefore prayed the court for an injunction restraining Weatherford from executing the Sterling contract to the exclusion of Ofserv; equitable compensation to Ofserv on the basis of equity generated by the induced partnership and/or damages incurred by Ofserv as a consequence of Weatherford’s actions. It argued that a key requirement of the Act is for foreign companies to deliberately impart skills to local firms and personnel through preimplementation training and on-

the-job learning (i.e. inclusion of local personnel in project implementation), wondering why Weatherford is acting to the contrary.

In its motion requesting to dismiss the plaintiff ’s suit, Weatherford International argued that Ofserv Nigeria Ltd did not seek the leave of court, which is precedent before issuing the court process meant to be served on the defendant outside jurisdiction.

It stated that the writ of summons by the plaintiff is “void ab-initio having been issued without the leave of court first sought and obtained for the issuance and service of the writ of summons on the defendants outside the jurisdiction of this honourable court.”

It further submitted that the plaintiff, “being neither a law enforcement agency nor a regulatory authority in the oil and gas industry, lacks the locus standi to institute this action and has no right under the Act capable of being protected or enforced by private litigation as sought in this suit,” it added.

To this end , it urged the court to discountenance the suit filed by the plaintiff.

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Reasoning of Supreme Court in Wike’s case

By Olukayode Majekodunmi “Open the blinds that cover their eyes, turn on the lights inside their minds, put all judgments and rumours aside and instead, put Truth and Justice, at both your sides. Leave the egos and drama all behind. And in time...truth always wins with Time.”- Suzy Kassem in Rise Up and Salute the Sun.

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HE People of Quebec are so passionate about their rights to self–determination. They expressed nationalistic view on this right to go their own way. The Supreme Court of Canada in Re Secession of Quebec said that the Canadian Constitution does not give Quebec the right to unilaterally secede. Furthermore, the Court determined that international law and the principle of self-determination do not confer the right to secession.That was a painful pile to swallow but the People of Quebec did not bring down their institution. They have moved on and there is certainty there will be another day to test the will of their people for selfdetermination.

The heightened security situation and permanent tension between the Israeli and the Palestine is common knowledge.

The Israeli government deployed the use of drones for targeted killing of suspected Hamas leaders. In the case instituted by The Public Committee against Torture in Israel and Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment against the Government of Israel, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled against the use of targeted killing on the ground that it is too excessive in the fight against the Hamas.

In both instances above, the decisions of the Courts were seen as being against public opinion.

The government and the people of both nations did not denigrate the highest institutions of justice.

They stood by the decisions of their courts and that is why the institutions of most parts of western world are held in high esteem worldwide.

Coming back home to Nigeria, one can remember the exploits of giants in judicial space who made us proud worldwide. Notable examples include Justices Teslim Elias, Charles Dadi Onyeama, Akinola Aguda, and Chukwudifu Oputa, all of blessed memory.

Among the retired, but living are Justices Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi, Dahiru Musdapher, Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, Inumidun Akande, Judge Bola Ajibola and so many others too numerous to name. It is indisputable that there are still many selfless, pious jurists on the different ladders of our benches.

The CJN, Mahmud Mohammed is renowned for as strict, pious, and

In the issue of allegation of violence and hijacking, the court held that Dakuku was not able to prove beyond reasonable doubt because he failed to bring in witnesses from polling units independent. There is no basis or ground for the unfounded apprehension about lack of distinguished and honourable men and women of integrity in our judiciary. It is important we find a way of speaking for our judicial officers especially now that it is common place to allege bias once Judgement goes the other way.

The apex court had delivered the judgement on January 27 but the reasons for the decision came on the February 12, 2016. To those who are conversant with Justices

•CJN, Mohammed of the Supreme Court, there was never any need to doubt our most learned Lords. They are the conscience of our judicial system; they know the interplay between the law and the concept of justice.

They have paid their dues in defending the sanctity of our institution and this short piece is not only to align myself with their decision in Wike’s case but in all their decisions in relation to other election petitions.

It is satisfying to have to read the full judgement of the Court.

One must admit it was worth the wait. And it has further

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We sweetly then pursue The theme of God’s salvation, And find it ever new: Set free from present sorrow We cheerfully can say, E’en let the unknown morrow Bring with it what it may.

3.It can bring with it nothing But he will bear us through; Who gives the lilies clothing Will clothe his people too: Beneath the spreading heavens, No creature but is fed; And he who feeds the ravens, Will give his children bread.

4.Though vine nor fig tree neither; Their wonted fruit should bear, Though all the fields should wither, Not flocks nor herds be there; Yet, God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice, For, while in him

their allegation of nonaccreditation. On the evidence of the INEC staff (called by the Petitioners), who described the election as a sham and a mockery of democracy, the court held that his evidence cannot take the place of voters as he himself under cross examination did not say that he personally witnessed any violence but depended on hearsay and finally, the court held that to warrant nullification of an election, a petitioner has to prove that there was substantial non-compliance in all polling units, adding that they failed to bring the issue within this parameter. The apex court also advised INEC to approach the National Assembly for an amendment to incorporate the use of card readers in the law of the land.

The most important part of the decision of the Supreme Court in this case was the fact that it was a unanimous decision. The sevenman panel of justices of the apex court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Muhammed, said though INEC should be commended for the introduction of the card reader “to booster the accuracy and transparency of the accreditation process and to maintain the democratic norm of one man, one vote, by detecting multiple voting, “Section 49 (1) and (2) of the Electoral Act which provides for manual accreditation of voters, is a stamp and remains a vital part of our electoral law.”

To be continued

Chartered Arbitrators recommend arbitration to settle political dispute

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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IGERIAN politicians have been urged to employ mediation as a means of resolving political disputes.

President, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators

Requiem for James Ocholi, SAN Continued from penultimate week

By Awa Kalu, SAN ACH time I have had the opportunity to dedicate a tribute to a deceased colleague and friend, I always draw inspiration from a hymn.

In the light of the very young children left behind by the demise of late James Ocho0li, SAN and his wife Blessing, I believe that the words of hymn 176 (A&M) are, quite instructive. Penned by William Cowper, it is to the following effect: 1.Sometimes a light surprises The Christian while he sings; It is the lord who rises With healing in his wings: When comforts are declining He grants the soul again A season of clear shinning To cheer it after rain.

2.In holy contemplation

strengthened my conviction about the intellectual sagacity of our Judicial Officers.

The Summary of the Court decision are that there was allegation of denial of fair hearing, the introduction of card readers, as innovative as it appears to be cannot displace the place of voters’ register. On the issue of allegation of violence and hijacking, the court held that Dakuku was not able to prove beyond reasonable doubt because he failed to bring in witnesses from polling units to substantiate the claims. It was also held that the APC did not proof

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The late James Ocholi confiding, I cannot but rejoice.

As Shakespear noted in Macbeth, “life is but a walking shadow… full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

May the soul of the dearly departed James Ocholi, SAN, Mrs. Blessing Ocholi and Joshua Ocholi Esq., rest in the bossom of the Lord.

(ICMC), Dr Louis Ogbeifun, made the recommendation during ICMC’s special induction ceremony after its 100th Mediation Skills and Accreditation and Certification Course.

Dr Ogbeifun, said mediation can be used to settle disputes before and after elections.

According to him, mediation is easily accessible to private, public and commercial consumers, and reduces judges’ case dockets in civil matters, thereby decongesting the courts.

Ogbeifun spoke in Lagos at the ceremony where about 50 mediators were inducted, most of them staff of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

He said the institute has trained over 10,000 mediators since inception, adding that mediation reduces cost of resolving disputes, saves time spent in litigation through frequent adjournments, and encourages dispute resolution that meet disputants’ needs.

Ogbeifun said mediation promotes accommodation, tolerance, peace and harmonious coexistence; restores parties to their predispute relationships and encourages foreign investment.

According to him, judicial officers also need to acquire media-

tion skills. He said this will enable them know when to invite lawyers into chambers for amicable resolution of disputes or refer them to mediation centres or multi-door courthouses, thereby contributing to effective justice administration.

He said: “All over the world, courts of law are overloaded and overburdened. Invariably, there is delay, usually considerable, in the resolution of disputes. Court procedure is very formal, technical and inflexible.

ICMC Registrar, Segun Ogunyannwo urged states who do not have mediation centres to establish one.

He said: “About seven states have mediation centres. We need such structures for promoting peace. When people have conflicts and know there’s a place they can go to, that somebody will listen to them and assist them to be reconciled, it has a tendency to douse tension, to prevent people from resorting to self-help or taking laws into their hands.

“This will ultimately help in promoting peaceful and harmonious co-existence in a society. So, states that do not already have such centres are encouraged to immediately put such in place,” he said.

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Why APC senators are now desperate for peace PUSHED between the devil and the deep blue sea, the All Progressives Congress, APC caucus in the Senate has moved for peace between the two major blocs in the party.

•Saraki: Supported by the Likeminds

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By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

HE news of the rapprochement between the two power blocs in the Senate came out of the blues. It was, however, not shocking as it was generally believed to be a matter of political survival.

The news of the make up was confirmed by the leading protagonists of the two groups, the Senate Unity Forum and the Likeminds yesterday in seperate chats with this newspaper.

The 10 men that met to resolve the dispute in Senator Aliyu Wamakko’s Asokoro, Abuja residence last Tuesday, were equally divided between the two groups with each side providing a five man delegation.

Ambiguous definition of leadership The division in the APC caucus first emerged late in May 2015 along the lines of support for the aspiration of Senators Bukola Saraki and Ahmad Lawan for the office of the Senate President.

The SUF had rallied round the aspiration of Lawan, supposedly at the behest of the leadership of the party while the Likeminds grouped around the aspiration of Senator Saraki who was seen as rebelling against the decision of the party leadership. However, given the ambiguous definition of leadership, it was not a difficult thing for Saraki and senators behind him to insist on making a run for the office of Senate President as no one was able to define who the party C M Y K

•Lawan: Backed by the Senate Unity Forum

leadership was.

In the end, the Saraki led Likeminds teamed up with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP at a time when the SUF were in a controversial meeting supposedly called by President Muhammadu Buhari to elect Saraki as Senate

President and Senator Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy.

The election of the presiding officers in the Senate had an effect in the House where Yakubu Dogara who was also not the candidate of the “leadership” also emerged as speaker against the “leadership” preference for

Femi Gbajabiamila.

The ensuing development led to a major rancour especially after a move by some party leaders to mediate through the appointment of Lawan as Senate Majority Leader was spurned by the Saraki group.

Saraki was, however, to offer a sop through the offer of juicy committee positions to some leading members of the SUF including Lawan who was appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence and George Akume who was offered the position of Chairman of the Committee on Army.

However, the enemies of Saraki had even before then stimulated the process to pay him back supposedly through the Code of Conduct Tribunal which launched a prosecution of the Senate President over alleged failures to declare his true assets while he was governor more than

The division in the APC caucus first emerged late in May 2015 along the lines of support for the aspiration of Senators Bukola Saraki and Ahmad Lawan for the office of the Senate President

ten years ago and also, for allegedly maintaining a foreign bank account.

After several efforts by Saraki to squash the CCT trial, the substantive case eventually got underway last week. The tribunal is expected to rule today on whether to proceed with the trial upon a motion filed by the Senate President to discontinue the trial.

Potential consequences Though the senators, who converged in Senator Wamakko’s residence for the peace parley did not overtly disclose it, their peace move as almost everyone knows was forced upon them by the potential consequences of the trial of the Senate President.

The senators from both factions it has now emerged are afraid of the prospect of the PDP taking over the Senate in the event of a leadership contest should Senator Saraki be convicted rightly or wrongly.

With the APC’s lead in the Senate increasingly shrinking it is left to the imagination what a united PDP caucus could do the divided APC caucus in the event of a leadership election.

It is that fear that has not surprisingly turned the senators on both sides of the divide in the APC to close ranks and unify around the leadership of Senator Saraki.

So, whatever is the judgment of the CCT on the trial of the Senate President, the decision of the senators to unify around their party is bound to resonate.

Economic Summit: We need new national economic order — Rev. Okotie

By Ishola Balogun ASTOR and politician, Rev. Chris Okotie has delved into the discourse on the direction of the nation’s economy.

Okotie who has so far not realised his dream of becoming president of the country has nonetheless thrown support for ongoing efforts by the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s efforts to revive the economy.

Okotie who is chairman of the Fresh Democratic Party, FRESH, is praising the conference as an opportunity for the federal government to engage all stakeholders across the party spectrum on the economic direction of the government.

“This important parley will enable the APC government to fully articulate its economic objectives, so that all stakeholders would know where to key in,” Rev. Okotie said during a meeting of the party’s caucus in Lagos over the weekend.

“The position of our party on the economy has not changed

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since we launched our manifesto in 2007. There’s need for a shift in the governance paradigm, which, when contextualized within the prevailing circumstances, is the creation of a new national economic order that focuses on the development of our abundant human capital as a developmental priority, so that the indigenous manpower so developed would now cultivate our assets for the benefit of all”.

Economic summit Rev. Okotie said, the overconcentration on oil revenue is the root cause of the present unprecedented looting of the national treasury, as it has bred a lazy and corrupt political class, who angle for power because of the opportunity to steal and vandalize our national assets.

“Our party, therefore, advises that the economic summit seriously deliberates on what we consider to be the three key battle

grounds – Agriculture, Power and Human Capital Development. Nigeria needs quality manpower to develop its economy, so, we must modernize our educational sector and its moribund curriculum, by investing in infrastructure, training, research and development.

“Every sector of the economy needs quality manpower to develop programme initiatives that could drive the economy towards self-sufficiency, rather than import dependency. No nation survives if it cannot feed itself, so our agriculture, more than any sector; apart from power generation, requires holistic new and revolutionary policies that would ensure food security on the short-term, and turn Nigeria into a major food exporter on the long-term, like it used to be in 1960s.

On the controversy over the skyrocketing dollar exchange rate, the FRESH chairman said that the dollar is not Nigeria’s national currency, but explained

•Okotie: The economy has not changed that while the CBN should defend the integrity of the naira, only a strong, productive national economy can sustain a strong currency. This deficit which makes us engage from a point of disadvantage has put our economy at the mercy of global politics and disruptive market forces.

“Our position is that the forex system is corruption soaked with insider dealings and roundtripping, as the on-going revelation of the EFCC has shown. We expect that, the money and capital markets must come under rigorous scrutiny to rid the financial system of debilitating corruption.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 — 45

Two brothers behind Belgium bombings T

WO of the suicide bombers who carried out attacks in Brussels on Tuesday have been named as brothers Khalid and Brahim el-Bakraoui, Belgian nationals.

The federal prosecutor said Brahim was part of the attack at Zaventem airport that killed 11 people.

Khalid struck at Maelbeek metro, where 20 people died.

Two other attackers at the airport have not yet been identified. One of them died, another is on the run.

Prosecutors say Brahim left a note in which he wrote of his desperation.

Belgium is observing three days of national mourning. The nation held a minute’s silence at midday (11:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Belgium’s king and queen have visited the airport and met

•Khalid and Brahim el-Bakraoui some of the 260 injured in hospital. Islamic State (IS) has said it was behind the attacks.

Federal Prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw said Brahim el-Bakraoui had been identified as the middle of three men in a CCTV image of the suspects of the airport attack.

The man on the left is believed to have died at the airport. The man on the right, wearing the hat, is thought to have fled the scene.

Unconfirmed reports in Belgian and French media suggest the man on the left is the wanted jihadist Najim Laachraoui.

Mr Van Leeuw told reporters that a taxi driver said he had picked up the three men from an address in the Schaerbeek area of Brussels. This apartment was raided later on Tuesday and bomb-making materials, including 15kg (33lb) of high explosive, were found.

Jeb Bush endorses Ted Cruz over ‘vulgar’ Donald Trump Republicans must

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ORMER Republican presidentialcandidateJeb Bush has endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz for president, calling him a “principled conservative”.

Mr Bush, former governor of Florida, dropped out of the race last month after poor showings in state contests.

He said Mr Cruz has shown the ability to appeal to voters and win primary contests, like in Utah on Tuesday.

“overcome the divisiveness and vulgarity” Donald Trump has introduced, he said.

If not, the party will certainlylosetheWhiteHouse to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, Mr Bush wrote in a Facebook post.

“Republicans can win back the White House and put our nationonapathtosecurityand prosperity if we support a nominee who can unite our party and articulate how conservative policies will help

people rise up and reach their full potential,” he wrote, and linked to Mr Cruz’s website.

Mr Cruz, speaking to CNN on Wednesday, said Mr Bush’s endorsement proved his candidacy had garnered support among Republicans.

Former 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romneyalsorecentlyendorsed MrCruz,stronglyurgingfellow RepublicansnottobackDonald Trump,abillionairebusinessman from New York with no prior politicalexperience.

GRAFT: South African police probe into Zuma’s son, Guptas

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OUTH Africa’s elite ‘Hawks’policeunithas launched a corruption probe into President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, and the Guptas, a family of businessmen accused of wielding improper political influence,TalkRadio702said on Wednesday.

ThestationquotedaHawks spokesman as saying the unit would investigate the graft allegations after a complaint

was made by the Democratic Alliance, South Africa’s main opposition party.

Although the Gupta’s relationship with Zuma has been a source of controversy for years, it burst into the open last week when senior figures went public to say the family had exerted undue sway, including offering cabinet positions.

The Guptas, whose

businesses stretch from media to mining, have denied the allegations and say they are pawns in a plot to oust Zuma.

The ruling ANC said on Sunday it had full confidence in Zuma but would investigate the allegations by senior politicians - including Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas - that they were offered positions by the Guptas.

Poland refuses to accept refugees after Brussels attack

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OLAND’S prime minister says his country is no longer prepared to take the 7,000 refugees it agreed to accept in negotiations with the European Union because of the deadly Brussels attacks.

Beata Szydlo said on Wednesdaythatshedoes“not see any possibility for the refugees to come to Poland” after explosions rocked the Belgian capital a day earlier,

according to Polish broadcaster Superstacja.

Poland had planned to admit an initial 400 refugees this year, and the rest would be allowed in over the next three years.

Last year, thousands of Poles took to the streets and social media to promote participation in anti-refugee marches across the country, organised by far-right nationalist movements such

as the National Radical Camp. In October, President Andrzej Duda said the government should take steps to protect its citizens from refugees bringing in “possible epidemics.

The comments by the president, whose role is largely ceremonial, echo those of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the populist Law and Justice party, of which Duda is a member.

46 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

AFCON qualifiers: I’ll give my best against Egypt – Ighalo O

NE player Nigeria coach Samson Siasia will be looking to for goals against Egypt in this weekend’s AFCON 2017 double-header is England-based forward Odion Ighalo.

The 26-year-old striker is undoubtedly Nigeria’s man of the moment with his fine scoring form for

Watford in the English Premier League and he relishes the prospect of leading the Super Eagles’ charge against the Pharaohs.

“I’m equally looking forward to the AFCON qualifier against Egypt like every Nigerian,” said Ighalo, who recently aided Watford to a place

at the last four of the FA Cup at the expense of holders Arsenal.

“These matches (against Egypt) are important and crucial towards our aspirations of playing at the next tournament in Gabon,” he added.

The Watford arrowhead has been the Hornets’

Tanzania pip Chad in Ndjamena

T

ANZANIA yesterday beat Chad 1-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Ndjamena to make some gains in the group G pairings.

Taifa Stars’ Mbwana Samata scored the only goal of the match in the 30 th minute and the Chadians yet to win a match in the group failed to recover. Nigeria and Egypt will play today in the other group qualifiers.

The Tanzanians have moved up to four points.

In other group games Benin Republic’s Stephane Sessegnon scored two goals in both halfs to overhaul South Sudan in the group C qualifiers. Benin now have five points from three games in the group topped

by Mali.

In group E Stanley Okumbi’s reign as Harambee Stars coach started on a bad footing

after Kenya lost 1-0 to Guinea Bissau.

Idrissa Camara’s firsthalf goal condemned Stars to a second defeat in three games in the race to qualify for next year ’s continental showpiece.

They are rooted at the bottom of the group with one point from three matches. Zambia remain top of the group with five points after being held to a 1-1 draw by Congo Brazzaville in Ndola.

Jabbing... Efe Ajagba displaying his prowess at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

leading scorer in the English Premier League (EPL) with 14 goals on the last count and believes his rich vein of form will come handy against the seven-time African champions.

“My attitude towards these two matches against Egypt would be similar to Watford’s. I will give my best and play with a lot of determination. We know the matches against Egypt are not going to be easy but with determination, we shall be victorious.”

Eunisell, Rivers Utd start sponsorship renewal talks

By John Egbokhan

O

IL and gas servicing firm, Eunisell Group has opened talks with Rivers United about shirt sponsorship contract renewal.

In a statement issued by the shirt sponsor, the company said it will put into consideration a number of factors which include the performance of the defunct Sharks FC with which the initial agreement was signed with in the last season before a decision is made.

According to the Communications Manager of the energy firm, Mr Kunmi Balogun, “ we have started speaking with the management of Rivers United and we should arrive at a conclusion by the end of next week.

Although a few things have changed since we signed the initial contract, we will discuss all of these with the club management and identify how to further support

Rio 2016: Ajagba only Nigerian boxer to book ticket

By Ben Efe

O

NLY Efe Ajagba out of 10 Nigerian boxers made certain his participation in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games billed for August in Rio Brazil.

The rest of the pugilists failed to pick their spots at the International Boxing Association (AIBA) African Olympic qualification event concluded in Cameroon last weekend. Though Nigeria Boxing Federation are still hopeful that the remaining boxers can still qualify in another competition billed for Azerbaijan in May, former

African lightweight champion, Obisia Nwanpka believes the county must have to try harder in 2020.

“It is not over for us yet.

We still have the chance to qualify for the Olympics in May. Most of our boxers failed to qualify in Cameroon because officiating was very poor.

There were many instances where our boxers were robbed of points,” said Peter Omagbemi the assistant secretary-general of the federation.

Nwanpka submitted that Nigerian boxers weren’t psychologically prepared

for the competition, adding that they were rushed into training.

“What we did in two weeks is what other countries will do for months. Besides, there wasn’t enough motivation

Pharaohs Approach... Coach Samson Siasia and Odion Ighalo discussing match strategy during a previous match. What’s in store against visiting Pharaohs of Egypt?

for the boxers. Can you imagine that they were not paid their allowances. They went home empty handed.

“We need to arrest this slide in our country’s sports.

In the past we had no problem qualifying our boxers for the Olympics.”

them”.

It will be recalled that the contract, with an undisclosed value was signed mid 2014/2015 season with then Port

Face-off... Federer and Djokovic

Djokovic, Federer set to renew rivalry in Miami

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ORLD No.1 Novak Djokovic and former No.1 Roger Federer are set to renew their great rivalry at Miami. The champions have played each other 45 times with Djokovic leading 23-22 in their head-to-head meetings.

I had earlier analysed the Rafael NadalDjokovic rivalry where there were usually periods of domination by one player. However, Unlike the Rafa-Djo contests where the winning pattern was Rafa-Rafa-Djo-Rafa-Djo-

Haye raps AIBA plans for pro-boxers

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AVID Haye has hit out at “insane” plans to allow professional boxers to compete at the Olympics, warning it would putfighters’healthandsafety at serious risk.

Last month AIBA president Ching-Kuo Wu

said that the sport’s world governing body intends to open up its Rio 2016 qualifyingprocesstofull-time professionals.

The controversial plans have been met by vocal criticism from a number of senior figures, which former

Harcourt side, Sharks FC but was transferred to Rivers Utd following the relegation of Sharks to the lower division at the end of last season.

world heavyweight champion Haye added to on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old called the proposals “crazy” and warned it would not only stunt the development of fighters but could potentially lead to serious injury.

Djo, the Djo Federer contests have been more open and competitive.

As I did by analysing the Rafa-Djo rivalry by breaking down the long history into sets. Let’s break down their matches into five sets of nine matches each to see how the rivalry has progessed.

Their first nine matches between 2006-2008, when Federer was at his peak, saw the Fed winning seven. The next nine matches in 2009 and 2010 saw closer competition between the two as Djo came onto his own. There were five wins for Fed and four for Djokovic, making it 12-6 in Feds favour after 18.

2011 was a magic year for Djo in which he won all six matches he played versus Rafa. Djo won three Grand Slams in 2011. Which was the one he missed? The French Open.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2 016 — 47

I’m jealous of present-day PSG stars –Okocha N

*Super Eagles players loosening up after training in Kaduna yesterday.

I’m ready for Egypt, declares Iwobi A

RSENAL starlet Alex Iwobi has played down concerns over his fitness for the forthcoming African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt despite not taking part in full training on Tuesday evening in Kaduna.

The Nigeria Football Federation has pronounced that the former England youth player is in line to make his competitive debut against the North Africans and Iwobi is on the same wavelength as the powers that be, having de-

clared himself fit for the games. “Had the maddest food poisoning but I am good now and feeling ready for the Egyptian match ,” Iwobi posted on Twitter.

The Arsenal number 45 will no longer be able to switch his international

football nationality back to England if he makes his competitive debut against the Egyptians. Iwobi represented the U-16, U-17 and U-18 teams of England in non-competitive fixtures before he was approached by the Nigeria Football Federation.

Amoo hails players as Brazilian kids celebrate cility is world – Dream Team class. The team OACH Fatai Amoo shown no sign that they have no excuse in the camp.

C has praised the are“I new not to go all out must also commend new players invited to the Nigeria U-23 camp for their sense of professionalism and dedication as the Dream Team go up against their Brazilian counterparts in a much–awaited international friendly in Vitoria today Amoo has taken charge of this trip to Brazil as Head Coach Samson Siasia is working with the Super Eagles for two 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Egypt.

“I’m really and truly impressed by the attitude of the new players especially, who have blended easily and

the high level of discipline and dedication among both the old and the new players. On the evidence of these, I have confidence that those players that will feature against Brazil will do Nigeria proud,” Amoo said on Tuesday, after the team’s second training session at the Clube Aert & Clube Aest football pitch in Vitoria.

The former international midfielder also commended the facilities provided by the NFF and the organizers for the team in Brazil.

“We are very comfortable, and the training fa-

Iwobi

caused by the consumption of salad at the team’s hotel.

Midfielder Ogenyi Onazi seems to have taken the youngster under his wings while Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel threw a bottle of water in a playful banter at the Arsenal man during a break in training on Tuesday evening.

After overcoming the crisis and having a short physical examination by the team’s physio in Kaduna, Iwobi later confirmed via Twitter that the worst was over.

“Had the maddest food poisoning but I am good now and feeling ready for the Egyptian match,” he wrote.

Continued from B/P with encouraging words, according to team media officer Toyin Ibitoye.

However, the older players did not fail to point out that he was the architect of his own problems by choosing to consume pepper soup in camp knowing he has a ‘soft stomach’.

Iwobi was born in Nigeria but was raised in England where there is less emphasis on consumption of chili pepper in meals, unlike in Nigeria where chili is a staple in several dishes.

Yet other reports claim that Iwobi’s ailment was

against the Brazilians.”

The Nigeria U23 squad will have a feel of the match venue – Kleber Andrade Stadium on Wednesday evening. The match will take place on Thursday, starting from 7pm Brazil time(11pm Nigeria).

Meanwhile, Brazilian kids stormed the Dream Team’s training session on Tuesday in large numbers, and demanded for autographs from the players.

Siasia

Continued from B/P na Tuesday evening for the double-header AFCON qualifiers with the first leg slated for Kaduna tomorrow, before the return leg is played on Tuesday in Alexandria.

“You could still figure out that some of them were fighting to survive the not-too-friendly weather despite being cooler than the Abuja weather,” Siasia said.

“But I am happy with the commitment level of the players. You could

IGERIA legend Austin Okocha has admitted he is jealous of the present-day PSG stars going by their quality and the financial power the club now have compared to when he was at the club.

“I am jealous of the present squad with the qualities they have now and the financial backing. I feel like being here now,” Okocha told PSG TV. “I am happy for the club because they are now where they are supposed to be. I am proud to be a Parisian, they are on top of their game.”

Okocha, who was hon-

oured as the special guest by PSG at the weekend when they hosted Monaco said he decided to dump other offers for PSG after the France 1998 World Cup. “I enjoyed the atmosphere at PSG. We were disappointed the way Nigeria exited at the tournament. The atmosphere and the support we got here during the World Cup made me decide to join PSG when I got the offer,” he revealed.

The 42-year-old ex-international played for PSG between 1998 and 2002 during which time he played 84 games and scored 23 goals.

Zenith WBL: Delta Force maintain perfect start

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XPERIENCED Delta Force maintained their perfect start to the 2016 Zenith Bank Women Basketball League when they forced their way past the Nigeria Immigration team 62-37 on Wednesday morning.

Powered by forward Uju Agbontan’s 23 points and four rebounds and 10 points apiece from Esther Igben and Ogoh Bolum, the South-South Queens pulled an unassailable lead against their opponents from the blast of

the whistle, running through the 1st quarter with 26-8. Immigration put up a fight in the 2nd quarter limiting Delta force to just 12 points but poor execution on offence as they put up just 6 points in the quarter.

The 3rd and 4th quarters were not different from the previous showing as the status quo was maintained with the scores at 13-6,11-7 respectively, completing a Delta Force dominance.

They maintain 2nd place in group A behind champions Dolphins.

Brazil’s Sports Minister quits

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*Fatai Amoo see that they really want to fight for their fatherland and they tried to put in all they have in the training.”

Kick-off of the match has now been moved by an hour to 5pm local time.

The coach also confirmed that Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi, who suffered from food poisoning in camp in Abuja, has recovered fully.

“Alex had a light training with the team’s physiotherapist and he moved well on the pitch,,” Siasia disclosed.

RAZIL’s Sports Minister George Hilton has stepped down just five months before the country hosts the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Presidential Chief of Staff Jaques Wagner said on Wednesday.

Hilton will likely be replaced by Ricardo Leyser, a senior official in the sports ministry, Wagner told reporters in Rio.

Mikel Continued from B/P Chad hosted Tanzania in the group’s other match yesterday in Ndjamena but lost 0-1 and are stuck at the bottom of the group with no point while Tanzania now have four points from three matches.

“Egypt are ahead of us in the qualifiers, we therefore have to win on Friday so as to go above them on the table,” said Mikel, who has been mobbed by eager fans at the team’s trainings in

Abuja and Kaduna.

“So, Friday’s match is really the big one and we are playing at home.

“We are ready.”

“We must beat Egypt and go on to qualify for the Nations Cup,” added defender Chibuzor Okonkwo, who has staged a comeback to the team on the return of coach Samson Siasia at the helm.

Kick-off time on Friday has been moved to 5pm, when the weather would be a lot cooler and not affect the home team’s overseas-based pros.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016

How hot peppersoup caused panic over Iwobi N

IGERIAN humour is a good way to pass through tough times, as Alex Iwobi

Egypt must fall on Good Friday –Mikel UPER Eagles and Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has said that the priority for him and his team mates is to beat Egypt at home on Friday so as to improve their chances of qualifying for next year ’s AFCON in Gabon after they missed last year’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

The Eagles are two points behind Egypt who lead the group in the qualifiers for Gabon 2017, but a win in Kaduna tomorrow will see the three-time African champions leapfrog their closest rivals before a reverse clash in Alexandria four days later.

NPFL

Lobi Tornadoes I/Ubah Giwa A/Warriors Rivers Utd Akwa Utd

3 Rangers 2 Shooting 1 Heartland 1 El-Kanemi 0 Wikki 0 Sunshine 0 Wolves

Today’s matches

1 1 0 1 0 0 0

Enyimba vs Plateau 4pm Nasarawa vs Ikorodu 4pm

Siasia raises alarm over Kaduna heat

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UPER Eagles coach Samson Siasia has admitted the hot weather in Kaduna is affecting some of his players, but praised the commitment of the team ahead of tomorrow’s AFCON showdown against Egypt Siasia took his first training at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kadu

I’ll give my best against Egypt

Continues on page 47

Siasia: Feeling the heat.

Today’s AFCON 2017 Qualifying Fixtures

– Ighalo P.46

*Iwobi (l) back at training after peppersoup scare.

—P.47

Continues on page 47

R-E-S-U-L-T-S

Continues on Page 47

Brazil’s Sports Minister quits

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*Elneny: Egypt striker

must have learnt in the past couple of days.

After the Arsenal forward came down with food poisoning and missed Tuesday morning’s training with the Super Eagles in Abuja, team mates rallied round him

*RARING TO GO: Mikel

Madagascar Comoros Ghana Djibouti

v v v v

Central A/R Botswana Mozambique Liberia

2:30pm 3pm 3:30pm 4pm

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 5 Part of a guitar ’s fingerboard (4) 6 Girl’s name or part of the eye (4) 7 Intuitive mistrust (9) 8 Style elegance (4) 10 Strong cord (4) 12 Talkativeness (9) 15 Heap (4) 16 Edible material (4) DOWN 1 Animal feed-container (6) 2 Cease, desist (4) 3 Machine for grinding meat (6) 4 Air bed (4) 9 Spider ’s dusty share (6) 11 Medical concoction (6) 13 Motorway leaving point (4) 14 Put through a colander (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: Bus 3, Width 6, Showgirls 7, Tide 8, Shop 11, Fullmarks 12, Rayon 13, Eve.

DOWN: 1 Beset 2, Swordplay 3, Wage 4, Darkhorse 5, Has 9, Passe 10, Omen 11, Far.

How to Play Sudoku

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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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