Binder1

CBN cautions against speculative trading of naira TOLA AKINMUTIMI

Emefiele

Vol. 5 N0. 1031

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he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday cautioned foreign exchange traders against any form of speculative trading of the

Naira, promising to do all within its statutory powers to protect the nation’s currency from further depreciation.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Soldiers intercept truck with 3,600 ballot boxes P.8

Badeh

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Kano stands S still for Buhari

ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI KANO

APC alleges plot to destroy military

upporters of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday took over major streets in the ancient city of Kano, denying him access into the palace of the Emir, Muhammad Sanusi II. The supporters had already begun to invade the Sani Abacha Stadium, venue

N150 of the nationwide campaign by the APC presidential candidate, as early as 9am.

Mammoth crowd thronged major streets leading to the stadium and the emir’s palace, making nonsense of checks by security operatives stationed along the streets.

Erstwhile APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had arrived the palace 15 minutes CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Polls: IG moves Mbu to Lagos, Ogun P.4 Oil marketers demand N250bn subsidy P.6

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Supporters of All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, during the party’s rally in Kano, yesterday.

Ondo PDP dissociates self from reconciliatory committee

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Why we have many uncollected PVCs –Jega

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

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Kano stands still for Buhari CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

prior to Buhari’s arrival.

The presidential campaign vehicle conveying the retired General had been parked at the main entrance into the main palace chambers where supporters prevented their candidate to descend from his campaign vehicle.

Kano monarch, Muhammad Sanusi II, who had alighted from the royal throne to receive the APC candidate, was kept standing for several minutes,

while security operates made frantic efforts to control the surging crowd.

Tinubu conferred with the emir briefly, culminating in the campaign train departing the palace ground, denying Buhari the chance of meeting the monarch.

The massive crowd, which defied security to force their way into the royal palace front gates, were, however, prevented from gaining entry by palace guards and a combine

team of security operatives which locked the palace chamber, after Akande, Tinubu and selected local and foreign journalists had entered.

Chants of Sai Mai Gaskiya (By the truthful one we stand) repeatedly rent the air as the presidential campaign train moved between the emir’s palace and the Sani Abacha Stadium campaign venue.

However, stampedes were recorded as hundreds of thousands of party sup-

porters thronged the campaign ground.

Four persons were severely wounded with several others sustaining minor injuries, unconfirmed reports disclosed.

Speaking later at the campaign ground, Buhari told his supporters to surmount all hurdles and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs. He urged the people to cast their ballots and stayed behind to ensure their votes counted and ensured the va-

Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido (left) and his counterpart from Katsina, Shehu Shema (right), welcoming Vice-President Namadi Sambo (middle) at Katsina Airport for the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential campaign, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Jonathan, PDP disown death-wish advert OBIORA IFOH, OMEIZA AJAYI AND WALE IGBINTADE

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resident Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday disowned the death-wish advert on the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, placed in two newspapers on Monday by a governor from the South-West zone of the country.

President Jonathan, in his reaction to the advert, said that he would never wish Buhari dead.

Speaking with journalist in Abuja, President Jonathan through the PDP Director Media and Publicity, Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, however, noted that the governor was entitled to his own position and warned that such individual position should be seen from its merit.

“Fayose never said that

he was speaking on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan but for his own self and he said that he issued it in his name. And I have emphasised that that is his opinion and he is entitled to it.

“That represents his own personal opinion which he is entitled to. What I can tell you on our part as the presidential campaign organization is it does not represents the opinion of the PCO or indeed the President; it is his opinion which he is entitled to and he is somebody that we have immensed respect for, he is a leading member of the party.

“I have spoken with him and we respect him but for anybody to suggest that this is the position of the presidential campaign organisation or President Goodluck Jonathan, will be most unfair. If we wanted to say something like that we will say it without any kind of apology, but of course we will never say that because we believe in the sanctity of life.

“Age is not a function of how long you will live. It is important that we recognise the fact that age is not an indication of how long somebody will live.

“We believe strongly that we must continue to show immense respect to the person of Gen. Buhari in terms of and a person and his health, though we believe it is important to always raise question about facts, you know what these questions are and we will continue to raise them,” he said.

Fani-Kayode said that it was not possible to control people’s thoughts and opinions outside the members of the organisation.

“It is very important for us to recognise the fact that we can only control what we put out from here. It is not for us to be telling others what to say. If we feel that what somebody has said has gone too far, we have to clarify the position,” he added.

Also reacting to the advert, APC accused President Jonathan of violating the

non-violence pact, signed by him and other presidential candidates in Abuja last week.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement yesterday noted that members of the opposition party did not react violently to the advert because of the efforts put in place by the leadership of the party.

“But for our party’s ceaseless enlightenment of our members and supporters to shun violence of any kind even when provoked, and the peaceful disposition of the APC as a party, one can only imagine what could have happened in the wake of this demonic advert, laced with ethnic put down and a morally-repugnant death wish for a fellow being.

“We are, therefore, calling on all those who witnessed the signing of the pact, especially former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and former Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral Emeka Anyaoku, to CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

lidity of the results.

Buhari stated that an APC government would fight insecurity and eliminate other serious challenges confronting the country.

He hailed party supporters for the resilience and doggedness displayed since the early hours of the morning.

The campaign entourage, led by the DirectorGeneral, Buhari Campaign Organisation and Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, comprised the Speaker of the House Representatives, Hon.Aminu Tambuwal, Governor Magatarda Wamakko of Sokoto State and Senator Bukola Saraki.

Meanwhile, the APC yesterday warned that those bent on destroying its presidential candidate on the basis of his certificates might end up destroying the military.

In a statement in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party warned that the PDP and the Jonathan administration were playing a dangerous game by trying to compromise the military to satisfy selfish political objectives.

He urged the military, as a symbol of national unity, to beware of those who might be seeking to use it to achieve selfish and divisive ends.

Mohammed said that the statement credited to the Brig-Gen. Olaleye that the Army was not in possession of Gen. Buhari’s certificates was in direct conflict with what he said on January 4, 2015 on the same issue.

“Is Brig.-Gen. Olaleye now saying that he did not make that statement? If he did, what has happened between then and now to make him to recant? It will be interesting to know what has transpired between then and now,” APC said.

The statement said that what was worrisome was the statement credited to Olaleye that there was no evidence that the certificates of all those who joined the Army in the early 1960s were verified by the selection board.

“Is he now saying that all those who were commissioned into the officer cadres in the 1960s did not have their certificates verified? Does this not confirm what we said that in trying to destroy Gen. Buhari, the

PDP and the Jonathan administration will end up destroying the Army as an institution? Or is it only Gen. Buhari that was commissioned into the Army in the 1960s,” the party said.

The party also quoted Gen. Buhari as saying in an affidavit on November 24, 2014 that “All my academic qualifications documents as filled in my presidential form, President APC/001/2015, are currently with the Secretary, Military Board, as at the time of this affidavit.

“Those who are behind the latest controversy should now tell Nigerians what happened to Gen. Buhari’s certificates between the time of his affidavit and now,” the APC said.

The party added: “Even if the Army now says it does not have the certificates of Gen. Buhari, he is still very qualified to run for the country’s highest office, as stipulated by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The party quoted Section 131 (d) of the Constitution, which says: “A person shall be qualified for election to the office of President if he has been educated up to at least school certificate level or its equivalent.”

APC said the meaning and interpretation of “School Certificate level” or its equivalent could be found in the Constitution under part IV, Section 318.

In that Section, a “School Certificate or its equivalent” is defined quite succinctly thus: (a) A secondary school certificate or its equivalent; Grade II Teacher’s Certificate; the City and Guilds Certificate; or (b) Education up to secondary school certificate level; or (c) Primary Six School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent.

The party said since Brig.-Gen. Olaleye had confirmed that Gen. Buhari indeed applied to join the Army from Form Six, that the principal of the school he attended even attested to his suitability, and that the form he filled contained his Secondary School Certificate results, there was no doubt about his qualification to run for president as stipulated by the Constitution.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

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Photo News

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

L-R: Dr. Gilbert Kovessi; Prof. Maurice Fagnon; President, Academic Staff Union of University, Dr. Nasir Fagge; Central Coordinator, Amilcar Cabral Ideological School,Comrade Abiola Dabiri; Moderator/ National Chairperson of Joint Action Front, Dr. OLadipo Fashina, during an international symposium of the nation-states in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana and West Africa in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

L-R: Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on INEC, Hon. Jerry Manwe and Adamawa State Governor Bala Ngilari, during the INEC Stakeholders Workshop on Internally Displaced Persons and 2015 General Elections in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L–R: Managing Director/Chief Executive, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo; Minister for Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson; Executive Director, Lagos and South West Bank, Fidelity Bank Plc, Ikemuefuna Mbagwu and Divisional Head, Managed SMEs, Ken Opara, during the Fidelity SME Forum, yesterday.

L-R: Economic Officer Embassy of the United States of America, Mr. Joel Kopp; Commercial Specialist, Mr. Ibrahim Ibrahim and Chairman, Nigerian-American Chambers of Commerce, Kaduna State, Mr. Sherrif Balogun, during the business networking with the US Economic and Commercial Department in Kaduna, yesterday.

National News

Polls: IG moves Mbu to Lagos, redeploys 27 others OMEIZA AJAYI AND UBONG UKPONG

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head of the general elections next month, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Suleiman Abba, has ordered the redeployment of 28 Assistant InspectorsGeneral of Police, AIGs, to various departments, zonal commands and formations.

In the redeployment chart, Assistant Inspector General, AIG, of Police in Charge of Zone 7, Abuja, Mbu Joseph Mbu, has been moved to Zone 2, Lagos.

Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, who announced the redeployment in a statement yesterday, said the exercise was part of ongoing reorganisation in the Force.

He said the development came on the heels of recent promotion of some senior officers as well as vacancies occasioned by retirements.

While charging the officers to bring their ex-

Army appoints new commanders

perience to bear on their new postings and be more service-oriented in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities, the IGP urged the public to partner closely with the force in its determination to ensure improved safety and security of the country.

In a related development, the Police Service Commission, PSC, has approved the promotion of

Adenike Fehintola Abuwa to the rank of an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG. Head, Press and Public Relations in the Commission, Ahmed Gimba Mohammed, who stated this yesterday in Abuja, said the promotion was with immediate effect.

He quoted Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro, as congratulating

the officer, who was moved up from commissioner of police status, charging her to live up to the responsibilities of her new rank and bring to bear her wealth of experience in the discharge of her duties.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army also yesterday appointed new Commanders to strategic commands nationwide, even as it ef-

fected minor reshuffle to accommodate the new commanders.

Our correspondent learnt the new appointments and postings would be effective from Monday, January 26.

It was also learnt that the new commanders were posted to key Brigades as well as Battalions across the country.

Confirming the new appointments and postings, Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Brig-

Gen. Olajide Laleye, said he was also affected in the new arrangement as he has been redeployed as a Brigade Commander.

The Army began to make its appointments and postings secret few years ago, following recommendation by Laleye, when he took over as the DAPR. Sources at the Army Headquarters said the new commanders were found fit to be deployed to man trouble-prone areas during and after the elections.

Why we have many uncollected PVCs, says Jega OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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ndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday advanced reasons for the huge number of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, that were yet to be collected by Nigerians.

INEC said while some owners of the PVCs may be “indisposed”, others may have died.

Chairman of the Com-

mission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, stated this at a stakeholder’s forum organised to explain steps taken to ensure that Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, are not disenfranchised in next month’s general elections.

Jega insisted that the commission has gone too far to consider using Temporary Voter Cards, TVCs, for voting in the February general elections.

“It is unrealistic to ex-

pect that until everybody gets their PVCs that’s when INEC has done well.

Some persons may be indisposed, others may have died,” Jega said.

Also, against the background of a resolution by the House of Representatives, calling on INEC to reconsider its stance on the use of the PVCs, Jega said reverting to the use of TVCs was not an option.

According to him, the introduction of PVCs would

make the electoral process more credible, adding that it was practically impossible for all who registered to get their cards.

However, Jega was full of assurances that all who registered and are yet to get their PVCs would get them before the elections.

On the IDPs, he said the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) has sections, which can be construed as restraining INEC’s capacity to organise IDP voting.

“While we strive to cater for the rights of IDPs to vote in the 2015 general elections, we should be realistic to acknowledge that given the constraints of available time and resources, we can only have a limited objective, which is to try to cater for IDPs in the three states that had been under emergency as a result of Boko Haram insurgency in the NorthEast geo-political zone,” he said.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

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CBN cautions against speculative trading of naira CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

This is just as the apex bank also described the latest JP Morgan’s index report placing Nigeria on a negative watch for the next three to five months due to what the agency termed illiquid state of the nation’s foreign exchange and bond markets as not reflective of the realities in the economy.

The Governor of the CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who expressed the monetary stance of the bank at the end of the two-day meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee in Abuja, restated the commitment of the bank to provide foreign exchange for Nigerians engaged in legitimate businesses.

While maintaining that CBN would not allow the nation’s currency to come under speculative attacks, Emefiele maintained that the Naira remained appropriately valued, noting that there is no need to worry about further devaluation of the currency.

He admitted that the pressure in the foreign exchange market was intense in 2014, a development that resulted in a weakened Naira across the three segments of the markets.

According to him, the exchange rate at the Retail Dutch Auction SystemSpot opened at N157.34/$ (including one per cent commission) and closed at N164.08/$, representing a depreciation of N12.34 or 4.28 per cent.

Also, he pointed out that the inter-bank selling rate opened at N165.7/$ and closed at N180/$, representing a depreciation of N14.73 or 8.63 per cent in the period, while at the Bureau De Change segment, the selling rate opened at N170/$ and closed at N191.50/$, representing a depreciation of N21.50k or 12.64 per cent.

Emefiele said: “We have a responsibility in line with our core mandate to defend the currency and exchange rate of the Naira. What is paramount is that the external reserves must be defended; the exchange rate policy must be defended.

“We will ensure that economic activities continue to take place, anybody who needs foreign exchange to transact business in the country will be allowed to do so but for legitimate purposes and we will not toler-

ate speculative attack on the currency.

“At this time, the Naira is appropriately priced and that there is no need for anybody to worry that there will be devaluation.”

On his assessment of the nation’s currency since devaluation last November, he said: “Our assessment since devaluation remains positive and I repeat we are monitoring the market and we will ensure that all economic activities that take place in the market are supported by the CBN from time to time.”

On the JP Morgan index report released last Friday, the Governor flawed the stance of the agency, noting that it took the decision to reduce the net open position from one per cent to zero owing to the volatility in the market.

Emefiele said the monetary authorities disagreed with the agency’s assertion that the market is not liquid, adding by reducing the open position from one to zero, it did not mean that there is no trading.

He explained that what the apex bank insisted was that the banks must close their position to zero because of the volatility of the market during that period on exchange rate and not that the CBN could not allow banks to continue because it also discovered certain uncomfortable tendencies in the market which portended that there was speculative attack on the currency.

He explained further that given the importance of the JP Morgan index to the economy, the apex bank would engage the agency to provide them with facts and figures to prove the level of Nigeria’s liquidity.

He pointed out that Nigeria is committed to remain on the index, and that the monetary authorities will do everything possible to continue to remain on the index to avert any adverse impact that exclusion from the index might cause the country.

On the key monetary policy indicators, the governor said that majority of the committee members voted to retain the MPR at 13 per cent and the Cash Reserves Ratio on Private Sector deposits at 20 per cent.

He noted that the MPC also left the CRR on Public Sector deposits at 75 per

cent and maintained the liquidity ratio at 30 per cent based on the satisfactory performance of the economy as well as the year-end inflation outcome.

However, he expressed the committee’s concern about some risks, including the security challenge in parts of the country, which has continued to disrupt farming and related activities and the sustained de-

cline in oil Gross Domestic Product.

On inflation, he said that the committee noted the recurring challenge of excess liquidity in the banking system and the possible complications arising from capital flow reversal, but was of the view that while monetary policy plays a pivotal role in restoring economic activity to optimum levels, such roles would impact

better when complemented by structural reforms, fiscal adjustments and better coordination of policy actions.

Similarly, the governor reported that the Committee was concerned about the weakening contribution of the oil sector to overall growth, which is now being exacerbated by the rapid drop in prices over the past seven months.

The governor puts the gross external reserves as at December 31, 2014 at $34.25bn compared with $42.85bn at the corresponding period of 2013 and attributed the decrease in the reserves level to largely increased funding of the foreign exchange market interventions to stabilise the exchange rate in the face of decline in reserve accretion.

L-R: Chairperson, National Cotton Association, South West Zone, Alhaja Lola Adeoye-Kushimo; President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Frank Jacobs; Group Director, Brand Protection, Vlisco, Monique Gisken and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, during the official launching of National Cotton, Textile and Garment Policy in Abuja, yesterday.

Ondo PDP dissociates self from reconciliatory committee HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AND OJO OYEWAMIDE

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he Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Dr. Olu Ogunye categorically declared yesterday that it had no interest in the reconciliation move initiated by the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi.

This was resolved at the meeting of the state party executive held at the residence of a chieftain of the party and Group Managing Director of Global Fleet Group, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim (CFR) in Igbotako, Okitipupa Local government Area of the state.

The party stated that no member of the party in the state had shown interest in the reconciliatory committee headed by Alhaji Olanusi, stressing that none of its members attended the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Gani Muhammed, said leaders of the party had decided after the meeting not to attend the Olanusi’s reconciliatory meeting, saying the case was still in court.

He noted that Olanusi had been going round calling the members of the party to a meeting but added that no member of the PDP in the state attended contrary to what the panel had

been circulating.

He said: “The deputy governor is going around purporting to do reconciliation; we are not part of it.

The matter is in court, why should you be discussing what is in court?

“We have directed all our members to disregard any invitation to the meeting whether by letter, email or text messages because we are in court.

“Also at the meeting we reviewed our matter in court and we were happy how far it had gone.”

Muhammed also disclosed that the leaders and members of the party also resolved to work towards the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, saying

that the preparation of the campaign was in top gear.

He said that the party chairman was in charge of the rally, stressing that Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is also the leader of the party in the state, and other leaders of the party in the state would be invited to the rally next week.

The meeting was attended by members of the state executive of the party led by Dr. Ogunye. Others are the leaders of the party in the state, including Dr. Ibrahim, all candidates of the party in the forthcoming general elections and chairmen of the party in the 18 local government areas of the state except that of Akure North Local Government.

ners Council of Nigeria, APCON, to take note of the political desperation of the PDP and its supporters, while warning that we will hold President Jonathan and his party responsible if anything untoward should happen to the APC presidential candidate,” Mohammed said

APC said for the avoidance of doubt, the unprecedentedly-provocative advert was not the first time that the President and his supporters had broken the Abuja Peace Accord.

It said the fact that the perpetrators of those incidents got away with their actions without any cen-

sure from the President.

APC added that the freedom emboldened another die-hard supporter of the President to throw caution to the wind and embark on a course of action that had now exposed, for the world to see, the level of desperation by the President and his party ahead of next month’s polls.

Jonathan, PDP disown death-wish advert CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

take note of this very serious breach of the agreement and urgently call President Jonathan and his party to order.

“We are also calling on all Nigerians, as well as security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Advertising Practitio-

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News

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

No plan to review 2015 budget benchmark — FG UDO ONYEKA

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ederal Government yesterday said it had no plan to review the 2015 budget benchmark in spite of falling oil prices at the international oil market.

A statement signed by the Media Assistant to Minister of Finance, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, said the government was not considering the option of a modified oil price benchmark used in preparing the Appropriation Bill now before the National Assembly.

Apparently responding to several enquiries regarding the current status of benchmark for the 2015 budget, Nwabuikwu stated that the price of oil remained quite volatile, leaving nobody with knowledge about when it will eventually bottom out.

“We are taking a scenario-based approach in handling the 2015 budget.

That means t for various levels of oil price, we have additional measures both on the revenue and expenditure side, which will kick in when it bottoms out.

“The Medium Term Expenditure Framework,

MTEF, is currently at the National Assembly. We have been working together with our lawmakers to ensure we steer the country in the right direction during this period,” he said.

Global oil prices have maintained a downward trend and last week crashed to $47 per barrel, well below a record high of $130 a barrel just less than a year ago. The latest fall has been tied to the common, long-standing factors; over-supply by non-members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, the cartel’s refusal

to cut production and reduced demand from major importers such as the US, driven by its need to develop its shale resources.

The effects have also hit hard on smaller oil producing nations, including Nigeria, Venezuela, Libya and Algeria.

Nigeria reviewed downward its budget benchmark from $78 per barrel to $65 per barrel for the 2015 budget.

This was only sealed after three revisions downward, following a panicfilled period in late 2014 when oil prices fell by more than 40 per cent.

President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (3rd left) with Northern states Christian traditional rulers, after a conference on the forthcoming general elections in Abuja, yesterday.

Marketers demand N250bn subsidy payment UDEME AKPAN

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arely 48 hours after the Federal Government succeeded in slashing the price of petrol from N97 to N87 per litre, major oil marketers have called on the government to settle their N250 billion fuel subsidy bill without delay.

The marketers, who tasked the government through the Major Oil Marketers of Nigeria, MOMAN, stated that the payment was critical to enable them sustain fuel importation into the nation.

Executive Secretary of MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, stated that the amount in question was outstanding payment due marketers on subsidy which includes interest

and foreign exchange.

Olawore said MOMAN has already directed its members to cut fuel price from N97 to N87 per litre in accordance with the Federal Government directive.

The Executive Secretary who noted that about 85 per cent of its members have already complied, said that others would soon comply.

“We are not against the reduction of pump price to N87 per litre but government should also increase marketer’s margin of petroleum product,” he stated.

He stated, “Marketers margin has been stagnating since 2007. No reason was given by the minister for the reduction of the petrol pump price.”

Olawore who noted that

only N4.60 was given as margin to marketers per litre since 2007 which has not change, said the N10 reduction was on depot price not marketers margin.

“We meant to believed that in line with Section 6 Clause 1 of the Petroleum Act, that it was the sole responsibility of the Minister of Petroleum to announce that there will be a reduction or increase in the pump price of petroleum,’’ he said.

He urged the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to expedite action on the committees promised to set up top look into the complaint of marketers over margin.

Olawore said that MOMAN has already agreed

with Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Marine Inspectors, Audit and Ministry of Finance to take stock of product in their tanks for adequate refund.

He urged relevant authorities to expedite action on dipping the stock and signing the paper to allow marketers load product from storage tanks for various stations across the country.

“If the people involved did to sign the document, marketers cannot load product because we have to ensure the quantum of petrol product we have in stock for government to refund marketer of the differential,” he stated.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jonathan promises airport in Zamfara • Irate youths set PDP posters on fire ROTIMI FADEYI AND JAMES DANJUMA

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resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday promised to ensure the building of an airport in Zamfara State if the people vote Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, into power in the February election.

Jonathan spoke during PDP Presidential campaign rally at Trade Fair Complex in Gusau, the state capital.

He said there was no reason Zamfara should not have an airport like other PDP states such as Kebbi, Jigawa and Gombe.

Jonathan told the mammoth crowd, “All the PDP states around Zamfara have airports, Jigawa, Gombe, Kebbi, all you have to do is to vote for PDP and I will work to give you airport.”

Jonathan assured that the PDP government in the state would ensure agriculture receives great boost and work towards solving the challenges of the state to ensure improved standard of living.

Vice President Namadi Sambo, the Minister of Defence, Aliyu Gusau and State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda also addressed the crowd of supporters while urging them to vote PDP in the preseidential poll to ensure development and progress in the state.

The President was received on arrival in the state by Governor Abulazeez Yari Abdulahi before proceeding to the palace of Emir of Gusau, Muhammad Kabir Danbaba, on a courtesy call.

The Emir conferred on the President the traditional title of Garkuwan Manoman Zamfara (Protector of farmers’ interest in Zamfara) and presented him with a horse as a gift.

In Katsina, irate youths yesterday evening set fire to billboards and posters belonging to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The incident which took place at state Secretariat’s roundabout, happened minutes after President Jonathan and other party members had dispersed from presidential campaign rally at the state NYSC orientation ground.

The youths, several of them shouting anti-PDP

slogans and waving brooms had gathered at the roundabout hours before the PDP presidential rally had commenced.

Their chants and antiPDP slogans were lowkeyed at first but increased in tempo when vehicles and people that had closed from the campaign rally begun passing by.

Some police officers stationed at the area tried to keep them from continuing the chants, but the situation angered them and they began to smash, tear and burn PDP posters and billboards.

Although the situation was later brought under control, police presence was however increased in the area to forestall break down of law and order.

Speaking earlier at the presidential campaign rally, President Jonathan assured that efforts were being made not to allow the economic challenges facing the country to negatively affect Nigerians.

Jonathan said economic challenges were not limited to Nigeria alone as other nations were facing similar and some more severe cases.

He said the federal government would continue to work at developing the sectors of the economy, including agriculture and education which he described as vital to economy building.

Jonathan said it was due to the absence of a first, second and third generation of university’s presence in the state that led to establishing of the Dutsinma federal university.

He said the state was known for producing key northern figures from the famous Katsina College and that his administration would partner with the state to improve the sector and other sectors if he gets to be elected as president.

He said his administration’s effort in giving equality to all genders is what has made the state poised to produce the first female helicopter pilot in the country.

The Vice President, Namadi Sambo called on Nigerians to eschew the use of religious sentiments to divide the peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims in the country.

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National News

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

FG targets $3b annually through textile policy …military, para-military agencies, schools to buy locally made textiles OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

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ederal Government yesterday launched the National Cotton, Textile and Garment Policy with the expected annual export earnings of $3 billion.

It is also expected that commencement of the policy will lead to an increase in seed cotton production from the 200,000 metric tons in 2013 to close to 500,000 metric tonnes by the end of 2015.

Speaking during the launch of the National CTG in Abuja, Minister of Industry, Trade and investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, stated that the policy was a major component of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, NIRP, aimed at revamping the textile sub- sector.

The occasion also witnessed the inauguration of Implementation Committee to push for realisation of items in the CTG document as well as signing of a Memorandum of

Understanding, MOU, with the Vlisco Group to invest across the textile and garment value chain.

Aganga, noted that government came up with the comprehensive document in order to bring the textile sub-sector to its past glory when it used to be the second largest employer of labour next to government.

With the commencement of the policy, the minister noted that the Federal Government is targeting a rise in direct employment from the current level of 24,000 people to a 100,000 people by 2017.

There is also a projection for an increase in the indirect job from 650, 000 today to 1.3million by year 2017.

According to him, the CTG is a total package that would benefit not only the garment manufacturers, but also farmers, factory workers, designers, tailors, wholesalers retailers and logistic providers.

Speaking on the uniqueness of the policy, Aganga noted, “This is the first

time we will have a compressive policy which cuts across the entire value chain. It is not just about textile, cotton, it cuts across the entire value change. It is called from farm to fashion.

“The policy will address barriers to increased productivity.

We need enablers that will make you competitive globally, not just in Africa. This policy provide for a task force that will deal with smuggling and counterfeiting.

“This time around we are determined to address the issue of smuggling and counterfeiting. The policy address the issue of skill development. We must turn our quantity to quantity.

“It also addresses the issue of affordable finance, electricity, standards and local patronage” In order to demonstrate the commitment of government towards the implementation of the textile policy, the minister said all military, para/military agencies and government

schools would be compelled to purchase only Nigeria made textiles and garment.

On the expected benefits, he said with proper implementation, it would lead to increase FDI into the Nigerian textile and garment sector which could be as high as N255bn cumulative over the next five years Also, the minister stated that it would lead to a significant foreign exchange savings by reducing the estimated $2billion currently being spent on importation textile materials.

Also speaking, the President Manufacturers Associationmof Nigeria, Mr. frank Jacob, described the launch of the textile document as yet another milestone in the implementation of the NIRP. While declaring MAN full support for the implementation of the policy, Jacob said the document remained requisite compass to the navigation of a potential profitable route in an important sub-sector.

EU deploys 39 election observers in Nigeria OMEIZA AJAYI

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uropean Union has announced the deployment of a 39-member Election Observation Mission, EOM, to Nigeria.

The mission will observe the Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, which are slated for February 14 and 28.

A statement by Press Officer of the EU Observation Mission, Eberhard Laue, made available to National Mirror in Abuja yesterday, stated: “At the invitation of the Federal Government, the mission will assess the elections against national law and international principles for elections contained in regional and international law and standards.’’

According to him, nine analysts of the core team arrived in Abuja from January 6, following an advance team that was deployed during the party primaries last November and Decem-

7

ber. He said 30 long-term observers arrived from January 12.

Our correspondent however, learnt that the mission will be boosted by a delegation from the European Parliament and a group of European Union diplomats serving in Nigeria.

In 2011, the EU had deployed 120 observers from 27 member countries to monitor the elections across Nigeria.

The European Union Election Observation Mission, EU EOM, is led by Santiago Fisas Ayxela, a member of the European Parliament, from Spain, who will arrive in Abuja later this week.

“The EU EOM’s extended presence shows the EU’s commitment to the conduct of inclusive, transparent and credible elections in Nigeria. We don’t just focus on the election days, but on all aspects of the electoral process, including the arbitration of petitions long after voting is finished” Chief Observer Santiago Fisas Ayxela, noted in the statement.

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South West

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ogun: Soldiers intercept truck with 3,600 ballot boxes …INEC claims ownership FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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rmy personnel attached to special security outfit in Ogun State, OP MESA, yesterday intercepted a 40foot container truck laden with 3,600 ballot boxes and other electoral materials at Ijebu-Ode axis of the state.

The truck, whose reg-

istration number was yet to be ascertained, was intercepted by men of OP MESA on patrol around 8am at Odogbolu near the Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Benin Expressway.

Source close to the scene where the truck was intercepted told National Mirror that two other trucks, whose contents were suspected to be ballot paper and boxes, had escaped before the soldiers sighted

the third one, arrested it and took the consignment to a special security facility to prevent some powerful Nigerians from pleading for its release.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed interception of the consignment. He said a team of soldiers attached to 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, who were on Stop-and-Search, handed the truck and its driver to the police at Ijebu-

Ode Area Command when they could not ascertain authenticity of the ballot boxes.

Adejobi further explained that some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as well as others from Lagos Wharf have contacted the state’s police command, claiming the consignment belonged to the commission.

He said the official that contacted the command further claimed that the 3,600 ballot boxes were on

its way to INEC’s Akwa Ibom State office.

“As I speak with you, we have the 3,600 ballot boxes belonging to INEC. Information we have about the consignment is that some INEC officials and some other officials from Lagos Wharf called to confirm that the consignment belongs to INEC and that the ballot boxes were to be delivered at INEC’s office in Akwa Ibom State.

“For now, we cannot call the ballot boxes fake or illegal. The INEC official that spoke with the police said the contractor to deliver the item will come to the police to deliver relevant documents to clarify this. So, the items are still with us at this command; we are waiting for the necessary documents to ascertain INEC’s claim or the so-called agent.”

The PPRO further said it would be too early to jump to conclusion that the ballot boxes were il-

legally brought into the country until INEC officials and their agent, who imported the material, proves to the police that it was genuinely brought into the country by the commission.

“Don’t let us say we have recovered illegal ballot boxes. It is too early to jump to any conclusion now, but the information we have for now is that they are INEC’s properties, but we are still waiting for necessary documents to clarify this.

“However, if they cannot produce the documents to convince the police that these are genuine INEC items and ballot boxes, we are going to do what we should do.

“But for now, the matter is still fresh to jump to conclusion. So, by tomorrow, we are still going to do necessary follow up on the matter, and the command will make an official statement.”

Lagos hosts Social Media awards

L-R: Convener, Women on the Winning Edge Conference (WOWE), Rev. Mrs. Funke Felix-Adejumo; wife of General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Folu Adeboye; wife of Kwara Sate Governor, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed and wife of Lagos Sate Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, during WOWE’s Conference in Lagos, at the weekend.

Obanikoro desperate for rehabilitation –Lagos APC

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ll Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State has described the statement credited to defeated PDP governorship aspirant in Lagos, Musuliu Obanikoro, that APC will run down Nigeria the way it did Lagos as the height of pun that best typifies the confusion and incoherence that have hit PDP as the party faces imminent defeat in the February election.

The party said Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is going down faster than even the members could grapple with and that such imminent rustication was causing incredible incoherence and confusion within its rank and file as they grapple futilely with the consequences of their exit from power.

In a statement signed by the state Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe,

the party said Obanikoro is like a rusty and broken gramophone that oozes nonsense after his humiliation at the PDP primary by a stooge of Bode George and Adeseye Ogunlewe.

It advised Obanikoro to take time to rehabilitate his battered political image before uttering incoherent jabs to warm himself back into the fading PDP government and its patronage.

“It is apparent that Obanikoro is still seeing double from the dazing he got when his wonky dream of ruling Lagos was finally nailed by a puppet thrown up by the duo of Bode George and Adeseye Ogunlewe.

“It is apparent that Obanikoro is gasping for words to throw to gratify himself once again to his outgoing Abuja patrons so he will do the last minute harvesting before the

impending bust. So what better way to show this by appearing blandly paradoxical?

“From every seeming indication, Obanikoro was jesting or trying to poke fun on the fading PDP that has so disappointed him by that statement which shows that he does not believe, as most Lagosians, that Lagos will ever be infected with the curse PDP has become for Nigerians in the past 16 years.

“Yes, APC will run down Nigeria to a country where infrastructures work, where jobs are created, where there is security, where schools and hospitals work, where roads are fixed, where free housing is being provided Nigerians, where the economy is robust, like in present day Lagos.

“This is the type of run down Nigeria requires today, far from the PDP ‘glo-

rious’ picture of massive looting, ethnic and sectarian division and acrimony, worsening unemployment, infrastructural wreckage, total unemployment, overwhelming inflation, total devaluation of Naira to worthless tissue paper, where life expectancy has been brought down to 38 years, where poverty walks on all fours, where there is no light, where the citizens live in total insecurity, where some parts of Nigeria has been ceded to insurgents,” the party said.

Obanikoro

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ocial Media players across Africa will converge on Lagos State this weekend from Friday, January 23, to Saturday, January 24, for the annual Social Media Awards Africa initiative sponsored by Sterling Bank Plc. This, according to a statement, follows the closure of the voting window for the continent-wide initiative on social media development, #SMAA2015 across Africa last December.

With a summit scheduled for Friday, the award presentation to the winners will follow on Saturday.

The two-day event will bring together social media influencers; experts, enthusiasts and policy makers that would explore and forge new developmental paths for Africa.

SMAA is a premier continental initiative, which seeks to recognise and reward creativity, excellence and impact in the usage of social media across Africa.

The voting phase, which is part of the process, led to

the emergence of 45 finalists for the four categories.

A total of 923 nominations were received as follows: Personality Based (468), Platform Specific (266), Institutional (115) and Indigenous (74). Also, during the window period, over 5.5 million connections, at least 821,886 re-tweets and 29 million accounts were reached through all 22 social media platforms where the messages were promoted.

Each winner will take home a cash prize of $1,000 and a SMAA plaque.

Other benefits include social media training, access to memberships and attendance of Social Media events, publications on Social Media and complimentary advertising on Social Media Africa portal.

In a review of the voting phase that spanned 20 days, SMAA recorded impressive statistics. According to the conveners, “the highest day reach on Twitter was 13.8 million. Apart from Twitter, SMAA has active presence on 15 out of 22 social media platforms, reaching several millions of Africans.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

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Ado Poly shut as students protest workers’ strike ollowing the protracted industrial action embarked upon by three labour unions of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, the institution’s management has closed the school.

The Rector, Dr Taiwo Akande, yesterday ordered full-time students to proceed on mid-semester break and vacate their halls of residence with immediate effect.

The closure came on the heels of protests by the students over disruption of the school’s calendar, following a disagreement between the school’s management and the labour unions, which had brought academic and other activities in the institution to a halt.

The students’ protest was sparked off by a congress held by the polytechnic’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, on Monday in which the lecturers resolved to continue with the strike.

The placard-carrying students led by the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, South West Coordinator, Comrade Sunday Ashefon, called for an end to the strikes by the unions, which he said was affecting the students.

ASUP alongside the Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, and the Senior Staff Union of Nigeria Polytechnics, SSANIP, had been on strike since January 5 to protest sundry issues and the rector’s leadership style.

Ashefon appealed to the striking unions and the school’s management to reach a truce and end the strike within the next seven days.

The students also demanded reopening of the school within one week and unconditional release of three students allegedly arrested by the police in the course of the protest, saying failure to do so would draw their ire.

The institution’s student’s union president, Oladapo Ajibola, said students had been on the campus since January 4 without any academic activity, adding that the students’ union would hold another meeting with the management to find a way out of the crisis.

Policemen had to disperse the protesting students when their action became unruly.

Deputy Rector (Academics), Afolabi Bamidele, said the management was working hard to resolve the crisis rocking the polytechnic, adding that headway would soon be achieved.

The principal officer, who said the management had met with the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, officials in Abuja in a bid to resolve the crisis, argued that the students had to leave the school for all issues to be resolved.

Bamidele said, “We are having headway with the unions, but one of the unions had a congress on Monday and voted that the strike should continue and we now feel that the students should go home so they won’t be staying in the school doing nothing.”

war when the state was going through massive development of infrastructure.

The governor also disclosed that it would be a bad signal for investors thronging Osun State on a daily basis to be faced with the issue of communal clashes, warning that government will not hesitate to come down heavily on erring communities.

His words: “It is so sad that this is happening at a point investors are coming into the state on a daily ba-

sis and your communities have decided to solve your differences through fighting, which we all seen here as unnecessary.

“With the on-going clash in your domains commercial activities have been brought to a halt and property destroyed, students who have no stake in your dispute are made to bear the brunt by burning their hostel. Why should students be made to have a bad impression about your communities?

ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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L-R: Lagos Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Jimi Abgaje; his running mate, Alhaja Safurat Abdul Kareem and Founder, Resurrection Praise Ministry for Africa, Archbishop Samuel Benjamin, during an interactive session and town hall meeting with residents of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area in Lagos, yesterday.

Ambode meets business leaders, promises 24-hour economy ...vows to curb double taxation

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overnorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the February 28 governorship election in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has promised the business community and corporate sector in the state a 24-hour economy if elected governor.

The APC candidate spoke at two well-attended fora to enumerate his vision for a “clean, secure and more prosperous Lagos”.

The former Accountant-General of Lagos State, first spoke with some select business community and entrepreneurs last Wednesday at the Civic Centre, an event tagged “An Evening with Akin Ambode”. It was held under the auspices

of his colleagues with whom he attended the Federal Government College, Warri.

Ambode’s latest parley with the corporate sector was held on Sunday at the Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos. His message to top industry players and businessmen at both events was similar: “Lagos has recorded undeniable growth in the past 15 and a half years due to the consistency of vision of APC and the next four years deserve continuity of that mission from a governor, who is qualified, prepared and well-tutored in the art of governance.’’

Ambode, who holds a Master’s degree in Accounting and qualified as a chartered accountant at 24, said he was glad about the opportunities to inter-

act and share ideas on how best to move Lagos forward, adding that he considered those in the gathering as “worthy partners and major stakeholders in growing the economy of Lagos State”.

If given the opportunity to serve this great state, Lagos will be open for business 24 hours a day and seven days a week, making it a true 24/7 economy. For a mega city to thrive, we must have a holistic plan to make the city attractive and investment-friendly both domestically and internationally.

“The importance of Lagos and how its resources are managed have national implications either positively or otherwise. Lagos is the most populous city in Nigeria and the 7th fastest growing city in the world. We are home to approximately 21 million people, and we are the eco-

nomic heartbeat of this great nation and indeed West Africa. It is in the interest of this country that we all jointly and collectively play our parts in ensuring that Lagos remains prosperous,” he said.

“I have spent a greater part of my life in government, rendering public service and learning the rudiments of good governance. I derive joy in encouraging and seeing young people succeed and actualise their dreams. It inspires me, it energises me, and it gives me hope for the future,” he said.

Ambode explained that the GDP of Lagos State is estimated to be $91 billion, which he added was higher than the GDP of 42 countries in Africa, including Kenya with $66 billion, Ghana with $61.7 billion and Tanzania with $58.44 billion.

Osun communities pledge to embrace peace … Aregbesola warns against breach BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

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ollowing communal clashes involving Ipetumodu and Ashipa communities, both in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, leaders of the communities have resolved to embrace peace.

The two communities recently engaged in deadly clashes over a disputed land.

However, at the meeting presided over by Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba James Adegoke, and representative of the Alashipa of Ashipa, Ojediran Olaleke, chiefs and leaders of township associations of both communities pledged to embrace peace.

Aregbesola charged the warring communities to ensure promotion of peace

and progress at the meeting, which is one of the cardinal programmes of his administration, or face government’s sanction.

The governor also advised monarchs and leaders of the two communities to warn their youths not to engage in acts that could further jeopardise the peace of the communities and state at large.

He used the occasion of the peace meeting to call on security agencies to comb the nooks and crannies of

the communities to recover unlicensed arms in a houseto-house search to forestall further use of such weapons in future.

According to him, a committee will be set up to look into the remote cause and solution to the problems identified by leaders of the two communities, adding that the two communities got it wrong by resorting to violence instead of dialogue.

He said it was bad that the two communities were at

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South East

Abia south monarchs endorse Ikpeazu, Abaribe GEORGE OPARA ABIA

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bia South Traditional Rulers Council yesterday endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate for Abia State, Dr. Okezia Ikpeazu, as choice candidate of the zone in the coming election.

The council at its meeting in Aba town hall also endorsed Senate spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, as the zone’s sole candidate for the senatorial seat. Abaribe is PDP’s candidate for the election, which holds on February 14.

Chairman of Abia Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Eberechi Dick, told the council that the zone can-

not afford not to support PDP since it was the only major party in Abia State.

He warned the people to be careful of impostors and those plotting to break the rank of the Ukwa/Ngwa people by preaching hate and violence.

“We have a duty to support PDP all the way in the election, starting with the presidential and National Assembly down to the governorship election,” he said.

Eze Dick further cautioned the traditional rulers to be careful not to be caught on the wrong side of the decision.

The meeting was called by the monarchs as part of mobilisation of the people of the zone in the light of the governorship election.

I won’t probe Elechi, says Umahi ALIUNA GODWIN ABAKALIKI

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overnorship flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi State, Mr Dave Umahi, yesterday said he would not probe incumbent governor of the state, Chief Martin Elechi, if he comes into office, but vowed not to condone corruption.

Umahi stated this in Abakaliki while addressing journalists at his campaign office located besides Salt Lake Hotels, Afipko road.

He stressed that he would not condone any corrupt practices, which leaders of the state have agreed to eradicate, as failure to do so would amount to inviting poverty in the state.

Umahi attributed the political disagreement between him and the governor to the handiwork of darkness, adding that he would run an all-inclusive government, not the type that would award contracts

to their sons, wife and family members. He said that Elechi’s problem was that the governor does not listen to anybody; otherwise he could not have promised more than four people that they would succeed him.

According to him, the former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Fidelis Mbam, resigned because Elechi could not listen to his advice on critical issues in the state.

Umahi, who was former state PDP chairman, said he was still submissive to the governor, stressing: “I will not lay my hand on the governor no matter the level of provocation.”

The deputy governor noted that the declaration of support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan without extending same to other candidates of the party in the state by Elechi amounted to hypocrisy, assuring that “President Jonathan will get the highest votes from Ebonyi than in previous elections.”

Chidoka to deliver UNN 44th convocation lecture OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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inister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, is expected to deliver a lecture at the forthcoming 44th convocation ceremony of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, in Enugu State.

The convocation, which takes place at the famous

Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Nsukka, on Thursday, January 22, 2015, is billed to commence with the minister’s lecture at noon.

Topic of the lecture is “Rebuilding the Nigeria Dream: Mapping the Building Blocks.”

Chidoka, a former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, was an alumnus of the university.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria belongs to all of us —SNPA DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

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outhern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA, yesterday commenced a two-day conference in Enugu, even as it lamented the deteriorating state of insecurity in the northern part of the country.

The body also dispelled insinuations in some quarters that the organisation was formed to destabilise the nation, noting that it was rather formed to strengthen its unity.

Personalities at the conference included former Vice President ,Alex Ekwueme; South South leader, Edwin Clark; South West clergy, Bishop Emmanuel Gbonigi; PresidentGeneral of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Gary Igariwey; Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Senator Ewa Henshaw, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Mrs Bucknor Akerele, Dr Dozie Ikedife, Sen Chris Ukpabi, Sen Ben Collins-Ndu, Professor Anya O. Anya, Senator Femi

Okunromu, Mrs Josephine Anenih and Commodore Anthony Ogugua.

Others are Mr. Mike Okiro, King Alfred DieteSpiff, Retired Justice Eze Ozobu, Lanre Ogundipe and Mrs Victoria Akanwa, Mrs. Uche Azikiwe, among others.

The three co-chairmen of the Assembly, Ekwueme, Clark and Bishop Gbonigi made it clear that the organisation was formed by the southerners to show they equally belong to the same Nigeria.

They expressed firm belief in the unity and harmonious co-existence of Nigerians irrespective of religious, political and cultural affiliation.

Clark in his address specifically noted that “we didn’t form the assembly in order to confront anybody, but to show equally that we belong to this country.

“If you are strong and I am strong, all of us will respect each other. This country belongs to all of us,” he

said, adding that the group has not only come to stay, but would become greater, stronger and better united through selfless inter-regional integration.

“As a body, we shall continue to play that crucial role as an instrument of unity to promote the lofty ideals of the founding fathers of our nation,” he said, adding that the Enugu conference was unique as it affords them the opportunity to examine prospects of “our continued existence as one indivisible, united country in the face of escalating terrorists activities, the ruin and destruction visited on innocent Nigerians daily.”

He said the worrisome senseless killings perpetuated daily on a magnitude no one could ordinarily imagine makes him to wonder if indeed “we all belong to the same country” in view of the silence by some senior citizens from the north.

On his part, former Vice President Ekwueme said since formation of the or-

ganisation it has made farreaching contributions to the overall development of not just the three zones, but the nation at large.

He identified the convocation of the National Conference as well as the effort at compelling INEC to review its initial proposal to create 30,000 new polling booths, which would have caused some political crisis in the polity.

Bishop Gbonigi, who was represented by ArchBishop Ayo Ladigbolu, said this year’s general elections were crucial to the survival of the nation and therefore appealed to INEC to put in place all necessary measures to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

While appealing to politicians and political parties not to compromise the peace, unity and territorial integrity of the nation by exhibiting high moral and ethical standard, avoiding inciting statements and conducts in public and private.

L-R: South West acting leader, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu; leader of South East delegation/former Vice President Alex Ekweme and South South leader, Chief Edwin Clerk, during the general conference of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly in Enugu, yesterday.

Anyaoku, Ezeife, others move to aid displaced Igbo NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

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uccour may have come the way of some South East indigenes that fled the North East region of the country as a result of insurgency, as a group, the Igbo Origin Progressive Foundation, and the Igbo apex sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, will today present a documentary film to raise fund for

their resettlement.

The event, which will hold at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, will have in attendance dignitaries like Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Arthur Eze, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Hope Uzodinma and five governors from the South East.

The documentary treats in details the contentious

issue of Igbo origin, which research traces to 10 BC. According to Executive Producer of the documentary, Joe Onwuamadike, the tripartite documentary took two years to produce and features the best in Nollywood with his Royal Highness, Professor Laz Ekwueme as protagonist.

According to him, “the documentary is the most audacious attempt to take position on the contentious issue of Igbo ancestry in the

midst of sundry schools of thought on the roots of the Igbo nationality.

The documentary captured the voyage of the progenitors from Jewish ancestry dating back to 10 BC in most compelling accounts that keeps viewers startled. It also highlights the reason for the Igbo republican nature, zeroing in on the individualism and apparent lack of unity noticeable in the Igbo polity.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

11

ABAUD holds matriculation, rewards students, staff TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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fe Babalola University, ABUAD, AdoEkiti, will hold its sixth matriculation ceremony today.

It will also reward some returning students as well as members of staff, who have distinguished themselves in their studies and work in the last one year.

The new students, according to the university’s

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio (left), being welcomed by Paramount Ruler of Obot Akara Local Government Area, HRM Okuku Uwah Umoh Adiaka, to his palace during the Peoples Democratic Party rally in Obot Akara, yesterday.

Fire guts clinic, sacks patients

Youths set for showdown at A Bayelsa PDP rally

THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

… First Lady told to stay away …we’ll protect her -Pro-Jonathan group OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

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head of February 14 presidential elections and the jostling by political parties for votes, Bayelsa State youths loyal to rival parties are allegedly set for a showdown following plan by Dame Patience Jonathan, to visit the state.

There is no love lost between the state governor, Seriake Dickson, and the First Lady, it was revealed.

Hundreds of youths from coastal communities in the state suspected to be ex-militants, yesterday warned the President’s wife against accompanying her husband to the presidential rally of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, scheduled for February 5 in the state.

Ex-militant youths under the aegis of Mangrove Boys of Bayelsa, MBB, asked Mrs. Jonathan to steer clear of the rally over her alleged involvement in the plot to boo and stone the state governor during the presidential rally in the state.

But in a swift reaction to the threat, a coalition of seven youth groups in the state declared readiness to rally round Dame Patience, and warned troublemakers to keep clear of the PDP presidential rally.

The groups under the aegis of Jonathan Youth

Vanguard, JOY 2015, vowed to use “all means possible” to deal with anti-Patience (Jonathan) elements who had threatened to disrupt the proposed rally if the First Lady accompanied her husband to the state.

“We have concluded plans to mobilise 10,000 youths to attend the rally and provide maximum security for the Dame Patience,” they said.

State Coordinator of the coalition, Mr. Daniel Etai, said it would be suicidal for anybody to think of preventing the First Lady from coming to the state.

According to him, the “authentic youths” and student leaders from the state are eager to welcome the First lady to the state.

The ex-militant youths, had in a statement issued in Yenagoa and signed by its president and secretary, Opuyo Engobara and Warrman Aderi respectively, accused Mrs Jonathan of getting an aide to the President, Waripamowei Dudafa, to recruit youths that would boo and stone Dickson at the rally. They also frowned at the President’s silence over the alleged excesses of his wife.

According to the group, “In her last visit to the state, Mrs. Jonathan came ahead of her husband, avoided the Government Lodge, stayed at Otuoke for three days and was busy sponsoring Du-

dafa’s recruitment drive of youths with the intention to go against the governor by booing and stoning him at the planned rally to discredit his administration before the PDP National Executive Council.

“Is President Jonathan using this as a ploy to join Bayelsa youths to stone Governor Dickson as promised by the President during his presidential campaign in 2011 and subsequently to oust Dickson’s administration since he could hardly rebuke his wife in several of her political atrocities?”

The ex-militants insisted that the presence of the First Lady at the rally would cause tension and security breach in the state, adding that her actions and pronouncements in recent time were fueling crisis in the state.

The youths, while enumerating her sins, accused her of opening a new secretariat for Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, in the state with the intent to use the group to mobilise against the governor.

They noted that Mrs. Jonathan tinkered with the TAN leadership and aided her loyalists to reposition the campaign group to actualise her alleged ambition of ousting the governor. The youths further lamented that she used the occasion of sharing Millennium De-

velopment Goals, MDGs items at the Samson Siasia Stadium to make inflammatory statements against the governor.

They recalled that the First lady attended a function in Dudafa’s town and made open statements supporting him as the next governor. The youths also alleged that Mrs. Jonathan sponsored aspirants that failed in the PDP primaries to defect to All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA. The creek youths noted that the peace currently enjoyed in the state came from the hard work of the governor.

spokesman, Mr. Tunde Olofintila have been admitted into various faculties such as Law, Management, Social Sciences and Engineering.

ABUAD, which clocked five years this January, is known for excellence in academic, character formation, sport and vocational development.

Its mission among others is to produce highly skilled and socially relevant graduates capable of solving societal problems.

popular Warri hospital, Syracuse Clinic, was yesterday gutted by fire at noon, destroying property worth several millions of naira.

However, no injury was sustained nor life lost in the fire that completely razed the upper floor of the onestorey building, and sacked all the sick patients.

National Mirror noted that it took the collective efforts of youths in the area to stop the fire from spreading to adjoining buildings.

Fire outbreaks have become a weekly occurrence in Warri and environs since the yuletide, with the clinic incident emanating from an electric spark, which we gathered occurred when workers at the clinic tried to switch power from generating set to public electricity supply.

The clinic is located along Willie Street, by Robinson Plaza in Warri South Council of Delta State.

The Medical Director, Dr. Oroegbu, told newsmen he had hardly returned to duty at the clinic from Delta Broadcasting Service, Warri where he was guest on its health enlightenment television programme, when the fire started.

“The fire started at about 10a.m, it was not the fault of PHCN, it started about the time we were trying to switch from generator power to PHCN. We thank God for life; we thank God that there was no death or injury to anybody, including patients.

They recently brought three critical gun wound victims, who are under intensive care and we thank God that we were able to evacuate them to safety.

“We managed to call the chairman of the council area, who was magnanimous enough to send the fire service personnel within his area to help us quell the fire. We must also give kudos to the youths of this area for their help.”

Rivers PDP’ll hold rally in stadium —Wike DENNIS NAKU

PORT HARCOURT

G

overnorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has said the party’s presidential campaign will hold at the Amasiemaka Stadium on January 28, contrary to claims by Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

He said the stadium belongs to Rivers people and that President Goodluck Jonathan would use it for the forthcoming rally.

It would be recalled that the state government had turned down a request by

PDP to use the facility, explaining that the stadium was still under construction.

But Wike, at a meeting with the Goodluck-toGoodluck political pressure group in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the APC used the same facility recently, assuring that PDP would host the President there.

“The PDP presidential rally will hold at the Amasieamaka Stadium on Wednesday, January 28.

“The APC held its presidential campaign rally on January 6, 2015 and an earlier rally on October 25, 2014 in the same stadium.

“Our presidential rally

will hold at that stadium because it belongs to the people. We are working with all stakeholders to ensure the right thing is done to move the nation forward.

“We are committed to the peaceful use of the stadium for our presidential campaigns,” he said.

He urged members of the Goodluck-to-Goodluck political group to continue with their massive mobilisation for the re-election of President Jonathan.

Also yesterday, the PDP governorship candidate, Barr. Wike inaugurated the committees that will organise the Presidential Campaign Rally in the state.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

13

Politics

24 DAYS TO GO

You were once a member of the Action Alliance, AA, but today you are in National Conscience Party, NCP. Why the shift in allegiance?

I was a member of the NCP before I left for the AA in exercise of my moral and constitutional rights, after we had fundamental differences with certain members of the party leadership. NCP is my natural party as I have been a convinced follower of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, since 1987, when I was the Vice President of the Students Union in the University of Ibadan.

What processes led to your emergence as NCP presidential candidate?

I emerged as the presidential candidate of NCP with about 72 per cent of the votes cast in my favour by our party delegates at our primary election during our national convention in Abuja on December 11, 2014.

My opponent scored about 28 per cent. The process was transparent, free and fair. Voting was by secret ballot using a transparent ballot box in the full view of all delegates and observers. The election was observed by three INEC officials. Most importantly, my opponent congratulated me.

What makes you confident that you will win?

We are confident of victory because, the NCP is distinct as it is the oldest party and it was founded by the late colossus, Chief Fawehinmi, in 1994, out of the popular struggles we waged against abuse of power, injustice and lawlessness. Our commitment to the principles of integrity, justice and development, clearly make us distinct.

Most voters have seen the need for good governance and prefer younger, stronger, more professional and ethical candidates to serve Nigeria better.

A proper evaluation of candidates based on vision, vigour, integrity, competence and national acceptability, has confirmed the best candidate. And most voters have rejected the old, re-cycled and failed rulers that led us to this national predicament.

How prepared are you for the task ahead in Aso Rock?

I am very prepared; spiritually, mentally, physically, psychologically, politically and socially. I have been preparing since 1988 to become Nigeria’s president.

What areas of our national life, will you like to improve in the next four years if you emerge successful?

When we are elected, we will fight corruption, using our 4Es: Enlightenment, Example,

Nigerians should reject old, recycled, failed leaders –Onovo As the candidates get ready for the general elections kicking off on February 14, they have been going round the regions wooing voters for support. Presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party, NCP, Engr. Martin Onovo, in this interview with NGOZI EMEDOLIBE, restates his commitment to improving the lot of Nigerians if he is given the mandate. Excerpts: er and got less than 1,000 MW additional power supply capacity but with an NCP government, we can double current power supply capacity in two and half years with only $9 billion.

What is your policy document on the petroleum industry?

We will increase domestic refining to boost employment and also increase our GDP. Then, we will reduce prices to domestic cost recovery levels to promote economic and industrial activities. Reducing petroleum products prices will reverse or at least, arrest inflation. Current importation of petroleum products subverts domestic productivity and energy security.

Onovo

Empowerment and Enforcement, strategy.

An NCP government will reduce fuel price by improved domestic crude oil refining.

We will increase minimum wage by reducing maximum wage, while maintaining the total wage bill. We will use about $9 billionto double power generation, transmission and distribution, in two and half years. We will improve employment, food, health, housing, education, water, electricity, transportation, telecommunications and security.

What makes Engr. Martin Onovo better prepared than the other candidates in this race?

Moral, mental and medical fitness; age (less than retirement age); leadership philosophy - vision, vigour, integrity, competence, national acceptability, world-class education and professional experience.

How do you intend to tackle the power issue, which remains a big issue in Nigeria?

Inadequate power supply in Nigeria is a major hindrance to industrial, infrastructural, economic, social and human development. We will address the issue proactively by increasing generation capacity; building new gas power stations since natural gas is super-abundant in Nigeria, as gas power costs much less than solar or nuclear power and presents less safety and technological challenges; revamp all existing hydro, gas and coal stations; upgrading transmission and distribution facilities, existing facilities may only need to be revamped, upgraded, modified and extended.

Since 1999, we have spent $50 billion on pow-

How will you effectively tackle corruption?

We will effectively tackle corruption, using our 4Es strategy. We will reorganise the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, ICPC and Police’s SFU for improved effectiveness.

So many ethnic nationalities are disgruntled and feel marginalised, how will you change this perception?

All Nigerians are marginalised by our current rulers. Justice is a pre-condition for peace. We will be fair and just to all Nigerians and insist on the rule of law. As we all submit to the law and to due process, the feeling of marginalisation will be checked as all will get their legal entitlements easily.

With the falling oil revenue, what immediate steps are you looking at to shore up Nigeria’s revenues?

We should prioritise the reduction of revenue losses because, even if we get more revenues and lose same to corruption, we will still lack funds for development. Remember the missing $20 billion oil revenue reported by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. We have to increase domestic productivity. Our solid minerals may provide more revenue if appropriately exploited. Luxury tax appropriately structured may also increase revenues. We will also further expand the local petro-chemical industry.

How do you hope to reposition the Nigerian woman?

We will reposition the Nigerian woman by promoting family values.

What is your blueprint on education, agriculture and employment generation?

The other political parties have been

WE WILL FIGHT CORRUPTION, USING OUR 4ES: ENLIGHTENMENT, EXAMPLE, EMPOWERMENT AND ENFORCEMENT, STRATEGY copying our blue print and presenting same as theirs. Education is key to human development which is fundamental to social, economic and infrastructural development.

The following proposals can improve literacy and ethical values: Free Primary Education to ensure that many more people have basic education to improve their skills and knowledge.

Modify curriculum: Moral instruction and civic education to be included in the primary education curriculum. Discipline must be enforced at all educational institutions to promote sound conduct and ethical values.

Refurbish facilities: Dilapidated facilities in federal educational institutions will be refurbished to meet modern standards.

Adequate teaching tools will be provided.

Institutions can be upgraded. Teacher motivation: Motivation and effective supervision of teachers and education administrators will improve educational standards.

On agriculture, to ensure sufficient food production in Nigeria, a quantum increase in mechanised agricultural output is necessary. Strategies to increase agricultural production may include: increased local fertilizer production, which can be achieved by the revamp and upgrade of existing fertilizer facilities and the development of new plants.

Increased agricultural incentives in collaboration with farmers and their unions; government will identify appropriate incentives for increased agricultural production.

Import tariff and tax incentives will also be considered. Campaigns and education, using the mass media will lead to increased interest in agriculture. Extension services will be revitalised. Improved road network will boost access to farm lands and transportation of products. Development of more storage silos to minimise losses.

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Politics

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ekiti’s beautiful Mass defection threatens Bamidele: bride ahead general elections PDP in Taraba JUSTIN TYOPUUSU writes that the mass defection from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, poses great threat to the chances of the party in Taraba State.

T

he threat by the opposition political parties to take over Taraba State from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the forthcoming election is gaining more grounds by the day as more and more people are defecting to the oppositions’ parties in the state.

Recent developments in the state where the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan and that of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Chief David Sabo Kente, are attracting crowds of supporters by the day may just be a confirmation that the people of the state are yearning for change.

For instance, when SDP was launched in Taraba State, economic and social activities were brought to a standstill with heavy traffic gridlock never witnessed of late in the state.

This same scenario repeated itself when the Senator Alhassan, the standard bearer of APC, stage a triumphant entry into Jalingo, the state capital.

The unprecedented crowd that trouped to the Jalingo airport to welcome the APC candidate as early as 8am, accompanied the senator in a long motorcade round the town and could not leave until late in the night.

At the launch of SDP in the state, top notchers of the PDP who defected to the party were presented with flags by the party’s National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae. Some of those who defected and were given flags include a serving senator from Taraba Central, Abubakar Tutare, six serving members of the state House of Assembly, and other PDP big wigs.

The launch of the party in the state which pulled party faithful from across the 16 local government councils, as well as Yangtu Special Development Area, proved that though new in the state, the party is rooted in the grass roots.

The opposition parties appeared to be gaining grounds in the state due to alleged injustice meted on the teeming members of the PDP at the congresses of the party, which produced the party’s candidates of various elective positions.

Another significant point the opposition parties are using to woe supporters to their folds is that their candidates are very popular and need no further introduction before an average villager in the state.

For instance, Senator Alhassan, a serving senator from Taraba North and APC gubernatorial candidate, is well known for her quality representation and infrastructural development, even beyond her constituency. She is generally well known in the state.

The SDP, gubernatorial candidate, Chief Kente, a philanthropist, is a household name in Taraba. Popularly known as DSK, Kente has long before now through

As the general elections draw near, gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party in the June 21, 2014 election in Ekiti State, Opeyemi Bamidele, has become the beautiful bride sought after by both the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC, writes ABIODUN NEJO.

A

Mua’zu, National Chairman PDP

THE MASS DEFECTION OF PDP TOP SHOTS AND THE GENERAL ACCEPTABILITY OF OPPOSITION PARTIES IN THE STATE IS SENDING WARNING

SIGNALS TO THE PDP CAMP his DSK Foundation touched the lives of people across the nooks and crannies of the state and this has endeared him to many in the state.

Following the alleged injustice meted on some PDP members, on a daily basis, there have been movements of aggrieved members of the PDP to the opposition parties, especially the APC, and the SDP. Those daily swelling the oppositions’ camps are mostly supporters of the ousted acting governor, Alhaji Garba Umar, who was schemed out of the contest, using state powers and was forced to hands off the Senate ticket he was allegedly compensated with to the incumbent acting governor, Sani Abubakar Danladi, who is now PDP senatorial candidate for Taraba North senatorial district.

Unable to bear the humiliation meted out to them in Abuja on December 11, 2014, most PDP members vying for elective position began shopping for a platform to realise their ambitions, and in most cases, APC and SDP are seen as the alternative platforms.

The SDP gubernatorial candidate, Kente, giving account of what transpired in Abuja during the PDP governorship primaries described the exercise as a sham.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

s political parties in the country, particularly the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, make frantic moves to sway prospective voters to their sides to ensure victory in the forthcoming general elections, politicians are involving in alignments and realignments.

In Ekiti State, the battle for relevance and the need to win majority votes in the forthcoming elections have been drawing leaders of the PDP and APC to the doorsteps of House of Representatives member, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele, Labour Party, LP, gubernatorial candidate in last year’s governorship election in the state.

Bamidele, elected into the National Assembly in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, which later transformed to APC, dumped the party to pitch tents with LP in December 2013 following the cold war with the former governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, over who would fly the APC flag for the 2014 governorship election.

Shortly before the election, which was a three-horse race among PDP, APC and LP, Bamidele had said on Election Day: “In the last five days, I have been under tremendous pressure from the APC and PDP and their candidates to support them.”

The fact that Bamidele has since been the beautiful bride in Ekiti politics was confirmed, as he was among the first politicians that the winner of the election, Mr Ayodele Fayose, paid courtesy call on to discuss the future of politics in Ekiti State.

Fayose had told Bamidele: “I want to thank you for making yourself available for Ekiti people as an agent of change through the June 21 election. The journey is not too far and you have what it takes to lead our people.”

Between June last year and now, a lot of horse-trading has taken place among the big political names in Ekiti State, especially as it concerns success of the re-election bid of the PDP presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan and the quest of the APC to ensure its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, wins the February 14 election.

The meeting of APC national leadership with Bamidele and the LP leadership in the state last weekend was among the various moves to Bamidele and his LP to garner votes for Buhari.

APC National Deputy Chairman and former governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, who led other national leaders of the party to Bamidele’s Iyin Ekiti country home, said talks were ongoing with LP chieftains on the need for a future together.

Although Oni did not disclose the outcome of the meeting, he told journalists: “Don’t be surprised that I am here. I am here to pay solidarity visit on the need for us to have a future together. Whatever the

BETWEEN JUNE

LAST YEAR AND NOW, A LOT OF HORSE-

TRADING HAS TAKEN PLACE AMONG THE BIG POLITICAL NAMES IN EKITI STATE

decision is, you will hear later.”

Bamidele said the meeting with APC leaders was part of the ongoing realignment in the politics of the nation in preparation for the forthcoming general elections, adding however that the meeting was not an indication that he had returned to APC, but that Ekiti LP had been under tremendous pressure from both PDP and APC for support ahead of the presidential election.

Bamidele said that since LP did not field a candidate for the February 14 presidential election, “we want to make it clear that the teeming LP members will take our decisions on the next election based on the credentials of the presidential candidates.

We will consider what Nigerians want and the overriding public interest in taking decision.

“As concerned leaders, we have to support a government that would be able to provide employment for our teeming unemployed youth, curtail corruption and insecurity; a government that would know the essence of leadership.”

He said joining the ongoing political realignment is not for personal aggrandizement or political aspiration, but for collective interest of the Nigerian populace and Ekiti in particular.

Saying that it was not about himself, CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

Bamidele

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From The Civil Service NNPC plans collaboration with SPDC P.16

Visit NERC forum office to end arbitrary billing, Amadi tells consumers CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

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s part of efforts to stamp out arbitrary billing the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has urged consumers to utilize the commission’s offices to handle such complaints.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, who gave the advice recently in Abuja, regretted that some customers preferred to sit back and complain rather than making use of the established forum to get the problems addressed.

He admitted that the Commission had received quite a number of complaints which were promptly resolved, urging elec-

tricity consumers across the country to ensure they complain whenever they feel short- changed.

“We urge customers who feel they are have been over billed to take advantage of the consumer complaint units which all DISCOs are mandated to establish.

When such person is not satisfied with the answers given he can write to NERC through the forum office, they have handled quite a number of cases and some time the DISCOs come to say we find there was a mistake somewhere. If you sit back and complain there is no way we can know what you are going through” he stated.

The commission had earlier inaugurated several forum offices to help in addressing complaints

of electricity consumers across the country.

Earlier, at the induction of members of the forum in Abuja, Amadi said the commission’s customer complaints unit was meant to resolve all complaints by customers.He said the CCU was the dispute resolution platform set up by the power distribution licensees.

“Every Disco (distribution company) is mandated to establish a CCU within its premises, which shall be responsible for receiving and resolving customer complaints,” he said.

According to him, the CCU of each Disco is meant to be the first stage of addressing customer complaints, adding that the forum, which is akin to an appellate court, will handle complaints emanating

from the distribution companies.

Amadi said, “Dissatisfied customers who still feel that they have not got the desired attention, or are dissatisfied with the outcome as addressed by the Discos can then appeal to the forum, being the next level of redress in the system.

“All further appeals from the forum are to be made to the commission for further redress. Where the customer still feels dissatisfied with the judgment, he or she is free to move the case to the conventional courts.”

The newly inaugurated forum, according to him, has offices in Enugu, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano and Abuja.

Both the Ikeja and Kano offices were inaugurated in

August last year.

Amadi said the new forum members included a representative of industrial customers to be nominated by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; a representative of commercial customers to be nominated by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture; and a representative of household customers to be nominated by the Consumer Protection Council.

Others are a representative of a non-governmental organisation based in the Disco’s operating area to be nominated by NERC; and

NUC slams NDA for low quality Post-Graduate Degrees ...Bars staff for undertaken Academy’s programmes

OMEIZA AJAYI

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Director, Agency for Social Services, Gombe State, Alhaji Babaji Dunama (right) defending the agency’s budget at the House of Assembly in Gombe recently.

INEC presents voters’ register to political parties P.41

SEC appoints Gwarzo as Acting Director-General Jega

P.41

a nominee with electrical engineering background based in the Disco’s operating area and nominated by the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Amadi gave an assurance that the newly inaugurated forum members would deliver.

He said, “We have confidence that they will go far.

What they need to do is to have that sense of purpose, and that is why they have sworn to an oath.

“They have a responsibility, and if you approach it from the point of view of their responsibilities and independence, then they will succeed.”

iqued by the lowquality research work at the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna, the National Universities Commission, NUC has barred its staff from undertaken any post-graduate degree programme in the academy.

The order was contained in an internal memo from the Department of Management Support Services DMSS and addressed to all staff of the commission.

Titled, “Re: Masters Degree Programme at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna” and dated January 7, the commis-

sion expressed strong reservations at the quality of the post-graduate programmes of the academy.

The memo which was signed by the Director, Management Support Services, Barr. U.V Onuoha specifically stated that the, “Management/ Establishment Committee of the Commission at its meeting held on 12th December, 2014 expressed reservations at the quality of the Masters Degree programmes offered by the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna”.

He added that, “henceforth, it would not accept Masters and Doctoral Degree Certificates from the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna.”

Psychologists say molested children need mental health care P.42

Alhassan

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Civil Service

NNPC plans collaboration with SPDC

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the new Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), Mr Osagie Okunbor. The corporation said the synergy would go a long way in repositioning the oil and gas sector in Nigeria. This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Department, Mr Ohi Alegbe.

It reported NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr Joseph Dawha, as making the pledge when the management of SPDC, led by Okunbor, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

Dawha said that NNPC management was ready to extend the harmonious working relationship it had with the outgoing Managing Director of SPDC, Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, to the newly appointed boss.

He assured that NNPC was ready to work with the new managing director, so that Nigeria would continue to exploit its abundant hydrocarbon resources through the joint venture arrangement be-

tween them. The group managing director, who felicitated with Okunbor on his appointment, congratulated the outgoing officer on his retirement after 36 years of service.

He described Sunmonu as a core professional who brought his expertise to bear on the operations of the company. Earlier, the outgoing managing director of Shell said the visit was to formally introduce the new helmsman of SPDC who had been understudying him for months before the announcement of his appointment. Sunmonu expressed gratitude to the NNPC for all the support he enjoyed and appealed for similar collaboration with the new helmsman of the SPDC

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Youths need right mindset for development, says Bulama ADEOLA TUKURU ABUJA

Y

ouths need the right mind-set for development, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdu Bulama,has said. Bulama stated this when the delegation of the Northern Youth Vanguard led by its Chairman, comrade Habib Olamipekun, paid a courtesy call to his office in Abuja, yesterday.

Bulama asked the youth to transform their minds so as to be useful citizens.

According to him, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is youth-friendly because it always accommodates the interest, aspiration

ad contributions that are geared towards development of the country technologically.

He said the cardinal objective of the Northern youth vanguard which are, maintaining peace and unity of the North in particular and the nation at large; supporting government in key areas that project the interest of the youths and suggesting positive ideas that will enhance youth development are truly the essentials for the growth of the country.

Against the backdrop of the preponderance of the social vices, criminalities, restiveness and insurgency ravaging some parts of the country, Dr. Bulama said

despite the prevalent challenges, the government still need critical mass of youths with patriotic mindset and zeal that will move this nation forward in all spheres of development.

He stressed that the cardinal philosophy of Mr President’s Transformation Agenda is to create jobs for the teaming population of the employable youths.

For this reason, he called on them to participate fully in governance and in the forth coming general elections. He commanded the noble cause of the Northern Youth Vanguard,whose major preoccupation and collective responsibility is to ensure that Nigeria remain one indivisible and

united nation.

Speaking earlier, the chairman of the group Habib Olamipekun, said they were in the ministry to seek for the support of government to enable them contribute their own quota to national development.He further assured that youths are ready to participate and also to ensure a peaceful conduct of the 2015 polls.

He also said youths need to be adequately informed about government policies and programmes that are tailored towards youth development. Olamipeku reiterated their commitment and support to government at all times, adding that “If you build the youth, you build the nation.

Alison Madueke

INEC presents voters’ register to political parties

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented the voters’ register to be used for the upcoming general elections to political parties on Tuesday.

The commission in its Bulletin released in Abuja said that the presentation of the register would take place at the Conference Hall of its headquarters

INEC Chair, Jega

in Abuja.

“By the same token, the commission shall publish the list of nominated candidates contesting for the presidency and National Assembly on January 13, 2015. “The list of those contesting for the offices of governor and to the House of Assembly will be published on January 27, 2015,” the bulletin said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 20 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) provides that the register of voters for an election shall be published at least 30 days before the election. The timetable and schedule of activities for the 2015 general elections released on January 24, 2014, indicated that INEC shall release/publish the official register of voters for the election on January 13, 2015.

President Goodluck Jonathan flanked by the Defence Minister, Alhaji Aliyu Gusau (3rd right) and the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh with the assistance of other Service Chiefs during the commissioning of the Cenotaph at the National Military Cemetery, Umaru Musa Yar’adua Road, Abuja, recently.

Auto industry can create over 200,000 jobs –NAC

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he Director-General of the National Automotive Council (NAC), Mr Aminu Jalal, said on Tuesday that the nation’s automobile industry had the potential to generate over 200,000 jobs.

Jalal said this in Abuja in an interview withpressmen. “The auto industry is very huge and a car has over 2,000 components and each of these components is an industry,’’ he said.

He said the areas of job opportunities included mechanics, insurance, financing and logistics. Jalal said

the new automotive policy of the Federal Government was investor-friendly. He said that already 23 car assembly plants had shown interest to invest in the country.

He listed the companies to include Piaggio Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing Company and National Trucks Manufacturers at Kano State. Jalal said that to ensure that the auto industry was developed, the Federal Government had given incentives to the tyre manufacturers to encourage them to invest in

the economy.He said that tyre manufacturers like Michelin and Dunlop had shown interest to return to country.He listed the incentives to include freeduty on their equipment and incentive to import 20 per cent of tyres into the country.

Jalal said that Nigeria was currently spending more than one trillion naira on the importation of vehicles and their spare parts.He said substantial part of this figure would be saved if the nation’s automotive industry was fully

functional.He said the industry still faced the problem of skepticism on the art of potential investors who were doubtful of government’s commitment to the full implementation of the new automotive policy.

Jalal said the Federal Government remained fully committed to the implementation of the .policy.

He said that this year, NAC would commit itself to local content development and assist local entrepreneurs in accessing financial assistance to boost their operations.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

17

Anambra PDP and distortions of democratic process CHRIS NONYELUM

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he beauty of liberal democracy lies in its appeal, attractiveness, allures; and its inbuilt mechanisms for justice, equity and fairness. In terms of making choices, it offers the best variety of options and alternatives. Its ethos and ideals are lofty, noble and progressive. Its structures are inherently imbued with designs aimed at balancing the equilibrium of power. In fact, the true model of democracy finds proper definition in the pursuance of the equality of the rights and privileges of the individual, irrespective of social status, race, political and religious inclinations.

In its utopian state, democratic governance is expected to usher in a state of Eldorado, in which the good things of life would be in suffuse abundance, without the ravages of hunger, disease, poverty, corruption and ignorance. While it is true that there is no place in the world where a perfect form of democracy is practised, the point must be made that what we have in Nigeria is an entirely different variant of democracy. Metaphorically speaking, it is indeed an illusion of reality, in which only lip service is paid to the practice while the growth of genuine democratic process is being progressively stunted by veiled and usually well disguised sabotage from those who claim to be its zealous adherents.

Anambra State typifies this aberrant, specifically within the Peoples Democratic Party extraction. The footprints of subversions are clearly seen at every political dispensation since the inception of the Fourth Republic. What is getting increasingly worrisome is the fact that the pattern is becoming a permanent feature of the political engineering process in the state. It is assuming the toga of tolerability as a traditional pattern that has come to stay and one which has defied solution. It is in Anambra State that party primaries always produce three different winners, all of which eventually run for the general elections under the auspices of the same political party. At the end of the elections, all the three begin to lay claim to victory, which entails series of lingering petitions and litigation at the law courts and delays at inauguration of the ‘real’ winner.

The foremost godfather of Anambra politics seems to wield such an uncommon influence that somehow, at any election period, he usually manages to hold the rest of the politicians to ransom with his uncanny ability to weave intrigues and subversion into the electoral process. Regrettably, through a combination of deft political maneuvering and grubby approach to contentious party issues, he often places himself in a promising, seemingly strategic advantage over his opponents. As a result of what desperate politicians perceive as the best shortcut

IT

IS IN

A NAMBRA

S TATE

THAT

PARTY PRIMARIES ALWAYS PRODUCE THREE DIFFERENT WINNERS …

to the corridors of power, they literally swarm around him like bees. The motive is not usually based on the godfather’s ability to muster sizeable followership needed for electoral victory. It is rather anchored on the understanding that he has enough clout to circumvent due electoral process.

Of course, there is always a price to pay for any politician to receive his blessings. Given the stupendous amount of money spent in prosecuting election campaigns and the exerting and time consuming nature of grassroots electioneering process, most politicians see the payment of a huge chunk of money once and for all as a better option that also offers greater chances of success. At least, one is rest assured of securing the party ticket from the godfather instead of spending time fishing in uncertain political waters. Once the issue of the anointed candidates has been settled, the politicians in question are no longer expected to bother themselves with the rigors of campaign. This is the tragic irony of the

pseudo democratic practice in Anambra state.

While a particular candidate in Anambra North, who is extremely very popular has been prosecuting for months, a highly integrated, massive and holistic grassroots electioneering campaign agenda, having obtained the endorsement of the national leadership of the party as its senatorial candidate for the National Assembly elections, someone else who is also laying claim to being a contestant, who from all practical purposes, has been watching events with folded hands in the past three months, has just emerged from nowhere to paste his posters at few locations.

Of course, what he has been waiting for seems to have become a reality. The godfather had indeed delivered on his promise after the Independent National Election Commission appeared to have usurped the powers of the leadership of the PDP to present its candidate for election as explicitly stipulated in the Constitution.

This is a form of democracy in which the godfather’s anointed candidates expect to reap from where they did not sow.

Well, it remains to be seen how far such distortions of the democratic process will go, and how long our people would be prepared to tolerate the affront on their sensibilities and democratic rights.

Nonyelum, a Lagos-based public affairs analyst, wrote via bazcrusoe@ yahoo.com

A national conundrum called state creation FOLAJIMI OGUNTAYO

WE MUST LEARN TO BEAR WITH ONE ANOTHER AND

Growing up, I had come to learn there was indeed a ‘Nigeria’ before our current Nigeria despite attempts by some western historians to paint us in another picture. Suffice to say; prior to the written scripts about the entity now called Nigeria, there had been a form of interaction one way or the other among the completely diverse ethnic, religious and cultural groupings before the advent of the colonialism. Man is a social animal, therefore, there is always an unknown spirit behind each one to move and create relationships through available means – trade, wars, marriages, etc – in an unconscious attempt to satisfy the insatiable quest for socialization.

Modern history traces pre-historic settlers and numerous ancient African civilizations settled in the area called Nigeria today to as early as 11,000 BC. The same history defines Nigeria as an amalgam of ancient kingdoms, caliphates, empires and city-states with a long history of organized societies. Boundaries were drawn as a result of trade and overseas territorial ambitions of western European powers in the 19th century.

The scramble for and partition of Africa ceded Nigeria to Britain in 1885 at the Berlin Conference and it became an official British protectorate in 1901. And in 1914, the area was officially united as the colony and protectorate of Nigeria (administratively, Nigeria remained divided into the northern and southern provinces and Lagos colony). Colonization lasted until 1960 when massive inde-

MAKE WHAT WE HAVE A STRONG INDIVISIBLE

NATION UNDER GOD’S CONTINUING WORK

EDITORIAL

pendence movement succeeded in gaining independence for Nigeria on October 1, 1960. Nevertheless, a challenge persisted since pre-independence, which unfortunately still lingers till date: The travails of the ethnic minorities in the country.

This uncertainty had in the periods prior to independence informed the establishment of the Willink Commission. The uncertainty, in the opinions of experts, is located in several factors, including the progressive movements towards regional and national self-government.

The first indigenous effort at state creation in Nigeria was in 1963 when Mid West Region was carved out of Western Nigeria to give the country a four-region structure. General Yakubu Gowon in 1967, because of the exigency of the secession threat by Eastern Nigeria, abolished the regional structure and announced the creation of 12 states. The last exercise was in 1996 when the late General Sani Abacha turned Nigeria into a 36 state structure.

Successive democratically elected governments have since then struggled to resist the clamour for more states.

The political reality is that every sub nationality in the country, and indeed, every clan has always wanted a state of their own.

During the recently concluded national constitutional conference, the committee on political restructuring and forms of government said it had received proposals for the creation of 31 new states across the country - 11 were from the North, while the rest were from the South.

Some political analysts have contended that the chief reason for the sustained campaigns for state creation in the country is that proponents are only seeking expansion of the scope and platforms for more citizens to express themselves and utilize their potentials under a federal system of government. Also, they opine that new states would curb persistent ethnic clashes being experienced in some parts of the country.

An example that readily comes to mind is southern Kaduna.

In addition, according to Mr. Joseph Gumbari, a former member of the House of Representatives, the desire for state creation is to meet their expectations for development. Dr. Yakubu Ugwolawo, the coordinator of the National Association of State Movements (NASMs), concurred when he recently posited that states were universally accepted as the building blocks of development in a federal system, stressing that the more states created in the country the more rapid and even development of rural and urban areas.

On a personal note, proponents of state creation may have a plethora of justifications for their requests, but have they in all

right-mindedness objectively queried the wisdom for such demands at this point in time, a time when the cost of administration of the present 36 states have sky-rocketed; a time when some of the already established states have no means of survival except the monthly manna from Aso Rock falls; and a period when what we should be talking about as a country is how to harness the strength in our diversity instead of systematically agitating for break-ups? Should we not first focus on making the existing ones self-sufficient before we start thinking of creating many more? Savvy administrators know well to put the horse before the cart.

Our national diversity makes it delicate to wake up with egoistical nationalist proposals. We must learn to bear with one another and make what we have a strong indivisible nation under God’s continuing work. Sentimentalisms and blind loyalties that have not in any way helped us grow as a country; rather than build a strong and united nation from our diversities, we have pushed for extreme particularisms that are destroying the pillars of our unity. If care is not taken, by the way we are going, we would probably until have nowhere we call Nigeria. God forbid, did you say?

Oguntayo wrote from Abuja.

Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs.

Pseudonyms may be used but must be

18

Editorial

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, CFR PUBLISHER

SUNDAY OLAJIDE MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO SEYI FASUGBA DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN SUNDAY EDITOR BEN MEMULETIWON GENERAL EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF FIDELIS LEMCHI OWOAMANAM GM, ENERGY NEW PRESS GABRIEL SUNDAY

ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

PTAs’ extortionist proclivities in FG colleges

T

he hiring, by the Federal Government, of NICON Insurance Plc to insure about 125,000 students in the nation’s 104 Federal Government colleges, otherwise called ‘unity schools’, has been attracting a rash of criticisms, many of them precipitate and lacking in entrepreneurial analysis.

Some dwell on the millions of naira the insurance firm would likely rake in annually from the projected 125,000 student population at the rate of N5, 000 per student. Others centre on politics, transparency of the bidding process, as well as FG’s failure to provide security in the schools, etc. The genuine intentions and entrepreneurial spirit of NICON Insurance Plc in coming up with the project was underplayed.

But while many parents down South may underplay the initiative for obvious reasons, their counterparts up North in Boko Haram enclaves dearly need it. For, they would feel the pains of their abducted, slain or wounded children alright, but with some measure of relief.

Perhaps more importantly, while crying blue murder, NICON’s critics failed to draw public attention to the rot in many of these schools.

Two years ago, a national daily (not National Mirror) wondered whether or not ‘unity schools’ were still serving their purpose. It

MOST LUCRATIVE OF THE CORRUPTION INDUSTRY IN THE SCHOOLS APPEARS LOCATED IN

THE PARENTS-TEACHERS

ASSOCIATION (PTA)

catalogued alleged funds embezzlement, admission racketeering and monumental corruption as some of the woes dogging the leadership of the schools. The story is the same, whether in Lagos or Zamfara state, and, indeed, in any imaginable remote part of the country.

Most lucrative of the corruption industry in the schools appears located in the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA). From the N2, 000 PTA levy charged per term a couple of years ago, the least PTA bills nowadays are between N8, 000 and N10, 000 per term of less than three months. In the Lagos area, for example, parents are slammed with as much as between N15, 000 and N25, 000 per term. In King’s College, for instance, the latest PTA levy for day students is N17, 500 per term, and N21, 500 for boarders. The bill is broken down as building levy, PTA dues, barbing levy and laundry levies. But parents are compelled to buy toilet-

ries, including laundering soaps, for their wards. At the end of each term, the students return home with rough and bushy hair.

The situation is worse in Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Yaba, where parents are made to cough up N15, 000 per term as PTA levy. It is worse in the sense that the school’s leadership placed the compulsory collection of the PTA bill above the academic pursuit of students. In the just resumed term, for example, the school authority allegedly sent text messages to all members of its PTA executive to ensure that no student with incomplete PTA bill was checked in, even if affected parents managed to pay the tuition fees and other bills. It is also one school where parents were forced in the past to buy a specified number of bags of cement before their wards could be checked into the hostels.

The excuse most of the schools give for this unwholesomeness is that the PTA agreed on the bills at its meetings. But as a career, the entire members of the executive of PTA of these schools are either drawn from the schools’ personnel or are cronies of their leaderships, with school heads as clearing houses and Enforcers-in-Chief of the arbitrary bills. A few years ago, a PTA executive in Ipetimodu, Osun State, whose ward left the

ON THIS DAY January 21, 1961

January 21, 1999

About 435 workers were buried alive when a mine in Coalbrook, Free State, collapsed. Holly Country, known as the Coalbrook Mining Village until 1996, is a town in Fezile Dabi District Municipality in the Free State province of South Africa. A Taiwanese businessman, Richard Hse, bought out the old mine village in October 1996, renamed it and turned the facility into a hub of clothing, shoes, stoves, wood and paper factories and a sportsfield.

War on Drugs: In one of the largest drug busts in American history, the United States’ Coast Guard intercepted a ship with over 4,300 kilograms (9,500 lb) of cocaine on board. “War on Drugs” is a term commonly applied to a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention undertaken by the US government, with the assistance of participating countries.

school four years earlier, remained in the executive for almost five years, while the complaints of parents about the aberration fell on deaf ears. Majority of parents are also not invited to or notified of PTA meetings.

It is unacceptable that heads of ‘unity schools’ have turned emergency building contractors, using the PTA as cover. Those criticising the NICON Insurance Plc should compare and contrast the PTA ripoff with the genuine deal of NICON Insurance. How transparently managed are PTA funds; why must PTA bills be rated above tuition fees and the academic pursuits of the nation’s children; and why must parents be forced to build classrooms and hostels for government schools that charge tuition fees that are routinely hiked? Should President Goodluck Jonathan also be blamed for the rot?

We implore the federal Ministry of Education to investigate the allegations and intervene in the interest of the education of the students and their parents or guardians, and possibly involve the nation’s anti-graft agencies to ensure a good job. That teachers, who are supposed to bring up the children in good morals are drifting through PTA escapades, among others, is a national embarrassment.

January 21, 2005 In Belmopan, Belize, Central America, unrest over government’s new taxes erupted into riots. Civil unrest broke out in the capital city, Belize, during mid-January 2005. It was provoked by the release of a new national budget with significant tax increases; and was largely sustained by public anger against the ruling People’s United Party (PUP) on the worsening fiscal and economic condition of the Belizean government.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

19

Health & Wellbeing Government needs to invest more in vaccine laboratories –Okara 22

Yayale-Ahmed report will end rivalries in health sector –Minister 21

Beware of OTC

...AHA warns people with high blood pressure SAM EFERARO

T

he Americans Heart Association (AHA) has warned people with high blood pressure to always read the labels of their over-the-counter (OTC) medications to ensure such drugs do not contain ingredients that could worsen their heart conditions.

A new statement release by the association last week warned anyone with a blood pressure of 120/80 and above or anyone on blood pressure medication in particular, to always look warnings for people with high blood pressure in such labels.

“Better yet, if you have high blood pressure and certainly if you are on prescription medication, consult your healthcare professional before taking any over-the-counter medications or supplements.”

The association also warns against the indiscriminate use of supplements and vitamins now popular in Nigeria.

“Don’t fall for ‘magic pill’ claims,” the statement further warned, adding that

A

publication Avoiding Heart Attacks and Strokes Don’t be a victim – Protect yourself Produced by WHO, World Self Medication Industry (WSMI), World Heart Federation (WHF), and International Stroke Society (ISS) has identified Heart Attacks and Strokes as the major Cardiovascular diseases – diseases of the heart and the blood vessels – which kill and more people around the world, irrespective of their status. They are the conditions to watch, along with the CVD risk factors, to maintain a healthy heart.

Heart attack The human heart is only the size of a fist, but it is the strongest muscle in the body. With every heartbeat, the heart pumps blood, carrying oxygen and nutrients, to all parts of the body. The heart beats about 70 times a minute in a person at rest. The heart rate increases when we are active or when we feel strong emotions. The heart itself gets oxygen and nutrients through blood vessels called the coronary arteries. When the blood flow to the heart is cut off, the decrease in the supply of oxygen and nutrients can cause lasting damage to this vital organ. When the blockage is sudden, it is called a heart attack. If the blockage is only partial and the blood flow to the heart is decreased, it can cause chest pain called angina. It may not cause lasting damage

There are no special pills, vitaminss or drinks that can substitute for prescriptions ions and lifestyle modifications. “Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any OTC C drug or supplement that claims to lowerr your blood pressure. They may not work rk as advertised, and they may interfere with ith other medications,” AHA also warned against arbitrary y use of decongestants by hypertensive people eople saying such drugs may raise their blood pressure.

“People with high blood pressure ressure should be aware that the use off decongestants may raise blood pressure ure or interfere with the effectiveness of some prescribed blood pressure medications.

Many over-the-counter cold and flu preparations contain decongestants such as: • Ephedrine • Levmetamfetamine • Naphazoline • Oxymetazoline • Phenylephrine • Phenylpropanolamine • Propylhexedrine

• Pseudoephedrine udo doep eph hedrine • Synephrine • Tetrahydrozoline The association advised anyone with a blood pressure challenge to always check for sodium or salt content in their medications, especially the OTCs. This is because some OTCs are are high in sodium, which can also raise blood pressure. “Look at the active and inactive ingredients lists for words like “so-

Note the amount of sodium dium” or “soda.” “s People with high blood in the medication. med consume less than 1,500 mg pressure should s of sodium per day from all sources; one dose of some OTCs can contain more than a whole day’s allowance” AHA further warned.

Experts say Nigerians must pay attention to cardiovascular health, especially in view of the nation’s dwindling economy which may affect people’s quality of life.

Heart conditions to watch to the heart muscle, but it is a warning sign that a person could develop a major heart attack.

Stroke The brain can only function if blood is fl owing through it. Two large blood vessels, which run along either side of the neck, bring blood from the heart to the brain. The blood vessels branch off and get smaller and smaller, until tiny blood vessels supply oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the brain. A stroke happens in the same way as a heart attack, but takes place in the brain. If the blood flow to the brain is interrupted, the brain loses its supply of oxygen and nutrients. This causes the damage to the brain tissue known as a stroke. Also, a stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or when the blood flow to the brain is blocked, the brain tissue is damaged.

Prevention Nearly two-thirds of people who have a heart attack die before they can reach medical care. Even when stroke patients have access to modern, advanced treatment, 60% die or become disabled. So it is important to know the warning signs and to act fast. But it is even better to prevent a heart attack or stroke from ever happening. Prevention is always better than treatment, and most heart attacks and

strokes can be prevented. Research shows that a number of things make us more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. These are called risk factors. Some risk factors are linked to choices we make in the way we live. The three most important lifestyle factors are: • smoking and other tobacco use; • unhealthy diet; and • lack of physical activity.

Poor lifestyle choices can lead to three serious physical problems: • high blood pressure (hypertension); • high blood sugar (diabetes); • high blood fats (hyperlipidaemia). These are the most important risk factors for heart attacks and strokes.

Unhealthy diet An unhealthy diet is one with: • too much food (too many calories); • too much fat, sugar or salt; • not enough fruit and vegetables.

If you eat a lot of food and you are not active enough to burn it off, you will put on weight. You could slowly become overweight or even obese. Being overweight can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, and high blood fat levels. All of these physical problems increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Obese people are at especially high risk if they have a lot of fat around the

waist and stomach area. An unhealthy diet often contains too much “fast food”, which is high in fat and sugar, and sugar-loaded soft drinks. Fast food is also very high in salt, which increases blood pressure.

Lack of physical activity When people do not stay active, their risk of heart attack and stroke increases greatly.

Physical activity lowers your risk of heart attacks and strokes by: • helping your body burn sugars and fats and assisting in keeping a good weight; • lowering your blood pressure; • increasing oxygen levels in your body; • reducing stress; • strengthening your heart muscle and bones; • improving blood circulation and muscle tone.

Staying active also reduces the risk of other illnesses, such as cancer. Active people usually feel better and happier. They are likely to sleep better and to have more energy, self-confi dence, and concentration. You do not have to be in training for the Olympics to get these benefi ts! Walking, gardening, or doing housework for at least 30 minutes on most days can help you prevent heart attacks and strokes.

20

Health & Wellbeing

Nutrition for Health Chizoba Benson chizobanwobu@yahoo.com 08120807588 (sms only)

Your Children’s nutrient needs reflect their stage of growth. Positive parenting, guidance and encouragement can help establish their food patterns that provide adequate nourishment for growth.

The childhood years are a parent’s last chance to influence food choices. Eating well however, can be hard during this stage because, family schedules are hectic and graband-go convenience food is readily available.

Here are some tips that can help improve your child nutrition and encourage smart eating habits: Have regular family meals: Family meals are a chance for parents to introduce kids to new foods and a time to reconnect together after the day’s activities. It is a comforting ritual for both parents and children.

Strive for a time when everyone can be there: This may mean eating dinner a little later to accommodate a child who’s at sports practice. It also can mean setting aside time on the weekends when it may be more convenient to gather as a group, such as for Sundays.

Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks: Kids who take part in regular family meals are more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains, less likely to snack on unhealthy foods, less likely to smoke or drink alcohol.

A healthy diet helps children grow and learn. It also helps prevent obesity and weight-related diseases, such as diabetes.

To give your child a nutritious diet therefore, make half of what is on your child’s plate to be fruits and vegetables, choose healthy sources of protein, such as lean meat, nuts, and eggs, serve whole-grain breads and cereals because they are high in fiber. Reduce refined grains, broil, grill, or steam foods instead of frying them, limit fast food and junk food, offer water or milk instead of sugary fruit, juices, soft drinks and soda. While juice has valuable nutrients and gives a concentrated energy boost for active, growing bodies, kids should go for water first when they are thirsty, not sugar-sweetened drinks.

Many children prefer vegetables that are slightly flavored, crunchy, bright in colour and easy to eat. The mild flavors of carrot, peas, and corn are preferred because a child has more taste buds than when they are grown.

Don’t give up! Children prefer foods that are familiar to them than foods that are unfamiliar so gradually introduce such foods you know that are of high nutritional value of which they do not like.

Research shows that most children need to

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Ten healthy eating tips for children

try something new seven to ten times before they like it. So don’t be afraid to introduce children to new or more exotic tastes.

A good tactic to get kids to eat a wide variety of foods is to tell them that tasting new things is a sign they’re growing up. Or, take them shopping and let them choose a new, healthy food to serve at home with something they already like.

Be creative: All the vibrant colours in fruit and vegetables come from natural plant chemicals that have healthy effects on our bodies. Different colours have phytonutrients that have different effects in the body, so it’s good to eat a variety of different colours each day.

Offer your kids a colourful snack of different fruits or chop vegetables into interesting shapes and sizes to make them seem more fun and exciting.

Avoid battles over food: Eating slowly and chewing food properly is great for weight control at any age. It is an extraordinary way to show kids that it takes about 20 minutes for the message that they are full to get from their stomachs to their brains. Teaching children to listen to their tummies and to ask themselves questions about quantity and quality, such as “Is my tummy full?” will give them the opportunity to develop their ability to sense fullness.

I nvo l ve your kids in the process of food preparation: Children are more likely to become adventurous eaters if they know how to cook. Make it fun by giving them their own aprons and letting them help you regularly with small tasks in the kitchen.

As they get older and more confident, let them cook dinner once a week or better still, enroll them in cooking classes during the school holidays.

Grow vegetables and herbs at home: Growing vegetables and herbs at home can be a fun way to teach children where food comes from and to encourage them to eat a more varied diet.

They’re more likely to take at least a little bite of tomatoes or carrots if they have helped to plant and pick them. If you don’t have a garden, a window box can be just as effective.

Learn about your children’s nutrient requirements: Some of them, such as the requirements for iron and calcium, change as your child ages.

Be a role model by eating healthy yourself: The era of doing what I say and not doing what I do cannot be applied to children. So, parents must eat healthily too as you have taught your kid. Remember, you are their role model!

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The Health Beat Sam Eferaro

eferaro@yahoo.co.uk 08094082123 (sms only)

Way out for health sector crisis

T

o say that Nigeria’s health sector is in disarray is no doubt an understatement. The obvious truth is that the nation’s health care delivery system is in comatose and currently, may even deliver death to those who still rely on government institutions for their health needs.

Today, the sector is dogged by two major obstacles that have not only incapacitated its effectiveness but turned it to the nation’s most troubled sector. One is the government, the Federal Ministry of Health and the other, the different professional groups that constitute the workforce. The ministry is itself a hotbed of controversy. it is often headed by a medical doctor at the insistence of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). Not that the doctor-minister can ever satisfy his colleagues but most of the time, he ensures their interests are protected often over and above the interest of other professional groups in the sector.

Every policy and initiatives designed to bring health care close to the people are implemented mainly from the doctors’ perspective and often to the fury, consternation and even envy of other groups.

There’s obviously no love lost between the health ministry and the workers. Issues are resolved only at the crisis stage while there is often no serious effort to prevent such crisis from resulting in long strikes and the accompanying loss of lives nationwide.

There’s no need to say much on the sector’s professional groups here. Suffice to say that the mutual distrust, bad blood, unnecessary rivalry in our health care system is unrivalled anywhere in the world.

But I think the solution to the crisis is clear cut and simple. First, both the civil servants and the different professional groups, especially at the association level, must first put the nation first above their self and parochial interests - a tall order in Nigeria, you will say. The professionals must operate with mutual respect for each other. I really don’t think there’s a basis for the leadership crisis in the first place. No matter what anyone will say, the doctor by the nature of his duty remains the clear leader of the patient management team. However, he is just the first among equals, as the other groups have very important roles to play too. JOHESU has made that point loudly, albeit at a huge cost to the patients, in their ongoing strike. Actually there’s often no serious leadership crisis when the health workers are at work, the problem is more of the politics of who gets what and this can be easily resolved with mutual respect for each other’s role.

Of course, there will be no peace in the

sector as long as a group insists that the health ministry must be headed by its member alone. For God’s sake, let’s leave that position for a qualified administrator. It is only then the professionals will have equal opportunities and access to fair hearing, be appropriately and adequately involved and represented in policies that require their input. The minister of health should not see himself as a representative of a professional group.

This is why I think the next government must, as a matter of urgency, establish the office of the Surgeon General of the Federation which must be headed exclusively by a medical doctor. As I mentioned in this column two years ago, this is one office we need to borrow from the United States of America, just like our constitution, as a matter of urgency in the next political dispensation. In the US, the Surgeon General is a medical doctor and the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. In America, the Surgeon General serves as the principal adviser to the American Health Minister (referred to as Secretary of health and Human Services) on public health and scientific issues. Apart from being the overall head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (like Nigeria’s Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health) the American Surgeon General is vested with the informal duties of educating American public about health issues and healthy lifestyles.

The Surgeon General also issues health warnings and instructions and general advice to the American public. He deals strictly with health and scientific issues.

This position should not be subject to any form of wrangling concerning its headship. Of course every other professional group deserves to have a high ranking official to represent its interest. I’m aware we have the Chief Pharmacist of the Federation for instance and I believe there’s an appropriate office for his nursing counterpart. Every other group in the sector without a Chief (pardon this expression) in the health ministry must have one immediately. That way, there will be no need for any group to insist it must produce the health minister. Like other progressive nations, let’s leave the position of minister for technocrats and that will be the beginning of a lasting peace in our beleaguered health ministry and the health sector in general.

Certainly, the recommendation here cannot be exhaustive but it will be a good start. And the best time to do it is now that the nation is voting for a new government. God bless Nigeria and save our health sector.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

21

Yayale-Ahmed report will end rivalries in health sector –Minister MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

T

he Minister of State and Supervising Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan, has assured that professional rivalries in the health sector would soon end.

Alhassan informed that the implementation of the report of YayaleAhmed led Presidential Committee of Experts on Inter-professional Re-

lationship in the Public Health Sector, submitted to President Goodluck late last year, had proffered ways of ending the crisis, among other problems in the sector.

He specifically pointed out that after the current strike by the health workers is over, peace would be fully restored to the sector.

The Minister, who stated this during an interview with journalists

in Abuja recently, said amidst challenges facing the sector, significant achievements had been made in the past years, and that the nation would witness a more functional health system this year.

“We are happy to announce that the (YayaleAhmed) committee has already submitted its white paper, a report, we are confident will resolve most of the tensions in

the sector and hopefully we will not experience any strike this year”.

Alhassan assured that government had put adequate measures in place to help end the current strike embarked upon by health workers in the country.

Besides, he expressed optimism that it was possible to overcome the challenges besetting the sector.

Shell medical team carrying out free medical test for participant at the Programme, Lifestyle that prevent cancer organised by Sunshine Foundation in Lagos.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Actress Monaliza partners NAFDAC to treat women with fibroid MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

N

igerian popular actress, Monaliza Chinda, has expressed her willingness to assist women with fibroid in the country with free treatment.

Chinda disclosed this in Abuja recently while seeking support from the National Agency for Foods, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, on the project.

The actress said she was moved by the pains associated with the condition and low awareness on the disease

in the country.

Chinda stated she would start with 10 women with the condition, as a way of not only assisting the patients, but also creating awareness on the disease, nationwide.

Her words: “The reason I said ten women is that I want to start small with women who are undergoing this very terrible illness. When people say they have fibroid, it is painful.

“When they have fibroid, they just relate it to menstrual pain, or a woman disease.

I really want us to push this out there to see if we can start

small by helping 10 women to be healed from this very painful sickness, which could end in surgery,” she added.

She however emphasized that the treatment would be carried out in the country, and by doctors based in the nation.

Responding, Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, said the agency would assist the actress in the project.

He attributed the agency’s preparedness to assist the actress on the potentials of entertainment industry in the country, which according to him, have assisted in promot-

ing activities of the agency.

Besides, Orhii noted that the actress took major role in a movie that would soon be released on the activities of NAFDAC. “We, as a federal government agency that has keyed into transformation agenda of Mr. President, want to work with this industry for many reasons. First and foremost, entertainment industry has helped us (NAFDAC) just like the conventional media have helped us to carry our messages to all nooks and crannies of this countr,” the NAFDAC boss said.

Gombe signs $15m MoU with PACT Nigeria on healthcare DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

T

he Gombe State Government and Partners Collaborating Together (PACT) Nigeria have signed a $15million Memorandum of Understanding MoU with the Strengthening Accountability for Quality Improvement (SAQIP) Project in the state.

The project is to be funded

by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for a period of

six years.

Represented at the occasion by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubkar Sule Bage, the State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo said the establishment of Primary Health Care Development Agency in the state was an indication of government’s commitment to improve healthcare delivery in the state which also resulted in signing of the MoU. He said a complete situation analysis and baseline

study of the state healthcare domain had been conducted and strategic plan was being prepared to facilitate a systematic approach towards improving healthcare delivery service in the state through the project.

According to him, concerted efforts were being made to upgrade primary healthcare facilities, recruit additional health personnel and improve their capacity to enhance effective service delivery.

The Country Direc-

tor of PACT Nigeria , Dr. Audu Liman disclosed that Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation were offering the support in recognition of the Dankwambo administration’s provision of enabling environment and resolve to improve the health indices of women and children in Gombe State .He said, SAQIP project would also support women with improved economic abilities so they can attend to their heath needs.

“We know we still have a lot to do to ensure that our health sector is recognized as one of the best in the world, but we are on track and are putting in place the right mechanism to move the sector forward.

“With team work, we eradicated Ebola which is still ravaging other African countries; we worked together with all health stakeholders at all levels of government to eliminate this from our shores.

“This is the kind of team spirit we are working to restore in the sector, one that is patient-based and centered,” he maintained.

Alhassan listed achievements recorded in the sector to include reduction in maternal and child mortality, malaria burden, HIV/AIDS incidence and prevalence among others.

He also informed that hospitals in the country had recorded improved infrastructure, better trained and increased manpower to guarantee quality services.

The Minister specially lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for assenting to the National Health Bill, which produced the

National Health Act. The Act, he said, has heralded high hopes for the nation’s health systems, noting that the effects of the current slash in oil prices would be cushioned to ensure the nation’s population get satisfactory services from public hospitals in the country.

He said further on other pertinent issues in the sector: “We are on the way to becoming polio free and getting our certification from the WHO because we have not recorded any new polio cases for almost a year, but we are not sitting on our oars, we have introduced various new vaccines to reduce infant diseases and deaths.”

On Malaria, Alhassan said government would invest ‘heavily’ on preventive measures to curb the spread of the diseases.

“More people will receive mosquito nets; massive distributions of the nets will be done nationwide as well as introducing other preventive measures like spraying of the environment to kill the lavas among others.

We have gone quite far in our plans to reposition the health sector,” he said.

Fake drugs: Idris Wada commends SEKINAH LAWAL

K

ogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada has commended the Director General of National Agency and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii for the tremendous milestones recorded in the fight against counterfeit drugs and other unwholesome regulated products in the country.

The Governor made the commendation when he paid a courtesy visit to NAFDAC office in Abuja to forge a partnership with the agency on diversifying the economy of the state through the processing of value-added agricultural products.

Captain Wada said the innovative strategies adopted by NAFDAC, especially the use of cuttingedge technologies have helped in achieving quality healthcare for Nigerians and positioned the country as a global leader in the fight against counterfeit

medical products.

Responding, Dr. Orhii said the Governor’s confidence in the healthcare system in the country was patriotic, uncommon and prophetic. “When you were injured in a car accident, you insisted that you must be treated in Nigeria. I think for us as health professionals, that was great commendation. There is no way you can show confidence in the system than when you subject yourself to be treated in that system.

When we contained the Ebola Virus Disease, the whole world began to see what you saw in our healthcare system long ago”.

Dr. Orhii who described the agricultural transformation initiative of the Governor as fitting said the agency would work towards ensuring that quality agricultural products are processed to acceptable standards so that farmers would earn foreign exchange from their work and stimulate the economic growth of the state.

22

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Government needs to invest more in vaccine laboratories –Okara

tee chose to ignore the well reasoned arguments and far-reaching recommendations of the Justice Gusau Committee, and rather virtually upheld the 24-point demand of the NMA. It is to be noted that three out of the ten-member Yayale Committee were NMA members including one that has an ongoing court case she instituted in a Lagos High Court against the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN).

One way to restore Nigeria’s healthcare system is to resuscitate the dilapidated vaccine production laboratories which have been neglected over the years.

This and other sundry issues were highlighted by Dr. Godswill C. Okara, immediate past president, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) in this interview with Franka Osakwe. Excepts Right now, there is a global focus on the eradication of infectious diseases. Do you think the Nigerian laboratory services are properly utilized for this purpose?

Nigerian government needs to invest more in vaccine laboratories this year. Immunization or use of vaccine for the prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases is the most cost effective means of reducing and preventing diseases.

It is for this reason that there is a global emphasis on the development and production of vaccines for the prevention and eradication of infectious diseases. A number of communicable diseases that threaten human health and lives have been totally eradicated through the effective application and administration of vaccines. For example, smallpox was eradicated globally in 1978 through the massive vaccination of people. Many childhood diseases such as Poliomyelitis, Tuberculosis, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Tetanus, Measles, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis B and Cerebrospinal Meningitis can be drastically reduced or prevented by the effective application of vaccines. It is noteworthy that Nigerian medical laboratory scientists produced millions of doses of smallpox vaccine used for the eradication of smallpox in the West African region in 1960s and 1970s. They also produced Yellow Fever and Rabbis vaccines in export quantities at the Vaccine Production Laboratory, Yaba, Lagos.

Unfortunately, Nigeria is presently spending millions of dollars importing Yellow Fever and Rabbis vaccines from other countries, because the Vaccine Production Laboratories at Yaba have gone into dilapidation through perennial government neglect. The question is, if Nigerian medical laboratory scientists could produce Yellow Fever and Rabbis vaccines in the 1960s and 1970s, why are they not producing them in 2015?

The National Medical Laboratory Services Policy which was approved since 2007 has remained unimplemented by the Federal Ministry of Health. The Policy clearly requires the creation of the Department of Laboratory Services at the Federal Ministry of Health for effective coordination and supervision of laboratory services in the three

tiers of the health system. The Ministry has practically ignored the policy which ordinarily should address the issue of capacity planning, revamping of vaccine production laboratories, public health laboratories and diagnostic laboratory services which should strengthen the Nigerian healthcare system. Laboratory services have rightly been described by the World Health Organization as the cornerstone or foundation of effective healthcare system. Until we get it right, Nigerians will continue to go abroad for medical attention.

I understand that there are issues in the national health Act that the health workers are not satisfied with.

Has this been addressed?

Yes, those objectionable clauses were addressed and removed by the National Assembly. we commend Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, for signing the bill into law. Mr. President deserves this commendation because he listened to the complaints and agitation of other health professionals and returned the document to the National Assembly for a second look and consideration of the issues raised by us regarding some obnoxious sections and clauses introduced into the bill. Mr. President went the extra mile to confirm from us that they had been addressed before he signed it into law.

He demonstrated that he is truly the father of all, and is eager to ensure harmony in the health sector.

The MLSCN insists that regulation of importation of in-vitro diagnostics is their mandate while the NMA disputes this. Why? The law clearly mandates the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) to regulate IVDs importation, stocking, distribution and sales in Nigeria.

Medical laboratory scientists have the required knowledge, technical skill and dexterity to perform the function. The law in its wisdom has so recognized and authorized the MLSCN to carry it out. The question is, is it better to leave this vital aspect of the diagnostic laboratory chain unregulated? Indeed, the Nigerian Medical Association should rather express delight that the menace of adulterated and substandard in-vitro diagnostic reagents and

NIGERIA IS PRESENTLY SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IMPORTING

YELLOW FEVER AND RABBIS VACCINES FROM

OTHER COUNTRIES, equipment which largely contribute to inaccurate laboratory test results is being addressed for the first time in Nigeria. Mr. President, in keeping with the subsisting law approved the building and equipping of the MLSCN Public Health IVDs Control Laboratory in Lagos. It should be stated that without potent reagents and standard IVD equipment, accurate diagnostic laboratory test results can never be guaranteed.

No matter the level of knowledge and skill a medical laboratory scientist possesses, he/she cannot produce accurate and reliable test results with fake and substandard reagents and equipment. It is common knowledge that the Nigerian diagnostic laboratory market is filled with every imaginable product form different parts of the world. NMA should be advised to concentrate on those things that will improve and strengthen our healthcare system and help to regain the confidence of our people in the system, rather than overheating the system by dabbling into areas

beyond its reach. How does the MLSCN performing its statutory mandate adversely affect the activities of NMA and medical practitioners in Nigeria?

I understand that the health workers are not satisfied with the Yayale report on health sector reform. Can you explain your grudge?

The Report is a bundle of contradictions and indulgence in illegalities, to say the least. It made recommendations contrary to subsisting court judgements, it freely expressed opinions on cases before courts of competent jurisdiction. Even matters considered by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the recently concluded National Conference were thrown out by the Committee. One wonders whether the opinion of a 10-man Committee will supersede the collective wisdom of 469 elected members of the National Assembly, and 492 delegates that represented a crosssection of Nigerians in the 2014 National Conference. Earlier on in 2012, a 39-member Committee chaired by His Lordship, Hon. Justice Bello Gusau, a retired Chief Judge of Zamfara State had made very elaborate recommendations on how to achieve harmony in the health sector, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) directed her members on the Committee not to sign the report, which was referred to the Yayale Ahmed Committee as a working document. The Commit-

I understand that Medical lab scientists are dissociating themselves from pathologists why?

The two are members of the healthcare team with distinct roles and functions for effective patient care and service. Whereas pathologists are specialist physicians licensed by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to attend to and treat patients with ailments in their areas of specialization, medical laboratory scientists are specialized professionals licensed by the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria to analyze patients’ body fluids and tissues for diagnosis and treatment of ailments, research and production of vaccines and biological reagents. The issue of dissociation does not arise at all. As in any team environment, each team member complements the function of other for the benefit of the sick and wounded. All that is required for maximal output is mutual respect and appreciation of each other’s role and contribution, as well as the implementation of the government approved scheme of service for each professional cadre in the laboratory.

The issue of false lab results is becoming worrisome in Nigeria. What is the cause and way forward?

The state of laboratory practice is a function of many factors, including personnel and infrastructural capacity, work environment, activities of other members of the team. The Nigerian medical laboratory scientists are highly trained and sufficiently motivated by legal and statutory provisions to give efficient service for optimum patient care. However, the limitations of the Nigerian healthcare system include the absence of modern equipment for enhanced service delivery.

The unregulated IVDs environment has largely contributed to the false lab result phenomenon.

This is why it is a condemnable act and indeed a disservice to society to obstruct the effort of the MLSCN to regulate and sanitize the IVDs market, since it constitutes a major driver of the accuracy or otherwise of diagnostic laboratory test results.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

Arts Lounge

Nollywood and its challenges

24

I don’t feel sane if I don’t write

25

— Verissimo

Tackling constraints of work spaces in arts Finding conducive atmosphere for artistic expression especially for the younger generation of Nigerian artists remains an unsolved issue. What hopes lie therein?

NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

A

s oil prices continue on a downward trend, the quest for alternative sources of income, other than crude oil has never been louder.

But the reality is that the government could learn a lot from the experiences of Berlin, the capital of Germany. The city, while recovering from the devastations of World War II, embraced arts in such an astonishing manner that it put her on the global cultural map in record time. The preponderance of artistic endeavours in the city is a testimony to this: Rough estimates suggest that around 5,000 artists, 1,200 writers, 1,500 bands (pop, rock, and world music), 500 jazz musicians, 103 professional orchestras and music ensembles, 1,500 choirs, 300 theatre groups, and 1,000 dancers and choreographers of contemporary dance live and work in Berlin! All these coupled with low rent has made the city a destination of choice for creative minds.

This cannot, however, be said of Nigeria, in spite of her rich cultural heritage, which is enough to support a vibrant art scene. At various meetings stakeholders in the sector have decried the lack of work spaces and how it is affecting the creative industry.

For a new artist, with limited funds, hosting an exhibition can be a lot of hassles considering the cost of art spaces; which has been driven out of the reach of beginners. Art Lounge gathered that a standard space for exhibition in Lagos can go for as much as N1 million! This can be deduced from the fact that most of the galleries are located at the highbrow area of Lagos- Ikoyi and Victoria Island.

According to Oliver Enwonwu, of the Society of Nigerian Artists, SNA, who also runs a gallery in Ikoyi, it is a factor militating against not only younger artists but the entire visual arts sector. According to him, there is a total lack of art spaces to host international exhibitions.

“We do not have enough art spaces in the country. The space is usually physically limited, when you look at it, which is why on most occasions you would see the organisers attaching tents during events. In other countries, their centres come as one whole arena, housing everyone. There are some works that cannot be contained in the spaces we have here. Even at the National Arts Gallery, you will notice that its space

Inside Nike Art Gallery

is not enough to contain all the works that should be there”.

Another visual artist, Archie Abia, said he set up his gallery, Win Arc specifically to contain the lack of art space as an artist.

“It was the lack of such centers that made me open Win Arc, as a way of contributing my quota to the promotion of art. I believe we need the input of multinationals and government to change this. Private individuals who have interest in arts could also come in to help, because the sector needs it”.

Perhaps, this lack of enthusiasm in the corporate world in this regard could be

A GOOD NUMBER OF THEATRES IN

NIGERIA HAVE VERY POOR FACILITIES, SUCH AS REST-ROOMS, RUNNING WATER AND COMFORTABLE SEATS FOR MEMBERS OF

THE AUDIENCE, WHO PAY TO WATCH THE PERFORMANCES

seen in the non-availability of residencies and fellowships in Nigeria for artists. This according to Abia has portrayed an embarrassing picture. “You hardly hear of residencies or art fellowships being sponsored in Nigeria for Nigerian artistes, but you hear of Nigerians being sponsored to fellowships abroad on the bill of the foreign donors. The worst is that the whites who come to Nigeria for short researches on our arts do so with grants from their place”.

For people in the theatre industry, it is the same ugly situation. There is virtually an absence of a standard arena to host plays that would attract huge audiences.

Worse still is the absence of conveniences in some of the centres available in the country as observed by Barclays Ayakoroma, a playwright and the director general of the Nigerian Institute of Cultural Orientation, NICO. According to him, “a good number of theatres in Nigeria have very poor facilities, such as lack of restrooms, water including lack of comfortable seats for members of the audience, who pay to watch performances. This gives rise to situations where members of the audience are uncomfortable, or stand all through productions. Thus, they naturally express their discomfort by running side commentaries on shows, making unnecessary noise and disturbing the peace of the production. Naturally, such members of the audience and those who feel greatly disturbed will bid eternal farewell to the the-

atre after that type of experience. The National Arts Theatre, which is the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria, located in Iganmu – Lagos, was constructed in 1976, during the military regime of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, for the hosting of the 2nd World Blacks and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977. Its exterior is shaped like a military hat. It has a 5,000-seater Main Hall with a collapsible stage, and two 700 to 800 capacity Cinema Halls, all of which are equipped with facilities for simultaneous translation of eight languages, among others. Unfortunately, most of the facilities in the theatre are broken down, and the edifice is a shadow of its original self.”

The literary landscape shares in this same predicament. Uche Umez, author of Dark through the Delta and Aridity of Feelings said the trend is building a generation with tube mentality. “Here in Nigeria, we keep lamenting that nobody is reading.

How can people read when the spotlight on literary activities is so dim you can’t even feel your knees? Private companies as well would rather dole out millions in sponsorship to small-minded reality shows that nearly every youth has become hooked on, like crack, and now half of the youth aspire to become instant celebrity – how small-minded can we get? I don’t know but we are nurturing a demographic with tubementality, simply one-dimensional.”

Of course, people are looking the way of government to help ameliorate this imbalance. Emmanuel Adejuma, an artistic director and choreographer with the House of Dance decried the situation in comparison with the opportunities available for his mates in other places like Europe. “Even the government is not helping matters.

There is no organisation that can say I am sponsoring this or sending this person for residency to go and learn more on art and culture, while it is normal in Europe. All of these we do on our own. We go abroad in search of knowledge and to upgrade ourselves, and all these things cost money.

Over there, they promote their own culture through proper funding.”

Frank Okonta, a gallery owner shares this same view. “Nigeria needs a place where people can come and see our works.

It is a shame that Nigeria does not have a befitting national gallery.”

But things may indeed not be looking up for the industry considering the funds available for the culture sector in 2013. While creating awareness for the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, got N6billion, all the nine parastatals under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism would share N5billion for all their capital projects which looks dimmer with the fall in global oil prices in 2015.

Arts Lounge

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

VOICES

Nollywood and its challenges ANDY AMENECHI

O

ver the years, the existing traditional distribution system has been stretched to its limit, unable to satisfy the ever-growing audience Nollywood has generated, all over the world. The absence of a structured and wide spread distribution network, has accelerated the incidence of piracy and encouraged bootleggers, whose activities magnified, as the distribution problem worsened.

Filmmakers’ return on investment has dwindled so drastically, it has become impossible to sell 20,000 copies of any released title, with almost all returns going to the pirates. Piracy has become so rampant and unbridled, that what was previously done in secret, under the counter, is now done openly on street corners and markets, in the full glare of law enforcement, with people selling 20-in-one DVDs of pirated titles The first logical step in this direction is to frontally tackle piracy. This can only be achieved by stringent, concerted efforts of all concerned, including film makers and other stakeholders in the entertainment Industry, with the full backing of the Federal Government through the relevant statutory/regulatory Agencies.

For a start, I suggest the establishment of a special, combined Anti-Piracy Task Force consisting of representatives of the Police, Copyright Commission, EFCC, SSS, SON, Customs, Corporations with an I.T bias, Ministry of Justice, Filmmakers and Musicians, to map out a short term agenda, for a multi faceted offensive against copyright infringement and piracy and for the long term; a broad based strategy, that would Include amending and strengthening existing inadequate laws.

While the legal framework of formalising the industry is being finalised, one of the biggest challenges, the rejuvenated motion picture industry will face is distribution. Again, the evolution of the industry in Nigeria, through the financial efforts of

“local businessmen”, must be put into perspective and applauded. They, however, did not anticipate the changing dynamics of distribution in the new dispensation.

Distribution in today’s era of technological convergence means that it will become more dynamic, needing constant reappraisal. Traditional distributors will need to present creative business plans and models that take cognisance of the digital revolution, to stimulate alternate distribution channels and generate new revenue streams.

Digital convergence implies a world where information and content is digitised, personalised and accessible ‘on-demand’ via multiple fixed and mobile platforms and devices. It is a world where the user is actively engaged, contributing to and interacting with services rather than passively consuming them. This has resulted in a fundamental shift in the way that users consume, perceive and value content and services.

Ironically, this challenge also offers the most outstanding opportunity and prospect that has ever presented itself to NOLLYWOOD. With the advent of purpose built cinemas; (from community cinema’s, to multiscreen Multiplexes,) the chain of distribution is slowly, but surely turning to the vertical model of distribution - Cinema/ theatrical release; DVD release, VCD release; Satellite, terrestrial, cable, Internet, and free to air TV transmission, to residuals, etc. There are already successful examples to buttress this trend.

With the landing of the Glo One, Main One, WASC and other Submarine broadband cable systems in Nigeria, Fiber Optical and high bandwidth providers have opened the doors to the world in the digital realm, to us. From IPTV, 4G Smartphone’s, iPad’s, Androids and other advanced digital devices, to Pay TV/Video on demand, Pod casting and triple - play (phone/broadband internet/cable) packages about to come on stream, the traditional distribution system is poised to witness a revolution in the discerning consumers demands and tastes for

THE PRESIDENTIAL $200 MILLION ENTERTAINMENT INTERVENTION FUND IS THEREFORE, A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, CONTRARY TO WIDESPREAD BELIEF, THIS LOAN IS VERY ACCESSIBLE. INDUSTRY PRACTITIONERS MUST CHANGE THEIR WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS, TO ACCESS THIS FUND

Amenechi

high quality content, to feed this new media.

With exploding Social media providing access to over one billion users on the internet, the content provider must be prepared to adjust their modus operandi, to meet the projected increased demand for quality media content. The fundamental question therefore is, as producers and distributors, are we prepared or ready to meet these challenges?

Funding has always been a bane to the development of the film industry. Hitherto, financing films was ad hoc, based on bottom line profit margins, with a very limited access to Corporate and institutional finance, due to a dearth of statistics and figures, to generate projections or structured growth potentials, that could lead to multi-lateral, but diversified revenue streams.

However, recently, some Finance houses, Institutional investors and Venture capitalists, have shown more than a passing interest in the film industry, wishing to further explore the potentials of this lucrative industry.

The Presidential $200 million Entertainment Intervention Fund, from the $500 million World Bank Small Growing Business Loan Scheme, is therefore, a welcome development. However, contrary to widespread belief, this loan is very accessible. Industry practitioners must change their ways of doing business, to access this fund. We have to be corporate in our approach, if we want to stand a chance. We have to be proactive by consulting experts in drawing up business

plans/financial projections and tax papers, to meet the stringent requirements for the loan. The most important key to note is that our films and intellectual property are our greatest asset.

The initial practitioners of video films in Nigeria emerged from the NTA, when the popular TV Soaps of the 80’s and early 90’s were in demand. These practitioners took the location based TV production style, creatively utilising digital ENG Cameras of the time and created a genre that has today become a film style of its own.

These early practitioners were welltrained technical personnel, some of whom trained in the best film schools in the world.

This is reflective in the technical quality of the early productions, in comparison to some of what is presently produced.

However, because of the lack of formal or functional training facilities in the country, subsequent technical personnel, had to learn “on the job”, gathering “hands on” experience, as they systematically climbed the production hierarchy ladder.

Again, due to the loosely regulated environment, some of these home-grown personnel started cutting corners on core production values, to meet budgetary expectations. This resulted in the breeding of creatively inventive, but informally trained production personnel, who urgently need formal updated technical courses, across board, in the production value chain.

Training and re-training of practitioners has therefore become an absolutely necessity, to meet the demands of a very perceptive and exposed audience and the challenges of the digital revolution.

Finally, the motion picture industry, is the only sector in art, culture and entertainment sector, that is under the Federal Ministry of Information, while all the others are under the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This has caused a major disconnect between the industry and other sectors in the arts.

This is a dilemma, as only the Ministry Of Culture is empowered by law, to sign and implement International treaties, bi-lateral agreements, and access to global film funds, on behalf of the Federal Government, which are very much needed for the sustainable growth of the film industry. *Amenechi is a renowned film director and heads the Directors’ Guild of Nigeria.

Memorable Reads Who is your favourite author?

I am one person that cannot point at anyone as my best author. I read lots of books as a school boy. I read lots of Shakespeare, Hardley Chase and the African books, but e as a person. right now, I am paying more attention to books that can develop me Does it mean you do not like African authors?

I like them; but I do not have any as my favourite. I read them m as a student; I magaziness. must say they are good. Aside books, I indulge a lot in newspapers and magazines. ociety.

I read them to get enlightened and know what is going on in the society How much is your annual budget on books?

I do not have a budget, but with e-books now available, books are cheaper. You utionise the just download what you need and pay a little. That’s going to revolutionise reading industry, much as it has done to music.

If you decide to write a book, what would it be on?

It would be about my life in movies. I would like to put some things ngs down for posterity to learn.

Chioma Toplis

Actress

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ARTISTE UNCENSORED Jumoke Verissimo is a poet per excellence who has once been described as ‘one of those who will change the face of literature in Nigeria’.

Her poems have been translated to several international languages.

OLAWALE OLUWADAHUNSI

H

er collection of poetry, “I am Memory”, which was highly received in the country, earned the Lagos born performance poet several awards and recognitions like First Prize, Carlos Idize Ahmad Prize for a first book of Poetry, Second Prize, Anthony Agbo Prize for Poetry and Honourable Mention Association of Nigeria (Poetry) all in 2009. What inspired her to start writing poetry? Jumoke discloses that she doesn’t know of a definite thing that kicked off the flair.

“It’s difficult to say. You can have a medley of experience, familial background, educational background and all, but I don’t know of a definite thing that kicked off the flair. I started writing. I loved to write.

I think I’ve written for so long, it’s like a habit. I don’t feel sane if I don’t write, something, anything a day, not to talk of a week.

So, I think I developed poetry from writing too often, and reading too many things. I write other things too. I am a writer. I guess, as a writer your first book defines you.

The recipient of the Chinua Achebe Centre Fellowship, and Mother Drum Golden Award for Excellence, for poetry, in 2012 believes that the art of poetry is dictated more by talent than skill and goes on to list her favourite poets, Nigerian and foreign.

“I think there is a purity of mind to writing poetry. As a poet, you get the desire to

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

25

I don’t feel sane if I don’t write — Jumoke Verissimo tell things differently, and when you force poetry out of yourself, you’ll get a bounty of flowery words, without depth. True poetry is a flair. It is a gift that tells you that white is not just a colour it is the depth of existence. You see, what others ignore.

A poet is a prophet who lives outside his prophesy. He’s blinded by his desire to just keep telling. In essence, poetry is dictated by talent and like every other thing, improves with skills. You learn the rule, and you break them.

“I love Akeem Lasisi’s poetry. I like his ability to ‘yorubalize’ English, bringing the depth of the Yoruba language into the English language. I love Okigbo. For the passion, that travels in every of his line....I like Funso Aiyejina’s style. I wish I could read more of his poems. Tolu Ogunlesi’s lines exhibit sarcasm, and I like his subtlety where he is talking serious, and there’s the language-driven poems of Odia Ofeimun....

Perhaps because I’ve been reading these poets of late, they are in my head now....

And about the foreign ones, I love Anna Akhmatova a great deal. Her style is ‘simply’ haunting. You wonder how anyone could build feelings in the simplest of words without being simplistic. And there’s this writer, a contemporary UK poet, Giles Goodland, with his rather impervious writing style...rather experimental, yet with form.”

Does she think poetry is still relevant to the Nigerian political discourse today? Or can poetry correct the ills of society? Don’t you think the primary task of poetry is to

A POET IS A PROPHET WHO LIVES OUTSIDE HIS PROPHESY. HE’S BLINDED BY HIS DESIRE TO JUST KEEP TELLING. IN ESSENCE, POETRY IS DICTATED BY TALENT AND LIKE EVERY OTHER THING, IMPROVES WITH SKILLS.

create beauty since that is the only thing it is capable of ? The University of Ibadan Masters degree holder in African Studies (Performance) believes that Nigerians are poetic and that poetry is still very much relevant.

“Yes, if the poets can lead us to see through their lines. I think poetry is still very much relevant. You know, I think Nigerians are poetic, and when you meet people who say they don’t like poetry, their thoughts are poetic.

“The average intelligent Nigerian understands poetry, but society has decided for him what poetry should be, and it is that judgement that determines a lot of things.

But things are changing now. In the past five years, I have witnessed a state where people are appreciating and understanding literature. People are buying books. And poetry which was never a popular art form is finding its own market with the likes of Jumi, Sage, Chiedu Ifeozo, Jeffery, Efe, Awoko and many performance poets creating a bridge. It has never been relegated to oblivion either.

“We need to understand that every writing has its own target and when it meets that target, then the need is satisfied. As per poetry creating beauty....if all I’ve seen is dump, will you tell me to write of flowers when I’ve seen cow dungs and horse shits!”

MIDWEEK MID DWEEK JJUMP UMP

‘Maybe Tomorrow’ continues When two long-lost friends who had fought side by side during the Civil War suddenly reunited, a police interrogation room is surely not the best of venues for such an encounter; especially when one is the suspect and the other is the chief interrogation officer.

Find out how the interrogation went in this drama, Maybe Tomorrow a highly suspenseful, high-paced drama that speaks about our past, our present. Written by Soji Cole, it was produced by Eclectique Theatre and directed by Ibukun Fasunhan. It features Kenneth Uphopho and Patrick Diabuah. The venue for the event is Terraculture, 17, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos from the 18th to 25th of ?????

January, 2015. Time is 3pm and 6pm

‘Ghost Story Competition’ accepting entries Entry is now open for its annual Ghost Story Competition. Now in its third year, the prize celebrates the best stories within the wide parameters of the genre: ‘Ghost story’ can mean a lot of different things, from an encounter with an actual phantom to more unusual paranormal phenomena and unexplained events. All types are welcome, so feel free to experiment: we’re very unlikely to disqualify a story for stretching the definition of a “ghost”. Keep in mind that our general readership (and by extension our judge) may be more likely to respond well to psychological chills and unexplained mysteries than in-

your-face gore.”

This year, the ghost story competition has a first prize of £500, a second prize of £250, and a third prize of £100. Entries should be between 1,000 and 5,000 words in length. Entry is open to writers internationally, but must be in English. Winners will be announced in April 2015.

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Arts Lounge

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

FAR AND NEAR

Project ACT: Nollywood practitioners count blessings NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

Film makers at work.

which will be operational for a two month period starting January 19, 2015.

The distribution fund is the third of the three funds which make up Project ACT. The other two have reached significant implementation levels. The Capacity Building Fund valued at N300 million enabled industry practitioners to update their technical skills through foreign and existing private Nigeria-owned institutes that offer training courses, programmes and technical certification in the movie industry.

Under the Capacity Building Fund, 205 individual Nollywood practitioners within the movie industry have undertaken several training courses at home and abroad (particularly in the US, the UK, and India).

Also under the Capacity Building Fund, 7 private film-training institutions in Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt have received grants to develop their capacities to offer training programmes. While some have received funds, others will get their grants after meeting the set criteria, including ac-

creditation by the National Board of Technical Education.

The Film Production Fund (FPF), on the other hand, aimed at co-financing commercially viable film projects with grants of up to N10 million even though a handful of film projects were considered for higher grants.

In making these grants available, the initiative is supporting the further development of the Nollywood film industry and filmmaking talent. Production categories that are being supported include feature films, documentaries, animation, short films, TV formats. Meanwhile, English language and indigenous language movies which successfully passed through the qualification procedures received support. But to qualify, the movie projects has to have national and international appeal. At the moment, 92 film projects in various categories have received support under the Film Production Fund.

Duke pledges support for investors in tourism

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ourism, Culture and National Orientation Minister High Chief Edem Duke has pledged the support of the Federal Government for private Investment in Tourism Development. The Minister made the pledge when he visited the massive Smoking Hills Golf Course and Resort in Ilarin Mokin, Ondo State recently. The 18 hole Golf Course is owned by the Chairman of Elizade Nigeria Chief Ade Ojo who is a native of Ilara Mokin.

Left to right: Duke, Adejuwon and Ade Ojo.

New survey analyses Nigerians’ TV attitude

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roject ACT Nollywood, the presidential intervention programme established to improve technical and professional capacity in the value chain of the Nigerian movie industry has continued to make measurable progress in achieving its core mandate.

It is set to tackle the central challenge working against the optimum development of the sector, which is the poor distribution system and rampant piracy. The ultimate objective is to make pirated copies of Nollywood movies unattractive to consumers by ensuring that genuine products are easily available at a multiplicity of accessible points. This is to ensure that those who put their efforts into film production are properly rewarded.

The tool for achieving this ambitious objective is the N2bn Innovation Distribution Fund (IDF) aimed at improving the distribution of audio-visual content, cut down on piracy, and to better protect intellectual property in the industry. The IDF is targeted at the businesses that operate or plan to operate in the film distribution space.

The core plan is a market-driven approach which will boost the number and quality of distribution options through strategic co-financing of new channels and supporting the expansion of available ones.

These could include technology-based solutions such as digital streaming, enablers of effective distribution, movie exhibition infrastructure and physical distribution.

In this vein, the IDF has opened application for distributors to access the fund. Applications for the distribution fund are welcome through the Project ACT online web portal www.projectactnollywood.com.ng

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Accompanied on the visit by the Artistic Director of the National Troupe Mr. Akin Adejuwon, the Minister used the opportunity of the visit to call on other well meaning individuals and groups to invest in the development of tourism in the country.

The Minister who was impressed with facilities at the golf course and resort noted that tourism, apart from offering good returns on investment; create jobs and other opportunities for the investor and the community.

The Minister noted that the tour to Ilara Mokin has afforded him the opportunity

to appreciate some of the attractions that Chief Ade Ojo has developed so as to find ways of helping in its promotion and development.

Chief Ade Ojo who received the Minister and the Artistic Director of the National Troupe of Nigeria later took the Minister on an inspection round the gold course and resort.

Done with the golf course, Chief Ojo led the way for a tour of Elizade University owned too by Chief Ojo. The school is tucked right inside the town.

In his words ‘’I see the opportunity of the Mare festival held annually here in Ondo growing into a one week festival, where after being a part of the festival, you can come to the golf resort and even drive to the Ikogosi Warm Spring and enjoy some of the other offerings around Ondo state’’.

The Minister commended Chief Ojo for his interest in the promotion of education, tourism and culture. He acknowledged Chief Ojo support for the annual Ondo Mare festival and for his support for the production of Kunle Afolayan’s big budget movie ‘October 1’, which was shot on location in Ilara Mokin. ‘’I want to most especially commend Chief Ade Ojo, who has truly stood out as one of the leading lights in Nigeria business community. And I have always said to people, that no matter what kind of business you are in, the most enjoyable retirement is in leisure and entertainment. So it is a great opportunity to be here at Ilara Mokin’’.

he report showed that government-owned Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) remains the most-watched television station in the country despite the advent of private television stations that have a wide array of programmes. According to the report, “On a Saturday afternoon in a typical Lagos middle-class home, which is likely to have at least two television sets, the man of the house will probably be watching SuperSports, while his wife will be watching Africa Magic, and the children, depending on their ages, one of the numerous cartoon stations. But in a less affluent neighbourhood with just one television set in the home, the choice of the channel to watch is often a problem. A compromise could be struck between the men, who usually like to watch football, and the womenfolk, who are ardent fans of Nollywood – the Nigerian home video industry. There is no talk of cartoons for the kids who prefer watching home video to football, in such homes. Most of the time, the fathers end up going out to watch football at the local beer parlour or at viewing centres.

However, unlike Lagos where viewers are spoilt for choice due to the numerous private television stations that they have access to, in other parts of the country, the federal government-owned Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) is often the main television station that viewers watch. This leaves them with little or no choice of what programmes to watch.”

A recent published report entitled Popular TV Stations and Viewing Times in Nigeria, compiled by GeoPoll Research, reportedly the world’s largest real-time mobile survey platform, sheds more light into the television viewing habits of Nigerians.

According to the report, NTA boasts the highest number of viewers among the television stations in Nigeria. The data that formed the basis for the report came from GeoPoll’s audience measurement service, a panel-based survey which produces daily data on television and radio ratings.

The report said: “Nigeria has the largest population of any country in Africa, and the economy is growing quickly, so it is interesting to look at how television stations are competing for viewers. In June, NTA, which is the government-run station and one of the largest and oldest stations in Nigeria, had the most viewers with a total of over 3.355bn views over the course of the month. Close behind NTA in June was Africa Magic, a more entertainmentfocused channel, who had 3.074bn views.”

According to the report, African Independent Television (AIT), owned by media mogul Raymond Dokpesi, cable sports channel SuperSport, and Channels Television, established by John Momoh, a former newscaster on NTA, rounded out the top five channels in Nigeria. The report added: “The only change we saw in the top channel rankings over the summer was that in July, Africa Magic slightly beat NTA in terms of viewers. In July, Africa Magic had a total of 3.17bn views over the month, and NTA had 3.03bn views, down from June. AIT trailed behind the two top channels with 2.09bn views, SuperSport had a total of 1.66bn views, and Channels TV had 1.29bn. Other top stations, the report said, were Silverbird and OnTV, with monthly audiences of 1.16bn and 852m, respectively, noting that NTA and Africa Magic held between them, 45% of all views in July.

Business

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Low entry level, weak regulation, bane of PR practice 28 in Nigeria

APMT acquires 16 gantry cranes to boost productivity 31

ABUCCIMA faults criteria for accessing N220bn MSME fund

Consumers, marketers doubt NNPC ‘Kero Correct’ initiative’s feasibility 33

Olufemi Adeosun ABUJA

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he Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ABUCCIMA, has faulted the criteria for accessing the N220 billion Micro, Small, Medium and Enterprises Development Fund, MSMEDF, stressing that the beneficiaries are not carried along in the design of the scheme.

Speaking with journalists on the programme for the inauguration of the executive and council members of ABUCCIMA in Abuja, the Vice President, Public Relations of the Chamber, Mr.Jude Igwe, noted that the scheme would not be encountering the current hurdles if the expected beneficiary had been carried along from the design stage.

He said that given the private sector’s role in the economy, its involvement in working out modalities to access the fund was imperative.

According to him, the involvement of the organised private sector would have also helped to address the issues of lack of guarantees, documentation and references plaguing the disbursement of the fund.

Igwe said, “We commend the N220bn SMES Council Scheme launched by President Goodluck Jonathan as a policy in the right direction but advised that the

D

FLIGHT

SCHEDULE Arik Air

Lag-Abj:07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 13.05, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50,18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun).

Abj-Lag: 07:15, 09.40, 10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun) Lag-PH: 07:15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15 (Mon-Fri); 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00 Sun) PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (MonFri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) Abv-Beni:08.00, 12.10 (MonFri/Sat)08.56, 12.10 (Sun) BeninAbj:09.55,13.30

Aero Contractors L-R: Executive Director, CardinalStone Partners, Mr Michael Nzewi; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr Fidelis Ayebae, and Chairman, Mr Felix Ohiwerei during the completion meeting for Fidson Healthcare Plc N2 Billion Bond issue in Lagos, recently.

organised private sector should be engaged in setting eligibility criteria for assessing the loans.”

The industrialist said that given the private sector’s role in the economy, its involvement in working out modalities to access the fund was imperative, adding that SMEs accounted for a sizeable percentage of employment opportunities project under the Federal Government’s Vision 20: 2020.

Igwe said that Federal Government’s supports for SMEs in the past had not yielded desired results because stakeholders had not been carried along in

John Holt posts N591m profit

espite staggering challenges which found expression in insecurity around the country and its accompanying impact on the purchasing power of citizens, John Holt Plc has recorded improved performance, especially, in comparison with its previous years’ outings.

This became evident from its results for 2013/14 presented to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which shows that in 2013, the company recorded a profit after tax of N93m and N591m in 2014, despite a drop in turnover from N3bn in 2013 to N2.8bn in 2014.

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“This is, indeed, a remarkable stride, considering the fact that, in the 2012 account previously reviewed, a loss after tax of N67m was recorded,” says economic analysts.

Although the account of the company shows negative shareholders’ funds, the group shareholders’ funds which represent the consolidation of the subsidiary companies’ assets improved over the three years closing at N3.3bn in 2014 as against N2bn in 2013 and N1.8bn in 2012.

Closer look at John Holt Plc shows that the conglomerate com-

their formulation and implementation.

While advising Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to develop a reliable feedback mechanism with the chamber for constant review of the impact of SMEs on government’s policies and programmes, he listed some of the constraints bedevilling small businesses in the country to include, high interest rates, poor infrastructure, poor funding, multiple taxation, and lack of access to raw materials.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had set

aside the N220 billion to boost MSMEs in the country.

On the inauguration of the Chamber’s new EXCO members, Igwe said that the inauguration slated for today would feature the presentation of awards to deserving industrialist, innovator and investor of the year.

He said the Chambers had shortlisted some Nigerians, including Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Sir Emeka Offor, Mr John Ayeni and Mr Oscar Onyema for honour after they had shown ‘uncommon resilience and innovation’ in their various economic endeavours.

prises the company itself and investments in the shares of 100 per cent owned subsidiary companies, and in accordance with the accounting rule of consolidation, the true performance and financial position of the parent company is best viewed by including the performance and financial position of the subsidiaries to form the Group result and financial position.

However, in order to better position the company to take advantage of the numerous opportunities open to it, particularly in the power sector, there is the ur-

gent need to secure the long term sources of funding to improve liquidity.

Generally speaking, John Holt has been facing challenges in respect of which the board and management appear to have been exploring and implementing various measures to overcome.

In its earlier report, which highlighted branch closures and right sizing, introduction of new businesses was also in consideration, even as the audited accounts for the past three years indicate that these efforts have been yielding positive results.

Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun)Lag-Owe: 7.45am, 2pm daily

Med-View Airline Lagos- Abuja (Mon-Fri): 07.00, 08.50, 12.00, 16.30. Abuja- Lagos (Mon-Fri): 09.00, 14.00, 15.00, 18.30. Lagos-Yola (Mon-Fri): 8.50am. Yola-Lagos (Mon-Fri): 13.00. Lagos- PHC (Mon-Fri): 17.00. PHC-Lagos: 19.00. AbujaYola: 11.00. Yola-Abuja: 13.00.

Lagos-Abuja (Sat): 08.00, 08.50.

Abuja-Lagos (Sat): 10.00, 15.00.

Lagos-PHC (Sat): 17.00. PHC-Lagos (Sat): 19.00. Lagos-Yola (Sat): 08.50. Yola-Lagos (Sat): 13.00

28

Executive Discourse

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Low entry level, weak regulation, b Last year, the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria, PRCAN was at logger head with some political parties over the engagement of some foreigb agencies in public relations in Nigeria. Recently, DAVID AUDU in an interview with PRCAN President and Chief Executive Officer, Mediacraft Associates, Mr. John Ehiguese who spoke on how low level entry qualification aids quackery in public relations practice, amongst other germane issues in the industry. Excerpts: How would you evaluate PR practice in the past few years?

The practice of public relations in Nigeria is growing as an industry, and in terms of the work that we do. But, if we are to bench mark it against global standards, we still have quite some distance to go. It is important for us to begin to bench mark ourselves against world best practice because the world is now a global village. You can no longer afford to have a Nigerian standard; you have got to have a world standard.

Whatever you do as professional now have to be globally competitive because the clients that are coming in here now are asking for our professional service.

Mostly, many of them are multinational clients, and they have expectations in terms of what they expect from us. Again, we also have the threat of foreign PR agencies coming to set up shops in Nigeria. So, if you do not raise your game, I fear, time is not on your side. But I think we could do much more than we are doing now, and that is the thrust of my efforts as PRCAN president; to encourage our members to raise their game so that they can become globally competitive in terms of quality of work and output.

In the effort to measure up to global standards, what do think are the challenges in the industry being faced by your members?

In terms of challenges, some of them are environmental, which is not peculiar to the industry alone. For example, we have the challenge of infrastructure; everybody knows that and it is a big issue. We have the challenge of high cost of finance. If you have a big project and you have to borrow

money from the banks, the rate can be quite high. Sometimes the client doesn’t pay more than 10 to 15 per cent agency commission, and you have to borrow money at a high rate. So, the cost of finance is very high.

Coming to specifics in the industry, there is serious capacity problem and there is serious dearth of quality manpower, especially at the middle management level.

Then, there is also the issue of quackery.

The quacks are in business because the barriers to entry level are very low and the regulatory environment is weak; not as strong as it should be. These are serious issues. In terms of ranking, these are the major issuecapacity and low regulatory environment.

During your inaugural speech you emphasized the need for training for member; even though your master classes are designed for such. How would you evaluate the level of training and the master class over the years?

In a general sense there is the need to emphasis the need for training, but with specific reference to the master classes, I think we have done pretty well in terms of helping entry level practitioners to understand much more what PR is all about. Because what you find is that a lot of people who practice PR do not have background in communication. They come from all kinds of field, and so the need to have a kind of introduction as a professional practice. I think the Master Class has helped members a great deal in that respect, and we hope to expand it and improve on it this year.

But, beyond that we need to have other kinds of training for our members. In some

Ehiguese

instances overseas training so that our members can come to terms with what is happening globally. In other ward training is a big issue. We have done well but there is still a lot much more to do.

What kind of background do you expect them to have because we know that a lot of them are graduates of mass communications and they should know what PR is all about?

No, no! Let us look at this way. Well, you know quite well that the kinds of training our children receive in the university now are hardly suitable for professional careers.

Even when you have people who have graduated in PR, we still find out that there is still huge knowledge gap in terms of some of the fundamentals you expect them to have. So, there is a problem in that area fundamentally. Having said that, based on my

experience of what we do here, the most important qualification to build a successful career in PR is very good writing skill, and generally We can train you to be a successful PR professional. That is our practice.

It is not restricted to the communication graduates. Yes, in theory they should have an advantage, having been respected as having studied the theory of communications in school, but the reality is that having a good communications skills and writing skill we can actually train you. Some of the successful PR practitioners actually come from science background. It is the passion with good writing skills that determine how far you can go.

PRCAN seem to be in the fore front of agitations for PR professional standards, a role the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, is supposed to play?

THE PREROGATIVE TO SELECT WHO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH AS A CLIENT IS PURELY YOURS; WHETHER A NIGERIAN OR A FOREIGN AGENCY, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN GUIDELINES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE LAW SAYS THAT YOU CANNOT PRACTICE PR IN NIGERIA UNLESS YOU ARE REGISTERED WITH THE NIPR

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Executive Discourse

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

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ane of PR practice in Nigeria what is the state now, and to what extent are your members involved in the ongoing political campaigns?

The prerogative to select who you want to work with as a client is purely yours; whether a Nigerian or a foreign agency, but there are certain guidelines. For example, the law says that you cannot practice PR in Nigeria unless you are registered with the NIPR. Before any agency come to Nigeria, he has to get a Nigerian who is ready to stand as front. Then, they have to employ certain level of Nigerians to get the job done.That is one, two, some can come through social media or through research, and then work their way into main PR. The long and short of what we are saying is that you really cannot in all honesty effectively stop foreign agencies.

What is supposed to bother us, in my view, is that we as Nigerian supposed to raise the level of our game competitively so that the clients will get more value working with Nigerian agencies. PR is fundamentally local. The best PR is local because you have to understand the local media environment, media culture and feelings of the people your client services. Even if you are bringing foreign agency he has to work with the local people while he sits at the background to dictate the pace. But I don’t think that is not the real issue. The real issue is, are we competitive enough? Can we hold our own against these global competitors who are coming?

I don’t know about being in the forefront because we are not competing. Our roles are supposed to be complimentary.

Supposed to be?

Yes, we are supposed to be complimentary. PRCAN takes it legal backing and chatter from the NIPR. We have a collaborative relationship in terms of the common interest we have, which is to grow the profession.

The approach may be different. But you have to understand that whereas NIPRis statutorily established to regulate public relations practice in Nigeria in general, PRCAN caters for the consultancy aspect of public relations. So, we are the one who are actually on the field. Under NIPR, we have some people who are in training, research, consultants, teaching and some working in government establishments. PRCAN is specific to consultants. So, to that extent our interest may not at all time align with the job interest of NIPR. That is why it appears that there is a conflict, but in actual fact there is no conflict all because we are working toward the same goal. My strategy is to collaborate and work as much as possible with NIPR. Last year we have the issue of political parties hiring foreign agencies to do job where Nigerian agencies seem to have capability,

Are your members competent enough to compete along with these global agencies?

In a general sense, not quite, because PR is very dynamic and is changing very fast. There are new tools, new knowledgeand new technology is playing a major role in PR now than ever before. In Nigeria we are not adapting and moving fast enough as the global community. But, I also think it is an individual thing for the individual agencies. How fast are you as an individual agency and how prepared are you to adapt with changing global trends in technology and research tools? It is actually your call.

If you want to remain where you are servicing client who are not complaining, it is ok, but if you want to compete globally, there is actually no choice to but to raise your game.

My job is to begin to challenge them on the need to actually look up to such global standard.

to begin to gather data. I, as a person cannot tell you with any modicum of accuracy or even near accuracy give you estimate of what the billings are. Just recently I got a mail from a research professor in communications from Germany who wants me send him billings figures, data on public relation in Nigeria, and I told him I don’t have it. So, part of what I want to do this year is to introduce industry research so that we can at least find out where we are; gather information and data so we can share them with the world and so that we ourselves can have a fair idea of the size and depth of the share in the market.

My predecessor, Mr. Chido Nwakanma started something last year which we need to build upon it and to get professional help.

That is where I want to go and hopefully we will get some financing for it so that we can begin to publish in annual basis industry information on PRCAN. We want to find out how big the industry is, what practice area are more prominent in terms of ranking, what case studies have we done and we will begin to share among ourselves. We have a challenge in that direction and we have to begin to address it.

What are your plans for this year, having weathered through last year which I believe

What is the projection for PRACN and the industry this year?

PRCAN is going to grow in terms of billings, PRCAN will do well. There is a significant activity in the political arena, which is already happening and some of our members are already parts of it. That is going to raise the level significantly. Gods willing, if the election proceeds peacefully, I see much more upsurge in foreign direct investment and that comes with more business, because the people that are coming in require our services. I am very optimistic that with the political environment stable there will be growth this year, and not just this year but progressively in the years ahead.

NO, NO! LET US LOOK AT THIS WAY. WELL, YOU KNOW QUITE WELL THAT THE KINDS OF TRAINING OUR CHILDREN RECEIVE IN THE UNIVERSITY NOW ARE HARDLY SUITABLE FOR PROFESSIONAL CAREERS

We are in an election year, how many of your members are on major political parties account?

A few of them have. You will not get full details because some of these things are not publicized.

These are some of the problems we have in Nigeria- getting information. Why are they secretive about such account where in other climes it is celebrated?

I don’t know it is their prerogative. I can’t force them to talk about it. If they don’t want to talk about it is their business.

Looking at PR as a business, what is the billings worth in Nigeria now and how is lack of data effecting getting information?

You have said it all, lack of data. We got

was not bad at all?

My plans for this year is to grow the business, especially the quality of clientele that we work for; we want to be able to select high profile clients who can pay the kind of money that will sustain a big organization like this, and we also have to raise our game; we have to be able to deliver up to their expectations. So, we are investing in our people in terms of training, facilities, and in terms of tools that we work so that we can deliver at that level. I am really optimistic that we are going to have a better year than we have last year.

Ehiguese

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Africa must prioritise economic growth, peaceful elections in 2015 –AfDB Udo Onyeka

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frican Development Bank, AfDB, President, Donald Kaberuka, has expressed optimism that 2015 holds an opportunity for the African continent to achieve progress in economic growth depending on the political will of African governments.

According to a statement by the bank it will depend on the policy stance of the countries, and the choices that they make or do not make.

Kaberuka said this when addressing diplomats accredited to the bank’s host country, Côte d’Ivoire, the bank’s senior management staff, and local and international media at an annual luncheon in Abidjan.

Kaberuka said although 2014 presented many challenges, in-

cluding headwinds in the global economy, slowdown in the large emerging markets, and sharp declines in commodity prices, Africa remained resilient, maintaining its dynamism, at 5.5 percent growth.

“We know that given our demographics, 5 per cent growth is strong but not stellar. It is 7 percent we must target,” he emphasised.

He said the outlook would be better if faster progress was made in the areas of integration, especially removal of non-tariff barriers, and infrastructure development. “Those parts of the continent making faster progress on both areas are able to see higher growth, even when commodity prices are weakening,” he added, citing lack of jobs, inclusion, and effective safety nets as the giants holding back Africa’s full potential.

The challenge for 2015, he said, was not only in ensuring economic growth, but securing growth that is strong, sustainable, creates jobs, and one that benefits the broad categories of the population, not just few elites. Of the Bank’s importance is the ability of Africa to rebuild shock absorbers in the light of global uncertainties like commodity price volatility and altered conditions in the capital markets.

He reiterated the need for a global epidemic management system, pointing to the Ebola crisis, which had exposed the cracks in Africa’s primary health care systems. Even though disease or epidemic management is not a core business of the bank, Kaberuka said the Ebola outbreak necessitated the institution to mobilise every resource to counter the problem.

Up to now, the bank has committed close to $220m including budget support to the three affected countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. The outbreak interfered with businesses. “At the beginning of the outbreak, regional solidarity was put to test as neighbours closed borders and supply chains were disrupted. Yet it was clear that more needed to be done,” he observed, prompting African countries to strengthen their disaster preparedness.

2015 is significant as at least 15 African countries will hold legislative or presidential elections.

Kaberuka’s concern is for these countries to retain or at least not undermine investor confidence “by ensuring elections are not times of shedding blood or generating instability.”

The AfDB President regretted the instability caused jihadists,

presenting a new challenge on the continent. He cited recent attacks

by Boko Haram in Northeastern Nigeria, where hundreds were killed, and Al-Shabaab attacks on a shopping mall in Kenya in which about 70 people died in 2013.

Kaberuka underlined that these were attacks on the whole of Africa, and they greatly undermined development.

“The risks posed by these outlaws and their backers are a major issue for Africa’s development prospects, perception, risk profile, investment climate and the Africa brand.” He noted: “Fighting these jihadists diverts our resources, which could be used otherwise to build infrastructure.” He called on the nations of the world to come together and battle against jihadists and their offshoots everywhere.

Islamic finance body IILM re-issues $860m sukuk

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L-R: CCECC Contractor, Engr Yung Li; National Chairman PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu; President Goodluck Jonathan; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Chief Osita Chidoka, Minister of Aviation,explaining some key details to President, during the inspection visit to the new Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu recently.

ITF, UNIDO begin nationwide industrial skill gap survey Olufemi Adeosun ABUJA

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he Industrial Training Fund, ITF, in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO, has begun a nationwide Industrial Skills Gap Assessment survey Speaking during a media interaction in Abuja at the weekend, the Director-General, ITF, Dr. Juliet Chukas-Onaeko, noted that the survey is aimed at addressing the disconnect between the supply side of the market, which is the industrial sector and the demand side, which are the available skills.

She identified skills development as one of the top priority of the Federal Government not-

ing that this was vital to move the country from a mono economy to a diversified, competitive and equitable one.

As a strategy for the realisation of this objective, the ITF boss said the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan was launched with six enablers one of which was industrial skills.

She said the survey would be conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics in line with the important industrial sectors identified in the NIRP noting that the outcome of the exercise would be updated every five years.

She said, “This is a top priority project of the federal government because the government wants to provide skills for all Nigerian workers.

“Having the right industrial

skill is the pillar for any successful industrial revolution because with a skilled, well motivated people, the county can achieve almost anything.”

In his speech, the UNIDO Country Representative to Nigeria, Dr. Patrick Kormawa said without the required knowledge of the type of skills that are in demand, the skills produced by institutions would not meet the needs of industries.

He said, “This survey for us is seen as a major gap that has existed in the Nigerian skills formation as well as the job creation drive in the country.

“Everybody is now talking about unemployment in Nigeria and everybody is accusing the next person of not creating jobs but jobs are not created overnight.

alaysia-based International Islamic Liquidity Management Corp, IILM, has reissued $860 million worth of three-month Islamic bonds, or sukuk, the organisation said on Monday.

The auction drew 11 bids worth $1.065bn, with the sukuk priced at a profit rate of 0.553 percent, according to a filing on the website of Malaysia’s central bank.

The IILM last went to the market in November when it increased its outstanding sukuk

programme, rated A-1 by Standard and Poor’s, to $1.85bn from $1.65bn.

IILM sukuk are designed to meet a shortage of highly liquid, investment-grade financial instruments which Islamic banks can trade to manage their short-term funding needs.

Shareholders of the IILM are the central banks of Indonesia, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank.

Etisalat sponsors students on overseas training Isaiah Erhiawarien

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tisalat Nigeria is sponsoring the top three students from the first year of the Etisalat Telecommunications Engineering Programme, ETEP, at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for intensive training at the Etisalat Academy, Dubai.

Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility at Etisalat, Oyetola Oduyemi, disclosed that further training at the Etisalat Academy would reinforce the students’ practical knowledge of Telecommunications Engineering and also provide them with a competitive edge.

“At Etisalat, we believe that the right education has the potential to impact every aspect of life, so education remains central to our CSR interventions; this is why we are sending the three best students

from the Etisalat Telecommunications Engineering Programme class of 2014, to the Etisalat Academy in Dubai, to expand their horizons and give them further exposure to the cutting-edge technology driving the telecommunications industry”, Oduyemi said.

“As the programme continues, we plan to train 15 to 20 students yearly to give Nigerians an opportunity to learn from the best in the field. We will also develop local expertise to sustain the program by sponsoring lecturers from ABU to study for a PhD in Telecommunications Engineering at the Plymouth University, UK,” she added.

The Etisalat Telecommunications Engineering Program, organized in conjunction with the University of Plymouth, UK and Huawei Technologies Limited, is the first program offering an MSc in Telecommunications Engineering in West Africa.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Wednesday, Janaury 21, 2015

31

APMT acquires 16 gantry cranes to boost productivity Rancis Ezem

I

n line with its programme of upgrading and expanding its container handling operations across its global terminal network, APM Terminals has ordered 16 new advanced Rubber-Tire Gantry cranes RTGs. Director, External Communications of the company, Mr. Tom Boyd, who spoke in Lagos, said 12 of the 16-wheeled high-performance RTGs are scheduled for delivery to APM Terminals Algeciras, in Spain, while the

remaining four are destined for APM Terminals Apapa, Nigeria and are expected to be delivered before the end of the year.

APM Terminals Algeciras, which is the largest container terminal in the Western Mediterranean market, had recently completed upgrading its cranes and quay infrastructure to accommodate Ultra-Large Container Ships ULCS of more than 18,000 Twenty Equivalent Units TEUs capacity, some of which now call the at terminal weekly.

APM Terminals Algeciras was ranked 5th among Euro-

pean container terminals for the first half of 2014 by the JOC Group Productivity Study, with 81 crane moves per hour with a vessel alongside.

In addition to heightening the four existing cranes in 2014, the company had also acquired four new Ship-to-Shore STS gantry cranes, which were delivered May last year.

The Port of Algeciras, located at the Gibraltar Strait, is the largest in Spain, having surpassed Valencia in 2013, and is the 28th busiest globally.

It was gathered that the new

RTGs, to be manufactured by Konecranes, will offer a lifting capacity of 41 tonnes and the ability to maneuver containers into stacks of five containershigh.

However, the four RTGs ordered for APM Terminals Apapa, will bring the total fleet to 14 RTGs. The company had in 2011 announced an investment of $135 million under its expansion programme.

It had initially invested $220 million in 2006 following the takeover of the terminal after the completion of the port concession programme and has significantly improved the terminal’s productivity.

In addition to the Apapa facility, APM Terminals also operates a second port facility in Nigeria as well, the West Africa Container Terminal WACT, lo-

cated at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone.

The terminal has also played host to the West Africa Maximum WAF-Max vessels of 4,500 TEU capacity at the WACT, which is partly sequel to APM Terminals’ investment of $30 million for port modernisation and upgrades.

The company is currently proposing a new mega-port at Badagry, located 55 km west of Lagos, as it continues to move towards the development of the facility, which will serve all cargo sectors.

It was also gathered that the company has projected the opening of Phase I opening of the facility in 2019, which will comprise a 775-meter two-berth container terminal, with a 17 meter depth alongside and an annual throughput capacity of 1.8 million TEUs.

NAHCO donates to charity, assures on CSR programmes Olusegun Koiki

L-R: Assistant Director, Carriage and Wagon, Nigeria Railway Corporation, Mr. Austin Ogbuanya; MD/CEO, Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade and Acting Assistant Director, Public Relation, Mr. Akinwoye Abdul Rauf, during the delivery and testing of Motorised Trolleys,Rail Buses, and Sixty Eight Seater Air-Conditioned Coaches In Lagos, recently.

Vandals damage Transforcados pipeline Chidi Ugwu ABUJA

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he Trans Forcados oil pipeline has again been vandalized by yet-to-be identified persons.

S.A Media to the Hon. Minister of Power, Kande Daniel, in a statement made available to news men yesterday in Abuja stated that the vandalism incident recorded over the weekend is the third this year (2015), occurring within a space of 17 days.

“This damage on the Trans Forcados pipeline, at Oteghele axis in Bayelsa State caused a crude oil spill.

Consequent to this incident, all oil and gas production into this pipeline has been shut down to allow for damage assessment and repairs.

The duration of the disruption has not been estimated yet by Sector technical experts, but it is expected to reduce the volume of gas available for power generation whilst the situation lasts” reads the statement in parts.

It will be recalled that the 24’’ TFP section of theTrans Forcados pipeline at Okuokoko/Ugbomro was vandalised on the 2nd of January 2015.

Two days later, on the 4th of January, the vandals destroyed the 24 TFP section at Egbokodo and the 28 TFP section at Yeye / Chanomi axis of the same pipeline.

Sector experts went to work immediately, and after about one week on each section, repairs were effected and the pipeline was put back to use.

The Honourable Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo has appealed for the understanding of electricity consumers, for the reduction in power supply which this development may cause in some parts of the country.

The Minister described as ‘painful’, the possible motive of sabotage, in view of the established cycle of vandalism incidents always coming on the heels of achieved high generation levels.

He has, however, assured Nigerians, that the Ministry’s collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the nation’s security forces has resulted in the arrest of some pipeline vandals in the recent past.

Prof. Nebo also disclosed Government’s plans to put a final stop to the unpatriotic and destructive acts of wilfully damaging public infrastructure.

Part of the plan to prosecute the anti-vandalism war more proactively would include the procurement and deployment of a new technology for digital censoring and surveillance, to overcome the enormous difficulty associated with physically safeguarding pipelines that are hundreds of kilometres in length.

According to the Minister, Government is also proposing a law that would stipulate adequate sanctions for vandals, to deter them from the practice.

O

ne of the two ground handling companies in the Nigerian aviation industry, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO, Plc, said it has donated items and cash worth several hundreds of thousands of naira to two charity homes in Enugu State.

This is as the company said it would continue to impact positively on the people in all its areas of operations and beyond.

An online statement by the spokesman of the ground handling company, Mr. Tayo Ajakaye mentioned the names of the two charities as Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Elderly, Awkunanaw and the Guardian Angels Motherless Babies Home, Emene all in Enugu State.

Ajakaye stated that the while the Manager, Stakeholders & Corporate Governance, Mr. Uche Ma-

duemesi made the donations on behalf of the management, said that said NAHCO has a habit of positively impacting on the people and would not deviate from doing this to improve the lives of the people.

Maduemesi pointed out that the company just recently commenced service in Enugu and that notwithstanding the short time, it had, as a priority chosen to associate with the less privilege to assure them that they have a partner in the ground handling company.

Responding on behalf of the management of the Little Sisters of the Poor, which houses elderly men and women, the Officer in Charge of Charities, Sister Sylvia Blanshard commended the company for its support.

According to her, “We are extremely grateful to NAHCO. You can see how the residents of the Home have come alive since you came in to visit us and spend time with us.”

Former Saudi oil boss says it can handle low price

S

audi Arabia can cope with low oil prices for “at least eight years”, Saudi Arabia’s minister of petroleum’s former senior adviser has told the BBC. Mohammed al-Sabban said the country’s policy was to defend its current market share by enduring low prices.

“You need to allow prices to go as low as possible in order to see those marginal producers move out of the market,” he said.

Mr al-Sabban advised the ministry for 27 years, leaving last year.

Saudi Arabia, the largest producer within the Opec oil produc-

ers’ cartel, has repeatedly said that it will not cut output to try to boost the oil price.

Mr al-Sabban said Saudi Arabia’s “huge financial reserves” would enable it to cope with the low oil price.

The country is now in the process of cutting government spending.

Without these cuts, Mr al-Sabban said, Saudi Arabia could not cope with low oil prices for more than four years.

Oil prices have more than halved since June.

The dramatic fall has been blamed on a sharp increase in

production from North American shale companies, which has increased the supply of oil and gas, helping to depress prices.

Also undermining the price of oil are slowing global economic demand and a rising dollar against a range of other currencies.

The latter can flatter the oil price, which nonetheless can remain the same price in a local currency that buys fewer dollars.

On Monday, Brent crude was trading at around $49.40 a barrel, down 77 cents, and US crude was trading down 74 cents at $47.95 a barrel.

32

Business News

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

PPRA puts PMS Ex-Depot price at N77.66 per litre Chidi. Ugwu ABUJA

P

etroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, yesterday announced the new Ex-Depot price of PMS as N77.66 per litre advised oil marketers to adhere strictly to this new price regime.

Federal government on Sunday approved and directed the announcement of a downward review of the pump-price of Premium Motor Sprit m,PMS, from N97 to N87per litre, with effect from January 19, 2015.

In a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of PPPRA Farouk Ahmed, PPPRA vowed to enforce compliance of the directive in conjunction with the Department of Petroleum Re-

sources ,DPR, in order to ensure that consumers benefit fully from this new review.

According to PPPRA the announcement, which was made by the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. (Mrs.) Diezani Allison-Madueke, is in consonance with Section 6, Clause 1, of the Nigerian Petroleum Act, necessitated by the prevailing volatility in the international oil market and the drop in crude oil price.

“Consequent upon this announcement, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency ,PPPRA, in exercise of its mandate of determining the pricing policy and setting benchmark prices of petroleum products, hereby further announces the new Ex-Depot price of PMS

as N77.66 per litre.

In view of the foregoing, Oil Marketers are hereby advised to adhere strictly to this new price regime, as the PPPRA, in conjunction with the Department of Petroleum Resources ,DPR, shall enforce compliance in order to ensure that consumers benefit fully from this new review. In other words, any violation of the prevailing price regime shall attract appropriate sanctions” the statement reads in parts.

The agency advised Nigerians against any form of panic-buying, as there are enough products in all depots across the country.

We also wish to assure Nigerians that the PPPRA, in exercise of its mandate, is fully committed to ensuring adequate supply and distribution of petroleum product.

Due to the slash in price of PPMC, some of the filling stations are selling at N97 per liter while NNPC is selling for N87 per liter and some NNPC stations close down in Abuja yesterday.

PHOTO. ROTIMI OSASONA

Europe holds on to ECB hope, shrugs off China slump

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tocks and bonds rose on Monday as investors bet the ECB will unveil a bondbuying package this week to fight deflation and revive growth, shrugging off the steepest fall in Chinese shares since June 2008.

Anticipation the European Central Bank will announce such money-printing quantitative easing at its policy meeting on Thursday pushed some euro zone government bond yields to new lows, while German stocks reached a new high.

A Reuters poll on Monday showed that 18 out of 20 traders expect the ECB will announce a 600 billion euro sovereign QE program this week.

QE hopes also eclipsed uncertainty surrounding Sunday’s Greek election, which polls suggest anti-bailout party Syriza will win but without a controlling ma-

jority.

“Quantitative easing is in the pipeline,” said Jean-Louis Cussac, head of the Paris-based Perceval Finance. “There’s a positive bias on the market overall ahead of the ECB meeting, but the market is very volatile and there are big question marks on the upside potential going forward.”

They include risks from Greece and China, while the dust continues to settle from the Swiss National Bank’s shock decision last week to scrap the franc’s exchange rate cap.

Liquidity was lighter than usual, with U.S. markets closed for the Martin Luther King Day holiday.

In afternoon trading, Germany’s DAX was up 1 percent at a historic high of 10,276 points.

Britain’s FTSE 100 index was 0.7 percent higher at 6,596 points,

while France’s CAC 40 was up 0.8 percent at 4,416 points.

The FTSEurofirst index of 300 leading European shares hit a seven-year high of 1,418 points.

Shares in Julius Baer were among top gainers, up 5 percent, after the Zurich-based private bank said it had not suffered losses from the SNB’s decision to ditch the franc cap.

Spain’s 10-year government bond yield hit a new low of 1.47 percent and Italy’s benchmark yield fell as low as 1.62 percent ahead of the ECB’s expected QE move.

The euro recovered some ground after hitting an 11-year low last week, and was up 0.3 percent from Friday’s New York close at $1.16. The common currency jumped 2 percent against the Swiss franc to 1.01 francs, after tumbling 17 percent last week.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aviva plans 1,500 job cuts after Friends Life takeover

U

K insurance giant Aviva plans to cut around 1,500 jobs by the end of 2017, following its acquisition of pensions company Friends Life.

The details emerged in a circular for the £5.6bn takeover deal distributed to shareholders.

The job cuts are part of the insurer’s plans to generate £225m in annual cost savings by the end of 2017.

The cuts would come from the enlarged group of approximately 31,500 people following the tie-up.

Shareholders will vote on the deal on 26 March, which is expected to go through on 13 April.

“We appreciate that this

news may be disconcerting for employees and we would look to ensure that any redundancies are kept to a minimum wherever possible, by using vacancies and natural turnover, for example,” an Aviva spokesperson said.

Aviva said it was too early to identify specific teams, roles or locations for the job cuts.

“When we are clearer on this, following completion of the deal, we will fully engage and consult with employees and their representative bodies,” the spokesperson added.

The takeover, announced last year, will create the UK’s largest insurance, savings and asset management firm.

Autonomy HP sale investigation by Serious Fraud Office closes

T

he Serious Fraud Office, SFO, has closed its investigation into the 2011 takeover of UK software firm Autonomy by computer giant Hewlett-Packard ,HP. The SFO began looking into the sale in early 2013, after a referral from HP. HP had claimed it was misled

by Autonomy as to its true value.

The SFO has concluded that, in respect of some aspects of the allegations, and on the information available to it, there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.

HP paid $11.1bn for Autonomy, but a year later said it was worth $8.8bn less.

The SFO said the deal was being examined by US authorities.

It said in a statement: “In respect of other aspects and on the application of well-established

principles, jurisdiction over the investigation has been ceded to the US authorities, whose investigation is ongoing.”

The UK’s Financial Reporting Council is continuing to investigate the deal.

Mike Lynch, co-founder and former chief executive of Autonomy, welcomed the SFO’s decision.

“As we have always said, HP’s allegations are false, and we are pleased that after a two-year review of the material presented by HP, the SFO has concluded that there is not a case to pursue,” he said.

“Let’s remember, HP made allegations of a $5bn fraud, and presented the case in public as a slam dunk.

HP now faces serious questions of its own about its conduct in this case and the false statements it has made.”

Lufthansa, cabin crew seek mediation in labour dispute

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ufthansa and cabin crew have agreed to mediation in their dispute over retirement benefits, the airline and trade union UFO said on Monday, as the risk of further costly labor strikes looms over the German carrier.

Lufthansa is squabbling with employees on multiple fronts as it tries to cut costs to compete with low-cost carriers including Ryanair and easyJet as well as with Gulf carriers such as Emirates.

Its pilots staged 10 separate strikes over an early retirement scheme last year, costing the airline close to 200 million euros ,$232m, in operating profit, and last week threatened to walk out again in the coming weeks if no agreement was reached.

Mediation between the airline

and cabin crew could begin in the second half of February, after balloting of workers for industrial action ends this month, said Nicoley Baublies, the head of UFO, which represents 18,000 workers at Lufthansa.

“We want to ratchet up the pressure in mediation with the outcome of the ballot,” Baublies told Reuters.

Lufthansa said it was convinced constructive talks could help cut through complex points of its conflict with cabin crew, such as workers’ contributions to their benefits.

“I am confident that amicable and sustainable solutions can be worked out with the support of a mediator,” Lufthansa board member Bettina Volkens said in a statement.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EnergyWeek Wednesday, January 21, 2015

OPEC daily basket price stabilises at $43.40 per barrel

FG targets 12,500mw of electricity by 2017

36

35

MEMMCOL to increase meter supply

33

37

Consumers, marketers doubt NNPC ‘Kero Correct’ initiative’s feasibility

The Federal Government has over the years subsidised the consumption of kerosene in order to ensure the product gets to consumers at affordable prices.

UDEME AKPAN and CHIDI UGWU report the objectives of the scheme have not been realised as consumers continue to buy the product at exorbitant prices.

A

few days ago, the Federal Government disclosed its intension to ensure that kerosene gets to all parts of the nation at a subsidised rate N50 per litre. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, stated that the measure aims at eliminating many middlemen who make it difficult for consumers to feel the positive impact of the

kerosene queue

subsidy.

The Executive Director, Commercial of the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, Mr. Frank Amego, explained that the scheme was aimed at getting kerosene to the Nigerian masses who use the product as their domestic cooking fuel at the correct price He noted that though kerosene was the most subsidised product, the Nigerian masses have not been enjoying the subsidy because of the long arbitrage system involved in its distribution and retail, diversion of the product by marketers to the construction

industry where it is used for blending bitumen, and the fact that NNPC has no direct control over most of the marketers involved in the distribution and sales of the product.

He assured that PPMC has enough stock of kerosene and that machinery has been put in place to ensure efficient distribution of the product from Lagos and Oghara to NNPC Retail mega and affiliate stations in every nook and cranny of the country.

The General Manager, NNPC Retail, Mr. Ufford Jackson Ibanga, stated that

A few days ago, the Federal Government disclosed its intension to ensure kerosene gets to all parts of the nation at a subsidised rate

N50 per litre

all of the 524 NNPC Retail mega, floating mega and affiliate stations across the country have been keyed up for the Kero Correct scheme. He explained that the volunteers were being brought into the project to help monitor discharge and sales of the product to serve as an independent feedback system aimed at promoting transparency and ensuring that the product gets to the desired end users.

Chairman of the Kero Correct Committee and Manager Media, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Nwakwu Uchechukwu Anthony, outlined the three-fold role of the NGOs and volunteers to include monitoring of discharge and sales of the product, ensuring orderliness at points of sales and serving as whistle blowers.

He called on them to be passionate about their duties and justify the trust reposed in them by ensuring that the NiCONTINUED ON PAGE 34

34

Energy Week

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Consumers, marketers doubt ‘Kero Correct’ initiative’s feasibility CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

gerian masses derive maximum benefits from the scheme. The scheme which will be officially flagged off soon will involve the distribution of a total of 1,500 trucks of kerosene across NNPC Retail’s mega and affiliate stations across the country to ensure that each consumer gets at least 25 litres of the product over the next three months.

These and other pronouncements have attracted the comments of many observers, including kerosene consumers nationwide. For instance, the kerosene consumers have expressed pessimism over the NNPC’s ‘Kero Correct’ initiative which aims to ensure that the product gets to consumers at the regulated price of N50 per litre across the Federation.

The NNPC said it has initiated a scheme aimed at cutting off the several layers of middlemen who make it difficult for the end user to enjoy the subsidy on the product as part of efforts to get kerosene to consumers at the regulated price of N50 per litre across the Federation.

But, some of the consumers informed the National Mirror in Abuja, doubted the workability of scheme saying it is the first time the Corporation had come up with such initiative, stressing that implementation of such scheme has remained difficult. For instance, a Canteen operator in Mararaba, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Elizabeth Agaji, noted that while the move is a step in the right direction the implementation of such initiative would difficult, adding that those who benefit are usually the Police and the Army officers and their cronies.

According to her, these uniform officials are the only people that are given the product at the government regulated price while others buy at between N120 and N125 depending of the filling station.

“It is a move in the right direction but the problem is where do you see the product to buy, the common people cannot buy it at that price, some people queue from morning till night without success. From my experience the people that can buy the product at the regulated price are the Police, and the Army or their friends. If you do not know anyone in the force you cannot buy. I buy at N125 each time” she said.

For Amelia Onyeama, a house wife, kerosene has remained the most difficult and scarce petroleum product in the country as buy premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol or fuel is usually easier than buy kerosene. Onyeama said people spend hours on end waiting on queue for the product adding that the announcement of the scheme was one thing and the availability of it is another.

“Where do you see the product at the regulated price? I buy at N120 per litre. At times you go to filling stations and queue from 4pm to 10pm without success. We should just watch and see how they enforce it” Onyeama stated.

Another respondent, Mrs. Dora Egbaji, a restaurant owner, suspects the announcement coming at this election campaign time was a political gimmick aimed at currying vote from the electorates for

Jonathan

From my experience the people that can buy the product at the regulated price are the

Police, and

Army or their friends. If you do

the

not know anyone in the force you

cannot buy.

I buy at

N125 each time

the Jonathan administration. “The global falling oil price has been for the past five months or thereabouts. I suspect that the announcement coming at this elections time is political gimmick meant to curry vote from the electorates,” she stated.

The various consumers stated there was a great need for the government to ensure the products get to consumers at the regulated price mainly because kerosene is widely put into various applications, including industrial and domestic.

In other words, the product appeals to many consumers such as the urban and rural middle class who perceive it to be relatively cheaper than other energy sources. They also stated that the product is also known to be less inflammable than cooking gas.

Investigations showed that the product comes from mainly two sources. Part of the 11 million liters estimated daily consumption is refined at the nations’ four refineries, located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Warri, Delta State and Kaduna, Kaduna State. The government, through the NNPC also imports part of it from the

Alisson-Madueke

Dawah

global market to meet demand.

Both the locally refined and imported product is distributed through the depots where major and independent marketers lift it to retail outlets nationwide at different prices. For instance, under the present price regime, the depot price of the product is N40.90 while the pump price is pegged at N50 per a liter.

This would have been good news to consumers. But it is not because of acute shortage and high prices. Investigations showed that the price of kerosene has risen by over 150 per cent in many parts of the nation, especially Abuja, Lagos and its environs. Many marketers, including Capital Oil which partnered with NNPC to market the product at the regulated price did not have the product.

A recent survey showed that many marketers do not have commercial stocks of the product. “We do not have kerosene at the moment and it is not possible to say exactly when we are going to have another stock. There is no way marketers can sell kerosene at N50 per liter because we do not get it cheap. We cannot even sell it at N80 per liter because we source it at a higher price.”

The NNPC stations expected to sell at N50 per liter because the corporation remains the sole importer of the product did not have it. Other major and independent marketers who managed to source the product sold it at high prices, ranging from N120 to N150, depending on some factors, especially location.

A source at a Lagos based depot stated that: “It is not hidden. Everybody is aware of the shortage and increased prices. If no action has been initiated to check it, it therefore means that everything that we are seeing has been legalised or approved by the government and its agencies that should have the courage to exterminate sharp practices.”

However, many consumers stated that the product has not been readily available for several months, thereby causing them

untold hardship in different parts of the nation. It was learnt that the price of kerosene are even higher in remote parts of the nation, especially riverine communities because of difficulties associated with getting it delivered to consumers there.

Some people who perceived the scheme as a temporary measure have tasked the government to emerge with options, capable of ensuring that kerosene gets to consumers in every part of the nation at approved prices. This, they maintained can be accomplished through some measures, including improved rehabilitation of the refineries.

“Renovate and restore the existing oil refinery facilities to original state of optimal performance and production output.

These refineries should include: PHRC II in Port-Harcourt, WRPC in Warri and KRPC which is located in Kaduna. These should give the nation an automatic and immediate refining capacity of 385,000 barrels per day (Bpd),” stated a source who preferred not to be named.

He called on the government and other stakeholders to repair, restore and secure all oil pipelines that transport feedstock to refineries. “Special attention should be paid to the 600km of pipeline between KRPC (Kaduna) and its feedstock source in the Niger-delta. In this way, the unimpeded supply of crude oil feedstock is secured and assured to all refineries at all times,” he stated.

The National President of Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, OGSPAN, Mr. Colman Obasi also tasked the government to encourage the construction of new refineries in order to increase the nation’s refining capacity to meet local demand for petroleum products, including kerosene. He noted that the nation’s refining capacity has stagnated at 445, 000 barrels per day for too long because new plants have not been constructed over a very long period of time.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

OPEC daily basket price stabilises at $43.40 per barrel

Energy Week

35

Udeme Akpan

T

he price of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC basket of 12 has risen from $43.14 to $43.40 per barrel, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The new OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

This constitutes a serious threat to the successful implementation of this year’s budget which has been benchmarked at $65 per barrel..

Traders in the volatile market said oil prices would likely continue to fall in the coming weeks because of excess supply and dwindling demand.

The Chairman of International Energy Services Limited, Dr. Diran Fawube said in a telephone interview that the present lull showed that OPEC is no more the sole determinant of the state of the market.

He said the United States of America and some nations in the Middle East have significant influence as they supply commercial crude oil to the market than in the past.

“Unlike in the past the United States and Middle East now supply much crude oil to the market. OPEC member states, including Nigeria have lost their control

Oil vessel

of the market,” he said.

He said that clearly explained why OPEC members refused to cut their outputs as doing so would reduce their market share without much impact on prices.

The Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf stated that the market situation is a wake-up call on the Federal Government to initiate measures that culminate in the diversification of the nation’s economy.

“The government should as a matter of urgency work towards the diversification of our economy because we cannot depend on one commodity,” he said.

OPEC stated in its latest report that

world economic growth for 2014 and 2015 remains unchanged from the previous mo nth at 3.2per cent and 3.6 per cent respectively.

“The OECD forecast has been maintained at 1.8per cent for 2014 and at 2.1per cent for 2015. Figures for both China and India remain unchanged from the previous report at 7.4per cent and 7.2per cent for China and 5.5per cent and 5.8per cent for India in 2014 and 2015, respectively,” it stated.

It stated that these projections represent a decline of 0.12 mb /d from the previous report , mainly as a result of lower than expected consumption in the OECD region.

Chinese economy, Iraq output major drivers of oil price drop –Agency

T

he drop in crude oil prices have been attributed to the slow growth of major economies, especially China and increased export from Iraq.

Reuters which confirmed the factors stated that Brent crude oil prices fell below $49 per barrel and U.S. crude also fell more than $1 on Monday after the global economic outlook darkened and Iraq announced record oil production.

It stated that the world’s biggest energy consumer, China, faces significant downward pressure on its economy, its premier Li Keqiang was quoted by state radio as saying on Monday.

“China is expected this week to report growth slowing to 7.2 percent from a year ago, the weakest since the depths

of the last global economic crisis. Data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics showed on Sunday house prices fell for a fourth straight month,” it stated.

It stated that Brent crude traded at $49.15 a barrel by 1646 GMT, down $1.02, having earlier dropped to a session low of $48.88. U.S. crude was down $1.02 at $47.67 a barrel.

“Oil prices have dropped by more than half since June as output around the world soared while demand growth slowed. Although the International Energy Agency (IEA) said last week a reversal in the trend was possible this year, it added that prices may fall further before rising,” it stated.

“There’s still more supply than demand and that’s a situation that will

not change in just a few weeks,” said Hans van Cleef, energy economist at ABN Amro.

Iraq pumped a record 4 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil in December, Oil Minister Adel Abdel Mehdi said on Sunday, as output rose from its southern terminals and supply from the north surged.

Iran’s oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Monday consultations with other Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries members to stop oil prices falling had yet to bear fruit, but Tehran had no plans to call an emergency OPEC meeting to discuss prices.

“Even if the oil price goes down to $25 a barrel, the oil industry will not be threatened,” the Fars news agency

Commodity

Units

Price

Change

% Change

Time(ET)

Crude Oil (WTI)

USD/bbl.

50.58

-2.11

-4.00%

10:46:44

Crude Oil (Brent)

USD/bbl.

53.61

-2.81

-4.98%

10:47:03

TOCOM Crude Oil

JPY/kl

41,740.00

-4.24%

10:47:27

NYMEX Natural Gas

USD/MMBtu

3.05

+1.40%

10:46:18

Source: Bloomberg

+0.04

Source: Oilprice.com

quoted Zanganeh as saying.

Prices found some support from a drop in U.S. drilling rigs, signifying a likely fall in future production.

In a note to clients, Commerzbank analysts said latest figures from oilfield services company Baker Hughes showed the rig count hit its lowest level since October 2013.

“Shale oil production is likely to follow suit after a certain delay. This does nothing to change the considerable oversupply in the short term, however,” Commerzbank said.

Many market watchers in Nigeria have who do not believe on the call on OPEC to slash its crude oil output said the lull may last for months.

For instance, the Chairman of International Energy Services Limited, Dr. Diran Fawube stated in a telephone interview that it would not make sense for the cartel to cut its output.

“We are no more under the regime when OPEC used to be the only determinant of events in the global oil market. At present, other nations, including countries in the Middle East and the United States produce and export commercial crude oil,” he stated.

Fawube said this means that PEC oil cut alone would not make much impact on the volatile oil market.

36

Energy Week

Taleveras, Equatorial Guinea create largest oil terminal

T

aleveras Group, the leading supplier of crude oil and refined petroleum products in West Africa, signed an agreement with The Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy of Equatorial Guinea, in Malabo on the 20th December 2014, to construct Africa’s largest oil storage terminal.

The Bioko Oil Terminal (BOT) is expected to have a total storage capacity of 1.2 million cubic meters for refined products and crude in the first 2 phases.

The terminal will be built at Punta Europa, located on the Bioko Island part of Equatorial Guinea, and will therefore be ideally located to service the key oil supply and demand centres throughout West Africa.

Uniquely positioned to provide global partners with world-class facilities, the oil terminal will be developed in phases.

The first phase will have a 680,000 cubic meters of refined products storage capacity and the primary purpose of the oil terminal will be to supply international trade of Gasoline, Naphtha, Diesel, Jet A-1, and Fuel Oil. The subsequent phases are to include Crude Oil storage.

Having selected the EPC contractors the next steps for the Bioko Oil Terminal is to conclude and sign the FEED contract in the early 2015, selection of the consortium to build, own and operate the terminal.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Taleveras Foundation, Igho Sanomi identified the development of technical persons as key to turning around the fortunes of Nigerian football for the better.

“We want to commend the NFF President, Mr. Amaju Pinnick and his Board for identifying one of the major problems with Nigerian football and being willing and ready to partner with the private sector to find solutions by implementing our ideas to turn things around.

“Mr Pinnick is of immense value to Nigerian football, because of his excellent vision and passion for the game. Our commitment to this scientific approach will be to provide full sponsorship for 15 male and two females who will be highly qualified to engage in this matchreading and backroom analysis exercise for the good of Nigerian football.”

Sanomi said the company was excited to be involved with a programme designed to enhance capacity for Nigerian legends like Augustine Azuka “Jay-Jay” Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Yisa Sofoluwe, Shaibu Amodu, David Ngodigha, Garba Lawal, Dahiru Sadi, Kelechi Emeteole and Florence Omagbemi.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG targets 12,500mw of electricity by 2017 STORIES: CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

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ederal Government has resolved to generate 12,500 megawatts, MW of electricity by 2017 in order to meet rising demand in the nation.

The Minister of Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who disclosed this at a town hall meeting organised by the ministry, assured that the capacity and gas supply are in place to successfully achieve the feat.

“We have an outlook for 2015 to 2017. People are saying, ‘but you peo-

Nebo

ple said you will do 600MW’, yes we the capacity standing, we now have the gas standing, and we are going to do that shortly by the grace of God within this year,” he stated.

He stated that in 2016, the Federal Government expects to get up to 10,000MW and by 2017 to 12, 500MW. “But in reaching this, there are many things happening, look at all that the President has been trying to do in the last four years, think of the fact that today, most people are complaining, the private sector inherited customers that are 50 per cent not having meters,” he stated.

Nigeria has the highest par capital electricity theft. Some will get meters and they will circumvent the meters. That is why we are now doing smart meters” he said.

He stated that the Federal Government blamed that incessant vandalism of gas pipelines across the country for sabotaging its efforts to achieve its power generation target for 2014.

The federal government had projected power generation to peak at a minimum of 5,000 megawatts (MW) by the end of December 2014.

However, the country’s power generation presently hovers between 3,600MW and 3,800MW due to disruptions occasioned by gas pipeline breaches, officials of the ministry of power have said.

At a one-day training workshop organised for energy correspondents in Abuja late 2014, Professor Nebo, lamented that the continuing vandalism of pipelines supplying gas to power plants was undermining effort to boost power generation in the country.

Nebo, who was represented by the senior advisor on fuel to power to the minister of power, Frank Edozien, disclosed that at least 20 incidences of vandalism occurred on major gas pipelines across the country between May and November this year.

He called on Nigerians to join hands with government to check the activities of vandals in order to make progress in the sector.

Nebo, at the forum, which, had in attendance heads of media units of agencies under the ministry, lamented that despite a generation capacity of about 7,000MW, the country is presently generating about 3,600MW

due to incidences of vandalism.

He pointed out that the country can get out of the rot if the attacks on power infrastructure are reduced to the barest minimum, or totally eliminated.

“We have frequency of four to six weeks where pipelines are blown up and this affects the ability that we have to generate power. We currently have available capacity to deliver roughly 7,000MW of power.

But because we are constrained by volumes of gas available, we can do about 4000-4500MW.” Speaking further he said, “In mid-November we did hit about 4200-4500MW generation but today we are doing 3,600MW because gas pipelines have been blown up. So the pattern is, we go up to 4000-4200MW, the pipelines get blown up and then we are down to 3000-3100MW.” He added that as repairs are effected depending on the nature of the pipeline breach, it would take four to six weeks and, in the case of the Lagos-Escravos system, it took six months to fix, which was damaged in nine places.”

is that besides explosions and pipeline fires that destroy lives and property in these communities, there are more pernicious effects of pipeline vandalism such as its potential to wipe out entire communities through the harm it does to the environment as a result of the constant spillage of products”, he noted.

Speaking further on the harmful effects of pipeline vandalism on local communities, the NNPC spokesman explained that the oil that is spilled into the environment when vandals and oil thieves hack into pipelines “destroys aquatic life, pollutes the ground water and renders water from boreholes unsafe for consumption; contaminates the soil and makes it unfit to support any meaningful agricultural activity; and ultimately reduce the quality of life of the people living around such places”.

On the economic effects of pipeline vandalism, the Corporation stated that apart from the huge sums of money that government loses in the form of products losses and cost of pipeline repairs, the average citizen loses much when he has to spend endless hours on queues at filling stations and sometimes has to pay more to get products at the black market during products scarcity resulting from the breach of the

pipelines by vandals and oil thieves.

“So, you can see that no one is completely exempted from the harmful effects of this criminal act perpetrated by a few unscrupulous elements among us. It is therefore our collective responsibility to be vigilant and see the pipelines as our own and protect them as our property because if we don’t, we are all going to suffer the harmful effects one way or the other. If you can’t confront the vandals and oil thieves, at least you can call any of the toll

free lines and report them; sitting down and doing nothing will not save you from the harmful effect of their criminal activities,” he stated.

Also speaking at the event, the traditional ruler of Idimuland, Oba Azeez Olayeni Olugoke II, called on all residents of the community to shun criminal activities, especially oil theft and pipeline vandalism, adding that as a policy the community does not protect anyone caught perpetrating such acts.

NNPC seeks communities’ collaboration on pipeline vandalism

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its midstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), have called on all Nigerians, especially those living in communities close to pipelines, to see the pipelines as their own and protect them as their own property.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe made the plea over the weekend at the flag-off of a two-day Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Campaign in Idimu, Alimosho Local Government Area, Lagos State, organized to sensitize residents on the need to join in the war against pipeline vandalism.

Speaking at the event which included a road-show through the communities adjoining the pipeline right of way in the area up to the Ejigbo Depot and the major pipeline vandalism flashpoints of Ijeododo and Arepo, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC who was represented by the Manager, Public Affairs Department, PPMC, Mr. Nasir Imodagbe, called on residents to be vigilant and report all suspicious movements around the pipeline to the Corporation or security agencies.

“What many people don’t know

Pipeline vandalism

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Week

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

MEMMCOL to increase meter supply UDEME AKPAN

T

he manufacturing facilities of Momas Electric Meter Manufacturing Company Limited have concluded plans to increase the supply of meters in the nation.

These plans are targeted at boosting electricity in different parts of the nation which has suffered a setback in the past few years because of many challenges.

Already, the company has been adjudged world class and recommended for certification by the Electricity Management Services Limited (EMSL), the company saddled by the Federal government with ensuring systems stability in the power sector through technical compliance.

The EMSL is set up as multidisciplinary technical and professional agency of the Government to perform common services and standardisation functions in the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

In a letter sent by the managing director of EMSL, Engr. Peter Ewesor, to the management of MEMMCOL, the government agency expressed satisfaction at the level of innovation in display at the factories of the company in Mowe, Ogun State.

Ewesor said in the letter, “From our inspection exercise, it was observed that your electricity meters and instruments manufacturing facilities are well laid out, equipped and properly installed to world class standards. These facilities were observed adequate for the manufacturing of electric meters and instruments for use in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).”

In a report of the findings of EMSL attached to the letter, the government agency praised the company particularly for the modern facilities installed in all the thirteen units of the factory inspected by it.

The report praised the factory premises for having been constructed to world class standard with all safety precaution and security checks carried out both on personnel and goods.

Specific mention was made of the call centre and the training centre which form the customer service unit installed by the company to handle all after sales issues.

“The unit is adequately constructed and maintained. Key communication personnel appear well trained and were seen observing necessary courtesy in dealing with customers.

Also, safety procedures are observed.

All computers and other communication equipment in this unit were properly installed and operated. It

Pre-paid meters

is a well laid out communication centre with comfortable working environment,” the report said among other things.

Commenting on the clean bill of health given to MEMMCOL by the Standard agency, the chairman of the company, Engr. Kola Balogun said that the observations of the government agency is a testimony to the unrelenting efforts of the company not only to produce world class products for the use of Nigerian people but also to free the energy of talented Nigerians in a work environment that helps them to express their scientific and managerial prowess.

He said that the report is a source of inspiration for us as an indigenous company operating in this

sector.

Balogun stated that it is a boost to our firm desire to bring power supply in the country to the level of excellence that you can find anywhere in the world.

“We know that standardized metering will not only help power distributors to accurately bill and make correct planning for the amount of power consumed, it will also help consumers to monitor their own consumption rate and conserve energy. This will also make it imperative for entities that had not found reason to pay for energy like government parastatals and consumers who live in military and paramilitary barracks to begin to pay like many other citizens,” Balogun said.

Bodo spill: Shell’s N16bn compensation ‘inadequate’ – Foundation

C

ivil rights organisation, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has picked holes in the agreement by oil giant, Shell, to pay a penalty of about 55 million Pounds Sterling (about N16 billion) to 15,600 Bodo fishermen and community for the extensive crude oil spills of 2008/2009.

The group nonetheless describes the development as wel-

Oil spill

come news “for a New Year loaded with violence and other unpalatble news.”

HOMEF spokesperson, Cadmus Atake, submitted in a statement that, when compared to what polluting oil companies pay elsewhere for their ecological crimes.

“HOMEF sees the compensation which will amount to about N600,000 for each of the plaintiffs with the balance going for commu-

nity projects – school blocks and health centres – as inadequate for the severity of damage done,” he stated.

Nnimmo Bassey, Director of HOMEF, adds: “The fishermen cannot hope to return to fishing in the Bodo rivers and creeks because of the depth of hydrocarbon pollution resulting from the oil spills.

He stated that although the amount being offered each fisherman is better than the pittance that Shell initially offered to pay.

“This can hardly purchase a good fishing boat and equipment necessary to return to the fishing business that the people know best – that is if they chose to move to other communities with cleaner waters in which to fish,” he stated.

He said that although the Bodo pollution also damaged the Goi community waters that community continues to languish in abject neglect.

According to Atake, HOMEF sees the main victory in the case as its being a clear precedent, giving

a case where Shell accepts liability and is not pretending to be making a payout on humanitarian basis as they have claimed in the past.

“Since the oil companies do not respect fines imposed on them by Nigerian regulatory agencies, or even the National Assembly, this decision should encourage other communities to bring up cases against Shell and other oil companies operating in the Nigeria, Ghana and other countries,” says George Awudi, a member of the international Advisory Board of HOMEF. Atake stated that payment of compensation and building of schools and clinics will not by any means reduce the demand for an urgent clean-up of the Ogoni environment.

He said that three and a half years after the UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) report the Ogoni people are still waiting for concrete clean up action.

37

APDNL ranks 13th among top 100 businesses in Nigeria

T

he Federal Government has honoured Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria Limited (APDNL) through a dinner that was organised by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment as the 13th most successful business entity in Nigeria – among the Top 100 Businesses in the country.

Addax Petroleum’s growth through acquisition of oil properties deemed by others to have limited remaining production potential and the Company’s commitment to human development in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry were key considerations for this ranking.

The event organisers also considered elements such as corporate government policy, level of compliance with regulations, value of annual investment, turnover and tax payments amongst other items during ranking.

The Corporate Affairs Commission, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Stock Exchange and Nigerian Federal Inland Revenue Service verified and checked the selection criteria used by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment for the event.

According to the President of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, this initiative is aimed at encouraging economic transformation of Nigeria by mobilizing local and foreign investments to create jobs for Nigerians, wealth for the investors and income for the country.

The Top 100 Businesses in Nigeria selection committee used similar criteria to those adopted

by Fortune magazine for its annual Fortune 500 list.

Meanwhile, the Ofrima and Udele fields are located in the western end of block OML 137 south of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in mid water depth offshore.

Ofrima lies in water depths ranging between 75 and 90 metres and Udele, located 10 km south of Ofrima, in water depths ranging between 160 and 190 metres.

The history of work on the Ofrima and Udele fields started in 1972 – prior to Addax Petroleum’s signature of the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) in 1998, but it was in July 2007 that oil was first discovered by Addax Petroleum in Ofrima.

The Ofrima-2 well, which was drilled into the Main fault block, encountered a 170 feet deep gross oil bearing interval. This was followed by additional oil appraisal drilling in the West and Main fault blocks of the discovery with the drilling of the Ofrima-3 and Ofrima-3A wells.

38

Energy Week

The World of Oil and Gas With

DR. OSSIE A. ESIEMOKAI

Venezuela president, Maduro’s oil price remediation road-show

I

n the past week and half, the activist President of Venezuela, Mr. Maduro had hit the road. His overseas overture visits and talks with the foreign Heads of governments reflected the dire straights the economy of the oil-rich South American nation has recently found itself. The elected government of Mr. Maduro, had immensely benefited from the populist politics and residual electoral goodwill of their former President Mr. Hugo Chavez who had died in office after a drawnout, courageous battle with cancer.

There is no doubt that Mr. Chavez had been good for his nation.

Lets pause here to reflect a bit on the life and times of the Army Officer turned civilian Executive President - Mr. Hugo Chavez. A highly charismatic and well-trained military man, he leveraged those qualities to effect a putsch that went rather awry. The negative outcome was rectified by his followers or like-minded officers who were not directly implicated in the coup. This was very much akin to what happened in Ghana in relation to Flt Lt. Jerry Rawlings and his first coup attempt.

Once rescued into office Hugo Chavez, with a zealotry vengeance sought to rectify the ills of that oil rich but poor nation suffering under the overwhelming, double yoke of ‘resource curse’ and ‘cli-

ent state syndrome’. He swore to uplift his beloved nation from the abject doldrums of extreme poverty and impoverishment. As happens and would still happen, with any of those so called Banana Republics who seek an alternative to remaining a gambling and whoring playground of foreign dilettante or sybaritic millionaires or a servile of exporters of fruits and distillate coca-leaf powder northwards is suspicions of political intent and some level of opprobrium. Pharaoh of old had asked the contemptuous question borne of the arrogance of having had the miserable Hebrews under indentured servitude for over 40 years. He asked – “Who is this your God, that you seek permission to go and worship?”

Hugo Chavez went on to unleash a series of populist measures, including compensated nationalizations of assets in the commanding heights of the national economy. The fact of life is that such self- emancipation would attract the ire of the erstwhile beneficiary entities and their sponsors or patrons. This scenario increasingly repels the demonized regime or its helmsman into the orbit of other pariah nations held down under similar ostracization or quarantine As it to be expected, Hugo Chavez and his nation drifted increasingly into the orbit of Fidel Castro-run

Wednesday, January 21, 2015 Cuba in a case of south-south alliance or if you so wish, the wretched of the earth uniting. In the bad old, Cold War days, the commissars used to categorize such relationship as promoting ‘proletarian internationalism’.

The times, they are truly a changing like Bob Dylan predicted and so the relationship between Venezuela and Cuba did not devolve into that of, as we say here in Africa, ‘exchanging a monkey for a baboon’.

It was characterized by well- oiled and sugared, mutual respect and the sharing of a famously decadent, past-time of thieving capitalist oppressors, the smoking of well-cured, humidified aromatic Havana cigars.

Pragmatic Hugo Chavez did not however forget the great axiom of oil-men and the oil business which states that ‘when oil drops on the ground, it spreads in all directions that is. He established more than 1000 filling stations across the length and breath of the great capitalist frontier - the United States of America.This investment in Yankee-gringo backyard and even front porch was not borne solely of doing ultraistic good. There was a very savvy, capitalistic investment and profit motive inherent in the downstream move. Business economists call it ‘vertical integration’. With that robust strategy Venezuela, which had massively invested in ultra-modern infrastructures to boost internal refining of domestically produced crude; now added downstream retailing capacity and its logistics.

The country prospered and became nearly an MDC (medium development country).

Long live Hugo, the campestinos and the intelligiencia in Venezuela chorused, but it was not to be. Cancer thought otherwise. In the course of his frequent medical trips to Cuba for anti-cancer therapies and chilling-out with his senior buddy Fidel Castro (who was also ailing at the time); he made it clear, by his body language and occasional utter-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oil men at work

NOW VENEZUELA IS SLAPPED WITH CRIPPLING ECONOMIC EMBARGOES AND THINGS ARE GROWING TOUGH FOR THE VENEZUELA MASSES ances, that the mustachioed, loyal deputy Maduro is his anointed successor, in whom he is wellpleased.

On his demise, a mourning nation elevated him to national sainthood, mausoleum and all and promptly voted in Maduro in his stead. But a third world country would always behave like one and needless victimization of electoral opponents and exhibition of fairly anachronistic antagonism towards their northern hemisphere big, neighbor - The United States of America brought matters to a head. In fairness to the latter, they had made a heartfelt overture to reach an entente with the near-paranoid and often insulting southern amigo. The disgraceful antics of a vain-glorious Chavez and his satanizing diatribe against President George Bush Jr. on the podium of the UN Assembly was as vitriolic as it was unearned. Today, even the “Cuba Si, Yankee No!” revolutionaries in Havana are making peace with the embargo-foisting democrats in Washington. It is the view of this writer that the restoration of the decades-old, frozen relation-

ship with Cuba would be the eternal legacy of President Barak Obama’s Presidency. General Yitzhak Rabin was right after all: ‘It is with your unsavory enemies that you make peace!’

Is Caracas listening?

This antagonistic behavior towards a strong neighbor and opposition politicians, who are unjustly demonized as sponsored lackeys of a foreign nation who do not mean Venezuela well caused all the troubles. Now Venezuela is slapped with crippling economic embargoes and things are growing tough for the Venezuela masses. Quite, coincidentally the international price of oil, which contributed nearly 80% of that nation’s revenues, plummeted drastically. For the South American nation that is what we, in this part of the world call ‘double wahala’. Join us next week as we discuss in-depth President Maduro’s effort at remedying the situation and the measure of success he achieved.

Dr. Ossie A. Esiemokai, retired Resident Director of Academics, The Premier University of Sao Tome and Principe is the author of ‘The Gulf of Oil’ which is now in print.

New gas turbines for commissioning in Port Harcourt Refinery CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

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ederal Government is set to commission three 25 megawatts gas turbines to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Port Harcourt Refining Com-

Refinery

pany Limited, PHRC. The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe in a statement, said the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke will commission the gas turbines soon, noting that the

initiative was part of measures to ensure continuous and unimpeded refining of petroleum products in PHRC. According to the statement, the Group Executive Director, Refining and Petrochemical of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Engr. Gregory Udoh disclosed this in an exclusive interview in Abuja.

Udoh said the arrangement with the independent power producers was aimed at ensuring steady power supply to the refinery adding that staff of PHRC would now focus majorly on the core mandate of refining petroleum products for members of the public.

He said over 60 percent of the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) materials have been delivered to PHRC, Kaduna Refining and Pet-

rochemical Company (KRPC) and Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and installation of such equipment and parts are in progress.

The GED noted that crude supply to the PHRC was now through marine vessels, bypassing the implacable activities of oil thieves along the Bonny to PHRC crude supply pipeline.

Speaking in similar vein, the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, Engr. Bafred Enjugu has said that the turnaround maintenance of the refinery is ongoing and the facility is running optimally.

Enjugu noted that as at today, the plant is refining premium motor spirit, dual purpose kerosene, automotive gas oil and other petroleum products.

He stated that the Company through public private partnership arrangement has resolved the power problem of the facility adding that the three gas turbines installed by the partnership have the capacity to generate 72 megawatts of power which exceeds the 23 megawatts requirement of PHRC. On his part, the Executive Director Services of the PHRC, Mr. Ralph Ugwu maintained that the PHRC remains the oldest, largest and newest refinery in the country.

It would be recalled that in 2011, the decision was made to rehabilitate all refineries using the Original Refinery Builder (ORG) but the ORBs declined participation which led to a phased rehabilitation of all refineries, simultaneously and in more easily manageable bits and packages over a period of 18 months.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Industry & SMEs

39

Stakeholders seek budget review to reflect economic growth ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

S

takeholders in the economy, particularly the private organised sectors, OPS, have called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, review the 2015 budget in such a way that would allow economic growth of the country.

They lamented that the budget, as currently structured, did not support development of economic sector, especially in a period when the entire economy of the country is dwindling.

According to them, the 2015 budget is very significant, coming especially at a time when the economy is facing profound revenue shocks arising from the slump in the global oil price.

While commending the scenario approach of the budget adopted in the light of the volatility of the global oil price, they said the budget is also important because it is coming in an election year and therefore has transitional significance.

However, they said the prevailing economic condition necessitates that the budget should be structured to ensure cost savings, optimal revenue generation, fiscal efficiency and curbing of fiscal leakages.

In a statement, the President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello said the advocacy for the budget review is necessary as part of activities geared towards the improvement of the Nigerian business environment and the general advancement of the Nigerian economy.

Bello said the budget at this time should also seek to create an enabling environment and stimulate investments to ensure the diversification of the economy, adding that the budget review should focus on key areas such as budget assumptions, fuel subsidy appropriation, debt servicing, spending priorities, and deepening revenue profile.

While explaining the direction of the budget review, Bello said, “We note the benchmark of $65 per barrel proposed by the Executive.

We submit that given the current reality of the global oil market, this benchmark assumption is too optimistic. The fundamentals of supply and demand in the oil market cannot support this benchmark in the short to medium term; currently it is at less than $50 per barrel. The benchmark therefore should be brought close to current global oil market reality, somewhere between $40 and $45 per barrel.

“Ideally, the benchmark should be significantly below the actual price in other to create room for possible savings and adjustments for volatility shocks.

“We also note the production benchmark of 2.278million barrels per day prescribed in the Appropriation Bill. Again, this assumption appears optimistic having regard to the persistent oil theft which had continued unabated in recent years. The quantity of oil theft has been estimated at about 400,000 barrels per day.

There is also the divestment by the major oil companies and sluggish investment in exploration as a result of policy uncertainties and security concerns.

“In recent years oil output has ranged between 1.8million and 2million barrels per day.

Minister of Finance, Okonjo-Iweala

LCCI President, Remi Bello

IDEALLY, THE BENCHMARK SHOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE ACTUAL PRICE IN OTHER TO CREATE ROOM FOR POSSIBLE SAVINGS AND ADJUSTMENTS FOR VOLATILITY SHOCKS The oil production benchmark should therefore be guided by this experience.”

On subsidy appropriation, Bello said there should be total removal of subsidy on petroleum products since the landing cost of the products now almost equals the exporting cost.

He said, “The biggest burden on government treasury in the country is the appropriation for Petroleum Subsidy. In the 2015 budget, N200 billion was proposed as subsidy for PMS (petrol); in 2014 it was N971 billion. This is a decrease of about 80%. We welcome this development.

“However, we note the provision of N91billion for kerosene subsidy in 2015. We submit that provision of this sum is difficult to justify.

Besides the global oil price dropping to below $50 per barrel, there is no longer any justification for budgetary provisions for petroleum products subsidy. We urge the National Assembly to take this into account in its deliberations on the 2015 Appropriation Bill. Times like these call for utmost prudence and curbing of leakages.”

Bello, who felt concerned over the growing budgetary appropriation for debt service, said the amount has grown from N712billion in 2014 to N943billion in 2015. This, according to him, is even more disturbing when compared to budgetary appropriation of N93.66bbillion for infrastructure and N633billion for capital projects. This relativity does not reflect our development priorities and the urgent need to fix the huge deficit in infrastructure.

He said this also raises the concern about the growing domestic debt and the burden it imposes on the economy.

“As a percentage of revenue, the debt service provision is over 25 per cent. As a percentage of infrastructure budget, it is 906 per cent; as a percentage of capital budget it is 148 per cent. The trouble is that the bulk of the debts (mainly domestic) were incurred for recurrent spending and the high cost of running government business. They were not incurred for developmental purposes. This makes the servicing even more burdensome on the economy and the citizens.

“We would like to caution once more to avoid relating debt to the re-based GDP in determining the borrowing the nation’s threshold. This is because a large component of the re-based GDP are not revenue generating. If the current trend of debt accumulation continues, it is only a matter of time for debt service provision to completely crowd-out capital expenditure in the budget.”

Analysing the expenditure structure as contained in the 2015 budget, Bello stated, “Total Expenditure is N4, 357.96billion as against N4, 724.69billion in 2014. This is a reduction of 8.4 per cent. Recurrent Expenditure stands at N2,616billion as against N2,468billion in 2014, an increase of 6 per cent. Capital Expenditure is N633.53billion as against N1,553billion in 2014 a reduction of 59.2 per cent. Personnel Cost is N1,836billion as against N1,727billion in 2014, an increase of 6.3 per cent. Service Wide Votes is N348.69billion as against N301.81billion in 2014, an increase of 15.5 per cent. CRF Pensions is N231billion as against N187.45billion in 2014, an increase of 23.5 per cent, while Infrastructure Expenditure stands at N93.3billion.

He further stated that the concern about the structure of the appropriation is that it is at variance with the urgent imperative of economic diversification and austerity measures, adding that economic diversification requires a critical mass of investment in infrastructure.

He noted that while the total budget decreased by 8.4 per cent, recurrent budget increased by 5.66 per cent; the capital expenditure also dropped by 59 per cent (when compared with that of 2014) to N633.53billion, which is less than 15 per cent of the total budget.

He added that in spite of the pronouncement of the austerity measure, personnel cost increased by 6.3 per cent, while the contentious Service Wide Votes increased from N301.84billion to N348.69billion in 2015, an increase of 15 per cent despite the pronouncement on fiscal prudence and call for sacrifice.

He also noted that sincere commitment to the regime of austerity measures, cost reduction and economic diversification calls for a major review of the expenditure structure by

the National Assembly.

“We share the concern of the government on the need to diversify and deepen its revenue base. Government should intensify efforts in the remittances by MDAs to federation account, improving tax administration to enhance compliance, addressing fiscal leakages and corruption as well as reducing the cost of governance in all tiers and levels of government.

“We further submit that emphasis should be on efficiency of tax administration not imposition of new taxes or fees on investors. Taxation should reflect the ability to pay in order to meet the desired distributive role. We advise against imposition of excessive fees and charges on businesses in the name of expanding revenue from non-oil sector of the economy.

“A period like this calls for economic stimulus to reinvigorate the economy and expand the frontiers of the non-oil economy. Government and its agencies should therefore refrain from policy choices that could further stifle investments.

“Fiscal sustainability calls for a review of expenditure at all levels of government. It is easier to cut spending than to raise revenue.

We implore the National Assembly to take a critical look at the following areas in order to curb leakages and ensure cost reduction in government spending on fuel importation and the inherent subsidy issues, total eradication of kerosene subsidy bringing a savings of N91b, rigorous review of budgetary provisions for service wide, votes, pensions, capital supplementation, gratuity administration, presidential amnesty budget, catering and allied procurements, welfare packages, travels, honorarium and other overhead expenses.

“We affirm that there is a need to proactively restructure the appropriation bill to reflect the true spirit of austerity and prudence, he stated.

Emphasising the consequence of continuous drop in oil price, Bello said, “As at midJanuary, oil price had dropped below $50 per barrel. We have made comments on the implications of the unfolding scenario. It is however worth repeating that the current global and domestic economic conditions portend profound challenges for the private sector. There will be pressures on costs driven by the depreciating naira; there will be structural shifts in demand and competitiveness in favour of high local content. There will also be erosion of profit margins across many sectors. The emerging weak public sector cash flow will affect general liquidity condition in the economy, but segments driven by public sector patronage will be more impacted.

“The economy is inherently resilient by virtue of its size, the very creative and resourceful informal sector, the enterprising nature of the citizens, the large market and the huge natural resource endowment. We hope that this would have a moderating effect on the current macroeconomic shocks. The robust internal dynamics of the domestic economy should be harnessed to mitigate the current challenges.

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Cocktail

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

‘Star Wars’ stormtrooper armour blocked snake bite

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n Australian man taking a nearly 10,000-mile walk across the country in his Star Wars stormtrooper costume said the armour saved him from a deadly snake bite.

Scott Loxley, whose 9,320mile walk across Australia is aimed at raising money for the Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, said he was leaving Yalboroo, Queensland, Wednesday on his way to Mackay when he spotted what appeared to be a dead snake at the side of the road.

“He’s lunged at me and bit me. But the good news is the armour -- he bit me in the shin -- and the armour actually protected me and stopped the bite,” Loxley said. “I could feel the teeth scraping on the plastic, but the armour actually stopped something.”

Loxley said the stormtrooper armour, long criticized by fans of the franchise as ineffective against attacks ranging from laser blasts to rocks thrown by Ewoks, proved it was in some way effective.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Oddities

British MI5 won’t hire agents with tattoos

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ew job descriptions posted by MI5 -- the British domestic security and counter-terrorism agency -- ban hiring agents with tattoos.

“Being able to blend into the background and remain covert is of paramount importance in our investigations,” one job description says. “Any distinguishing features such as tattoos on

your face, neck or forearms would make you more recognisable to someone who is under surveillance and would therefore make you unsuitable for this role. Likewise, if you are male you will need to be 6’1” (1.86m) or under. Females must be 5’8” (1.72m) or under.”

The Telegraph notes that Sean Connery was forced to hide a tattoo on his forearm that says “Scotland Forever” when he played James Bond, a fictional MI6 -- MI5’s foreign-affairs counterpart -- agent.

The job descriptions also stress the importance of

patience, good vision and hearing, communication skills and driving skills.

The director general of MI5, Andrew Parker, recently said there are “mass casualty attacks against the West” being planned by “a group of core al-Qaida terrorists in Syria.”

Police chief apologises for comments on dog-killing

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police chief in the Chicago suburbs apologized for a recorded conversation in which he suggested killing his department’s police dog.

Midlothian Police Chief Harold Kaufman was recorded talking to a police dispatcher in nearby Oak Forest about what to do with the department’s dog, Biko, after his handler resigned.

“Our K-9 officer just came in and quit on me, so now I’m going to be stuck with either going and shooting the dog and killing it or finding somewhere to put it,” Kaufman said in the recording, which was posted to YouTube by a resident.

Kaufman apologized Wednesday at a meeting of the Midlothian village board.

“My statement about

shooting Biko was admittedly inappropriate and unprofessional,” Kaufman said in his apology, which was also posted to YouTube. “I assure you that at no time did I actually intend to shoot Biko or harm him in any way.”

“As the head of the police department I recognize that I need to accept responsibility for my actions and move forward accordingly,” he said.

A festival attendee getting a tattoo during the Tattoo Art Festival at Parc Floral in Paris

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Civil Service

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

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SEC appoints Gwarzo as Acting Director-General

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r Munir Gwarzo, the Executive Commissioner, Operations, securities and Exchange Commission was on Monday, appointed as the Acting DirectorGeneral of the commission.This is contained in a statement by the commission that was made available to newsmen in Abuja. According to the statement, Ms Arunma Oteh, the former Director-General of the commission announced this during a formal handover ceremony in the commission.

Gwarzo was an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Stock

brokers and became a fellow of the institute in 2005.``He has played roles in Nigerian Capital Market as an operator and as a regulator.``This is evident from the calibre of institutions he has served in during his working career that spans a period of 25 years,’’ the statement said. It said the institutions include Ministry of Trade, Kano State; Nigerian Stock Exchange, Century Merchant Bank Limited, Empire Securities Limited, Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and MTL Global Investment Limited.

Gwarzo has also partic-

ipated in several courses both at home and abroad, some of which include, The Securities Market Regulation and Development of Bonds Markets in Johannesburg, Asset Backed Securities and Mortgage Securitization in Singapore and Operational and Credit Risk Management in Dubai among others.’’ It quoted Oteh at the occassion as describing her five year tenure at the Commission as ``absolutely outstanding’’ attributing it to the co-operation she received from every member of staff.

“When I joined SEC in January 2010, I was abso-

lutely certain about why SEC was important and what its role and agenda was. ``I was able to articulate it in one phrase `building a world class market’. ``To have a vision and have everyone being able to connect and align around it for me whether it is capital market operators, shareholders and other stakeholders for me was very rewarding.

But I don’t think it would have been possible without everyone of you accepting the challenge to try something in a different way or do something in a way you are not quite sure of,’’ the statement further quoted her as say-

ing. She said the commission had been able to lay a foundation for the nation to see a capital market that would help tackle its infrastructure challenges.

She added that the foundation would also help people who were setting up businesses and those who own businesses raise millions of Naira in the capital market. `` Our aim was to build a meritocracy so that it is a viable businesses that gets funded, not necessarily the ones that have connections.

My view is that one of the things that will ad-

FG to link Katsina with rail line

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L-R: Leader of National Malaria Elimination Programme, Mr. Ene Eyo; Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Fom Dakwak and Permanent Secretary, Plateau State Ministry of Health, Dr. Elias Pede, during the inauguration of Long Lasting Insecticidal Treated Net Coordination Committee Network in Jos, recently.

PHOTO: NAN

dress it is if people can feel that they are included, have economic access; can create wealth, that the income inequalities that we see around us can be addressed. `` And I believe that the capital market is the answer and what we have done in the last five years is to lay a foundation; there is still a lot of work to be done” Oteh said. The former Director-General therefore appealed to staff to continue to work hard and support the leadership to ensure that the brand that was built is not eroded.

he Federal Government on Tuesday announced that it would establish rail line on Katsina-Kano and Katsina-SokotoKauranamoda-Bir ninkebbi routes to enhance business activities in the North-West area of the country. Vice President Namadi Sambo disclosed this in Katsina while addressing people in the state during Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign.

Sambo said that the establishment of the rail line would ease transportation of people and goods within the zone and across the country, adding that it would also reduce high cost of transportation currently borne by the people. According to him, the development will encourage

social cohesion and unity among Nigerians.

He also said that the government had awarded contract for the dualisation of Kano-Katsina road.

The project, he said, would also boost socioeconomic activities, especially in the two states.

Sambo said President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had given the zone top political positions, including Vice President, Minister of Defence, National Security Adviser and Inspector-General of Police. He therefore called on the electorate in the state to return Jonathan as president by voting for the PDP in Feb.14 election. He also appealed to the people to vote for all PDP candidates contesting various elective positions.

Ministry seals 14 petrol pumps at 6 filling stations in Abuja

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eighing and Measuring Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment on Tuesday in Abuja sealed 14 pumps at six petrol filling stations for alleged under dispensing of fuel to motorists. The enforcement team, led by the department’s Acting Director, Mr Mohammed Sidi-Sada, sealed the stations for allegedly manipulating their meters and cheating on motorists.

He said the ministry was out to ensure strict

compliance with the Federal Governement’s directive on reduction of pump price of fuel from N97 to N87 per litre.He said although the stations visited complied with the directive by adjusting their meters to N87 per litre, they were still defrauding the motorists by under dispensing of fuel to them.

The stations sealed included Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), ConOil Area1, Fortre Oil, AY Ashafa both in Gudu District, Oando Jama’are close, and

Advanced Link both in Area 11.according to him, NNPC station in Gudu has one of its pumps sealed for short changing motorists with 3.1 litres on 20 litres, while four pumps were sealed at Fortre Oil for cheating customers with 6.1litres on 20 litres.

He said three pumps were sealed in Oando for under dispensing to customers with between two to three litres on 20 litres.

He said AY Ashafa had four of its pumps sealed for allegedly cheating motorists with 1.1 litres on 20

litres.

He said Advanced Link’s two pumps were sealed for reducing 1.2 litres on 20 litres sold to motorists.

According to him, Conoil has two of its pumps sealed for under dispensing to motorists with 30ml on 20 litres sold.

However, the Station Manager, Mr Emmanuel Akor, at Conoil, protested what he described as unjust sealing of the pumps of the station.

Akor said the station had not gone far beyond

the limit of its allowances, which he said stipulated plus or minus 20 ml on 20 litres.

He said the irregularity in the pumps was due to technical error because some of the pumps were even over dispensing to motorists.

Speaking with the newsmen at the end of the exercise, the team leader said government would not fold its arms and watch the operators cheating on the innocent motorists.

Sidi-Sada said the de-

partment would continue to carry out periodic surveillance on the filling stations and the ministry would not relent until there was total compliance with the directive.

He urged motorists to report any filling station that either under-dispensed or sell sub standard products or failed to cooperate with them to Weight and Measures or other agencies.

In fact, they should stop buying from filing stations which they have discovered to be.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PHRC will turn in more profits in 2015, says MD

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L-R: Director, State Security Services, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim; Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State, Alhaji Shauibu Gambo and DCP Douglas Agbonleni, during a news conference on President Jonathan’s campaign visit to the state, in Sokoto, at the weekend.

PHOTO: NAN

Psychologists say molested children need mental health care

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clinical psychologist and mental health care expert, Dr Richard Adebayo, on Tuesday urged government at all levels to put in place a programme to rehabilitate victims of child molestation. Adebayo, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, said that children abused experience complications, which if not treated, could ultimately lead to mental disorder.

The authorities only ensure that physical injuries are cared for, but the health implications do not end there. Long term complications may evolve from what the child has passed through, The traumatised child keeps reliving the experience and the brain replays the incidence again and again, making it a fresh experience each time.

They experience fear, anxiety and apprehension which lingers and results in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Others may not be able to experience normal marital relationships and view males as potential abuser or opportunist.

Some others would exhibit anti-social behaviours, become hostile, irritable, withdrawn and lose their self esteem even becoming sex workers,’’ he said.

The expert lauded the efforts of the Lagos State government in the fight against child defilement, but expressed the need for the same effort to be directed towards the support and care of the victims.

According to him, ignorance and the fear of being stigmatised prevent parents from seeking help for their children, who have been abused.

Adebayo implored the government to create enlightenment programme on mental health care and provide specific support services for affected children.

Treatment should be offered to these children outside the hospital setting, where they can be evaluated by clinical psychologists.

The government should ensure they receive treatment and more severe cases should be transferred to appropriate hospitals.

Then a life line, as a form of follow up, should be available whereby the psychologist or counselor may be contacted if the need arises even years after the child’s ordeal,’’ the psychiatrist said.

Adebayo also charged the government to reorientate law enforcement agents on the way to handle child abuse cases.

They should be trained in handling these sensitive matters so that they do not ignorantly undermine the fight,’’ he said.

The consultant psychiatrist also advised parents to do more to protect their children from predators.

It is their primary responsibility to monitor the activities of their children, give them guidelines to protect them from predators, who are often familiar individuals,’’ he said.

Adebayo also said that the government should make appropriate mental health care available to the abusers because pedophilia is a mental order.

Even in their prison cells, pedophiles should be helped, because a mental disorder is the underlying

factor in their abnormal behaviour,’’ the medical expert said.

Another clinical psychologist, Mr Nathaniel Ayodeji, of Mental Health Foundation, Lagos, said that one in every five young people today had some form of mental health issues owing to unaddressed ugly childhood experiences.

One in five young people today has one form of mental challenge; that is 20 per cent of our youths.

This is because many have had unpleasant childhood experiences that have made them vulnerable and unable to cope with normal

stress of life.

They become depressed, withdrawn and lose their self esteem,’’ the psychologist said.

Ayodeji canvassed for greater enlightenment on mental health in order to educate the people.

There is no mystery attached to mental health care. If you have malaria you need to see a doctor.

The same principle applies with mental disorders, The government also needs to employ more professionals to meet the needs of those with mental health challenge,’’ he said.

2015 Elections: NUJ canvasses insurance for journalists

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he Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has taken steps to ensure the safety of its members who would be involved in covering the forthcoming 2015 General Elections in the country.

The President of the union, Mr Mohammed Garba, said this on Tuesday when he received the EU Election Monitoring team led by its head of Media, Mr Marek Mracka, in Abuja. Garba said that the safety of journalists during elections must be guaranteed.

Every reporter that would be involved in the elections, must be insured because we have discussed

the issue with the media organisations.” He added that the union was collaborating with international organisations such as the UNDP and the U.S. embassy for the training of reporters on the successful coverage of the elections. He said the training was aimed at ensuring that journalists adhered to professional ethics and the Nigerian media code of election coverage.

The NUJ president told the visiting team that the union raised the issue of balance and objective analysis of candidates vying for the elective offices in the forthcoming elec-

tions. `` On the issue of balanced reportage, the media should be able to provide equal treatment and ensure a level playing ground for Nigerians to have more knowledge about their candidates.”

He maintained that the media played an important role for the attainment of Nigeria`s independence, adding that the industry would also play a critical role for the success of 2015 elections.

Responding, Mracka said that the visit was aimed at creating a synergy between the NUJ and the EU Elections Monitoring team during the elections.

he Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited said its plant was currently running at a profit, in spite of the ongoing phased rehabilitation and Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the refinery.

This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Department, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Ohi ALegbe.

The statement said the Managing Director of the PHRC, Dr Bafred Enjugu, stated this in Port Harcourt.It said with the increasing demand of the petroleum products, the PHRC would turn in more profits in 2015.

It said the plant would continue to refine more petroleum products such as premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol, automotive gas oil and dual purpose kerosene.

The statement said the Federal Government and the management of the NNPC last year approved an 18-month circle of phased rehabilitation for all the refineries.It said the exercise engaged local contractors after the Original Refinery Builders (ORB) failed to turn up to carry out the TAM. It stated that the initiative afforded PHRC engineers the opportunity to participate actively in the ongoing phased rehabilitation.The statement said it also provided indigenous contractors the window to supply the refinery with spare parts and equipment that required replacement.

It noted that the participation of indigenous engineers in the phased rehabilitation was in compliance with the Nigerian Content Act.The Act seeks to promote indigenous players in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Sector.it said the new approach had contributed immensely in enabling the PHRC to become a profit centre, adding that several billions of naira was saved in capital flight.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

24 DAYS TO GO

GEORGE OJI ABUJA

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ational Institute for Legislative Studies, NILS, the intellectual capacity building arm of the National Assembly, has entered into agreement with the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, to establish a special study centre at the National Assembly for the purpose of training law-

Politics

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

43

Legislative Institute partners NOUN on lawmakers’ training

makers and their staff.

At the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, in Abuja on Monday on the partnership, NOUN Vice Chancellor, Professor Vincent Tenebe, explained that the special centre is unique in that it would afford lawmakers, their staff, members of their families and their immediate communities the opportunity to study at the institution

while also working.

Restating the motto of the institution, “Work and Learn,” Tenebe explained that the special study centre at the National Assembly will enable beneficiaries the opportunity to attain unlimited heights in their academic pursuits.

Tenebe said: “By establishing this study centre, all courses that are offered in the university will also be offered here so that peo-

ple can live up to their academic ambitions; you can study from the first degree to the Masters’ to the Ph.D and fulfil your academic ambition.”

NILS Director General, Dr. (Mrs.) Ladi Hamalai, who represented its board chairman and Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, explained that the importance of the MoU stems from the fact that the partnership will

provide rare opportunity for the 469 lawmakers at the National Assembly to access education and training at the least inconvenience.

She said as the capacity building arm of the National Assembly, NILS has the overall role to make sure that all opportunities that will lead to the development, enhancement of skills and capacities of legislators and parliamentary staff are provided.

She said: “We have this MoU with the NOUN as the VC has stated, this is very convenient for the legislators in the sense a study centre is situated near them and they will continue to study as they work.

It is in our overall interest to be more educated and to have more experience and be more effective, which is better for the sustenance of democratic good governance in the country.”

Oyo SDP guber candidate assures of running to win KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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yo State Social Democratic Party, SDP gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Seyi Makinde, yesterday reiterated his commitment to run the race, saying he remained focused and resolute, despite the minor disruption of his gubernatorial campaign flag-off on Monday.

Speaking through the Director General of his campaign organization, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola, in Ibadan, Makinde said the turnout of people at the rally was an indication of the acceptability of the party in the state.

Ayoola, a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly also seized the opportunity to thank the people of the state who turned out in their thousands to welcome SDP leaders from different parts of the country.

Speaking at a press

conference, Ayoola said Makinde is in the race to banish poverty in the state without depending on the monthly allocation, reiterating his commitment to raise the standard of living of the people through the provision of free and qualitative education, health and infrastructure.

He said if elected, Makinde’s focus is also to improve on agriculture, commerce and community development.

Averring that the disruption of the rally at the tail end on Monday will not discourage Makinde, Ayoola said the campaign organisation has resolved to address germane issues as they affect the people and the state in general.

He said: “We remained focused, we remain undaunted and stable, the minor disruption will not affect us, there is no time to use our energy on issues of distractions but to address germane issues.”

L-R: Presidential aspirant of Kowa Party, Prof. Remi Sonaiya; chairman of the occasion, Dame Priscilla Kuye; President, Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, University of Ibadan, Prof. Gbemisola Oke and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Aborishade, during a workshop on enhancing women political participation in Ibadan, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

APGA women denies defection of its members to Imo PDP ADEOLA TUKURU ABUJA

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ll Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Women for Good Governance, WGG, has dismissed the report claiming that 12,000 APGA members defected to the Peoplse Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo State following the death of its senatorial candidate in Imo West, Mrs. Okwesilieze Igwe last year.

A press statement signed by

its coordinator, Mrs Grace Chike, said report quoted in New Telegraph newspaper of January 19 by Senator Hope Uzodinma, that about 12,000 supporters of the late Mrs. Igwe had defected to PDP to guarantee his re-election bid, was a figment of his imagination.

Chike said: “We dismiss the purported defection of a whooping 12,000 APGA members to the crisis-infected PDP in Imo State as the figment of the infantile

imagination of Senator Uzodinma whose popularity in the state has nosedived in recent time.

“Senator Uzodinma is aware of his defeat in the February 14 senatorial election along with his co-travellers in PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC. “It is unfortunate that the outgoing Senator Uzodinma will politicise the death of Hon (Mrs.) Igwe in his bid to return to the Senate when the elec-

Mass defection threatens PDP in Taraba CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

He said he walked out of the primaries when he discovered that there was not going to be primaries, but allocation of tickets to preferred candidates by the cabal, adding: “Some of you may be wondering why at my first time, I came under an umbrella, the PDP, and today, I come, riding on a white horse, SPD. “A cabal hijacked the process. Some of you, elected delegates to choose our leaders, will better tell the story.

Unable to bear the humiliation meted to our people

and the raw injustice to the state, my humble self, your loyal servant and Ambassador John Musa, decided to walk out of the venue of the charade, in the PDP Wadata House in Abuja.

“My teeming supporters and I have decided to dump the PDP for SDP, a party, which, by its slogan, stands for justice.”

Allaying fears of the ruling party’s plot to rig elections, Kente called on the people of the state to resist their move using the ballot, even as he vowed to do everything possible to stop them from rigging.

Speaking at the launch, SDP National Chairman, Chief Falae said they decided to revive the party

two years ago when they discovered that big political parties were not giving justice to their members and Nigerians and called on the people of the state to vote for the party.

The mass defection of PDP top shots and the general acceptability of opposition parties in the state is sending warning signals

to the PDP camp, which is becoming jittery of the development, which a source close to PDP think tank said is giving the ruling party sleepless nights and it has been having series of meetings to strategise ahead of elections to sell its gubernatorial candidate who is seen by the opposition parties as unpopular.

Bamidele: Ekiti’s beautiful bride ahead general elections CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

Bamidele said that was the fourth meeting he would hold with APC leaders, adding: “Likewise, I had

met with PDP leadership, even some officials of the Presidency discussing several issues that bordered on the development of this

nation. I had met with even our dear governor, Mr Fayose as stakeholders in Ekiti project, so, it is about Nigeria.”

Whichever way anybody looks at it, Bamidele remains a force in the political clime and indeed a beautiful bride in the state.

torate has served him a quit notice over his dismal performance.

“To cash in on the sudden death of a popular APGA woman of honour and dignity is justice juxtaposed and kindergarten politics unbecoming of a supposed distinguished senator.”

Saying that the fact that the husband of the late Hon (Mrs.) Igwe, Hon Chrstian Igwe joined PDP does not translate by any stretch of the imagination that APGA members and supporters have defected to PDP. Saying that APGA is waxing stronger and growing in leaps and bounds in Imo State and ready to take over the Government House from Governor Rochas Okorocha who vamoosed with the party’s mandate to APC that is alien to Ndigbo, Chike added: “We reassure APGA members and the good people of Imo State that Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho is on a rescue mission to save Imo State from political buccaneers masquerading as democrats and deliver dividends of democracy to the longsuffering people of the state.”

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

I’ll stabilise LASU fees –Agbaje AYO ESAN

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agos State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial candidate, Jimi Agbaje, has promised not to increase tuition fees paid by students of the Lagos State

•Accuses APC govt of selfishness University, LASU, just as he has assured non-indigenes of fairness and justice under his administration.

Lamenting the poor state of education in the state, Agbaje said a PDP administration under his

leadership would do a comprehensive job on the sector to restore its lost glory.

He based this on the fact that the impact of the rot on the education sector was real as most students from the state who took part in

All Progressives Congress, APC, supporters at presidential rally in Dutse, Jigawa State, yesterday.

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

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ggrieved All Progressives Congress, APC, aspirants for Lagos State House of Assembly, who were aggrieved with APC leadership have finally settled their grievances and resolved to work for the general interests of the party.

At a meeting with APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the aggrieved aspirants expressed displeasure with the ways and manners APC candidates for Lagos House of Assembly emerged at the recently conducted party primary election.

Immediate past leader of Ifako Ijaiye Local Gov-

24 DAYS TO GO

the West African School Certificate Examination, WASCE, performed woefully in 2014.

He said as a beneficiary of Lagos State scholarship in the past, he would ensure that LASU fees were not in-

PHOTO: NAN

Lagos Assembly aspirants meet Tinubu, settle grievances ernment legislative arm, Hon Niyi Fadare, who contested for Ifako Ijaiye constituency 1 and chairman of the Aspirants’ Forum, thanked Tinubu for making time out to meet them, despite his tight schedule.

Fadare also commended one of APC gubernatorial aspirants, Tayo Ayinde, under whose initiative the aggrieved aspirants came together.

He said Ayinde held several meetings with them, appealing to them to bury their hatchet, forget about their individual interests for the general interests of the party that has provided

all of them different opportunities to be relevant in life.

Visibly happy with the spirit of sportsmanship and initiative of the aspirants, Tinubu urged all of them to ensure victory for the party at the general elections, saying that the party is large enough to take care of their respective interests.

He charged all the 241 aspirants to get involved at different stages of campaign activities from their various constituencies to the national level, saying that all party members cannot hold elective and appointive political positions

at the same time, assuring that their labour for the party will not go in vain.

Secretary of the forum, Dr Ibrahim Qazeem, from Somolu constituency 2 assured Tinubu of their readiness and preparedness to ensure victory for the party at different levels of election come February.

Hon Jimoh Olufunke from Ojo constituency 2 informed that the forum has given them opportunity to know themselves and different challenges facing the party and how to confront them headlong to enable the party win at all levels of elections in the state.

Osun PDP crises: Storm in tea cup –Oduoye BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

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rises ravaging Osun State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, showed signs of being resolved yesterday, just as a stalwart of the party described the crisis as “a mere storm in tea cup.”

National Mirror reliably learnt that the two key personalities involved in the crises, Prince Diran Odeyemi, Osun PDP spokesperson, and Alhaji

Ganiyu OlaOluwa, the state PDP chairman, are being pressured to halt further media war on the matter.

Dropping hint about steps being taken to resolve whatever disagreement in the party, PDP candidate for Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo Otin federal constituency, Mr. Kayode Oduoye, said the crises was being played up, insisting that the party remains united in the state.

He spoke during a programme organised by Cor-

respondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Osun State council, adding that party elders had already waded into the matter, allaying fears that the chances of the party may be affected by the crises.

He posited that the “near zero representation the federal constituency has got since 2011” compelled him to offer himself for service, urging his constituents to support all PDP candidates in next month’s poll.

He listed education, health and youth empowerment as few of the areas he would focus attention on, if elected, adding that “the reality on ground is that Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo Otin federal constituency had near zero representation in the last four years. I believe our people deserve better deal and that is why I am out running to give them what they actually deserve in reward for sending someone to Abuja to represent them.”

creased, while deserving students would enjoy scholarships and bursaries.

Accompanied by his running mate, Alhaja Safurat Abdulkareem during Town Hall meetings yesterday in Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin and Oshodi-Isolo local councils, Agbaje accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of running a selfish regime in the state, saying: “They are the ones who give the contract and they are the ones who execute the contracts.”

He said APC has only succeeded in promoting programmes specifically designed to serve the benefit of those in government and their acolytes, criticising its educational policy, saying, underfunding of schools had forced up to 80 students to be massed in a single class He said: “A government that has not delivered on health, housing, education and infrastructure, how can it now demand continuity? This is not time for continuity; it is time for change in Lagos.

“This is a government made up of those who will not carry out any programme except it will benefit them. They said BRT will replace Molue, but BRT has now turned to Molue. As we

travel through Lagos roads, we see them breaking down all over the place. When you enter one, you pray that it will not break down before you reach your destination.

The few ones that are on the road, you can see that those are the ones they have placed their posters upon.”

He also accused the present government of not paying the necessary attention to the housing needs of the people, promising that apart from direct building of houses by his government, a scheme would be put in place to encourage private developers to build affordable houses for the masses.

Accusing APC government of paying lip service to free health, he promised a hospital scheme whose backbone would be a government-supported insurance health plan.

Promising to push local content in the execution of government projects, he said jobs would become available for the people, adding that, five percent of budgets in all ministries and agencies would be reserved for the youth, to help them establish businesses.

Aduda Vanguard Group inaugurated, mobilises for victory EBERE NDUKWU

T

he re-election campaign of Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, representing Federal Capital Territory, FCT, senatorial district got a boost recently, following the formal inauguration of the Aduda Vanguard Group, AVG. AVG comprising mainly youths resident in the senatorial district, is mobilising and strategising for the success of the senator at the forthcoming February 14 polls.

At the official unveiling of the group in Abuja recently, its coordinator, Ikechukwu Emedolibe Medos, charged the youths to step up their mobilisation to ensure nothing but victory for the senator, whose stewardship to the people of the FCT is outstanding.

Medos told the group that they should comport

themselves well, while going to all the neighbourhoods in the FCT to sell the great feats of Senator Aduda to all the residents.

He said: “Although it is obvious that Senator Aduda has done so much for the FCT senatorial district to garner votes for victory at the polls, we do not wish to leave anything to chance, which is why I am enjoining each and every one of us to comb our neighbourhood to let the people understand that Aduda is the man for the job.

“We should preach the gospel of continuity because a journey that is good deserves a repeat. I must thank you for turning out massively in support of this great son of Nigeria born to represent the people of the FCT. Since Aduda has given us good representation in the Senate, this is the time to ensure that he continues come May 29.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

High cap stocks lift index by 0.2% JOHNSON OKANLAWON

G

ains recorded mostly by high capitalized companies lifted the equities index on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday.

Specifically, the All Share Index Appreciated 0.15 per cent to close at 29,819.39 points, compared to the increase of 2.54 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 29,773.40 points.

Market capitalisation gained N15bn to close at N9.93trn, compared to the rise of N246bn recorded the preceding day to close at N9.92trn.

On the sectorial indices, the

NSE 30-Index added 0.33 per cent to close at 1,349.19 points, while the Banking Index appreciated 2.16 per cent to close at 307.39 points.

The Insurance Index was up 1.07 per cent to close at 141.91 points, but the Consumer Goods Index dropped 0.64 per cent to close at 787.78 points.

The Oil and Gas Index shed 0.14 per cent to close at 363.91 points, while the Lotus Islmaic Index rose 0.89 per cent to close at 1,924.68 points.

The Industrila Index appreciated 0.81 per cent to close at 1,897.94 points. The Alternative Securities Mar-

ket remained flat at 1,213.36 points.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc led the gainers’ table with N1.04 or 5.28 per cent to close at N20.72 per share, followed

by Union Bank Plc with 43 kobo or five per cent to close at N9.03 per share.

University Press Plc gained 19 kobo or 4.99 per cent to close at N4.00 per share, while UACN Plc added N1.62 or 4.98 per cent to close at N34.14 per share.

Guinnes Nigeria Plc appreciated N5.50 or 4.37 per cent to close at N131.50 per share.

Conversely, Okomu Oil

Plc dropped N1.56 or 6.13 per cent to close at N23.90 per share, while RT Briscoe Plc dipped four kobo or five per cent to close at 76 kobo per share.

Union Dicon Salt Plc shed 69 kobo or 4.96 per cent to close at N13.23 per share, while Dangote Flour Plc declined 19 kobo or 4.90 per cent to close at N3.69 per share.

Ikeja Hotel Plc fell 15 kobo or 4.82 per cent to close at N2.96 per share.

A total of 311.5 million shares valued at N14.1bn were exchanged in 4,640 deals.

Stanbic IBTC stockbrokers emerge best dealers JOHNSON OKANLAWON

T

he Nigerian Stock Exchange has named Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, a member of the Stanbic IBTC Group, as the leading market operator in the Nigerian capital market.

The stockbrokerage firm had won the NSE CEO Award as the best dealing member firm on the Exchange in 2014.

The prestigious NSE CEO Award is an annual capital market award, in three sub-categories, that recognizes excellence and exceptional performance by market operators in a given year.

A statement from the firm explained that the promoters of the awards seek to reward outstanding contributions to the growth and development of the capital market and the Exchange.

It said the award reinforces Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited as the largest stockbroking firm in Nigeria in both volume and value of total transactions handled in 2014.

Data from the Exchange showed that Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited achieved a turnover in excess of 24 billion units of shares, which represented 11.42 per cent volume of shares valued at over N472bn to lead both the vol-

ume and value tables.

The statement quoted the Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, Mr. Oladele Sotubo, as saying that the company is delighted to win the NSE CEO award as it validates the appetite and growing capacity of the stockbroking firm, leveraging on the expertise of the Stanbic IBTC Group, to provide robust services in the capital market.

He said that the award and the recent listing on the Exchange of Stanbic IBTC Exchange Traded Fund (Stanbic IBTC ETF 30), are clear indications of the Stanbic IBTC Group’s focus on building a strong and vi-

brant stock market.

“We are delighted to be recognised for our efforts and credible performances in the Nigerian capital market. The award reflects our strong commitment to consistently deliver relevant, innovative and timely solutions to our ever growing local and foreign clientele.

“Increasing our market share is a bold statement that gives our present and prospective clients more confidence to do business with us. It also means that we have to work harder to maintain that position as competition will continue to strive to take the lead from us.” he added.

US stocks dip, hopes grow for central bank actions

T

he United States stocks edged lower yesterday after the International Monetary Fund lowered its growth forecasts for 2015 and 2016, though the move spurred hopes that the central bank would take more aggressive policy stances to accelerate economic improvement.

The lower forecasts implied less demand for fuel through 2016, contributing to crude oil prices taking another leg lower, which in turn fueled another day of weakness in the energy space despite some bullish results from major names.

The IMF projected

growth of 3.5 per cent this year and 3.7 per cent next year; both forecasts are down by 0.3 percentage points. The IMF advised advanced economies to maintain accommodative monetary policies to avoid increases in real interest rates as cheaper oil increases the risk of deflation.

“This absolutely raises the odds that we’ll see more central bank action. The upside to seeing less international growth is that it is now very unlikely the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates mid-year,” said Paul Nolte, portfolio manager at Kingsview As-

set Management in Chicago.

The European Central Bank is expected to announce on Thursday a program of bond buying designed to boost the region’s flagging economy.

“If we don’t see something out of the ECB, that will really increase volatility,” Nolte said.

US crude futures fell 4.6 per cent to $46.46 per barrel, keeping the commodity - which is down more than 55 percent since June - near its lowest level since 2009.

Halliburton Co and Baker Hughes Inc warned that a fall in drilling activity due to weak oil prices would hurt

results in 2015, though the companies also reported better-than-expected fourthquarter profits. Halliburton was down 1.5 per cent to $38.55, while Baker lost 1.8 per cent to $55.56.

Johnson & Johnson fell 2.4 per cent to $101.50 after adjusted earnings beat expectations by a penny per share, though revenue missed forecasts.

Morgan Stanley reported a drop of 81 per cent in revenue from trading fixed-income securities, currencies and commodities, though earnings rose on a sharp drop in legal costs. Shares fell two per cent to $34.20.

45

Source: NSE

Market indicators All-Share Index 29,819.39 points Market capitalisation 9.93trn

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

GUARANTY

19.68

20.72

1.04

5.28

UBN

8.60

9.03

0.43

5.00

UPL

3.81

4.00

0.19

4.99

UACN

32.52

34.14

1.62

4.98

GUINNESS

126.00

131.50

5.50

4.37

ABCTRANS

0.53

0.55

0.02

3.77

NEM

0.57

0.59

0.02

3.51

STANBIC

25.12

25.99

0.87

3.46

ETERNA

2.60

2.69

0.09

3.46

UBA

3.66

3.78

0.12

3.28

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

OKOMUOIL

25.46

23.90

-1.56

-6.13

RTBRISCOE

0.80

0.76

-0.04

-5.00

UNIONDICON

13.92

13.23

-0.69

-4.96

DANGFLOUR

3.88

3.69

-0.19

-4.90

IKEJAHOTEL

3.11

2.96

-0.15

-4.82

EVANSMED

2.28

2.17

-0.11

-4.82

COSTAIN

0.64

0.61

-0.03

-4.69

SKYEBANK

2.30

2.20

-0.10

-4.35

LEARNAFRCA

1.34

1.29

-0.05

-3.73

NESTLE

855.00

830.50

-24.50

-2.87

FGN Bonds Offer

Bid Description

Price

Yield

Price

Yield

13.05 16-AUG-2016

1.57

96.95

15.28

97.10

15.17

15.10 27-APR-2017

2.27

99.20

15.49

99.35

15.41

16.00 29-JUN-2019

4.44

101.25

15.59

101.55

15.49

16.39 27-JAN-2022

7.02

103.10

15.64

103.40

15.57

14.20 14-MAR-2024

9.15

93.00

15.65

93.30

15.59

10.00 23-JUL-2030

15.50 71.00

14.82

71.30

14.76

Closing Market Prices of January 20, 2015

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

23-Apr-15

12.25

12.64

06-Aug-15

13.70

14.80

07-Jan-16

14.25

16.52

NIBOR Tenor

Rate (%)

O/N

7.0000

1M

12.8705

3M

14.2773

6M

15.5592 The Fixings of January 20, 2015

46

Capital Market

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at January 20, 2015 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Community Mirror Let’s respect people wishes, and not try to disenfranchise anybody. We have had issues with the PVC and I want to tell you that even myself I don’t have a PVC so it means I will not SULTAN OF SOKOTO – SA’AD ABUBAKAR III

LAWMA warns against indiscriminate burning of refuse DARE AKOGUN

T

he Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has warned residents to desist from indiscriminate burning of refuse so as not to further pollute the environment.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr. Lukemon Seriki, the Public Relations Officer of the LAWMA, and made available to Community mirror.

The authority also warned the people to adhere strictly to the state environmental rules and regulation.

It stated that the warning became necessary in order to maintain high environmental standard and ensure cleaner, healthier, safer and disease-free Lagos in 2015.

The statement quoted Managing Director of LAWMA, Ola Oresanya, as appealing to residents to comply with Section 14 (a &

b) of the Lagos State’s Environmental Sanitation Law. The law states that “no person shall burn or cause to be burnt, waste of any description on a tenement, or dump waste at any place other than a waste disposal site.”

Oresanya warned that people should desist from

the acts of refuse burning and other conducts that might ignite fire.

He listed such other conducts to include storage of combustible materials and illegal tapping of electricity, especially in this dry, dusty and combustion prone harmattan season.

The PRO stated that the law was clear as sections 18, (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) stipulate penalties for anybody who contravened the law.

He also advised Lagosians to patronise only the assigned Private Sector Participant, PSP, operators

for proper evacuation of wastes.

He reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to ensuring effective sanitation in all parts of the state.

While wishing residents a dirt-free and cleaner Lagos in 2015, he enjoined residents to contact the authority on its toll free lines 5577 or 07080601020 for any waste management challenges.

He assured that the customer care unit of the authority would be available 24 hours to address complaints and needs of the general public.

Communal clash: Ipetumodu, Ashipa leaders embrace peace OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

L A magician performing at the APC mega rally held in Lagos recently PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

NIS hands over victims of human trafficking to NAPTIP DARE AKOGUN

N

igeria Immigration Service, NIS, Seme Border Patrol on Monday handed over two victims of human trafficking to National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP. The Controller, Border Patrol Command, Mr. Abdulahi Hayatu while handing over the victims, said that they were arrested in a luxury bus on January 2

enroute Ivory Coast.

He revealed that the victims, Taiye Ademola, 21, from Ogun State and Faith Egbife, 19, from Delta were on their way to Ivory Coast when they stopped the bus they were travelling in for a routine check.

He said, “Sighting the victims, they were asked certain questions and they could not provide the answers to them, so, it raised our suspicions.

“On further questioning and investigation, we

found out that the manager of the bus was the agent in the trafficking chain.

The controller regretted that those who should serve as informants to the service were abating horrendous act.

“It is sad and annoying to find out that people that are supposed to be providing us with relevant information are the ones committing the crime.

“We will fish them out and they shall be dealt with according to the law,” he said.

One of the victims Taiye Ademola, claimed ignorance of being trafficked saying that they didn’t know that they were being taken to Ivory Coast for human trafficking.

“We spoke to a man who simply identified himself as Chidi and he promised to assist us when we get to Ivory Coast,” she said.

Mrs. Omolara Ibrahim, who stood for NAPTIP, noted that investigation would commence to apprehend the fleeing manager and traffickers.

Police investigate death of 2 kids in Enugu

T

he Enugu State Police Command has confirmed the death of two children at a stream located at New Government Reserved Area axis of Trans Ekulu layout in Enugu.

A statement by the Command’s Public Relation Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu,

said the two children, Emeka Nwafor and Nmesoma Nwafor aged 7 and 4 respectively were found dead inside the stream on January 13 2014.

It said that the remains of the children had been deposited at a hospital for autopsy, as investigation continues.

In another development,

the statement said that the Ninth Mile Police Division was also investigating the shooting of a hunter, Benjamin Igu of Umuokpala Egede area of Udi Local Government Area of the state.

It said that Igu alongside the suspect and other hunters had gone for hunting ex-

pedition when he was shot.

According to the police, the suspect, a 70-year-old man, claimed that he shot into the bush when he noticed movement thinking it was a wild animal.

The statement said that the victim had been hospitalised and responding to treatment.

eaders of the two warring communities in Osun State Monday night embraced one another to demonstrate they have agreed to sheath their swords over the disagreements that culminated in the communal clash.

Ipetumodu and Ashipa both in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun have recently made headlines for engaging themselves in fight over a disputed land and the clash in their market days, thereby allowing youths of the towns to engage in a communal clash.

At the meeting were the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba James Adegoke and the representative of the Alashipa of Ashipa, Ojediran Olaleke chiefs and leaders of the township associations of both communities.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in whose presence the leaders of the community embraced one another charged the two warring communities to ensure promotion of communal peace and progress which is one of the cardinal programmes of his administration or face government sanctioned.

The governor gave this charge in his office in a meeting with the leaders of the two communities while charting ways to end the

disagreement between the towns over a parcel of land and the clash in market days as enumerated by leaders of the two communities present at the meeting.

Aregbesola at the peace meeting urged the monarchs and leaders of the two communities to warn the youths not to further engage in act that could further jeopardise the peace of the communities and the state at large.

He said, “With the on-going clash in your domains commercial activities have been brought to a halt and property destroyed, student who have nothing in your dispute are made to bear the brunt by the burning of their hostel. Why should students be given the opportunity to have a bad impression about your communities?

“Things like a market day should not cause problem. I want to use this opportunity to beg the two communities to allow peace to reign from now on, we should maintain status quo till the committee we are going to set up come out with recommendations.

The governor used the occasion of the peace meeting to call on security agencies to comb the nooks and crannies of the communities to recover arms that are not licenced in a houseto-house search to forestall further use of weapons in future.

48

Community Mirror

Cocoa farmers in Ogun want FG’s support

C

hairman Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, CFAN, Ogun Chapter Mr. Solomon Williams, has appealed to the Federal Government to provide all essential inputs to improve cocoa production in the country.

Making the appeal in while speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta on Monday, Williams said the government should empower farmers with inputs such as fertiliser and agrochemicals as well as facilitate easy access to loans.

He noted that the lack of equipment and insufficient funds was one of the major problems affecting cocoa processing.

He said, “Government should help farmers by giving them agricultural inputs and finance, to maintain their farms.

“Maintenance of cocoa farms is very imperative and capital consuming. It takes about two years for cocoa trees to start yielding well, which needs essential maintenance,” he added.

Williams noted that more cocoa farms had stopped production due to inadequate funds, increase in interest rate on agriculture loans and high cost of raw materials.

He also urged the government to ensure early disbursement of fertiliser and other chemicals that are very important in cocoa production.

“The government only supplies us with fertiliser in Ogun which we do not really need much of it compared to the chemicals that we need most.

“We have also never benefitted from government loans; they have refused to pay attention to the cocoa sector as it was in the past.

“Government has forgotten the past glory cocoa brought to Nigeria; cocoa was once the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy.

“We can point out so many things cocoa money was used in developing this country, but when oil came up everybody forgot about the sector,” he said.

He expressed the fear that the challenges might lead to low productivity and marginal profits, if not checked.

He urged the Federal Government to enable cocoa farmers to have access to single digit bank loan, saying that it would enhance steady growth in the agriculture sector.

He, therefore, appealed to the government to always involve cocoa farmers when decisions on agriculture were being taken.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2015: INEC seeks support of Monarchs in Lagos . . . vigilance group to collaborate with security agencies

DARE AKOGUN

I

ndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has appealed for support of the traditional institution in Lagos State toward ensuring successful general elections.

Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Akin Orebiyii, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Oba of Lagos, Riliwanu Akiolu.

According to him, the commission will not support any particular interest, individual or party.

The INEC boss said that the commission’s doors were open for complaints and clarifications.

Orebiyii, however, noted that the challenges facing the commission in preparation for the elections would

be addressed toward ensuring successful polls.

He said, “Truly, our preparation is not without its challenges with respect to voter cards we started late and also face some hurdles.

“We have seen that whether we like it or not, all the PVCs must come out, we have moved away from our local government offices to the 245 wards, to distribute the cards before the elections.

“Those that newly registered in late last year in Lagos were about 1.4 million and all of them will have their cards once they are released,’’ he stated.

The REC said that the total registered voters in the state were over 5.9 million.

Responding, Oba Akiolu charged INEC to ensure the release of PVCs to all eli-

gible voters in the state, to enhance the success of the elections.

“I will appeal to INEC to ensure that eligible voters get their cards before elections, because the state has between six million and seven million voters.

“All those that are making noise that there will be trouble are just making noise, it is God that appoints a leader.

“I assure you that the security forces in Lagos will ensure peaceful polls. They have prepared, if anybody says he is going to cause trouble, they will deal with such persons,’’ he affirmed.

Akiolu however charged INEC to be professional before, during and after the conduct of the elections.

In a related development Deputy Commandant, Vigi-

lante Group of Nigeria, Emmanuel Ayisire, has said that it would collaborate with other security agencies to ensure safety and peace during and after the general elections.

Ayisire made the assertion while speaking to newsmen in Lagos, adding that the group is also planning to have a seminar in Abuja with the aim of putting its members in the right frame of mind for the polls.

He said, “The seminar is also aimed at contributing our quota to maintaining peace and stability during and after the elections.

“I may not be able to give an estimated figure but in each of the state, including the Federal Capital Territory, we have not less than 4,000 men,’’ he added.

Plateau launches children safeguarding policy

T

he Plateau Government on Tuesday in Jos launched a policy for the protection of children tagged: ``Children Safeguarding Policy.`` The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the policy launched by the Plateau Ministry of Women Affairs was to augment the implementation of child rights at community and local government’s levels.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Sarah Yusuf, said the policy provided a standard for development of effective measures to care givers and parents to be able to respond positively to the needs and protection of children.

She said that Plateau was first among the 19 northern states to initiate such policy which was to ensure that children enjoy their rights to the fullest.

According to her, the policy will ensure that chil-

dren are safe while interacting with their peer groups and other members of the society. ``All hands must be on deck to ensure that this important obligation is fulfilled,`` she said.

Yusuf urged parents and care givers to adhere to the provisions of law and the policy to create a good opportunity for children.

The Attorney General of the state, Mrs Olivia Dazen, who was represented at the occasion by Mr Georgina Dashe, Director, Citizen’s Rights and Law Reforms, said that children are the treasure and future of the country. ``Children are the leaders of tomorrow and if we don’t give them a good environment to learn then the future will be bad,`` She said.

According to her, it is a desire of every parent to see his child grow up in a right way.

District Head of Yola, Alhaji Sa’ad Bawuro (3rd right) presenting relief material to internally displaced persons from Mubi, Madam Zainab Umaru (left) in Yola, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Lagos farmers want land for cassava cultivation

C

hairman Nigeria Cassava Growers Association, NCGA, Lagos Chapter Mr. Jonathan Ogundeyi, has appealed to the Lagos State government to provide more arable land for cassava plantation.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the success of the Federal Government policy on cassava inclusion in bread baking depended on land

availability. ``We have benefited from the Federal Government’s intervention fund to increase the production of cassava. ``The policy has helped to boost our cassava production and led to reduction of hunger. ``We have embraced the policy and it has enhanced cassava production output and boosted farmers’ ability

to create wealth. ``The dearth of land for cultivation has been the bane of this policy since it was formulated,’’ he said.

Ogundeyi told NAN that the farmlands made available by the Lagos State Government in Badagry and Epe, were not enough.

According to him, two hectares of land were allocated to each farmer, as stipulated by the cassava

inclusion policy.

He explained that the association had provided members with high quality cassava seedlings, which were planted and are due for harvest during rainy season.

He noted that the harvested cassava would be sold to cassava processors for manufacturing of quality cassava flour for bread baking.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

World News

IS threatens to kill Japanese hostages, Tokyo vows not to give up PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

A

t least four people have been killed in protests in the Democratic Republic of Congo calling for President Joseph Kabila to step down next year.

The protests continued yesterday in the capital, Kinshasa, and internet connections were blocked following Monday’s clashes between opposition supporters and security forces.

Demonstrators say government plans for a census are a ploy to delay elections.

Kabila is constitutionally barred from running for a third term.

The government admits next year’s elections could be delayed, but says the census is vital to ensure free and fair elections.

The BBC’s Maud Julien reports from Kinshasa that most shops are closed and internet and text messaging services have been blocked, apparently on the orders of the government.

Hundreds of angry young men are burning tyres in several neighbourhoods, looting shops and throwing stones at cars, our reporter said.

All sides (in Yemen) to immediately cease all hostilities, exercise maximum restraint, and take the necessary steps to restore full authority to the legitimate government institutions –United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon

50

Four killed in DR Congo UN worker clashes over Kabila’s future kidnapped in CAR

WORLD BULLETIN

A town hall in southern Kinshasa, a city with a population of more than nine million, was also set ablaze, a news agency reports.

In the poor area of Masina on the city’s outskirts, police tried to disperse protesters by shooting into the air, BBC said.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende said two policemen and two “looters” had been killed in Monday’s clashes in the capital.

Human rights activists said up to 10 people may have been killed.

The demonstrators called on Mr Kabila to step down when his term expires and carried placards which said: “Don’t touch the constitution”.

Hundreds of people also protested on Monday in Goma, the main trading post in the east.

Protesters think the census plan is a ploy to extend Kabila’s rule

Kenya apologises for tear-gassing protesting pupils

T

he Kenyan authorities have apologised for an incident on Monday in which police used tear gas against protesting schoolchildren in the capital.

The children were demonstrating against the apparent sale of their playground at Lang’ata school in Nairobi.

Internal Security Minister Joseph Nkaissery met pupils yesterday to apologise and confirm that the play area belonged to the school.

Activists had alleged that it had been corruptly sold to a private developer.

The pupils, aged between three and 14, had returned to school af-

ter a two-week teachers strike to find the playground fenced off.

Many joined teachers and activists in trying to push down the barriers that had been erected, before police arrived to confront them.

Local media reports said Mr Nkaissery had now ordered the developer to remove the remaining part of the barrier and clear all building materials within 24 hours.

The police officer in charge of the operation to disperse the protest has been suspended pending an investigation, the reports said.

Several children were taken to hospital after being hurt in the police action.

M

Most govts conceal data despite G20 pledges, study reveals

yanmar, Haiti and Mali were ranked the least open and transparent countries in a global index of government data released yesterday, which found that most governments do not make official data openly available to the public.

Despite pledges by the G7 and G20 to improve transparency in government data, which could

Armed men kidnapped a woman working for the U.N. peacekeeping mission MINUSCA in Central African Republic’s capital Bangui yesterday, the mission told Reuters.

The abduction came a day after a French charity worker and a churchman were seized in an area of the city controlled by anti-balaka militia fighters. The militia demanded the release of one of its leaders who has been arrested for crimes including murder.

“Unidentified armed men kidnapped yesterday a woman who works for MINUSCA after having stopped the vehicle in which she was travelling. A similar kidnap attempt failed just a bit earlier,” said MINUSCA in a statement.

The country sank into chaos when the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel umbrella group seized power in the majority Christian state in March 2013, ousting President Francois Bozize.

A backlash from the mostly Christian or animist “anti-balaka” militia led to violence that has killed thousands and displaced around 1 million people.

help reduce corruption and improve state services, data remained locked away from public view in more than 90 percent of nations surveyed, The Web Foundation said.

Eighty-six countries were ranked in the Open Data Barom-

Images from the protest shocked people in Kenya and internationally

Meanwhile, two activists who were arrested during the confrontation with police are expected to appear in court.

It was not immediately clear how the developer came to take possession of the land, which lies

eter on how readily their governments make data available, including information on government budgets and spending, public sector contracts, company ownership, health services and education.

Open data refers to data that is proactively published, and made

less than 5km (three miles) west of Nairobi city centre.

The city council, which runs the school, said the playground was public land and made no comment on the legal status of the alleged sale.

available without charge, in readable file formats and without restrictions on use.

The United Kingdom topped the rankings for the second consecutive year, followed by the United States, Sweden, France and New Zealand.

Woman, child die of bird flu in Egypt An Egyptian woman and child died of H5N1 bird flu, the health ministry said, the fourth and fifth persons to die of the illness in the country this year.

The six-year-old child died in Minya province on Monday evening, after a 47-year-old woman succumbed to the disease in Assiut province earlier in the day, ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said.

Both Assiut and Minya provinces are rural areas that have seen a number of bird flu cases in the past year.

The ministry announced one other case in treatment, bringing the total number of cases in Egypt to 20 this year so far. This includes five deaths as well as six recoveries and nine cases still under treatment, Abdel Ghaffar said.

The World Health Organization says there has been a jump in the number of H5N1 infections in people in Egypt, but that there does not appear to have been any major genetic change in the flu strain to explain the rise in human cases.

At least 10 people died from the disease in Egypt in 2014.

50

World News

T

WORLD BULLETIN

he Islamic State group threatened in a video yesterday to kill two Japanese hostages within 72 hours unless it receives a $200 million ransom, but Tokyo vowed it would not bow to “terrorism”.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in Jerusalem on the latest leg of a Middle East tour, demanded the jihadists immediately free the two hostages unharmed.

He was to fly home after a meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to take charge of the crisis, cutting short the rest of his tour.

IS has murdered five Western hostages since August last year, but it is the first time that the extremist group -- which has seized swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq -- has threatened Japanese captives.

In footage posted on jihadist websites, a black-clad militant brandishing a knife addresses the camera in English, standing between hostages Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa who are wearing orange jumpsuits.

“You now have 72 hours to pressure your government into making a wise decision by paying the $200 million to save the lives of your citizens,” he says.

The militant says that the ransom demand is to compensate for non-military aid that the Japanese prime minister pledged to support countries affected by IS violence at the start of his Middle East tour.

‘AirAsia flight climbed too fast’ The AirAsia flight that crashed in the Java Sea, killing 162 people, climbed too fast before stalling, Indonesia’s transport minister has said.

Ignasius Jonan told a parliamentary hearing in Jakarta that flight QZ8501 had ascended at a speed of 6,000ft (1,828m) per minute.

No passenger or fighter jet would attempt to climb so fast, he said.

There were no survivors when the plane crashed on 28 December, en route from Surabaya to Singapore.

The Airbus A320-200 is thought to have encountered difficulties from an approaching storm.

Fewer than one-third of the bodies have been retrieved from the crash area, where debris was scattered across the sea.

Citing radar data, Mr Jonan said: “The plane, during the last minutes, went up faster than normal speed... then it stalled.”

Prosecutors seek formal probe for Paris attack suspects French prosecutors asked magistrates yesterday to open a formal investigation into four men suspected of helping prepare the Islamist attack on a kosher supermarket in Paris, one of three attacks in France that claimed 17 victims.

The four suspects, ages 22 to 28, have been in police custody since Friday.

Police have been searching for possible accomplices to brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, who carried out attacks on the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, and Amedy Coulibaly, who killed a policewoman and four people in the Jewish foodstore. All three gunmen were shot dead by police in sieges on Jan 9.

Twelve people were arrested last week on suspicion of providing logistical support to Coulibaly, a judicial source said. For the most part, those arrested were already known to police, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday.

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

IS threatens to kill Japanese hostages, Tokyo vows not to give up

Japanese hostages Kenji Goto (L) and Haruna Yukawa (R) with a black-clad militant brandishing a knife at an undisclosed location

“This posture will not change at all,” he said.

Since August, IS has murdered three Americans and two Britons, posting grisly video footage of their executions.

US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, American aid worker Peter Kassig and British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines were all beheaded.

The militant who appeared in the video threatening the Japanese hostages spoke with a very similar southern English accent to the militant who appeared in

But Abe said Japan would not bow to extremism and pledged to honour his promise of aid.

“I strongly demand that they not be harmed and that they be immediately released,” he told a news conference in Jerusalem.

“The international community will not give in to terrorism and we have to make sure that we work together.”

Abe said the aid he had promised in Cairo on Saturday was to help the displaced and those made homeless by the conflict in Iraq and Syria.

the footage posted of the executions of the Britons and Americans.

Goto is a freelance journalist, born in 1967, who set up a video production company, named Independent Press in Tokyo in 1996, feeding video documentaries on the Middle East and other regions to Japanese television networks, including public broadcaster NHK. He had been out of contact since late October after telling family that he intended to return to Japan, NHK reported.

‘Militants take Yemeni presidential palace’

H

outhi fighters entered Yemen’s presidential palace after a brief clash with the compound’s security guards, witnesses and security sources told Reuters, a day after some of the worst battles in the capital in years.

Guards at the presidential palace housing the main office Houthi Shiite Yemeni gather while guarding a street leading to the of President Abd-Rabbu Manpresidential palace in Sanaa, Yemen, yesterday sour Hadi said they CHANGE OF NAME handed over the CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME BELLO: Formerly known and adFormerly known and addressed Formerly known and addressed compound to Houthi dressed as Miss Bello Mosunmola as Miss Olayisade Adedoyin as Mbagwu Busonma Nneka, Maria, now wish to be known, called fighters after a brief Eunice, now wish to be called as now wish to be known and adand addressed as Mrs Thompson Mrs. Ajibola Adedoyin Eunice. dressed as Anyaogu Busonma clash.

Witnesses Mosunmola Maria. All former docAll former documents remain Nneka. All former documents uments remain valid. General public said there was a valid. General public should take remain valid. General public note.

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brief clash between a Houthi force and palace guards.

Witnesses also said they saw the Houthis seize armoured vehicles that had been guarding the entrances to the palace.

The Houthis on Monday fought artillery battles with the army near the presidential palace, in some of the most intense fighting in Sanaa in years, and surrounded the prime minister’s residence.

Nine people were killed and 90 wounded before a ceasefire came into force on Monday evening.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Wednesday January 21, 2015

Sokoto: Police accuse PDP, APC of breaking ‘Peace Accord’ OMEIZA AJAYI

S

okoto State Police Command has accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as well as the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state of breaching the “Peace Accord” recently signed by presidential candidates of the parties.

The police particularly accused Governor, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of intent to lay the foundation for electoral violence.

“It is feared that Governor Wamakko does not believe in the peace accord, hence he is laying the foun-

dation for perpetrating violence in the state by accusing the police in order to legitimise his actions in the forthcoming elections,” the police stated.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Shu’aibu Gambo, made the observation in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday.

Gambo was reacting to a comment attributed to Wamakko to the effect that the Inspector General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, broke the peace accord signed by President Goodluck Jonathan as well as other presidential candidates.

“The Sokoto Police Command wishes to put on re-

cord that all accusations made by the Sokoto State governor are unfounded,” Gambo said.

He said it was on record that both political parties have been accused of attacking each other at different parts of the state and the police have always lived up to its mandate and ensured that arrests on both sides are promptly carried out and suspects charged to court as the case may be.

While describing as untrue, allegations that the police arrests members of the opposition on trumped up charges, Gambo said in all cases of arrests, there were always complainants

and victims of brutality, a situation that makes it easier for the police to treat such cases with dispatch.

According to him, “”both parties are guilty of allowing their supporters to attack each other’s offices and in all occasion, police have promptly arrested the culprits and charged them to court”.

Gambo said in the most recent case on Thursday, January 15, where supporters of both parties clashed, leading to the death of an APC supporter, nine suspects were arrested and are helping the police in its investigation.

51

Thugs attack Kaduna Govt House, destroy properties AZA MSUE KADUNA

S

uspected thugs loyal to aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members who failed to be nominated as caretaker committee chairmen by the Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Yero, yesterday damaged properties at atGovernment House, Kawo, during the swearing in ceremony of the caretaker chairmen.

National Mirror, which arrived Government House to cover the event, saw a shattered hall after the mayhem.

The clash forced the government to shift the inauguration to Murtala Square.

A state house staff who was busy clearing some of the broken properties, spoke with National Mirror on condition of anonymity: “This hall was decorated as you can see, but thugs with machetes, knives and sticks, who were in the hall in solidarity with their council caretaker committee chairman, suddenly started fighting themselves.

“We discovered that, some of them were aggrieved that the governor did not appoint their preferred choice. They broke

big glasses and other properties in the hall. The governor was yet to arrive when they started fighting.

As you can see, the inauguration ceremony has been shifted to Murtala Square.

“The action of political thugs inside places like State House where president, vice president, governors and other important personalities used to hold meetings whenever they are in Kaduna State is unfortunate. I wonder how 2015 elections will be in Kaduna” Speaking in a telephone interview with National Mirror, Public Relations Officer PDPin the state, Ibrahim Mansur, said all the people appointed by the governor are competent, although the governor cannot satisfy everybody “I am aware that the inauguration of caretaker committee chairmen was shifted from State House to Murtala Square because of the expected crowd. I am not aware of the clashes. Secondly, all of the men appointed are credible party members.

The governor has made wider consultations before selecting them. Those appointed have served PDP diligently. But what I know is that, you can never satisfy all,” he maintained.

INEC promises level playing field for all ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI KANO

Some internally displaced persons during distribution of relief materials by Archbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Jos, Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, in Jos, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Group pledges support for displaced North-East children, others MARCUS FATUNMOLE AND JOEL AJAYI

A

n international organisation, Plan International, PI, yesterday promised to support less-privileged children in the country, including those currently displaced in the NorthEast.

The pledge came few days after the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, through his

Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui, condemned what he described as incessant forced marriage, sexual violence, and increasing out-of-school children in the country as a result of ongoing terror campaigns by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Zerrougui had come to Nigeria “to gather and verify information on grave violations committed against children” and to discuss with leaders in the country how the chal-

lenges could be addressed.

Plan International said at its launch in Abuja, that its target was to improve school children enrolment, especially girls, improve the health of children and women, and strengthen child participation in the Nigerian Children’s Parliament.

Deputy Country Director of the organisation, Ms. Offiong Enang, noted that the institution “is an international group that will focus on health, education, economic security, child

protection and child participation in the Africa’s most populous country.

“Child rights organisation Plan International is launching its full country operations in Nigeria on January 20, making it the 13th programme country for the organisation in West Africa and 51st globally,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, at the launch, decried the effects of insurgency on children in the North-East.

I

ndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Kano State, has promised to accord equal opportunity to candidates contesting for public offices in the 2015 general elections.

The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi, made this known yesterday while addressing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leaders in his office.

He said the commission was in possession of non sensitive materials meant for use during the 2015 general elections in the state, adding that sensitive materials would arrive the state in good time prior to the day of elections.

Abdullahi, stated that the commission have con-

cluded plans for the adequate protection of lives and properties during the election, adding that the commission would provide a peaceful atmosphere that would encourage voters to troop out to vote.

He charged the party chieftains to educate their supporters on the role expected of them in achieving a credible, free and fair election.

The commissioner lamented the inadequacy of staff to take care of the activities of the commission, disclosing that, Kano INEC has 700 members of staff, while the election requires the services of 48,000 personnel.

State Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Rabiu Dan Sharu said the party leadership was at the INEC secretariat to familiarise with the newly redeployed Resident Electoral Commissioner.

52 CHANGE OF NAME

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AUCTION SALES

This is to inform the general public that the following BUSS: AJ 297 SKP, XA 477 KKE, VE 631 EB, VOLVO CAR BH 96 MUS and some Motorcycles and other Assorted items arrested and impound at OBEHIE and ABAYI Police divisions, Aba, shall be sold by Public Auction after 14 days of this Publication.

The police shall not be held liable for any item sold by Public Auction after the 14 days notice.

Signed: Mr Sunday Ochi, Auctioneer 08036727080, 07015207628

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1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Jude Aondowase Ahula Grace Ngozi Ahula Orga Toryima Joseph Terwase Biam Bem Mngutyo Benjamin Frank Alaha Ahula Yina Torseer Elias

(Chairman) (Secretary) (Member) (Member) (Member) (Member) (Member)

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.

2.

3.

To make disciples of Christ for all nations To preach and Teach the world of God to all nations To promote righteous living by the power of the Holy Spirit

Any objection to the registration of the above named Church should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, P.M.B 198, Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: JUDE AONDOWASE AHULA (CHAIRMAN)

CHANGE OF NAME

AKINWEKOMI: Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Olutoyin Akinwekomi, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs BodeThomas Olutoyin Olaide. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Omodehin Adetutu Yemisi, Now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adegoke Adetutu Yemisi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

ABOLADE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Abolade Oluwaseun Temitayo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Fakeye Oluwaseun Temitayo. All former documents remain valid. Odeda LGEA, SUBEB and General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly addressed and known as Miss Oyewole Oluwafunke Grace, now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Faderanmi Oluwafunke Grace.

All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly called and addressed as Miss Adesoye Anuoluwapo Ayobami, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Morantiola Anuoluwapo Ayobami. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

OZIOKO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ozioko Charity Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Asogwa Charity Chinyere. All former documents remain valid. ESUT, NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OKPALA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Okpala Evelyn Amaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Emenike Evelyn Amaka. All former documents remain valid. FCMB Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Kujero Olubukunola Adesewa Mojisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olatunde Adesewa Mojisola. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Bamgbade Omowunmi Islamiyyah, now wish to be known and addressed as Bishi Omowunmi. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IGBOKWE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Igbokwe Nneka Maryrose, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Chukwuemeka Munachimso Marvellous. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

HIGHER FORTRESS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

PROVEN FAITH FAMILY MINISTRY

This is to inform the general public that the above named Ministry has applied for registration with the corporate Affairs Commission Abuja under part “C” of the companies and Allied marters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

CHANGE OF NAME

OLAREWAJU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Olarewaju Victoria Oluwatoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Bayodele Victoria Oluwatoyin. All for documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Alicia Folashade Joseph, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Alicia Folashade Ukwuegbu. All documents and certificates bearing my former names remain valid. General public should please take note Formerly known and addressed as Miss Anthony Blessing Oghenechovwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adegbuyi Blessing Oghenechovwe. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ADESOPE: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesope Victoria Adewumi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Olaniyi Victoria Adewumi. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Hospital Management Board and general public take note

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

This is to inform the general public that the above named Organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Prophet Sunday Vongbut Pastor Mrs. Evelyn Teiyei Sunday Vongbut Mrs. Esther Nanwor Lar Mr. Victor Sunday Mabur Miss Angela Erewatere Umuze

- Chairman - Vice Chairman - Member - Member - Member

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To enlighten people on the need and value of prayers as a means of intercession and building personal relationship with God 2. To deepen personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ among members as their savior.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within twenty-eight (28) days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

The World is the main target this year. So, I am doing the best that I can to stay in shape –Jamaican athlete, Usain Bolt

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

53

Sport

Obuh eyes coaching courses 54

Tussle: Panic as NFF awaits CAS verdict JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

T

he Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) is expected to later this week rule on who between Mr. Chris Giwa and Mr. Amaju Pinnick is the rightful president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

CAS will pass judgment regarding the two parallel elec-

tions which produced different NFF Executive Committee factions that continue to lay claim to the country’s football leadership.

National Mirror correspondent who was at the NFF Headquarters yesterday, in Abuja, observed that there was panic among the top management staff over the imminent CAS decision, which those privy to it say

might call for fresh election into the NFF Executive Committee.

On August 26, 2014, elections into the NFF Board took place in Chida Hotel, Abuja and produced Giwa and his ‘Board Members’ before another election approved by FIFA was conducted on September 30, 2014 in which Pinnick and his executive emerged.

Since then, leadership tussle

in the NFF has persisted and an attempt to resolve the matter at the Federation’s Appeal Committee as directed by FIFA, became controversial, as the committee chaired by Barr. Okechukwu Ajunwa turned in two different reports.

Giwa and his group resurrected their case before CAS after Pinnick’s Board failed to set up Arbitration Panel in line with

FIFA’s directive.

“CAS has listened to the case before it on Friday after both Giwa and Barr Musa Amadu, who stood in for Pinnick were given fair hearing,” an informed source said yesterday.

“After the hearing, those representing both parties were asked to go and expect judgment to be made public any moment from now.”

Aussie Open

2015: Leyton Hewitt in action yesterday

Djokovic, Hewitt, Azarenka march on EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

W

orld No.1, Novak Djokovic, was clinical in his opening round game at the ongoing Australian Open 2015 yesterday, beating Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and thereafter spoke of his new perspective on life as he aims to become the first player since Roger Federer – five years ago – to win a major after becoming a father.

On a day morning and evening spectatorship reached 44,614, the seven Grand Slam

champion, who entered his first major since he and wife, Jelena, welcomed their first child, Stefan, into the world last October, despatached the Slovenian-Brit-in-waiting in three straight sets.

“I can say definitely that it’s the best, most joyful thing that ever has happened to me and my wife. We are so blessed and grateful to have a child. He’s a little angel,” Djokovic said.

After his son’s birth, Djokovic comfortably defended his Paris Masters 1000 title and did not lose a match on his way to the ATP World Tour Finals title.

There was a hitch in his preparations a few weeks back when he fell to the tour’s ace king, Ivo Karlovic, in the Doha quarterfinals, but he is in Melbourne Park a firm favourite to add a fifth Australian Open to his Grand Slam tally.

In his own opening match, Lleyton Hewitt put China’s Ze Zhang in his place 6-3, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4 while the crowd roared its approval, but the perennial also ran homeboy shed no light on whether his 19th Australian Open will be his last.

Hewitt will be 34 in a few weeks, and this is his 19th Aus-

sie Open. And for most of that time, he has been the great hope of Australian tennis, carrying the expectations of a nation on his shoulders and bursting with pride as he did so.

But reports say this year is different, as there are young lads hogging the limelight while Hewitt is more of a support act.

“It’s great for Australian tennis,” Hewitt said in a fatherly tone. “For a period, obviously when Pat (Rafter) retired and Flip (Mark Philippoussis) had a few injuries, there wasn’t a lot else that could go deep into a Grand Slam. Whereas now,

these guys, they’ve had little flashes in the pan of quarterfinals, a couple of quarterfinals in slams. But they’ve got to try to do it on a more consistent basis now,” Hewitt said.

In the ladies game, two-time former champion, Victoria Azarenka, beat Sloane Stephens for the third year running at the Australian Open, 6-3 6-2.

As it was in 2013 and 2014, Azarenka beat Stephens to book her spot in the second round, where she will face world No.8 Caroline Wozniacki after the Dane beat Taylor Townsend 7-6(1) 6-2.

54

Sports

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bony gets Aguero’s plaudit

M

anchester City striker, Sergio Aguero, has revealed his delight with his club’s new signing, Wilfried Bony.

The Ivorian forward completed his move to the reigning Premier League champions last week, signing a four-year deal with the Citizens from Welsh club Swansea City.

Bony faces tough competition in getting into Manuel

Pellegrini’s starting XI, with the likes of Edin Dzeko, Stevan Jovetic and Sergio Aguero all proven goal-scorers at the club.

Yet Argentine ace Aguero, who currently sits on 19 goals in 23 appearances in all competitions for City thus far, has revealed his joy at Bony’s signing, backing him to shine at the Etihad club.

“Since Wilfried has been

playing in England, he should be able to take the pressure of competing in the Premier League. So he will be a very good signing. We’re very thankful for this,” Aguero said.

Bony, who struck 34 goals in 70 games for Swansea, will only make his debut for City next month after he returns from international duty with the Cote d’Ivoire at this year’s African Cup of Nations.

Bony

Balotelli wants Reds’ stay

B

John Obuh

eleaguered Liverpool striker, Mario Balotelli, says he wants to stay at the club and prove his worth, despite a woeful first five months since he moved to Anfield.

The Italian international joined for 20-million from AC Milan in August, but has so far only managed two goals–and none in the Premier League.

Talk is rife that Balotelli will return to Serie A in January, but Reds Manager, Brendan Rodgers, says it is farther from the truth.

“He does want to stay; I think that is the case with him,” Rodgers says.

“He does care about doing well for Liverpool and wants to do well, but it just hasn’t gone as he would have wanted.

“This is a club where you will get every opportunity to shine.

This is a group that is very closeknit, the spirit is strong and you can work your way into that by working hard and you will get your rewards.

“We’ve seen that over the last

two-and-a-half years with other players.

“We want as many good players as we can between now and the end of the season. He is not one we want to move.”

Balotelli

Fabregas banks on quadruple JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

F

ormer Enugu Rangers coach, John Obuh, has rejected all offers from Nigerian clubs, saying he has resolved to return to the class to reshape his coaching techniques.

Obuh, who spoke to National Mirror in Abuja yesterday, recently parted ways with Rangers and was soon after linked with a possible move to Akwa United.

“I want to take a break from coaching any club in Nigeria,” the former Wikki Tourists gaffer said.

“I’m aiming at a coaching course soon. I think most clubs don’t know the worth of Nigerian coaches and players.

“The kinds of people managing Nigerian clubs are not pro-

Obuh eyes coaching courses fessional. They won’t give you free hand to operate and this is the situation we find ourselves.

“I’m not trying to quit coaching completely. After all, I’m not old or tired. I will be willing to combine my course with any meaningful job that comes my way.”

When asked if he had been

approached by any foreign club, Obuh said: “I have had one offer from a club outside the country but language barrier prevented me from taking up the offer.

“The agents we have here in Nigeria are mostly interested in players’ transfer. Otherwise, I would have gotten more offers from clubs outside.”

Chelsea midfielder, Cesc Fabregas, talks about his excellent season at the London club, as well as the Blues’ chances of silverware How would you describe your first season back in the Premier League?

It’s been great so far, I’m enjoying it a lot. The Premier League has definitely improved since I left three years ago. The passion is still the same-from the fans, the players. Physically it has always been a really hard league because it is so competitive, but tactically it’s now much better. I think to break down defence these days is more difficult than before.

Were you surprised how easily you adjusted to playing for a new team?

I was lucky to have a good preseason. We played four or five games pre-season and that really helped me find my rhythm.

We have a very young and talented squad and I get on well with everyone, so that made my introduction really easy.

What impresses you about Chelsea as a club?

It’s a very well structured club. The people inside the club, the people who work for Chelsea are really nice and make you feel very welcome and I settled in very quickly. It’s been very positive.

Can Chelsea realistically compete for four trophies this season?

It’s obviously difficult to say, but at the moment we are still competing in all of them, so I’d never say never. We will try our best, but we’ll only see at the end of the season.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

55

AFCON 2015

Why Black Stars lost to Lions –Agyemang-Badu Sinkala

Sinkala gutted by early ouster

I Nsue

Hosts protest cancelled goal

E

quatorial Guinea has lodged an official protest to CAF over a cancelled goal in Saturday’s opening Group A match against Congo.

Skipper Emilio Nsue’s lobbed effort in last the 74th minute was ruled for offside

by African Referee of the Year 2013 and 2014 Bakary Papa Gassama from Gambia.

Television replays showed it was a poor decision and the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation (EGFF) alleged on the government official website that this was a gang-up by the referee to stop the home country from reaching the last-eight of the tournament.

The statement said experts had reviewed several times the video of that goal and said it should have stood.

Spain-based striker Thievy Bifouma will go on to draw level for Congo with Nzalang Nacional in the dying minutes of the game.

Interestingly, Congo Coach, Claude Le Roy, alleged their performance against Equatorial Guinea was affected because they were deliberately held up in traffic on their way to the stadium hours to the kick-off.

Equatorial Guinea will take on Burkina Faso today, the Stallions having lost 2-0 to Gabon in the opening game at the weekend.

G

hana midfielder, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, has attributed Black Stars’ defeat to Senegal to lack of concentration.

The Black Stars threw away a first half lead to ultimately lose 2-1 to Senegal in their opening game at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations on Monday.

Andre Ayew had given Ghana a flying start to the tournament when he converted a 13th minute penalty.

But Mame Biram Diouf and Moussa Sow led the charge of a resurgent Senegal in the second half to clinch the win.

Agyemang-Badu who played the entire duration of the game blamed his side’s crushing defeat on their inability to keep their full concentration throughout the match.

“I think we have to just concentrate more,” Badu said.

“That is the most important thing to do but with the cohesion and with the ball we played in the first half, I think when we continue like this we will do something,” he added.

Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu

Today’s Matches E’Guinea

vs

Burkina Faso

Gabon

vs

Congo

Results Cote d’Ivoire

1

1

Guinea

Mali

1

1

Cameroun

njured Zambia midfielder, Nathan Sinkala, is disappointed that he will play no further part at the 2015 Africa Cup in Equatorial Guinea.

The Chipolopolo vice-captain is out of action for four weeks after tearing a ligament in his knee during last Sunday’s opening Group B match against DR Congo that finished 1-1 on Saturday.

Sinkala limped off in the 85th minute and was replaced by defender Christopher Munthali.

“It is very sad to me especially that I got injured in the first game,” Sinkala said yesterday.

“But I am wishing the guys the very best in the remaining two games.”

Sinkala’s departure is a major blow for Zambia who will miss the influential defensive midfielder during its critical penultimate Group B match against Tunisia tomorrow.

Zambia Coach, Honour Janza, is likely to turn to Donashano Malama to take Sinkala’s place when the Nkana utility defender returns to the fold after serving his one match suspension against DR Congo.

All teams in Group B head into the next fixtures on one point each.

Mashaba declares next games ‘must-win’

B Mashaba

afana Bafana Coach, Shakes Mashaba, has labelled South Africa’s next games against Senegal and Ghana as a must win as his side aims to bounce back from its opening game loss to Algeria.

South Africa sits bottom of Group C following a 3-1 loss to the Fennec Foxes on Monday and faces Senegal in the next

game.

“We conceded poor goals in the first game and that is something we have to repair. We have made things very difficult and the next two games is a must win for us,” Mashaba said yesterday.

Rivaldo Coetzee’s injury on the half-hour was a big blow to Bafana and Mashaba believes the injury to the 18-year-old af-

fected his side.

“I think the change affected us because they started playing long balls in behind us and started to get into one-v-one positions,” Mashaba concluded.

With Coetzee likely to miss the game against the Lions of Teranga on Friday, Erick Mathoho is expected to partner Thulani Hlatshwayo in defence.

WORLD RECORD

Smallest folded pram Vol. 05 No. 1031

N150

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

The smallest commercially available folded pram is the D666 made

by GoodBaby (China), measuring 35 cm (13.78 in) high, 30 cm (11.81 in) long and 18 cm (7.09 in) wide when folded.

February elections and imperative of peace I t is heartwarming that the two leading candidates in the forthcoming presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari, as well as other candidates, have at a recent workshop on how to ensure violence-free elections held in Abuja, made public commitment to embracing peace before, during and after next month general elections. It is particularly noteworthy that President Jonathan and General Buhari openly embraced and shook hands at the event, while also openly denouncing violence in their respective speeches. The event, which was chaired by former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, also had in attendance a former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan.

This development is especially momen-

Guest Columnist

Tayo

Ogunbiyi

tous in view of the recent several acts of violence, arson, thuggery and the ensuing tension that have pervaded the political landscape. Now that the major gladiators in the political process have openly pledged to uphold peace, it is expected that their teeming supporters across the country would equally see the wisdom in toeing the same line. It has been repeatedly stated that elections should not be a do or die affair. If the overriding interest of all aspiring public office holders is to better the lot of Nigerians, it would be contradictory for them to turn the political scene into a theatre of warfare because political violence could further compound the economic and security problems of the country.

Going down memory lanes, our previous attempts at democratic governance were hampered by the orgy of violence that accompanied the electoral processes. In the First Republic, the violence that greeted the seriously compromised 1965 Western Region elections heralded the coming of the military, which set in motion the chain of events that eventually culminated in the 30 month civil war (1967-70). The country is yet to recover from the unfortunate development. The Second Republic democratic experiment was equally bungled, mainly as a result of the tension and crisis that followed the highly flawed 1983 general elections. Of course, the Third Republic was still birth because of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by the late Bashorun MKO Abiola.

THE UNCANNY REALITY IS THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF OUR VARYING POLITICAL

LEANINGS, WE ARE TIED TO A COMMON DESTINY IN THE NIGERIAN PROJECT!

The current democratic dispensation began on May 29, 1999, and we have had more than 15 years of unbroken civil rule. This should be enough motivation for all the stakeholders in the political project to abide by the rules of the game; anything contrary would erode whatever gains made in the past 15 years.

The next month elections offer Nigerians another opportunity to consolidate and deepen our democracy. This is the time to get it right. The only interest that should be paramount in the ensuing political contest should be that of the country. It is not in anybdy’s interest for the country to be engulfed in crisis over elections, something that is a mere routine in other climes. We have had enough of bloodletting in the country. In the past four years, we have lost too many innocent souls to the criminal activities of Boko Haram insurgents. It is, therefore, an unconscionable act to add political turmoil to the growing lists of our national challenges. In the 21st century, killing or maiming people in the name of elections should be seen as

a retrogressive act. If relatively smaller and less endowed neighbouring countries could conduct peaceful and credible elections, it behooves on the most populous black country in the world to do better. Koffi Anna said it all when recently he enthused: “If Nigeria fails, Africa fails”!

It is often said that there can be no peace when justice is compromised. It is, thus, very crucial for INEC and the various security agencies to be fair to all parties in the coming elections. From past experiences, the inability to conduct credible elections had been largely responsible for the resultant chaos that engulfed the nation. Hence, INEC must live up to the expectations of Nigerians and the world. The vote of every Nigerian must be made to count.

Important also is the fact that our security agencies must eschew partisan tendencies during the elections. The police, in particular, should be civil and impartial in their conduct before, during and after the coming elections.

Their allegiance should be solely to the country.

Universally, peace is a vital precondition for development. Without peace, no meaningful development could take place in any country. According to Martin Luther King Jnr, “peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal.” It is, therefore, essential that the media, political parties, civil society organisations, the academia, faith based organisations, electoral monitoring groups, and other related bodies come up with well streamlined political education and enlightenment campaigns that would centre on the need for all to embrace peace before, during and after the elections. The uncanny reality is that irrespective of our varying political leanings, we are tied to a common destiny in the Nigerian project! It thence, behooves on us to ensure that our common umbrella does not collapse.

It will be foolhardy to do otherwise.

Long live Nigeria.

Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

Sport Extra

Transfer: United places record fee on De Gea, scares suitors

M

anchester United has placed a world-record £50million valuation on goalkeeper David de Gea in a bid to fend off the growing interest Real Madrid.

The Old Trafford side

will attempt to persuade the Spanish keeper to stay at the club by offering him a £200,000-a-week fiveyear contract worth about £52m.

Although De Gea, 24, is happy at United, he is

bound to be tempted by the chance to move back home and play for Madrid as Iker Casillas’s long-term replacement, even though his formative years were spent at their city rival Atletico.

United has made De Gea’s future its top priority but the player is likely to want to wait until the summer before making any final decision because by then he will know if Manager Louis van Gaal has

guided the club back into the Champions League.

Red Devils will have to cash in on De Gea if he declines the deal because his value will plummet during the final season of the fiveyear deal.

De Gea

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