No way out of budget crisis, as deadline expires

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 63013

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

PIB: Need for Bear with me, even handedness, 19 change'll come

by Victor Attah — BUHARI 6

African music star, Papa Wemba collapses, dies on stage 40

No way out of budget crisis, as deadline expires

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Henry Umoru, Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

•How politics of Saraki/Ekweremadu election caused budget crisis •We are ready to resolve all grey areas —Goje, Jibrin B U J A — •Insist they worked on inputs from committees A PRESSURES by Presidency on the •Don’t expect change untill 2016 budget is signed, FG tells Nigerians the National Assembly to

rewrite the 2016 budget and include critical projects left out in the appropriation bill as passed were at the weekend slipping into another crisis with the threat of the legislators to veto.

The emerging crisis was in the face of claims by legislators that the budget with the President cannot be rewritten under the Continues on Page 5

Oil price notch-up: Currency deal strenghtens Naira value 36

Mr & Mrs FIRE—Cross section of the sympathisers, at the NNPC Mega Station and Shemaco petrol station, Ungwar/Mu'azu Kaduna, after a fire incident in Kaduna on Saturday night. Photos: NAN.

COLUMNISTS:

Season of denials and market stories •P.33 C M Y K

President's trade mission to China •P.32

Assessing Candidates Isaac Adenipekun •P.35

Head, National Office, WAEC

I'm very much alive, says IBB 43

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 3

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4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

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Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON calls on the President to send a supplementary budget would also not be tenable.

“A supplementary budget is only proposed when there is a shortfall in revenue for a project, but what is workable in this case is for the President to sign the budget as sent to him and then send an amendment bill to the 2016 Appropriation Bill to address areas of concern to him,” a legislator familiar with the process told Vanguard.

“You can see that there are no other legal options available to get out of this situati on,” the source disclosed.

RECEPTION—Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta Central Senatorial District, held a victory reception in honour of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at Oghara Township Stadium, weekend. From left: Gov. Okowa, his wife, Dame Edith Okowa and Chairman of the occasion, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, former Minister of Police Affairs at the event. Photo: Nath Onojake.

No way out of budget crisis, as deadline expires Continues from Page 1 law.

The legislators have also dismissed calls for a supplementary budget, saying the only option open to the President was to sign what was passed to him and forward an amendment bill on the 2016 appropriation bill to take care of his interests.

The deadline for the President to sign the 2016 budget as presented to him on March 23 passed at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Vanguard has learned how the election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as the Deputy President of the Senate, led to the eruption of the crisis in the 2016 budget.

President Buhari has refused assent to the 2016 budget of the Federal Government upon misgivings that a number of critical projects notably, the Calabar – Lagos rail line, were removed by the

Senate and House Committees on Appropriation, led by Senator Danjuma Goje and Abdulmmumin Jibrin respectively.

The standoff has led to pressures on the National Assembly to withdraw the budget transmitted to the President on March 23 and incorporate the projects.

In the face of that pressure, senior officials of the National Assembly have told Vanguard that the constitution did not provide a leeway for rewriting a budget that had already been passed.

The complexity is further worsened by constitutional provisions which give the President a maximum of 30 days to give his assent to the budget bill.

Section 59(4) of the Constitution demands that where the President refuses to sign the appropriation bill within

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

N

OBODY knows tomorrow yet many of our actions today have predictable outcomes tomorrow. Prepare for tomorrow from a creative stand rather than a reactive one. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Life is a gift. Don’t waste a second on something that does not make you happy— Take Heart Quotes

L

IFE is a gift but it takes awareness to recognise the gifts that are all around you, just like truth, if you want truth , you must step back.

Learn to see more than other people do and to gain a different perspective of things as they appear outwardly, this attitude enables a person to handle many situations in life with grace and success.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE If want to know how your wife will look at in her old age, take a look at your mother-inlaw.

C M Y K

30 days, the bill should again be presented to the National Assembly sitting at a joint sitting.

There was controversy among constitutional experts in the National Assembly at the weekend as to whether the President is expected to re-present what was passed or present a fresh bill to satisfy his interest on the issues at hand.

A meeting between the Presidency and the National Assembly leadership, expected to hold at the weekend to address the issues of concern, did not hold, sources disclosed.

The section states thus: "Where the President, within 30 days after the presentation of the bill to him, fails to signify his assent or where he withholds assent, then the bill shall again be presented to the National Assembly sitting at a joint meeting, and if passed by two-thirds majority of members of both houses at such joint meeting, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required."

Upon the constitutional provision, multiple sources in the National Assembly told Vanguard that the current pressures on the National Assembly to rewrite the budget to include some critical projects left out in the appropriation bill as passed could not hold.

Vanguard learned that the National Assembly leaders were expected to, at the meeting, convey the point to the President that the only option opened to him was to sign the budget and forward an amendment bill.

“There is no provision in the constitution that would allow us to incorporate those projects again,” a very senior legislator told Vanguard.

It was also learned that

The Ekweremadu factor

Meanwhile, Vanguard has learned how the political issues arising from the election of the National Assembly leadership caused the budget crisis.

In the past, an ad-hoc committee, led by the Deputy President of the Senate and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives supervised works on the budget.

That committee, it was gathered, comprised the director-general of the Budget Office, senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Presidency and the chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriation.

“It was the work of that committee to clean the budget and address all issues of concern between the executive and legislative branches of government and all issues that erupted were quietly settled under the guidance of the Deputy Senate President and the Deputy Speaker.

“For the past eight years, Senator Ike Ekweremadu was involved, but you know as a result of the issues around his emergence, nobody in the Presidency wanted to deal with him and you can see that committee was not formed and you see how we ran into this problem,” the source disclosed.

We worked on inputs from committees — Goje, Jibrin

However, chairmen of Appropriation Committee of the National Assembly, Senator Danjuma Goje and Abdulmunin Jibrin, yesterday, stated that in a bid to move Nigeria forward, both committees would resolve all grey areas raised by the executive arm of government.

Both lawmakers said this in a statement they jointly signed, insisting

that they worked on inputs supplied by the committees.

The statement, entitled: "Budget 2016: A time for Statesmanship", read in part: “Following the transmission of the 2016 appropriation bill and details passed by the National Assembly, there have been all manner of misinformation, misrepresentations and innuendos about the roles played by the Joint Committees on Appropriation in the course of passing the budget.

“Even though most of the allegations, especially those specifically levelled against the two of us, as chairmen of the committees, are unfounded, we intend to respond to them at the appropriate time.

“For now, what we consider important is to resolve the impasse around the budget and get it assented to so that its implementation can begin in the interest of all Nigerians.

“However, we must put it on record that the details aggregated and transmitted to the executive are largely the inputs we received from the standing committees of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“Given the foregoing, and all factors considered, we hereby state that we have had enough controversy over the 2016 budget.

"What is needful right now is a resolution of the differences and to that end, we call on our colleagues in the National Assembly to accede to the request by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to have a second look at the details and make the necessary adjustments so that he can assent. This, in our opinion, should not go beyond this week.

“To the extent that there are already ongoing consultations, a debate about who is right or wrong is unhelpful in the circumstance; and in any case, does not advance the cause of our country men and women whose interest we have been elected to serve."

No change until budget is signed — FG

Meanwhile, the Federal Government said, yesterday, that Nigerians should not expect change from the present administration until the 2016 Appropriation Bill, which had been passed by the National Assembly, was signed into law.

The government said it was still running the country with the 2015 budget of former President Goodluck Jonathan of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Speaking, yesterday, at the launch of a book, “Each Man, His Time: The Biography of an Era", by former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh, at Royal Dream Hotel, Mararaba in Nasarawa State, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, noted that change was not feasible now because the government was still implementing the 2015 budget prepared by the former government of PDP. According to him, change cannot come, if the All Progressives Congress, APC, is not using the 2016 budget which must be signed and implemented by the federal government.

The book was also launched to mark the 47th year Marriage Anniversary between Prince Tony Momoh and his wife, Janet Tony Momoh.

Onu, who noted that President Muhammadu Buhari was working hard to provide job opportunities, secure lives and property of Nigerians, provide employment, however, urged Nigerians to support him if he must provide good governance for the country.

He said: "Change won’t come until the 2016 budget is signed. What we are using now is the 2015 budget which was not done by us. Our President has restored our image to the position of repute, so let’s support him.”

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY APRIL 25 , 2016

Bear with me, change will come — BUHARI

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari last night appealed to Nigerians to bear with him over the difficulties in the land, saying Nigerians were seeing the darkest days before dawn.

While appealing to Nigerians who he said were known for their inner strength to soldier on, he said the change which they voted for was at the corner and about to rock every nook and cranny of the country.

In a strategic move to counter the difficult times, the President ordered the release of 10,000 tons of grains from the national strategic grains reserves.

The move, according to Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu also debunked insinuations that the change mantra of the new administration was concomitant with hard times.

The Presidency said a total of N9 trillion was lost by the Federal Government to the Boko Haram insurgency, lamenting that the loss worsened the economy.

Noting the crippling fuel situation, the administration also

FG extends drivers' licence expiration to five years

By Theodore Opara

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AGOS—THE Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, weekend said the Federal Government had approved the extension of the validity period of Drivers’ licence to five years.

The Corps Marshal explained that this was part of communiqué reached by the Joint Tax Board at the end of its 134th meeting held in Kano.

The Corps Marshal in a chat with Transport Editors in Lagos, said rather than Drivers’ licence expiring in three years, drivers now had the option of settling for either three or five years licence.

But he noted that those who wanted the five years drivers licence would have to pay slightly more.

He noted that while drivers were expected to pay N6,000 for the three years' licence, those who opted for the five years' licence would pay N10,000.00.

According to him, the Board had approved an optional validity period for Drivers’ Licence of three and five years respectively at different cost to provide more efficient and effective service delivery to its customers.

observed that it inherited a N600 billion debt owed fuel importers and that it was working on ensuring that newly-licensed refineries commenced operations in 2018.

While noting that the Federal Government’s social programmes, including the payment of N5,000 monthly transfers to eligible Nigerians was set to commence, the Presidency called for more understanding from Nigerians on the challenges it said it inherited.

The Presidency further averred that the difficult times were caused by the economy downturn arising from “the Boko Haram insurgency, corruption and the lack of planning by the past

administrations and one that should not be blamed on the Change Agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.”

Shehu said: “The Presidency firmly rejects the insinuations that poverty and lack are products of the Change mantra. This should be dismissed as an erroneous and misplaced opposition criticism.

The President understands the pain and the cries of the citizens of this country and he is spending sleepless nights over how he can make life better for everyone.

Contrary to assertions by a faction of the opposition Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, the President’s energy and focus are on changing the lives of

Nigerians, with a view to making it better than he met it.

“Change is a process. Change does not happen overnight.

Change can be inconvenient.

Change sometimes comes with pain. Over the past year, the government has been working night and day to deliver on its promise of change to Nigerians, and the painful process is still ongoing.

“This is work in progress. As life gradually returns to normal in much of the country and the northeast in particular, agriculture will resume and traders from neighbouring African countries will once again feel safe to do business with us.

“It is estimated, for instance, that

SILVERBIRD MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD: From left; Senator Ben Murry Bruce, Chairman, Silverbird; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; All Progressives Congress, APC, national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Dr Oba Otudeko, and Aremo Olusegun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State during the Silverbird Man of the Year Awards at Eko Hotel, Lagos, yesterday. Photo by Akeem Salau.

Ambode, Obasa mourn Rafiu Jafojo

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode, of Lagos State, yesterday described the death of the former Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo, as a great loss to the state, saying his contribution to the development of state would not be forgotten in a hurry.

Similarly, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, said Lagos State and Nigeria had lost a great patriot whose penchant for equity and justice was well known.

Jafojo, who was Deputy Governor under the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande during the Second Republic, died late Saturday evening in his Lagos residence at the age of 80.

Ambode in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Habib Aruna, expressed sadness over the loss, saying: “Alhaji Jafojo was part and parcel of an administration during the Second Republic that has been widely applauded across Nigeria for achieving several milestones which are still being referred to. He was an astute

politician, who was very loyal to the course of developing the state and together with Alhaji Jakande, they formed a strong partnership and set the template for the development of Lagos State.

Similarly, Obasa, in a statement by his CPS, Mr. Musbau Rasak, described the deceased as one of the founding fathers of modern Lagos whose efforts laid the solid foundation from which the Centre of Excellence evolved.

Court stops firm from liquidating assets entered into agreements with

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—A Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained management of Belbop Nigeria Limited, from dissipating the assets of the company, pending the determination of a winding up petition against the firm by an American international oil and gas services conglomerate, Baker Hughes Group over alleged debt of $12 million.

Baker Hughes had in the petition asked that Belbop Nigeria Limited be wound up for its inability to pay a debt of $12, 092, 531.66 which arose from series of services rendered to Belbop for the development and operation of an oil block.

Belbop, an indigenous oil company, was said to have duly

Baker Hughes and had equally earned substantial revenues as a result of the services rendered to it by Baker Hughes, but allegedly refused to pay for the services despite repeated demands since 2014.

Ruling on an application for interlocutory injunction, trial judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi restrained the respondent, its directors, staff, management, employees, officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person or group of persons by whatever name so-called under the authority of the respondent from ''alienating, assigning, charging, dissipating, disposing of, tampering or interfering with assets and properties of Belbop, including tangible and intangible assets, and movable and immovable assets.''

three Northeast states of Nigeria alone have so far lost about three trillion Naira (Nine billion US Dollars) to the Boko Haram insurgency. The previous administration at the center said Federal Government losses amounted to about USD18 billion.

“It would have been a miracle for our country’s economy not to feel the effects of this. And, in addition to the thousands of lives lost to the insurgency, thousands have also lost their means of livelihood. The northeast region of Nigeria is a mostly agrarian society, which means Nigeria has lost billions of naira in agricultural produce. Many communities, which have had their yearly planting and harvesting cycle disrupted by Boko Haram attacks or occupation are still yet to return to their farms. In many of these communities, there have not been planting and consequent harvest for between two to five years.

“At the time this government came to power, about 600 billion naira was owed to fuel marketers in subsidy payments. Strategic fuel reserves were depleted and local refineries not functioning.

“One of the President’s first steps was to pay off the marketers, leaving an outstanding of about N150 billion which is captured in the 2016 budget. The Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries are being brought back to life.

Shortly, Nigeria will resume refining its own fuel rather than depending on imports. ''

UBA inaugurates group board forum

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OLLOWING a 3-day Forum held in Lagos, United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu, has formally inaugurated a Group Board Meeting as a platform for group integration, bonding and knowledge sharing.

90 participants comprising of the entire Board of UBA, Chairmen and CEOs of UBA subsidiaries in Africa and the United Kingdom, Group Strategic Business and Support Heads, among other special invitees and guest facilitators, were in attendance.

The Group Forum serves as an interactive platform for knowledge sharing on issues ranging from Corporate Governance, Institutional History, Board Effectiveness, Brand Projection, Empowerment and Accountability among others.

Speaking during the Forum, Elumelu said: “As long term investors and Africa enthusiasts, we are committed to the markets in which we operate and to the wider African economy. ''We will continue to work with credible partners and governments across Africa to identify and develop those critical growth poles required for the sustainable development of all African economies.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 7

Abducted Osun Perm Sec, 2 others freed

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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HE three officials of Osun State government, who were kidnapped in Kogi State, yesterday, regained their freedom from their abductors.

A Permanent Secretary in the Osun Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Adebimpe Ogunlumade was abducted alongside the director, State Audit, Mr. Tajudeen Badejoko and the driver conveying them from Abuja, Mr. Oladapo Ajani Arogundade where they had gone for official assignment.

Earlier yesterday, it was learned that a delegation, comprising security operatives from Osun State, had been dispatched to Kogi State to join in the search for the officials abducted last Friday along Obajana/Lokoja road.

The Osun state government, it was also gathered, had to send a delegation to visit the families and relations of the victims to reassure them that it was making efforts at ensuring their quick release.

Confirming the development,

Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said the officials had been freed and were in good state of health.

Also, a statement issued by the Head of Service, Mr. Sunday Owoeye confirmed the release of

the officials, adding that arrangements are being made to return them to the state at the shortest possible time.

The statement reads: “This is to inform the general public that to the glory of God, the three staffers of the State of Osun Civil Service, Mrs. Bimpe Ogunlumade,

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Tajudeen Badejoko, Director of State Audit and the Driver to the Auditor-General (State), Mr. Oladapo Ajani Arogundade, have regained their freedom from their abductors this evening of Sunday, 24th April, 2016.''

D I N N E R : Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, State (left) and Head of C h i n e s e delegation and M a n a g i n g Director, Golden Monkey Group, Wang Bao Gen during a Dinner Party, organized by the State Government, at the Government House, Osogbo, on Friday.

EDUCATION TAX: Ekiti govt, Catholic Bishop bicker ...As Ajimobi gives condition for return of mission schools

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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OLLOWING a threat by the Catholic Church of Ekiti Diocese to seek legal redress over education levy, the Ekiti State government says there is no going back on the N1, 000 and N500 levy being paid by private and public primary and secondary schools respectively in the state.

This was as Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi has promised to hand over mission schools to owners who have genuine proposal for the development of such schools and proven commitment to education.

The Ekiti State government maintained that mission schools in the state will not be given preferential treatment over other schools and that “no other body apart from the Federal and state government has power to make policies concerning both private and public schools in the country.”

The Catholic Diocese of Ekiti had last week threatened to drag the state government to court over the development levy, saying “no law empowers the state government to impose educational development levy on pupils of mission schools.”

The government argued that “it is wrong for any organisation to

claim that it has its own education policy that is different from that of the state.''

Reacting to the development, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, said “when I heard of it, I asked the schools concerned to refund the money collected to their parents” adding “We shall meet in court.”

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Jide Egunjobi, in a statement, disclosed that seven schools owned by the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti State had already paid the development levy, dismissing the threat to sue the government by

the Catholic Diocese.

Ajimobi gives condition

Relatedly,Governor Ajimobi stressed that any religious body or organization without a questionable intention would be allowed to run such schools inasmuch as they met government's requirements.

The governor made the promise in his address at the archdiocesan reception for the 34th council of Bishops at the Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu House, Molete, Ibadan, on Saturday, which was attended by bishops and archbishops of the Methodist Church across the country.

Boroffice wants Ondo govt, US firm probed over bitumen deal

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HE senator representing Ondo North, Prof. Ajayi Boroffice has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission, to probe the deal between Ondo State government and an American firm on bitumen exploration in the state.

Boroffice, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, made the appeal through a press

PDP wins all 18 council seats in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—THE P e o p l e s Democratic Party, PDP, was, over the weekend, declared winner of the local government area elections by the Ondo state Independent Electoral Commission, winning all the 18 council seats.

The newly-elected chairmen and councillors

would be sworn in today by the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko in Akure.

However, the ruling party lost the councillorship position of ward 9, Oba Ile in Akure North area of the state to the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) candidate.

Announcing the results of the election conducted on Saturday, the Chairman of the Ondo State

Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), Professor Olugbenga Ige said 14 political parties participated in the election.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against the results of the election.

The party, through its Director of Publicity, Steve Otaloro said the results of the election clearly vindicated the party ’s position on the election.

statement signed by his media aide, Kayode Adeniyi.

The lawmaker, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, alleged that “credible reports have revealed that the overhyped firm with no functional website was founded in 2012, with a staff strength of about four employees. Furthermore, the Managing Director of the Nigerian subsidiary claimed he joined the 2012 incorporated firm in 2006.

What an irreconcilable dissimilarity! How could a four-year old firm with about four employees be trusted to undertake such huge task of exploring bitumen in commercial quantity?”

Bailout loan not diverted — OSUN GOVT

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—THE Osun State Government, yesterday said the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, ICPC, did not indict it over the application of the N34.988 billion bailout funds it got last year.

The state government, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, said the fact that the ICPC claimed it was investigating claims that workers in the state received their last salaries in July 2015 was enough for workers in Osun and those who have been monitoring developments in the state to conclude that the allegation could not have been true.

The statement reads: “This is because after the payment of seven months backlog of salaries last year, the government had proceeded to pay salaries on the agreed terms with workers. And this is why Osun has been able to pay its workers till January this year.

“There is no case of diversion of bailout loan as far as Osun is concerned.''

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Nigeria turning forex scarcity to advantage — Emefiele Says agriculture, bedrock of genuine economic growth

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

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BUJA — THE current scarcity of foreign exchange confronting the country is being turned into an advantage through the local production of goods for which hard currencies were hitherto wasted.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said this during an assessment tour of the farmlands cultivated under the Anchor Borrowers Programme in Kebbi State, weekend.

A statement by the Acting Director of Communications, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, in Abuja, yesterday, quoted the governor as saying rice output from Kebbi State alone had proved wrong, critics of the apex bank’s forex policy measures.

Emefiele noted that with the level of success attained with the pilot project in Kebbi State, in addition to what he saw at Sunti Golden Sugar Estate in Niger State just recently, the country could produce enough to feed itself and even export in no distant future.

own and operate bank accounts and captured under the Bank Verification Number (BVN) biometric project and timely supply of inputs to 73,001 farmers.”

According to the CBN governor, the performance of the Anchor Borrowers Programme has vindicated the stance of the apex bank and that given the incentive and appropriate support, Nigerian

farmers can fill whatever gap exists between the demand and supply of agricultural products like rice, wheat, cotton and palm produce.

On his assessment of the programme, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, said the level of activities in the rural areas visited by the team had shown that with Kebbi State alone targeting one million tons of

VISIT:

Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, symphatising with an unaccompanied girl at Damare Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, when he led a delegation of members of the House to the camp, weekend.

Photo: NAN.

Agriculture, bedrock of genuine economic growth The governor reiterated that agriculture remained the bedrock of genuine economic growth of any nation, adding that Nigeria could not be an exception.

As such, he said Nigeria with large expanse of arable land ought not to be spending huge amounts of money on importing food items at the expense of other competing needs.

The CBN governor stated that the success recorded by rice farmers in Kebbi State had rekindled hope in the ability of Nigeria to be selfsufficient in rice and wheat production.

He noted that with N210,000, each farmer was able to cultivate a hectare of rice farm.

He disclosed that a total of 78,581 farmers were mobilized in Kebbi State under the Anchor Borrowers Programme and that the farmers are already looking forward to a total of one million metric tons rice this year.

Speaking further on what the programme had been able to achieve, the CBN governor stated: “With the disbursement of N4.9 billion as loans to the farmers, over 570,000 direct jobs have been created and saved with the multiplier effects.

"70,871 rural farmers now

rice out of the projected seven million tons required by the entire country, self sufficiency in rice production is very much in sight at this time when 12 other states identified as rice producing belts harvest their produce.

He commended the efforts of the CBN for reinventing agricultural practice into profitable business venture.

10,000 IDPs break camps, return home with police protection —AIG Ogunsakin As 1,934,765 IDPs live in formal camps, satellite camps

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA — FOLLOWING the takeover of liberated and recaptured territories from the Nigerian military by the Police, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, security authorities told Vanguard, weekend, that more than 10, 000 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, located in seven IDPs camps, in Damaturu, Yobe State, have broken out of camps and returned to their villages under Police protection.

This came as the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, told US Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, that 1,934,765 displaced persons were currently living in formal camps, host communities and satellite camps in liberated communities as a result of insurgency in North Eastern states of Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa states.

The displaced persons were said to have broken out of the camps en-masse, following the opening of the Damaturu-Buni

Yadi-Biu road by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai.

The road had been shut for the last four years as a result of the marauding activities of Boko Haram terrorists.

Some of the communities they returned to with police protection include Buni Yadi, Giniri, Buni Gari and Gulani among others.

Confirming the development in a telephone conversation with Vanguard, Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 12, Bauchi, AIG Ayotunde Ogunsakin, said the IDPs were motivated to embark on the journey back to their homes because of the deployment of police personnel and the required logistics equipment to the North-East states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

He said: “As the AIG in charge of the zone, I have been visiting the liberated territories randomly.

I can tell you that the Police have started taking over control of the affected areas in the North-East. ‘’New officers and men have been posted; equipment and logistics requirements have

arrived. We have started taking full control."

1,934,765 IDPs live in formal camps, satellite camps Meanwhile, 1, 934, 765 displaced persons are currently living in formal camps, host communities and satellite camps in liberated communities as a result of insurgency in North Eastern states of Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi and Adamawa states.

This was disclosed by Yola Camp Coordinator, Sa’ad Bello, who, on behalf of the Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi, took the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, round the facilities at Malkohi IDPs Camp in Yola, Adamawa State, weekend.

He said there were 32 formal camps in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, with a total of 189,783 IDPs. Borno has 19 camps with 150,858 IDPs; Yobe, nine camps with 31,988 IDPs and Adamawa, four camps with 6,937 IDPs.

S-West demands position of PDP national chairman

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA— AHEAD of theMay 21 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, former Deputy National Chairman of the party and other stakeholders from the South-West said, yesterday, that failure to give the position of the national chairman of the party to the zone was a clear indication that the opposition party hated the people of Yoruba race.

Rising from a meeting, weekend, in Lagos, the South West PDP stakeholders said without any fear of equivocation, the people from the zone demanded and desired the post of the national chairman at the next convention of the party.

A statement signed, yesterday, in Abuja by the former Special Assistant, Public Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said only the South West had not produced the position of PDP national chairman since the inception of the party.

Okupe said: “There is an embarrassing falsehood being propagated by political charlatans from the South-West and some influential collaborators in the top echelon of the PDP. “On April 21, 2016, the cream of the authentic Yoruba leadership in the South-West gathered in Ikoyi, under the chairmanship of Chief Olabode George, a retired Air Commodore, former governor, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP and a grandson of the revered legendary and world acclaimed, distinguished Yoruba icon and politician, Sir Herbert Macaulay.

“At that meeting, the true sons and daughters of Yoruba land in an unprecedented unity, condemned the erstwhile claim by the Yoruba traitors, who went and lied to the PDP chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, that the Yoruba do not want the chairmanship of the PDP..

“I want to state categorically here, without any fear of equivocation, that we the Yorubas from the South-West, desire and demand the post of the national chairman at the next convention of the party.

“Failure of a Yoruba man to emerge as the national chairman can only mean two things. That there is a pervasive and concealed hatred for the South-West in the PDP or that the PDP has very little or no regard for Yoruba interest as was evinced by the obvious cheating of the South-West from the position of the Speaker in 2011, which was never rectified nor compensated for the whole of four years."

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—9

Alleged N10m bribe: Saraki queries EFCC's powers to clear CCT chairman Destroyed GTBank documents show how Saraki transferred $3m to US

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA — THE embattled Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has queried the powers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to exculpate the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Justice Danladi Umar, from prosecution, following his alleged complicity in N10 million bribery scandal.

This came as documents obtained by popular online publication, Premium Times, revealed that the embattled Senate President transferred a total of $3.47 million in 40 installments in four years with his credit card to the United States.

Saraki, who dismissed the purported clearance issued to the CCT chairman by EFCC, contended that under the law, only the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had the powers to shield an accused person from criminal prosecution.

Speaking through his lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, Saraki said the clearance the EFCC issued to Umar could not override the recommendation the immediate past AGF made in 2014 for his prosecution.

He said the clean bill of health the anti-graft agency gave the CCT chairman recently, confirmed his position that the tribunal, under Umar, would not ensure fairness in his ongoing trial.

Oluyede argued that only the AGF could reverse a decision to prosecute an accused person, insisting that his client’s application urging Justice Umar to disqualify himself from the trial was still pending before the tribunal.

Besides, Saraki’s lawyer faulted media reports that the application was thrown out by the tribunal, saying since the prosecution was yet to respond to it, and it had not been heard, the tribunal could not have validly determined its merit or otherwise.

He said: “We are not saying he (Umar) is guilty. We are saying he is tainted and that he cannot act independently while the EFCC that is investigating him and had indicted him is now prosecuting our client before him. That is why we asked him to excuse himself from the trial.

“He did so before in the case involving former FCT Minister, Jeremiah Useni, where he excused himself from the hearing on the grounds that he had a close C M Y K

relationship with Useni. We are asking him to do so again now because of the facts that we have presented.”

How Saraki transferred $3m to US Meanwhile, a document obtained by Premium Times indicated that Saraki,

transferred a total of $3.47 million in 40 installments in four years with his credit card to the United States.

He carried out the transactions through Guaranty Trust Bank between 2009, when he served as Kwara State governor, and 2012 when he served as the senator representing Kwara

Central Senatorial District.

Prosecutors say the beneficiary accounts in the US were also owned by Saraki.

Some of the senator ’s companies, during the same period, also transferred thousands of dollars to the US accounts. The companies are Carlisle Properties and West Gate Ltd.

FORUM: From left, Mr Femi Mokikan, Chartered Institute Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM; Mrs Ifeoma Adeniyi, National Treasurer, CIPM; Mr Sunday Adeyemi, Registrar/CEO CIPM; Prof. Adrian Furnham, quest speaker and Professor of Psychology, University College, London and Mr Anthony Arabome, President/Chairmanof Council, CIPM during the 8th Special Human Resource Forum organised by CIPM, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Failure to share data hampers war on Boko Haram in Africa —US, others

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AKAR, Senegal — THE military campaign by Nigeria and neighbouring nations to combat the West African militant group, Boko Haram, has been hampered by a failure among those countries to share crucial intelligence, sometimes even within their own security services, American and other Western officials say.

Western partners have balked as well. The Pentagon and American intelligence services have struggled at times to provide information quickly about Boko Haram militants to the African countries — Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria — without violating restrictions on what can be shared from spy satellite imagery or electronic eavesdropping within rules for not disclosing sources and methods.

Until recently, Western officials and analysts said, Britain and the United States provided only sanitized intelligence reports to the Nigerian military. The countries feared that more detailed information might be misused by an army that human rights groups say has committed abuses against civilians as it battles Boko Haram, which has pledged loyalty to the Islamic

State.

A new intelligence “fusion centre,” created in Chad as part of a multinational task force, has only recently overcome budget and staffing shortfalls, as well as lingering mistrust among the participating countries, to help coordinate operations.

“The big unanswered question right now is how much are all those five countries that are participating going to collaborate and work effectively,” Col. Robert Wilson, who commands American Special Forces in North and West Africa, said in a recent interview, noting that Boko Haram moves easily across borders. Benin recently became the fifth country to join the coalition.

Even within the West African countries, interior ministries often do not share information about terrorist threats with their military counterparts.

In Cameroon, an elite special operations unit, the Rapid Intervention Brigade originally trained and equipped by Israel, now gets training and equipment from United States Navy SEALs and intelligence not handed over to other branches and units of its security

services, Western analysts said.

“It’s a confused mess,” said J. Peter Pham, the director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center in Washington.

American military and counterterrorism officials say intelligence sharing is a difficult issue, particularly outside established alliances. The United States confronted its own shortcomings after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, when it became clear that the F.B.I. and CIA each had information about the hijackers not shared with the other. In the wake of the Islamic State attacks in Paris and Brussels in the past year, the authorities in France and Belgium, as well as throughout Europe, are seeking to fill glaring gaps in intelligence sharing.

American intelligence and counterterrorism officials said it was a challenge to share sensitive intelligence with the West African allies fighting Boko Haram and other terrorist groups. The United States has different rules for what intelligence it shares with each country, and what one country can or cannot share with its neighbour — even though all are trying to fight a common regional enemy, Boko Haram.

Fuel subsidy fraud: Court fixes May 12 for written address

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS — JUSTICE Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, has fixed May 12 for the written address of counsel in the ongoing trial of some oil marketers accused of fuel subsidy fraud.

Founder, Executive ViceChairman of Ontario Oil & Gas Limited, Walter Wagbatsoma, Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, Fakuade Ebenezer, and Ontario Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited, are facing a N1.9 billion oil subsidy fraud trial for purported importation of 39.2 million litres of petrol.

The defendants were rearraigned in February 2013, on a nine-count charge of forgery, conspiracy, and obtaining by false pretences.

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Shehu Mohammed, had testified that the defendants received payment in excess of N414 million by filing fraudulent fuel importation claims.

According to EFCC, the suspects are part of numerous fuel marketers standing trial for allegedly defrauding Nigeria by forging documents that enabled them to receive fuel subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF. At a hearing before Justice Okunnu, Mohammed, who is an EFCC detective, explained that the defendants scammed the Nigerian government and conspired to receive an overpayment of N414 million in fuel subsidies.

Prosecutors allege that the marketers carried out their fraudulent scheme by submitting false certificate of shore tank content.

Mohammed told the court that the suspects claimed they received 19 million liters of petroleum product, adding that they forged certificates to support their fraudulent claim.

The prosecution witness said EFCC investigations at Integrated Oil and Gas depots, OBAT Oil, the Debt Management Office, and the Central Bank of Nigeria indicated that the suspects forged documents to carry out their hoax.

“Analysis of the shore tank certificate we recovered from Integrated Oil Services reads 12 million liters while the one that was given to the commission by the Ontario Oil claims 19 million liters,” Mr. Mohammed said.

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

I raped my sister-in-law under the influence of alcohol —Suspect

By Evelyn Usman

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35-YEAR-OLD man who was arrested a for allegedly raping his teenaged sister in-law in Moloney area of Ikoyi, Lagos, has blamed his act on his state of drunkenness.

But for providence, the victim, a primary school pupil would have suffocated as she was said to have been gagged by the suspect identified as , Mathew Akpan, in an apparent move to prevent her from raising alarm, during the act.

The victim (names withheld) in her statement to the Police, stated that ‘uncle’, (suspect) started having carnal knowledge of her immediately his wife travelled .

Unable to bear the pains and trauma of each night, she confided in a neighbour who advised her to report to the Police.

Train crushes 2 to death in llorin A

KANO to Lagos passenger train, yesterday, crushed a commercial motorcyclist and his passenger to death on Kangu-lleAraromi Road in llorin.

The train crushed the motorcyclist and his passenger, a middle-aged woman, when the motorcyclist tried to cross the rail line around 11a.m.

It was learnt that the train later stopped some metres from the spot of the accident, but there was nothing anybody could do as the victims died instantly.

Hundreds of people, including motorists and commercial motorcyclists, trooped to the scene of the accident.

Some residents, including

children, burst into tears when they sighted the corpses.

Some members of the commercial motorcyclists association at the gate of the Michael lmoudu Institute of Labour, identified the motorcyclist as one of their members.

Policemen from the Ganmo Police Station later evacuated the

6 die, many injured as fire guts filling stations Daud Olatunji with agency reports

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O FEWER than six people were killed, six houses razed, and about 15 vehicles burnt in Kaduna and Ondo states, Saturday, as fire gutted filling stations, just as officers of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ogun State Command, invaded a MRS Filling Station and reportedly attacked five workers

at the station in Ogun State.

At Unguwar Ma’azu, Kaduna, no fewer than six people died, seven injured while 15 vehicles were burnt in a fire that gutted a filling station.

The Assistant Manager, Fasada Mega Filling Station , Alhaji Jibrin Musa, yesterday, in Kaduna, disclosed that the incident happened, Saturday, when one of the trucks was offloading petrol.

“The adaptor was not properly fixed which splilled the fuel on ground and some fuel hawkers

came to scoop the fuel on ground.

“One of the motorists, who was on queue waiting to buy the product, wanted to remove his car, he started his vehicle which ignited the fire.

“About 15 vehicles were burnt to ashes, which include 11 private and commercial cars, two Keke NAPEP, 1 tanker and a tipper.

“You can see that the filling station was all burnt; it even affected the nearby filling station.

The Fire Service was there on time to fight the fire. They helped a lot and people also helped to stop the

2 die as trucks ram into cattle on expressway in Ogun

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—TWO persons reportedly lost their lives in an accident which occurred at Obada Oko axis along the old Lagos - Abeokuta expressway yesterday .

An eye witness said that the accident occurred when a truck rammed into some cattle being led by a group of Fulani herdsmen.

The witness said the accident involved two trucks: a green coloured Austin Tipper truck with number plates LAGOS KJA168 XP and a wine coloured DAF Truck with number plates OGUN TRE 270 XA .

It was gathered that the driver of the sand laden Austin tipper truck on sighting the herdsmen and their cattle on the expressway lost control while attempting to apply break and eventually rammed into the herd killing one cow in the process.

Both the driver of the tipper truck and his motorboy also died after their truck had veered off the expressway and crashed into the bush.

two bodies.

Officials of the Ilorin office of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, were not in their offices for comments, but the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Police Command, Mr Samuel Okasanmi, said the command would investigate the cause of the incident.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Head of Field Unit in Markurd, Mr. Sam Agwa (left) with UNHCR External Relations Officer, Mr. Hanson Tamfu, during the UNCHR envoy's visit to Agatu in Benue, yesterday. Photo: NAN

fire,” Musa said.

The Manager of Shemaco Filling station, which is near the mega station, Malam Nafi’u Inusa, said that the station was also affected by the fire incident, with four of the dispenser pumps burnt.

When contacted, the Kaduna State Director of Fire, Mr Paul Abio, who confirmed the incident, said that the fire fighters rescued those that were trapped.

In related incident at Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, no fewer than six houses were razed in an inferno that gutted a Mobil petrol station on Saturday.

It was learnt that the fire which began at 7.30p.m. was as a result of a spark which emanated from a house beside the Mobil filling station.

It was equally learnt that no life was lost in the inferno, but the absence of a fire service station in the town worsened the situation.

An eye witness, Prince Ayoola Odidiomo, said that no life was lost in the fire outbreak, but that six houses were razed by the inferno.

Meanwhile, pandemonium broke out in Isale Igbein , Abeokuta, when some officers of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Ogun State Command invaded an MRS filling station filling station and attacked five workers including the manager of the station.

Woman, 35, burns housemaid’s buttock with hot iron

By Francis Igata & Chinenyeh Ozor

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NUGU—THE Enugu State Police command,yesterday, arrested a 35-year-old,Nneka Ifeoze, who allegedly burnt her nine years old housemaid’s buttock with a hot electric iron for eating the food meant for her two years old baby boy.

Vanguard learnt from a neighbour that the quick intervention of the Police saved the woman from being lynched by residents of the area when they heard that the woman bashed the little housemaid because she was accused of eating the food meant for the woman’s two years old son.

Confirming the incident , the State’s Police Public Relations

Officer,PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu, said the housemaid allegedly ate the food meant for the suspect’s two-year-old son, an action that infuriated Nneka Ifeoze.

“The madam (Nneka Ifeoze) allegedly came back to

discover that her two-year-old boy under the care of the house help was assaulted as the house help ate the food meant for him. The suspect became angry and headed for her plugged pressing iron, unplugged it and put it on her

buttock. The action left her with series of injuries.

“Meanwhile, the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention while we will prosecute them as soon as investigation is concluded," Police spokesman assured.

Warri mob set 2 hoodlums ablaze

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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ARRI—TWO hoodlums were yesterday afternoon burnt dead by angry mob in Okumagba Layout, Warri, Delta state.

The two, burnt at different spots, were said to be among a gang of nine armed robbers caught by youths in the area following their failed robbery bid at Okolobe Street,

Okumagba Layout.

An eye witness told Vanguard that, “They were about to raid people holding a party in Okolobe Street with arms, but the crowd reacted swiftly and chased after them.

“They ran in different directions, but in the end, one was caught at Emebiren Junction where he was beaten to coma before being set ablaze with a tyre round his

neck. The other got same jungle justice at Estate Roundabout.”

It was further gathered that efforts by policemen and vigilante to rescue the victims were thwarted by the mob.

Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, DSP Cellestina Kalu, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—11

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Edo 2016: Ex-PDP govt officials adopt Ize-Iyamu

By Gabriel Enogholase

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E N I N — T H E governorship ambition of former Secretary to Edo State Government, SSG, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, weekend, received a boost following his adoption for the governorship race by past political office holders from Edo North senatorial district.

The decision to back Pastor Ize-Iyamu for the governorship ticket was taken at a meeting in Fugar, headquarters of Estako Central Local Government Area of the state by the former political office holders who are members of the PDP, as well as some other affiliate groups such as women and youths groups.

The ex-political office holders said that after a thorough check on all the aspirants jostling for the Edo State governorship seat in all the political parties, they had come to the conclusion that Ize-Iyamu was the best, considering his experience, clout and temerity.

A former Speaker of AkokoEdo legislative council, Mr. Ade

C M Y K

Ajayi, boasted that in IzeIyamu the PDP’s hope of reclaiming Edo State from the All Progressives Congress, APC, was certain, adding that like minds from the APC were willing to team up with them once Ize-Iyamu emerged the PDP candidate.

He said: “We have made serious efforts to put this together. We have looked at

the profiles of all the aspirants across the party and have no doubt that PDP’s chances are brightest with Ize-Iyamu. We have since discovered that he is capable of bringing together those things needed to ensure victory for the party.”

Mr. Richard Olori from Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state moved the motion for the adoption of Ize-

Iyamu, while six other persons from each of the six local government ares in the district seconded the motion.

Some of those who attended the meeting include Jaret Tenebe, Abu Dokpesi, Abu Maipata former council chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries, supervisors and councilors in the six councils of Edo North district.

N-Delta communities deny issuing quit notice Italian oil firm, Saipem, nor any clarified that there were no to Saipem other company presently contractual irregularities between

N

IGER Delta oil-rich coastal communities of Ojobo, Ogbotobo and Tarakiri Cluster Development Board, TCDB, comprising Egbemo, Angalabiri, Ojobo, Ogbotobo, Agbayama, Agbidiama and other satellite communities, both in Burutu and Ekeremo Local Government Areas of Delta and Bayelsa States, have said that there was no time they issued quit notice to Saipem and other oil firms operating in their localities.

The communities stated that they were neither at war with the

executing projects at the ongoing Southern Swamp Associated Gas Solution Project, SSAGS, warning that those fanning the embers of war between the communities and oil firms to desist.

In separate statements in Warri, weekend, by Chief Bekewei Warekromor (Amananaowei of Ojobo community), Tari Areprekumo (Chairman, Ojobo community), Chief Perry George (Ogbotobo CT Chairman) and Dr. Prince Jude Ebibokefie (Chairman, TCDB), the community leaders

them and Saipem.

They claimed that they had never been denied whatever was due to their communities since the project commenced, adding that those threatening to shut down oil installations in the area under the pretence of breach in contractual agreements were mere mischief makers.

“As a people, we did not at any time request or call on Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to stop Saipem from handling its oil and gas projects within our communities," they said.

UPU lauds Ijaw youths over Ese Oruru’s release

By Samuel Oyadongha

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E N A G O A — URHOBO Progress Union, UPU, yesterday lauded the commitment of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, in advocating the freedom of Ese Oruru.

Miss Oruru, a minor, was allegedly abducted by Mr. Yunusa Dahiru in August 2015 from Bayelsa State and taken to Kano State where she was forced into a marriage.

She was rescued by the police in March and returned to Bayelsa State while Dahiru was on March 8, 2016, charged with abduction, kidnapping and sexual exploitation by the police.

Parents of the 14-year-old Oruru and executives of Bayelsa chapter of UPU lauded the support of IYC in securing the release of the minor during a thankyou visit to President of IYC in Yenagoa.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—13

Illegal appointment: CSO coalition wants 13 VCs to resign A

By Innocent Anaba

coalition of some civil society organisations has advised the 13 Vice Chancellors of federal universities in the country who were wrongly appointed by the Federal Government last February to take the path of honour by resigning their appointments.

The coalition explained that the measure had become imperative following President Muhammadu Buhari's apology to the country over the ill-advised dissolution of the governing boards of the affected universities, which preceded the sack of the former Vice Chancellors and the appointment of new ones.

In a statement, weekend, in Abuja, the led by National Convener of the Concerned Citizens for Educational Development, CCED, Mr Solomon Adodo and Executive Director, Friends in the Gap Advocacy Initiative, FGAI, George Oji, commended the principled position of Professor Auwal Yadudu, who bluntly refused to accept the offer of appointment as Vice Chancellor of the University of Birnin Kebbi for not following due process.

The group also highlighted the action of Professor Andrew Haruna, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State, (one of the 13 Vice Chancellors), who in apparent

recognition of his illegal appointment has now applied to the University of Jos as one of the candidates for the office of the Vice Chancellor of that university.

“We use this medium to call on all the 13 Vice Chancellors who were recently appointed without undergoing the spelt out procedures to honourably tender their resignation letters as Professor Haruna did, as he subjects himself to seek the

pristine office of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos. “The fact that Professor Haruna could subject himself to the proper screening and interview process of the University of Jos Governing Council negates the premise on which he and the other 12 appointed Vice Chancellors were foisted on their respective universities in the first instance,” the coalition said.

The group restated that the position of the law, which provides that the appointment of Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities is the sole affair of each university without undue interference from the Visitor (President) as seen in the case of University of Jos Governing Council under the Chairmanship of Dr. Don Etiebet, stressing that, “the competitiveness of the process gives room for the best candidate to emerge successfully without bias or political interference.”

AINABE AT 70: Chief & Mrs Ezekiel Ainabe, cutting the 70th birthday cake for Chief Ainabe and the couple's 45th wedding anniversary, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Deregulation, panacea to fuel crisis —Emami

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By Daniel Gumm

ARRI—NIGER Delta activist and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Ayirimi Emami, has urged the Federal Government to seriously consider full deregulation of the oil and gas sector, insisting that it was the only way to end the endless fuel crisis in Nigeria.

Chief Emami, who also enjoined the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, to review the persistent fuel crisis in the country with a view to encouraging the Federal Government to fully deregulate the critical oil and gas sector so as to encourage local and foreign investors.

He appealed to the Federal Government to relax the stringent forex policy and assist petroleum marketers who import products to easily access forex at the official rate to complement the government’s effort in meeting the daily local consumption demands for fuel.

In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, Emami C M Y K

commended the Federal Government for revamping the hitherto comatose government-owned four refineries and called on government to immediately put measures in place to ensure that fuel, kerosene and other crude oil products get to the riverine dwellers at affordable amount, since there was a ban on the sale of fuel in jerry cans and the coastal communities do not have

filling stations.

According to him, assigning the task of distribution of petroleum products to the coastal communities to petroleum marketers, who are familiar with the difficult terrain of the Niger Delta region will stop illegal oil bunkering and ultimately raise Nigeria’s daily crude oil output, apart from making refined products accessible at regulated prices.

He also absolved the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, of any blame in the current fuel crisis, noting that the minister should be commended for his untiring efforts at making sure that the nation’s four refineries have begun production again and ailing infrastructures in the oil and gas sector are being revitalised alongside sweeping reforms in the NNPC.

NNPC ex-Executive Director gunning for GMD, NDIMRC alleges

By Onozure Dania

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IGER Delta Indigenous Movement For Radical Change, NDIMRC, has alleged that a former Group Executive Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was desperately working to become the Group Managing Director of NNPC, even as they dismissed rumours that Dr Ibe Kachikwu has been sacked as the GMD of the corporation.

It had been rumoured that Kachikwu had been fired and replaced with Dr Maikanti Baru, the Adviser to Dr Kachikwu on

Gas. In a statement by its President, Nelly Emma, weekend, the group dismissed the rumour, saying: “Our attention has been drawn to misleading report that Dr Kachikwu has been sacked as the GMD of NNPC and to tell the general public that our checks revealed that it is not true and therefore, should be disregarded in its entirety.

“Our findings also revealed that a former ED was behind this devilish rumour. He is very desperate to become the GMD of NNPC and we want to implore President

Muhammadu Buhari to be wary of him.

“He is not happy with the reforms being carried out in NNPC by the GMD of the corporation, Dr Kachikwu, and he feels that the only way to unseat a hard-working innocent man is to go viral that his boss has been sacked and he has been appointed to replace him.”

The group, while alleging that the individual was one of those who destroyed NNPC which Dr Kachikwu has been working round the clock to bring back to life, said: “Without apology, we want to say that he doesn’t mean well for the corporation."

LP, APC merger in Delta suffers setback

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—THE much anticipated merger of Labour Party, LP and the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, weekend, suffered a setback with the state Chairman of LP, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, dissociating himself from the merger talks between the two major political parties in the state.

Indications had emerged last week that LP and the Accord Party in the state would merge with the APC ahead of the 2019 election with a view to wresting power from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

Chief Tony Ezeagwu, while addressing newsmen in Asaba, said that the party had never been in negotiation with any political party to form a formidable opposition to dislodge the PDP from power in the state in 2019.

Ezeagwu said: “I think it is a rumour. I am the state chairman of LP, so if there is any such thing and I am not aware, it is not true."

Edo 2016: Why Ize-Iyamu must apologise to PDP —Ihimekpen

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Mr Okharedia Ihimekpen, weekend, insisted that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a governorship aspirant of the party, must apologise to PDP members for his alleged role in destroying the party and aiding the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC, government in the state.

Ihimekpen, who was reacting to a comment by one Nosa Adams, a member of the party, who faulted his (Ihimekpen’s) earlier criticism of Ize-Iyamu, noted that the power to elect aspirants of the party lies with the delegates but that it would be difficult for the delegates to support IzeIyamu’s candidature unless he apologizes to the party for jettisoning the party for the then ACN and returning to gun for the governorship ticket.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

PDP RECEPTION FOR GOVERNOR OKOWA IN OGHARA

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta Central Senatorial district held a victory reception in honour of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State at Oghara Township Stadium, yesterday. PHOTOS: Nath Onojake.

From left— Dame Edith Okowa, wife of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; Hon. Erhatake Ibori and Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, former Minister of Police Affairs.

From left—The governor's wife, Edith; Governor Okowa; Senator Ighoyota Amori; former Deputy Governor of the state, Professor Amos Utuama, and Speaker of the state's House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya.

ABOVE:

From left— Gen. Dominic Oneya (rtd) and Chief Fred Majemite

LEFT:

From left— Delta State PDP Chairman, Chief Edwin Uzor; former Deputy Governor of Delta State, Chief B. S. C. Ellue, and Senator Patrick Osakwe.

The reception venue.

PRINCE TONY MOMOH'S BOOK PRESENTATION

Former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh, the Yerima of Auchi Kingdom, presented a redesigned and updated edition of his book, Each Man His Time— The Biography of An Era, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTOS: Abayomi Adeshida.

From left— Guest of Honour, Senator Victor Oyofo; author's wife, Mrs. Janet Momoh; author, Prince Tony Momoh; Chairman of the event, Alhaji Ishyaku Rabiu, and Minister for Science and Technology, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu.

Mr. Garba Zakawanu (left), Senator Victor Oyofo (right), former Head of Service to the Federation, Engr. Ebele Okeke (2nd left) and another guest.

Former Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Justice Constance Momoh (right) and Prince Momoh.

Guests with copies of the book.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—15

By Emeka Mamah & Chidi Nkwopara

IPOB leadership tussle worries MASSOB

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ORKERS of Enugu State, under the auspices of the Organised Labour, comprising Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC; Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, JPSNC, have debunked report credited to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC), alleging that the state government misapplied the Federal Government bailout fund for the liquidation of outstanding salaries and pensions of the public servants in the state.

They said: “Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi involved the Organised Labour in the management of the sum of N4,207,000,000, being the actual bailout fund approved for the state for the settlement of outstanding salaries and pensions of the public servants,” stressing that the state government did not misapply the fund as was wrongly reported.

ICPC had listed Enugu State among the states that allegedly misapplied the Federal Government bailout funds loan meant to offset backlog of workers’ salaries and pensions.

In a statement by Mr. Virginus Nwobodo, Chairman, NLC; Mr. Igbokwe Igbokwe, Chairman, TUC/JPSNC, and Mr. Theo Obasiani, Secretary, JPSNC, the unions described the allegation

by ICPC as “false and misleading” and a “deliberate attempt to instigate workers and the good people of Enugu State against the state government and tarnish the good image of the state.”

Imo tackles ICPC

Meanwhile, Imo State Government has not only denied that it misapplied the bailout fund it received from the Federal Government, but equally challenged the management of ICPC to publish details of its findings or keep quiet over the issue.

Government’s position was made public yesterday, through a statement by Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, which also made reference to a report signed by one Mustapha Hussain on behalf of the Commissioner for Public Enlightenment in the Commission.

Onwuemeodo said: “The Commission did not state how it arrived at that conclusion, but only stated that some transfers were made into certain accounts not related to salaries and emoluments, including N2 billion paid into a Government Account; N2 billion paid into an Imo State Project Account and N2 billion transferred into a Micro finance Bank.”

While stating that ICPC was

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

HANDOVER: The new Flag Officer Commanding Nigerian Navy Logistics Command, Oghara, Delta State, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Abbah (left) recieving the Command Flag from the outgoing Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik.

Alleged Misapplication of Bailout Fund:

Enugu workers exonerate Ugwuanyi’s administration As IMSG tackles ICPC right that such monies were paid into the mentioned accounts, government, however, stated that it expected the Commission to go further and tell the public what such funds paid into those accounts were used for.

He said: “The Commission became stingy with facts at that point. From the referenced Micro finance Bank Account, Imo State University, Imo Polytechnic, Imo College of Nursing and Health Sciences

staff, collected their salaries, also in arrears, in December 2015. We also want the ICPC to prove us wrong on this claim.”

Continuing, he disclosed that from the mentioned government’s account, personnel of Imo Security Network, Imo Community Watch, Youth Must Work Teachers, Community Government Council Teachers, and Imo Civil Guards were paid all their arrears in

December 2015.

He added: “In the case of Imo State Project Account, government was drawing money from the account to ensure full payment of workers’ salaries when the financial fortunes of the state began to dwindle like most other states. So, when the bailout fund finally came, the government had no option than to pay back the fund it had borrowed from that account.”

W E R R I — LEADERSHIP of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, says it is no longer comfortable with what they called “the level of internal crisis rocking the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.” The group’s position was made public in a statement by Mr. Uchenna Madu, made available to Vanguard in Owerri.

It was the considered opinion of MASSOB leadership that the conflicting leadership claims in IPOB “is creating serious tension and loss of faith which diminishes the primary target, interest and focus on the actualisation of Biafra.

“MASSOB wishes to advise the leaderships of Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB and Supreme Council of Elders of IPOB under the leadership of Justice Eze Ozobu (rtd), General Achuzia and Dr. Dozie Ikedife, to sheathe their swords, especially now that global attention is being drawn to Biafra.”

He said the lingering war of words was not healthy for the struggle.

Tension as herdsmen plot invasion of Enugu community

By Chinenyeh Ozor

C

ONFUSION has enveloped Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, Enugu State, following an alleged attempt by Fulani herdsmen to invade the community and displace residents for cattle-grazing.

About 500 Fulani herdsmen were allegedly assembling at Ukpabi Nimbo community in the area to launch an attack.

It was gathered that the herdsmen at Adani had, weekend, imported these 500 others from Nasarawa State to help them invade the community on grounds that some of their cattle were missing.

However, stakeholders from the local government met, weekend to find solutions to

Enugu Fulani community leader intervenes the incessant attacks by herdsmen on communities in the local government, leading to the kidnap of over 15 persons and raping of several women from the area along the Nsukka-Adani-Umulokpa road in the last six months.

Those kidnapped allegedly paid ransoms ranging from N500,000 to about N5 million before they regained their freedom.

According to sources, Chairman, Transition Committee, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, Cornell Onwubuya, reportedly alerted Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the state Commissioner of Police, Ekechukwu on the development.

He was said to have further alerted the leaders of the Fulani community in Enugu State, who met with stakeholders from UzoUwani to address the issue.

Emergency meeting

Speaking at the emergency meeting in Enugu, Onwubuya said the meeting was convened to address the allegation that herdsmen planned to import about 500 of their tribesmen to enable them invade some communities in the area.

He noted that local leaders of the Fulani community also confirmed that there were attempts to bring in mercenaries for the attack on the communities, adding

that the Fulani leaders in Enugu had complained that some of their people were killed within the axis of Ukpabi Nimbo and Abbi communities in the recent past.

In his speech at the meeting, Enugu State leader of the Fulani community, Alhaji Haldo Saidu Baso said that he had lived in Enugu State for over 33 years and would not be alive to witness the type of crises that they were talking about.

The Fulani community later resolved to talk to their people in the state not take the laws into their hands.

Baso said: “We will travel to Nasarawa State to talk to the cattle owners and stakeholders to warn the rustlers in Enugu State to stay away from trouble.”

APRIL 25, 2016

Multiple woes hit outdoor advert sector Operators complain of unpaid bills, zero orders, regulatory issues

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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perators of outdoor advertising business in Nigeria say their survival is under threat if government fails to come to their aid, as they accuse the Lagos State government of owing them over N1 billion.

The N1 billion is the total sum resulting from allotted sites for President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode's 2015 election campaign, Financial Vanguard, FV authoritatively gathered.

The

practitioners under the aegis of Outdoor Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, OAAN, among other things decried the inability of member companies and clients to access foreign exchange to bring in raw materials for production.

The Association also complained of high rate of charges by states on both redundant and occupied billboards.

President of the Association, Babatunde Adedoyin told FV that the sector is groaning under serious economic crunch which is noticed on about 70 percent of member company billboards nationwide.

Adedoyin also noted that the present

economic situation is forcing clients to cut their advertising budget which has taken toll on member companies.

Speaking to FV, the OAAN President said: “The economy for us is in total recession, in a situation like this, there is no way it would not affect our industry.

As we speak, about 70 per cent of our billboards are redundant. Clients are cutting budgets. Some are not sure of what they want to do this year and some can’t even access foreign exchange to bring in raw materials and since they do not have raw materials they can’t produce, hence they can’t advertise.

“For the first quarter of this year, there

TOUR: From left, Former Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero; CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele; Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe and; Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, during the assessment tour of ANCHOR Borrowers Programmes in Kebbi State over the weekend.

C M Y K

are no media orders from most companies, some of them are still trying to put things together because of the uncertainty that we are facing today.

That is the basic truth and I can’t start mentioning organisations. Some are even owing the last two quarters of last year; I am talking about multinationals.”

Adedoyin went further to say, “the regulators are looking for money; Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, LASAA is trying to collect money at all costs and everybody is looking for ways to get money from operators because allocation coming from the centre is little or nothing, therefore most of them are now thinking that there are internally generated revenues, IGR, and unfortunately those of us they are trying to get the money from are having the same problem.

“Our clients are not doing well, they are not giving orders, they are not paying. This is not peculiar to Lagos it is in all the states. Right now, our boards are being pulled down in Kaduna, Rivers, Abuja and we have been to all these places and the story is all the same except that charges in Lagos is higher may be because they are the pioneer of these agencies. For sure, we don’t have any sympathy from them, that is the truth.”

On whether Lagos and the association have been able to strike a rapport, he quipped: “First and foremost we have not settled anything with Lagos. We are still discussing. We are trying to arrive at an amicable solution. We are praying and hoping that in a short time this would come to an end. You know this is a professional association and as a company you are compelled to practice in all the states of the federation. We have some of our members practising in the East, in the West and those practising only in Lagos, and whatever policy that we have, members should be safe whether practising in Lagos or elsewhere. That is why we decided not to hold our annual general meetings in Lagos alone.

"As I speak someone is in Kaduna and Abuja doing some discussion with the regulators there. It is a professional association and the policy is the same whether you are in Lagos, Abeokuta or Uyo their problem there is our problem here. Because today you might be in Lagos and tomorrow may want to practice in Uyo." Continues on page 18

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Cover

Entrepreneurial revolution: The way for ward ffor or Nigeria orw INAUGURATION - From left, Victor Gotevbe, Secretary-General, Chartered Institute of Strategic Managers and Leaders, CISML Nigeria; Dr. Austin Izagbo, President/Chairman, CISML Africa; Dr. Hayford Alile, President-General, CISML Global and Prof. Joseph Mba, Registrar-General, CISML Global during the inauguration of principal officers of CISML Africa in Lagos recently.

Multiple woes hit outdoor ad sector Continued from page 17 On what drives rates, Emmanuel Ajufo, Vice President of the association stated that "there was a fixed rate, but with the advent of LASAA, the rate went up by over 1000 per cent and so the regulators want to make money, but like we keep telling them, Nigeria today has oil but have nowhere to sell it.

“We are telling them to allow us pay to the extent we have also received but they are not reasoning, and we must get them to understand that. "If they can take what has been received, then they should also allow us to pay what we have also received.”

Corroborating the President’s statement, Ajufo said further that the association has been battling with LASAA on the issue of vacant billboards.

He said: ”We are the endangered specie, whatever money we spend, come from the advertisers.

“The regulators still insist that we must pay them the same amount of money we pay when the billboards were occupied.

Where do they expect us to get the money from?"

On raging debt controversy, the VP admitted that members are owing LASAA, but it is as a result of charges on vacant billboards.

“We are saying to LASAA that we did a job for them and we had an agreement with people that gave us the job and LASAA is saying that they do not know that agreement and we believe that government is a continuum and very soon this present management of LASAA will be a thing of the past. I do not know why people do not learn from the past. I don’t know OAAN will enter agreement with somebody and when the current leadership departs and another comes in and it will begin to say it doesn’t know anything about such agreement.

We are still talking about this thing and we expect LASAA to set aside those debts until we resolve them because we are claiming that money and he is saying that he doesn’t know about the money and he is still dealing with us on the account of the money that we expect him to pay us.

Continuing, the VP stated: “it is not possible for us not to owe because we can’t walk into the bank and take a loan to pay for vacant billboards. We believe as regulators, they must understand the environments they regulate and they must also know that a percentage of what we give to them come from advertisers and they (advertisers) have the right to take their money to anywhere they want. We are here today talking about this rate being too high and we are asking them to bring it down and let us pay as we received, but they said no.

“Presently, we are having issues in Kaduna, don’t forget the present Kaduna governor was the one who did what he did in Abuja so he wants to do the same thing in Kaduna. They started by saying beautify the environment and at the end of the day it is rate increase and so it is very clear

We believe as regulators, they must understand the environment they regulate and they must also know that a percentage of what we give to them come from advertisers

we need to come down to address this issue."

LASAA’s defence: The said Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, LASAA, the agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating outdoor practice in Lagos, was said to have embarked on Save Our Soul agreement on behalf of the APC to rally support for its candidates both within the State and at the federal level through the provision of sites for adequate exposure.

Although the agreement was said to have been reached by both the regulator and the operators prior to the election, the new administration of LASAA led by Mobolaji Sanusi has denied any arrangement or deal claiming that the former helmsman, George Noah, acted on his own.

Sanusi while denying the claim stated that the party made available some funds for the execution of the campaign and as such the immediate past head should be held responsible to account for it.

While LASAA under Sanusi is insisting that it was the operators that owe it for the stated period, the operators believe the new administration was being unfair by asking them to go after Noah for the payment when the agreement was reached.

To the operators, it was quite surprising that the same LASAA whose staffers were privy to the agreement could make a U-turn on the issue.

The operators further revealed that some members had to relinquish previous agreement reached with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in order to key into what the regulator proposed to them.

Part of the agreement reached between both parties, according to a source, include defraying the cost incurred by each of the operators on the usage of their sites for Buhari and Ambode campaigns by clearing off either part or all the debt owed.

F

or Nigeria’s and Africa’s women, youth, rural populations, the urban poor, the underemployed and unemployed, the current economic realities offer no hope for a change in their circumstances. Mass poverty is endemic across the continent, and shows no signs of waning.

Most of Africa’s 54 countries are consistently listed among the low and low-medium human development societies. What is required to transform this situation is a radical break from the past. What is required is an entrepreneurial revolution devoted to providing goods and services that take advantage of the large domestic and regional markets and opportunities of a globalised economy. But this will not happen by wishful thinking. It requires a profound shift in individual mind-sets and a fundamental reorganisation of government policies and practices.

It will not happen overnight, but it can happen. Pursuing such a revolution, practical, directed steps can be taken immediately to encourage the entrepreneurial vision, talents and efforts of Nigeria’s, and Africa‘s populations. The entrepreneurial revolution is key to poverty alleviation. Such a revolution holds out a realistic hope for the future of Africa’s 1 billion people.

Entrepreneurship is the surest way for a nation to meet those goals and to develop prosperity for the greatest number of people. In fact, government activities should focus on supporting entrepreneurship not just to meet these measurable targets, but to unlock people’s mind- set, to allow innovation to take place and to enable people to exercise their talents. In all people, you find different kinds of talents, and entrepreneurship is about harnessing those talents, and making sure that it takes people to another level in their personal development. So, it is important for government to develop the private sector and to create an environment that enables entrepreneurs to flourish. We are focused on lowering the costs of electricity, providing access to finance, building roads, and training managers.

Change has to start in the mind. And that is what we have been working on over time. Once the mind gets correct, the rest becomes simple. This entrepreneurial mind-set must inform our actions whether we are in the private sector, government, or civil society. This mind-set must inspire our entrepreneurs to aim ever higher. It must compel our civil servants to reinvent government. It must encourage our civil society to work for the greater good. Ultimately, this mind-set holds the key to our prosperity, our development, and our future.

Entrepreneur and government working together in publicprivate partnerships to pursue economic opportunities is the essence of the entrepreneurial revolution. The entrepreneur in his entrepreneurial activities can bring about increase in production and create employment, income and facilitate rapid growth of micro, small, medium, and large scale enterprise to reduce poverty and hunger among the people.

The World Bank’s country partnership strategy (CPS) for Nigeria out lines basic requirements for sustainable growth: -Improving governance, Maintaining non- oil growth, and promoting human development. The World Bank’s CPS and Nigeria’s NEEDS strategies serve as a summary of key initiative that government must focus on in order to drive a sustainable entrepreneurial revolution. These initiatives include: · Creating a collective socio-economic atmosphere that encourages entrepreneurial development to its fullest and widest capability. This includes tackling infrastructure deficits (in roads, power, and communication) that elevate the cost of doing business and mortality rates. · Addressing systemic imbalances in terms of policy design and implementation, together with effective measures against institutional corruption.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 19

Here are some interesting reactions to the issue raised on this column last Monday Onu Igala f the writer of this article saw the breakdown of internally generated revenues (IGR) by States, he would not have held his breath for Fiscal Federalism. If the core North gives you fiscal federalism, what is then the attraction to seize federal power by all means? Check this out, Kano State gets the highest allocation from the federation account by State and LGAs, while its IGR is not even among the top ten in the State

by State list. Yes, why would the core North be asked to collect taxes when they can collect so much from the federation account? Easy money. Even my our so-called leaders from all small Kogi collects more IGR Victor Inyang-Edung than Katsina State. But Katsina The resources from Akwa Ibom walks of life – political, religious State ranks second when it is what Kano is using to pay and ethnic. Rather than seek or comes to sharing the allocation salaries, build roads and promote causes for national from the federation account by whatever they call development, unity, they would rather States. So, to the core North, it can you tell us what Kano and sponsor or lay foundation for is unitary fiscal government or the entire North is bringing to divisions for their ulterior nothing so that they can the federal purse for sharing? motives based on selfcontinue to control the federal Akwa Ibom, the rest of South- aggrandizement. Apt as the purse and appropriate it to South and South East are advisory by the National Council, as themselves using criteria like justified to collect 50 per cent Economic encapsulated in this article, on landmass and census figures. as it was before the civil war. going back to the basics of fiscal You just highlighted the real federalism may seem to the Matthews I problem with Nigeria. People The problem does not so much entire developmental process of can shout Sai Baba all they want, there is no way in blue dwell on the absence of the nation, without genuine blazes someone like Buhari can knowledge or the unawareness commitment, this may well instill fiscal federalism into the of our pitfalls as a people and seem like returning to the system. To maintain its control nation but rather, on the non- bridges that have been burnt. over Nigeria’s resources and existence of political and moral military, the North has to will power to reason together as continue to uphold the myth of one people in resolving issues bigger population which confronting us. Failure and Of course, the justifies their appropriation of inability to tackle the basic major factor for our a lion's share of Nigeria’s causes of the so-called inherent, sundry wealth. Anyone who thinks deep-seated and mutual predicaments lies Buhari will bring about any distrust rooted in our political, fundamental change is living in religious and ethnic trajectory in our so-called a fool’s paradise. Real change would continue to bog us down leaders from all will see the North losing all their as an entity. walks of life – Of course, the major factor for age long privileges. I don’t see our sundry predicaments lies in political, religious that happening at all.

I

Mr. President: Fiscal federalism will end Nigeria’s economic woes

and ethnic.

Economy

Dodo This is very correct, unfortunately, Nigerians are blind including their leaders.

This problem, if not adequately addressed, will affect our children. Nigeria’s problem is not about PDP, APC, religion or tribe. Buhari is not the solution to Nigeria's problem. How long are we going to blame every other person except ourselves?

We are all responsible for this very unsustainable structure we operate. Address this and change our educational system to focus on creativity and things will move in the right direction.

Alternatively, we can continue to live in self denial. I repeat, Nigerians are blind. Take it or leave it.

Eri Kingdom Fiscal Federalism must also include total deregulation of the telecom sector. Some will argue that at current stage, the sector is already deregulated, but a closer look at it will show more needs to be done. A situation where five network providers

occupy a space for 100 million cell phone subscribers is unacceptable. In fact, Nigeria with its large population, needs a minimum of 50 network providers, an average of one network provider per state in the federation. Any network provider with two million+ subscribers can sustain its business. States should be allowed to attract whichever provider they deem fit.

OkpomO Prince Yusuf The regions that suffer the most in this current lop-sided arrangement must organise themselves to get what they want, whether any other region agrees or not. They have everything at their disposal.

Oshimili Olatubosun PMB cannot deliver Nigeria; he is part of the problem. He will never address the fundamental issue of true /fiscal federalism, he can travel to the moon and borrow any amount or arrest all the thieves, yet he cannot deliver Nigeria from its current problems.

PIB: Need for even handedness

By VICTOR ATTAH

O

f all the Issues that have threatened the stability of this country- religion, ethnicity there has been none as virulent as oil. This threat has been potentiated by the manner in which this product has been administered and mismanaged.

The effect of this mismanagement has spelt doom for our economy and brought total discontent to the people of the Niger Delta.

When militancy and the demand for resource control first started, the rest of the country accused the people of the region of wanting to secede. But, as I have had occasion to state in the past, it was never the intention of the people of the region to secede.

Rather our worry, which till today has not been adequately addressed, was, and remains, the fear that it is the rest of the country that has a hidden

agenda toward our oil. The suspicion has been expressed that the rest of the country intends to exhaust the oil and gas in such an uncaring manner as has left the region environmentally devastated, and at the end of the day bid us good bye.

We have therefore sought guarantees that this will not happen but none has been offered. We have sought meaningful participation of the States and local communities in the oil industry and this has been stiffly resisted. What we have instead is a contrivance called Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended is very clear and states as follows: “Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the entire property in and control of all minerals, mineral oils and natural gas in, under or upon any land in Nigeria or in, under or upon the territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone of

Nigeria shall rest in the government of the Federation and shall be managed in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.”

Why is the National Assembly in such a hurry now to regulate the management of mineral oils only and not the other minerals with which Nigeria is so abundantly blessed?

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, Hon Uzoma Nkem Abomia, was reported as saying that the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) proposed by the Nigerian senate is skewed in a manner that would breed more troubles and restiveness in the Niger Delta region, instead of solution.

I have read such screaming headlines as: “Plateau to explore solid mineral”; “Ondo partners US firm on bitumen exploitation”; “PIB: Nigeria mulls 40% sale of new oil firms”.

There is also a determination

to unbundle and completely reorganize NNPC. It has also been reported how “Experts make case for solid mineral policy”. The Hon. Minister for Solid Minerals, Dr Fayemi has been quoted as saying “There is nothing in any law in this country that prohibits States from being active participants in the development of minerals endowed in their States”. The Hon Minister went on to say “However, the Federal Government must actively encourage States to play a part. If anyone imagines that simply because someone has license (he) can just enter and start operating without some level of engagement with the local authorities; it’s a misnomer.

This is not the intention of our constitution. It is the residue of our authoritarian past that is still allowing people to feel that that is what exclusivity refers to.”

Why has this never been so with oil and in what way is the PIB expected to correct this

anomaly?

With the industry in a flux and with heightened activity in the solid mineral sector there is a compelling demand for even handedness in the formulation of policies to govern all minerals, solid as well as oil.

The Petroleum Industry Bill therefore should wait and let this country make up its mind about how all minerals in, under or upon land or water in Nigeria are to be uniformly administered for the good of all.

Whatever else we do not do, in the long run, the aim must be to put the country back on the firm compass of true fiscal federalism. There can be no doubt that all these agitations for secession, renewed militarism and even maybe Boko Haram, have their roots in the fault lines of our distorted and fractured federalism. * Obong Victor Attah is former Governor of Akwa Ibom State

20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Business & Economy

By FRANKLIN ALLI

We're major employers of labour — Golden Lotto

By ONOZURE DANIA

T

he Managing Director of Golden Chance Lotto, Charles Arthur has said that the establishment of the company has contributed immensely to the development of man power in the country.

Arthur said many youths have benefitted from the job opportunities provided by the company.

He stated this during the award ceremony of the 30 SubAgent whom he claimed have worked tremendously and was able to meet a certain target that was given to them.

“Our company which is among the big companies in Nigeria, has changed so many lives, before now, you see a lot of youths underneath the bridges who steal and snatch bags from people because they are hungry, but we empowered them through this Lotto business” he said.

All the awardees got different prizes which ranges from Tricycle, double door deep freezer and a Plasma Television.

According to him, the Lotto Company is now operating in 28 states of the country and we are still doing more, this is the fourth time we would be rewarding our agents.

He added that the Golden Chance Lotto Company is a registered company with Lagos state government and the Federal government.

Arthur urged the government

Olam to invest $150m in poultry sector

O

lam International says it is making $150 million investment in animal feed mills, poultry breeding farms and a hatchery in Kaduna and Kwara state.

Olam CEO for Africa Venkataramani Srivathsan, who disclosed this in a statement, said: “Domestically produced meat is being hampered by a lack of good quality feed, support for farmers and availability of young stock, but consumption is set to increase.

“By investing in poultry and fish feed, we can utilise the wheat bran from our wheat milling operations, as well as maximise our sourcing networks to buy corn and soy from local farmers. Our investment in the hatchery will help boost poultry production and, in the long run, help reduce the country’s reliance on import.”

T

he Consumer Protection Council, (CPC) , weekend, clamped down on traders at Oregun area of Lagos state for selling fake gas filters and other mechanical products.

Selling fake products in the market, CPC said contravenes consumers’ rights to value for

CPC clamps down on fake gas filter traders money.

The Head of Lagos Operational Office, CPC, Mr. Joshua Nggada, who led the enforcement that lasted up to an hour, said CPC has the

mandate to protect the interest of the consumers and promoting their welfare.

He said that the Council is determined to make sure that all products that are

RECEPTION - From left: Director, Legal & Regulatory, Airtel, Shola Adeyemi; Chief Executive Officer, Teledom Group International, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem with 1st Vice President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Olusola Teniola during the Special Reception held in honour of the Communications Minister in Lagos.

Why SON chases containers on highways — Angya T he Acting DirectorGeneral of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Paul Angya, has given reasons why the agency ’s standard enforcers have resorted to chasing trailers and containers on the highways rather than other less risky methods of enforcing standards Angya who was speaking to stakeholders in the nations’ maritime sector at a forum in Lagos, said the reason is because, contrary to general impression, the SON had long been sent out of the nation’s ports, and had no alternative than to seek other ways of carrying out its statutory functions. ‘’As I speak to you, SON is not at the ports. SON can only go the ports at the invitation of the Customs.

We are begging to be allowed to come to the ports to do our jobs, but we cannot force our way into the ports.”

Angya said that result of the current position of things is that up to 60 per cent of the containers that arrive the nation’s waters leave the ports without inspection by the SON, with obviously negative implications.

Angya saiD: ”Put us at the ports, we will hold unscrupulous importers. SON

was removed from the ports to facilitate trade but that trade is killing Nigeria and Nigerians now.

"We can’t continue like this.

Our young ones can’t get jobs because there are no manufacturing companies. Our manufacturers have gone to China and other places.”

According to him, the Comptroller of Customs has however been receptive of SON’s initiatives for a collaborative way of policing the ports more effectively, adding that modalities for that had already been established in the course of recent meetings and deliberations.

hazardous and substandard are removed from the markets.

According to him, this is done through routine surveillance and consumer tips from the public.

He informed that the council had received consumer tips that fake fleet gas products and filters are being sold in certain locations in Lagos, especially in Oregun, Ikeja “We went into surveillance and discovered that several outlets are selling these components that have identified some of the shops with what they are selling.

After the due diligence and we have identified the source, we have to now remove them from the market”, he said.

Similarly, the council’s Head of Surveillance and Enforcement, Lagos Operational office, Mr. Camillus Anyawu who led the enforcement exercise told newsmen after the exercise said the enforcement was to protect consumers’ interest and right.

According to him, many consumers are ignorant of what they are buying but when they are sensitized, they know better.

“Education has to come from two angles because the person selling has to inform the consumer what the product is all about. The consumers have opportunities to 3 Rs, repair, return or refund but unfortunately, many consumers are not aware while traders too don’t give room for such”, he stated.

We have confidence in Nigerian economy — Bosch

By PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

T

he Chief Operational Officer, Bosch Worldwide, Dr. Michael Schoellhorn, has expressed confidence in the Nigerian economy, saying its population and growth prospect is among other attractions that propelled investment of Bosch in the Nigerian market. While opening its first showroom in Africa located in Lagos, Schoellhorn said he has confidence in the Nigeria economy, and no doubt that the Nigerian market would benefit immensely from the quality of products and services Bosch is bringing to the table.

“We are expecting a lot in Africa and indeed Nigeria considering the size of the population and the potentials it has for growth. We have no doubt that the Nigerian market would benefit immensely from the quality of products and services we are bringing to the table,” he said.

Also, the Head, Africa Region of Bosch, Mr. Novert Klien, who was also at the well-attended ceremony, said Nigerian consumers, would find their array of quality home and kitchen products very useful and hard to resist.

Corroborating, Chief Executive Officer of Pedini Nigeria Limited, Mr. Chiedu Nwokolo, said many of the products they are bringing into the market are targeted at addressing the day to day challenges faced by many Nigerians especially with appliances used in kitchens. “At Pedini, we decided to partner with Bosch in solving some of the problems encountered by many Nigerians in the kitchen because they are the most reliable brand in the entire continent in terms of durability, quality and technology.

“We are very confident of the Nigerian economy, the size of the market and also in the quality and pricing of our products which are tailored to compete favourably well in the market. We intend to build between 50 to 100 Bosch-branded stores across the country over the next three years. This is to further serve the Nigerian public better,” he said.

However, the Managing Director of BSH South Africa, Enrico Hoffmann, said the products are “invented for life, adding “Bosch home appliances provide precision technology and European design, which simplifies life in every kitchen.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 21

Banking & Finance

VISIT - From left, ECOWAS Commissioner for Finance, Sesay Allieu, Managing Director of Ecobank, Mr Charles Kie chatting with President of ECOWAS, Marcel Alain de Souza and ECOBANK Deputy Managing Director, Foluke Aboderin during a courtesy visit by Management of ECOBANK to ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja.

African firms cut investments as business confidence wanes —Survey

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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ore than half of African businesses reduced investments in capital projects in the first quarter of the year due to gloomy economic outlook and declining business confidence.

This was one of the highlights of the latest Global Economic Conditions Survey conducted by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA). The Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS) is the largest regular economic survey of accountants in the world.

Among other things the survey revealed that 55 percent of African businesses said that they were less confident about the economy, while 61 percent cut back on capital investment.

The report stated, “China’s investment slowdown and the resulting collapse in commodity prices have hit business confidence in Africa hard. In Q1, 55 percent of businesses said they had become less confident about the outlook – well above the global average of 48 percent.

“More firms in Africa than anywhere else (61 percent) were cutting investment in capital projects, and the continent is also the region where businesses have the biggest problems with rising costs and foreign exchange movements, with many of the region’s economies suffering sharp falls in their currencies in recent quarters.

“The region’s largest economy, South Africa, is C M Y K

going through a particularly disastrous spell. President Zuma is under pressure to resign, and a once-in-acentury drought is sending food prices soaring.

“The situation is not much better in Nigeria, Africa’s second-largest economy, where speculation of currency devaluation is mounting and the government is struggling

to cope with a collapse in its revenue as oil prices have fallen.”

At the global level, The GECS showed that in Q1 businesses were less optimistic about their prospects than at any other time in the past four years.

Almost half of the firms surveyed said that they were more pessimistic about their

prospects than they were three months earlier. Less than one quarter had become more optimistic.

It also showed that more than half of firms are either cutting or freezing employment, while only 14% are increasing investment in staff. As many as 42 percent of firms are cutting back on investment, up from 40 percent in Q4 2015. Almost every region saw an increase in the number of businesses cutting capital expenditure last quarter, with North America the most notable exception.

Commenting on the outcome of the survey, “Toyin Ademola, Country Head ACCA Nigeria said, “The economic issues facing the world are not limited to Nigeria, it is the emerging markets more generally that are suffering most from bottom lines being squeezed. Wages are rising rapidly in many parts of the world and businesses are finding it harder to cope as revenues come under increasing pressure. The sharp drop against the dollar experienced by many currencies will also have pushed up costs, making imports more expensive and raising the value of dollardenominated debts. All these mean that firms in emergingmarket economies are very pessimistic about their prospects.”

Heritage Bank introduces MyHeritageReward, HBConcourse

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eritage Bank has introduced two customer reward programmes, MyHeritageReward and HBConcourse, designed to appreciate and encourage customer loyalty.

While MyHeritageReward is a loyalty programme in which customers win mouthwatering prizes as they use the various electronic channels of the banks, the HB Concourse is a meeting room fully furnished with relevant office equipment and designed to afford the small business owner or beginner, who are customers of the bank, space to hold brief business meetings and conclude deals with his own clients at absolutely no cost.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, said that the two programmes demonstrate, “Heritage Bank's commitment to supporting customers in wealth creation, preservation and transfer across generations.”

These programmes, he noted, are some of the innovative ways through which we can show appreciation to our customers for being part of our success story.” For MyHeritageReward, customers are required to sign up online on the platform, www.myheritagereward.com, using their mobile phone numbers, which enable the creation of a customer profile with a passworded access. From this point on, the customer earns points which enable him to graduate from class to class while winning commensurate prizes as he actively uses the bank’s POS,

internet and mobile banking, ATMs and cards among other eBanking products.

The uniqueness of the MyHeritageReward is in the ability to view milestone progress made by customer like, bank transaction channels, membership class, milestone boosters and cashbacks as well as an inquiry service that gives the customer access to point balance, ranking, rebate purse in addition to entertaining games and contests like Goldfinger and Brain Quest among others.

The prizes to be won range from airtime across all networks, smart phones, business, shopping vouchers, generators, inverters to a brand new vehicle.

Apart from saving cost for the newcomer in business and SMEs, the HB Concourse also provides convenience for clients travelling out-of-State for business to naturally conduct their meetings or appointments without worrying about office space among others.

To use these meeting rooms such customers of the bank will have to go through asimple booking process online, which are mere formalities to avoid clashes of meeting times with fellow customers who also want to use the same facilities.

These concourses are currently available in five key locations in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan and Port Harcourt. Each concourse is furnished with office chairs, conference table, airconditioning, projector, flat screen TV, telephone, internet/WiFi and crockery for tea/coffee.

Greece bailout talks make ‘progress'

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urozone finance ministers say they have made progress in talks about the bailout programme for Greece. But they said after a meeting in Amsterdam on Friday that further work was still needed.

They said they are hopeful that an agreement can reached in the next few days and are ready to call an extraordinary meeting. That would pave the way for the next payment under the bailout.

Once again a review of the Greek government’s policies has been delayed by months.

So has the next payment of financial assistance. This review, the first under a new bailout of more than 80 billion Euros and agreed in August 2015, was originally supposed to be completed last year.

The tone emerging from a meeting of eurozone finance ministers was, however, relatively positive. There has been progress, they acknowledged, but they want to see more in a number of areas, including privatisation and the strategy for the government finances.

That latter of these is also at the centre of a dispute between the finance ministers and the European Commission on one side and the International Monetary Fund on the other.

The IMF is sceptical about whether the measures under discussion are sufficient to meet the targets for reducing the government’s finances a surplus in the public accounts before interest payments on its debts equivalent to 3.5 percent of national income, GDP. The IMF is also doubtful about whether it’s realistic to expect that target to be achieved at all over a long period.

One way that the euro group is trying to narrow the gap with the IMF is seeking an agreement on measures that Greece would automatically take if it misses its financial targets. If all were to go to plan, they wouldn’t be needed, but they would be available as a backstop if needed.

The IMF has another concern. Its view is that debt relief is needed and that’s why it is not contributing financially to this, the third bailout, though it did provide funds for the first two.

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Banking & Finance

Fortis MFB gives out N15bn loan to 64,000 customers

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

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ortis Microfinance Bank Plc has given out a record N15 billion in loans to 64, 000 customers in addition to financially empowering over 100, 000 clients.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Fortis MFB, Mr. Tiko Okoye, disclosed this in Abuja, at the weekend during the presentation of the Client Protection Certification by the Smart Campaign.

According to him, Fortis has maintained a leading position among the Ficrofinance Banks (MFBs), in the country, been the first to receive the Client Protection Certification by the Smart Campaign.

Speaking on the Smart Campaign Certification, the MD said, “Fortis is a microfinance bank that takes good care of its customers because customer interest is foremost in whatever we do here.”

He stressed that the bank pays particular attention to the successes of its clients and does much more than just merely transacting businesses with them.

According to him, “We have always held a strong commitment to protecting our clients, but this independent validation lends credibility and demonstrates to our esteemed clients and our industry that we continue to work every day to improve our service and our commitment to best practices in microfinance.

On the Smart Campaign Certification, he said, “The certification we have just received underscores our commitment to customers.

We make sure that there is transparency in pricing.

We make sure that there is no hidden condition in our facilities, as it is said, no reading between the lines.

With Fortis, what you see is really what you get.

“And we must thank our partners, FMO. They have been very crucial in taking us through the process. And again I say that the Smart Campaign, the Customer Protection Principle (CPP) is central to our activities in this bank.

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‘Naira/Y uan sw ap'll increase ‘Naira/Yuan swap'll Nigeria’s dependency on China’ Neutral effect on exchange rate STORIES BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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he Naira/Yuan currency swap agreement between the federal government and Chinese government will increase dependency of Nigeria on China, said Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC).

In an analysis of the deal titled: 'Naira /Yuan Currency Swap: The Mother of all Deals - Nothing to Cheer’, the Company stated that, “While the objective of the swap deal is to correct the trade imbalance, the reality is that the deal will increase the dependency complex and parasitic relationship between Nigeria and China.

Despite its drawbacks and more important, it will provide a negotiating platform for Nigeria to extract better trade and investment concessions from other Western countries.”

The Company also noted that currency swap will not have any effect on the exchange rate of the naira, and it would not help curb inflation.

“Will this transaction make the Naira stronger in the Forex markets? No. The impact on the currency pressure is neutral. This is because the swap deal does not increase the inflow of forex into the country.

“Will this deal help curb inflation? No. This is because the root cause of the spike in consumer prices is the scarcity of forex exchange

and other cost push factors.

The currency swap deal has not addressed this issue.

Therefore, the problem of soaring inflation remains.”

Explaining how the swap will work, FDC said, “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will convert a certain portion of its external reserves say $3bn to Naira (N200 x $3bn = N600bn) and deposit with the Peoples Bank of China.

The Chinese government will give Nigeria the Yuan equivalent of $3bn.

Nigerian trader wants to import spare parts from China

will approach Nigerian bank, and pay N40m for $200,000 (at N200/$). The Nigerian bank will open letter of Credit (L/C) confirmed by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). The Nigerian bank credits ICBC with N40m, goods are shipped and documents negotiated. ICBC is long Naira and short Yuan.

If ICBC needs to import goods from Nigeria i.e. oil at $43pb, it will pay NNPC with naira at $43pb x N200.

Consequently, Nigerian oil exports to the rest of the world will reduce by the volume

sold to China. Nigerian Yuan earnings increase and dollar revenue reduces by the same amount. Impact neutral on external balance. Nigeria will end up importing more from China and selling more to China. EUREKA! EUREKA! It is the economic equivalent of Archimedes’ principle: The Yuan volume is the object that is immersed in the Nigerian dollar pool. The amount of Yuan will be equal to the dollars displaced. In the end oil revenue will not change and import volume will not. Destination of exports and origination of imports is all that will change.”

The Company noted that while the currency swap will, “boost bilateral trade volumes between Nigeria and China, it will also increase dependence on China for imports of raw materials and equipment.

PRESENTATION - From left: Group Head, Retail Banking Unit, Skye Bank Plc., Nkolika Okoli; a winner of N100,000 consolatory cash prize, a Jewelry Seller, Okoro Akonam and Team Lead, Small Business Group, Osolo Way Branch, Skye Bank Plc., Femi Shobande at the tenth cheque presentation to winners in the ongoing Skye Bank’s “Reach for the Skye” Millionaire Reward Scheme held in Lagos on Thursday, April 21, 2016.

Interbank rates to fall as N396bn boost market liquidity

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ost of funds are expected to fall this week due to inflow of N396 billion from statutory allocation funds and payment of matured treasury bills.

Meanwhile, Federal Government bond prices fell sharply last week due to increase sell pressure from fund managers.

In its review of activities in the interbank bank money market last week, Cowry Asset management Limited noted that “In the just concluded week, Nigerian Interbank Offered Rates moved in mixed directions amid treasury bills auctions accompanied by Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursement of N299.7 billion. “During the week, Central Bank of Nigeria auctioned Federal

Government Bonds (all reopenings) worth N167.52 billion on Wednesday, 20 April; viz: 91-day bills worth N36.79 billion (marginal rate (MR) rose to 7.88 percent from 6.10 percent); 182-day bills worth N35 billion (MR rose to 8.99 percent from 8.69 percent) and; 364-day bills worth N95.73 billion (MR rose to 10.25 percent from 9.49 percent).

“The outflows were offset by inflows worth same amounts and tenors; hence, NIBOR for overnight funds, 1 month and 6 months tenor buckets increased w-o-w to 5.58 percent (from 4.54 percent) and 10.43 percent (from 10.39 percent) respectively while NIBOR for 3 months and 12 months tenor buckets fell to 8.33 percent (from 8.38 percent) and 12.35 percent (from 12.48 percent)

respectively.

“Meanwhile, yields on the Nigerian Interbank True Treasury bills increased for all maturities on sustained sell offs – yields on the 1 month, 3 month, 6 months and 12 months tenors increased to 3.90 percent (3.54 percent), 6.81 percent (from 6.50 percent), 9.43 percent (from 8.88 percent) and 10.98 percent (from 10.55 percent) respectively.

This week, N96.36 billion, 274-day treasury bills will mature on Thursday, 28 April 2016. We expect that the maturity coupled with the N299.7 billion FAAC inflows will help boost financial system liquidity and reduce interbank offered rates.

“In the just concluded week, Federal Government bond prices depreciated (and yields increased) on sustained bear

run. Week-on-week, 20-year, 10.00 percent FGN JUL 2030 debt lost N1.91 (yield increased to 12.97 percent); the 10- year, 16.39 percent FGN JAN 2022 paper plunged N3.25 (yield rose to 12.50 percent); the 7-year, 16.00 percent FGN JUN 2019 instrument depreciated by N2.47 (yield increased to 12.24 percent); the 5- year, 15.10 percent FGN APR 2017 paper declined by N0.25 (yield upped to 10.85 percent); while the 3- year, 13.05 percent FGN AUG 2016 bond shed N0.41 (yield climbed to 7.43 percent). At the London Stock Exchange, traded FGN Eurobonds weakened amid profit taking activity – the 10-year, 6.75 percent FGN JAN 2021 paper and 10-year, 6.38 v JUL 12, 2023 bond lost $0.38 and $0.43 respectively.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 23

Corporate Finance

*CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

*CEO, NSE, Oscar Onyema

Profits of 5 banks drop by N10.52bn in first quarter

By PETER EGWUATU

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ive banks quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE have recorded a total Profit After Tax, PAT of N90.07 billion for the first quarter,Q1 financial period ended March 31, 2016, representing a drop of N10.52 billion or 10.5 per cent from N100.59 billion in the corresponding period of 2015.

The first banks are Guaranty Trust Bank, GTBank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Ecobank Group, and United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc. Similarly, the five banks recorded a total Profit Before Tax, PBT of N106.29 billion for the three months period ended March 31, 2016, indicating a drop of 11.15 per cent from N119.63 billion recorded in each of the banks’ financial performance for the first quarter 2016 as released on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, last weekend, show that Guaranty Trust Bank, GTBank Plc continued to consolidate on its position recording moderate growth from its core banking activities.

However, decline in trading and revaluation gains occasioned by Foreign Exchange, FX paucity robbed off on the impressive performance recorded with a 4.6 per cent decline in gross earnings to N75.39 billion as against N79.02 billion in Q1, 2015 . The bank recorded a 6.1 per cent decline in PBT to N30.68 billion as against N32.65 billion in 2015 and 3.6

per cent decline in PAT to N25.61 billion against N26.56 billion in 2015. The bank also reported a post-tax Return On Average Equity ROAE of 24.19 per cent and Return on Average Assets, ROAA of 3.96 per cent respectively.

In line with the bank’s Risk Management strategy, the bank approached its loan growth with disciplined strategy, thus Non Performing Loans (NPL) of the bank for the period under review is still well within range at 3.51 per cent and Net Interest Margin (NIM) for the period under review declined marginally by 9 bases points , bps to 8.12 per cent from 8.21 per cent in Q1 2015. Commenting on the

financial results, Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of GTBank stated that “Despite a slow start in economic activity in 2016 and the extremely challenging business environment, the Bank recorded decent performance across key financial indices during the period.” He added that “We understand that there’s a lot more work to be done, we are however prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead the 2016 financial year.”

A review of the Union Bank of Nigeria Plc first quarter results show that PBT

dropped to ¦ 4.7billion from ¦ 4.9billion in Q1 2015; excluding gain on sale of subsidiaries which increased by 85 per cent to ¦ 4.7billion from ¦ 2.5billion in Q1 2015.

The bank’s PAT for the first quarter 2016 was N4.72 billion as against N4.91 billion in the corresponding period of 2015.

Union Bank recorded gross earnings of ¦ 26.6billion as against ¦ 29billion in Q1 2015; excluding gain on sale of subsidiaries which was at par with prior year at ¦ 26.6billion.

Interest income was up 5 per cent to ¦ 21billion as against ¦ 20 billion in Q1 2015.

This was as a result of improvement in asset yield from 14.36 per cent in Q1 2015 to 15.65 per cent in Q1 2016.

Commenting on the Union Bank’s first quarter results, Emeka Emuwa, Chief Executive Officer said:”Our first quarter results reflect steady progress on the execution of our strategic priorities. The Bank’s core PBT in Q1 2016 is up significantly by 85% to ¦ 4.7bn compared to ¦ 2.5bn in the same quarter last year. With the sale of nonbanking subsidiaries near completion, the Bank is now focused on growing and delivering results through its core banking business.

Customer deposits grew 9 per cent in the year to March 2016, compared to March 2015, reflecting increased customer confidence in our service channels, new product offerings and a reenergised brand identity.

Our priorities to sustain growth in 2016 remain focused on growing our deposit base and new customer acquisitions, as well as driving gains in transactional income.

FirstBank advances N12bn loans to SMEs to drive growth

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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irst Bank of Nigeria, FBN, Limited said it has advanced over N12 billion in credit facilities to Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, in the country to support their growth aspiration.

The bank also disclosed that it has disbursed about N200 million to-date from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N220 billion Intervention Fund for SMEs. The Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Gbenga Shobo, stated these at the bank’s Economy & You forum with owners of small businesses in Lagos.

He lamented the poor rate of assessment of the SME Intervention Fund, saying that it would have been higher, but for basic problems associated with SMEs, especially unavailability of tangible collateral.

Shobo stated that guarantees is the way to go if lending to SMEs is to be increased, adding that most small businesses do not have right structures on ground to attract

bank lending.

“I think for us in Nigeria, we only determine whether a loan is accessible or not accessible based on the pricing, but there are other elements of lending that we need to look at.

Apart from the pricing, the precondition by way of collateral has to be available. Is it something we all have.

“There are SMEs that don’t have tangible collateral which is what the banks are looking.

So, the CBN Intervention Fund aside from making it available at a single digit of nine per cent also comes with some terms and conditions, which the banks and customers must comply with. For example, you have security, ie tangible collateral, you have Treasury Bills and cash deposit. So do all SMEs have all these,” he queried.

“So, that is why the disbursement of this Fund has been very slow. We are not going to affect that because it is not directly from bank’s pursue. It is CBN Fund and CBN has said there must be collateral. If First Bank for instance lends to a customer and the customers doesn’t pay back, the bank is liable.

UBN targets top tier 1 position in 2020, to grow deposit by 20%

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

U

nion Bank of Nigeria Plc has said that its target is to become one of the top tier banks in the country by 2020.

The bank further stated that it is poised to grow its customer deposit by 20 per cent in 2016 while significantly driving down cost and reducing its NonPerforming loans, NPLs. The Group Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, who disclosed this at the bank’s facts Behind Figures on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, said the bank’s aspiration is to be a highly respected banking institution in the country by improving on the quality of its customer experience, quality of its earnings, clients’ base, its talent, as well as the quality of the banking platform.

He said: “Looking into the future, we expect to grow deposit a bit faster in 2016 because we have already made a lot of investments in alternative channels, we have made a lot of investments in our retail front, so we expect our customer deposit to go up a little faster by 15 to 20 per cent within the year.

“Our cost-to-income ratio, we closed 2015 at 67 per cent. In 2016, we expect that to be less than 65 per cent or 65 per cent at most. So, we will focus on taking out cost by being a bit more disciplined around purchasing and being a bit more demanding from service providers.

Return-on-equity, again, we closed 2015 at eight per cent, and we expect the number to push upwards to between eight and nine per cent in 2016,” he said.

On reducing the Nonperforming loans ratio which stood at 6.67 per cent as at full year ended December 31, 2015, the UBN boss said: “As our loan book continues to grow and grow copiously, the ratio of nonperforming loans to performing loans is expected to come down; that is what we see. In addition, for the loans are not performing, there are two things we are doing. One is actively working to make sure they perform and where they are not performing, we apply measures exclusive to us to get our money back. We have been able to use that in a number of cases and it worked pretty well. That is how we see the NPLs.” According to him, the bank’s robust transformation plans include portfolio enhancement which will help it enhance its business model and drive market penetration.

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24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Corporate Finance SEC set to revitalise commodity trading to boost agriculture Stanford SEED, Pan-Atlantic University, others partner TAMS summit SB Telecoms & Devices, organisers of the Time Management Summit, have entered into partnership with Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Countries (Stanford SEED) and Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) to deliver TAMS Summit, its forthcoming high-level time management conference. Stanford SEED is a Stanford Graduate School of Business-led initiative intent on ending the cycle of poverty in developing economies.

Others partnering institutions are the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), ConSat, TVC, Radio Continental and Inspiration FM. The theme of the summit is “From African Time” to “To On Time”: A paradigm Shift.” At the TAMS Summit scheduled to hold 19th May 2016 in Lagos, leaders of thought from Stanford SEED, Pan-Atlantic University, CIPM and other reputable institutions as well as the public and private sectors of the economy will converge to proffer solution to our curious national devotion to the African Time syndrome. Speaking on the partnership support, Mr. Afolabi Abiodun, CEO, SB Telecoms & Devices, expressed delight at the best-in-class institutional support garnered by the TAMS Summit. He stated that participation and support from Stanford SEED, Pan-Atlantic University and CIPM will deepen discourse at the summit.

“As an organisation renowned for its efficiency through its TAMS software, we are very excited that these institutions are supporting this initiative of national importance. By partnering with us, they are encouraging us to do more and their involvement will certainly deepen the conversation and also shape the expected positive outcomes,” he said.

BY PETER EGWUATU

I

n

a bid to boost agriculture and promote commodity exchange in Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is set to revitalise commodity trading in the capital market.

Already, the commission is reviewing the Warehouse Receipt Bill currently before the National Assembly and has assured that it will actively advocate its passage.

This is in support of the policy thrust of the Federal Government to encourage investments in the agricultural and solid minerals sectors in a bid to ensure economic diversification and deepen capacity across the agricultural value chain.

Director General of SEC, Mounir Gwarzo said this while delivering a Keynote address at a Training Seminar organized by Africa Exchange Holdings (AFEX) on Commodity Trading and Risk Management in Abuja.

He said the 10-year capital market master plan which the Market is currently implementing is the blueprint for the growth and development of the market over the next decade and acknowledges commodities exchanges as critical for enabling investment diversification, risk management, price discovery and transactional efficiency and expressed strong belief that to boost Nigeria’s competitiveness, a thriving commodities trading

ecosystem must be developed.

The DG said “We believe this can be achieved by implementing the following strategic initiatives: Build a supporting and functional ecosystem for commodities trading; “Others are: Build Centre of Excellence in areas of comparative advantage such as for oil & gas, cocoa, etc Develop efficient commodities exchanges and trading platforms, Sponsor legislation to ensure Nigeria’s crude oil sales are traded on local exchanges and build capacity in commodities trading at the SEC and among market operators”.

He said that as Nigeria pursues policies aimed at diversifying the economy, creating jobs and hastening

socioeconomic development, it is becoming increasingly clear that Commodities Exchanges can play a crucial role in actualizing these lofty objectives as a detailed empirical study by the United Nation’s Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) analyzed the impact of commodities exchanges on development in emerging markets.

Gwarzo said Countries that were part of the study are also emerging countries with the most vibrant commodities markets such as India, Brazil, China, Malaysia and South Africa. Among the many insights in study’s report is the fact that commodities exchanges play a central role in facilitating economic development especially by helping farmers to enhance

their marketing and risk management capacity (such as reducing their exposure to price and other production risks).

Nigeria he said, ranks number one (1)in global export rankings for commodities such as kolanut, shea nuts and shea butter, cassava, and yams and also feature in top exporters for other commodities such as cocoa, rubber, oil palm, cashew and sesame seed.

“Our ginger is reputed to possess the best aroma in the international markets. Export opportunities also exist for a wide variety of other agricultural commodities.

This simply magnifies the potential of our agricultural sector to contribute significantly to economic growth and development” he

AGM - From Left;Company Secretary, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Mrs Chioma Madubuko; Chairman, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Aliko Dangote, Acting Group Managing Director, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Engr. Abdullahi Sule; at the 10th Annual General Meeting of Dangote Sugar Refinery in Lagos on Wednesday. PHOTO;AKEEM SALAU

NASD OTC records N1.01bn transaction value in Q1

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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ASD OTC Plc has said that investors crossed 144.36 million shares worth N1.03 billion in the market in the first quarter ended March 31, 2016 compared to128.12 million units worth ¦ 665.33 million traded in 150 deals in the preceding quarter 1, 2015.

NASD Plc is the promoter of a trading network that eases secondary market trading of all securities of unquoted public companies primarily in Nigeria but with a focus on the West African region.

The first quarter report of the securities exchange showed that volume and value traded rose by 13 per cent and 52 per cent respectively with the

market registering an average deal volume and value of 214 units and N1.50 million respectively in Q1, 2016.

Transactions in the market was led by Industrial and General Insurance, IGI, Plc and FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc which accounted for 29.42 per cent and 48.93n per cent respectively of the value traded during the quarter.

The market recorded a positive quarterly return on the index as reflected in the upward movement of the Unlisted Securities Index (USI-Market Cap). The USI closed at 592.06 points as against 582.79 points in the previous quarter representing an increase of 1.59 per cent,

while the market capitalisation of admitted securities on NASD OTC market at the end of Q1 2016 stood at N389.85billion. .

The market also experienced growth in the number of authorised traders as five new authorised traders were inducted during the quarter bringing the total number of authorised traders registered by their sponsoring firms to 193.

At the end of the quarter, NASD OTC market had opened up 26 securities to trade as against 24 securities in the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, a turnover of 885.367 million shares worth N5.829 billion in 13,870 deals were traded by investors on

the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, last week.

The financial services industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 747.817 million shares valued at N3.832 billion traded in 8,768 deals; thus contributing 84.46 per cent and 65.73 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The consumer goods industry followed with 45.517 million shares worth N977.579 million in 2,145 deals. The third place was occupied by the agriculture sector with a turnover of 32.313 million shares worth N48.460 million in 247 deals.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 25

Homes & Housing Finance

CDK to open ceramic tiles, sanitary wares factory

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High-end housing development

Real estate: ‘Why rents remain high despite supply glut’ Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE

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report by the Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC) has highlighted reasons why rents in real estate in some parts of Lagos remain high despite a glut in property supply. The report covered Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki neighbourhoods.

According to the FDC report, “persistent macroeconomic headwinds in recent times have led to lower demand for prime properties in Lagos.

Stock broking firms, investment banks, insurance companies, airlines and oil companies that usually rent these properties for office space or residential use are experiencing a business downturn.”

The report also noted that there is a strong correlation between real estate and investment, money laundering and public sector corruption. Explaining how anti money laundering activity affects the real estate market, the report stated that many of the suspects are returning properties to government; EFCC confiscating properties and; many properties are tagged as under investigation.

“Empirical evidence reveals that approximately 90 percent of Nigerian investors hold real estate as an asset class in their portfolios. The sector has become enigmatic because of the strong correlation between the investment, money laundering and public sector corruption. This is why rents remain stubbornly high even when there is a supply glut.”

In the pioneer edition of its real estate vacancy factor index (VFIX) for the Lagos

metropolis, using January 2015 as the base month for index, FDC noted that the number of properties that were vacant in March 2016 was 65 percent higher than in the base month in January 2015.

The vacant properties were higher in Lekki (64 percent) followed by Victoria Island (35 percent) and Ikoyi (24 percent). The report added that Admiralty Way in Lekki has the highest vacancy ratio due to challenges that businesses face in the current macroeconomic environment, noting that most properties on the street are offices and commercial spaces.

Inflation The jump in the inflation rate from 8.2 percent in January

2015 to 9.6 percent in December 2015 has reduced the purchasing power of individuals within the economy. As a result, the value of individual incomes has declined both in nominal and real terms. Given that this

The sector has become enigmatic because of the strong correlation between investment, money laundering and public sector corruption

research focuses on luxury areas, a decline in income is expected to reduce the demand for housing.

Following, the real estate industry is used as a hedge against inflation. This is because real estate assets are long-lived assets that adjust to inflation, which explains the increased supply of housing.

Specifically, inflation increases the value of the housing property, which provides incentives for new initiatives in the real estate market.

The official exchange rate rigidity in the face of imminent devaluation is discouraging investors from taking final investments decisions. Thus in aggregate, is reducing the demand for both residential and commercial properties.

The potential investments will naturally lead to demand for office space and commercial properties.

Arbitrary estate valuation worsens housing crisis —FASHOLA A

rbitrary estate valuation, high agency fee and high cost of rent have contributed to the inability of most Nigerians to have access to affordable housing.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, made this assertion at the recently concluded 46th Annual conference of the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV).

Fashola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Lands and Housing, Mr Abiodun Oki, challenged surveyors on the need for change of estate valuation in conformity with the principles of real estate pricing. He said high fees charged by surveyors are impeding access to affordable housing. According to him, 5000 properties in Lagos were not rented due to overpricing and high agency fee. “Fifty, forty-one and thirty-three 33 percent of people in Lagos, Kano and Abuja, respectively, rely on estate agents when looking for a house but agents make housing more difficult compared to the landlords,” he stated.

The minister noted that the role of NIESV in making housing affordable to Nigerians cannot be over-emphasised, even as the three tiers of government are expected to facilitate the development of housing.

He asserted that the housing needs of Nigerians cannot be met by government alone, adding however, that even where available everyone cannot afford a house.

“Sixty-four per cent of the United States population are house owners while 34 per cent are living on rented apartment despite their housing programme,” he declared.

In his remarks at the conference, President of NIESV, Olorogun James Omeru, enjoined surveyors as foremost professionals in the built environment to guide the country towards sustainable city development. He stressed that surveyors could help redress infractions in city development across the country if there is a conducive environment for them to operate.

DK Integrated Industries is set to commence the production of porcelain and ceramic tiles as well as sanitary wares as it opens its factory in Shagamu, Ogun State, in May 2016.

Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr Khater Massaad, said that the ultra modern factory, built on a million square meters of land, is targeted at meeting demand for ceramics and sanitary wares, particularly in Africa and Europe.

He asserted that with CDK Integrated Industries Nigeria will become a major exporter of ceramic tiles and sanitary wares to other African countries and Europe in the nearest future. He noted that over sixty five million square meters of ceramic tiles are imported into Nigeria as published by Italy-based Ceramic World review magazine. “Our aim is to produce high quality ceramic tiles and sanitary wares products; everyone is in need of high quality products. We aim to meet the best quality in the world matching and possibly surpassing the American and European standards. CDK Integrated Industries’ vision is to be number one in Africa in terms of product quality and pricing,” he added.

US home sales soar 5.1% in March

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ales of existing home in the US rebounded strongly in March, signalling sturdy demand in the housing market even as the recovery remains choppy.

Sales rose 5.1 percent to a 5.33 million seasonally adjusted annual rate, the National Association of Realtors said last week. That was higher than the 5.3 million rate forecast by economists surveyed by MarketWatch.

That pace was up only 1.5 percent compared to a year ago, but the average for the first three months of the year, which NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun called “bouncy,” was 4.8 percent higher compared to the same period in 2015.

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26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Insurance

Fashion industry must achieve scale to attract investment – Uduanu

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n a deliberate bid to capture the interest of fashion and design industry operators and boost activities in the proposed micro pension scheme targeted at informal sector operators, Pal Pensions, one of the licensed Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) sponsored this year ’s edition of the Lagos Fashion and Design Week.

Speaking at the event, Managing Director/ Chief Executive officer of Pal Pensions, Mr Dave Uduanu, said for the fashion industry to attract investments, the operators must have to demonstrate their ability to achieve scale.

He said the fashion industry, has incredible potential to scale but however said it was being held back by a number of issues.

He cited example of potentials in the industry saying the second richest man in the world, Zara founder, Amancio Ortega made his money through the fashion industry. “What it tells me is that if you really want to make money from fashion, you need to achieve scale.

“There is $25 billion investment opportunity in the industry and this money is looking for investment outlets. These investment outlets are outlets that would generate returns that would ensure that the pensioners get their monies when they retire,” he stated The pal Pension boss told the designers that it is important they have a business plan that they can pitch to investors.

“For your business to succeed, you need to put all your energy into that business because investors prefer to back an entrepreneur who is willing to put all he has into his business.

He also counselled them to always create an exit strategy when doing their long term plans in order to attract investors.

According to him, “Investors need to see an exit because most investors are not looking to remain with you for 20 years. You can’t build a business with the view that you must leave that business to your children, you must build a business with the view that you can exit at some point.

PRESENTATION - From left: Mr. Bala Bantex, Deputy Governor of Kaduna State; Mr. Henry Ationu, Executive Director, Business Development, UBA Metropolitan Life Insurance Ltd; Mallam Nasir El Rufai, Kaduna State Governor; Mr. Adetunji Mustapha, Regional Business Head (Abuja & North) of UBA Metropolitan Life; Mrs. Hadiza Bala Usman, Chief of Staff to Kaduna State Governor; at the presentation of about N30 million benefit cheques to the 24 deceased beneficiaries of last year’s Zaria bomb blast.

Why NHIS should be monitored by investigative auditors

BY ISRAEL OBIORA MBACHU

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any African countries

have established the national health insurance program. Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) came on stream in 1999. Ghana’s NHIS was established in 2003. Kenya’s National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) has been long operational, since 1966.

The establishment of the national health insurance scheme came about by the desire of the national governments to better serve the health needs of the population. It was hitherto the situation that the citizens have to go before the physician when their condition had become worse because medical costs were not easily affordable. The scheme made it possible for the insured to seek immediate care whenever there is imminent need to see a physician.

However, as in all human endeavours, a miniscule percentage of the participants, particularly physician providers, have resorted to milking the system for pecuniary gains and greed. Every health care or insurance program has been subject to criminal gaming and gaining off the system by physician providers who perpetrate fraud.

Fraud diminishes the objectives of the program, indeed of any human endeavour. If fraud is allowed to fester and not checked, the program will ultimately shut down.

The West, particularly Europe and America, have established fraud task forces

either solely by the private sector or by their respective governments in collaboration with the private sector. In the United States, there is the Department of Health and Human Services, which established the Medicare Fraud Strike Force and the Medicaid Fraud Control Units. There are also the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)and the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). All the government’s efforts are coordinated under the Department of Justice (DOJ).

There are private organisations such as the Coalition against Insurance Fraud and the National Health Care Anti-Fraud association (NHCAA). These organisations strive to combat health care fraud and safeguard the US annual

The HMO Investigative Auditor will be able to investigate and audit both local HMO claims as well as foreign claims

health care expenditure of over US$3 trillion. In spite of their efforts, however, they acknowledge that about 5% of the annual expenses is lost to fraud. The FBI estimates that over US$250 billion was lost to fraud in 2014. The efforts of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) in investigating health care fraud have however resulted in recoveries of the sum of US$5.7 billion in 2014 and US$3.3 billion in 2015. From 1997 to 2015, it has recovered the sum of US$27.8 billion.

The Canadian Health Care Anti-Fraud Association (CHCAA) reports that out of C$120 billion spent by Canada annually on health care, fraud loss is over C$12 billion per year.

European countries have not fared any better in effectively checking fraud in their respective health care programs. The 2020 Health in the United Kingdom estimates that the true cost of fraud in the UK’s National Health Services (NHS) is over £3 billion per year.

It has been recognised that the various ways the physicians bill the programs include billing for services not rendered, unnecessary tests in order to collect insurance payments and use of another’s insurance card.

African countries’ experience including Nigeria’s with respect to fraud cannot be different from the experience of the West.

While discussing this topic with some people in Nigeria, one of the interviewees, an employee of a multi-national corporation, covered under the NHIS informed me that his wife took ill at a time and went to the hospital. She was billed ¦ 61,000.00. However, her cover under the scheme was limited to ¦ 50,000.00 per

outpatient visit, which meant that she has to pay ¦ 11,000.00 from her pocket. He had reached into his trouser pocket to retrieve his wallet when one of the physicians advised him that nobody pays cash from their pocket. He was told to present his insurance card and they will apply it to his wife! That is fraud and an indication it thrives in the system.

“The challenge in the use of recent medical graduates as fraud Investigators is that although they may be versed in medical practice, they lack fraud knowledge and training.”

Another indication that led me to the suspicion that fraud exists within the NHIS in Nigeria, is that over 60% of health insurance fraud perpetrated in Nigeria against foreign public and private insurers involves physicians colluding with the subscribers/policyholders.

More than 60% of these physicians are enrolled in the NHIS network as expressed in their letterhead. If they are billing or attempting to defraud overseas companies, then the local programs cannot be different.

If fraud is occurring under Nigeria’s NHIS so it is in most African countries health care schemes. Kenya recognizes this fact in their National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). As a result, it encourages whistleblowers to report fraud and has a hotline or tip line on their web site.

For Nigeria, I’m aware that although they have not instituted an Internet hotline, but the HMOs deploy young physicians as Investigators to investigate suspicious claims.

In order to solve these challenges, not only in Nigeria but around the world, I have developed a program to train HMO Investigative Auditors. This will be the first of such a program anywhere in the world.

The HMO Investigative Auditor will be able to investigate and audit both local HMO claims as well as foreign claims. Investigation entails that the trained professional can effectively undertake the investigation of one or more suspicious claim in order to determine the facts about it. Auditing requires that occasionally, claims from every primary, secondary and tertiary-level hospital in the network should be audited to determine if fraud is being perpetrated and, if so, to what extent.

Additionally, the HMO Investigative Auditor can effectively investigate foreign health claims including travel insurance (medical expenses) claims and report factually to the principals.

“The Nigerian HMO Investigative Auditor will be able to effectively investigate local and foreign HMO claims. He may choose to work only cases in Nigeria or within ECOWAS or even around the world.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 27

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“

uhari came into office with an agenda for change. This was a compelling and ultimately victorious slogan….” Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the NATION’s Forum on the Economy, Thursday, 8 April 2016.

Sweltering afternoons, usually spent engaging in vicious fights at filling stations for fuel, followed by dark and cheerless nights on account of continuous power failures, businesses paralysed in the absence of raw materials and the same power supply and roads closed by vehicles waiting for days (not hours anymore) for fuel which never seems to arrive, transport fares long gone through the roof and general despair that the situation will be better soon.

One might as well add unpaid salaries to millions of workers in the public and private sectors.

These are the realities of our lives these days. Were these part of the change agenda? Were these the promises made to Nigerians during the campaigns? Probably not, at least, I never heard anybody in the APC campaign trail saying things were going to get so bad for us.

So the Vice President of Nigeria was right; CHANGE was a slogan devoid of content during the last elections. I should know because of my experience with Buhari’s campaign in 2011 when he had first adopted the change mantra.

Prince Tony Momoh, former Federal Minister for Information was the Chairman for Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, on whose platform Buhari ran that year.

Some of those with who Buhari entered into an alliance had their own candidates. The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, fielded Malam Nuhu Ribadu – who they later

APC Change Programme: The slogan and the reality betrayed and voted for Jonathan on Election Day. So, we all know who to blame for four years of Jonathan.

However, this column is not designed to re-open the books on 2011. Its purpose is to examine how the concept of “change” which started with the Buhari campaign in 2011, and which had a specific content, had transformed into a mere slogan in 2014 to 2016 and how the APC is now just struggling to give it a content. The NATION’s Forum on the Economy, coming only about two weeks after the National Economic Council, NEC, held a retreat to craft an economic programme for the Federal Government is instructive in two ways.

First, it implies that the newspaper — its proprietor, directors and editors – strongly believe there is a vacuum in economic policy and programme which needs to be filled. They are absolutely right. No honest economist can fail to notice the absence of both policy and

credible programmes at the moment. Second, the Forum itself is coming too late and might not be too useful. In reality, given the fact that the paper had supported the APC and its candidate, the time to organize the Forum on Economy should have been last year – before Buhari assumed office.

Permit a quick diversion before an explanation is given regarding the timing of the NATION’s forum.

In 2011, I had approached Tony Momoh, who was with us in VANGUARD before becoming the Chairman of CPC to offer my services, free of charge, to assist Buhari in crafting his Economic Change

So the Vice President of Nigeria was right; CHANGE was a slogan devoid of content during the last elections

Programme. The reason was simple. A political party, out of government, campaigning on the platform of “change”, must, as a minimum, address several questions: what is to be changed and why? How will it be changed and why? When the changes will occur? Who will undertake the change process? How much will it cost? What will be the benefits to the people of Nigeria?

I went to Abuja at my own expense and Momoh introduced me to some of Buhari’s senior campaign staff.

Within two weeks, a draft outline of CPC’s Content of Change was ready – to be discussed and fleshed out later. Seven areas were identified and the most upto-date information about the situation of each of them was obtained. These were going to be focus of change. Selection of seven thrusts was deliberate.

After over twenty years of running commentaries on Federal Budgets, it had become clear that we were making no progress on

anything because governments were trying to do too many things in a short time.

Prioritisation was key to success – do a few things and do them well.

The draft was presented to Buhari’s people shortly after and two decisions were made.

First, the details needed to be worked out – including the implementation process.

Second, an appointment would be made to brief Buhari after the work had become more advanced. Unfortunately, there was a major constraint – the Buhari campaign organization was short of funds. My trips to Abuja were self-funded and there was no money to recruit the additional staff required to provide the details until the end. But, there was a content to Buhari’s change message in 2011.

About a month after Buhari had been nominated by the APC as the flag bearer of the party, I noticed that “change” had again become the slogan.

Investigations quickly confirmed my worst fear; the slogan had no meaning because it was devoid of specifics. Again, at my own expense, I traveled to Abuja for an appointment with one of Buhari’s in-laws.

Microfinance Microcred MFB diversifies into micro insurance services STORIES BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

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icrocred MicroFinance Bank (MFB) has diversified into microinsurance services with a view to generating about N40 billion from the Lagos market in the next four years.

The diversification which is coming barely three months after the Kaduna-based outfit secured a licence from the CBN to offer its services nationwide, sets the company on course to grabbing up to 300,000 insurance customers in Lagos.

CEO, Microcred MfB, Mr Kazeem Olarenwaju, said that the diversification would sustain the company’s growth and leadership position, disclosing that the bank entered into partnership with AXA Mansard, a member of the global AXA Group, to give clients multi-faceted insurance services.

He said, “Through a partnership arrangement with AXA Mansard, Microcred Nigeria will provide its clients multi-faceted insurance services, covering life and non-life insurance. Losses associated with death, burglary, fire and special perils should now become a thing of C M Y K

the past.

“Never shall our clients lose their business to any disaster, clients would be educated and supported to ensure that their assets are insured at an affordable rate.”

Also speaking, Deputy CEO, Ms. Isabelle Levard, said that the outfit would exploit the huge business potential in Lagos to

consolidate its leadership position, pledging a new experience for its Lagos clients.

“We want to ensure that clients are protected and will not lose their goods to any insurable risk. We plan to enlist over 300,000 customers in Lagos and its surroundings within the next four years and we are targeting over N40

billion from various insurance products,” Levard said.

The Divisional Director, Retail Solutions of AXA Mansard, Mr Yomi Onifade, described the Nigerian insurance industry as largely under-penetrated, stating, “as a leading non-banking financial service group, we are poised to offer

unparalleled products and services to Microcred’s clients by ensuring that their risks are adequately covered.

“The targeted clients have every reason to be excited and happy as their losses would be minimised going forward.

We are excited to partner with Microcred to achieve its growth aspirations in Nigeria while also growing insurance penetration,” he said.

Good corporate governance will change Nigeria — Adeluyi ...as ICAN confers fellowship award on 969 members

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he Former Minister of Health and Chairman of Juli pharmacy, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, has said that the adoption of good corporate governance will change Nigeria.

He stated this during the conferment of Fellowship Awards on 969 members of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Lagos.

Meanwhile, earlier in an address, ICAN President, Otunba Femi Deru, urged the new Fellows to inculcate honesty in the discharge of their duties so as to contribute to the development of the economy, saying, “The nation is waiting for us as chartered accountants to make things work.”

According to Adeluyi, “As

professionals especially as accountants who are accountable, we must look through life and leave that life whereby people will know that we are disciplined, ethical and that we can be believed as truth speakers

who are ready to build goodwill and that our work is going to be beneficial to our clients and all concerned.

“I am sure that if we do this it will help the body out there, the business people both public and private to

carry out good corporate governance. If we have good corporate governance Nigeria will change.

If the professional groups can change their mind and say we want to have professional ethics, the country will change.”

SON boss tasks States on MSMEs

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cting Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Paul Angya has appealed to State and Local Governments to assist Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) stand on their feet for overall economic and industrial growth.

He said this at a courtesy visit to Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, stating that MSMEs are the engine of growth for any economy.

To this end he said, “Concerted efforts should be made by government at all levels to grow

the sector.

“There is no way we can diversify the economy without the active development and involvement of the MSMEs. They are the secret of economic prosperity. Let the state governments in Nigeria help MSMEs in their localities to survive, then SON as the regulator would come in, accredit and certify them. “We have been encouraging and supporting them through trainings and sensitization programmes. We have offered in some states and offering 25 percent subsidy for their certifications.

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

E-Commerce STORIES BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

Digital Base, iFLUX open retail shop for LED lighting products

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FLUX brand in partnership with Digital Base Limited have last week opened its second brand experience and retail centrer in Lagos with an array of eccentric, top-ofthe-range LED lighting products.

Speaking at the Victoria Island showroom opening , Teddy Lee, Managing Director of iFLUX said that the multinational company is the first of such brands playing in the LED lighting sector to cover a two years warranty on all their LED products.

“We have proven to the market the high quality and our commitment to quality assurance. For instance, the eighty eight (88) solarpowered streetlights installations in Ikeja computer village of ‘Light up Ikeja’ Community Social Responsibility project by Tecno Telecoms limited are iFLUX products “As we speak, those LED streetlights are fully functional; there are no glitches and each one of them has a warranty of two years, within this period, the product will be responsible for fixing or replacing any of the streetlights that show factory faults,” Lee explained.

Speaking on the long life span of the products, the Managing Director, iFLUX LED Nigeria, Victor Okpaluku said on a three hours daily use, the life span of one iFLUX LED light bulb is equivalent to the combined life spans of twenty incandescent bulbs. “iFLUX products saves up 80% of the energy used to power incandescent lights, the power wattage required to light up the product to full glow can be as low as 8W,” Victor, the brand marketing lead reiterates.

“The two years warranty on products redeemable on all CarlcareTM centres nationwide,” Terry Tang, Marketing supervisor, of the company, added.

Also speaking, the Head of Marketing, Digital Base Limited, authorised dealer of iFLUX, Abel Emokai said that the product has the state-of-art technology to support the Nigeria market.

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he number of retail ecommerce transactions taking place through smartphones in Nigeria spiked by 73 per cent within the first quarter of 2016.

This is according to ecommerce Q1 report data by performance marketing firm, Criteo which was presented by the Managing Director, Emerging Markets, Dirk Henke while making a presentation at the Mobile West Africa conference held in Lagos last week. This is a reflection of global mobile commerce trend which has risen by 39 per cent since the last quarter of 2015.

The report which shows smartphones becoming the dominant m-commerce device indicates smartphones taking a huge chunk, about 18 per cent in Africa, of ecommerce transactions compared to about 10 per cent share of other mobile devices.

The report also highlights mobile versus desktop sales trends in the country with desktop sales dominating ecommerce transactions within weekdays and Saturdays while Sundays share equal transactions rates between mobile and desktops. This is in contrast to South Africa’s mobile commerce trends where mobile dominates all weekend transactions.

The report also noted that on weekdays, desktop usages specifically spikes during office hours with clicks averaging 1200 per

CONFERENCE: From left, Dirk Henke, Managing Director, Emerging Markets, Criteo; Sebastian Loaiza, Country Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Criteo; Shayan Rahimi, Business Development Manager, Middle-East & Africa, Criteo and Michele Lozzo, Commercial Director, MEA, Criteo at the Mobile West Africa Conference in Lagos. Photo:Lamidi Bamidele

73% e-commerce transactions in Nigeria happened on smartphones in Q1 cent and clicks through mobile barely rising above 100 per cent. However, on weekends, desktops and mobile usage are similar with clicks averaging 250 per cent across the devices.

Another important highlight of the survey is the inability of payday weeks to influence e-commerce sales.

Except for significant sales rise during the Black Friday sales in Q4, 2015 which coincided with the paydays, transactions within the other

paydays and within the first quarter of 2016 remained basically flat. However, Henke noted in his presentation that despite the impressive statistics and growth trends, everything is not perfect yet, because while 86 per cent of retailers claim they already have a mobile optimised website, only 13 per cent of consumers rate their shopping experience as ‘very good’ on smartphones.

The report, however, shows Nigeria's mobile conversion

rates steadily growing with Android smartphone averaging 1.8 per cent conversion rates, iPhone and iPad, 2.9 per cent and Android Tablet, at 1.5 per cent conversion rates.

Henke noted retailers need to become more strategic in their approach to sales by personalising their marketing across different channels and adopting retargeting strategies to convert more visitors into real buyers.

Rosabon marks 23rd anniversary, empowers women with grants

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s part of programmes to mark its 23 rd a n n i v e r s a ry, nonbanking finance institution, Rosabon Financial Services has entered into a strategic partnership with a non government organisation, NGO Mamamoni, to empower 23 women with soft grants and capacity building.

In a statement, Rosabon said, this is part of its efforts at encouraging women empowerment and promoting indigenous production, adding that the training and provision of grant to the selected women is part of Rosabon’s commitment at supporting local business to boost local production and grow the economy.

The women who are involved in various crafts including farming, fashion designing, soap making, fish farming and other chemical productions got the grant to further expand their businesses.

At the cheque presentation at Satellite Town, Lagos last

week, the 23 women expressed gratitude and satisfaction for the support received from Rosabon.

Speaking on the empowerment initiative and partnership with Mamamoni, Rosabon’s CEO, Chukwuma Ochonogor said they were inspired by Rosabon’s passion for deepening access to financial services, especially as a means to

tackling the menace of poverty among the unbanked.

He noted that the company has championed financial inclusion in Nigeria through its several innovative products targeted at the nonbanking population, adding that the partnership with Mamamoni is to continue its drive at deepening financial inclusion in the country.

According to Ochongor, “Women are becoming great players in the economy, so it is very important that they get the right empowerment.

At Rosabon, we have a societal outlook and recognize the importance of working together for the greater good. We are fully committed to this project and will keep it on for as long as possible.”

Shoptomydoor unveils 3-day delivery from US to Nigeria

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nternational online shop, Shoptomydoor.com has announced a three day delivery service from the United States of America to Nigeria and other African countries In a statement, the company said the introduction of the three days delivery at a discounted rate from USA to any country in Africa is in the spirit of its commitment to constantly give value to customers.

“The company’s goal is to continue providing Africans stress free global shopping and shipping experience that brings an affordable solution to their need for quality products ranging from clothes, shoes, auto parts, cars and electronics through an innovative platform. Although, ecommercehas continued to grow in Africa, there is still room for improvement. E-commerce is not

just about setting up computers and businesses, but encompasses a larger scope,” said Nduka Udeh, President/CEO of Shoptomydoor.com.

He said: “Most of what is needed to grow e-commerce is to put in place the right strategies and ensure strict implementation, provide an enticing browsing experience across online platforms, create multi-channel offerings that will enable consumers experience your brand consistently, consider consumers shopping method of choice and invest in mobile. Mobile commerce is growing at a rate of over 130 per cent annually. To stay competitive, we offer mobile-accessible services such as tracking, delivery status and real-time notifications.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 29

People in Business People gain wealth by investing, not by hoarding — Engr. Samuel Egube

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ngr. Samuel Egube is the Chairman, AltAssist Limited, a Lagos-based Management Consulting firm. In this chat with Financial Vanguard, the engineer, banker and business consultant speaks on sundry issues, harping on the need to unlock/create value through networking and building business relationships.

Excerpts:

By EBELE ORAKPO

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ackground: Upon graduation from University of Benin, armed with a degree in Civil & Structural Engineering, Engr.

Egube was sent to the National Defence Academy, Kaduna for his one year national youth service. After that, he worked briefly with his elder brother in his furniture component export business.

“After working with him for a short period, I felt I should some more exposure in business and enterprise so I joined Arthur Anderson (now KPMG Professionals). From Arthur Anderson, I went into construction again because business was always on my mind. Although I read engineering, I have an MBA and I am a member of different societies – Nigerian Society of Engineers, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Fellow of the Institute of Credit Management, Honorary Senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and an Associate of Nigerian Institute of Management. I also attended several courses.

Working in the banking industry: “I went into construction with some of my friends and worked there for about two years before going into the banking industry. The exposure I had at Arthur Anderson formed the bedrock of my work ethics and culture. In Arthur Anderson, I learnt about how to analyse business and the frameworks by which some of these analyses are done quite easily. And then the work culture was extremely strong.

I went into banking because while I was in Arthur Anderson, I consulted for the financial services industry and so I had very heavy interactions with most of the leading banks at that time, doing one form of assignment or the other. I passed through several leading banks from UBA, NIB International Bank, First Bank and Diamond Bank, taking up different roles and responsibilities (administrative to business development).

I spent quite a bit of time driving energy so I am known C M Y K

basically as oil & gas man even though I have had significant exposure across the various segments of the economy basically.

What I do: Today, I do a lot of consulting work, what I call Pair of h a n d s consulting. I interact with a lot of people who require capacity in their business from the advisory stand and then you flow in to give them that support. Many businesses are led by CEOs who require an equivalent capacity in business and who probably are unable to afford that on permanent basis so basically, we give that level of support from time to time. I am also a director in several companies and serve on their boards, helping to provide the required directions to keep them focused, and the governance system and framework working.

Networking: I have a passion for Nigeria.

I believe Nigeria is a great place but our forebears had not done a great work in building great enterprises. It is quite a challenge seeing the very few enterprises that had moved from one generation to another.

It is the African/Nigerian mindset. Typically, we have not learnt how to work together.

Most people are sole proprietors, they run their businesses alone. I am glad the consolidation in the banking industry forced a lot of people in the sector to work together with other stakeholders and the industry is better for it.

It is coming from very strong regulations and rules around the practice of banking in Nigeria and the fact that there are a lot of extremely strong stakeholders in the sector. It is my belief that we will see more of that happening where resources can be pulled together to make things happen.

Historically, if your money is unable to do it and you are unable to get banks to do it, you just leave the enterprise or the idea. But today, people come together to build skyscrapers

•Engr. Samuel Egube where each of them will own just a part. This gives me the hope that the future of Nigeria is great. The Oil & Gas sector has done well too. When some major international oil companies began to divest, it became clear that as Nigerians, we were going to participate and we needed to do so together. There would be more of that going on as we pull our capital together to create things.

One job which I love and which I do now is pulling people together and causing them to make investments that are good for Nigeria. Except we learn how to do that, we will not make significant progress.

Trust: As human beings, it has always been a matter of trust.

There is a reason why we need visas to go into other countries.

Depending on the level of trust, things can work smoother but you cannot wait for trust to enter a perfect state before you can do business; that is why you have laws. There are rules of engagement and if you want to approach life purely based on trust, then you will not have

Corruption begins in the mind, with the way we interpret things; if you believe you are going to gain wealth only by receiving, it is a corrupt thinking

institutions.

In the Banking industry, you build rules and controls; you anticipate what can go wrong and then you build reasonable controls around them. You have systems that check those events from time to time to ensure they are not in breach.

There are outcomes and repercussions when those systems are in breach. “Can I trust you? I don’t know. You may be a great person today but I am not sure how you will be if we start to make money or how you will behave if you start to have family problems, whether the problems will come into the business. So it is always going to be about the rule of law and principles.

Today, the biggest corporations in the world are public companies and they are controlled companies because the stakeholders are the public.

The securities and exchange commissions around the world put rules to guide the behaviours of these companies.

Rules actually hedge us in to a predetermined behavioural expectation.

Challenges: One is Rule of law: I am looking at the entire systems that help support agreements in Nigeria - constitution, specific rules around businesses and the rules with which we operate. So if the rule of law is working properly, then it is clear what to expect when we agree to do business. Corruption: Another problem is the way people think which I call corruption. Corruption is not what you see in the streets when the roads are decaying or things like that.

Corruption begins in the mind, with the way we

interpret things. If for example you believe you are going to gain wealth only by receiving, it is a corrupt thinking. People gain wealth by investing, not by hoarding. So when you have people putting money in soakaways, it is a decaying mindset, and those people are the ones you put in charge of our infrastructure and business systems. And because that is their mindset, the outcome of their work is decay.

People think also that scattering, rather than integrating people is a great way to provide leadership so rather than reintegrating our people, we put them in silos – north and south; Christian/ Moslem and not just Nigerians. That creates a political ecosystem that leads to another level of distrust. I have to surmount the fact that you are a northerner and I am a southerner so we always try to second-guess what other people’s intentions are. This creates an unhealthy atmosphere for interaction and business actually thrives with increased interactions among people.

Infrastructure: The two major ones are power and logistics.

If power is steady, small enterprises and manufacturing companies can run at lower costs. Thankfully, Nigerians are creating alternative solutions.

Functioning rail system: People and goods must move freely and cheaply. If I can move from Benin to Lagos in two hours by rail, I don’t need to live in Lagos to work in Lagos. If I knew that quite cheaply I could move my goods from Apapa Port by rail to Port Harcourt, then I can build a factory in Port Harcourt and have a very decentralised economy and a better distribution of our people which will aid significant amount of interaction. I can wake up this evening and say I am going to Abuja for a meeting and from there, I just want to touch base in Kaduna and each of the trips takes about three hours or even 30 minutes. That helps because when people interact with people, business happens.

I understand that over 50% of our tomatoes go to waste.

Can you imagine if that 50% can come to the market, what the standard of living of our brothers who produce tomatoes in the north will look like?

In my own business, because it is a business that affects capital and people, you find out that the challenges facing the economy become my challenges and my job is to try and create solutions around these challenges to make thing better despite the situation.

30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Economy

First half economic outlook appears hazy despite oil price rebound —ANALYSTS

BY EMEKA ANAETO, ECONOMY EDITOR

A

midst dramatic positive turn in oil prices in the international market some economy analysts have indicated that a positive ruboff on Nigerian economy would not come in the short term.

Economists at the Financial Derivatives Company Limited, said the inflationary pressures which had sustained over thirteen months consecutively, would remain in the months ahead, due to the persistent scarcity of petroleum products, among other key factors.

However they noted that the currency swap initiative between Nigeria and China is expected to dampen domestic prices, as China accounts for 25.6 per cent of Nigeria’s import, hence a moderating influence on imported inflation, especially as China’s inflation remained flat at 2.3 per cent in March, 2016.

But economy researchers at ARM Investments said their earlier identified tripod of inflation drivers coming into 2016 (higher electricity tariff, Naira volatility and petroleum products scarcity) dominated inflation discuss thus far in 2016, adding that lingering fuel scarcity bolsters their expectation for continued pressures on prices within the second quarter.

Consequently, they projected a 57 basis points rise in headline inflation to 13.4 per cent for April 2016 with a target full year 2016 average now at 12.79 per cent. Last month’s headline inflation rate was 12.8 per cent, a near 4-year high.

In its economic outlook for first half 2016, the economists

C M Y K

at ARM Investments stated that output will also remain depressed as growth challenges show no sign of abating “Going forward, we retain bearish outlook on overall gross domestic products, GDP, on the back of extended delays in the passage of 2016 budget which was meant to signpost a kick-start of stimulatory fiscal spending that would have supported production in non-oil segments of the economy.

Consequently, we retain our 2016 GDP forecast of 2.9 per cent year-on-year.”.

Further, they stated, “whilst we expect currency issues to keep importation reasonably constrained, oil exports is likely to be pegged-back by incessant downtime at strategic pipelines such as Trans Forcados, with organisations such as Seplat Petroleum, already bracing up for significant down-time over the first half of the year”.

This, according to them, increases prospects for renewed balance of payment pressures over the rest of 2016.

As a result, they said that the huge parallel market premium in the foreign exchange market which resulted from the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to administratively peg exchange rate in its officially controlled market segment in the face of sharp depreciation in the parallel market, would persist.

“In all, as the CBN keeps its grip of the peg, we expect further market dislocation to result in sustained increase in parallel market premium”.

On the stock market ARM analysts said, “over the rest of first half 2016, whilst oil prices show signs of finding a bottom, current foreign

Sen. Udo Udoma, Minister of National Planning exchange market illiquidity should continue to stymie foreign interest on the domestic bourse”.

Thus, they advised that domestic investor considerations should play a pivotal role in charting equity market outlook in the second quarter (Q2), 2016.

However, on this wise, they reasoned that the recent twist in monetary policy and resultant rise in interest rates raises the hurdles for quoted companies while driving heightened domestic investor sensitivity to stock fundamentals.

On balance, they see lagged

economic policy response to the tepid economic landscape as driving a bearish market outlook in the Q2, 2016.

“Our base case was for a weak macroeconomic landscape on account of the oil price shocks to combine with current foreign exchange restrictions to temper foreign participation in Nigerian equities, leaving domestic considerations to exert greater influence on market outlook.

“On a sector basis, we anticipated the planned fiscal stimulus would be positive for FMCGs (fast moving consumer goods companies) and cement stocks with the latter aided by modest valuation multiples.

“Going forward, whilst oil prices have posted a quicker recovery than we expected, subsisting glut and still unclear prospects for an output freeze leave room for further price volatility in Q2, 2016.

“Combined with current foreign exchange restrictions, we see an extension of net

GTB boss advises entrepreneurs on exchange rate

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

I

n the face of worsening foreign exchange supply crises, young entrepreneurs have been urged not to allow exchange rate to determine their success.

Speaking at the 2016 edition of Business Wednesday, an interactive platform that facilitates networking, information sharing, and bonding hosted by the Market Place Alliance of this Present House, Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr Segun Agbaje, who made this admonition, shared useful insights on successfully running a business and ultimately creating lasting value in present-day Nigeria.

To buttress his point Agbaje gave a brief recap of similar

challenges in his career trajectory in GTBank, and later delved into the socio-economic dynamics of the country since 1991 when he joined the bank.

“I still believe Nigeria is the greatest place on earth to do business. Africa as a continent is the best place to do business. There are a few countries with the population we have and at the least, 50 per cent are below 28. Who else has 170 million people to sell products to?” Agbaje said.

“When the rate was N22 to $1, you didn’t have cars. N150 to one, you didn’t own a car, but at N200 and N300 you bought cars. At N400 you will buy houses.

There are opportunities that come with devaluation.”

“The only way forward in a country like Nigeria is to have the SMEs sector developed.

It’s not corporations that will fix Nigeria, it’s an amalgamation of SMEs that will take the country forward,” he said.

Pastor Tony Rapu, the convener of the event, further elaborated on the need for more engagements such as TPH Business Wednesday saying things can no longer be business-as-usual.

“The reality of the 21st century demands a better approach for high performance, and This Present House’s Business Wednesday service is a great platform to exchange ideas.

We are excited to have Mr. Agbaje on this platform with us today, and we are confident that the insights shared will inspire us to attain for greatness in spite of the current economic situation,” he said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 31

Advertising & Media

Nigeria is key market for Alcatel —NICK IMUDIA N

ick Imudia is the Regional Director, Alcatel Nigeria and central Africa. He spoke of the company’s plan for Nigerian market with a renewed focus of bringing innovation to a broad spectrum of Nigerian consumers.

Princewill Ekwujuru reports.

Nigerian mobile phone culture Mobile phone is a basic communication and work tool for most Nigerians and as such has become an absolute necessity for people to communicate and do business. Consumers also need reliable devices that offer them all the features they expect from a smartphone but at an affordable price. As such price plays a key deciding factor for the majority of consumers who need to stay in touch and do business on the go.

A key factor in Nigeria is the connectivity issues faced due to the growing demand for mobile devices. This puts a strain on the infrastructure and has created the need for many consumers to carry a second supporting mobile device in order to stay connected through an alternate network.

Nigeria is still very much a

growing mobile market which creates the perfect opportunity for Alcatel.

Market penetration We recognize that every smartphone user needs and deserves a device that offers good performance, beautiful aesthetics and rich functionality.

As such, we’ll strive to offer choice, variety and flexibility to consumers irrespective of their budget.

With our renewed focus in Nigeria we have spent the past months giving Nigeria consumers, partners, operators and their consumers’ easy access to our vast range of affordable products.

This includes establishing the fundamentals such as in store devices, both live and dummy, promoters, a field marketing team, online purchasing / promotions and training for sales staff etc. We believe we are delivering on this and once this has been firmly established we will then turn our focus on building Alcatel into a major player in the Nigerian market. We have the brand, the products and the distribution capabilities to grow aggressively in the years to come.

Market share According to Q4 2015 IDC +

company data, Alcatel is number 5 worldwide in the total phone market with 4.5 percent market share. Alcatel is IDC Top 2015- 2016 Top 10 Global Smartphone brands and IDC 2015-2016 Top 15 Global Smart Connected Devices Brand. So globally Alcatel has strong presence, therefore when entering the Nigerian marketplace we needed to ensure that we had all the fundamentals in place.

Key to this was ensuring we had a strong in-store presence with live and dummy in store devices, promoters, a field marketing team, online purchasing / promotions and training for sales staff etc. In addition it was important for us that we partnered with the right distributors in order to ensure that the Nigerian consumers have every opportunity to get their hands on the perfect mix of Alcatel devices that are feature rich and affordable. This is evident with the Alcatel Idol 3 premium smartphone, that is currently available with its innovative technology.

West Africa hub Nigeria is a key market for Alcatel particularly from an open market perspective. However,

Lexcel Group appoints Fatai Odesile Ag MD of Grand Oak

By ANN OKAFOR

T

we have offices throughout Africa all of which are important to grow.

Phone dealers and availability In order to reach the mass market in Nigeria, it is advantageous for companies, particularly technology companies to partner with the Computer Village. This gives companies access to all areas and villages throughout the country, through their distribution and dealer network. Alcatel aims at making technology available to the market. This means making it available at affordable prices without compromising on features and style. We believe that we have managed to achieve this with the products launched in Nigeria.

Partnership with Konga.com E-commerce is seen as an opportunity for Alcatel to create deep partnerships with platforms such as Konga, Jumia and Yudala. This means that we are fully integrated in the end-to-end delivery of the product.

he Chairman and Board of Directors of Lexcel management/Nigeria Distilleries has appointed Aare Fatai Odesile as Acting Managing Director, MD of Grand Oak Limited, effective March 28 2016. Aare Fatai Odesile was the Commercial Director before his elevation to the position of Acting Managing Director of Grand Oak Limited (GOL), following the exit of the former occupant.

Aare Odesile started his Working Career with 7up Bottling Company Plc in 1991and moved to NDL as a Research and Development Officer the following year.

He rose rapidly to become the R&D Manager, before crossing over to Sales and Marketing, where he rose to become the pioneer Marketing Director of GOL in 2010.

Aviation

NCAA directs airlines to remit collected charges

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

T

he Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Weekend directed all airlines, domestic & charter, operating in the country to forward in full unremitted funds accruable to the authority without further delay.

According to Mr Sam Adurogboye , General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, the directive was handed down at a meeting with the operators on nonremittance of 5% Ticket, Cargo and Charter Sales Charges [TSA/TCA] held at the Authority ’s Headquarters Annex .

Adurogboye added that the Director General of the NCAA, Capt.Muhtar Usman presided at the meeting in company of the Authority’s top management staff.

According to the DG, the directive is with regards to the 5% TSA/TCA collected at source from the air

passengers by the airlines on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“These sales charges are to enable all aviation agencies carry out their responsibilities of providing safe, secure and efficient regulatory services for the overall benefits of all aviation stakeholders,” Usman said.

He further said “It is imperative that all unremitted funds must be forwarded in full to the NCAA immediately.

The airlines must desist from using these funds ‘’held in trust”; The ongoing 5% Ticket/Cargo/Charter/Sales Charges automation of payments which offers realtime transparent transactions must be completed within two(2) months. This will remove endless reconciliation of data and reduce high debt profile of Airlines to NCAA.” “Reconciliation of all outstanding debts must be completed within sixty(60) days; The 5% Ticket/ Cargo/ Sales Charges must be On

Gross Ticket excluding VAT and Passenger Service Charge(PSC) only; All airlines must provide to the Authority the breakdown of the recently introduced ‘’Taxes+Fees” component on all passenger tickets which include the amount due to each Government Agency.”

“That is FAAN-Passenger Service Charge (PSC); Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS)-5% VAT; and NCAA 5% Ticket Sales Charges (TSC).Any add-on charge, surcharge (i.e. fuel surcharges-(YQ, etc) or any other miscellaneous added on passenger ticket must be

approved by the Authority before applying these charges on passenger tickets.”

“After exhaustive deliberations between NCAA team led by the DG on one hand and Operators by Capt Chimara O. Imediegwu of First nation on the other, agreement was reached by all parties on all the issues raised.”

Airbus introduces Airbus H175 Helicopter series to Nigeria

A

irbus, one of the largest aircraft manufacturers, has introduced its Airbus H175 Helicopter series to the Nigeria market.

Airbus Helicopters is promoting the H175 series through a demonstration tour in Lagos. The tour held from 20th to 22rd April 2016 with several key oil & gas operators.

Speaking with Aviation reporters in Lagos, Mr Regis Magnac, Vice President, Head of Operational Marketing, Airbus Helicopter, said the H175 series was designed with the support of oil companies and helicopters operators, and “ with 16 passengers aboard in an oil and gas configuration, it can fly to distances of 140 nautical miles (332KM), increasing to nearly 200 nautical miles (435 KM) when 12 passengers are carried in a long range configuration, with no auxiliary fuel tank required.”

“In a higher density configuration, it can carry as many as 18 passengers up to 105 nautical miles (269 KM). It offers cost competitiveness, performance and new standards of safety and comfort. This aircraft is perfectly suited for oil and gas operators in Nigeria.”

Magnac further said the 7-ton class H175 was developed by Airbus Helicopters as “its new-generation medium-sized rotorcraft, certified in accordance with the latest and most demanding regulatory requirements.

Benefits include enhanced flight safety, more volume per seat for passenger comfort, mission versatility, simplified maintenance, and cost effectiveness to match customer expectations.”

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

(0805 220 1997)

President’s trade mission to China T

he template for public expectation from President Muhammed Buhari’s recent visit to China was formally defined by Femi Adesina, in the President’s Media Adviser’s press release, which was published a day before Nigeria’s star-studded delegation departed Abuja in April. However, the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun had told Reuters and London's Financial Times, just before the China trip that Nigeria was actually in negotiation for a $2.5bn World Bank loan to partly fund the 2016 budget, because of the more favourable terms.

Shortly however, before this announcement, Adeosun had also suggested that Euro denominated, Diaspora bonds and Chinese Panda bonds including a $Rbn infrastructure loan were also being considered to fund the budget deficit. Inexplicably, the signing of the $2bn Chinese loan did not materialise, but Kemi Adeosun was however quick to confirm thereafter that her Ministry was actually looking at other home grown solutions to fund the 2016 Budget deficit.

Evidently, however, after President Buhari’s meetings with Xi Jinping, protocol agreements on various areas of co-operation and assistance were signed; according to Garba Shehu, the President’s media assiatant, these included for example, $1bn Abuja-Ibadan-Lagos Greenfield Expressway, a 300 megawatt solar plant in Shiroro; other more modest deals which were also sealed in housing, rail transportation and floating gas facilities.

Indeed, in another major agreement, China had also offered a $6bn loan to fund infrastructure projects in Nigeria; according to Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, “ the offer is a Credit

that is on the table as soon as we identify the Projects”. In the light of Onyeama’s statement, it is disturbing that the Nigeria delegation embarked on the China Trade mission without a clean copy of a defensible and coherent “Wish list” that would have made access to the $6bn infrastructure loan immediately possible. It should however be instructive, before we commit to the $6bn offer, to appraise why the earlier infrastructure loans obtained four years ago by former President Jonathan’s administration failed to positively impact our economy.

However, Nigerians should also be concerned with our government’s apparent fixation on external loans which have yielded minimal social impact over the years, especially when, our own domestic money market, remains embarrassingly awash with excess Naira liquidity, while our own CBN also, ironically sits on almost $30bn reserves “just awaiting auction” to banks!

Conversely, the Chinese should be encouraged with special concessions to inject the $6bn as direct private investment in Nigeria to build and independently operate these critical infrastructural projects for a period not exceeding 15years, with a clear provision for private sector Nigerian partnership that would jointly run the establishment, from the tenth year, after project is commissioned.

Notably however, the news of a Currency Swap agreement between Nigeria and China seems to have captivated public attention. Basically, the swap implies that China would set aside billions of dollars equivalent of its currency (the Renminbi) from which Nigerian importers can

directly exchange their Naira at pre-determined exchange rates, without first procuring dollars to complete the transaction. Regrettably, the Presidency has not published the amount, nor tenor and applicable exchange rates that will be applicable to transactions and settlements under the swap arrangement.

Nonetheless, while briefing State House correspondents on gains of the China trip, Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama suggested that the celebrated agreement was not a currency swap as widely reported, but a recruitment of Nigeria into a partnership “that would facilitate China’s drive to

Nigerians should also be concerned with our government’s apparent fixation on external loans which have yielded minimal social impact over the years ...

Business & Economy I'm not convinced on Nigeria's benefit from previous devaluations —BUHARI

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he was yet to be convinced that the vast majority of ordinary Nigerians would derive any tangible benefit from devaluation of the Naira. The president said this at a meeting with members of the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries in Abuja. He said that he still held the conviction which motivated his principled resistance to devaluation in his first tenure as head of state.

“When I was military head of state, the IMF and the World Bank wanted us devalue the C M Y K

naira and remove petrol subsidy but I stood my grounds for the good of Nigeria. The naira remained strong against the dollar and other foreign currencies until I was removed from office in August, 1985 and it was devalued.

“But how many factories were built and how many jobs were created by the devaluation?

That is why I’m still asking to be convinced today on the benefits of devaluation,” he said. Buhari welcomed the council’s pledge of support for the successful implementation of his administration’s change agenda, especially in the priority areas of improving

security, curbing corruption and revitalising the national economy.

“I am glad you have rightly identified the key issues we campaigned on. We need a dynamic bureaucracy which will not mislead us into taking wrong decisions,” he added.

The Pioneer Chairman of the council, Chief Philip Asiodu, expressed the readiness of members of the council to assist in ensuring the success of Buhari-led administration.

We are non-partisan. The interest of Nigeria is paramount to us and we are anxious that you should succeed,” Asiodu said.

internationalize its currency”.

“So, far us” according to Onyeama, “ it has given us (our economy) greater opportunity, so that those people (who cannot readily access dollars) can now also import, notwithstanding the shortage of dollars”.

Similarly, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, also noted in a ThisDay report of 18th April that “the agreement on currency swap with China will definitely benefit Nigeria because the essence of the mandate is that Nigeria is designated as the trading hub with China in the Ecowas sub region.” Emefiele further added that “ we believe that using the Renminbi will improve trade with China, as this will encourage importers to open L/Cs in the Chinese currency for the importation of raw materials, equipment and machinery from China, rather than other trading regions, so the agreement will encourage trade between both Countries”.

However, Lin Songtian, a senior official of the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that the deal on Yuan transactions “means that the Renminbi is free to flow among different banks in Nigeria, and the Renminbi has been included in the foreign exchange reserves of Nigeria”. Indeed, Lamido Sanusi, as former Governor had converted about 10% of CBN’s dollar reserves into Yuan about 4 years ago!

In effect, in order to facilitate rapid Yuan acceptance in our sub-region, Nigeria as hub, will invariably host a Clearing House with affiliation to the Peoples Bank of China to allow the Renminbi to become a common settlement currency which can be used for bilateral loans or aid. Ultimately a New bank with affiliation to the China bank will also be established and dedicated to intermediate on Yuan transactions in the sub region, as a product of the Currency

Omoh Gabriel Babajide Komolafe Clara Nwachukwu Peter Egwuatu Yinka Kolawole Favour Nnabugwu Godwin Oritse Godfrey Bivbere Michael Eboh Franklin Alli Ifeyinwa Obi Rosemary Onuoha Nkiruka Nnorom CONTRIBUTORS Princewill Ekwujuru Jonah Nwokpoku Naomi Uzor Providence Obuh LAYOUT

Swap.

Furthermore, China’s official News Agency reported that President Xi Jinping expressed interest in economic cooperation with the Nigerian delegation, particularly in areas like oil refining and mining; however, it is not yet clear if the Currency Swap deal also implies that China will pay for Nigeria’s crude oil in Naira or Yuan.

Ultimately, this currency deal will bolster our Renminbi reserves, but this will invariably lead to a corresponding drop in our dollar reserves; ironically however, China may readily depreciate its Yuan to promote export price competitiveness of its products in the United States and other dollar denominated markets.

Unfortunately, in such event, Nigeria’s increasing Renminbi reserves would have been devalued and would buy less and less dollars than before.

It is instructive that, China is already in similar bilateral currency swap agreements totaling RMB 3.137Tn (about $500bn) with 31 Central Banks including the UK and South Africa, and the trade volume with these countries has since exceeded RMB 11 Trillion after the swap agreements.

Nonetheless, CBN Governor Emefiele has however observed that “ we are working to encourage exports of raw materials to China in order to reduce the trade imbalance” which is presently, clearly heavily skewed against Nigeria with an annual import bill of about $15bn to China.

However, It is not yet clear how Nigeria’s industrial production and output will ever become internationally competitive enough to reduce this trade imbalance, particularly when domestic inflation rate is trending at over 12% while cost of funds to real sector presently exceed 20%!

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Media/Marketing E-Commerce Industry Micro Finance Graphics Department

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—33 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com Corruption, on certain persons, including a former President of the Senate, a taxi driver, and a former Justice of the Federal High Court at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.”

Is it possible that a senior officer of the EFCC will concoct an award and deliver a speech on behalf of the

Season of denials and market st ories stories

T

HIS, in Nigeria, is the season of denials and other market stories. There is hardly any main event or issue that has not become controversial or denied.

One of the latest occurred in the Office of the Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu. It was a ceremony to confer on him the toga of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) AntiCorruption Ambassador. It seemed a richly deserved award as Ekweremadu has been a decorated Chairman of the Aninri Local Government, Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Senator since 2003, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and of course, Deputy Senate President of Africa’s most populous country.

At the conferment ceremony, the EFCC Liason Officer to the National Assembly, Suleiman Bakari reportedly pronounced: “On behalf of my acting chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu and the entire management and staff of the EFCC, I decorate you as an Anti-Corruption Ambassador and formally present this frame, as a token of our

appreciation to your person and office, and as a symbol of the institutional partnership between the EFCC and the National Assembly.”

The ceremony was austere; Ekweremadu had only bottled water and small plates of sweet to offer his distinguished guests. But I am sure many groups especially from the South East must have perfected plans to send delegations to felicitate with the new brand ambassador. Then came a spoiler; the EFCC denied the award! Its perceptive spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, declared that “The statutory mandate of the EFCC is the investigation and prosecution of all economic and financial crimes cases, which does not include the decoration of individuals as anticorruption ambassadors. The Commission is not in the habit of awarding titles to individuals.”

Ekweremadu’s office, rather than waving this off and advising the EFFC to put its house in order, took offence, joining issues with the EFCC. It referred the body “to December 7, 2007, when the Nuhu Ribadu-led EFCC conferred the Role Model Award in the Fight Against

What was more baffling is the angry response of Ekweremadu; was the purported EFCC award, a chieftaincy title that would require the feather of the Niger Delta eagle jotting out of his red cap?

Chief Executive aware that he was not doing so in secret? Or was there a change of mind by the agency?

What was more baffling is the angry response of Ekweremadu; was the purported EFCC award, a chieftaincy title that would require the feather of the Niger Delta eagle jotting out of his red cap? He might have missed the opportunity of adding the title EFCC AntiCorruption Ambassador (EACA) after his name, but was it not suspicious to him that such a major national award was conferred by a Liaison Officer? I am not sure what

Opprobrium tagged NEC summit

By Jim Moses

O

N March 7, 2016, this writer ’s article titled; “The Many Failed Promises of Buhari” was published in Vanguard newspaper. The analyst was very clear on President Muhammadu Buhari’s lack of capacity and the right team to move Nigeria forward. In one of the paragraphs, this author wrote: “Nigerians are hungry. And rather than spend the past nine months since he assumed office to fight hunger, starvation, poor health care delivery systems, and shelter for the homeless, PMB has been busy junketing the entire globe and painting Nigerians as corrupt people”. And in another paragraph, I stated: “President Muhammadu lacks clues on how to move Nigeria forward. He also lacks the capacity to be Nigeria’s president. This is because he equally lacks ideas on how to diversify the economy of this great nation blessed with abundant natural and human resources. His team also lacks cutting edge ideas that will take Nigeria out of the woods.

They have nothing new to offer as his “miracle making” and “saints” ministers are of the old school or old brigade with little or no achievements to show in their past leadership roles except for Babatunde Raji Fashola”.

I am happy that after the publication of the above article, the President found it worthy to convene a 2-two day National Economic Council, NEC, retreat to address some of these major challenges like hunger, starvation, poor health care delivery systems and shelter for the homeless; as contained in his economic agenda designed to achieve the change agenda.

But what I find very worrisome is the clear demonstration and exhibition of his administration's lack of capacity, clues, cuttingedge and innovative approach to proffering solutions that are in tandem with modern day realities.

Shallow thinking: The gathering of his team for a 2-day NEC that ended with the decision C M Y K

to release N350billion to contractors, increase vat, and the ordering of state Governors to identify two areas in agriculture to focus on, buttresses this writer’s earlier stated position and remains a monumental disgrace to a nation blessed with abundant educated people and seasoned professionals whose opinions, suggestions and ideas can turn around an economy of a nation willing to reinvent itself.

I write this because fixing Nigeria’s economy does not require rocket science neither does it require a reinvention of the wheel. It is a known

The only thing they could offer is increase in tax for Nigerians already suffering from hunger fact that our economy is a mono (oil dependent) economy, and it is common knowledge that fixing it requires a simple, well designed and sustainable plan for diversification.

Lack of vision Of all areas and available non oil resources in Nigeria begging for exploitation like solid minerals, agricultural produce processing for income generation, the only thing they could offer is increase in tax for Nigerians already suffering from hunger, starvation, job loss and unemployment. Who will pay this tax? Is it the already impoverished Nigerians whose electricity tariffs have been increased or the ones generating their power to run their businesses at unregulated fuel price caused by scarcity which the Minister of state for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, has shamelessly told Nigerians will persist till the month of May even though he was forced to recant his earlier statement?

it means to be an Anti-Corruption Ambassador; perhaps it is a certificate of cleanliness and immunity.

Another denial is the National Grazing Reserve Commission Bill which was widely reported to have passed Second Reading in the Senate. It had elicited debates in the country; how can such a potentially controversial bill be on its way to becoming a law without a Public Hearing? Then a shocked nation saw Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe stand up in the hallowed Chambers to complain that although he was regular in attending sessions, he had never witnessed the bill being presented or discussed. The Senate officially reacted; that no such bill was ever presented to it. So is there a ghost Senate deliberating on the bill?

Well, since in Nigeria, we have ‘ghost workers’ who go to work and collect salaries, it is not impossible to have a ghost bill pass Second Reading.

Yet another denial. The phoenix Petroleum Industry Bill is being debated in the National Assembly.

There are reports that the legislators in their wisdom, expunged the 10 percent Host Communities Fund from the bill. This has been denied, but the National Leaders of the Host Communities of Nigeria Oil and Gas meeting at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, said there was indeed, such a move, and that it viewed this as “a process to truncate the prevailing peace existing in the region” Dr. Temitope Aluko, Ekiti State Scribe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) went on air claiming that his party used the Electoral Commission, Armed Forces, Police and other paramilitary forces to rig the June 2014 state gubernatorial elections. He claimed that then

It is a shame that out of several areas that abound for diversification of the nation’s economy, our leaders could only think of increment of tax, identification of two areas in agriculture by each state of the federation and the payment of 350 billion to contractors even when the vice chancellor of Amadu Bello University, Professor Ibrahim Garuba, recently announced, while delivering a paper titled; “Mineral resources and Mining in Nigeria: Investment Opportunities and Challenges” at a seminar, during the 37th Kaduna International Trade Fair, that there are about 40 different solid minerals and precious metals buried in Nigerian soil awaiting to be exploited; with 70% of these buried in the bowels of Northern Nigeria, putting the estimated commercial value of Nigeria’s solid minerals at hundreds of trillions of dollars.

On agriculture, it is also common knowledge that the government cannot do it alone. So, rather than give the responsibility to this tier of government alone, why not extend it to the local governments and the unemployed who are willing to engage in food production but whose major challenge is funding. So why not make funding with reasonable interest rates and less cumbersome and very challenging collaterals available as a deliberate policy to provide food and employment for willing Nigerians which will in turn add up to the nation’s foreign exchange and raw materials for our industries?

Unrealistic and faulty promises PMB’s sudden realisation after 10 months in office, that, the power situation in the country was no longer funny, and his promise to increase it to 10,000 megawatts by 2019, even when experts have ruled out the possibility, is disturbing. Also, the dismay expressed by the President over the high cost of food items is highly embarrassing. Is PMB just realising all these?

I find this very disturbing; if Mr. President is truly aware of this hardship, are the forgoing decisions the best for the revitalisation of our economy at this time? His admitting the fact that the plan by his party, the APC, to build 1,000,000 housing units per year might not be realised, and the invitation of foreign investors

President Goodluck Jonathan provided $37 million to ensure that Governor Ayodele Fayose was elected. Then on April 3, 2016, Aluko and Fayose appeared at the Eko Hotel, Lagos to jointly address the press with Aluko claiming that his accusations were based on “misunderstanding” and that the meeting was “about family coming” together.

This was after Fayose had told the press “If I leave him (Aluko) to the whole world, who will be there for him? I am his father, his brother…Aluko remains my boy, my son.” It was to me, a humiliating press briefing for Aluko; how can a human being stoop so low; is it not better to starve than lose all dignity?

The following day, Aluko went back to the press to make another U-turn and renew his accusations. I think he needs a medical examination.

The trophy for most denials go to the 2016 Appropriation Bill. There must have been dozens. It started with the Senate claiming that the Bill presented by the President had been stolen! Then that it had been substituted and replaced with a fake.

Latter, that it was padded; the public was regaled with long tales of the padding. I asked myself, why can’t the NASS simply remove the paddings and give us a clean bill?

After more drama, the bill was passed for signing without details. When the details came, the Executive discovered the NASS had done its own padding. On this I ask, since it is the Executive that releases funds, why not sign the bill and simply refuse to release the funds for the padded items? The market stories continue; meanwhile, I am searching for the Calabar-Lagos railway.

together with local domiciled big construction companies to enter into commercial housing building is worrisome. This is because, with the current rate of unemployment in Nigeria, why plan to involve only big local construction and foreign inventors when we have so many unemployed building and civil engineers, architects and building experts? Is this a deliberate attempt to settle or compensate his friends and those who donated or invested in his electioneering campaign who may be owners, share holders or invertors in these proposed big firms?

Can’t small and medium scale companies (SMEs) be involved in this laudable project of mass housing provision since SMEs are the highest employers of labour in every economy?

Also, why can’t the government develop a national building code to regulate the industry (if none currently exist) if the government is in doubt of the capabilities of SMEs? Lack of capacity, focus and direction To really prove this administration’s lack of vision, focus, direction and capacity, President Buhari, told Nigerians recently, at the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the party's National Secretariat in Abuja, that “For globetrotting, sometimes, you need to present your case on personal basis to your economic colleagues and neighbours. “Nothing is better than personal touch and I believe that we are learning a lot and eventually, the nation will realise so.” This is surprisingly rather embarrassing if the foregoing is the only reason PMB could give as a reason for his numerous journeys since he assumed office.

Also, the dismay expressed by the President over the high cost of food items is highly embarrassing. Is PMB just realizing all these?

I find this very disturbing; if Mr. President is truly aware of this hardship, are the forgoing decisions the best for the revitalization of our economy at this time? Was this 2-day national economic council summit absolutely necessary considering the shallow level of reasoning and proposed solutions proffered?

*Mr. Moses, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos.

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Mr President, should we wait to be killed or fight?

Geoffery Awodimula The best way to defend is by attacking. You cannot stand to see your families get slaughtered before you defend them. To the Fulanis, the life of a cow is more important than that of a human being. I am a farmer, and these Fulanis bring their cows to destroy my crops before harvest and I am fully aware that they can’t be arrested, or prosecuted because they have connections. Well, let us leave the tale for another day.

Nnamdi Ezema Why are you complaining when you voted

for APC? It is one of the dividends of the change you yearned for. My own candid advice for the Southern states and other states that have been terrorised by the Fulanis in Nigeria is to enact a law criminalising the moving of cattle within state boundaries complete with severe punishment on those who breach the law.

Ayoyinka Gabriel Akanbi The Fulani herdsmen are endangered species. So don’t expect the government to do anything about them by protecting you.

You have to defend yourselves.

Electricity: The price Nigerians must pay, by Fashola Woman leader Fashola, we know you are capable; keep on the good work as enemies will always complain; but don’t be distracted. We believe in you.

Ogunsuyi Olakunle There is no political solution to the power situation in Nigeria.

It is going to be tough,it will involve continuous investment, hard work , patriotism and commitment from every citizen. It’s so scary to note that our power situation will require hundreds of billions of dollars investment from the private sector operators who in turn will want to make profit from their investment. So it means we have to pay more. I foresee this problem not being resolved in this decade.

406 In real countries, you must be an engineer or electro-science based professional to be a Power Minister . Again in countries/ nations, you must have average education (secondary school) to b a president.

Rommel It is an administrative job which is why any seasoned administrator could do the job because there are engineers in that Ministry unless you don’t understand the job of a minister Sola Akinwande Why are they making refunds if they did not take money from the public treasury? Let’s stop this hypocrisy and hatred of one person. Is conviction the only solution even without the court?

The Presidency is not the one to convict. Where did this woman and others get the money being refunded? She definitely did not spend the money collected on campaign or elections. Why has she been holding such money?

A Fulani herdsman

Fuel Crisis: Kachikwu commissions underground crude pipeline Imperialebony Why not wait and see? When you want to construct a bridge, do you just break up the ground and erect same in a day? There’d be diversion of motorists, residents will be displaced because some buildings will be demolished, there will be inconveniences

such as people selling stuffs around the site, swirling dust and defeaning sound of trucks.

By the time the bridge is fully constructed, it will look beautiful, and motorists and residents will begin to enjoy.

That’s exactly what’s happening at the moment.

Nigeria is currently a

Bello Ibrahim Without political will to fight corruption, the refunded money would have remained in the hands of people who did not work for it.

rebuilding process and for everybody to enjoy, we must learn to endure some inconveniences.

Sadly, Nigerians do not have the history of endurance and patience.

Fems This is not a new pipeline,it’s been in place for over 20 years but was abandoned since the refineries were down.

Powerlessconscious Do you always need ministers to build pipeline? Nobody can stop the train of change. Let the train continue, please.

2015 PDP Presidential Campaign Funds:

Nenadi Usman refunds part of N2.5b cash Sola Akinwande Why are they making refunds if they did not take money from the public treasury? Let’s stop this hypocrisy and hatred of one person. Is conviction the only solution even without the court? The Presidency is not the one to convict.

Where did this woman and others get the money being refunded? She definitely did not spend the money collected on campaign or elections. Why has she been holding such money?

Bello Ibrahim Without political will to fight corruption, the refunded money would have remained in the hands of people who did not work for it.

C M Y K

•Nenadi Usman

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 35

Assessing Candidates O

NE day in November 1948, The University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, University of London School Examinations Matriculation Council and West African Departments of Education convened a meeting to discuss the future of education in West Africa. During the meeting, Dr. George Baker Jeffery, Director of the University of London Institute of Education was mandated to visit West Africa to assess the level of education and requirements.

Dr Jeffery embarked on the journey between December 1949 to March 1950. At the end of the fact finding mission, he presented a report making a case for the establishment of a West African Examination Council. Following this, the conveners of the meeting met with the governments of West African countries.

Conveners of the meeting Unanimously, they agreed with the idea of a West African Examination council. Two years later in 1952, WAEC was established. This is the founding history of the famous educational body known to all as WAEC. Isaac Adenipekun is the Head of the council’s National Office. He’s been in charge since December 2015. And he is of the opinion that the development of WAEC has been exponential in terms of growth: “When WAEC was established in 1952, it had just one small office in Yaba before they moved into the high rise in 1973 where it is now situated. It was from the high rise building that it began to establish branches

Isaac Adenipekun C M Y K

Isaac Adenipekun

Head, National Office, WAEC across Nigeria. Today we have 12 zonal offices and 18 branch offices in the council. That, if you ask me, is a huge spread.

In its early days, WAEC had less than 500 candidates in the whole of Nigeria but today, we are examining 1.6 m candidates.

In terms of staffing, WAEC started with staff strength of about 30. Today, our staff is close to 2,800. In the area of deployment of technology, WAEC took the lead as soon as it started deploying machines to do calculations in the early 70s. And from there, we’ve taken the lead in terms of ICT usage”.

Since its establishment, WAEC has become one of the world’s largest assessment agencies with responsibilities for setting and marking a large number of examinations, both locally and internationally. The council examines approximately 2 million candidates across West Africa each year: “In the early years, candidates had to personally come to WAEC to make enquiries and obtain forms.

After that candidates had to come to WAEC office or post office to be given the centers where they would write their exams. And when results are finally processed, they had to come to WAEC offices to check their results. But within the last 20 years, there’s been a lot of improvement.

In addition to that, WAEC has

been organizing seminars, briefings and training for examiners such that those who are teachers in secondary schools can also gain additional knowledge. The supervisors are also trained on how to conduct standardized examinations and in the process knowledge acquired are not meant to be used for WAEC examinations alone because when they get back to their respective schools, they are expected to deploy the knowledge they have gained in conducting better internal exams”.

“All these are some of the effort that WAEC has put into delivering on our mandate to the Nigerian education sector”.

Upon assumption of office, Adenipekun explained that his mandates are to ensure that WAEC continues to have examinations that are credible.

Credible examinations To issue certificates that have integrity. To continually deploys technology for WAEC to remain a cutting edge organization. And to remain the examining body to beat.

“That’s a huge challenge”, he quips noting that efficient management, providing leadership by example and ensuring that the staff and their welfare are properly taken care of are part of the mandate: “ it is my intention to deliver on every one of them”, he affirms.

A major challenge for Adenipekun may be upping the council’s ante in terms of its approach to examination particularly in the area of Computer based Testing.

In a recent release WAEC noted that the adoption and full implementation of the Computer Based Test (CBT) mode will not be suitable for certificate examinations as against admissions examinations conducted by its sister agency, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Computer-based testing (CBT) has emerged as one of the recent “innovative” approaches to assessments most pursued

by states.

CBT has been lauded as the answer to having cheaper and speedier test delivery for state and district-wide assessments.

It is also seen by some as an avenue toward greater accessibility for students.

WAEC argues that such would amount to “intellectual dishonesty” as it thinks the purpose of its examinations is to prepare candidates for life, not just to pass examinations; hence the need to examine different domains which CBT cannot accommodate: “We must look at the purpose of each examining bodies and the candidates we are talking about.

For WAEC, we are expected to examine the students after 6 years secondary education.

And that is what we call achievement test. We want to know what they have been able to achieve and it is our duty to ensure that we guide them properly and not put any impediment that would make it difficult for them to express and establish what they have achieved. And one of the ways we’ve gone about that is by going to the schools where these students are being taught to ensure that the teachers that will invigilate them are the same teachers who taught them

Conducting exams for 2 million candidates every year is a huge responsibility; being able to build their lives around the assessment of the exams is also a huge responsibility in schools”.

“The supervisors may not be their own teachers but the teacher that invigilates them must be their own teacher. So also is the actual writing of the exams; we feel that before we move from paper based test to CBT, it is necessary to ensure that all the students have good interaction with the computer.

CBT was introduced to

Nigeria 2 years ago and there is the issue of supporting infrastructure (power generation) which needs to be addressed. We feel that the time period is not enough for us to consider CBT in our examinations.

The case of JAMB is quite from ours because it’s an examination that has to do with ranking in the order of performance based on selected texts. And this is basically to enable JAMB establish candidates that are suitable for university admission.

And most of their exams are objective based while WAEC exams are based on theory, objective and practical so you can see that if you’re talking about CBT you must be talking about the objective aspect of examinations”.

In recent years, WAEC has had to contend with scathing criticisms. A major issue for the council has been failure of candidates and withdrawal of examinations. Adenipekun is unperturbed.

High level of respect He thinks they are not just mere criticisms: “It only shows that the WAEC clientele and other stakeholders are getting critical. Every attack we come across helps us to step up our game.

Not only that, those criticisms have also propelled WAEC to seek better ways of getting things done. Apart from all of these, WAEC is a newsmaker any day because the brand is a very vibrant and strong one. In spite of all the criticisms, we are always accorded a high level of respect wherever we go.

I mean, I have attended conferences abroad where other examining bodies wonder how we are able to conduct exams for 2 million candidates every year. That in itself is a huge responsibility and I must confess that I have enjoyed a lot of goodwill working with WAEC”.

Having spent 26 years in WAEC in a variety of senior management, Isaac Adenipekun thinks he has given his all to assessing young people at the secondary school level. And he finds that being able to build their lives around that assessment is a huge responsibility. In his tenure as Head of National office, his aim is to take WAEC to another level. He is hoping that it would: “become a world class examining body and a reference point for assessment and conduct for public examination in the whole world”.

BIO BRIEFS Date/Place of birth: 1960, Osun State Education: B.Sc (Hons) degree in Political Science, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) M.Sc degree in International Relations, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) Masters in Public Administration, Lagos State University.

Fellow: Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria Member: Nigerian Institute of Management.

36—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Oil price notch-up, currency deal strengthen Naira value As conflicting information stalls further appreciation

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

T

HE yet-to-be executed currency swap deal between Nigeria and China may have propped up the value of the Naira against US Dollar as the local currency closed at average of N318/ USD1 in the Bureau de Change, BDCs, while black market rates averaged N315/ USD1 last weekend.

The rate closed at N323/ USD1 previous weekend.

Some black market dealers, though not particularly sure what was going on, told Vanguard that patronage had significantly gone down for some time now, while their suppliers were willing to reduce their offer rates.

But a market survey by Cowry Assets Management, a Lagosbased investment house, indicated that the development was connected to the planned currency swap deal between the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Peoples Bank of China, PBOC. They also indicated that “other factors that influence the Naira gains were the anticipated increase in dollar supply from international oil companies and the Central Bank of Nigeria, to meet the demands of major importers of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.” The exchange rate remained steady at the official window and the interbank spot markets with ruling rates of N197/USD and N199.10/USD respectively.

However, the interbank forwards market for most tenors show appreciation of the local currency.

The one month, three months, six months and 12 months tenor appreciated week-on-week by 0.32%, 1.46%, 3.10% and 1.35% to N200.93/USD, N204.17/USD, N209.09/USD and N221.14/ USD respectively.

Some bank officials who spoke with Vanguard, attributed the appreciation to a major dampening of speculative deals rather than any shift in real demand or supply of the currency.

They said, however, that the Naira would have appreciated by far more margin than what was recorded last week but for some conflicting and incomplete

information that came from government officials on the currency swap.

According to them, while the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, was quoted as saying the CBN was discussing with the PBOC on a currency swap and that an agreement had been reached with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to act as Nigeria’s agent or clearing bank when the swap transaction with the PBOC was concluded, a statement attributed to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, said the deal was not a swap, created some

confusions.

The appreciation trend during the week showed that Naira had appreciated significantly from N323/ USD1 previous week to about N316/ USD1 by Tuesday, but retreated to N320/ USD1 the next day, apparently, following the conflicting information.

However, the comments by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, at the World Bank meeting in Washington, United States, that same day may have led to a rebound that brought the closing rate to below N315.

COMMISSIONING: From left: Trade Marketing Consultant, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Fidelis Idenyi; Nominator, Mr. Sadiq Oche; Vice Chairman, Old Kuntunkun Compensation Layout Residents Association, OKCLRA, Mr. Audu Sheidu; Secretary, OKCLRA, Mr. Mathias Sunday, and Chairman, OKCLRA, Chief Emmanuel Abbey, at the commissioning of the 500KVA transformer donated by MTN Foundation to OKCLRA community, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Fuel crisis: DPR goes tough on fraudulent oil marketers Sanctions defaulting petrol station

By Michael Eboh

T

HE Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, weekend, stepped up its monitoring across the country, while also directing filling stations to, henceforth, stop reserving fuel for ‘specialised’ customers under whatever guise.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, also stated that Warri Refinery has resumed production, while the Escravos-Warri-Kaduna pipeline, a critical downstream infrastructure, had been reopened.

According to DPR, any marketer caught flouting the directive will be sanctioned.

Speaking during the monitoring of petrol stations in Abuja, Mohammed Usman, Zonal Operations Controller, Abuja, assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was doing everything to ensure the fuel crisis came to an end immediately, while he also called for support from all oil marketers.

He lamented the widespread act

C M Y K

of hoarding and diversion of petrol, explaining that it amounted to frustrating the efforts of government at ending the fuel crisis.

He frowned on the situation where some petrol stations claimed to be reserving certain quantity of petrol in their tanks for credit or ‘special’ customers,

stating that such action is against the law and is also an avenue to hoard and divert product.

During the monitoring, a number of petrol stations were found wanting in the area of dispensing and pricing, with a number of the stations sanctioned accordingly.

F

ORMER Information Minister, Prince Tony Momoh, has called on Nigerians not to expect immediate change from the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it would come in two years.

Prince Momoh, who made the call at the launch of his book, Each Man, His Time: The Biography of an Era, at Mararaba, Nasarawa State,

come but be patient. Within two years, you will be celebrating change.’’

He, however, flayed the PDP-led government for allegedly diverting funds meant for the purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.

Momoh said also he had not fought with his wife since they got married 47 years ago.

Chairman of the occasion, Isyaku Ibrahim, who noted that his last time of visiting Auchi was in 1959, said the

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA—CHAIRMAN, House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, yesterday said the proposed Grazing Bill by the Executive, if passed into law, will impoverish Southern Nigeria.

Abonta, who represents Ukwa East/West federal constituency in Abia State, also asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare his interest in the matter as the bill would spell doom for Nigeria once legislators endorsed it.

He said his constituents in Abia State mandated him to fight with all available legislative arsenals to make sure the bill failed, as they could not afford to give their lands to nomads.

Abonta further explained: “One thing is very clear and that is, one's wealth should not be used to disturb another person’s wealth.

“The Fulanis are normadic in nature and we are talking about improving animal husbandry. We must, therefore, find a balance on how that may be done."

Release or charge our brother to court, family of Jonathan's cousin urges EFCC

By Onozure Dania

An unnamed and unlicensed filling station at Iddo Sarki, along Airport Road, was selling at N150 per litre; they were ordered to start selling at the official price of N86.50 per litre. Motorists told the DPR officials that sometimes, the filling station sold at N190 per litre.

Change by Buhari's govt'll come in two years —Tony Momoh yesterday, said: "Change must author taking the event to

By Henry Umoru

Grazing Bill'll impoverish S-Nigeria —Rep

Mararaba, where the proletarians live, was an indication that Tony Momoh remained a man of the people.

Also speaking on the occasion, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with President Buhari, saying change was not possible until the 2016 budget was signed into law and implemented by the presebnt government.

L

AGOS—THE family of Mr Azibaola Robert, a cousin to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to charge him to court or release him from custody.

Robert, who is the Managing Director of One Plus Holdings Limited, was arrested by the EFCC on March 23, over the $40 million pipelines protection contract awarded to his firm by the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA. Briefing newsmen in Lagos on behalf of the family, Azibaola's younger brother, Dr Faith Robert, said the continued detention of his elder brother by the anti-graft agency after an Abuja High Court had granted him bail on April 7, was unfair.

He said the remand order by an Abuja Magistrate’s Court which EFCC relied on to detain him, had expired on April 19.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 37

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: Better opportunity to make money may come your way but those who want your affection and vice versa, may not allow you to concentrate fully. Take advantage of the opportunity to establish friendship with influential people.

GEMINI: Most of the exciting happenings are within your base of operation. And healthy relationships may start between you and other members of your work force.

Take the initiative.

CANCER: When it comes to passion/romance, you come first. And on a day like this when love is in the air, you can’t be left in the cold. Don’t be selfish please.

LEO: Financial success may be what you want to celebrate with members of your opposite sex who unexpectedly arouse your passion.

VIRGO: Many will desire you strongly today but you’ll equally attract the green-eyed monster called jealousy especially from your established relationship. Movement and communication will do the magic

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

God is watching

R

IGHT from ages man has continued to look for ways of clothing his nakedness. Nakedness does not just mean not wearing clothes alone. It includes covering our evil deeds, wicked acts, ways and

sins etc.

As it was the days of the Biblical Adam and Eve, so it is today.

When we commit heinous crime, we run for cover under the stone,

TERROR MUDA

under the water and under the dark, hoping and praying that we will not be caught.

We live a life. We forget that air bear witness to our cruel act;

in “Never say goodbye”

the sun by our shadow takes our photograph, and our conscience convicts us daily.

Beware, God is watching. Your sins will find you out.

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA: Romantic Venus and sexy Mars are bringing influences of money, friendship, real love and leadership to earth’s inhabitants. What do you want?

SCORPIO: Venus, Mars and Pluto at work today will influence many of you to give more time to matters-ofthe-heart, especially physical side of it.

SAGITTARIUS: Love is in the air but if care is not taken, members of your opposite sex you see as your superiors (or boss) may become entangled. Watch it.

CAPRICORN; Influence of the Moon today actually wants you to work hard but if you ignore love, you’ll not be able to concentrate on what you are doing. Friends will drive your fun-seeking vehicle along social circles.

AQUARIUS: Some of you will be falling in love for the first time. And those of you who are old in the act will have rare excitement and satisfaction. Money can come in.

PISCES: You will find it relatively difficult to ignore love as attractive members of your opposite sex may go out of their way to gain your attention.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

ARIES: Powerful emotional feelings may overwhelm some of you and make you crave secret affair (with your subordinates?) It’s important you don’t allow scandal.

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

What is wrong with me?

Dear Joshua, I have written you many letters without response, I hope I will be lucky this time around. What’s your email address?

Although, I am interested in my financial affair and will like to know what awaits me in the future as the ups and downs are giving me concern, what I want you to tell me is: Who is working spiritually against my marriage? I have married four times. Why? Osunfunke, Ibadan.

Dear Osunfunke, If you have spiritual warfare, it is in your financial affairs. You were endowed with special ability to make money for both yourself and other people.

However, three things can militate against your finances namely; inability to hold on to your gains for too long (miscalculation) jealousy and occultic manipulation by those who are green with envy.

Yet, whatever happens, dire financial misfortune is not meant for you, especially if you heed advice from your star; your being spiritual will assist you.

Fortunate placement of the Moon and Venus in Libra and Sagittarius endowed you with charming and magnetic personality which will make it easier for you to attract members of your opposite sex who will be willing to make you happy. But after sometime, your hidden aggressive personality and tendencies to worry will come out to the resentment of members of your opposite sex.

Some other times, you promise more than you can deliver. Then yours is a jealous soul (yes everybody was born with jealous traits) but yours is extraordinary and if you have reason to doubt the other person, you may not be able to forgive.

The summary here is that there’s not much spiritual aspect working against you here but your too strong or powerful personality is what you will need to work on: if at all you have problem with love. One sure bet is members of your opposite sex cannot do without your magnetic pose.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

38—VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

BUDGET: President is to propose, NASS is to appropriate — WAYAS Dr. Joseph Wayas served as Senate President twice in the Second Republic when he brought flair and fashion to his political carriage. Wayas, 74 and obviously weighed down by age is rarely seen on the political terrain these days, preferring to play the role of a statesman in the backstage.

In this interview, he stresses on the need for harmonious relationships between the legislature and the executive for the overall interest of the masses. He also says that it is the constitutional right of the legislature to appropriate and where desired override the President’s intents concerning the budget. Excerpts:

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

W

HAT is your reaction to the faceoff between the presidency and the National Assembly over the budget?

Well, I don’t know if my comment will have any weight to bring changes. But as one of those who wrote the constitution, if we had thought that there was no need for the President to present the budget proposal to the National Assembly, then there would have been no need.

But the fact is that it is a constitutional requirement that the President presents his budget and for the National Assembly to pass his budget into law and during the process of passing the budget into law, obviously it will undergo scrutiny and many things.

So, it doesn’t mean that what comes from the president will go to the National Assembly and they stamp it and return it back to the executive. It wouldn’t have been so and if it were so, there would have been no need for the executive to send budget proposal to the legislature.

Constituency project So, I think the National Assembly is doing what it supposed to do, it is a constitutional duty.

Were there anything like constituency projects where the legislators will insert some projects in the budget to be implemented by the executive during your time?

Yes, the executive implements any policy decision that comes from both the legislature and the executive. It is correct and part of the budget, but the constituency project is something which the executive is not under obligation to implement. But for a good working relationship between the two since the executive is the one on the ground in the field, there should be some degree of compromise between the two of them.

So, do you think that this

frosty relationship between the legislature and the executive, is healthy for the development of democracy?

Well if there are no checks and balances, then we are not practising democracy, it is normal to have disagreements.

If I use the example of husband and wife now, I will create controversy because people will want to know which one is the husband, which is the wife, so I will not use that example at all. But I don’t see what is impossible for the legislature and the executive to agree to work together for the interest of the masses.

Which arm of government has the power for appropriation?

The executive proposes, the legislature appropriates.

Has the legislature any right to remove anything as

the executive has the power to propose and the legislature has the power to appropriate and until we have the two on ground, we will not have a budget

proposed by the executive in the budget?

So, what are they supposed to do? Bring it and hold a party with it or what? For the mere fact that the executive presents the budget for appropriation, it is indicative that if the executive is in excess of whatever it is doing it will be checked by the legislature. They are working

•Wayas: I think the National Assembly is doing what it supposed to do

together, the executive has the power to propose and the legislature has the power to appropriate and until we have the two on ground, we will not have a budget.

So, the power of appropriation lies with the legislature, what the executive does is just proposal.

What of a situation the President decides not to assent to the passed budget based on the fact that there were critical issues that were removed from the budget proposal?

That is a very dangerous situation that we may find ourselves in because if he withholds the assent and the legislature passes it with overwhelming majority, that is with two-third majority of members, then it has taken care of the President signature. So, he will not have a choice but to comply.

All the branches of the executive have to comply and implement what the legislature appropriates.

What if the executive refuses to implement it?

(Laughs) I think one thing should be made clear, as the executive has the power to implement, so the legislature has power to appropriate. The two have to work together.

You played your role during your time to ensure the

stability of the country, now that you are not too strong to contribute much, is the government taking care of you?

I have not seen anything from government. Nobody is taking care of anything. Maybe, it may have happened to other people not to me, nobody takes care of me, nobody thinks about me.

Curbing the excessive powers What is more is that we are supposed to have some sort of pension or benefits but up till now nobody thinks about it, nobody is saying it, but I think that it is one thing that government should do. It will help to curb corruption, it will help to curb the excessive powers seen here and there.

So does it mean that government has abandoned its past leaders?

No, I haven’t said so. But I think the executive arm may be waiting maybe because the legislators have not proposed anything as it is a problem for the legislature and unfortunately, it appears that the legislature has not proposed anything. So, you can’t blame the executive for not implementing anything because there is nothing for it

to implement.

People are complaining about hardship, if you are to advise government on this, what will be your piece of advice?

Well, first of all, I will want to know whether the executive complies with what the legislature has passed. If they don’t, then, whichever side that fails to perform its duty can be blamed. Like the question you asked earlier, the legislature passes the budget and sends it to the executive, the executive cannot say no, we won’t implement.

But if there were some aspects of the budget in which the executive made proposal and the legislature did not appropriate, that becomes an issue to be resolved between the two arms of government.

But now that there appears to be no love lost between the two arms, what is your advice to them?

There should always be good relationship between the two arms of government so that the country will move on. A while ago, you spoke about hardship here and there, because the budget has not been signed, so, it will affect Nigerians when there is problem between the two arms. So, they must work harmoniously for the interest of the country.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—39

PLOT TO KILL OSHIOMHOLE:

Obaseki promises to shake up educational system

APC intensifies peace moves with Odubu T

By Simon Ebegbulem

HERE are indications that the leadership of the APC in Edo State will intensify the peace moves geared towards mending fences between Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his deputy Dr Pius Odubu.

The peace move spearheaded by the Commissioner for Works in the state, Osarodion Ogie, was initiated with a view to douse tension in the party ahead the primaries of the party come June.

Odubu is a strong contender in the race the Osadebey Avenue and efforts are being made to ensure he does not clash with his boss Oshiomhole, who is backing

the aspiration of the chairman of the Economic Team of the state Government, Mr Godwin Obaseki.

The relationship between the duo had broken down due to their different views on the succession Vanguard learnt that another meeting between the leaders is scheduled for Thursday this week. The two met last week during which both raised up issues with Odubu accusing the governor of marginalising him, his office and his associates.

Oshiomhole, however, surprised the trouble-shooters with his allegation that Odubu had arranged to kill him through diabolical means, the reason for which the governor

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•Odubu: Accused by Oshiomhole gave for his continued refusal to go to his deputy’s house.

Anenih meets PDP aspirants to fix problems

By Simon Ebegbulem

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HEAD the 2016 governorship election, the former Chairman Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih has met with governorship aspirants on the platform of the party and other leaders with a view to fixing the issues in the party.

Vanguard was reliably informed that Chief Anenih expressed concern over what he described as derogatory comments being made by some of the aspirants of the party against each other, saying that such attacks will do the party no good.

Assuring the aspirants of a level playing field in the

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R Crosby Eribo, a member of the Edo State House of Assembly, has explained reasons for the alleged support for Mr. Godwin Obaseki by the outgoing governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Eribo told Vanguard that Oshiomhole as a father would like one of his children more than the others and that Obaseki on account of his qualities was thus favoured.

Eribo, who represents Egor constituency said: “I have always said it, it is only natural for every parent to like one

•Obaseki: Education will get attention administration which I am an integral part of has done so much in providing the needed infrastructure for our schools.

We have built schools and provided furniture for effective learning.

What we need to do now is to provide training for our teachers, review our curriculum and reintroduce counselling to our school system so that our children can have more practical training and guide to becoming that which will make them useful to the society and government in general”.

Ofeimun, Awo’s private secretary, plans to eliminate illiteracy

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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•Anenih: Moves in to stem crisis conduct of the primaries, it was learnt that he admonished them to work hard as he has no anointed candidate, following insinuations that the leaders of the party are rooting for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Among the aspirants at the meeting were Solomon Edebiri, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen and Osaro Onaiwu. The meeting was on going at press time.

It's natural for Oshiomhole to back Obaseki — ERIBO

By Simon Ebegbulem

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor PC governorship aspirant, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has promised to review the present school curriculum in the state towards ensuring that children are properly guided towards their correct goals in life.

Obaseki, chairman of the Edo State Economic and Strategy Team, spoke at a town hall meeting at the weekend organised by his support group, Street to Street for GO 2016.

Obaseki, who spoke on the topic “The Role of the Youth in Governance, “ equally vowed that he would not joke with the training and retraining programmes for school teachers in the state on the note that only through such will teachers have the capacity to transmit knowledge to their pupils.

Obaseki at the programme also promised that counsellors would be introduced to schools to give appropriate guidance to school pupils.

He said: “the present

child more than the others; you might not show it but it is the truth. The governor probably has a soft spot for Obaseki whom he has worked with over the years and I don’t see anything wrong in that.

“The governor is the leader of the party in the state and he knows the best in terms of a successor. Oshiomhole is a very intelligent man so if he says he prefers a particular aspirant, I think there is no worry about that.

As a governor who has worked so hard, he will not allow his works be destroyed by anybody so he must be involved in picking who succeeds him.”

EN-PUSHER, poet and polemicist Odia Ofeimun an aspirant on the platform of Labour Party has unfolded his seven cardinal programmes for the state. Ofeimun, who worked as principal private secretary to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in a statement issued at the weekend also said he would plan and replan every village, town and city in the state within nine months of assuming office if elected.

The literary icon in his statement said under his seven cardinal programmes; he would

Uzamere’s other plan

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ENATOR Ehigie Uzamere’s exit from the PDP should ordinarily have indicated that his political currency may have been devalued just as he famously said of the Zimbabwean dollar.

Uzamere, who made history as the first senator from Edo South to win election to the Senate twice, famously through two different political parties, Vanguard learnt, is still within the permutations of the two major political parties in the state.

Irrespective of his governorship aspiration,

Uzamere’s offering to the state may come in the form of his radio station, Speed FM 96.9 which is due to commence test transmission next month. The all Pidgin English station which is expected to have a strong bias for political reporting should play a decisive role in the forthcoming election.

Senator Ehigie Uzamere’s exit from the PDP should ordinarily have indicated that his political currency may have been devalued just as he famously said of the Zimbabwean dollar. Uzamere,

1. Wipe out illiteracy for all citizens from age five to sixty 2. Re-plan and rebuild every village, town and city 3. Build a Super Dome Underground Railway Station at Oba Square in Benin City 4. Create full employment by producing sixty percent, and more, of all goods consumed in Edo State.

5. Establish a health care system, free for majority of citizens.

6. Mobilise an aggressive solid minerals, oil and gas consortium 7. Make Edo State a proper House of Culture.

who made history as the first senator from Edo South to win election to the Senate twice, famously through two different political parties, Vanguard learnt, is still within the permutations of the two major political parties in the state.

Irrespective of his governorship aspiration, Uzamere’s offering to the state may come in the form of his radio station, Speed FM 96.9 which is due to commence test transmission next month. The all Pidgin English station which is expected to have a strong bias for political reporting should play a decisive role in the forthcoming election.

40 —VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Yemen peace talks in Kuwait stall African music star, Papa Wemba over differences dies after stage collapse HE UN-brokered Ye

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men peace talks are continuing on the fourth day in Kuwait, but with government and Houthi rebel delegations far from reaching an agreement to end the conflict.

The delegations resumed the negotiations yesterday , but an hour into the talks, “it was obvious for the UN special envoy [Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed] that the talks were going nowhere”, said Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Kuwait City.

The Houthis and the forces loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi have observed a fragile ceasefire since April 11.However, the two sides differ on how

By Emeka Aginam, with agency report

A A Saudi-led coalition has launched air strikes on Yemen in an effort to stop the Houthis’ advances to move forward.

“The Houthis say that they are willing to negotiate a settlement but they are the ones who have the upper hand therefore they have to have a bigger say in the government,” our correspondent said.

“The government says the Houthis used force to seize power so they are the ones who should be held responsible.

“They have to hand over their weapons and pull out from the main cities. Then the talks can start.”

Economy, security crises in focus as Obama arrives in Germany

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RESIDENT Barack Obama arrived in Germany yesterday to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of his closest allies in dealing with a

shaky global economy and security crises in the Middle East and Ukraine.

It will be the last stop on a six-day foreign journey where Obama has sought to shore up U.S. alliances

U.S. President Barack Obama is welcomed after his arrival at Hanover airport, Germany

he views as key to increase trade, defeat Islamic State militants and offset Russian intervention in Ukraine and Syria.

Obama, who is in the last nine months of his presidential term, spent three days in London where he urged Britons to remain in the European Union in a June referendum, a vote that could have global economic consequences.

Earlier in the week, he met with Gulf leaders in Riyadh to try to allay fears that Washington had become less committed to their security, especially after the nuclear deal with the Saudis’ regional rival Iran.

Prince death: Singer cremated in private ceremony

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RINCE has been cremated with a small, private service for family, friends and musicians, his publicist has confirmed.

The cause of his death is still unknown and the results of Friday’s autopsy could take at least four weeks.

Prince, 57, was found dead in a lift on his Paisley Park estate, near Minneapolis, on Thursday, where fans are still paying tributes.

Officials said there were no signs of injuries to his body and no indication that he had killed himself.

Publicist Anna Meacham said the singer’s “final storC M Y K

age” would be kept private.

“A few hours ago, Prince was celebrated by a small group of his most beloved:

family, friends and his musicians, in a private, beautiful ceremony to say a loving goodbye,” she said.

N/Korea to halt nuke tests if US stops drills

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ORTH Korea is ready to halt its nuclear tests if the United States suspends its annual military exercises with South Korea, the North Korean foreign minister told The Associated Press in an interview in which he also warned that his country won’t be cowed by international sanctions.

Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong defended the coun-

try’s right to maintain a nuclear deterrent, and for those waiting for the North’s regime to collapse, he had this to say: Don’t hold your breath.

“Stop the nuclear war exercises in the Korean Peninsula, then we should also cease our nuclear tests,” he said in his first interview Saturday with a Western news organization.

FRICA has lost one of its finest music stars, Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba, popularity known as Papa Wemba.

An influential Congolese rumba or Soukous singer, Papa Wemba was born on June 14, 1949.

He was reported to have slumped on stage behind a group of dancers at the weekend in Ivory Coast.

Aged 66, Wemba was said to have started his career as a singer in a Church choir.

Video from the show in Ivory Coast showed him slumped on stage behind a group of dancers, before they rushed to his aid.

The Congolese popular star pioneering blend of African, Cuban and Western sounds became one of Africa’s most popular music styles. Wemba also toured around the world, and recorded with British artist Peter Gabriel.

The musician fell ill in the early hours of Saturday morning. The cause of his death has not been established as at press time.

He died before he could be brought to hospital, a spokesman for the Ivosep morgue in Abidjan told Reuters news agency.

Early life He helped modernise Congolese rumba music, with the genre that emerged soukous, influencing music across Africa.

Together with his bands Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi and Viva La Musica, he racked up hit after hit, including L’Esclave and Le

Papa Wemba Voyageur. He appeared in two feature films, Life Is Beautiful (1987) and Wild Games (1997).

Influence on fashion Wemba was also a style icon, the driving force behind the cultural movement the Sapeurs, whose young men spend vast amounts on designer clothes.

On his look, Wemba told CNN he in turn was inspired by his parents getting dressed up yesterday They were “always well put together, always looking very smart”, he said.

In 2004, he was convicted of people-smuggling in France and spent three months in prison.

The conviction related to a racket whereby illegal immigrants were taken to Europe posing as members of his band.

A Belgian court convicted him of the same crime in 2012, handing down a fine of €22,000 (£17,143; $24,690) and suspended prison sentence of 15 months.

He was also once jailed in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) for allegedly having an affair with a general’s daughter.

Tributes to ‘icon’ Congolese President Joseph Kabila has expressed his condolences, and there are likely to be large events paying homage in the coming days.

Congolese Culture Minister Baudouin Banza Mukalay called his death a “great loss for the country and all of Africa”, Associated Press reported.

Kinshasa rapper Youssoupha mourned the band leader in a tweet (in French), saying, “Like my community, I am devastated by the death of Papa Wemba. “He was the icon of our culture, of our lifestyle. This is a huge loss.” Youssoupha, said.

“I would put him in the same bracket as Fela Kuti when it comes to influence on African music,” said DJ Edu, BBC 1xtra’s African Music Ambassador.

Migrants seek new routes into Macedonia

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FTER weeks s t r a n d e d at a closed border in northern Greece, migrants and refugees are seeking out new, irregular routes to get into Macedonia, clambering through forests and over hills under the cover of darkness.

As dusk fell on Saturday evening, a Reuters witness saw a group of up to 70

people crossing into Macedonia from Greece, at a point where there is no razor wire fence between the two countries. They darted in and out of a forest, hiding from authorities.

It was roughly a 20 km (12 mile), or four hour walk from Idomeni, a sprawling tent city hosting thousands of refugees and migrants stranded by a cascade of

border shutdowns throughout the Balkans in February.

Others at the campsite were also mulling their options to leave Idomeni and find vulnerable points along the border to cross into the Balkans, the preferred route to western Europe. “There is no other solution,” said Moutaz, a Syrian from Aleppo.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 — 41

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42— Vanguard,

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Kosofe records fewer malaria cases ...As Lagos, NIMR & Mortein collaborate

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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N this year’s World Malaria Day, fewer malaria cases are being recorded in Kosofe area of Lagos State.

The feat was achieved as a result of collaboration between the Lagos State government, the National Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, and Reckitt Benckiser, RB, Nigeria, makers of Mortein insecticide, which reported an acclaimed reduction of malaria by 55 percent in Kosofe as part of its commitment to achieving a malaria-free Nigeria.

In partnership with NIMR through the Lagos State Ministry of Health, RB commissioned a research tagged the "Mortein Own a Community Project" in Kosofe LGA of Lagos State.

The objective of the Mortein Own a Community project was to quantify the efficacy of adherence to the WHO three core integrated malaria prevention methods of reducing Malaria.

The final result showed a significant reduction in the cases of malaria especially amongst children in homes where all the interventions provided to them was used.

Speaking at the Mortein Antimalaria seminar to mark the 2016 World Malaria Day, the Marketing Director, RB, West Africa, Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili, stated that the project was a huge success, revealing that a 55 per cent reduction of malaria cases among children under the age of 10 was achieved in Kosofe Local Government Area through the project.

According to Oguzhan, 627, 000 people die from malaria each year, 25 per cent is from Nigeria, mostly among children under the age of five. ''As I speak to you, millions of people are suffering from malaria all over

As I speak to you, millions of people are suffering from malaria all over Nigeria and every minute a child reportedly dies from malaria

Mosquito Nigeria and every minute a child reportedly dies from malaria'', he said.

"Malaria is not a destiny for Nigerian children, malaria is preventable. We have proved this in Kosofe with a 55 per cent reduction in malaria cases in children in only six months."

In his presentation, Dr. Sam Awolola, Public Health Vector Control Specialist & Head, Malaria Research Programme, NIMR Lagos, said the six-month project tagged: "Own a community project"assessed the efficacy of the combined interventions of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs), Larviciding and Mortein on malaria prevention at select

BATNF boosts vegetable farming in Badagry

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HE British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, BATNF, has empowered vegetable farmers in Ajara Vegetable Enterprise Development Project, Ajara, Badagry, Lagos, with irrigation facilities to boost their productivity.

The facility was handed over to the farmers at a colourful ceremony recently at the farm settlement.

Seyi Ashade, Executive Director of BATNF, who represented Chief Kola Jamodu, Chairman of the foundation, expressed confidence that the irrigation facility will "stimulate good production practices that will translate into higher yield, increased income of the farmers and socio-economic development of the beneficiaries

COMMISSIONING: Chairman, Ewebe FADAMA Users Cooperative Group, Mr Mufutau Oyelekan; Area Head, Legal / External Affairs, West and Central Africa, BATN, Freddy Messanvi; a representative of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Lagos State, Mrs Abiola Ayoade; and the Baale of Ajara Topa, Chief Samuel Owolabani, at the presentation of the certificate of handover of irrigation facilities to the Ajara Vegetable Enterprise Development Project, Ajara, Badagry, recently.

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and the community."

Ashade noted that vegetable, which is the primary produce of the farmers, plays a very important role in human nutrition. Vegetable farming, despite its key role in the nutrition mix, requires more support in meeting the food needs of Nigerians.

She reiterated BATNF's commitment to "supporting smallholder farmers in rural communities, helping them to identify and implement projects in order to reduce poverty and make sustainable positive impact in communities across the country," while complementing government's efforts.

The vegetable farming initiative receives technical backup from the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan, Oyo State. The Director of Research, NIHORT, Dr Henry Akinwunmi, acknowledged the huge contribution made by BATNF to the vegetable segment of the Ajara Farm Estate.

Mrs. Abiola Ayoade, who represented Hon. Oluwatoyin Suarau, the Lagos State Commissioner of Agriculture, said that the vegetable estate initiative was mainly conceived to mitigate the periodic shortage of vegetable products and to optimise the use of available land for agriculture, boost food production.

mosquito hot spots in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

He said a there was a 55 per cent reduction in the cases of malaria

among children under the age of 10 in homes where all the interventions provided to them were used.

NMA holds Annual General Conference

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EMBERS of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) will today converge at the Gingiya Coral Hotel Sokoto, Sokoto State for the 56th Annual General Conference and Delegates' meeting.

A press statement signed by the National President, Dr Kayode Obembe states that the meeting which will hold 24th through 30th of April will have in attendance delegates from the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigerian doctors in the diaspora- from

the Americas The Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), from the United Kingdom the Medical Association across the Great Britain's (MANSAG) and the Canadian Association of Nigerian Physicians and Dentists CANPAD from Canada.

The theme of the conference is "Doctors in Administrative Positions in a Democratic Dispensation". The meeting will also review, reset and reiterate the standards of performance it has set for her members.

US accredits NAFDAC Central Drug Lab

F

OLLOWING a successful surveillance assessment of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Central Drug Laboratory in Lagos, the United State (US) National Accreditation Board, has retained her status of accreditation of the Yaba Central Drug Laboratory.

According to the ANAB ANSIASQ National Accreditation Board of USA, the Lab conforms to the quality management requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005.

The management system of the laboratory conforms to the ISO/ IEC 17025:2005 in the following scope; - HPLC, Dissolution, UV/ VIS Spectroscopy, PH, Loss on Drying (LOD), Water determination by Karl Fischer and Uniformity of Dosage Units (UDU).

Reacting to the development, the Acting Director-General of the Agency, Mrs. Yetunde Oni assured Nigerians that the laboratory will continue to offer quality analytical testing services to all customers to produce reliable and accurate analytical test results that meet

international quality standards of ISO/IEC 17025:2005.

She attributed the success story to the technical and financial support of USP-PQM and USAID in strengthening the quality systems of the laboratory and maintaining ISO/IEC 17025:2005 laboratory accreditation.

Oni said in 2014, NAFDAC Central Drug Control Laboratory analysed about 80 percent of medicines for use in Nigeria, towards WHO Prequalification obtained the ISO 17025 laboratory accreditation.

For the first time in Africa, two NAFDAC laboratories (the Mycotoxin and the Pesticide Residue labs) were accredited by the American Association Laboratory Accreditation (AALA) with ISO 17025 accreditation will significantly boost international acceptance of Nigeria's export of value-added food products and foreign exchange earnings.

Two other labs - Food Compliance and HPLC Laboratories recently got ISO 17025 accreditation from the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—43

Bye-election: APC wins Yobe federal constituency

By Bala Ajiya

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HE ALL Progressives Congress, APC, has won the Amaturu/ Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani Federal Constituency bye election held on Saturday.

The Yobe federal constituency seat became vacant following the appointment of Khadija Bukar as a minister in the federal cabinet.

Prof. Sunday Alao, the Returning Officer of the election, on Saturday in Damaturu declared APC candidate, Abdullahi Kukuwa as the winner.

Kukuwa scored 23,745 votes, while his closest rival Nasiru Hassan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 6,990 votes.

Adamu Dina of the Advance Congress for Democracy (ACD) scored 163 votes, while Jibrin Ladan of the National Conscience Party (NCP) scored 139 votes.

Unilorin ASUU cautions over foisted leaders

By Demola Akinyemi

I

L O R I N — ACADEMIC Staff Union of University, ASUU, University of Ilorin, UNILORIN, Kwara State, has called on national leadership of ASUU to jettison alleged attempt to foist some few returned lecturers on the vast majority in the university to avoid truncating ongoing process of reintegrating UNILORIN ASUU into the national body.

The Chairman of the branch,,Dr Abdulraheem Usman Adebimpe insisted that the branch had never been averse to returning to the mainstream of ASUU, hence the ongoing talks with the national leadership of ASUU through the zonal branch.

According to him, both parties had agreed to withdraw the court cases, while discussions were ongoing on the lifting of bans placed on some notable leaders of the union before the ASUU national leadership last Wednesday, allegedly attempted to impose the leadership of about 13 members on over 1,000 members in the university.

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I'm very much alive —IBB

By Wole Mosadomi

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INNA—FORMER Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, yesterday, said he was not dead, but alive and in good health.

It would be recalled that media (not Vanguard) was agog that the elder statesman was dead.

Babangida, who spoke to newsmen at his residence in Minna, said the rumour of his death did not come as a shock to him, saying nobody was above sickness or death because it had been destined

by God. According to him: “ The rumour does not shock me, neither does it bother me because I know I

must go and meet God my creator. There is nothing really to worry about, my religion has told me. Well, as a Muslim, I strongly believe everybody will die, everybody will die and everybody has to die. It could be now or in hundred years time or two days to come, but it doesn’t matter, everybody must die.”

Speaking on the state of the nation, Babangida expressed optimism that Nigeria would surmount its present challenges and insisted that the future of the country was bright and had a lot to offer for the younger generations.

He said: “I still believe very strongly in this country, which is further demonstrated by the people because they are very industrious, hardworking, IBB during an interview over his death rumour and that gives me the hope for Nigeria.”

Boko Haram: Troops ambush escaping terrorists, kill 5, arrest scores

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—NIGERIAN Army on clearance operations to rid of the remnants of Boko Haram in the North East, yesterday ambushed suspected terrorists’ escaping from the Sambisa forest, killing five of them and arresting scores of others.

A statement by Col. Sani Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations confirming the development, said, “At the early hours of today,( Sunday April 24, 2016) , troops of 81 Battalion and some elements of 251 Task Force Battalion, 25 Brigade, ambushed suspected Boko Haram terrorists escaping from Sambisa forest to Fulawani village. The ambushed terrorists were trying to link up with other terrorists or members of their families to relocate to other places. It will be recalled that the troops intercepted a group of women and children yesterday who claimed to have escaped from the terrorists enclave in Sambisa forest.

“However, during screening and interrogation, it was

confirmed that they were the terrorists’ advance party relocating to a new safe haven following intense tactical operations by troops. The troops sprang a surprise ambush on the group of escaping terrorists from Sambisa forest crossing towards

Alagarno mounted on motorcycles and bicycles, killing five of them and recovering a number of items.”

According to the statement: “These include five motorcycles, nine bicycles, 80 new pairs of bathroom slippers, assorted

laundry items, polythene bags and mats. From all indication, the terrorists intended to link up with their wives and children earlier mentioned, who were obviously dispatched to wait for them close to Fulawani for onward movement to other locations."

DONATION: From left, Chairman, Oja Akande Community Development Council, Mr. Oyesina Oyegbile; Trade Marketing Consultant, MTN Nigeria, Adegoke Kester; Secretary, Oja Akande Community Development Council,, Madam Ruth Olayode, and Nominator of Oja Akande Community, Alao Stephen Olatunji, at the handing-over of a borehole donated by MTN Foundation as part of its 'What Can We Do Together Initiative,' to Oja Akande Community, Ogbomoso North, Oyo State.

Strike: Ngige wades into Ministry of Power, Labour dispute

By Victor Ahuma-Young

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BUJA—MINISER of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, waded into the dispute between the Ministry of Power and the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, following which workers of Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, weekend, suspended their ongoing strike. The strike was sequel to armed soldiers and

police take-over and lock-out TCN workers in what was seen as desperate bid by the Ministry of Power to take over the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, headquartres and wind it up without addressing pending labour issues as agreed between the Federal Government and Labour in 2012 Senator Ngige has scheduled a meeting between officials of the power ministry and NUEE's leaders tomorrow in Abuja.

This came as security operatives, weekend, combed the South East and Abuja for leaders of NUEE including the General Secretary, Mr. Joe Ajaero, over what might not be unrelated to the dispute between the Ministry of Power and the union following three days industrial unrest by workers of TCN. However, Vanguard gathered that the operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, in the south East were

NLC, TUC worry over unpaid workers' salaries in Kogi

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA—ORGANISED labour in Kogi State, has expressed worries over unpaid workers’ salaries and other issues affecting welfare of its members.

Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and TUC, in a joint communiqué issued in Lokoja, called on the state

government to use the allocation it got for the month of February, 2016 to offset the outstanding December 2015 salaries and other benefits.

The communiqué by NLC Chairman, Onuh Edoka; TUC Chairman, Ojo Matthew and JNC Chairman, Aaron Akeji; condemned , the payment of salary in piecemeal, and said the payment of salaries for

months of October and November 2015 spanned through three weeks for each month.

It also called on the government to direct the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to release the February allocation to local government areas to cushion the effects of non-payment of salaries to local government workers and teachers.

looking for the General Secretary of the union, Mr. Joe Ajaero, after hearing he was coming to the zone for a wedding.Unfortunately, since the venue of the of the wedding was not known, it was gathered that the operatives decided to visit South East offices of NUEE to ask after Mr. Ajaero.

Confirming the report, Ajaero told Vanguard that he was sure that the operatives looking for him in the South-East had other agenda because the DSS knew how to reach any official of the union including himself, saying they always did that through invitation.

According to him, “my telephone number is known to officials of DSS. They know how to invite us if they have issues with us and they usually did that through invitation letter. But when officials of DSS started going from our offices in the South-East to ask after me just because they learned that I came into the south east to attend a wedding, shows a sinister motive.”

44—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

The truth about PDP campaign funds

By Femi Fani-Kayode ”The truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Let it lose and it will defend itself”- St. Augustine.

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OR the last few weeks I have been the subject of absurd and outlandish headline stories in various newspapers who have accused me of being a fraudster and who have claimed that funds were transferred into my bank account by the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki and by the Governor of the Central Bank Bank of Nigeria.

They have also claimed that I used public funds for the Presidential campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The attempt to tarnish my name, paint me as a common criminal and convict me of wrongdoing in the court of public opinion without even hearing my side of the story is petty, shameful and nauseating. It is also a reflection of the desperation of those that seek to pull me down and destroy me simply because my opposition to this government has been unrelenting.

In January 2015, I was appointed as the Director of Media and Publicity for the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Director-General of the Campaign Organisation was Senator Ahmadu Alli and the Deputy Director-Generals were

FEMI F ANI KA OYDE FANI KAO Alhaji Ibrahim Turaki, SAN, (north) and Governor Peter Obi (south).

Chief Tony Anenih, an elder statesman and one of the most distinguished and reverted leaders in our country, was the Presidential Advisor to the Campaign Organisation. There were at least 10 other Directors and Directorates apart from me and mine including the Directorate of Mobilisation which was led by the respected Professor Jerry Gana and the Directorate of Administration which was led by Alhaji Aliyu Modibbo. There were also zonal and state Directors of the Presidential Campaign Organisation in all the zones and states of the country.

All these names that I have mentioned including all the other Directors whose names I have not mentioned are, as far as I am aware, men and women of immense integrity and good

character and they have mostly been either Ministers of the Federal Republic or state Governors at one time or the other in our history. It was an honor to serve alongside such people and I have absolutely no regrets about doing so.

Yet given the fact that I was not the only Director in the Campaign Organisation and in view of the fact that all the Directors and zonal and state Directors got their funds from the same source and account as I did, one wonders why only I and three others should be singled out for this reprehensible treatment and these false allegations. I chose to remain silent on the issue up until now simply because the allegations have not been officially made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or anyone else but the newspapers keep citing their sources “inside the EFCC” as their basis for these shameful allegations.

Mr. Josef Goebbels, Chancellor Adolf Hitler’s Information Minister when Germany was in the terrible grip of the Nazi party, said that once a lie is repeated enough times it becomes truth to those who are continuously subjected to it. This is especially so if it goes unchallenged.

Court of public opinion I cannot sit by silently as my name is dragged through the mud in this way and I am convicted in the court of public opinion. This has happened to me once before and it took me seven years to clear my name. It will not happen to me again.

Consequently I am constrained to take this opportunity to state the facts of this matter, set the record straight and await my traducers and accusers to make their next move. It is indeed time to challenge those that are making these allegations and to kill the lie. The fact that my bank account was frozen on the orders of the EFCC two weeks ago

without any explanation is proof of the fact that I am being targetted and that those that seek to have their wicked way with me are about to pounce.

Given this it is important that all the relevant facts are put before the world before I am subjected to the Dasuki treatment, put away indefinately and not given the opportunity to defend myself before the public.

Meanwhile, in their usual manner, after this is done the EFCC will then flood the media with all manner of lies about my so-called atrocities which only exist in the figment of their imagination.

The allegation of fraud and the receipt of public funds from the National.Security Advisors Office and Central Bank into my bank account is false. These

Media and publicity campaigns cannot be run on goodwill alone: you need cash and plenty of it allegations are baseless, wicked, shameful and irresponsible. It is not true that ANY money was paid into my account by or from the National Security Advisor’s Office, the Central Bank of Nigeria or any other government agency or institution last year or at any other time.

As the Director of Media and Publicity of the Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation I was asked to submit a budget for my Directorate by Chief Tony Anenih, the Presidential Advisor to the Presidential Campaign

Organisation and Mrs. Nenadi Usman, the Director of Finance.

My team and I prepared the budget and it was approved.

Rather than collect cash, for security reasons and the purposes of accountability I was advised by the Director of Finance to open a bank account for this purpose, which I did.

The funds were paid into that account in installments at the beginning of last year by the Director of Finance and each deposit was authorized and approved by the Presidential Advisor to the PCO, Chief Tony Anenih. The account that they used to transfer the money to me was a private company account which was owned or under the control of the Director of Finance.

It was the same company and account that was used to send money to all the other Directors of the PCO and the Zonal Directors, State Directors and all our PDP governorship and legislative candidates during the various campaigns.

I made a point of asking what the source of the funds in this account were and I was told by the Director of Finance that the funds were sourced from private individuals and private companies who opted to support and fund President Jonathan’s campaign. She told me that no money was paid into her company from any government official, account or agency. This she told me in the presence of witnesses and I believed her.

Presidential campaign I was told that there was a fundraising event held by our party (PDP) which took place in early January 2015 in which billions of naira was raised specifically for the Presidential campaign. I believed this to be true and I had no reason to doubt it. Our funds were given to us by the President who was the leader of our party through the Director of Finance of the PCO and we were not in a position to inquire into the sources of funding of the party’s campaign. Indeed, it was not our responsibility to do so.

Once I got these clarifications and confirmation I agreed to receive the funds into my bank account and use them for their stated purpose. The transfers were made and I used the funds to carry out all our operations during the course of the presidential campaign. It was an aggressive and well-run campaign and we gave our opponents a very hard time indeed. It was also very expensive and we barely had the resources that we really needed but we did an effective job with the little we were given.

The whole nation, including our friends and our enemies, can bear witness to that and they saw the excellent quality of our work.

Hardly anyone can dispute this yet some fail to appreciate the fact that such a strong showing costs

a lot of money. Media and publicity campaigns cannot be run on goodwill alone: you need cash and plenty of it. During the course of the election and after its conclusion I submitted detailed accounts of our expenses and evidence of our work to the Director of Finance of the PCO for onward transmission to the Director-General of the PCO and ultimately President Jonathan himself about how the money was spent and they were satisfied.

Given the fact that these were not public funds the only legal body that can inquire into our expenditure of campaign funds is President Goodluck Jonathan who set up the PCO. I was commended for my efforts by him and I can proudly say that my Directorate did not owe any individual, service provider, organisation or media outfit that provided any services to us one kobo at the close of the campaign.

Bazaar funds All our debts were paid and obligations met during and just after the election. The suggestion that there was any fraud in any of this or that I colluded and conspired with others to use government money to run a campaign is false and very insulting. The suggestion that the money was some kind of “cash bonanza” or “bazaar” as has been reported by the leading progovernment newspaper in the country today is childish and absurd.

If that had been the case I doubt that I would have been foolish enough to open a bank account to receive government funds or “bazaar funds” as this would have been easily traced.

If I had anything to hide or if I was doing anything wrong I would have insisted on collecting cash for my operations which would have been far easier to conceal. The fact that the EFCC gained access to my bank account and leaked details of it to the media including my inflows is not only a gross violation of my privacy but it is also unlawful.

I was a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ten years ago and I was a key official in the Presidency thirteen years ago. I had the honor and privilage of serving my country in these two capacities when the father of our nation, President Olusegun Obasanjo, was our President.

Consequently I am familiar with the workings and importance of accountability, due diligence and due process.

This is why I was very careful with how we managed our resources at the Directorate and why I appointed a seasoned civil servant who retired from the civil service with commendation at the Director level as my Director of Finance in my Directorate. I was also mindful of the fact that I had to be very careful with the management of funds that were put under my care given the fact that I had been wrongly accused and viciously persecuted by the Yar’adua administration and the Farida Waziri-led EFCC with trumped up and baseless Continues on page 45

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—45

The exit of a political field marshall TRIBUTE

By Senator Ben Obi Dr.Mrs.Grace Braithwaite RECEIVED the news about the demise of Dr. Tunji Braithwaite with deep shock and great feeling of Nostalgia, this is because we have lost again, a progressive, a detribalized Nigerian, bold and courageous, an eminent Nigeria who was always at the forefront of entrenching democratic ethos, fundamental human rights, zero tolerance to corruption, and above all, he lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation. He was a revolutionary thinker, teacher and crusader. The light that fears no darkness.

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Decadent society Dr.Tunji Braithwaite totally believed in the ability of the youths, hence, for the first time in the history of our nation, he led and championed the first revolutionary party in Nigeria which brought the Nigerian youths into participatory politics, the Nigeria Advance party (NAP), through its symbol, sought to entrust the future of the Nigerian youths into their hands.

In forming the Nigeria Advance Party (NAP), he brought on board a few tested and trusted friends, like Dr. Ayo Ojajune, Dr. Muyiwa Oladimeji, Comrade Mallam Sanni, and Chief Senator Ben Obi, CON. Ayo was the director of ideology, Muyiwa was director of organization, Comrade Sanni was Acting National Secretary, and my humble self was National Publicity Secretary. We had the

Late Dr. Tunji Braitwaite slogan: Eliminating cockroaches, rats and mosquitoes, which was a philosophical way of saying; Eliminating bribery, corruption, poverty, ignorance and disease in our decadent society.

I could remember vividly, since I was particularly close to him, that I attended all meetings with him, such as meetings with the then president of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari GCFR, in company of some NPN faithfuls and leaders, like Alhaji Umaru Dikko, the then minister of Transport and Alhaji Ali Baba then Minister of Interior affairs.

We also had a meeting with the then Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and his deputy Brig. Gen. Tunde Idiagbon on the 12th of January, 1984. This was coming at a time when most politicians were so scared of the duo of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy Brig.Gen. Tunde

Idiagbon. We also had meeting with President Ibrahim Babangida GCFR, as well as Gen. Aliyu Muhammed Gusau who was Director General Nigeria Security Organization (NSO), and his message to all of them at these meetings, was to eliminate corruption and bring about transparent, focused and dynamic leadership that will better and improve the lot of the Nigerian people.

He had a very rich Christian life, and was v e r y instrumental in integrating Christians into politics, he was instrumental to the formation of t h e Pentecostal fellowship of

The truth about PDP campaign funds Continues from page 44 criminal charges for the previous seven years. That whole ordeal almost ruined my life and my career but God was with me throughout and He delivered me from their evil because I had done nothing wrong. On 1st July 2015, I was acquitted by a duly constituted court of law of all those charges and I give God the glory for that.

Yet the struggle continues. I am appalled at the behavior of the EFCC in this latest matter but I am not surprised because they have had it in for me for many years.

Obsessive interest Their almost obsessive interest in me and their motivation to destroy me is essentially political and partly personal and this has always been so. In short, just as was the case seven years ago, they are being used by the powers that be and by forces that are far above them.

To that extent I sympathise with them.

Yet if this is an attempt to intimidate, silence or distract me they shall fail because I am not a coward and I do not

fear them or those that sent them to torment me.

And neither will I sit by idly and watch them trying to destroy me again. Their allegations are malicious and self-serving and there is no substance or truth in them.

We did not run the Presidential Campaign Organization or my Directorate with paper or hot air: we ran them with money. There is no crime in that.

A substantial portion of that money was paid by my Directorate directly to the media for rallies, television, radio and newspaper adverts and jingles together with many other services rendered and we have all the records and documents to prove it. As stated earlier those records have been duly submitted to the relevant quarters and they commended us for our work. I did not run the Directorate alone and I had at least 10 Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors and Sub-Directors, who were all also appointed by President Jonathan, working under me. I was responsible for the funding of each and every one of their various operations. Our entire team was dedicated and we all worked very hard because we believed passionately in our candidate and our party.

To be concluded

Nigeria, and had a good rapport with highly anointed men of God in Nigeria. He influenced the formation of PFN, when he and I started by going to the renowned tele-evangelist, late Arch. Bishop Benson Idahosa of the Church of God Mission, where we spent 2 nights in his GRA Benin Residence to Mobilize Pentecostal churches into participatory politics by having a body or platform, which was later to be called Pentecostal fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). On our return back to Lagos, we continued on our mission, by visiting the late pastor Adeboyejo founder of Foursquare Gospel Church, Pastor E.A Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission(TREM), Pastor Tunde Joda of the Christ Chapel International Churches (CCIC), Pastor W.F Kumuyi of the Deeper Christian Life Churches, and a host of others all in a bid to integrate Christians into participatory politics, which was hitherto like a Taboo in the Christendom.

He was a Colourful and Glamorous Politician with style.

He was something special, a combination of talents, with incredible knowledge of the constitution and the law, and a passion for making the country and politics better.

As a lawyer, he conquered the legal world, in his astuteness, he demonstrated vast and accurate knowledge of the law; using it to liberate the oppressed, defend

the defenseless, even in the fiercest opposition from the then ruling military junta, he not only remained resolute, but stood firm and firmly defended all, including defending Chief Obafemi Awolowo when he was charged for treason.

Having the credit of bringing onboard, and registering Julius Berger, the biggest construction company in Nigeria, and which he became their first legal Adviser as well as holding the legal retainerships of over 20 multi- Nationals including foreign missions and embassies, testifies to the fact that he was a lawyer of great repute.

When I ponder over the demise of this great Nigerian, his rare qualities, I have no doubt that he has sacrificed, and giving his best to this nation, his wise counsel will be greatly missed. No doubt, the legacies he left behind will be transmitted from generation to generation. Although there will never be another Tunji Braithwaite, let’s hope there are many more like him.

I condole with you and your entire family on the demise of your beloved husband, a great leader and teacher. At this moment of immense grief, it is my prayer that God Almighty grant you much grace and fortitude as possible to bear this regrettable loss. Please accept my heartfelt condolence.

Prayerful best wishes.

•Sen. High Chief (Dr.) Ben Ndi Obi, CON.FNIPR wrote from Lagos

46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Champions League: Ronaldo to travel for City clash

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RISTIANO Ronaldo will travel with Real Madrid for their Champions League semi final against Manchester City.

The Portuguese international has not been declared fit for tomorrow’s first leg at the Etihad - but Real are confident that he will be part of their squad.

Ronaldo was left out of

Saturday’s 3-2 win against Rayo Vallecano as a precaution following a thigh strain. But asked for an update on his fitness, Real coach Zinedine Zidane said: “He will travel to Manchester.”

Ronaldo has been in outstanding form for the Spanish giants, scoring 47 goals in 44 appearances this season.

Pellegrini: I’ve stopped Ronaldo many times

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ANCHESTER City boss Manuel Pellegrini is confident he can replicate past successes when it comes to stopping Cristiano Ronaldo in tomorrow’s Champions League encounter.

Pellegrini, who was head coach during the

Giroud disappoints as Arsenal drop more points at Sunderland

P Ronaldo

Ranieri: Tottenham must wait ‘one more year’ to win title

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EICESTER City boss Claudio Ranieri has told Tottenham Hotspur counterpart Mauricio Pochettino he will have to wait to win the Premier League title.

When asked if he had a message for Pochettino, Ranieri’s reply was clear.

“Mauricio, you can wait,” Ranieri told reporters. “Wait for one more year.

“The pressure is always at the top. They have been behind all year. I’m not bothered. I would love to stay five points ahead.”

Ranieri

ETR Cech and the cross bar denied Sunderland a priceless Barclays Premier League victory, as Arsenal failed to reclaim third place from Manchester City.

The Gunners needed to win at the Stadium of Light to edge ahead of City once again, but had to make do with a point from a 0-0 draw which lifted the Black Cats out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

However, they could have left Wearside empty-handed as Patrick van Aanholt hit the woodwork with a first-half free-kick and Cech made a series of important saves after the break to keep Sam Allardyce’s men at bay in front of a crowd of 45,420.

Sunderland went into the game looking to move clear of relegation rivals Newcastle and Norwich - but knowing that would be a stern test of their recent improvement with the Gunners fighting to secure a top-four finish.

Louis van Gaal: Man U board will decide my future

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OUIS van Gaal hailed Manchester United’s “unbelievable” spirit after they beat Everton 2-1 to reach the FA Cup final — before admitting his continued uncertainty about his chances of still being with the club next season.

“For the future, I will discuss that with my board and others.”

Pushed about whether he expected to be in charge at Old Trafford next season, Van Gaal said: “Yes, but you repeat what I have always said. It is not news, you don’t have to write it.”

Van Gaal, whose current contract runs until the summer of 2017, was then asked if he would consider winning the FA Cup but failing to qualify for the Champions League a success.

C M Y K

Giroud

Suarez eyes Pichichi Luis Suarez admits while Barcelona winning La Liga remains his priority, he “ would welcome” the Pichichi after his four goals against Sporting Gijon.

Suarez netted a ‘poker’ for the second game running in Barca’s 6-0 victory over Sporting on Saturday to move him three goals clear of Cristiano Ronaldo on 34 and into the lead for the League’s topscorer award with only three matches left.

“I’m surprised to have scored eight goals in three days,” the forward said after the game. “Still, I always want to help the team. It was a difficult first half.

“It wasn’t my objective to be the top scorer, but if it happens then I’d welcome it. The priority is the

Pellegrini forward’s first season at the Santiago Bernabeu, says his experience of facing Manchester United while in charge of Villarreal will be key to keeping Ronaldo quiet.

“Cristiano was signed before I arrived at Madrid, but I am not surprised how well he has done in Madrid,” he said. “I knew all about him from playing Manchester United when I was at Villarreal.

“We played them four times in the Champions League and each time it was 0-0, so defensively we must have been doing something right.”

Suarez League. “We didn’t play with the pace we wanted, neither did we play the ball at the speed we needed to.

“For that, we had the half-time break to reflect and realise that we weren’t playing well.

“Messi is the one who is in charge at all times and

manages the team. When he plays well, the team appreciate it. He’s helped us a lot this season. “[On leaving a penalty to Neymar], more than anything is the confidence he’ll have gained, which helps the team and benefits us all.

Champions League: Zidane hopeful of Benzema

R Gaal

Guardiola set for ‘fight’ with Atletico play at 100 per cent and

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AYERN Munich are preparing for a tough fight in Wednesday ’s Uefa Champions League semi-final, first-leg.

“It will be a completely different game,” sais Pep Guardiola.

“It’s difficult to always

I understand if the players already had an eye on Wednesday ’s game against Atletico.”

“We will have to fight for every centimetre and need to be switched on from the very first minute,” Bayern’s World Cup winner Mario Goetze said.

EAL Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is “hopeful” Karim Benzema will be available for Manchester City after his substitution against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

Benzema was hauled off in the latter stages of first half at Vallecas, where Madrid came back from behind to win 3-2, and Zidane was unable to give any updates on the striker’s condition in light of the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday.

“It was a hotlycontested and very difficult game. We encountered difficulty in the first 15 minutes, yet we started badly and ended well.

“We’ll evaluate [Benzema], but he didn’t take a blow. I thought he did, but for now we’ll go back to Valdebebas and see what he has."

“I hope it’s nothing and that he can play on Tuesday, but we don’t know yet. We know [Manchester] City will be very difficult and we have to prepare well.”

Benzema

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016—47

Nadal wins ninth Barcelona title R

AFAEL Nadal equalled Argentine legend Guillermo Vilas’s record of 49 clay-court titles with his ninth Barcelona Open after overcoming defending champion Kei Nishikori 6-4, 7-5 yesterday.

Fresh from winning the Monte Carlo Masters last week, Nadal has now won his opening 10 matches of the European clay-court season ahead of his quest to land a record 10th French Open in June.

Nishikori was left to rue a series of missed break-point opportunities as the Japanese’s 14-match winning streak in Barcelona came to an end.

“I think I served well which was very important. The fact I had a

Buhari Continued from B/P Femi’s wins reflected his hard work, tireless dedication and a brave heart which he had displayed.

The statement further revealed that “The British professional boxer, was born to a Nigerian mother and father, spent his early years in Nigeria before returning to the UK. “He is now the current IBF heavyweight champion who also holds the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

“Joshua is ranked the world’s sixth best heavyweight boxer by The Ring magazine and the second boxer in history to win a professional world heavyweight title doubling as the Olympic champion at the top weight.

Iheanacho Continued from B/P be an asset for the Super Eagles.

“Iheanacho is doing great which is a good sign for the national team,” Salisu said.

“Playing well for top clubs like City despite the young age shows that he has come of age in the game.

“Iheanacho has showed signs of what he can do when given the opportunity with the national team, and I can say here that people are going to see more of him and other young players in the Super Eagles’’, Salisu noted.

Meanwhile, the Manchester City striker is already dreaming of facing star-studded Real Madrid in the Champions League tomorrow in Etihad.

He is is not expected to be included in Manuel

Pellegrini’s starting XI for Tuesday’s Champions League semi final first leg.

But his two goals against Stoke on Saturday proved what an asset he could be from the bench. The 19year-old has scored 11 goals since breaking into City’s first team this season - prompting Pellegrini to identify him as one of the rising stars who could shine under incoming manager Pep Guardiola.

And ahead of Real and the prospect of facing Zinedine Zidane’s Galacticos, Iheanacho said: “I think I should dream about that because it’s a great team to dream about.

“It would be a dream come true to play against them.

“I think I’ll be happy when I play against them.”

Iheanacho hopes his performance in the 4-0 win against Stoke will force him into Pellegrini’s thinking against Real.

W

ITH the 35th Virgin Money London Marathon in the books,the world focus now shifts to the Okpekpe international 10km road race as the next in the calendar of International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) label races.

The event,the only IAAF bronze label race in Africa for 2016 has attracted a strong field of elite athletes racing for the $15,000 top prize money on offer for the respective male and female winners.

Spokesman for the race Dare Esan is d e l i g h t e d Nigeria,through the Okpekpe race is now attracting the attention

good percentage of first serves allowed me to play better,” said Nadal. “In the second set I let a lot of opportunities go, but I am very happy to have resisted mentally and happy to win.”

Nishikori had made the most of shock Nadal defeats to claim the title in the past two years, but despite some stiff resistance in just over two hours on court he slipped to a ninth defeat in 10 matches against the 14-time Grand Slam champion.

“It’s been a great three years, even though I lost today,” said Nishikori. “I feel very comfortable here, every year I feel very excited, so I hope I can come back next year.”

“Femi, however, will be defending his title by June 25th, 2016.”

In a related development, Dabiri Erewa has also described the approval of the 300 million Diaspora Bond passed by the National Assembly unanimously as a good development.

The presidential scribe however, encouraged all Nigerian patriots in the Diaspora to take advantage of the Diaspora Bond.

According to her, “5 – 10 years maturity and annual dividends between five percent and eight percent way more than bank deposit or certificate of deposit which is within two percent interest rates are certainly a plus for patriotic investors.”

She noted “that the bond will give opportunities to patriots to actively engage in the welfare of their loved country, Nigeria.”

Focus shifts to Okpekpe after London Marathon of the world.

‘I am delighted to be a Nigerian and delighted to be involved in this race which has placed Okpekpe in particular and Nigeria in general in the consciousness of the whole world,especially the a t h l e t i c s community,’said Esan who is convinced a better view of Nigeria has been engendered by the race.

‘Many across the world on Sunday saw how Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya produced an awe-inspiring marathon performance to defend his Virgin Money London Marathon title in 2:03:04, just seven seconds off countryman Dennis Kimetto’s world record.

ITTF hails Lagos over Nigerian Open

T

HE world table tennis ruling body, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has hailed the Lagos State Government for keeping faith the annual Nigerian Open which has remained one

•Nadal

Walcott’s future in doubt — Wenger

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RSÈNE Wenger admits he does not know what the future holds for Theo Walcott with the England forward currently a bitpart player at the Emirates Stadium.

Walcott has not started a Premier League game since the 3-2 defeat at Manchester United on 28 February and has been

Ulloa Continued from B/P when the heat of the pressure was supposed to be rising dangerously close to intolerable. The goals flew in, the crowd sang “Barcelona, we’re coming for you” and the place has never felt happier.

Claudio Ranieri’s team played as though immune to nerves apart from a few minutes at the start before they realised that Swansea City, with their accidentprone defence and end-ofseason drift, would be obliging opponents. After that, it was a rout that suggested Leicester are thriving, rather than wilting, on the weight of expectation. “Four-nil to the one-man team,” was another chant, as the evidence was supplied about how daft it was to suspect Leicester without Jamie Vardy would take on

limited to substitute appearances of late. He has fallen behind the teenager Alex Iwobi and a fit-again Danny Welbeck in the pecking order, with just five league goals this season. With his place in Roy Hodgson’s squad for this summer’s European Championship in the balance, Wenger conceded he is unsure the form of a flower without water.

There will certainly be more difficult assignments in the coming weeks when Leicester finish the season against Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea and at this stage, with an eight-point lead, it would be harrowing for them, to say the least, if this previously unremarkable club cannot end the most eccentric year of their lives in possession of the championship trophy.

They need five points from their remaining fixtures to be certain but that assumes Tottenham Hotspur, in second position, win their last four games, and there was absolutely nothing in this performance to suggest a late meltdown from a team whose durability and mental fortitude had been questioned – unfairly, by some degree – on the back of the wild 2-2 draw against West Ham last weekend.

where Walcott will be plying his trade next season. Asked if Walcott could leave, Wenger replied: “I don’t know yet.

“I’m not in transfer mode at the moment but I think he has gone through a bad spell. He has responded very well, because he said: ‘OK, I will work harder and more.’

Continued from B/P Portuguese coach a return to management.

It’s understood that development has focused minds at Manchester United on securing the services of the serial winner.

The Express claim that Mourinho penned a contract at Old Trafford at the end of last week. They also claim that an announcement could be made in the next two weeks. That would mean acknowledging a change before the season finishes on 15 May. It would also mean, following Manchester United’s win over Everton, that the FA Cup final on 21 May would be Van Gaal’s final game in charge.

Finally, the story that leads the back of Express newspaper claims that Mourinho will have full control over the club’s transfer policy.

of the most followed tournaments in Africa.

According to the President of IT TF, Thomas Weikert, the organization of the tournament has made it to become one of the cherished competitions across the globe as well as the highest prize money in the IT TF Challenge series.

In the last three editions, the IT TF Nigerian Open has become the star tournament of the Lagos International Classics with players across the globe gracing the tournament while it has also attracted more players to Lagos since its inception in 2013.

Mourinho Top of his wish-list will be Benfica’s Renato Sanches, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and John Stones.

Louis van Gaal has a year to run on his contract at Old Trafford but refused to be drawn on his future after United’s 2-1 FA Cup semi-final win over Everton at Wembley.

United are currently fifth in the Barclays Premier League and there has been plenty of talk this season about boss Van Gaal being replaced in the summer.

And having praised his team for their efforts on Saturday, the Dutchman asked how important winning the FA Cup could be for the team’s development heading into next season - said: “I am not looking beyond this competition and FA Cup, because we live in the present.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016

Mourinho signs Man Utd deal!

J OSE Mourinho has signed a contract with Manchester United to become their next manager with an announcement expected

Eagles coach praises Iheanacho

By Tony Ubani, with Agency reports

Continues on Page 47

K

E L E C H I Iheanacho’s star performance against Stoke has earned him praise from Super Eagles Coach Salisu Yusuf.

Iheanacho scored a brace and was responsible for winning the penalty that Sergio Aguero converted for City’s second.

Yusuf, elated by the teenager’s performance said that the boy has come of age and would Continues on Page 47

•Mourinho

Buhari congratulates IBF World Heavyweight Champion

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—The presidency has congratulated Mr. Anthony Femi Joshua, Nigerian-born British citizen who recently won the IBF World Heavyweight Champion.

The congratulations came through a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora and Foreign Relations, Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Erewa said that that Continues on Page 47

RESULTS •UNSTOPPABLE. . . Manchester City’s Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho goes around Stoke City’s Danish goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard (L) to score their fourth goal during their EPL match at the Etihad Stadium. Photo: AFP

Ulloa scores brace as Leicester victory procession such extend title lead a stress-free occasion.

P •Ulloa

before the end of the season.

The former Chelsea manager has been linked with replacing Louis van Gaal for months and he is widely expected to take over at Old Trafford. The odds of him doing so have become incredibly small.

However a potential complication arose when it emerged recent;y that Paris St Germain were also willing to offer the

ERHAPS the most impressive part is the way Leicester City, closing in on an almost

unimaginable piece of football history, made the latest stage of what increasingly resembles a

This was their biggest win of the season, just Continues on Page 47

NPFL Heartland Pillars Plateau Utd Lobi Abia Warriors Warri Wolves Wikki

1 6 2 1 3 2 3

Sunshine Shooting Stars Rivers Utd Tornadoes MFM Giwa Ifeanyiubah

0 0 1 0 1 0 0

FA Cup s/final Palace

2

Watford

1

EPL Leicester Sunderland

4 0

Swansea Arsenal

0 0

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

Across 1 Mysterious (6) 5 Trousers (6) 9 Passage (5) 10 Soften (6) 11 Involve (6) 12 Relaxed (5) 14 Block (4) 17 Pinch (3) 18 Stupefy (4) 20 Temptress (5) 22 Passed (5) 23 Stormier (7) 24 Absolute (5) 26 Warmth (4) 30 Plus (3) 32 Colour (4) 33 Inflexible (5) 35 Beast (6) 36 Fleshly (6) 37 Allude (5) 38 Embraced (6) 39 Loathe (6)

Down 1 Monster (6) 2 Vault (6) 3 Thoroughfare (4) 4 Guard (5) 5 Slumber (5) 6 Loan (4) 7 Pure (6) 8 Quiet (6) 13 Crooning (7) 15 Supple (5) 16 Cap (5) 18 Shoot (5) 19 Relation (5) 21 And not (3) 22 Fixed (3) 24 Cover (6) 25 Consuming (6) 27 Coma (6) 28 Lacehole (6) 30 Sickened (5) 31 Cubed (5) 33 Unusual (4) 34 Challenge (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS Across: 2, Error 7, Grab 8, Unfair 9, Began 11 Dad 13, Rid 15, Edam 16, Pea 18, Cede 19, Diagram 20, Lady 22, Rota 23, Larceny 25, Teem 27, Hat 28, Here 30, End 31, Did 33, Level 36, Devise 37, Feed 38, Title.

Down: 1, Proud 2, Ebb 3, Rag 4 Run 5, Off 6, Rigid 10, Area 11, Deplete 12, Dawdled 13, Removed 14, Delayed 16, Pitch 17, Agent 18, Car 21, Yam 24, Ease 26, Enter 29, Rider 32, Mix 33, Let 34, Vat 35, Lie.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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