Why we're not probing APC members

Liquidity pressure: Banks borrow N930bn from CBN

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

Standing Lending Facility, SLF, to rise 230.61 per cent to N929.52

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AGOS—LIQUIDITY pressure heightened in the banking industry, last week, forcing banks’ borrowings from Central Bank of Nigeria’s

billion.

Conversely, the Standing Deposit Facility, SDF,

has equally declined 61.76 per cent to N227.44 billion during the week, indicat-

ing that banks are also withdrawing heavily from their deposits in

9 banks' shareholders get N158bn dividends •See Financial Vanguard inside

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 63058

CBN as the liquidity pressure bites harder.

Banks use the CBN’s SLF to support their liquidity shortfalls and meet trading obligations

Continues on Page 3

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Why we're not probing APC members – SGF •2016 budget to be reprioritised •Hope for implementation of constituency projects dashed •Buhari too busy to consider confab report •Why ambassadorial nominees were not named in some states

IGR: 36 states generate N682bn in 2015, as 15 near bankruptcy

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BUJA— THE All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government is not focused on probing members of the party, the Secretary to the Govern-

Police begin manhunt for Ikorodu attackers 10 RESCUED Some of the 5,000 Boko Haram captives rescued by the Nigerian army in

Algaiti and Mainari villages in Borno State. See

story on Page 40.

Modu Sheriff: Bull in a China shop, says PDP

Zangebe, Maiwa,

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COLUMNISTS:

Weak head, strong centre and cold feet

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Continues on Page 5

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Insurgency: FG to register foreigners at LGAs

By Omeiza Ajayi

•P.33

This devaluation ‘be like’ 419 •P.32

What Pete Hoekstra didn’t say •P.34

Coca-Cola started out as an insignificant one man business Dr. John Pemberton Founder/Inventor Coca-Cola

•P.35

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—3

Foreign Affairs Ministry staff murmur over envoys' list

HONOUR: From left— Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Ekiti State University, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye; Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State; Honorary Doctor of Law recipient, Dr. Gbenga Oyebode; Honorary Doctor of Public Administration recipient, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, and Gover nor Ayodele Fayose Ekiti State, at the 21st convocation of the university.

By Victoria Ojeme

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BUJA—FRESH facts are emerging over the list of the ambassadornominees recently sent to the National Assembly for approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari had sent a list of 47 ambassador-nominees to the Senate for confirmation.

Investigations by Vanguard, however, revealed that most staff in the ministry have been unhappy over what they described as a “shady deal” in the selection process.

A reliable source in the ministry told Vanguard that the first list of diplomats prepared in the ministry was jettisoned through power-play.

According to him, besides the fact that half of the names of the nominees from the ministry were removed from the list, some states were not represented in the list that is before the Senate.

“For example, Plateau and Bayelsa states are not represented,” the source said.

Contacted, spokesman for the ministry, Dr. Clement Aduku, said only the minister could respond to the issue.

Treat Niger Delta Avengers as Boko Haram, Junaid Mohammed tells Buhari

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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BUJA—OUTSPOKEN Northern politician, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to treat the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, as terrorists and mete out appropriate military action against it as it is doing to Boko Haram insurgents in the North.

Mohammed, who was a member of the last National Conference, told Vanguard in an interview yesterday that it was wrong for the Buhari administration to try to appease the Niger Delta militants while fighting a similar terrorist group in

Night of Majesty: A marvelous gift to mankind

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HE significance of the Night of Majesty, or LaylatulQadr, cannot be overemphasised. Despite our knowledge about the glorious night and its importance, preparation towards it has not shown enough awareness and consciousness about its gains.

We seem not to be ready to explore the benefits therein.

It is one marvellous gift the Creator, Allah (SWT) has given to the Muslim Ummah to redeem and renew themselves every year of all iniquities, attract abundant blessings and, of course, change their destinies.

It is the night when the whole multitude of angels and the spirit (Ruh) descend on earth, greeting and praying for the C M Y K

believers and conveying messages of peace. It is the night of unsurpassed grandeur when the Qu’ran was revealed through angel Gabriel (Jubril) into the heart of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). It is a night of longlasting blessings. It is a night in one whole Islamic year that influences, or better still, changes our destinies.

A colleague had once told me that even the non-Muslim who recognises the power of the night, makes proper use of the period in their own way.

In fact, some non-Muslim organisations hold their power night programme during the period. The Muslim Ummah, who know what Allah has given them, should make proper use of it, prepare for it

another part of the country.

The Kano politician and former adviser to President Shehu Shagari warned that any attempt by Buhari to negotiate with the avengers instead of crushing them to serve as a deterrent to wouldbe terrorists, could lead to another civil war.

He said: “Why is Buhari tackling Boko Haram with the military might and going behind to negotiate with Niger Delta militants?

“If Buhari is not careful with NDA he will plunge the country into another civil war because he does not have the mandate of the law to negotiate with terrorists.

“No forward-looking nation negotiates with terrorists. and explore it.

Those who know never joked with the nights in the last 10 days of Ramadan. There are several Tahajuds (night prayers) going on every night in and around the cities during these last lap of the Ramadan fast.

“Surely we revealed it (the Holy Qu’ran) on the Grand Night. And what will make you comprehend the grand night.

The Grand Night is better than a thousand months. The angels and Gabriel descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair, Peace! It is till the break of the morning” Holy Quran (97:1-5).

The scholars have explained to us that Allah, in his infinite wisdom had planned the system of the universe in such a way that every person’s destiny will be determined on a yearly basis. Allah offered this gesture to mankind as a unique opportunity to influence his own future. This is done by performing certain supererogatory acts, such as dua, salat, zikr and recitation of the Holy Qu’ran.

The important thing at this period is never to miss any night till the end of

And I should say that if he does not have the political will to deal with the militants, he should step aside. Governance does not have room for destroyers.”

Mohammed insisted that apart from dealing ruthlessly with the bombers, Buhari should fish out and punish adequately the sponsors of the deadly attacks, who have already been identified as politicians being prosecuted by the anti-graft agencies for corruption.

He said that given the

demands made by NDA for peace with the Federal Government, Buhari did not need to look further to pick up the masterminds of the attacks and hand down appropriate sanctions against them.

He described the emergence of the avengers as a continuation of the instrument often used by South-South politicians to intimidate leaders from the north and their political opponents.

Mohammed pleaded with the Federal Government not to succumb to the antics, which was used to harass late President Musa Yar’Adua.

Liquidity pressure: Banks borrow N930bn from CBN Continues from Page 1 on short term basis, while keeping excess cash with the apex bank in the SDF also on short term basis.

Banks treasurers said the current liquidity pressure was coming from the Naira back-up for foreign exchange demands under the new foreign exchange regime where banks had to provide Naira back-up of over N1.2 trillion last week.

The treasurers said Nigerian interbank money market experienced sustained liquidity strain which led to higher lending rates at the interbank market.

At the backdrop of the liquidity pressure, CBN auctioned its Nigerian Treasury Bills, NTB, causing liquidity outflow of N285.4 billion, through a 91-day worth N18.12 billion; 182day NTB worth N11.34 billion; and 364-day NTB worth N50 billion.

Though the outflows were

partly offset by inflows in matured treasury bills worth N107.46 billion, there was also an additional N205.94 billion worth of NTB sold by the apex bank through open market operations.

Consequently, the net effect of the outflows and the liquidity squeeze was a further spike in interbank rates as marginal rates for the various tenors of NTB increased to 9.99% (from 8%); 12.3% (from 9.35%); and 14.99% (from 11.99%) respectively.

More significantly, the Nigerian Interbank Offered Rates, NIBOR, for overnight funds, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months closed astronomically higher at 24.46% (from 2.15%), 14.49% (from 8.06%), 16.07% (from 12.34%) and 17.22% (from 13.89%) respectively.

Meanwhile, yields on the Nigerian Interbank True Treasury Bills Yield mostly increased amid financial system liquidity strain.

Yields on the 1 month, 3 months and 6 months maturities increased to 10.59% (from 2.93%), 11.53% (from 8.34%), 13.03% (from 9.82%) respectively.

4 — Vanguard, MONDAY JUNE 27 , 2016

Niger Delta Emergency Security Summit postponed

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HE Niger Delta Emergency Security Summit, scheduled to hold in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State has been postponed to July 25 to 28.

The postponement was due to President Muhammadu Buhari's invitation of all Chairmen of State Councils of Traditional Rulers to a parley on June 29, 2016.

Dr Alfred Chiakor, Head of Secretariat/Summit Coordinator in a statement, weekend, said “The rescheduling is consistent with the imperative of deference to the presidential summon, the highest authority in Nigeria. To perfect strategies on sustaining the momentum for a fruitful summit, the Executive Committee of the South – South Monarchs Forum convened an emergency meeting where it deliberated and unanimously resolved to ratify the postponement, as the meeting will provide yet another platform for interface.”

He noted that having considered the state of the nation and in line with presidential authority, which supercedes any prior engagement, it was natural to shift the timing of the summit to nearest possible date.

The shift in dates, he added, will enable the forum to strengthen the objectives by reaching out to other critical stakeholders and appealed to all aggrieved parties to sheathe their swords of violence to allow the President Buhari led government chart a steady course for resolving the remote and immediate causes of the crises.

“The Forum is appealing for calm to enable the royal fathers initiate measures to douse the tension and provide long term solutions to the restive region.

He also called on the nation’s security establishment to exercise restraint so as not to further aggravate the already charged situation.

He added that the forum’s believes that “achieving sustainable peace requires robust synergy, which is the critical element for harvesting inputs and other strategic platforms for engendering peace and stability.”

He also noted that “broadening resource and contact database would in no small measure stimulate interest for a broad consensus, as any avenue to explore holistic blueprints that has the capacity to rein in the triggers of recurrent crises in Nigeria and consolidate unity and prosperity of the region cannot be compromised.”

Stop begging, start dialogue, militants tell Buhari Bello Oboko joins call for referendum Ijaw not involved in Ogun, Lagos attacks by militants — IYC

By Emma Amaize, Egufe Yafugborhi & Perez Brisibe

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ARRI—NIGER-DELTA Sea Commandos, NDSC, a militant group, in the Niger Delta, yesterday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to discontinue his plea to militants to cease bombing of oil and gas facilities and commence dialogue with stakeholders to avert looming disaster.

Spokesperson of the group, self-styled Major Osama Blatter, in a statement, said: “As members of Sea Commandos, we cannot take Buhari’s plea serious and we are running out of patience. The issue is when he will start his dialogue.”

This came as Niger Delta activist, Chief Bello Oboko, threw his weight behind the call on President Buhari to emulate the Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron, by ordering a referendum to find out what Nigerians want.

The Sea Commandos asked: “When will Nigeria grant Niger Delta autonomous state? Buhari should not play politics with Niger Delta's demands. If he plays with us, we will ground his government. Delay is dangerous. We are not interested in any plea.

“Who told Buhari that Nigerians do not have any other country than Nigeria? Niger Deltans are not part of Nigeria he is referring to because we belong to Niger Delta Republic.

“Buhari should lead the negotiation team, we want him in the creeks. Buhari should not expect that our oil should be used to stabilize Nigeria's economy.

That is a thing of the past. Since he came back from London, we

FORUM: From left; CEO, Bold Concepts and Stanbless Nigeria Ltd, Aduwo Ayodeji; Purchasing Manager, Total Plc, Mrs. Taiwo Onanuga; MD, Total Plc, Mr. Jean-Phillippe Torres and CEO, Panar Group of Companies, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Das, during the Total Nig. Plc suppliers 2016 Forum in Lagos. have not heard anything from him about the expired two-week ceasefire, he has not announced any extension, which is why we say that he is pretending. We are warning that we can no longer wait, we will commence attack any moment from now.”

national challenge.

“This is, therefore, to appeal to President Buhari to replicate the British example against military option by adopting the in-out voting democracy to peacefully fix the Niger Delta national challenge at last,” Oboko said.

Oboko backs referendum

Buhari should develop N-Delta, says Meinbutus

Meanwhile, Ijaw leader, Dr Oboko, in a statement, said: “This is to appreciate Buhari on his commendation to the British Prime Minister David Cameron on the occasion of United Kingdom, voting to leave European Union, democratically without necessarily applying British fighter jets last seen put to use in Libya.

“Referendum to peacefully remake Nigeria like EU is most attractive, recommendable to redressing the Niger Delta

In a related development, the Amananaowei of Meinbutus, King Jerry Prebor, has asked President Buhari to, as matter of necessity, “ roll out the bulldozers and caterpillars to start construction of riverine road and train network in the Niger Delta region.

“He should also commence implementation of the 2014 National Confab report. Mr. President should see himself as President of Nigeria and as such, do what is right to put

Nigeria on the world map,” Prebor added.

IYC condemns attacks in Lagos, Ogun

In addition, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, has disassociated Ijaw people from the attacks and killing of innocent Nigerians in Lagos and Ogun states by criminal elements, describing the killings as “purely criminal.”

In a statement, yesterday, IYC spokesperson, Mr. Eric Omare, said: “We state clearly that the persons carrying out these criminal attacks are not Ijaw people and it is absolutely wrong to refer to them as Ijaw militants. The sensational headlines and impression being created is that it is Ijaw people or groups that are carrying out organised attacks and killing of people in some Lagos and Ogun communities.”

PIPELINE VANDALISM: Soldiers arrest two in Delta

By Ochuko Akuopha

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LEH—SOLDIERS from the 222 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, have arrested two persons in Idheze community, Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, following the suspected vandalization of a major Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NAOC, pipeline in the area.

It will be recalled that the pipeline was allegedly vandalized in the early hours June 13, 20l6 with the resultant oil spill causing a heavy fire outbreak which led to the destruction of farmlands and economic crops in the community.

Community sources, however, said they were still confused as to whether the oil spill was as a result of vandalism of the pipeline or

equipment failure, noting that the incident was still subject to investigation by security agencies.

A source who preferred anonymity told Vanguard that one of those apprehended by the soldiers “is an indigene of the community whose house is very close to the place where the incident took place.

“The other person is the youth leader of the community. He was working in a community in Bayelsa State, when the incident happened.

As a youth leader, he was called home after the oil spill and when he got home, he was invited by the soldiers.

Thereafter, he was arrested and is still being detained.

“As we speak, investigations are still on and they want to go to Bayelsa to find out if he was actually there working as

at the time of the incident.”

Confirming the arrests, a

security source said that matter was still under investigation.

Police engages A-Ibom stakeholders over threat by NDV

By Chioma Onuegbu

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YO—AKWA Ibom State Police Command, yesterday, organised a town hall meeting for stakeholders in the state to brainstorm on the ways of addressing current security challenges in the Niger Delta region.

This followed the recent threat by the militia group, Niger Delta Volunteers, NDV, that it would attack oil platforms and go after Akwa Ibom paramount rulers, who allegedly connive with oil companies to ‘siphon’ money

meant for the community development.

Addressing the stakeholders meeting, the State Commissioner of Police, Murtala Mani, said there was the need for all to work together in order to check the security situation created by the militant groups.

Mani explained that meaningful development cannot take place in an atmosphere of insecurity and violence.

According to him, “Individuals, stakeholders must work together to ensure adequate security that aid the growth of businesses.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON

SUMMIT: From left, Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, CEO, CMC Connect Burson-Marsteller Nigeria; Sara Blazquez Lautre, Directora Generale, BursonMarsteller Madrid and Chris Foster, Worldwide Executive Vice-President, Burson Marsteller at the ongoing AMEC Summit on PR Measurement in London, United Kingdom.

Why we're not probing APC government has not members – SGF taken a decision on the Continues from page 1

ment of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Babachir Lawal, has said.

The SGF, in an interview, weekend, affirmed that the government would, in the light of declining revenue, reprioritise the 2016 budget with emphasis on the administration’s priority projects and would not prioritise the constituency projects inputted by the National Assembly.

Lawal, in his first major interview since assuming office last August, also gave reasons for the failure to name ambassadorial nominees in certain states just as he justified the recent recruitment into the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. Lawal, in the interview, said the report of the 2014 National Conference organised by the

Goodluck Jonathan administration was not a priority of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Saying Buhari was too busy to study the report of the National Conference, Lawal said: “The

2014 National Conference. I understand that some Nigerians want it implemented but the government has been too busy with key areas of governance to talk about an exercise that we thought was essentially

diversionary and a sort of, maybe, a "job for the boys."

"If you remember, it was reported that almost everybody in the committee got N7 million and we consider it essentially as job for the boys. They probably produced a document that is good and commendable but I mean, this government is too busy with very more vital areas of governance and we are not intending to spend our time reading reports.

"The exercise of governance is not about reading reports. The reports are here, so many volumes that, for example, it would take me like seven days to go through and I wonder what happens to my work while I am reading it; while the economy needs attention, unemployment is there, insecurity is there, people are blowing up pipelines and so on.”

See full interview on Pages 38 & 39.

Ripples in NIPOST over absence of Post Master-General •As TUC calls for enforcement of stamp duty

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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

BUJA—THE nonappointment of a substantive Post Master General, PMG, for the Nigeria Postal Agency,

Dangote refinery, fertilizer projects'll reduce poverty — FG •Says it’ll increase Nigeria’s competitive power

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS — THE Fed eral Government has described Dangote fertilizer and petrochemical projects as a credible undertaking capable of reducing poverty through generation of foreign exchange.

Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote,

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192 ON’T let your immediate environment define who you become. Many things are outside your control but who you choose to become is not one of them.

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TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482 Life is a gift. Don’t waste a second on something that does not make you happy— Take Heart Quotes

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

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

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

said the Dangote refinery, petrochemicals and fertilizers, reputed to be the biggest in Africa, when completed, offered hopes in the quest for diversification of the nation’s economy from total dependence on oil to other areas as agriculture and solid minerals.

Osinbajo, who was on working visit to the site of the projects at Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos, weekend, expressed amazement at the size of the projects and reiterated government’s preparedness to provide enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

He commended the business acumen of Aliko Dangote, saying the projects remained the most important in the country at the moment, which must be supported, since it would help the economy when completed.

Osinbajo explained that the Federal Government would harness the potentials of the private sector to make the nation's economy recover speedily.

In his remarks, Dangote explained that the diversification of Nigeria’s economy was

long over due, adding that one sector that Nigeria could focus on to rejuvenate the economy was agriculture.

According to him, investment in fertilizer is one sure way the diversification into agriculture can succeed.

Dangote said: "Agriculture is the way to go, but a critical component of that sector is fertilizer.

Nigeria has more arable land than China which now is the biggest economy in the world, we can tap into our vast land and produce what we need and even export the remaining.

“By the time we complete this project, there will be opportunity to take on agriculture and say bye to poverty, because there will be jobs, no sector has more job potential than agriculture.”

Dangote said the project was an ambitious one, adding that when completed, it would give Nigeria a new economic direction in the quest for diversification of the economy.

650,000 b/d capacity refinery

He told the Vice-Presi-

dent that the $12 billion refinery would have a capacity for 650,000 barrels a day and assured that there would be market for the refined products as only three countries had effective functioning refinery, with others importing from abroad.

Dangote listed the countries with refinery as Egypt, South Africa and Cote D'Ivore, saying the refinery will be ready in the first quarter of 2019.

"Mechanical completion will be end of 2018 but we will start producing in 2019.” he said.

Speaking on the forex situation in the country and the purchase of dollar from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Dangote said the $161 million his companies bought during that period from the apex bank merely reflected the size of his business and did not represent preferential treatment.

“We have been badly affected like any other company,” he said, arguing that operational costs totalled $100 million each month due to recurring expenses such as the purchase of parts for cement production.

NIPOST, about 10 months after the former PMG proceeded on retirement, is now causing ripples as workers have started complaining that the entire organisation had become rudderless.

President, Senior Staff Association, Nigeria Postal Agency, NIPOST, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Gabriel Imafidon, lamented that the non-appointment of a substantive PMG had become a thing of concern as no serious decisions had been taken since the PMG proceeded on retirement, although government had on two occasions made appointments in acting capacity.

He said: “The delay is affecting the organisation and staff moral nationwide. We want the appointment within the shortest time, we are getting tired of waiting, we are rudderless with no direction.”

Imafidon also urged the Federal Government to clear all impediments militating against the implementation of the Stamp Duty policy.

“The government stands to benefit a lot from the Stamp Duty Act. If government wants to generate revenue, Stamp Duty Act can help the economy in this era of economic diversification," he said.

Imafidon also decried the low patronage of government to NIPOST services and appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that NIPOST was included in the current policy of supporting made-in-Nigeria goods, by directing all agencies of government to patronise NIPOST in the movement of goods and services.

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

08023019505 08034073107

Landlord dies in early morning fire

3 injured in free-for-al

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HREE football fans were wounded in a free-for-all in a bar in Abakaliki on Saturday night over an argument about who is the better player between Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Lionel Messi of Argentina.

An eyewitness said that the incident occurred at the Kpirikpiri area of the town during the EURO 2016 second round match between Portugal and Croatia.

Portugal won the match 10 courtesy of a Ricardo Quaresma 114th minute goal that sent them into the competition’s quarter-finals.

Trouble started when a Ronaldo supporter, identified as Marshal, celebrated

... as Fire Service boss advocates use of fire blanket

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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AGOS—A 45-yearold landlord, identified as Engineer Lawal, in Ikorodu axis of Lagos was, weekend, burnt to death after an early morning fire razed his building.

Also, a two-storey building at Iyabo Williams Street, off Nelson Cole, Iju Shaga, Ifako-Ijaiye, was also gutted by fire, destroying property worth millions of Naira.

Vanguard gathered that the fire that killed the landlord occurred in the early hours of Saturday, after the family had completed their sahur, early morning meal, to herald the day’s fasting.

The duplex sited at 7, Oreta Road, Igbogbo, Ikorodu Local Government Area, was completely razed by the inferno that started from the kitchen. It later spread to other parts of the building.

It was learned that the body of the landlord was recovered from the toilet by officials of the Lagos State Fire service.

Confirming the incident, the Director of Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe, said: “We met the fire well alight and immediately started extinguishing it.”

Fadipe added that p r e l i m i n a r y investigations revealed that the landlord had run to the toilet to avoid suffocation.

He lamented: “But he could not escape because the fire had escalated. This is why we have often enlightened people on the need to call the emergency numbers immediately there is any emergency.”

Fadipe urged resident to often ensure provision of fire chemical blankets in their kitchens, saying “ with this, they will be able to first prevent the fire from escalating.”

wildly as the Real Madrid star ’s shot was parried into Quaresma’s path for the goal, to the annoyance of the Messi supporter, named Obinna.

The duo had argued all night over who the better player is between Messi and Ronaldo: the stars play for Spanish clubs, Barcelona FC and Real Madrid FC, respectively.

It was learned that immediately Quaresma scored, Marshal rushed to Obinna and mocked him, chanting “I told you, I told you Ronaldo is the best.” Obinna reportedly pushed Marshal and a fight ensued.

Fans take sides

Matters, however, got out of hand when Marshal’s friends

Economic situation is affecting One Chance business— Robbery suspect

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Esther Onyegbula

It's called hustling in Ajegunle, says another

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CCORDING to one of the six On Chance robbery suspects arrested by operatives of Rapid Response Squad, RRS, in Lagos, yesterday, the economic situation in the country is affecting ‘business.’

The suspect, Adeleke Rasaq, 24, who was arrested alongside his gang members, Lucky John, 22, in Abule-Egba, Agbado Oke Local Council Development Area, they do not make much money from One Chance as they used to in the past.

One Chance is the popular name for a type of robbery in Lagos, where unsuspecting passengers are robbed in commercial buses, Danfo, whose ‘driver ’ and some ‘passengers’ are members of a robbery gang.

The arrested Adeleke, who resigned as a factory worker to join One Chance robbery gang, said: “We do not make much money like before. The present economic condition in the country has greatly affected One Chance business. We have not been able to make much money— everywhere is dry.”

Corroborating Adeleke’s confession, his gang’s member, Frankly, said: “We have not made much money since Monday (last week). We have been sharing N20,000, N30,000 and N40,000.

“This is unlike before. When I operate alone, I could make close to N150,000 daily. Now, business is so difficult.”

He said he teamed up with Lucky because pocket-picking was not easy in Lagos any longer.

He said: “When you work alone, you might not make much. It has not been easy working independently lately.

ARRESTED: The One Chance ‘businessmen.’

So we have to team up to make more money to survive.

Both of us live in Badagry.

“Every day, we come to Abule Egba, Agege, Fagba, Egbeda to operate. As soon as we make enough money, we would retire for the day.”

Explaining how he joined the robbery syndicate, he said: “I resigned from the company I worked for when I noticed that a lot of my friends in Ajegunle, who were doing this kind of hustling were living better than companies’ chief executives.

“Every guy does this in Ajegunle. We do not see it as a crime: it is called hustling,” adding that he joined the gang six years ago.

Mode of operation

Another set of robbers, Ubuke Michael, 26, and Obinna Okoro, 24, were

arrested in Gbagada after their operational bus, with the number plates, FST 890 XM, had picked up two passengers going to Alaba International Market and Ladipo Spare Parts Market to buy goods.

Ubuke, the leader of the gang, had invited a bus driver and a conductor to join his group in One Chance operations.

Ubuke said the bus driver and his conductor are familiar with the operation, claiming he has so many commercial buses that he can call for operation, he said: “I call them to join me at a particular location.

“The driver and conductor do their normal work, while we collect belongings of the passengers, drop them off and pass them to the driver to hold on.

“The two passengers in the bus were our victims. One of

them came out of a bank before boarding our bus, while another had bulky pockets. We were about to collect their belongings when we were arrested.

“We do not normally carry more than two passengers during operations. Whatever we make we share with the driver and the conductor, but our share is normally more than theirs. It is so unfortunate the driver and conductor of our operational danfo bus escaped.”

Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said that there would be no hiding place for criminals in Lagos State, adding that the suspects would be charged to court when investigations are completed.

Badmos said: “Sadly, all the suspects have roots in Ajegunle. The six suspects had been transferred to SCID for further investigation.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—7

08023019505 08034073107

Gunmen release Australians, others kidnapped in C-River

l over Ronaldo, Messi felt that Obinna’s friends were indirectly aiding him in the fight, thus turning it to a freefor-all.

The bar owner, identified simply as Simon, rushed outside to invite people within the compound as those inside could not control the situation.

However, calm was eventually restored but three persons, including Obinna, were seriously wounded, while Simon immediately closed before the match ended.

Simon said that both fans always argued on the issue of superiority between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

He said: “I banned them from coming to my shop, but this is their first visit since the commencement of the

competition.

“It took the intervention of others inside the shop for me to allow them in, as I was sure that their antagonism towards each other goes beyond Ronaldo and Messi supremacy issue.”

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They're fools—POLICE

Deputy Superintendent of Police George Okafor, the State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, said that the incident had not been officially reported.

He added that the command always dealt with such issues decisively.

“Football hooliganism is a societal malaise as it is only foolish people who indulge in it,” he said.

I have raped more than five girls —Awawa boy

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Esther Onyegbula

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suspected member of the notorious Awawa cult gang, who specialise in terrorising and raping young girls, has revealed that he had raped more than five girls around Dopemu area of Agege, Lagos State.

According to the suspect, 30year-old, Jimoh Sanni, alias Last Born, who was arrested by operatives of Lagos State Task Force alongside 14 others, “I live at 4, Akinlabi Street, Agbotikuyo, in Agege.

“I am from Okene in Kogi State. I am a sectional head of Awawa Boys and have raped more than five girls around Dopemu area. My gang has burgled many shops at Aluminium Village and sold Indian hemp at beer parlours and night clubs at N100 per wrap before we go for our usual night robbery operations.

“We collect N2,000 to N3,000 everyday from individual aluminium shop owner at Dopemu area and that they buy Indian hemp from another Awawa Boys kingpin named Olata, at Oloosha area at Mushin.”

The otther suspects are Ajayi Babatunde Lukumon, 29; Ajose Anthony, 24; Adebayo Nurudeen, 32; Olayemi Lasege, 38; Sanusi Afeez, 23; Popoola Fatai, 30; Popoola Yakubu, 27; Ajibade Oluwafemi, 20; Opeyemi Oluwasola, 33; Adewunmi Oluwatobi, 21; Akerele Sunday, 25; Timothy Ogar, 32; Actor Amechi, 21; Jimoh Sanni, 30, and Owolabi Adediran 27.

Suspects’ father mourn

Lamenting, the father of two of the suspects (Popoola Fatai and Popoola Yakubu), Alhaji Musibaudeen Popoola, 66, said he had warned his children to stop following these bad gangs around

14 arrested, as Police boss reads riot act Dopemu area.

Alhaji Popoola said: “I found it extremely difficult to believe when I was told that two of my sons were among those arrested members of Awawa Boys.

“I only came, as a disciplined father, to tell them that the end has come. It is going to be a big lesson to other children that they must obey their parents.”

It was learned that operatives of the Lagos State Task Force arrested the cult members at Dopemu area of Agege after they received intelligence report on the disturbing activities of notorious Awawa Boys.

It was gathered that during the operation, which was carried out at midnight and led by SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, Chairman, Lagos State Task Force, the suspects and other affiliated group leaders fought the officers

with dangerous weapons before they were overpowered.

Reacting to the arrest, the

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, directed that the suspects should all be immediately charged to court.

HE seven contractors, including three Australians and a South African, have been released unharmed four days after they were kidnapped by gunmen.

The victims work for a cement company Lafarge, on the outskirts of Calabar, Cross River State.

Cross River State Police Commissioner, Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, said they were released “unhurt” on Sunday. He however, gave no further details on the matter.

The state governor ’s security adviser, Jude Ngajim, said five expatriates and two Nigerians had been released.

ERODED: Dillion Street, off Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

Body of lecturer killed over infidelity recovered from River Katsina-Ala

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—THE decomposing body of Godwin Abuul, the lecturer in the Theatre Arts Department of the College of Education, Oju, Benue State, who was allegedly murdered by his wife, name withheld, in connivance with her siblings over alleged extramarital affairs, has been recovered from River KatsinaAla by police.

Vanguard had exclusively reported that Abuul, who went missing about two weeks ago in Gboko after returning from Oju, where he lectured at the stateowned institution, was killed and dumped in River Katsina-

Ala. In the course of investigations, police in Gboko arrested a young man with the cloth the lecturer wore the last day he was seen and on interrogation, the suspect confessed that the deceased was allegedly killed by his wife in connivance with her siblings, who also sold his car and shared the proceeds.

The mother of two was immediately arrested alongside her siblings and others mentioned in the saga.

The matter had been transferred to the Command Headquarters in Makurdi for further investigation.

A family source, who spoke

yesterday on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard in Makurdi that the decomposed body of the former Head of Theatre Arts Department, COE, Oju, was found stuck to the trunk of a small tree in River KatsinaAla.

Family members’ story

According to him, “after the revelation by his killers that he was dumped in the river two weeks ago, a search party comprising the police, family members and local divers Saturday evening discovered the badly decomposed body in the river.

“What was left of him was hanging on a small plant in the river. Fishes had feasted on him.

“Those responsible for his death pretended all along and even claimed that he might have been kidnapped.

“We took the remains to Makurdi on the orders of the Police, where an autopsy has been conducted and we are burying him immediately because the corpse is in a bad state.”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Moses Yamu, said he was yet to receive the latest briefs on matter.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY JUNE 27, 2016

Why we re-opened Silverbird, Rhythm FM —AMCON

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HE ASSETS Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, has said it decided to re-open the Silverbird Group of Companies to enable it run effectively to settle its debt obligations.

This was disclosed to online portal, Premium Times, weekend by Kunle Adegoke, an attorney working with Muiz Banire, the debt recovery manager overseeing the take-over of the company.

The Silverbird Groups’ outlets in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt were sealed

by AMCON last Thursday over an N11 billion debt.

Adegoke said the reopening of the businesses should not come as a surprise to Nigerians, adding that they were only repossessed by the authorities but not liquidated.

The lawyer said AMCON would continue to superintend the affairs of the businesses in order to make them more effective and profitable, but added that Mr. Murray-Bruce and his brothers would be carried along in the day-today running of the businesses.

Adegoke said: “The purpose of receivership is to ensure the businesses are run consistently and to recover the loan that is outstanding against the three companies. So, it is to that effect that we directed that they should reopen the businesses on Friday.

“That the receiver has taken over the finances of the organisation together with the administrative office.

IGR: 36 states generate N682bn 15 appear to be going bankrupt… Lagos generates more IGR than 32 states combined Rich states: Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Ogun, Edo Poor states: Yobe, Zamfara, Ekiti, Borno, Kebbi

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N INVESTIGATION by the Economic Confidential has shown that fifteen states of the federation may go bankrupt as their Internally Generated Revenues, IGR, in 2015 were far below 10% of their Federation Account Allocations, FAA, in one year from June 2015 to May 2016.

The report further indicated that the IGR of Lagos State of N268bn is higher than that of 32 states put together excluding Rivers, Delta and Ogun whose IGRs are very impressive. The 32 other states merely generated a total of

The states that may not survive without the Federation Account due to poor internal revenues include Yobe, which generated meagre N2.2b, compared to a total of N57.4bn it received from the Federation Account Allocation (FAA) from June 2015 to May 2016, representing about 3.9%.

Others are: Zamfara with IGR of N2.7bn, compared to FAA of N56.6bn, representing 4.8%; Ekiti N3.2bn, compared to FAA of N50.460bn representing 6.5%; Borno with N3.5bn, compared to N78.7bn of FAA, representing 4.5% and Kebbi with IGR of N3.5bn compared to N64.8bn of FAA representing 5.5% within the period under review.

Others poor internal revenue earners are Taraba, which generated N4.1bn, compared to FAA of N56bn, representing 6.4%; Nassarawa N4.4bn, compared to FAA of N50.5bn, representing 8.5%; Adamawa N4.4bn compared to FAA of N62.2bn representing 7.1%; Gombe N4.7bn compared to FAA of N49.8bn representing 9.6%; Jigawa N5bn compared to FAA of N73bn representing 7%; Bauchi N5.3bn compared to FAA of N72.6bn representing 7.4%; LAUNCH: From left, Prof. Adigun Agbaje, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan; Mrs. Akanle Olufunke, Registrar/CEO, Medical Rehabilatation Therapists Registration Board of Nigera, MRTB; Dr. Christopher Kolade, Imo N5.4bn compared to FAA of former Chairman, SURE- P and Chairman of the Award giving ceremony; Prof. Julius Ademokoya, President, N71.6bn representing 7.6%; Speech Pathologist and Andiologists Association in Nigeria, SPAAN; during the association's book launch/ Katsina N5.7bn compared to FAA award ceremony and 2016 International Conference with a theme, 'Communication Disorders in Children: of N88.8bn representing 6.5 %; Niger N5.9bn compared to FAA Assessment and Interventions', in Lagos. Photo: Akinwunmi Ibrahim of N74.8bn representing 8% and Sokoto N6.2bn compared to FAA of N69.7bn representing 8.9%.

Meanwhile Lagos State retains its number one position in IGR, with a total revenue generation of all foreigners in their local stated this at the weekend in of N268.22bn in the twelve

By Omeiza Ajayi months of last year. government areas of residence.

Abuja when the Ag. Inspector It is followed by Rivers State, It said the move would enhance General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, BUJA—FOLLOWING N82.10bn; Delta State, N40.80bn; intelligence reports its database of all aliens in the paid him a courtesy visit.

Ogun State, N34.59bn and Edo country and make for their easier showing the high-level This was even as the State, N19.11bn. participation of foreigners in tracking in the event of any Immigration boss asked for access However, five states look good insurgent activities as well as security threat. to INTERPOL’s I-24/7 portal in to be on top of the current Comptroller General of the order to enhance its capacity to herdsmen attacks in the country, economic challenges. They are the federal government has said Nigeria Immigration Service, contribute to winning the war Enugu, Oyo, Anambra, Akwa it would soon begin registration (CGI), Muhammad Babandede, against terrorism, insurgency and Ibom and Kano with N18.08bn, other organized crimes.

N15.66bn, N14.793bn, Service Public Relations Officer, N14.791bn, and N13.611 bn Ekpedeme King, in a statement respectively. in Abuja yesterday, quoted the The Economic Confidential CGI as saying that such access report further showed that the was imperative, since the NIS Representatives, Raphael that the reason he instituted the provides the frontline officers at richest northern state is Kano, Igbokwe, has dragged to the case against the defendants was nation’s land, sea and air borders which is the only state from the Federal High Court, Abuja, the because he had great interest and in the security architecture of North to be among the 10 highest IGR earners, while the rest are Attorney General of the was committed to the Nigeria as in other countries.

Southern states.

Federation, AGF, Abubakar development of the nation’s “Therefore, access to the The poorest southern state is Malami, SAN, and the Minister jurisprudence.

INTERPOL database will Ekiti, which is the only state from of Communication Technology, He contended that the AGF and improve our border security Adebayo Shittu, seeking for Minister of Justice and the considerably. The INTERPOL I- the South to be among the 10 determination as to whether the Minister of Communications 24/7 network enables the 190 lowest IGR earners, while the rest defendants had power under the Technology lacked powers to member countries to search and in the category and bottom of the laws of the land to reduce the fine amend, alter, adjust or vary any cross-check data of suspected ladder are Northern states.

Meanwhile, Economic imposed on MTN. provisions of a legislation or any criminals, wanted persons, stolen Also joined in the suit No FHC/ other law validly made by the or lost travel documents within Confidential noted that the IGR of the respective states can ABJ/CS/448/2016, are the National Assembly, or any rules, seconds,” Babandede said. improve through aggressive Nigerian Communications regulations and orders validly The INTERPOL I-24/7 is Commission, and MTN made by any legislator pursuant installed at all 190 National diversification of the economy to productive sectors.

Communications Limited. to an Act of the National Central Bureaus which are under Igbokwe, in his affidavit, stated Assembly. the Police.

N257bn in 2015.

Recently the Economic confidential, an economic intelligence magazine published the total allocation each state in Nigeria received from the Federation Account Allocation (FAA) between June 2015 to May 2016 which signified one year of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The latest report on IGR reveals that only Lagos State generated more revenue than its allocation from the Federation Account by 150% and no any other state has

Insurgency: FG to register foreigners at LGA level As Immigration wants access to Interpol database

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N1.04trn fine: Rep drags AGF, Shittu, NCC, MTN to court for slashing fine ...wants declaration AGF, minister lack power to do so

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—THE last may have not been heard over the disagreement between the legislature and the executive over the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on South African telecommunication giant, MTN, by the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, which was later reduced to N330bn.

The reduction was in violation of ongoing investigation into the matter by the House of Representatives.

A member of the House of

up to 100% of IGR to the federal largese.

The IGR of the 36 states of the federation totalled N682.67 billion in 2015 as compared to N707.85 billion in 2014, a drop of N25.18 billion, representing minus 3.56 percent.

The report provides shocking discovery that indicates that 15 states may go bankrupt and may not stay afloat outside the Federal Account Allocation due to lack of foresight in revenue generation drive, coupled with arm-chair governance.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—9

Mass retrenchment: Senate lauds FG’s intervention ....Backs planned stakeholders’ dialogue

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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HE SENATE weekend commended the intervention of the Federal Government for halting ongoing mass retrenchment in the banks and other financial institutions.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour, Rafiu Ibrahim, said; “I sincerely commend the federal government for being willing to work with the banks to find a common solution to this issue of retrenchment, which affects almost every family. ‘’I am grateful that all of us have agreed to dialogue and I implore you to do justice to all issues before the stakeholders’ summit is convened in July.

“I, therefore, appeal to everybody to be humble and to be open in our different positions at the talks. I am happy with the explanation of the Hon. Minister on the issue of bank licenses that he did not threaten that the Federal Government would withdraw their licenses; that it was a case of misrepresentation. ‘’That will give a convivial atmosphere for all the social partners to freely dialogue and peacefully resolve all issues.”

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, had said that all the steps he had so far taken on the issue were in defence of the constitution and the labour laws and to safeguard the interests of all parties, while ensuring peaceful industrial milieu for enhanced productivity in the sector.

The constitution He had said: “The constitution is the supreme law of the land.

The constitution is aware that we are in a society where all of us will not be equal and that everybody must be protected big and small. That is why in sections 14, 15 and 16 and even 17, it protects the employer, the economy and the workers. ‘’It is from these provisions that the National Assembly enacted the labour laws to guide all of us on how to deal with the issues of employment. So, all that my ministry has done is to execute and protect these laws from infractions. I acted in good faith to protect the interest of all.”

He cited petitions from the unions in the financial sector which bordered on unwholesome practices, including mindless retrenchment as the immediate reason for his intervention.

He said that explained why he directed all the parties - the bank employers and the unionsto maintain the statuesque antebellum through a press release on June 5, 2016, pending the resolution of the disputes.

“We intervened in the spirit of collective bargaining. We got petitions from NUBIFE on casualization, contract staffing, poor remunerations which is not in conformity with equal work, equal pay in our constitution, ill human conditions of service, rampant termination without due compensation and resistant to unionization contrary to section 40 of the constitution. ‘’We investigated these and found them true in some banks.

We invited the concerned banks; they gave excuses on why they won’t honour the invitation while they continued with retrenchments. I know my rights as Minister of Labour and I will exercise those rights for the benefits of Nigerians, high and low. It is within my power to declare a truce in any industrial crisis.

‘’That was why I asked the banks; don’t retrench further and the unions; don’t picket the banks so we can sit down to resolve the issues. The labour law on redundancy says in article 20 that if you negotiate redundancy and a party is dissatisfied, the Minister has the right to intervene.

“The law makes provision for the employer is to disengage a worker if he cannot actually run his enterprise efficiently and effectively with a big load of staff in which case, he will declare redundancy but it states clearly the process for doing this. ‘’It says you must engage the labour unions in that industry and if it gets out of hand, the local unions will report to their national union. If they can’t resolve this, the parties, unions or the banks will refer it to the Minister of

Ogunshola, Ibidapo-Obe, Ajetunmobi bag fellowship

labour for conciliation,’’ Ngige had said.

Speaking on unionization in the banks, the Minister said the only institution in the financial sector where staff members were exempted from unionization was the Central Bank, adding that no other bank in the country had the right to prevent its staff from forming a union.

“Unionization, according to the constitution and labour laws, is the right of workers. There are exemptions and the institutions that are exempted are clearly listed. Here, it is only the Central Bank that is exempted in the banking sector. ‘’The law says again that the Minister of Labour in his wisdom, can grant a waiver to any institution. I have not granted a waver to any bank and I will not grant such,” Ngige concluded.

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H R E E DISTINGUISHED mathematicians will be conferred with the fellowship of the Nigerian Mathematical Society on Thursday, June 30.

They are Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe and Pro. Michael O. Ajetunmobi. They are among the 18 fellows approved by the council of the society in 2016.

The event will take place at the conference hall of the Nigerian Academy of Science at the University of Lagos.

The 2016 fellows are Prof.

K. R. Adeboye, Prof. A. U. Afuwape, Prof. M. O. Ajetunmobi, Prof. N. I. Akinwande, Prof. U. I. Asibong-IBE, Prof. C. E. Chidume, Prof. G. O. S. Ekhaguere, Prof. J. A. Gbadeyan, Prof. O. Ibidapo-Obe, Prof. F. I. Ochor and Chief Ajibola Ogunshola.

Others on the approved list are Prof. J.A. Oguntuase, Prof. S. S. Okoya, Prof. P. Onumanyi, Prof. M. O. Osilike, Prof.

B. Sani, Prof. A. R. T. Solarin and Prof. A. A. Tijjani.

The Council of the NMS, which was founded in 1980 to promote teaching, research and scholarship in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria, instituted the FNMS award in 2015 with 12 beneficiaries.

ENVIRONMENT DAY: From left, Head, Government and Community Relations, Etisalat Nigeria, Mohammed Suley-Yusuf; Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril, and Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, exchanging views at the World Environment Day 2016, organised by the Ministry in partnership with Etisalat Nigeria, in Abuja.

Modu Sheriff: Bull in a China shop, says PDP As party suspends Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen Why INEC can’t monitor Modu Sheriff

By Henry Umoru & Omeiza Ajayi

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BUJA—EDO State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, took a swipe at former acting National Chairman of the Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, describing him as a bull in a China shop.

This came as facts emerged, yesterday night that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would not monitor Wednesday ’s governorship primary being organized by Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State.

The state chapter of the party accused Modu Sheriff of plotting to destabilize the party in the state, which amounted to

anti-party activity, and suspended one of the governorship aspirants, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen for one month, over alleged plans to work against the party ahead of the September10 governorship election.

In a statement made available to journalists, yesterday, in Abuja

by PDP Edo State Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, the party said: “You will recall that Edo PDP had its governorship primary on June 20, 2016, and three aspirants participated. ‘’The process, which was adjudged free, fair and transparent was, watched live on national television and chaired by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State.

“Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was declared winner with 584 votes,

while Matthew Iduoriyekemwen scored 91 and Chief Solomon Edebiri 38 votes.

“With the successful completion of the primary, the party immediately activated its post primary conflict resolution mechanism by reaching out to the losers of the election in order to assuage their losses in the democratic contest.

“In as much as we tried, we discovered that one of the aspirants was adamant in working against the tenets of our party. His behaviour and utterances immediately after his loss have become not only embarrassing to the party, but also to the vast majority of Edo people, who are yearning for a change of government and party in Edo State.

Meanwhile, facts emerged last night that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would not monitor Wednesday’s governorship primary elections being organized by the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the PDP in Edo State.

“INEC is yet to take a decision on that even though I learned Alhaji Modu Sheriff has written the commission to say that he intended to hold one (primary),” Deputy Director Public Affairs at INEC, Nick Dazang told Vanguard, yesterday.

He also noted that Section 85 of the Electoral Act provided that any party that wished to hold a convention or primaries shall serve the commission a 21-day notice.“

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY JUNE 27 , 2016

Court restrains monarch from Osolu family land

Police begin manhunt for Ikorodu attackers Six, not 50 people killed — LAGOS CP

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

By Innocent Anaba

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Lagos High Court sitting in Badagry, has restrained His Royal Highness, Oba Abideen Durosimi from selling, collecting rents or harassing the entire Osolu family in Irewe land in Ojo Local Government Area of the state over their property.

Trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada, made the order pending the determination of suit by Prince Bolaji Oyefolu and seven other claimants/ applicants through their counsel, Mr. O. Adenekan.

The other claimants are Mr. Timothy Ajiboye, Chief Rasaki Odunewu, Mr. Shefiu Olatunde, Prince Akeem Oyefolu, Chief Afolabi Giwa, Alhaji Abu Oyefolu and Alhaji Shamsideen Durosimi.

The court granted the plaintiff’s prayer upon a motion dated February 27, 2015, accompanied by an affidavit dated March 2, 2015 deposed to by Mr Ajiboye, which was not opposed by defence counsel, Mr. Abdul-Azeez Jimoh.

The court held that the defendant, his agents and privies were restrained from further dissipating, selling, leasing the property “and from further collecting royalties and rents from tenants in respect of Coconut Farm, beach huts and houses.”

FG tells military retirees to collaborate with security agencies

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—THE Federal Government weekend, called on retired Military personnel to join in the fight against insurgency by collaborating with their serving colleagues and other security agencies.

Minister of Defence, Brig.Gen. Mohammed Dan-Ali (Rtd.) made this call at the Passing Out Ceremony of 464 retiring members of the Armed Forces at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, NAFRC Oshodi, Lagos.

Addressing the graduands who underwent a six-month training programme at the centre, the Minister, who was represented by the Director, Army Ministry of Defence, Mrs Iro Ikenga, said : “You all know that the issue of security in our country in recent times is at its critical stage, as the military is now contending with insurgents in the North-east.

C M Y K

BRIEFING: From left; Business Development Director, FREETV, Mr. Folarin Oworu; Sales Manager, North, West and Central Africa, SES, Mrs. Joy Emenike; Vice President, Marketing, SES, Mr. Paul Freeman; and General Manager, Nwand CA, SES, Mr. Eric Lecocq, during a press conference on satellite monitoring result launch for Nigeria in Lagos.

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HE Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it has commenced an aggressive manhunt for suspected militants who invaded Igbolomu and Ishawo areas of Ikorodu last Friday and unleashed mayhem on residents.

The gunmen, who were alleged to be from the Niger Delta, were said to have come in through the waterways close to the communities and started shooting sporadically, a development which led to the death of some people while others sustained various degree of injuries.

Addressing newsmen at the weekend, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said a massive manhunt had already commenced against the suspected militants, adding that the investigation was going on smoothly.

Owoseni, who was at the scene of the incident moments after the attack, also denied conflicting media reports as to the actual number of people killed by the attackers.

The CP disclosed that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Owutu responded with his men almost immediately after he was alerted, adding that mobile policemen were swiftly deployed to be patrolling the affected areas.

“The DPO in Owutu went to Igbolomu and the surrounding communities and when he got there, he saw everybody running in panic and it could be because of that immediate response the militants had fled the place and while moving round, he later found six corpses of the people that were killed and the police took over those corpses out of which two were immediately released to their families who said they want to go and bury them according to Islamic rights, while we took the remaining four to the morgue.

“That was how we covered that

place until we got support and reinforcement from the Nigerian Army who came to stay with us.

“I can confirm that the casuality is six and no family till now has come out even while I was there to say that they have extra corpses apart from the ones that were recovered by the police in Owutu that immediately went to the place when the incident happened,” the CP said.

Owoseni said before now, the police had been making arrests in the areas, while the militants who committed the latest atrocity were being hunted, expressing optimism that they

would soon be apprehended.

“What people must know is that this is not an investigation or operation that you can just say one plus one. The guys are taking advantage of the creeks. They hit and run to the creeks and also use the wee hours of the night to carry out that operation.

Anywhere in the world, the military and police hardly operate in the night and so they have been taking advantage of that and that is why we have now emplaced a permanent standby points in all the four areas that we have identified as where they are coming from,” Owoseni said.

Lagos blames residents for persistent flooding

By Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—AS the rainfall persists across Lagos State, residents have been blamed over the persistent flooding that have taken over the roads in the state.

This came barely a week after residents lamented over the persistent flooding that had restricted vehicular movement in the state.

Speaking in an interview with pressmen yesterday, Sole Administrator of Apapa Local Government, Mr. Babatunde Alao, lamented that the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in canals across the state has led to blockage of the drainages.

His words, “It will be unfair to spend money which could have been used in the provision of other basic amenities in the state especially in Apapa Local Government on unethical environmental habits.”

Alao who inspected several drainages expressed regrets over the action of Lagosians, even as urged residents to shun indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the canal, saying “we need to embrace hygiene way of life.”

It will be that mostly affected areas were

Lekki, Oshodi, Apapa and others, were motorist had bad experience navigating the roads.

According to a resident who identified himself as Chijioke, said “With all the rain falling in Lagos, let’s channel some of this Lekki flood to the river,” adding that this will help address the flood that had cripple business activities.

Another resident, Wale, lamented “Our streets have turned River Nile to the extent flood is flowing into our house.” ...assures of efficient, safe water transportation Meantime, the state yesterday restated its commitment to sanitize the water transportation system so as to ensure improved, efficient and safe mode of movement of people and goods on its waterways.

Managing Director of the Lagos State Waterways Authority

(LASWA), Ms Abisola Kamson in a statement said the government had recently embarked on stock taking and repositioning by putting efforts in place to ensure sanity on its waterways that would a l s o prevent mishaps a n d wanton loss of lives.

According to her, the current operations on the waterways does not conform to t h e international standard, which the S t a t e

Government under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode intends to reposition the water transportation system, saying the process is not limited to the private sector operators alone.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 11

Olubadan makes Yoruba his palace’s official language

By Ola Ajayi Ibadan – AS American students under the aegis of 2016 Yoruba Group Study Abroad (YGPA) of the University of Ibadan visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1 in his palace, the monarch has henceforth made speaking of Yoruba compulsory in his palace.

The order was given by the prominent traditional ruler who expressed fear that the way the language is being avoided could lead to its extinction.

To this end, he called on all Governors in the South West states to ensure that the teaching and learning of the language is made compulsory in all schools in the zone.

He also advised parents in the land to encourage their wards in the speaking and learning of Yoruba Language, noting that any tribe whose language is dead will perish.

The first class monarch made this call at his Popoyemoja, Ibadan residence while receiving about 15 American students who study Yoruba in the University of Ibadan. Oba Adetunji pointed that the rate at which Yoruba language is dying by the day is alarming and thereby called on parents to cultivate the habits of teaching and speaking the language to their children at all time.

In a statement by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Oba Adetunji said, “I am always worried at the rate at which our language is dying by the day due to the insensitivity of some our parents who now rejected their mother tongue and also prevented their kids from speaking it.”

He however said, “because of the condition we met our language and observed that both the parents and government are not doing anything to salvage our dear language from going into extinction, I made it a standing order that official language in the palace is Yoruba and absolutely, Yoruba.”

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NIGER DELTA AVENGERS: Violence not way forward

— DICKSON As Fayose charges Nigerians on food security

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

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D O - E K I T I — GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, has canvassed for dialogue as the only way out of the recurrent violence in the Niger Delta, saying waging war against the militants would only exacerbate the already volatile situation in the region.

Militants under the aegis of the Niger Delta Avengers had declared war on the FG, destroying national assets, and incurring huge financial losses, running to billions of naira and massive reduction in the production of crude oil, which output was put at fifty percent of its original capacity.

While the Federal Government’s military option to hunt down the militants appeared to have failed, Governor Dickson

joined his voice with that of other leaders in the region, calling for dialogue between the militants and the federal government as the only way out of the logjam.

Dickson also urged both parties to come to a round table and dialogue for peace and stability.

The governor gave the advice at the weekend during the Ekiti State University (EKSU) ‘s 21st Convocation ceremony where he was awarded with Doctorate Degree in Public Administration in recognition of his exemplary leadership.

The governor received the honour alongside the Chancellor of the University and traditional ruler of Aramoko-Ekiti, Oba AbdulAzeez Adegoke Adeyemi, and the Ekiti State-born legal luminary, banker and oil and gas magnate, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, while a total of 18,685 candidates received the institution’s Degrees,

Diplomas and Post-graduate Diplomas.

Giving the breakdown, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Oye Bandele said 3,054 are fulltime, 392 Sandwich, 10,613 from Affilliate colleges and 3,937 parttime students.

In the post graduate category, 78 are PhD degrees, 366 for Masters, 127 for professional Masters and 118 are for PostGraduate Diploma.

In all, he said a total of 24 students made First Class honours degree.

Let us fight food insecurity, Fayose charges Nigerians

Meantime, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has called on Nigerians to pay more attention to agriculture, saying there is food insecurity in the country that must be tackled.

He stated this also during the

Aregbesola tasks police on community relations

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—OSUN State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has charged officers and men of the Nigeria Police on the need to strengthen community relations among the diverse people of Nigeria.

Aregbesola also pointed out that the only thing capable of enhancing the activities of the members of Nigeria Police Force was to maintain civility while discharging their constitutional duties as being enshrined in the

constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Aregbesola stated this while speaking weekend during the passing-out parade of Police Mobile Force Squadron Commanders’ Seminal/ Combat Operation Course 03/2016, at Police Mobile Force Training College, IlaOrangun, Osun State.

Aregbesola identified the protection of lives and property of Nigerian people as the reason behind the establishment of the Police, saying the only way for the police officers in the country to champion the course was to establish a strong

bond with the people in their various communities.

The Governor, who charged the nation’s police on the need to rededicate themselves and live up to their responsibilities, said police officers must build more on efficiency, competence, courage, sacrifice and effectiveness.

Earlier, the InspectorGeneral of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris revealed that efforts are in top gear to ensure that all commissioned officers from the rank of an Assistant Superintendent of Police to the Inspector-General of Police declare their assets.

21st convocation ceremony of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, quoted the governor as urging fresh graduates and school leavers to see different segments of agriculture as fertile ground to secure employment.

“Let us focus on agriculture because we are not only fighting Boko Haram and insecurity but we already have food insecurity and when you have food to eat a large part of the problem is solved.

It is not everybody that will build house, but everyone of us must eat, even if it once a day.

“Those that are graduating, the queue out there is long and white collar jobs are rare, those who even have such jobs, are they paid regularly?. The situation is getting tougher every day. We must invest more in agriculture,” the governor said.

12 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—13

14— Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—15

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 We are shocked and saddened by the sorry stories making the rounds that some unscrupulous government officials are now going after the food items which are meant to feed the victims and escapees of Boko Haram attacks who have been sheltered inside and outside the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the North East, especially Borno State.

Earlier last week, reports had it that some officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were caught re-bagging the rice procured by government, charitable Nigerians and foreign donors for the feeding of the IDPs. When the story broke, the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, ordered an investigation with a view to dealing with those behind those dastardly acts.

On Thursday, June 23, there were media reports that a “shootout” took place in the Borno State Government House between

Gunning after IDP rice policemen stationed to guard the rice meant for the displaced persons and some soldiers. The reports had it that the soldiers attempted to hijack the distribution of the rice, which met with stiff resistance from the policemen on duty, and thus sparked the shootout that injured a policeman.

We commend the Borno State Government for the prompt steps it took to nip both acts of brigandage in the bud. The Army also acted with dispatch and ensured that the few rogue soldiers who instigated the violence were apprehended for disciplinary action.

It is saddening that food meant for the care of people displaced from their communities is now being targeted by criminal-minded government officials and a few misguided soldiers who see it as another government bonanza to grab by hook or crook.

Unfortunately, the noble intention to include refugees who live outside the IDP camps in the distribution of the food items was misconstrued as an opportunity for-a free for-all attitude to the relief materials.

We urge the state government and

the military authorities to make an example of those found culpable in these crimes to serve as an example to others with the same intention that such inhuman behaviour cannot be tolerated.

There have been many reports of severe malnutrition among the IDPs (especially those living inside the Camps) consequent upon poor quality of food. With millions of mouths to feed at least twice a day, the Borno State Government is bearing a burden that only requires collective efforts to assist the victims to survive.

Those of us who are more fortunate should extend our hands of charity and love to those in need as no one knows when it might be his or her turn to need the help of other kind-hearted people.

We hope and pray for the speedy end of the Boko Haram war so that IDPs can go back to their communities and resume their livelihood – with human dignity.

OPINION Senate: Conspiracy of scavengers

By Nwobodo Chidiebere

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HE 8th Senate recently celebrated its one year in office. The political machination and hullaballoo that heralded the emergence of its bipartisan leadership, is gradually settling down in the eyes of the observing public.

Worthy of note and conspicuous acknowledgement, is the re-election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as deputy Senate president for unprecedented three consecutive terms. His third political voyage as deputy senate president of 8th Senate is more unparalleled, having been elected historically as deputy senate president of the PDP extraction in APC’s slight majority Senate—which is unmatched in the political annals of contemporary Nigeria. Dr. Ike Ekweremadu’s third missionary journey as deputy senate president of 8th Senate, was not as a result of the socalled pre-Senate leadership election deal between Dr.Saraki and the PDP Senators, but an impeccable proof of his legislative prowess cum bipartisan overwhelming support in the Senate.

After the emergence of current leadership of 8th Senate,some aggrieved Senators who believed that they were outfoxed in the political chess game that enthroned Saraki and veteran Ekweremadu as senate president and deputy, respectively, went to court under the oxymoronic name of Senate Unity Forum to

challenge electoral processes which threw up these fine gentlemen as unequal co-pilot of Nigerian Senate. After tactless shenanigans and media grandstanding as regards the suited forgery case at Federal High Court, Abuja, the stark reality of being on wild goose chase has finally enveloped consciousness of these Senators, who have silently withdrew their support from the dead-on-arrival case for lack of substantial evidences and empirical facts.

A new twist is being added to this forgery allegation case. There is unfolding conspiracy by those I can describe as political scavengers and tyrannical elements. These are dark agents of dictatorship whose morbid intention is to cripple or annex legislative arm of government by subjecting current Senate Leadership under perpetual torments and harassment using state institutions cum apparatus, while masquerading its extremist exploit to decimate opposing views under the guise of anticorruption fight.

Prior to now, hitherto strong critics of this administration have been thrown into jail extrajudicially; using every flimsy corruption allegation the scavengers could lays hands on.

Even the dumbest political neophyte knows that on-going persecution of Senate President Saraki has political coatings in it. Those who thought that the entire senate leadership could be cowed into becoming a rubber stamp Red Chamber by dragging Senate President Saraki

to the Code of Conduct Tribunal,has been flabbergasted by resoluteness of the Senate and its leadership to protect legislative independence—which represents the bedrock of our nascent democracy.

Since the promulgation of 8th Senate, Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu has been playing the role of a stabilising force in the Senate. His proven leadership experience vis-à-vis emotional intelligence has helped to bring stability and confidence in the leadership acumen of 8th Senate, irrespective of distractions being face by Senator Saraki as a result of his trial at the CCT. Dr. Ekweremadu, being the de facto leader of the opposition party, the PDP by virtue of the position he is presently occupying, has not hesitated in offering constructive criticisms on how Nigerian State is being run by President Muhammadu Buhariled APC government. His objective critic of this government in some national issues is not borne out of hatred for President Buhari or for the sole purpose of playing extremist opposition but the love of the country which was epitomized in his recently launched book— Who will love my country; ideas for building the Nigeria of our dreams.

From the unfolding events in the last few weeks, it appears that the tyrants in this administration abhors Ekweremadu’s patriotic role in stabilising the 8th Senate in the absence of Senate President Saraki, and his courageous statements in the face of rampaging dictatorial tendencies. Those anti-democratic elements,

who view the Deputy Senate President, as the only standing objective/opposing voice has being scavenging all the political debris looking for what to deplore in tarnishing his unblemished integrity in the eyes of some politically naïve Nigerians.

This desperate plot to rob in Ekweremadu began few weeks ago, when unsolicited and premeditated Anti-Corruption ambassadorial award was given to him in his office by representatives of EFCC in National Assembly, and was vehemently denied in less than 24 hours by the same commission just to embarrass Sen. Ekweremadu. It has been placed on record that he never lobbied or canvassed for such an award and did not deserve such media embarrassment he got, which placated over bloated ego of those gunning for his head.

The endless voyage of illusions being embarked upon by political scavengers, who are incidentally turning into avengers, just to get at Ekweremadu for daring to express his constitutional rights to contest for deputy senate president in APC’s slim majority Senate, is being brought to fore by current move to instigate criminal charges against Saraki, Ekweremadu and outgone Clark of National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa on the baseless, frivolous and unsubstantiated allegation of conniving to forge Senate rules, which is yet to be proven by now foot-dragging Senate Unity Forum.

•Mr.Chidiebere, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

CBN, NEXIM commence implementation of N550bn export >20 funds

Outsourcing business is challenging but still viable —Okoh >25

Brexit'll boost Nigeria's foreign exchange policy >21 — CBN

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Five top gainers

Five top losers

Shareholders get N158b dividends from 9 banks in 2015 As banks’ profits drop by N11.1bn Shareholders laud management for surviving tough times

By Peter Egwuatu

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hareholders of nine banks quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE received 42.2 per cent or N158.4 billion as Return on Investment, ROI , out of the total banks’ Profit After Tax, PAT, of N375.8 billion for the financial year, 2015.

Financial Vanguard ’s findings showed that the nine banks’ PAT declined by N11.1 billion or 2.9 per cent as they recorded a total of N375.8 billion for the financial year, 2015 when compared to the figure of N386.9 billion recorded in 2014.

The banks’ managements have decried

the harsh operating environment and the risks that characterised the period under review as high operating cost impacted negatively to reduce profit margins .

The nine banks which financial reports for the year under consideration were examined include: Access Bank Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, ETI Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank, GTBank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, and United Bank for Africa, UBA Plc. Others are Zenith Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Wema Bank Plc, and Union Bank Nigeria Plc. Financial Vanguard ’s findings further showed that Access Bank declared Profits

After Tax of N65.9 billion, while it paid N15.2 billion as dividend; Ecobank Transnational Incorporated PAT was N21.3 billion and released N7.1 billion as dividend. GTBank posted N99 billion PAT, while it paid dividend of N51.33 billion.

Sterling Bank recorded 10.3 billion, while its shareholders were paid N1.7 billion as dividend. UBA on its part declared N47.6 billion PAT, while it paid its shareholders N15.7 billion as dividend.

Zenith Bank was not different as it declared N98.8 billion, while it paid shareholders N62.8 billion as dividend.

Fidelity Bank recorded N16.3 PAT, and paid N4.6 billion to shareholders as dividend. It

was the same story for Union Bank which declared N2.3 billion PAT and declared no dividend, just as Wema Bank declared N13.9 billion without proposing any dividend to shareholders. Further analysis showed that the nine banks’ reward to shareholders by dividend payout in 2015 grew by 18.8 per cent from N133.3 billion in 2014 to N158.4 billion.

Zenith Bank paid the highest dividend in 2015 recording N62.8 billion compared to N54 billion in 2014, followed Continues on page 18 C M Y K

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

COVER

What you need to start your business

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SIGNING - From left: Chairman, Primewater View Holding Limited, Prince Adetunji Ogunwusi; Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Council, Comrade Deji Elumoye; Group Managing Director/CEO, Primewaterview Holdings limited, Mrs. Morola Babalola; National President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs. Morola Ifeyinwa; National Treasurer, NAWOJ, Tosin Odusola and Assistant Secretary, NUJ, Lagos, Mr. Odifa Alfred, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U.) of NUJ/NAWOJ Pen Estate with Primewaterview Holding Limited, at NUJ, Lagos Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos…

Shareholders get N158b dividends from 9 banks in 2015 Continued from page 17

by GTBank, which recorded N51.3 billion as against N51.5 billion in 2014.

Others are UBA N15.7 billion as against N10.6 billion, Access Bank N15.2 billion as against N5.7 billion, Ecobank Transnational N7.1 billion as against nil in 2014, Fidelity Bank N4.6 billion as against N5.2 billion, Sterling Bank N1.7 billion as against N5.4 billion in 2014. Wema Bank and Union Bank did not declare dividend for the two year period.

Commenting on the performance of the banks for the financial year, 2015, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, Chief Executive Officer, Union Bank Nigeria, said: “2015 was a challenging year across board, with significant operational and economic headwinds.

Notwithstanding the difficult operating environment, Union Bank maintained its focus on business and transformation initiatives,

The banking industry faced increased regulation and monetary tightening by the Central Bank, who during the first half of the year, actively sought to preserve the nation’s reserves and ensure exchange rate stability

which yielded desired results. Our gross earnings, excluding one-time gain on sale of subsidiaries, are up by 11 per cent compared to 2014. With the launch of a reenergised brand identity and a retail model focused on customer needs, we increased our customer deposits by 12 per cent yearon-year.

“Our simpler and smarter banking solutions have enabled us make strides in customer service delivery, which has reflected in independent industry surveys.

We continue to strengthen our e-banking platforms as we acquire new customers and migrate existing ones to these platforms, realising increased gains in revenues and reducing service costs.”

Looking ahead, he said “With the operating environment expected to remain challenging, Union Bank remains focused on delivering quality financial services to our customers and value to all stakeholders. We believe we are well positioned to take advantage of opportunities in emerging sectors of the economy as well as deepen our stronghold in key geographies around the country.”

In his own comment on the result, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Oloketuyi, said, “Given the tough operating environment in the first half of 2015 attributable to economic headwinds, regulatory restrictions and political uncertainties, the Bank has been able to sustain its financial performance, albeit, on a lower level compared to the same period in 2014. The first quarter of the year was characterised by electionrelated activities and political maneuverings with limited emphasis on economic matters, while the second

quarter was largely characterised by the continued pressure on the currency, the tight monetary policy conditions and the low level supply of petroleum products.

All these issues affected consumer discretionary spending and indeed the growth in our retail volumes.”

The Chairman of Access Bank, Mosun Belo-Olusoga, in his response said: “ Achieving sustained growth and profitability was a difficult task for Nigerian banks in 2015. The banking industry faced increased regulation and monetary tightening by the Central Bank, who during the first half of the year, actively sought to preserve the nation’s reserves and ensure exchange rate stability. These efforts, coupled with macro inconsistencies, resulted in a landscape characterised by pressures on earnings and capital, stiffer competition for lower cost deposits and increased funding costs across the industry. Banks were more risk conscious, which translated to marginal asset growth on the back of lower oil prices and pressures on the foreign exchange market.”

Speaking on its own bank’s performance durig the year under review, the Managing Director/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje said: “That the bank’s financial performance in 2015 is an indication that we have earned the loyalty of our customers and an attestation of the hard work and dedication of our staff, management and Board. The group has delivered a respectable Profit Before Tax of N120.7billion despite an extremely challenging business environment in 2015.

As a bank, we will continue to actively partner with our customers and grow our business in a sustainable Continues on page 19

fter you have determined what business idea you want to pursue, evaluated the market for your product, and research your competition, you need to put together a plan of action or business findings from your internal and external research, and documenting what you intend to in your business. There are some clearly defined questions that need to be focused on to provide the information you are looking for.

These include: How many businesses in your neighbourhood sell goods/ services similar to your idea?

What is the customer base of these businesses and how well are they doing?

Do you see a growth potential in this business?

How would you be able to make a unique contribution in this industry? How easy is it to get into the industry and can you get in?

Having answered the above questions, you still need to ask yourself again the following about your competitors: How many competitors dominate the market?

Could a competitor with deep pockets drive you out of business by temporarily lowering the prices, blitzing the market place with advertising, or in any other way? What competitive advantages do they have over you? What competitive advantages do you have over them?

The more you can learn about what your competitors do and how they do it, the better you can position your company to compete with them. Have the following at the back of your mind and remain focused to the business of your dream: D E T E R M I N AT I O N ; COMMITMENT, BELIEF, BE INFORMED ABOUT THE KIND OF BUSINESS YOU WANT TO START. Knowledge, they say is power, so never begin your business without first knowing how to operate the kind of business you want to start. Get on the Internet to get information on your new business venture, go to the libraries and borrow or buy books that profile particular types of business. Meet professional on the field and learn the trick of the business.

CHOOSE A BUSINESS THAT YOU CAN START WITH LITTLE CASH

You can start a business with little money, but you have to choose carefully what business you can start as your choice of business will spell the difference between making your business a success on a shoestring or not.

Your mantra should be “start small, yet think big”.

BE CREATIVE; You can only survive as a cash-strapped entrepreneur if you are able to use your wit and creativity to extend the little resources that you have.

As you start your business, you need to think of ways to get things done, as cheaply and efficiently as possible. You need to be creative and resourceful in finding ways of stretching your thin budget.

You have to force yourself to learn some new things, and find ways to bring in the bucks. If you want to survive, minimize your expenses.

The more you can learn about what your competitors do and how they do it, the better you can position your company to compete with them

RUN YOUR BUSINESS WITH A PASSION; Starting a business is hard; If you have limited capital. It’s like going to battle full of heat but with little ammunition. It doesn’t mean that you can win, but you have to act smartly, maximize your resources, and go after your goal with a burning passion.

Go extra mile. You need to put in more time and effort to compensate for the lack of capital.

THINK CASH; The aim of every business is to make profit, and this cannot come without cash sales.

When you think less of cash, you think less of profit and less profit spells doom for your business. Therefore, for your business survival and growth, always think cash and sale less on credit. Too much credit frustrates business.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 19

INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

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IGEL FARAGE, the leader of the UK Independence Party, told elated supporters that June 23rd should go down as Britain’s Independence Day. The reaction in financial markets to Britain’s vote to leave the European Union was rather less euphoric. During the Asian trading day, the pound plunged against the dollar by over 10% to $1.32, a 30-year low. It fell far harder against the yen, a frequent bolthole for the anxious. Investors have started to flock to the safety of US Treasuries.

As Europe’s markets opened, the main stock indices followed the lead set overnight in Asia and fell by around 10%. Investors hate uncertainty and the result of the referendum gives rise to a surfeit of it. But the falls in Asia’s equity markets are also in large part an early judgment about the impact on the world economy. Of course, markets often overreact.

Britain accounts for just 3.9% of the world’s output; it is not big enough to make the global economic weather in the way America or China can. Then again, America’s economy has been sluggish of late and there are grave worries about China’s ability to escape the shadow of its mountainous debts.

Britain’s economy looms large in Europe, where it is a reliable consumer in an otherwise high-saving continent. Any disruption to European growth is particularly unwelcome now.

The Bank of England said this morning: “We are well prepared for this.” It may cut its main interest rate from its present level of 0.5%. It may even revive its quantitativeeasing programme, buying bonds with freshly minted electronic money. A recession in Britain nevertheless seems likely. Corporate investment

Why Brexit is grim news for world economy —The Economist •Uncertainty abounds •Global chilling effect on investment expected will be hurt by uncertainty about future access to both the single market and to other places where Britain has piggybacked on trade deals negotiated by the EU. In unsettled times, businesses defer whatever spending they can.

The same is true for consumers. The majority who voted to leave the EU may think that forecasts of recession in the event of a Brexit vote were a tactic to scare voters. If so, they are unlikely to curb their spending overnight. But as the bleak consequences for the economy become clearer, spending on big-ticket items is likely to slump. The collapsing pound will drive up inflation, crimping real incomes. Some jobs will go.

Hours worked and wage growth will fall. And Britain is

Brexit will hurt the world economy in other ways. A big concern is the extent to which a retreat from financial risk will disturb the existing fault lines in the world economy, notably in China and southern Europe

big enough for a recession there to have a meaningful effect on Europe’s economy. As a rule of thumb, whatever the reduction in Britain’s GDP growth, Europe’s economy will suffer a drop of about half as much.

Brexit will hurt the world economy in other ways. A big concern is the extent to which a retreat from financial risk will disturb the existing fault lines in the world economy, notably in China and southern Europe.

Italy has a referendum of its own (on constitutional change) in October. Matteo Renzi, Italy’s reform-minded prime minister, says he will resign if the result goes against him. The Brexit vote scarcely helps his chances. A widening of bond spreads in southern Europe seems likely in the run-up to the poll. The European Central Bank can intervene to swamp the symptoms of anxiety by buying bonds, but it can’t do much more to cure the underlying problem of weak growth.

It is trickier to draw a line from Brexit to China. A weaker European economy will certainly hurt Chinese exports. Perhaps a bigger risk is a renewed bout of dollar strength, as Europe’s currencies weaken, which might in turn put renewed downward pressure on the yuan.

Even if some investors have short horizons, tumbling stock markets reflect some long-term worries. If Britain, long a champion of free trade,

can vote to revoke a regional trade deal, how much faith can businesses worldwide put in other international economic agreements? An EU shorn of Britain’s deregulating influence is a troubling portent for the liberal world order. Nationalist, populist and protectionist forces in other countries will be greatly encouraged by Brexit. The WTO recently gave warning that protectionist trade measures in the G20 are multiplying at their fastest rate since 2008. In such circumstances, it would be surprising if the Brexit vote did not have some chilling effect on investment worldwide. It makes curbs on

migration of workers a little more likely, which will be costly for businesses. And if Europe exports some of its misery to Asia and America through weaker currencies, it may increase pressure for restrictions on capital flows, too.

A lot depends on the kind of trade deal Britain can negotiate with the EU and how quickly. If Britain gets a quick deal with no big reductions in its access to the single market, the grimmer scenarios for the world economy may not come to pass. But markets do not seem to be counting on it.

Culled from Economist

Potential effect of Brexit on Sub Sahara Africa

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his region tends to be affected by global events via the financial and trade channels. In brief, of the bigger SSA economies, Kenya is one of the countries most exposed to a Brexit (relatively), via the tourism, trade and financial channels.

Nigeria will be most affected via the financial channel.

Fall in demand for SSA exports, on the back of a slower UK economy – There are fears that a Brexit could lead to a growth slowdown in Britain. A slower British economy will hurt the SSA countries that have strong trade linkages with it. And the reality is that only a couple of SSA countries have what one

would call strong trade linkages with the UK, as most have turned East over the past two decades. The UK is an important export destination for the small island nations of Seychelles and Mauritius.

The share of their exports that end up in the UK are in the double-digits. On a relative basis, Kenya is the third most exposed country in our SSA universe. However, in actual percentages, only 6% of its exports end up in the UK, according to IMF data. The rest of the East Africa Community is Kenya’s biggest export destination.

That said, Europe is Kenya’s biggest source of tourists, and British dominate that number.

COVER

Shareholders get N158b dividends from 9 banks in 2015 Continued from page 18 manner that is not only driven by profit objective, but with an increased focus on empowering our customers with a view to growing Nigerian economy. Also, we remain committed to maximising shareholders’ value and delivering superior and sustainable returns whilst actively expanding our franchise in select, high growth African markets where we believe we have a competitive advantage.”

Also reacting, the Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, said, “Our 2015 profit is a new high, reflecting the hard work and discipline of our board, management and staff in

creating value for all stakeholders. We remain committed to growing in a responsible manner that aligns with our vision of building an enduring institution.”

He said the bank’s resilient business model, geographic diversification, proactive strategies, and strong governance created an edge for it through the year. “We will continue to invest in our future whilst managing cost tightly to generate strong returns to shareholders,” he assured.

Shareholders react The Chairman of Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, PSAN, Mr. Boniface Okezie said: “We must commend the banks operating in Nigeria

for their resilience in this tough operating environment. The banks were operating on high costs as a result of lack of power and other infrastructure. The regulatory environment was also not friendly for the banks during the period under review.

Therefore, whatever dividend they gave us we appreciate and look forward to improved dividend when the economy bounces back. As the banks were able to reward us with 42 per cent of the profits made, we must commend them.

Besides, given the insufficient liquidity in the economy, the banks have to plough back some percentage of profits made to continue business.”

Commenting as well, the President, Renaissance

Shareholders Association of Nigeria, RSAN, Ambassador Olufemi Timothy said: “Our major concern is the cash dividend that we are getting from these banks. Since it is not the post-dated type of dividend where dividend declared takes longer period, we are satisfied with the portion of the profits given to us as reward for our investment. It is not easy for the banks to even post profit let alone paying dividend. We as shareholders are calling on the federal government and the regulators to create favourable policies that will enhance liquidity and the economy in general.

Government should fix power, roads, water and other infrastructure as the rate of

inflation is on the alarming side.

“There is liquidity crisis and banks are going abroad to source for cheaper funds to enhance their capital and play their traditional role of lending, but they are facing lots of constraints. Now that the forex market is liberalised, we believe the capital market will firm up.” Commenting also, the Chairman of Proactive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, PSAN, Mr. Oderinde Taiwo, said: “Despite these challenges, banks that are able to manage their operations, record profit and declare dividends should be commended. I therefore believe the banks should be hailed.”

20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

BANKING & FINANCE

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria ExportImport Bank (NEXIM) have commenced the implementation of the N500 billion Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility (ESF) and the N50 billion Export Rediscounting and Refinancing Facility.

The two facilities were introduced by the CBN last week as part of measures to boost non-oil exports, by providing low interest loans to exporters. The CBN also appointed the Nigerian Export – Import Bank (NEXIM) to be the Managing Agent of the facilities, with the responsibility for the day-today administration of the facilities and rendition of periodic reports on their performances to CBN. In other to ensure smooth implementation of the facilities, NEXIM Bank on Thursday convened a stakeholders meeting in Lagos.

The meeting was attended by exporters, banks and officials of the CBN, as well as Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

Speaking at the meeting, Acting Managing Director/ Chief Executive, NEXIM Bank, Mr. Bashir Wali, said, “The main purpose of this gathering is to create a forum for discussion of the implementation modalities, the role of all participants and the expected outcomes from the successful implementation of these schemes. I therefore wish to solicit your active participation and contributions as we present a further breakdown of the operating guidelines.”

The NEXIM Bank boss called on exporters to take

FORUM: From left, Mr Bashir M. Wali, Acting MD/CEO, NEXIM Bank; Mr George Enyiekpon, Director, Export Development and Incentives, NEPC; Mrs Udoo Fateh, CBN; and Mr. Musi A. Braimoh, MAN Export Group, at the stakeholders meeting on the Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility.

CBN, NEXIM commence implementation of N550bn export funds The main purpose of this gathering is to create a forum for discussion of the implementation modalities, the role of all participants and the expected outcomes from the successful implementation of these schemes

BRIEFS Imo State Governor lauds Ecobank's support for educational development

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mo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha has commended Ecobank Nigeria for supporting the development of education in the State under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The Governor who was speaking at the commissioning of multimillion water project and school furniture provided to Girls’ Secondary School, Akwakuma, Owerri, Imo state at the weekend, said the bank’s support would go a long way in enhancing the learning environment at the school.

Governor Okorocha who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Gertrude Ego Oduka, said: “By this comprehensive package, Ecobank has openly declared that it is our partner in progress.

This is a way of complementing our government’s effort at uplifting the standard of education in the State. Education is life and spirit and any support to the sector is well appreciated.

It is a thing of joy to all of us in the state. I urge everyone to tell others about Ecobank.”

The Governor further called on well-meaning Nigerians, local and international non-government organizations and other financial institutions to emulate Ecobank, stating that, the state was undergoing massive transformation under the current administration.

advantage of the facilities to expand their businesses. He said, “It is expected that with

the release of the guidelines and commencement of the schemes, Nigerian exporters

and export oriented businesses will now seize the opportunity to expand and upscale their operations towards boosting the current low contribution of non-oil exports, which has remained at about five percent over the years.

“Let me also add that besides the issues of availability and access to funds, we have also intensified our collaborations and engagements with relevant institutions and stakeholders towards addressing other challenges affecting the export sector such as the problems of infrastructure, issues of packaging and labelling as well as improving access to market.”

Also speaking at the meeting, Director, Development Finance Department, CBN, Mr. M.A Olaitan said that the purpose of the gathering is to formally announce the commencement of the implementation of the facilities.

Represented by an official of the department, Mrs. Udoo Fateh, Olaitan called on exporters to take advantage of the funding provided by the CBN to grow their businesses; increase foreign exchange earnings and create more jobs for Nigerian youths.

Sterling Bank introduces flexible work conditions for staff

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terling Bank Plc has come up with a policy to promote worklife balance among its staff as it continues to strive to build a great place to work for its workforce through the introduction of Flexitime and Flexi-place.

The initiative which complies with global best HR practices, according to a statement from the bank, is currently being piloted in the Bank’s corporate Head Office and is aimed at introducing flexibility in work arrangements for the Bank’s staff.

The Flexi-time arrangement allows members of staff the opportunity to determine their own working hours by choosing a convenient time to come to work within the options provided by the Bank. Similarly, the Flexiplace package gives staff the opportunity to choose a convenient location from which they can carry out their job functions. In this pilot phase, interested staff particularly in the Head Office are encouraged to select locations closer to their place of residence.

The Bank’s Executive Director, Strategy & Finance, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman who described the pilot stage as highly successful, expressed his optimism that the initiative will enhance productivity of staff, promote bonding among family members, reduce the stress of waking very early and spend long hours in traffic to get to the office early, improve the wellbeing of staff and ultimately promote work life balance among staff.

Heritage Bank boosts financial inclusion with good of the community – This is the ultimate 100 start-ups objective of the programme”

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eritage Bank Limited (HBL) in partnership with the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) has empowered 100 aspiring start-up entrepreneurs under the Young Entrepreneurship Business Training Programme (YEBTP).

The 100 young entrepreneurs will graduate this week from the programme which involves grooming, mentoring and financing.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Heritage Bank Limited, Mr. Ifie Sekibo said, “The Young Entrepreneurship Business Training Programme (YEBTP) is a demonstration of Heritage Bank’s commitment to using financial inclusion to boost entrepreneurship development, which is critical to our mission to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations."

“At Heritage Bank, we believe that the essence of financial inclusion is not only about opening accounts for the unbanked and under-banked (low-income) people, but it is also significantly centred on financially and socially emancipating them for the common

YEBTP is a programme aimed to empower young entrepreneurs, and deepen financial inclusion in Ajegunle Community in Lagos state. Specifically the programme, which started six months ago, involves grooming, mentoring and financing about 100 aspiring and start-up entrepreneurs in Ajegunle, Lagos State. The business lines of focus for the programme are largely: hair dressing, footwear cobbling, tailoring, and catering services. Under the grooming aspect of the programme, the entrepreneurs went through a 3-month intensive capacity building training programme in the areas of keeping accounting records, financial discipline, sales and marketing in order to equip them with the knowledge base needed to succeed as entrepreneurs.

In addition, the entrepreneurs underwent a month hands-on internship/mentoring experience with the business mentors to understand and be acquainted with the technical skills needed for each specific business lines, under existing and experienced business owners in Ajegunle.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 21

BANKING & FINANCE

Brexit'll boost Nigeria's foreign exchange policy — CBN

By Babajide Komolafe

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said that the decision of the British people to leave the European Union (EU) will boost Nigeria’s foreign exchange policy.

Commenting on the outcome of the British referendum on Friday, CBN Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Dr. Sarah Alade told Reuters that the bank expected Britain’s vote to exit the European Union to be good for its foreign exchange policy as interest rates are likely to stay low in the U.S., channelling foreign investors to Nigeria.

“We only need to take advantage of this opportunity to grow the economy,” she said.

Meanwhile the naira ended the first week of the revived interbank foreign exchange market on a positive note on Friday. From N281.67 per dollar on Thursday, the interbank exchange rate dropped to N281.14 per dollar for spot transactions, indicating 53 kobo appreciation.

Recall that the revived interbank foreign exchange market commenced on Monday, with the CBN selling $4.2 billion in the spot and Futures market to clear backlog of matured foreign exchange obligations.

According to FMDQ, the CBN sold $532 million in the spot market (immediate delivery) and $3.489 billion in the Futures market (delivery in the future). Out of the $3.487 billion sold in the Futures market, $697 billion is for One Month Future (1M), $1.22 billion for Two Months (2M) and $1.57 billion for Three Months (3M). Subsequently,

the CBN participated in the market through the 15 banks appointed as Primary Foreign Exchange Dealers (FXDP). It is estimated that the apex bank sold $400 million through the PFXDs during the week.

At the commencement of the market on Monday, the interbank exchange rate closed at N281.85 per cent per dollar, rose to N284.83 on Tuesday before dropping to N282.8 on Wednesday and N281.67 on Thursday. Hence, the naira depreciated by 71

kobo between Monday and Friday. The Naira however appreciated in the parallel market last week by N10.

From N355 per dollar the previous week, the parallel market exchange rate dropped to N345 per dollar on Friday due to panic selling by

individuals and slowdown in demand.

According to analysts at Cowry Assets Management Company, the naira will enjoy stability in the foreign exchange market this week due to slowdown in demand by end users.

Liquidity crisis: CBN's loans to banks jump 230% to N929bn

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OANS granted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to banks rose for the third consecutive week last week, rising by 230 percent to N929 billion, reflecting the intense scarcity of funds in the interbank money market.

Last week banks had to source for N1.1 trillion to fund $4.2 billion purchased from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to clear backlogs of matured foreign exchange obligations.

This triggered increased demand for funds which wiped out idle funds in the

interbank market, with interbank liquidity position falling from N806 billion on Monday to minus N155 billion at the close of business on Friday.

To save the situation the CBN on Wednesday opened its Discount Window to allow banks use their treasury bills to borrow cash to fund the dollar purchased.

Financial Vanguard's investigations revealed that banks borrowed N648 billion from the apex bank last week, up from N178 billion borrowed the previous week.

Cumulatively, banks’ borrowing from CBN rose

from N103 billion three weeks ago to N929 billion last week, indicating increasing dependence of some banks on the CBN for their cash obligations.

On the other hand, the amount of idle funds deposited with CBN by banks fell for the second consecutive week last week.

From N594 billion the previous week, idle funds deposited by banks fell by 62 percent last week to N227 billion. Thus idle funds deposited with CBN have dropped by N387 billion in three weeks from N613 billion as at June 10, 2016 to N227 billion last week.

Also reflecting the intense scarcity of funds, interbank interest rate rose steadily from 10 percent the previous week to 80 percent on Wednesday, when liquidity evaporated from the market, but later fell gradually in response to respite offered by the CBN Discount Window, closing at 30 percent at the close of business on Friday.

Interbank interest rates are expected to fall this week due to inflow of N419 billion from matured treasury bills and Federation Accounts Allocation funds.

BRIEFS The Brexit fallout, the bloodbath starts with these stocks

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ritain is heading out, and markets worldwide are wrapped in a St. George’s Cross shade of red. The market dives have been “as violent as they have been unsurprising. Voters in the U.K. decided to Brexit, with the “leave” camp winning with 51.9% backing.

Dow futures recently were plunging by about 500 points and the Stoxx Europe 600 has been dropping nearly 7%. The pound is 4.5% lower — after being down by more than 10%.

Japan’s Nikkei closed with a loss of 7.9%. Though it’s not all red, as gold and other safety plays are in the green.

KEY MARKET GAUGES :S&P (ESU6) and Dow futures are down 3.6% and 2.8%, respectively. The U.K.’s FTSE 100) is 5% lower after rising for five sessions in a row, as traders bet the “remain” camp would win. Asian markets closed with big losses, while oil is off nearly 5%. Gold ( and a key dollar index are up by about 5% and 2%, respectively.

What about who’s in big trouble? Giant U.K. bank Barclays plummeted by as much as about 30% in London trading, and U.S. banks like Citigroup Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs are on track for a brutal day.

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Skye bank celebrates 36 millionaires

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kye Bank Plc, has rewarded 36 millionaires from its nationwide ‘Reach for the Skye’ Millionaire promo.In celebration of this landmark achievement, the bank hosted a cross section of the promo-made millionaires at the Protea Hotel, Ikoyi as part of activities marking the successful conclusion of the first phase of the promo. The millionaires were drawn from various parts of the country.

Sharing his experience as a beneficiary of the promo, Mr. Job Abiona Fatunbi, a truck driver who won N1 million in the April draw held at Ikotun, enthusiastically described how his life has been transformed. Abiona said, “I had no idea that 2016 would be a year of tremendous blessings for me; but thanks to Skye Bank, my dreams of financial freedom finally came true. Winning a million naira in the promo tur ned my family ’s circumstances around and it has changed my perception about the difficulty

involved in saving.” Abiona’s happiness was echoed by Mr. Bashiru Adeyemi, another winner from the N1 million naira category, who emerged in the May draw at Akure. The pensioner disclosed that his business was on the verge of collapse just before he participated in the promo.

PROMO - From left: Executive Director, Commercial and Retail Banking, Skye Bank Plc, Bayo Sanni; Winner in the N1, 000, 000 Category (Driver), Abdulwahab Ajao Aliu;another Winner in the N1, 000, 000 Category, (Civil Servant), Mr. Ebenezer Akindele and Head, Retail Banking, Skye Bank Plc, Nkolika Okoli at the One year anniversary of the ongoing ‘Reach for the Skye’ Millionaire Reward promo held in Lagos on Thursday, June 23, 2016.

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

CORPORATE FINANCE ten brokers chart include : EFCP Limited with 149 .6 million shares valued at N8.8 billion; Investment One Stockbrokers International Limited 147.55 million shares valued at N1.9 billion;

Morgan Capital Securities Limited 138 .86 million shares and Coronation Securities Limited recording 121.89 million shares valued at N808.6 million.

FG, Diamond Bank partner to develop entrepreneurs

BY PETER EGWUATU

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VISIT - From left, Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank Group, Mr. Anthony Okpanachi; Ag. Managing Director/CEO, Bank Of Industry Limited, Mr. Waheed Olagunju and Group Head, Micro Finance/Financial Inclusion, Mr. Rotimi Nihinlola during a visit by Ecobank Management to BOI head office.

Rencap Securities top stock brokers’ activities with N9.9bn transactions value

BY PETER EGWUATU

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encap Securities Nigeria Limited, last week led top ten stock brokers activity chart on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE , both in volume and value, recording a total quantity transactions of 662.5 million shares, valued at N9.9 billion, thus representing 13.88 per cent and 18.79 per cent of the top ten market volume and value respectively.

Trailing behind Rencap Securities was Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited recording 352.6 million shares, valued at N5.7 billion.

This activity accounted for 7.39 per cent of

the total quantity of transactions of top ten transactions traded in the market and 10.82 per cent of the market value.

FBN Securities Limited occupied the third position on the top ten chart, recording 231.3 million shares, valued at N2.69 billion. Its activity accounted for 4.85 per cent of the total quantity of top ten chart traded in the market and 5.07 per cent of the market value.

TRW stockbrokers Limited occupied the fourth position on the top ten stockbrokers’ activities, recording 222.15 million shares.

This transaction accounted for 4.65 per cent of the top ten volumes as its value did not make the

top ten in terms of value.

Trailing behind TRW Stockbrokers was Cardinal Stone Securities Limited, recording 194.67 million shares valued at N768.78 million. This transaction accounted for 4.08 per cent and 1.45 per cent of the top ten volumes of shares and value recorded in the market respectively.

CSL Stockbrokers Limited also joined the top ten leaders on the activity chart, recording 174.28 million shares valued at N2.4 billion.

The stockbroker activity accounted for 3.65 per cent and 4.68 per cent of the top ten volumes and value recorded in the market.

Others that occupied the top

iamond Bank Plc, a quoted bank on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE is partnering with the Federal Government to develop entrepreneurial skills among youths as a way of addressing the increasing rate of unemployment.

The bank has been involved in entrepreneurial programmes and has announced the launch of the 3rd phase of the Building Entrepreneurs programme tagged “BET 3”. The first phase of the BET programme commenced in 2010 in which Diamond Bank empowered five entrepreneurs with growth capital of N3 million each after they emerged top 5 from rigorous business training at the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Pan African University.

Diamond Bank seeks to continuously increase the capacity and enhance the growth potentials of Nigerian entrepreneurs and has renewed its partnership with EDC to implement Building Entrepreneurs Today 3 (BET3).

Diamond Bank is part of the sponsors of the Aso Villa Demo Day celebrated last week. Aso Villa Demo Day is a programme of the Federal Republic of Nigeria set to accelerate and support the best in the fields of creativity, innovation and

entrepreneurship with a focus on economic diversification and inclusive enterprise.

The Acting Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Vincent Olatunji in his remark at the occasion, said: “Demo Day is the first of a series of events to inspire a movement within the Nigerian economy. It is aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and fostering job creation and economic growth through the use of new and emerging technologies."

He stated that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to the diversification of the economy having stated that Nigeria "must redouble it efforts to sustain the economic development of the country, ensure empowerment of the youths, create more jobs, improve and upgrade infrastructure, and promote good governance.”

He disclosed that the Demo Day necessitates that talents, ideas and investors are celebrated; creativity and measured risk nurtured, promoted and transformed into value added services and product for the Nigerian and the world’s market.

There were 70 selected participants that pitch their ideas to an experienced panel of judges who selected 50 participants to go on to the Abuja exhibition.

BRIEFS UBA unveils new PayAttitude tag

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nited Bank of Africa, UBA, has refreshed its PayAttitude tag design with the introduction of a new branded tag. The new tag which reflects the brand identity of UBA replaces the former tags being issued.

Customers of the bank can continue to enjoy 100% success on their POS transactions with UBA PayAttitude, the effective contactless payment solution.

PayAttitude is a Near Field Communication (NFC) tag, with an internal chip that works on NFC enabled POS terminals at designated partner locations across Nigeria. The new payment solution makes it possible for a customer to make payments for goods and services with UBA PayAttitude tag attachable to any flat surface such as mobile phones, tablets and even wallets although it is highly recommended to attach to a phone as your phone is always with you.

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UBA PayAttitude complements the contactless cards currently issued by the bank. Only recently, UBA pioneered contactless cards in the country. Arguably, the bank has the most advanced and convenient payment technology within the financial space in Nigeria.

Contactless payment offers a “tap n go” option of paying which customers find fast, highly convenient and secure.

“UBA branded PayAttitude tags can be obtained from UBA business offices. They come in two variants; the PayAttitude Debit and PayAttitude Prepaid tags, depending on a customer ’s preference. This development again reinforces our commitment to the creation of innovative payment solutions,” said Yinka Adedeji, Divisional Head, Digital Banking.

US stocks slump as Brexit takes investors by surprise

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.S. stocks fell sharply on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrial average dropping as much as 538 points, as Britain’s vote to quit the European Union sent a shock wave through global financial markets.

The S&P 500 index and Dow were on track for their biggest one-day percentage drop since September, while the Nasdaq composite index was headed for its worst day since August. All three indexes were set for their second weekly decline in a row.

Global financial markets plunged and sterling sank to its lowest since 1985 after Britons voted by about 52-48 percent to break away from the world’s biggest trading bloc.

“A lot of investors and market participants were not anticipating this outcome,” said David Lefkowitz, senior equity strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management Americas in New York.

At 13:47 a.m. ET the Dow .DJI was down 509.31 points, or 2.83 percent, at 17,501.76, the S&P .SPX was down 63.32 points, or 3 percent, at 2,050 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC was down 180.39 points, or 3.67 percent, at 4,729.65.

If the Nasdaq closes down by more than 179.79 points, it would be its biggest one-day points drop since September 2008, at the start of the financial crisis.

Corporate Finance Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 23

CORPORATE FINANCE

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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he equities market sustained its rally last week as investors continued to raise their stake in most of the low value stocks, resulting in N482 billion increase in the market capitalisation.

The rally was largely driven by strong buying interest on the shares of GlaxoSmithKline Nigeria Plc, Champion Breweries Plc, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, Transcorp Plc, and Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc among others.

Consequently, the market capitalisation which opened the week at N10.045 trillion rose by N482 billion to close at N10.527 trillion, representing 4.8 per cent increase. Similarly, the All Share Index, ASI, appreciated by 4.8 per cent to close the week at 30,649.66 points from 29,241.27 points.

Besides the AseM sector that recorded zero activity during the week, all the other sector retained investors interest to close positive. The NSE 30 index rose by five per cent to 1,362.48. The industrial goods and banking sectors rose the most, appreciating by 4.34 per cent and 4.13 per cent. The consumer goods sector followed with 3.05 per cent increase to settle at 757.18 points, while the insurance sectors moved up by 2.80 per cent to 140.09 points. The oil and gas sector went up by 1.38 per cent to settle at 338.62 basis points.

Gainers and losers 40 equities appreciated in price during the week in contrast to 32 that recorded price depreciation.

GlaxoSmithKline led the gainers with 55.56 per cent or N7.90 increase to close at N22.12, followed by

Equities sustain rally as GSK, Champion Breweries drive N482bn gains

Champion Breweries with 44.35 per cent or N1.53 appreciation to close at N4.98 per share, Transcorp went up by 31.58 per cent or N0.48 to close at N2.00. Neimeth closed as the fourth most active stock, rising by 26.67 per cent or N0.24 to close at N1.14, while Fidson Healthcare Plc advanced by 16.84 per cent to close at N2.22.

Others are Axamansard, 16.36 per cent or N0.36 to close at N2.56; Law Union & Rock, 16 per cent to close at N0.58; Honeywell Flourmills Plc, 15.56 per cent to close at N2.08; A.G Leventis, 14.29 per cent to close at N1.12 and Custodian and Allied Plc that rose by 13.61 per cent to close at N4.09 per share.

N.E.M Insurance, on the other hand, led the laggards with 13.76 per cent or N0.15 to close at N0.94.

Transnationwide Express Plc followed closely behind with 10.19 per cent or N0.16 increase to close at N1.41, while D.N Meyer went sown by 9.09 per cent or N0.09 to close at N0.90. Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, CCNN, shares

declined by 6.88 per cent or N0.55 to close at N7.45; Vitafoam Nigeria Plc took the fifth position with 6.32 per cent or N0.27 price depreciation to close at N4.00.

Others are FBN Holdings Plc, 5.69 per cent to close at

N4.14; Wema Bank Plc, 4.82 per cent to close at N0.79; Eterna Plc, 4.33 per cent to close at N2.87; Chemical and Allied Products, CAP Plc, 3.99 per cent to close at N34.68 and Deap capital Management & trust plc that depreciated by 3.85 per cent to close at N0.50 per share.

Volume, value traded At the end of the week, a turnover of 2.387 billion shares worth N26.381 billion were executed in 28,072 deals in contrast to a total of 2.158 billion shares valued at N20.394 billion that exchanged hands the preceding week in 24,369 deals.

The financial services sector (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 1.951 billion shares valued at N16.832 billion traded in 17,226 deals, representing 81.75 per cent and 63.80 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and value traded respectively. The conglomerates sector followed with 223.156 million shares worth N477.064 million in 1,461 deals.

NSE approved application for N147bn bonds in 2015

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

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heNigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, said that its Quotation Committee approved application for bonds worth N147.8 billion during the financial year ended December 31, 2015.

Corporate bonds constitute chunk of the applications, accounting for N89.7 billion of the total bonds’ value, while states bonds account for the remaining N57.1 billion.

Also, during the year, the exchange recorded N4.226 billion in revenue, which was down 32.95 pre cent compared to N6.303 billion posted in the same period in 2014. The revenue comprised listing fees, entrance fees, transaction fees and trading levies. In the same vein, to operating surplus before tax fell by 52.95 per cent from N3.95 billion in 2014 to N1.86 billion during the review period.

According to Mr. Oscar

Onyema, CEO, NSE, the fall in revenue was due to continued sluggish market conditions and continuing bearish sentiments experienced in the previous year.

He, however, stated that despite declines in core income streams, alternative source of income continued to play an important role in supporting the financial performance as it rose by 44.82 per cent from N1.65 billion in 2014 to N1.38 billion.

BRIEFS Stanbic IBTC wins 2016 Best Sub-Custodian in Nigeria award

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tanbic IBTC Bank’ has been named the “Best Sub-Custodian” bank in Nigeria for 2016 by Global Finance magazine.

The London-based Global Finance magazine, organisers of the awards, announced that for the 2016 awards, it expanded the scope of the survey to include sectors such as Depositary Receipt Banks, Securities Lenders, Prime Brokers, Collateral Managers and Trust Services Providers.

The latest win makes it the sixth time in a row Stanbic IBTC Bank will be adjudged the best in the country, in recognition of its leadership in the sector. Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Yinka Sanni, stated that winning the award again this year, particularly with the current financial challenges, is a testament to the bank’s strong management, systems and innovative solutions and its leadership of

Nigeria’s custody sector.

“We are delighted to be recognised for the sixth time as the best provider of custody services in Nigeria. It is a demonstration of our strength in terms of our management, systems and solutions. This award will energise us to continue to provide unparalleled services to our customers as we raise the bar in the provision of investor services,” Sanni said. “The need for excellent custody services in Nigeria remains strong, driven by the impetus in cross-border investment activities and we are well positioned to provide such services,” Sanni added.

The yearly award, instituted 14 years ago, recognises the pivotal role subcustodians play in business and investment activities via the safekeeping of clients’ assets, such as bonds, stocks and treasury bills.

Fidson’s new factory to contribute N1.6bn to revenue

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idson Healthcare Plc has opened a brand new World Health Organisation, WHO, compliant ultra-modern manufacturing plant.

The factory is equipped to produce six distinct product lines, including intravenous infusions and other sterile preparations, tablets, capsules, oral liquids, creams & ointments and dry powder, to contribute immensely to the nation’s medicine needs and proffer opportunities for future exports.

The project, according to the company in a regulatory filing, is part of the strategic expansion and diversification programme the company started following the successful Private Placement

in 2008.

According to the company, the project is expected to contribute an additional N1.9 billion at 75 per cent activity level by the third year year of production; N2.9 billion at 90 per cent activity level by 6th year and N3.6 billion by the 10th year at same 90 per cent activity level.

“Overall, this project shall contribute handsomely to the overhead recovery of the company, thereby growing shareholder value significantly.

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24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 25

INTERVIEW

Outsourcing business is challenging but still viable — OKOH, Chairman, Resources Intermediaries

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he outsourcing industry has come under intense scrutiny in recent times with many associating it with anti labour practices. In this interview, Mr. Alex Okoh, Chairman of Resources Intermediaries, an outsourcing company established ten years ago, attributed much of the challenges of the industry to misconception and lack of regulation to drive professionalism, adding that outsourcing is still a viable business in spite of macroeconomic challenges.

Excerpts offers a win-win proposition downturn in for our clients. And if you look the economy.

BY BABAJIDE at the cost structure of any But if you KOMOLAFE business, personnel cost w e r e What was the outsourcing usually is a key component of subscribing to industry like when you the operating cost of most outsourcing started 10 years ago and businesses. Now, when you model, that what it is today? have a downturn, typically challenge will Ten years ago the the first sufferers in a not be critical outsourcing industry was situation like that are for the essentially unstructured. It personnel. This is because business wasn’t professionalised in you want to cut cost by laying organisation. terms of the service offering off staff because you see a This is and the way that the services because in the were offered. It was a first place, the Mr. Alex Okoh developing industry at that personnel time. So we thought that there would have been managed by make to government to was a huge opportunity in an outsourcing partner in the enhance the industry and that space given the first place and the critical cost your operation? unstructured nature of the that hit your bottom line would I think that we need to business and the opportunity have been moved to an bring some order, structure that we saw in bringing the outsourcing vendor who and government regulation requisite level of helps to manage all of the into how outsourcing is professionalism and structure personnel cost that usually practiced. At least to take out into that business. And over becomes a challenge for the charlatans and those who the years, that is essentially businesses in a downturn are taking advantage of the what we have tried to do. We environment. Now, when you market. So I think that by have tried to bring structure, look at even the personnel stronger regulation by order, professionalism and cost that we are talking about, government would be also in terms of the service there is a stated cost on the helpful to this industry. So, offerings to able to tailor it to book and there is also the we want to be able to set the the needs of the clients in the unstated cost that the standard for those who can market. So 10 years post, we personnel incur for the practice outsourcing and have been able to move the business, which is over perhaps push that process to industry forward and set the payroll. But if you adopt an lead to some licensing standard basically to redefine outsourcing model, all of that framework. what it takes to offer is left for your vendor to Outsourcing is generally professional outsourcing in manage as they relate to the perceived as contract labour that space. personnel that is under their or casualisation. What is the Is outsourcing a profitable management. So, it is a more difference? business considering the cost effective way of Outsourcing is not contract challenge in the economy? managing your personal staffing and it is not I won’t use the word input into your business. So, casualisation, if it is practiced profitable because every both in boom and bust, it the way we do and in a business is set up to make a helps to manage your professional sense of it. Why? profit. But I think that it is personal cost more effectively, That is because these staff extremely viable. In fact, it is more efficiently. that are deployed to the third even more viable now than What policy party clients are actually the ever before. Outsourcing, at recommendations will you least the way we practice it,

We are not contract staff providers, we are an outsourcing company providing services and personnel to clients, relative to their needs

staff of the outsourcing partners. So, at Resource Intermediaries, the personnel under management are actual staff of Resource Intermediaries, enjoying all of the benefits that regular staff would be enjoying. What is just different is that their places of redeployment where they render the services are not within the office of Resource Intermediaries. So these staff are ours, they are employed

by Resource Intermediaries, they have the term of engagement defined by Resource Intermediaries and then deployed to our clients to render those services for the client. So, they are not causal staff, they are not contract staff and as far as we are concerned, they are staff of our company and then those staff are now deployed to the services they render to the clients. So, is not casualisation. However, the concern you expressed is valid because that was what pervaded in the industry pre our entrance and that created a negative image for outsourcing firms. So we are not contract staff provider, we are an outsourcing company providing services and personnel to clients relative to their needs. Contract staffing means that you do not have fixed terms of engagement, you can lay off tomorrow, you can be laid off in six weeks. So there is really nothing fixed in the terms of engagement and benefits. Contract staff typically do not have a pension scheme; they do not have a health scheme, so there are various benefits that a regular staff would enjoy in a regular engagement.

However, if RIL were to engage that service on an outsource basis, the staff that will be coming to serve you will be permanent staff of RIL enjoying the full benefits of pension, medical or whatever it is from us. However, what you pay for those services to us is fixed.

BRIEFS BEDC signs load shedding pact with military cantonment, Akure

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enin Electricity Distribution Plc. (BEDC) and the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian army, Owena Cantonment, in Akure, Ondo State have agreed on a regimental load shedding and energy saving programme to reduce cost of electricity and ensure efficient energy allocation. The agreement, according to a statement signed

by BEDC Chief Corporate Services Officer, Mrs Kunbi Labiyi, was reached on Monday by Brigadier General Charles Ofoche, Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade and Chief State Head, Ondo/Ekiti States for BEDC, Mr Ernest Edgar.

It will be recalled that in recent times, generation has dropped to 1,500 megawatts nationwide, making it difficult for BEDC to increase supply to operational areas given

its allocation of nine (9) per cent, even as the drop in power generation has affected BEDC’s ability to circulate power to customers despite its installed capacity.

According to the terms of the agreement, there will be relocation and improvement of electricity network for efficient power supply; installation of three feeder pillars with breakers; training of officers and men of the brigade on operation and management of equipment installed in the cantonment.

Ecobank launches “Move on Up” Consumer Campaign

T

he Ecobank Group has launched a new fully integrated consumer advertising campaign – Move on Up – centered on the bank’s drive to ensure that consumers have world-class accessible and convenient digital banking solutions across Africa. The bank unveiled the campaign at its head office in Lomé, Togo to shareholders, Ecobank staff and a pan-African media. The launch took place in the sidelines of the Ecobank Group’s 2016 Annual General Meeting last week.

Formally launching the campaign, Ecobank Group CEO Ade Ayeyemi, said: “Our sons and daughters are banking online and on their mobiles."

26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 27

Another round of bailout for states? God forbid (2) “Workers ground finance ministry over unpaid allowances.”

PUNCH, June 21, 2016, p 1.

“Nothing is more wasteful than doing with great efficiency that which should not be done.” Theodore Levitt.

(VANGUARD BOOK p 270).

T

he first part of this series appeared last week after the Federal Minister of Finance reversed herself by announcing that the Federal Government was again considering a bail-out package for the states. Even, before writing last week’s column, it was clear that advising governments in Nigeria is just about as useful as talking to a wall. They ask for “all hands on deck”; but they take cognizance of only the hands closer to the corridors of power and whose vested interests must be protected at all costs – even if the people pay dearly for it. Like Greeks in Horace’s, 65-8 BC, era, Nigerians feel the lash for each folly of their leaders.

The report by PUNCH regarding the closure of the Ministry of Finance, by its own staff, came six days after Mrs Adeosun had announced a N90 billion loan package for the states. But, it comes with several strings attached which might make it difficult, if not impossible, for most states to access the loan facility.

Before going into further analysis of the loan package a diversion is necessary; even unavoidable.

The pathetic picture of Civil Servants locking out a Minister of Finance demanding to be paid arrears of allowances owed, coupled with known inability of the government to pay pensioners can only lead to one obvious conclusion. The Federal Government itself is totally broke. So, the Minister’s ill-advised attempt to add the problem of states to her own mandate demonstrates a lack of priorities in the Ministry. This is akin to a dead drunk person offering to help other equally intoxicated persons to get home! They will all likely land in the gutter. And that may be the fate of the states as well as the Federal government – unless Mrs Adeosun reads her job description again and leaves the states severely alone to paddle their own canoes.

However, since she has stubbornly refused to face her job, perhaps she will at least realize that the N90 billion loan package is an exercise in futility and will solve no problems of the states.

With 36 states, the average for each state comes to N2.5 billion. There is no state in Nigeria today with a wage bill of less than N1.7 billion a month; some are as high as N4 billion. The arrears of salaries owed to staff range from three to five months. And, that excludes what is owed on allowances and pensions by each state. It requires no more than elementary school arithmetic to figure out that even the state with the smallest wage bill will exhaust its share of the loan within two months.

Unless aggregate national revenue jumps suddenly, all the recipient states will once again be begging for more bail-out while at the same time

increasing their debt burdens. So, what would have been gained, other than a little bit of time? Very little, clearly.

But what new problems would have been created? First and very evident is the increased monthly deductions in the future – which can only be less painful if aggregate revenue goes up. Unfortunately, revenues are unlikely to climb this year. Niger Avengers have to a great extent ensured that oil revenue will be far lower than expected this year. If anything total revenue might continue to fall steadily – making it increasingly difficult for the states to meet their financial obligations. This will include payment of salaries and debt repayment. In fact, there is a distinct possibility that some states might default in debt payments later in the year.

One reason is the new foreign exchange policy adopted by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The new inter-bank exchange rate of N288 per US$1 means an increase of 44.5 per cent over the previous rates.

Granted, the Federal Government and the states will henceforth receive more naira for the dollar receipts, but, the externally exposed states will have to use more naira to fulfill their obligations. Inevitable higher

There is no state in Nigeria today with a wage bill of less than N1.7 billion a month; some are as high as N4 billion

inflation rate will add to the cost of running governments and the gains made from dollar exchange rate will be lost to expenditures.

When the state governments finally realize that the bail-out had failed to solve their problems, they will all point accusing fingers, deservedly, in one direction – Abuja.

Mrs Adeosun had left undone what she should be doing; she is getting involved in things she should not be doing. In the end, there will be no “Thank you” from the Governors who can henceforth pass the buck to Abuja.

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

HOMES & PROPERTIES

BY YINKA KOLAWOLE

M

inister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has unveiled plans by the Federal Government to deliver mass housing for Nigerians.

Speaking at an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Housing, Fashola disclosed plans to build 360 houses in three states through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement in the first phase, develop “Rent to Own” housing scheme for those who cannot afford mortgage and incorporate a new housing model into the National Building Code.

Fashola however lamented that the N36 billion appropriated for housing sector in the 2016 budget is grossly inadequate. “We look at the N36 billion as the fund with which we will build the concept and if the concept is successful, then we can roll it out more massively because it is not going to solve our housing problems. We can rush out and get some results but we are desirous to have a lasting housing intervention.

We have consulted widely and from our feedback, we are building according to culture.

Our one bedroom is 60 square meters different from the normal one bedroom which is on the average of 20-30 square meters. It is a very big one bedroom.

Affordability lies at the heart of what we are doing,” he stated.

Chairman, House Committee on Housing, Mustafa Dawaki, questioned the ministry’s competence in implementing the National Housing project, six months into the fiscal year 2016. He said: “What has the ministry been doing since November last year when the budget was presented till now that

A typical mass housing development

Fashola unveils plans on mass housing *Says N36bn housing budget inadequate appropriate designs are not ready, you have not even advertised for it? Are you not competent or what, because you ought to have competed the design by February so

We can rush out and get some results but we are desirous to have a lasting housing intervention

that once the budget was passed you commence.

Design should not take more than 15 days because your experts in the ministry have been doing it for years. By the

time you start this project, you will have just about three months left in the year, even if the budget is extended to March 2017 that will be just six months”.

However, in his response, Fashola blamed the situation on poor responses from states in provision of land for the National Housing Project.

According to him, only 17 out of the 36 States have so far responded, adding that the ministry can only commence with just four states that have completed the process from 17 that have given their commitment. He also noted that the take-off of the project is delayed by procurement act which compels government to make 15 percent advance payment to contractors, to enable local contractors to participate. “The ministry should be commended and not condemned because the budget is inadequate. As a result of that, we are focusing on sustainable housing plan that works rather than rushing the budget, affordability and slum prevention is key to this design. Why it took so long for the design to be ready?

Infrastructure - roads, sewage disposal, water and others has to be planned into the housing and that’s what the ministry is doing.” The minister further stated that the partnership with Shelter Afrique, for construction of 5,000 units of houses under the ‘5,000 for 5,000 initiative’ will result into delivery of one bedroom at N1 million and payment spread over time with a mortgage facility.

Why FCT is littered with abandoned houses —NIESV proceeds of corruption. He could accommodate

By CALEB AYANSINA

T

he new President of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers NIESV, Bolarinwa PatunolaAjayi has said that the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, is littered with unoccupied buildings, because majority of them are

called on the federal government to be serious in introducing property tax to address housing problem in the country.

Patunola-Ajayi made the remark during the maiden meeting of his council members in Abuja. He said Abuja and its environs had enough buildings/houses that

its population without them running to nearby states to live. However, he noted that many of the houses were not occupied due to high cost of rents placed on them by their owners or agents, forcing Abuja workers to seek settlement in nearby states like Niger and Nasarawa states.

BRIEFS Firm unveils mid-market housing project

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

T

he clamour for affordable housing in the country has been boosted with the entering of a new mid-market residential housing estate known as TM Gardens into Nigerian real estate market.

The project which is currently in the construction stage is being developed and promoted by Tetramanor Limited, a Lagos-based emerging real estate developer with focus on the Lagos Mainland and its environs.

Strategically located midway between Lagos mainland and Island at CostainIponri axis of Surulere, behind Leadway Assurance Plc within Olaleye New Town vicinity, the TM Gardens is planned for delivery within the first quarter of 2017.

According to Tetramanor Limited Business Development Manager, Mr. John Beecroft, construction of the estate which commenced in March 2016 and to be delivered by March 2017, provides quick access to attractions, basic facilities and amenities.

“The development features a mix of condominiums (4 units), town houses (8 units) and maisonettes/penthouses (2 units).

Attaching paramount importance to creative aesthetic designs, the functionality of the spaces was not sacrificed, and can further be customized in line with home owners’ tastes.

Each of the condominiums has three bedrooms, while the town houses come with four bedrooms and a maid’s rooms. The show piece of the development however is the maisonettes/ penthouses which have a luxurious master bedroom, a study and a private garden located in the penthouse with beautiful view of the area."

How Brexit could crash US mortgage rates

O

ne of the biggest, and most immediate, effects of Brexit, Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, on everyday Americans is how it will change mortgage interest rates.

Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate, said rates could sink to record lows in the coming weeks. “If you’re a borrower, don’t wait to lock your rate,” he said, “as this opportunity may not last long.”

Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, said the low interest rates indicate low confidence in Americans’ ability to handle higher rates, due to a slew of factors both domestic and foreign.

Rates have been about 17 percent lower than the median of this decade. However, McBride said his long-term outlook does not change with the Brexit vote. He still estimates a rebound from ultra-low rates by year’s end.

Mortgage Bankers Association chief economist Michael Fratantoni forecasted a rate of 4.8 percent by December 2017. That would be the highest rate since 2009, and a 30 percent boost from current levels. By the end of 2016, Fratantoni expects rates to reach four percent.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 29

HOMES & PROPERTIES

‘New forex policy’ll boost real estate sector’

appropriately, investors can bring in money to boost real estate transactions, as developers will have funds for their operations. You know the market will determine itself this time. This time, there is no restriction limiting the quantum of foreign exchange you can source. So, with this flexibility, we believe the sector will experience boom in no time,” Propertygate boss stated.

Reviewing the performance of the year ended December

31, 2015, the managing director said the company recorded success in its financial results for the year, pointing out that notable improvements were recorded in its various financial indicators. According to him, gross revenue increased significantly compared to year 2014, just as other areas of operations witnessed improvement in the year compared to year end 2014 which included gross profit.

Abuja housing show backs FG’s housing plans

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AGM - From left: Propertygate Development and Investment Plc’s Company Secretary, Miss Zainab Bakare; Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Adetokunbo Ajayi; Directors, Mr Peter Folikwe and Mr Wole Ogungbola, at the 7th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Propertygate in Lagos.

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

T

he new flexible foreign exchange policy announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, last week is believed to be a turning point for most business organisations currently struggling under the nation’s harsh economic climate.

This optimism was expressed by the Managing Director of Propertygate Development & Investment Plc, a Lagos-based real estate development and investment company, Mr. Adetokunbo Ajayi, at an interview session during the 7 th Annual General Meeting of the company held in Lagos at the

weekend.

Describing the new policy as a positive step and a commendable effort by CBN, Ajayi said: “We know how the forex situation was before in the country. The only source of forex into the country before was the little we were getting.

Exporters couldn’t bring in money because of the restriction on forex, and people were afraid then to bring in foreign exchange into the country.

“But with this bold step by the government, there is hope that the economy will begin to take shape, and with the inspiration we have seen from the announcement of the new flexible forex policy so far, we believe that confidence will

begin to return to the economy. For the real estate sector in particular, when naira begins to be priced

For the real estate sector in particular, when naira begins to be priced appropriately, investors can bring in money to boost real estate transactions

rganiser of the Abuja Housing Show, Barr.

Festus Adebayo, has commended the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on his plans for the delivery of affordable housing in Nigeria.

In a press statement, Adebayo said contrary to claims that Fashola is not favourably disposed to affordable housing provision, the minister is indeed working hard to make housing easy to access for those in the lower rung of the society. He said the annual show is poised to support the ministry meet whatever target it sets in affordable housing delivery.

Adebayo who is CEO of Fesadeb Communications, producer of Housing Programme on AIT and Housing Time on Raypower FM, asserted that the minister’s presentation at the National Assembly last week is proof that he is working hard on affordable housing provision. At the interactive session with members of the House Committee on Housing, Fashola unveiled plans for low cost housing across Nigeria.

The Fesadeb CEO promised that the minister ’s

BRIEFS Desertification: Experts raise alarm over encroachment

BY FUNMI OLASUPO

A

s climate change continues to negatively impact the environment, some environmental experts have raised alarm over the increasing rate of desertification and drought in some states of northern Nigeria.

According to them, the country’s total land area of about 909,890 km2 by 580,841 km2 accounting for 63.83 percent of total land has been impinged on by desertification, adding that drought and desertification which are two major global environmental problems facing Nigeria, are said to have eaten up about 63.83 percent of total land area of the country.

Speaking at the COP21 Post Mortem, a programme organised

by Speak Nigeria, African Youth

Environmental Initiative, SNAYEI, in collaboration with Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF, in Abuja, the coordinator of SNAYEI, Ruth Osekigbe, stated that drought and desertification impact directly or indirectly on all aspects of human life and the environment including the ecological, health, geo-chemical, hydrological and socio-economic facets.

Osekigbe said: “Despite several efforts by the government to end desertification, the problem still persists due to the gap between the formation of policy and strategies of combating drought and desertification. Drought and desertification can be remedied through integrated approaches such as awareness programmes like

this, protection of marginal lands, tree planting, sustainable agricultural practices and use of alternative energy source.

Houses for RENT

1 room self-contain (en-suite), 1 bed, 1 bath, 2 toilets in Ilupeju, Lagos – N750,000 pa 3 bedroom flat, 3 beds, 3 baths, 4 toilets in Ojodu Berger – N550,000 pa 2 bedroom flat, e beds, 2 baths, 3 toilets in Ajao Estate – N500,000 pa 4 bedroom bungalow, 4 beds, 4 baths, 5 toilets in Lekki – N1.6m pa 3 bedroom flat, 3 beds, 3 baths, 4 toilets in Surulere – N1.4m pa 3 bedroom flat, 3 beds, 3 baths, 3 toilets in Satellite Town Ext, Amuwo Odofin – N800,000 pa 2 bedroom flat, 2 beds, 2 baths, 3 toilets in Magodo Isheri – N800,000

presentation will be deliberated upon in the forthcoming Abuja Housing Show. He said some of the questions to be addressed at the Show include: Do we have a financing problem or is the problem really that we are not able to access financing sources that are available?

How can we encourage more private investment and participation in affordable housing?. How can we increase the availability of mortgage financing, both construction loans and longterm mortgage financing?.

Houses for SALE: 1. Detached house on 880sqm used as office block with security gate in Lekki Phase 1 Plot Size: 880sqm Title: C of O PRICE: N204 million 2. Block of 4 units of 3 bedroom flats in Jakande Estate Lekki opposite Silverbird road.

Plot Size: 1657.37sqm Title: C of O PRICE: N96 million 3. A 3 bedroom terraced house with BQ in Silicon Valley Estate, Alpha Beach, Lekki.

Plot size: 211.77sqm Title: C of O PRICE: N43.2 million 4. A 4 bedroom town house off Palace road, Oniru, Victoria Island.

Plot size: 212.27sqm PRICE: N102 million 5. Plot of land in Mayfair Gardens, Awoyaya Lekki.

Plot size: 987.79sqm PRICE: N30 million 6. A 2 - storey hotel building with 45 rooms ensuite/ security house/2 office space in Chevy View estate by Chevron Roundabout.

Plot size: 2964sqm PRICE: N1.27 billion

30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 31

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

T

he ‘419’ scam is well known in Nigeria for boasting empty promises of stupendous returns which induce victims to willingly part with their valued possessions. The perpetrators of this fraud, ply their trade nationwide with targets which cut across the social spectrum and include otherwise, successful businessmen and highly educated professionals, who are usually gullible and driven by the unreasonable expectation of clearly unrealistic returns on their ‘investments’. Ultimately, the bubble would burst and much pain and sorrow would follow.

Similarly, the IMF and other respectable international financial agencies and local economic experts, have commended the recent devaluation and floating Naira exchange rate as thus, such investors may ‘investments’ that would borrow at low rates below 5% ultimately yield great from offshore banks and reap dividends.

We are a harvest of 10% and much encouraged to believe that the more in Nigeria. Expectedly, new forex regime will however, portfolio investors recharge our economy and would naturally still want sustain inclusive growth with assurances that ultimately, increasing job opportunities, their original profit and also reduce our almost projections would not be total dependence on export wiped out by another revenue from crude oil, by devaluation. facilitating the realization of Furthermore, the elevated a diversified economy. level of insecurity and Naira It is also suggested that a rate instability may also deter floating rate would create a potential “foreign direct level playing ground, and investors”, whose operations encourage marketers to would positively add value to reduce NNPC’s present our industries and unwieldy monopoly of fuel infrastructure and also create imports and also attract additional job opportunities investors to build more locally. Thus, the sum of the refineries locally. above narrative is that, the Nonetheless, the promise present devaluation and that the new forex policy floating Naira exchange rate, would attract much needed may not immediately propel foreign investment inflow, is the expected return of over probably the most notable $10bn outflow from Nigeria; claim by supporters of the new regime. Consequently, CBN trusts that the reported $10-$15bn hurriedly evacuated from Nigeria when oil prices slumped, would be channeled back by foreign investors; sadly, however, the present level of uncertainty Nonetheless, the and insecurity sustained by promise that the our internal socio-economic new forex policy tensions may not encourage a quick return of investors as would attract yet. much needed Incidentally, the foreign desperation of foreign portfolio investors to evacuate investment inflow, their funds from Nigeria is probably the contributed in no small most notable measure to the present battered Naira exchange rate. claim by As usual, portfolio investors supporters of the primarily target the unusually new regime high returns on CBN and Federal government’s loans;

(08052201997)

and create serious consequences for consumer demand and investment, with collateral adverse impact also on employment. In addition, the recently established electricity tariff structure, which was predicated on Naira exchange of N197=$1, will become unsustainable, and a further hike in electricity tariff will be inevitable, much against consumers’ expectations.

Sadly, the earlier commended 30% budget for capital expenditure, will also suffer, because the import components for infrastructural enhancement may now require almost N300bn more to fully implement; in other words, public expectation for urgent infrastructural remediation will still have to remain on hold.

Furthermore, our desire to diversify output and revenue sources away from crude oil, will also become severely challenged by unstoppable rising production cost, which will invariably drive higher inflation rates and, in turn, compel higher CBN monetary policy rates, to push cost of borrowing well above 30%.

Ultimately, the operations of the real sector will become crippled and any hope of economic diversification will also become dimmed.

On the security front, the fiscal allocations voted to increase the capacity of the Armed Forces, will invariably also become inadequate and would require additional appropriation to implement.

Sadly however, our presently distressed financial state will obviously make such supplementary allocation a challenge, unless we further deepen our already oppressive debt profile.

Ultimately, the question must be why we agreed to readily sacrifice so much as a pound of our flesh on a mere platter of yet to be realized promises and benefits.

This devaluation ‘be like’ 419 in this event, it would be misleading to suggest that the Naira rate will soon become stabilized by a bountiful inflow of dollars, as presently speculated.

Conversely, barely 8 hours after the commencement of the new forex regime, the cost of “ yet to be realized speculated benefits”, had already made significant dents on our economy. For a start, Nigeria’s erstwhile celebrated $510bn Gross Domestic product, immediately crashed below $350bn, while per capita income crashed from over $1000 to well below $600 as a clear testimony of deepening poverty. In addition, the dollar value of all equity listed on the Nigeria stock exchange also plunged from th almost $48bn on Friday 17 June to below $25bn at the close of business on Monday th 20 June, when the new forex regime commenced.

Invariably, all cash income and savings held in Naira, also immediately fell below 60% of their dollar purchasing value on commencement of the new forex policy.

Similarly, the equally celebrated over $25bn accumulated national pension fund, also lost over $10bn, just like that, to imperil the future welfare of our senior citizens; in truth, we were all literally reduced to size within 24 hours and any offshore expenditure we make, thereafter will henceforth require almost 50% more Naira to fund.

In addition, all outstanding dollar denominated loans, (personal, corporate or

government) will immediately also require much more Naira to service and repay; consequently, widespread default on foreign loans and outstanding import bills will prevail. Thus, foreign credit lines, which hitherto supportively reduced raw materials import cost to local industries, may also be cut to further compound already spiraling operational costs and instead challenge the export competitiveness of Nigeria’s real sector. The Naira value of Public sector external debt obligations would also increase and raise the ratio between annual debt service charges and actual income well beyond the present 35kobo on every one Naira revenue.

Although the NNPC management had remained unexpectedly reticent on the impact of the new forex policy on fuel prices, however, the pump price of petrol cannot remain at N145/litre, if the Naira exchanges for N280=$1 or more. Indeed, unless NNPC accommodates a new round of subsidies, petrol will inevitably sell well above N200/litre shortly.

Invariably, Marketers would also defer their fuel imports until the price issue is resolved; if however, in the interim, NNPC’s congested import schedule faulters, severe supply shortages will resurface, and extended queues and frustrating delays at fuel stations will return.

Nevertheless, since budget 2016 made no provision for subsidy, a deregulated price regime will spike petrol price and ultimately propel inflation rate well above 20%

BRIEFS Recession: Micro entrepreneurship in jeopardy, says AMEN presidentable to compliment; buy

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

E

conomic recession will throw micro entrepreneurship in the country into jeopardy if nothing is done to salvage the situation.

President of the Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN) Prince Saviour Iche, said this in a telephone conversation, calling on Federal Government to ensure easy lending procedure for micro entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile, Iche said that it is evident that workers

would be laid off just as he lamented the rising price of production equipments which he said are on the increase on a daily basis.

According to him, “The situation calls for a very big concern and if nothing is done quickly, we may be jeopardising our local industry and they will lay off workers. It is the government that promised employment to Nigerians, they should look for a way forward.

The only thing that the government can do for us is to make lending procedure easy for us so that we can be

equipment and meet up with demand and recapitalise to face the present situation.

“If you go to bank to get loan, you cannot get it because they will give you condition they know you will never be able to meet. The situation on ground is becoming unbearable for local manufacturers, the chemicals are not available for production even the once we see to buy are on the high side, chemicals that sell for N8,000 before now sell at N45,000, the once we buy about N90,000 is now sold for N220,000.

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—33 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com take up free residence there.

Two days after the Senate raised the alarm, the Federal Ministry of Justice crept into the Federal High Court and by oral application, obtained an order summoning the Senate leaders to appear in court today, June 27 and granting leave to serve the criminal summons on

Weak head, strong centre and cold feet

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HESE are interesting times to live in Nigeria. Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu are hurled before the courts on criminal charges of allegedly forging the Senate Standing Rules 2015. It raises intriguing questions; can the Senate forge its own rules? Which body but the Senate can determine what its rules are? Which forensic expert can detect the original Rules of the Senate from a forgery if the Senate claims that the latter are its actual rules?

If the two presiding officers are sent to prison, it means the Senate must shop for new officers to preside over its affairs. The National Assembly claims that is the plan of the Executive all along; to carry out a coup in Senate and impose weaklings who will do its bidding.

This latest drama began a week ago, when on Sunday, June 19, President Muhammadu Buhari returned from a ten-day leave in London. It was one of the biggest receptions in recent times as dancers were on hand to receive him as were a ceremonial Guard of Honour and

a tribe of political office holders. The number of Ministers who queued to shake his presidential hands was so large that many newspapers, wisely did not mention names as they may leave out some which can lead to accusations of bias or favouritism.

One man I noticed among the crowd at the airport, was Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, I wondered what he was doing there when he was supposed to be very busy on the anti-corruption war front, detecting more culprits and announcing them in the mass media.

Perhaps, he was there to whisper something into the President’s ears.

The Senate might also have thought so as it wailed publicly that there was an attempt by the Presidency to unconstitutionally unseat its leadership by conjuring a forgery case and sending its presiding officers to the Kuje Maximum Prison. By the way, I am a consistent and strong advocate of prison reforms as we do not know which member of the political class may

By Chuks Iloegbunam

J

UST before mass ended on Sunday at an outpost of St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Eziowelle, the hometown of Francis Cardinal Arinze, the priest invited a young man to make an announcement.

The fellow said he had come from the Justice Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, to propagate the corporal works of the Year of Mercy.

The JDPC is a worldwide, nongovernmental organisation of the Catholic Church. Neither the JDPC nor the Year of Mercy was novel to me. But the man spoke in a way that prompted me to discuss his message here. Not that there is nothing else begging to be addressed. For instance, the story that the security services have discountenanced Governor Ayo Fayose’s constitutional immunity and restrict both his travels and his right to free speech, is worthy of examination. Again, there is the bourgeois issue of who might or might not travel overseas for medical attention. And there is the human rights calamity imminent in the Niger Delta.

I decided to shelve all these and focus on Mercy because, vegetating in a dispensation that considers brutality an inevitable instrument of governance should not mean that Mercy must be yanked from the dictionaries of ordinary folks. The JPDC man’s message was on our right to always apply to golden rule, to always give the next person a hand to rise and stand with us. The man said, as if we were unaware, that dirt-poor people abounded in hospitals cured of the conditions that necessitated their admission who dared not be discharged because their bills had not and could not be settled either by them or by their loved ones. There were detainees in the country’s overcrowded prisons who should be elsewhere, awaiting trial, contracting tuberculosis and skin and C M Y K

The Nigerian centre is so powerful that the constituting units orbit around it like small satellites just as planets revolve around the sun whose gravity keeps them in their orbits them by substituted means to wit by pasting it on the Notice Board of the National Assembly.

The Senate erupted in fury. Senator Dino Melaye in a motion adopted unanimously without dissent, insisted that the “Senate Rule 2015 was not forged” and formally accused the Executive of trying to carry out a coup. The motion regretted that rather than “applying itself to the myriads of problems confronting the nation, including the escalating cost of living, extremism, worsening insecurity, rising ethnic divisions, skyrocketing unemployment, declining national productivity and an economy nosediving into recession, the Executive

continued to be hell-bent on chasing rats while the federation burns.”

The House of Representatives backed the Senate. It advised the Executive not to dabble in the internal affairs of the Senate and to do nothing that that will erode the independence of the National Assembly. It warned ““if this ugly trend continues unabated, it will be detrimental to good governance and highly damaging to our democracy.”

I don’t know why National Assembly is afraid of coups when its leadership is accused of getting to power by executing a coup against the ruling party.

With the unfolding events, I have begun to understand why the NASS is pushing pension for the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker. They and their predecessors may need soft financial landing. Part of the problem is that pension is hardly paid and it may not make sense for a person who works for four years to get life pension. In any case, leaders of the legislature may not be in office for the duration of a particular Assembly. For instance, when civil rule was restored, the first Senate President, Evan(s) Enwerem was in office for only five months before his impeachment, while his predecessor, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo reigned for nine months before he was replaced

by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. This means the 1999- 2003 Senate had three Presidents while the House of Representatives in the same period, had two Speakers; Salisu Buhari (1999-2000) and Ghali Umar Na’Abba. So will all these principal officers have been eligible for pension?

But the legislators have a more

Holy year of Mercy nervous diseases like scabies and leprosy.

He mentioned a pregnant woman imprisoned because her rival gave the green light. The lady soon gave birth inside the prison. The newcomer, even in her innocence, had started life as a prisoner.

Both mother and child remain incarcerated because the rival has not rescinded her dictation! Needless sufferings such as these, he reminded us, are easily countered by financially supporting JDPC’s work.

Going back home I ruminated on what I had heard. The priest had discussed the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy

It is soul-destroying, the things that happen in this country. Our judicial system is advanced, of course.

But it has no place for parole. It has space only for snail-speed dispensation of justice during his homily. I crave the reader’s indulgence to reproduce them: The Spiritual Works of Mercy: a. To instruct the ignorant. b. To counsel the doubtful. c. To admonish sinners. d. To bear wrongs patiently. e. To forgive offences willingly. f. To comfort the afflicted. g. To pray for the living and the dead.

The Corporal Works of Mercy:

1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drink to the thirsty 3. To clothe the naked.

4. To habour the harbourless.

5. To visit the sick 6. To ransom the captive.

7. To bury the dead.

I also reviewed the Jubilee Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis in his April 2015 papal bull of indiction, Misericordiae Vultus, which is Latin for The Face of Mercy. This Year of Mercy runs from December 8, 2015 (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) to November 20, 2016 (the Feast of Christ the King). It is a period for remission of sins and universal pardon focusing especially on God’s forgiveness and mercy. In a letter to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelism, Pope Francis set out the central planks of the Jubilee Year, saying inter alia: “I have asked the Church in the Jubilee Year to rediscover the richness encompassed by the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. The experience of mercy, indeed, becomes visible in the witness of concrete signs as Jesus himself taught us. Each time that one of the faithful personally performs one or more of these actions, he or she shall surely obtain the Jubilee Indulgence. Hence the commitment to live by mercy so as to obtain the grace of complete and exhaustive forgiveness by the power of the love of the Father who excludes no one.”

Christian doctrine speaks here. But there is nothing I have written that our forefathers did not subscribe to, and practice, before the advent of Islam and Christianity. No sane man requires religion to understand that women should not be raped and vice versa. No one needs to sleep inside churches or inside mosques

strategic plan; to grant immunity to the Senate President, Speaker and their Deputies. That way, they would not be dragged before the courts.

But in their calculations, they are not contending with the power at the centre which can define the ordinary and implied meaning of immunity.

They need to attend the ‘Fayose School of Politics’ which will teach them that despite his immunity, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose is, to use a trite, running from pillar to post as the Federal Might moves in to muscle the strongman of Ekiti politics. Since the Governor’s bank account does not enjoy immunity, it has been frozen, likely, as a first step towards dealing with an irritant.

Fayose claims that despite his armour of immunity, there are plans to stop him from travelling out of the country. He also accuses the Presidency of planning to impeach him by arresting some politicians in the state who will then be pressured into carrying out an illegal impeachment.

Ordinarily in a federation, it is the federating units that make up the building blocs; but in Nigeria, it is the central government that constitutes the federating units. So you have a weak head, and a strong centre. The Nigerian centre is so powerful that the constituting units orbit around it like small satellites just as planets revolve around the sun whose gravity keeps them in their orbits.

Obviously, we need a constitutional restructuring to redress the problem.

But unfortunately whenever the National Assembly embarks on this, it develops cold feet and merely proposes cosmetic amendments with hefty price tags.

or inside the shrines of our traditional faiths to appreciate the atrocity of murder. Our responsibility is that, while soldiers go wiping out hundreds of Nigerian lives because they blocked the road on which a tin god was to cruise, our outrage must be spontaneous and insistence. Our duty is to stand eternally in condemnation of the routine shooting to death of unarmed and nonviolent demonstrators asking to belong to a different entity. Our imposition is that the fight against terrorism should not be a license for the rape of swamp dwellers and the bulldozing of their hovels. A police officer ordered to arrest a suspect could do so without knocking off people’s teeth or shattering their limbs!

Hours after the mass, I ran into a guy who, decades ago, matriculated to read Law as we graduated. He had since become a judge. “My lord,” I said after we traded handshakes. “The jails are overcongested, mostly by non-convicts, the socalled awaiting trial people. Is it not in your place to decongest the prisons?”

The judge looked me over in startled disapproval. “Oga, Chuks, these things have processes,” he replied. Well, the processes in question are implementable at various levels. State Governors, given their “tight schedules,” may be too preoccupied with serious issues to read this article, or even read newspapers. But, those close to them should advise on the need to routinely exercise the Prerogative of Mercy. Each governor deserves the name and circumstance of every prisoner or detainee in their state. Prisoners with the option of fine who can pay should do so and head home. Those in detention for longer than they would serve upon conviction should be released. This submission is nothing to do with dangerous criminals. *Mr. Iloegbunam,an author, wrote from Lagos.

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

W

HEN President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn a year ago, he went to America to thank President Barack Obama for backing him and solicit his support for his administration. Before he arrived there, an article under his byline appeared on the OPED of Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on 13th June 2016 entitled: “The Three Changes Nigeria Needs”. He pledged to fight corruption adhering strictly to the rule of law, which is a trite component of democratic rule. He also promised to “rebalance” the economy through diversification and by so doing reduce to the barest the root causes of insecurity.

When he travelled there in July, he also made a flurry of media outings and sufficiently gave the American leadership, the American people and media reasons (and the arsenal) to hold his unfolding new regime to account.

Four months later, Bruce Fein, wrote an angry article in The Washington Times on 18th November entitled: “Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari Dupes the US” (his own very words). It was an irreverent tongue-lash: “With the glitter of a fool’s gold, Nigeria’s recently elected President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in the United States in July uttering time-worn democracy vows to President Barack Obama and his administration. Among other things, he pledged at the United States Institute for Peace to combat graft with procedures that would be fair, just, and scrupulously follow due process and the rule of law as enshrined in our constitution”.

Fein reviewed the brutally revanchist persecution of Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser (NSA) who had effected Buhari’s arrest after he was dethroned in 1985. Dasuki was charged with gun-running and held for allegedly misappropriating $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of military equipment. Fein’s beef was like that of most of us: he was not opposed to Dasuki being brought to account for his alleged misdeeds. He was livid with the President over the systematic and serial abuses of due process and the rule of law which portrayed Dasuki’s trial as anything but fair and just.

The same President who disapproved Dasuki’s request to travel abroad under guard for cancer treatment just came back from London for a ten-day medical tourism over an ear infection! When he returned penultimate Sunday, he was given a lavish reception (much like Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem), complete with the Nigeria Army’s new bag-piper squad (I call them the Black Scotts of Nigeria). Talk about empty treasury!

Fein was not to know that Dasuki was only an experimental model of what was to become

What Pete Hoekstra didn’t say a regime staple imported from 1984/85. More people have since joined the league of senior officials of Buhari’s predecessor regime who are being treated like Dasuki: Olisa Metuh and Femi Fani-Kayode, with Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose’s personal account illegally frozen without the requisite court warrant. Also, the leader of the Indigenous

So, for Hoekstra, Buhari’s promise to build trust has proved a fallacy, not just because of the selective anti-graft war that is obviously meant to weaken the PDP and pave the way for an easy second term ride for him in 2019 whether he performs or not. It is also a big flop in another area that Hoekstra only mentioned in passing: the spread of insecurity to the South Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Daniel Kanu, is being held in spite of court orders to release him on bail. The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (the Shiites), Ibrahim el Zakzaky, has been put away in an unknown location without access to his lawyers, doctors and family members after about 500 of his disciples were

killed/buried by the Army last year. Also, nonviolent IPOB and other unarmed Biafra agitators have been massacred in Aba, Onitsha and other cities in the South East and SouthSouth during peaceful protests asking the Buhari regime to obey court orders in the trial of Kanu. Hoekstra did not mention these.

Now, let me bring him on. Pete Hoekstra is a former member of the United States Congress who headed its Intelligence Committee. He has also been a Republican candidate for Governor of Michigan and the Senate of the United States. So, Hoekstra is no mean personality and cannot be labelled by proregime e-rats as a paid critic. Unlike Bruce Fein, Hoekstra apparently waited for the Buhari regime to clock a full year in power before entering a withering verdict against it.

And he chose the same Wall Street Journal (WSJ) OP-ED. He wrote in the newspaper’s 16th June 2016 edition an article he judgementally headlined: “Buhari Is Nigeria’s Problem, Not Its Solution”.

Hoekstra responded to Buhari’s earlier 13th June 2015 article against the background of his performance in the past year, writing him off without a single redemptive word in his favour. He accused Buhari’s regime of inflexibility. He said it “lacked vision” (what All Progressives Congress, APC, megaphones used to call “clueless” when former President Goodluck Jonathan was in power). Hoekstra added that it was “reactive” in approach, which is what regime that have no ideas or plans do all the time. Like Fein, Hoekstra referred to the selective anti-graft fight which only targets high officials of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) while many members of the ruling party (including some of them in Buhari’s cabinet members who have been indicted for corruption) are allowed to walk free. In fact, the Chairman of Buhari’s anti-graft Advisory Committee, Professor Itse Sagay, had recently declared that there was no evidence that anybody in the ruling party was corrupt!

So, for Hoekstra, Buhari’s promise to build trust has proved a fallacy, not just because of the selective anti-graft war that is obviously meant to weaken the PDP and pave the way for an easy second term ride for him in 2019 whether he performs or not. It is also a big flop in another area that Hoekstra only mentioned in passing: the spread of insecurity to the South.

While the war on the Boko Haram terrorists appears to have settled to a stalemate in Sambisa Forest after an initial surge, new fronts of security threats have opened. The one that claims the prime attention of the regime and world at large because it is bleeding the economy is the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta, where a new group, the Avengers, has been dynamiting our oil industry infrastructure with little response from our security forces.

But the insecurity that Buhari prefers to pretend as if it does not exist is the marauding raids of armed Fulani militias all over communities in the Central and Southern zones of Nigeria, which made a Category 5 upsurge in the past one year. They are called “herdsmen” only because they lead cows, but they are killing, raping, robbing, kidnapping, invading, occupying communities and creating new camps of displaced persons just like Boko Haram.

These are Buhari’s kinsmen, and he is the Grand Patron of the umbrella body of cattle herders/owners, the Minyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN. They operate much the Sudan Janjaweed, who were also herdsmen armed by Omar Al Bashir’s government to raid farming indigenous Negroid communities, especially in the Darfur.

Even though Buhari might not have armed these bandits, he says they are foreigners, as if that is an excuse for his failure to crack down on them and protect Nigerians as the constitution binds him to do.

Since the President was forced to order these hoodlums apprehended, there is little evidence to show that concrete action is actually being taken as we see in the crackdown against the Shiites, IPOB and defencelss civilians in the oil-producing communities where soldiers invaded in search of The Niger Delta Avengers.

It is not just the economy which, Hoekstra rightly noted, that is being run aground with archaic statist policies that are driving away investors in droves and exacerbating the unemployment situation; it is also the national fabric that is giving way at the seams as a result of extreme nepotism and marginalisation.

Thank God, it is not just Nigerians that are telling Buhari’s story to his face. The world that he sought to bring on board is indeed on board. We will mark Buhari’s exam papers together.

OPINION

O

By Ayodele Adio

NLY recently, former vice president Atiku Abubakar made bold proclamations on restructuring the Nigeria’s socio-political land scape.

This time he wasn’t a lone wolf, other prominent Nigerians like Balarabe Musa and Dr. Junaid Mohammed, just to mention but a few all seconded this fine line of thought. Let’s be frank, there is not a single Nigerian today, home or abroad who would disagree with the notion that this nation can only accelerate its development by undergoing certain reforms whether it is political, structural or even systemic. This phenomenon is usually describes as the Nigerian question.

Recent evidence, occasioned by various disgruntled elements in the North East, the Middle Belt, the South East and more recently the South-South, suggests an urgent need to expand our minimalist view of the Nigeria question and allow a holistic and robust conceptualisation of the issues. Perhaps, underestimating the tremendous effort required for initiating political and systemic reforms and most probably overrating its intended success might prove to be the biggest gaffe of the 21st century. Nevertheless we must engage the satus-quo and breed new ideas that could conceive a more harmonious and prosperous nation.

The 2014 national conference, one that witnessed a series of intellectual judo from the finest Nigerian minds recommended a true federal system with states as its federating units. It also argued in favour of fiscal federalism by placing more resources in the hands of states and local governments. One major question that needs to be asked, however, is how well states have C M Y K

The Nigerian question fared in this current design with regards to management of resources, creation of economic opportunities and respect for rights and privileges of citizens. 27 of the 35 states are currently insolvent, only very few states have allowed local governments function effectively, many have hijacked the State House of assembly and strangled the judiciary. Wouldn’t it be suicidal to give such governors more resources and control over their states?

The key problem with the argument for federalism, where structural or fiscal, however noble, is that the proponents of such ideas see it The constitution as the magic bullet rather of this country than an element read “we the in a series of people…..”, reforms that need to move in whereas there congruence to was no WE d e l i v e r meaningful results. Sadly a majority of the campaigners still see Nigeria as a big fruity cake and federalism will help increase their chance of getting a slice. The real tragedy is that everyone wants a slice but no one wants to bake the cake.

If we have learnt anything from the various agitation, civil unrests and in many cases a violent expression of marginalisation is that we need farm more than a structural reform to move this nation forward. This

writer believes strongly that systems are designed by humans, structures are also managed by humans and government is a collection of individuals elected by humans, therefore no political, structural or systemic reform can thrive at the expense or the personal reformation and transformation of the average Nigerian. Except we change, the system will never work. It starts and ends with us. We must do away with our chauvinistic tendencies and see ourselves as humans first. Until a northerner understands the destruction of the Niger Delta terrain, its effects on life expectancy and the economic exclusion while we all looked the other way, we hardly would make any progress. Until the south understand the effect of climate change on animal husbandry, their struggle with rustlers and their ancestral ties to nomads, we will be guilty of criminalising the Fulani race. Except we weep collectively when the people of Agatu weeps or rise up collectively to demand justice for innocent Nigerians shot at by soldiers in the South east, we all will have bold in our hand and not even the holy federal system of government would save us.

The constitution of this country read “ we the people…..”, whereas there was no WE. We must sit together to debate, engage, disagree and agree on how we want to be governed but most importantly how we want to live with each other. Whether we choose to stay together or not let it be the exclusive resolve of the people. The British may have been short sighted, greedy or even mischievous when they chose this marriage for us, but we are on our own today and the future of this nation and particularly its people will be hinged on the decisions we make. *Mr. Adio, a social critic, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 35

Coca-Cola started out as an insignificant one man business Dr. John Pemberton Founder/Inventor Coca-Cola

Over the last one hundred and thirty years the CocaCola Company has grown into one of the world’s largest companies. The first Chief Executive of the company Dr. John Pemberton was looking for a quick cure for his headache when he concocted the Coca Cola formula in May 1886.

U

NTIL 1905, the soft drink, marketed as a tonic, contained extracts of cocaine as well as the caffeinerich kola nut. Pharmacist, John Pemberton was born in Knoxville, Georgia. He graduated from Southern Botanico Medical College of Georgia in 1850 and briefly practiced as a traditional steam doctor, who used steam baths, herbs, and other products to restore the body to proper health. Pemberton later obtained a degree in pharmacy from a school in Philadelphia.

In 1855, Pemberton moved to Columbus, Georgia, where he practiced primarily as a druggist for fourteen years. In May 1862, Pemberton enlisted as a first lieutenant in the Confederate Army where he organized Pemberton’s Calvary to guard the town.

Local and wealthy physician During a gun battle he was shot and cut with a saber across the chest. He used morphine for the pain and eventually became a morphine addict. For five years after the war, Pemberton worked as a partner with a local and wealthy physician. At the time, there was a large demand for home remedies and tonics in the United States, especially in large cities.

In 1869, Pemberton moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to start a lucrative business. Here, he invented, and successfully sold a drink he called French Wine Coca. Its fame spread throughout the Southeast, and the demand for the tasty

beverage became high.

Pemberton himself endorsed his wine• as a cure for morphine addiction. In 1885, with talk of Prohibition, Pemberton developed a drink without alcohol. Pemberton added the extract from cola nuts, a strong stimulant containing caffeine, along with the coca, and he replaced the wine with sugar syrup.

On May 18, 1886, Pemberton decided on a final formula for his new drink, and Frank Robinson, a part owner of his company, came up with the name Coca-Cola and scripted Coca Cola into the flowing letters which has become the famous logo and trademark of the brand today. On June 28, 1887, the Coca-Cola trademark patent was granted.

Pemberton’s Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, was the first place to serve Coca-Cola from a soda fountain.

The cocaine was eventually removed from the drink in 1905. So when the new CocaCola debuted later that year – still possessing the valuable tonic and nerve stimulant properties of the coca plant and cola nuts, yet sweetened with sugar instead of wine – Pemberton advertised it not only as a delicious, exhilarating, refreshing and invigorating•soda-fountain beverage but also as the ideal temperance drink. It is said coke was discovered when De Luise, a 19th century American soda jerk accidentally hit the soda water spigot, a d d i n g carbonated water to the syrup in

the glass. The result was a happy accident•: the invention of Coca-Cola. And the CocaCola beverage, whose unit sales totaled a mere 3,200 servings based on the twentyfive gallons of syrup sold to drugstores by Pemberton Chemical Co.), is today called the world’s most popular soft drink – accounting for billions of servings at restaurants all over the world.

The trademark Pemberton and his partners created more than one hundred years ago can claim wider recognition today than that of any other brand in the world. Such is the commercial legacy of a onetime Confederate lieutenant colonel who earned his medical degree at the age of nineteen. Coca Cola was first imported into the African market through South Africa in 1928 but a bottle of what eventually became the world’s most famously enjoyed beverage had been sighted a decade before on the dockside of African seaport in a sailor’s bag. Bottling would not start on the continent until 1940 when a bottling plant was established in South Africa— where it began its great African adventure. In 1951, A.G Leventis got the franchise to sell the

product in Nigeria. Two years later, the Nigerian Bottling Company was incorporated as a subsidiary of Leventis.

And the first bottling facility was established in Ebutte Metta and Apapa, Lagos. The 1960s saw NBC exceeding the One Million crates per year mark.

NBC commissioned its second bottling factory in Ibadan in 1961 and rapidly increased their operation which now boasts about 13 facilities and 64 depots across the country.

In 2000, NBC became part of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company S.A (an anchor bottling group with operations in 28 countries worldwide. This year, CocaCola celebrates its 130th anniversary, and the product now enjoys a continent –wide presence along with its 46 bottling partners, operating in

Pemberton’s Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, was the first place to serve CocaCola from a soda fountain. all countries and territories in Africa. In each country, the business is a local enterprise.

Over 1.7bn servings of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) products are consumed worldwide each day in virtually every country on the planet.

And with Africa accounting for 7% of it, some 120m Coca-Cola products are s e r v e d continent-wide every day and that number mounts daily in tune with A f r i c a ’ s unstoppable economic march. Around the world, products of the Coca Cola Company are consumed at the rate of more than one billion drinks

BIO BRIEFS •Born: July 8, 1831, Knoxville, Georgia, United States.

•Education: University of Georgia.

•Died: August 16, 1888, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

•Known for: Coca-Cola.

C M Y K

•Dr. John Pemberton

per day.

In 1894, Coke was sold in bottles for the first time. During World War II, bottling plants were set up in Europe, Africa, and the Pacific islands. Back to Pemberton. By the late 1890s, Coca-Cola was one of America’s most popular fountain drinks. Realizing that he needed financial backing to market this non-alcoholic version of French Wine Coca on a large scale, Pemberton formed a company for that purpose.

He put his son Charles in charge of manufacturing CocaCola, and after prohibition ended in 1887, he again produced French Wine Coca.

He announced that he would retire from active practice, sell his drugstores in Atlanta and elsewhere in the state, and devote all his time to promoting his beverages. Meanwhile, a group of businessmen responded to Pemberton’s appeal to finance the new Coca-Cola Company. Asa Candler, an American business tycoon who had worked for Pemberton in 1872 came on the scene and bought the business from John Pemberton in 1888 and established the Coca Cola Company.

Controlling shares Under the new arrangement, received a royalty of five cents for each gallon of Coca-Cola sold. With Asa Candler at the helm, the Coca-Cola Company increased syrup sales by over 4000% between 1890 and 1900.

Candler later took over controlling shares of the company after Pemberton’s death. Charles Candler, Asa’s son once said that one of his father’s first missions was to change the original Pemberton formula in order to improve the taste of the product and ensure its uniformity and stability.

To this end; Candler hired Pemberton’s former partner, Frank Robinson to perfect the formula. Reports had it that Pemberton’s financial troubles, along with his morphine addiction, led him to sell, trade, and give away portions of his company to various individuals. It was Pemberton’s practice to organize a business as a co partnership and then convert it into a corporation.

On August 16, 1888, he died at his home in Atlanta of stomach cancer, on the 6th of August 1888, leaving behind many unfinished formulas. On the day of Pemberton’s funeral, Atlanta druggists closed their stores and attended the services en masse as a tribute of respect. On that day, not one drop of CocaCola was dispensed in the entire city. At sun up the following day, a special train carried his body to Columbus, where a large group of friends, relatives, and admirers laid him to rest.

The Atlanta newspapers called him the “oldest druggist of Atlanta and one of her best known citizens”

36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 Edited by EMEKA AGINAM

Avengers reply Buhari, demand referendum

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afenwa2014 What President Buhari needs to do is hire other militant groups as private security to protect the pipeline just like former President, Goodluck Jonathan did. .

Pride cannot solve the problem. These criminals know how and ways to fight each other. Some of these militants are good people So hire and contract them. Let them work with the Army, military personnel. The avengers or whatever are not up to 1000 in number. How will they hold the country in economy in captivity?

Domsexy I do not want Nigeria to break up but i want us to go into referendum in the aspect of resource control rather than breaking up. I love the fame this country has achieved IBB Nigeria needs referendum.

Unfortunate we are getting things right. Why spill blood all the time? We should mearn to treat each other with respect. Avengers are clearly more informed than our leaders.

ObiajuluMichael

Good proposal and let us hear from President Buhari Onyedelta The referendum should be for Niger delta region and Ndigbo. These are the people who do not want to remain as part of Nigeria. My people have for long lost interest in anything Nigeria.

Govt. of Ekiti State ?@ekitistategov After APC organized protest in Ado Ekiti, Gov Fayose went to town to meet his people.

•Avengers

Again, controversial National Grazing Bill reappears in Senate, scales first reading

S

am1880 I will like to know if it was President Buhari that sponsored the bill or passed its reading at national assembly.

Shame to us if the bill is passed.

of the south West, South South and South East will regret what they have done to themselves Our children will never forgive us for allowing the Hausa Fulanis to dictate the pace and

Idowu James By the time President Buhari leaves office, , the people

not constitute up to 10% of the total population of over 170 million Nigerians. After all, he got less than 6 million votes to win. He needs the cooperation of all Nigerians including the PDP, the militants, agitators of self determination and all those he is fighting now to be able to have a peaceful environment to have a successful regime, if not, he will be surprise that history might repeat itself. In Nigeria today, anything is possible.

Foreign IT solutions, killing local capacity, IT professionals lament GEO India has exportable IT solutions because their government invested in their professionals. Nigeria’s feudal ethnic differences will not allow that. It is sad. Nigeria may grow technologically unless the government and the private sector support local effort.

•Fulani herdsman

State-of-the-nation:

Governing Nigeria not a joke, says Buhari Joseph Ubiagba The old generation military leadership must take responsibility for the deaths. If it happen again, the world, having revolved beyond such tyrannical characteristics, will not stand and watch any government, group that massacres people in the name of enforcing unity Chikwado The government always talk about Biafra and Niger Delta without mentioning the herdsmen killing people, not to talk of Boko Haram. Politicians

JJ. Omojuwa @Omojuwa Boko Haram Fracturing Over Islamic State Ties- U.S. General Y! Online @YNaija Militants promise ‘tsunami’ of attacks in days to come Dr Joe Odumakin @DrJoeOdumakin Women Arise guidelines on

GBV & Young Persons in NIG received by Delta State Gov. Ford Foundation supported project.

UNDP Africa @UNDPAfrica How has @UNDP been working w/ #private sector 4 development in Africa? 10+ years results here Omidyar Network @OmidyarNetwork

freedom as humans, we are ready. There is no freedom without blood shed. Ask Israel and America they will immediately give the same response concerning total liberty. However, the people of South-South and South-East region of Nigeria are not ready to pay the price because of the quest for riches.

•President Buhari

have destroyed Nigeria. As for Biafra, there is nothing the government can do as the fight will continue until we get it. I love this generation of What role can #independentBiafrans. media play in increasingly diversified media ecosystems in West M o d e r n Africa?

Joseph T h e government Alexandra Fattal @alexans h o u l d drafattal understand that Britain has a tradition of fabrithis is 2016 and cating facts about Europe. The not 1967 through EC has debunked 400 of them 1970. If we must since 1994 die to get our

TRENDING ISSUES ON TWITTER

C M Y

Okpia Are there no southerners in this legislature? Why is it that every type of bill passes

through readings without them raising objection? The other day, it was sharia law and now grazing bill. I really want to know what southern legislators are doing there?

DominicJames1 The doom is looming gradually everyday. It is sad. People need to warned ahead of time before it is too late.

Top Army officers planning to overthrow President Buhari, Militants allege Idowu James Buhari should be wise and govern this country with fatherly love and unity mindedness and stop concentrating all his energy on fighting the opposition if not he will loose 90% of the loyalty of the 170 million Nigerians. He should not be deceived or carried away by the eye-service support of APC members. He should know that the card carrying APC members and the few people supporting him now do

running of this nation.

Nairaskobos Netanyahu Meanwhile, as President Buhari urges Ministers and Nigerians to pray for Nigeria, he seems to be making new strategies to shoot down dissenters - mainly the Biafrans who want to opt out of Nigeria owing primarily to the lopsided political structure created by soldiers from northern Nigeria who also supervised the 1999 constitution to legitimize the political structure under an increasingly over-empowered central government system, and thus, made Nigeria a Gorge Orwell’s Animal Farm where the citizens in Buhari’s north are more equal than other Nigerian citizens from the south.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 37 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CAPRICORN: The very best for you today is to look for ways to consolidate on progress you have recorded recently.

The more willing you are to respect the law, the better.

AQUARIUS: Friends may disappoint you today but you will have genuine cause to smile broadly tomorrow. Do not gamble with matters-of-the-heart today.

PISCES: If you have, consciously or unconsciously, started unnecessary cold war at work yesterday, it would come to the head today to the resentment of people that count before mid-afternoon.

ARIES: The zeal to work harder exhibited by you will earn you unexpected success at work to the betterment of your rating and finances. Don’t allow mid-morning blues to get best off you.

TAURUS: If it’s possible for you to wait till tomorrow before an important assignment is carried out, your cause will be better for it. Take your love life seriously.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Are your eyes really open?

I

GUESS if I ask you if you can see with your eyes the answer definitely will be, yes I can see with my eyes. Ordinarily, every man or woman that is not blind should see with

his or her eyes.

However, the reality is that many do not see with their eyes though they are not blind.

For example,look at your environment, are

TERROR MUDA

there no business opportunities that you have missed because you simply couldn’t see a glaring business opportunity.

in “Never say goodbye”

Yet, strangers who doesn’t even know the geography of your area makes millions from your backyard.

It’s not enough for your eyes to be physically opened, they should also be able to detect opportunities.

By Kola Fayemi

GEMINI: Now, you can not pretend that happenings within your (family) base of operation pleases you, but, you will need to be as diplomatic as possible. Avoid unnecessary rush.

CANCER: Unusual exhibition of aggressive approach by you may put people around you off the balance. It’s in your own interest not to bite more than you can chew, especially before mid-afternoon..

LEO: You may be tempted to embrace extravagant tendencies while planning your financial transactions. Watch what you promise before early part of afternoon period.

VIRGO: If you are offered what looks like Greek gift before early hours of afternoon, you are advised to politely turn it down. It’s wrong to encourage aggression.

LIBRA: Tomorrow is one of your lucky days of this week.

Yet, if you are more observant within your base of operation, you will not have it wrong, even today. Keep secrets.

SCORPIO: Although, many will go through tension before mid-afternoon, the whole thing will work in your favour early in the day. The more ambitious you, are the better for you.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

SAGITTARIUS: Coming together of the Moon and Mars in Virgo will bring you under the fire of enthusiasm to achieve much along your career/business lines. Be very moderate.

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 are my Numbers ?

Dear Joshua, Kindly tell me whatever you think I should know about my life together with my luck, social life and my lucky number.

John Abuja.

Dear John, Too many things are important but I think what both your immediate and far future have for you must be revealed to you so that you will be prepared.

Mars in Aquarius together with Uranus are pointers to an active social life. The more influential social circle you belong to, the better for you. You’re the cool-headed type beloved by many but once your anger manages to fly off, it can be very difficult if not dangerous; it’s because of your natal Pluto. Yet they keep coming your way.

Saturn can not help forcing challenges on your way, luckily for you however, you have what it takes to live up to the challenges. And as Saturn will never deny it’s worthy native the deserved success, it also gives recognition.

Saturn or no Saturn, good relationship bet Mars and lucky Jupiter when you were born, are green tumb for WEALTH; you will be wealthier more than having liquid cash; nobody can stop your becoming wealthy.

Best colours for you include YELLOW, golden, black but not coconut white. Your sleeping posture should be on East/West axis with your head to the West.

5 is your destiny number, 9 is your ambition, 8 is your expression, your other numbers are 1, 6, 7 & 11. Thus, they are as superior as listed.

Between now and your 46th year on earth (three and half years) women, money, youngster will greatly feature in your life and a few publicity cum commercial success equally indicated for you.

However come your 47th year (around that period) tough challenges which will border on stiff competition, avoidable accident, treachery and money will come your way.

Although it sounds somehow, it’s the needed tonic for and or pillar for an endless cycle of success that will follow.

Therefore whatever can be shaken to the foundation or be uprooted by that time should not be initiated now.

The future is truly brilliant for you.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

38—VANGUARD, MONDAY,

JUNE 27, 2016

ANTI-GRAFT CRUSADE:

Why we’re not probing APC members — LAWAL, SGF SECRETARY to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Engr. Babachir David Lawal, immediate past National Vice-Chairman, Northeast of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is famed for his unwavering political affinity to President Muhammadu Buhari since the president’s first political outing in 2003. He is famously known within the Abuja political circus as having Buhari at the centre of his politics and was one of the key figures behind the scene in the emergence of Buhari as the presidential candidate of the APC. Lawal, from Hong in Adamawa State, an electrical/ electronic engineer in this interview bares his mind on sundry national issues. Excerpts:

By Omeiza Ajayi

W

HERE are we as regards the 2016 budget?

Well, you know that our concept of budgeting is zero-budgeting where we only appropriate money for key projects that the government considers important for implementation of its key policies.

To that effect, the Ministry of Budget and Planning has sent out memos for MDAs to submit their request for capital releases and they have all complied.

The Budget Office has started releasing the capital projects releases according to the priorities of government.

This is because the revenue of government has fallen by about 47 percent since the budget was approved by the National Assembly. Budget is a statement of intention, the implementation is based on the reality of your revenue as the days go by, and because of that MDAs are required to write and request for funds only for those projects appropriated by the National Assembly and secondly, that are of importance, as a priority.

Budget process Obviously, quite some projects that are in the budget might not be a priority for the MDAs. As you are aware, during the budget process, we had this issue of padding in which the Executive discovered that the National Assembly included certain projects in the budget and appropriated for them, even when they did not originate from the Executive arm.

So, obviously, such projects will not be considered a priority for the executive arm of government if at all they manage to sneak C M Y K

through the vetting process jointly carried out by the Executive and the National Assembly which eventually produced the budget.

Now, even those that have been appropriated for, in the light of the dwindling revenue of government would still need to be re-prioritized. For example, the government might find it very difficult to implement the constituency projects to the letter because MDAs might not find constituency projects as critical to the execution of their mandates and given the dwindling resources, these could be some of the areas that would suffer during implementation.

If the revenue of the government improves, of course, all capital projects would be fully implemented, but we do not see that happening soon. So, while the government is willing to do that, it is obvious that you can only implement that for which you have money, and I think, to my mind, these are some of the

We know the Senate would not do anything that will bring the country into disrepute because right now Nigeria enjoys tremendous goodwill all over the globe areas that might suffer nonimplementation in the budget.

The Senate has summoned you in connection with the

•Lawal: It is important to have ambassadors therefore to sustain this goodwill recently-unveiled list of ambassadorial nominees. What is the issue?

One thing, however, is clear the constitution makes it clear that it is the president’s prerogative to nominate ambassadors, and the criteria he would use to do so is also the constitutional right of the president.

Whatever criteria he chooses to use is constitutional. Be that as it may, I must say that we are disappointed that the National Assembly took the decision that it did, but again we believe that the Senate we know is made up of very responsible and patriotic Nigerians, there are some past governors who have governed and known the constitutional provisions regarding separation of powers. We know the Senate would not do anything that will bring the country into disrepute because right now Nigeria enjoys tremendous goodwill all over the globe.

It is important to have ambassadors therefore to sustain this goodwill. Again, a lot of the travels by the president and government representatives is to attract foreign direct investment into the country and ambassadors are key to sustaining this and ensuring that the goals are achieved.

Global terrorism The third reason why we think ambassadors are key is because of the phenomenon of global terrorism. Almost every nation around the world is facing it, and all nations are now collaborating with each other to fight this international terrorism. It is important that Nigerians have representatives on the ground who would present its interest

and defend it.

The non-presence of ambassadors even by one day is inimical to the country, and we believe, senators, being patriotic Nigerians would not want to cause undue hardship and put Nigeria at an undue advantage in any regard. We expect that in coming to a decision on this, they will take into consideration the interest of their own country and not political or even personal considerations.

Of course, we read in the newspapers some of their concerns such as federal character and so on.

At the last count, my recollection is that out of the 47 diplomats-nominee, 32 out of 36 states and the FCT were represented. Now, while the constitution preaches federal character, it does not always say that every state must be represented in every appointment except of course, in the case of ministers where the constitution said there should be a minister from every state, and not in all other appointments.

Spirit of the constitution So, the spirit of the constitution has been fully satisfied by having ambassadors from 32 states out of 36 plus one. I believe every objective analyst would agree with this. Secondly, there has to be merit and qualifications in every nomination.

Now, one of the criteria, I understand that was used was that it is important not to appoint someone that would soon retire.

If you know the processes of nominating and deploying ambassadors, you would understand that it is highly unlikely that the Senate would be done with it within the next

two or three weeks.

They would need to be presented to their countries of deployment for checks and confirmation by those countries, and we cannot dictate the speed, so it could take, in all honesty, probably six to seven months for an ambassador to be fully cleared and assume his new post. It would take longer still for him to acclimatize and settle down in his work.

There has been a subsisting policy, not by this regime alone, that it would be good if someone, for example, has 30 months to retire, he should not be posted.

He would just be settling down before retiring, and so it does not make sense. A lot of countries have complained about this. You send an ambassador, and after one and half year he retires. So, one of the criteria was that the person must have not less than 30 months to retirement.

Again, another criterion that was considered was your seniority level. You must be someone on GL16/17. Now, due to no fault of this government, not all states have people in the Foreign Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. About four states did not make it, however, not necessarily on the criteria of seniority.

There are other qualifications that are required to post you to go and represent Nigeria. Again, there are specialist areas for which only specialists are required. There is also the requirement of gender sensitivity.

What has delayed the appointments of people into Federal Government boards?

Let me tell you; it took some of the previous governments two years to make board

Continues on page 39

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—39

Why we’re not probing APC members — LAWAL, SGF Continues from page 38 appointments.

Issue of board appointments Now, the issue of board appointments is moving faster than in previous governments.

We need to do it very diligently.

Up until September, only the president and vice president were running the country and their hands were too full for them to get engaged in board appointments. Then the SGF, Chief of Staff and quite some few others came on board, and it is the OSGF that co-ordinates all of these.

The president approved the setting up of a committee late last year to do this. The first thing the committee did was to set up criteria for people who would merit being on a board in an APC government. We needed to get all the parastatals whose boards need to be constituted. Then we did what we called ceding, in the sense that we needed to share the boards in an equitable manner among all the states so that each state, as much as possible, would have its own fair share of board chairmen and board members.

I think we started with close to 400 or 500 parastatals. It was not a mean job with board membership of, in those days, I think five to 6, 000 people chairmen and members- from all the states and we decided to cede them in such a way that when it comes to a state, the board membership must also be representative of the local governments there.

So, first, we ceded among the zones, then we said okay, maybe north east zone has 20 chairmanships and 1,000 board membership, then we go back and share the chairmanship in an equitable manner according to the weight of the parastatals because in government I understand there is Category A, B and C boards so that you do not end up with only Category C or A; so it is not a very simple job.

Oronsaye Report While we were doing this, the government had to also look at the Oronsaye report which recommends the scrapping or merging of some parastatals.

There was a White Paper by the former government on the implementation of the Oronsaye Report. So, this government decided to study that report which had very good merit in it because a lot of the parastatals were just doing nothing or were doing what others were doing.

So, in considering the Oronsaye Report, is there any likelihood of carrying out the

mind, the preponderance of corrupt people would be in the PDP for one reason; they have been in government for 16 years and they were the only ones enjoying the booty, and they were doing it in a flagrant manner.

Tracing my own (political) genealogy for instance, from ANPP to CPC and now APC, we were not getting anything.

Nobody was giving us contracts.

PDP were the ones in government; they were the ones the president was approving money for sharing; they were the ones that took government money to fund their election.

Access to government money

•Lawal: APC had no access to government money to fund the president’s election merger or scrapping of parastatals?

Look, the Oronsaye Report is domiciled here as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. They did a good job, not necessarily that everything is acceptable. What happened to the Oronsaye Report was that they made their recommendations and took it to the Cabinet. By the time the White Paper came out, it appeared that only 40 per cent of the recommendations were approved for implementation by the White Paper. It appeared that every minister started defending his staff. So, for example, parastatals recommended for scrapping suddenly found themselves in the survival list, because government is like that.

So, the Oronsaye Report was completely mutilated during the White Paper. While the activity in itself was commendable, as a government, it is only natural that we look at it in the context of our own objectives.

So, we are looking at it. A lot of hardwork went into it, and we would like to study it and implement it in agreement with our policies.

Are you most likely to also look at the 2014 Confab Report in that manner?

Well, the government has not taken a decision on the 2014 National Conference. I understand that some Nigerians want it implemented but the government has been too busy with key areas of governance to talk about an exercise that we thought was essentially diversionary and a sort of, maybe, a ‘job for the boys’, because if you remember, it was reported that almost everybody in the committee got N7 million, and we consider it essentially as job for the boys.

They probably produced a document that is good and

commendable but I mean, this government is too busy with very more vital areas of governance, and we are not intending to spend our time reading reports.

The exercise of governance is not about reading reports. The reports are here, so many volumes that for example, it would take me like seven days to go through.

Economy needs attention I wonder what happens to my work while I am reading it; while the economy needs attention, unemployment is there, insecurity is there, people are

I cannot, in all honesty, say that all of us in APC are saints, but the truth is, we did not have access to funds to steal in the first place, and so we did not have opportunity also to reject the stealing blowing up pipelines and so on.

Back to the National Assembly. How true is the allegation in some quarters that you are responsible for the travails of the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu?

See, let me tell you, the Office of the Secretary to Government is the punching bag of everybody, and that is how it should be.

My own understanding of the present government in relation with the opposition is such that the integrity of our president has been established over his almost 73 years as solid; you cannot assail it. So, the only option left

for you as a ‘dirty’ opposition since you must attack the government is to attack those less known. And those less known that are easy targets, that they think when they attack them, they are attacking the president are the SGF, the Chief of Staff, Minister of Petroleum and the CBN Governor, for one reason.

These are appointive positions; they are not elective. Probably, they think that “oh, if we make him look dirty, the president would sack me.” In my life, I have seen Ekweremadu for, maybe twice, and the second one, was incidentally, in a church in Yola.

I do not understand the psychology of, when you are accused of something, instead of defending yourself, you waste your time hunting for who could have been the cause of your travails. If they remove Ekweremadu as the Deputy Senate President, how does that personally benefit us? Of course, while I was in the party then as National Vice Chairman, it was the party position that because we are the majority party in Parliament, that we should produce all the Principal Officers.

To that extent as an APC member, I am not happy that APC has not produced the deputy senate president. It is an aberration, but the senators decided, which is their constitutional right, to create the aberration.

The solution, if they need any solution would lie with them not BD Lawal, not SGF because I am not a senator. I am the SGF. So, whoever tells you that I am responsible for the travails of Sen. Ike Ekweremadu is burying his head in the sand rather than running.

When is the president going to start dealing with corrupt persons in APC? Let us be very sincere and reasonable. Obviously, to my

This is the truth. APC had no access to government money to fund the president’s election. It got to a stage when PDP saw it clearly on the wall; you remember they even shifted the elections; it was so clear they were going to lose, and so they thought they could buy it.

Throughout the last tenure of the Goodluck Jonathan campaign, their goodwill among Nigerians was on the decline and they were spending, and it got to a stage that they did not care about following the due process anymore because they thought they were in power and they thought they could buy their way through and remain in perpetuity.

So, they became even careless about the manner they were taking the money. Remember Nigeria even borrowed $100million from the international market to fund the war on Boko Haram and they simply shared it. APC did not go to borrow anywhere. We were not sharing oil wells. We had no access to NNPC funds. So, if these agencies were converted into agencies for looting and pilfering, it is obvious that even if we had corrupt men in the APC, they did not have the opportunity to steal, and that is assuming we had. I cannot, in all honesty, say that all of us in APC are saints, but the truth is, we did not have access to funds to steal in the first place, and so we did not have opportunity also to reject the stealing. So, let them roast in their stew. Let them carry their cross.

They can make all the noises and try to deflate APC, but our hands are clean by providence.

Look, let us face it. If they arrest you, why don’t you say, ‘I shared the money with so and so persons’ and then let him turn out to be in APC? Those that they are arresting, it is from the interrogation that the information burst out. Let them leave us alone. This is just the beginning. They will return our money by the time we finish digging their soak-aways and bringing down their (overhead) tanks; we would recover our money.

C M Y K

40—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

BVN cause of delay of workers, pensioners pay in Kwara

By Demola Akinyemi

I

LORIN-KWARA State Government, yesterday, said civil servants and pensioners without Biometric Verification, Number, BVN, clearance were being owed salaries and pensions, insisting that all cleared workers and pensioners in the state would continue to receive their entitlements. In a statement issued in Ilorin,

by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the governor, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, the government said 15 per cent of the 83,000 workers and pensioners yet to be verified had their entitlements warehoused pending clearance.

Omisore accuses EFCC of rumour mongering

F

ORMER deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, weekend, accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of rumour mongering, stressing that the agency’s freezing of his accounts amounted to an act of illegality and tyranny.

Omisore said he was surprised that rather than pursue legal means to ensure justice, EFCC, had resorted to media trial and falsehood which could not prosper under any guise.

He said, “I did not take money from NSA! Why this political trial, prosecution, intimidation and humiliation? I won’t be surprised if EFCC can be dodging court summons, declaring me wanted and evading service. I shall ask the court to compel them to unfreeze such account because I am neither on trial nor guilty.”

Omisore who noted that he had earlier accused EFCC of dodging court summons insisted that not only did he not not collect any money from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, but that he also had no dealings with the ONSA. He added, “Last time it was N700million, today it is N1.3 billion. Nigerians should be expecting higher multipliers in future. There is no such money in my account. Let the EFCC bring all findings to the court instead of media hype.”

Army rescues 5,000 hostages, kills 10 terrorists in clearance operations •Kills 3 bandits in Zamfara

By Kingsley Omonobi-Abuja

N

IGERIAN Army, weekend, rescued more than 5,000 hostages held captive by the Boko Haram terrorists’ group, while 10 terrorists were killed in clearance operations in the North East.

However, a civilian JTF member was killed, a soldier, policeman and another civilian JTF member wounded during the operations while arms, ammunition and logistics equipment in large quantities were recovered from the terrorists.

This came as soldiers of 1 Division headquarters, Nigerian Army Kaduna, killed three armed bandits in clearance operations against cattle rustlers and kidnappers in Zamfara State.

Confirming the rescue of the hostages in a statement, Colonel Sani Usman, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, said: “Troops of 21 Brigade and Civilian JTF, weekend,

Wakanow offers new package to travellers

By Olawale Gabriel

A

FRICA’s leading online travel portal, Wakanow, has launched new summer deal offering travellers an opportunity to enjoy various travel packages with flexible payment option.

The payment option called “Pay Small-Small scheme”, gives the travelling public savings of up to 150 per cent on their travel expenses with a flexible payment plan.

It is designed to allow customers lock down choice travel deals by making only a 25 per cent down payment of the travel cost and paying the balance in convenient installments before the travel date. Commenting on the rationale behind the scheme, Executive Director of Strategy, Mrs. Toyin Odutayo, said the new product was targeted at travellers who required flexible payment options to take advantage of their choice travel destinations.

conducted a fighting patrol to Zangebe, Maiwa, Algaiti and Mainari villages in which they killed six Boko H a r a m terrorists and wounded several others.

The troops also liberated over 5,000 persons Former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Atiku held hostage Abubakar (4th from left) in a photograph with members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth by Boko Council Worldwide led by its National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro (3rd H a r a m from right) when a delegation of the Council paid a courtesy visit on terrorists and ormer Vice President in Abuja, weekend. recovered five motorcycles and a similar one mobile policeman were Haram terrorists and recovered number of bicycles. Similarly, wounded in action. The body of 1 General Purpose Machine troops of 7 Division Garrison the heroic Civilian JTF and the Gun (GPMG) with registration Rapid Deployment Force, RDF, wounded soldier and his police number FN 132125, a belt of II, in conjunction with some of counterpart has since been 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition elements of Mobile Police Force evacuated to Maiduguri. While containing 42 rounds. Sadly, one and Civilian JTF today we commiserate with the families of the vigilantes sustained an (yesterday) also conducted Boko of the departed Civilian JTF, we injury to the eye. However, he Haram terrorists clearance wish to state that the wounded are is getting better.” operations at Masu Yiwa, Ladin in stable condition and In another development, a Buta, Bazaka, Kesa Gala, Tabla, responding to treatment. statement confirming the “In a related development, clearance operation, by Col Fahinde, Shirori, Gizina, Maska Aribe, Maska and Maska troops of 192 Battalion, 26 Task Usman said, “Troops of 223 Lawanti villages, all in Mafa Force Brigade and some Battalion, 1 Brigade under the Local Government Area of Borno vigilantes also embarked on auspices of Operation SHARAN State. During the operations, the fighting patrol along Kusarha- DAJI of 1 Division Nigerian troops encountered Boko Haram Zalidava general area Saturday. Army, today carried out 'fighting terrorists at Maska Lawanti in The patrol team encountered patrol' to Kabaru village forest, which they killed two terrorists some elements of Boko Haram Maru Local Government Area of and recovered two motorcycles. around Zalidava-Weige villages in Zamfara against cattle rustlers “Unfortunately, we lost one which they killed two Boko and armed bandits." civilian JTF, while a soldier and

CAN poll: Northern CAN dissociates self from protests

By Sam Eyoboka ECRETARY of Northern Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN, Revd Danladi Yerima, yesterday, dissociated Northern CAN from a statement credited to the group’s Public Relations Officer, Revd John Hayab, where he claimed that the June 14 election of new CAN President was a “kangaroo election”, and unacceptable to northern Christians.

Hayab was quoted by a national newspaper as saying that the election which ushered in new executive to take over from Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was null and void. However, secretary of the group, told Vanguard that “as secretary to the Northern CAN, I know that prior to the election, the

S

Northern CAN appealed to the National CAN to consider the possibility of postponing the election day to resolve the issues that were posed by the TEKAN/ ECWA bloc and as far as I am concerned that was an advisory from us.”

Yerima said the election had been conducted, noting that Northern CAN was made up of 19 northern states and Abuja and “to the best of my knowledge, all the 19 northern chairmen voted in that election. How can a right thinking and sane person come up to say that such election is null and void and unacceptable to Northern CAN? As far as my office is concerned here, we have never taken that decision. We respect the National CAN. It is not actually the opinion of Northern CAN.”

Ambode to partner on development of central biz district

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

G

OVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, has spoken of the need for partnership with stakeholders in the state on the development and sustainability of Central Business Districts, CBDs, to international standard.

Consequently, office of the

CBD has fixed tomorrow for an interactive session between the governor and stakeholders to boost the agency’s fortunes through an effective publicprivate sector partnership principle, PPSPP. Special Adviser to the Governor on CBD, Mr. Agboola Dabiri, who disclosed this, said the one-day event was designed to woo

investors and corporate organizations back to Lagos Island. He said, “The forum will focus on opportunities accessible in the CBD and the need for interested individuals and organisations to turn around existing challenges in line with the ardent desire of government to revitalize and return the lost glory and beauty of Lagos Island of the ‘80s and ‘90s.”

Reminded that Hayab remains the PRO of Northern CAN Yerima said: “The PRO of any organisation is supposed to speak the mind of such organisation not his own. He is our PRO but the secretariat which I head, did not mandate him to speak on behalf of Northern CAN to condemn the elections. I did not think that is the opinion of Northern States CAN, because I should be the person to know because I will be the one to take the minutes of such a meeting where that decision was taken.”

On if there was a court injunction restraining the elections, Yerima, a lawyer, denied knowledge of any injunction, saying: “Honestly, I cannot really tell you that there was a court case. I heard it just as you heard that there was a court case. But I believe that legal issues are better understood by legal minds.

Sometimes when a matter of this nature is before the court, it is very difficult to comment on because it may lead to contempt of court. I cannot say there was or not because I was not part of that election.”

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A6—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Untreated clubfoot results in poverty, niversal newborn hearing screening and management is desirable for early detection and treatment of hearing disorders.

Clubfoot in children can be corrected — Dr. Olayinka Adegbehingbe

By Chioma Obinna

A

N expert in club foot management, Dr. Olayinka Adegbehingbe, has urged Nigerians not to take the club foot as fate, but rather seek ways of correcting the health condition.

Clubfoot is a general term used to describe a range of unusual positions of the foot. Although clubfoot is painless in a baby, treatment should begin immediately.

Clubfoot can cause significant problems as the child grows. But with early treatment most children born with clubfoot are able to lead a normal life.

Speaking during the commemoration of the 2016 World Club Foot Day in Nigeria, Adegbehingbe explained that progress was being made to get

other ways to correct the condition apart from invasive surgery, which was expensive.

“Club foot is a worldwide

Congenital deformity affects almost 150,000 children annually and about 80 per cent of the children live in developing countries like Nigeria synonym for Talipes Equinovarus, a congenital limb deformity that has added to the burdens of families and

communities. The need for a cheaper management of this condition has necessitated the adoption of the Ponseti method of treatment, which is a low-cost, low- technology, non-invasive method of club foot treatment that is known to have recorded excellent success rate globally.”

Adegbehingbe who is also the Coordinator of Nigerian & West African Clubfoot Study Group, noted that the congenital deformity affects almost 150,000 children annually, stressing that about 80 per cent of the children live in developing nations, including Nigeria.

According to him, many experts are now willing to use Ponseti method; a technique that corrects club foot without invasive surgery. He said the treatment of club foot was based on the

inherent properties of the connective tissue, cartilage, and bone, which responded to the proper mechanical stimuli created by the gradual reduction of the deformity.

He stated that the ligaments, joint capsules, and tendons were stretched under gentle manipulations and a plaster cast was applied after each manipulation to retain the degree of correction and soften the ligaments. He said the displaced bones were thus gradually brought into the correct alignment with their joint surfaces progressively remodelled.

He explained that; “After two months of manipulation and casting, the foot appears slightly over-corrected but after a few weeks in splints however, the foot looks normal. “The non-operative treatment will succeed better if it is started a few days or weeks after birth and if the podiatrist understands the nature of the deformity and possesses the manipulative skill and expertise in plaster-cast applications.”

He noted that a national guideline on club foot management had been developed as part of efforts to implement the strategy of reducing long-term effects of the condition, adding that the guideline was practical and rich in scientific information.

Experts say technology improves patients care

H

In the views of the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, there is need for Nigeria health workers to embrace technology to aid their work as well as improve patient care.

Idris, who spoke during PharmAccess Strategy Day on Nigeria in Lagos with the theme: "Making Health Markets Work for low-income people in Nigeria", frowned that the major problem in the country's health sector is that many workers lacked the capacity to function effectively and it in turn affects management of patients.

Corroborating his views, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye said more fund should be injected into healthcare, saying that the government should invest in the sector.

He advised the government to raise the health budget, adding

that the current allocation of three percent cannot solve the problems in the sector.

Country Director for PharmAccess Foundation Nigeria, Njide Ndili said the organisation was interested in quality health care for low income communities.

Njide Ndili said the programme was to facilitate discuss to get response from stakeholders, long standing partners, new and potential partners. The programme, she said, would enable the company find a way forward to advance access to quality healthcare to low income communities.

Also, the Commissioner for Health, Kwara State, Mr Abolaji Alege said technology should be introduced at the three tiers of health facilities.

C

LUBFOOT, a general term used to describe a range of unusual positions of the foot. Although clubfoot is painless in a baby, treatment should begin immediately.

Clubfoot can cause significant problems as the child grows. But with early treatment most children born with clubfoot are able to lead a normal life.

Club foot may vary from mild to severe: The foot (especially the heel) is usually smaller than normal.

The foot may point downward.

The front of the foot may be rotated toward the other foot.

The foot may turn in, and in extreme cases, the bottom of the foot can point up.

Most types of clubfoot are present at birth (congenital clubfoot). Clubfoot camera.gif can happen in one foot or in both feet. In almost half of affected infants, both feet are involved.

High levels of education linked to heightened brain tumour risk

Brian tumour

OW do you access your health needs? Have you heard about e-health, M-health?

Experts say these represent an opportunity to change patients' relationship with their providers and insurance companies.

Opportunities for improved communication include provider messaging, access to electronic medical records, and the ability to access information about alternative approaches to medical treatment. Patients generally get only 10 minutes of face-to-face time with their physician and through e-Health have access to thousands of health care Internet sites where they can gain unlimited health information.

Experts say technology has the potential to educate patients and promote improved selfmanagement skills.

Clubfoot: Helpful tips

By Gabriel Olawale

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CIENTISTS have linked university degree to heightened risk of developing brain tumour.

The researchers in a large observational study, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health noted that Gliomas, a type of cancerous tumour arising in glial cells that surround and support neurons in the brain were more common among people who had studied at university for at least three years than they were among those who didn't go on to higher education.

They based their findings on more than 4.3 million Swedes, all of whom were born between 1911 and 1961 and living in Sweden in 1991.

In the study released, the researchers monitored between 1993 and 2010 to see if they developed a primary brain tumour. During the monitoring period, 1.1 million people died and more than 48,000 emigrated, but 5735 of the men and 7101 of the women developed a brain tumour.

Men with university level education, lasting at least three years, were 19 percent more likely to develop a glioma than men whose educational attainment didn't extend beyond the period of compulsory schooling of 9 years.

Among women, the magnitude of risk was 23 percent higher for glioma, and 16 percent higher for meningioma--a type of mostly non-cancerous brain tumour arising in the layers of tissue (meninges) that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord-than it was for women who didn't go on to higher education.

The noted that occupation also seemed to influence risk for men and women. Compared with men in manual roles, professional and managerial roles were associated with a 20 percent heightened risk of glioma and a 50 percent heightened risk of acoustic neuroma.

The risk of glioma was also 26 percent higher among women in professional and managerial roles than it was for women in manual roles.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — A7

A8 —VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—41

Sheriff working with Oshiomhole against PDP — Orbih

By Gabriel Enogholase

Governor Adams Oshiomhole and APC in Edo State to see how they can cause disaffection among the members of our party. Let me say this; no amount of efforts

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DO State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, has said that a hundred Modu Sheriffs cannot suspend him and his executive from performing their functions as they were duly elected by the party faithful in the state.

Orbih was reacting yesterday in Benin to a statement credited to Sheriff in which he supposed suspended him and his executive from performing the activities of the party for three months.

He said, “For us in Edo state we want to ignore the statement from Sheriff because to me I see his statement talking of the suspension of a duly elected State Executive Council as the ranting of a sinking former acting National chairman.

“For us in Edo state, we

PDP suspends aspirant, Rep member

By Gabriel Enogholase

T •Sheriff: Ex-PDP interim chairman have decided to ignore Sheriff because he was never an elected chairman of the party and that at some point, he was appointed as acting National chairman for three months and at the expiration of the three months, it was

•Orbih: Edo PDP chairman just natural that he should pack his load and go home.

But he is now holding on as if everything in his life depends on this position.

“Let me use this opportunity to say that Sheriff from all indications is working with

••Wants EFCC, Reps to probe Obaseki on N5.5bn deal

By Gabriel Enogholase

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HE Edo State chapter of the PDP has called on the House of Representatives and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expedite action on its investigations into the alleged N5.5 billion deal involving the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

State Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, told journalists at a press conference in Benin yesterday that the party’s investigation at the Corporate Affairs Commission had revealed that Obaseki has a case to answer on the misappropriation of the shares of the late Idisi.

However, the APC flag bearer had in an interview last week described the allegation as “one of those scams” he had “nothing” to do with, as he was only a shareholder sitting on the board of the

•Obaseki: Edo APC gov candidate company.

But Orbih said, “From the records available before us, it is clear that Godwin Obaseki, the APC candidate, through this transaction, had accrued to himself the 36 million share capital hitherto held by the family of Humphrey Idisi. “ This is fraudulent, this is unacceptable and we want say that the present attempt

by Godwin Obaseki and his

Accord also wants Obaseki to explain

By Gabriel Enogholase

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CCORD, one of the registered political parties yesterday asked the APC’s Godwin Obaseki to explain his role in the alleged N5.5 billion deal involving a real estate development in a company wherein he holds a substantial share.

Though the campaign organization of Obaseki had

by Sheriff and his co-travelers will distract us from our mission to rescue the state from the clutches of the deceitful APC government of Adams Oshiomhole”

absolved the candidate of the allegation, but the National Secretary Accord, Dr. Samson Isibor in a statement on Sunday said the explanation is “shallow” and admonished the candidate to come out and absolve himself.

“Edo people are wiser now and will never make the mistake of voting for a suspect because they have suffered enough in the past", he said.

German collaborators to frustrate the public hearing by members of the House of Representatives will not hold.”

HE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has become messier with the Edo State chapter of the party led by Chief Dan Orbih suspending one of the governorship aspirants, Mr. Matthew Iduoryeikemwen and recommending disciplinary measures for a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima.

The party said that the decision to suspend Mr. Iduoriyekemwen for one month was taken at a meeting of the Edo State Working Committee of the PDP which met yesterday. The party also said it had recommended Rep. Agbonnayima to the national body of the PDP for appropriate disciplinary action.

The party described the behaviour of Iduoriyekemwen as unacceptable, irresponsible and selfish, pointing out that the aspirant teamed up with claimant to the position of national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji AliModu Sheriff, by purchasing what was described as a kangaroo nomination form for the same governorship slot he lost just a few days ago.

In a communiqué at a media briefing held at the state secretariat of the party in Benin, yesterday, State Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, said Iduoriyekemwen’s behavior and utterances immediately after losing the PDP primaries on June 20 have become not only embarrassing to the party but also to the vast majority of Edo

Why we're joining Sheriff's PDP — Iduoriyekemwen, Agbonayinma

By Simon Ebegbulem R Matthew Iduoroyekemwen, who came second with 13 per cent of the votes in last Monday’s governorship primaries of the PDP is set to cause heartaches for the party with his decision to purchase the governorship form of the rival primary being organised by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff led faction of the party.

Besides him, a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, Egor/ Ikpoba Okhai has also identified himself with the Sheriff tendency with his declaration to contest the governorship primaries being organised by the faction.

The duo who have bought governorship nomination forms

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to participate in the June 29 governorship primaries of the faction scheduled to hold at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin City, described the primaries that brought in Pastor Ize-Iyamu as a charade.

Speaking to journalists at the Benin Airport where they were welcomed by the supporters, Agbonayinma who disclosed that he joined the governorship race to rescue PDP from destruction in the state, saying that from the court judgments obtained by Sheriff he would prefer to identify with him.

“For a while we had not had the opportunity to look at the judgment of the court in favour of Sheriff until many of us had the opportunity to see the judgment."

people, who were yearning for a change of government and party.

He disclosed that the State Working Committee has uncovered an alliance between some people within the PDP and the Governor Adams Oshiomhole led government of Edo State to destabilize Edo PDP ahead of the September 10 gubernatorial election.

We can't monitor Sheriff’s show — INEC

By Omeiza Ajayi

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HE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday said it would not monitor Wednesday ’s gubernatorial primary elections being organized by the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the PDP. “INEC is yet to take a decision on that even though I learnt Alhaji Modu Sheriff has written the Commission to say that he intends to hold one (primary)”, Deputy Director Public Affairs at INEC, Nick Dazang told Vanguard yesterday.

He also noted that Section 85 of the Electoral Act provides that any party that wishes to hold a convention or primaries shall serve the Commission a 21-day notice.

However, Dazang recalled that “the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Edo Governorship provides that primaries are to take place between 2nd June and 4th July”.

By this design, the Sheriff ’s faction have fallen short of the requirement for a 21-day notice to INEC. Sheriff had also claimed that INEC never monitored the primary election conducted by the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker committee which produced Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu as its candidate for the September polls.

Dazang disputed the claim but stated that INEC was awaiting the judgment of the appellate court which is fixed for July 4 to enable it know which of the factions to recognize.

He said; “Even though INEC monitored the recent PDP primaries, it is awaiting the judgement of the Appeal Court scheduled for 4th July. The judgement will determine which faction the Commission will recognize."

42—Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

Alleged corruption:

Why Fayose should not enjoy immunity —SERAP

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OCIO-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has stated that “the freezing of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s account by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) is lawful under section 308 of the 1999 constitution and international law particularly the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.”

The group argued that, “The freezing of the account is a preventive measure targeting the rem, which is necessary for the conduct of an effective investigation

Continues on page 43

Amaechi names Shippers Council CEO, Bello, head of national fleet c'ttee

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INISTER of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, CON, has announced the appointment of Mr. Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary/ CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the chairman implementation committee for the new national fleet.

This is coming as the Federal Government is pursuing a total diversification of the economy with a strong belief that a national fleet that is private sector driven will stimulate the maritime industry.

The Federal Government intention is to make Nigeria as the maritime hub in sub Sahara Africa and the preferred destination of the international Shipping Community, the statement added.

Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council has a track record of turning around moribund institutions to sustainable growth.

Hassan Bello

Alleged Islamization: Nwankwo Drags

Buhari, Saraki, Dogara, Malami To Court

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—President Muhammad Buhari, Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have been dragged to the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, over allegation of attempting to Islamize the country.

Also joined as defendants in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation, Alhaji Abubakar Malami and the National Assembly.

Dr. Nwankwo Nwaezeigwe, who is suing for himself and on behalf of members of Nigeria Civil War and Genocide Research Network, alleged that the Buhari's Presidency was out to Islamize the country. Counsel to the plaintiffs, Kelechi Nnadi said that the case was filed in pursuant of the fundamental human rights of his clients.

In the suit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to determine whether a five point alleged infractions of the Nigeria constitution does not amount to a violation of the constitution and an attempt to Islamize Nigeria.

They listed the five grounds to include; “whether Nigeria’s

continuous membership of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, IOC, is not a violation of provisions of section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended); “Whether Nigeria’s membership of the Islamic Military Alliance to Fight against Terrorism does not derogate from the provisions of section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which proclaims Nigeria as a secular state; “Whether Nigeria’s continuous membership of Development ‘8’ otherwise called (Eight Developing Islamic Countries) is not a clear violation of the provisions of Section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) Nigeria being a secular State; “Whether Nigeria’s continuous membership of Islamic Development Bank is not a clear violation of provisions of Section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) Nigeria

being a secular state; “Whether Islamic Bond otherwise known as SUKUK of funds from Islamic Development Bank can validly be used to fund the 2016 budget deficit by the Federal Government of Nigeria having regards to the secularity of the Nigerian State.”

They are praying the court to nullify or declare the cessation of Nigeria’s membership of Organization of Islamic Conference, OIC, Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism, Development or Developing Islamic Countries and Islamic Development Bank.

They also want the court to restrain the defendants particularly the President and Attorney General from further enlisting Nigeria into membership of any organisation meant solely for Islamic countries or any organisation bearing any religious connotation.

Meanwhile, further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till September 29, before the trial judge, Justice A. Faji.

Odutemu ordains 8 revds, 10 deacons, 2 archdeacons

By Festus Ahon

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GHELLI—THE Bishop of Ughelli Diocese of Anglican Communion, Rt Revd Cyril Odutemu, yesterday, ordained 10 deacons, eight reverends and collated two archdeacons with a charge to use their callings to reach out to the poor.

Preaching during the ordination service, Revd Austin Omavuebe, said God created man from nothing and gave them different callings .

Stressing the need for men to obey their callings, Omavuebe said that they must leave their comfort zone for the worship of God and for the sake of the gospel.

He told the people to have absolute faith in God even in times of adversaries with total obedience, warning the people against all forms of selfi shness and work to make heaven.

NJC urged to interfere in APC chieftain’s murder trial

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, has accused the President Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa of alleged undue interference in the on-going trial of a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Mr Ojukaye FlagAmachree. Amachree who was Chairman Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers State, while the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi was governor of the state is being tried for alleged murder of one Smart Soberekon during the April 11, 2015 general election.

The CLO in its statement by its South South Chairman, Mr Karl Uchegbu, called on the National Judicial Council, NJC, to intervene in the matter, stressing that the recent Appeal Court panel set up by the President of the court was an abuse of Court processes. The body alleged that the President of the Appeal Court bye passed Appeal Court Justices in the state, who have not been indicted to set a panel of the court with members outside the state to revisit the judgement of a Rivers State Court, Port Harcourt, which denied Amachree bail. CLO sought the urgent intervention by the NJC in the matter.

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (right); House of Assembly member representing IkaNorth-East Constituency, Hon. Anthony Elekeokwuri (left); his wife, Mrs. Adenike (2nd left); Rt. Revd. Peter Onekpe (middle) and Others, during a special thanksgiving service and dedication of church hall/children's chapel.

Group faults move to redeploy police officers to N’Delta

By Ochuko Akuopha

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LEH-A group, Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, FHRAC, has faulted the Federal Government’s move to embark on massive redeployment of police officers from the northern part of the county to the Niger Delta region, describing same as suspicious and an abuse of constitutional democracy.

The group, in a statement, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to reconsider its decision and allow the police authorities to conduct their

activities in a manner that can serve the best interest of the country in accordance with dictates of the extant laws.

Noting that the Nigerian constitution never envisaged one region or ethnic group to dominate the others in terms of public governance, the group, in the statement by its National President, Cleric Alaowei, said: “The bare faced insinuation by the Federal Government that the police officers in the region have compromised their positions to be working with militants is a ploy to pull wool over people’s eyes.

“That is just an excuse that has underground agenda which is

only known to the initiators. We see no justification in that flimsy excuse which lacked all material substances. If any security officer compromises his sacred duty by romancing with criminals, the government should not waste time in unleashing the full wrath of the law against such person.

"When news of military personnel’s complicity in the fight against Boko Haram in the North East broke out, the army authorities disciplined those culpable officers. The Jonathan government did not take excuse with the series of those incidents to flood the North with Southern officers."

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—43

Pastor Agbahime, husband of woman murdered in Kano, relocates to Orodo

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—PASTOR Mike Agbahime, whose wife, Mrs. Bridget Agbahime, was recently murdered by Muslim fundamentalists in Kano, has finally relocated to his ancestral home, Orodo in Mbaitoli local council area of Imo State.

Giving a graphic account of how his wife was killed, Pastor Agbahime told Governor Rochas Okorocha, yesterday, in Government House, Owerri, that he helplessly watched while the fundamentalists gruesomely murdered his wife.

The widower recalled that he survived the attack by the grace of God, pointing out that he would have also been killed because the aim of their attackers was to kill him and his wife.

His words: “On the faithful day, one Muslim man called Dauda, came to my wife’s shop and was washing his legs infront of the shop. My wife told him to shift a little, to enable her arrange her wares, but the man refused.

Instead, the man started to molest her, and gripped her neck. In trying to free herself from the grip, Dauda started shouting Alakuba, and not long after, an angry mob quickly gathered.

“When we saw that danger was knocking, we ran and took refuge in the house of a

prominent Alhaji, who is a leader in the area. The Alhaji did all he could to calm the mob down. They refused, called him an infidel, broke into his house and killed my wife in front of me. If not for the quick intervention of the Police who immediately used teargas to disperse them, they would have also killed me. But they destroyed everything I had, both the shop, the car and so on.

“My wife was never beheaded.

They repeatedly hit her head with hard objects. Currently, the body of my wife is in the mortuary. She was not beheaded as it was widely reported.”

Responding to Pastor Agbahime’s pathetic story, Governor Okorocha, who described Mrs. Agbahime as a heroine, also said that it took more than 100 men and women to bring her down.

“The gruesome murder of the

woman was highly provocative, barbaric and the highest expression of wickedness to a fellow citizen. Imo State Government shares in the grief of the Agbahime family ”, Okorocha said.

Continuing, the Governor said the problem is not the death of Mrs. Agbahime but the manner through which she was killed.

VISIT: Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State (left), Pastor Mike Agbahime, whose wife was killed in Kano (middle), and HRM Eze Samuel Ohiri, (right), the traditional ruler of Orodo & Chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, when Pastor Agbahiwe visited the governor, at the Government House, Owerri, weekend.

VON DG begs NDA, MASSOB, IPOB to embrace dialogue

By Francis igata

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NUGU—THE Director General, Voice of Nigeria,VON, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, weekend, appealed to separatist groups in the country to embrace dialogue and support President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts to rid the country of corruption.

Okechukwu spoke in Enugu at a reception organized for him and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama by their kinsmen under the aegis of Ekeh Progressives Forum,EPF.

Delivering a speech titled, “True Federalism: Panacea or Placebo to Nigeria’s Paralysis; Eke Town as a Case Study,” at dinner organized as part of the reception, the chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, blamed greed and corruption for the gross inequality.

Speaking before an audience which included former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, the VON boss recalled that President Buhari had in his 2015 Chatham House, London speech, vividly described this gross inequality in the country as a tiny island of the affluent in the ocean of

misery.

“Corruption in all its ramifications, not just the fleecing of the state fund, includes petty human frailties like jealousy, hatred, stereotypes and prejudice. We shall return to these two opaque pages of the same epitaph of greed and corruption, a commonly misunderstood theme.

“These two opaque pages may help us to show that ethnicity and religion play less crucial roles in our dysfunction than greed and its grandson, corruption. Ethnicity and religion are more of the tools of scavengers and predators. It

Ethnic nationalities condemn prosecution of Saraki, Ekweremadu ...say it is a threat to democracy

By Anayo Okoli

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M U A H I A — A COALITION of Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organizations in the country has condemned the planned prosecution of the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu by the Federal Government over alleged forgery of Senate Rule, saying that it is a “threat to democracy”.

Describing the forgery charges as “trumped up”, the group, in a

statement issued in Umuahia, after visiting the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council, said the issue in contention was “an internal affair of the senate and should be resolved by the senators themselves based on the principle of separation of powers.

“The issue of Senate Standing Rules/Order is an internal affair of the senate and should, and indeed has since been resolved

by Senators on the floor of the Senate on two different occasions; the most recent being unanimously adopting a

resolution in its plenary on 21st July 2016, in accordance with the principle of separation of powers, that the Senate Standing Order 2015 is authentic”, the group said, adding that Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court had also confirmed that it was an internal affair of the Senate.

The group alleged that the prosecution was a pure political intimidation ahead of 2019 general elections to cow the Saraki and Ekweremadu leadership.

would amaze us to look closely at our communities, local council areas and zones. We are most likely to find that they are the victims of the cankerworm called corruption.

“Consequently, an honest and pragmatic assessment would surely expose the popular sentiment of True Federalism as an innocuous medication to a paralysis engendered and poisoned by the fangs of corruption. The narrative will also show how ethnic merchants and bigots exploit our weaknesses to advance themselves at the expense of the same tribe or religion for which they claim to fly their flag,” Okechukwu said.

He said that the same corruption was equally responsible for the paralysis in his Ekeh hometown, which shares the same ancestral history, 99 percent Catholics and one Wawa dialect, but yet seriously divided.

Okechukwu, however, traced the debate on true federalism from the pre-independence era, to when it exploded in the 1990s as an unintended consequence of annulment of June 12 presidential election and championed by the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) through PRONACO, its constitutional conference arm.

Why Fayose should not enjoy immunity continues from page 42 of allegations of corruption involving former National Security Adviser Sambo Dazuki.” The group in a statement, Sunday, by its executivedirectorAdetokunbo Mumuni stated that, “The freezing of accounts of sitting governors and other highranking public officials accused of corruption is essential for the flow of investigationwhichisallowed under section 308. The investigation is pointless without the freezing of the account.” Thestatementreads inpart:“Specifically,article30 oftheUNConventionagainst Corruption entrenches a functionalnotionofimmunity; that is, it attaches to the office and not the office holder.

Under article 30, states are required to ensure that immunity of public officials is not used as a ploy to frustrate prosecutionofcasesinvolving otherpersonssuchasDazuki, accusedofcorruption.SERAP believes without the freezing of the accounts of Fayose by the EFCC, the investigation and adjudic-ation of corruption allegations involvingtheformerNational Security Adviser may be undermined, which will directly violate article 30 requirements.”

Ariaria traders drag Abia govt to court over reconstruction of market

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

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BA—TRADERS at the Ariaria International Market, Aba, Abia State, have dragged the state government to court over its plan to reconstruct shops and remodel the market.

The State Market Development Committee, ASMDC, led by Chief Nwaigwe Solomon Nwaigwe had directed traders at the Park 1 and Park 2 sections to relocate to the Aba Mega Mall to enable reconstruction work to commence.

In suit No.A/134/2016, the applicants representing traders of Ariaria Frontline, Park 1, Park 2, A-Line, CLine zones of Ariaria market, including the Incorporated Trustees of the National Association of Nigerian Traders, NANTS, claimed that it is illegal for the defendants to demolish shops at the market and force the traders out of their shops contrary to the terms and agreements of allocation of shops .

44 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

UNITED KINGDOM: Post-Brexit crisis deepens

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string of Labour shadow cabinet members have quit, with more walkouts expected, in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership over the EU referendum.

Lord Falconer, Heidi Alexander, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray are among those to have quit the party’s top team.

It comes after shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn was sacked after he told Mr Corbyn he had lost confidence in him.

Mr Corbyn, who faces a no confidence vote over a “lacklustre” EU campaign, “ won’t be resigning”, a spokesman said.

The spokesman said Mr Corbyn “is the democratically elected leader of the Labour Party”.

•Cameron Shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow cabinet members Andy Burnham, Diane Abbott and Emily Thornberry have given Mr Corbyn their support despite the resignations.

Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson has said he is “deeply disappointed” that

Mr Benn had been sacked and “equally saddened” by the shadow cabinet resignations.

He said his focus was to “hold the Labour Party together in very turbulent times” and that he would meet Mr Corbyn on Monday to discuss the “way forward”.

The Labour Party campaigned for Remain during the referendum, which saw the UK voting to leave the EU by 52% to 48% on Thursday.

But Mr Corbyn - who has been a long-standing critic of the EU and who is regarded as the most Eurosceptic Labour leader in years - has been accused by some in his party of not making the case for the EU forcefully enough.

... Scottish leader threatens to use veto

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COTTISH First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has vowed to protect Scotland against the “devastating” fallout of Brexit and hinted her government may use legal means to try to block Britain’s departure from the

EU. Sturgeon said the United Kingdom that Scotland voted to remain a part of in a 2014 independence referendum “does not exist any more” after Thursday’s referendum to leave the EU.

“What’s going to happen with the UK is that there are going to be deeply damaging and painful consequences... I want to try and protect Scotland from that,” Sturgeon said yesterday.

Minister among dead in al-Shabab attack

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RIBUTES have been paid to a Somali minister who was among those killed in an attack by the Islamist group alShabab on a popular hotel in Mogadishu.

Militants detonated a car bomb outside the Naso-Hablod hotel, before storming it and taking hostages on Saturday.

The UN envoy in Somalia described Environment Minister

Buri Mohamed Hamza as “passionate advocate”. He was among at least 15 people killed at the hotel.

Al-Shabab launches frequent attacks in a bid to oust the UN-backed government.

But witnesses said the militants shot randomly at guests in the hotel, often used by politicians and tourists.

A gun battle then erupted between Somali

forces and the attackers.

Michael Keating, the UN special representative in Somalia, condemned the “atrocious attack”.

“The death of minister Hamza is very saddening.

He was a passionate advocate for Somalia’s natural environment and was fighting against its degradation,” he said.

Tributes were also paid

by Somalia’s foreign ministry.

Debris in Tanzania to be examined for link to missing MH370

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new piece of debris found in Tanzania will be examined for a possible link to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Malaysian state news agency Bernama cited the country’s transport minister as saying on Saturday.

“This debris is quite large... only if it is confirmed to be that of Boeing 777 will

we send an investigation team there to study whether it really belonged to MH370 or not,” Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai was quoted as saying.

Liow said recent discoveries of bags and other personal items found in Madagascar were not connected to MH370.

Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing.

Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off the plane’s transponder before diverting it thousands of miles off course over the Indian Ocean.

Pope’s genocide comment infuriates Turkey

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URKEY says Pope Francis’ description of the WW1 mass killing of Armenians as genocide shows “the mentality of the Crusades”.

The pontiff ’s remarks have “no relation to reality”, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said.

Armenia and many historians say up to 1.5

million Armenian Christians were killed by Ottoman Turkish forces in 1915.

But Turkey disputes the figure and denies the deaths constituted genocide.

It says the deaths were part of a civil conflict triggered by WW1.

The row continues to sour Turkish-Armenian relations, drawing in other

countries such as Germany, whose parliament recently declared the killings to be genocide Pope Francis made the comments on Friday during a visit to the Armenian capital, Yerevan.

“This tragedy, this genocide, has unfortunately marked the start of a sad series of great catastrophes of the last century,” he said.

Italian mafia boss caught after 20 years on run

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NE of Italy’s most wanted mafia bosses has been caught after 20 years on the run, with the authorities finding him asleep in his bed, police say.

Ernesto Fazzalari, 46, was arrested in the southern region of Calabria. He had been fleeing a life sentence for murder.

Police described him as a leading figure in the ‘Ndrangheta, one of Italy ’s most powerful mafia clans.

The group is thought to be behind much of Europe’s cocaine trade.

Fazzalari did not resist arrest, the authorities said, and was found with

a female companion.

He first fled in 1996, and was convicted in absentia 1999 of crimes including murder, attempted murder, extortion and mafia association.

EOPLE across Spain have cast their ballots for the second time in six months, in a closely watched election just days after Britain’s decision to exit the European Union.

Polls closed at 8pm (18:00 GMT) for Spain’s roughly 36.5 million

African migrants force their way into Spain’s Melilla enclave

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BOUT 30 people forced their way into Spain’s North African enclave of Melilla on Sunday, a local

•Fazzalari

Spain votes again to end months of political deadlock

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President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, dancing with students of Giakanja Boys High School in Nyeri County during a courtesy visit to the institution on Saturday

voters on Sunday, with results expected shoftly.

Sunday’s repeat vote came after the four main political parties failed to agree on a coalition after December ’s general election resulted in a hung parliament.

government official said, one of few successful attempts to storm the border so far this year following increased

Kenya aims to cut size of Somali refugee camp

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ENYA aims to reduce by almost half the population of Dadaab refugee camp which is home to about 326,000 mostly Somali refugees by the end of the year, a committee that groups Kenya, Somalia and the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said.

Kenya has said it wants to close the camp, which was once home to more than half a million refugees, citing security threats. Nairobi says the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab has used the camp as a recruiting ground to launch attacks on Kenya.

patrols and security.

Spain has two enclaves in Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla, and migrants from all over Africa regularly try to reach them, by climbing the triple barriers that separate them from Morocco or swimming along the coastline.

After thousands of migrants crossed from Africa to the enclave in 2014 and 2015, Spain last year stepped up security at the Melilla border.

Although there is no official data, just a few dozen are believed to have made it so far in 2016.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016 — 45

Ladipo believes in Eagles, calls for proper planning

2018 World Cup: Nigeria need a miracle to qualify —Babangida

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X-NIGERIA star Tijjani Babangida has fired a damning verdict on the country ’s World Cup chances after he said the Super Eagles will need a miracle to be at Russia 2018 because they are not ready for the challenge.

Babangida featured at the 1998 World Cup and was recently a special assistant to former Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh.

The former Ajax Amsterdam star said that while other teams are busy preparing hard for the 2018 World Cup

qualifying series which begin in October, Nigeria are yet to have a permanent coach.

“The worse happened already after we were not seeded,” he said.

“And now with Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia in our group, only a miracle could take us out of this group, let’s be realistic even though we also know that anything is possible in football.

“Other nations are already 100 percent ready for the qualifiers, while we are still not certain who our coach will be.”

SA dethrones Nigeria continued from B/P Championships in Durban raking 16 gold medals.

Kenya followed up with nine gold medals, while Nigeria could only rake in four gold medals to place a distant third on the log.

This performance by Team Nigeria left a sour taste in the mouth of athletics enthusiasts who came to the conclusion that something drastic must be done to reposition Nigeria in the sport.

“It is really sad that we have slipped further down.

But we have a lot of talents.

I pray that GOD will really help us.

“I really pity the poor athletes because they’re the people suffering it,” African 100m hurdles record holder Glory Alozie stated.

Also hurdles coach

Solomon Aliu stated that there should be a stakeholders meet to address issues affecting Nigerian athletics. “There must be a way out of this mess.”

In yesterday’s concluding events, Nigerian athletes settled for silver. In the women 400m hurdles Tameka Jameson was beaten to the second place by Kenya’s Maureen Jelegat with a 56.1 seconds run, Jameson posted 57.2 seconds, Doreen Amata was outclassed by Seychelles’ Lissa Labiche who leapt 1.85m in the women high jump. Amata jumped 1.82m. Cameroon’s Sally Auriol with 17.64m denied Nigerian duo Nwanneka Okwelogu and Chioma Onyekwere who threw 17.07m and 15.71m respectively.

Tough pool

very conducive environment to work. I am confident that by the grace of God we will qualify. We will give our 100% in every game and try to win whether home or away. Every match must be taken as a matter of life and death.

Leon Balogun Far from easy, but it’s the hard road that leads to success. Let’s take this opportunity and earn our spot.

William Troost Ekong I think it’s a tough draw, but I never imagined we were going to get any easy opponents on the way to 2018 World Cup. I believe that we can do it. If we can put everything in place structurally for all members of staff and players to focus on just the games, together with the support of our nation we will be successful.

Elderson Echiejile It is not an easy group, I must say, but we have all what it takes to finish top of that group and I believe we can. We have

continued from B/P Technical Committee Garba Lawal’s “I would rather lose to Algeria than lose to Chad.”

Now, the players themselves have come out to express confidence that the Super Eagles can earn a third straight FIFA World Cup ticket despite the challenge of Algeria, Zambia and Cameroon.

Interim Head Coach, Salisu Yusuf Without any doubt, this is a tough draw but with c o m m i t m e n t , determination and motivation, the Super Eagles will scale these hurdles and qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Ogenyi Onazi This is not a bad draw.

I believe the Super Eagles are equal to the task.

All we need to do now is to start planning from this very moment. We have to get our coach in place and give him, whether white or black, a

F

OLLOWING the draw for the World Cup 2018 qualifiers which saw Nigeria in a group of death, President General of Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Dr .

Rafiu Ladipo has expressed confidence that the Super Eagles will qualify for the mundial.

Three-time African champions, Nigeria face a very difficult task of qualifying for a third straight World Cup after they were drawn in Group B with Zambia, Cameroon and Algeria. Like Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria

•Mikel

Algeria skipper upbeat about World Cup chances

A

LGERIA skipper S o f i a n e Feghouli has expressed confidence his country are on course for a third straight World Cup qualification despite drawing ‘The Group of Death’ for the qualifying series beginning in October.

Africa’s No 1 ranked team are in Group B along with Nigeria, Cameroon and Zambia, which is widely regarded as the toughest of the five four-team groups in the qualifying tournament for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

However, West Ham new signing Feghouli said that with the support of the country, Algeria will scale the opposition to be in Russia. to start preparing NOW (put everything in proper place). It is never too early to start preparing for such matches. We are the Super Eagles.

Brown Ideye At this stage of football, tough groups like the type we have found ourselves are to be expected. To get to the World Cup, we cannot cut corners or relax or take things for granted.

The World Cup is the biggest football stage where you meet the best of the best, so getting there will be tough. Now, we have to be prepared to work hard. If we work hard together as a team we will win matches and if we win our games we will qualify. The media have to be involved in this as well. They (media) have a huge role to play in motivating and psyching our team to do well. Everything is in our hands, we must plan well and ensure our house is in order. I believe we will qualify.

“We are in a difficult group but with the people of Algeria totally behind us, and or quality and commitment, we have all the chances of clinching a historic third successive World

Joshua KO continued from B/P O2 Arena 11 weeks earlier but the end was just as inevitable.

It came at the start of the seventh round following some brutal punishment.

Great credit goes to the taller man from California for restoring the image of the brave American boxer which Martin had tarnished.

But even greater expectation falls now on Joshua’s shoulders. He has carefully avoided calling out his rival heavyweight champions until now but after this he sent an invitation to yet another American, WBC title holder Deontay Wilder, and his fellow British champion

France continued from B/P the way for each other” and they endured a test of their physical and mental reserves in the last 16. But they endured all the same.

The hosts advanced into a possible quarter-final date with England after Martin O’Neill’s team succumbed to an impressive second-half revival in Lyon.

Ireland led from a thirdminute Robbie Brady penalty and France stared at the ignominy of an early expulsion from their own tournament as their nerve deserted them in the opening half. But a tactical switch from Deschamps at the break proved decisive and Ireland’s defensive resilience evaporated in the face of a second-half onslaught.

Antoine Greizmann supplied two clinical finishes to take

featured at the last World Cup two years ago in Brazil.

The Super Eagles tough qualifying group was not unexpected as they failed to be among the top five seeds for the draw caused by a poor FIFA ranking.

Nigeria will be under pressure to make it to Russia 2018 after they failed to qualify for next year’s AFCON in Gabon.

Speaking after the draws were made Friday, Dr Ladipo noted that although the group is a difficult one, but experience has shown that the Super Eagles perform well when they are in difficult position.

Cup ticket,” said the former Valencia star.

Four-time World Cup finalists Algeria begin their qualifying campaign on October 3 at home against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Tyson Fury.

He may have to wait — Fury ’s rematch with Wladimir Klitschko is delayed and Wilder has another imminent engagement — but clearly he believes he is ready.

Joshua was dominant from the start behind a shuddering a left jab, threatening devastation with heavy right crosses and uppercuts.

Breazeale withstood a ton of punishment before a straight left and huge right sent him down in that seventh. The ensuing storm blew him away.

The first world heavyweight title fight since the death of Muhammad Ali was preceded by a tolling of the 10 count on the ring bell.

continued from B/P 2012. His case comes amid rising concern among athletes over a surge in Zika infections in Brazil, where Rio de Janeiro will host the Olympics in August.

Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, U.S. cyclist Tejay van Garderen and British long jumper Greg Rutherford have dropped out of the games citing Zika worries.

France into the last eight and should have departed with a hat-trick. Shane Duffy’s dismissal moments after Griezmann’s second-half double gave Ireland too great a burden to overcome.

France had dominance in the stands but not where it mattered most in the first half. Their overwhelming support had only just completed a rousing rendition of Les Marseillais when they were stunned into silence by referee Nicola Rizzoli’s award of a penalty to Ireland in the first minute.

O’Neill’s team, unchanged from the win over Italy that secured the country’s first qualification from a group at the Euros, were ahead before a French player had a meaningful touch.

The men in white kept possession from a retaken kick off and immediately rattled Deschamps’ defence when Stephen Ward swept over a cross from the left.

Adil Rami slipped as he attempted to clear and with seismic consequences.

Daryl Murphy’s shot on the turn was deflected into the path of Shane Long who was sent sprawling by a clumsy challenge from Paul Pogba as he seized on the loose ball. Long may have anticipated contact but it was a foolish and clear foul. In front of the only section of the stadium awash with green, Robbie Brady, whose late header defeated the Italians, started Ireland’s party early with a clinical penalty. Hugo Lloris went right, the ball went to his left and kissed the inside of the post en route to the back of his net.

There were added benefits to a glorious opening for Ireland.

France’s defence impressed in the group stage when they were breached by only one Romanian penalty over three matches.

•Dr. Ladipo

Jamaican

46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

NPFL stars to participate in ‘LaLiga’ N All Stars cast of the A Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)

READY TO ROAR - SERENA

Wimbledon: Serena feels no pressure or stress S

ERENA Williams gave the impression on Sunday of being impatient to start her Wimbledon campaign as she targets an historic fortnight in London.

The 34-year-old American sealed a selfdescribed ‘Serena Slam’ last year with her victory over Garbine Muguruza in the All England Club final.

It followed her 2014 US Open win and triumphs at the Australian Open and French Open early in 2015, making Williams champion of all four majors at the same time, for the second time in her career.

Hopes of a calendar Grand Slam of all four majors in the same year were left in tatters by a startling US Open semifinal loss to Italian Roberta Vinci, and defeats by Angelique Kerber in January’s Australian Open final and to Muguruza in this month’s French Open

title match have left questions being asked of Williams.

She is achieving more in a period of supposed decline than most will fit into a career, and few would bet against her winning another slam to match Steffi Graf’s Open era record of 22 majors.

The talk about records does not stimulate Williams though, and she gave clipped responses to much of the questioning she faced, two days out from her opening match against 27-year-old Swiss qualifier Amra Sadikovic, whose first match in a grand slam will be on Centre Court at 1pm on Tuesday.

‘This year I don’t feel as much tension as I usually do. Well, there’s some years I haven’t felt any tension either. I’m feeling pretty good. I don’t feel any

She remains the women’s world number one and the player to beat, in what otherwise looks a wide open field.

Muguruza has experienced mixed fortunes since surprising many with her run to the final on grass - a surface she once loathed - last year.

The French Open title, and the way she saw off Williams in straight sets to

earn that maiden grand slam, means she may be a serious contender.

But all eyes will be on Williams, and when it comes to match time that is how she likes it. The stadium court is her playground, and she is relishing her return there.

‘It’s just that one time a year you get to get on this amazing, beautiful surface.

It feels really good,’ Williams said

Visa denial: Spanish embassy did not consult us — NAPTIP

BY JUDE OPARA, ABUJA

E

•Umar, NBBF President

VEN as the dust raised by the refusal of the embassy of Spain in Nigeria to issue entry visas to the country’s contingent to the FIBA U-17

World Championship in Zaragozaisyettosettledown, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) said they had no hands in the denial.

Acting Director General of the agency, Alhaji Abdulrazak Dangiri told a

Moses, Ifidzen win CBN Tennis Open T

• Melissa

pressure or stress,’ Williams said.

‘I think it’s important to learn from every loss that you have. Throughout my whole career I have been able to learn a lot, to come back a much better player.’

‘I’m definitely ready to start playing at this point.

I’m kind of over-practising every day for two hours, then going to the gym for some time.’

HE 38th edition of the Central Bank of Nigeria Senior Open Tennis Championship ended with Michael Moses and Russian based Melissa Ifidzen emerging as champions of the men and women single categories respectively.

In the Men’s Singles category, last year’s runnersup Michael Moses defeated Sylvester Emmanuel 6-4, 16, and 6-3 in the final decided at the Tennis centre court of

players will embark on an international friendly tour of Spain as part of the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the the League Management Company (LMC) and the Spanish Football League, LaLiga.

Chairman of the LMC, ShehuDikkoannouncedthe firming of the plans for the tour after a meeting in Abuja on Friday with LaLiga Africa Representative, Antonio Barradas. He said the NPFL All Stars selected side will play in the Carranza & LaLiga World Tournament and also against Valencia CF. For the Carranza and LaLiga World Tournament, the NPFL All Stars will play Malaga CF on August 12 and 13 but before then, will play their first game in Spain against Valencia CF on August 10.

The Ramon de Carranza Trophy is a pre-season tournament organized by Cadiz CF in memory of its former President, Ramon de Carranza. It has been played since 1955 and is rated one of the prestigious summer tournaments in Spain alongsidetheTeresaHerrera Trophy. Sevilla CF won the inaugural edition in 1955 whileAtleticoMadridarethe defendingchampions.Some of the top European and South American teams that have participated in the tournament include 2012 winners, Club Desportivo Nacional and Benfica of Portugal, Sampdoria of Italy, Flamengo and Vasco Da Gama of Brazil amongst others.

“The NPFL All Stars team will be made up of the best players in the league this season and it will offer them the opportunity of showcasing their abilities and possibly secure offers from any European club as the match will be broadcast live on some European television channels,” Dikko stated.

the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos, even as Melissa went back to Russia smiling by retaining the title she also won last year.

Seeded no 2 behind last year’s winner, Thomas Otu, Moses won the first set 6-4 but dropped his guards in the second set which he lost 1-6 only for him to bounce back in the third and final set of the match which he won 6-3 to lift the 38th CBN trophy plus the N700,000

(seven hundred thousand naira) star prize cash award attached to the trophy.

In the women’s singles category, the defending champion and tournament no. 2 seed, Melissa Ifidzen, all the way from Russia proved that she was not yet ready to release her crown when she defeated last year’s runners-up and tournament top seed, Christy Agugbom 6-3, 6-2 to retain her title, thus winning it for

the second time back to back.

She also pocketed the N700,000 prize money that goes with the trophy.

It was indeed a sweet and fulfilled 38th CBN senior tournament for Melissa who also paired with Sarah Adegoke to win the women’s Doubles trophy by beating the pair of Christy Agugbom (her women’s Singles victim) and Blessing Samuel 6-0, 62 in the final decided soon after the women’s singles final.

press conference at the weekend that contrary to reports in a section of the media that the Spanish embassy allegedly claimed that its action was based on ‘reliable information of human trafficking’, it did not have any form of communication with the embassy.

Dangiri further stated that part of the mandate of NAPTIP was not to issue travel visas to intending travellers, but only gives clearance based on specific requests from relevant bodies.

“The records we have in the agency does not support this position of the embassy.

NAPTIP has no hands in this unfortunate incident.

NAPTIP did not receive any letter from the Spanish embassy seeking clearance for the platers and officials and therefore, never wrote theembassyonthismatter.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016—47

Vanguard, MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016

African Athletics: S/Africa dethrones Nigeria S

By Ben Efe

OUTH African athletes yesterday finished on high as they swept the medals table of the African Continues on Page 45

Russia 2018: Tough pool does not bother us, Eagles boast N

IGERIA’S senior team stalwarts have refused to be worried about being housed in the African 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification series’ so –called group of death.

Reactions have been sharp, immediate and interesting, from NFF President Amaju Pinnick’s “now we must quickly sort out the issue of Head Coach and his assistants and put every other thing in place in good time,” to former Eagles’ captain and member of the NFF Continues on Page 45

GOLDEN GIRL...Osazuwa

Joshua KO’s Breazeale in 7 A •Breazeale’s bruised features tell the story of his night of punishment at the destructive, concussive hands of world champion Joshua

France hit back as Griezmann double puts Ireland out

D

IDIER Deschamps was reluctant to release Martin O’Neill’s grip when the two managers shook hands on the final whistle. He

had predicted France would face a battle with a Republic of Ireland side who “will fight all

Continues on Page 45

TODAY'S PUZZLE

BRAVER American defence of that IBF belt came. An idolised set the pulses racing Englishman still sent him faster.

Dominic the same way as the Breazeale lasted three paper champion who times longer than came to these shores and Charles Martin in this went home without his same ring at London’s world heavyweight title.

Anthony Joshua’s first Continues on Page 45

Jamaican sprinter catches Zika virus J AMAICAN sprinter Kemar Bailey-Cole says he has been infected with the Zika virus but will participate in his country’s Olympic

trials next week.

The Jamaican Gleaner reported Saturday that the 24-year-old track star says he has rashes and

eye pain but is not afflicted by the muscle pain often associated with the virus, which he caught in Jamaica.

Bailey-Cole won a gold medal in the 100meter relay at the London Olympics in Continues on Page 45

QUICK CROSSWORD

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Calm (5) 9 Establishment (6) 10 Shellfish (6) 11 Name (5) 12 Pitcher (4) 15 Otherwise (4) 17 Hindered (7) 20 Relations (3) 21 Postpone (5) 23 Row (4) 25 Chanted (4) 26 Twelve (5) 28 Dined (3) 30 Regain (7) 33 Spoken (4) 35 Class (4) 36 Darkness (5) 38 Shouted (6) 39 Fur (6) 40 Tired (5)

DOWN 1 Haste (5) 2 Inn (5) 3 Favourite (3) 4 Revised (6) 5 Frigid (4) 6 Watch (3) 7 Stem (5) 8 Colour (5) 13 Climate (7) 14 Rushed (5) 16 Undershirt (7) 18 Dissuade (5) 19 Aye (3) 22 Shaver (5) 24 Decay (3) 27 Lower (6) 28 Compel (5) 29 Dawdle (5) 31 Sound (5) 32 Allude (5) 34 Team (4) 36 Novel (3) 37 Attempt (3)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS Across: 2 Pride, 7 Shore 8, Extort 10, Appal 12, Cab 13, Plate 15, Legible 17, Reveal 19, Net 20, Limited 23, Chit 25, Dire 26, Larceny 30, Nut 31, Target 34, Shotgun 37, Weepy 38, Err 39, Sauna 40, Rebut 41, Educe 42, Seedy.

Down: 1, Whale 2, Prate 3, Repeal 4, Deal 5, Excited 6, Noble 9, Tab 11, Lenient 13, Price 14, Avail 16, Get 18, Linctus 21, Dirge 22, Petty 24, Tantrum 27, Rug 28, Yawned 29, Cheer 32, Ready 33, Epoch 35, Orb 36, Name.

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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