Saraki, other senators meet Buhari today

...towards a better life for the people

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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VOL. 25: NO. 63014

N200

TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Vanguard disowns cloned website

Bloodbath in Enugu as herdsmen kill 40

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MEETING— From left: ED, Capital Market Development, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri; DG NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema; GMD/CEO, Skye Bank Plc, Timothy Oguntayo and Deputy Managing Director, Mrs. Amaka Onwughalu, at a Business Meeting between NSE and Skye Bank in Lagos, yesterday.

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2016 BUDGET ROW:

HE attention of the management of VANGUARD newspapers has been drawn to the existence of a cloned version of its website by some unscrupulous individuals with a sinister motive of stealing the newspaper’s brand identity, publishing fake stories and deceiving the public.

VANGUARD wishes to state that the newspaper jealously guards its hard-earned reputation and will do everything in its powers to protect its brand, particularly on the Internet where the newspaper has played and will continue to play the leading role.

While we have commenced the process of taking down the fake site from cyber space, the management wishes to tell its numerous readers that the authentic VANGUARD website is www.vanguardngr.com.

Our verified Twitter handle is @vanguardngrnews, Facebook fan page is Vanguard News and google+, Vanguardnews.

— EDITOR

Saraki, other senators meet Buhari today

By Omoh Gabriel, Soni Daniel & Henry Umoru

•May drop bid to veto President after meeting •Senators intensify moves to pass vote of no confidence on Goje •NASS padded 2016 budget by N500bn, above revenue projections •Town halls, boreholes, football pitches listed as constituency projects

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BUJA—SENATE President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, will lead other senators to a crucial meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari today to find a lasting solution to the 2016 Appropriation Bill logjam.

The meeting, billed to hold last Friday, was shifted because one of the

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Jonathan calls for strenghtening of democracy in Africa 45

Mr & Mrs

P.17

YINKA ODUMAKIN

Travails of Bayelsa monarch See Inside C M Y K

Nigeria or North?

COLUMNIST:

TOWN HALL—From left: Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi; Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing; Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information & Culture; Dr Oluranti Adebule, Lagos State Deputy Governor; Mr Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State Petroleum; Mr Geoffrey Onyema, Foreign Affairs, and Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, Industry, Trade and Investment, during the Town Hall Meeting with ministers held at City Hall, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi. Story on Page 9.

SCARCITY: FG asks states to monitor fuel distribution

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Liquidity squeez in banks over N720bn forex bid 46

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

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POCKET CARTOON resort to constitutional way of resolving the quagmire which would not be good for the country.

Padded budget

ENUGU ATTACK—A victim, Mr. Kingsley Ezeugwu (left) and a family fleeing the community as attack by herdsmen continued in Enugu, yesterday.

2016 BUDGET ROW: Saraki, other senators meet Buhari today Continues from Page 1 personalities key to the meeting was out of town.

Vanguard gathered yesterday that the meeting with President Buhari had become imperative as it would be an avenue to bring up grey areas identified in the budget and harmonize them in the overall interest of Nigerians.

Also to attend the meeting are Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Leader, Ali Ndume; Deputy Senate Leader, Ibn Na’Allah; Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye; and Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena.

Others include Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha; Minority Whip, Senator Philip Aduda, and Senate Deputy and Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi.

Also to be at the meeting

are members of Appropriation and Finance Committees of the two arms of the National Assembly.

According to a source, the Presidency is highly disappointed with the manner the 2016 budget sent by the executive was distorted, with figures allocated to projects reduced, thereby making it difficult for the government to perform if the budget was assented to by the President.

After today’s meeting, the Senate is expected to softpedal on its bid to override President Buhari if he fails to sign the budget document into law at the expiration of the stipulated 30 days, in consonance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

The source noted that the Presidency sent a 28page budget document with every aspect of the figures changed by the

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

E

XCEPT you die to self, you cannot lead a cause.

It takes a selfless and altruistic heart to effectively lead a purpose.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE A snake seen by one person is always refered to as a python.

National Assembly, just as the senators, especially chairmen of committees blamed Senator Danjuma Goje, Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, as the brain behind the mutilation of the budget.

A member of the Appropriation Committee, who spoke with Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said Goje and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, were the masterminds of the entire mess, having failed to carry other members along.

According to him, members of the committee were not part of the appropriation process as Goje literarily left the work to Jibrin.

He added that the action explained why last week’s closed door session was stormy and called for the removal of Goje as chairman of the committee.

The source noted that in the letter to the Senate by the Presidency, dated April 16, the President explained that there were some priority areas that were affected in the budget which must be addressed for effective governance.

According to the source, the Presidency frowned at the housing budget which was put at over N200 billion, but was reduced to N99 billion.

The source told Vanguard that today ’s meeting with the President would resolve that the Presidency should send in a supplementary budget, indicating areas of differences, adding that the Senate would give them accelerated approval, rather than

Meanwhile, indications emerged, yesterday, that the National Assembly padded the 2016 federal budget by about N500 billion above the revenue projection and built-in deficit, thus making it impossible for the President to implement, going by the current fiscal situation in the country, if signed into law.

Vanguard learned from sources close to the Budget Office that “federal lawmakers went over board to raise the budget by about N500 billion beyond the projected revenue and the deficit built into the 2016 budget”.

Those who know about happenings in the budget told Vanguard that the budget, as presented to the President, was not “implementable”.

“The budget can not be implemented as passed by the National Assembly,” a source said.

Besides raising the budget figures, the National Assembly members were said to have included projects such as provisions of boreholes, town halls, football pitches as constituency projects to be funded by the Federal Government.

This, it was learned, angered the Presidency as these are issues that states and local governments should be funding.

According to an official who knows about development in the budget, “the constituency issues can be overlooked or at worse not implemented but there are other fundamental issues in the budget as passed by the National Assembly.

Vanguard also learned, yesterday, that the leaderships of the Senate and the House were not aware of these details until the President drew their attention to it.

It was upon discovery of the frivolities and the undue transfer of funds from one budget head to another that the leadership of the National Assembly accepted to review the budget.

The President was not ready to make any issue out of it but just requested understanding of members of the National Assembly to take a closer look at the provisions in the budget and review the unnecessary items and the undue transfer of funds from one budget head to another to make it easy for the executive

to implement.

Besides, the National Assembly may have begun reviewing details of the budget presented to the President last month, following his request that anomalies noticed in the budget document be amended to enable easy implementation.

It was gathered that the two chambers of the National Assembly have decided to set up a small committee to quickly review the contents of the document and make necessary amendments in line with the request of President Buhari.

A senior lawmaker said the team was expected to work closely with another team from the executive to fast-track the process and hopefully complete work by this weekend.

The leadership of the National Assembly was scheduled to meet with the President and some relevant members of the cabinet weekend but the meeting did not hold because of the absence of one of the senior members of the National Assembly.

Although the House of Representatives was ready to reconsider the budget when the executive cried foul when the details were submitted, the Senate insisted that the President must first assent to the Bill as passed and thereafter bring forward areas of concern in a Supplementary Bill.

This position was said to have put the President off, prompting his insistence that he could not sign a budget he would not be able to implement.

According to a source in the Presidency, “President Muhammadu Buhari insisted he made a pledge to Nigerians and would not go against that pledge, no matter the pressure.

"He said he could not honestly implement the

budget as presented, and that signing it would amount to not only deceiving himself but Nigerians because the budget is not implementable.”

The source said the President’s position was based on his earlier experience with some officers of the National Assembly who would agree with him on some issues and later renege just to blackmail him.

He cited two earlier issues on the same budget: “There was an agreement that since there are errors and omissions in the budget because of the shortness of time during which it was prepared, that it should be taken back and corrected. The next thing that was heard was that the budget was missing.

"That development thoroughly embarrassed the President.

It happened again when the corrected version was presented and they now claimed they had two budgets.

“Ordinarily, the President would have just signed the budget and send a Supplementary Bill to them but because of the earlier experiences, he can no longer trust them to keep their word.

"Besides, it is easier and time-saving to correct the contentious areas and send it back to the President without formalities than to go the way of Appropriation Bill which will take the formal protocol of Bill presentation, readings, committee work, eventual approval, passing by the joint chambers and presentation to the President.”

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on his Facebook wall over the weekend had posted that the President would not be rushed into signing the budget unless it was delivered in a format that could be successfully implemented, in line with the administration’s strategic agenda.

6 — Vanguard, TUESDAY APRIL 26 , 2016

4TH MAINLAND BRIDGE: Lagos marks 800 structures for relocation

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopeji

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AGOS State Government, yesterday, said no fewer than 800 structures and shanties have been identified to give way through relocation to allow for the construction of the proposed 4th Mainland

Bridge project.

This came as the government said rehabilitation works were carried on 540 roads since the emergence of the present administration on May 29th, 2015.

Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ganiyu Johnson, disclosed this at the commencement of the 2016, Ministerial

Press Briefing at Alausa, Ikeja, in commemoration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s first year in office.

Ahead of the planned signing of Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, scheduled to take place next month between the state and investors on the bridge project, the commissioner said : “Previously, we had 10

alignments but we have narrowed it down to one and the reason was that most of the past alignments we had could lead to the relocation of over 3000 structures and shanties, but with the alignments we have now, it would not take more than 800 structures and changes. This was one of the things we were doing in-house on the project.”

From the new

alignments, Johnson said the bridge would traverse from Ajah to North-West direction towards the lagoon shoreline to LagosIbadan Expressway via Ikorodu, noting that “The approximate length of the road/bridge is 37.9 Km with a design speed of 140 km.

The significant and value of the proposed construction lies in its capacity to rapidly

decongest the traffic within Lekki Corridor and redistribute traffic towards Lagos Mainland which serves to meet increased future road infrastructure demands. The proposal further reinforces the policy thrust of this administration on the provision of efficient transportation system as a catalyst for social and economic development of the state, complementing the on-going efforts in meeting up with megacity status for Lagos State.”

Blueprint on Nigeria insurance sector underway — FG Domestic Product, GDP,

By Omoh Gabriel & Onozure Dania

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HE Federal Government will soon release a new blueprint to reposition the country ’s insurance industry, Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun has said.

The minister announced this at the 38th Annual General Meeting and Education of West Africa Insurance Companies Association, WAICA, in Lagos yesterday.

Adeosun, who was represented by Mrs. Patience Oniya, a Director in Efficiency Department in the Ministry of Finance, said the country’s Insurance Industry was part of the current government’s plan to diversify the economy and said the new blueprint would change the face of the industry.

“As part of efforts to reposition the industry, and make it play a more critical role in the economy, government has inaugurated a committee on

the Review of the Insurance (Consolidated) bill. This committee is expected to submit its findings soon for proper action to be taken,” she said.

She called on insurers to support the committee to achieve growth for the industry.

Adeosun also said government would support the industry to fill its capacity gap, noting that not too long from now, its contribution in Gross

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OBSEQUIES: From left: Widow of Late Rafiu Jafojo, former deputy governor of Lagos state, Mrs. Mosunmola Jafojo; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule; former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, his wife, Abimbola and fomer Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, during the burial rites for Late Jafojo at his Residence, in Ikeja, Lagos.

TRESSPASS: Deeper Life Church to pay N5m

By Innocent Anaba

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HE Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has upheld the judgment of a Lagos High Court which ordered Deeper Christian Life Ministry to pay N5 million as damages for trespassing on a parcel of land belonging to the Celestial Church of Christ, CCC. CCC had through its representative, Joseph

Insight Communications wins awards Award, five agencies N S I G H T Communications has won most of the awards in the creative category of the Young Lions Award.

At the just concluded 2016 Cannes Lions Nigeria ceremony at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, Insight Communications was not only recognised as a historical industry leader, but also as a vibrant and youthful agency filled with bright minds.

Last year, Insight was voted third best place to work in Nigeria and also one of the best places to work in the country by Millennials.

At the Young Lions

which at present was lower than one per cent would increase.

Earlier, Commissioner for Insurance and Executive Secretary, National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, Mr. Mohammed Kari, said though the future of the sector was hard to predict, there was need to be prepared at all times.

He said insurers were faced with the challenges of new businesses, changing laws and regulation among others.

were judged by a jury of respected industry experts, of which Insight Communications came out with astounding success in all three categories it entered for, namely in the Print, Film and Cyber (Digital) category.

Chief Operating Officer, Insight Communications, Feyi Olubodun expressing his excitement over the win, stated that, “It is a great feeling for us, as we have always set out to elevate creativity, and these young talents testify to our commitment to continue to offer fresh and transformation ideas that would raise the bar of creativity in the industry.”

Ebhodaghe sued Deeper Life Church over the disputed land measuring approximately 1055.864 squares situated at Mulero area of Agege, Lagos and registered as No- 75 volume 2004T at the Lagos State land registry, Ikeja.

At the lower court, trial judge, Justice Samuel Candide-Johnson, had in his judgment delivered on January 17, 2014 declared the CCC as the rightful owner of the disputed land and awarded N5 million as damages against Deeper Life Church.

The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining Deeper Life Church, its agents or servants from further

trespass on the disputed land.

Dissatisfied with the verdict, Deeper Life Church through its lawyer, Gabriel Akigbe appealed against same and urged the appellate court to set the entire judgment aside on the grounds that the trial judge was biased, having regards to the documentary and oral evidence placed before the court.

But, in a unanimous decision, the appellate court comprising of Justice Chinwe Iyizoba (presiding), Justice Yargata Nimpar and Justice Abimbola ObasekiAdejumo held that the appeal is unmeritous and dismissed same accordingly.

13-yr-old Alfred wins Dubai trip in Indomie promo

By Elizabeth Uwandu

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LFRED Ogini, a 13 year old Junior Secondary School, JSS, 1 student has emerged one of the winners of an allexpense-paid trip to Dubai in the on-going “Wrapper Redemption Promo” by Dufil Prima Food Plc, makers of

Indomie Noodles.

Ogini and Ms Chidinma Charles, a fast food seller, that reside in Kano State were the two persons that won a trip to Dubai, while other winners across the four major cities of Lagos, Ibadan, Kano and Kaduna received gifts ranging from refrigerators, television sets, hampers and Indomie packs.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 7

How 6 Ekiti doctors died, survivor recounts ...Fayose, NMA declare 3, 7 days mourning

By Rotimi Ojomoyela, Sola Ogundipe & Chioma Obinna

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survivor from Sunday’s accident in which six medical doctors, and a driver from Ekiti State were killed 60 kilometres from Kaduna State, yesterday told Vanguard exclusively on his sick bed in Kaduna how the accident occurred.

He said the doctors would not have died had basic medical care been administered on them after the accident.

He said the incident occurred around where the late Minister of state for Labour and Productivity, James Ocholi and his family perished in an accident on March 6, 2006.

Those who lost their lives in the accident were: Dr Tunde Aladesanmi of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, FETHI; Dr Ojo Taiwo, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital,, EKSUTH; NMA Secretary, Dr Akinyele Alex; Dr J. Ogunseye of the Health Management Board; President, EKSUTH Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Dr Olajide, Dr Adeniyi James of the FETHI and a driver identified as Mr. Ajibola.

Decrying the poor state of Doka Hospital, Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), who visited some of the injured doctors at St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna called on the Federal Government to assist the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, with enough rescue facilities.

At least four of the medical doctors, who survived the accident while travelling to attend a National Delegate Conference of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in Sokoto were at present receiving medical attention at the St. Gerard Catholic Medical Hospital, Kakuri.

One of the survivors, Dr. Stephen Ayosanmi of EKSUTH, spoke on his hospital bed exclusively to Vanguard on the accident.

How it happened

Ayosanmi said: “I am one of the delegates for the National NMA Conference taking place in Sokoto. On our way, we decided to follow through Kaduna and stop so that we would continue our journey to the conference the following day. We were about 60km to Kaduna when the accident happened. We were in a bus that seats between 15 and 16 person.

But we were 13 in the bus, including the driver. Aside the driver, we were all doctors. This was on Sunday, April 24. As we were approaching Kaduna, suddenly a tire burst. The bus somersaulted. This was around 4:45pm.”

Continuing, he said “When the accident happened, some of us came out and people came and tried to help in the rescue effort. I came and I found out that I did not have any fracture or serious injury. By the time the members of the Road Safety Corps came, some doctors that were severely injured had died. Five of them! But, we have two

who could still survive. So we rushed them to the nearby hospital (Doka General Hospital, about 70 km to Kaduna).

“At the hospital, I was surprised when they said that there was no doctor there. I was even telling the nurses, ‘ok give me a pain reliever and let me put you through on how to resuscitate that man that was lying near me. But none of them attended to us. They were just running around, saying there was no this, no that. They were running around looking for this and that. Then I pleaded with the Road Safety to take us to the nearest hospital away from the one we were. I said they should take us to Suleja, Kaduna, wherever, but the Road Safety said that they didn’t even have fuel. I told them that it was ok, that I would pay for fuel. So we left the place in search for fuel and bought the fuel on the road. But, before we got to the hospital (St. Gerard, Kaduna) the other person had died. That made the number of deaths six. The other very injured person, who was in the other bus also died, making the casualty seven”, he said.

Ekiti hospitals grounded, staff Protest

Meanwhile, activities in all the major Health institutions in Ekiti State, were paralysed yesterday by the death of six doctors involved in a ghastly motor accident along Kaduna road on Sunday.

The hospitals affected by the sad development included, Federal Teaching

Mimiko seeks review of revenue allocation formula

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—WORRIED by the dwindling state of the economy, the Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to review the revenue allocation formula for the purpose of development of states and local government areas.

He spoke while swearing in the 18 newly elected Local government Chairmen and Councillors across the 18 areas of the state.

Governor Mimiko wondered why the constitution, which stipulated that the Revenue

Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC, should be reviewing the revenue allocation every five years had been jettisoned in the last seven years.

He said “with the present state of finance, it will just be apposite to call the attention of the federal government to our skewed fiscal federalism that vests a disproportionate percentage (52%) of revenue in the federal government. However the states and local governments, the very tiers with considerable contacts with the populace, are given 26 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.”

He expressed worry that

“this can only cause a major hindrance to the development and implementation of policies at the local levels.”

Besides, he said “by virtue of Paragraph 32 (b) Part I of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, RMAFC is empowered to prescribe a periodic review of the Revenue Allocation formula every five years in accordance with Section 162 (2) of same constitution. ''Regrettably, this has not been done since 1999. We are appealing to RMFAC and the Federal Government, to take the appropriate bill to the National Assembly.”

Hospital , Ido Ekiti (FETHI), the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) and other general hospitals.

In a reaction to the sad development, doctors, nurses and other staff of FETHI trooped out as early as 7am, locked the main gate of the hospital in protest, a situation which caused serious panic to the patients and intending visitors.

The placard-carrying protesters expressed grief over the death of three doctors in FETHI out of those that lost their lives, saying they suspected that their death was diabolical and beyond human imagination.

When newsmen visited EKSUTH in Ado Ekiti, the staff were seen in clusters discussing the situation, while few colleagues of the deceased, were at hand to render medical services to patients on admission.

Speaking on the incident, the FETHI’s Chief Medical

Director , Dr Lawrence Ayodele , described the death as a national disaster, saying ‘’It is not about the state, but the whole country because it involves six senior doctors and a driver.”

Ekiti govt declares 3 days mourning

Meantime, Governor Ayodele Fayose has described the death of the doctors and one driver in the State, as a monumental loss not only to the people of Ekiti State but to Nigerians, declaring three days of mourning from Monday to Wednesday.

The governor, who directed that all flags should be flown at half-mast, described the death as an eclipse of professional and intellectual figures, who lost their lives in active service to mankind, saying; “Ekiti has lost some of the best trees in its forest of medicine. I am deeply sad.

This is one loss too many.”

NMA declares 7 days mourning

Also, the Nigerian Medical Association,

NMA, yesterday declared one week of mourning from April 26 to May 3 NMA in a statement by its National Organizing Committee of the Conference directed all doctors to put on black band on the left arm over white overall while during the conference.

The statement by NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe and Secretary General, Dr. Adewunmi Alayaki, equally released the names of the doctors including the driver.

Minister mourns

Reacting, Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, described the incident as a tragic loss to the Nigerian Medical community.

In a message to leadership of NMA over the loss of the doctors, he said “Our prayers is that Almighty God in his infinite mercy will give the family, friends and the entire members of NMA the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. I am using this medium thank the leadership of the NMA especially those at the scene of accident in Kaduna.''

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Scarcity: FG asks states to monitor fuel them to set up monitoring task forces distribution Urges As NPMC imports 81 PMS cargoes in 4 months

By Clara Nwachukwu

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AGOS— All the 36 state governors have been challenged to monitor petroleum products distribution in their respective states, in a bid to tackle the persistent fuel shortages, particularly of premium motor spirit, PMS, also called petrol.

This is a fallout of a crucial meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, sources close to the meeting toldVanguard on the telephone.

Accordingly, the governors were also charged to set up task forces to monitor products movement from the depots to various destinations, to help the Federal Government fight the high incidence of hoarding and products diversion that had characterised the market in the recent time.

The charge came, even as the National Petroleum Marketing Company, NPMC, said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, through its marketing subsidiary, had imported about 81 PMS-laden cargoes from January till date.

Loading schedules In addition to setting up task forces, the state governors are equally charged to demand for the vessel schedules and loading activities of PMS in their respective states.

“Government wants to find out where the products are going, so governors have been told to request for loading activities every day from marketers, whether NNPC, majors or independents,” the source said.

Confirming Federal Government’s directive to the governors, Executive Director, Commercials, NPMC, Mr. Justine Ezeala, told Vanguard: “We have gone to Lagos State governor to give him the vessels schedule and loading activities in the past one week. We want to be as transparent as possible with this issue.”

Why scarcity persists Asked why the scarcity has persisted, despite claims of cargo discharges and involvement of more importers of petroleum products, Ezeala said: “It is no claims at all, cargoes are discharging in all our depot locations as we speak. ‘’To put it clearly for you, as at April 21, we have already brought in 24 cargoes. In January, we imported 21 cargoes; March was our lowest because of the weather issues with offshore refineries.

"We brought in 14 cargoes, so those who are saying the cargoes are not coming in are not being fair to the government or NNPC.” He noted that there was no scarcity in January and February when there were fewer cargoes, adding: “We have increased the number of imports in April, which has not even ended, to 24 and yet scarcity persists. So, where are the products going to?”

He disclosed that NPMC planned to increase the number

of cargoes to 38 by month end, adding that for those that were already on ground, key marketers had been invited to come with their smaller vessels to lighten the mother vessel.

“Products are being taken to Warri, Calabar, and Port Harcourt. We have continued to load out more trucks to Lagos and Abuja than we were ever doing before.”

He insisted that all of NNPC/ NPMC claims were verifiable because, according to him, “the

loading schedules we gave to the Lagos State governor contains the number of trucks that left our depots, the stations where they are taken to, including the names of the streets and quantity delivered.

“That is why government has told all the states to set up task forces to monitor where the products are going, so we can stop this incidence of hoarding and diversion by marketers.”

BRIEFING: Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State (middle); Mr. Ettekamba Umoren, Secretary to the State Government, SSG, and Mr. Aniekan Umanah, Commissioner for Information at a media briefing, in Lagos.

‘Forex restriction, huge opportunity for new investments —FirstBank MD

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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AGOS— MANAGING Director/CEO of FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, said, yesterday, that foreign exchange restriction on 41 items by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has refined trade protectionism policies and thrown up huge investment opportunities across the banned items.

Adeduntan stated this at the Economy and You Breakfast session in Lagos, a joint initiative of Enterprise Development Centre, a School of Pan Atlantic University, Lagos and FirstBank Nigeria Limited.

He emphasized that high costs of factors of production, ostensibly exacerbated by naira devaluation at the parallel market, might help in the establishment and growth of local manufacturing industry.

Represented by Ifeanyi Uddin of Strategy & Corporate Development of the bank, Adeduntan called on Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, to take advantage of forex restrictions to veer into new areas of businesses.

Power crisis: We lack gas to generate 7,000MW —Osinbajo PMS should sell at N120 per litre — Energy Economists

By Michael Eboh

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BUJA — Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, lamented that the country didn’t have sufficient gas to fire the country ’s power plants to generate up to 7,000 megawatts of electricity.

This was even as the President of Nigerian Association for Energy Economics, NAEE, Mr. Wumi Iledare, stated that in line with the current realities in the global petroleum industry and the foreign exchange rate, the price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, in the country should be about N120 per litre.

Osinbajo, who spoke at the NAEE/International Association for Energy Economics Annual International Conference in Abuja, expressed disappointment in the fact that despite Nigeria’s enormous natural gas reserves of over 185 trillion cubic feet, the country was still faced with huge energy supply problems.

“In fact, it is an irony that we do not have sufficient gas to fire our power plants up to 7,000MW, yet

in energy industry circles, Nigeria is described as more of a gas territory than an oil territory,” Osinbajo, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant (Power and Privatisation), Chiedu Ugbo, said.

He said currently, the country had over 12,500MW of installed electricity generating capacity, consisting of gas thermal, and hydropower plants, stating that capacity of about 7,000MW was available to be generated, if the required fuel was available.

He, however, disclosed that in spite of the available capacity, power plants in the country, over the last couple of weeks, distributed less than 4,000MW of electricity to consumers across the country.

Inadequate investment on gas facilities Osinbajo blamed the development on inadequate investment on gas facilities,gas flaring, inadequate gas infrastructure and vandalism,

among others.

He said: “We have limited gas molecules to supply to the power plants. This is a result of many years of under-investment in gas gathering and processing for domestic consumption and also many years of gas flaring. Nigeria alone flares about half of the 40 billion cubic meters of associated gas estimated to be flared in Africa annually.

To address the situation, Osinbajo disclosed that the Federal Government was aware that there is no alternative to electric energy for energizing and powering Nigeria’s economic growth and development; hence it is determined to resolve the challenges to achieving sustainable energy supply in the country.

“We are working tirelessly towards resolving the gas-topower challenge, ensuring that the needed investment will be made in gas gathering and processing for domestic consumption, especially for power plants and, at the same time working to ensure

sustainability of supply of existing gas volumes,” he noted.

PMS should sell at N120 per litre

Also speaking, Iledare stated that he did not see the low oil price as a disaster for Nigeria, stating that it offered the country the opportunity to adopt fiscal responsibility practices and reduce fiscal irresponsibility.

He further stated that the low oil price allowed the country to take advantage of the situation to allow prices in the sector to be determined at current international market price, while he recommended a PMS’ price of N120 per litre. He said the Federal Government had no business regulating the sector.

He said managing the petroleum sector had become elusive, adding that regulators should be autonomous and that any regulation put forward should have the backing of the law.

He warned that it was foolhardy for the country to perpetually develop oil and gas resources for cash, instead of satisfying the country’s energy needs.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 9

By Charles Kumolu & Jonah Nwokpoku

L

AGOS — SIX serving ministers in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, appraised the nearly one year of the administration with a match of his promises and performance and concluded that remarkable progress had been made.

They also reviewed the key programmes of the administration within the context of the current expectation of Nigerians for the actualization of the government’s change agenda and urged the populace not to despair.

The ministers, who said this in Lagos at a Town Hall meeting organised by the Ministry of Information, noted that the government was being nudged by the pains of Nigerians to find not just solutions to the various national problems but sustainable responses.

The event, which was the maiden edition in the series of the government’s town hall meetings that would be held across the six geo-political zones, was a platform for the ministers to present their scorecards since coming on board.

The ministers, who spoke in the light of the public mood over critical national concerns include Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu; Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minster of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyema; and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah.

Also at the forum were Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; former governor of the state, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; Chief Femi Okunu; members of the National Assembly and traditional rulers.

Others include representatives of the following groups: Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC; Trade Union Congress, TUC; Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU; Non Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU; National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE; National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS; leaders of market associations and artisans, among others.

Why fuel is still scarce —Kachikwu

In his remarks, Kachikwu disclosed that 30 per cent of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, supplied in the country was often diverted to neighbouring countries, noting that the practice was responsible for the substantial absence of the commodity in the country.

He said: “Understandably, most times people define what we have done in the context of fuel supply. But what is the problem with fuel supply? It is simple: by the time we started last year, the government owed marketers N600 billion in unpaid

subsidy arrears. The effect of that was that many of them went out of business as they didn’t have the liquidity and stopped importation.

"Now the traditional model that always worked for this country is that NNPC will bring you 50 per cent of the supply and the balance 50 percent is always provided by the marketers. So if you, therefore, have zero percent supply from the marketers, you have 50 percent deficiency in the supply. And NNPC had to struggle to fill that gap.

"But this was a capacity that we did not have and the funding that we did not have. The second was that after we struggled and did that payment in November, there was no sufficient forex line to open up letters of credit."

Fuel is being diverted to neighbouring countries

“Sadly, even for the short term measures that we put in place, over 30 percent of whatever it is that we supply in this country is diverted. Lagos, for example, in the last five days has been pumped with 400 trucks of products into the state. But the maximum consumption of Lagos State is 250 trucks. Most of those trucks are diverted from Lagos.

They move from the cities into the hinterlands and cross to neighbouring countries. Some go to Chad, some go to Cameroun, etc."

We need to deliver more power incrementally, sustainably —Fashola

On his part, Fashola stated that delivering more power incrementally and sustainably remained the solution to the power crisis in Nigeria.

His words: “I have been looking on some of the things that have been done well, some of the things that could have been done better but I will summarise the power issue simply in one word.

There is not enough power.

5,000MW for 170 million people is not just enough. The solution is delivering more power in an incremental and sustainable basis.

“As far as the roads are

MEETING: From left, Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Idiat Adebule; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Ibe Kachikwu; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyema; and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, at a Town Hall Meeting organised by Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in Lagos, yesterday.

Ministers to Nigerians: We’re making progress Why fuel is still scarce —Kachikwu We need to deliver power incrementally, sustainably —Fashola Why we went for change —Amaechi concerned, especially for road workers, road transporters, the unions, and ultimately as an index of doing business, the cost of transportation ultimately affects how cheaply or expensive food reaches the table, how efficiently services are delivered.

"As far as housing is concerned, that perhaps is my most difficult responsibility. I am working and very close now to delivering a housing model that some majority of Nigerians can say, if I get this kind of house, I will live there.”

Why we went for change —Ameachi

On his part, Amaechi said: “The reason we went for change was that things were becoming impossible for the country.

Everyone agreed that the only

solution was to change the government by bringing in new set of public officials to ensure that you and I can eat.

"But you will also agree with us that the results you expect will not happen in one year. You will also agree with us that we just only want you to be patient, we understand your pains. If I were in your shoes, we will feel the same pains. If anybody here tells you that we don’t understand your pain, that will be wrong.”

Buhari’s trips not randomly selected —Onyema

Also speaking, Onyema dismissed mixed reactions trailing the President’s foreign trips, stating that the trips were carefully chosen to align with the

priorities of the administration.

He said: “The trips of Mr. President are not something that are selected on random basis.

They are carefully selected and designed to fit into the priorities and objectives of the government."

Similarly, Lai Mohammed said: “This town hall meeting is a testimony that this administration takes very seriously the concept of participatory democracy. This government is committed to ensuring that there is no communication gap between the government and the governed.

No other platform is more potent and direct than this town hall meeting as it brings closer the officials of the government in direct contact with representatives from all works of life."

Court strikes out Saraki’s motion to stop CCT trial ....Stops Metuh’s bid to halt corruption trial

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA — THE Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, yesterday, struck out a motion the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, filed for an order staying further proceeding on his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja.

This came as the Court of Appeal, Abuja, also, yesterday, told the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, that it would not issue an order to the Federal High Court to stay proceedings of his trial.

In Saraki’s case, a three-man panel of justices of the appellate court, led by Justice Abdul Aboki, discarded the motion after it was

withdrawn by Saraki’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN. However, Agabi prayed the court for accelerated hearing of the substantive appeal challenging jurisdiction of the CCT to entertain the 13-count criminal charge the federal government instituted against his client.

Though Agabi did not adduce any reason his client decided to withdraw the motion for stay of proceeding, he, however, apologised to the appellate court panel for the decision.

The withdrawal was not opposed by counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN. The court is yet to fix a date for hearing of the main appeal.

Court stops Metuh’s bid to halt corruption trial

Meanwhile, Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, yesterday, said it would not order the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to stay proceeding on the seven-count criminal charge pending against the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh.

The appellate court took the decision on a day it commenced hearing on two separate appeals seeking to quash the charge.

Whereas one of the suits was lodged by Metuh, his company, Destra Investment Limited, filed the second appeal.

Both appellants are challenging the refusal of trial Justice Okon Abang to uphold

the no-case-submission they entered against the charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against them.

Shortly after the first appeal by Metuh was called up for hearing, his lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, notified the appellate court panel that his client had a motion seeking to stay further proceeding on the matter before the trial court.

Metuh wanted the appellate court to halt further hearing on the charge against him, pending the determination of the substantive issues he raised against his trial.

However, before Ikpeazu could move the application for stay of proceedings, head of the appellate court panel, Justice Abdul Aboki, said they would not grant the request.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Police arraign 2 for stealing $14m from church

T

HE POLICE in Ogun, yesterday, arraigned two men, Akapo Paul, 73, and Johnson Shorinnolu, 63, for allegedly stealing 14 million dollars belonging to the West African Christian Mission.

They appeared before an Ota Magistrate's Court.

The accused, whose addresses are unknown, are facing two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy.

The prosecutor, Abdulkareem Mustapha, told the court that the accused committed the offences sometime in 2015 at about 9:30p.m. at West African Christian Mission at No. 49 Tarmac Road, Ota. Mustapha alleged that the accused conspired, as signatories to the bank account of West African Christian mission, to steal 14 million dollars.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 390 (8) (b) and 516 of the Criminal Code Vol.1, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

...nab 2 for selling expired biscuits in Lagos

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Bose Adelaja

M

EN OF the Lagos S t a t e Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force), yesterday, arrested two suspects for repackaging and selling expired digestive biscuits to unsuspecting members of the public. They were arrested around Mosafejo Market, Oshodi, Lagos.

The Chairman of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force ) Superintendent of Police, SP, Olayinka Egbeyemi, while parading the suspects yesterday, at the secretariat, Ikeja, warned and alerted members of the public to be wary of repackaged expired digestive biscuits being sold in markets across Lagos.

....Nabbed with the expired buscuits

Rival cult war claims 7 lives in Otukpo M

AKURDI—TWO days of bloody clashes for supremacy between two rival cult groups has left at least seven people dead and several people injured in Otukpo, Benue State.

Vanguard gathered from an eyewitness that the crisis erupted last Saturday behind Saint Francis College

(Ogwonuigbahapa) following a tussle for supremacy between two rival cult groups.

The fight that later spread to Oiji Street, Sabon-Gari and Ojira areas of the town, according to an eyewitness started like a joke.

“It all started like a joke, when young men were initially throwing fireworks at one

another but within a short time they pulled out guns and it became a Wild Wild West affair.

“For two days young men residing around Saint Francis College (Ogwonuigbahapa) Oiji Street, Sabon-Gari and Ojira engaged one another in a battle to take over control of the town.

“They shot at each other in the name of belonging to rival cult

PRESENTATION: From left, Morolake Kindeji, member, SEBECCLY Cancer Care; Engr.Hannah Omojole, Board member; Commander, RRS, ACP Olatunji Disu, and Tina Ometu, Senior Programmer, during presentation of portrait of 1st Largest Human Pink Ribbon, formed by 7,598 Nigerians, a Guinness World Record for Breast Cancer, to Commander, RRS, in Lagos.

groups and people were scampering all over the town for safety for fear of being hit by stray bullets “It took the intervention of the Police, who drafted men into Otukpo to check further spread of the crisis, but before then several persons had been killed while many others sustained bullet injuries,” she said.

Corroborating the story, the Secretary General of the Opiatoha K’Idoma, an umbrella body of Idoma sons and daughters, Chief Adoka Adaji, who condemned the bloody crisis and the resultant killings, urged security agencies to check further escalation of the crisis.

Adaji said: “We condemn in strong terms the cult related crisis in Idoma land which resulted in the killing of over seven persons over the weekend in Otukpo.

“We urged security agencies to take steps to apprehend the mastermind of the crisis and those responsible for resent kidnap incidents in Idoma land before the situation gets out of hand.”

When contacted, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Moses Yamu said the Police recorded three deaths in the crisis.

“We can confirm three deaths, another three with gunshot wounds, while eight persons were arrested, four locally make pistols were also recovered,” he disclosed.

DSS official burnt to death as gunmen demand N30m ransom for abducted doctor

By Perez Brisibe

O

GHARA—AN official of the Department of State Service, DSS, was last Saturday set ablaze by an unidentified youth at Oghara just as the gunmen who abducted a medical doctor attached to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara are demanding N30million ransom for his release.

The DSS official, Andrew Maduku, 43 and a father of four, an indigene of Oghara attached to the DSS office in Bayelsa State, was said to have died on Sunday from burns sustained from the fire.

Confirming the incident to

Vanguard, yesterday, Mr. Emmanuel Iteme, a bosom friend to the victim, hinted that the victim had been having a misunderstanding with his assailant that led to the seizure of some properties of the alleged suspect by the police.

According to Emmanuel, “the victim had returned from Bayelsa to Oghara on Friday to see his family and was relaxing outside at his Ovie Palace road residence when the suspect stormed his residence, poured fuel on him, set him ablaze and fled the

Youths invade church, attack worshippers over bishop’s alleged infidelity

By Perez Brisibe

J

ESSE—TENS of youths, weekend, invaded a Pentecostal church in Jesse, Delta State brutalizing worshippers during a service over an allegation of infidelity levelled against the presiding bishop of

the church.

The cleric, (name withheld), the bishop of Mountain of Prayer Ministry, was alleged to have have slept with the wife of the President General of Idjerhe Clan Development Union, ICDU, Chief Austin Omonode, under the guise of rendering special

2 dead, others injured on Lagos/Abeokuta expressway

By Bose Adelaja

T

WO PEOPLE were confirmed dead while two others were injured, yesterday, on old Lagos/Abeokuta express way in an auto crash involving an ash coloured Mazda with number plate AAA840BS and a blue Pathfinder Jeep with number plate BDG587DD. It was learnt that the accident occurred mid day when the Mazda car lost control as the

community.

“The late Andrew was immediately rushed to the hospital but was confirmed dead the next day from first degree burns sustained from the incident.”

driver tried to avoid knocking down a girl that was trying to cross the express way at Itori, Iyana Camp in Ewekoro Local Government, Ogun State.

An eyewitness said it was in the process of trying to avoid hitting the girl that the car swerved to the other side of the expressway, thus facing oncoming vehicles and collided with the Pathfinder Jeep.

Two male occupants in the Mazda car were said to had died

instantly while those in the Jeep, a male and female were injured and taken to General Hospital, Ifo.

Scene of accident

prayers for her.

According to a member of the church, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “they were having their normal Sunday School service when the youths in their numbers stormed the church looking for the bishop, who was absent during the service and they ended up destroying property in the church.”

Commenting on the matter, Chief Omonde, who was earlier invited for questioning by security operatives in the area, denied sending the youths to attack the church or the Bishop.

Accusing the Bishop of having extramarital affairs with his wife, Chief Omonode said: “The Bishop has been sleeping with my wife for the past two years and I reported the matter to the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yet he continued in his heinous act."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016—11

Man arrested for stealing bridge rails

By Esther Onyegbula

O

PERATIVES OF the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos

State Police Command, arrested a 28 – year old man for allegedly stealing bridge railings meant to reinforce Ijora Bridge.

The man, Ademola

Kazeem, was arrested around 7:00p.m. at Ijora Bridge inward CMS Saturday night, while packing 30 pieces of railings meant to reinforce

....Another sentenced 13yrs for rape

By Esther Onyegbula

A

32-YEAR-OLD man, Nurudeen Oriyomi, has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment by an Ikeja Magistrate's Court for allegedly defiling his late friend’s 12-year-old daughter at Alhaji Yinusa

Street, Bariga, Lagos.

Nurudeen Oriyomi, who pleaded guilty on a twocount charge of child defilement preferred against him by the Magistrate, Mrs. Bola Osunsanmi was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment..

Nurudeen Oriyomi was paraded alongside other suspects at the state police command last Wednesday

for defiling his late friend’s 12-year-old daughter.

Mr. Oriyomi ...sentenced

and firm up the bridge into a commercial bus popularly called Danfo.

The suspect said that he was invited by a guy, simply identified as Kapol, a scrap scavenger to transport the metals for him.

He added that when he saw the metal scraps, he was shocked because he suspected that the guy must have removed them from where they were meant to support the bridge.

Upon arrival at the RRS headquarters, Ademola explained that he was just bringing his vehicle out of the mechanic workshop.

“I have not worked for

Ademola Kazeem arrested by RRS in Lagos with the rails.

four day with the bus. I was removing the bus from where it was parked when I saw Kapol. I begged him to help push the bus.

It was while we were pushing the vehicle that he told me I was going to help him carry the metal. He added that though, he had no fuel, Kapol got 5 litres

of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) for him to move the vehicle to pack the metal.

On getting to the crime scene, he noted Kapol had brought out three packs of the railings before the arrival of the Police, adding that he decided to stay while Kapol ran away because he knew nothing about the removal of railings from their original positions.

The suspect confessed that he sleeps in a park at Iddo, where he met his accomplice.

In all, about 30 railings were removed from the Ijora bridge. The suspect is assisting the police in the arrest of Kapol.

Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmos, stated that the force was following up statement of the suspect in order to arrest his colleague.

Online car dealer docked over alleged fraud

By Onozure Dania

L

AGOS—THE police, yesterday, charged an online car dealer, Abiola Akinlonu, before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting at Igbosere for allegedly stealing N5 million from an interested buyer under the guise of selling a car.

The defendant, who resides at 10, Samuel Awoniyi Street, in Opebi, area of Lagos, is facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and fraud.

The prosecutor, Inspector Adoga Amedu, told the court that Akinlonu obtained the sum of N5 million from one Ikenna Ezeoka under guise of selling a car to him, which was displayed online.

Amedu alleged that trouble started when the complainant discovered that it was fraud and was issued a Diamond Bank cheque worth N5 million to Ezeoka, which was dishonoured at the bank, due to insufficient fund in his account.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Oshiomhole, Anenih re-unite in church

B

By Simon Ebegbulem

E N I N — GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Chief Tony Anenih, former Chairman, Board of Trustees of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, reunited in church, weekend, at the 10th anniversary of St Anthony’s Catholic Church, where the governor was given an award for his service to the church.

The governor, while noting the efforts of the church in nation building, said: “I believe that the fact that Nigerians live in relative peace and harmony despite the failings and weaknesses of political leadership at all levels, is due to the power of your intercession.

“We cannot thank you enough for your prayers and your support despite our weaknesses.”

He praised the Catholic Church for bringing people of different political persuasions together under one roof for the church programme.

He said: “Yesterday, I found myself sitting on the front row, and then I realised that most of those drivers and shakers of

politics in Edo State, are all Catholics. That, for me, is revealing.

“For me, the church has caused all of us to reunite in the state. So, I reunite with my daddy, Chief Anenih and several other

PDP leaders and All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders. The Catholic Church brought together the national Chairman of APC sitting side-by-side with the national leader of PDP.

Edo 2016: I'll overhaul educational system —APC aspirant

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—AHEAD of Edo State governorship election in September, a governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Casely OmonIrabor, has promised to overhaul the educational system in the state if elected governor.

Omon-Irabor, who addressed APC faithful in Benin, yesterday, during the official opening of his campaign headquarters on Murtala Muhammed Way in the state capital, said that from primary school to university level, staff would be trained and retrained to enable them to be

intellectually equipped and disciplined.

He said his government will make adequate provision for good libraries andlaboratories, including ICT centres to ensure that students appreciate the value of education and study in conducive environment.

He also promised to give grants and loans to intelligent and composed students who are indigent.

On health, the governorship aspirant promised to establish health centres manned by qualified medical doctors and health personnel in every village no matter how remote to make sure that healthcare delivery gets to the people.

Collapse 36 states into 6 zones —Ekweremadu

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

S

ENATOR Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President of the Senate, has called for the collapse of the 36 states of the federation into six geopolitical zones as part of a drastic restructuring of the country ’s federation failing which the country ’s development would continually be hindered.

The abolition of the 36 states, he said, would release the latent potentials for growth by the regions, which he said, were, over the years, foiled by the reckless derailment of the country’s federalism by successive military governments.

Ekweremadu’s positions were offered in his new book, Who will love my country: Ideas of building the Nigeria of our dreams, which is due for public presentation tomorrow in Abuja.

C M Y K

The Deputy President of the Senate praised the nation’s founding fathers, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamadi Azikiwe and Sir Ahmadu Bello, for espousing federalism as the basis of the country’s

federation at independence. He said that suggestions that fiscal federalism would bring about distortive growth were untenable, affirming that even in a forest, not all trees are equal.

Edebiri laments poor welfare packages for Edo workers

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

E N I N — A governorship aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Chief Solomon Edebiri, has lamented what he called the poor welfare of workers in the state, insisting that until a labour conscious candidate emerges as the next state governor, there would be no realistic welfare package for the workers.

Chief Edebiri, who spoke with journalists at his campaign office in Benin, yesterday, said that as a former factory worker, he

understood the plight of workers more than any governorship aspirant in the state and promised to devise a system that will elevate and recognise workers.

The aspirant also encouraged Edo PDP governorship aspirants to avoid unhealthy rivalry among themselves and advised them to warn their supporters from making provocative remarks against rival aspirants.

Edebiri, who is also the President of the Nigerian Institute of Welding, said that the only solution to the plight of long suffering Edo workers was to have a truly labour conscious governor.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 —13

AWARD: From left: Otunba Niyi Adebayo, former governor of Ekiti State; Mr Toke Alex Ibru, Executive Director, Guardian Newspaper; Lady Maiden Ibru, Guardian Publisher; Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President, Dangote Group and awardee, Guardian Man of the Year 2015, and Aremo Olusegun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State, during the Guardian Man of the Year award ceremony, at Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos on Friday.

From left: Hajia Fatima Abdurrahman; Lady Maiden Ibru, Publisher, Guardian Newspaper and Hajia Maryam Uwais, during the Guardian Man of the year 2015 award. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele.

I never contracted any native doctor to kill Oshiomhole —Odubu ...reaffirms loyalty to Oshiomhole

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—DEPUTY Governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, yesterday, denied allegations that he sponsored native doctors to kill his boss, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, saying that the allegation was being fuelled by mischief makers

and blackmailers who are bent on destroying his cordial relationship with the governor.

Odubu also raised alarm over alleged plots by some persons to circulate fliers in Benin City with a view to further destroying his image and compounding the crisis between him and the governor.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Odubu said: “As a devout Catholic, I will not do anything that is unbecoming of a true Christian in the name of politics. God knows that I never had any pact with any witch/native doctor to kill anyone or avenge for me and I will never condescend to that

extent as long as God lives. It is against my faith.

“The Bible teaches that even when the innocent suffers and mischief makers and traducers appear to triumph in their blackmail, it is for God alone to avenge. I will, by the special grace of God, continue to disappoint the dubious

ILOT, HOSTCOM reject 2016 DESOPADEC bill

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—ITSEKIRI Leaders of Thought, ILOT, and Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, have rejected the 2016 Appropriation Bill of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, over alleged inconsistency with the law setting up the agency.

In a statement, yesterday, to draw attention of the state governor and the state House of Assembly, ILOT listed lack of consultation, impunity and lopsidedness in the DESOPADEC budget proposal as it affects the Itsekiri Ethnic nationality as their grievances against the budget.

ILOT, in a statement by its Secretary, Edward Ekpoko, noted: “Sometime ago, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa directed DESOPADEC's five ethnic nationalities to propose central (star) projects to be commissioned in 2016. We waited eagerly for the agency with three Itsekiri board members to consult Itsekiri on our choice of projects.

“Not even the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, was consulted. Sadly, N969,257,199.00 supposed central projects for three Itsekiri communities, all in Warri North LGA proposed in the 2016 DESOPADEC budget submitted by the governor are not central to the Itsekiri people.

“Three of the projects valued at C M Y K

N499,257,199.00 are sited in one community where one of the board members hails from. The construction of a 2km Township Road at Obitugbo in Warri North LGA valued at N400 million is designed to get access to a private depot owned by same board member and not in the interest of Itsekiri people.”

Beyond these rejections,

HOSTCOM, following an emergency Delta State Council meeting, yesterday, on the matter in Effurun, Uvwie LGA, said it was also rejecting the bill for completely burying the capital expenditure for the 2015 DESOPADEC budget that was never implemented.

Delta State Chairman, HOSTCOM, Peter Egedegbe,

said at meeting that, “It is only imperative that the unimplemented budget of 2015 be rolled over and clearly reflected in the 2016 proposal.

The calculated omission amounts to attempted fraud that must not be allowed to happen as it would deny host communities their benefits.”

Warri community rounds off 30th Eleghe Royal Festival

By Daniel Gumm

W

ARRI—THE 30th edition of Eleghe Royal Festival staged by Okere community, arguably the oldest community in Warri metropolis, Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, was on April 22 rounded off with a rich cultural display.

The grand finale, which held at the popular Okere Market Square in the heart of Warri, with the theme: Sustaining our rich cultural heritage in Warri Metropolis since 1497, was graced by dignitaries such as the member representing Warri federal constituency at the National Assembly, Mr Daniel Reyenieju, DirectorGeneral of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, Delta

State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Earnest Ogweze, as well as prominent chiefs of Warri Kingdom, including Chief Yaya Pessu.

Addressing a large gathering of Okere indigenes and guests, the Olare-Aja (head) of Okere, Ogieboro Esisi, explained that the Eleghe Royal Festival, which was usually enacted every 20 years, was reduced to every 10 years, with this year’s edition being the first of the new decade arrangement, so as to allow younger generations of the community keep abreast with the historic culture.

Speaking in the same vein, Public Relations Officer of Okere community, David Oki, noted that to complement the Eleghe Royal Festival, there will

also be the grand finale of the 519th edition of Okiroro Awankere Fertility Festival billed for April 30, at Okere, in Warri.

expectations of those who are bent on driving a wedge between me and the governor. It is my nature and character to be loyal to those who God has set over me because they are His instruments.

“At times like this, blackmailers are at their best but I have decided to take solace in God who knows the hearts of men, trusting and believing as always that God will vindicate the just. I wish to reiterate that I have no rift with the governor, who I revere and deeply appreciate.”

APC, LP leaders confirm merger plans in Delta

T

HE much expected political marriage between two major political parties in Delta State, the Labour Party and the All Progressives Congress, APC, is fast becoming a reality with Chief Great Ogboru of Labour Party, confirming the proposed merger.

He said that both parties have formed steering committees headed by their party stalwarts to lead the union and ensure that things work out well as envisioned in the emergence of a formidable political party in the best interest of Deltans.

Wike urges collaboration between judiciary heads Bench at the state High Court

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, called for collaboration between President of the Customary Court of Appeal and the Chief Judge of the state to strengthen the judiciary.

The governor made the appeal at Government House, Port Harcourt, when he swore in Justice Christy GabrielNwankwo as substantive President, Rivers State Customary Court of Appeal.

He urged members of the

and Customary Court to work in harmony to consolidate the judiciary as an arm of government in the state, stressing that judges should be courageous to handle cases for the common good of society.

His words: “Today, we have been able to fulfil our promise to the people of Rivers State as regards stabilizing the judiciary.

We have a female as the Chief Judge and another woman as the President Customary Court of Appeal.

“I urge you to work together and improve the stability we already have in the judiciary.”

14—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

SILVERBIRD MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

Senator Ben Murry-Bruce, Chairman, Silverbird Group (right) presenting Silverbird Extra-ordinary Achievement Award to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (left) during the ceremony in Lagos. With them is Senator Obafemi Ojudu. PHOTOS: Akeem Salau & Akinwunmi Ibrahim.

Otunba Tolani Ladipo (right) presenting Silverbird Lifetime Achievement Award to Alhaji Lateef Jakande, former Governor of Lagos State (2nd right).

With them is his wife, Abimbola.

Chief (Mrs) Opral Benson (left) receiving Silverbird Lifetime Achievement Award from Senator Florence Ita-Giwa.

From left— Brian Hammond, Mrs Margaret Murray-Bruce and Mrs Joy Jonah at the event.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016—15

Bloodbath in Enugu as Fulani herdsmen kill 40

By Emeka Mamah, Clifford Ndujihe, Chidi Nkwopara & Chinenyeh Ozor

N

SUKKA—ABOUT 40 persons have so far been reportedly killed by some Fulani herdsmen at Nimbo in UzoUwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, sources told Vanguard at Nsukka Police Area Command, near the area yesterday.

The incident took place barely 24 hours after stories filtered out that no fewer than 500 heavilyarmed Fulani herdsmen sneaked into the community preparatory to launch an attack.

About seven villages in Nimbo (Nimbo Ngwoko, Ugwuijoro, Ekwuru, Ebor, Enugu Nimbo, Umuome and Ugwuachara) were among the areas attacked.

Ten residential houses and a church, Christ Holy Church International, aka Odozi Obodo, were also said to have been burnt by the herdsmen just as vehicles and motorcycles were destroed and domestic animals killed.

A young man, whose name was yet to be ascertained, was burnt inside a commuter bus belonging to one Ejima, son of a prominent man popularly called ‘Are you there’ near the Christ Holy Church, Nimbo.

A victim's story

Kingsley Ezugwu, former Councillor, Nimbo Ward 2, was one of the victims of the attack.

Speaking from his hospital bed in Nsukka, Ezugwu said: “I was coming out from the house when I heard the community bell ringing. I was going with a friend to know what the bell was all about, only to see about 40 Fulani herdsmen armed with sophisticated guns and machetes.

“They pursued us, killed my friend and shot at me several times but missed. They caught up with me and used machetes on me until I lost consciousness.”

He said one of them later discovered that he was alive and called on the others to finish him off. They ignored him.

He said he crawled until a good samaritan helped him to the hospital.

Dead bodies litter hospitals So far, six dead bodies have been recovered and deposited at Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, while others, who sustained injuries were rushed to Royal Cross Hospital and Enugu State District Hospital, Nsukka.

Meanwhile, villagers and other residents of the area were fleeing the town.

It's a national issue—OKOROCHA

In its reaction to the development, the South-East Governors Forum, said what happened at Ukpabi-Nimbo is like any other national issue that

Catholic church,11 houses burnt It's a national issue, not ethnic —OKOROCHA Cattle owners, not herdsmen, should be questioned—OHANAEZE

REFUGEES: Some residents fleeing the community. deserves the understanding and cooperation of all Nigerians of goodwill to tackle.

Governor Rochas Okorocha, Chairman of the Forum, speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “It is a national issue that also requires national approach to resolve.

“Our problem in this country is that whatever happens is given an ethnic colouration and that makes the solution to such problem somewhat difficult.”

It’s failure of governance—OHANAEZE

To the Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, the continuous killing of people across the country by herdsmen without any response from the Federal Government is a failure of governance.

He said: “We are very sad and very disappointed that all over the country, not just the SouthEast, these killings by Fulani herdsmen have continued unabated and nothing concrete is being done by the Federal Government.

“The first act of governance is protection of lives and property.

It is complete failure of governance. There has been no response from the Federal Government and this is allowing the Fulani herdsmen to continue the killing spree.

“Everybody is worried about the poor attitude of the Federal Government to this massacre across the country. Boko Haram is operating in the North-East and Fulani herdsmen are killing people all over the country. It is not the herdsmen that should be held responsible, but owners of the cattle.

“The herdsmen are under the instruction of highly-placed

Fulani people who own the cattle. They are heavily armed.

How many cows can the herdsmen buy? Federal Government should stop this nonsense before it causes a catastrophe.”

Meanwhile, police sources said it would be difficult to say the actual number of those killed, even as the killing is spreading to other parts of the local government.

Similarly, member representing Uzo-Uwani constituency at the Enugu State House of Assembly, John Ukuta, said: “I am shocked that this has happened to my people. It is disturbing to learn that security men that were earlier assigned to ward off the rampaging herdsmen disappeared few minutes before they struck only to re-appear after they completed their horrifying assignment.

“This situation has become a national epidemic. People are leaving their communities in droves. Security agencies should move in now.”

Victims

The bodies of those recovered included that of an old man of about 85, and another young man whose throat was slit.

One of the victims, who was simply identified as Mr. Ajogwu, father of the former Councillor for Nimbo Ward 1, Sunday Ajogwu, had his left hand severed.

Another one had his stomach ripped open, spilling his intestines.

Traditional rulers lament

The traditional ruler of Nimbo, Igwe John Akor, told Vanguard on telephone that the attackers struck at about 7a.m. when they had left for their farms.

He said: “Most of those who were killed died in the early hours of the morning. We are still counting our losses. We have not started going into the farms and bushes to look for our dead brothers and sisters.

“When the situation becomes very calm, we will start looking for the rest of the victims. For now, our prayer is that the Federal Government sends security men to restore peace.”

Also reacting, the traditional ruler of Abbi community, Eze Fidelis Igwe, complained that his community had over the years suffered untold hardship in the hands of Fulani herdsmen, who he accused of maiming and gang-raping “our women at farmlands” in addition to robbing and kidnapping his people or stealing and destroying cash crops in the community.

He said: “This is the fourth time Fulani herdsmen have invaded our community in three years. The losses are too much for us to bear.

“The remaining people of the community have now taken refuge in neighbouring communities due to fear of another invasion by the herdsmen who do not give signs before striking.

“We have made several appeal to the Police, UzoUwani Local Government and Enugu State government demanding for the Fulani herdsmen to leave our community, but nothing has happened.”

In his reaction, Igwe Herbert Ukuta of Igga in Uzo Uwani said: “I am appealing to the state government and the Commissioner of Police to send some detachment of police and military personnel to secure the lives of Igga community where I come from.

“The Fulani herdsmen had earlier threatened that Igga community is among the areas they will attack.

“They have now attacked Nimbo, which is among the areas they vowed to attack.

Others are Echenwo and Abbi.

Already, the people of other communities are fleeing their homes over fear of the herdsmen attack.”

Already, the Enugu State Police Commissioner, Ekechukwu Nwodibo, had visited the troubled community with the Area Commander for Nsukka, Monday Kuryasi, among other top police officers.

‘They evacuated their cattle’ The Fulani herdsmen had vacated the area with their cattle in the early hours of

Saturday, before the attackers, who reportedly came from Nasarawa State, struck.

There had been anxiety in Nimbo following reports that about 500 Fulani herdsmen were assembling to attack the area.

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

Stakeholders' wasted efforts

However, as a result of the development, stakeholders from the local government met, weekend, in Enugu to find solution to the incessant attacks, kidnap and rape by herdsmen on communities in the local government.

According to sources, Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, Cornell Onwubuya, had alerted Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the state Commissioner of Police, Ekechukwu Nwodibo, of the threat.

Onwubuya was said to have further alerted other stakeholders who met leaders of the Fulani community in Enugu State on the impending attack.

Speaking at the emergency meeting held on Saturday, Onwubuya said the local leaders of the Fulani community also confirmed that there were attempts to bring in mercenaries to attack some communities in Uzo-Uwani, adding that the Fulani leaders in Enugu had complained that some of their people were killed within the axis of Nimbo and Abbi communities in the recent past.

Fulani leader's failed assurance

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

The Fulani leader said he would talk to his people not to take laws into their hands but to report disturbing issues to the traditional rulers of the communities.

Vanguard learned from a native, who witnessed the gory scene that the herdsmen were armed with AK-47 rifles, and came with two buses fully loaded with arms and ammunition at about 7.13a.m.

Police, Army move in

Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, said: “The Commissioner, Ekechukwu Nwodibo, is in the area with a combined team of Army and Police. I can confirm there were casualties but the exact number is still what I do not know.”

At press time, efforts to speak with the Local Government Chairman failed as he claimed to be at the scene of the crisis with Nwodibo and other police officers.

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 26 2016—17

Nigeria or North?

"I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody" President Muhammadu Buhari in his inauguration speech on May 29, 2015.

T

HE words of President Muhammadu Buhari above remains his best lines to a badly divided country till date. They were reassuring to segments of Nigeria already feeling alienated by the negative triumphalism of some scions of the far North following the outcome of the March 28 elections which I captured in "Arewa songs of conquest."

The comforting words of Mr. President calmed not a few nerves who were apprehensive that Arewa spokesmen were doing a kind of in-your-face with declarations that did not shy from emphasising that Nigeria in their worldview is no more than the northern soil and the attendant conquest from the south.

The Dansadau dream The most poignant from the songs of conquest came from Senator Saidu Dansadau who declared and I quote: "Nigerians should take note of the voting trend since independence. In fact, since the 1950s, the North Central per se had never voted in the manner it did along with the other parts of the North as it did at this particular time.

These are the kind of things we have been looking for, (for) a long time. Various initiatives have been put in place in order to see that northerners from wherever they are, from the 19 states, become one as far as voting is concerned. We are not saying 100 percent of northerners should be in one political party but that northerners should have one voice, they should decide and dictate the politics of Nigeria; like it has been before independence and even during the First Republic because of the numerical strength of the North.

But of recent we became divided so we became so vulnerable. But God in His infinite wisdom and mercy used the goodwill of General Muhammadu Buhari and we C M Y K

have gotten the kind of unity that we have been yearning for, for so long. We have realised this dream now. So, now that we have achieved the unity we long for because of Buhari's goodwill, it is only fair that we now make some efforts to consolidate these gains because General Buhari will not be the president for ever. So that after him, we have consolidated on this goodwill and we will be able to grow this unity, political

The subtlety of our Arewa companions in being able to package the interest of the north as that of Nigeria and distribute brooms for grown men in the south to wave all over the place should be of some interest for serious academic study

American stylists were having their convention still prayed that this would turn out to be true.

This change and the American stylists What happened at the stylists event? An advert agency came up with a grand idea of picking a ghetto boy and captured his scruffy looks. They thereafter cleaned him up and dressed him in a tuxedo.They placed the two photographs side-byside with the inscription "See the change American stylists can make in a man". It was grand and the gentleman was at the gate in his new image on the day of the convention shaking everybody .

When the convention was over the management of the hotel where the event held decided to go look for the branded young man so they could offer him a job.They took his new image to the ghetto and looked for him all day but no one had any idea of the person they were looking for. It was then it occurred to somebody to go fetch his old image and within minutes he was fished out back in his old dirty ways. It quickly registered that the change American stylists can cause is temporary since they are not deep rooted.

Like the ghetto boy who went to his old ways in hours, some of our friends from Arewa region are showing their true colours once again in spite of the assurances of Mr. President.

Two prominent cases came up recently that should be discomforting to broom bearers down south.

First was from the Northern Elders Forum(NEF) led by Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule. The group wrote to the President to intimate him with the fact that northerners are suffering under his administration. Nothing is wrong with interest groups advancing the interest of their constituency. Except that it becomes worrisome when it is done in violation of the sensibilities of others the way NEF did in their statement complaining of capital projects allocations to the south in 2016 budget.

Hear them: “For a region deserving greater resources and attention, as well as the political backbone of your administration, this situation will pose serious problems for your administration.

“We advise Mr. President to review the proposed allocations in consultation with the National Assembly.

We wish to draw Mr. President’s attention to the fact that over 75 per cent of all federal government public service employees are from the three geo-political zones in the South. This means that virtually the same percentage of recurrent spending will go to Nigerians from the South."

The man who signed this document was the preferred candidate of the northern caucus of the National Party of Nigeria(NPN) to be president in 1979. He was on his way to the presidency until a powerful emir in the north was alleged to have called the attention of the promoters to the marks on his cheeks which put paid to

the whole project.

It is curious Sule would say the north is the backbone of Mr. President given snippets of our recent history. General Buhari has carried the North three times without success in his bid for the presidency. He is fourth time lucky because he was able to take a zone from the south with him. A less primordial reading of event should have seen better where the backbone for the President's victory came from.

Interest of the North The second were views credited to the governor of Katsina State and former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Bello Masari that they acted in the interest of the North by removing former President Goodluck Jonathan from office. Online reports quoted Masari as speaking at the 33rd annual symposium in memory of late Mallam Aminu Kano held at the Centre for Democratic Research and Training, AKCDRT, Mambayya House, Kano. Masari was said to have described the situation the north found itself as precarious in which the region fell short in every aspect of human development.

When these two developments days apart are taken together, the irresistible conclusion is that something is fundamentally wrong with politics in this polity where guile,deception and pretension are the defining ethos .

The subtlety of our Arewa companions in being able to package the interest of the north as that of Nigeria and distribute brooms for grown men in the south to wave all over the place should be of some interest for serious academic study.

...Who still needs these 36 states? cooperation, electoral cooperation from strength to strength so that the North will as much as possible dictate the political landscape of the country and what happens in Nigeria as it used to do."

This type of incendiary speech were out of sync with the mood across the country in the run-up to elections when brooms were being waved all over the country and the thought line was about Nigeria and Nigerians.

It was a period the descendants of Uthman Dan Fodio were comfortable in wearing "gobi" cap of the land of Oduduwa and the Igbo red cap sat prettily on their heads like Mecca wear. Nigeria seemed to have arrived on the surface.

However, those of us who saw the whole scenario like what happened when the

W

E saw this crisis coming and warned against it but they would not listen.We shouted it loud that the market would soon be over and that what we were doing was not sustainable but they were stone deaf. How many serious countries would you have a bloated centre and 36 states running to the table at the end of every month to share oil receipts like "omo onile" and still expect progress?We said it again and again that it was a disaster in the waiting but they continued .

Now the market is over and they are running from pillar to post.They thought bailout would do it.We told them straight that bailout would only compound the problem and put the states under receivership. Simpletons

were hailing the no-brainier even as an achievement. Now it has been shown again that we put more serious thought into this matter than they did.

There is no way out even in bailout. The states today have been incapacitated by abundant "gbese" that all their dignity is slain upon the high places.They are now to go to Abuja to show papers for their spendings with expenditure profiles in FEDERAL Republic of Nigeria!

We are saying it again that this place does not need more than six-eight regions and a very lean centre. These regions should have sufficient autonomy to bring out the annual N50 trillion non-oil resources under their soil which they are too weak to touch now and which the centre is too big to do

anything about.

They however insist that they want to give CHANGE within a collapsed oil economy and over bloated structure,continue now!

By the way ,why this cry of the lowest sharing from federation account in five years when we have N3 trillion in TSA? Where is the $90b spin-doctors are saying a former minister returned ?

Is the Attorney General not back from Dubai where he was reported to have gone to collect half of that country's GDP($200b) as return-loots?

Source: https:// thewhistler.ng/story/ we-acted-for-the-northby-removing-jonathansays-masari

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

SMALL and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) are the engines of free enterprise economies. The SME sector leads others in employment generation and even sustains largescale enterprises. All the blue-chip companies and multinational corporations we have today were once SMEs. In Nigeria, the greatest bane of the SME sector is a lack of access to funding for their survival and growth. Thus, the mortality rate has been over 95 per cent; one of the highest in the world.

The issue of poor infrastructure is a major hinderance to economic activities in Nigeria but it is well known that SME’s do better than large scale organizations in navigating and coping with this malady, the only difference being the financial resources available to the latter to grapple with the problem.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had set up special intervention funds worth over N1.3 trillion in the last

Time for a new SME development initiative five years, with SMEs alone allocated about N600 billion. In addition, the Bank of Industry (BoI) has created several SME-targeted funds worth hundreds of billions of Naira, while the Federal Ministry of Finance had equally floated the YOUWIN program with N50 billion SME grant.

In all, over a trillion Naira has been provided by the various government agencies for lending to SME’s within the past five years.

It is amazing that despite all these special intervention funds the SME

sector is still reeling in funding crunch. A recent SME sector report indicated that less than five per cent of these funds have so far reached the SME’s. This means that the impact has been less than five per cent; a remarkable failure.

Stakeholders and financial analysts have blamed the failure partly on the weaknesses of the SMEs themselves as formal business entities. Mainly, they are said to be lacking in structure, financial management and bereft of assets for loan collateral.

OPINION 2016 Budget:Presidency vs NASS fiasco

By Godwin Oghenede

M

UCH has been written and said about the 2016 Budget. New vocabulary has been imported into the budget terminology. Words like Missing Budget, Budget Padding, Fake Budget, Distorted Budget and many more as widely reported across the media platforms. This has led to the President’s refusal to assent the budget while the economy remained in the dodurum and at the verge of collapse. There seem to be no sense of urgency in the face of dwindling resources and the need for economy stimulus needed to avoid a deep recession that will be difficult to come out of.

The ongoing tussle between the Presidency which represents the Executive arm of government and the NASS in my mind is the lack of understanding on the part of NASS and those saddled with the responsibility for the budget preparation to understand or be adequately briefed and trained on the cardinal change agenda of the current administration as far as budgeting is concerned. A change that calls for the adoption of

Zero Based Budgeting(ZBB) method in the preparation of all Ministries, Agencies, Departments of Governments (MDAs) and Head of all Public Educational Institutions Budgets effective from the 2016 BUDGET. This new approach as promoted by the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) and the National

Zero Based Budgeting as a budgeting technique is not new. It has been around since 1924 when E.Hilton Young advocated for its use by the then British Budget Authority Planning Commission was brought in to address some of the short comings associated with the old incremental budgeting approach which is characterised by poor implementation, budget padding and wasteful spending. An approach that has held us back over the years and which can no longer be sustained in the face of declining Revenue from Crude Oil. This being the case, some of the

current controversies, around the 2016 budget could have been avoided through effective training and capacity building for those agencies of government responsible for budget preparation, approval, interpretation and implementation.

Zero Based Budget (ZBB) defined Traditional incremental budgeting method assumes last year figures as a starting base for this year’s budget with allowance for inflation and percentage increases. Zero Based Budgeting on the other hand assumes a starting point of Zero with no reference to last year’s figures.

Government sets its objectives while all budget headings are drawn in line with those objectives. All expenditure old and new are critically reviewed and prioritised. Cost Benefit Analysis is carried out on each heading.

Alternatives are considered.

Minimum expenditure levels below which the project or services are no longer feasible are set. All expenditure heading are fully justified by stating vision, mission and mandate, strategic objectives of project, Challenges, Strength, Opportunities, Key performance indicators and deliverables. It is a bottom-up

With a consensus reached across all divides on the need to have a strong and vibrant SME sector, we advise that a fraction of all the funds should be used in promoting Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs), a group of certified business consultants to help create the structures and impart financial and other business management standard practices to help the SMEs meet standard requirements for loans whether through banks or special funds.

The services of the (BDSPs) should come at no cost to the budding SMEs. We also call upon the government and the organised SME groups to build a special-purpose loan securitisation framework for SMEs which have demonstrated prospects and capacity in their lines of business.

The overriding principle should remain the security of public funds deployed to this sector. SMEs need help to grow, so let us help them.

approach where departmental heads are involved in its preparation prior to consolidation at budget committee level of each ministry.

ZBB Historical perspective Zero Based Budgeting as a budgeting technique is not new. It has been around since 1924 when E.Hilton Young advocated for its use by the then British Budget Authority. The US Department of Agriculture again adopted a form of ground up system of budgeting as the first formal use of Zero Based Budgeting by the US government in 1962. It was not until 1970 when Zero Based Budgeting finally came to the lime light and made popular through an article written in the Harvard Business Review by Peter Pyhll now referred to as the father of Zero Based Budgeting. This article attracted the attention of Jimmy Carter as the then governor of the State of Georgia who invited Peter Pyhll to help adopt Zero Based Budgeting for the 1992/93 budget in State of Georgia and became fully adopted by US government when Jimmy Carter became US President in 1979.

Continues tomorrow

*Mr. Oghenede, an accountant, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016— —19

Cows, herdsmen and subsidies

By Michael EgbejumiDavid

I

AM of the view that cattle herding through our countryside, towns and cities is one of the adorably unique characteristics of the Nigerian landscape; one of the cute peculiarities that defines us. I think that it is a charming and endearing sight: the lonely herdsman amidst his languidly wandering cattle.

Sadly, I’ve come to realise that time has passed by that quaint culture and practice.

Moreover, I returned to Nigeria and found cattle herdsmen totting AK47s. Oh oh! That certainly took away from the idyllic nostalgia I had carried in my head.

It is clear that something went awry many years ago.

Livestock (including cattle) farming accounts for one third of Nigeria’s total agricultural GDP. I suspect that the narratives we’ve heard and read so far on the menace of the marauding herdsmen have been largely one sided. I wonder whether the nomadic herdsmen are reacting to what they see as, or interpret to be hindrance and persecution...and that is where

education and the use of modern technology and practices come in.

Climate change and draught has meant cattle herders continue to roam farther out in search of pasture. However, their search has brought a concomitant trail of misery and destruction for others, their farms and their livelihood.

In virtually the rest of the world, cattle farmers buy expansive ranches and acquire huge lands to afford their livestock enough space to roam all year round. The farmers also provide enough feeds and grass for their cattle. The same is done for horses, etc. I think it is called animal husbandry.

In Nigeria, it is pretty obvious that the vast majority of cattle herders are hired hands. Some big-time cattle farmers own those cows and sheep. Cows and sheep must eat and exercise, so people are hired to lead them on grazing expeditions to where food (grass) can be found. And that is when conflicts often happen.

After some inelegant hide and seek over a few months, this government has finally stepped in. But the government chose to step in kicking the doors off the barn! For starters, it

appears Nigerian grass is not nutritious enough. So the government somehow found enough dollars to import Brazilian grass for our cattle farmers as our cattle finally joined the long list of imported food connoisseurs.

But that is not enough. The cattle must go to where the grass is; not the other way round, and the government is going to make sure of this.

How? First, the government

So the government somehow found enough dollars to import Brazilian grass for our cattle farmers as our cattle finally joined the long list of imported food connoisseurs will provide direct funds for the provision of boreholes and water reservoirs for the exclusive use of nomadic cattle herders. Then it will forcefully acquire farmlands from private citizens and landowners in all 36 states of the country for cattle herdsmen to do their thing.

That is not all.

Recent Supreme Court judgement and future elections

By Victor Attah

I

HAD always believed, and I hold it to be true, that every judgment, every sound judgment, must promote the course of social justice. Since the Supreme Court is the apex of judicial adjudication, the pronouncements from that hallowed bench should be so awesome as to command respect and indeed some reverence. Why then have the recent Supreme Court judgments in respect of the governorship elections in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States attracted so much criticism amounting almost to opprobrium?

Sadly, the Nigerian Bar Association, rather than accept that evil thrives when good people refuse to prevail against it, chose instead to threaten sanctions against any of its members that would further criticise those judgments.

I have read the lead judgment by Supreme Court Judge Nweze in respect of Akwa Ibom state governorship elections and my first shock was to find such exclamations as “Haba”, “Holy Moses”, “Wonders will never end” all in reference to the decisions reached by fellow judges at the lower court and the tribunal. Perhaps I was wrong, but what I had expected was such superior reasoning as would evidently confound the arguments of the lower court. I was disappointed.

Let me be the first to admit and accept that our judges, including the Supreme Court Judges are human and therefore cannot be infallible. Besides they are Nigerians and products of the Nigerian C M Y K

society. Still it cannot be denied that the society has the right to formulate its own expectations of people who hold certain offices of reverence.

Quite early in the judgment, the petitioners were said to have “marshalled a whooping number of fifty two witnesses”. In the ordinary use of the

Our prayer and hope must be that someday our hallowed chambers will be populated with a sufficient number of biblical “Daniels” to ensure that justice is not only done but is seen to have been done word, “whopping” suggests a very large, and may be excessive, number. But towards the end, the judgment insists that “The only mode of proving disenfranchisement, as shown above is by calling, at least, one registered voter polling unit by polling unit”. In Akwa Ibom State that would have meant calling 2,982 witnesses, which is the number of polling units in the state. I think I can be excused if at this stage I should exclaim “Haba”.

Once farms and lands have been forcefully acquired for cattle grazing, all other activities like hunting, tree felling and so forth by natives of the local community will be banned. To cap it all off, legal challenges to such acquisitions will be severely restrained – even enforcement of court judgements, if obtained, will have to be formally approved by the Attorney General of the Federation.

Hmmm...This is where we all take a deep breath.

You wonder why the government is not doing the simple and the obvious by encouraging cattle farmers to modernise and to enter into pastoral or grazing lease/ agreement with landowners and local communities.

Perhaps, it is because in Nigeria, the big men always seem to win.

As with petroleum, the government has chosen to subsidise the big-time cattle farmers. We all know who they are: President Buhari; Abdusalami Abubakar; Obasanjo; Murtala Nyako; Adamu; Alhaji Kure, a former governor of Niger state, etc, etc.

This is almost as good as it gets: It is government funding people’s personal religious pilgrimages all over again. In Nigeria now, all you have to do is find a little money, buy some cattle, and the government will fund the rest of the business for you.

Mine and your taxes will go to support big time cattle farmers’

Earlier on, with the reports of mindless violence and all sorts of criminal activities that had marred the elections and were likely to disrupt the tribunal’s sittings, the Supreme Court had agreed that the tribunal could relocate from Akwa Ibom State to Abuja. But the judgment insists that criminality was not established because it was not proved beyond reasonable doubt. A careful reading of the judgment seems to suggest that the only way this could have been done is if those criminals that are now freely roaming the streets and calling themselves “the powers that be” had been arrested, tried and convicted. Does a petitioner in an election matter have the means, and the time to do that; is it no longer true that “election petitions is species of civil suit and not a criminal one”?

On the issue of over voting, let us be reminded that the total number of votes said to have been cast at the governorship election in Akwa Ibom state is 1,122,836; the accredited number of voters in the electoral register which was tendered is 448,307; the card reader report shows that only 437,128 registered voters were accredited. (Note how close the number of accredited voters in the voters register is to that given by the Card Reader Report). The Supreme Court Judgment insists that this is not sufficient to establish over voting because no probative value should have been placed on the Card Reader Report. But what about the voters register – when this could not be denied or rejected, the Supreme Court held that it was “dumped” on the lower court.

I do not know if anybody had suggested that the Supreme Court judgments in respect of Rivers and Akwa Ibom states were influenced to warrant the limp protestation by Ahuruka Isah who is said to be the media aide to the CJN. Ahuruka’s write up in my opinion is sad and unfortunate. He succeeded in

private business. Then, mine and your land will be taken off us for their benefit and we will not even have legal recourse.

The government has already imported grass for them free of charge. Now, cattle farmers will be financially and legally supported to graze and exercise their cattle throughout the length and breadth of the country. The government has no plans whatsoever to tax or ask them to modernise their trade.

This is not just conjecture. A bill to this effect has quietly and efficiently passed its second reading at the National Assembly. It is called, “The Fulani National Grazing Reserve Bill.” It is sponsored by Hajiya Kure, a former First Lady of Niger State. Although, the Senate has denied this.

After its imminent third reading, the bill will be passed on to Aso Rock for Buhari to append his signature and formally make it the law of the land.

Technology reigns supreme and life processes evolve all the time.

Human efficiency improves as the world gets smaller and better. It is for this reason that every nation got on the information superhighway. But we shall show them all; we’ll build our very own cattle grazing superhighway.

That’s progress! *Dr. Egbejumi- David wrote from demdem@hotmail.co.uk.

exposing a template that reveals what can only charitably be described as a herd mentality which is, by far, the easiest in the world to control and influence.

It has happened and it has happened but it has left a very sour taste in the mouth. It may not be the last time that it would happen and it certainly is not the first. There was the issue of an election matter affecting Akwa Ibom state where the Supreme Court ordered that a new tribunal should be set up and the matter be tried “de novo”. That is Latin and we all thought we knew the meaning of “de novo”. But before the new tribunal could be set, it was declared that the 180 days for tribunal sittings had been exhausted.

Suddenly Latin turned to Greek and nobody could understand anymore what the Supreme Court was saying.

Our concern should be whether these judgments have served the course of social justice; whether they have established the foundation on which future elections can be conducted freely and fairly with respect for the sanctity of the ballot box and the safety of the electorate; can the judgments ensure the safety of INEC officials and offer the opportunity for the people to indeed be able to vote for the people they want to represent or govern them? How far can these judgments go to curb electoral malpractices; have these judgments deepened democracy? To what extent therefore can these judgments be considered sound and beneficial?

Our prayer and hope must be that someday our hollowed chambers will be populated with a sufficient number of biblical “Daniels” to ensure that justice is not only done but is seen to have been done.

*Obong Attah is former Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

LINGERING SCARCITY:

Whither DPR as PMS sells for N150 a litre •Filling stations dispense mainly at night

By Ediri Ejoh & Iloaze Blessed-Odidi

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ESPITE several assurances by the Federal Government of its commitment to ease the pain of the lingering scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, generally known as petrol, respite has so far remained a mirage as the prices of the product continue to soar, with most filling stations, belonging to both major and independent marketers, now selling the product at N150 per litre against the regulated price of N86.50 per litre.

The situation is made worse by the failure of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to live up to its watchdog role of curbing the excesses of petrol marketers who have continued to exploit the situation in ripping off hapless consumers. Vanguard Metro gathered that major marketers across the country may have resolved to join the independent marketers in ensuring that petrol sells for no less than N150 per litre.

Filling stations visited by VM either had their gates shut or were besieged by desperate customers who had queued for hours to get the product at whatever cost.

Some of the stations visited in different parts of Lagos all had their gates shut against several straggly lines of vehicles parked by the roadsides and in most cases causing serious traffic jams.

Another motorist, Mr Johnson Okon, also lamented that “within the space of two months, the situation has gone from bad to worse and people are suffering seriously as a result of the long hours of waiting at filling stations”. He did not stop there.

“To make matters worse, our suffering has been aggravated by the present hot weather condition. It is impossible to live without turning on the generator at night. The filling station owners have now formed the habit of opening their gates only during the evening hours and selling petrol at abnormal prices.

“The problem is even more worrisome, as the power situation in the country has become terribly bad. The regulatory agencies and the NNPC should be up and doing and ensure that marketers are given the product to dispense and meet up the demands of Nigerians,” he said.

Depots run out of petrol: Hope that the situation may change for the better soon has since been dampened by the Independent

Hardship and suffering

The filling station owners have now formed the habit of opening their gates only during the evening hours and selling petrol at abnormal prices

VM checks also revealed that the defaulters of these ‘price in diversity’, in order to avoid being caught by DPR monitoring officials, now resort to selling the product at night beginning from 6pm and 7pm.

Those who spoke with VM on the situation could not hide their bitterness as they lamented the accompanying hardship, saying their plight is made worse by the long hours they spend at filling stations in order to buy petrol.

“Government seems to be playing politics with the lives of Nigerians, otherwise they would have done something to stop this hardship and suffering,” lamented one frustrated motorist at a filling station where he had queued for hours to buy petrol.

Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, which said that the ongoing fuel scarcity might linger as marketers are presently grappling with the challenge of non-availability of petrol in depots. Alhaji Ahmed Debo, Chairman, Western Zone of IPMAN, disclosed this while explaining why queues persist within the Lagos metropolis.

According to Debo, marketers are facing serious challenges because there is no petrol to load. “There is no product to load to the hinterland; most marketers depend on Lagos and they could not get the product; so, it’s very difficult getting petrol in Ilorin, Kogi, Osun, Ekiti, Ibadan and others.

*Chaotic scenes at a filling station in Lagos “We hope that government would expedite action on petrol importation to salvage the situation as most marketers had been thrown out of business as we could not load petrol in major depots in Lagos. Only NIPCO and Folawiyo that have the product which is strictly for NNPC retails outlets.

Loading tickets given to marketers couldn’t work as there is no petrol to load in many depots,” he said.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Garba Deen Mo-

hammed, had assured motorists and other users that the current shortage would soon be over as the problems had been largely resolved.

Other marketers, VM learnt, had confirmed improvement in loading of petrol in some depots in Lagos. The National Operation Controller of IPMAN, Mr. Mike Osatuyi, had noted that there was an improvement in discharge. He said: “They are discharging right now at NIPCO; they have fuel in Folawiyo; they have in Capital Oil; and MRS and Ascon are discharging, and they are all getting

NNPC fuel. So, we should expect improvement of supply to our members now and an end to the scarcity soon.”

The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Lagos Zone, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, said loading at the Ejigbo depot in Lagos was better currently than what the situation was previously.

It would be recalled also that NNPC had said it had received six cargos of petrol (270 million litres), and would soon begin to receive one cargo (45 million litres) of petrol every day.

Traffic gridlock at Berliet: Partial relief as LSPWC intervenes

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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ARTIAL relief came the way of motorists plying the OshodiApapa Expressway following the commencement of palliative intervention by the Lagos State Public Works Corporation, LSPWC, at the failed sections of the road at Berliet Bus-stop that has become prone to traffic gridlock.

The intervention is said to have been prompted by appeals by motorists and residents around Ilasamaja/Berliet area to the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to act in order to reduce the frequent traffic gridlock and also ease the pains of motorists in the area just as he did by awarding a contract for the repair of the dilapidated Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

Indeed, apart from the fatal and near-fatal accidents recorded in recent time, no fewer than six heavily loaded container trucks fell at the Berliet area due to several bad portions of the road there. The fear is that the situation could become worseastherainyseasonapproaches.

The Special Adviser/Chief Executive Officer, LSPWC, Ayotunde Sodeinde, while commenting on the development, said the intervention is not a one-off job as the corporation would continue to carryout periodic maintenance of the road. Sodeinde also clarified that the palliative work was being car-

ried out by the LSPWC “and this will continue until FERMA( the FederalRoadsMaintenanceAgency) commences a total reconstruction of the bad spot at Berliet Busstop.”

He recalled that the FERMA Coordinator(Lagos-West), Kehinde Afolabi, was quoted to have said that the bad portion of Berliet would bereconstructedfromthe2016budget when it is eventually passed.

Sodeinde noted that LSPWC had in February this year carried out a massive repairwork on the bad spot at Berliet to ease vehicular movement before it was again degraded.

Articulated vehicles “Also, in the second week of April 2016, another palliative work was carried out with the spreading of boulders and stone-based materials on the bad portion of the road at Berliet bus stop,” he said.

Motorists recount ordeal: Akintunde Fasanmi, a motorist narrated his ordeal thus: “It is a harrowing experience driving along the bad portion of the road.

“You can spend three hours on a journey that is supposed to be two minutes. Last week several articulated vehicles got stuck while others spilled their content and containers on the road which resulted in terrible traffic gridlock. It was

not funny at all. “The failed portion of the road was so terrible that a trailer in one of the incidents got stuck in one of the craters at the middle of the road near Ilasamaja and emptied its content on another car killing the driver of the car.

“Commuters and vehicle owners groan on that road every day. It will not require a rocket science for government to fix the road. Even though if excuses will be made that budget has not been passed we can use our common sense according to Ben Bruce to fill up the potholes, gullies, craters pending when a thorough and final job on the road will be carried out.

“Am not impressed that Fashola as Works Minister cannot fix that road being former Lagos State Governor. Thank God the party at state level is the same at the federal level and so there is no more acrimony and bitter competition on which party should do the road.

“Governor Ambode should step in and carry palliative job on the road to save Lagosians the horrendous experience they pass through on that all important economic road.” Fasanmi pleaded. Mrs. AmarachiJohn,criedouttothestate government to intervene as it did in the case of Lagos Badagry Expressway recently. She said, “I want to implore our kind-hearted Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the people’s governor to come to our aid by fixing the road

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016—21

Capital market: Operators urge FG to create forex window for foreign investors

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AWARDS: From left, Alexix Vovk, MD/CEO, Total Nigeria Plc; Opeyemi Owosho, winner of StartUpper of the year; Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, FirstBank of Nigeria, and Ahmadu Musa Kida, Deputy Managing Director, Seep Water District, Total Exploration and Production, at the Total awards to the winners of the 2016 edition of the “StartUpper to the year by Total” challenge in Nigeria, Lagos. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU

FG requires N2trn to complete ongoing road projects — Fashola

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he Federal Government will require about N2trillion to complete no new fewer than 226 ongoing road projects across the country. The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola made the disclosure in Lagos while speaking at a Town Hall meeting organized to brief the public on the activities of the government in the last 11months. He, however, said the total amount

allocated to all the sectors under his ministry in the 2016 budget was less than N500billion, stressing that the government did not have enough resources to complete all the projects at present.

Fashola added that the focus of the government for now would be to complete some of the projects and not to undertake new ones. “The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing proposed N423billion at the Federal Executive Council and

$122. 90

0. 15

$3,159.00

22.00

$15.32

0.06

$43. 43 -0 30 US DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

196 282. 0048 220. 794 200. 758 1.7691 0.3202 275.3302 30.1669 52.2597 29. 6673 275. 4976

he Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that domestic airlines operating in the country recorded 8,478 cases of delayed flights in first quarter of

197 283.4436 221.9205 201.7822 1.7781 0.3402 276.7349 30.3217 52.5263 29. 8187 276. 9032

CBN Exchange rate as at 25/04/2016 C M Y K

T

SELLING 196.5 282.7242 221.3573 201. 2701 1.7736 0.3302 276. 0325 30. 2443 52.393 29. 743 276. 2004

Ongoing road projects alone awarded by the government before we came— about 266 roads awarded in the various states

get all that . Ongoing road projects alone awarded by the government before we came— about 266 roads awarded in the various states— the liability to complete them is about N2trillion. So, when you look at N400billion,you know that that that is not enough, but when you compare what this administration is going to do with the N400billion, with what the last administration did,you will know it is much progress.

Domestic airlines record 8,478 cases of delayed flights, Jan-March

$44. 94 -0.17

CURRENCY BUYING

the information reaching us is that we are not going to

2016. This is contained in a document issued by the NCAA’s Consumer Protection Department, which was obtained on Monday by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. The document said a total number of 15,434 flights were operated by eight domestic airlines during the period under review,

while 281 flights were cancelled.

It said the airlines in operation were Aero Contractors, Arik Air, Air Peace, Azman Air, Dana Air, First Nation, Med-View and Overland. Arik, which operated 4,926 flights, topped the chart of delayed and cancelled flights with 2,801 and 99, respectively.

This was closely followed by Aero Contractors, which recorded 1,762 delayed flights and 94 cancellations, out of its 2,823 flight operations. Air Peace operated 2,686 flights with 1,175 incidences of delayed

flights and four cancellations.

However, Arik Air, in a statement by its Communications Manager, Mr Ola Adebanji, attributed the delays and cancellations to the lingering scarcity of aviation fuel.

“With over a hundred flights daily, this limited supply of aviation fuel has resulted, regrettably, into flight delays and sometimes outright cancellations. We appeal to our valued passengers to bear with us at this time, even as we remain committed to providing safe and comfortable flight experience,” the statement said.

ome capital market operators yesterday urged the Federal Government to create a foreign exchange window for foreign investors to deepen activities at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

They said in Lagos that foreign exchange challenges had affected transactions by foreign investors in the capital market. Mallam Garba Kurfi, the Managing Director, APT Securities and Funds Ltd., Lagos said the called was necessary because of the Federal Government stance on naira devaluation. Kurfi also said that many manufacturing companies were finding it difficult to import raw materials for production.

Mr Ambrose Omordion, the Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., Lagos said the delay in the passage of the 2016 budget had also contributed to the downward trend in the capital market and the economy in general.

Omordion appealed that the issues impeding Presidential assent to the 2016 budget be resolved immediately by the National Assembly in the national interest. Omordion attributed gains recorded by the market last week to impressive first quarter unaudited results announced by some quoted companies.

Meanwhile, NAN reports that a turnover of 885.4 million shares valued at N5.83 billion were exchanged in 13,870 deals by investors last week.

This is against 8.05 billion shares worth N13.33 billion traded in 15,212 deals in the preceding week.

The Financial Services sector led the activity chart by 747.82 million shares valued at N3.83 billion traded in 8,768 deals.

The Consumer Goods sector followed with 45.52 million shares worth N977.58 million exchanged in 2,145 deals. The Agriculture sector had a turnover of 32.31 million shares worth N48.46 million traded in 247 deals. The AllShare Index increased by 130.84 points or 0.53 per cent to close at 24,850.11 from the 24,719.27 posted in the preceding week. Also, the market capitalisation appreciated by N45 billion or 0.53percenttocloseatN8.548trillion.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Fidelity Bank took the risk of growing its loan book more aggressively in the last quarter of 2015

,

INVESTOR' INVESTOR'S

,

Fidelity Bank: More tier-2 banks defy economic headwinds … Driving bullish investor benefits

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

A

COMBINATION of low oil prices and weak fiscal and monetary policy responses to the subsequent macroeconomic headwinds has squeezed banks’ earnings.

A look at the results of most banks so far reveals that they suffered a dip in non interest income as revenue from commission and fees, and trading income all saw a massive dip.

Some banks are also reporting foreign exchange trading losses coming along with foreign currency revaluation.

There are also significant drops in net gains on financial instruments classified as ‘held for trading’ which has dampened profit of some banks in the face of sluggish economic growth.

Most banks were exposed to oil and gas sector risks as collateralized assets have lost value since loans were granted to oil companies when prices were high leading to increased non performing loans.

Though asset quality impact is difficult to estimate, but a significant increase in cost of risk (CoR) is expected across the industry.

Macroeconomic headwinds Amidst this harsh operating environment mixed results, both audited and interim, continued to stream into the stock market from the banking sector as Fidelity Bank Plc, another tier-2 bank published its full year, 2015 figures delivering a modest performance.

In the past three months the market has seen both tier-1 and tier-2 banks turn in results with indications that the macroeconomic headwinds that began a worsening trend in the second quarter of 2015 had taken a huge toll on both top and bottom lines.

After a few tier-1 banks, Zenith International Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc, returned results in-between moderate and impressive, they created the impression that only the tier-1 banks could have mustered enough strength to withstand the headwinds in 2015.

But the result of Fidelity Bank is indicating that resilience is also in the character of some tier-2 banks, even though that Fidelity is largely considered to be in the top of the bracket.

•Nnamdi Okonkwo, MD/CEO Fidelity Bank

Impressive top-line, modest bottom-line The Bank recorded 7.9 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) growth in gross earnings driven majorly by improved interest income as against the drag in investment income. Profit after tax, PAT, however improved only marginally by 0.8 per cent, spurred by significant reduction in tax rate, despite the sizable decline of 9.6 per cent y-o-y in earnings before tax.

Fidelity Bank sustained a relatively strong performance throughout the challenging 2015 growing the major income lines across the quarters, unlike other banks with good 2015 results but bad fourth quarter (Q4). Fidelity Bank’s performance in Q4:2015 was particularly impressive in terms of income generation, accounting for 27.4 per cent of the full year gross earnings.

The bank’s gross earnings grew markedly by 9.6 per cent y-o-y to N146.9 billion in full year 2015 from N136.1 billion in 2014, driven majorly by 16.2 per cent stronger performance recorded in interest income for the year despite the 19 per cent drag recorded from investment and other income.

tend with rising cost of doing business. First, cost of funds was pressured higher to 6.6 per cent in 2015 from 5.9 per cent in 2014.

Fidelity Bank also recorded higher operating cost as the Operating Expense (OPEX) rose 17.1 per cent y-o-y to N60.3 billion from N55.5 billion.

Expectedly, this development negatively impacted on cost to income ratio which pitched at 74 per cent relative to the previous year’s level of 67.9 per cent.

The cost increases constituted a drag on profitability with profit before tax (PBT) declining by 9.6 per cent to settle at N14 billion from N15.5 billion in 2014.

But a moderation in effective tax rate to 0.9 per cent from 11.1 per cent in 2015 financial year cushioned the impact on profit after tax (PAT) which improved marginally by 0.8 per cent y-o-y to N13.9 billion as against N13.8 billion in 2014.

Bullish risk assets growth, the challenges The banking sector had trodden the 2015 loans and advances terrain with caution following the drag in economic activities occasioned by low oil prices which had began to impair the quality

of loan assets, especially since second half, 2015.

But Fidelity Bank took the risk of growing its loan book more aggressively in the last quarter of 2015.

This is evident in the 7.8 per cent y-o-y increase in total loans and advances to N658.1billion as against N610.4 billion in 2014.

Fidelity Bank also recorded higher operating cost as the Operating Expense (OPEX) rose 17.1 per cent yo-y to N60.3 billion from N55.5 billion Even more bullish was the 8.4 per cent spike in total loans recorded in Q4, 2015 against Q3,

Bullish investor benefits The Board of Directors of Fidelity Bank has proposed a final dividend per share of 16 kobo, implying a dividend yield of 12.1 per cent as at market price of N1.32 (30/03/2016).

At this yield, the Fidelity Bank currently ranks as one of the banks with the highest dividend yield, though attributable to the significant 22.1 per cent decline in share price that Fidelity suffered in the last one year.

The closure date for the dividend payment has been fixed for 18th April 2016 while payment date is scheduled for 5th May 2016.

FIDELITY BANK FY: 2015 RESULT - Financial Highlights (NGN Billion)

Jump in interest income The bank realized significant jump in interest income in the last quarter of 2015 due to its aggressiveness in growing loans and advances which, though grew 7.8 per cent y-o-y increased most significantly by 8.4 per cent quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) between Q3, 2015 and full year 2015.

Moreover, interest expense grew at a slower pace to interest income by 8.7 per cent due to 6.7 per cent y-o-y moderation in total deposit, thus impacting positively on interest margin which improved from 5.4 per cent in the full year 2014 to 6.1 per cent in 2015.

However, the bank had to con-

2015 despite 6.1 per cent decline in total deposits.

The loan growth was driven majorly by expansion of term loans and overdraft to customers during the period. In line with the macroeconomic challenges in the country as well as the aggressive loan growth in Q4:2015, credit impairment charges surged markedly by 33.9 per cent to N5.8 billion in full year 2015 from N4.3 billion in 2014.

Consequently, annualized cost of risks increased to 0.9 per cent in 2015 from 0.7 per cent in 2014.

•Source: Afrinvest/Fidelity Bank Financial Report

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 23

Dangote Sugar: Short to medium term investor issues

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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N the heels of its 2015 financial results, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, DSR, organized a conference call to highlight some of the facts behind its financial performance and the future of the investments.

Below are some of the issues emerging from the conference as articulate by investment analysts at Nairametrics.

Revenue: Management projects positive revenue growth over 2016 largely on the back of higher volume sales and increased prices.

Focusing on volumes: The management is optimistic that positive impact of September 2015’s price cut (-28%), which enabled the company to access the grey market, should drive an uptrend in volume sales. Year-todate, volume sales have exceeded corresponding periods in 2015 and 2014.

Product prices: Management notes that an ongoing industrywide discussion with the government has stalled the resumption of the scheduled increase in import tariff and development fees (double to 10% each).

Negotiation breakdown These increases have been delayed since 2014. In the event of a negotiation breakdown, management acknowledged that refined sugar prices would have to rise. This will have implication for volume sales, revenue and profit.

Input Costs: DSR projects that raw sugar prices in 2016 would remain flat relative to 2015 levels which informs a flat-to-lower forecast for cost of goods sold – to-Sales ratio over the year.

Foreign exchange: DSR continues to access all foreign exchange needed for the importation of raw sugar at the inter-bank market, though the lead time for obtaining foreign exchange has increased.

Meanwhile, some of the foreign exchange needed for importation of other items are obtained at the parallel market. This is a huge constraint which may not abate soon.

Operating Expense (OPEX): The downtrend in operating costs over 2015 (-44.7% year-on-year) largely reflected staff rationalization with particular emphasis on expatriate staff. Cost pressure may continue to mount

in 2016.

Sugar for Nigeria Project: DSR restated its commitment of producing one million metric tones of raw sugar over the next five years. As a result, DSR plans to invest between N120 billion and N150 billion over the next five

In the event of breakdown in negotiations between government and industry stakeholders, upswing in import tariff would drive cost of goods sold (COGS) higher, raising scope for gross margin contraction years. However, in 2016, most of the planned investment would be financed through DSR’s equity

contribution to the project (20% of total capital). It has immediate implication to distributable profit, dividend.

Other takeaways and projections Volume growth would remain strong over first half 2016 though with a likely price hikes as DSR tries to pass-on higher import tariffs and this would drive deceleration in volume in second half 2016.

In the event of breakdown in negotiations between government and industry stakeholders, upswing in import tariff would drive cost of goods sold (COGS) higher, raising scope for gross margin contraction.

Prospects for higher borrowings to finance both working capital needs at Savannah and DSR’s Sugar for Nigeria project raises scope for higher net finance charges.

However, analysts remain broadly positive on Dangote Sugar’s earnings outlook.

,

S FORUM

However, analysts remain broadly positive on Dangote Sugar’s earnings outlook.

,

Notch-up in investment value of Nigerian Breweries

By Peter Egwuatu

N

IGERIAN Breweries, NB Plc’s earnings estimate indicates a slight raise following its first quarter, 2016 (Q1 ‘16), improved performance ended March 31, 2016.

NB reported Q1 2016 results showing 11 per cent Year-on-Year (y-o-y) revenue and a 3.0 per cent y-o-y net profit growth.

Trading statement released on 19 April by parent company, Heineken BV, indicated that volume growth in Nigeria for the Q1’16 period was 4.0 per cent.

Following from this, investment analysts at Vetiva Capital Management stated, “ we deduce that there must have been a 7% price increase to have delivered the 11 per cent revenue growth.

“The three months revenue topped our N74 billion by 5 per cent whilst net profit was 2 per cent ahead of our N10.2 billion estimate. We note though that growth in earn-

ings was boosted by low comparisons of Q1’15; nonetheless, we see it as a good start to 2016.

“Annualized earnings per share, EPS, at N5.28 topped Vetiva (N5.17) and Consensus (N4.72) estimates.”

Earnings per share While commenting on its trading price, Vetiva further said “We have slightly raised our full year 2016 estimates to reflect the Q1 out-performance. We have thus raised our revenue and Earnings Per Share, EPS forecast to N318 billion (Previous: N295.8 billion) and N5.36 (Previous: N5.15).

“Our 12-month target price is raised to N143.20, against previous target of N139.54.

Vetiva analysts recommends a BUY for the stock but stated that the most significant risk to this earnings forecast is Naira weakness.

Stock Market Outlook (April 26 – May 03, 2016)

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HE performance of the Nigerian equities market broadly improved last week as bargain hunting drove market performance higher despite poor corporate financial results and bleak short term outlook.

Consequently, the Nigerian Stock Exchange benchmark index, All Shares Index, ASI, appreciated 0.5 per cent week-on-week to 24, 850.11 points trimming year-to-date loss to 13.2 per cent.

Afrinvest weekly sentiment for the week settled at 3.3x from 2.9x last week, indicating that market sentiment strengthened.

Investment analysts at Afinvest West Africa, said sentiment is likely to tilt towards profit-taking in the current week as investors continue to speculate on weak macro fundamentals, adding that further declaration of earnings results could, however, drive investor sentiments.

The analysts stated, ‘’in view of the above, we maintain that investors trade cautiously in the interim and maintain a medium to long term investment horizon’’.

In its own week forecast analysts at Sterling Capital Markets said, ‘’despite the relatively cheap valuations, the weak macroeconomic condition

may continue to hamper investors sentiment towards buying interest. We expect market to trade side-ways this week’’.

Similarly, analysts at Cowry

Asset Management Limited said ‘’this week, we expect a sustenance of current bullish sentiments given current low market valuations’’.

NIGERIA BREWERIES Plc. Q1: 2016 Result - Financial Highlights (NGN Billion)

•Source: Afrinvest/Nigerian Breweries Financial Report

Delta community laments deplorable state of schools

PDP Delta Central senatorial district gives Gov. Okowa victory reception at Oghara PAGE 26

PAGE 25

VOL. 1: No. 86

TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

•Chief Idiki Akpana the elderly Deputy Chairman of the Opume Council of Chiefs was thoroughly beaten by the invaders and forced to lead them to the king’s compound.

•King Turner surveys the damage to his compound at Opume after the invasion

•Chief Idiki Akpana’s wounds inflicted by the invaders.

Travails of Bayelsa monarch

In-house rebellion

...country home invaded by 25 armed bandits

BAYELSA…

King Turner addresses his community on New Year’s/Unity Day 2016

GLORY OF ALL LANDS

By Lindsay Barret TONGUES Y are wagging in Bayelsa State over the tribulations of a ENAGOA—

paramount ruler and political kingmaker in the oil-rich state, King Amalate Johnnie Turner, who, a gang of 25 gun-totting bandits attacked and looted his country home, Opume, Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, penultimate Saturday.

The invasion came about two months after security officials, purportedly members of the Department of State Services, DSS, stormed the Abuja residence of the monarch, a close friend of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, in search of unspecified records.

C M Y K

confidants.

One problem to another: However, since Jonathan lost the Presidential election in 2015, King Turner has found himself in one soup or the other, fuelling the impression that some people were after him for clandestine reasons.

Undoubtedly, his status as a community leader appears to have suffered a reversal in the eyes of some political actors in the state.

He woke up mid-February to hear that a group of persons who claimed to be members of the Department of State Services stormed his Abuja home. No security agency or official informed him of the said search and he was not present when the invaders struck.

When reports of the incursion leaked on the social media, the executors claimed they discovered currency in foreign and local denominations and documents connected to unnamed financial transactions in the domicile.

The reason advanced for the intrusion was that King Turner is a “close associate of the former President.” Two months after the incident, nobody has offered further explanation on the offensive. However, NDV could not verify if DSS officials actually carried out the invasion as speculated.

Suspicion: Political watchers are, however, wondering if the Obigbo Mikimiki I of Opume, whose conspicuous role in the consecration of top politicians in the state, including the incumbent governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, is a source of envy to his opponents, has come under attack for supporting the political ambitions of his friends.

They see the show of aggression as something borne out of malice, arising from his political sagacity and not from any known infraction as a royal father.

But, what has become apparent in the unfolding saga is that this is not a splendid time for the paramount ruler, who

assumed the kingship of the riverside community, about nine years ago.

Joyous villagers hailed his choice by the community’s kingmakers as the beginning of a new era of peace; harmony and growth in the area, but those not happy with his style of leadership see him as a politician in royal paraphernalia. The intrigues have exacerbated rather than douse matters in the town.

Relationship with Jonathan Niger Delta Voice gathered that his relationship with Dr. Jonathan, who hails from the neighbouring hamlet of Otuoke, stretches back to their early school days and during the latter ’s presidency, he relocated to Abuja.

He chaired a major Federal parastatal and served as a sort of unofficial contact man for several persons seeking to

Those not happy with his style of leadership see him as a politician in royal paraphernalia

interact with the president. He is one of his trusted

One of the discernible backlashes against the monarch was during the December 2015 re-election of Governor Dickson.

Some powerful figures from his community, formerly his loyalists, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the opposition party and made it plain that they took the decision to undermine his authority.

Political masterstroke: His response to the political betrayals was mature and fatherly. First, he declared that their decision to abandon the party that had nurtured their careers was one they had every right to make.

He, nevertheless, appealed to the absconders to avoid violence and abusive language in their campaigns and continued his efforts to inaugurate a number of key initiatives in the community, which showed that his major impulses were non-partisan.

For example, he completed the construction and equipping of a library and computer centre for the use of young people of

Continues on page 25

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 25

Travails of Bayelsa monarch Continues from page 24

Flood menace: Fear grips Akwa Ibom community, management, staff of police children’s school AKWA IBOM… LAND OF PROMISE

By Chioma Onuegbu

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KOT AKPAN ABIA—FEAR that flood may again ravaged homes in Ikot Akpan Abia community in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State has heightened due to the heavy downpour being experienced in the area.

Niger Delta Voice gathered that the development is now causing anxiety among the locals as well as management and staff of the Police Children Primary School in the area.

Some residents, who spoke to NDV complained that that the flooding, now a perennial problem started in 2012 when a construction firm, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction

Corporation (CCECC) created a trough to channel water from Aka Etinan axis during a road construction.

An aluminum worker in the area, who identified himself simply as Ekemini, said, “we are now living in fear. Whenever there is heavy downpour our homes are submerged by water leaving our belongings in ruins. We are forced to pack our valuables on elevated platforms once we notice sign of rainfall, “I have been living in this area since 2002 and the situation was not like this until the construction company CCECC channelled water to this area in 2012. They told us that government directed them to channel the water here.

“It is a serious problem and now that the rainy season is back we are worried. We are calling on government to do something about this because it is affecting

us.”

Also a non-academic staff of the Police Children School, who refused to mention her name because she was not authorized to speak to the press, said the situation had impacted negatively on the school.

Continues from page 26

the community.

King Turner also encouraged the completion of a new Ring Road to improve access to the community, as well as upgraded classrooms of both primary and secondary schools in the locality.

Asked the rationale of the initiatives, he said that he wanted his reign to be one in which the education of the youth was a paramount achievement, regardless of the political direction community members followed.

Opume attack: The most recent outrage against King

Eyewitness account

Three poles deep water pits, alleged cause of flooding in Ikot Akpan Abia community

MPI move to resuscitate abandoned Oloibiri Oil and Gas Research Centre BAYELSA… GLORY OF ALL LANDS

By Samuel Oyadongha & Emem Idio

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GBIA—AFTER several decades of failed attempt to commence work on the proposed Oloibiri Oil and Gas Research Centre in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, a non-governmental organisation, Mothers for Peace Initiative, has vowed to make the project a reality.

The Oloibiri Oil and Gas Research Centre on completion is expected to facilitate the rapid development of the neglected Ogbia kingdom where crude oil was first discovered in commercial quantity in 1956.

Niger Delta Voice findings revealed that while the discovery of crude oil in the area launched the country on the fast lane of development, the realities on ground in the Oloibiri province, point to the fact that the people of the area are not only among the poorest, but also, their environment and eco system have been totally raped and damaged.

Accordingly, the NGO, Mothers for Peace Initiative, MPI last Thursday led other stakeholders from within and outside the state to a town hall meeting in Ogbia town to keep alive the vision of transforming the defunct Oloibiri district into a tourism hub.

Oloibiri, a sad commentary Lamenting the insensitivity of the Nigerian state to the area, the C M Y K

wife of the first Military Administrator of old Rivers State, and President/Founder of Mothers for Peace Initiatives, MPI, Rev Mrs. Ethel Diete-Spiff, said: “Oloibiri high hopes lay dashed, sacrificed on the altars of personal and private ambitions.

Our common dreams of equity, justice and greatness have turned to a living nightmare of poverty, youth restiveness, corruption and environmental degradation.”

Regrettably, while the Nigerian government seems to have forgotten the goose that lays the golden egg, the MPI has taken it upon itself to engaged stakeholders and draw attention to the many unfulfilled promises to Oloibiri.

At the town hall meeting convened by MPI in collaboration with Host Communities of Oil and Gas, HOSCOM, Mrs. DieteSpiff unveiled her plans to actualize the Oloibiri Oil and Gas Research Epic Centre that has been in the pipeline for decades.

The occasion, held at Ogbia Brotherhood Hall, in Ogbia Town, headquarters of Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, some distance away from the historic Oloibiri Well I, was also used to re-echo the underdevelopment of the area and the need to mobilize support for the rapid infrastructural development of the neglected area.

According to Mrs. Spiff, the discovery of crude oil in Oloibiri in 1956 had brought hope for rapid growth and greatness for a young nation but regretted that 60 years after, the dream has remained tales of woes and retrogression.

Turner was the attack on his country home, which has left many observers bewildered.

The sound of gunshots and the loud revving of powerful outboard engines on the creek rudely awakened villagers, penultimate Saturday.

Before they could unravel what was amiss, about 25 heavily armed young men, who moored their 200 horsepower speedboats at the outskirts of the town, had surrounded the home of the deputy chair of the Council of Chiefs of Opume, Chief Idiki Akpana.

They roused the old man from sleep and beat him mercilessly, after which they forced him to take them to King Turner’s compound at the other end of the town.

Unknown to them, King Turner was away attending the funeral ceremonies of the late Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha, pioneer governor of the state, in Yenagoa and Amassoma.

R-l Rev Mrs. Ethel Diete-Spiff, President/Founder Mothers Initiative for Peace; Dr. Mike Emuh, National Chairman HOSCOM and Chief Benson Agadaga, chairman Ogbia Brotherhood at a town hall meeting, in Ogbia, Bayelsa State for resuscitation of Oloibiri Oil and Gas Research Centre.

“The destruction and sheer brutality displayed by the attackers suggest that they had come prepared to do their worst and would not have been content simply to rob and pillage the property as they did if they had met the King at home,” an eyewitness told Niger Delta Voice.

He disclosed: “They turned over every room of the substantial residence and tore open parts of the ceiling in an apparent search for loot.”

Another eyewitness, who watched from a distance in the dark hours, said the attackers made away with valuable property, adding, “But, I do not know if they collected substantial sums of money.”

Monarch silent as police confirm invasion Police authorities confirmed the attack, but King Turner himself has been calculatingly quiet, only reported to have said that his wife and relatives had their rooms stripped and whatever they had that was of value stolen.

THE TEAM Members of Mothers for Peace Initiative, MPI at the town hall meeting

President/Founder, Mothers Initiative for Peace, Rev Mrs. Ethel Diete-Spiff, (standing) and Dr. Mike Emuh, National Chairman HOSCOM (left) at the town hall meeting

Hope beckons on Oloibiri She disclosed plans by her organization in conjunction with HOSCOM and other relevant bodies to build a world class epicentre for research and

development of renewable energy in Oloibiri, with focus on how to avert the mistakes of the past and make amends for the present while planning for the Continues from page 25

Emma Amaize, Editor Jimitota Onoyume Samuel Oyadongha Simon Ebegbulem Gabriel Enogholase Festus Ahon Egufe Yafugborhi Emmanuel Una Akpokona Omafuaire Godwin Oghre Tom Moses Chioma Onuegbu Ike Uche Davies Iheamnachor Emem Idio Brisibe Perez Theresa Ugbobu Ochuko Akuopha Barnabas Uzosike Nath Onajoke Chijioke Nwankpa

26—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Fear grips Akwa Ibom community Continues from page 25

Delta community laments deplorable state of schools ...seeks govt assistance ONYAH—WORRIED by the deplorable state of the primary and secondary schools in their community, the people of Onyah in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, have appealed to the state government and interventionist agencies to come to their aid. According to the natives, the secondary school structures have degenerated over the years and the surrounding taken over by weeds after it was abandoned by staff and students.

D

By Ochuko Akuopha

ANGEROUS animals takes over school Speaking with Niger Delta Voice during the 2016 annual conference of the community, President General, Mr. Michael Ndidi, lamented that the structures now serve as home to reptiles and other dangerous animals.

He said: “the school is now home to reptiles and deadly animals since it was abandoned five years ago.”

According to him, the secondary school is now sharing two blocks of classrooms with the only primary school in the community, part of which he said had gone into River Niger due to serious erosion occasioned by movement of barges owned by an oil company operating in the area.

Students sit on bare floor Ndidi said: “Both the primary and secondary schools have only four staff, a headmistress and a teacher for

the primary school and principal and a teacher for the secondary school.

“Both schools have a total of 11 corps members whose welfare and upkeep is the sole responsibility of the community without any help from the government at any level. “There are no chairs and tables for learning while students sit on bare floor to receive lectures; erosion has washed part of the school into the river.

“We have written series of letters to the ministry of education, Chief Inspector of Education to no avail. Even the Deputy Speaker who is representing us at the Delta State House of Assembly is aware of the deplorable condition of the school.

“We are appealing to the state government to come to the aid of Onyah people by posting teachers to our school, renovate the abandoned secondary school to enable the students to learn under comfortable environment.”

Also speaking, the Chairman, Parents Teachers Association, PTA, of the schools,

Mr Lawyer Chukudeme appealed to all relevant authorities to come to their rescue, saying “Onyah is in Delta state, so the dividends of democracy must not pass us by.

“All that we are seeing in these schools today have been the self-help effort of the community sons and daughters that wants to lay good foundation for the children residing in the area.

“We want the government renovate and post teachers to the schools because without education the future of our children is bleak”.

Lawmaker pledges govt intervention The Acting Chairman of Ndokwa East Local Government council, Hon. Dickson Okonta declined to speak on the issue but the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Friday Osanebi, urged the people of the community to remain calm and patient with the government assuring that their needs would be met. Osanebi who is the lawmaker representing Ndokwa East constituency, through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Agbanashi Obinne, said he had embarked on construction of new block of six classrooms in primary and secondary schools across the various wards in the Local Government Area as part of his constituency projects.

10 years after, Ogwashi-Uku town to get power supply DELTA… FINGER OF GOD

By Festus Ahon AFTER a decade of A darkness, the people of Ogwashi-Uku, hometown of former SABA—

Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Ubulu-Uku community in Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State would soon be connected to the national grid.

The state Commissioner for Energy, Barrister Newworld Safugha stated this in Asaba at a stakeholders meeting with representatives of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, led by the Chief State Officer, Engineer Albert Esenabhalu.

According to him, the Ministry is working with stakeholders to review BEDC’s distribution and performance in the state both in

•An abandoned classroom block

urban and rural areas, adding that there has been an appreciable level of improvement from BEDC. He said “henceforth the Ministry of Energy will be involved in all dealings between the BEDC and communities in a bid to curb issues that could lead to the communities being short changed or BEDC equipment being vandalized.”

On his part, Chairman of the State House of Assembly Committee on Power and Energy, Mr. Peter Onwusanya said government was working with the relevant agencies to ensure that the BEDC distributes power equitably to all Deltans.

The lawmaker called for patience, saying the Okowa’s administration is working hard to ensure that Deltans enjoy regular power supply.

He urged BEDC to invest in the rural areas which had been neglected, stressing that the need to bring those areas into the national grid was key to the total development of the state and the prosperity agenda of Governor

Ifeanyi Okowa.

The Chief State Officer of BEDC, Engineer Albert Esenabhalu urged consumers to pay their bills in a bid to sustain the distribution of power, adding that Delta State is critical to the sustenance of the company.

He said the company is working to improve power distribution in the state especially in the Asaba and Warri axis despite the challenges, revealing that work on the Ogwashi-Uku and UbuluUku axis has reached an advance stage.

Esenabhalu said though enumeration had been completed in Ogwashi-Uku, 26 transformers in the town had been vandalized.

He said: “a 35 KVA Step down transformer has been approved for the Ogwashi-Uku axis while the Agbor axis is already enjoying appreciable power supply.”

He reiterated the willingness of BEDC to give every home in Delta State electricity supply in spite of its operational challenges.

According to her, parents are withdrawing their wards from the school out of fear.

“The situation is worrisome here. Whenever there is heavy downpour the entire area is submerged up to the ‘C’ division. The water volume even pulled down barriers built around the pit side,” she said, adding that the school management had to lock the gates leading to the location of the pit, especially during school hours to prevent the pupils from going to the area.

Also, the Head teacher of the school, Mrs. Ndifreke Umoren, at an interactive session the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, held with the police community and stakeholders at the state police command, Uyo appealed to government to come to their aid.

She said: “When I was posted here on 18, February, 2014, I was told that in 2012 water was channelled to the back of our school, such that whenever it rains my blood pressure runs high because I know that for some days my children will be out of school.

Sometimes, we close the school two to three days until the water recedes. It is really affecting our academic work.

“My Commissioner of Police has really tried. We have written to the governor for help because the rains are here again.”But the IGP, who was on a working visit to the state assured that he would meet with the state governor to see what could be done to ameliorate their plight.

A police officer also told NDV that they hardly stay in their offices during the rainy season because of the flood menace. “From April when the rain starts, we usually roam this street because the whole area will be flooded. Some of us don’t come to work because there is no way you can enter the office,” he said.

Contacted, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Aniekan Umanah said the Chinese firm did not construct the Aka-Etinan road even as he promised to look into the matter by meeting with the Works Ministry to know efforts being made to address the problem.

MPI move to resuscitate Oil and Gas Research Centre Continues from page 24 future. Spiff said: “Our common dreams of equity, justice and greatness have turned to a living nightmare of poverty, youth restiveness, corruption and environmental degradation.

“Today’s realities present several challenges, one of which is the dwindling relevance of oil to the global economy. The immediate collateral implication of this is the loss of the traditional platform for organized agitation for improved living in the Niger Delta.”

Also speaking, the National Chairman of HOSCOM, Dr Michael Emuh, who described Oloibiri as a land of history and the minority that feeds the majority, regretted that in spite of its contributions to the nation’s economy, the area has been abandoned by the Nigerian state.

He expressed the hope that the Centre will usher in socio economic development and transformation of the area. The project, he added, would give the people of the area a sense of belonging and called for support from stakeholders.

State chairman of HOSCOM, Chief Bob Nabena, said several lip service and vain promises have been made to build an epic Centre in Oloibiri by successive governments to no avail and commended Mrs. Spiff for her passion to actualize the project.

Relic of anger National chairman of Ogbia Brotherhood, Chief Benson Agadaga, regretted that the Oloibiri Oil Well 1 has become a relic of anger to the people of the area due to the neglect it has suffered and described the occasion as a good avenue to reason in retrospect on the 60 years of oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta.

Agadaga noted that for equity and fairness to prevail, adequate compensation should be paid to the people of the area. He lamented that the area is yet to be connected to the national grid.

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 27

PDP Delta Central senatorial district gives Gov Okowa victory reception at Oghara

FESTIVAL — From left Chief Priest of Okere Community, Warri South Local Government Area, Ekeghoro Fregene, Eleghe Royal Masquerades, Mr. Joseph Ogun, an elder in Okere Community and a cross section of youths of the community at the Okere Market Square,, Warri, Delta State during the grand finale of the 30th Edition of Eleghe Royal Festival 2016, held weekend

From left, Senator Okowa, his wife, Dame Edith Okowa, and chairman of the occasion, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, former Minister of Police Affairs. Photos: Nath Onojake

A cross section of Stakeholders at the town hall meeting, at a town hall meeting, in Ogbia, Bayelsa State for resuscitation of Oloibiri Oil and Gas Research Centre, organized by Mothers for Peace Initiative, MPI.

From left, Dame Edith Okowa, Hon. Erhatake Ibori, and Alaowei Bozimo.

Agitated youths in peaceful protesting on the coastline in Ugborodo, Warri South LGA, Delta state, tasking elders and newly inaugurated Interim Management Committee in the oil rich community to facilitate elections of a new youth body one, year and eight months into expiation of the tenure of the last body.

From right, Chief Edwin Uzor, PDP Chairman, Delta State; Chief BSC.Ellue, former Delta State Deputy Governor, and Senator Patrick Osakwe.

From left, Alaowei Boziomo, and Hon. Festus Ovie-Agas, Secretary to State Government, Delta State C M Y K

Sir Festus Ahon (R), Olorogun Isaac Akpoveta and Mr Moses Ahon, during the Investiture ceremony of Sir Festus Ahon of Vanguard Newspapers and 22 others as Knights of St Christopher and Mary Magdalene of the Anglican Communion by the by Bishop of the Ughelli Diocese, Rt Revd Cyril Odutemu.

28 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 29

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30 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Oil revenue down by N1.1trn in one year

By Michael Eboh

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IGERIA’S earnings from the petroleum sector dropped sharply, as revenue from the sale of crude oil dipped by N1.114 trillion to N1.86 trillion in the 2015 fiscal year, data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has revealed.

The N1.114 trillion decline represents 18.35 per cent of Nigeria’s 2016 budget estimate of N6.07 trillion, and is attributable to the low price of oil in the international market, which saw the price of commodity dropping to as low as $30 per barrel.

According to the CBN Statistical Bulletins for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 20115, at N1.859 trillion, the country’s crude oil revenue for the 2015 fiscal year dipped by 37.47 per cent from N2.973 trillion recorded in 2014.

Giving a breakdown of the earnings, the reports pointed out in the first quarter, Q1 2015, the country earned N557.5 billion from crude sales, in Q2 N459.89 billion, while in Q3 and Q4, oil sales earnings dipped further to N426.15 billion and N415.82 billion respectively.

In comparison, in Q1 2014, N843.47 billion was earned from oil sales, while in Q2, Q3 and Q4, N866.35 billion, 679.42 billion and N584.08

billion were earned respectively.

As a result, the CBN disclosed that the country recorded gross oil revenue of N819.50 billion in Q2 2015, dropping by ¦ 372.28 billion or 31.24 per cent from N1.192 trillion recorded in Q1 2015.

The report also put the gross oil earning for Q2 2015 at N968.42 billion or 54.16 per cent, below the level in the same corresponding quarter of 2014. As a result, Q2 gross oil revenue met 60.35 per cent of its budget target of ¦ 1.358

At N1.859 trillion, the country’s crude oil revenue for the 2015 fiscal year dipped by 37.47 per cent from N2.973 trillion recorded in 2014

trillion. But after deductions of first line charges, net oil revenue stood at ¦ 626.84 billion, indicating a decline of N344.91 billion or 35.49 per cent, and N643.95 billion or 50.67 per cent, below Q1 2015 and Q2 2014, respectively.

For Q2 and Q4, the CBN said: “Analysis of gross receipts in the fourth quarter revealed that, at ¦ 811.82 billion, oil revenue accounted for 57.56 per cent of total federally-collected revenue, while the balance of N598.58 billion or 42.44 per cent, was collected from nonoil revenue sources.

RE-COMMISSIONING: From left, Team Lead of Task Force on Escravos-Warri Pipeline Rehabilitation, Mr. Ahmed Danladi; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; Coordinator of Task Force, Mr. Rabiu Suleiman; and Task Force member, Mr. Ahmed Barwa, during the re-commissioning of the 46-km Escravos-Warri crude pipeline.

Cost of 30-da ts can build 15 modular ref ineries — Don 30-dayy fuel impor imports refineries …Makes case for illegal refineries

A

By Sebastine Obasi

university don has argued that the cost of importing petroleum products for 30 days is capable of building up to 15 modular refineries in the country, even as he urged the federal government to tap from the technology of illegal refineries instead of destroying them.

A Director, Centre of Gas, Refining and Petrochemicals, Institute of Petroleum Resources, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Godwin Igwe, who said this at the African Modular Refinery Seminar in Lagos, also said modular refineries will diversify the Nigerian economy, with its security implications for the country.

According to him, “Modular refineries are required right now. Cost of importing fuel in 30 days is enough to build 10-15 modular crude refineries. The Government should therefore set up a guiding policy document (law) to enable entrepreneurs to develop the country.”

As regards illegal refineries, Igwe said: “We can train and turn the ‘illegal

refineries’ to ‘legal refineries. The ‘illegals’ already have the necessary raw production skills. We just need to provide guidance and training. The knowledge gap in distillation processes will be provided on appropriate standards, specifications, and catalysis.”

The university don listed the benefits of establishing 15 modular refineries to include: •Production of a combined volume of over 1,000,000 liters per day of petrol, diesel, aviation kero, kerosine, naphtha, and other petrochemical products •Creation of over one million jobs for Nigerian youths •Creation of over 1000 spin off medium and small businesses, such as shipping, engineering, construction, logistics, fabrication, and many more •Training of over 120,000 Nigerians and community indigenes • Provision of food and shelter for over 5 million Nigerians •Rejuvenation of our national economy with another “oil boom era”

and chance to export excess fuel produced by the refineries and earn forex from fuel export •Regeneration of various key socioeconomic sectors that can sustainably raise the Nigerian GDP •Oil communities can be transformed into an oil capital of Nigeria and Africa by forming oil community cooperatives and making them key stakeholders as joint venture partners in the ownership and operation of these modular refineries.

Igwe further said that the idea of modular refineries at strategic locations of the country will increase internally generated revenue and reduce fuel scarcity.

“The role of Federal and State Governments is to create enabling environment for all, including foreign, local investors, and the oil rich community cooperatives.

“Government should provide oil communities, indigenes an alternative sustainable source of income to foster a fresh sense of ownership and deep sense of commitment and responsibility for protecting all the Nigerian oil assets in their environment.“

PETAN commends Shell’s promotion of Nigeria content

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HE Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, PETAN, a foremost association of indigenous service companies has commended the pioneering role of Shell in the development of Nigerian content in the oil industry.

“Most of us have our roots here,” said the Chairman of the association, Mr. Bank-Anthony Okoroafor, as he led a team on a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, SNEPCo, Mr. Bayo Ojulari. “The relationship with Shell has given us the required foundation and encouragement and we are now in a position to add value to the operations of oil companies in Nigeria.”

Okoroafor, who was elected the Chairman of PETAN in March 2016, said the members were on a familiarisation tour of international and national oil companies to brief them on the rebranding of the group that will see it play a more active role in the development of the oil and gas industry, “especially at this time of cost pressures.”

He said PETAN had created target groups to liaise with oil companies, including SNEPCo, and would like to contribute solutions to challenges on projects, cost and production.

He added: “PETAN is already working with SPDC on an internship programme where graduates learn skills on one-year attachments to our companies and it will be very good to do the same with SNEPCo.” In his remarks, Ojulari commended the role of PETAN in the development of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, saying: “The new executive has come at a critical time in our industry. I would advise PETAN members to collaborate more effectively so they can present a unified front work that will be competitive in the global oil industry.”

The SNEPCo MD was accompanied by his leadership team, who highlighted various areas of potential collaboration with PETAN, including project implementation, cost leadership and valueadding service to the industry.

31— Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

DPR realises N10.7m from penalties against erring marketers …Improves monitory, supervision of downstream activities

By Clara Nwachukwu

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HARP practices among marketers and operators of filling stations have yielded about N10.7 million to the coffers of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR. Although penalties for sharp practices are not usually part of the major sources of revenue for the industry regulator, however, the agency said the fines became necessary to prevent marketers from taking advantage of consumers due to the current fuel shortages being experienced in Nigeria.

Data exclusively obtained by Vanguard on Friday, showed that the amount was realised for various market offences from the sale of premium motor spirit, PMS, also called petrol in the Lagos Zonal Office, which covers Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Kwara states.

Specifically, about 66 filling stations were fined for selling PMS above regulated and under-dispensing their pumps, from January 1 to April 18, 2016.

Market malpractices Speaking on the unethical practices, the Zonal Operation Controller, Mrs. Uto Iheukwumere, agreed that “Complaints are still coming about stations selling above regulated price of N86.50,” but added: “ we are going after them regularly.”

Sharp practices have become the order of the day among downstream operators, cutting across both major and independent marketers, who cash in on the scarcity situation to sell above the approved rate or under-dispense their pumps.

A consumer, who identified himself as Mr. Ola Femi, complained that he bought petrol at N250/litre from one of the major marketers’ outlets in Oyo. According to him, “Not only did I pay almost 300 percent above the regulated price, but what they filled in my tank was half water and half petrol,” adding, “I am still tackling the engine problem that has caused my vehicle.”

Corroborating, another motorist, Mrs. Angela Agu, told Vanguard: “These marketers are just callous. After queuing for three hours, I bought at N86.50/litre quite alright; but guess what? I normally fill my tank with N3,500 or so, about 40 litres; by the time I drove off my meter gauge did not even rise up to half the tank, meaning the outlet sold me half air.”

To underscore the high incidence of under-dispensing, the bulk of the money realised from penalties during the four

month period or N10.5million came from volume manipulations.

Enforcing regulation As marketers have become more brazen in their unethical practices, Iheukwumere told Vanguard that DPR has also stepped up its game in apprehending them, as the agency has adopted several measures to stem the tide.

She said: “We have also drawn a roster to cover the outskirts of Lagos and other states under the zone. We have stepped up monitoring activities, as we have our men following the products from the depots to the distribution points.

“These monitoring teams don’t just monitor the retail outlets; they also monitor the depots because there are complaints that some depots are selling above ex-depot price. But so far, there is no proof on this.

“The purpose of following the products from the depots to their destinations is to avoid

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erring marketers. Anywhere you buy above the official rate or you notice that the pumps under-dispensed, don’t ignore it because you are anxious to buy fuel, call us; telling us the exact location and name of the outlet and see if it will not be penalised.”

Specifically, about 66 filling stations were fined for selling PMS above regulated and under-dispensing their pumps, from January 1 to April 18, 2016

·Product diversion – N200/ Litre ·Under-dispensing – N100,000/pump She explained that “In addition to the fixed penalties, after three infractions DPR will revoke the marketer’s licence.

And if the marketer was found to be selling above the pump price, not only will the product be sold instantly at the fixed rate, the station will be sealed for three months.”

She added that the agency also engages in on-the-spot assessments, and if any marketer is found guilty of hoarding, apart from the N10million fine, the product will be dispensed free to motorists.”

Iheukwumere urged motorists to be patient and not to panic-buy, saying: “The Minister (Petroleum Resources) and NNPC are doing their best to restore normalcy in fuel distribution, particularly of PMS, which is in short supply.”

A typical fuel station. INSET: DPR boss, Mordecai Ladan

the incidence of hoarding and diversion. You hear NNPC saying they have brought in some cargoes and discharged this much product, we will ensure distribution is done rightly.”

As a result, she argued that it is uncharitable to say DPR is not doing enough in terms of market supervision, even as she admitted that “we don’t have enough men to man all the outlets in all the areas at the same time. This is why we are taking the areas one after the other.”

She also thanked some members of the public for facilitating the apprehension of some of the outlets indulging in malpractices, saying: “Some members of the public have been very helpful in giving us useful information on the operations of the retail outlets, especially when they are misbehaving.

“But the public can do even more for us to catch more

She equally encouraged motorists in all parts of the country to assist DPR in carrying out its monitoring and supervising the market, saying, “People should call us from everywhere; there are seven DPR zonal offices and 17 regional offices.

“We have set up call centres and if you visit our website you will see the official number of all the zonal and regional offices. So this is a shared responsibility so that DPR can become even more effective in the discharge of its functions.

Penalties against market infractions Although under-dispensing appear to be prevalent in the market malfeasance, Iheukwumere however, said DPR has fixed penalties for different offences, as listed below: ·Hoarding of product – N10million · Selling above pump price – N1million

As you can see, from the second quarter allocations, more serious operators have been licenced to import the product.

“Motorists should just not go and queue just for the sake of it; except they really need the product and not for fear that they might not see to buy when they need it.”

She noted that in addition to building the product reserves, NNPC is also concentrating on getting the refineries to work to fill up the supply gaps, adding that the fuel shortages would soon be over.

In confirmation, the Warri Refinery was brought back to operations on Saturday, as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, re-commissioned the Escravos-Warri-Kaduna crude pipeline.

Nigeria to adopt new oil master plan — Osinbajo

By Sebastine Obasi

M

ORE than five years after former President Goodluck Jonathan adopted a Gas Master Plan; the President Muhammadu Buhari government is set to adopt a new national oil and gas master plan that will promote modular refining.

Speaking at the African Modular Refinery Seminar in Lagos, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said: “The Federal Government would execute and adopt a national oil and gas master plan.”

Represented by Ambassador Jide olu, the Vice President disclosed that “Modular refineries must be part of our options. To that effect, our manufacturing and fabrication must be competitive in terms of quality and cost.”

Osinbajo also said that Nigeria is set to encourage indigenous companies take full advantage of the nation’s petroleum industry despite the prevailing low oil prices.

Although he did not explain further, he however assured that indigenous companies would be encouraged to establish modular refineries.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, PETAN, Mr. Bank-Anthony Okoroafor, said the establishment of modular refineries can boost supply of petroleum products by five million litres in two years.

He also advocated for the privatisation of the nation’s refineries to achieve efficiency, saying: “PETAN pushes for private participation in the running of the nation’s refineries. Let us privatise them if we want to achieve efficiency. The low oil price has given us an opportunity to invest in the sector now more than before,” he added.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 32

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: Mercury will start to go on backward motion soonest, therefore you will need to re-examine both your personal ideas and advice given to you by other people. Be family minded.

GEMINI: Avoided you don’t allow others to mislead you, things will not go wrong. The more willing you are to take the initiative the better for you. Take your love life more seriously.

CANCER: Although you will need to be as secretive as you can, your success will attract others’ attention to you to the betterment of your cause. Be ambitious.

LEO: People who more influential than you will be willing to support your cause but you will need to make the necessary move. The more self assertive you are the better.

VIRGO: Challenges of yesterday will today bring you good opportunities along your career/business lines to the betterment of your finances seek supporters of powerful ones.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Rsted

ECENTLY, a journalist acme and co wanted to know from me what my expectation is concerning the new government. My answer simply is:

Limiting your expectation I expect nothing special. Before you crucify me, let me ask you. Haven’t we been having new governments

TERROR MUDA

in Nigeria? Government come and go but our problems don’t just remain, they get bigger and bigger.

in “Never say goodbye”

Over the years, I have learned not to expect much from government as well as individuals. My policy is: blessed is he that expects nothing for he shall not be disappointed.

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA: Think of the best way to improve on your working pattern in order to enhance your career prospects if you listen to your creative self, things will work out fine for you. Be more loving.

SCORPIO: Success is boldly printed on your cards today.

Think of both immediate and far future while you are savouring goodies offered you but mother nature.

SAGITTARIUS: You should not have it tough while trying to win the needed supports of others. Take good advice from some of your friends who are creatively gifted.

CAPRICORN: Your creativity ...... is enhanced today and if you demonstrating this within your working arena, you’ll earn success and consolidate on your recent progress.

AQUARIUS: As mercury prepares to go on backward motion it is important you don’t take things for granted. Watch carefully what you agree to do.

PISCES: Better than yesterday. Others will be willing to give you the needed co-operation both at home and within your working arena. This is a good day for lovers.

ARIES: Those of you who are more enterprising will have much to show for your efforts. The more cooperative you.

Don’t neglect love.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

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 does future have for me?

Dear Joshua, I don’t want you to publish my data. However, I want to know how the planets lined up when I was born. And which day of the week was I born, would I record success in life ? When would my success come?

Baruwa, Lagos.

Dear Baruwa, You were born on a Jupiter ruled day - Thursday.

You’ll succeeded earlier than you think.

YourHoroscopeData DAY OF BIRTH: THURSDAY SUN SIGN = PISCES: SUN IN 25TH DEGREE OF PISCES MOON SIGN: PISCES: MOON IN 21ST DEGREE OF PISCES MERCURY IN 28TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUS VENUS IN 28TH DEGREE OF ARIES MARS IN 7TH DEGREE OF CANCER JUPITER IN ZERO DEGREE OF AQUARIUS SATURN IN 27TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN URANUS IN 22ND DEGREE OF LEO NEPTUNE IN 11TH DECREE OF SCORPIO PLUTO IN 6TH DEGREE OF VIRGO NORTH NODE IN 6TH DEGREE OF PISCES CARDINALANDMUTABLESTARSIGNHOSTEDTHREEPLANETSEACH, FIXED AND WATER FOUR EACH, FIRE EARTH AND AIR HOSTED TWO EACH. PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 40% NON-PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 60% HIGHLY HIGHLIGHTED STAR SIGN = AQUARIUS FINAL DISPOSITOR = SATURN ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA Saturn as the final dispositor-the most influential planet at home when you were born, pointed to you as an ambitious person who must have a well developed career. You are a disciplined person with higher degree of leadership quality in yourself.

Although, you can be emotional, you are stable and reliable. Less than 50 per cent ofpush-fullinfluenceinyouisanindicationofyourbeinganamiableperson.Bothyour natalsun/mooninPiscesandAquariusareindicationsofcharacteristicofstarsignsare highly pronounced in your inner-self Having your hands on public pulse will always bring you unexpected success and fulfilment.

Around your 30th birthday an endless cycle of great success and achievements will startforyou.Oil-petrolchemicalswillfeatureinyourlifewhenthepredictedgreatcycle getsstartedforyou.

Congratulation.

Dear Joshua, I have written you many letters without response, I hope I will be lucky this time around.What’syoure-mailaddress?

Although,Iaminterestedinmyfinancialaffairandwillliketoknowwhatawaitsme 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,threethingscanmilitateagainstyourfinancesnamely;inabilitytoholdon toyourgainsfortoolong(miscalculation)jealousyandocculticmanipulationbythose who are green with envy.

Yet,whateverhappens,direfinancialmisfortuneisnotmeantforyou,especiallyifyou heed advice from your star; your being spiritual will assist you.

FortunateplacementoftheMoonandVenusinLibraandSagittariusendowedyou 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,yourhiddenaggressivepersonalityandtendenciestoworrywillcomeout totheresentmentofmembersofyouroppositesex.

Someothertimes,youpromisemorethanyoucandeliver.Thenyoursisajealoussoul (yeseverybodywasbornwithjealoustraits)butyoursisextraordinaryandifyouhave reason to doubt the other person, you may not be able to forgive.

Thesummaryhereisthatthere’snotmuchspiritualaspectworkingagainstyouhere butyourtoostrongorpowerfulpersonalityiswhatyouwillneedtoworkon:ifatallyou have problem with love. One sure bet is members of your opposite sex cannot do withoutyourmagneticpose.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26 26, 2016

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34 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

NDDC MD: A-Ibom lawyers drag Buhari, Saraki, others to court

By Chioma Onuegbu

U

YO—FOUR Akwa Ibom State-based legal practitioners have dragged President Muhammadu Buhari before a Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, over non-appointment of an indigene of Akwa Ibom as Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, after the sack of Bassey Dan-Abia midway into his fouryear tenure.

Other respondents in the suit are the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and acting Managing Director of NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari.

The lawyers, Aniekan Akpan, Essien Obong, Akpadiaha Ebitu and Emmanuel Ukor, chairmen of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Eket and Oron branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, respectively described as unlawful, the appointment of a non-indigene of Akwa Ibom State after the termination of the appointment of immediate past Managing Director, Mr. Dan Abia on December 21, 2015.

Citing relevant sections of the NDDC Act, the plaintiffs in the suit are, therefore, seeking a declaration “that the premature termination of Dan Abia's appointment as MD of NDDC by

the President before the end of the four-year tenure allocated to Akwa Ibom State is unlawful and a gross violation of the people’s right.

They are also asking the court to declare that “Semenetari’s appointment is illegal and a gross violation of the right of Akwa Ibom people, particularly lawyers of Akwa Ibom origin, and equally a violation of the principles of proportional sharing of bureaucratic offices as enshrined in the Federal Character Commission Act Cap

F7 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The plaintiffs, who recalled that Dan Abia was appointed on December 3, 2013, urged the court to declare that Akwa Ibom is the legitimate state statutorily entitled to produce an “Acting” or ‘substantive’ Managing Director of NDDC presently to continue and complete the four years tenure of office allocated to the state by the rotation arrangement as enshrined in Sections 3 and 12(1)(d) of the NDDC Act.

They are praying the court to compel the President to terminate Semenitari’s appointment.

They are also seeking an order of the court compelling the President to “Immediately appoint any Akwa Ibom State indigene as “Acting” Managing Director or alternatively, the Managing Director of NDDC and present him to the National Assembly for confirmation to complete the four years tenure of office allocated to the state.

COMMISSIONING: From left: Divisional Head, Large Scale Enterprises, Bank of Industry, Mr Babatunde Joseph; Acting Managing Director\CEO, Mr Waheed Olagunju; Representative of Edo State Governor and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Abdul Oroh; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs JemitolaNanah and Executive Director Corporate Services and Commacial, Mr Jonathan Tobin, during the commissioning of Low-Cost-Off Grid 24KW Solar PV MInigrid Project at Obayantor 1 village, Edo State.

Implement recommendations of NIPSS study groups, Okowa urges FG

A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—DELTA State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to implement recommendations of different study groups of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, for the benefit of the people.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by members of Executive Course 38 of NIPSS who were on a study tour of the state, Okowa said that the NIPSS, on a yearly basis, comes up with topics and recommendations designed to reposition the country economically, lamenting that recommendations from the institute were not being implemented for the benefit of Nigerians.

He said that the theme of the study tour, “Strengthening Institutional Mechanism for Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Development,” was apt, based on the current economic realities in the country.

He said: “Every year, various study groups make recommendations on topical issues affecting the nation which are not implemented. I want to call on government to take these studies C M Y K

seriously, examine the issues and resolutions on the topics raised so that they can impact on our people.”

Saying that the best way to reduce poverty was for the country to depend less on oil economy and diversify into agriculture and entrepreneurship, Okowa said: “Dependence on oil economy may give rise to good Gross Domestic Product but it is less inclusive in development of human resources.”

Meanwhile, Secretary to the Delta State Government, SSG, Chief Festus Agas, yesterday, said that the state accounts for one third of the entire volume of oil and gas being produced in the country.

Agas, who made the disclosure when he also played host to the NIPSS Course 38 Study Group in his office, said: “This explains why the state hosts some of the country’s major oil-based industries and facilities”.

On efforts being made to reduce poverty in the state, the SSG said the state government through its Youth A g r i c u l t u r a l Entrepreneurship Programme, YAGEP and Skill Training and Entrepreneurship Programme, STEP, had trained and established over 1,300 youths in their areas of choice so as to make them self employed and employers of labour.

Edo 2016: PDP sets up 15-man c'ttee

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—AHEAD of the 2016 governorship election in Edo State, the state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has set up a 15-man committee to interact with the governorship aspirants of the party with a view to having peaceful and successful primaries.

Vanguard learned that the committee is made up of five National Assembly members while others are leaders of the party from the three senatorial districts of the state.

The decision was sequel to a meeting presided over by the former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, at his residence in Benin City, weekend. The four aspirants of the party, Matthew Iduoriyekenwem, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Osaro Onaiwu and Chief Solomon Edebiri were in attendance.

Chief Anenih, who addressed the meeting, stressed the need for party members to search for a credible and an acceptable candidate who is capable of defeating whoever the ruling

All Progressives Congress, APC, produces.

He reiterated that there was no anointed candidate in the party and urged the aspirants to avoid campaign of calumny and avoid actions capable of creating crisis in the party.

Also at the meeting were the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, former Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, and other chieftains of the party.

Oil workers vow to stop fuel supply to A-Ibom

By Victor AhiumaYoung

U

YO—NIGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and its Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN, counterpart have threatened to stop the supply of petroleum products to Akwa Ibom State from May 2, raising fears that ongoing fuel scarcity may worsen in the state and its environs.

The two unions handed down the threat following plans by Universal Energy Company Limited, (an oil producing company) based in the state, to sack almost half of its workers from May 1. They urged the state government to call the management of the company to order before the situation degenerates.

Acting General Secretary of NUPENG, Mr. Joseph Ogbebor, told Vanguard, yesterday, that though the company claimed that the falling price of crude in the international market had affected it negatively, hence the decision to retrench, labour found that the real intention was for the company to bring in casual workers.

8,000 A-Ibom women benefit from CBN'S SME loan scheme

By Tom Moses

U

YO—APPROXIMATELY, 8,000 Akwa Ibom State women have benefited from the first phase of the state government/Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Small and Micro Enterprise loan scheme aimed at empowering the women to be self-reliant.

The governor’s wife, Mrs. Martha Emmanuel, disclosed this, yesterday, at a prayer meeting organised for women in the state, saying that the scheme, which would be carried out in batches until the target women were accommodated and empowered, advised the first set of the beneficiaries of the scheme to invest the money prudently.

Mrs. Emmanuel also advised the women to embrace love in their daily activities, as “it is the strongest force that can bind people together irrespective of tribe, ethnic group or religion.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 35

Lekki building collapse: Residents, homeowners disclaim call for class action Stories by KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

A

GAINST the backdrop of a call by Ms. Funke Aboyade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, urging homeowners and residents in all the estates built

by Lekki Gardens Homes Limited to file a class action to seek judicial reprieve following the uncertainties surrounding the firm because one of its buildings under construction

collapsed in Lekki recently, the residents and homeowners under the aegis of Committee of Lekki Gardens Residents’ and Homeowners’ Associations, have disclaimed the call.

According to the associations at a meeting in Lekki Gardens Phase 1 Estate last week attended by their executive council members, a full page advertorial in one of the national dailies sponsored by the SAN about two weeks ago,

had suggested that the advertorial was published on their behalf.

But in a swift reaction to the publication and a similar publication in Castles magazine of April 10th to 16th, 2016, with the caption ‘Lekki Gardens Saga’, the committee comprising seven associations unanimously denied the publication and its sponsor. The associations present at the meeting include Horizon 1 Estate, Horizon 2 Estate, Lekki

Chevron Paradise 3 Estate and Lekki Gardens Phase 3 Estate.

Others are Lekki Gardens Phase 4 Estate, Lekki Gardens Phase 2 Estate and Lekki Gardens Phase 1 Estate.

They deposed that “The residents’ and homeowners’ associations are not in support of this suggested course of action as we believe that the government authorities are fully capable of doing their jobs under the circumstances. We take very strong exception to

•Some of the houses in Port Harcourt

N26bn P-Harcourt golf estate gets July hand-over date D EVELOPERS and promoters of 720-unit Golf estate located on Odili Road, Trans Amadi, PortHarcourt, Rivers state, TAF Nigeria Homes Limited, at the weekend disclosed that July 2016 has been earmarked for official handing over of the expansive residential housing estate which cost of development is put at whopping N26 billion to the investors.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Port-Harcourt-based real estate development firm, Mr. Mustapha Njie, who gave the handing over date while giving an update on the mixed development project that is sitting on 38 hectares of land, said already, 220 families have

taken delivery of their various housing types ahead of the official handing over.

According to him, a few housing units remaining to be completed in Phase 1 and Phase 2, are already in finishing stages, assuring that they will be definitely be completed before the July date.

A joint venture between Rivers state government and TAF Nigeria Homes Limited the project.

The gated community comprises 200 two-bedroom apartments, 408 three-bedroom apartments, 30 three- bedroom town or Terrace houses, 32 fourbedroom town or Terrace houses, 10 four-bedroom villa or duplexes and 21 fivebedroom villa or duplexes.

Others include shopping mall, recreational facilities, and nine hole Golf Course. The Golf Course comprises 128 four and five-bedroom luxury villas under Phase 3 development plan of the estate.

Financed by First Bank, Aso Savings and Loans and Zenith Bank, amenities provided in Phases 1 and 2 include a Club House, shopping centres, sports centre, recreation centre, central water sewage system and power supply. Other facilities are 24-hour electricity and water supply, round the clock security, garbage collection and maintenance of streets and public areas.

Mr. Mustapha Njie also explained that the joint venture agreement gives government a stake in the project, adding that the decision to venture into the

Nigerian real estate market was motivated by the huge housing gap in the country.

TAF boss noted that the Rivers state government believes that sustained infrastructure development is pivotal for economic growth and employment generation in the State, adding that through the partnership, the state government is committed to addressing the social and economic challenges of the people of the state by providing affordable home ownership as well as creating employment opportunities for various skilled and unskilled people such as engineers, electricians, builders, construction labourers, and a whole lot of people in the entire distribution chain.

The developer signed a joint agreement with the Rivers State Government in December 2012.

Works started on site in March 2013 under three phases.

those parts of the publication where it was alleged that the investors were aware or suspected that the buildings being built by Lekki Gardens were defective. We deny this in its entirety.

“All the housing estates developed by Lekki Gardens and occupied by investors and residents have legally registered residents’ and homeowners’ associations representing their interests.

The suggested class action is not in the best interest of the investors and residents.

“The houses developed by Lekki Gardens already belong to investors as the homes are sold off plan. In whose interest is the SAN acting? Her proposed course of action to institute a class action is premature and shall be counter - productive at this stage.

“We therefore call on all investors and home owners to reject the advert and rather join hands and work with the residents’ and homeowners’ associations, who have jointly disclaimed the advertorial in order to protect our investments in our own way.

We believe that it will amount to double jeopardy for some people to attempt to use this misfortune of Lekki Gardens Limited as an opportunity to increase their own fortunes at our expense.

“The residents’ and homeowners’ associations believe that no one can love us more than ourselves and any solution that is not supported by the people directly involved is window dressing and at best an exercise in futility.

“It is instructive to note that amongst the numerous home owners, residents and investors in the estates of Lekki Gardens Estates Limited are many senior and vastly experienced lawyers who have reviewed the facts of this matter and come to the conclusion that the institution of a class action at this present moment is not in the interest of the investors and is not the best approach to adopt in order to protect their investments.

“For the avoidance of any doubt the respective residents and homeowner’ Associations categorically state that they have not engaged Ms Funke Aboyade, SAN or any other legal firm or practitioner to either institute a class action or make any legal representation on their behalf.

“While we express our deepest sympathy to the families of the people who lost their loved ones or who were injured in the unfortunate incident, we are compelled to take a stand in the unfolding drama as directly involved persons in this whole case”, the committee of associations said.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Mrs Nkiru Olumide-Ojo (middle), leading other Stanbic IBTC staff in the distribution of mosquito nets to pupils of Adekunle Anglican Schools, Makoko, Yaba, Lagos, to mark the World Malaria Day. PHOTO: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

MINISTER'S FACTORY TOUR: From left— Managing Director, Lucky Fibres Plc, Mr. Deepak Singhal; Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar; Head, Human Resources, Mrs Oluwakemi Ajibade, and General Manager, Jitesh Pamnani, both of Lucky Fibre, during the factory tour of Lucky Fibres in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

HONOUR FOR NDUKWE: Former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe (middle), flanked by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Uche Ikonne (left) and Registrar, Dr. Evelyn Iheukwumere, both of Abia State University, during the conferment of Doctor of Science degree, honoris causa, on him at the school's 24th convocation.

SOLAR POWER: From left— Divisional Head, Large Scale Enterprises, Bank of Industry, BoI, Mr. Babatunde Joseph; Acting Managing Director\CEO, Mr. Waheed Olagunju; representative of Edo State Governor and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Abdul Oroh; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Jemitola Nanah, and Executive Director, Corporate Services and Commercial, Mr. Jonathan Tobin, during the commissioning of low-cost-off-grid 24Kw solar PV minigrid project at Obayantor 1 village, Edo State.

ANTI-MALARIA: Head, Marketing and Communications, Stanbic IBTC,

INVESTITURE:

The investiture of Mrs Olapeju Sofowora (right) as the new Chairman of Young Women Christian Association of Nigeria, YWCA, Lagos branch.

MTN'S HEARING AID: From left— GM, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Richard Iweanoge; MTN Executive, Amina Oyagbola; Principal Mgr, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, Mrs. Rita Wachuku; Visafone Dealer, Hadjia Hadiza Abdulkadir, and GM, Northern Region, MTN Nigeria, Adekunle Adebiyi at a forum organised for Visafone customers in Abuja.

MTN'S HEARING AID: From left— Portfolio Manager, Economic Empowerment, MTN Foundation, Ms. Foyinsola Oyebola; Permanent Secretary, Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Cecilia Inyang; Director, MTN Foundation, Mr. Reginald Okeya, and Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, during the assessment exercise of the Foundation Hearing Aid Support Project in Uyo. UNITY SCHOOLS OLD STUDENTS: From

left— National President, FGC Jos Old Students Association, Dr Rotimi Olaniyan; National President, FGC Ogbomoso Old Students Association, Mr. Francis Orbih, and Professor Chidi Odinkalu, newly-elected President-General of Unity Schools Old Students Associations in Abuja.

PAN MEETS: From left— GM, Natnudo Foods Nigeria Limited, Mr. Toromade Francis and guest speaker; GM, Sales and Marketing, Livestock Seeds Plc, Adedeji Adegboyega; Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN, Lagos State Chapter, Prince Adetoyi Olabode; Ajiran of Ojomuland, Oba Akinsateru Akinloye, and Executive Vice President, Animal Care, Mrs. Agbato Olufunmilayo, during a stakeholders meeting of PAN in Lagos, yesterday.

YOUNG LAWYERS:

From left— Former DG of Nigerian Law School, Mr. Tahir Mamman; Mrs Priscilla Ogwemoh, Pa Tunji Gomez, Mr. George Etomi, Mrs Joy HarrisonAbiola and Chairman, NBA, Lagos Branch, Mr. Martin Ogunleye, at the Young Lawyers' Mentoring programme launch in Lagos.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26 26, 2016

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38 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26 26, 2016

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40 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

‘Imo PCC disposed 302 cases in 2015'

Anambra Central: ADC candidate drags INEC to court over Obi

By Chidi Nkwopara

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—THE controversy trailing the rerun of the Anambra Central senatorial election has taken a new dimension, with the candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) in last year’s election, Comrade Anayo Nweke dragging the Independent National

O

WERRI—IMO State Office of the Public Complaints Commission, PCC, said it successfully disposed 302 out of the 405 cases it received in 2015, while only 103 cases are pending and still under investigation.

The state PCC Commissioner, Chief Ambrose Ugboaja, who disclosed this yesterday, in Owerri, while presenting the 2015 Annual Report, also promised that the Commission would remain in the vanguard for equitable, fair and prudent use of and exercise of administrative powers in the conduct of both public and private incorporated businesses.

“A careful but dispassionate analysis of the complaints received, initiated and rejected, revealed a near collapse of governance in Imo State, for the period under review.

"All actions or inactions of government were politically motivated and arbitrarily driven,” Ugboaja said.

He particularly recalled how Imo State Civil Service Commission by a mere circular, relied on a wrong premise and elongated the service period of the state Auditor General.

“The beneficiary had already attained 35 years of pensionable service and the circular extended his retirement to 60 years of age, not minding the fact that 35 years of pensionable service was first in time”, the Commissioner said.

Electoral Commission, INEC, to court, urging it to stop former Governor Peter Obi from participating in the election.

The ADC candidate also wants the Federal High Court sitting in Awka to restrain INEC from fixing a date and conducting any fresh election for Anambra Central without concluding the pending appeal between the

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Chief Victor Umeh, the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the zone.

In the suit number FHC/Awk/ CS/69/2016 dated 12th April, 2016, the plaintiff sought for a declaration that it is only the candidates/political parties that participated in the first election

that can participate in the fresh election as ordered by the Court of Appeal, Enugu Judicial division.

He also sought for a declaration that INEC cannot validly conduct a fresh election in Anambra Central Senatorial district for the 2015 election without concluding the appeal in the matter between PDP and Umeh.

Work as one, MASSOB warns IPOB, laments activities of some members

By Anayo Okoli

U

M UA H I A — T H E Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has condemned what it called the struggle for supremacy in the structure of the Independent People of Biafra led by detained Nnamdi Kanu, saying that it was not healthy for the group.

MASSOB has therefore dismissed the alleged divisive activities of an elder statesman, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, saying he was not genuinely fighting for the interest of the Biafran struggle.

MASSOB, in a statement signed by the National Director of Information, Comrade Samuel Edeson described Ikedife’s activities in the struggle as “a virus and questionable”, alleging that he has been fraternizing with

President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“MASSOB wishes to clarify itself on the supremacy claims by Nnamdi Kanu’s led IPOB & Rtd Justice Eze Ozobu led Supreme Council of Elders of IPOB which has brought no good to Biafran struggle. It is understandable that there are many groups agitating for the restoration of Biafra through their different methods, approaches and applications.

Power outage: Awka youths take to the streets

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—HUNDREDS of youths and community leaders from Agulu-Awka in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State yesterday took to the streets to protest consistent lack of electricity supply in the area for the past six months.

The protesters, who assembled at about 7.00a.m., blocked the gate of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, on Zik’s avenue, causing traffic gridlock and prevented customers and staff of the company from going in and out of the company.

The demand of the protesters to have an audience with the

manager of the company, Mr. Ogunmola, fell on deaf ears and this almost led to a fracas between them and security operatives who were there in large number.

It, however, took the intervention of a former chairman of Awka South Local Government Area, Mr. Ikechukwu Okoye to calm frayed nerves.

Leader of the protesting youths, Mr. Chidozie Oforah, said the area has not been given light by EEDC for the past six months, despite the fact that they have been paying their bills regularly.

According to him, the situation has become unbearable for everybody that lives in the seven villages that make up Agulu-

Awka, regretting that many tenants in the area have packed out, while businesses that require the use of electricity have folded.

The councilor representing the ward, Mrs. Chikaodi Nnonyelu said she had spent over N200,000 to buy cables to repair the damaged line on the instruction of EEDC officials, but regretted that all the efforts were in vain.

She also said that the transformers mounted in the area were donated by Senator Ben Obi and former Governor Peter Obi, adding that when the darkness continued, EEDC officials instructed them to write a petition to the company, which they had done five times.

“This is because the integrity and genuineness of some of the groups are questionable as some elements among them do not show true spirit of Biafra. Dr. Dozie Ikedife of Supreme Council of Elders of IPOB is among them.

MASSOB sees Dr. Dozie Ikedife as a threat to the aspirations of the Supreme Council of Elders because of his open and systematic political romances with the Buhari-led administration.

“Dr. Dozie Ikedife as executive member of Supreme Council of Elders [allegedly] led some Igbo elders to congratulate Buhari in Aso villa when he emerged as President. Again, as one who claims to be an Indigenous person of Biafra, he has never condemned or spoken against the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu; the killings of unarmed and non-violent Biafran demonstrators and several human rights abuses against Nnamdi Kanu by the Buhari led administration.

“General Joe Achuzia, who is the Secretary General of Supreme Council of Elders of IPOB and other respected Igbo elders, have severally spoken out against the detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the killings of Biafra agitators and other injustices meted against us," the group said.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

Can a man really love and be faithful to one woman?

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an I stay faithful to one woman? Short answer, yes! I would rather be going to the beach, travelling or reading a book than wasting that little spare time I get from my job on chasing after every skirt that I see. -Mr. Timmy Jaiyeola, Freight-Forwarder C M Y K

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believe that the incentive to be faithful to your partner is premised on your nature. Some people have the ability to love one person and yet be sexually involved with another or several others — not to say that it is right, but it happens. -Mr. Martins Dickson, Self Employed

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an a man love one woman totally? Of course, he can love one woman, but still dog on her. Not to hurt her, but to satisfy something he is not equipped to deal with. No man can ever love one woman. -Mr. Chinedu Chinweoda, Graduate

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es! A man can love one woman, just like a man has a special connection with his mother. But remember faithfulness and love are not exactly the same thing. Love does not happen in a few months, it takes many qualities. -Miss Oluchi Nwaihesie, Student

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love and respect my wife and enjoy being married to her. This also helps a lot because to so completely disrespect her and our relationship by jumping some nymph just does not enter the equation. For me, it is far out. Mr. Tunde Owolabi, Worker

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t takes special effort. Yes, being faithful is easy when the man decides to deal with it only in his idealistic world. In the real world though, it’s a jungle out there. Men are many times hit by feelings in places they didn't even know they had. -Miss Olanma Brenda, Worker

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 41

State, local govt joint account, a fraud — BELLO

By Wole Mosadomi

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INNA—GOVERNOR Abubakar Bello of Niger State has described the joint account being operated by some state and local governments in the country as fraud and an avenue to perpetrate corruption.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Minna yesterday to address various problems facing the state, the governor

declared that with the economic problems facing the state, the citizens should brace up for the challenges ahead to experience the much needed developments in the state.

According him: “Joint Account is an avenue for corruption. We have to change this idea and allow them to be autonomous. I am not interested in local government money. They should be allowed to manage their funds and even encouraged to improve

on their Internally Generated Revenue.”

Bello said for the past months, the state had been left with no option than to go cap in hand to borrow from some commercial banks to pay salaries of workers, pointing that the financial prospect of the state was very bleak judging from the financial mess the country had found itself and called on residents to brace up.

Some commissioners, including

that of Finance, Local Government, Chairman SUBEB, Head of Service gave a breakdown of income and expenses of the state from January to buttress the submission of the Governor on the problems confronting the state.

Some of the participants also had the opportunity of either contributing on a way forward or asking questions on some grey areas which the governor proffered solutions to.

FULANI HERDSMEN:

Catholic Order advocates dialogue with stakeholders

By Josephine Agbonkhese

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OLLOWING rising cases of attacks on communities across the country

by Fulani herdsmen, the Catholic Grand Order of Knights of St. Mulumba, Nigeria, KSM, has called on the Federal Government to engage Fulani leaders, herdsmen and other stakeholders in a roundtable to proffer solutions to the menace.

While expressing worry that the herdsmen menace is assuming a very dangerous dimension one too many with prevalent issues such as corruption, fuel scarcity, inadequate social amenities, security and internally displaced persons’ ordeal, the Order said killing of local farmers and destruction of farmland and crops needed urgent attention.

The Worthy Supreme Grand Knight in Nigeria, Anthony Onuh, told newsmen in Lagos that the herdsmen worked for cattle owners and could take no action without the consent of their bosses, noting that “all these stakeholders should be called together to stem this vandalism.”

Senator Smart Adeyemi (3rd left), Deputy Gov candidate to the late Alhaji Abubakar Audu, Hon James Faleke (4th left) and a cross section of APC leaders cheering as the Senator registered as a member of APC in Iyara ward, Ijumu Local govt at the weekend.

Bauchi, CSOs partner to improve healthcare services

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI—BAUCHI State government is collaborating with Civil Society Organizations, CSO in the state to improve primary healthcare services.

Deputy Chairman of the State House of Assembly Committee on Health, Saleh Umar, spoke yesterday when he received members of a delegation of the

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy centre, CISLAC who paid him a visiti.

According to him, the present administration was focusing on primary healthcare in its efforts to provide quality health services to citizens of the state, particularly women and children.

He said since the inauguration of the assembly, a lot of laws had been passed on health matters, adding that there was no

Monarch tasks Berom on cultural festival

By Gloria Adokwu

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OS—CHAIRMAN, Plateau State Council of traditional rulers and the custodian of Berom Culture, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, has called on sons and daughters of Berom land to join hands in sustaining the cultural festival of the people.

He advised Beroms and their friends to key into the efforts of his council and all Berom district heads to ensure peace and unity reign among them and their neighbours. “We fought hard to get where we are today and God has made it possible through his grace to restore the glory of our land” he noted.

Addressing a mammoth crowd that thronged the Rwang Pam Township Stadium, venue of Nzem Berom 2016, Da Jacob Buba also warned trouble makers C M Y K

to keep off Berom land and the Plateau landscape in general, stressing that anyone or group of people caught in act of cattle rustlings or farm destruction would not be spared by security agencies.

On the gains of Nzem Berom 2016 with the theme “A Culture Brand for Unity, Peace and Progress” Gyang Buba encouraged his subjects to revert

to farming and hospitality enterprises which are the mainstay of Berom economy.

“We must not forget to till the lands and take advantage of every opportunity to encourage both Nigerians and foreigners alike to visit Jos Plateau again.

“Ours is the home of peace and tourism and all hands must be on deck to project a peaceful Jos,” the monarch noted.

delay in assenting health bills, saying : “Since the inception of this house to date, lawmakers have engaged in activities pertaining to health in the state. ''In the area of maternal health, lawmakers have contributed their quota by distributing delivery kits to pregnant women at primary healthcare centres across the state and supplied drugs such as zinc and malaria tablets. The house has also ensured the speedy passage of health bills and the prompt/timely budgetary releases of funds for healthcare services.”

Earlier, a member of the delegation, the Technical Consultant of Child and Health, Abuja, Dr Mohammed Saleh said the organization was in the state to key into existing structures of the state by working with the executive and legislatures to engage the government on key challenges that affected family and child health as well as breaching the gap between healthcare providers.

N1.4BN FRAUD:

Court sentences ex-Kogi lawmaker to 154-year jail

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday secured the conviction of a former member of the Kogi State House of Assembly and former Caretaker Chairman, Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of the state, Gabriel Daudu, for a N1.4 billion fraud.

Mr. Daudu, who was first arraigned in April 2010, was prosecuted by the EFCC on a 208-count charge bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who tried the case at the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, found him guilty of 77 counts and sentenced him to 154-year imprisonment.

In his ruling, the trial judge held that the prosecution proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt, and therefore sentenced Mr. Daudu to two years on each of the 77 counts to run concurrently.

Before the conviction of the politician, prosecuting counsel, Wahab Shittu, tendered various exhibits before the court and fielded 13 witnesses to prove the case against him.

In the course of the trial, Justice Ekwo indicated that the trial might have to start afresh as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, asked Justice P.M. Ayuba of the Lokoja Division of the court to take over the case.

However, Mr. Shittu pleaded with Justice Auta to review the decision. The Chief Judge, thereafter, returned the case file to Justice Ekwo, who, Monday, found Mr. Daudu guilty of the 77 counts.

Since the sentences are running concurrently, Mr. Daudu will spend only two years in jail.

NSCDC boss seeks stronger private guards for national security

By Angela Okpe

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OMMANDANT General Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abdullahi Gana Mohammadu has called for refocusing and strengthening of the private guards industry towards ensuring professionalism and

effective contribution to national security.

Abdullahi stated this at the opening ceremony of the third Edition of Security Management Training for Directors and Senior Managers of private Security firms in Nigeria, at the Civil Defence Academy, Sauka, Abuja.

He said, the choice of the theme for, “Managing and best Practice for a world class private Security Business, exploring the prospects and Challenges” was borne out of the yearning for an enhanced security, targeted towards attainment of the much desired peace and development of the economy.

He said “Our collaboration with the institute of security in Nigeria in this regards is borne out of our desire to always align with stakeholders who share the same vision with us to impart additional knowledge and skill to operate in the industry, that could act as a vehicle to take us to our collective destination.''

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016—43

Naval men want to kill me — Merchant Navy boss •alleges police connivance

By Esther Onyegbula

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he Commandant of the Nigerian Merchant Navy, Commodore Allen Benson Edema, over the week, raised alarm from the confines of a police station at Tolu, Lagos state, alleging that Naval officers attached to Western Command, B-Croft, Apapa, were after his life. In fact, he claimed to be speaking from Tolu police station where he has been under protective custody based on constant assault by men of the Nigerian Navy in Apapa.

S.O.S through text message In a text message he sent to our reporter, Edema said: “On Monday April 18, 2016, between 5.00 and 6.00 p.m., three members of the Nigerian Merchant Navy who just left my hotel at Okun- Owa, Apapa, were accosted by three men who claimed to be Nigerian Navy officers. The three Naval Officers attacked my men, accusing them of impersonating the Nigerian Navy. All attempts by my officers to explain to them that they were not impersonating, that their agency, the Nigerian Merchant Navy, Coast Guard, Maritime and Petroleum Security“and Safety Corps is registered with ranks, uniforms and kits by the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry, fell on deaf ears.

The attack According to Edema, “Immediately I came out to buy some drugs at a nearby Pharmacy, I met some of my men being attacked. As soon as they saw me, they called my attention. The Nigerian Navy officers turned on me and shouted; ‘oh you are the Edema our FOC has been looking for.”?

They immediately pounced on me, assaulted and almost

C M Y K

rendered me naked. One of them wore a name tag that reads; Ahmed Eddy NMSB-CROFT, while two others fled. We, however, succeeded in dragging the one we identified as Ahmed to the nearest police station at Tolu Police where we incidented a report of assault against him and others.

New twist Explaining further Edema said he was shocked to the marrow when instead of impartially investigating the complaint, the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) of Tolu Station released Ahmed Eddy, the Nigerian Navy Officer and instead, detained him, the complainant.. Ever since my detention, officers of the Nigerian Navy, Western Command, have mobilised and are laying ambush for me and my men, and threatening openly that their FOC wants us dead or alive.

I have already made a statement in the police station alleging the plot by FOC and his men to me and my members.”

Another naval invasion It was learned that in the

Immediately I came out to buy some drugs at a nearby Pharmacy, I met some of my men being attacked. As soon as they saw me, they called my attention. The Nigerian Navy officers turned on me and shouted; ‘oh you are the Edema our FOC has been looking for.

•DG Edema

early hours of the next day after the incident, some naval men operating with 2 OP- Messa Hillux Vans, invaded the residence of one of the members of the Nigerian Merchant Navy, Joseph Ekimbe, residing in Apapa. He was fortunate not to be around when they came. The naval men also invaded the hotel where Edema was lodging including the police station asking the police to release him to them.

How it all started The face-off between the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Merchant Navy has been a lingering problem which had even caused the Senate Committee on Navy headed

by Senator Bode Olajumoke, to summon the Nigerian Navy high Command and the DG of the“NMN. Both parties were asked to go and maintain peace. The Office of the Inspector - General of Police and the Public Complaints Commission had also at different times, intervened in this matter.

Edema laments Lamenting, Edema noted that it is worrisome that officers at Western Naval Command are fixated with hatred for the Nigerian Merchant Navy. “Sometime in 2004, a High Court in Lagos gave an Order that the Nigerian Western Naval Command, B-Croft Apapa should desist from further violating the rights of

members of the Nigerian Merchant Navy. But they have continued to do this.

The Nigerian merchant Navy is also a stakeholder with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency. It is clear from the foregoing that the NMN is not an illegal or criminal organisation as the Nigerian Navy, Western Command continues to propagate, “Edema further stated.

Police reacts When contacted, Lagos State Police spokesperson, Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmus, simply stated; Allen Benson Edema was involved in a case of assault and he has been charged to court.”

44—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

•Ihim: Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly

•Okorocha: Governor of Imo State

IMO HOUSE: The fire within THE indefinite suspension of three members of the Imo State House of Assembly last week is the latest political intrigue to have surfaced in the state

IMO HOUSE:

By Chidi Nkwopara

I

T s no longer news that three members of Imo State House of Assembly were slammed with indefinite suspension last Wednesday, April 20, 2016, by the Speaker, Chief Acho Ihim. By the time you will read this piece, the affected lawmakers must be thinking, planning or possibly carrying out one of the several options open to them.

Share of the suspension Those shoved aside during the Wednesday plenary included two All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers, Lawman Duruji (Ehime Mbano) and Ngozi Obiefule (Isu), as well as Obinna Egu of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, representing Ngor Okpala state constituency. The three senatorial zones of the state had a share of the suspension.

But the current action of the Speaker did not just come from the blues. It was a response to an internal upheaval in the legislature, which has been on for quite awhile. The first plot to remove the Speaker via a palace coup d’état failed at the last minute, as the alleged plotters could not agree on who the principal officers of the Assembly should be.

Not long after the first botched attempt, stories started making the rounds again of another clandestine plot against the

The fire

Speaker, by some members of the legislature.

Vanguard investigations revealed that the plotters had allegedly been meeting behind closed doors, over what they called “the sins” of the Speaker.

According to another story making the rounds, all the principal officers of the Assembly, including the Deputy Speaker, Ugonna Ozuruigbo, the Majority Leader, Lugard Osuji, would have been swept away, if the alleged plot succeeded.

Speaker's Sin: However, the alleged “sin” of the was his stout resistance to do anything that would either create anarchy in the state or unnecessarily pitch the legislature against the

Not long after the first botched attempt, stories started making the rounds again of another clandestine plot against the Speaker, by some members of the legislature executive.

A lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity told Vangard that “just recently,

only about 14 official vehicles were received by the Speaker for distribution to members of the House”, adding that “the Speaker, who has been using his personal cars for official purposes, distributed the available vehicles without allotting any to himself”.

While wondering if this was also part of theSpeaker’s sin, the lawmaker further disclosed that “while the plotters were meeting, credible information on their meeting venues and decisions continued to filter into the Assembly Complex and we all continued to play along, as if we did not know what they were planning”.

Continuing, the lawmaker said it was at the last meeting that they agreed on their modus operandi during the next plenary session, stressing that it was no longer a shock to those who had knowledge of the plot, when the arrowhead started acting out the script.

“The alleged plot became public property when,

disagreements began during a meeting in the Speaker’s Office.

The alleged disagreement spilled over to the plenary session after some lawmakers allegedly met secretly the previous day in Concorde Hotel, Owerri”, the lawmaker recalled.

Vanguard was also told that some of the anti-Chief Ihim lawmakers had earlier appended their signatures to a s u p p o s e d impeachment document before the plenary, preparatory for the removal of the Speaker.

Preparatory to this plenary session, two Owerri based newspapers had gone to town with an unfounded news item that alleged a fraudulent act against the House leadership.

Armed with a copy of the paper, the lawmakers then got prepared for the final onslaught.

Apparently aware of the alleged plot against him, the Speaker denied Duruji the opportunity to present what he termed “a motion of urgent importance”.

This engineered a verbal crossfire between the Speaker and Duruji. When the Speaker noticed that the situation was g r a d u a l l y degenerating to an unpardonable shouting march, he wielded the big stick and immediately sacked the three lawmakers from the Assembly Chambers.

Speaker wields big stick Announcing the indefinite suspension of the lawmakers, Chief Ihim noted that “the image and integrity of the House has been severally battered and ridiculed by the unsavoury conduct of the suspended members”.

While announcing that “a disciplinary committee would be constituted to investigate their matter”, the Speaker however maintained that “the House leadership can no longer fold its hands and watch some of our members tarnish our hardearned image and that of the state government”.

When anxious journalists contacted Mrs. Obiefule for comments, she described her suspension as “unjustifiable”,

adding that she did not know what she did to warrant the punishment slammed on her.

Obiefule recalled that she never stood up or uttered a word when one of her colleagues was engaged in the shouting march with the Speaker.

In his own reaction, the Speaker’s Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Bennett Ilochonwu, denied any knowledge of the alleged clandestine plot to unseat his boss, as well as any link of the lawmakers’ suspension to the alleged plot.

The choices before the suspended lawmakers are many, but not limited to going to court to contest their suspension, planning a counter attack or simply lobbying their colleagues and government officials for reprieve.

A government official who spoke to Vanguard on the unfolding drama in the Assembly, reasoned that going to court would not be in the immediate interest of the suspended lawmakers.

“Going to court is an option open to the suspended lawmakers. However, by virtue of the legal rigmarole associated with the Nigeria legal system, this may take a long time to actualize”, the government official said.

He also reasoned that planning a counter attack will not help them either, as other lawmakers are now fully aware that the Speaker’s searchlight is fully beamed on some suspected members of the brewing political uprising.

In his own reaction, Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, distanced his principal from the current happenings in the Assembly.

Speaker’s searchlight “The Governor has no hand in the suspension slammed on the three lawmakers. The Governor believes in the independence of the legislature and he has maintained this stance over the years. So, it would be most uncharitable to bring in he Governor into the show”, Onwuemeodo said.

According to the Governor’s CPS, the lawmakers have rules governing their activities, adding that they know how and when to adopt any disciplinary measure against any or some of their members.

In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP caucus in the State Assembly has announced a change of their Principal Officers.

According to a letter read during the plenary by the Speaker, the member for Ahiazu Mbaise, Kenneth Agbim, takes over from Obinna Egg as the new Minority Leader, while Emma Orie replaces Mike Iheanetu, as

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016—45

Ending malaria in Nigeria for good

PDP has nothing to campaign with in Edo — ERIBO MR. Crosby Osadolor Eribo is the member representing Egor constituency and chairman House committee on Appropriation. He was a three term Chairman of Egor Local Government. In this interview, he speaks on issues pertaining to the forthcoming local government elections, rebuffs allegations against Governor Adams Oshiomhole raised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) among other issues. Excerpts:

By Simon Ebegbulem

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HY is the Edo State House of Assembly seen as being subservient to Governor Oshiomhole?

I categorically want to say that the Edo State Sixth Assembly is not an appendage of the executive arm of government.

The fact that we in the APC are in majority does not mean we should not have good working relationship with our PDP brothers. And our views are always of the same opinion because we have not gone out of our way to do what is wrong.

What people don’t even understand is that we check the executive seriously in house but •Eribo it is not something we can go out to tell world about and that is why we been campaigning that the APC are all proud with what the Comrade government is over taxing the people Governor is doing. which is a big lie. The taxes being paid Why was it then difficult for the Speaker today have been there but what happened to swear in the PDP lawmaker from was that the Oshiomhole administration Etsako? decided to implement it because it is a The whole world got it wrong. I serious administration and that is why happened to be in the Speaker’s office today we have good roads. when the Speaker himself advised the PDP governorship aspirant, Osaze Izegentleman to go to Abuja and authenticate Iyamu recently alleged that N30billion his certificate of Return because I think was expended on Edo University Iyamho there were one or two petitions as regards to the detriment of other higher to that. And this would not have taken institutions in the state, how do you react the gentleman one or two days to handle to that? but unfortunately his party the PDP went When that same man was in the ACN round town to make noise about this. But then, he was dining and wining with the I can tell you that the Speaker was not Comrade Governor. He was the right hand just being vindictive he was just following man of the governor, why is it that it is the rule of law whereby you as a lawmaker now that he went to PDP he is criticizing even the good works of the governor? He should abide by should stop fooling people and if he has the constitution. records of the money as he said he should The courts have come forward with them and tell the whole decided and the world. gentleman has been sworn in and Outgoing he is already part governor of us. As we are talking now, we are twenty Don’t forget that if you point at some members of the body, the remaining four fingers are pointing back at you, he should know that.

APC and four PDP members. People Rather than criticizing Oshiomhole as he misunderstood the is doing now, he should tell Edo people situation, it was what he wants to do for them. He is acting just a mere advise like somebody who is empty in terms of Tell me but the PDP ideas, criticizing Oshiomhole and what the decided to blow it outgoing governor who unfortunately for up. him has done well for the people, that will PDP has How is your not help him. And let me tell you, as the done that party going to get member representing Egor constituency, credible person to we have seen elections in this state and they are s u c c e e d the forthcoming elections will be easier going to Oshiomhole? for the APC. There is no But the governor is being accused of use to shadow of a doubt alleged attempt to impose a candidate for campaign about the the party? forthcoming I have always said it, it is only natural election that APC for every parent to like one child more than will win. Tell me what the PDP has done the others, you might not show it but it is that they are going to use to campaign. It the truth. The governor probably has a is normally said that if you are not popular soft spot for Obaseki whom he has worked you cannot rig election, so assuming they with over the years and I don’t see are hoping to rig they cannot rig in this anything wrong in that. environment. Am aware that they have

By James F. Entwistle, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria

I

N the past 15 years, Nigeria has made historic progress in turning the tide against malaria. Since 2011, an aggressive program to fight malaria in Nigeria reduced mortality rates among children under five by 18 percent, and malaria among this same group declined by a remarkable 15 percent.

Although this is impressive, worldwide progress on malaria control during this same period resulted in infection rates dropping globally by 60 percent.

As we commemorate World Malaria Day on April 25, we celebrate this success. The United States, as the world’s leading donor in global health, remains strongly committed to working with Nigeria and all our partners to intensify the efforts to free people from the tremendous burden of malaria.

Despite Nigeria’s tremendous progress, we must remain committed to our fight against malaria. More than 430,000 people around the world still die each year from this preventable and treatable illness.

Ninety percent of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The vast majority are children under five, as malaria kills one of our children every two minutes.

Malaria sickens hundreds of millions of people over and over again.

Health costs and lost productivity More than half of all school absences in Africa are due to malaria. The disease costs the continent billions of dollars each year in health costs and lost productivity.

In Nigeria, the National Malaria Elimination Programme estimates malaria costs the Nigerian economy 132 billion naira ($660 million) annually.

I am proud that the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) continues to play a key role in the global fight against malaria. PMI, which supports 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, provides Nigerian communities and families with a mix of tools to fight malaria, including longlasting, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, indoor insecticide spraying campaigns, the latest drug therapies to treat infections, prevention treatment of malaria in pregnancy, and community education campaigns. Treated mosquito nets are a

h i g h l y effective means of preventing infection and reducing malaria transmission.

In Nigeria, •Entwistle PMI works with national partners such as the Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Elimination Program. PMI also works with international partners such as the UK Department for International Development, the World Health Organization, and the Global Fund to reach and maintain universal coverage with long-lasting, insecticidetreated nets for all individuals living in malaria endemic areas. This year alone, PMI will provide 8.7 million nets to families in Nigeria.

The United States also supports the Nigerian people by training medical personnel and community health workers to care for people with malaria. This past year alone, PMI supported training for nearly 7,000 health workers around the world in malaria case management. PMI also provides the test kits and medicines to help those patients who come to them.

In just the past year in Nigeria, PMI procured 19 million anti-malarial treatments and more than 6 million rapid diagnostic tests kits.

The most exciting news about malaria is that it can be eradicated. To make this happen, we must recognize that we do not need to accept malaria as being a normal part of life. If we sleep inside a treated net every night, if we seek treatment from a qualified health worker within 24 hours of the onset of a fever, we can drive down the presence of the malaria parasite in our environment and ultimately eliminate it. Despite our impressive gains, we still have much work to do. We must improve the protection of expecting mothers and their newborns from malaria. During pregnancy, malaria can cause particularly serious, lifethreatening risks for both the mother and her baby. Common problems include maternal anemia, miscarriage, prematurity, stillbirth, and low birthweight in newborns.

Jonathan calls for strengthening of democracy in Africa

F

ORMER Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, at the Mayor’s office in Newark, New Jersey, yesterday, spoke to the to Friends of Africa coalition on the theme of strengthening democracy and elections and also touched on some of the legacies of his administration.

Jonathan who said real democracy would continue to flourish in Africa as long as leaders “value the process (of elections) more than the product of the process,” also argued that if the process that brought leaders to power “did not flow through the people, they naturally administered their governments to, first and foremost, serve the constituencies that brought them to power.”

The former president said he was fulfilled that during his tenure as Nigeria’s president, the nation emerged as the largest economy in Africa and the 24th largest in the world. Jonathan had, April 21, met with the CEO of Moskeeto Armor, Robin R. Crespo and his team as part of events leading up to the World Malaria Day on April 25. Moskeeto Armor manufactures clothing to protect against malaria, the zika virus, Dengue and other

vector-borne diseases.

Moskeeto Armor was successfully clinically field-tested in Nigeria in 2014. When worn by children as a stand alone product, Moskeeto Armor was 90 per cent effective at reducing malaria infection rate, and when combined with a bed net, the Moskeeto Armor combination was 97 per cent effective at stopping the spread of malaria.

The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation is partnering with Moskeeto Armor to protect African children against malaria and other vector-borne diseases. “The simple principle of ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself ’ lays a foundation of commitment to protecting nations,” said former President Jonathan during the meeting with Moskeeto Armor.

Continuing, he said “these crises caused by such small insects, transmitting these deadly diseases, have devastated so many lives across Africa and the world, but with one just small idea, there is hope for a better tomorrow.”

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

FG to commercialise civil service

By Favour Nnabugwu

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LANS are underway by the Federal Government to redesign its ministries for revenue generation under a unit known as Commercial Business Development, CBD, to boost its dwindling income.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, said the civil service under her watch was committed to enhancing revenue generation and wealth, following the submission of report by the technical committee on enterprise culture and commercial orientation.

Oyo-Ita, who stressed the need for revenue generation from the federal civil service, said it would go a long way in a u g m e n t i n g government’s dwindling revenue through commercial activities that would help to boost the revenue capacity of the civil service

... probes MDAs on budget fraud

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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HE Federal Government has begun investigating heads of major parastatals that lent themselves to be used as conduit by politicians in siphoning huge sums of money budgeted for vital but non-executed projects.

The investigation is being coordinated by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and related anticorruption agencies, with a view to pinning down the arrowheads of budget fraud, which has robbed the country of billions of Naira since the dawn of democracy in 1999.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, told Vanguard that the number of agencies involved in the orchestrated crime had been compiled, along with the amount of money lost, but refused to give the figure and names of the affected agencies.

Sheriff, PDP chair, intensifies lobby as zoning c'ttee meets today

By Ben Agande

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BUJA—THE National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has intensified lobby to continue in office just, as the zoning committee meets today to resolve dispute over which section of the country should hold the office and other strategic positions in the party.

According to party sources,

Senator Sheriff, Sunday night, met behind closed doors with the former National Chairman of the party, Adamu Muazu, in Abuja for about an hour.

One of the sources told Vanguard that the meeting was at the instance of Senator Sheriff and might be connected with his desire to continue in office after the three months that had earlier been approved for him by the National Executive Council,

NEC, and members of the National Working Committee, NWC. It was further gathered that prior to his meeting with Adamu Muazu, Senator Sheriff had met with the former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, and some members of the former PDP Ministers Forum, and was able to sway some of their members to see reasons why the party ’s zoning

arrangement should remain in the North-East preparatory to the 2019 elections.

Meanwhile, a member of the Board of Trustees of the party has said that it was unconstitutional for the party to zone its positions to a specific zone in the country.

Meanwhile, the party’s zoning committee, headed by Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State, will meet today in Uyo to take decision on the zoning of the party’s positions.

CANNES AWARDS: From left— Print Category winner, Adefolaju Tella; Cyber Category winners, Azad Abdullahi and Adekunle Koledoye; and Film Category winners, Samuel Oludare and Jephthah Nwabuisi, all from Insight Communications Ltd., at the Cannes Lions Nigeria Awards in Lagos.

Liquidity squeeze in banks over N720bn forex bid

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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NTERBANK money rates may sustain upward trend this week as banks line up over N720 billion for foreign exchange bid on behalf of their customers today.

Interbank rates on overnight funds are expected to hit double digit, up from average 5.1 percent closing rate last weekend, following further liquidity squeeze arising from the forex bid.

However, banks’ treasurers said the rate spike would likely be moderated by a cash inflow of about N96.4 billion they are expecting from maturing government securities on Thursday.

Also the banks are expecting over N300 billion inflows from Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, later in the week, though only about six banks would be taking over 80 percent of the total amount, leaving the other 17 to struggle with the liquidity squeeze.

Confirming the liquidity situation, market analysts at Sterling Capital Management, an arm of Sterling Bank Plc, said: ‘‘We expect rates to trend upward as banks make provision for forex purchases.

However, the release of statutory allocations for the

month of March may moderate rates.

“Coupled with the expected inflow of N96.4 billion from maturing 274-day OMO (Open Market Operation) bills on Thursday, April 28, will also boost liquidity.”

Analysts at Afrinvest West Africa, a Lagos-based investment house, said: ‘‘In

the week ahead, we expect money market rates to trend upward in the earlier trading sessions of the week as DMBs (deposit money banks) make provision for foreign exchange, but will decline towards the week’s end as DMBs get refunds for unfulfilled bids at the forex intervention auction.”

Prisons Comptroller-General takes responsibility for assault on Rep

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—COMPTROLLER General of Nigeria Prisons, Peter Ekpendu, yesterday, told the House of Representatives Committee on Interior investigating the alleged assault of a female lawmaker, Evangelist Joan Mrakpor, that he had decided to take responsibility for the actions of his officers.

Meanwhile, a group of lawmakers, Integrity Group or House of Commons, has decided to drag Ekpendu to court to ensure that those behind the alleged assault were brought to book.

However, the investigative public hearing also witnessed a twist on what was reported last week over the alleged

slapping of the lawmaker, as all the security agencies at the entrance of the National Assembly, known as the Mopol Gate, denied witnessing any slapping incident during the fracas.

The Jagaba Adams Jagabaled committee was also told that the Comptroller General of Prisons had already left the gate where the incident took place.

In his opening speech at the public hearing, Jagaba told all the parties that neither the House nor the committee had taken any position as all will be given fair hearing.

House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, said: “No responsible legislature all over the world will sweep such act under the carpet.”

IG reads riots act to capital market frauds

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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HE Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has warned that any capital market operator found defrauding investors will be dealt with.

He issued the warning yesterday when the management of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, led by the Director-General, Mounir Gwarzo, paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja office.

He noted that interagency collaboration between the Police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and SEC was in the right direction, as they were all committed to deliver on the mandate of protecting life, tangible and intangible properties of the citizenry.

Earlier, the SEC boss noted that the cooperation between the law enforcement agencies, especially the police and the commission, was important to ensure that operators abide by the laid down rules and procedures and to also ensure that perpetrators of fraudulent activities were brought to book.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 47

By Theodore Opara

Hitech innovations await visitors to Lagos Motor show T

HE 2016 edition of the Lagos Motor show, which will kick off on Thursday at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, will provide Nigerians the opportunity to see the latest technologies and innovation in the automotive industry.

While some of the auto makers are shying away from showcasing what they have achieved within the two years of the policy, the likes of Toyota Nigeria Ltd, PAN Nigeria (Peugeot), Leventis Motors, United Vehicle Assembly Limited, DANA, and Globe Motors are poised to show Nigerians the enormous progress made so far by showcasing the cars that rolled out from their various plants.

According to the organisers of the fair, over 70 reputable and major players in the automotive industry from across the continents will be parading their products which cuts across original spare parts, tyres, engine oils, auto plants, as well as insurance companies.

While Toyota will be parading their full range and the locally assembled Hiace bus, BriscoeFord will be showcasing the Ford range led by the award winning Mustang Sport car, known in the auto circle as the iconic sport car.

be the brand to watchout for as they will unleash the full range of their models, which cuts across passengers cars, (Sedan), sport utility vehicles and pickups vans.

Interestingly, leading insurance companies like Cornerstone, Old Mutual, FBN Insurance will be on ground to educate visitors on the importance of insurance in an economy like ours, while System Refinishes Ltd (Sikkens) will be available to prove why they are the preferred brand for auto painters in Nigeria. The motor fair and auto-parts Expo is organised by BKG Exhibitions Limited and SENEXPO International Fair Inc. of Istanbul, Turkey.

Over 50 companies are expected from Turkey, China, India, United Arab Emirates and Nigeria. In a telephone chat with Vanguard Motoring, Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu, Managing Director of BKG Ltd said: “As part of our efforts in promoting investment into the automotive sector, all strategies have been deployed to ensure that the fair, more than ever before, receives the needed attention from participants, institutional, trade, professional and individual buyers as well as visitors.

Local assembler

PAN takes car acquisition scheme to Lagos Motor Show

Peugeot, which has maintained the lead as a local assembler for over three decade, will be showcasing the locally assembled 301,508 Sedans as well as the Peugeot Teepee bus and 4008. It will also use the opportunity to display the potentials of local content in their manufacturing.

Leventis Motors will take one of the biggest spaces to display its array of brands including the Foton, Volkswagen Trucks, and Eicher products.

Leventis is assembling Foton Trucks and buses at their Ibadan plant, while plans have been concluded to commence assembling of Volkswagen truck in few months time.

Globe Motors, which added Hyundai passenger cars to its product line up, in addition to Mercedes-Benz passengers cars, will also be parading the locallyassembled Chinese brand, Higer, which has been making waves in the Nigerian one ton pick up and mini bus segment.

Dana Motors representatives at Kia and Renault brands will

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HE 11th Lagos Motor Fair will have a Made in Nigeria flavour as foremost auto assembler, Kaduna based PAN Nigeria Limited will be displaying a range of locally assembled vehicles at the fair which is slated for Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos from Thursday, April 28 to May 4.

PAN’s Head of Corporate Communication, Nura Maska, said his company will be displaying locally assembled automobiles, including the new Peugeot 508, 301 and the Expert Tepee all assembled in the PAN Kaduna plant.

And to make the acquisition of new vehicles easier for prospective buyers, PAN has introduced the Peugeot Vehicle Acquisition Finance Scheme, PVAFS, currently going on with Access Bank, FCMB and JAIZ Bank.

To further encourage low and middle income earners to buy brand new vehicles,

•Peugeot 301 •Corolla

•Ford Mustang

Increasing hot weather, FRSC cautions against sub-standard tyres

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HE Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has advised motorists to pay more attention to their tyres, especially with the increasing hot weather being experienced across the country.

Corps Marshal and Chief Executive Officer of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, gave this

PAN will have the Peugeot 301 conspicuously displayed. The Peugeot 301 is a silent power horse that is delivering all the ruggedness of the former 504 and at the same time giving more comfort and safety features. The 301 is assembled in Kaduna by PAN Nigeria.

Available in three trimsAccess, Active and Allure, the Peugeot 301 comes in two engine variants, including 1.2 and 1.6 litre power plants.

The 1.2 litre engine comes standard with manual transmission, while the 1.6 litre engine version is equipped with automatic transmission.

Taking into consideration the tropical weather, Peugeot has ensured that all versions of 301 come with factory fitted air conditioning system, eve as the Allure version is equipped with electronic system.

When it comes to ground clearance, the car is not a

advise during a chat with Transport Editors at their Ojodu, Lagos office.

According to him, tyre burst is one of the factors responsible for road traffic crashes. In his words, “some tyres are expired, some are substandard products, some

push over, as ample ground clearance is provided so it can dominate all terrain, be it smooth or rough. Coming with a 15-inch alloy rim, and reinforced suspension, it fits perfectly on the Nigerian roads.

Other features of the car, which was nominated for Car of The Year at the last Nigerian Auto Journalists Awards, NAJA, include rear parking sensor, touches of chrome, electronic windows and dual air bags among others.

It also has Anti-Lock Braking System (which is a safety feature), power steering, height adjustable steering, giving room for easy adaptability to different drivers irrespective of their heights; radio/MP3/CD player/USB Bluetooth as well as centralized key/locking.

Just like other Peugeot models 301 are environmentalfriendly. The engine’s emission successfully passed stringent environmental tests in Europe, even as the fuel efficiency is arguably the best in its category.

are under-inflated, some are over-inflated, and some have been handled wrongly by vulcanizers.”

He frowned at situations whereby some importers bring in agricultural and winter tyres without minding our weather condition and warned the importers to stop making the country a dumping ground for sub-standard tyres. The FRSC boss recalled that last year, the corps purchased some tyres which didn’t last up to one year. To this end he called for the setting up of a tyre company in the country to save the situation.

“There is need to bring back tyre manufacturing companies in Nigeria to save the situation,”he stated.

While he called on vehicle owners and drivers to pay attention to the way and manner their tyres are fixed, and to ensure that their tyres are installed with all the knots tightly fitted and intact, the FRSC boss also called on vehicle owners to be conscious of the fact that the hot weather conditions these days also have significant effect on the tyres, hence the need for all motorists to adopt common sense speed limit.

He stressed that most substandard tyres wear out quickly under the weather condition currently being experienced in the country, thereby losing its grip on the road as a result of gradual meltdown in quality.

48 — Vanguard, TUESDAY , APRIL 26, 2016

Estimate bills and total collapse of power supply

Ambode and Lagos lights Dear Sir, CROSS the world today, even in the most concealed village, electric lights are integral part of human existence.

In our clime, one of the most fundamental ways that any government could actually touch the lives of the citizenry is through provision of basic light infrastructure.

It is this realisation that the Akinwunmi Ambode administration in Lagos State has embarked on the Light up Lagos project.

The project is conceived to light up major highways and streets in the metropolis with the ultimate goal of boosting commercial activities, enhancing security, improving the citizenry’s standard of living as well as boost the aesthetics of the CityState.

In accordance with the administration’s all inclusive governance philosophy, the light up exercise covers the five divisions in the state.

Thus far, some of the areas that have been lit up include Maryland to Mile 12, Oworonshonki to Kara through Alapere, 7up Toll Gate and Berger,

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Martins Street/Ereko, Brook Street, Lagos Island, Olowookere street, Alimosho, Old Ota road, Alimosho, Cemetery road, Badagry, Ligali Ayorinde, Victoria island, Babatunde Anjous, Eti-Osa, Itire road, Surulere, Bode Thomas, Surulere, Coker street, Ilupeju, ApapaOshodi expressway, Gbagada

by Charley Boy Bus stop Hakeem Balogun-Jobi Fele Way, CBD, Ikeja, Berger-Ogunwusi Road, Ojodu, Pen Cinema to Oba Akran, Ikotun to Egbe by Synagogue Church, Lagos-Ibadan expressway by Berger bus stop to Third Mainland Bridge among numerous others. The ultimate target of the project is the development of a Lagos that is safe and secured Lagos, that operates a 24/7 economy.

Presently in Lagos, highway/street lighting ensures safety to literally every resident by providing guidance and direction across the metropolis. Lagosians have now use to driving through the streets, rural roads and busy urban thoroughfares, relying

Kogi's many headaches Dear Sir, NE should not say it’s too early to start complaining about governance in Kogi state since the present administration of Governor Bello’ just assumed office. But this notwithstanding, one should not also be keep quite when all is not going well in the state.

Since the inauguration of Gov. Bello as the fourth executive governor of Kogi State, the State has remained static compared to the previous administrations of the late prince Abubakar Audu, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and the immediate past Gov. Capt. Idris Wada.

The state has been in turmoil. It's been from one problem to another, ranging from constitutional crisis to political crisis, administrative crisis to economic crisis and development crisis. The Governor who took the oath of office on January 27th, 2016; has first cried out of state financial status “state is broke”.

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However, the unwise decision of the Governor is to appoint men whose competence are now subject to query in some quarters to his cabinet as senior special advisers and special assistants is beginning to raise dust.

The problem rocking the Kogi state's House of assembly started when Governor Bello’s assumed office. The governor can’t distance himself from Kogi State House of Assembly's problem.

Kogi voted for change and not anarchy and impunity. Kogi voted for change and not suffering and corruption. Kogi voted for change and not sentiment. Therefore, there is need to advice Governor Bello to appoint technocrats into his cabinets and abide by the rule of law to ensure credibility, accountability and transparency in order to bring back the lost image of the state.

Ikani Joshua ,Dekina, Kogi State.

08067960155 joshuaikkani@gmail.com

on improved visibility and safety afforded them by generous lighting conditions provided by several street light standards along the roadways.

Street light standards Similarly, the safety and ability to maneuver along walkways and sidewalks, in both congested and remote areas, is tremendously enhanced for commuters, pedestrians and other road users as a result of improved lighting.

Improved night economy is one other major benefit of the Light up project. In most major cities of the world, socioeconomic activities take place 24 hours around the clock. A 24 hour economy is one in which socio-economic activities do not halt at night.

Presently in Lagos, entertainment spots such as restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, cinemas, casinos, concert halls, theatres and licensed clubs are ‘alive’ as a result of the light up Lagos project.

Tayo Ogunbiyi, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Ikeja, Lagos.

Senate bow to public opinion Dear Sir, URRAY! The Senate finally bowed to pressure to suspend action on the Conduct of Code Tribunal CCT, and the Code of Conduct, CCB amendments.

This is the beauty of democracy. The voice of the people and reason finally prevailed. Legislative ragamufianism and Constitutional impunity was truncated.

We thank the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC/ Trade Union Congress TUC,PRESS, activists, social media gladiators and Nigerians for their their dogged support.

The principles of vox populi vox dei must remain and continue to remain the bedrock of our young democratic process.

Bobson Gbinije, (MAP), Mandate Against Poverty.Warri, Delta State.

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DISCO cannot distribute power supply to it customers for more than 3 months, because Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, cannot transmit power to DISCO, but prefer to supply electricity to factories and yet they are sending estimated bills to residential customers!

Enough is enough of estimate bills.

The federal government, Senate and the Minister of Power, Housing and Works, Mr Babatunde Fashola should with urgency provide a lasting solutions to these crazy bills and estimated bills do sent to residential consumer without power supply.

Anonymous writes in from Lagos state

Extortion in FRSC and Immigration

While the federal govt is hunting down corrupt individuals,at frsc+immigrations it is business as usual , raw cash over approved services. e.g drivers’ licence is N15,000 , International Passport is N25,000 up.

Government needs to tackle systemic corruption to deter public servants who see their offices as a goldmine else we view the fight against corruption with cynicism as cosmetic.

Anonymous 2348067199894

Ministerial appointment

When President Buhari said ministers are noisemakers he knows what he is saying! If the names of some alleged persons who were screened by the DSS is anything to go by. Names like Femi Falana, Pat Utomi, Amaechi, Fashola amongst others are real noise makers.

Mr. Babatunde Fashola is a lawyer and a SAN, while appointing him as the minister of Power, Housing and Works when he is not an engineer? The hand that carries the rotten fish, carries its smell too.

Anonymous +2347052624455

Alleged cancellation of Maritime University

Whereas, former President Goodluck Jonathan was establishing learning institutions and creating additional universities and Almajiri Schools for Northern youths to encourage them to acquire knowledge, for the Arewa consultative forum to applaud Rotimi Amaechi on the proposed cancellation of Maritime University, because a northerner is the president of Nigeria at the moment also exposes them as ungrateful elements.

The FG cannot use the Gbaramatu people’s resources to implement projects outside their area.

Anonymous2347052624455

Gov Okowa, local govt workers and pensioners

It is strange that since the emergence of our amiable governor he has been paying only civil servants and completely neglected council workers/pensioneers.

It is pertinent to state here that no Governor can emerge without winning 2/3 of the local government in the state .

Thus the basis of election is the local Govt and not the number of ministries.

During campaigns the local Govt chairmen,councellors and workers are critical to the success of the campaign. It is therefore unimaginable that such critical workers/pensioneers should be neglected. Congrats for Supreme court victory – Dedemo+2348074490347

Alleged removal of host communities from PIB

The alleged removal of host communities fund from the PIB will reduce the Bill to a barmicidal- dish and the Host Communities to socio-geo-economic and bio-geographical brummagems. lt must be resisted by all Niger Deltans through ‘ intellectual militancy.

Enough is enough of this horrendous theatrics of suicidal enslavement from 1956 till date.

All our Governors,Politicians, Legislators and activists etc must come together to fine tune the logistics. It is a war that must be won. Be Prepared .

Chief Bobson Gbinije, Mandate Against Poverty(MAP)WARRI. 2347068621168

Anti- graft war

It is now the anti corruption agencies are doing theiir constitutional responsibilities-Probing Dikko Inde’s tenure and his close associates i.e the economic criminals( the big smugglers including Kastina cabal) is a well come development. EFCC\ICPC please fight corruption vigorously without fear or favour.

Alh Shehu 08038235199

Asaba monorail project

It is shocking and disheartening to read in the newspapers that our Governor wants to construct a monorail in Asaba to help ease movement within Asaba township. There is no gain saying the truth, that the simple reason is to satisfy their desire by looting Delta state treasury and milk it dry. The human population in Asaba is very small and does not merit monorail yet. Cities like Agbor, Sapele, Warri and even Ughelli are far bigger and more populated than Asaba.

It is a wasteful venture. We plead with him to drop this idea because it is of no economic, or social use. It will be better appreciated if the huge resources are channelled into the dualization of the Ughelli/ Asaba Road, Abraka Sapele Road, Agbor Asaba Road etc. …........Anonymous +2348027502

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot - Hausa proverb

Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs.

Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. Address your sayings to: editor@vanguardngr.com

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016—49

Bangladesh: Gay rights editor hacked to death

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OLICE in Bangladesh say two people including a leading gay rights activist and editor at Bangladesh’s only LGBT magazine have been hacked to death.

The US ambassador to Bangladesh condemned the killing of Xulhaz Mannan, who also worked at the US embassy.

Another person was also injured when the attackers entered a Dhaka flat.

Since February last year suspected militants have killed several secular or atheist writers and members of religious minority groups.

The two men were murdered two days after a university teacher was hacked to death by suspected Islamist militants.

So-called Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility - but the Bangladeshi government insists there is no IS presence in the country.

“I am devastated by the brutal murder of Xulhaz Mannan and another young Bangladeshi,” said US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat.

“We abhor this senseless

act of violence and urge the Government of Bangladesh in the strongest terms to apprehend the criminals behind these murders,” she added.

Suspected extremists in Bangladesh are gaining a sense of security that they can carry out killings with impunity, he says.

A British photographer

who knew Mr Mannan and the other victim, known as “Tonoy” and named in Bangladeshi media as Tanay Mojumdar, said they and other friends had set up Roopbaan with the aim of spreading tolerance.

Homosexuality is technically illegal in Bangladesh and remains a highly sensitive issue in society.

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ONALD Trump says a pact formed by his two rivals for the Republican presidential crown is a desperate act.

He lambasted Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich over the alliance they announced late on Sunday.

Under their plan, Mr Cruz and Mr Kasich will give each other a free run in state primary votes next month.

Before then, five US states go to the polls on Tuesday, when Mr Trump is expected

TOP Tutsi general was gunned down in Burundi on Monday, the latest bloodshed in a year of violent political turmoil that has now prompted a preliminary probe by international prosecutors into

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•Xulhaz Mannan: The late LGBT editor also worked at the US embassy.

came from oil last year but it has been hit by falling prices.

One part of the plan will see shares sold in state-owned oil giant Aramco to create a sovereign wealth fund.

to tighten his grip on the nomination.

He has a clear lead in party delegates but may still fall short of the 1,237 needed to win outright.

If he does not reach that figure, the vote will go to a contested convention - where delegates are free to back anothercandidate.Adifferent nominee like Mr Cruz or Mr Kasich may emerge.

On Monday, Mr Cruz defended the deal, saying it was “great for Indiana and great for the country”.

Announcing the reforms, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman describedhiscountryasbeing addicted to oil.

The Vision 2030 plan, he told the Saudi-owned AlArabiya news channel, would ensure “we can live without oil by 2020”.

Among the reforms he announced in his interview were: •Shares worth less than 5% of Aramco, a company he valued at up to $2.5tn (£1.7tn), will be sold •Some of the proceeds will go towards a sovereign wealth fund worth $2tn •A new visa system will allowexpatriateMuslimsand Arabs to work long term in Saudi Arabia.

approvedthedeploymentofup to 250 US personnel in Syria, including special forces,” Obama said, announcing the decision after a meeting in Hanover with German ChancellorAngelaMerkel Thedeployment,whichwill increase US forces in Syria to about 300, aims to accelerate

theprocessofdrivingbackthe Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), White House adviser Ben Rhodes said.

InIraq,theUSplanstosend 200moresoldiersandApache helicopter gunships in preparation for an offensive to retakeMosul.

Poisoned sweets kill 23 in Pakistan’s Punjab

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T least 23 people have died after consuming poisoned sweets in central Pakistan, police officials say.

Umar Hayat, a resident of the Karor Lal Esan area in Punjab province, bought the sweetsonApril17-according

incident last year when members of his radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party were ejected from parliament after heckling Zuma.

“We will run out of patience very soon and we will remove this government through the barrel of a gun,” said Malema, Zuma’s one-time protege and former ANC youth leader.

“Part of the revolutionary duty is to fight and we are not ashamed if the need arise for us to take up arms and fight,” Malema said.

EFF protest marches were often met with violent resistance by security forces, he said.

The ANC said it would pursue legal action against Malema.

a litany of atrocities.

A wave of unrest, targeted assassinations and alleged torture has left some 500 people dead and forced more than 270,000 from their homes since April last year, with some analysts warning thecentralAfricannationmay

now be on the brink of a new civil war.

General Athanase Kararuza, a security advisor to one of Burundi’s vice presidents, was killed in the capital Bujumbura as he was dropping his daughter off at school.

…Orphanage founder wins George Clooney humanitarian award

Obama announces 250 new military personnel for Syria S President Barack Obama has said he plans to send 250 more troops to Syria, a sharp increase in the number of Americans working with local Syrian forces.

“I’vedecidedtoincreaseUS support for local forces fighting ISIL in Syria ... I’ve

OUTH Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) said on Monday it would sue opposition politician Julius Malema after he threatened to remove President Jacob Zuma’s government with the “barrel of a gun”.

Malema told Al Jazeera television on Sunday that the ANC used violence to suppress dissent, citing an

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Cruz-Kasich pact desperate says Trump

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S

Army general killed in Burundi as ICC opens probe into atrocities

Saudi Arabia agrees to move away from oil profits HE Saudi cabinet has approved sweeping economic reforms aimed at movingthecountryawayfrom its dependence on oil profits.

Just over 70% of revenues

S/Africa’s ANC to sue Malema over threat to take up arms

to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper - from Tariq Hotel and Sweet Shop to distribute among friends and family after the birth of his grandson.

But celebration turned to sorrow when 10 people died

the same day, including Hayat’s six brothers, a sister and two family children.

“The death toll from consumption of the sweets has now risen to 23,” Munir Ahmed, local police official, told AFP news agency on Monday.

BURUNDIAN activist credited with saving thousands of children’s lives during a 12year ethnically charged civil war is the first recipient of a new humanitarian prize presented by Hollywood

actorandcampaignerGeorge Clooney.

Marguerite Barankitse, a former teacher, founded the Maison Shalom (the house of peace) orphanage in eastern Burundi in 1993 to house a growing number of

childrenorphanedduringthe conflict that devastated the country until 2005.

The award was presented as the small central African country faces its worst crisis since the civil war ended with hundreds killed and thousands forced to flee abroad.

African music stars pay tribute to Papa Wemba

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USIC fans across Africa are mourning the death of Congolese musician Papa Wemba who died at the age of 66 after collapsing on stage on Sunday morning.

Stars have been paying tribute to a man whose music influenced artists across Africa.

I’m sad, and I’ve been struggling since the death of Prince and now we have the passing of Papa Wemba and I’m wondering what this is all about.

I worked with Papa Wemba and he was a very nice, genuine soul and very shy at the same time.

I did a duet with him, Ami Oh, on a Manu Dibango album, and when you heard him sing it was magical that a guy who was that big had such an angelic voice.

He was a generous soul when it came to helping people, and he didn’t say much, but he observed a lot and when he spoke in that gentle voice everything he said was right on the spot.

His whole attitude about dressing well was part of the narrative that we Africans have been denied our humanity for so long.

People have always had stereotypes about us, and he was saying dressing well is not just a matter of money, not justsomethingforWesterners, but that we Africans also have elegance. It was all about defining ourselves and refusing to be stripped of our humanity.

Manu Dibango said Africa

has lost another worthy son in the shape of Papa Wemba.

It’s a painful beginning to 2016.

•Wemba

US Consulate holds students’ visa today

By Vera Samuel Anyagafu

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ITH view to dispelling myths and rumors going round concerning US student visa, the US Consulate General in collaboration with EducationUSA intend educating Nigerians seeking student visa to study in various US higher institutions on ways of processing, living and studying in the United States.

The interactive session, titled ‘Google Hangout on US Student Visa Process’, is expected to also inform US student visa seekers on how best to experience a

workshop on

hitch-free study in any choice school in the US According a statement from the Consulate’s information department, the one hour Google Hangout session will be moderated by on-air-personality Rufai Oseni, and two American Consular Officers and an EducationUSA Advisor will be on ground to address any misconception.

Additionally, the team will share practical information about the process of obtaining a US student visa, while some Nigerians currently living and studying in the United States will also share their experiences during the interactive session.

50 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

MALARIA: Demand for test before treatment, Nigerians told

By Chioma Obinna

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N this year’s World Malaria Day, health professionals have called on Nigerians to always demand for malaria test from their physicians before treatment.

The experts who spoke at the market introduction of the Fyodor Urine Malaria Test, UMT, in Lagos warned that testing became necessary before treatment as all fevers are not malaria.

The Principal Investigator & Director ANDI Centre of Excellence for Malaria Diagnosis, College of Medicine University of Lagos, CMUL, Prof.

Wellington Oyibo argued that access to test must be made possible if Nigeria is to win the fight against malaria.

“There is need to expand access to malaria test which is the primary objective of Urine Malaria Test kits. The country is making concessions to ensure we get there.”

Oyibo who justified why tests must be conducted before treatment for malaria, explained that the Federal government

would soon announce the current status of malaria in the country.

The Urine Malaria Test would eliminate treatment without test. UMT is novel, it repre-

sents a disruptive technology.

It is innovative because it will get to even to deepest and distance places.

“Fever is caused by so many

reasons. Years back, malaria cases were higher and you didn’t need to do tests. But with time, the prevalence of malaria is changing. If you have fever, the likelihood that

LAUNCH- From left - Head, Global Projects & CEO, Fyodor Biotechnologies respectively, Mrs. Victoria Enwemadu and Dr. Eddy Agbo; Rep., Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr.Oluwatomi Okusanya; CEO, Geneith Pharm. Ltd, Mr. Emma Umenwa, and Ag. DGM, Geneith Pharm. Ltd., Mr. Emeka Nwachukwu, at the formal launch/activation of Urine Malaria Test Kit at the Malaria Research Centre, LASUTH, Ikeja, last week.

it is going to be malaria is now low. Before, there was likelihood of over 75 percent in children 20 years ago but that has turned down.

Warning about the dangers of treating malaria without treatment, he said such methods could drive resistance. “Fever can be caused by cancers when they are developing, or by viruses.”

Speaking, Chairman, UMT Technology & Strategic Partnerships, Dr Eddie Agbo, explained that UMT was developed following a major need especially in private sector and the need to improve standard of care.

Agbo who noted that the kit could be used by anybody anywhere in the world, said the organisation is in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health in validating the Urine Malaria Test kits as there is a gap in malaria control particularly in the hard to reach areas.

“With UMT, it is easier to process 100 people than to test them with blood test. It is a thing of efficiency. We want to improve standard of care and that is the greatest advantage going for UMT. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris said in 2015, 736,328 cases of malaria were reported in the state, and that the disease remains a priority disease for the state government.

Burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria will increase except...

By Gabriel Olawale

T

HE Federal Ministry of Health has expressed worry over the possible increase in the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases, NCDs in the country if attempts to sharpen control strategies fail.

Speaking at the Nigerian Heart Foundation, NHF, 2016 National Summit, the Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewole, said the success recorded through establishment of the NCD control programme, would amount to nothing without the support of Nigerians to strengthen the surveillance system.

Adewole, who was represented by the Director General, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Prof, Innocent Ujah, said NCDs are responsible for 63 percent of all deaths globally out of which Nigeria accounts for 27 percent.

“It is well documented that unhealthy diet, tobacco use, harmful alcohol intake, and physical inactivity are the major clustering risk factors for the development of cardiovascular and other NCDs. “These risk factors are aggravated by poor awareness, harmful cultural practices, beliefs and misconceptions by the public.

“The population now con-

sumes excess red meat, saturated fat, salt, refined sugars and drinks. There is also observed inadequate intake of fibre-rich food, vegetables and fruits in the population.”

On his part, the President of NHF, Prof O.O Akinkugbe reaffirmed the Foundation’s commit-

ment to promotion of hearthealthy diets to halt NCDs that is becoming increasingly significant cause of disability and premature death in the country.

“This Summit intends to support the World Health Organisation’s target of reducing heart attack and stroke by 25 per-

cent through provision of practical tools to prevent cardiovascular disease. We are also going to issue a consensus statement on the controversial issues of the relationship between lipids and cardiovascular health in the Nigerian population.”

The most prevalent NCDs in

Nigeria are cardiovascular diseases, which account for 12-15 per cent of total deaths across all age groups. Cancers, noncommunicable variants of respiratory diseases and diabetes contribute significantly to total mortality in the country every year.

INSURGENCY: FG drafts mental health specialists to North East

By Sola Ogundipe

M

ENTAL health experts from the Neuro – Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna, are to be drafted to assist in the management of victims of emotional trauma in the North Eastern part of the country.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who stated this in Abuja during an official visit to the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, headquarters.

Ehanire said his visit was part of efforts to consult with all agencies involved in emergency response and disaster management for collaboration to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure effective deployment of assets.

He said his visit would afford Federal Ministry of Health

opportunity to interact with NEMA, a major player in emergency response.

The minister hinted that the FMOH would render counselling on emotional issues, collaborate with local government authorities, encourage secondary health care givers and work closely with NEMA in terms of funding health services.

On the ned to create a Response Mechanism in Nigeria for proper synergy between all actors in emergency response, he said this would help in coordinating relevant Agencies and assist people get fastest response on emergency situations.

In his response, the Director General, NEMA, Mohammed Sani Sidi , said the Minister’s visit was a clear demonstration of

commitment, especially as the first Minister in this administration to visit NEMA, the DG assured that NEMA and Nigeria have the ability to handle

all emergency situations if there was synergy. He commended the efforts of the Health ministry’s efforts for rehabilitation of victims of insurgency.

VISIT: Minister of State, Health, DR Osagie Ehanire (Centre), receiving a publication from the DG, NEMA, Muhammed Sidi (left) as the Director, Trauma Emergency Response, FMOH, Dr. Joseph Amedu and another look on.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016 — 51

60% of unvaccinated children live in conflict areas, says UNICEF

By Sola Ogundipe

M

ORE than 60 percent of children who are unvaccinated or are not fully vaccinated with basic vaccines live in 10 countries that are either partially or entirely affected by conflict, UNICEF, has said.

The affected countries are Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan, the Philippines, Uganda and South Africa. UNICEF said among the countries in conflict, South Sudan has the highest percentage of unvaccinated children, with 61 per cent not receiving the most basic childhood vaccines, followed by Somalia (58 per cent) and Syria (57 per cent).

Disclosing this at the beginning of the World Immunisation Week 2016, 24-30 April, UNICEF Chief of Immunisation Robin Nandy noted that “Conflict creates an ideal environment for disease outbreaks. Children miss out on basic immunisations because of the breakdown – and sometimes deliberate destruction – of vital health services. ”The major causes of childhood illness and death include measles, diarrhoea, respiratory infections and malnutrition, which can worsen in conflict and emergencies, according to UNICEF. “Children affected by conflict are pushed into a downward spiral of deprivation that robs them of their health and,

by extension, their futures.

Vaccination can help to break this vicious cycle. Immunisation is a vital service that deserves and requires protection from all parties to a conflict,” Nandy stated.

Highlighting recent gains in immunisation coverage, and outlining steps countries can take to “Close the Immunisation Gap” and meet global vaccination targets by 2020, WHO DirectorGeneral, Dr Margaret Chan, stated: “Last year immunisation led to some notable wins in the fight against polio, rubella and maternal and neonatal tetanus.

But they were isolated wins. Polio was eliminated in one country, tetanus in three, and rubella in one geographical region. The challenge now is to make gains like this the norm.” Chan stated that immunisation averts 2 to 3 million deaths annually, but an additional 1.5 million deaths could be avoided if global vaccination coverage improves.

One of the major breakthroughs in 2015 was the removal of Nigeria from the list of polioendemic countries, taking the African Region one-step closer to being certified polio-free despite challenges imposed by Ebola.

Create Health Intervention Funds, AGPMPN tells FG

By Victoria Ojeme HE National President, Association of General Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, Dr OmoEhijele Odafan has called on the Federal government to create health intervention funds with a view to making Nigerians access cheap medication in the National Hospital.

Odafan argued that the fund if created will end the medical tourism in the country.

Hemade this known at the 38th Annual General Meeting and International Scientific

T

SYMPOSIUM: From left - President, Bioresources Development Group, Abuja, Prof Maurice Iwu; DG, NIMR, Prof Innocent Ujah; Chair, Lassa fever Control Committee, Prof Oyewale Tomori and Former DG, NIMR, Prof Oni Idigbe, during the one day symposium on Lassa Fever organised by NIMR in Lagos, yesterday.

Conference held yesterday in Abuja.

“The government should create a health bank to offer cheap funds at low interest rates (single digit) of about 5 percent or create a health intervention fund accessible to committed medical entrepreneurs in our membership.

"We are able to compete favorably with healthcare facilities abroad, we need government support to establish 5star private hospitals.

Medical entrepreneurs "The medical entrepreneurs in our midst are ready to come together in a multi- disciplinary manner, if government can assist in acquiring the desired venture capital. Commenting on the high medical bills in private hospitals, He said, patients often complain of high medical bills in the private healthcare facilities.

"This is very unfortunate, only Universal Health coverage via the NHIS can eliminate or reduce out-of -pocket expenses and provide profitable lives on the enrollee panels of private medical practitioners. " Government should, therefore, as a matter of urgency, give life and unalloyed commitment and political will to this laudable project.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

ELLO everybody and welcome to the second installment of our new products discussion. First on the list are two male products that have proven effective in helping men where it matters most, which are the areas of prolonged intercourse and a big and firm erection. The first of these two products is the Size Matters Penis Sleeve.

It is a hyper realistic 8.5 inch hollow penis sleeve that men can wear over their own penises to help them look much bigger and last longer during intercourse. With it, you don’t need a condom. It adds 2.5 inches of length and considerable thickness to the penis when worn. And then there is the Flipper Vibrating Cockring, a male performance enhancer ring worn over an erect penis to enable a man have intercourse for up to twenty minutes and still remain rock hard even after ejaculation. All men want to impress and deliver in bed and one of the major complaints we get from men regularly is the inability to last longer than two minutes after penetration. So these two products will help a lot.

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Women will love it.

Last but not the least are two female novelties that combine very well to ensure premium sexual satisfaction and enjoyment. They are the Emerald G Luxe Rabbit and the Jo Oral Delight Vanilla Arousal Gel. Sexual enjoyment is not a luxury that only a few women or privileged people should have. It is a basic human right.

All sexually active adult women should enjoy the intercourse they are having. We understand that due to circumstances beyond their control, this is not always possible. That is why we are introducing yet a new and improved vibrator and orgasm gel to help make this possible.

The Emerald G Luxe Rabbit is a classy and unique toy for women that has a feature that no other vibrator has. In addition to having the usual rotating shaft and dedicated clitoral stimulator that is the hall mark of your typical rabbit vibrator, it also has a dedicated G Spot stimulator. Many people do not know this but the clitoris is not the G Spot.

The G Spot is a spongy tissue located about an inch deep into the vagina, specifically on the roof of the vaginal void. When properly stimulated, it will lead to squirting orgasms that will have the average woman ejaculating even more than men. Yes women can ejaculate if they know how. The squirting orgasm is the most satisfying and enjoyable of all the orgasms. The Emerald G Luxe Rabbit is capable of that and more. The JO Oral Delight Vanilla Arousal Gel is both edible, lubricating and arousing. So it is perfect for oral sex, clitoral stimulation and lubrication against bruising and pain. Women will benefit from these two novelties and they work hand in hand.

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I will like to know if the batteries are replaceable when they grow weak – Ikechukwu Yes they are – Uche Please I need to know this. When one takes any of these arousal supplements you write about, will he remain aroused all day? How does it work? Sola Sola they will give you an erection when you need it.

You will not walk around with an erection that won’t go away. No. you only get erect when you are ready for sex but you will be horny though and feeling like having sex.

That is the job of aphrodisiacs – Uche That’s all for today. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can now call us now on 08171912551, 08027901621 or 07086754515 for help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com to place their orders. Zee Virtual Media delivers all over Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com- Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

52 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Ronaldo ‘ll ruin you, Zidane warns Man City Z

I N E D I N E ZIDANE has warned Manchester City: Cristiano Ronaldo is happy — and he’s coming to get you.

French legend Zidane inherited a fractured dressing room from Rafa Benitez when the Spaniard got the axe in January. While Gareth Bale was sad to see the former Liverpool and now Newcastle boss go, Ronaldo’s relationship with Benitez had all but broken down.

Ronaldo, 31, failed to score in Real’s first eight big matches of the season, the win at Athletic Bilbao, the draw at Atletico Madrid, both clashes against PSG, the loss in Seville, the home loss to Barcelona, the loss at Villarreal, and the draw at Valencia.

It fuelled rumours the Portuguese striker would be on his way this summer, with PSG desperate to lure him to Ligue 1 and Manchester United fans dreaming of an Old Trafford return.

Ronaldo will be back in Manchester today And Zidane told Manuel Pellegrini and his Etihad troops the star of the Real squad is once again in the frame of mind to show he is the finest on the planet.

Ronaldo’s hat-trick in the quarter-final comeback triumph over Wolfsburg took him to 16 goals in the Champions League this season — just one behind the record he set as Real completed their tenth triumph in 2014.

He has now scored nine in the six most important matches since Zidane’s appointment in

By Jude Opara

P

AGREEMENT — President of La Liga, Javier Tesba(R) in a group photograph with his Nigerian counterparts, NPFL executives – Hon Nduka Irabor(CEO), Alhaji Shehu Dikko( Chairman) and NFF President, Melvin Amaju Pinnick after signing an MoU in Abuja yesterday January.

In what appeared a deliberate sideswipe at Benitez’s handling of Ronaldo, Zidane said:

“Cristiano has always been like this with me.

“There may have been moments where he didn’t score but you nev-

er have to worry about Cristiano. He is very happy and very comfortable with everyone here not just with me.

EACE may be re turning to the troubled Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as the Ibrahim Galadima-led Reconciliation Committee yesterday began sitting in Abuja.

Already notable stakeholders including the president of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick, chairman of the Technical Committee of the federation, Chris Green as well as a former chairman of the then Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Brigadier-General Dominic Oneya (rtd.) amongst others honoured the invitation of the committee.

Confirming their appearance, spokesman of the NFF, Ademola Olajire told Sports Van-

Akwa Utd suspend Cooreman indefinitely HAIRMAN of ed’s home defeats so far Augustine Eguavoen, as stands when we played his replacement. “There Enyimba on Sunday C Akwa United, in the campaign.

The suspension may are suspicions along that and that could lend crePaul Bassey, has confirmed that technical adviser of the club, Maurice Cooreman, has been handed an indefinite suspension.

“Yes, I can confirm that,” Bassey, a veteran journalist and FIFA/CAF Match Commissioner, said. “He was asked to step aside for now.”

Cooreman’s exit followed the club’s dwindling fortunes in the Nigeria Professional Football League which further took a dive Sunday after defending champions Enyimba ran out 10 winners in a match day 13 NPFL tie at Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. The defeat, courtesy of Christian Pyagbara’s 38th minute strike, brings to two Akwa Unit-

Iheanacho Continues from BP Manuel Pellegrini showed great faith in the Nigerian international, 19, after choosing not to buy a striker to back up Sergio Aguero and Wilfried Bony.

Iheanacho caught the eye in pre-season with a couple of dazzling displays to persuade his boss a replacement was not needed for Stevan Jovetic.

And he has backed up the decision — scoring an 89th-minute winner against Crystal Palace and netting four times in three FA Cup appearances.

On the other side of Manchester, prospects

Pinnick, Green, Oneya appear before Galadima Committee

Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have stolen the limelight after keeping United’s faltering season just about on track.

England youth star Rashford’s minutes-pergoal ratio stands at a credible 156 minutes— although he has been forced to shoulder more responsibility with Wayne Rooney out.

But Iheanacho has hit the net with incredible regularity to take him above the continent’s elite.

No other Premier League players make the cut — with Sergio Aguero not scoring as regularly in Europe as the league.

mark the end of the Belgian coach’s reign in the fold as subtle moves are already in gear to hire former Super Eagles captain and defender,

line,” an official of the club said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on such issues.

“Eguavoen was at the

dence to your question.”

Eguavoen coached Gombe United, a second tier Nigerian league side, in the last two seasons.

ATTF confirms Nigeria, Egypt for ITTF World Juniors featured at the last ITTF ship, host – South Afri-

T

HE African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) has confirmed Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria as the continent’s flagbearers at the 2016 ITTF World Junior Championship holding in Cape Town, South Africa in October.

In a statement by the President of AT TF, Khaled El-Salhy, the four teams confirmed their qualification among the 12 teams that

NFF

Continues from BP written defence was made, even after an invitation was duly served on them.

“The NFF Disciplinary Board wishes to state clearly that adequate invitation notice was served to GIWA FC requesting that they forward their written submission to the secretariat of the NFF Disciplinary Board and also appear before the Board on 25th April, 2016 by 10:00am. This invitation was not honoured by GIWA FC.” After a careful observation of all documentary evidence presented before it, the NFF Disciplinary Board

African Junior & Cadet Championship in Algiers.

Egypt and Nigeria will compete in the boys and girls events at the global tournament while the girls’ team from Algeria and the boys’ team from Tunisia will join the two continental superpowers at the tournament holding in November this year.

Aside the four countries that will represent Africa at the champion-

ca will also be presenting its boys and girls teams for the competition.

Also, the continental body also named the eight-man team that will constitute African team for the 2016 World Cadet Challenge in China.

The team is dominated by players from Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria, while Nigeria and Congo Brazzaville completed the list.

slammed a fine of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira only) for the discontinuation of the match; the match shall be continued behind closed doors at the National Stadium, Abuja tomorrow, 27th April, 2016, from the point of disruption which is the 74th minute and the 0-1 result of the match at the point of disruption shall stand.

Other additional fines include N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) for failure to provide adequate security, N750,000.00 for failure to control their players and officials during the match, and another N500,000.00 for assault on the referee and

Match Commissioner.

Giwa FC is required to ensure, within the next seven days, that in addition to the apprehension of one Sodiq Goje, his co-culprit identified as one Mustapha Apiya is also apprehended and prosecuted by the relevant security agencies, for assaulting the Referee, failure of which a fine of N25,000.00 (Twenty Five Thousand Naira only) per day shall accrue, until such time the offender is apprehended and charged to court The club have also been banished to Ilorin Stadium for their next three home matches and to play under closed doors for the rest of the season.

guard that the committee was set up to ensure that peace returns to Nigerian football adding that all relevant stakeholders will have their opportunity to appear before it.

However there are concerns that the leader of the group laying claims to the leadership of the NFF, Chris Giwa and some of his associates may shun the committee as they were yesterday said to be concluding plans to take over the secretariat.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung had set up the Galadima Committee at the wake of the latest crisis which followed the ruling of a Jos High Court which ruled that the Giwa group is the authentic board of the NFF. Already the Amaju Pinnick-led board had appealed the ruling.

Mata

Continues from BP bubble”. Mata, who signed for Manchester United from Chelsea for a reported £40m in 2014, is believed to earn around £150,000 per week.

“Football is very well remunerated at this level. It’s like we live in a bubble. Compared to the rest of society, we earn a ridiculous amount. It’s unfathomable,” Mata said in an interview on the Spanish television programme Salvados.

“With respect to the world of football, I earn a normal wage. But compared to 99.9% of Spain and the rest of the world, I earn a silly amount.”

The Spain international also said he sympathised with critics of the modern game, who claim football has become too commercialised, and criticised the attitude of some young players who become arrogant after turning professional.

“I can understand what they’re talking about.

The business side of football makes it seem as though the owners are now more important than the fans,” the 27-year-old added.

“Every player thinks he’s Diego Maradona when he joins a big club.

That happens to all of us but then you notice it in the younger players.

“You see kids who think they’re rock stars; wearing extravagant clothes and driving flash cars … sometimes you have to take them aside and have a word.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26 26, 2016

C M Y K

— 53

54 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26 26, 2016

C M Y K

— 55

Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016

Footballers earn obscene money — Mata

M

ANCHESTER United’s Juan Mata has admitted that he and other

Today’s Champions League match Man City

v

Real Madrid

7:45pm

Iheanacho is Europe’s most deadly striker ahead of Ronaldo, Suarez

professional footballers earn “obscene” amounts of money and “live in a

Continues on Page 52

Mata

Ronaldo ‘ll ruin you, Zidane warns Man City 2 e5 g a —P

K

Iheanacho

Akwa Utd suspend Cooreman — Page 52

E L E C H I Iheanacho’s two goals against Stoke have taken him to the top of an elite list including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The Manchester City sensation’s 11 goals this season have come at an incredible rate of one in every 81.3 minutes — just ahead of Luis Suarez (83.8) Continues on Page 52

Bale

De Bruyne

Ronaldo

NFF Disciplinary Board fines Giwa FC N6.7m T

Cooreman

Aguero

HIS is definitely not the best of times for beleaguered Giwa FC of Jos after the Nigeria Football

Federation Disciplinary Board slammed a N6.7m fine on the club following fans disturbance in its match against Rangers

International FC of Enugu, penultimate weekend. The amount also included additional fines for further

violating sections of the FIFA Code of Ethics, FIFA Disciplinary Code and the LMC Rules and Regulations.

The board noted that the club was absent at its sitting, neither was a Continues on Page 52

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Concerning (5) 9 Invent (6) 10 Comfort (6) 11 Guide (5) 12 Revise (4) 15 Curse (4) 17 Eased (7) 20 Youth (3) 21 Emulate (5) 23 Bird (4) 25 Dandy (4) 26 Symbol (5) 28 Network (3) 30 Show (7) 33 Inactive (4) 35 Story (4) 36 Disease (5) 38 Abolish (6) 39 Simpler (6) 40 Penniless (5)

DOWN 1 Viper (5) 2 Use (5) 3 Donkey (3) 4 Improved (6) 5 Employer (4) 6 Hill (3) 7 Waterway (5) 8 Cut (5) 13 Wished (7) 14 Implicit (5) 16 Unaffected ( 18 Plunged (5) 19 Label (3) 22 Jumped (5) 24 Boy (3) 27 Pinched (6) 28 Flinch (5 29 Mild (5) 31 Language (5) 32 Long (5) 34 Reign (4) 36 Males (3) 37 Utter (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Occult 5, Slacks 9, Aisle 10, Relent 11, Entail 12, Eased 14, Slab 17, Nip 18, Stun 20, Siren 22, Spend 23, Rougher 24, Sheer 26, Title 29, Heat 30, And 32, Grey 33, Rigid 35, Animal 36, Canal 37, Refer 38, Hugged 39, Detest.

DOWN: 1, Ogress 2, Cellar 3, Lane 4, Titan 5, Sleep 6, Lend 7, Chaste 8, Silent 13, Singing 15, Lithe 16, Beret 18, Sprig 19, Uncle 21, Nor 22, Set 24, Sheath 25, Eating 27, Trance 28, Eyelet 30, Ailed 31, Diced 33, Rare 34, Dare:

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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